AFAR celebrates Women in Science and Tech

(Millbrae, CA) The American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) will celebrate women in science and tech on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at an intimate awards dinner at Green Hills Country Club, 500 Ludeman Lane, Millbrae, CA, from 6:30-9:00 p.m.

AFAR will honor Katy Fike, PhD, Co-Founder, AGING2.0 and Managing Director, Generator Ventures, and Prachi J. Vakharia, Founder, WOMANIUM. Each will receive AFAR's Icon of Aging award.

AGING2.0 strives to accelerate innovation to address the biggest challenges and opportunities in aging. Aging2.0's international, interdisciplinary and intergenerational community has grown to 40k+ innovators across 20+ countries. Generator Ventures is an investment platform focused exclusively at the intersection of aging, senior care & technology.

The WOMANIUM Foundation increases women in STEM+Entrepreneurship fields by providing girls with educational, experiential and professional opportunities directly in STEM+E. In 2017, WOMANIUM awarded 177 Scholarships to students in 42 countries. Additionally, Ms. Vakharia funded and founded WARPA (Women's Advanced Research Projects Agency) in 2018 to develop and commercialize advanced innovations by Masters, PhD, and Postdoctoral students and researchers. WARPA projects span a range of age-related research and solutions, including computational neuroscience, neural development, neurodegeneration, Augmented AI for the elderly, accessible industrial design & engineering, assistive technologies, satellites and more.

"Of the more than 4,100 investigators that AFAR has supported since 1981, more than one half are women," notes Stephanie Lederman, Executive Director. "AFAR is committed to supporting and celebrating the brightest talent, like Katy Fike and Prachi Vakharia, who are advancing innovations in research, services, and collaborations that will help us all stay healthier for longer."

AFAR's Icon of Aging award recognizes individuals across the private and community sectors whose personal and professional contributions encourage growing older with vitality.

"Like AFAR, WOMANIUM strives to support and encourage young talent in science and research," says Vakharia. "It is invigorating to be honored before an audience of leading scientists and philanthropists committed to the future of healthy aging."

The event coincides with two major scientific gatherings in the Bay Area: the International Perspectives on Geroscience Meeting organized by the Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, a program of the National Institute of Aging NIH, and the annual meeting of the American Aging Association.

"I am honored to be recognized by AFAR," says Fike. "The researchers that AFAR has supported inspired my own doctoral work in gerontology, which led me to start Aging2.0 and Generator Ventures in order to catalyze innovation to better serve older Americans."

About the Awardees

Katy Fike, PhD is a Managing Director of Generator Ventures. Katy is a gerontologist, former investment banker and co-founder of Aging2.0, the premiere global innovation network focused on aging and senior care. Recently named one of Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business, Katy speaks frequently on topics related to innovation and aging in media outlets such as NPR, Bloomberg TV, Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Forbes, Time, PBS NewsHour, TechCrunch, and the Huffington Post. She holds an undergraduate degree in systems engineering from the University of Virginia and a doctorate in gerontology from the USC Davis School of Gerontology.

Prachi J. Vakharia lives and works in Washington DC, where she works on Autonomous Vehicles, V2X technologies, digital and shared mobility projects in DC, NY, and LA. Previously, she worked with the WRI, World Bank and also mentors and invests in organizations and startup companies -- 3 of those startups were acquired by Daimler AG (German auto maker of Mercedes Benz) for $100 million in a single deal on a single day. (One of the companies went from powerpoint presentation to product design, launch, expansion, and acquisition in just 9 months.) Prachi also chairs 3 committees for the US National Academies of Sciences Transport Research Board, and was approached by SAE last year to serve as the first Global Chairperson for the development of new worldwide Digital & Shared Mobility Standards with SAE to create new global standards, definitions, and business models for industry, governments, regulators, and academia. Part one was completed in a record time of 10 months! Within these, Prachi advocates for accessibility features and needs for the elderly and disabled to be included in the standards. Having grown up and educated between Asia, Europe, and Americas, Prachi also brings global perspectives, mindset, values, and understanding. Prachi holds a combined degree in Mathematics and Economics from Denison University (USA) and London School of Economics (England, UK).

###

About AFAR:

The American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) is a national non-profit organization that supports and advances pioneering biomedical research that is revolutionizing how we live healthier and longer.

For nearly four decades, AFAR has served as the field's talent incubator, providing more than $178 million to more than 4,100 investigators at premier research institutions nationwide. A trusted leader and strategist, AFAR also works with public and private funders to steer high quality grant programs and interdisciplinary research networks.

AFAR-funded researchers are finding that modifying basic cellular processes can delay--or even prevent--many chronic diseases, often at the same time. They are discovering that it is never too late--or too early--to improve health. This groundbreaking science is paving the way for innovative new therapies that promise to improve and extend our quality of life--at any age.

Learn more at http://www. afar. org or follow AFARorg on Twitter and Facebook.

This story has been published on: 2019-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.Javier Cantellops(HONOLULU) -- The woman who was rescued after going missing for more than two weeks in a forest in Hawaii said on Saturday that she had to choose between life and death in order to stay alive.

"There were times of total fear and loss and wanting to give up, and it did come down to life and death, and I had to choose," said Amanda Eller, 35, from her hospital bed, hours after rescuers in a helicopter plucked her from a ravine. "I chose life."

Eller had been missing for 16 days when she was found in good condition on Friday at about 5 p.m. local time.

She thanked the Maui community, the volunteers who helped look for her and those who donated to help fund the search.

"People that know me, that don't know me, just under the idea of helping one person make it out of the woods alive just warms my heart," she said in a video posted on the Facebook page "Find Amanda," which was created after she went missing.

Eller is recovering from her ordeal "remarkably" with only a fracture on her leg and needs some treatments on her ankles, her mother, Julia Eller, told Fox affiliate KHON-TV.

"She had been working on herself  she's a physical therapist by training, so apparently those healing touches had done her well. And they said for what she had been through, she was in surprisingly good shape," Julia Eller said.

"I'm just so incredibly grateful to have my girl home," the elder Eller said. "I never gave up hope for a minute. And even though at times, you know, I would have those moments of despair, I stayed strong for her because I knew we would find her."

Eller, 35, disappeared after apparently going for a hike on May 8. Her boyfriend was the last person to see Eller, a yoga teacher and physical therapist, that morning, but when she did not return home he reported her missing to police the next day.

Eller's SUV was found Thursday, not long after she'd been reported missing, at the base of the Kahakapao Trail.

Sarah Haynes, a friend who ran the Facebook page, told ABC News that Eller was located by a search helicopter Friday afternoon in a ravine near Twin Falls. Eller was able to flag down the helicopter, Haynes said.

One of the rescuers said they found her in a stream bed.

"She was waving up at us while we were in the helicopter, and we got her out nice and safe," Chris Berquist, who was in the helicopter, told ABC News Radio late Friday. "She was not injured. She has a little bit of exposure from the sun, a little bit of sunburn. She lost her shoes a few days in. But no injuries."

Eller was in good condition, considering the circumstances, and spoke to her father from the helicopter. She was met by an ambulance at the helipad and taken to Maui Memorial Hospital.

"She was very alert, she knew her father's phone number, she knew who she was, where she was, knew exactly how long she had been out there  very surprised to see us," Berquist said. "I've never felt something quite that overpowering."

Haynes said her friend had been living on water and plants.

"She was several miles above Twin Falls, over in deep H'aiku, way off the beaten track," Berquist said.

Earlier in the day, just hours before she was found, the reward for finding Eller was raised to $50,000.

"I haven't seen [the family] yet, but while I was assessing her up, [another rescuer] made the call to the father and let him know. I think there was some disbelief there  'Are you serious? You really found her?'  and then just explosions on both ends," Berquist said.

Her boyfriend, Benjamin Konkol, told ABC News on May 16 that he believed she was still in the forest and did not suspect foul play.

"She's my soulmate, she's the love of my life and I feel that she's still out there. ... I'd really like to stop spending my evenings alone and have my love back," he said at the time.

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Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-26 01:07:35|Editor: yan

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PHNOM PENH, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen will pay a working visit to Japan from May 29 to 31, according to a foreign ministry's statement on Saturday.

In Tokyo, Hun Sen will attend the 25th International Conference on the Future of Asia, the statement said.

It added that he will deliver a keynote address, focusing on the current global context, future prospect, the way forward and Cambodia's commitment and contribution to promoting harmony, peace and shared prosperity in the Asia and the Pacific region, and the world beyond.

The Cambodian prime minister will also have a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss various bilateral, regional and international issues of common interests, the statement said.

It added that both prime ministers will witness the signing of the exchange of notes on the extension of Japanese grant aid of 4.93 million U.S. dollars for two development projects-construction of container freight station and human resource development scholarship-in Cambodia.A placard reading 'Vote Today' is seen in London, Britain on May 23, 2019. Voters across Britain cast their ballots on Thursday for the European Parliament elections as it is widely forecast that Brexit Party will take a lead. (Xinhua/Alberto Pezzali)

LONDON, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Voters across the 28-member European Union (EU) are heading for polling stations in the world's biggest pan-nation voting exercise amid concerns of the potential rise of populist parties in the region.

The latest elections for the world's largest trading bloc came at a time of uncertainties created by Brexit, a slowing economy and growing populist sentiments.

The once-in-every-five-year vote is the chance for ordinary citizens to help shape the European Parliament.

In an editorial published this week, Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, commented: "We all have our destiny in our hands."

RICHER, POORER

In Britain, the election, which many thought they could have avoided until a delayed Brexit, was reduced to an ultimate protest over growing Brexit angst. Voters blame their economic distress on the widening wealth gap.

Retired teacher Pauline Roy said she voted Labor saying: "I trust them, more than any other party, to deliver Brexit."

Roy, who voted Leave in Britain's 2016 EU referendum, added: "Over the past years I feel that the rich have become richer and the poor have become poorer and the quality of every day life for the majority, has diminished, leading to many needing to hold down three jobs to make ends meet and more children living in poverty."

In Italy, Marco di Franco, 24, a student studying communications, said he will vote for the Five-Star Movement simply to "get rid of the political class".

"I don't believe we should have professional politicians," he said. "These people work for us and they just get rich."

A prominent issue exercising Europeans is the economy. The eurozone debt crisis gripped Europe almost 10 years ago, but it, along with the global financial crisis, still has impact on voters like Roy and Franco and a party, like The Five-Star Movement and the Brexit Party, that promises a better economy outside EU.

The results from Britain will show whether the newly launched Brexit Party, founded by veteran Eurosceptic Nigel Farage can win the largest number of the 73 British seats in the European Parliament.

The latest poll gave them 37 percent, while the ruling Conservatives are down to 7 percent, with the likelihood of the party's worst ever performance in an election since it was founded in the 1830s.

Lifelong Labor voter, grandmother Beryl Tarpey, who lives in Cheshire, said she planned to vote for the new Brexit Party. Her town council is solid Labor and has been for decades.

Tarpey, who voted leave three years ago, told Xinhua: "Call it a protest vote, but both Labor and the Conservatives are all over the place on the Brexit issue."

"It would be a betrayal of the referendum that was handed to us if our politicians at Westminster blocked us from leaving," she said.

CHANGING LANDSCAPE

The results from Britain will be a sideshow as the other 27 member states study changes in the political map of Europe.

As the elections are underway, the far right is riding high and threatening to reset the power balance of the Europe. Amid the surging populism which is growing on both the left and the right, countries such as Italy, Germany and France have already witness a changing political landscape.

Observers suggest that the election will likely produce a highly fragmented European Parliament, with the long-dominant center-left and center-right blocs unable to form a coalition by themselves, handing greater influence to smaller players such as the Liberals, Greens and populists.

Latest polls suggest that EU-critical parties could become the second-largest force in the parliament, with up to 35 percent of its 751 seats.

Daily Telegraph columnist Roger Bootle predicts that Eurosceptic parties are likely to do well in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Poland and Germany.

"The things that these parties have in common are mainly non-economic in character, although they do have economic consequences," he said. "The most important of these is immigration."

In almost all European countries there is growing resentment against the lack of control of borders.

"The biggest problem Italy has right now is all the immigrants," Italian housewife Maria Esther Di Genova, 53, told Xinhua. "This is why the crime rate is higher; this is why nobody can find a job."

Her 60-year-old husband lost his job two years ago when his company closed.

"That's because these people come in the country and all they do is take, take, take, take," she grumbled. "I will vote for the League because of all these migrants and if I didn't vote for the League I would vote for the Five Stars."

But fellow Italian, a 46-year-old door man Marco Aquilini, voiced different opinions.

"I can't vote for the League... I don't think it's right to close the ports," he said. "I voted for the League in the past but I can't do it now because they've become too extreme -- the more power they get the more extreme they become."

"You cannot turn back the clock and change is going to come," he said. "The best thing is to direct it, and make it work because you cannot stop it."

VOTE FOR HOPE

There are voters who are voting to offset the rightist movement and for a better Europe.

In Germany master's student Stella Marie Liderer, 25, said: "Every time I think of not voting that will mean the rightist sentiment getting more and more popular."

She said she hopes the outcome will be "more Green" in the EU parliament, and there will be more regulations conserving the nature and environment.

Fellow German countryman Thomas, 37, working in PR, said he does not expect much from the European elections or the European Parliament because already in Germany, the politicians usually do not keep the promises they made before an election.

"Nevertheless, I am going to vote on Sunday because I know that it is important and it is also about preventing the right-wing parties from becoming too powerful."

Office clerk Harald, 24, office clerk, said what he expects from the new European Parliament is that it will ensure that in future European member states stand closer together and solve problems together. "National unilateral efforts will result in Europe losing its international significance," he said.

The Brussels-based on-line site Politico says the millions of people across the EU will elect a new European Parliament in a vote likely to shift the continent's balance of power.

"Politicians across the bloc's 28 member states have cast the election as a crucial battle for the future of the Union, with nationalists and populists campaigning to halt EU integration and mainstream parties urging closer cooperation to solve the Continent's myriad challenges," says Politico.

(by Xinhua writers Zhai Wei in Brussels, Gui Tao in London, Larry Neild in Liverpool, Chen Zhanjie in Rome, Zhang Yuan in Berlin, Zhang Zhang in Warsaw and Yuan Liang in Budapest)Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-26 03:22:58|Editor: Lu Hui

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TEHRAN, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Iranian officials on Saturday expressed their concerns about the escalating tensions with the United States and sought to grab the international attention to what they called the "danger" in prospect.

According to state TV report, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Saturday that "increased U.S. military presence in our region is extremely dangerous and it threatens international peace and security."

The remarks by Zarif followed U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement on Friday that he had decided to send 1,500 more troops to the restive Middle East region.

Such a move by the United States should be addressed by the international community, Zarif said.

Earlier this month on May 5, the U.S. National Security Adviser, John Bolton, announced deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group and a bomber task force to the region adjacent to Iran's southern waters.

Bolton said that the U.S. forces were deployed for protective measures against any "attack on United States' interests or on those of our allies."

The Iranian foreign minister on Saturday dismissed the U.S. claims, saying that the U.S. officials have made such allegations, based on "fake intelligence," to justify their "hostile" policies towards the Islamic republic and to raise tensions in the region.

In the meantime, Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi said that Iran does not want any war in the region amid the rising tensions with the United States, official IRNA news agency on Saturday.

The Iranian official stressed that in the first place "Iran does not desire war in the region, neither with the United States nor with any other country."

However, "we will stand firmly against any act of aggression against our country," he pointed out.

Takht-Ravanchi also urged the United States to respect the Iranians and to refrain from any threats as a condition for dialogue.

"Genuine talks cannot be productive if they are coupled with intimidation, coercion and sanctions," said Takht-Ravanchi.

In the meantime, "a dialogue can only succeed if both sides accept the principle of mutual respect and then act on equal footing," he noted.

Instead, the U.S. policy vis-a-vis Iran is driven by an "obsessional antagonism," he added.

The Iranian official regretted that "the recent dispatching of a U.S. naval armada to the Gulf is a response to the same fake intelligence."

Iran has been under unprecedented sanction pressure by the United States following U.S. President Donald Trump's withdrawal from Iran's nuclear deal in May last year.

Washington seeks to seal a new nuclear deal with Iran, to further curb Iran's nuclear program, stop Iran's ballistic missile development and brake Iran's push for influence in the region.

"Trump's sudden withdrawal from the JCPOA nuclear deal last year with no good reason - and to the disapproval of almost the entire international community - stirs concerns that any future deal might face the same fate, with no guarantee to the contrary," concluded Takht-Ravanchi.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-26 05:28:38|Editor: Li Xia

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Director Bong Joon-Ho receives the Palme d'Or award for "Parasite" on stage during the closing ceremony of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, on May 25, 2019. The curtain of the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival fell on Saturday evening, with South Korean movie "Parasite" winning this year's most prestigious award, the Palme d'Or. (Xinhua/Kim Yida)

PARIS, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The curtain of the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival fell on Saturday evening, with South Korean movie "Parasite" winning this year's most prestigious award, the Palme d'Or.

The jurors headed by Mexican film director Alejandro Gonzlez Inarritu, decided unanimously to award the Palme d'Or to the 132-minute film "Parasite" directed by South Korean director Bong Joon-ho.

Last year, the top prize went to Japanese film "Shoplifters", portrait of a poor and improvised family directed by director Hirokazu Kore-eda.

"...Parasite has been a special adventure...I'm the first one surprised to win this prize," Bong Joon-ho told the gathering after being awarded.

This year's the Grand Prize, the festival's second place award, went to Mati Diop's "Atlantics," while the award of best actor went to Antoniao Banderas for his performance in Spanish director Pedro Almodovar's "Pain and Glory."The jurors gave the best actress award to Emily Beecham.

The jury prize was shared by Ladg Ly's "Les Miserables" and "Bacurau" directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho and Juliano Dornelles.

French writer-director Celine Sciamma won the best screenplay award for "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" while and Cesar Diaz's "Our Mothers" was awarded the Camera d'Or.

21 movies had vied for the festival's top prize this year, including "The Wild Goose Lake" of Chinese director Diao Yinan.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-26 06:03:53|Editor: yan

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VALLETTA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Polls have closed in Malta after Saturday's voting in which people were asked to choose members of European Parliament (MEPs) and local councillors.

The voting started at 7:00 a.m. and ended at 10:00 p.m. local time on Saturday. Nearly 32 percent of voters had cast their ballots for the European Parliament (EP) elections by 2:00 p.m., according to the country's Electoral Commission.

The 2:00 p.m. turnout for the local councillor election stood at 27.58 percent, the Commission announced on its website.

Maltese voted in the EP election together with another three EU countries on Saturday. There were 41 candidates vying for Malta's six seats in the EP. Maltese also choosed local councillors for 68 localities across the country in the vote.

There were 332,888 people eligible to vote after 10 percent failed to collect their voting document, reported local media Malta Today.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-26 06:03:54|Editor: yan

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BAGHDAD, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday paid an official visit to Baghdad to discuss with the Iraqi leaders bilateral and regional situation.

Zarif, heading a high-level delegation, arrived in Baghdad in the afternoon and then held a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi in his office.

The two sides "discussed relations between Iraq and Iran, as well as regional and international situations and means to remove the damage of sanctions and dangers of war on the two countries and the region," a statement by Mahdi's office said.

The two leaders "stressed the importance of security and stability of the region and how to maintain the nuclear agreement," the statement said without giving further details.

Another statement by the Iraqi presidency office said that Iraqi President Barham Salih received Zarif and his accompanying delegation in the evening.

Salih stressed that Iraq "seeks to be a converging spot for the brotherly and friendly countries as well as a stabilizing factor in the region in order to build balanced ties with all countries, especially the neighboring ones in accordance to common interests," the statement said.

During the meeting, Salih and Zarif discussed the latest political developments at the regional and international levels.

They also talked about the "necessity to prevent war and escalation as well as to rely on calmness and adopt constructive dialogue so as to consolidate the foundations of peace in the region," the statement said.

They also affirmed the "importance of exerting joint efforts to remove the damage of the (U.S.) sanctions on the region and reach political solutions to the current (regional) crises," it added.

Zarif was also scheduled to hold meetings with Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi and his Iraqi counterpart Mohammed al-Hakim before leaving the country on Sunday.

On Saturday afternoon, Zarif arrived in Baghdad amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, which came after U.S. President Donald Trump decided not to re-issue the sanctions waivers for major importers to continue buying Iran's oil when they expired in early May.

On May 15, the U.S. State Department ordered the non-emergency U.S. employees working in both the embassy in Baghdad and the consulate in Erbil to leave Iraq, a U.S. embassy statement said.

Earlier, the U.S. military said that the U.S. forces were on high alert in Iraq and Syria over fears of "imminent threats" from Iran-backed forces in the region.

On May 21, Mahdi said that Iraq will send delegations to the United States and Iran to ease the tension in the Middle East.

"Iraq has high-level contacts (with parties of dispute), and we are going to push for calm between Washington and Tehran, but it is not a mediation," Mahdi said in a press conference in Baghdad.

The United States has also increased its military buildup in the region recently by deploying an aircraft carrier, bombers and anti-missile systems, citing a threat of Iranian attack.In this file photo taken on November 27, 2018, a Russia's FSB security service officer escorts a detained Ukrainian sailor to a courthouse in Simferopol, Crimea. (AFP PHOTO)

MOSCOW, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The dispute resolution procedures provided by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea are not applicable to the settlement of last November's Kerch Strait incident, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

"As previously noted by the Russian side, statements made by both Russia and Ukraine, when signing and ratifying the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, rule out the possibility of using the Convention's dispute resolution procedures regarding the incident of November 25, 2018 in the Kerch Strait," the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) located in the German city of Hamburg ruled that Russia should immediately release three Ukrainian warships and their 24 sailors, which were seized on Nov. 25 for allegedly breaching the Russian border in the Kerch Strait connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

"In the course of the subsequent arbitration proceedings, we intend to consistently defend our position, including the lack of jurisdiction of arbitration to consider this situation in the light of the circumstances mentioned above," the ministry said.

It urged the Ukrainian side to take actions to meet the requirements of the Russian legislation concerning navigation in this area, according to the statement.

Tensions have flared up between Russia and Ukraine following the Kerch Strait incident. Moscow called the incident a political provocation, while Kiev denied any wrongdoing and Western countries denounced the "aggressive" actions of Russia.

Russia did not participate in Saturday's session of the ITLOS and the previous hearing in connection with this incident, as it has repeatedly said that the tribunal has no jurisdiction to review the incident.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-26 06:08:59|Editor: yan

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SAN FRANCISCO, May 25 (Xinhua) -- A torch which was used by former San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee during the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay will be donated to the Beijing Olympic Museum this year, an organizer said Saturday.

The late mayor, who was then San Francisco City Administrator, joined the Olympic torch run on April 9, 2008, one day after the Olympic flame arrived in San Francisco from Paris of France.

San Francisco was the only North America stop for the Olympic torch relay, which ran from March 24 to Aug. 8, 2008, prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, capital of China, with the theme of "One World, One Dream."

Sihong Zhao, chief of the Readers' Team of Immigrants' Path to the Gold Mountain (RTIPGM), a San Francisco group dedicated to collection of cultural relics for Chinese museums, told Xinhua that the torch was collected from Anita Lee, wife of the late San Francisco mayor who died suddenly on Dec. 12, 2017, after nearly seven years in office as the first elected Chinese American mayor of the city.

The donation was part of the RTIPGM's efforts to support enriching the collections of the Beijing Olympic Museum and greet the upcoming 24th Olympic Winter Games to be hosted by Beijing in 2022, Zhao said.

In a letter of appreciation to Lee's wife, the Beijing Olympic Museum hailed her contribution to adding more collections to the facility and to the public welfare undertaking in China.

"The donated torch used by Mayor Lee is highly valuable and of great significance, which not only extols the Olympic spirit, but also demonstrates the success of overseas Chinese around the world that was built upon their wisdom and intelligence," the museum said in a statement.

Zhao disclosed that she will hold a press conference next week to unveil the details about the destinations of more cultural relics and donations collected overseas, with the Beijing Olympic Museum being one of the recipients.

The RTIPGM has collected and donated more than 5,000 pieces of cultural relics and various literatures related to China and Chinese history to many museums and research institutes back in China since 2006, Zhao said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 00:30:32|Editor: zh

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The executive director of the UN-Habitat Maimunah Mohd Sharif receives an interview with Xinhua in Narobi, Kenya, May 24, 2019. Maimunah Mohd Sharif on Friday lauded China for using innovation to transform its cities and making them more habitable and friendly to citizens. Sharif, who was speaking in Nairobi ahead of the first UN Habitat Assembly that kicks off next Monday in Kenya, said that China has transformed most of its polluted areas especially in Beijing and Xuzhou into greener areas. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

NAIROBI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The executive director of the UN-Habitat Maimunah Mohd Sharif on Friday lauded China for using innovation to transform its cities and making them more habitable and friendly to citizens.

Sharif, who was speaking in Nairobi ahead of the first UN Habitat Assembly that kicks off next Monday in Kenya, said that China has transformed most of its polluted areas especially in Beijing and Xuzhou into greener areas.

"The secret to transforming the mining areas into green areas is innovation. In China, the model is that people give proposals on making cities better to the government, which uses technology to implement them," she said.

Working together with the community, according to her, has seen China build high tech buildings and villages that use solar power, have free internet, health facilities for children, and cater for everybody's need.

She further applauded Beijing for involving retired people into the country' productivity, bettering their lives and making them part of the new urban agenda.

Sharif noted that seamless transportation in Chinese cities, for instance, from Beijing to Xuzhou and Shanghai by train has made life better for people.

"Good effective transportation increases productivity for people. I took the train across the three cities and found it systematic and punctual," said Sharif, who made her first official visit to China last month.

During the trip, she met several Chinese officials, including mayors, she said, adding that she was encouraged by the willingness to enhance partnership with UN-Habitat.

The UN-Habitat chief lauded the Belt and Road Initiative, noting that it encompasses transportation in cities and towns.

"This is part of the reason UN-Habitat signed Action Plan with China. We looked at policy connectivity of the program. It is integrated with planning of cities, connecting all networks to make cities right," she said.

As part of the UN-Habitat Assembly, a book on the transformation of Shenzhen city in southern China will be launched to enable other countries to get lessons from the story.

"The book tells story of how the city transformed from mining area to cleaner tourist town, where villages are thriving amid urbanization," she said.

"Other cities need to adopt the style. They will share challenges and opportunities at the assembly," she said.

Sharif noted the Nairobi assembly will be the first for the UN-Habitat and its theme is "Innovation for Better Quality of Life in Cities and Communities."

"This is an important event since it is the highest level decision making forum on urban issues. All 193 member states have been invited. Four heads of states will be coming to attend, 41 ministers, 350 regional representatives from over 40 countries and 176 registered media will cover the event," she said.

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta will open the forum on May 27 and the president of UN-Habitat Assembly will also give a statement.

"We will have ministerial roundtable on cities, looking into transport, municipal finance and housing for urban dwellers. There will also be gender forum on women and new urban agenda. We also expect the approval of our new strategy plan, 2020-2025," she said.

Chinese firms including Huawei and Alibaba are among 40 companies from across the world expected to showcase their innovations on bettering cities at the assembly.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 00:40:46|Editor: zh

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Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Qian Keming (R) and Zimbabwean Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare Minister Sekesai Nzenza (C) display an agreement during the rice handover ceremony in Harare, Zimbabwe, May 24, 2019. China on Friday donated more than 10,000 tonnes of rice to assist people who were affected by Cyclone Idai as well as vulnerable households facing hunger due to drought. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang)

HARARE, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday donated more than 10,000 tonnes of rice to assist people who were affected by Cyclone Idai as well as vulnerable households facing hunger due to drought.

China has previously donated 800,000 U.S. dollars cash to assist victims of the cyclone.

Visiting Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Qian Keming handed over the consignment of 10,165 tonnes of rice to the Zimbabwean government that was represented by Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare Minister Sekesai Nzenza.

Nzenza thanked China for the donation, which came in response to the country's aid appeal following the cyclone which hit the country in March, killing hundreds of people and destroying infrastructure.

Nzenza said the Zimbabwean government was still appealing for more aid to deal with the devastating effects of the cyclone.

"This rice donation will go a long way in complementing our efforts to alleviate hunger. However, we are requesting for additional support to feed vulnerable households until the next harvest," she said.

Qian said China was committed to helping Zimbabwe fight hunger through boosting its production and providing emergency food assistance when required.

He noted that agricultural cooperation between the two countries continued to strengthen as evidenced by donations of farm machinery, agriculture inputs, secondment of senior Chinese agriculture experts to Zimbabwe and the setting up of a demonstration center to transfer technology and know-how to young Zimbabwean farmers, among others.

"This donation is another testimony of our continuous devotion to the development of Zimbabwe's agriculture and attainment of food security.

"We believe that giving food to Zimbabwe is not enough. Helping the country to produce more food and more jobs is key to Zimbabwe's agriculture development," Qian said.

He said China will continue to work closely with Zimbabwe to unlock its agriculture potential to ensure food security and boost economic growth.

China will also continue to encourage its investors to invest in Zimbabwe's agriculture and assist the country to increase its exports to China, he said.The occupants violated the ceasefire regime in Donbas 17 times over the day. One Ukrainian soldier perished in combat. The press service of the JFO HQ reported this.

The Russia-backed militants violated the ceasefire regime 17 times, and they fired with the Minsk-banned weaponry, 120 mm and 82 mm mortars, three times on May 24As a result of the attack, one serviceman of the Joint Forces operation died and one more was wounded, the report said.

Besides, according to the report, the enemy fired 13 times in Donetsk region. In particular, the occupants fired with 82 mm and 120 mm mortar, automatic grenade launchers near Pisky village, with anti-tank missile systems, easel anti-tank grenade launchers near Krasnohorivka village, with grenade launchers and small arms near Verkhniotoretske village, three times with grenade launchers and small arms near Avdiivka village, with easel anti-tank grenade launchers and heavy machine guns near Kamyanka village, with easel anti-tank grenade launchers and small arms near Hnutove village, three times with easel anti-tank grenade launchers near Novotroitske, Krasnohorivka and Novoselivka-2 settlements, with automatic grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms near Lebedynske village.

The enemy fired in the Luhansk region four times. The Russia-backed militants opened fire with 82 mm mortar, automatic grenade launchers and small arms near Shumy village, with 82 mm mortar near Zolote-4 settlement, with manual anti-tank grenade launchers near Mayorsk settlement, and with small arms near Stanytsia Luhanska village.

According to Ukrainian surveillance, one occupant was killed and three more were wounded on May 24.

No attacks at the Joint Forces operation have been recorded, the report added.Today, May 25, the Tribunal demanded from Russia to immediately release 24 Ukrainian sailors and ships that were seized near the Kerch Strait in the fall of last year, and ensure their return to Ukraine.



Only the Russian judge Kolodkin was against the decision.



Russia did not send its official representative to the hearing, and also refused to provide materials, but according to the current international law, it is still obliged to comply with the decisions taken by the court.



The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is awaiting the release by the Russian side of Ukrainian sailors na later than June 25, 2019.





As a result of the incident, 24 Ukrainian sailors were detained and arrested. They were transported from Crimea to the Moscow Lefortovo detention facility. In addition, three Ukrainian sailors wounded during the shelling by the Russians were transferred to the Prison Hospital. We recall, on November 25, 2018, Russian border guards seized the Ukrainian Yana Kapu raid tug and small armored artillery boats Berdyansk and Nikopol of the Naval Forces of Ukraine in the Kerch Strait area, using weapons.As a result of the incident, 24 Ukrainian sailors were detained and arrested. They were transported from Crimea to the Moscow Lefortovo detention facility. In addition, three Ukrainian sailors wounded during the shelling by the Russians were transferred to the Prison Hospital.The new strategy is directed at deterring the nuclear threat from Russia

The North Atlantic Alliance announced the change of its military strategy for the first time over years. The changes are the necessity to resist the increasing nuclear threat from the Russian Federation. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that in the interview with Welt am Sonntag.

According to the report, the new military strategy of the Alliance will be approved by the experts on the coming week.

"It is about going on to fully demonstrate the defensive capability and to be able to provide stability. Partially, this requires new military concepts," Stoltenberg said.

The NATO Secretary-General outlined that the new challenges more often appear at the east and south of Europe.

As we reported earlier, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the alliance would not place then nuclear missiles and urged Russia to observe the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

He also noted that NATO will also assume the necessary steps for the provision of reliable and efficient deterrence.

NATO Secretary-General urged Russia to return to the observation of the INF Treaty, from which U.S. President Donald Trump is going to withdraw.The non-involvement of the head of the political board of Opposition Platform - For Life party Viktor Medvedchuk in the negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow is a very bad turn of events. Member of the European Parliament for Scotland constituency David Coburn stated this on the air of 112.Ukraine TV channel.

I think that this is a very bad turn of events. It will not help. It would be more useful if we had a peace decision so that everybody could get peace. This is what Europe aspires to, and it satisfies the interests of everyone - the interest of Ukraine, as well as Russia's interest. I believe that more effort is needed in order to reach peace. That is in the interests of everyone, the MEP said.

As we reported earlier, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky should understand that an opportunity to use someone as experienced like Mr. Medvedchuk, the head of the political board of Opposition Platform - For Life party, in the negotiations with Russia would be a sensible thing to do. MEP Nathan Gill stated this.The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declares that the incident with the Ukrainian sailors in the Kerch Strait region is not within the jurisdiction of the United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. The corresponding message is posted on the website of the Russian diplomatic department. "In the course of the subsequent arbitration, we intend to consistently defend our position, including the absence of arbitration jurisdiction to consider this situation," it says. According to the Russian side, the statements made by Russia and Ukraine upon signing and ratifying the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 exclude the possibility of using the Conventions dispute resolution procedures regarding the incident that occurred in the Kerch Strait in November 2018.At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia did not mention how it would act in connection with the demand of the International Tribunal for the release of Ukrainian sailors and naval ships.Serdyuk asked to drop all the charges of criminal cases immediately, to adhere to the principle of presumption of innocence, and to refute all false information that they have spread regarding the fourth president of Ukraine

The lawyer of ex-President of Ukraine Vitaliy Serdyuk 112 Agency

The lawyer of Ukraines ex-president Viktor Yanukovych Vitaliy Serdyuk stated that the Prosecutor Generals Office of Ukraine does not have evidence that his client was guilty of the massacre of mass demonstrations at the Maidan in 2014, as well as of his illegal enrichment during the presidency. Serdyuk wrote this on Facebook.

Yuriy Lutsenko, so where is the evidence of Viktor Yanukovych's involvement in the massacre at the Maidan in the winter of 2014?! Where is the evidence that confiscated $1.5 billion as if belonging to the fourth president? Provide them to the people, provide them to the defense team!, Serdyuk wrote.

According to the lawyer, the criminal proceeding against the fourth president of Ukraine has not been passed to the court and have not been closed; besides, the violation of the articles 219 and 283 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine took place.

We call on to drop all the charges of criminal cases immediately, to adhere to the principle of presumption of innocence, guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine, and to refute all false information that you have spread regarding Viktor Yanukovych, Serdyuk added.

According to the report, Yanukovych is no accused in any criminal case, and there are no verdicts against him, which came into force.

Serdyuk reminded that Interpol deleted all the data of the ex-president of Ukraine from its database due to the political nature of the criminal prosecution.

The lawyer pointed out that the EU sanctions of 2014 against his client were recognized as unlawful ones, and the European Commission, as well as Swiss authorities, officially stated that there were no funds of Yanukovych and his family in their banks.

Serdyuk emphasized that no country of the world confirmed the presence of any assets of the fourth President on its territory.

On March 5, Kyiv Court of Appeal returned the case of the ex-President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych to Kyiv Obolon Court to correct the mistakes and explanation of the verdict.

The court found Yanukovych guilty of addressing the Russian President Putin and asking him to deploy troops in Ukraine.

Besides, the court sentenced Yanukovych to 13 years of the detention for the state treason and complicity in the holding of the aggressive war against Ukraine by the Russian Federation.

Yanukovych was charged with state treason, assistance in deliberate actions against Ukraines state border, sovereignty and territorial integrity and assistance in leading the aggressive war against Ukraine.The date for the interrogation by the Special Anti-Corruption Proccedure has not been appointed yet, although it is most likely to happen in June

Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office (SAP) Open source

The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office of Ukraine (SAPO) intends to call in the former president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko for interrogation concerning the possible involvement in the corruption in the electric and thermal energy producing company Centerenergo, as the Ukrainian News reported.

He will be called in and interrogated for sure, the source said.

Besides, according to the report, the SAPO plans to interrogate Poroshenko concerning the case of his possible involvement in the corruption in the energy producing company Centreenergo.

The interrogation date has not been appointed yet.

However, the source suggested that this would most likely happen in June.

As we reported the State Investigation Bureau of Ukraine started the investigation against ex-president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. Ex-Deputy Head of the Administration of President of Yanukovych time Andry Portnov filed the application with the accusation.

Former MP Dmytro Kryuchkov is involved in the case on the withdrawal of the funds from Zaporizhiaolbenergo company, while over 60% of its stocks are owned by the state. According to the investigation, Kryuchkov is the organizer of the scheme, which caused the damage for the state in the sum of over $13 million.

He was put on the wanted list in 2016. On April 14, 2018 he was detained and Germany and then released on bail. On April 15, 2019, his extradition was announced.Representatives of the humanitarian team of the Minsk Trilateral Group met with the newly elected president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as the new management of Security Service of Ukraine and the United Center on missing people and hostages in Minsk. The First Vice-Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the former representative of Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine Iryna Herashchenko wrote this on Facebook.

We have informed [them] about the work of the humanitarian team, gave the details on the negotiations and the positions we have advocated, the surnames and the lists of hostages and missing people and other problems, Herashchenko wrote.

If our information and this institutional memory help release our people for whom we have been fighting for all these years, it will be important. I hope that the new team will appoint the new members of the Minsk group very soon, Herashchenko outlined.Related: Patriarch Filaret refuses to support Epifaniy at Synod meeting



Earlier Earlier

Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine confirmed its intentions to use the status, which was adopted at the Unification council of the Orthodox churches of Ukraine on December 15, 2018. The only person who did not sign this decision is the Honorary Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Filaret. Head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Epifaniy (Dumenko) said to the journalists, as #Bykvu reported

The Synod confirmed that in its further activity and existence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Autocephalous Church, it will be regulated by the Holy Transmission, the Holy Scriptures, and the status, which was adopted in the St Sophia's Cathedral in Kyiv on December 15. We all agreed to the decision, but the last one (concerning the status and the support of Epiphaniy - red.) has not been signed by the only member of the Synod - patriarch Filaret, Epiphaniy said.

According to Epiphaniy, the members of the Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine discussed the claims of Filaret that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate still exists. At the same time, they failed to persuade him.

What the Honorary Patriarch made public, he also said at the session of the holy Synod: that Kyiv Patriarchate still exists, and that it was not withdrawn from the registration, although we tried to convince him that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate legally and de facto doesnt exist, and that Kyiv Patriarchate is the basis of the only autocephalous church. We debated, talked and tried to convince him, but we all understood that unfortunately, the Honorary Patriarch Filaret has not changed his mind, the Head of Orthodox Church of Ukraine said.The permanent court, established in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, has satisfied Ukraines demands for interim measures that Russia must take. In particular, the court ordered the Russian Federation to immediately release the captured sailors' prisoners of war and allow them to return to Ukraine, Yevropeiska Pravda reports. The court considers it necessary to demand that Russia immediately release three detained Ukrainian ships - Nikopol, Berdyansk and Yany Kapu, 24 detained sailors, and allow them to return to Ukraine, said Tribunal President Park Jin Heong.The decision was supported by 19 judges. One voted against; it was Russian judge Kolodkin.Russia did not send its official representative to the hearing, and also refused to provide materials, but according to the current international law, it is still obliged to comply with the decisions taken by the court.We recall, on November 25, 2018, Russian border guards seized the Ukrainian Yana Kapu raid tug and small armored artillery boats Berdyansk and Nikopol of the Naval Forces of Ukraine in the Kerch Strait area, using weapons.As a result of the incident, 24 Ukrainian sailors were detained and arrested. They were transported from Crimea to the Moscow Lefortovo detention facility. In addition, three Ukrainian sailors wounded during the shelling by the Russians were transferred to the Prison Hospital.The names of the Ukrainian servicemen who accidentally entered the uncontrolled Ukrainian territories and were captured on May 22, have been made public. The names of the military were published on Daria Andrusenko-Yakotyuk's Facebook page. Eight military men were taken prisoners:Staff Sergeant Bespaly Roman (06/17/1981)Senior soldier Pundor Borys (03/03/1965)Senior soldier Goryainov Maxym (07/28/1984)Senior soldier Duvanov Kim (11/25/1971)Senior soldier Korsun Pavlo (06/21/1982)Warrant Officer Shaidov Victor (10/27/1970)Senior soldier Geymur Oleksandr (1994)Senior soldier Gordeychuk Yury (09/25/1982)On May 22, militants captured eight Ukrainian soldiers. The fighters, together with the foreman, were moving in a truck near the village of Novotroitske; they erroneously deviated from a certain route and got to the temporarily occupied territory, where they were detained by the militants.It is reported that the JFO HQ takes all possible measures to determine the place of stay and return of military personnel.

Earlier, o

fficials of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR) said that Donbas conflict became less tense after the inauguration of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky as Izvestia reported citing Head of DPR Peoples Militia Eduard Basurin.

According to the representative of the illegal armed formations, the number of attacks decreased and the heavy weapons are almost not used in the conflict zone as Zelensky assumed the office.

However, Basurin supposed that such state of affairs in Donbas might be temporary.

According to him, the self-proclaimed DPR does not know how the new Ukrainian authority will act.

Rodion Miroshnyk, the official representative of the self-proclaimed Luhansk Peoples Republic (LPR) at Minsk Talks Group added that they expected the ceasefire order, disengagement of troops and armistice agreement.

Only then, the situation at the contact line will really change, as the representative of the illegal armed formations.Thank's for the fish. -- Douglas Adams

Come back again sometime. Thank you for visiting.YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with Armenia-accredited ambassadors of foreign States and organizations on May 24, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.



Greeting the foreign diplomats, the Premier said he was pleased with the opportunity to hold such a meeting. Nikol Pashinyan pointed out that a year after the formation of his government, he deemed it expedient to impart the past one years results, problems and challenges with our international partners.



Presenting his assessment of the governments year-long efforts, Nikol Pashinyan first referred to economic challenges, dwelling on the solutions and the results recorded so far.

The first problem we had in terms of economics was to maintain macroeconomic stability. Not without some difficulty, we were able to solve this problem because in September last year, just three months after the revolution, we approached the threshold of recession and the economic situation could be strained. But we managed to overcome these negative trends, and we had a 7.1% gross domestic product growth in the first quarter of this year.

I must say that although this growth is pleasing to us, we understand that the statistics is a little bit lower for the proposed economic revolution. At least we should try to increase the rate of growth by 2-3%. As an exciting trend in the economy, I would highlight the reduction of the black economy. In fact, 51,000 new jobs appeared in Armenia over the past one year. These are the jobs that employers themselves declared to tax authorities, that is, they are not the result of an analysis, as often our political rivals try to present themselves, but specific figures stated by business entities that have led to fiscal liabilities.

Our estimation is that 1/5 of these 51,000 jobs were generated during the past year. This makes some 10,000 jobs, which I think is not a bad indicator.

The next index that I would like to mention is the over-fulfillment of the State budget revenue target. We have already declared that this year the State budget receipts will boast a bump of 62 billion drams, which makes USD 130 million. And here, too, as I first stated it, our opponents reacted that not until by the end of year we could see whether this was true or not.

But I would like to say that we actually made a little cunning: we already have that amount as a matter of fact. And there is no doubt that the State budget surplus will be much bigger by the end of this year.

Trade is the next indicator that I would like to mention. 84 million more cash-register receipts have been recorded in our country since last May, which means that more transactions have been made out of shade, which accounts for the bulk of our extra budgetary revenues.

Foreign investment is the biggest challenge we are facing today in the economy. We do our best to make our country more attractive for foreign investment. But there is also conviction and understanding that without a truly independent judiciary we will not be able to address this problem because any investor wants to safeguard his or her investment, and such guarantees can only be provided by a truly independent judicial system, the Head of Government said.



Coming to his political achievements, Prime Minister Pashinyan singled out 2 main results. The first is that we have been able to ensure stability and normal democratic developments in our country and, ultimately, we held extraordinary parliamentary elections that were assessed by the international community as free, fair, democratic, and transparent.



This was unprecedented at least in terms of parliamentary elections. As regards the parliamentary elections, I can say that I myself hoped that the number of political forces represented in Parliament would be much greater, but people chose the way they chose, and I think that today the political palette is represented truly there. And we consider that our greatest political achievement is that we were able to hold free, fair and democratic elections.

I repeatedly emphasized in my speeches and articles when I was still an opposition politician that the greatest mission of a democratic government is not only to sweep to power through free and fair elections, but also to leave power through free and fair elections. And in this regard, I think we cannot and will not deviate from this vision because I have repeatedly counted it as my biggest political mission. It is now just a matter of political process and peoples determination, Nikol Pashinyan said.

According to the Prime Minister, stability was achieved in foreign policy, too. Our relations continue to be of strategic nature with the Russian Federation, we are a member and the presiding country in the Eurasian Economic Union. We succeeded in finding specific solutions within the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and I believe that our relations in the CSTO and the Russian Federation are developing normally.

We managed to develop our relations with the European Union as well. We are at the final stage of the roadmap to the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, which will be finalized in the coming weeks and we will be working in that direction.

We have established normal relationships with our other partners. We managed to maintain and develop a good atmosphere with our immediate neighbors - Iran, Georgia. We have established a very good working atmosphere with the Peoples Republic of China.

During this time, the Francophonie Summit was held in Armenia, which was a true success for both the Republic of Armenia and our government. I paid an official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany. I was in France on a working visit and, of course, in Brussels on several occasions - in the Council of Europe.

I think that a good atmosphere has been shaped to develop our future relationships in the Eurasian continent.

We are also building normal relationships with the United States. The strategic dialogue with the United States kicked off recently, and we hope and are convinced that we will have good results there.

We are developing active relationships with other partners: we work very closely with the United Arab Emirates, India and our European partners, and we are convinced that this constructive atmosphere will be maintained.

Prime Minister Pashinyan next referred to the situation in the judiciary, highlighting the imperative of reforms to be carried out in that field and the importance of cooperation with international partners.

Indeed, the judicial system is our biggest problem today. You know that specific events have taken place recently and are still happening. The political bottleneck that faced the government during the past year, and I personally encountered the same reality that our public opinion, our society holds the government responsible for all irregular judicial decisions.

Although I have repeatedly made it clear that I am not involved in judicial processes and have no desire to do so, society keeps putting the blame on the government for all judicial decisions, considering that the court rulings comply with the Prime Ministers personal decisions. This is a very complex inertia inherited from the past. At times, the government is forced to simply disassociate itself from such rulings because otherwise it can face a certain crisis of confidence.

And, of course, at this stage, we hope to cooperate closely with our international partners to have a truly independent judiciary in Armenia because I have long been analyzing what is the reason for such an attitude and such a public perception. And it was clear to me that there is some disbalance in the current situation.

This imbalance is expressed as follows: today the National Assembly represents the people and reflects the peoples choice. I mean that the incumbent MPs are in the National Assembly simply because the voters have opted for the political force represented by these people.

I am now Prime Minister for a simple reason that I was first nominated as Prime Minister by the political force which won the absolute majority of the votes. From a political point of view, one particular issue arises, namely who is represented by the judiciary after the revolution and whose power it is exercising in the Republic of Armenia.



I say this because the second and unchangeable article of the Constitution of Armenia states that in the Republic of Armenia, the power belongs to the people. The people shall exercise their power through free elections, referenda, as well as through state and local self-government bodies and officials provided for by the Constitution..

The courts are among those public bodies prescribed by the Constitution, and our Constitution clearly provides that these State institutions should be directly associated with the people, that is, they should have the mandate and authority to act on behalf of the people. And the problem is that, as a matter of fact, we have not had such a situation during last years political developments. And due to this, court rulings are causing discontent in our society; the public simply does not have trust in the judicial system and this can become a permanent source of crisis.

I am convinced that the time has come to deal with this problem, but I am also convinced that we cannot reproduce the previous judicial system we had.

I have written about it for many years and have even been condemned by that judicial system and my conviction is that political changes will be absolutely pointless if we do not build a truly independent judicial system, the rulings of which could be accepted as decisions made on behalf of the Republic of Armenia and its people. However, there is no such an atmosphere in the country as of yet. Therefore, considering that the executive power enjoys the peoples trust in Armenia, I feel that the time has come either for the judicial power to enjoy the peoples trust.

I do not mean the governments trust in the judiciary, but the peoples trust, because should the government wish to have an abiding judicial system in Armenia, it would be free to do so, especially as the judicial system used to work under conditions when there was a perfect trust between the government and the judiciary. But this way is unacceptable to us, because it is against the values on which we have been implementing changes in Armenia. And we hope and are confident that we will succeed in building a reliable judicial system in close cooperation with our international partners, Nikol Pashinyan said.

In conclusion, the Prime Minister answered the questions asked by the ambassadors in attendance, which bore on the proposed judicial reform, transitional justice, the structural changes within the system of governance, the ongoing public administration reform, etc.YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory message to King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on Jordans Independence Day. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Prime Ministers Office, the message reads, in part:

I warmly congratulate you on the national holiday of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan - Independence Day.

The peoples of Armenia and Jordan are bound by warm, friendly traditions as evidenced by the availability of a vibrant centuries-old Armenian community in Jordan.

I am hopeful that the mutually beneficial Armenian-Jordanian cooperation will continue to strengthen and deepen in the best interest of our peoples.

Taking this opportunity, I wish you robust health and every success, as well as lasting peace and prosperity to the friendly people of Jordan.

Edited and translated by Tigran SirekanyanThe statistics confirm a GDP recession in PNG in 2008 (there was probably another in 2018)  so PNG cannot claim to have continuous growth over the last 16 years as senior politicians continue to claim.

The new statistics also have a very worrying bottom line  living standards in PNG have gone backwards by over 10% over the last five years  over K500 for every single person in PNG on average.

At one level they represent some credible pushback against the corruption of PNGs statistics, but the details reveal the possibility of ongoing political interference.

Statistics are usually boring. Lots and lots of numbers and details. The recent release by Papua New Guineas National Statistics Office (NSO) of the national accounts from 2006 to 2016 could easily be seen as a boring document.

And, despite attempts to justify significant variations, explanations are riddled with major errors and omissions.

CANBERRA - Papua New Guineas economic statistics are corrupted  some credible figures slip through but others are manipulated to protect the government.

Paul Flanagan - "My analysis of PNGs statistics over recent years led me to conclude they are increasingly used to tell a convenient story for the government"

PNGs living standards have gone backwards or stayed constant in four of the five last years.

A key political implication of the most recent NSO release is that the secretary of the Treasury, Dairi Vele, has been lying about why PNGs national accounts have been suppressed since a very inconvenient preliminary release by the NSO nearly a year earlier.

Veles explanations in official budget documents and Treasury briefings have focused on issues around the price index. But there is absolutely no support for Veles explanations in the NSO release.

Veles lies are difficult to interpret other than in the context of his close support for prime minister Peter ONeill (who some say was instrumental in Dairi being placed in the top Treasury job after the ousting of well-respected former secretary Simon Tosali and over the top of strong internal candidates).

He has also closely supported the economic narrative of the ONeill-Abel government. The politicisation of the key economic positions in PNG (including the reserve bank governor) has added to economic mismanagement in PNG.

The new set of statistics are an extremely convenient political compromise between the initial NSO estimates for the size of the PNG economy (supported by the IMF and World Bank) and the figures used by the PNG Treasury in the 2018 and 2019 budgets.

The compromise figure has come out at K60.1 billion, slightly closer to the governments figure than the initial NSO estimate.

A key political problem with the NSO estimate was that it would have formed a base pushing the debt to GDP ratio above the legal limit of 35%. The new NSO numbers conveniently keep GDP below this number at 34% in 2016.

My analysis of PNGs statistics over recent years led me to the conclusion that they were being increasingly used to tell a convenient story for the government rather than the best measurement actually available.

With a misleading explanation about the initial 2015 GDP numbers, continuing delays and indications that the Australian Bureau of Statistics had walked away from providing assistance, the call was made that PNGs economic statistics were corrupted.

My own detailed analysis can only conclude that there are still so many errors and inconsistencies that the latest release cannot be trusted. Going through the errors, some are clearly just careless mistakes. But others suggest an on-going systematic attempt to inflate the GDP figures to meet the political agenda of having higher GDP growth estimates and keeping the debt to GDP ratio below 35%.

The figures, and how theyve been used, reveal some inconvenient truths to emerge on the true state of the wider PNG economy, especially the economy outside the resource sector.

The key parts of the economy vital for supporting the people of PNG have gone backwards over 2015 and 2016. Indeed, after allowing for population increase, average incomes in PNG fell by nearly 10% over these two years. This is a shocking truth.

Of continuing concern is the fall in living standards. The key conclusion behind all the statistics from the recent NSO figures is that PNG needs to start on a new path if it really wants inclusive development.

Read the full story of the manipulation of PNGs economic statistics and other up to date and vital analysis of the PNG economy on Paul Flanagans PNG Economics website hereWilliam Duma is welcomed into the opposition, probably signalling the end of Peter O'Neill's rule (EMTV News)

NEWS DESK | Pacific Media Centre | EMTV

AUCKLAND - The biggest coalition partner in prime minister Peter ONeills coalition government has defected to the opposition in the most dramatic shift in numbers in Papua New Guineas power struggle.

United Resources Party (URP leader and state enterprises minister William Duma arrived at the Oppositions Laguna camp early yesterday afternoon following days of intense negotiations behind the scenes.

Duma brought with him 11 MPs to the opposition. They included higher education minister Pila Niningi and police minister Jelta Wong.

Duma immediately held a news conference in which he expressed his reasons for leaving the government. Chief among them was the controversial loan with the Swiss bank UBS.At the 2012 ballot, ONeill emerged as the elected PM. His Peoples National Congress (PNC) party went from 10 members in parliament to 27. Somares National Alliance party then surprisingly formed a coalition with ONeill.

Initially, the ousted prime minister, Sir Michael Somare, fought the matter in court, however, he went quiet ahead of the 2012 national elections.

He effectively ignored the court decision, leading to PNG having two declared prime ministers for a period of seven months  one declared by parliament and the other by the judiciary.

This was not without irony. ONeill came into power in 2011 by means found unconstitutional by the PNG supreme court.

On 6 May, prior to the PNG parliaments last sitting, prime minister Peter ONeill released a statement that his government was mandated by the people of Papua New Guinea at the 2017 elections and that those who were pushing for this vote of no confidence were self-interested and threatening the stability of the country.

PORT MORESBY - The past two weeks have been an anxious wait and see in Papua New Guinea politics, and will continue to be so until such time as a vote of no confidence takes place, if at all.

Watna Mori - 'The ONeill method of eliminating threats is to shower the news cycle with alternative facts or to disregard the rule of law and conventions of a Westminster system'

It would later be revealed, quite oddly, that Somare was paid compensation by the PNG government for his illegal ousting.

Yet ONeill seems to have put his marred ascension to power behind him as he now accuses the opposition of threatening a stable and mandated prime minister and government.

ONeills intentional use of language and ability to differentiate his own legal quandaries from other members of parliament has been one of the most telling features of his time in the top job. As one Twitter commentator noted, ONeill could sell water to a drowning man.

In all of this, ONeills on-going concern is with his legacy, that all the things he has purportedly done for PNG are at risk of being undone.

Most of these risks relate to scandals that have occupied the country over his term: the illegal arrest warrant for the prime minister himself, allegations surrounding the UBS loan, the buying and selling of the Oil Search shares, the struggling PNG economy, the neglect of landowner royalties in the PNG LNG project, the Paladin contract saga and the lack of transparency with the Papua LNG deal.

The ONeill governments method of eliminating these threats has been to shower the news-cycle with alternative facts or to disregard the rule of law and the conventions of a Westminster system.

ONeill repeatedly claims his government provides PNG prosperity and stability, and insists his intentional frustration of the legal process and conventions is lawful.

He points to increased infrastructure programs, the successful hosting of APEC, and increased spending on health and education.

Yet many of ONeills claimed infrastructure successes are either Chinese-loan funded or donor funded. And although China is a welcome trade partner, the terms of its loans are widely criticised. Further, health and education have actually suffered significant funding cuts under the ONeill government.

For a time, ONeill was claiming strong economic growth despite the country being amid a clear recession. When oil prices hit record lows in 2016, ONeills chief of staff, Isaac Lupari, claimed the PNG LNG project would not be affected by the drop in oil price because its purchase price was contractually fixed.

Fast forward to last week, and ONeill has now stated that there were insufficient funds to set up a PNG sovereign wealth fund as the drop in oil prices had affected projected PNG LNG returns.

But there is no doubting ONeills political cunning. He builds his own truth and his own image, despite any or all evidence to the contrary.

His dressing down of former finance minister James Marape in parliament at its last seating made Marape look clueless and uninformed when asking ONeill very legitimate questions about the dubious UBS loan.

ONeil was masterfully deflecting the onus on to the opposition and the PNG public as if to say, Is this really your alternate prime minister?

In a country where politics is as much about your representation and standing in your tribe and local community as your performance in Waigani, ONeills obsession with leaving a legacy can partly be contributed to the fact that unlike previous PNG prime ministers in its young democracy, he is not a first.

He is not a founding father of PNG like Somare and Chan, nor the first prime minister from his region like Skate, Namaliu and Wingti, nor was he a first in his field prior to entering politics like Morauta. In fact, prior to politics ONeill was largely infamous for being implicated in the National Provident Fund scam, which saw Papua New Guineans defrauded of millions of kina.

ONeills eagerness to put himself at the centre of the modern PNG story can be seen in the 2014 publication of a book entitled His Dream is Our Dream. The book is described as a collection of speeches by prime minister Peter ONeill.

At this stage, he had been in the job for less than two years. A year earlier, ONeill created the PM ONeill Foundation, which boasts it is all about one mans desire to give back to a nation that has given so much to him.

All this is a clear testament to ONeills desire to create a political identity and entangle an image of himself in the national identity.

However, ultimately, as ONeill challenges his political mortality by hampering the vote of no confidence process in the supreme court and threatening legal action against the ombudsman commission, it is clear that his legacy is about himself.

An attempt to impose a sense of greatness, that only he has a mandated vision for this nation. It is a legacy that comes at the cost of the democratic structures of PNG, the economy of PNG and the very lives of Papua New Guineans.Slovaks and Latvians cast their ballots in EU elections on Saturday as the far right hoped to clinch major gains and deny a pro-Europe victory to French President Emmanuel Macron. Polls were open in Malta, Slovakia and Latvia, with most of the bloc's 28 member states -- including big players Germany, France and Italy -- to vote on Sunday, with turnout expected to be low. Polling has shown for months that eurosceptics and the anti-immigration far right could make big gains in the vote, which will also help determine who replaces Jean-Claude Juncker as head of the European Commission as well as other top jobs. More than 400 million people are eligible to elect 751 members of the European Parliament, with the first official results to be announced late Sunday once voting in all EU countries is over. France's staunchly pro-European Macron has a big stake in the outcome, hoping to see his centrist Republique en Marche make a strong showing and shake-up EU politics in a direct challenge to the nationalists. But Marine Le Pen of France's National Rally and Matteo Salvini of Italy's anti-immigrant League want to team-up to disrupt the EU establishment, and are wooing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party to join them in parliament. Salvini's League tops the polls in Italy and Le Pen's RN party has an edge in France, with around 25 percent support against Macron's 22.5 percent. "Once again Macron is daring us to challenge him. Well let's take him at his word: On May 26, we'll challenge him in the voting booth," Le Pen said at a rally on Friday. Eurosceptics got a major boost from Britain's Nigel Farage whose Brexit Party, according to polls, will score a resounding victory in the UK. If that is confirmed, the veteran Brexiteer would likely group with Italy's anti-establishment Five Star movement to become another force to destabilise the Strasbourg, France parliament. Britain voted on Thursday, with Farage's in-roads helping push Prime Minister Theresa May to step down following months of Brexit crisis. Farage was handed the opportunity when May was forced to hold the EU elections after delaying Brexit beyond the original date of March 29 because of deadlock in the UK parliament over her divorce deal. - 'Biggest threat' - However, Europhiles on Thursday got an unexpected boost after exit polls in the Netherlands showed a surprise victory for pro-EU socialists, giving hope to the political mainstream. Traditional parties also had reason to cheer from an exit poll in Ireland that suggested Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's Fine Gael party, which aligns with the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), was in the lead. The EPP, which is also home to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party, will likely emerge once again with the largest share of the vote but perhaps not enough to control parliament in a grand coalition with the socialists as it has done for a generation. The Greens also claimed a solid result in Ireland raising their hopes for big gains in the wake of growing concern about climate change. "After the Netherlands, the Green Wave has rolled on to Irish shores," said the party's co-leading candidate Bas Eickhout. The days following the election will see the launch of elaborate negotiations to determine key positions in the European institutions, with an EU leaders summit on Tuesday to discuss who gets which jobs. Turnout is as ever a major concern in the EU elections, with voters in Slovakia historically the least interested, having just 13 percent show up for the last polls five years ago. "The biggest threat to our freedom is not Russia or (Austrian far rightist Heinz-Christian) Strache or Salvini or Le Pen or Orban; the biggest threat is indifference," said Dutchman Frans Timmermans, the lead socialist candidate, at a rally in Vienna. Disinformation is also a worry, though evidence so far has not revealed the level of meddling by foreign actors seen in the US election of Donald Trump in 2016, EU officials said. Fearing a wave of fake news the EU's External Action Service has set up a rapid alert system, with a dozen staff, to closely watch social media and warn of possible risks of interference. After Ireland voting continues for a third day in EU-wide elections across the continent with populists hoping for an upset victoryPopulist and eurosceptic parties have emerged in many countries of the European Union, although not all go as far as wanting a Brexit-style departure. European voters are going to the polls to choose a new parliament from May 23-26 and gains for eurosceptics and the far right would be a new blow for the bloc's established leaders as the Brexit crisis rumbles on. Here is a selection of nations with significant eurosceptic, anti-establishment and anti-immigration parties: - Britain - In a referendum on June 23, 2016, Britons voted to quit the EU by 52 percent to 48 percent in an outcome that stunned the EU and the wider world. The divorce process has been fraught and two extensions to the original March 29 deadline mean Britain paradoxically still took part in the European Parliament elections on Thursday, on the eve of Prime Minister Theresa May's resignation announcement. Results will be announced on Sunday. At the last elections in 2014, the UK Independence Party (UKIP) capitalised on the strong anti-EU mood to score a major victory by taking 24 of Britain's 73 MEP seats. UKIP is now split, between those who have stayed and those who have joined the newly-formed Brexit Party of former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, which led opinion polls before the election. - The Netherlands - The Freedom Party (PVV) of Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders and the emerging Forum for Democracy party (FvD) -- both back leaving the EU -- fought Thursday's European elections for the 26 Dutch seats. According to an exit poll, the FvD, not represented in the outgoing parliament, would win three seats and the PVV would slump to one seat from its current four. The PVV became the second-biggest force in the national parliament in 2017 polls, securing 20 of 150 seats. - France - Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party, which has 14 out of 74 French MEPs, has toned down its anti-European message but maintains a tough anti-migrant stance. Eurosceptic right-wing parties The Patriots, which is pushing to leave the EU, and Debout la France (France Stand Up) have two seats each. On the far-left, France Insoumise (France Unbowed) -- with three Euro-MPs -- is against certain EU treaties but not pulling out of the bloc. - Germany - The anti-migrant and anti-euro Alternative for Germany (AfD) won its first seats in the national parliament in 2017 with nearly 13 percent of votes. It is Germany's single biggest opposition party but holds only one of the country's 96 MEP seats, losing six after a series of defections. - Italy - Italy's ruling coalition of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and anti-immigrant League party won the 2018 national election on an anti-migrant and anti-EU platform but stepped back from demands to exit the eurozone single currency bloc. The populist government clashed with most of its EU partners when it closed its ports to refugees and has sparred with Brussels over budget numbers and targets. Of Italy's 73 Euro-MPs, six belong to the League and 11 to the Five Star Movement. Hardline Interior Minister and League head Matteo Salvini has called on nationalist parties across Europe to join forces and form a new alliance after the election. - Hungary - Prime Minister Viktor Orban regularly criticises the EU, particularly over immigration policy. Having attacked in vain the EU top court quotas meant to share out refugees around the bloc, Orban's populist government faces the threat of European sanctions over the rights of minorities and refugees and academic and media freedoms. His Fidesz party -- which has 11 out of 21 Hungarian Euro-MPs -- was in March suspended from the centre-right European People's Party, the EU's biggest political grouping. - Austria - The far-right Freedom Party fell into crisis days before the elections when a scandal led to the fall of the coalition government it had joined with mainstream conservatives. Its leader Heinz-Christian Strache resigned as vice chancellor on May 18 after he was accused of promising public contracts in return for campaign help from a fake Russian backer before 2017 general elections. The party's remaining government ministers stepped down two days later. While defending a hardline policy on migration, the party -- which has three of Austria's 18 European seats -- has abandoned its flirtation with a referendum on whether to leave the EU. - Czech Republic - Prime Minister Andrej Babis has locked horns with Brussels over migration. The premier, who is the Czech Republic's second wealthiest man according to Forbes, faces charges over an EU subsidy scam. He has consistently rejected the accusations against him as a politically inspired plot. Babis' populist and centrist ANO party holds only two of the republic's 21 European Parliament seats but emerged as the biggest winner in October 2017 national elections to form a minority government. The anti-migrant Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party, looking to bag its first seat in the European parliament, favours a "Czexit" from the EU. - Poland - The eurosceptic ruling conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS) holds 14 of Poland's 51 European seats. The country faces EU sanctions over what Brussels sees as consistent threats to the independence of its judicial system and civil society. - Denmark - The Danish People's Party, with three out of 13 Euro-MPs, is anti-migrant. It favours reform rather than leaving the EU and backs the minority centre-right government but does not participate in it. - Estonia - The anti-EU, far-right EKRE party has seen a surge in support, becoming the third-largest party in national elections in March. Prime Minister Juri Ratas has drawn the party into a three-party coalition with five ministerial posts. It holds no seats in the current European Parliament. - Finland - Finland's far-right, anti-immigration Finns Party more than doubled its seats in April national elections, closely tailing the leftist Social Democrats who won only narrowly. The eurosceptic party -- which has two of 13 Finland's European seats -- does not advocate leaving the EU altogether but wants reforms of the bloc. - Portugal - The Socialist government is in alliance with the Left Bloc, which wants Portugal to leave the eurozone, and the Communists, who envisage leaving the euro and possibly also the EU. The two eurosceptic parties have four of the country's 21 European seats. - Romania - The Social Democratic Party government has had several run-ins with Brussels and has been threatened with "swift" consequences by the European Commission over proposed judicial reforms seen as a threat to the independence of the courts. The party's strongman, former prime minister Liviu Dragnea, will Monday find out the result of his appeal against a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for electoral fraud. - Sweden - The far-right Sweden Democrats (SD), with two of 20 Euro-MPs, went into last year's parliamentary elections with the promise of a referendum on a "Swexit", but have since softened their stance. SD now wants the EU to work on a new treaty limiting areas of cooperation to those not infringing core elements of sovereignty, thus excluding defence, foreign policy and immigration. Failing that, it wants Sweden to reconsider membership. Polls suggest the Brexit Party of Nigel Farage, one of the highest profile eurosceptics in the European Parliament, was leading the race for seats in an election Britain did not expect to take part in after the 2016 Brexit vote Presentation of the main far-right parties and their electoral performances in France, Italy, Austria, Italy, Germany and Spain Marine Le Pen's National Rally has toned down its anti-European message but maintains a tough anti-migrant stanceA French boss of a second-hand boat firm was sentenced to prison Friday for selling dozens of vessels to desperate migrants who used them to cross the English Channel. Emmanuel Desreux, 45, was given 18 months behind bars and another 18 months suspended sentence for selling what investigators said was 39 inflatable boats with motors to migrants to navigate across the busy waterway from France to Britain. A taxi driver accomplice who organised the transport of the boats and some of the migrants to beaches, Jean-Claude Demeyer, 54, was also sentenced by the court in Boulogne-sur-mer to one year in prison, with another year suspended. Police launched their investigation over the crossings when they arrested four Iranians and two taxi drivers in January on a beach near Calais in January. Information from those arrested led them to Desreux and his firm, Fluvialys, located in the town of Deulemont on the border with Belgium. He was charged with abetting illegal migration across the Channel between October 2018 and March 2019. That period corresponded with a noticeable spike in Channel crossings by Afghan, Iranian, Iraqi and African migrants trying to reach England, which prompted stepped-up patrols by British and French police. The migrants had turned to the clandestine sea route after being frustrated in attempts to clamber aboard trucks and other vehicles crossing from France to Britain via the Channel Tunnel or on ferries. Authorities in the northern Pas-de-Calais region said nearly 500 migrants on more than 60 boats managed to reach England's shores between October and March. Some of the vessels were stolen fishing boats, while others were purchased by the migrants. Police found 14,000 euros (equivalent to nearly $16,000) in cash in Desreux's car when he was arrested. Neither of the convicted men expressed any remorse for the risks the migrants ran by crossing one of the busiest shipping corridors in the world, one beset by strong currents and often foul weather. "Everything depends on the weather," Desreux said in court. "When it was bad weather, I told them (the migrants) to call back later." French police recorded a spike in Channel crossings by migrants between October last year and March this year -- the same period the boat-seller was active with his illicit businessThe head of Lebanon's Shiite movement Hezbollah warned Saturday that a long-delayed US peace plan could see Palestinian refugees permanently settled in host countries across the region. Speaking days after the US announced a May conference in Bahrain to lay out economic aspects of its long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned of an "ominous deal aimed at eliminating the Palestinian cause". He said the conference's focus on economic issues "may open the door wide open to the question of naturalising the Palestinian brothers in Lebanon and the countries where they are located". The right of return for more than 700,000 refugees who were expelled or fled during the creation of the State of Israel in the late 1940s -- and their millions of descendants -- is a key pillar of the Palestinian cause. The vast majority cling tightly to hopes, enshrined in a key UN Security Council resolution, of returning to lands their families once owned but which are now inside Israel. An estimated 174,000 Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon, according to a census by national authorities in 2017. The UN estimates there are tens of thousands more. Hezbollah has long championed the Palestinian cause, but the Palestinian presence is controversial in Lebanon, where many blame them for causing the bitter civil war that ravaged the country between 1975 and 1990. Lebanon's Palestinian camps suffer poverty, overcrowding, unemployment, poor and dangerous housing conditions and a lack of infrastructure. Today, "it's not enough to say we're all against naturalisation -- the danger of naturalisation is approaching," Nasrallah said during a televised address marking the 19th anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon. He called for an urgent meeting between government and Palestinian officials in Lebanon to "develop a plan to confront the danger". The Palestinians have boycotted the US administration since December 2017, when Trump broke with decades of international consensus and recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Palestinians consider the eastern part of the city the capital of their future state, fear the US plan will be heavily biased in favour of Israel. The Palestinian leadership has said it will boycott the June 25-26 meeting in Manama, where the declared aim is to promote Palestinian prosperity as part of Trump's "deal of the century". The Trump administration is expected to unveil its long-awaited plan possibly as early as next month. The Bahrain conference could see large-scale investment pledges for the Palestinian territories but is unlikely to focus heavily on the political issues at the core of the conflict, such as the question of Palestinian refugees. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah giving a previous speech on Hezbollah's al-Manar TV on March 26, 2019The Maltese navy said Saturday it had rescued 216 more migrants, including pregnant women and minors, from two small craft in the Mediterranean. Malta, which was holding a vote for the European Union parliament Saturday, has appealed to the EU for help in dealing with the flow of migrants, which much larger neighbour Italy has begun to turn away. A navy statement said the migrants were on board two boats, and the first group was rescued after it "sent out a distress call that their boat was taking in water". They were being ferried to Malta, which lies near Libya, "when another distress call from another migrant vessel came in. "So the patrol boat turned around and proceeded to rescue the second group too," the statement said, before adding that "pregnant women and unaccompanied minors are among those rescued". All were expected to reach Malta around midday. The island of 450,000 people is a common destination for migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean from North Africa, and a hardline stance from Italy has increased pressure on it. More than 500 migrants have reached Malta this year, while 1,425 have made it to Italy, which has a population 130 times larger. International Organization for Migration figures show 24,687 migrants have reached Europe so far this year, well below the record of around one million in 2015, and also likely to fall below the 2018 figure of 144,000. Among EU member states, Spain took in the most migrants last year, at around 65,000 More than 500 migrants have reached Malta from North Africa so far this yearA US federal judge dealt a blow on Friday to President Donald Trump's signature wall project, issuing a temporary injunction against using Defense Department funds to pay for barriers on the border with Mexico. Trump declared an emergency in a bid to bypass Congress and obtain money for border wall construction after a standoff over paying for the project led to the longest government shutdown in US history. About 20 states, including Democratic strongholds New York and California, along with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), environmental groups and border communities are involved in suits that claim the emergency declaration violates the constitution. Trump administration officials "are enjoined from taking any action to construct a border barrier in the areas defendants have identified as Yuma Sector Project 1 and El Paso Sector Project 1 using funds reprogrammed by DoD," Judge Haywood Gilliam ordered, referring to the Department of Defense. Trump said he was asking for an "expedited appeal." "Another activist Obama appointed judge has just ruled against us on a section of the Southern Wall that is already under construction. This is a ruling against Border Security and in favor of crime, drugs and human trafficking," he said in a tweet. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan approved the diversion of funds from the department's counter-narcotics budget to build barriers along parts of the border -- a move that was in turn funded by the diversion of $1 billion from army personnel funds, according to Gilliam's order. The judge wrote he granted the preliminary injunction because the plaintiffs are likely to show that Trump administration officials "exceeded their statutory authority, and that irreparable harm will result from those actions." - 'Unlawful power grabs' - "Congress's 'absolute' control over federal expenditures -- even when that control may frustrate the desires of the Executive Branch regarding initiatives it views as important -- is not a bug in our constitutional system," Gilliam wrote. "It is a feature of that system, and an essential one." The case -- which was brought by plaintiffs including the Sierra Club environmental group -- names Trump as well as Shanahan, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as defendants. "We applaud the court's decision to protect our Constitution, communities, and the environment today," Sierra Club managing attorney Gloria Smith said in a statement. "We've seen the damage that the ever-expanding border wall has inflicted on communities and the environment for decades. Walls divide neighborhoods, worsen dangerous flooding, destroy lands and wildlife, and waste resources that should instead be used on the infrastructure these communities truly need," Smith said. "Yet again, the American people have had to look to our courts for a check on President Trump's unlawful power grabs." Trump made the construction of a wall to stem illegal immigration from Latin America central to his successful 2016 campaign for the presidency. But despite saying Mexico would pay for the barrier, he has had to ask Congress for money to make the project happen, and the tug-of-war over funding for the barrier caused a record 35-day federal government shutdown beginning on December 22, 2018. US President Donald Trump declared an emergency in a bid to bypass Congress to obtain money for border wall construction after a standoff over funding for the project led to the longest government shutdown in US historyThe United States said it was deploying 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East to counter "credible threats" from Iran in a move denounced by Tehran on Saturday as "a threat to international peace". "Increased US presence in our region is very dangerous and a threat to international peace and security and must be confronted," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told the official IRNA news agency. The escalation of the US military presence follows a decision in early May to send an aircraft carrier strike force and B-52 bombers in a show of force against what Washington's leaders believed was an imminent Iranian plan to attack US assets. And it comes as the Trump administration is planning to bypass congressional restrictions to sell arms to Saudi Arabia, a close US ally and Iran's arch-enemy in the region. "This is a prudent response to credible threats from Iran," acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Friday. President Donald Trump, who approved the deployment, called it "protective." "We want to have protection in the Middle East," Trump told reporters as he prepared to set off on a trip to Japan. "We're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective," Trump added. "It'll be about 1,500 people." - Fighter jets, missile battalion - The new deployment includes reconnaissance aircraft, fighter jets and engineers. Six hundred of the personnel belong to a Patriot missile defense battalion that had its deployment in the region extended. Pentagon officials said the move was necessary after multiple threatening actions and several small-in-scope attacks in May by Iranian forces, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and "proxy" forces. Those include a rocket launched into the Green Zone in Baghdad, explosive devices that damaged four tankers in Fujairah near the entrance to the Gulf, and a Houthi drone attack against a Saudi oil installation. Iran has denied involvement in any of the attacks. "Americans make such claims to justify their hostile policies and to create tension in the Persian Gulf," Zarif said. The initial threat came at the beginning of May, according to Rear Admiral Michael Gilday, director of the Pentagon's Joint Staff. The US caught the IRGC attempting to covertly deploy "modified dhows capable of launching cruise missiles," he said, referring to small traditional boats. "We view this as a campaign," Gilday told reporters. The moves "are all part of a dangerous and escalatory strategy by Iran to threaten global trade and to destabilize the region." - 'Highest levels' - "We believe with a high degree of confidence that this stems back to the leadership of Iran at the highest levels, and that all of the attacks... have been attributed to Iran through their proxies or their forces," Gilday said, citing still-secret US intelligence. US officials said the aim of the deployment was both to extend greater protection to the 70,000 US forces in the Middle East and Afghanistan, and to deliver a message to Iran to refrain from attacks. "We think that through a combination of a very measured deployment of assets as well as public messaging, we are again trying to underscore that we are not seeking hostilities with Iran," he said. Gilday said the US moves have had some impact. When Washington first learned of Tehran's alleged intent to launch attacks, it delivered a stern warning to Tehran "within hours" through an unnamed third party. Since then, the threat of the missile-bearing dhows appears to have subsided. - 'No strategy' - However, the Trump administration continues to draw criticism that it has not clearly shown the need for an escalation. Members of Congress were also angered that Trump was overriding their block on delivery of lethal weapons to the Saudis. "More tactics with absolutely no strategy," tweeted Democratic Senator Chris Murphy. "All that is happening now is escalatory move after escalatory move. Trump has ZERO plan for how this ends, and that should scare the hell out of everyone." But Pentagon officials stressed that the US does not seek war with Iran. "We do not see these additional capabilities as encouraging hostilities. We see them as defensive in nature," said acting Assistant Secretary of Defense Katie Wheelbarger. "Our policy remains an economic and diplomatic effort to bring Iran back to the negotiating table to encourage a comprehensive deal that addresses the range of their destabilizing behavior in the region." US President Donald Trump says the deployment of 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East is a "protective" move Washington has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln and B-52 bombers in a show of forceLATHAM  Maj. Gen. Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York, announces the recent service accomplishment of members of the New York Army National Guard in recognition of their initial commitment to serve community, state and nation.

The newest citizen soldiers to complete Army basic combat training and advanced individual training will now be welcomed to their units during their next drill assembly with the New York Army National Guard. The New York Army National Guard welcomed 110 new soldiers to units during the spring ceremonies around the state:

 Pvt. Samantha Goucher, from Port Byron, was formally welcomed into the 102nd Military Police Battalion during a transition ceremony held April 10 at the Auburn Armory in Auburn.

For more information about the New York Army National Guard, visit dmna.ny.gov or 1800goguard.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0AUBURN  An Auburn man was sentenced Thursday to time served and probation for his role in what Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann described as a "7-Eleven" for drugs.

Karlsten Thomas, 45, 7 Burt Ave., Auburn, was sentenced to time served, having been incarcerated in the Cayuga County Jail for approximately nine months, and five years of probation.

Cayuga County Court Judge Thomas Leone agreed to the sentence in recognition of Thomas' lack of criminal history, and that he'd previously pleaded guilty to the entire indictment against him.

In March, Thomas pleaded guilty to three counts of third-degree criminal possession of narcotic drugs with intent to sell, one count of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, one count of fourth-degree conspiracy, and two counts of second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia.

Thomas was arrested along with three others last September after Finger Lakes Drug Task Force members executed a search warrant at 55 Walnut St. in Auburn and seized 49.5 grams of crack cocaine, scales and more than $3,700.

Budelmann described the operation as like a "7-Eleven open 24/7" to sell drugs.

In recommending a sentence of three years determinate incarceration with two years probation, Budelmann described how multiple other customers showed up to purchase drugs at the same time an undercover investigator was attempting a buy, and noted how the defendants kept a detailed ledger of transactions.

Defense Attorney Thomas Turturo said Thomas' involvement was a "lapse of judgment" after falling in with the wrong people.

To borrow the district attorney's metaphor, Turturo said, Thomas would "work the counter at the 7-Eleven," keeping his co-defendants Reginald Miller and Kenneth Swann from having to appear to be making sales, in exchange for a place to stay.

Miller, 26, of Rochester, pleaded guilty May 16 to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and was given a sentence promise of 3.5 years incarceration with 1.5 years post-release supervision. Sentencing is set for Aug. 15.

Swann, 54, of 55 Walnut St., pleaded guilty April 26 to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, and a likely sentence of three years in prison with two years of post-release supervision. His sentencing is scheduled for July 11.

Speaking for himself, Thomas said he fully accepted his role and his guilt.

"I accept full responsibility for what I did," Thomas said, later adding "I apologize to the court for what I did, and you won't have any problems from me anymore while I'm in your city."

Staff writer Ryan Franklin can be reached at (315) 282-2252 or ryan.franklin@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @RyanNYFranklin

Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 3A Cessna Citation V crashed 300 miles off the coast of Florida Friday evening after Air National Guard jets were scrambled to intercept it. The FAA said Friday that the single pilot aboard was not responsive to ATC communications.

The Cessna was inbound to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and the pilot was believed to be the only one aboard. The Citation departed St. Louis Regional Airport in East Afton, Illinois, about 3:30 p.m. Friday, the FAA said. At 4:50 p.m., the Florida Air National Guard dispatched two F-15s from the Homestead Air Reserve base to investigate the Citations lack of communication. The fighters reported the Cessna began a rapid descent and crashed into the Atlantic around 6 p.m.When Nathan Wayne was growing up in Auburn, he never imagined he would one day meet the pope.

Yet that is exactly what happened when he served at an Easter Vigil Mass with Pope Francis at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy, in April. Wayne, who was ordained as a priest in Rome earlier this month, is back in Auburn to celebrate Masses at different Auburn churches from Saturday through May 30.

Although he went through the process to become a priest for 12 years, he said he never gave the priesthood much thought as a boy.

Wayne said a vocational retreat in Connecticut after high school made him seriously consider the career. He admitted that moment terrified him. He said he believes the vocation "is not a popular choice" culturally and he had also wanted to get married and have children, which priests aren't allowed to do. He said his relationship with God has made it worthwhile.

"You wouldn't sacrifice something like that if you're not going to receive something even greater in return, you know?"

He said there had been some doubts in the past, though. He compared it to a relationship going through different phases.

He said he feels even closer to God now that he is a priest, as he said there is a form of intimacy to "absolving sins with his powers."

Wayne, who serves as a chaplain at a Catholic school in Madrid, Spain, said it feels great to be a priest after over a decade of preparation. Scores of his family members traveled to see his ordination in Rome, which Wayne said was incredibly special for him, and that when he greeted his father, Doug, afterward Doug was shaking and crying tears of joy.

He said he is happy to be returning to his hometown for Mass as a priest, and he is glad to be doing what God projected for him.

"You feel like, 'I'm here now,'" Wayne said.

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

Love 13 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.A pedestrian hit by a car Friday morning in southern Cayuga County was undergoing surgery and in critical condition as of approximately 5:30 p.m., according to state police.

The call for a car/pedestrian crash on Moravia-Venice Town Line Road in Venice came into the Cayuga County 911 center at 10:14 a.m., dispatchers said. A pedestrian was injured and the car rolled over and struck a utility pole, knocking down wires.

Dispatchers said the pedestrian was transported by Mercy Flight helicopter to a regional hospital. There were no reports of anyone else taken to hospitals.

Emergency response agencies involved in the response included Genoa Fire Department, Long Hill Fire Department, Moravia Fire Department, Poplar Ridge Fire Department, Four Town Ambulance and Southern Cayuga Ambulance.

New York State Police is handling the investigation. About an hour after the initial call, accident reconstruction was taking place at the scene.

As of Friday evening, police said the driver had not been charged, and the case is still being investigated.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 5 Sad 18 Angry 4House Democrats last week voted to reverse a Trump Administration rule that the left has branded as promoting "junk insurance." So note that the vote arrives the same week as a fresh analysis about how short-term health insurance can be a better option than ObamaCare.

The Trump Administration last year allowed for short-term, limited-duration health insurance that can last up to a year. Plans can be renewed up to 36 months without new medical underwriting, which can protect against higher premiums if someone falls sick. The Obama Administration limited short-term insurance to three months to force everyone into the ObamaCare exchanges. The Trump crowd thought short-term plans could be viable for relatively healthy folks who earn too much for subsidies and are soaked by Affordable Care Act prices.

Democrats claim these are "garbage" plans designed to trick Americans. Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted this month that the Trump Administration "is fighting to replace many Americans' health care with junk insurance policies that are allowed to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions."

Short-term offerings are nascent and several states ban them, with restrictions in about two dozen others, which limits data. But Chris Pope at the Manhattan Institute offered a useful comparison in a paper last week. Mr. Pope examines Fulton County in Georgia, where ObamaCare premiums hover around the national average and multiple insurers compete on the exchange. Short-term insurance is available, consistent with the new federal rules.

Democrats predicted that the short-term rule would siphon patients from the exchanges and send premiums soaring, which hasn't happened. Mr. Pope notes that Affordable Care Act premiums increased 3% on average for 2019, and that 92 of 124 requested rate increases didn't even mention short-term insurance as a significant factor in higher rates. The effect on premiums has been negligible.

Anyone with a tough medical condition and modest earnings will likely be better off on the exchanges, where coverage is generously subsidized. But plenty of Americans may conclude that short-term plans are better. The Democratic response to this individual choice? In the words of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer: "Democrats will do everything in our power to stop this."

 The Wall Street Journal

Any number of individuals, organizations and even nations in the Middle East would not be displeased in the slightest at a military conflict between the United States and Iran. Islamic terrorist groups, for one, understand that would divert U.S. assets from targeting them, to at least some extent.

Tension between the U.S. and Iran has been increasing steadily during the past few weeks. On Sunday, it was bumped up a notch or two by a rocket attack in Baghdad, one place where Iranian operatives are active.

Within hours after the attack, there was speculation Iran was behind it. Headlines stating a rocket had landed near the U.S. embassy in Baghdad were making the rounds.

But the rocket landed about a mile from the Embassy. No U.S. casualties were reported.

Either the rocket launchers were incompetent or our embassy was not the intended target.

There is enough real, provable violence originating in orders from Tehran to make war between Iran and the U.S. a distinct possibility. Allowing attacks such as that in Baghdad to ratchet up the tension would be unwise.

Plenty of wars have been started "by accident"  that is, by events which were not serious enough to provoke full-scale conflict or by incidents staged by third parties in order to drag two major nations into battle.

War between the U.S. and Iran would be bloody and would have long-lasting, serious repercussions worldwide. Americans should not allow ourselves to be forced into an avoidable conflict.

 The Leader-Herald, Gloversville

The decision by the state Department of Environmental Conservation to reject a proposed 37-mile pipeline connecting natural gas fields in Pennsylvania to New Jersey and New York is big news all by itself.

In context, it is even more impressive coming as yet another sign of the lead our state is taking to combat climate change and create a future where alternatives supply the energy.

This decision came as the state Legislature is considering a bill that would commit New York to getting its electricity from alternative, non-burning sources of energy by 2030 if all goes well, by 2040 at the latest.

It comes as the opposition to the refurbishing of the Danskammer plant on the Hudson River gains momentum, as opposition to the Competitive Power Ventures plant near Middletown continues and as the day approaches when the Indian Point nuclear plants will stop operations.

For the real context, you have to go back a few more years, to late 2014 when New York decided that it would not allow fracking, injecting liquids at high pressure to break open areas with oil and gas deep below the ground.

That was a benchmark decision that put New York in the forefront of an environmental battle that has only intensified. At the time, no one envisioned an administration and a Congress so beholden to the fossil fuel industry that lobbyists and executives would effectively take over the departments that were created  by Republicans, it should be noted  to protect the earth. With those people now in charge of the federal efforts, it is more clear than ever that states need to take the lead, as New York has.

For New York to make the transition to alternative forms of energy, it needs to have as much investment as possible in those sources while having as little as possible in traditional fossil fuel plants and their supporting infrastructure. Resisting the Danskammer plant, rejecting the pipeline and making future decisions in similar ways when they come up in other areas, as they will, is essential for the state to make the transition it must to provide energy now and in the future in an environmentally sustainable way.

 The Times Herald-Record, Middletown

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0MIAMIDeep Dreamz Productions, home to SupremeXent.com, announces three new releases, including new additions to the Fuck Tape series.

Fuck Tape Starring Tae The Doug and Fuck Tape Starring Jovonnie feature some of each stars hottest scenes, including their crazy displays of sex skills and stunts. The tatted up Tae the Doug is joined by Jovonnie and Haxxxel in his 50-minute DVD, while Jovonniewho is known for his large dick and phat assdelivers a 90-minute release that also stars Tae The Doug, Vayne and Kendall.

Rounding out the new releases from Deep Dreamz Productions is Kravin West, starring Krave Melanin. Known for his buff body, masculine swag and impressive sex skills, he teams up with hot model West.

We had to have West in this film project because the guy is drop dead sexy, fresh on the scene, he has a universal sex appeal and is a jaw-dropping performer, a company rep said.

The chemistry between Krave Melanin and West is 100 percent real, the rep continued. They complement each other; a perfect match. They made the sex scenes sizzling to; they couldnt keep their hands, mouths and dicks off each other, and the result is an action-filled, hardcore, raw sex video that 100 percent real and totally freaky!

Find all the new releases at RawDreamz.com.After the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the project last month, Flagstaff City Council moved forward with the rezoning of a 270-acre piece of property at the intersection of Butler Avenue and Fourth Street.

But Council also outlined some requirements the developer must agree to before it is expected to make the final call on June 4.

The development, called Canyon Del Rio, will include an estimated 1,100 units as both single-family homes and apartment buildings and commercial areas along a future extension of Fourth Street.

The limits to the development Council suggested were in part meant to appease the concerns of nearby residents, about 40 of whom attended the meeting.

Council was most concerned about the height of the apartment buildings and if they would be built to accommodate students, as well how the developer could help alleviate the affordable housing issue.

The zoning change would allow the apartments to be as tall as 65 feet and would be situated on what is already a 30-foot-tall hill according to neighboring residents, some of whom are worried the buildings will block their sight lines.

Brian Rhoton, an owner of Capstone Homes, which has been working on the project for some time, said he doesnt think the apartment buildings would be more than three stories, or about 42 feet, in height.

Council wondered if a stipulation could be outlined in the development agreement saying despite the zoning allowing for it, the buildings would be no taller than three stories.

Rhoton said he would be open to that but did worry that such a restriction may not allow them to meet the city's minimum requirements for density without the use of at least some four-story buildings.

As such, Rhoton suggested that the development agreement limit those buildings to three stories but also outline a process allowing the developers to come back to the council asking for taller buildings if they were not able to meet the requirements.

Neighbors were also concerned the zoning change would mean the construction of student housing.

Rhoton said because the development is over two miles from the university, he doesnt expect apartments to be designed specifically for students. That is not to say students may not live in the apartments, but the units built likely wont be four-bedroom, four-bathroom like other student-focused developments have been.

Councilmember Austin Aslan said he did not feel he could vote in favor of the development if there were not some assurances that the buildings would not be student-focused. City staff said this could also be a stipulation in the development agreement, preventing units from being rented by the room, a common practice in student projects.

When it comes to affordable housing, Rhoton said one section of Canyon Del Rio is set aside for that purpose, providing 80 units. It is likely, however, the affordable housing section of the development wont be built for 5 to 10 years.

Mayor Coral Evans said she didnt want to have to wait that long to receive the affordable housing benefits the development is offering, and wondered if Rhoton and the owners of the property would be open to providing the city a cash payment for affordable housing as opposed to the 80 units.

Weve been talking about this project since 1984; we could be talking about this 40 years from now. So I think waiting on this affordable housing is an issue, Evans said.

That change would also mean the section of the property that would have been the 80 affordable housing units would be additional market rate homes.

Rhoton said he and his investors could be amenable to that idea, although because of the upfront costs they are already seeing, they may need to spread such a payment out over the course of a few years.

Rhoton also told the council even with the payment, they could keep their own internal affordable housing program for other developers who may build within Canyon Del Rio. Those internal incentives encourage developers who build within the property to set 5% of the units as affordable housing.

Adrian Skabelund can be reached at the office at askabelund@azdailysun.com, by phone at (928) 556-2261 or on Twitter @AdrianSkabelund.

Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 11

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.CHICO, Calif. (AP)  With nearly 40 million people living in California and development spreading into once-wild regions, some of the states best tools toward preventing wildfires cant be widely used.

Still, there is growing agreement that the state must step up its use of forest management through prescribed burns and vegetation removal in an attempt to lessen the impact of wildfires.

In March, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on wildfires, designed to expedite forest-thinning projects and other programs. In May 2018, former Gov. Jerry Brown called for doubling the amount of forest land treated each year in California by 2023. The state significantly increased the money it was spending on those efforts, with the Legislature earmarking $1 billion over five years in funds generated by the states carbon trading program. The Trump administration has also vowed to manage forests more aggressively.

Cal Fire and the state Board of Forestry estimate 23 million acres in the states responsibility area could benefit from fuel reduction. And those treatments arent one-time efforts: they must be repeated every few years to be effective.

Among the biggest complications in forest management are Californias strict environmental regulations.

Forest treatment projects must obtain approvals under the California Environmental Quality Act. Butte County Fire Safe Council Executive Director Calli-Jane DeAnda said the environmental review process typically uses up 10 to 15 percent of grant funds local fire agencies receive for forest management projects. The reviews can take years.

The state has been working since 2010 on an EIR that would cover all vegetation treatments in California under one overarching environmental document. It would identify environmentally sound processes for various natural landscapes. Then, if a project were proposed that met the guidelines for its landscape, it could be approved through a checklist scenario, according to Board of Forestry Executive Director Matt Dias.

Some projects wouldnt fit the template, he said, and would require more review, but the idea would be to get projects approved and moving forward in a matter of weeks instead of years. A goal has been set to complete the document by the end of the year.

Some environmental groups say state officials are pursuing the wrong path altogether.

Rick Halsey of the California Chaparral Institute said Cal Fire should place more focus on making communities more fire resistant, not on clearing vegetation.

We have a home ignition problem, he said, not a vegetation control problem.

He said it makes more sense to spend some of the vegetation control dollars on fireproofing measures like ember-resistant vents and fire resistant rooftops.

Weve got to stop looking in different directions than where people are, and frankly Cal Fire is not doing a good job at that, he said. The fundamental problem is that theyre a vegetation management agency ... theyre not into the building thing. They have to look at the whole picture.

He said chaparral needs high-intensity but infrequent fires. Vegetation removal wont help that process. About all people can do to help the chaparral is to stop setting it on fire.

There are so many people on the landscape causing so many unnatural ignitions, he said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Amid the hoopla surrounding educational inputs in North Carolina, it's nice to hear some state lawmakers focusing attention on educational outcomes.A couple of outcome-focused bills caught this observer's attention last week. Those bills attracted far less scrutiny from reporters and pundits than the May 1 teacher walkout and march through downtown Raleigh That walkout focused almost exclusively on inputs. Teachers demanded higher pay, more benefits, and more funding for support staff. (They also called for Medicaid expansion . Given that the expansion population consists primarily of working-age, able-bodied, childless adults, it's not clear whether the Medicaid demand even counts as an education input.)Lawmakers also devoted time and attention to inputs. N.C. House leaders unveiled their proposal to raise pay by an average of 4.6 percent for teachers and 10 percent for principals. Legislators highlighted education-related spending increases in their two-year budget. Some of those increases addressed teachers' goals.Left largely unstated by both the lawmakers and the rallying teachers? They operate under the theory that more spending on inputs inevitably leads to better outcomes for students and families. It's possible. Years of academic research suggest the prospects are far from certain.Of more interest for those interested in better outcomes were two bills discussed one day before the teacher walkout. The state House's education committee spent less than 15 minutes on the bills. But if implemented, they could have significant long-term impacts on public education in the state.House Bill 895 would create a new Opportunity Gap Task Force. The 14-member group would study theof students based onsettings.Among the dozen items the group would consider: teachers' professional development, parental involvement, rigorous coursework, and disciplinary disparities. The group would start work no later than September. It would produce a report by December 2020. That report would include a plan for reducing opportunity gaps by 2030.said Rep. Cecil Brockman, D-Guilford, a co-sponsor of H.B. 895.Disparities extend beyond racial groups.Brockman said.For some, the answer lies in alleviating poverty, especially in rural eastern North Carolina.said Rep. Charles Graham, D-Robeson.Others dispute the notion that poverty trumps other factors. Of 1,500 N.C. schools that qualify for federal Title I funds because of students' socioeconomic status, more than 900 earn state grades of C or better, Brockman said.he said.The bill's chief sponsor echoed Brockman's statement.said Rep. Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke.Blackwell remembers debating the opportunity gap, or achievement gap, during his eight years as a local school board member. Those conversations have continued during his six N.C. House terms.he said.H.B. 895 cleared the House's K-12 Education Committee on April 30. So did House Bill 714. That legislation could lead to an even larger shakeup of the state's educational practices.Rep. Craig Horn, R-Union, posed that question to fellow committee members.For those who choose the second option,Horn said.Horn's H.B. 714 would require the State Board of Education to determine how N.C. schools can transition to aThe board would deliver a report by May 2020.Some districts and some states already pursue this goal, Horn said.Both Horn's bill and the proposed Opportunity Gap Task Force cleared the full House Thursday with little debate. It's refreshing that lawmakers are willing tonot just at educational inputs.Have Sheriff Offices in North Carolina, possibly even Beaufort County's Sheriff Office, become too political in the discharging of their sworn constitutional duties?

No, the sheriff is a constitutional officer.

Yes, the Sheriff Office, on strong occasion, often reverts back to political patronage in the dispensation of their sworn constitutional duties.Jeri and Lloyd Sorenson celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in Florida with friends and family.

Geraldine Jeri Brandt and Lloyd Sorenson were married May 6, 1944, in St. Louis, where he was stationed in the Army awaiting deployment to the European Theater in WWII.

Longtime residents of Billings, they owned and operated the College of Coiffure Art and managed several properties before retiring and moving to the Tampa Bay area in Florida.

They have two daughters and two grandchildren.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Billings police, fire and ambulance personnel talk with residents after shots were fired during an argument at a party at 1615 Cook Avenue at 3:46 a.m. on Saturday.A 30-year-old accused in a November shooting that wounded another man was not arraigned on Friday, instead appearing in federal court on drug charges.

William Anthony Rogers was set to be arraigned in Yellowstone County District Court Friday morning on one count of assault with a weapon.

Rogers is accused of shooting another man in the buttocks on Nov. 14. The man had flagged down a ride to the hospital after his own car stalled. Rogers had allegedly threatened the man after a dispute over a car Rogers bought using the mans name, according to charges.

It was the second shooting with injuries reported in Billings in less than 10 weeks.While Im grateful for this time, I know that most parents dont have this option. In fact only 13% of Americans have paid family leave. Furthermore, the Family Medical Leave Act, which requires large employers to offer unpaid leave, only applies to 1 out of 3 Montanans. How many young Montanans can take unpaid time off work, while also paying down on debt and providing for a new child?

Is it any wonder, that despite a growing economy last year, the United States saw the lowest number of births in over three decades, according to a recent CDC report?

Every other industrialized nation offers paid family leave, and some states have been providing paid leave for over a decade. Paid leave programs support parents when they have a new child, and workers when theyre seriously ill or caring for a family member with a serious illness. Check out the Time for Montana campaign (timeformontana.org) to learn more about paid family leave and sick days in Montana.Former President William Howard Taft was part of a special idea to celebrate Memorial Day during the First World War. Americans were asked to honor a lost loved one by saving the life of a war victim.

The United States had yet to enter the war, but news of the suffering in Europe had reached our shores. Not only were people dying from bullets, but also from hunger.

A letter signed by Taft and others was sent to churches to rally donations to feed Europe's hungry. A copy was printed in the New York Times and read "America is the one great land of peace, prosperity and wealth. All look here for sympathy and help...Let every man, woman, and even child, who can understand something of the appalling misery make a gift that will mean real sympathy and provide real help."

This was part of Americas outpouring of support to feed and clothe victims of the First World War. This humanitarian tradition of helping those afflicted by war has continued ever since.

What better way to honor someone's legacy on Memorial Day than to save a life. Soldiers are heroic in their service, saving the lives of others. This is what we honor on Memorial Day. Saving a life in their name continues that heroic legacy.One million animal and plant species are at imminent risk of extinction.

The essential, interconnected web of life on Earth is getting smaller and increasingly frayed, notes Professor Josef Settele, a contributor to the recent report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services. This loss is a direct result of human activity and constitutes a direct threat to human well-being in all regions of the world.

It is clear that if we continue on our path of profit at any cost, consumerism, and massive trapping of wild animals for recreation and profit, Montana will contribute to pushing some animal species over the cliff of no return.

The United Nations report urged transformative changes needed locally and globally to restore and protect nature.ST. PAUL  Federal rail authorities have decided that railroad car explosions such as the 2013 ones in North Dakota and Quebec do not prove that requiring two people to be aboard oil-carrying trains would make freights safer.

So the Federal Railroad Administration announced it is withdrawing a proposed Obama administration rule that would require two people aboard freight trains.

A Thursday statement from the FRA said that no regulation of train crew staffing is necessary or appropriate for railroad operations to be conducted safely at this time.

Officials studied a Casselton oil train explosion and train derailment, as well as an oil train blast that killed 75 people in Lac-Megantic, Quebec. No one was injured in the North Dakota incident.

The FRA reported a review showed there was no proof that a one-person crew would be less safe than two-person crews that were on the trains.

There have been several other oil train and ethanol fuel derailments, including in Virginia, Illinois and Montana. Also, crude oil spills have been reported, including near Red Wing, Minn.

Railroad worker unions were critical of the federal decision while rail companies praised it.

Rep. Frank Hornstein, D-Minneapolis, said rail companies practice is to crew trains with two people and that may not change even with the federal decision.

The December 2013 North Dakota wreck involved an oil train and a grain train that had derailed earlier. The two North Dakota trains were operating on different radio frequencies and engineers had no idea they were on the same track.

Eighteen oil-filled cars were punctured, many exploding into fireballs. About 400,000 gallons of crude oil spilled, much of it burning.

Federal officials have mandated safer rail cars and made other changes to improve safety. But the two-person crew rule had not begun before the Trump administration scuttled it.

Hornstein, the Minnesota Legislatures most outspoken rail safety proponent, agrees with the Obama administration proposal.

It is a step backward for safety, he said about federal officials dropping the rule.

In the Casselton crash, Hornstein said, one crew member detached some cars, perhaps preventing more damage. That may not have been possible with a one-person crew, he added.

For years, train staffing has been between railroads and unions representing employees.

Then-U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., testified at a federal public hearing on the crew issue that the people she represented are concerned about safety and they want to know that their government is doing everything possible from a regulatory standpoint to keep the movement of oil and other hazardous materials safe, the FRA report stated.

The senator, who lost a re-election bid last year, said she supported increased staffing because North Dakota rail workers told her having two crew members is essential for their safety and the publics safety.

Then-U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan, D-Minn., also backed the rule.

In its report, the administration says that after five meetings a working group was unable to reach consensus on any recommendation or identify conclusive, statistical data to suggest whether there is a safety benefit or detriment from crew redundancy.

The rail administration received nearly 1,600 comments on the topic, most from current or former rail workers who favored two-person crews.

Railroads and their supporters provided 39 comments, the FRA said, saying that federal regulation is not needed. Among reasons for the opposition was the cost of requiring two-person crews and a lack of proof that two people are better than one.

After reviewing the Casselton accident, the FRA reported that it believes that the same type of positive post-accident mitigating actions were achievable with: (1) fewer than two crewmembers on the BNSF grain train involved in the accident and (2) a well-planned, post-accident protocol that quickly brings railroad employees to the scene of an accident.

The FRA said that while the BNSF Railway Co. crew performed well, potentially saving each others lives, it is possible that one properly trained crewmember, technology and/or additional railroad emergency planning could have achieved similar mitigating actions.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Jayden Olson doesnt remember being thrown from a pickup truck last December and incurring a life-threatening traumatic brain injury.

Theres a period of time before the accident that hes forgotten too  including his 20th birthday. His last memory prior was the North Dakota Rodeo Association Finals Rodeo, where he won first place.

This is basically the kind of traumatic head injury where ... hours count. This guy, when he was in the emergency (room) had less than a day to live  As far as (a) salvageable head injury, its as severe as it gets, said Eric Belanger, Olsons neurosurgeon.

Olson was comatose when he arrived at Sanford Health in Bismarck for surgery. He had a blood clot on his brain, so Belanger had to remove part of his skull and place it in his side until the swelling went down. Olson likes the gnarly scar, it left and takes every opportunity to show it off.

After surgery, he spent months in rehabilitation at the Craig Hospital in Denver, Colo., where his determination to heal was an inspiration to others.

There was a guy right next to Jayden. He was probably 60 years old, and hed given up. He quit, Mika Olson, Jaydens father, recalled. "Jayden couldnt walk when he got there, couldnt remember nothing. It was pretty bad, but he worked really super hard  This guy seen the progress that Jayden made in such a short time, and it inspired him to work  His wife and daughter came and talked to me and thanked me  (Jayden) was an inspiration to a lot of people down there.

After two days of being there, Olson was walking.

Everything that he did before

Though his mother said Olson was always driven, part of his determination comes from his desire to get back to rodeo.

Thats his big driving thats what pushes him to get better, get better, get better. No one ever said that he wouldnt be able to, Mika Olson said.

Now back home with his parents, hes starting off small and joining friends for branding and roping cows.

Its like nothing ever happened to him. Everything that he did before, its there, his father said.

However, his situation is still somewhat precarious.

Dr. Belanger said to him, If you hit your head one more time, whether its a fall or somebody punches you or whatever, you will die or you will be a vegetable in a nursing home. He said This is your second chance. You wont get another one, Janine Olson, Jaydens mother, said.

The thought of her son back at the rodeo makes her nervous.

Bucking horses is a different story, she said. There, your head is banging, so he wont be doing that  soon. I mean, I hope never, but he and his dad think maybe. Well see, I guess. It scares me. I just dont think its worth his life.

Such a different kid

Olson has come a long way since his time at Craig.

He couldnt stand on his own when he first got there, and when he did start walking, he would drag his foot.

Now that hes back home, his mom said its difficult to tell that he doesnt have complete control over his right ankle and foot. He no longer drags his foot, and although his balance isnt perfect, he walks fine on his own.

When Olson first arrived at the hospital, his short term memory was gone.

He couldnt even get from his room to her room, couldnt find it, and hed go there everyday, Janine Olson said.

Now, he remembers more and more everyday, but his memory still hasnt fully recovered, a process his neurosurgeon said could take a year.

Hes able to retain things for longer periods of time, especially if theyre very meaningful to him, Janine Olson said. If theyre just little details, you know, like can you run to the store and pick up some milk, he might get to the store, but hell have no idea why hes there. Weve learned to send text messages.

Even his personality has changed.

He used to be my very introverted child, very reserved, his mother said. If talked to, he would talk back, but he never was outgoing and spoke to people like some of my other kids. Now people are like Oh my God, I cant believe how much Jayden visits with us, and hes so happy. I had him go down to the bank to get something, and the president saw me at church and shes like Wow, Jaydens just such a different kid, she laughed.

Jayden Olson said its the only good thing about the accident.

Im more talkative to people, way more talkative. I go out of my way for like 30 minutes to talk to someone if Im not doing anything, he said.

Though hes come a long way, Jayden isnt fully recovered. Belanger said his skull will take 1-2 years to fully fuse back together, as bone grows slowly.

What we see now is not the final result. Hes going to get a lot better, he said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0In schools across the state, the final bell for this school year is ringing. As a former teacher, a mom, a legislator and a North Dakotan simply interested in an educated citizenry, I want to thank the people who dedicate their time and talents to educating and caring for our kids. Some days might seem like you have an impossibly hard job, but you are changing lives for the better, and you are appreciated.

Coming off another legislative session, legislators are often graded by a handful of bills that make headlines. There are few bills and budgets we debate, however, that have more direct impacts on our communities and families than those involving K-12 education.

At the state level, the mechanics of funding school districts are complicated, but the realities of the states K-12 education budget are simple: every dollar we invest, more than $10,000 per student this coming biennium, contributes to the local programs, services and education professionals our kids deserve while providing direct property tax relief to taxpayers.

This session, we seized opportunities to improve career and tech and workforce readiness for our older students. Unfortunately, we fell woefully short on the modest efforts of Sen. JoNell Bakke, D-Grand Forks, to expand access to quality early childhood education that prepares our little ones for school and supports working families and employers in our communities.

At the local level, students and families face increasingly complex challenges. Thats why Sen. Joan Heckaman, D-New Rockford, a retired teacher, at the urging of a high school student, passed a bill directing every North Dakota public school building to designate a behavioral health resource coordinator, someone to receive and share information and resources with staff, students, and families.

In addition, I sponsored and passed a resolution requesting legislators study the impacts of youth behavioral health needs and how those crises are often escalating into disruptive, aggressive, and sometimes violent behavior in classrooms. These serious issues make learning more difficult for students and teaching more difficult for educators, and we have a responsibility to be a partner with our others to address it.

When it comes to funding our schools and facing these challenges, many mainstream, common-sense Republicans joined every single Democratic-NPL legislator to vote in support. When it comes to our commitment to K-12 education, Im especially proud to be a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL caucus that universally, unanimously, and unapologetically upholds that commitment and invests in our kids, schools, and communities.

Sen. Erin Oban, D-Bismarck, represents District 35 in the North Dakota Legislature.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0"Democrats are aggressively pushing late-term abortion, allowing children to be ripped from their mother's womb right up until the moment of birth," President Donald Trump said at a Florida rally earlier this month. "The baby is born and you wrap the baby beautifully and you talk to the mother about the possible execution of the baby."

For cable news talking heads and leading Democrats, this is a demagogic lie. The fact-checkers mostly say it's a distortion and exaggeration -- and it is. It's a distortion of something Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said days before revelations that he dressed in blackface (or in a Klan outfit) during medical school eclipsed the Virginia abortion controversy.

Trump has been referencing Northam's remarks since January, when Kathy Tran, a Democratic Virginia delegate, introduced legislation to liberalize abortion in her state. During a colloquy with a Republican lawmaker, Tran said her bill would legalize abortions through the 40th week of pregnancy, including during labor. (She later said she misspoke when it was pointed out that would violate infanticide laws.)

The next day, Northam -- a pediatric neurologist by training -- appeared on a local radio station to support Tran and her bill. He explained how, in cases where a fetus was not viable, "the infant would be delivered, the infant would be kept comfortable, the infant would be resuscitated if this is what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physician and the mother."

Now, Northam never said anything about "executing" babies. But Tran's legislation would have allowed late-term abortions of viable, non-deformed babies solely if the mother's mental or emotional health was threatened.

Tran's bill didn't pass, but it was part of a trend in liberal states to loosen abortion laws even further. Earlier in January, Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo had signed similar legislation.

All of this is worth keeping in mind amid the furor over Alabama's near-total abortion ban. If we go by the attitudes of the American people, both the New York and Alabama laws are extreme. Polling on abortion is notoriously fraught. Wording matters enormously because many Americans are conflicted on the issue. But generally, most Americans support early-stage abortions, and opposition grows along with the fetus. According to Gallup, 60 percent of Americans support abortion rights in the first trimester, but only 13 percent do in the third trimester.

That the media yawned over New York's law but remain in a frenzy over Alabama's says a lot about where the press comes down on the issue. But it also speaks to the legal and political landscape. Even Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a strong defender of abortion rights, has called the court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision a "heavy-handed judicial intervention" and said she would have preferred that abortion rights were secured more gradually, with greater buy-in at the state level.

Under Roe v. Wade (and later Planned Parenthood v. Casey), the court not only imposed one of the most permissive abortion regimes in the world, it foreclosed state-level compromise, galvanizing the pro-life movement and causing both pro-choicers and pro-lifers to take more absolutist positions.

Alabama's law is clearly unconstitutional under current precedent. But that's the point. Alabama's GOP legislators deliberately passed an unconstitutional law in the hope that the court's new conservative majority would overthrow Roe and Casey. New York's Democratic lawmakers weren't trying to test Roe or Casey, but to create a post-Roe abortion "sanctuary" in case the court does reverse Roe. In other words, Roe is not a "moderate" ruling. Purely in terms of public attitudes, it permits pro-choice extremism (abortions in the 40th week!) but not pro-life extremism (total bans).

Hence, Roe made it necessary for the pro-life movement to embrace an incremental strategy, working to change attitudes, chip away at Roe at the margins and work to reduce the abortion rate (with considerable success). But now that some think the brass ring is in sight, the movement has split between incrementalists and those -- like the sponsors of the Alabama bill -- who think it's worth going for broke. (I think the go-for-broke crowd is miscalculating.)

The underlying political reality is that most Americans want a compromise, but the parties are more responsive to the activists and donors. As a result, Democrats have abandoned their "safe, legal and rare" rhetoric, while Republicans are downplaying a "culture of life." Instead, each seeks to cast the other party as extreme. Republicans highlight rare late-term abortions, and Democrats focus on the also-rare cases of 12-year-olds impregnated by their rapist fathers.

Roe created this polarized -- and polarizing -- dynamic in which the debate is dominated by the extremes. Overturning Roe and allowing states to pass laws that reflect majority opinion might not defuse the political passion, but at some point we are likely to find out.

Jonah Goldberg writes for the Los Angeles Times.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Walmarts move has the potential to spare millions of egg-laying hens a life of extreme misery. Above, cage-free hens in Brazil. Photo by Maria Fernanda Martin/HSI Brasil

828 shares







Brazil is one of the largest economies and the fifth most populous nation in the world. It is also one of the largest global meat producers and exporters, which has made it a particular focus for our work. Over the last several years, our Humane Society International farm animal protection division has worked with large corporations and retailers to introduce and implement more humane policies for the welfare of animals in Brazils food supply chain.

This week, in yet another great advance, Walmart, the countrys third largest retailer, announced that it will sell only cage-free eggs by 2028 in all of its 471 stores in Brazil. This move has the potential to spare millions of egg-laying hens a life of extreme misery, in which they are confined in (battery) cages so small that the birds can barely move or stretch their wings. In 2016, Walmart made a similar commitment for its stores in the United States and Canada after working with us.

Among other successes in Brazil, last year, Carrefour, the countrys largest retailer, committed to sell only cage-free eggs in its 670 stores. Just yesterday, pasta and baked goods manufacturer M Dias Branco, which has 30 percent of the market in Brazil, announced a cage-free commitment by 2025. And earlier this week, Premier Pet, a major pet food company, announced a cage-free commitment for hens by 2025  the first pet food company to adopt this policy in Latin America. Last year we worked closely with Premier Pet to launch its first dog food line made exclusively with cage-free eggs.

Other companies weve worked with to secure commitments for 100% cage-free policies include leading baked goods companies such as Bauducco, Casa Suica, Grupo CRM, Casa de Bolos and Ofner, the countrys third largest pasta manufacturer J. Macedo, Brazils largest gourmet chocolate chain Cacau Show, a major food service provider Grupo Lemos Passos and one of the largest food processors in the country, Aurora.

Multinational corporations, including Barilla, Cargill, Brazil Fast Food Corporation, International Meal Company, Arcos Dorados and Burger King, have also worked with HSI to announce cage-free egg policies in Brazil.

In addition to these cage-free victories, HSI has made tremendous strides in ending the use of cruel gestation crates in Brazil. This week, Pamplona, one of the largest pork producers and the fifth largest pork exporter in the country, committed to phase out the use of gestation crates by 2026. That commitment will alleviate suffering for more than 40,000 sows from this intensive confinement.

In 2014, we persuaded BRF, the countrys largest pork producer, to phase out its use of gestation crates, followed by similar commitments from JBS, the worlds largest meat processing company, Aurora Alimentos and Frimesa. These companies together account for 58% of the animals in Brazils pork supply chain, so the impact has been huge.

HSI and its partners are also working with more than 100 civil society groups, including environmental groups, health groups, consumer groups and animal protection groups, throughout Brazil to promote Meatless Monday to their constituencies, as a way to reduce the suffering of animals in factory farms.

We are excited by the progress weve helped to secure in Brazil and we congratulate Walmart, Premier Pet and Pamplona for their willingness to adopt reforms for farm animals. Increasingly, consumers are pressing for changes in how animals used for food are treated. Businesses that make the decision to end cage confinement and other objectionable practices are not only contributing to making our world a more humane place, they are also making a smart business choice that will pay off for years to come.This is the season when end of year gifts mean so much to our LGBTQ community. In 2021 we at OUTTAKE MEDIA have supported dozens of orgs ...

Yahoo! JAPAN



Yahoo! JAPAN- Celebrated SA musician, DJ Zinhle, has just released a brand new watch in collaboration with her own timepiece company, Era by DJ Zinhle, and renowned jewellers, American Swiss

- Named The Africa Watch, the watch is a unisex piece that shouts sophistication and glamour

- The Mzansi star chose to release the timepiece on Africa Day, in celebration of her home continent

PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed!

South African musician and social media personality, DJ Zinhle, has just dropped an amazing new watch in collaboration with American Swiss.

While she is known primarily for her DJing, Zinhle has been surprising fans more and more with her spectacular fashion ventures.

The Mzansi celeb has been wowing followers time and time again with her company, Era by DJ Zinhle, a business that specialises in high fashion watches.

Briefly.co.za gathered that her latest venture with American Swiss, is a particularly exciting one, as it celebrates the African continent.

The new watch was released today, in order to coincide with Africa Day.

PAY ATTENTION: Do you want to know what's trending on Briefly.co.za? Join our WhatsApp group today.

Fans and fashionistas can get the unisex watch from American Swiss stores and online from R999.

American Swiss and Era by DJ Zinhle have also released beautiful Africa-shaped pendants along with the timepiece.

Mzansis social media users took time to gush over DJ Zinhles massive achievement and wish her well for the beautiful new products.

@petuniabloomer_: Congratulations mami, I aspire to inspire like you're doing now

@inspire_discipline: Powerful and boss moves Congratulations 

@dunitheinvestor: You make Bold Big Boss moves sis. Stay blessed

READ ALSO: Hold up: Bonangs bubbly spotted at ANC's food and wine tasting

Briefly.co.za also gleaned that fans and followers couldnt wait to get their hands on their very own Africa Watch.

@sweetsensationsd: Yipppppiiii. Hoping will get it also in Swaziland, can't wait to own one

@julzmuhirwa: I'm definitely getting it

@tshepiso_annah_moremela: Ordering now!!!!!

Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news!

Source: Briefly NewsNews / National

by Staf reporter

THE majority of people in rural areas who have no access to electricity are spending at least $1, 5 million on candles annually, an official has said.Zonful Power Energy products' chief executive Engineer William Ponela told stakeholders during the official launch of a renewable energy plant in Bikita last week, that there was a huge gap between those who had access to clean renewable energy and those with no access at all. He said they were working towards connecting most people to renewable energy in line with Government's Vision 2030.Eng Ponela said the introduction of solar energy in the rural areas will also improve per capita levels and contribute immensely to the province's Gross Domestic Product."Zonful Power Energy are the actual movers when it comes to improving rural people's access to clean renewable energy," he said."Research has shown that our rural populace spend at least $1,5 million buying candles , to provide light annually."This money can be used to pay for the installation of solar systems in homes and obviously it will be far much lesser than that."We also expect disposable incomes for the rural people to improve once they start using solar for light industry activities, like barber shops and hair salons."For solar installation, one just pays once for at least every five years".Eng Ponela said the continued use of candles was not ideal for people's vision and that there were no known side effects on solar power."If you look closely, there is no grid parity on hydroelectricity, but for solar power, the sun is everywhere," he said.The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) provincial education officer, Mr Brain Makani commended Zonful Power Energy for promoting the use of solar.He said solar helped reduce the cutting down of trees and resultant deforestation."Solar energy protects the environment as well as controlling global warming and climate change."We appeal to the company to spread the programme to other districts in Masvingo to reduce deforestation," said Mr Makani.Available information has revealed that creosote from wood may cause skin, eye and respiratory irritation as longer exposure may cause organ damage or cancer.News / National

by Staff reporter

A POLICE officer from Bulawayo allegedly assaulted another officer believing that he was having an affair with his wife.Edson Utete pleaded not guilty to an assault charge when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Franklin Mkhwananzi. He was remanded out of custody on free bail to June 3.The matter was remanded to a later date because the medical report was outstanding. Utete allegedly assaulted Mr Stephen Chada, a police officer stationed at Magwegwe.The court heard that the two are neighbours and the reason for the alleged assault was that Utete suspected that Mr Chada was having an extra marital affair with his wife.Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza said on May 18 this year at around 7.30PM at Ross Camp, Chada and Utete had a misunderstanding. Utete was alleging that Chada had an extra marital affair with his wife."This did not go well with Utete who then assaulted Chada with fists all over his body several times, kicked him once on the stomach before further striking him once with an unknown object on his neck," said the prosecutor.News / National

by Staff reporter

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday finally appealed against a High Court judgment which nullified his leadership of the opposition party ahead of the elective congress which starts in Gweru today. This came as the High Court also dismissed an application for a prohibition order to stop the gathering.Justice Edith Mushore early this month ruled as illegal the way Chamisa and co-vice-president Elias Mudzuri were appointed by the opposition party's late founding leader, Morgan Tsvangirai and ordered the party to hold an extraordinary congress in a case brought by Gokwe Sesame district party member, Elias Mashavira.On Wednesday night, Maureen Tawengwa, who was a secretary for Gokwe Sesame district under the 2014 structures, filed an urgent application seeking an order to stop the MDC congress from going ahead.But Justice Mushore refused to grant the interdict and ruled that the matter was not urgent."The matter has been dismissed as not being urgent. So basically the congress goes ahead as planned," MDC lawyer Thabani Mpofu told NewsDay.Mpofu also filed the MDC appeal against Mushore's earlier judgment at the Supreme Court, seeking to have the ruling set aside."The court erred in violation of appellant's constitutional right to be heard before an independent and impartial court as envisaged by section 62 (9) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe," part of the appeal read.Chamisa further contends that Mashavira, having campaigned for him and worked in party structures while he was vice-president and presidential candidate, he lost the right to challenge the appointments made by Tsvangirai."The court misdirected itself, such misdirection amounting to an error at law in finding that Mashavira's participation in the activities of the MDC under the leadership of Chamisa and the duration of the same stopped him against contending the validity of his appointment to the prejudice of the MDC," the lawyers submitted.Chamisa also wants the court to allow internal remedies to be used to settle the disputes of the MDC before they can be taken to court.He argues that Mashavira never at tempted to use internal remedies provided for by the party to settle disputes and instead rushed to the courts.In his application, which cited Thokozani Khupe, secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora and Mudzuri as respondents, Chamisa said the judge used a constitution that did not belong to the MDC to arrive to her ruling, making the judgment unsound."The question of the proper constitution of the MDC having been previously resolved to an extant judgment in a matter which involved same parties or at least privies, the court allowed that the issues be reopened and in founding its judgment on a constitution that is foreign to the MDC," his lawyers submissions read.Tawengwa had also urged the High Court to bar today's congress, saying the political party cannot be dragged to an event without a legitimate president constitutionally-elected into office.In her application, Tawengwa referred to Chamisa's administration as "illegitimate MDC members" who want to put the good name of the political party to shame by holding an illegitimate congress.Tawengwa further noted that following the death of Tsvangirai in February 2018, the latter's death created only one vacancy that needed to be filled. She said the vacancy should have been filled by an extra-ordinary congress in terms of article 9.21.1 of the party's constitution.News / National

by Staff reporter

A 19-YEAR-OLD woman from Dulivhadzimo, Beitbridge, has been taken to court for attempting to trade her daughter for three cars to a Zimbabwean based in South Africa in a suspected ritual case meant to boost his transport business.Agness Sheron Teverashe Pedzisai was not asked to plead to a charge of conspiracy to murder, when she appeared before Beitbridge regional magistrate Crispen Mberewere on Wednesday.The magistrate remanded her in custody to June 5 for trial.Prosecutor Munyonga Kuvarega told the court that sometime in April, Pedzisai obtained contacts of Brian Musekiwa Mungofa, who is based in South Africa and started talking to him through text messages.Pedzisai allegedly told Mungofa that she was offering her child, who was staying in Chivi, so that he kills her and obtain body parts for the enhancement of his transport business.She demanded a Nissan Caravan, Honda Fit and Altezza in exchange for the child.Mungofa reported the matter to one Constable Mbembwe of the Criminal Investigation Department in Beitbridge.Mbembwe, in the company of Assistant Inspector Muradya, went to see Pedzisai, who confirmed the deal. She was immediately arrested and investigations established that she had a daughter who was staying with her grandmother at Mbavare village in Chivi, who she reportedly wanted to trade for the cars.ABC News(MONTPELIER, Vermont) -- On a sunny day on the Burlington, Vermont, lakeshore in 2015, an independent U.S. senator with a relatively low national profile shocked the political establishment by turning out a boisterous crowd of thousands as he kicked-off his unlikely presidential campaign.

Now, almost exactly four years later and 40 miles down the road, in the shadow of the statehouse, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.  today a political powerhouse with millions of ardent followers who has become the preeminent driving force of the Democratic Party's recent progressive transformation  returned home on Saturday for the first Vermont rally of his 2020 campaign.

'Pathological liar'

In an animated, barnstorming speech, Sanders came out swinging, calling President Donald Trump a "pathological liar" who was driving the nation towards authoritarian rule.

In a sweeping broadside against the current administration, Sanders said he was launching his campaign with confidence, optimism and love and said that he refused to allow for the nation to be led by "greed, hatred and lies.

The underlying principles of our government will not be racism, will not be sexism, will not be xenophobia and will not be religious bigotry  and all the other mean-spirited beliefs of the Trump administration," the senator said, adding, "The principles of our government will be based on justice: economic justice, racial justice, social justice, and environmental justice.

"Sadly, we have a president who is a pathological liar and that he says whatever he wants without regard to the truth," Sanders continued. "You know that we have a president who has no understanding or respect for the Constitution of the United States, and the separation of powers, and his attempting to move -- every single day -- this country into an authoritarian form of government.

The veteran Vermont politician was met with rousing applause when he spoke forcefully of protecting abortion rights, an issue on which all of the Democratic candidates have been united in recent weeks after several red states, including Alabama and Georgia, passed some of the most restrictive abortion laws in U.S. history.

In Vermont, we understand that women have a constitutional right to control their own bodies, Sanders insisted. It is not politicians in the U.S. Congress or the state or the local governments that will control a womens body, he continued, his voice rising. It is the women of this country themselves that control their bodies."

'He is who he says he is'

Sanders' journey from his isolated perch in Congress' upper chamber to his current position as a Democratic presidential primary frontrunner is a long story of backlash against the Washington, D.C. political establishment and an ideological shift that has moved the party closer-than-ever toward his long-held Democratic socialist beliefs. But also one that is less of a surprise to his constituents, some of whom who have supported the senator and his impassioned, independent streak for nearly four decades, ranging back to his eight years as Burlington's mayor.

To that point, a crowd of thousands, similar to his 2015 launch event, flooded this town  America's smallest state capital by population  to welcome Sanders home Saturday, three months into a second presidential campaign that has found him consistently occupying a top-tier position in polls, as he runs on issues remarkably unchanged from four years ago. Such consistency was a point of emphasis for attendees Saturday in explaining their support.

"He's been doing this his whole life... he hasn't changed his platform," said Danielle Bradtmiller, a law student from nearby Killington. "I think that because he's been saying the same thing consistently for years, it adds a lot of weight to his platform now, and it shows he is who he says he is."

Joann Vana, a retired educator from northern Vermont who has lived in the region for 42 years and watched Sanders' rise into national prominence, echoed the feeling.

"Bernie has always supported the people of Vermont," she said. "And having been in the education system for 35 years, we're proud that he was, and is, supportive of students, and education, and teachers and values that we hold."

On May 26, 2015, Sanders' home state rally was something of a national introduction, despite a tenure, to that point, of 16 years in the House of Representatives and eight in the Senate. Though the senator announced his run that year at a non-descript Capitol Hill news conference a month prior, in Vermont, before a much wider audience, he would touch on the key issues that have come to define both of his presidential campaigns. He recounted many of those points Saturday, noting with satisfaction that they are no longer considered controversial within the Democratic Party.

"Raising the minimum wage to a living wage: not so radical today. Guaranteeing health care at all as a human right: not so radical today. Creating up to 15 million jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure: not so radical today. Legalizing marijuana: a radical idea four years ago; not so radical today," Sanders listed, as his supporters joined him in a call-and-response. "And by the way, those ideas that we talked about four years ago, that seemed so extreme at the time. Well today, virtually all of those ideas are supported by a majority of the American people, and have overwhelming support from Democrats and independents. And they are ideas that Democratic candidates from school board to president on our supporting."

'Perpetual warfare'

While the senator also discussed economic inequality on Saturday -- at one point railing against Walmart and its founding Walton family, one of the nation's richest families, ahead of a trip next week to speak on behalf of its workers at its annual shareholders meeting -- and touched on other major issues of recent focus, like education and health care, he was also forceful in his defense of his foreign affairs record, ranging back to his days protesting against the Vietnam War, up to his current stance on the U.S.'s tensions with Iran.

"Right now, this minute, I am doing everything that I can -- working, by the way, with some honest conservatives in the Senate -- to prevent Donald Trump and John Bolton from taking us into a war in Iran," he said. A war which would be, in my view, much more destructive, if you can believe it, than the war in Iraq, and could lead us, literally, to perpetual warfare in that region."

On Friday, Sanders' campaign released a video highlighting his years leading Burlington, including his razor-thin margin of victory in his first mayoral race in 1981 (Sanders won by 10 votes), and the efforts he undertook in transforming Vermont's largest city, including rehabilitating the Lake Champlain waterfront, increasing access to affordable housing and supporting the local business community.

Saturday's event in Montpelier was the start of a busy holiday weekend in New England for Sanders who heads to neighboring New Hampshire for events through Tuesday. On Memorial Day Monday, he'll host ice cream socials with Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenberg of Ben & Jerry's in Warner, Laconia and Rollinsford, before attending two town halls, in Concord and Londonderry, and a rally in Manchester on Tuesday.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.News / National

by Staff reporter

Zimbabwe's telecoms regulator says it will continue reviewing tariffs in line with cost movements and international best practices following concerns over the high cost of products in the country.Telecommunications service providers announced new tariffs effective April 1 in response to rising costs following the removal of the 1:1 US dollar and bond note parity in February, which saw the local currency weaken.The National Consumer Rights Association (Nacora) filed a complaint with the Postal and Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) following the tariff increases, but the regulator's director-general Gift Machengete said they had to strike a balance between operator viability and consumer welfare.In its petition, Nacora had requested Potraz to consider adopting time-framed international best practices with regards to unused data rollover, transferability of data like airtime and ending default-out-of-bundle browsing."The authority will continuously review all tariffs for telecommunication services in line with cost movements and other market dynamics as usage traffic," Machengete said in response to Nacora, in a letter dated May 14."This is aimed at balancing operator viability and service affordability using the cost-based criteria in line with international best practice and not simply benchmarking on what other countries are doing.""The authority will work towards having all operators putting in place mechanisms to ensure consumers are protected from bill shocks."On the issue of transferability of data just like airtime, and also ensuring that unused data does not expire but rolls over, Machengete said: "However, we need to clarify that our intervention on data transfer for discounted optional data bundles is very limited as these are not basic services."On our part as the regulator, we will consult operators on facilitating data rollover," Potraz said.In April, Machengete told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information Communication Technology that total operating costs had increased by 23,1% from $657,4 million in 2017 to $809,01 million in 2018, considering salaries, rentals, fuel and other expenses.Mobile network operators told the same parliamentary committee that local tariffs were still way below the cost of delivering services despite a recent hike.News / National

by Staff reporter

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has strongly hinted that the former Zipra intelligence supremo and Zapu leader Dumiso Dabengwa will be declared a national hero following his death in Nairobi, Kenya, yesterday.Dabengwa (80), a former Zanu-PF politburo member and ex-Home Affairs minister before reviving the Zapu party in 2008, died while on his way from India where he had gone for medical treatment.In a televised address yesterday, Mnangagwa gave a glorious eulogy of the late veteran, describing him as one of the founding stalwarts of the armed struggle whose works deserved recognition."My last contact with the late Dumiso Dabengwa was at State House this April, just two days before our independence celebrations. He clearly looked unwell and I directed government to arrange for his speedy evacuation to India for urgent medical attention on government expense. That was promptly done and we all hoped that Dabengwa's condition would improve and take a turn towards full recovery. Sadly, that was not to be and we lost him today (yesterday) in Nairobi as he was being flown back home," Mnangagwa saidMnangagwa narrated how Dabengwa, as the head of the Zapu intelligence wing during the armed struggle, helped to integrate two armed wings of Zanla and Zipra at independence to form the Zimbabwe National Army.He said despite him dumping Zanu-PF in 2008, Dabengwa remained resourceful to Zimbabwe.Dabengwa has been in and out of hospital after suffering from an undisclosed liver disease. He had been in South Africa for some time where he was receiving treatment before he was airlifted to India for further medication.Zapu spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa said the Zimbabwe and southern Africa liberation icon has taken rest from the struggle that has spanned all his life since 1939."The finest citizen Zimbabwe ever produced, statesman, brave soldier and commander, retired from the long-struggle that has seen the liberation from colonialism of the whole southern Africa region and beyond before contributing to a peaceful development of Zimbabwe post-independence, against the odds that were all scaled against him," Maphosa said.Dabengwa leaves behind a wife, Zodwa and five children.Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, a former Zipra intelligence officer under Dabengwa during the war of liberation, told journalists in a brief address after meeting with chiefs from Matabeleland in Bulawayo that he had spoken to his former commander two days ago."As government, when we heard that he was not feeling well, we actually called him to State House, we decided to take him to India and we are still going to bring him back. In fact, we were trying to process a private plane to go and collect him. The commercial plane crew said he was too weak to take a commercial flight and we intended to hire a private plane for him. We look after our friends, that he was Zapu president does not mean anything. We grew up together so we recognise each other," Mohadi said.Both Mohadi and Dabengwa, along with other ex-Zapu members then led by the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo, were arrested during the Gukurahundi era on allegations of plotting to overthrow the Robert Mugabe-led regime.Addressing journalists in Bulawayo yesterday, the Dumiso Dabengwa Foundation director, Mthulisi Hanana said it was with a deep sense of sorrow to learn of the veteran's death."This morning, at a stopover in Nairobi, he unfortunately passed on. He was in the company of his wife," Hanana said. "We have lost Dabengwa, a great son of the soil, who sacrificed his entire life for the independence of Zimbabwe. We have lost a man of the people and mentor. Indeed, we have lost a father figure. His great contribution to the liberation of this country, the formation of Zimbabwe National Army and various projects post-independent Zimbabwe speak for themselves."Although funeral arrangements were yet to be announced, there are reports that the late hero wanted to be buried at his home in Ntabazinduna.A Bulawayo based civic group, Habakkuk Trust expressed its condolences to the family of the late Dabengwa."Dabengwa's wish in the last few years was the completion of the Zambezi Water Project, an initiative that he started. He had a burning desire for the countryside liberation war history to be re written to reflect the contribution of Zipra and Zapu to the armed struggle," the trust said."No one in the government has the right or moral authority to discuss whether or not DD (Dumiso Dabengwa) was a hero. He is our hero, a hero of the struggle in Zimbabwe, a hero of Umkhonto we Sizwe in South Africa and a hero of Matabeleland."Dabengwa had not been active in Zapu politics and had revealed plans to step down from the leadership at the party's upcoming congress in 2020.In the run up to 2018 election, Dabengwa supported MDC leader Nelson Chamisa's campaign after Zapu joined forces with the MDC Alliance.In a condolence message, Chamisa said: "Umdala uDumiso Dabengwa was a humble, wise, honest and principled leader. A hero of our liberation struggle without fear, he lived a simple life. We don't take it lightly that he endorsed our cause before he left us. We join the Dabengwa family and nation during this sad moment."Church and Civic Society Joint Forum national chairman Anglistone Sibanda said despite his long history, profile, stature and status, he would exhibit such an amazing discipline.Bulawayo Vendors Trust said its members were pained by the passing away of a renowned liberation war fighter.News / National

by Staff reporter

When former President Robert Mugabe was forced out of office by a military intervention in November 2017, the accusations were that he was surrounded by criminals.In the process of targeting those criminals, Mugabe was forced out of office, a development which one can refer to when analysing recent pronouncements by Zanu-PF youths league boss Pupurai Togarepi.Togarepi last week came out guns blazing; alleging that incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa was also now surrounded by criminals.The Gutu South Member of Parliament (MP) issued a chilling warning to the 'criminals', telling them to stop sabotaging the Second Republic.In a public statement, Togarepi said Mnangagwa's Vision 2030 was under siege from economic saboteurs that he claimed were within and outside of Zanu-PF."We were hopeful that collectively as a nation, we would change and embrace the Second Republic and its clear vision as enunciated by President Mnangagwa and we had a place for everyone to ride on the train towards making this country a middle income economy by 2030, but all the goodwill is fast dissipating as spoilers get back to their default mode."Indeed, the more things change the more they remain the same and that our people especially those in leadership positions, be it in business or civil service are rigid and live in a time warp with criminal mindsets and evil intentions."The country has correctional facilities that are ever ready to accommodate criminals, and we have the list of rich criminals who soon will have their day in court and find new homes in places like Chikurubi where they rightly belong," said Togarepi.Togarepi said a moment of reckoning was coming and there will be no sacred cows when the birds come home to roost."A name and shame ceremony is brewing and those who are sabotaging the Second Republic will find themselves in places where they really belong. Forewarned is forearmed. We are aware of these people and some occupy very high offices."These people will be unmasked and the full wrath of the law will take its course because we will not allow a few rotten apples to hold the nation at ransom. Restoration is a process that includes total sacrifice and dedication and as a the vanguard of the party we are prepared to bite the bullet and blaze the trail, lest we will be condemned by future generations as the weak link that impended growth and dined with enemies of the republic, both within and outside," said Togarepi.He said the Zanu-PF youth league will not hesitate to take matters into their own hands to deal with the cartels who are profiteering while the masses suffer."Some profiteering elements have created cartels and syndicates that are manipulating the economy and they are earning millions while the broad masses suffer. We are saying that has to stop or we as the Zanu-PF youth league, we will take the matters into our hands and strip those unscrupulous empires that are being built with stolen money."Selfish tendencies by some in both the private and public sectors should be dealt with ruthlessly," said Togarepi.Togarepi's threats come at a time when the country is groaning under serious economic challenges that have seen all sectors affected with no solution in sight, amid reports of an impending uprising from the long suffering masses.News / National

by Staff reporter

The family of late Dr Dumiso Dabengwa says the body of the late nationalist is expected in the country tomorrow morning, and has expressed gratitude to the government for assistance rendered to them during this difficult time.Family spokesperson, Mr Sijabuliso Dabengwa told reporters that the body of the late nationalist is expected to arrive in the country on Sunday morning."We are in deep grief after losing our fortress. The process of repatriating his body is going well. We are expecting it to leave Kenya today for South Africa and then finally arrive home tomorrow morning. We are very grateful for government intervention. From the time he left this country for medical treatment, the government has been assisting. We really appreciate," he said.The nephew to the late Dr Dabengwa, Thabani Sibanda said they will cherish the love they got from the departed giant."My uncle was not only a fatherly figure to the nation, but a tender man who provided candid advice to everyone. Now that he is gone, it is a huge loss to us as a family. He valued culture, he would teach us that we should not forget that we are Africans," Sibanda said.Mourners are gathered at house number 39, Diamond St in Fourwinds, Bulawayo.News / National

by Staff reporter

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has arrived back from South Africa where he had attended the inauguration of President Cyril Ramaphosa this on Saturday.The President was welcomed back at the Robert Mugabe International Airport by Vice President Kembo Mohadi, the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri, senior government officials as well as members of the service chiefs.His visit to South Africa for Ramaphosa's inauguration comes at a time when the country is also forging ahead towards sealing bilateral ties with its neighbour.President Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC) won the recently held elections in South Africa.Zimbabwe and South Africa continue to enjoy bilateral trade and economic cooperation as witnessed by the sealing of Bi-National Commission earlier this year.Several regional, continental and global heads of states and government attended Ramaphosa's inauguration, which comes after his recent victory in the May 8 elections.Opinion / Columnist

In just this past week, the online news media in Zimbabwe has been rife with stories about renewed calls for the Zimbabwe army to remove Mnangagwa, the existence of operation restore economy', and elements of the ZANU-PF telling investors to not bring money until Mnangagwa goes. While the former is undoubtedly in the works with our current president's days in office numbered, it is in point of fact the latter that should most concern and offend all the citizens of what was once our great land.It is incontrovertible that the ZANU-PF powerbrokers, politburo members and financial backers are corrupt, liars, and thieves whose sole interest is preserving their hegemony at all costs. It is these people  and these people alone  through their corrupt and morally bankrupt leadership that have caused the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe. It is unconscionable that they would now stall much needed investment to maintain their power."You have the jewel of Africa in your hands," said President Samora Machel of Mozambique and President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania to Robert Mugabe, at the moment of independence, in 1980. "Now look after it."The initial success of Zimbabwe following independence was not owed to the leadership of the former president and the ZANU-PF, but rather the Lancaster House Agreement that was struck in 1979, in which the British wisely put in place protections to ease the transition to power. As soon as the opportunity availed itself for the ZANU-PF to line their pockets and steal the country's prosperity, they jumped on it, and have never since looked back.For years, we have heard how the incumbent leadership have been the victim of the West, through sanctions and colonial attitudes. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Western democracies are generous and benevolent, and even through the last several years, foreign aid for our people have continued to flow. You needn't look further than the Cyclone Idai relief provided by many of those governments, that the president and ZANU-PF would have you believe are responsible for our lousy lot, and which I might add was looted by ZANU-PF insiders.Sanctions are not hurting Zimbabwe! Any statements to the contrary are simply more lies and propaganda of the ZANU-PF and their front man, the great Cde Crocodile, who are the only ones being targeted. Members of the ZANU-PF whose foreign bank accounts filled with ill-gotten wealth, stolen from a generation of Zimbabweans, have been frozen and their travel freedoms curtailed. Why you might ask do they want the freedom to be able to travel? The answer of course, to escape the misery they've created here at home, and, to avoid prosecution for their crimes.Now to the real crux of what we need to happen immediately to solve the very real despair of ordinary Zimbabweans. In the Westminster system of government, from which our parliament was modeled, when a party has lost the confidence of the people, it is replaced. We can no longer tolerate the stolen elections, thievery and genocide of the ZANU-PF and to my mind it is now time that they are replaced.If our esteemed vice-president Chiwenga and his army cohorts truly care about the future of this country, it is time that they take a page from the Westminster system and sweep the ZANU-PF from office. It is time for the principled men of the army to recognize and acknowledge that the ZANU-PF are finished and look to the opposition. Chiwenga can just as easily step in, remove Mnangagwa and the ZANU-PF and ask the opposition to try and form a working government. That's how it's done!It is noteworthy to readers that the last time the economy showed signs of life and expansion was during the government of national unity. This hope was stolen from us in 2013 when the ZANU-PF realized that these successes ran the risk of laying bare their short comings. The removal of Robert Mugabe provided our people again with hope for the future but alas, the army handed back the reigns to the very architects of the country's suffering. Our citizens are starving, without adequate medical supplies, and without hope.It is time General Chiwenga to once again, and hopefully for the last time, wrest control of our destiny from the hands of tyranny and provide our people with hope. It is time.Opinion / Columnist

It was with a deep sense of sadness and loss that the leadership and members of Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) received the devastating news that comrade Dumiso Dabengwa passed on at the age of 79 years, in Nairobi on the 22nd of May in Narobi.Comrade Dabengwa was the current President of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), and the former ZPRA Chief of Intelligence. In was in the latter capacity that blood ties of revolutionary solidarity were forged between comrade Dabengwa and Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK).It is a historical fact that there was a very strong revolutionary alliance between the African National Congress (ANC) and ZAPU that lasts up to today, and in the forging of that alliance under the leadership of comrade OR Tambo and comrade Joshua Nkomo, the liberation armies of MK and ZPRA joined forces on the ground to fight the racist and colonial regimes of colonial Rhodesia and apartheid South Africa.Comrade Dabengwa, being a true son of the soil of Africa, and a soldier's Commander who was the happiest among his fellow rank-and-file soldiers, in combat on the ground forged an unbeatable revolutionary unity between the liberation soldiers ZPRA and MK. As commitment as he was to the full liberation of Zimbabwe, this people's soldier and Commander was similarly committed to securing the liberation of the people of South Africa. He was a committed Pan Africanist and true internationalist.What we, as ex-combatants of MK, who became battle hardened fighters together with our fellow soldiers in ZPRA remember with strong revolutionary fondness, is that comrade Dabengwa was not an armchiair revolutionary. He lived out his unwavering commitment on the battle field among his fellow liberation fighters, and lead from the front. We will never forget, and will always honour, his huge and invaluable contribution in the Wankie and Sipolilo campaigns, which ZPRA jointly undertook with the Luthuli Detachment of MK.There is much to be learnt from the strong principled life that comrade Dabengwa lived, even during the most challenging of times he always remained discilined and never betrayed his revolutionary commitment to unity and democratic centralise. Comrade Dabengwa never created parallel structures, and even under severe provocation never allowed political wounds inflicted on him as an individual person, to influence his understanding of the bigger revolutionary picture, and his commitment to principled unity. Nor was he ever tempted to sell out his people for the crumbs that fall of the table of WhiteMonopoly Capital (WMC). In short: comrade Dabengwa was in the very core of his being a revolutionary, who remained resolute in his revolutionary commitment to the full liberation of his people. He was never confused, and was always very clear who the enemy was/is, and no matter the difficulties, pressures and temptations never sold out.There is much that many of us, especially those among us who are sometimes far too ready to settle for compromises and make common cause with our former enemies at the very cost of the lives and hopes of our people, can learn from the example of the life of this great and principled people's Commander.It is a heart-warming indication of the continuing strong revolutionary blood ties that were forged in the very heat of battle, that the leadership of MKMVA received a formal letter from the leadership of ZAPU informing us of the passing on of comrade Dabengwa. The letter contained the following invitation: "In recognition of the common liberation struggle legacy where he [comrade Dabengwa] shared trenches with most of our comrades during the liberation struggle, we are hopeful that MKMVA may send a delegation to his memorial and burial...". The leadership of MKMVA will most certainly send a high powered delegation.We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Dabengwa family, all his fellow liberation fighters and comrades and friends, and to the whole nation of Zimbabwe on their huge loss of a true revolutionary who dedicated his whole life to the liberation of his people.As MKMVA, together with ZPRA, lower our revolutionary banners in recognition and honor of a great liberation soldier, we simultaneously pick up his fallen spear and rededicate ourselves to uncompromisingly and tirelessly continue the struggle for the full liberation of our people.May comrade Dumiso Dabengwa's revolutionary soul rest in peace.HAMBA KAHLE DEAR COMMANDER!Issued on behalf of the President of MKMVA, comrade Kebby Maphatsoe, by Carl Niehaus, NEC Member of MKMVA and National SpokespersonFor further information contact Carl on: 082 796 2626Person using calculator next to charts and graphs

As trade tensions between the U.S. and China continue to weigh on the markets, investors may be looking to bolster their portfolios with some defensive stocks. Today well take a closer look at some of the types of investments that can bring stability to a stock portfolio during this period of increasing uncertainty. Representing apartment REITs, blue chip utilities, and consumer staples, here are some of the most popular recession-ready stocks on the TSX index.

Canadian Apartment Properties REIT (TSX:CAR.UN)

One of the largest residential landlords in Canada, this REIT covers a wide range of properties in urban centres around the country, as well as in the Netherlands, and is broadly representative of apartment REITs on the TSX index. With a mix of low market fundamentals, growth, and dividends, it seems a prudent choice for the general real estate investor.

With 22.9% returns over the past year that outperformed the average Canadian REIT, its also a lucrative choice, currently undervalued with a P/E of 5.5 times earnings and P/B of 1.1 times book. There are some indicators of decent quality here, from a past-year ROE of 20% to a moderate dividend yield of 2.78%, backed up by a sturdy track record. Indeed, with one- and five-year earnings growth rates of 66.2% and 32.8% respectively, it seems a solid buy.

Enbridge (TSX:ENB)(NYSE:ENB)

One of the foremost choices for utilities bulls looking for dividend studs on the TSX index, Enbridge posted strong first-quarter results this year. Up 1.4% over the last five days at the time of writing, its clear that domestic investors are favouring oil and gas stocks at the moment, with bullishness no doubt rising on the prospect of various supply bottlenecks later in the year.

A 36-month beta of 1.07 places Enbridge in market-weight volatility country doesnt exactly scream defensiveness, however. What a low-risk investor looking to shore up a flimsy portfolio really needs is a utility investment thats insulated against oil prices, and with lower volatility than the TSX index. A touch overvalued, and with a mediocre balance sheet, Enbridge nevertheless commands a stable market presence and pays a solid dividend yield of 5.59%.

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Loblaw Companies (TSX:L)

Up 1.23% in the last five days, Loblaw Companies is one of the best food retailers on the TSX index. However, would-be buyer will have to look past overvaluation (suggested by a P/E of 37.6 times earnings and P/B of 2.3 times book) and so-so balance sheet toward a modest dividend yield of 1.81% if theyre going to consider it for long-term investment. A five-year average earnings growth rate of 24.2% and estimated 19.3% future growth rate suggest a solid buy in the consumer staples space.

The bottom line

Negative expected annual growth in earnings over the next couple of years leaves something of a question mark over Canadian Apartment Properties REIT, suggesting that if a low-risk investor is still bullish on apartment REITs that they do a deep dive into the available data. Meanwhile, utilities remain one of the better defensive areas of the TSX index, as does the food retail sector, with Loblaws in particular being a fairly representative stock in the Canadian consumer staple space.

More reading

Fool contributor Victoria Hetherington has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Enbridge. Enbridge 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FILE PHOTO: An election campaign poster of Arne Lietz, candidate of the SPD for the upcoming European Parliament elections campaigns in Quedlinburg FILE PHOTO: Arne Lietz, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) for the upcoming European Parliament elections serves a piece of cake as he campaigns in Quedlinburg, Germany, May 4, 2019. Picture taken May 4, 2019. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/File Photo

By Jan Strupczewski

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Expected gains for populist eurosceptic parties in this week's European Parliament elections could prompt a shift in the political balance of power in leading member states and stall moves towards deeper economic integration.

Voting across the 28-nation EU runs from Thursday till Sunday and eurosceptic parties are forecast to do well, including in the three biggest countries of the euro zone, Germany, France and Italy.

An exit poll in the Netherlands, which along with Britain voted on Thursday, showed mainstream pro-EU parties performing surprisingly well but analysts warned against reading too much into the Dutch results.

"Concerns are high that the centre ground continues to fragment (across the EU) and that populists succeed in sufficient numbers to derail further European integration," ING bank said in a note.

The EU Parliament has little direct say on euro zone economic policy but an assembly dominated by eurosceptics could hamper moves to deepen integration of the single currency area and make it more resilient to future shocks through the creation of a special budget and euro zone-wide deposit guarantee scheme.

GERMANY

Polls show that in Germany, the euro zone's biggest economy, the Social Democrats (SPD), junior coalition partner of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, is likely to win fewer votes than in the 2017 national election, when it recorded the worst result in its post-war history.

If the SPD also suffers defeat on Sunday, as expected, in local elections in Bremen where the party has ruled for 73 years, it could embolden those who want to pull out of Merkel's government and rebuild their party's popularity in opposition.

That could increase Berlin's reluctance to accept any far-reaching euro zone reforms such as a substantial euro zone budget to stabilise economies since the SPD is seen as more enthusiastic towards euro zone integration than Merkel's party.

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However, some euro zone officials said that even if the SPD were to pull out, the gap could be filled by the Greens, the most pro-integration German party, who are seen gaining strongly in the EU election.

FRANCE AND ITALY

In France, polls show Marine Le Pen's eurosceptic National Rally could win more support in the election than President Emmanuel Macron's strongly pro-EU Republic on the Move party, which would be a big blow to a president already weakened by six months of "yellow vests" protests.

Macron is the main champion of euro zone integration with the boldest ideas on a joint budget, but defeat by Le Pen in Sunday's vote could weaken his ability to push through reforms at a time when Germany is becoming more resistant to change.

In a further likely blow to integration, in Italy Matteo Salvini's far-right League is tipped to win more than 30% of the vote on Sunday, according to polls.

If that happens, Salvini could push for early national elections to get rid of his 5-Star coalition partner and rule alone or in coalition with Forza Italia, euro zone officials said. Salvini denied on Wednesday he would do that.

Strong support for the League would also give Salvini ammunition for another confrontation with the European Commission over fiscal policy after an unprecedented clash in the second half of 2018 when Rome refused to cut its budget deficit and public debt as required.

Salvini has been calling for a review of the EU's budget rules so that Italy could cut taxes, even though its deficit and huge debt are on the rise.

Italy's loose fiscal policy is already the main reason why Germany now rejects a European Deposit Insurance Scheme (EDIS), fearing German depositors would have to bail out Italians if Italian banks got into trouble.

"For Germany, Italy is the real problem when discussing EDIS and this is also the reason why there is no progress at all with EDIS," one senior euro zone official said. "If Salvini wins I am convinced that there will never be a full mutualised EDIS."

Italy has proportionally the second highest public debt in the euro zone after Greece at above 130 percent of GDP, an almost stagnant economy and a rapidly falling primary budget surplus, a measure which excludes interest payments.

Euro zone officials said Salvini's plans for further fiscal loosening could increase the threat of a debt crisis in Italy and make Germany and its northern allies even more reluctant to agree that the nascent euro zone budget, due to be created from 2021, should be used to stabilise economies under stress or be of any meaningful size.

(Reporting By Jan Strupczewski; Editing by Gareth Jones)Diggers and trucks in a coal mine

Diversified Canadian miner Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.B)(NYSE:TECK) is one Canadian stock that is vulnerable to a full-blown trade war between the U.S. and China. Recent trade tensions, because of Trumps decision to ratchet up tariffs on US$200 billion of goods from China, have hit the miners stock hard. Its down by 25% over the last year.

Fears of a trade war reignite

China, and, more specifically, its industrial sector, is the worlds single largest consumer of metals, coal, and other commodities except crude. Economists fear that if a full-blown trade war erupts, it will shave up to 1.5% off Chinas GDP growth, and its manufacturing sector would be among the worst parts of the economy affected. That certainly doesnt bode well for the consumption of coking coal nor base metals like copper and zinc, which generated 50%, 20%, and 23%, respectively, of Tecks first-quarter 2019 revenue.

The impact that a sharp decline in demand from China for those commodities has sparked consternation among investors, causing some to claim that now is the time to sell Teck. While there is certainly further pain ahead for the miner and its shareholders, it is unlikely there will be any sustained downturn in global growth.

You see, some analysts speculate that Trumps latest trade rhetoric is aimed at destabilizing China to obtain a more favourable agreement for the U.S. This includes emphasizing Beijings economic dependence on U.S. technology exports. The potential damage faced by China is far greater than the fallout for the U.S., meaning that there is an increased likelihood of Beijing seeking to negotiate an end to the current trade conflict.

Commodities are cyclical by nature

Investors should also remember that commodities are highly cyclical, and it was only four years ago when analysts were predicting that the prolonged slump of coal and base metals would force Teck to seek bankruptcy protection. Since then, the miner has bounced back strongly, and management has taken measures to boost profitability by reducing costs as well as diversifying operations, sold non-core assets, and significantly strengthened Tecks balance sheet.

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This includes reducing debt to US$4.3 billion by the end of the first quarter 2019 compared to US$7 billion at the end of 2015. Teck has a well-laddered debt profile with no material maturities until 2024. For these reasons, Teck is better equipped to weather a downturn in commodity prices caused by a trade war than it was in 2015, when coking coal and base metals hit their lowest prices since the global commodities boom of over a decade ago.

The diversification into energy, through Tecks 26% stake in Suncors Fort Hills oil sands operation, will help to offset any sharp decline in coking coal and base metal prices.

Teck finished the first quarter with considerable liquidity of $8.7 billion, including $2.5 billion in cash, further enhancing its ability to endure a commodities downturn. This also ensures that the development of the Quebrada Blanca phase two project in Chile is not threatened and can be completed even if cash flow declines because coking coal, copper, and zinc prices collapse.

This bodes well for Tecks future because it is a low-cost operation in a mining-friendly jurisdiction, which will substantially boost the miners copper output and ultimately earnings when production commences in 2021. On commencing commercial operations that would not only see a significant decrease in capital expenditures but also considerably boost Tecks cash flow.

Pulling it together for investors

Tecks strong financial position and considerable cash on hand, along with CEO Don Lindsay alluding to a cash return to shareholders, have sparked speculation that a special dividend may be on the way. While this would certainly give Tecks stock a boost, it makes better sense for the miner to expand its share buyback given that it is now trading at depressed levels because of trade war fears.

The latest dip in Tecks market value has created an opportunity for investors to acquire a high-quality miner at a discount to its true indicative fair value. While investors wait for the miners stock to appreciate, they will be rewarded by its regular quarterly dividend yielding almost 1% annually.

More reading

Fool contributor Matt Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2019Associated Press

Beat Tennessee this week, beat New England the week after that, and the Miami Dolphins are going to the playoffs. The Dolphins probably wont be favored against the Titans, might not even be favored in the finale against the Patriots either, but at this point nothing Miami pulls off would be surprising. The Dolphins  1-7 two months ago  are 8-7 now, engineers of perhaps the most improbable turnaround in NFL history.The Department of National Defence says it has come up with a plan to allow families of fallen soldiers and veterans access to the Kandahar war memorial at the country's top military headquarters in the Ottawa area.

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance issued a long, written apology on Friday and accepted full responsibility for the decision to exclude relatives of soldiers killed in Afghanistan from a closed-door dedication ceremony for the cenotaph.

The families and former soldiers expressed outrage earlier this week in interviews with CBC News, saying they felt betrayed because they were only notified after the fact about the May 13 ceremony, which was attended by senior brass and government officials.

There was no public notice of the event until the department posted photos and a statement on social media  four days later.

Vance, in his statement on Friday, said "the best of intentions have led to unintended harm" and that decision-makers "unintentionally" went down that path.

"We owe the family and friends of our fallen, all who served in Afghanistan, and Canadians an apology for not properly including you and not properly communicating with you," he said.

"I am truly sorry for our insensitivity and the pain, anger and frustration that this decision caused you."

Vance acknowledged the decisions made regarding the dedication ceremony "alienated and angered" the families and the wider public.

"To each and to all, we offer our deepest apologies, and ask for forgiveness."

The cenotaph stood outside of the Canadian headquarters at the Kandahar Airfield throughout the Afghan war. It started as only a few plaques hanging on a large rock, but as casualties grew, so did the monument.

By the end of Canadian combat operations, the monument ran to 191 plaques honouring Canadian soldiers and civilians, as well as American troops who served under Canadian command.

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It became a gathering point for soldiers grieving lost comrades and families brought over to the war zone on military-escorted trips.

The monument was disassembled and brought back to Canada in 2011. But finding a permanent home for the memorial here proved to be difficult.

Vance said it needed to be protected both from the weather and the threat of vandalism  which is why it was put in its own building behind the security cordon at the new National Defence Headquarters in west Ottawa, where it will "serve as a daily reminder to us of the true, and ongoing, cost of war."

The memorial "will become accessible to all who come and wish to see it," Vance said, and all members of the military will be able to see it whenever they want by presenting their military identification cards for access.

A system of escorted visits for family members will be established, Vance said, adding several families have already expressed interest.

In addition, Vance said the department will provide a continuous schedule of opportunities for "all who wish to visit, and we encourage you to do so."

Whether that would include members of the general public is not clear at the moment.A recently filed court challenge of Ottawa's Indian day school settlement agreement could stall the deal, according to one of the lawyers behind the legal filing.

The filing, with the Quebec Superior Court, argues, among several issues, that the settlement agreement ignored the needs of francophone day school survivors by providing limited and inadequately translated documents.

The legal challenge was filed on May 10 on behalf of Lise Dube, who attended a day school in Manawan, an Atikamekw First Nation, and James Jonah, who attended the Notre Dame Roman Catholic School in Waskaganish, a Cree First Nation.

Between 180,000 and 210,000 Indigenous students attended Indian day schools from 1920 until 1996. Many day schools were transferred out of Ottawa's administration in the 1970s. It's believed that between 120,000 and 140,000 day school survivors are still alive today.

A class action lawsuit over Indian day schools was filed by lead plaintiff Garry McLean, who was represented in recent years by Gowling WLG. McLean died earlier this year.

The proposed settlement agreement, which still needs a final approval by the Federal Court, proposes a paper-based compensation process that won't require hearings to set payout levels.

David Schulze, a Montreal lawyer with Dionne Schulze, said the day school settlement agreement unfolded with little thought for francophone day school survivors.

Library and Archives Canada

Schulze said the settlement agreement was available in English only until April 29, days before the objection submission deadline and about two weeks before hearings began on the proposed deal before the Federal Court in Winnipeg.

Schulze said only 31 pages of the settlement agreement have been translated into French, while 250 pages in the appendices and related documents remain only in English.

The translated documents are also problematic because they contain outdated and confusing terms, he said.

"We are saying suspend the Gowling action in Quebec."

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Agreement and forms now available in French

Schulze said it is "hazardous to try to predict what a court would do," but said a win could complicate matters for the agreement.

"It could potentially stall it," he said.

Two NDP MPs have already raised the issue of proper French-language translations of the settlement agreement in a May 15 letter to Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett.

"The lack of a reliable and official French-language version of the proposed settlement agreement during the objection window and up to the approval hearing is a clear violation of the  Charter rights of francophone survivors," said the letter from NDP MPs Charlie Angus and Francois Choquette.

CBC

Bennett's office said in a statement that the court approved plan for the settlement agreement is available in French and English and legal services provided in connection to the deal will also be bilingual.

"Many of the schedules, such as the schools list, were being revised up until the hearing date to ensure that they were comprehensive," said the statement.

"Translated material was provided as soon as it was available."

Gowling, which is getting $55 million in legal fees as part of the deal, has hired Argyle Public relations to handle media request.

In a statement through Argyle, Gowling said all documents approved by the court "have been or will be" translated. The statement said the settlement agreement, notice forms, objection and statement forms have now been translated into French and five Indigenous languages.

Concerns with compensation claims process

Schulze said the settlement agreement currently excludes the school the plaintiff Jonah attended even though it was administered by Ottawa until 1978.

Jonah, who suffered abuse at the school, witnessed other students being dragged by the hair "and having their hair pulled out, with flesh stuck to the hair," according to the filing.

He also witnessed student-on-student physical and sexual abuse "while teachers laughed," said filing.

Schulze said there are also issues with how the settlement agreement would handle compensation claims of severe cases of abuse.

The compensation claim form breaks down abuse into five separate categories. Level 1, for issues like verbal abuse, can net $10,000 in compensation.

The upper level, Level 5, for severe and repeated abuse, is capped at $200,000.

Kateri Center

Ottawa has said it will provide up to $1.4 billion for Level 1 compensation claims and has no limit for payouts for Level 2 to Level 5 abuse claims.

While Ottawa can object to only five per cent for an abuse claim at the Level 2 category which includes sexual touching or abuse causing broken bones, it can object to all of a Level 5 claim  which includes repeated sexual assaults or abuse causing permanent injury.

Schulze said Canada can file any documents to support its objection but it doesn't have to disclose any documents to the claimants.

"They can cherry-pick documents," he said.

Ottawa has a dubious track record on document disclosure with the residential school compensation process. In one case, Ottawa withheld thousands of police documents from compensation cases involving St. Anne's Indian residential school.

The Gowling statement said that "survivors' stories will be accepted in good faith and...favour will rest on the side of the survivor."

Schulze also questioned why Level 2 abuse required "touching for a sexual purpose" when the Supreme Court ruled in a residential school compensation case this past April that the proper standard should be touching a child in a way "that exceeds recognized parental contact."

Gowling said if a victim experienced "unwanted, inappropriate touching" they would qualify for compensation.Every Friday our Personal Finance team will round up consumer news you need to know ahead of the weekend, on a segment we call Family First for YFi PM. Read below for this weeks round-up.

You might want to think twice about your grilling plans for Memorial Day, as the USDA announced a recall on Wednesday of 62,000 pounds of beef by Illinois-based Aurora Packing Company, Inc.

USDA ANNOUNCES BEEF RECALL

Products involved in the warning include short ribs, ribeyes, and briskets bearing an establishment number Est. 788 inside the USDA inspection mark on the packaging. Look for a list on the USDA/FSIS website of retailers where these products could pop up. The Food Safety and Inspection Service told Yahoo Finance that they are still working on collecting all of the distribution information for the Aurora Packing recall.

The recall comes after traceback activities in random sample testing by the Food Safety Inspection Administration showed the potential for E. coli contamination. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products, according to the USDA.

Hot dogs are also questionable items to put on your grill, as over 1 ton of beef frankfurters are being recalled for possibly containing pieces of metal. Vienna Beef Company originally discovered the contamination and says they were able to reclaim all packages in question, which were sold to restaurants in Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin but had not been available to retailers. The USDA is in the process of verifying whether the recall is in fact complete.

Vienne Beef announces a recall of 1 ton of their beef frankfurters ahead of the Memorial Day holiday.

And for whatever food you do bring along for your memorial day festivities this weekend, follow some simple safety tips to avoid foodborne illnesses. Bring along paper towels, hand sanitizers and antibacterial wipes to your picnic. You should also bring two coolers instead of so perishables that should be kept on ice at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below can stay separated from the rest of your food and beverages. Dont forget a meat thermometer to assure your meat is cooked to safe temperatures, and dont leave any leftovers outdoors for longer than two hours.

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Food safety packing tips

MEMORIAL DAY FOOD SAFETY:

If running water is not available, bring soap, paper towels, hand sanitizer, or moist towelettes. This will help keep your hands clean throughout the day, especially after handling any raw meat or poultry.

Avoid cross contamination by using clean plates and utensils. Dont place cooked food on a plate that once held raw meat or poultry.

Bring a couple of portable coolers  one for perishable foods and one for beverages  filled with ice. Perishable items like raw chicken, burgers, or appetizers like fresh salsa, guacamole, or bean salads should be kept at 40F or below.

Dont forget the food thermometer! Cook meat and poultry to the safe internal temperatures. Checking the temperature is the only way to know if your food is safe to consume. USDA-recommended safe minimum internal temperatures are: Beef, pork, lamb, and veal (steaks, roasts and chops): 145F with a three-minute rest time Fish: 145F Ground meats (beef, veal, lamb, pork): 160F Whole poultry, poultry breasts and ground poultry: 165F

Bring the right amount of food that you will consume at your picnic, but if you still have some leftovers, dont leave them outdoors for more than two hours.

WATCH MORE:

Memorial Day Weekend deals extend to cars, houses

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These are the best cities for living the American DreamOTTAWA (Reuters) - Two former cabinet ministers who accused people close to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of interfering in a corporate corruption case and were later ejected from the ruling Liberal Party will make announcements about their political futures on Monday. Jody Wilson-Raybould, who was Canada's first indigenous Justice Minister, and Jane Philpott, who held three different cabinet positions in Trudeau's government, said on Friday that they would speak to the media at 1200 ET (1600 GMT). "I will be making a community announcement about my political future on Monday," Wilson-Raybould wrote on Twitter. "I look forward to sharing my next steps with you." Philpott shared an almost identical Tweet. Both will speak at the same time and neither gave any further details. Canada is holding a national election in October. Trudeau has been trying to put the so-called Lavalin scandal behind him since February, when Wilson-Raybould said officials leaned on her while she was justice minister last year to ensure construction company SNC-Lavalin Group Inc avoided a corruption trial. In April, Trudeau expelled both Wilson-Raybould and Philpott, but not before it severely damaged his chances for re-election. Philpott had also criticized the government's handling of the affair. Trudeau is now trailing his main rival, Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer, in national polls. If either Wilson-Raybould or Philpott, or both, choose to run in the general election for another party or as independents, they will serve as a constant reminder of the scandal, which has seemed to fade in recent weeks. The leader of Canada's Green Party, Elizabeth May, said earlier this month that she "would love" to have both women in the party. The Green Party had only one seat in parliament until earlier this month, when it captured its second seat in a special election in British Columbia, which is also where Wilson-Raybould was elected in 2015. The Greens have been edging up slightly in recent polls. The left-leaning New Democrat Party leader Jagmeet Singh has also said that he would welcome either woman to his bloc. (Reporting by Steve Scherer)Nova Scotia's first black provincial court judge is being remembered as a "giant" of a man who helped fight for justice and against racism.

Judge Castor Williams died Wednesday. He was 80.

In 1996, Williams, born in Antigua, became the second person of African ancestry to be appointed to the Nova Scotia judiciary. Corrine Sparks was appointed as a family court judge in 1987.

Anyone who walked into his courtroom knew instantly that Williams, who stood 6-4, commanded respect with his booming voice. He sat on the bench until his mandatory retirement at 70 and then came back on a part-time basis for five more years.

Nova Scotia Judiciary

His daughter, Amanda Williams, remembered well the day of his judicial appointment.

"It just instantly brought a smile to my face because it was his proudest moment, but our proudest moment," she said.

"I mean he strived for that and worked hard for that. He was not just determined, but he was such a hard worker and so disciplined and had a very high expectation of himself and also what he would bring to the bench and to the table."

She also spoke about his legacy.

"He was all about fairness and justice, about right and wrong, but with a sense of a certain moral code but with integrity around it," she said.

Mark Crosby/CBC

Pamela Williams, chief judge of Nova Scotia's provincial and family courts, said anyone who knew him recognized "he was a giant both literally and figuratively."

She also described Williams as a huge advocate for diversity and equality.

"He was an incredibly well-respected jurist who was fiercely independent but very fair as well," she said. "And he, on many occasions, sought to highlight the importance of diversity on the bench and improving the lot of African Nova Scotians in both education and in professional capacities."

He was warm and funny outside the courtroom, she said.

"He loved to laugh. He loved to play jokes and he didn't mind it so much even if the jokes were being played on him."

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Prior to his law career, Castor Williams served as a non-commissioned officer in the West India Regiment and worked with the Bank of Scotland.

Mark Crosby/CBC

Upon coming to Canada, he received an undergraduate degree in political science and economics, and, in 1976, a law degree from Dalhousie University.

He had his own law practice until 1992 when he was appointed a Crown attorney in Dartmouth. He was appointed a provincial court judge on Feb. 20, 1996.

He was active in his community.

He chaired the committee behind the release of the BLAC report, which in 1994 found "systemic racism" persisted in the province's education system, and came up with 46 recommendations to bring about change.

He was also past president of the Black Lawyers Association of Nova Scotia.

Retired educator Brad Barton sat on the Black Learners Advisory Committee with Williams.

CBC

"He demonstrated calmness and he always stay focused," Barton said. "And he (was) always there to help us along the way and to keep some calm."

Williams is survived by his wife, Patricia, and three children. His funeral will be held June 1 at 11 a.m. at Christ Church in Dartmouth.

MORE TOP STORIESCalgary's International Avenue has seen a lot of change in its long history.

The hope, though, is that as the community grows, it'll better highlight what makes it special.

The Calgary Eyeopener team took a walk down the street for its CBC Radio show on Friday, to explore the area's diversity and nearly $100-million makeover.

International Avenue, as it's called, stretches along 17th Avenue S.E. from 26th to 61st streets, with more than 430 merchants and several well-attended annual festivals.

"It's really an interesting small town feel," said Alison Karim-McSwiney, executive director of International Avenue's BRZ.

The district, which is within the community of Forest Lawn, went through a major overhaul in recent years, the finishing touches of which are being done now. There's also a new pedestrian overpass across Deerfoot Trail, with a separate $85-million budget and a November open date, to encourage more foot and bike traffic.

Sidewalks have been widened, making the area more welcoming, and the new bus rapid transit lanes run down the middle of the road, whereas before, they were cutting off access to side streets and businesses.

Now the street leads in urban design. The bus lanes could be turned into light rail transit in the future, and the city is testing out signalled U-turns.

Soon historical shop signs will dot the road, hearkening back to a time when Forest Lawn was its own town.

Residents are proud of that heritage, and the older ones from the pre-Calgary days still go by "townies."

Stephen Lubig/CBC

It'll come alive with this weekend's international music festival, East Town Get Down  which, again, reflects the community's incredible diversity and openness to being unique.

Bluegrass musician Bella White will take the stage at an Ethiopian restaurant, Yegna, and Calgary post-punk band Melted Mirror will jam at the bowling alley Paradise Lanes. Toronto heavy metal band Anvil will rock at the Border Crossing Pub.

Story continues

Restaurants are expected to be packed, with 10 offering $5 taster menus, Karim-McSwiney said. At least of a third of the street's businesses are food-related, she said, and are likely the most diverse in the city, from Tibetan to BBQ to Portuguese.

"You're going to find a lot of unique stores that you're not going to find elsewhere," Karim-McSwiney said. "It's also still a very, very tight community."

Elizabeth Withey/CBC

The recent infrastructure work was planned to accentuate that community spirit, Mayor Naheed Nenshi said.

When elected, he wanted to focus on the street, saying it had been ignored for decades.

He grew up in Forest Lawn, his family living behind their laundromat on 17th Avenue S.E. in the 1980s. They don't own it anymore but it's still there, now called Forest Lawndry.

As a teen, Nenshi did his homework between folding customers' clothes and sneaking in a video game or two.

"We, because it was the '80s, had a bunch of video games, and that was actually a very nice revenue source," he said. "But I was really lousy at it.

"The secret was, I knew how to get free games. And my dad would always be like, 'Could you leave some room for the paying customers?'"

He said he's very proud of the new streetscape and the transit line, which he insisted be called Max Purple, after his favourite colour.

"We have huge pedestrian traffic in this area, huge transit use, and we kind of pretended none of that existed," the mayor said.

"We had a miserable street experience. It was hard to walk between the businesses, it was hard for the seniors who live in this neighbourhood to get out and explore."

The new bus stops will be decorated by local artists, including painter and teacher Sisay Shimeles, originally from Ethiopia. His piece will illustrate his culture's tradition of eating from the same plate.

Nenshi calls his journey from the laundry to city hall "a Calgary story," one that was encouraged by his home community full of entrepreneurial, creative people.

CBC, Matt Sayles/Associated Press

The "Accordion King" would agree.

Jimmy Klippert, better known by his nickname, has owned Harmony Lane Music for nearly 50 years, selling lots of instruments  most prominently, accordions.

"I just keep surviving, that's the thing. Forest Lawn is more of a survival area," he said.

He knows all the kinds, from the diatonic button ones preferred by Newfoundlanders to ones played by Cajun and Irish musicians. Some sell for less than $30. About 20 years ago, he sold one for more than $60,000.

"There's gold in their bellows," he said with a laugh. "If people knew it around Forest Lawn here, they might decide to take it home with them."

Stephen Lubig/CBC

Most of his sales are heading out of Calgary these days but he keeps his storefront, now a landmark along the street. He's become one himself, really, by playing the accordion at community events.

"You can do a whole dance, create the rhythm, create the bass, create the melody," he said.

"Once you start playing, though, you start getting the old feeling coming. Seeing all those little people out there moving around the dance floor. It's kind of fun."

Mike Symington/CBC

Nile Supermarket's Badria Abubaker knows about bridging International Avenue with the world. Her father is away in Kenya this week, shopping for wares for their store. He'll pick up dresses, candy, furniture and special powdered milk for everything from tea to desserts.

One of their unique items for sale is a toothbrush that's essentially a stick of wood that you soak, then shave off the bark and chew.

"It's very distinct. Like, don't go outside and get like a tree branch," Abubaker said.

She said her parents use them religiously but she prefers "Crest White."

CBC

Business has gotten slower in recent years, she said, but their specialized wares continue to bring in a crowd of loyal customers.

"You're not going to find this at Walmart or anything," she said.

Another thing you won't find anywhere else is the "best soup in the world," according to the menu at Indonesian Kitchen.

"It's not from me. It's from customer," chef and owner Kartini Caspam said of the confident claim.

Elizabeth Withey/CBC

Her soup is made of chicken broth with lots of ginger, galangal, lemongrass, garlic, turmeric, onion, lime leaves and bay leaves, all blended into a paste that's boiled with chicken.

That's already a lot of ingredients, yet it's served with green bean noodles, egg, bean sprouts and lime leaves.

She whipped up an early pot of soup for the Eyeopener walking show, even though she was fasting herself for Ramadan.

The team also stopped by Mom's Place, the Alex Community Food Centre, Green Cedars Food Market and Pierson's Funeral Home, which specializes in multicultural rites.

Since opening in 1983, the funeral parlour has learned to accommodate different traditions from religions and cultures  like how, owner Michael Pierson says, Filipino funerals always end with a big feast.

Those lessons, he says, have been symbolic of his community overall.

"There are differences that are unique and we always like to focus on those," Pierson said.

"But you know, there's some powerful, powerful elements: the fact that groups need to get together and grieve, that each life is special."

Have any special memories, favourite restaurants or residents of International Avenue? Share your stories in the comments.Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit much of the Greater Toronto Area late on Saturday. Both Toronto and parts of the GTA were under a severe thunderstorm warning as a fast-moving system rolled through.

Environment Canada lifted the severe thunderstorm watch and warning shortly before 7 p.m.

Heavy downpour brought the 2019 CBC Music Festival  underway at Toronto's RBC Echo Beach  to a temporary halt.

Hundreds of people were forced to seek shelter at the Budweiser stage.

Michael Rich/CBC

Meanwhile, Toronto Raptors fans were delayed entry into Jurassic Park, the NBA team's outdoor fan zone, after the storm rolled into the city.

Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference final between the Raptors and the Milwaukee Bucks saw fans lining up to pack the space on the west side of Scotiabank Arena.

But the severe thunderstorm warning and heavy rain prompted Toronto police to post on Twitter just after 6 p.m. that they wouldn't open Jurassic Park on schedule because of safety concerns.

That ban was lifted just before 7 p.m., after the rain let up.

Toronto police tweeted that they had assessed the situation and decided it was safe to open the square.

By then, a long lineup of fans had snaked around Scotiabank Arena, passing neighbouring Union Station in downtown Toronto.

Earlier in the day social media was abuzz with talk of organizing viewing parties, blowing off long-held plans to tune in the game, and finding ways to modify previously scheduled events to include their favourite team.Isnt it great to be asked for our thoughts (opinions) about issues of the day in the 67th Assembly District through a survey?

If you did take a survey offered by Rep. Summerfield or any other Republican representative, did you note there was not a question about health care, continued affordable coverage, continued coverage for pre-existing conditions, continued coverage for children until the age of 27, OR about Wisconsin accepting the federal funds for expanded Medicaid coverage for more of Wisconsins poor and working poor.

The survey did ask that question, but you may not have understood that is what was being asked. It was asked in the question Do you support increased government spending to put more people on welfare?

How do I know? On WPR, a Republican representative, when asked about not supporting the acceptance of the extended funding, an issue that 70 percent of Wisconsinites do support, stated that if the issue was explained as welfare, there would not be that support. Then I chatted with Rep. Rob Summerfields office personnel and the office worker was surprised that I did not consider health care funding as welfare. I do not!

If you took a survey, and have a Republican representative and you answered no to the above survey question and are one of the 7 of 10 persons in Wisconsin that do believe the state should take the federal funds for expanded Medicaid, call your representative now. The 67th Assembly rep is Rob Summerfield (608-266-11904. Not comfortable making that call? All you have to do is give your name, address, and a single statement that you want them to accept the federal funds for expanded Medicaid for Wisconsins poor and working poor. What you really feel about this issue needs to be heard by your legislator.

Jane Pedersen, Menomonie

Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2Sometimes the stars come together and mysterious things happen. On the night of Dec. 31, 1944, Company A, 276 Infantry Regiment of the 70th Infantry Division, was keeping watch on the Rhine River near the French village of Neuhaeusel. It was a cold, clear night with an almost full moon. Soldier X-6454 was assigned to a one man foxhole with an automatic rifle (BAR).

Around midnight shots rang out over the Rhine River. At first it was thought that the Germans were celebrating New Years but just in case a check of all personal on the line was made. On coming upon X-6454s foxhole only a bloody helmet was found with a bullet hole through it and a piece of skull.

There was no trace of X-6454. On January 23, 1945, A Missing In Action Telegram was sent to his parents in Juneau, Wisconsin. The 70th Division moved on to counter the last German offensive of the Battle of the Bulge Operation Nordwind. It appears that X-6454 was forever lost.

After the war, an attempt was made to find X-6454 and in 1947 his mother offered a reward to the Army to find him. The army could not help. In 1946 the mayor of Iffezheim, Germany, informed the Army Graves Registration Unit that an American soldier was buried near the Rhine River. Iffezheim, Germany, lies right across the Rhine River from Neuhaeusel, France.

The Graves Registration Unit went to the site with a German soldier and local villagers and they dug up a body. The body was but a skeleton. There were no dog tags and no other ID. The body was taken to the American Military Cemetery in Saint-Avold, France and buried with military honors with a simple cross stating Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God. his name was listed on the wall of the missing at Saint-Avold.

X-6454s father died in 1963 and his mother in 1972. X-6454s family spoke of him only rarely according to X-6454s nephew. The nephew, like I, found out that World War II was rarely spoken of by the combatants, including my father. Yet the nephew did not give up.

In 2014, the nephew notified the Army that he would participate in a meeting for families of MIA soldiers. Both the nephew and his mother (X-6454s sister) gave DNR samples to the U.S. Army. That, with verbal statements given by two 70th Division comrades in arms of X-6454, there was enough evidence to exhume X-6454s body from Saint-Avold Cemetery in 2016. X-6454 was returned to Offut Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska. Using modern DNA evidence, the body was positively identified.

The facts of the case are simple. On New Years Eve 1944, the Germans were looking for prisoners of war. The patrol came across the Rhine River to get American soldiers to question. The patrol shot X-6454 and took him prisoner.

When the Germans got X-6454 across the river he passed away. Not wishing to leave X-6454 unburied, the Germans enlisted some civilians to help them bury him. The Germans moved, on chased by the American 70th Division. The nephew was notified of the recovery and identification of his uncle by the Army on July 23, 2018.

Pvt. John B. Cummings, no longer body number X-6454, now lies next to his parents in Hazlehurst, Wisconsin. Of the 70th Division, only 11 soldiers remain missing in action. Through the tenacity of Johns family, the hard work of government historian Ian Spurgeon and Johns comrades in arms of Company A, 276 Infantry, 70th Division; Frank Lowry and John Haller, John was returned to his family 74 years after he was killed.

I met the nephew, Mark Hartzheim, briefly at the 70th Division reunion in September of 2018. As always when you want to talk with someone other things need to be done. Mark was still pretty amazed over his uncles return. There are currently 72,796 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Many are know to rest in the waters where they fought.

The Cummings/Hartzheim families are reunited and John is accounted for. On this Memorial Day weekend we should remember those we have lost and are yet to be found.

John R. Andersen of Lake Hallie is a former state employee who remains active in the fields of fire prevention, government and education.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0BARRON  Jayme Closs broke her silence Friday, as an attorney read her words in a statement she had written, during the sentencing of her kidnapper, Jake Patterson.

It makes me the most sad that he took away my mom and my dad. I loved them very much, and they loved me very much. He took them away from me forever, Closs said, through her attorney.

Jayme Closs also lost her bedroom and everything important to her in her house.

I dont want to see my home and my stuff, because it reminds me of that night. He took that away from me, and left me with a horrible memory, she wrote.

Jayme Closs said she used to love dancing and going out. That is gone, too, as she has lost her sense of safety.

He took all those things away from me too. Its too hard for me to go out in public. I get scared and I get anxious, she wrote.

However, Closs wrote that she overcame the horrors she went through during her 88 days in captivity.

He thought he could own me, but he was wrong. I will always have my freedom, and he will not, she wrote. Jake Patterson could not take away my courage. I was brave, and he was not. He can never take away my spirit. He thought he could make me like him, but he was wrong. He cant stop me from being happy, and doing great things with my life.

In March, Patterson pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping for shooting and killing James and Denise Closs, then kidnapping Jayme. On Friday, Barron County Judge James Babler sentenced Patterson, 21, of Gordon to serve life in prison with no possibility of parole on each homicide charge, consecutive to each other. Also, he sentenced Patterson to 25 years in prison and 15 years of extended supervision on the kidnapping conviction.

Patterson fought through tears as he spoke moments before the sentencing.

I would do absolutely anything to take back what I did. I would die, Patterson said. To bring them back. I dont care about me. Im just so sorry.

Babler said there are several factors he considered in coming to his ruling. He described Patterson as one of the most dangerous men to ever walk on this planet and called him the imbodiment of evil.

You planned this. You had a mask. You stole a license plate, Babler said to Patterson. These crimes rank as the most heinous and dangerous Ive ever seen here, or probably in the United States. I was shocked by the brutal-ness, and Ive seen a lot of crimes in my career.

Barron County District Attorney Brian Wright went through each step Patterson took in advance of the kidnapping, from shaving his head bald to eliminate leaving behind any DNA, to placing fake license plates on his car and removing a cord that allowed the trunk to be opened from the inside. Wright described how Patterson arrived at the home Oct. 15, shot and killed James Patterson, kicked in the door to the house, and entered the bathroom where Denise and Jayme were hiding. Patterson shot and killed Denise and took Jayme.

Jake Patterson is a cold-blooded killer, Wright said. He has no empathy or remorse for killing James and Denise.

The 911 call that Denise placed moments before her death was played in court. Patterson wrestled the phone out of Denises hand and threw it aside. He ordered Denise to wrap the duct tape around her mouth. Patterson wound up doing it himself, then he pointed the gun at Denise and shot her in the head.

The defendant didnt even look at Denise as he killed her, Wright said.

Patterson took Jayme Closs to an isolated cabin in Gordon, where he kept her hostage. He kept her in constant fear at the Gordon residence, warning her that he could make things much worse for her, Wright said.

He physically hit her with a curtain rod, Wright said.

She was forced to spend many hours under a bed, with weights in baskets placed around it so she couldnt get out. She was held there for hours on end without food, water or bathroom breaks.

However, Closs made the decision to escape on Jan. 10.

Seconds turned into minutes as she shoved the totes and weights away from the bed, Wright said.

Wright said she was nervous about what would happen if Patterson was just outside the house, or if he would pull up in his car when she was outside.

Jayme was not out of danger when she went outside and down the road, Wright said.

Jayme found a woman, Jeanne Nutter of Strum, who owned a cabin in Gordon and was out walking her dog. They went to a nearby house and called police. Patterson was arrested a short time later.

Patterson sat silently, but he shook his head in disagreement as Wright said that Jayme Closs and the three people who helped save her werent out of danger from him.

Wright said that if Patterson were ever released, he would undoubtedly try to find Jayme Closs again.

If he were released, anyone who stands between him and Jayme would be in peril, Wright said.

Even if he moved on from Jayme Closs, he would be a threat to another young person, he said.

Defense attorney Charles Glynn told Babler that much was made of Patterson not sitting down with an investigator for a pre-sentence investigation, but Glynn said that was at his recommendation. Glynn said that Patterson told him the first day he met him that Patterson was prepared to go to prison for the rest of his life. Glynn pointed out that Patterson could have dragged out the case with a lengthy trial, including more charges coming from Douglas County. He called it unprecedented that the sentencing was occurring just 134 days after Patterson was arrested.

He made that decision (to enter a guilty plea,) and he made that decision and conveyed it to us on Jan. 13. That doesnt sound like someone who doesnt understand the horrible actions hed taken, or doesnt show remorse, Glynn said. He understands he is going to die in prison, and he hasnt asked us to argue anything else.

Defense attorney Richard Jones asked that the sentence be modified so Patterson can get the services he needs, even though hell never get out of prison.

Several family members spoke prior to the sentencing, all urging Babler to impose the maximum sentence.

Jennifer Smith, Closss aunt, described the pain that Jayme Closs has gone through. Smith is the sister of Denise Closs, and Jayme now lives with Smith in Barron.

You have taken so much away from myself. Knowing what my sister went through in the last minutes of her life, trying to defend Jayme, it never escapes my mind, Jennifer Smith told Patterson.

Jayme Closs lost her family, her home and her sense of security, she said.

All that stuff is now just bad memories to her, Jennifer Smith said. And that is all because of what you did.

Lyndsey Smith, Closss cousin, said that Patterson took Jayme Closss parents and childhood.

All that leads back to you  one terrible person, Lyndsey Smith said to Patterson. There were so many sleepless nights, and not knowing what to expect next.

Lyndsey Smith added: The pain and heartache you put us through is truly indescribable.

Kelly Engelhardt, James Closss sister, fought through tears as she talked about the death of her brother.

The night we got the call, I still dont believe it. I still think Im going to wake up someday and this will just be a bad dream, Engelhardt said. For 88 days, we had to listen to people talk about our family, to speculate.

Mike Closs talked about his brother, James, saying he was a hard-working man who rarely missed work.

He tried to do the best; he tried to provide for his family, Mike Closs said. Every Sunday, hed call my mom. Hed talk about Jayme, and Denise, and what was going on that week.

Mike Closs recalls hearing the devastating news that James and Denise were dead, and Jayme was missing. He had the awful task of telling his mom the horrible news.

It was the hardest thing I had to do, Mike Closs said. The next 88 days were terrible. My kids were scared. My wife was scared. I just dont know how to describe it. Its a feeling you dont want anyone else to ever go through.

He said his brother never had a chance, as Patterson shot and killed him. He struggles to think about the pain Denise went through in her final moments.

She didnt die in vain; she died protecting Jayme, Mike Closs said.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Bertrand Bonellos arthouse horror oddity Zombi Child works best as a film about colonial trauma and the tragic history of Haiti. Those expecting a traditional zombie flick with flesh-eating ghouls clawing at the doors will soon learn this one is more Jacques Tourneur in style than a George A. Romero feast of gore.

Its clear from the arc of the story and the film ending with a rendition of Youll Never Walk Alone (coincidentally the second zombie-themed movie to do so, after Cell), that the French auteur is demonstrating a great deal of compassion for Haiti and its troubled past and present. As a former Spanish and French colony, its history is one of bloodshed and poverty. When the Haitians kicked out the French in 1791, inspired by the French Revolution, the country merely swapped one form of tyranny for another. In the 20th century, Papa Doc Duvalier and his TonTon Macute ravaged and terrorised the country even further. The dictator used Haitian Voodoo rituals to keep the population frightened and therefore in check.

Bonellos film is partly based on the story of Clairvius Narcisse, a peasant said to have been turned into a zombie in the early 1960s. Its the case which spurred anthropologist Wade Davis  the subject of Wes Cravens The Serpent and the Rainbow  into seeking to debunk zombie mythology and finding the potion (and its ingredients), which supposedly turned ordinary people into drooling automatons under the command of witch doctors. Flitting between 1962 and a girls boarding school in present-day Paris, Zombi Child is a stirring and highly peculiar piece of work.

Haitian Voodoo developed as a form of resistance against slavers. Its adherents mixed their knowledge of Western African beliefs in a pantheon of spirits with elements of Catholicism. What Bonello is interested in, though, is worship as a political act and European ignorance of this extraordinary religion. The Haiti-set sequences are richly atmospheric while sensitive to the material. The horror lies in the zombies experience and how it serves as a metaphor for a nations history: enslaved, controlled, debased. Yves Capes cinematography here is positively stunning. Silvery moonlight, long drapes of shadow, bodies staggering in the dark, sugarcane fields cast in an eerie nocturnal glow. Bonellos own Tangerine Dream-style score, too, lends the film a crucial nightmarish potency.

The 72nd Cannes Film Festival takes place from 14-25 May.

Martyn Conterio | @CinemartynThere is currently a lot of moving and shaking happening around town regarding business development and relocation.

Those driving in the downtown area or near Howard Boulevard have undoubtedly seen the colossal amount of work being completed at both the new Columbus fire and police stations.

The fire station, located just north of U.S. Highway 81 between 46th and 47th avenues, got off to a bit of a rocky construction start because of cold winter weather and delays associated with the March flooding. But, a window of clear weather has propelled the project forward leading into June.

We are very happy to see the progress  the weather really held us up a bunch with the winter and rain, Fire Chief Dan Miller said. But regardless of that, they have continued making good progress.

Miller said that the bones of the structure are now intact, which includes the spacious area which will house the aerials and ambulances, as well as the area that will serve as dormitories and office/training space.

Miller added that he and his team have weekly meetings with project manager B-D Construction, WSKF Architects and a few other select members from the City of Columbus. The chief noted that he swings out to the site at least a few times weekly to check on progress.

The facility is scheduled to be up and running sometime this year. After the shaky start, Miller said that he is pleased with the direction of the construction.

We might be a couple of weeks behind, but hopefully we get a fair (weather) stretch and get caught up, we definitely arent terribly far behind," he said.

Like the fire station, the new police station is making leaps and bounds toward its finish. Mayor Jim Bulkley recently was making his way downtown and was nearly caught by surprise with how much progress is happening.

I came into downtown last week from St. Bons (church) from the east and I didnt even realize the brick on the east side of the police station is all in, Bulkley said. The police station, specifically, is really moving at just a great pace and we are hoping for the late fall opening, and I see that happening.

The fire station had more hiccups  delays from Mother Nature  but has made up for it and is really starting to take shape. (We are) very, very happy with the progress thats happening. I think people can be happy knowing how things are coming along."

A few other noteworthy business actions are happening around town. Pillen Family Farms has broken ground on a plot of land just north of Columbus Community Hospital along Lost Creek Parkway and is planning to erect its new corporate facility on the site, business representative Sarah Pillen said. She added, though, that the company isnt providing additional details at this time.

We havent had the chance to talk with a lot of our team yet, she said of the project. We havent dived into a lot of the details.

The business is currently headquartered at 3214 25th st.

In other community business news:

*The vacant Kum & Go location at 711 33rd Ave. is being replaced by a Parkview Express, according to a post made by its new operators earlier this week. The business is tentatively expected to open the last week in June. Full and part-time employees are being hired. To learn more, call 402-201-4452.

*iDance Project Performing Arts Center, 3409 21st St., is moving to a new location along West 23rd Street directly beside Super Buffet.

Sam Pimper is the news editor of The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at sam.pimper@lee.net.

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The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go -Oscar Wilde

Friends, it is with a heavy heart that I bid you all farewell. Every other Saturday for two years, I aimed to entertain and educate you. It has been my pleasure. Sometimes I think that it has been my only pleasure at that time.

Unknowingly I loved it when you would approach me in public to ask questions. I will miss this. I loved it when you would comment on my article. I will miss this. I loved it when I was recognized. I might not miss the negative recognition. All of this happened when I was even off the clock. Nevertheless, it was all appreciated.

In the last five-and-a-half years that I have been with the city working Animal Control, I have witnessed many things. I have seen both the good and the bad. Sometimes I dont know if I always made the right call when out in the field, but I had to think at a moments notice. The laws are all black and white but sometimes you need to think out of the box to find a gray area.

Constructively, I always tried to be fair. I always tried to be compassionate even when I was told not to be. I also always tried to get you into compliance. I felt that when pets were licensed and when laws were followed it all made it easier for the community in a whole. I cannot believe the number of dogs that are picked up running at large that are never claimed. It has boggled my mind that well cared for dogs were never claimed.

Know-how is the key to success. In the last two years, I have worked as the lead animal control officer. This was a great opportunity. In this time, I have changed some city codes and added new ones. I looked at all the ordinances and tried to make changes where they were needed. Banning roosters was needed. Adopting Lifetime Licenses was needed. Increasing the fees for repeat animal releases was needed. I looked for areas that I could save the city money in the Animal Control department.

In my time, I have made some great connections in the field. Raptor Recovery out of Bellevue was a great asset to help injured raptors. The State of Nebraska vet assisted in many rabies cases along with the infectious disease coordinator in Columbus. I connected with Horn T Zoo and gave them a couple of exotics that were released to us. I connected with other Animal Control agencies across the United States to find new ways for animal controlling here. I have taken many training classes just to try to be the best I could be.

Some of the greatest connections that I have made is with the vet clinics in town. As an impartial party, I could not pick and choose one clinic over another. I would always keep my personal opinions to myself. I still will do that but two of the clinics went above and beyond the call of duty to help me and Animal Control out. I will always be eternally grateful for that.

I have had assistance from many other employees of the city. The support that I have received was appreciated. Although we may not have always seen eye to eye, I do thank you for the opportunities and the assistance.

I want to thank the Columbus Police Department for all the assistance it has given me in the years. Although they may have wanted to be chasing after hardened criminals, they would go out of their way to pick up a stray dog or cat. They are some of the finest officers that I have ever worked with. In my time, they have been led by two great chiefs. Three if you count the interim chief. They have always supported Animal Control and all its endeavors. For that, I can never thank you enough. Along with the chiefs, I have had the privilege to work with some pretty above average captains and sergeants. Their tutelage has been invaluable. I cannot leave out the dispatcher, CSTs, investigators, uniformed officer, or office secretaries. I owe all of you a debt of thanks.

Lastly, I want to thank The Columbus Telegram for giving me a voice. I got to put that voice into print for you all to read. And I think writing to you every other week will be one of the things I miss most. I love to entertain and many of you that talked to me about these articles would tell me how entertained you were.

It reminded me of dealing cards at the casino so many years ago. I would just tell the guests stories as I took their money. Isnt that an important thing in life? Making others happy. I know that sometimes I upset people but overall I tried to make people happy. Whether it was by telling a story or finding their lost pet. It could have been telling them that the bat that bit them did not have rabies or that I removed the skunk from their window well. The smile on their face is what made it worth it at times.

I thank you all. I thank you for the opportunities that were presented to me. I thank you for the faith this city put in me. I thank you for the knowledge and experience. Life is a roller coaster with its ups, downs, and loopy loops. I thank you all for this golden opportunity but as Robert Frost says, Nothing gold can stay.

Shawn Flowers has resigned as lead animal control officer for the City of Columbus.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0According to state law, fines, penalties, and license money shall be appropriated exclusively to the use and support of the common schools ... . An exception is fines for overloaded vehicles. Seventy-five percent of those funds go to state highways; 25 percent go to the county general fund where the fine or penalty is paid. Fifty percent of money forfeited or seized in enforcing drug laws goes to counties for drug enforcement. Vehicles seized in drug law cases may be used by law enforcement agencies or sold with the proceeds going to schools.Eve Jacobson made her way around Dusters Restaurant on an early March evening preparing a slideshow for an event hours after working on Columbus Area Future Fund initiatives. And before the night was over, she would go home and plan her wedding.

For Jacobson, it was another day. Shes used to being busy.

This last year has undoubtedly been hectic for Jacobson, the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerces marketing director and coordinator of the Columbus Area Future Fund. She graduated from college, moved to a new town, got a new job and planned her wedding all within 12 months.

I didnt know at the time that my initial time here would be so crazy, Jacobson said, with a laugh. But its really important work and I am really excited to be part of it. I love helping businesses and the community as a whole.

Jacobson, in a way, was destined for Columbus though never thought living here was in the cards. But a chance summer 2017 internship with the local chamber paved the way to an opportunity that changed her life.

Its the perfect size, Jacobson said of the city. I really dont want to go any bigger. Here, its where you have opportunity. Its a progressive community  thats what I love about Columbus.

FINDING HER WAY

A native of the small village of Beemer, a community a little over an hour northeast of Columbus in Cuming County that has a population of approximately 678 people according to the 2010 census, Jacobson grew up alongside her older brother and sister.

Like her older siblings before her, she attended Wisner-Pilger High School. Early on in life, she got introduced to music and interested in playing. In fourth grade, she decided to follow in the footsteps of her older sister and start playing the flute. It quickly became a passion.

I ended up having a knack for the flute, she said. You can either really play it or you cant. When I started playing really young, I had a knack for it. So I didnt go on to anything else, I just stuck with it.

She played all through childhood, participating in concert band in high school. When it came time to think about her future, though, Jacobson said she knew she wasnt going to pursue music as a profession.

I mainly did it because I enjoyed it. I didnt want to be a teacher of music or anything. I just wanted to play and thats all I really knew, Jacobson said.

Admittedly, Jacobson said she was a kid who really wasnt sure what she wanted to do with her life at the time. But, her high school music teacher encouraged her to at least consider minoring in music.

Enter Wayne State College. Jacobson said the colleges close proximity to her hometown and its well-known music program intrigued her enough to go there. She pursued that minor in music, but during her first semester, her mother inspired her to major in communications.

I was just that kid who couldnt pinpoint what I liked to do, she recalled. I ended up choosing communications and it ended up being the best decision. It really fits me more than I would have known.

Special internship

In the spring of 2017, the chambers drive for five workforce coordinator, Kara Asmus, went to Wayne State College for a job fair to promote various opportunities in Columbus. Jacobson had a friend who had done an internship with the Columbus chamber the year before who also recommended Asmus talk with Jacobson. So when the time came, Jacobson approached Asmus.

She walked right up to me and said, hey Im looking for an internship , recalled Asmus, who attends job fairs throughout the Midwest and promotes internships and job opportunities in Columbus in an effort to recruit people to the area. She was bubbly and excited about coming to work in Columbus and the marketing job she could potentially be doing. So immediately I found her engaging to be around.

Jacobson was already quite familiar with Columbus, as her boyfriend, Christian, and grandfather lived in town. She visited Columbus often, so interning in a town she liked and utilizing her skills seemed to make sense.

Jacobson was ultimately brought on as an intern that summer and wasted no time getting busy. She said it was an exciting time to be involved with the chamber because its now popular Something Good branding campaign had launched and had really taken off.

It was a fun summer but I had no idea I would be here now, Jacobson said.

RIGHT TIME, RIGHT FIT

Early on during her senior year of college Jacobson said she saw the marketing director position open up at the Columbus Chamber. She was interested in the job but knew the timing wasnt right because she was still in school. Furthermore, she wasnt yet willing to rule out other potential exciting opportunities that could come down the pipeline.

I just wanted to find a really solid job. I wasnt just going to move here because my now husband was here and my grandpa was here, Jacobson said.

But upon graduation, Jacobson noticed the job in Columbus was still open. For whatever reason or another, it had not been filled, and she said she thought that was a sign. As a result, she became seriously interested in the job that called for 30 hours as the chambers marketing director and 10 as coordinator for the Columbus Area Future Fund.

Back in 2006, a group of area residents launched the CAFF in conjunction with the Nebraska Community Foundation, a nonprofit that aids communities statewide in living the good life by providing training and resources to a network of affiliated funds. CAFF members operate under the mission to leave the community an even better place than when they found it.

Since its inception, CAFF has had a hand in a number of projects benefiting the people and places in the Columbus region by providing grants to numerous local initiatives and organizations.

The Fund has also collaborated with the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce and United Way to help increase affordable, high-quality child care options for families, and provided aid toward training for business owners through Centro Hispanos Micro Business Development Program.

Her enjoyable experience in Columbus the previous summer and other visits were why she ultimately decided to pursue the position.

That was a big deal. It made the process a lot easier, she said. They didnt have to get to know me because the staff at the Chamber already knew who I was and knew my character. I was so happy when I got it.

CAFF Chairman Rick Chochon said Jacobson has done a great job in her roles, noting she is an asset to the local area.

It seems like though she hasnt been here that long, Eve is very committed to Columbus success, Chochon said. Community betterment is definitely a passion of Eves. She has dived right into the coordinator position at the Foundation and is really taking hold. Her comfort level and confidence have really increased in the last year. She continues to grow her knowledge of Columbus to see where the Foundation can assist.

LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD

Jacobsons first year in Columbus has been quite the experience. Besides planning her wedding and marrying her now husband this spring, shes been heavily involved with initiatives of the CAFF and chamber.

It has been great but it has also been a challenge - a good challenge. Ive really been learning a lot and meeting a lot of new people, Jacobson said. It stretched me and it has grown me as a person for sure, but it has been super enjoyable. My roles being in the chamber and the future fund are really fulfilling. It can be hard sometimes, but at the end of the day, I know what I do really matters.

More recently, Jacobson was responsible for leading the promotion and organizational efforts for the annual Columbus Big Give. The week-long effort is a campaign to raise awareness and funds for various nonprofits and specific projects they have going on.

Jacobson said she thought Marchs historic flooding might lower what could be raised due to all the generous donations already being made to help flood victims, but that the Columbus Big Give still netted about $62,000 in donations and stayed on course with totals from past years.

More importantly, for her, it was a learning experience.

What I was reminded of by someone I worked a lot with was that (the money raised) is not the most important part of that event. Its about raising awareness for the nonprofits and the projects theyre working on, she said. I definitely was humbled throughout the process. I can see the big picture now in terms of volunteers and how it should all work.

Jacobson, who celebrated one year in her current position on May 14, said she wants to continue to engage the community by getting more involved with local groups and projects both professionally and personally.

A softball player throughout her youth, she said she and her husband enjoy playing catch together. They also make visits to Omaha to spend time with her sister, brother-in-law and young niece and nephew. Being an aunt is an extremely rewarding experience, she noted.

As for her job, its rewarding, to say the least. Jacobson said she enjoys meeting new people and watching the community grow.

Its nice that my job makes me meet people because then it makes things so much easier and I see people I know and I meet more people through those people. Its a ripple effect, she said. Its amazing how forward-thinking in general people are here. Theyre always thinking about what needs to be done not just now but years into the future. And seeing how passionate they are and how they continue to want to make this community better so people want to come, that really stands out to me.

They want to continue to up the quality of life because we all love our community so much  So I want to get myself more out there.

Matt Lindberg is the managing editor of The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at matt.lindberg@lee.net.

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7 journalists sentenced in Ozgur Gundem trial

An Istanbul Court on May 21 sentenced seven journalists from the shuttered pro-Kurdish daily Ozgur Gundem to prison after they were convicted of making propaganda for a [terrorist] organization, the Mezopotamya News Agency reported.

Lawyer Eren Keskin, a former co-chief editor of Ozgur Gundem, and Reyhan Capan, the former responsible news editor, were each sentenced to three years and nine months in prison; Huseyin Aykol, the other co-chief editor, and the columnists Huseyin Guclu and Tahir Temel, were each sentenced to two years and one months in prison; and the columnists Reyhan Hacoglu and Ayse Batumlu were each handed suspended sentences of one year and three months.

The court acquitted the columnists Ayse Berktay, Celalettin Can, Cemal Bozkurt, Cetin Ulu, Emrullah Kurcan, Nuray Ozdogan, Ergin Atabey and Ozlem Soyler.

The sentenced journalists are currently free pending appeal, according to the report.

Separately, Ayse Duzkan, who was imprisoned in January over her participation in a solidarity campaign with Ozgur Gundem, will be transferred to a low-level security prison, the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya News Agency (MA) reported on May 22. Duzkan, who has less than a year left to serve of her sentence for making propaganda for a terrorist organization, is now eligible for transfer to an open prison under Turkish law. The journalists request for transfer was initially denied by the executive board of the Bakrkoy prison, where she is held. The board said the journalist needed to declare that she has left the [terrorist] organization and is remorseful, and that she should stay in Bakrkoy until July 27, the MA report said. Duzkans lawyers appealed and on May 22, the Bakrkoy Executional Court overturned the boards decision because Duzkan was not convicted of being a member of a terrorist organization, according to the report. Duzkans request was accepted on May 23, and she is due to be transferred to an open prison in the western province of Eskisehir within 30 hours, MA reported.

Guney Haberci editor beaten in the street

Ergin Cevik, chief editor of the local news website Guney Haberci, in the southern province of Antalya, was attacked by three unidentified assailants on the evening of May 20, the independent news website Bianet reported. Three man stopped Cevik in the street, in Aksu District, and punched him several times before fleeing, according to the report.

The Mediterranean Branch of the Contemporary Journalists Association released a statement, Bianet said, and pointed to Ceviks and his websites reporting on corruption allegations in the municipality and a real estate matter in Kundu. Three men, suspected of carrying out the attack visited the journalists office an hour before the attack and told his secretary that they have brought greetings from Kundu, after being told he was not there, the statement said.

Journalist in Van faces new terrorism charges

Idris Ylmaz, an imprisoned local journalist from the eastern province of Van, is facing another trial on terrorism-related charges, MA reported on May 16. The journalist is charged with being a member of a [terrorist] organization (PKK) and making propaganda for a [terrorist] organization according to the indictment approved by a court in Van.

A witness who has never met Ylmaz testified that he was a PKK journalist, and the propaganda charge was based on the journalists social media activity, the report said.

Ylmaz is already in prison after a conviction in a separate trial for being a member of a [terrorist] organization in January, CPJ documented. The appeals court has not yet ruled on the conviction in that case. CPJ was unable to reach the journalists lawyer.

Altan back on trial for case dismissed in 2010

The first hearing in a previously dismissed case against Ahmet Altan was held on May 21, the local non-governmental organization Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) reported, in English.

The case is related to a 2010 column in the shuttered liberal daily Taraf in 2010 about a leaked conversation in which two Constitutional Court judges allegedly discussed the release from prison of Ilhan Cihaner, a former prosecutor and politician.

The MLSA report said that the case was dismissed in 2010, after Cihaner submitted a petition saying that no crime had been committed against him. The charge was brought again in 2018, after Altan was sentenced to life on separate charges. In the revised case, one of the Constitutional Court judges was listed as an injured party.

I am on trial for the most bizarre accusations, it feels like the prosecutors are competing among each other to come up with the most bogus indictment, Altan said via teleconference from prison. Altans lawyers noted that the injured judge was not named in the column. The trial is due to continue on September 17.

Altan is currently serving a life sentence in a separate case, according to CPJ research.

Appeals court rules Deniz Yucel can file compensation claim

A local appeals court in Istanbul ruled on May 21 that Turkish-German journalist Deniz Yucel can file a compensation case against Turkey for wrongful detention, Deutsche Welle reported. The appeals court ruled that a lower courts decision in September to reject the case because Yucels trial is ongoing was unlawful, according to the report. Yucel, a correspondent for Die Welt, is seeking 2.9 million Turkish lira (US$485.874) in compensation.

Gazete Karnca publisher on trial

The first hearing for Necla Demir, former publisher of the news website Gazete Karnca, was held in Istanbul on May 23. Demir is charged with making continuous propaganda for a [terrorist] organization, Gazete Karnca reported. Demir, who is free pending trial, pleaded not guilty and her lawyers said she was involved with financial matters at the outlet, not editorial. The trial is due to continue on July 11.

Afrika journalists acquitted of insulting president

A court in northern Cyprus on May 16 acquitted two journalists of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reports sourcing AFP said. Sener Levent and Ali Osman Tabak, chief editor and reporter for the regional daily Afrika, from Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus, were acquitted of insulting a foreign leader. The charge is related to a caricature published in the newspaper in 2017. Afrika offices was attacked by a mob in 2018 after it published a critical headline regarding Turkeys military action in Syria, CPJ previously documented.

Reporters say police still have confiscated equipment

Istanbul police have not yet returned equipment confiscated from the reporters Zeynep Kuray and Irfan Tunccelik, the news website Diken reported on May 18. CPJ documented last week how police took the reporters into custody while they were working. Police confiscated their phones, computers, cameras, memory cards, voice recorders, and journalist identification cards, according to Diken. Kuray told CPJ on May 23 that the equipment has still not been returned and they are struggling and working with borrowed equipment.

Wikimedia takes Turkey ban to European Court

The Wikimedia Foundation said it has filed the petition to the European Court of Human Rights over authorities blocking access to Wikipedia from Turkish internet providers since 2017, the BBC reported on May 23. Turkey last month widened the block to apply to alternative web addresses for Wikipedia, CPJ documented.A New Jersey man died in a motorcycle accident in West Pennsboro Township on May 18, State Police at Carlisle reported on Friday.

Andrew T. Barrera, 62, of Wantage, New Jersey, was traveling north on Grahams Woods Road north of Creek Road about 6:42 p.m. when his 2005 Harley-Davidson went off the left side of the road and struck a tree, police said.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released a draft circular titled Liquidity Risk Management Framework for NBFCs and Core Investment Companies (CICs). RBI after analysing recent developments in NBFC sector proposed a set of guidelines for large Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) to help them deal with severe liquidity problems and to prevent re-occurrence of IL&FS type of debt crisis. The RBI has invited stakeholder comments on draft by June 14.

Key Highlights of Draft

Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) regime : In a phased manner, an LCR regime would be introduced in all deposit-taking NBFCs and non-deposit taking shadow banks with an asset size of Rs.5,000 crore and above. The shadow banks are non-bank financial intermediaries that provide services similar to traditional commercial banks but are not subject to regulatory oversight.

: In a phased manner, an LCR regime would be introduced in all deposit-taking NBFCs and non-deposit taking with an asset size of Rs.5,000 crore and above. The shadow banks are non-bank financial intermediaries that provide services similar to traditional commercial banks but are not subject to regulatory oversight. Implementation: To ensure a smooth transition from current to the LCR regime RBI proposed that implementation will be done in a calibrated manner by a glide path over a period of 4 years starting from April 2020 and till April 2024.

To ensure a smooth transition from current to the LCR regime RBI proposed that implementation will be done in a calibrated manner by a glide path over a period of 4 years starting from April 2020 and till April 2024. Binding Condition : LCR requirement would be binding on NBFCs from 1 April 2020 with minimum LCR of 60% that will be progressively increased in equal steps till it reaches required level of 100% by April 1, 2024.

: LCR requirement would be binding on NBFCs from 1 April 2020 with minimum LCR of 60% that will be progressively increased in equal steps till it reaches required level of 100% by April 1, 2024. High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA): An NBFC shall maintain an adequate level of unencumbered (free from debt) HQLA which under a significantly severe liquidity stress scenario can be converted into cash so as to meet its liquidity needs for a 30 calendar-day time horizon. HQLA means liquid assets that can be immediately converted into cash or readily sold at very little or no loss of value or either used as collateral to obtain funds in a range of stress scenarios.

An NBFC shall maintain an adequate level of unencumbered (free from debt) HQLA which under a significantly severe liquidity stress scenario can be converted into cash so as to meet its liquidity needs for a 30 calendar-day time horizon. HQLA means liquid assets that can be immediately converted into cash or readily sold at very little or no loss of value or either used as collateral to obtain funds in a range of stress scenarios. Asset-Liability Management Committee (ALCO) : would consist of NBFCs top management and should be responsible for ensuring adherence to risk tolerance and limits set by Board and for implementing NBFCs liquidity risk management strategy.

: would consist of NBFCs top management and should be responsible for ensuring adherence to risk tolerance and limits set by Board and for implementing NBFCs liquidity risk management strategy. Contingency Funding Plan (CFP): should be formulated by NBFC for responding to severe disruptions which may affect NBFCs ability to fund some or all of its activities in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost.

Reason for Draft GuidelinesTwo or three news cycles back, the Prevaricator in Chief made a shocking allegation. Or, that is to say, a charge that would be astonishing and unsettling coming from any president but him:

"My Campaign for President was conclusively spied on," Trump thundered on Twitter. "Nothing like this has ever happened in American Politics. A really bad situation. TREASON means long jail sentences, and this was TREASON!"

Coming only days after Attorney General William Barr tasked a U.S. attorney with reviewing (yet again) the origins of the FBI's Trump-Russia investigation, the allegation was nonsense on its face. As defined in Article III of the U.S. Constitution, "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." It's punishable by death.

But a presidential campaign is not the United States. Constitutionally speaking, it's essentially nothing. As usual, Trump was simply blowing smoke. Even so, some of his detractors took the bait. CNN legal commentator Jeffrey Toobin called the president's outburst a "grotesque abuse of power."

Grotesque, yes. Also ridiculous.

Because it's highly unlikely that anything's going to happen. The attorney general's various pronouncements on the topic of government "spying" appear calculated to appeal to an audience of one: Trump himself.

In media interviews, Barr is careful to include a lawyerly escape hatch, stipulating that what's normally called "surveillance" when investigators secure legal warrants to conduct it may indeed have been justifiable.

It's a cagey game he's playing. But so far, only a game.

Trump was at it again at a WWE-style campaign rally in Pennsylvania the other night, accusing FBI officials of treason while an enraptured crowd chanted "Lock them up!" (Earlier, they'd jeered "Lock her up!" at the mention of Hillary Clinton's name.) He praised Barr, asserting that the AG would soon unmask the dark conspiracy against him.

That's never going to happen for essentially the same reason Hillary Clinton has never been prosecuted for her imagined crimes. Bringing (pardon me) "Trumped-up" charges against prominent individuals with the wherewithal to defend themselves endangers the prosecution more than the defendant.

We don't yet have show trials in the United States.

Trump can boast all he wants about serving several terms. He did that in Pennsylvania too. But that's not happening either.

According to believers, the linchpin of the alleged anti-Trump conspiracy is former FBI Director James Comey. You remember Comey, right? He's the ace investigator who wrongly announced that the feds had dug up shocking new evidence in the Hillary Clinton email probe 10 days before the election -- thereby costing her the presidency, many believe.

Meanwhile, the agency kept its "Crossfire Hurricane" probe of Trump staffers' connections to Russian intelligence operatives very quiet. Which you've got to admit would be an odd way for anti-Trump conspirators to act.

Just days before the 2016 election, The New York Times published a front-page article headlined "Investigating Donald Trump, F.B.I. Sees No Clear Link to Russia." Readers were assured that "even the hacking into Democratic emails, F.B.I. and intelligence officials now believe, was aimed at disrupting the presidential election rather than electing Mr. Trump."

The Mueller Report, of course, concluded exactly the opposite. Electing Trump was Job One at the Kremlin. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign, if it didn't necessarily participate in a criminal conspiracy, secretly played footsie with Russian intelligence. Its expectation, Mueller concluded, was "that (the campaign) would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts."

And so it very much did.

Entirely convinced of his own integrity, Comey has mounted his high horse regarding Barr's insinuations. "The AG should stop sliming his own Department," he tweeted. "If there are bad facts, show us, or search for them professionally and then tell us what you found. An AG must act like the leader of the Department of Justice, an organization based on truth. Donald Trump has enough spokespeople."

So no, none of these alleged traitors is going down easy, which means they're not going down at all. Expect a murky report filled with legalistic quibbling. But treason? No how, no way.

Meanwhile, the latest conspiracy theory getting Trumpists all hot and bothered derives from a book by George Papadopoulos, the fired Trump aide whose barroom braggadocio started the whole fool thing. Entitled "Deep State Target," it portrays its author as the pigeon in a dastardly plot cooked up not by Russians, but by U.S., British, Israeli and Australian intelligence.

History records that it was indeed the perfidious Aussies who tipped U.S. intelligence that a Trump aide was running his mouth in a London bar about the Russians having "dirt" on Hillary Clinton in the form of thousands of stolen emails. He also claimed to be keeping company with Vladimir Putin's niece, and to be on a first-name basis with Benjamin Netanyahu.

Sometimes he makes stuff up, Papadopoulos.

Arkansas Times columnist Gene Lyons is a National Magazine Award winner and co-author of "The Hunting of the President" (St. Martin's Press, 2000). You can email Lyons at eugenelyons2@yahoo.com

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When the United States Supreme Court first legalized Roe v. Wade, Frederica Mathewes-Green had a bumper sticker on her car: "Don't labor under a misconception; legalize abortion." She's since changed her mind about that. Reflecting in 2016, she wrote: "(A)t the time, we didn't have much understanding of what abortion was. We knew nothing of fetal development. We consistently termed the fetus 'a blob of tissue,' and that's just how we pictured it -- an undifferentiated mucuslike blob, not recognizable as human or even as alive. It would be another 15 years of so before pregnant couples could show off sonograms of their unborn babies, shocking us with the obvious humanity of the unborn."

I've been rereading Mathewes-Green in the midst of all the yelling about the recently passed Alabama law that essentially outlaws abortion in the state. The fact of the matter is: We know now. But clinging to our miserable politics still is what we know best. And so, while you don't hear "blob of tissue" as much, you do hear euphemisms. Actress Alyssa Milano recently suggested that rather than talk about a heartbeat within the womb, references be made to "fetal pole cardiac activity."

This is part of what Mathewes-Green would reflect on in her book "Real Choices: Listening to Women; Looking for Alternatives to Abortion." Back when she was pro-choice, she could have never imagined how much abortion would become a part of American lives, culture and politics.

"We also thought, back then, that few abortions would ever be done," she writes. "It's a grim experience, going through an abortion, and we assumed a woman would choose one only as a last resort. We were fighting for that 'last resort.' We had no idea how common the procedure would become."

She writes: "Twenty years ago, someone told me that, if the names of all (babies lost to abortion) were inscribed on a wall, like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the wall would have to stretch for 50 miles. It's 20 years later now, and that wall would have to stretch twice as far. But no names could be written on it; those babies had no names." Now we're getting closer to half a century of legal abortion, which turned out not to be so rare, after all.

We may know better now. But we look away. Not just from the facts -- the life within, but the solutions. The hard work of support.

We know that life is full of heartache and tough decisions, so of course issues surrounding reproduction and childbirth that get to the heart of human life are full of those things as well. Most of us value life, even people who describe themselves as pro-choice. So how can we work together to make abortion implausible?

Lisa Wheeler is one of the publicists working on the movie "Unplanned," about a Planned Parenthood clinic worker who became a pro-life activist. She's also been the foster mother of over 15 children. On her Facebook page, she made a plea: "Children are not in foster care because they are unwanted. God wants them. I want them. I know many of my friends longing for motherhood want them. Children are in foster care because we have forgotten how to love one another. It's time -- right or left, pro-life or pro-choice -- that we stand in the gap to help the mothers and the children who need us the most." Whatever you think of the prudence of the Alabama law, let's meet here, in the gap, helping. Whatever your history. Our differences can help us be more sensitive to each other's pain rather than further divide us.

Kathryn Jean Lopez is senior fellow at the National Review Institute, editor-at-large of National Review Online and founding director of Catholic Voices USA. She can be contacted at klopez@nationalreview.com

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To read this article and more, subscribe now for as little as $1.99.The mother accused of leaving her two daughters in a car for about 15 hours last June was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in prison.SALEM  Legislation intended to prevent youth suicides is set to become law.

Adi's Act  Senate Bill 52  requires school districts to plan how to address and prevent suicides among students. The legislation is backed by the family of Adi Staub, a transgender student at Grant High School in Portland who died by suicide in 2017.

I think that it's just one part of a much larger societal need, which is to make sure that every kid, no matter how they identify or who they love, sees hope for the future, Lon Staub, Adi's father, told Oregon Capital Bureau.

Suicide is among the leading causes of death in Oregon, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, with 825 Oregonians dying by suicide in 2017. For Oregonians ages 10 to 24, it is the second-leading cause of death.

Gay, bisexual and transgender youth are statistically far more likely to attempt suicide than youth as a whole. Staub said it's important that Adi's Act directs school officials to specifically address the risk of suicide among high-risk student populations, including LGBT youth, youth with disabilities and homeless youth.

The youth suicide rate in Oregon has increased dramatically this decade, state data shows. In 2010, about seven in every 100,000 Oregonians between the ages of 10 and 24 died by suicide. By 2017, that rate virtually doubled.

Rep. Barbara Smith Warner, D-Portland, carried Adi's Act on the House floor. It wasn't lost on her that on the same day the bill passed, with all representatives present voting in favor, an 18-year-old senior at Parkrose High School was arrested after bringing a shotgun to school. Portland police said the student evidently intended to die by suicide.

That was an emotional (day), Smith Warner said.

She added, This is the reality of what kids are dealing with, and it's horrible.

A number of suicide-related bills were introduced this session, with several focused on preventing youth suicides moving forward.

Beginning last year, Smith Warner and a bipartisan group of legislators toured school districts across the state to gather input on Oregon's education system.

Really, what smacked us in the face everywhere was just the level of trauma that kids are dealing with at home, bringing to school, trying to deal with at school, Smith Warner said. Our schools have become the de facto social service providers of our communities, yet we hadn't really been funding them that way.

Staub said Adi's Act works in concert with the Student Success Act, which bolstered school funding.

We knew and were concerned that Adi's Act wouldn't be successful without the funding, and so we're encouraged to see that that funding is also taking place, Staub said.

Getting the school funding meant Senate Democrats had to abandon a gun control bill that, among other things, would have required gun-owners to keep their firearms in a locked room or gun safe when they are not being used.

Smith Warner said people who attempt suicide with a gun are far more likely to die than those who attempt suicide by another method.

We need to deal with gun violence prevention as a public health issue, she said. Guns are a huge part of the suicide problem that we have in this state and everywhere.

On the same day the House approved Adi's Act, representatives also voted 51-3 for Senate Bill 485, which requires school districts, colleges and universities to notify the Oregon Health Authority when a student dies in a suspected suicide. The legislation, which was carried on the House floor by Rep. Cheri Helt, R-Bend, also requires the OHA to work with school districts, colleges and universities to plan how to respond to a suicide, including efforts to prevent suicides inspired by the student's death.

Gov. Kate Brown has publicly supported efforts to address suicide in Oregon, and a spokesman said she plans to sign both bills into law.

Reporter Mark Miller: mmiller@fgnewstimes.com. Miller works for the Oregon Capital Bureau, a collaboration of EO Media Group, Pamplin Media Group, and Salem Reporter.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0Pelosi and Trump were attacking each other yesterday after his temper tantrum and walk-out from the infrastructure talks at the White House. Pelosi said Trump "needs an intervention" and called him "villainous," while Trump kept referring to Pelosi as "crazy Nancy." But Pelosi wasn't the only one attacking the orange imbecile yesterday.

The published an interview Jacob Bogage did with McKinsey Pete yesterday. And Pete, a military vet tore into the draft-dodger-in-chief. Pete accurately described Trump as using his "privileged status to fake a disability" in order to avoid the Vietnam War. "This is somebody, who I think it is fairly obvious to most of us, took advantage of the fact that he was a child of multimillionaire in order to pretend to be disabled so that somebody could go to war in his place... I don't have a problem standing up to somebody who was, you know working on season 7 ofwhen I was packing my bags for Afghanistan."

Justin Amash was pounding Trump again for his criminal behavior and talking about the need to impeach him. Here's his twitter storm in narrative form:

Muellers report describes a consistent effort by the president to use his office to obstruct or otherwise corruptly impede the Russian election interference investigation because it put his interests at risk.





The president has an obligation not to violate the public trust, including using official powers for corrupt purposes. For instance, presidents have the authority to nominate judges, but a president couldnt select someone to nominate because theyd promised the president money.





This principle extends to all the presidents powers, including the authority over federal investigations, federal officials, and pardons.





President Trump had an incentive to undermine the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, which included investigating contacts between Russia and the Trump campaign.





The investigation threatened to uncover information, including criminal activity, that could put Trumps interests at risk. Ultimately, the investigation did uncover very unflattering information about the president, his family, his associates, his campaign, and his business.





It also revealed criminal activities, some of which were committed by people in Trumps orbit and, in the case of Michael Cohens campaign finance violation, on Trumps behalf.





The investigation began before the president was elected and inaugurated. After Trump assumed the powers of the presidency, Muellers report shows that he used those powers to try to obstruct and impede the investigation.





Some excuse Trumps conduct based on allegations of issues with the investigation, but no one disputes the appropriateness of investigating election interference, which included investigating contacts between the Trump campaign and people connected to the Russian government.





Some examples in Muellers report of the presidents obstructing and impeding the investigation include:

1. Trump asked the FBI director to stop investigating Michael Flynn, who had been his campaign adviser and national security adviser, and who had already committed a crime by lying to the FBI.



2. After AG Sessions recused himself from the Russian investigation on the advice of DoJ ethics lawyers, Trump directly asked Sessions to reverse his recusal so that he could retain control over the investigation and help the president.



3. Trump directed the White House counsel, Don McGahn, to have Special Counsel Mueller removed on the basis of pretextual conflicts of interest that Trumps advisers had already told him were ridiculous and could not justify removing the special counsel.



4. When that event was publicly reported, Trump asked that McGahn make a public statement and create a false internal record stating that Trump had not asked him to fire the special counsel, and suggested that McGahn would be fired if he did not comply.



5. Trump asked Corey Lewandowski, his former campaign manager, to tell AG Sessions to limit the special counsels investigation only to future election interference. Trump said Lewandowski should tell Sessions he was fired if he would not meet with him.



6. Trump used his pardon power to influence his associates, including Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen, not to fully cooperate with the investigation.

Trump, through his own statements-- such as complaining about people who "flip" and talk to investigators-- and through communications between his personal counsel and Manafort/Cohen, gave the impression that they would be pardoned if they did not fully cooperate with investigators.





Manafort ultimately breached an agreement to cooperate with investigators, and Cohen offered false testimony to Congress, including denying that the Trump Tower Moscow project had extended to June 2016 and that he and Trump had discussed traveling to Russia during the campaign.





Both men have been convicted for offering false information, and Manaforts lack of cooperation left open some significant questions, such as why exactly he provided an associate in Ukraine with campaign polling data, which he expected to be shared with a Russian oligarch.





Some of the presidents actions were inherently corrupt. Other actions were corrupt-- and therefore impeachable-- because the president took them to serve his own interests.As Bess Levin wrote yesterday for, "scoring a presidential favor or a gig in the administration is fairly straightforward: simply kiss the ring and/or line Trumps pockets . Last week, disgraced businessman Conrad Black received a coveted pardon, and all he had to do to get it was write a fawning book about Trump. William Barr was hired as Attorney General after sending an unsolicited letter to the Justice Department decrying Robert Muellers obstruction probe. Three Mar-a-Lago members are secretly running the V.A. for the low, low cost $200,000, and the same goes for handbag designer Lana Marks, who was nominated to be the U.S. ambassador to South Africa last November. A $20 million donation to Trumps presidential campaign was a small price for Sheldon Adelson to pay considering it meant the president personally lobbied the Prime Minister of Japan to give his buddy a coveted $25 billion casino license."

If Trump campaign advisor Stephen Calk was unsuccessful in his attempt to bribe the Trump Regime, he is one of the few who failed that low bar. Yesterday, the's Renae Merle and Rosalind Helderman reported that the Chicago bank CEO was indicted for approving $16 million in loans to Manafort in exchange for his help seeking a top post in the regime. Calk "illegally used the banks resources to curry favor with Manafort, ignoring internal standards and lying to regulators, according to the indictment unsealed in the Southern District of New York. Calk gave Manafort a list ranking the administrative jobs he wanted, starting with Treasury Secretary."

Calk, who contributed a mere $2,700 to the Trumpanzee campaign, was a realist though and wrote that if a cabinet position was too much of a stretch he would be fine being appointed ambassador to the U.K. And just in case that was also a stretch, he included 18 less prestigious ambassadorships that Trump was selling. Manafort got him an interview as the perspective Undersecretary of the Army but he didn't get the gig.

Stephen M. Calk abused the power entrusted to him as the top official of a federally insured bank by approving millions of dollars in high-risk loans in an effort to secure a personal benefit, Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a statement.





Manafort was not named in the indictment, but the description of the borrower in the court filing matches that of the former Trump campaign chairman.





The indictment is a reminder of the financial crush that was facing Manafort during the same months when he was working as Trumps campaign chairman, a job he won in part by arguing to Trump that he was independently wealthy and thus able to work for free.





At Manaforts trial last year, prosecutors presented evidence that he was swimming in debt while working for the campaign and struggling to juggle mortgages on several pricey properties.





According to Calks indictment, Manafort took a break from his duties running Trumps campaign on July 27, 2016, to attend an initial meeting in New York with a loan officer to discuss a multimillion-dollar loan. Calk joined by video and, according to prosecutors, told Manafort he would be interested in work on Trumps campaign. That same day in Florida, Trump asked at a news conference if Russia could locate deleted emails belong to his opponent, Hillary Clinton.





Calk did not testify at Manaforts 2018 trial for bank and tax fraud, but other officers from his bank took the stand to describe the unusual process by which the bank approved a loan for Manafort.





Manafort was convicted at trial and later pleaded guilty to additional charges, including acting as an unregistered foreign agent while working for a Ukrainian politician before joining Trumps campaign.





Manafort is now serving a 7-year prison sentence. He began cooperating with authorities after his guilty plea. Prosecutors have told a judge that he provided evidence both to the special counsels investigation and to matters being handled by other prosecutors. References to those other investigations have been redacted from documents filed so far in Manaforts case, but it is likely that Manafort provided evidence in Calks case.





Transcripts show that during a bench conference at Manaforts trial last year, prosecutor Greg Andres described Calk as a co-conspirator who faced possible criminal liability.





Calk faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of the charge of financial institution bribery.



Wasserman Schultz and Bustos-- feel inspired yet?



Being a Democrat who opposes Roe v. Wade doesnt reflect the values that the Democratic Party claims to uphold.



Being a Democrat who opposes Medicare for All doesnt help 30 million people without health insurance and the millions more who are underinsured.



Its not just Lipinski, and its not just on issues of womens choice and health care.



Being a Democrat who takes money from the fossil fuel industry doesnt help us transform our energy system to save us from environmental catastrophe.



Being a Democrat who takes money from Wall Street doesnt help working people who are being ripped off by corporate shareholders.

Our Revolution is one of the groups fighting to transform the Democratic Party, elect progressive champions and push for policies that will change people's lives. I want to go through the whole 53 member California House legation as a kind of guide to see who's doing a good job and who isn't.





Let's start with the easiest part of this: there are no California Republicans in Congress doing a good job, not even a mixed job. They all suck and suck badly. Now for the California Dems. Worth reelecting (above and beyond the call of duty):

 Ro Khanna (CA-17)

 Ted Lieu (CA-33)

 Barbara Lee (CA-13)

 Judy Chu (CA-27)

 Mike Levin (CA-49)

 Katie Porter (CA-45)

 Katie Hill (CA-25)

 Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11)

 Alan Lowenthal (CA-47)

 Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

 Karen Bass (CA-37)

 Maxine Waters (CA-43)

 Jared Huffman (CA-02)

 Nanette Barragan (CA-44)

 Mark Takano (CA-41)

Doesn't matter one way or the other, unless a real good opponent comes along

 John Garamendi (CA-03)

 Mike Thompson (CA-05)

 Doris Matsui (CA-06)

 Jerry McNerney (CA-09)

 Josh Harder (CA-10)

 Jackie Speier (CA-14)

 Eric Swalwell (CA-15)

 Anna Eshoo (CA-18)

 Zoe Lofgren (CA-19)

 Grace Napolitano (CA-32)

 TJ Cox (CA-21)

 Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

 Adam Schiff (CA-28)

 Brad Sherman (CA-30)

 Linda Sanchez (CA-38)

 Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40)

 Susan Davis (CA-53)

Should be primaried and defeated ASAP

 Jim Costa (CA-16)

 Nancy Pelosi (CA-12)

 Ami Bera (CA-07)

 Lou Correa (CA-46)

 Scott Peters (CA-52)

 Pete Aguilar (CA-31)

 Julia Brownley (CA-26)

 Tony Cardenas (CA-29)

 Juan Vargas (CA-51)

 Jimmy Panetta (CA-20)

 Norma Torres (CA-35)

 Raul Ruiz (CA-36)

 Gil Cisneros (CA-39)

 Harley Rouda (CA-48)

Selecting Blue Dog and Rahm Emanuel protege, Cheri Bustos as DCCC chair was a catastrophic mistake the House Democratic caucus made. This week, Our Revolution made a good case about why Bustos should not be heading the DCCC. Last month, they delivered tens of thousands of signed petitions directly to Bustos protesting the much-0hated DCCC Blacklist and their policy of discouraging primaries. "She promised," wrote the Our Revolution communications team, that she would have "a follow-up meeting to discuss reforming this undemocratic policy which favors incumbents over progressive challengers." But "Bustos just backed out the meeting with Our Revolution leaders. Not only did she cancel our meeting, Rep. Bustos also announced that the DCCC was going to continue to throw big dollar fundraisers for incumbents like Rep. Dan Lipinski, an anti-choice member of Congress who opposes Medicare for All..."Lipinksi's opposition to Medicare-For-All is one of the problems from a long list of problems with the guy, who's record is also homophobic and anti-immigrant. He's out of synch with his own district and the DCCC should be strictly neutral in the contest between Lipinski and progressive challenger Marie Newman.Our Revolution also wrote that "this week, after we announced we were going to protest the fundraiser, Bustos withdrew her involvement-- this is a victory, but crucially, she maintained that the DCCC could offer Lipinski financial support to defeat primary challengers. We need leaders who care more about policy than party affiliation. Thats why Our Revolution is lifting up progressive candidates even if it means taking on incumbent Democrats."News One CEO faces NAB charges of illegal land occupation.

KARACHI (Dunya News)  After a rumor against the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal was aired by News One  a private TV channel  it has been unearthed that the chief executive officer (CEO) of the media house Syed Umar was already facing charges of illegal land occupation by the anti-corruption watchdog.

The details suggest that the NAB Karachi had filed a reference against Syed Umar for illegally occupying 25 acres of land owned by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board worth Rs25 billion.

The anti-corruption watchdog had declared Syed Umar guilty in 2018 in reference number 28. The suspect had denied the charges that had been leveled against him, however, the forensic report of his fingerprints revealed his involvement.

The accused was kept in the NAB jail for two months and investigations were conducted. He was then sent on a two-month judicial remand and his pardon appeal is still pending before the NAB chairman.The number of convenience stores in the country from April 2017 to April 2018 had risen by 72 percent year-on-year to over 3,100 outlets. Photo by Shutterstock/Narcissus4t

Local retail firms are expanding quickly while foreign counterparts stagnate or quit due to fierce competition.

The number of convenience stores in the country from April last year to April this year had risen by 72 percent year-on-year to over 3,100, according to Ho Chi Minh City market research firm Q&Me. That means 1,300 convenience stores came to the market in just one year.

Half of them, 660, came from Vinmart+, a convenience store chain of Vietnams largest conglomerate Vingroup. This is a growth of 82 percent. In the same period, supermarket chain Vinmart saw its number of store risen by 82 percent to 120 outlets.

Bach Hoa Xanh, a retail unit of the countrys major phone seller Mobile World (MWG), now has over 500 department stores after incorporated in 2015. It is seeing strong growth with VND4.3 trillion ($184 million) in revenue last year, three times that of 2017.

The market has recently seen strong merger and acquisition activities, with Vingroups retail arm VinCommerce buying out convenience store chain Shop&Go last month and supermarket chain Fivimart last October.

Vietnams retail market has become increasingly crowded with both local and international players over the last five years. Although experts have said that the market has a lot of growth potential, many foreign businesses have quit or scaling back expansion plans.

French supermarket group Auchan Retail might be the newest player to withdraw from the market.

Auchan's 15 out of 18 supermarkets will stop operating on June 3. Its CEO Edgar Bonte said that their business in Vietnam generated revenues of 45 million euros ($50.4 million) last year, but was making losses. He did not provide figures of the losses.

Bonte told French newspaper Les Echos last week the company had decided to sell its stores in Vietnam.

A source from the company, who wished not to be named, said the firm is negotiating with a few retailers to sell the outlets and the negotiations "are expected to end before Auchan withdraws from Vietnam early next month."

Germany-headquartered Metro was sold to a Thai investor in 2014 and disappeared from the market ever since, while Malaysias Parkson has been closing down its malls since 2015.

Other convenience store chain has failed or will unlikely meet its initial expansion target. Japanese Ministop had only 115 stores as of April, even though it had planned to have 800 by last year.

Japanese convenience store chain FamilyMart saw its store number dropped by nine to 151 from last April to this April, while its initial plan was to have 1,000 stores by next year.

Vietnams revenue from selling goods last year rose by 11.7 percent from 2017 to $142 billion, up 12.4 percent from 2017.Stay Awake, Be Ready has won the Directors Fortnight section award at the Cannes Film Festival 2019.

Pham Thien An (left) and a film crew member with the Cannes trophy. Photo taken from Pham Thien An's Facebook page

The movie surpassed nine other films from around the world to win the award at the Cannes Film Festival 2019 held May 14-25 this year.

The section, established in 1968, honors feature, short films and documentaries that do not compete in the main categories.

Completed in 2018, Stay Awake, Be Ready (Hay Thuc Tinh va San Sang in Vietnamese) deals with a traffic accident in front of a sidewalk food stall that spontaneously connects the life of three young people.

The film's director Pham Thien An told French magazine Polyester he came up with the idea one night he went out drinking with his friends.

"I saw this boy who worked as a fire breather and after each performance he would go to each restaurant table and sell candies and ask for money. He would eavesdrop on a lot of stories every night," An said.

A scene from the film Stay Awake, Be Ready

Vietnamese director Hong Anh, who was Ans advisor at Cannes was elated: "The seven-minute film was shot in a single take. I highly appreciate An's ability and technique in staging and recording [the movie]. He is a filmmaker with caliber and will go far in his career."

An, born in 1989, had won second prize at the 48 Hours Short Film Competition in Vietnam in 2014.

In 2018, his short film Cam Lang (The Mute) was screened at the Palm Spring International Short Film Festival and was chosen to compete in nearly 15 international film festivals including the Winterthur International Short Film Festival, the Tampere Film Festival and the Hong Kong International Film Festival.

Cannes is one of the three biggest film festivals in the world. For the Directors Fortnight section, the jury leader was Colombian filmmaker Ciro Guerra, whose film Embrace of the Serpent received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 2016.This photo taken on May 15, 2019 shows vandalism on roller doors of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association and Fine Arts Exhibition House in Hanoi. Photo by George Burchett

For Hanoi-based artist George Burchett, vandalism and street art are like chalk and cheese, you cannot condone one for the other.

Following up on his article on the iconic Long Bien Bridge being "bombed" again, Burchett, an Australian painter, spoke to VnExpress International about graffiti as street art instead of vandalism.

Graffiti has been elevated to street art in many places around the world. So what do you have against street art?

Not every sound is music and not every splash of color or doodle is art.

I am no expert on "urban art," "street art," "graffiti art" or whatever you want to call it, but I am an expert on mural art, I have a Masters Degree in that rather specialized field and have been practicing it for many years.

Man's earliest form of artistic expression was on the walls of caves. With their very first attempts at depicting their world, humans created masterpieces of visual expression we call art that have been preserved to this day. That art is as beautiful, alive and dynamic today as when it was first painted, tens of thousands of years ago.

On the other hand, when todays filmmakers want to convey the collapse of human civilization in some apocalyptic way, you'll often see in their films the ruins of a city covered in graffiti, where the survivors of some nuclear or other catastrophe fight each other for survival.

That is what I and, it seems, others too, associate it with: urban decay, social collapse, gangs fighting for territory and other aggressive visual expressions of collapsing capitalism.

Of course, everything under the sun has its place, and so do graffiti and street art, especially if they play a positive role within the communities and social environments where they are created or created for.

But the same names and squiggles sprayed all over Hanoi is repetitive, annoying and, frankly, extremely rude to the general public.

I mean how many times does someone have to shout in writing their name at the city commuters from street corners, roller doors, etc? Even once is too much, as far as I'm concerned.

Also, I see more or less the same images, styles in America, Australia, Europe and now here in Vietnam. A global traveller trend that spreads around the world in a tediously copycat, repetitive, unimaginative manner, the visual equivalent of junk food.

So you do think Hanoi has some space for street art.

Hanoi can have any possible form of art as long as it enhances the city and doesn't deface it. Hanoi is the artistic and cultural capital of Vietnam. I'm sure that its many artists, from all generations, would be only too happy to contribute to preserving and enhancing Hanoi's beauty, unique atmosphere and charm, and keeping it clean and green  as the nation's 1,000-year old capital should be.

As far as I'm concerned, the historical part of Hanoi should have minimum interference of any kind. Hanoi has its own colors, textures, rhythm, sounds... It is a busy city, full of hustle and bustle, with hundreds of street signs, shop fronts, cafes and other businesses competing with each other. There's absolutely no need to add anything to all this.

What about the new Hanoi?

Well, with so much construction going on, there are opportunities for well-placed artistic and other creative initiatives to make the development of "new" Hanoi environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasant.

Students from various institutions  art, architecture, design, urban planning and other relevant branches  could collaborate on projects to enhance the urban environment and create new original art and design forms for the present and future. There are no limits to this.

I think it is a good time to use the new dynamics to create an enhanced new aesthetic and look for new creative approaches to enhance the urban environment.

And here's the key word: environment.

If we don't develop sustainable living environments, urban, rural and natural, we are doomed.

And then, perhaps, the spray can stuff will be adequate.Two Vietnamese workers stabbed to death by robbers in Angola

Two Vietnamese workers were stabbed to death by robbers in Angola on Monday. Photo by Shutterstock/Ting

Two Vietnamese workers, a man and a woman, were killed by burglars who broke into their rented apartment in Angola Monday.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Angola announced Thursday that Nguyen Trong Duc, 47, and his sister-in-law Tran Thi Thu Huong, 40, both from the central province of Ha Tinh, were stabbed to death by a group of robbers in their rented apartment around 2 a.m.

Local police are investigating the robbery about which no further details have been revealed.

Nguyen Huy Hai, a police officer in Ha Tinh, said the victims families are working with the embassy to bring the bodies of two Vietnamese workers back home.

Ha Tinh authorities said they did not have any information on Duc's status as he moved to the south 10 years ago.

Huong was going through a tough time after her husband died in a traffic accident nearly a year ago, and her two children were being raised by her mother.

A worrying number of Vietnamese workers have been killed in Angola, a south central Africa country, by robbers in recent years. In 2017, 38-year-old female worker Nguyen Thi Dao was stabbed to death by a group of robbers. A year earlier, two male Vietnamese workers from Ha Tinh were also killed by armed robbers.

In all these instances, no information has been released on the investigations and their results.

Vietnamese recruitment firms received licenses to send workers to Angola in early 2014, but tens of thousands of Vietnamese are working there on short-term, unofficial contracts, mostly in the construction industry.US official urges Pacific Island nations to keep ties with Taiwan

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asia, Patrick Murphy. Photo by Reuters/Samrang Pring

Pacific Island countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan should maintain them in the face of "heavy handed" attempts by China to reduce Taiwan's overseas contacts, a top U.S. official said on Friday.

U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia W. Patrick Murphy also said the United States was keen to help Pacific countries protect their sovereignty, in a region where the United States and is allies are competing for influence with China.

"Our encouragement on countries that have relations with Taiwan is to maintain the status quo," Murphy told reporters in Canberra, on a three-day visit to Australia.

China claims self-ruled and democratic Taiwan as sacred Chinese territory and merely a province with no right to state-to-state ties.

Taiwan is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which include a trade war, U.S. sanctions and China's increasingly muscular military posture in the South China Sea.

"China is changing (the) status quo, and the Pacific is a good example where China is attempting to reduce Taiwans diplomatic relations in the region," Murphy said.

"And that's kind of heavy handed."

"Countries should be able to make their own independent choices of their partners in diplomatic relations, and do so on the basis of domestic ingredients, not foreign influence."

China has offered to help developing countries including in the Pacific, and many see Chinese lending as the best bet to develop their economies.

But critics say Chinese loans can lead countries into a "debt trap".

Murphy said the United States was very keen to help countries "protect their sovereignty and their independence, to have viable alternatives and options to meet their development needs, their infrastructure needs, and their nation building needs".

Taiwan has formal ties with just 17 countries, almost all small, less developed nations in Central America and the Pacific, like Belize and Nauru.

Five countries have switched over to China since Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016. Others such as the Solomon Islands, where two-thirds of exports go to China, are weighing the merits of diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Although Pacific Island states offer little economically to either China and Taiwan, their support is valued in global forums such as the United Nations and as China seeks to isolate Taiwan.

"Taiwan is a core issue for China, and it will not be backing down on that. The comments do little to provide a way forward for the U.S-China relationship to be repaired," said James Laurenceson, director of Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology, Sydney.

This year, President Xi Jinping renewed China's longstanding threat to use force if necessary to bring Taiwan under its control.The Economic Commission of Central African States (ECCAS) has mounted a mission to Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to benchmark on the latters successful trade facilitation programmes.

Fifteen officials comprising of economists, customs, trade, agriculture, legal and programme experts were sent to learn best practices from their COMESA counterparts.

The study visit aims at strengthening institutional capacities and develop the competencies of ECCAS and its national institutions in order to promote trade facilitation mechanisms through a sharing of experiences on best practices developed in the COMESA and EAC.

Assistant Secretary General of COMESA Dr Kipyego Cheluget, who interacted with the delegation said COMESAs niche was trade and investment and had therefore designed trade facilitation programme that have been benchmarked across the African continent.

For example, the COMESA Yellow Card, a single insurance cover for motorists traversing across member States is a runaway success whose contribution to regional trade is big, Dr Cheluget said.

ECCAS hopes that its interaction with COMESA experts will improve the level of competencies of its experts in promoting a regional mechanism which makes it possible to reduce delays, better management of transit operations and the smooth flow of intra-regional trade in Central Africa.

The delegation will on Saturday, 25 tour of the One Stop Border Post at Chirundu on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe to see how its functions. The establishment of the border post is one of the COMESA trade facilitation projects and reduced the transit time for trucks from nine days to one.The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), a Regional Facilitation Unit for the World Bank-supported Africa Centers of Excellence for East and Southern Africa Project (ACE II) has selected incubation centers to be hosted at four of the Africa Centers of Excellence (ACEs).

Each of the four centers will receive a financial award of US$ 250,000 (about Shs925 million) from the World Bank grant of One million dollars (about Shs3.7 billion), seed fund for the establishment of the regional incubation centers for East and Southern Africa.

The ACEs selected to host the Incubation Centers are: ACEESD  African Center of Excellence in Energy for Sustainable Development, University of Rwanda, CREATES  Center for Research Advancement, Teaching Excellence and Sustainability in Food and Nutrition Security, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Tanzania,

Otheres are; PHARMBIOTRAC  Center for Pharm-Bio Technology and Traditional Technology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda and PTRE  Center of Excellence in Phytochemicals, Textile and Renewable Energy based at Moi University, Kenya

IUCEA received 15 proposals in response to a call that was issued in June 2018. The call invited any African Center of Excellence participating in the ACE II Project to submit proposals to host Incubation Centers through a co-financing arrangement in the four priority areas of the ACE II Project which include health, industry, agriculture, and education/applied statistics. The proposals were evaluated through a rigorous 3-step process by an international team of experts with extensive experience in business incubation, start-ups creation and successful commercialization of innovations and covered a diverse array of important topics  such as energy for sustainable development, innovative drugs development, food and nutrition security, among others  that are critical to the development of the region.

In the evaluation process priority was given to ACEs that already had good enough products that may require improvement, promotion for wider markets and potential for business incubation, i.e. the process of nurturing of early stage ventures to success. Another key criterion considered was the capacity to source additional sources of co-financing for the Center, to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the incubation center.

According to Dr. K. A. Appiah, a member of the Regional Steering Committee of the ACE II project who chaired the Independence Selection Panel, the quality of the proposals that were submitted was quite high, and it was a difficult decision to have to select only 4 out of the 15 proposals submitted, he said. He added, We hope that more funding can be made available by host governments and other institutions to fund other incubation centers. Our international team of experts were very impressed and eager to work with the selected ACEs to ensure that the selected incubation centers are successful in commercializing research innovations towards job creation and economic growth.

The selection panel recommended that although the fifth selected institution, Center for Innovative Drugs Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa) could not be funded, the proposal was one of the best and needed to be considered as a non-funded Incubation Center.

The IUCEA and the World Bank believe that such incubation centers will help build important linkages between academia and industry to help galvanize business growth in these priority areas that are critical to long-term growth and development of the region.

The World Bank believes strongly in the innovation potential of African research, as a key lever in the continued economic development of the continent, and these incubations centers will serve as important hubs where the impact of research can be transformed to commercial opportunities. We hope these centers will be the first among many to follow, said Dr. Roberta Malee Bassett, Senior Education Specialist, World Bank and Task Team Leader for ACE II Project.

The Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE II) Project supports the governments of Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia in strengthening selected African Centers of Excellence (ACEs) to deliver quality post-graduate education and build collaborative research capacity in the priority areas of (i) Industry, (ii) Agriculture, (iii) Health, (iv) Education, and (v) Applied Statistics.ELKO  Elko County employees will be receiving a 3 percent across-the-board pay hike beginning July 1  their first in three years. The pay increase is in the county budget that also includes a negotiated fee to the Nevada Division of Forestry.

The pay boost will cost the county $625,000, according to Assistant County Manager and Chief Financial Officer Cash Minor. He said on May 23 the county is able to afford it because we had a little surprise. Sales taxes were up and so were net proceeds [of mines].

The increase in pay and the NDF fee are in the budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year that Elko County Commissioners approved on May 22.

NDF requested an increase from $400,000 to $1,150,000. We negotiated it to a total of $600,000 for the next year, up only $200,000 rather than $750,000 as the agency wanted, Elko County Manager Rob Stokes said.

The Elko County Fire Protection District participates in NDFs Wildland Fire Protection Program and pays an annual fee to the program for cost coverage. NDF reported in April that Elko Countys average costs over the past six years have been roughly $2.35 million a year for fighting fires on private and local government lands.

The county told NDF it couldnt afford the $1.15 million fee.

Elko County established the Elko County Fire Protection District in 2014 and agreed to be part of the Nevada Wildland Fire Protection Program, but Minor said in April that the change cost the country roughly $1 million per year.

The county paid for the district from its general fund until last year, deciding then to begin taxing for the fire district. The 8.8 percent tax increase added 25 cents per $100 of assessed valuation or about $87.50 per year in taxes for a home valued at $100,000.

Minor said $350,000 of the tax revenue for the fire district is going into an emergency fund to continue the goal of reaching $1 million. The county put $350,000 in the fund in the fiscal year now ending, as well, so the total will be $700,000 at the end of the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

The money will be for fire emergencies.

The message at the beginning of the countys 87-page budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year states that the countys decisions to levy a tax rate and separate the fire district from the county general fund resulted in an increase to the ending fund balance for the current fiscal year, which is anticipated to be 19.24 percent of expenditures.

Budget figures

The budgeted ending fund balance in the general fund is anticipated at 11.79 percent of expenditures, which is in line with goals set during the budget process, according to the message.

We have continued to budget revenues conservatively and are showing an increase in expenditures of 10.88 percent, which includes 3 percent salary increases for all employees, an increase to general fund contingency of $100,000 and continued transfer of net proceeds tax revenue to the capital projects fund, the budget message reads.

The 2019-2020 budget for five operating funds, including the general fund, indigent fund, agriculture extension fund, library fund and juvenile fund, shows expected revenues of nearly $39.5 million, compared with the estimated $38.85 million for the current fiscal year.

Expenses for the five funds total $41.6 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1, compared with $37.8 million for the year ending this June 30.

The beginning fund balance for the new fiscal year for the five funds combined is $7.14 million, up from a little more than $6 million for the current year. The ending fund balance is anticipated to be roughly $5.03 million.

The county currently has 336.74 full-time equivalent employees, according to the budget, but the number is expected to drop to 325.49 in the new fiscal year. However, the budget also includes $417,934 for personnel expenditures.

The budget highlights sheet shows those expenses are for: a deputy clerk for elections; a library clerk; a building inspector; reclassification of the public defender position to chief civil deputy public defender; increased overtime, holiday, call-back, standby and training officer pay; and part-time wages for the public defenders office, law library, county managers office and the jail.

Tax rate

The county tax rate for the new fiscal year will be 0.8386, including 0.5139 for the general fund, 0.2747 for special revenue funds and 0.05 for capital project funds. The new budget contains nearly $2.34 million in capital projects and requests from the building and grounds department for capital funds.

Minor said the county also expects sales tax revenues to be higher this year, and he said Barrick Gold Corp. is back paying net proceeds of minerals tax after dropping off when the company met requirements to not pay in Elko County. Only a portion of Barricks Nevada operations are in Elko County.

Net proceeds are determined by subtracting certain deductions from the gross yield of a mine, such as the actual cost of extracting the mineral, refining the mineral, maintenance and repairs on equipment or facilities and reclamation work.

The budget shows consolidated tax revenues (sales taxes) at a little more than $12.22 million for the new year, compared with $11.81 million for the current fiscal year.

Ambulance service

Changes in the budget for Elko County ambulance services include the decision by Wells to contract for their own service, and the opening of a station in Spring Creek.

Lee Cabaniss, director of the Elko County Ambulance Service, recommending going to a 24-hour shift at Spring Creek. The budget adopted May 22 is for 12-hour shifts at Spring Creek.

Minor said that at this point were concerned a 24-hour shift would be too costly. Were being cautious. He said the county would collect data to determine whether to go to 24-hour shifts later.

The plan also includes redeploying a full-time advanced emergency medical technician from Wells, eliminating the request for an additional EMT, Cabaniss wrote. His proposal additionally calls for moving part-time personnel from Wells to Spring Creek, adding staff to Spring Creek, and one additional paramedic to Elko.

He said that based on a survey, the ambulance service expects to see an increase in calls in Spring Creek with the station there. Spring Creek volumes increased 9.2 percent from 2017 to 2018, and the service continues to see an increase of 4 to 5 percent in calls each year service-wide.

Salary dispute

As part of the budget meeting, commissioners also tried in several votes to resolve an issue involving job sharing in the Elko County District Attorneys Office.

Carolyn Smith currently is the office manager for the DAs office and manager of the child support program, also under Elko County District Attorney Tyler Ingram, who said the idea for Smith doing both jobs came up when the county asked for cost-saving ideas.

She has been doing both jobs since 2017, but a problem arose over contributions to the Public Employees Retirement System because of the dual roles. PERS wanted money back because contributions from both jobs without a new job description didnt qualify.

Smith receives a salary for nearly $112,000, but a portion of her pay comes from the state for the child support program.

The salary total also raised questions. County Human Resources Director Amanda Osborne wrote to the commissioners that the salary total is not equitable internally or externally regardless of the reimbursement from the state.

Osborne also recommended Smiths future salary be $91,000 per year for both jobs, and her additional salary for child support work not be under PERS. And she urged recruitment of someone to fill the child support position.

DA Ingram told commissioners he was sticking up for his department employee, who is asking for a new job description for PERS and for PERS to then decide on her contribution. He also said Smith has agreed to a $103,000 salary rather than the nearly $112,000.

Commission Chairman Rex Steninger said the commissioners are in a tough spot. He said he agreed with the district attorney that the county asked for ways to save money, and the county should be heralding her, not punishing her.

Stokes said he wanted to make it abundantly clear that talks regarding Smiths jobs are not a reflection on her work but are about the job positions.

Commissioner Cliff Eklund suggested a compromise pay for Smith of $97,261.

The motion that passed 3-2 calls for authorizing the job share at not more than $91,000 and the DAs office begin recruitment immediately for the child support position or Smith goes back to office manager for the DAs office only beginning July 1.

Steninger and Eklund voted no.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0After weeks of tense negotiations punctuated by moments where compromise seemed possible, Gov. Steve Sisolaks office decided to pull a controversial water bill that opponents had argued would bolster the Las Vegas pipeline. The decision was made after there [did] not appear to be anything approaching consensus, according to an email from Sisolaks senior policy advisor.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the bills sponsor, instead plans to convene a working group to discuss the policy at the center of Assembly Bill 30 before the next legislative session. The hope is that an informal working group, which could tackle other water issues too, would provide a collaborative approach to solving a complex water issue outside of the high-paced, politically-charged and personality-driven environment of the Legislature.

DCNR and our office agrees that these are issues that need to be revisited in the interim, and DCNR will be reaching out in the future as to what that will look like, Scott Gilles, Sisolaks senior policy advisor, wrote in an email Friday informing groups that the bill would die.

The policy at issue in AB 30 would let new water users settle conflicts with existing water users through a Monitoring, Management and Mitigation Plan, known as a 3M Plan. Although the state engineer, Nevadas top water regulator, has approved two 3M Plans, AB 30 would have codified his authority and set guidelines for when the plans could be used. The most recent drafts of the bill had placed an emphasis on requiring water users to avoid conflicts or minimize the size of their projects before water users were allowed to pursue more controversial mitigation practices.

A similar bill, proposed during the last legislative session, also died after opposition from rural water users and environmentalists, the same coalition that opposed AB 30. Other water users also had questions about AB 30, aired during a meeting Tuesday with the governors office.

After hopes of a compromise earlier this session, talks broke down over fears that language tweaks to the bill could enable the Southern Nevada Water Authoritys project to pump rural groundwater about 250 miles to Las Vegas. That project hinges on a 3M Plan, which is the subject of ongoing litigation, including from the Great Basin Water Network, the coalition opposed to the bill. Both sides were concerned about how the bill could affect their litigation.

But 3M Plans are hardly confined to the water authoritys project. They could be used in a variety of contexts, and many water users  and lawyers  viewed the legislation through the lens of their specific project, which created confusion and skepticism about the bills intent.

The plans are also controversial because they could make it easier for large water projects, more likely to affect a groundwater basin, to proceed, despite conflicts from priority water users. By Friday, a number of parties involved said they would be comfortable with an interim working group so that they could come back with a stronger bill that had more consensus next session.

Tensions already seemed to soften after the governors office decided to pull the bill.

Environmentalists and rural water users look forward to engaging productively with DCNR to ensure a sustainable water future for our state, Kyle Roerink of the Great Basin Water Network and Patrick Donnelly of the Center for Biological Diversity said in a joint statement Friday.

Brad Crowell, DCNRs director, said the legislation was never designed to enable the Las Vegas pipeline or any other project. He said the goal was to clarify the state engineers responsibility, providing statutory guidance to the courts, which is poised to make future rulings on the issue.

As responsible water managers, we must balance the needs of our states growing population and expanding economy with the importance of protecting Nevadas natural ecosystems, while taking into account the increasing impacts of climate change, Crowell said in a statement on Friday. Nevadas water resources belong to all Nevadans, and all stakeholders have a shared responsibility to help manage our water resources in the best interest of all Nevadans.

In the statement, Crowell added that he was looking forward to the working group.

Assemblywoman Heidi Swank, who chairs the Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Mining, said she is hopeful that the interim working group will be collaborative. Swank noted that all of the groups involved were able to make more progress than in the last session.

Compared to where we ended up last session to where we are this session, were miles ahead, Swank said on Friday. I honestly think thats due to the sea change in conversations between agencies and the administration and stakeholders. I think that there is much more openness and a willingness to listen and collaborate and adjust things going forward.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0These things happen. It's a piece of material so it can always tear. Or were there more mystical powers at play as the Barcelona fans' tifo split in two ahead of the Copa del Rey final?

Big split in Barca message

The stage was set in Real Betis' home ground the Benito Villamarin in Seville for the 2019 final. Ernesto Valverde led out his LaLiga champions as they went in search of a domestic double, in a bid to erase, at least in part, the Champions League nightmare of Anfield. Valencia stood in their way, and Marcelino had his side primed to spoil the party.

As the fans welcomed their heroes onto the pitch a huge tifo rolled out by the Catalan fans which read, Tots Units (translated as 'All together'). But the message broke down the middle allowing some to point to potential fractures in the squad.

All the action from the game from AS English.Leaders of the State Court Administration of Ukraine and representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have discussed the issues of the launch of operation of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC). The IMF said that the work done is effective.

According to the court.gov.ua portal, at a meeting on Friday Legal Adviser of the IMF Jonathan Pampolina recalled that obligations of the State Court Administration to take measures to launch HACC was one of the conditions of implementation of Ukraine's liabilities outlined in the action plan to implement agreements with the IMF drawn up in pursuance of the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies.

In turn, Head of the State Court Administration Zinoviy Kholodniuk, notified about the beginning of a special inspection regarding the winner of the competition for the vacant position of the head of the HACC administration, Bohdan Kryklyvenko, and on May 21, a competition was announced for the position of deputy head of the HACC administration.

"Today, the issue of ensuring the activities of the High Anti-Corruption Court is a priority for the State Court Administration of Ukraine. This is about assisting in the formation of the court administration, carrying out repair work and reconstruction of premises, ensuring security in the court. Due to the fact that the premises in which the HACC will work, require re-equipment to its needs, the court will temporarily be located in the buildings where the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv was located before," Kholodniuk said.

The IMF considers the work carried out by the State Court Administration of Ukraine at the beginning of operation of the High Anti-Corruption Court to be effective, since the administration has really settled many important tasks for Ukraine in this direction, the IMF legal adviser said.Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine Roman Waschuk has said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is invited to visit Canada on July 2, the Radio Liberty has reported.

"He, at least, was personally invited by phone. And we are able to handle it with papers on both sides," Waschuk said.

He said that the date July 2 coincides with the conference to support reforms in Ukraine in Canada.

"I think our prime minister hopes for the presence of both the president and other high-ranking Ukrainian officials. Although we understand that an election campaign will take place in Ukraine at the same time," the ambassador said.

According to the publication, the other day the Presidential Administration of Ukraine reported that Zelensky is still deciding where he will make his first foreign visit.Russia-led forces mounted 17 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, Ukraine's east, in the past day; one Ukrainian soldier was killed and one was wounded in action, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) headquarters has said.

"On May 24, armed groups of the Russian Federation violated the ceasefire 17 times; 120mm and 82mm mortars banned by the Minsk agreements were used in three instances. As a result of shelling, one member of the Joint Forces was killed and one wounded," the JFO HQ said on Facebook in a morning update on Saturday.

In the area of responsibility of the Vostok (East) operational-tactical group, the enemy mounted 13 attacks on the JFO positions, in particular, twice near the village of Pisky using 120mm and 82mm mortars and automatic stand-alone grenade launchers, near Krasnohorivka using anti-tank missile systems and machine-mounted anti-tank grenade launchers, near the settlement of Verkhnio-Toretske using grenade launchers of various systems and small arms, three attacks near Avdiyivka using grenade launchers of various systems and small arms, near the village of Kamianka using heavy anti-tank grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns, near the village of Hnutove using heavy anti-tank grenade launchers and small arms, three attacks near the village of Novotroitske, Krasnohorivka and Novoselivka using anti-tank grenade launchers, and near the village of Lebedynske using automatic grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns and small arms.

In the area of responsibility of the Sever (North) operational-tactical group, the positions of the Ukrainian defenders were shelled four times near the settlement of Shumy using mortars, automatic heavy-duty grenade launchers and small arms, near Zolote-4 using 82mm mortars; near Mayorsk using hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, and near the settlement of Luhanske using small arms.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, on May 24, one militant was killed, three more were injured.

"Since the beginning of the current day, there have been no attacks on the JFO positions," the headquarters' press center said.Execution of ITLOS order to release Ukrainian sailors by Russia could be first signal of readiness to end conflict with Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is convinced that the execution of the order of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) by Russia to release Ukrainian sailors and ships detained could be a signal from the Russian leadership of their readiness to end the conflict with Ukraine.

"The execution of the ITLOS order by Russia to release Ukrainian sailors and ships detained could be a signal from the Russian leadership of their real readiness to terminate the conflict with Ukraine," the head of state wrote on his Facebook page on Saturday.

He is convinced that in this way Russia can take a step "towards unblocking the negotiations and solving the problems created by it in a civilized way."

"Let's see which path will be chosen in the Kremlin. But we are very much waiting for our guys at home!" Zelensky said.Interfax-Ukraine to host press conference 'Who Did Really Give Up our Crimea?'

On Tuesday, May 28, at 14.30, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference entitled: "'Who Did Really Give Up our Crimea?" Participants include: former Chief of the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces Col. Gen. Volodymyr Zamana, lawyers Oleh Zhyvotov, Andriy Podosionov (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation.On May 22, the delegation had a meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng, during which Cuong thanked the Cambodian Peoples Party, Cambodian State and people for creating favourable conditions for those of the Vietnamese origin living in the country.

He asked the Cambodian government to help deal with difficulties facing the community, especially in the withdrawal of irregular administrative documents and the evacuation and relocation of the people of the Vietnamese origin in Tonle Sap Lake area.

He voiced his hope that the Cambodian side will facilitate the resettlement in accordance with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sens directions. This calls for an appropriate evacuation plan and ensure basic infrastructure and public services for residents in new areas, he said.

The Vietnamese official also urged the Cambodian side to simplify administrative procedures related to legal documents for the group.

Sar Kheng, in turn, affirmed that policies carried out by Cambodia look to bring about a better life for its people.

When relocated, people are still supported to continue in their occupations such as fishing or aquatic farming on the lake, the official said.

He told the guests that he often requests leaders of Kampong Chhnang province to pay attention to ensuring infrastructure and provide healthcare and education services to resettled people.The leader made the affirmation during his talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg in Oslo, as part of his official visit to the country.

PM Erna Solberg expressed her belief that PM Phucs visit will contribute to enhancing the Vietnam-Norway relations.

Host and guest highly valued the strong developments in the bilateral ties across spheres over the past time, saying the two sides have maintained high-level meetings.

They agreed to step up all-level delegation exchanges in order to create momentum for cooperation in various realms.

PM Phuc thanked the Norwegian Government and people for their continuous official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam over the past years, helping the country in socio-economic development and fulfillment of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as well as international integration.

He called on Norway to maintain its development cooperation with Vietnam and support the Southeast Asian nation in such fields as environment, education, economic management, administrative reform, and bomb and mine clearance.

Progress has been made in collaboration in other areas, especially forestry, environment, fishery, renewable energy, maritime transportation and shipbuilding, the two leaders said. However, the bilateral trade has yet to match potential and strength of both countries.

They, therefore, consented to push ahead with negotiations of the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), to which Norway is the coordinator.

The two countries will encourage their businesses to expand their operation in the respective market, particularly in solar energy, petroleum technological services and blue economy.

They will also promote the consumption and quality of their seafood, including Vietnams tra fish and Norways salmon.

The leaders spoke highly the Vietnam-Norway Business Forum which was held earlier the same day in Oslo as part of PMs Phuc ongoing visit, saying the event helped enterprises of the two countries seek cooperation opportunities and expand their investment and business.

They talked about partnership in education-training and culture, and agreed to assign ministries of the two countries to foster collaboration in new spheres regarding women, peace and security, tourism and sports, and people-to-people exchange.

PM Erna Solberg lauded the role of the 20,000-strong Vietnamese community in Norway in developing the friendship and exchange between the two peoples.

PM Phuc suggested the Norwegian Government to create more favourable conditions for the community to work and integrate in the host society.

During their talks, the leaders concurred that Vietnam and Norway should strengthen their close coordination at multilateral forums, especially the United Nations, and within the cooperation framework of ASEAN-Norway and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in the context that both countries are running for non-permanent seats at the UN Security Council, with Vietnams bid for the 2020-2021 term and Norway for the 2021-2022 tenure.

They affirmed their common commitments to sustainable and inclusive development in accordance with the UNs Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, emphasising affiliation in forest protection, response to climate change and sea level rise, and plastic waste management.

Both PMs noted with pleasure the two countries mutual support at international forums and multi-lateral organisations, as well as their efforts to join hands with the international community for not only sustainable development but also the global peace.

Regarding the East Sea issue, they exchanged views on the importance of and the need to ensure peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the area.

All disputes should be settled by peaceful measures, in line with international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and other relevant regional documents, they said.

PM Erna Solberg congratulated Vietnam on socio-economic achievements the country has recorded over the past time, and praised Vietnams rising role in the region and the world, especially its hosting of recent major international events.

PM Phuc invited his Norwegian counterpart to visit Vietnam again in the time ahead, and PM Erna Solberg accepted the invitation with pleasure.Ambassador Hue made the remarks while presenting her credentials to Maltese President George Vella on May 23.

The ambassador affirmed that Vietnam is willing to foster cooperation with Malta in the fields of trade, investment, education, tourism, services, pharmaceutical products and shipping, as well as closely coordinate with the European nation in multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF).

President Vella congratulated Vietnam on its socio-economic achievements and spoke highly of the countrys increasing role in regional and multilateral forums, particularly in maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world.

He stressed that Maltese people and businesses have paid more attention to the Southeast Asian region and Vietnam in particular, and agreed to promote cooperation in the spheres where both countries have advantages.

On the occasion, the Vietnamese diplomat also met with Speaker of the House of Representatives Anglu Farrugia and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Carmelo Abela.

Farrugia voiced his hope to strengthen cooperation between the Maltese and Vietnamese parliaments, while Abela agreed to join hands with Vietnam to organise economic and cultural events in the coming time, and step up educational and marine cooperation.Iran is concerned about the U.S. cutting off internet connection to the country and is mulling "drills" to make sure its banking and other vital services could work in such an environment

A "task force" has been set up to "combat U.S. cyber threats," Iran's Minister of Communication and Information Technology said on Monday, May 13.

"To neutralize those threats, we have set up a task force in the National Center of Virtual Space since a year ago, which has studied various scenarios, threats and sanctions, and the necessary approaches have been adopted," Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi maintained, without mentioning the nature of cyber threats posed the United States.

But the discourse about possible internet threats in the past, reveal that Iran is concerned about losing its cyber connection with the outside world and how it can impact its internal digital communications.

Meanwhile, without any elaboration, Azari Jahromi asserted that the necessary plans have been devised to address a possible need to disconnect the internet, saying his ministry's initiatives to combat the U.S. sanctions will be soon publicized.

On January 27, it was announced that Iran would perform an "internet disconnection exercise," but, a day later, Azari Jahromi said that the drill had been canceled.

Earlier, in October 2018, the head of Iran's Passive Defense Organization, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Brigadier General Gholam Reza Jalali had also maintained that necessary arrangements were made to counter the U.S. hostile strategies and its potential move to block Iran's access to the Internet.

One point of concern for Iran is its internal banking operations, which completely depend on the internet. What would happen if it loses connection to the world-wide web? How that would impact its banking operations?

Jahromis allusions to threats and drills to disconnect the internet partly are meant to address this issue. Has Iran set up the necessary infrastructure to survive without being connected to the internet? Have they set up a viable intranet to maintain vital banking and other operations?

However, none of the promises to conduct internet disconnection drills have materialized so far.

However, the head of Iran information technology organization, Amir Nazemi claimed last November that none of the scenarios studied point to an imminent threat of Iran being denied internet connection with the outside world.

Nazemi referred to threats to Iranian sites on foreign data centers," and possible denial for Iranian users to access services rendered by different foreign sites and apps" as one of the scenarios the Islamic Republic should expect under U.S. sanctions or retaliatory moves.

Now that the sanctions are implemented, none of these speculations have materialized, so far.

While, admitting that U.S. sanctions have put pressures on Iranian online businesses, Azari Jahromi said on Monday, "The bulk of U.S. sanctions on Iran's cyber sector have been imposed over the past year, but the country's cyberspace has not been disturbed although all international cloud computing providers have ceased providing Internet service to Iranian companies."

The Islamic Republic government has been attempting for years to establish a local internet, separate from the global web system. In August 2016, Iran launched the first phase of its so-called "national data network" after a gap of eleven years.

In the meantime, many analysts believe that a local internet will have "low quality," and it will also tighten government control over Iranian internet users.A senior German diplomat is in Tehran to press Iran to continue to respect the landmark nuclear deal, despite the unilateral withdrawal of the U.S. and increasing sanctions' pressure from Washington.

The Foreign Ministry says Political Director Jens Ploetner is meeting with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday.

The visit comes amid mounting tensions in the region. It also follows Iran's declaration earlier this month that the remaining signatories to the deal  Germany, France, Britain, China and Russia  have two months to develop a plan to shield Iran from American sanctions.

After the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or the 2015 nuclear, Iran has been pressuring Europe to set up a trade mechanism to help circumvent U.S. sanctions.

The three European signatories of the agreement have nominally set up a trade vehicle called INSTEX but it has not become operational; triggering Iranian dissatisfaction and a 60-day ultimatum.

The ministry says there's a "window for diplomacy to persuade Iran to continue its full compliance" with the deal and warns "there's a real risk of escalation  including due to misunderstandings or an incident."

Reporting by APBaku, Azerbaijan, May 25

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 20 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on May 25, Trend reports.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.Baku, Azerbaijan, May 25

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, King of Jordan.

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I heartily congratulate you and through you all your people on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Ilham Aliyev said in his letter.

On this remarkable day, I wish you the best of health, happiness and the brotherly people of Jordan lasting peace and prosperity.Baku, Azerbaijan, May 25

Trend:

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of the Republic Day.

On behalf of the people and government of Turkmenistan and on my own behalf, I extend my sincere congratulations and best wishes to you and through you to all brotherly people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of your country`s Republic Day, Turkmenistan's president said in his letter.

In Turkmenistan, we highly appreciate relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan based on principles of good neighborliness, respect and mutual support. I am firmly convinced that Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan relations will continue to develop and strengthen in the spirit of mutual cooperation to the benefit of our brotherly countries and nations.

Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, taking this pleasant opportunity, I wish you the best of health, happiness, and the brotherly people of Azerbaijan peace, prosperity and progress, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said.

President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev has also congratulated the Azerbaijani president.

On the occasion of the national holiday of the Republic of Azerbaijan  the Republic Day, please accept my most cordial congratulations and sincere wishes for the prosperity of Azerbaijan and its people, the Bulgarian president said in his letter.

I would like to take this pleasant occasion to reaffirm to you the willingness of the Republic of Bulgaria to continue developing strategic partnership relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan.

I am convinced that the cooperation between our states will keep on its ascending development as it is based on a stable ground  the friendly ties between our peoples.

Please accept, Dear Mr President, the assurances of my highest consideration, he noted.

Nicola Selva and Michele Muratori, Captains Regent of the Republic of San Marino, also congratulated President Aliyev on the occasion of the Republic Day.

On the auspicious occasion of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, we would like to express on behalf of the people of San Marino and on our own name cordial greetings and best wishes to Your Excellency and to the friendly people of the Republic of Azerbaijan, they said in their letter.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of our highest consideration and sincere good wishes for your personal well-being and for the welfare, progress and prosperity of the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Naruhito, Emperor of Japan, has also congratulated the Azerbaijani president.

"On the occasion of the Republic Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I have great pleasure in sending Your Excellency my heartfelt congratulations and sincere good wishes for your happiness and for the prosperity of the people of your country, the Emperor of Japan said in his letter.Baku, Azerbaijan, May 25

Trend:

First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva and Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva have attended the iftar ceremony in Pir Hasan sanctuary, Mardakan settlement, Khazar district, Baku.

First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva and Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva were invited to the iftar party during their recent visit to the sanctuary.

The event participants thanked for social and economic development and tranquility in Azerbaijan. They hailed the work done by President Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva to develop the country, and expressed their confidence that such ceremonies will soon be held in Karabakh.

First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva said she is happy to meet with the residents of Khazar district.

The ceremony featured the recitation of verses from the holy Quran and a Ramadan prayer.Baku, Azerbaijan, May 25

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

Argentina is happy with the level of bilateral relations with Azerbaijan, Ambassador of Argentina to Azerbaijan Sergio Osvaldo Perez Gunella said in Baku at an event dedicated to the anniversary of Argentinas independence, Trend reports.

Although, we strongly believe there is still a huge potential that needs to be developed between the two countries, he noted.

We commemorate today the 209th anniversary of the Revolution of May of 1810, when Argentina installed its first independent government and started a process that ended in the declaration of independence in 1816, he said. That was the day that our country told the world that we were ready to start walking a new path of sovereignty, development and active participation in the international arena as a new nation.

Few years ago, we decided to implement a new approach to the rest of the world by integrating our country in a more decisive way in all international fields, with an open and transparent agenda which reflects the pacific, democratic and plural character of Argentina, he added.

A very proactive diplomatic agenda allowed us to build confidence within the international community, with concrete results in new cooperation initiatives; dynamization of international trade; modernization of regional integration structures and the opening new markets, the ambassador said.

We were also committed to the idea of Argentina as a protagonist, hosting the 11th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO); a very successful first G20 Leaders Summit in South America; the Youth Olympic Games and the Second High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation, he added.

Two high level political meetings have taken place recently, he said. In March, [Azerbaijani Foreign] Minister [Elmar] Mammadyarov visited Argentina and three weeks ago the President of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies visited Baku.

Bilateral agreements that provide a better basis for the deepening of the relationship have been signed in the last years; we held several activities in the cultural field that were able to bring closer our nations trough music, literature, dance, plastic arts and sports, he noted.

But we believe that in the trade and economic fields, we still have big opportunities ahead of us, the ambassador said. Traditional Argentinean products such as meat and wine are well known internationally and we are working to make them more available to the Azerbaijani public. We are also developing a series of cooperation projects, mainly in the agriculture sector, that could be soon implemented in order to strengthen Argentinean-Azerbaijani relations.

It has been only two and a half months since I arrived in Baku, he added. But the efficiency of the team of the embassy, the warm welcome of my colleagues, the hospitality of the Azerbaijani authorities and above all the kindness, openness and respect of the Azerbaijani people had made me feel already at home.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_ZeynTehran, Iran, May 25

Trend:

More than 30 Iranian auto part makers attended the 28th International Biennial exhibition of Automotive (Autopromotec) in Bologna, Italy, to discuss cooperation prospects with Italian counterparts.

During various meetings, it was suggested that the auto part makers of the two countries provide each other required parts through barter, Trend reports citing Mehr News Agency.

Iranian delegate held meeting with representatives of local government of Bologna, Head of Italian Association of the Automobile Industry and Head of the exhibition to discuss issues on developing bilateral relations between Iran and Italy in the field of auto parts production. field.

Iran's Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohsen Salehinia, Head of Modernization and Administrative Center if the Ministry Asghar Mosaheb and high-rank representatives of 30 Iranian auto part manufacturers attended the exhibition.

The 28th edition of Autopromotec, the most specialized international exhibition of automotive equipment and aftermarket products, is held from May 22-26 at the Bologna Trade Fair Center.

More than 1,500 companies from 32 countries attend the exhibition. The exclusive approach adopted by Autopromotec makes the event a showcase of cutting edge technologies, innovations, new products and market opportunities which are a benchmark for the sector.Baku, Azerbaijan, May 25

By Fakhri Vakilov  Trend:

The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Belgium hosted a meeting with President and Managing Director of the Belgian Bridgin Foundation Tanko Mouhamadou, Trend reports citing Uzbek media.

Tanko Muhamad said that the financing of a project to create a modern agro-industrial cluster in Kuyichirchik district of the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan is a pilot one, and the Foundation intends to expand its investment activities in Uzbekistan in the event of its successful implementation.

The Bridgin Foundation is a public fund set up with the purpose of financing various projects in other states.

International financial structures (EIB, ECB, banks), grantors (EU countries and institutions, UN), as well as donors from European countries, the USA, Canada, Australia and others finance Bridgins projects.

The main condition for the foundations activity is states participation in its projects, including public-private partnerships.

Following the meeting, an agreement was reached on organizing a Bridgin Foundation delegations visit to Uzbekistan on June 714 to conduct substantive negotiations with the project initiators, familiarize with the construction site and hold the Foundation presentation.

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Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxriBaku, Azerbaijan, May 24

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

The Ministry of Energy of Russia is ready to resume supplies of petroleum products to Kazakhstan as soon as possible, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Energy of Russia told Trend.

At the beginning of 2019, oil balance sheets were agreed upon and signed by the Ministry of Energy of Russia and the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan.

However, Kazakhstan has prohibited the petroleum products import from Russia via railway transport for the period of three months.

Currently, the government of Kazakhstan is considering the extension of the prohibition for the same period, the spokesperson says. The Kazakh party claims that the prohibition is due to oversaturation of the local market with petroleum products.

According to the Ministry of Energy of Russia, they are ready to resume the supply of petroleum products as soon as possible if there is a demand from Kazakhstan.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikhBaku, Azerbaijan, May 25

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

The US Department of State positively assesses the signing of the Convention on the Status of the Caspian Sea last year and urges Turkmenistan to take advantage of the agreements reached by the Caspian states to join the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), which will give this country positive impetus for development, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Energy Diplomacy of the Department of State Bureau of Energy Resources Sandra Oudkirk told RIA Novosti on the sidelines of the Caspian Forum, Trend reports.

"We believe that the agreement on the status of the Caspian Sea is a positive step forward. We think that the export corridor with Turkmenistan is worth building. Turkmenistan exports gas to China, it has potential and it would be great if the country is connected to Europe through Azerbaijan or other countries," she said.

She added that this will bring additional competition to the market.

"We would like Turkmenistan to be able to realize all the possible options. Turkmenistan must decide on this. As I noted earlier, Turkmenistan depends on one consumer, but its economy can get more active support," she said.

The Southern Gas Corridor project envisages the creation of a pipeline infrastructure for the transportation of Azerbaijani gas, which is extracted as part of the development of the Shah Deniz Stage 2 field, to Europe via Turkey.

The main components of the project are Shah Deniz Stage 2, expansion of the South Caucasus pipeline Baku-Georgia-border with Turkey, construction of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) from Turkeys eastern border to the western border and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) connecting Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy.

Supplies of Azerbaijani gas to Europe are expected in the amount of 10 billion cubic meters in early 2020. In addition, 6 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas will be supplied to the western regions of Turkey. Deliveries to Turkey began in the summer of 2018.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_ZeynAshgabat, Turkmenistan, May 25

By Huseyn Hasanov Trend:

The Turkmenenergo State Electric Power Corporation will sign a new contract with Turkish company Calik Enerji, Trend reports with reference to the published presidential decree.

The contract will be signed for the construction of an equipment service center on the territory of the Buzmei electric power plant with external supply engineering communications and the purchase of spare parts for gas turbine units.

The document prescribes to start the construction work in June 2019 and the commissioning of the center with full readiness for operation in June 2022.

Earlier it was reported that the total volume of electricity generated in Turkmenistan is planned to be increased up to 33 billion kilowatt-hours by 2024, which is nearly 30 percent more compared to the plans for 2018.

Turkmenistan sells electricity to Afghanistan and Iran. Ashgabat also reviews the prospects for supplying electricity to the markets of the Caucasian, Central Asian and South Asian countries.

There are 12 power plants with design capacity of 6,721.6 megawatts in Turkmenistan. These facilities involve 36 gas and 12 steam turbines.Baku, Azerbaijan, May 25

By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend:

Energy operators of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Russia held a working meeting in Tbilisi, Trend reports referring to Sputnik Georgia.

Technical details of the power systems of the three countries were considered during the working meeting at the head office of the Georgian State Electrosystem JSC. Representatives of Azerenergy and the Unified Energy System of Russia took part in the meeting.

The parties reviewed mechanisms for regulating the electricity flow and agreed to discuss the details associated with the creation of the United Electric Power Ring, which will significantly improve the stability of the electrical systems of the three countries and increase the possibilities of electricity export and import.

Azerenergy OJSC supplies electricity to Iran, Russia, Turkey and Georgia. In early May 2019, the company also established exports to Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

The volume of electricity exported in 2018 amounted to 1.41 billion kilowatt/hour. In January-April 2019, Azerenergy's electricity exports amounted to 1.05 billion kilowatt/hour.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaSBaku, Azerbaijan, May 25

Trend:

As the founder and the first President of the Republic of Kazakhstan who played a crucial role in building the statehood and transforming Kazakhstan into a regional power and an important player in the international arena, and immensely contributed to the endeavors of uniting the Turkic world, Nursultan Nazarbayev was granted the status of the life-time Honorary President of the Turkic Council, Trend reports with reference to Turkic Council's press office.

"The initiative was launched by the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and supported by the leaders of Turkic Council Member States, thanks to the leading role of Nursultan Nazarbayev in the convergence of the Turkic world since early 1990s and the establishment of Turkic Cooperation Organizations such as: Turkic Council, TurkPA and Turkic Academy," reads the statement.

The official announcement of this decision was made on behalf of the Turkic Council Member States by Mevlut Cavusoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, on the occasion of his reception by the first President of the Republic of Kazakhstan-Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev on May 24, 2019 in Nur-Sultan.

"Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of the Republic of Turkey, while receiving the Secretary General of the Turkic Council Baghdad Amreyev on May 20, 2019 in Istanbul, also proposed to hold a special ceremony on the announcement of first President Nazarbayev as the life-time Honorary President of the Turkic Council on the occasion of the 7th Summit of the Turkic Council to be convened in October 2019 in Baku," the statement says.

President Nazarbayev has long been honored with the title of Aksakal (Elder) of the Turkic world. Indeed, the Turkic Council is the brainchild of the President Nazarbayev, reads the statement. He participated in all 15 Head of States Summits since 1992 and also became the generator of the ideas for many projects of the Turkic Council as well as other Turkic Cooperation Organizations.

The ideas and projects of the Nursultan Nazarbayev will keep shedding light to the efforts of the Turkic people in the future, the statement says.U.S. President Donald Trumps national security adviser, John Bolton, said on Saturday there was no doubt North Koreas recent test missile launches violated United Nations resolutions, Trend reports citing Reuters.

The U.N. resolution prohibits the launch of any ballistic missiles, Bolton said at a press roundtable in Tokyo ahead of a four-day state visit to Japan by Trump.

Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the first flight of a previously untested weapon - a relatively small, fast missile experts believe will be easier to hide, launch, and maneuver in flight.

Bolton added Washington would not change its position from the one outlined at the last summit between the United States and North Korea in Hanoi but that Trump has held the door open for Kim.

Trump is expected to discuss topics ranging from North Koreas nuclear missiles to China and two-way trade when he meets Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday.A riot in a pretrial detention centre in Venezuela on Friday saw 29 killed and 19 injured, a source in the Venezuelan state prosecutor's office has told Sputnik, Trend reports.

"According to updated data, there are 19 injured and 29 killed", the source said. The source added that there were 14 employees of the pre-trial detention centre among those 19 persons injured in the incident. They had gunshot and blast injuries.

An investigation into the circumstances of the incident is underway, according to the source.

In April, a similar incident occurred in Venezuela's Nueva Esparta state. One person was killed and two other people were injured after about 60 prisoners escaped from a local jail. The inmates, who seized arms from a guardhouse, attacked and injured two prison guards, local media reported.Frances Total is seeking to sell part of its stake in Kazakhstans giant Kashagan oilfield to raise up to $4 billion, four banking sources said, reports Trend citing to Reuters

Total holds a 16.8% stake in Kashagan, one of the worlds largest oilfields with production of about 400,000 barrels per day (bpd), and is seeking to sell around a third of its stake.

The companys entire stake has an estimated value of up to $9 billion, the sources said.

The energy group has held talks with a Chinese national oil company about a stake sale in recent months but the sides were unable to agree on price, two sources said.

Total initially declined to comment but subsequently said it is not currently in talks with a Chinese company to sell a stake in Kashagan. Total has no ongoing sale process for its Kashagan stake, it added.

Kashagan, the worlds biggest oil find in decades and the most expensive standalone oil project, took an estimated $50 billion and 13 years to develop before starting in 2016.

Total is not using any external bankers in the sale process, one of the sources said.

The sale would be a welcome cash boost for Total as it prepares to buy $8.8 billion of oil and gas assets in Africa from Occidental Petroleum should the U.S. groups acquisition of rival Anadarko go through.

Total Chief Executive Patrick Pouyanne said in an interview published on Friday that the purchase of Anadarko assets from Occidental may prompt the French oil company to sell others.

These acquisitions will also allow us to turn over our portfolio and may therefore be followed by divestments, Pouyanne told financial paper Investir.

While not identifying any oilfield as for sale, Pouyanne said Total would likely offload higher-cost production, as it seeks to lower its break-even point in order to remain profitable even if the price of oil falls below $30 a barrel.

Kashagan is operated by the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) and the other partners in the field are Eni, Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil, KazMunayGas, Inpex and China National Petroleum Corp.

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Kashagan, located in the Caspian sea, is expected to produce 370,000-400,000 bpd early next month after undergoing maintenance.

Under Kazakh law, companies selling stakes in projects like Kashagan have to offer them to the Kazakh government first and can sell to third parties only if the government chooses not to buy.

Kazakhstans Energy Ministry could not be reached for immediate commentA Maltese armed forces patrol boat picked up more than 200 migrants from two dinghies in the Mediterranean and was bringing them to Malta on Saturday, reports Trend citing to Reuters

At least one pregnant woman and a number of children were believed to be among the 216 rescued migrants. Their nationality was not known.

An AFM spokesman said a patrol boat had been deployed to a sinking dinghy south of Malta on Friday. After picking up the migrants, it was diverted to a second dinghy while on its way to Malta, picking up those migrants as well.

The armed forces said that with good weather conditions prevailing, departures of migrants from Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria had increased in the past two days, resulting in 12 migrant boats arriving in Sicily, Sardinia, and Lampedusa.

The Libyan coast guard said on Friday it had rescued 290 migrants from inflatable rafts near the capital Tripoli.At least 216 migrants including women and children, were rescued in the Mediterranean Sea by the Maltese military, a spokesperson for the Maltese Armed Forces (MAF) said, Trend reported citing Sputnik.

Two separate rescue operations took place late Friday, the local media reported.

The migrants, including women and children, were crossing the sea on dinghies. At least one pregnant woman was among those rescued by the Maltese forces, according to the spokesman.

Now the migrants will have a chance to apply for asylum.

The EU has been challenged by migration crisis since 2015 due to the influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing their home countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

Relocation of migrants within the bloc has caused tensions within EU countries, with Malta, in particular, reaching an agreement with eight EU states to relocate migrants stranded off its coast on charity vessels after sea rescue operations.Islamist insurgents killed at least 25 soldiers and a number of civilians in an ambush in northeast Nigeria on Saturday morning, two security sources said, the second deadly attack on the army this week, Trend reported citing Reuters.

Militants opened fire as the soldiers were escorting a groups of evacuees from a village in Borno state, where Boko Haram and other militants have been fighting for a decade.

They ambushed and surrounded the vehicles of both the soldiers and the civilians and opened fire on them, said one of the sources, part of a vigilante group that fights alongside the military against the insurgencies.

They exchanged fire for some minutes before the Boko Haram militants overpowered the soldiers.

Nigerias government has said the Boko Haram insurgency, and the rival Islamic State West Africa Province group, are on their last legs.

But sustained efforts to eradicate the militants have failed and the military continues to suffer heavy losses.

The war has killed more than 30,000 people and displaced millions more.

The soldiers were evacuating villages in the region on Saturday to carry out operations against Boko Haram, the sources said. One said the civilian convoy had as many as 50 vehicles.

Nigerian military spokesmen did not respond to requests for comment.

On Wednesday, Islamic States West Africa branch claimed responsibility for a raid in Nigeria in which it said 20 soldiers had been killed, and released a video purporting to show the execution of nine other Nigerian soldiers.A local Daesh commander and four militants were killed in a raid carried out by the Afghan Special forces in Nangarhar province in the east of the country, Trend reported citing Sputnik.

The operation was carried out in Deh Bala district on Friday, the Interior Ministry said, cited by the Khaama Press News Agency. Six more Daesh sympathizers were injured during the raid.

Afghanistan is suffering from an unstable political, social and security situation due to the activity of the Taliban movement and the Daesh terrorist group. The Afghan National Defence and Security Forces regularly conduct joint offensive operations to combat terrorism across the country.

The Taliban, which has been engaged in a years-long conflict with Kabul, opposes Daesh because they are not willing to give up areas that they control to those who have come from other regions or abroad.

The IS-K (a branch of the Daesh terrorist organization) has carried out numerous attacks in Kabul, sparking protests in the capital that pushed the government to begin a crackdown on the terrorist group. The IS-K has recently decreased the number of their attacks on Kabul and instead have focused more on empowering their strongholds in remote provinces.U.S. President Donald Trump, declaring a national emergency because of tensions with Iran, swept aside objections from Congress on Friday to complete the sale of over $8 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, Trend reports citing Reuters.

The Trump administration informed congressional committees that it will go ahead with 22 military sales to the Saudis, United Arab Emirates and Jordan, infuriating lawmakers by circumventing a long-standing precedent for congressional review of major weapons sales.

Members of Congress had been blocking sales of offensive military equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for months, angry about the huge civilian toll from their air campaign in Yemen, as well as human rights abuses such as the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey.

Lawmakers and congressional aides warned earlier this week that Trump, frustrated with Congress holding up weapons deals including the sale of bombs to Saudi Arabia, was considering using a loophole in arms control law to go ahead by declaring a national emergency.

President Trump is only using this loophole because he knows Congress would disapprove ... There is no new emergency reason to sell bombs to the Saudis to drop in Yemen, and doing so only perpetuates the humanitarian crisis there, said Senator Chris Murphy.

Murphy, a Democrat, made public on Twitter on Wednesday that Trump was considering the loophole in the Arms Control Export Act to clear the sales.Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will meet Chinas defense minister at an Asia defense forum in Singapore, a senior U.S. defense official said on Friday, at a time of strained relations between Beijing and Washington over trade and security, Trend reports citing Reuters.

Tensions between China and the United States have intensified in the past year, over an ongoing trade war and over the disputed South China Sea and U.S. support for self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its own.

Were doing a pull aside (meeting) with the Chinese counterpart at Shangri-La, said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe will deliver a speech on June 2 at the Shangri-La Dialogue, the first time since 2011 that a Chinese defense minister will be at the forum, having in recent years sent lower level officials.

Weve got a relationship with China that contains elements of both competition and cooperation, the senior U.S. defense official said.

Shanahans predecessor Jim Mattis met Wei in Singapore last year.

Separately on Friday, the Pentagon said U.S. and Chinese officials met in Washington earlier this week.

The dialogue emphasized a constructive, results-oriented military relationship with a focus on maintaining open and clear communication, especially in times of crisis, a Pentagon statement said. The two sides discussed topics that included South China Sea and North Korea.The United States military said on Saturday that it killed three Islamic State (IS) fighters in Somalia's Puntland region in an air attack on Friday, Trend reported citing Xinhua.

The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement that no civilians were killed or injured in the strike which was conducted in cooperation with Somali government targeting ISIS (the IS) encampment in the Golis Mountains.

The statement said the Golis Mountains are a known area for al-Shabab camps and ongoing fighting between al-Shabab and ISIS Somalia.

Robert Huston, deputy director of operations at AFRICOM, said persistent pressure on the network ensures the threat is contained while degrading al-Shabab capabilities.

The Friday's attack is the sixth precision airstrike against ISIS Somalia since April 14 in a deliberate campaign to limit and disrupt freedom of movement in the area and to eliminate leaders of the organization.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.Clashes at a jail in western Venezuela killed at least 25 inmates and wounded 20 police on Friday, an NGO that defends prisoner rights said. The clashes broke out when police Special Forces (FAES) attempted to rescue visitors who had been taken hostage on Thursday by the "pran" -- the leader of the inmates -- at the police station jail in Acarigua.

"This morning (authorities) sent the FAES and there was a clash. The detainees had weapons, they shot at the police. Apparently, they also detonated two grenades," Carlos Nieto, director of the Una Ventana a la Libertad NGO, told AFP.

The inmates' leader, Wilfredo Ramos, was one of those killed, according to an internal police report. The report, quoted by the NGO, said several officers were wounded by "shrapnel and explosives."

"In total there are 25 dead detainees and about 20 wounded police," said Nieto, who originally gave figures of 23 and 14 for the dead and wounded. The prisons ministry did not comment on the incident, saying police station jails are not under its control. A video shared on social media shows an inmate -- believed to be Ramos -- with his face partly covered while brandishing a pistol and what appears to be grenades, and threatening two women.

"It's our lives (on the line) and those of the visitors here," he says, as a woman pleads for help while warning the police to stay out because "I'm prepared to die." Nieto said the inmates were demanding "food and to be transferred to prisons," and had denounced police "abuses."

No information was given about the fate of the hostages.

read: PM Narendra Modi to meet Donald Trump on the sidelines of G-20KumKum actress Juhi Parmar and ex-hubby Sachin Shroff are garnering headlines again they were apparently spotted at the screening of Aladdin movie with their daughter Samaira. Soon, reports of Juhi and Sachin's patch-up for the sake of their daughter started doing rounds on the internet.

And now both Juhi Parmar and Sachin Shroff have released a joint statement to put an end to the rumours and speculations. The statement reads, "We are parents first and the decision was mutual to set aside all our differences and concentrate on giving our daughter the best upbringing possible.

Being divorced shouldnt change our parenting for our daughter. We are in a positive zone and requesting the media fraternity to support us in the same!"

For the unversed, the couple tied the knot in February 2009 and ended their 9-year marriage last year. The couple called it quits as they had compatibility issues. In an interview with a prominent media channel, Sachin Shroff had opened up on their breakup.

He had said, "The divorce happened with mutual consent, amicably and in a dignified manner. Unfortunately, and by Juhi's own public admission, she was never in love with me." He added, "One-sided relationships are doomed from the beginning."

read: Divyanka Tripathi-Vivek Dahiyas latest white twinning is worth seeing!

Juhi and daughter Samaira had travelled to the Maldives to celebrate her sixth birthday recently. As per reports, Juhi has the full custody of the couple's daughter.New Delhi: In a link with a shootout earlier this week, Delhi Police on Friday arrested a suspected gangster in Kanjhawala area of the capital.

According to the report, the accused was identified as 20-year-old, Ankit Dabas, a resident of Sampla village in Haryana.

The two suspected criminals on Sunday were killed in the shootout near the Dwarka Mor Metro station in West Delhi. The shootout was an outcome of a property dispute, between rival gangs. The police officials mentioned that Dabas was also involved in the shootout.

Nepal police arrested Dawood Ibrahim's aide and 5 others With Counterfeit Indian Currency

As per report of PTI, the suspected criminals were identified as Parveen Gehlot, a resident of Nawada area and Vikas Dalal.

At the time of Incident, Gehlot was in his car when three men in another vehicle intercepted him and opened fire at him. Reportedly, 15 rounds were fired in the busy Dwarka Mor area. The police had arrested Dabas in an encounter on Friday during which a semi-automatic pistol, along with live cartridges, a bike, were recovered from him.

for anti-party comments, TMC suspends Mukul Roys son Subhrangshu

They had several cases of murder, extortion and robberies registered against them in Delhi and Haryana.

Sub-Inspector Krishan and the accused, who were injured during the encounter were rushed to a hospital. Reportedly, the incident happened around 4 PM on Sunday, when two bike-borne assailants opened fire at a car.Salman Khan is currently gearing up for his upcoming movie Bharat. The film has worked with Laxmikant Berde a number of times. He says the late actor was one of the biggest reasons for the success of their 1989 film "Maine Pyar Kiya".

According to the report, Salman recently shot for an episode of the show "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li'l Champs" where he opened up about his former co-star.

Contestant Ritik Gupta performed to "Tumse milne ki tamanna hai" from Salman's film "Saajan", which left the actor emotional.

Hina Khan and beau Rocky Jaiswal go on a romantic drive in Switzerland, check out the picture here

Salman said, "This song has a lot of beautiful memories attached to it. This song is from our movie 'Saajan', which was a big hit. This was my introduction song in the movie along with my very close friend Laxmikant Berde. I have done a lot of movies with him and I think he was one of the biggest reasons behind the success of Maine Pyar Kiya'.""This song always reminds me of him. Unfortunately, he is not with us anymore."The show is aired on Zee TV.

Release date of Karan Johar's Takht gets delayed due to this reason

Bharat showcases the journey of life of a man from the year 1964 to 2010. In the beginning, Salman is shown as a circus performer who aces some daredevil stunts to entertain the people. Later, he becomes a coal miner and thats when he meets Katrina Kaif. Helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Bharat is slated to release on Eid i.e June 5, 2019.Hina Khan won the hearts of the audience by walking on the red carpet of Cannes Film Festival. Hina Khan also unveiled the first look of her film Lines at the festival. Post the event, Hina Khan jetted off for a romantic vacation with boyfriend Rocky Jaiswal, and thanks to social media, Hina has been updating her fans with her fancy vacay pictures.

Indias Most Wanted Box Office Collection: Arjun Kapoor film takes a poor start

In a picture, Rocky is seen tooking his ladylove for a romantic drive in the snow-clad mountains. The actress posted a series of pictures on her Instagram story wherein she is all excited to go on a drive with Rocky. Well, Hina Khan is making the most of her vacay because soon, she will get busy as she will start shooting for Vikram Bhatts film. After Hina Khan made her Cannes debut, she was trolled on social media for having made it to Cannes without merit.

'There is so much I have to achieve before I turn 50' Karan Johar on his 47th bday

However, a lot of her industry friends came out in support of the actress, and Hina, thanked her friends for standing by her, as she penned a note on social media. I was persistent, I am consistent, and I will be efficient again n again n again. Don't know where I belong don't know if I have to, the place don't define me because as always I will work my a** off and I will make my own place! My promise, a proud outsider from my Chandivali Studio. The note reads.Hyderabad: YSRCP chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is set to take oath as new Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh next week, will meet Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao here today. Jagan Reddy will arrive in Hyderabad after the meeting of newly-elected legislators of the YSRCP in Amravati.

also read: Nepal police arrested Dawood Ibrahim's aide and 5 others With Counterfeit Indian Currency

Jagan Reddy will meet Telangana CM K. Chandrashekar Rao at his residence. They are likely to discuss the post-poll situation in the country, especially in the two Telugu states. Mr. Reddy is expected to invite KCR to attend his swearing-in scheduled on May 30 in Vijayawada. The YSRCP has bagged 151 seats in 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly and also won 22 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats.

KCRs TRS party was rooting for the YSRCP in the simultaneous elections for Assembly and Lok Sabha held last month. Earlier, the YSRCP had extended its support to the TRS in Assembly elections held in December last year.

The TRS had also invited the YSRCP into Federal Front, an alliance of regional parties proposed by Chandrashekhar Rao. It also supported the YSRCP's demand to the Centre to accord special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

also read: for anti-party comments, TMC suspends Mukul Roys son SubhrangshuA Tamil Nadu-based Islamic organization had inspired the local Islamist extremist group NTJ that carried out multiple blasts in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, a Buddhist monk claimed.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Buddhist monk Galagodaatte Gnanasara, who was controversially released from jail, said that two Tamil Nadu Thowheeth Jamaath (TNTJ) men -- Ayub and Abdeen -- visited Sri Lanka.

"They met one Abdul Razik here. The idea was to provoke Buddhists to attack Muslims. They spread stories derogatory of the Buddha," Gnanasara said, according to news agency PTI.

"The TNTJ created Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath (SLTJ) and later All Ceylon Thowheeth Jama'ath. The SLTJ was later split fewer than nine separate leaders," the monk added. The Sri Lankan government has banned the NTJ and arrested over 100 people in connection with the attacks.

Gnanasara said that despite the arrest of almost everyone affiliated to the NTJ, the key conspirator Andul Razik is still on run. "This Razik is misleading the security forces. We will locate him soon," the monk said.

Earlier this month, the Sri Lankan army had claimed that some of the suicide bombers who carried out multiple bombings in the island nation on April 21 had visited Kashmir, Kerala and Bengaluru in India to possibly get training in terrorist activities.

read: India and China share long-time friendly relations: Chinas CPC Leader

Sri Lankan Army chief Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake said though the exact reason for their visit was not yet known; it is being suspected that the attackers travelled to India to establish their links with other terrorist organizations.

A series of devastating blasts rocked three churches and five luxury hotels in Sri Lanka last month, claiming lives of 230 people and injuring 500 others.Kolkata: PM Modi led Bharatiya Janata Party achieved a massive victory in Lok Sabha election 2019. BJP also managed to win the decent number of the seat in Mamata Banerjees fortress West Bengal. The TMC has won 22 out of the total 42 Parliamentary seats in West Bengal. After victory BJP leader and newly-elected Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh has said that the TMC government could fall within 90 days. He said as many as 40 TMC MLAs are in touch with the BJP, adding there could be a bonus even before PM Modi takes oath.

Bomb blast at a mosque in Pakistan kills three, wounds 28

Arjun Singh further described Mamata Banerjee as a vindictive woman and blamed her for the violence. Singh said, Mamata Banerjee is a vindictive woman. If you are with her, you are right. If you're not with her, you're wrong. She knew if I leave it will be a big setback for her and it is evident, that is why she has resorted to violence.

Divyanka Tripathi-Vivek Dahiyas latest white twinning is worth seeing!

It may be recalled that PM Modi, during campaigning in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha elections, had also said that 40 TMC MLAs were in touch with the BJP.

Massive violence was witnessed, especially between the BJP and the TMC workers during seven-phased voting for the Lok Sabha elections. In fact, the Election Commission had curtailed the campaigning period by one day before the final phase on May 19.Vodou (or Voodoo) is a monotheistic religion that is often misunderstood. Common in Haiti and New Orleans, Vodou merges Catholic and African beliefs to form a unique set of rituals that include Voodoo dolls and symbolic drawings. However, as with any religion, followers of Vodou cannot be lumped into a single category. There are also many misconceptions, which are just as important to understand.

Understanding Voodoo Vodou is also known as Vodoun, Voodoo, and by several other variants. It is a syncretic religion that combines Roman Catholicism and native African religion, particularly from the religion of the Dahomey region of West Africa (the modern day nation of Benin). Vodou is primarily practiced in Haiti, New Orleans, and other locations within the Caribbean. Vodou began when African slaves brought their native traditions with them as they were forcefully transported to the new world. However, they were generally forbidden from practicing their religion. To get around these restrictions, the slaves started to equate their gods with Catholic saints. They also performed their rituals using the items and imagery of the Catholic Church.

also read Not just hands lines but your feet also tells much about future; Know detail here

If a Vodou practitioner considers himself Christian, he generally professes to be a Catholic Christian. Many Vodou practitioners also consider themselves Catholics. Some see the saints and spirits to be one and the same. Others still hold that the Catholic accouterments are primarily for appearance.

Misconceptions About Voodoo Popular culture has strongly associated Vodou with devil worship, torture, cannibalism, and malevolent magical workings. This is largely the product of Hollywood coupled with historical misrepresentations and misunderstandings of the faith. The seeds of these misconceptions began much earlier than anything seen in the movies. A well-known incident in 1791 at Bois Caiman marked a crucial time in Haitian slave uprisings. The exact details and intent are a matter of historical debate.

It's believed that witnesses saw a Vodou ceremony and thought the participants were making some sort of pact with the Devil to thwart their captors. Some people -- even as recent as 2010 after the devastating earthquake -- have claimed that this pact has perpetually cursed the Haitian people. In the Vodou-influenced areas such as Haiti, slavery was extremely violent and brutal; the revolts of the slaves were equally as violent. All of this led white settlers to associate the religion with violence and also helped fuel many unfounded rumors about Vodouisants.

Basic Beliefs: Bondye, Lwa, and Vilokan Vodou is a monotheistic religion. Followers of Vodou -- known as Vodouisants -- believe in a single, supreme godhead that can be equated with the Catholic God. This deity is known as Bondye, "the good god". Vodouisants also accept the existence of lesser beings, which they call loa or lwa. These are more intimately involved in day-to-day life than Bondye, who is a remote figure. The lwa are divided into three families: Rada, Petro, and Ghede.

The relationship between humans and lwa is a reciprocal one. Believers provide food and other items that appeal to the lwa in exchange for their assistance. The lwa are frequently invited to possess a believer during ritual so the community can directly interact with them.

Vilokan is the home of the lwa as well as the deceased. It is commonly described as a submerged and forested island. It is guarded by the lwa Legba, who must be appeased before practitioners can speak to any other Vilokan resident .

also read Sikhism: Clergy Terms commonly used on the traditional roleThe seven churches of Revelation were real, physical congregations when the Apostle John wrote this bewildering last book of the Bible around 95 A.D., but many scholars believe the passages have a second, hidden meaning. The short letters are addressed to these specific seven churches of Revelation:

Ephesus

Smyrna

Pergamum

Thyatira

Sardis

Philadelphia

Laodicea

While these were not the only Christian churches existing at the time, they were the closest to John, scattered across Asia Minor in what is now modern Turkey.

Different Letters, Same Format Each of the letters is addressed to the church's "angel." That may have been a spiritual angel, the bishop or pastor, or the church itself. The first part includes a description of Jesus Christ, highly symbolic and different for each church. The second part of each letter begins with "I know," emphasizing God's omniscience. Jesus proceeds to praise the church for its merits or criticizes it for its faults. The third part contains exhortation, a spiritual instruction on how the church should mend its ways, or a commendation for its faithfulness.

The fourth part concludes the message with the words, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." The Holy Spirit is Christ's presence on Earth, forever guiding and convicting to keep his followers on the right path.

Specific Messages to 7 Churches of Revelation Some of these seven churches kept closer to the gospel than others. Jesus gave each one a short "report card." Ephesus had "abandoned the love it had at first," (Revelation 2:4, ESV). They lost their love for Christ, which in turn affected the love they had for others.

Smyrna was warned it was about to face persecution. Jesus encouraged them to be faithful unto death and he would give them the crown of lifeeternal life.

also readNot just hands lines but your feet also tells much about future; Know detail here

Pergamum was told to repent. It had fallen prey to a cult called the Nicolaitans, heretics who taught that since their bodies were evil, only what they did with their spirit counted. This led to sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols. Jesus said those who conquered such temptations would receive "hidden manna" and a "white stone," symbols of special blessings.

Thyatira had a false prophetess who was leading people astray. Jesus promised to give himself (the morning star) to those who resisted her evil ways.

Sardis had the reputation of being dead, or asleep. Jesus told them to wake up and repent. Those who did would receive white garments, have their name listed in the book of life, and would be proclaimed before God the Father.

Philadelphia endured patiently. Jesus pledged to stand with them in future trials, granting special honors in heaven, the New Jerusalem.

Laodicea had lukewarm faith. Its members had grown complacent because of the riches of the city. To those who returned to their former zeal, Jesus vowed to share his ruling authority.

Application to Modern Churches Even though John wrote these warnings nearly 2,000 years ago, they still apply to Christian churches today. Christ remains the head of the worldwide Church, lovingly overseeing it. Many modern Christian churches have wandered from biblical truth, such as those that teach the prosperity gospel or do not believe in the Trinity. Others have grown lukewarm, their members just going through the motions with no passion for God. Many churches in Asia and the Middle East face persecution. Increasingly popular are "progressive" churches which base their theology more on current culture than doctrine found in the Bible.

The huge number of denominations proves thousands of churches have been founded on little more than the stubbornness of their leaders. While these Revelation letters are not as strongly prophetic as other parts of that book, they warn today's drifting churches that discipline will come to those who do not repent.

Warnings to Individual Believers Just as the Old Testament trials of the nation of Israel are a metaphor for the individual's relationship with God, the warnings in the book of Revelation speak to every Christ follower today. These letters act as a gauge to reveal each believer's faithfulness. The Nicolaitans are gone, but millions of Christians are being tempted by pornography on the Internet. The false prophetess of Thyatira has been replaced by TV preachers who avoid talking about Christ's atoning death for sin. Countless believers have turned from their love for Jesus to idolizing material possessions.

As in ancient times, backsliding continues to be a danger for people who believe in Jesus Christ, but reading these short letters to the seven churches serves as a stern reminder. In a society flooded with temptation, they bring the Christian back to the First Commandment. Only the True God is worthy of our worship.

also read Sangat a Sikhism gathering for worship; know detail about itWill Ripple (XRP) soon be in use at one of Thailand's largest banks? One tweet gave the bulls plenty of reasons to believe it will. | Source: Shutterstock

By CCN: Siam Commercial Bank, Thailands third-largest financial institution, quietly teased some tantalizing news that should kick the Ripple (XRP) rumor mill into high gear.

SCB Thailand Taps Ripple for Blockchain Payments

Already, SCB Thailand launched a blockchain platform that uses the Ripple companys xCurrent system to facilitate cheaper cross-border money transfers.

Now, the Thai financial institution also hinted that there would be a further announcement about SCB using XRP directly via the xRapid payment system.

We will be using Blockchain Technology for ripple but as for XRP, you may have to wait for further announcement.  SCB Thailand (@scb_thailand) May 22, 2019

Major Thai Bank Could Integrate Ripple Cryptocurrency

Last week, a sharp-sighted Twitter user spotted an update to the banks SCB Easy app in the App Store stating that users are now able to send funds abroad at the cheapest rates via Ripple.

SCB transfers via Ripple. And with that we have mainstream adoption in Thailand. pic.twitter.com/n9QRt5Uq7X  ryan (@_bjb) May 18, 2019

On May 22, the bank confirmed that they are using blockchain technology for payment transactions via Ripple, but not with the XRP cryptocurrency  yet.

Read the full story on CCN.com.The American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood file a federal lawsuit seeking to prevent Alabama's recently passed abortion legislation  deemed the strictest in the nation  from ever being enforced.

The law makes providing an abortion at any stage during a pregnancy a felony punishable by up to 99 years in prison.

Gov. Kay Ivey signed the measure May 15, acknowledging at the time that it was illegal under federal law and likely unenforceable.

The American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood filed a federal lawsuit Friday seeking to prevent Alabama's recently passed abortion legislation  deemed the strictest in the nation  from ever being enforced.

"Alabama's state motto is audemus jura nostra defendere, which means 'we dare defend our rights.' That's exactly what we're doing here today," Staci Fox, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeast, said in a statement.

The law makes providing an abortion at any stage during a pregnancy a felony punishable by up to 99 years in prison. It is aimed at doctors and others who perform abortion but not women who undergo the procedure. The has no exceptions for rape or incest victims but allows abortions when the woman's life is at risk. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the measure May 15, acknowledging at the time that it was illegal under federal law and likely unenforceable.

Ivey and the sponsors of the legislation hope to spur the Supreme Court to revisit the landmark abortion ruling Roe v. Wade, which held that women have a constitutional right to obtain an abortion early in a pregnancy. Other states, including Kentucky, Georgia, Ohio and Mississippi, also passed restrictive abortion regulations into law this year.

In the 39-page complaint, filed in the Middle District of Alabama on behalf of local abortion providers, the organizations allege that the ban will eliminate abortion in Alabama and that it will have a disproportionate impact on black and low-income residents.

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"By prohibiting an individual from making the ultimate decision whether to terminate a pregnancy prior to viability, [the law] violates the rights to liberty and privacy secured to Plaintiffs' patients by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution," the complaint says.

The Alabama legislation is unlikely to make its way to the top court for at least two years as it makes its way through the lower courts, which are expected to reject it.

"Make no mistake: Abortion remains  and will remain  safe and legal in Alabama. With this lawsuit, we are seeking a court order to make sure this law never takes effect," Randall Marshall, executive director of the ACLU of Alabama, said in a statement.





More From CNBC

Supermarket chain Aldi has recalled all 5-pound bags of Bakers Corner All-Purpose Flour Thursday after the product was linked to an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 17 people in eight states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a statement.

The CDC informed Aldi customers to throw the flour away if purchased from the stores and to wash any items that may have come in contact with the product. The flour was sold at Aldi stores in New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Delaware, West Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, according to a statement from Aldi.

A statement from Aldi read, In cooperation with ADM Milling Co., ALDI has recalled Bakers Corner All Purpose Flour sold at retail locations in the Northeastern United States due to a potential presence of E. coli.

The CDC reported that 17 people so far have been infected with E. coli in eight states since the outbreak started on Dec. 11, 2018, through April 18, 2019. Three people have been hospitalized, and no deaths were reported. The Food and Drug Administration is investigating if other brands of the flour may also be contaminated.

Four out of the seven ill people told the CDC they licked or tasted raw dough or batter.

Symptoms of E. coli include abdominal cramping, nausea, diarrhea and cramping, according to the Mayo Clinic.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP

Last week, the CDC said there are 196 reported cases of E. coli linked to ground beef across 10 states.

Fox Business Elizabeth Zwirz contributed to this report.

Related ArticlesCamping World CEO Marcus Lemonis responded to the American flag controversy at his store in Statesville, North Carolina, telling FOX Business he is in the lawsuit battle for the long haul.

We have flown this flag for a long time, he said during an interview on "Bulls & Bears Thursday. As I told the cityits not coming down under any circumstance.

The city of Statesville filed a lawsuit against Gander RV and its parent company, Camping World, for violating a city ordinance by flying a 3,200-square-foot American flag. In a statement, the city said the company had previously applied for and received a permit for a compliant 1,000-square-foot flag.

Lemonis said the RV retailer flies the same size flag and pole in over 180 cities across the country, something thats been part of the company's DNA. He has been fined $50 a day, totaling more than $10,000 retroactive to October.

I dont normally advocate for violating ordinances and things of that nature, but we have 14,000 employees and several millions customers and I have a fiduciary responsibility to follow their edict as well.

Lemonis said the flag is in compliance with federal aviation rules.

We know that before the flag pole goes up and before the flag goes up we want to ensure that people are safe, he said. We are not messing with the FAA in terms of air traffic rules.

Camping World is a publicly traded company and according to Lemonis, he is not employed by the company nor does he receive a paycheck. He is willing to pay the legal fines if asked by the board of directors and the company.

In this particular case, I think the board of directors and the company would like to pay the fine themselves because they believe that this is a stance of our company, not just a market stance.

Lemonis said he owns 36 million shares of Camping World.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP

If the court grants the injunction, Lemonis said, he would be instructed to take the flag down. Failure to do so could land him in contempt of court.

Story continues

I would never want to break the law or be in contempt of any court of any kind, but in this particular situation, I understand that if I dont comply with that order that I could and would be arrested and out in jail until the flag came down, he said. Lemonis is also the celebrity entrepreneur and host of CNBC's "The Profit."

Related ArticlesWith hundreds of dolls lined on shelves, propped up on wooden stands in glass cases, it would be hard pressed to find anyone who quite loves Barbie more than Caroline Spencer. Thats because Spencer helped design Barbies clothes for 35-plus years.

I fell in love with the Barbie doll when I first started as a designer at Mattel, Spencer, a Los Angeles resident of more than 50 years, told Yahoo Finance. I find myself thinking of her as my muse, the little gal that's on my shoulder.

A myriad of Barbie dolls in Carol Spencer's collection.

From 1963 to 1999, Spencer, 86, dressed Americas most famous model. Armed with faux fur, imitation leather, acrylic knits, and nylon tricot  which was used to make parachutes in World War II  Spencer created some of the U.S.s favorite fashionable toys, perhaps most notably Great Shape Barbie and Totally Hair Barbie. The former made it to the silver screen in Disney/Pixars Toy Story franchise. The latter is Mattels best-selling Barbie, with roughly $100 million in sales and over 10 million sold worldwide in its debut year of 1992.

Today, a lot of people think you make a new fashion if you change a sleeve on a garment, so you pick this sleeve or that sleeve and you do this and that and so on, and you've got a whole new design, Spencer said. That's not designing, as far as I'm concerned. Designing is creating something from scratch, and not necessarily reusing or moving a pattern piece around to make a new design.

Two of Mattel's best selling doll, Totally Hair barbie.

THE JOURNEY TO BARBIE

Dressed in a light pink jacket, a black turtleneck and a large gold bracelet with the Barbie logo in diamond studs, Spencer told Yahoo Finance she almost didnt get the designer job.

The Texas native applied for the job back in 1962 when she was living in Milwaukee, but she never heard back. However, Spencer was in need of a change in setting. Instead of staying anchored to Wisconsin, she and her aunt got in her car and drove off to California.

Her trip to the Golden State was not exactly smooth sailing. In the midst of an icy winter, she faced a flat tire in Amarillo, TX, two more in Alamogordo, N.M., and a hole in her muffler in the Green Mountains. But she kept on driving west. The radio on the trip spoke of an axe murderer who escaped from prison and was on the loose near Tucson, Ariz. But she kept driving west.

Story continues

Carol Spencer sits in her living room with her book, "Dressing Barbie".

I said, Oh, I've got a hammer under the front seat. I'll take care of her! I wasn't going to stop for anybody, so I wasn't going to be afraid, but that was my answer, Spencer said.

When she finally arrived in her future home of Los Angeles, Spencer once again faced another hurdle. The jobs she was applying for all told her she didnt have the California look.

Then the California Apparel News posted a job with the same requirements from the previous Mattel job she was denied. When she applied for the job this time around, she got it. And so began a nearly 4-decade career dressing Americas favorite model.

NEEDLE AND THREAD

Walking into Mattels office was like walking into an Aerospace facility, Spencer told Yahoo Finance, because of all the security protecting the companys secrets. She worked inside a closed office with Charlotte Johnson, who ran the fashion department, and three other designers she competed with. Rows of fabrics lined the walls. Big tables for cutting and various machines filled the rest of the room.

No one has everything in the line that they design, but I had a good share in the line, said Spencer. When it got to the basic dolls, we always had competition. It had to do with what was going to be unique, what was going to be advertisable, things like that.

In the early years, Spencer would make 125 outfits and designs a year for Barbie, which would be sold through department stores, catalogs, or the average retailer. Mattel made it a priority for these designers to match reality as much as possible. They didnt want them to exaggerate and create big, fluffy doll clothing. 1950s Fashion taught her that the appropriate proportions for the Barbie was three heads to the waist.

But Barbie and her image have been under fire for a good amount of the 21st century. A lack of diversity in color and size, including an exceptionally restricted 16-inch waist  which Spencer insists she had in her early days of designing  is not exactly representative of most people. For example in 2013, people protested the opening of the Barbie Dreamhouse Experience doll house in Berlin. Pictures of topless women with black paint on their bodies saying Life in Plastic is not Fantastic and burning crucified Barbies outside the hot pink doll mansion symbolized a demonstration against objectification.

Frankly, I was designing for a doll that was a teenage fashion model, not necessarily a real live person, said Spencer. In some of our child tests, we found that no matter what the ethnicity, they look at the doll through a certain type of eye, and they see themselves in the doll.

Possibly due to the backlash or possibly due to the fact that the company has struggled to generate the same revenues it did back in its heyday, Mattel responded to its lack of diversity and the question of body image in their Barbies with a whole wide range of dolls. Barbie welcomed plus-size models in 2016 and Hijab Barbie in 2017. Spencer, herself, had a hand in bringing into life multiple cultures of Barbie, including Indian, Italian, and Eskimo Barbie.

As culture, as people started changing and the world was changing, we started putting out various ethnicities of Barbie. All of that went according to the sales. Let's face it, you don't put out a doll that nobody's going to buy. It has to do with the acceptance of the population.

LIFE AFTER BARBIE

Spencer likes to think back at Barbies story as BC and AC: Before Carol and After Carol. The toll from the 35-plus years took a toll on her hands. Last year, the now Westwood resident needed to renew her drivers license, but ran into a little trouble.

A Barbie of Carol Spencer given to her from Mattel when she retired.

The man behind the counter came over to me when he saw me trying to get the machine to work. He said, Did you work with your hands? I said, Oh yes, all my life. He said, Well, we found that to be a fact that your thumbprint is partially worn down, and it doesn't come through for a driver's license, she said.

But Spencer does not regret one day working on Barbie. She even is happy to have worked in the days before automation and new retail technology took over in the AC era. To Spencer, barbie is a cultural icon born in the 1980s and born from her hands.

We're all Barbie, said Spencer. No one's the same. None of us are the same. We're all different, and we all see things through different eyes. As a designer, I tried to make something that would be enjoyed by as many people as possible.

WATCH MORE: 3D printing is about to reach the next level  which is in 'true color'

WATCH MORE: Classic arcade games are making a comeback

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit.FILE PHOTO: An Airbus A318-100 airplane of Avianca Brazil flies over the Guanabara Bay as it prepares to land at Santos Dumont airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 3, 2019. REUTERS/Sergio Moraes/File Photo

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's civil aviation regulator ANAC said on Friday it had suspended the operations of carrier Avianca Brasil in the country, including all remaining flights, as a precautionary measure.

"All the flights are suspended until the company proves it has the capacity to maintain operations safely," ANAC said in a statement.

Avianca Brasil has filed for bankruptcy protection and lost most of its fleet after lessors obtained favourable court decisions to take aircraft back for lack of payments. It is still trying to reach a deal to sell remaining assets.

The carrier was operating around 30 flights per day using the planes it had left.

ANAC said, without elaborating, that it took the decision after receiving information regarding the operational safety of Avianca Brasil flights.

Avianca Brasil's press office said the company would comment on the ANAC measure later on Friday.

The regulator said passengers who had flights booked with Avianca Brasil in the coming days should not go to airports, and should instead contact the company about arranging refunds or flights from other carriers.

(Reporting by Marcelo Teixeira; Editing by Tom Brown)Dublin, May 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Light Vehicle Leasing Market in Denmark, Forecast to 2022" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.





New Fleet Acquisition and Renewals to Drive Operational Leasing Growth at a CAGR of 1.3% till 2022



Vehicle leasing is seen as a solution to the growing number of challenges faced by companies with regard to their mobility needs. Amongst others, these include challenges associated with vehicle funding, fleet maintenance, and, more importantly, residual risk handling. Businesses in the present market conditions are focused on their core products/services and seek to outsource all other support activities. Mobility is a significant department - starting from fleet purchase to remarketing at a competitive price - and for each of the segments in the value chain, unless an expert team is on the job, issues such as cost spikes, utilization mismatches, irregularities in fleet maintenance, and risks of dips in residual value can crop up.



This study sheds light on the market size across passenger vehicle (PV) and light commercial vehicle (LCV) segments and provides sales/parc data for the total market and fleet and company car (true fleet) segments. The company car segment is discussed in detail, with a focus on the actual development and the growth potential of financial lease, operational lease, and outright purchase. The analysis takes into account historical data and current market conditions and insights and opinions from market participants to provide a five-year outlook on growth opportunities (over the 2017-2022 period). In addition to market data (PV and LCV) for new registrations and portfolio, the study provides actual competitor data (portfolio) for the leading leasing service providers in the country.



Competitor data is available for both the leasing segments (operational and financial) for the base year, 2017. The evolution of any industry depends on factors such as transformational trends that are linked to the macroeconomic factors of the region and the emerging business models that reflect innovation in mobility solutions, such as rental, car sharing (peer to peer, corporate, traditional), integrated mobility, and alternative powertrain (petrol, diesel, BEV, PHEV, FCEV, Others ). The study covers these evolutionary trends that are expected to shape the market.



For leasing providers and other companies that share the leasing ecosystem, interest lies in the growth opportunities that they need to look at and leverage and the strategic imperatives that aid in their pursuit of growth and success. Overall, the study provides a 360 degree understanding of the leasing space (region-specific) and offers a detailed account on the key trends, market overview, and outlook.

Story continues

Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary

Key Findings

Market Engineering Measurements - New Fleet and Company Car Registrations

Market Engineering Measurements - Fleet and Company Car Parc

2. Research Scope and Definition

Research Scope, Objectives and Methodology

Research Methodology

Definitions

Market Structure

Fleet Segmentation

Car Sharing

3. Total Market for Fleet and Company Cars

Total New Fleet and Company Car Registrations

Total New Fleet and Company Car Parc

4. Total New Company Car Registrations and Parc Analysis by Funding Type

Total New Company Car Registrations

Total Company Car Parc

5. Total Company Car Registrations Breakdown

Powertrain Segmentation (Petrol, Diesel, Electric, Hybrid, LPG, CNG, Fuel Cell, Other)

Sales Channel (Direct Vs. Indirect)

Vehicle Brand Class (Premium Vs. Non Premium)

6. Competitor Market Shares

Operational Leasing

Financial Leasing

7. Analysis of Total Private Leasing Segment (New Registrations and Parc)

Total Private Leasing - New Registrations

Total Private Leasing - Parc

8. Breakdown Analysis of Total Vehicles in Car Sharing Fleet (Parc)

Car Sharing - By Funding Type

Car Sharing - By Solution Type

9. Growth Opportunities and Companies to Action

Growth Opportunities

Strategic Imperatives

10. Last Word

Key Conclusions and Future Outlook

11. Appendix - Market Forces: Drivers and Restraints

Market Drivers

Market Drivers Explained

Market Restraints

Market Restraints Explained

Legal Disclaimer

Fleet Vehicle Leasing Program

List of Exhibits

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/q7c84l





Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.



CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

Related Topics: Commercial Vehicles, Automotive Leasing and Rental

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for F5 Networks (FFIV). Shares have lost about 15.4% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is F5 due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

F5 Networks Reports Mixed Q2 Results

F5 Networks delivered second-quarter fiscal 2019 GAAP earnings per share (excluding amortization of intangible assets, stock-based compensation and other one-time items) of $2.57, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.55. Furthermore, the bottom line improved 11.3% year over year.

F5 Networks revenues inched up 2.2% year over year to $544.9 million but missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $547 million. However, the top-line figure is within the companys guided range of $543-$553 million.

Software growth, particularly in public cloud, and surging demand for security offerings were key drivers.

Quarterly Details

Products revenues (44% of total revenues) during the reported quarter totaled $237.9 million, up 0.1% from the year-ago quarter, driven by software.

Software rose 30% year over year and contributed 19% to product revenues. This upside can be attributed to demand for the companys flagship software and offerings, both on-prem and in the public cloud.

Software growth continues to be driven by security use cases and account for a higher share of the companys overall product business. Management mentioned that the companys anti-bot and machine-generated traffic monitoring and blocking capabilities are gaining customer adoption. Emergence of the new security use cases including privileged user access, credential stuffing and zero trust is also benefiting the company.

Moreover, acceleration in Enterprise License Agreement (ELA) and Virtual Edition (VE) subscription software deals is a positive. ELA pipeline consistently grows on the back customers steady shift to multi-cloud deployments.

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Systems revenues, representing 81% of product revenues, declined 5% on a year-over-year basis. Customers adherence to a cloud-first mentality is an overhang on hardware investment and use cases as this inclination is prolonging deal timings.

Nonetheless, systems growth opportunities in high-performance security use case and the emerging markets are an upside.

Services revenues (56%) increased 3.8% year over year to $307 million.

Geographically, on a year-over-year basis, revenues from the Americas, reflecting 56% of the total revenues grew 4%. Asia Pacific and Japan revenues inched up 1% and contributed to 19% of the total revenues.

EMEA was flat and accounted for 25% of the total revenues. Execution challenges in Europe as a result of the macro economic uncertainty in the region (particularly UK and Germany), have been a concern.

Going by the verticals, Enterprise, Service providers and Government (including 6% from the U.S. federal) contributed to 65%, 20% and 16% of the total revenues, respectively. The U.S. federal government shutdown adversely impacted the government business in the quarter under discussion.

The companys distributor, Ingram Micro, translated to 20% of the companys revenues. Arrow and Tech Data contributed 10% each to the total revenue base.

F5 Networks non-GAAP gross margin came in at 85% and its non-GAAP operating margin was 34.9% in the quarter under review.

Balance Sheet & Cash Flow

F5 Networks exited the reported quarter with cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of approximately $1.31 billion compared with $1.13 billion in the prior quarter.

Long-term liabilities were $448 million compared with $365.6 million in the previous quarter.

The company reported cash flow $194 million from operations of in the quarter under consideration.

During the reported quarter, F5 Networks repurchased 616,000 shares worth $100 million.

Outlook

Management remains optimistic that demand for its solutions will be encouraged by a strengthening trend toward the multi-cloud environment. Rising traction of subscription and ELA offerings is a tailwind.

For third-quarter fiscal 2019, F5 Networks expects revenues in the range of $550-$560 million. The company anticipates non-GAAP earnings per share in the band of $2.54-$2.57.

The acquisition of Nginx, which is likely to close in the second calendar quarter, will not have any impact on the revenue stream.

Moreover, a strong momentum in new products, such as F5-as-a-Service, and the launch of high-grade ELA consumption model are expected to be key catalysts for software.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

It turns out, fresh estimates flatlined during the past month.

VGM Scores

Currently, F5 has a nice Growth Score of B, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a C. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the top 40% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

F5 has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.



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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.An analysis discovered millennials looking to buy their first home have come across obstacles including the rush to buy homes as house values in the U.S. have rose faster than incomes.

In the seven years since the housing crash ended, home values in more than three-quarters of U.S. metro areas have climbed faster than incomes, according to an Associated Press analysis of real estate industry data provided by CoreLogic.

The gap has forced some first-time homebuyers out of expensive cities and pressured them to buy before they are completely priced out of the market.

The high cost of owning a home has also put pressure on millennials in their late 20s and 30s as they attempt to balance the payments of a mortgage and student loans with their careers.

Buyers have opted out of cities such as San Francisco and Seattle, where home prices have skyrocketed, and opted for residences around cities such as Raleigh, N.C., Salt Lake City and Oklahoma City, a Redfin analysis found. However, the influx has increased housing prices in those communities.

Salt Lake City has especially become the new spot to buy a home due to the influx of tech jobs and its affordability. However, home prices in the greater Salt Lake City area have risen 10.8 percent in the past year, while average incomes have risen only 3.9 percent, according to figures from CoreLogic and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Nationally, home prices since 2000 have climbed at an annual average rate of 3.8 percent, according to the data firm CoreLogic, while average incomes have grown at an annual rate of 2.7 percent.

Andy and Stacie Proctor told The Associated Press they put a bid on a house in the suburbs of Salt Lake City but were astonished to discover that the home had 13 rival offers. The couple decided at one point not to purchase a home thinking the bubble would burst. However, the two eventually purchased a three-bedroom home in Vineyard, Utah, for $438,000.

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One of the guiding principles is that homeowners can upgrade or downsize without having to move out of the neighborhood. But that cycle of upgrading might not continue as it did for past generations. Home values need to rise for people to build equity that they can use to buy a new house. Yet if they rise too fast, it will become too expensive for many people to move up.

Parry Harrison, 26, a divorced father of two children, recently sold his first home and bought a townhouse in daybreak, Utah, for $309,000. He told The Associated Press he hoped to upgrade in five years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Related ArticlesIt has been about a month since the last earnings report for GNC (GNC). Shares have lost about 33.2% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is GNC due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

GNC Holdings Sees Y/Y Decline in Q1 Revenues on Soft U.S. Retail

GNC Holdings reported first-quarter 2019 adjusted earnings per share of 15 cents, down 37.5% from the year-ago quarter. Reported loss per share for the quarter came in at 23 cents against earnings of 7 cents a year ago.



Revenues



Revenues for the first quarter came in at $564.8 million, down 7% year over year.



Segmental Details



GNC Holdings reports operations under three segments: U.S. & Canada (including company-owned stores in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, franchise stores in the United States and e-commerce), International (inclusive of franchise locations in approximately 50 countries, The Health Store and China operations) and Manufacturing/Wholesale (comprising manufactured products sold to other segments, third-party contract manufacturing and sales to wholesale partners).



During the reported quarter, GNC Holdings revenues from the U.S. & Canada segment fell 4.5% year over year to $489.2 million. Notably, e-commerce sales accounted for 7.4% of U.S. and Canada revenues, increasing from 7.1% in the prior-year quarter.



Company-owned net store closures negatively impacted revenues by $14 million. Further, a decline of 1.6% in same store sales led to a fall of $6.2 million in revenues within this segment. However, in domestic franchise locations, same store sales increased 0.6% from the year-ago period.



Revenues in the International segment rose 2.1% to $40.9 million for the quarter under review. The improvement can primarily be attributed to an increase in the sales volume in the international franchisees. However, a decline in the sales volume in China due to the transfer of the cross-border e-commerce China business to the newly formed joint venture (effective Feb 13, 2019) partially offset the upside.



Revenues in the Manufacturing /Wholesale segment registered year-over-year plunge 37% to $34.7 million, excluding intersegment sales. This was mainly due to the transaction with International Vitamin Corporation (IVC) for the newly founded manufacturing joint venture (JV) effective Mar 1, 2019.



Margins



Gross profit declined 1.8% year over year to $203.1 million. Gross margin expanded 180 bps to 35.9% in the first quarter.



Selling, general and administrative expenses declined 7.7% to $148.3 million. Adjusted operating profit rose 18.7% to $54.8 million and adjusted operating margin expanded 210 bps to 9.7%.



Financial Position



GNC Holdings exited the first quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $137.1 million, which skyrocketed nearly 104% from $67.2 million at the end of the 2018. Long-term debt was $888.4 million in the quarter under review, down 10.6% from $993.6 million at the end of the previous year.



Net cash flow from operating activities for the three months ended Mar 31, 2019, totaled $68.7 million compared with $25.1 million from the year-ago quarter.



Further, the company generated free cash flow of $154.3 million in the quarter under review compared with $37.4 million in the prior-year quarter.

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How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

Analysts were quiet during the last two month period as none of them issued any earnings estimate revisions.



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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.Chinese technology giant Huawei has enough inventory to sustain its smartphone and 5G networking equipment business for most of the rest of the year, investment group CLSA predicts.

Huawei subsidiary HiSilicon, which designs chips for Huawei equipment, has been increasing its capability in the last few years, and is able to supply 80% to 90% of Huawei's needs, according to Sebastian Hou, investment analyst at CLSA.

But Huawei's survival is ultimately dependent on Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC, CLSA said.

China technology giant Huawei has enough inventory to sustain its smartphone and 5G networking equipment businesses for most of the rest of the year, according to brokerage and investment firm CLSA.

Amid elevated U.S.-China trade tensions, Washington last week added Huawei to a blacklist that curbs its ability to do business with American firms. That restriction was partially eased days later , in an effort to minimize disruption for the Chinese telecommunications giant's partners, but most experts warn the company now faces significant uncertainty .

For now, Huawei's smartphone business has five to six months' worth of inventory, and its 5G networking equipment business has nine to 12 months' worth of supplies, going by CLSA estimates, Sebastian Hou, investment analyst at CLSA, told CNBC on Friday.

"For the rest of the year, I think the company should be fine on smartphones and networking equipment," he said. "In the short term, they still have enough inventory to weather through this period, but the inventory will be used up eventually. So how these trade talks will progress in the next few months is still pretty critical to (its) future survival."

Notably, Hou said that Huawei subsidiary HiSilicon, which designs chips for Huawei equipment, has been increasing its capability in the last few years and is able to supply 80% to 90% of Huawei's needs.

In fact, HiSilicon's capabilities are "stronger than most may know," said a CLSA research report from Hou and others dated May 20.

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Ultimately, Huawei's survival is highly dependent on whether Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company 2330-TW  the world's largest contract chipmaker  can keep doing business with it. In fact, TSMC is "crucial" to Huawei, that report said.

"No matter how great HiSilicon's chip designs are, it cannot live without TSMC, as TSMC manufactures all HiSilicon's advanced chips. This means TSMC is critical to Huawei's survival and Trump's plan to block Huawei and China."

For now, TSMC has said that its shipments to Huawei are not affected by the U.S. action to curb the Chinese firm's access to American technology.

In a bid to reduce its reliance on U.S. suppliers, Huawei has in recent years invested in its own chip technology, especially for smartphone processors and 5G chips.

But, according to Hou, the bottom line is that Huawei "still lacks some critical tech that we believe is highly dependent on the U.S."

He explained in the CLSA report that TSMC uses American equipment and intellectual property to manufacture customer chips, and then re-exports those technologies. If American-originated technology exceeds 25% of the product, then TSMC is subject to U.S. Export Administration Regulations and will need an American license to supply Huawei.

Based on CLSA calculations, equipment with American origins accounts for between 15% to 20% of TSMC's sales to HiSilicon, and so is safe for now, the report said.

"But if the U.S. is more subjective or has a different definition there would be risk TSMC cannot ship," CLSA warned.





More From CNBC

Huawei Wants to Play Nice With Google and Microsoft, But Has Its 'Last Resort' Ready

Huawei is an electronics powerhouse that has relied on partnerships with Google and Microsoft to help boost its global business. But the Chinese company must now face the possibility of a future without its American partners.

Microsoft removed Huawei laptops from its online store on Friday, marking the latest move against Huawei after it was blacklisted on May 15 by the U.S. Department of Commerce over security concerns. A Microsoft spokesperson declined to comment.

I think Huaweis removal from the Microsoft Store portends to the future where Huawei, already kicked out of the U.S. in phones, spreads to its very high quality PCs, says Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. Huaweis existing business requires it to rely on U.S. companies in the short and mid-term, he added.

The company also relies on several American semiconductor companies, including Qualcomm, Intel, Nvidia, and Lattice, along with British-American chip maker ARM, to supply parts to build its smartphones and laptops. Some of those chip makers have reportedly stopped supplying Huawei, but none of them have confirmed it.

It will take a decade for China to replace these capabilities, says Moorhead.

Google briefly pulled Huaweis Android license on Sunday, but restored it on Tuesday after the Trump administration issued a temporary order to allow operations to continue for existing Huawei mobile users.

Without the license, Huawei wouldnt be able to sell smartphones with Googles services, including Maps, Gmail, and Google Assistant, essentially forcing the company to come up with their own back-up plan or risk losing market share. Huawei laptops use Microsoft Windows, however Microsoft hasnt commented on whether it plans to pull Huaweis license to use Windows on future products.

Huawei isnt taking any chances. The company was just granted a trademark for an in-house operating system from Chinas National Intellectual Property Administration.

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A Huawei spokesperson told Fortune the operating system is a Plan B and very last resort.

Our preference is to use Microsoft and Google, but we do have a Plan B that can be rolled out as soon as Q1 or Q2 of 2020, the spokesperson says.

The operating system would be similar to what Huawei customers in the Chinese market already see, since Google services are banned by the countrys censors. It would include Huaweis app gallery store, along with alternatives for popular Google services.

However, doubts have been raised over whether Huawei, or anyone, can now effectively build an operating system to rival the dominance and customer satisfaction of Android. Googles open source platform has an 80% market share.

Huawei shipped 59.1 million smartphones in the first quarter of 2019, making it the second best-selling smartphone maker globally, just after Samsung, according to research firm IDC. During a time when smartphone sales have been stagnant, Huawei also reported year-over-year growth of 50.3%.

Huaweis blacklisting comes as the Trump administration is engaged in an escalating trade war with China. Earlier this month, President Trump placed another round of tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods. China retaliated with plans to raise tariffs as high as 35% on 5,000 products across a wide range of industries, including food, building materials, and consumer goods.

Trump and President Xi Jinping of China have both indicated theyre ready for a long fight, if necessary, with no plans to back down.

Speaking at the Potsdam Conference on National Cybersecurity on Thursday, Ken Hu, deputy chairman of Huawei, warned that his companys blacklisting sets a dangerous precedent for consumers and business.

It goes against the values of the international business community, cuts off the global supply chain and disrupts fair competition in the market, he says. This could happen to any other industry and company in the future if we dont jointly confront these issues.Farmers would rather have their markets back than the latest bailout, says Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

The Trump administration announced the $16 billion aid program Thursday.

"You work for decades to build up markets," he says. "These negotiations have interfered."

Farmers hurt by the ongoing U.S.-China trade war would rather have their markets back than the latest bailout from the Trump administration, Sen. Chuck Grassley , R-Iowa, told CNBC on Thursday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the $16 billion aid program earlier in the day.

"Farmers don't want aid. They want trade. They want markets," Grassley said on " Closing Bell ."

"You work for decades to build up markets. You've got to be a credible supplier of your goods and these negotiations have interfered."

However, Grassley, who is a member of the Agriculture Committee and also has a family farm, said that his constituents know that China has been "cheating for three decades."

"They ought to live by the rules of international trade and  farmers know that you've got to get China to quit stealing our intellectual property," he added.

The centerpiece of the farmer aid package is cash payments totaling $14.5 billion to producers of a variety of crops as well as dairy and pork producers impacted by retaliatory tariffs. U.S. tariff revenue collected by the Treasury would be used to support the program, according to the USDA.

Grassley said he hopes only $5 billion will ultimately be used because negotiations will get back on track.

"I can't predict that. All I know is our side is willing at the drop of a hat to go to Beijing to do more investigating," he said. "But China is going to have to go back to where they were on the 10-yard line of getting the ball over the goal."

Earlier this month, the U.S. said China reneged on past promises and Washington increased tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25% . China retaliated by raising duties on $60 billion in American products.

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Overall, soybean farmers have been among the hardest hit in the skirmish in terms of dollar value. Before the trade war, China bought roughly half of U.S. soybean exports. But the value of soybean exports to China fell 74% to $3.1 billion in 2018 from about $12.2 billion the previous year, according to the USDA.

Not everyone is applauding the latest aid package.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and a ranking member of the Agriculture Committee, said farmers are struggling as the administration "continues to pursue a chaotic trade agenda."

"Unfortunately, this complex scheme leaves them with more questions than answers. I have a number of concerns about whether this plan is fair and equitable to all farmers. Government checks are no replacement for lost markets, and this temporary support will only go so far," she said in an statement.

Producers of soybeans received the largest aid in last year's $12 billion bailout. The plan announced Thursday includes direct payments to farmers of more than two dozen agricultural commodities, including grains, oil seeds and specialty crops, as well as dairy and pork.

According to the USDA, the top five states where farmers received trade aid as part of last year's program were Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Indiana. Trump won all but one of those states  Illinois  in the 2016 presidential election.

Despite being hard hit by the trade war, farmers in Iowa are still supporting President Donald Trump "as of now," Grassley said.

"Don't forget it's 15 months away from election season. And a lot of things can happen in 15 months but also a lot of good things can happen."

Iowa has about 87,000 farms and 129,000 farm operators, according to the Iowa Farm Bureau. The state is the nation's second-highest producer of soybeans, the organization said.





More From CNBC

Former Vice President Joe Biden is out in front in the polls for the Democratic Partys 2020 presidential nomination and the reason may have been how he got into the race.

Jerry Seib, Executive Washington Editor for the Wall Street Journal, tells WSJ at Large host Gerry Baker that Biden played his hand perfectly.

I think the Biden strategy is fascinating, Seib explained. He let all the others, the 20 others announce, come out and attempt to do their part to move the Democratic Party to the left. That was the prevailing view. They were all out there and Old Joe Biden walks through the door with a completely different proposition.

Seib said that completely different proposition came in two parts:

His proposition is A) Democrats are really not moving as far left as everyone else thinks, that the people who won the House of Representatives for Democrats in 2018 were voters in the middle-- suburban housewives who could vote either Democratic or Republican-- thats a bigger constituency than my colleagues think, he noted. And B) his proposition is that this election is entirely about Donald Trumpits all about him, full on, but its not about collusion, its about American values.

Seib paraphrases Bidens argument that President Trump isnt the person for the job.

He does not represent American values or the style of governance people want, Im going to change that, Im the one who can take him on one-on-one, mano y mano, and beat him on those terms.

So far, that seems to be a winning formula. The latest Fox News poll taken May 11-14 finds Biden is the choice of 35 percent of Democratic primary voters, which is up from 31 percent in March. His nearest rival, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, has just 17 percent.

Seib compliments Biden for coming into the race looking like hes the only choice for Democratic primary voters.

Hes almost acting as if hes won the nomination in a field of 23 or 24 people, Seib said. And it worked. I dont know if its going to work long-term, but right now its working. Even other Democrats now treat him as if hes the presumptive nominee.

Story continues

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But Seib warns nobody should be thinking that Biden is a lock to be the one celebrating at the end of the partys convention in Milwaukee next July.

Were both old enough to have seen two Joe Biden presidential campaigns (1988, 2008) that were spectacular failures, he told Baker. There is plenty of time for this to fall apart. Hes not the best candidate in the world.

Related ArticlesThe U.S. ditched the Trans-Pacific Partnership, while across the Atlantic, the U.K. is trying to extract itself from the European Union and its single market.

But while free trade is under threat in much of the world, African countries are heading in the other direction: the continent is on track to create the largest free trade agreement by population that the world has seen since the 1995 creation of the World Trade Organization. That organization has 164 member countries.

On May 30, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will become a reality. All but three of Africas 55 countries have signed up, creating a free trade area that covers more than a billion people and a collective GDP of over $2 trillion, and includes most of Africas largest economies, including South Africa and Egypt. If hold-outs Benin, Eritrea and NigeriaAfricas largest economyjoin in, thats a total of 1.2 billion people and $2.3 trillion in GDP.

By way of comparison, NAFTA and the EU-Japan free trade agreement each cover a collective GDP of around $22 trillion. But even when added together, they dont cover as many people as the AfCFTA will if every African nation joins.

Heres what you need to know about the deal that could transform Africas business landscape.

Whats the goal?

Trade within Africa is in a dire state. A mere 17% of African countries exports go to other African countriescompare that with intra-regional trade levels of 59% in Asia and 69% in Europe. That means Africa doesnt feature much in the way of cross-border value chains.

Why? Theres currently a mess of fragmented tariffs and trade regulations. As Africas richest man, the Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, recently complained, a Dangote Industries cement factory thats a mere 25 miles from the border with Benin finds it difficult to sell its wares into that country, because of Benins decision to import Chinese cement instead.

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Once the AfCFTA comes into effect, the signatories will need to drop 90% of their tariffs for imports from other African states. According to the United Nations, this could boost intra-African trade by 52.3%. And once countries drop their remaining tariffs, which they will be allowed to maintain for a decade in order to protect key industries, the U.N. says intra-African trade will double.

When you look at the African economies right now, their basic problem is fragmentation. Theyre very small economies in relation to the rest of the world. Investors find it very difficult to come up with large-scale investments in those small markets, said Albert Muchanga, the African Unions trade commissioner. Were moving away from fragmentation, to attract long-term and large-scale investment.

Another good reason to boost intra-African trade is that it should create more jobs in more diverse industries, from services to manufacturing. Trade with outside countries tends to rely on sending commodities such as metals and timber to overseas factoriesmeaning fewer jobs at home, plus over-exposure to commodity prices.

The African Continental Free Trade Area has been a flagship project of the African Unions Agenda 2063 development drive for five years now, but it got a major push forward under the AU chairmanship of Rwandan President Paul Kagame last year. Kagame got almost every African country to sign the deal in March 2018. Just over a year later, the 22nd of those countriesGambiaratified the deal, meaning the agreement can now enter into force.

Problems solved?

Setting up a free trade area does not magically make trade happen. Indeed, there are many obstacles to overcome before that dream becomes reality in Africa.

Problem number one: infrastructure. The physical remnants of Africas colonial past continues to hold back trade.

[Colonial infrastructure] was organized to take the commodities from inland and channel them to the ports, or on to the colonial country for processing. You have very little infrastructure that is meant to do the interconnection across countries and regions, said Abdoul Salam Bello, a World Bank advisor and Atlantic Council visiting fellow.

A man works on a construction site near the harbor of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire in March. A lack of inland infrastructure is a major barrier to inter-Africa trade. (Photo by ISSOUF SANOGO / AFP)

According to the African Development Bank, the continent needs $130 billion to $170 billion in infrastructure financing per year, and theres a shortfall of $68 billion to $108 billion. This is a challenge, but also an opportunity, said Bello, who said the creation of a common market could improve the availability of long-term financing in Africa.

Countries will need to fix their corporate laws so businesses can operate across borders with minimal fuss. Then theres the skills issue, which will come to the fore as companies try to build international value chains and countries industrialize to make this possible. In Ethiopia, for example, the government is pushing to boost manufacturings share of the economy from 5% to 20% by 2025, and this has meant working with industry to train the necessary workforce.

Some other countries dont have this strategic shift of the economy toward industrialization, said Bello. It speaks to research and development. You need scientists; you need engineers.

What about Nigeria?

Nigeria remains the biggest absence in the new trade areaand a large one, too, as Nigeria accounts for a sixth of Africas GDP. It originally pulled out of talks because, per President Muhammadu Buhari, the agreement could undermine local manufacturers and entrepreneurs, or lead to Nigeria becoming a dumping ground for finished goods.

The fear here was that cheap overseas goods could flow into Nigeria via other African countries. Nigerian manufacturers backed Buharis protectionist stance.

However, South AfricaAfricas second-biggest economythen signed up to the free trade deal, and Buhari changed tack. He told reporters in December that he would sign it soon, and would have already done so if it werent for the fact that he is a slow reader.

Buhari still hasnt signed, though. According to Bello, the Nigerian private sector is still concerned about protecting local manufacturing. Muchanga said the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce was on board, but he didnt know when the country would sign the agreement.

Stockbrokers work at the Nigerian Stock Exchange in Lagos in May. Africa's largest economy is one of the final hold-outs for the continent-wide trade deal. (Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP)

Opportunities

The main point of the AfCFTA is to benefit Africa and Africans, but that doesnt mean it doesnt create opportunities for outsiders.

Some companies hardly go to Africa because they find the market too small for them, said Bello. With the new free trade area, that could changea big U.S. firm could for example set up shop in a major country such as South Africa or Ethiopia, knowing it could use that as a base to expand into other African countries as well.

Over time, if all goes to plan, the AfCFTA will also lead to new trade agreements with countries outside Africabut this time with Africa maintaining a united front, much as the European Union does today.

That would mean setting up a full-blown customs unionsomething Muchanga said will happen when the member states have agreed it shouldand perhaps even a common currency; an idea that is already gathering steam at a regional level in West Africa and East Africa.

The purpose is not to create a copy-and-paste of the European common market, said Bello. It has to take on board African issues and context. But that doesnt mean we have to reinvent the wheel.Mark Schneider, CEO of Nestle gestures during an interview at the Swiss Economic Forum conference in Interlaken Mark Schneider, CEO of Nestle gestures during an interview at the Swiss Economic Forum (SEF) conference in Interlaken, Switzerland May 24, 2019. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

By John Revill

INTERLAKEN, Switzerland (Reuters) - Nestle remains committed to confectionery despite unloading its U.S. chocolate operations during a review of the food giant's operations, Chief Executive Mark Schneider told an event in Switzerland on Friday.

"Our wide portfolio makes us strong...not everything is going to change," Schneider said. "You have to find focus and areas where you concentrate your efforts," he said, identifying water, baby food and animal food as Nestle's growth drivers.

"Sweets are not among those. But we also want to exploit the opportunities of that market."

Schneider said 2019 had got off to a good start, but efficiency remained important, saying unprofitable sales growth did not make sense. Nestle had to adjust because customer preferences had changed dramatically in recent years, he added, with ever-increasing price pressure from consumers.

"There is very strong price competition. That is reality," Schneider said.

Nestle has come under pressure from activist investor Daniel Loeb's Third Point, which last year demanded a faster turnaround.

"We have a wide range of shareholders...everyone has the same rights, all of their priorities have to be listened to," Schneider said.

When asked if he was annoyed by appeals from some shareholders, he replied: "It's not personal, just business. I can make the distinction."

(Reporting by John Revill; Editing by Michael Shields)LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2019 / Cheapquotesautoinsurance.com (http://cheapquotesautoinsurance.com/ )is a top auto insurance brokerage website, providing car insurance quotes online from trustworthy agencies all over the United States. This website offers car insurance info about different coverage types and money saving tips.

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Robinhood Is Set to Raise at Least $200 Million in New Funding

(Bloomberg) -- Robinhood Markets Inc. is close to securing at least $200 million in fresh funding, according a person familiar with the matter. The round is said to value the company at between $7 billion and $8 billion, although the details could change.

The cash infusion is coming from existing investors, said people familiar with the deal, all of whom asked not to be identified because the details are private. The funding talks are ongoing, but the companys valuation could climb to as much as $10 billion in a subsequent round, these people said, adding that the numbers are subject to change until the deal is closed.

A Robinhood spokesman declined to comment.

The Menlo Park, California-based startup, which offers free app-based trading, last raised money in mid-2018 at a valuation of $5.6 billion. On top of the new funding, the company is working on launching its retooled cash management service later this year, the people said, after it was forced to temporarily shelve the product following backlash over how it was marketed, and whether it would be insured.

The tech website the Information earlier reported some details of the deal.

(Updates with valuation details starting in the first paragraph.)

To contact the reporter on this story: Julie Verhage in New York at jverhage2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alistair Barr at abarr18@bloomberg.net, Anne VanderMey, Molly Schuetz

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.Secretary of State Pompeo: Huawei does work with the Chinese government, despite its denials

"For them to say that they don't work with the Chinese government is false," says Pompeo.

The secretary of State says he's been travelling to meet with different leaders and "explaining the risks" of Huawei.

Last week, the White House effectively blacklisted Huawei, making it harder to continue to do business with American companies.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNBC Thursday that Huawei does indeed work with the Chinese government, despite denials by the China-based telecom giant.

"For them to say that they don't work with the Chinese government is false," Pompeo said. "The Huawai CEO on that, at least, isn't telling the American people the truth."

"If you're a state directed business and you take on subsidies direct from the Chinese government, there's no doubt you can make real hay," he said on "Squawk Box."

Pompeo has been critical of Chinese technology companies in the past, and met with British leaders earlier this month to discuss securing U.S. intelligence against Huawei.

The secretary of State told CNBC Thursday he's been travelling to meet with different leaders and "explaining the risks."

Last week, the White House effectively blacklisted Huawei, making it harder to continue to do business with American companies.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.





More From CNBC

The S&P 500 opened slightly higher Friday to close out another rough week for investors. The major drag on the market remains the trade war between the U.S. and China. Heres a look at the latest developments.

Huawei Ban

A week after the Department of Commerce placed Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei on a trade blacklist, President Donald Trump said easing Huawei restrictions could be part of a potential trade deal with China.

If we made a deal, I can imagine Huawei being included in some form of, some part of a trade deal, Trump told reporters.

Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have previously said Huawei poses a serious security threat to the U.S.; the blacklist restricts American companies from selling key components to Huawei.

The move came after the Justice Department filed criminal charges against Huawei back in January, alleging the Chinese company has stolen U.S. intellectual property and violated U.S. sanctions on Iran.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Gao Feng said Thursday that the U.S. must show its sincerity and correct its wrong actions before serious trade negotiations can resume.

G20 Meeting In Limbo

Trump again said Thursday that he plans to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 meeting in Japan in June, but reports from China suggest that meeting may be in jeopardy.

The South China Morning Post reported Thursday that Chinese government officials feel little can be gained at this point from a meeting between Trump and Xi.

We in the East need to save our face whereas the Americans have complete disregard for that, said Zhang Yansheng, the chief research fellow at the state-backed China Centre for International Economic Exchanges think tank.

Trump and Xi met at the previous G20 summit in Argentina in December. Since that time, the U.S. has raised tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods and threatened new tariffs on an additional $300 billion in goods.

Markets React

While economists and experts debate which nation is winning the trade war, investors and businesses in both countries continue to suffer.

Story continues

On Thursday, Trump announced an additional $16 billion in taxpayer bailouts for U.S. farmers impacted by the dispute.

Since the beginning of May, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE: SPY) is down 2.8 percent, while the iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index (NYSE: FXI) is down 9.3 percent.

Related Links:

China Concerns, Consumer Reports And Leaked Email Take Tesla Shares On Wild Ride

It's Been 14 Months Since Trump Said 'Trade Wars Are Good And Easy To Win'

President Donald Trump walks from the Oval Office to the South Lawn of the White House on Monday, May 20. White House photo by Joyce Boghosian.

See more from Benzinga

 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump says he may resolve a dispute over Huawei Technologies Co. as part of a trade agreement with China, yet doing so would undercut U.S. assertions the company poses a national security threat.

Days after trade talks with Beijing hit an impasse, the U.S. put the Shenzhen-based maker of telecommunications gear on a blacklist over concerns it could serve Chinese intelligence. Trump could reverse that move, at least in part, by letting Huawei resume buying advanced chips and easing an expected import ban by allowing the companys equipment in parts of the U.S. network.

Such a decision would violate decades of economic diplomacy by the U.S., which has always sought to portray the placement of companies on a blacklist as apolitical and linked to narrow issues of national security. But Huawei has drawn the ire of Washingtons national security establishment -- legitimately, many argue -- at a time when the president is broadening the definition of national security to include economic cooperation.

Its hard to see how they could cut much slack for Huawei, without actually endangering national security, James Lewis, director of the technology policy program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, said in an interview.

Last year, Trump lifted ruinous penalties on ZTE Corp., another Chinese technology giant, which had been accused of violating trade sanctions after a personal plea from Chinas leader, Xi Jinping. The company paid a fine, revamped its board and provided security guarantees.

Trade talks between Beijing and Washington stalled this month as Trump accused China of backing out of a deal that the U.S. said was almost completed, and Trump hiked tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods.

The Trump administration had held off on blacklisting Huawei out of concern that could disrupt the trade negotiations and only took action after the last round failed to advance, according to people familiar with the matter.

Story continues

Trumps suggestion on Thursday provoked rebukes.

I dont think so, Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, said Friday on Bloomberg TV when asked whether Huawei should be part of trade talks. Huawei is a serious national security threat. Its a serious threat to the privacy of Americans.

Ben Haber, a spokesman for Huawei, said the company had no comment on Trumps remark.

The company has said its equipment does not pose a cybersecurity threat and has denied having ties to the Beijing government.

Chinas ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, in a Bloomberg TV interview Friday, said Beijing is committed to striking a trade deal. He also said the accusations against Huawei are a groundless suspicion, and he described the U.S. action as an unusual move that mobilizes state power against a private company.

Cuis comments underscored Chinas efforts to defend its rights and a national prize like Huawei while avoiding red lines that might shatter hopes for a truce. Trump himself used a similar approach a day earlier in saying Huawei could become part of an accord even as he called the company dangerous. American officials say the companys gear could serve as a conduit for Beijings security agencies.

Companies can apply for a special license to sell parts to Huawei, in effect gaining an exemption from the blacklist. Cotton said Huawei needs U.S. parts to achieve its goal of leadership in the fast, advanced 5G systems expected to dominate networks in coming years.

To send those chips and other components to China, to let Huawei use them - it would be akin to sending uranium or munitions to the Soviet Union in the Cold War, Cotton said. We didnt do that then, we ought not do it now.

The Chinese raised Huawei in the trade talks months ago, said Lewis of the Center for Strategic & International Studies. Theres always been this concern it would be negotiated away, he said.

Trump could ease toward a model taken up by some European countries that allow Huawei in the periphery of the mobile network, and bar it from central parts, Lewis said.

He might say were opening the market to some Huawei technologies, not all, he added. Its just going to hurt the effort to get Europeans to agree to steps against Huawei.

Michael Wessel, a commissioner on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission that advises Congress, cited the startling contrast between putting Huawei on the blacklist and suggesting its inclusion in trade talks.

Now to say that were going to throw it back in the trade deal, where we have been looking at these issues based on their commercial effect, and say were ready to start trading away certain security concerns -- I think is a very troubling approach, Wessel said.

Trumps rescue of ZTE, according to Wessel, doesnt offer a useful model for Huawei.

Doing it through a fine and doing it through a change of board personnel doesnt get to the question of the ongoing security risks, Wessel said.

Its possible a deal could include dropping charges against Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis chief financial officer and the daughter of the companys founder, who has been detained in Vancouver since last December. She was arrested at the request of U.S. authorities, who are seeking her extradition to face fraud charges related to trade sanctions against Iran.

Her legal difficulties have strained relations between the Canadian and Chinese governments, and two Canadians who were arrested in China shortly after her detention remain in custody.

The trade conflict has caused hardship for American farmers, who are among Trumps most loyal supporters.

Ive asked the question: How many soybeans is Meng worth? Lewis said.

--With assistance from Andrew Mayeda.

To contact the reporters on this story: Todd Shields in Washington at tshields3@bloomberg.net;Shawn Donnan in Washington at sdonnan@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net, John Harney

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. military plans to analyze 350 billion social-media posts from around the world to help it track how popular movements evolve.

A tender for the project, based at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, calls for screening messages from at least 200 million users from more than 100 countries in more than 60 languages to better understand collective expression. Messages, including user names, will be examined for comments, metadata, location and hometown identifiers.

While its part of an existing Department of Defense Analysis effort to harness big data for social research, the scale and global reach of this program is striking, Antoine Bousquet, a senior lecturer in international relations at Birkbeck, University of London, said by email.

The studys purpose is to look at social-media messages posted publicly between July 2014 and December 2016 on a single platform, according to a solicitation request. No private communications will be included and individual users wont be identified in the research, according to the Navy.

What Mobilizes People

Facebook Inc.s primary platform has more than 1.2 billion daily active users and Twitter Inc. has more than 300 million monthly users. Printed on letter-size paper, 350 billion individual messages would make a stack about 10,000 miles high.

T. Camber Warren, the projects principal researcher, said the data will be used for increased understanding of communication and how patterns of discourse change over time.

He previously studied internal conflicts in Africa, showing how mass media such as radio broadcasts can have a pacifying effect, while social media can inflame collective violence.

Social media data allows us for the first time, to measure how colloquial expressions and slang evolve over time, across a diverse array of human societies, so that we can begin to understand how and why communities come to be formed around certain forms of discourse rather than others," Warren said by email.

Story continues

The data can be used to train algorithms to understand increasingly subtle shifts in cultural context, he said.

Sowing Divisions

Such projects are important to help defend against adversaries seeking to undermine democracy and create divisions within western societies, said William A. Carter, deputy director for tech policy at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington.

We need to better understand how narratives are shaped and communities are formed online to defend ourselves against these campaigns, he said.

Yet collecting and analyzing large tracts of publicly available data is open to abuse.

There is a risk that as we learn to exploit this data to manage how people interact online, it will give governments and bad actors tools that they can use to manipulate our thoughts and behavior, Carter said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Pete Norman in London at pnorman6@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Andrew Davis at abdavis@bloomberg.net, Tony Czuczka, Steve Geimann

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.TOKYO, May 25 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, said on Saturday there was "no doubt" North Korea's recent test missile launches violated United Nations resolutions.

"The U.N. resolution prohibits the launch of any ballistic missiles," Bolton said at a press roundtable in Tokyo ahead of a four-day state visit to Japan by Trump.

Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the first flight of a previously untested weapon - a relatively small, fast missile experts believe will be easier to hide, launch, and maneuver in flight.

Bolton added Washington would not change its position from the one outlined at the last summit between the United States and North Korea in Hanoi but that "Trump has held the door open for Kim".

Trump is expected to discuss topics ranging from North Koreas nuclear missiles to China and two-way trade when he meets Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday.

(Reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by Sam Holmes)It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN). Shares have lost about 6.3% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Alexion due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.

Alexion Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates, Guidance Raised

Alexion posted first-quarter 2019 adjusted earnings of $2.39 per share, which increased 42.3% from the year-ago quarters $1.68. Earnings also beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.19. Strong product revenues drove the bottom line in the quarter.

Revenues rose 22.6% year over year to $1.140 billion and exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.112 billion. Revenues were driven by increased sales of Soliris, Strensiq and Kanuma.

Revenues in Detail

Soliris (paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria [PNH] and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome [aHUS]) sales were up 20% to $962 million in the reported quarter, driven by strong volume growth. While Strensiq (hypophosphatasia [HPP]) revenues were $130.1 million (up 18% year over year), Kanuma (lysosomal acid lipase deficiency [LAL-D]) contributed $23.5 million (up 20%) to quarterly revenues.

Cost Summary

Adjusted research and development (R&D) expenses were $159.4 million, down 1.4% year over year.

Adjusted selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $243.7 million, up 10.6% year over year.

2019 Guidance

Alexion raised its revenue and earnings guidance for 2019. The company expects earnings per share to be $9.25-$9.45, up from the previous guidance of $9.10-$9.30. Alexion projects revenues of$4.68-$4.75 billion, up from the prior outlook of $4.63-$4.70 billion.

Revenues for Soliris and Ultomiris are expected to be $4.02-$4.07 billion, up from $3.97-$4.02 billion guided previously.

Story continues

Pipeline Update

In February 2019, the FDA grantedpriority review to Soliris in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD)indication and set an action date of Jun 28, 2019. Alexion has submitted applications in the European Union (EU) and Japan. Soliris has been granted Orphan Drug priority review in Japan.

In December 2018, the FDA approved Ultomiris for adults with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH). The company strongly launched the drug in the United States for the same indication. Applications for approval in the EU and Japan are currently under review. A phase III study of Ultomiris in children and adolescents with PNH is currently underway.

In April 2019, Alexion submitted an application in the United States for the approval of Ultomiris in patients with Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS). The company plans to file for regulatory approval in the EU and Japan in 2019. Further, a phase III study of Ultomiris in adolescents and children with aHUS is underway.

In the first quarter of 2019, Alexion initiated a phase III study of the drug in generalized Myasthenia Gravis (gMG).

Also, the company plans to initiate a phase III study of the drug in NMOSD by the end of 2019.

Moreover, Alexion plans to initiate a proof-of-concept study for Ultomiris in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and an exploratory clinical studyin Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS).

The company is enrolling and dosing a phase III study of ALXN1840 (WTX101) in Wilson disease, a rare genetic disorder with devastating hepatic and neurological consequences.



How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

Fresh estimates followed an upward path over the past two months.

VGM Scores

At this time, Alexion has a strong Growth Score of A, a grade with the same score on the momentum front. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the top 40% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Alexion has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.



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



Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALXN) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.We're definitely into long term investing, but some companies are simply bad investments over any time frame. It hits us in the gut when we see fellow investors suffer a loss. Imagine if you held Yuanda China Holdings Limited (HKG:2789) for half a decade as the share price tanked 85%. It's down 1.9% in the last seven days.

We really hope anyone holding through that price crash has a diversified portfolio. Even when you lose money, you don't have to lose the lesson.

Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

Check out our latest analysis for Yuanda China 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 imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

During five years of share price growth, Yuanda China Holdings moved from a loss to profitability. Most would consider that to be a good thing, so it's counter-intuitive to see the share price declining. Other metrics might give us a better handle on how its value is changing over time.

Arguably, the revenue drop of 16% a year for half a decade suggests that the company can't grow in the long term. This has probably encouraged some shareholders to sell down the stock.

The chart below shows how revenue and earnings have changed with time, (if you click on the chart you can see the actual values).

SEHK:2789 Income Statement, May 25th 2019

It's probably worth noting we've seen significant insider buying in the last quarter, which we consider a positive. That said, we think earnings and revenue growth trends are even more important factors to consider. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on Yuanda China Holdings's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

Story continues

Investors should note that there's a difference between Yuanda China Holdings's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price change, which we've covered above. Arguably the TSR is a more complete return calculation because it accounts for the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested), along with the hypothetical value of any discounted capital that have been offered to shareholders. Yuanda China Holdings's TSR of was a loss of 83% for the 5 years. That wasn't as bad as its share price return, because it has paid dividends.

A Different Perspective

While it's certainly disappointing to see that Yuanda China Holdings shares lost 4.5% throughout the year, that wasn't as bad as the market loss of 14%. What is more upsetting is the 29% per annum loss investors have suffered over the last half decade. While the losses are slowing we doubt many shareholders are happy with the stock. 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.

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.

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.Fremonts Hy-Vee has been challenged by the Columbus Hy-Vee to a Blood Drive Battle.

The American Red Cross bus will at the Fremont Hy-Vee from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday. Donors of all blood types are needed to see which city can donate the most blood.Cindy Reed is helping give older foster kids a voice.

Reed is youth adviser for the Connected Youth Initiative  a package of resources for young people, ages 14 through 24.

The initiative serves youth in foster care and those who have aged out of the system  in other words, leave the program because theyre age 19.

It has expanded to include those in the juvenile justice system and homeless individuals and helps youth not connected to resources.

On a basic level, this is a peer-to-peer support system.

They get to meet other people who have been situations like theirs and, maybe, some older youth who can give them advice and insight, Reed said. On the next level, its an advocacy group and our goal is change the systems that serve them to be better.

Reed believes this can happen by young people telling their stories, sharing what did  and didnt  work for them, saying what should continue and providing their ideas for change.

She knows it can be tough for kids who age out of the foster care system.

They might have no plan for where they will live next. They may not have been allowed to seek a job and havent been taught how to conduct themselves during a job interview.

Theyre getting ready to leave a system with no plan in place and so theyre going to be homeless with no job, she said.

She noted other difficulties.

Sometimes, they dont have any other people to live with, to support them, to call when they need help or to spend Christmas with or to bring them a birthday card  those kind of normal family things.

Heres where Reed can help.

She works with youth, helping them determine what they want their future to look like.

If they want to pursue education past high school, she may visit a college with them. If their goal is a job, she may connect them with Metropolitan Community College, which has a career placement program.

With this program, youth can learn how do conduct themselves during a job interview and how to complete resumes.

Reed can relate to the youth and their situations.

She was 16 years old when she went into foster care and was separated from her siblings.

Reed believes she was fortunate because she was in just one foster home.

She aged out of the system when she was 19 and found what then was called the Nebraska Foster Youth Council.

Reed volunteered to do advocacy work, then was hired and worked while in college, starting a youth council in Omaha.

It helped me discover my passion for foster care advocacy, Reed said, adding she believes shes successful in the current job, because of her experiences.

Reed went to the University of Nebraska at Omaha and earned a bachelors degree in social work in 2009.

She is married and has three children and lives in Saunders County.

Reed was a stay-at-home mom for seven years, before coming to Fremont to start Youth Voice and Opportunity Passport.

Now, Reed works with up to 50 youth regularly. Youth can be referred to the program by any agency or anybody in the community.

Most referrals come from the young people she already serves.

They know people who are experiencing the same things as them and so they say, Hey, call Cindy and she can help. So thats where the majority of my young people come from, she said.

Reed connects the young people with resources, such as housing, employment, college information and, sometimes, funding for emergencies.

Shes helped them with tasks, such as opening a bank account  which can be intimidating to them.

They dont know what to ask, she said. So Ill take them to the bank and introduce them to the people I know there and sit with them, and ask some questions so they know they need to get more information.

Reed works to become acquainted the youths so they know they can call her when they need to talk.

Or when they move and they just want someone to know where theyre at  they like to tell me, she said.

Reed said shes intentional about establishing relationships.

Its more important to me that I get to know them as a person than it is for me to check off accomplished goals, she said. Its more important that they know I care about them than it is for me that theyre connected to every resource available.

Reed knows the value of connection.

Those permanent connections are what lead to individual success, she said. A lot of times, you just need to know that somebodys on your side in order to push through.

Reed helps youth still in foster care.

She can tell them about their caseworker and guardian ad litem (a guardian appointed to protect their interests).

And that they (the youth) have the ability to reach out to them and have a voice, she said.

Many times foster kids just want to be heard.

During her earlier years, Reed appreciated the Nebraska Foster Youth Council, which she said provided a needed sounding board  allowing her to express feelings and move on, instead of keeping everything inside.

Reed noted that her situation was a little different than whats typical, however, because she was in one foster home and didnt have to move around a lot.

Yet even in an ideal situation, a foster kid can feel like the extra person  like theyre not really anybodys priority and theyll have to figure out life on their own.

It can be very lonely.

So when kids find groups, like Youth Voice, it can allow them the space to talk through things and better control what life will look like, she said.

Those who know a young person who could benefit may contact Reed at 402-415-8512.

Reed is paid by the Hope Center for Kids-Fremont.

My programs are housed under the Fremont Family Coalition, she said. Its a collaboration in our community to serve unconnected youth.

Reed enjoys her work.

I love this job, because I have the opportunity to show the youth I serve what I believe is Gods love looks like and what another possibility of life can be like after foster care, she said.

And she has future goals.

I think its necessary for young people whove been through systems to be the ones running programs like this, she said. So I hope to equip the young people Im working with to eventually be in a position to lead this work.

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Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Federal officials are encouraging residents in Dodge County to enroll in flood insurance after historic flooding devastated the region in March.

While enrolling now wont cover damage caused by historic flooding earlier this spring, FEMA Insurance Technical Specialist Hilary Cooke says that enrolling in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the best way for property owners to protect themselves from future flood events.

Flood insurance is really important, and people who have flood insurance recover faster, stronger and better than people who dont, he said. Thats not news, but it is true.

According to information provided by FEMA, current numbers show the NFIP has paid out a total of $5,784,055 to Dodge County residents covered by the program since the flood in March.

While $5 million is a significant number, there have only been a total of 242 claims, of which 179 have been payable claims, made in Dodge County in that time.

With a total of 1,218 structures in Fremont and its two mile extraterritorial jurisdiction having been inspected by the City of Fremont following the flood, and 784 of those receiving yellow placards (492) and red placards (292), only a small percentage of property owners with flood damage have made claims to NFIP.

Under the NFIP, flood insurance is available in communities that have adopted and enforce regulations to reduce flood losses. More than 400 communities in Nebraska participate in NFIPincluding Fremontand there are more than 8,400 NFIP policyholders in the state.

Cooke says that the process of purchasing flood insurance through the NFIP is more simple that most people think.

Its purchased from an insurance agent, and many local insurance agents are appointed, he said. So its just like you would get any other policy.

FEMA partners with dozens of private-insurance companies to offer flood coverage in specific areas. With rates being set by the U.S. government, they do not differ from company to company.

Agent referalls can be obtained by calling 800-427-4661 or visiting fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program.

NFIP insurance does have a 30-day waiting period before coverage kicks in, unless it is purchased as part of a mortgage loan requirement.

If you see in the news that holy smokes the big one is coming, its already too late, Cooke said.

Coverage is available for residential and commercial buildings and the contents in them with: up to $250,000 in building coverage and up to $100,000 in contents coverage for single-to-four family residential structures; up to $500,000 in building coverage and up to $100,000 in contents coverage for five-or-more family residential structures; and up to $500,000 in building coverage and up to $500,000 in contents coverage for businesses.

Cooke says that a common misconception about flood insurance is that there is no coverage available in basements.

That is a misconception, there is limited coverage, he said. We are still giong to pay for things like furnaces, hot water heaters, sump pumps, water softeners, washers, dryers, and electric panels.

Another advantage of enrolling in NFIP is that a federal disaster declaration does not have to be in place for flood insurance claims to be paid.

Cooke says that even when a federal disaster declaration is made, like the one made by President Trump following regional flooding in March, the process of getting a NFIP claim payed is much simpler and more successful than applying for individual assistance through FEMA.

Somebody comes out to the house or building, writes up an estimate and pays the claim, he said. Which is much preferred to having to go down to the Disaster Recovery Center and go through the individual assistance process.

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Dodge County Caffeine and Car Cruise-In, 8-10 a.m., Rise and Shine Doughnuts, 1951 E. Military Ave., Fremont.

FreedomFest, 8 a.m., Scribner. Events will include a 5K run/walk, 8 a.m.; breakfast, 8-11 a.m., Scribner Fire Station; poker run, 11 a.m.; car wash, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., bank parking lot; water fights, 1 p.m., fire station; funnel cakes, 1:30-3:30 p.m.; adult foosball and water pong, 2 p.m.; hamburger/hot dog feed, 5 p.m.; concert featuring Shenandoah and Dylan Bloom Band, 7:30 p.m.

HomeStore, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 701 E. Dodge St., Fremont. The HomeStore sells donated items at discounted prices. Proceeds support the mission of Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Storytime, 11-11:30 a.m., Keene Memorial Library auditorium, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous womens heart to heart group, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

The Great Race on Main, 2:30-4:30 p.m., Polymath Cyber Cafe, 414 N. Main St., Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Lie Is Dead Group, 8 p.m., Care Corps, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

SundayKnights of Columbus pancake breakfast, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Delaney Hall, St. Patricks Catholic Church, Fremont. Pancakes, eggs, ham or sausage, toast, coffee and orange juice will be served. The cost is $5.50 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under. Proceeds will go to Camp Quality.

Alcoholics Anonymous Happy Sober Sunday Group, 9 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Seekers of Serenity Group, 10:30 a.m., Care Corps, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Education Building, west of the church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Enter through the rear door.

Alcoholics Anonymous Sunday speaker, 7:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

MondayAlcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Arlington Memorial Day service, 10 a.m., Arlington Cemetery.

Cedar Bluffs Memorial Day service, 10:30 a.m., Cedar Bluffs Auditorium.

Fremont Memorial Day service, 11 a.m., Eternal Flame, Veterans Park, Military Avenue, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Logan Cemetery Memorial Day service, 2 p.m., Logan Cemetery, north of Winslow. In case of inclement weather, the service will be held at the Hooper Fire Hall.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Celebrate Recovery, 6:30 p.m., Fremont Church of the Nazarene, 960 Johnson Road.

Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Education Building, west of the church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Enter through the rear door.

Alcoholics Anonymous 12x12 meeting, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Animal Shelter Simulator is on its last stretch before the release in first quarter of 2022. Games Incubator, the game's publisher, has prepared a unique action to aid the homeless animals.What is densification? What are these accessory dwelling units (ADUs) all about? Why will they end single-family zoning in Colorado Springs?

These questions come up regularly, mainly because Colorado Springs city officials have done a lame job of explaining the new ADU high-density housing program City Council is scheduled to consider adopting on June 25.

Densification is a housing theory being legislated in California. Buildable open land is about exhausted in these two giant cities, thus there is a housing shortage. The California Legislature has responded by considering a law that allows the construction of apartments in the backyards of homes zoned for single-family residency. This state law would override city and county zoning laws that prohibit apartment buildings or other commercial businesses in single-family zones.

At full build-out, when every single-family home has at least one apartment house behind it, the population of a neighborhood will be doubled, thus the name densification. In effect, every single-family zoned housing area in California could become a two-family zoned area. Along with the doubling of residents in a neighborhood could come an increase in the number of automobiles, thereby adding to neighborhood traffic congestion.

It is a policy trade-off. By crowding more people and automobiles into neighborhoods, the California government gains more housing in the form of all those backyard apartments. The city and state collect more property tax. The traffic jams in the neighborhood are considered a plus because they will be an incentive for people to ride commuter rail.

According to the New York Times, backyard apartments in single-family zones are just the beginning of densification. Californias proposed Senate Bill 50 would allow four-unit apartment buildings throughout the state, including single-family areas.

The Colorado Springs version of all this, which was referred by the Planning Commission to the City Council, is called the ADU law. ADU stands for accessory dwelling unit, although we think it might better be called apartment development universal. We coined that phrase because the proposed law allows homeowners in most single-family zones to embark on the commercial venture of building a small apartment house in their back or side yard and renting it to another person or family.

And so this national debate over the purposeful densification has come to Colorado Springs. Will the backyard apartment buildings allowed by the proposed ADU law be appropriate for our city?

We think it is ill-advised. Unlike San Francisco and Los Angeles, there is still plenty of buildable land for housing in Colorado Springs. The city has, wisely in our opinion, annexed considerable land at the city periphery and has it readily available for homes, apartments, mixed-use, or any other form of housing the market calls for. Public money could be used to build affordable housing on these empty lands.

We also note that the automobile jams caused by densification are supposed to stimulate the use of commuter rail. San Fran and LA have plenty of commuter rail, but Colorado Springs has none and no plans to build any. Have you noticed the increased traffic on Academy Boulevard, Interstate 25, and elsewhere? The densification created by the Colorado Springs ADU law would create traffic jams from which there would be little relief.

We worry about the individual homeowner who has bought a home in a single-family zoned neighborhood but, once the council adopts this new ADU law, will be living in a two-family zone with apartment houses and minimotels likely to go up soon. We regard single-family zoning as a pledge by city government to the homebuyer that the zoning you have when you buy the home will be forever maintained. The ADU law breaks that pledge and forces the homebuyer-turned homeowner into living in a de facto two-family zone filled with apartments and minimotels.

This is a major issue for Colorado Springs. There are two visions of the future of our city. One preserves our strong downtown-area neighborhoods as the strong single-family zoned neighborhoods they are now. The ADU law, on the other hand, will crowd them with more people and jam them with more automobiles. That is what densification does.

When it come before the council for approval in June, it should be a heated discussion because the stakes for homeowners anywhere in the city are so high. If you do not want your zoning compromised by the ADU law, then write, phone, or email council members and tell them densification might be good for California but not for us.A heated debate takes place every year around Christmas time. Its not about which relatives house you should visit for the holidays, its a topic with greater importance. Its a question everyone wants to know the answer to but cant seem to agree on. Is the 1988 film Die Hard, starring Bruce Willis, a Christmas movie?

You voted:Kathy Hernandez needed only a few minutes to turn a ho-hum trip to the grocery store into a life-saving mission.

Moments from leaving with her groceries, she watched in horror as a nearby man crumpled to the ground  his lips and fingertips turning blue while a woman beside him announced he was overdosing on heroin.

Hernandez pulled a nasal spray from her purse and revived him with just a couple of quick puffs.

Im always like Please work, please work, Hernandez said. So far, its worked every time.

The nasal spray, called naloxone, has become the go-to lifesaver in recent years for people overdosing on prescription opioid painkillers or heroin.

Across the Pikes Peak region, the nonprofit AspenPointe is working to distribute as many free opioid antidote packages as possible to stem the tide of overdose deaths that has gripped the region for years.

This month, a federal grant passed down through the Colorado Department of Human Services Office of Behavioral Health was renewed for another two years.

The nonprofit distributed slightly more than 3,000 packages over the last couple of years. And at least 26 of them have been used to save lives, said Lorrie Urbaniak, the nonprofits manager of managed care.

Its a great thing  its a great service, Urbaniak said.

The naloxone packages are available by calling Urbaniak at 719-314-2520 or emailing her at lorrie.urbaniak@aspenpointe.org.

The effort comes as the death toll from the nations opioid epidemic continues to rise, including in Colorado. The state recorded 560 opioid-related deaths in 2017, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Ninety-two were in El Paso County.

They include deaths from prescription painkillers  such as tramadol, oxycodone, morphine and fentanyl  as well as their illicit cousin, heroin.

All of them suppress the bodys ability to breathe. But naloxone blocks receptors in the brain that are affected by opioids  almost miraculously punching someone out of an overdose and helping them regain the ability to breathe long enough to get to an emergency room.

Across the state, more than $2.1 million was spent through April 30 handing out naloxone funded by the same federal grant. A new, two-year grant that began May 1 dedicates an additional $1.5 million for the project.

Statewide, 28,256 naloxone kits  which each include two doses  have been distributed since August 2017, according to a state human services spokeswoman. They have been used to reverse at least 1,222 overdoses.

Each person who receives a two-dose package of naloxone must undergo a short training session that can last as little as 10 minutes. For example, anyone administering the drug should first spray a dose into one nostril, wait a few minutes, and then spray a second dose up the other nostril, in case the first was blocked.

Most importantly, anyone administering naloxone must immediately call 911. The antidote doesnt last forever  just long enough to get someone to a hospital.

The antidote kits are especially important for relatives and friends of drug users, as well as people in jobs that interact routinely with drug users. But AspenPointe is trying to get out as many as possible  even to people who dont use drugs or who dont know someone who does.

You just dont know what can happen and where, Hernandez said.

Honestly, I think that if people dont have it and they dont have the ability to get it, people die. They dont have the chance to get into recovery.

Its a risk Hernandez, 48, knows all too well.

For decades, she used nearly every drug imaginable, including heroin, and she lost several of her friends to overdoses.

She sobered up four years ago, and she now focuses her time on helping others walk that same path. As a substance use disorder recovery coordinator for AspenPointe, she leads naloxone training sessions across the Pikes Peak region.

Usually, she speaks from experience.

In addition to the grocery store incident, shes used naloxone two other times on friends and acquaintances. One of the people she saved still struggles with addiction, while another is several months into recovery  enrolled in therapy and using buprenorphine, a prescription drug that helps opioid users manage their cravings.

As for the person she saved in that north Colorado Springs King Soopers, she only hopes they wont need another dose anytime soon.

Hernandez received an anonymous letter after saving that persons life, which thanked her for having the antidote that day.

She shudders to think what would have happened if she didnt have it close by.

As much stigma as there is out there, people deserve the chance to get into recovery, no matter where theyre at in their addiction, Hernandez said. They deserve that chance.Monument-area residents are crying foul over plans to build a charter school, saying a developer has leveraged his having served on a local education board to benefit financially.

Some residents near Colorado 105 and Colorado 83 say that developer Matt Dunston crossed an ethical line when he purchased the land southeast of the intersection, knowing from his time on Monument Academys Board of Directors that the charter school had been eyeing the parcel for a new school site.

Dunston, who developed the neighboring Preserve at Walden subdivisions with his brother, Bill, now plans to donate about half of the roughly 65-acre property to Monument Academy and build out the rest with homes and a few businesses.

It all seems fairly underhanded and deceptive, said Nick Anderson, who lives near the site. He and other area residents say the appearance of a conflict of interest adds to other concerns that the project would degrade the overall quality of life for those living in the area and flood surrounding thoroughfares with traffic the roads arent equipped to handle.

But Dunston said developers often work with school districts and charter schools, helping to bring projects to fruition with the acumen to address construction-related challenges, such as traffic and utilities.

Its not even in the universe of impropriety, said Dunston, who bought the property from Lewis-Palmer School District 38 in Monument. Its exactly how things do happen. If you dont work with developers, schools dont happen anywhere.

He said the new school will come with traffic improvements and that hell do what he can to minimize the impact on nearby neighborhoods.

Monument Academy plans to break ground on the new school within the next 30 days, said Mark McWilliams, a member of the charter schools Board of Directors. The school is slated to open in 2020 and will have about 600 middle and high school students. Construction will be paid for by a bond financed with money that the state provides at a per-student rate, he said.

The charter schools expansion will help relieve the mounting pressure that D-38s crowded schools are facing as developments crop up in the Monument area, McWilliams said. This is a really good answer to that problem, he said.

Residents told The Gazette they have long known a school was slated for the site, but only recently discovered that the rest of the parcel would include residential and commercial development. They were surprised, too, to learn that Monument Academy is negotiating with the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region to allow the organization to open a new facility on the campus.

Its all happened really fast, said Walden resident Jason Callaway. It kind of feels like its all being done very quickly and without informing the neighborhood or the area at all.

Some residents have also expressed skepticism. Brian Risley, chairman of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, was chosen as the architect of record for the school project.

Risley could not be reached Friday for comment.

A petition on change.org has nearly 1,000 virtual signatures from opponents of the plan for the new school.

Vanessa Gentry, who lives in the Walden community with her husband and two children, said her family plans to sell their home and move because of the development.

All the traffic its going to bring  I dont think its going to be good for the neighborhood or us, she said. Since all thats coming, we dont want to stay.

D-38 approved the expansion of Monument Academy in November 2017. At the time, Monument Academy Executive Director Don Griffin told The Tri-Lakes Tribune that the charter school was considering three sites for the new school, including the one near highways 83 and 105.

Dunstons resignation from the school board was announced in May 2018, before Monument Academy made a final decision on the location for the new school, McWilliams said.

The D-38 Board of Education approved selling the property to Dunston last fall, with the condition he donate some of the land to Monument Academy for the new school.

The district once considered building on the property, but a planning committee decided the location was not a viable option for the district a few years ago, said Matthew Clawson, president of the D-38 Board of Education. In addition to finding challenges with traffic and securing water and wastewater services for the location, the district determined it would not have been a good spot for a school considering where population growth would occur, Clawson said.

When the district first tried to sell the property, about 50 people expressed interest, he said. But no one offered the sites appraised value of $1.25 million until Dunston bid on the property, Clawson said.

The only reason why Matt Dunston ended up with the property is that he offered the highest amount to purchase it. We didnt give any discounts on the rate, Clawson said.

Anyone thats willing to put $1.2 million dollars down and essentially give a large amount of property to a charter academy  thats a very kind thing for him to do.

But, to local residents including Callaway, the turn of events seems shady on multiple levels.

Now, hes finding ways of profiting from this, Callaway said of Dunston.

The El Paso County Planning Commission approved the schools location this month.

A permit from the Colorado Department of Transportation is still needed because the site is off two state highways.

The Walden Corporation, which serves the neighboring subdivisions, will provide water and sewer to the school, Dunston said.

If the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region wants to open a location on the campus, Monument Academy must seek the county commissioners approval for a special use to use school facilities, said county planner Nina Ruiz.

Dunston will likely also have to get zoning approvals to develop the rest of the site, but thats a long way off, the developer said.

My primary motive and my impetus for all of this is to get involved so that this school and facility is the best that it can be for the Walden community, he said.Labor party supporters watch the tally count at the Federal Labor Reception in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, May. 18, 2019. Voting has closed in Australia's general election, with some senior opposition lawmakers confident that they will form a center-left government with a focus on slashing greenhouse gas emissions. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)DES MOINES  Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Thursday a measure requiring local governments to take extra steps  including additional notification to property taxpayers  in approving their annual spending plans.

Senate File 634 requires city councils and county boards of supervisors to document when they plan to increase property tax revenues through higher tax rates or increased property value assessments or both. The measure requires the local governments to notify taxpayers of the major reasons for the increase.

If a citys or countys tax revenues would increase by more than 2 percent, an additional public hearing must be held and two-thirds of the councils or boards members  instead of a simple majority  would need to approve it.

This bill creates an additional public hearing prior to the approval of a city or countys budget, allowing more public input and helping increase awareness and transparency to the budgeting process and Iowa taxpayers, Reynolds said in a statement.

Clear Lake City Administrator Scott Flory said in April that legislators in Des Moines haven't put enough thought into this particular proposal and that some of the supporters' central claims, about local transparency not being strong enough, are unfounded.

"We do not see this apparent volatility related to an individuals property tax payments having risen to the level that this legislation seems to suggest," Flory said.

He pointed out that Clear Lake city officials take care to hold public meetings prior to the adoption of the budget and allow for media reporting in advance of a public hearing on the budget.

"Our process has been and will remain very transparent and fiscally responsible and this legislation will have no impact on that whatsoever."

Mason City Administrator Aaron Burnett echoed Flory's perspective and argued that the legislation wouldn't produce any material benefit.

"Local governments are already accountable to the taxpayers through the process of elections," Burnett said.

Supporters say the proposal is needed to require more transparency in property taxes so taxpayers can understand why their bill is increasing. They say it may make local leaders think twice about spending.

Chris Ingstad, president of Iowans for Tax Relief, said there long has been a disconnect between local governments and taxpayers over tax bills. For example, local officials may say the property tax levy is being held flat, yet taxpayers wind up paying more money anyway as property values increase.

But critics contend it will place an undue burden on and infringe upon the authority of local governments.

Some Democrats claimed the proposal could pit public employee pension programs  which are required by law to be fulfilled  against other areas of the local budget, like services or personnel.

Before passing the measure last month, legislative architects stripped a provision that would have allowed a voter referendum to reverse an increase deemed too high.

Also, a separate provision to place a 3 percent hard cap on yearly property tax increases  in addition to opening the door to a public vote  was removed from the bill before it was passed and sent to the governor.

Although lawmakers stopped short of their goal of capping property tax growth, elected local officials said the legislation is another example of the Legislature running roughshod over Iowans constitutional guarantee of home rule for cities and counties.

I think the heavy hand of state government maybe has gotten a little heavier because Republicans control the House, Senate and governors office, Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh said last month on Iowa Public Televisions Iowa Press. program.

Walsh warned that efforts by the Legislature, largely controlled by rural Republicans, to push down revenue for cities may backfire because Iowas growth is happening in its cities.

Officials with the Iowa League of Cities have been developing a spreadsheet to assist cities in calculating the impact of the legislation, and they have recorded a webinar they plan to post now that the governor has signed the law.

Alan Kemp, executive director of the League of Cities, said impacts will vary from city to city based on valuation changes year to year.

Globe Gazette reporter Jared McNett added to this story.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The American Legion turned 100 years old this year as a national organization, and Merrill Johnson, 87, has been a member for two-thirds of those years.

Johnson joined Legion Post #278 of Osage 66 years ago after returning home from serving in the Marines during the Korean War.

His two older brothers, Marvin and Norbert, also were in the Armed Forces and were already Legion members.

Merrill said Marvin was the one who "made sure I joined the Legion as soon as I got out of the service."

When Merrill came home in 1953, "my friends were all gone," he said, noting some of them were still serving in the military.

He said he joined the Legion so he could meet other veterans and make friends.

Johnson still enjoys spending time with those friends and participating in Osage post activities, including the annual Memorial Day observances.

He is currently the oldest of the 12 post members serving on the memorial squad that fires the 21-gun salute at funerals for veterans.

Legion members have to be asked to join the memorial squad.

"I feel that's an honor to be able to do this for the people that have served," Johnson said.

He said he's no longer strong enough to fire a rifle, so he is one of the squad members holding the colors while the others fire.

Johnson, a 1949 graduate of Osage High School, was drafted into the military in 1951.

"We didn't have a choice of what branch we were going into," he said.

At that time the Marines had a personnel shortage, so that's where Johnson was assigned.

After boot camp in San Diego, half of the Marines in Johnson's group were sent to Korea, while the others went to the East Coast.

Johnson was assigned as a clerk/typist at the Marine Air Wing at Cherry Point, North Carolina.

Keeping logs for the pilots was one of his duties. He also had to go past the area where the airplanes were to pick up the mail each day.

"It was so noisy," said Johnson, who now wears hearing aids. "That's what affected my hearing."

He said he also was around heavy machinery later on during civilian life, "but it all started from the noisy airplanes."

Johnson's group was on board the USS Bennington for three months in 1953. The Navy aircraft carrier had been taken out of commission after World War II, but was recommissioned in 1952.

Johnson was on board on April 27, 1953, when a boiler explosion killed 11 Navy service members and injured seven others.

"They couldn't get out," he said. "They were scalded."

At the time the ship was on a shakedown cruise off the southeastern part of Cuba.

Johnson said he was in the on-board PX picking out a present for his mom for Mother's Day when the explosion took place in the level below him. He was not injured.

He said he didn't know any of those who died or were injured because they were all in the Navy.

Johnson got married one year after getting home. He said his wife, Muriel, worked a 4 p.m. to midnight shift as a hospital nurse while he was self-employed as a "jack of all trades."

For many years Merrill couldn't attend Legion meetings because he had to be home with the children while Muriel worked.

He became more active after all four of the kids had graduated from high school.

Johnson started the Kwik Serve restaurant in Osage in 1980. He ran the place until 1996, when new owners took over. The restaurant is still in business today.

Johnson, who lives in the unincorporated town of Meroa in Mitchell County, has been the sexton at the Rock Creek Cemetery there since 1959.

Each year on the Friday before Memorial Day, Merrill and Muriel decorate the veterans' graves at the cemetery with poppies.

"We enjoy doing that," Merrill said.

His brother Marvin used to decorate the grave with poppies. Merrill and Muriel took over after Marvin died in 1992.

Merrill's younger brother, Dean, who lives next door to him, is also a veteran.

The Osage Legion post used to run the Bingo games at the Mitchell County Fair.

"It was a lot of work," Johnson said.

Then there were the weekly suppers hosted by the post. Members took turns being in charge of these meals, and that person had to find volunteers, according to Johnson.

He said once when he was in charge of a prime rib and baked potato supper, he scrubbed the potatoes, wrapped them in foil and put them in the oven.

Unfortunately, he forgot to turn on the oven, "and we didn't discover that until it was time to serve," he said.

Johnson had to cook the potatoes in the microwave to get them done.

"Everyone is entitled to one mistake," he said.

Johnson enjoys the camaraderie of being in the Legion.

"We are all friends," he said.

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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.No one I know has ever witnessed a train wreck as it happened. As such, when a friend or colleague says or writes that an event was like watching a train wreck happen, Im pretty sure it wasnt like watching a train wreck happen.

Until May 5, that is, when President Donald J. Twitter used his thumbs to announce he would boost the current 10 percent American tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25 percent because, he explained, the Chinese had backpedaled on an almost completed trade deal.

That unilateral action kicked off a week of rising political tension and falling commodity prices. China quickly answered with tariff hikes of its own. It said it would increase current tariffs on $60 billion of U.S. goods and, on June 1, hit 5,000 more U.S. products with 25 percent tariffs.

The White House responded by saying it would place tariffs on $300 billion more Chinese goods imported into the U.S.

Markets cracked on the news. Nearly $2 trillion drained from New York equity markets in a week. Commodity prices followed; both new and old crop corn and soybean futures sagged to life-of-contract lows May 13. (All rebounded May 14, however, on news of crop planting delays and a possible federal bailout.)

The president, ever worried about his red-and-rural voter base, quickly took to Twitter to reassure farmers that he had their backs. Initially, he explained, he would use part of the tariffs paid by China to purchase excess U.S. commodities that would then be sent to poor & starving countries in the form of humanitarian aid.

The idea, of course, was Grade A malarkey for two, key reasons. First, as every farm group economist has said repeatedly for a year, China doesnt pay U.S.-imposed tariffs; U.S. purchasers of Chinese goods pay them. That means there is no pot of Chinese gold for the federal government to buy American commodities to buck up prices and then give away for free.

Also, as Chuck Abbott of FERNs Ag Insider explained in his May 13 report, even If Trumps proposal is implemented, it would expand U.S. food donations 10 times or more from recent levels at the same time the administration wants to shut down the premier U.S. food-aid program.

In fact, Abbott continued, the White Houses 2020 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) budget proposal, asked for no funding for the inefficient food aid approach of shipping U.S.-grown food to recipients overseas.

When both of those tweeted turkeys failed to fly, the presidentwith Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue acting as his echo chambertossed out his latest plan: send patriot farmers $15 billion in reciprocal cash which, he said, is equal to the biggest purchase China ever made.

Again, there is no reciprocalwhatever that meanscash.

Moreover, the biggest purchase, noted FERNs Abbott, for U.S. exports to China was $25.7 billion in fiscal 2014, or nearly $11 billion more than presidents suggested 2019 bailout of his 2018 bailout.

No one in the White House, on Capitol Hill or at USDA has said definitively where the billions will come from. The likeliest piggy bank is USDAs Commodity Credit Corp., or CCC. A year ago, the Trump administration borrowed $12 billion from the CCC for mitigation payments  cold cash to soothe rural bruises after the White Houses first dive into the tariff tarpit. Now comes a likely second, even bigger raid.

All of which leaves U.S. farmers, who less than three years ago strongly backed what they were told was the most free market, most free trade Congress and White House in a generation, again waiting for government bailout checks as the White House continues to hand hard-won export markets to global competitors.

Even worse, few in Congress or the White House have either the courage or plan to stop this runaway locomotive.

On second thought, this is exactly what a train wreck looks like when its happening.

The Farm and Food File is published weekly through the U.S. and Canada. Source material, past columns and contact information are posted at farmandfoodfile.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0It's a great weekend to remember that you're part of something bigger.

In Mason City, we're again celebrating all things musical -- and Meredith Willson -- with the North Iowa Band Festival.

The first band festival was held in 1928 in observance of Mason City's 75th anniversary, according to the history written by former Globe reporter, John Skipper. Five local high school bands joined the Mason City High School band to provide music for the anniversary celebration.

Eight years later, the Iowa Bandmasters Association held its annual meeting in Mason City and the festival was revived. The success of the 1936 Band Festival prompted organizers and other citizens to plan a similar event the following year. Thus, in 1937, the second successive festival was held, the third overall ... and a tradition was born, one that in the next half-century was to include the likes of Meredith Willson and the cast of a Hollywood movie, and thousands upon thousands of high school musicians.

Most of us who grew up in the surrounding states and played a musical instrument can remember riding the school bus to Mason City to participate in the biggest gathering of marching bands in the upper Midwest.

Now, as adults, perhaps we groan at the traffic, the intrusion of outsiders bringing long lines, trash and a little bit of chaos to our usually quiet town. Maybe we even plan be out of the area.

But the band festival is part of the fabric that makes this community unique. No other community claims Meredith Willson as we do, no other community celebrates the importance of music in the lives of youth as we do and no other community reaps the economic impact Mason City does from the North Iowa Band Festival.

However and whenever we can, we should celebrate Mason City's page in history, even if it means a little discomfort one weekend a year.

The same holds true for Memorial Day itself. While we have Armed Forces Day for those still in uniform, and Veterans Day for those who no longer wear the uniform, Memorial Day is the one day for those who gave all for their country.

The Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865, claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and required the establishment of the countrys first national cemeteries, according to history.com.

By the late 1860s, Americans in various towns and cities had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers.

At the first Decoration Day, as Memorial Day was originally called, President James Garfield presided over a service honoring the fallen in Arlington National Cemetery, where 5,000 came and decorated the gravestone of every soldier buried there.

Can you imagine a Memorial Day service today with 5,000 in attendance anywhere in the United States?

Often these days, it is left to veterans' organizations, Girl and Boy Scout troops and other groups to honor these brave souls, while the rest of us revel in an extra day off and the unofficial start of summer.

For example, did you know every American is supposed to observe a moment of remembrance at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day?

You could start on Monday. And, if you want to show your support on more than just Memorial Day, head to your local VFW and ask what you can do.

Local editorials represent the opinion of the Globe Gazette editorial board, which consists of Publisher Samuel Gett, Editor Jaci Smith, and Regional Editor Jim Cross. Contact the board or send letters to news@globegazette.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Britain is once again the sick man of Europe



If treachery becomes part of the debate, there can only be total victory or total defeat



Martin Wolf





David Cameron, the 'essay crisis' prime minister, resigns after losing the EU referendum in 2016  Getty





When I was young, in the 1960s, the UK was known as the sick man of Europe, for its prolonged economic weakness. But after Margaret Thatchers time as prime minister, this grim epithet no longer seemed applicable. Yet now, once again, as I go abroad  and especially in continental Europe  people ask me, with a mixture of bewilderment, pity and Schadenfreude, What is wrong with Britain? I do not pretend to know the answer (or answers). But I can describe the symptoms: the UK is undergoing six crises at the same time.



The first and most important crisis is economic. The starting point was the shock of the 2008 financial crisis. But, today, the most important aspect of this is the stagnation in productivity. According to the Conference Board, output per hour in the UK rose by just 3.5 per cent between 2008 and 2018. Of all significant high-income countries, only Italys grew less. Yet that is not because the UKs productivity is already high. On the contrary, output per hour in the UK lags behind that of Ireland, Belgium, the US, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland, Singapore, Sweden, Austria, Australia, Finland and Canada. High employment and low unemployment are good news. But stagnant productivity means stagnant real incomes per head. This means that one group can only get better off if another does worse. This does not make for happy politics. A long period of fiscal tightening has made it unhappier.



The second crisis is over whether national identity has to be exclusive. That question soon turns into one about loyalty. Many are comfortable with multiple identities. Others insist there must only be one. One way of looking at this division is as one between people from somewhere and people from anywhere, as David Goodhart defines it in his book, The Road to Somewhere. But, once politicised, this becomes far more bitter and divisive. It has been, in Brexit.



The third crisis, Brexit, has weaponised identity, turning those differences into accusations of treason. Normal democratic politics are subsumed within (and managed by) appeals to a higher shared loyalty. Once the idea of treachery becomes part of political debate, only total victory or total defeat are possible. Such perspectives are incompatible with the normal give-and-take of democratic life. And so, in fact, it has proved. The country is so evenly divided, and emotions are so intense, that resolution is at present impossible.



The fourth crisis is political. The existing parties, based historically on class divisions, do not fit the current identity divisions between those who are gladly both British and European and those who insist that being the former excludes the latter (at least if by European one means citizen of the EU). Both main parties are being destroyed in the process, but a new political configuration is yet to emerge.



The fifth crisis is constitutional (by which I mean that it relates to the rules of the political game). Membership of the EU is a constitutional question. Use of referendums as the device to resolve such constitutional questions is itself a constitutional question. If referendums should decide such things, what must be the role of parliament in interpreting and implementing that decision? What, for that matter, is a sensible decision-rule for a constitutional referendum? Should it be a simple majority or a supermajority? Why did we stumble into this mess, without asking ourselves any of these questions?



The sixth and perhaps most important crisis of all is of leadership. The UK has stumbled from the essay crises of David Cameron to the mulish obstinacy of Theresa May. Now it can see before it the prospect of a general election, with a Conservative party led by Boris Johnson confronting a Labour party led by Jeremy Corbyn. These two men do not have much in common. But they seem to me the least qualified potential prime ministers even in a country that is, after all, still a permanent member of the UN Security Council. One is an inveterate buffoon and the pied piper of Brexit. The other is a hardline socialist and a life-long supporter of leftwing despots. With such leaders, the mess can only worsen  and it surely will.



Why so many crises have befallen the country at the same time and how they all relate to one another are really important questions. Poor economic outcomes, in terms of real income growth, are surely related to the rise of national identity as a salient issue, though there are other factors, notably immigration. What matters, however, is not what caused all this, but that it is going to take a long time to sort all this out. The UK will, alas, remain sick for a while.



Grand Old Partisan lauds Ralph Waldo Emerson, born in Boston this day of 1803. He attended Harvard College and Harvard Divinity School. An aversion to slavery began while visiting South Carolina and Florida.

Emerson's writings and lectures were popular. Along with David Thoreau, he was a leading light of the Transcendentalist Movement.

This stern abolitionist joined the GOP and voted for Abraham Lincoln. He would be introduced by a mutual friend, civil rights champion Charles Sumner. Emerson befriended many other Republican administration officials and congressmen. He eulogized the Great Emancipator:

"He had a face and manner which disarmed suspicion, which inspired confidence, which confirmed good-will. He was a man without vices. He had a strong sense of duty, which it was very easy for him to obey... This man grew according to the need. His mind mastered the problem of the day; and, as the problem grew, so did his comprehension of it. Rarely was man so fitted to the event."

Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FjrodkccyU0

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

See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party.

"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"I ruined all my future potential for joy that first time I tasted Roquefort with Canadian ice wine.

I was on a trip with a then-partner in his home region of Niagara-on-the-Lake, a wine-growing area just outside of Toronto, enjoying some time among the vines. I was a novice, with zero knowledge of wine fundamentals, so the tasting room attendant showed me the light. Wanting to expose me to the wonders of nectarlike ice wine, she carved a nugget of salty, funky Roquefort and changed the course of my life.

I took a sip of syrupy, near-cloying wine, followed by a nibble of the creamy cheese. Though, individually, the wine and cheese felt like short, jagged bursts of an incomplete musical score, together, the strong, sharp flavors of the cheese and the luscious fruitiness of the wine felt like a symphony. It was harmony.

I've held on to that memory for a decade now  it has guided my approach to pairing wine with food. I learned that lightning doesn't strike the same place twice, and perfection is a fool's errand.

When it comes to food and wine pairings, few hold the imagination or drive sales quite like dramatic cheese plates surrounded by bottles of wine. Creamy Camemberts, funky epoisses, sharp Vermont cheddar and grassy manchego represent an atlas of flavor on a plate  why not indulge with some vino while you're at it? Unfortunately, a myth prevails that there's a perfect solution to pairing each cheese with a specific vinous suitor.

Question for you: When was the last time you were hanging out by a party's cheese plate, talking with friends and other partygoers about how great the pairings were? Do you remember what you were even eating or drinking? Was there a quiz at the end of the party?

I hope the answer to all these questions is "Oh my, no." Because what a boring fete!

Just like that old convention of pairing red wines with meat, whites with fish, most rules governing cheese pairings are tiresome and keep you in a box. Stop worrying, start drinking.

But I suppose you came here for actual tips, not a treatise. I'll oblige.

The first and last lesson I've picked up about wine and food pairings is to throw out the tasting notes. There are so many other factors in a wine that make them suitable for food pairings, and knowing that a Beaujolais Villages wine tastes like cranberries, black pepper and violets is less useful than knowing about its texture (weight, minerality, tannins), acidity level, alcohol level and sweetness.

A great wine balances all of these elements, and as such, often makes a great food partner  that includes cheese. Wines that tend toward weighty, oaky, tannic and boozy are often just too much for food, and certainly overpower the often subtle flavors of cheese.

When I'm planning to have friends over for drinks and cheese, I tend to stock up on cool-climate wines, whites and reds. I avoid big, bruisy wines, which generally hail from warmer regions and tend toward over-ripeness, low acidity and higher alcohol levels. Wines like Aussie shiraz, Argentine malbec and Napa cabernet have their place, sure, particularly those nights I want to channel my inner Olivia Pope or am digging into a giant steak, but for brunch, book club or a casual hang, light and nimble wines do the trick.

Easygoing Sicilian frappato and cool-climate Loire Valley cabernet francs are my go-to reds, mainly because both express softer tannins and higher acidity. They're lively and tend toward funky, a nice foil for grassy or stinky cheeses.

France's Loire Valley and Beaujolais regions produce some of the country's best drink-me-now wines. In recent years, the general "vin de table" (table wine) or "vin de France" designations have modernized beyond old associations with plonk. You'll find many wines now carrying these on their label instead of vineyard or appellation designations  some contemporary winemakers feel boxed in by traditional methods governed by appellation d'origine controlee certification. The trade-off for eschewing AOC strictures is greater control for the winemaker.

These wines range from $15 to $30  reasonable and not outrageous  and they pack a lot of flavor for the price. Producers I recommend include La Boutanche, whose wines feature cheeky updates on the critter labels of yesteryear, and Domaine Catherine et Pierre Breton, one of the Loire's masters of mind-blowing and complex cabernet franc. Though the big-name wines of the Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhone regions still get a lot of love from grocery stores and volume retailers, wines from the Loire Valley have been taking over more shelf space, especially in better-curated wine shops, where small-production winemakers often land.

For frappato, try Marchese Montefusco ($15), a nice introduction to Sicily's food-friendly indigenous grape. Sicily is a great region to explore value-driven, small-production wines, and this frappato  full of aromatic berry flavors and soft, smooth tannins  is no exception.

When it comes to white wines, I tend to turn to cool-climate U.S. regions. I head south from big-name regions Napa and Sonoma for Santa Barbara's fresh, apple-forward chardonnays, which don't often see the oak treatment so common in Napa. The wines there have a tendency toward freshness and vibrancy, with relatively common apple and pear flavors. Apples go with cheese, right? Seek out names like Qupe, Au Bon Climat and Ojai Vineyard, which have strong national distribution.

Over in the east, New York state's cool Finger Lakes region produces excellent and electric riesling, a far cry from the sweeter blue German bottles of the '80s. Producers to look out for include pioneers Hermann J. Wiemer, Red Tail Ridge and Dr. Konstantin Frank, which all grow and bottle estate fruit, with a hands-on and personal approach to their vineyard practices.

Of course, if all else fails, you can't go wrong with pairing cheese with sparkling wine. Life's a party  stop fretting the small stuff.

(c)2019 Chicago Tribune Visit the Chicago Tribune at www.chicagotribune.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0A missing and endangered person advisory was issued Friday for 15-year-old Makenna Ann Thompson, who was last seen Sunday and initially reported as missing by the Helena Police Department Tuesday.

Thompson is a 5-foot-4, 100 pound white female with brown hair and hazel eyes. She has been diagnosed with bi-polar and is not taking her medication.

Authorities believe she voluntarily left with 21-year-old Garrett Poteet. He is a 6-foot-3, 300 pound white man with brown hair and green eyes.

They might be camping or heading to Colorado in a dark green 2004 GMC Sierra crew cab pickup, with Montana plates 581226A.

Poteet's credit card was used in Ballantine three or four days ago.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Helena Police Department at 406 442-3233 or call 911.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 7 Angry 5Hello, friends. Yes, its my picture  but the column today is from my older sister, Judy, one of my valued editors. For Mothers Day, May 12, she delivered the following essay to a Spokane theater filled with people who had come to hear 10 women read stories about motherhood. The event was: Listen to Your Mother, Spokane. Similar events were held in Washington D.C. and cities across the country.

Judy read about her last years with our mother. Mom was born Jan. 1, 1921, and died at 97, March 30, 2018. In an earlier column, I have written to you about Moms death: Nullifying Death, May 26, 2018. I wanted you to enjoy Judys writing and read the rest of the story of Moms final years. Enjoy.

A new phase of the story begins

In 2012, when I was nearly 64 and she was 92, my mother came to live with us. After Dad died, she could no longer live alone. Early dementia and grief plunged her into a fog. Shed never heard Elsa sing: Let it go! but she did  she gave up her home in Colorado, along with family, friends, possessions and sunny skies to arrive in bleak midwinter Spokane.

She liked our downstairs guest room. But sighs and groans accompanied her up and down movements on stairs, even chairs.

And so does the worrying

I developed a worried ear listening for my mother.

At night, the loud moans struck sudden terror in my heart. Did I need to go down to reassure her? Had she fallen?

Moms sighs seemed infectious. My grandson observed. Nana, did you know that you just sighed five times in the last minute? I dont think so, I retorted. Yes, you did. I was counting.

Changes

What was happening?

Like Mom, my back ached now. Neck too. And blood pressure? Hers  steady -- with medication. Mine? Climbing!

One day, she leaned in and said to me, You know, sometimes I think Im better off than you are.

Our relationship morphed and changed.

Early on, Mom and I attended a womens retreat. Late the first evening, I said, Mom, its bedtime. Why dont you start getting ready? Ill come in a few minutes. She stood to her feet, saluted me and said, Ay, ay, Captain!

Laughter erupted at her performance.

Was I becoming the mother?

The bond between mother and adult child

We had not lived under the same roof since I left home for college, yet, a mysterious bond bound us together -- an invisible umbilical cord. If she sensed any angst in me, I could count on her awaking the next morning, coming to the bottom of the stairs and crying, Judy! I am so confused. Please help me!

Traveling together

On trips in the car she muttered in the back seat. Im praying, shed say, as was her habit. The sound of s surfaced again and again. Id think of Bilbo listening to Gollums ss, his precious.

At other times, driving downtown, shed perk up, Well, look at that  Ruby Hotel! They named that one for me! And, heres my street  Ruby!

Unfolding grace

Eventually, the perpetual groans and sighs gave way to humming the same three notes over and over. Just when I thought Id lose my mind, the humming evolved into short snippets of songs. Here, some measures of On Top of Old Smokey while Mom swiffered the floor, and there, a phrase from the hymn

It is Well with My Soul while folding clothes.

Ultimately, her shuffled stations play list included complete melodies and lyrics. They followed one after the other: Its a Grand Old Flag, Fill My Cup, Lord then Ill Be Loving You Always.

I marveled.

Mom took up singing songs, even in the night. The words and notes rose upstairs from the basement.

I traded in my worried ear for a curious one. Name That Tune became a regular game for me.

If guests occupied the other room in the basement, Id fly down the stairs to remind her. Pipe down and go to sleep, Mom. There are other people in the house tonight!

At Moms second annual check-up, I told her doctor this musical news. With raised eyebrows, she stared at us. Really, Ruby? she asked. No more sighs or groans? Youre singing?! A life can still change, even at age 94. Lets stop your antidepressants.

The slow but sure cessation of Moms steady groans and the gradual increase of melodies and words revealed the unfolding of grace in her soul  an inner hymn of faith, hope and love. Shed relaxed into time, Gods time.

Listening to Ruby and God

Her life flourished with a new found song that eventually reached its crescendo on Good Friday, a year ago, when she died  or, as she told the hospice nurse, Im graduating.

Near the end, I heard no words. But, I listened to her breathing  long, satisfied, relieved breaths, beautiful sighs  a sweet farewell.

Note 1: Well done, Judy.

Note 2: After the reading, a friend told Judy: Im glad your mom let her light shine. Then, Judys friend started singing: This Little Light of Mine.

Note 3: Judy Palpant, mother of three, grandmother of 11, lives in Spokane with her husband, Sam, recently retired longtime physician-teacher (mostly internal medicine) of interns and residents at Internal Medicine Spokane (some of his former students now practice in Helena and other parts of Montana). Judy plays the piano at the hospital and church. She has served as the chair of a mission agency. Currently, she edits two Christian medical journals. Over 30 years ago, she and her family were medical missionaries in Lugulu, Kenya, for nearly six years. She follows Jesus.

Steve Bostrom, a descendant of Swedish homesteaders, husband of Via, father of eight, and grandfather of 11, loves Helena and serves here as a pastor at large. He is ordained by the Presbyterian Church in America. To contact him, email: stevebostrom@gmail.com.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Visibility was down to about 100 yards when a Montana Highway Patrol cruiser drove quickly into the Gates of the Mountains Marina on April 28.

Tim Crawford, manager of the marina and its tour boats that take summer crowds down the Gates, went outside to investigate. The trooper told him six people were in the water somewhere out in the blinding snow. Soon Lewis and Clark Search and Rescue, game wardens and an ambulance arrived.

Tims mind quickly turned to the outfitted fishing clients he spoke to that morning. Given the conditions, he cautioned that spending the day on the water would not be enjoyable. But they were enthusiastic and had spent considerable time planning their trip and soon the boats left the launch.

Knowing seconds were critical, Tim ran and got his two sons, Chris and Travis. Tim and Travis fired up their new 65-foot tour boat, loaded several emergency responders and headed out into the storm. Chris jumped in a small fishing boat and headed out as well.

It was the most difficult conditions Ive ever been in, Tim said, noting that he has boated Holter Reservoir for more than 40 years. Search and rescue are great people, but it takes time to get them together and get boats in the water. In this situation, which was unique, time was everything.

The boats crossed the upper section of the reservoir where it transitions to the Missouri River. It can be a particularly treacherous section of the waterbody where winds coming from the north meet winds from the canyon, and the resulting churn causes waves to peak.

It was horrible, just a blizzard and it was blowing probably 40 Id say, Travis said. You could barely see the end of the docks, nothing up the canyon, and farther out into the lake the more it deteriorated.

The boats worked their way upriver and they started seeing debris in the water. They continued until a boat came into sight with one person on top. A second boat then came into view with four people hanging on the side in the 38-degree water.

We tried to ask them if there was anyone else but at that point they were all too cold, they all just sort of pointed in different directions, Chris said.

Chris was able to pull one man into the small boat, where he laid down and closed his eyes. They then managed to transfer him to the tour boat, where EMTs began working to warm him.

Travis and one of the emergency responders attempted to throw life preserver rings to others in the water, but the fierceness of the wind made the throw impossible.

They would fly about eight feet and fly back right at you, he said. At that point we had to realign the boat and back in.

Travis jumped onto the back platform of the boat. One man in the water was able to hook his arm around the platform and Travis successfully pulled him onboard. Others on the upper deck then pulled him the rest of the way.

The second man was virtually unresponsive and could not follow any commands. Travis and one of the search and rescue responders managed to place him in a horseshoe ring life preserver and hoist him onto the deck to the waiting EMTs.

I would say two were severe and one was into the critical range, Travis said. He was extremely cold.

Emergency responders were able to pull the two other men from the water into their boat.

They were shivering, convulsing even, Tim said.

The Crawfords are trained in hypothermia treatment as ski patrollers and were familiar with the state of the body shutting down before death. Tim believed that the men, who had spent more than 40 minutes in the water, had only a short time before succumbing.

They were that close, ready to give up, he said. You looked into their eyes and it was like there was nothing there.

One of the men later returned to thank them for their role in the rescue. He told the Crawfords that as the gravity of the situation set in, he believed it was all over, until the rumble of the boats engine cut through the snow and sound of crashing waves.

The conditions were so bad that while attempting to turn back for the marina, they traveled for a short distance in the wrong direction before navigating home. Chris took his small boat to the shoreline, which he says was surprisingly close, and motored back as well.

Once back, they loaded the men into ambulances and took them to St. Peters Health. Then more emergency responders returned, and delivered the dreaded news about the sixth angler. Craig Bristle, 63, of Pacific, Missouri, had drowned.

As the Crawfords and others who responded to the scene reflect back on it, they have gained some perspective.

It was a horrible tragedy that one person was lost but it was dang near a miracle that the other five made it, Travis said.

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton agreed.

They were at the right place at the right time for the right reason and the more I think about it, they probably made the difference between one fatality and more, he said. And we give them thanks for that.

The official account of the incident says that one of the jet boats was hit by a wave and took on water, causing it to become unstable and swamp. The second boat returned and while loading the others, it also became unstable and took on water. One of the people successfully placed a call to 911, and emergency responders came from Helena.

A combined investigation between Lewis and Clark County and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks did not find any negligence, Dutton said, noting that life jackets were on board as the law requires, although they were not wearing them.

The incident is also being investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Reporter Tom Kuglin can be reached at 447-4076 @IR_TomKuglin

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.SPRINGFIELD  Industrial sterilization companies in Illinois which use the toxic chemical ethylene oxide may soon have to comply with stricter safety requirements.

The Illinois House on Friday passed Senate Bill 1852in response to an ethylene oxide leak that occurred at the Willowbrook plant of a Sterigenics facility, about 20 miles west of Chicago.

It's the most, I would say, most concerning health issue that I have encountered in my career in Springfield, and it happens to be in my district, said House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, the lead sponsor of the bill.

Durkin named the bill the Matt Haller Act, after a 45-year-old Willowbrook man who spoke out against Sterigenics, the company Haller believed was responsible for emitting ethylene oxide into the community.

Haller lived a half a mile from the Sterigenics facility with a wife and son. At the age of 42, Haller was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer. Haller died earlier this year at the age of 45.

He told me, when we were in our office, that he wants to make sure that  [he] does not want this to happen to another family what has happened to him, Durkin said Friday.

Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, a Republican from Elmhurst, about 12 miles north of Willowbrook, said the bill that took nearly nine months to draft will ensure Illinois will have the most stringent standards when it comes to sterilization facilities.

Dangerous chemicals necessarily mean that we have to have manufactures behaving responsibly and they cant be leaping through loopholes, Mazzochi said. This bill closes loopholes.

Of the new standards included in the bill, testing will no longer be conducted in one narrow location, and all points of ventilation will need to be tested yearly.

In counties with at least 50,000 residents, the bill prohibits similar companies from placing facilities within 10 miles of schools or parks. Counties with fewer than 50,000 residents would require a 15-mile buffer.

Were also making sure there's no more cherry-picking test results, no more hiding data and no more ensuring theres going to be less harmful technology getting buried and not brought to the forefront, Mazzochi said.

Earlier this year, Sterigenics was placed under a seal of order, preventing the company from continuing its ethylene oxide operations.

In August 2018, the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, monitored ethylene oxide levels of the facility and reported in a letterthatthere was an elevated cancer risk for anyone who lives near, or works in, the facility.

Durkin said theres a high concentration of people in the district whove come down with rare illnesses, mostly children and women.

The amount of illness, sickness, cancer, tumors is of a nature Ive never seen or experienced in my life, Durkin said.

The March 29 findings of a study conducted near the Sterigenics facility determined some cancers were more prominent in the area and there were higher occurrences among the female population in the area, according the to the Illinois Department of Public Health

A March 2019 report from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency determined Sterigenics has remained in compliance with that order.

Durkin said bad actors operating in communities that risk the health of residents shouldnt get a second chance.

I want to make it very clear, Durkin said. As a resident and father in that region, I do not want Sterigenics to open their doors again.

The bill passed the Senate on April 10, but the House version made an amendment to it, which means the bill now has to return to the Senate for a vote on whether to concur with that amendment.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0DECATUR  The Herald & Review and Macon County Help 4 Heroes is organizing a cleanup of military graves on Saturday at Graceland Cemetery in honor of Memorial Day.

Volunteers are encouraged to bring soap and water. They'll be meeting at noon at the front entrance of the 1801 N. Oakland Ave. cemetery.

Help 4 Heroes will be donating American flags.

In the event of bad weather, the cleanup will be moved to Monday or next Saturday. An update will be posted at herald-review.com in the event of a schedule change.

4 ways you can help the Herald & Review cover your community You can help us improve our coverage and deliver the news important to you. We need your help.

Gallery: Decatur Memorial Day over the years

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Sunday, May 19

Awaiting word on marijuana

Opt out or be open for business?

Thats the question Decatur officials will be facing if Illinois lawmakers take the historic step of legalizing recreational marijuana. The legislation, a key campaign issue for Democrat J.B. Pritzker, is being considered by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly in the sprint to the end of session on May 31.

The original legislation allowed expungements for cannabis-related convictions. The exact language is still under debate, along with fine-tuning various parts of the plan to meet concerns from law enforcement, current growers and activists.

If the proposal survives the growing debate in Springfield, it will be left to municipal officials whether to allow pot dispensaries within their borders. Opting out means losing revenue generated from sales, as well as permit fees.

Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe, like several local officials interviewed for this story, said shes awaiting the final bill before deciding what steps to take.

Monday, May 20

Never to late to honor

Dana Morse said she gets emotional when her grandfathers speak about their time in the service.

I always cry, she said.

There was another occasion to be sentimental for Morse on Monday, when Korean War-era veterans Curly Howard and Maurice Dean Dixson were honored during a Pinning Ceremony Monday at the VFW Hall Post 99 in Decatur. The two were the highlight of the event that also saw other relatives who had served  John Dixson, who served during the Vietnam War era and Samuel Dixson, an Iraqi War veteran  asked to speak and accept a flag pin.

I appreciate all the elder veterans around me, because seeing the combination of the military now was nothing like what they had when they went, said Samuel Dixson, who is the grandson of Maurice Dixson.

The event was organized by Connie Young, volunteer coordinator with Harbor Lights Hospice, which began conducting the pinning ceremonies last year in its 17-county region. Ceremonies can be held in homes and assisted living facilities with a few family members attending or with several people in larger venues, such as the Decatur VFW Hall.

Tuesday, May 21

Work starts of Macon 'J-turn'

MACON  Work starts next week to bring the state's first "J-turn" intersection to U.S. 51 in Macon, a $1.9 million project that aims to improve safety in an area that county officials and lawmakers have long deemed hazardous.

Work on the highway's intersection with West Andrews Street Road was set to begin today, but was pushed back to May 28 because of wet weather in the forecast, said Tim Hemmen, project implementation engineer for the Illinois Department of Transportation's District 7, which includes Macon County. Weather will also determine whether the project will meet its initially scheduled completion date of Sept. 1.

Since the highway expanded from two lanes to four in the early 2000s, the intersection has been the site of a number of crashes. The changes are designed to restrict through traffic and left-turn movement on West Andrews Street Road, and to keep drivers from attempting to cross four lanes of U.S. 51 at once, IDOT engineer Greg Jamerson previously told the Herald & Review.

Wednesday, May 22

Helium shortage raises concern

There may be something to get deflated about this graduation season for Central Illinois party suppliers, and that's not just hot air. A global shortage of helium  the second most common element in the universe  is driving costs up and up and up.

"We know one day there may not be helium for us," said Camice Barker, who runs Barker's Balloonery and Bridal, a Shelbyville business that makes balloon bouquets, balloon arches and other balloon displays for parties, events and weddings.

Because helium also is used in airbags, fiber optics, rocket fuel and a variety of medical uses, Barker said she's come to terms with the changing economics. It's been a steady increase.

"Since I started in 1995, my price on helium has gone up about 313%," she said.

The retailer Party City announced May 9 it will close 45 of its 870 stores nationwide throughout the year. The lack of access to the gas has negatively affected latex and metallic balloon categories, the company said in a statement.

Thursday, May 23

DMH joining Memorial system

DECATUR  Leaders of Decatur Memorial Hospital predict only positive changes for patients and the community when it becomes an affiliate of Springfield-based Memorial Health System later this year.

Officials from both organizations said no money will change hands. They did not disclose terms of the deal in a joint statement and phone interview Thursday, but referred to Memorial Health System as the new parent company of DMH. The move would make DMH the second-largest hospital in the system on Oct. 1, pending approval from regulatory bodies.

DMH President and CEO Timothy Stone Jr. and Memorial Health System President and CEO Ed Curtis both stressed their focus on prioritizing quality local healthcare.

If there is any change whatsoever, it will be for the good, said Stone, who plans to step down Sept. 30. He has worked for the hospital since 1995 and was named CEO in 2015.

A joint statement from both parties said the DMH executive team will continue day-to-day operations and have a local community board. The Decatur hospital will not change its name, and Curtis said wages would remain the same for employees. No layoffs are anticipated, he said.

Friday, May 24

Thomas Jefferson closes middle school era

DECATUR  The last day of school is bittersweet for staff and students every year. Everyone's ready for a break, but they're also saying goodbye, sometimes forever.

At Thomas Jefferson Middle School on Friday, as teachers packed up their rooms and students earned service hours by helping, it was more than a summer break. The middle school closed for good on Friday, though the building will live on as part of the Decatur School District's $55 million strategic plan.

The Thomas Jefferson building will soon undergo extensive remodeling to accommodate the Montessori programs at Garfield and Enterprise schools and will reopen in August 2020 as the district's Montessori school. Stephen Decatur Middle School will be the district's only middle school as of August this year.

The marquee sign in front of the building reads, Thanks for the memories. 1966-2019, a message echoed on the T-shirts worn by several staff members.

It's sad, said Kieara Marshall, a seventh-grader at Thomas Jefferson, whose cousins in fifth and sixth grade had been looking forward to attending Thomas Jefferson. We just have to move forward the best we can.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0BELLEVILLE  Clinton County Board Member Keith Nordike is facing criminal charges after he was accused of putting a tracking device on a highway department employee's county car.

Nordike, 52, of Aviston, was charged with official misconduct, a Class 3 felony, and unlawful use of an electronic tracking device, a Class A misdemeanor. His first appearance in court is scheduled June 18 for a preliminary hearing.

Charging documents state that Nordike is accused of tracking Ron Becker, who works in the county highway department, through the county car he drives.

Becker couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Nordike denied any wrongdoing in a statement provided by his attorney, Doug Gruenke.

"Mr. Nordike campaigned for the position of Clinton County Board member on a platform of fiscal accountability to the taxpayers of Clinton County by the officials and employees of Clinton County," the statement read. "Since first taking his oath of office, Mr. Nordike has strived to fulfill that campaign promise.

"It should come as no surprise that, in pursuit of that objective, Mr. Nordike has ruffled some feathers within the county, and he has encountered some resistance."

Nordike declined to comment further on the charges when reached by phone Friday. According to the statement, he pleaded not guilty.

The Clinton County Sheriff's Office began investigating Nordike in December. Special prosecutor David Rands filed the charges against him in April, which Nordike stated "came as a complete surprise" to him.

Rands didn't respond to a request for comment. He is handling the case because Clinton County State's Attorney John Hudspeth recused himself.

Clinton County Circuit Judge Stan Brandmeyer also recused himself from the case.

Nordike still sits on the county board. He represents District 4, which includes Aviston and Trenton

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 1TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' commanding officer has endorsed a $778 million plan for upgrading a lock-and-dam complex near Chicago to prevent Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes.

Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite signed the final report Thursday. It now goes to Congress, which would need to give authorization and funding for the project to proceed.

The plan focuses on the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River near Joliet, Illinois. It's considered a chokepoint where Asian carp and other invasive species could be prevented from migrating into Lake Michigan.

The strategy calls for installing devices such as noisemakers, air bubbles and an electric barrier to deter the fish.

Scientists say if Asian carp become established in the Great Lakes, they could out-compete native fish.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0CHICAGO  The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Chicago's food truck regulations are constitutional and that the city can protect restaurants from their wheeled competitors.

The court affirmed the ruling of the appellate court and the circuit court before it, which also had decided in favor of the city in a lawsuit that claimed Chicago's food truck restrictions suppress competition.

The lawsuit, filed in 2012 by food truck owner Laura Pekarik, who runs Cupcakes for Courage, claimed a city rule prohibiting food trucks from parking within 200 feet of any establishment that serves food -- a category that includes convenience stores with hot dog rollers -- forces food trucks to make concessions to help their bricks-and-mortar competitors succeed. Another part of the law that mandates food trucks carry GPS devices so that the city can track their whereabouts constitutes a "warrantless search" and violates privacy protections, the suit claimed.

Chicago food truck operators say the city's restrictions have driven entrepreneurs out of business and stunted the local scene even as it has thrived elsewhere in the nation.

The state's highest court, in its unanimous decision, said that the city has a legitimate government interest in protecting bricks-and-mortar restaurants because they bring long-term stability and economic growth to neighborhoods. The 200-foot rule balances that interest with those of food trucks, which bring "a life and energy" to the city but don't have the same stabilizing effect, it said.

"Indeed, the business model of food trucks and a good deal of their appeal are built on mobility, not stability: The trucks may be in the City one day and in Evanston or Aurora the next," the court wrote.

Regarding the GPS requirement, the court ruled it is the best and most accurate way to locate a food truck for health inspections or in case of a public health emergency. The city has never requested the location data from the service provider that collects it and the data is not available to the public, the court noted.

Pekarik wasn't immediately available to comment. Her lawyer, Robert Frommer of the Institute of Justice in Arlington, Va., said the ruling is disappointing.

"For over a century the Illinois constitution has protected the right to earn an honest living," he said. "Today's decision gravely threatens that right because it allows the government to stifle one person's dream so another private party financially benefits."

The decision on mandatory GPS tracking sets "dangerous" precedent, he added, because it "essentially allows Big Brother through occupational licensing."

Frommer said in the coming weeks he plans to evaluate whether Pekarik could or should petition the U.S. Supreme Court.

The city did not immediately respond to a request for comment. About 65 food trucks currently operate in Chicago, half the number that roamed the streets before the city ordinance was adopted in 2012, estimates Gabriel Wiesen, president of the Illinois Food Truck Association and owner of Beavers Donuts, which operates three food trucks and a store in the French Market.

Though Chicago established stands where food trucks can gather, and last year it held 43 food truck festivals in Daley Plaza and Pioneer court, the vast majority of the Loop is off-limits to food trucks because of the 200-foot rule. That has created stiff competition for the few available downtown spots that some have likened to a "wild west" environment, and made it hard for office workers craving a lobster roll or tamale dished from a truck window to get their fix.

Chicago ranked 13th, out of 20, in a report last year from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that analyzed cities' regulatory environments for food trucks. Portland, Ore., Denver, Orlando, Philadelphia, and Indianapolis topped the list as friendliest to food trucks. Boston, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Minneapolis, and Seattle were deemed most challenging.

Though the licensing process in Chicago isn't as onerous as in other cities, "the experience of operating a food truck in Chicago is perhaps one of the most difficult in the country," the report said.

Pekarik ceased her regular food truck route because the limited parking prevented her from promising customers she would be in a certain location, and she feared getting a ticket. Violations of the ordinance carry a penalties of $1,000 to $2,000.

Her cupcake truck is now used only for catering or special events and most of Pekarik's business comes from her storefronts in Elmhurst and Oak Park.

Since 2013 food trucks have been issued 15 citations for violating the 200-foot rule and 10 for overstaying the 2-hour time limit, according to the city's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, which primarily responds to consumer complaints.

The department says there are 120 licensed food trucks in Chicago today, 78 of which can cook food on board, compared to 110 a year ago and 115 in 2012, before the ordinance took effect.

But Wiesen, of the Illinois Food Trucks Association, said many trucks with active two-year licenses have gone out of business. Wiesen also said the city's numbers don't reflect the modern food truck scene because they include businesses like ice cream trucks and pickups that deliver sandwiches to construction sites. By his count, the city loses at least a dozen modern-day food trucks a year.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0SPRINGFIELD  Craft beer brewers and advocates gathered Friday at the Capitol to oppose a tax increase on beer and cider that Gov. J.B. Pritzker introduced last week to help fund a comprehensive capital infrastructure plan.

Under that proposal, the per-gallon tax on beer and cider would rise to 27.7 cents from the current rate of 23.1 cents, a rate established when lawmakers approved the states last capital plan in 2009.

Combined with similar tax increases on wine and liquor, the current proposal would bring $120 million in new revenue to help fund the Democratic governors proposed six-year, $41.5 billion capital plan that lawmakers have yet to approve.

Craft brewers, distributors and retail advocates held a press conference morning to argue that beer is already taxed enough, and that adding more taxes will only make it harder for small businesses to expand in the emerging craft beer industry that has taken over the Midwest.

From 2012 to 2019, the number of craft breweries in the state rose from 50 to 230, according to Danielle DAlessandro, executive director of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild.

She said that while Illinois current tax on beer and cider is high compared to neighboring states, the industry was able to expand because theres been stability.

Brewers that are opening can predict and know what their costs are going to be. An increase in the tax would not be helpful when theyre considering expanding, DAlessandro said.

Rob Karr, head of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, said the state already loses about $8.5 million in tax revenue each year from people who drive into bordering states to buy beer. The governors tax proposal, he said, would bump that number up by an estimated $4.6 million.

The proposed tax increases on beer, cider, wine and liquor comprise only one category of the 10 new or increased tax proposals to provide $1.8 billion in annual revenue to help fund the governors capital plan.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0As the spring legislative session nears its end, I want to take a moment to look back on one of the scariest times of the year with the hope that one of you might recognize something and help bring a deranged person to justice.

You may have seen a brief news story about it, but several state legislators reported receiving an identical mailer in late April with the headline: "Dead People Can't Collect Fat Pensions." The envelopes were postmarked in Champaign, but that's a central collection point so the letters could've been mailed from anywhere in the region.

The letter contained both a long list of grievances about the state's troubled pension system and numerous death threats. "Don't bother about new gun laws," the letter-writer stated, "from arson to strangulation, there are more effective means available."

"You may think you can extract more money from us," the writer warned. "We would advise you to think again. Over 40,000 cowards unwilling to push back have left the state annually over the last 5 years, leaving behind the determined, the courageous - and most importantly - those with nothing left to lose."

"Time is short. The list is long. After the first one, the rest are free," the writer concluded.

The writer threatened mass assassinations for pretty much everyone who receives a state government pension, including survivors and heirs.

To avoid this fate, the author demanded in the form letter that the pension actuarial tables be changed and the state's constitution be amended to remove the pension protection clause before instituting a graduated income tax. The writer also demanded unspecified "cap$ and clawback$ for outrageous$ pension payout$" and local government consolidation. He or she also demanded the end of pension double-dipping and "playing salary games at career's end to max out your take."

Whoever wrote that letter is obviously more informed about state government than most average citizens.

While the content of the mass mailer was identical, whoever sent it took some time to make almost every one distinct.

One way the author individualized the letters was by using a different return address for almost all of them. The envelope sent to House Speaker Michael Madigan, for instance, used a return address for Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The Illinois Education Association's letter had the same return address, which was for Pritzker's personal business office in Chicago. The letter sent to a Champaign public radio station was ostensibly from the late Dawn Clark Netsch, the first woman elected to a statewide office in Illinois. All the return addresses were printed on labels and not hand-written.

However, most of the return addresses appear to have been researched on the Illinois State Board of Elections' website. Several legislators told me that the names and return addresses on letters sent to them were of campaign contributors who can be found with an online search.

Some return addresses and names were of political action committees. The letter addressed to a prominent gun control proponent, for instance, had a return address of a gun control political action committee which had contributed to his campaign last year.

Other letters were ostensibly from specific individuals, including a prominent retired Chicago business executive, a legislator's mother, a legislator's relative and the husband of a state representative's senator. All were campaign contributors.

Whoever sent this letter doesn't appear to be just some random crank with a handy mailing list. That person or persons put some real time and effort into this. And that almost bothers me more than the letter itself.

A state senator who received one of the mailers said the postage stamp on the envelope chilled him to the bone. The sender used a John Lennon stamp. The former Beatle was murdered in 1980.

The letter writer had threatened all pension plan participants with being killed and cryptically asked recipients if they were "sure" that some accidental deaths on the highways were truly accidents or "the conscious decisions of people with nothing left to lose to 'take one with me?' "

And that leads us to the most egregious example of how truly sick this person is. The return address on the letter mailed to a Rockford-area legislator appeared to come from Brooke Jones-Story, an Illinois State trooper who was killed by another motorist during a traffic stop in March near Rockford. Jones-Story was one of three troopers killed by motorists in the first three months of 2019.

If you have any information at all, please call the Illinois State Police or the FBI.

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2Remarks: This was the number one song on the US R&B chart this year, 2021. It went to #1 in the US on both the R&B and pop charts and made the top 20 on po...

2 days ago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100 years ago,

May 25, 1919

Sunday. No paper.

50 years ago, 1969

Sunday. No paper.

25 years ago, 1994

CHARLESTON -- Three Charleston High School seniors were named the Class of 1994s co-valedictorians, it was announced last night at the schools annual Awards Night. Sharing the honor will be Heather Lugar, Julianne McKechnie and Connie Stewart, as each achieved a 5.0 grade point average during their high school careers. Their parents are, respectively, Randall and Marjorie Lugar, James and Karen McKechnie and Carol Stewart. Katherine Hoedebecke, daughter of Ken and Marjorie Hoedebeck, was named salutatorian, based on her 4.94 GPA KANSAS -- Mrs. Walkers third-grade class at Kansas Elementary School set out last fall to reach what might deem an unattainable goal. The 17 students aspired to read a combined total of 1,000 books by the end of the school year. They ended up surpassing that goal, reading 1,060 books over a period of about nine months  an average of 62 books per student. The reading project was done in connection with a program called Electronic Bookshelf

100 years ago,

May 26, 1919

MATTOON -- Ray Redding, Paige North, George Franklin, Don Clark, Dwight Allison and James McKamy, the six young men who were arrested Friday night when Mayor Cisna and four policemen burst down a door at the offices of J.W. Franklin & Son on the second floor of the building at 1708 Broadway and raided the place for gamblers were exonerated this morning by Judge Aulabaugh when he dismissed the charge of gaming against them. That his decision met the approval of the large crowd was evidenced by the storm of applause given to him. All of the accused, excepting Redding, formerly were soldiers. They had been discussing games the soldiers play and went to the Franklin office, according to Redding's testimony, to learn how to play "Black Jack," which was popular with soldiers in France. Just after the cards were dealt and Franklin was about to issue instructions, Redding testified, there came a loud noise "like an explosion" and the mayor and police officers came in and arrested them for gambling... MATTOON -- The annual memorial sermon for the members of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic was preached on Sunday afternoon at the Central Baptist Church by Rev. J.M. Lively . The little band of Civil War veterans assembled at City Hall, where they have quarters, and with members of the Women's Relief Corps, marched to the church. The returned soldiers from the Europe War were invited to march with the old veterans to the church and participate in the services but none did so. A few were seated in the audience. The service was well attended, the house being filled to capacity.

50 years ago, 1969

CHARLESTON -- Mrs. Rosemary Harris, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Driskell of Mattoon, was the recipient of the 15,000th diploma awarded in Eastern Illinois University history yesterday. Mrs. Harris received a bachelor of science in education degree at commencement exercises held in the library quadrangle. Classes at EIU began in 1899 and the first diplomas presented to four people in 1900. Special presentations went to two other local residents. The Hans C. Olsen Memorial Award was presented to Mrs. Linda Kay Campbell of Mattoon in recognition of an outstanding graduate student paper. Mrs. Carol J. Noland of Shelbyville received a Livingston C. Lord Memorial Scholarship. The Thomas Anthony Grud Memorial Award went to Jack Trezndrup, an EIU alumnus and Marine Corps officer, who died Dec. 25, 1967, in Vietnam... MATTOON -- The 382 members of the Mattoon High School Class of 1969 gathered yesterday afternoon for baccalaureate services and on Thursday the class will gather for the last time for commencement. The Rev. James Caldwell, assistant pastor of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, delivered the invocation and Rev. William Poling, pastor of Mattoon Christian Church, led responsive reading. Rev. Edward Bennett, pastor of the Free Methodist Church, delivered a scripture reading and Rev. Gerald Van Tine, pastor of First Nazarene Church, offered the prayer. "Your Goals" was the topic of the sermon delivered by the Rev. John Meyer, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Rev. Edward C. Elliott, pastor of First Baptist Church, offered the benediction.

25 years ago, 1994

ARCOLA  When the Victorian home was built in 1870, probably no one thought it would be moved more than a century later to a new location  by a diesel-powered machine on a paved highway, no less. Phil and Jan Kappes of rural Tuscola had toyed with the idea of restoring the home, which was located one mile south of Arcola, and now, the work is about to begin. The house was moved to just south of Camargo yesterday, and the Kappeses will begin restoring the 10-room house to be both a bed and breakfast and their home. The home was moved on March 25 to the Days Inn parking lot in Arcola. Finally, the Illinois Department of Transportation gave the OK to haul the home along Illinois Routes 133 and 130. It took four and one-half hours to move it 12 miles FINDLAY  The former owners of Eagle Creek Resort have less than two weeks to present documents to the current manager as ordered by Judge Ronald Spears. The Shelby County Circuit Court Judge ordered Ed Forester of Forester Management Services and Eagle Creek Resort Inc. to Club Management Advisory Group, the court-appointed operator. The documents, which must be delivered by June 7, include bank statements and canceled checks, reports of accounts payable, sales records and credit card receipts.

100 years ago,

May 27, 1919

MATTOON -- Broadway Avenue, through the business district, will be repaved if the plans of the board of local improvements do not fail. City Engineer Powell has made a survey of the section where the proposed pavement is to be constructed. The Broadway pavement today is the roughest in the city, having been constructed in 1891. It is filled with holes and sunken places and is unsightly to the eye... CHARLESTON -- The faculty of the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, which now consists of 43 members, will see some changes for the 1919-20 school year because of the end of the great war. Six faculty who were not on the staff last year will be returning. Some did not teach because of illness or were working on higher degrees. Earl K. Daniels, instructor of English, is returning after being granted a leave of absence to serve in the military... SHELBYVILLE -- Four wolf pups, several weeks old, were found in a hollow log in a wood lot about four miles east of Shelbyville Sunday afternoon and were killed by Albert Kessel and Frank Camfield. These men were part of a band of hunters who had gone out Sunday afternoon in search of wolves which infest that community. Two grown wolves had been killed previously.

50 years ago, 1969

CHARLESTON -- An inmate of Menard State Penitentiary has filed suit in Coles County Circuit Court seeking $100.1 million in damages from the Mattoon Journal Gazette. The "libel action against defamation and slander" was placed on file in the circuit clerk's office after it was mailed to the court by Richard Richeseon who is serving a term of from 12 to 40 years for burglary and forgery in Effingham County. Richeson is suing over a Chicago Tribune editorial reprinted in the April 25 edition of the JG entitled "Menard screens gunplay." The complaint asserts the editorial is damaging to the Illinois Institutions of Corrections and that it is damaging and defaming to each individual who does not fit the description of being "mentally unbalanced and sexually dangerous." Richeson seeks the final $100,000 for damage to his reputation. Richeson maintains he has a "dark enough criminal record without being branded as a mentally unbalanced and sexually dangerous prisoner." ... MATTOON -- George M. Pendell, industrial consultant to the Mattoon Association of Commerce and the association's former executive secretary, has submitted his resignation to accept the post as manager of the East Central Illinois Development Association. Pendell, who has been affiliated with the Mattoon Association of Commerce for 18 years, will assume his new office on Aug. 1... MATTOON -- Volunteer workers were at Fred Smith's Shoe Store on Broadway yesterday during the Journal Gazette's annual bake sale to raise funds to renew newspaper subscriptions for local servicemen in Vietnam. Proceeds from the sale amounted to $139.65. Additional donations totaled $100... MATTOON -- Gene Hoots of the Burger King says his contest to find the largest white morel mushroom was a big success with approximately 35 entries. The first place winner won $10 with a huge entry of 1 pound, 6 ounces.It was found by Lloyd Ruff of Mode. Second place and $5 went to John Bough of Ashmore with his entry of 6 1/2 ounces. Ron Lambert of Mattoon turned in a 4-ounce specimen for a $3 prize. David Bosell won the $2 fourth prize and Hoot Carlen $1 for fifth.

25 years ago, 1994

MATTOON -- The ticket window and service elevator are open again at the Mattoon Amtrak station. The station is handicap accessible for all but a few morning trains and further improvements are likely. Amtrak had eliminated three local ticket agent positions in October for financial reasons. Public pressure, led by Mayor Wanda Ferguson, state Rep. Mike Weaver, R-Ashmore, and U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard, D-Marion, resulted in the recent announcement that Amtrak would fund one full-time agent in Mattoon CHARLESTON  A sometimes controversial, multiyear project to extend E Street to Illinois Route 316 will come to a close in a few weeks. An official from the Frank C. Feutz construction company said the project should be complete by the end of the first week of June. The completion marks a 14-year project by the city to develop an additional north-south artery from Lincoln Avenue to State Street/Route 316. The project will cost about $2 million with 75 percent of the funds coming from the federal government CHARLESTON -- As many as 175 former champions are scheduled to attend tomorrows 100th Illinois High School Association Boys State Track and Field Championships at Eastern Illinois Universitys OBrien Field. Gov. Jim Edgar, a Charleston native, will deliver a welcome message. Charleston became the state track meet host in 1972 after the event had been held in Champaign-Urbana for the preceding years.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0CHARLESTON -- A rural Charleston man was sentenced to prison when he admitted having a gun when his criminal record made it illegal.

Austin L. Cutright, 24, pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a firearm by a felon that accused him of having the gun after helping another person buy it on Sept. 7.

With the agreement in his case, he was sentenced to three years in prison for the conviction that required prison time with a possible sentencing range of two to 10 years.

Coles County Circuit Judge James Glenn sentenced Cutright by accepting the terms of a plea agreement that prosecutor Steven Nate and Assistant Public Defender Stephanie Corum recommended.

Cutright couldn't legally possess a firearm because of a 2017 methamphetamine possession conviction for which he received probation.

Also with the agreement, Nate agreed to not seek revocation of the earlier probation sentence.

That meant Cutright didn't face resentencing and the possibility of more prison time, though he did receive a record of unsuccessfully completing that sentence.

In other cases in court recently, Glenn also accepted guilty pleas from:

Michael A. McCullough, 35, of Martinsville, to a methamphetamine possession charge.

McCullough and others were arrested for the offense following a traffic stop on Westfield Road in Coles County on Jan. 18. With the agreement in his case, he was placed on probation for two years.

Terms of the sentence included an evaluation for substance abuse treatment and a requirement that he follow its recommendations. Jail time was stayed, so McCullough will have to serve it only if there are violations.

Glenn accepted a plea agreement that Assistant State's Attorney Joy Wolf and Public Defender Anthony Ortega recommended.

Sergio A. Norvell, 24, of Charleston, to drug possession and burglary charges.

The charges to which Norvell pleaded guilty accused him of having methamphetamine on Oct. 1, having marijuana planned for sale on March 6 and breaking into a vehicle on April 14.

For each offense he was placed on probation for two years. The sentences were either the first offender or second chance type of probation, both of which can result in no record of a conviction if completed successfully.

Probation terms included a treatment evaluation and four months in jail with more jail time stayed.

Assistant State's Attorney Tom Bucher and Ortega recommended the plea agreement.

Madison E. Bulman-Hammond, 21, and Charitha L. Hadnott, 24, to forgery charges accusing them of using counterfeit bills for purchases at Charleston and Mattoon businesses on April 24.

The two women, both of Indianapolis, were each sentenced to 18 months of conditional discharge. The sentence is supervision similar to probation but with fewer restrictions.

Terms included payment of restitution along with stayed jail time. Bucher prosecuted the cases; Corum represented Bulman-Hammond and Corum represented Hadnott.

Contact Dave Fopay at (217) 238-6858. Follow him on Twitter: @FopayDave

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0SPRINGFIELD  An Illinois House committee on Friday advanced a rate plan for Gov. J.B. Pritzker's graduated-rate income tax proposal, while a leading Democrat indicated efforts to provide broader property tax relief to help sell the plan to reluctant lawmakers and voters probably will remain on hold until this summer.

The House Revenue and Finance Committee voted 9-6 to forward the same rates measure passed earlier this month by the Senate, which represented a slight adjustment to the numbers that were part of Pritzker's initial proposal.

The shift to a graduated income tax, which increases rates for higher incomes, requires a change to the state constitution. A measure to put that question to voters in November 2020 is being handled in separate House legislation.

Still awaiting consideration is a property tax relief measure approved by the Senate that would freeze local school district property tax rates if voters approve the constitutional amendment and if the state takes on more of the overall funding for education in Illinois. The property tax relief piece remains in play in the House "for now," said Rep. Mike Zalewski, a Riverside Democrat who chairs the committee and is sponsoring the bill.

Ultimately, Zalewski said he anticipates the two parties will attempt to deal with property tax relief through a task force this summer.

"I think what's been demonstrated this spring is property tax relief cannot really be addressed in state income tax code. It's a very hard bridge to gap," Zalewski said. "So we're going to try to work on a solution where we address property tax relief, it should be part of the conversation, but it's hard to entwine the two."

Pritzker and proponents of the graduated tax structure have said they view the constitutional amendment and the rates proposal as necessary companions, so that voters know far in advance of weighing in on a constitutional amendment what their tax bill will look like, Zalewski said.

"It's been a part and parcel of the conversation throughout the session of the value of presenting the rates along with the amendment," he said. "We, as a caucus, feel like if you don't do that, the voters next fall won't have the opportunity to know what they're voting for."

The plan advanced by the House committee Friday sets the top rate at 7.99%, which applies to single filers who earn more than $750,000 annually and joint filers earning more than $1 million.

The current flat income tax rate is 4.95%.

Under the bill, single and joint filers would be taxed at 4.75% of their first $10,000 of income, 4.9% on income between $10,000 and $100,000 and 4.95% on income between $100,000 and $250,000.

For single filers, the rates in the plan are 7.75% on income between $250,000 and $350,000 and 7.85% on income between $350,000 and $750,000. Illinoisans who earn more than $750,000 annually would see their total income taxed at 7.99%.

Joint filers would be taxed at 7.75% on income between $250,000 and $500,000, and 7.85% on income between $500,000 and $1 million. Joint filers whose income surpasses $1 million would see a 7.99% tax rate on their total income. The corporate tax rate would rise to 7.99% from 7%.

The plan differs from what Pritzker rolled out in March, which he said would generate $3.4 billion in new revenue by raising tax rates for the highest earners, while giving a modest break to 97% of taxpayers.

The House is slated to reconvene in Springfield on Sunday afternoon with a lengthy agenda to address for the final week of the legislative session that is scheduled to adjourn May 31.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Applications are due June 1 for the second annual Lied Center Piano Academy (LCPA), which will be hosted by the Lied Center for Performing Arts and Glenn Korff School of Music July 7-13 on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. The Academy is designed for students entering grades 9 through their first year of college this fall.

This years academy artist is the charismatic rising star Sean Chen. After winning the 2013 American Pianists Award, placing third at the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and being named a 2015 Annenberg Fellow, Chen is now a Millsap Artist in Residence at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. Chen  along with Lied Center Artistic Director Dr. Ann Chang, GKSOM faculty, Academy Manager Donna Gunn and guest professionals  will provide young, talented pianists intensive training to raise their level of performance, engage in thought-provoking workshops and help develop life-long relationships with other serious young pianists.An assault in Lincoln of a Muslim woman, being investigated as a hate crime, brought the ire this week of at least three Nebraska senators  Lincoln Sen. Anna Wishart, and Omaha Sens. Ernie Chambers and Megan Hunt.

Hunt was one who took time to speak about the Wednesday assault of the 17-year-old woman, walking near South Coddington Avenue and West A Street.

Hunt, whose legislative aide is Muslim and speaks Arabic, called the woman's family Friday and spoke to family members at length with her aide's help, she said.

The woman's sister wrote a letter following the conversation, and Hunt read it on the floor just before the Legislature adjourned Friday.

The Journal Star is not naming the sister in order not to reveal the victim.

The sister said the family would like to say many things, but would summarize it like this:

"What happened to my sister was disgusting," she said, "and she did not deserve this. She is one of the most innocent people we have ever known and also one of the most hospitable, and yes, she is a Muslim."January 3, 1998 - May 19, 2019

Mathew Richard Kyle, 21, of Tuscon, Arizona, died May 19, 2019 as a result of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. He was born January 3, 1998 in Hastings to Heather Kyle and Kristopher Steiger. He attended Lincoln East High School and then Southeast Community College for a short time prior to joining the US Air Force in November of 2016. Airman 1st Class Kyle was then stationed at Sheppard Airforce Base in Wichita Falls, Texas, for a year where and had become certified in Avionics. He was then stationed at Davis-Monthan Airforce Base in Tucson, where he worked in Fuel Systems Maintenance.

He was working towards an associate's degree in Aviation Maintenance Technology at the Community College of the Airforce. For the long-term, Mathew was interested in pursuing one of many careers such as becoming a medical doctor and then returning to the military, becoming an officer, a pilot, and others.Which means the students will study the dynamics of acceleration, friction, deceleration and braking, using a speed gun, for instance, to predict the distance it will take a bike to stop, and then testing their theory.

Theyll realize theres a lot more to bikes than just pedaling around, Bruguier said. Theyre going to learn a lot about bikes, whether they want to or not.

The introduction of bicycles to the conference began last year with a students suggestion, Bruguier said. And it found traction, because Bruguier is also on the Bike Kitchen board.

In its crowded shop on Southwest First Street, the crew at the Bike Kitchen found enough quality used bicycles  dusty and donated Treks and Diamond Backs and Schwinns  for each student, but not enough volunteer labor to get them ready, at least not at first.

The Bike Kitchens core of about a half-dozen volunteer mechanics have been busy, but they were outnumbered, said Clayton Streich, a board member and mechanic. So the nonprofit reached out to other mechanics, asking them to take a bike or two home to help get them ready.First State Bank acquired the lot on the southwest corner of Saunders and Fairfield in 1914 erecting the extant, 36 by 20-foot, brick and sandstone building. When Bethanys population was estimated at 1,200 a decade later, the bank reported capital and surplus at $12,500 and was paying 4% on certificates of deposit and savings accounts. That November one of Havelocks banks was held up and in December the Bethany bank was also robbed, reportedly by the same individual.

First State Bank of Bethany closed during the Great Depression and in late 1929 an ad showed the Cotner Coffee Shop at 1541 North Cotner Blvd. in the old bank building. Three years later Nebraska Christian University, having become Cotner University, also failed and a small apartment was built on the west end of the bank building. In 1937 the city of Lincoln purchased the bank building, renovating it as the citys Bethany Branch Library.

James A. Beattie, born in Ohio in 1845, attended Bethany College in West Virginia then became an administrator in several colleges including president of Nebraska State Normal College at Peru, Nebraska, before moving to Bethany Heights as professor of mathematics and president of the Christian Education Board at Nebraska Christian University in 1889. On his arrival he purchased three lots north and just across the street from the university on what is now Colby Street. Bethany Heights incorporated in 1890 and two years later Beattie was elected the universitys second president and built the extant 2 -story, frame, Queen Anne home on the center lot. Beattie was also an editor, along with J. Sterling Morton and Albert Watkins, of the three-volume History of Nebraska and was the father of Merle Margaret Beattie who, after receiving her masters degree became a teacher in the Lincoln Public Schools and for whom Beattie School was named in 1953.At the same time, as my Bloomberg Opinion colleague Tyler Cowen points out, the rise of China is a main driver of populist sentiment in the U.K. and Australia. This creates political pressure in those countries for further isolation from China. In the U.S., Trump has made it clear that he sees the trade war with China as politically advantageous for him, and he's probably right. It's probably also true that this anti-China sentiment will outlast him.

Add up all these factors, and the U.S.-China trade war looks like the beginning of a profound break in the global order. As China and the U.S. form two opposing economic and geopolitical coalitions, the rest of the world will be forced to choose. Maybe the European Union can form a third unaligned pole, as France and Germany's membership in the EU (and the U.K.'s absence from it) provides them with the negotiating power to avoid falling under the Chinese or American sphere of influence.

Of course, in some ways this type of multipolar alignment would be a return to the past. The dual-superpower world that existed for much of the second half of the 20th century was always an exception, and the era of American supremacy that began after the collapse of the Soviet Union was never going to last. Until recently, however, a new kind of bipolar arrangement seemed possible: a kind of competitive partnership between China and the U.S., with the EU playing a supporting role. The events of the last few weeks have left that looking increasingly unlikely.

Karl Smith writes for Bloomberg.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0President Trump's Iran policy appears to be careening between diplomacy and belligerence. One day, Trump tweets, "I'm sure that Iran will want to talk soon." The next he warns that "if Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran."

Confused? Well, there is a method to the madness.

The Trump administration understands that Iran doesn't want war because Iran knows it will lose. That's why Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made clear via a government Twitter account "no war is to happen."

Trump's goal is not to start a war. His administration has three objectives: First, restore deterrence and contain Iran's expansionism across the Middle East. Second, roll back Iran's gains and force it back within its borders. And third, give Iran's leaders a clear choice: They can come to the negotiating table and give up their nuclear and missile ambitions -- or their regime can implode, just like the Soviet Union.The phrases  playing nice in the sandbox and responsible competitor, among others  seem innocent enough at first glance.

But using these words in casual conversations, emails and text messages, senior executives at 20 generic drug manufacturers are accused of discussing ways in which they would discourage competition among themselves in a way that would increase prices on medication  and profits for these companies.

The outrageous, brazen nature of these alleged actions has elicited litigation from nearly every attorney general in the country, including Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson. Were glad to see his office involved in this effort, which undoubtedly has affected numerous Nebraskans.

For those unfamiliar with the story, the lawsuits allege that companies colluded to pick and choose which drugs they would market and which ones theyd leave to their competitors. As a result, everyday citizens, insurance companies and governments paid inflated prices for drugs of all types  including hikes attorneys general claim exceeded 1,000% on some prescriptions.The highest point is 440 feet, or 44 stories, above the water. They haven't lost a single climber, the people of Bridge Climb Sydney like to say. But, as with so many marketing pitches, that isn't the whole story.

I admit to some nervousness as two friends and I approached our appointment for a climb earlier this year. We had chosen the "twilight climb," beginning just before 6 p.m. We had spent the previous two days exploring Sydney -- taking a ferry to Manly and walking along scenic Bondi Beach and those nearby, beloved by surfers.

My traveling companions were friends from my L.A. suburb. We have been taking short vacations together for two decades, stealing time from busy work schedules with short jet-lag-be-damned trips to faraway locales. Machu Picchu in Peru was our first adventure, followed by Iguazu Falls in South America, Petra in Jordan, Delhi and the Taj Mahal in India, Mexico City and, most recently, Tibet.

The Bridge Climb was my friend Rich's idea. I don't like heights, but I agreed to go along.

As we roamed the city taking photos in the days leading to our climb, the bridge was a constant backdrop, streams of climbers visible from miles away.PLEASANT PRAIRIE  The WIIL (95.1 FM) and WLIP (1050 AM) radio stations based in Pleasant Prairie will move to Gurnee Mills under an incentive agreement inked in an effort to drive more foot traffic to the outlet mall and increase the Village of Gurnees sales tax revenue.

This is very unique, Karl Wertzler, general manager of the stations, said. Im not aware of any other radio station located at an indoor mall.

Wertzler said the two Wisconsin studios and two stations based in Waukegan, Ill. (WKRS ESPN Deportes 1220-AM and WXLC 102.3-FM) will now all be under one Lake County, Ill., roof  and behind glass with radio personalities on display for mall patrons to see in action. All four are owned by Alpha Media Group.

They will be able to wave at their favorite radio personalities  or maybe their not-so-favorite personalities, Wertzler said jokingly. Hand gestures dont come through on the radio.

While the studios will be changing locations, Wertzler said the antennae and transmitter building will remain at 8500 Green Bay Road in Pleasant Prairie. There will be no interruption in broadcasting when the move takes place later this year.

It will be seamless, Wertzler said.

The renovations needed to convert two stores within the mall into an 8,600-foot radio station are expected to cost $847,000. The Gurnee Village Board voted this week to pay Alpha Media $200,000 over three years to offset the cost. The cost will be further offset by $600,000 from Simon Property Group, the company that owns Gurnee Mills. Alpha Media is responsible for the difference.

Consolidation in the works

Wertzler said the goal has been to consolidate the stations at one location since 2017, when the Waukegan station was damaged by flooding. That station has since flooded a second time.

Alpha Medias space will be on the north side of the mall between anchor stores Burlington Coat Factory and Floor and Decor, near entrance G.

Wertzler said the renovations are expected to be complete by October, and the studios should be fully operational at the mall by the end of the year.

The Daily Herald newspaper reported this week that Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik said this will be the best thing to come to the mall since Macys.

Wertzler said Studio East in Pleasant Prairie has a capacity for up to 80 people, whereas the mall will allow upward of 500 to attend events hosted by the station.

Were going to have a lot of fun, he said, adding mini concerts will be among the events.

Under the agreement, Alpha Media is required to host at least 32 events at the mall annually. The radio stations will also run ads for the village.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0YORKVILLE  The states crop of Honeycrisp  one of the most popular varieties of apple  was damaged by the polar vortex, Wisconsin apple growers report.

The polar vortex was particularly harsh on the Honeycrisp trees, Bill Stone, owner of Brightonwoods Orchard in western Kenosha County, said. It will be less of a crop than usual.

Sue Hughes, owner of Harvest Time Orchards in Twin Lakes, and Dave Flannery, owner of Apple Holler in Yorkville, reported similar damage to their Honeycrisp crop. Hughes said about 70 percent of her Applecrisp trees, which make up about a quarter of the trees at the orchard, will not produce a typical yield.

Flannery said this will be in contrast to last seasons heavy yield of Honeycrisp, one of 30 varieties at his orchard. Because Honeycrisp tends to be an every-other-year producer, Flannery said it was already expected to be a smaller yield.

Honeycrisp (yields) will be down, Flannery said. It is a weaker growing tree for one and the polar vortex put added stress on the tree.

Amaya Atucha, fruit crop production specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said growers statewide have reported a similar plight during conference calls and through emails.

What I have been hearing from apple growers, in particular, is that there are way fewer flowers, Atucha said.

While Honeycrisp is a Minnesota variety, it is less cold hearty than some of the other varieties, she said.

We definitely do see quite a bit of damage as a result of the Polar Vortex, Atucha said. It has been a very tough winter and not a very helpful spring.

Atucha said, statewide, there have been about half the growing-degree days so far this year than there were last year by this time.

Everything seems to be very delayed, she said, adding growers in places like Door County are reporting very little activity so far.

Add to this that bees dont like to fly unless it is above 50 degrees, which means there has been very little pollination so far.

(Monday) morning I saw no bees in the trees, Flannery said. There were some bees flying in the afternoon, but not a lot.

Flannery said the cold weather has strung out the bloom period. In a typical year, the bloom period lasts about seven-to-ten days, he said. This year, he said it could last three weeks.

Fortunately, Stone said, only 7 to 10% of the bloom needs to be pollinated to get a full crop.

Peaches devastated

While not a big crop statewide, peaches have been all but wiped out, the growers report.

Stone said he lost all 20 of his peach trees, and Flannery may lose all 3,500 of his.

Flannery said when it is 10 degrees below zero, 10 percent of the peach crop is lost. For each degree below that, another 10 percent is lost. He recorded a low of 26 degrees below zero in January.

That is the kiss of death for peaches, Flannery said. I dont see any peach blooms out there. That is only the second time in 10 years that has happened to us.

Hughes, one of few who grows tart cherries, said the cherry trees look good but are behind schedule. While tart cherries can be ready at the pick-your-own farm by late June, Hughes is estimating they wont be ready this year until the second week of July.

This spring has made everything a little slower, Hughes said.

I dont see any peach blooms out there. That is only the second time in 10 years that has happened to us. Dave Flannery, owner of Apple Holler in Yorkville

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Krishana Prasain is a business reporter for The Kathmandu Post covering markets. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2018, she spent 3 years in New Business Age magazine covering business.La Crosses Adrian Lipscombe and her fellow chefs will tell a story in a unique medium next month when she hosts the James Beard Houses 2019 Juneteenth celebration in New York.

Instead of our book, its our plates that kind of tell a story, Lipscombe said.

Lipscombe, who owns and operates Uptowne Cafe & Bakery on La Crosses North Side, will host the famed foodie destinations celebration of June 19, 1865, the day the U.S. military announced the end of slavery throughout the country in Galveston, Texas.

We think its an important occasion, said Izabela Wojcik, director of programming at the James Beard House. Its the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, and it originated in Texas.

Lipscombe, a Texas native, grew up celebrating Juneteenth, even helping to organize an African-American food-centered event called Black Taste of Austin before moving to La Crosse in 2016.

Juneteenth was a huge celebration, with emancipation, with marching the military down to Galveston and literally telling Texans, Hey, youre free, and with that, the celebration was a picnic, Lipscombe said.

The event was about bringing people together over food, seeing people you havent seen and reuniting family members separated by slave-owners. Certain foods just became a part of the annual celebration, from red drink  a type of hibiscus tea  to red velvet cake.

Given Adrians Texas roots, her passionate pursuit of chronicling black food history in America and her sizeable collection of historical cookbooks, we thought she would be the ideal host and organizer of a Juneteenth dinner, said Wojcik. The combination of her intellect as a scholar, her business acumen as restaurateur and community leader, and her fabulous restaurant which serves as both a community space and community revitalizer, all moved us to want to support her, put a bigger spotlight on her and create a dinner that was more than just a meal.

New York City's James Beard House, which was created after the famous American cooks death in 1985, hosts 200 dinners each year to celebrate Beards legacy as a culinary genius in the United States, but the Juneteenth one will be unique.

Its a little different because were reaching out to historians to be able to help us tell this story, too, with photos or with historical information that we can kind of incorporate within the timeline as were delivering the food, Lipscombe said.

Food has always been a part of African-American culture.

Its because we learn from our elders and its part of the story-telling. Like I know how to make parts of the meal Im making, because my mother made it, and my grandmother made it, Lipscombe said. Im enhancing it and adding certain agreements, but my baseline of learning this was just through my family and through the stories being told.

As the host, Lipscombe reached out through her network and found six other chefs to join her, all of whom have a connection to Juneteenth.

We wanted to bring chefs from Texas -- because it is a very well-celebrated holiday in Texas for African Americans -- that have history within Juneteenth or our celebration of that. We decided to also incorporate local chefs in the New York area because you know when they don't have to travel as far, but they also have a heritage or an understanding of African-American food, Lipscombe said.

The prestigious chefs include Chris Williams, a former culinary cultural ambassador for the U.S., David Thomas, who won Food Networks Chopped Thanksgiving-themed episode last year, and Shannon Mustipher, who published the first cocktail book by an African-American bartender in more than a century last month, as well as Enrika Williams, Omar Tate and Joi Chevalier.

We love the group of chefs she organized representing different restaurants, styles, cities and points of view. And the menu reflects the celebratory foods and flavors that you expect from a Juneteenth celebration, but made a touch fancier by virtue of being served at the James Beard House, but still with the sense of community intact, said Wojcik.

Between talking on the phone, emails and Google Docs, the chefs have been working together for months to work out the menu, which includes six courses with traditional soul food like collard greens, cornbread and catfish, as well as things like barbecued quail with smoked watermelon-tomato puree.

Our fingers are in every detail, Lipscombe said, right down to the silverware and the bowl or plate each dish will be served on.

They tell a story through where the food is from and their unique spin on it, for example, the Delta tamale which is one of the hors doeuvres.

It represents Texas because it is a tamale, but its also from the Delta area, of course, so were talking about the Mississippi, so its like black culture, celebrating how African-Americans have migrated and moved across the United States, Lipscombe said.

Lipscombes primary responsibility is the emancipation dessert, a red velvet cake with Carolina Gold rice, chocolate from Ghana and smoked Texas pecans.

So its bringing in those African roots, and it just kind of tells how they made their way from Africa around the United States into Texas, Lipscombe said.

She also has hot sauce made with Wisconsin peppers fermenting and ready to take with her.

Jourdan Vian can be reached at jvian@lacrossetribune.com or follow her on Twitter, @Jourdan_LCT.

Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.If you look into Eloda Beachs background, her monkey fur jacket isnt surprising.

It may not be politically correct today, but no one gave furs a second thought in the 1920s  except those who were jealous they did not have a fur.

Beach was beloved in La Crosse as a theater star, a celebrity. She lived on the quirky side of life, but had a kind and generous heart.

Beach worked as a bicycle messenger for Western Union before becoming an actress. She came to La Crosse to perform in a play during World War I, while her husband, Guy, served in the Army in Europe.

After the war, she and her husband decided to make La Crosse their home base for what became the Beach Stock Company. Eloda said the city was the nicest place she had ever lived.

The Beaches actually kept monkeys in the garage of their home at 205 Losey Boulevard North. They were used in the Beach Stock Company shows at the Majestic Theater on Main Street.

This silk satin evening jacket, trimmed with sleek black monkey fur, was made in New York, and donated to the La Crosse County Historical Society in 1975 by Elodas daughter.

After her marriage ended in divorce, Eloda sold the North Losey Boulevard house, and moved to Minnesota with her adopted daughter, Eloda Mae.

While performing in theater, she met Minnesota state Sen. William Roepke, who she married in 1935, moving with him to Rochester, Minnesota, in 1942. After he died in 1945, she married for a third time, to fellow actor, Addison Aulger, but they soon divorced.

After that, she worked in a variety of jobs, including at the Rochester State Hospital, an asylum for patients with mental illness. During her nine years there, she created and ran a recreation program. She later said those years were among the most pleasant in her career.

Elodas jacket will be on display at Juxtapose, an exhibition of historic clothing from the collections of the La Crosse County Historic Society opening to the public on June 4 at the Swarthout Gallery of the La Crosse Public Library. This free exhibition will be open noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and will run from June 4 through July 13.

Join La Crosse County Historical Society on May 31 to celebrate the opening of the exhibition with a reception at 7 p.m.

There will be storytelling, live music and refreshments. Tickets are on sale now by calling LCHS at 782-1980 or online at lchshistory.org.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0BARRON  Jayme Closs on Friday urged a judge to deliver a life sentence to Jake Patterson, the young man who killed her parents in their northwestern Wisconsin home before abducting the 13-year-old and holding her captive for nearly three months until her daring escape.

Barron County District Judge James Babler heard the pleadings of the teen and members of her family, and sentenced the 21-year-old Patterson to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of release for killing James and Denise Closs. He also ordered Patterson to serve 25 years in prison and 15 years of extended supervision on the kidnapping charge.

I was shocked by the brutalness, Babler said, pointing out that he has never seen a more horrifying crime in his decades as an attorney and judge. There is no doubt in my mind that you are one of the most dangerous men to walk on this planet.  You are the embodiment of evil, and the public can only be safe if you are incarcerated until you die.

Jayme Closs made her feelings known in a statement read by a court representative, which said in part for Patterson to hear, I felt like what he did was what a coward would do. I was brave, and he was not.

He cant own me

Patterson pleaded guilty in March to the violence that unfolded in the middle of an October night on the outskirts of Barron and gripped a nation during the time Jayme was missing and for weeks after her January escape from the Patterson family cabin near Gordon about an hour north of Barron.

Last October, Jake Patterson took a lot of things that I love away from me, were Jaymes words, read by attorney Chris Gramstrup. It makes me the most sad that he took away my mom and my dad. I loved my mom and dad very much and they loved me very much.

They did all they could to make me happy and protect me. He took them away from me forever. I felt safe in my home, and I loved my room and all of my belongings. He took all of that too. I dont want to even see my home or my stuff because of the memory of that night.

Jayme added that to this day, going out in public makes her afraid and anxious.

But there are some things that Jake Patterson cant take away, her statement declared. He cant own me.

Speaking to how she fled her captor when the opportunity came, Jayme explained to the court, I was smarter. I watched his routine, and I took back my freedom.

I will always have my freedom, and he will not.

Jake Patterson could not take away my courage. He will never own me.

He will stop at nothing

When his turn came to speak to the court more than 90 minutes into the proceeding, Patterson said, while choking back his emotions: Ill just say that I would do, like, absolutely anything to take back what I did. I would die. I would do absolutely anything to bring them back. I dont care about me. Im just so sorry. Thats all.

The prosecutions case for a life sentence followed with District Attorney Brian Wrights detailed account of the killings and how Patterson pulled Jayme out of the bathroom where her mother was fatally shot before her eyes, at one point dragging the girl through her fathers blood near the front door.

Among a few new details disclosed about Jaymes captivity, Wright revealed that Patterson yelled and threatened the teen if she failed to follow his rules and at times hit her with a curtain rod.

With each step she took to escape, Wright said, the terror of not knowing where he was got more and more intense. Was he in the house just standing outside the door? Would he find her as she was walking down the driveway? Would he find her as she was walking down the road?

In pressing his case for locking up Patterson forever, Wright said, The defendant will stop at nothing to get what he wants if he is ever released from prison. The need to protect the public starts with Jayme. If he ever is released from prison, he will find Jayme and stop at nothing.  If Mr. Patterson is ever released from prison, anyone standing between himself and Jayme would be in peril.

Patterson sat in his orange jail jumpsuit listening to each statement and the specifics of the killings, kidnapping and the months he kept Jayme captive.

His shoulders were slouched and his head bowed much of the time. Before he spoke, Patterson showed little reaction during the proceedings, other than to shake his head no when the prosecution spelled out in court that he had no remorse and would go after Jayme should he ever be free.

Defense makes plea

Speaking for the defense, attorney Charles Glynn said he understood his client would receive a life sentence, but he also described Patterson as someone who was acting on his loneliness and not showing a pattern of behavior that would escalate in severity.

Glynn urged the court to give Patterson credit for quickly admitting to the killings and abduction, and provide his client with therapy and other opportunities while in prison that inmates sentenced to life are not typically afforded.

He has taken responsibility for what he has done, Glynn said, adding that Patterson refused any plea with insanity as a defense. He has accepted  that he is going to die in prison.

Even so, Glynn asked the judge to at least consider some far-off chance for parole.

Co-defense attorney Richard Jones also made the case against the certainty of Patterson dying in prison, saying his client had never before been in trouble with the law beyond a parking ticket and lashed out after lifelong aimlessness (and) overreacted to his loneliness.

Count by count, Jones asked for a sentence that would set Patterson free when he is 100 years old.

Closs familys nightmare

The hearing started with several brief victim impact statements from relatives of the Closses.

Sue Allard, Jaymes aunt, began by recalling the worst phone call that she could receive when authorities told her that her sister, Denise Closs, was dead and niece Jayme abducted.

I was hoping I was just waking up from a nightmare, Allard said, wrapping up her statement by urging the judge to give Patterson the maximum sentence possible on each count.

Another aunt, Jennifer Smith, addressed Patterson directly, saying: It hurts so bad. We no longer get to make memories with them. Jayme no longer has a normal 13-year-olds life.

Smith also asked the judge to give Patterson a lifetime in prison to pay for all the evil you have done.

Im at ease that my brother did not suffer, but mad as hell that he didnt have a chance, Mike Closs said.

Jeff Closs added, If he could have gotten his hands on him, it would have been different.

Random target

Patterson told authorities in the hours after his arrest in January that he picked Jayme at random, snatching her on Oct. 15 after spotting her boarding a school bus weeks earlier and deciding to take her.

According to a criminal complaint charging him with the crimes, Patterson drove to the Closs home, shot James Closs at the front door, then shot Denise Closs in the bathroom, where she was barricaded with Jayme.

Patterson said he then stuffed Jayme into the trunk of his car and drove north to his familys cabin near Gordon, where he kept the girl trapped under a bed when people visited.

Jayme had made no public statements since her escape in January, and she has made only a few public appearances, most recently during a recognition at the state Capitol in her honor.

Patterson was also ordered to register as a sex offender, which under Wisconsin law may be required both for an actual sex offense or an attempted sexual offense. Details of Jaymes time in captivity have not been released, and no charges were brought by prosecutors in the county where she was held.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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This Memorial Day weekend, Southern Californians can pay their respects at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial -- without flying to Washington, D.C.

A Mobile Vietnam Memorial Wall run by an Antelope Valley nonprofit will be on display at the Rancho Tapo Community Park in Simi Valley from Friday through Monday. This year marks a decade of the memorial traveling the region, giving local residents a space to learn and remember.

The mobile wall is about half the size of the one in D.C., explained Linda Willis, secretary for the AV Wall Board, which oversees the project.

Like the national wall, it is black and engraved with the names of those killed in the war. And like the national wall, the names are updated regularly as the Department of Defense releases status changes. At last count there were 58,318 names -- 5,572 from California and 76 from the mobile wall's home in Antelope Valley.

You can see an overview of the wall in this video taken from the 2016 installation:

The idea for the mobile wall started with a play about Vietnam veterans at the Palmdale Playhouse. Willis said the group at first wasn't sure they'd be able to raise enough money to get it built, but after four years they had accumulated $102,000.

"When the fundraising began in earnest, it was just completely grassroots. The next thing you know, we had enough money to build this entire memorial wall," Willis said.

The all-volunteer team, which includes both veterans and civilians, transports the wall to each location where it will be displayed, setting up the 72 panels and staying on site to provide supervision.

Volunteers set up the mobile Vietnam Memorial Wall. (Courtesy of Linda Willis with AV Wall)

Seeing the wall can be healing for family members and veterans, Willis said, many of whom may not have the funds or time to travel to the national memorial in D.C., and while there are other traveling walls in the country, this is the only one based on the West Coast.

"We've had reunions at the wall, reunions of different companies and battalions -- they all meet and they honor their fallen," she said.

George Palermo is a Vietnam veteran and a member of the committee for the mobile wall. He knows the wall can also stir up difficult emotions. He said visiting a different traveling wall years ago brought back difficult memories of his own time serving in Vietnam.

"I felt like I was being sucked into that wall, and I felt like I fit in better with the guys whose names were on that wall than the people I'd been living with for 25 years," Palermo said.

Now, Palermo gives his time, attending displays of the mobile wall to help other veterans processing their own feelings of trauma related to their military service.

"Since that time the wall's been part of my life, and whenever any wall -- even if it's not our wall -- whenever any wall is within reasonable driving distance to my house, I'm there."Blog Archive Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (2) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (4) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (5) Dec 05 (4) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (4) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (3) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (3) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (4) Nov 12 (5) Nov 11 (4) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (4) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (3) Nov 05 (3) Nov 04 (3) Nov 03 (3) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (4) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (5) Oct 24 (2) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (3) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (2) Oct 16 (3) 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(6) Jan 19 (3) Jan 18 (6) Jan 17 (5) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (7) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (4) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (7) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (5) Jan 05 (5) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (5) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (7) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (6) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (5) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (4) Dec 17 (6) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (4) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (5) Dec 11 (7) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (6) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (4) Dec 04 (7) Dec 03 (6) Dec 02 (4) Dec 01 (4) Nov 30 (6) Nov 29 (4) Nov 28 (4) Nov 27 (7) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (5) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (4) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (5) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (5) Nov 17 (6) Nov 16 (7) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (5) Nov 13 (5) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (7) Nov 10 (6) Nov 09 (7) Nov 08 (4) Nov 07 (9) Nov 06 (7) Nov 05 (7) Nov 04 (7) Nov 03 (5) Nov 02 (6) Nov 01 (6) Oct 31 (7) Oct 30 (6) Oct 29 (7) Oct 28 (4) Oct 27 (7) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (3) Oct 24 (6) Oct 23 (10) Oct 22 (6) Oct 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22 (4) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (5) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (5) Jul 12 (6) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (4) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (4) Jul 01 (4) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (5) Jun 28 (4) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (3) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (3) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (3) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (3) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (5) Jun 16 (4) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (5) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (6) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (5) Jun 03 (5) Jun 02 (5) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (4) May 30 (5) May 29 (5) May 28 (5) May 27 (8) May 26 (7) May 25 (7) May 24 (5) May 23 (2) May 22 (5) May 21 (4) May 20 (5) May 19 (5) May 18 (5) May 17 (5) May 16 (7) May 15 (7) May 14 (7) May 13 (5) May 12 (6) May 11 (8) May 10 (4) May 09 (6) May 08 (10) May 07 (8) May 06 (5) May 05 (6) May 04 (7) May 03 (7) May 02 (8) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (10) Apr 27 (6) Apr 26 (5) Apr 25 (8) Apr 24 (7) Apr 23 (8) 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22 (5) Jan 21 (7) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (5) Jan 17 (5) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (5) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (3) Jan 07 (5) Jan 06 (5) Jan 05 (6) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (5) Dec 25 (6) Dec 24 (7) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (6) Dec 19 (10) Dec 18 (9) Dec 17 (10) Dec 16 (8) Dec 15 (4) Dec 14 (6) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (5) Dec 10 (6) Dec 09 (5) Dec 08 (8) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (7) Dec 03 (7) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (9) Nov 30 (5) Nov 29 (9) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (7) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (4) Nov 22 (7) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (8) Nov 18 (12) Nov 17 (8) Nov 16 (6) Nov 15 (4) Nov 14 (11) Nov 13 (11) Nov 12 (9) Nov 11 (6) Nov 10 (9) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (7) Nov 07 (7) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (8) Nov 04 (6) Nov 03 (5) Nov 02 (7) Nov 01 (5) Oct 31 (7) Oct 30 (6) Oct 29 (7) Oct 28 (4) Oct 27 (7) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (7) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (7) Oct 22 (7) Oct 21 (6) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (7) Oct 18 (6) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (6) Oct 13 (7) Oct 12 (5) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (8) Oct 09 (8) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (7) Oct 06 (7) Oct 05 (8) Oct 04 (6) Oct 03 (8) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (10) Sep 29 (7) Sep 28 (10) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (6) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (5) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (6) Sep 18 (6) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (6) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (7) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (10) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (3) Sep 08 (8) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (7) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (6) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (6) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (4) Aug 28 (5) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (5) Aug 25 (9) Aug 24 (7) Aug 23 (8) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (9) Aug 20 (8) Aug 19 (7) Aug 18 (6) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (6) Aug 12 (5) Aug 11 (7) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (9) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (6) Aug 04 (6) Aug 03 (7) Aug 02 (8) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (8) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (6) Jul 26 (9) 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(10) Apr 25 (7) Apr 24 (5) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (6) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (10) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (6) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (6) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (10) Apr 07 (6) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (4) Apr 03 (5) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (6) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (7) Mar 26 (9) Mar 25 (11) Mar 24 (10) Mar 23 (6) Mar 22 (8) Mar 21 (3) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (2) Mar 18 (9) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (6) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (6) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (7) Mar 10 (8) Mar 09 (6) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (6) Mar 06 (7) Mar 05 (6) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (2) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (9) Feb 29 (11) Feb 28 (8) Feb 27 (6) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (8) Feb 24 (9) Feb 23 (12) Feb 22 (10) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (6) Feb 19 (5) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (9) Feb 16 (10) Feb 15 (8) Feb 14 (9) Feb 13 (8) Feb 12 (9) Feb 11 (7) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (7) Feb 08 (9) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (10) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (6) Feb 03 (8) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (6) Jan 31 (10) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (9) 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30 (1) Apr 29 (2) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (2) Apr 26 (2) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (2) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (4) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (2) Apr 17 (2) Apr 16 (2) Apr 15 (2) Apr 14 (2) Apr 13 (2) Apr 12 (2) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (2) Apr 08 (2) Apr 07 (2) Apr 06 (2) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (2) Apr 03 (2) Apr 02 (2) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (1) Mar 30 (1) Mar 29 (2) Mar 28 (2) Mar 27 (2) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (2) Mar 23 (2) Mar 22 (1) Mar 21 (1) Mar 20 (2) Mar 19 (2) Mar 18 (2) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (2) Mar 14 (2) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (2) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (3) Mar 08 (2) Mar 07 (1) Mar 06 (2) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (3) Mar 03 (8) Mar 02 (2) Mar 01 (1) Feb 28 (2) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (1) Feb 25 (1) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (2) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (2) Feb 20 (2) Feb 19 (2) Feb 18 (2) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (2) Feb 15 (1) Feb 14 (1) Feb 13 (1) Feb 12 (2) Feb 11 (1) Feb 10 (2) Feb 09 (1) Feb 08 (1) Feb 07 (1) Feb 06 (1) Feb 05 (5) Feb 03 (1) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (1) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (2) Jan 27 (5) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (3) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (4) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (2) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (5) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (4) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (1) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (5) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (4) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (6) Dec 14 (4) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (5) Dec 11 (5) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (5) Dec 08 (4) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (5) Dec 05 (4) Dec 04 (4) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (4) Nov 29 (4) Nov 28 (5) Nov 27 (4) Nov 26 (4) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (5) Nov 23 (4) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (5) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (4) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (4) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (4) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (3) Nov 08 (3) Nov 07 (4) Nov 06 (4) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (3) Nov 03 (2) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (3) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (4) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (3) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (3) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (3) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (6) Oct 12 (4) Oct 11 (4) Oct 10 (3) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (3) Sep 26 (5) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (4) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (5) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (6) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (4) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (3) Sep 01 (4) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (4) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (4) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (3) Aug 20 (5) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (5) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (3) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (3) Aug 09 (4) Aug 08 (2) Aug 07 (2) Aug 06 (2) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (2) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (2) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (6) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (4) Jul 22 (4) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (4) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (5) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (4) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (5) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (2) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (4) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (2) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (3) Jun 18 (3) Jun 17 (1) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (2) Jun 06 (2) Jun 05 (2) Jun 04 (2) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (3) May 31 (4) May 30 (5) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (3) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (2) May 23 (4) May 22 (4) May 21 (5) May 20 (6) May 19 (4) May 18 (3) May 17 (4) May 16 (5) May 15 (6) May 14 (4) May 13 (9) May 12 (4) May 11 (5) May 10 (5) May 09 (4) May 08 (3) May 07 (5) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (5) May 03 (1) May 02 (5) May 01 (7) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (4) Apr 27 (1) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (4) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (3) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (3) Apr 14 (4) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (6) Apr 10 (1) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (1) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (1) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (4) Mar 28 (3) Mar 27 (4) Mar 26 (2) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (6) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (5) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (4) Mar 17 (4) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (4) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (3) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (4) Feb 28 (2) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (3) Feb 25 (3) Feb 24 (4) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (4) Feb 20 (4) Feb 19 (3) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (3) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (4) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (3) Feb 10 (4) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (4) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (3) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (4) Jan 25 (3) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (3) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (4) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (4) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (4) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (5) Jan 02 (4) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (2) Dec 29 (2) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (5) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (2) Dec 11 (6) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (6) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (4) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (4) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (5) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (2) Nov 19 (5) Nov 18 (7) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (4) Nov 15 (6) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (3) Nov 07 (2) Nov 06 (2) Nov 05 (2) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (2) Oct 31 (3) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (2) Oct 24 (2) Oct 23 (2) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (2) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (2) Oct 16 (2) Oct 15 (2) Oct 14 (4) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (2) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (4) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (7) Sep 26 (4) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (5) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (5) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (7) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (4) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (2) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (5) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (5) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (7) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (3) Jul 12 (2) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (6) Jun 26 (6) Jun 25 (6) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (8) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (5) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (2) May 29 (2) May 28 (2) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (3) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (5) May 20 (4) May 19 (2) May 18 (3) May 17 (3) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (5) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (3) May 10 (4) May 09 (4) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (2) May 05 (3) May 04 (4) May 03 (2) May 02 (3) May 01 (3) Apr 30 (3) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (4) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (7) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (7) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (7) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (5) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 (5) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (5) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (6) Mar 18 (6) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (5) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (4) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (4) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (4) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (2) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (3) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (9) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (2) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (3) Jan 25 (4) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (2) Jan 22 (2) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (4) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (4) Jan 16 (3) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (3) Jan 11 (2) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (2) Jan 07 (2) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (2) Jan 04 (2) Jan 03 (2) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (2) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (2) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (2) Dec 21 (2) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (2) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (2) Dec 16 (2) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (2) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (2) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (4) Nov 29 (4) Nov 28 (2) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (2) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (2) Nov 22 (2) Nov 21 (2) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (2) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (4) Nov 13 (2) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (2) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (2) Nov 08 (2) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 03 (5) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (5) Oct 31 (7) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (4) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (2) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (2) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (2) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (5) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (4) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (5) Sep 30 (2) Sep 29 (2) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (2) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (2) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (2) Sep 15 (4) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (5) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (3) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (2) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (2) Aug 25 (2) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (2) Aug 12 (2) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (2) Aug 09 (2) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (2) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (2) Jul 31 (4) Jul 30 (2) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (2) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (2) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (3) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (2) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (2) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (2) Jul 12 (3) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (2) Jul 03 (2) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (2) Jun 26 (3) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (2) Jun 16 (2) Jun 15 (2) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (2) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (2) May 19 (2) May 18 (4) May 17 (7) May 16 (2) May 15 (3) May 14 (4) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (3) May 08 (2) May 07 (2) May 06 (2) May 05 (1) May 04 (2) May 03 (4) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (1) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (2) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (2) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (2) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (1) Apr 03 (1) Apr 02 (1) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (2) Mar 28 (3) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (2) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (2) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (1) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (2) Mar 15 (1) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (2) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (1) Mar 07 (1) Mar 04 (2) Mar 02 (2) Feb 28 (1) Feb 24 (1) Dec 31 (4) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (3) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (3) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (2) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (4) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (3) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (3) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (4) Oct 30 (3) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (4) Oct 16 (3) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (3) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (4) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (4) Sep 26 (3) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (3) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (3) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (4) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (5) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (3) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (3) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (3) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (4) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (5) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (3) Jul 01 (6) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (5) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (3) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (5) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (4) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (5) Jun 01 (3) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (3) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (4) May 23 (4) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (4) May 19 (3) May 18 (3) May 17 (4) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (1) May 11 (3) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (4) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (4) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (3) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (5) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (3) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (4) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (3) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (3) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (3) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (3) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (3) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (3) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (3) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (3) Mar 07 (3) Mar 06 (4) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 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(1) Aug 14 (1) Aug 11 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 03 (1) Jul 27 (1) Jul 26 (1) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (1) Jul 21 (1) Jul 19 (1) Jul 15 (1) Jul 14 (1) Jul 13 (3) Jul 10 (1) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (1) Jul 06 (1) Jul 03 (1) Jul 01 (1) Jun 28 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 20 (1) Jun 19 (1) Jun 18 (1) Jun 15 (1) Jun 14 (2) Jun 11 (1) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (1) Jun 07 (1) Jun 06 (1) Jun 04 (2) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (1) May 31 (3) May 30 (1) May 29 (1) May 28 (2) May 26 (1) May 25 (1) May 18 (1) May 17 (1) May 15 (1) May 09 (1) May 07 (2) May 02 (1) May 01 (1) Apr 30 (1) Apr 27 (1) Apr 26 (2) Apr 23 (1) Apr 22 (1) Apr 19 (1) Apr 18 (1) Apr 12 (1) Apr 11 (1) Apr 09 (1) Apr 07 (1) Apr 05 (1) Apr 01 (1) Mar 30 (1) Mar 27 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 22 (2) Mar 19 (1) Mar 18 (1) Mar 16 (1) Mar 15 (2) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (1)Kim Kardashian West Isnt the Only Celebrity Speaking Out for Prison Reform

Nipsey Hussle and Meek Mill (courtesy photo)

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Kim Kardashian West isnt the only celebrity speaking out for prison reform. Its a topic that was also very important to slain rapper Nipsey Hussle, and to Common, Kevin Hart and a host of others who consider the criminal justice system often unfair and dehumanizing.

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Hussle served time before he was shot to death on March 31 and was raising awareness for changes. Last October, he headlined a free #TimeDone campaign concert to bring awareness to the 70 million Americans living with a past conviction.

In February, while attending the Grammy Awards, Hussle explained why the topic of prison reform was among his priorities.

I grew up in South Central Los Angeles. You know we come from gang culture so we dealt with the system a lot, he told The Associated Press. We saw firsthand over-sentencing, unfair probation, the policies and stuff, so to see people putting energy into reforming that and just making it a little closer to whats fair, you know what I mean? I think that its an important subject. Its an important movement that we should all support.

Hussle was on the advisory board of WordsUncaged, a nonprofit where prisoners serving life sentences learn to reclaim their voices and reflect upon the harm they have caused through narrative therapy and creative writing workshops.

Songwriter and record executive DJ Mustard, who is a Grammy winner and has collaborated with Hussle, has a cousin, Theodore, who is currently incarcerated. Mustard said prison reform is super important to him because often, people are accused of something they didnt even do.

They take the time for it not knowing, not having any lawyers, not even being in the right state of mind to even fight the case or even have enough money to get a lawyer to fight the case, he said.

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His cousin was sentenced to 80 years to life as a teenager.

At that time, we didnt have money to go for a good lawyer and now were fighting and fighting and fighting to get him out. Thats a lot of peoples cases throughout the world, Mustard said.

Common, a Grammy, Oscar and Emmy winner, was touched in particular by the cause through his work on the 2014 film Selma, the story of the 1965 voting rights marches in Alabama. The Glory rapper has performed at numerous concerts inside California prisons and is a frequent visitor to the men of one in Los Angeles County where all are serving life sentences.

I think one of the things that Ive experienced from meeting men and women who were incarcerated was that they wanted to feel humanized. They wanted people to know that they were human beings, Common said.

The places that Ive been, Ive met some of the best human beings Ive ever met in my life in prison that were doing life without parole that had actually committed violent crimes and had committed murders, but then were able to acknowledge that and try to move past it and do the work.

Hart also has spoken out about the need for criminal justice reform because of what has happened with his friend, rapper Meek Mill.

Mill has become a symbol for reform after a judge in Pennsylvania sentenced him to two to four years in prison for minor violations of his probation in a decade-old gun and drug possession case. He spent months in prison before a court ordered him released.

He had to go back, and they put them in for this crazy amount of time. So, seeing that, going and visiting firsthand, we realize that there is a large portion of people that have been convicted that are set up to get convicted again regardless of their good behavior, Hart said.

According to the Prison Policy Initiative , a nonprofit that documents the effects of mass incarceration, the criminal justice system holds almost 2.3 million people in state and federal prisons, juvenile correctional facilities and local jails. More than 540,000 of those havent been convicted.

The NAACP said that between 1980 and 2015, the number of people incarcerated in the United States increased from roughly 500,000 to over 2.3 million. African Americans and Hispanics comprised 56 percent in 2015.

We just have to, in society, Common said, not just look out for the people that can do for us but look out for those who are overlooked.Researchers reportedly have found wreckage from the last ship known to bring enslaved people from Africa to the United States. U.S. historical officials say the discovery took place off the southern coast of Alabama.

The Alabama Historical Commission announced the discovery. It said last Wednesday in a statement that remains of the ship Clotilda were identified and confirmed near Mobile, Alabama after months of study.

The Clotilda was purposely sunk the year before the Civil War to hide evidence of its illegal trip. The wreckage had not been seen since.

Lisa Demetropoulos Jones is executive director of the commission. She said the ships passage represented one of the darkest periods of modern history, and the wreck offers physical evidence of slavery.

In 1860, the wooden ship illegally transported 110 people from what is now the west African nation of Benin to Mobile. The Clotilda was then taken into waters north of the port and burned to avoid being found.

The enslaved Africans were later freed and settled a community that is still called AfricaTown USA or Africatown. But no one knew where the Clotilda was.

A living relative of one of the Africans who was brought on the ship said she got chills when she learned of the findings.

I think about the people who came before us who labored and fought and worked so hard, said Joycelyn Davis. She is the sixth-generation granddaughter of African captive Charlie Lewis.

In 2018, a news reporter from the Mobile area discovered wooden remains of what was first thought to be the Clotilda. But the wreck was found to be from another ship. Still, public interest in the story led to a new search last year that found another wreck now confirmed as the ship.

Officials did not say how much of the ship is left or what might happen to the remains. But the size and construction of the wreck appear to be those of the Clotilda, the commission said. And it contains building materials such as locally grown trees and metal pieces. There are also signs of fire.

Ocean archaeologist James Delgado said in a statement that the physical and scientific evidence powerfully suggests that this is Clotilda.

Officials said they are working on a plan to secure the area where the ship was found.

The United States banned the importation of enslaved people in 1808. But smugglers continued to sail the Atlantic Ocean with wooden ships full of people. Southern plantation owners demanded workers for their cotton fields.

During that time, plantation owner Timothy Meaher made a bet that he could secretly bring a ship of Africans across the ocean, historian Natalie S. Robertson said. The Clotilda sailed from Mobile to western Africa, where it took possession of the captives and brought them to Alabama.

They were smuggling people as much for defiance as for sport, Robertson said.

The Clotilda arrived in Mobile in 1860 and was quickly sunken north of Mobile Bay. It was there that researchers worked to identify the ship.

The Africans spent the next five years enslaved during the Civil War. They were freed only after the southern states had lost. Unable to return home to Africa, about 30 of them used money earned from working in fields and homes and on ships to buy land from the Meaher family. They settled in a community that is known to this day as Africatown.

Officials said they plan to present a report on the findings at a community center in Africatown later this week.

I'm Alice Bryant.

Jay Reeves wrote this story for The Associated Press. Alice Bryant adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

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Words in This Story

chills  n. a sudden cold feeling in the body caused a (good or bad) emotional reaction to something

construction  n. the way something is built or made

smuggler  n. to move (someone or something) from one country into another illegally and secretly

plantation  n. a large area of land especially in a hot part of the world where crops are grown

bet  n. an agreement in which people try to guess what will happen and the loser must give something (such as money) to the winner

defiance  n. a refusal to obey something or someoneThe French and the Americans are working together again on a project marking a major event in World War II. This time, they are giving people the chance to travel back in time and experience the invasion of Normandy, France.

United States-led Allied forces invaded northern France on June 6, 1944. The Normandy landings led to the end of Germanys control of Western Europe.

Seventy-five years later, the event is being remembered at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Ohio. Visitors now have the chance to virtually transport themselves back in time to D-Day.

To do this, they need an electronic tablet, called a HistoPad. Visitors make movements on the device to see current images of historic places with re-creations of them in the past. They can also press on images to see videos, pictures and maps from 1944.

The new way of learning about the Normandy landings is part of the museums D-Day observances.

Allied commanders called the invasion Operation Overlord. The U.S. military used the term D-Day to identify the start date for any important military operation.

On June 6, 1944, about 156,000 U.S., British and Canadian forces invaded five areas along 80 kilometers of Frances western coast. The troops were supported by thousands of ships, landing vehicles and airplanes. They also had help from French resistance fighters.

The Air Force museum, near Dayton, Ohio, is the first group in the United States to use the tablets. The French company Histovery developed the technology. Company officials have announced plans to expand the use of HistoPads to other parts of the U.S.

The tablets are among new technology increasingly in use at many museums and historic areas. They offer virtual and augmented reality to help learning and understanding.

Bruno de Sa Moreira works for the French company. He noted that the Air Force museum D-Day exhibit was a natural place to start in the U.S. He told the Associated Press, Its a very exciting adventure. We are basically telling our joint history, when the American soldiers fought for the liberty of France. We have a common past and a common duty to remember.

HistoPads were first demonstrated five years ago at a French castle built in the 1500s. More than a million visitors each year use the devices at 15 monuments and museums in France.

The Air Force museum has large collections of troop carriers, fighter planes, and even German airplanes and weapons used at the time.

In one area, visitors see a life-like model of a U.S. paratrooper ready for battle with weapons and explosives, a field radio and a backup parachute. When added together, the equipment weighs about 68 kilograms.

The HistoPad will show what a paratrooper might have seen on the dangerous airplane drop.

Museum supervisor Jeff Dufurd said that the tablet makes it very real. Its a device that allows us to connect our visitors with that moment in time and in doing so, it makes the artifacts from that time and that place even more powerful.

Chuck Edmonson is the museums marketing director. He gave a few visitors a demonstration of the HistoPad on a recent morning. One of them was 67-year-old Deane Sager of Louisville, Kentucky. He was surprised by how real the images seemed. Oh, my, thats what youd see, he said.

The Air Force museum has more D-Day events planned on June 6.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Dan Sewell reported this story for the Associated Press. Jonathan Evans adapted his report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

adventure  n. an exciting or remarkable experience

augmented  adj. made greater, larger, or more complete

castle  n. a massive or imposing house

virtual(ly)  adj. being on or simulated on a computer or computer network; of, relating to, or existing within a virtual realityLEXINGTON  What has become a tradition for the Bryan Elementary second graders also has become one for three downtown businesses. These locations open their doors at the end of the school year for the walking field trip the students take.

Second grade teacher Ashley Pano said the walking field trip has been going on for seven years. The teachers use it as a way to demonstrate to the students exactly what they have been learning in their classes.

The three places the second graders visit are Great Western Bank, the Lexington Post Office and Panaderia Princess Bakery, Pano said. There were 64 students who took part in the walking field trip.

This helps to build a connection with people in the community, Pano said, we talk about goods and services, we pull together a lot of what they have learned.

At Great Western Bank the students are taught about checking and savings accounts and how to open one. Pano said many of the students are surprised about the all access tour they get of bank, especially when they see the inside of the vault. They are surprised in many ways during the trip, said Pano.LEXINGTON  Three long time teachers who are retiring were honored by Lexington Public Schools with a reception on Tuesday, May 21 at Lexington Middle School.

Mary Bergstrom, LHS media specialist, Jeannie Homan, Pershing Elementary Music teacher and Ruth Seward, Pershing media specialist were all honored for their long time service to the school district.

Seward has been with LPS for 15 years, Bergstrom for 19 years and Homan for 41 years.

Superintendent John Hakonson said, We sure are going to miss them, we appreciate their years of service to the district. It is rare for people to spend most of their careers in one place but our students have benefited from that. We wish them the best in the future.

Pershing Elementary Principal Suzanne Melliger commented on both Homan and Sewards service.

Ruth has been a long time employee of LPS. She was a lover of good books and she modeled her love of reading for our students, Melliger said, Ruth was flexible since she was involved in teaching at two schools. When we needed to make the change in our schedules, Ruth made it work. We wish Ruth the best of luck in her next chapter of life.LEXINGTON  Its seems a little ironic, using water to deal with water problems, Pershing Resource Officer Kellie Cetak said, but it is exactly what the Pershing Elementary students did to help a family in need.

The Zarek family from Genoa lost everything in the March floods, their home was washed away with the waters. The only thing left of their home was the garage, it was found several miles downstream.

Cetak said her family is from Columbus and was familiar with the Zarek family and decided to invite the students to help them.

In order to help this family Pershing Elementary organized a bucket dump. Cetak said if the students brought one dollar they could dump a bucket of water on a teacher. If they brought an additional two dollars they could dump water on their choice of School Resource Officer Luke Pinkelman, School Secretary Nancy Price, Principal Susie Melliger or Superintendent John Hakonson.

The students got to figure on Thursday, May 16 who got to dump water on whom. Numerous students were able to douse their teachers and administrators, Cetak said some classrooms had more participants than others.Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required!

Stay logged in to skip the surveys.Phil Jennings and Peter Menet flew Black Hawk helicopters while serving in the Wisconsin Army National Guard.

Years later, their aviation skills have been put to use in different capacities that intersect through drone technology.

Jennings, originally from Milwaukee and a longtime Madison resident, is the senior lead pilot for the University of Wisconsin Med Flight after retiring from the U.S. military in 2010. He is increasingly coordinating with emergency dispatchers about working safely alongside drone pilots.

Menet, an Appleton native, now flies drones commercially and runs his own company, Menet Aero.

An increasing number of businesses, authorities and emergency officials are using drones for purposes ranging from vehicle crash reconstruction to inspecting cellular towers from a bird's-eye view.

And while Federal Aviation Administration rules are constantly evolving and complicated for authorities, hobbyists and commercial pilots alike, that fact isn't slowing down excitement about the benefits of a rapidly expanding drone market.

Police tools

The Wisconsin State Patrol launched its own drone program this month.

Lt. Christopher Jushka said the drones  which cost $2,000 apiece  won't be used for enforcement or surveillance.

Instead, their intended purpose is to assist with search-and-rescue missions, crash-scene investigations and to supplement other tools during emergencies or natural disasters.

Like any new technology, theres skepticism, Jushka said.

Jushka acknowledged privacy concerns exist with drone technology but said his agency does not intend to use the devices for surveillance.

The Sauk County Sheriff's Office has two drones, it uses primarily to search for lost people or fugitives and conduct vehicle-crash reconstruction, said Capt. Mike Stoddard.

The first drone, purchased three years ago for about $900, has a camera. The second drone with more advanced equipment, acquired in 2018, has an infrared sensor and camera and cost about $12,000. Most funds used for the purchase came from donations, Stoddard said.

Mapping car crashes from the air can open highways more quickly and provide valuable details related to skid marks, road conditions and the directions vehicles traveled after impact, he said.

Drones can cover more ground than officers on foot attempting to locate a lost person, especially at night, by using flares and heat sensors.

Deploying a small radio-controlled craft is easier than calling in an airplane for surveillance in cases of severe flooding.

We could go into areas with drones where people could be in trouble, Jushka said.

A disadvantage to drones is a need to monitor battery life mid-flight. Common for many drones used by police, batteries generally allow for about 20 minutes of use. And while drones can sometimes take more detailed images, airplanes are able to fly higher and observe wider angles.

The Wisconsin State Patrol received 170 requests from other law enforcement agencies for aircraft support in 2018. Not all of those could be granted. As drones have become more readily accessible, Jushka said drones can supplement some of those requests.

"It basically gives you air support that weve never had in the past," Stoddard said of heat signature sensor capabilities. "We can do our searches at night now, more thorough than we could before.

Emergency assets

The usefulness of drones extends past law enforcement and into emergency response efforts, too.

Dodge County Emergency Management Director Amy Nehls said the Dodge Countys Sheriffs Office has a drone and some nearby fire departments, including the Columbus Fire Department, have shared drone resources.

When an explosion erupted inside a Beaver Dam apartment complex in March 2018, area fire departments used drones to monitor a controlled burn to destroy latent explosives.

Drones also made it easier to monitor a semi-tanker explosion in Dodge County about three years ago.

That was not an option a few years ago, Nehls said. It helps us in many incidents gain situational awareness.

Columbia County Emergency Management Coordinator Kathy Johnson said a drone has proven useful during flood seasons.

Johnson said emergency officials and authorities couldnt reach some areas during severe and record flooding in 2008 and 2010.

But in the last few years and most recently in April of this year, emergency officials and sheriffs deputies worked alongside the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to monitor floodwater with drones.

That tool came in handy when a decades-old levee south of Portage appeared to be at risk of breaking apart as the Wisconsin River surged past flood stage. Authorities watched the levee from above and urged residents to evacuate the surrounding area.

Johnson said fire and police departments across Columbia County have invested in drones.

One of those is the Portage Fire Department, which has its own drone  fully equipped with thermal imaging to spot heat signatures at night.

Portage Fire Chief Clayton Simonson said the department paid $12,000 to acquire the drone three years ago.

The department has deployed the drone to monitor wildfires, photograph buoys on the Wisconsin River and assist the Columbia County Sheriffs Office during a search-and-rescue mission.

I think they have a place in fire service, Simonson said.

Johnson said in an emergency situation drones could be used to monitor burning fuel tanks before a hazmat team is sent in, which could help ensure their safety on scene.

In Dodge County, Nehls said a drone would be particularly useful in the case of a train derailment or volatile chemical spill to protect the safety of both the public and first responders.

Federal regulations

The Federal Aviation Administration requires all drone pilots  including police, contracted workers and hobbyists  to register each drone, get licensed and pass routine tests to ensure compliance with federal laws.

One distinction between piloting an aircraft and a drone is altitude restrictions.

The general rule of thumb for people piloting drones for recreation and authorities deploying drones during emergency situations is to fly under 400 feet.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, manned aircraft such as planes or helicopters are required to fly at least 500 feet above the ground in rural areas.

Near cities or suburban settings, manned aircraft must maintain a safe altitude of at least 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft, according to the FAA.

For drone pilots using the tool for contracted business purposes  whether surveying farmland or performing cellular tower inspections  the regulations allow a little more leeway.

Contracted licensed pilots can fly drones up to 400 feet above the top of the tower they're inspecting.

Jennings said although UW Med Flight doesnt have drones of its own, the pilots sometimes coordinate with emergency dispatchers to know whether drones will be present at multi-vehicle accident scenes or to help locate injured patients more quickly.

Many newly licensed pilots  including some members of the news media  are operating drones instead of manned aircraft, Jennings said.

Theres a big, multi-mission future for drones, and theres no escaping that," Jennings said.

Jennings said drone pilots who fail to know or follow the rules may place others in danger.

Before Congress passed the Aviation Reform Act in 2012, air traffic control teams didn't have clear instructions to distinguish between a 747 passenger jetliner and a $5 toy drone, Menet said.

In the years since, specialized rules applied to aircraft under 55 pounds  including most drones.

Drone pilots generally aren't allowed to fly over crowds, on private property or near airports, though pilots can request special permissions in advance from the FAA.

A lot of drone operators dont know that stuff is illegal, Menet said. Theyre starting to come around and be more cognizant of what the rules are.

But working with the Federal Aviation Administration can sometimes be a headache, and getting special approval to fly in restricted spaces can take several weeks, Menet said.

Other uses

Paying a contracted pilot to survey acreage can help farmers asses crop conditions and soil moisture.

But if a cornfield is located near an air strip, that could pose issues for farmers who wish to contract with licensed pilots to inspect their land from above, said Charlie Toms, a commercial drone pilot for Edge Consulting Engineers in Prairie du Sac.

To bypass such rules and operate in that airspace, pilots need to apply for special authorization with the FAA, a process that can take several weeks with no guarantee the request will be granted.

Additional business uses can include everything from building inspections to survey and photography to deliveries.

Among some challenges drone hobbyists face is negative public perception.

Some hobbyists wonder where they can fly their drones without people getting upset or asking whether they're following the laws.

Toms said if he wears an orange vest, sets out orange cones and stays close to a cell tower he's contracted to inspect, no one seems to mind.

But someone piloting a hobby-grade drone in a field for fun might receive more pointed questions from people passing by, Toms said.

Toms said he recommends all recreational drone pilots to join local flying clubs sponsored by the Academy of National Aeronautics.

Being a club member means having insurance and a more official organization to fall back on for legal reassurance. This can give drone pilots more confidence to go out and fly, Toms said.

"Theyre the future of our hobby," Toms said, particularly for younger pilots. By learning from fellow experienced enthusiasts, new pilots can learn to fly safely, legally and courteously.

Follow Brad on Twitter @BradMikeAllen or call him at 608-745-3510.Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.TWIN FALLS  The exceptional amount of rain the Magic Valley has received this spring has left firefighters are farmers wondering what the summer will hold.

The Magic Valley received 50% more rain already this May than 2018 and could experience showers into June as a low-pressure system works it way through the region, said forecaster Les Colin at the National Weather Service in Boise. Of the 1.51 inches of rain in the area this month, 1.49 inches fell between May 15 and May 22.

Forest fire season could be delayed by the rain but it depends on what happens after the current weather passes, said Kelsey Brizendine, of the Bureau of Land Management in Shoshone.

The water is not going to stick around forever, she said. By October I could tell you about how the wet spring affected fire season.

Farmers arent too worried about the unexpected downpour.

Fields had previously dried up and some farmers were scrambling on water, said Larry Hollifield, who farms near Hansen. Excess rain has allowed Milner Irrigation District, the sprinkler system contractor in Twin Falls used by Hollifield, to stop pumping and conserve water through Tuesday.

But the recent weather has delayed planting certain crops and kept farmers out of fields, which could impact harvest, he said.

Weve benefited, now its time to stop, Hansen said. The later we plant, the less yield we get.

Farmers are held up more than theyd like with planting and fertilizing, but its not the end of the world quite yet, said Joel Packham, a farm production educator at the University of Idaho extension in Cassia County.

We like to live here because we like to control the water, Packham said. Today we dont get to control the water.

However, if forecasters are right and the rain continues into June, it becomes a bigger deal, and harvest could be further delayed, he said.

Thats not going to be good, Packham said. The longer this goes on the worse this gets.

Local fruit orchards could face a similar problem.

The way fruit ripens is dependent on the weather, said Robin Kelley of Kelleys Canyon Orchard.

Its not the water that becomes the problem, its the lack of sunlight, she said. We just need clear, sunny days.

Certain diseases and fungi could become more prevalent with the additional moisture, said Andy West, a horticulture educator at the University of Idaho extension in Twin Falls.

They can just take off, he said. There is a chance we might see some of the diseases we normally dont deal with.

Kelley mentioned similar concerns, but said wind has helped to keep her orchards dry and healthy.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0Grace and gratitude as everyday spiritual practices

TWIN FALLS  Rev. Jenny Peek, visiting Unitarian-Universalist minister from Pocatello, will share her journey in admitting hard truths, in how loving others has to begin much closer to home. If you tire of the inner critic, you are not alone.

The public is welcome at the Magic Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship for this introspective service on treating ourselves as well as we would treat others. The congregation meets at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at 160 Ninth Ave. E., Twin Falls.

Unitarian Universalism honors the differing paths individuals travel. Congregations are places where people celebrate, support and challenge one another as they continue on their spiritual journeys.

Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote: the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths, or none at all, are always welcome. Child care is available. The church is handicapped-accessible. Please park in the rear of the building or on the street in front or the side of the building.

For more information, call Ken Whiting at 208-410-8904 or email mvuuf83301@yahoo.com or go to magicvalleyuu.org.

Ascension Episcopal events

TWIN FALLS  The Episcopal Church of the Ascension will celebrate Holy Communion at 9 a.m. Sunday at the church, 371 Eastland Drive N., with the Revs. Lauren and Rob Schoeck presiding. Childcare for infants to 5-year-olds will be available from 8:45 a.m. until after worship. A fellowship coffee and refreshments hour will happen after the service.

Living the Questions, an adult video and discussion program, will continue from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the First Presbyterian Church, 209 Fifth Ave. N., Twin Falls.

Drumming wont be held on Monday because its Memorial Day. The church office will also be closed.

On Thursday, Bible Study will meet from 11 a.m. to noon to discuss the readings and themes for the upcoming Sunday, led by the Rev. Rob Schoeck.

All are welcome for worship, study and fellowship at Ascension Episcopal Church which is handicapped-accessible.

For more information, call 208-733-1248 or go to episcopaltwinfalls.org.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Unfortunately, scams continue in both robo calls and internet/email potential identify theft as well as incorporating fear and intimidation techniques. We will explore two areas of high focus scams:

Social Security impostors top IRS in consumer loss reports (per Federal Trade Commission, April 2019).

Email scams with click on this function.

Federal Trade Commission/FTC and the Social Security Administration/SSA both remind us:

The real SSA will never contact you out of the blue or tell you to put money on a gift card or wire money.

If the caller ID shows a number that looks like it belongs to the SSA, scammers fake their caller ID all the time. (Ex: Scammers are now including your local area code as well as your areas first three digits, so it looks legitimate.)

Continue to use the Golden Rule: Never answer a call where you dont know the person or number calling. This is much more difficult than it use to be as the caller ID is now reading Social Security and a local number. But it is likely a scam telling you your number has been breached so to re-activate, send money, give them your Social Security Number etc.

Hang up and call the SSA yourself at 1-800-772-1213.

Email scams have become more sophisticated.

We have always cautioned to read the full email address. However, just as calls are using fake local identifiers, email addresses appear to be legitimate which is a recent change by the scammers.

How can we tell if they are a scam? Do a quick search of the body of the email. Do you do business with company? What are they telling you and does it say: To fix this issue, click here. DANGEROUS.

Example: Internet service provider- Alert. Your account access blocked from Egypt What? We strongly advise to click MY ACCOUNT below to restore your account as it has been suspended.

This is the correct Internet provider. It is their correct email address. The scare tactic of hacking from Egypt. It has been blocked to protect you. Then click to reopen. Once this is done, the hackers can easily access your devise and other personal data. You just let them in.

Wow! This is hard but as with any communication, when in doubt, call the company. When in doubt never click on anything within the communication.

Many companies have a direct fraud alert email address to send these to. If we are not proactive, someone else will fall victim to these new aggressive techniques.

And finally, what about the confirm unsubscribe email notice? It asks do you want to unsubscribe to this newsletter? You think More junk email. Yes  stop this from cluttering my email. Then just click on the Yes, Im sure and now you have opened your device. Nope, just deletenothing more. Done!

Homework assignment: Do an internet search under the Federal Trade Commission/Scams and continue your educational journey. Sign up for alerts from the FTC as they are timely and excellent.

All historic articles and training material are available on the Patient Financial Navigator Foundations webpage: pfnfinc.com.

Day Egusquiza is the president and founder of the Patient Financial Navigator Foundation Inc.  an Idaho-based family foundation. For more information, call 208-423-9036 or go to pfnfinc.com. Do you have a topic for Health Care Buzz? Please share at daylee1@mindspring.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Terri was born to Amede and Emma Lauzon on June 9, 1943 in Whitefish, MT. She graduated from Whitefish High School in 1961 and then attended beauty school in Kalispell. She met and fell in love with Tony Rambur in Whitefish where they were married in 1964. They enjoyed 32 years of marriage until he passed away on Christmas Day 1996. Together Terri and Tony lovingly raised 5 children: Tim, Roxanne, Brad, Todd, and Brian. Terri adored her 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. She was a hard-working and dedicated wife, mother, and homemaker. She drove her Volkswagen bus, full of kids, to every ball game and practice, every scout meeting, every band practice and performance, etc., and still managed to have dinner on the table every night at 5:30 sharp. She worked for many years as manager of a beauty supply store in Twin Falls. Terri was known and loved for her sense of humor and love of laughter. She was witty, full of fun, and always had a joke to tell. Just recently, she told her kids as she lay in a hospital bed to always remember to laugh, every single day. Above all, Terri loved Jesus with all her heart. She spent countless hours volunteering at the Catholic Church, enjoying many Bible studies, prayer groups, and singing along to her favorite worship music.The American system of justice strives, in fits and starts, toward fairness. Several features help achieve this goal: trial by jury, clear rules of evidence and others.

But a central element  perhaps the central element  of the American justice system is that it is weighed toward the defendant. In the United States, the burden of proof resides with the accuser, not the accused. This remarkable feature of our justice system sets the United States apart from totalitarian and authoritarian systems both present and past.

Crucial to this system is that defendants are entitled to the strongest possible defense. John Adams certainly realized that. The Founding Father and second U.S. president was no fan of the kings rule, yet as a lawyer he defended British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre, a brawl on the streets of Boston on the frigid, snowy evening of March 5, 1770, that ended with several Americans dead. Mr. Adams believed that every defendant, however greatly hated, is entitled to a defense. Otherwise our system of justice becomes a system of injustice.

Its safe to say Harvard Law School professor Ronald Sullivan realizes this too. Mr. Sullivan, a distinguished professor of criminal law, has helped defend several defendants accused of heinous crimes. In 2016, he led the defense of Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriot who was tried and ultimately convicted of a double murder. And until recently Mr. Sullivan was helping to defend Harvey Weinstein, the former Hollywood mogul facing rape charges.

For the transgression of defending a widely despised figure, Mr. Sullivan has been subject to a torrent of abuse at Harvard and even professional censure. Mr. Sullivan had been the first black dean at Harvard to preside over a dormitory, but he (along with his wife) was stripped of that post. Harvard bowed to pressure from a mob of students who felt threatened by Ronald Sullivan because he dared play an important part in the functioning of the American justice system. (Mr. Sullivan also left the Weinstein defense team.)

(W)hen Mr. Sullivan joined the defense team of Mr. Weinstein, the Hollywood producer, in January, many students expressed dismay, saying his decision to represent a person accused of abusing women disqualified Mr. Sullivan from serving in a role of support and mentorship to students, The New York Times reported. As the protests continued, with graffiti aimed at Mr. Sullivan appearing on a university building, Harvard administrators said they would conduct what they called a climate review of Winthrop House. In recent weeks, tensions have escalated, with a student sit-in and a lawsuit sparked by a clash between one of the protest leaders and two Winthrop House staff members who were seen as supporting Mr. Sullivan.

It is disturbing that students at Harvard would fail to understand that Mr. Sullivans defense of Harvey Weinstein hardly means he is endorsing his alleged transgressions. But it is perhaps more disturbing that the administration at Harvard ultimately stripped him of his post. Rather than stand up to the mob and defend a beleaguered faculty member who was simply filling a valuable societal role, Harvard caved.

This alarming incident at one of the nations top law schools bodes ill for the future of our free society. What would John Adams, himself a Harvard alum, think?

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Cheer

Cheers to the Magic Valley ATV Riders, who had the largest turnout of any group in the Snake River Canyons Park annual cleanup. The crew hosted by the Southern Idaho Off-Road Association cleared nine tons of trash from the north rim.

Looking at the trash, I felt we were getting a significant amount of material that had been missed in previous years, said Greg Moore of the Southern Idaho Off-Road Association.

Maybe because there was more walking and less riding through the park.

This group deserves a huge pat on the back for a job well done in cleaning up this community gem.

Jeer

Jeers to low voter turnout on important issues. Twin Falls has 18,964 registered voters. On Tuesday, just 2,405, or 12% bothered to come out and vote on the $36 million bond for fire department facilities. Seriously, everyone? The bond failed, needing a 66% supermajority to vote yes. But even if it had passed, its hard to say what the entire community really thinks when 88% of us wont take 15 minutes out of their day for a small civic duty. Back in March, just 10% of voters decided to pass a $5 million supplemental levy. Compare this pathetic voter turnout to the 64% of county voters who cast a ballot in Novembers midterm election. Midterms are important, yes, but what could possibly hit closer to home than decisions on how to fund our schools and emergency responders?

Fire Chief Les Kenworthy said he was disappointed that more people in the community werent engaged this time, and that the fire department must do something to fix its aging buildings. Kenworthy said the department will gather public feedback to find a solution. Lets hope people care enough to get involved this time.

Cheer

Cheers to police who tracked down suspects over the past several days. After a brief police chase and a five-hour search late Monday, Sandra Rios-Chavez, 17, was found unharmed early May 21 near Surprise, Arizona. Shed been missing for more than 24 hours and was with kidnapping suspect Miguel Rodriguez-Perez, 18, of Jerome, police said. Police believe she was taken Sunday evening from the Wendys restaurant parking lot where she worked on South Lincoln Avenue in Jerome.

Friday, after more than 40 hours of searching in rural Cassia County, the suspect in a fatal shooting on a Utah highway was apprehended, police said. Police say Jonathan Llana, 45, of Los Angeles, shot two people in a car in Utah, sped away from police in Idaho, crashed his car into the Raft River, broke into a house and stole an ATV. He later asked for directions at a ranch, which led to his arrest at about 3:15 p.m. Friday. These arrests were clearly assisted by citizens who knew something was up and helped police. Kudos to all involved.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Introducing The Main Index

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 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research.The nuance in the title of photographer Linda Maria Thompson's project, "Emigrant Memoir," is an important one.

The book and accompanying art exhibition at the Missoula Art Museum explore the perspectives of people who've migrated from home and the "loss and longing" that accompany such moves, she said.

"I'm trying to mix all these collective and personal stories into one story of migration, of the emigrant, of leaving a place," she said.

It spans many generations: Swedes who came to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s; her father, an American, and her mother, who was Swedish, and who lived in both countries; and her own experiences. A former Missoulian staff photographer, Thompson moved to the country of her birth, Sweden, in 2011 and has raised her family there.

The mediums include essays based on historical research, family documents, and her own first-person recollections. She used her parents' pictures, many of which were damaged in a flood, and black-and-white photos from Sweden and Montana that she shot on a large-format camera.

She thinks of the project, which draws on many different styles of storytelling and art forms, as an "investigation" into a universal feeling shared by people who have moved either across oceans or a few hours from their hometown, and question their place in their new home or why they'd undertaken the journey, or what they've lost or gained.

"Homesickness is not measured in miles," she said. "It's measured in something else."

***

While photographing a project on refugees coming to Sweden, she began looking through museum archives of documents on Swedish people who moved to America. (She's careful to note the distinction between people who were forced to migrate and those who've moved of their own volition.)

She found an old studio photograph of a woman standing in a field of fake flowers. On the back of the photo, a woman wrote that she had moved to America because of this picture. Thompson began thinking about the power of images, and whether there was a "migrant aesthetic," and the ways that migrants document their own lives.

She considered how an older generation of Swedish-American immigrants are romanticized  coming West and starting up from nothing (a view she found problematic, since indigenous people were forced from their land.) Meanwhile, contemporary discussions of migration involve "fear and a lot of apprehension and a lot of vilification of people that are moving for pretty much the same reasons" that prior generations did.

***

Thompson's mother is from Sweden, and on high school exchange abroad in Michigan, she met her future husband. They maintained a long-distance relationship for years and eventually married.

After living in the States for a while, they moved to Sweden for five years. Thompson was born there, and the family migrated to Indianapolis to be closer to his side of the family.

Thompson's father was fascinated by the West, and was happy when she enrolled at the University of Montana. She took a photojournalism class at the suggestion of an art photography professor  he thought it would help her overcome a fear of shooting photos of people, particularly strangers. Photojournalism appealed to her, and she was inspired by a visiting instructor who encouraged students to explore a "European aesthetic" that didn't draw much distinction between art and photojournalism.

After working at the Missoulian for a six-year stint, in 2011 she and her husband Raven Rashap decided to move to Sweden. A fisheries technician for the state, he was interested in graduate school, and in Sweden he could attend tuition-free. She had a yearning to live there, and for him to see where she was born. She studied for a master of arts in photojournalism from Mid Sweden University, and lectures on photography there.

They've earned full citizenship for themselves and their two children. While they originally intended to stay for perhaps two years, they've stayed and are not sure if they'll ever move back to the U.S.

***

The front half of the book comprises short essays about her family and their travels back and forth (which have a symmetry with her own). It branches into research about an earlier generation of Swedish emigrants, and her projects documenting current immigrants to the country. There are pieces on growing up in the U.S. with a foreign mother, her father's desire to leave Sweden and his disappointment on moving back to the Midwest.

The pictures make up the other half of the book. They don't have captions, since she wanted viewers to be able to create their own narratives, but there's an index with descriptions.

"It felt important to have this context, because each image is really loaded," she said.

She made use of family archives, many of which were damaged in 2004, when there was a flood in Asheville, North Carolina, where her mother was living. Her storage unit, filled with slides and film, was swamped.

Her mother considered it "the third trauma of her life," Thompson said. Thompson's grandparents died in 1994 in a plane crash. Her father died of breast cancer in 2001. And now, "the manifestations of her memories and her life in Sweden and her life with dad and her parents, the last thing she had left, was destroyed," she said.

To try to save them, Thompson's mom had the damaged slides and 8mm film transferred digitally.

Years later, Thompson was looking through the film clips on a computer and was struck by the images, many of which were short reels of airplanes taking off and landing. She saw a kinship with her thoughts of migrant documents, and contacted her mother and took a trip in 2017 to look through the archives.

She began photographing screenshots of the film, not unlike she would if she were a news photographer sent to cover a house fire, she said. The instinct was to capture a moment and share it with others.

The damage to the film created abstract overlays of color that result in striking pieces of found art.

A slide from 1966 shows Thompson's mother and father seated on a bench during his first visit to Sweden. Lightly discolored blots cover their upper bodies and faces, leaving only their legs. It gives them an open-ended quality, as though you can place your own relatives or yourself in the image.

Her father's handwritten love letters, washed out from the flooding, are reproduced, too, with a watery texture that resembles the background of abstract paintings.

During the same visit to the U.S., she and the family traveled through Montana, stopping at historical sites important to prior Swedish immigrants, her own family, or her time before moving abroad.

She shot photographs on a 100-year-old large-format camera that could consume about 45 minutes to take one picture. She was printing to paper negatives, which required exposures of either 3 seconds or up to 10-minutes of exposure.

She said the decision was "more about process than look," and slowing down from the speed required at news assignments, which require quick visual problem solving. It's more meditative and gives the photographs a certain aura, or raises questions about time and migration.

MAM senior curator Brandon Reintjes said, "even though it is using some historical photographs, the line between what's historical and what's contemporary is completely blurred, and what is found and what is manufactured is blurred."

At the MAM exhibition, she's showing prints made in an 1800s process called an anthotype. It's a plant-based emulsion that doesn't last, a "transient" quality she found appealing. She made her own paper out of blueberries, native to Sweden, and lupine, an invasive plant from North America. She printed historical images on them that will hang in the gallery and eventually decay.

She also cut up quotations from Swedish emigrants about why they moved, which can be heard on audio that she narrated herself.

The artistic project has taken many forms, she said, while staying rooted in documentary and storytelling.

It was heartbreaking at times and therapeutic as well.

You can think of it as "a love story to the document," she said. "You take pictures because you want to remember a moment" or save notes that your children might study one day. With photographs, too, she said, you try to "capture the moment, but the moment is long."

The question can drift into an existential one, she said. "Is it possible?"

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Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.A study that calls Montana the least deadly state for motorcyclists suggests an even more startling nugget:

In a cold-weather state with barely 1 million people, there are more than 300,000 registered motorcycles.

Thats one for every 3.4 Montanans, and heres hoping that .4 person has a minibike.

For sure, the ratios skewed because many bike owners have more than one. But only eight states have more bikes, and theyre the seven most populous ones along with Wisconsin, No. 20. Montana ranks 43rd in population.

Isnt that nuts? said Maj. Steve Lavin of the Montana Highway Patrol in Helena. That really shocked me. I never heard that before. I cant figure out why Montanans own so many motorcycles.

No doubt his wonderment is shared by even those who ride, sell and share the road with hogs, choppers and crotch rockets. But Mike Schroeder said maybe it shouldnt be so surprising.

The general manager of Grizzly Harley-Davidson in Missoula said he wouldn't have guessed there were that many, either.

But it kind of figures. Because we have such a short season of summer activity, everybody wants to take advantage of it, and theres not a better way to do it than on a motorcycle, Schroeder said. Weve got such good riding. Its part of the reason I moved here.

Seattle-based Quote Wizard, an insurance comparison website, released the study earlier this month. It ranks all 50 states in terms of fatalities and registered motorcycles based on 2017 numbers from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Highway Administration.

Mississippi wore the tarnished crown as the most dangerous with 14.22 fatalities per 10,000 registered motorcycles that year. Texas (13.44), South Carolina (12.27) and Florida (10.06) were all in double figures. Montana was way last at just .75 with 23 motorcycle fatalities compared to 306,655 registered cycles.

South Dakota was next least dangerous at 1.36, followed by Alaska (1.88) and New Hampshire (1.90).

Highway Patrol and the Montana Department of Transportation will tell you 23 motorcycle deaths, or almost two a month, are still too many. They share in the Vision Zero initiative with a stated goal of eliminating all highway fatalities.

Montanas unofficial 2018 numbers indicated 20 people died in motorcycle-related crashes last year. Through May 20 this year, two people lost their lives on state roads where motorcycles were involved. Thats the same number as last year going into Memorial Day weekend, and down from four in 2017.

"Riding a motorcycle no matter where you are is dangerous," Quote Wizard noted when it released its report. "The open exposure compared to the confines of a vehicle presents a greater risk of bodily harm. Safety features are better than ever but injuries and death are an ever-present risk."

The big takeaway we saw on both sides of the ranking list was the southern, warmer states came out on top in terms of having the highest rate of motorcycle fatalities, whereas the colder weather states had the lowest, said Adam Johnson of Quote Wizard, who compiled the study. Its what we figured it would be. The less time folks are outside on motorcycles, the less danger theyre in of having a fatal accident.

That explains the general pecking order, but it doesnt clarify why little old Montana, among all the northern tier states and Alaska, ranks so much better than any of them.

Both statistics really surprised me, but as I dug into it a little bit I guess I was surprised a little less, Lavin said.

Yes, he agreed, fewer months of good riding weather plays into the low fatality rate for motorcycles.

The only other reason I could think of is were in less urbanized areas, so you dont have as many vehicles in congested traffic where motorcycle fatalities are probably happening in states with bigger urban centers, Lavin said.

Its wide-open roads, Schroeder agreed. The only thing youve got to worry about here are critters.

Rentals at Grizzly Harley-Davidson are picking up as summer approaches and get basically out of control from June through August, Schroeder said. Local riders are active well into October, and it's no wonder.

Montanas got probably the most scenic, wide-open roads where youre not so worried about traffic no matter which direction you go, Schroeder said. Especially on the west side its just fantastic. We have a huge rental business. People come from all over the world, really, to ride here.

Of course, those rental bikes are registered, so theyre counted among Montana's 306,000. Not all states consider three-wheelers to be motorcycles. Montana state law defines motorcycles as motor vehicles that have seats or saddles and not more than three wheels. They include side-by-sides but not tractors, mopeds or two- or three-wheeled all-terrain vehicles used exclusively on private property.

Schroeder speculated on one thing that might bump Montanas motorcycle numbers up: All the cycles and dirt bikes that were registered years ago but sit collecting dust in barns and garages.

Johnson said Quote Wizard produces such studies to give insurance companies fodder when theyre setting rates.

Lavin, the Highway Patrol major, has never had a motorcycle.

I guess Im still in the majority, he quipped.

But the Quote Wizard study has his attention.

It kind of intrigues me. I think Ill continue to dig as well," said Lavin.

"But its good news for a change," he added. "Usually were hearing about leading the nation in DUIs and DUI deaths, so it sounds like an encouraging report.

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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.The Missoulian is tracking Miss Montana, the Museum of Mountain Flyings DC-3 that left Missoula on Sunday, May 19, on its route to Europe to help commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The six-person crew for the North Atlantic crossing is made up of pilots Jeff Whitesell, Eric Komberec, Bryan Douglass, Art Dykstra, and mechanics/EMTs Randy and Crystal Schonemann. (all times Mountain and approximate)

Thursday  Left Presque Isle at 11 a.m. to begin the international leg of the trip. Flew over New Brunswick and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, landing at Goose Bay Airport, in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, shortly after 2:30 p.m.  an hour ahead of time.

Friday  Briefly marooned by weather in Goose Bay. Change of original route  which called for heading to Narsarsuaq, Greenland, then Reykjavik, Iceland  and flying instead to Iqaluit, on Baffin Island in Nunavut Territory. Photos on the Miss Montana to Normandy Facebook Page show the plane flying over some impressively icy territory.

Notes

A series of Friday texts from Douglass described the day's shifting itinerary  No go today. Wx conditions outside our risk tolerance. Got some work and prep to do.  Change of plans. Might be going to Iqualuit, Canada to overnight. Then to Greenland and Iceland Saturday.  Arived Iqualuit. All is well. Almost to Arctic Circle. Planning Greenland to Iceland tomorrow."

Facebook post

Another epic day in the books!

Tracking Links

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Helena mayor and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Wilmot Collins is accused of rear-ending another driver's vehicle and leaving the scene of the crash.

Collins, 55, is being charged with misdemeanor counts of careless driving and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

Kimberly Doherty, a 35-year-old Butte woman, reported a hit-and-run crash around 6:42 p.m. Monday. Doherty told Helena police she was driving southbound on Last Chance Gulch before stopping to turn left onto Lyndale Avenue, when she was struck from behind by a vehicle driven by Collins.

Doherty told police she pulled over as Collins continued west on Lyndale. She later told the Independent Record she followed him while honking her horn, and they both pulled into the Van's Thriftway parking lot in the 300 block of Euclid Avenue.

Collins provided his business card to Doherty and then left, police reported. Doherty told the Independent Record she waited in the Van's parking lot for around an hour before Helena police officers arrived to take her statement.

Police met with Collins later that night, and the case was forwarded to the Lewis and Clark County Attorney's Office due to a conflict of interest with the Helena City Attorney's Office. The County Attorney's Office filed the charges against Collins, who was instructed to appear in Lewis and Clark County Justice Court at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 28.

Both vehicles had minor damage and no injuries were reported, police reported.

Collins released a statement Friday afternoon that gave his version of the incident.

"On the evening of May 20th (I) made a mistake. I was at the stop light at Euclid and Last Chance, when I accidentally nudged the back of a car that was stopped in front of me. The contact was so light that I did not realize I had made contact with the other vehicle," Collins wrote.

Collins said the other driver honked at him to flag him down, and they both pulled into the Van's parking lot.

"I gave her my card and told her I would pay for any damage to the vehicle at any repair shop of her choice," Collins wrote. "I followed up with the woman whose car I damaged the next day to see if she had gotten a chance to assess the damage or book an appointment to repair her vehicle and she had not yet had a chance to book an appointment."

Collins said he sat in the Van's parking lot and watched the other driver leave.

Doherty told the Independent Record she remembers it differently.

"I called after he gave me his business card, as he was driving out of the parking lot," Doherty said. "I said we had to call law enforcement and that we had to stay."

When reached for comment, Collins said "I stand by my statement."

Helena's interim Police Chief Steve Hagen said he would not be releasing any additional information about the crash and will be out of town until Tuesday.

Collins said he plans to plead guilty to careless driving and not guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, "because I did not leave until after the other driver left."

Collins has two prior charges of failing to carry proof of/or exhibit insurance in a vehicle and two speeding tickets in the city of Helena.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The May 22 Opinion page presented an interesting duo of worries. Dennis Gordon fumes about the dark side of affordable housing, and Ellen Chausee whines that transients have more rights than she does.

Missoula, like many other urban areas, doesn't have a shortage of housing; it has too many people. And yes, more will come. The entire planet is stressed to accommodate us. A recent United Nations study says over a million species are at risk of extinction due to human impact on climate and habitat.

Missoula will grow because people have to live somewhere, and we have two choices: build denser, cheaper housing, or continue to spread like a cancer that consumes the livable space of other species and guarantees a growing number of homeless people.

Gordon is worried about his tranquility. Chausee thinks her taxes should benefit her exclusively. In a fairer world neither would complain. Many of us today are old enough to recall simpler times (and fewer people), but those times have passed and won't be coming back.

Bill Ferguson,

Missoula

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Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0" " Every drug that goes to market has to go through a clinical trial. Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock

Clinical trials are studies designed to test the benefits and side effects of experimental therapies such as potential drugs, products or treatments on people. It's estimated there are about 50,000 clinical trials taking place at any given time worldwide. And every year, 10 million healthy people are needed as participants in these medical studies in just the U.S. alone [sources: McHugh, Abboud]. These types of studies are often sponsored by pharmaceutical companies, but may also be funded through academic institutions, such as teaching hospitals, or government agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health. Clinical trials are usually carried out by teams of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals at hospitals or health centers, inside research centers, at universities, or even conducted through your doctor's office.

Before a human trial can be conducted, though, lab experiments first take place in animals and in human cells. If the results of those studies are promising, a written plan called a protocol is designed by clinical research specialists and statisticians, and reviewed and monitored by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure the study is both ethically and scientifically sound (both in concept and in execution) and protects participants.

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But it wasn't always so. It wasn't until the 1962 Drug Amendments were passed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gained authority to regulate and approve drugs in the United States. Prior to FDA regulation, in fact prior to modern evidence-based medical practices, there were no clinical trials. Early medical studies were more like trial and error. Consider it more like observation than anything else. On top of that, participants weren't necessarily volunteers, or if they did volunteer, the odds weren't good they were told what they were really signing themselves up for.

By the beginning of the 20th century, as many as 92 percent of drugs sold in the U.S. were fraudulent, ineffective, unproven or unsafe. Because of the risks associated with what some call "snake oil" treatments, in 1905 the American Medical Association announced a drug certification program and seal of approval for drugs that had been evaluated for quality control and safety [source: FDA]. Still, it wasn't common to conduct any pre-market safety or efficacy evaluation on experimental (or any, for that matter) drugs before the U.S. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938 went into effect. It wouldn't be until after WWII when biomedical and clinical research projects became well-funded and the National Institutes of Health opened that statistically-based studies became the new standard in clinical trials.

Today the FDA regulates clinical trials for biologics (those are such things as vaccinations or gene therapy), drugs, and medical device products; any studies that fall outside of the FDA's authority are overseen by the organization (such as a research center) conducting the study.

Before we talk about the people who participate in clinical trials, how they're recruited and how much they're compensated, let's look at the basics of what clinical trials are and what happens during these studies.CTEC annual meeting Tuesday

The Citizens Technical Environmental Committee will have their annual meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, at the Butte Archives, 17 W. Quartz St.

The group will have an update on the Environmental Protection Agencys proposed plan for the Butte Hill cleanup. The public is invited to attend.

CTEC is a group of volunteer citizens who work with the EPA, the state of Montana, responsible parties, and others to make the Superfund process and cleanup decisions in the Butte and Clark Fork Basin area of Montana understandable to everyone.

Community baby shower planned

A community baby shower for new moms and moms-to-be in need of assistance will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 23, at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 224 W. Park St.

Participants must sign up at Healthy Family Network of Butte.

Anyone wishing to donate, can contact the United Way office at 406-782-1255.

Battlefield visitors good for economy

WISDOM -- A new National Park Service report shows that 56.9 thousand visitors to Big Hole National Battlefield in 2018 spent $4 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 53 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $4.2 million.

Big Hole National Battlefield brings people from across the country to learn about the flight of 1877, said Superintendent Mike Gauthier. National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy and its a big factor in our local economy as well.

The report shows $20.2 billion of direct spending by more than 318 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park.

Big Hole National Battlefield is located 10 miles west of Wisdom. The Visitor Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily in the summer. Admission is free year round. Details: 406-689-3155, visit www.nps.gov/biho, or go to facebook.com/BigHoleNationalBattlefield.

Caverns to feature fun programs

WHITEHALL -- Montana State Parks will host fun interpretive programs May 31 and June 1 and again June 3 at Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, 25 Lewis & Clark Caverns Road, Whitehall.

At 8 p.m. Friday, learn about Rocky Mountain Tree Species: Where Do They Grow and Why? Have you ever walked through a forest and been overwhelmed by the smells of the pines and cedar trees? Join Montana State University professor Dr. Dave Roberts to learn about the dominant tree species that make up the Rocky Mountains. Learn how tree species interact, from severe competition to helping the other species tolerate the challenges of the environment.

Roberts has been a professor of forest ecology for over 30 years, teaching and conducting research at Utah State University for 20 years and has been at MSU for 14 years.

At 5 p.m. Saturday, June 1, join park ranger Julia Smit for a guided hike to see Caves above Ground: A Look at the Parks Geology. This moderate hike departs from the campground registration kiosk and makes its way through the lower portion of the park in a 2.5-mile loop. Take the opportunity to see some of the significant geology of the park, including the mountain where the caverns reside.

At 7 p.m. Monday, June 3, make a trip to the campground amphitheater to learn Why Bats are Cute: Psychology of the Aww Reaction. In this campground program, become immersed in the science of cute. What makes babies so adorable, and why do furry animals earn an aww reaction when we see them? What does that mean for conservationists?

Details: 406-287-3541.

Children's theater offers summer camps

The Orphan Girl Childrens Theatre is hosting summer camps where attendees can learn about theater and stage plays.

This years theme is All The World's a Stage. Young artists will have a chance to build their own show, acting, directing or designing with help from teaching artists.

Young artists will have the option to such classes as Theatre 101, Professional Theater, Project Runway Costume Challenge, Stage Makeup, Lights and Sound, Directing, Puppetry, Musical Theater Acting, Mask Making, Scene Study, Scene Design, and Basic Acting, among others.

Camps are for kids ages 7 and up. There are three sessions in June, and the cost is between $200 and $300. To register, contact Jackie Freeman by email at jackiefreeman@orphangirl.org or by phone at 406-782-5657.

Peace Action president to talk

Kevin Martin, president of Peace Action, the nations largest peace, nuclear disarmament and justice organization, will conduct a community conversation on Endless War at 6:30 p.m. in the Highlands Room of Montana Techs Student Union Building.

Martin will facilitate a dialogue about how individuals and small groups can best act to oppose U.S. military intervention in other countries. Taking Action for Peaceful Solutions will sponsors the talk. Details: 406-723-3851.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Saying its time to rein in NorthWestern Energy, Montana legislator Tom Woods announced his candidacy for Public Service Commission on Friday.

Woods, a Bozeman Democrat who has served in the state House since 2013, said the states largest monopoly utility is no longer acting in the best interest of its customers. Woods has been particularly outspoken about the $407 million burden of debt NorthWestern customers shoulder for the company's 30 percent interest in Colstrip Unit 4.

Im just appalled by the behavior of this company, Woods said. I dont want to see them in bankruptcy, but they need to be regulated. We need to put the public service back in the Public Service Commission.

By law the Public Service Commissions sole purpose is to balance customers' right to a fair price with NorthWestern's opportunity to earn an authorized cost of capital set by the PSC. Its low-profile elections are short on funds and media coverage, but big on consequence for anyone not receiving electricity from a cooperative. Other public services like gas and private water service are also affected.

PSC District 3 is a 14-county district stretching from Dillon to Park City, and includes Butte, Bozeman and Livingston.

In the past few months, NorthWestern has sought to bypass regulatory review while committing customers to more than $75 million in costs associated with Colstrip Power Plant. Additionally, the utility is seeking to increase rates on customers with solar panels who net meter, and raising transmission rates by $40 million. At every step, the company has insisted that these measures are necessary for it to cover costs, turn a reasonable profit and secure energy supply for its customers, which number 370,000 in Montana.

But the company has also retreated from earlier estimates of must have rates, which has raised the eyebrows of the regulators. Earlier this month, NorthWestern offered to shave $28 million from a requested $34.8 million rate increase, settling instead for the $6.5 million.

The company had initially argued that the $34.8 million  an increase of $76.44 per year for an average residential customer  was needed and fair. It convinced Montanas five member Public Service Commission to give it a $10 million interim rate hike while it negotiated the remainder of the price in rate case proceedings.

The $6.5 million cut into the $10 million, as well. After agreeing to dial its rate increase back to $6.5 million, the utility suggested that it was really proposing a rate decrease, given the $10 million had been approved by commissioners. That left some commissioners wondering exactly how much of what NorthWestern sought in the first place was truly necessary and fair to customers. Several commissioners, including Bozemans Roger Koopman scoffed at NorthWesterns suggestion that rates were actually going down. The $6.5 million, still not settled, was a 2% increase from what customers were paying when NorthWestern first asked that rates go up.

"To be perfectly clear, this stipulation does not reduce customer rates over the existing tariff," Koopman said. "It reduces obviously the rates over the interim that we've got. And the interim is just that. It's an interim, sort of a temporary condition that we agree to, Koopman said in proceedings earlier in May.

Term limits prevent Koopman, a Republican, from seeking re-election. Woods primary opponent is unknown in the district, which includes Bozeman, Livingston and Butte, where NorthWesterns Montana office is located. There will likely be more candidates. In 2016, the Democratic primary drew two candidates.

Republican James Brown, of Dillon, is listed as a candidate for the district, as well. Brown was a candidate for the PSC 2012, but was defeated in the four-candidate primary by Koopman. In that year, Brown acknowledged not campaigning. Once an employee for Sen. Conrad Burns, Brown may be known best for being the attorney of American Tradition Partnership, a political dark money group that in 2008 committed multiple campaign violations in Montana, including illegally coordinating with candidates. ATP was later the subject of a documentary.

In 2017, Brown was a lobbyist for the Montana Independent Bankers, Montana Funeral Directors Association and the Montana Wool Growers Association.

Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2South Africas exchange control regulations almost cost local cryptocurrency startup VALR a significant chunk of foreign investment, CEO Farzam Ehsani has told MyBroadband.

We have raised a total of $1.55 million (over R20 million) so far, and the bulk of this has come from offshore, Ehsani said.

VALR attracted investors such as former FNB CEO Michael Jordaan, and Bittrex, an international cryptocurrency exchange. Bittrex is also VALRs platform partner.

Ehsani, who founded VALR, previously served as the blockchain project lead at Rand Merchant Bank.

We were tremendously excited to attract this type of investment into the country following President Cyril Ramaphosas calls for investment into the country, Ehsani said.

VALR used a fundraising instrument known as a Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) for the deal, and Ehsani is enthusiastic about the fact that they were able to use it.

He said that SAFE is a relatively new fundraising instrument that came out of Silicon Valley about 5 years ago, which likely makes VALR one of the first South African start-ups to use it.

As exciting as it was to be in discussions for a funding deal using an instrument like SAFE, Ehsani said that exchange control regulations made the process much more challenging that it would have otherwise been.

The offshore investor had to engage one of the largest law firms in the US who, in turn, hired the services of one of the largest law firms in South Africa, said Ehsani.

All this to ensure that the investment complied with all exchange control requirements, and that the investor could get its money out of the country in the future.

Deal in danger

Ehsani explained that SAFE was a new instrument to the bank they were using, and it took considerable effort from all parties to get the investment over the line.

We nearly lost the deal because of the complexities, he said.

It took us 158 emails, hundreds of hours, and scores of meetings to save the deal.

Constitutional Court fight over exchange controls

Ehsani is not the first South African businessman to complain about the countrys export controls.

In 2013, Mark Shuttleworth took the South African Reserve Bank to court over a R250 million levy he had to pay to move his assets to the Isle of Man. The levy was 10% of the assets he wanted to export.

Shuttleworth paid the levy under protest and launched a court challenge on the Reserve Banks export controls.

He lost in the High Court, but won in the Supreme Court of Appeal, only to have the ruling overturned by the Constitutional Court in 2015.

Exchange controls may appear to be targeted at a very small number of South Africans but their consequences are significant for all of us, Shuttleworth said when he first took the case to court.

He said that the consequences are especially felt by those who are building relationships across Southern Africa, such as migrant workers and small businesses trying to participate in the growth of the African continent.

It is more expensive to work across South African borders than almost anywhere else on Earth purely because the framework of exchange controls creates a cartel of banks authorised to act as the agents of the Reserve Bank in currency matters, Shuttleworth said.

We all pay a very high price for that cartel and derive no real benefit in currency stability or security for that cost.

Banks profit from exchange controls but our economy is stifled and the most vulnerable suffer most of all. Everything you buy is more expensive South Africans are less globally competitive and cross-border labourers already vulnerable pay the highest price of all  a shame we should work to address.

South Africa losing start-ups

Ehsanis comments echoes Shuttleworths from almost six years ago.

Experiences like this push startups offshore as they dont want to be stuck with such a burdensome process to raise money from offshore, stated Ehsani.

As a result of the onerous process, South Africa loses businesses and talent. Even worse, he said, we lose the opportunity to grow our economy, increase tax revenues, and create employment.

Its difficult to reconcile the fact that our leaders make calls for the country to bring in investment money, yet practically our laws and regulations make the process much more difficult than in should be, Ehsani said.

If were serious about turning our country around, then the will to change needs to be translated from words into action so that laws and regulations pave the way for investments to flow into the country uninhibited. Exchange control needs to go.

Now read: VALR launching Bitcoin trading in randPresident Donald Trump says he may resolve a dispute over Huawei Technologies Co. as part of a trade agreement with China, yet doing so would undercut U.S. assertions the company poses a national security threat.

Days after trade talks with Beijing hit an impasse, the U.S. put the Shenzhen-based maker of telecommunications gear on a blacklist over concerns it could serve Chinese intelligence. Trump could reverse that move, at least in part, by letting Huawei resume buying advanced chips and easing an expected import ban by allowing the companys equipment in parts of the U.S. network.

Such a decision would violate decades of economic diplomacy by the U.S., which has always sought to portray the placement of companies on a blacklist as apolitical and linked to narrow issues of national security. But Huawei has drawn the ire of Washingtons national security establishment  legitimately, many argue  at a time when the president is broadening the definition of national security to include economic cooperation.

Its hard to see how they could cut much slack for Huawei, without actually endangering national security, James Lewis, director of the technology policy program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, said in an interview.

Last year, Trump lifted ruinous penalties on ZTE Corp., another Chinese technology giant, which had been accused of violating trade sanctions after a personal plea from Chinas leader, Xi Jinping. The company paid a fine, revamped its board and provided security guarantees.

Trade talks between Beijing and Washington stalled this month as Trump accused China of backing out of a deal that the U.S. said was almost completed, and Trump hiked tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods.

The Trump administration had held off on blacklisting Huawei out of concern that could disrupt the trade negotiations and only took action after the last round failed to advance, according to people familiar with the matter.

Trumps suggestion on Thursday provoked rebukes.

I dont think so, Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, said Friday on Bloomberg TV when asked whether Huawei should be part of trade talks. Huawei is a serious national security threat. Its a serious threat to the privacy of Americans.

Ben Haber, a spokesman for Huawei, said the company had no comment on Trumps remark.

The company has said its equipment does not pose a cybersecurity threat and has denied having ties to the Beijing government.

Chinas ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, in a Bloomberg TV interview Friday, said Beijing is committed to striking a trade deal. He also said the accusations against Huawei are a groundless suspicion, and he described the U.S. action as an unusual move that mobilizes state power against a private company.

Cuis comments underscored Chinas efforts to defend its rights and a national prize like Huawei while avoiding red lines that might shatter hopes for a truce. Trump himself used a similar approach a day earlier in saying Huawei could become part of an accord even as he called the company dangerous. American officials say the companys gear could serve as a conduit for Beijings security agencies.

Companies can apply for a special license to sell parts to Huawei, in effect gaining an exemption from the blacklist. Cotton said Huawei needs U.S. parts to achieve its goal of leadership in the fast, advanced 5G systems expected to dominate networks in coming years.

To send those chips and other components to China, to let Huawei use them - it would be akin to sending uranium or munitions to the Soviet Union in the Cold War, Cotton said. We didnt do that then, we ought not do it now.

The Chinese raised Huawei in the trade talks months ago, said Lewis of the Center for Strategic & International Studies. Theres always been this concern it would be negotiated away, he said.

Trump could ease toward a model taken up by some European countries that allow Huawei in the periphery of the mobile network, and bar it from central parts, Lewis said.

He might say were opening the market to some Huawei technologies, not all, he added. Its just going to hurt the effort to get Europeans to agree to steps against Huawei.

Michael Wessel, a commissioner on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission that advises Congress, cited the startling contrast between putting Huawei on the blacklist and suggesting its inclusion in trade talks.

Now to say that were going to throw it back in the trade deal, where we have been looking at these issues based on their commercial effect, and say were ready to start trading away certain security concerns  I think is a very troubling approach, Wessel said.

Trumps rescue of ZTE, according to Wessel, doesnt offer a useful model for Huawei.

Doing it through a fine and doing it through a change of board personnel doesnt get to the question of the ongoing security risks, Wessel said.

Its possible a deal could include dropping charges against Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis chief financial officer and the daughter of the companys founder, who has been detained in Vancouver since last December. She was arrested at the request of U.S. authorities, who are seeking her extradition to face fraud charges related to trade sanctions against Iran.

Her legal difficulties have strained relations between the Canadian and Chinese governments, and two Canadians who were arrested in China shortly after her detention remain in custody.

The trade conflict has caused hardship for American farmers, who are among Trumps most loyal supporters.

Ive asked the question: How many soybeans is Meng worth? Lewis said.

Now read: China commits to trade talks with the United StatesA rape survivors account shows how society and state fail those who report crimes

Many survivors have their lives uprooted, are forced to relocate, live away from their family and friends, and start fresh in an unfamiliar setting.

An age-wise breakdown of police data on rape crimes show that a majority of victims are young girls under the age of 18. Post Photo: Tsering D GurungAMERICAN CANYON COMMUNITY CHURCH

Worship at 10 a.m. Programs for children and youth during worship service. 2 Andrew Road, American Canyon.

ARBOR ALLIANCE

Join us Sundays at 5 p.m. Why 5 p.m. worship? It is a good time for busy people and young families. Kids church and nursery available. 721 Trancas St., Napa. thearborchurch.org; 530-304-4704.

BEIT ABBA

Messianic Jewish ministry of The Fathers House is held the first and third Friday of each month at 7 p.m. Child care provided for ages infant to 7 years old. 2557 Napa Valley Corporate Drive, Napa. tfh.org/beitabba.

CALVARY CHAPEL NAPA

Sunday service is at 10:15 a.m. Spanish Church begins at 1:30 p.m. Sunday school and childcare are available at both services. Our midweek service is at 6:30 on Wednesday nights. There is childcare and childrens activities at this service. Middle school and high school study meets as well on Wednesday nights at 6:30 in the Youth Room. 3305 Linda Vista Ave., Napa; 252-2909. Check out our website at calvarynapa.org.

CARMELITE MONASTERY

Mass times: Sunday, 9 a.m.; Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. Confession Days for English and Spanish: Mondays and Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon; 3-5 p.m.; 8-9 p.m. First Saturdays: Confessions at 10 a.m. followed by Mass at 11 a.m. 944-2454. oakvillecarmelites.org.

CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIVING

Services are 9 and 10:30 with Teen Group at 10 and Youth Program at 10:30. Rev Jay's topic is "Heavenly BottleRock: Listen to the Music of the Universe". Spanish Meditation on Mondays, 7-8 p.m. Course in Miracles Tuesdays, 6:15- 8:15 p.m. Open Meditation Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. followed by Power of 8 Healing Circles. Vision Board Workshop rescheduled for June. Community Picnic on Saturday, June 15. 1249 Coombs; 252-4847.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH

Sunday service and Sunday school for youths up to age 20 at 10 a.m. The Wednesday evening service is at 7:30. Child care provided at all services. New hours for the Reading Room, located in our church building, open to the public weekdays except Wednesdays, 1-4 p.m. All current Christian Science literature, including the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the renowned Christian Science Monitor, are available to all to read or purchase. 2210 Second St., Napa; 255-5255; christiansciencenapa.com.

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, NAPA  SECOND WARD

Sacrament meeting is each Sunday at 10 a.m., followed by Sunday School at 11:15 and Priesthood and Relief Society at 12:10 p.m. Young mens and young womens programs are on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Corner of Trower Avenue and Dry Creek Road, Napa. 224-6496.

CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM

Join us for Worship Services on Friday, May 24 at 6 p.m., followed by delicious Oneg Shabbat at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, Hebrew School will be at 4:30. CBS is located at 1455 Elm Street, Napa. www.cbsnapa.org; (707) 253-7305.

COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

This week at CPC, we welcome the Rev. Linda S. Powers to the pulpit. Along with Liturgist, Pat Ripley, shell take a look at Psalm 30 from the Old Testament, and the Gospel reading is John 21: 1-19. Were intrigued by Rev. Lindas sermon title, Skinny Dipping for the Lord. We wonder if perhaps there will be fish. Life is never dull here in this place of comfort where all are welcome to worship and lead. Join us at 10:30 a.m. and stick around for coffee and treats. There are always hugs and handshakes. See you Sunday! www.cpcnapa.org; (707) 255-9426

CREEKSIDE COMMUNITY CHURCH

Weekly worship service is Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Services and attire are casual with a blend of fellowship, music and teaching. Child care and childrens church offered during service. 1050 Hagen Road, Napa. CreeksideChurchNapa.org; 255-7266.

CROSSWALK COMMUNITY CHURCH

Summer Sundays will be held at 10:30 in the Courtyard, starting June 2. WeeCare and Kids Crossing will be offered during this time. Our new series Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People using Bob Goff's book Everybody Always, available starting June 9. Please join us, all welcome! check out CrossWalkNapa.org for more information.

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

We welcome you to come and experience a Sunday morning at First Christian Church. Be inspired and encouraged by a message from the Bible that you can apply to your daily life. Our Sunday service is at 10 a.m. Our Kids Ministry has a great time planned for your kids (babies through 5th graders) We are located at 2659 First Street; www.fccnapa.org.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

We invite you to join us for worship this Sunday at First Presbyterian Church Napa! This week, Pastor David Stoker's sermon title is:

The Value of a Good Failure , with scripture reference: Acts 9: 19-25 . It is also Music Sunday!! Our 9 a.m. worship service is traditional, with hymns and choir; our 10:30 a.m. service is our contemporary service with praise music. Childcare for newborns to age 4 is available during both services, and Children's Sunday School is during the 10:30 a.m. worship service. We invite you stay for coffee fellowship following both services. We look forward to seeing you on Sunday! 1333 Third Street Napa; 707-224-8693; www.fpcnapa.org or facebook.com/fpcnapa.

GRACE CHURCH OF NAPA VALLEY

Grace Church of Napa Valley: Worship service at 10 a.m. Adult Sunday school classes at 8:45 a.m.; Childrens Sunday School at 8:45 a.m. and Childrens Church at 10 a.m. Nursery and preschool care available. Junior High and High School ministry meets Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at 3765 Solano Ave., Napa. 255-4033, GraceNapa.org.

HIGHLANDS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

If youre a regular church attendee, never been or maybe its just been awhile, we invite you to come join us this Sunday and start the adventure with us at 10:30 a.m. Spanish speaking service on Sunday evenings at 6:30. Alcoholics Anonymous group meets weekly on Monday and Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. 970 Petrified Forest Road, Calistoga.

HILLSIDE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

We meet at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. at 100 Anderson Road, Napa. 255-3036. hccnapa.com.

HOLY FAMILY PARISH

Holy Mass is celebrated at 9 a.m. on Sundays and in the traditional Tridentine Latin (Extraordinary) form of the Roman Rite, according to the 1962 Missal, at noon. Before Low Masses, there is a recitation of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary at 11:30 a.m. Confession is available after every Low Mass. Holy Family Parish is a Catholic mission-parish of St. Joan of Arc in Yountville. 1241 Niebaum Lane, Rutherford. 944-2461.

HOLY GROUND CHRISTIAN CENTER

Sunday worship begins at 10 a.m., and Bible study is Wednesday at 7 p.m. 3860 Broadway, Suite 111, American Canyon. 373-2015.

LIVING VINE CHURCH

We meet every Sunday morning at 10. 3305 Linda Vista Avenue, Napa. 226-5551.

MEMORIAL CHAPEL AT VETERANS HOME OF CALIFORNIA, YOUNTVILLE

Sunday worship service 10:15 a.m. Coffee fellowship one hour before service. Bible study on Wednesday at 1 p.m., Fellowship Room, with refreshments served; prayer meetings Thursday at 1 p.m. The memorial chapel is on the Veterans Home at Yountville campus on California Drive, across from the administration building. 944-4840. The public is welcome.

MONT LA SALLE CHAPEL

Roman Catholic liturgical services are open to all in this chapel of the De La Salle Christian Brothers at 4401 Redwood Road, Napa. Sunday Mass is at 11 a.m.

NAPA COMMUNITY SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

Please join us on Saturday at 10 a.m. for Sabbath School and Connection Classes. Stay for the worship service at 11:15 a.m. Our Community Services is open on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon at 2110 Seminary St., 252-8552, Napacomm.com, 1105 G St., Napa; 252-2444.

NAPA METHODIST CHURCH

You are invited to worship each Sunday at the Napa Methodist Church at 625 Randolph St. where ALL are welcome. The May sermon series is "Unafraid: Facing Fear with Faith". This Sunday, the Bonner Handbell Choir will play at the 9:30 a.m. worship service and the Fusion Band will play at the 11 a.m. service. Keith Calara will preach on "Holiness and Silliness" at both worship services. Our Sierra Service Project Youth are hosting a fundraiser on May 11 and everyone is welcome to enjoy a God's House Band Concert at 4 p.m. and a Barbecue Dinner at 6 p.m.. A good will offering will be requested at both fundraisers. Please call the church at 253-1411 for more information.

NAPA FRIENDS MEETING (QUAKERS)

Sunday worship at 10 a.m. Silent meeting in the custom of Friends. Meet at the VOICES Youth Center, 780 Lincoln Ave., Napa. Enter at parking lot on left side of building, using door at end of wheelchair ramp. Quaker signs will be posted on Sunday mornings. We welcome visiting friends or those who are new to Quaker practice. Childrens program available with advance notice. nvquaker@gmail.com; 253-1505.

NAPA VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH

(See Napa Valley Life Church listing)

NAPA VALLEY BIBLE CHAPEL

David Vermillion will speak in the 11 a.m. service on Sunday, May 26. We start Sunday services by remembering the Lords death, burial and resurrection during a time of worship and thanksgiving at 9:30 a.m., followed by a fellowship and coffee time starting at 10:30 a.m. At 11 a.m., we enjoy a time of Bible teaching. On Wednesdays at 6 p.m., we meet for a brief Bible study and a time of prayer. 1559 Second St., Napa. napavalleybiblechapel.com. Free Bible course What the Bible Teaches available upon request. Call 707-258-8606 or email info@napavalleybiblechapel.com.

NAPA VALLEY COMMUNITY CHURCH

What makes a believer truly a believer? Is it simply what they believe? Jesus before leaving this earth gave each believer a mandate to follow and that mandate requires of us so much more than just believing. Join us this Sunday at 10am as we open Gods Word to Acts 1 and discover The Believers Mandate. Child care and Sunday school provided. 4149 Linda Vista Ave, Napa. www.NapaValleyChurch.org. NVCC is a ministry of the Christian Reformed Church.

NAPA VALLEY LIFE CHURCH

Napa Valley Baptist Church is now Napa Valley Life Church. Join us Sundays at 10:30 a.m. at 2303 Trower Ave. for exciting worship, relevant message and a safe and fun childrens program. A well-staffed and trained nursery is provided. Tony Valenti is Senior Pastor. nvlife.org.

NAPA VALLEY LUTHERAN

Just a reminder of this evening's (Tuesday) meeting at NVLC. This is the next in a series of Common Ground Housing Academies meant to help us be more conversant with housing issues in Napa and to become better advocates for appropriate affordable housing for all in our community. With our rental house next door to the church, and the proposed housing development on our north campus land, it is a good idea for us as congregational members to be aware of these things, and active in helping our community find solutions. Cass Walker from the Gasser Foundation will be the guest speaker this evening; she will talk about the underlying issues and bring us up to date on current projects. Please join us if you can. The meeting is in Luther Hall from 7-8:30 pm.

NAPA VALLEY UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS

At 9:30 a.m.: Leader: Rev. Christian Schmidt Conversation with our Minister Ask Me Anything Bring your questions about NVUU, me, search, theology, or anything else. In the hour or so we have, Rev. Christian will answer as many as he can. 11 a.m.: Better TogetherTraditional service with Rev. Christian Schmidt and Sunday Service Assistant, Sylvia Jones. As we move to hiring a new, more permanent minister, let's talk about how we best work together. Unitarian Universalism has long believed that our congregations are best when we share leadership. We have different skills, abilities, and energies, and together we can do our best! Infant care, child care, and religious education provided. 1625 Salvador Ave., Napa; www.nvuu.org; 707-226-9220.

NEW LIFE TABERNACLE

Sunday school at 10 a.m., followed by worship service at 11. Sunday evening service the first Sunday of every month. Bible study on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. 2625 First St., Napa. 255-1062; NewLifeNapa.com.

ST. APOLLINARIS CATHOLIC CHURCH

All masses are in English. Visitors are welcome. Sunday Mass times: 7:30, 9 and 10:30 a.m., noon, and 5:30 p.m., Saturday Evening (Vigil for Sunday) 4:30 p.m. Daily mass times: Monday-Friday: 7 and 8:45 a.m.; Saturday: 8:45 a.m. Confession: Saturdays: 3:30-4:15 p.m., Monday-Friday: 6:30-6:50 a.m., Monday-Saturday: 8:15-8:35 a.m. 3700 Lassen St., Napa.

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

St. John the Baptist Church holds daily masses in English at 7:30 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. Weekend masses are Saturday at 5 p.m. (English) and 7 p.m. (Spanish) and Sunday 8 a.m. (Spanish), 10 a.m. (English), noon (Spanish), and 5 p.m. (English). Wednesday evening mass at 7 (Spanish). Corner of Caymus and Yajome streets in downtown Napa.

ST. JOHNS LUTHERAN CHURCH

We continue our series Visions of Hope, finding hope in the visions of John in the Book of Revelation. This week we focus on the vision of the great multitude in white robes in Revelation 7:9-17. We will also honor all mothers on Mothers Day with a blessing and gift. Worship at 8:30 (traditional with the Sanctuary Choir) and 10:15 (contemporary, communion, childrens church). All are welcome! 3521 Linda Vista Avenue. stjohnslutheran.net

ST. MARYS EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Worship on Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. or Sundays at 8 a.m. or 10 a.m. (organ and choir). Childrens Chapel (Sunday school) is at 9:50 a.m. Sunday. Nursery care is provided during the 10 a.m. service. Coffee hour follows the worship services on Sunday. 1917 Third St., Napa. 255-0991; StMarysNapa.org.

ST. STEPHENS ANGLICAN EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Sunday at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m., sing using the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Refreshments and social time after the 10:30 service. 1250 Oakville Grade, Oakville. 944-8915; ststephensoakville.org.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS CHURCH

Mass times are Saturday at 4 p.m. (English), Sunday at 8 a.m. (English), 11 a.m. (English) and 1:30 p.m. (Spanish). Daily mass is at 9 a.m., except on the first Friday, which is at noon and in English. 2725 Elm St., Napa. 255-2949; stthomasaquinasnapa.com.

SALVATION ARMY

Worship meetings every Sunday at 9 a.m.  breakfast included! Everyone is welcome and we always include solid Bible teaching. Need something less churchy? Try our 10:30 a.m. Coffee and Conversation time: A Bible study which allows anyone to bring their questions about life, spirituality, and Jesus to the table. Join us for one or both each week. Childrens meetings are available too. The Salvation Army, 590 Franklin Street, Napa. 707-226-8150; Napa.Salvationarmy.Org.

THE FATHERS HOUSE

Service times are Saturday at 6 p.m., and Sunday at 9 and 11 a.m. Child care and Kids Church are available (ages infant through sixth grade). Youth ministry Encounter meets every Wednesday night at 7. Celebrate Recovery meets on Monday nights at 6:30. 2557 Napa Valley Corporate Drive, Napa. tfh.org.

UNITY SPIRITUAL CENTER IN NAPA VALLEY

Sunday, May 26th at the 10 a.m. Service. Unity welcomes, Congregant speaker John Gallaway, his message is entitled,The Sidewalk Of Life His theme: A walk on the tourist filled sidewalks of downtown San Francisco can be a metaphor for traveling ones spiritual journey. We veer to either side attempting to avoid bumping into people, or metaphorically, the bumps and potholes encountered as we travel our spiritual journey. We seek to savor the richness of life experiences at a harmonious pace to discover what lies ahead to challenge or enrich us..hopefully both! Join with us for a wonderful Sunday celebration of living our purpose! Unitys musical director, Lon Eakes, will be performing our Sunday Service music this week. 11:40 a.m.-Forum-John will facilitate a discussion group pertaining to this weeks messageSunday Service and Forum are held at the historic Grange Hall, 3275 Hagan Road (1 mile east of the Silverado Trail), Napa. Parking next to the building.www.Facebook.com/USCNV, www.UnitySpiritualCenterNapa.org (707) 255-6881.

YOUNTVILLE COMMUNITY CHURCH

This Sunday, May 26, we will have our weekly worship service 10 a.m.. We have our weekly Prayer meeting at 9:00 a.m. in the conference center. The main church building is under repairs and we are meeting in our Sunday School classrooms on the North side of the church. Come join us for coffee, donuts, and learn about our Savior, Jesus Christ. Sunday School is for all ages. We have an Adult Bible class, Youth Group (fifth-eighth grades and high school students),and Children's classes "Jesus and Me", (Birth-Kindergarten) and first through fifth grades are offered. Church office hours: Tuesday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Wednesday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.; 6619 Yount Street, Yountville, 707-944-2179.

Want to have your church included in Worship Notes? Need to update your congregations information? Contact editor Kelly Doren at kdoren@napanews.com or 256-2263.BottleRock Napa Valleys first act kicked off at noon, but hundreds of fans were eagerly waiting in line long before then.

Scalpers scrounged for tickets blocks away from the Napa Valley Expo, parents lugged their kids in wagons down Third Street and some festivalgoers bought $20 flower crowns from a vendor across the street. Anticipation grew as antsy ticketholders heard the first beats of sound checks  drums, cymbals and a cappella vocals.

While frantic BottleRock staffers and vendors scrambled to set up, make last-minute adjustments and stock booths, most of the first customers let inside took time to meander through the empty lawns of the whimsical festival grounds.

Just past the security entrance was a revolving, wooden hot-air balloon, and a selfie wall of stacked wine barrels. In a wooded part of the festival grounds, string lights and lanterns hung from trees, and picnic tables were set up in the shade. Kids twirled and ran across the open lawn, kicking yellow balls.

The skies were cloudy and the air was chilly for the first hour of the festival, but it warmed up quickly in the afternoon. Fans lauded the festivals great food and drink, and said it was well-organized.

Dedicated fans beelined for the main stage, which was sponsored by JaM Cellars. They knew what they came for. They werent going to get stuck in the back of the crowd, craning their necks and fighting for a glimpse of their favorite artist.

But for others, their motivation for camping out at the guardrail was less calculated.

Were too poor for VIP, said Kyra Forfyth of Truckee, who came to BottleRock with friend Jules Kaufman.

Being an early bird fan means a lot of waiting around, but its worth it, said Lisa Shaw, who came to see her sister, Shannon Shaw, perform. Wed rather get here early and not (be) missing something.

As they waited for Shannon Shaw to come onstage for her sound check, Shaw laid out a blue and green quilt.

Shaw, who is originally from Napa, came to the event with her daughter, Trinity Harris of Suisun City, and other family members. While they staked out a spot for Shannon Shaw, who was playing in her hometown for the first time, Harris said she was looking forward to seeing headliner Imagine Dragons play.

Even more excited to see Imagine Dragons was Dena Lindsey of Rohnert Park, who relaxed on a San Francisco Giants blanket while waiting for her boyfriend to return with drinks. She said their song is Im Yours, but her theme song is Thunder.

Hours of waiting didnt phase her. Lindsey said shes been a fan of the band for years, but has yet to see them live.

Id sit here for two days, honey, she said.

Within the first hour of gates opening, spots closest to main stage were starting to fill up. Many brought blankets, but others sat on jackets or on the damp grass.

Carissa Dunn of Merced and Katie Canady of Waterford laid down a red, white and blue quilt near the main stage.

It was their first time at BottleRock. Dunn said she heard about the festival because her friends dad is kind of a wino who knows the Napa Valley area well.

They looked forward to catching Imagine Dragons and One Republic on the main stage, but planned to catch some celebrity chefs at the nearby Williams Sonoma food stage.

Linda Hsu of San Rafael and her friends had claimed spots near the main stage guardrail by laying down a sky blue towel and blanket. She looked forward to watching some of the main stage performers, including Neon Trees, but said she was up for anything and wanted to learn about new bands.

It was her second time at the festival. What brought her back?

Not being at the office, Hsu said. Hopefully the weather will clear up.

Bakersfield sisters Hallie and Grace Terrazas came to BottleRock for One Republic. Even though they had colds, it was their first time at the festival and they looked forward to checking out the food and music.

But Hallie, a 10-year fan of One Republic, anxiously awaited the bands performance.

I have a sign, she said. I have all their stuff.

Fans will return Saturday to watch headliners Neil Young, Pharell Williams, Juanes and White Panda.

While Napans have been abuzz for days with BottleRock talk, the festival drew partiers from all over. Kris Bergesen of Sacramento, who was at BottleRock for her third time, said she enjoyed the experience so much that she invited friends from Texas.

Its always just such a good time, she said.

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.Napa County has a message for all of those who when disaster hits and the lights go out fumble around in the dark for flashlight batteries  be prepared.

Be prepared for a wildfire evacuation, possible multi-day PG&E public safety power shutoff during high fire-danger weather, an earthquake or whatever. Dont depend on the government to quickly come to the rescue.

The county will try to drive the message home during its community open house and emergency preparedness fair. The event is from 4 to 7 p.m. June 4 at the county administration building, 1195 Third St. in Napa.

Quite honestly, weve done a poor job of educating our public, Sheriff John Robertson told the county Board of Supervisors on May 21. Not just us, but across the country.

The emergency preparedness fair is part of an effort to change this dynamic. People attending can learn about emergency planning, evacuation routes and emergency kits. They can sign up for county Nixle alerts, if they havent already been to www.nixle.com to do so.

It is time to present to the community the tools so they can prepare for the next thing, whether its a pandemic flu or whether its an earthquake, a fire, a flood  who knows what its going to be, Robertson said.

Robertson and other emergency officials updated the Board of Supervisors on the countys emergency preparedness efforts.

PG&Es recent announcements about possible public power safety shutdowns add a new wrinkle to this years wildfire season. The utility is telling all of its 5 million-plus customers in the state to be ready for multi-day shutdowns during extreme weather to avoid having falling power lines spark fires.

That would mean our entire county could go down, county Risk and Emergency Services Manager Kerry John Whitney said.

The program in 2018 covered only power lines in the tier three areas that California Public Utilities Commission considers at extreme risk for wildfires. Calistoga last October had power cut for several days. That city is near tier three areas.

This year, the program has been expanded to include transmission and distribution lines in tier two elevated fire threat areas. Although south county cities are in tier one areas that are not considered at elevated wildfire risk, they are near tier two areas.

A PG&E report shows transmissions systems serving Napa Valley from St. Helena southward. The systems operate independently of each other.

A set of 115 kilovolt lines crosses the tier three Mayacamas mountains near St. Helena and run south along the eastern valley to Napa, then heads west to Sonoma. It serves 60 percent of the customers in the area, the report said.

Sixty kilovolt lines run from Fairfield-Suisun in Solano County over tier two hills to Napa to serve the remaining customers. They connect to substations on Burnell Street in Napa and other locations to reduce voltage for delivery to customers.

Local officials arent making any predictions on the likelihood of a south county shutoff. Rather, Whitney urged people to make certain PG&E has their cell phone numbers so they can receive alerts from the utility. Go to https://bit.ly/2M6qfGs to update PG&E contact information.

Some may say, Oh, they have it, I get my bills, Board of Supervisors Chair Ryan Gregory said. But theres a good chance they dont have your cell phone.

PG&E is holding a wildfire safety open house from 6 to 8 p.m. June 26. It will be at the Embassy Suites Napa Valley Chardonnay ballroom, 1075 California Blvd. in Napa.

Whitney said one challenge is making certain the medically fragile who rely on electricity are warned of pending power shutdowns. The medically fragile range from people on ventilators to those who need refrigerated medicines.

PG&E officials say they will go and knock on doors of the medically fragile, if need be. But Whitney said the utilitys list is culled from customers receiving medical-related discounted rates and might total about 200 people. The county knows of 2,000 people who might be at risk.

In effect, PG&Es not owning this piece, theyre owning their less than 200 residents that theyve identified as medically fragile, Whitney said. Weve got individuals who are exceeding that number.

County Public Health is creating a plan for outreach to vulnerable clients to help them prepare for a public safety power shutoff, he said. The county will push out information on pending shutoffs to them after being alerted by PG&E.

Supervisors heard emergency preparedness ideas from the public.

Kellie Anderson lives in Angwin, a rural community of about 3,000 people in the mountains east of St. Helena. She said that, if the town had to evacuate during 4:30 p.m. rush hour, all of these people would need to travel congested Highway 29 and Silverado Trail.

Twenty-nine and Silverado Trail are functionally gridlocked all the way from Deer Park Road to Napa, Anderson said.

Resident Eve Kahn had a suggestion based on evacuations on the East Coast for hurricanes. Napa County during such an evacuation could make all the lanes on Silverado Trail or Highway 29 head south so people can escape.

Just a thought, Kahn told supervisors. It works in other areas of the country.

Napa County has had eight federally-declared disasters since August 2014  the Aug. 24, 2014 West Napa earthquake, the September 2015 Lake County fire shelter response in Calistoga, the Jan. 3-12 storms of 2017, the Jan. 18-23 storms of 2017, the Feb. 1-23 storms of 2017, the October 2017 fires and two sets of storms this year, a county report said.

The silver lining in all of this is for every disaster, were way more prepared and ready for the next one, Gregory said, while adding how unfortunate the disaster streak has been.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.A new television series, Hearts of Heroes, will air an episode featuring Napa residents who were rescued by CHP helicopters and other first responders during the devastating Atlas Peak fire in 2017.

The episode will be shown Sunday at noon on the local ABC7 station KGO.

Hearts of Heroes is an educational documentary series featuring untold heroic stories of emergency responders in the aftermath of Mother Natures most destructive events.

Sunday's episode will shine a light on the destructive wildfire that rocked the Atlas Peak community in October of 2017. High winds and altitude made evacuation from the mountain community nearly impossible. However, thanks to the California Highway Patrol and Cal Fire teams, many rescues were made.

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.Because this is the Donald Trump era, the news that the president has "repeatedly urged" the Army Corps of Engineers to give a lucrative contract to a GOP donor and frequent Fox News guest is only the second most scandalous story of the day. The most scandalous is this one that The Washington Post reported:

"President Trump has granted Attorney General William P. Barr 'full and complete authority' to declassify government secrets, issuing a memorandum late Thursday that orders U.S. intelligence agencies to cooperate promptly with Barr's audit of the investigation into Russia's election interference in 2016.

"The president's move gives Barr broad powers to unveil carefully guarded intelligence secrets about the Russia investigation, which the attorney general requested to allow him to quickly carry out his review, according to the memo."

Barr's "investigation" is nothing but a propaganda exercise, an effort to provide ballast to the lunatic idea that there should never have been any investigation at all into Russia's attempts to help Trump get elected president. But we have to be clear about just how shocking this order from Trump is.

The executive order not only gives Barr permission to "declassify, downgrade, or direct the declassification or downgrading of information or intelligence" to whatever degree he likes, but also orders the leaders of every intelligence agency to give him whatever he wants. If he wants to declassify something and they object, tough luck for them. The New York Times reports that this is "likely to irk the intelligence community":

"One official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss classified matters, said previously that Mr. Barr wanted to know more about what foreign assets the C.I.A. had in Russia in 2016 and what those informants were telling the agency about how President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia sought to meddle in the 2016 election."

Needless to say, the identity of foreign assets is one of the most sensitive categories of information intelligence agencies hold. If we had a different attorney general, you might say, "Well, surely he'll exercise the utmost care in what he reveals to the public." But with virtually every action Barr has taken and statement he has made, he has shown himself to be someone who is only too happy to deceive the public, mislead Congress, go on Fox News to spin on the president's behalf, and generally act as though the only purpose of his office is to cover up for Trump. The idea that this political hack would conduct any investigation related to this president with any other goal in mind is, at this point, not even worth discussing.

Which is why it's so important to emphasize that his investigation is a propaganda exercise. Its purpose is not to discover some unknown truth, because despite what Trump and Barr have said, we know exactly how the Russia investigation began. It began, as the Mueller report states, when Trump aide George "Papadopoulos suggested to a representative of [Australia] that the Trump Campaign had received indications from the Russian government that it could assist the campaign through the anonymous release of information that could be damaging to Hillary Clinton," and the Australians informed the FBI.

Barr is not trying to learn more about whether there was something fishy about that investigation. He's looking for information that can then be selectively declassified in order to help Trump and undermine his perceived enemies. If that involves compromising sensitive intelligence, he won't hesitate for a moment.

We can be pretty sure of what's going to happen. Barr will scour every record he can to learn as much as possible about the Russia investigation. Whenever he comes across something that can be spun to make the FBI or anyone Trump has decided is his enemy look bad, he'll put it in the "Declassify" pile. Then he'll release it all to the public and hold a news conference where he suggests that there was a conspiracy to take down Trump. The president will then take to Twitter to proclaim that he was indeed the victim of a vile witch hunt that has at last been exposed. The news media, in possession of only the materials Barr has chosen to give them, will struggle to avoid amplifying and reinforcing Barr's claims.

In case you were wondering what happens when an infinitely corrupt president decides to use the powers of the federal government for his own self-interest with the help of lackeys he has installed to protect him, this is it. Now just wait until he tells Barr to go after the Democratic nominee for president.

Paul Waldman is an opinion writer for the Washington Post's Plum Line blog.The Northern California Veterans Cemetery rests on a hill crest in the small community of Igo, near Redding. A row of U.S. flags greets visitors as they pass through the gates. With Mount Lassen offering a spectacular backdrop, the lawns are green and lush. Headstones stand in precise rows.

Operated by the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), this cemetery is a place where remembrance and reverence often give way to tears. More than 7,500 veterans and their spouses rest there. Three of them are young men who died while serving the nation in Afghanistan, a fourth in Bahrain.

They will be saluted and honored during a service at the cemetery on Memorial Day, as will others in ceremonies at CalVets cemeteries in Yountville and Seaside, the nine federal military cemeteries, and in many local cemeteries throughout California.

After all, honoring our war dead is the reason for the day, said Jim Gibson, an 88-year-old veteran Navy submariner who volunteered at the Igo cemetery for many years until his body told him to slow down. But the vast majority of Americans will seize upon this day as an opportunity to enjoy a three-day weekend as a mini-vacation, with little or no acknowledgment given to the reason it exists.

Veterans like Gibson want to remind people of the deeper meaning of Memorial Day. So do Gold Star parents including Richard and Kathy Wood of Modesto, whose son, 1st Class Airman Justin Wood, was killed during an attack by terrorists on Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996. He became the first military casualty buried at the Santa Nella National Military Cemetery near Los Banos. His parents once again will represent the Northern San Joaquin Valley as the Air Forces Gold Star parents.

In memory of all the people weve lost serving our country, Richard Wood said.

Memorial Days roots trace back to 1865, when citizens went to decorate the graves of their loved ones lost in the Civil War. A year later, Decoration Day became an unofficial holiday on May 30  though more so in the victorious north than the south, which did the same but chose different days in different states. Gibsons earliest memories of Memorial Day come from the time when it was still called Decoration Day.

(It) started for me when I was about six years old in Pennsylvania, Gibson said. My father was deeply involved in the American Legion after being a veteran of World War I. Wed get into the old Chevrolet and go to the various cemeteries in western Pennsylvania, and wed put a flag on each veterans grave.

They grew their own flowers for adornments.

We had a Civil War veteran in uniform, Gibson said. (The veteran) was a drummer boy (during the war) and he was the guest of honor as long as he lived.

In 1971, Congress established Memorial Day as the final Monday in May. It quickly morphed into the unofficial beginning of the summer as a recreational holiday. For many, the poignancy and reverence of the day seems to have faded over time.

It changed the scope of how people see the day, Kathy Wood said. It used to be centered on our military  people weve lost. People have lost sight of what that weekend is for. It became just a normal three-day weekend for most people. Time for family vacation  boating, fishing, camping, barbecue  and no recognition of why the weekend is there.

Gibson has one hope for this and every other Memorial Day: Respect. Respect for those who died in service to this nation. Respect for the graves and the grounds. Respect for the day by taking the time to learn what it is and what it isnt.

It requires only a little bit of effort to put your hand over your heart, Gibson said. Or if youre military, a hand salute.

Jeff Jardine is a former journalist and now information officer for the California Department of Veterans Affairs. He wrote this for CalVet Connect, the agencys blog, about programs and issues that affect Californias 1.7 million veterans.We need action on the climate (May 20) supports HR7763, better known as Carbon Dividends, a bill currently in the floor of Congress that would fossil fuel corporations, rather than consumers and taxpayers, responsible for the costs of fighting climate change.

This would be only fair, since those mega-corporations have spent over $2 billion of the past decades to clandestinely spread lies about saying global warming didnt exist, then that it wasnt man-made, etc. even as their own scientists were warning them about the existential dangers continuing use of their products would create (Scientific American, Dark Money and How to Win Friends and Bamboozle People About Climate Change and the Union of Concerned Scientists website, Climate Deception Dossiers).

The award-winning site, desmogblog.org has detailed documentation of every professional climate denier, their qualifications (or lack of) and which fossil fuel corporations secretly fund these denier-for-hire experts.

I support Carbon Dividends too. Unlike the Green New Deal, its already written into legislation and ready to go, butrealistically, just like the Green New Dealits not going anywhere until after the 2020 election. Id like to see it included in whatever form a Green New Deal energy plan finally takes. Thats because the Green New Deal energy plan is designed to make bigger and faster greenhouse gas emissions cuts than Carbon Dividends does. Bigger and faster is essential.

But the GND energy plan goal of making the emissions cuts well need to prevent catastrophic climate change (IPCC) and creating millions of good jobs, has been short on specifics, until now. On May 18, Washingtons Gov. Jay Inslee released a 38-page document which systematically translates the GNDs lofty goalsto decarbonize the economy sector by sectorshowing how it would do so while create millions of high-quality jobs that would be local and permanent (40-year) positions. You can see a summary of it at vox.com from May 18.

Cost is the what most Green New Deal critics focus on, but lets be clear: Climate disasters have already cost Americans over $1 trillion, and those costs are now rapidly increasing (NOAA/NASA). Just a half-degree increase in global temperatures will cost the US economy $13 trillion (IPCC) and were already locked into that (Nature).

Without Green New Deal-scale emissions cuts starting in 2021, were heading for future climate damage to the U.S. economy that will cost over $160 trillion (Forbes, April 2019). Wed also be risking global economic collapse followed by societal collapse, with runaway global warming our children or grandchildren would be unable to stop (National Academy of Sciences).

The cost of Gov. Inslees plan is $300 billion annually. We could easily pay for it with the Carbon Dividends plan. It places an annually increasing pollution tax on all fossil fuels and gives all of that tax money directly to every taxpayer in equal monthly carbon dividend checks. That would add $350 billion annually to U.S. GPD (CBO), allowing the Green New Deals transition to a clean energy economy more than pay for itself.

Canada has used this plan successfully for a decade: Canada passed a carbon tax that will give most people more money (The Guardian).

If you switch to solar/wind energy, you dont pay the carbon tax, you just get the tax money every month, and those checks will keep getting bigger as the tax goes up every year. You can see details on how it works at citizensclimatelobby.org

And clean energy prices continue to plummet, solar and wind energy is now as cheap or cheaper than any fossil fuel in over 70 percent of the country (Forbes, Lazard). So as your Carbon Dividend checks keep going up, your energy bills will keep going down. Rapidly scaling up clean energy will make solar and wind energy essentially free by 2030 (Financial Times, UBS, Aug 2018).

The economic benefits of that are unimaginable. So, now we have a clear choice between inaction, which, according to the worldwide scientific community, will destroy our economy and then our country, or passing legislation that will allow for a safe and prosperous present and future, without any real cost to us. All we need to do is to vote for congressional representatives who will vote for an energy policy that can guarantee the no-cost emissions cuts we need to avert disaster.

The Green New Deal is affordable; the cost of inaction is incalculable (Forbes, 2018).

Lynn Goldfarb

DenverBill Gates reveals plan to save the planet

Kuwait forms new cabinet

Attorney: Criminal prosecution against Artur Vanetsyan terminated, there was no preparation for Armenia PM's murder

Armenia army's General Staff chief visits air force military unit

Armenia opposition MP: Constitutional Court states that government should decide who will pay for employees' PCR tests

Brawl takes place in Parliament of Jordan

Armenia Ombudsman meets with Russia Ambassador, return of Armenian captives being held in Azerbaijan discussed

Armenia launches 42 cases regarding submission of declarations by officials in 2021

Armenian man who was wanted arrives in Yerevan and voluntarily shows up at police station

Armenia MOD peacekeeping brigade soldiers participate in tactical military exercises

Armenia has new Ambassador to Israel

Azerbaijani opposition journalists protesting against repressive law on media

Armenia President and his wife pay visit to Yerablur Military Pantheon

Armenia Competition Protection Commission to check pricing for COVID-19 tests at Zvartnots Airport

Advocate: Criminal prosecution against Armenian detachment commander Ashot Minasyan is over

NEWS.am daily digest: 28.12.21

Opposition 'Armenia' Faction of National Assembly holds session chaired by Robert Kocharyan

Armenia education minister: 9 universities in 11 countries are carrying out Armenian Studies development programs

Armenia PM attends informal meeting of leaders of CIS countries in St. Petersburg

Ex-PM: Armenia authorities want to leave Karabakh to Azerbaijans whim

Armenia Competition Protection Commission chief: There will be new player in petrol market soon

Armenia political parties activities, their governing bodies property shall be scrutinized

Dollar goes down in Armenia

Opposition lawmaker: Local producers will face difficult situation if Turkey companies invade Armenia

Georgia PM: Pashinyan and Aliyev are interested in the establishment of peace in the region

Ruling force MP is sure all remaining Armenian captives in Azerbaijan will be returned

Aravot.am: Mother of ex-mayor Vardan Ghukasyan's deceased son-in-law killed in Armenia's Gyumri

Parliament majority member: Major personnel changes must be made in Armenia army

A new start at Inecobanks most popular branch

Governor: Armenia Central Bank has entered new stage of transformation

Shoygu: Russian peacekeepers gradually bringing life back to Karabakh

60% of Armenias Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine to pass under Russia-registered company control

Seven people killed in Colombia bus incident

Learjet crashed in California

Shooting in Colorado kills five people

President: Main precondition for keeping Artsakh Armenian, alive is to live, create here (VIDEO)

1 more person dies of coronavirus in Karabakh

Turkey records increase in COVID-19 cases

Yerevan has new First Deputy Mayor

Displaced Karabakh residents seek political asylum from France

Taliban open fire on women protesters in Kabul

Armenia PM arrives in Russia

Forcibly displaced Artsakh residents hand letter to Armenia government

Artsakh President receives Refugee Women's Union NGO members

Mayor of Armenias Goris to remain in custody

109 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Displaced Karabakh residents staging protest outside Armenia government building

Yerevan municipal council convenes special session

Karabakh parliament: Artsakh, though shrunken, has statehood, its independence is indisputable

China to become world's leading economy in 2030 in dollar terms

Armenia premier heading for Russia

World oil prices on the rise

Newspaper: Who is seen in Armenia ex-President Robert Kocharyan's team as next mayor of Yerevan?

Newspaper: Armenia PM attempts to implement plan to oust Artsakh President

India freezes bank accounts of late Mother Teresas missionary charitable foundation

Karabakh emergency situations service: Remains of 1,704 killed servicemen found after truce

Armenian premier: We hope it will be possible to create completely new moods in Armenia and Artsakh in 2022

Armenia opposition MP on Constitutional Court's decision on coronavirus vaccinations and testing

Armenia government discusses implementation of target program for 500 kindergartens and 300 schools

Armenian serviceman Narek Yeremyan who returned from captivity is under arrest

Karabakh President receives representatives of Russian community

Karabakh State Minister addresses all Armenians to continue the struggle for Artsakh

Armenia PM to leave for Russia to attend non-official meeting of leaders of CIS countries

Azerbaijan defense minister convenes consultation

Armenia ex-minister Gagik Beglaryan and family members show up at Prosecutor General's Office

Azerbaijani MP sentenced to prison after beating police officers

Armenians charged with murder of ex-serviceman sentenced to 5-20 years in Moscow

Armenia PM visits Constitutional Court

NEWS.am daily digest: 27.12.21

Armenia ex-President Sargsyan to hold press conference in 2nd half of January

Dollar gains value in Armenia

26 MPs of pro-Kurdish party charged with 'offending Turkish state' after calling for Armenian Genocide recognition

Armen Sarkissian sends condolence telegram over death of ex-President of Greece

Armenia 2nd President says he supports a semi-presidential system of government

Cavusoglu: Turkish-Armenian Protocols of 2009 have lost their significance

Bayramov: Azerbaijan will file two more claims against Armenia in international arbitration

Bayramov: There is no alternative to delimitation of Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Bayramov says the question of enclaves is a reality that no one can deny

Artsakh parliament expresses outrage at distorted formulations of Armenian PM

MFA: Possibility of meeting of special representatives of Armenia and Turkey in Moscow is being discussed

Baku supports normalization of relations between Ankara and Yerevan

Azerbaijani MFA says tension between Baku and Tehran eliminated

How Karabakh was left out of peace talks?

Ex-President Kocharyan on international communitys disproportionate reactions: Does Armenia want that not to happen?

Robert Kocharyan: If West-Russia relations escalate further, this may cause harm to Armenia

Cavusoglu says Armenia-Turkish's representatives 1st meeting to be held in Moscow

Armenia 2nd President: These authorities will throw Karabakh issue into Russias 'pockets'

Magnitude 5.2 earthquake hits Iran

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan on reopening railway link: We will have only 45 km via Meghri for transit

Armenia 2nd President: These authorities serve foreign interests on Artsakh issue

Ex-President Kocharyan to incumbent Armenia authorities: You have fulfilled all preconditions of Turkey

Ibrahim Kalin: Armenia-Turkey process will destroy arguments of Armenian diaspora in US

Zas assesses situation on border of Armenia and Azerbaijan

Armenia 2nd President on Meghri option: Azerbaijan president refused to sign at last moment in Key West

Kocharyan: Armenia has washed its hands of Karabakh

Armenia 2nd President: We continue losing propaganda war to country where power is hereditary

Copper is getting cheaper

UN Secretary General Guterres urges to prepare for a new pandemic

Opposition MP: Armenia authorities attempting to create internal political crisis in Artsakh

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We lost control not only over those 40-45 km but over ten times larger areasPrime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met today with the Ambassadors of foreign states and organizations accredited to the Republic of Armenia, reports the news service of the Staff of the Prime Minister of Armenia.

The head of government greeted the Ambassadors and said that he believes now is an opportune time to share impressions about the results, problems and challenges a year after the formation of the cabinet.

Giving his evaluation of the activities carried out over the past year, Nikol Pashinyan first touched upon the economic issues, the solutions provided to them and the results that have been recorded. He set aside the maintenance of macroeconomic stability and said the government succeeded in recording a 7.1% growth of GDP.

He also set aside the reduction of shadow economy as one of the interesting trends in the economy. In essence, over the past year, Armenia has created 51,000 new jobs that employers have declared to tax authorities, which have set tax obligations for them.

The next indicator that he mentioned was overperformance of the revenue section of the State Budget. The government has already declared that it will overperform this years State Budget by at least AMD 62 billion, which is approximately USD 130 million.

The next indicator concerns the trade sector. Throughout the past year, Armenia has printed nearly 84 million more cash register coupons than the year before that.

According to the Prime Minister, the biggest challenge facing the economy today are, of course, foreign investments. The government is doing everything it can to make Armenia more attractive for foreign investments, but it is also convinced and aware that it cant fully solve this problem without an independent judiciary because all investors want security of their investments and obtained properties.

As far as achievements in the political field are concerned, the Prime Minister set aside 2 major outcomes, including the conduct of free, fair, democratic and transparent snap parliamentary elections and the fact that the government can and will step down from power through free and fair elections.

The Prime Minister said the government also succeeded in ensuring stability in the political arena, adding that Armenia has normal relations with the Russian Federation, the Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Armenia has also succeeded in enhancing its relations with the European Union and is in the stage of finalizing the roadmap for implementation of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.

The Prime Minister said Armenia has managed to maintain and enhance the good atmosphere with its direct and neighboring countries, including Iran and Georgia. The country is also working well with the Peoples Republic of China. Over the past year, Armenia hosted the Francophonie Summit, which was a success for the Republic of Armenia and the government.

Throughout the past year, the Prime Minister paid an official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, a working visit to France and visited the Council of Europe. Armenia is also enhancing normal relations with the United States. The Prime Minister mentioned that Armenia recently launched strategic dialogue with the US and hopes and is certain that the results will be positive. Armenia is also actively working with the United Arab Emirates, India and European countries.

Prime Minister Pashinyan also touched upon the situation connected with the judiciary and talked about the need for reforms and the importance of cooperation with international partners in this process. He also said Armenia hopes to work closely with its international partners to have a truly independent judiciary in Armenia.

Later, the Prime Minister of Armenia answered questions from the Ambassadors of foreign states accredited to Armenia that were related to the implementation of reforms in the judiciary, transitional justice, the actions to be taken, the changes in the structure of the government, reforms in the public administration system and more.Mohan Guragain is a desk editor at The Kathmandu Post. He edited a provincial youth-oriented monthly paper for nearly two years before joining The Himalayan Times in 2008. Guragain also writes occasionally on politics and socio-economic issues. He joined the Post in 2010.Over 70 former US high-ranking servicemen signed a letter to US President Donald Trump with a call to avoid the US war against Iran amid a sharp increase in tension between the two countries, Inerfax repotred.

Dear Mr. President,

We write to you to express our deep concern with the current escalation with Iran in the Arabian Gulf. The mutual animosity between the United States and Iran, the accelerated deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers to the region, and reports of Iranian preparations for attacks on U.S. military and diplomatic facilities are highly concerning and make for a potentially deadly confrontation. A war with Iran, either by choice or miscalculation, would produce dramatic repercussions in an already destabilized Middle East and drag the United States into another armed conflict at immense financial, human, and geopolitical cost.

As national security professionals with extensive careers in the U.S. armed forces and diplomatic service, we have witnessed first-hand how quickly disputes can spiral out of control. The lack of direct communication between U.S. and Iranian political and military leaders during a time of heightened rhetoric only increases the possibility of a miscalculation resulting in unintended military conflict. Washington and Tehran are talking past each other and taking actions the other views as dangerously provocative at best and the beginning of forceful action at worst.

We were heartened by your reported desire to avoid war with Iran in favor of other tools, including common-sense diplomacy. While economic sanctions against Iran have had the beneficial effect of reducing financial support for Hezbollah in Lebanon, these, as well as military threats against Iran have thus far proved ineffective in changing the regimes behavior and have likely reaffirmed the beliefs of Tehrans hardline elements that compromise with the United States is impossible.

As President and Commander-in-Chief, you have considerable power at your disposal to immediately reduce the dangerous levels of regional tension. Crisis de-escalation measures should be established with the Iranian leadership at the senior levels of government as a prelude to exploratory diplomacy on matters of mutual concern. The protection of U.S. national interests in the Middle East and the safety of our friends and allies requires thoughtful statesmanship and aggressive diplomacy rather than unnecessary armed conflict, the statement said.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.The requested page is currently unavailable on this server.

Back to [RTHK News Homepage]In order to retire comfortably, you have to be cleverer than ever in taking advantage of all the retirement savings options available to you. With so many potential obstacles to making ends meet during your golden years, the more you can save over the course of your career, the easier it'll be to live the life you want after you've stopped working.

Millions of people use IRAs to help them set money aside for retirement. These tax-favored vehicles give savers a chance to get valuable tax benefits on their savings, and they come with a provision that many people don't even know about. Almost 1.5 million taxpayers took advantage of this special IRA opportunity, and if you qualify, you could join their ranks -- and put yourself in an even better position to have the retirement of your dreams.

Interstate road sign marked IRA with a directional arrow, and blue sky with a few clouds above.

Image source: Getty Images.

Using IRAs to catch up on your retirement goals

One of the most difficult aspects of saving for retirement is figuring out when you can comfortably begin to start setting money aside. The earlier you start investing, the more time your money will have to grow, and the power of compounding makes an early start extremely valuable. For instance, if you start saving at age 25, your money will grow to more than double what it would if you start saving the same amount at age 35.

Yet most people have a lot of financial challenges in starting to invest for retirement early in their careers. Many young adults have massive student loan debt to pay off before they can even think about beginning to invest. Competing priorities, like buying a home and starting a family, often lead to the decision to delay retirement savings. As a result, it's not uncommon for people to wait until well into middle age before seriously addressing the need to save for retirement.

It's with that fact in mind that lawmakers decided to include provisions in the rules governing IRAs to allow for what are known as catch-up contributions. Each year, you're entitled to contribute up to a certain maximum amount to an IRA. For 2019, that number is $6,000. However, if you're 50 years old or older, then you also become eligible to save an extra $1,000. This added amount is intended to help older workers catch up on their retirement savings goals -- which they might have neglected earlier in their careers.

Story continues

A cadre of catcher-uppers

Not everyone takes advantage of the ability to make those catch-up contributions, but many do. Almost 1.35 million Americans took advantage of the catch-up provisions to contribute the full extra $1,000 in the most recent year for which the IRS has made data available. Another 50,000 made catch-up contributions of more than $500 but less than $1,000, while 87,000 made at least some catch-up contribution of up to $500. That adds up to more than 1.48 million taxpayers, and together, the amount of their catch-up contributions totaled almost $1.43 billion.

Moreover, it's never too late to start catching up. Contributions among those 50 and older were fairly evenly split across age groups, with the number of taxpayers rising in the 55-59 cohort and keeping stable in the 60-64 cohort. Contributor counts declined back to 50-54 levels between ages 65 and 70 1/2. Contributions to traditional IRAs is currently prohibited for those older than 70 1/2 --although Roth contributions are still allowed at any age, as long as you have earned income.

Don't wait!

Even if you're not yet old enough to qualify to make catch-up contributions, it's still a smart idea to start saving for retirement as soon as you can. The earlier you begin, the easier it'll be. But don't stress if you've waited too long: Catch-up contributions have made a big difference in helping nearly 1.5 million people boost their retirement savings -- and you could be one of them.

More From The Motley Fool

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.(Adds comment from Mexican president)

MEXICO CITY, May 25 (Reuters) - Mexico's environment minister resigned on Saturday after causing a commercial flight to be delayed, making her the second top official to depart from the government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in less than a week.

The president's office announced that Josefa Gonzalez Blanco Ortiz Mena, minister of the environment and natural resources, had tendered her resignation, and Lopez Obrador said during a speech on Saturday afternoon he had accepted it.

In her resignation letter, which was published by the president's office, Gonzalez Blanco said that at the start of a work trip on Friday, she had caused a delay to passengers who were traveling on the plane and its crew.

"There is no justification. The true transformation of Mexico requires total alignment with the values of equity and justice," Gonzalez Blanco said. "Nobody should have privileges, and the benefits of one, even in carrying out one's duties, cannot be above the well-being of the majority."

In his afternoon remarks, the president said he had spoken with Gonzalez Blanco that morning, telling her to attend to the matter of the flight delay, adding that she apologized.

"She very honestly told me what had happened and placed her resignation at my disposal and I accepted it," Lopez Obrador said.

Her exit follows Tuesday's resignation of German Martinez, head of Mexico's social security institute (IMSS), who complained budget cuts and lay-offs ordered by Lopez Obrador's finance minister were harming health services for the poor.

Since Lopez Obrador took office in December, the veteran leftist has taken commercial flights after making a campaign pledge to sell his predecessor's luxury presidential plane.

Lopez Obrador has taken an implacable stand against public sector excess and his first budget slashed spending for several major government departments, including the health service.

His austerity drive has caused problems in hospitals, leading to anger over surgery delays, reductions in testing and staffing shortages, hospital directors say. (Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz and Delphine Schrank; editing by Dave Graham, G Crosse and Dan Grebler)(Changes media identification slug, adds detail, background)

CAIRO, May 25 (Reuters) - The head of Sudan's ruling military council visited neighboring Egypt on Saturday - his first trip abroad since the army overthrew former president Omar al-Bashir last month after mass protests against his rule.

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan met Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is himself a former military chief who got the top job after leading the ouster of his country's last leader, Mohamed Mursi.

The meeting was closely watched by Sudan's opposition and protest groups who have warned Egypt not to interfere in their politics, but they did not make an immediate comment.

Sudan's army set up a Transitional Military Council (TMC) to rule the country after Bashir's ouster and promised to hand over after elections.

But Sudan's protests groups, wary of what happened in Egypt, have sought guarantees that civilians will lead the transition process, and have called for two days of strikes next week to press their case.

Sisi and Burhan "agreed on the priority of supporting the free will of the Sudanese people and its choices," Egyptian presidency spokesman Bassam Rady said.

Sisi also said Egypt was ready to "provide all means of support to the brothers in Sudan to overcome this stage in line with the aspirations of the Sudanese people, away from external interventions," according to the spokesman. (Reporting by Ahmed Tolba; Writing by Yousef Saba; Editing by Andrew Heavens)(Adds comments from Navy SEAL's wife, paragraphs 13-14)

By Roberta Rampton

WASHINGTON, May 24 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he was considering pardons for "two or three" American soldiers charged with war crimes, a move he also said would be controversial but justified because they had been treated "unfairly."

Trump told reporters at the White House that he had not decided yet on the cases but may wait until the accused stood trial before deciding whether to grant them pardons.

"Some of these soldiers are people that have fought hard, long. You know, we teach them how to be great fighters, and then when they fight sometime, they get really treated very unfairly," Trump said.

He did not identify which cases he was reviewing.

The New York Times on May 18 reported Trump had asked the Justice Department for paperwork on several high-profile war crimes cases in preparation for possible pardons to be announced on or around the U.S. Memorial Day holiday honoring fallen troops. This year's holiday is to be observed on May 27.

One request, according to the Times report, was for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, a decorated U.S. Navy SEAL court-martialed on charges he fatally stabbed a helpless, wounded Islamic State fighter in his custody, and shot two unarmed civilians from a sniper's perch during his 2017 deployment to Iraq.

The 39-year-old combat veteran and platoon leader has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Defense lawyers say the allegations against him were fabricated by subordinate SEAL team members disgruntled with his leadership style and seeking to force him out.

Gallagher's trial was delayed this week until June 10 at the earliest. His lawyer told Reuters he had not asked for a pardon, and Gallagher declined to comment on the possibility of presidential clemency when asked by reporters in court.

TRUMP TIES TO COURT-MARTIAL DEFENSE

The prospect of Trump offering Gallagher a pardon seemed heightened by this week's appointment to his defense team of former federal prosecutor Marc Mukasey, one of Trump's personal lawyers and an associate of fellow Trump attorney Rudolph Giuliani, the former New York City mayor.

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Another Giuliani associate, ex-New York Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik - who served three years in prison in a federal corruption case - is an investigator on Gallagher's defense team.

Mukasey, in an interview with Reuters on Thursday, dismissed the notion of seeking a pardon for Gallagher.

"I have a job to do in the courtroom. I have no clue whether anything else is going on," he said.

Gallagher's wife, Andrea, denied any suggestion of impropriety over a lawyer for the commander-in-chief joining her husband's court-martial defense.

"There is no direct conflict in my mind," she told Reuters on Friday. "Marc Mukasey has not talked to the president. The president has not talked to him. So I think that this insinuation that a lawyer representing one individual that's also representing another is actually just stringing together a conspiracy that's non-existent."

Gallagher's lead civilian attorney, Timothy Parlatore, told reporters on Wednesday following a hearing at Naval Base San Diego: "If the president decides to step in, that's what the commander does."

Trump first weighed in on the Gallagher case publicly in March, ordering the defendant moved to less restrictive pre-trial confinement "in honor of his past service to our country."

A number of conservative commentators have urged him to pardon Gallagher. Critics say it would preempt justice, undermine military discipline and send a message that battlefield atrocities will be tolerated.

The overwhelming majority of pardons are granted to people who have already been convicted and served time for a federal offense, as when Trump earlier this month pardoned former Army Lieutenant Michael Behenna, who served five years in prison for killing an Iraqi prisoner in 2008.

But presidents have occasionally granted pardons preemptively to individuals accused of or suspected of a crime.

The most famous such case was the blanket pardon President Gerald Ford bestowed on his predecessor, Richard Nixon, following Nixon's resignation during the Watergate scandal. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton in Washington; additional reporting by Steve Gorman and Cath Turner in Los Angeles and Karen Freifield in New York; editing by G Crosse and Rosalba O'Brien)* Opposition says new weaponry includes TOW missiles

* Weaponry forces retreat of Syrian army from key town

* Syrian army plans to open new front to regain momentum

* Western source says U.S. gave greenlight to use TOW missile (Adds details on TOW missiles used by rebels in latest campaign)

By Suleiman Al-Khalidi

AMMAN, May 25 (Reuters) - Turkey has equipped an array of mainstream Syrian rebels it backs with fresh supplies of weaponry to help them try to repel a major Russian-backed assault, senior opposition officials and rebel sources said on Saturday.

Russia is backing the Syrian army's large aerial and ground assault as it seeks to gain control of the last big stretch of rebel-held territory in the northwest of the country.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched the assault last month, saying rebels had breached an existing ceasefire, triggering a civilian exodus by bombarding Idlib and adjacent areas. It has been the biggest escalation since last summer between Assad and his enemies in Idlib province and a belt of territory around it.

Ankara stepped up supplies in recent days after failing to persuade Russia in recent meetings of a joint working group that it should end its escalation to avert a major influx of refugees pouring into Turkey, two senior opposition figures said.

In doing so Turkey signaled its readiness to preserve its influence in northwestern Syria, where it has beefed up its troop presence in a dozen military bases that were set up under a de-escalation deal with Russia, a senior rebel commander said.

Turkish officials were not immediately available to comment.

Overnight, a Turkish military convoy arrived at a base in northern Hama near rebel-held Jabal al Zawiya, where Russian and Syrian jets have been pounding for weeks, a rebel and a witness said.

The delivery of dozens of armored vehicles, Grad rocket launchers, anti-tank guided missiles and so-called TOW missiles, helped roll back some Syrian army gains and retake the strategically located town of Kfar Nabouda, one senior opposition figure said.

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The TOW missile had been the most potent weapon in the arsenal of rebel groups battling Assad during the conflict. It was extended by Western and Arab foes of Assad until a CIA-led program of military support to help moderate rebels was suspended in 2017.

A Western intelligence source said Washington had given a "greenlight" for the Turkey-backed mainstream rebels to use the TOW missiles, which had been in storage in the latest campaign.

Washington, which has criticized Russia's latest campaign and urged a ceasefire, also said it saw signs that Assad has used poison gas in the latest offensive and warned that it would respond "quickly and appropriately" if this were proven.

Assad has denied such allegations throughout the war.

A spokesman for the Turkey-backed National Liberation Front (NLF), Captain Naji Mustafa, did not confirm or deny any new supplies by Turkey, saying rebels had long had a big arsenal of weapons from anti-tank to armored vehicles "alongside material and logistical support by our Turkish brothers."

The retreat from Kfar Nabouda was an upset to a Russian goal of a speedy military campaign to gain another slice of heavily populated Idlib province.

In the last 24 hours, the Syrian army has been sending large troop reinforcements ahead of opening a new front, a source in touch with Syrian army commanders told Reuters.

The Syrian army said on Saturday it continued to intensify its attacks on what it called terrorist hideouts in the northwest.

A Turkey backed-rebel grouping called the National Army, which operates in northwestern border areas near Turkey, has been allowed to join mainstream rebel factions along the frontlines.

"Large numbers of our fighters have joined with all their weapons to repel the assault," said Major Youssef Hamoud, their spokesman.

The rebels' readiness to put aside differences that once led to bloody internecine fighting has united jihadists and mainstream rebels for the first time in years. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Additional reporting by Daren Butler in Istanbul; Editing by Frances Kerry and Dan Grebler)Binod Ghimire covers parliamentary affairs and human rights for The Kathmandu Post. Since joining the Post in 2010, he has reported primarily on social issues, focusing on education and transitional justice.Your daily look at late breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:

1. PM MAY TO LEAVE DOWNING STREET

Theresa May announces she will step down as U.K. Conservative Party leader on June 7, sparking a contest to become Britain's next prime minister.

2. WHO IS ESCALATING PROBE OF INTEL AGENCIES

Trump has directed the U.S. intelligence community to "quickly and fully cooperate" with Barr's investigation of the origins of whether his 2016 campaign colluded with Russia.

3. TRUMP, PELOSI FEUD HEATS UP

The president Trump calls the House speaker 'crazy' as Pelosi questions his fitness for office the day after White House blowup.

4. NORTH KOREA: NUKE TALKS WON'T RESUME UNLESS US CHANGES POSITION

North Korea says nuclear negotiations with the United States will never resume unless the Trump administration moves away from unilateral demands for disarmament.

5. U.S. FILES NEW CHARGES AGAINST ASSANGE

The U.S. filed new charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, accusing him of violating the Espionage Act

6. HOW POLICE LEARN TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM AUTISM

Police officers are now using virtual reality to learn the best ways to interact with people who suffer from autism and de-escalate situations that could quickly turn awry.

7. WHAT IS HOT TOPIC IN EUROPEAN ELECTIONS

Concerns about climate change has prompted mass protests across Europe for the past year, turning the issue into a key topic ahead of the European Parliament elections.

8. WHO HAS STRONG MANDATE AND TOUGH ROAD AHEAD

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pledge to 'take the country to new heights' in his second term as leader will be challenged by an apparent slowdown in the economy and the effects of Hindu nationalism on religious minorities.

9. TRUMP TO VISIT JAPAN

Trump's visit to Japan is to focus on personal ties with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rather than substantive results on trade, security or North Korea.

10. RAPTORS BEAT BUCKS, TAKE 3-2 IN PLAYOFF SERIES

Kawhi Leonard scored 35 points, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Milwaukee Bucks 105-99 to grab a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.This weekend, the 41st annual Carnaval returns to the Mission for two days of cultural celebrations. This year's theme is "La Cultural Cura  Culture Heals," to make participants aware of how art helps communities build support systems.

"We believe that culture has the power to affirm ones value, build a diverse community, and politically mobilize people of color, leading to positive outcomes and collective healing," Carnaval San Francisco co-founder Roberto Hernandez said in a statement.

The highlight of the festival is Sunday's Grand Parade, featuring various floats with multicultural themes and performers. It will kick off at 9:30 a.m. at 24th and Bryant streets, proceeding west to Mission Street before heading north on Mission towards 15th Street. From there, participants will turn east on 15th.

Meanwhile, Harrison Street will be closed to cars between 16th and 24th streets from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The closure will allow for booths featuring music, dance, costumes, and food from various countries.

The parade route. | Image: Via Carnaval San Francisco

Drivers should expect street closures starting on Friday at 7 p.m., along with traffic delays, no-parking zones and crowded buses on Harrison Street. On Sunday, these delays will expand along the Grand Parade route through the Mission.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) said that large crowds are expected on Saturday for the festival along Harrison. "Plan ahead, and consider public transportation, including BART, as your first option," transit agency representatives wrote, noting that the 16th-Mission and 24th-Mission BART stations are good access points to the festivities.

As for city buses to Carnaval, Muni suggests the 9-San Bruno, 12-Folsom-Pacific, 14-Mission, 14R-Mission Rapid, 22-Fillmore, 27-Bryant, 33-Ashbury/18th St., 48-Quintara/24th Street, 49-Van Ness/Mission, 55-16th Street, and the 67-Bernal Heights routes.

While there are are no planned service changes for the festival on Saturday, some of these routes listed will experience increased ridership and minor delays in the area of the event, the agency said.

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During Sunday's parade, the 12-Folsom-Pacific, 14-Mission, 14R-Mission Rapid, 22-Fillmore, 27-Bryant, 33-Ashbury/18th St., 48-Quintara/24th Street, 49-Van Ness/Mission, 55-16th Street, and the 67-Bernal Heights lines will see reroutes.

The festival will also affect local businesses, especially animal rescue organizations and veterinary hospitals.

Because of the street closures, popular climbing gym Mission Cliffs (2295 Harrison St.) will close altogether on Sunday. As for Saturday, the gym alerts its customers that "it will be challenging making your way [here]," so be advised.

Since Muttville Senior Dog Rescue (255 Alabama St.) is located a block away from the festivities, it's looking for short-term fosters from today through next Tuesday. "[Carnaval] is very loud and stressful for the mutts," representatives say, and getting them away from the noise is key.

Also at 255 Alabama St., Animal Care & Control (ACC)'s city shelter will only offer limited services on Saturday, and will close on Sunday. Shelter staff can be contacted by ringing the bell for entry. (Editor's note: The author of this story volunteers at Muttville and ACC.)

Animal guardians should also know that veterinary emergency hospital VCA San Francisco Veterinary Specialists (600 Alabama St.) will not see patients over the weekend. Due to the street closures, VCA will remain shuttered from Friday at 6 p.m. to Monday at 8 a.m.

For those in need of emergency pet care, VCA suggests visiting the 24-hour emergency hospital on SPCA's Pacific Heights campus.PRAGUE (AP)  The European Parliament elections shifted to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Malta and Latvia on Saturday as voters in those European Union nations took part in a landmark ballot in which resurgent nationalists are challenging traditional parties over the future of Europe.

The stakes for the EU are especially high in this year's vote, which is taking place in all of its 28 nations from Thursday to Sunday. Voters are electing 751 lawmakers, with each nation apportioned a number of seats based on its population, for a legislature that increasingly affects the everyday lives of ordinary Europeans.

Anti-immigrant and far-right groups are hoping to gain ground in the European Parliament and use it to claw back power from the EU for their national governments. Moderate parties, on the other hand, want to cement closer ties among countries in the EU, which was created in the wake of World War II to prevent renewed conflict.

"We stand at a crossroads  that is, whether the EU is going to be stronger and more integrated or, quite the contrary, a process of its weakening is to begin," Zuzana Caputova, Slovakia's president-elect, told reporters after voting in the town of Pezinok.

A Slovak far-right party that openly admires the country's wartime Nazi puppet state could win seats in the European Parliament for the first time. Its members use Nazi salutes, blame the Roma minority for crime, consider NATO a terror group and want the country to leave the western military alliance and the EU.

Polls in Slovakia favor the leftist Smer-Social Democracy party, the senior member of Slovakia's current coalition government, to win the most votes. But the polls also suggest that the far-right People's Party Our Slovakia will win seats in the European legislature for the first time.

In neighboring Czech Republic, a centrist party led by populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis expected to win the most votes, despite the fact that Babis is facing fraud charges involving the use of EU funds. Babis wants his country to remain in the bloc but is calling for EU reforms.

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Meanwhile the Czech Republic's most ardent anti-EU group, the Freedom and Direct Democracy party, is predicted to capture its first seats in the EU legislature.

Britain, Ireland and the Netherlands have already voted this week, and the rest of the EU nations will vote Sunday. Official results will only be released Sunday night after all polls close.

The legislature affects Europeans' daily lives in many ways: cutting smartphone roaming charges, imposing safety and health rules for industries ranging from chemicals and energy to autos and food, supporting farming and protecting the environment.

Voting in the Netherlands may have already produced a surprise. An Ipsos exit poll forecast a win for the Dutch Labor Party, and predicted that pro-European parties would win most of the Netherlands' seats instead of right-wing populist opponents.

In Ireland, early vote counts and an exit poll suggest that the Green Party is gaining strength as it challenges three larger parties in both local and European Parliament elections.

In the Irish votes on Friday, an exit poll of more than 3,000 voters showed that Ireland's top two parties  the governing party Fine Gael and the more conservative opposition party Fianna Fail  are running neck and neck, followed by the nationalist Sinn Fein party and the pro-environment Greens. Early vote counts on Saturday in Ireland's local election confirmed these trends.

Vote counting in the European Parliament races will begin Sunday morning.

Overall, the European Parliament's traditional political powerhouses are expected to come out with the most votes. But the center-right European People's Party and the center-left Socialists & Democrats look set to lose some clout and face their strongest challenge yet from an array of populist, nationalist and far-right parties.

Those upstart parties hope to emulate what President Donald Trump did in the 2016 U.S. election and what Brexiteers achieved in the U.K.: to disrupt what they see as an out-of-touch elite and gain power by warning about migrants massing at Europe's borders ready to rob the continent of its jobs and culture.

The traditional parties warn that this strategy is worryingly reminiscent of pre-war tensions, and argue that unity is the best buffer against the challenges posed by a world in which China, the U.S. and Russia are all flexing their economic and military prowess.

___

Raf Casert in Brussels and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.

___

For more news from The Associated Press on the European Parliament elections go to https://www.apnews.com/EuropeanParliamentDragon Express. | Photo: Dain C./Yelp

Looking for a yummy Chinese meal near you?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Chinese restaurants around Mesa, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture when cravings strike.

1. Asian Cafe Express

Photo: donna k./Yelp

Topping the list is Asian Cafe Express. Located at 1911 W. Main St., Suite 3, the Chinese spot is the highest-rated budget-friendly Chinese restaurant in Mesa, boasting 4.5 stars out of 553 reviews on Yelp. This spot offers a wide variety of Chinese fare  try out a favorite like the cheese broccoli chicken with light sauce or opt for the Szechuan-style shrimp. (The full menu can be seen here.)

2. Ginger Zing

Photo: jared s./Yelp

Next up is Ginger Zing, situated at 3460 E. Southern Ave., Suite 109. With 4.5 stars out of 196 reviews on Yelp, the Chinese and Asian fusion spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for an affordable option.

Start off with appetizers like cheese puffs, crispy dumplings or edamame before opting for popular main dishes like the Mandarin orange, served with a choice of protein in a tangy sauce; the ginger Mongolian with onions cooked in a garlic sauce; or the Thai peanut with bamboo shoots and carrots. (Check out the full menu here.)

3. Dragon Express

Photo: veronica n./Yelp

Dobson Woods's Dragon Express, located at 1125 W. Baseline Road, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the inexpensive Chinese spot, which offers desserts and soup, four stars out of 251 reviews. From lo mein and chow mein to fried rice and veggie dishes, this spot serves up a variety of Asian dishes. (Check out the business' website to take a peek at the full menu.)

4. Nan Zhou - Hand Drawn Noodle House

Photo: Michelle l./Yelp

Check out Nan Zhou - Hand Drawn Noodle House, which has earned four stars out of 187 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Chinese and Asian fusion spot, which offers noodles and more, by heading over to 111 S. Dobson Road. Try items like beef fried rice, stir-fried seafood noodles, fish ball soup and more. Chef's specials like the salt and pepper ribs and specialty drinks like the honey peach smoothie are also on the menu.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.AM Thai Fusion Cuisine. | Photo: Jp I./Yelp

Looking for a sublime Southeast Asian meal near you?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Southeast Asian spots around Anaheim, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to fulfill your urges.

1. Thuyen Vien

Photo: Kate B./Yelp

Topping the list is Thuyen Vien. Located at 1740 S. Euclid St. in Southwest Anaheim, the Vietnamese vegetarian and vegan spot is the most popular Southeast Asian restaurant in Anaheim, boasting 4.5 stars out of 1,148 reviews on Yelp.

2. Urban Banh Mi & Bowls

Photo: Anthony L./Yelp

Next up is the Colony's Urban Banh Mi & Bowls, situated at 874 W. Lincoln Ave. With 4.5 stars out of 85 reviews on Yelp, the Vietnamese and Asian fusion spot, offering bubble tea and more, has proven to be a local favorite.

3. OC Tasty Chicken & Banh Mi

Photo: OC Tasty Chicken & Banh Mi/Yelp

Southeast Anaheim's OC Tasty Chicken & Banh Mi, located at 2117 E. Ball Road, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the Vietnamese spot and grocery market, which offers sandwiches and more, 4.5 stars out of 518 reviews.

4. Seasons Kitchen USA

Photo: Seasons Kitchen USA/Yelp

Over in Northwest Anaheim, check out Seasons Kitchen USA, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 368 reviews on Yelp. You can find the Malaysian, Singaporean and Indonesian spot at 641 N. Euclid St.

5. AM Thai Fusion Cuisine

Photo: Christian +./Yelp

Last but not least, there's AM Thai Fusion Cuisine, a West Anaheim favorite with 4.5 stars out of 332 reviews. Stop by 2941 W. Ball Road to hit up the Thai and Asian fusion spot next time you're looking to satisfy your cravings.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Bibibop Asian Grill | Photo: Dayne P./Yelp

Craving Korean food?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Korean restaurants around Washington, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to satisfy your cravings.

1. Bibibop Asian Grill

Photo: Pete V./Yelp

Topping the list is Bibibop Asian Grill. Located at 2805 M St. NW (at North 28th Street) in Georgetown, the Korean spot, which offers salads and fast food, is the highest-rated cheap Korean restaurant in Washington, boasting 4.5 stars out of 75 reviews on Yelp.

The chain Korean grill offers build-your-own bibimbap-inspired bowls, starting with a choice of purple or white rice, Korean glass noodles or salad. Then add protein, hot or cold toppings and one of six sauces. Teas and lemonades are also available, as well as miso soup and kimchi.

2. KoChix

Photo: Janey L./Yelp

Next up is Shaw's KoChix, situated at 400 Florida Ave. NW (between North Fourth Street and North Rhode Island Avenue). With 4.5 stars out of 273 reviews on Yelp, the Korean spot, which offers chicken wings and more, has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a cheap option.

Korean chicken wings and drumettes are the featured items, served with soy garlic, honey spicy or hot honey spicy sauce.

Yelp user Rasheed A. wrote, "These are hands down the best wings I've ever had. The execution is flawless, the flavor is decadent and the portions are generous. Highly recommend the soy garlic wings."

3. Penn Grill

Photo: Flo S./Yelp

Downtown's Penn Grill, located at 825 20th St. NW (between North Pennsylvania Avenue and North H Street), is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the budget-friendly Mongolian and Korean spot, which offers sandwiches and more, 4.5 stars out of 197 reviews.

Jovita S., who reviewed the spot on May 3, wrote, "It's so worth the price and convenience. You pick what you want, they stir-fry it, and you pay by the weight. Mine usually ends up around $7, which gets me full, so it's definitely worth it."

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4. BiBap

Photo: jack m./Yelp

BiBap, a Korean spot that offers salads, noodles and more in Dupont Circle, is another much-loved, cheap go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 122 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1730 Connecticut Ave. NW (between North R and North S streets) to see for yourself.

Mild and spicy ramen and classic bibimbap  rice topped with vegetables, chili paste and meat  served with an egg on top, are the main menu items, along with rice bowls.

5. Triple B Fresh

Photo: Titus A./Yelp

Also in Dupont Circle, check out Triple B Fresh, which has earned four stars out of 326 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Korean spot by heading over to 1506 19th St. NW.

Bibimbap is the signature dish here, with several options, including build-your-own. Kimbap (rolls) are also served, as well as street foods such as tacos, dumplings, seafood pancakes and red bean buns.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.WASHINGTON  In a letter sent to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Friday evening, 51 attorneys general called on the Education Secretary to automatically cancel disabled veterans' student debt, something that is not currently done by the Department of Education.

"We write to...urge the Department of Education to take prompt action to satisfy its statutory mandate to discharge the student loans of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled or otherwise unemployable," wrote the attorneys general. "As a nation, we have a moral obligation to assist those who have put their lives on the line to defend us."

The group included attorneys general from 47 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia. Alabama, Arizona, and Texas did not sign on.

More: Buttigieg's huge student debt

Three fast facts: Robert F. Smith gift to Morehouse highlights burden of student loan debt

In April last year, DeVos announced a new partnership between the Departments of Education and Veterans Affairs that would match borrowers in the Department of Education's records system with disabled veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs records system.

People deemed eligible for loan discharges would be mailed a letter including an application for "totally and permanently disabled" (TPD) status. Under the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, if student borrowers die or become permanently disabled, they are eligible to have their loans forgiven, so a successful granting of TPD status would allow for the complete discharge of student loans.

The attorneys general argued that automatically canceling the student debt would benefit veterans whose severe disabilities might prevent them from filling out the necessary forms.

Like what youre reading?: Download the USA TODAY app for more

Education Department spokesperson Liz Hill told Politico that while automatic discharge may seem like a simple solution, there are long-term impacts we want all veterans to have the chance to consider before their loans are discharged.

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Hill also cited "potential state and local tax liabilities" that could burden veterans after their loans were forgiven and veterans' potential inability to take out other student loans in the future if their current ones were forgiven.

Anticipating this criticism, the attorneys general wrote that "we think it likely that most borrowers would prefer to have one hundred percent of their outstanding loans discharged, even if this resulted in an increase to their state tax bill," though they considered adding a way to opt out of the automatic loan forgiveness.

According to a FOIA request filed by Veterans Education Succes, an advocacy group, with the Department of Education, more than 42,000 veterans are eligible for TPD status, but fewer than 9,000 people had applied as of the beginning of May 2018, More than 25,000 eligible veterans were in default.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 51 attorneys general call on Betsy DeVos to cancel up to 42,000 disabled veterans' student debtsICYMI: Here are our top stories from Saturday, May 25

Here are some of the top stories from The Kathmandu Post (May 25, 2019).A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Allegion (ALLE). Shares have added about 2.8% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Allegion due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.

Allegion Q1 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates

Allegion reported impressive results for first-quarter 2019, wherein adjusted earnings and revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

Earnings/Revenues

Quarterly adjusted earnings came in at 88 cents per share, outpacing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 87 cents. The bottom line was also 10% higher than the year-ago figure. The upside can be primarily attributed to impressive sales growth and improved operating income.

Revenues for the reported quarter came in at $655 million, up 6.8% year over year. The top line also surpassed the consensus estimate of $651.6 million. Revenues improved 5.8% on an organic basis. The stellar performance was backed by strength in Americas non-residential business, and acquisition benefits, partially offset by adverse impacts of unfavorable foreign exchange movements.

Segmental Breakup

Revenues in the Americas rose 8.2% year over year to $475.3 million. EMEIA (Europe, Middle East, India and Africa) revenues declined 4.9% to $142.9 million. Revenues in the Asia-Pacific surged 55.3% to $36.8 million in the reported quarter.

Costs/Margins

In the first quarter, Allegions cost of sales escalated 6.4% year over year to $378.1 million. Gross profit grew 7.4% while gross margin improved 30 basis points (bps) to 42.3%.

Selling and administrative expenses jumped 6.2% year over year to $168.9 million.

Adjusted operating margin expanded 10 bps to 17.1%.

Balance Sheet/Cash Flow

As of Mar 31, 2019, Allegion had cash and cash equivalents of $153.8 million, down from $283.8 recorded as of Dec 31 2018. Long-term debt was $1,401.3 million, down from $1,409.5 million recorded at the end of 2018.

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In first-quarter 2019, the company used net cash of $12.6 million from its operating activities, compared with $10.1 million used in the year-ago quarter. Capital expenditures totaled $12.3 million compared with $8.7 million a year ago.

2019 Guidance

Adjusted earnings per share are now expected in the range of $4.75 to $4.90, reflecting an increase of 6% to 9% year over year.

The company expects full-year 2019 revenue growth on both reported and organic basis in the band of 5-6%.

Full-year adjusted effective tax rate is anticipated to be 16%.

Available cash flow is targeted to be approximately $430-$450 million.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

In the past month, investors have witnessed an upward trend in fresh estimates.

VGM Scores

Currently, Allegion has an average Growth Score of C, a grade with the same score on the momentum front. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of D. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Estimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of this revision looks promising. Notably, Allegion has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.



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



Allegion PLC (ALLE) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.* Crowded field of prize contenders at Cannes film festival

* Winner of 2019 Palme d'Or to be announced Saturday night

* Almodovar, Bong Joon-ho among those tipped for glory

* France's Sciamma, veteran Ken Loach also in spotlight

By Sarah White

CANNES, France, May 25 (Reuters) - An introspective turn by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar with a movie about an filmmaker, and a darkly humourous South Korean thriller are among the movies sparking awards buzz at Cannes in an unusually crowded field of runners and riders this year.

The film festival's top Palme d'Or prize will be announced on Saturday evening after the jury headed up by Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu hash out their picks from the movies vying in the main selection.

"It's been quite a strong year in all the competitions at Cannes," said Meredith Taylor, editor of arthouse film site Filmuforia, adding that she had handed out more four-star reviews than usual.

Cannes juries have been known to stump critics, however.

"Quite often an outsider comes in," Taylor said.

French director Celine Sciamma has also earned glowing praise for period love story "Portrait Of A Lady On Fire," while first time director Ladj Ly of France impressed with the politically charged "Les Miserables," a tale of police violence.

And as well as Almodovar's "Pain And Glory," the festival was not short of other strong entries from Cannes darlings, including two-time Palme d'Or winner Ken Loach with a searing swipe at Britain's gig economy in "I'm Sorry We Missed You."

Almodovar's return with his loosely biographical film starring Antonio Banderas, on top form as a tormented filmmaker looking back at his life, has nonetheless sparked talk of long overdue recognition at Cannes.

The "All About My Mother" director has never won the top prize at the French cinema festival, where he headed up the jury two years ago.

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His latest entry has him vying against another Cannes heavy-hitter in the field of filmmakers delving into the world of cinema for inspiration - Quentin Tarantino presented "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood," his ode to a bygone era in tinseltown.

Its star-studded premiere this week marked one of the high points of the festival, as Tarantino walked the red carpet with Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio in tow, though despite critical acclaim few have billed it as the one to watch.

Instead, Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite," a suspenseful, wickedly funny satire about class struggles has sparked buzz of awards glory for the South Korean director.

Few films out of the 21 selected for Cannes' main competition hit a bum note with critics - bar one-time award-winner Abdellatif Kechiche, whose three-and-half hour movie with extensive close-ups of a young girls twerking in a nightclub, "Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo," was panned by reviewers. (Reporting by Sarah White; Editing by Angus MacSwan)By Jeffrey Dastin

(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc shareholders overwhelmingly rejected a proposal that the company stop selling facial recognition technology to government agencies, while a resolution to audit the service drew more support, a regulatory filing on Friday showed.

Some 2.4% of votes were in favor of the ban. A second proposal that called for a study of the extent to which Amazon's "Rekognition" service harmed civil rights and privacy garnered 27.5% support.

Amazon's sale of the technology to law enforcement in Oregon and Florida has put the company at the center of a growing U.S. debate over facial recognition, with critics warning of false matches and arrests and proponents arguing it keeps the public safe.

Amazon has defended its work and said all users must follow the law.

These and other Amazon resolutions by shareholders faced an uphill battle to winning majority support, with Amazon's board recommending against them and founder and Chief Executive Jeff Bezos controlling 16% of the stock and voting rights.

Calculation of support was based on the total votes for, against and abstaining. The tallies excluded broker non-votes.

Law enforcement in the United States have used facial recognition for years, and vendors of the technology have abounded, including France's Idemia, Japan's NEC Corp and newer entrants like Israel's AnyVision and Microsoft Corp, which has called for regulation in recent months.

Now, members of the U.S. Congress are looking into the rights impact of the technology. Amazon's marketing of facial recognition has resulted in intense scrutiny, and researchers have said its technology struggled to identify the gender of individuals with darker skin, prompting fears of unjust arrests.

Among other issues shareholders considered before Amazon's annual meeting on Wednesday was a request to make it easier for investors to call a special meeting, which garnered 35.3% of votes.

A proposal that the company report how it plans to deal with climate change received 29.8% of votes. Nearly 7,700 employees had signed a letter of support of the climate resolution, in a sign of rising worker activism at Amazon.

(Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in San Francisco; Editing by Peter Henderson and Leslie Adler)The United States of America has flummoxed socialists since the nineteenth century. Marx himself couldnt quite understand why the most advanced economy in the world stubbornly refused to transition to socialism. Marxist theory predicts the immiseration of the proletariat and subsequent revolution from below. This never happened in America. Labor confronted capital throughout the late nineteenth century, often violently, but American democracy and constitutionalism withstood the clash. Socialist movements remained minority persuasions. When Eugene V. Debs ran for president in 1912, he topped out at 6 percent of the vote. Populist third-party candidates, from George Wallace in 1968 (14 percent) to Ross Perot in 1992 (19 percent) have done much better.

Keep this in mind when you read about the rebirth of socialism. Yes, Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are household names. Membership in the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has spiked since 2016. Forty percent of Americans told Gallup last month that some form of socialism would be a good thing for the country. Media are filled with trend pieces describing the socialist revival. A recent issue of The Economist devoted the cover package to Millennial socialism. The current New Republic includes four articles about the socialist moment. In March, New York magazine asked, When did everyone become a socialist?

That question tells you more about the editors of New York than the country itself. As Karlyn Bowman of the American Enterprise Institute has observed, views toward socialism are stable. In 2010, 36 percent of respondents to the Gallup poll had a positive view of socialism. In 2018 the number was 37 percent. In 2009, 23 percent told the Fox News poll, Moving away from capitalism and more toward socialism would be a good thing. In 2019 the number was 24 percent. Fifty-four percent said it would be a bad thing. Gallup found that less than half of America would vote for a socialist candidate.

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Socialism is in vogue because no one is sure what it is. The classic definition of abolishing private property, a planned economy, and collective ownership of the means of production no longer applies. More people today believe that socialism means equality than government control. Six percent told Gallup that socialism is talking to people or being social. The same Gallup poll that found 40 percent of the public has a positive view of socialism, however you define it, also discovered large majorities in favor of the free market leading the way on innovation, the distribution of wealth, the economy overall, and wages, and smaller majorities for free-market approaches to higher education and health care. Americans are very bad socialists.

And socialists know it. Thats why their most prominent spokesmen frame their domestic agendas in the language of the welfare state and social democracy, even as they celebrate, excuse, or defend socialist authoritarians abroad. Sanders told NPR in March, What I mean by democratic socialism is that I want a vibrant democracy. Okay, then  who doesnt? The following month he told Trevor Noah that socialism means economic rights and human rights. I believe from the bottom of my heart that health care is a human right. . . . To be a democratic socialist means that we believe  I believe  that human rights include a decent job, affordable housing, health care, education, and, by the way, a clean environment. But this is not so different from FDRs conception of the four freedoms. So what differentiates Sanders from a New Deal Democrat?

The less prominent socialists are somewhat more specific. Article II of the constitution of the DSA, to which Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib belong, states: We are socialists because we share a vision of a humane social order based on popular control of resources and production, economic planning, equitable distribution, feminism, racial equality, and non-oppressive relationships. That is closer to the traditional definition of socialism  a definition that implies a set of institutional arrangements that inevitably would limit freedom of choice.

Our task is formidable. Democratic socialists must secure decisive majorities in legislatures while winning hegemony in the unions, writes Bhaskar Sunkara, editor of Jacobin magazine, in his Socialist Manifesto. Then our organizations must be willing to flex their social power in the form of mass mobilizations and political strikes to counter the structural power of capital and ensure that our leaders choose confrontation over accommodation with elites.

Good luck with that. Before they seize control of the unions  which represent a paltry 11 percent of U.S. workers  todays socialists will have to overcome the same barriers that thwarted their predecessors. Nowhere has American exceptionalism been more evident than in the fact that the United States has been the only country without a major socialist, social democratic, or Communist party. The articles celebrating the rise in DSA membership to more than 40,000 fail to mention that there are tens of millions of Republicans and Democrats. Socialist politicians, activists, and theorists neglect the shaggy-dog history of their persuasion in the United States. The historical examples in Sunkaras book are almost entirely drawn from Europe. Its as if history began with Sanderss candidacy in 2016.

In fact, socialists have recognized the difficulty they face in the United States for over a century. In 1906 the German sociologist Werner Sombart devoted a monograph to answering the question, Why Is There No Socialism in the United States? Sombart noted the comparatively high and rising standard of living of American workers. On the reefs of roast beef and apple pie, he said, socialistic Utopias of every sort are sent to their doom.

American workers had won political rights earlier than their European counterparts, making them less likely to conflate civil rights with economic benefits. Americas liberal culture emphasized social mobility. The staggering racial, ethnic, and religious diversity of America made class-consciousness almost impossible. As Max Beer, an Australian socialist of the early twentieth century, wrote,

Even when the time is ripe for a Socialist movement, it can only produce one when the working people form a certain cultural unity, that is, when they have a common language, a common history, a common mode of life. This is the case in Europe, but not in the United States. Its factories, mines, farms, and the organizations based on them are composite bodies, containing the most heterogeneous elements, and lacking stability and the sentiment of solidarity.

When it comes to preventing socialism, diversity really is our strength.

The two-party system marginalizes small, independent parties and accommodates rising tendencies and programs within preexisting electoral coalitions. Most important of all, the Constitution decentralizes and diffuses power, making it extremely difficult to expand drastically the power of the state in the name of social justice.

In 1967, Daniel Bell offered an additional explanation for the weakness of American socialism: At one crucial turning point after another, he wrote in Marxian Socialism in the United States, when the socialist movement could have entered more directly into American life  as did so many individual socialists who played a formative role in liberal political development  it was prevented from doing so by its ideological dogmatism.

All of these various obstacles remain in place. In January, Gallup found that 77 percent of Americans are happy with the overall quality of life in the U.S. Sixty-five percent are satisfied with the opportunity for a person to get ahead by working hard. Fifty-three percent like the influence of organized religion. We have the best employment situation in half a century. Real disposable income continues to rise. Last year the Congressional Budget Office reported that all Americans have enjoyed an increase of post-tax income since 1979. Its doubtful that most Americans would prefer to revert to the world as it was in 1979, wrote Robert Samuelson, a world without smartphones, the Internet, most cable television, or laparoscopic surgery, and with the Soviet Union.

The United States is far more heterogeneous than it was 40 years ago. The success of identity politics and woke capitalism underscores the difficulty of making the sort of class-based appeals Sanders learned at meetings of the Young Peoples Socialist League. Americans put their familial, racial, ethnic, and religious attachments ahead of membership in an income or occupational group. Besides, some 70 percent of America considers itself middle class.

One of the reasons the socialist and socialist-curious candidates in the Democratic primary have been arguing against the Electoral College and for expanding the Supreme Court is they understand the challenge the Constitution poses to their dreams. The type of centralization and bureaucratic administration socialism requires is incompatible with a system of federalism, checks and balances, and enumerated powers. Fortunately, structural change is extremely difficult in our vast and squabbling country. It was meant to be.

The self-defeating tendencies toward radicalism and sectarianism are also visible. Expanding government to provide more resources to the poor is popular; eliminating private and employer-based insurance is not. Protecting the environment and reducing carbon emissions is popular; abolishing air travel and declaring war on cows is not. More money for teachers is popular; freezing support for charter schools, as Sanders called for this week, is not. DSA member Doug Henwood writes in the New Republic of a split emerging within the organization between Bread and Roses and the Socialist Majority Caucus. The narcissism of small differences has doomed such movements in the past.

Note also that Sanders has faded in recent weeks after Democratic voters encountered a viable non-socialist alternative in Joe Biden. Ocasio-Cortezs favorability is underwater. Medicare for All polls well with voters in the abstract  when they assume it means simply more of the current Medicare program  but support falls as soon as they hear about the conformity and control it will entail.

The good news is America contains antibodies against socialism. As Seymour Martin Lipset and Gary Marks wrote in 2000, Features of the United States that Tocqueville, and many others since, have focused on include its relatively high levels of social egalitarianism, economic productivity, and social mobility (particularly into elite strata), alongside the strength of religion, the weakness of the central state, the earlier timing of electoral democracy, ethnic and racial diversity, and the absence of feudal remnants, especially fixed social classes. The title of Lipset and Markss book is It Didnt Happen Here. And as long as we uphold and defend the political and cultural elements that make America exceptional, it wont.

This piece originally appeared in the Washington Free Beacon.

More from National ReviewBlantyre (Malawi) (AFP) - A Malawi court on Saturday ordered the electoral board not to announce the May 21 presidential election results, following opposition complaints of vote-rigging, hiking anxiety and tension in the southeastern African nation.

The High Court ordered a halt to the release of presidential results and a recount in a third of voting districts.

The electoral body had stopped releasing updated election results on Friday after it had received 147 complaints from some of the parties involved in Tuesday's vote.

The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) of Lazarus Chakwera went to court over what it claimed were irregularities in results from 10 of the countrys 28 districts.

The court in the capital Lilongwe on Saturday ordered that "the announcement of presidential results is stayed until the results ... are verified through a transparent recounting of the ballot papers in the presence of representatives of political parties which contested the elections."

The commission's chief Jane Ansah said they will wait for the legal process to be "concluded before announcing the results," without saying when this might be.

Chief elections officer Sam Alfandikatold AFP they would study the "grounds for the injunction and decide if we should challenge the order".

- 'Very glaring irregularities' -

Opposition parties have complained that figures on many vote count sheets were altered using correction fluid.

MCP spokesman Eisenhower Mkaka said they turned to the courts because of "very glaring irregularities" noticed on results sheets turned in from polling stations.

Some of the documents showed "the same handwriting coming from different polling stations which are miles apart," he said adding there was "a lot of tippexing".

"The tippex itself should be a red flag. It should be an indication of an anomaly and it should be a wake up call to the Malawi Electoral Commission that someone is trying to play some games.

Story continues

"What we are seeing is a fraudulent election, the result has been tampered with."

He also said in some cases results were marked on improvised papers.

Another opposition presidential contender, Malawi's Vice President Saulos Chilima, called for results to be annulled over "serious anomalies" reported during vote counting.

"These serious irregularities have, in fact, worsened and, in the process, the credibility and integrity of these elections have been significantly compromised," he told a news conference.

"In view of the chaos that has ensued... I am calling upon the Electoral Commission for the nullification of the aggregated vote".

A count of votes tallied in three-quarters of the country's polling stations, released Thursday, found incumbent president Peter Mutharika leading with 40.9 percent.

His closest challenger Chakwera of the MCP had 35.44 percent of the vote, while Vice President Chilima was on 18 percent

Chakwera on Wednesday warned of alleged attempts to rig the vote, saying his MCP had conducted its own count and this, he maintained, showed he was ahead.

The European Union observer mission has described the vote as "well-managed, inclusive, transparent and competitive".WASHINGTON  Federal prosecutors charged WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with espionage Thursday for conspiring to reveal national security secrets in what they described as one of the largest compromises of classified information in U.S. history.

The Justice Department revealed 18 charges against Assange. They include allegations that he aided and abetted former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning's efforts to leak classified documents to the anti-secrecy group and committed a crime by publishing them on the internet.

This release made our adversaries stronger and more knowledgeable, and the United States less secure," said John Demers, assistant attorney general for national security.

The charges are an escalation of the government's efforts to combat leaks of its secrets, and raised the difficult question of how  or whether  to distinguish WikiLeaks from journalists who frequently publish information the government would rather keep secret. They drew quick condemnation from advocates for press freedom.

Bruce Brown, the executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said criminalizing the receipt and publication of classified documents threatens all journalists. "Any government use of the Espionage Act to criminalize the receipt and publication of classified information poses a dire threat to journalists seeking to publish such information in the public interest," he said.

Assange has argued that he should be immune from prosecution as a journalist, authorities said he was charged for releasing a narrow class of documents that dealt with people who provided the United States with intelligence in war zones. The WikiLeaks databases contain approximately 90,000 Afghanistan War-related significant activity reports, 400,000 Iraq War-related significant activities reports, 800 Guantanamo Bay detainee assessment briefs and 250,000 U.S. Department of State cables, according to prosecutors.

Story continues

The department takes seriously the role of journalists in our democracy, and we thank you for it. It is not and never has been the department's policy to target them for reporting," Demers said. "But Julian Assange is no journalist."

Indeed, no responsible actor, journalist or otherwise, would purposely publish the names of individuals he or she knew to be confidential human sources in war zones," Demers said.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gestures from the window of a prison van as he is driven into Southwark Crown Court in London on May 1, 2019.

The Justice Department revealed in April that it had filed a criminal case against Assange after Ecuador expelled him from its embassy in London. That charge alleged that he conspired with Manning to crack a password to a military computer where classified information was stored. The case was filed in 2018 but kept secret for more than a year.

The allegations revealed on Thursday were more wide-ranging and more directly related to WikiLeaks' efforts to obtain and publish U.S. government secrets.

Barry Pollack, Assange's lawyer, said it is unprecedented for the government to charge someone under the Espionage Act for encouraging sources to provide truthful information and then publishing it.

"The fig leaf that this is merely about alleged computer hacking has been removed," Pollack said. "These unprecedented charges demonstrate the gravity of the threat the criminal prosecution of Julian Assange poses to all journalists in their endeavor to inform the public about actions that have taken by the U.S. government. "

WikiLeaks tweeted that the case marked the end of national-security journalism.

"This is madness," the group said. "It is the end of national security journalism and the First Amendment."

Nearly all of the new charges against Assange accuse him of violating the Espionage Act, a federal law meant to safeguard defense information. It's unusual for prosecutors to bring such a case against someone who does not work for the government and has not promised to keep its secrets.

The charges include one count of conspiracy to receive national security information, seven counts of obtaining it, nine counts of disclosing it and one count of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion. Prosecutors alleged that Assange also revealed the names of intelligence sources in Afghanistan, China, Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Assange is alleged to have created grave and imminent risk to their lives and liberty, Demers said.

Assange is not charged simply because he was a publisher, said Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, where the charges against Assange were filed.

Assange was arrested April 11 in London after Ecuador's government ended his seven years of self-imposed exile and expelled him from its London embassy. He is fighting extradition to the United States.

Over four months in 2010, Manning downloaded hundreds of thousands of secret reports on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as State Department cables and information about detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Manning turned the records over to WikiLeaks, which passed them to journalists and published them on the internet.

Assange had been holed up with political asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012. After his arrest, he was sentenced in Britain to 50 weeks in jail for jumping bail while facing extradition to Sweden on sexual-assault allegations.

Assange also faces sexual misconduct allegations in Sweden. While one Swedish case of alleged sexual misconduct against Assange was dropped in 2017, when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. The statute of limitations in the rape case expires in August 2020. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual.

More on Julian Assange's legal battles:

Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder, faces US hacking conspiracy charge

WikiLeaks' Julian Assange given 50-week jail sentence for skipping bail

Sweden requests detention order for Julian Assange

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Julian Assange is no journalist.' Feds charge WikiLeaks founder for revealing U.S. government secretsBy Andrew Hay

May 24 (Reuters) - U.S. Border Patrol is considering another tent facility in Yuma, Arizona, after installing two in Texas, to cope with a surge in Central American migrants that has overwhelmed the agency.

Once one of the quietest sectors of the 2,000-mile U.S. Mexico border, Yuma now ranks third for apprehensions as smugglers guide record numbers of families and unaccompanied children under or over fences and across the Colorado River.

The "soft-sided" Yuma structure would follow similar so-called tent cities opened in El Paso and Donna, Texas, this month, each able to house 500 people overnight.

"Due to the sustained influx of migrants being apprehended in the Yuma sector, in excess of current capacity, the United States Border Patrol is exploring constructing a temporary soft-sided facility in Yuma, Arizona," U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement on Friday.

Nearly half of migrants now arrested on the border are traveling with children, and agencies are struggling to hold families in stations built decades ago for single adults, Border Patrol chief Carla Provost told a Senate committee on May 8.

"We consider 4,000 detainees to be a high number of migrants in custody, and in the past had considered 6,000 detainees a crisis. In this fiscal year, CBP has already experienced more than 14,000 detainees in custody on a single day," Provost said.

Reuters photos show that overcrowding has forced migrants outside a large processing center in McAllen, Texas, to sleep on the ground.

The center temporarily closed this week due to a flu outbreak and a 16-year-old Guatemalan boy died on Monday after passing through the detention facility. He was the sixth Guatemalan child to die since September after being apprehended at the border.

The migrant influx at Yuma is part of a border-wide trend which saw immigration authorities arrest nearly 99,000 people in April, the highest figure since 2007.

To alleviate overcrowding, Border Patrol has released migrants directly into local communities like Yuma and Deming, New Mexico. Both cities have declared states of emergency to gain federal and state funds to cope with the influx. (Reporting By Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)An asteroid thats nearly a mile wide and has its own moon is set to zip by Earth during the weekend.

Together, the two space rocks are known as a binary asteroid system, meaning two asteroids that orbit each other. The binary asteroid, called 1999 KW4 by NASA, will be around 3 million miles away from Earth at its closest point around 7:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, NBC News reports.

Although some outlets have noted that the asteroid, discovered in 1999, is classified as potentially hazardous, scientists stress there is absolutely no danger of it hitting Earth.

The larger body in the pair, which is nearly a mile wide, has a large ridge around its equator that makes it look like a spinning top, according to CBS News. The smaller rock is about a third of the size of its companion.

The binary asteroid system in a NASA rendering. (Photo: NASA)

University of Arizona planetary scientist Vishnu Reddy told NBC that the asteroid system will be one of the closest binary flybys probably in recent history, but that it still will be too far away to be visible to the naked eye.

1999 KW4 will zip past Earth again in 2036, LiveScience notes. It again will be too far away to pose a collision risk.

Related...

Scientists Release First-Ever Photo Of Black Hole

NASA Confirms A Car-Sized Fireball Lit Up The Sky Over South Australia

Also on HuffPost

The Asteroid Belt Between Mars and Jupiter

This illustration shows the doughnut-shaped asteroid belt situated between the planets Mars and Jupiter.

Asteroids In Space

Artist rendering of asteroids in space

Asteroid Vesta

Image captured by NASAs Dawn spacecraft in 2012.

Vesta Close-up

Close-up of Vesta photographed by NASAs Dawn spacecraft. Scientists believe the asteroid may contain water ice.

Asteroid Itokawa

The near-Earth asteroid Itokawa. The boulder-free, smooth areas are filled with small, uniformly-sized particles.

Another Angle of Itokawa

Itokawa asteroid photographed by Japans Hayabusa spacecraft.

Itokawa (3)

A third image of asteroid Itokawa photographed by Japans Hayabusa spacecraft in 2005.

Asteroid Ceres (1)

The largest object in the asteroid belt is the circular shaped Ceres. Since 2015, NASA's Dawn spacecraft has orbited and photographed the nearly 600-mile-wide dwarf planet, including its numerous brightly lit areas, like the two bright lights of the crater called Occator.

Ceres (2)

Ceres Occator crater -- photographed by the Dawn spacecraft -- is 57 miles across and 25 miles deep and includes very bright surface areas that scientists suggest may be caused by volcanic activity, icy origins or salt deposits.

Earth, Moon, Ceres Size Comparison

A comparison of the size differences between Earth, the moon and asteroid Ceres.

Asteroid Lutetia (1)

Image of asteroid Lutetia captured by European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft on July 10, 2010.

Lutetia (2)

Asteroid Lutetia close-up view as captured by Europe's Rosetta spacecraft in July 2010.

The Halloween Asteroid

Individual radar images of the Halloween asteroid, 2015 TB145, photographed Oct. 31, 2015, by NASA's DSS-14 antenna in Goldstone, California, and the Green Bank telescope in West Virginia.

Asteroid Gaspra

Over 600 craters larger than 100 meters in diameter are seen in this image of the irregularly shaped Gaspra asteroid, photographed by the Galileo spacecraft on Oct. 29, 1991.

Asteroid Mathilde

Asteroid Mathilde was photographed on June 27, 1997, by NASA's NEAR -- Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous -- spacecraft, 2,400 km away from the asteroid.

Asteroid Eros

Close-up image of Eros photographed by NASA's Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous spacecraft in 2000.

Asteroid Steins

The 5-km-wide asteroid, Steins, photographed at 800 km. Scientists don't know how the asteroid survived the impact that left a 15-km crater.

Asteroid 2017 BQ6

This 11-image composite of asteroid 2017 BQ6 was created by radar data from NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar in California's Mojave Desert, Feb. 5, 2017, just five hours before the space rock's closest approach to Earth.

Near-Earth Asteroid 2005 YU55

Near-Earth asteroid 2005 YU55, a potentially dangerous item, was photographed by the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico on April 19, 2010, about 1 million miles from Earth.

Asteroid Ida 243 and Small Moon Dactyl

The Galileo spacecraft snapped this image of asteroid 243 Ida and its small moon Dactyl.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.Anil Giri is a reporter covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. Giri has been working as a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets.Associated Press

BOSTON (AP)  The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown and his ex-wife have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which she alleged he led a secret life during their marriage that included several affairs. Blythe Brown and Dan Brown have reached an amicable resolution of their disagreements, and will have no further comment, Blythe Brown's attorney Harvey Wolkoff said in a statement. In her lawsuit filed last year, Blythe Brown called her ex-husbands behavior unlawful and egregious and accused the bestselling author of secretly diverting funds to pay for gifts to an unnamed horse trainer.In this Friday, May 24, 2019, photo, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton is surrounded by reporters at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo. Bolton called a series of short-range missiles launched by North Korea last month were violations to U.N. Security Council resolutions, stressing the need to keep sanctions in place. Bolton said Saturday, May 25, 2019, in Tokyo the U.S. position on the Norths denuclearization is consistent and that a repeated pattern of failures should be stopped.

U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said Saturday that recent short-range missile tests by North Korea that President Donald Trump had dismissed as "very standard" were a violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions.

North Korea's test of short-range ballistic missiles on May 4 and 9 ended a pause in launches that began in late 2017.

U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea from firing any ballistic missiles, Bolton told reporters in Tokyo ahead of the president's four-day visit to Japan. In terms of violating U.N. Security Council resolutions, there is no doubt about that.

The missile tests appeared to be an attempt by North Korea to pressure Washington over stalled talks on potential de-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

While Trump had earlier boasted about North Korea's cessation of missile tests since he and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had begun face-to-face talks in June 2018, he downplayed the May tests in an interview with Politico two weeks ago.

Theyre short-range and I dont consider that a breach of trust at all. And, you know, at some point I may. But at this point 'no', he said. These were short-range missiles and very standard stuff. Very standard.

In separate comments to reporters, Trump said the administration was looking "very seriously" at the launches, adding:, Nobodys happy about it.

Boltons comments came a day after North Koreas official media blamed Washington for the failure of the last Trump-Kim talks in February.

In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency, a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman accused the U.S. of deliberately causing the collapse of talks by making unilateral and impossible demands.

The North has also strongly protested the recent U.S. seizure of a North Korean cargo ship that was involved in banned coal exports and demanded its immediate return.

Pyongyang said talks won't resume won't resume unless Washington comes up with a "new method of calculation," according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

Story continues

Washington says the talks broke down because North Korea demanded sanctions relief in exchange for partially surrendering its nuclear capabilities.

Bolton brushed off the North Korean rhetoric, saying, I take much of what they say with a grain of salt.

Calling the U.S. seizure of the North Korean ship appropriate, Bolton said it may be a good time to discuss the return of the USS Pueblo, a naval intelligence ship held by the North since 1968.

Bolton acknowledged the U.S. has not been hearing much from North Korea since Februarys Hanoi summit.

Bolton said the U.S. special envoy to North Korea, Stephen Biegun, cant wait to talk to his North Korean counterpart, but they havent responded, adding that Biegun was ready at any point to get on a plane and go anywhere.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bolton says latest North Korea missile test violates U.N. resolutionPhoto: Mike and Patty's/Yelp

Got a hankering for sandwiches?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable sandwich spots in Boston, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture next time you're on the hunt.

1. Spike's Junkyard Dogs

Photo: Verena C./Yelp

Topping the list is Spike's Junkyard Dogs. Located at 108 Brighton Ave. (between Linden Street and Harvard Avenue) in Allston, the spot to score hot dogs, burgers and sandwiches is the highest rated affordable sandwich spot in Boston, boasting four stars out of 256 reviews on Yelp.

2. Mike & Patty's

Photo: Ania Z./Yelp

Next up is Bay Village's Mike & Patty's, situated at 12 Church St. (between Tremont and Fayette streets). With 4.5 stars out of 1,542 reviews on Yelp, the breakfast and brunch spot, which offers sandwiches and more, has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a cheap option.

3. Roast Beast

Photo: Steve A./Yelp

Allston's Roast Beast, located at 1080 Commonwealth Ave., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the affordable deli, which offers sandwiches, burgers and more, 4.5 stars out of 474 reviews.

4. Al's State Street Cafe

Photo: Al's State Street Cafe/Yelp

Al's State Street Cafe, a spot to score sandwiches and more in Haymarket, is another much-loved, cheap go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 471 Yelp reviews. Head over to 112 State St. (between Butler Row and Broad Street) to see for yourself.

5. Blunch

Over in South End, check out Blunch, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 454 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the breakfast and brunch spot, which offers coffee and tea and sandwiches, by heading over to 59 E. Springfield St. (between Lincoln Place and Washington Street).

6. Piperi Mediterranean Grill

Photo: Kristina S./Yelp

Last but not least, there's Piperi Mediterranean Grill, a downtown favorite with 4.5 stars out of 470 reviews. Stop by 1 Beacon St. to hit up the Mediterranean spot, which offers salads and sandwiches, next time you're looking to satisfy your cravings on a budget

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.By Fabio Teixeira

RIO DE JANEIRO, May 24 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A majority of judges in Brazil's top court has voted to criminalize homophobia in a move welcomed by campaigners concerned about a rollback in gay rights and the murder of hundreds of LGBT+ people every year.

Six of 11 of Brazil's Supreme Court judges late Thursday agreed that acts of homophobia and transphobia should be treated under current anti-discrimination laws until the country's parliament passed legislation dealing with LGBT+ protection.

This would make violence against LGBT+ people a crime and make it illegal to deny access to education or jobs, to refuse service in stores, or to bar LGBT+ people from public buildings.

The court will resume voting in the first week of June, and, after the remaining judges vote, the ruling will go into effect.

Felipe Carvalho, president of the Niteroi Diversity Group, a non-profit that focuses on rights for LGBT+ people, said the vote was a "very significant step."

"This won't end LGBT-phobia, but it opens a number of possibilities for us," Carvalho told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Homophobia is common in Brazil, a deeply religious country where both the Catholic Church and the popular evangelical Christian movement are frequently critical of gay rights and violence against LGBT+ people is rife.

The ruling comes after President Jair Bolsonaro, a self proclaimed "proud homophobe" who took power in January, removed LGBT+ responsibilities from the human rights ministry and declared that Brazil must not become a "gay tourism paradise."

The court's judges said their ruling addressed a failure by lawmakers to legally protect the LGBT+ community.

At least 320 LGBT+ people were killed in Brazil in 2018 and 126 murders have been reported so far this year, according to watchdog group Grupo Gay da Bahia.

Brazil is also the most dangerous country in the world to be transgender, according to the Trans Murder Monitoring project, with at least 167 people killed in the 12 months to Sept. 2018.

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Human rights campaigners expected that the Supreme Court ruling would put pressure on lawmakers to finally act.

"We hope that this leads Congress to pass bills to protect the LGBT population," said Bruna Benevides, a LGBT+ campaigner who was suspended from the military after coming out as trans.

"In my case, (the ruling) can lead to courts recognizing my right to be (in the military)."

A day before the court ruling, the Senate approved a bill that would criminalize homophobia in a first round of voting. The bill will have to go through a second round of voting and then be sent to the lower house of Congress for approval.

The speaker for the Senate's bill, centrist politician Alessandro Vieira, said he would prefer Congress to decide the matter but the court's ruling was understandable because lawmakers had delayed LGBT+ legislation for so long.

"When we have a three decade delay (on voting LGBT+ bills), it's fair that the judiciary acts," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. (Reporting by Fabio Teixeira; Editing by Belinda Goldsmith Please credit Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, property rights, and climate change. Visit www.trust.org)British actress Emily Beecham won the best actress award at the Cannes film festival on Saturday.

The 35-year-old is the star of psychological chiller "Little Joe" in which she plays a scientist working on a flower whose smell can make people euphoric.

The actress -- the star of the martial arts television series "Into the Badland" -- joked that she was in such a hurry to rush back to Cannes for the awards ceremony that she forgot her toothbrush.(Corrects climber's age, paragraph 3)

By Gopal Sharma

KATHMANDU, May 25 (Reuters) - A British climber too weak to descend from Mount Everest died on Saturday, officials said, the eighth climber to die on the worlds tallest mountain and the 18th in Nepal's Himalayas during the current climbing season.

Hiking officials attributed most of the deaths to weakness, exhaustion and delays on the crowded route to the 8,850-meter (29,035 feet) summit.

Robin Haynes Fisher, 44, died in the so-called "death zone" known for low levels of oxygen on descent from the summit, Mira Acharya, a tourism department official, said.

He is the eighth fatality on Everest in the current climbing season that ends this month.

He died because of weakness after a long ascent and difficult descent, Murari Sharma of the Everest Parivar Treks company that arranged his logistics told Reuters. He was descending with his sherpa guides from the summit when he suddenly fainted."

Fellow guides changed Fisher's oxygen bottle and offered him water, but could not save him, Sharma said.

Garrett Madison of the U.S. based Madison Mountaineering company that sponsors climbers to Mount Everest said many were not "well qualified or prepared climbers" and were without the support necessary to ascend and descend safely.

"If they were with a strong and experienced team they would have likely been fine, but with minimal support, once something goes wrong it's tough to get back on course," Madison told Reuters.

Mount Everest can also be climbed from Tibet and casualties have been reported from there this season too. (Reporting by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Nick Macfie)State 2 nominated lawmakers warn of stern protest

Lawmakers of Province 2 who were elected under the Proportional Representation have warned that they would obstruct the Provincial Assembly in light of the discrimination they have faced in budget allocation.Ottawa (AFP) - Canadian Transportation Minister Marc Garneau said Friday he is considering requiring that pilots undergo simulator training on Boeing's 737 MAX before it will be allowed to return to the skies after being grounded following two deadly crashes.

"We should not, at this point, discount simulator training," Garneau told a press conference in Toronto.

"We'll wait to see what the final solution is, but it is premature to say that there is no requirement for simulator training."

His comments follow a meeting on Thursday in Texas in which civil aviation regulators from around the world failed to agree on the return to service of the Boeing aircraft.

The planes were grounded after two deadly crashes in Ethiopia in March and Indonesia in October that left a combined 346 people dead.

Investigators have focused on the MAX's anti-stall Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System in inquiries into the two deadly crashes.

Boeing last week said the MCAS update was ready for the certification process, and US airlines were hoping the planes could be back in the skies in time for part of the summer travel season.

But Daniel Elwell, acting head of the US Federal Aviation Administration, poured cold water on hopes of a speedy resolution, after revealing Boeing had held off submitting a proposed software fix for review after his agency raised additional questions.

He also said regulators have yet to decide on changes to pilot training once the adjustments have been approved.

The United States has differed with a number of countries on this issue, including Canada. Washington believes training on computers or tablets is sufficient for seasoned pilots but Ottawa wants to require training on flight simulators.

Nicholas Robinson, director-general of Canada's civil aviation, said Thursday the training was a "possible option" but added it was too early to say if it would be mandatory.Brussels (AFP) - Belgium's Dardenne brothers, already Cannes legends, with two Palme d'Or prizes under their belt, added to their tally on Saturday with the best director award for their story of a radicalised Muslim youth, "Young Ahmed".

After "Rosetta" in 1999 and "L'Enfant" in 2005, "we're starting with a serious handicap," joked Jean-Pierre Dardenne in an interview with AFP before leaving for Cannes.

For a film, "Cannes can be a loudspeaker or the Terminator," he said of Cannes' notoriously picky journalists and critics whose opinions can make or break a movie.

Their "Young Ahmed", which premiered at the festival, is a tight and tense tale of a teenager who embraces Islamic extremism, a sensitive topic in their native Belgium that suffered deadly attacks in 2016.

Like their previous gritty slices of working-class life, the picture is set in their native French-speaking Wallonia, an area that served as the base for the terror cell that also carried out the deadly attacks on Paris in November 2015.

"We don't make a film on a theme, we make a film on characters, we are telling the story of a child," said Jean-Pierre Dardenne, whose films are dark portraits of the region's most blighted corners.

The brothers, who are often called Belgium's kitchen-sink answer to the Coen brothers, said deadly Islamist attacks in recent years drove them to explore how young people can be led so far astray.

"We start the film with a boy who's been radicalised and try to tell how he can or cannot leave this kind of enchantment and come back to earth," Jean-Pierre, 68, told AFP.

"Our film looks at religion, how it can attract or take possession of you completely," Luc, 65, told AFP, noting that it was less concerned with the economic and social factors that usually dominate their movies.Photos: Petfinder

Start your day off right by looking at some charming cats! There are dozens of cats up for adoption right here in New York City.

Hoodline partnered with Petfinder, an online adoption site that lists more than 315,000 adoptable pets from nearly 14,000 animal shelters and rescue groups" to bring you this roundup of cats near you.

(Details like pet availability, training, vaccinations and other features are based on data provided by Petfinder and may be subject to change; contact the shelter for the latest information.)

Nylar, tortoiseshell and domestic shorthair mix

Nylar is a female tortoiseshell and domestic shorthair mix being cared for at NYC Animal Rescue Girls (NYCARG). Nylar is the life of the party  she gets along well with dogs, cats and kids. Good news: She has already been house-trained. She's vaccinated and spayed. Notes from Nylar's caretakers: Read more about Nylar on Petfinder.

Nylar was rescued from a very dangerous area in Crown Heights. While shy at first, she has really come out of her shell. She loves to play, loves her catnip and loves to be petted. She's very affectionate and gets along well with other cats. We also think she could be fine adopted as a single cat.

Toby, tabby

Toby is a male tabby cat in the care of Ready For Rescue. Toby likes to socialize, and he gets along well with other cats. He's already house-trained. Toby is already neutered and vaccinated. Toby's current caretakers say: Read more about Toby on Petfinder.

Toby is an adorable, super-friendly eight-year-old silver tabby. He's cuddly and curious, and his tail is always up as he struts around the house. He purrs often. He loves playing with his catnip fish toy and loves it even more when you watch him.

Miette, Chartreux

Miette is a female Chartreux cat staying at Zanis Furry Friends ZFF, Inc. She has mastered her house-training etiquette. She has been vaccinated and spayed. From Miette's current caretaker: Apply to adopt Miette today at Petfinder.

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Miette is a sophisticated lady that equally loves playtime and lounging around just looking chic. She loves meeting new people. Energetic and chill, there is no string (strap, rope, belt, power cord) she won't chase and no window she won't gaze through.

Zima, Persian

Zima is a female Persian cat in the care of Fur Real. Zima will do best with an owner who has time to bond with her. She'll need a home free of other cats. She is sweet with small children. She's already house-trained. Zima is already spayed and vaccinated. From Zima's current caretaker: Read more about Zima on Petfinder.

Meet lovely Zima, a mother cat from the streets of Qatar, who was thrown out in the rain in March 2019 with her three little kittens. She has a very laid-back personality and loves humans. She would probably be best as an only cat, so that she can focus on spending time with her humans and just chilling.

This story was created automatically using local animal shelter data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Ceviche 7. | Photo: Alicia M./Yelp

Visiting North University, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Austin neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a Peruvian food truck to a Brazilian and Tex-Mex eatery.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in North University, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.

1. Ceviche7

PHOTO: GYPSY R./YELP

Topping the list is food truck and Peruvian spot Ceviche7, which offers sandwiches and more. Located at 502 W. 30th St., it's the highest rated business in the neighborhood, boasting five stars out of 239 reviews on Yelp.

2. Taco Joint

PHOTO: BRIAN T./YELP

Next up is Mexican spot Taco Joint, situated at 2807 and 2809 San Jacinto Blvd. With 4.5 stars out of 388 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite.

3. Wheatsville Food Coop

Photo: IVY Y./Yelp

Wheatsville Food Coop, a deli, grocery store and bakery, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 358 Yelp reviews. Head over to 3101 Guadalupe St. to see for yourself.

4. Torchy's Tacos

Check out Torchy's Tacos, which has earned four stars out of 821 reviews on Yelp. You can find the breakfast and brunch spot, which offers tacos and more, at 2801 Guadalupe St., Suite 5-B.

5. Sao Paulo's Restaurant

Photo: HARSH P./Yelp

Finally, there's Sao Paulo's Restaurant, a local favorite with four stars out of 356 reviews. Stop by 2809 San Jacinto Blvd. to hit up the Brazilian and Tex-Mex spot next time you're in the neighborhood.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: Elephant Bar Restaurant/Yelp

Visiting Green Valley Ranch, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Henderson neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a Mexican restaurant to an artisan pizza shop.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Green Valley Ranch, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.

1. Borracha Mexican Cantina

Photo: borracha mexican cantina/Yelp

Topping the list is a cocktail bar and Mexican food spot, Borracha Mexican Cantina. Located at 2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy, Green Valley Ranch Casino and Resort, it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting four stars out of 810 reviews on Yelp.

With a nod toward the famed Day of the Dead, the cantina is decorated with festival skulls and offers Mexican-inspired dishes and a drink menu with beer, tequila and specialty cocktails. Stop by for made-from-scratch tortillas, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, short ribs and Baja fresh fish.

Click here to view the menu.

2. Elephant Bar Restaurant

Photo: elephant bar restaurant/Yelp

Next up is bar, New American and Asian fusion spot Elephant Bar Restaurant, situated at 2270 Village Walk Drive. With four stars out of 603 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. On the menu, expect Pan-Asian fusion fare such as Mandarin orange chicken, noodle dishes, lettuce wraps, Ahi tuna and a wide selection of cocktails.

3. Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana

Photo: marcia w./Yelp

Bar Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana, which offers pizza and more, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 140 Green Valley Parkway, 4.5 stars out of 1,039 reviews.

The pizzeria serves soft dough pizza, which is baked in a wood-burning oven; the Napoli-style pie is soft and foldable and is typically eaten with a fork and knife. Its signature pizza options include the Settebello (crushed tomatoes, pancetta, sausage, roasted mushrooms, toasted pine nuts, mozzarella, basil and extra virgin olive oil) and the Emilia (prosciutto cotto, corn, panna, mozzarella, parmigiano reggiona, basil and olive oil).

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Click here to view the full menu.

4. Thailicious Authentic Thai & Vegan

Photo: amanda m./Yelp

Thailicious Authentic Thai & Vegan, a Thai and vegan spot, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 527 Yelp reviews. Head over to 19 S. Stephanie St., Suite 160 to see for yourself.

The menu features pan-fried noodle dishes, fried rice and curries, alongside a variety of vegan options like the avocado green curry, made with fried tofu, sliced bamboo shoots, zucchini, eggplant, avocado and coconut milk. Beverages include Thai iced tea, homemade lemonade and butterfly pea lemongrass juice.

5. Me Gusta Tacos

Photo: sophia p./Yelp

Check out Me Gusta Tacos, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 410 reviews on Yelp. You can find the spot to score tacos and more at 2235 Village Walk Drive, Suite 153.

Taco varieties include carnitas, squash, chicken breast, pork belly, Korean steak and more. The eatery also offers burritos, with options like the California, with crunchy tater tots, cheddar, sour cream and a choice of meat. There are also quesadillas, nachos, salads and the Me Gusta Bowl, which includes quinoa, roasted corn, red cabbage, avocado, queso and mango dressing.

See the full menu here.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.BANGKOK, May 25 (Reuters) - Flames ripped through a load of cargo including chemicals in Thailand's eastern Laem Chabang port on Saturday, forcing officials to evacuate workers and temporarily close three piers, authorities said.

More than 130 people were taken to hospital, some complaining of irritation in the eyes and throat, others of a burning sensation on the skin, but there were no major injuries, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

Red flames and clouds of thick black and white smoke poured out of the South Korean container ship KMTC Hongkong Co. through the morning and early afternoon at pier A2, port director Yuthana Mokkao told Reuters.

Initial checks showed the blaze broke out in a load of cargo containing the chemical calcium hypochlorite, he said. "We closed the pier where the fire broke out and two others that were affected by the fire."

The fire at the port in the industrial Chonburi province, east of Bangkok, had now been contained and officials were looking for the cause, he added. (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Andrew Heavens)Chicago-based insurance company Snapsheet has secured $28 million in Series E funding, according to company database Crunchbase, topping the citys recent funding headlines. The cash infusion was announced May 20 and led by Tola Capital.

According to its Crunchbase profile, "Snapsheet delivers the best claims experiences globally. We provide unmatched technology and processes that improve customer engagement, provide organizational agility and realize real transformational benefits for more than 75 clients around the world. This is accelerated by how we continuously learn from and evolve our data-driven technology which improves analytics and decision-making across the entire claims process."

The nine-year-old company has raised four previous funding rounds, including a $12 million Series D round in 2017.

The round brings total funding raised by Chicago companies in financial services over the past month to $58 million, and increase of $51 million from the month before. The local financial services industry has seen 47 funding rounds over the past year, raking in a total of $805 million in venture funding.

In other local funding news, retail and service industry company The Small Exchange announced a $10 million seed funding round on May 16.

According to Crunchbase, "The Small Exchange conducts more participants to financial markets with simpler and smaller futures products. The company creates a future exchange to execute the trading of proprietary products for all types of market participants, with a focus on the public retail customer. It enables traders access to exclusive products that will develop new trading opportunities for investors of all sizes."

The company also raised a $10 million seed round earlier this year.

This story was created automatically using local investment data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Las Tablas. | Photo: Araceli C./Yelp

Looking for a yummy Colombian meal near you?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Colombian spots around Chicago, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to satisfy your cravings.

1. Las Tablas Colombian Steakhouse

PHOTO: BRENNAN B./YELP

Topping the list is Las Tablas Colombian Steakhouse. Located at 2942 N. Lincoln Ave. (between Southport Avenue and George Street) in Lakeview, the steakhouse and Colombian spot, which offers seafood and more, is the highest rated Colombian restaurant in Chicago, boasting four stars out of 923 reviews on Yelp.

2. La Parrilla Colombian Steakhouse

Photo: TED F./Yelp

Next up is Dunning's La Parrilla Colombian Steakhouse, situated at 6427 W. Irving Park Road (between Narragansett and Natchez avenues). With four stars out of 241 reviews on Yelp, the steakhouse and Colombian spot has proven to be a local favorite.

3. Pizza y Pan Pa' Ya

Photo: ADRIANNE B./Yelp

Albany Park's Pizza y Pan Pa' Ya, located at 3125 W. Montrose (between Albany Avenue and Troy Street), is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the Colombian and breakfast and brunch spot, which offers pizza and more, 4.5 stars out of 65 reviews.

4. ArePA George

PHOTO: AREPA GEORGE/YELP

Over in Humboldt Park, check out ArePA George, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 57 reviews on Yelp. You can find the Colombian and vegan spot, which offers empanadas and more, at 1552 N. Kedzie Ave. (between Pierce and North avenues).

5. Luna Empanada Shop

Photo: SABRINA R./Yelp

And then there's Luna Empanada Shop, a Portage Park favorite with 4.5 stars out of 51 reviews. Stop by 6011 W. Irving Park Road (between Mc Vicker and Austin avenues) to hit up the Colombian spot, which offers sandwiches and empanadas, next time you're looking to satisfy your cravings.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.By Dave Sherwood

SANTIAGO, May 25 (Reuters) - Chilean prosecutors are indicting at least 10 people over their alleged links to a human trafficking ring that smuggled hundreds of Chinese migrants into Chile after charging them $5,000 apiece for tourist visas, local media reported on Saturday.

Chile's foreign ministry confirmed in a statement there had been an investigation into a human trafficking ring operating in 2016 and 2017 but gave no further details.

The trafficking ring included several local and provincial politicians, as well as other government employees, crime prevention deputy secretary Katherine Martorell told local daily La Tercera.

"This is the largest migrant trafficking network that has ever existed in our country," Martorell told the newspaper.

In all, 381 Chinese citizens were smuggled into the country illegally by the group in 2016 and 2017, according to the reports.

Martorell said some of the migrants were conned, while others had been abandoned or otherwise put in danger. Some had since departed for other countries in Latin America, she said, while others were in the process of seeking permanent residency.

Chile, a relatively isolated Pacific coast nation, has increasingly become a top destination for both legal and illegal migration from poverty-stricken nations in Latin America and further afield.

The nation has the highest gross domestic product per capita in South America, low levels of corruption and the lowest murder rate, according to figures from the World Bank and InSight Crime, a foundation that analyzes organized crime.

Immigration into Chile has increased sixfold in less than 30 years, from 114,500 in the 1992 census, to 746,465 last year. (Reporting by Dave Sherwood, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)BEIJING, May 25 (Reuters) - China has made "solemn representations" to Germany after it granted refugee status to two Hong Kong activists facing rioting charges in the Chinese-ruled city, demanding it correct its "mistakes," state news agency Xinhua reported on Saturday.

Xinhua said the Hong Kong office of China's foreign ministry summoned Germany's Acting Consul General to Hong Kong David Schmidt for an emergency meeting on Friday, where a representative expressed "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition."

The two Hong Kong activists - Ray Wong, 25, and Alan Li, 27 - were former members of Hong Kong Indigenous, a group advocating Hong Kongs independence from China. They were charged for rioting linked to a protest that turned violent in February 2016.

The pair, who later skipped bail and fled to Germany in 2017 via Taiwan, told Reuters this week they were granted refugee asylum status in Germany in May 2018.

"(China) urges the German side to recognize its mistakes and change its course, and not to accept and condone criminals, and interfere in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs," Xinhua said.

The German consulate said this week it was aware that the two Hong Kong residents were staying in Germany, although it could not provide details on individual cases.

Hong Kong activists have become increasingly defiant in recent years, concerned about creeping interference from Beijing despite a promise of special autonomy for the city, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Scores of activists have been jailed on various charges including contempt of court and public nuisance. Critics said Hong Kong authorities have brought such charges to stifle freedom of expression and assembly.

Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam has also expressed deep regrets and strong objections to the German authorities.

Hong Kong authorities deny persecuting activists. (Reporting by Yawen Chen and Ben Blanchard Editing by Frances Kerry)Tea 'N' Bowl. | Photo: Jenny H./Yelp

Looking to satisfy your appetite for Chinese fare?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Chinese restaurants around Cincinnati, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture when cravings strike.

1. Tea 'N' Bowl

Photo: YVONNE C./Yelp

Topping the list is Tea 'n' Bowl. Located at 211 W. McMillan St. in CUF, the Asian fusion and Szechuan spot, which offers both authentic and American Chinese dishes and bubble tea, is the highest-rated cheap Chinese restaurant in Cincinnati, boasting four stars out of 204 reviews on Yelp.

From squid and oysters to roasted duck and Korean barbecue, Tea 'n' Bowl has many options that are mostly priced under $10. Look for plates like Thai basil rice with a choice of proteins or vegetables, pad Thai, Kung Pao chicken, squid with black bean sauce and shredded pork and bamboo tips.

2. Chung Ching

PHOTO: ALAN W./YELP

Next up is Chung Ching, situated at 5842 Hamilton Ave. With four stars out of 53 reviews on Yelp, the Chinese spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for an affordable option.

Find various dishes featuring seafood, beef, chicken, pork and vegetables, all served with either rice or noodles. Try the shrimp with noodles, roast pork rice or tofu and stir-fried vegetables with brown rice for less than $10. Save room for a honeyed banana for dessert.

3. Wok of China

PHOTO: NATALIE Y./YELP

Westwood's Wok of China, located at 5030 Glencrossing Way, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the budget-friendly Chinese spot four stars out of 22 reviews.

Choose from any number of combination plates, including chow mein with a choice of pork, chicken or shrimp; roast pork and sesame chicken, ranging from $6.25 to $6.75. Other options are sweet and sour chicken for $4.25, egg drop soup for $1.95 and beef with snow peas for $8.55. Wok of China also has a $4.75 lunch special Monday through Friday.

4. Wok Inn Express

Photo: CIARA B./Yelp

Last but not least, check out Wok Inn Express, which has earned four stars out of 19 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Chinese spot by heading over to 4609 Vine St.

Wok Inn Express serves a large selection of Chinese cuisine ranging from lo mein and fried rice to dishes featuring beef, chicken, shrimp and more. Enjoy lunch combination specials for $5.50 until 3 p.m. every day. Look for pepper steak, Szechwan pork, curry shrimp and orange chicken, all of which range from $6 to $10 each.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.LJ Shanghai. | Photo: Lucille H./Yelp

Craving Chinese food?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Chinese restaurants around Cleveland, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture when cravings strike.

1. LJ Shanghai

Photo: LAMAR M./Yelp

Topping the list is LJ Shanghai. Located at 3142 Superior Ave. in Goodrich-Kirkland Park, the Shanghainese spot is the highest-rated cheap Chinese restaurant in Cleveland, boasting 4.5 stars out of 216 reviews on Yelp.

Taste dishes like the Shanghai scallion noodles, beef curry soup, vermicelli noodles and soup dumplings. Prices range from $5 to $10 for most items.

2. Phusion Cafe

PHOTO: ARMANDO V./YELP

Next up is University District's Phusion Cafe, situated at 11611 Euclid Ave. With four stars out of 170 reviews on Yelp, the Taiwanese and Chinese spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for an inexpensive option.

Phusion Cafe offers Taiwanese noodles and rice bowls, priced from $6.95 to $10.95. Expect homemade steam pot stickers, Korean kimchi, hot and sour rice noodle soup, a peanut butter chicken Taiwanese rice bowl and more. A few American dishes, such as sandwiches, burgers and crepes, can also be found on the menu, in addition to bubble tea and milk tea.

3. China Wok

PHOTO: MICHELLE H./YELP

Old Brooklyn's China Wok, located at 3006 Broadview Road, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the low-priced Chinese spot four stars out of 16 reviews.

China Wok has lunch specials for $5.50 with choices like seafood, moo shu, chop suey, chow mein, fried rice, soups and various combination plates. At less than $10 each, look for the sesame chicken or the shrimp with lobster sauce.

4. Dragon Light



Photo: CHAD D./Yelp

Finally, over in West Boulevard, check out Dragon Light, which has earned four stars out of 15 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Chinese spot by heading over to 3537 W. 105th St.

Lunch specials run from $4.95 to $6.25, Tuesday through Friday. Overall, the menu is under $10, with options including black pepper chicken, chow mein, curry shrimp, sweet and sour pork, shrimp fried rice and egg rolls.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.The couple got engaged on the famous Cannes Film Festival red carpet. [Photo: Getty]

Czech tycoon, Milos Kant, proposed to his Portuguese reality TV star girlfriend, Margarida Aranha, on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet.

The couple stole the show as Milos Cant, who is thought to be around 65-years-old, proposed to 25-year-old Margarida in front of the cameras.

Margarida gushed about Milos proposal on her Instagram account.

She wrote: I said yes. The best moment of my life!! I love you so much.

The couple met after Margarida won Love On Top, a Portuguese reality show similar to The Bachelor.

The show sees five single men and five single women compete for the attention of fellow contestants in a bid to become the top man or top woman.

READ MORE: Couple defend life-risking Instagram shot

The photo shows Milos Kant down on one knee looking nervously up at Margarida. It appears he had nothing to be nervous about, after she immediately said yes.

The pair have been showing off their relationship on Instagram since they met in April.

Its said that they met at the nightclub Kant owns in Switzerland called The Princesse Club.

Since then, the couple have moved in together into a home in Switzerland and Kant has made his wife-to-be the executive director of events at the club they met in.

READ MORE: Swiss men have one of the lowest sperm counts in Europe

Its not just Margarida who shares their lives on social media.

Milos Kant has shared a range of images on his personal Instagram account, including his recent trip to Portugal to meet her parents.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Style UK:Looking for a tasty Japanese meal near you?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best high-end Japanese restaurants around Dallas, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture when cravings strike.

1. Uchi

Photo: sandy t./Yelp

Topping the list is Uchi. Located at 2817 Maple Ave. in Oak Lawn, the sushi bar and Japanese spot, which offers seafood and more, is the most popular restaurant of its kind in Dallas, boasting 4.5 stars out of 1,105 reviews on Yelp.

This small chain has locations in Austin, Houston, Dallas and Denver, and offers upscale fare like sake crudo with salmon and pickled cumquat; ribeye tataki with Brussels sprouts, fried egg miso foam and local greens; and beet tofu with furikake and tofu puree. Both cold and hot dishes are on offer. (Check out Dallas' menu here.)

2. Tei-An

Next up is Arts District's Tei-An, situated at 1722 Routh St., Suite 110. With four stars out of 526 reviews on Yelp, the bar and Japanese spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking to indulge. Owner Teiichi Sakurai moved to the United States in 1985 and honed his craft for upscale Japanese fare in the early 1990s before starting Tei-An.

The restaurant features fare from both land and sea, including popular options such as noodle bolognese with beef, mushroom, truffle oil and Parmesan and premium sashimi with shrimp, scallops, mackerel or tuna. (Check out the website here for a full line of offerings and for more information.)

3. Tei Tei Robata Bar

Photo: joey s./Yelp

M Streets's Tei Tei Robata Bar, located at 2906 N. Henderson Ave., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the fancy sushi bar, lounge and Japanese spot four stars out of 510 reviews.

Stop by and score rolls such as the snow crab California, spicy tuna or soft shell crab. Five-piece sashimi platters are available in a variety of combinations, as are entrees such as Alaskan crab legs, trout and beef steak. (Check out the website for a full line of offerings and for more information.)

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4. Nobu

Photo: tonia w./Yelp

Nobu, a Japanese sushi bar and Asian fusion spot in Oak Lawn, is another pricey go-to, with four stars out of 498 Yelp reviews. Head over to 400 Crescent Court to see for yourself.

This famous international chain has locations around the world, including brick-and-mortar restaurants on five continents. Expect fare options like tuna and salmon sashimi tacos; black cod lettuce cups; and seasonal oysters with house sauce. Reservations are recommended. (Here's the website.)

5. Shinsei

Finally, there's Shinsei, a Bluffview favorite with four stars out of 303 reviews. Stop by 7713 Inwood Road to hit up the sushi bar and Asian fusion spot next time you're looking to splurge.

Check out cold menu options like Elvis' Tuna Tartare with sesame, cucumber and jalapeno or the Shinsei Sashimi with yellowtail, super white tuna, jalapeno and ponzu. Warm options include coconut chicken jalapeno poppers, tofu tempura and salted edamame. A variety of other fare options from the sea, including shrimp, oysters and swordish are also on offer. Thirsty? Grab a signature concoction, beer or glass of wine. (Check out the website here for a full line of offerings.)

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Cannes (France) (AFP) - The first black women director ever to compete for the top prize at Cannes in its 72-year history took its second prize Grand Prix Saturday for her haunting ghost story about African migrants.

Mati Diop, 36, grew up in France and belongs to a Senegalese artistic dynasty that includes her uncle, acclaimed director Djibril Diop Mambety, and her father, musician Wasis Diop.

She told AFP after the red-carpet premiere of "Atlantics" that it was while she was making a short film in Senegal a decade ago that she began to wrestle with the tragic push-and-pull factors leading Africans to flee the continent.

"I was spending time in Dakar at the time and was struck by the complex and sensitive realities of the phenomenon we called at the time 'illegal emigration'," she said.

"Once I had finished my (short) film, I felt I still had a lot of dimensions and issues to explore. I had the desire and the idea to tell the story of youth disappearing into the sea, through the perspective of a young woman."

She chose a Romeo and Juliet story of star-crossed young lovers, but with a supernatural twist.

Critics adored her poetic approach, with the BBC calling the film "dreamy yet sensual, fantastical yet rooted in uncomfortable facts, Diop's beguiling film may even have reinvented a genre."

The heroine of the film is Ada, growing up in a poor district of Dakar.

Although her parents have arranged her marriage to a wealthy young man, Ada has already fallen in love with Souleiman, a builder who's been cheated out of his salary by a corrupt developer.

He and a group of fellow workers decide their only future lies in Europe and set off in a motorised boat known as a pirogue for the Atlantic.

- African trailblazer -

News of the boat's sinking and the death of its passengers reaches home but Ada can't quite believe Souleiman is gone.

Suddenly her friends start seeing him everywhere around town and Ada receives mysterious text messages on her mobile, while more and more people come down with an inexplicable fever.

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Their affliction, which also leads victims' irises to turn white, turns out to be a visitation of the souls of the dead, with Souleiman entering the body of a policeman.

The supernatural tale of love beyond death, which garnered strong reviews, drew comparisons to "Personal Shopper", the arthouse hit starring Kristen Stewart, and even the 1990 blockbuster "Ghost".

But the migrant crisis, in which nearly 2,300 people died trying to reach the shores of European countries last year according to the UN, adds political heft and moral urgency to the film.

Diop said that while the weight of the tragic situation was difficult to bear, she seized on the character of Ada, a young women who "wakes up to a new dimension of herself", as a ray of light.

Asked about her own role as a trailblazer at Cannes, Diop told reporters the news had "quite honestly made me sad at first because we had to wait this long".

- 'Black people in the room' -

Just four of the 21 directors who had been vying for the Palme d'Or were women.

She said she had had an "urgent need" to feel more represented on screen and see more people who look like her behind the camera, telling fresh stories.

"As a black woman I really missed black figures and black characters cruelly. And that's also why I made this film: I needed to see black people on screen -- huge, everywhere," she laughed.

"It's also something new. I can't believe when I go to see a Jordan Peele movie... I can't even believe what I'm feeling," she said, referring to the Oscar-winning African-American film-maker behind "Get Out" and "Us".

"I'm so excited, I'm looking at how many black people are in the room -- I almost count them... it's a little hysterical."

Diop said Cannes as the world's biggest film festival had the power to help transform the industry by knocking down barriers for previously excluded groups.

"Hopefully it will be more and more common that black people are in front of characters of the same colour. Inshallah (God willing)," she said.New York (AFP) - Does the indictment of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange under the US Espionage Act for publishing classified military and diplomatic documents threaten the constitutional right to freedom of the press?

Many legal experts fear it does, and say journalists could find themselves facing similar charges if they try to protect their sources.

"What he is accused of doing is exactly what professional journalists do every day -- seeking, receiving and publishing important information about our government," said Sonja West, a law professor at the University of Georgia.

"When it comes to the Espionage Act, this is a line that press advocates have been closely watching, and the Trump administration just crossed it."

Sixteen of the 17 new charges against the 47-year-old Australian unveiled Thursday by the US Justice Department are related to obtaining and disseminating classified information.

The military documents and diplomatic cables were obtained by former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, who was sentenced in 2013 under the Espionage Act to 35 years in prison over the leaks.

In a bid to head off a stampede of criticism from press freedom groups, Assistant Attorney General John Demers said: "Julian Assange is no journalist."

Ben Rhodes, a former senior official in the administration of Barack Obama, agrees.

"This is not journalism," Rhodes said on his "Pod Save the World" podcast.

"Julian Assange has essentially been operating at least in recent years as an extension of Russian intelligence. His motivation behind what he's doing is not transparency," he said. "It's on behalf of a very specific agenda."

But others note that the events date back to 2010, long before the 2016 presidential election campaign, when WikiLeaks published documents about the Democratic Party obtained by Russian intelligence.

"For the first time in the history of our country, the government has brought criminal charges against a publisher for the publication of truthful information," said Ben Wizner of the American Civil Liberties Union.

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"This is an extraordinary escalation of the Trump administration's attacks on journalism, and a direct assault on the First Amendment."

- Bound for the Supreme Court? -

For Floyd Abrams, a prominent constitutional law specialist, "the question, I think, should not be whether Assange is a journalist but whether the First Amendment protects his conduct."

Indeed, the amendment is seen as the bedrock worldwide for the defense of media rights.

"If Julian Assange is convicted... the concern is that there will be no meaningful principle to distinguish the rejection of the First Amendment argument for him from the application of the First Amendment defense to the mainstream media," explains Mary-Rose Papandrea, a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law.

"There actually isn't a very good way of defining who counts as a journalist these days," she said.

"There never has been, but particularly with the internet, anybody can be a journalist, anybody can be a third party that receives information from a source."

The indictment also raises questions about the precise scope of the Espionage Act, which was passed in 1917 -- shortly after the United States entered World War I -- to prevent leaks of confidential information during wartime.

"What makes the indictment against Assange so concerning is that it exposes just how vulnerable journalists are under the Espionage Act," West said, saying the law is written "very broadly."

The Obama administration targeted leaks from within the government like no White House before it, but did not indict any journalists under the law, and also elected not to file such charges against Assange.

Before Obama took office, a handful of people, including at least one journalist, were charged with violating the Espionage Act for obtaining and publishing classified information, but each time, the cases were dropped.

An editor has never been charged. Some say Assange would fall under that title at WikiLeaks.

Papandrea says she believes the Assange case will end up in the US Supreme Court, which has yet to consider the constitutionality of the law.

"If the US can prosecute a foreign publisher for violating our secrecy laws, there's nothing preventing China, or Russia, from doing the same," the ACLU's Wizner warned.Paris (AFP) - New players are exploiting internet lawlessness to disrupt democracy at this week's European elections, says a new report that points a finger at far-right populists and cyber militias.

With the vote running from May 23-26, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) investigated the role of covert digital propaganda in Britain, France, Germany, Italy Spain and Poland.

"New actors are taking advantage of the lawlessness of the internet, often aligned with hostile states such as Russia, as well as American special interests, but also creating their own, pan-European campaigns," said the report released Friday.

Populist parties, far-right cyber militias and religious groups are "adapting the tactics more notoriously used by states", the London-based think tank said.

- 'Out of the Putin playbook' -

Covert Kremlin campaigns in the 2016 US election may have inspired European actors who "have taken some pages out of the (President Vladimir) Putin playbook and are using deceptive and automated Twitter accounts to boost their causes and attack their opponents."

The connection to political parties was often opaque and kept at enough distance to maintain deniability.

"We also see ... personalised attacks and intimidation of opponents ... part of an increasingly coherent right-populist playbook to gain and keep power, sow confusion, undermine faith in independent democratic institutions and promote extremist mindsets."

Fearing a wave of disinformation the EU's External Action Service has set up a rapid alert system, with a dozen staff, to closely watch social media and warn of possible risks of interference.

But European officials told AFP this week there had not yet been any disruptive activity to justify a pan-European alert, and no indications of a flood of fake news or disinformation.

In Spain, ISD found a "coordinated network of Twitter accounts boosting anti-Islam hashtags and amplifying support for the right-populist party VOX".

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This included bots and inauthentic accounts, with over 4.4m of the posts in the past year concerning VOX, which denies links with the swarms of accounts boosting its campaign and attacking critics.

In Britain, support for most major parties was being boosted by suspected bots on Twitter.

"Forty-two percent of the most active accounts supporting official party Twitter handles show signs of bot-like hyperactive posting rates," it said.

"However, the Brexit Party is well ahead of the pack when it comes to benefiting from suspected inorganic amplification."

In Poland, ISD identified a "suspected coordinated network of pages, accounts and groups on Facebook used to promote nationalist party Konfederacja and to amplify anti-Semitic and pro-Kremlin content".

In Rome, US-based campaign group Avaaz reported 23 Italian pages with a total of more than 2.46 million followers which were spreading false information and divisive content over issues such as migration and vaccines as well as anti-Semitism.

- 'Hate-speech election' -

In Germany, the far-right AfD dominates Facebook conversation around the elections through hyperactive levels of engagement. The report highlighted the AfD labelling teenage Swedish green activist Greta Thunberg as a "child manipulated by 'eco-fascists.'"

ISD also found concerted attacks on the professional media in Germany and France.

It branded the 2019 vote the "hate-speech election" as digital discourse is "weaponised ... online mobs instigated by one party against another -- with evidence of automated digital militias specially programmed to spew anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic messages".

ISD identified over 365 pages, accounts and groups on Facebook, over 1,350 accounts on Twitter and over 100 channels and videos on YouTube that promote hate speech, disinformation or extremist content.

Common patterns emerged that "go beyond the copying of the latest electronic tactics and which together constitute a 'playbook' for a full-scale campaign against constitutional democracy".

Tech companies were struggling to keep up, it said, despite the EU and member states passing new regulation to curb viral deception and hate speech.

They were "failing to fulfil their many promises to safeguard the integrity of elections".

Facebook has taken down nearly 80 pages spreading fake news or using tactics that appeared aimed at unfairly influencing the vote, an NGO reported Wednesday.

Avaaz said it had alerted Facebook to more than 500 pages and accounts suspected of fuelling disinformation campaigns.

The ISD, which "seeks solutions to extremism", used social media mapping, undercover online reporting, media monitoring and policy analysis to track the campaigns.Brussels (AFP) - Slovaks and Latvians cast their ballots in EU elections on Saturday as the far right hoped to clinch major gains and deny a pro-Europe victory to French President Emmanuel Macron.

Polls were open in Malta, Slovakia and Latvia, with most of the bloc's 28 member states -- including big players Germany, France and Italy -- to vote on Sunday, with turnout expected to be low.

Polling has shown for months that eurosceptics and the anti-immigration far right could make big gains in the vote, which will also help determine who replaces Jean-Claude Juncker as head of the European Commission as well as other top jobs.

More than 400 million people are eligible to elect 751 members of the European Parliament, with the first official results to be announced late Sunday once voting in all EU countries is over.

France's staunchly pro-European Macron has a big stake in the outcome, hoping to see his centrist Republique en Marche make a strong showing and shake-up EU politics in a direct challenge to the nationalists.

But Marine Le Pen of France's National Rally and Matteo Salvini of Italy's anti-immigrant League want to team-up to disrupt the EU establishment, and are wooing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party to join them in parliament.

Salvini's League tops the polls in Italy and Le Pen's RN party has an edge in France, with around 25 percent support against Macron's 22.5 percent.

"Once again Macron is daring us to challenge him. Well let's take him at his word: On May 26, we'll challenge him in the voting booth," Le Pen said at a rally on Friday.

Eurosceptics got a major boost from Britain's Nigel Farage whose Brexit Party, according to polls, will score a resounding victory in the UK.

If that is confirmed, the veteran Brexiteer would likely group with Italy's anti-establishment Five Star movement to become another force to destabilise the Strasbourg, France parliament.

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Britain voted on Thursday, with Farage's in-roads helping push Prime Minister Theresa May to step down following months of Brexit crisis.

Farage was handed the opportunity when May was forced to hold the EU elections after delaying Brexit beyond the original date of March 29 because of deadlock in the UK parliament over her divorce deal.

- 'Biggest threat' -

However, Europhiles on Thursday got an unexpected boost after exit polls in the Netherlands showed a surprise victory for pro-EU socialists, giving hope to the political mainstream.

Traditional parties also had reason to cheer from an exit poll in Ireland that suggested Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's Fine Gael party, which aligns with the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), was in the lead.

The EPP, which is also home to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party, will likely emerge once again with the largest share of the vote but perhaps not enough to control parliament in a grand coalition with the socialists as it has done for a generation.

The Greens also claimed a solid result in Ireland raising their hopes for big gains in the wake of growing concern about climate change.

"After the Netherlands, the Green Wave has rolled on to Irish shores," said the party's co-leading candidate Bas Eickhout.

The days following the election will see the launch of elaborate negotiations to determine key positions in the European institutions, with an EU leaders summit on Tuesday to discuss who gets which jobs.

Turnout is as ever a major concern in the EU elections, with voters in Slovakia historically the least interested, having just 13 percent show up for the last polls five years ago.

"The biggest threat to our freedom is not Russia or (Austrian far rightist Heinz-Christian) Strache or Salvini or Le Pen or Orban; the biggest threat is indifference," said Dutchman Frans Timmermans, the lead socialist candidate, at a rally in Vienna.

Disinformation is also a worry, though evidence so far has not revealed the level of meddling by foreign actors seen in the US election of Donald Trump in 2016, EU officials said.

Fearing a wave of fake news the EU's External Action Service has set up a rapid alert system, with a dozen staff, to closely watch social media and warn of possible risks of interference.* More than 400 million can vote, election ends Sunday

* Polls suggest eurosceptic surge, straining EU

* Dutch, Irish voted already, gave pro-EU, Greens hope

* UK also voted, despite Brexit plan, but not clear how

By Alastair Macdonald

BRUSSELS, May 26 (Reuters) - Europeans vote on Sunday in an election expected to further dent traditional pro-EU parties and bolster the nationalist fringe in the European Parliament, putting a potential brake on collective action in economic and foreign policy.

Right-wing populists top opinion polls in two of the big four member states - Italy and supposedly exiting Britain - and could also win in a third, France, rattling a pro-Union campaign championed by centrist President Emmanuel Macron.

However, exit polls in some countries that have already voted have given pro-EU parties some comfort. The Dutch Labour party, all but written off, looks to have finished first, helped by the visibility of having the EU socialists' lead candidate, current EU deputy chief executive Frans Timmermans.

In the Netherlands, pro-Union parties scored 70%, up three points on the last European Parliament vote in 2014, and left the upstart anti-immigration party of Thierry Baudet fourth on 11%.

The Dutch also turned out in bigger numbers, albeit at just 41%, reinforcing hopes in Brussels of reversing a 40-year trend of declining turnout that critics cite as a "democratic deficit" that undermines the legitimacy of European Union lawmaking.

An exit poll after Friday's vote in deeply pro-EU Ireland pointed to an expected "Green Wave." Across the bloc, concerns about climate change and the environment may bolster the pro-EU Greens group and could mean tighter regulations for industry and for the terms the EU may set for partners seeking trade accords.

Britain also voted on Thursday and a new party focused on getting out of the EU was forecast by pre-vote opinion polls to come top, but there has been no exit poll data. Attention there has focused on the resignation of Prime Minister Theresa May. Results will be out late on Sunday, when all countries have voted.

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WAY AHEAD UNCLEAR

The challenges facing the European project include unprecedented transatlantic slights from a U.S. president who fetes Europe's populists, border rows among its own members over migrants and an economy hobbled by public debt and challenged by the rise of China.

But parties seeking collective action on shared issues such as trade, security, migration or climate change should still dominate, albeit with a smaller overall majority.

Europeans are preparing to remember events that shaped the Union. It is 75 years since Americans landed in France to defeat Nazi Germany and since Russian forces let the Germans crush a Polish bid for freedom, and 30 since Germans smashed the Berlin Wall to reunite east and west Europe. But memories of wars, hot and cold, have not sufficed to build faith in a united future.

Mainstream parties pushing closer integration of the euro currency zone's economy are struggling to capture the imagination of a public jaded by political elites.

Matteo Salvini's League in Italy may pip the Christian Democrats of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the bloc's power broker, to become the biggest single party in the 751-seat chamber.

Right-wing ruling parties in Poland and Hungary , defying Brussels over curbs to judicial and media independence, will also return eurosceptic lawmakers on Sunday.

The results should be clear by late on Sunday, with exit polls in Germany at 1600 GMT and France at 1800 GMT setting the tone before the final end of voting, in Italy at 2100 GMT, sees the Parliament publish its own seat forecast.

The result will usher in weeks of bargaining among parties to form a stable majority in the Parliament, and among national leaders to choose successors to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and other top EU officials.

Many expect a clash as early as Tuesday, when leaders meeting in Brussels are likely to snub Parliament's demands that one of the newly elected lawmakers should run the EU executive.

(Reporting by Alastair MacDonald Editing by Frances Kerry)INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  The day before the Indianapolis 500 dawned sunny, bright and otherwise perfect.

If only it were race day.

Angry skies and wind arrived Sunday morning, hours before the scheduled start of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." The threat of storms means a lot of uncomfortable waiting for IndyCar drivers and teams, track and series officials, broadcast partner NBC and about 250,000 eager race fans.

"I would just tell everyone to remember: This is Indiana," Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles said Saturday, alluding to the state's unpredictable weather.

If storms do hit the speedway, two things could happen:

 SQUEEZE IT IN: The race becomes official after 101 laps, marking the midway point of the 500-mile race. That means a window of a couple of hours would allow someone to reach victory lane.

The last time the race was shortened was 2007, when Dario Franchitti completed 166 laps before rain moved over the track. It was the first of his three Indy 500 victories.

There have been six other rain-shortened raises, including the 2004 race called with Buddy Rice in the lead with 20 laps to go, and the 1976 race won by Johnny Rutherford. He took the lead on lap 80 and needed to lead only 22 laps before the race was called after 255 miles  the shortest in history.

Boles said the race could begin as late as 6 p.m., given the amount of daylight this time of year. And with new broadcast partner NBC pouring considerable resources into promoting the race, network officials will no doubt be willing to wait as long as possible.

 RUN MONDAY  OR TUESDAY, OR WEDNESDAY: Only three times in 102 previous races has it been pushed back from Sunday. The last time was 1997, when rain brought a Monday start. Fifteen laps were completed before it was delayed again. Arie Luyendyk finally won on Tuesday.

The other times were 1915 and 1986, when bad weather sent the race to the next weekend. Bobby Rahal, whose son Graham will start Sunday, finally won that year's race when it was run May 31.

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The race also could finish on Monday if fewer than 100 laps are run Sunday. The race will simply pick up where it left off whenever the weather is clear, something that occurred in 1967 and 1973.

Regardless of what happens, officials are optimistic the track can be dried quicker than ever.

The speedway used a new sealant on the track after last year's Brickyard 400 that was primarily intended to strengthen the 14-year-old asphalt surface. But along with giving it a distinctive jet-black hue, it also helps water run off the track rather than soaking into it.

"Technically, the application penetrates the surface and closes off hairline gaps under the surface to help prolong the life of the asphalt," Boles explained during a test late last year.

Throw in the speedway's fleet of jet dryers to help speed the process, and the track can be ready to go in about 90 minutes. That is roughly half the time needed to dry the brickyard.

Boles was optimistic during a media event involving actors Christian Bale and Matt Damon, who are set to wave the green flag. He vowed Saturday afternoon, "If the day we have is like what we've seen the last few days, we will get the race in."

___

More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsAcarigua (Venezuela) (AFP) - Wracked with pain and anger, dozens of families gathered in front of a morgue in the Venezuelan town of Acarigua on Saturday after 29 inmates died in rioting at a police station jail.

"It seemed there was a massacre of these children in the police station," 50-year-old Zuleyma Ponte told AFP.

"My son was killed. Whose fault is it? It's the lack of supervision, the lack of serious government," he said.

The deaths came after police special forces intervened Friday to stop a "massive prison break," according to Oscar Valero, public security secretary for Portuguesa state.

The prisoners received the officers with "a hail of gunfire" while detonating three grenades that wounded 19 police, Valero told reporters.

As the clash raged, family members near the station said they heard detainees shouting, "Don't let us die."

"What we are asking for is, please, just give us our boys. They're not coming back, so give their bodies to their families and investigate those responsible," said Aliris Perez, a 34-year-old teacher whose 24-year-old brother died in the violence.

Perez, who was close to the station when the riot occurred, said he heard several explosions as "many authorities" arrived at the site.

Carlos Nieto, the head of a prisoner rights NGO, said the clashes broke out when special forces attempted to rescue visitors who had been taken hostage Thursday by the leader of the inmates.

An official of the National Service of Medicine and Forensic Sciences told VPI online television on Saturday that work in the morgue was delayed as they waited for supplies from the capital Caracas, about 200 miles (350 kilometers) to the east.

"They're sending us supplies, gloves, gowns, autopsy boots and scalpels, all of which we didn't have," said the official, whose name wasn't given.

Eight autopsies have already been carried out, the official said.

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- Overcrowding common -

Violence and overcrowding are common in the approximately 500 preventative detention centers in Venezuela.

The penal code says defendants should not spend more than 48 hours in these centers, but in practice they function as prisons, and it's often unclear who is responsible for them.

In the Acarigua police station, there were about 500 inmates in a space built for 60, according to an internal police report seen by AFP.

Bloody clashes and accidents often occur in the facilities.

In March 2018, 68 inmates died in a fire at a police jail in the northern city of Valencia, and in August 2017, a riot at a facility in the southern Amazonas state left 37 prisoners dead.

More than 400 people are believed to have been killed in Venezuelan jails since 2011, while human rights organizations also say they face a lack of food and medicines -- like much of the country -- while the facilities are beset by corruption.

Following the bloodshed in Acarigua, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights expressed its "special concern for the high levels of violence in Venezuelan prisons," and called for authorities to "protect the life and security of people under its custody."

Amnesty International Americas director Erika Guevara-Ross blamed the Venezuelan government, writing on Twitter that, "because these people were under the custody of the state... the government of (President) Nicolas Maduro is principally responsible for these deaths."CANNES, France (AP)  Elle Fanning, the youngest juror ever at the Cannes Film Festival, said she's been transformed by her experience at the French festival.

The 21-year-old actresses' jury service came to an end Saturday with the Cannes closing ceremony. She wanted the festival to keep going.

"I didn't know how I would come out of this experience. I do feel like I see films in a different way. I learned so much," Fanning said after the ceremony. "I will never forget these ten days. I don't want it to be over."

Fanning was part of the nine-person jury that elected Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite" the Palme d'Or winner. Mexican director Alejandro Inarritu, president of the jury, praised Fanning for bringing a younger perspective to the jury.

"Having Elle in the jury was a gift," said Inarritu. "Elle is an old soul in a way. She has been doing films forever. But to have the fresh ideas, it really grounded us."

"We saw it through her young eyes," he added. "We learned a lot from her too."

Throughout the French film festival, Fanning was one of the standouts of the red carpet, regularly drawing praise for her glamorous and varied looks.

The only downside of her Cannes may have been when she collapsed at the Chopard Trophee dinner on Monday. She later posted on Instagram a thumbs-up photo and said she had fainted because her Prada gown was too tight.A federal judge Friday partially blocked President Donald Trump's plan to fund his wall along the U.S.-Mexico border  a move that the White House will likely appeal.

Approximately $1 billion was blocked. The money was to come from funding the White House planned to transfer from the Department of Defense under the president's national emergency plan, according to a preliminary ruling. In addition, the Trump administration cannot construct a barrier in areas near Yuma, Arizona and El Paso, Texas.

The ruling from Haywood Gilliam, Jr., of the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California, however, does not prevent the Trump administration from allocating funds from their other sources.

Trump declared a national emergency in February to allocate funds for his barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border, after Congress rejected his request for $5.7 billion for the wall.

More: Trump demands legal immigrants reimburse the government for welfare programs

More: Trump to name Ken Cuccinelli to immigration job as White House seeks 'tougher direction'

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC). They are being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Gilliam wrote in his ruling that he issued the preliminary injunction because the Sierra Club and SBCC "show that Defendants actions exceeded their statutory authority, and that irreparable harm will result from those actions."

He set a case management conference for June 5.

The ACLU in a statement praised the District Judge's preliminary ruling.

This order is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities," Dror Ladin, staff attorney with the ACLU who argued the case, said in a statement. "The court blocked all the wall projects currently slated for immediate construction. If the administration begins illegally diverting additional military funds, we'll be back in court to block that as well.

Like what youre reading? Download the USA TODAY app for more

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Federal judge partially halts Trump border wall funding, blocks $1 billionPhoto: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Its more doable than you think. According to travel site Skyscanner, there are plenty of flights from Atlanta to New York City in that time frame, and the prices aren't too shabby.

So if you're looking for a change of scenery, here are some deals to put on your to-do list. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Flight deals to New York City

The cheapest flights between Atlanta and New York City are if you leave on May 31 and return from New York on June 4. Frontier Airlines currently has roundtrip tickets for $192.

There are also deals to be had earlier in May. If you fly out of Atlanta on May 30 and return from New York City on June 3, jetBlue can get you there and back for $197 roundtrip.

Top New York City hotels

To plan your stay, here are two of New York Citys top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms at The Standard, High Line have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown, which has rooms for $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, The Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Top picks for dining and drinking

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New York City has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

"The chocolate chip walnut cookie is amazing!" wrote visitor Sandy.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for a local favorite restaurant pick, head to the Red Rooster, with 4.5 stars from 56 reviews.

The Red Rooster is part of the vibrant Harlem community. The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Featured New York City attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are two popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park. It checks in with 4.6 stars from 469 reviews.

Located in the heart of New York City, The Brooklyn Bridge Park is a great place for tourists and residents to visit. This park is located beside the Brooklyn Bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city.

The Statue of Liberty (New York)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, consider checking out The Statue of Liberty. It has 4.9 stars from 410 reviews.

Lady Liberty has welcomed the grandparents and great-grandparents of many Americans. A symbol of the country's possibilities, The Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Thankfully, there are plenty of regular, relatively inexpensive flights between Fresno and New York City. We pulled from travel site Skyscanner to provide you with a short list of flights and hotels handpicked for the occasion. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

Currently, the cheapest flights between Fresno and New York City are if you leave on May 30 and return from New York on June 3. Frontier Airlines currently has tickets for $310, roundtrip.

If you fly out of Fresno on May 30 and return from New York City on June 2, Frontier Airlines can get you there and back for $466 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

Regarding where to stay, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms at The Standard, High Line have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown, which has rooms for $204/night.

This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views. The hotel also has an outdoor pool.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, there's Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night.

Ace Hotel New York is a 12-story hotel in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. There is a subway stop right around the corner and it's within walking distance of many popular destinations like Times Square, Empire State Building, Macy's and the Broadway theaters.

Local restaurant picks

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New York City has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Let's start with the essentials: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other equally creative takes on traditional baked goods. The business mission from the start was to bake everything fresh and on-site each day and to donate the days leftovers to charity each night, a mission that remains solidly in place.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for a local favorite restaurant pick, head to The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"Best meatballs I ever had!" wrote reviewer ABelle. "I got the kitchen sink and the meatball burger ... the kitchen sink was delish! It was cooked with pork and spicy seasonings, topped with mushroom gravy and loaded with different types of greens."

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Also worth considering is Red Rooster.

The menu at Red Rooster reflects on the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The eatery features a takeout market, welcoming bar and restaurant.

"The attention to detail in every part of this dining experience really made it a stand out that we'll remember," wrote John349.

Dominique Ansel Bakery (189 Spring St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, there's Dominique Ansel Bakery.

"A visit to New York meant that we had to visit the bakery that started the cronut craze," wrote Trina."If youre in the area, you should definitely stop by for a treat. Their cronut flavors rotate monthly and they never feature the same flavor twice. The cronut has flaky layers of pastry with a cream bursting from inside. It was really good."

What to see and do in New York City

Not sure what to do in New York City, besides eat and drink? Here are a few recommendations, provided by Skyscanner.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Located in the heart of New York City, the Brooklyn Bridge Park is a great opportunity for tourists and residents to visit. This park is located beside the Brooklyn bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary. "The best place to take pictures is at the two towers of the bridge, where there's space for sightseeing away from the bike and pedestrian traffic."

The High Line Park (New York 10011)

Then, there's The High Line Park.

This repurposing of the old railroad line running through the Meatpacking District of Manhattan has become an outdoor favorite for locals and tourists alike. With wood-planked floors and landscaping, the High Line is a great place to escape the craziness of the city and enjoy a few quiet moments.

"The most fun place I have found to walk in the city yet," wrote visitor Lars. "The views are amazing and ever-changing. There is a lot of great art along the high line to enjoy and photo ops are endless."

The Statue of Liberty (New York 10004)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans. If you plan far, far in advance (at least three months and up to a year for high season), you can snag an opportunity to climb the crown.

"Spend some time exploring the park and then make your way down to take the tour from the bottom of the park. You will get some epic views of the NYC skyline, save hours queuing and get to explore Liberty Park. Wins all round!" wrote visitor Claire.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Fortunately, there are plenty of relatively inexpensive flights between Houston and New York City on travel site Skyscanner.

Heres a list of flights, hotels, restaurants and local attractions in New York City to round out your trip. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

The cheapest flights between Houston and New York City are if you leave on May 29 and return from New York on June 2. American Airlines currently has tickets for $258, roundtrip.

There are also deals to be had later in May. If you fly out of Houston on May 31 and return from New York City on June 3, Spirit Airlines can get you there and back for $262 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

To plan your stay, here are two of New York Citys top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms at The Standard, High Line have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, the Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Top picks for dining and drinking

New York City has plenty of topnotch dining options. Here are a few of the most popular, according to Skyscanner.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Let's start with the essentials: dessert. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

From the beginning, Levain Bakery has been a comfortable and inviting presence in its Upper West Side neighborhood where it boasts a steady stream of community regulars and tourists loyal to its diverse assortment of freshly baked products. The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other equally creative takes on traditional baked goods.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New York City's most popular restaurants is Red Rooster, with 4.5 stars from 56 reviews.

The Red Rooster is part of the vibrant Harlem community. The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

"I am writing this at home after one of the most amazing meals I've ever had," wrote reviewer John349. "I cannot say enough how absolutely delicious every meal that was ordered at our table was."

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is The Meatball Shop.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Top New York City attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are a couple of popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Located in the heart of New York City, Brooklyn Bridge Park is a great opportunity for tourists and residents to visit. This park is located beside the Brooklyn Bridge, considered one of the portals into the city. Although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary.

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty.

Lady Liberty has welcomed the grandparents and great-grandparents of many Americans. A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Its more doable than you think. According to travel site Skyscanner, there are plenty of flights from Las Vegas to New York City in that time frame, and the prices aren't too shabby.

So if you're looking for a change of scenery, here are some deals to put on your to-do list. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Flight deals to New York City

Currently, the cheapest flights between Las Vegas and New York City are if you leave on May 31 and return from New York on June 2. United currently has roundtrip tickets for $259.

If you fly out of Las Vegas on May 31 and return from New York City on June 3, United can get you there and back for $259 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

To plan your accommodations, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views that include the Hudson River, the High Line or the city skyline. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star-rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, the Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, try Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night.

The 12-story boutique hotel is within walking distance of many popular destinations like Times Square, the Empire State Building, Macy's and the Broadway theaters.

Featured New York City restaurants

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New York City has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

The bakery boasts a steady stream of community regulars and tourists loyal to its diverse assortment of freshly baked products. The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other equally creative takes on traditional baked goods.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New York City's most popular restaurants is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is Red Rooster, which is part of the vibrant Harlem community.

The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

"The attention to detail in every part of this dining experience really made it a standout that we'll remember," wrote John349.

Dominique Ansel Bakery (189 Spring St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, there's Dominique Ansel Bakery.

"A visit to New York meant that we had to visit the bakery that started the cronut craze," wrote Trina. "Their cronut flavors rotate monthly and they never feature the same flavor twice. ... The cronut has flaky layers of pastry with a cream bursting from inside."

Featured local attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are some popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

This park is located beside the Brooklyn bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city. It is a great place for a tourist to stop and take a quick lunch break while absorbing the skyline of Manhattan.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary.

The High Line Park

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The High Line Park is another popular destination.

This repurposing of the old railroad line running through the Meatpacking District of Manhattan has become an outdoor favorite for locals and tourists alike. With wood-planked floors and landscaping, the High Line is a great place to escape the craziness of the city and enjoy a few quiet moments.

"The most fun place I have found to walk in the city yet," wrote visitor Lars. "The views are amazing and ever-changing. There is a lot of great art along the High Line to enjoy and photo ops are endless."

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Its more doable than you think. According to travel site Skyscanner, there are plenty of flights from Portland to New York City in that time frame, and the prices aren't too shabby.

So if you're looking for a change of scenery, here are some deals to put on your to-do list. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Flight deals to New York City

The cheapest flights between Portland and New York City are if you leave on May 31 and return from New York on June 3. Frontier Airlines currently has roundtrip, nonstop tickets for $378.

If you fly out of Portland on May 31 and return from New York City on June 2, Alaska Airlines can get you there and back for $382 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

Regarding where to stay, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views that include the Hudson River, the High Line or the city skyline. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, the Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, there's the Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night.

The Ace Hotel New York is a 12-story hotel in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The new boutique hotel has 269 rooms and is located near the Theater District.

Featured New York City food and drink

Don't miss New York City's food scene, with plenty of popular spots to get your fill of local cuisine. Here are a few of the top-rated eateries from Skyscanner's listings.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: dessert. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

"The chocolate chip walnut cookie here is amazing!" wrote visitor Sandy.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for a local favorite restaurant pick, head to the Red Rooster, with 4.5 stars from 56 reviews.

The Red Rooster is part of the vibrant Harlem community. The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Featured local attractions

To round out your trip, New York City offers plenty of popular attractions worth visiting. Here are some top recommendations, based on Skyscanner's descriptions and reviews.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park. It has 4.6 stars from 469 reviews.

Located in the heart of New York City, The Brooklyn Bridge Park is a great place for tourists and residents to visit. This park is located beside the Brooklyn Bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city.

The High Line Park

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The High Line Park is another popular destination. It has 4.7 stars from 390 reviews.

This repurposing of the old railroad line running through the Meatpacking District of Manhattan has become an outdoor favorite for locals and tourists alike. With wood-planked floors and landscaping, the High Line is a great place to escape the craziness of the city and enjoy a few quiet moments.

"This is the best place I have found to walk in the city yet," wrote visitor Lars.

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty, with 4.6 stars from 410 reviews.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Fortunately, there are plenty of relatively inexpensive flights between Memphis and New York City on travel site Skyscanner.

Heres a list of flights, hotels, restaurants and local attractions in New York City to get you started. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

The cheapest flights between Memphis and New York City are if you leave on May 30 and return from New York on June 2. American Airlines currently has tickets for $280, roundtrip.

There are also deals to be had later in May. If you fly out of Memphis on May 31 and return from New York City on June 4, American Airlines can get you there and back for $281 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

To plan your accommodations, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views that include the Hudson River, the High Line or the city skyline. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star-rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, the Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, try Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night.

The 12-story boutique hotel is within walking distance of many popular destinations like Times Square, the Empire State Building, Macy's and the Broadway theaters.

Featured New York City restaurants

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New York City has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

The bakery boasts a steady stream of community regulars and tourists loyal to its diverse assortment of freshly baked products. The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other equally creative takes on traditional baked goods.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New York City's most popular restaurants is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is Red Rooster, which is part of the vibrant Harlem community.

The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

"The attention to detail in every part of this dining experience really made it a standout that we'll remember," wrote John349.

Dominique Ansel Bakery (189 Spring St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, there's Dominique Ansel Bakery.

"A visit to New York meant that we had to visit the bakery that started the cronut craze," wrote Trina. "Their cronut flavors rotate monthly and they never feature the same flavor twice. ... The cronut has flaky layers of pastry with a cream bursting from inside."

Featured local attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are some popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

This park is located beside the Brooklyn bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city. It is a great place for a tourist to stop and take a quick lunch break while absorbing the skyline of Manhattan.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary.

The High Line Park

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The High Line Park is another popular destination.

This repurposing of the old railroad line running through the Meatpacking District of Manhattan has become an outdoor favorite for locals and tourists alike. With wood-planked floors and landscaping, the High Line is a great place to escape the craziness of the city and enjoy a few quiet moments.

"The most fun place I have found to walk in the city yet," wrote visitor Lars. "The views are amazing and ever-changing. There is a lot of great art along the High Line to enjoy and photo ops are endless."

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Whether youre ready to book your trip now or just wondering what it would cost, take a look at these forthcoming flights between San Diego and New York City, which we pulled from travel site Skyscanner.

We've also included popular hotels, restaurants and attractions in New York City to highlight the city's best for visitors headed there soon. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Flight deals to New York City

The cheapest flights between San Diego and New York City are if you leave on May 31 and return from New York on June 3. Frontier Airlines currently has tickets for $284, roundtrip.

If you fly out of San Diego on May 31 and return from New York City on June 2, Frontier Airlines can get you there and back for $295 roundtrip.

Top New York City hotels

To plan your stay, here are two of New York Citys top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views that include the Hudson River, the High Line or the city skyline. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, the Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Local restaurant picks

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New York City has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Let's start with the essentials: dessert. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

The bakery boasts a steady stream of community regulars and tourists loyal to its diverse assortment of freshly baked products. The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other equally creative takes on traditional baked goods.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New York City's most popular restaurants is Red Rooster, with 4.5 stars from 56 reviews.

The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

"The attention to detail in every part of this dining experience really made it a standout that we'll remember," wrote John349.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is The Meatball Shop.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Featured local attractions

Not sure what to do in New York City, besides eat and drink? Here are a couple of recommendations, provided by Skyscanner.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Located in the heart of New York City, Brooklyn Bridge Park is a great opportunity for tourists and residents to visit. This park is located beside the Brooklyn Bridge, considered one of the portals into the city. Although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary.

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers in 2011, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Thankfully, there are plenty of regular, relatively inexpensive flights between Pittsburgh and New York City. We pulled from travel site Skyscanner to provide you with a short list of flights and hotels handpicked for the occasion. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

Currently, the cheapest flights between Pittsburgh and New York City are if you leave on May 31 and return from New York on June 4. Spirit Airlines currently has tickets for $226, roundtrip.

There are also deals to be had earlier in May. If you fly out of Pittsburgh on May 29 and return from New York City on June 2, Spirit Airlines can get you there and back for $229 roundtrip.

Top New York City hotels

Regarding where to stay, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms at The Standard, High Line have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown, which has rooms for $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, The Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, try Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night.

Ace Hotel New York is a 12-story hotel in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The unique boutique hotel has 269 rooms and is located near the Theater District.

Top picks for dining and drinking

If you're looking to snag a bite at one of New York City's many quality eateries, here are a few popular culinary destinations from Skyscanner's listings that will help keep you satiated.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

"The chocolate chip walnut cookie is amazing!" wrote visitor Sandy.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for a local favorite restaurant pick, head to the Red Rooster, with 4.5 stars from 56 reviews.

The Red Rooster is part of the vibrant Harlem community. The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

Featured local attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are some popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park. It checks in with 4.6 stars from 469 reviews.

Located in the heart of New York City, The Brooklyn Bridge Park is a great place for tourists and residents to visit. This park is located beside the Brooklyn Bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city.

The High Line Park (New York)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Then, there's The High Line Park, with 4.9 stars from 390 reviews.

"This is the most fun place I have found to walk in the city," wrote visitor Lars.

The Statue of Liberty (New York)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, consider checking out The Statue of Liberty. It has 4.9 stars from 410 reviews.

Lady Liberty has welcomed the grandparents and great-grandparents of many Americans. A symbol of the country's possibilities, The Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers in 2011, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Using travel site Skyscanner, weve sifted through the cheapest flights between Sacramento and New York City, including some top-rated hotel options and other highly reviewed local attractions. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

Currently, the cheapest flights between Sacramento and New York City are if you leave on May 30 and return from New York on June 3. United currently has roundtrip tickets for $335.

There are also deals to be had later in May. If you fly out of Sacramento on May 31 and return from New York City on June 2, United can get you there and back for $344 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

To plan your stay, here are two of New York Citys top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms at The Standard, High Line have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, the Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Featured New York City food and drink

Don't miss New York City's food scene, with plenty of popular spots to get your fill of local cuisine. Here are a few of the top-rated eateries from Skyscanner's listings.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Let's start with the essentials: dessert. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

From the beginning, Levain Bakery has been a comfortable and inviting presence in its Upper West Side neighborhood where it boasts a steady stream of community regulars and tourists loyal to its diverse assortment of freshly baked products. The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other equally creative takes on traditional baked goods.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is The Meatball Shop.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New York City's most popular restaurants is Red Rooster, with 4.5 stars from 56 reviews.

The Red Rooster is part of the vibrant Harlem community. The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

"I am writing this at home after one of the most amazing meals I've ever had," wrote reviewer John349. "I cannot say enough how absolutely delicious every meal that was ordered at our table was."

Featured New York City attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are a couple of popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Located in the heart of New York City, Brooklyn Bridge Park is a great opportunity for tourists and residents to visit. This park is located beside the Brooklyn Bridge, considered one of the portals into the city. Although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary.

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty.

Lady Liberty has welcomed the grandparents and great-grandparents of many Americans. A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Whether youre ready to book your trip now or just interested in what's available, take a look at these forthcoming flights between Indianapolis and New York City, which we pulled from travel site Skyscanner.

We've also included popular hotels, restaurants and attractions in New York City, to round out any visit. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

Currently, the cheapest flights between Indianapolis and New York City are if you leave on May 30 and return from New York on June 3. Spirit Airlines currently has roundtrip, nonstop tickets for $240.

There are also deals to be had later in May. If you fly out of Indianapolis on May 31 and return from New York City on June 2, Spirit Airlines can get you there and back for $252 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

To plan your accommodations, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views that include the Hudson River, the High Line or the city skyline. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

It's situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, there's Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night. It's within walking distance of many popular destinations like Times Square, the Empire State Building, Macy's and the Broadway theaters. And it's close to the old Tin Pan Alley.

Featured New York City food and drink

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New York City has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Let's start with the essentials: dessert. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner. The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other creative takes on traditional baked goods and cookies.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for a local favorite restaurant pick, head to The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"It was the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote reviewer ABelle.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is the Red Rooster.

"I am writing this at home after one of the most amazing meals I've ever had," wrote John349. "The attention to detail in every part of this dining experience really made it a standout."

Dominique Ansel Bakery (189 Spring St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, there's Dominique Ansel Bakery.

"A visit to New York meant that we had to visit the bakery that started the cronut craze," wrote Trina. "Their cronut flavors rotate monthly and they never feature the same flavor twice."

Featured New York City attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are some popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

The park is located beside the Brooklyn bridge and offers an amazing view of the entire city. It is a great place for a tourist to stop and take a quick lunch break while absorbing the skyline of Manhattan. It is a highly recommended spot to watch the sun go down over the city.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary.

The High Line Park

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Then, there's The High Line Park.

This re-purposing of the old railroad line running through the Meatpacking District of Manhattan has become an outdoor favorite for locals and tourists alike. With wood-planked floors and landscaping, the High Line is a great place to escape the craziness of the city and enjoy a few quiet moments.

"The most fun place I have found to walk in the city yet," wrote visitor Lars. "Starting in spring they offered great tours. Every time I go there are even more things blooming. The views are amazing and ever-changing. There is a lot of great art along the high line to enjoy and photo ops are endless."

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Fortunately, there are plenty of relatively inexpensive flights between Philadelphia and New York City on travel site Skyscanner.

Heres a list of flights, hotels, restaurants and local attractions in New York City to round out your trip. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

The cheapest flights between Philadelphia and New York City are if you leave on May 30 and return from New York on June 3. Spirit Airlines currently has tickets for $236, roundtrip.

There are also deals to be had later in May. If you fly out of Philadelphia on May 31 and return from New York City on June 2, Spirit Airlines can get you there and back for $250 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

Regarding where to stay, here are a couple of New York Citys top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown, which has rooms for $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, The Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Featured New York City food and drink

Don't miss New York City's food scene, with plenty of popular spots to get your fill of local cuisine. Here are a few of the top-rated eateries from Skyscanner's listings.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

The bakery boasts a steady stream of community regulars and tourists loyal to its diverse assortment of freshly baked products.

"The chocolate chip walnut cookie is amazing!" wrote visitor Sandy.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for a local favorite restaurant pick, head to the Red Rooster, with 4.5 stars from 56 reviews.

The Red Rooster is part of the vibrant Harlem community. The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Featured New York City attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are two popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park. It checks in with 4.6 stars from 469 reviews.

Located in the heart of New York City, The Brooklyn Bridge Park is a great place for tourists and residents to visit. This park is located beside the Brooklyn Bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city.

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, consider checking out The Statue of Liberty. It has 4.9 stars from 410 reviews.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, The Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Whether youre ready to book your trip now or just interested in what's available, take a look at these forthcoming flights between Seattle and New York City, which we pulled from travel site Skyscanner.

We've also included top-rated hotels, restaurants and attractions in New York City to round out any visit. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Flight deals to New York City

Currently, the cheapest flights between Seattle and New York City are if you leave on May 31 and return from New York on June 3. Frontier Airlines currently has tickets for $284, roundtrip.

If you fly out of Seattle on May 31 and return from New York City on June 2, Frontier Airlines can get you there and back for $293 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

To plan your accommodations, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views that include the Hudson River, the High Line or the city skyline. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star-rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, the Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, try Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night.

The 12-story boutique hotel is within walking distance of many popular destinations like Times Square, the Empire State Building, Macy's and the Broadway theaters.

Featured New York City restaurants

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New York City has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

The bakery boasts a steady stream of community regulars and tourists loyal to its diverse assortment of freshly baked products. The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other equally creative takes on traditional baked goods.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New York City's most popular restaurants is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is Red Rooster, which is part of the vibrant Harlem community.

The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

"The attention to detail in every part of this dining experience really made it a standout that we'll remember," wrote John349.

Dominique Ansel Bakery (189 Spring St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, there's Dominique Ansel Bakery.

"A visit to New York meant that we had to visit the bakery that started the cronut craze," wrote Trina. "Their cronut flavors rotate monthly and they never feature the same flavor twice. ... The cronut has flaky layers of pastry with a cream bursting from inside."

Featured local attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are some popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

This park is located beside the Brooklyn bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city. It is a great place for a tourist to stop and take a quick lunch break while absorbing the skyline of Manhattan.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary.

The High Line Park

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The High Line Park is another popular destination.

This repurposing of the old railroad line running through the Meatpacking District of Manhattan has become an outdoor favorite for locals and tourists alike. With wood-planked floors and landscaping, the High Line is a great place to escape the craziness of the city and enjoy a few quiet moments.

"The most fun place I have found to walk in the city yet," wrote visitor Lars. "The views are amazing and ever-changing. There is a lot of great art along the High Line to enjoy and photo ops are endless."

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Its more doable than you think. According to travel site Skyscanner, there are plenty of flights from Phoenix to New York City in that time frame, and the prices aren't too shabby.

So if you're looking for a change of scenery, here are some deals to put on your to-do list. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

The cheapest flights between Phoenix and New York City are if you leave on May 30 and return from New York on June 2. Frontier Airlines currently has tickets for $284, roundtrip.

There are also deals to be had earlier in May. If you fly out of Phoenix on May 29 and return from New York City on June 2, Frontier Airlines can get you there and back for $305 roundtrip.

Top New York City hotels

To plan your stay, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views that include the Hudson River, the High Line or the city skyline. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, the Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, there's the Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night.

The 12-story boutique hotel is within walking distance of many popular destinations like Times Square, the Empire State Building, Macy's and the Broadway theaters.

Featured New York City food and drink

If you're looking to snag a bite at one of New York City's many quality eateries, here are a few popular culinary destinations from Skyscanner's listings that will help keep you satiated.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

"The chocolate chip walnut cookie is amazing here!" wrote visitor Sandy.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New York City's most popular restaurants is the Red Rooster, with 4.5 stars from 56 reviews.

The Red Rooster is part of the vibrant Harlem community. The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Featured local attractions

Not sure what to do in New York City, besides eat and drink? Here are a few recommendations, provided by Skyscanner.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park. It has 4.6 stars from 469 reviews.

Located in the heart of New York City, The Brooklyn Bridge Park is a great place for tourists and residents to visit. This park is located beside the Brooklyn Bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city.

The High Line Park (New York)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The High Line Park is another popular destination, with 4.7 stars from 390 reviews.

This repurposing of the old railroad line running through the Meatpacking District of Manhattan has become an outdoor favorite for locals and tourists alike. With wood-planked floors and landscaping, the High Line is a great place to escape the craziness of the city and enjoy a few quiet moments.

"This is the best place I have found to walk in the city," wrote visitor Lars.

The Statue of Liberty (New York)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty, with 4.6 stars from 410 reviews.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, The Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Whether youre ready to book your trip now or just imagining what it might look like, take a look at these forthcoming flights between Cincinnati and New York City, which we pulled from travel site Skyscanner.

We've also included top-rated hotels, restaurants and attractions in New York City, to round out any visit. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

The cheapest flights between Cincinnati and New York City are if you leave on May 31 and return from New York on June 4. Frontier Airlines currently has roundtrip tickets for $122.

If you fly out of Cincinnati on May 31 and return from New York City on June 3, Frontier Airlines can get you there and back for $147 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

To plan your accommodations, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

The hotel stands in the Meatpacking District overlooking the historic high line, the former elevated railroad that has been developed into New Yorks new favorite public park.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown, which has rooms for $204/night.

It's situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, try Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night. It's within walking distance of many popular destinations like Times Square, the Empire State Building, Macy's and the Broadway theaters. And it's close to the old Tin Pan Alley.

Top picks for dining and drinking

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New York City has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: dessert. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner. The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other creative takes on traditional baked goods and cookies.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New York City's most popular restaurants is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"It was the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote reviewer ABelle.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is the Red Rooster.

"I am writing this at home after one of the most amazing meals I've ever had," wrote John349. "The attention to detail in every part of this dining experience really made it a standout."

Dominique Ansel Bakery (189 Spring St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, there's Dominique Ansel Bakery.

"A visit to New York meant that we had to visit the bakery that started the cronut craze," wrote Trina. "Their cronut flavors rotate monthly and they never feature the same flavor twice."

What to see and do in New York City

Not sure what to do in New York City, besides eat and drink? Here are a few recommendations, provided by Skyscanner.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Located in the heart of New York City, the park is located beside the Brooklyn bridge and offers an amazing view of the entire city. It is a great place for a tourist to stop and take a quick lunch break while absorbing the skyline of Manhattan. It is a highly recommended spot to watch the sun go down over the city.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary.

The High Line Park

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The High Line Park is another popular destination.

This re-purposing of the old railroad line running through the Meatpacking District of Manhattan has become an outdoor favorite for locals and tourists alike. With wood-planked floors and landscaping, the High Line is a great place to escape the craziness of the city and enjoy a few quiet moments.

"The most fun place I have found to walk in the city yet," wrote visitor Lars. "Starting in spring they offered great tours. Every time I go there are even more things blooming. The views are amazing and ever-changing. There is a lot of great art along the high line to enjoy and photo ops are endless."

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, consider checking out The Statue of Liberty.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Its more doable than you think. According to travel site Skyscanner, there are plenty of flights from Boston to New York City in that time frame, and the prices aren't too shabby.

So if you're looking for a change of scenery, here are some deals to put on your to-do list. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

The cheapest flights between Boston and New York City are if you leave on May 30 and return from New York on June 3. JetBlue currently has roundtrip tickets for $137.

There are also deals to be had later in May. If you fly out of Boston on May 31 and return from New York City on June 3, jetBlue can get you there and back for $166 roundtrip.

Top New York City hotels

Regarding where to stay, here are a couple of New York Citys top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown, which has rooms for $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, The Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Featured New York City restaurants

Don't miss New York City's food scene, with plenty of popular spots to get your fill of local cuisine. Here are a few of the top-rated eateries from Skyscanner's listings.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

The bakery boasts a steady stream of community regulars and tourists loyal to its diverse assortment of freshly baked products.

"The chocolate chip walnut cookie is amazing!" wrote visitor Sandy.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for a local favorite restaurant pick, head to the Red Rooster, with 4.5 stars from 56 reviews.

The Red Rooster is part of the vibrant Harlem community. The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Top New York City attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are two popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park. It checks in with 4.6 stars from 469 reviews.

Located in the heart of New York City, The Brooklyn Bridge Park is a great place for tourists and residents to visit. This park is located beside the Brooklyn Bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city.

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, consider checking out The Statue of Liberty. It has 4.9 stars from 410 reviews.

Lady Liberty has welcomed the grandparents and great-grandparents of many Americans. A symbol of the country's possibilities, The Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.LONDON, May 25 (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler is in advanced discussions to forge extensive ties with Frances's Renault, the Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing multiple people informed on the talks.

The paper said the carmakers were seeking to join forces to tackle structural challenges facing the global auto industry.

An agreement might ultimately lead FCA to join the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance in the future, some of these people added, while also warning that this outcome would mean taking a complicated path that would involve winning over Japans Nissan.

The paper cited Renault and FCA as declining to comment and said a spokesman for Nissan did not reply to a request for comment.

Renault spokespeople did not return phone calls seeking comment. (Additional reporting by Inti Landauro in Paris; Writing by Frances Kerry)A fire erupted on a cargo ship docked at a port in Thailand, triggering a blast and leaving at least 25 workers suffering from smoke inhalation and other injuries, officials said Saturday.

The district around Laem Chabang deep-sea port in Chonburi province, located two hours south of capital Bangkok, has been declared a "danger zone", said port director Yuthana Mokkhao.

The fire broke out on Saturday at 6.35 am (23:35 GMT Friday) on the cargo ship named KMTC Hong Kong, which was moored to the port terminal.

Photos circulated on Thai media showed thick smoke billowing from the freight ship as the fire blazed.

Yuthana said people on the port were "affected by smoke inhalation and hit by small shrapnel from the containers".

At least 25 port workers suffered from minor injuries or irritation from the fire, said Sivaporn Buapong, chief of Chonburi province's Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.

"The situation is under control now ... Forensic police will investigate the cause of the fire," Sivaporn told AFP.

The deep-sea port is an integral part of an ambitious $45 billion infrastructure scheme by Thailand's junta known as the "Eastern Economic Corridor" (EEC) to transform the coastal area into a tech hub.

Over 7 million containers are transported through Laem Chabang port annually, according to the EEC's website.

Under the new scheme, the port is due to expand with four new container berths, which the junta expects to more than double freight traffic to 18.1 million containers per year.Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

The leak of hundreds of millions of records by real estate title insurance company First American Financial could put the most private personal information of many American consumers at risk.

The website Krebs on Security reported late Friday that security flaws in First Americans website had exposed digitized documents related to mortgage deals dating back to 2003. The documents included everything from bank account numbers and statements to tax records and Social Security numbers.

All the documents were available to anyone with a browser who had a link to a single document at the website, by replacing one digit in the link at a timethe files were numbered in order. No log-in or password information was needed. A real estate developer reportedly contacted Krebs on Security after discovering the problem.

First American says it immediately shut down external access to the application when it found out about the problem. But it remains unclear whether any cybercriminals noticed the flaw and used it to steal consumer information before the problem was addressed.

Security and risk management experts say the leak is an example of how even large companies often neglect to bake security into the design of their online services.

This is Web Application Security 101, says Michael Covington, a vice president at Wandera, a mobile security company. With all weve seen in breaches over the last few years, this isnt something youd expect from a company like First American.

Security was clearly not part of the design picture for them, adds Nick Sanna, CEO of cybersecurity risk management firm RiskLens.

Consumer advocates agree. We already knew companies are not sufficiently incentivized to protect sensitive consumer data, says Katie McInnis, policy council at Consumer Reports. But the leak of hundreds of millions of title insurance records by First American is egregious.

Story continues

When contacted for comment by CR, First American directed us to a statement confirming what it called a design defect that made possible unauthorized access to customer data. The company also said that it is currently evaluating what effect, if any, this had on the security of customer information.

The company also noted that it has hired an outside forensic firm to determine whether there has been any meaningful unauthorized access to our customer data.



The details surrounding exactly what happened are still emerging, but heres what we know so far.

What data was included? According to Krebs on Security, the records included about 885 million files covering bank account numbers and statements, mortgage and tax records, Social Security numbers, wire transaction receipts, and drivers license images. First American didnt confirm the 885 million estimate in its statement.

Was this a data breach? Technically, no. This wasnt the work of hackers. Instead, it was a very badly designed web application. In theory, anyone could have accessed the information, Covington says.

Is there any way to tell whether cybercriminals accessed the records? If First American has audit records in place, Covington says, security professionals will be able to see which files were accessed and whether an actual attacker has combed through them or mostly just the people who discovered the problem.

What can I do to protect myself? First American has yet to offer any way for consumers to determine whether their personal information has been compromised. But there is precedent for doing that: Equifax set up a website to help people learn whether theyd been part of its massive data breach in 2017, for example.



Sanna and Covington both say they expect the company to offer free credit monitoring. In the meantime, Consumer Reports experts say that because of the many data breaches and leaks of recent years, you may also want to freeze your credit at the major credit bureaus. This will prevent criminals from taking out loans or establishing credit cards using your name and other personal data, and you can do it free of charge.







More from Consumer Reports:

Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

7 best mattresses for couples





Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright  2019, Consumer Reports, Inc.GABORNE (Reuters) - Former Botswana President Ian Khama quit the ruling party on Saturday as a policy feud with his hand-picked successor deepened, threatening to split the party that has ruled the country since independence in 1966. Khama handed power to his then-deputy Mokgweetsi Masisi last year after serving as president of the diamond-rich southern African nation for a decade, and he remains an influential figure in the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). But Masisi, only the third person from outside the Khama political dynasty to lead Botswana since independence from Britain, has clashed repeatedly with his former ally since he took over. Their latest disagreement was over Masisi's decision to lift the suspension on big game hunting imposed by Khama's government in 2014. Khama told a gathering on Saturday in the northeastern village of Serowe, where he is paramount chief, he was switching support from the BDP to opposition alliance Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) ahead of an October general election. "I came here to tell you that I am cutting ties with the BDP as I do not recognize this party anymore. It was a mistake to choose Masisi as my successor. I will now work with the opposition to make sure that the BDP loses power in October," Khama said. Khama served the maximum two terms as president before stepping down in a scripted succession that compelled him to hand power to his deputy. In a 2014 general election, the BDP failed for the first time to score an outright majority as the country struggles to make its ailing economy less reliant on diamond sales. (Reporting by Brian Benza; Writing by Mfuneko Toyana; Editing by Helen Popper)LONDON, May 25 (Reuters) - Former Brexit Minister Dominic Raab became the sixth candidate to enter the contest to replace Theresa May as prime minister on Saturday, vowing to fight for a fairer deal on Brexit.

"To deliver Brexit successfully will require focus, discipline and resolve," Raab wrote in an article for the Mail on Sunday newspaper. "As a former Foreign Office lawyer and Brexit Secretary I have the experience." (Reporting by Michael Holden Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)Los Angeles (AFP) - John Pinto, a Navajo code talker during World War II who went on to a long career as a Democratic state lawmaker in New Mexico, has died at age 94, his party announced.

Pinto was the longest-serving senator in the state, having been first elected in 1977 and remaining in office until his death on Friday, the New Mexico Senate Democrats said.

"This is an extraordinary loss to Senator Pinto's family, the state of New Mexico, the country and anyone who knew and loved him," state Senate majority leader Peter Wirth said in a statement.

Pinto was born in December 1924 to a family of Navajo shepherds and grew up in Arizona and New Mexico, the Senate statement said.

During World War II, he served in the Marine Corps as a code talker -- the native Americans recruited to relay battlefield communications in a spoken code based on their tribal language, which the Germans and Japanese never cracked.

Some 400 Navajo took part in the project, along with members of several other tribes. None of the original 29 code talkers who invented the language are still alive. The last, Chester Nez, died in 2014.

"The debt we owe for that service, and the service of all Code Talkers, can never be repaid," New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez hailed Pinto as a "great Dine warrior" who "dedicated his life to helping others."

Grisham ordered all state flags to fly at half-staff in Pinto's honor.Lyon (AFP) - French police were on Saturday pulling out all the stops to locate a suspect following a blast in the heart of Lyon that wounded 13 people.

"All means have been activated to identify and detain the person who committed this act," Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz told media in Lyon, France's third-biggest city.

The police circulated the suspect's photo on Twitter with two new images late Saturday showing a man wearing a green T-shirt, Bermuda shorts and a carrying a dark rucksack cycling.

They urged witnesses to call on an emergency number if they had any information.

The man appears to be in his thirties and police said they had received "several dozen" calls linked to the blast on Friday evening.

Heitz said 90 investigators and 30 police technical experts were working on the case.

The blast occurred two days ahead of hotly contested European Parliament elections and while France remains on edge owing to terrorist attacks which have rocked the country.

Heitz has taken charge of the investigation into "attempted murder in relation with a terrorist enterprise and association with terrorist criminals."

French Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said however that it was too soon to say whether the blast could be termed a "terrorist act".

Sources close to the investigation suspected the explosive was acetone peroxide, or APEX, a volatile compound used in the deadly Paris attacks on November 13, 2015.

- Traces of DNA -

They added that traces of DNA had been recovered from the rucksack that held the explosive but cautioned that it did not necessarily belong to the suspect.

President Emmanuel Macron initially called the Friday evening explosion an "attack" but later took a more cautious tone with a tweet that condemned "the violence that has struck" the city's residents.

The number of wounded stood at 13 -- eight women, a 10-year-old girl and four men -- of which 11 needed hospital treatment.

Story continues

None of their injuries were life-threatening although Heitz said some would have to undergo surgical intervention to remove shrapnel.

No one has claimed the attack, Heitz noted.

He said investigators had recovered small screws, ball bearings and batteries along with a printed circuit and a remote-controlled trigger device, and pieces of white plastic that might have been part of the explosive device.

It was placed in front of a bakery near the corner of two crowded pedestrian streets in the historic centre of the city at around 17:30 pm (1530 GMT) on Friday.

Lyon and its extensive suburbs are home to 2.3 million people.

- 'Too small to kill' -

District mayor Denis Broliquier said "the charge was too small to kill," and an administrative source told AFP it was a "relatively weak explosive charge".

"There was an explosion and I thought it was a car crash," said Eva, a 17-year-old student who was about 15 metres (50 feet) from the blast site.

"There were bits of electric wire near me, and batteries and bits of cardboard and plastic. The windows were blown out," he said.

The attack upended last-minute campaigning ahead of France's European Parliament vote on Sunday, with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe cancelling his appearance at his centrist party's final rally Friday night.

"I was working, serving customers, and all of a sudden there was a huge 'boom'," said Omar Ghezza, a baker who works nearby.

"We though it had something to do with renovation work," he said.

France has been on high alert owing to a wave of deadly jihadist terror attacks since 2015 that have killed more than 250 people.

The latest was in December, when five people were killed and 11 wounded during a Christmas market attack in Strasbourg, eastern France.

The last package bomb in France dates back to December 2007, when a blast in front of a Paris law office killed one person and injured another. Police never determined who carried out that attack.Photo: Woodie Fisher/Yelp

Itching to get to know the freshest new spots in Denver? From a Japanese spot to a New American bistro, read on to see the newest businesses to open for business recently.

Tatsu Izakaya

Photo: tatsu izakaya/Yelp

Head over to 2022 S. University Blvd. in University Park and you'll find Tatsu Izakaya, a new sushi bar and Japanese spot.

This spot has taken over the former home of Jason's Thai, according to Westword. On the menu, look for rice and noodle dishes, soups and greens. Look for the salmon, tuna or albacore poke bowl.

Twin Fin Poke

Photo: kelly s./Yelp

New to 2720 S. Colorado Blvd., University Hills Shopping Center in University Hills is Twin Fin Poke, a spot to score poke and more.

This Hawaiian-inspired spot's crafts its menu around love of the ocean and sustainable seafood sources, according to its website. On the menu, look for build-your-own bowls with your choice of base, protein, sauce, add-ons and toppings.

Woodie Fisher

Photo: woodie fisher/Yelp

Head over to 1999 Chestnut Place in Lower Downtown and you'll find Woodie Fisher, a New American spot.

This spot is located in the historic Hose House No. 1, which began as a volunteer fire station in 1881, according to its website. On the menu, look for flatbread pizzas, burgers and main dishes like pan-seared halibut and New York strip steak.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Berlin (AFP) - An international tribunal is due to rule Saturday on a dispute over Russia's holding 24 Ukrainian sailors and three naval vessels seized off the Crimea peninsula late last year.

Judge Jin-Hyun Paik of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in the German port city of Hamburg was scheduled to announce its decision at noon (1000 GMT).

The incident in November in the Kerch Strait was the most dangerous direct clash in years between Russia and its ex-Soviet neighbour, which have been locked in conflict for over five years.

Russia in March 2014 annexed Crimea, and since then fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Kiev government forces in Ukraine's east has claimed some 13,000 lives, according to UN figures.

Ukraine's former president Petro Poroshenko insisted the sailors were "prisoners of war" and described their detention as "blatant proof that Russia continues to show cynical disrespect for human rights".

Moscow has accused the sailors of violating its maritime borders, and lawyers have said they could face up to six years in prison.

Kiev on May 10 asked the international tribunal to order Russia to release the sailors and the Berdyansk, Nikopol and Yani Kapu vessels.

Ukrainian foreign ministry spokeswoman Kateryna Zelenko told AFP she hoped for judicial support to help "break the deadlock on the release of sailors and military vessels".

Russia has denied any wrongdoing and said it does not recognise the jurisdiction of the court, a body with 168 signatories created under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, over the case.

Bogdan Bezpalko, a member of the Kremlin's International Relations Committee, said recently on Sputnik Radio that "Russia has not violated international law; Russia has reacted to an aggression against it."

- Stalemate -

Earlier this month Ukraine's deputy foreign minister Olena Zerkal, addressing the tribunal, described the sailors' detention as "an additional illustration of Russia's continued disrespect for international law".

Story continues

"Each additional day of detention, each interrogation, each court case aggravates the dispute between the parties," she said.

Russia has argued that the rights of the Ukrainian sailors have been strictly observed, including access to legal aid and medical attention.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel jointly phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to encourage him to resume the dialogue with Ukraine after the election of the new president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently called on Moscow to show Zelensky a willingness to move toward "breaking the stalemate".

Pompeo said Washington "would in particular welcome the release of the Ukrainian crewmen detained near the Kerch Strait last year".

But since Zelensky was sworn in on Monday, tensions have risen with Moscow.

The new Ukrainian leader has urged Washington to impose more sanctions against Russia -- prompting a swift warning from the Kremlin that such action would not help end the war in the east.Berlin (AFP) - An international tribunal on Saturday urged Russia to release "immediately" 24 Ukrainian sailors seized last November off the Crimea peninsula.

"The Russian Federation must proceed immediately to release the Ukrainian soldiers and allow them to return to the Ukraine," said Judge Jin-Hyun Paik at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, which is located in the German port city of Hamburg.

The tribunal judges additionally ruled Russia should "immediately" return the three Ukrainian navy vessels -- Berdyansk, Yani Kapu and Nikopol -- it seized in the Kerch Strait off Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014.

Ukraine took the matter to the tribunal last month -- but Russia does not recognise its jurisdiction to rule in the affair and did not send representatives to the hearing.

"The continued denial of freedom to the Ukrainian sailors is worrying from a humanitarian point of view," said Paik, heading a tribunal tasked with overseeing maritime disputes since 1982 and which 168 states recognise, Russia included.

- 'Clear signal' -

"The tribunal ruling is a clear signal to Russia that it cannot violate international law with impunity," Ukraine's vice minister for foreign affairs Olena Zerkal said on her Facebook page after the judgement.

New Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Facebook that if Russia complies with the tribunal's demand to release the sailors then that "could be the first signal from the Russian leadership about real readiness to end the conflict with Ukraine."

Former President Petro Poroshenko welcomed the decision, writing on Facebook it was "confirmation of the correctness of the strategy we have chosen."

Zerkal urged Russia to "conform swiftly and wholly" with the ruling, which now faces going to arbitration.

But Russia, which accused the sailors of violating its maritime borders, showed no sign of doing so even after a ruling which increases the pressure on Moscow with regard to its relations with Kiev.

Story continues

- Russia digs in -

"In the course of the forthcoming arbitration proceedings we will constantly defend our position," a Russian foreign ministry statement said.

The situation could have been avoided "under the conditions of following Russian law regarding navigation in this area," the ministry wrote.

The statement added that statements by both nations as they ratified the 1982 law of the sea "exclude the possibility of using the dispute resolution procedures laid out by the convention."

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on his recent visit to Moscow urged the Kremlin to make a gesture to end the impasse.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin last Tuesday to push for dialogue, just two days after Zelensky, a comedian, was invested in Kiev.

The Ukrainian sailors face up to six years in prison if found guilty in what Kremlin critics have warned could be a show trial.

The sailors saga is a sideshow in Russia's five-year conflict with its neighbour which started with Moscow's March 2014 annexation of Crimea. Since then, fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Kiev government forces in Ukraine's east has claimed around 13,000 lives, according to UN figures.Photo: Top of the Word/Yelp

Looking to uncover all that Meadows Village has to offer? Get to know this Las Vegas neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a Venezuelan spot to an upscale steakhouse.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Meadows Village, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.

1. Viva Las Arepas

Photo: james l./Yelp

Topping the list is Venezuelan spot Viva Las Arepas. Located at 1616 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Suite 120, it's the most popular business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 1,479 reviews on Yelp.

This Latin American spot boasts two Las Vegas locations, according to its website. On the menu, expect a selection of its signature arepas, which are cakes made with yellow or white corn stuffed with meat or veggies. Other menu items include empanadas and meat platters.

2. Cornish Pasty

Photo: lacey m./Yelp

Next up is pub and British spot Cornish Pasty, situated at 10 E. Charleston Blvd. With 4.5 stars out of 998 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite.

This spot was honored with Best Pre-Show Downtown Meal in the 2017 Best of Vegas awards by Las Vegas Weekly. Look for the signature "pasty" sandwiches like its Cajun chicken or meatball and mozzarella selections.

3. Esther's Kitchen

Photo: shawn h./Yelp

Cocktail bar and Italian spot Esther's Kitchen, which offers pizza and more, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 1130 S. Casino Center Blvd., 4.5 stars out of 487 reviews.

Las Vegas Weekly named this spot "one of the hottest tables in town." On the menu, expect to find specialty pasta, pizza pies and main entrees like fish paired with orange-braised endive.

4. Top of the World

Photo: ann s./Yelp

Top of the World, a steakhouse and traditional American spot, is another high-traffic neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 1,547 Yelp reviews. Head over to 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. South to see for yourself.

This spot was named one of the best "revolving" restaurants in the world by Travel Pulse for its 360-degree view and its location 844 feet in the air. On the menu, expect to find seafood plates like Scottish salmon and chef's specialties like chicken stuffed with Maryland crab.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.SPOKANE, Wash. (AP)  Nearly two decades after the Aryan Nations' Idaho compound was demolished, far-right extremists are maintaining a presence in the Pacific Northwest.

White nationalism has been on the rise across the U.S., but it has particular resonance along the Idaho-Washington border, where the Aryans espoused hate and violence for years.

The neo-Nazi group was based near Hayden Lake, Idaho, starting in the 1970s, and eventually was bankrupted in a lawsuit brought by local activists and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Its compound was seized, and supporters dispersed.

But a series of incidents in recent weeks show far-right sentiments never really left the conservative region. In the county that is home to Hayden Lake, for instance, Republicans last month passed a measure expressing support for U.S. entry of a prominent Austrian far-right activist who was investigated for ties to the suspected New Zealand mosque gunman.

In 2018, at least nine hate groups operated in the region of Spokane and northern Idaho, including Identity Evropa, Proud Boys, ACT for America and America's Promise Ministries, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The center does not track how many members belong to each group.

Keegan Hankes, a researcher for the Southern Poverty Law Center, said the number of hate groups is growing across the U.S., driven in part by a toxic political culture. The human rights group counted 784 active hate groups in the U.S. in 2014 and 1,020 in 2018.

In particular, white supremacist groups are growing because of fears that the country's racial makeup is changing. "That drives a ton of anxiety," Hankes said.

These new far-right activists are more scattered than the ones who used to gather at the Aryan Nations by the dozens, experts say.

"It is no longer necessary to go to a compound in Hayden Lake, Idaho," said Kristine Hoover, director of the Gonzaga Institute for Hate Studies in Spokane.

Story continues

With the proliferation of social media, groups "form in dispersed locations" and gatherings are "more covert," she said.

In late April, a self-described "American Nationalist" named Brittany Pettibone appeared at a meeting of Kootenai County, Idaho, Republicans to ask for help to bring her boyfriend, Martin Sellner, to the country from Austria. Pettibone, 26, said Sellner wants to marry her and live in Post Falls, Idaho.

Pettibone was a big promoter of the hoax known as "Pizzagate," telling her online followers Hillary Clinton and other high-profile Democrats were involved in satanic rituals and child sex trafficking tied to a Washington, D.C., pizza restaurant.

Sellner is a leading figure in the extremist "identitarian" movement, which espouses a white nationalist ideology and has swept over Europe amid an influx of migrants and refugees. He has confirmed he exchanged emails with the suspected New Zealand shooter, who donated money to Sellner's group. But Sellner denies involvement in the attack.

Despite his background, the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee passed a resolution urging the federal government to allow Sellner into the United States. The resolution said the government revoked Sellner's travel privileges "for political reasons," and demanded those privileges be reinstated.

Faced with criticism for giving Pettibone a platform, Kootenai County GOP Chair Brent Regan blamed the press. "In its lust for scandal, the media has stretched the committee's simple act of kindness into headlines that are too bizarre to be fiction," he wrote in a recent op-ed.

Also last month, The Guardian published internet chats from 2017 in which a Washington state legislator and three other men discussed confronting "leftists" with a variety of tactics, including violence, surveillance and intimidation.

The messages prompted Washington House Democrats to demand that the Republican lawmaker, Rep. Matt Shea of Spokane Valley, be reprimanded for a history of far-right speech and activities. While Shea did not propose violence, he did not speak up when violence was proposed, Democrats said.

House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox of Yelm responded that Shea should not be punished before investigations are completed. The House, led by Democrats, will conduct an independent investigation of the lawmaker.

Shea, who rarely speaks to reporters, did not return numerous messages from The Associated Press.

He has served in the state House since 2008, introducing bills to criminalize abortion and roll back gun laws and pushing for eastern Washington to secede from the rest of the state. The military veteran attracted international attention in 2018 after a document he wrote laid out a "biblical basis for war" against people who practiced same-sex marriage and abortion, and instructed: "If they do not yield, kill all males."

In a third case, a nationwide arrest warrant was issued in May for a Stevens County, Washington, man who allegedly tried to extort members of his right-wing militia group through anonymous written threats backed by insinuations they came from a Mexican drug cartel.

James "Russell" Bolton, 51, faces at least six charges of extortion and attempted theft after he was arrested recently in West Virginia.

Bolton has led a militia group called the Stevens County Assembly.

Stevens County detectives believe he was responsible for a series of anonymous threatening letters delivered to members of the group. The letters purported to come from a Mexican cartel and demanded large sums of cash in exchange for protection.

Hoover, the Gonzaga professor, said it is a mistake to consider all of the above as separate incidents.

"These are movements," Hoover said, noting participants are not doing this alone. "They have interconnectedness over the internet."To me, it seems pretty obvious that socialism is terrible. After all, do you know whats not terrible? Freedom. But unfortunately, folks at colleges and universities all across the country seem to be favoring extreme government intervention  intervention that would come, of course, at the expense of exactly those freedoms that anyone with a brain knows we should cherish.

So Im asking you to do your part  by donating to National Review. Just how in the doggone heck are the two connected, you might ask? Well, National Review gives me a platform to expose and ridicule all of the craziness that goes on on campuses every day. Like the Michigan State University student who values our freedom of speech so little that he apparently thought his roommate should not be allowed to watch a Ben Shapiro video. In fact, there are a lot of examples of both students and administrators on college campuses failing to recognize the value of this very important right. Like the president of Santa Monica College, who instructed students to report hate speech to the police. Or the administrators at Middlebury College, who apologized to students who were upset that a conservative speaker had been invited, and promised that they would do their best to prevent that from ever happening again. Or the members of a student group at California State University, Chico, who were concerned about their safety because a campus Republican group wanted to talk about gun policy.

Unfortunately, instances that display a lack of understanding of  or even blatant distaste for  our sacred constitutional rights on this countrys college campuses are far, far too numerous to list here. Its true: Theres not just an example or two, or even a handful. There are a ton, which to me means that theres a real risk of a complete cultural shift, a shift away from freedom and reality and into government control and bananaland. Thats why Im determined to do what the great William F. Buckley Jr. would do, and yell STOP!  which is why Im so grateful to be able to do exactly that in my columns for National Review every week.

Story continues

If you think that this issue is as important as I do, Id encourage you to donate to National Review. And if you dont think its important? Well, in that case, Id say you should go hang out with some liberal college kids over in bananaland  and please never come to any of my parties.

More from National Review1. Yes. The economy is strong and unemployment low. Thats a good basis for a solid year.

2. Yes. Health experts are getting a handle on COVID. 2022 should be a better year.

3. No. If any large-scale COV ID-related shutdowns take place, it will hit the nation hard.

4. No. Inflation is still too much of a wild card. It could really cause a drag on the economy.

5. Unsure. There are too many variables at play to predict with any degree of certainty.

Vote

View ResultsHewlett Packard Enterprise Company HPE reported second-quarter fiscal 2019 non-GAAP earnings of 42 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6 cents. The figure rallied 31.3% on a year-over-year basis.



However, net revenues of $7.15 billion declined 4.3% on a year-over-year basis and missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.44 billion. At constant currency (cc), revenues slid 2% year over year.



Excluding Tier-1 server sales, revenues inched up 1%. Notably, Tier 1 revenues declined 64% and accounted for 1.9% of revenues, much lower than 5% in the year-ago quarter.



Quarterly Details



Segment wise, Hybrid IT revenues of $5.64 billion declined 4.4% year over year (down 3% at cc).



Coming to Hybrid IT Products, Compute Value revenues slipped 5.2% (down 4% at cc) to $3.09 billion. However, the figure grew 4% excluding the impact from the companys strategic exit of certain Tier-1 customer segments.



Hewlett Packard Enterprises Value Compute portfolio revenues increased nearly 8% at cc, aided by strong growth in high-performance compute, and hyper-converged and composable cloud offerings.



Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company Quote

Storage revenues climbed 3.3% (5% at cc) to $942 million, with strength particularly in Nimble, XP and Entry Storage. Big data also witnessed a strong quarter, recording 25% year-over-year improvement. The company expects the recently announced acquisition of BlueData to ramp up the metric further.



HPE Pointnext revenues declined 6.8% (3% at cc) from the year-ago quarter to $1.60 billion. HPE Pointnext operational services orders, including Nimble, were up 1% at cc.



Moreover, HPE Greenlake orders grew 39% year over year at cc.



Revenues from the Intelligent Edge declined 5.7% to $666 million, backed by strength in Aruba Services. Notably, Aruba Services revenues were up 15.6% (18% at cc). Revenues from Aruba Product decreased 8.3% (7% at cc).



Hewlett Packard Enterprises Financial Services segment revenues decreased 2.2% (up 2% at cc) to $896 million. Net portfolio assets were down 2% year over year (up 1% at cc). Financing volumes declined 10% year over year (6% at cc).



Geographically, Hewlett Packard Enterprises revenues in the Americas (37% of revenues) declined 7% at cc. Both EMEA (38% of revenues) and APJ revenues increased 1% each at cc. Non-U.S. net revenues were 69% of net revenues.



Operating Results



Hewlett Packard Enterprises gross margin expanded 200 basis points (bps) on a year-over-year basis, driven by favorable portfolio mix and cost efficiencies.



Non-GAAP operating expenses were up 1% year over year.



Hybrid IT segment operating margin expanded 140 bps to 11.4%. Financial Services operating margin expanded 190 bps to 13.3%. However, Intelligent Edge operating margin contracted 490 bps to 3%.



Hewlett Packard Enterprises non-GAAP operating margin expanded 70 bps to 8.9%.



Balance Sheet and Cash Flow



The company ended the second quarter of fiscal 2019 with $3.59 billion in cash and cash equivalents compared with $3.78 billion at the end of the previous quarter.



During the quarter under review, Hewlett Packard Enterprise generated $987 million in cash flow from operational activities compared with $382 million in the prior quarter.



The companys free cash flow was $402 million in the quarter under review.



Additionally, the company repurchased $814 million worth of shares and paid $157 million in dividends.



Guidance



For fiscal 2019, Hewlett Packard Enterprise expects non-GAAP earnings of $1.62-$1.72 per share compared with the earlier projection of $1.56-$1.66.



Management reiterated the free cash flow guidance of $1.4-$1.6 billion, indicating more than 35% growth from the figure reported in fiscal 2018.



For third-quarter fiscal 2019, Hewlett Packard Enterprise forecasts non-GAAP earnings between 40 cents and 44 cents.



Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider



Hewlett Packard Enterprise currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).



Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Computer & Technology sector include Cadence Design System CDNS, Verint Systems VRNT and Rosetta Stone RST. All three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



Long-term earnings growth rate for Cadence, Verint and Rosetta Stone is projected to be 11%, 11% and 12.50%, respectively.

Story continues

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Zacks Investment ResearchBeirut (AFP) - The head of Lebanon's Shiite movement Hezbollah warned Saturday that a long-delayed US peace plan could see Palestinian refugees permanently settled in host countries across the region.

Speaking days after the US announced a May conference in Bahrain to lay out economic aspects of its long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned of an "ominous deal aimed at eliminating the Palestinian cause".

He said the conference's focus on economic issues "may open the door wide open to the question of naturalising the Palestinian brothers in Lebanon and the countries where they are located".

The right of return for more than 700,000 refugees who were expelled or fled during the creation of the State of Israel in the late 1940s -- and their millions of descendants -- is a key pillar of the Palestinian cause.

The vast majority cling tightly to hopes, enshrined in a key UN Security Council resolution, of returning to lands their families once owned but which are now inside Israel.

An estimated 174,000 Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon, according to a census by national authorities in 2017.

The UN estimates there are tens of thousands more.

Hezbollah has long championed the Palestinian cause, but the Palestinian presence is controversial in Lebanon, where many blame them for causing the bitter civil war that ravaged the country between 1975 and 1990.

Lebanon's Palestinian camps suffer poverty, overcrowding, unemployment, poor and dangerous housing conditions and a lack of infrastructure.

Today, "it's not enough to say we're all against naturalisation -- the danger of naturalisation is approaching," Nasrallah said during a televised address marking the 19th anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

He called for an urgent meeting between government and Palestinian officials in Lebanon to "develop a plan to confront the danger".

Story continues

The Palestinians have boycotted the US administration since December 2017, when Trump broke with decades of international consensus and recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Palestinians consider the eastern part of the city the capital of their future state, fear the US plan will be heavily biased in favour of Israel.

The Palestinian leadership has said it will boycott the June 25-26 meeting in Manama, where the declared aim is to promote Palestinian prosperity as part of Trump's "deal of the century".

The Trump administration is expected to unveil its long-awaited plan possibly as early as next month.

The Bahrain conference could see large-scale investment pledges for the Palestinian territories but is unlikely to focus heavily on the political issues at the core of the conflict, such as the question of Palestinian refugees.TEGUCIGALPA, May 24 (Reuters) - An international anti-corruption mission in Honduras said on Friday it is investigating former president Porfirio Lobo on suspicion of involvement in laundering illegal drug money as part of a wider probe into his 2010-14 administration.

The anti-graft unit of the Organization of American States (OAS) said the probe into Lobo began after Devis Leonel Rivera, a leader of the "Los Cachiros" drug cartel, testified in a U.S. court that he had given money to Lobo's 2010 election campaign.

Rivera said Lobo "suggested to him that in exchange for donations to his political campaign, they would create companies that would be given contracts once he had won the presidential election," Luiz Guimaraes, spokesman for the Mission to Support the Fight Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH), told reporters.

A lawyer for Lobo, who has repeatedly denied any involvement in or links to drug traffickers, declined to comment.

The revelation came as MACCIH said it was investigating 12 people, including a former cabinet minister, Lobo's son Fabio and Rivera on suspicion of laundering drug money in a case that has been nicknamed "Narcopolitica" by the mission.

Lobo was not among the 12, but was being investigated as part of the wider probe, said Guimaraes, a Brazilian.

Prosecutors believe the money laundered in the case went through 21 public works contracts for companies set up by Los Cachiros with the ministry for public works worth an estimated 68.3 million lempiras ($2.8 million), according to the indictment.

Most of the works were never carried out, Guimaraes noted.

The investigators believe that Fabio Lobo, who in 2017 was sentenced to 24 years in prison by a New York federal court for drug trafficking, made sure Los Cachiros won the contracts.

Lobo's former public works minister Miguel Pastor, as well as two other officials accused by the MACCIH, turned themselves in to prosecutors on Thursday night in Tegucigalpa. (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia, editing by G Crosse)The main aim of stock picking is to find the market-beating stocks. But in any portfolio, there will be mixed results between individual stocks. So we wouldn't blame long term New Century Group Hong Kong Limited (HKG:234) shareholders for doubting their decision to hold, with the stock down 20% over a half decade. Furthermore, it's down 12% in about a quarter. That's not much fun for holders. However, one could argue that the price has been influenced by the general market, which is down 8.4% in the same timeframe.

Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

View our latest analysis for New Century Group Hong Kong

While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. 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.

Looking back five years, both New Century Group Hong Kong's share price and EPS declined; the latter at a rate of 7.2% per year. The share price decline of 4.3% per year isn't as bad as the EPS decline. So investors might expect EPS to bounce back -- or they may have previously foreseen the EPS decline.

You can see below how EPS has changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

SEHK:234 Past and Future Earnings, May 25th 2019

Dive deeper into New Century Group Hong Kong's key metrics by checking this interactive graph of New Century Group Hong Kong's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

We'd be remiss not to mention the difference between New Century Group Hong Kong's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price return. The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. New Century Group Hong Kong's TSR of was a loss of 13% for the 5 years. That wasn't as bad as its share price return, because it has paid dividends.

Story continues

A Different Perspective

While it's never nice to take a loss, New Century Group Hong Kong shareholders can take comfort that their trailing twelve month loss of 12% wasn't as bad as the market loss of around 14%. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it's worse than the annualised loss of 2.8% over the last half decade. While some investors do well specializing in buying companies that are struggling (but nonetheless undervalued), don't forget that Buffett said that 'turnarounds seldom turn'. If you would like to research New Century Group Hong Kong in more detail then you might want to take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in the company.

We will like New Century Group Hong Kong better if we see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.

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.By Zeba Siddiqui and Devjyot Ghoshal

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The head of India's main opposition Congress party, Rahul Gandhi, offered to quit on Saturday after a crushing election defeat but senior party officials rejected his offer and called instead for a major internal shake-up.

Gandhi, 48 and the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, had been under intense pressure since results released on May 23 showed Congress won only 52 of the 542 seats up for grabs in the country's general election.

While that marked a marginal improvement on the party's showing in the 2014 general election, it did not stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from winning a landslide mandate with 303 seats.

A second successive drubbing from Modi prompted calls for Gandhi to quit.

The result has been particularly embarrassing for Gandhi, who lost his own parliamentary seat in his home borough of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, which his family has held almost continuously for the last four decades.

He did, however, win the other seat he contested in Kerala.

At a meeting of top Congress leaders at the party's headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday, Gandhi offered to step down as party chief, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) said in a statement.

But the committee "unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress President for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times," it said.

"The CWC recommends a thorough introspection and requested the Congress President for a complete overhaul and a detailed restructuring at every level of the party," the committee said.

In the run-up to the election, Gandhi sought to challenge Modi directly but critics said Congress's campaign was weakened by a lack of focus and botched communications, as well as being out-spent by the BJP.

Building political capital from escalating tensions with arch-rival Pakistan ahead of the polls, the BJP concentrated on Modi's national security record, effectively countering the opposition's criticism of the government's work on creating jobs and alleviating farmers' woes.

Story continues

Gandhi's inability to replace the party's old guard, responsible for its worst-ever electoral result in 2014, with younger leaders also proved an error, Congress officials said.

The party's performance in this year's election has drawn stinging criticism from political commentators such as prominent historian Ramachandra Guha, who called for Gandhi to go.

"Both self-respect, as well as political pragmatism, demand that the Congress elect a new leader," Guha said on Twitter.

(Editing by Helen Popper)Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, offered to resign Saturday after his Congress party was trounced in a second straight national election but the gesture was rejected, party officials said.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi triumphantly accepted pledges of allegiance from members of allied parties after his second landslide win, Congress leaders licked their wounds at a special meeting in New Delhi.

"Party President Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation but it was unanimously rejected by the members of Congress Working Commission," Randeep Surjewala, a party spokesman, told reporters.

Gandhi led the party campaign against Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but managed only 52 seats, barely more than the historic low of 44 in the 2014 election.

The BJP increased its majority, taking 303 of the 543 elected seats announced Friday, up from 282.

"In a democracy wins and losses keep happening but providing leadership is a different matter. He gave leadership," senior Congress member Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters after the meeting.

Azad said party barons at the meeting, including Gandhi's mother Sonia and former prime minister Manmohan Singh, urged Rahul Gandhi to continue.

Gandhi led the Congress campaign in the 2014 defeat before taking over from his mother as party president in 2017.

The 48-year-old lost his constituency in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, that has been a family bastion for decades. He was allowed to contest a second seat however and won in southern India.

Experts outside Congress have strongly criticised his display against Modi, who mocked the opposition leader as a spoiled member of the family dynasty that has dominated Indian politics since independence in 1947, providing three prime ministers.

Modi was unanimously elected head of his BJP-led alliance in a special ceremonial meeting at parliament. He is to be sworn in for a new term this week.

Story continues

In West Bengal state, where Modi's BJP took seats from the regional Trinamool Congress party, supporters of the two sides fought battles that left one dead, officials said.

Paramilitary forces boosted security on Saturday because of the violence.

The BJP said a 23-year-old party worker was shot dead by Trinamool activists late Friday at Chakda, north of the regional capital Kolkata. The rival party denied any involvement.

The man's family said he was shot in a field near his home.

Clashes between BJP and Trinamool activists were also reported in three other districts.We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. On the other hand, we'd be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Alphinat Inc. (CVE:NPA).

What Is Insider Selling?

It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'.

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Check out our latest analysis for Alphinat

Alphinat 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 CA$56k for 1.1m shares purchased. While Alphinat insiders bought shares last year, they didn't sell. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

TSXV:NPA Recent Insider Trading, May 25th 2019

Alphinat 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.

Insider Ownership of Alphinat

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It's great to see that Alphinat insiders own 44% of the company, worth about CA$1.1m. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

Story continues

So What Does This Data Suggest About Alphinat Insiders?

There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. It would be great to see more insider buying, but overall it seems like Alphinat insiders are reasonably well aligned (owning significant chunk of the company's shares) and optimistic for the future. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.The big shareholder groups in Bushveld Minerals Limited (LON:BMN) have power over the company. Institutions often own shares in more established companies, while it's not unusual to see insiders own a fair bit of smaller companies. Warren Buffett said that he likes 'a business with enduring competitive advantages that is run by able and owner-oriented people'. So it's nice to see some insider ownership, because it may suggest that management is owner-oriented.

Bushveld Minerals is not a large company by global standards. It has a market capitalization of UK283m, which means it wouldn't have the attention of many institutional investors. In the chart below below, we can see that institutional investors have bought into the company. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholder can tell us about BMN.

Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

Check out our latest analysis for Bushveld Minerals

AIM:BMN Ownership Summary, May 25th 2019

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Bushveld Minerals?

Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.

Bushveld Minerals already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own 5.6% of the company. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone, since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. 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 Bushveld Minerals's earnings history, below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

AIM:BMN Income Statement, May 25th 2019

Hedge funds don't have many shares in Bushveld Minerals. While there is some analyst coverage, the company is probably not widely covered. So it could gain more attention, down the track.

Story continues

Insider Ownership Of Bushveld Minerals

The definition of company insiders can be subjective, and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. 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.

I can report that insiders do own shares in Bushveld Minerals Limited. As individuals, the insiders collectively own UK25m worth of the UK283m company. It is good to see some investment by insiders, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.

General Public Ownership

The general public, mostly retail investors, hold a substantial 83% stake in BMN, suggesting it is a fairly popular stock. This size of ownership gives retail investors collective power. They can and probably do influence decisions on executive compensation, dividend policies and proposed business acquisitions.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important.

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 .

If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.BAGHDAD (AP)  Iraq's parliament speaker said Saturday that Baghdad is ready to mediate between the United States and Iran if it is asked to do so.

Mohamad Halbousi's comments, carried by state TV, came shortly after Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Baghdad beginning a two-day visit.

Tension between the U.S. and Iran have escalated ever since the Trump administration withdrew last year from the 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and world powers and reinstated American sanctions that have badly damaged the Iranian economy.

President Donald Trump has argued that the nuclear deal failed to sufficiently curb Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons or halt its support for militias throughout the Middle East that the U.S. argues destabilize the region.

Iraqi TV aired footage of Zarif upon arrival while being received by the Foreign Ministry's undersecretary Nizar Khairallah.

"We are ready to mediate to solve the crisis between Washington and Tehran if we are asked for that," al-Halbousi, whose country has close ties with both Washington and Tehran, said. He added that there has been "no official request for such mediation."

Later in the day, Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi hosted Zarif for iftar, the meal that breaks daylong fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

A statement released by Abdul-Mahdi's office said the two officials discussed "ways of making the two countries and the region avoid the harms of sanctions and the dangers of war." They also spoke about the importance of security and stability in the Middle East and how to maintain the nuclear deal reached in 2015 between Iran and world powers.

Adel Abdul-Mahdi said earlier this week that Iraq will send delegations to the U.S. and Iran to help end tensions between the two countries, adding that Baghdad is neutral in the conflict.

On May 19, a rocket was fired into Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling U.S. Embassy. There were no injuries and no group claimed responsibility, but the rocket was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad  which is home to Iran-backed Shiite militias.

Story continues

During his visit to Baghdad, Zarif will also meet his Iraqi counterpart Mohamed al-Hakim and Iraqi President Barham Salih, according to Iran's state news agency.

Iraq's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Sahhaf said Zarif will discuss the situation in the region and ways of finding common ground.

On Friday, Zarif was in Pakistan and met officials there as tensions have ratcheted up in the Mideast.

The White House earlier this month sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the region in response to a still-unexplained threat from Iran. The U.S. plans to send 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East amid heightened tensions.

___

Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran contributed.TEL AVIV, May 25 (Reuters) - Thousands of Israelis protested on Saturday against legislative steps that could grant Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immunity from prosecution and limit the power of the country's Supreme Court.

The demonstration in Tel Aviv was attended by nearly all opposition parties, a rare show of unity for Israel's splintered political system. Police did not say how many people attended. A Reuters photographer estimated about 20,000 were present, while organizers put the figure at 80,000.

In office for the past decade, Netanyahu won a fifth term in April despite an announcement by Israel's attorney general in February that he intended to charge him with fraud and bribery. The prime minister is a suspect in three graft cases.

Netanyahu has denied wrongdoing, calling the allegations a political witch-hunt. The right-wing leader has said that with a renewed public mandate to govern he has no plans to resign, even if charged.

Although the prime minister is under no legal obligation to step down if charged, Netanyahu loyalists in his Likud party have pledged to seek parliamentary immunity from prosecution for him while he is in office.

Expecting legal challenges, they also have been advocating legislation that would annul any Supreme Court ruling rescinding immunity.

Since the election, Netanyahu has not said whether he would seek immunity.

On May 13, Netanyahu said on Twitter that his policy had always been to preserve a strong and independent Supreme Court, but that changes were needed in order to restore balance between Israel's executive, legislative and judiciary branches.

The opposition has described any attempt to shield Netanyahu or put limitations on Israel's highest court as threats to Israeli democracy.

Yair Lapid, one of the leaders of the main opposition party, the centrist Blue and White, said on Saturday at the demonstration that Netanyahu was trying to crush the Supreme Court in order to keep out of prison. "He's destroying the country," Lapid said. "We won't let him."

Story continues

Netanyahu is trying to form a new coalition with right-wing, ultranationalist and religious parties that would give him control of 65 of the 120 seats in parliament, which has already been sworn in.

Most of the parties expected to join his coalition have expressed support for granting immunity to Netanyahu and limiting the powers of the Supreme Court, branded by some rightists as too liberal and interventionist.

However, Netanyahu has only until Wednesday to produce a government and he has not yet secured a deal with any party. Negotiations came to an impasse this week when the factions failed to agree on a new conscription law for Israel's military.

According to Israeli law, if Netanyahu fails to form a government by May 29 the president can ask another member of the Knesset legislature to try.

No political party has ever won an outright majority in Israel's Knesset, making coalition governments the norm. Coalition talks have often been protracted with deals signed at the very last minute.

Netanyahu is due to attend a pre-trial hearing over the graft charges with the attorney general, set for October.

(Additional reporting by Rahaf Ruby and Ammar Awad; Writing by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)(Reuters) - Indian carrier Jet Airways (India) Ltd founder Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal were stopped from leaving India on Saturday at Mumbai airport, according to an airport official who asked not to be named.

The couple were taken into custody by immigration officers, the Indian Express reported, citing sources.

The airport official did not confirm that the couple had been detained.

It was not immediately clear why the couple had been prevented from traveling, or whether it was related to reported regulatory probes into the airline.

It was not immediately possible to reach either the Goyals or Jet for comment late Saturday.

Local media said the Goyals had been traveling to Dubai for a connecting flight to London.

Local media, citing sources, reported earlier this month that the ministry of corporate affairs had been looking into Jet's books and had asked for a corporate fraud investigation into the airline, suspecting that its promoters siphoned off funds.

Jet said at the time that it had complied with all regulations. The Goyals did not comment on the reports at the time.

Once one of India's largest carriers, Jet was forced to ground all flights last month after running out of money and failing to secure funds, crippled by mounting losses as it attempted to compete with low-cost rivals.

The carrier is saddled with some $1.2 billion in bank debt, and Goyal and his wife stepped down from the airline's board in March amid the crisis.

(Reporting by Maria Ponnezhath, Rajendra Jadhav, and Zeba Siddiqui; Editing by Frances Kerry)Knowledge has become the number one commodity in the world. But despite the massive effort placed in collecting, analysing, cross referencing and disseminating it, no one has yet attempted to exploit the far larger collection of knowledges mirror image  the world of ignorance.

My essay on the value of ignorance.https://t.co/FpsOpwNO6B  John McAfee (@officialmcafee) May 24, 2019

So says cyber security pioneer and crypto advocate John McAfee in an essay for Spectator USA. I maintain that eventually, the data set of things that an individual does not know will be orders of magnitude larger and more valuable than the set of all other things that we know about them. Mathematically this is a certainty, he writes.

The first group to co-opt this data, he believes, will be the least upstanding members of society  those who consistently try to cheat or take advantage of peoples ignorance  confidence men, cults, telephone marketers, salesmen of miracle cures, questionable fringe products, etc. A data set of a persons ignorance would be the goose that lays golden eggs to this group. From beginning thus, knowledge of peoples ignorance will be adopted throughout the business world.

McAfee flags up the time he claimed to be part of a club in Hawaii which involved having sex with humpback whales. Anyone who considered for a moment would see the impossibility. I even spelled out this impossibility but couched it in terms of is whale fucking consensual?.

Enough of the "Whale Fucking is non-consensual" bullshit. A Humpback Whale weighs 70,000 pounds, is fifty feet long, can dive more than a quarter mile and can crush ships with a single swipe of its tail. If a human manages to fuck one, you damn well better believe it's consensual  John McAfee (@officialmcafee) December 31, 2018

He then selected 100 random commenters on his various tweets and asked them two questions: Do people really have, erm, intimate relations with whales? And has McAfee done so? 62% answered yes to the first question. 41% answered yes to the second.

Story continues

What this shows is that disinformation, which is ignorance of the truth, is simple to impose, even if logic denies it. What is even simpler is discovering a persons ignorance set without imparting knowledge, McAfee concludes.

Going dark

Last month, we reported McAfees belief that the US government would soon act in order to silence him.

I want you all to know that everything I have done, I have done for the cause of freedom. I want a world in which authorities discover crimes, not manufacture them. A free world, he told his almost one million Twitter followers.

McAfee is on the run from US authorities who earlier this year indicted him, his wife and four members of his staff for tax fraud.

And last week a dramatic statement appeared on Twitter. Developing events have made it necessary for John McAfee to go dark, someone wrote on his account. Please be advised that this account will be operated by staff until further notice.

Taking aim at media reports that he had been incarcerated, a photo was also posted of McAfee and his wife, Janice, in their new backyard.

Those who read "go dark" as "incarcerated" shouldn't play lotto this week. Here's @officialmcafee & @theemrsmcafee safe and sound in their new backyard as defiant, joyful and free as ever. Stay tuned pic.twitter.com/e3T8wirhge  John McAfee (@officialmcafee) May 17, 2019

That was followed by a link to an interview with Newsweek, carried out a couple of weeks ago and in which he said: Ive seen a lot of shit that people have not seen. I see a world in America that makes me want to cry.

He added that we are being lied to by the government from every single corner of the world. The CIA provides [info], which is deceptive, manipulative. The government provides information which is manipulative and deceptive. So if you ask me, for example, what my position is, on anything, how the f*** would I know? Because I dont have any information that is real.

Americans, he insisted, need to wake up and understand that they have a corrupt government, a system of slavery, in effect. I mean we work for three to four to five months every year for the government for free, in terms of paying income taxes. Is that not slavery?

The post John McAfee discusses the value of ignorance in new essay appeared first on Coin Rivet.Photo: Kai's Crab Boil/Yelp

Need more seafood in your life?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top seafood sources in Columbus, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture next time you're on the hunt.

1. Akai Hana

Photo: justin v./Yelp

Topping the list is Akai Hana. Located in Kenny Centre Mall at 1173 Old Henderson Road in Governours Square, the sushi bar and Japanese spot is the highest-rated seafood spot in Columbus, boasting 4.5 stars out of 534 reviews on Yelp.

2. Mitchell's Ocean Club

Photo: christina h./Yelp

Next up is Easton's Mitchell's Ocean Club, situated at 4002 Easton Station. With 4.5 stars out of 382 reviews on Yelp, the steakhouse and New American spot, serving crab, lobster and more, has proven to be a local favorite.

3. Kai's Crab Boil

Photo: kai's crab boil/Yelp

Olentangy Commons' Kai's Crab Boil, located at 839 Bethel Road, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the Cajun/Creole and New American spot 4.5 stars out of 295 reviews.

4. The Pearl

Photo: minna c./Yelp

Finally, The Pearl, a New American spot that offers seafood and more in Victorian Village, is another go-to, with four stars out of 762 Yelp reviews. Head over to 641 N. High St. to see for yourself.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.By Benjamin Jumbe

French and Ugandan troops have been commended for the cooperation exhibited in the ongoing combined military training code named *Mountain Ghost* in Ntoroko district.

The Commandant Karugutu Training School Col. Dothan Mukasa has commended the troops while addressing trainees attending the 10-day joint military exercise.

Col. Kavuma has urged the trainees to maintain maximum discipline and morale for the entire course duration if they are to finish the exercise successfully.

Meanwhile the Head of the French troops Maj Asedu has pledged continued support and knowledge sharing with their Ugandan counterparts.

The exercise which commenced on Monday is meant to equip soldiers with mountain fighting tactics(Corrects to show in final paragraph Washington hearing occurred on Thursday, not Friday)

May 24 - The Trump administration must temporarily halt the use of some Defense Department funds for a border wall with Mexico, a judge ruled on Friday, because the money was not specifically authorized by Congress for construction of the barrier.

The order blocks the use of $1 billion from the Department of Defense in Arizona and Texas, out of $6.7 billion that Trump administration said it planned to direct toward building the wall.

"The position that when Congress declines the Executive's request to appropriate funds, the Executive nonetheless may simply find a way to spend those funds 'without Congress' does not square with the fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic," Haywood Gilliam Jr, a U.S. judge in California, wrote in the order.

Separately, Gilliam denied a preliminary injunction against the border wall sought by a coalition of sixteen states, but said they could move forward with their case.

Spokespeople for the Department of Homeland Security, Pentagon and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump has said the wall is needed to address a crisis of drugs and crime flowing across the border into the United States.

The ruling adds to Trump's frustrations with federal court orders blocking his initiatives for cutting illegal immigration, a policy area he will focus on in his 2020 re-election bid.

In February, after a protracted political battle and a government shutdown, Congress approved $1.38 billion for construction of "primary pedestrian fencing" along the border in southeastern Texas, well short of Trump's demands.

To obtain the additional money, Trump declared a national emergency and his administration said it planned to divert $601 million from a Treasury Department forfeiture fund, $2.5 billion earmarked for Department of Defense counternarcotics programs and $3.6 billion from military construction projects.

Story continues

The House of Representatives, more than a dozen states and two advocacy groups asked U.S. District Court Judge Haywood Gilliam in Oakland, California to block the transfer of funds to prevent the wall construction.

They argue the administration cannot use funds Congress has specifically denied and cannot construct a barrier that was not authorized, nor can the administration work outside the geographic area identified by Congress.

"This is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities," the American Civil Liberties Union tweeted.

The wall funding faced another court challenge on Thursday, in a case brought by the House of Representatives in a federal court in the District of Columbia. The lawmakers have said the diversion of $6.1 billion in Defense Department funds violates the separation of powers doctrine laid out in the U.S. Constitution. (Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Additional reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Grant McCool)Actress Jodie Comer poses for photographers on arrival at the 2019 BAFTA Television Awards in London, Sunday, May 12, 2019.(Photo by Grant Pollard/Invision/AP)

Jodie Comer has claimed she has zero love life since sky rocketing to fame in hit show Killing Eve as she has no time.

The 26-year-old actress - who has won a legion of fans as steely assassin Villanelle in the BBC drama - reportedly split from her boyfriend in March this year.

When asked about her dating life by The Australian newspaper, Comer said: Oh, zero, darling, zero.

Read more: 'Killing Eve' star Jodie Comer says men are frightened of her after playing sadistic assassin

She added: I don't know if it's particularly because I've played a psychopath. I don't get approached at all. Which is fine - I'm never in one place long enough.

The British actress revealed in September last year she had a boyfriend back home in Liverpool but it was reported earlier this year that they were no longer together.

Comer also revealed she had acquired a fanbase of strange men who followed her around while she was on a US press tour and turned up at the airport at 2am in a bid to get her to sign an autograph.

The Doctor Foster star had previously said playing a villainous killer scared off men.

She said: I wanted people to be scared of [Villanelle]. But when I am introduced to men sometimes they are a little bit hesitant and yes, maybe they can be a bit frightened.

Read More: 'Killing Eve': The game's afoot again in the first Season 2 teaser

The second series of Killing Eve - which co-stars Sandra Oh as MI5 security officer Eve Polastri - began on BBC America in the US on April 7, and will air on UK screens in June.

The show - scripted by Fleabags Phoebe Waller-Bridge - has seen Comer scoop a host of awards including a TV Bafta for Best Actress.BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP)  The Latest on funeral services for a WWII solider from Montana whose remains were identified last year. (all times local):

5 p.m.

A World War II soldier from Montana who died on an island in the Pacific Ocean 75 years ago has been buried in his home state after his remains were identified last year.

A memorial and funeral with full military honors was held Saturday in Bozeman for Army Pvt. William A. Boegli, who was raised in Sedan, Montana.

He was killed while leading a group of litter bearers to evacuate wounded soldiers in the 1944 invasion of Angaur Island.

The Bozeman Chronicle reports Boegli was initially buried without identification on the island, and later moved to a cemetery at Fort McKinley in the Philippines. His remains were sent to Hawaii last year and identified using DNA comparisons with relatives.

During Saturday's funeral, Boegli was awarded medals including a Purple Heart, Silver Star and WWII Victory Medal.

__

10 a.m.

The remains of a Montana man killed during World War II while working to evacuate soldiers from an island east of the Philippines are due to be buried Saturday with full military honors.

A memorial service for Army Pvt. William Boegli was planned followed by interment at Sunset Hills Cemetery.

Boegli died in 1944, at age 25, while evacuating soldiers on Angaur Island.

His remains were buried on the island and later moved to Fort McKinley in Manila, Philippines.

But the remains weren't identified until last year, after they were disinterred and their DNA compared to Boegli's relatives.Washington (AFP) - As Earth grew ever smaller below his spacecraft, Apollo 10 commander Tom Stafford made an unusual request to mission control.

The year was 1969, and his vessel was the first to be equipped with a color camera, which was beaming live images to an awestruck global audience.

"I was feeling real high," recalled Stafford, who is now 88 and the last surviving member of the crew.

"I said: 'Think you could call over to London and tell the president of the Flat Earth Society that he's wrong?'"

It was a light moment during a mission of paramount importance: 50 years ago this week, Apollo 10 set off to finalize the preparations for Apollo 11's lunar landing.

The mission's objectives included an eight-hour orbit in a lunar module that Stafford flew down to within nine miles (14 kilometers) of the Moon's surface.

Apollo 10 paved the way for Neil Armstrong's "giant leap for mankind" two months later -- a historic milestone and a colossal geopolitical win for the United States at the height of the Cold War.

But Stafford, a US Air Force test pilot who was among the first astronauts recruited for the newly formed National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), almost wasn't part of the mission, after a close call a few years earlier.

- Narrow escape -

The US entered the space race well behind the Soviet Union, which put the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into orbit in 1957, and sent up the first human, Yuri Gagarin, four years later.

To catch up, the Gemini program was conceived to devise rendezvous and docking techniques for an eventual mission to the Moon.

"As a boy I'd read about Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon -- you'd see these spaceships flying together. Nobody had ever done it," Stafford said at a Washington event commemorating the anniversary.

The Oklahoma native was chosen for the two-man Gemini 6A mission, which could have ended in tragedy had it not been for the quick thinking of Commander Wally Schirra.

Story continues

Seconds before lift-off on December 12, 1965, they realized the engines of their Titan II rocket had cut out.

Mission rules dictated that Schirra should pull a cord and eject them because if the rocket had taken off with partial thrust, it would likely fall back to its launch pad, causing a catastrophic explosion.

But realizing from previous experience that they had not in fact taken off, Schirra decided to wait.

Stafford said it was a decision that probably saved their lives as the cabin had been soaking in pure oxygen for hours.

"We were at 100 percent oxygen, we could have been like two Roman candles going out!" he told AFP.

The mission launched three days later and met its objectives.

- Snoopy to the Moon -

But perhaps Stafford's finest hour would be the Apollo 10 mission from May 18-26, 1969.

It became synonymous with Snoopy and Charlie Brown in the minds of the public, because the three-man crew named their lunar and command modules after the iconic cartoon characters.

"NASA developed a relationship with Charles Schulz, who drew Peanuts," he explained.

The names were said to have caused some consternation among NASA management, which felt they lacked sufficient gravitas -- accordingly, "Eagle" and "Columbia" were chosen for Apollo 11.

The Apollo 10 crew could have been chosen to land on the Moon, but for the fact that NASA had not shaved enough weight off their lander at the time, added Stafford.

Of course, they couldn't actually see it until they were upon it, because it was eclipsed by the Earth on their trajectory.

"Kind of a buggy feeling -- you're going somewhere you couldn't see," he said with a laugh.

The mission itself was notable for the lunar module's unexpected rolls in its descent stage -- the crew was heard muttering expletives on US television broadcasts.

But they regained control and scoped out the landing site for Apollo 11 on the Sea of Tranquility.

On whether he ever experienced fear during the mission, Stafford said: "No, I was a fighter pilot, a test pilot -- I was used to risk."

But, as their ship set out, he recalls thinking: "Here was the Earth, it was shrinking away.

"I thought, 'Wow, it's going to be a long ride today.'"

- 'Keep things simple' -

Stafford says that he remains struck to this day by the sheer size of the boulders they witnessed in some of the Moon's craters, which he compared to modern-day stadiums like the Superdome in New Orleans.

On the return journey, the Apollo 10 crew achieved a speed of Mach 37 (about 25,000 miles per hour) as they entered Earth's atmosphere -- a record which still stands.

Stafford's advice for missions returning to the Moon and heading for Mars are two-fold.

"Number one: keep things as simple as possible" as complexity magnifies the risk, he said.

Secondly, he suggested involving astronauts with the development from the get-go, as was done with the Gemini and Apollo programs -- "not somebody saying, 'Here's a spacecraft, go fly it.' It doesn't work that way."

While the technology involved may have come a long way -- Stafford recalls the Gemini guidance computer designed by IBM carried a total memory of 4,096 words -- other things, like science-deniers, remain familiar.

The day after Stafford made his cheeky request to contact the British Flat Earth Society, he received news from mission control that the group had responded.

They were reading out the day's news items, and told him: "The president of the British Flat Earth society said he appreciated the beautiful color TV images, and yes, the Earth is round but it's a flat disc."Thai Noodles. | Photo: Rick M./Yelp

In search of a new favorite Southeast Asian spot?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Southeast Asian restaurants around Louisville, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to fulfill your urges.

1. Thai Noodles

Photo: bryan a./Yelp

Topping the list is Thai Noodles. Located at 5800 Preston Highway, the Thai spot, which offers noodles and more, is the highest rated budget-friendly Southeast Asian restaurant in Louisville, boasting 4.5 stars out of 157 reviews on Yelp.

2. Sala Thai

Photo: kalo s./Yelp

Next up is Sala Thai, situated at 8125 Bardstown Road. With 4.5 stars out of 84 reviews on Yelp, the Thai spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a cheap option.

3. Ngon Appetit

Photo: sam s./Yelp

Clifton Heights' Ngon Appetit, located at 1991 Brownsboro Road, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the inexpensive Vietnamese and French spot 4.5 stars out of 78 reviews.

4. A Chau Restaurant

Photo: khiem l./Yelp

A Chau Restaurant, a Vietnamese and Thai spot in Southside, is another much-loved, low-priced go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 63 Yelp reviews. Head over to 5103 S. Third St. to see for yourself.

5. Cafe Thuy Van

Photo: phinx w./Yelp

Check out Cafe Thuy Van, which has earned four stars out of 62 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Vietnamese spot by heading over to 5600 National Turnpike.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.By Sadat Mbogo

At least one person has died and more than 10 survived with injuries in an accident that occurred at Mpigi-Bikondo zone in Mpigi Town along the Kampala-Masaka highway last night.

The accident involved seven vehicles; three commuter taxis carrying passengers from an introduction ceremony in Bubuule village in Kamengo Sub-County.

Others were a Toyota Canter registration number UAX 050M carrying decoration flowers and chairs, a Kampala- bound truck registration number UBE 735G loaded with sand, a Toyota Canter registration number UBB 583B that was carrying pineapples and a UPDF pick-up truck.

Joseph Tulya, the acting police spokesman for Katonga region has identified the deceased as Owen Tendo who was driving the Toyota Canter.

The injured have been rushed to Double Cure Medical Center in Mpigi Town and others to Mulago Referral National Hospital to receive treatment.

The wreckage of the vehicles were towed to Mpigi Central Police Station for custody.It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Medicines Co. (MDCO). Shares have added about 17.1% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Medicines Co. due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.

Medicines Companys Q1 Loss Narrows, Revenues Nil

The Medicines Company incurred first-quarter 2019 adjusted loss of 62 cents per share, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 64 cents and the year-ago loss of 76 cents.

In first-quarter 2019, the Medicines Company did not generate any revenues. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the metric was pegged at $4.37 million. However, in the prior-year quarter, the companys revenues had grossed $7.8 million.

Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) were down 27% year over year to $13.1 million in the reported quarter. Adjusted research and development expenses (R&D) declined 32.4% to $26.4 million.

The Medicines Companys cash and cash equivalents as of Mar 31, 2019 totaled $199.7 million compared with $238.3 million on Dec 31, 2018. The company believes that this existing cash balance will enable it to fund operating expenses through 2020.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates. The consensus estimate has shifted -8.96% due to these changes.

VGM Scores

Currently, Medicines Co. has an average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a D. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of F on the value side, putting it in the bottom 20% quintile for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Story continues

Outlook

Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of this revision indicates a downward shift. It's no surprise Medicines Co. has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). We expect a below average return from the stock in the next few months.



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



The Medicines Company (MDCO) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.By Anthony Esposito and Diego Ore

MEXICO CITY, May 24 (Reuters) - Mexico's hospitals are reeling under steep budget cuts by the country's new government, with surgery delays for children, reductions in testing and staffing shortages, hospital directors said on Friday, fanning anger over President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's austerity measures.

In its first budget in December, the government slashed the budget from several ministries as it sought to centralize spending and fight public sector corruption. It was also eager to honor a campaign pledge to run a tight budget.

Other services hit by the cuts include immigration and shelters for victims of domestic violence.

The Federico Gomez public children's hospital in the Doctores neighborhood of Mexico City will have to cut its supply of anesthesia and nitric oxide by half as of June 1, according to a document from at least 11 public health institutions that was presented to lawmakers and seen by Reuters on Friday.

"We've already had to cancel some surgeries," said Jaime Nieto, director of the Federico Gomez hospital, adding that surgical operations would be delayed by 50% and some 180 outsourced nurses and technical staff had been laid off.

"We're preparing to reduce anesthesia and special tests because we won't be able to pay for them," added Nieto, a pediatric surgeon.

Nitric oxide is used to save the lives of newborn babies with pulmonary hypertension, the document said.

Without a quick reversal of the cuts, hospitals will face restrictions on transplants, equipment failures and staff shortages, according to the document. Many of the budget cuts appeared to be aimed at limiting outsourcing and hiring of third parties to deliver services.

On Thursday, Lopez Obrador admitted there was a problem with the supply of medicines, but said it was "worse before" and that difficulties had arisen because he was lifting the lid on corruption in the health sector.

Story continues

The Finance Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

While Mexico's public health system suffered from funding problems before Lopez Obrador took office, the level of shortages appears to have grown more acute.

German Martinez, the head of Mexico's IMSS social security institute, the largest public health service in the country, stepped down on Tuesday in one of the first major resignations in Lopez Obrador's administration. In his resignation letter, Martinez blamed the Finance Ministry for pressure on the IMSS to make savings and cut staff.

WORST IN 40 YEARS

A nurse at Federico Gomez, Ines Hernandez, complained on Friday about a lack of medicines and surgical supplies and said garbage is being disposed of only once per day now.

"I've been here nearly 40 years and it's the first time I see this happening," Hernandez said.

At an entrance to the hospital where workers had hung a banner "apologizing for deficiencies in patient care due to cuts in personnel and supplies," Ana Maria Arias said the funding squeeze put at risk the life of her 5-year-old grandson, who has been hospitalized for 24 days due to an epileptic seizure.

"There aren't enough nurses for the number of kids. ... There are medicines my grandson needs and they don't have them here. We had to go elsewhere to buy them," said Arias, 48.

She accused Lopez Obrador of not knowing how to govern. "Everything is getting out of hand," she said. "It's fine to be looking for austerity, but it must not kill people."

The brewing crisis dominated the headlines of several top Mexican newspapers on Friday. El Universal said hospitals had "money for two months" while El Economista said pharma companies were "sending out an SOS for payments."

Asked in his regular news conference what he knew about doctors and nurses being fired, Lopez Obrador blamed the media.

"Nobody is being fired, nobody," the president said. "It's propaganda to hurt us. You know how it is in the underworld of journalism - not everyone obviously, not everyone, no, no, no - but in the underworld of journalism, slander is used a lot so that if you're not stained, you're tarnished." (Reporting by Anthony Esposito and Diego Ore; Additional reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Leslie Adler)MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexico's minister of the environment presented her resignation to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Saturday, the second Cabinet resignation in less than a week, after receiving criticism for an air flight.

In a letter on her Twitter account, Josefa Gonzalez-Blanco said she resigned because she delayed the departure of a flight that had waited for her to start a working trip.

Lopez Obrador, who took office Dec. 1, has promised a government without privileges or corruption.

"There is no justification," the minister of the environment and natural resources said in the letter. "The true transformation of Mexico requires a total congruence with the values of equity and justice. No one should have privileges and one's benefit, even if it is to fulfill one's functions, should not be put above the welfare of the majority."

The delay of the flight for more than half an hour had generated criticism from other passengers and the media.

Gonzalez-Blanco's resignation comes four days after that of German Martinez Cazares, head of the Mexican Social Security Institute, the country's main public health system. In his resignation, Martinez Cazares lashed out at health spending cuts.

Lopez Obrador himself has gotten rid of his presidential guard and travels on commercial flights. On Tuesday, he said that since he imposed a rule requiring public officials receive approval for international trips, he has received about 100 petitions and approved only 20.On one side are scientists accusing a top Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor of claiming other researchers work as his own. On the other are colleagues rushing to his defense after a blistering and painstaking takedown. And it is all getting rather heated  and public.

At stake is not only the reputation of a scientist at one of the countrys most elite institutions, but also the possibility of a black eye for others in a burgeoning field of research.

Continue to STAT Plus to read the full storyKevin Na matched the tournament record with a 61 last year at Colonial Country Club, and he nearly did so again Friday in the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.

An 8-under-par 62 left Na at 8-under 132, one shot behind the Sweden's Jonas Blixt, who carded a 64 on Friday.

First-round co-leader Tony Finau is also tied for second after a second-round 68.

Na opened his day perfectly, hitting his second shot on the par-5 first hole within 3 feet of the cup, then sinking the eagle putt. He added six birdies in a bogey-free round.

"Last year when I shot 61, I felt like I made everything," Na said. "Kind of almost had that feeling today. With a few holes to go, I felt like I had a chance to challenge my own course record."

Blixt's own bogey-free round also included an eagle, when he chipped in from 132 yards at the par-4 17th hole.

"I think I've played pretty good this year," Blixt said. "Obviously not had the good finishes yet, but it's been up there a bunch of times. If you slow down a little bit ... people are going to pass you. That's pretty much what I've been looking for -- a good weekend. ...

"Feel like I've been trending for a while. Just need to have a good weekend."

Blixt is alone atop a PGA Tour event after 36 holes for the first time in his career. He owns three wins on the tour, most recently capturing the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event with Australia's Cameron Smith in 2017.

Slovakia's Rory Sabbatini shot a 66 on Friday to claim fourth place at 6 under.

Five players, including local favorite Jordan Spieth, share fifth place at 5 under. Spieth shot even-par 70 on Friday, leaving him level with Jim Furyk (second-round 66), Taiwan's C.T. Pan (67), Nick Watney (68) and Jason Dufner (68).

Notables who missed the cut include Rickie Fowler (3 over through two rounds) and Spain's Jon Rahm (6 over).

--Field Level MediaFARMINGTON, N.M.  John Pinto, a long-serving New Mexico state senator and World War II Navajo Code Talker, died Friday, according to the Gallup Police Department. He was 94.

Pinto's family issued a statement Friday afternoon saying the senator was surrounded by family when he died.

"He worked tirelessly throughout his lifetime to serve the Dine people. The family would like to express their gratitude to his constituents and fellow legislators for allowing him to serve, it is what truly made him happy," the family said.

The New Mexico State Senate Democratic Caucus stated Pinto was the senate's most senior member, with his service beginning in 1977.

State Sen. John Pinto was named the first recipient of an honorary doctoral degree from Navajo Technical University on May 17, 2019, in Crownpoint.

"A senator for more than 40 years, he represented his constituents with grace, wisdom and tenacity. Through the relationships he built and respect he earned, he was able to secure innumerable crucial investments for New Mexico communities, in particular Native communities," Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement.

State Sen. John Pinto reviews documentation during the New Mexico Legislature's Indian Affairs Committee meeting on Sept. 17, 2018 at the Gadii'ahi-Tokoi Chapter house in Gadii'ahi.

Lujan Grisham, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Speaker Seth Damon were among officials at the state, tribal and federal levels who reflected on Pinto's dedication to public service.

"Words cannot express the sadness we feel for the loss of a great Dine warrior who served our country as a Navajo Code Talker and in the New Mexico State Senate for many years. He dedicated his life to helping others and he changed the lives of so many people for the better," Nez said in a statement.

Gallup police officers were dispatched Friday morning to a Gallup address on a report of a male, later identified as Pinto, not breathing, according to the police department release.

Officers initiated CPR before Pinto was transported to Gallup Indian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The incident is under investigation by the department's investigations division, the release states.

Pinto was a Marine Corps veteran and a member of the elite group of Navajo men who used the Navajo language to develop an unbreakable code to transmit military messages in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

Story continues

From left, state Sens. Benny Shendo Jr. and John Pinto attend Navajo Technical University's spring commencement on May 17 in Crownpoint. Pinto received the university's first honorary doctoral degree.

He was among the Code Talkers who received Congressional Silver Medals in 2001.

Peter MacDonald Sr., president of the Navajo Code Talkers Association and former chairman of the Navajo Nation, said Pinto was one of seven remaining Code Talkers.

Code Talkers: Fleming Begaye Sr., one of the last Navajo Code Talkers, dies at 97

"He was a good friend and a legend for New Mexico," MacDonald said.

The senator championed for money to construct in Tse Bonito a museum dedicated to and sharing information about the code talkers.

He supported the project, which received approximately $1 million in this year's Capital Outlay bill.

"We shall never forget about his love for his country," MacDonald said.

Pinto also advocated for Capital Outlay initiatives and campus development for Navajo Preparatory School.

Former Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly, left, introduces state Sen. John Pinto on March 25, 2014 in Naschitti before Gov. Susana Martinez announced new funding that will allow the state to complete the expansion of U.S. Highway 491 from two-lane to four-lane.

Pinto was born in 1924 and was raised in Lupton, Arizona, and in Gallup, according to the State Senate Democratic Caucus.

He earned a bachelor's degree when he was 39, then a master's degree in elementary education from the University of New Mexico.

His career included serving as president of the Gallup Indian community center from 1950 to 1970, working 28 years for Gallup-McKinley County Schools and serving as a legislative liaison for the Navajo Nation Division of Transportation in Window Rock, Arizona.

State Sen. John Pinto receives an honorary doctor of public service degree from Navajo Technical University on May 17 in Crownpoint.

One of Pinto's last public appearances was the May 17 commencement ceremony for Navajo Technical University in Crownpoint, where he was the recipient of the university's first honorary doctoral degree.

"I think you should call me Doctor Senator John Pinto," he said in good humor after receiving his degree.

This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: NM state Sen. John Pinto, one of last of the Navajo Code Talkers, has died at age 94By Juliet Nalwooga

Police in Kigezi are investigating a border shooting that claimed 2 people last evening at the Ugandan border with Rwanda at Hamisanvu trading center in Rukiga district.

In a press statement, Police spokesperson Fred Enanga says the incident happened in Kiruhura village, Kasekye Parish in Rukiga district.

The deceased have been identified as Peter Nyengye, a Rwandan national who attempted to cross into Rwanda on a motorcycle loaded with merchandise and a one Alex Nyesiga a Ugandan who was shot dead trying to save Nyengye.

Enanga has criticized Rwandan army officers who allegedly shot at civilians saying they should have departed them instead.

Recently 44 Rwandan nationals who had illegally entered Uganda were intercepted at Kasese and peacefully deported to Rwanda.

This development comes at height of rising tensions between Uganda and Rwanda with counter accusations between the two countrys leaders of posing what they each call serious security threats.Palmer Luckey, the 26-year-old entrepreneur best known for founding Oculus, the AR company he sold to Facebook for $2 billion, is calling for more tech companies and investors to get into the defense space.

After getting fired by Facebook in 2017, Luckey started his own defense company, Anduril Industries, and has been very proud of  his work for the military, including making autonomous drones and autonomous sensors for the U.S. Department of Defense and NATO.

Military contracting work is a space big tech companies have shied away from. Google pulled out from a Department of Defense program known as Project Maven after protest from employees. Recently, some Amazon shareholders scrutinized the internet giant for selling facial recognition to the government.

Those people refuse to work on national security problems, partly for ideological reasons, partly because it makes it harder for them to play in the consumer space, partly because they're afraid of a tech media that is by and large, anti-military, Luckey said at the Collision Conference in Toronto.

Luckey said its a void that needs to be filled. Traditional defense companies Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin are known for making fighter jets, submarines and aircraft carriers, but they are not particularly known for cutting-edge artificial intelligence or vision. Anduril, the two-year-old startup he founded, aims to provide a platform so top talent could do military work unapologetically. Anduril has reportedly won contracts from Project Maven after Google dropped out.

Luckey, who is also an investor in other defense companies, said its difficult for them to attract venture capital money.

If you're an investor doing pattern matching, it's reasonable to say, well, there are literally only two unicorns in the whole defense space in 30 years, he said, referring to Palantir and SpaceX, which are funded by Peter Thiel and Elon Musk, respectively. Why would I invest in you knowing that you're probably going to be one of the many to hit the cutting floor?

Story continues

Luckey said he was motivated to enter the industry by Russia and China  rising strategic rivals of Washington.

I knew that we needed more companies with smart people and lots of investment working to make sure that Russia and China don't dictate the future of warfare, so they don't dictate the norms behind how artificial intelligence is used, behind how cyber warfare tools are used, Luckey said. And I felt like I had a responsibility to do something with the money that I had made that would make a difference. And this felt like a place where not enough people were doing their duty.

Palmer Luckey, Oculus VR, and Deirdre Bosa, CNBC, on Centre Stage during day two of Collision 2019 at Enercare Center in Toronto, Canada, on 22 May 2019. (Photo By David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty)

Keeping politics to himself

As a self-identified libertarian, Luckey said he would not work on urban surveillance and acknowledges tech innovations for warfare could cause unintended consequences. But he said his project can help the U.S. government and military get more information and make better decisions, so fewer civilians would be hurt.

His military work isnt the only thing that makes Luckey a controversial Silicon Valley entrepreneur. In 2016, he was criticized for donating $10,000 to a pro-Trump organization.

I don't want to sound like too much of a rich person, but $10,000 just isn't that much to me. And you know, I think that I didn't realize just how provocative that could be, and how upset people can get around this stuff, Luckey recalled.

He said he doesnt regret the donation, but he has learned to be more low-key on some issues  just keep your politics to yourself, and find somebody else to be your champion.

Krystal covers tech and China for Yahoo Finance. Write to Krystal via krystalh@yahoofinance.com or follow her on Twitter.SALEM, Ore. (AP)  Police in Oregon arrested a man Friday on suspicion of murder and kidnapping following the disappearance of a woman and their 3-year-old son.

A search was continuing for the mother and son, but police had little hope they were alive.

Karissa Fretwell, 25, of Salem and her son William haven't been heard from since May 13.

Michael John Wolfe, the child's biological father, was arrested at a doughnut shop in the Portland area, Salem police Lt. Treven Upkes said at a news conference.

Photos of the suspect with a distinctive walrus mustache and thinning brown hair had been published in newspapers and broadcast on TV news.

Wolfe, 52, of Gaston is being charged with two counts of aggravated murder and two counts of kidnapping, police said.

"Everybody that's been involved in this case continues to hope for the safe return of Karissa and William," Upkes said.

The mother and son were last seen in west Salem, Upkes said. Her family reported them missing when she didn't show up for work May 17.

Police, including divers, were searching a rural area southwest of Portland.

"It's taking an incredible toll on everybody who's out there. They're working around the clock, following all leads," Upkes said.

Court papers show Fretwell went to court last year to establish that Wolfe was William's father. A DNA test verified her claim, and Fretwell then filed a petition seeking more than $1,000 a month in child support from Wolfe, court records show.

Wolfe is married to another woman, police confirmed.

Upkes said there were aspects of the case he couldn't reveal because the investigation was ongoing. He did say there are no additional suspects.

He said Wolfe would be lodged in the jail in Yamhill County, where the search is being carried out.

Fretwell's Facebook page is full of smiling photos of her and William, including one in the hospital right after his birth. She is a student at Western Oregon University.

Story continues

In her profile, she wrote "My son is my world ... Future WOU graduate, BIG DREAMER!"

Fretwell's sister did not immediately return a message sent through Facebook.

___

Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselskyPhoto: Texas de Brazil/Yelp

Looking to try the top steakhouses around?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top steakhouses in Orlando, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to fulfill your urges.

1. Kres Chophouse

PHOTO: MONICA O./YELP



Topping the list is Kres Chophouse. Located at 17 W. Church St. in the Central Business District, it's the highest-rated steakhouse in Orlando, boasting 4.5 stars out of 492 reviews on Yelp. In addition to a selection of steaks and chops, the upscale restaurant also serves duck, seafood, vegetarian dishes and more for both lunch and dinner; and don't forget to check out the wine and cocktail menus.

2. Texas de Brazil



Photo: texas de brazil/Yelp

Florida Center's Texas de Brazil, located at 5259 International Drive, Suite F1, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the churrascaria and steakhouse four stars out of 760 reviews. The upscale Brazilian restaurant offers all-you-can-eat grilled meats made "the gaucho way" as well as a gourmet salad bar, a wide variety of hot side items, desserts and cocktails.

3. Firebirds Wood Fired Grill

PHOTO: SU I./YELP



Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, a steakhouse and wine bar in Lake Formosa, is another go-to, with four stars out of 444 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1562 N. Mills Ave. to see for yourself. In addition to hand-cut, aged steaks, the restaurant offers fresh seafood, desserts, specialty cocktails and more.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.By Nqobile Dludla

PRETORIA, May 25 (Reuters) - Trade unionist-turned-businessman Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn in as South Africa's president on Saturday, vowing to create jobs and tackle deep-rooted corruption that has strangled economic growth.

Ramaphosa, who becomes the country's fourth democratically elected president since the end of apartheid, took the presidential oath before a crowd of about 32,000 people in a rugby stadium in the capital, Pretoria.

"Today our nation enters a new era of hope and renewal," said Ramaphosa, 66, wearing a dark suit and flanked by foreign leaders including Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

"Let us forge a compact for growth and economic opportunities, for productive land and wider opportunities ... A compact of an efficient, capable and ethical state. A state that is free from corruption," said Ramaphosa, a former anti-apartheid activist and trade union leader who has wide-ranging business interests.

Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC) clinched a 57.5% majority in a general election earlier in May, down from 62% in 2014 as voters turned against the ruling party due to revelations about government corruption and record unemployment.

Ramaphosa narrowly won the ANC leadership race in late 2017 and replaced scandal-plagued predecessor Jacob Zuma as state president in February 2018, a year before the latter's term was due to expire.

Since then he has struggled to mend factions in the party opposed to his reform plans, especially at cash-strapped state power supplier Eskom. His promises to punish party members accused of corruption have also stuttered.

The challenges facing Ramaphosa were highlighted on Friday by the resignation of Eskom's chief executive, who quit only a year since he was appointed to stabilize the utility and keep the lights on after nationwide blackouts.

Also on Friday, S&P Global Ratings kept South Africa's credit rating unchanged one notch below investment grade.

Story continues

The economy is set for a first quarter contraction after mining and manufacturing weakened, prompting the central bank to cut its 2019 growth forecast to 1%, well below the rate of at least 3% needed to bring down debt, budget deficits and joblessness.

"The challenges our country faces are huge and are real but they are not insurmountable. They can be solved and I stand here to say they are going to be solved," Ramaphosa said in his speech on Saturday.

Many in the crowd at Pretoria's packed Loftus stadium were optimistic.

"I love my president Cyril Ramaphosa. I know that as long as we have him here he is going to give us jobs and change many things," said Patience Shabangu, 45, a volunteer at a local clinic.

Political analysts say a key test of Ramaphosa's ability to deliver reforms will be his announcement of new cabinet, which is expected to take place next week.

"The speech was an honest and brutal reflection of South Africa's recent problems. But it was also optimistic," said Daniel Silke, director of the Political Futures Consultancy.

"He will be judged on a very high bar and the next step is the cabinet. If it contains any semblance of the dead wood from the past he will be severely critiqued," Silke added. (Writing by Mfuneko Toyana Editing by Helen Popper)London (AFP) - Contenders to succeed Theresa May as Britain's prime minister prepared to launch their leadership campaigns on Saturday, leaving Brexit shrouded in uncertainty.

A tearful May announced her resignation on Friday, leaving the Brexit process for exiting the European Union in limbo and raising the risk of Britain crashing out of the bloc in a few months.

May's statement inevitably triggered the starting gun on a two-month contest to replace her.

May will step down as Conservative leader on June 7 but stay on as prime minister until party members have chosen her successor, which will happen by July 20.

Britain's EU departure date is currently fixed for October 31, although any new leader could ask for a further delay.

Conservative Party leadership contests are typically bloodthirsty affairs, with plot twists and betrayals.

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson is the bookmakers' odds-on favourite, ahead of former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab.

Both have embraced the prospect of a no-deal Brexit.

But whoever takes over from May will like her face the same razor-thin majority in parliament, an EU with no intention of changing the divorce offer that MPs have rejected three times, and proponents both for and against Brexit who will never compromise.

Main opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said whoever wins the contest should call an immediate general election.

That too would be a risky move, with the newly-formed, single-issue Brexit Party set to triumph in the European Parliament elections when the results become clear on Monday.

- Waiting in the wings -

Raab as well as Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Environment Secretary Michael Gove all held off from throwing their hats in the ring on Friday, but are widely expected to stand.

The next prime minister of the UK, a country of more than 66 million people, will be decided by the 100,000 or so paid-up members of the Conservative Party.

After Johnson and Raab, the next most likely winners are Gove, Hunt and former Commons leader Andrea Leadsom, bookmakers say.

Story continues

They are followed by International Development Secretary Rory Stewart, Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt and Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

So far, only Johnson, Stewart and former pensions minister Esther McVey have declared their intention to stand.

"There's a lot of runners and riders in this particular race," Tony Travers, a politics professor at the London School of Economics university, told AFP.

Johnson "would certainly be the party membership's choice but not necessarily members of parliament", he added.

With the House of Commons' arithmetic unchanged, "the question is, could a new prime minister go back to the EU 27 and get a different deal that would be more attractive to parliament," Travers said.

A snap YouGov poll of 2,200 adults on Friday found 67 percent thought May had made the right choice in standing down.

At the same time May told her local party branch that she would stay on in parliament and remain a MP.

Labour MP Chris Bryant, calling for a second Brexit referendum, said the new prime minister could not go for a no-deal Brexit.

"If they opt for confrontation, they will suffer Mrs May's fate, but in a matter of months and weeks, not years," he said.

- Deep regret -

In an emotional address outside her Downing Street Office on Friday, May ended a dramatic three-year tenure of near-constant crisis over Brexit.

May, who took charge in the aftermath of the 2016 Brexit referendum, was forced out following a Conservative mutiny over her ill-fated strategy to end Britain's near five-decade membership of the EU.

"It is and will always remain a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit," said May.

"I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honour of my life to hold.

"I do so with no ill-will, but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love," she said, her voice breaking and close to tears.

May was hastily pushed into the humiliating spectacle after a meeting with the Conservative Party's committee chief in charge of leadership elections.

Her fourth bid to get MPs to agree to her EU divorce deal, this time with changes seeking to woo the opposition, went too far for many key cabinet members and her last remaining authority had all but evaporated.

With her resignation, the manner of Britain's withdrawal from the EU appears more ambiguous than ever.Pretoria (AFP) - Cyril Ramaphosa vowed a "new era" Saturday after he was sworn in as president of South Africa at a colourful ceremony in the capital, as he looks to revitalise his push to revive the economy and fight corruption.

Foreign heads of state from more than 40 countries were among 36,000 people who witnessed the event replete with pomp, military honours and an airforce flyover at a rugby stadium in Pretoria.

Ramaphosa, who became president last year through internal politics in his African National Congress (ANC) party and won a popular mandate in elections on May 8, faces an uphill battle to drive through reforms in a country suffering from chronic jobless rates, inequality, crime and endemic corruption.

"A new era has dawned in our country. A brighter day is rising upon South Africa," said Ramaphosa, promising that the nation was beginning "a new era of hope and renewal".

"This is a defining moment for a young nation like ours. It is a time for us to make the future that we yearn for," added the 66-year-old.

The former trade unionist played a prominent part in the struggle to end white-minority rule -- at one point seen as a protege of Nelson Mandela -- before becoming a successful businessman and served as vice president to former president Jacob Zuma.

Ramaphosa vowed to root out corruption as he took power last year when the ANC forced scandal-plagued Zuma to resign after nine years in office.

On Saturday he pledged "to build the South Africa that we all want and deserve.

"Let us forge a compact for an efficient, capable and ethical state, a state that is free from corruption."

Ramaphosa faces a herculean task to tackle the country's many problems -- from a sickly economy, in which more than a quarter of the workforce is jobless, to land ownership that remains overwhelmingly in the hands of whites.

Many solutions will require him to inch his way along a high wire, balancing leftwing calls for radical change with investors' demands for caution.

Story continues

Corruption scandals and the country's economic struggles have also dented the support for the ANC.

The party won 57.5 percent of the vote on May 8, its weakest result since apartheid was overturned 25 years ago.

- Cabinet tensions -

Main opposition Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane said he wanted to work with Ramaphosa to improve the lives of South Africans.

"Today is a historic day in South Africa, the people of this country... have spoken, now the job that we have to make sure we do is build the reforms.

"I will work with the president when he supports the people of this country but when he puts the ANC first I will not be there," Maimane told reporters.

Ramaphosa's first test will be choosing a cabinet -- a task beset by rival factions within the ANC.

He is expected to name his new team within days, but the choice of vice president hangs in the balance after deputy David Mabuza said Wednesday he would defer taking his seat in parliament.

An ANC integrity commission report has alleged that Mabuza -- the party's No. 2 -- "prejudiced the integrity of the ANC and brought the organisation into disrepute".

Maimane called for a smaller cabinet and "not to have criminals in it".

- Zuma a no-show -

Breaking with tradition Ramaphosa's swearing-in ceremony was moved from the amphitheatre of the Union Buildings -- the seat of government, where Mandela was inaugurated as the country's first black president in 1994.

All other leaders after Mandela have taken their oaths at the Union Buildings, whose grounds can accommodate only up to 4,500 people.

But this year the event was moved to the 52,000-seater Loftus Versfeld stadium to allow more people to attend.

Foreign leaders present included Rwandan President Paul Kagame and the Democratic Republic of Congo's new leader Felix Tshisekedi.

All of the country's living former presidents were at the ceremony except for Zuma, who on Friday attended a court hearing on corruption charges in the southeastern city of Pietermaritzburg.

He told supporters afterwards he was too busy to go to Pretoria for Ramaphosa's inauguration.

"There is no time. I am fighting to stay out of jail," Zuma said.

More than 2,500 police were deployed for security, while a battalion of soldiers performed ceremonial parades inside the stadium. The airforce put a spectacular aerobatics display overhead.It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Ashtead Group plc (LON:AHT).

Do Insider Transactions Matter?

It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.

We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.'

Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

Check out our latest analysis for Ashtead Group

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Ashtead Group

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the , Ian Sutcliffe, sold UK585k worth of shares at a price of UK23.89 per share. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. The silver lining is that this sell-down took place above the latest price (UK19.64). So it may not shed much light on insider confidence at current levels. Ian Sutcliffe was the only individual insider to sell over the last year. Notably Ian Sutcliffe was also the biggest buyer, having purchased UK272k worth of shares.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid UK272k for 14933 shares. On the other hand they divested 24500 shares, for UK585k. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

Story continues

LSE:AHT Recent Insider Trading, May 25th 2019

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Insider Ownership of Ashtead Group

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. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Insiders own 0.2% of Ashtead Group shares, worth about UK20m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Ashtead Group Insiders?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Ashtead Group shares in the last quarter. We don't take much encouragement from the transactions by Ashtead Group insiders. But it's good to see that insiders own shares in the company. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.

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.Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

First satellites for Musk's Starlink internet venture launched into orbit

SpaceX, the private rocket company of high-tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, launched the first batch of 60 small satellites into low-Earth orbit on Thursday for Musk's new Starlink internet service. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellites blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at about 10:30 p.m. local time (0230 GMT Friday), clearing a key hurdle for a business venture that Musk hopes will generate much-needed cash for his larger ambitions in space.

NASA chooses technology firm Maxar for lunar platform project

NASA has picked space technology company Maxar Technologies Inc as the first contractor to help build its Gateway platform in lunar orbit, a crucial outpost for America's mission to relay astronauts to the moon in 2024, the U.S. agency said on Thursday. Shares of Westminster, Colorado-based Maxar jumped more than 20% following the announcement by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine at a meeting sponsored by a Florida college.

NASA executive quits weeks after appointment to lead 2024 moon landing plan

A top NASA executive hired in April to guide strategy for returning astronauts to the moon by 2024 has resigned, the space agency said on Thursday, the culmination of internal strife and dwindling congressional support for the lunar initiative. Mark Sirangelo, named six weeks ago as special assistant to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, left the agency as NASA abandoned a reorganization plan due to a chilly reception on Capitol Hill, Bridenstine said in a statement.Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

U.S. Supreme Court blocks redrawing of Ohio, Michigan electoral maps

The Supreme Court on Friday blocked lower court rulings ordering Republican legislators in Michigan and Ohio to redraw U.S. congressional maps ahead of the 2020 elections, dealing a blow to Democrats who had argued that the electoral districts were intended to unlawfully diminish their political clout. The justices granted requests from Republican lawmakers in both states to put those decisions on hold, halting further action in the cases and the need to rework electoral district boundaries. The justices did not provide any explanation for their brief orders.

Doctor, medical funder charged in New York in transvaginal mesh fraud

A doctor and a surgical funding consultant were arrested on Friday on charges that they defrauded women into having unnecessary surgeries to remove transvaginal mesh implants in order to profit from settlements paid to the women by mesh manufacturers, U.S. prosecutors in New York said. Urogynecologist Christopher Walker, 49, of Florida, and Wesley Barber, 49, of Michigan, were both charged with wire fraud and conspiracy in an indictment unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn.

Groups sue over Alabama abortion law; judge blocks Mississippi ban

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit on Friday challenging a law enacted by Alabama last week that bans nearly all abortions and makes performing the procedure a felony punishable by up to 99 years in prison. The lawsuit is one of several the groups have filed or are preparing to file against states that recently passed strict anti-abortion measures in an effort to prompt the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark case that guarantees a woman's constitutional right to abortion.

Trump campaign views healthcare as a 2020 campaign weapon

U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign believes he can turn Republicans' biggest liability from last year's congressional elections - the debate about the future of healthcare in America - into a winning issue for his reelection. That would have appeared highly unlikely just months ago, when Democrats seized upon the issue of coverage for pre-existing medical conditions to capture control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Story continues

Trump retweets doctored video of Pelosi to portray her as having 'lost it'

U.S. President Donald Trump, engaged in personal attacks on House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, retweeted a heavily edited video that falsely claimed the Democratic leader had difficulty speaking to reporters. In a Twitter posting late on Thursday, the Republican president wrote, "PELOSI STAMMERS THROUGH NEWS CONFERENCE." Accompanying the tweet was a heavily edited Fox Business Network clip of Pelosi's 23-minute news conference earlier in the day.

'Embodiment of evil': Jayme Closs kidnapper sentenced to die in prison

A Wisconsin judge sentenced Jake Patterson to two terms of life imprisonment on Friday for kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and murdering her parents, describing him as "one of the most dangerous men ever to walk this planet." Barron County Circuit Court Judge James Babler said Patterson, 21, admitted to having fantasies of "taking multiple girls, and killing multiple families" as he handed down a sentence with no possibility of release.

Pentagon eyes expanding DARPA future warfare research office

The U.S. Department of Defense is close to expanding its legendary future warfare and technology agency DARPA by combining it with the Pentagon office in charge of adapting existing weapons to new uses, people familiar with the plans said. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency would absorb the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) and centralize more research units under the Pentagon's Chief Technology Officer Michael Griffin.

U.S. states want federal government to forgive disabled veterans' student loans

Attorneys general from 47 U.S. states on Friday called on Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to forgive more than $1 billion of student loans burdening more than 42,000 veterans who became permanently disabled through their military service. Led by New Jersey Democrat Gurbir Grewal and Utah Republican Sean Reyes, the attorneys general said in a letter https://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NAAG-Letter-to-Sec.-DeVos.pdf they welcomed federal efforts to make loan discharges easier to obtain, but said the Department of Education should develop an automatic process to forgive loans rather than require veterans to apply for loan discharges.

Trump appeals ruling allowing banks to hand his financial records to Congress

U.S. President Donald Trump, three of his children and the Trump Organization on Friday appealed a court order allowing Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial Corp to hand their financial records over to Democratic lawmakers. They are asking the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan to overrule U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos, who on Wednesday refused to block the banks from responding to subpoenas issued last month by two U.S. House of Representatives committees.

Democrats grapple with 'electability' question as white men lead diverse field

Democrats seeking to unseat Republican U.S. President Donald Trump in 2020 will choose from the largest and most diverse set of candidates in history - yet, so far, two older white men are leading the pack. The early dominance of former Vice President Joe Biden, 76, and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, 77, is raising uncomfortable questions about whether Democratic voters think a woman or minority candidate has what it takes to defeat Trump, the likely Republican nominee.Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Defying Congress, Trump sets $8 billion-plus in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE

U.S. President Donald Trump, declaring a national emergency because of tensions with Iran, swept aside objections from Congress on Friday to complete the sale of over $8 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. The Trump administration informed congressional committees that it will go ahead with 22 military sales to the Saudis, United Arab Emirates and Jordan, infuriating lawmakers by circumventing a long-standing precedent for congressional review of major weapons sales.

Iraqi protesters urge Baghdad to stay out of U.S.-Iran showdown

Thousands of supporters of a populist Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim cleric urged political and factional leaders on Friday to stay out of any conflict between Baghdad's two biggest allies, Iran and the United States. Protesters from the movement of Moqtada al-Sadr, who once led Shi'ite militiamen against U.S. forces and is also vocally critical of Iranian influence in Iraq, chanted "no to war" and "yes to Iraq" in central Baghdad and the southern city of Basra.

Shanahan to meet Chinese counterpart in Singapore: U.S. official

Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will meet China's defense minister at an Asia defense forum in Singapore, a senior U.S. defense official said on Friday, at a time of strained relations between Beijing and Washington over trade and security. Tensions between China and the United States have intensified in the past year, over an ongoing trade war and over the disputed South China Sea and U.S. support for self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its own.

Twenty-nine detainees killed in Venezuela police station cellblock riot

Twenty-nine detainees were killed and 19 police officers were wounded in a confrontation in a cellblock in central Venezuela in what a state official called a failed escape attempt, but human rights groups described as a massacre. The incident took place in the town of Acarigua in a municipal police cellblock in the central state of Portuguesa.

Story continues

French police hunt suitcase bomber after blast in Lyon

French police were hunting a suspected suitcase bomber on Friday after an explosion in the central city of Lyon that injured 13 people, officials said. The suspect was captured on security video leaving a bag in front of a bakery shortly before an explosion occurred at around 5:30 pm, police sources and local mayor Denis Broliquier said.

Yemen president slams U.N. envoy's handling of war in letter to secretary-general

Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi criticized the U.N.'s special envoy to the country in a sharply-worded letter to the U.N. chief, describing him as legitimizing Houthi rebels his Saudi-backed coalition is locked in a four-year war with. The Iran-aligned Houthis, who ousted Hadi from power in the capital Sanaa in 2014, have stepped up missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent days in a resurgence of tactics that had largely subsided since late last year amid United Nations-led peace efforts.

Trump orders intelligence community to cooperate with review on Russia probe origins

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the intelligence community to cooperate with Attorney General William Barr's review of the events that prompted an investigation into links between the Trump campaign and Russia. The directive comes as the White House spars with congressional Democrats over the work of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who led a two-year investigation into whether Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. election and if there were any ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Brexit brings down May, Johnson stakes leadership claim

Fighting back tears, Theresa May said on Friday she would quit after failing to deliver Brexit, setting up a contest that will install a new British prime minister who could pursue a cleaner break with the European Union. May's departure deepens the Brexit crisis as a new leader, who should be in place by the end of July, is likely to want a more decisive split, raising the chances of a confrontation with the EU and potentially a snap parliamentary election.

Qatar says economic conditions for Israeli-Palestinian peace require 'fair political solutions'

Qatar said on Friday that economic development needed for Israeli-Palestinian peace could not be achieved without "fair political solutions" acceptable to Palestinians, referring to a U.S. plan set to be unveiled next month. The White House will lay out the first part of President Donald Trump's long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan when it holds an international conference in Bahrain in late June.

U.S. deploys more troops to Middle East, blames Iran for tanker attacks

The United States on Friday announced the deployment of 1,500 troops to the Middle East, describing it as an effort to bolster defenses against Iran as it accused the country's Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for this month's tanker attacks. President Donald Trump's administration also invoked the threat from Iran to declare a national security-related emergency that would clear the sale of billions of dollars' worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries without required congressional approval.FRANKFURT, May 25 (Reuters) - Moscow must release 24 sailors who were aboard three Ukrainian vessels it intercepted in November as they crossed a strait between Russian-annexed Crimea and southern Russia, an international maritime tribunal said on Saturday.

The Russian navy had captured the Ukrainian sailors and their vessels in the Kerch Strait, which links the Black and Azov seas, on Nov. 25, 2018 after opening fire on them.

The Hamburg-based International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) said Russia had to release the sailors and vessels immediately and both nations should refrain from taking any action which might aggravate the dispute.

"The Tribunal notes that any action affecting the immunity of warships is capable of causing serious harm to the dignity and sovereignty of a state and has the potential to undermine its national security," ITLOS President Jin-Hyun Paik said.

Ukraine has already demanded the sailors' release and the return of the impounded vessels, yet Moscow has not heeded the request or similar calls by the EU.

Russia's foreign ministry said on Saturday it had not participated in the hearings, adding it intends to defend its point of view that the arbitration lacked the jurisdiction to consider the Kerch incident.

The ITLOS was established to settle maritime disputes by the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, of which both Ukraine and Russia are signatories. But it has no means of enforcing its decisions.

A bilateral treaty gives both Russia and Ukraine the right to use the Sea of Azov, which lies between them and is linked by the narrow Kerch Strait to the Black Sea. Yet tension has risen since Russia annexed Crimea, with both countries complaining about shipping delays and harassment.

Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014 and built a road bridge linking it to southern Russia straddling the Kerch Strait, has vowed never to give Crimea back to Ukraine. It accuses Kiev of staging a provocation in the Kerch Strait and its sailors of crossing illegally into Russian waters.

Story continues

Russia's FSB security service said it had been forced to act in November because the ships - two small Ukrainian armored artillery vessels and a tug boat - had illegally entered its territorial waters.

"The Tribunal's order is a clear signal to Russia that it cannot violate international law with impunity," Ukraine Deputy Foreign Minister Olena Zerkal said on Facebook, adding she expected Russia to comply with the order quickly.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said if Russia releases the Ukrainian sailors and ships it could be the first signal from the Russian leadership of its readiness to end the conflict with Ukraine. (Reporting by Christoph Steitz in Frankfurt Additional reporting by Natalia Zinets in Kiev and Polina Devitt in Moscow Editing by David Holmes)Viet Ha Noodles & Grill. | Photo: Donovan M./Yelp

Craving Vietnamese food?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Vietnamese restaurants around Sacramento, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture next time you're on the hunt.

1. Pho Xe Lua

Photo: Anne H./Yelp

Topping the list is Pho Xe Lua, located at 5331 Stockton Blvd. in Fruitridge Manor. The Vietnamese spot, which offers authentic Asian cuisine and vegetarian choices, is the highest-rated inexpensive Vietnamese restaurant in Sacramento, boasting four stars out of 634 reviews on Yelp.

2. Viet Ha Noodles & Grill

Photo: Zoe D./Yelp

Next up is Curtis Park's Viet Ha Noodles & Grill, situated at 2417 Broadway, Suite A2. Opt for a bowl and choose your style (noodle, rice or salad box), protein, garnish and dressing. With 4.5 stars out of 554 reviews on Yelp, the Vietnamese and Chinese spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a cheap option.

3. Pho Bolsa

Photo: Jon P./Yelp

Fruitridge Manor's Pho Bolsa, located at 5815 Stockton Blvd., is another top choice. On the menu you can find well-done brisket and numerous pho dishes. Yelpers give the budget-friendly Vietnamese spot four stars out of 106 reviews.

4. Quan Nem Ninh Hoa

Photo: Curtis W./Yelp

Quan Nem Ninh Hoa, a Vietnamese spot, is another high-traffic, cheap go-to, with noodle soups and spring rolls on the menu. With four stars out of 1,020 Yelp reviews, head over to 6450 Stockton Blvd. to see for yourself.

5. Pho Le

Photo: Aprilyn P./Yelp

Over in Valley High-North Laguna, check out Pho Le, which has earned four stars out of 1,005 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Vietnamese spot, which offers grilled pork spring rolls and fried chicken wings, by heading over to 8785 Center Parkway, Suite B180.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Pretoria (AFP) - Newly-elected South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faces herculean tasks after he gets down to work after Saturday's inauguration.

They include:

- Fixing the economy -

South Africa has the most advanced infrastructure in the continent, but its commodities-dependent economy has been in a slump for a decade.

It grew by an anaemic 0.8 percent last year and slipped into a brief recession during the third quarter of 2018. It is projected by the World Bank to expand by 1.3 percent this year.

Unemployment is running at 27.6 percent, but among the 20.3 million South Africans aged between 15-34 reaches 55.2 percent.

In 2017, two of the world's leading ratings agencies S&P Global and Fitch downgraded the country to sub-investment levels.

Ramaphosa, who enjoys support from the business community, has prioritised reform and economic revival. But he faces resistance from within his own party.

- Addressing inequalities -

With a population of 56.7 million people (2017), the country still has "one of the highest inequality rates in the world," the World Bank says.

The gulf between richest and poorest has widened since the end of apartheid 25 years ago, and skin colour still plays a defining role in job hiring.

Despite the emergence of a black middle class, 20 percent of black households live in extreme poverty, against 2.9 percent for white households, according to the South African Institute of Race Relations.

Between 2011 and 2015, three million more South Africans fell into poverty, according to a World Bank estimate.

- Tackling graft -

One of the biggest sources of public acrimony is over endemic corruption.

Graft scandals last year forced out Ramaphosa's predecessor, Jacob Zuma, and taint the moral stature of Nelson's Mandela's African National Congress (ANC).

Alleged corruption under Zuma -- known as "state capture" -- saw millions of dollars siphoned off through government and state agencies awarding fraudulent contracts to favoured companies in return for bribes.

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Zuma himself is facing trial for alleged corruption relating to a multi-billion-dollar arms deal in the 1990s.

Ramaphosa in February announced he would set up a special tribunal of seven senior judges for "fast-tracking" recovery of proceeds from corruption cases.

- Fighting crime -

South Africa has a notorious reputation for crime. Last year, 19,000 people were murdered -- 52 per day, according to official figures.

Women are especially vulnerable. Around 100 rapes are recorded each day and a woman dies from domestic violence roughly every eight hours.

The country's crisis of gender-based violence gained worldwide prominence in March after after pop-star Babes Wodumo broadcast live images of her apparently being assaulted by her lover.

Violence and theft have spawned a lucrative home-security industry.

Wealthy people live in fortified homes with high walls topped with electrical wires, CCTV monitoring and armed guards.

- Land reform -

Ramaphosa faces a high-wire act in pushing ahead with his vow to speed up reforms of land, which remains overwhelmingly in the hands of the white minority.

He has to balance pressure from the ANC's left and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) for expropriation with the need to avoid Zimbabwean-style evictions that would be economically ruinous.

"The land reform process is something we should never fear. It is going to be done in terms of the constitution," he told farmers in April.

South Africa's post-apartheid constitution prohibits the "arbitrary deprivation of property" and limits expropriation to cases in the public interest, for which landholders should be given "just and equitable compensation."

"Ramaphosa will have to make some very hard decisions on this matter," political analyst Daniel Silke says.

"He is going to have to choose whether he wants to be investor-friendly or whether he wants the interests of his own political party... to win out."Seoul (AFP) - South Korea's Bong Joon-ho has confirmed his status as one of world's greatest directors with his Cannes film festival win for "Parasite", a fabulously funny morality tale about the widening gap between rich and poor.

It is the first big international prize for the maker of the hugely acclaimed "The Host" and "Snowpiercer", who had been the critics' choice for the Palme d'Or.

Stellar performances from Bong stalwarts including Lee Jeong-eun and Song Kang-ho, as the patriarch of a clan of scammers who latch onto a rich family, blew away audiences at Cannes.

The director called Song his "alter ego" and ushered him onto the stage as he picked up the prize.

He later kneeled in front of the 52-year-old actor and offered him the Palme.

The Guardian hailed Bong's thrilling black comedy as a twisted "modern-day Downton Abbey... which gets its tendrils in you".

Yet the soft-spoken 49-year-old Bong hides his gift for biting social satire behind a mild-mannered exterior.

- A Korean in Hollywood -

With a series of critical and commercial hits behind him, Bong is one of South Korea's best-known faces, winning multiple awards at home and tellingly making inroads into Hollywood -- a rarity for an Asian auteur.

But up till now, major international prizes had eluded him.

Bong is now the first Korean ever to win the top prize at the world's biggest film festival after he missed out two years ago with his Netflix-produced sci-fi action adventure "Okja", starring Tilda Swinton.

Once likened by Quentin Tarantino to "Steven Spielberg in his prime", the director was among the first wave of South Korean filmmakers to blossom after the country's full democratisation in the late 1980s, which opened the door for a cultural renaissance.

His contemporaries in this golden Korean generation include Park Chan-wook, the celebrated director of the 2004 Cannes winner "Old Boy" and the erotic thriller "The Handmaiden".

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Bong reportedly took part in street protests as a sociology student at Seoul's elite Yonsei University during the country's pro-democracy movement in the 1980s, and once told an interviewer he had been arrested for using petrol bombs.

That rage roars through "Parasite", which Variety's Jessica Kiang said was "a tick fat with the bitter blood of class rage."

- 'So enormous, so 2019' -

She said Bong's "brilliant film is unmistakably, roaringly furious, and it registers because the target is so deserving, so enormous, so 2019."

Bong was a vocal backer of freedom of expression and opponent of once-commonplace political pressure on artists in his homeland.

His activism saw him placed among more than 10,000 artists who were blacklisted for being critical of ousted former president Park Geun-hye.

But it was his masterful, humorous portrayals of South Korean society, delivered in rich with cinematic allegories, that marked out his talent.

Bong told reporters after picking up his Cannes prize that he likes to write his scripts in a "cafe listening to people talking" so he can stay in touch with how people think.

That engagement with real-life has been there since the start.

His "Memories of Murder" -- a 2003 feature film based on real-life serial killings that rattled the nation in the 1980s -- was seen as a metaphor for the repressive society of military rule.

The film -- also praised for its dark humour -- swept all domestic film awards, and is often cited by critics as one of the top 10 South Korean movies ever made.

His 2006 monster blockbuster "The Host" portrayed an incompetent government left helpless in the wake of a disaster. In 2014, parallels were drawn between the film and the Seoul ferry sinking that killed 300, mostly schoolchildren.

"Mother" -- a 2009 thriller about the overprotective mother of a mentally disabled boy suspected of murder -- was also a huge success.

Both his monster movie "The Host" and "Mother" were shown at Cannes, the latter cementing Bong's reputation, and he was soon flooded by overseas directorial offers.

Bong's first US project "Snowpiercer" featured Hollywood heavyweights including "Captain America" star Chris Evans as well as Swinton, who went on to perform in "Okja".

That movie -- about a country girl trying to save a genetically-engineered beast from a greedy multinational firm -- also raised debates about factory farming and the brutality of animal exploitation.

"Many people call me a great satirist, but I don't think I had a choice as a South Korean filmmaker," Bong told AFP last year.Madrid (AFP) - Spain is fighting to improve its international reputation, which has taken a hit from criticism of its handling of Catalonia's independence bid and its colonial past.

Spain's reputation dropped in Germany, Italy and France after Catalonia pressed ahead with a banned independence referendum in October 2017 which was marred by a police crackdown, and then declared independence to no avail, according to research from the Elcano Royal Institute, a Madrid think-tank.

Catalan separatists argue Madrid's response to the push for independence echoes the heavy-handed repression of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, which ended with his death in 1975.

They call Catalan leaders who are in jail while on trial in Madrid over trying to break with Spain "political prisoners".

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government responded in October by setting up a new public diplomacy agency, Espana Global, that has led Madrid's pushback against what it frames as years of unchecked disinformation by a deft secessionist movement that has distorted the world's views of Spain.

"Spain unfortunately has not proposed an alternative narrative until now," Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said during an interview published Friday in Catalan daily El Periodico de Catalunya.

"We have to dedicate much more energy, time and resources to the defence of Spain as a country that is on a par with any Western democracy."

Global Spain has an annual budget of one million euros ($1.1 million) and headed by Irene Lozano, a journalist, essayist and former lawmaker who is close to Sanchez.

Its goal is to "defend Spain's democratic reputation", Lozano, who helped Sanchez write a recent book called "Resistance Manual" about his rollercoaster political career, told AFP in an interview.

- 'Black legend' -

Recently, Lozano has also had to deal with criticism of Spain's conquest of Latin America after Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in March demanded Madrid apologise for the abuses inflicted on the indigenous peoples of Mexico.

Story continues

This came after Los Angeles city hall in November took down a statue of the 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus, who a local official accused of representing "a very violent past".

For Madrid, these criticisms are a modern day manifestation of the "black legend" of Spain's past, that accuses Spaniards of cruelty and intolerance and which the country's rivals, notably the British empire, started promoting in the 16th century.

Lozano replies to the criticisms of Spain by recalling that the country's 1812 constitution was one of the most liberal of its time and women there won the right to vote in 1933, 12 years before neighbouring France.

"If one looks at indices put out by independent international organisations, Spain is among the world's most advanced democracies," said Lozano, who has a philosophy degree from London's Birkbeck College.

The 2018 Democracy Index put out by the Economist ranks Spain among the world's 20 "full democracies", ahead of the United States, France and Italy.

These reports are gathered together on a website called ThisIsTheRealSpain (www.thisistherealspain.com), run by Global Spain.

- 'Lot of work left' -

As part of this defence of Spain's reputation, one person has been assigned at each Spanish embassy or consulate -- around 200 people -- to monitor the country's image abroad, said Lozano, who is tipped to be Spain's next foreign minister if Borrell wins a seat in the European parliament elections on Sunday.

Still, there are signs the Catalan separatists' criticism continues to sway public opinion abroad.

In March, 41 French senators from across the political spectrum signed a communique denouncing what they described as the "repression" of Catalan politicians "who have been imprisoned or forced into exile because of their opinions".

And German far-left party Die Linke earlier this year filed a parliamentary motion criticising the trial of the Catalan leaders.

"There are countries where people think that the majority of Catalans favour independence" whereas separatist parties have never captured more than 50 percent of the vote, said Lozano, citing Belgium as an example.

"There is still a lot of work left for us to do."Mel B and Geri Horner embrace on stage at the opening night of the Spice Girls Spice World 2019 reunion tour in Dublin (Credit: Andrew Timms/PA)

Mel B has responded to claims fans walked out of the Spice Girls opening night complaining about the sound.

Geri Horner, Mel B, Mel C and Emma Bunton took the stage in Stoke Park, Dublin on Friday for the opening night of their sell-out Spice World 2019 reunion tour.

But fans complained on social media about problems with the sound and some concert goers were said to have walked out in huge numbers.

Read more: Victoria Beckham wishes Spice Girls 'good luck' as she misses out on reunion tour

Scary Spice said in a video on her Instagram stories: Hey guys, thank you for attending our show tonight. We will see you in Cardiff. And hopefully the vocals and the sound will be much, much better.

Mel B posted a video from her bed after the opening night of the Spice World 2019 tour in Dublin (Credit: Instagram/Mel B)

Earlier fans took to Twitter to complain that they could not hear the sound, and some walked out in anger having paid from 66 to 146 on tickets.

Many claimed they could not hear the music or what the band were saying on stage, blaming the sound technicians and appealing for them to sort it out. But for some ticket-holders it was all too much and they chose to leave the venue.

Yes. The sound is horrific. Even now when the girls are just talking you cant hear them properly. pic.twitter.com/lOSJEdlLex  Yvonne Rossiter (@msvonage) May 24, 2019

Nope because the stewards said there is a glitch and huge numbers around me leaving.  Yvonne Rossiter (@msvonage) May 24, 2019

@spicegirls currently sitting in croke park, was absolutely buzzing to see you lot but its very disappointing cos the sound is really bad! We cant hear a thing sitting up the top row, up the back, all we're getting is mumble, and for 110 a ticket, not good!  Claire Grant (@clairegrant85) May 24, 2019

The days leading up to the concert had seen the band dogged by rumours they were in crisis. Horner and Mel B were said to have fallen out after Mel B claimed she and Horner had had a lesbian fling during the nineties, which Horner denied.

Story continues

And Scary Spice was forced to deny reports she had gone blind in one eye after being struck with a painful eye infection.

Performing on the stage in Dublin Mel B and Horner appeared to have put their rift behind them as they were pictured embracing in between songs. And Scary Spice appeared without an eyepatch, despite being left in agony with an eye infection that affected her vision just days before the show.

And many fans were delighted with the Spice Girls return in Dublin last night which saw Horner wearing a new Union Jack dress in homage to the famous outfit she performed in at the BRIT Awards in 1997.

Victoria Beckham chose not to join her former bandmates on this latest reunion tour, despite several meetings with the other Spice Girls in the run up to its announcement. But Mel B hinted on Celebrity Juice this week that Posh Spice will be making a surprise appearance at some point.

In a clip posted online from the Dublin show, during the performance of Wannabe, when Horner rapped: Easy V doesnt come for free, shes a real lady, Mel B added a loud, sarcastic laugh.

Beckham sent the rest of the band a good luck message on Instagram, writing: Good luck to the girls today as they start their tour! x VB

The Spice Girls continue the tour in Cardiff on Monday night and will play Manchester, Coventry, Sunderland, Edinburgh and Bristol, before finishing with three shows at Londons Wembley Stadium.Sri Lanka's military launched a major hunt Saturday for remnants of an Islamist group which carried out the Easter suicide bombings that killed 258 people, officials said.

Several Colombo suburbs were targeted by troops using emergency powers on arrests and detentions adopted after the April 21 attacks.

"Special cordon-and-search operations are under way in three areas just outside Colombo," a military official told reporters.

Similar operations were also carried out in North Western Province, near Colombo, where anti-Muslim riots this month left one man dead and hundreds of Muslim-owned shops, homes and mosques destroyed.

Security forces have arrested scores of suspects in connection with the bombings of three hotels and three churches and over what appeared to be organised violence against the island's Muslim minority.

While authorities say the immediate jihadist threat has been blunted, President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday extended for one month the 30-day state of emergency imposed after the suicide bombings.

Sirisena said the move was to maintain "public security", with the country still on edge after the attacks on three hotels and three churches that were blamed on a local jihadi group, the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ).

The Islamic State group has also claimed a role in the attacks.

Christians make up 7.6 percent and Muslims 10 percent of mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the independent Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka accused police of failing to prevent the anti-Muslim riots after the bombings.

"There appeared to be no preventive measures taken although retaliatory violence against the Muslim communities was a distinct possibility after the terror attacks of April 21," the HRCSL said in a letter to acting police chief Chandana Wickramaratne.

The commission faulted the police for releasing suspects who were later seen taking part in attacks on Muslim targets. It said there was political interference to free some suspects.

Story continues

"As soon as they (the suspects) were released, the mob attacked all Muslim owned shops in Kuliyapitiya town during the curfew and went on to attack shops all the way to Rambawewa," the commission said.

It acknowledged that police could not have controlled the mobs on their own, but they had failed to arrange reinforcements from security forces.

"Ensure that no undue political or other external interventions are tolerated, and that strict legal action be taken against those who obstruct police officers from performing their duties," the commission said.I dont think of myself as an irrational person, but when I first pulled up to this converted 18th-century barn on a drab December morning, I was overcome with possessiveness. What are they doing here? I snarled at my husband, Tyler, when I spotted another couple and a broker walking the grounds. Even before we had reached the front door, the wild, almost accidental-looking allee of willows that guided us down the meandering driveway convinced me this was the place we had been looking for. It was the glorious, ancient beams, though, each carved with Roman numerals by the Dutch settlers who built it, that made my pulse quicken. Our ownership of this house was a fait accompli the minute I walked through the door.

Nestled in the pastures of Dutchess County, New York, the house had lain unoccupied for some time, with rotted-out windows, an untold number of broken pipes concealed behind the walls, no kitchen of which to speaknot to mention a cast-iron claw-foot tub sitting in the middle of the living room, leaving deep grooves in the floor tracing a would-be looters path. But as in any good romance, none of this gave me any pause. I was besottedequal parts abject desperation and rapture. The majestic great room, the soaring bookcases, the views out to fields and wooded hills were too much country fantasy for this Manhattan-born and -raised girl to bear.

Love, they say, is blind. In this case, it also made me impervious to the charms of running water and heatneither of which we had during our first celebratory overnight stay in March 2016. We brought only a few basics up with us, namely our two dogs, some champagne on ice, and boxes of dishes I had pulled from their hiding places under sofas and dressers; they had long outgrown the confines of our china cabinet. Calling myself a collector would be a polite euphemism for what I really am: a pack rat. So my first endeavor was carefully unwrapping cobalt transferware, sets of artichoke and oyster plates, Wedgwood tea services, and lusterware pitchers to fill the glass-fronted cupboards in what would eventually become our kitchen. Heat, water, oven, and refrigerator be damned; at least I had my plates in order.

Story continues

With 25-foot ceilings, the 25-by-30-foot great room formed the heart of the house, and I quartered the space into distinct areas dedicated to dining, entertaining, reading, and working. Id like to say I had some sort of decorative plan to make them all cohere, but the truth is that I just filled the room with things I like. I am not a matchy-matchy typeand in designing this house I realized I rather like seeing pretty things do battle with one another. Much of the furniture came out of storagepieces I had bought or inherited and held on to simply because I loved them, not knowing where they would eventually live.

That isnt to say I didnt have a wish list. This included Le Manachs Mortefontaine, a Second Empirestyle printed cotton redolent of my chintz- and moire-filled 1980s childhood home, which I used in the living area on a Louis XVI bergere my mother had given me. I picked a Pierre Frey fabric for one of the sofas and upholstered it on the reverse because its strieed plum pulled out the flowers in the chintz chair. A 1940s French crimson silk damask totally clashed, but it was a deliciously opulent foil. To tone down its sheen, I also used it on the reverse for the settee; the three pieces together make for strange but charming bedfellows.

I also knew I wanted to indulge my wallpaper fetish. Fornasettis blustery, surreal cloudsWuthering Heights in a wall covering, says a friendblow you into the great room from the front door. For a Marie Antoinettemeetsmonastic look, I paired a Farrow & Ball damask print in a vigorous shade of blue with an ultrasimple white IKEA canopy bed in the guest room. Meanwhile, I wanted the study, which would eventually become a nursery for our daughter, to feel like a tree house; Cole & Sons Great Vine, with its dense, lush leaves, fit the bill.

That first winter, I had no idea what the warmer months would summon from the landscape. Now Ive become familiar with the arrival of spring, when the red-winged blackbirds song returns to the windows and we find nests of baby bunnies tucked into the lawn. In early June, a wall of peonies unfurls along the eastern perimeter of the house, so heady their scent fills the ground floor and so tall I can cut them by merely opening a window and reaching out. The house had no real outdoor space, so that first summer we built a large screened-in room, half devoted to living, half to dining. Weve dubbed it the teahouse, and intrepid (or inebriated) guests can sleep on its wrought-iron bed to a bellowing chorus of nighttime animal sounds. The fireflies arrive in early summer, and we blow the hurricanes out to watch their erratic dance after dinner. It is not uncommon for the eerie howls of coywolves to wake you from deep sleep. On summery Saturday mornings, I walk down our dirt road and pillage the never-ending supply of my favorite weed, Queen Annes lace, for frothy centerpieces and bedside bouquets.

Go Inside the Family Home Expertly Styled by Mieke ten Have

For now, the barn has sated my rural ambitions. While I had initially wanted chickensspecifically White Crested Black Polish Bantams, whose plumage bears a slight resemblance to Karl LagerfeldI quickly abandoned that idea. Ive learned how much work goes into a property like this. Luckily, our farmer neighbor, Ed, arrives unannounced every so often on his tractor to help us with our winding driveway, often impassable in mud season, and offers invaluable tips, like how to remove algae from the pond and where to look for foxes (my favorite local animal). Hell drop off a dozen eggs with marigold yolks while hes at it.

The last space I tackled was our master bedroom; its asymmetry had me at a decorative dead end until I met the perfect fabric. Manuel Canovass Compiegne, a vividly hued take on verdure tapestry, beckoned me to disappear into its landscape. Sixteen yards and an amused upholsterer later, I hung it as a giant panel, centering the bed. It reorients your eye, as though the succulent summer fields outside the window have stolen their way in, and the bedrooms beams are merely trees in its forest.

Originally Appeared on Architectural DigestCAIRO, May 25 (Reuters) - The head of Sudan's ruling military council visited neighboring Egypt on Saturday - his first trip abroad since the army overthrew former president Omar al-Bashir last month after mass protests against his rule.

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan met Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is himself a former military chief who got the top job after leading the ouster of his country's last leader, the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi.

There were no immediate details on what they would discuss - but the meeting will be closely watched by Sudan's opposition and protest groups who have warned Egypt not to interfere in their politics.

Sudan's army set up a Transitional Military Council (TMC) to rule the country after Bashir's ouster and promised to hand over after elections.

But Sudan's protests groups, wary of what happened in Egypt, have sought guarantees that civilians will lead the transition process.

Sisi has said he will help support stability in Sudan, which shares many of Egypt's security concerns. (Reporting by Ahmed Tolba; Writing by Yousef Saba; Editing by Andrew Heavens)Cairo (AFP) - The head of Sudan's ruling military council arrived Saturday in Cairo, where he is to meet President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the Egyptian presidency said.

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is on his first trip since taking power following the April ouster of president Omar al-Bashir after months of protests.

His visit comes after Sudanese protest leaders announced a two-day strike from Tuesday, as talks with the military over installing civilian rule remain suspended.

The Alliance for Freedom and Change umbrella movement is at odds with the generals over whether the transitional body to rule Sudan should be headed by a military or civilian figure.

Their negotiations have been on hold since Monday.

Egypt, whose President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi currently chairs the African Union, has voiced backing for Sudan's military council.

Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Radi said Sisi had received Burhan at the capital's Ittihadia Palace.

Last month he hosted a summit where African nations urged the regional bloc to allow Khartoum "more time" for a handover to civilian rule.

Protest leaders were set to hold meetings with demonstrators at a sit-in outside the army headquarters in Khartoum on Saturday to discuss how to resolve the deadlock.

On Friday they said their strike at "public and private institutions and companies", accompanied by civil disobedience, was "an act of peaceful resistance with which we have been forced to proceed".

Thousands of protesters remain at the sit-in to demand the departure of the generals who seized power after ousting Bashir.

Protest leaders have also called for people to march Sunday from residential areas of Khartoum towards the sit-in.

Several rounds of talks have so far failed to finalise the makeup of the new ruling body, although the two sides have agreed it will hold power for a transitional period of three years.

Western nations have called on the generals to hand power to a civilian administration, while the ruling army council has received support from regional powers including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- both close allies of Egypt.LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)  Witnesses say at least 20 people are dead and many others are missing after suspected extremists ambushed a military and civilian convoy in Nigeria's northeast.

The witnesses say the military was relocating civilians to a displacement camp in Damboa on Saturday morning when the ambush occurred.

The Boko Haram extremist insurgency has long been active in the region.

A driver told The Associated Press he saw about 20 bodies and many burned-out vehicles. Another survivor said the convoy contained hundreds of civilians and a few dozen soldiers but only a few people reached Damboa.

The fate of the others was not immediately clear. Both witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear for their safety.

Army spokesman Sagir Musa did not immediately respond to calls for comment.Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

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Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.The forecast for Sunday's Indianapolis 500 calls for an 80-90 percent chance of rain, with thunderstorms throughout the day.

"I would just tell everyone to remember: This is Indiana," Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles said Saturday, referring to the state's unpredictable weather.

IndyCar President Jay Frye told reporters that the race, schedule to begin at noon ET, could start as late as 6 p.m. because of the amount of daylight at this time of year.

The Indy 500 has been pushed back to Monday three times in 102 previous races, most recently in 1997. That year, more rain delayed the finish to Tuesday, with Arie Luyendyk finishing first.

The race becomes official after 101 laps of the scheduled 200-lap race. The last time it was shortened was 2007, when winner Dario Franchitti completed 166 laps before rain moved in.

The 2 1/2-mile track was resurfaced last year with a new sealant that helps water run off the track rather than soak in.

--Field Level MediaPhoto: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Its more doable than you think. According to travel site Skyscanner, there are plenty of flights from Denver to New York City in that time frame, and the prices aren't too shabby.

So if you're looking for a change of scenery, here are some deals to put on your to-do list. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

The cheapest flights between Denver and New York City are if you leave on May 30 and return from New York on June 3. Spirit Airlines currently has roundtrip, nonstop tickets for $195.

There are also deals to be had later in May. If you fly out of Denver on May 31 and return from New York City on June 4, jetBlue can get you there and back for $222 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

To plan your accommodations, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views that include the Hudson River, the High Line or the city skyline. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star-rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, the Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, try Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night.

The 12-story boutique hotel is within walking distance of many popular destinations like Times Square, the Empire State Building, Macy's and the Broadway theaters.

Featured New York City restaurants

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New York City has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

The bakery boasts a steady stream of community regulars and tourists loyal to its diverse assortment of freshly baked products. The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other equally creative takes on traditional baked goods.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New York City's most popular restaurants is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is Red Rooster, which is part of the vibrant Harlem community.

The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

"The attention to detail in every part of this dining experience really made it a standout that we'll remember," wrote John349.

Dominique Ansel Bakery (189 Spring St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, there's Dominique Ansel Bakery.

"A visit to New York meant that we had to visit the bakery that started the cronut craze," wrote Trina. "Their cronut flavors rotate monthly and they never feature the same flavor twice. ... The cronut has flaky layers of pastry with a cream bursting from inside."

Featured local attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are some popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

This park is located beside the Brooklyn bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city. It is a great place for a tourist to stop and take a quick lunch break while absorbing the skyline of Manhattan.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary.

The High Line Park

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The High Line Park is another popular destination.

This repurposing of the old railroad line running through the Meatpacking District of Manhattan has become an outdoor favorite for locals and tourists alike. With wood-planked floors and landscaping, the High Line is a great place to escape the craziness of the city and enjoy a few quiet moments.

"The most fun place I have found to walk in the city yet," wrote visitor Lars. "The views are amazing and ever-changing. There is a lot of great art along the High Line to enjoy and photo ops are endless."

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Thankfully, there are plenty of regular, relatively inexpensive flights between Washington and New York City. We pulled from travel site Skyscanner to provide you with a short list of flights and hotels handpicked for the occasion. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

Currently, the cheapest flights between Washington and New York City are if you leave on May 30 and return from New York on June 3. United currently has tickets for $166, roundtrip.

If you fly out of Washington on May 30 and return from New York City on June 2, United can get you there and back for $197 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

To plan your accommodations, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views that include the Hudson River, the High Line or the city skyline. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star-rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, the Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, try Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night.

The 12-story boutique hotel is within walking distance of many popular destinations like Times Square, the Empire State Building, Macy's and the Broadway theaters.

Featured New York City restaurants

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New York City has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

The bakery boasts a steady stream of community regulars and tourists loyal to its diverse assortment of freshly baked products. The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other equally creative takes on traditional baked goods.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New York City's most popular restaurants is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is Red Rooster, which is part of the vibrant Harlem community.

The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

"The attention to detail in every part of this dining experience really made it a standout that we'll remember," wrote John349.

Dominique Ansel Bakery (189 Spring St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, there's Dominique Ansel Bakery.

"A visit to New York meant that we had to visit the bakery that started the cronut craze," wrote Trina. "Their cronut flavors rotate monthly and they never feature the same flavor twice. ... The cronut has flaky layers of pastry with a cream bursting from inside."

Featured local attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are some popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

This park is located beside the Brooklyn bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city. It is a great place for a tourist to stop and take a quick lunch break while absorbing the skyline of Manhattan.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary.

The High Line Park

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The High Line Park is another popular destination.

This repurposing of the old railroad line running through the Meatpacking District of Manhattan has become an outdoor favorite for locals and tourists alike. With wood-planked floors and landscaping, the High Line is a great place to escape the craziness of the city and enjoy a few quiet moments.

"The most fun place I have found to walk in the city yet," wrote visitor Lars. "The views are amazing and ever-changing. There is a lot of great art along the High Line to enjoy and photo ops are endless."

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: Next Door/Yelp

Unsure where Long Beach's in-the-know crowd is eating and drinking? It's easy to spot lines out the door, but some underlying trends are harder to see.

We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which eateries have been getting outsized attention this month.

To find out who made the list, we looked at Long Beach businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increase their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.

Read on to see which spots have the momentum heading into summer.

Next Door

Photo: Next Door/Yelp

Open since November 2018, this Mexican and New American restaurant and bar is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp.

Citywide, New American spots saw a median 1.9 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Next Door saw a 69.8 percent increase, maintaining a superior 4.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Next Door's review count increased by more than 1,500 percent.

Located at 200 Pine Ave., Suite B in Long Beach, Next Door offers classic Mexican dishes like guacamole, queso fundido, quesadillas, fajitas, enchiladas and tacos.

Lou & Mikes

Photo: Linda S./Yelp

Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Long Beach's Lou & Mikes, the breakfast and brunch spot, which offers burgers and sandwiches, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.

While businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp saw a median 1.7 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, Lou & Mikes bagged a 45.8 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 2.0 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.

Story continues

There's more that's trending on Long Beach's breakfast and brunch scene: Rose Park Roasters has seen a 36.7 percent increase in reviews.

Open at 3500 Los Coyotes Diagonal since February 2019, Lou & Mikes offers breakfast options like chilaquiles, eggs Benedict and chorizo scramble alongside lunch selections like turkey and avocado sandwiches, bacon cheeseburgers and fish tacos.

Coffee Parlor

Photo: Jeff V./Yelp

Long Beach's Coffee Parlor is also making waves. Open since April 2019 at 2944 Clark Ave., the coffee and tea spot has seen a staggering 158.3 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 3.4 percent for all businesses tagged "Coffee & Tea" on Yelp.

Coffee Parlor offers espresso beverages, drip coffee, pour over coffee and tea, as well as sandwiches like the breakfast sandwich, the peanut butter and jam sandwich and the mortadella salami sandwich. Over the past month, it's seen its Yelp rating tick down from five stars to 4.5 stars.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.UPDATE: May 26, 2019, 9:14 a.m. EDT This entire report is based on a 2017 story from The Washington Post that turned out to be not entirely accurate. As CNN confirmed in Jan. 2018, the words weren't banned, but rather highlighted as suggested terms to avoid to improve the chances of getting funding.

Mashable shouldn't have covered this story. It was a mistake on the part of the assigning editor (hi). The best we can do now is offer this updated information and an apology to you, our readers. We set high standards for our coverage here, and on Saturday we fell far short of those standards. Please accept our sincere apologies.

The Trump administration has banned seven words from the Centers for Disease Control's upcoming budget documents, the Washington Post reports. The words are "vulnerable," "entitlement," "diversity," "transgender," "fetus," "evidence-based" and "science-based."

CDC analysts were not given a reason for the banned words, they were simply informed of the new policy. Some phrases can be replaced or retooled, like by saying "CDC bases its recommendations on science in consideration with community standards and wishes"  an actual alternate phrase offered to CDC analysts in the first briefing about these words.

But not all the words are as easy to work around. It's no secret that the current administration is anti-abortion and pushing back significantly in the fight for trans rights. Banning these words from CDC documentation directly affects communication around HIV/AIDS and the Zika virus, among others.

This isn't the first attempt to curb the use of language that threatens the Trump administration's regressive policies. In March, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) removed questions about sexual orientation and gender identity from two surveys of elderly people. The department also archived a webpage containing resources for LGBTQ+ people and their families.

Story continues

SEE ALSO: Snapchat's 'gender-swap' filter exposes the internet's casual transphobia

On a more fundamental level, this aligns directly with the Trump administration's mistrust of words and facts, and its tendency to dismiss whichever words and facts conflict with the administration's views and messaging. The inclusion of "diversity," "entitlement," and "vulnerable" in the new list reflects this directly; it erases the words from relevant discourse and by extension threatens to sweep larger problems under the rug.

Matt Lloyd, an HHS spokesperson, said that the department "will continue to use the best scientific evidence available to improve the health of all Americans. HHS also strongly encourages the use of outcome and evidence data in program evaluations and budget decisions."

Encouraged or not, they can't talk about it the same way now.Share Article



A three-man weapons load team from the 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Group, loads an F-35A Lightning II with a full external loadout at Al Dhafra AB, United Arab Emirates, in May 2019. Air Force photo by SSgt. Chris Thornbury.

The Pentagon is sending more intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft and another fighter squadron to the Middle East as part of a deployment of 1,500 personnel to improve our force protection and safeguard US forces from Iranian threats, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan announced May 24.

The ISR and fighter aircraft, which were not identified, will provide additional deterrence and depth to our aviation response options, Shanahan said in a statement. Additionally, the military will deploy a Patriot missile defense battalion and an engineer element to provide force protection improvements. The fighter squadron will be in addition to USAF F-35s and F-15s already in the region.

The additional deployment to the US Central Command area of responsibility is a prudent defensive measure and intended to reduce the possibility of future hostilities, Shanahan said.

President Donald Trump, in brief remarks outside the White House, said the additional forces will be very good in the Middle East, though I certainly dont think [Iran] wants a fight with us.

Earlier this month, the Air Force deployed four B-52s as a Bomber Task Force to Al Udeid AB, Qatar, in response to reported threats from Iran to US forces and interests, Pentagon and White House officials said. Additionally, the military deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and other warships to the region. B-52s have since been photographed flying deterrence missions in the area, alongside USAF F-35s and Qatari Mirage 2000s, including in the Persian Gulf.

One day before the announcement, Shanahan told reporters that US Central Command briefed military leaders on the threat, which was then related to the White House. At the time, he denied a larger deployment, saying, What were focused on right now is: Do we have the right force protection in the Middle East?WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump asked the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to resign, leaving yet another vacancy within the Department of Homeland Security.

Lee Francis Cissna told staff on Friday that his last day would be June 1, according to a copy of the email obtained by The Associated Press.

Cissna leads the agency responsible for legal immigration, including benefits and visas. With his departure, there are more than a dozen vacancies of top leadership positions at the sprawling, 240,000-employee department. Some are being temporarily filled, including secretary and inspector general. Cissna's position, like others, requires Senate confirmation.

Cissna had been on the chopping block last month amid a White House-orchestrated bloodbath that led to the resignation of Secretary Kirstjen (KEER'-sten) Nielsen, in part because aides felt he wasn't moving quickly enough to tighten immigration rules and push through complicated regulation changes.

But his job was saved, temporarily, after high-ranking Republicans spoke out about his record, particularly Sen. Chuck Grassley , who worked with Cissna for years. And it appeared he was back to business.

He told The Associated Press just two weeks ago that his agency was training dozens of U.S. border patrol agents to start screening immigrants arriving on the southwest border for asylum amid a surge in the number of families seeking the protection.

Asylum officers conduct initial interviews of immigrants arriving on the border to determine whether they have a credible fear of returning to their countries or should be sent back. Those who pass the interviews are allowed to seek asylum before an immigration judge, but their cases may take years to wind through the backlogged immigration courts.

But Trump is dealing with a growing crisis as tens of thousands of Central American migrants cross the border each month, overwhelming the system, and he has been unable to deliver on his signature issue of reduced immigration and tighter border security.

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Cissna told his staff in the email that he was grateful for their support and service, but offered no information on what was ahead.

"During the past 20 months, every day, I have passionately worked to carry out USCIS' mission to faithfully administer the nation's lawful immigration system," Cissna wrote to staff.

Earlier this week, administration officials said Ken Cuccinelli, the former attorney general of Virginia, would be taking a job at the department, but it wasn't clear what his role would be. A person familiar with the matter said Cuccinelli was being considered for Cissna's job, but it was unclear how that would work because the position requires Senate confirmation. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters within the administration.

Cuccinelli's name has been tossed around for months. He had also been considered for a position as an immigration czar, a job possibly housed within the White House, but officials said this week he would not be taking on that role.

Cuccinelli has in the past advocated for denying citizenship to the American-born children of parents living in the U.S. illegally, and limiting in-state tuition at public universities only to those who are citizens or legal residents.

A message sent to Cuccinelli wasn't immediately returned Friday.The US will order more troops to the Middle East, Donald Trump has said, despite just a day earlier saying he thought further deployments in the region were unnecessary.

Mr Trump said around 1,500 troops would be sent amid rising tensions with Iran. Congressional aides confirmed that Congress was notified of the new plan before it was announced.

"We want to have protection. The Middle East, we're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops," Mr Trump told reporters at the White House before boarding a plane for Japan. "Mostly protective. Some very talented people are going to the Middle East right now. And we'll see how  we'll see what happens."

A defence official later claimed that the actual number of incoming troops was 900, which will be to added to 600 troops whose deployment in the region will be extended.

The announcement comes at the end of a week in which several numbers were floated for troop increases in the region.

On Thursday, the acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, denied reports that between 5,000 to 10,000 US troops could be sent to defend against the potential threat from Iran.

"There is no 10,000, there's no 5,000, and that's not accurate," he told reporters.

Representative Adam Smith, who serves as the House Armed Services Committee Chairman, issued a statement calling the increase in troops an unsettling move.

"Without a clearly articulated strategy, adding more personnel and mission systems seems unwise, and appears to be a blatant and heavy-handed move to further escalate tensions with Iran," Mr Smith said.

"I look forward to hearing from Acting Defense Secretary Shanahan how this decision complements a broader strategy in the region, which focuses on de-escalation and diplomacy first, his statement continued.Donald Trump gave attorney general William Barr the unilateral authority to declassify intelligence documents and ordered the US intelligence community to quickly and fully cooperate with his work in an official memorandum.

The move is meant to accelerate Mr Barrs inquiry into whether US officials improperly monitored or carried out surveillance on the presidents 2016 campaign.

The directive signed on Thursday night alarmed former intelligence officials and Democratic legislators, who see it as a move to investigate the investigators probing the presidents alleged ties to Russia.

David Kris, former head of the justice departments national security division, told the AP that its very unusual  unprecedented in my experience  for a non-intelligence officer to be given absolute declassification authority over the intelligence.

John McLaughlin, former deputy director of the CIA who served as acting director in 2004, tweeted disapproval as well.

Giving Barr declassification authority for this investigation is a really bad idea, Mr McLaughlin wrote. The agencies can cooperate but must retain their legal responsibility for protecting sources. Congressional intelligence committees need to stand in the door on this one.

The move gives Mr Barr the power to unilaterally unseal documents that the justice department has historically regarded as among its most highly secret, such as warrants obtained from the foreign intelligence surveillance court, which are never usually made public.

Mr Trump also gave the declassification power explicitly to Mr Barr, noting that it would not extend to another attorney general. It is to be used only for Mr Barrs review of the Russia investigation.

Senator Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, pointed out that lawmakers still do not have the full Mueller report.

So of course the president gives sweeping declassification powers to an attorney general who has already shown that he has no problem selectively releasing information in order to mislead the American people, Mr Warner tweeted on Friday morning.

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Representative Adam Schiff, chairman of the House intelligence committee, called Mr Trumps decision un-American.

While Trump stonewalls the public from learning the truth about his obstruction of justice, Trump and Barr conspire to weaponise law enforcement and classified information against their political enemies, Mr Schiff wrote on Twitter. The cover-up has entered a new and dangerous phase.Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump is defending his unprecedented decision to give his Justice Department chief unfettered access to the country's deepest foreign intelligence secrets amid an outcry from the spy community and a veiled warning from the US intelligence czar.

The president said Attorney General Bill Barr needed unilateral power to declassify any top secret material to get to the roots of the 2016-2018 investigation into whether his election campaign colluded with Russia.

Barr "will be able to see how this hoax, how the hoax or witch hunt started, and why it started," Trump said.

"It was an attempted coup or an attempted takedown of the president of the United States. It should never ever happen to anybody else, so it's very important."

But politicians and former intelligence community leaders said Trump and Barr are threatening to expose the country's most protected sources of secrets on Russia to mount a political attack on a legitimate investigation that exposed a serious threat to the United States.

- Reopening the Russia meddling investigation -

The brief order issued late Thursday tells the heads of each of the bodies of the intelligence community, including the CIA and National Security Agency, to support Barr in his review of what he has called suspected improper "spying" on Trump by the FBI and intelligence bodies.

It also gives Barr the power to access and declassify any information he views necessary, which could extend to the top-secret sources of information that intelligence chiefs used to conclude that Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over a concerted effort to sway the election on Trump's behalf in 2016.

The same information led to the investigation of Trump by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose final report in April detailed numerous acts of possible collusion, but concluded none amounted to criminal conspiracy.

Critics said Trump and Barr, who has become one of the president's staunchest defenders, were playing fast and loose with intelligence for political reasons.

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"The president has granted sweeping declassification powers to an attorney general who has already shown that he has no problem selectively releasing information in order to mislead the American people," said Senator Mark Warner, the leading Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

"People risk their lives to gather the intelligence material that President Trump and Attorney General Barr are so eager to politicize."

- 'Really bad idea' -

Former CIA deputy director John McLaughlin called for Congress to thwart the move.

"Giving Barr declassification authority for this investigation is a really bad idea," he said on Twitter.

"The agencies can cooperate but must retain their legal responsibility for protecting sources."

Dan Coats, the Director of National Intelligence who oversees the various intelligence branches, stepped carefully, but also made clear that Barr should not play loose with the country's secrets.

"I am confident that the Attorney General will work with the intelligence community in accordance with the long-established standards to protect highly-sensitive classified information that, if publicly released, would put our national security at risk," he said.

- 'Dangerous abuse of power' -

Barr himself has stunned law enforcement and intelligence officials with his willingness to question whether there was a genuine foundation for the investigation into Russian election meddling and into the many suspect contacts between the Trump campaign and Moscow.

The investigation was launched in mid-2016 after campaign advisor George Papadopoulos told an Australian diplomat in London that Russians had offered dirt on Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

The subsequent investigation, which included authorized national security wiretaps, found a concerted effort by Russia to develop contacts, exchange information and negotiate deals, from a Trump real estate project in Moscow to the lifting of sanctions on Russia.

Those acts and episodes have all been made public in detail in congressional testimony and Mueller's report.

But Trump continues to insist that the investigation had no foundation and that the spying on his advisors was illegal, the product of a menacing "deep state."

Former CIA officer Evan McMullin warned that Trump's move "is truly a dangerous abuse of power."

"Barr will selectively release sensitive information, as he did with Mueller's report, to shape a favorable narrative for Trump and impede the intelligence community's ability to collect intel on foreign threats."By Jeff Mason

TOKYO, May 26 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday dismissed concerns about recent missile launches from North Korea and said he was confident that the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, would keep promises that he had made.

"North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me. I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me," he said on Twitter.

Trump is currently in Japan on a state visit. (Reporting by Jeff Mason, editing by G Crosse)SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  A federal judge on Friday blocked President Donald Trump from building key sections of his border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency, delivering what may prove a temporary setback on one of his highest priorities.

U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr.'s order prevents work from beginning on two of the highest-priority, Pentagon-funded wall projects  one spanning 46 miles (74 kilometers) in New Mexico and another covering 5 miles (8 kilometers) in Yuma, Arizona.

While the order applied only to those first-in-line projects, the judge made clear that he felt the challengers were likely to prevail at trial on their argument that the president was wrongly ignoring Congress' wishes by diverting Defense Department money.

"Congress's 'absolute' control over federal expenditures_even when that control may frustrate the desires of the Executive Branch regarding initiatives it views as important_is not a bug in our constitutional system. It is a feature of that system, and an essential one," he wrote in his 56-page opinion.

It wasn't a total defeat for the administration. Gilliam, an Oakland-based appointee of President Barack Obama, rejected a request by California and 19 other states to prevent the diversion of hundreds of millions of dollars in Treasury asset forfeiture funds to wall construction, in part because he felt they were unlikely to prevail on arguments that the administration skirted environmental impact reviews.

The delay may be temporary. The question for Gilliam was whether to allow construction with Defense and Treasury funds while the lawsuits brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the state attorneys general were being considered. The cases still must be heard on their merits.

"This order is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities," said Dror Ladin, an attorney for the ACLU, which represented the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

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The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Friday.

The administration faces several lawsuits over the emergency declaration but only one other seeks to block construction during the legal challenge. A judge in Washington, D.C., on Thursday heard arguments on a challenge brought by the U.S. House of Representatives that says the money shifting violates the constitution. The judge was weighing whether the lawmakers even had the ability to sue the president instead of working through political routes to resolve the bitter dispute.

At stake is billions of dollars that would allow Trump to make progress in a signature campaign promise heading into his campaign for a second term.

Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House that led to a 35-day government shutdown. As a compromise on border and immigration enforcement, Congress set aside $1.375 billion to extend or replace existing barriers in Texas' Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.

Trump grudgingly accepted the money, but then declared the national emergency to siphon money from other government accounts, identifying up to $8.1 billion for wall construction. The funds include $3.6 billion from military construction funds, $2.5 billion from Defense Department counterdrug activities and $600 million from the Treasury Department's asset forfeiture fund.

The Defense Department has already transferred the counterdrug money. Patrick Shanahan, the acting defense secretary, is expected to decide any day whether to transfer the military construction funds.

The president's adversaries say the emergency declaration was an illegal attempt to ignore Congress, which authorized far less wall spending than Trump wanted. The administration said Trump was protecting national security as unprecedented numbers of Central American asylum-seeking families arrive at the U.S. border.

The administration has awarded 11 wall contracts for a combined $2.76 billion  including three in the last two months that draw on Defense Department counterdrug money  and is preparing for a flurry of construction that the president is already celebrating at campaign-style rallies.

The Army Corps of Engineers recently announced several large contacts with Pentagon funding. Last month, SLSCO Ltd. of Galveston, Texas, won a $789 million award to replace 46 miles (74 kilometers) of barrier in New Mexico  the one that Gilliam blocked on Friday.

Last week, Southwest Valley Constructors of Albuquerque, New Mexico, won a $646 million award to replace 63 miles (101 kilometers) in the Border Patrol's Tucson, Arizona, sector, which Gilliam did not stop. Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, Montana, won a $141.8 million contract to replace 5 miles (8 kilometers) in Yuma that Gilliam blocked and 15 miles (24 kilometers) in El Centro, California, which he did not address.

Gilliam's ruling gives a green light  at least for now  for the administration to tap the Treasury funds, which it has said it plans to use to extend barriers in Rio Grande Valley.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a Democrat and frequent Trump adversary, didn't comment directly on his defeat but congratulated the ACLU and its clients "in securing this critical victory for our states and communities."

Trump inherited barriers covering 654 miles (1,046 kilometers), or about one-third of the border with Mexico. Of the 244 miles (390 kilometers) in awarded contracts, more than half is with Pentagon money. All but 14 miles (22 kilometers) awarded so far are to replace existing barriers, not extend coverage.

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Spagat reported from San Diego.DUBAI, May 25 (Reuters) - A U.S. move to send troops to the Middle East after accusing Tehran of being behind attacks on tankers in the region is "extremely dangerous ... (for) international peace," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying.

"Increased U.S. presence in our region is extremely dangerous and it threatens international peace and security, and this should be addressed," state news agency IRNA quoted Zarif as saying on Saturday.

The United States on Friday announced the deployment of 1,500 troops to the Middle East, describing it as an effort to bolster defenses against Tehran as it accused the Iran's Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for this month's tanker attacks. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Alexander Smith)We listen to local police and fire departments scanner traffic, but sometimes miss crimes, wrecks, fires or other incidents, especially if they happen overnight. If you know of something were not covering yet, please let Managing Editor Jeff Pownall know by emailing him at jpownall@lufkindailynews.com, or submit a news tip online by visiting lufkindailynews.com/tips.DUBAI (Reuters) - A U.S. move to send troops to the Middle East after accusing Tehran of being behind attacks on tankers in the region is "extremely dangerous ... (for) international peace", Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying. "Increased U.S. presence in our region is extremely dangerous and it threatens international peace and security, and this should be addressed," state news agency IRNA quoted Zarif as saying on Saturday. The United States on Friday announced the deployment of 1,500 troops to the Middle East, describing it as an effort to bolster defenses against Tehran as it accused the Iran's Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for this month's tanker attacks. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Alexander Smith)DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday that the U.S. decision to deploy more troops to the Middle East in response to the perceived threat from Iran was "extremely dangerous" for peace.

The United States said it was sending 1,500 troops to region in what it called an effort to bolster defences against Tehran, and it accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for attacks on tankers this month.

"The Americans have made such allegations to justify their hostile policies and to raise tensions in the Persian Gulf," Zarif told state news agency IRNA.

"Increased U.S. presence in our region is extremely dangerous and it threatens international peace and security, and this should be addressed," he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump also invoked the threat from Iran to declare a national security-related emergency that would clear the sale of billions of dollars worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries without congressional approval.

It follows decisions to speed up the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group as well as to send bombers and additional Patriot missiles to the Middle East.

Following U.S. media reports that Zarif had met Senator Dianne Feinstein during a U.S. visit last month, Iran's Foreign Ministry said informative talks were common and did not involve negotiations.

"For more than two decades, discussions have been held with non-governmental U.S. political elites, including members of Congress, to clarify and explain the policies of the Islamic Republic," ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said.

Separately, a Revolutionary Guards commander said the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route, was linked to Iran being able to export its oil, the semi-official news agency Fars reported.

"Major General Gholamali Rashid said that talking about security and stability in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz is not possible without considering the interests of the Iranian nation, including the export of oil," Fars said.

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Iran has threatened to disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz if the United States tries to strangle Tehran's economy by halting its oil exports through increased sanctions.

Separately, an Iranian military official said Iran could sink U.S. warships in the Gulf, while another said it was unlikely for a war to start in the region.

"America...is sending two warships to the region. If they commit the slightest stupidity, we will send these ships to the bottom of the sea along with their crew and planes using two missiles or two new secret weapons," General Morteza Qorbani, an adviser to Iran's military command, told the Mizan news agency.

Western experts say Iran often exaggerates its weapons capabilities, although there are concerns about its missile programme and particularly its long-range ballistic missiles.

"We believe rational Americans and their experienced commanders will not let their radical elements lead them into a situation from which it would be very difficult to get out, and that is why they will not enter a war," Brigadier General Hassan Seifi, an assistant to Iran's army chief, told Mehr news agency.

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Sam Holmes, Alexander Smith and Angus MacSwan)KAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda on Saturday protested an incursion by Rwandan soldiers on its territory that it said resulted in two deaths, a development that could inflame already tense relations between the neighbors. Two Rwandan soldiers entered Ugandan territory in the southwestern district of Rukiga on Friday in pursuit of a suspected smuggler, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said. They shot dead a Rwandan and a Ugandan, it said. "Uganda protests in the strongest terms the violation of its territorial integrity by Rwandan soldiers and the criminal, brutal and violent act by the Rwandan soldiers, on Ugandan territory against unarmed civilians," the ministry said in a statement. "The ministry demands that action be taken against the perpetrators of this attack." According to the ministry the soldiers entered Uganda while pursuing a Rwandan national suspected of smuggling merchandise. After the soldiers caught up with the man about 50 meters (yards) inside Ugandan territory, he resisted arrest and was then instantly shot. The soldiers then shot a Ugandan man who had attempted to intervene, the ministry said. Rwanda's ambassador to Uganda, Frank Mugambage, was not immediately available for comment. Relations between the countries have been strained since February over economic and political disagreements. At the end of February, Rwanda started blocking Ugandan cargo trucks from entering at Katuna, the busiest crossing on the two nations' border. Authorities in Kigali also started stopping the country's nationals from traveling to Uganda. Kigali accused Kampala of supporting rebel groups opposed to president Paul Kagame's government, including the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) and the FDLR. Kampala has in turn accused Rwanda of effectively imposing a trade embargo on Uganda. Rwanda depends for much of its imports on a trade route through Uganda to Kenya's Indian Ocean seaport of Mombasa. The same transport artery is also a pipeline for goods from Kenya and Uganda to Burundi and parts of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Frances Kerry)London (AFP) - The race to become Britain's next premier heated up on Sunday as Environment Secretary Michael Gove joined a crowded field of hopefuls with competing visions of how to finally pull their divided country out of the EU.

Gove's bid for the leadership in the aftermath of the 2016 Brexit referendum scuppered the chances of his one-time ally Boris Johnson, who is also running this time around and is seen as the current favourite.

Theresa May's resignation announcement on Friday drastically raised the chances of Britain crashing out of the Europea Union without a deal on October 31 -- the current deadline set by EU leaders.

Some of the eight contenders to replace May have said they will seek to negotiate changes to a draft divorce deal struck with the EU last year but would be prepared to proceed with a no-deal Brexit if refused.

The EU has said it is not prepared to renegotiate the terms of the deal.

A no-deal Brexit would face fierce opposition in parliament, including from MPs in the ruling Conservative Party who backed staying in the EU.

Finance minister Philip Hammond on Sunday warned he might even be prepared to take the drastic step of voting to bring down a future Conservative government in order to avoid no-deal.

He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that leaving the EU without a deal would have "very significant economic and fiscal impact on the country".

"It would challenge not just me but many of my colleagues," Hammond said.

- Deal or no deal -

May is bowing out with her legacy in tatters and the country in agony over what to do about the voters' decision to abandon the European project after more than four decades.

Former foreign minister Johnson said on Friday in Switzerland: "We will leave the EU on October 31, deal or no deal".

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, an even more committed eurosceptic, has echoed that position.

"We'd be willing to walk away from the negotiations," he told Andrew Marr.

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Esther McVey, another contender, set out a similar position.

"We won't be asking for any more extensions," she said.

Raab and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced their candidacies in the Sunday papers.

Hunt had campaigned against Brexit in 2016 but has since reversed his stance.

Gove confirmed his intention on Sunday, promising to unite the Conservatives.

Former House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom, whose resignation on Thursday pushed May towards stepping down, has also confirmed she will run.

- Rise of Brexit Party -

The contest is being held against the backdrop of European Parliament elections that the new Brexit Party of the anti-EU populist Nigel Farage is expected to win with about a third of the vote.

Polls indicate the Conservatives will be punished for their bickering over Brexit and could finish as low as fifth -- their worst result in a national election.

The candidates are also mindful of a party revolt over May's fateful decision to court the pro-EU opposition with the promise of a second Brexit referendum.

The concession last week was designed to help ram her withdrawal agreement through parliament on the fourth attempt.

But it won her no converts and sparked a party coup attempt that forced May to walk away before she was pushed out.

- Dark horses -

Parliamentary party members will begin whittling down the field of contenders to a final two from June 10.

The finalists will then be put to a postal ballot of 100,000 party members in July.

The field grew further on Saturday when Health Secretary Matt Hancock entered the race with a promise to take a more moderate approach.

Leaving the European Union without an agreement is "not an active policy choice that is available to the next prime minister," Hancock told Sky News.

He is viewed as one of the dark horses who might make it through a crowded field of more than a dozen names.

International Development Secretary Rory Stewart is also positioning himself as a more consensus-seeking alternative to Johnson.

"It now seems that (Johnson) is coming out for a no-deal Brexit," Stewart told BBC radio.

"I think it would be a huge mistake. Damaging, unnecessary, and I think also dishonest."BERLIN (AP)  A U.N. maritime tribunal ruled Saturday that Russia must immediately release three Ukrainian naval vessels it captured in November and free the 24 sailors it detained.

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea issued its order at its Hamburg headquarters following a hearing earlier this month. Russia stayed away from both the hearing and Saturday's session.

Ukraine's new president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said that Russia could send a signal of "real readiness to stop the conflict with Ukraine" by complying with the order. Russia didn't immediately specify what it would do, but made clear that it still believes the tribunal is the wrong place to address the dispute.

The confrontation in the Kerch Strait, which links the Sea of Azov with the Black Sea, marked a flashpoint in the simmering conflict over Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. Russia seized Crimea in a move that Ukraine and most of the world view as illegal. The Kerch Strait separates Crimea from mainland Russia.

Russia had argued that the rights Ukraine claims in the case don't apply because they are covered by an exception for military activity.

Kiev's lawyers contest this claim, saying Russia itself previously described the arrest as a law enforcement operation.

The tribunal sided with Ukraine's argument on that point. But tribunal President Jin-Hyun Paik said both parties should "refrain from taking any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute."

He said Russia must return the ships to Ukrainian custody and allow the servicemen to go home. The decision was a 19-1 vote, with a Russian judge dissenting.

The tribunal "does not consider it necessary to require (Russia) to suspend criminal proceedings against the 24 detained Ukrainian servicemen and refrain from initiating new proceedings," Paik added. Kiev had called for legal proceedings to be ended.

The tribunal's decisions are legally binding, but it has no power to enforce them. It called for both sides to report back on their compliance by June 25.

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Zelenskiy said when he took office on Monday that the main goal of his presidency is to bring peace to eastern Ukraine, where government troops have been fighting Russia-backed separatists for five years in a conflict that has left at least 13,000 dead.

On Saturday, Zelenskiy said on Twitter that "Russia's fulfillment of the order ... could be a first signal from the side of the Russian leadership of real readiness to stop the conflict with Ukraine. In this way, Russia could take a step toward unblocking talks and resolving in a civilized way problems that it created."

"We'll see what path the Kremlin will choose," he added.

The Russian Foreign Ministry didn't address details of the order to release the ships and sailors. It underlined in a statement its argument that the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea's dispute resolution procedures can't be applied to this dispute.

In subsequent arbitration proceedings at the tribunal, "we intend to consistently defend our position, including the lack of jurisdiction," it said.

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Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed to this report.BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  U.S. officials asked a federal appeals court on Friday to overturn part of a judge's ruling that blocked the first grizzly bear hunts in the Lower 48 states in almost three decades.

The case before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals involves more than 700 grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park. It comes after a judge in Montana restored protections for the animals last September.

U.S. Justice Department attorneys said the judge was wrong to require officials to review the status of grizzlies everywhere before lifting protections for bruins in the Yellowstone region. They also rejected the notion that the bears' long-term genetic health was in doubt.

But the attorneys did not challenge other concerns raised by U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen. That includes whether sufficient safeguards are in place to keep the bears from sliding toward extinction if states take over management of the animals.

The Fish and Wildlife Service "has accepted a remand in this case and is already working on some of the issues identified by the district court," the attorneys wrote.

Grizzly bears were listed as a threatened species in 1975 and have slowly regained territory and increased in numbers in the ensuing decades.

If protections are again lifted for the animals, jurisdiction over them would be returned to state officials  and hunting that has been planned in Wyoming and Idaho could proceed.

Christensen's ruling blocked the two states last year, just as hunting was scheduled to begin. The hunts would have killed up to 23 bears, which state officials maintained was a sustainable figure given the size and expansive range of the animals.

Also Friday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a report indicating grizzly bear numbers are holding steady in the Yellowstone area and elsewhere in the Northern Rockies.

More than 1,000 of the bruins occupy a vast swath of northwestern Montana that includes Glacier National Park.

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The agency said both populations are biologically recovered after being decimated by hunting and trapping early last century. But the bears also experience high death rates amid conflicts with humans and livestock.

About 130 grizzlies roam areas of northern Idaho, northeastern Washington and southern British Columbia.

In his ruling last September that blocked hunting, Christensen said the struggle to return bears to some other areas of the Northern Rockies was not given enough consideration when officials decided to lift protections for Yellowstone's grizzlies.

He noted an estimated 50,000 bears once roamed the contiguous U.S.

___

Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MatthewBrownAP .Los Angeles (AFP) - A US judge has been suspended for six months without pay after making derogatory comments about Donald Trump, including criticizing his "inability to govern and political incompetence."

Utah judge Michael Kwan's suspension earlier this week by the state's supreme court says that his behavior was in violation of the judicial code of conduct and sullied the reputation of the judiciary.

"Judge Kwan's behavior denigrates his reputation as an impartial, independent, dignified, and courteous jurist who takes no advantage of the office in which he serves," the court said in a 19-page opinion.

As regards Kwan's postings about Trump on Facebook and LinkedIn, the court said they "were laden with blunt, and sometimes indelicate, criticism."

In one posting on January 20, 2017, when Trump was inaugurated president, Kwan wrote: "Welcome to governing.

"Will you dig your heels in and spend the next four years undermining our country's reputation and standing in the world? ... Will you continue to demonstrate your inability to govern and political incompetence?"

In another posting a month later, Kwan wrote: "Welcome to the beginning of the fascist takeover."

He continued, "We need to... be diligent in questioning Congressional Republicans if they are going to be the American Reichstag and refuse to stand up for the Constitution, refuse to uphold their oath of office and enable the tyrants to consolidate their power."

On another occasion while presiding over a hearing, Kwan got into an exchange with a defendant in which he appeared to criticize Trump's immigration and tax policies, the court said.

The defendant told Kwan that he planned to pay all of his court fines when he got his tax returns.

"You do realize that we have a new president, and you think we are getting any money back?" Kwan told the defendant

"Prayer might be the answer," Kwan added.

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"'Cause, he just signed an order to start building the wall and he has no money to do that, and so if you think you are going to get taxes back this year, uh-yeah, maybe, maybe not. But don't worry, there is a tax cut for the wealthy so if you make over $500,000 you're getting a tax cut."

Kwan, who has served as a judge in the city of Taylorsville for the past two decades and has a history of misconduct linked to politically charged comments and his temper, has acknowledged that his behavior was unbecoming a judge.

But he described his in-court political statements as an attempt at humor and argued, unsuccessfully, that a suspension would amount to infringing on his freedom of speech.By Sinead Carew

(Reuters) - The escalating U.S.-China trade war has sent dividend-rich sectors like utilities higher, but investors don't need to get all defensive just yet, according to strategists who say there are plenty of growth stocks with some insulation from China.

Some investors are seeking safety in domestic U.S. growth stocks ranging from software and online advertising to aerospace and recruitment since President Donald Trump's May 5 tweets showed that U.S. talks with China were in trouble.

While the prospect of a prolonged trade war has shaken the market, investors are also trying to protect themselves from the risk that they could miss out on gains in the event that the United States and China reach a surprise agreement.

Because of the difficulty handicapping the chance of a U.S.-China deal, John Praveen Portfolio Manager at QMA in Newark, New Jersey, said he would not "completely sell out" of stocks. But he said: "if I was 5% overweight stocks, I might reduce it to 3 pct and see if I could reduce exposure to semiconductors and technology."

"If you're looking to avoid the pure dividend play and avoid the China trade narrative, you have to look at stocks that are a pure play on the U.S. economy," said Peter Kenny, founder, Kennys Commentary LLC in New York.

Broadly speaking, investors have been raising their defenses. While the S&P has fallen roughly 4% since Trump announced his plan to raise tariffs on Chinese goods in early May, utilities - a low-growth sector with reliably high dividends - has risen more than 2%.

But growth-hungry investors are seeking more nimble companies with little exposure to overseas sales or Chinese imports even in the beaten down technology sector, where semiconductor stocks have lead the recent declines.

Online advertising platforms and cloud software are two technology segments that would not be directly affected by China tariffs, according to Daniel Morgan, portfolio manager at Synovus Trust in Atlanta.

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In online advertising, Morgan favors Twitter, Facebook and Snap Inc over Google parent Alphabet, which suspended business with China's Huawei this week as a result of the trade battle.

He also likes software providers such as Salesforce.com, which derives 70% of its revenue from the Americas and only 10% from Asia-Pacific. However, Salesforce.com has fallen more than 5% since the Trump tweets.

Another option is Workday Inc, which has risen about 4% since May 5 and derives 75% of its revenue from the United States.

Steve Lipper, senior investment strategist at Royce & Associates favors U.S.-facing companies offering services such as recruiting and merger advice due to a strong U.S. labor market and solid merger activity.

But while U.S.-facing recruitment firms such as Kforce and ASGN Inc may not be hurt directly by the trade war, Robert W. Baird analyst Mark Marcon notes that they would suffer if tariffs caused the economy to weaken.

Instead, Marcon favors domestic payroll software companies such as Automatic Data Processing Inc and Paychex Inc, which tend to do better than recruiters in a downturn. But even if their fundamentals remain strong, payroll companies like Paycom and Paylocity could be vulnerable in a selloff due to relatively high valuations, Marcon said.

In industrials - a sector with heavy exposure to China - Burns McKinney, a portfolio manager at Allianz Global Investors in Dallas likes defense stocks such as Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, which could benefit if U.S.-Iran hostilities keep intensifying.

Since sectors like utilities have risen so much, Royce's Lipper is favoring less obvious safe choices.

"Be wary when the consensus view is already reflected in valuations," said Lipper, but he added: "The U.S. economy is so diverse that there are always areas that are insulated from whatever you have a concern about."

(Reporting By Sinead Carew; Editing by Alden Bentley and Nick Zieminski)BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP)  Walmart has released additional plans for its new 350-acre (142-hectare) northwest Arkansas campus that will include four quadrants connected by bike and walking paths, an on-campus childcare facility and a fitness center.

The world's largest retailer said Friday that new buildings will be designed and constructed in the next two years, with a goal of opening the site in phases between 2020 and 2024.

The new site is blocks away from its current Bentonville Home Office, which was built in 1971.

Walmart says its new headquarters will include solar panels on some buildings and parking decks. It'll also have "flexible workspaces" and various dining options.

Walmart announced it was moving its headquarters in 2017. It has not said how much it will cost to replace the old office.Director Werner Herzog poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Family Romance' at the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Sunday, May 19, 2019. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Werner Herzog only joined the Star Wars television series The Mandalorian to fund Family Romance, LLC, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this week.

The German director recently admitted that studios and financiers were unwilling to give him the funds for his hugely ambitious project.

Thats kind of understandable, too, as he wanted to begin work on Family Romance, LLC with an incomplete script, while he also wanted to just cast Japanese speaking non-actors and film solely in Japan. All of which is particularly audacious because Herzog doesnt even speak Japanese.

Read More: 'The Mandalorian': Everything we know about the live-action 'Star Wars' TV series

However, being cast in The Mandalorian allowed Herzog to finance Family Romance, LLC. In fact, according to Vanity Fair, Herzog undertook a number of random jobs in order to generate funds for his film. The only thing I have not done so far [to make money for movies] is bank robbery, he joked.

FILE - In this Nov. 12, 2016 file photo, Werner Herzog arrives at the 2016 Governors Awards in Los Angeles. Herzog is calling "The Mandalorian" a phenomenal achievement" after joining the cast of the streaming series set in the "Star Wars" universe. The series, starring Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano and Carl Weathers, is set to premiere in November 2019. with the launch of the new Disney Plus streaming service. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Herzog, who will play a villain in The Mandalorian, openly admits that ahead of starring in the show he only had a very, very vague idea of what Star Wars was all about.

The legendary director of Aguirre, the Wrath Of God and Fitzcarraldo quickly got into the grove, though. I asked for the full screenplays, and I looked into the part, and it looked good and interesting.

Read More: Classic 'Star Wars' game 'Knights Of The Old Republic' is being turned into a movie

The only reason for having me in the film is they needed somebody who would spread terror, and be frightening for the audience. I said, Yes I think I can give you this stylization. It came with great ease.

Well get to see what Herzog can do in The Mandalorian when it premieres on November 12.It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Digital Realty Trust (DLR). Shares have added about 0.1% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Digital Realty Trust due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

Digital Realty Q1 FFO and Revenues Beat Estimates



Digital Realtys first-quarter 2019 core FFO per share of $1.73 outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.65. The figure also comes in higher than the year-ago tally of $1.63.



The company reported operating revenues of $814.5 million in the first quarter, which marked a 9.4% year-over-year rise. The revenue figure also surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $797.4 million. The company has reaffirmed its 2019 core FFO per share outlook.



Signed total bookings during the reported quarter are estimated to generate $50 million of annualized GAAP rental revenues. This would include a $9-million from Ascenty (at 100% share) and a $7-million contribution from interconnection. Notably, the weighted-average lag between leases signed during first-quarter 2019 and the contractual commencement date was two months.



Moreover, the company signed renewal leases, marking $116 million of annualized GAAP rental revenues. Rental rates on renewal leases signed during the quarter rolled down 6.9% on a cash basis and ascended 7.1% on a GAAP basis.



Notable Portfolio Activity



During the March-end quarter, Digital Realty announced the conclusion of its joint venture (JV) deal with Brookfield Asset Managements affiliate  Brookfield Infrastructure. The move comprised Brookfield investing approximately $700 million and in turn, acquiring around 49% of the total equity interests in the JV, which owns and operates Ascenty.



Moreover, during the first quarter, Digital Realty closed the 30-year ground lease with Jurong Town Council for two adjacent land parcels in Singapore, aggregating three acres, for an upfront payment of around $6 million.



Further, in an effort to expand its presence in Japan, Digital Realty announced that its 50/50 JV with Mitsubishi Corporation  MC Digital Realty  has signed a deal to acquire a five-acre land parcel in Tokyo.



Balance Sheet



Digital Realty exited first-quarter 2019 with cash and cash equivalents of around $123.9 million, slightly down from $126.7 million recorded at year-end 2018.



Additionally, as of Mar 31, 2019, the company had around $10.3 billion of total debt outstanding, of which $10.2 billion was unsecured debt and around $0.1 billion secured debt. Also, as of the same date, its net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA was 5.5x, while fixed charge coverage was 3.6x.



Outlook Reiterated



Digital Realty reiterated its 2019 core FFO per share outlook at $6.60-$6.70. The full-year outlook provided by the company is backed by revenue projections of $3.2-$3.3 billion, year-end portfolio occupancy growth of +/- 50 bps, and "same-capital" cash NOI growth of -2.0% to -4.0%.

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How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates.

VGM Scores

At this time, Digital Realty Trust has a nice Growth Score of B, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of C. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, Digital Realty Trust has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.



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Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (DLR) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Group 1 Automotive (GPI). Shares have added about 0.2% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Group 1 Automotive due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

Group 1 Automotive Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates, Up Y/Y

Group 1 Automotive reported adjusted earnings per share of $2.06 in first-quarter 2019, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.81. The bottom line improved from the prior-year quarters number of $1.70.

Reportedly, the companys adjusted net income increased 6% year over year to $38.2 million. Revenues of $2.9 billion declined 0.4% year over year. Total revenues fell 1.8% year over year to $2.81 billion, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.82 billion.

Revenues from new-vehicle retail sales fell 5.3% to $1 billion. The used-vehicle retail sales grew 5.4% to $594 million. However, revenues from wholesale used-vehicle sales declined 20.7% to $42.8 million.

In the Parts and Service business, the top line improved 4.6% to $298 million. Group 1 Automotives revenues from the Finance and Insurance business were $96 million, in line with the prior-year quarter.

Gross profit increased 3.3% year over year to $347 million. Operating income went up 9.8% to $86.8 million.

Segments in Detail

On a same-store basis, revenues in the U.S. business segment fell 1.2% year over year to $2.1 billion. The segments gross profit rose 4% year over year to $339 million. During the reported quarter, units of retail new vehicles, retail used vehicles and wholesale used vehicles sold were 25,569; 28,389 and 6,921.

On a same-store basis, revenues fell 8.3% year over year to $564 million in the U.K. business segment. Gross profit was $63.3 million, marking a 5.4% fall from the first quarter of 2018. The units of retail new vehicles, retail used vehicles and wholesale used vehicles sold were 9,215; 7,291 and 4,870.

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On a same-store basis, revenues in the Brazil business segment declined 15.9% year over year to $93.4 million in the reported quarter. Gross profit declined 9.5% year over year to $11.4 million. The units of retail new vehicles, retail used vehicles and wholesale used vehicles sold were 1,850; 991 and 411.

Financial Details

Group 1 Automotives cash and cash equivalents increased to $33.6 million as of Mar 31, 2019, from $15.9 million as of Dec 31, 2018.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

In the past month, investors have witnessed an upward trend in fresh estimates. The consensus estimate has shifted 15.98% due to these changes.

VGM Scores

At this time, Group 1 Automotive has a great Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with a D. However, the stock was allocated a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top 20% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Estimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of this revision looks promising. It comes with little surprise Group 1 Automotive has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). We expect an above average return from the stock in the next few months.



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Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (GPI) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment ResearchWhile some investors are already well versed in financial metrics (hat tip), this article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE) and why it is important. We'll use ROE to examine Lovisa Holdings Limited (ASX:LOV), by way of a worked example.

Lovisa Holdings has a ROE of 63%, based on the last twelve months. Another way to think of that is that for every A$1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn A$0.63.

Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

View our latest analysis for Lovisa Holdings

How Do You Calculate Return On Equity?

The formula for return on equity is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit  Shareholders' Equity

Or for Lovisa Holdings:

63% = AU$37m  AU$58m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.)

Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is the capital paid in by shareholders, plus any retained earnings. You can calculate shareholders' equity by subtracting the company's total liabilities from its total assets.

What Does ROE Signify?

Return on Equity measures a company's profitability against the profit it has kept for the business (plus any capital injections). The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. That means that the higher the ROE, the more profitable the company is. So, as a general rule, a high ROE is a good thing. That means ROE can be used to compare two businesses.

Does Lovisa Holdings Have A Good ROE?

One simple way to determine if a company has a good return on equity is to compare it to the average for its industry. However, this method is only useful as a rough check, because companies do differ quite a bit within the same industry classification. As you can see in the graphic below, Lovisa Holdings has a higher ROE than the average (13%) in the Specialty Retail industry.

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ASX:LOV Past Revenue and Net Income, May 24th 2019

That is a good sign. In my book, a high ROE almost always warrants a closer look. For example you might check if insiders are buying shares.

How Does Debt Impact Return On Equity?

Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the first and second cases, the ROE will reflect this use of cash for investment in the business. In the latter case, the debt required for growth will boost returns, but will not impact the shareholders' equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used.

Lovisa Holdings's Debt And Its 63% ROE

One positive for shareholders is that Lovisa Holdings does not have any net debt! Its high ROE already points to a high quality business, but the lack of debt is a cherry on top. After all, when a company has a strong balance sheet, it can often find ways to invest in growth, even if it takes some time.

But It's Just One Metric

Return on equity is a useful indicator of the ability of a business to generate profits and return them to shareholders. In my book the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. If two companies have around the same level of debt to equity, and one has a higher ROE, I'd generally prefer the one with higher ROE.

But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. Profit growth rates, versus the expectations reflected in the price of the stock, are a particularly important to consider. So you might want to take a peek at this data-rich interactive graph of forecasts for the company.

Of course Lovisa Holdings may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have high ROE and low debt.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.Photo credit: Devon Jarvis

From Popular Mechanics

Picture a chaotic Venn diagram with hundreds of circles representing the worlds byzantine knife laws. Californias limits on button-release switchblades. U.K. laws restricting lock knives. Japans ban on blades exceeding six centimeters.

Now imagine the middle of that diagram as the only sweet spot for legal knives. Inside it youll find the compact Benchmade 380 Aller, a new everyday-carry (EDC) knife designed to keep international travelers in compliance with local regulations virtually everywhere they land. The 1.8-ounce friction folder with a stubby, 1.6-inch, S30V-steel blade is basically a mini-multi-tool, with a screwdriver, pry tip, micro bit slot, pocket/money clip, bottle opener and key-ring hole.

Trends in knife design are driven by weight and size, says Benchmade product manager Hans Albing. The Aller is essentially a lightweight money clip with a multi-tool.

The Aller is the latest product from Benchmade Knife Company, one of the leading knife makers in Portland, Oregon. If that doesnt sound like a fully formed endorsement its likely because you dont know that, goat yoga and hemp beer aside, Portland is known in blade circles as the knife capital of the country. Seki City, Japan, and Solingen, Germany, are cutlery contenders, but especially for pocketknives, sporting and utility blades, Portland is the world leader.

Coast Cutlery and Gerber staked claims in Oregon in the first half of the 20th century. Kershaw, Leatherman, and Columbia River Knife & Tool followed their trail. Today, some of the United States most blade-friendly laws and a regional light-industrial-manufacturing and aerospace-industry supply chains (providing easy access to high-grade materials) have helped create the highest concentration of knife and hand-tool companies in the country-19 in the Portland metro area. By one estimate, 80 percent of the multi-use tools sold nationwide originate around everybodys favorite hipster whipping post.



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Oregon has the highest concentration of cutlery jobs in the nation, says Amy Vander Vliet, a regional economist with the Oregon Employment Department. Cutlery employment is about five times more concentrated here than the nation as a whole.

Demand for skilled workers is constant. Vander Vliet says the industrys average annual wage of $63,900 in Oregon is higher than the national wage in the knife industry and higher than wages across all of manufacturing ($59,900).

The Portland area is also home to small shops and renowned custom designers, such as Shane Sibert whose Sibert Knives is based in nearby Gladstone, Oregon. Making knives since 1994, Sibert specializes in hand-made fixed-blades with Micarta handles. His combat-dive knife, bush Bowie and combat dagger are some of the most eye-catching yet functional knives in the field.

Benchmade founder Les de Asis got his start in the business in California in 1979. Using his high school shop skills, his original idea was simply to build a better version of the butterfly knives hed played with as a kid. Founded in 1987, Benchmade launched its brand around balisong (butterfly) knives-two handles that rotate around a tang pivot concealing a blade in the closed position. He moved his company to Oregon in 1990 to take advantage of looser regulations.

Les struggled in California with being able to make the kind of knives he wanted, says Jon de Asis, Less son and now company president. Oregon is a legally awesome place for what you are allowed to produce, carry, sell.

Benchmade earned worldwide recognition with the 2000 introduction of its touchstone 940 series. Recognized among a handful of quintessential EDC knives, every 940 knife is hand-built in Benchmades 144,000-square-foot facility, which employs more than 400 workers in the Portland suburb of Oregon City.

Designed by legendary knife maker Warren Osborne-an Aussie rancher who relocated to Texas-the slim, 2.65-ounce folding 940 knife is incredibly durable. Its defining feature is the 3.4-inch spey blades reverse tanto design-a concave swoosh on the top of the blade that adds toughness to the tip and is useful for opening letters or scraping out the hooves of livestock.

Standard S30V-a super-steel produced at Crucible Industries in Syracuse, New York-makes the 940 handy for everyday chores like cutting through boot leather, cleanly slicing a mushy tomato or, by at least one account, field dressing a deer. The knife is also available with S90V steel-a higher grade steel with better edge retention and longevity, it costs about $100 more than the S30V. Whether in a backpack, first-aid kit or clipped to a truck visor, the 940 is a knife every guy should find a place for.

The 940 is pricier than most EDCs. Thats partly because from its screws to its Axis lock (which allows for one-handed open and close), every component is chosen for durability. The knife can be ordered with one of three handle materials-aluminum, carbon fiber or G10. Layered fiberglass and resin, G10 has emerged as a favorite. Its lightweight, waterproof, temperature proof, resistant to cracking and chipping and feels natural in the hand.

In the factory the 940 passes through a dozen or more different pairs of hands-laser cutting, grinding, coating, assembly, finishing, sharpening, final inspection. Benchmades sharpeners typically train for eight months before theyre allowed to work on a blade that leaves the factory. That time is spent learning to use lasers to check blade angles on an extensive variety of blade lengths, styles and steel types. Sharpness is tested within a plus or minus of 1/1000th of an inch.

Like all Benchmade knives, the 940 comes with a Lifesharp warranty that includes free cleaning, oiling and laser-fine sharpening.

Once people find out about Lifesharp they really use it, says Albing. People on the hunting side love sending in their knives for the spa treatment. We take everything apart and inspect it and sharpen the blade and send it back to them.

In Portland, finding any Benchmade knife is easy. The small shop at the Oregon City headquarters is open to the public and carries every blade in the companys catalog. A selection of knives from a variety of Portland brands-including Kershaw, CRKT, Gerber and Benchmade-is always on display in the knife case at legendary Portland outdoor and military surplus store Andy and Bax.

('You Might Also Like',)The Trump Administration has spent the past month ringing alarm bells over what it has called troubling, escalatory and dangerous behavior by Iran. Yet government officials have shown very little evidence to the American public about that supposed threat.

The Pentagon said Friday additional troops and firepower are headed to the Middle East, marking the latest move by the Trump Administration to boost the American arsenal in the region by air, land and sea. Meanwhile, in another effort to deter Iran, the State Department issued an emergency notification in order to move forward with $8.1 billion in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies, despite Congressional objections.

The U.S. has been headed on a collision course with Iran ever since President Donald Trump walked away from a multilateral nuclear deal a year ago. The Administrations increasing pressure on Tehran has resulted in an unpredictable and tense standoff with potentially serious implications that has already moved beyond fiery rhetoric.

Adm. Michael Gilday, the U.S. militarys Joint Staff director, told reporters at the Pentagon Friday that Tehran was responsible for a string of recent attacks in the Middle East. The incidents, he said, included an assault on four tankers in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, armed drone attacks against Saudi oil facilities and a rocket attack in Iraqs Green Zone, where the U.S. embassy is located.

Each incident was directed by the leadership of Iran at the highest level, Gilday said, adding: Even more troubling, weve had multiple credible reports that Iranian proxy groups intend to attack U.S. personnel in the Middle East.

Gilday did not, however, provide any proof linking Iran to the attacks or produce evidence of the threats. Nor did he explain how any of the behavior is different from what Iran and its proxies have been doing for years throughout the Middle East. Im not reverse-engineering this, he said. The Iranians have said publicly they were going to do things. We learned more through intelligence reporting they have acted upon those threats and theyve actually attacked.

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When pressed about the proof that resulted in sending additional manpower and equipment to the region, Gilday replied that the intelligence was too sensitive to disclose. I cant reveal the sources of that reporting except to say, with very high confidence, we tie the Iranians to those, he said.

According to two intelligence officials and one military officer with inside knowledge of the intelligence, the answers to questions about whether Iran is mounting an offensive remain unclear.

The White House began escalating warnings about the Iranian threat after overhead surveillance spotted Iranian groups moving ballistic missiles on small boats, called dhows, in the Persian Gulf. That was a defensive move, the analysts say. The Iranians know U.S. intelligence watches and eavesdrops on their military movements and communications, but they made no attempt to conceal the missiles movement.

Nevertheless, the Pentagon now plans to send an additional 900 troops to the Middle East in response to Irans campaign of violence intended to damage the United State and its allies, Gilday said. Additionally, the U.S. will send a squadron of 12 jet fighters and several spy planes and extend the deployment of 600 soldiers operating Patriot missile batteries. The troops and hardware will join the B-52 bomber task force, the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and other military hardware already dispatched to the region.

There is little dispute within the Administration that Iran is a bad actor intent on expanding its influence in the Middle East, either directly as its military forces and Iranian-backed political groups have done in Iraq, or by funding and equipping proxies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine. The debate has been about how to respond.

The decision came to Trumps desk Thursday and he decided to take a modest response. Were going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective, he told reporters Friday at the White House before departing on a trip to Japan. And some very talented people are going to the Middle East right now, and well see how  and well see what happens.

Kathryn Wheelbarger, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, told Pentagon reporters that the additional forces will be stationed at undisclosed locations in the Middle East, but stressed it wouldnt be Iraq or Syria. We are seeking to avoid hostilities, she said. We are not seeking war with Iran.

Trump hasnt been shy in vocalizing his aversion to overseas military entanglements, but John Bolton, his national security adviser, has repeatedly advocated for the use of force in Iran. The president wants U.S. allies in the region to take on more of a role. The Administration issued an emergency declaration so it can sell arms to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and United Arab Emirates. For more than a year, U.S. lawmakers have blocked about $2 billion in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, among the largest purchaser of American arms, over concerns about the October killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and mounting civilian casualties in the Saudi-led military operation in Yemen.

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that the Administration cited Irans actions to use the rare provision in the Arms Export Control Act. In trying to explain this move, the Administration failed to even identify which legal mechanism it thinks it is using, described years of malign Iranian behavior but failed to identify what actually constitutes an emergency today, and critically, failed to explain how these systems, many of which will take years to come online, would immediately benefit either the United States or our allies and thus merit such hasty action, he said.

Meanwhile, the Administration continues to ratchet the economic pressure on Tehran after abandoning the 2015 nuclear deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The State Department says nearly 1,000 Iranian individuals, businesses and banks have been sanctioned. The Administration last month designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an arm of the nations military, as a terrorist organization, which restricts members banking transactions and ability to travel. It marked the first time the U.S. designated an arm of a nations government as a terrorist group.

Despite resistance from virtually every major world power for leaving the deal, the U.S. has turned the global financial system into a weapon against Tehran. The policy has triggered an exodus of corporations and financial institutions that would rather abandon their investments in Iran than risk U.S. Treasury Department sanctions. Irans economy-sustaining oil exports have plunged to historic lows.

Tehran, which for its part has complied with the 2015 nuclear agreement despite the U.S. pullout, is seeking to split other countries from the U.S. by salvaging a deal with its remaining signatories: Russia, China, Germany, Britain and France. It has thus far elected for minimum retaliatory measures. But as the screws continue to tighten on the economy, Iran has announced its intent to return to the path toward producing nuclear bomb.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani vowed to ramp up enrichment of nuclear material earlier this month unless Tehran gets sweeping relief from economic sanctions. He promised to enrich to weapons-grade levels in two months if the U.S. didnt relent.

The moves taken by the Trump Administration on Friday show no intention to let up the pressure.

With reporting by John Walcott in WashingtonNo. 6 seed Dayana Yastremska outlasted No. 4 seed Caroline Garcia of France 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (3) to win the Internationaux de Strasbourg in France on Saturday.

Yastremska, 19, dropped a set for the first time in the tournament on the way to her third career singles title. The Ukrainian teen has yet to lose after reaching a final.

It was Yastremska's first meeting with Garcia, who was shooting for her seventh career singles title. Garcia won the title here in 2016 and is now 11-3 in the main draw at Strasbourg.

Nurnberger Versicherungs Cup

Top-seeded Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan rallied after losing the first set to beat Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to win the title in Germany.

It was the third WTA final for Putintseva and her first career title.

The victory also gives Putintseva a measure of revenge -- she lost her only previous meeting against Zidansek in three sets just three weeks ago in Morocco.

--Field Level MediaPhoto: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Fortunately, there are plenty of relatively inexpensive flights between Miami and New York City on travel site Skyscanner.

Heres a list of flights, hotels, restaurants and local attractions in New York City to get you started. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest New York City flights

The cheapest flights between Miami and New York City are if you leave on May 31 and return from New York on June 3. United currently has tickets for $208, roundtrip.

United also has tickets at that price point earlier in May, if you can get away in time. If you fly out of Miami on May 30 and return from New York City on June 3, United can get you there and back for $208 roundtrip.

Top New York City hotels

To plan your accommodations, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

The hotel stands in the Meatpacking District overlooking the historic high line, the former elevated rail road that has been developed into New Yorks new favorite public park.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

It's situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, try the Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night. It's within walking distance of many popular destinations like Times Square, the Empire State Building, Macy's and the Broadway theaters. And it's close to the old Tin Pan Alley.

Featured New York City restaurants

Don't miss New York City's food scene, with plenty of popular spots to get your fill of local cuisine. Here are a few of the top-rated eateries from Skyscanner's listings.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Let's start with the essentials: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner. The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other creative takes on traditional baked goods and cookies.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New York City's most popular restaurants is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"It was the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote reviewer ABelle.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is the Red Rooster.

"I am writing this at home after one of the most amazing meals I've ever had, " wrote John349. "The attention to detail in every part of this dining experience really made it a standout."

Dominique Ansel Bakery (189 Spring St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, there's Dominique Ansel Bakery.

"A visit to New York meant that we had to visit the bakery that started the cronut craze," wrote Trina. "Their cronut flavors rotate monthly and they never feature the same flavor twice."

Featured local attractions

To round out your trip, New York City offers plenty of popular attractions worth visiting. Here are some top recommendations, based on Skyscanner's descriptions and reviews.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Located in the heart of New York City, the park is located beside the Brooklyn bridge and offers an amazing view of the entire city. It is a great place for a tourist to stop and take a quick lunch break while absorbing the skyline of Manhattan. It is a highly recommended spot to watch the sun go down over the city.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary.

The High Line Park

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The High Line Park is another popular destination.

This re-purposing of the old railroad line running through the Meatpacking District of Manhattan has become an outdoor favorite for locals and tourists alike. With wood-planked floors and landscaping, the High Line is a great place to escape the craziness of the city and enjoy a few quiet moments.

"The most fun place I have found to walk in the city yet," wrote visitor Lars. "Starting in spring they offered great tours. Every time I go there are even more things blooming. The views are amazing and ever-changing. There is a lot of great art along the high line to enjoy and photo ops are endless."

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Photo: iStock

Looking for the right time to visit New York City, but hoping to skip the typical Big Apple tourist scene in favor of a more local experience? The Governors Ball Music Festival is right around the corner, and might have exactly what you're looking for.

Started by local music lovers eight years ago, it features 60-plus artists of all genres, plus a selection of the best eats in town, street artists from around the city, interactive games and activities, and more. What better way to experience the music, art and culture at the heart of NYC?

Its more doable than you think. According to travel site Skyscanner, there are plenty of flights from Austin to New York City in that time frame, and the prices aren't too shabby.

So if you're looking for a change of scenery, here are some deals to put on your to-do list. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Flight deals to New York City

The cheapest flights between Austin and New York City are if you leave on May 30 and return from New York on June 3. Frontier Airlines currently has roundtrip, nonstop tickets for $223.

There are also deals to be had later in May. If you fly out of Austin on May 31 and return from New York City on June 4, Spirit Airlines can get you there and back for $246 roundtrip.

Top New York City accommodations

To plan your accommodations, here are some of New York Citys top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Standard, High Line (848 Washington St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Standard, High Line. The hotel has a 4.4-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $275.

All 338 rooms have ground-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views that include the Hudson River, the High Line or the city skyline. It is within close proximity to the west side highway, Javits Center, SoHo and the Financial District.

Story continues

The Dream Downtown (355 W. 16th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.5-star-rated The Dream Downtown. Rooms are currently set at $204/night.

Situated between the thriving Meatpacking District and Chelsea, the Dream Downtown is the latest addition to the Vikram Chatwal Hotel portfolio. This luxury property features 315 loft-inspired rooms and a rooftop lounge with city views.

Ace Hotel New York (20 W. 29th St.)

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, try Ace Hotel New York. The 4.3-star hotel has rooms for $84/night.

The 12-story boutique hotel is within walking distance of many popular destinations like Times Square, the Empire State Building, Macy's and the Broadway theaters.

Featured New York City restaurants

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New York City has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Levain Bakery (167 W. 74th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First things first: where to satisfy your sweet tooth. For a popular option, check out Levain Bakery, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 42 reviews on Skyscanner.

The bakery boasts a steady stream of community regulars and tourists loyal to its diverse assortment of freshly baked products. The menu includes an inventive array of rustic breads and other equally creative takes on traditional baked goods.

The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New York City's most popular restaurants is The Meatball Shop, with 4.6 stars from 49 reviews.

"These are the best meatballs I have ever had," wrote ABelle.

Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is Red Rooster, which is part of the vibrant Harlem community.

The menu reflects the roots of American cuisine while celebrating local farmers and artisanal food makers. The Red Rooster features a takeout market, bar and restaurant.

"The attention to detail in every part of this dining experience really made it a standout that we'll remember," wrote John349.

Dominique Ansel Bakery (189 Spring St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, there's Dominique Ansel Bakery.

"A visit to New York meant that we had to visit the bakery that started the cronut craze," wrote Trina. "Their cronut flavors rotate monthly and they never feature the same flavor twice. ... The cronut has flaky layers of pastry with a cream bursting from inside."

Featured local attractions

New York City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are some popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The Brooklyn Bridge Park.

This park is located beside the Brooklyn bridge, considered one of the portals into the city and although the park itself is simple, it also offers an amazing view of the entire city. It is a great place for a tourist to stop and take a quick lunch break while absorbing the skyline of Manhattan.

"The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, whether you're walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan or vice versa, is one of the most iconic walks New York City has to offer," wrote visitor Gary.

The High Line Park

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The High Line Park is another popular destination.

This repurposing of the old railroad line running through the Meatpacking District of Manhattan has become an outdoor favorite for locals and tourists alike. With wood-planked floors and landscaping, the High Line is a great place to escape the craziness of the city and enjoy a few quiet moments.

"The most fun place I have found to walk in the city yet," wrote visitor Lars. "The views are amazing and ever-changing. There is a lot of great art along the High Line to enjoy and photo ops are endless."

The Statue of Liberty

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at The Statue of Liberty.

A symbol of the country's possibilities, the Statue of Liberty National Monument includes nearby Ellis Island, where many European immigrants started on their journey of becoming Americans.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.New York-based ticketing company TodayTix has secured $73 million in private equity funding, according to company database Crunchbase, topping the citys recent funding headlines. The cash infusion was announced May 16 and financed by Great Hill Partners.

According to its Crunchbase profile, "TodayTix is an international ticketing platform that provides information on discounted and full-price tickets to live and cultural events around the world. Operating in the worlds most iconic arts markets, TodayTix secures the best discounted and premium-priced tickets available for the shows in New York City, Londons West End, Melbourne, Sydney, Toronto, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Seattle, Philadelphia, Connecticut, Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth. TodayTix was founded in New York City in December 2013."

The 6-year-old company has raised three previous funding rounds, including a $9 million Series B round in 2016.

The round brings total funding raised by New York companies in mobile over the past month to $159 million. The local mobile industry has seen 135 funding rounds over the past year, yielding a total of $1.4 billion in venture funding.

In other local funding news, web development company OpenFin announced a $17 million Series C funding round on May 16, led by Wells Fargo.

According to Crunchbase, "OpenFin powers financial desktops with the same plug-and-play capabilities that your iOS and Android devices enjoy. OpenFin enables rapid and secure deployment, native experience and desktop interoperability. The worlds largest banks and trading platforms use OpenFin to deploy desktop applications in-house and to their buy-side and sell-side customers."

Founded in 2010, the company has raised six previous rounds, including a $15 million Series B round in 2017.

Meanwhile, furniture company Feather raised $12 million in Series A funding, announced on May 15. The round's investors were led by Spark Capital.

Story continues

From the company's Crunchbase profile, "Feather is a furniture subscription service that offers a flexible and sustainable alternative to ownership. Feather makes it easy for city dwellers to furnish their homes without spending a fortune or hurting the planet in the process. Members of Feather have access to high-quality furniture at a low monthly price with the option to add, swap, buy or return when life or tastes change."

Feather last raised $3.4 million in seed funding in 2017.

Also of note, commercial real estate company CompStak raised $12 million in Series B funding, announced on May 15 and led by IA Capital Group.

From Crunchbase, "CompStak uses a crowd-sourced model to gather real estate information for investors, brokers, asset managers and appraisers. CompStak's wedge into the market is a platform for the exchange of commercial lease comps. Brokers, landlords, appraisers and researchers use their site and submit comps on completed commercial lease transactions."

The company previously raised a corporate round in 2017.

This story was created automatically using local investment data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Its been a month since Russian oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline were suspended due to contamination, and despite Russias assurances that clean oil will resume flowing through the pipeline westward to Europe in the second half of May, analysts and traders say the progress is very slow while costs could be very high.

Last month, Russia halted supplies via the Druzhba oil pipeline to several European countries due to a contamination issue, which the Russians say was deliberate.

Refineries in Belarus, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Germany have been impacted by the contamination issue as clean Russian oil is not flowing normally yet, while Western refiners and Russian companies are in a dispute over whos paying for the clean-up and when.

Western oil traders tell Bloombergs Javier Blas that the contamination issue and the subsequent clean-up, blending of dirty oil, and restart of normal deliveries via the pipeline will be much costlier than initial estimates and could take much longer than anticipated.

The cost could be as high as US$1 billion, according to traders and executives at refiners in Moscow, Geneva, and London, who spoke to Bloomberg. Traders also believe that the contaminated oil volume could be as high as 40 million barrels, double the 20 million barrels that Russian officials are claiming.

Earlier this week, Russia said that it is already sending clean within-standards crude oil via the Druzhba pipeline toward Hungary and Slovakia, with first clean oil expected to arrive at the metering stations in those countries within a week.

A spokeswoman for Czech pipeline operator Mero told Reuters on Friday that clean Russian oil via the pipeline is expected to reach the Czech Republic on Monday afternoon. Russian oil reached Slovakia on Wednesday evening.

The now month-long suspension of Russian oil supply to several European countries comes as global supply outages mount with Venezuela and Iran, and with increasing supply disruption risks in Libya and the Middle East.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:The Trans Mountain oil pipeline was handed a win on Friday when a British Columbia court ruled that the provincial government could not legally restrict crude oil flowing through it, according to the Court of Appeal for British Columbia website.

While Trans Mountain still faces an uphill battle in a climate that is cooling to crude pipelines, Fridays win is good news for the project and good news for the Canadian government, who purchased the Trans Mountain pipeline last year when it became clear that Trans Mountain had stalled and needed a push. The push, in that the government purchased the project, proved insufficient to definitively move the project along.

Instead, the project has languished in pipeline purgatory as Canadas federal government, BC, Alberta, indigenous groups, and environmentalists continue to wage war over the controversial project.

Trans Mountain is a crucial oil project for Canada and is expected to almost triple the amount of oil flowing from Alberta to the coast in British Columbia. Canada, which has struggled to get its oil to market thanks to takeaway capacity constraints, has seen the price of its benchmark, Western Canadian Select, trade at a steep discount to WTI, prompting mandatory production cuts to keep the prices higher.

Todays ruling by the BC court definitely put the Trans Mountain pipeline under federal jurisdiction. In its judgement, the summary read:

On a constitutional reference by the Province of British Columbia, the Court opined that it is not within the authority of the Legislature to enact a proposed amendment to the Environmental Management Act. The amendment was targeted legislation that in pith and substance relates to the regulation of an interprovincial (or federal) undertaking  the expanded interprovincial pipeline of Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC and Trans Mountain Pipeline L.P. which is intended to carry heavy oil from Alberta to tidewater. The amendment thus lies beyond provincial jurisdiction.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Israel Famurewa has felicitated with the immediate past governor of Osun state, Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola on the occasion of his 62nd birthday anniversary.

Famurewa described Aregbesola as an achiever whose name would never be forgotten in the history of the state.

He made this known in a birthday message released to journalist.

According to the lawmaker, former governor Aregbesola deserves to be celebrated because he is an achiever and still loved by his people since his successful exit from the government of the state.

Ogbeni Aregbesola is a great personality, not only in Osun state but Nigeria as a whole. He has made a lot of great politicians and contributed to human and national development.

On this occasion of your birthday anniversary, I celebrate this enigmatic politician. I wish Ogbeni Aregbesola long life and prosperity. Congratulations sir.

Share this:From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As...



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Dolar USA Vs Euro

Paginas vistas en total

Lo volvio a hacer



Capitalismo=embuste



Historico Bitcoin



La bateria mas grande de Holanda



El futuro es solar



Nec plus ultra, nec variatur



Fisica y culturalmente



Jamas nos callaran



Sin ellas, no seremos



Deja vu



Nada que celebrar



Hasta cuando?



Colombia Hoy



Para nunca olvidar



'Parasite' painted on a statue of Queen, Elizabeth in Kent, England



Sin palabras



La UE le apunta a la paz



Cada vez mas solo



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LULA y su Pueblo



Bye Bye



Homenaje al genial Quino



Fueron ellos



Una imagen que resume



Tan bajo ha caido que se deja tocar el trasero?



Porky y el Nene (archiconocido narcotraficante)



Ladrones al poder



Asi mira el perrito a su amo



Crazy



Clamor popular



La nueva inquisicion



Bolivia



Chile Hoy



Eso es todo amigos!



Piensalo!



Pinerachet



No More Trump



Adios Macri, hasta nunca



La Marioneta se desinfla



Asi o mas cinico



Almugre



Mexico en 1794



Mas arrastrado imposible



Hasta cuando!



La pura verdad



Solidaridad con Palestina



Serie Capitalismo



Espejismos de la clase trabajadora



Asi es!



Comerciantes o delincuentes



No pasaran!



Asi es la vida



USA HOY



01/01/1959



La avaricia no tiene limites



AYUDA HUMANITARIA?



Chile Hoy



Asi son las cosas



Mapa Electoral de Venezuela



Patagonia argentina?



Un aniversario mas del mayor genocidio de la Humanidad



Retrato del franquismo en Espana



Visca Catalunya!



El Chulo de Madrid



Cuando la policia se roba la democracia



Una imagen dice mas que mil palabras



La purita verdad



Asi gobierna la maldita burguesia



Mi pobre clase media



Como Chavez nadie



Comparte La Colmena via twitter Twittear

Programa de la MUD



Asi o mas clarito



Por que Trump no ataco Corea del Norte?



Hace 15 anos Por que la OEA no se pronuncio?



Una verguenza nacional



La luz que nos guia



La Union Europea Premio Nobel de la Paz?



Feudalismo ayer y hoy



Obama, el mentiroso



Curiosa coincidencia



Un mundo de cerdos



No es extrano?



La Marioneta



Los ricos protestan, los pobres celebran



MARICORI Y OBAMA



Cuantas muertes este ano?



USA TODAY



USA HOY 6



USA HOY 5



USA HOY 4



USA HOY 3



USA HOY 2



USA HOY (1)



Insaciable



Cronologia de un agresor



Guarimbear en USA



Mexico hoy



Bolivar y Chavez



Primero Amargado



Dios los cria y ellos se juntan



USA hoy (III)



USA hoy (II)



USA hoy



Mexico hoy



Mexico hoy



Mexico hoy



Obama



La verdad sea dicha



Los ricos



Que no nos vea Obama



Pobre Obama



SOS PALESTINA



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LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares?



























Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano...



Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos:



Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias.



Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera.



No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje.



En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio.



Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida.



Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella.



Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal.



Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista.



Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen.



Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che?



Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio.



Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora.



Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo.



Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo.



Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania.



No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar.



Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga.





Alguna duda?



Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino



Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia.



OZ1



OZ2



OZ3



OZ4



Homenaje a Jason Galarraga



La Victoria de Samotracia



Odalisca



Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008



























La Sierra Nevada de Merida



Nuestro precioso Churum Meru



Homenaje a Picasso



Autoretrato



Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola?

La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.

Mi profesion?

Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.

Sal en la Coca Cola?

A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.

De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:

Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto

Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)

azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)

Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas

Mucha Cafeina

Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio

Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe

Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion

El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.

Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.

Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.

En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).

Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.

La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.

Bebidas Light?

Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el

Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.



Publicado por loretahur



En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur

MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina:

1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias.

2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina.

3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard.

4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos.

5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla.

6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos.

Ahora... sobre la margarina:

1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) .

2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias.

3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno).

4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer.

5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna.

6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo.

7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina.

Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas:

* No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo).

* No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!!



No a la guerra, Si a la Paz



Misterios de la ciencia...



Los costos de la guerra



medicos y capitalismo...



Capitalismo...



medicos (2)



Quien educa a nuestros hijos?



Los Medios...



Sin Palabras...



Chistes feministas

- Cual es el problema, Eva?

- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz...

- Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.

- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...

- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.

- Que es un hombre?

- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.

- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.

- Cual es el truco?.

- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.

- Cual?

- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.





Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas?  Porque todos son unos cerdos

Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas?  Porque todos son unos cerdos

Ellas...



Ellas (2)...



Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1

Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije:

-Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro.

Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria.

Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre?

-Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa!



VENGANZA NUMERO 2

Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris.

A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita:

- Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!!

Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta.

La mujer paso quince dias en Francia.

El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla.

Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es:

- Y amor me trajiste mi francesita??

- Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina.



VENGANZA NUMERO 3

El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion.

- No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo.

- Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz.

Te quiero confesar algo.

- Esta bien, esta bien. Habla!

- He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga.

- Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!!



machismo y cibernetica



Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston.

-Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad.

El simio hace la sena de OK.

-Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?.

El simio hace la sena de OK.

-Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide.

-Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!.



.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti.

Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos.

Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco.

Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas



Gol !!!!



Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso!



Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy!

BRITISH Ambassador to the Philippines Daniel Pruce hit it on the nose.

Our country, he said, is one of the worlds leading providers of sexual online content.

Whaaat?

Before you raise a stink, though, Pruce quickly admitted that the UK is one of the leading consumers (of this content).

I guess, thats good to know.

Last month, a former media colleague who is now connected with the International Justice Mission sent me an email with a link regarding the arrest of a British national in 2017.

According to the National Crime Agency (NCA), a national law enforcement agency in the UK, Andrew Whiddett, a 70-year-old former lieutenant colonel in the British Army, spent thousands of pounds to watch live-streamed child sexual abuse from the Philippines.

The press release did not mention which part of the country the sexually abused children came from but travel records showed that Whiddett flew to Manila sometime in October 2016.

His local contact, a woman, received a total of 8,584 from the septuagenarian pervert between January 2015 and July 2017.

During this period, some hapless children here were subjected to sexual abuse while he watched over Skype in the privacy of his own home.

The agency was able to record parts of his conversation with the child sex abuse facilitatorthe NCAs words, not mine.

Trust me, this is not for the light-hearted, but this needs to be exposed so the public may know that many of our countrymen and women are peddling minors online for a living.

By the way, if you convert the money Whiddett paid his local contact, it amounts to over half a million pesos, based on the conversion rate of 1 Pound sterling equaling P66.27 last Saturday, May 25.

In a 25-minute conversation with the woman in September 2016, Whiddett asked if the girl will be with her and he said: need to do more teaching and Look forward to touch, yes darling, need to open her mind and lots of teaching before I arrive.

Im not sure what he meant by teaching but I have an idea and its making me sick to my stomach.

Story continues

Whiddett, who had no previous convictions considering he was a private contractor as head of security at the British Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, was arrested at Heathrow Airport in London in October 2017.

Last May 22, Whiddett was sentenced to 38 months behind bars after he admitted live-streaming offenses and making indecent images of children.

He was directly responsible for the most heinous abuse of children thousands of miles away from him. Live-streaming sex crimes exploits the vulnerable; he was helped in this case by facilitators whose motive is to make money, said NCA senior investigating officer Gary Fennelly.

Last month, operatives of the Women and Children Protection Center-Visayas Field Unit arrested a 45-year-old woman in Mandaue City after she was caught offering to sexually abuse her six- and seven-year-old daughters and stream live the exploitation for a paying online predator.

The woman had transmitted online sexually explicit materials involving the two girls.

Police also learned that she previously offered her 15-year-old daughter for online child sexual exploitation.

As long as people like her exist, there will always be Whiddetts in the world.The RSPCA said this juvenile fox 'got himself in a real pickle' (RSPCA)

A young male fox proved to be not so cunning after he got his head stuck inside a bin lid outside a school.

Staff working a Saracens High School in Barnet, North West London spotted the trapped wild animal in the school grounds on Friday, 17 May.

They then called the RSPCA to help rescue the stricken animal.

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Animal Collection Officer Mariam Adwan said of the rescue: This juvenile fox had got himself into a real pickle!

Somehow hed managed to put his head through the hole in the lid of the bin, but then couldnt get out.

He was really scared, poor thing.

The juvenile fox was found 'really scared' (RSPCA)

I managed to calm him down and checked whether I could gently ease him out, but his cheeks seemed to be the sticking point.

This wasnt going to be an easy rescue and I had to to find a solution fast.

It took a hacksaw blade to get him out. Protecting the fox with one of my hands, I carefully cut a T-shaped slit to open up the hole in the lid.

An RSPCA officer had to use a hacksaw to free the wily fox (RSPCA)

Once I had done that he came out easily and following a quick check up at the vet, I was happy to learn he was unscathed by his ordeal.

The school was sure he was part of a fox family that lives on the school grounds, so I was able to release him close to his home.

It was clear he knew exactly where he was because he headed straight for the den and I hope is now reunited with his family.THE Philippine Jesuits Saturday, May 25, cried foul over the tagging of one of its priests as a party to the supposed operation that is ultimately aimed at unseating President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a statement, Philippine Jesuits communications officer Father Nono Alfonso said it is unacceptable that the name of Father Albert Alejo has been dragged into the efforts that resulted to the controversial narco-list videos of Peter Joemel Advincula, aka Bikoy.

It is sad that he is now being painted in a bad light, said Alfonso.

It is also unfortunate that he is being dragged in the ongoing controversy, he added.

On Thursday, Advincula claimed that everything he had said in the video series titled Ang Totoong Narcolist, where he linked close allies and relatives of Duterte to illegal drugs, were just orchestrated by the Liberal Party and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

Advincula had claimed that a certain Father Albert Alejo was the one that introduced him to Trillanes.

Alfonso said Alejo is a Jesuit priest of very good standing.

He has a doctorate degree in Anthropology from London and has taught in Ateneo de Davao, Ateneo de Zamboanga, and now, at the Ateneo de Manila University.

Alejo was also director of various social centers in which he championed the causes of women, labor, indigenous peoples, and Muslim Filipinos.

He is also known for spearheading an anti-corruption campaign, called EHEM, in the 1990s.

Indeed, in academic, development, and religious circles, Alejos name has been synonymous with scholarship, truth, justice, and love for the poor, said Alfonso.

Alejo, Alfonso assured, would be ready to speak, if needed, at the proper time and in the proper fora. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)By Annalisa Burgos

(UPDATED) Marawi City, Philippines  The rehabilitation of the Philippine city that jihadist militants tried to capture two years ago is on schedule and will be completed by December 2021, say government officials who downplayed criticism of delays and a slow bureaucratic process.

Marawi City residents who own property in the central business district  the most devastated area known as ground zero  will be allowed to return to their properties by July of next year, said Marawi Mayor Majul Gandamra.

Rebuilding would be at their own expense, he added, unless lawmakers decide to set aside funds for them.

Meantime, demolition, clearing, and construction work continue in the city center, leveled from five months of urban warfare and Philippine military air strikes attempting to flush out terrorists during the siege from May to October 2017.

(Source: Annalisa Burgos)

At least 250,000 residents were forced to flee their homes to escape the fighting, and Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law across Mindanao to help the military target and eliminate the terror threat.

Martial law remains in effect through the end of this year, but Colonel Romeo Brawner, head of the 103rd infantry brigade that oversees Marawi, says he would recommend extending it.

Two years since the siege, thousands of displaced families still live in cramped, poorly ventilated conditions in temporary and permanent shelter communities or with relatives across the Philippines, waiting to return to their properties. Many are eager to start rebuilding their homes and lives.

It would have been faster to let Maranaos rebuild their community on their own, said Marawi resident Dr. Monasir Bantuas, who believes government officials are clueless to local cultural norms and vulnerable to corruption.

I dont know how they are managing, how are they tasking it, who will organize, and how will people agree with their plans, he said. Its all communication.

But national and local officials dispute perceptions that the government is not doing enough, saying they have held multiple consultations with residents and involved them throughout the process.

Story continues

To squash rumors of mismanagement, the Philippine governments inter-agency group charged with rebuilding the war-town city, Task Force Bangon Marawi, invited more than 40 international journalists to meet with officials and tour construction sites and a shelter community for displaced residents.

(Source: Annalisa Burgos)

Housing czar and task force chair Eduardo del Rosario attributed perceived delays to multiple protocols involved in clearing debris and remaining explosive devices, demolishing at least 6,400 destroyed buildings, and incorporating residents feedback into the governments development plan.

In addition, more than half of the ground zero properties are missing titles. Officials conducted a social cartography to establish the legitimate owners, but to complicate matters, there are numerous claimants in one building, there are numerous claimants in one lot, del Rosario said. We assure them that rightful claimants of those lots and buildings, we assure them that it will be returned back to them 100 percent.

To settle the disputes, a local land arbitration committee headed by the Department of Justice will be formed in June 2020, composed of community, religious and business leaders from Marawi.

Were trying to explain to our fellow Filipinos how hard this process is, said Mayor Gandamra. Its not that fast. Its not like putting up a subdivision. We have to consider the sensitivities of our people.

The cartography identified more than 15,000 displaced families from the most affected area, who are entitled to receive benefits including cash, health services and livelihood training.

(Source: Annalisa Burgos)

But observers say technicalities in the rehabilitation process only breed resentment among residents and send a message that the government cares more about protocol than empathy.

I find no legal reason at all why were not allowed to go home in the ground zero, says community leader and journalist Maulana Abu Mujahid Mamutuk. Either this is an intentional tactic or due to lack of funding. If they can stop us from coming back to our homes, sure enough, they have the same power to demolish ground zero.

Most residents feel bad that their fate to have new homes depend mostly on technical grounds, says Rommel Banlaoi, international security analyst and chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research. Their current shelters further degrade rather than raise dignities and hopes.

Banlaoi and other terror experts have expressed concern that the longer residents are displaced, the more vulnerable they are to recruitment for jihadist ideology and extremist violence. Colonel Brawner says the military closely monitors security threats and identifies about 25 terrorists, from a high of 1,000.

For now, its full speed ahead for Marawis rehabilitation, which is estimated to cost at least USD $1.16 billion (PHP 60.51 billion). More than half will be funded by grants and loans from the Asian Development Bank, World Bank and countries including Japan, Spain, China and Saudi Arabia. The Philippine government will appropriate the rest.Populist forces stumbled in the face of surprisingly tough resistance from Dutch pro-EU parties, as Irish and Czechs voters cast ballots Friday in European elections. Europhiles had reason to cheer from an exit poll in Ireland that suggested Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's Fine Gael party, which is committed to closer EU integration, was in the lead. That came on top of an exit poll in the Netherlands on Thursday that indicated Dutch parties also committed to the EU were likely headed for a surprise win. Those early indications undermined to a degree coverage before the start of the four-day contest across the EU that spoke of a possible rise of anti-establishment parties. More than 400 million people are eligible to elect 751 MEPs continent-wide, with the first official results to be announced late Sunday once voting in all 28 member states has been completed. The Netherlands and Britain, where Prime Minister Theresa May finally announced her departure Friday following a months-long Brexit crisis, kicked off voting on Thursday. Italy will be the last country to close polls late on Sunday. "To all our friends across Europe still campaigning, this one is for you too!" said Dutchman Frans Timmermans, the lead socialist candidate and one of the main pretenders to replace European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker. "Keep going! Keep believing! We can do this!," he said on Twitter after his party's apparent victory. Turnout will remain a major concern in the EU vote that has sparked little enthusiasm since its first edition in 1979, with eastern Europeans historically the least motivated to go to the polls. Authorities are also concerned by disinformation campaigns on social media by outside actors -- notably Russia -- trying to influence the outcome. Activists say Facebook has closed news pages and scrapped accounts in its effort fight back fake news and avoid the embarrassing scandals that followed the US election of Donald Trump in 2016. Around the continent, pro-European leaders are seizing on the surprise in the Netherlands to mobilise their supporters to resist a populist gain, with opinion polls indicating nationalist parties lead in France, Italy and Hungary, among others. Brussels feared a good showing for the eurosceptics would disrupt decision-making in the EU and threaten reform efforts, including on trade, migration and the economy. - 'We're going to hold our nerve' - Such concerns were reflected among Irish voters. "The rise of anti-Europeanism, and the right is quite frightening in some parts of Europe, so I am voting to support Europe," said Fiona Corbett outside a Dublin polling station. "I think that being part of Europe has been mutually beneficial." The exit poll for the TV channels RTE and TG4 showed Fine Gael candidates in the lead in two of Ireland's three constituencies, while the Greens topped preferences in the third. As he cast his vote in Dublin on Friday, Varadkar warned that Brexit was entering a "very dangerous" phase following the resignation of May as a more hardline politician could replace her. "But whatever happens, we're going to hold our nerve. "We're going to continue to build and strengthen and deepen our alliances across the European Union and we'll make sure that we see Ireland through this," he said. Eurosceptic forces were hoping for a stronger showing elsewhere. Matteo Salvini of Italy's anti-immigrant League and Marine Le Pen of France's far-right National Rally (RN) want their Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) group to become the third largest in Brussels. The League has topped opinion polls in Italy. Le Pen wants to strike a blow to Emmanuel Macron's faltering French presidency by overtaking his centrist, pro-European party Republic on the Move (LREM). Polls give her RN party a slight edge, with around 23 percent support. The Brexit Party, which was only set up this year by veteran eurosceptic MEP Nigel Farage, is expected to score a resounding victory in the UK vote. Britain was never meant to take part in the elections but May was forced to trigger the vote after delaying the planned Brexit date of March 29 after parliament refused to approve the divorce deal. - 'Destruction' - Even if they do well in some places, eurosceptics were not expected to sweep the whole bloc, with voters from Spain to the former Soviet Baltic states indicating solid backing for the EU. In Germany, surveys put Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party -- a heavyweight in the EU-wide centre-right EPP group -- in first place, with the Greens second. But a rant by star YouTuber Rezo against Merkel went viral, urging the "destruction" of the CDU for making policies for the rich while failing to act on global warming. Mainstream parties across Europe have clung on to climate change as a rallying cry -- spurred in part by a wave of student strikes across the continent. burs-dt/rmbIT was like traveling back in time for 93-year-old Celsa Zamora, who participated in the Gabii sa Kabilin 2019 last Friday night, May 24.Celsa, accompanied by her daughter Joy Zamora, said the event made

IT was like traveling back in time for 93-year-old Celsa Zamora, who participated in the Gabii sa Kabilin 2019 last Friday night, May 24.

Celsa, accompanied by her daughter Joy Zamora, said the event made her remember her teenage years.

Though she couldnt walk anymore because of her age, Celsa didnt feel tired since she enjoyed watching the performances, as well as listening to the music that reminded her of her past.

Lingaw gyud kaayo ko (Im having a great time), Celsa said with a smile on her face.

Joy, who is 40, said it was their first time to join heritage night.

Joy said her friend, who is in charge of the museum at the St. Theresas College (STC), introduced her to the event.

She and her mother became interested because they had always wanted to go to the museums in Cebu City.

Joy said the heritage night is very significant since it teaches participants about Cebus rich history.

Sakto gyud nga kabilin ang tawag ani (event) kay mga treaure gyud sa Cebu ang gipakita (They were right in calling this event heritage because it showcases Cebus treasures), she said.

Joy and Celsa were waiting for a taxi outside the Halad Museum since they were meeting Joys friend at STC. The Zamoras are from Dalaguete town. They only came to the city to experience heritage night.

Celsa and Joy were among the many participants who witnessed the different performances and exhibits of the 18 participating sites.

At the Museo Sugbo, sarok-weaving from the northern town of Consolacion, pot-making from the southern town of Sibonga and the art of tattooing were highlighted. At the Halad Museum, Cebuano music was played.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Navy invited members of the public to look at its ship docked at the Aduana Port.

Capt. Romeo Rosales, Navy chief-of-staff, said they agreed to join the event because they wanted to give the public a glimpse of what their lives are like inside the vessel.

Through this, we can show to the people the security we are doing, especially here in Cebu, said Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez, deputy commander of the 3rd Civil Relations Group of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, adding that the ship is armed.

Story continues

During her speech in the opening program, Cebu City Councilor Margot Osmena said she hopes this event will continue as a way of reminding the people about Cebus rich history.

This years theme is Setting Sail to mark the arrival of five ships from Spain, which started the colonization of the archipelago by the Spaniards for over 300 years.

Various competitions were held, including best blog or vlog and best photo for adults and trivia games for children.

Gabii sa Kabilin, which is on its 13th year, is an annual event wherein people get to visit various museums and heritage sites in one night.

It is organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. Culture and Heritage unit in partnership with local government units. (JJL)Taiwan has changed the name of its de facto embassy in the United States to better reflect relations between the sides, which are at their strongest in decades, Taipei said on Saturday.

Once the necessary formalities have been completed, the agency formerly known as the Coordination Council for North American Affairs will be called the Taiwan Council for US Affairs, the islands foreign ministry said.

The new name better reflects the [agencys] role in coordinating US-Taiwan affairs. It also symbolises the close and amicable relations between Taiwan and the United States, it said.

Observers said the name change was significant as it appeared to drop the pretence that the council was non-diplomatic or political in nature.

Although Washington severed formal diplomatic ties with Taipei in 1979 in favour of Beijing, the two sides retained unofficial relations that have grown ever-closer in recent years, including an increase in military exchanges and cooperation.

The new name [was made possible] as a result of the consensus between Taiwan and the US, the islands President Tsai Ing-wen said in a Facebook post. This is the first time the designations Taiwan and the US have been used to refer to each others affairs office on an equal basis, signifying the firm and close relationship.

Taiwan had been forced to use the old title because of the special historical background related to the change in diplomatic allegiance 40 years ago, Tsai said.

Beijing, which considers Taiwan a wayward province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary, has demanded that Washington observe the one-China policy by not officially recognising Taiwan or allowing it to use either Republic of China  the islands official name  or Taiwan in the title of its representative offices in the US.

Washington also enacted the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979 to prescribes relations with the island and includes a commitment to supply it with arms to protect itself.

Story continues

After continuous efforts and coordination by the two sides, and in 2019, the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, our office handling relations with the US is finally able to change its name, Tsai said.

Presidential spokesman Alex Huang said the name change was due mainly to an improvement in relations between Taiwan and the US as a result of a greater cooperation on the promotion of regional peace and the Indo-Pacific security agenda.

In the past few years, the US government has given Taiwan strong and firm support in terms of national security and participation in international events, as well as support from Congress and think tanks, he said, referring to bills signed by US President Donald Trump that allow for exchanges between high-level officials and military personnel, and the approval of new sales of arms and logistical support to the island.

Also, last week, Taiwans national security chief David Lee met US National Security Adviser John Bolton in Washington for the first talks of their kind since 1979, Taiwans Central News Agency reported on Saturday.

Last month, the American Institute in Taiwan  the United States unofficial embassy in Taipei  relocated to a significantly larger, purpose-built compound, in yet another sign of improving relations.

US support for Taiwan has increased under Trumps leadership as he regards Beijing as a hostile competitor, not only on trade, but also in military and global influence terms.

Tensions between Taipei and Beijing have flared since Tsai became president in 2016 and refused to accept the one-China principle. The mainland subsequently halted all official exchanges with the island and embarked on a campaign to squeeze its diplomatic allies around the world.

Additional reporting by Associated Press

This article Taiwan changes name of de facto embassy in United States to reflect stronger ties first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.In this July 18, 2018, file photo, United Airlines commercial jets sit at a gate at Terminal C of Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J. United Airlines is canceling another month's worth of flights with Boeing 737 Max planes that were grounded after two deadly accidents. United said Friday, May 24, 2019, it has removed the Max from its schedule through Aug. 3 and will cancel about 2,400 flights in June and July as a result. It had previously canceled all Max flights through early July. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

United Airlines is canceling another month's worth of flights with Boeing 737 Max planes that were grounded after two deadly accidents.

United said Friday it has removed the Max from its schedule through Aug. 3 and will cancel about 2,400 flights in June and July as a result. It had previously canceled all Max flights through early July.

Southwest and American have already dropped the Max from their schedules into August.

Boeing is making changes to flight-control software that investigators believe played a role in crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that together killed 346 people. The company is expected to soon formally submit its changes and a proposal for additional pilot training to the Federal Aviation Administration for approval.

Acting FAA Administrator Daniel Elwell said that his agency is conducting a wide-ranging review of the crashes that will guide its analysis of Boeing's changes to the Max and additional training for pilots.

"We are looking at everything," Elwell said, adding that the list included pilot procedures, training and aircraft maintenance.

Elwell said no final decision has been made on pilot training, and he declined to give a timetable for the agency's review, saying only that the FAA won't allow the Max to return to the skies until it is convinced the plane is safe.

The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed government officials, reported Friday that the decision to review emergency procedures used by pilots on previous models of the Boeing 737 could contribute to delays in approving the Max's return to flying. Those procedures include how pilots should respond when onboard computers push the plane's nose down, the newspaper said.

In a statement, Boeing spokesman Charles Bickers said, "We are working with the FAA to review all procedures." He said the safety of the previous version of the 737, called the NG, "is not in question" after more than 200 million flight hours in over 20 years.

The FAA held a meeting Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas, with nearly 60 officials from more than 30 countries to explain its process for analyzing Boeing's changes to the Max.

In a setback to FAA's prestige, other regulators around the world grounded the plane in March after the second crash without waiting for the FAA to do so. The FAA hopes that this time, other regulatorssome of whom are doing their own separate reviewswill approve Boeing's changes at the same time or soon after FAA does.

"Our review of the Max design changes, the software upgrade, is already underway," said Nicolas Robinson, the head of civil aviation for Transport Canada, that country's counterpart to FAA.

Robinson said, however, that it's "difficult to put a time limit on that" because the length of the review will depend on how quickly Canada gets answers to questions it has about Boeing's work.

Robinson said that at Thursday's FAA meeting in Fort Worth, some attendees put timelines on the review process but the consensusand the view of FAAwas that "this is not about meeting a deadline, it's about getting safety done properly. It will be done when we feel comfortable."

United's decision to cancel more Max flights puts the carrier more closely in line with Southwest and American, the other two U.S. airlines with Max jets, which had already dropped the Max from their schedules into August.

United is using other planes to cover some flights that had been scheduled with its 14 Max jets. However, the airline said that because of the Max's grounding it will cancel about 1,120 flights in June and about 1,290 in July.

Explore further Regulators fail to set date for 737 MAX return to service

 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.In this October 1943 file photo provided by Catholic Central High School, four classmates in military uniform walk down the stairs at Catholic Central High School in Troy, N.Y. From left are John Marcil, John McGrath, Howard McAlonie and Alfred Mahoney. World War II researcher Justin Taylan says airplane wreckage on the ocean floor near Okinawa is from the fighter-bomber flown by McGrath, who's still listed as missing in action. (Catholic Central High School via AP, FILE)

Wreckage on the ocean floor near a Japanese island must be from a fighter-bomber that crashed in 1945 with an American pilot who is still listed as missing in action, according to a World War II researcher who recently visited the crash site.

The aircraft, lying on coral reef about 70 feet (21) meters down, is the same type of F4U-4 Corsair that 2nd Lt. John McGrath was flying when he crashed off Iriomote Jima in July 1945, researcher Justin Taylan said this week.

"This is the only American aircraft lost at that precise spot," said Taylan, the founder of Pacific Wrecks, an organization that researches and catalogues WWII crashes.

McGrath, of Troy, New York, is still officially listed by the U.S. military as one of nearly 73,000 American MIAs from WWII. He was 20 when his aircraft disappeared.

Taylan explored the wreckage during a scuba dive in March, along with a Japanese man who discovered the wreck in 1987.

Both wings, the engine and other parts lie approximately 300 yards (275 meters) from shore, a location where American pilots said they saw the plane go down.

Although no identifying markings are visible after 74 years in sea water, the coral-encrusted wreckage clearly is from the newer version of the Corsair that McGrath's Marine Corps aviation unit was flying at the end of the war, Taylan said.

In this March 24, 2019 photo provided by Justin Taylan of PacificWrecks.com, a scuba diver swims near the left wing wreckage of an F4U-4 Corsair fighter aircraft off Sonai, Iriomote Jima, in Japan. World War II researcher Justin Taylan says the airplane wreckage on the ocean floor near Okinawa is from the fighter-bomber flown by John McGrath, a U.S. pilot from New York who's still listed as missing in action. (Justin Taylan via AP)

Taylan, a former Pentagon contractor hired to research and find WWII crash sites in Papua New Guinea, became interested in McGrath's story in 2017, when he was contacted by the son of one of the missing pilot's old high school classmates.

After researching U.S. military records, Taylan enlisted the help of Kuentai, a Japanese group that searches WWII battlefields in the Pacific for the remains of Japanese and American servicemen.

In March, Taylan traveled to Iriomote Jima, 275 miles (440 kilometers) southwest of Okinawa. With Kuentai's help, he met island residents who witnessed McGrath's plane crash into the sea on July 21, 1945, during a bombing raid on Japanese defenses in the village of Sonai.

Japanese newspapers reported in 1988 that local officials and the U.S. consul general to Okinawa attended a memorial honoring remains pulled from the crash site. At the time, it was not known whose remains they were. Press coverage included a photo of the consul general standing over an American flag-draped box said to contain the remains.

This March 23, 2019 photo provided by Justin Taylan of PacificWrecks.com shows an aerial view of Sonai, Iriomote Jima, Japan. Taylan says airplane wreckage on the ocean floor near the island is from the fighter-bomber flown by 2nd Lt. John McGrath, a U.S. Marine Corps pilot from New York who's still listed as missing in action. (Justin Taylan via AP)

This 1943 photo provided by the United States Marine Corps via Justin Taylan of PacicifWrecks.com shows USMC 2nd Lt. John McGrath is shown. World War II researcher Justin Taylan says airplane wreckage on the ocean floor near Okinawa is from the fighter-bomber flown by the U.S. pilot from New York who's still listed as missing in action. (United States Marine Corps via Pacificwrecks.org via AP)

Emails and phone messages requesting comment were left Thursday and Friday with officials from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the Pentagon office tasked with recovering the nation's missing war dead. Officials said they couldn't immediately provide information on McGrath's case and whether his remains were recovered.

As many families of missing veterans have, McGrath's has provided DNA samples to the agency in the hopes of finding a match, according to one of McGrath's nephews, Jack Law, a 74-year-old Vietnam War combat veteran and retired New York Army National Guard colonel.

"We're aggressively bringing closure on this one way or another," said Law. "We're not done, but we're close."

While home on military leave in 1943, McGrath was photographed for the Catholic Central High School yearbook along with three other classmates who also happened to be on leave. The image shows the four uniformed men descending a staircase: Coast Guardsman Jack Marcil, Marine pilot McGrath, Navy sailor Howard McAlonie and Army soldier Alfred Mahoney.

In this March 22, 2019 photo provided by Justin Taylan of PacificWrecks.com, Japanese elder Kinsei Ishigaki points to the crash site off the coast of Sonai, Iriomote Jima, Okinawa Prefecture in Japan, where the wreckage of an American fighter aircraft crashed into the water during World War II. Ishigaki saw the plane believed to be piloted by United States Marine Corps 2nd Lt. John McGrath crash into the ocean on July 21, 1945. World War II researcher Justin Taylan says airplane wreckage on the ocean floor near Okinawa is from the fighter-bomber flown by the U.S. pilot from New York who's still listed as missing in action. (Justin Taylan via AP)

Mahoney died in 2005. McAlonie passed away in 2014. His son Michael, who accompanied Taylan on the trip to the crash site, said his father spent his final years often thinking about his classmate lost in the Pacific.

"I think it stayed with him his whole life," the younger McAlonie said.

Of the four servicemen in the yearbook photo, only Marcil is alive.

"Last man standing," Marcil, now 95, said from his home outside Albany.

Explore further Two missing World War II B-25 bombers documented by Project Recover off Papua New Guinea

 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.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.Any time I cover breaking news, I think of this classic quote from Mr. Rogers.

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'

Friday was one of those scary news days.

Christopher Goss, 36, of Queensbury, was found dead in the front lawn of 72 Meadow Lane in Queensbury. He'd been stabbed in the torso. The Warren County Sheriff's Office said later that night that it had arrested two Glens Falls suspects, one on a murder charge, one on charges of hindering and tampering.

We still don't know much about how it happened or why. No matter what, it's a jarring thing to have happen to the families and friends of those involved. It's a jarring thing to have happen in a quiet, residential neighborhood, at the school bus stop.

While my job is to get the news out there, it's also to show the helpers.

In some cases, that was the Warren County Sheriff's Office and New York State Police. We saw them doing everything from securing the crime scenes, to scraping blood off the pavement of a parking lot.

With about 40 people on the case, we learned that the death investigation was a potential homicide, then the identity of Goss and by day's end, that two arrests had been made.

Warren County Sheriff Bud York had said things were moving quickly because of the manpower.

By the second half of the day, the helpers were the neighbors.

When I interviewed Hyacinth Charles-White, who first found Goss, the nurse for 45 years was devastated that she could not help him. She felt he had been coming to her house for help, but he didn't make it to the door.

But she will always be a helper.

The many neighbors that flocked to her porch after her front yard was cleared are helpers.

When something bad happens, it's important to remember there's more good in the world. It sometimes comes out in full force after something like this. We just have to recognize it. Thank you, helpers.

 Gwendolyn Craig

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.QUEENSBURY  The Glens Falls couple arrested in connection with Fridays fatal stabbing of a Queensbury man said Saturday that their actions were in self defense.

Both Jesse J. Breault, 25, and Ashley N. Bell, 29, replied self defense when asked by a reporter if they had anything to say as they were brought into court for arraignment for the confrontation that led to the death of Christopher J. Goss.

They did not elaborate, but Breaults father spoke before the arraignment and said that Goss had repeatedly made threatening comments to Breault and his loved ones. At the root of the drama was the fact that Goss girlfriend, whose name was not released, and Bell had been involved in a dispute.

He made a comment to Ashley that he was going to come shoot the place up, and he was worried about his baby, the father, Duane Breault, said.

Duane Breault said his son was attacked by Goss and defended himself Friday night.

He got scared when he was jumped, Duane Breault said This was a bad decision and my prayers are for both families. Nobody wins in this.

Glens Falls pair charged in connection with Queensbury man's stabbing death QUEENSBURY  A Glens Falls man has been arrested on a murder charge involving the stabbing death of a Queensbury man, the Warren County Sherif

Breault and Bell are boyfriend and girlfriend, and share an apartment on Morgan Street in Glens Falls.

Breault was charged with second-degree murder and Bell felony counts of hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence for her alleged efforts to help Breault after the stabbing. Police said Bell was present for the fight early Friday.

Goss died from a knife wound or wounds from a stabbing that happened when the two men met up in the parking lot of Ricks Bike Shop at the corner of Quaker and Ridge roads. He made his way to a nearby home on Meadow Lane, where he had parked his Jeep SUV before walking to the bike shop, and died on the front lawn of 72 Meadow Lane.

Warren County sheriffs Lt. Steve Stockdale said it was not clear what caused the longstanding disagreement between the women.

Breault also told police when questioned Friday that he was defending himself. But authorities said the two men mutually agreed to meet to fight because of the squabble, and Breault allegedly brought a large knife that he used to stab Goss several times in the torso, authorities said.

Stockdale said police did not receive any complaints from Breault or anyone else about purported threats by Goss.

Bell is accused of lying to police and assisting Breault in removing evidence from the stabbing scene, including driving Breault back to the parking lot to retrieve a cellphone he dropped there during the fight.

The knife that police believe was used to stab Goss was recovered by police Friday at an undisclosed location.

Both Breault and Bell were arraigned Saturday before Queensbury Town Justice Eric Schwenker, who sent both to Warren County Jail, pending further court action. No bail was set for Breault, while Bell was unable to post $20,000 cash bail or $40,000 bail bond. Both were represented by Warren County Public Defender Marcy Flores.

Both defendants are on probation for prior convictions. Breaults case was adjourned until Tuesday morning, while Bell is due back in court Wednesday.

Warren County District Attorney Jason Carusone served Breault with a notice indicating a grand jury could hear the case as soon as Tuesday morning.

Breault has a lengthy criminal record that included a felony conviction for burglary in Saratoga County in 2014, for which he was sentenced to 5 years on probation. Police said he is still on probation for that conviction, and Flores said a probation violation charge had been filed before Fridays case. He has had numerous misdemeanor arrests and convictions since being placed under supervision in that case.

His Facebook page describes him as self-employed. Family members said he is the father of an 8-month-old girl, though Bell is not the mother.

Flores said Bell has worked as a housekeeper and had planned to start a job at the Docksider restaurant in Queensbury in the coming days. (Docksider management disputed this claim.)

Goss, 36, was a Fort Ann native who had worked as a teacher in Waterford for a number of years, and also ran a bar called McGinnys on Glen Street in Glens Falls in 2011-2012. He was also involved in the operation of at least one other local tavern, but it was unclear what he had been doing for work most recently.

McGinnys closed shortly after a dispute over a fundraiser for a woman battling cancer.

Goss had been living on Sunnyside Road in Queensbury.

No friends or family members spoke on his behalf at Saturdays arraigments.

Breault faces up to 25-years-to-life in state prison if convicted of second-degree murder, while Bell faces up to 8 years. Both also face possible consecutive sentences if found to have violated probation in their earlier convictions.

Love 8 Funny 8 Wow 10 Sad 39 Angry 46BALLSTON SPA  A Moreau man who police said cut a woman with a knife multiple times during an attack last summer has been sentenced to up to 3 years in state prison.

Scott H. Lortie, 29, of Fortsville Road, was arrested last Sept. 3 on felony counts of assault, unlawful imprisonment, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal mischief and misdemeanor criminal mischief after an investigation by the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office.

Police said the victim, with whom Lortie was acquainted, suffered cuts to her arms that were not believed to be serious. The incident was described by police as a "domestic incident."

Lortie pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree assault, a felony, in satisfaction of the charges.

Lortie, who has two prior felony convictions for a drug sale and identity theft, was sentenced to 1.5 to 3 years in state prison by Saratoga County Judge James Murphy.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2The right to join a labor union is not a constitutional right, according to New York Appellate Division Justice Stan Pritzker of Hartford, who cast the only dissenting vote in an appeals court decision that says farm workers have the right to labor protections like bargaining collectively.

I find that the right to organize and bargain collectively is not a fundamental right in the constitutional sense.  Fundamental rights are those deeply rooted in this nations history and tradition, Pritzker wrote in his dissenting opinion. They include the right to marry, the right to have children ... . Fundamental rights also include the right to vote, the right to travel, the right of free speech and the right of a criminal defendant to appeal.

On Thursday, a panel of New York Supreme Court Appellate Division judges reversed a lower court decision that had granted the New York Farm Bureaus motion to dismiss the case of a western New York dairy farm worker who was fired after joining a labor union.

In the majority decision, supported by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state Attorney General Letitia James, the judges declared that the state constitution grants all workers, including farm laborers, certain rights like organizing or bargaining collectively. Additionally, the majority said that the farm worker exclusion is unconstitutional.

In 2016, the case of Crispin Hernandez v. the State of New York and the New York Farm Bureau challenged the constitutionality of the State Employment Relations Act exclusion of farm workers from the definition of employee.

Conversely, the Farm Bureau said the existing law should stay because it is constitutional.

And local Farm Bureau representative Jay Skellie, who is also the Jackson supervisor, said the Farm Bureau will fight Thursdays decision to a higher court.

We need to know whether or not the law will allow a strike, said Skellie, adding that some states have added anti-strike clauses to their labor laws.

Skellie said that because farming is dependent on weather and deals with crops and live animals, a work stoppage could be catastrophic.

According to Mike Bittel, president of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce, farmers want to make sure farm workers are safe and well treated, but the court is comparing collective bargaining to First Amendment rights like free speech.

The chamber is working with local elected officials and lawmakers in Albany to make sure farms are viable for a long time to come, said Bittel. Area farmers offer fantastic job opportunities, and they have one of the highest safety records.

Following Thursdays decision, the Farm Bureau said in a release that the majority decision was far-reaching by saying the right to join a union was a fundamental right.

According to the Farm Bureau, Pritzgers dissenting opinion exposed the flaws in the majoritys ruling and identified that the decision eliminates Farm Bureaus right to defend the constitutionality of the statute in trial court.

Thursdays controversial decision comes in the middle of the state Assembly and Senate consideration of the 2019 Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act, a farm labor bill currently in committee.

The bill, if passed, would grant farm workers the right to join a union and collect overtime pay after eight hours.

This bill, as it stands, would certainly drive many farms out of business, Bittel said. Farmers are already struggling in New York state, as it ranks No. 1 in the most expensive states to farm (land, labor costs, insurance). This bill would drive many farms out of business with the escalating mandated costs.

Hebron farmer and town Supervisor Brian Campbell said, under the language of the bill, farm workers could strike at any time, and that could be a problem.

We dont know where this is headed, he said. The bigger issue is, this could lead toward total mechanization on farms. They have robots that can milk cows and tractors that drive themself. We will have to see where this goes.

Still, the farm labor bill has been gaining momentum recently, with farm worker activist groups like Farm Worker Justice protesting farm work rights in Albany and other parts of the state.

Were a large producer, and I think this regulation doesnt have significant implications for us, said John Dickinson about the family-owned dairy, Ideal Dairy Farms in Hudson Falls. Ideal currently has about 2,500 cows and 30 full-time employees.

But it is a considerable change for small producers. They are not structured to handle these changes, said Dickinson, adding that a work-stoppage would be terrible if they could not get all their cows milked. Its not like a factory. If they go on strike, you cant turn the lights off until the strike ends. Living creatures have to be cared for daily. If workers go on strike, are farmers going to be able to get animals fed, cleaned, milked? I worry about the animal, too.

During its May meeting, the Washington County Board of Supervisors voted in opposition to the farm labor law.

Although I am a firm believer in collective bargaining, this bill is in committee and I dont think its ready to be passed until more work is done on the bill, said Greenwich Supervisor Sara Idleman before the May vote. I am opposed to it in the form it is in right now.

Local lawmakers, Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, and Assemblyman Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, said last week they are opposed to the bill as it currently stands.

Kathleen Phalen-Tomaselli covers Washington County government and other county news and events.

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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.May 24, 2019 in Software (E)

[prMac.com] San Francisco, California - Cocoatech is pleased to announce the release of Path Finder 8.5, which is a free update of their popular file browser for Path Finder 8 users. Path Finder allows you to view hidden files, compare, merge and synchronize folders, batch rename and batch select files, use Dual Pane and full keyboard navigation to browse your file system and much more. Path Finder is one of the oldest software on the macOS market (*first released in 2001) and boasts a large and loyal userbase. The application is extremely customizable and allows you to work how you want. Become a master of file management with Path Finder 8.5! Now faster than ever!



What's new:



New features and improvements:

* Enjoy up to 50% speed increase (depending on volume and file system type) when copying files. Biggest speed improvements on SSD formatted as APFS.

* New Undo interface: access Undo feature faster from a sliding sheet

* New and handy Size Browser toolbar button

* New compression engine: light and fast. Up to 30% speed increase while compressing files and even more when decompressing!

* New compression engine: you can now see a time estimate while archiving/decompressing your archives

* New compression engine: added creation of 7-ZIP, XAR, PAX and CPIO archives.

* New compression engine: added expansion of 7-ZIP, XAR, PAX, CPIO, RAR(3), AR, LHA/LHZ and CAB archives.

* New compression engine: added XZ, LZIP and LZMA (de)compression filters.

* New compression engine: you can now choose among 10 default formats of compression

* Now compression engine: operations are integrated into the file queues interface, which means you can pause them if needed

* The size of the application is reduced by 30 %



Bug fixes:

* Fixed "Launch Path Finder at login" functionality.

* Fixed Path Finder Desktop text in dark mode.

* Fixed opening of a stationery pad document.

* Fixed empty browser window bug.

* Fixed some potential crashes and exceptions.

* Numerous other UI fixes and improvements.



Path Finder 8 lays the foundation for a total redesign and rewrite of the very powerful file manager. Estimated 40% of the internal code is new. The big new thing in version 8 are the way modules are organized and used within the new and flexible modules structure. You can put as many modules in a single window as you need, they can be arbitrarily arranged, dismissed, closed and dragged out of the window. They can be assigned to either left or right pane and they are extensively customizable (light mode only). With new module structure, Path Finder probably becomes the most configurable and flexible Mac application on the market.



Supported Languages:

Path Finder supports Chinese, Czech, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish languages.



System Requirements:

* Mac OS X 10.11 or newer



Pricing and Availability:

You can try Path Finder for free for 30 days with all the features available to you during that period. Path Finder costs $40.00 (USD) for a single user license applicable for up to 3 user-owned computers, and $20.00 (USD) when upgrading from version 7. The software comes with a 60-day money back garantee. The software is available for purchase from the Cocoatech online store or from within the application itself. Volume license discounts available.

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Cocoatech LLC is a privately funded software company founded in 2001 by Steve Gehrman. Steve has over 20 years as a software developer, and founded Cocoatech with the intention of bringing this experience to the Mac platform. The company has grown up alongside Apple helping entrepreneurs, small to large companies, and creative professionals to make order of chaos. Our team reaches from the US to Europe but our clients are all over the world. Copyright 2008-2019 Cocoatech, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, and Finder are registered trademarks of Apple Computer in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.

###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In 2015, the decision was made to sell the property so the proceeds could be invested in other United Methodist-owned camps.

The Jensen Camp Foundation was formed by some folks who wanted the property to continue to offer Christian camp experiences to children, families and adults, Crozier said. For over three years, the Foundation tried to buy the camp, only to have offers refused. In the spring of 2018, a gentleman made an offer on the property, and that offer was accepted by the United Methodist Church. The day after the sale closed, the buyer went to the camp to secure a lease for the house on the property. The renters dad happened to be there and he shared his sadness that the property was no longer going to be used as a church camp.

Crozier said the man who had just purchased the camp asked if the Jensen Camp Foundation was still interested in buying the property.

He contacted the foundation the next day, which just happened to be Good Friday, she said. The foundation set to work and raised $500,000 for a down payment on the camp, secured financing for the remainder and purchased the property in August 2018.He was astonished to learn that his father and Goetsch were mortared for three days straight, and that his father saw plenty of other action, too.

When he and his dad watched Platoon a 1986 film about Vietnam, his dad didnt have that much to say, Mike said. I made the assumption he was doing construction behind enemy lines, Mike said. Now it means more knowing that my dad actually was in the thick of it.

I have a different version, a different perspective, of my dad, Mike said. Also, it gives Gerald some type of fulfillment.

When his father died, Mike received the American flag because he is the oldest of Dennys children. I still have it. It was a very patriotic burial, he said.

He always figured his dad didnt keep in touch with the guys he served with because they didnt want to relive the war, he said. But Goetsch never stopped thinking about his time in the war  and of his friend, Denny Wardlow. And now, Goetsch can relive those memories with Denny Wardlow's son.

Fear and near-death in a foxholeThe Rev. Craig S. Thoms delivered the address, saying, As I read, I seem to see the smoke of battle, hear the rattle of musketry, the booming of artillery. I picture to myself the broken and disordered ranks, the fallen, the dying and the dead.

He continued, You saw your comrades fall by your side. You stooped over them to hear their last farewell or bore them gently from the field. As you recall those scenes, doubtless the smoke of battle seems to gather round you, but history is a mountain which we climb. In the valley below the battle clouds roll heavily; but each generation as it mounts gains a clearer and broader view.

In 1918, the Rev. Altree Smith said this: The veterans of the Civil War settled the question of human slavery a half century ago. The Kaiser is a back number on that issue as well as on many others. ... But there are questions which the Revolutionary fathers did not settle, questions which the veterans of 61 did not settle, questions which have never yet been settled, questions of social justice, of moral righteousness and universal liberty, liberty for the weak nations as well as for the strong, justice for the poor as well as the rich, and the right of all men, white or black, rich or poor, great or small, to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.In 2015, the decision was made to sell the property so the proceeds could be invested in other United Methodist-owned camps.

The Jensen Camp Foundation was formed by some folks who wanted the property to continue to offer Christian camp experiences to children, families, and adults, Crozier said. For over three years the Foundation tried to buy the camp, only to have offers refused. In the spring of 2018, a gentleman made an offer on the property and that offer was accepted by the United Methodist Church. The day after the sale closed, the buyer went to the camp to secure a lease for the house on the property. The renters dad happened to be there and he shared his sadness that the property was no longer going to be used as a church camp.

Crozier said the man who had just purchased the camp asked if the Jensen Camp Foundation was still interested in buying the property.

He contacted the foundation the next day, which just happened to be Good Friday, she said. The foundation set to work and raised $500,000 for a down payment on the camp, secured financing for the remainder and purchased the property in August 2018.I asked Gleason this week whether city officials now are prepared to acknowledge a mistake was made in calculating the strength of the barrier. Her predecessor, who introduced Davenport to the HESCO barrier, has said the fortification was inadequate, and another row of cages should have been added to the line, so another layer could be stacked on top.

But Gleason insists the flood plan was followed. She said other factors led to the failure, not an inadequate flood-fighting height.

She pointed to several "anomalies" the city has explained during post-mortem meetings about the failed fight and what can be done better next time.

The first standout, she said, was the duration of the flood. The barriers had been in place for more than a month when the breach occurred. But the HESCO people said their barriers have been in floodwater for a year without failing.Since then, Swanson has transitioned to another job driving trucks.

Stenzel noted that Swanson defied the odds in terms of his age; statistics show males under the age of 24 often do not succeed in mental health courts, she said.

"It's difficult to follow this kind of structure, order and instruction. We took a gamble on you, and man did it pay off," she said. "Your future is so bright, and we're so proud of you."

Swanson told the court he was grateful for their assistance and the program. "When it first came to me, I had no idea about it and I was reluctant at first, but I was just ready to make a change," he said. "I wanted a harder path because I knew it would be better for me in the long run."

Donahue, the judge said, started out in the program "a bit anxious," willing to participate but unsure about his ability to complete the program. "I always tell them that the worst thing they can do is make a mistake and hide it or cover it up or lie about it," Smith said. "He's one of the individuals that's not only worked in this program for himself, but worked it for others, and gave back."But its not just Schmitt considering the prevented planting option. In the meetings and webinars he has attended or helped to conduct there are hundreds of farmers mulling over the same questions.

There remain a lot of unknowns about how the government payments will be made, what happens if market conditions change, and even if one commodity will be given weight over another, such as with the last aid package that tilted toward soybeans.

The devil is in the details, Schmitt said. Once those details are released everything could change.

We could end up with a lot of acreage sitting idle, he said. Or we could have people ready to go and plant. But it doesnt look like anyone is going to turn a wheel for at least a week, given the weather conditions.

In conversations with other farmers, Schmitt said he has heard time and again, Who would have thought the markets would be screwed up this bad and the weather screwed up this bad all at the same time?For sheer hypocrisy, it's hard to match the European nations that are refusing responsibility for dozens of their nationals who became jihadist "foreign fighters" over the past five years and are now warehoused in makeshift prisons in northeast Syria.

U.S. officials say that about 2,000 foreign fighters from more than 50 nations are among the roughly 10,000 captured Islamic State fighters held in several dozen ramshackle prisons in Syria. The detention facilities are run by the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish militia that partnered with a U.S.-led coalition to defeat Islamic State. The other 8,000 captives are Syrian and Iraqi fighters.

The Pentagon and State Department have implored European nations to repatriate their nationals for trial and imprisonment, or at least pay the SDF to hold them temporarily. But so far, most European nations have refused. The SDF warns that it can't imprison them indefinitely and doesn't have laws that would allow formal prosecution in the Kurdish-controlled zone.

"If these prisoners are not going to be taken, what is the endgame?" complained one frustrated Pentagon official in an interview: "What comes next? People haven't thought about it."An anonymous tip led officers to investigate and seize hemp-derived CBD oil they say contains THC from a Rapid City store, the police department said Friday afternoon.

"Concerns were raised about the content of the products being sold," department spokesman Brendyn Medina told the Journal.

The products were taken Thursday afternoon from the Staple and Spice Market, a health-food store that has occupied the corner of St. Joseph Street and Mount Rushmore Road, in different iterations, since 1921, according to current owner Carol Pugh.

"I thought it was safe to sell," Pugh said at her store Friday morning. "I did what I thought was my due diligence as a retailer of 28 years."

"I think I'm getting the shaft here," she added.

The seizure comes after Pennington County State's Attorney Mark Vargo and Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg came to different conclusions on the legality of CBD oil. Ravnsborg has said he considers all hemp and CBD oil illegal. Vargo told the Journal in April that he won't prosecute hemp-derived CBD oil cases since it's not marijuana and not listed as illegal in South Dakota. Rapid City Police Chief Karl Jegeris and Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom said at the time they would follow Vargo's direction.

The CBD products were seized because they contain THC, the psychoactive chemical found in marijuana that is considered illegal by both prosecuting agencies, the police department said in a news release.

"We recognize confusion exists regarding CBD products," Jegeris was quoted as saying in a press release Friday morning. "However, we have the responsibility to take enforcement action regarding illegal drug distribution in our community, including products that contain THC."

The search was conducted by Rapid City police officers and deputies from the Pennington County Sheriffs Office, Medina said. He said Jegeris was not available for an interview on Friday.

Vargo said late Friday afternoon that he has yet to see any documentation related to the search so he doesn't know if he will charge anyone with a crime. He said to prosecute, it must be proved that the products contain THC and that the person knowingly distributed products with the chemical.

"The bottom line is I believe CBD, in and of itself, is not illegal," Vargo said. But he said CBD with THC is "clearly illegal" since THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is listed under South Dakota Codified Law 34-20B-14.

Tim Bormann, spokesman for Ravnsborg, said the office's Division of Criminal Investigations wasn't involved with the investigation, search warrant or seizure, and the Attorney General's Office won't be prosecuting the case.

Pugh said Rapid City law enforcement officers came into her store to serve the warrant around 4:50 p.m. on Thursday. The warrant, signed by a magistrate judge with an illegible signature from the state court in Rapid City, says officers can search for various products made by Plus CBD Oil, a San Diego-based company that creates hemp-derived CBD products.

An inventory sheet shows that officers took 16 individual or bundled packages. The items were worth about $3,000 but will be reimbursed by the manufacturer, Pugh said.

She said that a Rapid City police officer told her that one of the agency's detectives previously purchased items from the store, tested them and found they are positive for THC. Pugh said the detective must have been undercover because her staff doesn't remember selling the products to a police officer.

The news release also said the products were tested at a forensic lab and "returned positive results for measurable amounts of THC content."

Pugh admits that the seized products have a "trace amount" of the chemical but her other CBD products  which were not seized  have no THC. She said the Plus CBD Oil bottles say they have a THC concentration of .03-percent, and the recently passed federal farm bill allows industrial hemp to contain up to .3 percent.

"I think I'm in a gray area," Pugh said.

She said her 30 years in the Air Force taught her that "if there's a gray area, I'm going to stand for that." "The people want this product and I'm willing to put my reputation and my store's reputation on the line."

Debra White Plume, a 64-year-old Pine Ridge resident shopping for CBD oil Friday morning, said she uses the products for her arthritis, fibromyalgia and other conditions.

It's "real sad that a medicine from a plant that's supposed to help people is locked in jail," she said, adding that she knows many people who have been helped by CBD and THC.

White Plume also said she thinks there is a "better way" for law enforcement to spend their time.

Pugh says she there are about 10 businesses in Rapid City that sell products from Plus CBD Oil and they hope there will soon be more clarity on issues related to CBD.

"We don't know what the true rules are or what you are going to be held accountable for," she said.

Pugh also said she feels the seizure goes against the Republican value of freedom. "I'm not sure that's where we're going with this."

 Contact Arielle Zionts at arielle.zionts@rapidcityjournal.com.

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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.After going through something as life-altering as a car accident, the best thing you can get out of it is...At a time when Americans collectively hold $1.5 trillion in student loan debt, there is no better way for a billionaire to get on the countrys philanthropy radar than to offer--as Robert F. Smith has--to pay off the students loans of an entire graduating class.

Last weekend, Smith, a billionaire tech investor and founder and CEO of Visa Equity Partners, delivered the commencement speech for Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, and concluded it by promising the 400 graduates that he would clear all their student loans so they would not have to live their lives buried in debt.

That means hell be forking over around $40 million--the estimated debt owed by the 2019 graduating class.

Not only did Smith promise to pay off student debt, but he also announced a $1.5-million gift to the school.

"On behalf of the eight generations of my family that have been in this country, we're gonna put a little fuel in your bus. This is my class, 2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans," Smith told the nearly 400 graduating students. "I know my class will make sure they pay this forwardand lets make sure every class has the same opportunity going forward because we are enough to take care of our own community.

Although Morehouse College couldn't provide the exact amount owed by the current graduating class, Terrance L. Dixon, vice president of enrollment management, estimated for AP that the average debt for grad students was $30,000 to $40,000 each.

It was a shocking revelation for students who were otherwise prepared for years of starvation as they try to sort out their careers while paying off overwhelming debt that is crippling the country educationally.

Many of my students are interested in going into teaching, for example, but leave with an amount of student debt that makes that untenable, David A. Thomas, Morehouse College president told Time magazine, explaining the importance of this gift for students and their future. In some ways, it was a liberation gift for these young men that just opened up their choices, he was quoted as saying.

Its also worth noting, however, that anyone who dropped out of Morehouse before graduating in 2019 because they couldnt take on any more debt wont be covered and will still have to pay their loans.

Related: Gold Stocks Press Higher

According to Student Loan Hero data, among the Class of 2018, 69 percent of college students took out student loans and graduated with an average debt of $29,800 each, including both private and federal debt. Meanwhile, 14 percent of their parents took out an average of $35,600 in federal Parent PLUS loans.

The problem of student debt recently pointed out by Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has offered up a very ambitious solution that calls for a complete reshaping of higher education, to include canceling most student loan debt and eliminating tuition at every public college.

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the financial implications of debt forgiveness are significant. The study found that the borrowers who had their private loans discharged increased their salaries by $4,000 over three years and carried less debt overall after they no longer had to make student loan payments.

In the meantime, as Erik Sherman points out for Forbes: Having opportunity is great. Education can do a lot for people. One of the possibilities is to impoverish, even as it promises the opposite because that is an enormous level of debt.

By Michael Scott for Safehaven.com

More Top Reads From Safehaven.com:Since retiring from 30 years in education, Theresa Reilly has taken on a new role in the Valley revamping and expanding the Santa Ynez HistoriHancock College celebrated yet another another record-setting graduation Friday afternoon, sending 1,273 students off into the community as members of the class of 2019.

052419 Hancock graduation 09.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 06.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 01.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 02.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 03.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 04.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 05.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 07.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 08.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 10.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 11.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 12.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 13.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 14.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 15.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 16.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 17.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 18.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 19.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 20.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 21.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 22.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 23.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 24.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 25.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 26.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 27.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 28.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 29.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 30.jpg 052419 Hancock graduation 31.jpg" " Researchers combing through the DNA of present-day people from Melanesia found that the Melanesians had less Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA than thought, suggesting that a third, separate group of hominids might have been in the genetic mix, too. prpix.com.au via Getty Image

We all have in us the DNA of our ancestors. Finding those ancestors, though, can take a lot of work.

Ryan Bohlender is a statistical geneticist with the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He spends much of his time trying to unlock the history of human DNA. Late last month, he revealed research results that may provide another stunner about the origins of humans: a previously unknown and now extinct relative of modern man.

Not Neanderthals exactly. Not the recently discovered (but long extinct) species of man known as Denisovan. This was something else  technically, some one else  probably with Neanderthal and Denisovan influence in that same branch of the human family tree.

The secret to this potential find was hidden in the DNA of living people from Melanesia, an area in the South Pacific near Papua New Guinea, just north of Australia. Bohlender and his colleagues compared their DNA to the DNA of some of our ancestors, then ran the numbers against a few statistical models to come up with their hypothesis.

"There are sort of immediate reasons why it's important," explains Bohlender, who detailed his findings at the annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics in Vancouver. "There have been several papers recently about the effect of Neanderthal DNA. The Neanderthal DNA that you carry with you is associated with everything from obesity to depression to smoking risk. There are health consequences of Neanderthal DNA. So exploring what this is, where it came from, how much of it anybody might have, that sort of thing, is practically useful.

"In reality, the reason why a lot of us do it is because we're curious about where we all came from. And it's cool. It's an anthropological question, right? This is about the history of who we are and how we got here and what makes us what we are today."

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Back in Time

To understand Bohlender's findings, you should know a little about how modern man got to this point, evolutionarily speaking.

The Smithsonian Institute says there are as many as 15 to 20 different species of early man. Homo sapiens  modern man  is the only one left, sitting at the top of the tree. (The Smithsonian sketches out a nice-looking tree here.) Neanderthals  let's call them brothers from another species of mother  are in the same big area of the tree (as are Denisovans), though they may be best described as being on a different branch.

This general area of the tree represents the first group of hominids to expand beyond Africa, the birthplace of humans. The earliest members of the group lived between 2 and 3 million years ago. Homo sapiens popped up around 200,000 years ago.

All of this, widely accepted in the scientific community, is the result of decades of study by archaeologists, paleontologists, anthropologists, paleoanthropologists and others. More recently, geneticists like Bohlender have begun mapping modern man's genes and comparing them to what we know of those who preceded us.

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The Melanesian Mystery

In March of 2010, a finger bone of a formerly unknown human ancestor, later called Denisovan, was found in a Siberian cave where modern human remains and Neanderthal remains also were found. A few years later, scientists declared that human ancestors and Neanderthals interbred and that many living humans still carry Neanderthal DNA.

When Bohlender and his colleagues looked at the DNA of modern Melanesians, the people from Papua New Guinea, they estimated what percentage of Neanderthal DNA and Denisovan DNA they had. The number was much less than what other researchers had estimated. After more calculations and more computer modeling, Bohlender and his crew laid out one potential answer: the possibility of a third, unknown human ancestor contributing to the Melanesian gene pool.

"On the one hand, it's possible that we're missing a branch. That there is another archaic lineage, potentially related to Denisova, potentially older, potentially related to Neanderthal," Bohlender says. "We're not specific about where this missing branch is."

A missing branch, of course, could alter the thinking of everyone who looks into human origins. But Bohlender is careful to point out other possibilities. The unknown species might simply be an offshoot of a species that migrated to Melanesia and became genetically different over time.

Whatever the case, it's clear that a simple tree  though it makes for a nice graphic  may not be entirely accurate forever. As in all things human, things get complicated, but when has that ever stopped a scientist?

"The tree itself that's relating Neanderthal and Denisovans to modern humans is probably pretty good right now. And the big hominid tree of life going back all the way to Australopithecus is probably pretty accurate," Bohlender says. "We're going to find more fossils, more specimens, more little branches that may or may not have led to us as time goes on. But I think the general story is pretty solid, and has been for a while."

NOW THAT'S INTERESTING DNA breaks down completely after about 100,000 years. But scientists have sequenced genomes for our closest extinct human relatives, the Neanderthals (who were around as recently as 40,000 years ago) and their "cousins," the Denisovans. The Denisovans are known almost entirely through their DNA." " There's some unexpected physics at work in the solar atmosphere. Universal History Archive/UIG/Getty Images

One of the weird things about space is that things don't always conform to what would seem like common sense. Take the Sun, for example. You'd think that the Sun's surface would be hotter than its outer atmosphere, since, the surface is closer to the nuclear furnace at the Sun's core. After all, when you're sitting in front of a fireplace, it feels hotter when you get closer to it, right?

The problem is that the Sun doesn't work that way. The photosphere, as the solar surface is called, is indeed pretty hot, between 6,700 and 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit (3,700 to 6,200 degrees Celsius). But the further you get from the sun's surface, the hotter the atmosphere seems to get. At the corona  the outermost atmospheric layer about 1,200 miles (2,100 kilometers) from the surface  the temperature soars to an astonishing 900,000 degrees Fahrenheit (500,000 degrees Celsius).

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Besides the sun, some other stars exhibit this curious pattern as well, and for a long time, scientists struggled to figure out why. They developed a hypothesis, in which magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves distribute energy from below the photosphere directly up to the corona, almost like an express train with no local stops.

In 2013, British researchers used advances in imaging technology to examine the chromosphere, the layer between the photosphere and the corona, and actually examined the MHD waves. Their calculations confirmed that the waves could be responsible for transporting energy to the corona and heating that layer.

"Our observations have permitted us to estimate the amount of energy transported by the magnetic waves, and these estimates reveal that the waves' energy meets the energy requirement for the unexplained temperature increase in the corona," Richard Morton, a scientist for the UK's Northumbria University, explained when announcing the discovery.

Now That's Interesting The sun has tornadoes, and they're even hotter than the rest of the atmosphere; one observed by NASA in 2015 had a temperature of 5 million degrees Fahrenheit (2.78 million degrees Celsius).GIACC director-general Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed says some bad apples in the civil service are hampering the governments anti-corruption drive.  Bernama pic

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25  Among Putrajayas biggest challenges to fight corruption is the presence of some bad apples in the civil service that are still loyal to the previous regime and keep their old habits, Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed reportedly said.

In an interview with Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, the top anti-corruption adviser to the government also pushed for urgent legislative reform to ensure that the scandals happening under Datuk Seri Najib Razak do not repeat.

Bad apples are everywhere, it doesnt mean you have to put up with them, the Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC) director-general said at the sidelines of a symposium organised by HKs Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Abu Kassim pointed to GIACCs proposal for a new law specifically directed towards high-ranking officials and politicians.

If you abuse your power to cost losses to the government, or you use your power for personal gain, you need to be dealt with a law targeted against that, Abu Kassim reportedly said.

Abu Kassim touted Malaysias climb in key governance and anti-corruption rankings, such as the Rule of Law Index by the World Justice Project, as proof of the progress Putrajaya has made since Pakatan Harapan took over.

In addition, a recent Ipsos survey found that Malaysians concern about corruption in the government fell from 47 per cent last year to just 32 per cent now.

One very important factor is strong leadership and a commitment towards a no-tolerance approach to corruption.

Today we have that with the new leadership, and that has a ripple effect, the veteran graft-buster was quoted saying.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had earlier this month exhorted civil servants to stand strong against the draw of corruption.

Dr Mahathir has repeatedly drummed into civil servants that they must begin shifting their loyalties to Pakatan Harapan as the government of the day.

The prime minister alleged several times last week that some in the civil service were resisting the new administration as the crackdown on corruption has denied them the illicit income they enjoyed under Barisan Nasional.

Related Articles Malaysias purification underway with growing FDI, finance minister says on Wesak eve Malaysia now on solid foundation to reform with new IGP, CJ, AG, says Kit Siang At fintech meet, Guan Eng says only Pakatan provides the tolerance needed for innovation to thriveJohn Walker Lindh, the Californian who took up arms for the Taliban and was captured by U.S. forces in Afghanistan in 2001, got out of prison Thursday after more than 17 years, released under tight restrictions that reflected government fears he still harbors radical views.

President Donald Trump reacted by saying, "I don't like it at all."

"Here's a man who has not given up his proclamation of terror," he said.

Lindh, 38, left a federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, after getting time off for good behavior from the 20-year sentence he received when he pleaded guilty to providing support to the Taliban.

It was not immediately clear where the man known as the "American Taliban" will live or what he will do. He turned down an interview request last week, and his attorney declined to comment Thursday.

In a Fox News interview, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo decried Lindh's early release as "unexplainable and unconscionable" and called for a review of prison system policies.

The president said he asked lawyers whether there was anything that could be done to block Lindh from getting out but was told no. Trump said the U.S. will closely monitor him.

Under restrictions imposed by a federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia, Lindh's internet devices must have monitoring software; his online communications must be conducted in English; he must undergo mental health counseling; he is forbidden to possess or view extremist material; and he cannot hold a passport or leave the U.S.

FBI counterterrorism officials work with federal prison authorities to determine what risk a soon-to-be-released inmate might pose.

Probation officers never explained why they sought the restrictions against Lindh. But in 2017, Foreign Policy magazine cited a National Counterterrorism Center report that said Lindh "continued to advocate for global jihad and to write and translate violent extremist texts."

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On Wednesday, NBC reported that Lindh, in a letter to a producer from Los Angeles-based affiliate KNBC, wrote in 2015 that the Islamic State group was "doing a spectacular job."

Lindh converted to Islam as a teenager after seeing the movie "Malcolm X" and eventually made his way to Pakistan and Afghanistan and joined the Taliban. He met Osama bin Laden and was with the Taliban on Sept. 11, 2001, when al-Qaida terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Lindh was captured on the battlefield after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan following 9/11 and was initially charged with conspiring to kill Mike Spann, a CIA operative who died during an uprising of Taliban prisoners shortly after interrogating Lindh.

Lindh denied any role in Spann's death. But he admitted carrying an assault rifle and two grenades during his time with the Taliban.

Spann's daughter Alison Spann, now a journalist in Mississippi, posted a letter on Twitter that she said she had sent to Trump. In it, she called Lindh's early release "a slap in the face" to everyone killed on 9/11 and in the war on terror since then, along with "the millions of Muslims worldwide who don't support radical extremists."

Republican Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby and Democratic New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan also expressed concern about Lindh's release in a letter last week to the federal Bureau of Prisons.

"We must consider the security and safety implications for our citizens and communities who will receive individuals like John Walker Lindh who continue to openly call for extremist violence," they wrote.

The bureau defended itself Thursday in a statement that said Lindh's release followed federal laws and guidelines. It said it works closely with outside agencies "to reduce the risk terrorist offenders pose inside and outside of prisons," and added that no radicalized inmate has returned to federal prison on terrorism-related charges.

Moazzam Begg, a former detainee at Guantanamo, now serves as director of outreach for London-based CAGE, which supports the rights of those accused of terror-related crimes. He said the criticism over Lindh's early release is misguided. If anything, Begg said, Lindh was imprisoned too long.

He noted that many of the other Taliban fighters who were sent to Guantanamo as enemy combatants were released much earlier.

As for Lindh's letter in support of the Islamic State, Begg noted that it was written four years ago and that Lindh might not have had full knowledge of the group's atrocities from behind bars.

"Nobody really knows what his views are right now in 2019," he said.

In a statement, Begg said: "It is now time for him to be allowed to restart his life in peace and freedom."

___

This story has been corrected to show that Alison Spann is a journalist in Mississippi, not Alabama.

___

Barakat reported from Falls Church, Va. Contributors include Associated Press writers Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, Kimberly Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama and Eric Tucker in Washington.Hong Kongs LGBT supporters gathered on Saturday to call for equal marriage rights as they celebrated Taiwan becoming the first place in Asia to legalise unions.

Dozens of demonstrators  some holding rainbow balloons or dressed in wedding attire  rallied at Edinburgh Place in Central in an event organised by the Big Love Alliance and cheered last weeks landmark victory for gay rights in the self-ruled island.

But Raymond Chan Chi-chuen, the citys first openly gay lawmaker, said Hong Kong still had a long way to go before it could follow Taiwan in revising the current law, which defines marriage as a voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of others.

The government even tramples on basic human rights in Hong Kong. The government, of course, will take no notice of the equal rights of minorities, Chan said at the rally.

But it doesnt mean that there is nothing we can do.

He said the success in Taiwan showed that the city might win the right for same-sex marriage through the judicial system, adding that there were many cases on the matter queuing up in local courts.

In the most recent case, the Court of Final Appeal heard a marital matter involving immigration officer Angus Leung Chun-kwong.

Leung said he and his husband suffered discrimination from the Civil Service Bureau and Inland Revenue Department, which refused to grant his husband, whom he married in New Zealand, spousal benefits and jointly assessed taxes.

The top court, which heard the appeal two weeks ago, was expected to hand down a judgment soon. If it does, it would be the first time the court had to decide whether the governments claim to protect the integrity of traditional marriage would be grounds for excluding LGBT people from certain rights.

If the government loses their cases in courts, then it must push ahead a system for same-sex partners, Chan said.

Taiwan made history on Friday with same-sex couples getting married in emotional scenes  the first legal gay weddings in Asia.

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The historic moments came a week after its legislature voted to legalise same-sex marriage, granting gay couples most of the rights given to their heterosexual counterparts under the civil code.

The move followed a 2017 constitutional court ruling that the islands marriage laws were unconstitutional and that same-sex couples had a right to a legal union.

But the Taiwanese authorities will only recognise a marriage between a Taiwanese citizen and a foreign national if the home country of the foreign national had also legalised same-sex partnerships.

This means Newman To Man-him, a local landlord who has residency in Taiwan, would not be granted marriage rights if he gets married in Taiwan because his partner is a Hong Kong resident.

The 49-year-old To said he chose to move to Taiwan partly because its LGBT rights were ahead of Hong Kong.

When I applied for [immigration] more than a year ago, I already knew that same-sex marriage would be legalised, he said.

He said he hoped LGBT activists in the self-ruled region could strive for another amendment to the laws to cater to residents with foreign partners.

If not, he would consider helping his partner of around 20 years move to Taiwan through investment migration.

For Hong Kong [to amend its laws], I think will remain a distant dream, he said.

But Cleo Lo Ching-hei, a 25-year-old social worker, said she still wanted to fight to change local marriage laws because that was the way to grant Hong Kongs LGBT members their rights.

I consider myself a Hongkonger, she said. To be honest, I cant to afford [to migrate], and many other people cant either, so what dont we stay and fight?

Lo said she did not have great confidence that she could achieve her goal.

Its about human rights. The current sentiment of Hong Kong towards human rights and political development is not so good. Judging by the extradition bill and many other factors, its not so good, she said.

Lo was referring to a controversial proposal to amend extradition laws, which would allow the city to transfer suspects to places where it lacks a formal extradition agreement, including Taiwan and mainland China.

Near the end of the rally on Saturday, about 10 gay couples and other advocates stood in the same pose shown by a gay couple in a controversial Cathay Pacific advertisement.

The advert, which showed two men strolling hand in hand on a beach, drew outcry in the city this week after the Post reported on Monday that the MTR Corporation and the Airport Authority banned the advert over its LGBT content.

The citys LGBT community promptly launched an online campaign and  in less than 24 hours  the MTR and the authority reversed their decisions to block the advert.

This article Hong Kongs LGBT supporters rally in Central, calling for city to follow Taiwans example on same-sex marriage first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.FILE PHOTO: Getty Images

SINGAPORE  The Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) will conduct an investigative audit on the client accounts of law firm JLC Advisors, after a sum of $33 million belonging to engineering firm Allied Technologies went missing, possibly on instruction from JLC managing partner Jeffrey Ong.

In a joint media statement with the Singapore Exchange Regulation (SGX RegCo) on Friday (24 May), LawSoc said it will inquire into all the facts and circumstances surrounding the operation of JLCs client accounts, and the role played by Ong.

The probe is expected to decide whether Ong, who is understood to be uncontactable, will be given any disciplinary action.

Control of all monies held by JLC

LawSoc has already taken over control of all monies held by JLC, including monies held by JLC on behalf of its clients or third parties, exercising its statutory power of intervention to protect and safeguard the interests of clients and third parties.

The Law Society would like to add that interventions of this nature due to reasonable suspicions of dishonesty are rare, the statement said.

Nevertheless, the Law Society does so where merited and appropriate to safeguard public interest and the integrity of the legal profession including the vast majority of Singapore lawyers, who carry out their duties with honesty, fidelity and responsibly.

Expansion of scope of Special Audit

Meanwhile, SGX RegCo has directed Allied Technologies to expand the scope of its upcoming Special Audit to include developments surrounding the $33 million held with JLC, and the progress of its attempt to procure the funds back.

The special auditor  appointed to review observations raised by Allied Technologies external auditor Ernst & Young on circumstances surrounding the placing of the $33 million with JLC and concerns on various funds flow  will report solely to SGX RegCo.

Allied Tech said that it had sought repayment of the money at various times since 23 March, including a letter of demand from the company's counsel, Rajah & Tann Singapore, but JLC failed to release the funds.

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Resigned as director

Ong, 42, took over the helm at the boutique law firm last year when it turned 10 years old. He has also resigned as a director of Annica Holdings Ltd, effective on 20 May.

SGX RegCo said in the joint statement, In view of these developments, SGX RegCo will object to any future appointment of Ong as a director or executive officer of any SGX-listed company, until SGX RegCo is satisfied that the above-mentioned matters have been satisfactorily resolved.

Other Singapore stories:

Singaporean man, 55, first in Southeast Asia to scale world's 3 highest mountains

Li Huanwu, grandson of Lee Kuan Yew, marries male partner in South Africa

Woman jailed 8 months for slashing mother-in-law over accusation of infidelityLook for the adorable racoon eating ice cream for Tanuki by Crustz which is located at the quiet Taman Bukit Indah, just off Old Klang Road.  Pictures by Hari Anggara

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25  We cheered when Malaysia clinched the coveted crown for this year's Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie (World Pastry Cup) in Lyon, France earlier this year. A first for us!

But we'll bet everybody also wondered what those winning creations that captured the judges' hearts taste like?

Well, here's your chance. You can finally taste them at Tanuki by Crustz (Tanuki) from today onwards.

Making this happen is Tanuki's owner Xiao-Ly Koh who is friends with the World Pastry Cup winners: Tan Wei Loon, Otto Tay and Loi Ming Ai.

Dine within the pretty Tanuki by Crutsz

Connecting them together is The Academy of Pastry Arts Malaysia where they once studied together and where Tan and Loi are now instructors.

It's a rare opportunity to taste these creations as they are not available commercially.

"We want to showcase their creations as we don't want people to be disappointed they can't taste it," explained Koh.

Kicking off the collaboration, Loi is showcasing his Le Papillon (butterfly in French). The ice cream dessert follows the competition's theme, "Nature, Flora and Fauna."

At the World Pastry Cup, Loi created 'Le Papillion' as a larger ice cream cake complete with a spun sugar butterfly wing  Picture courtesy of Loi Ming Ai's Instagram

At the competition, he was tasked to handle the ice cream dessert and ice sculpting.

However, some changes have been made to the version served at Tanuki. The elements remain the same and you still get to taste the multitude of flavours but it had to be changed for practical purposes.

The original featured a sugar spun butterfly wing and flower pattern inside which this scaled down version does not have.

There's still the creamy yoghurt ice cream outside with one half of a butterfly wing drawn on it that is flecked with gold flakes.

Taste the daintier version of World Pastry Cup's winner Loi Ming Ai's creation 'Le Papillion' at Tanuki by Crustz

Cut it open to discover layers of raspberry sorbet and lychee sorbet paired with a pistachio sponge. You also have a layer of raspberry rose coulis followed by a lime streusel base.



So, you are not really missing out on anything. Every mouthful is satisfaction guaranteed.

In addition, Tanuki will be serving two more desserts from Loi. The first is simply called Lollipop. The whimsical dessert is entirely edible from the white chocolate label to the stick.

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Koh explained that they spun sugar to fashion the stick. Fashioned from ginger cream cheese ice cream on the outside, there's a calamansi sorbet centre followed by a lime sponge and lime biscuit base.

The whimsical Lollipop is completely edible including the stick which is made from spun sugar

Every bite is tangy because of the calamansi sorbet. Together with the ginger cheese ice cream, the flavours balance out beautifully. Think of it as a very strong (kaw) teh o limau ais!

The second item is the eye-catching Ramen. Mimicking a bowl of ramen with swirls of noodles complete with chopsticks and egg, it's a marriage of creative ideas from Loi and Koh.

The bowl is black sesame dacquoise enrobed in chocolate. Hidden within, there's raspberry coulis, orange cognac parfait and sesame feuilletine that gives it a nice crunch.

Crowning it is a swirl of sesame ice cream with sesame cream to resemble the "noodles." You will find flecks of green tea crumbles on top. There is even a tiny chocolate chopsticks and fried egg on top. Delicious!

The eye-catching Ramen is a playful creation by Loi and Xiao-Ly Koh

Koh's original idea was to use chestnut flavours, similar to the Japanese Mont-Blanc. However, after testing it out they realised it's too sweet for the Malaysian palate.

Instead, they opted for a black sesame flavour. This version uses a Taiwanese sourced paste, making it taste like the toasted black sesame tong sui!

The desserts will be available for around two to three months together with Tanuki's existing ice cream offerings.

Koh will also be introducing the other team members' creations at Tanuki and Xiao by Crustz later this year.

Tanuki by Crustz is located at 26, Jalan Selera 1, Taman Bukit Indah, KL. It is open from 1pm to 10pm (Tuesday to Friday), 12pm to 10pm (Saturday) and 12pm to 6pm (Sunday). They are closed on Mondays. Enquiries can be made at 016-2110932 or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/tanukibycrustz/

Related Articles Kuala Lumpur's Tanuki by Crustz: Beautiful ice cream creations to melt your heart A closer look at Malaysia's winning creations at World Pastry Cup in France No butter, no cream: Malaysian team rules at French pastry competitionSri Lanka's military launched a major hunt Saturday for remnants of an Islamist group which carried out the Easter suicide bombings that killed 258 people, officials said. Several Colombo suburbs were targeted by troops using emergency powers on arrests and detentions adopted after the April 21 attacks. "Special cordon-and-search operations are under way in three areas just outside Colombo," a military official told reporters. Similar operations were also carried out in North Western Province, near Colombo, where anti-Muslim riots this month left one man dead and hundreds of Muslim-owned shops, homes and mosques destroyed. Security forces have arrested scores of suspects in connection with the bombings of three hotels and three churches and over what appeared to be organised violence against the island's Muslim minority. While authorities say the immediate jihadist threat has been blunted, President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday extended for one month the 30-day state of emergency imposed after the suicide bombings. Sirisena said the move was to maintain "public security", with the country still on edge after the attacks on three hotels and three churches that were blamed on a local jihadi group, the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ). The Islamic State group has also claimed a role in the attacks. Christians make up 7.6 percent and Muslims 10 percent of mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, the independent Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka accused police of failing to prevent the anti-Muslim riots after the bombings. "There appeared to be no preventive measures taken although retaliatory violence against the Muslim communities was a distinct possibility after the terror attacks of April 21," the HRCSL said in a letter to acting police chief Chandana Wickramaratne. The commission faulted the police for releasing suspects who were later seen taking part in attacks on Muslim targets. It said there was political interference to free some suspects. "As soon as they (the suspects) were released, the mob attacked all Muslim owned shops in Kuliyapitiya town during the curfew and went on to attack shops all the way to Rambawewa," the commission said. It acknowledged that police could not have controlled the mobs on their own, but they had failed to arrange reinforcements from security forces. "Ensure that no undue political or other external interventions are tolerated, and that strict legal action be taken against those who obstruct police officers from performing their duties," the commission said.Taiwan has begun mass production of its home-grown Tuo Jiang-class missile corvettes and high-speed minelayers as it seeks to shore up its naval forces amid rising hostility from Beijing.

Dubbed the aircraft carrier killer, the small but powerful corvette, which has a displacement of 680 tonnes and a top speed of 45 knots, is a state-of-the-art stealth warship built by Lung Teh Shipbuilding.

A total of three corvettes would be built under the NT$31.6 billion (US$1 billion) Hsun Hai project, the self-ruled islands navy said.

The warship would be equipped with one of the worlds most technologically advanced computer systems and built partly with high-entropy metal alloys for extra strength and durability, it said. Its stealth technology and low radar cross section makes the ship virtually invisible at sea and even more difficult to detect when operating close to the coast.

Armed with eight subsonic Hsiung Feng-II and eight supersonic Hisung Feng-III anti-ship missile launchers, the corvettes were intended to take over many of the missions now undertaken by larger, less manoeuvrable and more expensive frigates and destroyers, the navy said.

In an actual armed conflict with Beijing, the warships would also boost Taiwans ability to counter a much larger and better equipped rival, a concept known as asymmetric warfare.

In a ceremony on Friday at Lung Tehs shipyard in Suao, Yilan county, to mark the start of mass production, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said the move was made possible after the navy succeeded in overcoming a number of design and technological issues regarding the warship, an earlier version of which she boarded soon after becoming the islands leader in 2016.

Together with the construction of the high-speed minelayers, also by Lung Teh, and a home-grown submarine at a separate shipyard in Kaohsiung, Tsai said Taiwan was entering a new era of naval strength that would give it the ability to thwart any attempts by the Peoples Liberation Army to invade its territory.

Story continues

This proves we are able to build our own warships and launch a new era of the naval force, she said.

Construction of the Tuo Jiang-class corvettes was under way, with the first expected to be ready for delivery to the navy in 2021 and the last by 2025, Tsai said.

The first batch of four minelayers would also be ready by 2021, she said.

Taiwan has sought to counter the rising threat from mainland China by developing more of its own military hardware in recent years. Beijings military budget for 2019 is 1.2 trillion yuan, or about 16 times that of Taiwan.

Beijing considers Taiwan a wayward province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary, and suspended all official exchanges with it after Tsai, from the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, was elected president and refused to accept the one-China principle.

Over the past three years Tsai has prioritised Taiwans military expansion, ordering the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology  the islands top weapons research and development agency  to speed up production of weapons like the surface-to-air Skybow-III and supersonic anti-ship Hsiung Feng-III missiles.

Taiwan is also expected next year to begin mass production of its CM-34 Clouded Leopard eight-wheeled armoured vehicles and has set a target to manufacture 284 of them by 2023.

Four prototypes of the vehicles, which passed pre-production tests in October, are expected to take part in the islands annual Han Kuang war games next week.

Chieh Chung, a national security research fellow at the National Policy Foundation in Taipei, said that because of the huge discrepancies in their military budgets Taiwan could not engage in an arms race with the mainland so had to be more innovative.

Taiwan has to develop an asymmetric defence strategy, he said. Take the Tou Jiang corvettes, for example. Because of their high speed, stealth function, small size and powerful weaponry, they can be deployed anywhere near Taiwans coast and called into action very quickly to fend off enemy vessels, he said.

The same applies to the high-speed minelayers, which can drop mines very quickly and make it very hard for enemy ships to attack the coast.

More from South China Morning Post:

This article Taiwan begins mass production of home-grown missile corvettes, minelayers first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.DAP MP Khoo Poay Tiong says he will propose the setting up of a special select committee on elections in order to investigate the former EC members.  Picture by Mukhriz Hazim

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25  DAPs Khoo Poay Tiong said today he will propose a Parliamentary special committee on elections to investigate the six former Election Commission (EC) members after a special tribunal on them ended.

The Kota Melaka MP also urged for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the matter, saying it will provide the best avenue.

First, the parliament must do its duty as a check and balance mechanism. I will be writing to the Dewan Rakyat speaker to propose the setting up of a special select committee on elections in order to investigate the former EC members, Khoo said in a statement.

Second, the attorney general and prime minister should further advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) is now necessary. The RCI will be the best platform because it will have the fresh mandate and necessary powers to investigate.

Khoo said the decision by the special tribunal yesterday was appalling to say the least, by implying that the former EC members can escape justice by just resigning.

I reiterate that the former EC members must be investigated in one way or another. Only then will we be able to ascertain the core problem with out electoral system and to then reform it, he added.

The tribunal was announced by Putrajaya on October 17 last year to seek the removal of the six EC members, namely Tan Sri Othman Mahmood, Datuk Md Yusop Mansor, Datuk Abdul Aziz Khalidin, Datuk Sulaiman Narawi and Datuk Leo Chong Cheong, and Datuk K. Bala Singam.

The next day, all the members then resigned from their positions and opted for early retirement, with Bala following suit on November 27.

The tribunal was set out to probe the six after thirteen charges were framed against them over their roles in preparing a controversial re-delineation report and the manner in which GE14 was conducted.

Yesterday, the special tribunal announced its decision to no longer proceed with its probe into alleged election offenses by six retired EC members after deeming the matter academic.

Related Articles AG, Bersih disappointed tribunal hearing against EC members misconduct will not proceed Tribunal to probe EC members misconduct will not proceed after matter deemed academic, says chairman EC wants feedback to improve election processSilver-linings, Huawei users: Yes, your phone next update might not have Google, Gmail and YouTube app capabilities, but things are looking up for you at an SS2 restaurant right here in sunny, funny Malaysia.

Toast & Roast, a Chinese restaurant run by a husband and wife team, announced today that diners who are Huawei users can enjoy a 20% discount on their bill, applicable only between May 27 to May 29 (always read the fine print, kids!) on their social media pages.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxy59YnpA_c/

They captioned their post: Show your Huawei power.

The Thailand-born co-owner, and her Malaysian husband are taking a stand, telling Malay Mail that it was unfair for the US government to inconvenience consumers in their ongoing trade war.

Its not fair on consumers, because consumers should always have a choice, she said.

Adding that the house specialties were char siew (barbecued pork), roast pork, Hakka noodles, and wantan mee, she went on to say that consumers were responding positively to their new marketing ploy.

Our marketing strategy is to link our posts to whats in the news.

Damn gurl, cant wait for whatever special you run when we finally catch that slippery, cherubic, fugitive financier, Jho Low. Were vibing pork buns, but well let you do the creating.

This week, US president, Donald Trump announced that strict sanctions against Huawei were to be imposed, sending a shock throughout the tech world. The biggest side-effect being Googles announcement to revoke the Chinese smartphone manufacturers Android license, though the ruling will not affect current device owners.

Other firms have followed suit in severing ties with Huawei including Panasonic, Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom and Xilinx.

Many international leaders believe there are security risks associated with using Huaweis products, specifically, its 5G mobile networks which the US claims the Chinese government could use for surveillance.

This article, Wah Lau Huawei: Kuala Lumpur-area restaurant offers discount to US-banned phone users, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters!Park Regis Singapore

SINGAPORE  With just a 2-minute walk to Clarke Quay MRT station, and a 5-minute drive to Chinatown, staying at Park Regis Singapore allows you to discover the rich sights and sounds our little red dot has to offer.

READ MORE:

48 hours in . . . Tokyo, an insider guide to Japan's neon city

We chat with 'Story of Yanxi Palace' star Nie Yuan

Flying taxi startups target Asia debut using European technology

(PHOTO: Park Regis Singapore)

The 202-room hotel that is part of the StayWell Holdings, is bringing back its #sginsiders Heritage Food Trail in conjunction with Singapore Bicentennial, which celebrates the countrys 700-year rich heritage. Guests who book a stay with the hotel, can enjoy the walking tour guide from this month to October 2019. The walking tour will feature four famous homegrown food spots, each with a unique story to tell. Going on this tour, wed encourage you to stock up on water, sunscreen, comfy shoes and a floppy hat. Oh, and dont forget your camera as Chinatown has many colourful landmarks and murals as well.

A mural depicting Chinese opera at Chinatown district. (PHOTO: Reta Lee/Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore)

Held every Saturday at 9.30am, guests will have a chance to savour a variety of local delights within Park Regis neighbourhood at Chinatown, known to be home to Singapores diverse heritage.

(PHOTO: Park Regis Singapore)

The tour starts off at Hong Lim Market and Food Centre, where guests will get to try the iconic Singaporean breakfast set consisting of kaya toast and a cup of kopi or teh (local coffee or tea), as well as taste freshly-made flaky curry puffs generously stuffed with a variety of fillings such as chicken, sardine and otah

(PHOTO: Tong Heng)

Next, we pop by an 83-year-old Cantonese pastry shop, Tong Heng, popular for its diamond-shaped Dan-Ta (egg tarts). The family-run business which is well into the fourth generation, had undergone its first renovation after three decades. The shift of store design was to attract the younger customers, and the recipe stays the same

(PHOTO: Park Regis Singapore)

Further into the heart of Chinatown, we enter Mei Heong Yuen Dessert, a Singapore Chinatown Heritage Brand1 specialising in different varieties of traditional pastes and unique snow ice bowls

(PHOTO: Lim Chee Guan)

Ending the tour with a sweet and savoury delicacy, we venture into Lim Chee Guan, a stall started back in 1938 selling Bak Kwa (dried barbequed meat), a popular Chinese New Year snack

Jack Chua, General Manager of Park Regis Singapore adds: It is important for us to spotlight hawker culture in this food trail as it is a way of life for many locals across races, gender and age and reflects the identity of the nation. This is also our way of supporting Singapores nomination of Hawker Culture for the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

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The #sginsiders Heritage Food Trail will be available to guests as part of the #sginsiders Staycation Package running from May to October 2019.

For more information on the #sginsiders Staycation Package, visit http://www.parkregissingapore.com/specials/

This story was a result of a paid trip by Park Regis Singapore.Top Image: Upsplash

A recent graduate of Yale-NUS, who was involved in multiple social justice oriented student organisations, was labelled a sellout by her friends because she took a job at a large multinational finance organisationin a diversity and inclusion focused role.

For context, all Yale-NUS students take a course devoted to the science of climate change, as well as read texts critical of capitalism as part of our common curriculum. There are courses that tackle issues through a social justice lens, and plenty of student groups dedicated to social justice in which students can develop their beliefs about how to bring about a more equitable and sustainable world.

As such, the Yale-NUS community is acutely aware of the challenges that climate change, species loss, and wealth inequality may bring.

Many Yale-NUS students come to the conclusion that bringing about the equitable and sustainable world that we need will require significant regulations on most industries and an end to the worlds apparent obsession with profit.

But once they graduate, some of these same students and many other Yale-NUS students still opt for a well-paying job in the corporate world instead of going into academia, advocacy work or other industries that seem to focus on greater goods beyond profit. They compromise on what they thought they valued for money.

In other words, they sell out.

Despite having internalised the sellout label to a certain degree, this young diversity and inclusion specialist tells me that she feels that she might be doing more good in her current role than if she were at a non-profit organisation (NGO).

In her current role, she has a large degree of freedom to choose programs that she deems suitable. While shes new to the job, she has already been entrusted with a significant sum to hire a vendor to do unconscious bias training. In contrast, when she interned at an NGO, there were barely enough resources to do multiple programs at once, and so the vast majority of time was spent fundraisingwhich sometimes meant asking for resources from less than savoury individuals and institutions.

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Sometimes she experiences the cognitive dissonance of feeling like she is doing significant good, while also getting paid a high salary in an industry that drives on profit and not charity. However, she believes that for significant change to happen, there needs to be pressure from both inside and outside the corporate world.

Is the term sellout even reasonable in this case, or any other for that matter?

As a Yale-NUS student, I do find the term sellout to be reasonable in a certain way.

While its up for debate whether industries like finance or consultingthe behemoth and amorphous fresh-grad-poaching industries that most commonly get associated with the sellout labelactually bring more harm than good to the world, it seems clear to me that being in these industries would likely put me in situations that force me to go against my conscience.

One of the most prestigious financial institutions in the world, Goldman Sachs, was instrumental in Malaysias 1MDB scandal. The most prestigious consulting firm in the world, McKinsey & Company, helped Purdue Pharmaceutical sell Oxycontin and exacerbate the Opioid epidemic in the United States at the same time as other divisions within McKinsey were publishing reports calling for reform to the Opioid market because of the epidemic.

These clear injustices could not be achieved by one person alone. Dozens, if not hundreds, of people were put in the situation of doing what they knew was immoral or losing their jobs. The vast majority chose the former.

These clearly illegal cases of corporate malpractice that make international headlines are likely only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the moral compromises that some must make in order to keep their job.

Millions of white-collar workers around the world have probably done something for their job that they arent proud of. And if I were in the same situation, I would probably do the same.

But just accepting that life is full of moral compromise is no way to move forward, especially when faced with the unprecedented challenges that humanity faces today.

Anthropogenic climate change and anthropogenic species loss both pose extreme levels of existential risks to humanity.

As more reports from bodies like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change get published with increasingly dire predictions, it will become clearer and clearer that business-as-usual is unsustainable.

However, there isnt exactly a moral imperative pushing people to act, and there are plenty of incentives not to. While governments have the prerogative to regulate industries that harm the environment, why should they hamper their local industry if other countries continue to profit? While the fossil fuel industry has the prerogative to change their business practices and become more sustainable, they risk falling behind their competitors and even failing as companies. While individuals have the ability to whistleblow and leave companies that they know are engaging in unethical practices, why should they endanger their career when no one else is?

Even for many social justice oriented Yale-NUS students, the issue of selling out is far from black and white.

I have quite a few friends from Yale-NUS in a similar situation to the diversity officer I mentioned earlier. They plan to go into the corporate world while at the same time caring deeply about environmental issues, wealth inequality and the like. While their stories are not exactly alikenot all of them have been called a sellout to their face and some have only been called one in jestthey are all fairly defensive about the label and have many justifications for their choice.

Some of them cite the need to take care of their family financially before worrying about grander issues; others talk about wanting to use the money, prestige, and skills that they might get in the corporate world for greater good down the line.

The reasons for selling out are complex and varietous.

While everyone I talked to about this topic had unique perspectives and circumstances, every aspiring or current corporate I spoke to was closely aligned in their beliefs about those who un-ironically use the term sellout.

First, they believe those who genuinely label others as sellouts are probably hypocrites. The diversity officer shares that while her friends who have labelled her a sellout may not themselves be going corporate, they have probably considered doing it.

A Yale-NUS student currently interning at a multinational consulting firm also told me, I think that a lot of the people who use the term sellout, if given the opportunity to get a high-paying consulting job, would take it. We are all worried about our own future, and I dont think that many people in my situation would make a different choice. So, I find the use of terms like sellout to be very hypocritical.

Second, they believe those who shame others for their life choices can only do from a privileged position. For instance, only the high SES can really afford to take a low-paying NGO job, and achieve the moral pulpit that allows them to shame others for their job choices. If they were in a different position, who knows what choices they would make?

Yet, this sort of thinking puts people in a box in the exact same way that using the term sellout does. We are not just the sellouts and the hypocritical wokies, but many shades of sellout-hypocrite in between.

It has become blaringly clear to me that using terms like sellout and shaming in general are the absolute wrong ways to achieve environmental and social justice.

Today, shaming is used as a tactic in many social justice movements, and it will be easy to just borrow what seems to work for other social justice issues and use it to combat environmental injustice.

Thats a terrible idea. While shaming is a popular tactic in many social justice movements today, it ought not to benot just because it is mean spirited but also because its plain ineffective.

Personally, being shamed only makes me more closed off to others perspectives.

Going to college in Singapore, I have been insulated from the sometimes aggressive social justice activism and identity politics that can be found on US college campuses.

However, when I went on a summer study abroad programme to China sponsored by a prestigious US university and was reunited with my fellow countrymen and countrywomen, I experienced a poignant moment where my point of view was attacked because of my identity. I was eating lunch with two Chinese-American classmates, and somehow the conversation was about how Asians are often falsely stereotyped in the United States.

One of the two classmates had a lot to say. It was clear she had a lot of emotional investment in the issue, but that was most of what I could get. She used jargon that I didnt understand, and the majority of the time, I could not make out her argument.

While I tried to clarify what she meant, my questions didnt bring me any more understanding. All they did was get her annoyed.

Eventually, she said something along the lines of, I never have very productive conversations with white people.

I took that as my cue to leave.

As I was walking away from the table, the first emotion I felt was anger. I was trying to engage in an honest conversation with her, and because she couldnt convince me of her point, she decided to discount my perspective because of my race. She was tacitly saying, Youre just another racist white person and you dont even know it!

What kind of cheap sophistry is that? Whatever she was saying must have been bullshit.

But as I made my way back from the canteen to the hostel, my anger turned into dismay. If shaming is how the social justice activists of contemporary America try to get their point across, then America is fucked.

Since that kerfuffle in the Beijing Yuyan Daxue canteen, I read a Vox article by German Guttierez that seemed to vindicate all my intuitions about the counterproductiveness of shaming as a means to achieve social justice. After reviewing various bias reduction studies, and speaking to multiple psychologists about the effects of shaming in political discourse, Guttierez found that shaming is an incredibly poor tool for changing peoples minds.

Instead of shaming, he found honest conversations and the fostering of empathy to be the most effective measure in reducing bigotry and bridging the political gap.

While I wanted to believe that whatever this girl was trying to say was total bullshit, in retrospect I realise that it probably wasnt. She probably had a legitimate point to make, but when I proved to be an uncharitable interlocutor, her go-to move was to say that my whiteness impeded my ability to understand the truth.

Maybe there is some truth to that; maybe my identity was obstructing my ability to understanding what she was trying to say. Im not sure.

What I am sure of, though, is that most people would have had a similarly negative reaction if put in the same situation, and that that sort of social justice tactic will get us nowhere.

The point is, my interaction with my classmate is a micro representation of the danger that relying on shame in political discourse brings.

As the man made existential threats mount, its increasingly tempting to try and shame people into doing what we think is right; to call those who willfully join industries that might perpetuate the problem sellouts or even worse.

We need to resist that urge. We need to accept that we cant know for sure what drove someone to their careerthey may have needed a high-paying job to support their family and could only get one in a field they found socially questionable; they may have been told that they must go into such an industry by their parents.

Whatever the case, we need to accept that calling someone a sellout only serves to vilify and divide.

Instead of looking at the problem as: how do we get the sellouts to do the right thing? Activist should instead view the problem as: how do we get normal people to make noble sacrifices for the good of humanity, even when there are so many other things to worry about? How do we get governments, corporations and individuals to make noble sacrifices even when there are so many things telling them not to.

Instead of shaming, we need to have honest and charitable conversations with each other about what it will take to truly tackle these issues. Instead of presenting a false binary of revolutionaries and sellouts, we need to show how individuals can incrementally live more ethical and sustainable lifestyles in the modern world.

It only takes two syllables and two brain cells to call someone a sellout. But to actually convince them through reason and empathy could require hours of emotional and intellectual labour.

This type of activism that I am proposing is many times more difficult than the most common forms of activism practised today, but no one ever said that saving the world would be easy.

Have you ever been called a sellout? Tell us about it at community@ricemedia.co.

The post When Getting a Job at Goldman is a Bad Thing: Yale-NUS and the Politics of Selling-Out appeared first on RICE.SIOUX CITY -- Marcia Poole's love of history was sparked later on in life, after she was hired to handle promotions and publicity for the opening of Sioux City's Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in 2002.

Poole, a former Sioux City Journal features writer and food editor, who grew up in the Pacific Northwest and graduated from the University of Portland, was familiar with the Lewis & Clark story -- in fact, her mom attended Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane, Washington. But having a little history of her own, the 69-year-old said, pulled her into local and area history.

"As a kid growing up, so much history was pretty much memorize the who, what, when, where. You did that and you fulfilled your obligation," Poole said nearly a week before she will retire from her current position as the center's executive director. "Now, I didn't have to worry about a grade."

Poole said one of the best pieces of advice she ever received came from the Rev. Raymond Bucko, a professor of anthropology at Creighton University. He told her, "Don't try to tell other people's stories. Invite them to tell their own stories."

When visitors came through the center's doors, Poole talked to them. She said that's how many of them became speakers and great friends of the private, nonprofit cultural complex, which is built and sustained by Missouri River Historical Development, Inc. (MRHD).

Over the years, Poole has worked with dozens of scholars, scientists, athletes, cultural and community leaders, artists, musicians, photographers, performers and even a magician to engage roughly 800,000 visitors through free programming. Topics have ranged from jazz to wildlife to riverboats and more.

After the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial, Poole said some people expected the center to close. She thought, "You ain't seen nothing yet," and worked Lewis & Clark like a journalist would a big story.

"You're working it every day and you're looking for sidebars and the third-day story," she said. "An exhibit is the start and it opens the door. Then, you've got to jump in and find those threads to today and through the years."

The abundance of stories Siouxland has to tell still astounds Poole. She is fascinated by the explorers' personalities and York, a slave of William Clark, as well as all of the immigrants who journeyed to Sioux City in waves to work on the railroads and in the stockyards and packing plants.

Poole, who wrote two books on Sioux City Stockyards history, lights up when she talks about the East Bottoms and the 21 languages spoken there. She can't fathom that she sat in the Journal's newsroom for years, not realizing the neighborhood's extraordinary history.

"I think, 'My gosh, This is fascinating!' We have the Mary Treglia Community House that started after World War I, precisely for people to learn English and for citizenship and then it expanded," Poole said while seated at a table in an activity room decorated with old movie posters in the Betty Strong Encounter Center.

Poole was a major player in MRHD's plans to build the Betty Strong Encounter Center, which opened in December 2007. The center features galleries and an auditorium and commemorates a history of encounters. It is named in memory of community leader and activist Betty Strong, who hired Poole.

During Poole's tenure, statues of a buffalo, grizzly bear, coyote, white-tailed deer, prairie dog and moose were added to the complex's picturesque grounds. Animatronics bearing the likeness of Seaman the Newfoundland dog, President Thomas Jefferson and Sgt. Charles Floyd, joined robotic figures of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Poole thinks an animatronic York could come next.

As Poole reflected on her career, the history just kept tumbling out of her mouth. She stopped in between thoughts to wave to a tour group of elementary school students that passed by.

While also researching the East Bottoms, Poole was surprised to learn that famed architect William Steele designed a small church, Annunciation Catholic Church, at Eighth and Chambers streets, which was known as the "Syrian and Italian Mission Church." Steele is better known for his prominent buildings in Sioux City, including the Davidson Building, the Livestock Exchange Building and the Woodbury County Courthouse.

"Here are all these stories right here under our own noses," said Poole, who thinks of herself as an "outsider," having moved to Sioux City in 1978, when her husband, Richard, began teaching at Briar Cliff University. "I think maybe when it's not your home, you see it differently."

Poole even finds a history lesson in sugar cookies, which children often decorate at the center. During the expedition, she said the explorers had just a "little, tiny bit" of sugar.

"Sugar wasn't widely available to anybody really until after the Civil War. You can take a little cookie and tell these stories," she said. "There's something to learn from food, music and art."

Poole also learned a thing or two from a natural disaster -- the Missouri River flood of 2011. Poole said she was "wringing her hands" as the waters of the swollen river inched closer. Staff, board members, family and friends were forced to pack up pieces of local history and rush them out of the 20,000-square-foot complex.

"We had just literally a couple days to get out of here. We didn't know how high the water was going to go," Poole said. "We were pretty much closed for seven months."

During the shutdown, Poole set out to tell the story of the Missouri River. The research she did from home spawned an exhibit that now fills a hallway at the center. Poole said the river had always been in the background, but suddenly, it had become a "massive story."

"It was so discouraging, but we got back on our feet and started all over again," she said.

Part of Poole's dream has been providing more programming for young people. The Marcia Poole Youth Program Fund was recently established to continue to fulfill that dream after Poole departs for Bowling Green, Kentucky, where her son, Alex, and her 11- and 13-year-old granddaughters live. Mike McCormick, a retired Sioux City Police Department sergeant who has held several roles with the center since it opened, will succeed her.

Tracy Bennett has joined the center as assistant director. Bennett, who has served as co-director of Siouxland Movement Art Center, will produce programs for the Betty Strong Encounter Center and develop community outreach and partnerships.

Poole has no doubt that MRHD, the center's staff and the community will carry on the legacy, as she undertakes a new adventure.

"People ask me if I'm going to be sad, of course," she said. "But I'm taking a great big treasure chest of experiences and fun people and lots of laughs."

Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.NORTH SIOUX CITY -- In the lower level of his parents' home, Dakota Valley Middle School eighth-grader Caden Dial was putting a robot through a series of tasks on a makeshift battlefield.

Joining him were friends Kobby Addo, a Dakota Valley fifth-grader, and Varun Kardarkaraisamy, a Vermillion Middle School seventh-grader.

But Caden and his crew weren't engaged in some high-tech game of Rock 'em, Sock 'em Robots. No, these kids (also known as the North Sioux City RoboKodas Robotics Club) were taking their love of building and programming robots to the next level.

In fact, these engineers-in-the-making have been competing -- and winning -- in battles that pit them against the best young builders in the world.

Team RoboKodas -- a word jumble of "Robot" and "Dakotas" -- earned a sixth-place finish in skills and a 14th-place finish in competition during the VEX Robotics National Competition, held in Omaha.

That allowed them to advance to the VEX Robotics Worlds Competition, held April 24-27 in Louisville, Kentucky.

A contest for elementary through college students, the VEX Robotics Worlds Competition was named the largest robotics competition in the world by the Guinness World Records.

Attracting combatants from 43 countries, Caden admitted his team members had their work cut out for them. Yet he also knew Team RoboKodas had plenty of heart.

"We placed ninth in the skills category for middle schoolers and we won a special award for building our robot," he said. "That's pretty good for a new team like ours."

While Caden, Kobby and Varun have past robotics experience, Team RoboKodas has only been around less than a year.

Still, the kids have spent countless hours either building, designing and programming their robots to perform increasingly difficult and precise tasks.

"The kids are here at night, on weekends as well as during school breaks," marveled Caden's dad, Ryan Dial. "They're more than willing to put in the time."

"We're designing the robot by using advanced software, building it from scratch and programming it to do what we want it to do," Varun said. "That's not easy."

"It takes a lot of trial and error," Kobby added. "But behind every failure is the opportunity to succeed."

Perhaps not too surprisingly, it also takes money to build robots as well as attend tournaments.

While their parents foot most of the expenses, Team RoboKodas has had sponsors ranging from empirical foods, Sterling Computers and Two Rivers American Legion Post 319, among others.

That makes sense since the robotics team is gaining first-class experience in engineering while also having a good time.

"We wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't fun and challenging," Caden explained. "Robotics is both."

Plus this level of collaboration will be advantageous for Team RoboKodas, whose members all want careers in the either the science, engineering or medical fields.

"The key to learning is being able to have one step ahead," Caden said. "In robotics, you're taught to always be anticipating what will happen next."

Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Sioux City

Erma J. Zimmerman, 88, of Sioux City, passed away Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at a local nursing facility.

A celebration of life hymn fest will be 1 p.m. Sunday at Mayflower Congregational United Church of Christ, with the Rev. Ryan Dowel Baum officiating. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Online Condolences may be offered to the family at www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Erma was born on Feb. 3, 1931, in Sioux City, to Richard and Eilene (Bartels) Downs. She graduated from Central High School with the class of 1949.

Erma married Gary J. Zimmerman on May 12, 1951. She worked at the Sioux City Stockyards in the early 1950s, and through the 1950s, Erma was a switchboard operator for Northwestern Bell. She was a waitress for the majority of her working career, enjoying working at the Sioux City Country Club in the 1970s.

Erma was an active member of Mayflower Congregational United Church of Christ, sang in the choir, was a member of the Red Hat Society, and was a founding member of the Sioux City Alzheimer's Chapter. She enjoyed music, singing, and traveling, especially to Colorado, Scotland, and Ireland.

Erma is survived by her sons, Tom (Nancy) Zimmerman of Colorado Springs, Colo., Jamie Zimmerman of Des Moines, and Kirk Zimmerman of Sioux City; grandchildren, Stuart and Melanie Zimmerman, and Brandie Lien; and four great-grandchildren.

Erma was preceded in death by her parents; and husband, Gary in 1997.

Memorials may be offered in Erma's name to the Sioux City Alzheimer's Chapter, or to Mayflower Congregational United Church of Christ.SALIX, IOWA  Two people were rushed to the hospital Saturday afternoon from Browns Lake after an inner tube accident.

Crews from the Woodbury County Sheriffs Office, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Woodbury County Emergency Services, Iowa State Patrol, Woodbury County Conservation Board, Salix ambulance and fire department were called to the lake, about two miles west of Salix, shortly before 4 p.m. Saturday.

Woodbury County Sheriffs Department Sgt. Doug Boetger said two unidentified people, one male and one female, were riding in inner tubes behind a boat, when they struck a wake and were tossed at another boat, which was not moving. One victim was a minor and the other was an adult, he said.

"They were picked up by bystanders, brought to shore, both have been transported to the hospital with injuries," Boetger said. The boats themselves were not damaged.

Boetger characterized their injuries as "fairly serious." One was taken to a local hospital by ambulance, while the other was taken from the scene by helicopter.

Dozens of bystanders -- campers at the nearby Bigelow Park as well as beach-goers -- watched as the helicopter took off with one of the victims.

The Iowa DNR has taken the lead in the investigation, which is still in its early stages. Boetger said it was too early to determine whether anyone was at fault or whether citations would be issued.

Browns Lake, a natural oxbow of the Missouri River managed by the Iowa DNR, has long been a popular destination for outdoor activities, including fishing, boating, water-skiing, camping and picnicking. The accident coincided with Memorial Day weekend, which is usually a recreation-heavy holiday.

A review of Journal archives indicates serious boating accidents at Browns Lake have been infrequent, though drownings and near-drownings have happened, including a near-drowning last summer and drownings in July, 1973, June, 1976 and August, 1943.

Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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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.For Iowa farmers, the planting season pain is real and there is no relief in sight.

It has been a wet, cool May thus far in Iowa, and that has had a detrimental impact as farmers try to get their corn and soybeans in the ground.

Iowa corn growers had 70 percent of their expected crop planted as of May 19, the most recent data available from the federal agriculture department.

That is more than a week behind the five-year average and the lowest percentage of corn crop planted at that point in 24 years, according to the federal data.

Planting for the states soybean crop also is more than a week behind the five-year average.

Persistent rain and cool temperatures have left much of Iowas fields unsuitable for planting.

The weather-related issues come at a difficult time for Iowa farmers, who already face market pressures from international trade disputes and weakened enforcement of the federal ethanol mandate.

Rick Juchems, who grows corn and soybeans on his farm near Plainfield, said he has about two-thirds of his corn planted. He said in a normal year hed already be done planting corn.

Its piling up. Theres not a whole lot we can do about it. There are a few things we cant control: the markets and the weather, Juchems said. It just adds to the weight of doing business, I guess, as a farmer.

From April 24 to May 23, roughly two-thirds of Iowa counties have experienced average temperatures 4 to 6 degrees lower than normal, and even more of the state has experienced precipitation up to 3 inches more than normal, according to climate data from the state agriculture department.

Its even wetter in southeast Iowa, where roughly a dozen counties have experienced precipitation between 3 and 6 inches more than normal, according to the state data.

We are super saturated. Every time we get a tenth of an inch of rain, it looks like 2 inches because theres nowhere for it to go, said Wayne Humphreys, president of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and a corn and soybean farmer in Louisa County in southeast Iowa.

Mike Naig, the state ag secretary, said northern Iowa also has experienced significant delays, and some farmers near the Missouri River in western Iowa still are reeling from devastation brought by March floods.

It has been a challenging year. Theres no doubt about that in terms of the weather, Naig said during taping for this weekends episode of Iowa Press on Iowa Public Television. There is no doubt that the weather has impacted the progress of getting corn and soybeans in the ground this year. ... It has been a great challenge.

Farmers say their land needs a string of consecutive days with warmer temperatures and less or no precipitation in order to give the land a chance to dry sufficiently.

The short-term forecast is not encouraging for farmers looking for a break. The National Weather Service forecast storms and potential flooding over the Memorial Day weekend, especially in southeast Iowa.

The seven-day forecast is inconsistent with dry weather. That scenario, I think, is quickly going away, said Craig Hill, president of the Iowa Farm Bureau. It could have been that things opened up with the wind and sun and dried out (the land) by the first of June and we could have had most of our acres planted. I think that scenario is fading away rapidly.

Hill said farmers can manage droughts better than wet weather. He said the highest crop insurance compensation in Iowa came after the 1993 floods.

Theres just so many perils to wet weather, Hill said. When you have persistent we weather, shallow roots, poor growing conditions ... the plant doesnt grew well. Those are the years we have our most impaired yields.

As the days pass and the weather fails to cooperate, farmers face a decision whether to plant soybeans instead of corn or take advantage of a crop insurance provision, called prevented planting, which covers planting delayed by extreme weather. The deadline for corn growers is Friday, May 31.

Officials said farmers will have to make economic decisions whether to forge ahead and plant as soon and as best they can or convert to a different crop, possibly risking their output come harvest, or take advantage of the prevented planning provision.

It is a situation that is not only limiting our prospective yield, it may eliminate acres from ever being planted, Hill said. Well go through the Memorial Day holiday, and next week if the soil is saturated and theres standing water or more rain, for a lot of producers the decision will be made to forego planting on those acres.

Juchems said at this point hes just hoping for average corn and bean crops. He said in his area there is very little crown growing, which puts that growth at least two weeks behind schedule.

We could use two weeks of nice weather, Juchems said. The ground is so saturated. Even if the top dries out; it can be gray on top and you dig down an inch or two and its just pure mud underneath. All spring it really hasnt been fit to be out there (working in the fields).

Humphreys also said at this point it will take more than just a couple of nice weather days to get the soil where it needs to be. And, he said, the longer farmers have to wait to get their crop in the ground, the more their entire operation gets backed up.

This will be a season of perpetually catching up, Humphreys said. Farmers are going to find themselves 10 days or two weeks behind in all of the operations theyre accustomed to doing during the planting season. ...

Theres an avalanche of duties that get backed up into the very few good days that we get.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Open question to historians: Was the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution written in pencil?

Because lately it feels like some folks have been trying to take an eraser to that little bit about a free press.

Two recent incidents that rightly have garnered national attention  a police raid on an investigative journalists home and new charges brought against the founder of WikiLeaks  have raised concerns about an erosion of the free press.

On May 10, San Francisco police raided the home of freelance reporter Bryan Carmody after he refused to reveal a source. Police bashed in Carmodys door with a sledgehammer and handcuffed him for hours while they seized equipment and documents.

Carmody acquired a police report on the death of a prominent public defender and sold copies of the report and his reporting to news outlets. Police said they suspect Carmody was involved in a criminal conspiracy.

And this past week the federal government introduced 17 new charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The charges were brought under the federal Espionage Act for Assanges role in the publication of information regarding national defense.

First Amendment advocates  ideally that would include literally everyone  have expressed concerns with both incidents.

In the Assange case, attorneys for the federal Justice Department said they do not view Assange as a journalist.

That does not make many journalists, including this one, any less uneasy with the federal government prosecuting an individual for acquiring and publishing information and documents from government sources. That sounds an awful lot like a national security reporters job.

The New York Times editorial board wrote the charges "could have a chilling effect on American journalism as it has been practiced for generations," and said they are "aimed straight at the heart of the First Amendment."

You will find few traditional journalists who would give their blessing to the manner in which Assange helped to obtain and publish the information through WikiLeaks. Thats not the point here.

Whats concerning is the federal government bringing charges against an individual  whether or not anyone views that individual as a journalist  for acquiring and publishing information regarding national security, and the governments use of the Espionage Act, which was designed to target foreign spies, not journalists.

Similarly upsetting is the episode in San Francisco, where police obtained a search warrant after Carmody refused to reveal his source. Whats more, California has state laws designed to shield reporters from being forced to reveal their sources.

The San Francisco Chronicles editorial board wrote, "the police might as well have taken their sledgehammer to the United States Constitution."

In order for our democracy to work, journalists must have the ability to acquire and publish sensitive information from sources inside our government. It is incumbent upon those journalists to publish any such material in a careful and thoughtful manner.

The government should not be turning journalism into criminal actions. And yet thats exactly what we have seen in these two cases.

That should be unsettling to anyone who values the free press, which the countrys founders placed right at the top of the Bill of Rights.

Erin Murphy covers Iowa politics and government for Lee Enterprises. His email address is erin.murphy@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter at @ErinDMurphy.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0WASHINGTON -- Driving along Colorado's scenic byways, one might be distracted these days by a series of billboards promoting safe abortions or, depending upon one's route, alternatives to abortion, as well as assorted child-rearing recommendations.

They make one wistful for the old crazy preacher shouting the Gospel from an overturned fruit crate.

If abortion was once a relatively quiet matter involving women and their doctors, it is no more. Thanks to extreme anti-abortion legislation in several states, notably Alabama, as well as laws elsewhere relaxing standards for late-term terminations, the American landscape may soon resemble a political campaign of dueling candidates.

Family vacations, meanwhile, may impose uncomfortable conversations with the kids. "Mom, what's an abortion?" I remember once trying to answer this question for a young child. He burst into tears before I could find better words to make this thing not a nightmare. Children have a way of informing adults, don't they?

Fun times ahead, summer campers!

One billboard causing controversy near the Utah border reads: "Welcome to Colorado, where you can get a safe, legal abortion." I guess if you're a woman who is conflicted over her pregnancy and you drive past the sign, you might find some relief in the message. But for most other people -- that is, me -- it would surely be an unwelcome intrusion upon their meditations. Nothing like a gargantuan abortion reminder to ruin a Rocky Mountain high.

Not to make light of a serious issue that we've been debating for 40 years, but our interstate highway system risks becoming a sticky-note space ride through someone else's business, as 50 states adopt 50 different abortion policies. Already, the Guttmacher Institute calls the nation a "lattice work of abortion law." Earlier this month, Alabama passed legislation banning abortion in all cases, unless a woman's life is threatened (with no exceptions for rape or incest). Several other states recently have passed so-called "heartbeat" bills prohibiting abortion after six weeks, when something like a heartbeat is detected.

Even six weeks is repugnant to those who want to protect human life from conception. While these apparently unconstitutional laws are challenged in courts, possibly all the way to the Supreme Court, states will be exercising their rights by signaling to the rest of the nation their various definitions of "life."

The group behind the Colorado billboard -- Keep Abortion Safe -- is unabashed in its purposes. Co-founder Fawn Bolak says the group hopes that the sign will bring women from neighboring states to Colorado for their reproductive needs.

The goal: "to be a bold message to our neighbors coming in. That they are now entering a state that respects and allows them to make their own reproductive health care decisions," Bolak told Denver's CBS affiliate. "We also have instances of folks traveling from all over the country to come to Colorado for the access we have."

Even recognizing pro-choice advocates' desire to amplify their message of safe and available abortions, the billboard smacks of commercialism where none should exist. Advertising abortion as a commodity further dehumanizes the unborn and diminishes the moral impact of what is proposed. Will discounts next be offered in exchange for referrals?

Billboards in states where "heartbeat" legislation has passed or is percolating surely would have a distinctly different look. Georgia has more than 9,800 billboards (second most behind Florida), while Louisiana boasts 7,000. Clearly, there's plenty of room for everybody to express themselves, though one reflects longingly on Lady Bird Johnson's mission of beautifying America by eliminating billboards.

Pro-life billboards often feature babies with a message about gestational benchmarks. In one, produced by the group Prolife Across America, a baby exclaims: "What? I could feel pain before I was born?"

Whatever transpires in courtrooms, the stage has been set for states to define themselves according to legislators' interpretations and perhaps build marketing strategies around them. If many people (my hand is raised) have been offended by huge posters displaying partially aborted fetuses, a common occurrence at political conventions and statehouse rallies, just imagine what could be down the line.

States regulate the content of billboards, so perhaps we're in luck, but free speech challenges wouldn't be surprising as the two sides escalate their war of words and images. Meanwhile, road travelers are involuntary witnesses to a debate that many would prefer not to have. To a nation defined by individual autonomy, the only thing worse than the personal tragedy of abortion is the audacity of the self-ordained to govern when and under what circumstances women have children.

Billboard that.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Well, Actually is a column by Slates Shannon Palus. She tests health and wellness products to help readers figure out what they should try, what they should skip, and why.

Have you ever had your blackheads extracted? Heres how it goes: You lie back in a chair, like at the dentist, and a technician hovers above you and presses a metal stick with a tiny loop at the end of it into the skin on your nose. The pressure the loop puts around the pore forces the icky stuff inside to come out. It does this by mashing skin into cartilage and then into bone, which is so blunt and searing one can only lay there thinking about what deep evil one must have committed to deserve this. I have had this experience exactly once, when I went to get a facial expecting something relaxing. It was terrible.

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Why even go through this pain? Contrary to what their appearance and hygiene myths suggest, blackheads arent dirt. Rather, they are dead skin cells and oil that have become stuck in a pore for a while, such that the top layer oxidizes into a dark hue. Many of our faces get blackheads just because they happen. Even Proactiv, a skin care company that implicitly medicalizes blemishes with a product line labeled MD, acknowledges that they are merely the result of natural processes that occur within the skin. Blackheads do not do anything bad to us. Nonetheless, they are on my face. Id rather they not be.

Weve been trying to remove blackheads for at least a century. A patent from 1902 features a suction cuplike device used to force out the worm by excessive pressure; one from two years later is for a pair of tweezers that has a little metal extractor loop attached at one end. Modern technology has progressed beyond the need to individually squeeze each one out, a method that is not only painful but is so slow that a full treatment can require multiple sessions (you can still do it this way if you so chose). There are now chemical methods for blackhead removal, like rinsing with salicylic acid, though the attempt to gradually melt blackheads away seems less satisfying than instant abolishment. Pore strips, though capable of extracting satisfying spines of oil, can lead to enlarged pores, thus defeating the point.

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But for me, the best solution lies in the most recent method: vacuuming out blackheads. Videos of devices that electrically excavate pores have racked up millions of views on YouTube. The hand-held tools have a tip that quickly sucks out the little plugs of sebum that dot your nose. People who use them show off gunk accumulating on the interior of the tip to the camera. In one case, a close-up shot features an entire blackhead oozing upward out of skin into the vacuum, like a worm being sucked out of the ground. (In blackhead removal, grossness is a sign that things are working.) Importantly, the people using the pore vacuums do not seem to be in heinous amounts of pain. But Dr. Sandra Lee warned Elle magazine that turning the suction up too high could cause bruises (like giving yourself a hickey) or even broken vessels that would require laser treatment to repair. I do not want to risk trying this on myself and messing it up.

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So I decided to enlist a professional instead. Pore vacuuming costs upwards of $300 an hour, which for me is an unrealistic sum to spend on the endeavor, especially given that I know this is a quest to address a made-up problem. But I found a loophole: Last year, Sephora started offering a half-hour HydraFacial (aka blackhead vacuuming) complimentary with a $75 purchase. I book a session.

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The facial takes place at a beauty station in the middle of the store. After the facialist applies a cleanser and a couple of masks (including a fun bubble mask!), the vacuum comes out, a pen attached to a tank that rolls around on a cart. I liken it to a Shop-Vac, Rosalyn George, a dermatologist based in North Carolina, had told me on the phone earlier; the visual checks out. The facialist warns me that there will be some suction and maybe a little redness, in part because the pen will dispense a serum as it does its work.

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Heres the thing: I am actually not entirely sure that I have blackheads. Mine arent that black, more like gray? And theyre so small. These kinds of clogged pores are sometimes called sebaceous filaments, which are also buildups of oil and dead skin and also coded as natural and harmless, mostly because they are simply an element of having pores that, you know, excrete oil and are near dead skin. A true blackhead is a pore clog that has gotten large and dark compared with its neighbors, an anomaly that might genuinely stay away for longer if you squeeze it out; filaments can come back within a month, but a blackhead is more like a pimple in that it may or may not choose to continue haunting you once youve tried to evict it. The bottom line is that we treat them exactly the same way, says George, though she recommends the vacuuming procedure for the smaller stuff. So here I am.

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I am actually not entirely sure that I have blackheads.

As I sit back, the facialist amps up the pressure on my nose to get at those blackheads. It feels less like a vacuum and more like being jabbed with a stick. As it jabs into the cartilage, I get a twinge of the same dull pressure of the dreaded extraction stick, but only just. It isnt relaxing per se, but it is over within minutes, and the technician returns to smearing pleasant things on my face: toner, moisturizer, powder with SPF. Before I leave, she shows me a container of dead skin that she vacuumed off my face. She points to a couple specks. The offending blackheads! I put on a little of my usual tinted moisturizer, pony up for $75 worth of Sephora goods, and head to work.

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OK, I think my nose looks really good, I tell my editor a few hours later. I just saw it in the bathroom [mirror], and it surprised me! If anyone at my desk pod was watching closely, theyd have noticed that I cant stop touching my nose either. It feels slick, but in a good way. Like soft expensive leather!

But as I observe my face over the next few days, totally makeup-free, theres  nothing really different? My skin looks nice, but its still imperfect. Maybe it is nicer, but really, its hard to say. There are definitely still a lot of clogged pores on my nose. George had warned me that multiple sessions with the face Shop-Vac would be necessary to jump-start things; after that, it might help to do a follow-up every few months. Even leaving room for the Sephora version to be a bit watered down, though, I had expected more tangible results.

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Still, unlike extractions, getting my face vacuumed was fun. Which means that if you like this kind of thing, sure, try it. In part, it was fun because of the minishopping spree of things that were included in the price of the treatment. I got a Clinique Blackhead Solutions Self-Heating Blackhead Extractor andfiguring that if I didnt succeed in removing them, I may as well cover them upFirst Aid Hello FAB Pores Be Gone Matte Primer, along with a store-brand makeup sponge. The primer and the sponge work well to make my face look slightly but noticeably nicer. The Clinique stuff turns out to be pretty straightforward salicylic acid gelan able staple of a standard face-washing routine, useful for making skin look glowier and exfoliated even if it cant fully unclog pores (your mileage will vary).

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The thing about blackhead removal is that even if you do successfully diminish the gunk in the pores on your face, you have to keep doing whatever it was that worked, lest they come back. The true key to happiness might simply be accepting them. As one woman on YouTube put it, were going to actually have blackheads for the rest of our lives.

Slate has relationships with various online retailers. If you buy something through our links, Slate may earn an affiliate commission. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. All prices were up to date at the time of publication.A federal judge in California temporarily blocked the use of some Defense Department funds to build sections of the planned border wall with Mexico. Judge Haywood Gilliam of the Northern District of California prevented the government from using $1 billion from military accounts to begin construction on two sections of the wallone 46-mile stretch in New Mexico and another 5-mile stretch in Yuma, Arizona. Construction was set to begin as early as Saturday.

Gilliam didnt rule on the administrations diversion of another $3.6 billion from Defense funds for the wall because the administration had not outlined plans for that cash. But in his ruling, Gilliam made clear that challenges to other sections of the wall are also likely to prevail as long as they involve the president ignoring the wishes of Congress by diverting money from the Defense Department. Congresss absolute control over federal expenditureseven when that control may frustrate the desires of the Executive Branch regarding initiatives it views as importantis not a bug in our constitutional system. It is a feature of that system, and an essential one, Gilliam wrote. The judge emphasized that he wasnt ruling on whether the challenged border barrier construction plan is wise or unwise but rather on how it was being paid for.

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This is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities.



The court blocked all wall projects currently slated for immediate construction.



If the Trump administration begins illegally diverting additional funds, we'll be back in court.  ACLU (@ACLU) May 25, 2019

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Sierra Club and Southern Border Communities Coalition and celebrated the ruling on Friday night. This is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities, ACLU wrote on Twitter. The ACLU also posted a video of Trump promising to build the wall: Saying it louder for the people in the back: A federal court just blocked the illegal wall construction.

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AdvertisementNo deal, Theresa May: The U.K. prime minister tendered her semi-immediate resignation this morning in front of 10 Downing Street, finally casting off the albatross that is Brexit (though she was under no small amount of political pressure to do so). How did the United Kingdom get here? Joshua Keating has the This Week in Brexit ticktock, and June Thomas has the tea: The departure of May, a Remainer who nonetheless worked for years to carry out the referendums Leave outcome, wont solve a thing.

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Fake deal, Donald Trump: Our current president was relatively new when he began undoing major policies Obama had put in place, like the Iran deal and the Paris accord on climate change. A new administration so rapidly undoing its predecessors work could have really negative long-standing consequences for foreign policy. Joshua Keating (hes been on a roll today) writes, If the entire disposition of U.S. foreign policy transforms depending on whether a Democrat or a Republican occupies the White House, it will have a destabilizing impact on international relations long after Trump leaves office.

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Take shelter now: As more people cut the (cable) cord, a particular system will need to be Digital Ageified: emergency weather warning alerts. But how could streaming services adopt this FCC/FEMA/National Weather Service collaboration? Jane C. Hu takes a look.

A Whole New (and Old) World: The new, live-action Aladdin is out, and Inkoo Kang writes, When it gets to be its own thing, its a spirited romp thatsetting aside the uncanny, off-putting look of Smiths Geniehas no shortage of charms. Plus, Jeffrey Bloomer does a deep dive into the history of the myth that Aladdin says take off your clothes in the original animated film.

For fun: Dont like your parents voting record? Threaten a grandchildless future.

Hello, three-day weekend,

DawntheaA former Republican lawmaker who served for 17 years in the House of Representatives called Trump an illegitimate president and said he should be impeached. Im calling for impeachment now because the Mueller report is out, and in it [special counsel Robert Mueller] describes 10 obstructions of justice charges that he could not bring because of a Department of Justice rule and regulation that says you cant indict a sitting president. Thats number one, former Rep. Tom Coleman, who represented Missouri from 1976 to 1993 in the House, told CNNs Erin Burnett.

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Coleman also said that Trump is an illegitimate president because he welcomed help and influence from the Russians in his campaign. Coleman cited as an example the way his then campaign chairman Paul Manafort shared information with a Russian intelligence asset during a meeting in New York. Its wrong and it needs to be handled and looked at by the Congress because I believe its an impeachable offense, he said.

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"I think there is some confusion that it has to be a crime to be impeachable. Abuse of power, lying to the American people were two grounds for Nixon's articles of impeachment before he resigned." - Tom Coleman, a former Republican lawmaker calling for Pres. Trump's impeachment pic.twitter.com/FGAwDxdkft  CNN (@CNN) May 25, 2019

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Coleman had earlier argued the case for impeachment in an op-ed piece in the Kansas City Star. In the piece, Coleman argues that even though Mueller did not find sufficient evidence that Trump or his campaign had violated a criminal statute the way Trump welcomed help from a foreign power means that the presidents election victory brought forth nothing less than an illegitimate presidency. In the piece, Coleman notes that some Democrats are reluctant to discuss impeachment and that instinct is understandable  but critical times require exceptional leadership. For now, the only viable option available is for the House of Representatives, under Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution, to open its own investigation, hold public hearings and then determine if they should pursue removal of the president through impeachment.

If impeachment isnt pursued, I believe the public would conclude Democrats are no better than the Republicans who have enabled Trump for the past two years, putting party above country, Coleman wrote. It could hand Trump a second term.President Donald Trump is ignoring concerns from Congress and is going ahead with the sale of more than $8 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. The move came on the same day as Trump said he would be sending an additional 1,500 troops to the Middle East to protect American that are already in the region.

The sale had been blocked by Congress since last year but Trump has now declared a national emergency due to tensions with Iran. The decision, which affects 22 pending transfers of munitions, aircraft parts, and other supplies will serve to deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defense capacity, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. Pompeo added that the current situation amounts to an emergency  which requires the immediate sale of the weapons in order to deter further the malign influence of the government of Iran throughout the Middle East region.

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The move angered many in Congress and shows how the White House continues to support Saudi Arabia even as others pressure the administration to punish the kingdoms leadership for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. At the same time, many in Congress are growing increasingly concerned about the civilian toll of the Saudi-led coalitions operation against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen.

The move immediately led to criticism from congressional Democrats. President Trump is only using this loophole because he knows Congress would disapprove  There is no new emergency reason to sell bombs to the Saudis to drop in Yemen, and doing so only perpetuates the humanitarian crisis there, said Senator Chris Murphy. And it wasnt just Democrats who made their unhappiness known. Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, who is the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, characterized the move as unfortunate. Even though he said he understood the administrations frustration, the Presidents decision to use an emergency waiver on these sales  will damage certain future congressional interactions. For his part, New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, who is the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said he was disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump Administration has failed once again to prioritize our long-term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia.A journalist and the author of The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikesand Why responds to Elizabeth Bears No Moon and Flat Calm.

In just over a decade, NASA hopes to send astronauts to Mars. Things will go wrong; they always do. But this time, the crew will be more isolated than astronauts have ever been. If they need help, it will take six months to get to them, which will be too long. If they need an answer to a simple question, it will take up to 45 minutes just to hear back from Mission Control. They will have only each other.

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Elizabeth Bears story No Moon and Flat Calm delves into what these dynamics will mean for disasters in deep space. How will groups of humans behave when they encounter life-or-death situations 35 million miles from Earth?

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The paradox of disasters is that they are highly surprising and also quite predictable, all at once. We dont know exactly what will happen, but we do know that people will not behave like they do in movies. They will not panic, generally speaking. More often, they do the opposite, freezing up or slowing way down in a state sometimes referred to as negative panic.

People tend to revert to their most automatic habits. Thats why some of the passengers on the Aeroflot flight that recently crash-landed in Moscow took the time to retrieve their overhead luggage while evacuating the fiery plane. This has happened in many plane crashes, as people fall back on their normal habits in the most abnormal of circumstances.

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At a fundamental level, the same rules will apply in deep space. We are human in both places. In No Moon and Flat Calm, five deep space safety engineers-in-training arrive at a space station after spending four months in claustrophobic transit. They are getting on each others last nerves, which seems realistic. Then strange things start happening. The place is deserted, for one thing. Alert lights start going off. Someone smells smoke.

People fall back on their normal habits in the most abnormal of circumstances.

And yet, a character named Mei repeatedly refuses to admit anything is wrong. Its just a drill, she says. Its just a drill.

At the same time, the rest of the group becomes instantly cooperative. When Marisol asks a colleague named Rico to do something, she is surprised to see that he does it without argument. Apparently a real crisis made us temporary allies, she notes to herself.

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How does this compare with what happens in terrestrial disasters? We have lots of examples to look at, unfortunately. But many valuable case studies come from the World Trade Center on 9/11, where 15,410 people escaped the buildings and can tell us what they experienced.

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That morning, for example, a man named Louis Lesce was working in a conference room on the 86th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, preparing for the day ahead. When a plane hit the tower, he felt the building shake dramatically, he told me for my book The Unthinkable. But he decided it must have been an earthquake, and he went back to work. This is a form of denial, the first phase of human response. It happened to Mei in Bears storyand it will happen in deep space when things first go wrong, too. With realistic, intense training, people can learn to move through this phase fasterbut it will still slow them down.

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Soon afterward, Lesce heard an explosion, and he saw tiles start to fall from the ceiling. This time, he couldnt convince himself everything was fine, so he got up and went out into the hallway. He knew he wanted to talk to other people.

This is the second phase common to people in disasters: a highly social period, sometimes called milling, in which people form groups and deliberate about what to do next. On 9/11, at least 70 percent of survivors talked to other people before trying to leave, according to a federal study of the evacuation.

John Drury, a British social psychologist who studies crowd behavior in all kinds of contexts, has found that disasters create an instant bond among people. Even if they started out quite fragmented, Drury told me, they came together and showed an enormous amount of solidarity.

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When people are told to evacuate before hurricanes or floods, they dont just immediately start packing up their pets and their photo albums. No, they talk among themselves. Most check with four or more sourcesfamily, TV news reporters, or neighborsbefore deciding what to do, according to a study by sociologist Thomas Drabek.

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That deliberative process can make or break you. The wisdom of your group matters. Lesces floor was relatively empty on the morning of 9/11, but he did find five other people. They walked toward the elevators but turned back when they encountered smoke. Then they gathered in an office, sat on the floor, and held an impromptu meeting to discuss their options.

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After deliberating for a while, they tried breaking a window. Debris and smoke poured into the room. Another man summoned them into a stairwell, and they followed. It was dark and crowded, but most people treated each other with exquisite courtesy. You know, you look kind of tired, buddy, one man said to Lesce. Let me hold your jacket. Another man offered to carry his briefcase. As they descended, people passed bottles of water through the crowd. I never saw so much drinking water. Bottles just kept coming up.

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After Lesce got home that night, he found a phone message waiting for him. Someone had found his briefcase in the stairwell and wanted to return it.

In other ways, deep space is different from Earth. The people are not entirely normal, for one thing. NASA tries to pick astronauts who are exceptionally resilient. In the past, NASA focused on finding highly adaptable, mentally stable, and physically fit individuals; now NASA also looks for people who will work well as a team, even under stress. These people tend to be agreeable, conscientious, and outgoing (but not overbearing). They dont have to be perfect, but their strengths and weaknesses should complement one another. The research so far suggests that it helps create harmony if the team members share some of the same core valueseven if they are very different in other ways.

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Then the astronauts get intensive, highly realistic training, which is hands-down the best way to improve the odds of surviving any disaster. Astronauts practice emergency procedures, but they also learn to manage conflict, understand cultural differences, and communicate under strain. That means they may have a better chance at regulating the debilitating effects of fear and stress. That is a chemical advantage, literally, since spikes in stress hormones quickly degrade our ability to think and process new information.

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So astronauts have some advantages over the rest of us. But deep space has a lot of atrocious drawbacks, too. Putting aside the lack of oxygen, the biggest problem might be the information vacuum. In every disaster I have ever covered, from a hurricane to a terrorist attack, the biggest problem is almost always communication: It is hard to know what is going on, and it can be very hard to tell othersand thats on Earth.

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Right now, the astronauts on the International Space Station depend heavily on Mission Control for direction and information. But if the four-bedroom space station is like a well-equipped yacht, drifting 250 miles from home, a Mars mission will feel more like a tiny submarine, lost at sea after an apocalypse.

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Then there are the cumulative effects of spending that much time in space, even before anything goes wrong. Right now, astronauts spend just six months on the International Space Station. Only four people have spent more than a year in space. (The record is held by a Russian who spent 437 days on the Mir space station in the mid-1990s.) A Mars mission will take more like 520 days, which will corrode astronauts physical and mental health. Space radiation can alter the functioning of the brain, boosting anxiety and degrading memory. Altered gravity can lead to nausea, muscle wasting, cancer, vision changesand other bad things we still dont understand.

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We know even less about the psychological effects of a deep space mission. Much of what we do know comes from Mars-500, a 17-month experiment conducted in Moscow, starting in June of 2010. Six men from four countries agreedincredibly enoughto walk into a simulated Mars shuttle, also known as a concrete building with a 775-square-foot living area, and stay in there for 520 days. There they lived, without sunrises or sunsets, fresh air, or real-time contact with friends and family. Unlike their comrades on the International Space Station, they could not get care packages, talk to psychological support personnel, or enjoy the view of Earth from outer space.

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They exercised. They followed regimented schedules. They performed more than a hundred experiments, many on themselves. And they tried to stay sane. All the while, space agency officials from Europe and Russia monitored them with surveillance cameras.

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No disasters occurred, happily. But we got a glimpse into some of the challenges of deep space travel. As the months went on, the crew became less active. Four of the six crew members experienced sleep problems, which tends to degrade performance and erode resilience.

Each week, the crew answered a survey about interpersonal conflicts. Interestingly, they reported five times as many conflicts with Mission Control as with one another. This also happens to teams working in Antarctica. Far from civilization, groups tend to create their own internal culture and become skeptical of outsiders. Some people withdraw from social interactions and lose expressiveness, taking on an aloofness known as the Antarctic stare.

On the Mars500 simulation, the conflicts spiked halfway through the ordeal, when the crew simulated a landing on Mars (which was in fact a pit of red sand near the simulator). This was a period of frequent and undoubtedly slow and stilted communication with Mission Control.

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The vast majority of conflicts were reported by just two of the six crew members. A man referred to as Crewmember E reported fully half of all the conflicts. He was also the only crew member to report feelings of depression, a problem that got worse in the second half of the mission. The other crew member, reporting one-third of the conflicts, was the most sleep-deprived person on the ship.

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What this tells us is that one stressed-out individual can strain an entire mission, as Rico did in Bears story, when he pushed to abandon the surviving population of Waystation Hab, saying: Lets get the hell off this hab. These people can take care of themselves.

This risk of one agitated individual has implications for the future of deep space travel, particularly the commercial kind envisioned by private companies. Personally, if I got the chance to travel into space, Id want to do it with the best astronauts in the worldand not with a rich guy whod bought his way into orbit. Money cannot buy psychological resilience. And even if hes not in command, he will be part of the group, and the group will matter. It always does.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.The meets leading driver, Tim Tetrick, combined with trainer Jeff Cullipher to win Fridays two featured events at Harrahs Philadelphia with promising Hoosier Park shippers.

In the $17,000 distaff pace, Quite A Sight went to the lead late on the first turn and put early numbers of :26.4 and :55.3 on the board. Past the half favoured Believe In Me went up to challenge the pacesetting second choice, and they were engaged in battle towards the 1:24 three-quarters. That contest lasted all the way just past midstretch, where Quite A Sight finally claimed a definite lead for good to win by a length over her rival in a lifetime best 1:52.1.

Trainer Cullipher co-owns the victorious daughter of Camluck with Pollack Racing LLC, and they saw their mare boost her lifetime earnings into six figures, now resting at $133,270.

The Tetrick / Cullipher-sponsored sophomore Horns For Three got three breaks go in his favour while winning a $16,000 trot, but the second one almost ruined all the good luck.

Lapped By Lindy, a winner of four of six starts lifetime, made a break at the start, allowing Tetrick get the victorious altered son of Credit Winner to the lead before the :28 quarter. The pair then ceded the lead to Chapter Fashion, who took the field to the half in :56.4, but that one then turned over the lead to a brushing Capt Chaps Hanover just before the 1:25.1 three-quarters. Tetrick was alert to avoid Chapter Fashion when he went to a run on the turn and was able to maintain inside position, then got his best break of all when Capt Chaps Hanover lost composure at headstretch to give Horns For Three a straight shot up the inside to emerge victorious in a life's best 1:55.4. Cullipher and Pollack Racing LLC also own the developing three-year-old.

Both Tetrick and George Napolitano Jr. had superb showings Friday at Philly as they continue their battle atop the dashwinning standings. Napolitano won five times, Tetrick four, to make the 2019 count Tetrick 71, Napolitano 68. After Cat Manzi won the first sulky win title in 2006, the only drivers to wear the crown at seasons end are Napolitano and Tetrick.

Its little surprise that Tetrick put on a fine showing at Philly today as one of his favourite days of the year is coming up here Sunday -- the Super Sunday card of three $100,000 Invitationals. In 11 previous editions of each, Tetrick has won the Betsy Ross Mares Pace six times and the Maxie Lee Trot five times, so he knows the way to Victory Lane in the tracks signature event. He has a shot to add the Commodore Barry Pace, in this fifth edition, to his trophy case behind the talented Donttellmeagain. Tetrick also sends out defending champion Shartin N in the Betsy Ross and Guardian Angel AS in the Maxie Lee. Captain Crunch will also be on the fantastic card Sunday in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action.

(with files from PHHA / Harrahs Philadelphia)In the latest edition of 'Rewind' Robert Smith goes back in time an amazing 70 years ago to 1949. Was anything happening then? The short answer was YES as a matter of fact quite a few things were going on in the wonderful world of harness racing. As time goes on I may even find a few more stories from back then.

This week I have resurrected a great old story that was current 70 years ago. While I relied heavily on the reports contained in the archives of the Barrie Examiner newspaper, I also thought how great it would be to converse with someone who was actually around at that time and had some personal memories. This person was not only present, he was also a winning driver on the track's opening day. That man was none other than Keith Waples. A visit with him is always sure to brighten my day and I am always pleased to record his recollections and proverbial words of wisdom in my memory bank.

New Track Opens At Orr Lake, Ont.

Late in the afternoon of Saturday, August 13, 1949, Canada's newest racetrack opened at this small community located some 20 miles north of Barrie, Ontario in Simcoe County. The track owner and operator, Clarence Crowe had recently completed the facility and planned the first of what he hoped to be many race meetings. He had been involved in a number of other business ventures previous to this including a store and the operation of a popular dance hall at this lakeside location. The track was built on a farm recently acquired by Mr. Crowe and plans to expand and improve the facility were in the works.

(Note - Mr. Crowe and his wife Gertrude, both native to the Orr Lake area, had a large family of accomplished sons and daughters and among them were sons Pat and the late Gary who took up harness racing as their careers.)



A field of horses approach the starting point at the Orr Lake, Ont. track in the 1950's during a Thanksgiving Day program. The most interested spectators can be seen assembled in the infield for the best possible view (Photo courtesy of Huronia Museum archives) A field of horses approach the starting point at the Orr Lake, Ont. track in the 1950's during a Thanksgiving Day program. The most interested spectators can be seen assembled in the infield for the best possible view (Photo courtesy of Huronia Museum archives)

The inaugural race gathering was a twilight meeting with a first post time of 5:00 P.M. and it attracted a very nice crowd of about 1,500 spectators. A previous date had been set in July to open the new facility but inclement weather on that day had caused it to be cancelled altogether. This time a better fate was hoped for. This get together was arranged by Mr. Crowe under the auspices of The Orr Lake Turf Club.

Entrants eager to compete at the new track travelled from as far away to the east as Kingston and to the west from Windsor. A total of 37 horses were entered in the four-race card each consisting of two heats each. Purses offered totalled $1,100 with each race going for the sum of $200 and the Free For All with a purse of $300 as they went three heats.

The fastest race of the day was turned in by Make Believe, a trotter owned and driven by Clarence Lockhart of Collingwood as they stopped the judge's watches in 2:15 2/5. Racing against mainly pacers, the fine trotter took all three heats of the featured event while Pat P Lee (Edwards) also from the Lockhart barn took second spot with a standing of 3-2-2. By virtue of this winning effort by Make Believe, the Lee Harvester mare became the first track record holder for the Orr Lake track.

Other race winners included Peter S Harvester for Jim Somerville, a double heat winner owned by his father Stan Somerville of Waldemar. In the 2:24 Class, J L Van was a double heat winner for a young 25-year-old Keith Waples and owner Jack Waples of Midland. In the Classified event Dolly Todd (Robert Landers) was 1-2 sharing wins with Miss Lee Todd and owner-driver Miller Wray. In the remaining race the winner was Toby Patch for owner and driver Bill Madill of Shelburne as they won both heats. A few other drivers competing that day included Harry Ingles, Gord Kingston, Earl Rowe, George Bullock, Carman Brown, Frank Carnahan, Pop Goulin and Len Guy. Just for the record, Keith Waples drove in eight of the eleven heats that day.

Onward To Day Two

Obviously buoyed by the festivities on opening day in mid-August, Clarence Crowe organized another day of racing that same year. His overall plan was to make it even better than the inaugural and I would say he succeeded. The second day was planned for Monday, October 10 which was the Thanksgiving holiday that year. Nearly all of the horsemen who participated in the first day plus a few new faces were back for this late fall get-together. In addition to the drivers mentioned above from opening day, add in Hughie McLean, Wilbert Hopkins and Roy Lawson to name a few as some 27 horses from various locations were among the entrants. A crowd announced as 2,500 filled the grounds.

The beautiful fall day started with a local gentleman named Lance Rumble referred to as "The Sage of Hillsdale" addressing the large crowd with a few witty remarks. He was followed by Clarence Crowe, track owner and President of the local Turf Club. He stated that as recently as this past spring the track site was just a pasture field. With the assistance of his neighbours he set to work to build the track and by mid-summer it came into being. He was modest in his remarks but felt that the location was among the best in the area and that the track itself was in excellent shape for that day's racing.

The following is a direct quote from the Simcoe Examiner write up. "The view is beautiful and the entire location is a 'natural' for a racetrack. There is a slope on the north side that provides a fine grandstand for thousands. The view to the south is lovely, especially with the autumn woods in full glory of coloring as they were on Thanksgiving Day. Orr Lake and the hills of Craighurst to the south add to the scenery."

On the racing side everything went as planned, complete with a new track record set by the previous record holder Make Believe. She trotted in 2:13 to lower her own record and scored a three-heat victory in the process and did so racing against a field of pacers. All races were three-heat affairs providing many exciting finishes and keen competition. At the close of the day Mr. Crowe expressed his desire to start the 1950 season by staging a meeting in early May. He was obviously very pleased with his new venture.

At this time many people had yet to ever see a mobile starting gate in action. This day, undoubtedly through a communications glitch, they actually got to see not one but two on the grounds. Lee Wright of nearby Elmvale started the first few races and then Tom McDonnell of Hamilton started the balance. The latter had been invited by announcer Tory Gregg of Wingham who apparently assumed he would be doing the starting. It was nice that both could be accommodated.

Races were also held on that same Thanksgiving Monday afternoon at numerous other Ontario locations such as Norwood, Woodbridge, Kingston and various other spots I'm sure, but there always seemed to be enough horses and fans to make each race day a success.

I find this to be an interesting story for a few reasons. First of all hats off to the very enterprising Mr. Crowe for building a new track and making it work. Secondly congratulations to the many horsepeople of the area who immediately joined in and raced their horses at the new track. Also up for kudos were the many race fans who attended the races this year and for many years that followed.



Pat Crowe, son of Orr Lake track owner Clarence Crowe, gained national prominence in the early 1980's when he guided the career of Cam Fella pictured above, unquestionably one of our sport's all time greatest stars. Pat Crowe, son of Orr Lake track owner Clarence Crowe, gained national prominence in the early 1980's when he guided the career of Cam Fella pictured above, unquestionably one of our sport's all time greatest stars.

Who Is It?

Can you identify this gentleman? I doubt he will pose too big a challenge to our expert audience.The Meadowlands is now providing Direct Deposit payment of purses for owners along with trainer and driver percentages.

It is important to note the a separate Direct Deposit form must be submitted for each partnership / ownership group.

The required forms may be downloaded from The Meadowlands website; a W-9 form is also required.

Contact information for the Horsemen's Bookkeeper is listed on the form.

(Meadowlands)Registration for nonprofits to sign up for the sixth annual Give More 24! is now open through June 28, according to a press release from the Community Foundation of Southwest Washington.

The day of online donating  slated this year for Sept. 19  will bring money to nonprofits in Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania counties. After completing registration online at GiveMore24.org, nonprofits can ask donors for tax-deductible gifts.

Last year, more than 3,000 donors helped 155 local nonprofits raise $1.3 million in 24 hours, according to the release.

As a nonprofit who has participated in Give More 24! from the very beginning, we love the community connection that this event provides, Alan Hamilton, president of Clark County Food Bank, said in the statement. It feels like our entire community rallies together to support all of our local causes, organizations, and missions.

The Community Foundation of Southwest Washington started Give More 24! in 2013 as a giving holiday to bring attention to area charities and raise money that will stay local.

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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.Family and friends of a Castle Rock woman who died in a car crash earlier this month rallied Friday afternoon outside the Cowlitz County Hall of Justice, calling for authorities to charge the driver with vehicular homicide.

Elisa Handley-Mason, 47, died May 2 when a vehicle she was the passenger in crashed into a tree along Spirit Lake Memorial Highway.

The driver, Shad Mathers of Kelso, had been traveling at a high rate of speed, Washington State Patrol reported earlier this month (it was not more specific). Handley-Masons mother, Theresa Finelli, said he was driving recklessly and should be criminally charged.

This guy was obviously going too fast. Why doesnt he get vehicular manslaughter, no matter if he was on drugs or not? Period. Thats the law.

WSP spokesperson Will Finn could not be reached Friday to discuss the status of the investigation. Finelli said troopers did not drug test Mathers because he didnt smell like alcohol, but that assertion could not be confirmed Friday.

Cowlitz County Prosecutor Ryan Jurvakainen confirmed Friday evening that his office had not yet received an investigation or referral for charges from the WSP.

Finelli and several others held signs outside the Hall of Justice calling for justice for Handley-Mason. Theyd been there the previous Monday to wave signs, she said, and will do so again.

Handley-Mason died after Mathers, 45, driving eastbound on Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, left the road and hit a tree near milepost 1 at 11:37 p.m., according to the WSP. Mathers was injured in the crash and taken to St. John Medical Center.

Handley-Mason was always full of joy, happy happy happy, Finelli said. She touched many peoples lives, her mother said, and was an awesome mother herself.

She was trying to get her life straightened around, and she was on her way, Finelli added.

Handley-Mason has four sons and three grandchildren. She was born in San Diego and moved to Southwest Washington about 20 years ago, her mother said.

She would give you the shirt off her back, said Heather Clark, a friend of Handley-Mason. Whatever she was doing, shed stop what she was doing and help you straight away, no questions asked. Her soul was golden. Her heart was huge.

Handley-Mason and Mathers had been dating but had broken up prior to the crash, Finelli said. Mathers was picking Handley-Mason up from Toledo that day, and they were heading to Toutle, Finelli said.

Finelli said her daughters death has left the family heartbroken, and she wants troopers to investigate whether Mathers had used drugs prior to the crash.

I want information. Im her mother. I want to know what is going on. I want to know what happened to my daughter.

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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.The Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is getting a new community and nature center paid for with a $5.25 million grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The grant, announced Thursday, allows the refuge to begin construction on a single, multipurpose building that includes new parking and roadway access. The new center will replace the current cluster of four smaller buildings and an office trailer.

Eric Anderson, deputy project leader at the refuge, said the new community center will be a major upgrade from the staffs current setup  seven refuge employees squashed into a modular building that is essentially a double-wide mobile home.

Weve been in this facility since 2005, and as soon as it came in, we realized it was inadequate, Anderson said.

The wildlife refuge stretches across 5,300 acres along the lower Columbia River, protecting grasslands, wetlands and forest. The area preserves threatened wildlife, including the Columbian white-tailed deer and the horned lark.

Around 160,000 people visit the refuge annually. The ones who come in to talk to staff literally are standing in a 6-foot by 6-foot lobby. Two people in that space is too many, Anderson said.

Currently, refuge staff are spread out over two separate locations  the modular building and an outbuilding approximately 20 minutes away by truck, Anderson said. The other three outbuildings are used for storage and maintenance.

When the new community center opens, the refuge plans to bulldoze the outbuildings and remove the modular building, moving everything and everyone into a centralized location.

Itll allow us to consolidate our key staff, Anderson said.

If all goes according to plan, the refuge will be able break ground on the project in the next fiscal year, he added.

The community center will join a spate of upgrades at the wildlife center, including the creation of new walking trails, sidewalks that stretch from the refuge into downtown Ridgefield, and restrooms with flush toilets.

The outcome should be a safe and inviting space for visitors, Anderson said.

Securing the funds was a collaborative effort between the refuge, Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, Senator Patty Murray and the city of Ridgefield.

Today, Ridgefield residents, and all of us who live nearby and love experiencing nature, can celebrate this milestone toward making the new Community and Nature Center a reality, Herrera Beutler said in a media release.

I have no doubt this new center will improve the publics experience when they come here to discover the wildlife and native culture of this beautiful region, she said.

Ridgefields mayor, Don Stose, said in the media release that the announcement was the culmination of years of hard work between the city and federal lawmakers.

We are all truly excited for a world-class community and nature center to appropriately welcome people to the natural beauty of Ridgefields National Wildlife Refuge, Stose said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0What can big data do for you?

That was the question animating the seventh annual Big Data in Precision Health Conference, which ran May 22-23 at the Li Ka Shing Center for Learning and Knowledge. The event drew health care and data experts from across industry, academia and government to the School of Medicine.

Emma Huang, PhD, director of data sciences external innovation at the Johnson & Johnson California Innovation Center, answered it this way: It depends on who you are. If youre a patient, big data might be a means to a quicker diagnosis or to an insight into a unique facet of your health. If youre a doctor, it could help relieve the burden of lengthy or cumbersome tasks: Consider, for example, a machine-learning algorithm that performs administrative duties, like interpreting electronic health records.

With more than 550 attendees, the conference covered new technologies, such as sweat sensors, that capture biological data and algorithms that draw insights from massive amounts of information to better predict, prevent and treat disease precisely  the ultimate goal of precision health.

This is a really exciting time in data science, Lloyd Minor, MD, dean of the School of Medicine, said at the start of the conference. Were truly covering the gamut of issues related to precision health and biomedicine. In the next few days, well have speakers who will discuss everything from the social determinants of health to how we can use machine learning and other analytic techniques to improve the drug-discovery process.

Putting your data where your mouth is

New technologies that collect health data and algorithms that extract biological insights are a big part of harnessing big data, but the ultimate goal is to bring the benefits directly to patients. One of Stanford Medicines main efforts in this realm is a pilot project known as Humanwide. The project employs big data to gain a detailed and multifaceted understanding of individual patients, and uses that knowledge with the aim of improving their health. Led by Stanford clinical professor of medicine Megan Mahoney, MD, Humanwide is one of the first manifestations of big data in precision health at the clinical level. In a panel discussion, Mahoney sat down with Latha Palaniappan, MD, professor of medicine at Stanford; Nancy Shin, PharmD, an ambulatory care clinical pharmacist at Stanford; and Debbie Spaizman, a participant in the Humanwide study.

Spaizman discussed her own health success story, grounded in advances in pharmacogenomics. Using Spaizmans genetic information, her doctors were able to figure out why Vicodin didnt work well for her as a pain reliever before she underwent two surgeries. It turned out that her biology could not perform a chemical process that typically turns Vicodin into morphine. Her doctors were then able to provide her with alternative painkillers. I had a lot of conversations that wouldnt have ordinarily come up, Spaizman said. Getting to spend as much time with my doctor as I did was an added bonus.

Big data for speedier diagnoses

Matthew Lungren, MD, assistant professor of radiology, is working on research that uses immense sets of medical-imaging data, such as X-rays, to help doctors expedite their diagnoses. Through machine learning, Lungren and a team of scientists have trained an algorithm to recognize X-rays that contain signs of disease in the chest. In his initial studies, Lungren found that the algorithm can diagnose these images just as well as radiologists.Editors note: Todays editorials originally appeared in The Daily Astorian and The Columbian. Editorial content from other publications and authors is provided to give readers a sampling of regional and national opinion and does not necessarily reflect positions endorsed by the Editorial Board of The Daily News.

During Emergency Medical Services Week, it is fitting to salute all those who are trained and ready to respond to any crisis with skilled professionalism.

We are especially fortunate that we are protected by the fine personnel, paid and volunteer, at our coastal fire departments. Medix Ambulance crews work closely with them to ensure a level of care. And professional staff at our three local hospitals are ready to treat emergency-call patients 24/7.

These folks handle calls year-round and their service should be saluted.

A key element of those efforts involves ocean rescue.

Our beautiful Pacific Ocean coast can be a treacherous place. Despite repeated warnings to visitors about the danger lurking amid all that beauty, every year there are people who underestimate the waves and the undertow and get into trouble.

Thats when rescue team members go to work.

One important nuance emerged from a recent drill involving the Coast Guard and the volunteer surf rescue team across the river in Washington.

Leaders of the event, which involved more than one-half dozen agencies, took time to emphasize the need to get the word out to the public about an important manner in which they can help.

If you observe what appears to be a person in distress in the ocean and call 911, you must stay at the location and watch for responders rigs.

Thats because early arriving rescuers from fire departments, law enforcement agencies and the Coast Guard need to know what they are looking for  and where.

Both Doug Knutzen, longtime leader of surf rescuers based in Seaview, Washington, and Lt. Jessica Shafer, Coast Guard commander at Cape Disappointment, made that the single most important takeaway from the drill.

Knowing how many people are in the water  and being able to locate them  are uppermost in the minds of responders as they unpack their rescue gear and launch into the water.

No one wants to call off a rescue until all missing people are accounted for.

In an ideal world, locals and visitors alike would heed the repeated warnings about the dangers of the ocean and never need to be rescued. Alas, that is not the reality of living next to the ocean.

Members of the public who see someone in trouble and call 911 for help have another part to play, too. Dont leave the scene. Stay on the beach, identify yourself to responders, and repeat what you told the 911 dispatcher.

Sales-tax exemption removal requires close eye

Note to Oregon shoppers: Clark County is still open for business and has plenty of unique, independent stores.

How does that sound? Think it will work? After the Legislature eliminated Washingtons sales-tax exemption for Oregon residents  Gov. Jay Inslee signed the bill Tuesday  many local merchants fear that wont be enough.

With Oregon having no sales tax, there is little incentive for our neighbors from the south to cross the Columbia River and purchase a couch or a lawn mower or a new pair of shoes. Not when they have to pay Washingtons 6.5 percent state sales tax. Removing the exemption, some retailers say, will turn that river into a wall in the minds of Oregon consumers.

That, obviously, is a concern for border areas such as Clark County. And while the change has been made  it takes effect July 1  we urge lawmakers to keep a close watch on its impact. If businesses in border counties see a drop in sales that can be traced to a decline in Oregon shoppers, the exemption should be reinstated as quickly as possible.

Lawmakers who approved passage of ESSB 5997 (Democratic Reps. Monica Stonier and Sharon Wylie were the only Southwest Washington legislators to vote in favor) estimate that charging the tax will add more than $50 million to state coffers over the two-year budget cycle. But if local businesses are employing fewer people and paying less in Business & Occupation taxes because of lower receipts and, perhaps, closing up shop or moving to Oregon, it can more than offset the additional sales tax.

For now, the impact of removing the exemption is speculative. And it brings up another issue that state government must address.

Many retailers in the county say much of their business comes from people who use an Oregon drivers license to avoid Washingtons sales tax. Don Thompson, who owns a furniture outlet in Clark County, told The Columbian that at least 40 percent of his sales are to Oregon residents.

Part of that, however, could be the result of Washingtons lax enforcement of state law requiring residents to register their cars and receive their drivers licenses in this state. A quick trip around just about any neighborhood in Clark County reveals that many residents prefer to register their vehicles in Oregon, where license tabs are less expensive. Replacing an Oregon drivers license with a Washington one following a change of residence also can be expensive.

The guess is that many people carrying an Oregon drivers license are actually Washington residents, a situation that state officials have been reluctant to address. When that is the case, we hope that shoppers will stay close to home and patronize local businesses, regardless of the fact they now must pay sales tax.

There was sharp opposition to removal of the sales-tax exemption. Republican legislators from throughout the state urged Inslee to not sign the bill. So did the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, Identity Clark County, the Washington Retail Association and auto dealers. Notably, the exemption remains in place for auto sales.

Inslee  and legislators before him  opted not to heed their concerns. We believe that was a mistake, but the more important thing is what happens next. Lawmakers must pay close attention to the result of the removal and, if necessary, must be quick to rectify that mistake.

In the meantime, we remind Oregon residents that Clark County is still open for business. We hope that works.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, produces, distributes, and markets gas in Hong Kong and Mainland China. It is involved in the provision of liquefied natural gas, methanol, and coal and other chemicals; conversion and utilization of biomass, and industrial and agricultural waste; and operation of natural gas refilling stations, piped city-gas projects, upstream and midstream developments, water and wastewater treatment projects, energy exploration and utilization ventures, and aviation fuel facilities. The company supplies town gas to approximately 1.9 million customers. It also provides network connectivity, and data center and cloud computing services; and engages in the software development, solution implementation, and systems integration activities. In addition, the company offers consultancy and engineering contractor services, including utilities installation, infrastructure construction, and civil and building services engineering for public and private projects; and designs and manufactures gas meters and metering systems. Further, it is involved in water supply and wastewater treatment serving 2.4 million customers. Additionally, the company manufactures polyethylene piping and fittings; and engages in the customers center, cafA, restaurant, retail sale, automatic meter reading system development, laboratory testing, payment gateway and related, project management, landfill gas project, financing, logistics, oil, research and development, property development, and securities investment activities. The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited was founded in 1862 and is headquartered in North Point, Hong Kong.

Read MoreConverged infrastructure technology is now widely used to integrate the various components of an IT infrastructure including servers, storage units, network orchestration and virtualization, software management and network functions. The data center ecosystem is witnessing more disruptive technology implementations along with fueling innovation in data center landscape as data center customers look to reduce cost incurred on increased compute and storage requirements. The data center is home to the computing power, storage, and applications needed to support a business.One such change-driven leader is FutureSoft Solutions Private Limited (FSPL). Formed in 1996 and headquartered in New Delhi, FSPL has achieved a significant benchmark in IT services and System integration. They are renowned for their vendor - agnostic process automation & optimization approach as well as exceptional delivery of a project that has put the company at the forefront.As Manish Bharti, CTO at FutureSoft elaborates,

expectations they have; an underlying IT infra is then designed considering the products that may fall in shall complement the existing IT infra. Team at FutureSoft takes pride in applying experiential learning gained over a period of time and helps customers commissioning a business aligned integrated service delivery platform. Along with Data Centre consulting, commissioning and maintenance services what interest more to the customer is the provision of SLA re cataloguing with the running maintenance contract, which in-turn allows customer to re-access their needs with the change of business needs. Futuresoft is also assisting their clients with drafting service catalog that they wish to offer to their internal or external customers. FutureSoft looks forward to introducing Blockchain with appropriate use cases to address problem statement thrown by the business Compared to the standard 6-hours hardware breakdown SLA, the company has demonstrated its ability to recover a breakdown in just 4 hours with Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities as well. Not many system integrators or managed service providers in the industry possess this feature and we have been successful in many projects to be proud of. Building and maintaining data centres and services respectively is a thing of a past, SIs will now be measured on their continual adaptability to accept change in

technology, change in SLA and like wise change in services experience within the running contract itself, last but not least, still be measured while change is happening. We are proud of being one of those agile partners who are happy to welcome the change and strategies service delivery accordingly", Manish adds.



Blockchain Technology can make a Difference

With converged and smart infrastructure leading the marketplace, FutureSoft looks forward to introducing Blockchain with appropriate use cases to address problem statement thrown by the business.



Manish explains, Its no longer a guessing game, service consumers understands that it is beyond adding an extra server or storage to solve a problem, hence none suggestions but only the problem statements. It is also least likely an eventual service consumer presenting a Blockchain proposal, extending a perfect opportunity to IT arm and SIs to drive a solution, which is not only technically leveraged but also economically meaningful.



It is the expertise and ingenuity of the service provider that will bring about the change. FutureSoft Solutions is positioned as one such service provider which has always accepted challenges and emerged throughout all projects with ground-breaking solutions. One of the State Government leading with IT initiatives has explored opportunities to leverage the use of digital tokens and innovative technology such as Blockchain and Mobile Wallet to manage the delivery of benefits programs to its residents.In Data centers, a lot of internal m parameters are accountable for a business functioning. The present IT workload will need more than just a data center provider. Upon mentioning Data Center, one might imagine servers, storage, network and millions of bytes of data. Seldom the discussion is about what holds the data together and keeps the light up and running. STT Global Data Centres India (STT GDC India) is one of Indias leading data center operators, trusted with the mission- critical architectures of some of the top companies offering cloud, social media, OTT and financial services. With over 33 percent revenue market share, the company manages the largest Pan-India datacentre floor area and IT load delivering more than 85 MW of IT load via 15 carrier neutral facilities.With carrier-dense interconnections across eight key cities, STT GDC India is renowned for its adherence to best standards, rated power rack options, and

global standards on security and compliance. The company has always been strategic in growth by looking ahead to cities with the potential to deliver the greatest value. Doing so has helped it establish unparalleled regional footprint enabling it to deliver comprehensive solutions when and where customers need them. As part of its growth plan in the next 3-4 years the company will offer more than 200MW IT load. "Globally, the STT GDC group has built an integrated datacentre platform in key economic hubs across developed and emerging markets' Globally, the STT GDC group has built an integrated datacentre platform in key economic hubs across developed and emerging markets. Through STT GDCs platform of 80 datacentres across China, India, Singapore, Thailand and the UK, the companys global platform offers extensive global geographic reach, which is married with deep sector expertise, enabling customers to rapidly deploy a scalable, global footprint while maintaining STT GDCs premium standards of performance, reliability, security and network choice. STT GDC group has also established a Centre of Operational Excellence department to ensure knowledge-sharing of the industrys key growth drivers and challenges, allowing STT GDC to identify key global trends to ensure

that it stays one step ahead of the competition. STT GDCs customers benefit from their enhanced capabilities as the company leverages global best practices and expand innovation across the markets to serve customers better. As the pioneer of offering global quality datacentre services as well as solving infrastructural challenges, STT GDC is the preferred datacentre service provider by global customers.



One of the issues leading to higher TCO for customers is lack of predictability of space requirements. This often means that companies buy more capacity than what they need. To enable customers to optimize space and costs, STT GDC India provides customized upward & downward scalability options. Further choice of selecting SKUs, options of time and volume commitment along with consumption based model gives an added advantage to manage the IT infrastructure costs from a customer perspective. By taking a take a modular approach for datacentre design and build that allows for capacity to be implemented to meet todays business demands but readily extended in the future as those demands grow. This allows the company to keep the per unit Capex low as they pay only for the functionality they require in the short term while also being able to expand as required and can pass on cost benefits to its customers.7 hours ago

2 Semiconductor Stocks To Own For 2022

Yesterday we wrote about how attractive Micron (NASDAQ: MU) is looking as we close out 2021, with the likes of Mizuho and Citi both calling it a top pick for the coming year. But theyre certainly not alone in attractive semiconductor names, and as was pointed out by the latter, business conditions for the industry havent been this attractive since 2000.

Read ArticleTwo years after taking office, UN Special Envoy to the Sahara Horst Kohler submitted his resignation citing health reasons, a decision that analysts say could bring negotiations over the Sahara issue to square one.

After years of stalemate, the former German president managed to bring the four parties Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the Polisario back to the table of negotiations in order to find a lasting, political, mutually acceptable and realistic solution to the over four-decade conflict.

He brought the parties together in two occasions (December 2018 and March 2019) in Geneva with a third round table scheduled but never took place leading many observers to question the reasons of Kohler resignation.

The departure of Kohler could bring the whole process to a standstill and erase all the progress that has been made so far by Kohler who made sure to repair the bias done by his predecessor Christopher Ross.

But hopes remain that a successor of Kohler would build on what has been achieved in terms of trust building and revival of negotiations in line with Security Council resolution that stress the need for all parties to negotiate in good faith without pre-conditions in order to reach a consensual and political solution.

However, the resignation could also pave the way for the US to push for the appointment of one of its diplomats to succeed Kohler, a decision which may be influenced by Trumps top security advisor, John Bolton, whose stands verge on finding a rapid solution to the conflict as by the past he pressured to reduce the MINURSO mandate from 12 to 6 months.

Morocco expressed regrets at the departure of Kohler and commended his leadership. The Polisario and Algeria also voiced regrets over his resignation although his term was marked by resolutions that highlight the responsibility of Algeria in perpetuating the conflict while calling on the Polisario to show realism in negotiations.

After Morocco retrieved the Sahara from colonial Spain, Algeria, along with few communist nations, hosted and armed the Polisario, which laid secessionist claims to the Sahara and launch hit and run attacks on the Moroccan armed forces.

The achievement of the security wall by Morocco has curbed the effect of the guerrilla tactics and left the Moroccan army with space to pursue Polisario fighters without conducting hot pursuit into the Algerian territory.

The UN-brokered ceasefire of 1991 was indicative of Polisarios failure to continue guerrilla warfare at a time its ally Algeria was battling extremists in what came to be called the Black decade.

In 2007, Morocco put forward the autonomy initiative after the organization of a referendum proved to be unfeasible in view of disagreements over who is eligible to vote. The autonomy initiative has been internationally endorsed as a credible solution, as a basis for negotiations. The plan offers the Sahara exclusive powers with regards to managing local affairs within the framework of Moroccos sovereignty and territorial integrity.Country

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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of ZimbabweWEST FRANKFORT  Ten students at Frankfort Community High School demonstrated how a few caring individuals can bring a community together through their Operation Memorial Day project.

Judy Littles senior honors class has always done a project on the history of West Frankfort, but the 10 seniors in this years class did not want to do the same old project. They were looking for something new.

Senior Max Pernitsky said Tower Heights Cemetery, the second largest cemetery in Franklin County, came up in class discussion along with the fact that no one places flags on the graves of veterans there for Memorial Day. They decided to place flags as their project.

The culmination of the project was Memorial Day services Saturday morning in the cemetery.

Speakers included State Sen. Dale Fowler, U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, Glenn Poshard, Superintendent of Schools Matt Donkin and Danny Wilson, and teacher at Frankfort Community High School and veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pernitsky and his classmate, Lane Caraway Short, acted as emcees. West Frankfort Show Choir, under the direction of Andrea Francis, sang God Bless America and a military song medley. Sarah Francis sang The Star Spangled Banner. Earic Sullivan played Taps.

Fowler said the crowd was gathered to honor those who paid the ultimate price.

Today is the culmination of all we hope for in the field of education, Donkin said. They understand the importance of history and honoring those who went before them.

He added that the entire community should be proud to have these kinds of citizens in its schools.

Donkin introduced Bost, who said the people of Southern Illinois understand the importance of the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in service to our county and the importance of remembering them.

He talked about John A. Logans part in making Memorial Day a national holiday. As head of the Grand Army of the Republic, Logan issued General Order 11, which set aside May 30, 1868, as a day for strewing with flowers or other decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country.

Bost also talked about visiting graves of American service men overseas and how American Armed Services fights for the cause of freedom and not for conquest. He read a quote from the Normandy Visitors Center by Gen. Mark Clark, chairman of the American Battle Monuments Commission from 1969 to 1984. If ever proof were needed that we fought for a cause and not for conquest, it could be found in these cemeteries. Here was our only conquest: All we asked  was enough  soil in which to bury our gallant dead.

Poshard told those gathered our American forefathers had a problem. They had lived in this country nearly 200 years, but had no rights.

They faced a question from which they could not run. Did the rights of the people come from the generosity of the state or from the hand of God? Poshard said.

They met in a little carpenters hall in Philadelphia and debated this question. In the midst of chaos, Ben Franklin made a statement.

Old Ben Franklin spoke words that America would be best to hear again today, Poshard said. Gentlemen, as to whether one course is best over the other, I do not know. But I do know this, if we dont all hang together, we will most assuredly will all hang separately.

The service ended with a prayer by Toby Robinson.

FCHS Principal Jory Dial and Assistant Principal Tara Sullivan also participated in the service.

I couldnt be more proud of these kids, Dial said.

He added that the students were the driving force behind the project.

Pernitsky he couldnt begin to figure out how much work into the project. They often worked until 10:30 or 11 p.m., then were back up at 7 a.m. on the phone with more questions. They spent numerous hours speaking to civic groups and organizations about the project and collecting donations.

The project grew to more than flags when the tool shed at the cemetery was broken into and most of the tools were stolen. The class presented a check to the cemetery association to help replace the tools.

The class bought 2,200 flags, and place 1,200 flags at four cemeteries in West Frankfort. They also bought large flags and flag poles to be used at the cemetery.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.SPRIGNFIELD  A graduated tax rate bill joined the constitutional amendment that would allow for the implementation of such a tax structure in awaiting a vote from the full Illinois House on Friday.

The bill, which adopts the same rates approved by the state Senate, was advanced by the House Revenue and Finance committee on a 9-6 party line vote with two swing vote Democrats who serve on the committee having been replaced with substitutes.

Rep. Mike Zalewski, a Riverside Democrat and House sponsor of Senate Bill 687, said he expects the House to take up the full amendment and rate structure package next week.

The committee did not act on a separate bill that would have created a conditional property tax freeze on school districts if the state meets certain funding requirements.

Zalewski said property tax relief would be an ongoing discussion in the summer.

I think its the intent of the caucuses to try to work toward a summer task force to deal with property tax relief, he said. Property tax relief cannot really be addressed in the income tax code. Its a very hard bridge to gap. So were going to try to work on a solution where we address property tax relief. It should be part of the conversation but its hard to entwine the two.

Democratic Reps. Sam Yingling, of Grayslake, and Jonathan Carroll, of Northbrook, have both said publicly they would not support a graduated tax plan that does not offer more systemic property tax relief. Both serve on the Revenue and Finance Committee, but were replaced on the committee with substitutes Friday by Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Even if the plan passes the full House, it would not take effect unless a constitutional amendment  Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 1  allowing a graduated rate structure is approved by the full chamber, then by voters in November 2020.

Carroll previously voted to pass the amendment out of committee, but said his vote did not mean he would support the measure on the floor.

While the amendment would need 71 of the chambers 74 Democrats to vote for it, the rate structure only requires 60 yes votes.

Per the rate structure approved by committee Friday, single filers would pay the maximum rate of 7.99 percent on all income once their taxable income tops $750,000. For joint filers, that rate takes effect when income tops $1 million.

For joint filers outside of the top brackets, the rates are 4.75 percent on taxable income from $0 to $10,000; 4.9 percent from $10,001 to $100,000; 4.95 percent from $100,001 to $250,000; 7.75 percent from $250,001 to $500,000; and 7.85 percent from $500,001 to $1 million.

For single filers, tax rates are the same as joint filers up to $250,000; but the 7.75 percent rate applies from $250,001 only to $350,000, while the 7.85 percent rate applies from $350,001 to $750,000.

The bill also includes an increase in the property tax credit from 5 percent to 6 percent, and a $100 per-child tax credit for couples earning less than $100,000 and single persons earning less than $80,000.

The discussion of the matter was similar to those in several other committees that have discussed the matter previously.

Republicans said it will drive taxpayers out of the state and make Illinois too reliant on its wealthiest residents for revenue.

Democrats said Illinois needs the estimated $3.5 billion in revenue the bill would generate to close structural budget deficits and give the state the stability it needs to attract new residents and businesses.

Currently, the state constitution mandates that taxes be levied at a flat rate. The current rate is 4.95 percent.

In response to claims that the states constitutionally-mandated flat tax is attractive to businesses, Zalewski said its only recently that this claim has been made.

There hasnt been a celebration of Illinois flat tax over the last 10 years around here  he said. Ive never seen a TV commercial or an online ad that said thank God we have the flat tax, this is a reason people need to come to Illinois.

Rep. Rob Martwick, who will carry the constitutional amendment in the House, said every day of inaction on a graduated income tax would necessitate higher taxes in the future as the state continues to accumulate debt because of a structural budget deficit he believes the graduated rate structure would erase.

But Rep. Margo McDermed, a Mokena Republican, said reductions in pension spending  which would require a separate constitutional amendment  and cuts to other state spending are needed before a tax increase.

The House is scheduled to reconvene Sunday, May 26, with substantial action expected to begin Monday.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1SPRINGFIELD  There are seven days to go before the scheduled end of session May 31, and the Illinois General Assembly is still debating bills to legalize recreational marijuana, expand gambling and provide funds for infrastructure  all while negotiating a budget.

The four legislative leaders and Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker met Thursday for about an hour for a closed-door meeting. A spokeswoman for the governor said the conference was another productive conversation and collaboration on substantive issues.

Senate President John Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat, said in a statement these meetings have a cooperative tone and he is cautiously optimistic we will see major accomplishments this session. His counterpart, Minority Leader Bill Brady, a Republican from Bloomington, called the meeting a constructive step forward.

But House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, a Republican from Western Springs, said not enough time was devoted to discussing the budget  almost the entire meeting was spent debating a capital bill.

Last week, Pritzker shared a $41 billion capital spending proposal with lawmakers that relies on new and increased taxes. Those include doubling the motor fuel tax, increasing the tax on alcohol and adding a tax on ride-sharing and streaming services.

I firmly believe that we have to make an investment in infrastructure, but we shouldve been dealing with the budget first, Durkin said.

The five men are scheduled to meet again Monday, with negotiations on the budget to continue over the weekend.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Capitol News Illinois: How has the budget negotiation process worked previously, and whats happened this session?

Durkin: The goal has always been that the four leaders would meet on a fairly regular basis on a lot of issues, but mainly about budget. Despite the acrimony over the past four years between Gov. Rauner and the Democrats, we still met. My disappointment with Gov. Pritzker is weve only met three times this year  three times. The most recent was (Thursday), with some seven or eight days left to be able to get some important things done.

Were seven days out and we dont have clarity on a budget. We know that the Senate and the House Democrats are meeting and theyve not quite been able to reconcile their differences, but what I will say is that there really has been no participation of the administration with my caucus and myself on the budget.

Our greatest responsibility every year is to develop and to pass a budget that is balanced and hopefully one that is negotiated. Last year, which was the last year under Gov. Rauner, we were able to negotiate a bipartisan budget between all four caucuses and the governor. This administration is not taking that same practice and its a bit disappointing, and it just makes me think whether or not they actually want Republican votes at the end of the day. The governor has made it very clear, and I took him at his word, that he wanted to solve the largest problems of the state in a two-party, bipartisan manner. Im not getting that impression as we go into the last week.

CNI: What is the main takeaway in your caucus budget proposal?

Durkin: The governors own Office of Budget and Management has said that we have the revenue to meet the obligations of the state, even at the governors introduced level of spending. Theres no need to go down this line where we have to have a cigarette tax, we have to have a bag tax, we have to have a streaming tax  all the things he lined out. Those should be taken off the table.

We dont have to tax anybody for the purposes of meeting our budget obligation to the state. Thats all were saying. This is coming from the governors own office that confirms with us that our revenue situation is much better than we think, so we should actually talk about living within our means for the first time in a long time without asking for more from Illinois citizens.

CNI: This time last year, it seemed the big push was for the General Assembly to pass a budget. But this year, the focus is on initiatives such as legalizing recreational marijuana and getting through a capital plan. Why do you think we arent hearing more talk about the budget, with seven days to go until the scheduled end of session?

Durkin: In (Thursday)s meeting, there was maybe a few seconds that were discussed about budget. Everything else was about capital. I would say that for purposes of what our true priorities should be is to take care of the budget first and then move on to the other issues  capital, gaming, cannabis  but the budget has to be the priority. Thats what affects the day-to-day lives of every person in this state  every family, every businessman, every high-schooler, every college kid.

Obviously things have changed dramatically within the last two weeks because of the new revenue that came in and now we feel that we, as I said earlier, the budget should be easy. We can do this and we can actually have this thing balanced without going back to the public trough. But apparently they dont want to accept what we say because they dont want to acknowledge theres a way to do this by the minority party. I think the public would be ecstatic if found out we were able to balance the budget without raising taxes on anything. We can do that.

CNI: Given the number of votes the Republicans have in the House  your members have a superminority  how much weight do you think your recommendations or proposals have with the Democratic leaders and the governor?

Durkin: Our votes mean something, particularly when it comes to some of these big-ticket items. Wed like to be part of the budget, but if they don't need us, if they dont want our participation or our recommendations, then theyre free to do it on their own. But when it comes to issues that are of other, higher importance, at least these big-ticket items, I dont think that they want to do this strictly on their own and that became very clear yesterday on capital that they need Republican votes. We do have value in this process. Were in the minority but our votes count. Well be willing participants in every proposal as long as we believe were given a fair shot and were being treated equally, but were not going to be undermined. This has got to be a two-way street.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1Bamberg County

Sheriffs Office

A motorcyclist whose bike broke down in Bamberg County said a local resident yelled at him and fired shots near him.

On May 21, Bamberg county units received a call regarding a male being shot at near the Whetstones Crossroads. Upon arrival, a deputy spoke with the alleged victim, who stated his bike had broken down at the stop sign at the intersection of Highway 61 and Highway 21. He told the deputy that he then pushed his bike across the street from the old gas station because of the barrier around the gas station. The victim said he was working on his bike and had revved it up, and then he heard people yelling at him, saying that he was on their property. He then stated that a woman yelled at him to get off their property, and then a male came out of the house, yelled too, and then shot two shots into the woods near where they were standing.

The victim was unable to identify the subjects but was able to point at where they were. The deputy asked the victim how he knew it was the man who shot, and he replied because the male subject told him he was going to shoot. The victim also stated that he was able to hear the bullets or pellets going through the woods.

The victims wife told the deputy was on the scene and the officer that she was there when the incident happened after being asked. The deputy asked the couple why they had not said that before. The wife said she was sitting in her car with her baby while her husband worked on his bike.

After receiving statements, the deputy and his partner went to the reported subjects residence. The subjects denied the allegations, and the male subject stated that he was shooting at opossums in the back by his chicken pen. A report for pointing and presenting a firearm has been filed.

In other reports:

On May 14, a sergeant met with a complainant at the sheriffs office, along with her sister who was a witness. The woman said that on Feb. 7, she and her sister met with a male subject at her home to discuss him performing some outside home repairs for her. The subject agreed to do the installation project, and quoted her a price. The victim agreed and gave the subject half of the quoted price up front, and then he would receive the remainder once the job was complete.

After making the first payment, the subject never showed up to do the work. Both the victim and witness called the subjects cell number several times. They said that the first few times they called, the subject gave excuses. However, the subject has stopped answering their calls. While the victim and witness were still at the sheriffs office, the sergeant tried to confirm the identity of the subject, but as of report time, law enforcement had not been able to locate a South Carolina drivers license for him.

A report has been filed for false pretenses/swindle/confidence game.

On May 14, county units were dispatched out to a Sand Creek Road address regarding an assault claim. When a deputy arrived on the scene, he interviewed a male subject who stated that he and his wife had been arguing since Mothers Day and that he was just trying to talk with her.

The couples son stated that his father was grabbing and shoving his mother. He also stated that this is an ongoing situation.

The deputy then interviewed the victim who confirmed what her son had stated. She added that the subject had placed his arm around her neck and would not let go. She then told the deputy that she did not want to press charges because of her son but just wanted the subject removed from the home. The deputy informed her that they could not make the victim leave because it was his home as well. She was advised of what she would need to do in order for him to be removed.

A report of simple assault has been filed against the subject.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0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.Moroccan rapper Issam Harris, best known as Issam, has signed a contact with Universal France in what appears as the biggest deal ever signed by an Arab artist.

The size of the contact has not been disclosed, but a source close to the artist said it is the biggest ever signed by an Arab musician, Huffpost Maghreb.

Universal France is the French subsidiary of California-based Universal Music Group controlled by Vivendi.

Though still with no record, Issams songs have gone viral and popular on Youtube channel with several millions of viewers over the past two years.

The young artist came under spotlight with Trap Beldi released six months ago. The track has garnered over 10 million views and attracted top music labels in Europe including Universal France, Sony, Warp, PIAS and Top Notch Holland.

The deal with Universal France, the source told Huffpost Maghreb, was worked out by Tarik Azzougarh, a Moroccan rapper and member of the American legendary band Wu-Tang Clan also known as Cilvaringz,.

Issams first record will be released in January 2020.The second large-scale protest, following the 15 March strike, took place on Friday afternoon.

The peaceful "civil disobedience" act was due to begin at 3pm in front of the Ministry of the Environment building on Place de l'Europe, but appeared to be subject to some initial delays. 40 minutes later than initially planned, the protesters set off towards the Red Bridge (Grand Duchess Charlotte bridge).

Klimaschutz-Demo

Verkehrsbehinderungen



Von den geschatzten 1.000 Manifestanten sind bereits die Ersten auf dem Nachhauseweg.

Bislang kam es zu keinen Zwischenfallen.

Eine Fahrbahn auf der Brucke G.D. Charlotte bleibt weiterhin fur den Verkehr gesperrt. pic.twitter.com/hiFL1Yu0R2  Police Luxembourg (@PoliceLux) 24 May 2019

Initial police estimates claimed the number of protesters was around the 400 mark, but the police since adapted that number to nearer 1,000. This second figure is closer to that given by the organisers, who cited 1,500 participants.

Protesters had a number of chants and slogans throughout the march, including a rather dedicated and creative move of pushing a sofa along the roads with the attached sign: "Politicians, are you comfortable?"

By 4.07pm, the protesters reached the Red Bridge. Buses appear to be passing the blockage comfortably, whilst individual cars are not having as much luck.

According to our RTL 5Minutes colleague, Thomas Thoussaint who was at the scene, only one lane was closed to traffic on the Red Bridge. Whilst the stream of protesters was certainly dense, it seems that motorists were able to use the bridge heading towards Kirchberg.

Police officers at the scene confirmed they had not planned a complete block of the Red Bridge. The police were adamant that a lane would remain open, so the protesters blocked off two lanes towards Luxembourg City.

Klimaschutz-Demo

Verkehrsbehinderungen



Zurzeit ist noch immer eine Fahrbahn auf der Brucke G.D. Charlotte fur die Manifestanten gesperrt.

Auf der anderen Fahrbahn wird der Verkehr in Schritttempo weitergeleitet.

Vorsichtig fahren!

Anweisungen der Polizei beachten!

Staugefahr. pic.twitter.com/3WpYNfoy3X  Police Luxembourg (@PoliceLux) 24 May 2019

A Tweet posted by the police showed traffic at a standstill on the Red Bridge. Whilst cars passed by slowly, protesters took to throwing flyers into the open windows of passing vehicles in a bid to spread their message. Students at the protest also maintained that they would organise another large-scale protest during the start of the 2019/2020 academic year.

Les manifestants tentent de jeter des flyers aux automobilistes.#OccupyForClimate pic.twitter.com/pUkg1nxmIf  Thomas Toussaint (@ThomToussaint) 24 May 2019

A student told the RTL 5Minutes journalist at the scene that the movement does not see its protests as its objective, but instead views protests as a means to trigger increasing awareness. Protesters regretted seeing so many motorists alone in their cars, deploring the lack of carpooling in Luxembourg. The police confirmed that for a short while, two lanes towards Luxembourg City were blocked off to guarantee the safety of protesters until officers escorted protesters away from the second lane.

Klimaschutz-Demo

Verkehrsbehinderungen



Auf dem Kirchberg herrscht aktuell zahflussiger Verkehr aufgrund der kurzen Vollsperrung der Brucke G-D. Charlotte in Richtung Glacis.



Die Brucke wurde gesperrt um die Manifestanten in Sicherheit von der Brucke zu leiten. pic.twitter.com/so5n8sNj5R  Police Luxembourg (@PoliceLux) 24 May 2019

Organisers confirmed that despite the delay, the protest was going as planned. The protest was due to end at 7pm, but ended nearly an hour earlier.

At 6.10pm, the police started moving protesters away from the bridge towards the city centre and the Kinnekswiss, where the march came to its conclusion.

Le rassemblement a quitte le Pont Rouge, les derniers manifestants sont a la Kinnekswiss#OccupyForClimate pic.twitter.com/ZYLtE5SaM3  Thomas Toussaint (@ThomToussaint) 24 May 2019

Earlier information

Whilst the organisers requested leave to strike on 15 March, they had not contacted the Ministry of Education on this occasion.

Klimaschutz-Demo: Verkehrsbehinderungen moglich



Heute Nachmittag ist von 15.00-19.00 Uhr mit Verkehrsbehinderungen auf dem Kirchberg zu rechnen.

In der Ave J. F. Kennedy, Hohe Philharmonie sowie auf der Brucke G.-D. Charlotte wird eine Fahrspur fur den Verkehr gesperrt. pic.twitter.com/rPTj3wp93z  Police Luxembourg (@PoliceLux) May 24, 2019

The organisers wrote on Facebook that the European elections are climate elections, but reiterated their non-political stance. After protesting in Kirchberg, the march will move on to block the Red Bridge (Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge) to traffic and have worked with the police ahead of the event.

A similar protest is taking place in Trier, as the global Youth for Climate movement announced its second global strike. In total, young people in 118 countries are taking part.On Sunday both the Democratic Party and the Alternative Democratic Reform Party sent targeted letters in various languages out to particular voters. Coming up to the one-year anniversary of GDPR, is this practice legal under new data protection laws?

Election times are often prone to heated debates concerning party practices. Some have raised concerns about the recent practice of catering letters to particular voters based on information taken from the electoral register.

On Sunday, the DP and ADR sent letters in various languages to selected voters. Among the targeted voters were first-time voters and foreign residents who are voting in Luxembourg for the first time. The parties obtained this data, including voters' names, nationalities and addresses, from the electoral register. The question is whether this is still legal since the new European data protection law has come into effect.

Herve Wolff, a French lawyer who has lived in Luxembourg for 13 years, is registered to vote in the upcoming European elections. Recently, he received a letter from the DP about the election, written in French.Wolff commented that the election letter sent by DP was problematic, as it shows that the party is able to access sensitive data, such as nationality, or even race and skin colour.

The European regulation on data protection GDPR, which came into effect on 25 May 2018, demands that personal data is handled confidentially. Article 20 in Luxembourg's electoral law legitimises the practise of contacting people using data taken from the electoral register - but only for electoral reasons. This ambiguous phrasing led Wolff to wonder what falls under the category of electoral reasons. Does it simply refer to organisational issues surrounding elections, or does it include campaigning?

The National Data Protection Commission's Thierry Lallemang admitted that the wording leaves some leeway. Regarding the electoral law, the CNPD had said that if the electoral register is used to contact people for election campaigning, it is compatible with Luxembourgish electoral law and the European regulations.

On Twitter, LSAP MP Alex Bodry said that residents are likely to have questions regarding the matter and might want political action. He suggested that Luxembourg may need to rethink whether access to the electoral register, as it is currently is set out by Luxembourg's electoral law, should remain unchanged or not.

Responding to inquiries about the matter, the Democratic Party president Corinne Cahen said that she wasn't opposed to discussions on such a change. She nevertheless highlighted the legality of the letters addressed to first-time voters, as the party respects the duty to inform voters of their options. Lallemang echoed the importance of this, as many voters do not know that their information is taken from the electoral register. Specifically, addresses should know they have the right to have their data removed from the list.The castle is one of the most important buildings in the municipality of Schieren, with cultural and architectural value.

Parts of the castle date back to the 13th century. Built by Gaspard-Florent de Breiderbach, the building was owned for years by the de Blochhausen family, including former Luxembourg prime minister Baron Felix de Blochhausen. He was born at the castle in March 1834 and died there in November 1915.

In the Second World War, the castle was used as a base for US troops. Since then the owners have changed frequently but always within the family, with 1990 members of the de Blochhausen family calling the castle home. It was loaned to a doctor from 1990 to 2002 - since then it has stood empty.

Following the death of the last official proprietor in 2018, a Luxembourg ONG inherited the castle and surrounding land. The government classed it as a national monument in January last year.

At the start of August, the site is to host a private socio-cultural event. A number of people are reportedly unhappy at the thought that the event will take place on a cultural property and wish to stop the event from happening. However, the organiser maintained that objections were based on financial, rather than cultural, reasons.

Domingos Oliveira once again provides a fascinating photographic journey around the site.

About this series

In this popular series, RTL photographer Domingos Oliveira takes you to hidden places, lesser known locations and buildings with an interesting story.

1) The first instalment captured the last moment of the agricultural centre in Mersch.

2) We then visited Zenningen Zoo, which was closed in the early 80s.

3) Our third trip took us to Hesperange's eery swimming pool which now looks like the setting for an apocalyptic film.

4) The fourth photo series targeted the veritable ghost town "Cite Syrdall."

5) We also visited the iconic cinema Ariston in Esch, which opened in 1962 and closed in 2016. The cinema's history is an eventful one - from erotic films to youth theatre.

6) In the sixth instalment, we took a trip down memory lane and revisited pictures of Luxembourg City's former "centre Aldringen," an underground parking lot and cultural hub that gave way to Centre Hamilius.

7) The seventh gallery in the series took us to Luxembourg's former police museum.

8) And in the 8th instalment we got to take a look at a cemetery for old fire engines.

9) The 9th gallery visited the Lentilles Terres Rouges site in Esch.

10) The 10th instalment explored the old ArcelorMittal works in Esch and Schifflange.Sudan's protest leaders have called for a two-day general strike starting Tuesday amid deadlock in talks with the ruling army generals on installing civilian rule, the key demand of demonstrators.

The umbrella protest movement, which led nationwide demonstrations against longtime leader Omar al-Bashir that led to his ouster on April 11, is at odds with the generals over the forming of a new governing body.

"There is no longer any alternative to using the weapon of a general strike," the Alliance for Freedom and Change said in a statement Friday.

It said the strike, affecting "public and private institutions and companies", would be accompanied by civil disobedience and was "an act of peaceful resistance with which we have been forced to proceed".

Talks between the protest leaders and generals have been suspended since Monday after a disagreement over who should lead the new authority -- a civilian or an officer.

The generals who seized power after Bashir was toppled have resisted calls from the demonstrators and the international community to step down.

- Meeting demonstrators -

The protest alliance said that on Saturday its leaders will hold meetings with demonstrators at the sit-in outside the military headquarters to consult the demonstrators on how to end the deadlock in talks with the generals.

Thousands of protesters remain camped at the sit-in demanding that the generals who seized power after ousting Bashir step down.

The Alliance for Freedom and Change has also called for rallies from residential areas in Khartoum heading towards the sit-in on Sunday.

On Thursday, employees of several companies as well as government institutions, including the central bank, held spontaneous demonstrations in parts of the capital in support of the protest movement.

Several rounds of talks have so far failed to finalise the makeup of the new ruling body, with both the generals and protest leaders insisting on their demands.

Western nations like the United States, Britain and Norway have consistently called on the generals to hand over power to a civilian administration, while the ruling army council has received support from regional allies like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Days after Bashir was ousted, oil-rich Gulf states Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pledged to inject $500 million into Sudan's central bank and $2.5 billion to help provide food, medicine and petroleum products.

They said the move was aimed at shoring up the Sudanese pound.

In recent years Sudan has been hit by an acute lack of dollars, a key factor behind the nationwide protests that first erupted in December and led to the toppling of Bashir.

But the Western troika, which has previously been involved in mediation in Sudanese conflicts, reiterated this week that the two sides reach an agreement urgently.

"Any outcome that does not result in the formation of a government that is civilian-led, placing primary authority for governing with civilians, will not respond to the clearly expressed will of the Sudanese people for a transition to civilian rule," the United States, Britain and Norwary said in a joint statement.

"This will complicate international engagement, and make it harder for our countries to work with the new authorities and support Sudan's economic development."Show and shine free at fairgrounds

The 19th annual Cruizin With The Oldies Show and Shine is 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds and is free for the public to attend. Only pre-registered cars are eligible for the show prizes.

Comedy matinee

The Casper Theater Company presents the comedy, A Red Plaid Shirt, at 2 p.m. A bonus program, sponsored by the Wyoming Humanities Council, will be presented after the play, entitled American comedy, Then and Now, by Dr. Audrey Cotherman and supported by artistic director Donna Fisher. The show and discussion is supported by a grant from the Wyoming Humanities Council.

PFLAG meets

Casper PFLAG dinner and meeting is Sunday at United Church of Christ Social Hall, 15th & Melrose. Business meeting is at 5 p.m. and everyone is welcome. Potluck at 5:30 p.m. and program at 6 p.m. Plans will be finalized for this years Pride Week. Join us in building a positive community for all our kids.

Sunday support meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous: 10 a.m., 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 10:15 a.m., 917 N. Beech; noon, 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 6:30 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott; 6:30 p.m., 328 E. A; 8 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 8 p.m., 328 1/2 E. A. Douglas: 1 p.m, Douglas, 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back), womens meeting; 7:30 p.m., 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back). Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: (307) 351-1688.

Narcotics Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 6:30 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 8 p.m., 15th & Melrose at the church. Web site: http://www.urmrna.org.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.TORRINGTON  The announcement last week of Japan lifting its years-long ban on imports of beef from the United States is good news for Wyo-Braska producers, but it may not be the overarching panacea some in Washington, D.C., might want people to think.

Im very cautiously optimistic, said Ivan Rush, retired University of Nebraska Extension beef specialist and a board member of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, a market group supporting U.S. producers on the world market.

I am optimistic, I am thrilled, Rush said. Were making some progress, but I still have concerns with our international markets.

Steve Paisley, University of Wyoming Extension beef specialist and interim director of the Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Lingle, agreed.

Any increase in export markets, any increase in demand, is going to be beneficial to the industry as a whole, Paisley said. Its an optimistic sign that fits in with what were producing.

Japan blocked imports of all U.S. beef products  which totaled about 1 billion pounds annually  in 2004, following discovery the year before of bovine spongiform encephalopathy  also known as BSE or, colloquially, as Mad Cow Disease  in herds in this country, said University of Wyoming Agriculture Economist Dr. Chris Bastian. Then, slowly, beginning in about 2013, exports of American beef to Japanese tables began building again, increasing from about 80,000 pounds in 2013 to an estimated 600 million to 700 million pounds this year, according to recent projections.

The market in Japan is focusing on the high-value cuts, choice and better, which Wyoming and Nebraska cattle producers excel at bringing to market. Thats due, in part, to ongoing marketing efforts by the USMEF, which has been focusing on the Asian market in general and Japan specifically to promote meat from the United States.

The Meat Export Federation is spending a lot of money in Japan right now, trying to educate restaurateurs how delicious a thick steak is, cooked medium rare, Rush said. Theyre developing some restaurants there where you go in, order a steak and its cooked rapidly. Thats going over really well.

I think this means a lot to cattle producers in Nebraska and Wyoming, he said. We produce some of the highest-quality beef there is in the world and the Japanese have developed a taste for our high-quality beef.

And Rush said hes already seen some economic impact from the announcement, where prior, the export value of a fat steer was slightly less than $300, its recently reached almost $330 for that same critter.

One major change the Japanese government has made in its import rules is dropping restrictions on beef animals 30-months-old and older, Bastian said. While those older animals  mostly milk cows or seed bulls which are past their prime  definitely wont qualify as prime beef for the high-end table, they can contribute lesser-quality cuts to other areas of the market.

Theres been a lot of focus on steaks, which represents less than 15 percent of the carcass, in terms of poundage, Bastian said. If were only selling steaks, the high-value stuff, that still means theres a lot of that beef animal left to be consumed.

Its a very important market, its very important for them to demand our beef, he said. If we think about beef produced from animals greater than 30 months  that should improve the demand in the Japanese markets.

Rush and Bastian agree the potential increase in demand wont have a significant impact on what consumers pay for their beef at the local market. While Japan does currently represent about 25 percent of the total U.S. beef exported annually, exports in general represent a relatively small percentage of total annual beef production in this country.

We produce about 26 billion pounds of beef in the United States, Bastian said. Japan has been importing from us less than 1 billion pounds. We tend to consume, in the U.S. on average, about 90 percent of the beef we produce.

This may have some effect on the domestic market, but it wont be a big, huge amount on current domestic beef prices, he said. Again, time is going to tell, based on how much demand there is for these lower-value cuts from animals more than 30-months (of age). If theres a big increase in that, we could have some increase in (domestic) prices. If we dont see that much, consumers might not even be aware of a price increase.

Another area increased exports to Japan could benefit is other commodities  corn and other inputs on the feeding end for cattle, Bastian said. With increased cattle prices, hed expect to see greater demand for those feed inputs. But dont expect massive per-bushel increases in the value of corn any time soon, he said.

I dont think were going to see a huge increase very fast, Bastian said. It will help a little bit, but its not going to take current corn prices and increase them by 40 percent. Thats not going to happen.

Overall, though, the news of another expanding market for U.S. beef is a positive. But its also a slow process, Rush said. It takes time to get infrastructure and agreements in place, all the minutia of trade deals that has to take place before the first pound of U.S. beef is shipped.

What that means for producers here and across the United States, it represents an increase in demand for beef, which translates into upward pressure on cattle prices, Bastian said. And that comes at a time when were seeing the supply of cattle increasing.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0My first college journalism professor, John Pauly, told me, journalists dont clap.

What he meant was that reporters have to stay objective. He believed reporters dont clap at public events, that they shouldnt participate in protests, that they should keep their vehicles free of political bumper stickers.

Its one of the trickier parts about journalism. Reporters arent robots; we care about things the same way all people do. But theres a tacit understanding in journalism that, regardless of beliefs, reporters write stories without inserting their own biases or their own opinions.

If you see me at a public event and Im not clapping after a rousing speech by an elected official or I dont sign a petition as it circulates around the room, thats why. I want you to know that when I write a story, Im doing so without advocating for any particular outcome or cause.

In light of this, Im uncomfortable with the idea of writing an opinion column once a week when, for the rest of the week, Im supposed to be an unbiased news reporter. My understanding is that this space has traditionally served as a space for the city reporter to analyze and opine. I want to take a different approach. (No offense to my predecessors.)

I am only beginning to understand this city, but as I meet more members of the community and learn new things about how local government works in Wyoming, I want to have a space to delve into some of these new things Im learning.

This week, most of my time has been spent poring over budget documents and how Wyoming municipalities plan their annual expenses.

The City of Caspers budget process, I learned, begins in January, though the City Council doesnt have to approve it until the second Tuesday of June.

In January, the council identifies goals for the year, and the city staff then looks at how to accomplish those goals. This year, the councils goals included making the city more attractive to business and workforce development, enhancing public safety, and providing the highest quality services to citizens.

After those goals are identified, City Manager Carter Napier meets with the head of each department and looks at the budget line by line. They decide where money can be cut and where more money is needed.

The city staff create a proposal that both balances the budgets and meets the goals of the council.

This year, the budget is about rebuilding and recovery.

Napier told me the fiscal year 2020 budget, which the council began deliberating Monday, takes a conservative tone. He said he wants the city to rebuild its reserves to ensure a stable future if money gets tight again. As part of that, city employees will receive bonuses but no raises or cost-of-living adjustments.

There are some infrastructure projects the city wants to accomplish, like starting maintenance work on the recreation center and the police department. But overall, the plan is to limit expenses.

We definitely are trying to insulate ourselves as much as we can, he said.

The city, and all municipalities, are heavily reliant on state funding. This is because tax revenue generated by the city doesnt necessarily stay in Casper. Sales and property tax money is paid to the state, and the state then redistributes that money to cities and towns.

Napier said the city wants to make sure if those distribution dollars are cut in any way, the city isnt struggling to make up the difference.

The city also didnt pad the revenue numbers in the budget proposal with anticipated increases. They used last years revenue figures to create the 2020 budget, so if revenue increases, it will be a happy surprise, but if it doesnt, the city hasnt bet on something that doesnt exist.

I do believe the growth is going to happen, Napier said. But its always a guess of how much and by what margins.

The budget process is more complicated than this, and there are more moving parts than I can detail in this space. Still, its been interesting to learn all of the different things that have to come together to make a budget work.

What should I try to learn about for next week? Let me know: morgan.hughes@trib.com or 307-266-0505.

Follow city reporter Morgan Hughes on Twitter @morganhwrites.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.France regretted Friday the resignation of the UN Secretary Generals Personal Envoy for the Sahara Horst Kohler, who explained his decision by health reasons, and reiterated its full support to the UN process.

France has learned with regret the resignation of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, said the spokesperson of the French Foreign Ministry, commending his work, his personal commitment, and his continued efforts to carry out his mission since his appointment in August 2017.

President Kohler has made significant progress on the issue entrusted to him, including the two round tables in Geneva that brought together Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria and Mauritania. France hopes that this dynamic, new and positive, will continue and calls on all participants to carry on this dialogue, the spokesperson said.

France reiterates in this regard its full support for the efforts of the Secretary-General for a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution in Western Sahara, in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions, the spokesman added.A Casper native and former Casper College instructor who has directed a state AIDS program has been tapped to take over Natrona Countys health department, the agency announced recently.

Anna Kinder will assume the executive director role of the Casper-Natrona County Health Department on July 1. The previous director, Kelly Weidenbach, announced in late October that she would be departing Casper for a job in Colorado.

Kinder is wrapping up her tenure as the director of the Wyoming AIDS Education and Training Center, according to the health departments press release. She previously worked as an occupational therapist and taught at Casper College and the University of North Dakota, her alma maters. She also has a masters degree from Colorado State University.

Locally, the Casper native has demonstrated a lifelong dedication to the community, including service to the Make a Wish Foundation and local Boosters Club, as well board and steering committee service for healthcare organizations focused on children and the elderly, the health department wrote in its press release. She has been an outspoken advocate for the management of infectious disease, especially in the development of HIV and AIDS prevention programs.

Kinder was unavailable for an interview this week but said by email that she was looking forward to this opportunity and have a lot of plans to be the best that we can be!

There are a slew of health challenges facing Natrona County, despite the heavy health care infrastructure concentrated in Casper. A sweeping report from the health department last year found residents here are more likely to smoke and drink to an unhealthy extent. Heart disease remains a persistent concern, which is related to another: poor access to fresh food. The county lags well behind the rest of the state for access to grocery stores per 100,000 people, at just 13, compared to the Wyoming average of 63. Significant slices of Natrona County have limited access to fresh produce.

Elsewhere, the report found that Natrona County residents are more likely to die from most major cancers than the average Wyomingite and that liver disease and cirrhosis  both tied to heavy alcohol use  are higher here than is typical elsewhere in the state and nation.

Follow education reporter Seth Klamann on Twitter @SethKlamann

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Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.The military wants North Dakota and four other states with nuclear missile arsenals to consider introducing new rules aimed at preventing conflicts between wind turbines and helicopters that provide security at launch facilities.In Wyoming, we can have a robust energy industry and protect the most vital wildlife habitat on our public lands. Our governors have called it balance. Congress calls it multiple use management. This means not all uses can occur on the same tract of land at the same time. You cant have an oil and gas field or a wind farm, for example, and have intact, highly functional wildlife habitat on the same acre. Balance means prioritizing energy development in some places and making sure other places  like the highest quality, most crucial big game habitat  arent developed.

Todays BLM, however, has thrown the concept of balance  and its congressional mandate to manage public lands for multiple uses  out the window. The BLM now operates under a self-described energy dominance framework. Energy dominance is exactly what it sounds like  currently, energy development is prioritized over all other uses on our lands, including wildlife, agriculture, and outdoor recreation.

This national policy is playing out in real and troubling ways here at home. In not even two years, the BLM has offered more than two million acres of public land in Wyoming for oil and gas leasing. That staggering number includes some of the best wildlife habitat we have left: places like the Golden Triangle south of the Wind River Range, which is arguably the best Greater sage-grouse habitat in the world, and thousands of acres in the Red Desert-to-Hoback mule deer migration corridor  the longest mule deer migration ever recorded.

Compounding this short-sighted lease-it-all policy is the fact that these irreplaceable landscapes are being sold on the cheap. The glut in offerings has resulted in low bid prices or no bids at all in some recent sales. When parcels arent acquired during competitive quarterly lease sales, they remain available for purchase for another two years. Through this little-known practice, companies are able to obtain leases on public lands for as little as $1.50/acre on a first-come, first-served basis. This is a growing threat to public lands in Wyoming, and to our wildlife.

According to a new report by the Center for American Progress, non-competitive leasing has increased dramatically under todays BLM. In 2018, it issued more non-competitive leases than it did in any other year for at least the past decade.

In November 2018, after unsuccessfully trying to auction-off more than 16,000 acres of leases within the Red Desert-to-Hoback mule deer migration corridor, the BLM quietly sold all of those leases non-competitively to two energy companies. BLM collected just $28,000 in return  a mere $1.75/acre for the right to drill.

Thats right. For less than the price of a pack of gum, an acre of public land can be leased for oil and gas development in the worlds longest mule deer migration corridor.

Its uncertain whether these leases in migration corridors will ever be developed. Companies stockpile oil and gas leases for any number of reasons  including sheer speculation  and these bargain-basement prices make it easy. One thing is certain: now that these lands have been leased, the BLMs hands are effectively tied if companies decide to drill. The BLM simply cant say no.

Thats because oil and gas leases offered in designated migration corridors today dont include any legally-binding terms that give the BLM added authority to limit or deny industrial activities to protect them. The good news is that the Rock Springs BLM office is in the process of drafting this necessary language. The bad news is that its nowhere near ready. Three sales in the Red Desert-to-Hoback corridor have already happened without this safeguard, and another sale is slated for the fall.

Once vital habitat is gone, it doesnt come back. No one wants to see development hurt migration corridors or our big game herds. But hoping for the best while selling leases without guaranteed safeguards to high bidding  and in some cases the lowest bidding  companies is a problem. Its not balanced. Its not fiscally responsible. And its not what Wyoming should accept.

To learn more about the pitfalls of non-competitive oil and gas leasing on our public lands, read this report by the Center for American Progress.

And to learn more about the risks oil and gas development poses to the Red Desert-to-Hoback mule deer migration corridor, visit our website.

Lisa McGee is Executive Director of the Wyoming Outdoor Council.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Many people in Wyoming talk about the need to improve our health care system. They acknowledge that it can be expensive for patients and employers, that its difficult for people in rural communities to access care, that many Wyomingites travel to other states for services.

Lawmakers and political leaders often offer little more than talk. Thankfully, there are individuals within the medical community who have stepped up to address the issues head on.

Dr. David Wheeler is one.

The American Heart Association recently named Wheeler, a Casper neurologist, national physician of the year. Its a tremendous honor, and Wheeler deserves a hearty congratulations from our community.

His impact extends well beyond winning the award. Wheeler, a high school dropout turned Rhodes Scholar, is credited with playing a key role in bringing elite stroke care to Wyoming.

A stroke occurs when blood flow is cut off to part of the brain, causing brain cells to begin dying. Its a major medical emergency that can potentially cause partial paralysis or even death. That makes every second count when it comes to implementing treatment.

However, that can prove difficult in rural parts of Wyoming, where there are fewer medical facilities and specialists. Wheeler began by communicating about the signs of a stroke, as well as what to do for someone experiencing a stroke. He hammered the phrase, Time is brain, meaning dont wait, act fast if you see the symptoms and get to the hospital. This is important if the patient is one given to wait and see.

Wheeler began a telemedicine program focused on stroke care in 2007, bringing a specialists expertise to far-flung corners of the state. When grant money for the program ran out three years later, Wheeler continued the work by telephone. As communications technology improved, he restarted the program. Its been adopted by Wyoming Medical Center and is now operating at hospitals in Douglas, Sheridan and Thermopolis. Gillette will be joining soon.

For Wyomings health care system to thrive, we need the ingenuity and determination of people like Dr. Wheeler. We live in a large state by geography, but also that nations least populated one, meaning we will always face difficulties related to access. Wheelers telestroke program is one step in overcoming those challenges.

The doctor has also shown a clear commitment to our state. As he told reporter Seth Klamann, Wheeler moved to a place where he knew his skills were needed.

A big part of my motivation for becoming a doctor was really just about making the world better, improving the plight of my fellow man  thats genuinely where this comes from for me, he said. The idea of going and doing something thats desperately needed in a place where they havent really had that kind of care, thats good for me morally, and intellectually the idea of going to place (where) what I wanted to do didnt exist yet was exciting to me.

Wheelers focus on bettering his community is an example for all of us. Wyomings health care problems are solvable, but doing so requires people determined to solve them. We hope our states leaders look to his example when addressing other medical challenges in Wyoming. Because Wheeler has shown that decisive, determined action  action that comes from a place of compassion  can make a difference.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The companys leadership team includes Mark Nelson, professor of pathology at the UA College of MedicineTucson, as CEO of DesertDx, Corey Hill as chief business officer and Futscher as chief science officer.

The cancer-detection technology is based on a process called methylation, by which cancers disrupt the makeup of DNA. The new blood test recognizes biological markers for methylation to detect and quantify the presence of cancer cells.

That will allow doctors to evaluate the effectiveness of cancer surgeries by comparing the levels of tumor markers before and after procedures, while also monitoring for cancer reoccurrences, the UA said in a news release.

Lisa Lin, TLA licensing manager for the UA College of MedicineTucson, said one of the best opportunities for the new test is to become a companion test with computerized tomography, or CT, scans.

You might see a nodule in a CT scan image, but up until now we havent had an easy way to know if what we see is cancerous or benign. The only way is tissue biopsy, Lin said. This blood test allows us to characterize what were able to see in a scan and say whether its cancer or not, all using a routine blood draw.The chapel will reopen, Laber said, once a certificate of occupancy from Pima County is received.

It is a lot different back then in 1952 when DeGrazia originally built the chapel," Laber said. There was no building code to worry about, but now, we have to follow the rules.

Numerous burning candles and flammable items on the altar were the probable reasons for the 2017 Memorial Day fire, Laber said.

With the hope of preventing another fire, a candle rack, similar to those used in Catholic churches, will be installed so only votive candles in glass containers will be allowed in the future, he said.

Much like the mission at San Xavier, proper candles will be available in the DeGrazia gift shop.

But bare candles will no longer be allowed in the chapel and none will be allowed on the altar, Laber said. We are doing all we can to mitigate the problem.

To prevent a buildup of too many items and gifts accumulating on the altar, there will be a more frequent removal of the items than in the past.

As was the custom before the fire, they will be buried on the property, Laber said.Sen. Heather Carter, R-Cave Creek, is pushing a measure that would treat vaping products exactly the same as tobacco.

That would subject them to the same regulations on how and where they could be sold, including issues of internet sales, vending machines and requirements for retailers to ask for ID. It also would mean that all the restrictions on where people cannot smoke, including airports, banks, bars, restaurants, retail stores, shopping malls, theaters and the common areas of apartment buildings and hotels.

But one of the big objections from the industry to HB 2357 is it would allow local governments to enact even more stringent restrictions, including not just how far vaping shops could be from schools but also how the products could be advertised.

Allen, in a bid to gain traction for SB 1147, agreed to permit some local control  but only up to a point. He said its a matter of states rights.

Its states that are mentioned in the Constitution, not municipalities, Allen said. I think that having a uniform commercial code for smoking and vaping is good not only for the public but also for people trying to sell items or produce them.Cases like these are not appropriate for the courts original jurisdiction because they are pecuniary disputes regarding taxation of private parties, not a substitute for the diplomatic settlement of controversies between sovereigns, he wrote.

Brnovich contends that California is assessing its doing business tax in a way where it reaches companies that are not conducting actual business in that state. The connection being seized upon by California is that these are Arizona limited liability companies that have what Brnovich contends are purely passive investments in California companies.

Brnovich said he is interceding on behalf of Arizona LLCs and their owners because it isnt worth the time or effort of any one of them to challenge what amounts to an $800 charge.

But the overall effect, he said, is massive.

Brnovich estimates that Arizona investors are paying about $10.6 million a year to California under what he said is that states illegal scheme.In April 2018, the median price of a new home topped $300,000 for the first time in the Tucson market and the median sale price for existing homes exceeded $200,000.

The average teacher salary in Arizona was $48,951 in fiscal year 2018, according to the Arizona auditor general.

I finally have a comma in my paycheck this year, said Ali Pierce, an English teacher at Marana High School, who has been teaching for five years. And I only have that comma in my paycheck because I gave up my prep period to teach an additional course. That is the reality of things.

She doubts she and her husband, David, who is a manager for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, will be able to buy a home in the near future after two unpaid maternity leaves put a dent in their savings.

Its so far out of the picture, Pierce said.

University High School economics teacher James Lerch is also renting a home and is considering leaving the U.S. to teach abroad, which comes with benefits such as free housing. His wife, Amy Villagio, is a counselor at Pueblo High School.It was 50 years ago this summer that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to land and walk on the moon, on July 20, 1969.

An estimated 600 million people  a fifth of the worlds population  watched and listened to the landing.

It was the largest audience for any single event in history, The Associated Press has reported.

Were you among those who watched it in awe on live television?

If so, please tell us what you remember  where you were, how old you were, how you felt, and what the American astronauts, scientific achievement and giant leap for mankind meant to you.

To mark the 50th anniversary, we will share a collection of our readers memories in the July 14 edition of the Arizona Daily Star.

To submit yours, please go online to tucson.com/moonlanding to find a form to fill out. (In the topic field, choose history from the drop-down menu.)Photo: Mirrorpix/Getty Images

The world contains two types of people. There are the people who, when confronted with adversity, hang their heads, give up, and accept their lot in life. And then there are the people who do something. People like Dylan D., of Fort Worth, Texas, who, when he was recently confronted with adversity and disappointment, created a change.org petition: Remake Game of Thrones Season 8 with competent writers.

Over the last two weeks, more than 1.5 million people have signed Dylan D.s petition. Thats about 12 percent of the total number of people who watched the finale of the HBO fantasy series on Sunday night. The petition has been translated into four languages  Justicia para los fans, one signatory wrote from Mexico City  and written about in hundreds of blog posts and articles across the internet. Its even, through the media, reached the cast of the show itself: Sophie Turner, one of the shows stars, called it and other similar petitions disrespectful to the crew, and the writers, and the filmmakers. Jacob Anderson, who played the mercenary eunuch Grey Worm, put it more bluntly. That sucks, he told TMZ.

It may suck for Grey Worm, but what else was Dylan D. supposed to do? The online petition is the way people now complain, agitate, organize, and vent  the defining form of politics for the social-media age. Theres a petition, at this point, for everything. If you want to bring back a favorite canceled television series, encourage lawmakers to pass legislation, or pressure large corporations to change their policies, there will be a petition for that. If you want to make Shrek the national bird, therell be a petition for that, too.

More than 5 million petitions have been created on Change.org, the largest clearinghouse for digital petitions, since it was founded in 2007, and 1,000 new petitions are started there every day. The popularity of online petitions is such that the White House has its own digital petition site, We the People, on which it pledges to respond to any petition that can reach 100,000 signatures in 30 days. Hundreds of petitions have reached that threshold, nearly all of which have occasioned an official response. (The Trump White House briefly took the site down, but it was put back online in 2018 with responses to some petitions.) The United Kingdom does the U.S. one better by promising to consider for debate in Parliament any petition on its official site that gets that many signatures. One petition calling for the U.K. to remain in the E.U. has already received 6 million signatures.

Why are digital petitions flowering across the internet? One obvious argument is that petitions are, essentially, built for social media. The two basic things you do with a petition, endorse it and share it with someone else, are the exact two things you do with a post on Facebook and Twitter  only, instead of a signature, a blue thumbs-up or a red heart. Signing and sharing a petition doesnt just provide people with a minor sense of accomplishment; it allows them to demonstrate that accomplishment publicly, in the manner were all acculturated to on social media. How else would my followers know Im a passionate political activist about making Shrek the national bird?

For the same set of reasons, petitions can be magnets for coverage in digital-media outlets, even if they are just low-hanging fruit for cynical digital publishers. If you know that any blog post with Game of Thrones in the headline will find readers, why not cover a petition concerning the show, even if it has no real likelihood of success? Or, to put it even more cynically, if youd like to agitate readers into angry-sharing your articles, youd be hard pressed to find a better ready-made store of divisive and passionate political issues than among online petitions.

But Change.org is funded in part through paying membership, not the kind of model you can build solely on slacktivist virtue-signaling and media cynicism. (It also funds itself by selling paid placement to petitioners on the site.) If youre paying $5 a month (or more) to be a Change.org member, you likely have a commitment beyond how easy it is to click sign this petition. And often that commitment is more than anything about getting heard. We often hear from members that theyre proud to financially support people like them to have a voice in a system that tends to listen to the wealthy and well-connected, Jason Barnaby Maddock, deputy director of membership told me over email. As Heath Ledgers Joker once said, Its not about the money, its about sending a message, Dylan D. explained in an update. And I think this message is one of frustration and disappointment at its core.

This made sense to me. Inequality is increasing. The government and corporate bodies that structure the world feel increasingly powerful, alien, and unaccountable. The organizations through which most ordinary people once exerted political pressure  trade unions and political parties, to name two  are in decline; its hard to vote with your wallet in an age of increasing business concentration, when you have fewer and fewer choices. Our politics, meanwhile, is increasingly organized over social media: We encourage our peers to support candidates through tweets; we tell them to vote via Instagram Stories; we organize rallies and protests over Facebook. Is it any wonder that the online petition, the political form that fits most comfortably on social media, is often the best method people can come up with for making demands of the institutions that govern our lives?

And yes, Im including HBO as one of those institutions. Unfortunately, the network, so far, has remained silent about Dylan D.s petition. (Maybe executives are too busy sifting through the 457 other petitions on Change.org appealing directly to HBO or invoking it in some way?) But that reveals the limit of the petition as a political tool: If youre powerful enough, you can ignore it. The only thing left for us at this point is to gather those 1.5 million people in the street, demanding a new season eight of Game of Thrones, and directly seize the means of fantasy-television production. Putting $72.6 million into the budget to give raises to school counselors and social workers who are not getting the 20 percent pay hikes being promises to teachers;

 Adding another $84.4 million to increase the subsidies for child care for the working poor.

Republicans also refused to allow "dreamers" who are Arizona residents to attend state universities and community colleges at the same tuition rate as others who live in the state.

That had been the practice of the Arizona Board of Regents and several community college districts until the Arizona Supreme Court said the practice runs afoul of a 2006 voter-approved law which spells out that any person who is not a U.S. citizen or "legal resident," or with "without lawful immigration status," is ineligible to be charged the same tuition at state college and universities available to residents. The justices said those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program do not have "lawful immigration status" despite the Obama-era executive order allowing them to stay and work here.PHOENIX  Prosecutors are asking the Arizona Court of Appeals to reject arguments that an order for a nurse accused of raping and impregnating an incapacitated patient at a long-term care center to take an HIV test is unconstitutional.

Nathan Sutherland argues such a test would violate his protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and that there's no probable cause to believe he has a sexually transmitted disease.

The test was ordered under a law that says people accused of sexual assault are subject to STD tests.

Prosecutors say the law's absence of a probable-cause requirement doesn't violate constitutional protections.

Authorities say Sutherland was working as a nurse at Hacienda Healthcare in Phoenix when he raped the victim.

Sutherland pleaded not guilty to the charges.Today I learned that the US will not join a worldwide position against spreading hate and terrorism on the internet, as Trump has determined iYour browser does not support the audio element.

Farmers-turned-hoteliers in Phong Nha  Ke Bang National Park, a renowned tourist area in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Binh, have been suffering from a price war between deep-pocketed hotels, who are racing to the bottom with their unreasonably low room rates.

Visitors to Phong Nha  Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site and home to Son Doong Cave, which is the world's largest, have recently been surprised by the unusually cheap prices quoted by several hotels in the area.

According to search results from online hotel booking site Booking.com, room rates in Phong Nha are as low as VND30,000-50,000 (US$1.29-2.15) per night, way below the common rates of VND150,000-200,000 ($6.43-8.57) per night.

But just because accommodation cost is low does not necessarily mean tourists who love to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site are happy.

The low pricing, instead of deeming attractive to visitors to the Quang Binh, however, is considered a disgrace to the top destination.

Anna, a Polish visitor to Phong Nha, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper she finds the dirt cheap room rates a disgrace, adding that it is unusual for lodging at such a world-class destination to be that cheap.

A screenshot of a Facebook post by a foreign visitor regarding her confusion of unsually cheap price of hotel rooms in Phong Nha  Ke Bang.

The race to the bottom began after the Lunar New Year in February, one of Vietnams busiest tourism seasons, according to local farmers who have switched from farming to tourism by turning their houses into small-sized lodging places to cash in on the increased number of visitors in recent years.

There are now more than 100 accomodation facilities in the area, and ten of the strongest players are believed to be behind the price war, according to N., an industry insider.

There has been an intense competition in pricing among owners of major hotels in the area, where they repeatedly slash room rates to beat their rivals, N. told Tuoi Tre.

But small-sized accommodation facilities are those who suffer the worst consequences.

Most of the farmers-turned-hoteliers have borrowed bank loans to build their business, which was dealt a cruel blow when the price war erupted.

T., a 37-year-old homestay owner in Phong Nha, said he could not afford payment for employee wages and bank interest with such a low room rate as VND30,000 a night.

Big accommodation owners can survive such rock bottom prices, but not us, who built our business on bank loans, said H., who owns a homestay near T.s.

Vu Quang Thang, head of the market surveillance agency of Quang Binh, said he acknowledges the current price war between major hotels and understands the concerns of owners of smaller lodging places.

However, the official admitted that his agency could do nothing regarding this issue.

Only when hotels charge their guests higher than the listed prices will the market watchdog take action, Thang explained.

In the meantime, Nguyen Van Ky, chairman of the provinces tourism association, put the blame on the lack of cooperation among hotel facilities.

Only 11 out more than 100 accomodation facilities in the area have joined the provincial tourism association, according to Ky.

If these establishments are members of one same association and lean on each other in their operations there will definitely be no race in lowering prices like this, Ky said, implying that more local hoteliers should join his association.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!VinCommerce, the retail arm of conglomerate Vingroup, was the only Vietnamese winner of the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards 2019, which honored a total of 64 projects and business leaders across Asia in Taiwan on Friday.

Held by Enterprise Asia, a non-governmental organization for entrepreneurship, the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA) is a regional recognition program for corporations and organizations with commendable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.

AREA, consisting of six award categories which are benchmarked against the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals, is the regions largest and most prestigious CSR awards.

VinCommerce won the Social Empowerment Award with its Accompanying, Supporting and Promoting Vietnamese Production project.

The main objectives of the project are to support and maximize the competitiveness of manufactures and suppliers in Vietnam, bringing goods made in Vietnam closed to consumers, demand stimulus and promote production development, create new jobs and contribute to building the country.

With a large number of partners over 250 domestic suppliers signing cooperation with VinCommerce, the source of goods into the companys VinMart stores and VinMart+ stores will be ensured in terms of quantity, goods coverage and quality.

VinCommerce evaluates the effectiveness of their partners sales results. The project has recorded positive results, which can be accurately measured through sales of more than 250 partner units.

More than 300 attendees, including industry leaders and leading CRS practitioners, were present at Fridays invite-only awards ceremony in Taipei.

Over the past decade, CRS has evolved to creating shared values, based on the idea that companies can simultaneously increase profits and enhance competitiveness by reframing their corporate objectives to solve societal problems, Dato William Ng, president of Enterprise Asia, said at the event.

Apart from recognizing the outstanding ideas for sustainability, we aim to celebrate their important contribution, and encourage the institutionalization of sustainability, he said.

This year, over 200 submissions from 16 countries and territories were received from companies across Asia, sieving through the submission over a three-month judging period.

VinCommerce, fully known as VinCommerce General Commercial Service JSC, is a subsidiary of Vingroup that specializes in the retail of consumer goods through a system of supermarkets and conveniences stores.

The company currently has five retail brands including: VinMart, VinMart+, VinPro, Vien Thong A and Adayroi.com.

As Vietnams largest supermarket system, by April 2019 VinCommerce had over 114 supermarkets and 1,900 minimarts.A Ho Chi Minh City couple just celebrated their dream wedding in May after a year spent turning hardship to hope.

Nguyen Quoc Hoang, 29, was all smiles as he watched the love of his life, Pham Nhu Kieu Duyen, dance on their wedding day  an unimaginably happy moment in the aftermath of a brutal fight with blood cancer.

Hoang first met Duyen about a year ago at her coffee shop and immediately became sympathetic for her fight against heart disease and blood cancer.

The more they talked and the more time passed, that sympathy turned to love.

Duyen, however, wasnt so enthusiastic. Though she sensed her own feeling for Hoang, she was worried that the two children she had from a previous marriage and her ailing health would drive him away.

But Hoang was persistent and Duyen eventually let his love into her life.

When Duyens condition was at its worst, Hoang insisted caring for her in the hospital, despite disapproval from his own family.

Duyen deserves happiness and Ill stay by her side no matter what happens, he said with determination, explaining the reason behind his decision to propose to Duyen after spending four months by her side as she battled cancer.

Kieu Duyen takes a selfie with Quoc Hoang and Cu Mi in their wedding. Photo: My Lang / Tuoi Tre

Sacrifice is a common thread in the story of these two lovers.

Just after her first marriage five years ago, 25-year-old Duyen herself made a sacrifice to adopt her son, Phi Anh, who was diagnosed himself with an intestinal infection and blood cancer.

Duyen sold much of her personal property to pay for treatment for Anh, whose nickname is Cu Mi, causing several disputes with her former husband and eventually leading to their divorce.

After the break-up, Duyen then launched the homestay and coffee shop where she met Hoang, the love of her life, who has always been there for her and helped her take care of Cu Mi.

The young mothers constant effort paid off when Cu Mi started to recover from the severe illnesses and grow up normally like other children.

It was like a dream come true seeing his condition improve day by day, Duyen said in tears.

I admire both of them for their positive attitude towards life and passionate love towards each other, said Thanh Hang, a friend of Duyen.

Life is fair to everyone, especially the one as kind as Duyen, said Dang Phuoc Thien, another friend in the charity group that Duyen has been joining.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Your browser does not support the audio element.

A writer in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Nam is attracting millions of VND in donations for low-income residents through heartfelt stories he posts to his personal Facebook account.

Nguyen Thanh Giang, 31, a graduate of Quang Nam University, makes a living writing articles and poems for local newspapers.

But its not only himself he supports with his writing talent.

For the past nine years, Giang has used social media to post heartfelt essays about impoverished Vietnamese and call for donations from local philanthropists to help those in need.

His Facebook posts typically receive hundreds of likes and shares, and his writing has inspired donations from do-gooders around the country.

In 2017 alone, his Facebook posts attracted VND49 million (US$2,130) in donations from warm-hearted people from across the country to help victims of central Vietnams severe flooding.

But Giang doesnt just do charity from behind a keyboard. After receiving donations, he travels to remote areas in Vietnam to personally deliver money and take photos and videos in order to shed light on the issues facing struggling Vietnamese in rural areas.

Of course, working to help those in such remote areas isnt without its risks.

On one particular trip to the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong to deliver a gift to 63-year-old Tran Ngoc Hung, who had recently pawned his land ownership certificates to raise money to build graves for deceased newborns, Giang found himself in a road accident.

Fortunately, everyone on the long-haul bus Giang had taken from Quang Nam to Lam Dong was safe, and Giang was able to eventually deliver the $500 cash gift he had collected from a foreigner to give to Hung.

I believe that if we do good things, we will receive good things, Giang remarked about the accident.

People wait to get free veggie meals at the charity eatery of Giang. Photo: L. Trung / Tuoi Tre

Sometimes, Giangs charity work hits a little closer to home. In 2017, as his sister was suffering from a sever blood infection, Giang was able to reach out on Facebook to find both domestic and international donors to save her life.

The more you give, the more you earn, he reflected about the incident.

Occasionally, Giangs efforts to help others are met with criticism, but he refused to let such negativity keep him from supporting those who depend on him.

I have nothing to say. My actions speak for themselves, Giang said regarding the criticism he sometimes receives.

As for his own family, Giangs mother, 64-year-old Nguyen Thi Van, said she sometimes worries that her son was spending too much time supporting others and not himself.

My husband and I sometimes give him extra money to cover transportation fees of his charity trips, she said.

Giang and his wife also launched a vegetarian restaurant last year to provide quality meals at reasonable prices to poor people.

As the eatery also receives sponsorship from many philanthropists, the couple is able to give away over 800 free veggie meals each month to senior citizens at nearby hospitals.

Le Thi Le Thuy, Giangs wife, said that despite their unstable living condition, they still manage to maintain their free meal campaign thanks to the support of others.

We are still lucky compared to so many people suffering out there, so we try our best to help them, Giang said.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Enterprise Asia, Asias leading non-governmental organization for responsible entrepreneurship, hosted the 5th International CSR Summit (ICS) on May 24 and 25 in New Taipei City, Taiwan.

The two-day event themed Take a Stand, Delivering on the Global Goals convened over 300 corporate social responsibility (CSR) experts, leaders, and practitioners from across 16 countries and territories to collaborate and exchange insights on the most stirring conversations in CSR, and in deliberating solutions to current society issues.

The ICS 2019 urged participants to reflect upon the journey that the CSR community has embarked over the past decade, and the impact garnered from those initiatives.

Echoing the movement of the 2019 World Economic Forum in Davos, the Summit called for business decision makers to mobilize their resources to aggressively deliver on the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and to achieve a low carbon future.

According to Dato William Ng, President of Enterprise Asia, global warming is one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime and a moral imperative for future generations.

Achieving a low-carbon economy not only makes good business sense, it is also necessary for fighting climate change.

As heads of global businesses and conglomerates, it is our responsibility to send an urgent message to the world that we need to take a stand, and be more ambitious in driving actions to create a sustainable future, he said.

The ICS 2019 featured a full suite of speakers from the private sector that are well known in their fields of expertise sharing their experience on sustainability.

Among the distinguished speakers were Erdal Elver, CEO of Siemens Taiwan, Jean-Marc Champagne, head of environmental finance of WWF Hong Kong, and Dr Niven Huang, Regional Leader of KPMG Sustainability Services Asia Pacific.

Dr. Fong Chan Onn, chairman of Enterprise Asia, delivers the welcome address. Photo: Minh Huynh

The key takeaway of the summit was to educate attendees on opportunities and strategies to decarbonize their businesses.

Using case studies such as how a 170 years-old integrated company transformed itself into a low-carbon business amidst megatrend challenges, participants discovered strategies to accelerate the adoption of decarbonizing actions across the company.

Topics on large scale collaborations across industry value chains, governance transformation, the significance of data collection, latest updates on science based targets initiatives, smart technologies and renewables that disrupt industry norms were discussed among panellists and keynotes.

The full day workshop on circular economy held on the second day of the summit inspired participants to embrace innovative solutions and a circular approach in their strategy and actions to deliver resilient economic systems across their organizations.Your browser does not support the audio element.

Local hotels seem to have developed the habit of selecting artwork designed by local artists and commissioning massive recreations for their own walls, a trend that has both shocked and angered many in Vietnams homegrown art community.

Ha Hung Dung, a Ho Chi Minh-based artist with a soft spot for northwestern Vietnam, is known for his paintings depicting life in the rural areas of the region he loves so much.

But when Dung took a recent trip to the northern province of Lao Cai to showcase some of his favorite works he realized the bitter truth: it wasnt only he who was profiting off the love he had poured into his paintings.

Upon checking in at Paos Sapa Leisure Hotel, Dung was shocked to see his works blown up and recreated on a wall in the lobby.

After speaking to the hotels management, Dung learned that Tran Tuan, a Hanoi-based wall painting service provider, has been recreating, and profiting, off his work without his permission.

Through its Facebook page, Tran Tuan also openly advertises several of Dungs other paintings as if they are the business own intellectual property.

Ha Hung Dungs original painting (left) and Tran Tuans counterfeit (right)

Similarly, Phan Linh Bao Hanh, an artist living in the southern province of Binh Duong, was also frustrated to discover that a coffee shop in Ho Chi Minh City was decorated with unauthorized recreations of one of her most well-known art collections, Thieu nu va hoa sen (Young lady and the lotus).

Artists Bui Tien Tuan and Bui Thanh Tam, have also found themselves in the same situation.

I think people who copy our works because they lack understanding of copyright law, Tam said.

Tam admitted that not all artists apply for intellectual property protection and even so, those who profit off copyrighted work are usually never punished.

Because our work isnt copyright protected, we are unable to file a lawsuit in case of infringement, Tam said.

Phan Linh Bao Hanhs original work (left) and the coffee shop recreation (right)

A Facebook apology

Paos Sapa Leisure, the hotel that had Dungs work recreated on its wall, issued an apology to the artist on its Facebook page on Sunday, accepting responsibility for not checking the origins of the artwork but claiming the true blame falls on Tran Tuan, the wall painting maker.

The hotel also stated that the wall paintings were removed on Saturday last week.

Dung, however, didnt seem too vindicated by the statement, declaring that an apology made on Facebook in lieu of direct contact is not really an apology at all, adding that he is not pleased with the way the incident was handled.

They copied not just one, but many of my paintings, he said in frustration. It is such a horrible feeling that I dont even want to paint anymore!

The artist also said he did not ask for any monetary compensation.

I dont need money. I just want a formal meeting so that those involved can at least apologize to me in person, he said.

All they did was issue an apology letter that wasnt even sent to me directly.

Ha Hung Dungs original piece

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Your browser does not support the audio element.

Alongside Highway 12 in a small village in central Vietnams Quang Binh Province, nearly 30 women spend their days making a living feeding local workers their daily fill of chicken and rice.

These women, ranging from 30 to 50 years old, begin each day the same: rise early, steam the rice, cook the chicken, load it onto bamboo panniers delicately balanced atop their heads, and head out into the local streets and markets to make a living selling lunches to locals.

A full lunch set typically includes rice, four pieces of seasoned chicken, and a veggie side dish for just VND20,000, or less than US$1 - a price even a low-income worker can afford.

Street vendors carry bamboo panniers of chicken rice along a busy street in Quang Binh, central Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre

And what sets this villages signature dish apart from any other chicken rice plate? According to Le Bay, a street vendor who has spent years preparing the dish, the love and care each of cook puts into in to preparing the meals elevates their food to a level fit for a king.

Everything is homegrown, so its clean and affordable, she said.

But there are some days their mouthwatering chicken rice just doesnt sell and theyre forced to move to markets in remote areas or donate leftovers to the homeless.

If we are willing to help people, then others will be willing to help us, Bay said.

Le Bay begins preparing food early each morning. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The army of street vendors catches the early bus into town each morning in Quang Binh. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A street vendor happily sells lunch in Quang Binh. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Quang Binh chicken rice is seasoned with golden turmeric and flavored with chili spice. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A street vendor sells chicken rice in Quang Binh. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has become the first premier of Vietnam to visit Norway in 20 years as both countries vow to boost ties.

Vietnam always attaches importance to developing the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Norway, an important partner of Vietnam in Northern Europe, PM Phuc said during talks with his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg in Oslo on Friday.

He had arrived in the Norwegian capital the day earlier, becoming the first Vietnamese premiere to visit Norway since late PM Phan Van Khais 1999 visit.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his wife arrive in Oslo, Norway on May 23, 2019. Photo: Vietnam News Agency

PM Erna Solberg expressed her belief that PM Phucs visit will contribute to enhancing Vietnam-Norway relations.

The leaders acknowledged strong developments in bilateral ties over the past years, agreeing to step up all-level delegation exchanges to create momentum for cooperation in various realms.

PM Phuc thanked the Norwegian government for their continuous official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam in recent years, helping the country in socio-economic development and fulfillment of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

He called on Norway to continue supporting Vietnam in such fields as environment, education, economic management, administrative reform, and bomb and mine clearance.

Despite progress in such areas as forestry, environment, fishery, renewable energy, maritime transportation and shipbuilding, bilateral trade has not lived up to the potential and strength of both countries, the leaders said.

Both PMs consented to push ahead with negotiations of a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), to which Norway is the coordinator.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc shakes hands with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg in Oslo on May 24, 2019. Photo: Vietnam News Agency

The two countries will encourage their businesses to expand operations in solar energy, petroleum technological services and blue economy, as well as promote trades of Vietnams tra fish and Norways salmon.

They talked about partnership in education-training and culture, and agreed to foster collaboration in new spheres regarding women, peace and security, tourism and sports, and people-to-people exchange.

PM Erna Solberg lauded the role of the 20,000-strong Vietnamese community in Norway in developing the friendship and exchange between the two peoples.

During their talks, the leaders concurred that Vietnam and Norway should strengthen their close coordination at multilateral forums, especially the United Nations.

Both countries are running for non-permanent seats at the UN Security Council, with Vietnams bid for the 2020-2021 term and Norway for the 2021-2022 tenure.

They affirmed their common commitments to sustainable and inclusive development in accordance with the UNs Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing affiliation in forest protection, response to climate change and sea level rise, and plastic waste management.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc signs a guest book in Oslo, Norway on May 24, 2019. Photo: Da Trang / Tuoi Tre

Regarding the East Vietnam Sea issue, they exchanged views on the importance of and the need to ensure peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the area.

All disputes should be settled by peaceful measures, in line with international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other relevant regional documents, they said.

PM Erna Solberg congratulated Vietnam on its recent socio-economic achievements and praised the countrys rising regional and global role demonstrated in the hosting of recent major international events. The Norwegian PM kindly accepted PM Phucs invitation to visit Vietnam again in the future, following her 2015 visit.

Norway is the second leg of PM Phuc's ongoing Europe trip from May 20 to 29, which includes stops in Russia and Sweden.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Diagnosed with end-stage breast cancer, a pregnant woman in Hanoi made a bold decision to put off her treatment process to keep the baby.

Nguyen Thi L., 28, was diagnosed with end-stage breast cancer two months ago, when she was in her fifth month pregnancy.

The mother-to-be decided to pass on radiation therapy to maintain the fetal development of her child, despite high possibility of death for herself.

In the next two month of pregnancy, she suffered from the pain caused by breast cancer and struggled a lot with daily life activities, even breathing, since her health and immune system were degrading significantly day by day.

However, the baby seemed to grow healthily and everything had been going on the right track until L.s condition became really severe on Tuesday this week, prompting surgeons at National Cancer Hospital (K Hospital) in Hanoi to take the baby out prematurely.

The child said hello to the world on Wednesday night in tears of happiness of his family, especially his father, and was named Do Binh An, meaning peaceful.

The newborn was immediately transferred to the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology (NHOG) for further special care.

The hospital director Tran Danh Cuong said this was one of the most complicated surgeries he had done in his career since L. had to sit all the time and could barely breathe.

He also shared he was touched by L.s unconditional love for her child although her condition was really severe at that time and she could die at any moment.

The first thing L. asked me when she gained back her consciousness was not how she could continue the treatment but how much her baby weighed, Cuong said with respect to the young mother.

I wish the best for L. and her family because she really deserves it, he added.

Do Binh An is given special treatment at National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Nurses at National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi take care of the baby. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Surgeons at National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi have to take the baby out when L. was sitting. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Do Van Hung, L.s husband, bursts out into tears when Binh An is born at National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Surgeons at National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi have to take the baby out when L. was sitting. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Tools and medicine are well-prepared for the special surgery at National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Tran Danh Cuong holds the baby after the surgery at National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Do Binh An is given special treatment at National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, in collaboration with relevant departments in Ho Chi Minh City, on Saturday launched a propram to raise awareness of road safety and spread the message of traveling with responsibility.

The campaign - Chuyen xe van minh, literally translated as Civilized trip - is aimed at building a traffic safety culture in order to mitigate accident risks and ensure safety for road users, the organizers said at the launching ceremony at the Youth Culture House in the southern metropolis District 1.

The campaign encourages people to share stories of meaningful actions and behaviors they witness while traveling on the streets, as a way of spreading positive messages. Every entry selected for publication will add VND15,000 ($0.6) to a fund that will be used to gift quality helmets for children.

Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspapers Editor in Chief Le The Chu speaks at the launching ceremony of the Chuyen xe van minh program in Ho Chi Minh City, May 25, 2019. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

Increasing awareness of traffic safety through its editorial content has always been one of the top priorities of Tuoi Tre, hence the idea of launching this campaign, the dailys editor-in-chief Le The Chu said at the launch ceremony.

Khuat Viet Hung, executive vice chairman of Vietnams National Traffic Safety Committee, spoke highly of the newspapers initiative, as well as the active participation in the campaign by the municipal authorities, transport enterprises, and local residents.

According to Hung, a traffic safety culture is not only about road users complying with traffic regulations but also law enforcement fulfilling their assigned tasks in a transparent manner.

Lacking a traffic culture is one of the main causes of the large number of traffic accidents in Vietnam, he underlined.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!UK period drama Call The Midwife, has completed filming for a Christmas special and has begun filming season nine.

Season 8 averaged nine million UK viewers. Season 9 will consist of eight episodes for 2020.

A tenth and eleventh series are already commissioned, keeping the show on air until 2022.

Heidi Thomas, Creator, Writer and Executive Producer, says: After a magical Christmas experience in the Hebrides featuring wild seas, stormy skies and some very disobedient sheep, we return to the harsher reality of city life in 1965. Society is changing fast and in series nine we will see Nonnatus House shaken to its foundations.

Call The Midwife airs in Australia on BBC First and ABC.

This years Christmas special will see the team take their work to the Outer Hebrides. Led by Mother Mildred, they embark on a trip to the remote yet idyllic Scottish island, where residents have a desperate need for nurses and midwives. Exposed to the elements, they operate in bleak conditions with limited access to water and electricity to help their patients, just in time to reconvene in Poplar for Christmas.

Opening with the funeral of Winston Churchill in January 1965, series nine then continues with Nonnatus House entering a bold and innovative era. As the tower blocks multiply, and a new East End rises from the ashes of the old, society becomes more prosperous, but more complex. Our familiar team of medics and midwives face unexpected challenges as the population shifts, rules change, and old diseases come back to haunt them. Alongside the joy and optimism of birth, they must cope with cases including diphtheria, drug abuse, cancer, tuberculosis, and fistula. Meanwhile, their own experiences are fuelled by love, loss, and doubt  and the very fabric of their lives is jeopardised when Nonnatus itself comes under threat of demolition.

Series nine cast includes; Miriam Margolyes (Mother Mildred), Jenny Agutter (Sister Julienne), Linda Bassett (Nurse Crane), Judy Parfitt (Sister Monica Joan), Fenella Woolgar (Sister Hilda), Ella Bruccoleri (Sister Frances), Helen George (Trixie), Laura Main (Shelagh Turner), Jennifer Kirby (Valerie), Leonie Elliott (Lucille), Stephen McGann (Dr Turner), Cliff Parisi (Fred), Annabelle Apsion (Violet), Georgie Glen (Miss Higgins), Max Macmillan (Timothy), Trevor Cooper (Sgt Woolf) and Daniel Laurie (Reggie).Mark Burrows kept his cool last night when the autocue failed ahead of Nine News Sydney 6pm bulletin.

Burrows proceeded with paper scripts for around half the bulletin.

Although things appeared to come good by the time Sport and Weather came around nobody was taking any chances with both Erin Molan and Belinda Russell clutching scripts too.Lok Sabha results 2019 Live Updates: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Sunday offered to quit her position and work as Trinamool Congress chief.The statement comes after BJP gained ground in West Bengal in the recently held Lok Sabha election.

Meanwhile, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meet today but his offer was unanimously rejected, the party said in press briefing after the meeting. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said: "Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation but it was rejected by the members of CWC unanimously." On the party's poll debacle in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, senior Congress leader AK Antony said he didn't the party's performance was disastrous and that the party would surely discuss everything in detail and would come out with a solution. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said Rahul had given the party a solid leadership, which it was visible to the people of India. "Sure we have lost but that our fight is not on numbers but ideology," he added. Meanwhile, after a thumping victory in Lok Sabha election 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Varanasi, his constituency, in Uttar Pradesh on May 28 followed by Gujarat where he will also go to thank the voters as the state has once again given all 26 seats to BJP.

Also Read: What does the stock market want? Here's a wishlist, Mr Modi!

Follow the Lok Sabha Election Results 2019 LIVE updates here:

5.30 PM: "The central forces worked against us. An emergency situation was created. Hindu-Muslim division was done and votes were divided. We complained to the EC but nothing was looked into," says Mamata Banerjee.

5.30 PM: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee: "I told at the beginning of the meeting that I don't want to continue as the Chief Minister."

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee: I told at the beginning of the meeting that I don't want to continue as the Chief Minister. pic.twitter.com/KZvH9oyTec - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

4.31 PM: The Congress president has been authorised to do a complete overhaul of the party, says Randeep Singh Surjewala.

4.23 PM: "Rahul has given the party a solid leadership, and it was visible to the people of India. Sure we have lost but that our fight is not on numbers but ideology. Rahul had told party members that he takes responsibility for the party's performance but the decision was rejected by all the CWK members unanimously," says senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

4.15 PM: "I don't think party's performance wasdisastrous but we will discuss everything in detail and we are sure we'll comeout with a solution," says Congress leader AK Antony.

4.10 PM: The CWC has given Congress President the right to makes changes to restructure the party, a plan for this will be brought soon.

Randeep Surjewala, Congress: CWC has given Congress President the right to makes changes to restructure the party, a plan for this will be brought soon. pic.twitter.com/FLrjppRofG - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

4.09 PM: Party President Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation but it was rejected by the members of CWC unanimously, says Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala.

4.07 PM: "We thank everyone who has backe the party," says Congress leader Randeep Surjewala.

4.05 PM: The Congress party addressing a press conference in Delhi.

3.45 pm: TMC review meet shortly.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief Mamata Banerjee is going to chair a party review meet at 4 pm. All TMC MPs and senior party functionaries are going to attend the meet.

3.25 PM: Here's what senior Congress leader Ambika Soni said when asked about Rahul's resignation.

#WATCH Ambika Soni, Congress on whether party president Rahul Gandhi's leadership was questioned at the CWC meeting says, "Not at all." pic.twitter.com/xLzYGauvpg - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

3.10 PM: The prime minister is likely to call on the President at around 8 pm and before that, leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would meet Kovind at around 7 pm, the sources said. The NDA returned to power with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections with the BJP alone bagging 303 of total 542 seats contested. Elections were held in 542 of the 543 seats. The election in Vellore Lok Sabha seat was cancelled by the EC citing abuse of money power. -- PTI

3.06 PM:The meeting of the Congress Working Committee has ended. The party may soon hold a press briefing.

Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and other party leaders leave after the CWC meeting concludes. pic.twitter.com/jrN25Ac5Co - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

2.53 PM: BJP MP Roopa Ganguly on the party's recent win in Gujarat Rafale review petitions case: "The Centre had yesterday filed its written submissions to the Supreme Court stating that all the review petitions seeking investigation into the Rafale deal should be dismissed."-- ANI

2.40 PM: Here's how the state of UP voted in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

2.35 PM: Mahagathbandhan vote share in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

2.23 PM: Here's a party-wise list of victorious candidates.

2.21 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stake claim to form a new govt around 8 PM today, reports India Today.

2.12 PM: Congress Working Committee meets at AICC Delhi to take stock of the Lok Sabha results and chart the course forward.

Congress Working Committee meets at AICC Delhi to take stock of the Lok Sabha results and chart the course forward. pic.twitter.com/jGRwHJRw6H - Congress (@INCIndia) May 25, 2019

2.11 PM: Congress candidate from Aska Assembly seat in Odisha's Ganjam district, Manoj Jena who was shot by unknown miscreants three days ago succumbed to injuries during treatment, police said on Saturday. At least four motorcycle-borne miscreants fired at the 37-year-old Congress leader in Lanjipalli area under Baidyanathpur police station limits in Ganjam district on Wednesday evening. After firing, the miscreants had slit the throat of Jena, police said.

2.08 PM: Odisha is sending 33 per cent women (seven) to the Lok Sabha after the just held General Elections. --IANS

2.07 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanks the staff of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and their families for supporting him during his tenure in the office and asked them to gear up for the second term.

Prime Minister #NarendraModi on May 25 thanked the staff of the Prime Minister's Office (#PMO) and their families for supporting him during his tenure in the office and asked them to gear up for the second term.#LokSabhaElectionresults2019 Photo: IANS pic.twitter.com/ZgrSyXPcIC - IANS Tweets (@ians_india) May 25, 2019

2.01 PM: YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy has been elected as the Legislative party leader of Andhra Pradesh. His party stormed to emphatic victory in the Assembly as well as Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh.

1.55 PM: Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam and Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat arrive for the NDA meeting.

Delhi: Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam and Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat arrive for NDA meeting, to be held today. pic.twitter.com/PDfWkk9ltE - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

1.54 PM: Gautam Gambhir on voter ID card row: "Main CM sahab ko bolna chahunga ki chunaav aenge-jaenge. Jis din aap apna zameer aur imaan haar jaenge us din sab haar jaenge. Ek seat jeetne ke liye agar aap aisa ghinona arop laga sakte hain to mere pas zyada shabd nahi hain un ke baare main baat karne ke liye."

Gautam Gambhir: Main CM sahab ko bolna chahunga ki chunaav aenge-jaenge. Jis din aap apna zameer aur imaan haar jaenge us din sab haar jaenge. Ek seat jeetne ke liye agar aap aisa ghinona arop laga sakte hain to mere pas zyada shabd nahi hain un ke baare main baat karne ke liye pic.twitter.com/W1POxEKHOi - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

1.30 PM: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora submits the list of winners of Lok Sabha Elections 2019 to President Ram Nath Kovind.

#WATCH Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora submits the list of winners of #LokSabhaElections2019 to President Ram Nath Kovind. pic.twitter.com/eDGiCtDmVS - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

12.30 am: Rahul Gandhi offers resignation as Congress Chief at CWC meet.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi offered to put his resignation papers at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting Saturday. Meanwhile, the top leaders of the party persuaded him not to resign. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Priyanka Gadhi Vadra, General Secretary UP (East) too tried to convince him not to resign.Top Congress leaders from across the country Saturday got together to review the Lok Sabha election 2019 drubbing, as the party's highest decision-making body met here.

10.30 am: New Lok Sabha has close to 50% MPs with criminal record, Congress MP from Idukki has 204 cases.

The chances of winning for a candidate with declared criminal cases in the Lok Sabha 2019 is 15.5% whereas for a candidate with a clean background, it is 4.7%. This is due to the fact that the 17th Lok Sabha will have close to half of its new Members of Parliament with declared criminal cases. Out of the 539 winners analysed in Lok Sabha 2019, 233 MPs have declared criminal cases against themselves. This is an increase of 44% in the number of MPs with declared criminal cases since 2009. Congress MP Dean Kuriakose from Idukki constituency in Kerala has declared 204 criminal cases against himself.

As per the self sworn affidavits submitted by the candidates at the time of filing nominations, the new Lok Sabha has surpassed the previous two in electing MPs with criminal records. Out of 542 MPs analysed during Lok Sabha elections in 2014, 185(34%) Winners had declared criminal cases against themselves while out of 543 Winners analysed during Lok Sabha elections in 2009, 162(30%) had declared criminal cases against themselves. But this time its close to half. Out of the 539 winners analysed in Lok Sabha 2019, 233 (43%) MPs have declared criminal cases against themselves.

10.00 am: PM Modi to visit his mother in Gujarat on Sunday, Varanasi on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Gujarat Sunday evening to seek the blessings of his mother after his BJP-led NDA returned to power with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections. On Monday, he will be in Varanasi, the LS seat he retained in the elections by a margin of 4.79 lakh votes. "Will be going to Gujarat tomorrow evening, to seek blessings of my Mother. Day after tomorrow morning, I will be in Kashi to thank the people of this great land for reposing their faith in me," the prime minister tweeted.

Will be going to Gujarat tomorrow evening, to seek blessings of my Mother. Day after tomorrow morning, I will be in Kashi to thank the people of this great land for reposing their faith in me. - Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 25, 2019

9.15 am: Bill Gates congratulates PM Modi on his historic win.

American business magnate Bill Gates Friday congratulated PM Modi on his re-election in Lok Sabha election 2019. Gates also expressed confidence in the Prime Minister's ability to "significantly improve the lives of many."

"Congratulations @NarendraModi on a remarkable win in #IndianElections2019. Your continued commitment to improve health, nutrition, and development will significantly improve lives of many. @BJP4India," Gates tweeted.

PM Modi also thanked him on twitter and said that the new government will work all the more on the two priority areas of healthcare and nutrition. "Glad that you mention healthcare and nutrition, which are priority areas for the Government of India. We have made remarkable strides in these sectors during the last five years and in this term, we will do even more," PM Modi tweeted.

Thank you @BillGates. Glad that you mention healthcare and nutrition, which are priority areas for the Government of India. We have made remarkable strides in these sectors during the last five years and in this term, we will do even more. https://t.co/juHHWH5yot - Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2019

9.00 am: Its raining congratulations for PM Modi, Bollywood wishes pour on Twitter.

Thank you. I appreciate your good wishes @BeingSalmanKhan. https://t.co/Vlfz6T7nNn - Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2019

8.48am: Shahrukh Khan congratulates PM Modi for his historic win in the Lok Sabha election 2019.

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan Friday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for BJP's super-sized Lok Sabha victory. Congratulating the PM, SRK tweeted, "We - as proud Indians - have chosen an establishment with great clarity and now we need to get behind it and work with it to have our hopes and dreams fulfilled. The Electoral Mandate and Democracy is a winner. Big congratulations to PM @narendramodi ji, @BJP4India and its leaders." PM Modi thanked Khan on twitter as well. Several other Bollywood celebrities, including Rajinikanth, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Kangana Ranaut, Karan Johar, Varun Dhawan, Shilpa Shetty, Abhishek Bachchan, Arjun Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor had also congratulated Modi on social media after the BJP's massive win. Modi had requested Bollywood actors to create high voter awareness and participation ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

Thank you @iamsrk. Looking forward to building on the work done in the last five years to fulfil people's aspirations. https://t.co/tsHzq1ijVS - Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2019

8.40 am: NDA Parliamentary Party meet to be held today at 5 pm.

"Please note that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Parliamentary Party will meet in Central Hall tomorrow, 25 May, at 5pm," BJP tweeted.

Please note that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Parliamentary Party will meet in Central Hall tomorrow, 25 May, at 5pm. - BJP (@BJP4India) May 24, 2019

8.30 am: French President Emmanuel Macron congratulates PM Modi.

"The largest democracy in the world has voted. I warmly congratulate Prime Minister @NarendraModi. I look forward to meeting him again soon and deepening our India-France strategic partnership,"the French President tweeted.

The largest democracy in the world has voted. I warmly congratulate Prime Minister @NarendraModi. I look forward to meeting him again soon and deepening our India-France strategic partnership. https://t.co/jxW5HlLgkt - Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 23, 2019

8.15 am: Newly elected Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan met UP CM Yogi Adityanath Friday.

Lucknow: Newly elected Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan met Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/SrGjzziuGc - ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 24, 2019

8.00 am: The Union Council of Ministers to continue in office till the new Government is formed.

PM Narendra Modi met the President Friday and tendered his resignation along with the Council of Ministers. The President accepted the resignation and requested Narendra Modi and the Council of Ministers to continue till the new Government assumes office.

Prime Minister @narendramodi called on President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Prime Minister tendered his resignation along with the Union Council of Ministers pic.twitter.com/zuUhC6pWfH - President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 24, 2019

7.45 am: The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday gave its approval to the resolution advising the President to dissolve the Sixteenth Lok Sabha, which was constituted on 18 May, 2014.FILE PHOTO: A 2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid hooked up to a boat trailer in Dearborn Michigan FILE PHOTO: A 2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid is hooked up to a boat trailer to demonstrate towing power in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S., May 15, 2019. REUTERS/Joe White

By Joseph White

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co is turning to the automotive marketer's time-tested themes, speed and power, to sell a new generation of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles to mass market customers.

Ford this week showed off a hybrid Ford Explorer it is selling to U.S. police departments that combines a six cylinder engine with a lithium-ion battery, an electric motor and a 10-speed transmission to deliver 318 horsepower and speed that can outrun police vehicles equipped with a larger V-8, company executives said.

The Police Interceptor Explorer is a niche model. But highlighting a hybrid vehicle's speed and functional capability is the strategy Ford intends to deploy broadly as the company begins offering hybrid systems across its highest-volume models over the next three years.

The new Explorer and Escape hybrid SUVs are due to hit showrooms later this year, and a hybrid F-150 pickup is scheduled for 2020.

In the past, Ford promoted hybrids such as the C-Max by stressing fuel economy. As fuel prices dropped over the past decade, sales of many fuel efficient cars, including hybrids, sagged. U.S. consumers have been paying premiums instead for larger vehicles that offer more horsepower and towing capacity.

That market trend now is guiding Ford's substantial bet on hybrids, combining high performance with the technology to meet tougher emissions rules in China, Europe and the United States, company executives said.

"With us and others, it was strictly around fuel economy," David Filipe, Ford vice president for powertrain engineering, told Reuters. "If we are now able to show the customer they can get more from an electrified product, that will be the recipe," Filipe said.

Ford is investing $11 billion plan to deliver 40 hybrid and fully electric vehicles by 2022.

Ford has developed two new hybrid drive systems. One is for smaller models like the Escape compact SUV. The other connects a 44-horsepower electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack to a 10-speed automatic transmission, and will be used for larger vehicles like the Explorer and F-150.

Story continues

Both systems are designed to fit multiple models, and those vehicles in turn can be sold with or without hybrid drive. In the Explorer and F-150, the same 10-speed transmission can be used without the electric motor by substituting part of the drive shaft and little else.

The battery pack for the 2020 Escape's hybrid system, launching this fall, fits under the floor, instead of hogging space in the rear cargo compartment, as in prior Escape hybrids. The 2020 battery pack, built by Ford, is less than half the size of the older one.

To promote new hybrid models, Ford is using lessons from the company's successful effort to persuade F-150 buyers in the United States that a turbocharged six-cylinder engine could deliver superior performance to fuel-thirsty V-8 engines that dominated the large pickup segment for decades, Filipe said.

Ford created the "EcoBoost" brand of turbo-charged engines, and promoted the 3.5-liter, six-cylinder EcoBoost sold in the F-150 as more powerful and able to tow heavier trailers than many traditional V-8s.

The automaker charges $1,600 (1,254 pounds) to $2,595 to install a 3.5-liter EcoBoost, depending on the F-150 model. Including a smaller, less expensive six-cylinder now offered as the standard motor on certain F-series models, EcoBoost engines now power nearly 70 percent of F-150s sold, Filipe said.

Ford will also charge more for its new hybrid models. An Explorer Limited with a 3.3 litre hybrid engine will cost U.S. buyers $4,150 more than a model with a four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, according to Ford's consumer website.

Ford has not released official fuel efficiency ratings for the 2020 Explorer hybrid, but the company has said the vehicle should deliver more than 500 miles (805 km) of driving with a 19.3 gallon tank, indicating it can achieve about 26 miles per gallon compared to 20 in combined city and highway driving for a current, six-cylinder gasoline model.

Toyota Motor Corp's, smaller Highlander hybrid SUV is rated at 29 miles per gallon in combined driving, with a 499-mile range.

Toyota, the leader in hybrid vehicle technology, plans to deploy gasoline-electric power systems across its lineup, including more SUVs. However, other automakers, including Ford's arch-rival General Motors Co and Volkswagen AG, are focussing on developing all-electric vehicles to meet regulatory and consumer demands in all major world markets.

(Reporting by Joe White; Editing by Tom Brown)Ireland and the United Kingdom have already voted in elections for the European parliament. All eyes are now on how national and local politicians will deal with the Brexit agenda thats been dominating debate in both countries for the past three years.Its a typical conversation that occurs every day, says Emma Coffey, a councillor for the centre-right Fianna Fail party in the Irish town of Dundalk, just kilometres from the border with the north. "People are worried." Her party wants more clarity about the implications of a hard border between the Irish Republic, which is remaining in Europe, and Northern Ireland, which is leaving with the rest of the UK.Cross border business contacts are affected by the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, and policy decisions are being postponed.Uncertainty eats into the minds of people in Dundalk who have children going to schools in the north, or others who benefit from health care under regulations that allow citizens of different member states to enjoy care in other EU countries.I don't think they're concerned about us over here on the border, says Anne Marie, a resident of Crossmaglen, a small town in Northern Ireland just four kilometres from the border.They're just thinking about 'mainland England' themselves. They don't seem to worry how it's going to impact us, just living right on the border."Winners and losers in the Brexit breakdownThere are of course factors which are going to benefit Ireland because of Brexit, says Federico Fabbrina, director of the Brexit Institute in Dublin, pointing to the financial services sector where Dublin is becoming an attractive capital to replace London and higher education, where Irish universities are likely to gain as fees at British universities become less competitiveThe Brexit Institute is the worlds only think tank with the sole concern of studying the possible impact of the UKs departure from the EU.But clearly, Brexit is also going to be very damaging for other sectors of the Irish economy, warns Fabbrina. Agriculture and foodstuffs, which rely on an integrated supply chain with the United Kingdom will suffer, not to mention transport and trade since ultimately the UK serves as a land bridge through which Ireland is able to access the European market.Grim view of the political classesFar away from the think tanks of Brussels and Dublin, residents directly affected by the looming Brexit have become increasingly sceptical.Politicians are pretty useless, says Paul, a carpenter in Crossmaglen. They dont sit together, they dont talk together. So what is the point of going into Europe? They dont talk together here.A fish seller at the early morning market, who wants to remain anonymous because his boss wouldnt like the publicity, says that he and some of his colleagues initially supported Brexit.We thought wed get back our fishing rights, he says.But things dont seem so clear anymore. Nothing is certain now, and hes reversed his stance, and wants the UK to remain inside the EU.In the minds of many in the northern counties of the Irish Republic and their brethren in Northern Ireland are the troubles, the violent incidents that marked nearly three decades of civil war.Will Brexit lead to a new round of Troubles?The open border between the north and the south, along with EU subventions, were among the main factors that helped to bring peace to the region.The thing is that you will see some kind of border structure, if we have a hard border eventually going up, that will lead initially probably to some civil disobedience, says Gary Stokes, a councillor in Newry, a town just to the north of the border.History has a habit of repeating itself. When the modern troubles started in the early 1970s, it started with civil disobedience, with one young man who blows up a camera or some kind of structure at the border.And we will end up with organisations, effectively at war with each other."But he remains optimistic: It is unthinkable that we will let history repeat itself, he concludes.Emma Coffey agrees, but strikes a note of caution: I think what we need to do is prepare for the worst and try for the best possible outcome, she says.

Ireland and the United Kingdom have already voted in elections for the European parliament. All eyes are now on how national and local politicians will deal with the Brexit agenda thats been dominating debate in both countries for the past three years.

Its a typical conversation that occurs every day, says Emma Coffey, a councillor for the centre-right Fianna Fail party in the Irish town of Dundalk, just kilometres from the border with the north. "People are worried." Her party wants more clarity about the implications of a hard border between the Irish Republic, which is remaining in Europe, and Northern Ireland, which is leaving with the rest of the UK.

Cross border business contacts are affected by the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, and policy decisions are being postponed.

Uncertainty eats into the minds of people in Dundalk who have children going to schools in the north, or others who benefit from health care under regulations that allow citizens of different member states to enjoy care in other EU countries.

I don't think they're concerned about us over here on the border, says Anne Marie, a resident of Crossmaglen, a small town in Northern Ireland just four kilometres from the border.

They're just thinking about 'mainland England' themselves. They don't seem to worry how it's going to impact us, just living right on the border."

Winners and losers in the Brexit breakdown

There are of course factors which are going to benefit Ireland because of Brexit, says Federico Fabbrina, director of the Brexit Institute in Dublin, pointing to the financial services sector where Dublin is becoming an attractive capital to replace London and higher education, where Irish universities are likely to gain as fees at British universities become less competitive

The Brexit Institute is the worlds only think tank with the sole concern of studying the possible impact of the UKs departure from the EU.

Story continues

But clearly, Brexit is also going to be very damaging for other sectors of the Irish economy, warns Fabbrina. Agriculture and foodstuffs, which rely on an integrated supply chain with the United Kingdom will suffer, not to mention transport and trade since ultimately the UK serves as a land bridge through which Ireland is able to access the European market.

Grim view of the political classes

Far away from the think tanks of Brussels and Dublin, residents directly affected by the looming Brexit have become increasingly sceptical.

Politicians are pretty useless, says Paul, a carpenter in Crossmaglen. They dont sit together, they dont talk together. So what is the point of going into Europe? They dont talk together here.

A fish seller at the early morning market, who wants to remain anonymous because his boss wouldnt like the publicity, says that he and some of his colleagues initially supported Brexit.

We thought wed get back our fishing rights, he says.

But things dont seem so clear anymore. Nothing is certain now, and hes reversed his stance, and wants the UK to remain inside the EU.

In the minds of many in the northern counties of the Irish Republic and their brethren in Northern Ireland are the troubles, the violent incidents that marked nearly three decades of civil war.

Will Brexit lead to a new round of Troubles?

The open border between the north and the south, along with EU subventions, were among the main factors that helped to bring peace to the region.

The thing is that you will see some kind of border structure, if we have a hard border eventually going up, that will lead initially probably to some civil disobedience, says Gary Stokes, a councillor in Newry, a town just to the north of the border.

History has a habit of repeating itself. When the modern troubles started in the early 1970s, it started with civil disobedience, with one young man who blows up a camera or some kind of structure at the border.

And we will end up with organisations, effectively at war with each other."

But he remains optimistic: It is unthinkable that we will let history repeat itself, he concludes.

Emma Coffey agrees, but strikes a note of caution: I think what we need to do is prepare for the worst and try for the best possible outcome, she says.Virginie Efira hits a career high as the protagonist of Justine Triets Sibyl, a clever and stylish thriller that wrapped up the most exciting  and competitive  Cannes Film Festival in years. Time for our Palme d'Or predictions. The 72nd Cannes Film Festival had given us just about every film genre imaginable, from western to bromance to cop procedural. But one Cannes staple was missing: the psychotherapist thriller, that very French fascination. Enter Justine Triet with Sibyl, her first shot at the most prestigious prize in cinema, and a rewarding one too. It stars Virginie Efira as the titular shrink who becomes too emotionally invested in the trials of her patient Margot, played by Adele Exarchopoulos. Though somewhat fanciful in its plot, I thought Triets film was more thoughtful than Francois Ozons seductive but silly erotic thriller LAmant Double, which premiered here two years ago. It helped, perhaps, that Sibyl gave us a womans take on womens sexual desires, regrets and tribulations over maternity.The story opens in Paris, where we find the protagonist in the midst of a career switch to novelist. Sibyl is at a creative dead-end, until she reluctantly agrees to take on one last patient, who will supply the subject matter of her future novel. Keep the drama fictional, her editor keeps repeating, even Sibyl does the exact opposite. She embarks on a fictional journey that plagiarises both Margots conundrum and her own life-experience  eventually ending up in Stromboli, that most cinematic of islands where Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini famously conceived a film and a baby. Sibyl is one of several entries in this years competition to feature a film-within-the-film, with a delightful part for Toni Erdmann star Sandra Huller as a nerve-wracked director whose movie gets caught up in the emotional storm kicked off by Sibyl and Margot. Efira gives perhaps her finest performance to date, making her a late favourite for the female acting award (particularly since there were relatively few big roles for women this year).>> Cannes Film Festival: Full coverage 2019Speaking of awards, Quentin Tarantinos Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has already picked up its first prize on the Croisette, for the least famous member of its star-studded cast: pit bull Brandy. As per tradition, awards season in Cannes kicked off with the Palm Dog on Friday, rewarding the best canine performance of the Festival. Tarantino showed up in person to pick up the prize for his wonderful actress. And since my Palm Dog guess proved right, I might as well give my two cents as to who might fetch the other awards at tonights closing ceremony.Its been a fascinating competition, with an exciting and balanced roster of newcomers and veteran directors vying for the film world's most prestigious reward. Cannes 2019 was timely and political, touching on an array of pressing contemporary issues including climate change, fundamentalism, emigration, genetic modification, and the growing gap between rich and poor. Many filmmakers veered deep into genre cinema, from fugitive thriller to sci-fi western and zombie fests. And there was Hollywood confectionery aplenty on the red carpet, more than making up for the dearth of star power witnessed last year. The main competition featured a record-equaling five Palme dOr-winning, two of them two-time winners. Tarantino produced his best film in years, taking us to the source of his dreams and obsessions with an ode to Hollywood at the time of the Manson murders. Ken Loach showed he is becoming sharper and more pertinent by the film with Sorry We Missed You, his indictment of the zero-hours gig economy, which I thought was even better than his Palme dOr-winning I, Daniel Blake. Terrence Malick recovered a measure of form with his much-touted return to narrative, A Hidden Life, the story of an Austrian conscientious objector who refused to fight for the Nazis, while the Dardenne brothers gave a solid but not particularly inspired take on a teens Islamist radicalisation in The Young Ahmed. And then there was Abdelatif Kechiche, of Blue is the Warmest Colour fame, who delivered the shock of the festival with his second instalment in the Mektoub My Love summer-romance saga. It was a leery, more than three-hour-long nightclub extravaganza that placed his film firmly in the realm of endurance cinema. Many critics were outraged, lamenting a disgrace for Kechiche and the worlds premiere film festival. But if Cannes can no longer take daring, provocative fare, then we might as well close shop at once.This years high standards mean picking a favourite for the Palme dOr is no easy task, though I thought two films stood out from the rest. Pedro Almodovar, the Spanish auteur beloved of Cannes, but who is still Palme-less, recaptured the emotional heft of his finest work with the self-referential Pain and Glory. And South Koreas Bong Joon-ho gave us the thrill of the festival with his terrific Parasite, a dark satire on the gap between rich and poor, as hilarious as it was harrowing. If I had to add an outsider, it would be Celine Sciammas Portrait of a Lady on Fire, an elegant and intriguing tale of love and art in 18th century costume, carried by an all-female cast. Such an outcome would of course make history, since only one female director  Jane Campion, in 1993  has ever won the Palme dOr before.Should they fail to land a bigger prize, both Bong and Sciamma would also be obvious contenders for the Best Screenplay award  along with Brazilian duo Kleber Mendonca Filho and Juliano Dornelles, whose eerie sci-fi western Bacurau marked a brilliant foray into genre (and a scathing critique of Jair Bolsonaros Brazil). Any one of the abovementioned directors would be worthy of the Best Director prize, though my preference goes to Chinas Diao Yinan. Shot with extraordinary inventiveness, his fugitive thriller The Wild Goose Lake shines a seedy neon light on a provincial Chinas criminal underworld.Directors cannot win two prizes for the same film, but their actors can  which is good news for Almodovars lead Antonio Banderas, whose deeply moving turn in Pain and Glory makes him a favourite for the male acting award. The Spaniard faces competition from Italys Pierfrancesco Favino, who plays a prominent Mafioso turned informant in Marco Bellocchios excellent The Traitor, about the Sicilian mob. And then theres Brad Pitt, who put in the performance of a lifetime as a stuntman in Tarantinos Once Upon a Time. Should they be inclined to reward new talent, jury members will find worthy candidates in French directors Ladj Ly and Mati Diop (who also holds Senegalese nationality), both of them newcomers to Cannes. Les Miserables, Lys angry flick on police brutality in Frances run-down suburbs, provided the social-realist shock the festival always likes to include in its line-up, while Diops Atlantics offered a fresh perspective on the refugee crisis as seen from African shores.While there were no duds this year, Cannes 2019 featured a handful of disappointments, including Ira Sachs family drama Frankie, Jessica Hausners creepy sci-fi outing Little Joe, and Jim Jarmuschs zombie opener The Dead Dont Die. But its worth remembering that the critics and jury members rarely think alike. So we can expect this evenings closing ceremony to spring the usual surprises.

Virginie Efira hits a career high as the protagonist of Justine Triets Sibyl, a clever and stylish thriller that wrapped up the most exciting  and competitive  Cannes Film Festival in years. Time for our Palme d'Or predictions.

The 72nd Cannes Film Festival had given us just about every film genre imaginable, from western to bromance to cop procedural. But one Cannes staple was missing: the psychotherapist thriller, that very French fascination.

Enter Justine Triet with Sibyl, her first shot at the most prestigious prize in cinema, and a rewarding one too. It stars Virginie Efira as the titular shrink who becomes too emotionally invested in the trials of her patient Margot, played by Adele Exarchopoulos. Though somewhat fanciful in its plot, I thought Triets film was more thoughtful than Francois Ozons seductive but silly erotic thriller LAmant Double, which premiered here two years ago. It helped, perhaps, that Sibyl gave us a womans take on womens sexual desires, regrets and tribulations over maternity.

The story opens in Paris, where we find the protagonist in the midst of a career switch to novelist. Sibyl is at a creative dead-end, until she reluctantly agrees to take on one last patient, who will supply the subject matter of her future novel. Keep the drama fictional, her editor keeps repeating, even Sibyl does the exact opposite. She embarks on a fictional journey that plagiarises both Margots conundrum and her own life-experience  eventually ending up in Stromboli, that most cinematic of islands where Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini famously conceived a film and a baby.

Sibyl is one of several entries in this years competition to feature a film-within-the-film, with a delightful part for Toni Erdmann star Sandra Huller as a nerve-wracked director whose movie gets caught up in the emotional storm kicked off by Sibyl and Margot. Efira gives perhaps her finest performance to date, making her a late favourite for the female acting award (particularly since there were relatively few big roles for women this year).

Story continues

>> Cannes Film Festival: Full coverage 2019

Speaking of awards, Quentin Tarantinos Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has already picked up its first prize on the Croisette, for the least famous member of its star-studded cast: pit bull Brandy. As per tradition, awards season in Cannes kicked off with the Palm Dog on Friday, rewarding the best canine performance of the Festival. Tarantino showed up in person to pick up the prize for his wonderful actress. And since my Palm Dog guess proved right, I might as well give my two cents as to who might fetch the other awards at tonights closing ceremony.

Its been a fascinating competition, with an exciting and balanced roster of newcomers and veteran directors vying for the film world's most prestigious reward. Cannes 2019 was timely and political, touching on an array of pressing contemporary issues including climate change, fundamentalism, emigration, genetic modification, and the growing gap between rich and poor. Many filmmakers veered deep into genre cinema, from fugitive thriller to sci-fi western and zombie fests. And there was Hollywood confectionery aplenty on the red carpet, more than making up for the dearth of star power witnessed last year.

The main competition featured a record-equaling five Palme dOr-winning, two of them two-time winners. Tarantino produced his best film in years, taking us to the source of his dreams and obsessions with an ode to Hollywood at the time of the Manson murders. Ken Loach showed he is becoming sharper and more pertinent by the film with Sorry We Missed You, his indictment of the zero-hours gig economy, which I thought was even better than his Palme dOr-winning I, Daniel Blake. Terrence Malick recovered a measure of form with his much-touted return to narrative, A Hidden Life, the story of an Austrian conscientious objector who refused to fight for the Nazis, while the Dardenne brothers gave a solid but not particularly inspired take on a teens Islamist radicalisation in The Young Ahmed.

And then there was Abdelatif Kechiche, of Blue is the Warmest Colour fame, who delivered the shock of the festival with his second instalment in the Mektoub My Love summer-romance saga. It was a leery, more than three-hour-long nightclub extravaganza that placed his film firmly in the realm of endurance cinema. Many critics were outraged, lamenting a disgrace for Kechiche and the worlds premiere film festival. But if Cannes can no longer take daring, provocative fare, then we might as well close shop at once.

This years high standards mean picking a favourite for the Palme dOr is no easy task, though I thought two films stood out from the rest. Pedro Almodovar, the Spanish auteur beloved of Cannes, but who is still Palme-less, recaptured the emotional heft of his finest work with the self-referential Pain and Glory. And South Koreas Bong Joon-ho gave us the thrill of the festival with his terrific Parasite, a dark satire on the gap between rich and poor, as hilarious as it was harrowing. If I had to add an outsider, it would be Celine Sciammas Portrait of a Lady on Fire, an elegant and intriguing tale of love and art in 18th century costume, carried by an all-female cast. Such an outcome would of course make history, since only one female director  Jane Campion, in 1993  has ever won the Palme dOr before.

Should they fail to land a bigger prize, both Bong and Sciamma would also be obvious contenders for the Best Screenplay award  along with Brazilian duo Kleber Mendonca Filho and Juliano Dornelles, whose eerie sci-fi western Bacurau marked a brilliant foray into genre (and a scathing critique of Jair Bolsonaros Brazil). Any one of the abovementioned directors would be worthy of the Best Director prize, though my preference goes to Chinas Diao Yinan. Shot with extraordinary inventiveness, his fugitive thriller The Wild Goose Lake shines a seedy neon light on a provincial Chinas criminal underworld.

Directors cannot win two prizes for the same film, but their actors can  which is good news for Almodovars lead Antonio Banderas, whose deeply moving turn in Pain and Glory makes him a favourite for the male acting award. The Spaniard faces competition from Italys Pierfrancesco Favino, who plays a prominent Mafioso turned informant in Marco Bellocchios excellent The Traitor, about the Sicilian mob. And then theres Brad Pitt, who put in the performance of a lifetime as a stuntman in Tarantinos Once Upon a Time.

Should they be inclined to reward new talent, jury members will find worthy candidates in French directors Ladj Ly and Mati Diop (who also holds Senegalese nationality), both of them newcomers to Cannes. Les Miserables, Lys angry flick on police brutality in Frances run-down suburbs, provided the social-realist shock the festival always likes to include in its line-up, while Diops Atlantics offered a fresh perspective on the refugee crisis as seen from African shores.

While there were no duds this year, Cannes 2019 featured a handful of disappointments, including Ira Sachs family drama Frankie, Jessica Hausners creepy sci-fi outing Little Joe, and Jim Jarmuschs zombie opener The Dead Dont Die. But its worth remembering that the critics and jury members rarely think alike. So we can expect this evenings closing ceremony to spring the usual surprises.A message from the UK Sepsis Trust will be included on own-brand milk bottles in supermarket Iceland.

Sepsis warnings are to be included on milk bottles at supermarket Iceland in a bid to raise awareness of the life-threatening condition.

Own-brand cartons at the retailer will bear the message, Just Ask: Could It Be Sepsis?, as part of a partnership between the Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation (IFCF) and the UK Sepsis Trust.

The special bottles are already available in some sizes in stores around Scotland, north England and north Wales, and will be rolled out more widely in the Midlands and south of England in the next two months.

The bottles are now LIVE in Scotland, the North of England and North Wales. If you're in any of these places, we'd love it if you could:1. Visit your local Iceland supermarket2. Grab of milk with our branding on it3. Share it on social media with the hashtag #IcelandSepsis pic.twitter.com/iaigesgJ57  The UK Sepsis Trust (@UKSepsisTrust) May 24, 2019

Dr Ron Daniels, chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, said: We are so thrilled to be launching the milk bottle awareness campaign, in partnership with Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation.

With their help, we will be able to raise unprecedented levels awareness in the hope that, having seen our branding on a milk bottle, people will feel empowered to Just Ask: Could It Be Sepsis?, whenever anyone presents whos very unwell with an infection.

Were so grateful to the IFCF and we are incredibly excited to continue this momentum into 2019, to raise even more awareness.

Tarsem Dhaliwal, chief executive of Iceland Foods, said: By using the branding on Icelands milk, an everyday item for many and one of our bestselling products, we will reach millions of people across the UK.

Im confident that this new campaign will achieve new levels of awareness and educate a significant number of people on the symptoms to look out for.

The UK Sepsis Trust branding will feature on Iceland-branded milk cartons until the end of 2019.By Catarina Demony

CASCAIS, Portugal (Reuters) - Every week, carrying a large bag to collect marine litter, sea-lover Miguel Lacerda climbs up and down dangerous 140-metre-high cliffs, dedicating himself to cleaning up Portugal's rocky coast.

Stories such as a whale with rubbish jammed in its stomach and a deep sea diver who found plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench, the deepest place on Earth, have shocked people around the world into tackling marine pollution.

Sixty-two-year-old Lacerda is no exception.

After spending much of his life at sea, from diving in the cold waters of Antarctica to sailing across the Atlantic, Lacerda now wants future generations to be able enjoy the oceans as much as he did.

"Every time I dive, anywhere in the world, I always find trash," Lacerda told Reuters, explaining how a trip to Antarctica in 2010 inspired him to start collecting rubbish washed up on the cliffs near Portugal's capital Lisbon.

"Everybody goes on beach clean-ups but the cliffs are where no one wants to go," he said after a tiring morning searching for rubbish at the bottom of a cliff. It is only reachable by trekking along tough paths and carefully climbing down slippery rocks  sometimes using a rope.

In recent years, searching an area of the Portuguese coast only 3 km (1.9 miles) long, Lacerda has collected 30,000 litres of rubbish, from refrigerators to a plastic cup that travelled all the way across the Atlantic from a beach bar in Florida.

But most of the rubbish Lacerda finds comes from the fishing and shipping industries, including equipment used in lobster fishing in the United States and Canada.

Approximately 80% of marine litter originates on land but in the northeast Atlantic shipping and fishing "are very important litter sources", said the European Commission. Most of the debris is made of plastic.

"We cannot stand still," Lacerda said. "People who enjoy the sea have the duty to respect it."

(Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Axel Bugge and Toby Chopra)Spain's parliament has suspended four Catalan lawmakers elected while facing trial over their role in the failed 2017 push for independence.In a move that could benefit acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the four men  who are being held in custody  will no longer be parliamentarians.Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull and Jordi Sanchez now need to either vacate their seats in parliament, or resign.Sanchez's Socialists came out on top in last months general elections, but failed to secure a majority in the assembly.The suspension could reduce the threshold of an absolute majority that he needs in Congress, or in the lower house, to be sworn in for a second term. * Catalan separatists trial opens in MadridIf the lawmakers cede their seats to replacements, Sanchez would once again need the help of Catalan separatist parties to be sworn in.An investiture vote is expected in the first week of July.

Spain's parliament has suspended four Catalan lawmakers elected while facing trial over their role in the failed 2017 push for independence.

In a move that could benefit acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the four men  who are being held in custody  will no longer be parliamentarians.

Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull and Jordi Sanchez now need to either vacate their seats in parliament, or resign.

Sanchez's Socialists came out on top in last months general elections, but failed to secure a majority in the assembly.

The suspension could reduce the threshold of an absolute majority that he needs in Congress, or in the lower house, to be sworn in for a second term.

If the lawmakers cede their seats to replacements, Sanchez would once again need the help of Catalan separatist parties to be sworn in.

An investiture vote is expected in the first week of July.The US will send 1,500 and a dozen fighter jets to the Middle East in the coming weeks to counter what the Pentagon said is an escalating campaign by Iran to plan attacks against the US and its interests in the region. President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that the extra troops would have a "mostly protective" role as part of a build-up that began this month in response to what the US said was a threat from Iran.The announcement caps three weeks of elevated tensions with Iran, as the administration hurled accusations of an imminent attack and abruptly deployed Navy warships to the region. The moves alarmed members of Congress, who demanded proof and details, amid fears the US was lurching toward open conflict with Iran.Adding to the uncertainty, Trump alternated between tough talk toward Iran and a more conciliatory message, insisting he is open to negotiations with the Islamic Republic.>> Read more: John Bolton's dangerous 'obsession' with IranOn Friday he seemed to downplay the prospect of conflict when he spoke at the White House.Mixed messages"Right now, I don't think Iran wants to fight and I certainly don't think they want to fight with us," he said.In a related move, the Trump administration on Friday used an emergency legal loophole to move ahead with the sale of $7 billion in precision-guided munitions and other military support to Saudi Arabia, citing threats the kingdom faces from Iran.Vice Admiral Michael Gilday told Pentagon reporters that the US has "very high confidence" that Iran's Revolutionary Guard was responsible for the explosions on four tankers, and that Iranian proxies in Iraq fired rockets into Baghdad. He said Iran also tried to deploy modified small boats that were capable of launching cruise missiles.The deployments announced Friday include a squadron of 12 fighter jets, manned and unmanned surveillance aircraft, and a number of military engineers to beef up protection for forces. In addition a battalion of four Patriot missile batteries that was scheduled to leave the Middle East has been ordered to stay. The total number of troops involved is about 1,500, with roughly 600 included in the Patriot battalion. None of those troops will go to either Iraq or Syria."We are going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective," the president said at the White House before setting off on a trip to Japan. "Some very talented people are going to the Middle East right now and we'll see what happens."Briefing reporters at the Pentagon, Gilday, the Joint Staff director, did not provide direct evidence to back up claims tying Iran to the attacks. He told reporters the conclusions were based on intelligence and evidence gathered in the region, and officials said they are trying to declassify some of the information so that it could be made public.Intelligence driven operation"This is truly operations driven by intelligence," Gilday said, adding that the US continues to see intelligence suggesting that Iran is actively planning attacks against the US and partners in the region by the Revolutionary Guard and Iranian proxies in Yemen and Iraq.When pressed for proof of Iran's involvement, he said the mines used in the tanker attacks were attributed directly to the Revolutionary Guard and he said threats could be traced back to senior leaders in Iran."I'm not reverse engineering this," he said. "The Iranians have said publicly they were going to do things. We learn more through intelligence reporting. They have acted upon those threats and they've actually attacked."The announcement of additional forces was met with mixed reviews.For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif described Washington's decision as a "threat to international peace"."Increased US presence in our region is very dangerous and a threat to international peace and security and must be confronted," Zarif told the official IRNA news agency before heading home from a visit to Pakistan.Calls for de-escalalationThe chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Democrat Adam Smith of Washington, called the build-up "unsettling.""Leaders from both sides of the aisle have called for de-escalation. At first blush, this move does not fit the bill," Smith said in a statement Friday. "Without a clearly articulated strategy, adding more personnel and mission systems seems unwise, and appears to be a blatant and heavy-handed move to further escalate tensions with Iran."The senior Republican on the committee, Mac Thornberry of Texas, called it "a prudent step to protect our forces and deter Iran," and said requests from commanders should "never be subject to a partisan debate."The administration notified Congress earlier in the day about the troop plans.Gilday and Katie Wheelbarger, the acting assistant defense secretary for international affairs, said the mission is strictly defensive, and is not designed to provoke Iran into carrying out additional attacks. They said the Pentagon will continue to evaluate the number of troops in the region in case more are needed later.Earlier this week, officials said military planners had outlined options that could have sent up to 10,000 military reinforcements to the region. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan later said planners hadn't settled on a figure.US has 70,000 troops across Middle EastThe US has about 70,000 troops across the Middle East, including at a major Navy base in Bahrain and an Air Force base and operations center in Qatar. There are about 5,200 troops in Iraq and 2,000 in Syria.Earlier this month, the US sent thousands more into the region around Iran, including an aircraft carrier strike group, four bomber aircraft, a Patriot missile battery and fighter jets.Tension had been rising with Iran for more than a year. The Trump administration withdrew last year from the 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and world powers and reinstated American sanctions that have badly damaged the Iranian economy.The president has argued that the nuclear deal failed to sufficiently curb Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons or halt its support for militias throughout the Middle East that the US argues destabilise the region.(FRANCE 24 with AP and AFP)

The US will send 1,500 and a dozen fighter jets to the Middle East in the coming weeks to counter what the Pentagon said is an escalating campaign by Iran to plan attacks against the US and its interests in the region.

President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that the extra troops would have a "mostly protective" role as part of a build-up that began this month in response to what the US said was a threat from Iran.

The announcement caps three weeks of elevated tensions with Iran, as the administration hurled accusations of an imminent attack and abruptly deployed Navy warships to the region. The moves alarmed members of Congress, who demanded proof and details, amid fears the US was lurching toward open conflict with Iran.

Adding to the uncertainty, Trump alternated between tough talk toward Iran and a more conciliatory message, insisting he is open to negotiations with the Islamic Republic.

>> Read more: John Bolton's dangerous 'obsession' with Iran

On Friday he seemed to downplay the prospect of conflict when he spoke at the White House.

Mixed messages

"Right now, I don't think Iran wants to fight and I certainly don't think they want to fight with us," he said.

In a related move, the Trump administration on Friday used an emergency legal loophole to move ahead with the sale of $7 billion in precision-guided munitions and other military support to Saudi Arabia, citing threats the kingdom faces from Iran.

Vice Admiral Michael Gilday told Pentagon reporters that the US has "very high confidence" that Iran's Revolutionary Guard was responsible for the explosions on four tankers, and that Iranian proxies in Iraq fired rockets into Baghdad. He said Iran also tried to deploy modified small boats that were capable of launching cruise missiles.

The deployments announced Friday include a squadron of 12 fighter jets, manned and unmanned surveillance aircraft, and a number of military engineers to beef up protection for forces. In addition a battalion of four Patriot missile batteries that was scheduled to leave the Middle East has been ordered to stay. The total number of troops involved is about 1,500, with roughly 600 included in the Patriot battalion. None of those troops will go to either Iraq or Syria.

Story continues

"We are going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective," the president said at the White House before setting off on a trip to Japan. "Some very talented people are going to the Middle East right now and we'll see what happens."

Briefing reporters at the Pentagon, Gilday, the Joint Staff director, did not provide direct evidence to back up claims tying Iran to the attacks. He told reporters the conclusions were based on intelligence and evidence gathered in the region, and officials said they are trying to declassify some of the information so that it could be made public.

Intelligence driven operation

"This is truly operations driven by intelligence," Gilday said, adding that the US continues to see intelligence suggesting that Iran is actively planning attacks against the US and partners in the region by the Revolutionary Guard and Iranian proxies in Yemen and Iraq.

When pressed for proof of Iran's involvement, he said the mines used in the tanker attacks were attributed directly to the Revolutionary Guard and he said threats could be traced back to senior leaders in Iran.

"I'm not reverse engineering this," he said. "The Iranians have said publicly they were going to do things. We learn more through intelligence reporting. They have acted upon those threats and they've actually attacked."

The announcement of additional forces was met with mixed reviews.

For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif described Washington's decision as a "threat to international peace".

"Increased US presence in our region is very dangerous and a threat to international peace and security and must be confronted," Zarif told the official IRNA news agency before heading home from a visit to Pakistan.

Calls for de-escalalation

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Democrat Adam Smith of Washington, called the build-up "unsettling."

"Leaders from both sides of the aisle have called for de-escalation. At first blush, this move does not fit the bill," Smith said in a statement Friday. "Without a clearly articulated strategy, adding more personnel and mission systems seems unwise, and appears to be a blatant and heavy-handed move to further escalate tensions with Iran."

The senior Republican on the committee, Mac Thornberry of Texas, called it "a prudent step to protect our forces and deter Iran," and said requests from commanders should "never be subject to a partisan debate."

The administration notified Congress earlier in the day about the troop plans.

Gilday and Katie Wheelbarger, the acting assistant defense secretary for international affairs, said the mission is strictly defensive, and is not designed to provoke Iran into carrying out additional attacks. They said the Pentagon will continue to evaluate the number of troops in the region in case more are needed later.

Earlier this week, officials said military planners had outlined options that could have sent up to 10,000 military reinforcements to the region. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan later said planners hadn't settled on a figure.

US has 70,000 troops across Middle East

The US has about 70,000 troops across the Middle East, including at a major Navy base in Bahrain and an Air Force base and operations center in Qatar. There are about 5,200 troops in Iraq and 2,000 in Syria.

Earlier this month, the US sent thousands more into the region around Iran, including an aircraft carrier strike group, four bomber aircraft, a Patriot missile battery and fighter jets.

Tension had been rising with Iran for more than a year. The Trump administration withdrew last year from the 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and world powers and reinstated American sanctions that have badly damaged the Iranian economy.

The president has argued that the nuclear deal failed to sufficiently curb Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons or halt its support for militias throughout the Middle East that the US argues destabilise the region.

(FRANCE 24 with AP and AFP)The Unknown Who Almost Beat the World Series' Toughest Final Table

May 25 2019 John Johnny Quads Wenzel

Stan Schrier couldve been Chris Moneymaker. All he had to do was beat the toughest final table in the history of the World Series of Poker.

It was May 2001, two years before Moneymaker  an obscure novice from Tennessee whod never played a live no-limit holdem tournament  would defeat the best players in the world to capture the Main Event. He won his $10,000 entry fee in an $86 online satellite, and the fireworks from the improbable $2.5 million victory ignited the imaginations of millions. He was pokers Rocky Balboa, and almost overnight a struggling game became a cultural phenomenon  but it wasnt just the huge payday. Back then, an amateur nobody beating the sharks was unthinkable. It was as crazy as you beating Tiger Woods in his prime. Or Federer. Or Jordan.

But Moneymaker did it.

Two years earlier, Stan was right there too, poised on the edge of history.

From Nebraska to the Bright Lights of Vegas

Stan Schrier always liked poker, but there wasnt much of it in his native Nebraska, so he vacationed in Vegas just to play holdem. Back then, holdem meant limit holdem. Thats pretty much all there was, and limit cash games were all Stan knew. When he sold his Omaha grocery stores and retired, Vegas was the logical move, and he went for it. Soon after, he found himself at Binions Horseshoe when a dude talked him into trying an $80 satellite for the WSOP Main Event. Somehow, he won it. And four grueling, 14-hour days of play later hes at the Main Event final table facing Carlos Mortensen, Phil Hellmuth, Mike Matusow, Phil Gordon, and Dewey Tomko. (And it couldve been worse: Daniel Negreanu finished 11th.)

"I never told them I had never played a no-limit tournament before.

Mortensen, Hellmuth, and Tomko are Poker Hall of Famers with multiple World Series titles and millions of dollars in winnings. Mortensen is an aggressive, dangerous player to this day with titles all over the world. Hellmuth is the acknowledged master of no-limit holdem at the WSOP with a record fifteen bracelets, 57 final tables, and 136 cashes and back then, hed happily trash talk you until you broke down in tears. Tomko is a two-time Main Event runner-up no one wanted to face. Gordon, author of five books on poker, holds two WPT titles and was one of the worlds most feared players in the early days of the poker boom. Matusow boasts four WSOP titles but is as well-known for epic meltdowns and brutal table talk as he is for his brilliant moves. They dont call him The Mouth for nothing.

So into these bloody waters dove the retired grocer, the oldest player at the final, running on pure adrenaline.

Stan Schrier (Image: Horseshoe Council Bluffs)

I was 63 and the grandpa at the table, Stan recalls. And I never told them I had never played a no-limit tournament before.

Prior to final table action, Hellmuth said: Im supposed to be the best no-limit holdem player in the world, and now I have the chance to prove it. Im zoned in and playing great  youd have to be insane not to be afraid of me.

There werent many poker professionals back in 2001, but those who made a living at it were very good. So was Stan feeling the pressure?

Ive been in business all my life, now thats pressure, he told an interviewer at the time. This isnt pressure, this is pleasure.

Stan started out fifth in chips, and his strategy was to play it cool.

I was patient in business and I was patient in poker. I only played a few hands, he remembers. Mortensen had more than half the chips in play, and that changed everything. He was on my right and just eating me up alive. There were some loose players, so I just decided to play tight and watch them knock each other out one by one.

Tighty Whitey

Playing tight came naturally. I was playing in Reno once and put in a big bet against Phil Ivey. He thought about it for a long time and then finally folded, saying: Youre the one person at the table I wont call, Tighty Whitey. That became my nickname for a while.

His style got noticed. At one point, Matusow exclaimed, For Christs sake, are you ever going to play a god-damned hand? And if you ever do, Im going to fold!

They werent too worried about me, so I was able to steal a few blinds. I was just going to play premium cards, and I didnt get many."

Remember when Moneymaker tanked forever at the 2003 Main Event, except he wasnt tanking, he just had forgotten he had a hand? Well, Stan did the same thing. I forgot I had cards and I was just sitting there and they had to tell me I had a hand! That got a laugh, but Hellmuth was not pleased.

Stan remembers Gordon putting Hellmuth on notice that he wasnt going to take any more crap. Gordon bluffed Phil and showed it and told him: Youre not the only one here who knows how to play poker. There were some words and the tournament director had to step in.

He recalls Hellmuth saying How can you play crap like that? to Matusow after Matusow bluffed with 7-2 and lost a lot of chips to Mortensen.

Overall, though, the table was tough but friendly. They werent too worried about me, so I was able to steal a few blinds. I was just going to play premium cards, and I didnt get many. I took out Steve Riehle with a flush, but mostly I was just climbing up the payout ladder, staying out of the way.

After tournament grinder John Inashema, cash-game amateur Country Steve Riehle, and dapper German Henry Nowakowski busted, the crowd swelled, the atmosphere became heavy, palms got clammy, and things tightened up at Binions.

There were five really good players left  and me, Stan says. And it was an honor to be there. It wasnt about the money with me; after all, this was the final table at the World Series of Poker! But after a while, the money started to look pretty good too, and I really wanted to win.

Schrier Goes for History

One by one they fell. First Matusow, then Hellmuth, then Gordon. Hellmuth looked like he couldnt believe that he had lost. He had family with him and didnt take it well.

Just three left! Stan desperately needed a double-up, but it was not to be. This was Carlos year  that was clear from the start. Stans final hand was Q-10 of spades against Tomkos kings. Mortensen, with a huge chip lead, would bust Tomko soon after by cracking his aces.

Stan Schrier today. (Image: John Wenzel)

I never lost my cool, just like in business, Stan recalls, but hell never forget that while he was being interviewed following his third-place bust-out, they brought out the $1.5 million first-place cash and stacked it up on the table in full view of his tired eyes. That hurt. It was the richest prize in poker up to that time, and the richest prize in sports. The 613-player field was also a record, as was the $5.9 million prize pool.

Still, $700k was not a bad payday. Thats more than $1 million in todays money.

It helps if you have money in the bank, and there were some at the final table in awe of the money, he says. You cant play with scared money.

Eighteen years later, he still thinks about it and is proud of his amazing run. I learned a lot and very few get the chance to do it, make the final table at the Main Event  only nine a year.

Stan took his cash and made a dozen final tables in the ensuing year. He has 54 cashes in notable tourneys to date, plus his victories in his home poker room at the Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (In 2011, he moved back to Omaha to be with family and is a fixture in the big tourneys at Horseshoe Council Bluffs.)

As for the WSOP, he competed in the Main Event every year until 2016, when he had health issues. Amazingly, he won a satellite for every one of them. I believe in satellites, the still-cautious businessman says. I dont pay full price.

This year, hell be back. You will see him in the Super Seniors event at the Rio and if all goes well, in the Main Event too. That is if he wins a satellite. After all, as with Chris Moneymaker, thats what started it all.

John Johnny Quads Wenzel is the former editor of Poker Pro Magazine and the author of three books on poker. He now lives in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he is writing novels and dealing poker. He will be competing in this summers WSOP.Autonomous Vehicle Experts Gather At Indianapolis Motor Speedway To Envision Self-Driving Race Car Challenge

Posted by: newsla on May 24, 2019 - 08:28 PM Autonomous Vehicle Experts Gather At Indianapolis Motor Speedway To Envision Self-Driving Race Car Challenge



The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Energy Systems Network (ESN), the advanced energy technology initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), are hosting some of the world's leading autonomous vehicle technology researchers at the Racing Capital of the World on Thursday, May 23 to explore the potential for a global autonomous vehicle competition to be hosted in Indianapolis.



Nearly 15 years ago, the DARPA Grand Challenge gave birth to the modern-day autonomous vehicle (AV) industry by awarding a $1 million prize to the team that could first complete a 132-mile course in the southwestern U.S. desert. Today, a group of more than 20 researchers from industry and academia is gathered to develop what may become the successor to DARPA, spurring a new wave of innovation and AV commercialization. The goal of the workshop is to develop potential objectives and rules for such a competition, and to discuss prospective timelines, vehicles and other core elements.



"The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was conceived and built more than 100 years ago as a proving ground for automotive innovation and discovery," IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. "This gathering at the Racing Capital of the World provides an opportunity to embrace our heritage and again serve as a catalyst for the next generation of vehicle technologies in both motorsports competition and wider consumer platforms."

"ESN is thrilled to be working with IMS to look for ways to bring technological innovations to the world's greatest racing venue, and beyond," said Paul Mitchell, president and CEO of Energy Systems Network.



The first phase of this exploration started in the fall of 2018 in Mountain View, California, with a gathering hosted by Sebastian Thrun, whose Stanford University team won the DARPA Grand Challenge in 2005. Thrun, the CEO of KittyHawk and co-founder of Udacity, is among a group of stakeholders advising the development of this potential new competition.



Reilly Brennan, a lecturer at Stanford's Center for Automotive Research, partner at Trucks Venture Capital and another competition advisor, said: "Competitions that demand the highest performance thresholds have shown the ability to reveal new thinking, new collaborations and new talent. Over a decade ago, the DARPA Grand Challenge kick-started an important wave of innovation in automated vehicles that spilled over into the private sector and reinvigorated the research community. I believe a new competition focused on high-speed automated vehicles has the potential to do the same."



The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been an incubator and proving ground for automotive innovation since it opened in 1909. The facility originally was designed as a test track for the burgeoning automotive industry in Indianapolis at the turn of the century, and innovation began with the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911, when winner Ray Harroun equipped and used what is believed to be the first rear-view mirror in automotive history on his Marmon "Wasp" race car.



Since then, countless automotive and motorsports breakthroughs have been fostered at IMS, including the first use of a Pace Car (1911), what is believed to be the first mass rolling start of a race (1911), the first use of four-wheel hydraulic brakes (1921), the first installation of color warning lights (1935), the first mandatory use of helmets (1935) and the first use of crash-data recorders (1993). As the 21st century dawned on the Speedway, arguably the greatest invention to protect drivers in a high-speed crash, the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) Barrier, was applied to the track's four turns, in May 2002.



ESN, which is managing the project, has focused on innovations in transportation (including electrification, Mobility-as-a-Service, and autonomous first/last mile solutions) since its founding in 2009, and recently released a report titled Emerging Mobility Technologies and Trends that delves into the rapid transformation of this industry. ESN sees the opportunity to advance the commercialization of connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technologies through the development of this competition. Strategy Analytics - a consulting, advisory, and strategic market research services company - expects this industry to be worth $800 billion by 2035 and $7 trillion by 2050.



"While self-driving technologies and performance have advanced radically in recent years, solving for so-called 'edge cases' - those extreme and potentially dangerous roadway conditions - has in many cases remained elusive," said Matt Peak, director of mobility at Energy Systems Network. "A competition that challenges the stability and control of autonomous vehicles at ultra-high speeds and in close proximity to each other would have real-world applicability in highway scenarios, and aid in the deployment of technologies that help vehicles avoid accidents and make our roadways safer."



The participants of the workshop are experts and researchers from:



 Ariel University

 Clemson University - International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR)

 Dallara Automobili

 Elevate Ventures

 Georgia Institute of Technology

 Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

 Kennesaw State University

 Kettering University

 Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST)

 LHP Engineering Solutions

 Michigan State University - Autonomous and Connected Vehicle (CANVAS) Research Center

 Ohio State University - Center for Automotive Research (CAR)

 Purdue University

 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

 Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI)

 Toyota Mobility Foundation

 University of Alabama

 University of Florida Transportation Institute

 University of Virginia

 University of Waterloo

 Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) - Center for Advanced Automotive Research



PaddockTalk Perspective



The viral tweet attracted thousands of responses revealing funny times they've been lied to. [Photo: Getty]

Weve all been lied to, whether its a small white lie or a big whopping one.

It wasnt until comedian, Maisie Adam, tweeted asking the public to share their BS with the world, that we saw the extent - and the hilarity - of it.

Even Phillip Schofield got involved.

She started by sharing a lie shed be told.

TWITTER! Whats the best bullshit youve heard someone come out with?



I went to school with a lad who claimed his dad invented the phrase No way Jose and that they were still living off the royalties.  Maisie Adam (@MaisieAdam) May 21, 2019

I went to school with a lad who claimed his dad invented the phrase No way Jose and that they were still living off the royalties. She admitted.

It wasnt long before hundreds of people descended onto Maisies Twitter account to share their stories.

READ MORE: Hot Podium Guy steals Theresa Mays thunder

One mans Cyprus-based lie scarred this woman for life: When I was younger, my Grandad told me that our whole family are banned from Cyprus because he shot a sacred donkey there when he was in the army. Didnt book to go to Ayia Napa with my pals just in case.

To which Maisie replied Hahahahaha ok this might be my fave.

Oh, but it didnt stop there.

Were still not sure whether to believe some of them or not. Thats how convincing they are.

READ MORE: This hygiene question has the internet divided

Take this one lie for example: My grandad said he was the only player to ever score a penalty with a header. He ran up, struck the ball, it hit a dog that ran on the pitch and he headed it in.

My grandad said he was the only player to ever score a penalty with a header. He ran up, struck the ball, it hit a dog that ran on the pitch and he headed it in  Chris Wilkinson (@Mr_Wilko1990) May 22, 2019

Is it true? We need context, Chris.

Story continues

Phillip Schofield dropped a simple thinking face emoji after one Twitter user was tricked by his Dad.

My dad told me that @Schofe once turned up to my 5th birthday party. Apparently he saw the balloons and thought it was his nephews party. This was at the height of his Live and Kicking fame too!

Ok, what?

Matthew Webber grew up thinking its a lie, but Schofes blase response has got us - and most probably him - questioning whether it did really happen.

Theres nothing quite like digging up old lies to get you ready for weekend, is there folks?The general election is over in India and Narendra Modi, leading the Hindu revivalist party, has won a near landslide victory. Modi's party, the BJP( Bhartiya Janta Party), has won 303 seats out of 542 seats in the Indian parliament. Along with its allies, the BJP which leads the NDA( National Democratic Alliance) has won 353 seats. World leaders have congratulated Modi on his facile win and among the first to congratulate the Indian PM was the US President, Donald Trump, and his daughter Ivanka Trump. Newsr reported that the US President congratulated PM Narendra Modi on his "big" election victory, saying "great things" are in store for bilateral ties between the two nations.

Just spoke to Prime Minister @NarendraModi where I congratulated him on his big political victory. He is a great man and leader for the people of India - they are lucky to have him!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 24, 2019

Congress defeat

The opposing, United Democratic Front, led by the Congress party, had mounted a concerted challenge to Modi's rule. Unfortunately, the people's perception of Modi trumped all the allegations leveled against him by Rahul Gandhi and his supporters. One of the big reasons was the perception that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party was a pro-Muslim Party. This led to the electorate forgiving Modi's mistakes in implementing demonetization and the GST. The Congress Party failed to make an impact and ended up with just about 52 seats, a marginal improvement over the 42 seats it won in 2014.

They will, however, once again be denied the post of the leader of the opposition, as they have less than 10 percent of the seats required.

Trump

Donald Trump has now invited Modi for a meeting on the sidelines of G-20 meeting in July this year. Earlier in 2017, Trump invited Modi to the White House and has now mentioned a deepening strategic relationship.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

Newsfeed.co reported that Trump's daughter Ivanka also tweeted her congratulations to Modi on his victory. She had attended the entrepreneur's conference at Hyderabad, India about two years earlier.

The Indian general election involved over a billion people and was the biggest general election the world has ever seen. It lasted over a month and the final voting phase ended on 19 May.

The results were announced on May 23, giving the BJP and Modi a stupendous win.

Modi's victory will be a shot in the arm for Indo- American relations. Over the years there has been a deepening of the strategic relationship between the two countries. America is wary of China and India remains the best bet to counter the expansionist designs of China. India has a big border problem with China as well.

Last word

Modi can now bask in the sunlight after his victory. Many world leaders have congratulated Modi The landslide victory for the BJP in India is likely to be a game changer in the political scenario in SE Asia. The USA will benefit from the pro-USA stance of the BJP with Mod in charge.The doors to export markets have opened after the signing of government-to-government agreements. However, enterprises still have to overcome many challenges.

The protocol on veterinary and public health requirements on dairy products to be exported from Vietnam to China was signed by agencies of the two countries in late April. The document paves the way for Vietnam to export its dairy products to the 1.4 billion consumer market of China through official channels.

Vinamilk, the nations leading dairy producer, has the biggest production capacity and strongest brand in Vietnam.

However, asked about the plan to export dairy products to China, a representative of the company was very cautious.

Vinamilk has been preparing for exporting its products to China for one year, he said on Thoi Bao Kinh Te Sai Gon.

The protocol on veterinary and public health requirements on dairy products to be exported from Vietnam to China was signed by agencies of the two countries in late April.

We have been seeking distribution partners and bringing products to Chinese supermarket chains. Chinese consumers like Vinamilks yoghurt and fresh milk, he said, adding that it has been selling dairy products to China across border gates.

The door to China through official channels has opened, but its still early to say if Vietnams producers can enter the market, because the technical barriers China has installed are numerous.

Chinese agriculture ministry officials last August came to Vietnam to examine Vinamilks 10 milk cow farms and recognized that all the farms met the requirements on hygiene and food safety.

As such, the stamping for farm positioning required by the Chinese side can be satisfied by Vinamilk.

The largest dairy producer has been preparing different scenarios for export to China. It will also have to learn about Chinese partners capability, payment methods, storehouses and prestige.

We may have to build a cold storehouse in Mong Cai to store products, and this will take six months, the representative said, adding that in the immediate time, the home market is still the focus.

While experts all say Vietnams textile and garment industry would get big benefits from CPTPP and EVFTA, the enterprises in the industry are still cautious. They said it will be a long path from doing outsourcing to making products with 100 percent domestic materials for export.

For a long time, Vietnam focused on making garment products, while fabric and other input materials had to be imported from other countries. Importers have the right to name the suppliers of fabric and materials.

And even if fabric could be made in Vietnam, enterprises will first have to persuade foreign importers to accept the Vietnamese-made fabric.

RELATED NEWS

Labour Code to be adjusted to be compatible with new-generation FTAs

Vietnam poised to profit from free trade agreements

Kim ChiIn anticipation of the growing importance of public-private partnership, Vietnam and partners are working on a new model to strengthen primary healthcare services as the foundation to achieve universal healthcare coverage by 2030.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MoH), the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care, and Novartis last week jointly organised the first-ever primary healthcare partnership dialogue, aiming to help Vietnam find a suitable approach to public-private partnership (PPP).

Vietnam sees a growing number of partners interested in PPP who see huge growth potential. Thus, the countrys problem in developing the PPP in the healthcare sector is not a lack of interest or financial resources, but the connection among involved parties and their alignment with the MoHs visions, David Duong, deputy director of the Programme in Global Primary Care and Social Change at Harvard Medical School, told VIR. I have been studying many PPP models worldwide and find that the principles for any successful models are co-ownership, shared vision, shared voice, and mutual respect  without these, any PPP model would fail.

At the event, a consensus among the MoH, development partners, and private sector, as well as industry partners was achieved around a shared vision for primary healthcare transformation in Vietnam, marking the first step for the MoH and the government and partners to achieve a shared vision, co-ownership, and shared objectives, with improved transparency among partners.

In this light, committed partners reached a consensus on the creation of a major PPP initiative and the formation of the Working Group for Primary Healthcare Transformation, which would be under the existing Health Partnership Group mechanism. The working group, which consists of representatives from the Vietnamese government, the WEF, Harvard Medical School, and Novartis, will develop an innovative PPP project to help Vietnam reach its universal healthcare coverage (UHC) goal by 2030 by leveraging the various partners experiences, investments, and expertise to strengthen the existing pilot programmes by the MoH in creating a new comprehensive primary care model across the country.

The working group will plan activities to complement and strengthen the MoHs existing demonstration projects and initiatives in 30 provinces for primary care transformation. Learnings from these projects will be applied to scale up model nationwide.

With this promising new PPP, partners no longer need a risk-sharing mechanism like other traditional PPP projects being deoloyed in Vietnam because they are not focusing on building new healthcare centres, but on how they can draw on the capabilities and knowledge of different partners.

At present, there are some successful PPP models in the world, including in the management of medical devices, contract services or specialty clinical services or paraclinical services. Precedent shows that suitable PPP models not only bring benefits to the locals but also open more opportunities for hospitals and multinational corporations to join up. Indonesia and Australia are particularly apt examples for this.

Vietnam has made improvements to develop its health system. Nearly nine out of 10 citizens possess health insurance, protecting them against the kind of catastrophic health expenditure which ruins families. According to the latest Global Monitoring Report on UHC, published jointly by the World Health Organization and the World Bank, 97 per cent of Vietnamese children receive standard immunisation  a higher percentage than in most high-income countries.

In spite of this, Vietnam is still challenged by taking care of healthy people and fighting non-communicable diseases. Therefore, it is encouraging the private sector to invest in PPP projects in the healthcare sector, especially in hospitals, grassroots health centres, and primary healthcare facilities.

In the MoHs vision to achieve UHC and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially the SDG 3 on health is based on three pillars to support primary care development, namely the Healthy Vietnam Programme, Grassroots Health Development, and targeted health-population programmes.

Kenan Yorucu - Industry advisor, Digital Transformation Office Cisco System (USA) Pte., Ltd. Healthcare costs are growing across the ASEAN, and the government is looking to reduce them by bringing in private organisations to deliver more efficient healthcare, especially through technology. A disadvantage is that private firms want to monetise their services. We must allow them to be more innovative, for example by allowing more trials or proofs of concept, not only from larger tech groups but also from smaller startups. The country can learn from success cases. The medication supply chain shows how PPP works on a local scale. On a national scale, multiple private organisations need to gather. David B. Duong - Deputy director Programme in Global Primary Care and Social Change Harvard Medical School PPP investment in healthcare in Vietnam has yet to lure in many investors because they do not understand this model yet. They only think of co-operating with the authorities to build hospitals, which is only a small part of it  they can supply services or train staff. If they understood that, they would see massive opportunities. At present, the Ministry of Health (MoH) is calling for investment in three sectors, including primary healthcare, grassroots healthcare development, and PPP in hospitals. However, regardless of the sector of their choice, investors will prioritise high-end healthcare services. There are already successful PPP co-operations in Vietnamese healthcare, like the co-operation between DHA Corporation and a number of districts in Ho Chi Minh City which allowed people to gain more from their social insurance. Deborah Gildea  Head Novartis Social Business Asia As committed partners, we are excited about the development of this innovative public-private partnership which will help deliver on the MoH objectives to achieve universal health care in Vietnam by strengthening existing primary care demonstration projects. Building on our ongoing work in Vietnam and the Asian region, we are keen to bring our expertise into this new partnership. between the MoH, Harvard Medical School, the World Economic Forum and Novartis. It is not a PPP project that is often seen in Vietnam because it focuses on how we can draw on the capabilities and knowledge of different partners to ultilise facilities at primary healthcare centres, convincing locals to visit. Novartis engages the community to teach them about non-communicable diseases and managing their health, and then encourages them to use facilities in primary healthcare centres. We do not need a risk-sharing mechanism, only that the government open up opportunities for companies like Novartis to establish a legal presence in Vietnam, enabling us to perform our long-term commitments which require public-private collaboration. VIR

Tung AnhThe real estate market developed well in 2014-2018, but unexpectedly has cooled down since the beginning of 2019.

Real estate firms are on the defensive. It is not the right time to attack, said Nguyen Tran Nam, former Deputy Minister of Construction.

Nam cited a report as saying that the number of licenses granted to construction works has decreased by 16 percent, while 150 licensed projects have been suspended for examination.

As a result, the number of apartments, villas and houses launched into the market in Hanoi and HCMC has decreased by 30 percent compared with Q4 2018.

Asked why the real estate market has cooled down after hot development in 2014-2018, Nam said concerns about real estate bubbles exist, prompting the government to take action to restrict the credit flow into the real estate market.

He warned that the capital flow would be restricted even more in the time to come.

The State Bank of Vietnams (SBV) Circular No 36 stipulates that the proportion of short-term capital which can be used for long-term lending must be cut from 60 percent to 40 percent within two years.

The State Bank of Vietnams (SBV) Circular No 36 stipulates that the proportion of short-term capital which can be used for long-term lending must be cut from 60 percent to 40 percent within two years.

A local newspaper reported that the credit growth rate for the real estate sector slowed to 8.56 percent in 2018 from 12.86 percent in 2016.

Not only tightening control over real estate lending, the government has also requested to check land development programming and inspect some huge projects. As a result, the supply is reducing in the context of increasingly high demand.

Realtors now must be sure that they can strictly follow all procedures and requirements set by appropriate agencies. If they dont, they will see their projects suspended, he said.

Also, Mam said there are two bad investment trends in the real estate market.

First, investors have flocked to Mui Ne, Van Don and Phu Quoc to buy land, causing a land fever in the localities.

Second, investors are now rushing to pour money into resort real estate projects, mostly in sea cities/provinces of Hai Phong and Hung Yen. In the localities, the land is still cheap and the required procedures are not too complicated.

Nguyen Manh Khoi from MOC confirmed that the real estate supply in the first four months of 2019 decreased significantly in comparison with 2018, especially in the supply of mid-end apartments.

Meanwhile, the supply of high-end products had increased. Products priced at VND200-300 million per square meter have appeared in large cities.

According to deputy chair of the Vietnam Real Estate Association, Nguyen Manh Ha, large projects were all marketed in Q4 2018 and realtors are awaiting new projects to be licensed.

RELATED NEWS

Three leading trends in Vietnams real estate market

Seven worrying problems for HCMCs real estate market in 2019

Mai LanWith its many incentives for clean energy development, the Government is making solar power projects more attractive than ever.

A view of solar panels of the Cat Hiep solar power plant in Cat Hiep commune of Phu Cat district, Binh Dinh province

Almost two years since it was issued, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs Decision No.11/2017/QD-TTg on mechanisms to encourage the development of solar power projects in Vietnam has created a magnet for investors in this field.

Last April, a complex of three solar power plants with the total capacity of 330 MWp was inaugurated in the south central province of Ninh Thuan. Invested in by BIM Energy of BIM Group and AC Energy of the Philippiness Ayala Corp., it is Southeast Asias biggest solar power complex at present.

In January, the Solar 1 factory of the BP Solar JSC in Ninh Thuan officially generated electricity for the national grid. With the capacity of 46MWp, it is designed to produce some 75 million kWh each year.

Aside from big investors, solar power development has also attracted many households.

With just a few rooftop solar panels, many households have been able to generate enough electricity not just for daily use, but also to put towards the national grid. Solar power, bought at 2,134 VND (0.09 USD) per kWh, has become a source of income for a number of families.

Nguyen Ngoc Tuong Vi, a division head at the Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation, said the firm has connected 1,432 rooftop solar power systems of local households with the citys grid. They have the total capacity of 17.46MWp, generating more than 4 million kWh to the grid.

The sector has spent more than 8.5 billion VND on buying the electricity from locals, she noted.

Deputy Director General of the Southern Power Corporation Nguyen Van Ly said his firm had linked more than 1,290 household rooftop systems with the national grid as of mid-May. With their panels total capacity of 20,299kWp, they have generated nearly 3 million kWh of power.

He added that the corporation will step up communications to encourage people to install more rooftop solar panels in the time ahead.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, 121 solar power projects have been added to the national and provincial electricity development plans. They are expected to have the combined capacity of 6,100 MW before 2020.VNAAquatic businesses have begun to feel the windfall from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which came into force in Vietnam from January 14, 2019.

Vietnamese shrimp exports to Japan also posted a yearly increase of 1.4 percent to reach 121.7 million USD in the first three months of 2019.

According to the Agro Processing Market Development Authority (AgroTrade) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the aquatic sector raked in 2.5 billion USD from exports in the first four month of 2019, showing a year-on-year rise of 2.4 percent.

In the first quarter of this year, aquatic exports rose 1.6 percent to 1.79 billion USD. Exports to 10 CPTPP countries reached 502 million USD, up nearly 15 percent. High growth was seen in exports to Japan, Canada, Mexico, and Malaysia.

Mexico is one of the new markets that the CPTPP has brought to Vietnam, which imported 38 million USD worth of aquatic products, up over 26 percent. Meanwhile Malaysia imported 32 million USD, up nearly 33 percent.

In January-March, Vietnam exported 8.58 million USD worth of tra fish to Japan, a sharp increase of 60.37 percent against the same period last year.

Vietnamese shrimp exports to Japan also posted a yearly increase of 1.4 percent to reach 121.7 million USD in the first three months of 2019.

The CPTPP was signed by 11 member states, namely Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam in March 2018.

This is one of the most comprehensive trade deals ever concluded and strips 98 percent of tariffs for the 11 member countries, with a combined GDP of more than 13.8 trillion USD and close to 500 million consumers.

CPTPP member states form a giant market with 500 million consumers, accounting for 15 percent of the global trade turnover. VNAVietnam has some of the worlds most diverse wildlife, but the countrys rare species are in grave danger from traffickers.

Wildlife trafficking cases continue to increase in Vietnam

Wildlife crime becomes more serious in Vietnam

Hanoi statement to fight illegal wildlife trade under review

Environmental crime police in Dong Da District, Hanoi hand over a wildcat to a staff member at the Ha Noi Wildlife Rescue Centre. The cat was rescued from an animal trafficker who bought it into the citys outer district of Dan Phuong to sell in the inner city.  VNA/VNS Photo Tran Viet

Statistics from the Education for Nature  Vietnam (ENV) highlight how dire the situation is for many animals in Vietnam.

Rhinos are extinct in the country; there are no more than five tigers left; less than 100 elephants live in the wild; and 16 out of 25 primate species are in critical condition. Meanwhile, hundreds of bears live in captivity and many other rare and endangered wildlife species are threatened by the illegal wildlife trade.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), before the 1980s Vietnams marine turtle population was in rude health, with tens of thousands of turtles laying eggs every year.

Now, the numbers have declined dramatically, as only 200-300 turtles bear eggs per year on Con Dao Island, while the provinces of Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Binh Dinh and Ninh Thuan record only 10-20 laying turtles year each.

The ENV said that among the five species of sea turtles in the country, the Hawksbill sea turtle population has severely decreased due to humans hunting them for their shells, having fallen 80 per cent in the last century.

Vu Thi Quyen, ENV director, said: Rhino horn or other wild animal products are believed to have healing properties, but there is no scientific evidence for this.

Despite having no wild rhinos, Vietnam is one of the largest markets for rhino horn in the world. The use of rhino horn had led to the extinction of rhinos in the country, and continued to aid the massacre of rhinos in Africa at alarming levels, said Quyen

A staggering 56 per cent of Asians arrested in cases related to South African rhino crimes are Vietnamese, according to the ENV.

In recent years, criminals have even started selling wild animal products online and last year, the ENV reported nearly 800 cases of violations related to wild animals on the internet.

At an anti-wildlife trafficking conference in the UK in October last year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development recognised the urgent need to better protect this precious natural resource.

While the ministry called for co-operation between various stakeholders and the use of technology in the fight against organised wildlife trading criminals, more must be done to end the endangered wildlife trade.

Rhino horns confiscated at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi from a package sent from South Africa to Vietnam.  VNA/VNS Photo

Rampant

Several cases of illegal wildlife trafficking on a huge scale have been reported recently, bringing the issue into the limelight.

Last month, Singapore customs officials seized a shipment of 12.9 tonnes of pangolin scales en route to Vietnam, the largest single shipment of the critically endangered animal found in five years.

Further back in October last year, authorities in Da Nang discovered a shipment of about 10 tonnes of ivory and pangolin scales imported from Nigeria.

These incidents seem to be the tip of the iceberg.

Statistics of the Vietnam Association for Wildlife Conservation showed that from January 2013 to December 2017, Vietnam recorded more than 1,500 crimes related to the illegal wildlife trade.

More than 41,300 animals and their products were seized, 1,461 law violators were discovered and 432 of them were tried criminally. Fines for violations related to wildlife protection reached VND16 billion (US$683,800).

Getting tough

Vietnam has cracked down on the trade in recent years, starting with tougher sentences for traffickers.

The Criminal Code 2015, revised in 2017, increased the punishment for trafficking and advertising wild animals and their products to a maximum 15 years in prison from seven years as regulated in the Criminal Code 1999.

The Nha Trang Peoples Court in the central province of Khanh Hoa in June last year sentenced Hoang Tuan Hai, 47, to four years and six months of imprisonment for trading more than 10 tonnes of turtles.

Hais sentence was the harshest Vietnam has ever handed out for a sea turtle-related crime.

More recently, on May 14, the Lao Cai City Peoples Committee sentenced three people from eight to 10 years of imprisonment for trafficking more than 20kg of rhino horns.

Improving supervision

In addition to tougher laws, efforts have been made to make catching criminals easier.

The Department of Forest Protection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed developing software to collect wildlife crime statistics to better project where and when crimes will occur.

Nguyen Van Thai, director of the Centre for Wildlife Research and Preservation, said domestic and international conservation organisations operating in Vietnam have also proposed some new regulations to protect wildlife.

They recommended fines for people illegally setting up camps in forests, and heavier punishments for people using traps, hunting tools and hounds in forests.

ENV has also pointed out that co-operation between citizens and authorities is crucial to protecting wildlife.

ENV director Vu Thi Quyen called on e-commerce sites and online shopping applications in Vietnam to build monitoring systems and remove illegal animal sales posts.

She also said everyone should speak up and report wildlife violations to local authorities or on the free hotline 1800-1522.

VNSVietnam is embracing the Industry 4.0 staples of high technology and research and development in an attempt to create a role for itself as a tech hub within Southeast Asia.

The government is creating strategy to promote the rise of startups, as well as more research and development, Photo: Le Toan

Several astounding figures were presented at ABBs Technology Day 2019 last week in Hanoi. The event, highlighting Vietnams digital transformation towards accelerating a sustainable future, was attended by 200 delegates including business leaders and policymakers.

Among the headlines, it was revealed that the Fourth Industrial Revolution could increase Vietnams GDP by between $28.5 billion and $62 billion in a decade, depending on the level of technological application in businesses. This increase is equivalent to a rise of 7-16 per cent of GDP by 2030.

Pham Hoang Mai, general director of the Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), said at the event, Industry 4.0 presents Vietnam with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make the step up to the next level of economic development, and bring prosperity to Vietnamese through better jobs, higher productivity, and improved innovative capacity.

Vietnams policymakers have been searching for an alternative industrial strategy that will allow the country to maintain its economic growth trajectory, but also make it more sustainable from a social, business, and environmental perspective.

Industry 4.0 offers great opportunities for Vietnam to quickly improve competitiveness and growth quality, as well as escape from the danger of lagging behind other nations, Mai said, pointing out that Vietnam has the potential to deploy Industry 4.0 technologies effectively despite limitations in infrastructure and technological capacity. Positive factors cited include a large population of nearly 100 million people, a high rate of mobile phone subscribers, and a young labour force with good training, especially in the IT sector.

The Vietnamese government is working on many projects to move into the Industry 4.0 era, Mai continued. However, the most important thing is to have institutional reform of the domestic business climate to encourage innovation, especially in sectors with great potential for implementation such as manufacturing, processing, agriculture, finance, logistics, healthcare, and education.

Innovation hubs

One such project requiring international-level funding, according to the MPI, is the National Innovation Centre (NIC) in Hanois Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park. The centre would have five areas of focus to create competitive advantages for the Red River Delta region, including smart factories, digital media, cyber security, smart cities, and the environment.

The NIC is expected to become operational next year, and has been mandated to serve as a hub for business innovation in the country. During the operation, the NIC will offer the highest corporate tax incentives, with exemption from land use fees for 20 years and preferential credit. This would allow domestic and foreign enterprises operating in the same field to sublease grounds for the maximum term stated by the law, allowing guarantees for enterprises working on their premises to apply for work permits and long-term residence visas.

The initiative aims to attract foreign and domestic large-scale technology corporations, startup ventures, and venture capital funds that can collaboratively push Vietnams IT efforts in both hardware and software development. The Vietnamese governments desire is that the NIC will become the focus of a new and more sustainable industrial development strategy.

Vietnam has thus far attracted 26,500 foreign-invested projects from 129 countries and territories in the last 30 years, with the total committed capital of $350 billion. After luring $35.46 billion last year, foreign investment in Vietnam continued to hit a four-year record high in the first four months of 2019 with $14.59 billion, up 81 per cent on-year.

With the impressive results, buoyed by the countrys free trade agreements, close proximity to major global supply chains, and the governments success in improving the investment environment, experts believed the country now needs to shift focus on quality instead of quantity.

According to Kyle Kelhofer, country manager for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia at the International Finance Corporation, most foreign-invested projects in Vietnam are still focused on manufacturing and should be shifted to high added-value sectors such as technology, and research and development (R&D).

Increasing R&D and tech

At an international conference last week on science, technology, and innovation in Vietnam, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed that the sectors are seen as a pillar for Vietnams socio-economic development.

Vietnam needs to have a strategic transition to promote creativeness, startups, and R&D, in combination with technology development in a number of new and key industries, PM Phuc said. There is a need to better boost co-ordination between the state and society in the development of science, technology, and innovation.

R&D projects in the country have been increasing in both quantity and scale recently thanks to preferential policies granted by the government to foreign investors, such as tax incentives and land use rights. Vietnam has become a destination for many major manufacturers of technology products, and moving R&D closer to where manufacturing takes place is also cost-effective.

Key investors such as Panasonic, Bosch, Samsung, Yamaha, and Intel have invested into R&D projects and centres in Vietnam. Such investment creates jobs for thousands of people while also adding more value to products made in Vietnam and making manufacturing more cost-efficient.

This in turn can make Vietnam more competitive and create opportunities to move up the global value chain.

Trent Davies, from Dezan Shira and Associates, said the ongoing trade war between the US and China is creating opportunities for Vietnam, as companies are looking to relocate production from China to the ASEAN bloc.

While the R&D foundations built by major companies will help Vietnam capture more investment, it will be vital that Vietnam increases spending on R&D to compete with its ASEAN peers, Davies said.

Meanwhile, Brian Hull, country managing director at ABB in Vietnam, told VIR, Customers nowadays increasingly demand higher-quality products and citizens want better living environments. Sustainable growth can only be achieved by the adoption of digital technologies and advanced manufacturing applications. Digitalisation and Industry 4.0 will be the growth drivers to strengthen Vietnams position in the region.

A human resource base

According to business management consultant BDG Vietnam, for Vietnam, the rise of R&D investment further confirms and fosters the countrys attractiveness but also greatly challenges its human resources (HR) capacity. BDG said that the key factor of a competent workforce is still to be manifested, while the lack of scientific research at universities and enterprises, as well as ongoing poor investment in higher education, has led to a low number of experienced and trained researchers and technicians.

The solution, along with greater investment in education and R&D from the government, is to encourage R&D activities in local companies and to collaborate with foreign investors to educate employees and local communities. Without these steps, Vietnam could see a major shortage of HR talent for future R&D centres.

The US-based Dasan Zhone Solutions, a global leader in network access solutions for service provider and enterprise networks, has been co-operating with the Vietnam-South Korea Institute of Science and Technology to develop R&D activities in Vietnam, for example in chipset design.

Meanwhile, in addition to accelerating investment in Vietnam, a raft of Japanese businesses is also considering transferring part of their R&D activities to the country.

In fields such as hi-tech, the quality of HR falls short of investor requirements, according to Yung Kim, CEO of Dasan Zhone Solutions. The company lacks qualified personnel because Vietnams IT universities do not offer training on chip programming.

Graduates are intelligent and possess sound knowledge, but many do not have skills and practical experience and so work at a slow pace and are ineffective, Kim said, but he remains optimistic about Vietnams HR.

With training, they have the capacity and expertise to work shoulder-to-shoulder with their international colleagues, Kim said. We have seen positive improvements over time, with proper training. VIR

Phuong ThuMenard Qualifies 17th At Charlotte

Posted by: newsla on May 24, 2019 - 08:31 PM Menard Qualifies 17th At Charlotte



Paul Menard and the No. 21 Menards/Knauf Insulation Mustang are set to start Sundays Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway from the 17th starting position.



Menard earned that spot Thursday evening with a lap at 181.830 miles per hour in a one-driver-at-a-time qualifying session.



That significantly bettered his best lap of 180.246 mph in pre-qualifying practice.

Menard said in a post-qualifying media session that hed already begun focusing on the Coca-Cola 600.



The race on Sunday is going be a lot different than qualifying on Thursday night, he said, adding that his qualifying speed will give him a decent pit selection for Sunday.



And he said the length of the race  100 miles longer than the next-longest race on the schedule  offers more chances to tune on the Menard/Knauf Mustang.



Six hundred miles is a long time to dial in a car, he said. You start in the day and end at night, so hopefully well get it dialed in for the night time.



With Charlotte Motor Speedway idle on Friday, Menard and his No. 21 team will get their next chance to tune on their Mustang on Saturday morning, when two 50-minute practice sessions are scheduled.



The Coca-Cola 600 will follow on Sunday evening with the green flag flying just after 6 p.m. FOX will carry the TV broadcast.



PaddockTalk Perspective



President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin and his spouse will pay an official visit to Vietnam from May 28-30.

Chairwoman of Vietnam National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (left) and President of Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin at a meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on January 15, 2019

The visit is made at the invitation of Chairwoman of the Vietnam National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, the Vietnamese legislatures Committee for External Relations has announced.

Vietnam and Cambodia established diplomatic relations on June 24, 1967. The two neighbouring countries stood side by side during past struggles against colonialists and the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, and have supported each other in national construction and defence.

Both countries have pursued a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance and multilateralisation and diversification of relations.

Bilateral economic and trade ties have made big strides. With 210 projects valued at more than 3 billion USD, Vietnam has become one of the five biggest investors in Cambodia.

Meanwhile, Cambodia has run 19 projects worth 63.42 million USD in Vietnam, focusing on agriculture, forestry, fishery and commerce.

Two-way trade stood at 4.68 billion USD in 2018, up 23.76 percent against 2017. Of the amount, Vietnams exports were valued at 3.74 billion USD, up 34.98 percent and imports were worth about 963 million USD, up 6.46 percent year-on-year. Bilateral trade is expected to reach 5 billion USD by 2020. -VNAPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc held talks with his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg in Oslo on May 24 during his official visit to Norway.

Vietnam always attaches importance to developing the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Norway  the countrys important partner in Northern Europe, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on May 24.

The leader made the affirmation during his talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg in Oslo, as part of his official visit to the country.

PM Erna Solberg expressed her belief that PM Phucs visit will contribute to enhancing the Vietnam-Norway relations.

Host and guest highly valued the strong developments in the bilateral ties across spheres over the past time, saying the two sides have maintained high-level meetings.

They agreed to step up all-level delegation exchanges in order to create momentum for cooperation in various realms.

PM Phuc thanked the Norwegian Government and people for their continuous official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam over the past years, helping the country in socio-economic development and fulfillment of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as well as international integration.

He called on Norway to maintain its development cooperation with Vietnam and support the Southeast Asian nation in such fields as environment, education, economic management, administrative reform, and bomb and mine clearance.

Progress has been made in collaboration in other areas, especially forestry, environment, fishery, renewable energy, maritime transportation and shipbuilding, the two leaders said. However, the bilateral trade has yet to match potential and strength of both countries.

They, therefore, consented to push ahead with negotiations of the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), to which Norway is the coordinator.

The two countries will encourage their businesses to expand their operation in the respective market, particularly in solar energy, petroleum technological services and blue economy.

They will also promote the consumption and quality of their seafood, including Vietnams tra fish and Norways salmon.

The leaders spoke highly the Vietnam-Norway Business Forum which was held earlier the same day in Oslo as part of PMs Phuc ongoing visit, saying the event helped enterprises of the two countries seek cooperation opportunities and expand their investment and business.

They talked about partnership in education-training and culture, and agreed to assign ministries of the two countries to foster collaboration in new spheres regarding women, peace and security, tourism and sports, and people-to-people exchange.

PM Erna Solberg lauded the role of the 20,000-strong Vietnamese community in Norway in developing the friendship and exchange between the two peoples.

PM Phuc suggested the Norwegian Government to create more favourable conditions for the community to work and integrate in the host society.

During their talks, the leaders concurred that Vietnam and Norway should strengthen their close coordination at multilateral forums, especially the United Nations, and within the cooperation framework of ASEAN-Norway and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in the context that both countries are running for non-permanent seats at the UN Security Council, with Vietnams bid for the 2020-2021 term and Norway for the 2021-2022 tenure.

They affirmed their common commitments to sustainable and inclusive development in accordance with the UNs Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, emphasising affiliation in forest protection, response to climate change and sea level rise, and plastic waste management.

Both PMs noted with pleasure the two countries mutual support at international forums and multi-lateral organisations, as well as their efforts to join hands with the international community for not only sustainable development but also the global peace.

Regarding the East Sea issue, they exchanged views on the importance of and the need to ensure peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the area.

All disputes should be settled by peaceful measures, in line with international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and other relevant regional documents, they said.

PM Erna Solberg congratulated Vietnam on socio-economic achievements the country has recorded over the past time, and praised Vietnams rising role in the region and the world, especially its hosting of recent major international events.

PM Phuc invited his Norwegian counterpart to visit Vietnam again in the time ahead, and PM Erna Solberg accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc holds talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg (R) welcomes Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) introduces members of the Vietnamese delegation to his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg (2nd L) Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) meets members of Norwegian delegation Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) writes in the memorial book at the Government Quarter in Oslo, Norway Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg (R) at a press conference after their talks Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg (R) at a press conference after their talks

VNAAmbassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnams permanent mission to the UN, reiterated the commitments of ASEAN countries on the protection of civilians during armed conflicts in a speech on behalf of ASEAN countries on May 23.

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnams permanent mission to the United Nations

According to Quy, ASEAN nations affirm that governments of countries have the leading responsibility in the protection of civilians during armed conflict and that this task must be carried out in accordance with the UN Charter and with respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of the host countries.

ASEAN welcomes the assignment of some peacekeeping missions to protect civilians and believes that the most effective protection measure is preventing conflict, building peace, and conducting preventive diplomacy work, he said.

Countries in the bloc shared regional experience in preventive diplomacy and appealed for stronger cooperation between ASEAN and the UN in experience sharing and training for participating in UN peacekeeping activities, he added.

The ambassador shared that as a country that has battled in many wars for national independence and sovereignty, Vietnam sympathises with the pains of civilians in armed conflicts.

He called upon conflicting parties to abide by international humanitarian laws and relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, and emphasised that UN peacekeeping missions should meet specific characteristics of their locations, as well as the importance of the participation of locals in this process to enhance their capacity in self-protection and prevent the escalation of conflicts.

Ambassador Quy affirmed Vietnams commitments to contribute to the international efforts, including the participation in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Vietnam attaches great importance to training on international humanitarian law and adopts a no tolerance policy for sexual abuse in peacekeeping activities, he stressed.

The open debate saw the participation of nearly 80 UN member countries, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and some regional organisations.

Countries stressed the need to increase multilateral cooperation between the UN and regional organisations while continuously integrating civilian protection issues into other activities of the UN on disarmament, human right protection, and sustainable development.

Many opinions emphasised the significance of enhancing the training capacity for peacekeeping soldiers, increasing coordination with local communities, and promoting the role of women and youths in the field. VNAPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg co-chaired a press conference in Oslo on May 24 to make known the results of their talks earlier the same day.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and his Norwegian counterpart, Erna Solberg, shake hands at the press conference

Norwegian PM Solberg spoke highly of the cooperation in the trade and business between the two countries, affirming that the two sides will continue to expand cooperation in many fields in the future, especially in sea-based economy, renewable energy and natural liquefied gas.

The two leaders also committed to soon sign the Vietnam-Norway free trade agreement.

Solberg congratulated Vietnam on its commitment to realising sustainable development goals (MDGs) in the framework of its national development strategy, and achievements in poverty reduction.

Leaders of Vietnam and Norway have discussed ways to mobilise bilateral and multilateral resources to deal with global challenges related to the environment, she added.

For his part, PM Phuc said the two countries agreed to promote cooperation across fields, including trade, investment, blue sea economy, and clean energy.

He added that the two sides affirmed their determination to complete negotiations and sign a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which is hoped to open new investment and business cooperation opportunities between the two nations.

The two leaders appreciated the results of the Vietnam-Norway Business Forum, while sharing cooperation possibility between the two countries in the spheres of blue and sustainable sea economy, renewable energy, and sea pollution settlement.

PM Phuc said Vietnam will send representatives to the 6th Ocean Conference hosted by Norway in October this year.

PM calls on Vietnam, Norway to expand economic cooperation

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the forum

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highlighted potentials for Vietnam and Norway to enhance economic cooperation, especially in renewable energy, industry and aquaculture, at the Vietnam-Norway Business Forum in Oslo on May 24.

Addressing at the event as part of the activities in his ongoing official visit to Norway, the Government leader said that the bilateral political relations in recent years have fruitfully developed, but their economic ties have yet to achieve high efficiency.

The two countries are aiming to establish partnership as mentioned in the Joint Statement issued during the Norwegian Prime Ministers official visit to Vietnam in 2018, he added.

Briefing Norwegian businesses and investors on Vietnams socio-economic development, PM Phuc highlighted that the country is one of four with the highest economic growth in the world.

Vietnam has so far participated in 11 new-generation free-trade agreements, especially the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the country is urgently coordinating with the European Union (EU) to sign the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) in 2019, he pointed out.

Coming to Vietnam, Norwegian businesses can access many major markets in the region, especially ASEAN market, the leader said.

Regarding the trade between the two countries, PM Phuc said it has made progress but is still not matching with the existing potential, reaching only 350 million USD in 2018.

He affirmed that Vietnam is focusing on maintaining a high economic growth between 6.5-7 percent in the coming years in order to continue to improve the scale of the economy and the per capita income in Vietnam, which is still much lower compared to Norway.

Vietnam will continue to reform legal institutions, restructure the economy, utilise the potential of the private economic sector, and continue to promote international integration in the direction of free trade.

The country is calling for investment to green economy, infrastructure, renewable energy, maritime economy, and industry, he said, hoping that Norwegian investors will be interested in Vietnam and seek opportunities to promote win-win cooperation between the two countries.

In his speech, Norwegian Minister of Industry and Trade Torbjorn Roe Isaksen said the forum offers a good change for the two sides enterprises to explore business and investment opportunities in each country.

He stressed that Vietnam is "a bright spot in economic development" and Norway wants to upgrade its relations with Vietnam to an economic and trade partnership, thus benefiting the peoples and businesses of both nations.

Emphasising the potential for Vietnamese and Norwegian business communities to set up long-time cooperation, the official said the two sides have a basis to coordinate in coping with challenges related to climate change and to expand economic cooperation.

The Vietnam-Norway economic cooperation is constantly improved through investment, production and business activities of Norwegian enterprises and investors in Vietnam, he said, expressing his hope that more and more enterprises from his country will pour investment into Vietnam in the time to come.

In the framework of the forum, three cooperation agreements on energy, logistics and electricity were signed between the two sides.

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) also inked a cooperation agreement with the Norwegian trade and investment agency to develop projects and programmes to support businesses of the two sides in the process of investment and business.-VNAHCM City should learn lessons from other major cities in developed countries in Asia to reach its aim of becoming a smart city by 2025, speakers said at an international conference held yesterday in the city.

People struggled with floodwaters on Nguyen Huu Canh Street in Binh Thanh District of HCM City. Experts at yesterday conference on smart city said that key drivers of the project in HCM City aimed to resolve problems such as unsustainable economic growth, flooding, traffic congestion, pollution, among others.

Around 150 delegates, including those from Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Taiwan, discussed ways to help build a smart city in HCM City, the countrys largest city and an important economic, political, educational and cultural centres.

Ngo Thi Phuong Lan, dean at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, said: Under the smart city project, HCM City gives priority to creating a common-use shared database, a stimulation research and forecasting centre for socio-economic policies, a smart administration centre, and an information security centre.

City authorities are also piloting an open-data portal at http://data.hochiminhcity.gov.vn.

Michael Ling Tiing Soon, an architect from Malaysia, said key drivers of the smart city project in HCM City aimed to resolve problems such as unsustainable economic growth, flooding, traffic congestion, pollution and others.

However, the speed and scale of smart city development pose significant challenges, while unplanned smart-city urban master plans may negatively affect the economic and social well-being of the city, Soon added.

A sustainable urban master plan and a long-term strategy will play a key role in integrating new urbanism principles in smart-city planning.

Dr Joel Zhengyi Shon, from Tainan University of Technology in Taiwan, noted that most developed countries were capable of developing IoT and AI technologies, but for developing countries or less developed nations, the new technologies can be unaffordable.

Even if the cost is not a major issue, the countries might lack the know-how and experience in building a smart city, he added.

Experts at the conference noted that even though a smart city relies heavily on technology, it might ignore or sideline the human element on which development should be centred.

Smart cities are driven by data collection from different types of sensors, including coordination and integration of dates and deliveries to consumers, and monitoring of public services.

The success of smart cities will come from the will of the Government to bring resources of different departments and interests to bear on development.

Good governance is the most important factor in achieving efficiency, experts said.

HCM City, which aims to be a smart city by implementing IoT, AI and Big Data, faces a number of challenges such as flooding, traffic jams, inadequate infrastructure and limited resources for development.

ASEAN Smart Cities Network

The ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) was officially adopted at the 32nd ASEAN Summit in Singapore in April last year.

ASCN, which includes HCM City, Ha Noi and a Nang, is expected to enable Southeast Asia to sustainably develop its cities and further optimise the regions booming digital economies.

The development of ASCN and smart cities across Southeast Asia comes in response to increased urbanisation in the region which is placing significant strain on cities infrastructure, climate control measures, and basic sanitation of its people.

About 49 per cent of the regions population live in urban areas. Rapid urbanisation means that between 2015 and 2030, about 100 million people in ASEAN are expected to migrate from the countryside to cities.

The ASCN is a step forward in the modernisation of Southeast Asian cities, enabling them to increase their efficiency and promoting greater standardisation of technologies across the region.

The ASCN aims to facilitate cooperation in the region on smart cities for sustainable development.

A total of 26 cities from member states will be joining the network.

ASCN is a platform that includes three cities (including the capital) of each member state that will be developed into smart cities.

The network focuses on developing digital infrastructure and increasing connectivity in the region in areas such as electronic payments. Other areas of focus are city operations, and energy and water conservation.

Member states will share best practices and develop action plans for the next seven years, which can lead to a framework for development.

The network also works with the private sector on feasible and commercially viable projects, and procures funding from external partners.

Member states will be required to enter into partnerships with external partners including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Global Infrastructure Hub.

The conference included 35 presentations from scientists, including seven articles from Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Taiwan.

The one-day conference was organised by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, HCM City Cadre Academy, Viet Nam - Southeast Asia Friendship Association, and HCM City Union of Friendship Organisations.  VNSThe suspected paedophile was indicted on one charge of receipt and distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography in his home state in 2017. Illustrative photo globalnews.ca

An American man has been extradited from Viet Nam to face child pornography charges.

Larry P Smith, a 67-year-old from Canton, Ohio, was tracked down by the FBI and Canton police and brought back to his home country to face two separate charges on Wednesday, according to www.ohio.com.

The suspected paedophile was indicted on one charge of receipt and distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography in his home state in 2017, but had already moved to Florida and evaded detention.

He moved to Viet Nam at a later date. It is unclear how long he was in the country and exactly where he lived, or whether he had contact with children while here.

Smith is accused of receiving and sending images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit acts and possessing several computers with images of prepubescent children performing sexual acts, the website reported.

According to Michael Tobin, a spokesman for the US attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, the FBI located Smith in Viet Nam using traditional surveillance methods.

The case comes weeks after a convicted paedophile from the UK was exposed as living and working in Viet Nam. Christopher Trinnaman was jailed in England after he was caught grooming teenage girls on social media websites.  VNSThese tips will help you bake the best batch of Christmas cookies, check out a few ways to cope with holiday stress, and more hacks for the holidays.CEDAR RAPIDS  Just as GOP members of the Iowa congressional delegation were celebrating the expected passage of a disaster aid package that would help flooding victims in the southwest and southeast corners of the state, a Texas Republican threw a wrench Friday into the works.

Its long-past due, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said after the Senate passed the $19.1 billion aid package, which included his amendment to provide relief to farmers who lost stored grain in the recent floods. Politics shouldnt be played when Americans need help recovering from disasters.

And added U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst: At long last, Republicans and Democrats came together on a bipartisan disaster relief package that will deliver desperately-needed aid to folks across the country.

But when the measure, which includes disaster relief for other parts of the country including Puerto Rico, got to the House, a single Republican objected.

Freshman U.S. Rep. Chip Roy of Texas refused to go along with the compromise measure, saying it would add to the national debt and also left out $4.4 billion for federal operations at the U.S.-Mexico border.

When the House is in full session, the objection of a lone lawmaker would not prevent a measure from passing. But with the House only in a procedural session  with few members present before the long holiday weekend  passage would have required unanimous consent.

Although members can try again next week for unanimous consent, the House isnt scheduled to be back in full session until June 3.

Iowa 1st District Democratic U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer said it was unconscionable to play politics with Americans lives.

Neighbors throughout Iowa are hurting and still devastated by natural disasters and need assistance. Now isnt the time for a publicity stunt, she said Friday.

So the playing politics shoe is now on the other foot.

Republicans, including Grassley and Ernst, have been critical of those Senate Democrats seeking their partys 2020 presidential nomination who came to Iowa to tour the flood damage but blocked the disaster relief package because it did not include enough funding for Puerto Rico.

The compromise that was on track to pass  before Friday  included more money for Puerto Rico and was to deal with border issues separately. President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter the deal had his total approval.

Finkenauer called the bill critical for Iowa communities recovering from flooding, including on the Mississippi River, that borders her district.

It includes $3 billion in U.S. Department of Agriculture funding to assist farmers with crop losses, $558 million for the Emergency Conservation Program, $600 million to assist with flood mitigation, long-term recovery and infrastructure restoration and $1.65 billion for the Federal Highway Administrations emergency relief program to repair damaged roads.

Grassleys provision extended the USDA aid to include destroyed crops that already were harvested and stored, such as corn and soybeans. Currently, there are no federal disaster programs for the loss of grain stored on farms.

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig estimated roughly 100,000 acres of farmland were affected by flooding in Pottawattamie, Mills and Freemont counties.

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Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Scelzi Slides By Larson, Captures Night One of United Rentals Patriot Nationals

Posted by: newsla on May 25, 2019 - 11:34 AM Scelzi Slides By Larson, Captures Night One of United Rentals Patriot Nationals



The youngest driver in the United Rentals Patriot Nationals captured the checkered flag in a thrilling Friday-night showdown at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. Giovanni Scelzi, a 17-year-old wunderkind, passed NASCAR superstar Kyle Larson with six laps to go to score the second win of Scelzis young World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars career.



Larson  who won last Saturdays Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway  appeared ready to claim the first stage of his bid for two Outlaw wins and a Coca-Cola 600 triumph to complete the weekend. Larson won the dash, ran up front for nearly 25 laps and was poised to win until lapped traffic foiled his plans. Scelzis black-and-neon No. 71 machine followed Larsons white No. 57 entry before getting a run exiting Turn 2 and clearing the polesitter before Larson could mount a charge.



From there, it was all Scelzi. He pulled away in the closing circuits to beat his nationally renowned counterpart Larson by 1.115 seconds to score a $15,000 payday. Larson ended up second with Logan Schuchart in third, Brad Sweet fourth and David Gravel fifth.



GIOVANNI SCELZI (Race Winner): (Larson) was really fast. I just had to keep conserving. David (Gravel) passed me and I had to start running more toward the top. I got back to the bottom and I saw Kyle get loose in Turn 2. I got up there and slid by him and I was in the right spot to stay there.



KYLE LARSON (Runner-Up): Second is always a good spot to be in (late in the race) because you can see where the leader is struggling and make your move, which Gio did. I felt OK until I caught traffic and started over-driving it in Turn 2. He was obviously a little bit better than I was on exit. I made a mistake there, arced it out too much and lost my right-rear grip. Im disappointed to not win the race, but still a good run for us tonight. This was my first time back in a sprint car in a few months, so it was good to shake the rust off there. Obviously, youd like to win, but Gio did a good job. Hes a heck of a driver."



LOGAN SCHUCHART (Third-Place Finisher): It just shows these Shark Racing guys are doing a fantastic job. My grandpa gave me a great race car and it was a lot of fun to drive. We seem to run well at places like Eldora and Charlotte  places we really like. Wed definitely like to start a little bit further ahead.



Corey Gordon charged to victory in the FUEL Racing Series dirt late model feature, keeping Kenny Collins at bay in a hotly contested A-Main.



Gordon  a Charlotte, North Carolina, native  expertly maneuvered his way around The Dirt Track at Charlottes high-speed, four-tenths-mile oval to cap off the first night of the United Rentals Patriot Nationals with an emotional win.



We were really good there at the beginning, Gordon said. I kind of used up too much right-front (tire) there to get up to the lead. I wasnt really good at the end. I heard Kenny and knew he was getting up there, I looked up at the scoreboard and knew he was coming.



Ive been racing here my whole life, on the quarter-mile (at Charlotte Motor Speedway) in Legend Cars and Bandoleros. We won here in 2016 in my dads car. This is just awesome.



TICKETS:

Tickets to Saturdays finale to the United Rentals Patriot Nationals  as well as the 60th running of the Coca-Cola 600  are available by visiting charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267).



KEEP TRACK:

Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.



PaddockTalk Perspective



Since my March column on the Christchurch terrorist attacks and the response from practitioners of Asatru and Heathenry, there have been at least four new stories in the media connecting hate crimes and terrorist violence to modern iterations of Germanic and Norse religions.

The white man arrested in connection to three fires at historically black churches in southern Louisiania self-identifies as Asatru and Rokkatru.

The white man sentenced to life in prison for the hate crime murder of an African-American teenager in Oregon is a member of European Kindred, a white supremacist gang whose founder began the organization for prisoners and says the majority of members are Asatru.

The two white men  one a jailer in Georgia and the other in the National Guard  investigated by their employers and journalists for posting supremacist, fascist and racist material online are both members of Ravensblood Kindred, a Heathen group that has received repeated accolades from Asatru Folk Assembly.

The white man executed for the intensely brutal 1998 murder of a black man in Texas was a self-declared Odinist who converted while in prison for an earlier crime.

Given the continuing rise in popularity of right-wing ideologies in the United States and the growing alignment between racist Heathenry and white nationalist activists, were going to see a lot more of this.

After the Christchurch attacks, a reporter in New Zealand contacted me and asked what attracted white supremacists to Heathenry. After someone connected to Heathenry commits a hate crime, mainstream journalists and academics usually ask what in the mythology and religions inspires racism and bigotry.

How do we answer that question honestly?

A mythology of hugs and kisses?

The myths that form the core of the lore of modern Asatru and Heathenry are largely literary productions of thirteenth-century Iceland. Yes, they reflect older oral traditions and have connections to documented material from other northern nations. Yes, there are important myths recorded elsewhere, such as in the work of Saxo Grammaticus in Denmark and in the ballads of the Faroe Islands. But the main stem of the mythology was preserved by the Icelanders, and it is to that stem that many  even putatively non-Icelandic strains  turn for material on deities such as Thor and Odin in order to fill in the gaps of their more localized source materials.

The Icelandic mythological sources do not portray a post-Enlightenment, postmodern, post-feminist, post-gender-revolution worldview of welcoming inclusion and gentle kindnesses.

Thor repeatedly brags about fighting women, including those who had done the worst things, betrayed the whole people, and about killing women of the giant tribe in order to prevent them from having children he insists would commit genocide against humans within Midgard. The one thing that Odin and Thor agree on is that it would be nice to rape a girl in the east together, and Freys messenger Skirnir threatens the beautiful girl Gerd with extreme sexual violence, including forced mating with a three-headed ogre, unless she marries Njords vigorous son. Loki murders a servant and guides the killing of the most beautifully spoken and most merciful of the gods out of jealousy before killing the great and holy guardian of the World Tree and leading the invading forces that destroy the world and kill all of humanity but one couple.1

Attacking women seen as traitors to the race; killing women to prevent their children from committing some imagined racial genocide; guilt-free gang-raping of young women from another race; using sexual violence against women as a means of control; murdering declared enemies; leading a deluded apocalyptic war  to pretend that there is absolutely nothing in the mythology that can be cited by misogynist and racist Heathen extremists is to deny what is plainly stated in the lore of the gods themselves. Members of the worst hate groups can easily find Icelandic material to cite in their paranoiac rants about traditional gender roles, miscegenation, and racial holy war.

One might ask: arent the hate groups simply cherry-picking from the lore to justify their a priori prejudices? Like the mythologies of so many other traditions, the Heathen material preserved in medieval Iceland is inherently confused and contradictory. Snorri Sturluson worked to systematize the diverse materials preserved in poetry and oral tradition, but he didnt quite succeed in taming his unruly sources. We are all of us engaged in picking out and amplifying the parts that support our particular worldviews, from the progressives who read Thors battle against the World Serpent as an allegory for standing against bigotry to the Lokeans who view the Icelandic figure as a god of resistance to the folkish Heathens who obsess over defending the European-descended innangard against the racialized Other of the utgard.

Myth is malleable. It always seems to be the other side that does the cherry-picking, while we see ourselves as being tru to the ancient worldview of the arch-Heathen.

No True Heathen

Whenever Heathen hate and violence bubble up into mainstream media reporting, the accusation of cherry-picking by self-declared inclusive Heathen individuals, organizations, and publications usually goes hand-in-glove with declarations that the perpetrators words and deeds are not what Heathenry believes or stands for.

Is there really one true church of Heathenry with a clearly defined set of beliefs and ethical positions? The old twin tenets of Heathenry (youre doing it wrong and youre not the boss of me) suggest that such an idea has never had any real support, as does the endless argument over minutiae of belief and practice within just about every Heathen community.

In terms of the historical development of modern Heathenry in the United States, the racists were here first. Else Christensens Odinists were organized and recruiting from prison gangs nearly twenty years before the founding of national-level universalist Heathen groups and long before the inclusive Heathens began their own prison recruitment programs. The fact that the first great schism in American Heathenry was over overt versus covert racism, between white nationalism and ethnocentrism, and that the two sides have rebranded themselves repeatedly in the decades since (despite overlapping leadership and membership) suggests that the hateful Heathens may indeed be promoting what a relatively large proportion of Heathenry believes or stands for.

Yet articles, blog posts, declarations, Facebook statuses, and social media comments by Heathens continue to insist that those who promote racialist ideologies are not real Heathens. Weve seen this sort of denial from multiple religious groups over the last two decades: ordained priests who rape children arent real Catholics, terrorists who aim to create an Islamic state arent real Muslims, Wiccan elders who sexually abuse young people arent real Pagans, etc.

In his 1975 book Thinking About Thinking, philosopher Antony Flew wrote about the no true Scotsman fallacy:

Imagine some Scottish chauvinist settled down one Sunday morning with his customary copy of The News of the World. He reads the story under the headline, Sidcup [England] Sex Maniac Strikes Again. Our reader is, as he confidently expected, agreeably shocked: No Scot would do such a thing! Yet the very next Sunday he finds in that same favourite source a report of the even more scandalous on-goings of Mr. Angus McSporran in Aberdeen [Scotland]. This clearly constitutes a counter example, which definitively falsifies the universal proposition originally put forward Allowing that this is indeed such a counter example, he ought to withdraw; retreating perhaps to a rather weaker claim about most or some. But even an imaginary Scot is, like the rest of us, human; and we none of us always do what we ought to do. So what in fact he says is: No true Scotsman would do such a thing!

As ever more reports of racist statements made and hate crimes committed by Heathens appear in the media, the no true Heathen proclamations seem increasingly limp. In the past, I believed some preliminary research suggesting that white nationalists made up a statistically insignificant minority of American Heathens. I no longer believe that the reported data accurately reflects the reality on the ground, if it ever did, and I now wonder if racist Heathens are actually the majority in the United States.

So what does it mean to declare what Heathenry believes or stands for? Is it ever meaningful to claim that there is some universal Heathen worldview today and that diverging from this dogma brands one as no true Heathen? If racist Heathens are actually the majority, how should non-practitioners cover these religions in media reports and scholarship?

What next?

Ive long challenged journalists and academics to cover aspects of modern Asatru and Heathenry besides the racism forwarded in the name of the old gods, to write about issues of theology, community, worldview, and ritual instead of always about this one issue. But self-declared Heathens of various stripes continue to promote and act on racist ideologies, and self-declared inclusive Heathens continue to flood the internet with declarations and denunciations. Why wouldnt reporters and scholars cover this, when it surely seems like the key concern of this set of new religious movements since their beginnings in the 1970s?

Race issues in Heathenry have long ago moved from internal debates into journalistic reports and academic writing. The Southern Poverty Law Center has been reporting on racist Heathenry for over twenty years. Jeffrey Kaplans Radical Religion in America, with its in-depth discussion of Odinism and Asatru, is nearly a quarter-century old. There is now an established body of literature on this particular subject.

How should journalists and academics respond to the growing number of Heathen hate crimes and the proliferating number of Heathen denunciations of those crimes? With a lack of hard data delineating the breakdown of even just the American Heathen community by perspectives on race issues, how can they make a clear assessment of which view is in the majority and which is in the minority?

In any case, the endless declarations against racism dont seem to be having much effect on racists. Ive asked before what the point of these proclamations really is. Are they simply about publicly distancing ourselves from racist members of the wider religious community in order to stave off accusations of racism against ourselves, or is there really a strong belief that these proclamations will convince members of hate groups to renounce their deeply held ideological allegiances and join their local multicultural, eclectic, neo-Pagan associations? Whats the goal here?

It doesnt seem like most people want to critically examine their own beliefs and practices, whichever side of whatever public debate theyre on. Thats human nature. We especially dont want to examine how the mythology and religion that means so much to us can also inspire the most virulent hate and violence. Its comforting to declare that the other side is cherry picking and that theyre no true Heathens. But our reluctance to make real changes perpetuates the same old status quo.

Modern Heathenry has been on this path since its beginnings last century. What will it take to truly and fundamentally change?

1. Quotations are from Carolyne Larringtons translation of The Poetic Edda and Anthony Faulkes translation of Snorri Sturlusons Edda. 

The Wild Hunt always welcomes submissions for our weekend section. Please send queries or completed pieces to eric@wildhunt.org.

The views and opinions expressed by our diverse panel of columnists and guest writers represent the many diverging perspectives held within the global Pagan, Heathen and polytheist communities, but do not necessarily reflect the views of The Wild Hunt Inc. or its management.Iran US conflict threatening stability of region: Shah Mehmood

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Friday expressed concerns over rising tensions between the US and Iran and conveyed to visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Javad Zarif that Pakistan is ready to work with all sides to help lower tensions and preserve peace and stability in the region



Ongoing conflict between US and Iran is threatening the stability of an already volatile region and any miscalculation or accident can escalate the tensions to a dangerous level, Qureshi said during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart and the delegation-level talks here at the Foreign Office. Disputes should always be resolved within the framework of international law and through dialogue and diplomatic means, he stressed.



The foreign minister said Pakistan does not favour any conflict and believes that all sides should exercise maximum restraint and work in a spirit of easing the tensions. Pakistan stands ready to work with all sides to help lower tensions and preserve peace and stability in the region, he told Dr Zarif.



This is Foreign Minister Zarifs third visit to Pakistan since the new government assumed office.



Foreign Minister Qureshi exchanged views with Dr Zarif on recent tensions, undermining peace and stability in the region. Important issues related to bilateral relations were also discussed. Both sides appreciated the progress on important decisions made during Prime Minister Imran Khans recent visit to Iran and the need to continue regular engagement for expanding cooperation in all areas.



Views were also exchanged on promotion of bilateral trade, facilitation of people-to-people contacts and movements, opening of new border crossing points, establishment of new border markets and enhancing security along Pak-Iran border. Views were also exchanged on important regional issues including recent developments concerning peace process in Afghanistan.



Underscoring the utility of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Foreign Minister Qureshi stated that the agreement is a good example of negotiated settlement of complex issues through diplomatic means. He said Pakistan supports the plan as well as efforts of other parties to the agreement to salvage the deal. Faithful implementation of obligations by all parties is vitally important, he added.



The Iranian foreign minister said his country gives value to Pakistans efforts for establishing peace in the region. Expressing satisfaction over implementation on the decisions made during Prime Minister Imran Khans recent visit to Iran, he stressed the need to continue cooperation on bilateral matters. During the discussions, Dr Zarif proposed connecting Pakistans Gwadar port with Irans Chabahar port to promote trade and commerce in the region. Ive come here with a proposal for the government of Pakistan for connection between Chabahar and Gwadar We believe that Chabahar and Gwadar can complement each other, Press TV quoted Zarif as saying during the talks. We can connect Chabahar and Gwadar, and then through that connect Gwadar to our entire railroad system, from Iran to the North Corridor, through Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, and also through Azerbaijan, Russia, and through Turkey, he added.



The proposal is unexpected because Pakistans rival India has been Irans partner in developing Chabahar while Irans key regional rival, Saudi Arabia, has been in talks to develop an oil refinery facility at Gwadar, though no agreements have been signed.



Later, Dr Zarif called on Prime Minister Imran Khan and discussed matters of bilateral and regional importance. Dr Zarif also called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters (GHQ). During the meeting matters of mutual interest and evolving situation in the region were discussed, said a press statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The army chief said that war is not in anyones interest and that all sides need to make efforts to keep conflict away from the region. The Iranian foreign minister appreciated Pakistans positive role for regional peace and stability.Lincoln Caplan in Harvard Magazine:

IN THE SPRING of 1864, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. was fighting in the Civil War as a Union Army captain. He had enlisted three years earlier, soon after the war began, when he was 20 and in his last term at Harvard College, in the class of 1861. As an infantry officer in Virginia, he had received a near-fatal wound at Balls Bluff in his first battle, where he was shot through the chest in a Union raid that backfired. He had proved his valor by rejoining his men after he was shot, defying an order to have his wound tended. At Antietam a year later, where he was briefly left for dead on the bloodiest day in U.S. Army history, a bullet ripped through his neck. At Chancellorsville, in another eight months, an iron ball from cannon shot badly wounded him in the heel. Near there in winter, Holmes lay in the hospital tent too weak even to stand as he suffered the agonies of bloody diarrhea, Stephen Budiansky, M.S. 79, writes in a new biography of Holmes: The disease killed more men than enemy bullets over the course of the Civil War.

That spring, generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee met on the battlefield for the first time. Grant, the newly appointed commander of the Union Army, had shifted its main target from Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, to Lee and his roving Army of Northern Virginia. The Battle of the Wilderness was the opening fight. In fierce encounters over two days, of 119,000 Union soldiers, one of seven died or was injured; one-sixth of Lees 65,000 troops were casualties. Holmes filled a new role as an officer on horseback in the Wilderness. As Budiansky recounts, he faced the most intense and nightmarish episode of the entire war for him, nine weeks of nonstop moving, fighting, and killing that would often find him falling asleep in the saddle from sheer fatigue, escaping death by inches, and witnessing carnage on a close-up scale that eclipsed even his own previous experiences.

It is impossible to imagine a current Supreme Court justice being forged in such circumstanceswith the survival of the nation, as well as of the multitudes fighting, so uncertain.

More here.Quassim Cassam at the Institute of Art and Ideas:

Conspiracy theorists get a seriously bad press. Gullible, irresponsible, paranoid, stupid. These are some of the politer labels applied to them, usually by establishment figures who arent averse to promoting their own conspiracy theories when it suits them. President George W. Bush denounced outrageous conspiracy theories about 9/11 while his own administration was busy promoting the outrageous conspiracy theory that Iraq was behind 9/11.

If the abuse isnt bad enough, conspiracy theorists now have the dubious honour of being studied by psychologists. The psychology of conspiracy theories is a thing, and the news for conspiracy theorists isnt good. A recent study describes their theories as corrosive to societal and individual well-being. Conspiracy theorists, the study reveals, are more likely to be male, unmarried, less educated, have lower household incomes and see themselves as having low social standing. They have lower levels of physical and psychological well-being and are more likely to meet the criteria for having a psychiatric disorder.

In case youre starting to feel a sorry for conspiracy theorists (or for yourself if you are one), perhaps its worth remembering that they arent exactly shrinking violets. They are vociferous defenders of their theories and scornful of their opponents. Anyone who has been on the receiving end of the wrath of conspiracy theorists will know that it can be a bruising experience.

More here.Iranian FM met Imran Khan-COAS

ISLAMABAD: The Iranian foreign minister, who was on his 10th visit to Pakistan since assuming office six years ago, met Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa. In his talks, Mr Zarif shared Iranian perspective on evolving crisis in the Persian Gulf, where the US has deployed a naval aircraft carrier, B-52 bombers at an airbase in Qatar and F-15 jets and is planning to station thousands of soldiers in the region, in addition to issues on the bilateral agenda, particularly border security.



Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Friday Pakistan was convinced that the pressure being exerted on Iran by the United States was unjustified.



Mr Zarif, who was on a two-day visit to Pakistan for consultation with Pakistani leaders on the escalation in tensions between his country and the US and its Arab allies, in an interview with Iranian newswire IRNA, after his meetings, said he was happy that Pakistan understands our position  and considers US pressure on Iran as unjustified.







Mr Zarifs reading of Pakistani position is consistent with what the Foreign Office spokesman had said at an earlier media briefing. The US decision to deploy aircraft carrier and bombers has added to the tensions and the existing precarious security situation in the Middle East, the spokesman had said.County systems shut down in August after notification of a breach

Brown County's emergency management director is confirming a notice of access resulted in the county system being shut down in August.No new province for Sindh: Imran khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is against creation of another province in Sindh, and added that after introduction of new local government system, there will be no need of any kind of division in the province.



The prime minister was talking to a delegation of allied parties who called on him here. The meeting discussed overall political situation in Sindh, ongoing federal government development projects in the province and affairs of the allied parties.



The delegation included Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Khurram Sher Zaman, Haleem Aadil Sheikh, Faisal Vawda, Ashraf Qureshi, Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Anand Kumar, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, Sadruddin Shah Rashadi and others.



In a separate meeting with a delegation of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and business community in Karachi, Prime Minister Imran Khan said poverty alleviation from Pakistan is his mission for which the trade community must extend its support to the government. He said he wants his government to be acknowledged as the most trade and investment friendly government.



The meeting was attended by the representatives from FPCCI, Karachi Chambers of Commerce, Employers Federation of Pakistan, and representatives from association of readymade garments, leather garments, rice export, automotive parts, bedwear exporters, denim manufacturers, towel manufacturers and hosiery.



Governor Imran Ismail, Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi and Commerce Advisor Abdul Razak Dawood were also present, a PM Office statement said.



The prime minister said the corruption during the previous government has marred the economy. We inherited a fragile economy. I cannot let the plunderers off, he remarked.



He told the delegation that the government has appointed experts at the Federal Board of Revenue and State Bank of Pakistan. He urged the trade community to take advantage of the amnesty scheme announced by the government.



The prime minister said the government desires the private sector to play a key role for bringing about economic stability. The government will extend all-out facilities for promotion of investment and business activities, he said, and added that bringing ease of doing business, reforms in the FBR and creation of a conducive and friendly atmosphere for the business are among the governments foremost priorities. The delegation expressed confidence in the governments fiscal policies and also put forward their suggestions to help achieve economic stability and targets.



In another meeting with the members of the Expo 2020 Theme Committee at Governor House in Karachi, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Expo 2020 to be held in Dubai will provide an ideal platform to introduce Pakistani products and highlight the countrys potential in tourism at regional and international level. He called for taking full advantage of the event, a PM Office statement said.



The meeting was attended by Governor Imran Ismail, Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi, Commerce Advisor Abdul Razak Dawood, Secretary Trade Development Authority (TDAP) Saleh Farooqui, Director General TDAP Syed Rafi Bashir Shah and other members of the committee.



The meeting apprised the prime minister about the preparations and coordination among different sectors for Expo 2020 to be held in Dubai and participated by around 190 countries.A Rio Rancho 13-year-old with a nerve disorder is going deep-sea fishing with his family, thanks to Make-A-Wish New Mexico and the local Big O Tires store.

Big O Tires in Rio Rancho donated $6,000 to Make-A-Wish, which the foundation is using to send Rio Rancho Middle School student Clayton Brack, his parents and his three siblings to Costa Rica for a week. The store hosted a send-off party for them Thursday.

Claytons mother, Jennifer Brack, thanked Big O Tires, Make-A-Wish and people who donated to the cause.

Its an amazing foundation that is life-changing, she said. And were very humbled and appreciative and excited.

Make-A-Wish is taking something thats super sad and difficult, and giving us a silver lining and something to look forward to, Jennifer said.

The itinerary for the upcoming trip includes not only deep-sea fishing for a rooster fish, found only in Costa Rican waters, but also a waterfall excursion, snorkeling, hiking in the rainforest, learning to make chocolate and a visit to a frog farm.

Clayton said his uncle fishes a lot and inspired him to want to fish more than the few times hes tried it.

I dont think Ill eat any of the fish, he said.

Clayton is eligible for Make-A-Wish services because he has a degenerative nerve disorder.

My brain has a hard time talking to my legs, so were getting a trip for that, Clayton said.

Make-A-Wish New Mexico Chief Development Officer Sydney Graczyk said the foundation serves children with a critical illness, but not necessarily terminal illnesses.

It has touched our hearts to think of Clayton and his dreams, so we all agreed we wanted to do this for him and his family, said Keith Blake, owner of Big O Tires in Rio Rancho.

Big O Tires spokesman Eric Edgerton said the franchise in New Mexico has grown enough in the past five years that the community-support fund shared among the stores has enough money for larger projects like granting wishes.

Big Os a big supporter of the community, he said.

Make-A-Wish program coordinator Marissa Gonzales said the foundation paired the Bracks with Big O because of timing, location and the type of wish. Graczyk said Big O franchises around the nation have partnered with Make-A-Wish.

Clayton said the foundation is important because it helps kids who are having a hard time feel happier.

I want them to have as much fun as I think Im going to have, he said.

The trip was originally planned for December. The family had to delay it because doctors found a tumor in Claytons abdomen and the surgery to remove part of it resulted in complications, said his father, Brian Brack.

He added that the prospect of the trip, which the family couldnt take without Make-A-Wish, helped Clayton get through that difficult time. The teen is now healthy, Jennifer said.

Graczyk said granted wishes arent a cure, but children often draw strength from them and see them as a turning point.

Weve had a few doctors say a wish should be part of their medical treatment, she said.SANTA FE  A state judge on Friday dismissed five of the eight criminal counts against the former head of New Mexicos tax agency, saying Attorney General Hector Balderas office had filed some misdemeanor charges against Demesia Padilla under parts of the states Governmental Conduct Act that are not supposed to be used as a weapon by prosecutors.

However, Balderas immediately said he would appeal the dismissal of the ethics charges to a higher court, while forging ahead with the remaining charges against Padilla, who was ex-Gov. Susana Martinezs initial pick in 2011 to lead the state Taxation and Revenue Department.

Government officials must be held accountable to the same standards as all other New Mexicans, the two-term Democratic attorney general said in a statement.

Padillas attorney, Paul Kennedy, had filed a motion seeking to have the five counts in question dismissed, arguing that the laws they were based on are vague, unenforceable and not intended to be used in criminal cases.

There have to be objective, identifiable standards to a crime, and you dont have them in this case, Kennedy, a former state Supreme Court justice, said during Fridays hearing in a Santa Fe courthouse.

The ruling by District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ultimately upheld that argument, saying prosecutors cannot use broad language within the Governmental Conduct Act as a kitchen-sink approach to filing charges.

Specifically, the dismissed charges were five separate counts of violating the ethical principles of public service, including alleged conflicts of interest and lack of integrity.

Barring a successful appeal, the judges ruling could set a precedent in cases involving New Mexico public officials. It also means Padilla will face only three charges  embezzlement, engaging in an official act for personal financial gain and computer access with intent to defraud or embezzle  when she goes to trial this summer.

However, all three of those charges are felonies, and if convicted, Padilla could still face up to 19 years in prison and as much as $25,000 in fines.

After a lengthy investigation, Padilla was charged by the AGs Office in June 2018 with embezzling more than $25,000 from a Bernalillo-based company, Harolds Grading & Trucking, and using her appointed position to push for favorable tax treatment.

She had previously resigned from the Taxation and Revenue Department in December 2016, shortly after state investigators raided the agencys office in Santa Fe in search of tax documents connected to Padilla and her husband.

Padilla has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges and has filed several procedural motions in mounting her defense. She could be heard exclaiming, Oh, my God! under her breath after the judges ruling was announced Friday.Prev 1 of 3 Next

The three-day Memorial Day weekend will be filled with ceremonies, music and displays of patriotism to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.

The metro area weather forecast for the three days is for partly cloudy, warm and windy conditions, said Todd Shoemake, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque.

For today, highs in the metro area will range from 83 to 85 degrees under mostly clear skies, but increasingly windy starting mid-afternoon with sustained winds of 15-20 mph and gusts up to 30 mph.

Sunday will also be warm, with highs ranging from 81 to 84 degrees in the metro area with increasing clouds in the early afternoon. Expect sustained winds all day long ranging from 20-25 mph and gusts in the 35-40 mph range.

On Monday, Memorial Day, temperatures will cool to the 75-78 degree range. Skies will be partly cloudy with afternoon sustained winds of 15-20 mph and gusts of 30-35 mph.

The only significant weather is forecast for the far eastern part of the state near the Texas border, Shoemake said. That area can expect showers and thunderstorms in the afternoons and evenings, with some possibly becoming strong or severe.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation, the Bernalillo County Department of Behavioral Health Services, Uber, Ron Bell Injury Lawyers and Cumulus Media Albuquerque are once again offering a safe ride option for the Memorial Day Weekend and ABQ Beer Week.

Through 3 a.m. June 2, people who may have had too much to drink can get a discounted ride home from Uber and avoid driving while under the influence.

Riders need to download the Uber app and use the code ABQMEMORIAL19, which allows them a discount of $10 off per ride, and maximum of two rides.

The average Uber ride in the Albuquerque area runs less than $10. If the cost for the ride exceeds $10, the patron will have to cover the remaining amount.No debate on paid sick days is complete without understanding how having access to paid sick days fights the spread of disease. Stopping the spread of disease through a workplace and to customers has a tangible, economic impact on business.

As a primary care physician in Bernalillo Countys South Valley neighborhood for the past eight years, I have frequently witnessed the impacts of not having a strong paid sick leave policy and how it can negatively impact our community.

Some of these impacts are fairly obvious:

 Workers who have infectious diseases but continue to work out of fear of the consequences of requesting sick leave risk transmitting diseases to co-workers and the general public, which increases illness rates and impacts workplace productivity.

 The prognosis of many medical conditions is affected by the timeliness of diagnosis and treatment. Patients who delay needed care due to lack of sick leave are more likely to present with advanced disease, increasing the cost of their care, and worsening their long-term health and productivity.

 Parents and caregivers who work with children and adult family members with significant medical needs often require functional paid sick leave in order to provide effective care.

Timely care for many diseases we see in Bernalillo County can mean the difference between being able to work and healthily manage an illness and (contracting a) disabling disease. Unfortunately, I see too many cases of the latter. Its time we have a law that stands for the health of our whole community so we can have a truly healthy workforce.

Imagine a measles outbreak in Albuquerque like those weve seen across the country. Since New Mexico has the lowest rate of access to paid sick days, the rapid spread of measles here would be quite likely. Parents who lack sick days would drop off sick, undiagnosed children at school because they are unable to stay at home and care for them. Infected, undiagnosed workers would continue to report to work at their restaurant or retail jobs. This is a horrible scenario to imagine (and) is playing out in other states, and could certainly play out here.

I recently read a study on the effects of paid sick leave in Albuquerque commissioned by our City Council. In the research, UNM found the academic literature that is related to paid sick leave policy largely comes from the public health perspective, and supports the theory that paid sick leave creates health benefits for individuals and families by giving them time to seek treatment and stay home to keep their illness from spreading.

These studies make the economic impact to employers clear. Employees with sick days have higher productivity, lower turnover and lower absenteeism, all of which impact a business bottom line.

I commend Bernalillo County for introducing a sick leave ordinance that will assist in decreasing the length of contagious diseases and give thousands the ability to take care of their bodies and families without worry and stress. This is taking a step in the right direction by not forcing our fellow residents to choose their need to make money and pay bills over the health of their loved ones when they need them the most. Lets give all employees peace of mind by implementing the earned sick leave ordinance for all.RUIDOSO  Lincoln County commissioners have passed a resolution opposing the use of county money to transport or house migrants in the county.

Commission Chairman Preston Stone asked that the resolution, originally passed in April, be presented to the commission again at the May meeting, which was held Tuesday.

The reason I asked the county manager to place this on the agenda again is that I have had numerous calls in support of the resolution, Stone said.

Commissioner Tom Stewart was absent at the boards April meeting, and commissioners tied on a motion for approval of that resolution and on a subsequent motion to table the issue.

Commissioner Elaine Allen reminded commissioners that resolutions do not carry the weight of law. They are just statements, Allen said.

Allen, who voted against passage previously, offered a motion for approval with a change in wording in two places to say the commission opposes migrants being brought to the county at county taxpayers expense and opposes illegal immigration into the county and any mandate that requires local financial support.

This is not against the immigrants. Those people are seeking better lives for themselves, Stewart said after seconding Allens motion. It is not their fault weve got a screwed-up federal government, but weve got to get some control here. Deming declared a state of emergency. Las Cruces is spending $300,000, and the state of New Mexico is shipping people off to Colorado. Its a real mess, and the federal government ought to step up and get with it.

But he had reservations about the second paragraph of the resolution, which said counties have the powers necessary to improve the morals, order, comfort and convenience of the county and for its inhabitants, including the safety of county facilities. 

I dont know how the county can improve the morals of the citizens. I think that should be morale, he said, and the county manager and other commissioners agreed.

Humanitarian effort needs to occur, but commissioners also must consider those needs in their own county, Commissioner Dallas Draper said.

The commission is limited in what actions it can take, he said.

This is the one we can do right now, Draper said. We dont just vote and raise our hands, wash them off, have lunch and move on. We deal with this every day and are looking for other options to take care of the citizens of our county.

Last month, commissioners said Camp Sierra Blanca, an unused state facility in the county, might be pressed into service to house immigrants. The resolution says regular housing is inadequate locally to accommodate immigrants.

Thom Cole, public information officer for the New Mexico General Services Department, told the Ruidoso News that the administration is not planning to house immigrants at the former Department of Corrections complex next to the Fort Stanton Historic Site north of Ruidoso.

The complex previously served as a juvenile offender rehabilitation center and for minimum security state prisoners.For two and half years, Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman has lived in solitary confinement-with nearly no ability to communicate with the outside world.

Now, with Guzman allegedly showing symptoms of distress and sleep deprivation, his defense team had several requests for U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan earlier this month: two hours of outdoor exercise every week, the same food and drink as other inmates, permission to buy six bottles of water a week and earplugs.

This deprivation of sunlight and fresh air, over an excessive 27-month period, is causing psychological scarring, CNN reported the letter said. It called the conditions cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment.

Federal prosecutors were not convinced.

According to new court filings obtained by CNN, the government opposed all of the above and alleged the request was part of a ploy to escape from prison or silence cooperating witnesses.

Jeffrey Lichtman, one of the lawyers on Guzmans defense team, called the prosecutions response, due Thursday, literally hysterical.

The high-profile prisoner has had no prison infractions since his arrest, he said, yet now, by simply asking for some bottled water and some fresh air he is accused of plotting a daring prison escape despite zero supporting evidence.

In February, federal prosecutors secured a conviction against the Sinaloa Cartel boss for running the drug trafficking enterprise. During the three-month trial, witnesses  including his former bodyguard  testified about horrific murders both ordered and carried out by Guzman. On one occasion, he allegedly shot the rival-cartel member and then buried the victim alive.

Guzman, 61, faces multiple life sentences; he will be sentenced in federal court June 25.

Until then, the government requested Guzman be held in restrictive detention.

I expect the Bureau of Prisons would be concerned about El Chapos communication access; his phone calls, email access and letters are likely to be more closely monitored than the average prison there for federal drug possession, Deborah Golden, staff attorney at the Human Rights Defense Center, told The Washington Post in February. Indeed, Guzmans conviction led to widespread speculation he would be housed at ADX, the administrative super-maximum prison in Florence, Colorado.

Guzmans requests are being scrutinized because he has broken out of prisons in the past. He escaped from two maximum-security Mexican prisons  in 2001 with the assistance of prison guards and in 2015 through a tunnel underneath the shower in his jail cell.

An escape via rooftop, using a helicopter, or any related means would be elementary by comparison, the prosecutor wrote in his response to the court. Adding to the governments concern is the unsuccessful, attempted jail break in 1981, where an inmate arranged a helicopter-escape from the recreation area of a Lower Manhattan prison.

The defense has a week to reply.

Guzman is not permitted to have unmonitored phone calls or receive mail, Lichtman said, and his attorneys are the only people he can communicate with.

Because an inmate once attempted to escape the MCC 30 years ago via helicopter, Joaquin Guzman is planning the same? he quipped on Saturday. Which one of his lawyers passed the message to his co-conspirators to plan this escape?State institutions defamed to stop them from working: Firdous Ashiq

Prime Ministers Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan on Friday said that state institutes were being defamed to stop them from working.



Talking to the reporters, she said that fake video and audio clips had been circulated to defame the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).



It is a targeted campaign against NAB, which has been launched to demean and defame all the good the institute has done in the recent past. The opposition is trying to drag the prime minister in the controversy as well, which is testament to the fact that they are scared, Awan said.



She expressed dismay over the way NAB had handed the controversy, stating that the bureau was in need of a vigilant spokesman.



Referring the economic situation, she said that the day was not far when the countrys economy would be strong and people would be prosperous.



In a tweet, Awan said: It is a new record that Pakistan Stock Exchange has witnessed an increase of 2,135 points after a decade.



Imran Khan is standing defiant on the economic frontier and we are making our way towards our destiny. We will keep waging a war for basic human rights and the people in the country, added Awan.REDDING, Calif. - Redding police say they are searching for the woman who vandalized a military monument ahead of the Memorial Day weekend.

Police say the woman damaged the outside of the Shasta County Veteran's Service Office by painting "All Nation Civilization".

Investigators believe the statement was in reference to a video game.

The damages are estimated at $900 with officers still unable to identify her.

If you know who the woman is, call Redding police at 225-4200.Ashok Leyland, flagship of the Hinduja Group, today announced the appointment of Mr. Gopal Mahadevan as a whole time director for a period of five years from May 24, 2019 to May 23, 2024.The appointment is subject to the approval of the shareholders at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting scheduled on 25th May 2019. Currently, Mr. Mahadevan is the President - Finance & CFO of Ashok Leyland since July 2013 and a member of the board of several companies in the Hinduja Group.

Mr. Mahadevan is a Chartered Accountant and a Company Secretary with over 28 years experience in Finance function across a spectrum of industries. With his extensive experience in manufacturing, internet services, nancial services and project companies, he has been leading Ashok Leyland with efficacy.

He has numerous accolades to his credit including those of the Best CFO (Capital Goods & Engineering Industry) by CNBC TV18 in the year 2012, Best CFO (Capital Goods & Engineering Industry) by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India in 2011 and Best CFO by YES Bank Business Today in 2010 for CSR / Green Initiatives.Asahi Kasei, a global Japanese leader in chemical and materials science products, has announced a partnership with Amrita Raichand, eminent Indian chef and celebrity. Amrita will be the brand ambassador for Asahi Kaseis consumer products in India. The partnership agreement has been facilitated by Heeta Parikh, Founder & CEO, of Silver Spun Brand Solutions, a fully integrated marketing firm.

Talking about the partnership, Chef Amrita Raichand says Im very happy to be the brand ambassador of this renowned Japanese company for premium wrap who have in great detail explained to me about how good and reliable their products are. I feel a 360 degrees approach is always best while promoting a brand you believe in and hence Im glad that through this association I will be able to do justice in bringing forth the advantages of using these products to the end users.

Asahi Kasei manufactures three main food-related products which are available in Indian market- Asahi Kasei Premium Wrap which can be used for wrapping food for preservation, and can also be microwaved for heating the food; Asahi Kasei Frying Pan Foil which can be used to cook food without using oil and prevent food from sticking to the pan with silicone coating on 1 side and Asahi Kasei Cooking Sheet, whose silicon coating prevents food from sticking to the utensil and is heat resistant for its use in baking/cooking in oven and microwave.

Asahi Kaseis Luve Oberoi said, We are excited to announce Chef Amrita Raichand as a brand ambassador for our products in India. Her focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle complements the values we endorse as a company. The experience and expertise she brings to the table is invaluable and we are glad to have her on board.

Heeta Parikh who along with two other agencies paved the way to finalize the deal said, Amrita Raichand has won many accolades for her contribution to the food industry. Her award-winning shows and other platforms will help Asahi Kasei in connecting with the Indian consumers.Iraq, Oman, Germany step up shuttle diplomacy

US President Donald Trump repeated his offer to talk with Tehrans leaders, but his Iranian counterpart says hes not interested in picking up the phone.

If [Iran] called, we would certainly negotiate, Trump told reporters on May 20. But thats going to be up to them. Id only want them to call if theyre ready. If theyre not ready, they dont have to bother.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says he isnt ready and wont bother, as we reported here. Although I personally support dialogue and diplomacy, he said, I flatly reject it under the current circumstances.

But is that really the end of it?

Other countries are stepping in to try to bridge the differences. Iraq, Oman and Germany this week all indicated theyd be willing to engage both sides. And even within the Trump administration, there are differing voices  led by the president himself.

Absent a direct diplomatic channel, Rouhanis rejection of dialogue comes with potentially high costs. Although acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said the threat from Iran is "on hold," The Washington Post reports that Iran has made a dramatic shift in how it confronts the United States, abandoning a policy of restraint in recent weeks for a series of offensive actions aimed at pushing the White House to rethink its efforts at isolating Tehran, say diplomats and analysts. The United States is sending 1,500 more troops to the Gulf and pushing through arms sales to regional partners to deter increased threats from Iran.

Trump said Thursday that he would order more troops to the region if we need them. I dont think were going to need them. I really dont, adding that Iran has been a very dangerous player  a very bad player. Theyre a nation of terror and we wont put up with it.  But if we need [additional forces], well have  well be there in whatever number we need.

Trumps messaging on Iran  the offer to talk, the willingness to send more firepower  may confound Irans leaders, but, as we wrote last week, this is the stuff of high-stakes diplomacy  the pain of US sanctions on Iran will only get worse. And the moment for diplomacy might pass. Trumps patience may be tested, and the slight cracks that we see in the US approach to Iran could close as quickly as they have been revealed.

Iran should take note that Trump does not seem to be assigning any preconditions for dialogue. Our soundings continue to indicate that the administrations 12 conditions for a comprehensive agreement, should be understood as a framework, not preconditions, for talks.

With Iran unwilling to pick up the phone, Iraq  a country that has felt the pain of war in the last two decades  has stepped up. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, whose country may have the most to lose from increased hostilities between the United States and Iran, said he is sending Iraqi delegations to both Washington and Tehran to halt tension, according to Iraqi state-run media, adding that both sides have told him they have no desire in fighting a war. Abdul Mahdi and Iraqi President Barham Salih are trusted by both the United States and Iran.

Makram Najmuddine was ahead of the curve for Al-Monitor on the Iraqi role, writing last week that following Secretary of State Mike Pompeos meeting with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad on May 7, "some Iraqi sources have indicated that the United States may consider Iraq as a bridge to an eventual dialogue with Iran  a role the Iraqis may be willing to play.

Al-Monitor has covered Iraqi foreign policy under Abdul Mahdi and Salih, who act as bridge builders and proponents of economic integration within the region, both in the Levant and the Gulf.

The Iraqi prime minister is not looking for a breakthrough with his outreach. The short-term end game instead might be to walk back the current escalation and begin what is called in diplo-speak a non-conversation, that is, to quietly test a number of potential messages and steps to avoid miscalculation, including and especially in Iraq, while maintaining distance and deniability for both capitals. No surprise then that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is expected in Baghdad on May 25.

As part of this effort, Abdul Mahdi met on May 23 in Kuwait with Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, who has also taken the charge to dampen regional tensions. As we reported last week, Qatar, Oman, Russia, Switzerland, and now, Germany, are also sending high-level emissaries to convey messages and signals to lower the temperature in the region.

Another trusted partner, the Sultanate of Oman, which has a well-established record of regional mediation and close ties with both Washington and Tehran, is also in the midst of shuttle diplomacy.

Oman's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, who was in Tehran on Monday, said, We and other parties seek to calm tensions between Washington and Tehran." Omans ambassador to the United States, Hunaina al-Mughairy, told Al-Monitor on May 7 that Oman has not been approached, about mediation between the United States and Iran, but Im sure that if we were approached we would be happy to assist.

Jens Plotner, political director for Germanys Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited Tehran on Thursday, and US Secretary of State Pompeo will travel to Berlin on May 31 to discuss Iran and other issues with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Both Tehran and Washington have denied that there is any formal mediation initiative, although State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said this week, We appreciate any efforts by the Germans to help de-escalate the situation." An Iranian spokesperson said that most of the recent diplomatic visitors to Tehran were there on hehalf of America.

Russia gains from US-Iran tensions

Iran may have its reservations about Russia as a mediator, as we have previously noted.

Max Suchkov writes this week from Moscow that Russia will seek to maximize its leverage with both the Americans and the Iranians while hedging its own political and other investments across the region. This doesnt necessarily mean Russia will trade Iran in for illusory reconciliation promises from the Trump administration. But it wants to make it clear that Iran should keep its own expectations of potential Russian help soberly modest."

Alireza Noori adds from Iran that the leadership in Tehran understands that Russia's power is limited and that Moscow is unwilling to enter a US-Iran conflict and rather seeks to reboot its strained ties with Washington. Placing all eggs in the Russian basket would therefore not appear to be the most logical choice for Iran.

The Iranians are indeed conscious that Moscow might favor a controlled level of tensions between Tehran and Washington, as it would redirect the US focus from Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States toward Iran and the Middle East, adds Noori. US pressure also serves Russian interests as it pushes Iran further toward Russia, giving Moscow the status of an increasingly important partner of Tehran  and thus the position of being a power which Washington may rely on to effectively pressure Iran. Russia could further gain advantage from a hike in oil prices as a result of the US-Iran tension and Tehran's shrinking presence in the European energy market.

Pompeo: Release of Americans would be step in the right direction

The conversation between the United States and Iran could begin with a goodwill gesture from Tehran about the Americans imprisoned there. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in New York last month, declared that he has "the authority" for a prisoner exchange, but the effort went nowhere, as Laura Rozen reported. Secretary of State Pompeo was crystal clear on the Hugh Hewitt Show this week when he said that it is "absolutely the case that were [Iran] to release these Americans who are wrongfully held, it would be a good thing. It would be a step in the right direction for sure."Top Kashmiri commander killed in IHK

Government forces in Indian-held Kashmir killed a top Kashmiri commander in the disputed region, officials said on Friday. Zakir Musa was killed Thursday evening in a gunfight after police and soldiers launched an operation in the southern Tral area, said Col Rajesh Kalia, an Indian army spokesman.



Musa refused to surrender and fired grenades at the troops after they zeroed in on his hideout in a civilian home, police said. His killing triggered violent anti-India protests in many places. No one was immediately reported injured.



Authorities cut off internet on mobile phones in a common tactic to make organising anti-India protests difficult and discourage dissemination of protest videos. They also imposed a curfew across much of the valley, including in the main city of Srinagar, in anticipation of more protests and clashes, and ordered schools and colleges to remain closed. In mid-2017, an Al-Qaeda linked propaganda network had said Musa joined an affiliate group, Ansar Ghawzat-ul-Hind, as its head. He had left Kashmirs largest indigenous group, Hizbul Mujahideen, and was believed to be joined by less than a dozen others. He instantly became a media sensation, particularly with New Delhi-based television news channels using him to showcase that Kashmiri struggle is part of a global militant agenda.



All Kashmir groups rejected Musa and his Al-Qaeda affiliate, some even calling him inimical to their cause. Musa was a close aide of Burhan Wani, a charismatic Kashmiri leader whose killing in 2016 triggered open defiance against Indian occupation.BAGHDAD  A heated gubernatorial election in Ninevah province has fired up division in Iraq's parliament, riling members of its largest Sunni alliance and portending changes in some key positions.

Out of the 39 members of the Ninevah Provincial Council, 28 voted May 13 to elect Mansour Marid as the new governor to succeed Nofal al-Akoub (also known as Nawfal Hammadi). The Iraqi parliament had dismissed Akoub after an overloaded ferry sank in March, killing about 100 people. He was accused of negligence and corruption.

Marid is a Sunni parliament member representing the Ataa Movement, headed by Falih al-Fayyad, who is also chairman of the mostly Shiite Popular Mobilization Units (PMU). Marid was elected after laborious negotiations between Shiites and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), headed by Massoud Barzani. The vast majority of Iraqi Kurds are Sunni Muslims. As a result of the negotiations, it was generally agreed that Marids first deputy would be Kurdish, and Sirwan Mohammad was elected.

The Halbusi and al-Hal blocs, headed by Jamal al-Karboli, supported the nomination of Ninevah council member Hussam al-Abbar for governor. However, the head of the Arab Project, Khamis al-Khanjar, and the leader of the National Axis Alliance, Ahmad al-Jubouri, supported Marid's nomination.

The National Axis Alliance, which includes mostly Sunni blocs in parliament, now seeks to dismiss parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi, though the effort seemed to have hit a snag this week. In the meantime, National Axis Alliance leaders announced they were sacking Halbusi from their group to pave the way for a new parliament speaker.

The alliance said on its website it wants a more poised and stable figure. The Baghdad Post cited undisclosed sources who said Halbusi's critics consider him incompetent.

But Halbusi announced May 13 he was leaving the National Axis Alliance and forming a new Sunni bloc of 32 parliament members called the Iraqi Forces Alliance. He called on the Supreme Anti-Corruption Council to launch an investigation into Marid's election on suspicion of corruption in the electoral process.

According to Iraqi Forces Alliance parliamentarian Raed al-Dahlaki, the situation doesn't mean any Sunni party will be left out of the Construction Bloc led by Hadi al-Amiri. The bloc was initially formed to be the biggest parliamentary bloc constitutionally tasked with electing a prime minister. But Dahlaki told Al-Monitor, The Iraqi Forces Alliance is the largest bloc representing the Sunni provinces liberated from the Islamic State (IS). It is their true representative, and it's unlikely Halbusi will be replaced [as parliament speaker]. He also said the courts should investigate the Ninevah gubernatorial election to reveal any underlying corruption.

Naturally, the dissolution of the Sunni alliance in parliament will affect other alliances in Baghdad, especially the Shiite ones. Halbusi's Iraqi Forces Alliance seems close to the Reconstruction and Reform Alliance led by Muqtada al-Sadr, who rejected Marid's election and demanded May 13 that the Ninevah Provincial Council be disbanded. He said disputes behind the scenes over provincial positions are impeding efforts to improve conditions for the inhabitants of war-torn Ninevah. He was referring to the agreement between Ataa and the KDP.

According to former Ninevah parliament member Abdul Rahman al-Louizi, the price of that will be the return of Kurdish peshmerga forces to the disputed, oil-rich Kirkuk province and a battle for the governor's position there. Arabs and Turkmens want that office, and there are even disputes for it between the Kurdish parties  the KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

Klawisz Ali, a member of the Ninevah Provincial Council, told Nas News on behalf of the PUK, The KDP trampled over all political agreements and [hijacked] the position of the first deputy of Ninevah's governor, although the position should have been for the [PUK].

Ninevah province parliament member Hanin al-Qado told Al-Monitor, The situation in Ninevah is complicated. If the political disputes continue, the security situation will deteriorate, especially if the president refuses to approve of the new governor or accept the appeals of objecting parties.

Qado noted that the solution in Ninevah, after the resurgence of terrorist cells, would be to isolate the local administration and form an emergency government with military leadership to prevent the return of IS.

Ninevah is still the target of IS attacks, the most recent of which hit the villages of west Mosul May 18. The PMU blamed the Mosul Operation Command for this security breach, which killed four people and damaged private properties.

The PMU redeployed its forces in Ninevah and revealed a new security plan. The movement denied news that it had retreated from western Mosul, despite previous calls to expel it mainly voiced by former Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq in April.

The PMUs presence in Ninevah and the election of a governor close to its leaders pushed Athil al-Nujaifi, another dismissed former Ninevah governor, to tell Russia Today, Iran has completed its infiltration in Mosul. His brother, former parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, said the new Ninevah governor is controlled by Iran, tightening its grip on the province. He also told the Iraqi al-Sharqiya newspaper, We will continue to defend Mosuls Arab identity.

The current Sunni division will lead to new parliamentary alliances or understandings between Nujaifis blocs (the Reform Alliance) and Halbusi and Karboli (the Construction Alliance). These will affect the final form of the still-incomplete federal government and might cause a power imbalance in favor of Sadrs Reconstruction and Reform Alliance. Sadr has repeatedly implied that he intends to change the government. The division will turn Mosul into a field for settling accounts until the local elections are held. However, federal authorities won't be able to organize the elections amid the current security threats and finger-pointing.Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, is adamant the abortion ban law she sponsored will not be used to prosecute women who have abortions, but Alabama has a history of manipulating laws to favor prosecuting pregnant women, one advocate says.

Farah Diaz-Tello, an attorney at If When How, a legal advocacy group for reproductive rights, said on its face, the law is not applicable to people who end their own pregnancies or suffer miscarriages, but it does provide fodder for prosecutors who are already trying to prosecute pregnant people for the outcomes of their pregnancies.

Alabama passed the chemical endangerment of a child" statute in 2006 in response to the states methamphetamine crisis. The statute was meant to protect children whose parents turned their garages or kitchens into at-home meth labs.

But within months prosecutors began using the statute to prosecute women who exposed their embryo or fetus to a controlled substance in utero, and charging them with one to 10 years in prison if the baby suffers no ill effects, 10 to 20 years if the baby shows signs of exposure or harm and 10 to 99 years if the baby dies.

Chemical endangerment wasnt written to apply to pregnant people or to fetuses, Diaz-Tello said. It was not meant to lock up women. But prosecutors used it that way. And the court used their common law power and essentially changed the definition.

Diaz-Tello said she could foresee a similar situation with the Alabama abortion ban law where a politically-motivated prosecutor could use a similar argument with the chemical endangerment statute to prosecute a person who had a miscarriage that they deemed suspicious.

Attorneys for one woman charged with chemical endangerment for drug use during pregnancy challenged the interpretation of the law, but the Alabama Supreme Court upheld prosecutors interpretation in 2013. Current Chief Justice Tom Parker, at the time an associate justice, wrote the majority opinion and a concurring opinion in that case, making the argument that fetuses have legal rights.

In 2015 AL.com and ProPublica found 479 women who had been charged for chemical endangerment.

One woman faced 10 years in prison after she substituted her epilepsy medication, which her doctor said could harm her baby in utero, with marijuana and her baby tested positive at the hospital. In an analysis of 500 cases, AL.com/ProPublica found most police reports cited marijuana as the drug used during pregnancy.

People are already being prosecuted for the outcomes of their pregnancies [in Alabama], Diaz-Tello said. What this law does, it provides more fodder for a prosecutor who wants to punish people for ending a pregnancy.This is an opinion column.

My 3-year-old son didnt want to sleep and he pleaded his case from the edge of his bed.

When I grow up and I have a kid, I will let him stay up, he said.

His argument was cogent until he diverged into how his children would be able to fly in the air and soar around the room, or something. Apparently, my grandkids will be Marvel mutants and superheroes, so I have that to look forward to.

But thats when I said it.

When I was your age 

Say those words too loud and the AARP adds you to its mailing list. I know this because the next day I got my first piece of their mail.

There have been other signs, and not just the wrinkles and gray hairs. Recently my wife stopped me before I could leave the house.

Kyle, what are you doing?

What?

Youve got your t-shirt tucked into your jeans.

Im not worried about getting old, and Im not scared of dying (or so I reassure myself when I think about it too much). No, Im afraid of what might happen between here and there. Nostalgia. Bitterness. Pining for Good Old Days. Blathering about, When I was your age 

But lately, Ive been overcome with the thought that, when I was young, things in Alabama were better.

Or worse, they might be the same.

Recently my colleague John Hammontree shared with me a book hed come by  For the Love of Alabama, a collection of columns by the late Ron Casey and Bailey Thomson.

Casey was a Pulitzer-winning editorial writer at The Birmingham News. Thomson wrote lovingly and forcefully about Alabamas shortcomings for the Mobile-Press Register. Both men died unexpectedly of heart attacks when they were middle-aged men with unfinished business, about 20 years ago.

Twenty years ago, Bailey Thomson (left) set about a daunting task, to fix Alabama. It's long past time to finish the job.

Reading their work now is no trip down memory lane. In fact, its a heck of a lot like the present.

Turn to a random page 

Theres barbaric prison conditions. And underfunded education.

Flip a few pages 

Theres poverty again, sitting on the bench next to his old friend discrimination.

A few pages more 

Theres No. 49 Alabama pointing its finger at No. 50 Mississippi and saying Thank God.

Just one more 

And tfheres that damned Alabama Constitution of 1901.

Its tempting to look back at these mens work and sigh. Time is a flat circle. Everything old is new again. All of this has happened before and will happen again. There is nothing new under the sun.

But there was something different 20 years ago, and it doesnt speak well for us today.

There was hope.

When Casey wrote What They Wont Tell You about Your Taxes, there was outrage in his words but also a belief all people needed was the truth about Alabamas regressive tax system.

Give the people the plain truth and they will harness the tempests energy for progress, he wrote.

The tempest came ashore, but it left us living in a FEMA trailer.

And when Thomson excoriated Alabamas wretched, racist constitution, he did so with the conviction we could write a better one.

If this were a Saturday afternoon at the movies, we might hope some noble stranger would ride into town and rescue us, all in about the time it takes for a double feature to finish, Thomson said in 2000. But in this real world, we have to figure out how we can save ourselves  and save Alabama.

Im willing to bet my picture show dime we can do it.

Sorry, Mr. Thomson, but you would have lost your dime.

Thomson and Casey wrote most of those columns when I was in high school and college. I was young, and this is what I remember about Alabama then.

Optimism is a dangerous thing, but for a moment it seemed Alabama wasnt afraid to hope. Heroes did ride in  elected by Alabamians  who werent afraid to tackle the big problems.

First, we had our New South Democrat governor, Don Siegelman. He had his issues and later served time for them, but when he fought for a lottery in 1999 (and lost), his plan would have paid for college scholarships.

Twenty years later, were squabbling over the same idea. Only the lottery plan on the table today would pay for prisons, not scholarships.

After Siegelman, we had a progressive Republican governor, Bob Riley. After winning office in 2002, he pushed for a complete overhaul of Alabamas broken tax system. His plan failed at the ballot box, just like Siegelmans lottery plan.

To save his political career, Riley never raised the issue again.

Witnessing that loss sapped energy from eager Constitution reformers. A few are still around, but most of them quietly packed up their pickets and pamphlets and went on to the lake. People gave up.

Those were good days  until they werent.

We arent trying to solve big problems anymore. Instead, our elected officials have found refuge grandstanding over silly things. When they do manage to get something done, its usually to make things worse.

We have to change. We have to remember how to hope. We have to go to work.

We have to pick that dime off the ground and find out what it will buy. We have to harness that tempest.

Because Im too old to wait for some other generation to fix our big problems.

Even if they are superheroes.

Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group.

Want access to the best analysis and in-depth reporting about Alabama each week? Sign up for the weekly Reckon Report newsletter and follow Reckon on Facebook and Twitter. Follow Whitmire on Twitter and Facebook, too. And Instagram.The Birmingham Police Department is conducting a missing person investigation after a 31-year-old man disappeared Wednesday night.

Ramondus Jaterun Robinson was last seen around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday wearing ash-washed speckled blue jeans, gray and white Jordan shoes and a greenish-gray shirt, police said. The Birmingham resident was also wearing a black ball cap and eyeglasses with wooden frames when he was last seen just before leaving home. He drives a midnight blue 2014 Nissan Altima.

Ramondus Jaterun Robinson's Nissan Altima.

Robinson frequently posts photos on social media but has been inactive on his accounts for two days, police said.

Ramondus Jaterun Robinson

Anyone with information on his whereabouts was asked to call Birmingham police at 205-297-8413 or 911. Anyone with additional information who wants to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.A Florence man was killed Friday after he was hit by a pickup truck, AL.com news partner WHNT 19 in Huntsville reported, citing Alabama State Troopers.

Terrell Buntyn Rochester, 64, died after the incident on Lauderdale County Road 139, about eight miles north of Florence.

It was unclear exactly what time the accident occurred.

Alabama State Troopers continued to investigate the incident as of Friday night.The wreckage of the Clotilda  the last known ship to bring enslaved people from Africa to the U.S.  has been found in the waters off Mobile, a discovery that provided proof of what some had deemed a legend.

Heres what we know about the Clotilda:

What is the Clotilda?

The Clotilda, sometimes mistakenly spelled Clotilde, was the last known U.S. ship to bring human cargo from Africa to the U.S. as part of the slave trade. Built in 1855, the two-masted 86-foot long schooner arrived in Mobile Bay in 1859 or 1860 with as many as 160 slaves ranging in age from 5 to 23 on board. The importation of slaves had been banned by Congress since 1808, so the entire operation was illegal. In the end, the Clotilde was burned and scuttled soon after it arrived in Mobile Bay in an attempt to hide the smuggling operation.

The slaves from the ship were distributed among the Clotildas investors, including shipyard owner Timothy Meaher, who lived outside of Mobile. As many of 30 African Americans were taken to Meahers plantation, many of whom remained in the area after they were freed.

More on the Clotilda, Cudjo Lewis and Africatown

Cudjo Kazoola Lewis was the oldest slave brought over on the Clotilda. After the Civil War, he was among the founders of Africatown, a community of former slaves located outside of Mobile. Lewis lived until 1935 and was considered the second to last survivor of the Clotilda. He was later interviewed for a 1927 article and film by Zora Neale Hurston. The last known survivor, Sally Smith, lived until 1937.

Lets go back

In January 2018, former AL.com/Mobile Press Register reporter Ben Raines found the wreckage of a ship partially buried in the mud in the lower Mobile-Tensaw Delta, a few miles north of the city of Mobile. While the ship bore some of the hallmarks of the Clotilda, by March it was confirmed the vessel Raines found was not the slave ship. That discovery, however, sparked renewed interest in finding the Clotilda.

Continuing the search

In June 2018, Raines and researchers found other vessels in the same area. One particular ship stood out. Its size and construction was consistent with that of the Clotilda but it was fully submerged and partially buried, making exploration difficult. Extensive study followed and, on May 22, the Alabama Historical Commission announced that the Clotilda had indeed been found.

How do they know this vessel is the Clotilda?

Extensive study of the vessel led researchers to conclude the latest find was indeed the Clotilda. Among those factors were the comparison of the schooners unique size, dimensions and building materials, which included locally sourced lumper and pig iron that met the specifications of the vessel.

The vessel also showed signs of burning, which is consistent with the known fate of the Clotilda.

Why is the discovery important?

The discovery of the Clotilda sheds new light on a lost chapter of American history, says Fredrik Hiebert, archaeologist-in-residence at the National Geographic Society, which supported the search. This finding is also a critical piece of the story of Africatown, which was built by the resilient descendants of Americas last slave ship.

Whats next

What will happen to the ship itself is unclear. Researchers said it is a difficult site to explore and the ship itself is submerged and mostly buried. The waters surrounding the vessel are treacherous, complete with alligators and water moccasins.

Protecting the site is the first priority, officials said.

The commission is coordinating the Gov. Kay Iveys office, law enforcement and the Department of Conservation to protect the area.

Tracking the Clotilda

May 22, 2019

Clotilda, the last American slave ship, found in Alabama, historical commission says

May 23, 2019

Stories of the Clotilda: Alabama bears sad legacy of Americas last slave ship

May 24, 2019

The inside story of the long, strange search for the Clotilda

May 24, 2019

In Africatown, the found ship Clotilda ignites hope, validates heritage

May 24, 2019

Clotilda found in Alabama: Whats next for wrecked schooner? What does it mean for Africatown?Ward councillors vote for Farnell Rd approval

All three Peninsula ward councillors have voted to approve the Farnell Rd development, disappointing nearby residents and members of the community group Save Our Woy Woy which had been fighting the proposal.

Crs Chris Holstein, Richard Mehrtens and Troy Marquart voted for the development along with seven other councillors and mayor Cr Jane Smith.

Crs Kyle MacGregor and Jillian Hogan abstained from voting and Cr Louise Greenaway was the sole councillor to vote against it.

Cr Rebecca Gale Collins declared a less than significant non-pecuniary interest in the matter saying she was in contact with the Peninsula Chambers of Commerce.

She chose to remain in the chamber and to participate in discussion and voting. However, she said nothing when the matter came up for debate.

Residents had hoped for a different outcome after airing their grievances with three councillors and the mayor at an-site visit in the days before the council meeting.

Cr Holstein said the issues had been addressed in the conditions of consent and that consolidated development had a lot of potential.

He thanked Mr Harvey McDougall of Save Our Woy Woy, saying the development was better for the input from the residents and that their comments at the meeting on site had been sensible and rational.

Cr Mehrtens said it was the third iteration of the proposal.

He said he knew there were variations to council guidelines but they had been minimised.

The residents complained about overshadowing from the three-storey development that included 27 units and seven townhouses to be built over five blocks consolidated along Blackwall Rd and Farnell Rd.

The development exceeds guidelines for height, floor space ratio and setbacks.

Some units and one communal area fail to get the minimum required solar access.

Residents complained about garbage, parking, light pollution, loss of privacy and infrastructure issues such as stormwater and drainage.

Another development, this time a new house at 64 Fishermans Parade, Daleys Point, also received council approval at the same meeting.

It too had been deferred for a site inspection. It went through with a unanimous vote.The Chinese-born architect was known for transforming cityscapes  Doha residents share how he changed theirs.

Growing up, I lived in Umm Slal, a small town on the outskirts of Doha, Qatars capital city. My bedroom window faced open desert, the rocky ground forming a simple line across the horizon, the faint trace of electricity lines silhouetted against the sun. My favourite time of day was when the sun would set directly into my room, the light filtering through the tinted windows and onto my blue-painted walls.

Ours was a small neighbourhood  a row of cement houses with metal gates, one main street and some stray cats. But that was changing quickly. Take-away restaurants and residential compounds were appearing, rows of houses were being built on once-flat desert. Dohas suburbs were encroaching, rapidly.

Downtown, a glittering skyline was emerging; construction cranes and cement skeletons gave way to metal and glass towers and I could see growing when we drove through the city.

Some of the new buildings gave you vertigo. The Museum of Islamic Art was one of them.

I was in middle school when it was constructed on a man-made island on the south side of Dohas Corniche, a stretch of seafront along which the city is built.

It was designed by I M Pei (1917  2019), the Chinese-born architect known for modern designs such as the Louvre pyramid in Paris and the Bank of China tower in Hong Kong. He had been coaxed out of retirement to design it.

The Qatari governments vision for the building was clear: It would be the first and crown jewel of a series of museums in the country.

The MIA museum opened to the public in 2008; it was like nothing the city had seen before.

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The building feels otherworldly; its light stone rising from the water 60 metres offshore, its shaded arches dwarfing visitors who pass beneath them, its angled walls casting shadows under the shifting sun.

Yet, it also feels like home; the dry rustle of palm trees along the outdoor walkway, the salty ocean air, the warm stone underfoot, and the buildings simple shapes  circles, squares and stars  are familiar to residents of this small Gulf country.

Like many new buildings, it seems to offer a promise for the future while also leaving you contemplating what lay there before.

It is a familiar feeling in a rapidly growing city where the skyline seemed to appear almost overnight.

I wonder now visiting the museum  walking past the white noise of water running down the entrance bridge, through glass doors and into an atrium that feels as simple and bright as the desert itself  why I M Pei, then in his 80s and at the end of his career, had chosen to design it.

I spoke to a number of people who knew him or his work well and they had some ideas why he did: He had never worked in the Middle East before and saw it as a new frontier; he had developed a genuine friendship with our father emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who gave him the freedom to build his masterpiece; he was taken by the vision and drive of a royal family that was putting their money towards preserving the cultural history of the region.

Some of them had met the Pritzker Prize-winning architect  who passed away at the age of 102 last week  and others hadnt. I wish I had, as I walk through the museum and am again reminded of my childhood bedroom, of the sun setting on its walls, of the open desert.

I M Pei had insisted that the museum be built on reclaimed land so that no number of new towers could obstruct the sun.

I M Pei, I see, also loved the Doha light.

Others shared with me their view of the museum and what it means to them.

A big bang

The museum has seen its visitors double over the past 10 years, with roughly 500,000 visitors passing through last year, according to museum staff [Courtesy: Marc Pelletreau/The Museum of Islamic Art, Doha]

Julia Gonnella, director of the Museum of Islamic Art since 2017, remembers when the museum opened and says its international impact could not be overstated.

It was a big bang, she says, sitting in her brightly lit office overlooking the grounds. A scholar of archaeology and Islamic art, she had been working in Berlin in 2008.

Rather than being devoted to any one region, the museums collection had objects everywhere from North Africa to the Middle East to the East Asia.

Its a huge museum and, of course, it was an event because it was the first of these sort of mega-museums in the Gulf, she says.

Of all the items in its collection  from beautiful metalwork to intricate carpets and vases  the building itself was the most remarkable.

It became the iconic landmark and I think it will remain the iconic landmark because of its superb location here.

In the middle of the sea

The museum is built on an artificial island 60 metres offshore on the south side of the crescent-shaped stretch of seafront on which Doha sits [Courtesy: Marc Pelletreau/The Museum of Islamic Art, Doha]

Shamsudeen Nalakath Paduvingal is in Qatar on a business trip and decided to stop by the museum.

He sits on a white couch in the atrium, facing a window overlooking the ocean and Dohas skyline.

It is a very special building  you can feel it is in the middle of the sea, he says with a soft laugh.

Unlike a number of tourists visiting that day, Paduvingal considers Qatar his second home. He lived here for 20 years before moving home to Kerala, India six years ago. The visit is bringing back memories.

Sitting here and seeing all these things, I am really feeling that nostalgia when I was moving here in Qatar and living with my family  Ive never seen such kind of a good place in my life.

I thought of having some time here with my past memories. Shamsudeen Nalakath Paduvingal

The city is developing quicker than he ever imagined, he says, remembering Doha in the 1990s, before the construction boom.

For him, it was a simple, more relaxed time, and he describes manageable working hours, close relationships with Qataris, and time spent with family and friends.

Paduvingal sees a city that is busier and more bustling now, and while he misses the old Doha, he sees what it has become as a step forward.

Modern living it is required. It is very much required and Doha is developing  and the people are getting better standards [of living].

Paduvingal says he hopes to be able to move back to Doha. His children, now grown and living abroad, want him to do that so they can move back too.

For now, the museum gives him space to reflect. I am staying in a nearby hotel and I thought of having some time here with my past memories.

The essence of Islam

I M Pei drew inspiration for his design from the famous Mosque of Ibn Tulun in Cairo, Egypt [Courtesy: Marc Pelletreau/The Museum of Islamic Art, Doha]

Sara Al Sada, a young Qatari architect, was completely taken by the museum and what it represented when she first visited it.

I was obsessed by the beauty of the building  the architecture, the details of the interior, she says. But then I start asking myself, OK, I appreciate the building but what is the Islamic part of it ? Is it arcades, is it the fountain courtyard, is it the chandelier in the middle of the atrium? What is it exactly? Or is it a collection of all of these?'

Al Sada wanted to learn more about the Islamic influences in the building, so she read about I M Pei and his travels around the Islamic world to learn about its architecture, seeking its essence.

He was inspired by the famous Mosque of Ibn Tulun in Cairo but chose to reflect the spirit of Islamic architecture  which always seeks simplicity  rather than any one design element.

He captured it very deeply, Al Sada reflects.

In her own work, she is inspired by I M Peis use of natural light and ventilation and believes buildings like these can inspire other young architects in Qatar to use the environment around them while creating multi-use public spaces that impact public thinking.

[An] architect is  responsible for bringing the society back, designing their lives, she says.

We can build a totally new society through architecture, a totally different mind also. The museum addresses one of Dohas urban planning challenges, that of creating enough public spaces, something Al Sada has focused on since graduating in 2017.

The interior has a spacious atrium cafe where people gather while the expansive grounds offer more areas where families and groups of friends can stroll, lounge on the grass, or play with their children.

Relating culture, art, and public spaces is also a very important step in the country  Im learning a lot from this and trying to develop it, Al Sada explains.

For her, I M Peis design, and the effort to bring the museum alive, honours Qatars history without being stuck in the past.

Bringing back these elements in a totally new and different style will always remind you that your past can always be with you from your point of view, she says.

Its an artwork

The museums architect, I M Pei, passed away at the age of 102 in his New York City home [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr, the deputy director of curatorial affairs, has been with the museum since the beginning.

She remembers working in off-site storage before the building was completed, pushing to get the museum off the ground. After we left our abayas were full of dust, she says of the traditional Qatari garb with a laugh.

Eleven years later, she is fully settled in. Al-Nassr oversees the museums exhibitions and digital projects, as well as the conservation and registration of objects.

She and her team work to put on exhibitions that are relevant to residents and visitors, such as the recent Syria Matters exhibition.

It looked at Syrias cultural heritage, and attracted 110,000 visitors, according to the museums director. Part of its draw, Al-Nasser thinks, was its relevance in politics and life today.

Al-Nassr believes the museums location in the Middle East is key, and says she never tires of the collection, which she believes is the first of its kind.

I think  its like you are putting the objects into context, she says. Its in the region, its where the Islamic arts in the Arabian Peninsula really started  and spread around the world.

When you see the objects, they  really have high, high techniques, but they are simple at the same time, which kind of reflects our belief and religion. Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr

The artwork also reflects the religion, she says, and the message it carries is something she can pass down to her children, as can visitors.

When you see the objects, they  really have high, high techniques, but they are simple at the same time, which kind of reflects our belief and religion, which is simplicity, she says.

The artists could have created lavish works, she says, but no, its so beautiful and so simple  and this reflects our beliefs, like you have to be humble.

Ive been to many international museums and especially Islamic art galleries. I dont think Ive seen such a museum that really tells the story of Islamic art, history in such a way and in-depth.There are at least three reasons to worry about the future of the country.

Weeks before the general elections in India, opinion polls were already showing that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a fair chance of returning to office. He was riding on the crest of militaristic nationalism which gripped the nation after the military escalation with Pakistan in February.

But few had expected the tidal wave with which Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the opposition aside to win a second term. The official results released on May 23 revealed that the ruling party had gone beyond even what Modi and his most-trusted aide and party president, Amit Shah, had set as a goal: going above the 300 mark in the 543-member Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Parliament.

The BJP, along with allied parties, won 353 seats, paving the way for Modi to become the first prime minister in decades to return to government with another majority after completing his entire tenure in office.

With this electoral victory, the prime minister has not only secured another term in which once again he will pay little heed to coalition partners but has also won a popular mandate to push forward with his politics of Hindu nationalism.

At this point, there is sufficient ground for trepidation over what awaits India.

In March, Sakshi Maharaj, one of the saffron-clad BJP legislators representing the fringe section of the Hindu right-wing, made an ominous declaration.

Modi is a tsunami that has brought awakening in the country. I believe there would be no elections in 2024 after this election is done, he said.

Some have taken this statement to mean that in the coming five years Modi will consolidate power to the point where no other political power would manage to dethrone him. It has stirred fears that the BJP could consider pursuing changes in the law to jettison the parliamentary system, replacing it with a non-elective one.

Although Maharajs declaration was put down by the majority of BJPs leaders as a rambling of an oddball, it still reflects the wide political ambitions of the ruling party.

At this point, fears about the future of Indian democracy appear justified and there are at least three reasons why.

First, Modi has made it clear that he would not rein in the Hindu far right. The BJP not only renominated Maharaj and a number of others like him who have a penchant for particularly toxic statements, but it also fielded a candidate who is currently facing terrorism charges.

Pragya Thakur, who is accused of organising the Malegaon bombing of 2008, ran in Madhya Pradesh state and won, becoming the first Indian MP facing terror charges to secure a seat in parliament. Despite nation-wide outrage, BJPs senior leaders, including Modi, defended their decision to nominate her.

Thakur proceeded to embarrass them by glorifying the right-wing assassin of Mahatma Gandhi and Modi will have to decide in the coming days whether to expel her from the party or not. Inaction against her would suggest the party leadership speaks with a forked tongue and will continue promoting far-right activists into its second term.

The second reason for concern over Modis scale of victory is that the BJP does not have a good record of preserving the integrity of democratic institutions. During his first term, there have been a number of infringements against the judiciary and law enforcement. Judges and investigators have publicly complained about growing chaos within the system and increasing political pressure.

Modi has also made clear his exasperation with institutions, especially constitutional watchdogs, if they stand in the way of the executives unbridled powers. With an excessively centralised system of administration, introduced in 2014 and likely to be entrenched even further, there are worries that the checks and balances in the Indian democratic system would be weakened.

The future of the electoral process is also under question at the moment. During this election season, the election commission also came under the spotlight; by the time the vote concluded, it had become as much the subject of media reports, as political leaders and parties.

The third reason for apprehension over the future health of Indian democracy stems from Modis ideological roots and links with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological fountainhead of the BJP, which Modi was a member of for years. The RSS runs on the principle of ek chalak anuvartitva, Sanskrit for follow one leader, and eschews democratic principles.

Modi is also a follower of RSS ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya, whose treatise, Integral Humanism, is one of the philosophical guidebooks of the party. In his thesis, Upadhyaya emphasised the need to Indianise western concepts of the nation, western secularism, western democracy. Although he accepted political dialogue within the framework of Indian democracy, he wrote that if we carry it to the other extreme, it could prove troublesome.

All three factors  the promotion of the Hindu far right, the subversion of democratic institutions and the subscription to undemocratic ideology  will play an important role in the likely transformation of the country towards an authoritarian ethnic democracy under Modis second tenure. Those who will suffer the most in the process will be the minorities and disadvantaged groups.

Although sectarian strife is not new in India, since Modi took power in 2014, attacks  both rhetorical and physical  against religious minorities have intensified and have further alienated them from the state. Muslims, in particular, have increasingly become a target, as BJPs Hindu nationalist stance has fuelled Islamophobia and encouraged cow vigilantism and conspiracy theories about love jihad.

Unsurprisingly, the BJP has not felt the need to provide political space or representation to Muslims; its strategy so far has been to politically bypass them and not recognise them as a distinct demographic group.

As Modi presses forward with majoritarian policies shaped by his Hindu nationalist views, multi-ethnic India will become increasingly divided. Attempts to homogenise the nation and secure the dominance of the Hindu majority and by extension, the BJP will have disastrous effects for the future of the biggest democracy on Earth.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.Human rights groups say more than 400 people have disappeared in the last nine years, some have been found dead.

Demonstrators in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka have gathered to protest against forced disappearances.

They are calling on the government to release activists and members of the opposition who they say have been secretly held.

Human rights groups in Bangladesh say around 435 people have disappeared in the past nine years.

Al Jazeeras Hoda Abdel-Hamid reports.The countrys future and whether or not it will leave the EU are thrown into further uncertainty after May resigns.

The UKs future and how  or whether  it will leave the European Union has been thrown into further uncertainty following Prime Minister Theresa Mays announcement that she will quit as leader of the ruling Conservative Party on June 7.

Although May will stay in office as a lame duck prime minister until her party chooses her successor  a contest is set to conclude by July  whoever takes over will become Britains new prime minister.

Among the frontrunners are right-wing Brexit supporters such as Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab, victory for whom could ensure a vision of Brexit that further polarises an already divided country.

What Mays departure means for Brexit?

Britain remains scheduled to leave the EU, with or without a withdrawal agreement, on October 31.

May failed thrice to secure parliamentary backing for a formal deal she thrashed out with Brussels and her party is at odds over what to do.

A sticking point for many Conservatives is the backstop inserted in Mays deal to avoid a threat to the peace process in Northern Ireland, which would keep the UK in a form of customs union with the EU.

Mays departure does not solve anything. Her successor will still have to deal with the question of how you negotiate the UKs exit from the EU, David Phinnemore, professor of European politics at Queens University Belfast, told Al Jazeera.

All indications are that the EU is not going to reopen the terms of the withdrawal agreement.

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Phinnemore said there is very little indication that any of Mays potential successors have a credible plan to take Brexit forward.

Tim Bale, professor of politics at Londons Queen Mary University, said the Conservatives expect the EU to be flexible on an issue of solidarity with the Republic of Ireland, which sees the backstop as essential.

The EU is not going to sell out Ireland on this issue because it would send a terrible message to other small member states that, when the chips are down, the larger states will betray their interests.

No-deal Brexit more likely?

In the absence of a formal withdrawal agreement approved by the parliament, Britain will leave the EU with no deal  a scenario that economists warn could be very damaging.

Whoever becomes the Conservative prime minister is unlikely to persuade the EU to reopen negotiations, even by threatening a no-deal Brexit.

But while Mays departure now makes no deal more likely, there is stiff opposition to this in parliament and many MPs could try to stop it by demanding a second referendum on Brexit.

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Mays departure paradoxically strengthens the possibility both of a no-deal crash out from the EU and a second referendum to prevent that from happening, said Bale.

Despite the bravado of the Brexiteers advocating a no deal, it cannot be taken for granted that Mays successor will embrace that scenario.

Once they realise the consequences of a no deal, I dont think whoever is in power by then would want to go down that route, Phinnemore said.

Can new PM revive Mays deal?

A new prime minister determined to avoid a no deal could find themselves in Mays boots  trying to get a deeply unpopular exit deal through parliament.

It is a distinct possibility that Mays successor will end up pushing a version of her Brexit agreement, said Phinnemore.

What we have experienced over the last couple of months is everybody criticising Mays deal, indicating what they dont like about it, without giving a realistic sense of what they would seek if they were in her position.

A key issue will be whether candidates such as Johnson will be more successful at forging a compromise among the MPs since the former foreign secretarys negotiating skills are still untested.

Will new PM change tack on backstop?

The backstop is the thorniest issue in the Brexit equation, because the Conservative government is propped up by the Northern Irish DUP which detests the idea.

Attention could, therefore, shift to relations between the DUP and Mays successor, and how he or she chooses to interpret the backstop.

It has two elements: propositions to keep either the entire UK in a form of customs union with the EU or just Northern Ireland.

It comes down to whats more important to many of the Brexiteers. Is it maintaining Northern Ireland in exactly the same relationship as the rest of the UK or is it avoiding the UK going into a customs union, Phinnemore said.

What Mays departure means for British politics

Mays key failure has arguably been her inability to reunite a country divided by the Brexit referendum and to opt instead for a more partisan approach. In the 2016 referendum, 52 percent of the British people voted to leave the EU but 48 percent voted to stay.

The lesson of this period has been that referendums are divisive binary mechanisms which require whoever takes over to try and bring the country together, Bale said.

If you go for a partisan solution and favour one side, then you will come a cropper, just as Theresa May has.

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The Brexit process has also confirmed a rightward drift in the ruling party, something Bale thinks could accelerate under Johnson and Raab.

But I would make one caveat. I do not believe Boris Johnson has an ideological bone in his body. He will simply do what he thinks is in the best interests of Boris Johnson, and that can change significantly over time, said Bale.

As London Mayor, he was very much a social liberal, and its only recently since he has been back in parliament and he has looked across the Atlantic at Trump that he has reinvented himself as a populist politician.

When Bale was asked what might happen if the next PM modelled himself on Trump, he said it would further polarise British society.

It would mean that the culture wars going on in America will be imported lock, stock and barrel to the UK as well, said Bale.

We are going to see a coarsening of political rhetoric and we are going to see a premium put on performance rather than actual policy success.Two children are among those killed in a Saudi-UAE-led coalition air attack in the Mawiya district of Taiz.

At least nine civilians have been killed in overnight air raids east of Yemens third city of Taiz, a medic and rebel forces said on Saturday.

Two children were among the nine killed in the Mawiya district in air raids by a Saudi-led military coalition fighting on the side of the government, a doctor at al-Thawra hospital told AFP news agency.

The doctor, who requested anonymity, said a number of other people were wounded.

The Houthi rebels said the coalition struck a petrol station, according to the rebel-run Saba news agency.

The city of Taiz is under siege by the Houthi rebels but controlled by pro-government forces, who are supported by the military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Funerals in Sanaa

In the capital Sanaa, funerals were held for six people, including four siblings, who were killed last week in a coalition air attack.

Two Russian health workers were injured in the same attack.

Family, friends and neighbours carried the coffins into the mosque to perform the last Islamic prayers.

My four siblings were killed, said Osamah al-Surmi.My sister Siham, my brothers Abdulrahman, Khaled and Wasim. My father and I are the only survivors. Were here to bury them. Our home is destroyed.

Yemens four-year conflict has triggered what the United Nations terms the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, with over 24 million people, more than two-thirds of the population, in need of aid.

Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed.Moscow has held three Ukrainian ships and 24 sailors since capturing them in the Kerch Strait in November.

Russia must release 24 sailors it arrested onboard three Ukrainian vessels last year as they crossed a strait between Russian-annexed Crimea and southern Russia, an international maritime tribunal said on Saturday.

The Russian navy captured the Ukrainian sailors and their vessels in the Kerch Strait, which links the Black and Azov seas, on November 25, 2018, after opening fire on them.

The Hamburg-based United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) said Russia had to release the sailors and vessels immediately.

The Tribunal notes that any action affecting the immunity of warships is capable of causing serious harm to the dignity and sovereignty of a state and has the potential to undermine its national security, ITLOS President Jin-Hyun Paik said.

Paik also said: The tribunal considers it appropriate to order both parties to refrain from taking any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute.

However, the tribunal does not consider it necessary to require [Russia] to suspend criminal proceedings against the 24 detained Ukrainian servicemen and refrain from initiating new proceedings, he added. Kiev had called for legal proceedings to be ended.

The sailors face up to six years in prison if found guilty.

Ukraine has already demanded the sailors release and the return of the impounded vessels, yet Moscow has not heeded the request or similar calls by the European Union.

Russias foreign ministry said on Saturday it had not participated in the hearings, adding it intends to defend its point of view that the arbitration lacked the jurisdiction to consider the Kerch incident.

Both countries signatories

The ITLOS was established to settle maritime disputes by the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, of which both Ukraine and Russia are signatories. The tribunals decisions are legally binding, but it has no power to enforce them. The tribunal called for both sides to report back on their compliance by June 25.

Al Jazeeras Dominic Kane, reporting from Hamburg, said that the ball is in Russian President Vladimir Putins court as the tribunal has no means to enforce this judgment.

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Does he want to listen to the judgment of the court, whose jurisdiction his country recognizes, or not? he said.

A bilateral treaty gives both Russia and Ukraine the right to use the Sea of Azov, which lies between them and is linked by the narrow Kerch Strait to the Black Sea.

Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014 and built a road bridge linking it to southern Russia straddling the Kerch Strait, has vowed never to give Crimea back to Ukraine. It accuses Kiev of staging a provocation in the Kerch Strait and its sailors of crossing illegally into Russian waters.

Russias FSB security service said it had been forced to act in November because the ships  two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and a tug boat  had illegally entered its territorial waters.

The Tribunals order is a clear signal to Russia that it cannot violate international law with impunity, Ukraine Deputy Foreign Minister Olena Zerkal said on Facebook, adding she expected Russia to comply with the order quickly.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said if Russia releases the Ukrainian sailors and ships it could be the first signal from the Russian leadership of its readiness to end the conflict with Ukraine.Authorities say more than 200 people were picked up by the Maltese navy, while Italian police took 54 people to shore.

A Maltese armed forces patrol boat picked up 216 migrants and refugees from two dinghies in the Mediterranean Sea and was bringing them to Malta on Saturday, a spokesman said.

At least one pregnant woman and a number of children were believed to be among the rescued. Their nationality was not known.

A spokesman for the Maltese navy said a patrol boat had been deployed to a sinking dinghy south of Malta on Friday.

The navy said the migrants were on board two boats, and the first group was rescued after it sent out a distress call that their boat was taking in water.

After picking up the first group, the boat was diverted to a second dinghy after receiving another distress call.

The armed forces said that with good weather conditions prevailing, departures of migrants from Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria had increased in the past two days, resulting in 12 boats arriving in Sicily, Sardinia, and Lampedusa.

Scores rescued off Italy

Meanwhile, Italian authorities said they took 54 people from Pakistan to a migrant centre after finding them onboard a sailboat off the coast of Calabria in southern Italy.

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The Italian ANSA news agency says two Russian nationals onboard the US-flagged boat were arrested and accused of seeking to smuggle the migrants into Italy on Friday night. The agency says the refugees were all men.

Italys financial police discovered the boat and towed it to Crotone, a port town on the Ionian Sea in Calabria. Officials say the men were in decent health.

Malta, which was holding a vote for the European Union parliament on Saturday, has also appealed to the EU for help in dealing with the flow of migrants, which much larger neighbour Italy has begun to turn away.

The island of 450,000 people is a common destination for refugees and migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean from North Africa, and a hardliner stance from Italy has increased pressure on it.

More than 500 migrants have reached Malta this year, while 1,425 have made it to Italy, which has a population 130 times larger.

International Organisation for Migration figures show 24,687 migrants have reached Europe so far this year, well below the record of around one million in 2015, and also likely to fall below the 2018 figure of 144,000.

Among EU member states, Spain took in the most migrants last year, at around 65,000.Visit by Mohammad Javad Zarif comes as Iraqi leaders express their readiness to mediate in the US-Iran crisis.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has arrived in Baghdad for talks with Iraqi officials amid heightened tensions between his country and the United States.

His visit on Saturday comes a day after the US announced the deployment of an additional 1,500 troops to the Middle East, a development that Zarif described as dangerous.

In Baghdad, Zarif was due to meet senior officials including Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to discuss the crisis with the US and its regional consequences, sources in the Iraqi government said, without giving further details.

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Iraq is in a very delicate position because of the great influence that Iran has on this country. It is by far the largest regional ally of Iraq, be it economically, politically or militarily, said Al Jazeeras Charles Stratford, reporting from Iraq.

Stratford, however, added that some leaders like Iraqi scholar Muqtada al-Sadr were saying that anybody that tries to instigate any kind of political conflict or instability in this country will become an enemy of the Iraqi people.

Meanwhile, the Iraq Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi said on Saturday that Baghdad was ready to mediate between the US and Iran if asked to do so.

Al-Halbousis comments came just days after Abdul Mahdi revealed that Iraq would dispatch delegations to the US and Iran in an effort to ease tensions between the two countries. Iraq maintains close ties with both countries.

Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated since the Trump administration withdrew last year from the 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic republic and world powers, and reinstated American sanctions that have badly damaged the Iranian economy.

President Donald Trump has argued that the nuclear deal failed to sufficiently curb Irans ability to develop nuclear weapons or halt its support for militias throughout the Middle East that the US argues destabilise the region.

We are ready to mediate to solve the crisis between Washington and Tehran if we are asked for that, al-Halbousi said. He added that there has been no official request for such mediation.

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On May 19, a rocket was fired into Baghdads heavily fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling US Embassy.

There were no injuries and no group claimed responsibility, but the rocket was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad  which is home to Iran-backed Shia militias.

During his visit to Baghdad, Zarif will meet his Iraqi counterpart Mohamed Ali al-Hakim, Iraqi President Barham Salih, and Abdul Mahdi, according to Irans state news agency.

Iraqs Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Sahhaf said Zarif will discuss the situation in the region and ways of finding common ground.At least sixteen deportees say they were pressured into signing forms saying they voluntarily agreed to return home.

Lebanese security officials on Saturday denied allegations by human rights groups that they have forced Syrian refugees to sign documents saying they agreed to return to their home country,

Human Rights Watch (HRW) and four other groups alleged in a report on Friday that staff at Lebanons General Security Directorate deported at least 16 Syrians after forcing them to sign voluntarily repatriation forms.

At least five of the 16 were registered refugees, at least 13 expressed their fears of torture or persecution if returned to Syria, the rights groups said in a statement.

Lebanons General Security Directorate said it categorically denies it forced any Syrian to sign any form, in a statement carried by the official NNA news agency.

Any Syrian who arrives in Lebanon and does not meet entry requirements and  wants to go to Syria because they do not wish to remain in their country of residence for a number of reasons, signs a declaration of responsibility for choosing to return voluntarily, it said.

The statement, however, noted that the agency has been working and coordinating with all international organisations to facilitate refugee returns.

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The latest deportees said they were pressured by the government agency at the airport, HRW said.

Lebanese authorities shouldnt deport anyone to Syria without first allowing them a fair opportunity to argue their case for protection and ensuring that they dont face a real risk of persecution, torture, or other serious harm, said Lama Fakih, HRWs acting Middle East director.

One of the deportees said that the United Nations refugee agency the UNHCR was not notified that he was being deported, and when it did hear of the expulsion, was not able to stop it.

Lebanon has hosted more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees, a significant burden for a country of some 4.5 million people since the Syrian civil wars outbreak in 2011.

While fighting has slowed or ended in many areas of Syria, the UN has stressed that all returns should be voluntary.

The rights groups say some 74 percent of Syrians in Lebanon lack legal residency and are at risk of detention.

Local media in Lebanon have reported that the Supreme Defence Council, whose decisions are not made public, recently instructed General Security Directorate to deport all Syrians who have entered the country illegally.

The official NNA news agency, quoting a security report, said on Friday that Lebanese authorities had deported 301 Syrians between May 7 and May 20.

Syrias war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions inside the country and abroad.

The war was triggered in March 2011 by a violent crackdown on anti-government demonstrations.Latest victim, Robin Haynes Fisher, 44, died early Saturday at 8,700 metres after returning from the summit.

A British climber died on Mount Everest on Saturday, bringing the death toll this season on the worlds highest peak to 10, officials said.

Robin Haynes Fisher, 44, died early on Saturday at 8,700 metres after returning from the summit, said Murari Sharma of Everest Pariwar Treks in Kathmandu.

He had descended about 150 metres below the summit when he suddenly collapsed. His Sherpa guide tried to rescue him, but he had already died, said Sharma.

On Friday, 56-year-old Irishman Kevin Hynes died in his tent at 7,000 metres after turning back before reaching the summit, UK-based climbing company 360 Expeditions said in a statement.

That same day, Nepalese guide Dhurba Bista, 33, also died at the base camp after being airlifted from a higher camp following illness, according to his employer, Anil Bhattarai of Himalayan Ecstasy Treks.

Three Indians  two women and one man  died earlier this week during their descent after scaling the peak, as hundreds of climbers pushed for the summit while taking advantage of this weeks weather windows.

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Earlier this month, a US climber and an Indian climber also died during their descent from Everest. An Austrian climber died on the Tibetan side of the 8848-metre peak.

Seamus Lawless, another Irish climber who went missing on May 16, is presumed dead on the mountain.

Overcrowding at the top

Many teams had to line up for hours on May 22 to reach the summit, risking frostbite and altitude sickness, as a rush of climbers marked one of the busiest days on the worlds highest mountain.

Sherpa, the managing director of Peak Promotion, said the overcrowding had congested the route from Camp IV to the top.

There were only short weather windows and everyone was trying to climb at once, he said.

Hundreds of climbers attempt to climb Mount Everest and other Himalayan peaks during the spring climbing season.

The tragedies come amid the feats of Nepalese Sherpa climber Kami Rita, who broke his own record in quick succession.

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He scaled Mount Everest for a 24th time on Tuesday, just a week after breaking his record for the most successful ascents of the worlds highest peak.

The route was pioneered by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953 and remains the most popular snow trail leading to the highest point on the Earth.

Nearly 5,000 climbers have scaled the peak since the pioneering ascent, many multiple times.

Five climbers died on Everest last year.Welcome Guest! You Are Here:The starting gun in the race to replace Theresa May as leader of Britains Conservative Party was fired as she resigned on the morning of Friday, May 24. By the end of Monday, June 10, would-be leaders able to muster eight nominations from sitting MPs had handed in their applications.

In truth, a few of the frontrunners had a head start, declaring their candidacy weeks before the prime minister stepped down amid Brexit chaos.

The job comes with late nights, few holidays and a working environment that makes Game of Thrones look like The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. Mays replacement will face having to arrange a British withdrawal from the European Union in some kind of orderly manner, or risk crashing out with a no-deal Brexit.

The British parliament may have voted against no-deal several times, but it remains the legal default for what will happen on October 31. When the EU granted a six-month extension to Article 50 in March, European Council President Donald Tusk told British politicians please do not waste this time.

And so, with less than five months to go to the Brexit deadline, Britains governing Conservative party is holding a leadership election. Realistically, one of the new leaders first jobs is going to be asking the EU for another extension to Article 50.

The first secret ballot of the 313 Conservative MPs took place on Thursday, June 13, with the second on Tuesday, June 18. Ballots will continue through the week until the nominees are whittled down to just two. The final choice will then be given to the 160,000-odd Conservative Party members, with a result expected by July 22.

Mays successor will face the same parliamentary arithmetic that prevented her from governing with a majority, along with a public which is, to put it politely, disenchanted with Brexit, the way Brexit is being delivered, and British political leadership as a whole.

So, who might it be?

From the archive: Boris Johnson attends a NATO summit at the Alliances headquarters in Brussels in April 2018 [Yves Herman/Reuters]

Boris Johnson

The mop-haired, larger-than-life former foreign secretary is known in Britain simply as Boris, no surname necessary. He has cultivated a reputation as a befuddled and bemused character on TV political comedy quiz shows, but is also fond of showing off his extensive education.

He is rarely far from cracking a joke in Latin, and few are in any doubt as to his intellect and linguistic agility. His experience in governments top jobs is limited, and he infamously staged a photoshoot for his resignation as foreign secretary, though he did serve two full four-year terms as mayor of London.

His gaffes are frequent, and while usually inconsequential, his misleading comments about Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffes purpose in visiting Iran saw the British-Iranian mother, jailed by Tehran, hauled before a court where his remarks were used as proof she had been engaged in propaganda against the regime.

He is a hard Brexiteer, having first made his name as a Europe correspondent. Sacked by The Times for making up a quote, he became Brussels columnist for the Conservative-leaning Daily Telegraph, where he became one of the greatest exponents of fake journalism, according to former EU external affairs commissioner Chris Patten.

He has also used outright bigotry in his writing, using the words piccaninnies with watermelon smiles when referring to Africans. He has referred to gay men as tank-topped bumboys and insinuated that President Barack Obama had an ancestral dislike for Britain due to his being part-Kenyan.

After a landslide of support among Conservative MPs at the first ballot on Thursday, June 13, in which he won 114 of 313 possible votes, bookmakers put his odds at 1/5  the firm favourite. He solidified his lead in the second ballot, securing 126 votes, and now stands at 1/6 with the bookmakers. In the third ballot, he inched forwards, receiving 143 votes. On Wednesday evening, you could only get 1/7 on Boris winning the leadership contest.

In the fourth ballot, Boris secured 157 votes.

Dominic Raab, former Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union [Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters]

Dominic Raab

An MP since 2010, Dominic Raab was a principal architect of the withdrawal agreement, yet the day after it was presented to the cabinet, he resigned as Brexit secretary, saying he could not support the deal.

A staunch Brexiteer, he sits further to the right of Boris Johnson and was initially his main rival for the top job. He is himself not immune to Boris-style gaffes, famously stating (while still Brexit secretary negotiating with the EU) that he had not, until that point quite realised the full extent to which Britain was dependent on the Dover-Calais English Channel crossing route. About 17 percent of the UKs entire trade, worth around $150bn, uses the shipping route.

A black belt in karate, bookmakers were offering 50/1 on him becoming next Tory leader after he won 23 votes in the first ballot of MPs. He then failed to pick up enough support and fell at the second hurdle, with 30 votes  three short of the threshold needed to get through to the next round.

Michael Gove was formerly an ally of Boris Johnson [Hannah McKay/Reuters]

Michael Gove

Michael Gove, formerly a staunch ally of Boris Johnson, competed in the last Tory leadership election, having stabbed Boris in the back. Gove announced his own candidacy the morning his friend was due to launch his campaign, saying he did not think Johnson was up to the job.

As education secretary, Gove won few friends among teachers, infuriating many with reactionary proposals including arcane grammar standards, and sending copies of the King James Bible to all schools in the country.

He has found praise for his more recent work as environment secretary, banning microbeads in a bid to protect marine life.

A staunch neo-conservative, he is a firm advocate of the privatisation of public services and has called for the National Health Service to be dismantled. He dropped from 10/1 to 16/1 after admitting using cocaine as a journalist, before condemning teachers caught in possession of the drug. Three of the teachers were banned from teaching for life, yet the former education secretary remains a frontrunner to be the next leader of the country.

Having received 37 votes in the first ballot, bookmakers had him at 20/1. Gove picked up the support of a further four MPs in the second secret ballot, coming third with 41 votes, but lacked serious momentum, and dropped to 33/1. He received a small surge of support in the third ballot, picking up 10 more MPs, with 51 votes. He was third in the race, with bookmakers putting him back at 20/1 on Wednesday, before leapfrogging Jeremy Hunt to take the crucial second place in the fourth ballot, with 61 votes, on Thursday morning.

Andrea Leadsom has never been far from criticism during her government career [Toby Melville/Reuters]

Andrea Leadsom

The former Leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom came second to Theresa May in the 2016 leadership competition, pulling out to allow May to take power unopposed.

She came under fire during that bid for the top after suggesting being a mother made her a better candidate than Theresa May, who has no children.

A former banker and prominent Brexiteer, she argued that Bank of England governor Mark Carney had destabilised markets with his doom-laden predictions of the potential fall-out of a no-deal crash out of the EU.

When Minister of State for Energy, she ended subsidies for onshore wind farms and opposed European targets for renewable energy. Previously, as a junior treasury minister, she was criticised for receiving a donation of nearly $90,000 from a family-owned business, which had been routed through the British Virgin Islands tax haven.

At 8/1 before the first ballot, she had overtaken Michael Gove to become third favourite  but received the support of just 11 MPs and was eliminated in the first round of voting.

Jeremy Hunt has been a strong supporter of Saudi Arabia [Hannah McKay/Reuters]

Jeremy Hunt

The most controversial health secretary in recent memory, Jeremy Hunt oversaw the imposition of a new junior doctors employment contract after negotiations with unions broke down. Such was the discontent, doctors went on strike  the first such industrial action in 40 years. He also refused to award nurses a one percent pay raise.

Hunt has also faced criticism over his failure to declare part-ownership in a property company. It was revealed he bought a series of luxury apartments thanks to a substantial discount from a property developer who was a major Conservative party donor. A spokesman said at the time it was an honest administrative mistake.

As foreign secretary, Hunt has been a frequent supporter of Britains friendship with Saudi Arabia, particularly when Riyadh has come into criticism for its actions in the war in Yemen and the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Hunt came second in the first ballot, receiving the support of 43 MPs  a long way behind Johnson  but was still in the running at 8/1 ahead of the second ballot, in which he again came second, with 46 votes  still 80 fewer than Johnson. But bookmakers reported Hunts momentum slowing, and dropped his odds of winning the leadership contest to 16/1. He maintained his second place in the race after the third ballot, with the support of 54 MPs and was priced by the bookies at 12/1  but was pushed into third place in the fourth ballot by Michael Gove after receiving 59 votes to Goves 61.

Sajid Javid has frequently been tipped for the top job in British politics [Russell Cheyne/Reuters]

Sajid Javid

Home Secretary Sajid Javid is a second-generation migrant to Britain, whose parents came from Pakistan. As home secretary, he has presided over a crackdown on immigration, enforcing rules that, had they been in place, would have prevented his father from entering the United Kingdom.

A former banker, reportedly at one point on a $3 million annual salary, he became an MP (annual salary $100,000) in 2010.

He has described himself as a reluctant Remainer, being a Eurosceptic on the whole, while believing that Britain is better off as a member of the EU.

Having won 23 votes of the 313 available at the first ballot, bookmakers had him at 25/1 to win before he scraped through the second ballot with 33 votes. He swiftly became the definite outsider at 100/1, but defied the odds to survive in the race beyond the third ballot, in which he received 38 votes. Bookmakers had him at 33/1 on Wednesday evening, but he crashed out on Thursdays first ballot  the fourth and penultimate poll of parliamentarians  with 34 votes. He is, however, 4/1 to be the next Chancellor, or finance minister, of the UK.

Esther McVey resigned from the government over the manner in which Brexit was handled [Hannah McKay/Reuters]

Esther McVey

Former GMTV presenter Esther McVey is a backbench MP with previous government experience, having resigned as work and pensions secretary last November in protest over the way Brexit negotiations were being handled.

She was in charge of overseeing the problematic Universal Credit programme but was found to have misled parliament when stating the National Audit Office had recommended the acceleration of the rollout. The NAO had in fact recommended the scheme be paused.

She also sparked anger in March when claiming that impoverished families only used food banks because they prioritised mobile phones over food. She was 100/1 to be the next Conservative party leader ahead of the first ballot, but was the least popular of any candidate, with only nine MPs agreeing she would make an adequate prime minister. She was the first to be eliminated from the competition.

Matt Hancock deleted the Matt Hancock app [Hannah McKay/Reuters]

Matt Hancock

Health secretary Matt Hancock had been endorsed by none other than Robert Rinder, famed for his appearances on Strictly Come Dancing and his own show, Judge Rinder  sort of the British equivalent of Judge Judy.

He was also the first ever MP to launch their own smartphone app. The Matt Hancock app allowed fans to keep up to date with the MPs speeches and appearances, but was pulled from the market after a lukewarm public response and claims it had some significant privacy flaws.

He was appointed health secretary in July 2018, succeeding Jeremy Hunt in the position, and promised no privatisation of the NHS on my watch. He has since been criticised for putting around 20 NHS contracts worth an estimated $160m out to tender. Before the first ballot, he was a rank outsider at 100/1. After the first ballot, in which he got the votes of 20 MPs, his chances dropped to 200/1. He withdrew from the contest on Monday 17 June, endorsing Boris Johnson.

Mark Harper told journalists he would answer any question they asked [Hannah McKay/Reuters]

Mark Harper

Former constitution minister, immigration minister and chief whip Mark Harper has built a reputation for taking on jobs no one else really wants to do.

An auditor and accountant by profession, he was notably absent from the scandal surrounding MPs expenses. He was immigration minister at the time of the now-infamous Here illegally? Go home or risk arrest vans driven around areas with high immigrant populations, but resigned his position when it was found he employed a cleaner who did not have permission to work in the UK. He (wrongly) believes a lion would beat a bear in a fight.

He was always likely to be another also-ran, with bookmakers offering 100/1 on him becoming next Conservative leader before the first ballot of MPs. He won the support of ten MPs, and was eliminated from the race.

Rory Stewart is an acclaimed writer and linguist [Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters]

Rory Stewart

International development secretary Rory Stewart was a coalition official in Iraq following the 2003 invasion, as a deputy governorate coordinator of two southern provinces. He subsequently became involved in charity work and spent three years living in Afghanistan  the account of which, The Places In Between is a New York Times bestseller and the recipient of many awards for literature.

Stewart has been a social media hit on this campaign, frequently taking to Twitter to invite members of the public to come and talk to him. One such video was widely pilloried for having him pretend to hold the camera, as if it were a phone selfie.

Long thought to be an outsider, bookmakers cut his odds after a surprising 19 MPs backed him, and had him at 16/1 to be next Conservative leader and British prime minister. After performing well in the first televised debate, he won over several more MPs, nearly doubling his support, scoring 37 votes in the second secret ballot. Bookmakers subsequently slashed his odds again, and at 7/1 he was their second-favourite to win the contest. It was always difficult to see him picking up votes from Dominic Raabs supporters and he failed to get the votes needed to make it through another ballot, falling at the third hurdle having been abandoned by 10 MPs and scoring just 27 votes.Ramaphosa faces task of cleaning up his African National Congress party, which has been mired in corruption scandals.

Cyril Ramaphosa has been sworn in for a five-year term as South Africas president, with a crucial fight against government corruption ahead of him.

He took the oath of office on Saturday in front of some 30,000 people at a stadium in the capital, Pretoria, with several regional leaders from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and elsewhere in attendance.

A new era has dawned in our country. A brighter day is rising upon South Africa, said Ramaphosa, promising that the nation was beginning a new era of hope and renewal.

The challenges our country face are huge and real. But they are not insurmountable. They can be solved. And I stand here today saying they are going to be solved, the 66-year-old said.

The inauguration followed his ruling African National Congress (ANC) partys 57.5 percent victory in this months election. It was the partys weakest election showing since the ANC took power at the end of apartheid in 1994.

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Ramaphosa first took office last year after former President Jacob Zuma was pressured to resign amid corruption scandals that badly damaged public faith in the ANC.

A former protege of South Africas first black President Nelson Mandela, Ramaphosa is seen by many as having the potential to clean up both the government and the ruling partys reputation.

Without him the ANC likely would have received just 40 percent of the vote, one party leader, Fikile Mbalula, has said.

Al Jazeeras Fahmida Miller, reporting from Pretoria, said the president called for equality and preservation of the countrys resources.

He said this will be a different era, an era that he will tackle the challenges of poverty, inequality, unemployment that affects almost half of the young people in the country, she said.

He also made reference to the last few years as nine wasted years where government institutions were looted and that corruption caused many lost opportunities.

South Africa has the most advanced infrastructure in the continent, but its commodities-dependent economy has been in a slump for a decade.

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It grew by an anaemic 0.8 percent last year and slipped into a brief recession during the third quarter of 2018. It is projected by the World Bank to expand by 1.3 percent this year.

Unemployment is running at 27.6 percent, but among the 20.3 million South Africans aged between 15-34 reaches 55.2 percent.

Ramaphosa also vowed to continue the fight against mismanagement and corruption that has hurt the countrys economy, the most developed in sub-Saharan Africa.

There was no sign at Saturdays ceremony of Zuma, who has insisted he did nothing wrong and that allegations are politically motivated.

Alleged corruption under Zuma  known as state capture  saw millions of dollars siphoned off through government and state agencies awarding fraudulent contracts to favoured companies in return for bribes.

Zuma himself is facing trial for alleged corruption relating to a multibillion-dollar arms deal in the 1990s.

Ramaphosa in February announced he would set up a special tribunal of seven senior judges for fast-tracking the recovery of proceeds from corruption cases.A US move to send more troops to the Middle East after accusing Tehran of being behind attacks on tankers in the region is extremely dangerous  [for] international peace, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has been quoted as saying.

Increased US presence in our region is extremely dangerous and it threatens international peace and security, and this should be addressed, state news agency IRNA quoted Zarif as saying on Saturday.

The United States on Friday announced the deployment of 1,500 troops to the Middle East, describing it as an effort to bolster defences against Tehran as it accused Irans Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for the tanker attacks earlier this month.

On May 12, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said four commercial ships off the coast of Fujairah, one of the worlds largest bunkering hubs, were subjected to sabotage operations.

The attack caused significant damage to the structure of the two vessels, according to Saudi Arabias energy minister, Khalid al-Falih.

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US officials said initial assessments suggested Iran was involved in the attack, without offering evidence supporting the claim. Iran has denied it had anything to do with the incident.

Mostly protective

Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn shortly before departing for a trip to Japan on Friday, US President Donald Trump said the purpose of the deployment was mostly protective and was meant to increase the security of forces already in the region.

We want to have protection in the Middle East. Were going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, Trump said.

Right now, I dont think Iran wants to fight. And I certainly dont think they want to fight with us, he added.

The Trump administration had notified Congress earlier on Friday about the troop plans.

According to a copy of the notification obtained by the Associated Press news agency, the forces would number roughly 1,500 and would be deployed in coming weeks with their primary responsibilities and activities being defensive in nature.

At a Pentagon news briefing on Friday, officials said the US planned to send 900 more forces, including engineers and a fighter aircraft squadron, to the Middle East to bolster US defence and extend the deployment of some 600 personnel manning Patriot missiles.

Radical elements

Meanwhile, a senior Iranian military commander said on Saturday that rational Americans and experienced US commanders were likely to rein in Washingtons radical elements and prevent a war with Iran.

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We believe rational Americans and their experienced commanders will not let their radical elements lead them into a situation from which it would be very difficult to get out, and that is why they will not enter a war, Brigadier General Hassan Seifi, an assistant to Irans army chief, told Mehr, the countrys semi-official news agency on Saturday.

On Friday, Zarif reiterated his countrys rejection of the USs increase in military deployments to the region while on a visit to Pakistan.

Iran will see the end of Trump, but he will never see the end of Iran, Zarif was quoted by state news agency Fars as saying, during his trip to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, before the US announced the troop increase.

Zarif held talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and powerful army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

War is not in anyones interest and all sides need to make efforts to keep conflict away from the region, General Bajwa said, according to a Pakistani military statement.

Earlier this month, the US sent a carrier attack group and bomber taskforce to the Middle East, citing a credible threat from Tehran.

The news came after acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan denied earlier reports that the Trump administration was planning to send as many as 10,000 troops to the region.

Shanahan, however, said that sending additional troops was an option they were considering.Kampala says Rwandan troops crossed border and killed two men, but Kigali dismisses the account as fake news.

Uganda has protested against an incursion by Rwandan soldiers on its territory that it said resulted in two deaths, a development that could inflame already tense relations between the neighbours.

Two Rwandan soldiers entered Ugandan territory in the southwestern district of Rukiga on Friday in pursuit of a suspected smuggler, the Ugandan Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Saturday.

They shot dead a Rwandan and a Ugandan, it added.

Uganda protests in the strongest terms the violation of its territorial integrity by Rwandan soldiers and the criminal, brutal and violent act by the Rwandan soldiers, on Ugandan territory against unarmed civilians, the ministry said in a statement.

It described the incident as being of serious concern, calling it an incident of murder.

The ministry demands that action be taken against the perpetrators of this attack.

Rwanda dismisses allegation

Rwanda Foreign Minister Richard Sezibera, however, denied that any such incident took place.

Fake news: no such thing happened, he said on Twitter, adding that a detailed response would be forthcoming.

Relations between the countries have been strained since February over economic and political disagreements.

At the end of February, Rwanda started blocking Ugandan cargo trucks from entering at Katuna, the busiest crossing on the two nations border. Authorities in Kigali also started stopping the countrys nationals from travelling to Uganda.

Kigali accused Kampala of supporting rebel groups opposed to President Paul Kagames government, including the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

Kampala has in turn accused Rwanda of effectively imposing a trade embargo on Uganda.

Rwanda depends for much of its imports on a trade route through Uganda to Kenyas Indian Ocean seaport of Mombasa. The same transport artery is also a pipeline for goods from Kenya and Uganda to Burundi and parts of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.The war-torn South Asian country faces an additional issue of funding as it struggles to build its healthcare system.

Kabul, Afghanistan  In a recent address to Afghanistans healthcare providers, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said, With what we spend on a single day of war, we could build a state-of-the-art hospital.

With that statement, Abdullah  a medical doctor himself  summed up the state of healthcare in the country plagued by limited resources and an ongoing war.

Health facilities in Afghanistan have come under attack from armed groups. According to the World Health Organization, there were 34 reported attacks on healthcare facilities in the first quarter of 2019, killing at least nine workers and patients and causing the closure of at least 87 medical facilities.

War and poverty

Najmusama Shefajo, an obstetrician-gynaecologist who has worked in public hospitals and private clinics in Kabul and Helmand provinces, said it boils down to two issues: war and poverty.

Four decades of war has led to increasing poverty, which has a clear effect on health, said Shefajo.

If a mother doesnt have the money to eat properly or for proper medicines, then she cant bring a healthy baby into the world and if her baby is unhealthy, it affects the entire community.

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In her eight years of practice, Shefajo said she has come across only a handful of patients with reliable access to healthy, nutritious foods and quality medications.

This lack of access to nutritious foods and media reports of low-quality, fake or expired Pakistani and Iranian drugs have put more pressure on overworked and underpaid hospital staff.

Bariz Ahmadi, who has been working with government-run hospitals for the last three-and-a-half years, said a majority of doctors are forced to supplement their income by working after-hours at private clinics.

On a single day, there will be at least 1,500 patients coming into a public hospital and at least 50 of them will be admitted to stay overnight. Yet a doctors salary is still not enough to cover their basic expenses.

On average, a doctor working in government hospitals makes between 12,000-15,000 Afghanis ($151-$189) a month even as the Afghani continues to decline in value.

Ahmadi said while the Maiwand Teaching Hospital was only meant to admit enough patients to ensure that the staff could study different illnesses and treatments, a growing need forced them to admit more patients.

The hospital, which opened in the 1960s, was set up to treat between 300-400 patients a day, but the daily patient load often surpasses 1,000. This means doctors who are meant to treat an average of 30 patients a day end up seeing three times as many.

Two brothers from Tagab district of Kapisa province are treated in Kabul after they suffered adverse reactions from wrongly-prescribed medicines [Ali M Latifi/Al Jazeera]

Need for structural change

Afghan health workers say an overall structural change is needed in the sector. The doctors say they are often forced to use sub-standard equipment and even medicines for treatment.

An Afghan doctor and a foreign doctor both studied the same thing, but the difference is in the equipment at their disposal  We have to do the most difficult procedures using some of the most basic tools, said Shefajo.

One doctor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said since most of his patients were unable to afford their prescriptions, he collected expired medicines for them.

The doctor said even though he was aware of the adverse effects of expired medicines, he was left with little choice. They need the medicines. So I tell them to be careful while taking them. Its better than nothing.

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A combination of lack of funds, equipment and an ongoing war means the health sector continues to be stretched thin as at least 1.9 million people find themselves in need of emergency medical services this year.

This has forced those patients who can afford to travel abroad, to go to Pakistan, India and Turkey for medical care. Afghans spend an estimated $300m a year seeking medical treatment abroad.

Malang, 52, has been coming to a government-run hospital in Wazir Akbar Khan for more than a year after he woke up one night, screaming in pain. But looking back at the cost, he wished he had gone abroad.

Doctors told him his right arm and right leg were paralysed. I worked as a porter for years, carrying whatever people needed help with.

While his condition has not yet improved, Malang said shuffling between hospitals cost him at least 40,000 Afghanis (about $500).

Working to feed his family of six girls, but lacking an education or a trade, meant Malang worked odd jobs making a few thousand Afghanis a month when times were good.

My wife has to work in peoples houses now and I have become saddled with debt and still dont know what to do.

Recent advancements

However, some doctors Al Jazeera spoke to said despite the setbacks and resource crunch, Afghan health workers have made the best of a bad situation.

Dr Najib Sediqi, who began his work as an internal medicine specialist in Helmand, said he has seen some improvements.

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I started my practice under the Taliban in Helmand. At that time, there was no difference between a hospital in Sangin [district] and Kabul, he said.

Wahidullah Mayar, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, said despite the difficulties, there have been advancements in healthcare.

In 2003, Afghanistan had the highest maternal mortality rate in the world  1,600 of every 100,000 women would die during pregnancy. Today, that number has dropped to less than 300.

The child mortality rate has also been reduced by more than a half, from 160 of every 1,000 children not making it to age five a decade ago to nearly 50 today.

Mayar said these statistics were due to government-led efforts to address the nations health concerns, particularly over the last four years.

In 2018, the Ministry of Public Health signed a $3m agreement with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to link 15 provincial hospitals with hospitals in Kabul.

In the last four years, more than 420 health facilities were established in different parts of the country. This includes the nations first neurosurgery hospital, inaugurated in Kabul last year.

There was a time where you could barely find an ultrasound machine in Kabul. Now every private clinic has at least one. People used to travel abroad even for an ECG [electrocardiogram], now we can do that in Kabul, said Sediqi.Air attacks and renewed fighting in Yemens Hodeidah port city further complicate UN-sponsored peace efforts to end the four-year war.

Funerals have been held for six victims of last weeks Saudi-UAE air attack in Yemens capital Sanaa.

Four of them were siblings.

So far the war in Yemen has killed tens of thousands of people and pushed the country towards the brink of famine.

Al Jazeeras Sara Khairat reports.Introduction

Climate change and illegal immigration are the two biggest crises that we hear about on the news today. What may come as a surprise is that there is a significant link between these two. This article shows how California could dramatically help the greenhouse gas problem in the short term. Using revenue generated from those improvements, this article then shows how California can help move the world towards energy security and a greenhouse gas emission free future.

As a grandson of a grandfather who came through Ellis Island under quotas, and the son of a mother who spoke English as a second language, I understand why people want to come to America for its opportunities. This article shows that we have no business allowing uncontrolled immigration into our country until we deal with our energy infrastructure and carbon footprint issues. No matter where you are on the political spectrum, this proposal should go a long way toward solving at least one of the crises that concern you.

Learning from History

In 1973, the OPEC Oil Embargo resulted in gas lines throughout the United States. Americans were allowed to buy gas only on alternate days depending upon their license plates and often had to wait in line for hours at a time to get gasoline when they could. After the OPEC Oil Embargo, there was a debate as to what the United States should do regarding energy security. The issues in the 1970s were similar to those we face today; the difference is a shift in goals. In the 1970s, there were scientific studies declaring that "Peak Oil" would be reached soon and that we might not have any oil remaining by the year 2000. Newsweek magazine declared that it looked as if we would be entering a "new Ice Age." In addition, in California, there was tremendous smog pollution. Fortunately, the California Air Resources Board has dramatically reduced smog in our state, and at least the timing of Peak Oil and Ice Age worries has been disproven.

In the mid 1970s, it seemed as though nuclear reactors were the best short-term alternative to oil and that nuclear fusion reactors would be a utopian solution sometime in the future. The great thing about nuclear fusion was that it didn't have significant nuclear waste, and it could be used to create clean electricity or hydrogen for the transportation industry. France chose to build a large number of nuclear plants to protect its energy supply. Even today, almost all of France's electricity generation is from nuclear power. The French nuclear program allows France to have a very low greenhouse gas emissions footprint.

The Climate Change Problem

Today, many people proclaim climate change as an existential problem. There are proposals for the United States to spend many trillions of dollars to reduce the greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide [CO2] and methane) that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere over the coming century. From a greenhouse gas emission standpoint, hydro, solar, wind, and nuclear have no emissions and all have equal value. Coal has the worst greenhouse gas emissions (without any carbon sequestration), and natural gas is presently approximately twice as clean as coal.

The revolution in natural gas extraction has helped to provide the United States with some energy security. According to the EPA, the conversion of significant electricity production from coal to natural gas has helped to keep the United States' greenhouse gas emissions at approximately the same level as they were three decades ago.

The Carbon Footprint Problem with Illegal Immigration

The high standard of living in the United States results in higher CO2 emissions for people residing here relative to those residing in most other countries. The World Bank documents how those searching for economic opportunity and a safer life from Central America, Africa, or Asia are coming from countries where per-person CO2 emissions amount to approximately 1 metric ton per year. The United States has a per-person CO2 emission rate of 16 metric tons per year. Therefore, on average, a person coming from those countries would see an increase in his CO2 emissions of approximately 15 metric tons per year. Since all states are working to slowly reduce emissions over time, a much more conservative figure of 10 metric tons of CO2 per person per year is used in our calculations.

According to Gallup, there are 750 million adults who would like to migrate worldwide. Using a conservative value of 10.5 million people who will illegally immigrate to the United States over the next 30 years, that number corresponds to a little over 1% of those who would like to migrate and approximately 0.1% of the world's population. The problem is that their effect on greenhouse gas emissions would be dramatic.

If there are 350,000 people illegally immigrating to the United States each year, each of whom results in 10 metric tons more of CO2 emissions per year, this results in an additional 3.5 million metric tons produced in the first year. As 350,000 more people illegally immigrate to the United States each year, the problem grows geometrically. In ten years, the additional 3,500,000 people in the United States result in an additional 35 million metric tons of CO2 per year. In 30 years, the additional 10,500,000 people in the United States result in an additional 105 million metric tons of CO2 per year.

To help put these numbers in perspective, California has plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, which translates to 171 million metric tons of CO2 per year. There is a target goal of an additional 171 million metric tons per year by 2050. Major reductions in illegal immigration to the United States would achieve over 60% as much CO2 reduction as California hopes to achieve in the 20 years between 2030 and 2050.

California's Cap and Trade Approach to Fight Climate Change

As a means of achieving compliance with California's greenhouse gas emission goals, the state of California has established a Cap and Trade system. Key emitters of CO2 are required to reduce their emissions below targeted levels or purchase Cap and Trade allowances for forgiveness. For 2021, the lowest price that the state will sell allowances for is $16.20 per metric ton of CO2. For 2030, the lowest price that the state will sell allowances for is $25.20 per metric ton of CO2. These prices are the lowest, but depending upon the circumstances, the price could rise to the Reserve Price of $72.90 in 2021 and $81.90 in 2030. Through the Cap and Trade approach, California is placing a range in social value for a ton of CO2 at between $16 and $82 per metric ton. Therefore, the social cost to the planet of each person illegally immigrating to the United States, from a greenhouse gas perspective, translates to between $160 and $820 per year.

The California Cap and Trade approach allows people to receive offsets for doing things that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These include things such as planting new forests and changing how rice is grown. Since the problem is truly global, from a global perspective, it doesn't matter where the improvement comes from. If we review the analysis from above, and use a conservative value of $25 per metric ton of CO2 saved over the 20202050 timeframe, the value of stopping illegal immigration to the United States would be $40 billion over those 30 years. The benefits of this approach will last well beyond a 30-year horizon and will continue to grow. By the year 2050, the benefits are over $2.6 billion per year.

We should let the experts in the field determine the best solutions to stop people from illegally immigrating to our country. California could then fund infrastructure approaches that meet strict performance goals for virtually stopping illegal entry. The state could then sell carbon offsets equal to the CO2 savings achieved by this infrastructure spending. This would recoup the capital investment and make a significant profit. In addition, California could evaluate proposals to add solar panels and windmills to these infrastructure designs, which could significantly increase the value well beyond $40 billion over the next 30 years. If California were to supplement the United States' spending on border security with $20 billion, a secure border could be completed much earlier and would be much more effective.

Energy Solutions for Greenhouse Gas Reduction

There are five technologies that can help us move toward a greenhouse gas free future: solar, wind, hydro, nuclear fission, and nuclear fusion. The California Scoping Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions shows the breakdown of greenhouse gas emissions by sector. The top four sectors are Transportation (37%), Industrial (21%), Electricity Generation (in and out of state) (19%), and Commercial and Residential Buildings (9%). By focusing on and incentivizing renewables for electricity generation (solar and wind), California has artificially increased its electricity costs. As an example, the U.S. government reviews electricity costs by state, and though California is blessed with tremendous hydroelectric, solar, and wind opportunities, electrical costs in California are about 60% higher than the national average. This means that the transportation sector, which contributes almost twice as much to greenhouse gas emissions as the electricity generation sector, will be slower to convert to electric or hydrogen-based technology. By keeping electricity prices artificially high, California could actually be making the greenhouse gas emission problem worse.

The Limitations of Renewable Approaches (Solar, Wind, and Hydro)

There must be significant planning to integrate renewables into the electrical grid since their output power regularly drops to zero from night and clouds, no wind, and drought. They can't be the primary source of energy for a state or nation, unless economical and large grid energy storage systems are developed. As such, there must be a constant and reliable source of power to which incremental renewable power can be added when available. In addition, all of the renewable approaches impact the environment and require significant capital expenditures.

Many square miles of California desert landscape have been covered with solar farms. The Topaz Solar Farm in central California covers 7.3 square miles (19 sq km). It has a peak output of 550 MW and a total annual output of 1,100 GWH. By comparison, California's sole remaining nuclear power plant facility at Diablo Canyon covers approximately 1.6 square miles. It has a peak output of 2.16 GW and a total annual output of approximately 17,000 GWH. To replicate the annual output power of Diablo Canyon using solar farms would require covering 112.8 square miles (293.3 sq km) of land.

Tall windmills presently cover the Altamont, Tehachapi, and San Gorgonio passes in California and have significantly changed the skylines. In the case of hydro-electric power, additional reservoirs could provide clean power during wet years, but people complain about losing natural wildwater rapids. To help protect against frequent droughts, additional water storage for California would provide a quadruple benefit of clean power generation, water for agriculture, recreation, and water for our state's residents.

Nuclear Fission

In the last 50 years, there have been three major nuclear disasters worldwide: Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania (0 dead), Chernobyl in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (49 dead), and Fukushima in Japan (1 dead). In the case of Fukushima, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake and tsunami killed 15,897 people. Only one person directly died as a result of reactor meltdown caused by a tsunami from the earthquake hitting the plant. The safety results of the nuclear industry, when looked at objectively, have been strong.

By comparison, 16 million customers in Northern California receive their electricity and natural gas from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). In the last ten years, PG&E energy transmission systems appear to have cost the lives of 93 people and caused over $20 billion in damage. The first accident was the San Bruno natural gas explosion south of San Francisco, where eight people died in 2010. This past November, the Paradise (Camp) Fire appears to have been caused by PG&E transmission line sparks. In all, 85 people suffered a fiery death, and over $20 billion in damage was done in this inferno. In the last decade, energy transmission systems in Northern California have resulted in the deaths of more people than every commercial nuclear reactor accident across the world over the last 50 years combined.

Nuclear Fusion

There is a four-billion-year history of nuclear fusion successfully powering our solar system. All of the Sun's energy comes from nuclear fusion. Solar energy is from heat or photovoltaic conversion of sunlight, and all weather, including wind and rain, is the result of the atmosphere responding to uneven heating of the Earth by the Sun. Successful commercial nuclear fusion here on Earth would provide clean electricity that could also be used to power vehicles.

Nuclear fusion is now 40 years closer to reality than in the 1970s, when it appeared to be a "holy grail" long-term solution to America's energy security. The United States presently spends about $200 million per year on a joint nuclear fusion development program with the European Union, Russia, China, Japan, and South Korea. By comparison, between 1960 and 1969, the U.S. spent $112 billion (present dollars) on the Apollo program, by far the greatest feat in human engineering.

Areas Where California Could Use Carbon Offset Profits to Really Fight Climate Change

California should not diminish the impact of its financial investments by funding remotely related social justice programs, but should focus on eliminating the underlying problem.

1. California could easily match the United States' contribution to economical fusion energy research and development. Contests could be created for reaching milestones. Rewards (e.g., $100-million prizes) for achieving key technical breakthroughs could start a gold rush mentality in Silicon Valley.

2. Since China, India, and many developing countries are producing significant numbers of coal power plants, there is a tremendous need to cost-effectively reduce their emissions. As citizens of the world, we will suffer just as much from their emissions, and we should do what we can to help them. Even in California, significant energy will need to be produced with natural gas until a cleaner replacement is developed (e.g., new generations of nuclear fission or nuclear fusion).

Conclusion

If the United States made it a national goal to begin the rollout of commercial nuclear fusion by 2050, the goal could inspire the country and increase the chance of success in that time frame. In the meantime, this proposal shows how California could be contributing to significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions while preparing for a brighter future.

Brian S. Messenger attended the University of California, Berkeley and earned both a bachelor of science degree (1982) and a master of science degree (1984) in electrical engineering and computer science. He has been an engineer, inventor, corporate executive, entrepreneur, expert witness, and consultant over the last 35 years in Silicon Valley. Brian has lived in California his entire life and really appreciates California's parks, forests, mountains, deserts, lakes, and ocean coastlines. As a California taxpayer, he wants to help make sure that our hard-earned taxpayer dollars are spent intelligently.The American novelist Herman Wouk died May 17 2019 at the age of 103. He was most famous for The Caine Mutiny (made into a movie starring Humphrey Bogart) and the series The Winds of War, War and Remembrance (made into a television movie series, starring Robert Mitchum). Wouk, who wrote the screenplay for the series, had the character Aaron Jastrow give a lecture to his fellow Jews at the Nazi concentration camp Theresienstadt. Jastrows lecture was on the Biblical book of Job, that is, on the Problem of Evil: if God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all good, why does He permit evil in the world?

Wouk wrote in his later book The Language God Talks that his fictional character Aaron Jastrows view (TLGT, pp. 169-180) on Job and the Problem of Evil was his own view (TJGT, p. 142). God tells Job out of a whirlwind that there is a reason for everything, including senseless evil, but humans are too stupid and ignorant to understand. We simply have to accept that Gods reason is hidden.

The Language God Talks is mathematics, specifically calculus. The book is a discussion of science and religion, and the title is a statement made to Wouk by the Nobel-Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman. When Wouk told Feynman that he did not know calculus, Feynman replied: Better learn it. Its the language God talks.

Later in the book, Wouk has an imaginary dialogue with Feynman, a dialogue in which I have a cameo role (TLGT, pp. 162-163) via The Anthropic Cosmological Principle, my book with the Cambridge University astronomer John Barrow. Wouk suggests to Feynman that there is a counter-culture group of physicists, myself and Barrow for examples, who think that there is purpose in the universe.

Indeed we do, and with calculus you can prove it. To start, lets tackle the Problem of Evil.

Contra Wouk, God actually gives the solution to the Problem of Evil at the very beginning of His speech to Job. God says, Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? (Job 18:3) When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy (Job 18:7)? God is trying to tell Job that in spite of appearances, the entire universe is good (Genesis 1: 10, 1:12, 1:18, 1:21, 1:25, 1:31). Furthermore, understanding why there is good requires looking at the universe at the very beginning of its creation.

Remarkably, the solution to the Problem of Evil was given in 360 B.C. by the pagan philosopher Plato in his dialogue Timaeus: God, being all good, wants to maximize the amount of good in reality. Therefore, since existence itself is a good, God will actualize all possibilities. This solution to the Problem of Evil has been discussed at length by Arthur O. Lovejoy in his famous book The Great Chain of Being (also available online, see pp. 46-52 for Plato), but in Timaeus, the solution is described in passages 29, 30, 31a,b, 39c, 42e, 51a, and 92c, and also in Parmenides 130c, e.

But if all possibilities are actualized, then all possible universes are actualized. Thus, there must be a universe -- ours -- in which Hitler murdered the Jews (it always comes down to Hitler, doesnt it), and another in which he remained a painter of buildings. Why should we believe that all universes are actualized? Why should be believe there are any other universes?

Because physics says so, that why. I once asked Stephen Hawking what he thought of this more-than-one-universe theory. Hawking replied, The Many-Worlds theory of quantum mechanics is trivially true, meaning that no one knowing quantum mechanics could doubt the existence of parallel universes, universes like ours. The three Nobel Prize physicists whom Wouk lists in TLGT as his go-to sources for answers in physics -- Feynman, Murray Gell-Mann, and Steven Weinberg -- are with Hawking on the question of the existence of the parallel universes. Im on board, too. See my 2014 paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Warning: reading the paper requires knowledge of calculus!

I also think the existence of parallel universes is asserted in Genesis 1:1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth is the King James translation. But the original Hebrew is more subtle. There is no the for the word beginning. Rather, the passage should be translated In a beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. At least one modern rabbi has suggested that this refers to parallel universes. If so, then this is why God told Job to consider the beginning of the universe.

In his Aaron Jastrow alter ego, Wouk recounts the ending of Job: [God] restores Jobs wealth. Job has seven more sons and three more daughters. He lives a hundred and forty more years, sees grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and dies old, prosperous, revered Satisfied? A happy ending, yes? Are you so sure? My dear Jewish friends, what about the ten children who died? Where was Gods justice to them? And what about the father, the mother? Can those scars on Jobs heart heal, even in a hundred and forty years?

Here Wouk was speaking from the heart. His first-born son drowned at the age of five in a swimming pool accident. Wouk had another son and a daughter, but the scars in Wouks heart never healed. He dedicated War and Remembrance to his dead son, with the words He will destroy death forever (Isaiah 25:8).

Christianity and Judaism require more than the actualization of all possible universes, the actualization of all good events, but also of all bad events. Christianity and Judaism require that in the end, all the bad will be made good. I have written a book, The Physics of Immortality, arguing that once again, physics will ensure this, that Isaiah 25:8 will come to pass.

Baruch dayan haemet, Herman Wouk.

Frank J. Tipler is Professor of Mathematical Physics at Tulane University. Besides the books mentioned above, he is the author of numerous technical papers, mainly in cosmology and general relativity.The speeches are over, the marches have ended, the votes have been counted, and South Africa is in the same condition it was before the national election on May 8. It is unlikely to continue another four years in its present condition. The African National Congress (ANC) lost some seats, and the far left made a shocking advance. The once great nation is in deep trouble, and each day, it slides even deeper.

South African mines, once leading producers, are producing far less than in recent years. The transportation system is being deserted by riders because of thugs and sporadic schedules. Rolling blackouts are commonly causing despair and disruption in the railway system and industrial complexes. South African Airways is gasping for breath. Agriculture is on a slippery slope, and food must be imported. The educational system is in disarray. Government bonds are almost rated as junk bonds; the rand is in a free fall. Blacks and whites stand in line for jobs, with the matter made worse by the legal preferences of blacks over whites. And thousands of white farmers have been butchered by black thugs who not only rob, but rape and torture and kill.

As if South Africa didn't have enough trouble with crime, poverty, corruption at highest levels, unemployment, lack of housing, sporadic power, lack of water, racial tensions, declining economy, etc., now enters a major scandal as to qualifications for major officials.

Joe Samuels, chief executive of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), declared that fraudulent qualifications "are a problem on the African continent."

Many African National Congress (ANC) officials lied about their degrees that qualified them for top government positions  with enormous perks and salary. Daniel Mtimkulu, head of engineering services at PRASA, lied about having a Ph.D. Former minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs Sicelo Shiceka lied about having a master's degree, and Tembakaze Mnyaka lied about having a master's degree in town planning.

Vincent Mdunge was spokesman for the South African Police Services (SAPS) and was sentenced to five years in jail for fraud. It seems the top cop bought a fake Matric certificate (high school graduation diploma).

The aforementioned rail system is collapsing because of its irregular schedule (a result of scandal at the state-owned power system Eskom) and black thugs harassing and robbing passengers. Now we are told that Daniel Mtimkulu, head of engineering, does not hold a doctorate in engineering from a German university. SABC News reported that Mtimkulu was responsible for the purchase of 20 (other reports say 70) diesel locomotives from a Spanish manufacturer at a cost of six hundred million rand, but the trains are the wrong size for South African railways! Mtimkulu denies it but has resigned under pressure.

The railway agency reports that 13 of the trains were too high for their system and would result in knocking out the overhead cables and signals. You know, I don't think one would have to be an engineer to say, just before the deal is signed, "By the way, I assume the locomotives are compatible with our present system." The "doctor" evidently did not ask that question or make compatibility a stipulation in the deal.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng, South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) chief operating officer, claimed to have finished high school when interviewed for an important position. He's been described as "a delusional tyrant, a man driven by self-enrichment and egoism." The SABC confesses that Hlaudi was "the worst thing to happen" to the broadcasting company. It seems the SABC is bankrupt, and Hlaudi gets the "credit." He "almost singlehandedly, managed to sink the SABC from within."

But so what? After Hlaudi was fired, he announced the formation of his African Content Movement (ACM) and his candidacy for president in the national election. He was given a hard time because his ACM membership form had misspelled membership and was circulated via social media by his opponents. Let's hope he doesn't do for the nation what he did for the SABC. The votes have been counted, and Hlaudi got 0.02%!

Ellen Tshabalala is a former chairperson of SABC who claimed to have undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the University of South Africa (Unisa), but the Mail & Guardian reported that Tshabalala does not have the qualifications she claimed in her curriculum vitae, and that she failed most of the modules at Unisa. Tshabalala resigned as chairperson of the board of the SABC.

Pallo Jordan's curriculum vitae reveals that "Dr Jordan studied at the University of Wisconsin in the United States of America in 1962 and he acquired a postgraduate degree from the London School of Economics." The facts are somewhat different, because, News24 reported, "[f]ormer minister of arts and culture and ANC stalwart Pallo Jordan has routinely used the title of 'Dr' for years only to now be exposed as a fraud." It seems he did not finish his degree at Wisconsin, nor does the London school have any record of him. Jordon evidently has "no formal academic qualifications." The popular politician apologized and resigned from Parliament and the ANC.

Mohau Pheko was South Africa's ambassador to Japan, who admitted to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) that she does not have a Ph.D. as claimed. She professed to have received the degree from La Salle University in 2000; however, the dubious and disgraced university closed in 1996. The university was selling university degrees and other academic qualifications over the internet. Pheko told the SABC that she "still addressed herself as doctor."

This is not the only time Pheko has been involved with disgraceful, dishonest, deplorable activities. She admitted that she was fired from the Sunday Times in 2008 after plagiarizing material in a column. Nor was it the only time she took material without giving credit.

Sicelo Shiceka was a minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs who claimed to have a master's degree in political economy from the University of the Free State; however, the Mail & Guardian revealed that that was not true. The paper suggested that he was one of the most "corrupt politicians" in South Africa.

Now, that's a mouthful.

Dr. Don Boys is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives, who ran a large Christian school in Indianapolis and wrote columns for USA Today for eight years. Boys's book, Muslim Invasion: The Fuse is Burning!, is available here. Follow Dr. Boys on Facebook at Don Boys, Ph.D. and TheGodHaters and on Twitter, and visit his blog.In a 2017 article in the Atlantic titled "The Curse of Econ 101," author James Kwak defends increasing the minimum wage as a means to address income inequality. Here is a sample of Mr. Kwak's reasoning skills:

Although the standard model predicts that employers will replace workers with machines if wages increase, additional labor-saving technologies are not available to every company at a reasonable cost. Small employers in particular have limited flexibility; at their scale, they may not be able to maintain their operations with fewer workers. Therefore, some companies can't lay off employees if the minimum wage is increased.

What will small businesses with "limited flexibility" do when wage hikes eliminate their profit margins? Only someone with no clue on how to run a business would have written something so asinine.

Since income inequality is so important to progressives, maybe they should find out which states have done a better job of addressing this "grave injustice."

Zippia (a website for employers and job hunters) compiled data to calculate Gini scores for all states from 2012 to 2016. The Gini Coefficient has been used since 1912 to quantify income inequality. Values range from 0 (perfect equality) to 100 (perfect inequality). Based on data from the publication 24/7 Wall St. and Forbes, there is no evidence that government policies for spreading the wealth or restricting business freedom have narrowed the wealth gap (Tables 1 and 2):

Table 1: Income redistribution and income inequality.

States doing the most in 2011 Gini coefficient (2012-2016) States doing the least in 2011 Gini coefficient (2012-2016) Alaska 42.60 Alabama 47.69 California 48.80 Arizona 46.82 Connecticut 49.47 Arkansas 47.08 Hawaii 43.69 Florida 48.52 Massachusetts 48.26 Idaho 44.57 Minnesota 44.90 Indiana 44.94 New Jersey 47.82 Oklahoma 46.52 New York 51.02 S. Carolina 46.90 Pennsylvania 46.80 Tennessee 47.86 Rhode Island 47.38 Texas 48.03 average 47.07 average 46.89

Table 2: Business regulatory environment and income inequality.

Worst 10 for Regulations (2017) Gini coefficient (2012-2016) Best 10 for Regulations (2017) Gini coefficient (2012-2016) California 48.80 Florida 48.52 Connecticut 49.47 Georgia 48.16 Delaware 44.88 Indiana 44.94 Hawaii 43.69 Iowa 44.22 Maine 45.15 Nebraska 44.20 Maryland 45.13 North Carolina 47.48 New Jersey 47.82 South Carolina 46.90 Rhode Island 43.38 Tennessee 47.86 Vermont 44.35 Utah 42.61 West Virginia 46.21 Virginia 46.73 average 46.89 average 46.16

If government programs have not diminished inequality, maybe we should focus our efforts on some of the root causes. Data on single parenting trends from the Kids Count data center provides a clue (Table 3). This difference becomes more prominent when the sources are switched (Table 4):

Table 3: Family breakdown and income inequality.

Highest 10 for Single Mothers (2015) Gini coefficient (2012-2016) Lowest 10 for Single Mothers (2015) Gini coefficient (2012-2016) Alabama 47.69 Colorado 45.90 Delaware 44.88 Idaho 44.57 Florida 48.52 Minnesota 44.90 Georgia 48.16 Montana 45.87 Louisiana 49.03 Nebraska 44.20 Mississippi 47.99 North Dakota 45.86 Nevada 45.22 Utah 42.61 New Mexico 47.54 Vermont 44.35 Rhode Island 47.38 Washington 45.60 South Carolina 46.90 Wyoming 42.79 average 47.33* average 44.67*

Based on a one-tailed T-test, the means are significantly different at p = 0.0001.

Table 4: Income inequality and family breakdown.

10 highest Gini scores (2012-2016) % Single Mothers 10 lowest Gini scores (2012-2016) % Single Mothers California 34 Alaska 34 Connecticut 32 Hawaii 31 Florida 40 Iowa 30 Georgia 39 Nebraska 29 Illinois 34 New Hampshire 30 Massachusetts 33 South Dakota 32 Mississippi 48 Utah 19 Lousiana 45 Vermont 27 New York 36 Wisconsin 32 Texas 36 Wyoming 29 average 37.7* average 29.3*

Based on a one-tailed T-test, the means are significantly different at p = 0.0005

Based on these data, moral decline, not laissez-faire capitalism, is a major cause of income inequality in America. Conservatives have been saying this for years, but when University of Pennsylvania professor Amy Wax defended "bourgeois values" in 2017, the National Lawyers Guild denounced her column as "a textbook example of how white supremacy and cultural elitism are used to denigrate the poor and sustain the gross wealth inequality that defines American capitalism." This statement is a textbook example of virtue-signaling at the expense of cold, hard facts.

To discredit opponents of "living wages," James Kwak conjures up straw men that "abstract away the (harsh) reality of low wage work." Nevertheless, with no hint of self-awareness, Kwak cavalierly "balances" the hardship of "some people" losing their jobs against the "benefit of greater earnings for other low-income workers."

The law of supply and demand is like the law of natural selection. It does not care how much you are suffering or how much you "deserve." This is why almost everyone agrees that some kind of safety net is necessary. But the alleviation of poverty does not justify increasing taxes on the wealthy in order to "narrow" the wealth gap.

John Adams warned against the moral hazard of wealth redistribution:

If "Thou shalt not covet" and "Thou shalt not steal" were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society before it can be civilized or made free.

When Pope Francis wrote in his 2013 apostolic exhortation that "inequality is the root of social ills" and that "inequality spawns violence," he inverted the commandments against coveting and stealing by shifting the moral burden to the property-owner. To narrow the wealth gap, the pope recommended "a vigorous change of approach on the part of political leaders." If government is the solution to inequality, why are less affluent Americans fleeing in droves from nearly all the states on the left columns of Tables 1 and 2?

Coveting and stealing are natural impulses. Respect for property is a learned value that requires moral restraint. If voters from these states revisit the Ten Commandments and reject false teachings about the "evils" of inequality, the hardships that compelled so many residents to leave will be minimized. Unfortunately, natural impulses are hard to resist, especially when religious authorities join forces with the media to enable them.

Antonio Chaves teaches biology at a local community college. His interest in economic and social issues stems from his experience teaching environmental science.An Obama-appointed federal judge has done it again: Ruled in favor of unelected left-wing activists to block much of President Trump's border wall. According to The Hill:

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on Friday, partially blocking President Trump's plan to fund a border wall with Mexico using money from the Defense Department. California U.S. District Court Judge Haywood Gilliam, who was appointed by former President Obama, issued the order, which does not fully halt construction but would limit additional border fencing to specific areas. It would also block the transfer of about $1 billion in Pentagon funds from various projects to pay for the construction of a wall.

Pay no attention to that migrant surge at the border or the will of 63 million Americans who voted to elect Trump to stop them.

The judge made the ruling under this reasoning instead:

Gillam argued "irreparable harm" would result if the administration were allowed to proceed while the case is pending. "Because the Court has found that Plaintiffs are likely to show that Defendants actions exceeded their statutory authority, and that irreparable harm will result from those actions, a preliminary injunction must issue pending a resolution of the merits of the case," he said in court. Gillam cited the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches outlined in the Constitution, particularly Congress's power of the purse, in making that determination. The position that when Congress declines the Executives request to appropriate funds, the Executive nonetheless may simply find a way to spend those funds without Congress does not square with fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic, he wrote.

Irreparable harm because there's a border wall to keep criminals and welfare-seekers out? The criminals and foreign moochers have interests well above those of American voters and denying them so much as a day inside the United States to break one law after another and avail themselves of Americans' earnings does them "irreparable harm"?

What garbage. What's more, there's nothing here about shifting funding around that hasn't been established as 'precedent' - something lefties love to extol - given that President Obama shifted funds around from federal bureaucracies to keep Obamacare afloat after a Republican Congress denied him the funding he wanted. Obama also ruled by executive order - as in the case of DACA - and even President Trump's efforts to rescind those flimsy executive orders have been blocked by the activist-judicial industrial complex. See, it's only O.K. if Democrats do it, that's the real message we are seeing from this politicized judge.

It joins a collection of federal overturnings of President Trump's efforts to keep the country safe and secure at its southern border and beyond. A recent news item from the New York Times reported that Attorney General William Barr complained that federal judges had blocked Trump on executive orders and attempts to govern 37 times in the past year, more than all the nationwide injunctions from federal judges issued in all of the 20th century put together.

Nationwide injunctions undermine the democratic process, depart from history and tradition, violate constitutional principles, and impede sound judicial administration, all at the cost of public confidence in our institutions and particularly in our courts as apolitical decision makers, Mr. Barr said. He emphasized that the separation of powers, rather than the granting of certain rights, protected the United States from tyranny. As Justice Scalia colorfully quipped, Every banana republic has a bill of rights, Mr. Barr said.

What we are seeing here is a power grab from a ravenous left-wing judiciary, intent on making the most outrageous rulings at the request of any left-wing activist group to supersede the will of the people. They will have their way no matter what the voters, those godawful deplorables, think, and an eager corps of left-wing judges with no respect for law except in how it serves leftwingery, are glad to help out. This is not democracy, this is rule by a leftist nomenklatura, a Deep-State adjunct which has already disgraced itself over the FISA approval process in the invented Russia collusion narrative.

Americans within the majority are not without power here - this latest injunction underscores the need to get rid these judges' power by getting rid of the current bounder House ruled by impeachment-obsessed Democrats. It shows how necessary it is to elect a bunch of representatives interested in what's going on in the country, including the threats we face, and ensuring that no petty left-wing activist playing victim can superced it. These congressional Democrats are at the root of the problem because they would block any such necessary reform. They need to be thrown out. Then, when a Republican (or non-crazy Democrat) Congress is elected, the first order of business, even ahead of the border crisis, should be judicial reform.

One of the three branches of government is out of control here and it's not the one headed by Donald Trump.Science junkie that I am, I enjoy reading science articles written for laymen like me, the titles of which might be "Science for Idiots" or something like that. Being informed about science, and being able to think rationally, are interlinked, in my view.

You might think scientists, especially renowned physicists and cosmologists, would be solidly objective, dispassionate seekers of truth (or, as they prefer to call it, facts). I like to think most of them are.

We might be wrong about that.

If we are, that portends a serious flaw in a great institution. Upon that institution depends much of our intellectual capital, and therefrom, our future technological ability  to survive as a world power. If the great scientists are so blinded by personal opinion that their blindness hampers their scientific judgment, we are in trouble.

I recently viewed an online lecture by a well known physicist, Dr. Lawrence Krauss. His lecture is about his book, which is even more aptly named than he realizes: "Hidden Realities: The Greatest Story Ever Told...So Far."

The hidden reality of which Krauss intends to speak involves physics, but the one he reveals is his obsession with Trump-hatred and, it appears, Jesus-hatred. The lecture was given shortly after the 2016 presidential election. Clearly, Krauss had not gotten over the trauma of seeing the defeat of one of the most treacherous politicians of our lifetime. He demonstrated his irrationality by inserting into his lecture his open disdain for the president  to the cheers of a foreign audience.

Krauss is by no means alone in his inability to keep his personal opinions out of his science lectures. The once venerable magazine Scientific American has for years drifted toward leftism and seems no longer able to think clearly about planetary meteorology.

Much of the corruption in science, be it financial, academic, or political, is in my view connected to the atheistic philosophy scientists have adopted as far back as Charles Darwin. We must be careful here not to conflate science, the pursuit of truth wherever the evidence leads, with physicalism, the philosophy that says nothing exists except the physical.

The more refined version of physicalism is much more rational than atheism. Physicalism simply says there is no falsifiable (i.e., independently verifiable) proof that God does or does not exist. Many scientists, however, go far beyond that open-minded version and reveal not only their insistent atheism, but even an overt hostility to the very idea of a divine, intercessionist Creator.

The irony is that science itself is finding more and more evidence that the physicalist philosophy has fatal defects. One by one, bits of evidence are building up. In some articles by science journalists, it is becoming clear that physicalists are increasingly resorting to more tenuous arguments to prop up their false philosophy, not only on scientific grounds, but on political ones as well.

To their chagrin, more and more Americans are recognizing that there is no legitimate, scientific basis for dehumanizing unborn children. The arguments for abortion are no longer biological; they are purely ideological.

Regarding evolution, it is becoming less tenable to describe human beings as an upgraded version of chimpanzees (or, more precisely, of a common forebear). DNA studies cannot bridge that gap.

Cosmology cannot explain why the universe has the extremely unlikely properties that make it suitable for life, except by proposing an even less likely multiverse.

Quantum physics is gradually eroding the physicalist paradigm. The evidence is moving toward the notion that the universe is not essentially physical, but mental, and, by implication, spiritual.

We are not there yet, but the trend is discernible. Along the way, the real danger is that the search for scientific truth may be derailed by irrational ideology. If there is no fool like an old fool, there may be no idiot like one with a Ph.D. after his name.Those appalling liberal outbursts we have witnessed since Trump's election can be explained by realizing that they believe they have the right to speak to and be listened to by the president. The rest of us are too deplorable to be worthy of his attention. And yet, the president listens to us, or appears to, and frequently disparages them.

A liberal friend of mine frequently quotes a saying that when you are accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression. I'm not saying Trump listens equally to everyone. If he does, it's because he isn't really listening to any of us. He seems to have enough self-confidence to make his own decisions without resorting to weighing the advice of 300 million wannabe counselors.

But liberals are accustomed to preferential access, and they aren't getting it. Not only have they lost their privilege, but they believe that it was unfairly reassigned to us riffraff. They feel cheated, and they are howling for justice.

Every judge legislating from the bench to promote his favored policies is striking a blow for justice in liberals' quest to rule us. Every ill mannered celebrity ranting about Trump's supposed deficiencies is a bold prophet, speaking truth to power. Every journalist twisting facts to support the leftist narrative is a warrior in the Left's disinformation army, participating in a surge of lying that all of them hope will overwhelm us so we return to being their pawns.

So my friend's favorite quote is true for liberals, at least. They are so addicted to the privilege of their elitist caste that many of them seem unhinged. From their perspective, it's the rest of the country that is insane.

This is transformational change, Trump-style. The patient years of liberals siphoning off ever increasing amounts of power and treasure, blaming the conservatives for any policy failure in delivery of the promised utopia, is being set awry by Trumpian efforts to make success at some level possible for the hoi polloi regardless of their individual politics. He cuts taxes, renegotiates trade deals, speaks respectfully of law enforcement and military without sounding de rigueur, incentivizes businesses to hire more Americans and build up manufacturing, and on and on.

How can we deplorables be forced to accept our lower class status if the president acts as though each of us matters? What if we stop listening to fake newsmen, climate change cheats who become millionaires exploiting our gullibility, and all the other political activists who have lied about their self-enrichment goals and fooled us into thinking they were trying to help us? What if we start thinking for ourselves?

Oh, dear, this will never do. Liberals have the "divine right" of kings, while we can barely claim a "spark of divinity." How dare we act as their equals when they are clearly (in their own minds) superior?

And so their outrage pours forth unabated. Toddlers would be embarrassed by the elitist tantrums. The elites are not. Makes me wonder how effective those imported nannies really are.

Sam can be reached at syounnokis@gmail.com.For those of us of a certain age who were brought up in non-religious or nominally religious homes, abortion was, when we were young, something no one spoke about. By the 1960s, we may have heard about high school friends who went to Mexico for abortions that were illegal here. Such gossip was hushed, and few of us knew what an abortion entailed or had any sense of the gravity of the procedure. Our contemporaries who had been raised in religious homes never talked about such things, so if they had an opinion on the topic, they did not share it.

By the time we reached adulthood, we were "pro-choice" because that was the thing to be. Wasn't everyone pro-choice? What did that mean? It meant ending an unwanted pregnancy the moment it was realized. No one then ever considered the possibility or option of waiting many months to make such a decision. It never entered anyone's mind that what are now called late-term abortions were even possible.

If one was still young in 1973, apolitical, and not a regular church-goer, we did not give too much thought to the gravity of the Roe v. Wade decision. Again, no one then could have conceived of the idea of late-term or post-birth abortion. Then we began having our own children, unconcerned that we would not know the sex of the baby until the birth. The main "technology" was still the fetoscope that could discern the heartbeat of the fetus. We lived for and worried about that at every prenatal visit to our OBs. A fast heartbeat meant a boy, slower a girl  so the theory went. Maybe it was the other way around. The doctors generally told you one thing and wrote the other in your file just to be safe. They had no way of knowing, either.

Fast-forward a generation. Now those of us who always thought of ourselves as pro-choice and never knew that second- and third-trimester abortions occurred are, if fortunate, invited to our daughters' visits (and those of our daughters-in-law) to their OBs when pregnant. Suddenly, like magic, we are able to see our grandchildren on a black and white screen in real time, blurry but actual. We see the tiny heart beating from almost moment one. As the pregnancy advances, we see the fetus grow, move about, constantly change positions to get comfortable. By the early 2000s, pregnant women could get a fetal video set to music of their growing baby. This had to be done by about fourteen weeks, when the fetus was still small enough to be captured in his entirety on film. We could watch the baby comfortably move about his fetal environment with what seemed like a distinct personality. This entire process is even more enlightening with a set of twins; they cuddle, hold hands, and push each other about in their fight for space.

In short, from the first ultrasound, everything changed for us life-long pro-choicers. Embryos are human beings; fetuses are babies. The shock of this truth is undeniable to anyone who has seen a baby in utero.

It is a mystery as to why every Democrat running for the presidency refuses to acknowledge this fact. Yet every member of the Democratic Party is committed to not just third-trimester abortion, but post-birth infanticide. Not one of them will admit to the glaring immorality of this policy. Not one. What does this tell us? It tells us that the Democratic Party is now so radical, so far left, that it has virtually aligned itself with the Nazis! Kill the undesirable humans. Simple as that. Pregnancies are unwanted, and children are a blight; this is now a foundational part of the Democrat platform.

It is astonishing that the Left so reveres Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood. She embraced eugenics, including against black Americans whom she considered inferior. To this day, it is black babies who are aborted in numbers far beyond any other racial or ethnic group, at a percentage much greater than their proportion of American citizenry. Sanger is celebrated by Democrats because they are in fact the racists and always have been. For progressives, pregnancy is a disease, something to be cured by abortion!

People young enough to take ultrasound technology for granted can perhaps be forgiven; they've grown up looking at moving images on small digital screens and may not think much about the living versus the imaginary. But for those of us old enough to be awed by the miracle of what we began seeing for the first time in just the last twenty years, seeing a human baby grow in utero was at first beyond belief. Now it is a miraculous reality to which the Left is impervious. Why are leftists so anxious to see unborn babies aborted? Why do they not mind Planned Parenthood cutting up aborted fetuses and selling their parts? What evil cancer has infected the brains of the Left that they are so indifferent to life?

The Democrats' fervent dedication to the culture of unrestricted abortion is a sign of their abject amorality. That not one of the presidential candidates has the courage to buck the party's embrace of what amounts to a genocide is an ominous warning of who and what they have become. They may think they are winning the hearts and minds of the American people, but millions of parents and grandparents have now seen ultrasounds of their own children and grandchildren, from the embryonic stage to birth. They know that what they have seen is the hand of God.The weasels of leftism are close to exhausting their weaponization abilities. The recent political weaponization of the banking industry (i.e., using financial records against the opposing politician  President Trump) falls in line with all the previous weaponization attempts. However, pretty soon, they will run out of things to weaponize.

There are numerous examples of the political weaponization of all facets of human life, including private life.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the vagina became the weapon of choice for many left-wing feminists. It was used initially for the genocide of blacks because one of the Left's icons, Margaret Sanger, was a follower of the racist pseudo-science of eugenics (just like her follower and ideological colleague in Europe, Adolf Hitler). The vagina-missiles continue to be used in the 21st century. (Recall the Judge Kavanaugh drama and the anti-Trump golden shower" hoax.)

Later on, other private parts were weaponized, and the political movement of LGBT was born. It largely succeeded in bringing down the Boy Scouts and normalizing something that was considered abnormal through the entirety of written human history. Such abnormalities, if they were confined into private bedrooms, were widely tolerated for millennia, but the political weaponization injected these abnormalities into the public domain, including LGBT brainwashing in public schools.

Leftism spread in human society like a contagious virus and carried with it a total weaponization of everything. Leftism, being a totalitarian ideology, could not settle for anything less than total weaponization.

The modern political weaponization of everything is very similar to the old communist idea of the militarization of everything. For example, concentration camps  leftists prefer to call them "re-education camps"  were introduced by communist Leon Trotsky in order to create "labor armies" to demonstrate that socialism is better than capitalism. The idea was to crush capitalism by over-producing and out-profiting it due to practically nonexistent personal expenses in such hard labor camps. When the National Socialists came to power, they liked the idea of the concentration camps very much, and they continue to call them "re-education camps" officially.

The total weaponization has reached science (recall the "global cooling" hoax, which got transformed into the "global warming" hoax), media (recall the complete evolution of modern media into open propaganda outlets, where journalists act as ideological soldiers), culture (an idea of "cultural Marxism" by Antonio Gramsci), religion (recall Black Liberation Theology), sports, and many other endeavors.

The election of socialist Barack Obama as the president of the United States was the peak of leftism. This peak was unique, a once-in-human-civilization event, that allowed for the weaponization of institutions  like the IRS and U.S. spy agencies (CIA, FBI, all seventeen of them). Also, health care was weaponized (Obamacare), as well as the United Nations. The trade unions had been weaponized around the same time as genitalia, and by the same people, but only President Obama managed to use unions as political assault weapons. (Recall the General Motors saga.)

Of course, Obama inherited much neo-Marxist ammunition from his predecessors, like race. The "race card" is, in fact, one of leftists' most commonly used political assault weapons. However, they have practically run out of ammunition. The Democrats have kept the black population on the "Democratic plantation" for too long while conducting anti-black policies. The same applies to American Jews  they finally realized that the Holocaust was used by leftists to keep the Jews in the Democrats orbit while conducting anti-Israeli policies. Democrats created the KKK, as well as its modern version, Antifa, but these guys in black outfits suspiciously look like the reincarnation of Mussolini's blackshirts, so, politically, that was a dead end.

What is left for the Left?

There is nothing left that could be weaponized to satisfy the power-hungry totalitarian, racist, and anti-Semitic ideology of leftism. The transfer of private financial records of Donald Trump from banks into the public domain is embarrassing but not deadly to Trump. It is deadly, however, for those who still follow the despicable ideology of leftism, because it clearly shows they are forced to use their very last reserves.

Gary Gindler, Ph.D. is a conservative columnist at Gary Gindler Chronicles. Follow him on Twitter.The U.K.'s long national nightmare is finally over. Prime Minister Theresa May is finally getting out. But not without dragging it out, which is what she does. CNN reports:

UK Prime Minister Theresa May finally gave in to the intense political pressure over her failure to secure Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, announcing her resignation in an emotional address to the nation on Friday. Standing at a lectern in Downing Street, May said she deeply regretted not being able to deliver Brexit, the issue that brought her to power in 2016 and which consumed her premiership in the three years since. May said she would quit as leader of the Conservative Party on June 7, but would stay on as Prime Minister until a successor is chosen . That process will be completed by the end of July, her party said.

She was pictured weeping about it, which can only provoke scorn given that she doesn't see herself at fault. But she is, because the hard fact remains, she was an utterly miserable failure, leaving Britain in awful shape as the European Union continues to lord over it and Brexit still amounts to something that never happened. The voters wanted it, and recent reports suggest that they are digging in harder than ever. But from May all they ever got was delay, delay, delay and calls for more time. Like, why?

Maybe the fact that she was against Brexit and promised to get Brexit done anyway if she could just be prime minister over some worthier candidates was the problem. Her whole premise was wrong and putting her in that position (and not by popular vote), right after the stunning result of the Brexit vote, to get Britain out, was a recipe for failure. A revolution was ignited with Brexit - and the feckless Tories put the equivalent of a NeverTrump in the top leadership position to helm the ship outward. It's like they believed the Brits were crazy for voting to leave the European Union and therefore in need of "proper control."

They didn't get it. What's worse, May didn't get out soon enough. She was one of the shortest-tenured prime ministers in U.K. history (sixth shortest) and yet her wretched government seemed like it went on for an eternity.

Did she achieve Brexit? Nope, she kept wanting to please the eurotrash back in Brussels. Did she threaten to walk out on them? Not in any serious way - it raised suspicions that she secretly liked them, because she was so bad at this. A clean break with the European Union would have been a preferable thing to what she had on offer and Britain could have bounced right back on the trade front by now -- with Donald Trump in the wings offering Britain a "first in line" free trade deal, and the old empire nations that would have loved to sign a free trade deal with Britain to make up for any lost trade with the continent. Never happened because May was always enmired with Brussels, and it should have been done a long time ago.

There are a lot of other things about her that were utterly awful. One, on her watch, the British parliament never spent much time at all debating about Brexit - it was just too embarrassing, too Nigel Farage-y. They opted to talk about leftwing stuff. Horrible things such as the arrest of Tommy Robinson, the refusal to permit radio host Michael Savage to enter the country, and the Charlie Gard killing happened on her miserable watch.

And what did May do outside Brexit? Just leftwing stuff, almost like she was a non-lunatic left Labourite ruling the place. Here is BBC's list:

Non-Brexit achievements Mrs May would point to include forcing companies with more than 250 employees to reveal the average pay of men and women, increasing the NHS budget by 20.5bn a year by 2023 - a real-terms average increase of 3.4% a year - and a 25-year environment plan that will see the sale of diesel cars and petrol cars phased out by 2040. She also scrapped the 1% freeze on public sector pay, brought in a cap on energy bills and introduced house building targets, including more affordable homes. But, despite pledges, she has failed to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands she promised and a much-delayed social care green paper has still not been published.

Every last one of these things - raising bureaucrat pay, enacting global warming measures, raising taxes, letting migrants in - is something leftwingers like. There was one other thing not named by the BBC - the growing evidence of her government's complicity in spying on Donald Trump through the Russian collusion lie. All you can conclude from this record is that May was a leftist in conservative clothing.

Back in the old days, British prime ministers who screwed up got out. Fast. May should have resigned immediately after her utterly stupid call to snap elections - which lost her her parliamentary majority in 2017. Did she get a clue from that? Nope, she clung to power - the way corrupt Democratic presidents and their corrupt cabinet members hold on. Apparently, the honor of resigning was gone after the Clinton era, almost in an imitation of U.S. politics. But the BBC chart does note that cabinet members resigned precipitously in her administration, almost as if to compensate for her refusal to do so. Why didn't she resign two years ago? As a result of her mindless clinging, her Tory Party, the great party of Benjamin Disraeli and Margaret Thatcher, is in ruins.

Will Boris Johnson, the current favorite and the guy who should have replaced May at the beginning be an improvement? It's likely he would be better but not exactly a guarantee - he still mouths nonsense about global warming, so he might just repeat the same mistakes as May did. But he would probably be better.

The BBC of all places has an excellent graphic presentation from its Visual Journalism Team on why May was such a miserable failure. Read this and the only thing you can wonder is why she wasn't thrown out years ago.

Image credit: Tiocfaidh ar la 1916 via Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0Venezuela's socialist starvation regime is still continuing, and with Venezuela's democrats reduced to "negotiating" with the Maduro dictatorship in Norway, let's just say that things aren't going to get any better as they are.

The U.S. is in a tough pickle, because it has recognized the government of acting president Juan Guaido at least partly on the practical grounds that that would be enough to get Maduro out of there and might help entice the Venezuelan military to defect to his legitimate government. Thus far, that hasn't happened, at least not sufficiently enough to scare Maduro out of there, one step ahead of the meathook.

For Venezuelans, the matter is urgent, because they are starving, dying of minor diseases, and going without gas, water, and electricity - their society is rapidly being reduced to Pol Pot's animal state. For Venezuela's neighbors, such as Colombia and Brazil, the matter is semi-urgent because they're about to host another two, three, or ten million fleeing refugees who are certain to follow.

For the U.S. it's just an embarrassment. Here President Trump has magnificently denounced socialism and won the hearts of Latino voters, particularly in Florida ... and little more than sanctions against a regime that doesn't follow laws anyway is on the table. The military-intervention talk is just talk - because we all know, and Maduro knows - that Trump has no heart for military intervention or any nation-building that may follow. It's hard to expend U.S. blood and treasure on a starving socialist hellhole when the locals aren't doing it themselves and the neighbors aren't helping.

So - as Lenin used to say: What is to be done? Here are some possibles scenarios:

Sen. Lindsey Graham thinks getting this matter over militarily with is a desirable and practical possibility, on the grounds that President Reagan, back in 1983, hosed out Grenada from a parallel Cuban takeover. (We can also point to Elliott Abrams' Panama operation against drug-dealing General Manuel Noriega in 1989, because the Maduroites are not only socialists but also drug-dealers and far worse ones than Noriega ever was). "Match words with action, Mr. President," Graham writes. Graham means well, and his rhetoric is compelling, but it really would be a hard slog, as Examiner writer Tom Rogan notes here.

What else? Well, President Vladimir Putin is offering a deal around what his real interests are - swap Ukraine for Venezuela and have each country maintain its sphere of interests. You stay in your Caribbean swimming pool, we'll keep out, and we'll stay in our Black Sea swimming pool and you stay out. Ugh. While we want to be friendly to Russia, this one's a bad bargain because Ukaine is a country that has a lot of people who desperately want to be part of the West. We can't dump them or discourage them to free the Venezuelans. The best solution would be for both nations to stay independent, Russia and Ukraine to make a deal on Crimea (maybe Ukraine can sell it to them to pay off Ukraine's debts and call it square), and Russia and Ukraine to form a special relationship around trade and cooperation to help Russia move westward, too. The other thing is that from a politic-wise sense, it's bad politics. Trump would be sacrificing Ohio and probably other important parts of the Midwest in the 2020 election (which are full of Ukrainian-descended and other Eastern European-descended voters) in exchange for the Miami Latino vote in Florida. He's strong on both so why should he dump one?

There are still other things that can be tried and should. One is to keep sanctions up on the regime, which seems to be what's going on, and that's O.K. even if we don't see significant results now.

The other thing is to focus on the encouraging of Venezuelans and their Latin American allies to take on the fight. Are arms sales too hard to get done? A recent piece that ran in ABC Spain and hasn't been seen anywhere else is that Veppex, an organization of Venezuelan exiles against the Maduro dictatorship, has begun a census of all the Venezuelan troops - retired and defecting - in exile. They've thus far reached 200 of the 4,000 out there, according to the piece. Something like that sounds like the existence of Venezuelans willing to take up arms on their own behalf, and the census itself is an intelligent idea for the makings of an army in exile to deal with the problem. These guys should be encouraged. The others who should be encouraged are Brazil and Colombia, who really ought to show the world that they have credible militaries and legitimate national interests in not having a hellhole of disease, poverty and crime rolling into their own countries. Thus far, they all seem resistant but there's always time: Wait till things get bad enough...

The last thing that can be on the table is military intervention ... to Cuba. Hose out and bomb out their military quarters for supporting the Venezuelan dictatorship and oppressing the Venezuelan people. Cuba might be a lot easier size-wise to take on, though its dictatorship apparatus is far more advanced. In Venezuela, one can rely on incompetence and cowardice to move things along, but in Cuba? Not entirely sure. Still, going after Cuba would be a tremendous surprise to them, and scare the hell out of a lot of tyrants. It might even scare Maduro into exile, perhaps a comfortable exile in Spain where socialist idiot still in love with him are running the show. (Spain isn't going to be leading on anything so long as these people are in charge, sorry, Americas Quarterly.) Could something like that be on the table? If it's viable, it could be boldly clever and Trump is not afraid to be bold.

Image credit: U.S. Marines / public domain, with added color overlay by Monica ShowalterAT&T recently made some comments which did not seem to go down to well with video consumers.

The comments, by AT&Ts CEO & President, Randall Stephenson were part of a wider conversation addressing the changes that have recently been made to DIRECTV NOW.

These changes have come at a time when DIRECTV NOW has seen a subscriber exodus resulting in almost 20-percent of its user base leaving in the last six months.

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As part of the comments, Stephenson argued this exodus was somehow part of the bigger plan as the company was undertaking a customer cleanup and suggested the majority of the customers were of a low-quality.

What Stephenson specifically said was those customers are low-ARPU customers and those that remained after the apparent cleanup would mainly be high-quality customers. Therefore, reading between the lines, AT&T does not place a high quality value on those low-ARPU customers.

But heres why AT&T is wrong and how customers are customers regardless of how much revenue one might generate.

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Micro vs macro revenue

A recent report looked to provide some context on the state of video streaming services, including data on the main live TV services.

That data highlighted how DIRECTV NOW has (or had) 1.5 million subscribers, and the average DIRECTV NOW user spend per month was $52.50 ($630 per year). All of which was said to result in an estimated annual subscription revenue for DIRECTV NOW of $945 million.

The same report did the same calculations for Sling TV and found Sling TV has 2.4 million subscribers with an estimated annual subscription revenue of $871 million.

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At the superficial level, it would seem that DIRECTV NOW is doing better than Sling TV considering it is generating more subscription revenue and from far fewer subscribers. Presumably, this is exactly what Stephenson and AT&T are arguing with their preference for high-quality subscribers.

However, that would be ignoring the full context of the market. For example, the same data highlights the average Sling TV user monthly spend is $30 ($360 per year). This is almost half the average spend of a DIRECTV NOW user and certainly a per-user spend that AT&T would consider to be low.

After all, even though AT&T did greatly discount DIRECTV NOW in the early days, even at the lowest discounted price ($35 per month) it was still higher than the listed average user spend for Sling TV as of today.

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If AT&T considers its discounted customers to be lacking in revenue quality, then it surely must consider Sling TVs average user revenue to be equally lacking.

That all said, Sling TVs overall subscription revenue was only $70 million short of DIRECTV NOW, based on this latest data, and this is precisely the result of Sling TVs far superior user base.

With 2.4 million subscribers compared to DIRECTV NOWs 1.5 million, Sling TV is able to generate a similar level of overall subscription revenue while managing to maintain the lowest consumer price point of the main live TV streaming services.

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Arguably, maintaining that lower price point also acts as an incentive for all the consumers who have yet to choose a subscription service. In addition, it is also likely to be a motivating factor that keeps people tied to Sling TV. This is likely why although Sling TV has seen minimal subscriber growth in the last six months, it hasnt seen any subscriber losses either.

Yes, Sling TV can probably be considered a lesser product due to the channel lineup on offer, and therefore may have the ability to charge less, but things are not that simple.

AT&T has the stock, but too greedy

When AT&T announced changes to its DIRECTV NOW plans it not only increased the price it charges each user, but it also decreased the number of channels on offer.

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What AT&T actually did was remove many of the channels it has to pay for and instead opted to bulk out its service with channels it owns. AT&T was so cutthroat in this process that it effectively wiped Viacom from its DIRECTV NOW books. A move which also did not go down well with users and in the end DIRECTV NOW agreed a new deal to keep Viacom channels on DIRECTV NOW. Albeit, only about 50-percent compared to before.

In principle, AT&T now charges consumers more, even though its outgoings per-user have decreased since the introduction of the new plans.

Technically, this means AT&T is in a better position to offer its channel lineup at a more competitive price. At least, a better position than many of the other services who not only are still paying for the channels DIRECTV NOW has dropped, but also paying AT&T for any AT&T-owned channels/content they offer their subscribers.

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Which brings us to the real reason AT&T has done everything it has in the past few months. The reality is AT&T does not have an issue with low-ARPU customers, it has a debt issue thanks to its acquisition of Time Warner and DIRECTV NOW, among other things.

These purchases are designed to massively transform the company into a media giant, but thats the long-term plan. In the meantime, these purchases have placed a large financial burden on AT&T and one the company is keen to reduce as quickly as it can.

By actions taken recently, this would also seem to be by any means possible. Therefore, AT&Ts goal now is to simply generate as much ARPU as possible to keep all those involved in the wider AT&T dealings happy.

Again, AT&T does not have a problem with low-APRU consumers, it just has no desire to placate them any longer. Those consumers offer little cash value and so AT&T simply doesnt care about them  thats a big mistake.

Sling TV is proving you can generate revenue without focusing in on each individual user in this way. Yes, a user might generate little revenue, but many users generate many little revenues which add up to a much larger revenue. In Sling TVs case, almost as much revenue as AT&T is generating by focusing on higher spend users. This is in spite of Sling TV not having the content arsenal AT&T does.

If the data from the recent report is taken as accurate, then another interesting caveat is that the average monthly user spend on DIRECTV NOW is only $2.50 more than the price of its entry-level plan. This is a calculation of the average cost of different plans offered by the same service. In Sling TVs case, its average monthly user spend came in at $30. Thats $5 more than the price of its entry level plan. This could be interpreted as DIRECTV NOWs plans being higher enough that consumers tend to stick to the lower-priced plan. The same interpretation would suggest Sling TVs plans are priced so low consumers become more willing to pay more.

Whats more. It is not just Sling TV proving its better go for a wide pool of subscribers and not just the ones who spend the most.

Where DIRECTV NOW loses, Hulu wins

Hulu and its with Live TV arm was shown to be the best at this game with its estimated annual subscription revenue listed as just under $1.1 billion.

Hulu has achieved this in spite of being a newer arrival compared to Sling TV and DIRECTV NOW, and with an average monthly user spend of $44.99. Thats not only cheaper than DIRECTV NOWs most basic plan, but Hulus option also includes a $5.99 subscription to Hulus standard on-demand subscription service. Effectively, the live TV portion of the subscription comes in at $39 per month.

Hulu has been able to do this as the $5.99 subscription is an ad-supported plan which means it get to serve more ads to more users than it would if it didnt bundle the two plans together. AT&T could also do this but it is so fixated on generating per-user revenue that it would rather charge users for different subscriptions (DIRECTV NOW, Watch TV and the upcoming WarnerMedia service) in the hope it can make money off those users twice  subscription and eyes on ads.

The problem with this approach is already evident by the number of consumers who are leaving DIRECTV NOW as this results in less eyes on ads overall. This is in addition to what is likely to be a low number of users who subscribe to both WatchTV and DIRECTV NOW.

And yes, while Hulu is now at the two million subscriber marker and as a result it now has half a million more subscribers than DIRECTV NOW to play with, this wasnt always the case. AT&T and DIRECTV NOW was the one closing in on two million subscribers before it started its customer cleanup.

Arguably, those low-quality or low-ARPU customers that AT&T seems happy to lose have made their way straight to Hulu, and if that is the case, then it is those same low-quality subscribers that are now helping Hulu rise ever closer to the top of the live TV streaming ranks.

Thats in terms of the number of subscribers, as it already sits at the top for revenue  the very thing AT&T is looking to generate by cleaning up its customer base.According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, there were 1,082 newly-registered projects across the country with total investment of $5.34 billion, up 50.4 percent. In addition, there were 1,653 turns of capital contribution and purchase of shares of foreign investors with total contributed capital of $5.68 billion, three times higher than the same period last year, accounting for 52.6 percent of total registered capital. Moreover, 395 existing projects were injected with $2.11 billion, equivalent to 94 percent of that in the same period last year.

Economic experts said that the most unexpected thing in investment activity since the beginning of this year was a change in the position of leading countries.

Accordingly, Japan was no longer the largest investor in both volume and value in Vietnams market, replaced by Hong Kong (China) with $5 billion, accounting for 33 percent of total investment. South Korea followed with $1.98 billion, accounting for 13.6 percent. Singapore ranked third with $1.87 billion, accounting for 12.8 percent.

The change in positions of leading countries in investment also led to change in investment structure in Vietnam.

Particularly, among 19 sectors that attract most foreign investment, industrial processing and manufacturing led the list with nearly $10.5 billion, accounting for 72 percent. Real estate was the runner-up with $1.1 billion, accounting for 7.5 percent. Retail came in third with total registered investment of $742.7 million, accounting for 5 percent.

Ms. Nguyen Van Nga, deputy head of the Agency for Southern Affairs of Ministry of Industry and Trade, said that since the beginning of this year, there were lots of firms coming to study about investing in Vietnam. Space of domestic market and export of food processing, garment, textile and cosmetics continued to be an attraction for investors from Taiwan, China, South Korea and Japan. Lately, delegations of enterprises from the US, France and Italy also worked directly with the Peoples Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to study the investment environment here.

On the contrary, local firms expressed concern when investment capital from China massively flowed into Vietnam. Explaining the situation, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hong, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Textile and Garment - Embroidery Association, said that investors have been fleeing from China and the safest destination is Vietnam.

This shows that investment environment in Vietnam is attractive. On the other hand, investment preferential policy, such as land rent, corporate income tax, import tariffs on equipment and production line, of the Vietnamese government has been creating several favorable conditions for investment. However, this also contains many risks for local enterprises.

The biggest risk is being imposed anti-dumping duties triggered by more and more trade defense lawsuits in the US market, leading to application of trade remedies at other markets in the world. In addition, it raises concern that export turnover will be dominated by FDI companies. At the present, 70 percent of total export turnover belongs to FDI companies. The rest is of local firms but is expected to be reduced rapidly due to strong attraction of foreign investment in Vietnams market.

Amid the situation, several local firms have been struggling to improve their production capacity to reduce their cost prices and increase competitiveness. Authorities have been speeding up connecting firms with banks and credit institutions to quickly solve the demand for capital.

Mr. Pham Thanh Kien, director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City, emphasized that the ministry as well as the department has been promoting brand development for Vietnamese firms. Accordingly, first, they will grant certificates for Vietnamese brands of capable firms. Then, depending on each field, they will have solutions to support and connect firms with suitable markets.

According to Mr. Do Thang Hai, deputy minister of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the ministry has been working with provinces and cities in the country to build products with local brand and national brand. At the same time, it will connect with foreign distribution network to not only develop Vietnamese products in domestic market but also expand to foreign market and gradually improve the quality of Vietnamese products, helping them to enter deeply in global supply chains and narrowing the gap in export turnover between local and FDI firms.

In order to avoid the spread of antidumping duties which is taking place in the US and expanding to global market, the ministry recommended associations and local firms not to join hands with foreign firms in origin fraud. At the same time, firms should actively improve production process and enhance their legal departments so as to actively cope with possible trade defense lawsuits in the future.

By Minh Xuan  Translated by Thuy DoanHuawei is looking to fundraise about $1 billion in latest round, and itll be its first fundraising since the ban slapped on it by the US government.

The Chinese manufacturer is looking to get about $1 billion from a small group of lenders. This isnt so much in response to its ban in the US, and many suppliers cutting them off, but more because it needs the money, as some other loans are coming due in the next year.

Huawei is looking for an offshore loan in either US or Hong Kong dollars, and it is targeting maturities of five and seven years. This would give Huawei enough time to reinvest the money in its business and hopefully make the money back to pay off the loan when the time comes.

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These talks are reportedly at an early stage, so theres no guarantee that a deal would be made. But this is a good test to see what the market thinks of Huawei given the news in the past week surrounding the company. Another thing to look out with this loan, would be the pricing. Depending on where the pricing of this loan hits, it would show the markets perception of Huaweis financial strength. If the market thinks Huawei is still strong, it would be priced lower, and priced higher if they think Huawei is in trouble.

Currently, Huawei already has about 37 billion yuan (or about $5.3 billion USD) in unsecured bank loans, as of last December. About 2.8 billion yuan, are due in a year or less. Thats according to Huaweis 2018 annual report. That sounds like a lot, but Huawei does have cash and cash equivalents of about 2.6 times the total borrowing, as of the last quarterly report. So its not in a dire need of cash, like a company like Sprint is in.

Companys like Huawei do typically fundraise once a year or so, to bring in some more money. That cash is used to reinvest in the company, for things like Research and Development, or expanding operations. Given how large Huawei is, one might think it doesnt need the cash, but any company is always in need of more cash. As you never know when business might dry up.

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Case in point, analysts believe that Huaweis shipments are going to drop about 25-percent this quarter. For a company that is in the top three smartphone makers worldwide (either two or three, depending on the report you look at), thats actually a pretty big number. And that also means that there is less revenue coming in for Huawei.

The US ban on Huawei is having an effect on all of its businesses. Huawei is the largest provider of networking gear, and that is the business that the US is really targeting. As it does not want US wireless carriers relying on Huaweis networking gear for their 5G networks. Especially since the US government is afraid that Huawei is used by the Chinese to spy on its users.

Given how this round of fundraising goes, will determine how the market is reacting to the news about Huawei this week. But even if the loan pricing is high, it shouldnt make Huawei bankrupt.The Samsung Galaxy S10+ and OnePlus 7 Pro are amongst the hottest smartphones in the market at the moment. These are flagship offerings from their respective companies, and many of you are probably wondering which one to get.

The OnePlus 7 Pro is considerably more expensive than the OnePlus 6T, was, and is much closer to Samsungs flagship in price than any other flagship was before it. Still, the OnePlus 7 Pro is more affordable than the Galaxy S10+, and some would say even a better choice.

If youre trying to decide which one to get, maybe we can help. Before we begin, do note that these are our opinions, and you may disagree, of course. As per usual, we will compare the two devices across a number of categories, starting with their specifications.

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Specifications

Design

Both of these flagships are made out of metal and glass, and yet, they do feel a bit different in the hand, plus they look different as well. The Galaxy S10+ is not exactly a light phone by any means (175 grams), but it is lighter than the OnePlus 7 Pro (206 grams). Do note that were talking about a glass variant of the Galaxy S10+, not the ceramic model.

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The Galaxy S10+ is a bit narrower, shorter and thinner than the OnePlus 7 Pro as well, but not by much. Both devices include extremely thin bezels, and curved displays, along with curved backplates. The OnePlus 7 Pro, however, does not include a pill-shaped display camera hole like the Galaxy S10+, that hole actually hosts two cameras. OnePlus opted for a pop-up selfie camera, which makes the OnePlus 7 Pros much cleaner-looking from a design standpoint.

The rear-facing camera setup on the OnePlus 7 Pro also looks nicer compared to the Galaxy S10+. The OnePlus 7 Pros cameras are vertically aligned, and an LED flash lies right below them, underneath the glass on the back. The Galaxy S10+ does ship with a heart rate sensor, and its cameras are horizontally-aligned all in all, that setup does not really look as appealing.

Considering everything, we have to give this category to the OnePlus 7 Pro, as it does look sleeker from both the front and the back. You may, of course, be willing to tolerate the Galaxy S10+ punchole not to deal with a pop-up selfie camera, that is perfectly understandable, but its hard to deny that the OnePlus 7 Pro is the better-looking phone.

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Winner: OnePlus 7 Pro

Display

This is an extremely difficult category to compare when it comes to these two phones. Both devices offer beautiful displays, and are amongst the best out there in this regard, thats for sure. In fact, both of these displays are manufactured by Samsung.

The Galaxy S10+ features a 6.4-inch QHD+ (3040 x 1440) Dynamic AMOLED display, while the OnePlus 7 Pro includes a 6.67-inch QHD+ (3120 x 1440) Fluid AMOLED panel. Both panels are curved, and both are HDR10+ certified. The OnePlus 7 Pro panel does have one rather obvious advantage, though, a higher refresh rate, 90Hz vs 60Hz on the Galaxy S10+.

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Such high refresh rate makes things look even smoother when it comes to animations, scrolling, and so on. On the flip side, the Galaxy S10+s display has a more natural transition between blue and green colors, and can get brighter than the OnePlus 7 Pros panel.

Both devices offer great contrast, vivid colors, deep blacks, and both are extremely sharp. These two displays are basically on par, though if you dont mind the extra battery consumption, leaving the OnePlus 7 Pros display at 90Hz will make you enjoy it far more, and arguably more than the Galaxy S10+s panel. Despite that refresh rate, however, well tie this category, the Galaxy S10+s panel does have its own advantages, and no matter the way we look at it, both displays are top notch.

Winner: Tie

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Performance

From the hardware standpoint, both of these phones are true beasts. Both devices are fueled by the Snapdragon 855 64-bit octa-core processor by Qualcomm, though European and Indian models of the Galaxy S10+ ship with the Exynos 9820, which is on par with the Snapdragon 855, more or less.

Both devices have plenty of RAM on board, and run the latest version of Android, Android 9 Pie. The OnePlus 7 Pro does also include liquid cooling for those long gaming sessions, but otherwise, that does not really impact performance in regular use.

Both devices are really fast and responsive, no doubt about that, which is not surprising considering their hardware setup. Still, its hard not to notice that the OnePlus 7 Pro feels a bit smoother, a bit more responsive.

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The phones display with a high refresh rate may have something to do with that, of course, it most certainly does, but OxygenOS as a whole is much lighter than One Ui, and does have an upper hand in terms of sheer performance. That being said, the Galaxy S10+ is a beast in terms of performance as well, and these slight differences should not bother, at least not at this point in time.

Winner: OnePlus 7 Pro

Battery Life

This is yet another rather interesting category for comparison, as the two phones do offer same battery capacities, but the way theyre made impact battery consumption differently, and there are some vast differences when it comes to charging here.

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The Galaxy S10+ offers solid, but not stellar battery life (on full resolution). At first, the device was a true road warrior, but then we started noticing that its battery is not that great, despite the fact it has a 4,000mAh unit on the inside. Dont get us wrong, though, the Galaxy S10+ does offer really good battery life, but not on the level of the Huawei P30 Pro.

The OnePlus 7 Pro is in the same ballpark, when its 90Hz display is on, that is. If you switch that to 60Hz, you will start seeing the difference, and even though some people suggested that the difference is not that noticeable, thats just not true. The OnePlus 7 Pro can offer really great battery life when set to 60Hz, even better than the Galaxy S10+, though its possible that will change down the road, as it did with the Galaxy S10+.

So, if we set them side-by-side, theyre in the same ballpark, in full resolution, and with 90Hz refresh rate enabled on the OnePlus 7 Pro. If you put them on the same level with 60Hz refresh rate, the OnePlus 7 Pro will have an advantage, at least in our tests. Usage is different from one person to the other, though, and weve seen so many different reports from reviewers and people, that it almost renders comparing phones in this category not worth it, as were sure that some of you are getting completely different results.

In terms of charging, well things are quite interesting. The Galaxy S10+s wired charging is barely comparable to the OnePlus 7 Pros. The Galaxy S10+ offers 15W wired charging (Quick Charge 2.0), which is quite obsolete at this point in time, and its quite surprising that Samsung did not up the ante with the Galaxy S10+. The OnePlus 7 Pro, on the other hand, supports 30W Warp Charge fast wired charging, which is much faster than what the Galaxy S10+ has to offer.

If you prefer wireless charging, however, the Galaxy S10+ is the only choice. The Galaxy S10+ supports 15W wireless charging, and 9W reverse wireless charging, while the OnePlus 7 Pro does not have any of that. All things considered, well tie this category as well, there are many variables to consider here, and each of the two devices is better in some aspects.

Winner: Tie

Cameras

Camera performance was always one of the weak spots when it comes to OnePlus smartphones. The OnePlus 7 Pro does offer better camera performance than its predecessor, but at the time of writing this article, were not impressed. OnePlus did promise a huge camera update soon, in order to fix some issues, especially in low light, but at the moment, low light images do not look great, especially indoors.

The Galaxy S10+, on the other hand, did receive a new update (in some regions) recently, which tends to the camera, and improves low light output considerably by boosting its night mode. Truth be said, night mode hasnt even arrived to the US at the time of writing this article, and carriers are to blame.

In daylight, the two cameras are comparable. Both offer wide-angle and telephoto lenses, which are capable of providing really solid results. All things considered, its difficult not to proclaim the Galaxy S10+ a winner in this category, as its camera output is simply better than the OnePlus 7 Pros at the moment, though that may change once OnePlus releases the aforementioned update.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S10+

Conclusion

We did not get a chance to talk about audio in any of the categories above. So, if youre into audio, the Galaxy S10+ does seem like a better choice. Both phones offer stereo speakers, but the Galaxy S10+s sound better, in our humble opinion.

Once you plug your earphones in, the Galaxy S10+ does offer a more balanced output, and the phone does include a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you will not need a dongle. That is not something we can say about the OnePlus 7 Pro, though, as it does not have a headphone jack, but still, once you do use a dongle, sound output through earphones is quite solid.

The Galaxy S10+ has yet another advantage over the OnePlus 7 Pro, an official rating for water resistance. The Galaxy S10+ is IP68 certified for water and dust resistance, and even though the OnePlus 7 Pro can handle some rain and what not, it does not have an official rating.

So, what else is there to say? The OnePlus 7 Pro did win two categories, we had to ties, and the Galaxy S10+ won in one category. If you consider the audio aspect, and rating for water and dust resistance, however, that brings these two phones on the same level, at least in our book.

Winner: TieMarysville, CA (95901)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High 44F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Rain likely. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.Banks recovered close to Rs 55,000 crore from the NCLT resolution, an official said.

During the first half of the previous fiscal, banks recovered Rs 60,713 crore from bad loans. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: Public sector banks (PSBs) have recovered close to Rs 1.2 trillion from stressed assets during the financial ended March, primarily helped by resolution under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), an official said.

During the first half of the previous fiscal, banks recovered Rs 60,713 crore from bad loans.

"Due to non-resolution of some big accounts referred under NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal), PSBs could not achieve the resolution target of Rs 1.80 trillion. But, these accounts should be resolved in the current financial year," the official said.

Banks recovered close to Rs 55,000 crore from the NCLT resolution, the official said.

"Compared to Rs 74,562 crore in 2017-18, the recovery in the previous financial year nearly doubled to Rs 1.2 trillion," the official said.

Two large accounts of Essar Steel and Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd are still pending to be resolved. It is expected that these two accounts should be resolved in the next few months and recoveries from these could be around Rs 50,000 crore.

JSW Steel had revised its offer from Rs 11,000 crore to Rs 18,000 crore and later to over Rs 19,000 crore, whereas Tata Steel's last offer was at Rs 17,000 crore after it had refused to revise its bid. ArcelorMittal has made a bid of Rs 42,000 crore for Essar Steel.

According to the official, consolidation among public sector banks and higher recoveries by state-owned lenders will be on the government's agenda in the current financial year. Referring to the liquidity crisis in the non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), the official said that there are issues with both solvency and liquidity in these companies.

"The government and the Reserve Bank of India will take adequate measures to address the issues plaguing the NBFC sector," the official said.

Many NBFCs, including DHFL and Indiabulls Finance, came under severe liquidity pressure compelling them to bring down their reliance on commercial papers. Ever since the IL&FS crisis erupted, banks have been averse to lending to the sector, which has put them in a tight spot. There are concerns that NBFCs may run out of money, which will lead to defaults.The song 'Slow Motion' has been watched over 62 million times on YouTube and is a hit amongst the masses.

Mumbai: On Friday, superstar Salman Khan took to his social media to announce the #slowmotionchallenge. Slow motion was the first song from the movie 'Bharat' that was released and created a wide wave with its groovy beats.

Since then, the song 'Slow Motion' has been watched over 62 million times on YouTube and is a hit amongst the masses. The Salman Khan and Disha Patani starrer have very retro vibes that compliment the groovy beats of the song. Disha Patani compliments the eccentric style of Salman Khan and looks absolutely stunning while doing it in two different a avatars- a trapeze artist and in the other, donning the yellow saree.

In the video, the superstar introduces the challenge and gives out instructions on how to do it. The rules are simple where it is upto the audience to send in their entries in slow motion and then upload it to the popular media sharing site TikTok. To the delight of all, five lucky entries will get to meet Salman Khan in Mumbai.

The video uploaded on Instagram alone has garnered over seven lakh views in the last 4 hours. Needless to say, we will be seeing a lot of people doing the #slowmotionchallenge which is becoming a rage for his fans, already.

Bharat traces India's post-independence history from the perspective of a common man and follows his life from 18 to 70 years of age as a journey.

The movie is produced under the banner of Reel Life Production Pvt Ltd. and Salman Khan Films, presented by T-Series. It is an upcoming Indian historical period drama written and directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and has a stellar cast including Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Tabu, Disha Patani, Sunil Grover and Jackie Shroff.

Bharat releases on the 5th of June 2019 on Eid and is going be one of the biggest releases of this year.In the remake, Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan are set to reprise the roles of Govinda and Karisma respectively.

It's becoming increasingly difficult for our Bollywood filmmakers to find new and exciting locations for their films. Gone are the days when all they had to do was fly to any part of Switzerland and shoot.

Today, the hunt is constantly on for virgin locales. And after looking for one for his remake of the 1995 hit movie Coolie No.1, David Dhawan has finally zeroed in on Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan.

Speaking from the location, David says, You have to see this place. It is a paradise on earth. We were invited by the government of Azerbaijan to visit and choose the location and we were completely bowled over. Why hasnt anyone shot an Indian film here before?

The original Coolie No.1 had Govinda playing the eponymous role of a railway porter who poses as a millionaire to marry an heiress played by Karisma Kapoor. In the remake, Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan are set to reprise the roles of Govinda and Karisma respectively.

While the original version was shot in Mumbai, it will be interesting to see how writer Rumi Jaffrey takes the plot to Azerbaijan.The rout of the Congress was so intense that almost nine former chief ministers of the Congress who were fighting the Lok Sabha polls lost.

New Delhi: As the dust settles down after the Lok Sabha results, the Congress is all set to go into an introspection mode. A meeting of the Congress Working Committee has been called on Saturday morning to deliberate on the reasons for the defeat. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is all set to tender his resignation, accepting responsibility for the rout that the party has faced.

Several resignations also reached the Cong-ress president on Friday morning. These include Raj Babbar, the UP party chief, Karnataka campaign manager H.K. Patil and Odisha chief Niranjan Patnaik. The Congress has been wiped out in Karnataka and Odisha.

In politically-crucial UP, the Congress managed to win only the Rae Bareli seat of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. UP sends 80 MPs to the Lower House. The trouncing in UP was particularly shocking for the party as its star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and AICC general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia had led a high-octane campaign there. PCC president Raj Babbar, who also fought the Lok Sabha polls from Fatehpur Sikri, was also defeated.

The rout of the Congress was so intense that almost nine former chief ministers of the Congress who were fighting the Lok Sabha polls lost. These include M. Veerappa Moily, Ashok Chavan, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Sheila Dikshit, Bhopinder Singh Hooda, Digvijay Singh, Harish Rawat, Nabam Tuki and Mukul Sangma. Interestingly the Congress could not get even a single seat in 13 of the 29 states and three Union territories. While the party has increased its tally slightly, it still does not have the number to get the post of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Murmurs have already started within the Congress about the faults in the party campaign. Insiders claim the issue of Rafale was wasted when there was no substantial evidence to give to the people. Also, when Mr Gandhi had to apologise to the Supreme Court, it went against the party while its rivals, mainly the BJP, got a chance to raise the Bofors issue. The personal attack on the Prime Minister was also being resisted by some in the party, but despite these reservations the Congress leadership went ahead with the campaign.

This is the second big electoral debacle Rahul Gandhi had presided over. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, though he was not party president, he was virtually calling the shots. His personal loss in the family bastion of Amethi has had Mr Gandhi running for cover. But the question still remains whether after this debacle the CWC will let go of Mr Gandhi, or will continue with him at the helm.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading.Treasurer of Madhya Pradesh unit of Congress Govind Goyal wants accountability be fixed on chief minister Kamal Nath.

Bhopal: The dismal show by Congress in just-concluded Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh has revived infighting in the party here with a senior leader demanding to fix accountability on chief minister Kamal Nath for it.

Treasurer of Madhya Pradesh unit of Congress Govind Goyal on Friday took to social media to mount attack on Mr Nath, who is also Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president, demanding that the latter should be made answerable for the current state of affairs in the party in the state.

Mr Kamal Nath had said he would no longer be able to give time for the party (after becoming chief minister). He had said he could devote hardly one hour in a month to discharge his duty as PCC chief, the Facebook post by Mr Goyal said.

Mr Goyal further demanded a report from Mr Nath on the current state of affairs in the party, while indirectly seeking to fix accountability on him for the debacle of the party in the LS polls in MP.

His FB post has created a ripple in the party here.

The party finds Mr Goyals comment against the PCC chief objectionable. It is a serious matter. We are looking into it. Appropriate action will be taken in the matter, a spokesman of the party here said.

Mr Goyal is a loyalist of a powerful factional leader in MP Congress.

A section of the party viewed the development as first sign of brewing revolt against the state leadership in the wake of poor show of Congress in the LS polls in the state.

Mr Nath had earlier warned that the minister in his cabinet who would fail to give lead to the party in his assembly constituency in the LS polls would be sacked.

While five ministers in the Kamal Nath cabinet could ensure lead for Congress in their respective assembly constituencies in the LS polls, the party trailed behind BJP in assembly constituencies represented by 23 others.

BJP swept the LS polls in MP by winning 28 out total 29 seats. Congress could win only one seat.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading.It is evident that ultimately the Bua-Babua alliance benefitted Ms Mayawati more than SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.

New Delhi: If there is one person who has somewhat gained in the Modi 2 tsunami it is BSP chief Mayawati who has got a lifeline with 10 MPs in the Lok Sabha. In 2014 general elections, she had drawn a blank and had performed dismally in the 2017 Assembly polls in the state.

Though many political pundits had written off the Dalit czarina, she has crawled back into some kind of relevance riding piggyback on the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh.

It is evident that ultimately the Bua-Babua alliance benefitted Ms Mayawati more than SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.

While Yadav votes were seamlessly transferred to the BSP, the same could not be said about the Dalit votes. The SP has won only five seats with two going to the father son duo of Akhilesh and Mulayam Singh Yadav.

According to a senior political analyst, it was thesocio-political equation in Uttar Pradesh which prevented a seamless transfer of votes to the Yadav from the Dalits.

The Dalits have always felt dominated politically and economically by the Yadavs, who are more vocal and are the dominant caste. Thus they would rather vote for the BJP where their own party BSP is not competing, he said.

The Yadavs on the other hand seemed to have voted for the BSP as their social dominance was threatened by the Thakur Raj suposedly unleashed by the Yogi Adityaraj government in the state.

To give him credit, the senior Yadav had expressed his displeasure at the alliance before it was formalised, asserting that it would benefit the BSP morethan the SP.

This was apart from his now famous farewell speech to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha where he wished him a second term as the PM.

It might be recalled that the son had wrested the presidentship of the party after a bitter fight with his uncle Shivpal Yadav before the 2017 UP Assembly polls. During that time Mulayam Singh had refused to take sides and had in fact many a times favoured his brother.

This time around again Shivpal put up candidates separately and fought the polls in alliance with the Congress. His exit has hurt the party as it was Shivpal who used to manage booths for the SP.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading.Modi met President Ram Nath Kovind and tendered his resignation along with that of his Council of Ministers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks blessings from veteran party leader L.K. Advani in New Delhi on Friday, after NDAs victory in the Lok Sabha elections. (Photo: Pritam Bandyopadhyay)

New Delhi: A day after the 2019 Lok Sabha verdict gave a second term to Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA with a thumping majority, BJP sources indicated on Friday that the swearing-in ceremony of the new government could take place on May 30, giving Mr Modi enough time to visit his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on May 28 and seek his mothers blessings in Gandhinagar the next day.

As celebrations in the saffron party continued, Mr Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on Friday called on party veterans L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi to seek their blessings.

Later in the day, Mr Modi met President Ram Nath Kovind and tendered his resignation along with that of his Council of Ministers. The President accepted the resignation and asked Mr Modi and the Council of Ministers to continue till the new government assumes office.

The BJP, meanwhile, has called a meeting of its newly elected MPs on Saturday that is expected to be followed by a meeting of the NDA to formally elect Mr Modi as their leader, setting in motion the process of formation of the new government.

The BJP said the meeting will take place in Parliaments Central Hall at 5 pm. Mr Modi is expected to address the MPs following his election as their leader. Prior to this, BJP MPs will meet separately at Parliament House. The NDA has won more than 350 members in Lok Sabha, including 303 of the BJP.

BJP circles were abuzz with speculation over the possibility of several new faces from states like West Bengal, Odisha and Telangana making it to the next Modi Cabinet. Many BJP leaders are of the view that Mr Shah may join the Modi Cabinet. He is likely to be considered for either of the four key ministries  home, finance, external affairs and defence.

With finance minister Arun Jaitley and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj having health issues, there have been talks whether they will be part of the new dispensation or not. Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to continue with a key role in the new government.

With Smriti Irani handing a shock defeat to Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, it is expected that the party may reward her with an important responsibility.

Earlier during the day, Mr Modi visited Mr Advanis home and touched the feet of the party veteran before holding a brief interaction. Mr Advani had congratulated Mr Modi for his unprecedented victory and had hailed Mr Shah for an enormous effort in taking the partys message to the voters.

Mr Modi later tweeted, Called on respected Advani Ji. The BJPs successes today are possible because greats like him spent decades building the party and providing a fresh ideological narrative to the people.

After meeting Mr Advani, both Mr Shah and Mr Modi met Dr Joshi at the latters house. Dr Joshi greeted Mr Modi with a bouquet and presented him a stole.

In another tweet, Mr Modi said, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi is a scholar and intellectual par excellence. His contribution towards improving Indian education is remarkable. He has always worked to strengthen the BJP and mentor several karyakartas, including me... Met him this morning and sought his blessings.

Later talking to media, Dr Joshi said both Mr Modi and Mr Shah have done a great job and ensured a magical victory for the party.

Both Mr Advani and Dr Joshi, member of partys Margdarshak Mandal, did not contest the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls because of the unofficial age bar of 75 years.

Earlier in the day, the outgoing Union Cabinet adopted a resolution recommending the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha.

The 17th Lok Sabha has to be constituted before June 3 and the process to form a new House will be initiated when the three Election Commissioners meet the President in the next few days to hand over the list of newly-elected members.

Mr Modi also met officers and staff of the Prime Ministers Office at South Block.

The Prime Minister appreciated the efforts and dedication of the entire PMO, over the last five years, and urged everyone to rededicate themselves to work even harder to play a key role in fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people. He said people have great expectations from the government, and these expectations provide Team PMO with the energy to work to the utmost, an official statement said.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading.The authorities have closed all educational institutions, suspended train services and snapped mobile Internet services across Kashmir.

Villagers carry the body of Zakir Musa, who headed the Al Qaedas India cell, during his funeral procession in Tral area, southers Pulwama, on Friday. (Photo: AP)

Srinagar: The J&K police and Central armed forces on Friday enforced a security lockdown in major parts of Kashmir amid heightened tensions and after nocturnal protests broke out in the restive Valley over the killing of most wanted militant commander Zakir Musa.

Zakir Rashid Bhat alias Zakir Musa, who headed the Al Qaedas India cell Ansar Gazwat-Ul-Hind, was killed in a gunfight that took place in Tral area in southern Pulw-ama district overnight. The house in which he had been holed up after the security forces launc-hed a cordon-and-search operation on Thursday evening suffered extensive damage during the fighting, the police and witnesses said.

While curfew or curfew-like restrictions are being enforced in Srinagar and some other major towns of the Valley, the authorities closed all educational institutions, suspended train services and snapped mobile Internet services across Kashmir. Officials said that schools and colleges will remain shut in the Valley also on Saturday as a precautionary measure.

Elsewhere in the Valley, a spontaneous shutdown brought life to a standstill on Friday. At places, irate crowds clashed with security forces. Witnesses said the security forces fired teargas canisters and pellet shotguns to quell protests and stone-pelting mobs in Srinagar and north-western town of Sopore, leaving several persons injured. A few security personnel were also hurt in stone-pelting. In Tral, thousands of mourners turned up at the funeral of Musa.

A report from eastern Doda district said that restrictions under Section 144 CrPc were imposed in two tehsils of Bhaderwah and Bhalla under the jurisdiction of police station Bhaderwah as a precautionary measure to prevent protests against the killing of Musa.

A police spokesman here said that Musa, who was earlier associated with Hizbul Mujahideen had a long history of crime records since 2013.

The spokesman said that he involved in planning and executing series of attacks against the security forces and also in many civilian atrocities.Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked PMO for their support during his tenure.

'The country and the whole world thinks a Prime Minister is successful but without a team, no good results can be obtained,' Modi said. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with Prime Minister's Office (PMO) staff and thanked them for their support during his tenure, saying he wants to make PMO "efficient" rather than "effective."

During the interaction on Friday, Prime Minister Modi said, "My thoughts are to make PMO efficient rather than effective, as the efficiency speeds up the work process and improves the quality."

"I thank you for your support. The country and the whole world thinks a Prime Minister is successful but without a team, no good results can be obtained," Modi added.

Modi also praised the PMO, saying, "In last five years our aim was to build hope and bring about a change in common man's life. The credit for achieving this goal is given to me but I say the credit should go to my dedicated team as well."

"A Prime Minister can give a brief about the policies but to make a roadmap on them is the work of the PMO staff," he added.

"We have not diluted and diverted our aim in the last five years. Our workload has increased and the reason behind that was people's trust in us. But this load was not a burden, instead, it got transformed into positive energy," he further said.

Praising the PMO staff, Modi said, "The reason behind your success is that you have developed leadership within yourself. Now leadership has become a cumulative effect in PMO. We want multi-layered and multi-dimensional leadership qualities to increase cumulatively in our staff."

"At times you might have missed family gatherings, which is a huge sacrifice. I thank you and your family for this sacrifice," Modi said.

BJP won 303 Lok Sabha seats while the party's alliance NDA won 352 seats.Jagan is expected to meet Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrsekhar Rao in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Vijayawada: Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who led his party to a thumping victory in both Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Andhra Pradesh, staked claim to form the government in the state after he was elected leader of the YSRC legislature party on Saturday. Reddy is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital on Sunday.

The meeting assumes importance as the YSRCP chief during the election campaign had said his party would support whoever promises Andhra Pradesh the Special Category Status.

Armed with the resolution unanimously electing him as the YSRCLP leader, Reddy met AP and Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad and staked claim to form the government. He reached Hyderabad by air from Vijayawada and met the Governor around 4.30 PM, official sources said.

Earlier, at the meeting of the newly elected MLAs at the YSR Congress office in Vijayawada, a resolution was adopted electing Reddy as the legislature party leader, the party sources said. Thanking the MLAs for electing him as the legislature party leader, Reddy said, "In 2019, people voted for us out of faith and belief, in 2024 they should give us a bigger mandate because of our performance."

He also sought the support of the MLAs to help him earn the "performing Chief Minister" tag within a year, a YSRC legislator told PTI. The party has announced the swearing-in ceremony would be held on May 30 at Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in Vijayawada. In a spectacular performance, Reddy, son of late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, led his YSR Congress to a landslide, winning 151 of 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, the elections for which were held on April 11.

While the TDP headed by N Chandrababu Naidu got 23 seats, the Janasena party had won only one seat. The YSRC had bagged 22 of the 25 seats in Lok Sabha elections while the TDP managed to get only three seats.

After the YSRCLP meeting, its parliamentary party meeting was held, where Reddy stressed on the need for raising various demands of the southern state in Parliament by both the party's Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members.

"We have been advised to stay committed and united for the demand for special status and other provisions in AP Reorganisation Act," a newly-elected MP, Gorantla Madhav, told reporters. Last year, the party's Lok Sabha MPs P V Midhun Reddy, YS Avinash Reddy, Y V Subba Reddy, V Varaprasad Rao and M Rajmohan Reddy took part in a hunger strike and later submitted their resignations to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan after the BJP-led Centre refused to grant special status to the state.

During the election campaign, Reddy had also expressed his willingness to support any party at the Centre that would grant special status to the state.Rahul Gandhi reportedly remained adamant to step down and make way for a new chief from outside the Gandhi family.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, arrive for the Congress Working Committee meeting in New Delhi on Saturday. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi: Drama of Congress president Rahul Gandhis offer to resign over the partys drubbing in Lok Sabha election and its rejection by top party leaders continued throughout Saturday.

While the Congress Working Committee (CWC) , chaired by the party president himself, rejected his offer to quit and authorised him to overhaul the organisation, Mr Gandhi reportedly remained adamant to step down and make way for a new chief from outside the Gandhi family.

We have to continue our fight. I am and will remain a disciplined soldier of the Congress and continue to fight fearlessly. But I do not want to remain the party president. It is not necessary that the president should be from the Gandhi family, Mr Gandhi was quoted as having told the partys 52-member highest decision-making body.

The meeting was attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmo-han Singh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and chief ministers of three party-ruled states  Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh  and of the Union Territory of Puducherry.

As confusion and drama continued over Mr Gandhis proposed resignation, the CWC adopted a resolution not merely rejecting his offer to step down but also authorising him to rebuild the outfit.

The CWC resolution stated, Congress president Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress president for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times.

The CWC also authorised Mr Gandhi to overhaul and restructure the party at all levels. At a personal level, Mr Gandhi has been dealt a double blow  not only did his party fare poorly in the polls but he himself lost the election in the family bastion of Amethi. Since Mrs Sonia Gandhi entered politics in 1997, the party has seen just two party chiefs, she herself and her son. Also since the Nehrus days, Congress has mostly been led by the Nehru-Gandhi clan.

With Mr Gandhis reported insistence on stepping down, the dilemma before the Congress at this juncture is about whom to pick as president from outside the Gandhi family.

A proposal to appoint a non-Gandhi working president is also being discussed in the party.

For several decades, the Gandhi family has managed to keep the party together despite several electoral debacles. There is apprehension that rivalry among party leaders could lead to a split in the organisation in the absence of the Gandhis.

The pathetic show during the general elections has not only put a massive question mark on Mr Gandhis leadership but also the organisations lack of connect at the grassroots level.

Mr Gandhis much-repeated slogan against Prime Minister Narendra Modi  Chowkidar Chor Hai  also seems to have backfired on the Congress.

While the BJPs election machinery moved at breakneck speed, plugging each and every loophole, senior Congress leader A.K. Anthonys report on reasons for the partys worst ever electoral performance in 2014 was never discussed or debated within the party.

A senior Congress leader, who wished to remain anonymous, said, This instrospection and resignation exercise has become a joke.Banerjee's TMC won 22 parliamentary seats in West Bengal in the 2019 general elections, 12 less than the party's score in 2014.

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has offered to resign from the post of Chief Minister saying that she wanted to continue as the party president.

Banerjee made those comments while addressing a press conference.

"I told my party I don't want to continue as CM. I have been subjeced to gross humiliation. My party did not accept it. I was alone. So, I have to continue according to the wishes of my party," she said.

She further said, "An emergency situation was created. Hindu-Muslim division was done and votes were divided. We complained to the Election Commission but nothing was looked into."

In the recently concluded general election, the Bharatiya Janata Party made huge strides in West Bengal winning 18 parliamentary seats which is a huge leap from the two seats which the BJP had won in 2014 general election.

Banerjee's Trinamool Congress won 22 parliamentary seats in West Bengal in the 2019 general elections, 12 less than the party's score in 2014.During the convention, the BJP-led coalition is expected to elect Narendra Modi as its leader to head the new government.

After the meeting today, Modi will call on President Ram Nath Kovind, staking claim to form the government. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: A host of political leaders from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) arrived here to attend the BJP-led coalition meeting later in the day.

Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Goa, Assam, Gujarat and Uttarakhand -- Devendra Fadnavis, Raghubar Das, Pramod Sawant, Sarbananda Sonowal, Vijay Rupani and Trivendra Singh Rawat, respectively, were among those who arrived in the national capital.

Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) president Poonam Mahajan, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam also arrived for the meet.

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal arrived for the NDA parliamentary meeting as well.

(Photo: ANI)

BJP leader Hema Malini, elected MP from Mathura said, "Modi ji has worked very hard and he has impressed the entire country. As I have also won, I'm happy that I delivered some good work in my constituency, that is why I got here."

(Photo: ANI)

Actor-turned-politician and newly elected BJP MP, Sunny Deol, arrived for the NDA Parliamentary Board meeting .During the convention, the BJP-led coalition is expected to elect Narendra Modi as its leader to head the new government.

(Photo: ANI)

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal arrived for the NDA parliamentary meeting as well.

During the convention, the BJP-led coalition is expected to elect Narendra Modi as its leader to head the new government.

The meeting will be held at 5 pm in the Central Hall of Parliament, BJP had tweeted on Friday.

After the meeting today, Modi will call on President Ram Nath Kovind, staking claim to form the government, sources said.

On May 21, during a meeting of NDA leaders, Modi had said that the coalition represents the country's expectations and ambitions.

Meanwhile, the 16th Lok Sabha was on Saturday dissolved following the general elections and the new House has been constituted.

The President signed the order accepting the advice of the Cabinet which met on Friday and made a recommendation to this effect.

BJP secured an outright majority, winning 303 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, 21 more than it had got in the 2014 polls.

Along with its NDA allies, the BJP-led coalition has 351 members in the Lower House.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading.Highly recommend the Kauai hindu monastery for its serenity, the Kayak & hike to secret falls.

Kauai Islands of Hawaii: I went to Kauai on vacation for about 2 weeks. This was mostly vacation but I had a performance at the Kauai Hindu Monastery. The surrounding, setting and the energy of the island was inexplicable. I hiked a lot and spent my days immersed in natures glory.

PACKING: It doesnt get very cold here so shorts, tees and dresses suffice. But 2 things you must carry are - water proof shoes and a rain jacket. Because the weather can be extremely unpredictable. And all hikes can get super muddy and will be better off with shoes you can wash / throw away at the end of the trip.

STAY/COMMUTE: I stayed in a bunch of places ranging from airbnbs to hostels. Because I wanted to experience the island from all perspectives and also considered accessibility based on my itinerary. I did not stay at a hotel although I might try one day in a hotel the next time I visit. We rented a car to commute. This is probably the only way to get from shore to shore easily.

FOOD: I eat healthy so I mostly lived on Acai bowls, fresh fruits and vegan food. There are a looooot of food trucks. One place I kept revisiting was a cafe called Java Kai.I also did a bunch of grocery shopping to pack food for days that were spent hiking. Kauai has a raw energy and its easy to feel lost without access to cafes/restaurants when you go on day long hikes. Since I stayed in airbnbs it was easy to prepare and pack food.

SHOPPING : My trip was centered around nature and exploring the island so I didnt really go shopping but I did see plenty of shops in the East Shore. There was also an art walk called Hanapepe Art Night which had a lot of interesting things on sale.

HAVE TO DO/ MUST VISIT: The helicopter tour is a must do! Its a whole other feeling to experience places by foot and then get a birds eye view. I also highly recommend the Kauai hindu monastery for its serenity, the Kayak and hike to secret falls, the Kalakau Lookout in the west which was one of the most breath-taking views I have seen this life, atleast one north shore beach to see the power of waves that can be 25 feet tall and biking along Kapaa in east coast.

 As told to Angel MariaAll the district presidents of her party and senior leaders have also been directed to attend the meeting.

Kolkata: Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, who has been away from public eye since Thursday after her partys poor performance in the Lok Sabha Elections, has called her partys LS poll candidates, both winners and losers, on Saturday to an emergency review meeting to rectify errors. All the district presidents of her party and senior leaders have also been directed to attend the meeting.

The Trinamul, which had 34 MPs in the Lok Sabha since 2014, has been reduced to 22 MPs only due to the massive saffron storm which has given a rude jolt to the party although it has managed to poll 43.28 per cent of votes, closely followed by the BJP which has won 18 seats and garnered 40.25 per cent votes.

Trinamul secretary general Partha Chatterjee said, Our party leader will scrutinize the results with the candidates and leaders during the meeting. Our party earned more votes than 2014. At the same time development works were also undertaken for the people. Still why the people were misled will be looked into to zero in on the weaknesses and mistakes.

Ms Banerjee shared a poem titled I Do Not Agree on her Twitter handle targeting the BJP. She wrote, The colour of communalim I do not believe in, There is aggression and tolerance in every religion. I am a humble servant of the gentle Renaissance raised in Bengal. I dont believe in selling religious aggression, I believe in a religion that draws light from humanism. Those who expediently use religion as a trump card and reside on mountains of riches.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading.Lt. Gen. Tinaikar previously served as the Additional Director General of Military Operations at the Army Headquarters.

UN Secretary-General appoints Indian Army officer as the new Force Commander of the UNMISS. (Photo: Twitter)

New York: A decorated Indian Army officer has been appointed the new Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar, 57, will succeed Lieutenant General Frank Kamanzi of Rwanda who completes his assignment on May 26. The UN chief made the announcement on Friday.

A statement by the UN Spokesperson about the decorated Indian Army officer read: "has had a long and distinguished career with the Indian Armed Forces spanning over 34 years".

Tinaikar graduated from the Indian Military Academy in 1983 and is currently serving as the Commandant of the Infantry School since July 2018.

He previously served as the Additional Director General of Military Operations at the Army Headquarters from 2017 to 2018. He commanded a division, a recruit training center and a brigade between 2012 to 2017.

For his distinguished service, Tinaikar was awarded the Sena Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal.

From 1996 to 1997, he served in the United Nations Angola Verification Mission III, and from 2008 to 2009, in the United Nations Mission in Sudan.

He holds a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in Defence and Strategic Studies from The University of Madras.

Currently, contributions of more than 6,400 military and police personnel to the UN peace operations in Abyei, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, the Middle East, South Sudan, and Western Sahara have been made by India, the fourth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to the UN peacekeeping missions.

The UN mission in South Sudan, a country born in July 2011, has 19,400 personnel deployed with it as of March 2019.

India is the second highest troop-contributing country to UNMISS with 2,337 Indian peacekeepers, second only to Rwanda with 2,750. It also contributes 22 police personnel to UNMISS.The United States placed Huawei on a trade blacklist last week, effectively banning US firms from doing business with them.

Huawei has repeatedly denied it is controlled by the Chinese government, military or intelligence services. (Photo: AP)

China on Friday denounced US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for fabricating rumors after he said the chief executive of Chinas Huawei Technologies Co Ltd was lying about his companys ties to the Beijing government.

The United States placed Huawei on a trade blacklist last week, effectively banning US firms from doing business with the worlds largest telecom network gear maker and escalating a trade battle between the worlds two biggest economies.

Huawei has repeatedly denied it is controlled by the Chinese government, military or intelligence services.

Pompeo, speaking on Thursday, also dismissed Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfeis assertions that his company would never share user secrets, and said he believed more American companies would cut ties with the tech giant.

Recently, some US politicians have continually fabricated rumors about Huawei but have never produced the clear evidence that countries have requested, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said, when asked about Pompeos remarks.

The United States has been rallying its allies to persuade them not to use Huawei for their 5G networks, citing security concerns.

Lu said the US government was provoking suspicion in the US public to confuse and instigate opposition.

Domestically in the United States there are more and more doubts about the trade war the US side has provoked with China, the market turmoil cause by the technology war and blocked industrial cooperation, he added.

US politicians continue to fabricate lies to try to mislead the American people, and now they are trying to incite ideological opposition.

US President Donald Trump also said on Thursday that US complaints against Huawei might be resolved within the framework of a US-China trade deal, while at the same time calling the Chinese telecommunications giant very dangerous.

Lu said he didnt know what Trump was talking about.

Frankly, Im actually not sure what the specific meaning of the US leader, the US side, saying this is, he said, adding that if reporters were interested they should ask the United States to clarify.

Lu reiterated that the United States should stop using its national power to suppress and smear other countries companies, adding that China wanted to resolve differences between the two countries through friendly dialogue and consultation.

Taking another pot shot at Trump, Lu said there was deep sympathy in China for US farmers who have been hit by the trade war, saying the two countries had for many years had friendly, mutually beneficial cooperation in agriculture.

Chinese colleagues also deeply sympathize with the problems countered today by farmers in the US agriculture and animal husbandry industry, he said.

Trump said on Monday that his administration was planning to provide about USD 15 billion in aid to help US farmers.

American farmers, a key Trump constituency, have been among the hardest hit in the trade war. Soybeans are the most valuable US farm export, and shipments to China dropped to a 16-year low in 2018.Former president Jacob Zuma, 77, resigned in February last year amid allegations of corruption and state capture.

Johannesburg: Cyril Ramaphosa, the head of the African National Congress, has been officially elected President of South Africa by Parliament during its first sitting following the sixth general elections since anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela was elected the first democratic president of the country.

Ramaphosa, 66, a former trade union leader, played an instrumental role in negotiations which led to a transition of power from the white minority apartheid government that ruled the country for decades.

Former president Jacob Zuma, 77, resigned in February last year amid allegations of corruption and state capture. Ramaphosa, who was elected unopposed in a process overseen by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, will be officially sworn in on Saturday at a stadium in Pretoria, the first time a President's inauguration will be open to the public and not just invited guests.

He was a successful businessman before re-entering the political arena. Ramaphosa is expected to announce his new Cabinet on Sunday, with great expectations that it will not include a number of long-serving ministers in the previous Cabinet who are facing serious allegations of corruption.

Two of those ministers -- Nomvula Mokonyane and Malusi Gigaba -- decided to withdraw from being named as Members of Parliament by the African National Congress (ANC) shortly before all members were sworn in before voting for the President. The South Africa Constitution requires voters to choose a party, which then selects members to go to the National Assembly, where they choose the President.

The ANC, beriddled with factionalism and public outcries about inaction against senior officials accused of corruption, won a majority in the May 8 elections, albeit reduced since the last elections.President Donald Trump's administration also invoked the threat from Iran to declare a national security-related emergency.

The actions were the latest by the Trump administration as it highlights what it sees as a threat of potential attack by Iran. (Photo:AP)

Washington: The United States on Friday announced the deployment of 1,500 troops to the Middle East, describing it as an effort to bolster defenses against Iran as it accused the country's Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for this month's tanker attacks.

President Donald Trump's administration also invoked the threat from Iran to declare a national security-related emergency that would clear the sale of billions of dollars' worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries without required congressional approval.

The actions were the latest by the Trump administration as it highlights what it sees as a threat of potential attack by Iran, and follows decisions to speed the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group as well as send bombers and additional Patriot missiles to the Middle East.

The deployments, decried by Iran as escalatory, have come amid a freeze in direct communication between the United States and Iran that has raised concerns about the increasing risk of an inadvertent conflict.

Trump, however, described the latest deployments as defensive, in nature. The 1,500 troops include personnel manning missile defence systems, aerial surveillance to spot threats and engineers to fortify defenses. It also includes a fighter jet squadron.

"We want to have protection in the Middle East. We're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective," Trump said as he left the White House for a trip to Japan.

The decision on troops marks a reversal of sorts for Trump, who only on Thursday said he thought no more forces were needed. Trump has sought to detangle the US military from open-ended conflicts in places like Syria and Afghanistan.

The deployment is relatively small compared with the about 70,000 American troops now stationed across a region that stretches from Egypt to Afghanistan. In addition, some 600 of the 1,500 "new" troops are already in the Middle East manning Patriot missiles, but will see their deployments extended.

Still, the Democratic lawmaker who heads the House Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith, said the deployment "appears to be a blatant and heavy-handed move to further escalate tensions with Iran."

Eager to avoid escalation with Iran amid already heightened tensions, Pentagon officials stressed the defensive nature of the deployment in a news briefing and noted that none of the troops would be heading to hot spots like Iraq or Syria.

At the same time, the US State Department informed Congress that it will go ahead with 22 arms deals worth some USD 8 billion, congressional aides said, sweeping aside a long-standing precedent for congressional review of such sales.

Some lawmakers and congressional aides had warned earlier this week that Trump, frustrated with Congress holding up weapons sales like a major deal to sell Raytheon Co precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia, was considering using the loophole to go ahead with the sale.

Rear Admiral Michael Gilday, the director of the Joint Staff, on Friday described US intelligence portraying a new Iranian "campaign" that used old tactics, and stretched from Iraq to Yemen to the waters in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime chokepoint for the global oil trade.

"We believe with a high degree of confidence that this stems back to the leadership of Iran at the highest levels and that all of the attacks that I mentioned have been attributed to Iran through their proxies or their forces," he said.

Gilday accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of being directly responsible for attacks on tankers off the United Arab Emirates earlier this month, in what could be a foreshadowing of the conclusion of ongoing investigations into the incident.

"The attack against the shipping in Fujairah, we attribute it to the IRGC," Gilday said, explaining that the Pentagon attributed limpet mines used in the attack directly to the IRGC.

He declined to describe "the means of delivery" of the mines, however.

A Norwegian-registered oil products tanker and a UAE fuel bunker barge were among four vessels hit near Fujairah emirate, one of the world's largest bunkering hubs located just outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Gilday also accused Iran-backed "proxy" forces of carrying out a rocket attack in Baghdad's Green Zone last week.

The Pentagon did not provide evidence to support its claims but said it hoped to further declassify intelligence supporting them. Iran has dismissed the accusations entirely and accuses the United States of brinkmanship with its troop deployments.

Trump played down the potential for military conflict in the region, saying he believed Iran did not want a confrontation with the United States - even as Washington tightens sanctions with a goal of pushing Iran to make concessions beyond the terms of its 2015 nuclear deal.

Trump pulled out of the international deal between Iran and six major world powers last year.

"Right now, I don't think Iran wants to fight. And I certainly don't think they want to fight with us," Trump said.

"But they cannot have nuclear weapons," he continued. "They can't have nuclear weapons. And they understand that."Politicians and Shiite paramilitary leaders have called for calm and the Iraqi government has tried to position itself as a mediator.

The United States once described Sadr as the most dangerous man in Iraq. (Photo:AP)

Baghdad: Thousands of supporters of a populist Iraqi Shiite Muslim cleric urged political and factional leaders on Friday to stay out of any conflict between Baghdads two biggest allies, Iran and the United States.

Protesters from the movement of Moqtada al-Sadr, who once led Shiite militiamen against US forces and is also vocally critical of Iranian influence in Iraq, chanted no to war and yes to Iraq in central Baghdad and the southern city of Basra.

Iraqis worry that their country will be caught up in any escalation of US-Iranian tensions, which spiked earlier this month when President Donald Trumps administration said it had sent additional forces to the Middle East to counter alleged threats including from Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.

Politicians and Shiite paramilitary leaders have called for calm and the Iraqi government has tried to position itself as a mediator between the two sides.

Weve just recovered from Islamic State. Iraq must not be used as a base to try to harm any country. America doesnt want Iraq to be stable, said protester Abu Ali Darraji.

There was speculation that Sadr would speak to demonstrators in Baghdad but he did not appear. The firebrand leader, whose political bloc came first in Iraqs parliamentary election last year, is a friend of neither Washington nor Shiite Iran.

The United States once described Sadr as the most dangerous man in Iraq, and designated his militia at the time, the Mehdi Army, a bigger threat to its forces than al Qaeda during an insurgency against US troops after their 2003 invasion.

Sadr campaigned last year on a platform of Iraqi nationalism, opposed to both US and Iranian influence in the country.

Amid rising US-Iran tension, a rocket was fired last week into Baghdads fortified Green Zone which houses government buildings and diplomatic missions, but caused no casualties. No group claimed responsibility; US officials say they strongly suspect Irans local allies.

The attack came after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Iraqi leaders that if they failed to keep in check powerful Iran-backed militias, Washington would respond with force.

US intelligence had showed militias positioning rockets near bases housing US forces, according to Iraqi security sources.

After pulling out of Irans 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Trump restored US sanctions on Iran last year and tightened them this month, ordering all countries to halt imports of Iranian oil or face sanctions themselves.

Iraq has said it will send delegations to Washington and Tehran to help calm tensions.

Both Iran and the United States say they do not want war, but security officials and analysts warn that a small incident could spark a new spiral of violence in the volatile region.Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.This decision leveled up the pricing to $31,670 excluding destination charge for the 2019 model year, making the Tundra more expensive than the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 while Ram 1500 reigns supreme with a starting price of $33,190. The Tundra TRD Pro takes the cake at $49,895, but looking at the bigger picture, its all the truck you need.Even though Toyota doesnt have the ambition to compete as equals with domestic brands in terms volume, the full-size segment is where the most money can be made as far as pickups are concerned. The good ol Tacoma is doing well in the mid-size segment, outselling everything from the Nissan Frontier to the Jeep Gladiator.At the beginning of 2018, the group vice president and general manager of Toyota in North America made it clear the Tundra is the highest priority for the Japanese automaker. The redesign has been in the making for quite a long time, and if the rumors turn out to be true, Toyota might be tempted to utilize a V6 with forced induction as the range-topping powertrain.An inside source told TFL Truck the Tundra would receive a 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 engine in combination with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery. Thats extremely similar to the Lexus LS 500h luxury sedan, but something doesnt add up. More to the point, the LS 500h is naturally aspirated while the LS 500 without the h features a twin-turbo setup and similar displacement.The tipster expects the Tundra Hybrid to produce in the neighborhood of 450 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque while getting 30-plus miles to the gallon. By comparison, the LS 500h is capable of 33 mpg on the highway while the LS 500 outputs 416 horsepower on 91-octane gasoline.Whatever the future holds for the Tundra, we wouldnt be surprised if Toyota were to replicate the EcoBoost V6 formula that Ford introduced to the twelfth generation of the F-150. Speaking of which, both the 2.7- and 3.5-liter EcoBoost options are gaining popularity to the detriment of the Coyote V8From simple tools for transportation or racing, cars have turned into just another gadget. And it is exactly this transformation that now makes cars just as vulnerable to cyber-crimes as any other networked device.But exactly how dangerous it is to own a technologically advanced car in today's day and age? How serious attacks committed against one can be for the owners and their possessions? And, ultimately, can a malicious force take complete control over a car, possibly endangering one's bodily integrity?These are some of the questions we tried to find answers to by talking to Asaf Ashkenazi, Chief Strategy Officer at Verimatrix , a company that specializes in providing security solutions for mobile and connected devices.As the number of connected cars is on the rise, some have begun wondering how far could a hacker go, with todays tech, when attacking a vehicle. We know a car can be unlocked, started and perhaps even driven remotely with the right tools, but what other risks are there?Many cars are equipped with GPS, which allows hackers to remotely track vehicles in real time. If the car has an anti-theft mechanism, hackers can disable the car remotely whenever they chose to. Its important to point out that all of the above attacks, including unlocking and starting the car remotely, can be done without needing to hack the car itself and without any technical knowledge of the car hardware or software.Many of todays cars have a smartphone app that allows users to remotely access and control their vehicle. All that a hacker needs to hack is the cars smartphone app. Unlike hacking a vehicle, which requires a deep understanding of the cars systems and access to information specific to the make and model, hackers can attack a smartphone app using standard smartphone hacking tools that are widely available on the darknet.In more extreme cases, hackers can attach vulnerabilities in the vehicles systems and take control over different functions, including acceleration, braking, and steering. However, these kinds of attacks are much more complicated and difficult to perform. There are only handful of highly skilled hackers who can develop and execute them. Moreover, these attacks often require physical access to the car.From speed limitation devices to the self-driving features of the Tesla Autopilot , there are countless computer systems working together in cars. What is the most vulnerable onboard system of a modern day car when it comes to hacking?It is not necessarily the system that determines the risk level, but it is how accessible the system is that makes it more vulnerable. A successful attack is not enough, it also needs to be scalable and easy to deploy. This usually means remote access to the car via a wireless interface. If this interface is also connecting to the internet, then even better. Anyone with internet access can attack the car from anywhere in the world. The more connected the car, the more vulnerable it becomes.Modern cars are becoming more and more connected. Many cars have their own built-in cellular modem, which keep cars always connected to the internet. Cars are also connected to the internet indirectly via our smartphone, and in the future, when vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication will become widely used, cars will be exposed to numerous attack vectors.This will require car makers to re-think their security strategy. Instead of focusing on protecting software interfaces, they will have to protect all software components from reverse engineering and modifications, establish better separation between different sub-components to contain exploits, and monitor and identify attacks in real time.Currently theres virtually no new car that doesnt have at least Android and Apple integration. Are systems such as these vulnerabilities for a car?In order to attack a car, a hacker needs a way into the cars system. Fifteen years ago, this mostly meant access to the car physical interfaces, such as the OBD interface. Today, there are more remote entry points, including wireless interfaces, which dramatically increase the cars attack surface. This attack surface also includes peripheral devices such as Android and Apple smartphones.Car manufacturers cannot solely rely on the security of Apple and Android software components; they also need to implement firewalls within the car to make sure that a compromise in a peripheral component is limited and confined to the functionalities of the peripheral system. They need to make sure that Android and Apple components are not used to attack other vehicle subsystems, including critical subsystems. This is not trivial to do as all subsystems have some level of interaction.We already see car companies buying into technology startups as means to create better and safer systems for the vehicles they make. Should they also develop specialized departments against cyber crimes?Many car manufacturers already have special product security teams. It is important that these teams not only look at the vehicle perimeter, but also the security needs of the cars extensions, such as the smartphone apps and cloud services todays cars rely on.Car-related cyber crimes are not yet events that make the headlines, but the number of such incidents is on the rise. What carmaker/car is currently the most targeted by attacks? What kind of attack is the most widespread?We do not comment on specific carmakers or car models; however, we can say that most carmakers recognize that cybersecurity should be taken seriously. Unfortunately, this does not always translate to direct actions or actions in the right direction. Carmakers are not always aware of all the risks and do not necessarily address security vulnerabilities based on the risk level.Aside from relying on the safety systems put in place by carmakers and their partners, what measures can we, the drivers, take to protect ourselves against an attack?As consumers, we should add cybersecurity concerns and questions to our car buying decision process. The same way we examine a car models safety rating, reliability and performances, we need to show concern about the cybersecurity of the car.Unfortunately, there are not yet ratings for the cybersecurity level of the car model, and consumers do not have many tools to examine the security level of the car they buy. As more and more consumers ask about cybersecurity, more car manufacturers will pay attention to the risks. After all, it took about 40 years to begin standardizing car safety (it was only in 1966 that the United States congress authorized the federal government to set safety standards for new cars), and another 30 years for seatbelts to be widely accepted (in the U.S. seat belts became widely accepted in the 1990s).Hopefully we learned the lesson and it wont take another 60 years to seriously address cybersecurity concerns.HP

After arriving in Europe a little late, the Model 3 Performance, with its twin motors, has been used by many to demolish the established nameplates. These are precious to the point of being holy, and stiff segment competition means there's not an ounce of fat between them.We remember the initial reaction to the RS4 downsizing to a 2.9-liter V6 wasn't that good initially. However, people quickly realized all that added torque made it much faster than before. It's got up against the BMW M3 numerous times, and in this case, the Bavarian car is the underdog. It's presented in base form, which makes about 20less than the Audi.But adding Tesla to the race is like bring guns to a savage land - you know the natives aren't going to survive. While the RS4 and M3 are constantly hunting for gears and engine revs, the Model 3 rockets ahead and never lets them catch up.As interesting as switching to electricity may be, we still want something like the M3 or RS4 mixed into our automotive lifestyle. One is a Bauhaus rocket a tail-happy, joyful experience. Both are also likely to be future classics, which is usually not the case with battery-powered "devices." But you never know. Few people have seen a modified Tesla at a car meet, so it might have the wow factor needed.And in the rolling race, one of the Germans redeems itself somewhat. But we kind of expected it to based simply on lightness. At higher speeds, the cars with gearboxes are obviously better, and range is never an issue either.Taller, bolder and available in two variants, the Boondock gets a plethora of exterior upgrades over the standard offering, and is powered by Isuzu's 3.0-liter BluePower turbo-diesel engine.

Looking to get a hold of Isuzu's latest special edition D-Max? Now you can after Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) officially launched the all-new D-Max Boondock, along with its pricing.

Those that prefer to row their own while driving the D-Max Boondock can get it for Php 1,390,000. Meanwhile, the automatic version retails for Php 1,455,000. The former is equipped with a six-speed manual transmission while the latter is fitted with a six-speed automatic with manual select.

On to the D-Max Boondock itself, the special edition pickup truck features a distinct exterior makeover. Beginning with the front fascia, it gets a special front grill that comes with a blue-painted trim. It also gets a pair of bespoke side steps that come with the 'Boondock' lettering, as well as a tailgate decal that bears the pickup's special namesake. Other new features placed on the D-Max include roof rails, rocker panels, over fenders, cargo extender, and a bedliner.

As we mentioned earlier, the D-Max Boondock is taller than its stablemates thanks to new set of alloy wheels and uprated suspension system. Placed on all four corners are monotube, nitrogen charged dampers that lift the truck's ride height. It is then complemented by a set of 17-inch black alloy wheels wrapped in 265/70/R17 all-terrain rubber.

With these upgrades, the D-Max Boondock stands at 1900mm tall, 105mm taller than stock. In addition, it also receives an improved ground clearance of 247mm, 12mm higher than the standard pickup truck.

Inside, the special edition ute relatively remains the same. The only difference it gets comes courtesy of a new contrast stitching on the leather upholstery. Beyond that, the D-Max still comes with the following features: 8-inch touchscreen infotainment with navigation, Bluetooth, USB, and Aux, automatic climate control, engine start/stop button, and three USB charging ports.

Powering the D-Max Boondock is the 3.0-liter 4JJ1-TCX turbo-diesel engine with BluePower technology. It produces 177 PS at 3600 rpm along with 380 Nm of torque at 1800  2800 rpm. The Boondock is only available as a 4x2 but can come with either a manual or automatic gearbox.

Only two shades of exterior finish are available for the 2019 D-Max Boondock, Cosmic Black and Galena Gray.Palmdale, CA (93550)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 44F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed by mostly cloudy skies and a few showers after midnight. Low around 35F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.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.Rudy Giuliani told the Washington Post that he met with a former Ukrainian diplomat in New York last week, after publicly saying he wanted to ask the Ukrainian president-elect to investigate the origins of the Mueller investigation.

Catch up quick: Giuliani would not confirm the details of the meeting, but former diplomat Andrii Telizhenko has claimed that the Democratic National Committee worked with Ukraine in 2016 to find incriminating information about Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chair manager. The DNC has denied those claims, per the Post.

The big picture: This week, President Trump appointed Attorney General William Barr to "declassify, downgrade, or direct the declassification or downgrading of information or intelligence" related to the origins of the Mueller investigation.

Trump's allies in Congress have also pledged to investigate potential abuses by the intelligence community during the 2016 election  specifically whether the Russia probe was politically motivated.

Last month, Barr testified that spying by law enforcement officials on the 2016 Trump campaign "did occur." He later clarified that he wasn't saying improper surveillance occurred, but that he's "looking into it."

Flashback: This month, Giuliani canceled his trip to Ukraine to discuss the Russia probe  and potential conflicts of interest involving former Vice President Joe Biden  with President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky, after facing "withering attacks accusing him of seeking foreign assistance for President Trumps re-election campaign," per the NYT.

Yes, but: Giuliani told the Post that he is still interested in "investigating Democratic ties with Ukraine."

Go deeper:A federal judge issued a temporary injunction on Friday night immediately blocking the transfer of funding and halting the construction of parts of President Trump's wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, reports the Washington Post.

"The position that when Congress declines the Executives request to appropriate funds, the Executive nonetheless may simply find a way to spend those funds without Congress does not square with fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic."

 Judge Haywood Gilliam in his opinion for the temporary injunction, per Politico

Why it matters: Federal Judge Haywood Gilliam issued the injunction saying it was "unconstitutional" for the Trump administration to transfer funds for the border wall that Congress allocated for other purposes. Construction  now postponed  was expected to begin as early as Saturday.

The injunction will only limit construction in specific border areas in Arizona and Texas, and does not prevent the administration from transferring funds from other sources, Politico reports.

The backdrop: The injunction resulted from a lawsuit brought by the Sierra Club and Southern Border Communities Coalition against the administration's diversion of billions of dollars.

Six contracts have been awarded for construction using the money at question, with additional contracts pending, per the Washington Post.

This order is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities. The court blocked all the wall projects currently slated for immediate construction. If the administration begins illegally diverting additional military funds, we'll be back in court to block that as well.

 Dror Ladin, staff attorney with the ACLUs National Security Project, who argued the case

Go deeper: Billions from military projects could fund Trump's border wallSpain's newly risen far-right movement is taking a bullish approach to politics.

Catch up quick: The far-right Vox party appointed 3 bullfighters, or toreros, as candidates in April's general election, the AFP reports. As the world's foremost bullfighting event continues in Madrid, the sport is striking a new rift between Spain's political parties.

The divide: At the San Isidro Festival, the far-right defends a lethal sporting tradition that ends when the bull or the torero dies. Madrid's outgoing left-wing mayor, on the other hand, has promised to implement bullfights "without blood or death."

The bottom line: Bullfights that end with the bull's death in the ring  a cultural tradition in Spain since the 19th century  are legal in Spain, part of France, Mexico, Peru, Columbia, Venezuela and some areas in Ecuador.

Go deeper: Spain's fractured politics on display in general electionHong Kong: Textile past spins future fashion

Tsuen Wan, once one of Hong Kongs industrial hubs is undergoing a transformation into an innovation and cultural centre thanks to The Mills. Besides the Centre for Heritage, Arts & Textile or CHAT, The Mills houses Fabrica, a business incubator and springboard for techstyle startups.

The Mills revitalisation project has turned old textile factories into a destination for innovation, business, experiential retail, arts, culture and learning, and provides seminars and workshops to engage the community in the culture and art of textiles.

Through the exhibitions and workshops at CHAT, visitors can build their appreciation of the trades crucial contribution to Hong Kong's industrial development.

There are two parts of exhibitions at CHAT. There is a part where we talk about textile history. And there is another part about textile inspiration, where we lead the audience to see a contemporary art exhibition that might not be something that they could imagine textiles can be, CHAT Communications Head Zon So explained.

Visitors can step back in time to the 1960s by watching a spinning machine demonstration or even have a go at hand spinning some yarn.

Homespun art

Other exhibition halls showcase different artworks. Artist Movana Chen used factory workers old documents and records to create Fabric of CHAT with the help of knitting workshop participants.

When you see this piece of work, you may think it is just a piece of cloth, but it is actually a historical record. When I knitted it, I also invited members of the public to knit and chat together, so I could draw people closer together through this artwork.

As one of the largest cotton spinning factories in the city, The Mills witnessed the boom of Hong Kongs textiles industry. But as economic growth and diversification led to the cotton industrys demise, the factories ceased operations in 2008 and became warehouses.

Nan Fung Development Ltd Hong Kong Property Division Design Department General Manager Ray Zee said the project was inspired by the desire to reinvent the way people think about development in Hong Kong and to honour its history while building the future.

Just as we are changing the way we think about incubation, we are also changing the way we think about textiles. It is no longer just a material for clothing, it is actually a medium for art, and art work and art proliferation.

In the revitalisation project, The Mills has retained some items from the former textile mills to bring some historic elements into the present. On both sides of the entrance to The Mills there are six large-scale murals specially painted by Hong Kong artists which attract tourists and locals alike for photo-taking opportunities.

Techstyle hub

Several new businesses are now based at The Mills which serves as a platform for fashion and textile startups.

Kevin Wongs startup created the worlds first, voice-assisted ring called ORII. He explained that the ring uses bone conduction technology so that, when wearing the ring, just putting a finger to your ear will give clear playback of whatever is running on your phone, such as a call or music.

The ring fixes up your voice with a microphone and most importantly, it has software that allows you to control your media, your mobile device in a screen-free fashion, Mr Wong added.

His business is backed by The Mills Fabrica which provides workspaces, retail space, financial support and business advice.

We wanted to do innovation from heritage and part of the mission is if we can support the next generation of entrepreneurs in this area, they can help bring about interesting technologies and opportunities for Hong Kongs economy, explained The Mills Fabrica Co-director Alexander Chan.

In the 2018 Policy Address, Chief Executive Carrie Lam proposed to reactivate the revitalisation scheme for industrial buildings. A new condition has been added to the scheme, whereby applicants should designate 10% of the floor area for specific uses prescribed by the Government upon completion of conversion works, such as those in relation to the arts and cultural sectors, creative, and innovation and technology industries.

This story has been published on: 2019-05-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.Qatar informed the White House it will attend the conference in Bahrain on June 25 that will launch the economic part of the Trump administration's Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, according to U.S. officials.

Why it matters: For the last 2 years Qatar has been under a blockade by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The fact that the Qataris will attend the conference shows the U.S. managed to get a green light from the Saudis. This is a major achievement for the White House peace team led by Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is trying to get as many Arab countries to attend the conference, regardless of the Palestinians' decision to boycott.

Driving the news: Last night the Qatari foreign ministry issued a statement regarding the Bahrain conference stressing that...

"Qatar will spare no effort to contribute to addressing all the challenges facing the Arab region as a whole, while maintaining its firmed principled positions and the highest interests of the Arab peoples, including the brotherly Palestinian people."

The statement didn't mention the Qatari attendance in the conference, but according to U.S. officials, the Qataris told the White House they plan to show up.

The Qatari statement also stressed that economic prosperity will not be achieved without fair political solutions to the Palestinian issue "based on ending the Israeli occupation and establishing a fully sovereign Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital".

The statement comes after Saudi Arabia and the UAE have already announced they will attend the conference. Palestinians have been lobbying many Arab and Western countries in the last several days stressing their objections to the Bahrain conference.



Qatari attendance is important because Qatar is the main donor of aid to the Palestinians in the Arab world. Just 2 weeks ago, the Qataris announced they will give the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank $300 million in addition to $180 million for humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Go deeper: Saudi Arabia and UAE to attend Trump's "economic workshop"During President Trump's weekend trip to Japan, he was quick to single out Akio Toyoda, president of the Toyota Motor Corp., saying: "There's nothing like the boss," at a formal dinner with auto industry leaders, reports Bloomberg.

Why it matters: After Trump threatened to levy auto tariffs against Japan and the European Union, Toyota released a statement countering Trump's claims that foreign automakers pose problems for American national security, saying: it "sends a message to Toyota that our investments are not welcomed, and the contributions from each of our employees across America are not valued."

The context: Trump declared that imported cars pose a threat to national security on May 17. He will delay the decision to impose tariffs on foreign cars for up to 6 months, Reuters reports.

"As you know, the United States and Japan are hard at work negotiating a bilateral trade agreement which will benefit both of our countries. I would say that Japan has had a substantial edge for many, many years. But thats OK. Maybe thats why you like us so much.

 President Trump

The U.S. and Japan have been negotiating a bilateral trade agreement. Trump's said he hopes it benefits both countries since, "Japan has had a substantial edge for many, many years," per Bloomberg.

The talks started in 2018.

The White House has hinted that it would seek voluntary export quotas on cars from its trading partners. "This sparked anger from automakers, dealers and foreign governments" per Reuters.

Toyota said it would invest $13 billion in the U.S., but changes to the status quo would be a "major set-back for American consumers, workers and the auto industry," per Reuters.

European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem tweeted: "We note that US postpones decision on car tariffs for 180 days. But we completely reject the notion that our car exports are a national security threat. The EU is prepared to negotiate a limited trade agreement incl cars, but not WTO-illegal managed trade."

Go deeper: Trump wants to keep car tariffs in his back pocketWhite supremacists and far-right extremists are taking back their historic stronghold in the Pacific Northwest, the AP reports  and some local Republicans are endorsing the reinvigorated far-right sentiments.

The latest: The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee in Idaho passed a resolution last month urging the federal government to allow Martin Sellner, a leading white nationalist figure, into the U.S.  at the behest of Brittany Pettibone, a far-right conspiracy theorist.

Between the lines: According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, white supremacist groups are increasing due to fear of demographic shifts that will paint a new picture of race in America: People of color will be in the majority by 2040.

As the numbers grow, it's also easier to hide: Through social media, hate groups can form in dispersed locations and are able to gather in more covert" ways, according to SPLC researcher Keegan Hankes.

Go deeper: Facing the world's white supremacy problemBy Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 20 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on May 25, Trend reports.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

An official meeting on the results of large-scale operational-tactical exercises was held under the leadership of the Azerbaijani Minister of Defense Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, Trend reports referring to the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan.

After analyzing the results of large-scale exercises held according to the plan approved by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, which were held at night, the defense minister noted that the tasks were successfully completed.

The minister, emphasizing the significance of the exercises, brought to the commanding staff the relevant tasks assigned by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev to the Azerbaijan Army.

Colonel General Zakir Hasanov referring to the current military-political situation in the region emphasized that the internal political confrontations taking place in Armenia may cause an aggravation of the situation on the line of contact of troops.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva and Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva have attended the iftar ceremony in Pir Hasan sanctuary, Mardakan settlement, Khazar district, Baku.

First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva and Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva were invited to the iftar party during their recent visit to the sanctuary.

The event participants thanked for social and economic development and tranquility in Azerbaijan. They hailed the work done by President Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva to develop the country, and expressed their confidence that such ceremonies will soon be held in Karabakh.

First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva said she is happy to meet with the residents of Khazar district.

The ceremony featured the recitation of verses from the holy Quran and a Ramadan prayer.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of the Republic Day.

On behalf of the people and government of Turkmenistan and on my own behalf, I extend my sincere congratulations and best wishes to you and through you to all brotherly people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of your country`s Republic Day, Turkmenistan's president said in his letter.

In Turkmenistan, we highly appreciate relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan based on principles of good neighborliness, respect and mutual support. I am firmly convinced that Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan relations will continue to develop and strengthen in the spirit of mutual cooperation to the benefit of our brotherly countries and nations.

Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, taking this pleasant opportunity, I wish you the best of health, happiness, and the brotherly people of Azerbaijan peace, prosperity and progress, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said.

President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev has also congratulated the Azerbaijani president.

On the occasion of the national holiday of the Republic of Azerbaijan  the Republic Day, please accept my most cordial congratulations and sincere wishes for the prosperity of Azerbaijan and its people, the Bulgarian president said in his letter.

I would like to take this pleasant occasion to reaffirm to you the willingness of the Republic of Bulgaria to continue developing strategic partnership relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan.

I am convinced that the cooperation between our states will keep on its ascending development as it is based on a stable ground  the friendly ties between our peoples.

Please accept, Dear Mr President, the assurances of my highest consideration, he noted.

Nicola Selva and Michele Muratori, Captains Regent of the Republic of San Marino, also congratulated President Aliyev on the occasion of the Republic Day.

On the auspicious occasion of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, we would like to express on behalf of the people of San Marino and on our own name cordial greetings and best wishes to Your Excellency and to the friendly people of the Republic of Azerbaijan, they said in their letter.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of our highest consideration and sincere good wishes for your personal well-being and for the welfare, progress and prosperity of the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Naruhito, Emperor of Japan, has also congratulated the Azerbaijani president.

"On the occasion of the Republic Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I have great pleasure in sending Your Excellency my heartfelt congratulations and sincere good wishes for your happiness and for the prosperity of the people of your country, the Emperor of Japan said in his letter.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

Energy operators of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Russia held a working meeting in Tbilisi, Trend reports referring to Sputnik Georgia.

Technical details of the power systems of the three countries were considered during the working meeting at the head office of the Georgian State Electrosystem JSC. Representatives of Azerenergy and the Unified Energy System of Russia took part in the meeting.

The parties reviewed mechanisms for regulating the electricity flow and agreed to discuss the details associated with the creation of the United Electric Power Ring, which will significantly improve the stability of the electrical systems of the three countries and increase the possibilities of electricity export and import.

Azerenergy OJSC supplies electricity to Iran, Russia, Turkey and Georgia. In early May 2019, the company also established exports to Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

The volume of electricity exported in 2018 amounted to 1.41 billion kilowatt/hour. In January-April 2019, Azerenergy's electricity exports amounted to 1.05 billion kilowatt/hour.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Steady light rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High 48F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 41F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.The Californians Robert Price answers your questions and takes your complaints about our news coverage in this weekly feedback forum. Questions may be edited for space and clarity. To offer your input by phone, call 661-395-7649 and leave your comments in a voicemail message or email us at soundoff@bakersfield.com. Include your name and phone number; they wont be published.What could go wrong when a damaged young hustler heads out one night to meet his latest trick? That question gets answered in Dan Ireland-Reeves gritty one-man thriller, Bleach, opening June 5 at the Foundry at Wilton Theater Factory in Wilton Manors.

Reeves, a Millennial Brit who also stars in the production, drew upon his own observations and experiences of life in bustling London to craft the compelling story of Tyler, a rent boy whose existence is about to tumble out of control.

SFGN spoke with the articulate writer and actor about his controversial show that enjoyed an Off-Off-Broadway production earlier this year:

SFGN: What inspired you to write this story?

Dan Reeves: Bleach was initially written as a response to a situation I kept seeing occur over and over again. My friends would move to London with hopes of success and happiness and just get chewed up and spat out by the place; a theme that seems universal in big cities. Theres to be a lot of weight put on where you live at the moment. Due to social media, if youre living in a big city, youre automatically seen as more successful. Unfortunately, with opportunities dwindling for our generation, the reality of living in the capital is usually a lot crueler. So, I wanted to reflect my thoughts on this in Bleach. Tyler being a rent-boy gave me the perfect scenario where a character could move through the city, interacting with the world, but still having an immense sense of isolation. A lot of my writing is very sexually charged and obviously, Bleach is no different. Sex allows you to quickly cut to the heart of the human condition. Its a very raw way of looking at what people want and need in their lives. When it comes to sex, theres really nowhere to hide. I wanted Bleach to feel honest and candid and I wanted Tyler to be able to say all the things we usually keep secret.

When did you write the play? Was it a quick and/or easy process?

I wrote the play in 2016 and it was an idea that Id been thinking about for almost a year. I had the character and the concept but was struggling with the structure. Originally, the main event of the playwhich I dont want to spoil for you right nowwas going to come right at the end. When it finally clicked that this should come earlier and be the main catalyst, everything came together quite quickly. From that point it only took a few months. I wrote on my phone when ideas came to me, I wrote after work, I was even writing by the pool on holiday. This play has been all consuming from the start. But in a great way. And its probably not even finished. Rewrites and changes are never off the table.

How do audiences typically respond to your play?

I think its a play that speaks to people on different levels depending on their personal life experience. I really like that theres something for everyone in it and you can enjoy it as just an interesting story or you can really jump right into it and get involved in the mind-games of how Tyler lives his life. I specifically wrote certain parts to be open to interpretation so audiences can bring their own ideas to the story. And each audience is different as a collective. One of the most enjoyable parts for me, as a writer and performer, is watching the atmosphere change half way through the show. It starts off very funny, so, when things get more serious, its really interesting to feel that change in the room. I think that takes everyone by surprise.

As the playwright AND the performer, does that create any challenges for you?

Its a lot of pressure to perform something youve also written. Youre open to criticism from every angle and theres really nowhere to hide. The flip side is that you really get to enjoy all the successes. Theres something really liberating about having full control over a show like that. I dont have to ask anyones permission, I just go ahead and do it. Its actually very empoweringas a performer, doing a solo show is so exhausting. Theres nobody to bounce off on stage so I really have to take responsibility for the energy in the room and make sure Im keeping things moving. I like to think of the audience as other performers. I spend a lot of time talking directly to them, so theres lots of opportunities for me to feed off that and really bring them into my world. It can be very scary and lonely being the only person on stage but, for Bleach, I think that brings out a really raw sense of vulnerability.

Dan Ireland-Reeves stars in Bleach for eight performances only, June 5  16, at the Foundry at Wilton Theater Factory, 2306 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors. Tickets are $35  50 at RonnieLarsen.com.Of all the warlords of history, none have managed to equal the feats of Alexander the Great, born in 365 B.C. in Macedonia. He led his army in an epic mission of global conquest, creating the largest empire that had ever existed up to that time at the age of just thirty-five.

His greatest victory was against the Persian Empire, the only super power in the ancient world. At the battle of Gaugamela, Alexander scattered his foes, commanding the cavalry in person against the Persian ranks and targeting their King Darius directly.

This highly risky move earned him eternal glory but very nearly cost him his life.

The story goes that, at a certain point, when the battle was at its height, an elephant guided by his enemies was sent against Alexander who, caught unawares, risked being trampled to death by the animal. Fortunately, his powerful dog Peritas in his turn attacked the enormous pachyderm, sinking its teeth into the lower lip and hanging from it. His providential intervention gave his master just enough time to get out of the way.

Peritas was not as lucky. When the battle was done the Macedonians recovered his body and paid homage to it with a solemn state funeral.

As for Alexander, he founded a city with the name of his inestimable friend.The 2019 session of the Texas Legislature is coming to an end this weekend as the House and Senate plan to vote on a grand bargain for public education funding and property tax "relief."

Meantime, Beto O'Rourke now says it's time to start impeachment proceedings against President Trump. What changed? Plus, Texas lawmakers this week sent Gov. Greg Abbott a bill expanding the medical cannabis oil law.The six residents aboard the International Space Station kicked off the workweek today exploring microgravity's long-term impacts on biology and physics. The Expedition 59 crew is also ramping up for a fourth spacewalk at the orbital lab this year.

NASA is planning to send men and women to the Moon in 2024 and life science on the station will help flight surgeons keep lunar astronauts healthy. The space physics research will also provide critical insights to engineers designing future spacecraft and habitats for exploration missions.

Several dozen mice and their immune systems, which are similar to humans, are being continuously observed in specialized habitats. Flight Engineer Anne McClain tended to the mice today cleaning cages and restocking food in Japan's Kibo laboratory module. Doctors are testing the hypothesis the immune response decreases in space and exploring advanced vaccines and therapies benefiting both astronauts and Earthlings.

NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Nick Hague also researched a variety of space biological phenomena. Koch wrapped up a pathogen study today seeking to understand why virulence increases in microgravity. Hague cleaned up Veggie Ponds botany hardware in Europe's Columbus laboratory module where small crops of edible plants are grown. He then photographed protein crystal samples in the afternoon for a student-designed investigation as Koch assisted him.

David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency recorded a video demonstrating Isaac Newton's Second and Third Laws. The video will help young students understand how force and acceleration influence air and space missions. He also transferred data captured from tiny internal satellites exploring space debris cleanup technology.

Commander Oleg Kononenko and Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin are getting ready for a spacewalk planned for May 29. The cosmonauts are resizing their spacesuits, inspecting the components and checking for leaks today. The duo will remove experiments, sample station surfaces and jettison obsolete hardware during their six-hour excursion.

On-Orbit Status Orbit

Multi-purpose Variable-G Platform (MVP) Cell-01: Over the weekend, the crew exchanged nutrients for the Cell-01 Experiment Modules and reinstalled them into the MVP. During the procedure, it was discovered that one of the new nutrient bags was defective and a new nutrient bag was retrieved to complete operations. The Cartilage-Bone-Synovium (CBS) Micro-Physiological System (MPS) using the MVP Cell-01 aboard the ISS studies the effects of spaceflight on musculoskeletal disease biology. Motivated by a disease called Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis in which a traumatic joint injury may lead to arthritis after loss of cartilage and bone, the ability of potential drugs to prevent the progression of this disease is tested on Earth and in space.

Micro-14: Over the weekend, the crew preserved processed Culture bags in preparation for return on SpX-17. Today, the hardware was removed from the Micro-Gravity Science Glovebox (MSG), completing Micro-14 mission Operations. The Micro-14 (Characterizing the Effects of Spaceflight on the Candida albicans Adaptation Responses) life science research mission will investigate and evaluate the responses of the Candida albicans microorganism to microgravity conditions and, in particular, to assess changes at the physiological, cellular, and molecular level and to characterize virulence factors.

ISS HERA (Hybrid Electronic Radiation Assessor): Over the weekend, the crew deactivated and stowed the hardware for the ISS HERA radiation assessor completing, a 40-day mission data-gathering period. ISS HERA refines data analysis and operational products that support future exploration missions. It uses an existing on-orbit radiation detection system developed for Orion and Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1), modified to operate on the ISS. The investigation also serves an opportunity to evaluate this hardware in the space radiation environment prior to the EM-1 flight.

Circadian Rhythms: The crew downloaded Circadian Rhythm armband data in the morning, then doffed the hardware later in the day to completing a 24hr data collection. Circadian Rhythms investigates the role of synchronized circadian rhythms, or the "biological clock," and how it changes during long-duration spaceflight. Researchers hypothesize that a non-24-hour cycle of light and dark affects crewmembers' circadian clocks.

CASIS PCG 14 (Wisconsin Crystal Growing Contest-Wisconsin Space Crystals): The crew performed liquid extraction from the crystal growth sample bags and documented photos of each of the two PCG kits. Previous investigations have shown that crystals grow larger and with fewer imperfections in microgravity. The CASIS PCG 14 investigation has two goals: to explore closed-system crystallization of inorganic salts from aqueous solutions using evaporation facilitated by a desiccant, and to examine how well a previously optimized thermal-gradient inorganic salt crystallization procedure translates to other systems. Middle and high school students compete to grow the most perfect ground-based crystals, as judged by experts in crystallography, and those with the fewest imperfections then fly their experiments aboard the space station.

The ISS Experience: The crew performed a recording to demonstrate a crewmember start of the day and closing of the day's activities.The ISS Experience creates a virtual reality film documenting daily life aboard the ISS. The 8 to 10 minute videos created from footage taken during the six-month investigation cover different aspects of crew life, execution of science aboard the station, and the international partnerships involved. The ISS Experience uses a Z-CAM V1 Pro Cinematic Virtual Reality (VR) 360-degree camera with nine 190 fisheye lenses.

Story Time From Space: The crew completed an educational recording event using acceleration and oscillator tube devices to demonstrate Newton's second and third laws of motion in microgravity. Story Time From Space combines science literacy outreach with simple demonstrations recorded aboard the ISS. Crewmembers read five science, technology, engineering and mathematics-related children's books in orbit, and complete simple science concept experiments. Crewmembers videotape themselves reading the books and completing demonstrations. Video and data collected during the demonstrations are downlinked to the ground and posted in a video library with accompanying educational materials.

Node 3 (N3) Common Cabin Air Assembly (CCAA) Water Separator (WS) Remove & Replace (R&R): In response to water carryover events in excess of six hours, the crew R&Rd the degraded CCAA WS in Node 3 today. The CCAA system is the primary component responsible for the control of temperature and humidity in the USOS segment. An air/water separator is part of this system and is required to control humidity in the ISS. The degraded unit was packed for return on the next available SpaceX vehicle for repair and refurbishment.

Completed Task List Activities:

Saturday

JSL panel audit

Miniature exercise device Surface Pro charge

Sunday

JAXA medical laptop cable connect

Monday

EDV stow

EMU Electrode Paste Audit

Wanted Poster - Self wetting swabs

ITCS Jumper Cable Install

Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

JEMRMS SFA extract

JEMAL vent

Look Ahead:

Tuesday, 05/21 (GMT 141):

Payloads:

Time Perception (ESA)

Rodent Research Dissections (NASA)

Veggie PONDS Deact (NASA)

Genes in Space-6 Freeze and Fly Run part 2 (NASA)

MicroAlgae deploy and stow (NASA)

ISS Experience Firmware update and H/W stow (NASA)

Food Acceptability (NASA)

Systems:

JEM condensate sample purge

Wednesday, 05/22 (GMT 142):

Payloads:

BioLab Experiment container install (ESA)

Actiwatch Plus chk (NASA)

BCM Journal (NASA)

JAXA Mouse Mission H/W gather

Rodent Research Dissections (NASA)

Repository urine collections (NASA)

GIS-6 Biomolecular Sequencer stow (NASA)

Team Task Switching (NASA)

MicroAlgae (NASA)

Systems:

SODF update

Today's Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Recycle Tank Fill Part 3

Standard Measures Post-sleep Questionnaire

MICRO ALGAE Culture Bag Daily Deploy

JAXA Mouse Mission Item Gathering

SPHERES Battery Setup

DC1 BK-3M oxygen tank pressure checks

Transfer compartment BK-3M oxygen tank pressure checks

Circadian Rhythms data d/l and Armband doffing

Newton's Law Payload Review

Work with SS replaceable components

ISS HAM Service Module Pass

Newton's Law Payload Crew Conference

XF305 Camcorder Setup

JAXA Mouse Mission Preparation for Maintenance

Newton's Law Maintenance Work Area Preparation

JAXA Mouse Mission Cage Maintenance for Micro-G

Newton's Law Acceleration and Oscillation Experiments

Water Recovery and Management (WRM) Waste Water Bus (WWB) Combine

Condensate transfer from Lab Condensate tank to WPA Waste Water Tank

Micro-14 Preservation-MSG

BRTA battery install

JEM Airlock Depressurization

Spacesuit fitting

SPHERES Battery Swap

Condensate direct transfer from Lab condensate tank to WPA waste water tank.

JAXA Mouse Mission Cage Maintenance for Micro-G

ORLAN #5 + BSS leak check, valve c/o

JAXA Mouse Mission Cage Maintenance for 1G

Veggie Ponds Veggie Facility Clean

ORLAN #4 + BSS leak check, valve c/o. Specialist conference

JAXA Mouse Mission Cage Maintenance for 1G

Water Recovery and Management (WRM) Waste Water Bus (WWB) Split

In-Flight Maintenance Node 3 Common Cabin Air Assembly (CCAA) Water Separator R&R

JAXA Mouse Mission Maintenance Closeout

JEM Airlock Vent

SPHERES Battery Stow

Microgravity Science Glovebox Power Down

ISS Experience Node 2 Setup

VZAIMODEYSTVIYE-2. Science ops run

MATRYOSHKA-R. TRITEL hardware performance monitoring

JEM Airlock Vent Confirmation

SPHERE SmoothNav Downlink [Aborted]

PPS MK II installation

"ISS DC1 Egress in ORLAN" air-locking procedure review

LSG Work Volume Deploy

Circadian Rhythms Armband Stow

Remove portions of the Stall in support of Node 3 CCAA Access

In-Flight Maintenance Node 3 Common Cabin Air Assembly (CCAA) Water Separator R&R

IMS update

ISS Experience Recording Preparation

Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) Rack Doors Open

ISS Experience Routine Recording

Combustion Integrated Rack Manifold #2 Bottle Replacement

Behavioral Core Measures Journals Entry

ISS Experience Hardware Relocate

Combustion Integrated Rack GC Bottle Replacement

Exercise data  downlink

Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR)Rack Doors Close

Fiber Optic Production Preform Repair Placeholder

Retrieval of PCG-14 Hardware from MELFI

Inspection of Sample Bags for Crystal Growth

Extraction of Liquid from Sample Bags

Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) - JEM

In-Flight Maintenance Node 3 Common Cabin Air Assembly (CCAA) Water Separator R&R

Interest Photos and Recorded Video for Downlink

URISIS hardware setup

Replace Stall following Node 3 CCAA Maintenance

Assist in replacing Stall following Node 3 CCAA Maintenance

MICRO ALGAE Culture Bag Daily Stow

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.Here are three GI physicians featured in the news recently:

Hashem El-Serag, MD, became president of the American Gastroenterological Association, effective May 21.

Former American College of Gastroenterology President Douglas Rex, MD, and former American Gastroenterological Association President David Lieberman, MD, took the stage at Digestive Disease Week, May 18-21 in San Diego to debate the virtues of universally screening patients for colorectal cancer at age 45, per the American Cancer Society's guidelines.

Joseph C. Anderson, MD, of the Hanover, N.H.-based Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine, and Carol A. Burke, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic spoke at the American Gastroenterological Association's symposium on physician burnout at Digestive Disease Week.President Donald Trump's administration is preparing an executive order requiring the disclosure of healthcare prices, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The executive order is expected to be released as early as next week.

It could include a mandate that federal agencies compel healthcare stakeholders to reveal cost data, WSJ sources said. Sources said federal officials are also considering using the U.S. Justice Department and other agencies to address hospital and insurance plan monopolies.

The administration declined to comment on the matter to the newspaper.

To accomplish its price transparency goals, the White House is considering using the 21st Century Cures Act, the ACA, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and Employee Retirement Income Security Act, sources told the WSJ.

Earlier this month, the WSJ reported that the White House is looking for ways to require that physicians and hospitals give patients their total care costs of up front, and require that insurers in the private-employer market publicize the rates they negotiate with providers.

Supporters say requiring price and rate disclosure could lead to lower healthcare costs, but critics say it is unclear how many consumers would use price information to find lower-cost treatment, according to the publication.

Any cost disclosure mandates would likely face industry opposition and legal challenges, the WSJ said.

Access the full report here.

More articles on healthcare finance:

10 hospitals seeking RCM talent

Tax-exempt hospitals provided $95B in total community benefits in 2016, analysis finds

5 legislative updates on surprise medical billsA Belfast fit-out firm has been ordered to pay almost 60,000 in compensation to a former employee after a tribunal ruled he was unfairly dismissed.

Kieran Robinson took the case against Portview Fitout Ltd, where he had worked for six years as a systems manager.

Portview has been operating since 1975 and is an interior fit-out contractor for leading brands across the UK, Republic and France.

Mr Robinson (51), who had 34 years' construction industry experience, began working for Portview in January 2012.

In December 2015 Portview's managing director Simon Campbell announced by email the appointments of three employees to the board of directors, all of whom were younger than Mr Robinson.

Mr Robinson had believed he was discriminated against when the three internal managers were promoted.

By 2017, as systems manager, Mr Robinson was in charge of three major areas of the business: health and safety, quality environmental business continuity, and information security and pre-qualification questionnaires.

In October of that year Mr Campbell announced plans to restructure the systems department "to meet the growing needs of the business", which could result in redundancies. The three particular areas within that department which Mr Robinson had managed were to be split into three separate units, each with its own manager.

But Mr Campbell had not discussed his proposed restructure in any way with Mr Robinson prior to proposing it at a board of directors meeting.

The restructure plan meant there was uncertainty around where the three people currently working the systems department, including Mr Robinson, would end up and their roles "may be under the threat of redundancy".

At a later meeting Mr Campbell produced two job descriptions for management roles as part of the restructuring. He told Mr Robinson that he did not think he was suitable for the third new managerial post but he would send the job description to him if he was interested in it.

When he raised a grievance, Mr Robinson was informed that he was welcome to apply for any of the three new posts, which embraced jobs that he was already doing. However, he was never told of salary, bonus and any other associated benefits of these new roles.

Mr Robinson later informed Mr Campbell that he would not be applying for the newly created roles as he believed it was "unreasonable to strip away the duties he was carrying out in his existing post".

At further consultation meeting on December 8, 2017, Mr Campbell asked Mr Robinson if he would be reconsidering applying for any of the alternative roles. When Mr Robinson confirmed that he would not, he was informed that the board would meet in order to conclude the process. He was also warned that a possible outcome was that his position may be at risk of redundancy.

One week later Mr Robinson was told he was being made redundant from that day and would be paid notice of 12 weeks.

Mr Robinson alleged that Mr Campbell told him that the decision to make him redundant was agreed at the board unanimously. However, there had not been a board meeting at which this was decided.

Mr Campbell said there were telephone calls between board members but the tribunal was informed that not all board members were involved in this consultation process.

The nine-day industrial tribunal sitting in Belfast later ruled that Portview had unfairly dismissed Mr Robinson.

Portview was also ordered to pay compensation totalling 57,609 to Mr Robinson.

Yesterday Mr Campbell told the Belfast Telegraph: "The company is seeking a review of the decision on the grounds it disagrees with the findings on some fundamental points of law and the judgment is silent in addressing some key legal arguments put forward in the tribunal."Business leaders in Northern Ireland have warned that Theresa May's successor must not allow a no-deal Brexit to happen.

They have paid tribute to the outgoing prime minister for her willingness to consider the special circumstances facing Northern Ireland as she hammered out a deal for the UK's exit from Europe.

Aodhan Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said it is essential her replacement continues to represent the people of Northern Ireland.

Read More

"Theresa May has to be lauded for listening to Northern Ireland business perhaps more than any prime minister before her and that is evident in the special consideration given to Northern Ireland in the Withdrawal Agreement," he said.

"Her efforts continue to be deeply appreciated and it is a great pity that she could not deliver the Withdrawal Bill through Parliament.

"To her successor, our message remains the same. Business here needs unfettered access to both the EU market and the UK market to thrive and survive. Quite simply, we need a deal. It is time to put economics before ideology and people before politics."

Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said politicians at Westminster must ensure that a new Conservative leader is appointed as quickly as possible.

"Westminster has already squandered far too much time going around in circles on Brexit," she said. "Regardless of who is in Downing Street, a new prime minister must work to avert a messy and disorderly exit from the EU and provide firms with stability and answers.

"They will expect practical solutions to a number of issues that are still unclear, ranging from trade agreements to migration rules and customs."

Stephen Kelly, chief executive of Manufacturing NI, said: "Theresa May was very determined, focused and willing to do what she, and we, believed was right for Northern Ireland.

He said it is important to remember that while the person leading negotiations will change, the problems they face will remain and it is the responsibility of business leaders in Northern Ireland to ensure the new prime minister achieves the best possible deal for Northern Ireland in the coming months.

FSB (NI) Policy Chair Tina McKenzie said: "With the next Brexit deadline approaching on October 31, we hope that the process to find a new prime minister is as efficient as possible, so whoever comes next can quickly get down to the business of finding agreement, and we avoid crashing out without a deal.

"It is vital that all parties work pragmatically in the weeks and months ahead to end the ongoing uncertainty for small businesses, and to ensure that frictionless trade can continue."Dunnes Stores was contacted for comment, but one had not been received at the time of going to press (stock photo)

The trustees of the pension scheme for Dunnes Stores staff in Northern Ireland have been sacked by the UK's regulator following what it called a catalogue of governance failures.

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) in the UK announced the unusual move yesterday, stating that the trustees of the Dunnes Stores (Bangor) Limited Management Pension Scheme had "failed to show they had the skill to do the job properly".

Dunnes Stores Bangor is the registered company for the retailer's UK operation, which has effectively been reduced to its 16 Northern Ireland stores.

The Pensions Regulator said its decision was taken by its determinations panel because it was concerned the trustees' failure to grasp their responsibilities was putting the benefits of 390 members of the scheme at risk.

TPR said that, as a result, it has appointed an independent trustee to oversee the scheme. It's understood to be the first time the regulator has used its power to replace trustees due to a lack of competence.

Nicola Parish, TPR's executive director of frontline regulation, said: "We will not stand by when trustee incompetence threatens the retirement outcomes of workplace pension savers.

"In this case, the trustees put member outcomes at risk and so we took action to ensure benefits are protected. The trustees have been replaced because they have consistently failed to show they had the skill to do the job properly."

Ms Parish added: "Trustees who are not committed to their duties should consider whether it's right they continue in their position of being responsible for governing a pension scheme."

TPR said Dunnes Stores' nominated trustees had failed to engage properly with its investigation and persistently failed to address a number of concerns despite assurances that they would.

The panel found, despite more than a decade of being responsible for running the scheme, the employer nominated trustees had failed to "familiarise themselves with the requirements of UK pensions legislation".

The trustees showed "that they do not have, or are not exercising, their knowledge and understanding for the proper administration of the scheme", which led to a series of governance errors with little attempt to rectify them.

TPR said the independent trustee of the pension scheme is now in the process of considering the future of the scheme as to the best way to protect member benefits.

The regulator assured members yesterday that they will be kept informed on the future of the scheme.

Dunnes Stores was contacted for comment, but one had not been received at the time of going to press.Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is happening in Northern Ireland. According to one expert, girls are being taken from here, as they are elsewhere in the UK, and flown to other countries to undergo brutal and deadly cultural procedures that have lasting repercussions for their health and well-being.

And that is only if they are lucky enough to survive the insanitary and dangerous cutting that is often carried out on dirty floors, with unclean razors and blades used on multiple children.

Former nurse Angie Marriot heads up Diversity Employment Solutions and the Cheshire woman will be in Belfast next week, alongside FGM survivors, English police officers, the Somali Womens Action Network (Swan), members of the PSNI and the union Unison, for a major conference on raising awareness and managing FGM in Northern Ireland.

Angie hopes that securing their first prosecution and conviction for FGM on a three-year-old girl in England will deter others from taking part in the traditional practice that is happening across the UK.

I was a nurse in the NHS for 30 years, she says. I worked in gynaecology and was a breast nurse. And that is where I first came across instances of FGM.

We had a patient who, in 1987, came in for corrective surgery. Back then, as you can imagine, we didnt have a clue how to manage that patient.

I was a trade union activist with Unison and put FGM on Unisons agenda and have campaigned ever since. I have gone to the House of Commons, asking for training for doctors and nurses and for a change in the Prohibition Act, because we knew that perpetrators were taking girls out of the country to have FGM performed.

Angie adds: FGM involves partial, or total, removal of the female genitalia. There are different types of FGM: type one is where they will remove either part, or all, of the clitoris; type two is where they remove part of the clitoris and either part, or all, of the labia.

Type three is the most severe form of FGM, where everything is removed  clitoris, inner and outer vaginal lips. They will sew those raw edges together and they will leave a tiny orifice, the size of a match head, for a woman to pass urine, menstruate and have sexual intercourse and deliver a baby, too.

FGM is performed any time between the ages of three and seven years old and then from 11 to 15 and 16 years old. We are aware of victims who are cut before marriage.

In Africa, in particular, these procedures are done on a dirty, dusty floor, with no anaesthetic, in unsterile conditions. The same razor blade, knife, or witchs ritualistic blade is used from child to child.

We have to remember that these are countries that are endemic in HIV, Aids and hepatitis.

We know, in the UK, that there are FGM gatherings, or FGM cutting parties, as they are called, where perpetrators will gather a large number of girls and cut them.

We know that, in Edinburgh, London and Leeds, they have cutting centres, where medical doctors are performing FGM.

We dont know where these are, but we do know that the doctors are charging extortionate fees.

Communities think that it is safe, because its a doctor who is performing it, even though they are performing it illegally.

Angie explains that the ritual has its roots in tradition and culture and that it is difficult to get through to mothers that the procedure is extremely dangerous to health and can lead to a child dying.

FGM is a cultural and traditional practice, she says. There has been, for many years, a misconception that FGM is associated with the Muslim faith and the Koran. There is absolutely no association with religion. Its a cultural tradition and part of a celebration of womanhood. So, its a womans rite of passage in preparation for marriage.

Communities believe that, if a woman is not cut, she is certainly not suitable for marriage; she is seen as unclean, not socially accepted, as promiscuous.

FGM is part of gender-based violence, coercion and control. Its about a man suppressing a womans sexual desire. And that is very prevalent.

We did a focus group with a number of Sudanese men and women in Belfast and men would clearly say to us, We cant keep up with women sexually if we dont cut them.

There were community leaders that would say to me that we could come and tell them about FGM, but we will cut our girls  even though we know it is abuse and it is a safeguarding issue, a violation of human rights and it will have long-term health consequences, both physically and psychologically, for the rest of their lives.

Angie says that FGM happens in Northern Ireland on a regular basis and that detection at the airports has increased since Border Force officers received specialist training.

FGM happens in Northern Ireland, she says. One of the things I did in Belfast, a few years back, with a Somali group of women, was a health questionnaire. It was so powerful and emotive.

Women, for the first time, talked about the after-effects of FGM. There was not one woman that realised that the menstruation problems they had  the period lasting 21 days, instead of the usual five  the trauma, anxiety, depression, infertility, pelvic pain, incontinence and lack of sexual pleasure they experienced, were the result of FGM.

Every woman in that room suffered psychologically. They had post-traumatic stress disorder, remembering the day that they had been cut as a child.

They talked about going to their GP frequently and that their GP didnt really understand and passed it off. We know that women in Northern Ireland are suffering hugely.

In the UK, we have, under the Serious Crime Act, a mandatory duty for professionals to report FGM. We know that there is a huge issue in terms of reporting it.

Professionals are not confident and there is a fear of being labelled racist. They dont know how to tackle the issue of FGM.

"They need diversity training, as well as FGM training."

She adds: "The long-term consequences of being cut are huge and we know that many women have died. There are 200 million woman globally who have been cut and, in the UK alone, including Northern Ireland, there are 65,000 girls at risk.

"When I come to Belfast, I will be bringing PC Fiona Clements, who worked on Operation Limelight, which is a safeguarding exercise which we do during what is known as the 'cutting season', the six-week school holiday, where we know that girls are being taken away out of the country to be cut, because there is a larger window for the child to heal.

"We know that this is happening in Northern Ireland. We have perpetrators taking girls out of the country to be cut and cutters coming in doing the procedure here.

"I have done a lot of work with the UK Border Force. I have trained Border Force at Belfast City and International airports to be aware of and look out for incidences of FGM and ritual tools used to conduct FGM. The level of detection has gone up since they have had the training, which is great."

Angie says that changing mindsets that are stuck on the cultural significance of "cutting" is one of the hardest tasks to complete. She says she hopes the conviction of a mother who "cut" her three-year-old girl will deter others.

"We have had our first prosecution in 30 years," she says. "It came about after a three-year-old girl was cut and the perpetrator, the mother, a Ghanaian lady, received a 13-year custodial sentence. I am hoping that it will send a message to perpetrators that if you cut girls, you will be prosecuted.

"A key focus with regards changing mindsets, for me, is going into communities and working with them and getting them to understand that it's abuse of a child. Communities do not see FGM as abuse, with long-term consequences.

We know that, even though it is part of gender-based violence, coercion and control, women are driving this; when you have a mother, who is supposed to protect and nurture her child, doing it.

"I tell them that it is unlawful and abusive and that their child will suffer huge, long-term health consequences.

"It's also about educating women about who owns their bodies. We are educating men and women. I have trained teachers and nursery school workers. I am now training girls in schools, educating them, and that gives them the power to protect themselves.

"I tell girls about the 'one chance' rule with regards the police; that, if they suspect that they are going to be taken out of the country to be cut, to put a spoon in their underwear, which will set off the metal detectors at the airport."

Sahra Mahmuud, founder of Swan in Northern Ireland, says that FGM is happening regularly in Belfast and that perpetrators are "getting away with it" because of lack of awareness.

"I sat on the NI Safeguarding Board and I was shocked to hear members say FGM is not happening in Northern Ireland, when it is, believe me," she says.

"Communities say they are fearless, because nobody carries out checks on our children and they feel confident they are not going to get caught, so they continue to cut our girls in Belfast.

"FGM survivors in Belfast have nowhere to turn for help and medical support. We all suffer menstruation and urinary problems and health services are not providing African women in Belfast with any medical support for physical or psychological issues, that we, as FGM survivors, are suffering every day.

"We need psychological support urgently and funding for Swan to be able to run an outreach FGM service that can work with partner agencies, including the police.

"I would like to see Operation Limelight replicated in Belfast by Border Force officers and the PSNI as a deterrent and to raise awareness that the police are serious about prosecuting perpetrators."Northern Ireland movie star Jamie Dornan has recalled the day his father told him of his mother's terminal cancer and how after her passing his grief was compounded when four friends died soon after in a car crash leaving him angry and depressed at just 16 years of age.

But the 37-year-old said he didn't allow the grief to hold him back at such a pivotal age.

"Grief can overcome and paralyse you if you let it," he said.

"There were days when I felt that the pain was piled on top of me .. I realised something out of my control had happened and I couldnt change it. It made me twig that I had to make the most of the time I had because you never know whats going to happen."

He says that as he gets older he thinks more about he and his sisters getting closer to 50, the age their mother passed away.

At the age of 14, the former model was caked in mud and feeling good after scoring a try in the final minutes of a school rugby game.

As he and his dad - the leading obstetrician Professor Jim Dornan - left the school he was given the news of how his mother's trip to the doctor's had been.

Mum got through today OK, but shes not going to make it, young Jamie was told before he burst into tears.

Lorna Dornan had stage four pancreatic cancer and died 16 months later in July 1998.

Fifty Shades star Dornan was speaking to The Times along with his sister, the fashion designer Jess Dornan Lynas. She has set up Afterbook which aims to digitally celebrate the lives of loved ones and help people share and talk about grief.

"It is a great way of keeping peoples memories and stories alive," said Jamie.

"I think its an amazing way to honour our mum. Death and grief can be such an isolating experience so it helps so much to have a safe place where you can talk about how you feel. Remembering the good times, the funny times, is massive in your recovery.

"Hope is so important too. Your life doesnt end when theirs does. You never really get over your grief, you just find a way to live with it and not let it overshadow everything."

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Jamie said news of her cancer left him angry and asking his nurse mother and doctor father if anything could be done and offering any "random solutions".

"I still hoped theyd come up with a cure in the time Mum had left.

"My grief started before Mum was dead. I could have easily gone off the rails if it were not for my family. My older sisters, Jess and Liesa, and my dad were just phenomenal. Being the baby of the family, they lavished extra attention on me.

"I had the best group of friends  the support they gave at my worst was priceless. And the people who were around me then are still around me now."

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 Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Jamie Dornan with the painting by Colin Davidson Actor Jamie Dornan with his sister Jessica Dornan Lynas and father Dr Jim Dornan at the launch of the NIPanC at the Mater Hospital in Belfast PA Terrifying tale: Cillian and Jamie Dornan in Anthropoid PA Change of scene: Jamie Dornan in The Siege of Jadotville Gillian Anderson in The Fall Jamie Dornan as Pat Quinlan Jamie Dornan in Robin Hood. Jamie Dornan at the Game of Thrones farewell party in Belfast. Picture Colm O'Reilly LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 02: Actors Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson attend the premiere of Universal Pictures' "Fifty Shades Darker" at The Theatre at Ace Hotel on February 2, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images Jamie Dornan has been voted a Northern Ireland legend. Pictured Jamie Dornan as Pat Quinlan Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan. Anthropoid Jamie Dornan and Charlotte Le Bon The Fall returned to our screens last night with Jamie Dornan reprising his role as serial killer Paul Spector On the red carpet at the UK premiere of Fifty Shades in Leicester Square last night are Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson with director Sam Taylor-Johnson (left) and author EL James Getty Images Gisele Bundchen and Jamie Dornan Attention fell on Jamie Dornan when he started dated actress Keira Knightley in 2003 Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan in The Fall BBC/The Fall 2 Limited/Helen Slo Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson Jamie Dornan in The Fall BBC/The Fall 2 Limited/Helen Slo Jamie Dornan in Fifty Shades of Grey. Photo: Focus Features  Universal Jamie Dornan poses for photos with fans as he attends the screening of The Siege of Jadotville at the Savoy Cinema in Dublin. PA PA KINGSBARNS, AL - OCTOBER 05: Actor Jamie Dornan plays during a practice round at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Kingsbarns Golf Links golf course on October 5, 2016 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) Getty Images KINGSBARNS, AK - OCTOBER 05: Actor Jamie Dornan plays during a practice round at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Kingsbarns Golf Links golf course on October 5, 2016 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) Getty Images Paul Spector played by Jamie Dornan. HUNTING SEASON: Gillian Anderson as DSI Stella Gibson and Jamie Dornan as Paul Spector in The Fall PA Big league: Jamie Dornan in the first series of The Fall, a role which helped him land the lead in 50 Shades opposite Dakota Johnson Jamie Dornan as Paul Spector on the operating table Helen Sloan / The Fall 3 Ltd Sally Ann Spector (Bronagh Waugh), Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan). Jamie Dornan with his dad Jim Jamie Dornan attending at the opening ceremony of the 51st Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) on July 1, 2016 in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. (Photo by Matej Divizna/Getty Images) Getty Images DSI Stella Gibson (GILLIAN ANDERSON), Paul Spector (JAMIE DORNAN) in The Fall. Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan take part in Q&A following the screening of BBC Two drama 'The Fall' to launch series three at BFI Southbank on September 7, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images) Getty Images Jamie Dornan on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The Belfast Telegraph article about Jamie Dornan featured on the Stephen Colbert show. Jamie Dornan on the Stephen Colbert show. The BBC's The Fall Jamie Dornan plays serial killer Paul Spector BBC/The Fall S2 Ltd/Helen Sloan Paul Spector, played by Jamie Dornan Jamie Dornan as Paul Spector in The Fall Jamie Dornan as killer Paul Spector Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey and Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele in trailer for Fifty Shades Of Grey ? Universal Studio Jamie Dornan says filming racy scenes with Dakota Johnson for Fifty Shades of Grey was not sexy. Fifty Shades of Grey  FameFlynet.uk.com Jamie Dornan has told The Observer Magazine that filming racy scenes for the film Fifty Shades of Grey with co-star Dakota Johnson was not sexy. Ian West/PA Wire. PA Actor and Comedian Bill Murray hugs 50 Shades of Grey actor Jamie Dornan as they walk of the 12th tee during round one of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie PA Northern Ireland model Jamie Dornan and Eva Mendes in their sultry new Calvin Klein advert Jamie Dornan and Gisele Bundchen in an Aquascutum advert. In the band Sons of Jim, with Dave Alexander. Jamie Dornan with Dakota Johnson in 50 Shades of Grey (Dame Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson, Graham Norton, Jamie Dornan and Sigrid (Matt Crossick/PA) PA Wire/PA Images Jamie Dornan in an advert for Calvin Klein Jeans In the band Sons of Jim, with Dave Alexander at a Sports Relief event at Custom House Square in Belfast. <b>Jamie Dornan</b><br/> Northern Irish actor Jamie has modelled for Calvin Klein (with both Kate Moss and Eva Mendes), Dior, Aquascutum and Armani, among many other brands. He also appeared in in the Sofia Coppola film, Marie-Antoinette. Jamie Dornan, wife Amelia and Dulcie in 2014 NEW YORK - OCTOBER 13: Actors Rose Byrne and Jamie Dornan arrive for The New York Film Festival screening of "Marie Antoinette" at Alice Tully Hall October 13, 2006 in New York City. Jamie Dornan in the Hammer Horror production, Beyond the Rave Jamie Dornan as Sheriff Graham from Once Upon A Time Jamie Dornan as Sheriff Graham from Once Upon A Time Jamie Dornan as Sheriff Graham from Once Upon A Time Jamie Dornan as Paul Spector and Gillian Anderson as DSI Stella Gibson in the TV thriller The Fall BBC/The Fall 2 Limited/Helen Slo Jamie Dornan is being linked to the Christian Grey role Jamie Dornan / Amelia Warner Jamie Dornan / Amelia Warner Jamie Dornan chats to Sarah Travers, host of UTV's The Magazine, on his first visit to Belfast since marrying musician, Amelia Warner. jamie dornan eva mendes, ad for Calvin Klein Jeans jamie dornan eva mendes, ad for Calvin Klein Jeans Shot by photographer Steven Klein in the desert in Palm Springs, California, both the Fall 2009 Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear campaigns will feature Eva Mendes and Jamie Dornan together. These dramatic black and white campaigns will be featured in global print and outdoor advertising. The Calvin Klein Jeans campaign will feature the exciting new Calvin Klein Jeans Body, a revolutionary, new jean for men and women, uniquely designed for a more contoured and shape enhancing fit. Jamie Dornan with The Fall co-star Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan in a photoshoot for Red magazine Actor Jamie Dornan (L) poses with his wife Amelia Warner as they arrive to attend 'Fifty Shades Freed - 50 Nuances Plus Claires' Premiere at Salle Pleyel in Paris on February 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / PATRICK KOVARIKPATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey and Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele in the first cast photos from the Fifty Shades of Grey movie  FRANK OCKENFELS/EW Jamie Dornan, (right) in Fifty Shades Darker PA Johnson and Dornan in Fifty Shades Freed Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey and Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele in the first cast photos from the Fifty Shades of Grey movie  FRANK OCKENFELS/EW Leading man: Jamie Dornan on The Graham Norton Show PA Jamie Dornan plays Abe in New Worlds, on Channel 4 Jamie Dornan plays Abe in New Worlds, on Channel 4 Jamie Dornan and Ann Skelly in scene from Death And Nightingales BBC/Night Flight Pictures Ltd 20 / Facebook

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I had to make the most of the time I had because you never know whats going to happen.

Dornan had therapy at the age of 17, which he said was cathartic.

"Grief is not a one-size-fits-all situation. There is no right or wrong way to deal with it," he said.

"Some recover more quickly than others. Some turn to drink and drugs to numb their pain. There are so many factors affecting how people cope and what works eventually to help them move through it.

"Grief hit me in waves in the years after, when the weirdest thing would set it off. Like when the wife of my best friend was wearing a particular perfume that had been my mums favourite. I had to excuse myself for a private moment to compose myself."

The actor says he works to keep him mum part of his young family's life and his five-year-old daughter Dulcie draws picture of her granny Lorna all the time.

He added: "I dont believe in God, so that takes out an aspect of grief that many people rely on. Im very matter of fact with the girls about death, although I dont want to confuse them or make them fearful. I think kids these days have a much better understanding of death  Dulcie asks me about it all the time. Im glad that shes asking me questions, even though I dont know how to answer so many of them.

"The thing I struggle most with now is knowing that Mum was 50 when she died and us siblings are creeping towards that age  Liesa is 41, Jess has just turned 40 and Im 37."

Jamie's friends, all fellow students from Methodist College, Belfast, died when their car was in a head-on collision on the Fintown to Glenties road in Donegal as they made their way to a holiday home in Portnoo.SHaheed El-Hafeed, May 19, 2019 (SPS) -The Sahrawi people will celebrate Monday the 46th anniversary of the outbreak of the Sahrawi armed struggle, in a context marked by the numerous victories snatched by the Sahrawi people, who are still fighting for their right to self-determination.



May 20, 1973 remains a historic event for the Sahrawis who had decided that day, under the leadership of the Polisario Front, the only and legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people, to take arms to wrest their independence from the colonization.



On this historical day, a group of Sahrawi fighters decided to attack the Spanish post of El Khanga.



This operation announced the outbreak of the armed struggle in Western Sahara.



This people exist and will survive the betrayal of colonialism, the assaults of reactionary regimes and their manoeuvres," said late El Ouali Mustafa Sayed, first secretary general of the Polisario Front, who martyred on June 9, 1976.



062/SPS/APSFriends of murdered journalist Lyra McKee have started a three-day peace walk from Belfast to Londonderry.

Hundreds turned out at Writers Square in Belfast on Saturday morning, many wearing T-shirts in her memory and carrying flags with messages of peace.

Ms McKee, 29, was shot in the head by dissident republican group the New IRA while observing clashes with police in the Creggan estate in Londonderry last month.

LIVE: Lyras walk begins in Belfast Posted by Belfast Telegraph on Saturday, May 25, 2019

Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody is due to join them on the last leg on Monday ahead of a rally at Derrys Guildhall.

Lyras Walk logistics and location manager Brenda Gough urged anyone who sees the walkers to show their support.

She thanked all the community groups which have offered support with water and snacks for the walkers en route, and the Samaritans who will send counsellors into the camp sites each night.

We had over 300 walkers registered, obviously life happens, but the main body of walkers have turned up, she told the Press Association.

Expand Close Brenda Gough ahead of the walk (Rebecca Black/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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The aim was to have a very mixed representation of the whole community of Northern Ireland and everyone has stepped up.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins in Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Left to right. Georgia(11), Enola(6), Adelaide(6) and Lexie(12) from Crumlin pictured before the march starts. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 25th May 2019 A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins from Belfast this morning and will finish in Derry on Monday. Around 400 people set off from WriterOs Square for the walk to Derry in memory of the 29-year-old, who was killed last month as she observed rioting in Derry. The three-day hike will conclude in the Guildhall Square in Derry on Monday, by which time the number of walkers is expected to have swelled to around 700. The event will culminate in a two-hour concert, including a performance by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. LyraOs sister Nicola will also address those assembled. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins in Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye / Facebook

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Whatsapp A walk in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begins in Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

This type of movement attracts people who have a lot of empathy and compassion, and dont hold prejudice.

We do have some walkers who have played their part in the Troubles, they are here to support us and show that change can happen.

That is the ethos of this, we want people to address themselves and not the politicians, because we have the politicians that we vote for, we are responsible for our government. We cant just blame them.

Expand Close A new mural of Lyra McKee in Belfast city centre (David Young/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp A new mural of Lyra McKee in Belfast city centre (David Young/PA)

The start point of Writers Square is beside St Annes Cathedral where Prime Minister Theresa May, Irish President Michael D Higgins, Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Northern Irelands political leaders were among the mourners at Ms McKees funeral.

Starting at Writers Square was Sara Cannings (Ms McKees partner) idea, she said Lyra was a writer and so the start point should be Writers Square, she said.

Its beside St Annes Cathedral where the funeral was, so yeah, we are starting off where we last saw Lyra.

During the funeral a priest asked Northern Irelands politicians why it took the death of a 29-year-old woman to unite their parties.

The latest talks process designed to restore devolved political powersharing was launched soon after the murder.PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Finn aged (4) and dad Ryan Mohan from Dundonald pictured at the festival . Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Finn aged (4) and dad Ryan Mohan from Dundonald pictured at the festival . Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to BelfastOs quaysides, signalling the start of one of the cityOs most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Logy Pirate Captain pictured during the festival. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 25/05/2019: Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2019. The magnificent masts of Tall Ships return to Belfasts quaysides, signalling the start of one of the citys most popular family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. Returning for its 11th year, our quaysides will come alive on the last bank holiday weekend in May, from 25 - 27 May 2019. Finn aged (4) and dad Ryan Mohan from Dundonald pictured at the festival . Mexican Naval Vessel 'Cuauhtemoc' personal pictured at the festival. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

The magnificent Tall Ships returned to the city quays for the annual Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival.

There is an array of nautical fun and games, food stalls and demos, live music and a treasure trove of performances at Sailortown, Donegall Quay, Queens Quay and Titanic Quarter.

While the star attractions of ships from Mexico, the Netherlands and the French Navy among others are available for the public to board and get a glimpse of life on the open seas.

The event ends on Monday opening at 10am.A 32-year-old man has been arrested in the Strabane under the Terrorism Act by detectives from PSNIs Terrorism Investigation Unit.

The man has been arrested in the PSNI's probe into dissident republican activity linked to the New IRA.

He was also arrested in connection to an attempted paramilitary style attack in the Ballycolman area of the Strabane on December 2 last year which police believe was carried out on behalf of the Irish Republican Movement (IRM).

In that incident a takeaway driver was left traumatised after a lone gunman walked up to him and started firing a gun at his legs. The man was left in shock but not physically injured.

The incident was caught on camera and circulated widely on social media.

The IRM is considered by police a violent dissident republican grouping which was formed by former members of Oglaigh na hEireann following its ceasefire in 2018.

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Detective Inspector Andrew Hamlin added: "It is completely unacceptable to bring a gun out onto a street on a Sunday evening when children could still be up getting ready for the school week ahead.

"Once again, these groups show that they do not care about the communities that they claim to protect. We are committed to protecting the community from terrorism and will continue to work in partnership with local agencies, residents and community representatives to keep people safe.

The suspect has been taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite for questioning.Shots are fired in west Belfast in honour of INLA leader Martin McElkerney

A man arrested after shots were fired in a gun salute for the INLA killer Martin McElkerney has been released.

Social media footage circulated on Monday night showing a masked man wearing a white shirt and black tie discharging several rounds skywards.

The gunman was surrounded by others similarly dressed and wearing balaclavas. One of the men held a picture of INLA man Martin McElkerney.

It has been reported it happened outside Mr McElkerney's house and during his wake in Ross Street in the Divis area. Following the volley of shots onlookers were heard cheering and applauding.

On Friday night police arrested a 35-year-old man under the Terrorism Act in Newtownabbey. He was held on suspicion of membership of a proscribed organisation and questioned in the Serious Crime Suite at Musgrave Police Station in Belfast.

"The investigation into this incident is ongoing and Police continue to appeal to anyone with information to contact police on 101 or alternatively, information can be provided anonymously by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111," police said in a statement.

The man was later released unconditionally on Saturday afternoon. Those held under the Terrorism Act can not be released on police bail they can only be charged or released.

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Martin McElkerney, 57, was taken to hospital after he was discovered critically injured at Milltown Cemetery in Belfast on Thursday following a shooting. Police said they are not searching for anyone else in connection with the incident.

McElkerney was convicted of killing two children and a soldier in a republican bomb attack during the Troubles and released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

His funeral took place on Thursday with a number of masked men leading the funeral procession to the church.

The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) is suspected to have been behind 120 killings during the conflict.A man has been released in a police probe after shots were fired on the day of a funeral for a republican.

The incident came following the death of former INLA prisoner Michael McElkerney.

Photographs have emerged of a masked gunman firing a rifle into the air outside Mr McElkerneys home in the Divis area of west Belfast.

A 35-year-old man was arrested in the Newtownabbey area on Friday night under the Terrorism Act.

He was arrested on suspicion of membership of a proscribed organisation, a PSNI spokesman said.

The man was released on Saturday without charge following questioning.There can't be many freshly-installed police chiefs who've had to start off their new jobs in Northern Ireland or anywhere else knowing they'll have to shake off hugely publicised comparisons with Star Wars villain Darth Vader.

But Simon Byrne - to many the surprise choice as the fifth Chief Constable of the PSNI - has already had to endure social media jibes about the analogy with the light sabre-wielding baddie which hit the headlines during a recent misconduct hearing in England.

The case against the career policeman who started off as a constable in London 36 years ago was eventually thrown out by a panel. But in-depth coverage of the controversy is still only a Google click away.

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The then Chief Constable of Cheshire Constabulary had been suspended from his post two years ago after being accused of bullying and humiliating staff between May 2014 and March 2017.

It was said he was "dysfunctional", had a "disregard for his subordinates", and that he treated junior officers and staff like "roadkill". But Mr Byrne strongly denied the 72 allegations and said he never intended to cause upset or worry. The hearing was told he handed pictures of Dad's Army characters to officers after he became angry when flooding made him late for work.

However, the panel found the incident was an example of Mr Byrne's "approach to leadership" and it was wrong to attribute "malevolent intent" to it.

Mr Byrne had moved from the Met in London to become Cheshire's Chief Constable in 2014. The misconduct hearing was told that he applied for the post of Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police a year later and had mood swings for a fortnight after he failed to get the job.

Mr Byrne's defence barrister said his client had succeeded in driving the Cheshire force forward even though he had "flaws, bad days, grumpy days and one or two occasions when impatience perhaps got the better of him".

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Last year Mr Byrne was cleared of misconduct after the panel said the case - which cost 350,000 in public funds - "could and should have been avoided" and found that no allegations of gross misconduct or misconduct were proved.

Mr Byrne said: "I am very pleased to have been totally exonerated of any wrongdoing".

In a statement released after being cleared, he also said the process, described by his lawyer as unfair, had been an ordeal that wasted "precious public money" and he added that "in some ways, it still feels like upside down justice as I have lost my vocation after 35 years of public service".

The Cheshire police branch of Unison said some of its members had "shown immense courage and bravery to come forward" and that the branch was "extremely disappointed" by the outcome.

A police source said Mr Byrne, whose Cheshire contract expired while he was suspended, had been urged by friends not to let the misconduct allegations sour him or stop him seeking a new job somewhere at the top of policing.

And the PSNI, said the source, would seem to be the perfect fit for Mr Byrne, and vice versa.

Mr Byrne joined the Met as a constable in 1982 and he moved to Merseyside police three years later.

He was promoted to Assistant Chief Constable in 2006 before moving to Greater Manchester Police in 2009 as Deputy Chief Constable.

Then came a return to the Met in 2011 as Assistant Commissioner for Territorial Policing, before he took over at Cheshire Constabulary in 2014.

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The Policing Board here is clearly confident that Mr Byrne is the right man for the job, which carries a salary of 207,489 and will be for a fixed term of five years, with the possibility of an extension.

To underline its decision to appoint Mr Byrne, a board statement pointed to Mr Byrne's "wealth of strategic and operational policing experience" during his years as a policeman - 21 of them as a Chief Officer and eight years of them as a Chief Constable.

Policing Board chair Anne Connolly said Mr Byrne had assured them he had been the subject of "unfounded allegations".

"He has been totally exonerated and the last time I looked that meant the person was innocent, so the board had absolutely no problem in appointing him," she added.

As well as the odd snide remark on the internet, Mr Byrne has also received many more congratulatory messages wishing him well on what is effectively a comeback for him.

He'll already know he isn't going to be short of major challenges on this side of the Irish Sea.

Among the toughest ones will be the ongoing threat posed by dissident republicans now and into the future, and the crisis of how to deal with the legacy of the past.Local political figures have given a lukewarm farewell to outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May.

DUP leader Arlene Foster commended her "dutiful approach", but others were less forgiving.

Mrs Foster's party entered a 'confidence and supply' arrangement with the Conservatives after the 2017 general election.

She said: "Whilst at times there were differences in our approach, particularly on Brexit, we enjoyed a respectful and courteous relationship."

She also thanked Mrs May for approving an extra 1bn in funding for Northern Ireland as part of the pact with the DUP.

She added: "I pay tribute to her selfless service in the interests of the United Kingdom and wish her well for the future."

But Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Tory pact with the DUP had "a negative influence" on the political process.

"The chaos at Westminster cannot be allowed to distract from the very real threat that Brexit poses to Ireland," she said.

"They also should not derail progress in the north talks."

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Ms McDonald said a Brexit deal was still possible but it was paramount any future leader protected rights and agreements.

"Theresa May set unrealisable red lines in the Brexit negotiations and only eventually accepted the need for a backstop as the bare minimum to avoid a hard border," she added.

Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann said Mrs May's dedication was "unquestionable" but her downfall was of her own making.

"The backstop is the problem that needs dealt with and it ultimately broke Theresa May`s premiership," he said.

"The country is deeply divided and the Prime Minister's successor will have to seek to heal those divisions whilst delivering a Brexit which maintains the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom."

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said her resignation showed Brexit was a "fundamentally undeliverable prospect". He said attempts to deliver it had cost the Government 38 ministers and now two Prime Ministers since the 2016 referendum. He conceded that it was "undeniable" Mrs May had exhausted every avenue to find agreement in the House of Commons but there was no consensus to be found. "A new Prime Minister should recognise the mistakes made by Theresa May, revoke Article 50 and put an end to this political, diplomatic and economic car crash."

Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry said any new leader would have to show "realism and honesty" in the role.

"While Theresa May conducted herself in a dignified and courteous manner, it doesn't change the fact she has left the UK in a worse place than when she took up the role," he said.

People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll posted on Twitter: "No sympathy or fair play to Theresa May for doing a 'difficult job' as some might say. She wrecked the lives of millions."

In Dublin Taoiseach Leo Varadar warned British politics was entering a phase that could be "very dangerous" for Ireland.

He said a Eurosceptic Tory who wants to "repudiate" Britain's EU withdrawal agreement could replace her.

Speaking after voting in the Republic's European and local elections yesterday, he said: "Obviously, as anyone can see, British politics is consumed by Brexit and will be consumed by Brexit for a very long time.

"It now means we enter a new phase when it comes to Brexit and a phase that may be a very dangerous one for Ireland. In the next couple of months we may see the election of a Eurosceptic prime minister who wants to repudiate the withdrawal agreement and go for a no-deal, or we may even see a new British Government that wants a close relationship with the EU and goes for a second referendum.

"Whatever happens we are going to hold our nerve, we are going to continue to build and strengthen and deepen our alliance across the European Union, and we will make sure we see Ireland through this."

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said: "Her fate is a reflection of the emerging and ongoing crisis in British politics as a result of Brexit and is a reminder of how unstable and potentially damaging this process remains."The nuclear meltdowns that rocked the Ukraine in 1986 and Japan in 2011 released radiation. Their impacts were far-reaching and long-lasting. But how do the circumstances of Chernobyl and Fukushima compare to each other, and which event caused more damage?

Directly comparing Fukushima to Chernobyl nuclear disasters.

Only one reactor exploded at Chernobyl, while three reactors experienced meltdowns at Fukushima. Yet the accident at Chernobyl was far more dangerous, as damage to the reactor core unspooled very rapidly and violently, said Edwin Lyman, a senior scientist and acting director for the Union of Concerned Scientists Nuclear Safety Project.

As a result, more fission products were released from the single Chernobyl core, Lyman told Live Science. At Fukushima the cores overheated and melted but did not experience violent dispersal, so a much smaller amount of plutonium was released.

In both accidents, radioactive iodine-131 posed the most immediate threat, but with a half-life of eight days, meaning half of the radioactive material decayed within that time, its effects soon dissipated. In both meltdowns, the long-term hazards arose primarily from strontium-90 and cesium-137, radioactive isotopes with half-lives of 30 years.

Fukushima Chernobyl comparison. via Nature

And Chernobyl released far more cesium-137 than Fukushima did, according to Lyman.

About 25 petabecquerels (PBq) of cesium-137 was released to the environment from the three damaged Fukushima reactors, compared to an estimate of 85 PBq for Chernobyl, he said. PBq is a unit for measuring radioactivity that shows the decay of nuclei per second.

Whats more, Chernobyls raging inferno created a towering plume of radioactivity that dispersed more widely than the radioactivity released by Fukushima, Lyman added.

Sickness, cancer and death

At Chernobyl, two plant workers were killed by the initial explosion and 29 more workers died from radiation poisoning over the next three months, Time reported in 2018. Many of those who died had knowingly exposed themselves to deadly radiation as they worked to secure the plant and prevent further leaks. Government officials relocated an estimated 200,000 people from the region, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

In the years that followed, cancers in children skyrocketed in the Ukraine, up by more than 90%, according to Time. A report issued by United Nations agencies in 2005 approximated that 4,000 people could eventually die of radiation exposure from Chernobyl. Greenpeace International estimated, in 2006, that the number of fatalities in the Ukraine, Russia and Belarus could be as high as 93,000 people, with 270,000 people in those countries developing cancers who otherwise would not have done so.

In an abandoned village in Belarus, in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, vacant houses are overgrown with bushes and trees.Credit: Shutterstock

At Fukushima, there were no deaths or cases of radiation sickness directly associated with the accident  neither workers nor members of the public, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

However, Japans aggressive disaster response, which relocated 100,000 people from their homes near Fukushima, is thought to have indirectly caused around 1,000 deaths, most of which were people age 66 years or more, the World Nuclear Association reported.

No-go zones

Japanese authorities created a no-go zone around Fukushima that extended for 12 miles (20 kilometers); the damaged reactors were permanently closed, while cleanup efforts continued.

The extent of Fukushimas environmental impact is still unknown, though there is already some evidence that genetic mutations are on the rise in butterflies from the Fukushima area, producing deformations in their wings, legs and eyes. [See Photos of Fukushimas Deformed Butterflies]

Radiation from contaminated water that escaped Fukushima reached North Americas western coast in 2014, but experts said that contamination was too low to pose a threat to human health. And in 2018, researchers reported that wines produced in California after the Fukushima accident had elevated levels of radioactive cesium-137, but the California Department of Public Health declared that the wines were not dangerous to consume.

A satellite view shows the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power plant on March 14, 2011, after two of its reactors exploded.Credit: DigitalGlobe/Getty

Chernobyls exclusion zone encompassed an area 18 miles (30 km) around the ruins of the plant, and the towns within its boundaries remain abandoned to this day. Trees in nearby forests turned red and died soon after the explosion. But decades later, diverse wildlife communities appear to be thriving in the zone, in the absence of human inhabitants.

By 2010, the Ukrainian government determined that danger from radiation exposure in the area around Chernobyl was negligible, and the exclusion zone would be widely opened to tourists by the following year (though living in the area is still prohibited). But people who visit certain locations more than once will be supplied with handheld dosimeters to check their radiation exposure, so the visits are not without risk, Live Science previously reported.

Whats more, radiation levels around Chernobyl can vary widely. Aerial drone surveys revealed in May that radiation in Ukraines Red Forest was concentrated in previously unknown hotspots, which scientists outlined in the regions most accurate radiation maps to date.

The Fukushima nuclear power plant is still open and active (though the reactors that exploded remain closed); nonetheless, ongoing concerns about safety linger. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) recently announced that it would not hire foreign workers coming to Japan under newly relaxed immigration rules; TEPCO representatives cited concerns about the ability of non-native Japanese speakers to follow the plants highly detailed safety instructions, The Japan Times reported yesterday (May 23).

In the end, both disasters provided important lessons for the world on the inherent risks of using nuclear energy, Lyman told Live Science.

No one should underestimate the challenges needed to ensure nuclear power is safe enough for it to play a major role in the worlds energy future, he said. The key for regulators and operators is to always prepare for the unexpected.

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[LiveScience]Daniel McGuigan died after being attacked on a Glasgow street (Police Scotland/PA)

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the death of a man in Glasgow.

Daniel McGuigan, 35, was attacked on Stravanan Street, Castlemilk, in front of his colleagues on Friday.

Emergency services were called out at about 10.50am and Mr McGuigan was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police Scotland said in a statement: Police Scotland can confirm a 14-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the death of a 35-year-old man in Castlemilk on Friday May 24.

The force continued: The deceased can be named as Daniel McGuigan. Enquiries into the circumstances surrounding his death are continuing.The Education Secretary has branded claims of financial hardship among universities as scaremongering amid speculation that a review will recommend a cut in tuition fees.

Damian Hinds said hyperbolic warnings were misrepresenting the situation facing institutions, most of which have healthy balance sheets.

The minister made the comments after concerns were raised that cutting tuition fees would harm students and even push several universities into bankruptcy.

A review of tuition fees commissioned by Theresa May is reported to be considering whether to reduce the cap to 7,500.

Alistair Jarvis, chief executive of Universities UK, said any reduction in fees must be made up in full by the Government.

Hyperbolic warnings from some on universities finances are distorting the overall pictureDamian Hinds

Mr Hinds said: The financial sustainability of our universities is clearly important to the staff and students of those institutions, as well as the local economies and communities they serve.

But with the vast majority of universities in a good financial position, hyperbolic warnings from some on universities finances are distorting the overall picture.

The Education Secretary said that Britains universities had enjoyed rising student numbers and increased tuition fee income since the financial crash, whereas most sectors had had to reduce their expenditure.

Mr Hinds added: I do understand universities are facing some challenges, but reports of financial hardship across the entire sector is scaremongering.

Most universities have healthy balance sheets. Weve been seeing growth in international student admissions, with much further potential. And the number of 18-year-olds in England is soon to enter a period of sustained growth.

I will do all I can to ensure the sector is financially stable now and in the future, but of course institutions need to act responsibly and develop sustainably.

Mr Jarvis warned cutting fees would lead to bigger class sizes, poorer facilities, labs and libraries, a worsening student experience, job cuts and less money to support access and retention.

It could damage research, reduces the number of highly-skilled employees that business needs and harm our international competitiveness, he told FE News.

If Theresa Mays review of post-18 education recommends a cut in tuition fees, the funding gap must be made up in full by a government teaching grant.

A funding cut for universities would be a political choice which harms students, the economy and communities that benefit from universities.

According to figures from Universities UK, 35.7 billion went into UK higher education institutions in 2016-17.

A funding cut for universities would be a political choice which harms students, the economy and communities that benefit from universitiesAlistair Jarvis

Less than half (46.9%) came from fees related to teaching  16.7 billion  while government funding for teaching represented 9.1%.

Last year, Sir Michael Barber, head of the Office for Students (OfS) watchdog, warned that universities that are not financially sustainable will not be bailed out.

He said some university bosses making misjudged financial decisions believe ultimately it will be OK because the OfS will bail them out.

This is wrong, the OfS will not bail out providers in financial difficulty, he said.

Mrs May launched a review of post-18 education led by finance expert and author Philip Augar in February last year.

The review has been focusing on four key areas; ensuring education is accessible to all, the funding system, encouraging choice and competition and providing the skills the country needs.

According to the BBC, the review is expected to report back next week.

Responding to the comments from Mr Hinds, the University and College Union (UCU) said lowering the tuition fee cap without direct investment to plug the funding gap would have serious implications for universities, but make little or no difference to the vast majority of students.

The union pointed to modelling from London Economics which it said showed that cutting fees to 7,500 a year would reduce higher education funding by around 1.8 billion a year.

UCU acting general secretary Paul Cottrell said: It is not scaremongering to point out the huge sums of money universities would lose if the government backs a cut in fees and does not plug the gap.

The Prime Minister called the funding review because the current system was so politically toxic.

However, we have seen nothing that suggests the review is looking at the sort of radical alternatives that would make life easier for students and guarantee funding for our colleges and universities.

The UCU, in its submission to the Augar Review, has suggested reversing cuts to corporation tax to fund university tuition fees.Prime Minister Theresa May announced she was standing down as Tory party leader on Friday June 7 (Yui Mok/PA)

Britains papers have given their verdicts on Theresa Mays resignation, her premiership and what politicians should do next for the country.

The Daily Telegraph, which called for Mrs Mays resignation on Thursday, says Mrs May will leave Number 10 far too late and having wasted precious time.

The front page of tomorrows Daily Telegraph: 'Boris makes Brexit vow in push for No 10' #tomorrowspaperstoday https://t.co/M8vYxCsh0i pic.twitter.com/lqf7ldwR0H  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) May 24, 2019

While having showed unwavering dedication to the job, her list of achievements is pitifully short, the paper says.

Perhaps the most serious consequence of Mrs Mays time in office will be her successors reaction to everything she got wrong, whoever that will be.

If anyone ought to heed the Prime Ministers advice that compromise is not a dirty word, it is the EU.

The Guardian says Mrs Mays legacy is poisonous and that she was doomed by her failure to face honestly the real choices of Brexit, and to make her party face them too.

The Guardian front page, Saturday 25 May 2019: Broken by Brexit pic.twitter.com/M6oT14hMVD  The Guardian (@guardian) May 24, 2019

There was some pathos in Theresa Mays attempt today to list accomplishments in government to offset her colossal failure to take Britain out of the European Union, the paper says.

So she passes on an insoluble problem to a successor who can only win the job by promising to do the impossible. It is a miserable and poisonous legacy.

The Times says Mrs Mays failure was self-inflicted and that her successor will need to be realistic about what is achievable.

The Times 25/5/2019

Theresa May breaks down as she announces her resignation outside number 10 Downing Street. She said as part of her speech, she done everything she could to deliver Brexit. Photo : Times Photographer Richard Pohle#thetimes #tomorrowspaperstoday @thetimes pic.twitter.com/fIMmzlYUlK  The Times Pictures (@TimesPictures) May 24, 2019

No one need feel too much sympathy for Theresa May. Her career has ended in humiliating failure but that was largely her own fault, the paper says.

The Conservative Party must use this election to reflect realistically about what can be negotiated with the EU, honest about the damage that no-deal would inflict on the economy and honest about the risk that a general election would lead to a second referendum, which could result in no Brexit.

The Daily Mail says Mrs May made mistakes of her own, but she always acted in good faith, which is more than can be said for most of the vipers around her.

An honourable Brexit was in our grasp. But the political class spurned it  placing personal prejudice and hubris above pragmatism and the national interest, the paper says.

Around the country they are despised for it. Its hard to think of any time when politicians were

held in such low esteem. They were given a simple job. They flunked it.

The Daily Mirror says Mrs May came to office with noble intentions, but the words were never matched by deeds.

She bequeaths a dismal domestic legacy of more than four million children in poverty, a record number of people using foodbanks and crumbling public services, the paper says.

Who takes over the reins of power should not be in the hands of Conservative MPs and a few thousands party members. If the next leader wants a mandate to govern they should call a general election.

The Sun says it would take a heart of stone not to be moved by the emotion in Mrs Mays resignation speech, but concludes she has been a poor Prime Minister with a legacy of thin gruel.

For all that her critics have thrown at her, The Sun included, who could fail to recognise the monstrous strain she has endured for three years?, the paper says.

(But) Mrs May has left the Tories in dire straits and with one chance to survive. For their sake  and Britains  they had better make the right choice.

The Daily Express calls for readers to stay positive about the future  at least for the time being.

Tomorrow's @Daily_Express #frontpages



- Tears for the love of her country. On a historic day, PM #TheresaMay quits and admits defeat over EU deadlock.



...But who can now deliver #Brexit and unite Britain?



Unrivalled reports and the best analysis across 14 pages. pic.twitter.com/2bgwVTuhsM  Daily Express (@Daily_Express) May 24, 2019

Mrs May gave her all for her country. To have endured deeply personal and vitriolic attacks while trying her best to secure Brexit is a burden few can comprehend, the paper says.

We are a divided people with a fractured Parliament. Tribal by nature, our very worst instincts have risen to the fore, and Mrs May failed to bridge the insurmountable gap between intransigence and flexibility.

North of the border, The Scottish Sun says she has been Britains unluckiest Prime Minister and if anyone was cursed with a reverse Midas touch, it was Mrs May.

From robotic dancing to almost choking to death as her conference speech set fell to pieces around her, everything that could go wrong, did. But the problems were more than purely cosmetic, the paper says.HMS Queen Elizabeth passing under the Forth Rail Bridge on the start of its journey home to Portsmouth (Andrew Milligan/PA)

The Royal Navys aircraft carrier has sailed into its home port of Portsmouth after its commanding officer was removed from post for using an official car for personal journeys.

Commodore Nick Cooke-Priest is understood to have been onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth but then removed as it set sail from Rosyth, Scotland, earlier this week.

The navy had already announced that Cdre Cooke-Priest, who takes the rank of captain for being in charge of the carrier, was being reassigned.

A Royal Navy spokesman said on Wednesday: In light of the ongoing investigation, as a precautionary measure to protect both the individual and the ships company, the Royal Navy has decided that Captain Nick Cooke-Priest will not be at sea in HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Cdre Cooke-Priest, who joined the Royal Navy in 1990, had only been in command of the 280-metre vessel, described by the Royal Navy as an awe-inspiring warship capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft, since last October.

He has been accused of using the navys Ford Galaxy car for personal journeys in breach of the services rules.

The decision to remove him from the role has been criticised by former senior officers including a retired commanding officer of an aircraft carrier who said: I know of him and he is seen as a fine chap, it seems somewhat harsh and smacks of political correctness.

Admiral Alan West, former first sea lord and security adviser to Gordon Brown, said: Nick Cooke-Priest is a very good officer and highly competent and nice officer and I would be surprised he has done anything dishonest but I dont know the details of it so I cannot comment further.

Crowds lined the sea walls of Portsmouth to wave home the 65,000-tonne warship as it returned to the Hampshire citys naval base.

Work carried out during the six-week maintenance period included replacing 284 hull valves, removing and cleaning both rudder blades and applying a fresh coat of anti-foul paint to the ships bottom.

Successful completion of the work means HMS Queen Elizabeth should not need to dock down again for another six years, the navy said.

The carrier will go on to conduct a period of sea trials and training before a planned deployment to the east coast of the United States later in the year.File pic of Stan Lee arriving at the Los Angeles premiere of Spider-Man: Homecoming (Jordan Strauss/AP)

A former business manager of Stan Lee has been arrested on elder abuse charges involving the late comic book great.

Los Angeles police said Keya Morgan was taken into custody in Arizona early Saturday on an outstanding arrest warrant.

Morgan was charged earlier this month with felony allegations of theft, embezzlement, forgery or fraud against an elder adult, and false imprisonment of an elder adult.

Expand Close The creator of Spider-man, Stan Lee (Francis Specker/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

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Authorities said Morgan sought to manipulate and exert control over Lee even though he did not have authority to act on Lees behalf.

Lee died in November at the age of 95.

Lawyer Alex Kessel has said Morgan has never abused or taken advantage of Lee.

Bail has been set for 300,000 US dollars and Morgan will eventually be extradited to Los Angeles.Abortion-rights advocates have taken part in protests in the US (Michael DeMocker/NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune via AP)

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Mississippi law that would ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, at about six weeks of pregnancy.

Here we go again, US District Judge Carlton Reeves wrote in his order. Mississippi has passed another law banning abortions prior to viability.

His new order stops the law from taking effect on July 1.

Mr Reeves is the same judge who struck down a 2018 Mississippi law to ban abortion at 15 weeks.

Mississippi is one of several states that have pushed this year to enact bans on early abortions.

Expand Close Alabamas Republican governor recently signed a law to ban most abortions, sparking protests in the state (AP Photo/Kim Chandler, File) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Opponents of abortion are emboldened by new conservative Supreme Court justices and are looking for ways to challenge the courts 1973 ruling that legalised abortion nationwide.

Mr Reeves heard arguments on Tuesday from lawyers for the states only abortion clinic, who said the law would effectively eliminate all abortions in Mississippi because cardiac activity is often first detectable when many women might not know they are pregnant.

Lawyers with the state attorney generals office said the law should be allowed to take effect because it was not a complete ban on abortion but was instead a limit on when the procedure could be done.

Alabamas Republican governor recently signed a law to ban most abortions, while Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana and Ohio have enacted or neared approval of measures barring abortion once there is a detectable fetal heartbeat.

Missouri politicians approved an eight-week ban. All of those laws are expected to face legal challenges, and the Kentucky one was temporarily blocked by a federal judge in March.

Mr Reeves ruled last year that Mississippis 15-week ban was unconstitutional because it would prohibit access to abortion before a fetus could survive outside the pregnant womans body.

Expand Close People gather for a rally in support of reproductive rights in Dallas (Ryan Michalesko/The Dallas Morning News via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Viability is generally considered to be about 23 or 24 weeks.

In an indication of which way he was leaning on the request to block the new law with the earlier ban, Mr Reeves asked lawyers on Tuesday: Doesnt it boil down to: Six is less than 15?

Also during the hearing, Mr Reeves criticised Mississippi politicians for passing an earlier ban after he struck down the one at 15 weeks.

It sure smacks of defiance to this court, he said.

Mr Reeves will hear arguments later about the question of whether the six-week ban is constitutional. He wrote on Friday that the new law prevents a womans free choice, which is central to personal dignity and autonomy. This injury outweighs any interest the State might have in banning abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat.

The state is appealing Mr Reeves ruling on the 15-week ban, and Republican Governor Phil Bryant signed the new law in March.

The states only abortion clinic, Jackson Womens Health Organisation, quickly sued the state.

BREAKING: A federal judge just struck down Mississippis 6 week abortion ban!!



Once again the rule of law has prevailed over political ploys to control personal health decisions. Well fight tooth and nail to make sure all of these bans meet the same fate.  Center for Reproductive Rights (@ReproRights) May 24, 2019

Mr Bryant said in a statement on Friday that he was disappointed in Mr Reeves ruling.

As governor, Ive pledged to do all I can to protect life, Mr Bryant said. Time and time again the Legislature and I have done just that.

The Mississippi law says physicians who perform abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected could face revocation of their state medical licences.

It also says abortions could be allowed after a fetal heartbeat is found if a pregnancy endangers a womans life or one of her major bodily functions.

Senators rejected an amendment that would have allowed exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.Kami Rita is welcomed by his wife at the airport in Kathmandu (Niranjan Shrestha/AP)

Family, friends and supporters have welcomed a veteran Sherpa guide on his return to Nepals capital, days after his 24th climb of Mount Everest extended his record.

Kami Rita flew back from Everest to Kathmandu, where he was greeted by the waiting crowd at the airport.

His wife hugged him and the crowd covered him with a cream-coloured scarf and offered him yoghurt.

The brief celebration at the airport was followed by Mr Rita riding on a truck waving to supporters as has was driven out of the airport.

Expand Close Well-wishers wait to welcome veteran Sherpa guide Kami Rita (Niranjan Shrestha/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Well-wishers wait to welcome veteran Sherpa guide Kami Rita (Niranjan Shrestha/AP)

He told reporters he was very happy but exhausted.

Mr Rita reached Everests 8,850m (29,035ft) peak on Tuesday, the second time he had climbed to the summit in a week.

The climbs bring Mr Rita, 49, closer to his target of 25 ascents of Everest before he retires from high mountain climbing. His two closest peers have climbed Everest 21 times each, but both of them have retired.

There are 41 teams with a total of 378 climbers permitted to scale Everest during the spring climbing season. An equal number of Nepalese guides are helping them get to the summit.

Expand Close A warm welcome for Kami Rita (Niranjan Shrestha/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Mr Rita first scaled Everest in 1994 and has been making the trip nearly every year since.

His father was among the first Sherpa guides employed to help climbers reach the summit, and Mr Rita followed in his footsteps. In addition to his two dozen summits of Everest, Mr Rita has scaled some of the other highest mountains, including K-2, Cho-Oyu, Manaslu and Lhotse.

Sherpa tribespeople were mostly yak herders and traders living deep within the Himalayas until Nepal opened its borders in the 1950s. Their stamina and familiarity with the mountains quickly made them sought-after guides and porters.Donald Trump has been blocked from building sections of his long-sought border wall (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

A federal judge has blocked US president Donald Trump from building sections of his long-sought border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency.

US district judge Haywood Gilliam Jr immediately halted the administrations efforts to redirect military-designated funds for wall construction on Friday.

His order applies to two projects, scheduled to begin as early as Saturday, to replace 51 miles of fence in two areas on the Mexican border.

Mr Gilliam issued the ruling after hearing arguments last week in two cases.

California and 19 other states brought one lawsuit; the Sierra Club and a coalition of communities along the border brought the other.

BREAKING: We just won our motion on behalf of the @SierraClub and @SBCCoalition to block the illegal construction of Trumps border wall.



Construction using money illegally diverted under the presidents emergency declaration was set to begin as soon as tomorrow.  ACLU (@ACLU) May 25, 2019

His ruling was the first of several lawsuits against Mr Trumps controversial decision to bypass the normal appropriations process to pay for his long-sought wall.

The position that when Congress declines the Executives request to appropriate funds, the Executive nonetheless may simply find a way to spend those funds without Congress does not square with fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic, the judge wrote in granting a temporary injunction to stop construction.

At stake is billions of dollars that would allow Mr Trump to make progress in a signature campaign promise heading into his campaign for a second term.

Mr Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House over fully paying for the wall that led to a 35-day government shutdown.

This is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities.



The court blocked all wall projects currently slated for immediate construction.



If the Trump administration begins illegally diverting additional funds, we'll be back in court.  ACLU (@ACLU) May 25, 2019

As a compromise on border and immigration enforcement, Congress set aside 1.375 billion US dollars (1.08 billion) to extend or replace existing barriers in Texas Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.

Mr Trump grudgingly accepted the money, but he declared the emergency to siphon money from other government accounts because he wanted to spend 8 billion dollars (6 billion) on wall construction.

The funds include 3.6 billion dollars (2.8 billion) from military construction funds, 2.5 billion dollars (2 billion) from Defence Department counter-drug activities and 600 million dollars (470 million) from the Treasury Departments asset forfeiture fund.

The presidents adversaries say the emergency declaration was an illegal attempt to ignore Congress, which authorised far less wall spending than Trump wanted.

We welcome the courts decision to block Trumps attempts to sidestep Congress to build deadly walls that would hurt communities living at the border, endanger wildlife, and have damaging impacts on the environment, said Andrea Guerrero, a member of the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

Expand Close Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House over fully paying for the wall that led to a 35-day government shutdown (AP Photo/Matt York, File) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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The administration said Mr Trump was protecting national security as unprecedented numbers of Central American asylum-seeking families arrive at the US border.

The courtroom showdowns come amid a flurry of activity to accelerate wall construction.

Kenneth Rapuano, an assistant secretary of defence, said in a court filing last month that work on the highest-priority, Pentagon-funded projects could begin as soon as Saturday.Indias president has appointed Narendra Modi as the prime minister soon after newly-elected politicians from the ruling alliance, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, elected him as their leader after a thunderous victory in national elections.

President Ram Nath Kovind said in a tweet that he also asked Mr Modi to forward the names of those to be appointed as ministers in his government and the date for swearing-in for his second five-year term as prime minister.

Mr Modi and some leaders of his alliance met the president on Saturday.

Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution of India, President Kovind, today appointed @narendramodi to the office of Prime Minister of India pic.twitter.com/xrs5jgCGkF  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 25, 2019

Media reports said that Mr Modi is likely to be sworn in by Mr Kovind on Thursday.

BJP president Amit Shah announced Mr Modis name as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance in a meeting of the politicians in the Central Hall of Parliament in New Delhi.

The Election Commission announced that the BJP won 303 out of 542 seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, after the official vote count from the six-week-long election was completed on Friday.

That is well beyond the simple majority a party in India needs to form a government.

The BJPs top rival, the Indian National Congress led by Rahul Gandhi, won 52 seats, and the All India Trinamool Congress led by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee won 22.

Critics say Mr Modi and his party have applied divisive policies and used a Hindu-first strategy.

But Mr Modi said after Saturdays vote that this election has become a movement of social unity.

It is generally said that the election divides, creates distances, makes walls. But the 2019 elections have worked to break the walls, he said in his address.

Our Constitution is a rich and extensive social document that encapsulates the dreams our freedom fighters had for the nation.



Our only loyalty is to the Constitution and the values enshrined in it. pic.twitter.com/3VysAWfKDI  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 25, 2019

On Friday, Mr Modi met with his outgoing Cabinet ministers and later presented his resignation to the countrys president.

The president asked the officials to continue to serve until the new government assumes office.

Mr Gandhi, whose great-grandfather, grandmother and father were all prime ministers, personally conceded his seat, long a Congress party bastion, to his BJP rival, Indias textiles minister, marking the end of an era for modern Indias most powerful political dynasty.

Vote counting of the estimated 600 million ballots cast over six weeks of staggered polling, the worlds largest democratic exercise, began early on Thursday.

I thank colleagues of the BJP and NDA for placing their faith in me and electing me to lead the NDA in Parliament.



We will work together, as a team and contribute to Indias development trajectory. pic.twitter.com/r1jc9xsTe3  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 25, 2019

The victory was largely seen as a referendum on Mr Modis Hindu-first politics that some observers say have bred intolerance toward Muslims and other religious minorities, as well as his muscular stance on neighbouring Pakistan, with whom India nearly went to war earlier this year after suicide attacks killed more than 40 Indian security officials in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Mr Modi effectively used the incident as a major campaign tool after responding to the attack with an airstrike in Pakistan that triggered nationalist sentiments, with the BJP saying Mr Modi is the right person to ensure Indias national security.Firefighters managed to contain by Saturday the wildfires that had raged throughout Israel the previous days. Some 3,500 people were evacuated from towns and dozens of homes were destroyed during the heights of the blazes on Thursday as brushfires raged nationwide, with more than 500 acres of woodland burned. International help from Greece, Croatia, Italy, Egypt and Cyprus arrived to help battle the blazes, while Russia and the Palestinian Authority also offered support.

ISRAEL SPENDS WEEKEND ABLAZE AS FIRES BREAK OUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY Approximately 3,500 residents were evacuated, dozens of homes burned down. via Jerusalem Post

In the village of Mevo Modiim, founded by musician Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, 40 of the 50 homes burned down. Nearby Kibbutz Harel was also particularly hard hit. Residents in the affected areas were finally permitted to return home on Friday.

Firefighters also battled a new blaze that broke out on Friday in the northern Jordan Valley, which also spread across the border into Jordan, but eventually managed to contain that one as well. Highway 90 was closed to traffic as firefighters worked to control the flames.

Israel saw a dramatic spike in temperatures on Thursday across the country, as wildfires had already started by Wednesday evening following the Lag Baomer holiday, during which bonfires are customarily lit. By Thursday afternoon, Tel Aviv and the northern city of Haifa both saw some 40 degrees Celsius. In the southern city of Beer Sheva, temperatures rose to 44 degrees, while the Dead Sea region experienced 48 degrees.

Ben Shemen forest was lit aflame, requiring a large task force comprising firefighters, the army and police attempting to quell the fire.

Residents of Ben Shemen, Gimzo and Pisgat Zeev and personnel at Mitkan Adam IDF base, all of which are in the Modiin area, were all evacuated, as well. Tarum, which lay slightly northward, was also evacuated. Smaller fires were likewise reported in Betar Illit, Rosh Haayin, Nahal Oz, Rahat, Beeri, and Shaar Hanegev. An electrical fault was considered the reason for at least one of the fires, although arson was not yet ruled out.

While Public Security Minister Erdan said arson was not suspected, a series of simultaneous fires in the Gaza region over the weekend was blamed on balloon-borne incendiary devices being sent over the border. Erdan and Netanyahu were briefed on Friday on the status of the wildfires at the emergency and rescue forces headquarters in Tel Hadid.

Deputy Commander of the Fire Extinguisher Squadron Nir Rosenthal and senior officials from the NSC, the Defense Ministry, the Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority, KKL-JNF, the Home Front Command and the Meteorological Service attended the briefing.

On Friday, 17 May 2019, settlers torched unfarmed fields in Burin and Asirah al-Qibliyah. In both villages the settlers threw stones at the residents homes. In Asirah al-Qibliyah, where the area is controlled by military watchtowers, a settler even fired shots in the air. Soldiers nearby did not arrest the attackers and prevented the Palestinians from approaching their burning land:

Incidentally, other fires sparked during the heat wave, although not necessarily related to the wildfires. A school in Ganei Tikva was reportedly in flames on Friday. On Saturday, a toddler was killed and 14 others injured when a fire broke out in an apartment building in Safed, including the four-year-old brother of the toddler.

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[Jerusalem Post]I have a confession to make. One which, I know, that will alarm and offend and probably even disgust many of my fellow Remainers. Like them I think leaving the EU is very much a bad idea. It is a bad idea for the UK as a whole and will (in my opinion anyway) be even more damaging still for Northern Ireland.

Whatever the faults of the EU - and I admit there are major faults - I think we'd be better off trying to resolve them from within.

I feel sorry for oul' Theresa who I think was always on a hiding to nothing. And I really don't like Boris or Jacob or any other of those self-serving Brexiteers slavering like vultures over the keys to Number 10. I can't stand Jezza either. Or his wannabe replacement Tom Watson.

But here's the thing.

Despite the fact that I don't like his message, his politics or the company he keeps, I do... here it comes, brace yourself... I do sort of like Nigel Farage.

Yes, I know this is the one thing which media commentators today must never, ever admit to.

And okay, maybe "like" is going a bit too far.

But, put it like this - I do see what people see in him. Farage for all his many faults appeals to exactly the sort of people all those named above claim to care about deeply and to represent.

Except that they don't.

Farage appeals to the sceptical, mostly northern working-class who are alternatively ignored by their political patronisers down south, or are collectively dismissed as elderly, white, male bigots. Racists. Thickos. Oiks.

This is what political discourse now comes down to. We don't listen anymore to others who don't share our view - we don't try to understand them. We just call them names and assign to them the basest of motives.

The 17.5 million people who voted for Brexit are thus condemned as one homogeneous mass of swivel-eyed racism. What Hillary dubbed the Deplorables.

Never in my lifetime, I think, has such a large popular vote been so dismissed with so very little rational debate or analysis as to why all those people would have voted 'out'.

No wonder then, they've turned to Farage.

It's rightly been pointed out that part of his success has been down to the fact that almost alone among political parties out there, his is a simple, single-issue message. Brexit. End of.

But also working in his favour surely, is that he's less of a poseur than so many people in politics these days.

He doesn't artfully mess up the hair and play the toff-buffoon like Boris. Or just play the throwback-toff like Rees-Mogg. He isn't po-faced and pompous like the entire Labour front bench.

He even occasionally looks like he's enjoying himself.

He has that distinct face that is part Simpson's cartoon endlessly broken into that cheery (although sometimes, admittedly, manic) grin.

He's not adverse to a pint down the pub. He clowns around a bit. He seems to have a sense of humour.

Above all he doesn't squirm at the sight of his working-class followers the way so many on the Left do.

He bounces back from attack by milkshake and Marr, the grin undiminished.

As one commentator says there is indeed about him, "something odd around the edges".

Farage is a renegade. But he still has enough of "man of the people" about him to attract the voters.

He has no real policies other than Out. He is very unlikely ever to be PM. He is a political conundrum.

On the one hand he garners a massive working-class following. On the other he is very definitely Man Most Hated by a whole swathe of what is commonly regarded as the political elite - by lefties, by Tory HQ and by the majority of the commentariat.

It occurs to me these things might not be unrelated.

Celeb chef Jamie put too many eggs in one basket

If Jamie Oliver was a foodstuff, he'd be a hamburger. You can find him just about anywhere in the world.

If you were in Outer Mongolia right now I'm pretty certain if you turned on the TV he'd be there, with subtitles in Mongolian, explaining how with four simple ingredients you can knock up a nutritious pasta dish that, you know, takes it to another level and is, oh my days, just joyous.

There would be Jamie looking ecstatic as he slurps a bit of sauce from a spoon. Which, I suppose, is how you and I would look too if we could also hear the distant kerching of a few more grand being deposited in the bank account.

This week, though, it all went avocado pear-shaped for Mr Oliver.

His restaurant chain went down the kitchen sink to the tune of millions. Over 1,000 people lost their jobs. Unlike Jamie they don't have the book deals and TV profits, the very large mansion and the outsize ego to fall back upon. That said, I do feel some sympathy for the man.

He built up the Oliver empire himself with little more than a talent for talking up his own cookery and showing how it's done.

For a time he lost the run of himself I think, hobnobbing in Number 10, preaching to the rest of us.

But he did rid the world of Turkey Twizzlers. Even if he obviously overstretched on the restaurant chain operation.

Chefs especially, you think, would remember that old lesson about not putting too many eggs in one basket.

Ive already got a hubby to drive me mad

I like the story about the scientists at Queen's University who are working on a car that responds to your emotions. Even if this also worries me. The technology will respond to stress and even offer to switch to self-drive mode. "I'll drive, you're too uptight." You wouldn't take it from a passenger so why would you take it from your Corsa? As for nagging me to put on the indicator... change gear... watch where you're reversing you idiot!! I've already got a husband for all that.

Lets be honest, the statue of Best is worst

About the kindest thing you can say about the George Best statue is that it isn't a great likeness. Some reports say fans are "divided over it". I have yet to hear from anyone who thinks it's a grand job. I've even had an email from a friend in America who has used bad words to describe it. It's been compared to the Ronaldo statue and the Mo Farah effort which are both equally awful. To paraphrase an old saying you could sum up all three bronze tributes as - Ronaldo woeful, Mo worse, George worst.The fact that the new Chief Constable of the PSNI was agreed unanimously by the selection panel is a strong indication of the mettle and expertise of the man.

However, he will not be long in the job in Northern Ireland before he realises that policing here is different from elsewhere in the UK.

Read More

Simon Byrne has many challenges to face and most are extremely difficult to counter.

The most immediate problem he faces comes from dissident republicans. These may be micro organisations but they are nonetheless potentially deadly and certainly fanatical.

And depending on how Brexit pans out, the dissidents may be further encouraged if a hard border is established. This was recognised by the outgoing Chief Constable who asked for funding for an additional 400 officers and who suspended the sale of former border stations because of what he termed a "severe" threat from dissidents along the border.

Funding is another crucial area. The PSNI budget was cut by 122m during George Hamilton's tenure and that has impacted on services. Recruitment is another problem as the percentage of Catholics in the force remains steady at 30%, well below its representation in the wider community.

Another problem Mr Byrne will not have encountered elsewhere is dealing with the legacy of the past and investigating historic murders. These issues are all on top of the myriad of problems police deal with on a daily basis.

Mr Byrne will need all the experience he has gained during his 30 years as a police officer, 21 of them in senior roles, and he will also have to earn the respect of the community at large who will be quick to point out any perceived grievances.

At 207,489 it is a well rewarded job but he will definitely earn every penny of that salary if he makes a success of his appointment.

We wish him well in the post as he takes over from a man who was well regarded for his plain speaking and effective leadership.Coastal Produce employee Hampton Smith, center, loads filled propane tanks into customers cars as they fill up in preparation of Hurricane Florence in September 2018.Samsungs newest model, the Galaxy S10, is the first phone to be released on 5G, also known as the fifth generation mobile network. While there are many reasons to be excited about this, the technology will take a year or two to become widespread. Offering the first 5G phone in the UK and abroad, Samsung looks to get ahead of the competition.

The phone will hit the market in June, but you can pre-order it now. With the new model comes a wide variety of upgrades to mobile phone technology. First, 5G is expected to be around 20 times faster than 4G. It is also supposed to have lower latency, which allows for better streaming capabilities. For the first time ever youll be able stream 4K video on a mobile data network connection.

You will need a phone that has a suitable modem to do this, and the first to launch is the Galaxy S10 5G. Vodafone is the first company to offer a 5G network, but many more are expected to announce theirs within the next year. The same goes for the phones that can access the network. While nearly every state-of-the-art smart phone will have 5G, the S10 will be the first to have access to the technology.

Specs of the S10 5G

In addition to the ability to use the 5G network, there are other features that are expected to entice consumers. First, the phone is large, with a 6.7-inch screen with a Dynamic AMOLED Infinity-O display. This is the biggest screen ever to appear on an S-series smart phone. This is to attract buyers who are interested in the superior streaming technology.

It also has a higher capacity battery at 4,500 mAh and 8 GB of RAM. The phone is equipped with 256 GB of storage as its default, but you can always pay for more. With four rear cameras and two front cameras, there is a total of 6 lenses that have Dual OIS and ToF systems, which will provide clearer photos and more zoom capabilities.

While people are very excited about the S10 5G, there are a few drawbacks. For one the size of the phone is not appealing to some. It is also a single-SIM device and doesnt offer a micro-SD slot.

Price of the S10 5G

According to the experts at the site MoneyPug, which is used in the UK to compare mobile phone deals , the S10 5G will cost 799 for 128 GB of storage while the standard 256 GB will set you back 999. The S10+ is priced at 899, 1,099 and 1,399 for 128 GB, 512 GB and 1T respectively.

Samsung has also announced the Galaxy S10e, which is there more affordable answer to the iPhone XR. The XR has done better than expected in sales, showing phone companies that consumers will upgrade if they offer an affordable alternative to the latest phones. It sells at 699 for SIM-free and 128GB of storage.

As for monthly data use, several companies have announced what they will charge UK consumers for the 5G phone. EE is offering at 48 to at 53 a month for the Galaxy S10 and S10+. Tesco mobile will charge 32.75, 39.99, and 42.49 for the three models. Vodafone, the first company to announce a 5G network will charge a bit more, from at 54 a month and at 49 upfront to 99 a month depending on the model. The phone costs range, but it will be a while before 5G phones are widespread, and this will slow the technology down.

The S10 5G Making History

Still, despite that the roll out of 5G phones may be slower than we want, the fifth generation network will lead to some amazing technological advances. It will speed up the process of everything from VR to self-driving cars. The speed of the network is beyond anything weve had before and this will make all kinds of new developments happen. We can only wait to see how 5G will truly affect our world, but it is sure to change technology as we know it. And with all these changes, our lives will never be the same.Mainly Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province & Ringing Trips to BahrainRichwood, TX (77531)

Today

Generally cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 80F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low around 70F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.Friday, May 24, 2019 at 8:42PM

by Nathaniel R

Margot Robbie at Cannes for "Once Upon a Time in..."There are 21 titles competing for the Palme d'Or at Cannes this year. We've already talked about seven titles. Pedro Almodovar's Pain & Glory (Spain) is a potential prize winner (and a legit Oscar hopeful) and Mati Diop's Atlantique (France/Senegal), and Celine Sciamma's Portrait of a Lady on Fire (France) could be the key films in ensuring prizes to female directors (something Cannes has historically been bad at) since they were both extremely well-received.

In addition to those three potential Palme d'Or or Best Director winners (Cannes most important prizes), Ladj Ly's contemporary French drama Les Miserables and Kleber Mendonca Filho's Brazilian oddity Bacurau are also threats for jury love. Diao Yinan's The Wild Goose Lake and Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Don't Die got decent notices but we don't expect prizes there.

With Cannes ending this weekend we've run out of time so here are quick notes on responses to the other 14 Competition titles and our predictions after the jump...

COMPETITION TITLES





FRANKIE (Ira Sachs, US)

A single day with a family on vacation in Portugal with an all star international cast led by Isabelle Huppert. Sachs has been on a real roll of late (Love is Strange and Little Men were both so wonderful) so we can't wait to see it. Variety seems to consider this one slight but enjoyable but The Guardian hates it. The Wrap likes the performances but uses the word 'simplicity' so we don't expect prizes.

A HIDDEN LIFE (Terrence Malick, US/Germany)

Malick is back with his longest film yet (yikes) and with what everyone is calling his best since The Tree of Life though we must remind you that that isn't a high bar given his recent output. This one is a true story about a conscientous objector (August Diehl) to the Nazis during World War II. As per usual with Malick, movie stars appear (in this case all European like Matthias Schoenaerts and Bruno Ganz) but in tiny roles. The Hollywood Reporter thinks it's beautiful but is disappointed saying "just when you ache for the film to begin to go deeper, it instead starts flatlining". Variety loves it, though, calling it "stunningly relevant" and a return to form. The IndieWire review (very positive) reads like a long sigh of relief "told with the probing moral urgency that was suffused into The Thin Red Line, A Hidden Life is a lucid and profoundly defiant portrait of faith in crisis." With reknowned directors like Malick you never know if their reputation will net them a big jury prize even if the reviews weren't there.

IT MUST BE HEAVEN (Elia Suleiman, France/Canada)

The Palestinian filmmaker stars in this comedy about his own travels. Reviews seem respectful but we don't expect prizes.

LITTLE JOE (Jessica Hausner, Austria/Germany/UK)

A sci-fi picture about a genetically engineered plant with lots of names in the cast. Polygon and Birth Movies Death both like it but seem to feel it's not quite a slam dunk.

MATTHIAS AND MAXIME (Xavier Dolan, Canada)

Dolan's naturally getting a lot of press for this personal drama about friendship but then Dolan always gets a lot of press. His last two pictures were often considered histrionic so it's worth nothing that people are calling this one "gentle" and "restrained". The reviews don't make us think he's a threat for prizes but then, he almost always wins something, even when critics don't respond well and they have this time.

MEKTOUB MY LOVE: INTERMEZZO (Abdellatif Kechiche)

This is a sequel to Kechiche's earlier film Mektoub, My Love: Canto Uno and critics are hating it. Most reviews seem to suggest that it's length (as long as Lawrence of Arabia) is not even slightly warranted and many critics outright hate it. LA Times calls it the worst film at Cannes and IndieWire actually says that 60% of the running time is "extreme close-ups of jiggling female derrieres". Lol. Perhaps Kechiche is trolling Cannes (multiple critics have used variations of this suggestion) after his Palme d'Or win for Blue is the Warmest Color.

OH MERCY (Arnaud Desplechin, France)

A murder investigation drama starring one of our favourite French actresses, Lea Seydoux. Reviews sound a bit suspect, like it's too generic for Desplechin and possibly. as The Wrap suggests, a "pilot in disguise"

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (Quentin Tarantino, US)

You already know about this one. And will have plenty of time to talk about it soon. But reviews are great, calling it dazzling and retro-cool, and anything you might expect it to be called from the trailers.

PARASITE (Bong Joon-ho, South Korea)

Internationally successful Bong Joon-ho leaves the more fantastical genres of sci-fi and horror behind for the time being for this thriller about an unemployed family in crisis. Reviews have been raves for this one, so we hope South Korea will submit it for the Oscars.

SORRY WE MISSED YOU (Ken Loach, UK)

A working class family struggling. Cannes really loves Ken Loach, no matter who is on the jury, since he's won the Palme d'Or twice in the past 13 years.

SYBIL (Justin Triet, France)

Guy Lodge's review at Variety makes this psychothriller sound delicious, writing "a film that effectively plays as cinematic dessert  albeit less a choux puff than a lemon tart, with sharper notes than expected to its creamy pleasures" but the Jury will undoubtedly want something more sober about its importance.

THE TRAITOR (Marco Bellocchio, Italy)

This biopic of the 1980s mafia informant Tommaso Buscetta stars Pierfrancesco Favino. Good reviews but a prize would surprise us. Sony Pictures Classics has already snatched it up for US distribution. But if the jury doesn't go for Antonio Banderas for Best Actor perhaps Favino might factor in?

THE WHISTLERS (Corneliu Porumboiu, Romania)

Porumboiu has been a critical darling at Cannes multiple times but never in the main competition lineup until now. His latest is a bloody dark comedy police thriller set on a remote island in which everyone is double-crossing everyone else and speaking in a coded language made of actual whistles. The Wrap is enamored describing it as "a deliciously twisted ride that runs on an endless supply of black humor". Variety likes it overall but calls it "comparatively minor" in relation to Porumboiu's filmography despite it being his largest and most ambitious picture in multiple ways.

YOUNG AHMED (The Dardenne brothers, Belgium)

The shortest film in competition is about a teenage Muslim boy who becomes radicalized and plots to kill his teacher. Reviews are admiring, as they always are with the Dardennes at Cannes. Though we assume this won't go over as well once the film leaves Cannes, politically speaking.

WHAT WILL WIN?

We've put them in the order of our guesswork about how much the jury will like them (but anything in bold we feel has a really strong chance to win something so it's basically a tie -- they're all threats for the Palme) . What they might win, we're not going to "predict" because Cannes is impossible to guess each year, despite everyone acting each and every year like they know what films will win. Jury deliberations can often result in very odd compromises and "make-up" prizes if something can't win this it will get that... and so on.

PREDICTIONS

Green = We expect one of these four pictures to win the Palme. And if not the Palme something else. Basically we think France is going to have a very good year and dominate the conversation with three reportedly strong pictures. But which, if any, will they choose for their Oscar submission?

Blue = A major prize would not surprise but the Palme win would for various reasons.

Red = Cannes history suggests to never doubt these filmmakers when it comes to prizes, no matter the individual film's reception.

PALME D'OR AND VARIOUS OTHER PRIZES (RANK)

Les Miserables (France) Portrait of a Lady on Fire (France) Pain & Glory (Spain) Atlantique (France/Senegal) Parasite (South Korea) Bacurau (Brazil) Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (US) Sorry We Missed You (UK) Matthias & Maxime (Canada) Young Ahmed (Belgium) The Whistlers (Romania) A Hidden Life (Germany/US) The Traitor (Italy) The Wild Goose Lake (China) It Must Be Heaven (France) Sybil (France/Belgium) Frankie (US) Little Joe (UK) Oh Mercy (France) The Dead Don't Die (US) Mektoub My Love: Intermezzo (France)

ACTOR

Antonio Banderas (Pain & Glory) vs. Pierfrancesco Favino (The Traitor) vs. Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time) vs Vlad Ivanov (Whistlers) vs Ben Addi (Young Ahmed)

ACTRESS

Adele Haenel + Noemi Merlant (Portrait...) vs. Debbie Honeywood (Sorry We've Missed You) vs Emily Beecham (Little Joe) vs. Mama Sane (Atlantique) vs Sonia Braga (Bacurau)Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 20 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on May 25, Trend reports.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.



Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 24/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Amber Woychyshyn is a true local hero.

The 36-year-old paramedic and 911 dispatcher received the Citizen Recognition Award from Brandon Police Service Chief Wayne Balcaen on Tuesday after alerting a family that their house was on fire and getting them to safety.

Amber Woychyshyn receives a Citizen Recognition Award from Brandon police Chief Wayne Balcaen on Tuesday for her heroic efforts to alert residents of a house fire in January. (Submitted)

"Im glad I was in the right place at the right time," said Woychyshyn, who was out walking her dog Jan. 13 when she noticed smoke coming from the roof of her neighbours house on Waverly Drive.

"I knew that it wasnt a good sign, and as I was running across the street I called 911 and started banging on the door and ringing the doorbell over and over and over to try and find out if someone was inside," she said Friday.

"It was a Sunday morning, so chances are most people are relaxing on Sunday mornings, and I just knew I needed to get them notified."

As it turned out, the family of four  including two children  were downstairs and didnt know their house was on fire.

"We were at the front door and, of course, as soon as we opened the door it started to fill out with smoke pretty good," she said.

The parents grabbed their kids, who were still in pyjamas, and ran to a vehicle that had pulled up to keep them warm.

Woychyshyn also alerted the neighbours on both sides of the burning house.

She said she didnt expect to receive recognition for her actions.

"I was not expecting anything," she said. "I would have done it for anyone, anywhere, anytime. Its something that I do, Im trained to do it."

Woychyshyn, who has been a paramedic for 15 years  and still does it casually in addition to being a 911 dispatcher  added her father was the fire chief in her hometown of Swan River.

"It does run in the family," she said. "He taught me well."

Thanks to Woychyshyns actions, no one was hurt that day, said Brandon Police Service public information officer Sgt. Kirby Sararas.

"This is exceptional, because a lot of people, if they came across something like that might be in a bit of shock, and as weve often seen here in Brandon, people are very mesmerized by fires," Sararas said. "Theyre traumatic and it didnt faze her. She just immediately took action."

The Citizen Recognition Award and a police service pin are presented by the police chief on behalf of the police service to a citizen recognizing conspicuous courage, or their actions have assisted the police in a significant way.

 brobertson@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @BudRobertson4MONTREAL - It was 50 years ago today, John and Yoko told the band to play.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 25/5/2019 (947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Beatles fans Riley Howarth, Amy Love Samson and their four-month-old son Mason Wild enjoy the Fairmount Queen Elizabeth Hotel suite, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono hosted their first North American bed-in and recorded "Give Peace A Chance" 50 years ago, in Montreal on Saturday, May 25, 2019. It was 50 years ago today, John and Yoko told the band to play. The week-long bed-in that saw a pajama-clad John Lennon and Yoko Ono host a parade of journalists, actors, gurus, advocates and hangers-on in their Montreal hotel suite kicked off on May 25, 2019, culminating in the on-site recording of "Give Peace A Chance." THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Reynolds

MONTREAL - It was 50 years ago today, John and Yoko told the band to play.

The week-long bed-in that saw a pyjama-clad John Lennon and Yoko Ono host a parade of journalists, LSD gurus, counterculture luminaries and hangers-on in their Montreal hotel suite kicked off on May 25, 1969, and culminated in the on-site recording of "Give Peace a Chance."

A half-century later, the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel is celebrating their storied pacifist pitch to the world with an art exhibition and tours of the suite they occupied.

"We wanted everybody to enjoy the feeling of the bed-in and to understand, because newer generations dont know about it. Some dont know who John Lennon is," said Joanne Papineau, a Fairmont spokeswoman.

The suite now features vintage-style recording equipment, a flower-print tea set and photos of Lennon and Ono in repose, reading Lao Tzu's "The Way of Life" and smelling flowers.

"Floor housekeeper was told corridor and suite were very dirty and littered with flower petals," read the archived housekeeping notes now on display.

Inspired by the sit-ins of the civil rights movement and in alignment with antiwar demonstrators as the Vietnam War reached high tide, Lennon and Ono launched the Bed-Ins for Peace campaign on their honeymoon in Amsterdam in March 1969. Montreal was next on the tour, after the United States turned them away citing a marijuana conviction against the famed Beatle.

Outside the French doors of their modest digs at the Queen Elizabeth, the halls resounded for a week with Hare Krishna mantras, teenagers' giggles and on-air news reports. Footage of Beat poet Allen Ginsberg, actor Tommy Smothers of the Smothers Brothers and psychedelic advocate Timothy Leary  perpetually sporting a blissful grin  lives on as part of the recording session for "Give Peace a Chance."

The love-in was not without conflict or debate.

Inside the hotel room, American cartoonist Al Capp laid on a heavy dose of sarcasm during his interview with the couple. "I think that everybody owes it to the world to prove they have pubic hair, and youve done it," he said, referring to nude photos from their recent album. "And I tell you thats one of the greatest contributions to enlightenment and culture of our time."

Outside the hotel room, demonstrators in a tense standoff with police at the University of California's Berkeley campus phoned Lennon, who advised them: "If it looks like violence, just get out...."

Lennon's open acknowledgment of the marketing strategy behind the bed-ins dovetails smoothly with that of the hotel, which promotes a $3,000-per-night package for the fabled suite.

"Were trying to sell it like soap, you know, and the only way to sell is to focus attention and sell everyday," Lennon told Capp.

The hotel lobby now features a white Rolls-Royce similar to the one Lennon drove, as well as conceptual art.

"This is called Big Love Ball," said Wendy Williams Watt, the Vancouver-based artist behind the exhibit, which features gargantuan white balls emblazoned with the word "love" and adorned with signatures from passersby.

"Its an amplification system, if you will. It puts love in the spotlight, like John and Yoko were trying to do."

Beatles fans Riley Howarth and Amy Love Samson introduced the renovated Room 1742 to their four-month-old son Mason Wild, who sported a Beatles T-shirt while his mom touted peace-sign earrings, a hippie headband and a mesh shawl.

"I really enjoy the history of it," Howarth said, picking up a green telephone that runs Lennon audio clips.

The events at the Queen Elizabeth kicked off Saturday and will continue periodically until Lennon's birthday on Oct. 9.

They include guided tours of the suite, a photo exhibit of the bed-in by Gerry Deiter, book signings by Joan Athey, who curated the photos and various essays into a 2009 book documenting the legendary week, and a concert on May 30.SHERBROOKE, N.S. - A man says he believes RCMP overreacted in arresting him in what he describes as a rough manner during a public meeting about gold mining in a community in eastern Nova Scotia on Thursday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 25/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SHERBROOKE, N.S. - A man says he believes RCMP overreacted in arresting him in what he describes as a rough manner during a public meeting about gold mining in a community in eastern Nova Scotia on Thursday.

John Perkins, a member of Sustainable Northern Nova Scotia, said Saturday that he's looking at his legal options following the incident during an information session offered by Atlantic Gold, which wants to build an open-pit gold mine near Sherbrooke, N.S.

Perkins said he was initially told he needed to leave the meeting by a security officer and later by an RCMP officer.

"They didn't tell me any reason," said Perkins, who added that he had just taken in the first of two information sessions held that evening at the local fire hall by the company.

He said when he questioned the officer as to why he was asked to leave and then tried to back away, things escalated and he was physically removed from the room by the officer, who then handcuffed him while he was on the ground.

Perkins said he was told he was being arrested for obstruction, trespassing and resisting arrest.

"As far as I am concerned he (the police officer) completely overreacted," Perkins said. "He did not assess the situation in the room. He didn't try to determine what was going on."

The incident was captured on video by an audience member and by freelance journalist Joan Baxter who said she was among a group of four people who were asked to leave the room for no apparent reason.

In one of the videos, Perkins can be seen asking why he was asked to leave as he steps away from the security guard and the police officer. He's then grabbed by the officer who begins pushing him towards an exit.

At one point, Perkins tries to brace himself against the door frame, but he's pushed out of the room before he's taken to the ground and handcuffed.

Perkins said he sustained minor hand injuries as a result of the cuffing. He said he was held for a couple of hours before police released him without charges.

In a statement released Friday, RCMP said they responded to a 911 call indicating police assistance was required at a public meeting due to "several persons causing a disturbance" and that an arrest was made after a man resisted arrest despite "repeated warnings to leave."

"The man was eventually controlled, handcuffed and later released without charge," police said.

In an interview, an RCMP spokeswoman confirmed the charges were dropped because the company decided to drop the issue.

As for video of the incident, Cpl. Jennifer Clarke said that "they're not seeing the entire incident. They're seeing a portion of it."

"A police officer's job is not an easy one. Again, we want people to understand that they are seeing part but not all of what that police officer was faced with and dealt with that day."

When she was asked about the rough handling, Clarke said the man has the option of filing a complaint with the RCMP.

In a statement, Atlantic Gold said its meeting on mine tailings dams and tailings management was organized to inform the community and to take questions. The company said it "maintained the right to allow or not allow individuals to enter the meetings or ask individuals to leave."

It said the individual who was asked to leave had attended and asked questions during the first of the two information sessions.

"An individual's conduct led Atlantic Gold's on-site security officer to have concerns," the company said.

It said the person was repeatedly asked to leave, and was later taken into custody and charged with trespassing and obstruction.

"Atlantic Gold later asked that the person be released without charges. Our company is committed to open, transparent and respectful dialogue with residents in and around our projects."

Baxter said Saturday that she is perturbed by the explanations offered by police and the company.

"It was a 911 call when nothing was happening and they (police) were called because there were several persons causing a disturbance and that is a blatant lie," said Baxter.

She said Perkins's arrest was uncalled for because "absolutely nothing was going on."

Meanwhile, Perkins said he can only think of one reason why he may have been asked to leave the meeting.

"Earlier session I had asked embarrassing questions," he said.

- By Keith Doucette in HalifaxUpdate 3.50pm: Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has suggested Leo Varadkar could be facing a worse local election performance than Enda Kenny.

First count result in kerry local election area Corca Dhuibhne #vote2019 #kerrycount pic.twitter.com/ivYKEotSZr  Tomas O Mainnin (@omainnintomas) May 25, 2019

An exit poll has suggested the two main parties are running neck and neck in support in the Local Elections.

Deputy Martin says it would be wrong to compare the results of this election to a general election.

"There is not an immediate correlation," said Mr Martin.

Who would have thought that Leo Varadkar would preside over a worse Local Election result than Enda Kenny? And that is very much possible.

"It's wide open. That's the lesson. No one can say or declare that they are going to be Taoiseach or anything else like that."

Meanwhile, political parties are assessing the damage of the 'Green Wave' of support shown in the local and European elections.

Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty says the party is not disappointed by a strong Green Party showing or his own party's performance.

He says Sinn Fein is still in contention for three European parliamentary seats.

This is the first electoral test of Mary Lou McDonald's leadership but Mr Doherty says it is too early to be critical of her campaign approach.

Mr Doherty said that many of the contests are tight with Sinn Fein currently in second place in two European constituencies according to exit polls.

Ballots are sorted at the Ireland South constituency and local election count in Nemo Rangers Sports Centre, Cork. Picture: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision

'Surprises for all political parties', says FF TD

Update 1.15pm: It has been a disappointing election so far for everyone but the Green Party.

The Green Wave has been particularly strong in Dublin as climate-conscious voters make their voices felt.

Ciaran Cuffe in Dublin is outstripping his rivals by 2 to 1 in some European boxes while Saoirse McHugh and Grace O'Sullivan are on course for seats.

There will be big questions for Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

Fianna Fail will not get a seat in Midlands North West having got just 9% of the vote between two candidates.

The Red C exit poll shows Brendan Smith got 0% among 18-24 year olds.

Party leader Micheal Martin has admitted that the party has not found the right formula to be successful in the Midlands Northwest constituency.

"Historically, if you look European polls they vote different to general elections and locals," said Mr Martin.

Fine Gael also look likely to lose Deirdre Clune's seat in Ireland South.

In the local elections, it is a poor showing for the two main parties and Sinn Fein in Dublin.

More support for Fine Gael and Fianna Fail in the rest of the country but seat losses are likely for both parties.

Fianna Fail says no party predicted the likely success of the Green Party at both European and local levels.

Fianna Fail ran TDs Anne Rabbitte and Brendan Smith in the European election in Midlands North West.

The party's Director of Elections, Lisa Chambers, has denied that running two relatively unknown candidates in the constituency has cost them a seat.

Ballots are counted in the European Parliamentary elections and the referendum on Ireland's divorce laws at the RDS in Dublin. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

"I don't think it's fair to say that our candidates didn't have profile, they do have profile," said Ms Chambers.

"We will be looking at this. Maybe we should have seen it but nobody predicted the Green Party candidates to do as well as they have done.

"There has been a couple of surprises for all political parties coming out of this election."

Meanwhile, People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett says it doesn't look like a good day for his party.

"A lot of the seats that we are fighting for are going to come down to transfers so it's going to be a long night for a lot of our candidates but I think it's fair to say at this stage that the left, in general, has not done brilliantly well," said Mr Boyd Barrett.

"That seems to be very, very low turnouts in areas where we would have been very strong."

Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan speaks to the media at the RDS in Dublin. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Climate change reform 'is not symbolic', says Eamon Ryan

Update 12.15pm: Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has said the predicted local and European elections message to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is that climate change reform "is not symbolic" and must be addressed, writes Fiachra O Cionnaith.

Speaking to reporters at the count centre in the RDS in Dublin on Saturday midday, Mr Ryan also said the recent climate change strike action by young people is crucial to the voter trend, and that he believes there is separate a "grey vote going green".

Asked for the message the likely results should give Mr Varadkar, who earlier this month described a climate change emergency declaration in the Dail as "symbolic", Mr Ryan said:

"This is not symbolic. You can't respond to the type of emergency that has emerged, the loss of bio-diversity, by saying it is symbolic and we'll stick to the current national development plan.

"It has to change. We have 51 national roads and motorways being built, we don't have a single public transport project at the same stage."

Mr Ryan separately said he is open to speaking with all parties about climate change reform, saying "the more the merrier", and that he is not worried about other parties stealing his party's clothes "as we have a 30-40 year head start on this".

Mr Ryan said the only way to adequately address climate change is if the Greens "win the next four or five elections" and that the public "needs all of them [parties] on board".

"We want to do it, we want to be a green island. That's what people were saying in the vote today, I think other people should heed it."

Mr Ryan said the climate change youth protests have been crucial to the expected voter swing towards his party, and that a separate older vote is also turning green.

Asked about his now infamous 50-1 bet on Greens MEP candidate Saoirse McHugh, Mr Ryan said he does not have the betting slip with him as it is "safely" in his office for now.

Fellow Greens TD Catherine Martin earlier joked to the Irish Examiner the party is planning to celebrate with a few drinks on Mr Ryan's potential 2,500 winnings.

Continuing underway in the Nemo Rangers hall in Cork this morning.

Green Wave indicates 'generational change', says Green TD

Update 11.30am: Green TD Catherine Martin says early indications in the local and European elections are that there has been a generational change among voters, writes Juno McEnroe.

With polls predicting the Greens could win three MEP seats and as much as dozens of council seats, she said grandparents and parents had shifted their votes on the advice of children.

Early tallies suggest the party could win as many as 20 seats in Dublin while the party is well on track to getting multiples of its current council seat numbers across the country.

One tally in Dun Laoghaire, with 61% of the boxes opened, has the party's Ossian Smyth topping the poll with 19% of the vote, followed by Fianna Fail's Cormac Devlin on 18%.

Elsewhere, the party could break new ground in Kildare, Leitrim, Athlone and Tipperary.

Ms Martin said the party had managed to reach into new territory, by appealing to rural Ireland and the farming community.

Green leader @EamonRyan says business as usual is over and calls on @LeoVaradkar to put huge ambition into forthcoming climate change election plan. Also thinks party has broken into rural Ireland #IEstaff see @irishexaminer for more details and interviews #LE19 pic.twitter.com/PO7gkxtL4X  Juno McEnroe (@Junomaco) May 25, 2019

"This is important and shows this might be something permanent," she told the Irish Examiner at the RDS in Dublin.

While party leader Eamon Ryan earlier this week said "steady on" when asked by the Irish Examiner if it could win seats in the 30s or 40s, the party now could win even more and possibly even overtake Labour in local authority positions, according to exit polling and early tallies.

In the ward of Pembroke, Dublin, candidate Hazel Chu also looks set o to take a seat while director of elections and Fingal councillor Roderic O'Gorman looks set to to top the poll in his constituency.

Ms Martin added: During the campaign, grandparents and parents were telling me that they would vote green and some had decided to after children told them to. This is a generational change.

Earlier, Mr Ryan spoke about the next general election, saying many of the party's potential new councillors would be established and ready to run as general election candidates.

He said the Greens would work in government with almost any party, as long as they did not promote violence.

Greens streets ahead here in early tally for Dun Laoghaire, Dublin. FFs Devlin performing well here too. #iestaff #LE19 pic.twitter.com/0SRzkiimjO  Juno McEnroe (@Junomaco) May 25, 2019

Climate change emerges as key issue in Local and European elections

Update 11am: Climate change appears to have been the big issue in the local and European elections as the Green Party has made significant gains.

Exit polls suggest the Greens will take three European seats and dramatically increase the number of council seats they hold.

When it comes to the local elections the Greens are set to be the largest party in Dublin based on the Red C exit poll.

Staff emptying the ballot boxes and begin counting the votes in the Local, European elections and the referendum amendment on divorce at the RDS in Dublin this morning. Photo: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

They could quadruple their number of seats on Dublin City Council.

Boxes are open at the RDS in the local elections 2019.

Tally men and women say the volume, variety and colour of ballot papers is making tallying very difficult  try spotting a 1 in pencil on a purple ballot paper in the midst of dozens of other ballots... #LifeAintEasyHere #LE19 #EP2019 #Elections2019 @rtenews pic.twitter.com/RO0EdrSMtg  Paschal Sheehy (@PaschalSheehy) May 25, 2019

Some tallying is underway but it will be hours before the count begins.

Everyone who voted in Dublin yesterday will have been given three ballot papers.

One for the Local Elections, one for the European Elections and one for the referendum on the regulation of divorce.

These ballot papers will have to separated into three piles and transferred to the relevant count centres.

It means counting in the Dublin local elections will not get underway until 5pm this evening at Citywest.

Early tallies coming in and it's looking like the predicted #GreenWave might hit. You can follow all the action from the RDS and around the country on our Instagram stories - we're @greenparty_ie there too! #wantedgreenvotedgreen pic.twitter.com/vTwnrMZ1V6  Green Party Ireland (@greenparty_ie) May 25, 2019

Groups are carrying out a tally however but it's too early to see a trend.

The latest figures from the Red C exit poll shows the Green Wave is being led in Dublin.

It suggests the Green Party will get 18% in Dublin making it the largest party there with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail trailing on 15% and 14%.

Health Minister and Fine Gael TD Simon Harris is insisting the Government is committed to tackling climate change.

He is acknowledging the projected support for the Green Party.

"This is not just an Irish specific issue, it's right across Europe and beyond," said Mr Harris.

"We have more to do in this regard but we need to do it in a way that brings everybody with us."

People in this election are saying 'we want more action on climate change' and the government is listening and the government would contend that we are doing this.

He added that the government would shortly be bringing forward its action plan on climate change.

Mr Harris said that the Green Party has always been a party with integrity.

A different story in the rest of the country where the two main parties are polling in the mid to high 20s in the locals with the Greens in single digits.

Sinn Fein meanwhile is drawing between 11% and 16%.

In the Europeans, it looks like three Green candidates could well be elected.

While sitting MEPs Lynn Boylan, Luke Ming Flanagan and Deirdre Clune are all in scraps to keep their seats in their respective constituencies.

Proper counting has not even begun yet and there is a large margin of error in the exit poll so everything still comes with a slight health warning.

Eamon Ryan welcomes 'green wave' as ballot boxes opened

Update 9.40am: Ballot boxes are being opened across the country around now to begin counting in the local and European elections.

It is going to take a while to separate out the ballots for the locals, Europeans and the divorce referendum as well as plebiscites in Cork, Limerick and Galway.

So we likely will not have any results until this afternoon.

Ballots are counted in the European Parliamentary elections and the referendum on Ireland's divorce laws at the RDS in Dublin. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

The exit poll suggests a big jump in support for the Green Party with three of their European candidates in contention.

In his first interview after the exit poll predictions, the party's leader, Eamon Ryan, says a 'green wave' in Ireland is reflecting what is happening in other European countries.

"There is a green wave of public consciousness in Ireland and we've been waiting for it for a long time," said Mr Ryan.

"It has been happening throughout Europe with the climate strikes.

"It is those young people standing up and saying 'we have to protect nature, that's our future and the future is being threatened'.

"I think that affected public consciousness."

Health Minister and Fine Gael TD Simon Harris says he is optimistic the party will take four or five seats in the European elections.

"Mark Durkan and Frances Fitzgerald together are polling in the exit polls at 19%," said Mr Harris.

He added that he believes Fine Gael will be transfer-friendly.

"I expect we have a very good chance of a seat in Dublin, I believe Mairead McGuinness will do extremely well in Midlands North West, Maria Walsh is very much in contention, Sean Kelly is leading Ireland South in the exit polls and I really wouldn't rule Deirdre Clune out."

Exit polls show surge of support for Greens as sorting of votes due to get underway

Update 7.15am: The sorting of votes in the European and Local Elections will get underway at 9am this morning.

The European election counts for Ireland's three constituencies will not start until tomorrow morning.

A Europe-wide embargo means results cannot be declared until 10pm tomorrow night.

Counting in the mayoral plebiscites is set to get underway on Monday in the three affected cities - Cork, Limerick and Waterford.

There has been a huge surge in support for the Green Party according to the exit poll for the local and European elections.

It is on course to see a candidate elected in all three European constituencies.

Ciaran Cuffe looks likely to top the poll with 23% of the vote in Dublin.

Meanwhile Saoirse McHugh in Midlands North West and Grace O'Sullivan in Ireland South are well placed to become MEPs.

The Green Party also pulled in 9% of the vote in the local elections according to the exit poll.

There is mixed news for Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

Fine Gael is well placed to pick up two potential seats in Midlands North West, but may lose one in Ireland South.

Fianna Fail's 10-year MEP drought in Dublin looks set to be over with Barry Andrews on course for a seat but they could miss out once again in Midlands North West.

It also looks mixed for Sinn Fein.

Likely to retain all three MEP seats with a lower vote than last time, but polling just 12% in the locals.

All the MEP polling must be taken with a pinch of salt though.

There is little between many candidates and a large 4% margin of error on the exit poll.

The official RTE-TG4-Red C exit poll included more than 3,000 people nationwide.

The poll was split into three separate constituencies - Ireland South, Midlands North West and Dublin - in order to capture the likely results to be confirmed over the weekend.

The poll states:

The Greens are likely to top the first preference poll in Dublin with Ciaran Cuffe on 23%; be fourth of five seats on first preferences in Ireland South with Grace O'Sullivan on 12%; and be placed third of four seats in Midlands North West with Saoirse McHugh on 12%

In Ireland South, Fine Gael's Sean Kelly is expected to top the poll on 16% followed by Sinn Fein's Liadh Ni Riada and Fianna Fail's Billy Kelleher on 13% each, Ms O'Sullivan on 12%

In Ireland South, Fine Gael's other sitting constituency MEP Deirdre Clune is at risk of losing her seat, with her 9% of exit poll first preferences putting her in a battle for the final seat with Independents4Change Mick Wallace (10%) and Fianna Fail's Malcolm Byrne (9%)

In Midlands North West, Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness is likely to storm home on 23%, followed by Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy on 15%, with Ms McHugh (12%), Independent Luke Ming Flanagan (10%), Fine Gael's Maria Walsh (10%), Independent Peter Casey (7%) and Fianna Fail's Brendan Smith (6%) fighting for the fourth and final seat

and in Dublin, the Greens Ciaran Cuffe is expected to be the shock first preference poll topper on 23%, followed by Fine Gael's Frances Fitzgerald (14%), with Fianna Fail's Barry Andrews (12%), Independents4Change Clare Daly (12%), Sinn Fein's Lynn Boylan (10%) and potentially the Social Democrats Gary Gannon (6%) all in contention for the third and fourth seats

The local election projections:Fine Gael's Director of Elections, Minister John Paul Phelan, has lashed Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin for being absent in Cork City for the duration of the local council campaign.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner at the RDS in Dublin, Mr Phelan said it has been a mixed day for Fine Gael in the local and European elections and the three plebiscite votes in Cork, Limerick and Waterford.The first elected councillor in Dublin City has pledged to press for better housing and cycle facilities after topping the poll and becoming the country's first Irish-Chinese local representative.

The Green Party's Hazel Chu won more than double the quota in Pembroke and was elected with 4,069 votes, amid cheers at the count centre from supporters, family and her partner, fellow-councillor Patrick Costello.

Welcoming her win, party leader Eamon Ryan said he hoped the Greens would elect between eight to nine councillors in the city and would go on to form a "rainbow alliance" with other like-minded groups.

Greens Hazel Chu tops poll in Pembroke, Dublin, with 4069 first preference votes. Massive cheers as she is elected as a councillor #iestaff #LE19 #Greens pic.twitter.com/RIME03qqwA  Juno McEnroe (@Junomaco) May 25, 2019

Speaking after her win, Ms Chu said she was relieved and overwhelmed and also looking forward to some sleep after campaigning in the local elections.

The party's national coordinator also pointed out that the Greens had been polling just 2% to 3% just three months ago but knew there was a green wave on the way, with so much concern around the need for action on issues such as climate change.

Ms Chu also called for cross cooperation in Dublin City Council. She said she wanted more affordable housing, such as cost-rental schemes in the city area.

Moreover, better infrastructure was needed for cyclists, she added.

Mr Ryan, praising the win, said the party could have won two seats with the support in the Pembroke ward.

We are going to have a good day all over the country.

He said he wanted newly elected Green councillors to consider a civic charter or alliance with other councillors, which he called a potential rainbow coalition.

Mr Ryan predicted the party could win up to nine seats of the 63 in Dublin City.

Early exit polls have predicted the Greens could win up to 9% of votes across the country and even three seats across the MEP constituencies.

Mr Ryan said there were now solid votes there for the next general election.Trend:

An official meeting on the results of large-scale operational-tactical exercises was held under the leadership of the Azerbaijani Minister of Defense Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, Trend reports referring to the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan.

After analyzing the results of large-scale exercises held according to the plan approved by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, which were held at night, the defense minister noted that the tasks were successfully completed.

The minister, emphasizing the significance of the exercises, brought to the commanding staff the relevant tasks assigned by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev to the Azerbaijan Army.

Colonel General Zakir Hasanov referring to the current military-political situation in the region emphasized that the internal political confrontations taking place in Armenia may cause an aggravation of the situation on the line of contact of troops.Cork City Fire Brigade tackled a fire at a restaurant in Washington Street this morning.

They have two appliances and a hydraulic platform at the scene.

One man was taken to hospital to be treated for shock but is not seriously injured.

Gardai say the incident has been brought under control and the street is due to reopen shortly.

People should expect some delays.A disappointed Mary Lou McDonald has conceded that Sinn Fein will suffer significant losses in the local elections.

Arriving at the count centre in Dublin's RDS she said Sinn Fein benefited from a surge in support in 2014, however, they will not retain many of these local authority seats.

"I am not sure where we are going to land but I know that we will have a lot of counting and some long nights ahead of us," she said.

But Ms McDonald added: "Sinn Fein aren't cry babies, we dust ourselves down and we get back at it because that's what political activism is all about.

"Some days the day is yours and the tide is in and some days are more challenging and the challenge for any political organisation is to be able to manage and to navigate your way through either scenario, you have to have all-weather politics."

Tallies are predicting that Sinn Fein - who tripled their numbers in the last local elections - will lose many of these seats.

The party could lose as many as half their seats on Cork City Council and in Dublin their party vote is roughly half of what they received in 2014.

Ms McDonald said: "I am disappointed for our people who ran and who served for the last five years and who I know wanted to continue to serve their communities."

She said the huge surge in favour of the Greens worked against all parties, including Sinn Fein but also warned of a disengagement in some areas.

"There is an issue that we need to address politically in terms of disengagement from politics generally, particularly in identifiable parts of Dublin and beyond, so I think it's a mixture of things," said Ms McDonald.An off-duty Garda has died after getting into difficulty while diving off Wexford's Hook Head.

The father of four in his forties was taking part in an underwater search for a fisherman who went missing from a trawler off the Saltee Islands yesterday morning.Loyal staff are being offered an extra five days of paid annual leave to stay put, while others are given the option of taking the school holidays with their children.

As the Reserve Bank of Australia grapples with stubbornly slow wage growth and a rise in unemployment, some companies are offering alternatives to a pay rise to keep valued staff happy.

Nicole and Fergus Stuart are expecting their third child and will both get 20 weeks of paid parental leave. Credit:James Alcock

ANZ has introduced what it calls "loyalty leave" in the form of an extra five days of paid holidays to employees with more than three years of consecutive service. This extends paid annual leave from four weeks to five.

ANZ executive Kathryn van der Merwe said the initiative is designed to attract and retain talent and improve staff wellbeing and engagement.If asked to name artists who have made a contribution to the nation's cultural life, the casual fan of Australian art might summon Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, Brett Whiteley, Arthur Streeton, Russell Drysdale or Albert Namatjira.

Now name five female creators.

That the answer could come less readily troubles the assistant director of the National Gallery of Australia, Alison Wright, who says it's high time to celebrate women artists and make them household names.

The work of Grace Cossington Smith: Underrated but not second best. Credit:NGA

The gallery has joined international cultural institutions including the Tate and Italy's famed Uffizi Gallery in a global movement to give greater prominence to women artists.Artist Digby Webster stands proudly in front of a screen at Tumbalong Park, poking his tongue out as his colourful moving portrait mimics him.

Curious onlookers, transfixed by the screen's bright colours and Digby's movements, gradually line up, eager for a "Webster makeover".

Digby Webster wants to show people that despite their differences, they are unique and "beautiful". Credit:Wolter Peeters

Webster said his interactive art display, See What I See, which is part of Vivid Sydney, shows "people who they are".

"They are beautiful things," he said.Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, King of Jordan.

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I heartily congratulate you and through you all your people on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Ilham Aliyev said in his letter.

On this remarkable day, I wish you the best of health, happiness and the brotherly people of Jordan lasting peace and prosperity."It's so great to be part of this wave of stuff about parenting and the experience from different perspectives, and that these stories are being told," says Bell, who has completed season two of The Letdown. "For so long we've been told that the domestic sphere is dull and it's really not. Now these stories are being told with a lot more truth and that's culturally where we're at now  women and our stories are being given a lot more respect. The timing of all this has been brilliant for Sarah and I."

The freight train that can be new motherhood for a generation raised on boardroom dreams is fertile ground for scriptwriters. Alison Bell and Sarah Scheller's The Letdown, a runaway success story of the ABC's Comedy Showroom pilot season, is in good company with the likes of Sharon Horgan's BBC comedy, Motherland, Canadian series, Workin' Moms, and Charlize Theron movie, Tully.

Australian women who, often around the age of 40, found themselves unprepared for the lifestyle shift that comes with a baby, laughed and cried along with Bell's character, Audrey, as she stumbled through that first daunting year of breastfeeding and mother's groups. That American women could also relate to this specifically Sydney story, when the series launched this year on Netflix, was a happy surprise for Bell. Now living in Los Angeles with her partner and small child, Bell is in talks with Sharon Horgan's company, Merman, about other projects.

It's a sign that Americans are now open to Australian voices. Alison Bell

"We weren't confident that our humour would necessarily translate," says Bell. "We were overwhelmed at how it landed and at the interest here, and at the doors that it opened. It wasn't so long ago that a great idea from foreign shores would be re-cast for an American audience (see Kath & Kim and The Office). Bell credits the advent of streaming services with broadening tastes.

"We have a lovely audience at home, but more it's a sign that Americans are now open to Australian voices and that seems to be a relatively new thing. We're really benefiting from streamers like Netflix taking on work from their native countries and not turning them into American products. The imagery's so global now."

The second chapter in the lives of Audrey and her partner Jeremy (Duncan Fellows) sees them transition from parents of a baby to parents of an altogether more terrifying beast  a toddler. The first episode revolves around that middle-class milestone event, the first birthday party. All the fabulously flawed faces from season one are there: Sacha Horler's corporate mum, Ester; Celeste Barber's bogan mum Barbara; Lucy Durack's bimbo, Sophie; Leah Vandenberg and Xana Tang's lesbian mums. And happily, the services of stern maternal and child health nurse, Ambrose (Noni Hazlehurst), are still required.Liberal National MP Ken O'Dowd, who has retained his marginal Queensland seat of Flynn, has blasted "ignorant" inner-city Adani opponents, joining Labor MP Shane Neumann in blaming the party's failure to connect with voters in the sunshine state for its electoral wipeout.

"These people don't even know where central Queensland is," Mr O'Dowd said of those calling for a "Quexit" to separate the state from the rest of Australia in the wake of Bill Shorten's defeat.

Liberal National MP Ken O'Dowd held onto the marginal Queensland seat of Flynn. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"They should come and have a look and see what this country is about."

Labor's failure to steal Flynn, Dawson and Capricornia from incumbent Liberal National MPs - along with losses in Herbert and Longman - cost it the election, with sitting LNP members increasing their margins as voters sent a strong message about mining jobs.So, after a shock election defeat youre about to find yourself in the position of federal opposition leader. What do you do next? Its the question thats dominated the post-election rolling maul and one that Anthony Albanese will have turned his mind to this week.

As an ambitious politician with more than 20 years experience, it would be easy to think his "welcome to first grade" would be a relatively easy transition. And that hed have the blueprint for leadership ready to role out, backed by his experience the public arena. But its not that simple. What he does next is almost entirely dictated by the political environment he now finds himself in.

Anthony Albanese having a beer after announcing he would take a run at leading the parliamentary Labor Party. Credit:Edwina Pickles

First, Albanese will accept the round of congratulations from people, both on his team and from other quarters, who will tell him that hes going to be great. Were already seeing those opinion pieces being written. Many of those people will then mutter under their breath what a disaster its all going to be. But thats par for the course.

He will then spend a week getting around all the internal stakeholders he needs to glad-hand to let them know he appreciates their support - especially those he knows dont support him at all. They need to hear directly from him that hes aware of the challenges, and that he wants to hear from them about what he should be thinking about and doing. And if hes like most of us hell outwardly turn on "active listening" mode while he mentally switches off and goes to his happy place.Driving anxiety is reasonably common and negatively affects people's lives, yet most sufferers don't seek help, researchers say.

Clinical psychologist Jacqui Triffitt, who presented a workshop on driving anxiety at the APS College of Clinical Psychologists conference on Sunday, said she has worked with people with driving anxiety since the late 1990s.

"I call it 'driving anxiety', but that can vary from heightened anxiety while driving, to avoiding driving altogether," said Dr Triffitt of Hill Street Psychology in Hobart.

Matthew Powell had driving anxiety for about 18 months after having a car accident when he was a young, inexperienced driver. Credit:Steven Siewert

"I think it is under-reported, people might not put their hand up for it because we have this expectation that everyone should be able to drive and people can always find alternative ways of travelling or relying on other people to drive them places."Leah MacLean remembers feeling "a bit odd" the first time she took herself out for dinner alone.

"Thats because I got stood up," she said. "I thought: do I go home and cry, or do I make the most of it and enjoy a meal on my own? Stuff it, I dont need someone else to enjoy my time, and thats what kicked it off for me."

Leah MacLean says she dines alone during the day for "me time". Credit:Louie Douvis

Ms MacLean, a single mum from Drummoyne in Sydney's inner west, now finds her "me time" in dining alone and is one of a growing number to do so.

Solo dining has been a primary driver of growth in the Australian food service industry for three consecutive years, according to new trend data released by global research company NPD Group. It now owns a 40 per cent traffic share within the industry.Millions of Europeans and Americans have been exposed to far-right propaganda and fake news on Facebook, two separate investigations revealed this month.

Facebook removed 77 pages and 230 accounts with 32 million followers in France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Spain and Poland after activist group Avaaz reported their activities.

The pages were mainly connected to far-right groups and political parties and were viewed more than half a billion times, generating 67 million comments, likes, and shares in the past three months alone.

The removed pages had almost three times more followers than all the main European far-right and anti-EU parties combined.Prime Minister Scott Morrison will come under pressure to keep a suite of promises the Liberal Party quietly made to the gay lobby before the election, some of which could prove contentious among religious communities who backed his campaign.

On April 22, ahead of an LGBTI candidates forum with Labor and the Greens, Liberal federal director Andrew Hirst wrote to lobby group Equality Australia to outline where the party stood on important issues the gay community faced.

The Liberal Party made a number of promises to the gay community ahead of Scott Morrison's election victory. Credit:Dallas Kilponen

The nine-page document talked up the achievement of marriage equality, committed the government to calling out abuses of LGBTIQ+ human rights in appropriate international forums and flagged new guidelines later this year to recognise gender and sexual diversity across federal departments.

But the letter - a response to a questionnaire sent to the parties as they scrambled for votes - also gave assurances on issues such as gay conversion therapy and family law reform that went beyond the public positions Mr Morrison had previously taken.The organisers of the Gold Dinner reckon a date with Julie Bishop is priceless, but the former Foreign Minister is happy to leave it to the generosity of guests.

"Its all in a great cause so I hope people dig deep," she said. "But Im not going to put a value on it."

Guests at the exclusive Gold Dinner will be able to bid for dinner with former foreign minister Julie Bishop. Credit:Christopher Pearce

The private lunch or dinner for 10 people with Ms Bishop is one of the prizes that will be auctioned at the lavish event on Thursday May 30 to raise $3 million for the Sydney Childrens Hospital Foundation.

Sydneys most glamorous fundraiser, the Gold Dinner is an invitation-only party and not open to the public.Aptly named, Beauty Point is one of the loveliest spots in Mosman. But in one classroom at a local school, something ugly may have been unfolding.

Year 1 teacher at Beauty Point Public School Lisa Curvey is accused of repeatedly shoving her young students, pulling chairs out from beneath children and pulling and pushing students to get them in line, at times allegedly tapping them on the head to gain their attention.

A Year 1 teacher at Beauty Point Public School (pictured) is accused of mistreating students. Credit:Edwina Pickles

Parents of the students are now awaiting the findings of a Department of Education investigation into the allegations.

Mrs Curvey is also accused of pulling one child by his arm with enough force to lift him into the air in March last year, and, in April, pulling one little girl's shoe from her foot then throwing it across the room.Forty years after a ribbon was cut on Sydney's last major railway, thousands of passengers will flood through station gates today to ride on a new rail line set to change travel habits dramatically for people long starved of public transport options in the city's north-west.

While double-deck trains began running on the Eastern Suburbs line on June 23, 1979, single-deck trains controlled by a giant computer, instead of people, will speed at up to 100km/h along the Metro North West line from Rouse Hill to Chatswood.

Metro trains operations manager Cory Roeton at the nerve centre of the Metro North West line at Rouse Hill. Credit:Wolter Peeters

The most striking feature of the trains is that they are driverless, allowing passengers to peer out of windows at the front and back onto the tracks. At stations, glass screen doors on platforms help prevent injury, while help points allow commuters to talk to staff via video screens.

In all, a journey from one end of the 36 kilometre line to the other takes about 37 minutes. Most of the stations are about two kilometres apart, except for the six kilometres between North Ryde and Chatswood.Trend:

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of the Republic Day.

On behalf of the people and government of Turkmenistan and on my own behalf, I extend my sincere congratulations and best wishes to you and through you to all brotherly people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of your country`s Republic Day, Turkmenistan's president said in his letter.

In Turkmenistan, we highly appreciate relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan based on principles of good neighborliness, respect and mutual support. I am firmly convinced that Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan relations will continue to develop and strengthen in the spirit of mutual cooperation to the benefit of our brotherly countries and nations.

Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, taking this pleasant opportunity, I wish you the best of health, happiness, and the brotherly people of Azerbaijan peace, prosperity and progress, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said.

President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev has also congratulated the Azerbaijani president.

On the occasion of the national holiday of the Republic of Azerbaijan  the Republic Day, please accept my most cordial congratulations and sincere wishes for the prosperity of Azerbaijan and its people, the Bulgarian president said in his letter.

I would like to take this pleasant occasion to reaffirm to you the willingness of the Republic of Bulgaria to continue developing strategic partnership relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan.

I am convinced that the cooperation between our states will keep on its ascending development as it is based on a stable ground  the friendly ties between our peoples.

Please accept, Dear Mr President, the assurances of my highest consideration, he noted.

Nicola Selva and Michele Muratori, Captains Regent of the Republic of San Marino, also congratulated President Aliyev on the occasion of the Republic Day.

On the auspicious occasion of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, we would like to express on behalf of the people of San Marino and on our own name cordial greetings and best wishes to Your Excellency and to the friendly people of the Republic of Azerbaijan, they said in their letter.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of our highest consideration and sincere good wishes for your personal well-being and for the welfare, progress and prosperity of the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Naruhito, Emperor of Japan, has also congratulated the Azerbaijani president.

"On the occasion of the Republic Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I have great pleasure in sending Your Excellency my heartfelt congratulations and sincere good wishes for your happiness and for the prosperity of the people of your country, the Emperor of Japan said in his letter.Veteran NSW homicide detective Gary Jubelin, who has investigated high-profile cases like the Bowraville murders and Matthew Leveson disappearance, has quit the force after being sensationally sidelined in the William Tyrrell case.

Detective Chief Inspector Jubelin, who has been with the NSW Police since 1985, confirmed to The Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday night that he was retiring but declined to comment further.

Handing in his badge: Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin. Credit:Louise Kennerley

The star police officer was controversially taken off the Tyrrell case earlier this year, and put on desk duty for weeks, while the Professional Standards Command investigated accusations of misconduct.

He was accused of bullying and harassment, and using a mobile phone to illegally record without a warrant. Prior to his demotion, Mr Jubelin had led the hunt for William, who disappeared without a trace from his grandmother's Kendall home in 2014, age 3.Trent Dalton's award-winning novel Boy Swallows Universe will come alive for the first time on a theatre stage in Brisbane.

Queensland Theatre secured rights for the world premiere production in September 2020 as part of the Brisbane Festival.

Queensland Theatres artistic director Sam Strong and author of Boy Swallows Universe Trent Dalton are eager to see the theatre production come into fruition.

Boy Swallows Universe has sold more than 160,000 copies in Australia since it was first published in July 2018 and and became the first book to have four wins at the Australian Book Industry Awards.

The Miles Franklin-longlisted novel's publisher, HarperCollins Australia, has also sold the television rights, with Australian actor Joel Edgerton named as the producer.More needs to be done to save medical professionals from the stigma of mental illness and allow them to get help if they need it, an annual gathering of the country's top doctors has been told.

The first item on the agenda for the Australian Medical Association's national conference in Brisbane was the ongoing process to remove the stigma around mental health issues in the profession.

Dr Mukesh Haikerwal has joined calls for the stigma to be stripped from doctors suffering mental health issues. Credit:Dallas Kilponen.

Evidence suggests doctors and other medical professionals suffer mental health issues at a higher rate than the general population, with heavy workloads, long working hours and workplace bullying among the issues pointed to as factors.

As part of the push, the conference officially moved for the AMA to reconfirm its support for the 2017 Declaration of the World Medical Association.To fans, she's the Yellow Wiggle. But in the remotest part of Arnhem Land, Emma Watkins is being hailed as the "golden girl of sign" after a $20,000 donation to "protect and share one of Australia's first languages" - a rare and remarkable Indigenous sign language.

Watkins donated money to a project to produce and distribute a book of thousands of photos illustrating 500 of the most common signs, used by hearing and non-hearing people for thousands of years, before they become extinct.

Emma Watkins signing in Auslan.

The GoFundMe page to preserve the language was launched by anthropologist Dr Bentley James, who has been living and working with Indigenous elders for nearly two decades to learn the language, understand the culture and document it.

"We are tickled pink by the big-heartedness of the golden girl of sign," he said.The co-founder of the Eden Project, Tim Smit, has just arrived from the UK to taste the salt air in Anglesea. He's here for what he calls "kissing frogs", turning an "ugly mine" into a fairytale.

For the next week he'll consult with community and stakeholders about a $150 million proposal to rehabilitate the former Anglesea coal mine and turn it into an eco-tourism attraction.

Artist's impressions of proposed Eden Project development at the former Alcoa site in Anglesea.

The Anglesea power station closed in 2015 after 46 years of operation and, since then, Alcoa has been consulting with the community about its future.

"Its a whacking great hole, but it's a whacking great hole in one of the most beautiful coasts in the world," Sir Smit said."Every time I hear about a woman being attacked  for me as a man  it gives me some pause for reflection about what it is in our community that makes men think it's OK to attack women, or take what they want from women," he said. The woman's death comes just under a year after the killing of Eurydice Dixon, 22, whose body was found on an oval in Princes Park in neighbouring Carlton North on June 13, 2018. Budding comedian Eurydice Dixon, 22, was murdered in Carlton's Princes Park, near Parkville, last year. Ms Dixon was raped and murdered while walking home from a comedy club in the city. Jaymes Todd has pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Dixon in the early hours of June 13 in Princes Park in Carlton North, having followed her on foot from outside Flinders Street station. It also follows the death of international exchange student Aiia Maasarwe, 21, who was killed in Bundoora in January this year.

Student Aiia Maasarwe was killed metres from a tram stop in Bundoora, in Melbourne's north, in January. Ms Maasarwe had moved to Melbourne for a one-year exchange program to study at La Trobe University. She was killed walking from a tram stop to her home, and her body was found on grass near a Bundoora shopping centre. Codey Herrmann, 20, has been charged with Ms Maasarwe's rape and murder. Last month, African-Australian woman Natalina Angok was found dead in a street in Melbourne's Chinatown. The 32-year-old from Highton, a suburb of Geelong, was found by a passerby on Celestial Avenue, near Little Bourke Street, early on the morning of April 24. Christopher Bell, 32, was charged with one count of murder. It is believed that he and Ms Angok had been in a relationship. Natalina Angok was found dead in Chinatown in April.

Mr Cornelius' message on Saturday stands in contrast to the advice police gave women after the death of Ms Dixon, which caused a public outcry. In the hours after the 22-year-old budding comedian's body was discovered, police were concerned that it might be linked with another sexual assault in nearby Parkville and told residents to be on high alert. Victoria Police Superintendent David Clayton had urged anyone walking near Princes Park at night to take extra precautions, always be aware of their surroundings and "take responsibility for your own safety. But many people took issue with that advice, interpreting it as victim blaming.

Loading Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews later weighed in on the furore, saying Ms Dixon had taken standard precautions. "She was keeping an eye on her surroundings," he wrote on Twitter. "Looking out for herself. Being responsible. Doing everything we expect. But Eurydice did not make it home safe. "In a few days, women across Melbourne will gather in Princes Park for a vigil of her life. And they will do so firm in the knowledge that Eurydice died because of her attacker's decisions  not because of her own. "They're right. And we need to accept that fact, too.

"We'll never change a thing until we do." Mr Cornelius' comments on Saturday afternoon did reflect those made by the Premier. "Violence against women is absolutely about mens behaviour, its not about womens behaviour ..." he said. "We need to reflect on our own behaviour, the behaviour of men known to us. We need to reflect on what we say to our sons, about whether theyre respecting their playmates in the playground, or respecting women in the early days when theyre looking to embark on relationships with women. Luke Cornelius said men should reflect on their own behaviour towards women. Credit:Justin McManus

"We as a society need to take an opportunity to reflect on how men view women in our community, and ... tragedies where women have been attacked and suffered harm at the hands of men. "Every man needs to reflect on what is it about our society and community that appears to continue to support some men  a small number of men  thinking its OK to attack women and cause women harm." Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at crimestoppersvic.com.au Lifeline 13 11 14 Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636Two men and a teenage girl have been charged after allegedly running a man down, knocking him to the ground and throwing a brick at his head, causing him life-threatening injuries.

Police found the 27-year-old male victim unresponsive, suffering from serious injuries, at a carpark in Butler on Friday night.

The car police believe was used in the incident. Credit:WA Police

The man was taken to Royal Perth Hospital where he remains in critical condition.

It is understood the victim was walking through the carpark of the Brighton Village Shopping Centre after 9pm when he came across two groups of people having an altercation.As the ABCs Annabel Crabb noted, so many men in politics only cite family at the end of their careers. Loading Its great to see this one figuring it in at the beginning, she tweeted. It is true that the political wife and children often have to wait until the valedictory speech to get their due. It is most commonly the time when politicians reveal the inconvenient truth, if they ever do: that their wives have almost single-handedly raised the kids while theyve been off pursuing politics.

To give credit where its due, some politicians, notably former prime minister Tony Abbott, are honest enough to admit it before then, and to pay tribute to their wives for doing almost all the caring work. But it is telling that the blokes feel comfortable to do so. Illustration: Reg Lynch Credit: They know they will pay no political price for admitting they have effectively chosen to prioritise time in Canberra, engaged in factional warfare and cabinet meetings and dining with colleagues and journalists, and, when ostensibly at home, to prioritise time attending the thousands of small-beer local sausage sizzles and school prize ceremonies and plaque unveilings that make up life as a local member. Its difficult to imagine any female political leader being let off for admitting that her spouse has done most of the work and she has been effectively an absentee parent.

The women who do combine political careers with small children  Plibersek, Clare ONeil, Kelly ODwyer, Kate Ellis, Michelle Rowland  seem to have signed up for the opposite deal. Loading They have tried to integrate their children into their work lives to a degree that must have been punishing. Two of them  ODwyer and Ellis  concluded it was unsustainable. There is little discussion of how physical that juggle is in the early years  not just the sleep deprivation, but the bodily stuff, the largely unmentionable management of breastfeeding and lactation which these mothers have undertaken, their feet paddling madly under the political surface.

But in all this, is there a point to be made about female leadership, and its uncomfortable relationship to family? Particularly now the blokes are feeling the conflict too? Perhaps one or two. Firstly, if we are to acknowledge that its enormously difficult for women to juggle a political career with the responsibilities of a young family, we will have to get real about the fact that male leaders get to bank the political benefits of dad-dom, without paying any penalty for the reality. The reality is that they get to spend much less time hands-on parenting than most fathers. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with "First Bloke" Clarke Gayford and their baby daughter Neve. Credit:Derek Henderson We voters know this, but it does not make us think less of the men  we do not scorn them as heartless or unnatural for choosing a career that involves leaving their families for long stretches.London: Britains new prime minister must move quickly to "properly" leave the European Union, Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson said after Theresa May announced her resignation.

Johnson, a Conservative MP and former foreign minister, is favourite to replace May.

Speaking at a conference in Interlaken, Switzerland, on Friday, Johnson said May had been "patient and stoical" in facing all the difficulties around the countrys departure from the bloc.

She tried and failed three times to get a deeply divided British Parliament to ratify her Brexit deal.

"The job of our next leader in the UK, he or she, is to get out of the EU properly and put Brexit to bed," Johnson said.A federal judge has temporarily blocked part of President Donald Trump's plan to build a wall along the southern border with money Congress never appropriated for that purpose.

US District Judge Haywood Gilliam jnr, of the Northern District of California, said that those challenging Trump's actions had a good chance of prevailing on their claims that the administration is acting illegally in shifting money from other programs to pay for the wall.

Gilliam wrote that the government's position "that when Congress declines the Executive's request to appropriate funds, the Executive may simply find a way to spend those funds 'without Congress' does not square with fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic".

The law the administration invoked to shift funds allows transfers for "unforeseen" events. Gilliam said the government's claim that wall construction was "unforeseen ... cannot logically be squared" with Trump's many demands for funding dating back to early 2018 and even in the campaign.UAE-based online retailer Shopinc.com said it has launched a virtual Ramadan Night Market offering customers a 10 per cent discount on essential purchases when they shop between iftar and suhour.

The promotion is just one of several new and seasonal offerings from the value supermarket that include generous rebates on a range of essentials, budget-friendly Iftar meal boxes starting at under Dh5, and special rebates for Emirates NBD, ADCB and Etisalat Smiles customers.

Under the offer, customers making purchases at Shopinc.com between 7pm and 7am during Ramadan get an additional 10% off on all their essentials when using the promo code RAMADAN10 during checkout.

The Emirati e-retailer is also offering a range of nutritious iftar boxes to help the devout break the fast without breaking the bank.

Rahul Duragkar, the managing director at Shopinc.com said: "Ramadan is a very special season for UAE residents. Shopinc is always committed to providing value-for-money propositions to online shoppers in the UAE with honest and flat discounts all year round."

"Our innovative virtual Ramadan Night Market delivers on this ethos with special offers on a wide range of products over the holy month," he stated.

Shopinc.coms Value-Feast box has three kinds of fruit, a sachet of dates, water and a juice for just Dh4.99.

Meanwhile, a 10-item box for up to six people includes one kilo each of rice, lentils, sugar and salt, 4 litres of full-cream milk, 1.8 litres of milk, 600g of premium Sahari dates, 200g each of turmeric and chilli powder and a box of 25 tea bags, said the value supermarket.

For customers looking for specific items this Ramadan, many household products have been discounted up to 52%.

The attractively-priced products at Shopinc.com include rose syrup, pre-packaged vegetables, luxury chocolates and all-purpose cleaners, it added.

As part of the promotion, Shopinc.com has tied up with Emirates NBD, ADCB and Etisalat Smiles to offer extra value to their customers.

Emirates NBD customers receive a flat 20% off on supermarket products, toys, games, fashion and accessories, while Etisalat Smiles users also get 20% off on Ramadan night market purchases, iftar essentials, supermarket products, toys, games and fashion.

Shopinc is offering ADCB customers 10% off its entire range. Air Arabia staff can avail 25% off on supermarket and fashion items. Each enterprise has been provided with special shareable shopping codes to avail these bespoke offerings.-TradeArabia News ServiceDear Reader,

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By Md. Aariz Imam

The reconciliatory efforts by the countrys largest minority should focus on establishing a SHURA, a council of visionaries on the lines of a think tank

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Ravish Kumars piece  Have I also lost?  is insightful and heart touching but fails to call out in unequivocal terms that the elections were won on anti-Muslim hate propaganda. He has said everything but stopped short of openly articulating the consolidation of Hindu majority. At a time when the electorate has given such a resounding verdict, it is important to keep a tab on every such beating around the bush by liberal voices. This hate project cannot and should not be normalized even if it succeeds in capturing all the seats in assemblies and parliament.

In an environment of utter chaos before we proceed to respond we must try to identify the varied voices and devise means to constructively engage with people across communities.

When it comes to politics based on some of the more standard response citizens can be categorized in one of the five categories.

The arrogant citizen, who after having attained a substantial financial security believes politics doesnt affect his life, and he is the master of his own destiny. That whatever opportunity he explored and fortune he amassed were of his own accord. A common refrain among such people is that they dont care about politics. So, what if the scholarships and subsidies they enjoyed in their way up were secured after a long drawn political struggle.

The disillusioned citizen, whose disappointment is evident when he says that all parties care only about their own benefits and hence it no more matters to him who wins or loses. These people disenchanted with politics have either been witness to or were passed the stories from their elders about the political struggle that failed to change the status quo in their life.

The third category of citizen is one who is filled with hatred for fellow citizens, from other caste, region & mostly from other faith. Such people want a particular party and ideology to win only because they see it as dominating their perceived enemy. It is to mention that all along while they participate in electoral battle to defeat the other, deep within they believe that politics would not bring about any positive change in their own life. These are the proverbial hate mongers, the hate peddlers and foot soldiers of divisive politics. If you speak to them about politics, they are always up defeating someone.

Then comes the fun driven or rather fun deprived curious citizen. Hailing from a fat middle class that considers itself apolitical, slogs day and night for a modest living and has its concerns limited within the four walls of his house. For such people it is me, my family, my job and my fitness that is the alpha and the omega of their existence. A life forever in stress with no time for leisure or pursuing any hobby, leaves them with only the television and WhatsApp forwards to divert their agony and derive fun after a days work. A habit which overtime makes them more curious about the developments around rather than sensitive. Their curiosity about politics is as good about IPL or climate change. Their best political articulation is the half-wit jokes and memes they relentlessly forward. Their best political engagement is watching prime time cockfight. Seek their response and they will parrot whatever they have last read or seen.

The fifth category based on the standard political response is of the concerned citizen. Itself a minority in the worlds largest democracy, yet a true believer in the power of peoples choice. Irrespective of their political affiliations and ideological underpinnings these people believe that its politics that decides their everyday life and hence as concerned citizens they must stake claim in how it should be.

After having identified the broad categories in which the electorate falls, the dialogue should commence. People should be initiated into the discussion with questions that challenge the establishment narrative.

They should be asked,

If the mandate is for development, then where was it?

If the mandate was against dynasty, then where was the rage against other sources of privilege like caste, class, race, faith, region, reference, recommendation, source, contact, inheritance, patronage etc.?

The electorate of India is smarter than the party it votes for. BJP for its honesty during its entire campaign not once uttered even the d of development and carried out a full throttle campaign centered around its polarization agenda. Five years of dog whistle politics had prepared its voter to receive direct messaging. It was the voter who covered it with the robe of development and national security, thereby hiding his own communalism. Howsoever one may believe that the polarization took place because of the top down dissemination of propaganda, the fact is BJP only articulated what was always there in the subconscious of the fence sitters, the critical mass apart from its loyal base that helped it secure this massive mandate.

If at all one was to concede that the elections were held fair and square and it wasnt credit EVM, one must unequivocally admit that it was the widespread hate against the Muslim community that manifested itself through a variety of robes. People from within the community trying to dissociate Muslims from the oppositions loss claiming it wasnt their fight to lose must take note of this.

The accusation of propagating dynasty on Congress as well as other regional satraps was the veil that concealed the hate for Muslims, because the community remained loyal to them.

The attack on regional parties fighting for social justice carried out in the name of caste was the veil that concealed the hate for Muslims, because the community remained loyal to them.

The daily reinforcement about Pakistan fed to public memory done in the name of advertisement of the imagined, actual and fabricated national security threat, was the veil that concealed the hate for Muslims because the community shares faith with the neighbour.

The extremely waste hawkish approach in dealing with Kashmir, was the veil that concealed the hate for Muslims because the community shares its faith with the border state.

The very project of Hindu revivalism encompassing a range of start ups like ghar wapasi, love jihad, gau raksha, massive Ram Navmi and Ganesh Chaturthi processions was the veil that concealed the hate for Muslims because the community was at the receiving end.

The rewriting of historical facts about medieval Muslim rulers was the veil that concealed the hate for Muslims because it held currency in contemporary times.

The opposition of Gandhi, and honors to Savarkar, Patel and Godse was the veil that concealed the hate for Muslims because the Mahatma died fighting for Muslims which the later envied.

Done with questioning the majority community, the Muslims need to be told that neither its a moment of despair- the rise of the far right, a matter of relief- the election of over two dozen Muslim MPs, and nor a moment to be laid back. The fear that a majoritarian government in the country would soon declare the country a Hindu Rashtra is too farfetched and out of question. Having secured all key constitutional posts and having occupied all state institutions the proverbial Hindu Rashtra is here and now and flourishing by the day without any constitutional amendment whatsoever. As Christophe Jaffrelot says in his Indian Express column the country has taken one more step towards invention of a de facto ethnic democracy; the like of Israel. The new government at the center would be well served with advice not to further adventure with the constitution lest it disrobes its credentials of being the largest secular democracy in the world.

The fear if at all exist are from crony capitalist lobby that could have asked for no further consolidation of power. Under the circumstances the only edifice that faces a more serious and imminent threat is the countrys economy, its natural resources land, forest and minerals. Besides the hard states political brinksmanship in Kashmir and North East would cause heightened hostility and raise a question on the countrys sovereignty. The issue of Article 35-A, Article 370 and NRC would fuel secessionist forces and would push the country into yet unchartered waters.

As for Muslim India lost in the translation, a full grown, developed and flourishing community can only afford multiplicity of political views. Muslims hanging on to the margins are nowhere in a position to avail such luxury. In its public exclamation the biggest problem community faces is lack of a consistent, coherent and compelling political outlook, which is accepted and followed by all. The importance of it was for everybody to see when in the run up to the general elections, an array of conflicting, diverging and seemingly amateurish political opinions filled the communitys thought sphere and is visible now when the community is at a loss of consistent and coherent response. In times of political oppression, its important that a united voice is raised against oppressors. Diversity of opinion is acceptable and should be encouraged at all times. But, when it is a fight for survival, care must be taken so that it doesnt hamper the larger cause.

On the questions of raising a united voice, its getting all the more important to establish a Shura or a council of visionaries to chalk out a strategy. As only a committee acting on the lines of a think tank, can help in formulating a coherent and consistent message that resonates with the masses, leaving no room for confusion and ambiguity, in such times of political upheaval. A Shura with a pan India presence, and active members in local areas to relay its message, is the need of the hour.

Md Aariz Imam is a freelancer, currently residing in Oman, contributing for citizen journalism portals reflecting on the contemporary issues from a subalterns point of view.Women who suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital are less likely to receive help from bystanders and have less chance of survival than men, a recent Dutch study showed. The results align with what a separate study found in the United States last year: men had an increased likelihood of receiving bystander support and greater chances of survival than women. For the new study, conducted in a province in The Netherlands, Hanno Tan at the University of Amsterdam and colleagues looked at data on more than 5,700 people who had cardiac arrests in the community. All were treated by ...US President Donald Trump, declaring a national emergency because of tensions with Iran, swept aside objections from Congress on Friday to complete the sale of over $8 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. The Trump administration informed congressional committees that it will go ahead with 22 military sales to the Saudis, United Arab Emirates and Jordan, infuriating lawmakers by circumventing a long-standing precedent for congressional review of major weapons sales. Members of Congress had been blocking sales of offensive military equipment ...Europe has been one of Huaweis biggest success stories. Now it is on the front line of the trade and technology war between China and the United States. The move by Google this week to cut off Android support to phones made by Huawei, the Chinese telecom giant, will hobble their European users and highlights how deeply the Continent relies on American and Chinese companies for gadgets, apps and internet services. From its early days selling equipment to wireless carriers, Huawei has expanded at an extraordinary rate in Europe, capturing more than a quarter of the smartphone ...On some days, life as a young woman in Kabul can feel suffocating for Hadis Lessani Delijam, a 17-year-old high school senior. Once, a man on the street harangued her for her makeup and Western clothes; they are shameful, he bellowed. A middle-aged woman cursed her for strolling and chatting with a young man. She called me things that are so terrible I cant repeat them, Delijam said. For solace, Delijam retreats to an unlikely venue  the humble coffee shop. This is the only place where I can relax and feel free, even if its only for a few ...US President Trumps latest swipe at Huawei could be the start of a deep transformation of the tech sector. Citing national security concerns, the Commerce Department said this month that American companies would need special permission to sell some products to Huawei and other Chinese companies. This past week, things escalated. Companies including Google, Qualcomm and Broadcom froze some of the supply of products to the Chinese technology giant. (Google, for instance, will no longer offer Huawei the full version of its Android operating system.) The crackdown may expand, ...Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation on Friday after three years of trying and failing to pull Britain out of the European Union, throwing her country into an unpredictable situation and setting off a bare-knuckled contest among other Conservative lawmakers to replace her. As she stood behind a lectern outside 10 Downing Street, Mrs. May admitted that a different leader was needed to shepherd the split, known as Brexit. But she also warned that the unyielding stance taken by the hard-line factions of lawmakers who had proved her undoing would have to ...The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday arrested two more people in connection with the murder of activist Narendra Dabholkar.

The accused, identified as Advocate Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave, have been arrested from Mumbai.

Punalekar is also an advocate for the case and has been advocating for many right-wing accused in different cases.

In December 2018, the Pune Sessions Court had granted bail to the accused Amol Kale, Rajesh Bangera and Amit Degvekar as the CBI failed to file charge sheet against them within the stipulated 90-day period.

Founder of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), Dabholkar was shot by bike-borne assailants while returning home from a morning walk on August 20, 2013.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Help India!

TCN News

In a message for Islams holy month of Ramadan and Id ul-Fitr, the Vaticans Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue has released a message, urging Christians and Muslims worldwide to build bridges of brotherhood and promote the culture of dialogue. The Vatican is calling on Christians and Muslims worldwide to promote human fraternity and harmonious existence by building bridges of friendship and promoting a culture of dialogue where violence is rejected and the human person is respected.

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Addressing the message to Muslim brothers and sisters, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) made the invitation in a message to wish Muslims worldwide a peaceful and fruitful celebration of the fasting month Ramadan that ends with Id ul-Fitr. The month of Ramadan with its dedication to fasting, prayer and alms giving, is also a month for strengthening the spiritual bonds we share in Muslim-Christian friendship, notes the message entitled, Christians and Muslims: Promoting Universal Fraternity, signed by PCID Secretary, Bishop Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot.

Quoting the document signed by Pope Francis and the Gran Iman Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb of Al-Azhar in Abu Dhabi on February 4, Bishop Ayuso invites Christians and Muslims to remain rooted in the values of peace; to defend the values of mutual understanding, human fraternity and harmonious coexistence; to re-establish wisdom, justice and love.The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Saturday said to have arrested six Pakistani nationals for allegedly smuggling 218 kilograms of narcotic drugs at Jakhau port in Gujarat.

DRI had shared information with the Indian Coast Guard about a Pakistani-origin fishing boat 'Al Madina' carrying a huge quantity of narcotic drugs, which would deliver the consignment to suspected recipients mid-sea for further distribution in India.

"Coast Guard intercepted the Pakistani vessel on May 22 with six Pakistani crew and brought it to Jakhau (Kutch) on Gujarat coast. On board, the Pakistani boat, 194 packets of illicit drugs were recovered by the Coast Guard. An Indian fishing boat which was found to be suspicious was also detained along with its crew," said DRI in a release.

"On May 22, DRI completed the seizure of the illicit narcotic drugs weighing about 218 kilograms under the Customs Act, 1962 and the NDPS Act, 1985. Six Pakistani crew have also been arrested by the DRI on May 24 under the provisions of Section 42 and 43 of the NDPS Act, 1985. The accused were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Bhuj who has remanded them to DRI custody till May 27," it said.

said.

The accused had thrown these packets into the sea to avoid detection but the Coast Guard recovered 194 packets weighing roughly 218 kilograms.

"Investigations have revealed that this Pakistani boat 'Al-Madina' had made a similar journey for delivery of drugs into India. While this time, Pakistani boat had started from Ibrahim Haidari Port in Karachi on May 18, the week before they had loaded the drugs at the port of Mahadi, Balochistan on May 10. After being initially delayed by bad weather, they had reached the Indian location on May 12, but the Indian recipient had not turned up to receive the contraband," the release read.

"After waiting for two days, on the directions of their Pakistani handler, they returned to Pakistan and buried the 330 kilograms of heroin at Petiyani Creek. This time on their journey back to India again after merely 2-3 days (on May 18) they changed most of the crew, retrieved the same buried consignments from Petiyani Creek started from Ibrahim Haidari port in Karachi for delivery to Indian recipients," it said.

"Inter-agency co-ordination has been the priority of DRI and this has been strengthened after the creation of S-CORD ( anti-smuggling Coordination Centre) under DRI," the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actor Anil Kapoor met 'Slumdog Millionaire' director Danny Boyle in London where they talked about family, friends and the future.

Anil, who was a part of the film, mentioned that conversations with Boyle are always insightful in his tweet on Saturday. The actor also shared a picture of himself with the Oscar-winning director Boyle.

"Catching up with Danny Boyle in London! We spoke about family, friends & the future. Conversations with him are always so insightful! All the best for #Yesterday Danny, looking forward to watching it soon!" Anil tweeted.

The multi-Academy award-winning film brought Kapoor critical acclaim from across the world for his flamboyant and nuanced portrayal of game show host Prem Kumar.

The film which released in 2009 shows a teenager journey from the slum of Mumbai to winning Rs 20 million on India's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" game show.

On the occasion of 10 years of 'Slumdog Millionaire' in January this year, Anil, chronicled his journey on Twitter. "What a journey it has been since then! Many have called 'Slumdog' a masterpiece, and I can honestly say that I'm honoured to have been a part of it," he wrote.

Besides Anil, the film also starred Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Saurabh Shukla in the pivotal role.

Following its release, 'Slumdog Millionaire' had gone on to be nominated for 10 Academy Awards, of which it won eight-- including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It had also won seven BAFTA Awards including Best Film, five Critics' Choice Awards, and four Golden Globes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC), Bandra unit on Friday arrested a foreign of Kenya here and seized 510 gm of cocaine from his possession.

The accused, 33-year-old David Lemaron Ol Tubulai was intercepted by the ANC while he was caught carrying a green colour bag in his hand.

Tubulai is one of the main suppliers of cocaine in Khar-Juhu-Varsova area.

The worth of seized drug is stated to be approximately Rs 3.06 crore.

The police have apprehended the accused and registered a case under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS) Act.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two days after he received a massive mandate in the Lok Sabha elections, Narendra Modi was on Saturday appointed Prime Minister for a second term as he reached out to minorities and gave a new slogan of 'Sabka Vishwas' (trust of all).

President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Modi as the Prime Minister again after he was elected leader of the NDA parliamentary party and a delegation of the coalition headed by BJP chief Amit Shah handed over the letter of support from all parties in this regard.

The president asked Modi to convey the names of the members of his new council of ministers and the date for swearing-in.

"Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution of India, President Kovind, today appointed @narendramodi to the office of Prime Minister of India," tweeted Rashtrapati Bhavan.

"The President requested Narendra Modi to advise him about the names of others to be appointed members of the Union Council of Ministers; and to indicate the date and time of the swearing-in-ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan," read another tweet from President's office.

Thanking all the NDA leaders for choosing him as the leader of the coalition, Modi said the nation has given a massive mandate and the government would work to meet the people's aspirations.

"We will make all efforts to fulfil people's dreams and live up to people's expectations," he told reporters.

"On the President's invitation, I have come to meet him. The President has given me the letter appointing me as Prime Minister and has asked me about the future course of action regarding ministerial posts. As soon as possible I will inform him about the same," he said.

"The country has given us a massive mandate. With this, there are also public expectations. Our government is committed to the development of a new India, especially when the country is going to celebrate 75 years of Independence. Every countryman should take an oath for the country and society on this occasion. This is the period of Mahatma's Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary and also of Guru Nanak Dev's 550th birth anniversary," he said.

"Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas" is a mantra which shows the perfect way for the development of all segments of Indian society. We have to also move forward with commitment towards the security of all and prosperity of the nation," said Modi.

Earlier addressing the newly-elected members of Parliament belonging to BJP and other allies in the NDA in the Central Hall of Parliament after his election as leader, Modi sought to reach out to minorities saying there will be no discrimination against anyone on the basis of caste, sect and religion and gave a new slogan of "trust of all".

He said his government would work for 130 crore people, including those who voted for the NDA and those who did not vote for his party and the coalition.

In a 90-minute speech heard with rapt attention which encompassed the work during his first term and the goals for the next term, Modi said that his government would move forward on its attack against poverty.

In an attempt to reach out to minorities, Modi said political parties in the past played deceit on minorities who were used for vote bank

"They were kept in illusion, the climate of fear and insecurity. They were misled by deceit. It would have been better if they were given education so that some good leaders emerged from the community, which could have become equal to other sections.

"But for the sake of vote bank politics, they were kept away from everything. Today I appeal to all that we have to break that deceit on minorities. We have to gain their trust. We have to move shoulder to shoulder without discriminating on the basis of caste, sect and religion. We are for 130 crore people. These should be our priorities and responsibility. 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas aur ab Sabka Vishwas (Everyone's support, everyone's development and now everyone's trust). This is our mantra. I will leave no stone unturned and I will work for all citizens of India," he said.

In a veiled attack on previous governments, he said poverty had always been a matter of political debate in the country. "It was a fashion. During the last five years, we have broken the back of poverty, we reached closer to the poor people and empowered them. We fought against poverty to get rid of it. We will move forward."

In an apparent reference to Hindu-Muslim unity, Modi recalled the sepoy mutiny of 1857 and how the country was united in the fight against the British for independence. He also said his government would go by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Ram Manohar Lohia and BR Ambedkar.

Calling the journey of 2019 Lok Sabha elections a "teerth yatra" (pilgrimage) for him, Modi said the coalition is going to begin a new journey for taking India ahead.

Before addressing at the NDA parliamentary the meeting, Modi touched and bowed before the Constitution placed at the Central Hall of Parliament.

"I convey my heartfelt gratitude to you all. The BJP chose me unanimously as the leader of the parliamentary party and all the NDA parties supported it and I am thankful for it. We are beginning a new journey," Modi said.

The Prime Minister said India is now an aspirational society and the 21st century belongs to India.

"I said that we are not contesting elections, people of the country are. I have seen many elections in my life but the 2019 election for me was a 'teerth yatra' (pilgrimage). It was not political campaigning," he said.

Modi maintained that the 2019 general elections were pro-incumbency which gave birth to trust, adding that this election has become a movement of social unity.

"These elections were pro-incumbency. This pro-incumbency wave is tied with the thread of trust...The trust was not only between people and government but also among people themselves. This gave birth to that trust... 2019 elections become a movement of social unity," he said.

With a hope of gaining the trust of those who did not vote for the BJP, Modi said, "We are here for those who trusted us today. We are here for those too whose trust we are yet to win."

Remembering former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi said, "Vajpayee ji is the one who made this coalition successful and took this forward positively. His (Vajpayee) image present in the Central Hall is blessing all of us. NDA has become a trustworthy campaign."

In his speech, Amit Shah hailed the Lok Sabha election results as a testimony of people choosing of performance over of 'dynasty, casteism and appeasement'.

"After the sixties, democracy in this country was under the grip of dynasty politics, casteism and appeasement. It is for the first time in 2019 that the country has pushed these things out of politics and has reposed faith in politics of performance," he said.

Shah thanked all the allies and the MPs for unanimously choosing Modi as prime minister again and said, "This euphoric mandate is massive and historic. After 1971, for the first time, a Prime Minister is returning to the post with an even bigger majority after completing a first five-year term."

He also asserted that Narendra Modi becoming the prime minister of the country exemplified the spirit of the constitution.

"After Modi became Prime Minister, the poorest of Indian felt that the spirit of the Constitution can turn into reality and a person from poor background become Prime Minister. It was a Narendra Modi experiment when people wanted him to replicate the development model of Gujarat in the whole country. This experiment of people has been successful."

Shah outlined various people-centric initiatives of the NDA governments first term and said, "The 50 crore poor who were looking for their place in the country's system were previously not able to find it. In the five years, Narendra Modi has uplifted the 22 crores poor of the country and it is their blessing which has come as this historic mandate."

He also talked about the surgical strikes, while criticising those who questioned it the first time.

"When the first surgical strike happened, people felt that a government has come which can answer the country's enemies inside their homes. Initially, the defence pundits of the country called surgical strike as a fluke but after Pulwama attack, the air force personnel's took the revenge through air-strike", said Shah.

Shah also said that it is people's expectation to see India emerge as a world power and hopefully same will happen in the second term of the Modi led NDA government.

Earlier during the NDA meeting, Narendra Modi was elected as the leader of the NDA.

He was greeted by SAD's Parkash Singh Badal, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar, BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari after being elected as the leader of NDA and BJP at the NDA meeting.

Modi-led NDA swept the elections and won 352 out of 542 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha elections. In the official count, the BJP has secured 303 seats, 22 more than in 2014 elections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan on Saturday offered to resign from his post following the debacle of the party in the Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to ANI, Chavan said, "We all ought to submit our resignation to the Congress President. As for me, I have submitted my resignation and now it is up to Rahul Gandhi to take a call on whatever reshuffle and changes he wants to make. We fully authorise the Congress President to take a call on this."

On being asked who should take responsibility for Congress' dismal performance in the general elections, Chavan said, "Rahul Gandhi is not to be blamed for what happened in the Lok Sabha polls. He is the leader of our party and I do not endorse that he is responsible for this debacle in polls. It is the collective responsibility of all people like us, who are heading the party in various states."

Chavan also said he will soon meet Gandhi to discuss the performance of the party in Maharashtra.

In the recently-conducted polls, Chavan lost to BJP's Prataprao Govindrao Chikhalikar by a margin of 40,000 votes from Nanded seat.

Congress managed to win just one out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra with candidates like former Union minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Mumbai unit chief Milind Deora losing in their respective seats.

BJP-Shiv Sena coalition swept the polls in Maharashtra, managing to win 41 seats together. NCP managed to retain its tally from 2014 by winning five seats while one seat went to AIMIM.

Congress' chiefs of party units in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha too have offered to resign from their post accepting responsibility for Congress' poor performance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The resounding win of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha elections has also reinstated the party in more than half of parliamentary seats lost in by-polls between 2014 and 2019.

According to the Election Commission of India's statistics, BJP had won only six out of 30 Lok Sabha bye-polls held between 2014 and November 2018. However, the after results of 2019 general elections are out, the BJP has won back 12 of the seats the party had lost in the bye-polls.

These Lok Sabha constituencies are Ratlam, Bangaon, Gurdaspur, Phulpur, Gorakhpur, Ajmer, Alwar, Araria, Bhandara-Gondiya, Kairana, Coochbehar, and Bellary. Phulpur and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, the two seats which were an issue of prestige for the BJP, were wrested from the opposition parties.

After the General Elections in 2014, in the first year itself bye-polls to the Lok Sabha were held in five constituencies out of which BJP retained two seats. In these five constituencies, the BJP won Beed and Vadodara, but had failed to retain Odisha's Kandhamal, Telangana's Medak, and Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri seats.

In 2015, the bye-polls were held in three constituencies including Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh where the BJP lost to the Congress. Two other constituencies -- Warangal and Bangaon -- were also won by other parties. BJP has wrested these seats in the recently held Lok Sabha polls.

In 2016, BJP retained Assam's Lakhimpur and MP's Shahdol parliamentary constituencies in bye-polls whereas TMC and NPP won three other seats including Coochbehar, which has now gone to the BJP.

In 2017, BJP lost Gurdaspur to Congress in bye-polls whereas three other constituencies that went to polls also brought no good news to the BJP. This time, Gurdaspur saw a resounding win of BJP's Sunny Deol.

The worst year for the BJP in terms of bye-poll results was 2018. In March 2018, BJP lost in Phulpur and Gorakhpur parliamentary bye-elections. Thereafter, the party lost bye-polls in Ajmer and Alwar. Bihar's Araria parliamentary constituency also went to the poll, which was won by the RJD. In 2019 LS polls, all these seats have gone to the BJP kitty.

In May 2018, the by-elections to four Lok Sabha seats were held in Palghar and Bhandara-Gondiya in Maharashtra, Kairana Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, and Nagaland parliamentary constituency. Among all these seats, BJP managed to win only Palghar Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra. The party won Bhandara-Gondiya and Kairana seats as well in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls.

In November last year, three parliamentary and two assembly seats in Karnataka went to bye-polls. Congress-JDS alliance won four seats -- two Assembly seats and two Lok Sabha seats. BJP was able to hold on to Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency, which is considered the stronghold of its state chief, BS Yeddyurappa, but the party lost Bellary seat. BJP won back Bellary seat in the Lok Sabha polls.

With the official counting of the Lok Sabha elections over on Friday, the BJP has secured 303 seats, 22 more than the party got in the 2014 elections. The NDA's total tally went up to 352 in 17th Lok Sabha.

The NDA tally of 352 comprises 303 of BJP, 18 of Shiv Sena, 16 of JDU, six of Lok Janshakti Party, two each of Akali Dal and Apna Dal and one each of All Jharkhand Students Union, Loktantrik Party, Mizo Front and People's Party and one independent backed by the BJP in Karnataka.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Syria on Friday denied the US claims that it has used chemical weapons against civilians, saying such allegations are made to impede the progress of ongoing anti-terrorist operations.

"There is nothing but another last-ditch attempt by western countries that obey their master -- the United States -- to ease pressure on their terrorist slaves in Idlib. And it is an obviously pathetic attempt to delay the advance of the [Syrian] military in these regions", Sputnik quotes Syria Foreign Ministry as saying.

This development comes days after the US warned the Syrian government over carrying out chemical attacks as a counter-offensive, particularly in its northwestern region, the remaining holdout of the Islamic State.

In a statement, the US State Department said, "We continue to see signs that the Assad regime may be renewing its use of chemical weapons, including an alleged chlorine attack in northwest Syria on the morning of May 19, 2019."

The alleged attack took place on May 19 on the border of Idlib province.

The Syrian government has been accused of attacking civilians in Idlib. United Nations has also warned of a humanitarian catastrophe.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is trying to regain control over the last rebel-held province.

The multi-sided armed conflict in Syria has been raging since 2011, with Russia, Turkey and Iran being the guarantors of the ceasefire regime.

Assad regime has been here and now accused of using chemical on its own people.

International inspectors say that Assad's forces have carried out a series of chemical attacks in the course of the brutal civil war, which has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since 2011.

Fighting erupted in northwestern Syria last month breaking a truce brokered by Russia and Turkey in 2018.

At least 167 civilians have lost their lives in Idlib since April 25. The province is home to about three million people.

More than 370,00O people were killed and millions were displaced in Syria and abroad since the beginning of the Syrian war in March 2011.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) is underway at the party headquarters in New Delhi to discuss the humiliating defeat they faced in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

Several senior leaders including UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party president Rahul Gandhi, former PM Manmohan Singh, Motilal Vora, former union ministers RPN Singh, PL Punia and P Chidambaram, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Opposition leader in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, are present at the meeting.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah are also attending the meeting.

Though there was no official word on the agenda for the meeting, sources said the committee is likely to discuss future strategies.

The CWC is also expected to take stock of the party's loss in Uttar Pradesh, the state which sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha.

Congress, despite extensive campaigning by Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, was decimated to a single seat - Raebareli, represented by Sonia Gandhi - in Uttar Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi, who was the MP from Amethi since 2004, lost to Union Minister Smriti Irani.

Sources also indicated that the issue which may also come up for deliberation is the party's drubbing in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where it had won the Assembly elections just five months ago.

All members of the committee have been instructed to talk and put their proposal openly in the meeting today, the sources added.

Speculations are rife that Rahul Gandhi may offer to resign as party president, accepting moral responsibility for the debacle.

In the 2014 general election, the Congress had won 44 seats, the lowest score in its history. It has improved its tally marginally by 8 to reach 52 seats in the 2019 polls.

Meanwhile, the chiefs of party units in states like Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha have offered to resign from their post accepting responsibility for Congress' poor performance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Smarting under the second consecutive debacle in the Lok Sabha elections, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday offered to resign taking moral responsibility for the defeat but was rejected 'unanimously' by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) which authorised him to do a complete overhaul and restructuring of the party at every level.

At a three-hour long meeting called to discuss the poor showing of the party at the hustings, Gandhi reportedly spelt-out various options including having a working president who will be from outside the Gandhi family. He is also said to have urged the party leaders not to seek such a role for his sister Priyanka.

However, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, who addressed a press conference after the meeting, dismissed reports in this connection, saying that there is no truth in the speculation that Rahul Gandhi asked for a non-Gandhi to be made president of party.

"We did not discuss any names. He only offered his resignation", said Surjewala who released the copy of the resolution adopted by the CWC rejecting his resignation and its views on other issues.

He also termed a number of questions purportedly based on information from sources about what happened in the meeting as being in the realm of speculations.

The resolution said: "Congress president Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress president for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times.

"The CWC unanimously called upon the Congress president Rahul Gandhi to lead the party in this ideological battle and to champion the cause of India's youth, the farmers, the SC/ST/OBC's, the minorities, the poor and the deprived sections."

Surjewala and senior leaders AK Antony and Ghulam Nabi Azad, who also addressed the media, said that the party agreed that there was need for introspection over the defeat and it will be done in due course.

Antony did not agree with a questioner that the Congress party's performance was disastrous.

"I don't agree that it was a disastrous performance but we were not able to rise up to the expectations. Party will discuss this in details...Today we had only general discussions," he said.

To a question about non-implementation of the report into a debacle in 2014 prepared by a committee headed by him, he said, "The report was given to the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi, some of the recommendations were implemented but that chapter is over."

Azad said there was no detailed discussion about the factors right now because it would be seen as an excuse for the defeat.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "In a democracy winning or losing keep happening but providing leadership is a different matter. He gave a leadership, one which is visible - maybe less on TV but very evident among the public. We have accepted our defeat but it was a defeat of numbers and not ideology.

"In CWC meeting everyone unanimously told him (Rahul Gandhi) he did a good job...No one has a doubt on his leadership but the situation was like that. If someone can lead the party in such a situation it is only Rahul Gandhi if anyone can lead opposition, it's only Rahul Gandhi," he said.

The resolution said the CWC fully recognise the challenges, the failures and the shortcomings resulting in this mandate and recommended a through introspection.

It requested the Congress president for a complete overhaul and a detailed restructuring at every level of the party.

"A plan to this effect shall come into force at the earliest," the resolution said.

It said the Congress party has lost the election but its indomitable courage, fighting spirit and commitment to ideology remain stronger than ever.

"We shall continue its fight against forces that thrive on hatred and division," it said.

"The CWC also noted that India faces a number of challenges as a new government takes over. The issue of surging oil prices post-sanctions against Iran as also price rise stares us in the face. The banking sector is in dire straits with uncontrolled and unchecked NPA's soaring to nearly 12 lakh crores, over last five years, threatening the very stability of banking operations.

"Serious questions being raised on the financial viability of NBFC's, wherein hard-earned savings of the people's lives are invested. The downturn of the economy coupled with lack of private investment and a steep fall in consumption patterns, point towards a grave economic slowdown. The looming job crisis has seen no solutions, jeopardizing the future of our young.

"The agrarian crisis continues unabated with large swathes of the country reeling under severe drought particularly Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Institutional integrity, which is the hallmark of our Constitutional Democracy remains under a cloud. Social strife and tensions affect large portions of our populace.

"CWC notes that these are issues to be urgently addressed by the next government. The responsibility and accountability to overcome these challenges is of the next government. The Congress party would continue to play a constructive role to overcome these serious challenges. CWC hopes that the government will address these issues as its top priority," the resolution read.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bihar Congress unit president Kaukab Qadri on Saturday said that disproportionate ticket distribution among allies was the reason for the rout of Congress-RJD alliance in the state, where 40 Lok Sabha seats are at stake out of which NDA won 39.

"We had never thought that the seats from our quota will be given to the new allies. RLSP got five seats and its president Upendra Kushwaha contested from two seats while others were crying for one seat. Similarly, Mukesh Sahni was very inexperienced but was still given three seats," said Qadri while talking to ANI.

"We were not given tickets to contest from seats like Darbhanga, Aurangabad, and Karakat, where the Congress party has had a strong support base for long," said Qadri.

"Even after the announcement of giving us 11 seats, our share was later reduced to nine. Uncertainty and delay till the last moment also went against us," he said.

Talking about Congress president Rahul Gandhi insisting to resign, Qadri said: "Rahul Gandhi need not resign but the people who were given various responsibilities and failed should be changed. A big reshuffle is needed in the party."

When asked to comment on RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as compared to his father former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Qadri said: "Tejashwi is young. He is the Leader of Opposition at a young age. However, his comparison with Lalu Prasad Yadav will be unfair.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)P Chidambaram got emotional while appealing to Congress President Rahul Gandhi not to step down from his post, claiming that the party's cadres in the southern states will commit suicide.

During the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held today, all leaders urged Gandhi to continue as the party president, even as Rahul remained firm on his decision to resign, sources said.

Addressing media after the CWC meeting, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Rahul has been authorised to restructure the party following its dismal performance in the recently held general elections.

When party leaders asked UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to intervene and dissuade Rahul from resigning, she said it was up to Rahul to decide whether to step down or not, sources added.

However, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was of the view that no decision should be taken in haste. She, sources claimed, also said if Rahul decides to resign, it would mean that he fell into BJP's trap.

While the newly-elected Wayanad MP expressed his intent to discontinue as the party president, sources said he asserted that he would continue to fight for Congress' ideology and work for the party.

When the 48-year-old scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family remained adamant on discontinuing as the party president, the CWC leaders rose to oppose his offer stating that he was not the one to be blamed for the party's drubbing.

The CWC members also praised their leader's aggressive approach in the run-up to polls, and said there were shortfalls in others, sources said.

Priyanka, it is learnt, said that during the campaigning, basic issues were not discussed and the ruling government succeeded in suppressing those.

The leaders, on the other hand, were of the view that media only showed what the government instructed them to. They even accused the Election Commission of working under the government's control, sources added.

During the CWC meet, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Karnataka's former chief minister Siddaramaiah were also present, among others.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Following BJP-led NDA's emphatic victory in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, French President Emmanuel Macron made a congratulatory phone call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs France said on Saturday.

The French Foreign Ministry remarked that both India and France would continue to work together with an aim to bolster the security of the two nations.

"France and India have a steadfast partnership. We will continue to work together to consolidate the security of our nations, secure stability in the world, and promote sustainable development as well as exchanges between our youth," the statement by the spokesperson read.

"India can rely on France's continued friendship,' it added.

Congratulating the Indian people and the authorities for the successful completion of the general elections, the statement remarked that the "immense voter participation in the electoral process illustrates the vibrancy of the largest democracy in the "

Meanwhile, on Saturday morning, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also congratulated the Indian Prime Minister on the electoral victory and hoped that the two countries would continue to strive towards an even more productive partnership, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

Wishes and greetings poured in from across the after Modi-led NDA swept the elections and won 352 out of 542 seats in the Lok Sabha.

The Prime Minister received congratulatory calls from leaders of Japan, Israel, Russia, and France, and the United States. Leaders of several other countries, including China, France, Pakistan, and Vietnam, also sent congratulatory messages to the PM.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, Portugal Prime Minister Antonio Costa, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former President of the Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom took to Twitter to send their congratulations to Modi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Declaring that she did not want to continue as chief minister, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee on Saturday attributed her poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls to the "division" of Hindu-Muslims votes.

"I said at the beginning of the meeting that I don't want to continue as the Chief Minister. I trying hard to convince my party," she told the meeting after a meeting of her party leaders called to discuss the reverses in the elections.

Banerjee said the central forces worked against her party.

"An emergency situation was created. Hindu-Muslim division was done and votes were divided. We complained to the Election Commission of India (EC) but nothing was looked into," she said.

The Chief Minister alleged that a bribe of Rs 5000 was given to each family. "I still believe BJP has a lot of money," she said.

In the recently held Lok Sabha polls, TMC could win only 22 of the 34 Lok Sabha seats it had won in 2014. The BJP made deep inroads in the state this election by winning 18 states.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Indigo flight -- 6E292 -- between Chennai and Kolkata was diverted here on Saturday due to a medical emergency.

"6E292 Chennai to Kolkata was diverted to Bhubaneswar due to medical emergency on board, as there was a sick passenger on board," Indigo informed in a release.

The aircraft was accorded priority by the Air Traffic Control (ATC) and landed at 3.17 pm in Bhubaneswar.

The sick passenger in an AAI ambulance along with a doctor was taken to the Capital Hospital for the treatment.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Advisor to the US President, Ivanka Trump and Mastercard's CEO, Ajay Banga will lead the closing session at Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) on June 5.

The session will be moderated by Manisha Singh, Assistant Secretary for Economic and Affairs. Co-hosted by US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and The Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, GES 2019 is the ninth gathering of entrepreneurs, leaders, supporters and government officials.

More than 1,000 entrepreneurs from around the world will have opportunities to showcase their start-ups to more than 300 investors that collectively represent trillions of dollars of assets under management.

This year's summit will accelerate the momentum of the 2017 GES in Hyderabad, India, which highlighted 'Women First, Prosperity for All.'

Trump said she is excited to visit The Netherlands and participate for the second year in the Department of State's GES.

"I plan to address issues related to women's economic empowerment, with a focus on women's entrepreneurship. A core pillar of our W-GDP initiative, launched by the White House this year, is to help women in developing countries succeed as entrepreneurs through access to capital, markets, networks, and mentorship," she said in a statement.

"I am looking forward to joining Queen Maxima, Secretary Pompeo, Mastercard's CEO Ajay Banga and entrepreneurs from around the world at this powerful summit to build on the progress," she added.

.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Saturday offered to resign from the post of Congress state unit chief in the wake of the party's drubbing in the recently-concluded general elections.

"Kamal Nath has offered to resign from the post of Madhya Pradesh Congress committee president," said Deepak Babaria, Congress' general secretary.

Decimated by the BJP which won 28 out of the 29 seats in the state, the Congress could only open its account by winning Chhindwara parliamentary constituency

Earlier in the day, Nath skipped the Congress Working Committee meeting held in the capital.

According to sources, Nath had skipped the meeting in order to keep his flock together. The Congress party in the state has a slim majority.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As a birthday present to ace director Karan Johar, Netflix has decided to gift itself a dating show!

The 47-year-old, who has already hosted many reality shows such as 'Koffee with Karan', 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa' and 'India's Got Talent', will now be seen hosting a dating show titled 'What the love? with Karan Johar'.

"This is probably not how presents work but on the occasion of his birthday we've decided to gift ourselves a dating show hosted by karanjohar. What The Love? With Karan Johar, coming to Netflix! BBCStudiosIndia," Netflix India announced on Twitter.

Post the announcement, the newly-inducted member of the Netflix family tweeted, " Where there's chemistry, there's always a way! Can't wait to join the Netflix India family and spread a whole lotta love! BBCStudiosIndia #BBCStudiosIndia #BBCProduction."

The announcement seems to have garnered a mixed reaction from fans. While some are excited about the show, many seem to be disappointed by Netflix's decision. "I shifted to Netflix to get away from Karan Johar and alike. Please do not bring them there," wrote a Twitter user.

Another user wrote, "What? Thodi Mehangi Coffee with Karan coz on NetflixIndia!"

Fans have been sharing few hilarious memes as well.

Another Twitter user drew a parallel between KJo and American television host Ellen Lee DeGeneres.

On the work front, Johar's last project was 'Student of the Year 2' which featured Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria and Ananya Panday and released on May 10. The film is the sequel to the 2012 hit 'Student of The Year,' which marked the Bollywood debut of Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, and Sidharth Malhotra.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who steered the BJP and NDA to a landslide victory in Lok Sabha elections, was on Saturday night appointed prime minister for a second term.

"Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution of India, President Kovind, today appointed @narendramodi to the office of Prime Minister of India," tweeted Rashtrapati Bhavan.

"The President requested Narendra Modi to advise him about the names of others to be appointed members of the Union Council of Ministers; and to indicate the date and time of the swearing-in-ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan," read another from President's office.

Coming out after meeting President Ram Nath Kovind, Modi said he would soon be conveying to the President the details of the members of his new Council of Ministers and the date for swearing-in.

Thanking all the NDA leaders for choosing him as the leader of the coalition, Modi said the nation has given a massive mandate and the government would work to meet the people's aspirations.

"We will make all efforts to fulfill people's dreams and live up to people's expectations," he told reporters.

"On the President's invitation, I have come to meet him. The President has given me the letter appointing me as Prime Minister and has asked me about the future course of action regarding ministerial posts. As soon as possible I will inform him about the same," he said.

"The country has given us a massive mandate. With this, there are also public expectations. Our government is committed to the development of a new India, especially when the country is going to celebrate 75 years of Independence. Every countryman should take an oath for the country and society on this occasion. This is the period of Mahatma's Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary and also of Guru Nanak Dev's 550th birth anniversary," he said.

"We should not lose this opportunity. The environment of fulfilling the country's needs must be further strengthened. In the coming times, the government will take forward its work at full speed. We should keep moving forward and keep achieving our targets," he said.

"Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas" is a mantra which shows the perfect way for the development of all segments of Indian society. We have to also move forward with commitment towards the security of all and prosperity of the nation," said Modi.

Modi met the President after an NDA delegation led by BJP president Amit Shah and comprising Prakash Singh Badal, Rajnath Singh, Nitish Kumar, Ram Vilas Paswan, Sushma Swaraj, Uddhav Thackeray, Nitin Gadkari, K. Palaniswami, Conrad Sangma and Neiphiu Rio, called on President Ram Nath Kovind and staked claimed to form the government.

The delegation handed over to the President a letter stating that Narendra Modi has been elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party. Letters of support from NDA constituent parties were also handed over to the President.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who steered the NDA coalition to a massive victory in the Lok Sabha elections, was on Saturday unanimously elected the leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party and the NDA Parliament Party to head the new government once again.

He was elected at a combined meeting of the newly elected MPs of BJP and the NDA coalition at the Central Hall of Parliament by 353 MPs by raising their hands amidst shouts of 'Modi, Modi, Modi' and clapping of hands.

BJP president MP Amit Shah, who has himself been elected to Lok Sabha for the first time from Gandhinagar, was proposed the Modi's name as the leader of BJP Parliamentary Party which was seconded by former party President and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, another former President and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

"I propose the name of Narendra Modi for the leader of BJP's Parliamentary Party," Shah said moving the resolution.

"With great joy and pleasure I announce that the BJP Parliamentary party has unanimously elected Narendra Modiji as its leader," Shah said.

After his formal election as leader of the BJPPP, Akali Dal veteran Prakash Singh Badal moved a resolution on behalf of NDA as leader of the coalition. His resolution was seconded among others by JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, LJSP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, AIADMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy, Nagaland Chief Minister Niphiu Rio and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.

"Today is a historic day, I have great joy with BJP's parliamentary party decision to unanimous decision to appoint Narendra Modiji as its leader. As the leader of SAD which is a long time ally of the BJP, I support this move and congratulate Modiji for the same," Badal said.

Armed with the resolution electing him as NDA PP leader, Modi will call on President Ram Nath Kovind to stake claim to form the new government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A day after ruling BJP secured a resounding victory in the parliamentary elections, US President Donald Trump on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a "great man" and "leader".

Trump also telephoned Modi to once again congratulate him for their strong showing in elections.

"Just spoke to Prime Minister @NarendraModi where I congratulated him on his big political victory. He is a great man and leader for the people of India - they are lucky to have him!" tweeted Trump.

Modi-led BJP has swept the 17th Lok Sabha elections, garnering 303 seats. The saffron party, along with its allies, have secured 352 seats out of 542.

Yesterday also, Trump along with his deputy, advisor and several other American leaders tweeted to extend their wishes to PM Modi on his re-election.

"Congratulations to Prime Minister @NarendraModi and his BJP party on their BIG election victory! Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. I look forward to continuing our important work together!" the US President had tweeted.

Meanwhile, the US State Department has also congratulated PM Modi on his electoral victory and highlighted that the Indian elections "serve as an inspiration to democracies and individuals around the "

Scores of leaders, right from Japan in the East to Canada in the West, have wished the BJP leader for securing a resounding mandate in the latest Indian general elections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Guizhou (China), May 25 (ANI): Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the efforts made by his government to enhance the Indian economy, Mu Degui, a Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee, asserted that in Modi's second tenure, China looks forward to setting up several businesses in India to help the local economy grow.

When asked whether Modi's re-election as Prime Minister will improve India-China relations, Degui, while speaking to ANI, exuded confidence that the two countries will do good business in the near future.

"We have noticed that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office, he has made a lot of efforts to enhance the Indian economy and improve livelihood of the people. The Prime Minister relentlessly focused on good governance and progress of India," he said. "India and China have enjoyed long-term friendship. With Prime Minister Modi at the helm, China will seek peaceful methods to achieve common goals," he added.

Riding on muscular nationalism and a strident anti-Congress plank spearheaded by Prime Minister Modi, the BJP on Thursday got an overwhelming majority in the Lok Sabha, crossing on its own the 300 mark while storming back to power for the second consecutive term.

Further expressing his desire to work with India, Degui said that China regards India as a "model" it can learn from.

"We know that India is a major economy. We acknowledge the tremendous achievement it has made in the area of Information Technology. We regard India as a model we can learn from. We want to work with India and set up businesses there to help the local economy to grow," he said.

"We are trying to promote direct flights to New Delhi and Bangalore so that the two sides could do business well," he added.

Notably, Guizhou is a province in south-west China which, in recent years, has fought poverty and established itself as the country's data hub.

Guiyang City in the province at present is hosting a 'Big Data Industry Expo 2019' showcasing China's might in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data. More than 26,000 participants from 55 countries and regions are participating in the event.

As China's first big data pilot zone, Guizhou has attracted heavyweight players, including Apple, Qualcomm, Huawei, Tencent, Alibaba and Foxconn, to establish cloud computing and big data centers as well as regional headquarters.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Elected NDA leader again to serve a second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sought to reach out to minorities saying there will be no discrimination against anyone on the basis of caste, sect and religion and gave a new slogan of "trust towards all".

Addressing newly-elected members of Parliament belonging to BJP and other allies in the NDA in the Central Hall of Parliament after his election, he said his government would work for 130 crore people, including those who voted for the NDA and those who did not vote for his party and the coalition.

In a 90-minute speech heard with rapt attention which encompassed the work during his first term and the goals for the next term, Modi said that his government would move forward on its attack against poverty.

In an attempt to reach out to minorities, Modi said political parties in the past played deceit on minorities who were used for vote bank

"They were kept in illusion, climate of fear and insecurity. They were misled by deceit. It would have been better if they were given education so that some good leaders emerged from the community, which could have become equal to other sections.

"But for the sake of vote bank politics, they were kept away from everything. Today I appeal to all that we have to break that deceit on minorities. We have to gain their trust. We have to move shoulder to shoulder without discriminating on the basis of caste, sect and religion. We are for 130 crore people. These should be our priorities and responsibility. 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas aur ab Sabka Vishwas (Everyone's support, everyone's development and now everyone's trust). This is our mantra. I will leave no stone unturned and I will work for all citizens of India," he said.

In a veiled attack on previous governments, he said poverty had always been a matter of political debate in the country. "It was a fashion. During the last five years, we have broken the back of poverty, we reached closer to the poor people and empowered them. We fought against poverty to get rid of it. We will move forward."

Calling the journey of 2019 Lok Sabha elections a "teerth yatra" (pilgrimage) for him, Modi said the coalition is going to begin a new journey for taking India ahead.

Before addressing at the NDA parliamentary meeting, Modi touched and bowed before the Constitution placed at the Central Hall of Parliament.

"I convey my heartfelt gratitude to you all. The BJP chose me unanimously as the leader of the parliamentary party and all the NDA parties supported it and I am thankful for it. We are beginning a new journey," Modi said.

The Prime Minister said India is now an aspirational society and the 21st century belongs to India.

"I said that we are not contesting elections, people of the country are. I have seen many elections in my life but the 2019 election for me was a 'teerth yatra' (pilgrimage). It was not political campaigning," he said.

Modi maintained that the 2019 general elections were pro-incumbency which gave birth to trust, adding that this election has become a movement of social unity.

"These elections were pro-incumbency. This pro-incumbency wave is tied with the thread of trust...The trust was not only between people and government but also among people themselves. This gave birth to that trust... 2019 elections become a movement of social unity," he said.

Congratulating the newly-elected first time MPs, Modi said, "You all deserve greetings but those elected for the first time deserve an even bigger one. I offer all of you my greetings."

Expressing gratitude to the citizens of the country for giving majority mandate to the BJP in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, he said, "The country not only voted us to power in 2014, they also showed us the way from 2014 to 2019, they were participants during this journey. Sometimes they walked two steps ahead of us."

He added, "People have accepted us due to our 'seva bhav' (intent of service). One has to prepare oneself to be always ready to help people even when you move through the lanes of and power."

"A massive mandate also increases one's responsibility, we accept that. We must move ahead with new energy but at the same time also understand Indian democracy. Indian democracy is getting matured day by day."

"2019 elections have worked towards breaking down walls and connecting hearts. In a way, they had become a way to unite the society. This gave a new height to these elections. The people have started a new era and all of us are witnesses to it,"

With a hope of gaining the trust of those who did not vote for the BJP, Modi said, "We are here for those who trusted us today. We are here for those too whose trust we are yet to win."

Remembering former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi said, "Vajpayee ji is the one who made this coalition successful and took this forward positively. His (Vajpayee) image present in the Central Hall is blessing all of us. NDA has become a trustworthy campaign."

Talking about the minorities in the country, Modi said, "Minorities have been kept in fear, used in elections. We have to end this cycle. Just like the poor, the minority of this country too has been cheated."

Newly elected MPs of BJP-led NDA on Saturday formally elected Narendra Modi as the leader of the coalition after its massive victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

A host of political leaders from the NDA arrived for the parliamentary meet at the Central Hall in Parliament to attend the BJP-led coalition meeting.

Modi will call on President Ram Nath Kovind after the NDA meeting to stake claim to form the next government.

Meanwhile, the 16th Lok Sabha was on Saturday dissolved following the general elections and the new House has been constituted.

The President signed the order accepting the advice of the Cabinet which met on Friday and made a recommendation to this effect.

BJP secured an outright majority, winning 303 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, 21 more than it had got in the 2014 polls.

Along with its NDA allies, the BJP-led coalition has 351 members in the Lower House.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Congress party worker here shaved his head on Saturday after losing a bet to a BJP worker over who will become the next Prime Minister.

Bapu Lal Sen, Congress worker, Raigarh who lost the bet said: "We had a bet that if Modi became the PM, I'll shave my head and if Rahul Gandhi became the PM, BJP worker Ram Babu Mandloi will shave his. I have shaved my head now that my party has lost."

The enthusiasm among the ground level party workers in Madhya Pradesh was beautifully exhibited in this bet between the BJP and Congress workers. BL Sen, while keeping up with the fervour, kept his promise and shaved his head after Congress could not gain majority seats in the general elections.

Sen, who shaved his head in front of the people of Harana village in Rajgarh, attributed this defeat to party's unfulfilled promise of loan waivers to the farmers.

"There is a lot of rage among the farmers of MP as the loan waiver was not looked after at the right time. Rahul should have invested 3 months instead of just 10 days for the cause of farmer loan wavier," he said.

The enthusiasm seen among the party workers of Rajgarh is not new. An incident similar to this took place when a Congress party worker, Indu Singh, adopted silence for a year after the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

Narendra Modi is set to swear in for the second term after Modi-led NDA swept the elections and won 352 out of 542 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha elections. With the official count in the Lok Sabha elections which got over on Friday, the BJP has secured 303 seats, 22 more than in the 2014 elections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two Assam Rifles personnel were killed while four others were injured on Saturday in an encounter with terrorists.

The terrorists ambushed a convoy of Assam Rifles at around 1 pm today in Mon district along the Indo-Myanmar border. The convoy encountered an IED blast followed by small arms firing. However, no injury was reported due to the IED blast.

Kohima-based defence spokesperson Col Chiranjit Konwer said, "Two Assam Rifles jawans were killed while four others were injured in an ambush by terrorists in Nagaland, today."

Efforts are on to locate the group behind the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bringing to light how Pakistani nationals use Nepal as a transit hub for smuggling counterfeit Indian currency, the Nepal Police recently busted a Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) nexus, arresting three Pakistanis and fake currency kingpin Yunus Miya Ansari from Tribhuvan International Airport here.

Along with the Pakistani nationals, two people from Nepal were also arrested. They had FICN amounting to over seven crores sixty-seven lakhs in their possession when they were caught at the airport.

"We have arrested Yunus Miya Ansari along with three Pakistanis and 2 Nepalese nationals from the Tribhuwan International Airport with counterfeit Indian Bank Notes. They came to Nepal from Qatar with the fake Indian currencies but their passport shows that their travel starts from Pakistan," Bishwo Raj Pokharel, the Spokesman for the Nepal Police, told ANI on Friday.

Friday's arrest has become a subject of concern for some former intelligence and security personnel, as a few anomalies have been observed in the mode of trafficking.

"Yunus Ansari's arrest somewhat seems unusual. He himself went airport to receive the counterfeit Indian banknotes, which were being brought in a suitcase. Previously, a false button technique was in practice which is absent now, which provides space for suspicion," a retired police official, who previously investigated such incidents, told ANI while seeking anonymity.

The three arrested Pakistani nationals have been identified as Mohammad Akhtar (AA 1245494) aged 49, Nasir Uddin (AR 2406432) aged 67, and Nadiya Anwar (CN 1812032) aged 39.

As per their passports, the accused traveled from Islamabad in Pakistan to Kathmandu via Qatar.

The Police on Friday stated that they carried seven pieces of luggage and invited suspicion while completing security checks at the Tribhuwan International Airport.

Furthermore, Nepal's Immigration Department's records show that two of the arrested Pakistanis also visited Nepal a month before. Mohammad and Nadiya had landed in Nepal on April 13, staying on for 15 days on a tourist visa.

"Pakistanis come to Nepal as tourists for trade and with them come counterfeit Indian currencies. This time also they had used the technique of covering the fake Indian currencies with spices and some clothes," a retired intelligence official, on conditions of anonymity said.

With investigations underway, Nepal Police believe that the fake notes were printed in Doha.

Ansari was previously arrested by Nepal Police from Kathmandu in 2014. He had FICN amounting to 3.5 million in his possession during the previous arrest. Before that, the kingpin, along with two Pakistani nationals, was arrested also arrested in 2009 with 2.5 million FICN.

Apart from this, the police recently arrested a Pakistani couple for stealing money from various shops in Butwal and Bhaktapur earlier this month.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Niranjani Akhara on Saturday sacked Mahamandaleshwar Swami Vairagyanand for organising 'Yajna' and 'Anusthan' for Bhopal Congress candidate Digvijaya Singh during the Lok Sabha campaign.

"There is no doubt that Vairagyanand is a true sage but it is not a duty of a sage to favour one person and pray to defeat another. He has been sacked from the party as we had warned him to stop his activities in favour Digvijay Singh. Sadhus should work for the growth and prosperity of the nation," Akhil Bharatiya Parishad president Mahant Narendra Giri said while speaking to ANI in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.

"As Vairagyanand continued with his 'havana' to defeat Pragya Thakur, he has been removed from the post of Mahamandaleshwar of Panchayati Akhara of Niranjani Dal. The issue will be discussed further in the meeting of Nirajani Akhara board committee," he said.

A Hindu seer, Vairagyanand, had conducted a unique "havan" with five kgs of red chilli for a week for the defeat of BJP's candidate from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya, who was at loggerhead with Singh in the concluded elections.

Unfortunately, the seer failed in his attempt as Malegaon blast accused Thakur won her first ever Lok Sabha elections by a margin of 3,64,822 lakh votes.

She had won a total of 8,66,482 votes in the constituency.

Vairagyanand, associated with Panchayati Niranjani Akhara (followers of Lord Shiva and Vishnu), had claimed to ensure Singh's victory in the elections by organising "Yajna". He had announced a rally of at least 20,000 sages in the city in favour of the Congress leader. "I will organise a parade of 20,000 sages in Bhopal in Singh's support to disperse the misimpression that only BJP has a following of great sadhus and saints," he had said.

The seer had also claimed to take 'Samadhi' if Singh loses in the polls.

Undoubtedly, his dramatic entry into the political sphere gave a new dimension to election campaigning in Bhopal.

Not only Vairagyanand but Namdas Tyagi, popularly known as Computer Baba, had organised a three-day 'maha yagna' along with Singh and other saints here.

Later, an FIR was filed against Computer Baba, alleging that he was fanning communal sentiments while campaigning for Singh.

When BJP leader and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan was in power, Vairagyanand had tried his best to overthrow him with the help of supernatural power of sages.

He had also accused Chouhan of making efforts to "buy" saints by offering ministerial status to their leader.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Amidst high-octane developments on her home-front, UK Prime Minister Theresa May on Saturday called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi to congratulate him on his sweeping electoral win at the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

This comes after the British leader announced her intent to step down from her post as the Tory leader on June 7 after her latest Brexit deal was ridiculed across political lines. Before this, her previously negotiated Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union (EU) was rejected thrice by the British Parliament.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel also made a congratulatory call to Modi on Saturday. The Prime Minister had met Merkel during a stopover in Berlin in April last year. Apart from this, all three leaders had attended the G-20 summit in Argentina towards the end of 2018.

Wishes have been pouring in for Modi ever since it became clear that the party along with its allies had secured a thumping majority in the general elections.

Scores of leaders, right from Japan in the East to the United States in the West, have wished Prime Minister Modi on being re-elected for a second term.

BJP secured 303 seats, which is 22 more than it got in the 2014 elections. Along with its allies, the NDA took its tally up to 352 in the 17th Lok Sabha.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Before swearing-in for the second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he will be flying to Gujarat on Sunday to seek his mother Heeraben Modi's blessings.

"Will be going to Gujarat tomorrow evening to seek blessings of my Mother," the Prime Minister wrote on his Twitter handle.

The PM had paid her a visit last month too before filing his nomination from the parliamentary constituency of Varanasi.

After visiting his mother, the Prime Minister will be proceeding to Varanasi to thank his supporters.

"Day after tomorrow morning, I will be in Kashi to thank the people of this great land for reposing their faith in me," PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister, who won by a huge margin of 4,79,505 votes, had held a grand roadshow in his parliamentary constituency and had also participated in Ganga Aarti there.

On Saturday, five legislators of Varanasi district, two MLCs and District President of BJP Varanasi had visited the Prime Minister to deliver a certificate of his victory. During the meeting, the Prime Minister had reviewed the work that was stopped due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in the city.

With the official count in the Lok Sabha elections over on Friday, the BJP has secured 303 seats, 22 more than in the 2014 elections. The party's tally along with that of its allies (NDA) has been pushed up to 352 in the 17th Lok Sabha.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday offered to resign from his post following the party's drubbing in Lok Sabha polls but it was unanimously rejected by the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

"Congress President Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation, as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress President for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times," a resolution adopted in the meeting said.

Releasing the resolution, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the meeting decided that a complete introspection will be done on the reasons for the electoral debacle and authorised Gandhi to make changes in the party and restructure at every level.

Surjewala rejected suggestions from reporters that Gandhi suggested that a non-Gandhi should head the party after his resignation.

"CWC has given Congress president the right to makes changes to restructure the party, a plan for this will be brought soon," Surjewala said addressing a press conference after the CWC meeting.

"The CWC fully recognizes the challenges, the failures and the shortcomings, resulting into this mandate. The CWC recommends a thorough introspection and requested the Congress President for a complete overhaul and a detailed restructuring at every level of the party. A plan to this effect shall come into force at the earliest," the resolution said.

Earlier, even as the CWC meeting was in progress, Surjewala had dismissed reports that Gandhi had offered to resign from his post. "Such reports are not correct," he had said.

Congress, despite extensive campaigning by Rahul and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among other leaders, was decimated to a single seat - Raebareli, represented by Sonia Gandhi - in Uttar Pradesh. Rahul, who was the MP from Amethi since 2004, lost to Union Minister Smriti Irani.

The party put up a poor show in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where it had won the Assembly elections just five months ago.

In the 2014 general elections, the Congress had won 44 seats - the lowest score in its history. This year, it improved its tally marginally to reach 52 seats.

Meanwhile, the chiefs of Congress' units in states like Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha have offered to resign from their post owing to the party's poor performance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)BJP leader Ravi Kishan, who won the Lok Sabha elections from Gorakhpur seat, met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath here on Friday.

The Gorakhpur seat was represented by Adityanath for five terms since 1998 until Praveen Kumar Nishad of Samajwadi Party won the seat in a by-poll last year. The seat was vacated by Adityanath when he became the chief minister in 2017.

Ravi Kishan brought Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat back into the BJP's kitty and termed his win as "the victory of truth". The Bhojpuri film actor defeated Rambhual Nishad of Samajwadi Party (SP) by a margin of 3,01,664 votes.

Talking to ANI, the actor-turned-politician said, "This is a victory of truth, I thank people of Gorakhpur for the mandate."

"I also thank Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their belief in me," added Kishan.

He termed it a "huge victory reflective of the fact that from now onwards the caste-based politics is over".

Kishan had contested and lost from Jaunpur Lok Sabha seat during 2014 general elections on a Congress ticket. The actor joined BJP two years ago.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The bank accounts of five terror suspects, who were arrested a day earlier for close links with Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jammath (NTJ), had funds of Rs 1 billion, a senior police official said.

The five suspects were arrested in Horowpathana on Friday on suspicion of having links with the outlawed NTJ and its leader Zahran Hashim, who was behind the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka, The Daily Mirror reported.

The official also said those among the arrested were a development officer attached to the Horowpathana Divisional Secretariat, a teacher of a government school in Horowpathana, two teachers of an Arabic college in Kiwulekada and a resident of Kebithigollewa.

Police said the suspects had delivered extremist sermons in Anuradhapura and Trincomalee. They had received armed training at the Horowpathana jungle two years ago with the participation of several other individuals, the police added.

The April 21 bombings took place at various locations across the country. At least 250 people lost their lives while over 500 were injured in the terrorist attacks, which have been widely condemned.

Local terror group NTJ, which is an ISIS-affiliate, claimed responsibility for the bombings that targeted three luxury hotels and three churches in Sri Lanka on April 21.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday extended by a month the state of emergency imposed in the wake of the deadly blasts, citing "public security.

The emergency law gives police and the military extensive powers to arrest, detain and interrogate suspects without court orders.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Sudan on Friday pledged to back regional ally Saudi Arabia against "all threats and attacks" from its rival Iran.

"Sudan is standing with the kingdom against all threats and attacks from Iran and Houthi militias," Al Jazeera quoted General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy head of Sudan's ruling Transitional Military Council, as saying.

He made these remarks during his first visit to Saudi Arabia since Sudan's army took power after they backed protesters in overthrowing longtime-leader Omar al-Bashir last month.

Dagalo was accompanied by the Sudanese military's official spokesperson, General Shams al-Din Kabashi.

The kingdom's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir attended the meeting as well as Minister of State Dr Musaed bin Mohammed al-Aiban.

He also said that the military council will continue deploying Sudanese troops in war-torn Yemen.

Al Bashir deployed troops to Yemen in 2015 as a part of major foreign policy breaking decades-old ties with Iran and join Saudi led-coalition fighting there.

Meanwhile, Riyadh has provided USD250m support to Sudan, to strengthen "financial position, alleviate pressure on the Sudanese pound and achieve more stability in the exchange rate".

In April, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pledged USD 3bn in financial support for Sudan following the overthrow of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The three-day 5th Smart Cities India expo was a congregation of innovators and imaginators, academia, policymakers and city administrators, government representatives, delegates, multinationals, etc. that came to strike deals, expand their markets, and explore new technologies and solutions in the fields of smart cities, water management, solar, transport and infrastructure.

The expo saw record visitor numbers and strong sales across all disciplines. It had something to offer to all - trade delegations moved fruitfully from booth to booth; ideas exchanged among compatriots, and was discussed.

The fourth smart cities awards, conducted by Exhibitions India Group on the last day of the expo, received 236 nominations across 17 categories. A jury of 11 eminent members having vast experience and knowledge on the subject of smart cities across various categories such as water, education, infrastructure, etc., selected the winners.

The awards were presented to 17 winners, while certificates of merit were presented in 5 categories. Among the winners were New Delhi Municipal Council Smart City Ltd. for e-waste collection; Smart City Ahmedabad Development Ltd. for Intelligent Transit Management System - Automatic Fare Collection System; Smart City Ahmedabad Development Ltd. for Safe and Secure Ahmedabad project; Diesel Loco Modernisation Works Patiala for New Electric Locomotive - WAP7; Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Ltd. for solar rooftops, etc.

"Cities are complex organisms of people, governments, businesses and organisations, which require holistic solutions that address the needs of all stakeholders. The 5th Smart Cities India 2019 expo functions as an integrated platform for us to showcase Hitachi's technological prowess in the Smart City space, displaying our diversified social innovation business solutions and our commitment towards enhancing the lives of citizens digitally", said Bharat Kaushal Managing Director, Hitachi India.

"By 2030, India's urban population will increase to more than 800 million, and over the next decade, cities will account for more than 70 per cent of the country's GDP. We have witnessed a push from the State governments to modernise infrastructure and build smart cities that involves building and renovating facilities, as well as the construction of roads and highways. This will require significant collaboration and efficient monitoring. In addition, urban planners, architects and engineering and construction firms will leverage our 3D-EXPERIENCE platform to deliver 'more by using less' in order to create a sustainable city that improves the life of the citizens", said Samson Khaou, Managing Director (India), Dassault Systemes.

"We, as common people, usually do not realise the hard work put in by our government and local administrators in creating the infrastructure of our cities. This exhibition and the conferences that I attended have been an eye-opener for me", shared a visitor at the expo.

A group of students who had come exploring, discussed in excitement all the new technologies they had seen and were fascinated with some exhibits as well. "We have heard about electric vehicles, but never seen them. Here, we got to experience such vehicles first-hand and saw their charging stations. The EV technology is the future and I am glad to see our government is actively promoting it", shared an enthusiastic student.

Earlier, the 5th Smart Cities India expo, jointly-organised by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and Exhibitions India Group, was inaugurated by Shri Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, at the Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on 22nd May.

"It has been action-packed three days for us and the response has been overwhelming. From the first-ever Smart Cities India expo, we have grown to emerge as one of the most popular trade shows in South Asia that showcases all facets of a smart city. Today, we cover multiple technologies that shape modern cities. Our intent is to provide a platform to all verticals associated with the Smart Cities to create state-of-the-art infrastructure, capable of providing a holistic experience to the citizens dwelling in the urban habitats. Our focus will now shift to preparing for next year with the vision to give our partners, clients and visitors an experience that would be business productive, intriguing and enriching. We have already lined up a few surprises that will be unveiled at the 6th Smart Cities India 2020 expo", said Prem Behl, Chairman, Exhibitions India Group.

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Ahead of Donald Trump's three-day official visit to the UK, the Queen and the Royals are gearing up for the State Banquet on June 3.

The US President will be visiting London with the first lady, Melania Trump and will be welcomed at the Buckingham Palace on the first day of the visit. The Queen will host a state lunch and invite the guests for a specially curated exhibition at the Picture Gallery, reports CNN.

Trump together with Prince Andrew York, Duke of York will head to Westminster Abbey to lay a wreath at the grave of a warrior followed by a tour of the World Heritage site.

Later in the evening, Prince Charles and wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall will accompany the guests for a tea at Clarence House.

Day two of their visit will be more of a political affair as they will meet UK PM Theresa May. The Trumps will host dinner later in the night at Winfield House, US Ambassador's residence.

On their third day, the Trumps and the Royals will be visiting commemorations on the 75th anniversary of D-Day landings at Southsea Common in Portsmouth.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex is expected to join for the lunch without wife Meghan Markle, who is on maternity leave after giving birth to their son Archie, on May 6.

Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge will grace her look with a Tiara. She was seen wearing a Tiara for the Queen's State Banquet in October when they welcomed King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.

Prince William and Kate Middleton joined the first state banquet in 2015 on the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, the two have now become regular attendees.

The Royals will also be a part of the annual festivities held in the honour of Queen Elizabeth's birthday on June 8.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)During his first engagement in Japan, US President Donald Trump called for fair trade with the island nation on Saturday.

The development comes at a time when the United States has been locked in a trade dispute with China since last year, with efforts towards charting out a trade deal hitting a roadblock at the last minute.

Trump made the comments while attending a dinner with Japanese and US business leaders at the US Ambassador's residence after landing at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Saturday, according to Japanese state broadcaster NHK.

The US leader said that efforts are going on to make the trade with Japan "more mutually beneficial." Speaking further, Trump said that he hoped to make a "big" announcement regarding trade in the coming months.

He also called for Japanese businesses to invest more in the United States, thanking Softbank's Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son and Toyota Motor President Akio Toyoda for their contribution to the US economy.

Trump is currently on a four-day visit to Japan, during which he is slated to meet Japan's new monarch, Emperor Naruhito. He is the first state leader to visit Japan since the Reiwa Era began with the Emperor's enthronement on May 1.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)US president Donald Trump on Friday embarked on a four-day visit to Japan amid trade war with China and renewed challenges from North Korea.

US President will be first state guest of Japan after the enthronement of its new emperor Naruhito early this month.

During his meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump will likely to discuss trade and military during his visit.

"Departed the @WhiteHouse and am now on Air Force One with the First Lady heading to Japan and looking forward to honouring, on behalf of the United States, His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan. I will also be discussing Trade and Military with my friend, Prime Minister @AbeShinzo," Trump tweeted.

Meanwhile, security in Tokyo has been beefed up ahead of the US president's visit. Japanese police are mobilizing about 25,000 officers to provide security for US President Donald Trump.

The relations between the US and two East Asian countries--China and North Korea--are going through a tumultuous period.

The visit comes as Beijing and Washington are engaged in a trade standoff.

The United States recently increased tariffs on Chinese goods amounting to over 200 billion US dollars even as the two sides were amid negotiations. In retaliation, China said that it would be increasing duties on USD 60 billion worth US imports from June 1.

With Pyongyang, both Washington and Japan are seeking to revive dialogues.

Last month, Abe flew to the United States to meet Trump and had discussed North Korea.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Hours after the United States announced that it will deploy 1500 additional troops to the Middle East as a "protective measure", Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday deemed the move "extremely dangerous for peace", state media reported.

In an interview to IRNA just before his departure to Tehran at the conclusion of his two-day visit to Pakistan, Zarif said that the US was levelling baseless allegations against Iran to justify its aggressive policy towards the country.

The top Iranian diplomat added that the move would only "simmer tensions" in the Persian Gulf regions.

In a press briefing on Friday afternoon, Pentagon officials had informed that about 600 troops have already arrived in the Middle East with the Patriot battery, a defence system designed to track and destroy incoming missiles, while the remaining 900 troops will be deployed to mainly operate intelligence surveillance radar and drones.

The move had come hours after the US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo confirmed the approval of USD 8.1 billion in arms transfers to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates amid hostilities with Iran. The equipment includes aircraft support maintenance; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; munitions and other supplies, reported Sputnik.

US military is increasing its presence in the Middle East. Recently, the country deployed carrier strike warships and B-52 bombers off the coast of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to counter an alleged and unexplained threat from Iran.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Amid simmering tensions between Washington and Tehran in recent weeks, United States President Donald Trump on Friday said that his country will deploy about 1500 additional troops to the Middle East as a "protective measure".

"We're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops," Trump told reporters at the White House here, as cited by Xinhua. "We'll see what happens."

Taking to Twitter shortly after the development, US Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan deemed the move a "prudent response to credible threats from Iran," while announcing that the Pentagon has informed Congress about the deployment.

"The @DeptofDefense has informed Congress I approved the combatant commander's request to deploy approximately 1,500 additional troops & defensive capabilities to the @CENTCOM area to increase our force protection posture. This is a prudent response to credible threats from Iran"

In a press briefing on Friday afternoon, Pentagon officials said that about 600 troops have already arrived in the region with the Patriot battery, a defence system designed to track and destroy incoming missiles, while the remaining 900 troops will be deployed to mainly operate intelligence surveillance radar and drones.

In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that the additional deployment of military forces by the US in the region does not intimidate the country.

The move has come hours after the US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo confirmed the approval of USD 8.1 billion in arms transfers to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates amid hostilities with Iran. The equipment includes aircraft support maintenance; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; munitions and other supplies, reported Sputnik.

"Today, acting in accordance with the authority granted to us by Congress, I made a determination under the Arms Export Control Act to formally notify Congress of 22 arms sales to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. These directly protect US citizens and our partners," Pompeo wrote on his official Twitter handle on Friday.

"We presented some of these sales almost 18 months ago to Congress, but it has failed to act. The US is and must remain, a reliable security partner in the Gulf and to our allies around the It's fundamental to our national security," he added.

US military is increasing its presence in the Middle East. Recently, the country deployed carrier strike warships and B-52 bombers off the coast of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to counter an alleged and unexplained threat from Iran.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Twenty nine prisoners were killed and 19 police injured in a disturbance at a pre-trial detention facility in the central state of Portuguesa, media reports said.

The events unfolded in a police lockup in the town of Acarigua on Friday.

"There was an attempted escape and a fight broke out among gangs," the state's public safety secretary, Oscar Valero, told the media. "With police intervention to prevent the escape, well, there were 29 deaths."

Prisoners detonated three grenades, resulting in injuries to 19 police officers, Valero said, reported Efe news.

The lockup in Acarigua holds more than 350 people awaiting trial, he said.

The Venezuelan Prisons Observatory (OVP), an independent advocacy group, said blame for the deaths lay with the Ministry of Penitentiary Services, created eight years ago to address chronic overcrowding, corruption and violence in the nation's 30 prisons.

What happened in Acarigua was a "massacre," OVP said on Twitter.

Another Venezuelan NGO, Una Ventana a la Libertad (Window on Freedom), said the disturbance began on Thursday night with a protest by prisoners demanding transfers to other facilities.

A cell-phone video from inside the lockup showed a masked, gun-wielding inmate with two female visitors.

In March 2018, 66 prisoners and two visitors perished in a fire at a police station lockup in Valencia, Carabobo state.

"We're talking about 68 human beings who died because of irresponsibility, incompetence, ignorance on the part of the government," the general coordinator of OVP, Humberto Prado, said at the time in an interview with the VPI television network.

Attorney General Tarek Saab said that overcrowding played a role in the Valencia tragedy, which reportedly began with a mutiny by inmates in reaction to a search operation. Two police officers were charged with manslaughter in connection with the blaze.

Scores of inmates have died violently inside Venezuela's prisons over the last decade.

Nearly 55,000 people are being held in prisons built to house 35,562 inmates, according to the OVP.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Aam Aadmi Party's MLA Alka Lamba on Saturday blamed the party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal for the party's rout in the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, saying he "failed badly".

The party, in response, called her "attention seeker".

"As the party convenor, he has failed badly, because of which the party has suffered defeat in one election after another," the Chandni Chowk MLA said in a statement.

Delhi's ruling AAP, which came to power in 2015 with a landslide victory by bagging 67 out of 70 Assembly seats, was third in the triangular contest in the Lok Sabha polls with the BJP being the winner.

On five of the seven Lok Sabha seats, the Congress came second. Three of the AAP's seven candidates also lost their deposits as they scored less than one-sixth share of the votes as per law.

Lamba, a former Congress leader, said the party has removed her from its official WhatsApp group.

"From day one I was saying the same thing which you said today. I was sometimes added to the group, sometimes removed. Instead of doing this, it would have been better if you (Kejriwal) have raised above this and discussed the issues and resolved them," she tweeted in Hindi.

Without naming anybody, she said the one who took decisions behind closed doors should be held responsible.

"At a time when the party came third and its candidates lost their deposits, the responsibility lies with the one who took all the decisions behind closed doors" she said.

Reacting on her remarks, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said the CM asked MLAs to meet the people after complaints that they were unhappy about the inconvenience caused by a few local works in their area.

"We don't want to comment on Alka Lamba. She is an attention seeker. Some MLAs had raised a point that some people are unhappy about some local works in their area. To that CM had asked them to meet such people with humility, assure them of speedy work and apologise for inconvenience," he said in a statement.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)After being routed by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Lok Sabha polls, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi here on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of marketing the army for election victory.

He said the BJP used the 'rastravad' (nationalism) to seek votes and the HAM had nothing to counter it with. "There was no reply to the NDA's 'rashtravad' poll plank. The Grand Alliance failed to counter it and that resulted in the unprecedented defeat," Manjhi said.

The HAM is an ally of the RJD-Congress-led Grand Alliance, which won only one of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. The NDA won 39 seats.

Manjhi was defeated in Gaya, his home district, by the Janata Dal-United candidate Vijay Manjhi.

"The BJP successfully marketed army to win elections. Attention of the youth was diverted from real issues. We had no answer to that. We failed to reach out to voters to convince or impress them with our views," Manjhi said.

Even when the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government in 1971 forced 90,000 Pakistani soldiers to surrender, the army was not used for political purposes, the former Chief Minister recalled.

"The terror attack in Pulwama gave the BJP an opportunity to use it for political gains." Manjhi said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Accusing the BJP of doing well in the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal by spreading "communal poison", Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday charged the Election Commission with working in favour of the saffron party.

"I must say nothing is unfair in war and love. What BJP has done it has done to promote its interest. So I appreciate that they have won by spreading the poison of communalism.

"Winners are always winners. They have succeeded in their politics, we have not succeeded in our ..ultimately, people believe in the results in a democracy," Banerjee said after an emergency meeting of her party here.

The meeting was held two days after the BJP came up with a stunning performance in West Bengal, winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. This was the BJP's best performance in the state since its formation. It had won only two seats five years back.

The Trinamool Congress, which had triumphed in 34 seats five years back, won just 22 this time round. The Congress won the remaining two seats.

Coming down heavily on the Election Commission, she said "It has totally worked in their (BJP's) favour. None of our complaints got justice."

She alleged that the Election Commission had taken over the administration in January, nearly five months back.

"For five months, I was not allowed to work. I was told all officers were now under the EC. I don't know whether this scenario was there anywhere else in India, but it really happened in Bengal. An emergency-like situation was created here. Bengal was targeted," she said.

However, Banerjee still sought credit saying though her party's seat count went down, its percentage of votes went up in this election.

"This election, it's only because of me, and people's blessings, that despite everything, our vote has gone up by four per cent. Seats have gone down, but vote percentage is up," she said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Accusing the BJP of doing well in the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal by spreading "communal poison", Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said the saffron party's polarisation tactics would be counterproductive for them in the next state Assembly polls, scheduled in 2021.

She also charged the Election Commission with working in favour of the saffron party.

"I must say nothing is unfair in war and love. What the BJP has done, it has done to promote its interest. So I appreciate that they have won by spreading the poison of communalism.

"Winners are always winners. They have succeeded in their politics, we have not succeeded in our ..ultimately, people believe in the results in a democracy," Banerjee said after an emergency meeting of her party here.

The meeting was held two days after the BJP came up with a stunning performance in West Bengal, winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. This was the BJP's best performance in the state since its formation. It had won only two seats five years back.

"Polarisation is BJP's old tactic. But earlier there was a 'Laxman rekha'. This time, the Election Commission played an open game (in favour of the BJP) and it (poll panel) is the man of the match of this election. That is what people are saying. We are against communal polarisation. We are for the people," Banerjee said.

Asked how her party plans to counter the polarisation tactics of the BJP in the 2021 state assembly polls, she said: "That you leave it to us. What BJP did would be counterproductive for them...nothing would harm if 40 MLAs cross over in future. I would not predict future elections. People will cast more votes for Trinamool Congress."

Trinamool, which had triumphed in 34 seats five years back, won just 22 this time round. The Congress won the remaining two seats.

Asked about remarks of some BJP leaders that the the Trinamool government may fall before the scheduled Assembly elections, Banerjee said: "Do they want to acquire the state forcefully. First, they have to change the Constitution. Let them do so. It is not that easy. If they do it, it will be their biggest blunder. We are not going to leave it. Why are they saying undemocratic and unethical things?"

"How do they say this? Why are they so hungry? Why is the BJP so hungry to capture all the administration," Banerjee said, adding that democracy will decide whether a elected government would be toppled or not.

"They are thinking of buying (MLAs) and are trying the same everywhere, even in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh. Do you think that horse-trading is good for a political party" she added.

Coming down heavily on the Election Commission, she said: "It has totally worked in their (BJP's) favour. None of our complaints got justice."

She alleged that the Election Commission had taken over the administration in January, nearly five months back.

"For five months, I was not allowed to work. I was told all officers were now under the EC. I don't know whether this scenario was there anywhere else in India, but it really happened in Bengal. An emergency-like situation was created here. Bengal was targeted," she said.

However, Banerjee still sought credit saying though her party's seat count went down, its percentage of votes went up in this election.

"This election, it's only because of me, and people's blessings, that despite everything, our vote has gone up by four per cent. Seats have gone down, but vote percentage is up," she said.

She accused the BJP of distributing money to buy votes. "Democracy gets ruined when the democratic rights are purchased through money power. It is a blunder and bad for every political party. This is scandalous," she said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Increasing its numbers in the Lok Sabha by only eight since 2014, the Congress has now to decide its leader in the lower house and it remains to be seen if party chief Rahul Gandhi takes the role or some other leader is chosen.

The Congress again does not have numbers to get the status of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, as was the case in 2014. It had then chosen Mallikarjun Kharge as its leader in the House though there were suggestions then that Gandhi - who was not the party chief then - should take the post.

However, with Gandhi insisting on quitting as party chief at the Congress Working Committee meeting on Saturday, despite the party's highest decision-making body rejecting his resignation, it is unclear if he will accept this post.

Also the role of the legislature party leader entails regular presence in the House and it remains be seen if Gandhi can manage, given his campaign commitments.

The party will not have some of its articulate leaders from the outgoing Lok Sabha including Kamal Nath, who is now Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, K.C. Venugopal, who is now General Secretary (Organisation) besides Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sushmita Dev and Deepender Hooda, who lost the election.

If Gandhi again decides not to take the post, the party will have to choose a leader with sufficient seniority who is able to strongly articulate issues.

With the party having won the maximum seats - 15 - in Kerala followed by eight in Tamil Nadu, there is strong possibility that someone from the south - which accounts for half of the Congress' number in the Lok Sabha - could be chosen, given the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad hails from Jammu and Kashmir.

The names doing the rounds from Kerala include former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor, party MP Suresh Kodikunnil, who will be into his seventh Lok Sabha term and K Muraleedharan, the son of former Chief Minister K. Karunakaran and now in his fourth term as MP.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Congress Working Committee (CWC) met on Saturday to discuss the reasons for the party's abysmal performance across the country in the 2019 general elections.

Foremost on the table is the challenge to keep the flock together in states like Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, where efforts were on to destabilise the government.

The party is also likely to discuss upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, a source said.

Out of the 23 CWC members, only four won in the just concluded elections -- party chief Rahul Gandhi, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Gaurav Gogoi and A. Chella Kumar.

The 12 other CWC members, who lost the polls, include heavyweights like Mallikarjun Kharge, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Raghuveer Singh Meena, Jitin Prasada, Deepender Hooda, Sushmita Dev, K.H. Muniyappa and Arun Yadav.

Seven CWC members did not participate in the Lok Sabha elections this year.

The party has also called the Chief Ministers of five Congress-ruled states and Union Territories to the CWC.

Heads have already started rolling after the party managed to win only 52 seats in the lower house, only eight more than 2014. Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge Raj Babbar resigned from the post on Friday, along with campaign committee chief H.K. Patil, Odisha party chief Niranjan Patnaik and Amethi District Congress President Yogendra Misra.

In Uttar Pradesh, the party failed to even retain the Gandhi bation of Amethi, where Rahul Gandhi lost to Union Minister and BJP candidate Smriti Irani by a margin of over 55,000 votes.

In Karnataka, the party won only one seat with senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge losing by a huge margin.

According to sources, a few other senior leaders and party in-charges from states where the party drew a blank, are expected to offer to step down. The final call will be taken at the CWC, the party's highest decision-making body.

Congress won only 3 seats in three states -- Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh -- where it formed governments in December 2018.

"The chief ministers and party incharges from these three states will answer for the debacle and issues that needs to be prioritised in their respective states," the source added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Indian actor Anil Kapoor met British filmmaker Danny Boyle in London where they spoke about "family, friends and the future".

"Catching up with Danny Boyle in London. We spoke about family, friends and the future... Conversations with him are always so insightful," Anil tweeted on Saturday along with a photograph of the two.

"All the best for 'Yesterday'. Danny, looking forward to watching it soon," he wrote.

Anil had featured in Boyle's Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire".

In January, "Slumdog Millionaire" completed a decade since its release in 2009.

"It feels like only yesterday that we were shooting for 'Slumdog Millionaire', and what a journey it has been since then," Anil had said in a statement.

"Many have called 'Slumdog...' a masterpiece, and I can honestly say that I'm honoured to have been a part of it," he added.

The film recounts the travails of an 18-year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai who goes on to win a staggering Rs 20 million on India's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" game show.

Anil was seen as show host Prem Kumar in the film, which traces the rags to riches tale of a slum boy, played by actor Dev Patel.

The film won eight Oscars at the 81st Academy Awards, including Best Direction and Motion Picture.

Indian music maestro A.R. Rahman brought home two Oscars for his "Jai ho" composition for the film in the same year. Veteran writer-lyricist-filmmaker Gulzar and sound engineer Resul Pookutty were also winners at the prestigious awards ceremony.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In a significant development, the CBI has arrested right-wing group Sanatan Sanstha's lawyer Sanjiv Punalekar and his aide Vikram Bhave in connection with the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, official sources said here on Saturday.

The two will be taken to Pune and produced before a designated court which is monitoring the CBI probe in the sensational murder case.

The Sanatan Sanstha strongly protested the arrests accusing the CBI of bowing before the demand of the progressives.

"To arrest Punalekar and Bhave when the pro-Hindutva government is in power smacks of conspiracy behind such an action. It is very serious to arrested Punalekar who proved the falsehood of saffron terrorism behind the Malegaon explosion case," said Sanatan Sanstha national spokesperson Chetan Rajhans.

Describing Punalekar as innocent, he said the lawyer is performing a "seva" (service) to society, the nation and 'dharma' without any expectations, and many social activists, patriots and devout Hindu groups and lawyers have extended their support to him.

While Punalekar is Hindu Vidhidnya Parishad national secretary, Bhave is an RTI activist for the same organisation, according to Rajhans.

Honoured with a Padma Shri in 2014 (posthumously), Dabholkar, 67, who was chief of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), was gunned down near his residence while on a morning walk on August 20, 2013.

Besides Punalekar and Bhave, the CBI has so far arrested a total of five persons in connection with the murder.

Five years after Dabholkar's killing in August, 2018, the CBI made the first breakthrough arrest of the alleged shooters - Sachin Andure from Aurangabad and Sharad Kalaskar from Palghar.

Following their interrogation, the name of Virendrasingh Tawde, arrested earlier in another case, came to light as the conspirator in the Dabholkar murder.

When contacted by IANS, the family members of the late Dabholkar declined to comment on the latest arrests.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)For a rock climber, Alex Honnold, whose ascent of Yosemite's towering El Capitan without any ropes, was documented in Oscar-winning documentary "Free Solo", people's recognition for his climb means more than the recognition for the film.

"I'm not an actor, I'm not a filmmaker, I've never watched the Oscars... It's not my world. When I free soloed El Capitan and all my friends texted me saying how impressed they were by the climb, that meant more to me in a lot of ways than recognition for the film," Honnold told IANS over e-mail.

Free soloing is a form of rock climbing where the climber performs ascends without protective equipments. Honnold has been been performing the sport for over 20 years.

Filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi brought Honnold's free solo journey on-screen through the film "Free Solo", which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature this year. The film will soon have a TV premiere on National Geographic and Hotstar.

Honnold is the only person to have free climbed El Capitan, the iconic 3,000 ft granite wall, in Yosemite National Park, California.

Fear of death is something Honnold has conquered in his own way.

He explained: "I have the same hope of survival as everybody else. I just have more of an acceptance that I will die at some point. When I first started thinking about climbing El Cap almost a decade ago, it felt like it was something that I needed to do, or it was kind of next on my list.

"But the reality was that when I looked at the wall, I was full of fear. It was horrifying to think about. For many of those years, I would drive in Yosemite, look up and think that is totally impossible.

"There's no way I'm doing that this year, and then just sort of sit on the idea for another year. So, I think what slowly changed was with a lot of practice, preparations, some training and broadening my experience... over the years, I was eventually was able to look up at El Capitan and not feel overwhelmed by fear. I started to think, maybe that actually could be possible if I put in the right amount of work."

Otherwise, the 33-year-old says, there is "no mantra" to deal with fear.

"It's just about being prepared which helps you overcome fear," he added.

Honnold was all of 10 when he climbed up a gym in his hometown. But he took a deep dive into the sport when he dropped out of university.

"At 19, I dropped out of university and basically started climbing outside all the time. It requires time and work and effort over the course of years, there are no shortcuts."

Honnold has a great passion for climbing mountains and rocks, but he also believes in giving back to Mother Earth. He runs a Honnold Foundation which supports solar energy initiatives worldwide.

He said: "I am inspired to have a bigger contribution in the world through something other than climbing, like my foundation. I travel to all these rural places, often in the developing world, so I want to do something that is good for the environment and good for the people in those environments, like off-grid solar projects for people's homes."

(Simran Sethi can be contacted at simran.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Britain's Prince Harry will join Queen Elizabeth II at a private lunch with US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania in June, according to media reports.

The lunch will take place on June 3 -- the first day of Trump's three-day state visit to the UK.

Prince Harry's wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is not expected to attend the lunch as she has not resumed public engagements since the birth of their son Archie Harrison, CNN reported.

The Buckingham Palace last week revealed the schedule for Trump's three-day visit.

The US President and the First Lady will be officially welcomed at Buckingham Palace in London by the Queen, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

The Queen will then host a private lunch for her guests before inviting them to view a specially curated exhibition, showcasing items of historical importance to the US.

Trump and Melania alongside Andrew, the Duke Of York, will also visit Westminster Abbey to lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.

The US leader will have a breakfast meeting with outgoing UK Prime Minister Theresa May along with senior UK and US business leaders.

On June 5, the Queen along with Prince Charles and her visitors will attend commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Southsea Common in Portsmouth.

The event -- where over 300 World War II veterans will also be present -- will include a musical performance, readings and military displays, including a flyover of 25 modern and historical aircraft.

From the UK, the Trumps will travel to Normandy on the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron to continue D-Day commemorations.

Trump and Macron will also hold a bilateral meeting.

Trump will also visit Ireland for a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Hundreds of immigrant labourers in the USA who can't prove their legal status are being forced to quit after their employers received 'no-match letters' from the Social Security Administration (SSA), according to media reports.

'No-match letters' are sent out when the SSA detects discrepancies between its records and the information provided by employees on their W-2 tax forms. In some cases, however, the discrepancies could be due to administrative or date-entry errors.

The SSA announced earlier this year that it would resume the practice of sending 'no-match letters' to employers after a seven-year hiatus. Out of fear of being hit with federal sanctions, employers receiving the letters have chosen to do a "cleanup" of their labour forces, Efe news reported.

"These measures put employers in an alarming situation, since they depend on workforce of thousands of immigrants to keep their businesses operative at a time of high employment," immigration activist and analyst Carmen Cornejo said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the owner of a furniture store in Phoenix said he sought legal advice after receiving 'no-match letters'.

"Nobody wants problems with the federal government. I only wanted to know what my responsibilities were. You can't just go ahead and fire people, you first have to give them the chance to prove they are working here legally," the businessman told the news agency.

In 2019, President Donald Trump's administration may send out over 570,000 'no-match letters' to companies, according to the New York Times.

Cornejo said she often received calls from workers asking for advice on the dismissals, which they consider "unjustified".

She said the letters are causing companies a bout of anxiety, principally those in the hotel, agriculture and construction industries, the sectors most affected by the measure.

Critics say the reactivation of the process is part of the Republican administration's immigration policies.

"This has been completely planned -- the government actions are deliberate and are on the rise. This is not just business as usual, but the government is demanding an ever greater number of cases," Cornejo said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The US decision to deploy additional troops to the Middle East region was "dangerous", said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday.

"Increased US military presence in our region is extremely dangerous and it threatens international peace and security," Zarif was quoted as saying by Iranian state TV.

Such a move by the US should be addressed by the international community, the Iranian Foreign Minister said, a day after US President Donald Trump announced sending 1,500 more troops to the Middle East, Xinhua news agency reported.

On May 5, Washington announced deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group and a bomber task force to the region adjacent to Iran's southern waters.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton said earlier that American forces were being deployed for protective measures against any "attack on US' interests or on those of our allies".

Responding to Bolton's remarks, Zarif said: "The US officials have made such allegations based on 'fake intelligence' to justify their 'hostile' policies towards the Islamic republic and to raise tensions in the region."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two injured trekkers from a seven-member team from West Bengal were airlifted to safety from the high mountains of Himachal Pradesh by the Indian Air Force on Saturday while four others were rescued on foot.

One trekker Jevaasheesh Mehtu from Kolkata died on the spot.

The district administration was informed that the group of seven trekkers, who were moving from Rohru in Shimla district to Brua area in Sangla valley, was stranded in Manirang area in Kinnaur district.

Trekker Rupam Ghosh was in a critical condition while another was airlifted.

Deputy Commissioner Gopal Chand told IANS that a ground rescue team, comprising of police and Home Guard personnel, was deployed for the rescue operation.

He said since the airlifting of the critically injured trekker was required on priority, the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Sarsawa in Uttar Pradesh was requested to carry out the rescue operation.

An IAF chopper landed at Kuppa helipad and rescued both the injured trekkers.

The official said another group of 13 trekkers was stranded in Sangla area. Eight of them reached Sangla safely while five were rescued by the district administration's quick response team.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The commandant of the Indian Army Infantry School, Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar, has been appointed the commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the second biggest peacekeeping operation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced on Friday that Tinaikar will succeed Lieutenant General Frank Kamanzi of Rwanda who will complete his assignment on Sunday.

Tinaikar will command over 16,000 peacekeepers, about 2,400 from India, in UNMISS.

The mission was created in 2011 when South Sudan gained independence from Sudan. Sixty-seven peacekeepers have died while serving in the mission.

Tinaikar has previous experience in the area from the time he served in the peacekeeping mission in Sudan before the South's independence. He has also served in the UN Angola Verification Mission III.

Tinairkar is the recipient of the Sena Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal for Distinguished Service.

A 1983 graduate of the Indian Military Academy, he was the Additional Director General of Military Operations at Army Headquarters before taking charge of the Infantry School in Mhow.

He has also commanded a division, a recruit training centre and a brigade.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and YSR Congress Party president Y S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh next week, met here on Saturday and decided to work together for mutual benefit of both Telugu states.

With his bitter rival N. Chandrababu Naidu out of power in Andhra Pradesh, Chandrashekhar Rao extended hand of friendship to his successor Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Jagan Reddy, whose party stormed to power with a landslide victory on Thursday, was accorded warm at Pragati Bhavan, the official residence of Telangana Chief Minister.

KCR, as Telangana Chief Minister is popularly known, warmly hugged Jagan Reddy to congratulate him on the resounding victory in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief also offered a bouquet and sweets to the YSRCP chief.

Jagan Reddy also invited KCR for his swearing-in-ceremony, to be held at Vijayawada on May 30.

The two leaders discussed the latest political developments and decided to work together to amicably solve all outstanding issues between the two Telugu states.

According to a statement from Telangana CM's office, KCR made it clear that the policy of Telangana is to maintain cordial relations with neighboring states in a give and take manner, and same would be followed in case of Andhra Pradesh also.

The TRS chief said that, if only the River Godavari and the River Krishna waters are used effectively, then both the states would prosper in all aspects.

"Right from the beginning it has been our intention to maintain cordial and friendly relations with neighbouring states," said KCR.

The TRS chief recalled that he personally went to Maharashtra to meet his counterpart Devendra Fadnavis and took the initiative to solve water disputes between the two states. "With this, Maharashtra came forward to cooperate. As a result, we are able to construct Kaleshwaram and other projects. Our policy would be to maintain similar relations with the present Andhra Pradesh state also. Let us act in a such a manner so that both the States are benefitted," KCR told Jagan Mohan Reddy.

"From River Godavari about 3,500 TMC of water every year is flowing in to the sea. Telangana state can make use of a maximum of 700-800 TMC of water only. Rest of the water Andhra Pradesh can make use of. Water from Godavari River may be diverted through gravity through Prakasham Barrage to Somasila project. With this the entire Rayalaseema could be converted into fertile fields. With just two lifts, the Godavari's water could be supplied to Rayalaseema," he suggested.

Both the leaders have agreed to have a meeting of officers of both states to discuss these issues.

KCR also introduced Jagan Reddy to his cabinet colleagues and TRS leaders.

KCR's son and TRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao and other family members welcomed Jagan and his wife Y.S. Bharathi.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two days after her party suffered serious setbacks in the Lok Sabha elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday offered to step down from the post.

Banerjee said that she had expressed her desire to quit the Chief Minister's post at an emergent meeting of the Trinamool Congres, but her decision was not endorsed by those present at the meeting.

"I feel insulted. In the meeting I expressed my desire to step down as Chief Minister, but those present did not endorse my decision," Banerjee told mediapersons after the meeting.

The meeting was held in the backdrop of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) stunning show in West Bengal, where it won 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats.

This was BJP's best performance in the state since the formation of the party. It had won just two seats in 2014.

The Trinamool Congress, which had triumphed in 34 seats five years back, won 22 seats this time around. The Congress got the remaining two seats.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Directing the newly-elected parliamentarians not to fall in the trap of publicity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday cautioned them while talking to the media and asked them to shun the "VIP culture".

"The country hates VIP culture. Why shouldn't we stand in line for an airport security check? There is nothing wrong in it," Modi said.

He asked the MPs to restrain from asking questions like 'why am I being checked despite being a parliamentarian.'

"You should change yourselves by keeping the public in mind. You are a citizen of the country after all," he said, asking the MPs to stay away from VIP treatment as much as possible.

He also warned them not to fall in the trap of news media and social media, which were very active and could create trouble for them.

"Why can't we stand in the queue when we are also citizens," Modi said, citing the example of former Defence Minister late Manohar Parrikar who had shunned the "VIP culture."

Removing red lights from government vehicles didn't yield any economic benefits, but it had sent a good message among the public, the Prime Minister said.

He also told the newly-elected MPs of NDA to check facts before commenting on anything.

Modi asked the NDA MPs not to trust media reports on speculation over joining his Council of Ministers as they were aimed at creating confusion.

The Prime Minister said he was yet to go through the details of all the parliamentarians and that responsibilities will be given to them as per the norms.

Modi also told the newly-elected MPs that they should not just think about the development of their constituencies, but for the whole country.

He also hailed the women power in the Lok Sabha and said that this was the first time in Independent India that such a large number of women MPs would sit in the Parliament. "This has been made possible due to women empowerment," he said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Film: PM Narendra Modi; Starring: Vivek Oberoi, Manoj Joshi and Suresh Oberoi; Director: Omung Kumar B; Rating: * 1/2 (one-and-a-half stars)

This is not the Narendra Modi biopic that we've all been waiting for. The one that shows this powerful, well-meaning, sincere statesman taking hard decisions and taking on opponents like a lion in a jungle of craven wolves.

No. This is not even a biopic. It is a mythological saga, a passionate pauranic paean to the powerful Prime Minister who took his tea-selling childhood to a glorious Himalayan summit beyond 'Chai-na.'

Seen in that dazzling hagiographic light, this film is not so offensive.

Vivek Oberoi handles the principal role with a certain amount of flair and decency. His eyes speak more than a thousand words. Lamentably, this is a film that believes in the power of verbal lamp-posts. Every self-glorifying thought that this celluloid holographic Modi feels must have a verbal counterpoint. Every rhetoric and retort, every aphorism that our PM has uttered or not uttered (the line between fact and fiction in this ersatz biopic is non-existent) is given the status of a large hoarding.

You have to be blind to miss the message. "PM Narendra Modi" is very clear about its agenda. And Vivek obliges with overt obsequiousness. In one sequence, he communicates on metaphysical ideas with his spiritual guru (played by Suresh Oberoi) which ends with the guru declaring his shishya ready for politics.

For a brief interlude, I thought I was watching "Karate Kid".

Tragically, Vivek is in awe of the character he plays, thereby robbing even the genuine moments, like those shared with his mother (a severely under-utilised and over-wigged Zarina Wahab) of their shine.

What shines through is the resilience of a filmmaker -- far more intense than anything that PM Modi has ever attempted in his political career -- to venerate the subject of the ostensible biopic. In most of the scenes, Vivek, in his role as Modi, talks. Everyone listens approvingly.

Even Amit Shah (Manoj Joshi), whose camaraderie with PM Modi is described as Jai-Veeru's friendship from "Sholay", is no more than a sounding-board for the protagonist.

The less shadowy figures are those who play negative parts, like the conniving corrupt businessman (Prashanth Narayan) who controls an even more corrupt mediaperson (Darshan Kumaar) and manipulates monstrous lies about Modiji's intentions.

It's always the media to blame for the negative stories about statesmen who are dedicated to building a nation. While the world conspires his downfall, Modiji stands smiling with a picture of Sardar Patel in the background.

You get the picture?

On the plus side, the film is shot with a reasonable amount of efficiency. The narration from the protagonist's childhood to his coronation as the Prime Minister moves at a brisk, though pre-ordained, pace.The climax at Patna's Gandhi Maidan where Modiji was saved from a terror attack gets it all wrong. But that is only to be expected in a film which isn't overly concerned about facts as long as the central figure comes across as a flag-waving nationalist who cares only for the welfare of his country.

No one is bothered with the facts. Least of all the audience. There were loud cheers and applause in the theatre each time Vivek made a Modi-inspired speech (a National award for his travails?). And the celluloid Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were booed and hissed.

Such is life in politics. And what about the 'sach' in the life of a politician?

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi tendered resignation of his Council of Ministers, President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday invited him to form the next government.

"Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution, the President on Saturday appointed Narendra Modi to the office of Prime Minister of India," a communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

The President also asked Modi to intimate him about the names of others to be appointed members of the Union Council of Ministers and indicate the date and time of the swearing-in ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Modi was formally invited when he called on the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday evening in his capacity as leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party, which has majority support in the Lok Sabha following the general election.

A delegation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah and senior leaders Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, and Nitin Gadkari, Akali Dal's Parkash Singh Badal, Janata Dal-United chief Nitish Kumar, Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thakeray, AIADMK's K. Palaniswami, NPP's Conrad Sangma and NDPP Neiphiu Rio also accompanied Modi.

"A letter stating that Narendra Modi has been elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party was handed over to the President. Letters of support from NDA constituent parties were also handed over to the President," said the communique.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)BJP supporters call it the "New India" that wipes away caste and religious boundaries. And offering proof is a Muslim family in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district who has named their newborn son Narendra Damodardas Modi.

The child was born on May 23, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP returned to power with an overwhelming majority.

The infant's mother, Mehnaaz Begum, wanted to name her son after the Prime Minister and stood her ground in face of expected opposition from her family.

The newborn's father Mushtaq Ahmad, however, supported his wife and the baby was named after Modi.

The baby's grandfather Idris said that the family agreed to the name because of their admiration for the Prime Minister.

Commenting on the development, BJP spokesman Harish Srivastava said: "There could not be a bigger example of the 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' concept that did not differentiate between Hindus and Muslims. It is only the pseudo-secular forces that want to create an atmosphere of terror. Muslims are beginning to realize that the Modi government means well for them too. This family has proved it."

The news comes a day after the All India Muslim Personal law Board issued a statement asking Muslims not to "worry" over the BJP's victory. "We have faced several critical situations and this time too we will tide over it," it said in a statement.

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, while addressing the media on Thursday as the Lok Sabha results came out, said tough times may await the nation's marginalized communities in days to come. He also said that Modi has busted the myth of Muslim vote bank and instead proved that a "Hindu vote bank" exists.

--IANS

amita/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)North-east India, comprising eight states, is sending three women to the Lok Sabha -- one more than the 2014 general election. Of the three women, elected for the 17th Lok Sabha, two are new faces and belong to the BJP: Queen Oja (from Guwahati parliamentary seat) and Pratima Bhowmik (Tripura West).

Former Union Minister and Meghalaya's ruling National People's Party (NPP) candidate Agatha Sangma won the Tura Lok Sabha seat defeating her nearest rival and former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma of the Congress by a margin of 64,030 votes.

The 38-year-old Sangma, the younger sister of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and daughter of former Lok Sabha Speaker late Purno Sangma, first was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha in by-elections and re-elected to the 15th Lok Sabha, becoming Union Minister of state for Rural Development in the Congress-led UPA government.

In 2014, of the 25 Lok Sabha seats across eight northeastern states, only two women (8 per cent) -- Bijoya Chakravarty (BJP) and Sushmita Dev (Congress) -- were elected to the Lok Sabha from Guwahati and Silchar seats of Assam respectively.

Chakravarty did not contest the poll this time while Dev lost her Silchar seat to BJP's Rajdeep Roy by a margin of 81,596 votes.

The 50-year-old science graduate, Pratima Bhowmik, said: "I would work for the all-round development of the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Amit Shah's development mantra and vision are our future course of action for the welfare of the people."

"To fulfil Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb's vision to make Tripura a model state, we would all together work to achieve the dream," Bhowmik, General Secretary of the BJP's state unit, told IANS.

Bhowmik, securing 5,73,532 votes (51.77 per cent of the valid votes polled) won the Tripura West seat defeating her Congress rival Subal Bhowmik by a margin of 3,05,689 votes, would be the second Lok Sabha member from Tripura after Congress' Maharani Bibhu Kumari Devi, also former Tripura minister, who won in 1991.

BJP's Queen Oja, 67, also a former Guwahati mayor (in early 90s) secured 10,08,936 votes, trouncing Congress candidate Bobbeeta Sharma by a margin of 3,45,606 votes. She was elected to the Lok Sabha from the prestigious Guwahati seat for the first time.

"I am born and brought up in Guwahati and associated with public life for the last 35 years. My best endeavour would be to further develop the Assam's main city and other regions of the state," Oja said.

The average gender ratio in the electoral lists of the northeastern states is 971 females to 1,000 males against the national gender ratio of 958.

In four northeastern states -- Arunachal Pradesh (women 4,01,596, men 3,92,566), Manipur (women 9,90,960, men 9,39,926), Meghalaya (women 9,56,135, men 9,36,579), Mizoram (women 4,02,408, men 3,81,991) -- women voters outnumber their male counterparts.

"Women in the North-East dominate societal and domestic affairs, but political domination is not in their hands," said veteran political commentator Sanjib Deb, adding that more women should be given chance to govern the political administration.

"In the just concluded parliamentary polls, women representation from the region to Lok Sabha rose to 12 per cent from the last election's (2014) eight per cent, but this is very poor from the expected number of women lawmakers."

All India Women Congress President Sushmita Dev said: "For better and due representation of women in Parliament and in state assemblies, we have been struggling for the women's reservation Bill."

Dev, a former member of the Assam Assembly and ex-chairperson of the Silchar Municipal Corporation, told IANS : "The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and Odisha's (ruling) Biju Janata Dal fielded a large number of women candidates in the 17th Lok Sabha polls. However, this is not possible for big parties like the Congress and the BJP."

Patricia Mukhim, a teacher-turned-social activist, writer and journalist, said that women are still living in a non-inclusive, unequal, violence-ridden, gender-discriminating world.

"Women are discriminated against at the workplace and even their homes - the domestic space," Mukhim, the editor of leading English daily Shillong Times in Meghalaya, told IANS.

"Coming to other aspects of women's welfare which is essentially their health, the absence of gender sensitivity and gender nuanced health indicators is a problematic factor," said Mukhim, a recipient of the Padma Shri.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)North Korea's missile launches earlier this month violated UN Security Council resolutions, US National Security Advisor John Bolton said on Saturday in an apparent change in Washington's stance on the tests.

Trump initially declared he was "not happy" with the missile tests carried out on May 4 and 9 but then played down their importance by calling them "standard stuff".

"In terms of violating Security Council resolutions, there is no doubt about that," Bolton told reporters in Tokyo in advance of the US President's four-day visit to Japan.

"I think the Prime Minister and President are going to talk about making sure the integrity of the Security Council resolutions are maintained," he said, referring to a Monday summit meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Trump.

It is the first time that a high official in Trump's administration described the North Korean tests as violating UN sanctions. Until now, both South Korea and the US downplayed the launches, which were supervised by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Bolton said that Washington fully supports efforts by the Japanese Prime Minister to meet with Kim without any preconditions, the New York Times reported.

According to him, the President already had "two unconditional meetings with Kim Jong-un" in Singapore and Hanoi and that he did not see "anything untoward" in Abe pursuing a similar meeting with the North Korean leader.

Bolton said the US had not heard much from North Korea since the Vietnam summit in February, which ended abruptly after Trump rejected Kim's suggestion that Washington lift the most painful of sanctions imposed on his country since 2016 in exchange for a partial dismantlement of its nuclear weapons programme.

"We really have not heard much from North Korea since the Hanoi summit," he said, adding that US officials were "ready to have further discussions at the working level to see what progress might be made".

The US National Security Advisor said that Trump's special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun, "can't wait to talk to his North Korean counterpart but they have not responded".

"He is ready at any point to get on a plane and go anywhere to talk to them," he added.

During his Japan visit, Trump will hold meetings with Abe starting Sunday and meet Emperor Naruhito on Monday.

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former Jet Airways chief promoter Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita were offloaded from a London-bound flight and barred from leaving India this morning by immigration officials, sources said here on Saturday.

The duo had boarded the Emirates EK-507 flight and the aircraft was recalled after it had already reached the taxiway and preparing for take-off from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

They were taken into custody by the Mumbai Airport Immigration for investigations, and the reasons for the action was not clear.

Despite repeated attempts, officials at Jet Airways and Emirates Airways refused to comment and details were awaited.

Recently, some lawmakers had demanded that the Mumbai Police should impound the passports of Goyal and other senior officials of the beleaguered airlines to prevent them from leaving the country.

--IANS

qn/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Amid widespread clashes between Trinamool Congress and BJP workers across West Bengal even after the Lok Sabha elections results were declared, a man said to be a Bharatiya Janata Party supporter was shot dead in Nadia district, police said on Saturday.

"Santu Ghosh was shot outside his home at Chakdaha on Friday night and declared brought dead at a hospital. No one has been arrested so far. Investigation is going on," an officer of Chakdaha police station said.

Claiming that Ghosh had defected from Trinamool, BJP activists blocked a national highway and railway tracks for about two hours on Saturday, causing major disruption of train services in the Sealdah division.

Trinamool leaders though refuted the party's involvement in the incident and instead, accused the saffron workers of inciting violence in the area.

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool Congress bagged 22 seats while the BJP made huge gains securing 18 seat (16 more than 2014) while the Congress retained two seats.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)BJP candidate Saumitra Khan, who emerged victorious from West Bengal's Bishnupur Lok sabha seat in spite of not being able to campaign in most parts of his constituency following a court order, said the "false cases" lodged against him by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government failed to stop him as he rode on people's blessings and a potent Modi wave across Bengal.

Speaking to IANS, the Trinamool Congress-turned-BJP leader, who defeated his Trinamool rival Shyamal Santra by more than 78,000 votes, said the ruling party's downfall in the Lok sabha polls was a result of common people's "protest and outrage against its misrule" in West Bengal.

After Khan joined the BJP, he was named in a number of cases related to taking money from people on the pretext of securing government jobs for them, and for being involved in illegal sand mining.

The Calcutta High Court then barred him from entering the Bankura district, under which falls six of the seven Assembly segments of his parliamentary constituency, for ensuring free and fair polls, keeping in mind his political clout in the area. Khan thus could personally campaign only in the Khandaghosh Assembly segment, which comes under East Burdwan district.

"Immediately after I left Trinamool Congress and joined the BJP (in January), false cases were filed against me. They (state administration) tried to prove in the court that there can be law and order issues if I enter the constituency as I am an influential person. Eventually, I was barred by the court from entering Bankura. So my wife Sujata campaigned for me," he said.

"I am the son of the soil in Bishnupur. I am born and brought up here. So people know me very well. They understood that a genuine person was being falsely accused and heckled. They did not like it. They supported me because they knew that the relationship between Bankura district and me was that of a mother and a son.

"Trinamool thought that they would be able to win over the people of Bishnupur by bringing someone from outside. But the locals here love me like their son. They blessed me wholeheartedly," said Khan, who won from Binshnupur in 2014 on a Trinamool ticket after switching allegiance from the Congress.

"The 2019 elections were in favour of Modiji's mantra 'Sab ka sath, sab ka vikas' (development for all). Looking at the progress of the country under the leadership of Narendra Modi, the people of Bengal also want the BJP to come to power here," he noted.

Soon after defecting from Trinamool Congress, three separate criminal cases were filed against Khan on charges of cheating, illegal sand lifting and keeping unlicensed weapon in three different police stations in Bankura.

The Calcutta High Court granted him interim bail but directed him not to enter the Bankura district. The Supreme Court refused to vacate the order.

But Khan was still confident as people's support was on his side from the first day.

"Initially I felt a little helpless. But looking at the people's overwhelming support and adequate backing by the BJP leaders, I felt increasingly confident about winning," he said.

Terming the Trinamool Congress as a "dynastic party", Khan accused it of unleashing terror on the people of the state. He also took indirect potshots at Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee's nephew and perceived heir Abhishek Banerjee, saying there was massive discontent within the party centreing around its future leadership.

He also claimed that many Trinamool MLAs, between 50 and 60 by his estimation, were ready to desert the party and join the BJP following the 2019 poll results.

"Trinamool Congress was formed to oust the Left parties from power in Bengal. But later it turned into a dynastic party. Neither the leaders, nor the activists could accept that.

"There is massive discontent within the party. Even yesterday, five-six local MLAs told me that they are ready to leave the party and join the BJP. At least 50 to 60 MLAs are ready to join Modiji's brigade from various parts of the state. Apart from the senior leaders, thousands of Trinamool activists will also join us," he added.

Khan's wife Sujata, who campaigned for her husband for 18-20 hours daily for close to one-and-a-half month, said the public support was overwhelming.

"I do not have a political background. So when I first started campaigning, I was worried thinking whether I would be able to win the hearts of 15-20 lakh voters of Bishnupur. But the kind response I got from the women and young generation from the very first day, I was confident that we would win the seat," she told IANS.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)"PM Narendra Modi", a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raked in nearly Rs 3 crore on the first day of its release.

A tweet posted by trade analyst Taran Adarsh on Saturday read: "'PM Narendra Modi' had a lukewarm start in the morning, but picked up speed as Day 1 progressed. Evening shows witnessed better occupancy, Friday Rs 2.88 crore India business."

The film, which stars Vivek Anand Oberoi, Boman Irani, Waheeda Rahman, Darshan Kumaar and Manoj Joshi, among others, traces Modi's life story.

It was stopped just a night before its scheduled worldwide opening on April 11 when the parliamentary polls kicked off, to ensure a level playing field in the elections.

Actor Arjun Kapoor-starrer "India's Most Wanted", which released along with the biopic on Friday, made Rs 2.10 crore.

Directed by Rajkummar Gupta, "India's Most Wanted" is inspired by a "true story" related to a terrorist. It is about a mission of five people to nab India's most wanted terrorist -- described in the movie as India's Osama -- without any weapon or support in just four days.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The race to succeed Theresa May as the new British Prime Minister has begun with Tory leadership contenders clashing over Brexit.

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock, 40, become the latest Cabinet minister on Saturday to declare his intentions to stand for the Conservative leadership after May's resignation.

Hancock joins a long list of prominent Conservatives vying for the party leadership -- and, by default, the country -- including former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, International Development Secretary Rory Stewart, party leader Andrea Leadsom and former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and former Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey have also confirmed their intentions to stand, the BBC reported.

Despite May's troubles in winning over enough MPs for her Brexit deal, Hancock told Radio 4's Today programme that a majority of the Commons wanted to leave the European Union, but there had been "disagreements on how".

He said May's successor must be "brutally honest" about the "trade-offs" required to get a deal through Parliament. Rejecting the suggestions for general elections, he said it would be "a disaster for the country" and would risk "Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn by Christmas".

Hancock also said the party needed a "leader for the future, not just for now", capable of appealing to younger voters. "We need to move on from the horrible of the last three years. We need a fresh start and a fresh face to ensure that this country wins the battles of the 2020s and remains prosperous for many years to come."

The Conservative Party bosses expect a new leader to be chosen by the end of July. May said on Friday she would resign as the party leader on June 7, but will continue as the Prime Minister while the leadership contest takes place.

Stewart urged politicians to tell the truth about where they stood on Brexit and suggested, for that reason, he could not serve in a Cabinet under Johnson.

Johnson told an economic conference in Switzerland on Friday a new leader would have "the opportunity to do things differently". "We will leave the EU on October 31, deal or no deal. The way to get a good deal is to prepare for a no deal."

Most bookmakers have Johnson as favourite against Dominic Raab and Michael Gove, who are yet to declare their plans.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd has ruled herself out, saying the party and the country wants "someone who is more enthusiastic about Brexit than I am".

Tory MPs have until the week, starting June 10, to put their names forward and any of them can stand -- as long as they have the backing of two parliamentary colleagues.

--IANS

soni/pcj

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn in on Saturday as the nation celebrated Africa Day.

The leader of the African National Congress (ANC) party promised to boost the country's economy and clean up corruption during the massive ceremony at Loftus Versveld Stadium in the administrative capital, Pretoria.

Over 32,000 people, including several government officials and African heads of states, attended the ceremony. Among the guests were the Presidents of Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"I am humbled by the trust you have bestowed upon me, aware of the challenges our country faces, but also alive to the fact that our people are filled with hope for a better tomorrow," Ramaphosa said during his inaugural speech.

He was formally re-elected President on Wednesday after lawmakers backed him during an election at Parliament's National Assembly, which is responsible for selecting the South African President, Efe news reported.

The 66-year-old leader's election came after the ANC won the May 8 polls with 57.5 per cent of the vote.

"Despite our most earnest efforts, many South Africans still go to bed hungry, many succumb to diseases that can be treated, many live lives of intolerable deprivation. Too many of our people do not work especially the youth," Ramaphosa said.

He encouraged the nation to build a better society for the new generation, without racism or sexism.

Ramaphosa, who came to power in February 2018 when his ANC predecessor Jacob Zuma caved in to party pressure amid a corruption scandal, will now take on his first full five-year term.

The ANC, the party of late leader Nelson Mandela, has been in power since the end of apartheid in South Africa.

It won its sixth consecutive election with 230 out of 400 seats in the elections, which is the lowest-ever vote share for the ANC.

--IANS

soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Riding on the popularity wave of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spread its saffron colour across Karnataka, winning a record 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general elections, held in two phases on April 18 and April 23 for 14 constituencies each.

"Though we were confident of winning at least 20 seats, 25 is a windfall, as we have won from all the regions across the state for the first time," BJP spokesman G. Madhusudhan told IANS after the Election Commission (EC) officially declared all the results on Friday.

As the gateway to South India, Karnataka has been the BJP's stronghold since 2004, winning more parliamentary seats in every general election than its rivals -- the Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in triangular or straight contests.

The BJP won 17 seats in 2014, 19 in 2009 and 18 in 2004 Lok Sabha elections in the state, limiting the victory of the Congress and the JD-S to a single digit.

The Congress bagged 9 seats in 2014, 6 in 2009 and 8 in 2004, while the JD-S won 2 in 2014, 3 in 2009 and 2 in 2004 respectively.

In this (2019) election, the Congress and the JD-S won only one seat each despite fielding joint candidates in all the 28 seats, with the former in 21 and the latter in 7 across all the regions as per their pre-poll seat-sharing tie-up, being allies in the year-old fledgling coalition government in the southern state.

"The allies thought in straight contests, their combined vote share will be more than BJP's to win as many seats, though they could not improve their tally in the previous elections even in triangular contests. The historic verdict has proved their votes did not transfer to the joint contestants to defeat the BJP," a poll analyst told IANS.

By not fielding its candidate, the BJP supported Independent Sumalatha Ambareesh in the prestigious Mandya seat and campaigned hard for her stunning victory over JD-S debutant Nikhil, son of state Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and grandson of JD-S supremo H.D. Deve Gowda.

"As Sumalatha had won with our support, morally we got 26 of the 28 seats, wresting 8 from the Congress and one from the JD-S in the outgoing 16th Lok Sabha. This is our best ever performance where only the Congress had won 27 seats in November 1984 general elections, riding on the massive sympathy wave triggered by the assassination of its then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984," recalled Madhusudhan.

Admitting that the party had immensely benefitted by the Prime Minister's strong and decisive leadership, the spokesman said the dozen rallies Modi addressed across the state between February and April had a domino effect on the electorate, as they were impressed by his extemporary speech and ability to connect with them.

"We have seen the huge impact Modi made on the people, especially women and youth with his excellent oratory and appeal to vote for the party's symbol (Lotus). Braving the heat and dust of summer, thousands of people had flocked to Modi's pubic meetings. As they were also beneficiaries of the welfare schemes of our government, they voted for our candidates, knowing well that every vote for them would be a vote for only Modi to be their Prime Minister," said the spokesman.

The party had seen the impact of Modi's rallies on voters in the May 2018 state elections when it won 104 of the 224 Assembly segments across the state, as against 80 for the Congress and 37 for the JD-S.

"Another factor that helped us to win so many seats is the public anger against the warring allies who struck an unholy and opportunistic post-poll alliance to keep the BJP out of power at any cost though neither had the mandate to form the coalition government after a fractured verdict threw up a hung house, asserted Madhusudhan.

Though party's state unit President B.S. Yeddyurappa formed the BJP's second government in the state on May 17, 2018, he resigned on May 19 even before the floor test, as the party was 9 seats short of the halfway mark (113) for a simple majority to win the confidence motion in the lower house.

"The lacklustre performance of the coalition government, the constant bickering between the allies and the lack of harmony among their ministers have dejected the people as they were affecting governance and administration of the drought-relief works," lamented Madhusudhan.

Absence of chemistry and coordination between the leaders and cadres of both the ruling allies at the polling booths also worked in the favour of the BJP amid allegations of them not campaigning for the joint candidates and even voting for the BJP contestants.

As else where in the country, especially above the Vindhyas, the under current for Modi was not sensed or felt by the rival parties or their candidates who badly lost in every constituency barring Bangalore Rural and Hassan where the Congress and the JD-S retained their seats, resisting the Modi wave that swept them off across the state.

The intensity of the Modi wave did not spare even Deve Gowda, Congress leader in the outgoing Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress ministers in the UPA government M. Veerappa Moily and K.H. Muniyappa from the drubbing, as they had won in every general election over the last two decades.

The Modi Juggernaut also enabled BJP's first time and youngest (28 years) candidate Tejasvi Surya defeat Congress veteran Rajya Sabha member B.K. Hariprasad in the high-profile Bangalore South seat.

"The Modi wave also ensured our party to retain all the three seats in Bangalore and break the Congress bastions in Chikkaballapur, Kolar (SC), Chamarajanagar (SC), Gulbarga, Raichur (ST) and Tumkur," added Madhusdhan.

The BJP had also won in all the 7 reserved seats, including 5 for the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and two for the Scheduled Tribes (STs) for the first time, setting a record of sorts.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Goa-based Hindu right-wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha on Saturday protested the arrest of Hindu Vidhidnya Parishad national Secretary and advocate Sanjiv Punalekar and his assistant Vikram Bhave by the CBI in connection with the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.

In a statement issued here, the Sanstha's national spokesperson Chetan Rajan said that Punalekar had, in fact, exposed the "falsehood of saffron terrorism" in the Malegaon blast case, in which Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur had been arrested.

"It is very serious to arrest Sanjiv Punalekar who proved the falsehood of saffron terrorism behind Malegaon explosion case and filed several Public Interest Litigations. We feel that Punalekar who performs seva of society, the nation and dharma without any expectations is innocent," the statement said.

"To arrest Sanjiv Punalekar and Vikram Bhave, when a pro-Hindutva government is in power smacks of conspiracy behind such an action," Rajan also said.

Dabholkar, who headed the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, was gunned down near his residence in Pune while on a morning walk on in 2013.

Besides Punalekar and Bhave, the CBI has so far arrested a total of five persons in connection with the murder.

Five years after Dabholkar's killing, the CBI, in August last year, made the first break through arrest of the alleged shooters - Sachin Andure from Aurangabad and Sharad Kalaskar - from Palghar region.

--IANS

maya/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A youth in Bihar's East Champaran district was so euphoric at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's return to power that he not only distributed sweets, but also carved his name on his chest -- with a sharp knife.

The video of this enthusiastic supporter -- identified as Sonu Patel -- displaying "Modi" on his chest has gone viral on social media.

Residents of his Turkaulia locality in Motihari said that Patel, who had started celebrating as soon as trends showed Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party was steam-rolling its way back to power, performed his intense act of admiration in front of a crowd.

Afterwards Patel could be heard saying: "Narendra Modi 'Zindabad' now and 'Zindabad' forever. Modiji can give his life for the country, and we can give our lives for him. Modiji should rule all his life and develop the country. This is all I have to say. Jai ho, Modiji. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat."

Apart from the country, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) achieved a near-whitewash in Bihar, winning 39 of its 40 Lok Sabha seats. While the Congress was reduced to just one seat, Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal failed to even open its account.

--IANS

hindi-vd/arm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An Indian Army soldier shot himself on Saturday in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, police sources said.

Battini Tirupati Rao of the engineering regiment shot himself with his service rifle inside a camp in Pattan area, the sources added.

He was shifted by his colleagues to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Naveen Patnaik may be the most inaccessible Chief Minister in the history of Odisha but he continues to be the darling of the masses as he is all set to rule the state for a fifth consecutive term having won a thumping majority.

Already the longest-serving Chief Minister of Odisha, Patnaik weathered many a storm in his political career and remained undisputed leader despite not being fluent in the the mother tongue of his state.

While he has withstood political storms over the years, he also faced off real storms like cyclones Phailin, Hudhud and the most recent Fani that ravaged the state.

Patnaik stood tall by managing things very efficiently and earning accolades from international organisations like the United Nations and World Bank.

Patnaik assumed office in the year 2000, less than six months after the super cyclone that devastated the coastal state in October, 1999 killing over 10,000 people.

Once a political novice, Patnaik has grown into a ruthless and consummate politician, who would not hesitate to crush even a shadow of dissidence with an iron hand.

Rather suave yet cunning, Patnaik has shown the door to many stalwarts like Bijoy Mahapatra, Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, Dilip Ray and Nalinikanta Mohanty, who could have thrown a possible challenge to him.

Before the 2019 election, he cut to size Baijayant Panda and Damodar Rout for going vocal against the government and the party.

He weathered many a storm, including an alleged "coup" attempt by his advisor Pyari Mohan Mohapatra in 2012, when Patnaik was in the UK.

The TINA (There Is No Alternative) factor also helped him conquer the state continuously as he poached leaders from other parties before every election weakening the opposition's spirit before entering into the electoral battle.

Patnaik, who has mastered the art of winning elections, has also bucked anti-incumbency, despite several controversies and multi-crore chit fund and mining scams.

Whenever the fire of a scam or controversy tried to engulf his image and the state government, Patnaik dropped the concerned minister thus earning an image of a "clean and honest" administrator and politician.

He has so far shown the door to around 50 of his ministers in his 19-year rule for several reasons.

This image, coupled with his pro-people policies, has helped the 72-year-old bachelor to retain power for the last nearly two decades.

He has launched several populist schemes which have garnered votes from all sections of society.

His populist measures like Re 1 per kilo of rice, Rs 5 per meal scheme and Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme set his popularity chart soaring.

Besides, women have been BJD's constant vote bank as the Chief Minister launched several schemes for them under the Mission Shakti programme.

As BJD leaders say, Patnaik has launched schemes for everyone from "the cradle to the grave".

This has helped Patnaik to weather every election by improving his performance despite the Modi wave that swept other parts of the country in the 2014 and 2019 polls.

--IANS

cd/kr/rs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An electoral face-off between a religious/nationalist party and a gaggle of vaguely Left-Liberal outfits is almost always an unequal contest as the scales are invariably tilted in favour of the former.

For the "bleeding heart" liberals, which is how they are mocked by their opponents, it is extremely difficult to counter the emotive appeal of faith and love for the motherland espoused by the right-wing.

There is little doubt that a major factor behind the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in this year's general election is its championing of the nationalist cause with a touch of jingoism, especially in the aftermath of the Pulwama massacre and the subsequent air strikes in Balakot.

Prior to that, the BJP was generally perceived to be unable to make much of a headway in the electoral battle, which is why the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) insisted on immediately starting the construction of the Ram temple, evidently to raise the electoral tempo.

There is also a hidden subtext behind the BJP's portrayal of Pakistan as the mortal enemy, relating to the loyalty of the Indian Muslims. Confronted with a challenge which links external threats with internal enemies, the BJP's opponents had little chance. It was a battle which the Congress and the other "secular" parties could not but lose.

If the BJP faced resistance in the outer peripheries of the country like Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Kerala, a possible reason was that the pro-Hindu pitch had little traction there, especially in Tamil Nadu with its atheist tradition represented by the Dravidian parties, and in Kerala with its Leftist background, which remained impervious to the BJP's religious ploys on the Sabarimala issue relating to the entry of women into the temple.

In Odisha and Punjab, the BJP came up against "strong" local leaders like Chief Ministers Naveen Patnaik and Amrinder Singh. Besides, the party's Hindu card was less effective in Odisha, although the BJP did succeed in replacing a steadily weakening Congress as the state's main opposition party.

It was the same story in West Bengal where another "strong" leader, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, partly succumbed to the BJP's Hindu card because of her own follies relating to the perception of being pro-Muslim and a failure to revive the state's industries.

It goes without saying that there is very little in the political kitty of the Congress and other non-BJP parties which can present a convincing alternative narrative at the moment.

Even relatively minor suggestions in the Congress manifesto like diluting the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and dispensing with the colonial-era sedition laws are liable to be seized upon by the Hindu Right as evidence of the role which the Left-Liberals can play in weakening the security forces and allowing the traitorous elements - the so-called 'tukde tukde' gang - to flourish.

It is noteworthy that Home Minister Rajnath Singh had not only pooh-poohed the idea of doing away with the sedition laws, but pledged to strengthen them even further, presumably making them more stringent than what the British thought was necessary.

While the BJP may firm up the mix of religion, patriotism and national security with more draconian laws, the Congress's espousal of the "idea of India" or a multicultural nation can appear as a watery concept which dilutes India's Hindu identity.

True, the Congress's pursuit of secularism was marred by missteps like negating the Supreme Court's judgment in the mid-1980s in favour of a divorced Muslim woman, thereby substantiating the BJP's argument that secularism to the Congress was tantamount to appeasing the Muslims.

The success of the BJP's propaganda in this respect has persuaded the Congress leaders to take to visiting temples and holding massive yagnas, as by Digvijay Singh in Bhopal which could not save him from defeat at the hands of the BJP's Sadhvi Pragya Thakur. A imitation does not have the same value as the genuine article.

It is this kind of a see-saw from Muslim "appeasement" to parroting the BJP's Hindu rituals which has made the Congress appear to be at sixes and sevens where its ideology is concerned.

Nor is there anyone in the party with the intellectual wherewithal to clarify that secularism does not mean favouring any community at the expense of the others, but to treat all equally and fairly.

In addition to this confusion about what is supposed to be the party's basic ideology, the Congress is plagued by its customary weakness - infighting which has been very much in evidence even at a time when the party is seemingly facing a major crisis.

If the Congress is unable to formulate a coherent ideology, other non-BJP parties remain mired in caste and localism without any pan-Indian vision. The BJP scores on all these points - a strident pro-Hindu ideology which promises to cement India's place as a major power.

Even if the BJP's macro-economic outlook is unclear at present, unlike in 2014, it nevertheless expects to ride high with its nationalist agenda, aided and abetted by a weak opposition.

(Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com)

--IANS

amulya/vm/akk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)US President Donald Trump has bypassed Congress to approve the sale of $8.1 billion worth of arms to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan by declaring that ongoing tensions with Iran amounted to a national Emergency.

He also announced on Friday that he would order about 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East to increase protection of those American forces already there.

The new deployment is less than what hardliners in the White House were said to have wanted, and below what commanders in the region were considering, the New York Times reported.

The deal would "deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defence capacity" of US allies, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

"These sales will support our allies, enhance Middle East stability and help these nations to deter and defend themselves from the Islamic Republic of Iran," he added, referring to heightened tensions with Tehran.

Pompeo's notification to lawmakers about the move effectively give the Trump administration a green light to conclude the sale and transfer of bombs, missile systems, semi-automatic rifles, drones and repair and maintenance services to aid the Saudi air fleet, and precision-guided munitions that lawmakers fear Saudi Arabia may use against civilians in Yemen's civil war.

Some Democrats accused Trump of bypassing Congress because the sale of weapons would have been strongly opposed on Capitol Hill.

The move quickly garnered opposition. Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, accused Trump of "granting favours to authoritarian countries".

"(He) has failed once again to prioritize our long term national security interests or stand up for human rights," Menendez said in a statement.

Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James E. Risch said he was "reviewing and analyzing the legal justification for this action and the associated implications".

Traditionally, the administration must notify Congress when it contemplates a new arms sale, giving lawmakers the opportunity to review deals and block those they find objectionable.

In each of his letters notifying lawmakers of the decision, Pompeo stated that he had "determined that an emergency exists which requires the proposed sale in the national security interest of the US and thus, waives the congressional review requirements" - without noting the nature of the emergency or offering details about it.

In his letters, he added that the government had "taken into account political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control considerations".

Lawmakers have frequently questioned the Trump administration's approach to national security policy and its track record on human rights.

In particular, Trump and Congress have been at odds over the President's unapologetic embrace of Saudi leaders, despite US intelligence showing that the Saudi Crown Prince was behind the October 2018 killing of kingdom's journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Iran reacted angrily to the US move, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif calling it "extremely dangerous" for international peace.

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)US President Donald Trump bypassed Congress to approve the sale of $8.1 billion worth of arms to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan.

The deal would "deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defense capacity" of US allies, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Friday, reported Efe news.

"These sales will support our allies, enhance Middle East stability, and help these nations to deter and defend themselves from the Islamic Republic of Iran," he added, referring to heightened tensions with Tehran.

The Secretary of state notified Congress of his decision to use an emergency loophole in the law regulating the export of arms to sell surveillance equipment, precision munitions and other supplies to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan.

"Delaying this shipment could cause degraded systems and a lack of necessary parts and maintenance that could create severe airworthiness and interoperability concerns for our key partners, during a time of increasing regional volatility," Pompeo said.

The instance is to be a "one-time event," he said.

Congressional opposition to the US' military support to Saudi Arabia has been on the rise in recent months and lawmakers have managed to block arms sales for more than a year and a half.

Legislators are concerned about civilian casualties in the military operation led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen and outrage over the assassination of US resident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last October by suspected Saudi agents.

It also comes as the US is to send 1,500 troops as well as weaponry to the Middle East to counter an unclarified threat posed by Iran.

In April, Trump vetoed a resolution passed by Congress to end US military support to the Saudi-led war in Yemen.

The measure won the support of most legislators following Khashoggi's assassination on October 2, 2018. Trump, however, has defended US ties with the kingdom despite the murder.

--IANS

pg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two Assam Rifles troopers were killed and four others were injured on Saturday after suspected militants ambushed their convoy near the Nagaland-Assam border, a defence spokesman said.

"The incident took place around 1 p.m. when some unidentified militants ambushed a convoy of the AR at a location between Ukha and Tobu village in Nagaland's Mon district. Two of the troopers killed while four others were injured," he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Mon, Thavaseelen K said that the incident took place at a place called Changlangshu. He said that the injured have been evacuated by air.

Thavaseelen said that a similar attack took place on Assam Rifles jawans at the same place in 2015, leaving nine troopers dead.

--IANS

ah/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, here on Saturday, broke his silence and told those asking for his resignation after the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) Lok Sabha polls debacle in the state that it was not a verdict against his government and therefore there was no question of him stepping down.

"This defeat was not expected and we see this only as a temporary setback. This verdict is not against our government and the question of stepping down does not arise," Vijayan told reporters.

The Chief Minister has mostly kept away from the media glare, since the Left's poor show in the Lok Sabha elections.

Of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, the Communist Party of India-Marxist-led LDF won just one (Alappuzha) -- down from eight seats in the outgoing Lok Sabha -- and that too by a slender margin. While the Congress-led UDF romped home with the rest 19 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to open account.

The Left's rout came before the 75th birthday of Vijayan, who led the Lok Sabha poll battle with tall claims of winning as many as 18 seats.

The CPI-M State Committee will meet for two days later this month to discuss the poll debacle.

However, given Vijayan's strong hold on the party, there is no one to even initiate a talk on whether it should look for an alternative to him.

As the longest-serving secretary of the Kerala CPI-M State Committee from 1998 to 2015, Vijayan has used his position to become the be all and end all of the party.

Traditionally, the CPI-M State Secretary always prevailed upon its Chief Minister, but Vijayan carried on unquestioned even when he became the Chief Minister given his iron-like grip on the party.

The only one, who can challenge Vijayan at the moment is party veteran Achuthanandan, but at 95 he has little support from the ranks.

Even in his prime, he had to play the second fiddle to Vijayan. At the height of the feud between the two in 2007, when both were suspended from the CPI-M Politburo, only Vijayan was taken back. Achuthanandan could never return to the party's highest body.

Vijayan knows if he quits as the Chief Minister, it would be curtains for his political career, as age is fast catching up with him and he also has health issues.

But the first signs, that his position was safe, came when State Secretary Balakrishnan defended him the day the results came and reiterated on Saturday that every time the Left suffered a setback, it bounced back stronger.

He said the party would introspect on its failure later this month, but maintained a stoic silence on whether there should be a change in the team's captain.

With none to bell the cat, Vijayan's position appears safe for now.

--IANS

sg/rtp/pcj

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A youth involved in the knife attack on YSR Congress Party President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at Visakhapatnam Airport in October last year was released on bail on Saturday.

J. Srinivasa Rao alias Srinivas was released from Rajahmundry Central Jail, a day after NIA Special Court in Vijayawada granted him bail.

The youth told reporters after his release that he did not deliberately attack Jagan Reddy. He claimed that he met the YSRCP leader to discuss people's problems and the knife he was carrying accidentally hurt him.

Claiming that he is a fan of Jagan Reddy, Srinivas said he was ready to undergo Narco Analysis test to prove his innocence.

He said after the incident when people around him started thrashing, Jagan Reddy intervened to save him.

Srinivas said he was happy that Jagan Reddy was becoming Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. His family hoped that the government would drop the case against him.

Interestingly, Srinivas was released on bail two days after YSRCP stormed to power with resounding victory in Assembly elections. Jagan Reddy is set to take oath as the Chief Minister next week.

Jagan, as the YSRCP leader is popularly known, was injured when Srinivas, a worker at the airport canteen, attacked him with a knife used in cockfights on October 25. Jagan was attacked as he was waiting to board a flight to Hyderabad.

Jagan, who sustained a cut on his left upper arm, continued his journey and got admitted to a hospital in Hyderabad.

YSRCP had alleged a conspiracy by ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to kill its leader while the latter termed it as a ploy to gain public sympathy.

Jagan had refused to record his statement before the Andhra Pradesh Police saying he had no trust in agencies controlled by the state government.

On the directions of the Union Home Ministry, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) booked a case on January 1 and took up the investigation.

Within a month, NIA filed the charge sheet in the case and conveyed to the court that the probe into the conspiracy angle will continue.

--IANS

ms/in

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)I became Prime Minister almost three years ago  immediately after the British people voted to leave the

My aim was  and is  to deliver and help our country move beyond the division of the and into a better future. A country that works for everyone. Where everyone has the chance to get on in life and to go as far as their own talent and hard work can take them. That is a goal that I believe can still unite our country.

I knew that delivering was not going to be simple or straightforward. The result in 2016 was decisive, but it was close. The challenge of taking from the simplicity of the choice on the ballot paper to the complexity of resetting the countrys relationship with 27 of its nearest neighbours was always going to be huge.

While it has proved even harder than I anticipated, I continue to believe that the best way to make a success of Brexit is to negotiate a good exit deal with the as the basis of a new deep and special partnership for the future.

That was my pitch to be leader of the and Prime Minister. That is what I set out in my Lancaster House speech and that was what my Partys election manifesto said in 2017. That is in essence what the Labour Partys election manifesto stated too.

And over 80 per cent of the electorate backed parties which stood to deliver Brexit by leaving with a deal. We have worked hard to deliver that  but we have not yet managed it.

I have tried everything I possibly can to find a way through. It is true that initially I wanted to achieve this predominantly on the back of Conservative and DUP votes.

In our Parliamentary system, that is simply how you normally get things done. I sought the changes MPs demanded. I offered to give up the job I love earlier than I would like. And on March 29  the day we were meant to leave the  if just 30 MPs had voted differently we would have passed the Withdrawal Agreement. And we would be leaving the

But it was not enough. So I took the difficult decision to try to reach a cross-party deal on Brexit. Many MPs on both sides were unsettled by this. But I believe it was the right thing to do. We engaged in six weeks of serious talks with the Opposition, offering to compromise. But in the end those talks were not enough for Labour to reach an agreement with us. But I do not think that means we should give up. The House of Commons voted to trigger Article 50. And the majority of MPs say they want to deliver the result of the So I think we need to help them find a way. And I believe there is now one last chance to do that.

I have listened to concerns from across the political spectrum. I have done all I can to address them. And today I am making a serious offer to MPs across Parliament. A new Brexit deal. As part of that deal I will continue to make the case for the to be united behind a policy that can deliver Brexit. 9 out of 10 Conservative MPs have already given the Withdrawal Agreement their backing and I want to reach out to every single one of my colleagues to make the very best offer I can to them.

We came together around an amendment from Sir Graham Brady  and this gave rise to the work on Alternative Arrangements to the backstop. Although it is not possible for those to replace the backstop in the Withdrawal Agreement, we can start the work now to ensure they are a viable alternative. So as part of the new Brexit deal we will place the government under a legal obligation to seek to conclude Alternative Arrangements by December 2020 so that we can avoid any need for the backstop coming into force.

I have also listened to Unionist concerns about the backstop. So the new Brexit deal goes further to address these. It will commit that, should the backstop come into force, the Government will ensure that Great will stay aligned with Northern Ireland. We will prohibit the proposal that a future Government could split Northern Ireland off from the UKs customs territory. And we will deliver on our commitments to Northern Ireland in the December 2017 Joint Report in full. We will implement paragraph 50 of the Joint Report in law. The Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive will have to give their consent on a cross-community basis for new regulations which are added to the backstop.

And we will work with our Confidence and Supply Partners on how these commitments should be entrenched in law.

This new Brexit deal contains significant further changes to protect the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom and deliver Brexit.

It is a bespoke solution that answers the unique concerns of all parts of the community in Northern Ireland.

But the reality is that after three attempts to secure Parliamentary agreement, we will not leave the unless we have a deal that can command wider cross-party support. Thats why I sat down with the Opposition.

I have been serious about listening to views across the House throughout this process. That is why when two Labour MPs, Lisa Nandy and Gareth Snell, put forward their proposals to give Parliament a bigger say in the next phase of the negotiations I listened to them. So the new Brexit deal will set out in law that the House of Commons will approve the UKs objectives for the negotiations on our future relationship with the EU and they will approve the treaties governing that relationship before the Government signs them.

So the new Brexit deal will offer new safeguards to ensure these standards are always met. We will introduce a new Workers Rights Bill to ensure UK workers enjoy rights that are every bit as good as, or better than, those provided for by EU rules. And we will discuss further amendments with trade unions and business.

Edited extract of UK Prime Minister Theresa May's speech on the new Brexit, May 21 in LondonNorth Korea said on Friday an arbitrary and dishonest U.S. position had resulted in the failure to reach a deal during a second North Korea-U.S. summit, warning the nuclear issue would never be resolved without a new approach. Reuters in the article North Korea warns U.S. nuclear talks will never resume without 'new calculation' writes, that a spokesman for North Koreas foreign ministry accused the United States of trying to shift the blame for the breakdown of the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump in February by raising a completely irrelevant issue. He did not elaborate.

The underlying cause of setback of the DPRK-U.S. summit talks in Hanoi is the arbitrary and dishonest position taken by the United States, insisting on a method which is totally impossible to get through, the unidentified spokesman said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency. The United States would not be able to move us even an inch with the device it is now weighing in its mind, and the further its mistrust and hostile acts towards the DPRK grow, the fiercer our reaction will be. The official was referring to North Korea by the initials of its official name - the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

The statement was the latest criticism of the United States since the failed summit in Vietnam, where Kim had sought sanctions relief in return for the partial dismantling of North Koreas nuclear programme. Trump called for a full roadmap for denuclearisation including the transfer of bombs to the United States.

Tension has again mounted in recent weeks. The North fired short-range missiles early this month and Washington unveiled the seizure of a North Korean ship suspected of illicit coal shipments in breach of sanctions.

Kim has set a year-end deadline for the United States to show more flexibility, but Trump and other U.S. officials have brushed that aside, calling for Kim to take action on a commitment to denuclearise.

Unless the United States offered a new method of calculation, the stalled nuclear talks would never be restarted, the foreign ministry spokesman said. And by extension, the prospect for resolving the nuclear issue will be much gloomier, the official said.Violent incidents were reported from across West Bengal on Saturday in which one person died and many were injured, officials said, as a face-off brewed between the ruling Trinamool Congress and a surging BJP after the Lok Sabha results were declared.

TMC alleged that a number of its party offices have either been taken over or vandalised by BJP workers.

Police sources said TMC workers were beaten up allegedly by BJP supporters in Coochbehar's Sitai, Titagarh in North 24 Parganas and New Town area near Kolkata.

In Coochbehar, the Trinamool alleged its party offices at Bakshirhat, Mahishkuchi, Rampur, Shalbari were vandalised by BJP activists. TMC party office in Sitalkuchi area of the district was also ransacked.

"Since the results came in, BJP workers have either locked down our party offices or vandalised them or set them on fire," said TMC's Sitalkuchi block president Abed Ali Miya.

BJP's Nisith Pramanik defeated TMC's Paresh Adhikary on the Coochbehar seat.

The BJP, on the other hand, alleged its workers were attacked by TMC activists in the district's Bakshirkuti area during a victory procession.

Though the TMC has denied the allegations, BJP said its members from the minority community were attacked with sticks and spears.

In Sitai area of the district, TMC alleged that country-made bombs were hurled at the house of a leader of its women's outfit.

Similar incidents were also reported from the Bankura district, where the BJP alleged that a local leader was shot at.

The incident happened in Saltora area of the district on Friday morning when BJP leader Bidyut Das (42) was leading a victory rally, BJP district president Vivekananda Patra said.

He accused local TMC leader Kali Roy of leading the attack despite police presence. When contacted, TMC district president Arup Khan refused to comment.

Bankura Superintendent of Police Koteswara Rao N said complaints have been filed by both the parties and the situation is under control.

In Panchmura area of the district, TMC alleged that an office of its trade union, INTTUC, has been vandalised by BJP workers and houses of several leaders were attacked on Friday night. BJP has denied the allegations, saying the incident happened because of TMC's infighting.

BJP's Subhas Sarkar defeated state minister Subrata Mukherejee, a veteran politician, on the Bankura seat.

Clashes have also been reported from Bhatpara and Kakinada areas under the Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat, where BJP's Arjun Singh defeated Dinesh Trivedi of the TMC.

TMC alleged that its party offices have been taken over by Arjun Singh's men in Kakinda area. Police said forces have been deployed to control the situation.

"We have got reports of violence from Bijpur and Naihati as well. Police picketing has been increased in these areas," a police official said.

Several bikes were set on fire, shops were vandalised, houses belonging to TMC workers were ransacked by alleged BJP workers in these areas, he added.

A 23-year-old BJP worker was shot dead in Nadia district's Chakdaha town last night with the saffron party alleging that TMC men were behind the incident.

BJP leaders and workers blocked National Highway 34 and railway tracks at several places across the district to protest the killing, police said.

Several houses of CPI(M) supporters in Bhangar, part of Jadavpur Lok Sabha seat, were attacked and ransacked allegedly by TMC workers. CPI(M) MLA Sujan Chakraborty said TMC leader Arabul Islam's supporters vandalised the houses.

Islam, however, denied the allegations.

There were reports of unrest from Narendrapur area in southern fringes of Kolkata as well.

A number of shops and houses of TMC workers have also been allegedly vandalised in Jamboni area of Jhargram, where BJP's Kunar Hembram defeated Trinamool's Birbaha Saren.

The reports of violence came even after 200 companies of central forces are present in the state.

Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi has appealed to maintain peace.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two CPI(M) sympathisers were arrested Saturday for the alleged attack on an independent candidate on May 18, police said.

The candidate had contested from Vatakara Lok Sabha constituency in northern Kerala.

Ashwanth (20) and Sojith (25) were arrested based on CCTV footage, and were produced before court.

Former municipal councillor C O T Naseer was attacked by unidentified people on May 18 and hospitalised.

"We evaluated the CCTV footage and identified the culprits and apprehended two of them. Ashwanth was one of the three suspects who came on a bike and attacked Naseer," an investigating officer told PTI.

Naseer had left the Communist Party of India (Marxist) after differences with the party leadership.

CPI(M) strongman and its former Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan, who was defeated by senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan from the constituency, had visited Naseer at hospital.

The opposition Congress had alleged that it was the Leftists who had attacked the independent candidate.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Suspected cow vigilantes thrashed three persons in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni for allegedly carrying beef, following which the police arrested the assailants as well as the victims of the attack.

Police said the three persons, who were beaten up, were arrested on May 22 as possession, transportation or sale of beef is illegal in Madhya Pradesh.

A group of five 'gau rakshaks' had allegedly beaten up two men with sticks and then forced one of them to thrash a woman accompanying them with chappals, a police officer said.

In a purported video clip of the incident, which has been widely circulated on social media, the five accused can be seen beating up the two men.

Later, the assailants also forced one of the men to beat up the woman accompanying them.

The attackers also forced one of them to raise 'Jai Sri Ram' slogan, as seen in the video.

According to the police, the incident occurred on May 22 on Mandla Road under Dunda Seoni police station limits.

Seoni Superintendent of Police Lalit Shakyawar said an FIR has been registered against the five persons at Dunda Seoni police station, and all of them have been arrested.

Shakyawar said that police received information that some persons had uploaded a video of the attack on social media on May 23.

"Police took cognisance immediately and got the video removed from these social media platforms. Later, a police team arrested all the five attackers after identifying them," he said.

The accused have been booked under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 294 (obscene act), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 34 (act done by several persons with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under Arms Act.

The SP said police seized 140 kg red meat, suspected to be beef, from the trio. Police also seized a three-wheeler and a scooter from them.

The trio, who have been booked under the Madhya Pradesh Govansh Vadh Pratishedh Adhiniyam, were produced before a local court on May 23 which sent them to judicial custody.

Meanwhile, the court of judicial magistrate in Seoni Saturday remanded the five suspected cow vigilantes in judicial remand, Shakyawar added.

Dunda Seoni police station in-charge GS Uike said the three persons who were beaten up did not sustain any serious injuries in the attack.

"The accused persons shot videos of the thrashing. Police reached the spot after the incident and brought the trio along with the meat they were carrying to the police station," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Limited (HSL) and two other public sector undertakings have come together to float a consortium for building submarines.

The two other PSUs are (BHEL) and Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd (Midhani).

Indigenous construction of six conventional submarines is envisaged by Ministry of Defence, a press release from HSL said on Saturday.

Representatives of HSL, and Midhani signed anMoU on Friday in the presence of HSL chairman and managing director Rear Admiral LV SaratBabu, the release said.

The MoU is a step to keep in line with the'Make In India'initiative of the government in the defence sector, it said.

The agreement aims to harness the complimentary expertise of the three and provide the country with a credible, domestic alternative for construction of the submarines.

The consortium would jointly stake claim with the Ministry for being considered as a prospective bidder for the proposed project of the Navy in partnership with OEM (foreign technology provider) for building six submarines at the Ltd, the release added.Voters in Slovakia, Malta, Latvia and the Czech Republic are casting ballots in European Parliament elections.

The stakes for the European Union are especially high in this year's elections, which are taking place over four days and involve all 28 EU nations.

Many predict nationalists and far-right groups will gain ground. They would try to use a larger presence in the legislature to claw back power from the EU for their national governments.

More moderate parties want to cement closer ties among countries in the EU.

Britain, Ireland and the Netherlands have already voted. The Czech Republic started voting Friday and continues Saturday. Slovakia, Malta and Latvia are holding their European Parliament elections Saturday and all the other nations vote Sunday.

Results are expected Sunday night.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Nine civilians were killed in overnight air strikes east of Yemen's third city of Taez, a medic and rebel forces said Saturday.

Two children were among the nine killed in air strikes by a Saudi-led military coalition fighting on the side of the government, a doctor at Al-Thawra hospital told AFP.

The doctor, who requested anonymity, said a number of other people were wounded.

The Huthi rebels said the coalition targeted a petrol station in Taez province, according to the rebel-run Saba agency.

The city of Taez is under siege by the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels but controlled by pro-government forces, who are supported by the military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Yemen's four-year conflict has triggered what the UN terms the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with over 24 million people, more than two-thirds of the population, in need of aid.

Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Afghan officials say at least six civilians, including a woman and two children, have been mistakenly killed in an Afghan security forces raid against Taliban fighters in eastern Nangarhar province.

Attahullah Khogyani, the provincial governor's spokesman, says 10 insurgents were also killed in the Friday night attack in Sherzad district.

The civilians' vehicle came out of the area right after the raid and the security forces thought that Taliban fighters were trying to escape, so they opened fire and mistakenly killed the civilians.

Ajmal Omer, a provincial councilman in Nangarhar, said villagers carrying out the bodies in a procession in the provincial capital Jalalabad demanded justice for the victims' families.

Both Taliban and Islamic State group fighters are active in eastern Afghanistan, especially in Nangarha.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An Afghan security forces raid against Taliban fighters in eastern Nangarhar province mistakenly killed at least six civilians, including a woman and two children, provincial officials said Saturday.

Attahullah Khogyani, the provincial governor's spokesman, said 10 insurgents were also killed in the Friday night attack in Sherzad district.

The civilians' vehicle was exiting the area right after the raid and security forces thought that Taliban fighters were trying to escape, so they opened fire and mistakenly killed the civilians, Khogyani said.

Ajmal Omer, a provincial councilman, said villagers carrying the victims' bodies in a procession in the provincial capital of Jalalabad demanded justice for the victims' families.

Both Taliban and Islamic State group fighters are active in eastern Afghanistan, especially in Nangarhar.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said Saturday it was concerned about the heavy toll on civilians in the conflict during the holy month of Ramadan, and urged parties to do more to prevent casualties.

It condemned the insurgents for incidents in which civilians have been deliberately targeted and said that during the first week of Ramadan, the Taliban killed six civilians and wounded 28 others in a premeditated attack against a non-governmental organization in Kabul.

The statement said the U.N. mission is looking into the attack inside a mosque in the capital of Kabul during Friday prayers. Two people, including the prayer leader, were killed and 16 others were wounded.

"Deliberate and indiscriminate attacks against civilians can never be justified and amount to war crimes," said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General's special representative for Afghanistan. "An attack in a mosque, especially at a time of prayer during Ramadan, is particularly heinous," Yamamoto was quoted in the statement.

The UN mission said recent airstrikes against anti-government targets in southern Helmand and eastern Kunar provinces killed as many as 14 civilians.

In the May 20 and 22nd attacks in the Greshk district of Helmand and the Chawki district of Kunar, the civilians killed included four women and eight children, and 12 other civilians were wounded, the UN said.

Meanwhile, the Taliban claimed responsibility for Friday's attack on an armored vehicle belonging to Romanian NATO forces at Kandahar air base. Five Romanian NATO soldiers were injured.

Separately, Col. Dave Butler, U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesman, said a NATO helicopter had a hard landing due to mechanical failure in southern Helmand province. "There was no hostile fire or enemy contact involved," he said in a statement. Both Afghan and U.S. personnel were injured but were all in stable condition and expected to recover, he said. He said the aircraft was destroyed.

Taliban insurgents are active in Helmand and control several districts in the province.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Shaken by its severe drubbing in Lok Sabha polls in Kerala, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government in Kerala observed its third anniversary Saturday sans any celebration or announcement of new projects.

The ruling Left front, which had expected an impressive victory, could win only one seat as the opposition Congress-UDF swept the April 23 election, winning resoundingly 19 of the 20 seats in the state.

The lone CPI(M)-led government in the country had organised mass public meetings, cultural fiestas and exhibitions to mark its first and second anniversaries on May 25.

It had also followed a practice of announcing new schemes and projects on the occasion.

Official sources, however, suggested any celebration was avoided as the model code of conduct was in place for two more days. But the unexpected poll jolt seems to have forced the Left Front to think otherwise.

A host of issues consolidation of minority and majority votes, apparent poor handling of flood rehabilitation, the stand on the Sabarimala issue and a possible disaffection for the chief minister's style of functioning critics pointed out could be behind the rout of the LDF candidates.

However, CM Pinarayi Vijayan, in a lengthy article released to the media, claimed his government has already fulfilled most of its promises which were to be realised during his five-year tenure.

He said his government was entering its fourth year with the "satisfaction" of implementing various projects which are turning to be a model for the country.

Vijayan claimed Kerala, in the last three years, had topped in various sectors, including improving law and order and elimination of corruption, and healthcare.

The chief minister also listed the launch of the "Loka Kerala Sabha" and the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIF)'s recent listing of debt masala bonds on the London Stock Exchange among his government's achievements.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) state secretariat here said there has been an "erosion" in the traditional vote base of the Left Front.

Without mentioning the issue of entry of menstrual-age women into the Sabarimala temple, the secretariat said in a press release that the vote figures show right-wing forces succeeded in "misleading" a section of believers.

Describing the massive defeat as a "temporary setback," the secretariat also said the party would examine the reasons that led to the drain of its traditional vote base and would make a united effort to regain the lost support.

Vijayan, who talked to media Saturday for the first time after the poll debacle, told reporters that the poll result was not against the state government and only a temporary setback.

He claimed the government decision to implement the September 28 apex court verdict permitting women of menstrual age into the Sabarimala temple had not affected the poll result.

"The government still enjoys people's support. The present poll result is not the evaluation of the performance of the state government. It is true that there was an erosion in our vote bank. We will examine the factors that led to this," Vijayan said, adding there will be no change in his style of functioning.

The LDF won only from Alapuzha, where A M Ariff won by around 10,000 votes. It faced embarrassment as its traditional bastions Alathur, Palakkad, Attingal and Kasaragod were wrested by the UDF.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The acting head of the Rosreestr administration in Dagestan, Shamil Hajiyev, was detained in the framework of a criminal case on participation in a criminal community engaged in land schemes, the Investigative Committee of Russia in Dagestan reported.

The case is conducted under the article "Participation in a criminal community and abuse of official position," RIA Novosti reports.

Earlier, deputy of the Peoples Assembly of Dagestan, Fikret Radjabov, who was the head of the legal department of the Makhachkala administration at the time of the crime, was detained for two months.AAP's disgruntled Chandni Chowk MLA Alka Lamba on Saturday claimed that she has been removed again from the party's MLA WhatsApp group which includes party chief Arvind Kejriwal.

Lamba claimed that she was removed from the group after praising Naveen Patnaik for winning a fifth term as chief minister of Odisha, a move which, she said, did not go down well with the AAP leadership.

Sharing screenshots of the WhatsApp group on Twitter, which purportedly shows that she was removed by AAP's North East Delhi candidate Dilip Pandey, she lashed out at Kejriwal and asked why she was being held responsible for the party's crushing loss in the Lok Sabha elections.

Pandey did not respond on the matter.

Hinting at Kejriwal, Lamba said action should be taken against those who took all the decisions sitting in a closed room.

"I have always been telling the party what you (Kejriwal) are telling them now. I am sometimes added to the group, sometimes removed. It would have been better if a meeting was held to introspect, look at the shortcomings and move ahead," she said.

The AAP suffered a crushing defeat in the Lok Sabha polls and lost on all seven seats in Delhi with a margin of lakhs of votes.

This is the second time that Lamba has been dropped from the group. She was earlier removed in December last year when she raised objection to the party's resolution to revoke Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna.

However, she was added before the campaigning of the Lok Sabha polls and was expected to campaign for the party.

But Lamba refused to campaign for the party and even refrained from participating in Kejriwal's roadshow after she was asked to walk behind his car during the show.

In April, Lamba engaged in a bitter Twitter spat with AAP's Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj, who had taunted her to resign from the party.

Following the spat, she addressed a large crowd outside Jama Masjid and said the party was repeatedly demanding her resignation.

Lamba had alleged that the party leadership was "weakening" her and said she is being accused of attempting to switch over to the Congress.

She had won the Chandni Chowk assembly seat in the 2013 Delhi elections. Before joining Kejriwal, Lamba was part of the Congress women's wing.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Saturday expressed his gratitude to voters for the impressive victory of the Congress in the state in this Lok Sabha polls.

Singh also thanked Punjab ministers, party legislators and Congress workers for the good show they put up in the state.

"I express my gratitude to all workers of Youth Congress and NSUI for their support and hard work which led to such a good showing in the Lok Sabha polls," Singh tweeted.

"I also thank people of Punjab for placing trust in us by giving such a mandate," the chief minister tweeted, reiterating his commitment of making Punjab "number one again".

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Congress won eight out of total 13 seats in Punjab, bucking the pro-Modi trend seen across northern and central India in this general election. The Congress romped home to impressive victory on eight seats, surprising both the SAD-BJP combine and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and improving its tally from three in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. It had won Gurdaspur in a bypoll in 2017. The Akali Dal-BJP alliance won four seats. The lone seat won by the AAP was of Sangrur, a constituency retained by Bhagwant Mann.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The BJP, which bagged three Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, has got its highest ever vote share of 46.4 per cent in the state, more than that of Congress, NC and PDP put together, as per EC data.

The National Conference (NC), which swept the polls in the Kashmir region and bagged three seats, got just 7.89 per cent vote share.

As per official data released by the Election Commission of India, the BJP has taken 46.4 per cent vote share by securing 16,48,041 votes out of total 3,479,155 votes polled in multi-phased elections in six Lok Sabha seats in the state.

It is the highest ever vote share of the BJP in the state till now, officials said.

The BJP, which won Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, took lead in 27 assembly segments in these three constituencies of the Jammu and Ladakh region, the data said.

There was increase of 12 per cent in the vote share of the BJP from 2014 Lok Sabha elections in which the saffron party polled 34.40 per cent votes, the data said. The BJP had bagged three seats of Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh in 2014 polls.

In the 2014 Assembly elections, the BJP got 23 per cent vote share, the data said. In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP got only 18.61 per cent vote share.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh won by 3.57 lakh votes defeating Congress' Vikramaditya Singh, the son of Jammu and Kashmir's last prince Karan Singh. Jitendra Singh polled 7,24,311 or 61.38 per cent votes.

According to poll officials, it is the highest margin of victory for any successful candidate in Jammu and Kashmir till now.

BJP's Jugal Kishore defeated Raman Bhalla of the Congress by 3,02,875 votes in the Jammu seat. Kishore polled 8,58,066 votes (58.02 per cent). The party's J T Namgyal won the Ladakh seat. He polled 42,914 votes (33.94 per cent)



The Congress, which contested five seats in Jammu and Kashmir and lost all, polled 1,011,527 votes taking 28.5 per cent share of total votes polled, statistics said.

The Congress has increased its vote share by 5 per cent but failed to covert it into seats.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress got 22.90 per cent vote share but failed to get any seat. In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress bagged two seats with 19.11 per cent vote share.

The NC polled 2,80,356 votes (7.89 per cent vote share) out of the total votes polled, it said. The party won in three seats of Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramulla.

For the NC, Farooq Abdullah won Srinagar seat and got 1,06,750 votes out of a total electorate of 12,94,560.

In North Kashmir's Baramulla constituency, NC candidate Mohammad Akbar Lone, who won the seat, polled 1,33,426 votes. NC candidate Hasnain Masoodi, who won Anantnag seat, polled 40,180 votes.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the NC got 11.10 per cent vote share but failed to get any seat. In 2009, the NC got 19.11 per cent vote share, bagging two seats.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vote share dipped from 20.50 per cent in 2014, when it bagged three seats, to just 2.4 per cent (84,054 votes). It lost all three seats.

In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the PDP got 20.05 per cent polls and also bagged one seat.

Others took 12.2 per cent vote share (4,33,438 votes).

As per data, BJP took lead in 27 assembly segments in Jammu, Udhampur and Ladak Lok Sabha seat, while they had won 24 seats in 2014 assembly polls.

In Jammu Lok Sabha seat, which has 20 assembly segments, the BJP took lead on 15 assembly segments followed by the Congress on five segments.

In Udhampur, BJP registered lead on 9 assembly segments out of total 16 segments, while the Congress scored lead on 7.

In the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat, the BJP registered lead on 3 out of 4 assembly constituencies, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday asked newly-elected MPs of the NDA to avoid making loose remarks for publicity and to shun VIP culture, as he rolled out a list of do's and don'ts for them.

Underling that the people have given the BJP-led NDA a mandate due to their "seva bhav" (willingness to serve), he said the parliamentarians should remember that "we are here for those who trusted us today and we are here for those also whose trust we are yet to win".

"People have accepted us due to our 'seva bhav'. One has to prepare oneself to be always ready to help people even when you move through the lanes of politics and power," Modi said while addressing the NDA parliamentary party meeting at the Central Hall of Parliament building.

He said it was not Modi but the people who made the lawmakers victorious and added that Mahatama Gandhi, Deendayal Upadhyay, Ram Manohar Lohia and BR Ambedkar should be their examples.

Underlining that people hate VIP culture, the prime minister said parliamentarians should shun it and the hallmark of a New India is the absence of this culture.

"The country hates VIP culture. Why shouldn't we stand in line for security check at the airport? We have set this trend and are determined to pursue it in the times to come. It didn't cost us much to remove lal battis (red beacons), but it sent a good message to the country," he said.

Suggesting that MPs of the ruling should restrain themselves from talking to media and stroking controversies, Modi said,"No matter how hard we work, one bad remark will undo all."



Without naming anyone, Modi said some people have tendency to "address the nation" every morning.

"Stay away from chapaas (being written about in print) and dikhaas (being on television). If you can avoid it, then you can avoid a lot of problems," he said.

Advising members not to fall for media speculation on possible ministers and portfolios, Modi said, "Many Narendra Modis have risen in this country and formed cabinets," he quipped, adding, "ministers are not made on the pages of a newspaper, nor are they removed".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi Saturday appealed to the people to maintain peace in accordance with the rich culture of the state.

This comes after incidents of violence in several districts were reported after Lok Sabha election results were declared, leaving many injured and a person dead.

In a statement, the governor also thanked the people for their participation in the polls and urged them to unitedly work for the prosperity and progress of the state and the nation.Thousands of bikers, many of them Vietnam War veterans, converged Saturday on the US capital for what is billed as their last national "Rolling Thunder" ride in honour of missing American soldiers on Memorial Day weekend.

They got a boost from President Donald Trump himself, who tweeted Saturday that he would like to help maintain the event, which is bogged down in a dispute over costs.

The huge motorcycle rally -- set to take place on Sunday -- began in 1988 with fewer than 3,000 participants under the motto "We will never forget."



The goal was to press for an accounting of those missing in Vietnam.

Over the years, it has grown into a rumbling combination of protest and parade, with tens of thousands of participants and many more lining the streets from the Pentagon to the National Mall to watch -- and hear -- the gleaming spectacle.

Riders end up at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the nearby Lincoln Memorial for speeches and a concert on the Sunday before Memorial Day.

Unlike Veterans Day in the United States, which honors all military veterans in November, Memorial Day -- on the last Monday in May -- is aimed specifically at remembering those who died while serving in the US armed forces, were prisoners of war or remain unaccounted for.

The event has the same name as a major US bombing operation against North Vietnam during the war.

Bikers kicked off the weekend of events with a "blessing of the bikes" at Washington National Cathedral on Friday.

Organizers however have announced that this year will mark the last national rally, citing difficult relations with the Pentagon -- where the riders line up to begin the rally -- over logistics and high costs.

"As always, the Pentagon is charging us with an outrageous bill for their services," the group's national president Joe Bean said in a letter to members.

"The organization will continue to bring awareness to the public, in years to come, with regional demonstrations," organizers said in a statement on their website.

Trump, who was on an official visit to Japan, offered his support.

"Can't believe that Rolling Thunder would be given a hard time with permits in Washington, D.C. They are great Patriots who I have gotten to know and see in action. They love our Country and love our Flag. If I can help, I will!" he said.

According to the Pentagon's POW/MIA Accounting Agency, more than 82,000 US troops remain unaccounted for in wars as far back as World War II.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The BJP has improved its performance in Jammu and Ladakh regions by securing a vote share of 46.4 per cent in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls but failed to make any significant headway in the Kashmir Valley where polling percentage was low.

As per the official data released by the Election Commission (EC), the BJP managed to have 46.4 per cent vote share mainly from Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh Lok Sabha seats, thereby retaining the three constituencies.

The BJP's vote share in the state in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls was 34.40 per cent.

The vote share shows that the BJP is leading in 27 out of 41 assembly seats in these three parliamentary constituencies.

In the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat, the BJP got a vote share of 61.38 per cent in the 2019 polls compared to 46.76 per cent in 2014, reflecting a significant improvement in the saffron party's performance compared to the last general elections.

BJP leader and Union Minister Jitendra Singh won by 3.57 lakh votes defeating Congress' Vikramaditya Singh, the son of Jammu and Kashmir's last prince Karan Singh. Jitendra Singh polled 7,24,311 or 61.38 per cent votes.

However, the BJP managed to get only 2.96 per cent of votes in the Kashmir Valley which is slightly higher than 1.33 per cent as compared to the 2014 polls.

The Kashmir Valley recorded a low turnout where only 8.76 per cent of people polled their votes in Anantnag, 14.1 per cent in Srinagar and 34.71 in Baramulla. The overall voting percentage in the state fell to 44.51 per cent which is nearly five per cent less than in 2014 when the figures stood at 49.52.

The National Conference bagged all the three seats in the Valley, where polls were marred by threats from separatists and terror groups. The party was contesting only three seats from Valley and left other three for its alliance partner Congress.

The Congress, which contested five seats in Jammu and Kashmir and lost all, polled 1,011,527 votes taking 28.5 per cent share of total votes polled, statistics said.

The Congress has increased its vote share by 5 per cent but failed to covert it into seats.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress got 22.90 per cent vote share but failed to get any seat. In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress bagged two seats with 19.11 per cent vote share.

The NC polled 2,80,356 votes (7.89 per cent vote share) out of the total votes polled, it said. The party won in three seats of Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramulla.

For the NC, Farooq Abdullah won Srinagar seat and got 1,06,750 votes, which is 51 per cent of the votes polled.

In North Kashmir's Baramulla constituency, NC candidate Mohammad Akbar Lone, who won the seat, polled 1,33,426 votes, which is 29.9 per cent of votes polled.

NC candidate Hasnain Masoodi, who won Anantnag seat, got 40,180 votes or 32 per cent of the votes polled.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vote share dipped from 20.50 per cent in 2014, when it bagged three seats, to just 2.4 per cent (84,054 votes). It lost all three seats.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seems to have played his part well as a BJP chieftain in ensuring his party's victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

Fadnavis is being credited for holding the BJP fort at a time when Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) led by AIMIM and Prakash Ambedkar has added a third dimension to the high-stake contest between the NDA and the Congress-NCP combine in Maharashtra.

The BJP's poll strategy ensured that the saffron party retain its 2014 tally of 23 seats despite latent anti-incumbency and drought.

The results will further strengthen Fadnavis' hand as the state faces the crucial Assembly elections in September-October this year.

In 2019 general elections, the NDA won 41 of total 48 seats, which is a replay of its 2014 performance.

While the BJP won 23 seats with a vote share of 27.59%, the Sena bagged 18 seats with a vote share of 23.29%.

The NDA has won 41 out of total 48 seats in the state.

Fadnavis, 48, who became chief minister in October 2014, is set to complete a full term in office, which is rare in Maharashtra's political history.

"Fadnavis had addressed 97 rallies in the state during the Lok Sabha campaigning. The morale of BJP workers is high and we expect to replicate our performance in the assembly polls under Fadnavis's leadership," said state BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari.

Fadnavis faced hostile Shiv Sena, which often took swipes at the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the last five years, but he handled the situation deftly till the Sena came on board.

According to BJP sources, Fadnavis smartly handed Palghar constituency, which was won by the BJP in a 2018 bypoll, to the Sena which fielded BJP MP Rajendra Gavit on its ticket. Gavit went on to win the election again.

To take on NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Fadnavis exploited dissensions within his party to induct Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil into the BJP, they said.

Mohite Patil's father Vijaysinh Mohite Patil, who was the MP from Madha in the 16th Lok Sabha, was reportedly piqued over reports that Pawar might contest from Madha. However, Pawar never contested.

The BJP then inducted Satara district congress president Ranjit Nimbalkar into the party and fielded him from Madha. Nimbalkar snatched the seat from the NCP.

Fadanvis also delivered a blow to the Congress by inducting Sujay, son of former Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, and fielded him from Ahmednagar.

Pawar had refused to cede the seat to the Congress for Vikhe Patil's sake while recalling his old rivalry with Sujay's grand father, late Balasaheb Vikhe Patil.

At a poll rally in Ahmednagar, Fadnavis described the move to field Sujay on BJP ticket as a "surgical strike" on the Congress.

Sujay defeated his nearest NCP rival Sangram Jagtap by a margin of 2,77,597 votes.

The Congress could win only one seat while the NCP retained its tally of four seats.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Though the BJP has recorded a massive victory in 2019 general elections, its vote share in Maharashtra has not seen any significant change compared to 2014.

However, the party has managed to retain its 2014 tally of 23 seats this time as well, as per data.

On the other hand, the Shiv Sena which forged the alliance with the BJP after much posturing, recorded a jump of 2.47% in its vote share compared to 2014.

While the BJP's vote share increased only marginally to 27.59 per cent from previous 27.56 per cent, that of the Sena has gone up to 23.29% from 20.82% of 2014.

The BJP and the Sena have retained their 2014 tallies of seats this time, with each party winning 23 and 18 seats, respectively.



As per data, the BJP polled 1,49,12,139 votes as against 1,33,08,961 votes it had secured five years ago.

The Sena bagged 1,25,89,064 votes compared to 1,00,50,652 votes it had been polled in 2014.

On the contrary, the vote shares of the Congress and the NCP, have recorded a dip.

The vote shares of the Congress and the NCP stood at 16.27 per cent and 15.52 per cent, respectively, compared to their 2014 figures of 18.29 per cent and 16.12 per cent each.

The Congress polled 87,92,237 votes this time as against 88,30,190 votes in 2014 when it had won two seats.

The Congress' tally from Maharashtra, once its stronghold, was reduced to just one this in the massive Narendra Modi wave.

The NCP too retained its 2014 tally of four seats this time securing 83,87,363 votes. The Sharad Pawar-led party was polled 77,82,275 votes in 2014 polls.



ALSO READ: Congress Working Committee meets to mull over LS poll debacle

At 41 seats, the NDA has won the major chunk of total 48 constituencies.

Of the remaining seven seats, the NCP won four and the Congress one seat. AIMIM and NCP-backed Independent candidate bagged one seat each.

The Hyderabad-based AIMIM secured 0.72 per cent votes and others, including Independents, and AIMIM and Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Agadhi (VBA) was polled 14.55 per cent votes.

Maharashtra, which had gone to polls in four phases, had recorded average 60.98 voter turnout.

It seems the VBA queered the pitch for the Congress and the NCP in some constituencies, for example Nanded and Solapur, by cutting Dalit and Muslim votes.

In Aurangabad in Marathwada region, a Shiv Sena stronghold, sitting MP Chandrakant Khaire lost by a slender margin to VBA nominee Imtiaz Jaleel.

Jaleel has become the first non-Congress Muslim member of the Lower House from Maharashtra.The BJP has won 41 seats in the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly after results of all the constituencies were announced, an election official said Saturday.

Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh were held for 57 seats as three BJP candidates were earlier declared elected unopposed.

The Janata Dal (United) won seven seats, the National People's Party (NPP) five, the Congress four, the People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) one and Independents two.

Counting of votes on Friday for Daporijo, Dumporijo and Raga constituencies in Upper Subansiri district was delayed, the official said.

In the Daporijo seat, the result of which was announced early this morning, BJP candidate Taniky Soki won the seat defeating his nearest Congress rival Togam Tamim.

BJP candidate Rode Bui bagged the Dumporijo seat defeating his nearest JD(U) rival Gumjum Haider while Tarin Dakpe of the National People's Party won the Raga seat, the official said.

Counting of votes on Friday for Daporijo, Dumporijo and Raga constituencies in Upper Subansiri district was delayed as the counting officials went away from the counting centre without handing over the results for which counting could not be continued as per the guidelines.

However, it started after the polling officials returned and handed over the results, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kanki Darang said.

Among the prominent BJP winners are Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who won from the Mukto seat, bordering China, for third time in a row. Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein won from the Chowkham constituency.

In Miao constituency, state Geology and Mining Minister and BJP nominee Kamlung Mossang beat Chatu Longai of the Congress by 3,856 votes to retain the seat.

The Namsang seat, which witnessed a multi-cornered contest, voted in favour of PHE minister and BJP nominee Wangki Lowang for the third time in a row.

In the prestigious Tawang seat, BJP candidate Tsering Tashi trounced veteran Congress leader Thupten Tempa by a margin of 3,592 votes.

Power minister and BJP candidate Tamiyo Taga tasted defeat at the hands of newcomer Talem Taboh of the JD(U) in Rumgong, Assembly Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok, who represented the Kalaktang constituency for two terms, failed to wrest the seat from JD(U) greenhorn Dorjee Wangdi Kharma.

State Home Minister Kumar Waii, who quit the BJP to join the NPP, lost the Bameng assembly seat to newbie Gorduk Pordung of the saffron party.

The Congress won four seats but Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Takam Sanjoy lost to Jummum Ete Deori of the BJP in the Lekang seat.

The Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Assembly, Takam Pario of the Congress lost the Palin seat to the BJP's Balo Raja.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)All sorts of falsifications are the part of the new Ukrainian policy, the analyst of news agency Vestnik Kavkaza, Evgeniy Nikolaychuk said in the National Question program on Vesti.FM.

National Question is a weekly program on Vesti.FM, during which various aspects of national relations, primarily in Russia, are discussed. Today, the modern falsification of national relations and historical events, namely the incident at the Ukrainian Embassy in the US, was discussed in the program.

Yevgeniy Nikolaychuk noted that there is nothing new in fabrications made by Kiev. "Ever since the SBU falsified the materials on the so-called famine of the Ukrainian people, the large-scale exhibitions were held both in Ukraine and in the US, where photos of events that took place in Europe and America were exhibited as illustrations to events in the USSR," he recalled.

"This is not surprising. Kiev has one task - to demonize the Soviet past, and everything in the country is being done for such a radical rethinking. "On the one hand, such photo-falsifications are easily refuted by the facts. But they exist as a part of the system called Ukrainian national concept of history - a concept that evaluates history from the point of view of the Ukrainian nation and Ukraine, the analyst of Vestnik Kavkaza said.

What is the essence of Ukrainians? The idea of the existence of a special, original culture, history of the Ukrainian nation and the territory where this nation lives. At the beginning of the 20th century, historian Mikhail Hrushevsky claimed that the concept of a single Russian history does not exist and that Ukrainians and Russians have a different history, albeit fairly close. According to Grushevsky, Ukraine is an ancient, heroic, great, but humiliated and occupied state, and its entire history is national liberation struggle against Russians who tried to colonize and seize its territory, Evgeniy Nikolaychuk.Botswana's former president Ian Khama on Saturday quit the governing BDP which has ruled since independence more than half a century ago, citing deep differences between him and his successor.

It is the first time in Botswana that an ex-president has abandoned the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

Khama told thousands of supporters in his rural home town of Serowe that he made a "mistake" in choosing Mokgweetsi Masisi as the president.

"I came here today to tell you I am parting ways with the BDP. I am throwing away my BDP membership card," said Khama as he trashed his card.

"I don't recognise the BDP anymore".

Thousands of people who thronged the meeting at the town's showgrounds also threw away their BDP membership cards.

The 57-year-old BDP has ruled Botswana uninterrupted since independence in 1966, Kjhama said he did not have a party yet but will support the opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) fight the BDP.

Khama and his successor have fallen out publicly, with Masisi reversing some policies introduced by his predecessor - including most recently the lifting of a ban on elephant trophy hunting.

The rift was laid bare last March when Khama accused his protege of betrayal.

Botswana has a two-term presidential limit. Masisi took over the leadership from Khama last year, after being hand-picked, but will contest his first election this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)China on Saturday became the first country to tone down its travel advisory imposed on Sri Lanka post the Easter Sunday blasts, in a move that would help in reviving the tourism industry of the island nation hit hard by the terror attack.

The move came a day after Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe appealed to the international community to lift the travel warnings, assuring that the security situation has improved in the country after the crackdown on Islamist groups and their networks.

"We are happy announce that the travel ban on visiting Sri Lanka implemented by China has now been toned down to 'be cautious' while travelling to Sri Lanka from 'Do not travel to Sri Lanka'," Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority said here today.

China is the second largest market, after India, for the Lankan tourism sector. The number of Chinese tourists to Lanka has been relatively steady at over 265,000 since the last three years.

Several countries, including India, US, UK and Australia, advised their citizens against non essential travel to Lanka after the terror attacks on three luxury hotels and three churches on April 21 that killed nearly 260 people, including over 40 foreigners.

This dealt a telling blow on the local tourism industry. Booking cancellations caused a 70 per cent slump in arrivals, the industry leaders said.

Tourism accounts for about five per cent of Lanka's economy. Besides, India and China, the UK is also a major market. The country earned about USD 4.4 billion in 2018 from the tourism sector.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority said April recorded 166,975 foreign tourists in the country compared to 180,429 in April 2018, a 7.5 per cent dip in arrival of tourists from abroad.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Top Congress leaders from across the country Saturday got together to review the Lok Sabha poll drubbing, as the party's highest decision-making body met here.

The Congress Working Committee(CWC) meeting, chaired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, is being attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, chief ministers of party-ruled states and other top leaders from across the country.

The meeting will go into the reasons behind the party's defeat and discus why as to its poll narrative failed to convince the people to vote in its favour.

The Congress president is expected to offer resignation taking moral responsibility for the party's poor performance in the polls.

Though the party improved on its 2014 tally of 44, it could win just 52 Lok Sabha seats this year. The party could not open its account in 18 states and Union Territories.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday unanimously rejected Rahul Gandhi's offer to resign as party president after the Lok Sabha poll debacle and authorised him to overhaul and restructure the party at all levels.

The meeting deliberated on the reasons behind the Congress's defeat in the elections for four long hours with various leaders urging Rahul Gandhi to continue to provide leadership to the party.

"Congress President Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress President for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times," said the resolution passed by CWC.

The CWC "unanimously" called upon the Rahul Gandhi to lead the party in its ideological battle and to champion the cause of India's youth, the farmers, the SC, ST, OBCs, the minorities, the poor and the deprived sections, it said.

Top Congress leaders from across the country Saturday got together to review the Lok Sabha poll drubbing, as the party's highest decision-making body met here.

The CWC meeting, chaired by Rahul Gandhi, was attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, chief ministers of party-ruled states and other top leaders.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 53-year-old farmer allegedly committed suicide here by consuming some poisonous substance, police said Saturday.

The farmer was rushed to hospital Friday night by his relatives and died this morning, they said.

Financial burden had forced the man to take the extreme step, relatives said.

Police said he had a taken a loan of Rs 10 lakh from three banks and was reportedly facing recovery proceedings.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two woman were arrested from Bihar's Bhagalpur district for allegedly stealing valuables after posing as house maids at several places in the national capital, police said Saturday.

The accused arrested on Friday were identified as Bhagalpur residents Seema (32) and Bunty (32), they said.

On May 17, Pankaj Arora, a resident of East Punjabi Bagh, lodged a police complaint in which he stated that at around 8 am, two women came to his house and offered to work as maids, officials said.

They worked for some time and later, the women left the house saying they will come on May 23, police said.

After the duo left their house, Arora and his family members realised that around Rs 15 lakh in cash, diamond and gold jewellery were missing from almirah and drawers, a senior police officer said.

During investigation, police scanned CCTV footage of the area and through their sources, the accused maid were identified, police said.

"Raids were conducted at their suspected hideouts in Delhi but it was revealed that they left for Bihar. Thereafter, a police team was sent to Bihar and the accused were arrested from their native village on Friday," Monika Bhardwaj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West), said.

Police recovered Rs 15 lakh in cash and jewellery worth Rs 14.8 lakh from their respective houses after digging holes in which the accused had concealed the stolen items, police said.

They were brought to Delhi on Saturday and during interrogation, the accused disclosed that they did not take any house on rent here. They used to visit Delhi at a regular interval of time and after committing crime, they left the national capital for their native place Bhagalpur, the DCP said.

Both of them were involved in several cases of theft and burglary in 2010, 2013 and 2014 in Delhi, including in those registered at Mianwali Nagar, Greater Kailash, New Friends Colony, Karol Bagh and Hauz Khas police stations, Bhardwaj said.

However, when the accused women did not appear in the court, non-bailable warrants (NBWs) were issued against them earlier, a senior police officer said.

Police are also checking whether they are involved in other cases outside Delhi, officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Six Pakistani nationals have been arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for smuggling 218 kg of narcotics at Gujarat's Jakhau port, according to an official statement issued Saturday.

A boat, 'Al Madina', registered in Pakistan, has been seized by the DRI.

The DRI got a specific input that a Pakistani fishing boat (Al Madina) carrying huge quantity of narcotic drugs would deliver the consignment to suspected recipients mid-sea for further distribution in India.

The said information was shared with the Indian Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard intercepted the Pakistani vessel on Wednesday with six Pakistani crew and brought it to Jakhau (Kutch) on the Gujarat coast, the agency said.

On board the Pakistani boat, 194 packets of illicit drugs were recovered by the Coast Guard, the statement said.

An Indian fishing boat which was found to be suspicious was also detained along with its crew.

The case was handed over to DRI for further investigation.

On Wednesday, the DRI completed the seizure of the illicit narcotic drugs (suspected to be Brown Heroin/ Basic Alkaloid drugs) weighing about 218 kg, it said.

The six Pakistani crew have also been arrested by DRI on Friday, the statement said.

The accused were produced in a court in Bhuj which remanded them in DRI custody till Monday morning, it said.

Interrogation of Pakistani Master of the fishing boat has revealed that the total narcotic drugs consignment that they had brought into Indian territorial waters was about 330 kg, the DRI said.

The narcotic drugs packets were in 11 large bags. When the Indian Coast Guard had challenged the Pakistani crew mid-sea, they had thrown these packets into the sea to avoid detection, it said.

Later the Coast Guard recovered 194 packets weighing roughly 218 kg.

Investigation by DRI revealed that the Pakistani boat had made a similar journey for delivery of drugs into India earlier, it said.

While this time Pakistani boat had started from Ibrahim Haidari Port in Karachi on May 18, the week before they had loaded the drugs at the port of Mahadi, Balochistan on May 10, the DRI said.

After being initially delayed by bad weather they had reached the Indian location on May 12, but the Indian recipient had not turned up to receive the contraband.

After waiting for two days, on the directions of their Pakistani handler, they returned to Pakistan and buried the 330 kg of heroin at Petiyani Creek.

This time on their journey back to India again after merely 2-3 days (on May 18), they changed most of the crew, retrieved the same buried consignments from Petiyani Creek started from Ibrahim Haidari port in Karachi for delivery to Indian recipients, the probe agency said.

In the last few months, maritime route in the Indian Ocean has been exploited by the international organized narcotic smuggling syndicates for trafficking drugs, the DRI said.

The other sensitive route has been India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir where DRI had made seizure of heroin and arms and ammunition in a joint operation with Indian Army, it said.

Inter-agency coordination has been the priority of DRI and this has been strengthened after creation of S-CORD (National anti-smuggling Coordination Centre) under DRI, the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)NCP president Sharad Pawar said Saturday that the drought situation in Maharashtra was very serious.

Addressing a gathering in Satara district, Pawar said he would try his best to ensure that the government provided maximum assistance to drought-hit areas.

Last October, the Maharashtra government announced drought in over 150 of 358 tehsils in the state following a bad monsoon.

"All of us must ensure that we never face such situation again," he added.

Pawar visited villages of Chilewadi and Nagewadi in Koregaon tehsil of the district Saturday.

The meteorological department has predicted delay in the onset of monsoon, so people should be ready for a proper water management, the NCP president said.

The former Union agriculture minister also lauded Pani Foundation, an initiative of actor Aamir Khan, for its efforts to promote water conservation in Maharashtra's drought-prone areas.

"The foundation is doing a good job and it should be noted that villagers are completely involved in its work," he said.

There was demand for more water tankers and there were complaints about shortage of foodgrains in Public Distribution System shops, Pawar said. "We will take this up with the government," he assured.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal were on Saturday stopped from leaving the country by immigration authorities at Mumbai airport minutes before their aircraft was about to take off for London via Dubai, an official said.

The couple was on board Emirates Airways flight EK 507.

An airport official said the aircraft was called back to the parking bay at the time of taxiing.

"Naresh Goyal and wife Anita Goyal travelling to London on EK 507 were restricted from leaving the country," the official said.

A source at Jet Airways said the couple was travelling with four big-sized suitcases.

"The checked-in baggage (suitcases) was in the name of Anita Goyal. The baggage was also offloaded, which delayed the flight by more than an hour," the source added.

The flight was scheduled to depart at 3.35 pm. After deplaning the couple, it took off after 5 pm.

Naresh Goyal could not be reached for comments. Response to a query sent to Emirates was also awaited.

The specific reason for stopping the Goyal couple from taking the flight could not be immediately ascertained.

According to sources, Naresh Goyal was travelling for a meeting with executives of Gulf carrier Etihad and the Hinduja Group on revival plan for the now-defunct Jet Airways.

The airline stopped flying from April 17 due to an acute liquidity crisis.

Earlier this week, Hinduja Group had said it was evaluating the opportunity to invest in Jet Airways.

In April, Jet Airways officers and staff association president Kiran Pawaskar had written to the Mumbai police commissioner demanding that passports of Goyal and other directors of the airline be impounded as the staff had not been paid salaries for several months.

Naresh and Anita Goyal had resigned from the board of Jet Airways, which the former founded 26 years ago, in March following a debt restructuring plan. He had also resigned as the airline's chairman.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Exposure to flower pesticide may increase blood pressure in children and put them at the risk of hypertension, a study has found.

Researchers at University of California San Diego in the US found a link between higher blood pressure and pesticide exposures in children -- especially heightened pesticide spraying period around the Mother's Day flower harvest, a holiday with one of the highest sales of flowers.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Research, involved boys and girls living near flower crops in Ecuador.

According to the researchers, Ecuador is among the largest commercial flower growers in the world, with significant rose exports to North America, Europe and Asia.

Commercial rose production relies on the use of insecticides, fungicides and other pest controls, but little is known about their human health effects.

"These findings are noteworthy in that this is the first study to describe that pesticide spray seasons not only can increase the exposure to pesticides of children living near agriculture, but can increase their blood pressures and overall risk for hypertension," said Jose R Suarez, an assistant professor at UC San Diego.

The team assessed 313 boys and girls, ages four to nine, residing in floricultural communities in Ecuador. The children were examined up to 100 days after the Mother's Day harvest.

"We observed that children examined sooner after the Mother's Day harvest had higher pesticide exposures and higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures compared to children examined later," said Suarez.

"In addition, children who were examined within 81 days after the harvest were three times more likely to have hypertension than children examined between 91 and 100 days," he said.

Research regarding the effects of pesticides on the cardiovascular system is limited, but Suarez said there is some evidence that insecticides, such as organophosphates, can increase blood pressure.

Organophosphates and several other classes of insecticides and fungicides are commonly used to treat flowers for pests before export.

In a previous study, researchers had reported that children examined sooner after the harvest displayed lower performances in tasks of attention, self-control, visuospatial processing and sensorimotor than children examined later.

"These new findings build upon a growing number of studies describing that pesticide spray seasons may be affecting the development of children living near agricultural spray sites," said Suarez.

"They highlight the importance of reducing the exposures to pesticides of children and families living near agriculture," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev sent congratulations on Independence Day to Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, the press service of the head of state reported.

The relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia are based on the will of our peoples, who historically lived in conditions of friendship and good neighborliness. The high level of interstate relations based on such a solid foundation is gratifying, Ilham Aliyev said.French police were on Saturday pulling out all the stops to locate a suspect following a blast in the heart of Lyon that wounded 13 people.

"All means have been activated to identify and detain the person who committed this act," Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz told media in Lyon, the third-biggest French city.

The blast occurred just two days ahead of hotly contested European Parliament elections and with France on watch for any repeat of recent deadly terrorist attacks which have rocked the country.

Heitz has taken charge of the investigation into "attempted murder in relation with a terrorist enterprise and association with terrorist criminals."



French Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said late Friday however that it was too soon to say whether the blast could be termed a "terrorist act".

President Emmanuel Macron initially called the Friday evening explosion an "attack" but later took a more cautious tone with a tweet that condemned "the violence that has struck" the city's residents.

Police issued an appeal for witnesses on Twitter as they sought a man -- described as "dangerous" -- who was believed to be in his early 30s and who was picked up by security cameras riding an all-terrain bicycle immediately before the explosion.

An image of the suspect, wearing light-coloured shorts and a long-sleeved dark top, was posted. His face was partially covered by a khaki cap and sunglasses.

The number of wounded stood at 13 -- eight women, a 10-year-old girl and four men -- of which 11 needed hospital treatment. None of their injuries were life-threatening.

No one has claimed the attack, Heitz noted.

He said investigators had recovered small screws, ball bearings and batteries along with a printed circuit and a remote-controlled trigger device, and pieces of white plastic that might have been part of the explosive device.

It was placed in front of a bakery near the corner of two crowded pedestrian streets in the historic centre of the city at around 17:30 pm (1530 GMT).

District mayor Denis Broliquier said "the charge was too small to kill," and an administrative source told AFP it was a "relatively weak explosive charge" that was triggered at a distance.

"There was an explosion and I thought it was a car crash," said Eva, a 17-year-old student who was about 15 metres (50 feet) from the blast site.

"There were bits of electric wire near me, and batteries and bits of cardboard and plastic. The windows were blown out," he said.

The attack upended last-minute campaigning ahead of France's European Parliament vote on Sunday, with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe cancelling his appearance at his centrist party's final rally Friday night.

"I was working, serving customers, and all of a sudden there was a huge 'boom'," said Omar Ghezza, a baker who works nearby.

"We though it had something to do with renovation work," he said.

France has been on high alert owing to a wave of deadly jihadist terror attacks since 2015 that have killed more than 250 people.

The latest was in December, when five people were killed and 11 wounded during a Christmas market attack in Strasbourg, eastern France.

In Lyon, the attack site was in a central area that was "highly secured, the police are constantly present,", the deputy mayor in charge of security, Jean-Yves Secheresse, told BFM television.

The city, which along with extensive suburbs is home to 2.3 million people, is also patrolled by French soldiers deployed in a long-running anti-terror operation, he said.

The last package bomb in France dates back to December 2007, when a blast in front of a Paris law office killed one person and injured another. Police never determined who carried out that attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)French President Emmanuel Macron has congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his election win and pledged to continue to work together to consolidate the security of the two nations as well that of the world and promote sustainable development.

He said that the immense voter participation in the electoral process illustrates the "vibrancy of the largest democracy in the world".

In a first back-to-back majority in the Lok Sabha polls for a single party in over three decades, the Modi-led BJP won 303 seats out of 542 in the Lok Sabha polls, handing out a crushing defeat to the Congress and many other political opponents.

The Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs spokesperson said France congratulates the authorities and the people of India for the successful completion of the general elections whose results have just been declared.

The immense voter participation in the electoral process illustrates the vibrancy of the largest democracy in the word, it said in a statement.

President Emmanuel Macron called Prime Minister Modi to congratulate him.

France and India have a steadfast partnership.

"We will continue to work together to consolidate the security of our nations, secure stability in the world, and promote sustainable development as well as exchanges between our youth," the statement said.

India can rely on France's continued friendship, it added.

India and France last year signed a pact to deepen their cooperation in the field of environment and affirmed their commitment to lead the fight against the climate change.

The two countries have also vowed to work together for the successful implementation of the landmark 2015 Paris climate agreement and fight the challenge posed by terrorism.

The 2015 Paris accord (COP21) aims to reverse temperature increase, mainly caused by carbon emissions. It sets a target to hold the global average rise in temperature below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and preferably below 1.5 degrees.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The German government's top official against anti-Semitism says he wouldn't advise Jews to wear skullcaps in parts of the country.

Felix Klein was quoted in an interview with the Funke newspaper group published Saturday as saying that "my opinion has unfortunately changed compared with what it used to be" on the matter.

He said: "I cannot recommend to Jews that they wear the skullcap at all times everywhere in Germany." He didn't elaborate on what places and times might be risky.

Germany's main Jewish leader said last year that he would advise people visiting big cities against wearing Jewish skullcaps.

Government statistics released earlier this month showed that the number of anti-Semitic and anti-foreigner incidents rose in Germany last year, despite an overall drop in politically motivated crimes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana E S L Narasimhan Saturday invited YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy to form the government in AP.

The swearing-in ceremony would be held at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation stadium, Vijayawada on May 30 at 12.23 PM, a Raj Bhavan communique said here.

It said Botcha Satyanarayana and other YSR Congress elected members of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly called on the Governor and informed him about the election of Reddy as the leader of the YSR Congress Legislature Party.

"While congratulating Y S Jaganmohan Reddy on his election as the Leader of YSR Congress Legislature Party, the Hon'ble Governor has invited him to form the government," the communique said.

Reddy, who reached Hyderabad by air from Vijayawada, met the Governor at Raj Bhavan around 4.30 PM.

After his meeting with the Governor, Reddy called on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at Pragati Bhavan, the latter's official residence in the city.

The YSR Congress chief would stay at his home here for the night, sources said.

Earlier, at the meeting of the newly elected MLAs at the YSR Congress office in Vijayawada, a resolution was adopted electing Reddy as the legislature party leader, the sources said.

In a spectacular performance, Reddy, son of late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, led his YSR Congress to a landslide, winning 151 of 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, the elections for which were held on April 11.

While the TDP headed by N Chandrababu Naidu got 23 seats, the Janasena party had won only one seat.

The YSRC had bagged 22 of the 25 seats in Lok Sabha elections while the TDP managed to get only three seats.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A US judge has ordered a white youth, who admitted to attacking a Sikh store owner because of his religion, to learn more about the faith and submit a report in the court as part of his sentence for committing the hate crime.

Marion County Judge Lindsay Partridge also sentenced 25-year-old Andrew Ramsey to three years of imprisonment, according to a press release issued by the Sikh Coalition, the largest Sikh body in America.

On January 14, Ramsey brutally assaulted Harwinder Singh Dodd, who was working at a convenience store in the US State of Oregon, because of his perception of his religion.

Ramsey wanted rolling papers for cigarettes, but did not have an ID and the clerk would not sell them to him without the document, as required by law. When Dodd asked Ramsey to leave, he attacked him by pulling his beard, punching him in the face, pulling him to the ground and kicking him.

Ramsey also spat on Dodd and ripped his turban off his head, the press release said.

The youth pleaded guilty in Marion County Circuit Court to second-degree intimidation, a hate crime under Oregon law.

Sentencing Ramsey to 36 months in jail on Friday, the judge ordered him to attend the local temple's annual parade to learn more about the Sikh religion, saying bigotry is the result of ignorance and "all of us are able to learn and benefit from cultures in our community".

"Judge Partridge ruled Ramsey is required to seek drug and alcohol treatment along with mental health treatment. Judge Partridge also included restorative justice components as part of Ramsey's probation, including a requirement that he obtain an awareness of Sikhism and report what he has learned to the court," the Sikh Coalition said.

In a written statement to the court, Dodd said, "Every person should be able to live their life without fear of being targeted because of who they are, or how they practice their faith."



According to the Sikh Coalition, Sikhs in America remain hundreds of times more likely to experience bigotry, bias or backlash than the average American.

"This conviction is a much-needed step for Oregon in its broader efforts to make all our communities safe from hate," it said.

As per a FBI report, hate crimes increased by over 40 per cent in Oregon in the last one year.

In May 2018, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum established a special task force designed to explore ways to improve measures to combat and prevent hate.

Recently, Senate Bill 577 was introduced to strengthen the state's laws against hate crimes. This proposed bill renames crime of intimidation as bias crime, the Sikh Coalition said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Several places in Telangana continued to sizzle Saturday, with Ramagundam recording the highest maximum temperature of 45.2 degrees Celsius.

Ramagundam was followed by Khammam (45), Nizamabad (44.5), Bhadrachalam (44.2), the IMD, Hyderabad, said.

In its warning for Telangana, it said heat wave conditions are very likely to prevail at isolated pockets over Telangana on Sunday.

On May 27 also, it said heat wave conditions are very likely to prevail at isolated pockets.

The state government Friday extended summer holidays for schools upto June 11 in view of the heat wave conditions.

The schools would reopen on June 12, an official release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Saturday hoped that the Madhya Pradesh government will take swift action against suspected cow vigilantes for allegedly thrashing two persons.

Suspected cow vigilantes allegedly thrashed two persons in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni with sticks, accusing them of carrying beef, following which five accused have been arrested, police said Saturday.

In a purported video clip of the incident, which has been widely circulated on social media, the five accused can be seen beating up the two men.

"Horrified to see cow vigilantes thrash an innocent muslim with such impunity in MP. Hope @OfficeOfKNath takes swift action against these goons," Mehbooba said in a tweet.

Another former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, Omar Abdullah of the National Conference, said it was just the beginning and expressed fear that worse was in the store.

"Ibtedaae ishq hai rota hai kya, Aage Aage dekhiye hota hai kya (this is just the beginning of the affair why are you crying, you will see what is coming as we move ahead)," Abdullah, quoting the 18th century Urdu poet Mir Taqi Mir's couplet, wrote on his Twitter handle.

The group of five 'gau rakshaks' also allegedly forced one of the victims to beat up a woman accompanying them with chappals, a police officer said.

Police also said that the three person who were beaten up have been arrested as possession and sale of beef is illegal in Madhya Pradesh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Streaming platform Hulu has given a go-ahead to anthology series, based on the book "North American Lake Monsters".

The book is a collection of short stories by Nathan Ballingrud, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The show will explore how encounters with vampires, fallen angels and other monsters force Louisiana natives to re-examine their broken lives in what is being described as a contemporary horror anthology.

The series, which hails from Annapurna Television, has been created by Mary Laws. She is going to serve as writer and executive producer.

Filmmaker Lucan Toh will also executive produce the series alongside Babak Anvari, who is set to direct it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tens of thousands of Israelis are protesting proposed legislation granting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immunity from prosecution on a series of corruption charges.

The protesters outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art on Saturday also called for protecting Israel's democratic identity against government overreach.

The demonstrators say Netanyahu's incoming coalition is pushing for legislation to shield him from prosecution and is looking to restrict the power of the Supreme Court.

Yair Lapid of Israel's opposition Blue and White party compared Netanyahu's efforts to consolidate his power to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Addressing Netanyahu, Lapid said: "We won't have a Turkish dictator. We won't allow it."



Netanyahu was elected to his fourth successive term as prime minister in April, two months after Israel's attorney general decided to indict him on corruption charges, pending a final hearing.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Police Saturday filed a charge sheet against the accused person in the rape case of a three-year-old girl in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Police have filed a charge sheet in the case within 17 days in the special court of District and Session Judge Bandipora," Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bandipora, Rahul Malik told PTI.

Malik said the accused has been booked under section 376 of the Ranbir Penal Code and under sections 5(m) and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Police have already arrested the accused person -- Tahir Ahmad Mir -- on the charges of raping the minor girl.

Police had constituted a special investigation team (SIT) on 11 May to probe the incident.

A medical examination of the accused was also conducted which revealed he was not a minor.

Protests had rocked many parts of the Valley against the incident, with the people demanding an exemplary punishment to the accused.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The UTair Boeing aircraft returned to Surgut before reaching Khujand (Tajikistan), a source in the air traffic control reported.

The plane burnt fuel and landed safely in Surgut, no one was hurt, Interfax quotes the source as saying.

It is specified that there were 130 people on board of the aircraft, including 46 children.Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, who led his party to a thumping victory in both Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Andhra Pradesh, staked claim to form the government in the state after he was elected leader of the YSRC legislature party on Saturday.

Armed with the resolution unanimously electing him as the YSRCLP leader, he met AP and Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad and staked claim to form the government.

He reached Hyderabad by air from Vijayawada and met the Governor around 4.30 PM, official sources said.

Earlier, at the meeting of the newly elected MLAs at the YSR Congress office in Vijayawada, a resolution was adopted electing Reddy as the legislature party leader, the party sources said.

Thanking the MLAs for electing him as the legislature party leader, Reddy said, "In 2019, people voted for us out of faith and belief, in 2024 they should give us a bigger mandate because of our performance."



He also sought the support of the MLAs to help him earn the "performing Chief Minister" tag within a year, a YSRC legislator told PTI.

The party has announced the swearing-in ceremony would be held on May 30 at Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in Vijayawada.

In a spectacular performance, Reddy, son of late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, led his YSR Congress to a landslide, winning 151 of 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, the elections for which were held on April 11.

While the TDP headed by N Chandrababu Naidu got 23 seats, the Janasena party had won only one seat.

The YSRC had bagged 22 of the 25 seats in Lok Sabha elections while the TDP managed to get only three seats.

After the YSRCLP meeting, its parliamentary party meeting was held, where Reddy stressed on the need for raising various demands of the southern state in Parliament by both the party's Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members.

"We have been advised to stay committed and united for the demand for special status and other provisions in AP Reorganisation Act," a newly-elected MP, Gorantla Madhav, told reporters.

Last year, the party's Lok Sabha MPs P V Midhun Reddy, YS Avinash Reddy, Y V Subba Reddy, V Varaprasad Rao and M Rajmohan Reddy took part in a hunger strike and later submitted their resignations to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan after the BJP-led Centre refused to grant special status to the state.

During the election campaign, Reddy had also expressed his willingness to support any party at the Centre that would grant special status to the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)YSR Congress president Jaganmohan Reddy, who was invited to form the next Government in Andhra Pradesh by the Governor, Saturday called on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao here and invited him for the swearing-in ceremony at Vijayawada on May 30.

A release from the CM's office said Reddy extended his personal invitation to Rao to attend the ceremony.

There was no official word on Raos response, but TRS sources indicated that it was likely to be positive.

After he was elected leader of the YSRC legislature party, Reddy met the Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ESL Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad and staked claim to form the government.

The swearing-in ceremony would be held at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation stadium, Vijayawada, on May 30 at 12.23 PM, a Raj Bhavan communique said.

Reddy called on Rao after meeting the governor.

During the meeting, Rao told Reddy that his government would like to have cordial relations with Andhra Pradesh, the release said.

"Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao made it clear that the policy of Telangana is to maintain cordial relations with neighbouring States in a give and take manner, and same would be followed in case of Andhra Pradesh State also," the release said.

Rao said he visited Maharashtra to meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to sort out water disputes between undivided Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The disputes reportedly held up irrigation projects in Telangana.

Maharashtra cooperated after the initiative and this has led to Telangana being able to construct irrigation projects like Kaleshwaram, Rao told Reddy.

"Our policy would be to maintain similar relations with the present Andhra Pradesh state also. Let us act in such a manner so that both the states are benefitted," the release quoted Rao as saying.

According to the release, about 3,500 TMC of water from Godavari is flowing into the sea without being utilized.

Rao said Telangana can make use of a maximum of only 700-800 TMC of water, leaving the rest to Andhra Pradesh.

The two leaders agreed to have a meeting of officials from both states to discuss the issue, the release said.

Earlier, Rao accorded a warm welcome to Reddy, who visited Pragati Bhavan, Raos official residence, after the YSR Congress' thumping win in the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections.

Rao blessed Reddy that he should be successful in discharging his duties as Chief Minister, the release added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Y S Jaganmohan Reddy was Saturday unanimously elected as the leader of the YSRC legislature party, sources said.

The meeting of the newly elected MLAs at the YSR Congress office here lasted for 45 minutes before the decision was made, the party sources said.

Thanking the MLAs for electing him as the legislature party leader, Reddy said,"in 2019, people voted for us out of faith and belief, in 2024 they should give us a bigger mandate because of our performance."



He also sought the support of the newly-elected MLAs to help him earn the "performing Chief Minister," within a year, a YSRC legislator told PTI.

The Reddy's election would be conveyed to Governor E V L Narasimhan later Saturday for the party to stake claim to form the government in the state, the sources added.

The party had earlier announced that the swearing-in ceremony would be held on May 30 at Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium located in the city.

In a spectacular performance, Reddy's YSR Congress had won 151 of 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, the elections for which were held on April 11.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sounded an alert about plans of terrorist outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) making permanent bases within 10 kilometres of the India-Bangladesh border in the eastern states of Tripura, Assam and West Bengal.

A gazette notification, issued by the MHA Joint Secretary Piyush Goyal on Thursday, said the terror outfit has also plans of "spreading its network in south India with an overarching motive to establish Caliphate in the Indian subcontinent."



The notification said the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Indian or Jamaat-ul- Mujahideen Hindustan are in the list of 41 terror organisations, already banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The JMB and its sister formations such as the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Hindustan have committed acts of terrorism, promoted acts of terrorism and have been engaged in radicalisation and recruitment of youths for terrorist activities in India, the notification said.

The terror outfit was also found involved in recruitment and raising funds for terrorist activities, procurement of explosives, chemicals and assembling of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), it said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had earlier confirmed involvement of JMB cadre in Burdwan bomb blast on October 2, 2014 and Bodh Gaya blasts on January 19, 2018.

The Assam police also found involvement of the JMB in five cases and arrested 565 JMB suspects, it said.

In January, the MHA added Al-Qaida in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), ISIS Wilayat Khorasan, Islamic State of Iraq, Sham- Khorasan (ISIS-K) and the Khalistan Liberation Force among the list of terrorist organisations banned under the UAPA.

In March, a suspected terrorist belonging to the JMB was arrested by the Tripura police from a rented house at Arundhatinagar here.

Director General of Tripura Police Akhil Kumar Shukla had earlier said the suspected JMB terrorist, identified as Nazir Sheikh, hailed from Murshidabad district of West Bengal and had links with many other terror outfits in India.

He was interrogated by a joint team of NIA, military intelligence and officials of the special branch of the Tripura police.

India and Bangladesh share 4,156-km-long border with Bangladesh, that passes through five states -- West Bengal (2,217 km), Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Assam (262 km) and Mizoram (180 km).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Germany's government commissioner on anti-Semitism has warned Jews about the potential dangers of wearing the traditional kippah cap in the face of rising anti-Jewish attacks.

"I cannot advise Jews to wear the Kippah everywhere all the time in Germany," Felix Klein said in an interview published Saturday by the Funke regional press group.

In issuing the warning, he said he had "alas, changed my mind (on the subject) compared to previously."



Klein, whose post was created last year, cited "the lifting of inhibitions and the uncouthness which is on the rise in society" as factors behind a rising incidence of anti-Semitism.

"The internet and social media have largely contributed to this -- but so have constant attacks against our culture of remembrance."



And he suggested police, teachers and lawyers should be better trained to recognise what constitutes "clearly defined" unacceptable behaviour and "what is authorised and what is not".

His comments came just weeks after Berlin's top legal expert on anti-semitism said the issue remains entrenched in German society.

"Anti-Semitism has always been here. But I think that recently, it has again become louder, more aggressive and flagrant," Claudia Vanoni told AFP in an interview, adding the problem was "deeply rooted" in German society.

Anti-Semitic crimes rose 20 percent in Germany last year, according to interior ministry data which blamed nine out of ten cases on the extreme right.

Vanoni said the proliferation of online platforms that allow people to express extremist views without inhibition while hiding behind screens had fostered the rise in cases.

The arrival in parliament of the far-right AfD, whose leaders openly question Germany's culture of atonement for World War II atrocities, has also contributed to the change in atmosphere, as has the arrival of more than a million asylum seekers, many from Muslim countries such as Syria, Afghanistan or Iraq.

Klein said while the far-right was to blame for the vast majority of anti-Semitic crime, it was apparent that some Muslims were also influenced by watching certain television channels "which transmit a dreadful image of Israel and Jews".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu Saturday thanked the people of the state for reposing faith in the policies and performance of his government and electing 41 BJP MLAs in the recently held state polls.

The BJP won 41 seats in the 60-member Assembly while the Janata Dal (United) bagged seven, the National People's Party (NPP) five, the Congress four, the People's Party of Arunachal one and Independents two.

Khandu, in a statement here, also thanked the people for electing two BJP MPs from the state with massive margins, "strengthening the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi".

"It is Narendra Modi's good governance and policies that ignited minds of our people and they openly voted for development and voted for 'Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar'," he said.

He dedicated the people's massive mandate to party leaders and workers. He said the BJP's ideology of development and strong leadership under Modi and party chief Amit Shah resulted in the Lok Sabha successes.

"I and my colleagues realise that we have been given a sacred duty of working tirelessly towards turning the aspirations of the people of the state into reality. Taking the goals of development to each and every section of society and every nook and corner of the state remains a big responsibility, we are committed to achieve this goal and transform Arunachal Pradesh in all spheres," Khandu said.

He vowed to continue working for Arunachal Pradesh with more vigour and dedication.

"Good governance, systematic governance reforms, strong policy decisions and people-centric development agenda ensuring that development fruits reach the last man standing, bore fruits and people in large number voted for us," the chief minister said.

Congratulating all the winning candidates, Khandu said a strong, stable and committed government is in place now which would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the state achieves unprecedented heights of all-round development.

"People's mandate for development shall be our guiding light in all the policies of the new government," the chief minister said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Disgruntled AAP MLA Alka Lamba launched a veiled attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over AAP's crushing loss in Lok Sabha elections, asking shouldn't the person who took all the decisions in a closed room own the responsibility and quit.

She lashed out at her party after she was again removed from AAP's MLA WhatsApp group, which includes Kejriwal.

Without naming him, Lamba said that at a time when the party came third in the CM's constituency, lost in all 70 assembly segments and lost its security deposit, shouldn't the person, who sat in a closed room and took all decisions on alliance and candidates, quit.

"Kejriwal ji, you are yourself admitting that you made very big mistakes due to which the party fared badly in the Lok Sabha polls. Without looking at the mistakes made by the party you have asked us to apologise to people. We should introspect on the mistakes," she said.

AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said that the party did not want to comment on her.

"She is an attention-seeker. Some MLAs had raised a point that some people are unhappy about a few local works in their area. To that the chief minister had asked them to meet such people with humility, assure them of speedy work and apologise for inconvenience," he said.

Sharing screenshots of the WhatsApp group on Twitter, which purportedly shows that she was removed by AAP's North East Delhi candidate Dilip Pandey, Lamba asked why was she being held responsible for the party's crushing loss in the Lok Sabha elections.

Pandey did not respond on the matter.

"I have always been telling the party what you (Kejriwal) are telling them now. I am sometimes added to the group, sometimes removed. It would have been better if a meeting was held to introspect, look at the shortcomings and move ahead," she said.

Lamba claimed that she had raised questions about the party performance in the Lok Sabha polls which did not go down well with the AAP.

The MLA from Chandni Chowk also claimed that some legislators had told her that her tweet praising Naveen Patnaik, for winning the fifth term as chief minister of Odisha, was not appreciated by party leaders.

The AAP suffered a crushing defeat in the polls and lost on all seven seats in Delhi with a margin of lakhs of votes.

This is the second time that Lamba has been dropped from the group. She was earlier dropped in December last year when she raised objection over the party's resolution to revoke Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna.

However, she was added before poll campaigning and was expected to campaign for the party. But Lamba refused and even refrained from participating in Kejriwal's roadshow after she was asked to walk behind his car during the show.

In April, Lamba engaged in a bitter Twitter spat with Bharadwaj, who had taunted her to resign from the party.

Following the spat, she addressed a large crowd outside Jama Masjid and said the party was repeatedly demanding her resignation.

She had alleged that the party leadership was "weakening" her and said she was being accused of attempting to switch over to the Congress.

Before joining the AAP, Lamba was part of the Congress women's wing.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bank accounts of 41 terror suspects in Sri Lanka having links with the outlawed Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jammath (NTJ) that was behind the Easter Sunday bombings in the country have been frozen, according to a media report.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said that the suspects are under the custody of the Terrorist Investigations Department (TID) and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

Nine suicide bombers, including a woman, carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 258 people and injuring over 500 others.

The accounts have a total amount of Rs 134 million (USD 759,335) which was in addition to Rs 14 million (USD 79,333) seized from the possession of the suspects at the time of their arrest, Gunasekara was quoted as saying by the Times Online on Friday.

Meanwhile, the CID has also launched an investigation into assets worth Rs 7 billion (USD 30 million) belonging to the suspects, he said.

The ISIS terror group claimed the attacks, but the government blamed the local NTJ for the bombings.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday extended by a month the state of emergency imposed in the wake of the deadly blasts, citing "public security".

The emergency law gives police and the military extensive powers to arrest, detain and interrogate suspects without court orders.

Sri Lanka initially imposed the emergency on April 23 to crack down on the nine suicide bombers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The only Congress MP who won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Maharashtra Saturday questioned why only Chandrapur district has a liquor ban and not the entire state.

Dhanorkar had defeated Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir from Chandrapur in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking to a channel, Dhanorkar alleged that Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar imposed the liquor ban in Chandrapur to appease people in his Assembly constituency.

"The decision to ban liquor was taken by Chandrapur MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar to please some 15,000 voters in his Assembly constituency. A lot of people lost employment. It has not been implemented properly and a huge illegal trade in liquor is in place and the state is losing revenue," he alleged.

"You (BJP) are in power in the state and country. Why don't you ban liquor all across Maharashtra," he asked.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Congress' massive defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls was a "collective responsibility" and not that of party chief Rahul Gandhi alone, Maharashtra state unit chief Ashok Chavan said Saturday.

Chavan added that there was no question of accepting Gandhi's resignation as party chief.

Chavan himself lost from Nanded Lok Sabha seat to BJP's Pratap Chiklikar.

"The campaign was a collective responsibility. Rahul Gandhi worked hard and led from the front. All senior leaders in states who hold positions in the state units should quit, so that a new team can take over. My colleagues and I are ready to resign due to the poor show of the Congress in Maharashtra," Chavan told reporters here.

The Congress was reduced to just one seat in Maharashtra, with Suresh Dhanorkar winning from Chandrapur.

The state has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the highest after Uttar Pradesh's 80.

"There is no dissension in the party. Everyone was taken into confidence while taking decisions regarding the elections. We will act against those responsible for anti- party activities. A report has been sought," Chavan added.

Chavan admitted that the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Agadhi (VBA), which has the AIMIM as a constituent, had cost the Congress-NCP alliance "nine to ten seats".

Chavan called the VBA the "B team of the BJP".

Chavan lost in Nanded by 40,000 votes and the VBA candidate there managed to poll around one lakh votes.

Chavan expressed confidence that Assembly polls, scheduled in the state later this year, would be a different story and the Congress would do well.

The party's highest decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee, meanwhile met in Delhi Saturday to review the party's drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls.

The CWC meeting, chaired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, is being attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Uttar Pradesh (East) in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and chief ministers of four party-ruled states -- Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh -- and of the Union Territory Puducherry.

There were speculations that Congress president might offer his resignation taking moral responsibility for the party's poor performance in the polls.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 40-year-old man was arrested Saturday for allegedly extorting gold from a businessman after impersonating a custom officer, police said Saturday.

The accused was identified as, Jarnail Singh, a native of Karnal district in Haryana, they said.

He was previously involved in a cheating-cum-forgery case of the Economic Offence Wing of Delhi Police, police said.

"On May 24, Afnan, the complainant, lodged a complaint stating that he runs a clothing business and he along with his two friends arrived at the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station from Surat, Gujrat. He was carrying three gold bars of 200 g which he had kept in his trolley bag," Dinesh Kumar Gupta, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railway), said.

When they were going to hire an auto-rickshaw, two persons impersonating custom officials stopped them and asked their train ticket number and started frisking their bags, the DCP said.

After finding gold bars in his bag, they started threatening him of implicating him in a criminal case and took the bag on the pretext of examination and fled.

After reaching home, the complainant narrated the incident to his family, following which he approached police, he said.

During investigation, police analysed all the CCTV cameras installed at the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railways Station.

Acting on a tip-off, police laid a trap in Sarai Kale Khan side and apprehended one of the accused and two gold bars of 200 g each were recovered from him, the DCP said.

During interrogation, the accused said he has given one gold bar to his associate Rajvant Singh, who is absconding, they said, adding that police are trying to nab him, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Meghalaya High Court has set aside a controversial judgement made by Justice S R Sen, its former judge, observing that India should have been declared a 'Hindu country' after partition.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir found the judgement "legally flawed" and inconsistent with the constitutional principles.

In a judgement in December last year, a single judge bench of Justice Sen had observed that India, if divided on the basis of religion, should have been declared a Hindu country.

"After bestowing our thoughtful consideration to the entire gamut of the matter we have reached to a firm conclusion that the judgment impugned dated 10.12.2018 is legally flawed and is inconsistent with constitutional principles, the observations made and directions passed therein are totally superfluous, therefore, is set aside in its entirety," the bench said in an order on Friday.

While disposing of a petition by a person who was denied domicile certificate by the Meghalaya government, Justice Sen had also observed that anyone opposing Indian laws and the Constitution should not be considered a citizen of India.

The judgement faced criticism from various quarters forcing him to issue a clarification four days later, saying his judgment was neither politically motivated nor influenced by any party.

In his judgement, Justice Sen had also set aside two notifications issued by the Meghalaya government relating to issuance of permanent residence certificate/domicile certificates.

The division bench, however, observed that setting aside of the two notifications without any challenge was "impermissible" and "not sustainable".

Justice Sen had also directed the Centre to enact a law to safeguard the interests of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis, Khasis and Garos who have already come to India and who are yet to come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan as well as Persons of Indian Origin who are residing abroad.

Any observation which directly or indirectly offends the preamble of the Constitution cannot be sustained, the division bench said, adding that the directions of the single judge bench offended the "secular colour of the country and the provisions of the Constitution of India".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India found a bright silver lining on the penultimate day of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in the form of director of photography Modhura Palit, winner of the Special Encouragement at the 7th Pierre Angenieux ExcelLens in Cinematography ceremony here.

Palit shared the rostrum with five-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel ("Amelie", "Faust", "Inside Llewyn Davis", "Darkest Hour", "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs"), who won the night's big tribute for an illustrious career as a master of light and shadows.

An alumna of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Palit, who shot the critically acclaimed Bengali film "Ami O Manohar" (Manohar and I, 2018), received a certificate of recognition from British-born French actress Amira Casar ("Call Me By Your Name", "At Eternity's Gate").

Severine Serrano, managing director, Angenieux international sales and marketing, said: "Modhura loves to play with light and render a scene strikingly intimate." The final shot of "Ami O Manohar" was projected on the screen by way of proof.

Angenieux is an 80-year-old French company that has been manufacturing state-of-the-art camera lenses for over 80 years. Inexplicably, no Indian was present in Salle Bunuel to support Palit in an official capacity as she seized the limelight and did the nation proud.

However, Chennai-based cinematographer and filmmaker Rajiv Menon, was at hand. Speaking on the occasion, he said: "As a DOP and teacher, it warms my heart to see a young girl coming out of India being recognized here. Modhura, the world now waits for you..."



Accepting the Special Encouragement nod, which entails the loan of an Angenieux lens for her next project, Palit said: "When I received a mail informing me about the prize, I thought it was a spam of the kind that promises a million dollars. I did not believe it. But here I am on the stage today living a fairy tale."



"I work in independent cinema without budgets. But as I stand here draped in a sari tonight, if the image goes out, it will tell all women back in India who want to break into a male-dominated field that fairy tales do come true if your dreams are strong enough," she said.

After the ceremony, Dominique Rouchon, deputy managing director, Angenieux sales and communication, explained the rationale behind the Special Encouragement, which was won by the young Chinese cameraperson Cecile Zhang in 2018, the year of its inception.

"The idea is to provide a push to the career of a new talent so that it can take off globally," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)All set for a second term as prime minister, Narendra Modi said Saturday his government will now begin "a new journey to build a new India with new energy" and reached out to minorities, saying the ruling alliance has to win their trust and work without any discrimination.

In his over 75-minute address after being elected the leader of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, Modi said the massive mandate has multiplied responsibilities, and advised lawmakers on their public conduct, saying they should avoid speaking to the media for publicity and shun the "VIP culture".

However, it was his suggestion to the MPs in his maiden speech to them that they work without any discrimination and win the trust of minorities that stood out as the alliance, especially the BJP, is often criticised for being indifferent to their concerns and not pursuing inclusive politics.

"Our mantra should be 'sabka saath, sabka vikas and sabka vishwas' (with all, for everybody's development and having everyone's trust)," he said in the speech which he began by bowing to the Constitution.

"They (minorities) cannot be handed over to them (Opposition), who benefit because we keep quiet," Modi said at Parliament's Central Hall, accusing his rivals of making minorities live in fear and exploiting them during elections as part of their vote-bank politics.

He said the poor were deceived all these years but his government managed to break through this "deception" and improved their lot and asked NDA MPs to similarly smash through the deception around minorities.

"Minorities were deceived, like the poor. Minorities were made to live in fear," the prime minister said.

It would be good if their education, social and economic standards are lifted up, he said, lamenting the minorities were instead made to live in an "imaginary fear".

"We have to break through this deception. We have to win their trust... It is a big responsibility that we have to fulfil. Those who vote us are ours and even our most trenchant opponents are ours. We cannot believe in any discrimination," he said.

Invoking the 1857 war against the British rule, he said all communities worked shoulder-to-shoulder for self-rule then and called for replicating a similar unifying spirit for good governance now as India readies to celebrate the 75 years of independence in 2022.

"The Constitution is supreme for us. Whatever form of worship we follow at home but outside there cannot be a bigger God for us than Bharat Mata (Mother India)," he said, likening the country's 130 crore citizens to 130 crore 'Gods' who should be served by the ruling alliance with a similar spirit.

The BJP-led NDA that won 353 of the 542 Lok Sabha seats for which elections were held, made huge inroads in different sections of society.

However, minorities mostly voted for the opposition due to their wariness over BJP's Hindutva politics, political watchers believe.

"We stand for those who trusted us and also for those whose trust we have to win... We have to take everyone along to take India to new heights in the 21st century," Modi said.

With speculation rife over who will join his Council of Ministers, Modi said he was yet to go through the details of all the NDA MPs and asked them to not trust media reports in this regard, adding they are aimed at creating confusion and often put out with "bad intentions".

Many "Narendra Modis" have cropped up in the country, giving out ministerial positions to MPs, he said wryly and added that newspaper reports do not make ministers.

Responsibilities will be given as per norms, he stressed.

Modi said elections often divide and create gulf but 2019 polls united the people and society.

There was a pro-incumbency sentiment in this election and its result was a positive mandate, he said, adding that there is no better path than serving people when in power.

"We ran the government for poor people between 2014-19 and I can say the poor elected the government this time," he said.

He also called for the NDA to work with cohesion for the country's development and said his "naara" (slogan) for the alliance is "national ambition and regional aspirations".

Asking MPs to work together with him, he said they should shun arrogance as it is people not their personality, any caste or Modi who elected them.

The vote share of BJP and its allies rose over 25 percentage points in this general election, he said, adding in a lighter vein that in absolute terms the rise is as much as the votes polled by US President Donald Trump.

"Wave" is a light word to describe the mandate the NDA has received, he said, noting that the NDA won more than 50 per cent votes in 17 states.

He said the NDA will work to meet national ambition with regional aspirations and invoked BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee to underscore his party's commitment to the National Democratic Alliance, first stitched during Vajpayee's time.

There should be energy and synergy in the alliance, he said.

The BJP has had uneasy relations with some of its allies in the last five years before it worked to repair them ahead of the 2019 election.

All of its allies, including JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray and Akali Dal's Parkash Singh Badal, were on the dais when Modi spoke to the lawmakers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah will be felicitated by the Gujarat unit of the party here Sunday following the massive victory in the Lok Sabha election.

During his first visit to his home state after the poll results, Modi will seek the blessings of his mother Hiraba Modi at her residence here.

State BJP president Jitu Vaghani said Modi and Shah will reach Ahmedabad Sunday evening and will visit the party office in Khanpur area where they will be felicitated.

"Our own Narendrabhai, who belongs to the entire country and the world, will visit his home state tomorrow along with our national president, who successfully managed the world's largest political party in a way that it made inroads in states where it was not present and won the election massively," Vaghani said.

"Both Modi and Shah will reach Ahmedabad airport at 5pm, and will be received by party leaders, supporters and heads of various religious and social organisations. Modi will garland Sardar Patel's statue near the airport. From there, they will start for Khanpur office. They will be felicitated by the state unit of the BJP and later they will address a gathering of supporters at J P Chowk near the office," he added.

Modi will leave for Delhi the next morning, after which he is scheduled to visit his Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi.

"Will be going to Gujarat tomorrow evening, to seek blessings of my mother. Day after tomorrow morning, I will be in Kashi to thank the people of this great land for reposing their faith in me," the prime minister tweeted Saturday morning.

He had met his mother on April 23 before casting his vote.

The BJP won all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, repeating its 2014 performance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The National Health Authority (NHA) and the National Grid (NCG) have inked an MoU to develop uniform standards of patient care to battle under the central government's scheme

The NCG is an initiative of the government to create a network of centres, research institutes, patient groups and charitable institutions across the country.

Owing to multi-disciplinary nature of care required for cancer management, both NHA and NCG recognise the importance of collaborative efforts required to strengthen delivery of cancer services under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

The aim is to reduce cancer burden, improve access to cancer services and ensure financial risk protection with minimum prevalence of catastrophic health spending and impoverishment, an official statement said.

NCG and NHA officials met in recently to discuss their new partnership on a wide range of ideas to improve cancer care.

"The main objectives of this collaboration include developing uniform standards of patient care for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, providing specialized training and education in oncology and facilitating collaborative basic, translational and clinical research in cancer.

"NHA and NCG will jointly review existing packages, pricing of services, standard treatment workflows covered under AB-PMJAY and plug in necessary gaps to ensure enhanced quality of cancer care," the statement stated.

On this new partnership, NHA Indu Bhushan said, "We are glad to partner with National Cancer Grid and welcome their expertise in enhancing the cancer care services provided under the scheme. We look forward to NCG's support and expertise in enabling us to expand our service delivery network by actively encouraging its member hospitals to empanel with AB-PMJAY."



The PMJAY is the flagship scheme of the government which aims at providing a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year, for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to over 10.74 crore vulnerable entitled families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries).

PMJAY provides cashless and paperless access to services for the beneficiary at the point of service. According to health ministry, it will help reduce catastrophic expenditure for hospitalizations, which impoverishes six crore people each year and will help mitigate the financial risk arising out of catastrophic health episodes.Former chairman of Jet Airways and his wife Anita Goyal were denied permission to travel abroad Saturday by the immigration authority at Mumbai airport, sources said.

The couple was to travel by Dubai-bound Emirates flight EK 507 when the immigration authority denied them permission to fly, they said.

The checked in baggage, which was in the name of Anita Goyal, was also offloaded from the flight. The flight was scheduled to depart at 3.35 pm.



ALSO READ: Jet Airways employees raise their demands outside Civil Aviation Ministry

could not be reached for comments. Response to a query sent to Emirates was also awaited.

Last month, Jet Airways officers and staff association president Kiran Pawaskar had written to the Mumbai police commissioner that the passports of Goyal and other directors and senior members of the Jet Airways management be impounded as the airline had not paid salaries to its employees for several months.

Naresh Goyal, along with Anita Goyal, had resigned from the board of Jet Airways, which he founded 26 years ago, in March following a debt restructuring plan. He had also resigned as the airline chairman.Barring the parliamentary constituency, majority of the contesting candidates lost their security deposit in five other constituencies in where 51 of them even failed to get one per cent of the valid votes.

The BJP retained three parliamentary seats of Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh, while the National Conference swept the polls in the valley, winning all the three seats of Srinagar, and

A total of 79 candidates were in the fray for the six parliamentary seats, but 63 of them lost their security deposit of Rs 25,000 and Rs 12,500 (for schedule tribe and scheduled caste candidates) as they failed to get the minimum required one-sixth (16.67 per cent) of the total polled valid votes, according to official data by the

The parliamentary seat which was won by 33-year-old BJP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal -- the youngest among the six winners from the state -- was the only constituency where rest of the three candidates managed to save their deposits.

Namgyal got 42,914 votes (33.94 per cent) and defeated his nearest rival and independent candidate Sajjad Hussain who secured 31,984 votes (25.3 per cent).

rebel candidate Asgar Ali Karbalai came third with 29,365 votes (23.23 per cent) followed by Congress' official candidate Rigzin Spalbar who polled 21,241 votes (16.8 per cent).

The constituency is the largest in in terms of area but has the lowest number of over 1.71 lakh voters in the state. A total of over 1.26 lakh voters had exercised their franchise with 922 of them preferring None Of The Above (NOTA), which was 0.73 per cent of the total voting.

The voting trend in the Jammu parliamentary constituency, where the highest 24 candidates were in the fray, revealed a direct contest between BJP's Jugal Kishore and senior and former minister Raman Bhalla.

While Kishore retained the seat for the party by getting 8,58,066 votes (58.02 per cent), Bhalla got 5,55,191 votes (37.54 per cent).

The rest of the 22 candidates, including patron of National Panthers Party Bhim Singh, Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan (DSS) founder and former BJP minister Lal Singh and BSP Badri Nath got below one per cent votes.

The constituency had recorded the highest 72.16 per cent polling in the state and only 2,618 among 14,78,795 voters pushed the NOTA button.

Similarly, the Udhampur parliamentary constituency, which was retained by union minister by a huge margin of 3.57 lakh votes defeating Dogra scion and leader Vikramaditya Singh, saw 10 candidates loosing their security deposit.

The BJP's candidate got 7,24,311 votes (61.38 per cent) against the Congress candidate who polled 3,67,659 votes (31.1 per cent).

Two other Rajputs in the fray -- JKNPP chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh and DSS founder (Lal Singh) -- got 2.06 and 1.61 per cent votes, respectively.

Seven other candidates got below one per cent votes despite the constituency recording the second highest voter turnout at 70.2 per cent. Among the 11.80 lakh voters, 7568 voters preferred NOTA.

In Srinagar, where only 14.1 per cent of over 12.94 lakh electorate exercised their right, 10 of the 12 candidates lost their deposits with eight even failing to reach one per cent mark.

National Conference president retained the seat by getting 1,06,750 votes (57.14 per cent), defeating Aga Syed Mohsin of the PDP, who got 36,700 votes (19.64 per cent).

People's Conference candidate Irfan Raza Ansari was the only other candidate who managed double figures with 15.4 per cent (28,773 votes).

The 83-year-old Abdullah -- the three-time former chief minister -- has so far lost an election only once in his 42-year political career since his debut in 1980. This was his fourth win in the parliamentary elections.

The parliamentary constituency, where the second highest 18 candidates, including former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, were locked in a multi-cornered contest, saw 15 candidates losing their security deposits.

The seat, where election was held in three phases due to security concerns, registered the lowest voter turnout of only 8.76 per cent in the state. It was won by National Conference candidate and former judge Hasnain Masoodi.

Masoodi got 40,180 votes (32.17 per cent), followed by state Congress chief G A Mir, who got 33,504 votes (26.83 per cent).

Mufti, who had won the seat in 2014 before resigning to become the first women chief minister in 2016, polled only 30,524 votes (24.44 per cent).

A dozen other candidates, including BJP's Sofi Yousuf, failed to reach double figures as far as the voting percentage is concerned. Eleven of the candidates ended up below one per cent.

The parliamentary constituency was won by senior NC leader Mohammad Akbar Lone after securing 1,33,426 (29.29 per cent) votes, defeating Raja Aijaz Ali of the Peoples' Conference, who got 1,03,193 (22.65 per cent). Engineer Rashid managed 1,02,168 votes (22.43 per cent).

The constituency has recorded the highest 34.71 per cent voting in the Valley. Six of the candidates, including from the PDP, the Congress and the BJP, got only 11.75 (53,530), 7.58 (34,532) and 1.73 per cent (7,894 votes), respectively.

While two candidates received below one per cent votes, the NOTA got the maximum 1.78 per cent (8,055 votes) in the constituency, which was the highest in all the six seats in the state.

Incidentally, forty-five candidates had secured far less votes than NOTA which had got a total of 21,724 votes across the state.New evidence has emerged linking the embattled head of Colombia's army to the alleged cover-up of civilian killings more than a decade ago.

The documents, provided to The Associated Press by a person familiar with an ongoing investigation into the extrajudicial killings, come as Gen. Nicacio Martnez Espinel faces mounting pressure to resign over orders he gave troops this year to step up attacks in what some fear could pave the way for a return of serious human rights violations.

Colombia's military has been blamed for as many as 5,000 extrajudicial killings at the height of the country's armed conflict in the mid-2000s as troops under pressure by top commanders inflated body counts, in some cases dressing up civilians as guerrillas in exchange for extra pay and other perks.

What became known as the "false positives" scandal has cast a dark shadow over the U.S.-backed military's record of battleground victories. Fifteen years later not a single top commander has been held accountable for the slayings.

Human Rights Watch in February harshly criticized President Ivan Duque's appointment of Martnez Espinel, noting that he was second-in-command of the 10th Brigade in northeast Colombia during years for which prosecutors have opened investigations into 23 illegal killings.

The rights group revealed that then Col. Martnez Espinel certified payments to an informant who led to "excellent results" in a purported combat operation in which an indigenous civilian and 13-year-old girl were killed.

A court later convicted two soldiers of abducting them from their home, murdering them and putting weapons on their bodies so they appeared to be rebels.

Martnez Espinel at the time of the report said he had "no idea" if he had made the payments. "God and my subalterns know how we've acted," he said.

But new documents from Colombia's prosecutor's office show that Martnez Espinel in 2005 signed off on at least seven other questionable payments. The documents were provided to the AP by someone on the condition of anonymity because they fear retaliation.

Some of the rewards, which never exceeded USD 500, went to supposed informants whose names and IDs didn't match.

In two cases, judicial investigators found the real beneficiary was soldier Oscar Alfonso, who would go on to be sentenced to 40 years for his role in a third, unrelated civilian killing. One hidden recipient was a former paramilitary commander sentenced to 15 years for extortion.

In another inconsistency, on two occasions Martnez Espinel vouched for information leading to fighting that the same documents show took place days later.

Such was the case for a payment made on May 17, 2005 to an unnamed informant and which bears Martnez Espinel's signature. The payment refers to combat with purported guerrillas on May 20 three days later in which an unidentified "no name" male was reported killed possessing a grenade and pistol.

"A decade ago, soldiers across Colombia lured civilians to remote locations under false pretenses such as with promises of work killed them, placed weapons on their lifeless bodies, and then reported them as enemy combatants killed in action," said Jos Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch.

"One can't help wonder if any of the cockades in their uniforms, or the promotions throughout 'successful' careers, corresponds to the murder of innocent civilians committed over a decade ago."



Martnez Espinel in a statement said he faces no criminal or disciplinary investigations.

He said it was up to judicial authorities to evaluate the value of the documents bearing his signature but that during his time at the 10th Brigade he had no involvement or responsibility in combat operations, instead performing a purely administrative role.

"I always have been and will be ready to answer any questions by authorities," he said.

Vivanco said it's no surprise Martnez isn't under investigation given authorities' willingness to turn a blind eye to the responsibility of top commanders in the killing spree.

While Colombian courts have convicted hundreds of low-ranking soldiers for their roles in the "false positive" murders, not a single general and only a handful of coronels have so far been convicted.

Under international law, commanders can be held responsible for crimes carried out by subordinates that they knew about or should have known about.

Now there are reports that Martnez Espinel as army chief is looking to reinstate the policies that critics say led to the executions.

The New York Times reported recently that Martnez Espinel commanded troops to double the number of leftist guerrillas and criminals they kill, capture or force to surrender in combat. The new guidelines, made in writing at the start of Martnez Espinel's tenure as army chief in January, raised concerns among unnamed officers cited by the Times about the heightened risk of civilian causalities.

Opponents of Duque have called for Martnez Espinel to resign, pointing to a number of suspicious killings and cover-ups by soldiers this year coinciding with the new orders. But the conservative leader has so far stood by the commander even while attempting to contain the damage.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actor Harrison Ford says the "Indianna Jones" franchise will come to end when he is done playing the iconic character as he believes nobody could take over the role from him.

During a visit to NBC's Today, the 76-year-old actor was asked who he would choose as his replacement to play the legendary character after him.

"Nobody is going to be Indiana Jones, don't you get it? I'm Indiana Jones. When I'm gone, he's gone. It's easy," Ford replied.

Ford, however, mixed up actor Chris Pratt with Chris Pine as he further said, "This is a hell of a way to tell Chris Pine this. I'm sorry, man."



Pratt is being rumoured to take over the iconic role that Ford has played in four films, starting with "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981).

The veteran actor last starred as Indiana Jones in 2008's "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)national vice president Shivraj Singh Chouhan Saturday said his party was not interested in bringing down the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh but cannot help if it falls on its own.

The had won 28 out of 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the just-concluded general polls and there has been speculation about the longevity of the Congress-led government in the state which is in power due to the support of BSP, SP and Independent MLAs.

"The doesn't believe in any kind of horse trading, but there are contradictions within the Congress. We are not interested in bringing down the (MP) government but BJP can't help if it falls on its own," Chouhan told reporters at a meet-the-press event here.



"After the ticket distribution, a BSP candidate joined the Congress. Possibly, Mayawati ji can take this seriously or something happens within (the Congress). I am telling you the truth, if we wanted, we would not have allowed (Congress) to form the government," he said.

During the Lok Sabha elections, the BSP's Guna candidate Lokendra Singh had opted out of the race and joined the Congress extending support to Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Later, in a tweet, BSP supremo Mayawati threatened to withdraw support to the Kamal Nath government.

In the 2018 Assembly polls, the Congress had emerged as the single-largest party with 114 seats, two short of the simple majority mark of 116 seats, in the 230-member Assembly.

The Congress then formed the government in the state with the support of two BSP, one SP and four Independent MLAs.

The BJP, in power since 2003, had got 109 seats.A trekker died, another sustained injuries while four went missing in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district, an official said Saturday.

The deceased trekker had been identified as Roopak from Kolkata, Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Gopal Chand said. He died reportedly due to breathing issues at a high altitude.

Efforts are underway to locate the missing trekkers.

The help of an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter and a team of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) were being taken to trace them, the DC added.

Two teams of trekkers--seven from Rohru in Shimla and four from Uttarakhand--had gone towards Kinnaur, Kalpa SDM Surendra Thakur said.

The four-member team from Uttarakhand is missing. They were feared to be stuck at Ropin Pass, the SDM added.

All trekkers were from West Bengal.

Roopak was part of the seven-member team, which was going towards Barua Pass through the Janglik area.

Another trekker from the team sustained injuries during the expedition. He was airlifted to a Sangla hospital, where he was given first aid. Later, he was shifted to Chandigarh.

As per information, four members of the Rohru team experienced breathing issues and decided to return, whereas three of them reached the Barua Kande camp in Shagode area.

Later, one of them (Roopak) died and the other sustained injuries. The third trekkers is reported to be safe.

Those who returned due to breathing issues informed the Rohru administration about the entire incident.

The Rohru administration informed the Sangla tehsildar about it.

Subsequently, an IAF helicopter and a rescue team of the ITBP were sent to the Barua hills, where they located the three trekkers.

The body of the deceased trekker is being brought back by the Sangla police.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP on Saturday claimed that the people of Jammu and Ladakh regions want immediate removal of Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution by voting for the party.

It also said the National Conference's claim that it will form the government on its own in the state after the assembly is "hollow".

The BJP retained Udhampur, Jammu and Ladakh parliamentary seats, while the NC swept the polls by winning all the three seats -- Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag -- in the Valley.

On Friday, NC president Farooq Abdullah had said Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot remove Article 35A and Article 370 despite huge majority.

"Let him be as powerful as he (Modi) likes, he cannot remove Article 370 and Article 35-A," Abdullah had said, adding "our right of Article 370 and Article 35A should be protected. This is very important for us. We are soldiers of this country, not enemies".



Article 370 grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir and limits Parliament's power to make laws concerning the state. Article 35A empowers the state assembly to define "permanent residents" for bestowing special rights and privileges on them.

BJP state spokesperson Brig (Retd) Anil Gupta said, "Abdullah and the NC leadership does not have the mandate of the people of Jammu and Ladakh to make tall claims about Articles 35A and 370 because the people of these two regions want immediate removal of these articles as is evident from the mandate given in favour of their removal."





He said the assembly constituency wise analysis of polling pattern in the just concluded parliamentary established beyond doubt that the regional party's claim that it will form the next government in the state on its own is "hollow".

"The NC has won in 30 assembly constituencies, all in Kashmir, mostly due to low voter turnout. The margin of victory is also very narrow in many constituencies. It has clean swept the Srinagar parliamentary constituency by winning in all 15 assembly constituencies.



"The party has zero representation from both Jammu and Ladakh regions. The NC surrendered without contest in both the regions because it failed to find suitable candidates. Its ploy of a 'mahagathbandhan' (alliance) to defeat the BJP in these regions failed miserably going by the huge margin of victory in favour of us in the three parliamentary seats allotted to Congress in the garb of unity of self-proclaimed secular parties," Gupta said.

The BJP leader said the NC leadership needs to explain how it plans to form the government on its own with lead in just 30 assembly constituencies.

"The confidence exuded by these leaders is good to raise the sagging morale of its cadre but woefully inadequate to form the next state government on its own," he said.



Gupta said the BJP's vote share of 46.4 per cent in these is more than the combined vote share of the NC, the Congress and the PDP together.

"The Congress has a vote share of 28.5 per cent, followed by NC 7.9 per cent and PDP 3.3 per cent," he said.

Gupta also asked Abdullah to clarify as to how he proposes to restore peace in the state when his party wants to repeal the Public Safety Act, remove the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, demands withdrawal of the Army, wants ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeM) to be lifted and 'Operation All Out' to be called off.

"Can peace be restored without eliminating the terror and the over ground terror network? Abdullah needs to clarify?" he asked.Prime Minister is likely to meet Saturday evening to stake a claim to form the new government, sources said.

The prime minister is likely to call on the at around 8 pm and before that, leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would meet Kovind at around 7 pm, the sources said.

The NDA returned to power with a massive majority in the elections with the BJP alone bagging 303 of total 542 seats contested. Elections were held in 542 of the 543 seats. The election in Vellore seat was cancelled by the EC citing abuse of money power.

Asked whether foreign dignitaries would be invited to the swearing-in ceremony, the sources said, "As of now there is no such information. We will share the details once a decision is taken."



Modi had invited the Heads of the SAARC nations to his swearing-in ceremony as Prime Minister in 2014.

Meanwhile, the full on Saturday called on Kovind and handed over the list of 542 newly-elected members of the that will enable him to initiate the formal process of new government formation.French police are hunting a suspect following an explosion that wounded 13 people in a busy pedestrian street Friday in the city of Lyon.

Police issued an appeal for witnesses Saturday with a photo of a man with a bike caught on video surveillance. They describe the suspect, wearing light-coloured shorts and a long-sleeved dark top, as "dangerous." He is believed to have deposited a sack or package that exploded.

Regional authorities said 13 people suffered mostly minor injuries, including 11 who were still in the hospital on Saturday morning.

France's counter-terrorism office opened an investigation and the counter-terrorism prosecutor, Remy Heitz, will host a conference Saturday at noon.

Lyon mayor Gerard Collomb said he had no indication about the suspect's motives.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee Saturday offered to quit as chief minister of West Bengal following her party's drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls, but the TMC rejected it.

Addressing her first press conference after the election results were declared, she accused the BJP of polarising people on religious lines to garner votes in West Bengal and wondered if some "sort of setting or foreign power" played a role in such a huge victory of the saffron party.

West Bengal witnessed a saffron surge on Thursday as the BJP inflicted a deadly blow to ruling Trinamool Congress by winning 18 of the total 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The TMC won 22 seats, down from 34 in 2014.

"I wanted to resign from the post of chief minister. The chair is nothing for me. But, the party rejected it. I don't need the chair, but the chair needs me," said Banerjee after an hour-long meeting with all candidates and senior leaders of the party.

Claiming that her government has fulfilled all the commitments made to the people, Banerjee said she now will concentrate more on her party.

"One party that did not commit anything, won seats. I think, I have done more for people. Now I need to work for my party," she said.

"Money power and religious divide prominently came into play. The administration was taken over by ECI for last five months. How can I remain the chief minister in such a scenario? That's why I had offered to step down," she said.

The BJP which had only two Lok Sabha seats in last general elections and hitherto not a major force in the state did better than the Left Front and the Congress after good performance in the last year's rural polls to emerge as the main challenger to the TMC in Bengal.

The 64-year-old Banerjee also raised suspicion over BJP's stellar poll performance across the country.

"This huge victory is not beyond suspicion. It is quite astonishing how opposition is completely wiped out in several states," she claimed.

She alleged that EVMs were programmed to give the BJP a lead of more than a lakh.

"Foreign hand might also be involved in this. Votes were bought spending crores of money. In north Bengal, we share border with Assam. That state's finance minister (Himanta Biswa Sarma) was sitting here for two weeks. What was he doing here? BSF took voters and forced them to vote for them. Election Commission is the man of the match of the election," the TMC supremo alleged.

Reiterating her previous stand that the ECI was "biased", Banerjee claimed that central forces were used to intimidate voters to vote for the saffron party.

She also said that an emergency-like situation was created in the state by the BJP to win the elections.

Renewing her attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, Banerjee said, "Rajiv Gandhi got 400 seats. Could he run Parliament? So, such arrogance is not good. Opposition leaders were called Pakistanis when they raised questions. Now why is the Pakistan PM invited? Isn't it anti-national?"



She reiterated that she will continue to fight against communalism.

"I will attend Iftar party. You may say I appease Muslims. You can say that, its your prerogative. But, I am ready to be kicked by the cow which gives milk," she said in an apt reference to Muslims voting in her favour.

Banerjee declined to accept that there was any "Modi wave" and claimed that the BJP had "looted" votes in a systemic way to get these numbers.

"How is it possible that the Congress failed to win even one seat in Gujarat, Haryana, or Delhi. What about Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh which Congress won just few months back? Should I accept that there everything was in order, there was no manipulation," she said.

Banerjee also reiterated that she will not allow NRC in Bengal. However, she said that she will provide constructive cooperation to the Union government.

She alleged that central government officers were used to distribute money, and admitted that some of Trinamool Congress leaders also succumbed to the lure of money.

When asked is she worried that BJP might topple her government, she dared the BJP to do so.

"Let them try. Is it so easy? Why is the BJP so hungry (for power in the state)? Why are they in such a hurry," she asked.

If the data of the national polls are analysed assembly segment-wise, the BJP is ahead in nearly 130 of the 294 assembly constituencies in the state, the majority mark being 148. West Bengal will go for assembly polls in 2021.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A constitutional provision that guarantees protective rights to the Nagas has turned out to be a "stumbling block" for the development process in Nagaland, an advisor to the state government said on Saturday.

Landowners do not allow development activities in their land without compensation, but seek government help for damages caused by natural disasters, Dr Neikiesalie Nicky Kire, also an MLA, said at a programme here.

"Using the provisions of Article 371(A), landowners do not allow the government to carry on with development activities in their land and seek higher rates of compensation," said Kire, an advisor to the state's rural development department.

Art 371(A) deals with special provisions with respect to Nagaland.

It states that no act of Parliament with respect to religious or social practices of the Nagas, Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law, ownership and transfer of land and its resources, shall apply to the state unless the Legislative Assembly by a resolution so decides.

"If the Nagas want to protect their land through Article 371(A), they should also take care of the damages caused to their personal properties instead of blaming the government for everything," he said.

Asking the Nagas to be far-sighted, Kire said development activities are for the general welfare of the people.

The MLA also noted that jobs in government sector have reached a saturation point and urged the educated Naga youths to face the challenges of competition.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 45-year-old Punjab Police jawan deployed here during the counting of votes died after falling ill, police said Saturday.

Gurmeet Singh from Muktsar in Punjab suddenly fell ill on duty on Friday and was taken to the district hospital, where he died in the night, police said.

The reason of his death would be known after a post-mortem, they said.

He was deployed at a local polytechnic college during the counting of votes, police added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Taking total responsibility for the Lok Sabha poll debacle, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday offered to resign as Congress president, which the Congress Working Committee (CWC) unanimously rejected and authorised him to overhaul and restructure the party at all levels.

The crucial meeting of Congress's highest decision-making body deliberated for almost four hours upon reasons behind the party's defeat with various leaders urging Rahul Gandhi to continue to provide leadership.

Sources said Gandhi put forth his resignation before the committee, asking it to elect a new president.

The sources added the Congress chief did not give any speech and asked the CWC to chose a new leader from outside his family. Top leaders asked him not to resign, with some even getting emotional while convincing him to continue.

Congress stalwarts including party general secretaries, chief ministers and former ministers, unanimously rejected his offer to resign and reposed faith in his leadership.

The CWC asked him to continue as party chief and carry out an overall of the party at all levels and rejuvenate it and passed a resolution in this regard.

"Congress President Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress President for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times," said the resolution passed by CWC.

The CWC "unanimously" called upon the Rahul Gandhi to lead the party in its ideological battle and to champion the cause of youth, farmers, SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities, poor and deprived sections.

The resolution accepted with humility the mandate of the people and expressed gratitude to 12.13 crore voters who stood behind the party.

"The Congress party is committed to don the role of a constructive opposition, raising people's issues and holding the government accountable to people of India," the resolution said.

The CWC commended the tireless efforts of Congress chief, leaders, workers and candidates, who fought a vigorous battle in challenging circumstances and thanked allies who joined hands to fight this ideological battle.

The CWC resolution said it fully recognises challenges, failures and shortcomings, resulting in this mandate, and recommended a thorough introspection. "The CWC requested the Congress chief for a complete overhaul and a detailed restructuring at every level of the party. A plan to this effect shall come into force at the earliest."



"The Congress party has lost the election but our indomitable courage, our fighting spirit and commitment to our ideology remains stronger than ever. We shall continue its fight against forces that thrive on hatred and division," it further read.

Earlier, around 40 top Congress leaders from across the country listed the reasons for the party's defeat and suggested ways to revive the party again.

Sources said senior party P Chidambaram also turned a little "emotional" while asking Rahul Gandhi to continue and said some supporters, especially from South which voted for Congress, may take some "extreme step" in case he resigned.

Sonia Gandhi did not speak at the meeting, while former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra spoke, listing various reasons and asked the Congress leaders to continue its fight against the BJP.

While all chief ministers of Congress-ruled states -- Ashok Gehlot, Amarinder Singh, Bhupesh Baghel and V Narayanasamy -- were present at the meeting and also spoke. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath was not present and sources pointed out at speculation that his government was "under threat" and he was trying to put his "house in order".

Addressing a press conference, Congress leader A K Antony did not agree that the party suffered a "humiliating defeat" saying "I do not agree".

"We were not able to raise up to the expectations of the people. The party will go into the reasons for defeat in detail and come out with its considered opinion," he said.

Senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said a detailed discussion and introspection on reasons for defeat will be done and credited Gandhi for providing leadership in fighting the battle of ideology.

"Victory or defeat is different and providing leadership is different and Rahul Gandhi gave that leadership to the party. It is a defeat of numbers and not of ideology... I have never seen such a unanimity across all age groups in the CWC in saying that Gandhi led from the front," Azad told reporters.

Asked about talk of Article 370 being abrogated by the BJP, he said, "This is not a new thing. It is on the agenda of BJP for long and they say it in every election."



Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said "the partisan manner in which this election was conducted by the Election Commission was also discussed."The CWC also noted with concern the challenges of surging oil prices, crisis in banking sector, downturn of economy, looming job and agrarian crisis and drought.

The committee also talked about institutional integrity, the hallmark of constitutional democracy, that "remains under a cloud", as also issue of social strife and tensions that affect the populace.

"CWC hopes that the government will address these issues as its top priority."



The meeting comes after Congress could win just 52 Lok Sabha seats and drew a nought in 18 states and Union Territories.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Rajasthan police Saturday conducted raids at several places in the country and arrested 11 current and former office bearers of Mukesh Modi's Adarsh Credit Co-operative Society Ltd in connection with a multi-crore fraud, officials said.

The special operations group of Rajasthan police raided premises at several locations including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Sirohi, Gurgaon and Jaipur, an SOG official said.

The SOG had begun the probe in July last year and registered an FIR December last year.

The society, with 806 branches across the country, including 309 in Rajasthan, has around 10 lakh investors with an investment of about Rs 8,000 crore with it.

The society siphoned off investors' money by transferring the fund to shell companies, said ATS and SOG Director General Bhupendra Singh Saturday.

The founder also benefitted his family members and duped the investors, DG ATS and SOG Bhupendra Singh said on Saturday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The family of a businessman, who was stabbed to death after objecting to the harassment of his daughter in Moti Nagar area, met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday and he assured them of all possible help from the Delhi government.

Delhi minister Gopal Rai tweeted a picture of Kejriwal meeting the family, saying it took place at the chief minister's residence.

Dhruv Rathi, 51, was stabbed to death allegedly by members of a family in Basai Darapur locality earlier this month. The police arrested four people, including two women, besides apprehending two juveniles in the case.

The businessman's 19-year-old son was also critically injured while trying to save him.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Sri Lankan Buddhist monk, who was controversially released from jail, has claimed that a Tamil Nadu-based Islamic organisation had inspired the local Islamist extremist group NTJ for carrying out the country's worst terror attack on Easter Sunday.

Earlier this month, the Sri Lankan Army chief said that some of the suicide bombers visited Kashmir and Kerala for "some sorts of training" or to "make some more links" with other foreign outfits.

Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels on April 21, killing nearly 260 people and injuring 500 others.

Hardline Buddhist monk Galagodaatte Gnanasara, speaking to reporters on Friday, said that two Tamil Nadu Thowheeth Jamaath (TNTJ) men -- Ayub and Abdeen -- visited Sri Lanka.

"They met one Abdul Razik here. The idea was to provoke Buddhists to attack Muslims. They spread stories derogatory of the Buddha," Gnanasara said.

The hardline Buddhist monk was addressing the media for the first time since President Maithripala Sirisena ordered his release using a presidential pardon.

He was sentenced to six year imprisonment for contempt of court in August last year. Due to Sirisena's pardon, he was released from the jail after spending nine months behind bars.

"The TNTJ created Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath (SLTJ) and later All Ceylon Thowheeth Jama'ath. The SLTJ was later split under nine separate leaders," Gnanasara said.

He said that despite the arrest of almost everyone connected to the NTJ, another key figure Abdul Razik is still at large.

"This Razik is misleading the security forces. We will locate him soon," he said.

The TNTJ, in a statement issued last month, denied any links with the NTJ and said that both the TNTJ and the SLTJ have been involved in social service and have been campaigning against terrorist organisations.

Gnanasara became notorious for his anti-Muslim stance. In 2013, he was blamed for leading a major anti-Muslim riot in the Muslim-dominated town of Aluthgama in the Western Province.

Since the Easter Sunday attacks, Gnanasara's prophecy on rising Muslim militancy gained credibility. He had publicly claimed many years ago that the NTJ was grouping for terror attacks.

He was sent to jail for the contempt of court. His 19-year term was commuted to a 6-year concurrent sentence.

Sirisena's decision to release him has triggered widespread criticism by religious minority and rights groups.

Sri Lanka has banned the NTJ and arrested over 100 people in connection with the blasts.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A military-aligned candidate won majority support to become Thailand's house speaker on Saturday in the first working session of the country's new House of Representatives, signaling further army dominance in the next government.

Former Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, 80, was named speaker after the session voted 258-235 in favour of his nomination. Chuan came up against another candidate who was backed by more liberal parties.

Backroom politicking appeared to be behind a motion by the pro-military Palang Pracharath Party to postpone the vote to select a house speaker.

The motion failed narrowly and the votes faced complications because the session was held in a temporary site without automated facilities.

The military-backed Palang Pracharath party is tipped to lead a government expected to be formed in the next few weeks and headed by the junta leader, Prayuth Chan-ocha, who staged a coup five years ago and has served as prime minister since then.

Chuan's nomination as speaker came from a member of Palang Pracharath, and his successful appointment further cements Prayuth's chances to again become prime minister.

The vote for prime minister is jointly taken by both the 500-member lower house, which is now led by Chuan, and Prayuth already has the solid support of the Senate, whose 250 members he helped appoint.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the anti-military Future Forward Party, was earlier ordered out of the Saturday session, in line with a court suspension for allegedly breaking election rules.

He spoke briefly to acknowledge his expulsion but his attempt to address the assembly drew loud and vehement protests from pro-military lawmakers.

Thanathorn pressed on before leaving to a sustained standing ovation from his party members. The applause continued, despite the acting speaker telling them to stop.

"Enough," said acting house speaker Chai Chidchob, "this isn't a theater. Stop."



The suspension of Thanathorn was widely seen as a further move to weaken anti-military opposition.

The newly formed Future Forward party came from nowhere to become the third largest in the lower house. Its progressive agenda, which includes ending conscription and curbing the military's role in politics, has rattled Thailand's traditional ruling elite. In the coming weeks, the country's Constitutional Court is expected to decide whether to turn Thanathorn's suspension into a disqualification.

The court, like the army, is widely seen as being close to the country's conservative power brokers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A trekker died, another injured in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district, an official said Saturday.

Jevaasheesh Mehtu from Kolkata faced difficulties in breathing at the high altitude and died, the official said.

Four other trekkers, who had gone missing, were rescued.

The help of an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter and a team of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was taken to rescue them, Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Gopal Chand said.

Two teams-- seven trekkers from Rohru in Shimla and four from Uttarakhand -- had gone towards Kinnaur, Kalpa SDM Surendra Thakur said.

The four-member team from Uttarakhand was missing. They were stuck at Rupin Pass, the SDM added.

The missing trekkers were rescued by a quick response team of the ITBP and police.

All trekkers were from West Bengal.

Jevaasheesh was part of the seven-member team, which was going towards Barua Pass through the Janglik area.

Another trekker from the team, Rupam Ghosh of Madhya Gram, Kolkata, sustained injuries during the expedition. He was airlifted to a Sangla hospital, where he was given first aid. Later, he was shifted to Chandigarh.

As per information, four members of the Rohru team experienced breathing issues and decided to return, whereas three of them reached the Barua camp in Shagode area.

Later, Jevaasheesh died and Rupam sustained injuries. The third trekker is reported to be safe.

Those who returned due to breathing issues informed the Rohru administration about the entire incident.

The Rohru administration informed the Sangla tehsildar about it.

Subsequently, an IAF helicopter and a rescue team of the ITBP were sent to the Barua hills, where they located the three trekkers.

The body of Jevaasheesh is being brought back by the Sangla police.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)President Donald Trump confirmed Friday he is considering pardons for several military servicemen accused or convicted of war crimes, in what critics say would be an abuse of the powers afforded him under the US Constitution.

The New York Times reported, quoting administration officials, that Trump envisaged making the controversial pardons during the Memorial Day weekend, when Americans honour those who died while serving in the military.

Reportedly among those being considered is Edward Gallagher, a Navy SEAL accused of shooting unarmed civilians and stabbing a teenage captive to death, who is due to stand trial starting next week.

Trump is also said to be eyeing a pardon for Matt Golsteyn, an ex-member of the elite US Army Green Berets, charged with premeditated murder in the shooting death of an alleged Taliban bomb-maker in 2010.

Three Marines, arrested after video footage showed them urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters in 2011, are also reportedly under consideration for a pardon, as well as a former Blackwater employee convicted of killing a teenaged Iraqi civilian in 2007.

"We're looking at a lot of different pardons for a lot of different people," Trump told reporters on the White House lawn Friday, when asking why he was considering pardoning war criminals.

"Some of these soldiers are people that have fought hard, long, you know. We teach them how to be great fighters and when they fight sometimes they get really treated very unfairly. So we're going to take a look at it," Trump added.

Trump confirmed he was considering two or three cases that were "a little bit controversial," adding that he may let trials of these people proceed and then decide afterward.

"I haven't done anything yet. I haven't made any decisions," he said.

Retired Navy admiral James Stavridis was among those who came out strongly against Trump's reported plans.

"I commanded several of the servicemen Trump may pardon," the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander wrote Wednesday in Time magazine. "Letting them off will undermine the military."



This type of pardon, he argued, "strengthens enemy propaganda, as they will correctly say that we do not hold ourselves accountable for our own standards," and "spurs our enemies on to even more barbaric behaviour."



Such pardons would be "disgusting," warned Democratic presidential hopeful and Navy veteran Pete Buttigieg.

It would be "an affront to the idea of good order and discipline and to the idea of the rule of law, the very thing we believe we're putting our lives on the line to defend," said Buttigieg, who served as a naval intelligence officer in Afghanistan in 2014.

Gallagher, 39, is slated to face a military tribunal May 28 at the San Diego naval base. He is accused of stabbing a wounded 15-year-old Iraqi prisoner to death in 2017, while an American medic was treating him.

He is also accused of shooting a young girl and an old man with a sniper rifle in 2017 and 2018, and of firing a heavy machine gun into a residential area.

Golsteyn is to be tried at court martial but a date has not been set yet.

According to court document excerpts, Golsteyn worried that the Taliban suspect, whom he was unable to detain for more than 24 hours, might make more bombs and kill an Afghan tribal leader who had identified him.

Investigators have said Golsteyn and another soldier eventually took the suspect back to his house and killed him. They then burned the body.

A third controversial case involves Nicholas Slatten, 35, who worked as a security guard for the US private military contractor Blackwater and was convicted in December of killing a teenaged Iraqi civilian in the 2007 Nisour Square massacre in Baghdad, which sparked global outrage.

"Bad message. Bad precedent. Abdication of moral responsibility. Risk to us," tweeted retired Army general Martin Dempsey.

"The wholesale pardon of US service members accused of war crimes signals our troops and allies that we don't take the law of armed conflict seriously."



Trump has used his power of pardon before, and critics say he wields it for the benefit of people who back him or his ideas.

Earlier this month, he pardoned Conrad Black, a disgraced British media mogul who served more than three years in prison in the US for fraud and obstruction of justice and is an outspoken fan of Trump.

Last year, Trump granted a full pardon to Dinesh D'Souza, a conservative author and firebrand. In 2017, Trump pardoned Joe Arpaio, a former sheriff convicted of violating a court order to halt traffic patrols that targeted suspected unauthorized immigrants.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two Assam Rifles personnel were killed and four others injured during a gunfight with a group of militants in Mon area along the Indo-Myanmar border in Nagaland on Saturday, military sources said.

A column of Assam Rifles jawans on two vehicles encountered an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) blast in the area around 1:30 pm, they said.

The blast was followed by exchange of fire between the Assam Rifles personnel and militants in which two soldiers were killed.

They said four other Assam Rifles personnel were injured in the gunfight and they were given immediate medical treatment, sources said, adding they are stable now.

The two Assam Rifles personnel killed included one junior commissioned officer (JCO).

The incident took place near border pillars 147 and 148 along the Indo-Myanmar border, sources said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Suspected cow vigilantes allegedly thrashed two persons in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni with sticks, accusing them of carrying beef, following which five accused have been arrested, police said Saturday.

The group of five 'gau rakshaks' also allegedly forced one of the victims to beat up a woman accompanying them with chappals, a police officer said.

Police also said that the three person who were beaten up have been arrested as possession and sale of beef is illegal in

In a purported video clip of the incident, which has been widely circulated on social media, the five accused can be seen beating up the two men. Later, they also forced one of the men to beat up the woman accompanying them.

The attackers also forced the three persons to raise slogans of 'Jai Shree Ram', as seen in the video.

According to police, the incident occurred on May 22 on Mandla Road in Kanhiwada area under Dunda Seoni police station limits.

Seoni Superintendent of Police Lalit Shakyawar said an FIR has been registered against the five persons under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Dunda Seoni police station, and all of them have been arrested.

Dunda Seoni police station incharge GS Uike said the three persons who were beaten up have been arrested for allegedly carrying beef as its possession and sale is banned in the state.

Uike said none of the victims sustained any serious injuries in the attack.

"The accused persons shot videos of thrashing. Police reached the spot after the incident and brought the trio along with the meat they were carrying to the police station," he said.

One of the accused uploaded the video on on May 23, but later withdrew it following a sharp reaction from various quarters, he said.

However, police took cognisance of the clip and traced the accused persons.

Meanwhile, the SP said police seized 140 kg red meat, suspected to be beef, from the trio. Police also seized a three-wheeler and a scooter from them.The race to become Britain's next premier opened Saturday with an array of hopefuls promising to succeed where Theresa May failed and finally pull the divided country out of the EU.

But European leaders insisted they had made their final offer during months or acrimonious negotiations that resulted in an unpopular compromise for which May ended up paying with her job.

The British prime minister's voice broke on the steps of her Downing Street office when she told Britons on Friday that she was quitting on June 7.

May is bowing out with her legacy in tatters and the country in agony over what to do about voters' decision in 2016 to abandon the European integration project after nearly 50 years.

The markets view the risk of Britain crashing out of the bloc when the twice-delayed departure date arrives on October 31 as uncomfortably high.

The pound has been steadily losing value since May 6 and British business lobbies are raising the alarm.

Their main concern is that current frontrunners to head May's Conservative Party say they will get Brexit done at any cost.

"We will leave the EU on October 31, deal or no deal," said former foreign minister Boris Johnson in a speech delivered Friday in Switzerland.

"The way to get a good deal is to prepare for no deal. To get things done you need to be prepared to walk away." Johnson's main challenges will come from former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab -- viewed as an even more committed eurosceptic -- and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Britain's top diplomat had bitterly opposed Brexit in 2016 but has since reversed himself and made headlines in September by comparing the European Union to the evils of the former Soviet Union.

The contest is being held against the backdrop of European Parliament elections that the new Brexit Party of the anti-EU populist Nigel Farage is expected to win with about a third of the vote.

Polls show the Conservatives getting punished for their bickering over Brexit and finishing as low as fifth -- their worst result in a national election.

The contenders are also mindful of a party revolt over May's fateful decision to court the pro-EU opposition with the promise of a second Brexit referendum. The concession was designed to help ram her withdrawal agreement through parliament on the fourth attempt.

But it won her no converts and sparked a party coup attempt that forced May to walk away before she was pushed out.

This prompted more EU-friendly hopefuls such as Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd to concede Saturday that they stood no chance and would not vie for the job.

"I am conscious the Conservative Party wants someone who they believe is very enthusiastic about Brexit," Rudd told The Daily Telegraph. Johnson is a popular figure viewed by many Conservatives as the party's best answer to Farage.

But a long political career that also saw him serve as London's cosmopolitan mayor has made him enemies in parliament who will try to block his rise to the top.

Parliamentary party members will begin whittling down the field of contenders to a final two on June 10.

The finalists will go up for a vote in a ballot held across Britain by around 100,000 party members with three months' standing in July.

The field grew on Saturday when Health Secretary Matt Hancock entered the race with a promise to take a more moderate approach.

Leaving the European Union without an agreement is "not an active policy choice that is available to the next prime minister," Hancock told Sky Hancock is view as one of the dark horses who might make it through a crowded field that is expected to include more than a dozen names.

International Development Secretary Rory Stewart is also positioning himself as a more consensus seeking alternative to Johnson. "It now seems that (Johnson) is coming out for a no-deal Brexit," Stewart told BBC radio.

"I think it would be a huge mistake. Damaging, unnecessary, and I think also dishonest." Yet neither Hancock nor Stewart would say if they would push ahead with May's current agreement or try to secure added concessions from Brussels.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte -- seen as one of Britain's better allies in Europe -- told reporters Friday that "the withdrawal agreement is not up for renegotiation".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Britain's frontrunner in the prime ministerial race, Boris Johnson, wants an "even closer" partnership between India and the UK after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "emphatic" victory.

Johnson is the former foreign secretary in the Cabinet led by Theresa May, who is set to formally resign on June 7 triggering a leadership contest for the new leader who will take over from her as British prime minister.

The 54-year-old pro-Brexiteer is seen as leading the race for his decisive within the influential wing of the party and has often spoken out in favour of closer India-UK trade relations once the UK has left the (EU).

"Congratulations Narendra Modi on your emphatic victory in Indian Election results 2019. A strong endorsement for your optimistic vision of New India," Johnson said in his message for Modi soon after the results of the NDA's landslide victory on Thursday.

"Let's look forward to an even closer partnership between UK-India in the years ahead," he said.

The Indian elections continue to resonate in the UK, with senior politicians and entrepreneurs effusive in their praise for the world's largest democratic exercise.

"Narendra Modi's victory in the Indian elections this week is not only the biggest democratic mandate of any leader in the world, in a subcontinent with more than 900 million eligible voters it's also a vindication of the relationship that successive British prime ministers, led by David Cameron, have built up with the fastest growing country in the G20, said Lord Jitesh Gadhia, an Indian-origin peer in the House of Lords.

Leading NRI entrepreneur Gopichand P Hinduja welcomed the "momentous and resounding election victory" and called on the re-elected Indian government to connect more with the non-resident Indian community.

The Co-Chairman of the multi-billion transnational Hinduja Group valued at over 22 billion pounds in this year's 'Sunday Times Rich List', said: "This is a vote for economic stability, aspiration for young India and vindication of his strong leadership in his first term in office.

"India's global NRI community are an integral part of this growth story they are India's unpaid Ambassadors and should be able to invest on par with resident Indians.The US ambassador to China urged Beijing to engage in substantive dialogue with exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama during a visit to the Himalayan region over the past week.

An embassy release Saturday said Terry Branstad also expressed concerns about Chinese government interference in Tibetan Buddhists' freedom to organize and practice their religion. It said Branstad also raised long-standing concerns about the lack of consistent access to the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

The rare visit to the TAR and neighbouring Qinghai province ran Sunday through Saturday.

China tightly restricts access to Tibet by foreigners, especially journalists and diplomats. In response to those restrictions, the U.S. Congress last year passed an act that would deny entry to the United States for those involved in formulating or enforcing such policies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The US ambassador to China has called on Beijing to open a "substantive dialogue" with the Dalai Lama in remarks made this week during a rare visit to Tibet, his embassy said Saturday.

Terry Branstad visited northwest China's Qinghai province -- home to many Tibetans -- as well as the Tibet Autonomous Region, where access is restricted for diplomats and journalists.

"He encouraged the Chinese government to engage in substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, without preconditions, to seek a settlement that resolves differences," an embassy spokesman told AFP via email.

China is accused by human rights groups of repressing Tibet's religion and culture, and cracking down on separatism.

Beijing says it protects religious freedom and has invested heavily to modernise the region and raise living standards.

Since fleeing to India in 1959 following a failed uprising in the Tibetan capital Lhasa, the Dalai Lama has been trying to reach a compromise with the Chinese government over the fate of his people.

Having initially called for Tibet's independence, the Buddhist leader is now campaigning for greater autonomy. But negotiations with Beijing have stalled since 2010.

Observers accuse China of running down the clock until the death of the 83-year-old religious leader.

During his visit to Lhasa, Branstad visited the Potala Palace -- the former residence of the Dalai Lama -- as well as Tibetan Buddhism's holiest temple, the more than 1,300-year-old Jokhang.

He met with senior Tibetan religious and cultural leaders.

"He also expressed concerns regarding the Chinese government's interference in Tibetan Buddhists' freedom to organise and practice their religion," the embassy spokeswoman said.

"The Ambassador raised our long-standing concerns about lack of consistent access to the Tibetan Autonomous Region," she added.

In order to visit Tibet, foreigners require a special permit. For tourists it is usually relative easy to obtain, but for diplomats and in particular journalists it is more difficult.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)US President Donald Trump's administration on Friday announced plans to roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender people in the healthcare system, provoking an outcry from rights groups.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed removing a provision of the Affordable Care Act introduced by former president Barack Obama in 2016 that defined discrimination "on the basis of sex" to include gender identity.

Gender identity was defined as whether an individual considered themselves "male, female, neither, or a combination of male and female." But the measure was blocked after several states and healthcare entities sued.

The proposed new rule would define gender identity in healthcare law "to conform with the plain understanding recognized by the court," the HHS said.

"When Congress prohibited sex discrimination, it did so according to the plain meaning of the term, and we are making our regulations conform," said Roger Severino of the HHS Civil Rights Office.

The move was slammed by rights groups.

"Nobody should be turned away from medical care, with their health and lives put at risk, because of who they are," the National Center for Transgender Equality said in a statement.

According to a 2015 study, nearly one-quarter (23 per cent) of transgender respondents reported that they did not seek the health care they needed in the year prior due to fear of being mistreated.

Louise Melling, deputy legal director with the American Civil Liberties Union, said, "This move by the Trump administration is nothing less than an act of violence against those whose healthcare needs have historically been ignored, neglected and dismissed."



Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, called on the Trump administration to reverse its stance, saying it "is endangering transgender people at some of the most vulnerable and life-threatening moments of their lives."



"All Americans, regardless of who they are, deserve respect and access to care and support when they are most in need," she said in a statement.

After HHS makes a proposal, it is opened for a public comment period and is then published in the Federal Register, the official journal that contains government agency rules.

The proposal goes into effect 60 days later.

Last month, the Trump administration's ban on transgender Americans serving in the military came into force, saying the group posed "too great a risk to military effectiveness and lethality.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An organisation of actors and technicians of West Bengal on Saturday threatened to launch an agitation, if the due wages of around 180 of its members, who are working in four Bengali TV serials, are not paid immediately.

Their wages are due for several months and the cumulative amount has become Rs 1.33 crore, West Bengal Motion Picture Artists Forum, the apex body of television and film artists and technicians in the state, said.

Holding a joint press conference here, the Fourm's Working President Prosenjit Chatterjee and General Secretary Arindam Ganguly said even after the four Bengali serials, themed on mythology, were handed over from one producer to another, the wages due to the artistes and technicians remained unpaid.

After taking over the four TV serials, the new producer assured them that their wages remained safe with the channel, but they did not get it.

"It very painful to the technicians and artistes, particularly those who are not so popular but contribute equally to the serials. If the issue is not resolved soon, we will resort to agitation," Chatterjee and Ganguly said.

The previous producer of the four TV serials also did not deposit Rs 20-25 lakh deducted as TDS from the salary of the technicians to the government, the two office bearers of the Forum claimed.

In 2018 also there was a stalemate for non-payment of wages of TV serial artistes and it was resolved following intervention of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Chatterjee said they were also thinking about taking up the issue with the state government, if it was not resolved soon.

The producer of the four TV serials could not be contacted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Four persons, including two women, were arrested from Punjab's Patiala district for allegedly duping around 200 people of a total of over Rs 60 lakh on the pretext of providing jobs abroad, police said Saturday.

The accused -- identified as Ishpreet Singh (22), Karan Kumar (28) and Akansha (22), residents of Patiala and Palak Sachdeva (22), a resident of Uttam Nagar -- were arrested on Wednesday, they said.

Total 148 passports, one car, 13 mobile phones and 35 SIM cards were recovered from possession of the accused, police said.

"On May 19, Vijay, a resident of Sikar in Rajasthan, lodged a case at Janakpuri Police Station where he alleged that he contacted Black Stone Immigration Services for job on May 17 after seeing an online advertisement," Monika Bhardwaj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West), said.

The complaint said he came to the company's office at Janakpuri on April 24.

There he met one Akanksha who took Rs 14,160 in advance on the pretext of providing him a job in Canada.

She claimed that the hiring process was initiated and charged Rs 6,000 more to conduct Vijay's medical checkup.

After completing all formalities, the accused demanded Rs 1 lakh from Vijay, who paid them Rs 20,000 in cash and transferred Rs 80,000 to their bank account, a senior police officer said.

The complainant was asked to wait for one month till he got his visa and air ticket, police said.

During investigation, police analysed the call details records of the suspected phone numbers but it surfaced that the numbers were used only for tele-calling and no other clue was available, Bhardwaj said.

However, police were tipped off about the presence of the accused in Punjab.

Raids were conducted in several areas of Punjab and the accused were arrested on Wednesday, police said.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they used to lure people on the pretext of ensuring foreign work visa and job abroad. After collecting money and passports from many people, they absconded, the DCP said.

The accused admitted to have duped around 200 people of Rs 60 to 70 lakh. Those duped were from Delhi and states many other states including Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, the DCP added.

Ishpreet Singh, who has a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from Patiala College, and one Kaka are the mastermind of the gang. Singh came to Delhi in 2016 and started working as a consultant. Later, he opened his own office and started duping people, police said.

Efforts are on to trace other people who were targeted by the gang, police said, adding they are conducting raids to nab absconding accused Kaka.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)YSR Congress Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister designate Y S Jaganmohan Reddy is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital on Sunday.

Reddy, whose party stormed to power with a landslide victory in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, is likely to discuss providing outside or issue-based support to the Modi government in the meeting, sources said Saturday.

The meeting assumes importance as the YSRCP chief during the election campaign had said that his party would support whoever promises Andhra Pradesh the Special Category Status.



According to an official source, the YSRCP chief will arrive in the national capital tomorrow morning and will meet the prime minister at noon.

After meeting Modi, he is expected to interact with Andhra Bhawan officials here, the source added.

Reddy will take oath as new Chief Minister of the state on May 30 in Vijayawada.

Earlier Saturday he wa unanimously elected as the leader of the YSRC legislature party.

In a spectacular performance, Reddy's party had won 151 of 175 Assembly seats and 22 Lok Sabha seats out of 25 in Andhra Pradesh, the for which were held on April 11.Barring a few incidents of clashes between youths and security forces at some places, the situation in Kashmir remained peaceful on Saturday in the aftermath of the killing of Zakir Musa, officials said.

Musa, the so-called chief of an Al-Qaeda affiliate in the Valley, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district on Friday.

"The situation remained peaceful and totally under control today (Saturday)," the officials said.

They said a few incidents of mild clashes took place at a few places like Batamaloo in Srinagar and in Pulwama district.

These incidents were controlled by the security forces and the situation returned to normal in these areas after some time, the officials said.

Following the improvement in the overall situation, they said, mobile internet services were restored in some parts of the valley in the evening.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)On a recent afternoon at the Lao Thai Kitchen restaurant, the telephone rang and the caller ID read Google Assistant. Jimmy Tran, a waiter, answered the phone. The caller was a man with an Irish accent hoping to book a dinner reservation for two on the weekend. This was no ordinary booking. It came through Google Duplex, a free service that uses artificial intelligence to call restaurants and  mimicking a human voice  speak on our behalf to book a table. The feature, which had a limited release about a year ago, recently became available to a larger number of ...The Goods and Services Tax (GST) department officers have arrested the top executives of Vadodara-based Manpasand Beverages for creating fake company units and committing tax invasion.

Manpasand Beverages' Managing Director Abhishek Singh, his brother Harshvardhan Singh and the Chief Financial Officer Paresh Thakkar have been arrested by the Central GST (CGST) and Customs, Vadodara-II, according to a press release by the CGST.

As per the statement, the authority carried out raids on several premises of Manpasand Beverages on May 23 (Thursday).

"The searches unearthed a huge racket of creating fake/dummy units for availing fraudulent credit and committing tax evasion of Rs 40 crores and involving turnover of Rs 300 crore," said the press release.

"The continuing investigation has unearthed a network of more than 30 fake units located in various parts of the country which were used for committing fraud by availing illegal credit. The investigation regarding the ultimate beneficiary of the fraud and web of shell companies is under progress," as per the statement.

Manpasand Beverages is a listed firm which has a market capitalisation of Rs 1,200 crore.

The fruit juice maker company owns brands such as MangoSip, Fruits Up, Manpasand ORS, and OXY Sip. Manpasand's MangoSip brand was the second- largest selling mango drink in India in 2014.US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have agreed to meet at the G-20 Summit in Japan next month as both the leaders pledged to further strengthen the US-India strategic partnership and build on the achievements of the last two years.

Trump telephoned Modi to congratulate him on the historic electoral victory in the Lok Sabha polls, the White House said Friday.

Prime Minister Modi on Thursday led his Bharatiya Janata Party to a landmark victory for a second five-year term in office, winning 302 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

"The leaders look forward to seeing one another at the G-20 Summit in Osaka, where the US, India, and Japan will hold a trilateral meeting to pursue their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," the White House said.

The G-20 Summit meeting is slated for June 28 and 29.

China is flexing its muscles in the South China Sea (SCS) which serves as a passage for annual trade worth USD 3.5 trillion. The US and China are locked in a tussle for the commercial control of the SCS.

China claims almost all of the strategic SCS with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam pushing competing claims to parts of the resource-rich maritime region. The US, Japan and India do not have any territorial claims there.

The US and India have made enormous strides together which include the expansion of bilateral defence cooperation and combined military exercises, the historic civil nuclear deal, the nearly six-fold increase in US-India trade, the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative and the designation of India as a Major Defence Partner.

Later speaking to reporters at the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One on his way to Japan, Trump said, "I just spoke to Prime Minister Modi and I gave him my warmest regards and congratulations.

"I just conveyed congratulations on behalf of our country, myself and everybody. He had a great election win. He is a friend of mine. We have a very good relationship with India".

In a tweet, later, Trump hailed Modi as a "great man and leader for the people of India"."Just spoke to Prime Minister @NarendraModi where I congratulated him on his big political victory. He is a great man and leader for the people of India - they are lucky to have him!" he tweeted.

The White House said that the President and Prime Minister pledged to continue to strengthen the United States-India strategic partnership, building on the achievements of the last two years.

Earlier on Thursday, congratulating Prime Minister Modi on his "BIG" election victory on Twitter, Trump said that "great things" are in store for the Indo-US strategic ties under his second innings.

"Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. I look forward to continuing our important work together!" Trump had said.

Modi had responded saying, "I too am looking forward to working closely with you for closer bilateral ties, which also augur well for global peace and prosperity."

The PM had also thanked US Vice President Mike Pence, who congratulated him saying he looked forward to working with India.

"Thank You @VP. This is a victory of democracy, which India and the US cherish. I will continue to promote our partnership with the US for peace and shared prosperity for our two countries and the world," Modi tweeted Friday.

Also Read: Surat Fire Tragedy: Coaching centre owner held; CM Vijay Rupani orders fire safety audit of schools, colleges

Also Read: Sprinter Hima Das secures first division in Assam Class 12th board examLok Sabha results 2019 Live Updates: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Sunday offered to quit her position and work as Trinamool Congress chief.The statement comes after BJP gained ground in West Bengal in the recently held Lok Sabha election.

Meanwhile, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meet today but his offer was unanimously rejected, the party said in press briefing after the meeting. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said: "Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation but it was rejected by the members of CWC unanimously." On the party's poll debacle in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, senior Congress leader AK Antony said he didn't the party's performance was disastrous and that the party would surely discuss everything in detail and would come out with a solution. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said Rahul had given the party a solid leadership, which it was visible to the people of India. "Sure we have lost but that our fight is not on numbers but ideology," he added. Meanwhile, after a thumping victory in Lok Sabha election 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Varanasi, his constituency, in Uttar Pradesh on May 28 followed by Gujarat where he will also go to thank the voters as the state has once again given all 26 seats to BJP.

Also Read: What does the stock market want? Here's a wishlist, Mr Modi!

Follow the Lok Sabha Election Results 2019 LIVE updates here:

5.30 PM: "The central forces worked against us. An emergency situation was created. Hindu-Muslim division was done and votes were divided. We complained to the EC but nothing was looked into," says Mamata Banerjee.

5.30 PM: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee: "I told at the beginning of the meeting that I don't want to continue as the Chief Minister."

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee: I told at the beginning of the meeting that I don't want to continue as the Chief Minister. pic.twitter.com/KZvH9oyTec - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

4.31 PM: The Congress president has been authorised to do a complete overhaul of the party, says Randeep Singh Surjewala.

4.23 PM: "Rahul has given the party a solid leadership, and it was visible to the people of India. Sure we have lost but that our fight is not on numbers but ideology. Rahul had told party members that he takes responsibility for the party's performance but the decision was rejected by all the CWK members unanimously," says senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

4.15 PM: "I don't think party's performance wasdisastrous but we will discuss everything in detail and we are sure we'll comeout with a solution," says Congress leader AK Antony.

4.10 PM: The CWC has given Congress President the right to makes changes to restructure the party, a plan for this will be brought soon.

Randeep Surjewala, Congress: CWC has given Congress President the right to makes changes to restructure the party, a plan for this will be brought soon. pic.twitter.com/FLrjppRofG - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

4.09 PM: Party President Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation but it was rejected by the members of CWC unanimously, says Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala.

4.07 PM: "We thank everyone who has backe the party," says Congress leader Randeep Surjewala.

4.05 PM: The Congress party addressing a press conference in Delhi.

3.45 pm: TMC review meet shortly.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief Mamata Banerjee is going to chair a party review meet at 4 pm. All TMC MPs and senior party functionaries are going to attend the meet.

3.25 PM: Here's what senior Congress leader Ambika Soni said when asked about Rahul's resignation.

#WATCH Ambika Soni, Congress on whether party president Rahul Gandhi's leadership was questioned at the CWC meeting says, "Not at all." pic.twitter.com/xLzYGauvpg - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

3.10 PM: The prime minister is likely to call on the President at around 8 pm and before that, leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would meet Kovind at around 7 pm, the sources said. The NDA returned to power with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections with the BJP alone bagging 303 of total 542 seats contested. Elections were held in 542 of the 543 seats. The election in Vellore Lok Sabha seat was cancelled by the EC citing abuse of money power. -- PTI

3.06 PM: The meeting of the Congress Working Committee has ended. The party may soon hold a press briefing.

Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and other party leaders leave after the CWC meeting concludes. pic.twitter.com/jrN25Ac5Co - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

2.53 PM: BJP MP Roopa Ganguly on the party's recent win in Gujarat Rafale review petitions case: "The Centre had yesterday filed its written submissions to the Supreme Court stating that all the review petitions seeking investigation into the Rafale deal should be dismissed."-- ANI

2.40 PM: Here's how the state of UP voted in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

2.35 PM: Mahagathbandhan vote share in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

2.23 PM: Here's a party-wise list of victorious candidates.

2.21 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stake claim to form a new govt around 8 PM today, reports India Today.

2.12 PM: Congress Working Committee meets at AICC Delhi to take stock of the Lok Sabha results and chart the course forward.

Congress Working Committee meets at AICC Delhi to take stock of the Lok Sabha results and chart the course forward. pic.twitter.com/jGRwHJRw6H - Congress (@INCIndia) May 25, 2019

2.11 PM: Congress candidate from Aska Assembly seat in Odisha's Ganjam district, Manoj Jena who was shot by unknown miscreants three days ago succumbed to injuries during treatment, police said on Saturday. At least four motorcycle-borne miscreants fired at the 37-year-old Congress leader in Lanjipalli area under Baidyanathpur police station limits in Ganjam district on Wednesday evening. After firing, the miscreants had slit the throat of Jena, police said.

2.08 PM: Odisha is sending 33 per cent women (seven) to the Lok Sabha after the just held General Elections. --IANS

2.07 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanks the staff of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and their families for supporting him during his tenure in the office and asked them to gear up for the second term.

Prime Minister #NarendraModi on May 25 thanked the staff of the Prime Minister's Office (#PMO) and their families for supporting him during his tenure in the office and asked them to gear up for the second term.#LokSabhaElectionresults2019 Photo: IANS pic.twitter.com/ZgrSyXPcIC - IANS Tweets (@ians_india) May 25, 2019

2.01 PM: YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy has been elected as the Legislative party leader of Andhra Pradesh. His party stormed to emphatic victory in the Assembly as well as Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh.

1.55 PM: Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam and Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat arrive for the NDA meeting.

Delhi: Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam and Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat arrive for NDA meeting, to be held today. pic.twitter.com/PDfWkk9ltE - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

1.54 PM: Gautam Gambhir on voter ID card row: "Main CM sahab ko bolna chahunga ki chunaav aenge-jaenge. Jis din aap apna zameer aur imaan haar jaenge us din sab haar jaenge. Ek seat jeetne ke liye agar aap aisa ghinona arop laga sakte hain to mere pas zyada shabd nahi hain un ke baare main baat karne ke liye."

Gautam Gambhir: Main CM sahab ko bolna chahunga ki chunaav aenge-jaenge. Jis din aap apna zameer aur imaan haar jaenge us din sab haar jaenge. Ek seat jeetne ke liye agar aap aisa ghinona arop laga sakte hain to mere pas zyada shabd nahi hain un ke baare main baat karne ke liye pic.twitter.com/W1POxEKHOi - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

1.30 PM: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora submits the list of winners of Lok Sabha Elections 2019 to President Ram Nath Kovind.

#WATCH Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora submits the list of winners of #LokSabhaElections2019 to President Ram Nath Kovind. pic.twitter.com/eDGiCtDmVS - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

12.30 am: Rahul Gandhi offers resignation as Congress Chief at CWC meet.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi offered to put his resignation papers at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting Saturday. Meanwhile, the top leaders of the party persuaded him not to resign. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Priyanka Gadhi Vadra, General Secretary UP (East) too tried to convince him not to resign.Top Congress leaders from across the country Saturday got together to review the Lok Sabha election 2019 drubbing, as the party's highest decision-making body met here.

10.30 am: New Lok Sabha has close to 50% MPs with criminal record, Congress MP from Idukki has 204 cases.

The chances of winning for a candidate with declared criminal cases in the Lok Sabha 2019 is 15.5% whereas for a candidate with a clean background, it is 4.7%. This is due to the fact that the 17th Lok Sabha will have close to half of its new Members of Parliament with declared criminal cases. Out of the 539 winners analysed in Lok Sabha 2019, 233 MPs have declared criminal cases against themselves. This is an increase of 44% in the number of MPs with declared criminal cases since 2009. Congress MP Dean Kuriakose from Idukki constituency in Kerala has declared 204 criminal cases against himself.

As per the self sworn affidavits submitted by the candidates at the time of filing nominations, the new Lok Sabha has surpassed the previous two in electing MPs with criminal records. Out of 542 MPs analysed during Lok Sabha elections in 2014, 185(34%) Winners had declared criminal cases against themselves while out of 543 Winners analysed during Lok Sabha elections in 2009, 162(30%) had declared criminal cases against themselves. But this time its close to half. Out of the 539 winners analysed in Lok Sabha 2019, 233 (43%) MPs have declared criminal cases against themselves.

10.00 am: PM Modi to visit his mother in Gujarat on Sunday, Varanasi on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Gujarat Sunday evening to seek the blessings of his mother after his BJP-led NDA returned to power with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections. On Monday, he will be in Varanasi, the LS seat he retained in the elections by a margin of 4.79 lakh votes. "Will be going to Gujarat tomorrow evening, to seek blessings of my Mother. Day after tomorrow morning, I will be in Kashi to thank the people of this great land for reposing their faith in me," the prime minister tweeted.

Will be going to Gujarat tomorrow evening, to seek blessings of my Mother. Day after tomorrow morning, I will be in Kashi to thank the people of this great land for reposing their faith in me. - Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 25, 2019

9.15 am: Bill Gates congratulates PM Modi on his historic win.

American business magnate Bill Gates Friday congratulated PM Modi on his re-election in Lok Sabha election 2019. Gates also expressed confidence in the Prime Minister's ability to "significantly improve the lives of many."

"Congratulations @NarendraModi on a remarkable win in #IndianElections2019. Your continued commitment to improve health, nutrition, and development will significantly improve lives of many. @BJP4India," Gates tweeted.

PM Modi also thanked him on twitter and said that the new government will work all the more on the two priority areas of healthcare and nutrition. "Glad that you mention healthcare and nutrition, which are priority areas for the Government of India. We have made remarkable strides in these sectors during the last five years and in this term, we will do even more," PM Modi tweeted.

Thank you @BillGates. Glad that you mention healthcare and nutrition, which are priority areas for the Government of India. We have made remarkable strides in these sectors during the last five years and in this term, we will do even more. https://t.co/juHHWH5yot - Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2019

9.00 am: Its raining congratulations for PM Modi, Bollywood wishes pour on Twitter.

Thank you. I appreciate your good wishes @BeingSalmanKhan. https://t.co/Vlfz6T7nNn - Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2019

8.48am: Shahrukh Khan congratulates PM Modi for his historic win in the Lok Sabha election 2019.

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan Friday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for BJP's super-sized Lok Sabha victory. Congratulating the PM, SRK tweeted, "We - as proud Indians - have chosen an establishment with great clarity and now we need to get behind it and work with it to have our hopes and dreams fulfilled. The Electoral Mandate and Democracy is a winner. Big congratulations to PM @narendramodi ji, @BJP4India and its leaders." PM Modi thanked Khan on twitter as well. Several other Bollywood celebrities, including Rajinikanth, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Kangana Ranaut, Karan Johar, Varun Dhawan, Shilpa Shetty, Abhishek Bachchan, Arjun Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor had also congratulated Modi on social media after the BJP's massive win. Modi had requested Bollywood actors to create high voter awareness and participation ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

Thank you @iamsrk. Looking forward to building on the work done in the last five years to fulfil people's aspirations. https://t.co/tsHzq1ijVS - Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2019

8.40 am: NDA Parliamentary Party meet to be held today at 5 pm.

"Please note that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Parliamentary Party will meet in Central Hall tomorrow, 25 May, at 5pm," BJP tweeted.

Please note that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Parliamentary Party will meet in Central Hall tomorrow, 25 May, at 5pm. - BJP (@BJP4India) May 24, 2019

8.30 am: French President Emmanuel Macron congratulates PM Modi.

"The largest democracy in the world has voted. I warmly congratulate Prime Minister @NarendraModi. I look forward to meeting him again soon and deepening our India-France strategic partnership,"the French President tweeted.

The largest democracy in the world has voted. I warmly congratulate Prime Minister @NarendraModi. I look forward to meeting him again soon and deepening our India-France strategic partnership. https://t.co/jxW5HlLgkt - Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 23, 2019

8.15 am: Newly elected Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan met UP CM Yogi Adityanath Friday.

Lucknow: Newly elected Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan met Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/SrGjzziuGc - ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 24, 2019

8.00 am: The Union Council of Ministers to continue in office till the new Government is formed.

PM Narendra Modi met the President Friday and tendered his resignation along with the Council of Ministers. The President accepted the resignation and requested Narendra Modi and the Council of Ministers to continue till the new Government assumes office.

Prime Minister @narendramodi called on President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Prime Minister tendered his resignation along with the Union Council of Ministers pic.twitter.com/zuUhC6pWfH - President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 24, 2019

7.45 am: The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday gave its approval to the resolution advising the President to dissolve the Sixteenth Lok Sabha, which was constituted on 18 May, 2014.Former chairman of cash-strapped Jet Airways Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal were denied permission to fly abroad from the Mumbai airport today, news agency PTI reported. Goyal and his wife were travelling on a Dubai-bound Emirates flight (EK 507) when the immigration authorities stopped them and denied permission to fly.

The agency also quoted Jet Airways sources saying that the couple was travelling with four big-sized suitcases. "The checked-in baggage (suitcases) was in the name of Anita Goyal," the source added. After the immigration authorities' decision, their baggage was also offloaded. Their flight was scheduled to depart at 3.35 pm but the couple was not granted permission.

Naresh Goyal (file pic) and his wife Anita Goyal, travelling from Mumbai to outside India, on an Emirates flight, were restricted from leaving the country by immigration. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/Um72nWXWkh - ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

Though there's no clarity as to why the Goyals were stopped from flying, Naresh Goyal was apparently travelling for a meeting with executives of Gulf carrier Etihad and the Hinduja Group on the airline's revival plan. The airline company, which shut down its operations last month after it failed to get an immediate fund infusion of around Rs 1,500 crore, has not paid salaries to its employees for the past several months. The latest action against the Goyals comes after Jet Airways officers and staff association president Kiran Pawaskar last month approached the Mumbai Police to stop them and other top officials of the company from leaving India.

Also read: Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube resigns a day after CFO Amit Agarwal quit company

"Emirates is co-operating fully with relevant authorities & we abide by the laws of various countries we operate in," an Emirates spokesperson later said in a statement.

Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal had resigned from the Jet Airways board on March 25, transferring the control to the lenders led by the State Bank of India. Top five executives of the airline, including CEO Vinay Dube, already resigned from the airline citing "personal reasons".The company ceased operations temporarily around mid-April due to an acute liquidity crisis.

ALso read: Jet Airways revival plan: Etihad puts debt write-down on the list

Jet Airways has an overall debt of over Rs 8,500 crore. Even after four months of constant talks over finding a bidder for the debt-ridden airline, no consensus has been built so far. As per recent reports, Hindujas Group and Gulf carrier Etihad Airways have also failed to reach a deal on the crisis-hit airline. Earlier speculations were rife that Hinduja Group might bid for the grounded airline after getting the approval of its key stakeholders, including founder Naresh Goyal and Etihad.

Also Read: Hinduja Group set to bid for Jet Airways this week

Also Read: From top-level exodus to stock crash: Jet Airways' crisis continues to get worse

Edited by Manoj SharmaIn a bid to put the government's asset monetisation plan on fast track, the govt has decided to offer 550 km of roads to private firms to operate and collect toll charges. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will invite bids for the roads under the toll-operate-transfer (TOT) plan in Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand next month, expecting to fetch about Rs 5,000 crore.

"Details of the third round of auctions are expected to be finalised soon and bids will be invited in a month," an official told The Economic Times.

The Modi government introduced the TOT model in 2016 to monetise publicly funded highways. Under the programme, the long-term toll collection rights are sold to investors in return for one-time lump sum payment.

The current TOT offers a 30-year lease. The government has adopted the TOT model to help raise resources in the sector and attract private funding, which has remained subdued. The first round of TOT auctions for 680 km of highways ended in February 2018, which fetched the government over Rs 9,000 crore.

After TsuNamo II, India now awaits TsuNomy I - a rapid economic turnaround

The Macquarie Group won the auction with a bid of Rs 9,681 crore against NHAI's estimated value of Rs 6,258 crore. Brookfield Asset Management, IRB Infrastructure and Roadis-National Investment and Infrastructure Fund were among the other bidders.

However, the second auction was cancelled in February 2019 after it drew a lukewarm response. Cube Highways, a toll road operator backed by I Squared Capital and International Finance Corporation, bid Rs 4,612 crore against the base price of Rs 5,362 crore. Bids were also received from Adani Infrastructure and IRB Infrastructure in the auction.

The expectations of bidders and the government in the second round did not match, the official said. The NHAI, which has made changes to the TOT framework, expects the third round to succeed after to make it lucrative for the private sector.

It had initially planned to re-bundle the 586 km stretches offered in Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal and Bihar in the second round, but decided to offer fresh assets in the third round. "We are coming out with new stretches. A decision will be taken later as to how to re-bundle TOT round 2," the official said.

Edited by Aseem ThapliyalOur Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.

You are our people. You Care. We Care2.Photo: The Canadian Press Smoke column can be seen from the Town of High Level.

Provincial fire officials say a blaze burning near High Level continues to spread, but has not advanced toward the northwestern Alberta town.

The Chuckegg Creek fire now covers nearly 993 square kilometres, compared with 976 square kilometres on Thursday.

Some 5,000 people in High Level and surrounding communities remain out of their homes after heeding an evacuation order on the long weekend.

Crews have successfully completed a controlled burn along highways leading south and west of town to remove fuel for the wildfire.

Hundreds of firefighters are battling the blaze in the bush as well as working to protect buildings in and around the town.

Alberta Wildfire incident commander Scott Elliot has said a forecasted shift in winds early next week could push the fire toward High Level.Cardinal Zen

But the players at the time could only postulate consequences. The appeasers who signed the Munich Agreement in 1938 do not enjoy a happy legacy, but then the thought of repeating the carnage of the Great War was unspeakable. In his first use of the term, back in 1911, Churchill described "une politique d'apaisement" as a wise strategy.

A magnanimous Churchill wept at the coffin of Neville Chamberlain and eulogized: "The only guide to a man is his conscience; the only shield to his memory is the rectitude and sincerity of his actions." But if blundering by innocence is forgivable, not learning from mistakes is unconscionable. That distinguishes innocence from naivete. Experience has crafted the adage: "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."

Some future historian may impute a lack of probity to the Vatican agreement with Beijing in 2018, which conceded civil interference in the appointment of bishops. Though difficult to assess since the full text has not been published, this clearly contravenes the canonical stricture that "In the future, no rights and privileges of election, nomination, presentation, or designation of bishops are granted to civil authorities." (Code of Canon Law c. 377.5)

After Pope Pius XI realized that the Reichskonkordat of 1933 had been abused by Nazi Germany, he issued the encyclical Mit brennender Sorge"with burning indignation." Damage had been done, just as the Yalta Agreement of 1945 put Poland on the chopping block, a betrayal never forgotten by a Polish pope (Centesimus Annus, n. 24). He denounced the fallacy of communism in Warsaw in 1979, and Reagan did the same in his Westminster speech in 1982. The New York Times displayed its propensity to be fooled more than twice, by editorializing that John Paul II "does not threaten the political order of the nation or of Eastern Europe" and that Reagan was "bordering on delusional."

While the Holy See invokes two thousand years of diplomatic experience, China beats that by more than twice, and has treated the 2018 agreement as tissue, tearing down churches and persecuting faithful Catholics, not to mention banishing over a million Uighur Muslims and Falun Gong cultists to concentration camps. The issue is not theology but control. The Vatican Secretary of State said that "an act of faith is needed" for the agreement to work, but the heroic Cardinal Zen replied that a "miracle" is needed, and miracles are rare in Rome and Beijing.

Diplomacy is a delicate art, and there have been saints among Catholic emissaries, though few remember Eusebius of Murano, Conrad of Ascoli, Anastasius Apocrisarius, and Fulrad of Saint Denis. There remains the haunting specter of the only diplomat among the Twelve Apostles, "who by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place" (Acts 1:25).A Criminal Court jury on Friday found Zacarias "Carlos" Salas-Rufino guilty of second-degree murder as charged.

Judge Barry Steelman will set the sentence on July 25.

A city police officer testified on Wednesday that he found Yessica Ruiz covered with blood and her two children sobbing beside her on Sept. 26, 2016.

It was testified at an earlier hearing that Salas-Rufino had overheard Ms.

Ruiz telling another man she loved him. He said once that same man was leaving his house as he arrived home from his job as a painter.

Officer Ballinger said, after arriving at a multi-family residence on Navajo Drive, "I found a female lying on the ground covered with blood. Two children were sitting near her crying and screaming."

He added, "There was so much blood that I couldn't tell where her injuries were. She was staring toward the sky and seemed to be trying to mumble something."

The officer said he then heard Salas-Rufino down the street screaming. He said the man came running "at full speed" toward him, and he pulled his gun and told him to get on the ground.

He said the man shouted, "Help me. Help me" and then "Yessica. Yessica."

Karen Brown, who lives at the same location, said she was dressing her special needs grandchild for school when "all of a sudden I heard screaming, yelling and arguing" coming from behind the house.

She told the jury, "It just kept going. At one point she was running back and forth like she was trying to get away from him."

Then she said she heard the couple out her bedroom window in another part of the house. She said, "It got louder. I'd never heard wailing, screaming and crying like that. It sounded like she was fighting for her life."

The witness said, "At some point, it went quiet." Ms. Brown, who was outside by now, said, "She came out from around the wall, walked a little ways, then slumped down. She didn't make it far. Then she rolled over with her leg up on the wall. That's when I saw the blood coming down her leg." She then called 911.

Ms. Brown said Ms. Ruiz "didn't ever get up again. At one point she looked up at me and said, 'Help me.' "

She said she took the children with her away from their dying mother. She said, "They were very upset. I was having a hard time consoling them."

Ms. Brown said prior to the incident that the couple came up to their apartment. She said she could tell that Ms. Ruiz was upset and they had been arguing. Salas-Rufino came up after her. She said her husband then "got loud with them. He said they should go back to their apartment and settle their issues."

Tolbert Dye, another resident there, said Salas-Rufino knocked on his door around 6 a.m. that morning, wanting to come in and sit on the couch. But he said he told him he could not come in, saying he had his seven chihuahuas out. He said Salas-Rufino then walked back down the stairs. He said he appeared normal.

The witness said he went back to bed, then heard a loud boom. He said he looked out and saw Ms. Ruiz "fighting for her life."

After it was over, he said he heard Salas-Rufino hollering for help and calling for Yessica.

He said Ms. Ruiz worked at a bar as an entertainer. "She would make people laugh."

Mr. Dye said the night before the incident that they came home together, then she got dressed up and drove off in her white Nissan.

The medical examiner said the victim was stabbed 25 times.

At the prior hearing, an investigator said the defendant told him he and his wife were drinking at a club where she worked, then bought more beer while on the way home. He said they were also on meth and cocaine.

The defendant said he overheard the conversation with the other man when he got up to go to the bathroom. He said his wife was in the living room.

He said Salas-Rufino said he got a knife out of the kitchen "to scare her." Then, he said, she refused to give him her cell phone and they struggled over it.



In what has become a tradition, Tennessee American Water hosted a pool party today at Chambliss Center for Children, welcoming summer with a sparkling pool and treats for the children participating in the summer program.Tennessee American Water filled up the more than 35,000-gallon pool at no cost to Chambliss Center for Children. For generations, our service has been witness to so many of lifes moments, said Daphne Kirksey, Tennessee American Water External Affairs manager. We are happy to kick off Chambliss Center for Childrens annual pool opening with a splash party and support what they do for the community.Along with filling the pool, TAWC provided beach balls and new pool noodles for the children participating in the agencys summer camp child care program.Our kids look forward to kicking off the start of the summer break with this great party each year, said Chambliss Center for Childrens Communications Coordinator Alissa Miller.Tennessee American Water saves the agency money by filling our pool, allowing us to put what we would have spent on that towards other areas in the program, which is a tremendous help.The Chattanooga Mocs have now concluded their pre-conference basketball schedule and what a great way to do it. Facing the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders at McKenzie Arena before the second-largest crowd of the season, it took the Mocs a little while to get over the hump, but once they did, they never looked back. Taking advantage of a spirited 18-2 run midway ... (click for more)The last Monday in May, designated as Memorial Day, is often considered by residents of the United States as the first day of summer, although the official day occurs almost one month later. Families gather together to celebrate family traditions, engage in competitive games, eat copious amounts of tasty treats and enjoy conversations while sharing memories. Unfortunately, we often forget the symbolism of the day and this weekend is your chance to enjoy your time together while also reflecting on the true meaning of Memorial Day.

Here are three reminders, providing opportunities for you to have a conversation with your family or take a few minutes and join in a Memorial Day observation.



1. ITS NEVER A HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY.



We celebrate three distinct military-related holidays in the United States. Armed Forces Day, commemorated on the third Saturday in May, honors those men and women currently serving in the armed forces. Memorial Day, the final Monday in May, is a solemn day when the nation pauses to remember our military dead - - those who died during active duty or during the years post service. Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, is celebrated on November 11 and is a day to honor our living veterans and recognize their service and the sacrifices of their families.



While you should greet a current member of the military with a Happy Armed Forces Day! and a veteran with a Happy Veterans Day  Thank You for Your Service!, it is never appropriate to say Happy Memorial Day. For those families who have lost a son or daughter  husband or father in combat or in the years since, the truth is that every day is a mini-Memorial Day but Memorial Day is a day of intense and often mixed emotions. A Gold Star Mother may feel tremendous pride for her son or daughters heroism and dedication to a higher purpose and simultaneously feel intense grief. On Memorial Day, the U. S. flag on that fallen warriors grave speaks volumes about the cost of freedom and the willingness to fight tyranny and despotism that have been a part of each American generation. It is a solemn day and might appropriately include a visit to the Chattanooga National Cemetery for the commemorative service, a lighting of a candle and prayers in your place of worship or your home and a brief conversation with the younger members of your family about the purpose of the day. Then, you should indeed celebrate family and traditions - - and eat lots of great foods, especially desserts!



2. INCLUDE A MINI-HISTORY LESSON IN YOUR MEMORIAL DAY.



Of course, you would expect a historian to suggest a history lesson, but our nations commemoration of our fallen warriors has always included moments of reflection and remembrance  even long before there was a designated day known as Memorial Day. As we glance back through history, a time to mourn those who have died in service to their nation or state seems to be a universal theme.



Do you remember studying The Odyssey while in school? Recall the vivid descriptions of fallen heroes being borne home amidst the crowds saluting their valor? The monuments scattered across continents remind us of the unbelievable acts of courage and sacrifice performed by otherwise ordinary individuals in their question for liberation and self-determination of government. It is altogether proper  to borrow a phrase  that we have one day in each year when as a nation we recall those fallen warriors in every era of our history.

Consider sharing this story with your family, especially the younger members. One of the first documented instances of an event similar to our Memorial Day occurred just three weeks after the end of the Civil War. Charleston, South Carolina had been the scene of Union POW camps where several hundred prisoners had died and been buried in a mass grave near the site of the citys Citadel. On May 1, 1865, more than one thousand recently freed slaves and several regiments of the U. S. Colored Troops, including the Massachusetts 54th Infantry of Glory fame and some white Charlestonians, marched to the mass grave for a memorial ceremony including hymns, scripture readings and the scattering of wild flowers. The image of former slaves mourning at the gravesite of soldiers who had fought for their liberation strikes a chord of remembrance.



You may find among your family members a person who remembers childhood Decoration Days at the family cemetery also involving songs, flowers and perhaps a potluck dinner on the grounds. Those impromptu commemorations often occurred in late May and early June - - reminders of early Memorial Days.



3. CREATE A FAMILY TRADITION



Perhaps your family tradition is to gather for a spectacular dinner, fireworks and storytelling. Find a photograph of your grandfather who fought in World War II but died before the youngest members of the family were born. Gather photos of all the deceased veterans in your family and talk family history. Memorial Day is a perfect time for recalling the stories you remember hearing him share about each persons childhood, service, the first time he/she saw his spouse, etc. You might want to record those conversations for future viewing. How many of us wish we had captured family moments that can no longer be recalled with clarity?



You might want to visit the cemetery at some point during the day and place a few fresh flowers on the grave and have a brief conversation with your Memorial Day hero. Speaking the names of the fallen aloud helps guarantee that they will be remembered always.



Join your community in a commemorative service. Each year on Memorial Day, thousands gather at the Chattanooga National Cemetery for a service honoring the military dead. The speeches are brief, the songs are inspiring and the site of over 48,000 flags gently swaying in the breeze as they adorn the graves of our hometown men and women is breathtaking. A walk to Monument Hill and a pause at the granite reminders of those who served gives purpose to the day. A short stroll from the hillside will bring to you to the site of seven Medal of Honor recipients who rest in that hallowed cemetery. The incomparable Desmond Doss, MOH, who shunned fame and gave all the glory to his Father, lies only feet away from the hilltop flag. The courageous men of Andrews Raiders, including four MOH recipients, are buried just inside the gates on Holtzclaw Avenue. The graves of Master Sergeant Ray Duke, MOH, Korean War and Private William F. Zion, MOH, Boxer Rebellion can be identified via the Grave Site Locator outside the office. Both are prime examples of those characteristics that distinguish Medal of Honor recipients: courage, commitment, citizenship, patriotism, sacrifice and integrity. Simply standing at the intersection of Eisenhower and MacArthur, gazing at the Armed Forces Pavilion and the nearby reflecting lake, is a poignant moment.



However you choose to recall the sacrifices that have allowed our nation to continue forward toward our dream of liberty, equality and justice, it will be time well spent. Memorial Day is the perfect moment each year to reaffirm your own commitment to the completion of that dream for all citizens. Pausing during the hectic pace of our lives can provide healing and enrichment that will accompany each of us during long, hot days of a Chattanooga summer. In a year where we are commemorating the 200th birthday of Hamilton County, reflection on the past is good.

Kenneth Boyd Webb, 96, passed away on Saturday, May 25, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

He was the third of four sons born to Harlan and Ethel Webb in Rock Island, Tn. Long before Luke Skywalker, Hans Solo and Princess Leia, Boyd was born on May the 4, 1923. He and his brothers worked on the family farm, milked cows and plowed fields developing a great work ethic. The family moved to Chattanooga around 1940.

He was a product of Americas Greatest Generation and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service with General Pattons 3rd Army and the 11th Armored Division at the Battle of the Bulge in the European Theatre in World War II.

He returned from Europe to the Chattanooga area, got married and raised a family. He was a conscientious and respected employee at Combustion Engineering and in addition was an excellent center fielder and super-fast runner on their state champion softball teams.

He loved the Tennessee Volunteers and particularly the Lady Vols and Pat Summitt with whom he had corresponded several times.

In addition to traveling, Boyd and Pauline loved their church friends at Trinity Woodmore and Brainerd United Methodist Churches. They were truly servants of the Lord and spent many hours working at both churches. Boyd spent many hours and much of his own money repairing and maintaining church property.

Boyd was preceded in death by his parents, Elias Harlan and Ethel Boyd Webb and three brothers, Jack, Ray and Paul.

He is survived by his wife, Pauline; sons, Roy (Karen) Webb and Dickie (Janis) Webb; daughter, Nancy (Lars) Friis-Jensen; step-daughters, Susan (Sam) Nichols and Rebecca (Eric) Weiser; 12 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank Elmcroft Senior Living and Hearth Hospice for their care and support.

Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28, at the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 404 South Moore Road with the Reverend Genevieve DeHoog officiating. Burial will be in Chattanooga National Cemetery with military honors.

The family will receive friends from 4-6 p.m. on Monday and from 1011:30 a.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home.

Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com.Times have been tough lately for Kate Middleton and Prince William. The two royals have been in the spotlight for years now, and suddenly theyve been pushed into the limelight with the arrival of Harry and Meghan Markle. But if they feel any bitterness, theyve never expressed it outwardly. And despite whatever rumors crop up regarding their relationship with Harry and Markle, they keep it civil and stylish.



But lately, Prince William has been getting slammed with rumors of infidelity, specifically claims that he cheated on Middleton with their friend, Rose Hanbury. And its not the first time infidelity rumors have been floated around. It seems as if things havent always been perfect the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. And if the rumors of infidelity are true, one has to wonder if Middleton has ever felt frustrated enough to engage in infidelity herself.



Prince William accused  who is Rose Hanbury?

Sasha Volkova, Rose Hanbury and Katie Readman | Dave M. Benett/Getty Images

Rose Hanbury was a close friend of Kate Middletons, bearing the title Marchioness of Cholmondeley. For those not in the know (read, most everyone), a Marchioness is the wife or widow of a Marquess. Hanbury is married to David Rocksavage, movie director and 77th Marquess of Cholmondeley.



Hanburys home is actually rather close to Middleton and WIlliams country home, Amner Hall. This may be how the couples became close friends, though they were friendly enough for Hanbury and Rocksavage to attend Middleton and Williams wedding in 2011.



Hanbury, who is 23 years Rocksavages junior, is a former fashion model with Storm.



The relationship turned sour

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge | Dominic Lipinski  WPA Pool/Getty Images

According to The Sun, Kate Middleton has asked that Prince William begin phasing out their relationship with Hanbury and Rocksavage. Naturally, rumors began to circulate as to why. It wasnt long before we began to hear whispers of possible infidelity.



It is well known that Kate and Rose have had a terrible falling out. They used to be close but that is not the case any more, wrote Dan Wootton of The Sun.



Australian tabloid New Idea claims that a source informed them the rumors are false. The rumors started around Christmas that William had become just a bit too close to Rose and was infatuated with her, the insider claimed. She is a naturally flirtatious and beautiful woman and William is only human. The rumors are untrue but they got back to Kate and she hit the roof  Its very sad because they were close friends and Roses children played with Kates George and Charlotte.



Meanwhile, Middleton and Hanbury claim that theres no bad blood between them whatsoever. Cosmopolitan reports that a family source said, these hurtful rumors of a fallout are simply false. William and David [Roses husband] were in touch with each other over the weekend, not knowing whether to laugh or complain. Both wives are hurt by the suggestion that there is any argument or even a coolness between them. They have plans for future events involving their charity.



However, reporter and writer Nicole Cliff tweeted an extensive thread in which she suggests that the rumors may well be true, hence the increased efforts to suppress them.



Has Kate Middleton ever cheated?

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge | Dominic Lipinski  WPA Pool/Getty Images

Imagine, if the rumors are true, how it would feel to be Middleton. Style Caster claims that this isnt the first time Prince William has been accused of infidelity. However, what she didnt expect was to be ignored entirely by the prince at his birthday party in favor of another woman. In her book Kate: The Future Queen royal expert and biographer Katie Nicholl explain that the Duke of Cambridge spent all his time with Jecca Craig his old friend and rumored ex who had flown in from Kenya for the party.



The royal duo split briefly in 2004, around which Kate Middleton was having concerns over Williams commitment to their relationship, according to author Katie Nicholl.



Kate was beginning to question Williams commitment to their relationship, and she also had her own creeping doubts about their future after St Andrews. A number of things had caused her to question Williams commitment, although she had not raised them with him yet, wrote Nicholl in her book William and Harry.



However, it appears as if Middleton has remained truly faithful to her husband. At least, shes never made headlines about any alleged misdeeds. The closest she ever came was dating one of Williams classmates when the couple split again in 2007. Kudos to Kate.

Its been a busy few weeks for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Not only did the pair welcome their adorable firstborn child, Archie, into the world just under three weeks ago, the couple also celebrated their one year wedding anniversary this past Monday.

Prince Harry | Photo by Elisabetta A. Villa/Getty Images

Prince Harrys new title

But how is Prince Harry adjusting to his new life and his new title of family man? If his own words are to be believed, fatherhood has been a beautiful mix of surreal and serene feelings. Prince Harry addressed a crowd of reporters mere hours after baby Archie was born stating, Its been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined. But how is he feeling now that hes got a few weeks of parenting under his belt?

On Friday, Prince Harry traveled to Rome, Italy to participate in the ninth annual Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup. The new dad co-founded Sentebale, along with Prince Seeiso back in 2006. The organizations mission is to raise money and awareness for children and adolescents who are affected by HIV in southern Africa.

Dad Life

While the Prince was in Italy, he spent time with his close friend, Nacho Figueras. Figueras is an Argentine polo player and was also at the Sentebale Polo Cup to show his support for the organization. When asked about how Prince Harry is adjusting to his new life as a father, he stated the following.

Two weeks after the birth of his baby, the Duke is doing great. I saw him earlier and he is ready. He slept well and is ready to play a great game. He seems to be very happy. I think this is a very exciting part of his life. He was ready for it and he is loving it. When duty calls, he is just 24 hours away from home, and I am sure he is doing just fine. He is a wonderful father and very present and he is here for an amazing cause.

#dadgoals

Apparently, Prince Harrys amazing parenting skills come as no surprise to those who know him best. The Prince is known to be a natural with children and someone they consider to be loving and trustworthy.

Figueras continued on to confirm these beliefs by proudly stating The Duke is the kind of father I always imagined he would be. He has always had a great love for children and a great understanding of them. I noticed that becoming a father has influenced him and his dedication and love for the project is now stronger than ever. The Duke is very happy with this stage of his life and I believe he is going to enjoy it very much.

With these kind words, it seems that Prince Harry truly is the epitome of dad goals. We hope that the transition into parenthood continues to be a smooth one for both he and Markle. We are sending well wishes to the new family of three, and hope they continue to have good health and happiness.Meghan Markle is one of the newest members of the royal family, and it seems as if both the news media and the public just cant get enough of her. She is beautiful, smart, and charismatic, and most fans agree that Prince Harry picked the perfect wife.

Since she started dating Harry, Meghan has become one of the most coveted women in the entire world. She sends photographers into a frenzy whenever she makes an appearance and the clothes that she wears sell out in minutes. Not only that but fans have also been known to visit plastic surgeons and orthodontists in hopes of being able to look more like the Duchess of Sussex, and women everywhere go to great lengths to copy her hair and makeup on a regular basis.

It may come as a huge surprise that according to some polls, Meghan is not that popular in the United Kingdom. However, there are many signs that point to just how well-liked she actually is. It may be tough to figure out exactly what is going on, so lets determine whether or not everyone is wrong about Meghans popularity.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys Instagram account broke records

Meghan Markle | Chris Jackson/Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Its not every day that someone launches a record-breaking Instagram account, yet thats just what Meghan and Harry managed to do recently. It took mere hours for them to gain millions of followers, which is quite a feat. In fact, they are quickly catching up to Prince William and Kate Middletons account, even though the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have had theirs for much longer. In terms of social media, it seems as if Meghan is extremely popular, having more followers than most people could ever dream of.

Crowds line up in the streets to catch a glimpse of Meghan Markle

Meghan and Harry just celebrated their one year anniversary, and many fans have been looking back on photographs to fondly remember the big day. As we can see from the captured images, an enormous number of people came from near and far just to try to get even a quick look at Meghan as she was being driven to the ceremony and exiting the car in a dress that was just breathtaking. Those fans remained lined up throughout Windsor in hopes of catching a glimpse or even getting a wave from Meghan and Harry as they rode by in their horse-drawn carriage. As we all know, millions of people around the world, some waking up before sunrise, were watching the event on live television, gushing over the beautiful bride.

The world was excited at the birth of Baby Archie

When Meghan and Harry announced that they were expecting their first child, fans couldnt have been more excited. People were betting on everything from names to the birth weight of the baby, and many were on the edge of their seats just waiting for the announcement that Meghan had finally given birth. It seems that the entire world was focused on the expectant mother for months, which wouldnt have happened had she not had the huge fan base that she does.

Is everyone wrong about Meghans popularity?

It seems that the polls may be wrong. Meghan has an overwhelming amount of fans, something that is evident in her everyday life. People take an interest in her lifestyle, her role as a royal, and even her family drama. She draws huge crowds when she makes an appearance, and people are obsessed with everything about her. It would appear as if we shouldnt pay too much attention to the polls, and instead rely on the hard evidence that shows that Meghan is one of the most popular people in the entire world.Students and faculty of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will provide crucial weather support to 15 vintage World War II C-47s, DC-3s and variants, nicknamed Dakotas, as they cross the Atlantic to celebrate the 75th anniversary reenactment of the Normandy invasion.

This historical mission will allow me to include my students in understanding transoceanic weather support in a real-world scenario, said Professor Debbie Schaum, Associate Chair and Associate Professor of Meteorology in Embry-Riddles Applied Aviation Sciences. Professor Schaum is joined in the effort by Dr. Shawn Milrad, Dr. Daniel Halperin, and Central Florida News 13s Rob Eicher, all assistant professors of meteorology at Embry-Riddle.

Unlike modern commercial aircraft, the vintage planes are more restricted by inclement weather. They have limited internal climate control and, even more importantly, the de-icing varies by aircraft, so the pilots need to be informed of areas of potential icing.

On May 13th, 2019 the Embry-Riddle weather support team put out its preliminary assessments, defining the weather-posed challenges for the aircraft, which were scheduled to depart from Oxford, CT. on May 19th, 2019.

There are many problems with the East Coast this week, said Professor Schaum. We actually have a Noreaster off the coast of New England bringing in lots of moisture, with low ceilings and even a mix of rain and snow possible for parts of Maine and Canada.

At this point, all aircraft successfully launched from Oxford, CT. The fleet are scheduled to land for refueling in Newfoundland, Greenland, Iceland, and Scotland, at airports selected because they would have been refueling points for these aircraft during World War II as part of the original Blue Spruce route. The aircraft will then join an international fleet of Dakotas in England, before flying to France to participate in the D-Day commemorative events on June 2nd-9th, which is planned to involve a June 5th drop of 200+ parachutists outfitted in period World War II Allied uniforms into historical drop zones.

Several aircraft are currently on the ground across Goose Bay, Narsarsuaq, Reykjavik and Prestwick. We cant determine anything until the night before each planned departure, said Garrett Fleishman, an Embry-Riddle undergraduate. Fleishman is responsible for helping to connect the university to the mission to fly the planes from the United States to Europe. A pilot majoring in Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Fleishman approached Professor Schaum in January after she told a class he was in about Embry-Riddle providing weather support for the annual Air Race Classic events. She immediately agreed to help out with the transatlantic flight and recruited Milrad, Halperin and Eicher.

Shes been all for it, said Fleishman. Weve both been extremely excited and motivated to get the aircraft across safely.

Fleishman has been involved with vintage war planes, sometimes known as warbirds, for years. He started working for Tradewind Aviation while in high school. It was at Tradewind that the President of the company, Eric Zipkin, bought a C-47 that he discovered had been flown in the D-Day invasion in 1944. He began taking the airplane to air shows and educational events. From there, he and other aviation history enthusiasts formed the Tunison Foundation, specifically for the purpose of providing dynamic historical education using vintage aircraft. About 18 months ago, the foundation started organizing the plan for the C-47 and DC-3 aircraft to fly to the D-Day commemoration from the United States.

For the pilots who will cross the Atlantic in the vintage planes, Its going to be a huge adventure, regardless of their level of experience, said Fleishman.

In addition to weighing weather concerns, the flight crews will deal with maintenance issues that arise with aircraft that  although meticulously cared for  were built in the 1930s and 1940s.

We do expect things to break along the way, said Fleishman, adding that each airplane has on board its own replacement parts and tools, and at least one certified mechanic.

Although Fleishman will not make the transatlantic flight to the commemoration in a vintage plane, he will travel there and help fly while in Europe as well as on the journey back to the United States. Fleishman has a second-in-command type rating to fly the planes and is working toward a pilot-in-command type rating.

During the flight to Europe, Professor Schaums students will do basic forecasting for the planes route each day. Their information will be compared to the official briefings that Professor Schaum and her colleagues will be providing. By watching the weather the entire time the planes are in the air each day, the students will be able to participate in updating the weather conditions and forecast. This will allow the briefer to fine tune the afternoon briefing to the crews.

Professor Schaum and her colleagues are donating the time they put into providing weather support for the vintage planes. This is such a historical celebration that when I asked my colleagues to participate, they readily agreed, she said.

ABOUT EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is the worlds largest, oldest and most comprehensive institution specializing in aviation, aerospace, engineering and related degree programs. A fully accredited university, Embry-Riddle is also a major research center, seeking solutions to real-world problems in partnership with the aerospace industry, other universities and government agencies. A nonprofit, independent institution, Embry-Riddle offers more than 100 associates, bachelors, masters and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts & Sciences, Aviation, Business, Engineering and Security & Intelligence. The university educates students at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., through its Worldwide Campus with more than 135+ locations in the United States, Europe and Asia, and through online programs. For more information, visit www.embryriddle.edu, follow us on Twitter (@EmbryRiddle) and facebook.com/EmbryRiddleUniversity, and find expert videos at YouTube.com/EmbryRiddleUniv.

About the D-Day Squadron

The D-Day Squadron is the part of the Tunison Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. In June 2019, the D-Day Squadron will lead an American fleet of historic, restored C-47 World War II military aircraft in Daks Over Normandy, a flyover of more than 30 international aircraft to drop more than 200 paratroopers over the original 1944 drop zones in Normandy commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The event will honor the citizen soldiers of the War, whose bravery led the Allies to the liberation of France, and then to an end of the devastating War in Europe. The Squadrons education program takes the compelling story of the citizen soldier to audiences at airshows and events off the flight line to honor these brave Americans and ensure their memory and significance is appreciated for generations to come. The groups efforts are funded through the generous tax-deductible contribution of their supporters. Learn more at DDaySquadron.orgWhile Hollywood is typically considered a very liberal place, there are always outliers. Among them is actor Jon Voight, with whom the younger generation may not be familiar. Recently, Voight voiced his support of President Donald Trump. Discover below how he became famous, who his A-lister daughter is, and his net worth.



How did Jon Voight become famous?



Jon Voight | Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Voight has been in the business for a very long time. He began pursuing an acting career in the 1960s and first received attention for his acclaimed performances in films such as Midnight Cowboy and Coming Home. His career continued to prosper into the 80s and 90s, starring in films such as Runaway Train and Varsity Blues.



Additionally, Voight has done a fair bit of TV work. He has appeared in various TV movies, and famously guest starred as himself in an episode of Seinfeld. Since 2013, he has starred as Mickey Donovan, father to the titular character, in Ray Donovan.



He has received numerous accolades



Voight is a very accomplished actor. He received a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his third-ever film role in Midnight Cowboy. He later went on to win the award for Coming Home in 1978. Overall, Voight has been nominated for an Academy Award four times.



The actors small screen appearances have also brought him plenty of praise. Voight has been nominated for an Emmy Award three times, most recently for his role on Ray Donovan. He has also received a total of four Golden Globes Awards out of nine nominations.



Voight is the father of Angelina Jolie



Writer/Director Angelina Jolie (L) and actor Jon Voight arrive at the In the Land of Blood and Honey premiere held on December 8, 2011. | Lester Cohen/WireImage

In addition to having a thriving career himself, Voight is the father of another celebrated star: Angelina Jolie. However, the two have had a rocky relationship  in fact, they were estranged for many years, but have become closer over the past decade or so.



In fact, Voight was there for Jolie during her divorce from Brad Pitt. Hes been very good at understanding they needed their grandfather at this time, she told Vanity Fair in 2017 of Voights role in her childrens lives. The year prior, Voight had commented on how Jolie was doing in the wake of filing for divorce, and told E! News he was hoping to see [his] grandchildren for the holidays, discussing plans to see a show with them in New York.



He is a vocal supporter of President Trump



To my fellow Americans. Part 1. pic.twitter.com/srw4zXCRKJ  Jon Voight (@jonvoight) May 25, 2019

On May 24, 2019, Voight expressed his support for Donald Trump. In a set of two videos on Twitter, he spoke directly to the people of the Republican party, saying I know you will agree with me when I say our president has our utmost respect and our love. He elaborated, explaining that the job is not easy because Trump has been battling the left and their absurd words of destruction.



To my fellow Americans. Part 2. pic.twitter.com/uhqpbzwHhS  Jon Voight (@jonvoight) May 25, 2019

Voight continued in a message that led into the second video, stating that our country is stronger, safer, and with more jobs because our president has made his every move correct. He concluded, Let us stand up for this truth: That President Trump is the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln. God Bless America. And may God continue to bless this nation. Much love.



What is Jon Voights net worth?



Over his more than 50 years in Hollywood, Voight has earned quite a lot of money. His net worth is somewhere between $45 and $55 million, according to The Richest and Celebrity Net Worth.

As most royal fans know, the members of the British royal family do not use a last name, unless they refuse to use a title. Even though Kate Middleton and Meghan Markles maiden names are commonly used in the media, their official titles are Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh | Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage

When Markle gave birth to her and Prince Harrys first child on May 6th, they decided against using a courtesy title and instead named him Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Where did this name come from? And, why does it have a history that makes Prince Philip furious?

The history behind the Mountbatten-Windsor surname

The rules about royal titles and names vary based on three main factors: gender, being born a royal, and marrying into the royal family. While some of the rules have changed slightly over the years  Queen Elizabeth changed the order of succession to the throne by basing it solely on birth order without regard to gender  most rules have been the same for centuries.

The Duke of Edinburgh was actually born into the Greek and Danish royal families and known as Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. However, before announcing his engagement to the then-Princess Elizabeth, he renounced his Greek and Danish royal titles and became a naturalized British subject, adopting the surname Mountbatten from his maternal grandparents.

Here is why Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor does not have a royal title yet. https://t.co/ferFjot8p3  Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) May 21, 2019

But when Elizabeth became Queen in 1952, she decided that the royal familys surname would be Windsor instead of Mountbatten after getting advice from her grandmother, Queen Mary, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

This reportedly infuriated Prince Philip. According to The Express, he shouted Im just a bloody amoeba because he was the only man in the UK who couldnt give his children his last name.

Queen Elizabeth changed the family name for Prince Philip

By 1960, Queen Mary had passed away, and Churchill had resigned, and Queen Elizabeth decided it was time to change the name of the royal house. She decreed that her direct descendants who were not granted the title of Prince or Princess would have Mountbatten-Windsor as a last name.

With Meghan Markle and Prince Harry naming their child Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, they made it clear they opted not to use a title for their son, which would have most likely been Lord of Dumbarton, which is one of Harrys lesser titles.

I would think the Duke of Edinburgh would be absolutely thrilled with that. Archie is a lovely name, but the fact is that theyve chosen to call him Mountbatten-Windsor. Prince Philip was never allowed to call his children by his own surname. I think thats a really nice tribute to Harrys grandfather, says royal author Penny Junor.

When Queen Elizabeth dies or abdicates the throne, Archies grandfather  Prince Charles  will become King, and that means that he will automatically be granted the title of Prince Archie, but he wont be required to use it.

Archie Harrisons childhood wont be like most royals

Instead of growing up in the palace surrounded by servants who call him Lord Archie, Harry and Meghan are raising their son in Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, away from the royal spotlight. Their decision to skip a public photo call after Archies birth and instead do a private photoshoot with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip is an example of how much the couple values their sons privacy.

They have planted extra trees around Frogmore Cottage to hinder the public view, and chances are fans wont get very many opportunities to see the young royal outside of official public appearances with the rest of the family.

According to royal expert Katie Nicholl, Harry and Meghan have not yet hired a large staff to help with their newborn, even though Meghans major helper, her mom Doria Ragland, just returned to the United States.

They dont yet have a nanny or a team of staff, and theres no chef, says Nicholl. Doria has been helping out, she has been indispensable.

Harry and Meghan want to tackle parenthood on their own

Ragland will definitely play a major role in Archies upbringing, but it appears Harry and Meghan are tackling parenthood on their own, with the occasional help from grandma.

In some families in the US, grandma is a big deal. Historically, in our culture, the mother worked long hours and needed all the support with her kids that she could get, said Raglands stepmother, Ava Burrows.

Grandmas have all sorts of names  Mee-maw, Granmaw  and usually live close together with the rest of the family, playing a big part raising their grandkids. Doria is very important to Meghan and vice-versa. So, Im sure she wants to be a big part of her life and her babys life. Shell be a wonderful grandmother.

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth were some of the first family members to meet Archie Harrison, although it is not known if they have seen him since.Its been nearly twelve years since the tragic death of Kanye Wests late mother, Donda West. Donda tragically lost her life in 2007 due to a surgical procedure gone wrong. Recently, the 41-year-old rapper opened up about her death and how she would feel about his ever-expanding family.

Corey Gamble, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian-West, Kanye West, Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott | Photo by Karwai Tang/Getty Images

Recently, West was a guest on Netflixs original talk show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. In the interview, West gets personal about his life, his passions, and what his mother would think about his family life.

Kim Kardashian showed support for her husbands upcoming interview. The businesswoman shared an intimate clip with her massive Twitter following, which exceeds 60 million people. She writes, Kanye opens up to David Letterman like youve never seen him on My Next Guest, streaming on @Netflix May 31.

The clip captures a heartfelt West reminiscing and reflecting on his late mother. This would have been the funnest time of her life, he begins reverently, to have those kids running around that house, and being able to buy them toys.

West continues on to say I remember my mother bought me a bear that was multicolored, and I was very into Takashi Murakami (who is a well-known and respected Japanese artist) at the time of my third album, Graduation so she bought it and said That kinda feels like Murakami. And then I was sorta like I dont want that, it aint no Takashi Murakami bear. And then she passed a few weeks after and I did everything I could to find that bear and place that bear on top of all the Takashi Murakami stuff I had in the house. Kanye reflects before ending it with But shes here with us, and guiding us. The camera then pans to his wife who is nodding and smiling in support.

Kanye opens up to David Letterman like youve never seen him on My Next Guest, streaming on @Netflix May 31. pic.twitter.com/44HG9skLXV  Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) May 24, 2019

Though Kanye has made some questionable choices over the past several years, we have to have to agree that Donda would have loved the opportunity to be a hands-on grandmother to his adorable children. West and Kardashian recently welcomed a new baby boy into their fold by way of surrogacy. Pslam is just a few weeks old and is the youngest of the couples four children. Kardashian seems completely enamored with her newborn baby.

The KKW Beauty founder recently shared her feelings with her fans on Instagram, We celebrated our baby boy about a week ago and now hes here! Hes so perfect! Here are some pics of my CBD baby shower. I was freaking out for nothing because he is the most calm and chill of all of my babies so far and everyone loves him so much.

Psalm West pic.twitter.com/F0elQd1cJq  Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) May 17, 2019

Psalm West joins North West (the pairs first-born daughter who will be six in just a few, short, weeks), Saint West (the couples first son who is three and a half) , and Chicago Noel West (the famous couples second daughter who is just over one and shares Kardashians middle name.) The pair both seem ecstatic over the new addition to their family and admit that they might consider having more kids in the future.

But the exclusive interview with Letterman and West covers a lot more than just the rappers family. The interview also touches on the musicians passion for fashion, the music industry, his unique artistry, his feud with fellow rapper, Drake, and his very public support of Donald Trump. The interview begins streaming next Friday, May, 31 exclusively on Netflix.Prince Williams perfect marriage to Kate Middleton might be on the rocks. A few months ago, rumors surfaced that William had cheated on Middleton with a close friend of the family named Rose Hanbury. The cheating scandal made headlines, overshadowing every other storyline related to the royal family, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markles first pregnancy. New developments, however, indicate that Hanbury may not have been Williams first mistress.

Prince William and Kate Middleton | Photo by Heathcliff OMalley  WPA Pool/Getty Images

Inside Prince William and Middletons first breakup

William and Middleton met when they were enrolled at St. Andrews in 2001. The two started off as friends, though things quickly took a romantic turn and they were dating before the end of their first year together. The pair opted to keep their relationship quiet throughout their college days, though increasing pressure from the media resulted in their first split in 2004.

According to Style Caster, a new book about Middleton, titled Kate: The Future Queen, claims that Williams unfaithfulness also played a part in their breakup.

Who Is Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley? Rumors of an Affair With Prince William Rock Kensington Palace https://t.co/SlN8CG7zEq  BevyE (@brown_bevy) May 22, 2019

At Prince Williams birthday party in 20014, author Katie Nicholl says that William completely ignored Middleton in favor of another girl named Jecca Craig. The mystery girl was an old pal of William and reportedly traveled from Kenya to attend the bash. Nicholl claims that Middleton was not aware of William and Craigs romantic past and was not happy when he paid her more attention.

Kate didnt know whether they had been romantically involved or not, but she noted that Jecca had been seated at the head table next to William, whereas Kate had to raise her glass to toast the prince from afar, Nicholls shared.

Middleton gets more suspicious

Prince Williams behavior at the party was the first time Middleton questioned his faithfulness. The future Duchess of Cambridge was also aware that William was hanging out with an American named Anna Sloan, which did not help the situation.

Although Middleton did not confront William about her suspicions, she allegedly had serious doubts about their future together. Unfortunately, this was not the only time William and Middleton called it quits.

Fast forward three years and the pair once again decided to part ways. The 2007 split reportedly happened after William was caught flirting with a woman at a local bar. The incident made headlines at the time, which resulted in a blow-up fight between William and Middleton.

The fact that William was training at the Royal Military Academy did not help the situation. He also mishandled Middletons 25th birthday, which was another reason she was unhappy in the relationship.

Prince William allegedly cheats yet again

A few months ago, Prince Williams cheating ways resurfaced after reports indicated he had an affair with Rose Hanbury. William and Middleton only live a few blocks away from Hanbury and her husband, and the two couples have appeared in public together on several occasions.

The cheating rumors surfaced after the media learned of a feud between Middleton and Hanbury, and royal watchers assumed that their fight probably had something to do with William.

After the cheating scandal of Prince William sparked a huge controversy on the internet, people demanded the respond of the royal family especially from Prince William and Kate Middleton. Apparently, the famous couple was "concerned" for Rose Hanbury. https://t.co/XLnHFnmD5W pic.twitter.com/Jg0WMpjK65  Nari Tung (@NariTung) May 19, 2019

So far, no evidence has surfaced to back up the claims of an affair. Kensington Palace has not addressed the rumors, and William has not given any indication that anything is amiss in his marriage.

Even still, the cheating allegations have persisted in the media, especially considering how the royal family has scrambled to keep the quell the rumors. Given Prince Williams past behavior, it seems like Kate Middleton might have good reason to question the nature of his relationship with Hanbury.

How has Hanbury responded to the rumors?

In the weeks and months following the cheating scandal, Hanbury largely stayed out of the public eye. But once the rumors quieted, Hanbury started making public appearances once again.

In fact, Hanbury and her husband are set to host a large art display this summer. It is unclear if the couple has invited the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to the event. Considering the scandalous nature of the situation, there is a good chance William skips out.

Unfortunately, it does not seem as though the Prince William Kate Middleton cheating rumors are going to die down anytime soon. There is some hope that the attention turns to Williams younger brother, Prince Harry, who recently welcomed his first child with Meghan Markle. The former actress gave birth earlier this month to a healthy son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.Sometimes, the best way to enjoy a show is to cancel all your plans, call into work sick, and just binge on the best dramas Netflix has to offer. Some shows are just better watched in one long run.

If youre looking to veg-out, we have a list of the best shows you have to binge watch to fully appreciate.

Netflix | Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images

5. House of Cards

This political thriller stars Kevin Spacey as Frank Underwood, a Democrat Congressman from South Carolina and his wife, Claire Underwood, played by Robin Wright.

House of Cards is set in Washington DC and follows the pair as they try to obtain power by a series of deals, manipulation, and betrayal. An exploration of the perverse underworld of the political elite, the storyline focuses on themes of greed, sex, and corruption.

Why you need to binge on House of Cards: This show is amazing in its complexity, but that also means its easier to follow when watched in fewer sittings. Wait too long between episodes, and you risk forgetting those minor details that make the show so powerful.

4. Sherlock

Sir Arthur Conan Doyles famous character, Sherlock Holmes, comes to life in this modern adaptation of the classic. Sherlock is the story of a consulting detective, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, solving mysteries in modern-day London.

In this version, his sidekick, Dr. John Watson, is played by Martin Freeman, and has just returned from military service in Afghanistan. Watson writes a blog documenting their adventures, and this turns Sherlock into a reluctant celebrity.

Why you need to binge on Sherlock: Instead of the classic 60-minute format normally followed by dramas, in Sherlock, each 90-minute episode is set up like a movie. This makes watching large chunks at a time easy. Plus, we guarantee that when one ends, you wont be able to stop yourself from hitting the next episode.

3. The Walking Dead

Led by former police officer, Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln, a group of average Americans must face the world in the months and years that follow a zombie apocalypse.

The show is known for its elaborate walkers, the term used in the show for zombies. The group must stay constantly on the move, in order to stay safe from the dangerous walkers. The Walking Dead is a gritty look at how people behave when faced with the worst situations.

Why you need to binge on The Walking Dead: The show has such tense situations that theres no way youll be able to watch just one episode. As soon as an episode ends, youre going to be itching to find out what happens next. Waiting would be unacceptable.

2. Dexter

Played by compelling actor, Michael C. Hall, the character of Dexter Morgan is fascinating. A crime scene, blood splatter expert by day, and a serial killer by night, Dexter takes us behind the scenes and into the mind of a murderer.

Somehow, after watching Dexter struggle through his life, in his job, with his relationship with his sister and in his dating life, its impossible not to care for the character and want the best for him. Dexter makes a killer seem just like any one of us.

Why you need to binge on Dexter: Because Dexter is an emotional rollercoaster. Seriously- this show will give you all the feels. Watching in large quantities means that youll become more invested, and able to feel the complex emotions more strongly than if you were to take time between episodes.

1. Breaking Bad

This is the story of a high school chemistry teacher turned meth dealer. When Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston, thinks his life cant get any worse, hes diagnosed with cancer.

At that point, hes got nothing to lose, and when one of his students provides an opportunity to begin using his chemistry skills to manufacture methamphetamine, he takes it. So begins a journey of learning to navigate through the criminal world.

Why you need to binge on Breaking Bad: Well, first of all, theres a reason Breaking Bad is number one on our list. According to Time, the show is the most binge-watched show ever. Thats pretty big, but also its easy to see why so many people just cant turn it off. Breaking bad gives us a glimpse into a gritty underworld that were all curious about.

Isnt there a part of all of us that sometimes just wants to do something bad? Well, Walter actually makes that leap and its fascinating to watch.

There you have it- the top five shows to binge watch on Netflix. Sorry to say, your summer isnt going to be filled with beaches and volleyball games. Youre going to be sitting on your couch, chilling out to these top rated shows. And really, you wouldnt want it any other way.In 2015, esteemed news anchor Brian Williams shot his blossoming career in the foot. Williams had been a trusted member of the NBC Nightly News team after taking over for the beloved Tom Brokaw in 2004. Then, a scandal was discovered in which Williams did not come out on top.

Brian Williams | Alex Wong/Getty Images for Meet the Press

Brian Williams told false war stories

While he was covering the Iraq War in 2003, Brian Williams acted as the eyes of Americans while we watched events unfold from our living rooms. The war took over our televisions at night and we waited to hear news of how our heroes were faring in the Middle East. Williams was our source of information and our trusted liaison between home and the war.

Later, on several different occasions, Williams detailed the events of his time in Iraq to include that the helicopter he was flying on was hit by enemy fire and forced to land.

Two of the four helicopters were hit, including the one I was in, Williams told David Letterman, discussing how he had survived a helicopter landing after it had been hit by a rocket-propelled grenade from enemy ground fire.

U.S. Veterans called Brian Williams out on his falsehoods

Once NBC aired coverage of Williams reports of being on a helicopter that was shot down, it wasnt long before the soldiers who were there that day began to speak out. They commented on NBCs Facebook page and spoke out to other reporters who would listen.

Stars and Stripes reporter Travis Tritten explains that the soldiers were not just unhappy about the lies, but felt personally attacked by the false reports being publicized. They wanted the helicopter pilots and the soldiers who were actually there to get credit for their bravery.

The aftermath of Brian Williams lies

A deep investigation began into Williams claims. Soon it was clear that Williams many statements revealed numerous fictional additions in his reporting. In fact, there were more than ten separate instances where the anchor embellished the story regarding his involvement in something he was reporting on. Williams had lost the trust of Americans, and his validity as a source of accurate news.

How did NBC react to the Brian Williams scandal?

Once it was discovered that Williams had reimagined several of his experiences covering the Iraq war, and also told some interesting fictional tales about his time covering Hurricane Katrina, NBC dove deeper into investigating his falsehoods. Ultimately, the network placed Williams on 6-month probation and then demoted him to a position working as an anchor for its sister station MSNBC.

Is Brian Williams making a comeback?

Williams has been working hard at coming back from his broadcasting exile and has been doing a pretty good job of it. His banishment to a late night time slot has actually been really good for his struggling career.

Lately, the anchor has been the host of MSNBCs late night The 11th Hour with Brian Williams. The show has seen some excellent ratings. His show beats out both FOX and CNNs shows in the same time slot again and again.

I think Im the recipient of something that is uniquely American, he said during a recent interview at his Rockefeller Center office. People like a comeback.

Brian Williams return to the nightly news

It has been speculated that his rise to success, and ultimately a more positive image in the eyes of Americans will, in turn, bring about his return to a nightly news anchor position. Although he has had some moments back in the limelight, Williams has said he is pretty happy in his late-night position at present.Kitty Spencer is the late Princess Dianas well-to-do niece, and she has recently made waves by going public about her previously-rumored relationship. Its now confirmed that the model and philanthropist is dating fashion mogul and multimillionaire Michael Lewis.

Spencers love life has become a topic of fascination for her growing fans as she recently had a quick rise to fame, seeing her social media following explode overnight when a few publications about her got people interested.

Heres what we know about the relationship and why the couple is causing such an uproar.

Theres a significant age gap between Kitty Spencer and Michael Lewis

Kitty Spencer, Princess Dianas niece | VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Many of the headlines about this budding romance are focusing on the age gap between the two. Spencer was born in 1990 and is currently 28 years old. Lewis, on the other hand, is a seasoned businessman at the age of 60. Lady Spencer is no stranger to dating older men, as she previously had a four-year relationship with real estate entrepreneur Niccolo Barattieri di San Pietro, who is currently 48. However, the 30-year gap between Spencer and Lewis is raising more than a few eyebrows. After all, he is six years older than her own father!

The age gap might be the reason that the pair has been so secretive about their relationship, leaving Spencers growing fanbase to wonder for almost a year before getting this public confirmation of their suspicions.

Kitty Spencer and Michael Lewis share South African and fashion world ties

Spencer was raised primarily in South Africa, going between her home with her mother there and her fathers residence in London, an arrangement she calls the best of both worlds. While she moved to London permanently a few years ago, her new beau also has deep ties to South Africa. Lewis family has a long history of business in South Africa, starting with his grandfathers 1934 Cape Town furniture company.

That wealth and connections from those businesses transformed and were handed down over time. Today, Lewis is the director of the Foschini Group, a South African clothing company and owner of the clothing company Whistles. The brand can be found in some American clothing outlets including select Bloomingdale stores.

In addition to sharing a connection to South Africa, the couple may also find common ground in their involvement in the fashion world. Spencer has been a model for brands like Dolce and Gabbana and has walked the runway in some high profile shows, even sporting a pantsuit that drew glowing comparisons to her famous royal aunt.

The Kitty Spencer dating rumors have been confirmed

Rumors that the two were an item began circulating as early as the summer of 2018, but it wasnt until recently that there was any proof of their courtship. They were spotted leaving The Mark hotel in Manhattan in May 2019. The pair drew even more speculation when Spencer was spotted wearing a very large diamond ring on her right hand. While they were certainly seen leaving together, they were still withdrawn and timid of the public eye, so well have to wait to hear if the diamond ring is a sign of an impending wedding.

Kitty Spencer expects kindness in her relationships

No matter the status of this duos relationship, we know that Spencer has high expectations for the men in her life and values her friendships with her exes. She explains that they are still an important part of her life: Ive been really lucky. Ive always had really lovely, straightforward boyfriends. Whenever anything exciting happens in my life, or sad, the serious boyfriends Ive had will be the first to get in touch and the first to be supportive. Well have to wait to see whats next for Spencer and Lewis.Gospel for Asia released a shocking new report the week after Mothers Day detailing the tragic reality that there are 100 million fewer women in Africa and Asia than there should be.

In the words of the report, they simply do not exist. Sex trafficking, inadequate healthcare for pregnant women, poor nutrition for young girls, female infanticide and sex-selective abortion all contribute to the crisis, as the ministry details in their report One Million Missing Women.

On average, there are 105 male births for every 100 female births around the world. However, In Asia and Africa, there are 106 males for every 100 females. While this may not appear to be a significant difference, but when by the billions of people who in Africa and Asia, the numbers are startling. 100 Million Missing Women, tells the stories behind the numbers.

A press release summarizing the content of the report highlights several troubling trends. First, sex-selective abortion and abortions that go wrong contribute to the 100 million missing women. In cultures that highly value sons and devalue daughters, sex-selective abortions and female infanticide are rampant. In addition, in food insecure families with a daughter and a son, parents often overfeed the son while neglecting to adequately feed the daughter.

Gospel for Asias founder, Dr. K.P. Yohannan, explained the cycle of malnutrition and death caused by this practice. Malnourished girls become malnourished women, prone to miscarriages, stillbirths, infant deaths, and multiple pregnancy complications that can result in the mothers death. To illustrate the problem, only one out of every 46,000 women dies during childbirth in Ireland, but in India, one out of 70 women perishes while giving birth.

The booming sex trade in South Asia also contributes to the victimization of women and leads to further life-threatening consequences. The sex trade enslaves 34 million worldwide and as many as 16 million in India alone. Yohannan painted a stark picture in describing the crisis. He said, Many of the poorest families are manipulated into selling their daughters to opportunists who promise a better life for them. But many of these girls  some as young as 10  are never heard from or seen again. In this century, more women and girls are enslaved in brothels than were shipped to slave plantations at the height of the slave trade in the 18thand 19thcenturies.

The horrific report closes by asking what those who have hearts that beat with concern about the unbelievable evils of this world can do to help those who are in danger around the world. They suggest sponsoring girls so they can receive an education through Christian programs who offer real help to those who are suffering. The report also suggests that Christians read the book of Luke and think about the societal shift that begins with womens encounters with Jesus so that they might grieve for the women and girls who have experienced such hardships and take action to be part of the solution. They close by suggesting meditation on Christs words to the Pharisee, do you not see this woman and begin to pray Lord, what do you want me to do about the masses of women?

Scott Slayton writes at One Degree to Another.

Photo courtesy: Teddy H./UnsplashYes, its beginning to look a lot like Christmaswhich, for many of us, feels like a rush into chaos. Celebrating Advent during this season slows us down and helps our hearts and minds be reoriented around the coming of Christ.Yes, its beginning to look a lot like Christmaswhich, for many of us, feels like a rush into chaos. Celebrating Advent during this season slows us down and helps our hearts and minds be reoriented around the coming of Christ.James MacDonald threatened worker with gun, practiced shooting at HBCs camp: police report

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Embattled Harvest Bible Chapel founder James MacDonald, who allegedly sought to hire a hitman to commit murder, is also alleged to be a gun-toting bully who practiced his shooting at the churchs camp.

He once pointed a gun at a former worker who requested payment, witnesses told police.

The details were revealed in a heavily redacted report from Wilmette police in Illinois in which McDonald denied to one would-be victim that he had shopped for a contractor to murder the individual.

MacDonald had learned of the podcast and murder for hire talk. MacDonald told [redacted] the rumors that he wanted [redacted] killed were untrue, the report says.

The allegations regarding MacDonalds efforts to commit murder were first reported by independent journalist Julie Roys, who cited Chicago radio personality Mancow Muller and Emmanuel Manny Bucur, a deacon at HBC and former confidant and volunteer bodyguard of MacDonalds, as the individuals making the claims.

While all the names in the recently released report have been redacted except MacDonalds, Muller confirmed that he filed the report last Thursday that triggered the investigation into the murder-for-hire allegations against MacDonald.

Concern over MacDonald was raised, according to the report, because of his guns.

[Redacted] said it was well known that MacDonald is always armed. [Redacted] heard two specific stories concerning MacDonald and firearms. The church owns a large property in Michigan where they run a camp. MacDonald would shoot long guns there and used pictures of peoples spouses he disliked as targets, the report says.

The other example concerned a contractor working on MacDonalds [redacted] residence. The contractor requested payment for his work, but MacDonald pointed a rifle at the man instead and pushed him down some steps, it continues.

When witnesses were asked why they waited so long to report MacDonald, one cited fear as a major factor.

I asked why there was a delay reporting these events to police. [Redacted] suspected one of the reasons [redacted] filed the police report on 5/16/19 was because a reporter present at the podcast asked [redacted] the same question. The reason [redacted] cited during the podcast for the delay was because [redacted] is afraid of MacDonald, the report says.

The police report notes that while the investigation "revealed no chargeable criminal offenses within Wilmette's jurisdiction," the case has been referred to another unnamed jurisdiction for "potential further criminal investigation."

Bucur told Roys that in 2015, MacDonald asked him to kill his former son-in-law, Tony Groves, and offered to help dispose of the body. He argued that he did not report MacDonald because the pastor was angry about his daughter allegedly being hurt. The report alluded to a secretly recorded sex session involving his daughter and son-in-law that had sent MacDonald scouring porn sites for evidence.

On Monday, Muller published a pre-recorded interview with Bucur speaking under the alias George in which the former volunteer bodyguard first revealed MacDonalds proposal.

Bucur, who said he believes MacDonald got away with millions from HBC, noted he also had to get a restraining order against MacDonald for trespassing at his house.

Investigators who conferred with the FBI on the case said the agency did not deem the information from the report of any evidentiary value. The IRS, which was also contacted about the case, said it could take no action without tax and financial information.

MacDonalds Feb. 12 ouster from Harvest Bible Chapel was triggered by "highly inappropriate recorded comments" he made on a radio program as well as "other conduct."

He was recorded talking about planting child pornography on Christianity Today CEO's Harold Smith's computer, and making crude remarks about independent journalist Julie Roys  including joking that she had an affair with CT Editor-in-Chief Mark Galli  and a vulgar reference to Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College.

He also exited the megachurch under a cloud of allegations of financial abuse.

Elders at the embattled megachurch revealed in an announcement Saturday that MacDonald is pursuing arbitration with the church to settle a dispute over his firing and the churchs broadcast ministry, Walk in the Word.Liberal UMC leaders promise wide variety of resistance tactics against Church position on LGBT issues

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Theologically progressive United Methodist Church clergy and activists have promised a wide variety of resistance tactics against the denomination's official opposition to homosexuality and gay marriage.

Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, the largest UMC congregation in the United States, hosted a gathering of about 600 pro-LGBT United Methodists called UMC Next this week.

At issue was the recent reaffirmation of the UMC Book of Disciplines position that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching and barred same-sex marriages as well as the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals known as the Traditional Plan.

During a press conference held Wednesday on the final day of UMC Next, Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli, senior pastor of Foundry United Methodist Church of Washington, D.C., told those gathered that there would be a wide variety of resistance tactics to the Churchs official position.

For some of us, resisting the Traditional Plan means violating the Book of Discipline. For some persons in their context, it might not, said Gaines-Cirelli.

There will need to be a wide variety of resistance tactics all leaning into and seeking to help accomplish the commitments that we have made together here.

Gaines-Cirelli added that others will risk other kinds of things, but not for a variety of reasons be able or willing at this time to break the rules of the Plan, of the Discipline.

Junius Dotson, general secretary of the UMC Discipleship Ministries, then commented that there are many forms of resistance and people have to decide how they will participate.

What people should hear is that as this movement grows and as people are joining this movement, there are going to be different, varying levels of resistance depending on where people are, Dotson said.

Mark Tooley, president of the theologically conservative Institute on Religion & Democracy and himself a United Methodist, told The Christian Post that he viewed the UMC Next event as evidence that pro-LGBT churches were planning to leave.

This group has essentially formed the embryo of a new denomination and possibly more than one new denomination. They want a new Methodism that is distinct from the current global church with its orthodox teaching, of which they are ashamed, said Tooley.

They are calling for resistance and political action within denomination while also acknowledging some will leave earlier than others to form their new entities.

Tooley also told CP that he believed those at the press conference tacitly admit they have lost at the general church level and that the departure of liberal UMC members and churches will unfold incrementally, depending on local context.

Adam Hamilton, lead pastor of the Church of the Resurrection, who has long advocated for the UMC to remove its official position against homosexuality, explained in a YouTube video posted Wednesday that during the second day of the UMC Next event, they took a preliminary vote and found that attendees were divided over whether to leave the denomination.

The division was between those who said were ready to dissolve the UMC and form the next new thing. So we want to reform by taking people out of the church and starting something new. And there were those who said no, we want to reform from within, said Hamilton.

John Lomperis, a General Conference delegate and member of the IRD, told CP that resistance calls should be recognized as an unnecessary choice to selfishly drag our denomination through further avoidable conflict, while arrogantly refusing to listen to Scripture, to the Holy Spirit who inspired Scripture, to the relevant writings of John Wesley, and to the communal discernment of United Methodists outside of their narrow ideological faction.

Such resistance is unlikely to achieve any more than these same activists were able to achieve in trying to push the 2019 General Conference to adopt their liberal plan, added Lomperis.

In late February, at the special session of General Conference, a majority of delegates voted in favor of a proposal known as the Traditional Plan.

Approved by a vote of 438 to 384, the Traditional Plan upheld the UMCs official opposition to homosexuality, gay marriage, and the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals, while also ensuring stricter enforcement of the rules.

Also, a petition was approved allowing for congregations who may oppose the UMCs official position to leave the denomination with their property and assets intact.

Pastor Talbot Davis of Good Shepherd UMC of Charlotte, which averages about 2,000 worshippers every Sunday, told The Christian Post in an earlier interview that he supported the result.

I am delighted that the Special General Conference of the United Methodist Church adopted the Traditional Plan as we believe in the beautiful picture of celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in heterosexual marriage that is woven throughout the pages of Scripture as well as church teaching for since its inception, said Davis.

We gladly join with our global brothers and sisters in teaching this truth with as much love and winsomeness as we can.

In April, most of the Traditional Plan, as well as the petition allowing a more gracious exit for dissenting congregations, was upheld by the United Methodist Judicial Council.

While declaring some of the petitions within the Traditional Plan to be unconstitutional, Judicial Council Decision 1378 nevertheless upheld most of the petitions, including a few that mandated stricter enforcement of the UMCs prohibitions on gay ordination and same-sex marriage ceremonies.

These petitions are not so closely related that a change in one affects the others. The petitions held unconstitutional have no effect on the petitions declared constitutional, read Decision 1378.

The constitutional petitions are not dependent on the unconstitutional petitions and can survive without the unconstitutional petitions.

A proponent of the defeated One Church Plan, which would have allowed regional bodies within the UMC to determine their own stance on LGBT issues, Hamilton openly talked of leaving the UMC following the special session.

I think it would not be hard, said Hamilton in an interview with The Kansas City Star that was published days after the special session ended.

I think our folks here love the United Methodist Church  they love the kind of church we have created and so we could start a new United Methodist Church and thousands of churches would join us."Ive always loved you, Pastor James MacDonald tells ex son-in-law he allegedly tried to kill

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Harvest Bible Chapel founder James MacDonald shot back at recent allegations he tried to hire a hitman to kill his former son-in-law, Tony Groves Jr., with an excerpt from Psalm 37 and a video in which he declares to Groves, Ive always loved you.

In an Instagram post on Thursday morning, the two men appeared together smiling before Groves starts off the lighthearted talk.

Whats up James, Groves says.

Hey man, the HBC founder replies.

A lots been going on hasnt it?

Sorry about everything.

Dont think nothing of it.

OK. Well, you know, weve been through some things and weve always stayed friends and Ive always loved you. Tell you what. One of the best grandsons we have. Because you and me, were always gonna love you for that, James adds.

Like you said, weve always been friends but overall, family, Groves responds, pointing his finger.

James ended the video by declaring amen and Im glad youre part of my family.

Emmanuel Manny Bucur, a deacon at HBC and former confidant and volunteer bodyguard for MacDonald, alleged in a recent report that nearly four years ago, in 2015, MacDonald asked him to kill Groves, and offered to help dispose of his body. He argued that he did not report MacDonald because he was angry about his daughter, Abby, allegedly being hurt by what a police report suggests involves a sex tape possibly being posted online.

Bucur alleges that MacDonald asked him to kill Groves while they were on a motorcycle trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, from July 31, 2015, to Aug. 2, 2015. Others who were on the trip included: former HBC Assistant Senior Pastor Rick Donald, former elder and Executive Director of Harvest Bible Fellowship Kent Shaw, former Elder Marcel Olar, and church members Tom Moore and Steve Lupella.

During breakfast while at a restaurant in Indiana on the last day of the trip, Bucur said MacDonald asked him to kill Groves while searching pornography websites for damaging material he feared Groves might have posted of his daughter Abby.

MacDonald allegedly asked Bucur if he would be willing to take Tony out. Bucur said he responded, Are you asking me what I think youre asking me?

It was then that MacDonald confirmed his request and told him that with his background as a combat Marine veteran, it shouldnt be too hard to kill Groves and get away with it.

Bucur said he replied, Absolutely not! Were not having this conversation and were not talking about this ever again.

Along with the video of himself and Groves, MacDonald, who was ousted as leader of HBC on Feb. 12 due to "highly inappropriate recorded comments" he made on a radio program as well as "other conduct," seem to dismiss his critics as evildoers while proclaiming his innocence.

In a second video in the Instagram post, MacDonald scrolls through Psalm 37: 3-6 and highlights verse 6.

Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday, the excerpt reads.Vision Church of Atlanta adds psychic medium to ministerial staff

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The Vision Church of Atlanta, Georgia, a progressive congregation, has added a psychic medium who claims to commune with the dead to their staff.

Lakara Foster, who holds a doctorate of ministry from The Interdenominational Theological Center, is now a licensed minister at The Vision Church of Atlanta, Rolling Out reported. She is also the creator and star of the YouTube series The Gift, which she argues God told her to do. It follows her life as a medium, minister, and spiritual teacher.

God told me to do the show. Honestly, I was reluctant at first because I felt very vulnerable and thought I would get a lot of pushback and negative feedback being a minister and a medium. I thought people wouldnt understand but I knew I still had to do it. I knew I had been called to do it. When I asked God, Why this gift? Why not singing? God said, I promised my people eternal life. How will my people know that Ive kept promise if you dont demonstrate your gift? she told Rolling Out.

Foster argues that psychic mediumship should be included among the spiritual gifts of the modern Church because James 1:17 teaches that every good and perfect gift is from above.

The Christian Post reached out to The Vision Church for comment on the appointment Thursday but no one was immediately available.

In an interview with Great Day Louisiana earlier this year, Foster discussed how her gift allows her to communicate with the dead.

A psychic medium, what I try to explain to people is, psychic is a very umbrella term. I believe to some degree we all have some type of psychic intuition. A medium falls under that umbrella. Being a medium allows me to communicate with our loved ones who are departed. So I tell people all mediums are psychic but all psychics are not medium, she said.

She explained that she has been using her gift for a long time and had always wanted to use her gift without sacrificing her faith in Jesus.

For me it was very important that I was able to merge the two. My love for God, my love for Jesus. But really ... I knew that I could heal through ministry but Ive always been healing, so it was kind of natural to be able to merge the two to continue that level of healing, she said.

One of the reasons I pursued my doctorate on this topic is because I really wanted to understand my gift from the intersections of Afrocentrism and Christianity, and why the church believes this gift shouldnt be considered a spiritual gift among those listed in the Bible, she further stated to Rolling Out.

Foster noted that she has received a lot of support from her church and members of her family, like her father who also claims to possesses the gift to commune with the dead.

My church family has been super supportive.  My family has been just as incredible. My father shares a similar gift and my mother is the executive producer of the web-series The Gift, she said.Apostle Paul 'abhorred laziness in the pastorate,' says Pastor David Mathis

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The Apostle Paul abhorred lazy pastors, says Minnesota-based Pastor David Mathis, who's also the executive editor of the popular theology website Desiring God.

Drawing from the New Testament writings of Paul of Tarsus, especially First and Second Timothy, Mathis, a pastor of Cities Church in Minneapolis-St. Paul, explained that Paul abhorred laziness in the pastorate in a piece titled The Plague of Lazy Pastors.

Pastoral work, and good teaching in particular, is hard labor  labor that is not only cursed and opposed, but specifically targeted by Satan, who loves to focus his attack on opposing lieutenants, wrote Mathis.

If he can cut off the supply lines and defenses, he will soon overwhelm and defeat the ground troops.

An important part of this hard work for pastors is preaching and teaching, which Mathis described as the central labor of pastoral ministry.

A pastor who doesnt emotionally sweat and strain over his words is a pastor falling short of his calling. God means for pastors to be workers at their teaching, continued Mathis.

Good teaching doesnt just spill over. It requires diligence and vigilance. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching (1 Timothy 4:16).

While noting that good pastors are not lazy, Mathis warned that the hard work of pastors can sometimes come from a sinful inward disposition.

All of us, pastors included, can work hard for the wrong reasons. For selfish ambition. For mere kudos and applause. From deep emotional insecurity, Mathis cautioned.

The first word to every pastor, as to every Christian, is not, Work, but, He worked. It is finished.

Mathis concluded by stressing that hard work can lead to a happier soul and make pastors a better vessel for the joy of the church.

You will not find the happiest people in the world lying on couches. Pastors, lets show that world that one of the most reliable places to find them is in pulpits, concluded Mathis.

Over the years, church leaders have examined what constitutes a sufficient workweek for pastors. Thom Rainer, CEO of Church Answers and former head of LifeWay Christian Resources, wrote in 2014 that there are many myths about the typical pastors work ethic.

I will readily admit I've known some lazy pastors, but no more so than people in other vocations, wrote Rainer at the time, adding, there are many more workaholic pastors than lazy pastors.

Sermon preparation, counseling, meetings, home visits, hospital visits, connecting with prospects, community activities, church social functions, and many more commitments don't fit into a 40-hour workweek.

Rainer also wrote that he believed pastors have one of the most difficult and stressful jobs on Earth, pointing to the many personal obligations they take on when overseeing a church.

 it is an impossible job outside of the power and call of Christ. It is little wonder that too many pastors deal with lots of stress and depression, continued Rainer.

Pastors and church staff are my heroes. They often have a thankless job with long and stressful workweeks. I want to be their encourager and prayer intercessor. I want to express my love for them openly and enthusiastically.

Darryl Dash, pastor at Liberty Grace Church in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and a church planting expert, warned in a 2013 blog entry for The Christian Post that the pastorate is a place where lazy people can hide.

I've met some lazy pastors, and they do need a kick in the posterior. And yes, we shouldn't expect more of others than we ourselves are ready to give, said Dash.

However, Dash also believed pastors should not buy into a lifestyle that's driven by busyness and the lack of healthy rhythms.

For instance, if nobody in the church is taking a weekly Sabbath, the answer isn't for the pastor to stop taking a Sabbath. Instead, the pastor should be model what it's like to pause, rest, and find refreshment one day a week, continued Dash.

 what we need  not just pastors, but all of us  is to discover how to work hard, but also how to love our families, abide in Christ, and live on mission in the everyday rhythms of life.California Health Insurer Fined $200K for Not Covering Elective Sex Change Procedures

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A California health insurer has been penalized with a hefty fine for refusing to cover sex-reassignment procedures.

The state's Department of Managed Health Care, the entity responsible for overseeing health care plans in the state, has penalized the insurance company Health Net with a fine of $200,000 for violating a 2012 law called the Insurance Gender Nondiscrimination Act. The act bans health insurance companies from having line-item exclusions for gender transition treatments or procedures.

California was the first state to pass such a law and 15 other states have adopted similar legislation.

In 2013, the California Department of Managed Health Care clarified the law by ordering the removal of blanket exclusions in health plans based on gender identity, according to the Transgender Law Center.

A recent letter of agreement signed by Health Net's Vice President Douglas Schur and the Department of Managed Health Care's Deputy Director of the Office of Enforcement, Drew Brereton, explains that from 20132015, Health Net rejected coverage for seven people who sought services related to gender transition.

According to the agreement, the services that were denied included "consultation, testosterone injections, gender reassignment surgery, bilateral mastectomy, and facial feminization surgery."

The letter explains that the Health Net plan did not cover "procedures or treatment related to changing a member's physical characteristics to those of the opposite sex."

According to the letter, four of the seven cases were denied on the grounds that the requested services were not covered under the plan. In three of the seven cases, Health Net denied coverage because services request were "cosmetic in nature."

"The department has determined that a corrective action plan ... and an administrative penalty of $200,000 are warranted," the letter of agreement reads.

In addition to the fine, the company must also revise its policies to ensure that the violation does not occur again and provide written confirmation to the state that its plan has been revised.

Additionally, the company must reimburse enrollees who incurred out-of-pocket expenses as a result of the company's denial of coverage.

Health Net has until Sept. 30 to complete is corrective action plan.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Department of Managed Health Care had previously punished three other healthcare insurers over their handling of gender transition coverage.

However, a department spokesperson told the news outlet that the Health Net case is the first time in which the department has issued an enforcement action to an insurer for violating the Insurance Gender Nondiscrimination Act.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the administration of President Donald Trump plans to rescind an Obama-era Department of Health and Human Services mandate that required healthcare insurers and health providers to cover or perform procedures and treatments associated with gender transition if they are services offered to non-transgender individuals as well.

The mandate was struck down by a federal judge in Texas earlier this year after a number of states and organizations representing religious doctors sued on grounds that such a mandate would require faith-based doctors and hospitals to provide services that violate their religious convictions. The Trump administration did not appeal the ruling.Father of Tennessee church shooter said he begged police to take guns, urged son to pray demons away

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Vanansio Samson, the father of 27-year-old Emanuel Kidega Samson who fatally shot a beloved mother and wounded six others at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, Tennessee, in 2017, said he begged police to take his sons guns before the tragedy.

He also said he tried convincing his only child to use the Bible and prayer to shoo demons that terrorized him at night as he battled mental illness.

I begged the Murfreesboro Police to take away guns from him because Im scared. Emanuel love people. Emanuel can only hurt himself. Emanuel can barely kill even a chicken.  I told the police to help me take his guns away. They said no, that is his civil right and they cannot do it, Vanansio explained about one rainy day in June 2017 when Emanuel sent him a suicidal text.

He was so sure his son was already dead, Vanansio started crying.

I was definitely crying and I went and reported it to the Murfreesboro Police Department, he said.

The police would later locate Emanuel alive and told his father that his son was well. Vanansio, however, said he knew he wasnt.

It was almost three months later on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, when police say Emanuel, who worked as a security guard at the time, arrived at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ at 10:55 a.m. in a blue SUV wearing a neoprene half face mask.

Armed with a handgun, Emanuel "fired upon the church building" with his vehicle still running in the parking lot where he shot church member Melanie Crow Smith, 39, and left her for dead. He then went on to shoot several other people inside the church building.

On the third day of Emanuels trial this week, Vanansio testified that his son had been struggling with bipolar disorder and depression before the shooting and if only authorities had helped him when he asked, perhaps the tragedy could have been avoided.

If metro had detained him and taken him for evaluation that time, because I believe that sickness was out there, we would have not been sitting here today. Or this tragedy would have not happened. Because I tried to take the guns away from him. Could not, he said.

He explained that a few months while he was out of the country in early 2017, Emanuel went through a dark period and sent him suicidal messages then too. Emanuel confided in him that he was seeing visions of black and white that kept him from sleeping at night. He urged his son at that time to try the Bible.

We believe where I came from in South Sudan, you have some nightmare, dream, you always take a Bible and pray at night before you go to bed and put it under the pillow. No nightmare will come back to you at night when youre sleeping, Vanansio said.

I send him message that he need to have faith. Take a Bible, put under your pillow and pray to God and those demons will go away. And I said, he need to be strong. Hes my only son, I dont have any other kid and losing him means I will also lose my life. So I keep calming him down until I came back in March of 2017, he added.

Vanansio explained how he had fled war torn South Sudan with Emanuel and his now ex-wife, when Emanuel was only 3 and lived for more than four years in a refugee camp in Egypt before coming to the United States as Christian refugees.

He and his ex-wife, who watched her mother and brother being burned alive before fleeing South Sudan, divorced a year after they arrived.

When asked to describe his sons behavior around or near the time of the shooting, Vanansio said Emanuel was talking more than usual and had become forgetful.

When I tried to tell him something he takes it in a rough way. He wasnt understanding. I had to calm him down and say take it easy. This is how we need to do things, he said.

He explained that his son was also frustrated about school because he wasnt qualified to receive full tuition help. He had to come up with $2,000 to finish up his college degree.

I told him, I am back, I am here, I can help you with those tuition thing. Stay focused, do your schoolwork and the little work youre doing and as soon as I get a place to live, because I was still living with my friend then, we can stay together. You dont have to worry paying for anything, Vanansio explained.

Maya Hill, the mother of Samson's daughter, also testified that on the day of the shooting Emanuel left her what she thought was a suicidal note.

Im terribly sorry for not living up to your expectation my queen, its no secret I never deserved you, she read in part from the note.

Samson also told jurors he remembers shooting himself but no one else.

"Do you remember shooting Melanie Crow," defense attorney Jennifer Thompson asked.

"I do not," Emanuel replied.

"Do you remember shooting Pastor Joey Spann," Thompson asked.

"I do not," Emanuel said.

Samson further noted that he didn't remember putting on a mask, tactical vest or writing a note referencing Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof, News Channel 5 reported. In the weeks leading up to the shooting, he said he was having hallucinations and not feeling like himself.

"What I remember thinking and feeling in those days or that day in particular is waking up and wanting to end my life. I was extremely depressed and I felt kind of numb," he said.

Prosecutors argued that Emanuel was conveniently choosing the details he recalled.

In a transcript of calls from October 2017 between Emanuel and his then girlfriend, he said he heard the shooting victims saying "some funny (expletive)" when he was on the floor of Burnette Chapel Church of Christ after he was shot during a tussle with a churchgoer.

"When I put the two bullets in my chest and laid down and I was on the floor and I could hear what everyone was saying, and some people were saying some funny (expletive), bruh and, I was like, if Maya were here listening to y'all's whack (expletive), bruh," Emanuel said in one call.Parents can fight graphic sex ed by 'linking arms with people of other faiths:' activists

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WASHINGTON  Activists are urging pastors and parents upset by explicit content in sex ed curriculum used in public schools to be relentless in pushing back while building rapport with school officials.

At a breakout session hosted by Cathy Ruse of the Family Research Council during the Watchmen on the Wall conference at the Hyatt Regency hotel on Capitol Hill, Elizabeth Johnston, who is known as The Activist Mommy, urged attendees to be vigilant, noting that pornographic, gender-bending sex ed materials are being pushed in schools nationwide.

And people cannot continue with the illusion that if they live in a culturally conservative state or district that it will not affect them, she said, as many are innocently ignorant about how deeply entrenched it is.

Johnston, who personally home schools her children but herself attended public schools and taught in them, believes public education is in crisis.

"And it not just a Common Core crisis, not just a crisis of dumbing down our children. It's much, much worse than that. It is a moral crisis, and we're paying for it," she said as she recounted several instances of sexually explicit content and events that took place at public schools.

"In Durham, North Carolina  Bible Belt, folks  in a middle school, they didn't just have drag queens reading stories, they had a drag show ... to [supposedly] fight oppression and bullying."

She added, "How much you want to bet that if a Christian student rises up and says 'We don't want this drag show' that that Christian will be bullied while they fight bullying and oppression with their drag show."

In a conservative district of Indiana, students were taught how to take a bus route to Planned Parenthood, she said. And it's well-funded left-wing groups like the abortion giant that are actively pushing perversion on young people through deceptively-worded health lessons.

"They are teaching our children how to play with blood in their sexual activities. They are teaching our children fisting, which you don't even know what that is, most of you. But it's sticking your fist in body parts as a sexual act," Johnston said.

Yet many people are still unaware this is going on, she said, noting that sex education materials are cloaked with euphemisms like "family life," and therefore, no red flags go off in the minds of parents concerning what happens at school. If parents demand to see the curriculum and nothing looks objectionable teachers are still given "resources" for their classroom the school is not obligated to disclose as they are not technically part of the curriculum, she said.

Johnston said although it's called sex ed, she sees it as pandering obscenities to minors. Compounding matters further, in 45 of the 50 states public schools are exempt from obscenity laws, she added, indicating that there are legal efforts afoot to close those loopholes.

The activist mother went on to share several success stories of how parents rose up and fought back and where the schools were forced to scrap various lessons. Last year, Johnston spearheaded a movement to withdraw students from public schools in protest of sex ed curriculum called Sex Ed Sit Out, which was replicated in California earlier this month by a group of engaged parents.

"This is definitely an issue where you can link arms with people of other faiths," Johnston said, in response to a question from The Christian Post about how parents can engage their communities and school administrators.

"We are all tax-paying citizens. Muslims and Christians, and even members of the LGBT community are outraged at much of the stuff that is taking place."

This is especially important when school administrators support the use of sex ed materials parents find objectionable, she stressed.

"You must do everything necessary to protect the innocence of the children in that school," Johnston said.

Fellow panelist Eric Buehrer, founder of Gateways to Better Education, stressed during his remarks that parents need to build relationships with school administrators with the goal of helping them do whatever they can to help academic outcomes improve and behavioral problems decrease.

Buehrer said he urges families to get to know their district school board representative and take them out to lunch and ask how they can assist them.

But if officials are obstinate and insist on pushing graphic sex ed, he said, "that's when you move from relational activism to political activism and you get poured out."

"In most communities, school board races are won by very few voters. If just the churches in that community would turn out in abundance you would have a majority of the board. But people don't see it on their radar screen," he said.

Johnston urged pastors to encourage and identify good people within their congregations to run for the school board.

The Watchmen on the Wall conference is an annual gathering put on by the Washington-based Family Research Council.Southern Baptist Convention membership slipped below 15 million in 2018: report

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The Southern Baptist Convention experienced a decline in membership and worship attendance in 2018 but also an increase in financial giving, according to recently released numbers.

SBC's newly released Annual Church Profile report noted that from 2017 to 2018, membership in the country's largest Protestant denomination went below the 15 million mark, declining by 192,000 people to about 14.8 million members.

Weekly worship attendance also declined, going from approximately 5.32 million in 2017 to approximately 5.29 million in 2018. Attendance for small group and Sunday School also declined, from about 3.34 million in 2017 to 3.24 million in 2018.

LifeWay Christian Resources compiled the ACP statistics with assistance from Baptist state conventions. Data for this years report came from 76 percent of SBC congregations responding to at least one of the report items. Nearly a quarter of SBC congregations did not respond at all.

Part of the Annual Church Profile process is for associations and state conventions to connect with each congregation and to confirm they still exist and are cooperating together in ministry, said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research, the Baptist Press reported.

This year several states put extra effort into identifying and confirming cooperating churches, revealing the decrease in the number of congregations.

Ronnie Floyd, president of the SBC Executive Committee, said on Thursday that the ACP report shows it's time to press reset spiritually and strategically in the Southern Baptist Convention.

Prioritizing and elevating the advancement of the good news of Jesus Christ into every town, city and county in America, as well to every person across the world, must be recaptured by every church, stated Floyd, as reported by BP.

People need Jesus and they need Jesus now. Our generation of Baptists must believe and determine now that we will do whatever it takes to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and to make disciples of all the nations.

As with other Protestant denominations in the United States, the SBC has experienced decline in its membership over the past several years.

The SBC first reported this decline back in 2008, when it the ACP reported that membership numbers had decreased from 16.3 million members in 2006 to 16.26 million members in 2007.

For now, Southern Baptists are a denomination in decline, said Ed Stetzer, at the time the director of LifeWay Research, in a 2008 blog entry.

 you cannot miss the fact that a dubious historical milestone has been reached  and it needs to be noted in denominational and church offices across the country.Trump admin. proposes to remove 'gender identity' from Obamacare

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed on Friday to reverse an Obamacare mandate that bars discrimination against transgender patients.

When Congress prohibited sex discrimination, it did so according to the plain meaning of the term, and we are making our regulations conform, Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights, said in a statement. The American people want vigorous protection of civil rights and faithfulness to the text of the laws passed by their representatives.

The HHS had issued a new rule in 2016 with regard to Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act  which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in certain health programs and activities  by extending the definition of sex to include gender identity and termination of a pregnancy.

A federal court issued an injunction against the new rule in January 2017 after several states and healthcare entities filed lawsuits, arguing that the mandate would force faith-based providers to perform sex change surgeries and other services that violate their beliefs.

While the injunction is still in effect today, the Trump administration is moving to roll back the 2016 provision.

Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Kellie Fiedorek praised the Trump administration for going back to the plain meaning of the word sex.

Congress has consistently used the word sex in laws like Title VII, Title IX, and the Affordable Care Act to mean a persons biological sex as male or female, Fiedorek said. Replacing the objective concept of sex with subjective gender identity, as some courts and the prior administrative have tried to do, has far-reaching consequences, including for womens sports, school locker rooms, and homeless womens shelters.

Confirming the clear meaning of sex as grounded in human biology ensures that women will continue to have equal opportunities in sports, school, and work, and it protects the privacy rights of all Americans.

In 2018, the HHS unveiled the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division meant to defend the conscience rights of medical professionals who may hold moral or religious objections to things like abortions or gender reassignment surgery.

The HHS proposal comes days after the Department of Housing and Urban Development released a proposal that some argue would roll back an Obama-era policy barring discrimination against transgender persons at homeless shelters.

HUDs proposed rule permits shelters that receive HUD funding to consider a range of factors in making such determinations, including privacy, safety, practical concerns, religious beliefs, any relevant considerations under civil rights and nondiscrimination authorities, the individuals sex as reflected in official government documents, as well as the gender which a person identifies with.

While maintaining that the HUD is committed to protecting every persons right to access its programs without discrimination, HUD Secretary Ben Carson said, Our intention is to stop treating sex and self-identified gender as the same because I believe Washington shouldnt be telling the rest of America how to determine whether someone is a man or a woman," as reported by The Hill.

In March 2018, Carson said his agency does not want to trample on the privacy rights of homeless persons and that they are taking a cautious approach in implementing protections for transgender people. He noted that some women have said that they are uncomfortable sharing showers and other private areas with members of the opposite biological sex.Why Assyrians in Iraq Are 'Close to Extinction'

SALT LAKE CITY -- Christians in Iraq are "close to extinction," according to BBC News.

The Most Rev. Bashar Warda, the archbishop of Erbil in Iraq, accused Christian leaders in Britain of not doing enough to stop Christian persecution in Iraq.

He said Christians in Iraq face extinction after 1,400 years of persecution. Specifically, he said the Christian community has dropped by 83 percent since the United States' invasion of Iraq. He said numbers have dropped from 1.5 million to 250,000, BBC News reports.

"Christianity in Iraq," he said, "one of the oldest Churches, if not the oldest Church in the world, is perilously close to extinction. Those of us who remain must be ready to face martyrdom."

He said the battle with the extremist Islamic State is the "final, existential struggle" after the group began assaulting Christians in 2014, according to BBC News.

"Our tormentors confiscated our present while seeking to wipe out our history and destroy our future," he said, according to BBC News. "In Iraq there is no redress for those who have lost properties, homes and businesses. Tens of thousands of Christians have nothing to show for their life's work, for generations of work, in places where their families have lived, maybe, for thousands of years."

But it's not only Iraq or Christians. Religious persecution is widespread across the world. Notably, China has made headlines for placing Muslims in internment camps, according to The Associated Press.

China has denied that these camps target specific faiths. However, according to the AP, the camps are majority Muslim.

As Nicholas Kristof wrote for The New York Times, "China is engaging in internment, monitoring or persecution of Muslims, Christians and Buddhists on a scale almost unparalleled by a major nation in three-quarters of a century."

But these "appears to be the largest such internment of people on the basis of religion since the collection of Jews for the Holocaust," Kristof wrote.

The country hasn't set up concentration camps for Christians but "it has harassed congregations, closed or destroyed churches, in some areas barred children from attending services and last year detained Christians about 100,000 times," he wrote, based on numbers from China Aid, a religious watchdog group.

U.S. religious freedom ambassador Sam Brownback told the Deseret News that he's working with political groups and organizations to end religious persecution across the world.

Brownback said he meets a lot of people who express experiences with religious persecution, showing him that it's a widespread problem for many.

"I went in to buy a pair of cowboy boots in Kansas over the holidays and a young man was there that had known my son growing up," he said. "He was telling me about people that he knew that were being persecuted in India for practicing their faith."

He added, "Why should anybody be persecuted for peacefully practicing their faith, whatever that faith is? That just, at a core level, irritates me and makes my blood boil. "

Read more: The Atlantic writes about how Christians are disappearing from the Middle East, especially a group that has been there since the region was first settled.Trump to Halt HHS Rule Forcing Christian Doctors, Hospitals to Perform Sex Change Surgeries

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The Trump administration plans to eliminate an Obama-era regulation that opponents say requires faith-based hospitals, insurance providers and doctors to perform, provide and cover gender-reassignment surgeries and procedures that violate their religious convictions.

The New York Times reported Saturday that the United States Department of Health and Human Services submitted a proposal to the White House that would eliminate a 2016 rule that barred health care providers and employers from discriminating against transgender patients seeking to transition genders.

The move comes after Judge Reed O'Connor in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a nationwide injunction against the HHS mandate in December 2016 on grounds that parts of the rule would violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

"The Department of Health and Human Services has submitted a draft of a proposed rule," the Justice Department was quoted as telling the judge last week.

The White House confirmed with the newspaper that it was reviewing the rule proposal on "nondiscrimination in health programs."

The Obama-era mandate applied to most doctors and hospitals since most accept patients that use Medicare and Medicaid. The rule would have prevented them from being able to turn away patients looking to receive hormone therapy and gender transition procedures.

This means that numerous religious health care professionals and organizations would be forced to perform controversial procedures even though they might have moral convictions against those procedures.

Such procedures include elective ones that mutilate the body, such as mastectomy, hysterectomy and surgical castration.

The 2016 regulation led to a lawsuit filed by the Christian Medical and Dental Associations, Franciscan Alliance and Specialty Physicians of Illinois and a number of states that include Texas, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

"Under the new regulation, a doctor must perform these procedures even when they are contrary to the doctor's medical judgment and could result in significant, long-term medical harm," the lawsuit stated. "Thus, the regulation represents a radical invasion of the federal bureaucracy into a doctor's medical judgment."

The HHS regulation was also subject to another lawsuit filed by the Catholic Benefits Association, which represents over 60 Catholic archdioceses and organizations. The lawsuit objected to the fact that the Catholic employers would have been forced by the mandate to provide health care plans to employees that cover gender transition therapy and procedures.

"When our member, who is a Catholic diocese, received this, their statement to me was 'How can we, a Catholic diocese that teaches what we teach regarding biology and sex, possibly give this plan to our members without creating scandal since it is so contrary to what we teach?" CBA Attorney Martin Nussbaum told The Christian Post in 2016.

As for Catholic and other religious hospitals, Nussbaum said that cutting them off from Medicare and Medicaid funding for refusing to perform the procedures would result in hospitals failing "right and left."

"So, it is forcing them to either violate their conscience and medical judgement or give up the Medicare and Medicaid funding or seek judicial relief," he said.

The news of the Trump administration's plan to change the HHS mandate was criticized by LGBT activists and a former Obama administration official, who argue that it would pull back gains in transgender health care access.

"If the Trump administration rescinds the protections against sex stereotyping and gender identity discrimination, the effect will be potentially devastating not just for the trans community, but for any other patients who are gender-nonconforming, including lesbian and gay individuals," Jocelyn Samuels, the director of the HHS Office for Civil Rights under Obama who helped implement the rule, told The New York Times.

The Obama administration's mandate was based on an interpretation of civil rights law that seeks to expand discrimination protections on the basis of biological sex to include protecting on the basis of gender identity. However, O'Connor ruled that Congress did not interpret the law that way.

Roger Severino, who is now the director of the HHS Office of Civil Rights after serving at the Heritage Foundation, told The New York Times that the Obama administration's interpretation "was contrary to law and exceeded statutory authority."

Severino stated that because the mandate harmed so many healthcare providers across the nation, the court's injunction was "appropriate."

"The court order is binding on H.H.S., and we are abiding by it," Severino stated.

Last year, a Catholic hospital in California was sued by the American Civil Liberties Union for refusing to provide and elective hysterectomy to a biological female who identifies as a man.

The lawsuit came months after St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in New Jersey was sued for refusing to perform a hysterectomy for a transgender individual looking to transition from female to male.Christian leaders, activists rallying to support Lutheran pastor threatened with deportation

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Christian leaders and activists are demanding the release of a student pastor and her husband, who were recently arrested by immigration officials and face possible deportation.

The Rev. Betty Rendon, a pastor at Emaus Evangelical Lutheran Church in Racine, Wisconsin, was arrested earlier this month along with other members of her family in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid on her home.

Voces de La Frontera, a local human rights group, posted a petition online on Wednesday calling on supporters to demand that ICE not deport the pastor back to her native Colombia.

It is urgent that [there] be a strong public outcry to achieve the release of Pastor Betty and her family, stated the group.

This familys experience highlights the actual implementation of the Trump administrations shock-and-awe plan to arrest and detain thousands of parents and children in a targeted operation against families in major cities across the U.S.

The Rev. Marcy Wieties, another pastor at Emaus ELCA, told The Christian Post on Wednesday that the congregation is working to raise money to support the family in various ways.

"The money collected is being used not only for legal fees, but also to assist Carlos and Betty's daughter and granddaughter, who were living with them," explained Wieties.

"In addition, we are collecting cards and notes for the family at the church. It was more logical to collect them and forward them as a bundle, as their location has changed and mail will not be forwarded from the previous detention center after any relocation."

Wietes also told CP that the church and others "continue to advocate for their release and to pray for the family."

Earlier this month, Emaus ELCA announced on their Facebook page that Pastor Rendon, along with her husband, her daughter Paula, and another relative were arrested by ICE on May 8.

According to the church, the operation began when ICE agents arrested Paula while she was driving her 5-year-old daughter to school. ICE agents targeted Paula even though, according to her, she was protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

The agents took the wheel of the car and drove them back to the house, where Pastor Rendons husband, Carlos, was leaving home for work. The agents shouted at him in English, which he does not speak well, shook him violently, and shoved him towards the car, explained the church in a May 14 post.

They ordered him to open the door of the house. Once the door was open, they forced their way in. A group of ICE vehicles with numerous officers then converged on the house and poured inside, brandishing their weapons and pointing them at the family.

While Paula was eventually released, Rendon and her husband were officially detained. At issue was the fact that the pastor had fled Colombias civil war, but was denied asylum. While issued an order of deportation back in 2009, it had not been executed.

We are at a loss to explain why ICE should have decided to execute it now, just as Pastor Rendon is beginning her doctoral studies in preaching at the [Lutheran School of Theology] in Chicago, continued Emaus.

Last week, a vigil was held by the Racine Interfaith Coalition outside of the Kenosha County Detention Center, where the pastor and her family were being held.

ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod Bishop Paul Erickson told those gathered at the vigil that Betty and her family are refugees, having fled violence and almost certain death had they remained in their homeland of Colombia.

We gather in prayer, filled with anger, concern and love for all our neighbors who happen to be refugees and immigrants in our midst, stated Bishop Erickson, as reported by Living Lutheran.

Wieties of Emaus told CP that since the ICE raid, the family members still in custody have been moved to different detention centers.

"Betty, Carlos, and Felipe have been moved to other detention centers. Betty and Carlos were transferred to the Pulaski Detention Center in Ullin, Illinois," noted Wieties.

"Felipe was transferred to the McHenry Detention Center in Woodstock, Illinois. Attorneys continue to work on their cases, but it is now very difficult for anyone, including their family, to have any conversations with them. Therefore, we are uncertain about their current status."Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Thirty years ago, a brilliant new day dawned for liberty. As with every 24-hour day, the new Day of Liberty began in eastern Asia, and then swept into eastern Europe and then to the rest of the world. The 1989 Day of Liberty dawned with the awakening of transformative visions and hopes  creatively and profoundly expressed by many thousands of Chinese university students and other Chinese citizens at the giant Tiananmen Square at the center Chinas capital city Beijing. This magnificent dawning for liberty extended over 50 amazing days.

Protests began on April 15, the day a former Chinese Communist Party General Secretary and reformer Hu Yaobang died at age 73. Because of his years of courage and articulate defenses of more democracy, human-rights, free-market economics, and personal liberty, many considered Mr. Hus death suspicious. After all, Mr. Hu had been forced to resign as General Secretary just two years earlier because of other party leaders fears of Mr. Hus ideas  fears that the Chinese people would be dangerously empowered. Specifically, Mr. Hu was deemed too lenient with student protesters two years before, in 1987. When Mr. Hu was coerced to resign at that time, he was also compelled to make a humiliating, public self-criticism of his mistakes.

Mr. Hu was therefore all the more honored among the many Chinese citizens desiring real protections for human-rights and personal liberties. However, to try to restrict Mr. Hus influence even at his death, the government minimized his funeral. Nevertheless, the public mourners lined up for ten miles to honor him!

The protests in Tiananmen Square began on April 15 explicitly to honor Hu Yaobang and his human-rights ideas, to protest his suspicious death, and to urge a more appropriate celebration of his life and democratic values. Moreover, the protests then continued in Tiananmen Square and elsewhere in China for the next 50 days  with thought-filled and creative efforts to open up a new and effective dialog with the national leaders  in order to strengthen human-rights, democracy, and liberty. On some of those days, there were protests in up to 200 Chinese cities.

What were the outcomes of these courageous protests? For all freedom-lovers in the world, there were 50 days of profound admiration for the Chinese protestors and their message  along with grateful relief that the otherwise oppressive Chinese government was tolerating such dramatic and powerful free expression. Tragically, that grateful relief was short-lived when on June 4 and 5, the so-called Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) moved in and brutally massacred thousands of the courageous Chinese protestors.

Much of the world mourned this tragic loss of life, this silencing of brilliant voices for liberty. Not surprisingly, there was also praise for the Chinese tyrants and the PLA  primarily from eastern European communist dictators. In Romania, for example, the Stalinist-type tyrant Nicolae Ceausescu publicly praised the Chinese military action. In appreciation, China sent a special emissary to honor Ceausescu at the Romanian Communist Party Congress in August 1989. I had personally served as an underground missionary in Romania just three years before. Therefore, I knew first-hand Ceausescus governments evil oppression of his people, especially the Romanian citizens who were Christians. When I read what Ceausescu said, my whole being deeply revolted at his nauseating praise of the Chinese tyrants and their tragic Tiananmen Square massacre.

Other eastern European communist tyrants also praised the Chinese tyrannical violence against the many human-rights-affirming protestors. The East German communist parliament even unanimously passed a resolution supporting the Chinese Governments violent suppression of protest, and sent a good will delegation of its top officials to Beijing to personally reaffirm their mutual tyrannical support against human-rights.

Meanwhile, the wonderful people oppressed in eastern European communist countries became all the more disillusioned with their own tyrants  especially those praising Chinas tyrants. Courageous protests erupted in these countries. Fueled by the peoples own deep, sincere longing for liberty and other human-rights, these new protests were now fully ignited by the riveting example of the courageous Chinese protestors.

The results were very dramatic and profoundly visible. Just previously, Poland and Hungary had switched to non-communist governments. In East Germany, the human-rights protests grew in September and October 1989, in spite of explicit, public communist government threats of Tiananmen Square-type massacres against all demonstrators. However, by the end of November 1989 the East German communist government had resigned! Thank God!

In the meantime, November 1989 protests in Czechoslovakia grew in spite of equally violent threats by its communist tyrants. The government collapsed and was replaced in December by long-standing, anti-communist human-rights advocates  including Alexander Dubcek and Vaclav Havel  both of whom had been severely punished for years for their vocal defenses of liberty and democracy. Havel even became the new President, on December 29, and in a speech read around the world gave public credit to God for the renewed gift of human-rights.

Back in Rumania, dictator Ceausescu sought to ride out the neighboring tidal waves of resistance to tyranny. In an attempt to further bolster his own political strength, he ordered people to gather on December 21 for a mass rally in his honor. However, the crowds courageously booed and jeered the tyrant as he spoke, and the army itself began siding with the people. Soon the dictator was arrested, along with his wife, Elena. They faced a brief trial and their televised execution before the end of December 1989. 1989 was a great year for liberty.

At the same time, liberation came to Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Albania. In most of these national transformations, the primary courageous leadership came from Christian men and women who had earnestly prayed and strategically prepared for a restoration of Gods gifts of human-rights  especially the precious two rights to life and liberty, both rights so consistently hated and violated by communist tyrants.

In the immediate Chinese context, the human-rights campaign in 1989 was crushed. But the example set by the brilliant, creative, courageous Chinese protestors hugely helped to transform eastern Europe. In addition, they inspired others around the world with renewed love of all Gods precious gifts, especially those of life and liberty.

Now at the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Protests, we believe that the deaths of those brave Chinese protestors were not in vain. Deep appreciation for their courageous efforts on behalf of life and liberty will live forever in the hearts and minds of liberty-loving people everywhere.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

At Medi-Share, we seek to come alongside individuals and families of all ages and stages of life, through the highest mountains and darkest valleys. Brook Nates trekked through a valley for a long time. She shared her experiences and advice with us in hopes of encouraging mothers with postpartum depression and those who love them.

In the fall of 2016, we took a family trip to Georgia to go apple picking. This is me, Brian (my husband), Brandon, Bryn, and Brycen not pictured are our dogs, Bosco and Barkley.

Yes, we are that cheesy B family. Its okay, you can laugh. We totally own our cheesiness.

I dont know about you, but all my life the only thing I ever wanted was to be married and have babies. I wanted four children, a dog, and a white picket fence  the whole nine. I was going to stay home with my children and make sure they all had warm cookies waiting for them when they get home from school, sew all of their Halloween costumes, be on the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), and live happily ever after.

I told you I was cheesy.

And guess what? My dream did come true!

I married a wonderful man, had three beautiful children, two dogs, and even the white picket fence. No joke. So, you may be wondering why I am even writing this. Well, lets go back in time to four years ago.

There I was, sitting at the end of my hospital bed, holding my brand new baby boy, bags packed, waiting on my nurse to get the wheelchair crying.

I felt feelings I had never felt before after having a baby. I wrote it off in my head as hormones. To make matters worse, when the nurse finally came with the wheelchair, she looked confused.

She barely said a word to me as she helped me down to my car. I managed to pull myself together before my husband could see me.

That was it  the beginning of my downward spiral.

That picture you see of Brycen and I was the last happy memory I can remember for almost two years. I look at that picture with joy and sadness all at the same time.

It started with this fog. It was almost as if I were watching myself live my own life. Day after day, just barely getting through. I was exhausted, but more exhausted than I remembered being with my other two babies. Sleep deprivation, I told myself. That is all.

Then, I started to feel overwhelmed all the time. I couldnt figure out the whole mom-to-an-infant plus two other children routine. And I had to be a wife too  make dinner, take care of the house  it was all just too much and I didnt know why.

Then, I started to feel like a failure.

I tried talking to my family and they reassured me this was all normal. All moms feel like this right after having a baby, especially when you have other children.

Then, something else hit me.

Women: You know when your husband gets on your nerves? I mean really, really gets on your nerves? Like when your husband just being in the room annoys you?

Yep, that happened, but multiply that feeling by a million.

Just his presence started to tick me off. So much so that I literally started to think those dark thoughts. I was that crazy girl that started plotting her own husbands death. I never figured out how to do it without getting caught, though. Thank God! Brian is thankful too.

Things got much worse.

I started to feel trapped in my skin and in the house. I started seeing things that werent there. I would cry and ask God to take my life.

Every time these things and thoughts would happen, I would shake my head, come to my senses, and talk myself back. I had myself convinced that I had this all under control. I could stop all these thoughts. I could snap myself out of it.

I would pray and pray and pray, but I just got worse and worse and worse.

Until one day

I was standing in Brycens room holding a crying baby while my then 2-year old daughter was crying because she wanted me to pick her up.

I picked up the phone to call Brian for help, but there was no answer. I left a message: I cant do this anymore. I put the kids in the car and drove.

I drove to a friends house, but she wasnt home. I was lost, alone, hopeless, and crying hysterically. I wanted nothing more than for it all to end.

I thought of driving off the bridge, but the kids were with me. So, I decided to go home. I would leave them in the car while it ran, call my husband to come get them, and slit my wrist. My plans changed when, as soon as I pulled into the driveway, Brian pulled in after me.

I fell into his arms and told him everything.

The next day, I was at the doctors office. I was diagnosed with PPD, which was borderline Postpartum Psychosis. I was text book crazy.

I was so embarrassed, and, to add insult to injury, I was now on suicide watch.

So, my husband took a week off from work, my mom took the next week off, and my sister took the next week off all just to babysit me. We even had to hire a nanny. I was a stay-at-home mom with a nanny.

I was a failure at being the only thing I ever really wanted to be.

Luckily, God sent us Heather  a true angel for our family.

Heather helped with the kids, took care of me when I couldnt get out of bed, cooked, cleaned  basically picked up where I literally couldnt.

Unfortunately, it took almost a year to find the right dose of medicine, and each time we found out I needed a higher dose was right after I took another attempt at my life. The last time, though, I would have succeeded.

If God hadnt intervened, I would not be writing this to you.

It was a stormy, rainy night. The kind where you can barely see anything in front of you. I went to the store, bought a six pack of beer, and drove to the beach. I sat there staring blankly at the rain. I was relieved that it was almost over. This was going to be the end. I was going to get drunk, and walk into the ocean.

Never to be seen or heard from again.

As I reached for my first beer, there she was. Lambie.

Where did she come from? She wasnt there when I put the beer there. Bryn cant go to sleep without her.

I slowly picked up Lambie, hugged her tightly against my chest, and began to cry. I sat there crying for an hour before running home to bring my sweet girl her stuffed animal.

At that point I had no one stopping me, but God. I truly believe that he put Lambie there for me to see. To remind me of Bryn  my only daughter  and how much she needed her mommy.

The next day I had a long talk with God. I thanked Him for always bringing me back. For not letting me take my life into my own hands.

At that point, I realized how much my relationship with Him had suffered. I had given up on praying because it didnt seem to help me with my PPD. I tried taking Bible studies, and I would barely get the homework done, if at all.

Then, the following Sunday during church, a song hit me like no song had before. It brought me to complete tears. The words of the song felt like they were written with me in mind.

You are good, you are good, when theres nothing good in me. You are light, you are light, when the darkness closes in. You are hope you are hope you have covered all my sin. You are true you are true even in my wandering. I am running to your arms, Im running to your arms. The riches of your love, will always be enough. Nothing compares to your embrace. Light of the world, forever reign.

So here I am, four years later, and finally off of my medication. The fear is there of a relapse and that I might have to be on medicine for the rest of my life, but the hope is also there that I am ready to do it on my own.

Postpartum Depression is real.

As someone who is usually a happy-go-lucky person that can always find the positive in life, I had to learn first-hand.

As many as 1 in 5 women worldwide experience some type of perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD). PMADs include postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum obsessive compulsive disorder, postpartum bipolar, and postpartum psychosis. These statistics do not include women who did not report or get treated for PPD.

As mothers, we are told to take care of ourselves so that we can better care for our children. What if we dont know how to take care of ourselves? What if that oxygen mask we are supposed to put on never comes down?

I was lucky. My husband and family saw the signs and got me help.

Not only that, they continued to keep an eye on me, being there whenever I needed them. But, what about those who dont have an oxygen mask? Those are the ones who take their lives or, even worse, their kids lives too.

So, before Im done, I ask one thing of you. Please, when a mother comes to you feeling anything other than joy, please listen to her. Dont dismiss her feelings as just being baby blues. Look into her eyes and ask yourself: Does she look lost? Does she look helpless? Is she screaming on the inside for help?

Spend time with her. Dont just offer; tell her you will come over and hold the baby for a few hours, drop off food, clean the house, etc. If she is postpartum, remind her that these are just her symptoms, not her.

Tell her you are there for her, then be there for her, however long it takes.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Earlier this month, a bipartisan group of over 50 members of the US House of Representatives introduced Resolution 374, highlighting the Iranian regime's persistent support for terrorism. The resolution expresses "support for the Iranian peoples desire for a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic of Iran."

It calls on relevant agencies to work with European allies and to help prevent the malign activities of the Iranian regimes diplomatic missions, with the goal of closing them down, including the Iranian embassy in Albania.

As justification for this goal, it cites three of the several Iranian terror plots that were discovered and foiled by Western authorities over the course of last year, across Europe and North America. These plots have been reliably identified as part of an escalating pattern of provocation by the Iranian regime, and they certainly call for a proportional response from the US.

The White House has acted accordingly, with the repeated imposition of new sanctions, as well as the unprecedented designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The listing may set the stage for Washington to take relevant action against the additional infrastructure of Tehran's terrorism.

President Trump and his national security team, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton, have done a superb job in holding Iranian rulers accountable for their outlaw behavior, and should advance the same path, as the only effective way to end the Iran threat.

H.Res.374 also emphasizes the role that the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) in the pursuit of terrorist actions such as the attempted bombing of the main opposition's Free Iran gathering in Paris on June 30 of last year. That event was attended by dozens of high-profile dignitaries from the United States and Europe, among many other counties around the world. The thwarted plot served to expose the willingness of the MOIS not only to target Iranian dissidents on foreign soil but to also attack Western citizens directly.

A recent detailed report, Irans Emissaries of Terror, published by the US representative office of the main opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI-US) in Washington, clearly shows that MOIS terror plots enjoy the full collaboration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tehrans Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.

Under Zarif's watch, in 2018 alone, five Iranian diplomats were expelled by France, the Netherlands, and Albania for harming European security. Another high-ranking diplomat is currently in jail in Belgium for allegedly delivering a powerful bomb to two other MOIS culprits to bomb an opposition rally in Paris. Several other Iranian agents who worked with diplomatic missions have been imprisoned, including two in the United States.

Despite such mindboggling terrorist intervention in Europe and the US, Zarif travels to New York and Europe posing as a victim of US policy of firmness. So much for hypocrisy! If Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani, and Zarif want to see an end to Tehrans international isolation, the path is clear; abide by the 12 points announced by the United States and act like a normal government, instead of a pathological theocracy bent on using terrorism as the primary instrument of statecraft.

The EU finally has finally acted by including the MOIS Internal Security Division and two of its known operatives on the multinational bodys list of terrorist organizations.

Many advocates of the status quo have argued that the IRGC blacklisting and other sanctions have increased the potential for war (an argument that Zarif has borrowed). But it is far more likely that these actions have prevented successful attacks on Western personnel, to say nothing of Iranian activists pushing for a democratic future in their homeland.

In the long run, it is these activists alone, backed by the Iranian people, who will provide a guarantee for peace. The Paris bomb plot and other recent plans by the MOIS and the IRGC make it clear that the existing dictatorship is committed to terrorism. The answer is democratic change by the Iranian people.

The recent House resolution reflects growing confidence among Western lawmakers and Iranian activists that such change is forthcoming. It points, for instance, to a mass uprising, which began at the end of 2017 and spawned countless protests across Iran throughout 2018. In many cases, those demonstrations showcased the widespread and growing support for Irans organized democratic movement.

As Resolution 374 explains, opposition leader Maryam Rajavi's 10-point plan calls for the universal right to vote, free elections, and a market economy, and advocates gender, religious, and ethnic equality, a foreign policy based on peaceful coexistence, and a non-nuclear Iran.

The US must make the MOIS subject to the same blacklist as the IRGC, and Tehran must be compelled to cease using diplomatic institutions as cover for terrorism.

Diplomatic and economic pressure on the regime will indeed serve to manage components of the regime's terrorism. Iran's people, however, led by their organized opposition, can eliminate it once and for all.

Ken Blackwell is the former US Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission. He has been a member of the Council on Foreign Relations for the past 25 years.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The following article is excerpted from chapter 9 of Dr. Jim Denisons latest book, How Does God See America? Request Dr. Denisons new book today.

The biblical writers presupposed the existence of God, as did their readers (In the beginning God . . .). But this informal, unexamined belief will not do for those who question the reality of God. We cannot have a real relationship with people who do not exist except in our minds. We can have a dream, hallucination, or fantasy about them, but wed be schizophrenic to spend much time worshiping or serving our imaginary friends.

This is precisely what atheists claim: God exists only as a dream, hallucination, or fantasy, a belief which cannot be proven or even rationally defended.

Creation without a creator?

One way to respond to people who reject the existence of God is to ask how there can be a creation without a Creator. (This argument from cosmos to Creator is known to scholars as the cosmological argument for Gods existence.) If the universe began as a Big Bang, where did the Big Bang come from? If you think life started as a cell floating in a pool of water, we can ask what or who made the water. Since we live in a world where every effect has a prior cause, its easy for us to reason that the world came from somewhere or Someone. This First Cause (to use Aristotles term) we can call God.

Unfortunately, for those of us who like this approach, it doesnt prove as much as we might think it does.

For instance, scientists say that the universe is running down (the Second Law of Thermodynamics). Someday, perhaps 10,150 years in the future, all energy will be converted to matter and everything will collapse on itself. Scientists call this heat death and say that it will make the entire universe into one black hole. This is a rather pessimistic way of stating the Third Law of Thermodynamics.

Skeptics then ask, could this be how the Big Bang started, using forces we cannot now understand? Or, looking at the universe another way, could history move as a circle rather than a line, with a succession of Big Bang expansions and contractions?

Skeptics cannot prove any of this, of course. But then, neither can we prove our belief that God made the universe. The Bible obviously says that he did and predicts that he will one day turn history into eternity (cf. 2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 21:15). But it would be impossible to prove these claims unless we were there at the beginning or are there at the end. And using Gods word to prove Gods existence is the dictionary definition of circular reasoning.

Design without a designer?

Another way to argue for Gods existence begins with the design we see in our world. (Scholars call this the teleological argument, from the Greek telos, meaning design or end.)

To state the argument in its classic sense, suppose you were walking in a forest and came upon a rock. Youd not be surprised to find it where it is. But suppose you walked a little further and came upon a watch lying on the ground. You would not believe that the hands, wristband, and other components of the watch just happened to fall together in that place and in that way.

Is the world not infinitely more complex than a watch?

Once we start down this mental path, we can find examples of remarkable design nearly everywhere we look. In a debate with the atheist Kai Nielsen, J. P. Moreland suggested several:

In the formation of the universe, the balance of matter to antimatter had to be accurate to one part in ten billion for the universe to even arise. Had it been larger or greater by one part in ten billion, no universe would have arisen. There would also have been no universe capable of sustaining life if the expansion rate of the Big Bang had been one billionth of a percent larger or smaller.

Furthermore, the chance possibilities of life arising spontaneously through mere chance has been calculated by Cambridge astronomer Fred Hoyle as being 1 x 10.40, which Hoyle likens to the probabilities of a tornado blowing through a junkyard and forming a Boeing 747. Had these values, these cosmic constants which are independent of one another, been infinitesimally greater or smaller than what they are, no life remotely similar to ours  indeed, no life at all  would have been possible.

People who are persuaded by the design argument claim that the universe is not old enough for life to have evolved naturally. According to them, the odds that our present world could have evolved by random chance are too small to be plausible, if theyre even possible.

The easiest way for a skeptic to respond to this argument is to invoke Darwins assertion that life evolves through natural selection and survival of the fittest. If this is true, life did not come to exist as a tornado through a junkyard. Rather, we evolved through a process that chose the parts necessary to make that Boeing 747. The odds of random or chance occurrence are irrelevant in a world that evolved through such a process of selection.

Some evolutionists even claim that natural selection must have created life as we know it, that the odds were much higher in favor of life than against it. It would likely have taken much longer than fifteen billion years for the universe to have evolved through random coincidence, but this is not how things happened. Natural selection sped up the process of creating life as we know it.

Scholars continue to debate the merits of Darwinian evolution. But whether you believe that Darwin was brilliant or deluded, you can see why atheistic evolutionists arent impressed with the design argument.

Morality without a moral God?

A third way to argue for Gods existence begins with the fact of human morality. We all have a sense of right and wrong, but why? Where did your conscience come from? My parents, you might say. But where did your parents get theirs? And where did their parents get theirs? And so on.

Ultimately, we can reason back to a God who is holy and created the human race with a sense of morality that reflects his own.

Unfortunately, this approach is not very compelling for skeptics, either. Its easy to claim that our morality illustrates the Darwinian principle of self-preservation since it often does. Or we could credit natural selection for encouraging morality as a way of ensuring the survival of the species.

Even moral choices that seem to violate the instinct for self-preservation, such as a Christian who dies for his or her faith, can be explained as a selfish quest for admiration in this life and glory in the next. A Muslim suicide bomber seeking reward in paradise tragically illustrates the point.

Reasons not to believe

It would seem that none of the classical arguments for Gods existence can compel us to believe in him. Whats worse, there are several reasons to reject such faith.

First, as we have seen, evolutionary theory can be used to explain the design of the world apart from faith in a designing God.

Second, if there is actually a God who made all that exists, it would seem that we would know he is real. Noted atheist and author Sam Harris makes an apparently reasonable statement: An atheist is simply a person who believes that the 260 million Americans (87 percent of the population) claiming to never doubt the existence of God should be obliged to present evidence for his existence. It shouldnt be so hard to comply with his request.

Third, some atheists go so far as to claim that the very words God exists are meaningless and incoherent. What do we mean by God? We cannot point to anything in the created world since this would be idolatry, making creation into the creator. Neither can we point to anything within the rational concept of God since, by definition, our finite minds cannot comprehend an infinite being. If we cannot speak rationally of God, how can we believe in him?

Fourth, the problem of innocent suffering greatly compounds things. It can be hard to believe that an all-loving, all-powerful God created a world filled with evil and suffering. As Harris makes the point, An atheist is a person who believes that the murder of a single little girleven once in a million yearscasts doubt upon the idea of a benevolent God.

Reasons to believe

So, where are we? One answer is to claim that God exists because the Bible says he does. Of course, other religious books make the same claim for themselves. The Quran claims that there is no God but Allah (the Arabic word for God) and that Muhammad is his prophet. The Book of Mormon not surprisingly supports the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wed be amazed to find a religion whose sacred writings do not advocate what the religion believes.

It helps that the Bible has such outstanding evidence for its trustworthy nature. But even considering the manuscripts, archaeological evidence, internal consistency, and fulfilled prophecy, we cannot prove that the Bible is divinely inspired or that the God it advocates actually exists.

A second response is to claim that it is reasonable to believe in God, without trying to prove our assertion. This we can certainly do. While arguing from creation to Creator or design to Designer does not prove that God exists, such thinking is clearly logical. Skeptics may not agree that we are right, but they cannot prove that we are wrong.

This fact is significant. It would obviously be a veto to the Christian faith if we could not demonstrate that believing in God is at least rational. We would have a hard time getting you to join us in worshiping Martians since no evidence could persuade you of their existence (we hope). But we can logically argue that God made and designed the world. Even if skeptics credit evolutionary natural selection as the explanation for life as we know it, they cannot prove that they are right. Their theory may be plausible, but so is ours, and the weight of evidence is such that, at the end of the day, it takes more faith to believe that God does not exist than to believe that he does.

Once we have shown that believing in God is reasonable, we can invite people to step from evidence into experience. As with all relationships, a relationship with God becomes self-validating. We know that God exists because we have experienced him. His existence was reasonable before we met him and compelling now that we have.

A third way to argue for Gods existence is to ask: What else do we want God to do to prove himself? How could he have done things differently?

Consider the four attacks on his existence we noted earlier. The first was that evolutionists can point to natural selection as explaining life without a designing God. For instance, human hands typing on a computer seem similar to a chimpanzees opening a banana. According to evolutionists, this fact proves that we come from a common ancestor. The adaptation of various species to their changing environment is further evidence of evolution at work, were told. Similarity and adaptation show that the world could have evolved without God.

But consider the possibility that God made a world in which life can adapt to a changing environment. In that case, adaptation does not negate designit proves it. And perhaps God wanted us to be able to type and a chimpanzee to be able to eat a banana, so he designed our hands in similar ways to perform similar functions.

Most cars have four wheels, but this doesnt mean that they all came from the same factory.

The second attack on Gods existence we considered earlier argued that if God made the universe, it is reasonable to assume that we would be sure of his existence. But how? What would we like God to do that he has not already done? He made a world which bears remarkable evidence of creative power and designing genius. We can explain life through adaptation, but that very adaptation is part of his brilliant plan.

He then stepped into his creation on numerous occasions. He sent his angels to men and women. He revealed himself in dreams and visions and continues to do so today. He then entered the human race, folding omnipotence down into a fetus and becoming a man like us. He proved his divinity by rising from the grave and returning to heaven. He gave us a book that records these events in remarkable and trustworthy detail.

What more would we like him to do? He could appear to you as you read these words, just as he appeared in the flesh twenty centuries ago. But many did not believe in his divinity even when they saw his miracles and knew about his resurrection. In the same way, you could dismiss your experience as a hallucination or dream, believing that your senses were deceiving you. The only way you could be absolutely certain that God exists would be to stand in his presence on Judgment Day.

One day, you will.

Christianity can, in fact, be verified with absolute certainty. One day in the future, you will be sure beyond any shadow of a doubt that God is real and Jesus is Lord. But God is graciously giving you another day to trust in him by faith, another day to step into a personal relationship with him and experience the verification that comes to those who meet God for themselves. One day, time will run out, and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:1011).

Until that day, there is nothing more a supernatural God can do to prove his existence through natural means. Asking the infinite, perfect God of the universe to prove himself to our finite, fallen minds is like asking him to make a square circle. Even God is not obligated to do what is logically impossible.

The third argument we noted earlier was that the statement God exists has no meaning or coherence since we cannot define God through experience or reason. Again, how is this Gods fault? What would we have him do differently? We should not be surprised that we cannot define or describe him through his creation. Or that our finite, fallen minds cannot understand or describe him through the use of reason.

If we could, he would not be God. If our brains were simple enough for us to understand them, we would be too simple to understand them. How much more is this the case with the omnipotent Lord of the universe! Mark Twain testified that if he could understand every word of the Bible, he wouldnt believe that God wrote it.

The fourth argument against God we noted earlier is the problem of innocent suffering. This tragic fact makes it understandably difficult for many to believe that an omnipotent, all-loving God exists. However, as we noted in the chapter on suicide, there are reasonable ways of responding to this challenge. We can know that God loves us no matter our circumstances today.

So, does God exist?

Does the president of the United States or the Queen of England exist? Not so that we can prove it. We can doubt every reference to them in the media. If you claim to have met them, we could refuse to believe you. Only if we met them for ourselves could we be absolutely certain that they are real.

Do love and friendship exist? We cannot prove to you that our wives love us, or that our friends are truly our friends. We could tell you about the times they have expressed their commitment to us, but you could say they are lying. We could show you all the wonderful things they do for us, but you could claim that they are manipulating and misleading us. Youd have to experience our marriages or friendships to know that they are real.

This is the nature of personal relationships, even with the God of the universe.

It seems that God has done everything he can do to prove his reality to us. The rational arguments for his existence demonstrate that faith is reasonable and logical. He has interacted with our world throughout human history and entered our race personally. He gave us a trustworthy written record of his creative work. He is available personally to everyone who is willing to trust in him. As a result, you could argue that more evidence exists for God than for Julius Caesar or George Washington.

The biggest problem atheists have with believing in God is that such faith requires them to accept the supernatural. If you are a materialist, certain that supernatural reality cannot exist, no amount of proof or persuasion will convince you of a supernatural being. Once you conclude that the world must be flat, nothing in logic or experience can prove you wrong. The presupposition determines the conclusion.

Of course, believing that the supernatural cannot exist is a belief. Materialism is a faith commitment. A materialist cannot prove that the supernatural does not exist, any more than a supernaturalist can prove that it does. The best we can do is to examine the evidence and then make a decision that transcends it. Youll know God is real when you ask him to be real in you.

This article was excerpted from chapter 9 of Dr. Jim Denisons latest book, How Does God See America?, available for a limited time here.

Originally posted at Denison Forum.After May's resignation, nation's leaders 'must focus on what unites us'

The Church of England bishop charged with coordinating the work of the Lords Spiritual in Parliament has called for political leaders to work on unity following Theresa May's resignation announcement.

Mrs May confirmed on Friday that she would be stepping down as Prime Minister on June 7 after three stormy years in Downing Street during which time she tried and failed successive times to win MPs round to her Brexit deal.

The Rt Rev David Urquhart, Bishop of Birmingham and Convenor of the Lords Spiritual, said the Prime Minister's resignation was a reminder of the "importance of compromise".

He said the biggest task facing the next Prime Minister was to unite the nation after years of turmoil, division and uncertainty over Brexit.

"Theresa May has given dedicated and committed public service to the country during very difficult times. I wish her and Philip well as they prepare for life beyond Downing Street," he said.

"I am especially grateful to the Prime Minister for the priority she has given during her time in Government to addressing the evils of modern slavery, and for a focus on global freedom of religion and belief."

He continued: "Now more than ever we need political leaders and Parliament to focus on what unites us, especially when it comes to a way forward with Brexit.

"That will be the biggest task facing our next Prime Minister. My hopes and prayers are for an orderly transition and for all those who continue to give themselves to public service in national and local life."Prime Ministers come and go but God's faithfulness remains

Strange as it might seem, Mrs May's resignation reminds me of a fish. Its name escapes me but it's the one I like to refer to as "four eyes" because it is able to look at the world above and below the water at the same time.

The life of faith is something like that. As we go through life we should have our eyes fixed on the risen Lord as well as on the world we live in. For we need to see this world and the things that happen in the light of God's plan and purposes.

Psalm 46 is particularly helpful here. It seems to have been written at the time of some great national deliverance when Jerusalem was delivered from her enemies. Biblical scholars know that there were several such occasions and we can't be absolutely sure which one this one refers to. But the situation envisaged in the Psalm together with its resonance with passages in the Book of the prophet Isaiah suggest that it could well have been composed after the overthrow of Sennacherib's army in 701 BC.

That was a very significant moment when God revealed Himself in history. He had intervened, demonstrating his power and his ability to save those who put their trust in Him. Christians of course read this Psalm in the light of Easter Day, the day when we remember God's mightiest intervention of all.

The threat of disorder and chaos is always with us. And even thought the opening verses speak explicitly of the disasters of nature the imagery also reminds us of the vagaries of history. In that sense then the roar of the seas hint at the roar of the nations, and the collapse of the mountains call our attention to the collapse of kingdoms.

The references to a shelter, a stronghold and citadel are clearly important too. They tell us that God does not guarantee a trouble-free life but that whatever happens to us, He can protect us and save us.

Like the ancient Israelites, we can be tempted to place our trust in all sorts of political and military alliances, but the Psalmist would encourage us to trust God, believing He is in ultimate control and is working His purposes out.

Even Winston Churchill seems to have known something of this comforting presence, which is why he is reported to have said at the height of the war with Nazi Germany, "I sometimes have a feeling of interference, I want to stress that I have a feeling that some guiding hand has interfered."

But for the Psalmist, this was much more than a feeling. He was full of confidence because he had first hand experience of what God can do. God is on His throne, he assures us and no power on earth or in heaven can topple Him or frustrate his plans.

Old Testament worship characteristically looked forward. We see this here in the phrase "I will be exalted". Christians know that this is a pointer to the day when God's kingdom will come in all its fullness. It is the day when every knee will bow in adoration before Jesus and the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. Until then we can expect times of turbulence and confusion.

Put simply the Psalmist saw the deliverance of Jerusalem as a preview and a pledge of what is going to happen, a foretaste of the glory to come when His will is done on earth as it is in heaven. This vision should remind us then of the prophecies of Isaiah about the beating of swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks and the using of military boots and bloodstained garments as fuel for the fire (Isaiah 2 and 9).

In one sense, the Psalmist presents us with a picture of total devastation with broken bows and shattered spears. But for those who trust in the God of Israel, there is the promise of peace and glory. Ultimately then, Psalm 46 is a hymn of praise and assurance. God is with us now, and we can be completely confident about the future even when a Prime Minister resigns and Brexit chaos abounds.

This is why we can do nothing better than heed the Psalmist's words "Be still and know that I am God". It should be our prayer that Mrs May will do this too.

Rob James is a Baptist minister, writer and church and media consultant to the Evangelical Alliance Wales. He is the author of Little Thoughts About a Big GodThis Country Has Used Us Up - Turkey's Christians

A photograph on the Voice of America website last month showed Armenians in DiyarbakAr, my hometown, celebrating Easter in a cafA, as they still had no access to their church.

The curfew put in place by Turkish authorities in December 2015 remains in effect in the 6 districts of Sur, the ancient centre of DiyarbakAr, where the Surp Giragos Armenian Church is located.

During the clashes between young Kurdish insurgents and the Turkish state, military curfews were declared in mainly Kurdish cities throughout southeast Turkey. The military operations ended in early 2016, leaving more than 1000 dead as well as demolished city centers and hundreds of thousands of homeless people.

Watchdogs and observer groups have published many reports on rights violations during and after the 2015-2016 clashes. But little has been published about the impact on the region's minorities, including Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans and other Christian groups.

After more than two years of peace, the war started again in late 2015. Leaders of the local Assyrian and Chaldean communities were among the thousands detained. One of them was my friend, Sado Ide Oshana, president of the Association of Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Aramis (AACA). He was accused of being a member of a terrorist organization and imprisoned. After 14 months, he was released and fled the country.

In March 2017, the police stormed the home of an Assyrian leader in Midyat, Yuhanon Aktas. He was arrested and accused of being a member of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has led an armed insurgency for self-rule in Turkey's southeast since 1984 and is labelled a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States, and European Union. Aktas had been an active member of the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) and the chairman of a leading Assyrian federation in Mardin.

A well-known Chaldean Christian, Petrus Karatay had recently returned from Paris after 30 years to help build up his ancestral village in AArnak province. After he saw Turkish soldiers starting fires in the mountains around his village, he bravely told journalists what he had seen. He was accused of being a member of the PKK and imprisoned in early 2018.

In the last few years, most Assyrian and Chaldean organisations have been closed. After Oshana's imprisonment, the AACA stopped its activities. With the declaration of the State of Emergency in August 2016, the Assyrian Cultural Association closed, like many regional NGOs.

"The state only gives permission to the NGOs who work closely with the state," an Assyrian friend from Midyat told me. "But if you voice your opposition as a Christian NGO, it is hard to work and to continue."

These arrests send a warning to Christians still living in Turkey's southeast and to those who left long ago and may one day hope to return. Many Christians who still live in the region have begun selling their homes and moving to West. The violence and oppression they witnessed during and after the military operations of 2015-2016 horrified them. They have lost all hope of living peacefully in Turkey.

This week I spoke with one of my Assyrian friends, who asked me not to use her name as she faced investigations and lost her job during the state of emergency.

"Assyrians in Europe have completely lost hope of returning to their lands in Turkey. Assyrians like me who were living in Kurdish cities were forced to leave. I sold my house and now live in western Turkey. Turkey is not a safe place for Christians who use the term 'genocide' and who ask for justice for 1915," she told me.

"After 100 years, in 2015, we faced a second deportation. Many of us were forced to leave our lands. I have no hope for this country. I no longer have a dream to return to my city Midyat. This country has used us up."

Since the founding of the republic, this country has used all its minorities.Hillary Clinton was in Houston Friday to speak at a fundraiser. But she also took time to strike a pose.

The former presidential candidate sat down to be photographed for Pride Portraits, a Houston-based campaign meant to fully represent the LGBTQI community and its allies.

Eric Edward Schell, creator and photographer, gained access to Clinton thanks to the Harris County Democratic Party. Clinton was in town to speak at an annual fundraising luncheon.

PLAN B? Lizzo pulls out of Pride Houston festival performance

"Hillary Clinton entered the room with that powerful, winning smile and thanked me for the opportunity to be a part of the campaign. I let her know why today was so important to not only me and the campaign but thousands of LGBTQIA+ community members," Schell says.

Pride Portraits was founded three years ago after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. More than 4,500 people have participated, including Nancy Pelosi, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Annise Parker, "RuPaul's Drag Race" favorites, transgender activists and even a former NSYNC member.

Schell has also partnered with Facebook, Chevron, Human Rights Campaign, Victory Fund, The FBI and NASA. He says Clinton and activist Cleve Jones topped his wish list of subjects. He has now photographed them both.

"What a wonderful campaign, thank you for having me do Pride Portraits and for what this campaign does for the LGBT+ community," Clinton wrote in a statement.

Pride Portraits will be featured on ABC's Stonewall 50 special set to air nationally in June.

Schell regularly hosts open photo shoots across the city. Donations cover production costs, operating expenses and staff salaries. You can also contact Schell to set up a private session at his studio: hello@prideportraits.org or 832-306-9378.

Joey Guerra is the music critic for the Houston Chronicle and also covers everything from "Drag Race" to "Idol." Follow him on Twitter. Send him news tips at joey.guerra@chron.com.A Houston Fire Department captain was arrested Friday on charges of possession of child pornography.

Ryan William Steckler, 36, allegedly altered pornographic images with a child's face, and uploaded images of child porn, according to the probable cause statement detailing the charges. The statement says Steckler committed 10 counts of felony child pornography at his northwest Harris County home on May 23.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY: Porter man charged on 4 counts of child porn possession

Houston police became aware of Steckler's activities in January through a tip by the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children. The username, email address, and IP address associated with 11 files digital files depicting child pornography all matched Steckler's identification, the statement says.

Steckler's attorney, Morgan Bourque, said the investigation is in its early stages.

"Before we jump to throw stones let's take a step back and remember this man has a family and he is, like all those accused, presumed innocent," Bourque said. "We want to ask the public to consider Mr. Steckler's past and the contributions he's made to our city and our country."

Steckler is a veteran and has been working for the City of Houston for 14 years, Bourque said.

The Houston Fire Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

STAY INFORMED: Text CHRON to 77453 to get breaking news alerts by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.Harris County District Attorney's office

A man who pointed a shotgun at a 7-year-old girl was sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to the Harris County District Attorney's office.

John Medina, 2o, allegedly snuck up behind a couple in a grocery store parking lot last May. He pointed his shotgun at their daughter while demanding money, and the father gave him $7, all he had at the time, prosecutors said in a news release.A second person has been charged in the MS-13-linked killing of a man who was found shot and hacked to death with a machete on Spring ISD property.

Francisco Flores-Salazar, 19, was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder in the death of Jose Alfonso Villanueva. Flores-Salazar is being held at the Harris County Jail with bond set at $100,000.

Federal authorities have also placed an immigration hold on the El Salvador native who was living in Houston.

In September, authorities arrested 17-year-old Karla Morales in the slaying, saying she lured the 24-year-old Villanueva to this death on July 29 with the promise of belated birthday marijuana.

Villanueva, whose birthday was four days earlier, left his Antoine Street apartment and got in a car with Morales and two men she told investigators were MS-13 members. They drove to a nearby field about 500 feet from Lewis Elementary School where other men were waiting for him.

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The men waiting were in a truck and Flores-Salazar, who Morales said she knew as Psycho, was in the front passenger seat, a prosecutor said at his probable cause hearing on Thursday.

The men shot Villanueva several times and Flores-Salazar hacked him with a machete, Morales told investigators. The transnational gang is known for using the signature blade when carrying out killings.

Villanuevas partially-clothed body was found on Aug. 7 in an advanced stage of decomposition and a several shell casings were found under him, according to authorities.

Authorities have not speculated on why Villanueva was killed, but a family member told investigators that a rap battle between Villanueva and his apparent rivals may have prompted the execution-style killing.

The relative said Villanueva had friends with ties to MS-13 but didnt know him to be involved with the gang.

He wasnt no bad guy. His thing was rap. He liked to rap, the relative said.

Morales, who is also charged with murder, remains jailed on a $60,000 bond.

nicole.hensley@chron.comAmanda Eller ventured into a dense forest in Hawaii on May 8, confident her three-mile hike would finish so quickly that her phone and water were unnecessary. She left behind her wallet and her keys, hidden in her car's tire well for when she returned.

A physical therapist and yoga instructor who lives on Maui, Eller knew the terrain from a previous hike and veered off the trail for a quick rest.

But when she got up to resume, she was turned around, and in a quixotic search for the trail, Eller fractured her leg. She ate insects in the 16 days she was missing in the Makawao Forest Reserve - a disappearance that triggered a massive search drawing hundreds of volunteers, even after authorities scaled back their efforts early on.

Eller was found alive Friday, sunburned and smiling. A helicopter search team contracted by her family spotted her four miles from her car, gaunt after surviving on plants and water, a friend told KITV. She was airlifted to a hospital.

"She figured it out, she was smart, she was strong, she was prepared. We said that in the beginning and it was absolutely true," said her father, John Eller, according to KITV.

John Eller said his daughter "took a good fall," and got lost after looking for a way back, he told reporters outside a hospital in a video posted by Maui 24/7. "They found her in a deep ravine, basically unable to get out, as I understand it," he said.

"The rescuers had to be airlifted out as well, because it was so tumultuous," he added.

Eller detailed her survival to The New York Times in an interview. She fractured her leg and tore her meniscus on the third day, her friend said, as rescue efforts ramped up in the jungle thick with creeks, ravines and brush. Eller used ferns and leaves for warmth when the temperature plummeted, and one night, slept in a wild boar's den.

She ate moths and wild strawberry guavas, her mother Julia Eller told Maui News. She could identify those. Other plants were risky and unknown meals. A flood took her shoes, leaving her barefoot and crawling.

"I wanted to give up," she told the Times. "But the only option I had was life or death."

A battalion of searchers worked day after day to bring Eller back, repelling from cliffs and combing streams for signs of life.

Aggressive boars were killed and their intestines inspected for human remains.

Her family offered a $50,000 reward, up from $10,000 in the days after Eller's disappearance, and hired a helicopter crew to search for her by air.

That effort was Eller's salvation Friday. Searchers Troy Helmer, Javier Cantellops and Chris Berquist spotted the missing hiker from air, foraging for food.

"It was unbelievable, dude," Cantellops told CNN. "Seeing her for the first time in a long time was just unbelievable. It was nothing short of elation."

Her mother, Julia Eller, said her injuries were all treatable, including severe sunburn.

"She lost quite a bit of weight, as you can imagine, being lost for that amount of time," Eller said, Maui News reported. "But she was able to survive it. She had the right skills and did the right things to buy time so that we had a chance to find her."

Photos posted to Facebook show her ankles swollen and legs covered in large, blistered wounds.

Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino thanked searchers for their efforts in statement, calling it a "truly a community collaboration."

Cantellops appeared on cable news and on Facebook to describe the search effort. His photograph with Eller, eyes wide open and lips blistered, triggered waves of relief for volunteer searchers.

"Amanda Eller you are one tough ass woman!!!" Cantellops wrote on Facebook. "We are all blown away at your barefoot resilience!!!"Baghdad Must Do More to Protect Iraq's Religious Minorities: US Official

WASHINGTON -- Baghdad must do more to protect Iraq's religious minorities, a senior US official said Wednesday, while unveiling fresh efforts to aid reconstruction in northern Iraq.

Iraq's Yezidi, Christian, and Kakai minorities suffered mass displacement and even acts of genocide in 2014 when Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists swept across northern Iraq, destroying some of the world's oldest religious communities.

Speaking on the sidelines of an event organized by International Christian Concern in Washington, Sam Brownback, US Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom, told Rudaw that now ISIS has been defeated, the Iraqi government must offer these communities the security they need to return and thrive.

"We're putting in efforts and money to rebuild those areas so people can move back into those communities and doing demining operations so that their fields can be operated again," Brownback said.

"The global community has to step up in this case in helping rebuild and guarantee security for the Yezidis, and the Iraqi government needs to do more to protect that minority community and that minority area for Yezidis and Christians and other religious minorities so they can live and thrive in those areas," he added.

Yezidis suffered the worst persecution of any group during the conflict. Thousands were massacred in Shingal and thousands more women and children abducted to be sold into slavery.

Nearly half of the abductees are still missing, according to Yezidi Affairs Office from the KRG Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowments.

Washington has pledged $17 million to help create jobs for the people of Nineveh province, including Shingal, Kirkuk Now reported Friday.

"We have had many opportunities to meet with our local partners and fund important projects in Qaraqush. Karamles, Sheikhan, Telsquf, Lalish, Alqush, Shingal, Mosul and other locations," Max Primorac, USAID Special Representative for Minority Assistance Programs, said Thursday in Erbil.

They will "grant small business loans to the people to help them start their own business," Primorac added.

Steve Fagin, the US consul general in Erbil, who was also present, said: "Since 2014, we have offered $2 million in aid to the Yezidis, and we will continue our visits to the IDP camps to oversee the distribution of aid supplies to the IDPs."

The majority of displaced Yezidis have still not returned home, instead residing in IDP camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Kurdish-held areas in northern Syria.

Many refuse to return unless safety and basic services are provided.

Ali Shaabo, manager of Sardasht Camp, told Rudaw in early May: "The Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration had planned to take displaced people back to their hometowns but they didn't return."

Mike Pence, the US vice president and an evangelical Catholic, told a Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom conference in July 2018 his country had dedicated $17 million to religious minorities and "vulnerable communities" living on the Nineveh plains.

"America is launching a new initiative that will not only deliver additional support to the most vulnerable communities but we trust it will also embolden civil society to help stop violence in the future," Pence said.

"It is my privilege as Vice President to announce today the United States of America will establish the Genocide Recovery and Prosecution Response Program, effective today," he added.

However, Hussein Hassan Nermo, a Yezidi MP in Iraqi parliament, told Rudaw English the $17 million "is insufficient and even does not suffice reconstruction of Shingal".

Food aid from humanitarian organizations is "not enough", he said.

Nermo said the Iraqi government has launched the Uda (Return) program, which pays families willing to return home 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 Iraqi dinars ($840 to $1,260).Warning: Details in this article are disturbing

A Magic Kingdom employee from Clermont is accused of trying to arrange a sexual encounter with an 8-year-old girl.

The United States Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida on Thursday announced the arrest of Frederick M. Pohl, Jr.

Pohl is accused of transferring obscene materials to a minor and attempting to entice a minor.

According to a criminal complaint, Pohl engaged in a series of online chat communications to arrange a sexual encounter with an 8-year-old girl. Pohl believed he was chatting with the child and her father, but he was communicating with an undercover federal agent, investigators said.

Investigators said Pohl sent explicit photos of himself and arranged to meet with the child at an Orlando hotel. When Pohl arrived at the hotel, he was arrested. Pohl was found to be in possession of condoms and a child-sized pink dress, the complaint said.

A public information officer for the Middle District of Florida confirmed that Pohl was employed at the theme park.

WESH 2 News has reached out to Disney for comment. It's unclear exactly what Pohl did at the park.It's a peculiar, droning sound, heard primarily in sci-fi television and counterculture music genres of yesteryear.

Covered with multicolored buttons, blinking lights and patched-up cords, this strange object appears to be straight out of an episode of the "Twilight Zone."

The source? A vintage instrument. It's a trip back to the past  at least, it was for one repairman.

More for you Man who was Tasered while on LSD in 2012 loses lawsuit against Harris County

KPIX-TV broadcast operations manager Eliot Curtis told the station he recently volunteered to repair a custom "analog music modular instrument" for the music department at Cal State University East Bay.

More commonly known today as a synthesizer, the instrument reportedly "fell out of favor" after Cal State acquired it in the 1960s.

There, it sat in a storage closet for decades.

That is, until Curtis recently examined the synthesizer's inner mechanics at home in his workshop.

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During the process, he told KPIX he noticed a "crust or crystalline residue" stuck under one of the knobs. He sprayed a cleaning solvent on it and thought nothing of it.

About 45 minutes later, he began to feel a "strange, tingling sensation."

"It felt like I was tripping on LSD," Curtis said.

Chemical testing identified the substance to be just that. Curtis' trip lasted for nine hours. Luckily, his wife was there to supervise.

Here's where things get even more interesting: KPIX revealed the synthesizer had stronger ties to West Coast counterculture than previously speculated.

The instrument is actually called a Buchla Model 100, developed by Berkeley resident Don Buchla in the 1960s.

Buchla was an experimental electronic music composer and a friend to Owsley Stanley, the Grateful Dead's sound engineer. KPIX reports that Stanley also was known for making "the purest LSD to ever hit the street."

Was someone hiding their stash in the synthesizer and forgot all about it? Were they using the substance for creative purposes while tinkering with the instrument? We can only speculate.

The device has since been cleaned and is back at Cal State for music students to study.President Donald Trump plans to install Ken Cuccinelli as the new director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, placing the conservative activist and former Virginia attorney general at the head of the agency that runs the country's legal immigration system, administration officials said Friday.

L. Francis Cissna, the agency's current director, has told his staff that he will leave his post June 1.

The move extends the purge of senior leadership at the Department of Homeland Security, replacing Cissna, a Senate-confirmed agency head with deep expertise on immigration law, with Cuccinelli, a conservative firebrand disliked by senior GOP figures, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

McConnell has vowed to block Cuccinelli from getting confirmed for any position, blaming him for leading a 2014 effort defying McConnell that promoted insurgent candidates running against sitting Republican incumbents. And Cuccinelli signed a letter drafted by conservative activists two years ago calling on McConnell to step aside.

After Cuccinelli was rumored as a potential DHS secretary, McConnell told reporters he had communicated with the White House about his opposition.

"I have expressed my, shall I say, lack of enthusiasm for one of them . . . Ken Cuccinelli," McConnell said.

Cuccinelli, known more recently for combative television appearances and enthusiasm for the president's immigration proposals, is even more disliked by Democrats.

Trump senior policy adviser Stephen Miller has been agitating for Cissna's removal for months, and he has repeatedly railed about Cissna to the president, saying he is not in favor of the administration's agenda and has delayed some of its biggest initiatives - while not writing enough regulations.

Miller also faulted Cissna for moving too slowly in implementing new rules that would penalize immigrants who use public benefits, expanding the agency's ability to deny visas on the grounds that an applicant could be considered a "public charge." The proposed changes triggered more than 200,000 public comments, all requiring a response from the agency.

Cuccinelli's new role could include other duties outside of CIS, an administration official said Friday.

Miller agitated to have Cissna fired during the last DHS purge, officials said, but a number of Republican senators - including Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa - rallied to Cissna's defense. A senior White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Cissna was temporarily saved after Trump saw how many influential Republicans, and even hard-line immigration hawks, were praising him.

But the reprieve was short-lived, and Trump's decision to add Cuccinelli to the department earlier this week set up potential conflicts within DHS leadership, where there was no clear vacancy for him.

White House aides have scrambled to figure out exactly what Cuccinelli would be doing in the administration, officials said, and the move Friday places him at the forefront of Trump's plans to overhaul the country's legal immigration system.

Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, is leading a White House effort to reorient the agency toward a "merit-based" immigration system that will prioritize job skills over the current family reunification model, which the president denounces as "chain migration."

Cissna, the son of an immigrant mother from Peru, is a bespectacled career bureaucrat who quotes classics and is fluent in Spanish. He fits in well with academics and policy wonks, and he prioritizes following immigration law to the letter.

His relationship with Miller has long been frosty - at one point in a conference call during a debate over asylum laws in 2018, Cissna said "Enough!" to Miller, who he believed was pressuring government officials to ignore immigration laws.

Cissna's supporters - including immigration hard-liners - say he actually had more success than his border enforcement peers at Homeland Security in implementing the Trump administration's agenda. He heightened scrutiny of legal immigration applications while continuing to naturalize thousands of lawful immigrants.

But immigration lawyers and Democrats have criticized Cissna for throwing sand in the gears of the nation's legal immigration system. In February, lawmakers wrote to Cissna saying processing delays in the agency had reached "crisis levels" that were preventing relatives of U.S. citizens and others from working legally and paying their bills. Among the green card and visa applicants are domestic-abuse survivors, children and others, they said.

Cissna also generated controversy last year by removing the phrase "nation of immigrants" from the USCIS mission statement.

In a farewell letter to staff Friday, obtained by The Washington Post, Cissna said he submitted his resignation "at the request of the President."

"It gives me great pride to reflect upon the many strides we have made in a relatively short period of time to carry out our statutory mission and ensure that you're appropriately trained and empowered to carry out your individual duties and responsibilities under the law," Cissna wrote. "I also know we have carefully and purposefully laid the groundwork for many more, much-needed, lawful reforms to come in the near future."Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Most bathrooms and restaurants were closed at George Bush Intercontinental Airport for approximately five hours Saturday after a construction crew hit a water line.

During a busy travel day over Memorial Day weekend, the airport had to go into a water conservation mode, hand-flushing toilets and asking restaurants to cease operations that required water.



All terminals except Terminal D were affected; it has a back-up water tank system, said Bill Begley, an airport spokesperson.CLEVELAND, Ohio  If Greater Cleveland is to succeed at building a pipeline of skilled workers, organizers will have to fix what past regional efforts havent been able to address.

Turf wars. Concentrated poverty and racial inequality. Expanding effective pilot projects and informal practices.

Despite Greater Clevelands lackluster history with regional efforts, many concerned with closing the skills gap believe the area is now better positioned to make progress.

Roland Anglin, dean of Cleveland State University's Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, said the school recently completed a study showing that local governments are doing a better job in cooperating on services such as fire and sanitation.

As we see these bilateral relationships building in Cuyahoga County -- people starting to work with each other and establishing trust over time -- I think you'll see more willingness to cooperate, perhaps, on non-service items (such as building a pipeline).

Still, he said there are only a few examples nationally of communities working together on training and employment efforts such as a pipeline. There is always the free rider problem of local governments not wanting to fund programs they fear will not specifically help their residents or businesses.

Marsha Mockabee, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Cleveland, said working with unions and contractors as part of a Community Benefits Agreement, which called for a diverse workforce on city-funded projects, gave her hope that many are willing to grapple with racial disparities in training and hiring. Urban League programs led to black and other minority clients getting hired or joining union-run apprenticeships in the construction industry, which many women and minorities have long-complained have not welcomed them. Mockabee said changing demographics have made them more welcoming.

It was always the FBI -- Friends, Brothers and In-laws, she said. Whats happening now is that these individuals are retiring and the children, brothers and the in-laws of these workers dont want to do construction. They have to have somebody to backfill those slots.

Pipeline supporters shouldnt discount influences that could undermine cooperation, said Randy Bennett, vice president of Automation Tool and Die in Medina, which is part of the Medina County Manufacturers Partnership working on closing the skills gap.

Anytime there's a new concept or an emerging group, theres pushback from the status quo or people who get a little territorial, he said, adding that he knew from experience.

Momentum may be going against those not in favor of change.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, who also heads the Ohio Office of Workforce Transformation, said the DeWine administration gives high priority to addressing the skills gap, with an emphasis on employer-driven models. For example, the governor wants to fund 10,000 nanodegrees, or credentials resulting from short-term training, so employers could upskill workers for in-demand jobs. Husted is traveling the state looking for effective programs and practices that could be expanded.

We hope that by doing this, we will make Ohio a leader in providing the talented workforce that we need, and also help people earn more by giving them skills that are more in-demand in the marketplace, he said.

Learn how apprenticeships at SFS offer lessons for building worker pipeline in Greater Cleveland

Read more of the Pathways to Prosperity series.CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio --

Assault, Cedar Road

At 1:10 p.m. May 19, police were called to the Legacy Health Services assisted living facility, 12504 Cedar Road, where a receptionist reported that she had just spoken with a woman who had been assaulted at the facility. The receptionist said the woman had swollen lips and marks on her neck and was bleeding.

The woman said she was in a room in the facility with a man who had paid her to have sex. She said the man paid her $40 up front and promised to give her $40 more when they finished. The man, however, became upset because she took too long and assaulted her by biting and choking the woman, 35.

Police went to the mans room and he confessed to finding the woman via an online escort service. He said she took too long, then tried to take the rest of the money and leave. He said that he then choked and bit the woman.

Police cited the man for soliciting. The detective bureau is continuing to investigate the matter and further charges could be filed.

Aggravated burglary, Yellowstone Road

At 12:20 p.m. May 18, police were called to a home where a woman stated that her sister had punched her in the face.

The woman told police that she is the legal custodian of a teen girl, who behaves in an unruly manner. The woman said that whenever she disciplines the girl for cutting classes, staying out late or another offense, the girl calls her aunt, a Garfield Heights resident, and the aunt takes the girls side against the woman.

On May 18, the aunt -- who is the complainants sister -- after receiving a call from the girl, went to the womans house. The aunt, from outside the house, threatened to beat her sister. When she was not allowed inside, the aunt went to a side door and kicked it in, causing frame damage. Once inside, the aunt found her sister and punched her in the left eye.

The woman told the girls aunt that she was calling police and, after first saying she didnt care, the aunt ran from the house. The aunt left the scene, with the girl, in a car.

The woman said she was not concerned for the girls safety, because she sometimes allows the girl to stay with her aunt. The girl is the daughter of another sister of the complainant.

Police were unable to apprehend the aunt. The woman, however, decided to pursue charges of domestic violence and aggravated burglary against her sister.

It was also discovered that the aunt was wanted on a Cleveland Heights police warrant for failure to appear in court after being cited for driving with a suspended license.

Menacing, Mayfield Road

At 12:20 p.m. May 18, it was reported that a man threatened a female worker at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, 3200 Mayfield Road.

The employee reported that, earlier in the day, a man had called the business furious that Enterprise had not picked him up. The man, still angry, then went to the store and began to make a scene.

The employee attempted to calm the man, who continued to behave in an inappropriate manner. The woman next told the man that, because of his behavior, she was refusing him service. She asked the man to step outside.

The man responded by telling the woman, I should punch you right in your (expletive) face. The woman told the man he had to leave. She then ran. The man chased her and said he was going to hurt her. The woman was able to get away.

She gave police the mans customer information. Officers went to the mans house, found him sitting on the porch and arrested him without incident on a menacing charge.

Aggravated robbery, Edgehill Road

At 9:35 p.m. May 19, police were called to a home where a man, 71, reported being the victim of an aggravated robbery that had taken place less than an hour before.

The man, whose words were translated by his son, said he did not immediately call his son to tell him what had happened because he was waiting for the Sabbath to end.

The man said he had been walking on the west side of Woodward Road, between Euclid Heights Boulevard and Edgehill Road, when he noticed two men walking in the area. He didnt think the men were suspicious. As he continued to walk, one of the men hit him in the back of the head with a gun, causing him to fall to the ground and injure his knees.

As one man held the gun, the other went through the mans pockets, stealing only his car key.

A police K-9 was called to the scene, but was unable to locate the suspects. The man refused medical attention. DNA swabs were taken from the man and from the items the suspects touched and discarded on the street after taking them from the man. Police are investigating.

Read more news from the Sun Press.You just keep coming to the cleveland.com story identifying the best Mexican restaurant in Northeast Ohio.

Since the Clevelands Best team published the winner May 21, the story about Blue Habanero on Clevelands West Side has been the top piece of content on our site.

On the latest episode of This Week in the CLE, reporters Yadi Rodriguez and Brenda Cain join their editor, Kristen Davis, to talk about how they identified the winner and all of the other great Mexican restaurants in the region. They also talk about some favorites of their own.

You can download the MP3 here to listen to the Clevelands Best discussion starting at 1:02:07, or, on many devices, you can click on this player to listen to the entire podcast.

You can read a transcript below.

Chris Quinn: Im Chris Quinn and I'm talking with the Cleveland's Best team of reporters, Yadi Rodriguez, Brenda Cain, along with their editor Kristen Davis. They just wrapped up weeks of terribly difficult duties sampling the fair at the region's best Mexican restaurants in search of the one that is the best. Hola and welcome.

Yadi Rodriguez: Hola

Kristen Davis: Hola.

Chris: So let's get straight to it. Who won and why? Yadi?

Yadi: Blue Habanero in Cleveland, a brand-new, only six month old establishment, took home the crown.

Chris: Why?

Yadi: Well, from the minute that you walk in, you're welcome, you're made to feel at home. The food was outstanding, the service was phenomenal, the atmosphere was great, and the margaritas were on point.

Chris: Were they the best you had?

Yadi: They truly were. They truly were. And everything, because we took everything into consideration.

Chris: So we'll get to some of the other dishes and things you liked, but talk a little bit about what goes into this. I mean, I get it, you know. It's real challenging, you gotta go sample a whole bunch of Mexican. But it's a lot of work. You gotta go to a lot of places, you gotta taste a lot of food, and you're passing judgment on people that are investing a lot of themselves into making quality meals. So how do you go about it? What is your thought process.

Kristen Davis: Well one thing I'll say is Brenda and Yadi come up with a grading sheet that's about eight pages. And you see some of the pictures and the posts but we're circling grades, we're writing comments, they go out and do a surprise visit to 20 restaurants around the area - Akron, Wadsworth, Mentor, North Ridgeville, all around town and then go back for surprise visits. So it really does take up weeks.

Chris: When you're doing this do you feel the weight of the judgments you're making, and how does that weigh on you?

Brenda Cain: We absolutely do because we understand that what we say could impact someone's business. Either for the good or for the negative so that carries a lot of weight and we always try and look for the positive, sometimes it's not there, but we still try and put a really good positive spin on it.

Chris: All right, let's get some of the specifics. First, what would you recommend people have at the winning restaurant? Best dish?

Yadi: Truly anything on the menu. I'm not gonna lie, we sampled a lot of things. But there was nothing that was bad and we went a second time and it was just as good as the first.

Chris: OK. So what are some of the other restaurants that you highly recommend?

Brenda: Well the first place we visited was a place in Wadsworth called Casa del Rio and they really set the bar really high for everyone else that came after it. And they ended up finishing in second place, so they didn't fall very far off the mark. The other places that we were at was Cozumel in Independence, Uncle Tito's in Akron was really amazing and Nueve Acapulco who has been closed for almost nine months or more I think, they came back with a real bang.

Chris: All right so as you go around and you're tasting all this food, I'm sure that sometimes you have a conversation about something that just stays with you for the right reasons. What is a dish that just stood out from much of what you had as you went about?

Yadi: I think that the molcajete that we had at La Mesa in Mentor, which is a very small family-run place, was outstanding and none of us had had it before and it was amazing and even afterwards we talked about just how great it was. And I do also have to say if you like true Mexican rice it was one of the best. And this guy, his wife was still in Mexico when he started and she was telling him over the phone how to cook it. And so five years later when she came, she told me that his rice is better than hers.

Chris: Did you have the same feeling about a drink? Was there one concoction that you had that you thought "That's one that I wanna go back and have again?"

Yadi: There were quite a few of those. I'll tell you that we experienced a lot more freshness, not just your typical out of the machine margaritas. So Brenda, if you wanna -

Brenda: Yeah, that was one of the most impressive parts was seeing the creativity that these bartenders have and how they're trying to use fresh fruits and fresh juice as opposed to a sour mix.

Chris: OK this was a long process, you started this when?

Kristen: April 20-ish.

Brenda: Eight weeks.

Chris: It's a long process. But Kristen, we're gonna be evolving Cleveland's Best a little now, doing a little bit more crowdsourcing through things like Yelp, TripAdvisor, what have you, or our audience. Talk a little bit about where we're heading now for Cleveland's Best.

Kristen: Yeah, so we're gonna do a combination. Yadi and Brenda feel very passionate about including the readers still, and so it's going to be weekly lists, things that, the Mexican restaurant by far the most-red pieces are the winner, the best things we ate each week. They're working on superlatives, best margaritas, best tacos, seven different categories. And so these are weekly we'll have the big interest pieces that will go beyond food. We're kind of locked into food and drink because it's so popular but this is gonna allow us to do things like community pools, pets, businesses, best spa, that kind of thing and each week there'll be a big list sourced from various places as well as asking readers, many of them, of the contest, for their nominations.

Chris: All right, last thing, we've done a bunch of these over time whether it's pizza or even looking at supermarket hot dogs. This is, we're four days, three days after announcing the winner and it's still riding high at the top of the list of things people are reading on our site. In your minds, where does this rank in terms of the contests we did in [inaudible 00:06:35]. Is this better than doing burgers, was pizza better, was this the most fun that you've had? How does this rank for all the contests that you've been involved in?

Brenda: Well I wasn't around for burgers so I can't comment on that/ But this is one of the more fun ones. Definitely. Just because we had the opportunity to really get to know the people involved, the chefs came out to talk to us, the bartenders came out to talk to us, they really put forth their best selves.

Yadi: I feel burgers was super fun for me, this obviously was a lot of fun, I got to speak a little Spanish along the way. But its great because we got to travel to places that people might not know about. This little place out in Akron, theres nothing else around there. Theres something out there for everybody. These business owners are so proud of what theyre doing and its great to not just go to very popular places but to get people to realize theres a lot of other local businesses out there where these people are pouring their hearts into what theyre doingWASHINGTON - Structures the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants to build to keep Asian Carp from spreading into the Great Lakes and destroying its fisheries will likely cost $830,784,000, and nonstructural safeguards it recommends will cost taxpayers an average of $12.3 million each year, says a final plan signed Thursday by Army Corps commander Todd T. Semonite.

The Army Corps estimated the plans cost at $778 million when a draft was released in November. Pre-engineering and design as the project progresses will help narrow its scope and lower its projected cost, predicts Toledo Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, who chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee that funds Army Corps of Engineers projects.

I am committed to working with stakeholders to find a path forward, and the Chiefs report is a framing for those stakeholder consultations, said a statement Kaptur released about the document.

The report obtained by cleveland.com calls for installing technology including an acoustic fish deterrent, an air bubble curtain, and electric barrier at a choke point near Joliet, Illinois to keep the fish from entering the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River system. The containment plan would also include construction of an engineered channel with smooth walls where fish couldnt hide from monitoring devices, as well as a a flushing lock and boat ramps so the waterway could be accessed for monitoring, and other efforts to control the carp.

Invasive Asian carp originally escaped from fish farms in the southern United States during floods and are now roughly six miles downstream from the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, where the proposed barriers would be installed, and approximately 47 miles away from Lake Michigan. If they get into the Great Lakes, the carp would likely crowd out native species and ruin much of its $7 billion yearly fisheries. The report says the Great Lakes Basin supports over 150 native fish species, approximately 46 plants and animals that are unique to the basin, and approximately 279 species and habitat types that are documented as globally rare.

The report says the Army Corps would pay 65 percent of the projects structural cost - or $540,010,000 - and the state of Illinois would pay $290,774,000.

Very honored to approve this chiefs report for one of the Corps most important projects!" says a note Semonite wrote near his signature on the report. We are absolutely committed to reduce the risk of Asian carp!!

eAt this writing, its impossible to say whether the Ohio House of Representatives (61-38 Republican) will force Ohio utility consumers to subsidize the Perry and Davis-Besse nuclear plants. Whats now FirstEnergy Corp. built the two nuclear plants, which are owned by FirstEnergy Solutions, a soon-to-be independent FirstEnergy tentacle.

There are two Statehouse constants. One is the craftiness of Republican House Speaker Larry Householder, of Perry Countys Glenford, whose shrewdness cant be overestimated. The second constant is Ohios public utility lobby, kings of Statehouse clout for well over 100 years.

Politics and utilities twine like honeysuckle and trellises. The first secretary of the Ohio Railroad Commission, predecessor of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, was Howard D. Manington, a member of the Ohio Gang, which swam in Warren G. Hardings wake.

Manington had lobbied for Ohios coal industry and led a power company. He was practically maitre d of Washingtons Little Green House on K Street (1625 K Street NW), the Ohio Gangs clubhouse during Hardings presidency. For that matter, Hardings attorney general, Columbus lawyer Harry M. Daugherty (pronounced DOCK-er-tee), a Washington Court House native, had been a top Statehouse lobbyist for utilities and shared ownership in an interurban trolley line, which the PUCO regulated.

In 1935, when a newly elected Ohio House first met, it was composed of 68 Republicans and 67 Democrats. But rather than elect the Houses GOP leader, Lebanon meatpacker Arthur Hamilton, speaker, the House elected Ashland Democrat J. Freer Bittinger. Two House Republicans voted for Bittinger. The GOP bolters implied Hamilton was too close to the utility lobby.

Meanwhile, though, The Columbus Dispatchs John P. Biehn reported that the 1935 speakership coup might have resulted from winks and nods between Gov.-elect Martin L. Davey, a Kent Democrat, and Daveys close personal friend  [and] close political associate, then-Democrat Wendell Willkie. Yes, the Wendell Willkie who was 1940s Republican presidential nominee was originally a Democrat. Willkie had also been the president of Akrons Ohio Edison Co., an electric utility thats part of whats now FirstEnergy. Statehouse politics is just one  coincidence  after another.

In 1982, fed-up Ohio utility consumers initiated a statewide ballot issue that would have required the popular election of Public Utilities Commission of Ohio members. Thanks to carpet-bombed ads and PR by Ohio utilities and their Statehouse allies, the ballot issue got squashed like a bug.

Besides  not to worry  the General Assembly (Democratic Ohio House, Republican Ohio Senate) passed a reform to head off popular election of PUCO members. The kernel of the legislatures 1982 move was that it required governors to appoint PUCO members after a panel had screened applicants for their experience, ability, etc. Look at your monthly utility bill. You can see how thats worked out for Ohio consumers.

Earlier, in 1976, legislators had passed and then-Gov. James A. Rhodes of the GOP signed a bill creating the Office of the Ohio Consumers Counsel. It represents Ohios residential utility customers at the Statehouse and in PUCO hearings. Coincidentally or not, appearing on Ohios November 1976 statewide ballot was a battery of voter-proposed constitutional amendments intended to help Ohios residential utility consumers. Among those 1976 initiatives was a plan to create a Consumers Counsel-like Residential Utility Consumer Action Group (RUCAG), an idea backed by Ralph Naders Public Interest Research Group.

But as in 1982s defeat of that years elect-the-PUCO issue, one argument used against RUCAG was that, hey, the General Assembly had already addressed that by creating the Consumers Counsel.

Indeed, the Consumers Counsel has in fact been a focused, unflinching ally of Ohio utility consumers. That may be precisely why, beginning with Ohios 2011-12 budget, passed under then-House Speaker Bill Batchelder, a Medina Republican, a budget signed by then-Gov John Kasich, another Republican, the General Assembly chain-sawed the Consumers Counsel budget.

So for the Ohio fiscal year that will end on June 30, the General Assembly has budgeted about 47 cents per Ohioan for the Consumers Counsels work on behalf of rank-and-file ratepayers. That tells a voter pretty much all that she or he needs to know about the General Assemblys  concern  for Ohios hard-pressed residential utility customers.

Thomas Suddes, a member of the editorial board, writes from Athens.

To reach Thomas Suddes: tsuddes@cleveland.com, 216-999-4689

Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the Follow option at the top of the comments, and look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com.CLEVELAND -- Kayakers taking selfies next to giant ore boats. People on blow-up flamingos floating along the narrow channel. Dogs taking a dip while freighters ply the waters.

Whats wrong with this picture? Plenty, according to a safety task force thats been studying ways to keep everyone safe -- from rowers to paddlers to ore boat skippers -- while they all co-exist on a cleaner Cuyahoga River thats now a popular summertime water fun destination.

Some remedies have been instituted. They include 10 red no docking zones for small pleasure craft and student patrols handing out safety tips.

It should also be noted that Shane Peterson, whose inflatable pink flamingo river outing with a friend last year was captured on camera by the captain of the Goodtime III cruise ship, creating buzz, has clarified with cleveland.com reporter Laura Johnston that he and his buddy followed all safety requirements, going so far as to register the flamingo with the state as an alternative watercraft. He says they never came in contact with a freighter.

But, with the 50th anniversary of the last major Cuyahoga River fire just around the corner, on June 22, more safety-related enhancements are here or coming.

The Cuyahoga River Safety Task Force has installed four temporary, solar-powered signs to warn of the arrival of ore boats or other large craft that will cause operators to raise the Norfolk Southern railroad lift bridge near the rivers mouth. Also on deck: A volunteer effort organized by the Cleveland Metroparks, Nalu Paddle & Surf and Phastar Corp. launching CRAP -- for the Cuyahoga River Ambassador Program -- of trained safety volunteers patrolling in kayaks and on paddleboards. Johnston reports patrols will run Thursday through Sunday and during special events.

The U.S. Coast Guard tries to avoid conflicts between freighters schedules and recreational uses, such as rowing regattas, and has the power, along with Cleveland police boats, to cite boaters for infractions.

Yes, in the end, boaters have to take responsibility for their actions -- and freighter captains need to cooperate.

But its great for Cleveland and its future that river water fun is part of the draw of todays downtown. What more can or should Cleveland and its boating community do to preserve that, while keeping everyone safe on the water this summer? The editorial board roundtable shares some thoughts.

Ted Diadiun, editorial board member:

What we have here is a perfect example of Darwins theory of natural selection at work. If you are not smart enough to know that paddleboarding or floating in a blow-up flamingo next to a giant ore boat is dangerously foolhardy, theres not much anyone can do for you. Famous last words of many a reckless buffoon with more testosterone than brains: Hey! Watch this!

Thomas Suddes, editorial writer:

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Ohio law does not require that you carry boat insurance. That doesnt mean it isnt a good idea. Actually, its such a good idea that Ohio should require it. The better the boater, the lower the premium, which might induce better navigation by Ohios weekend skippers.

Lisa Garvin, editorial board member:

Due to the often-lowered railroad lift bridge, the Cuyahogas double loops are difficult to monitor effectively, but thats where the closest encounters between freighters and pleasure craft occur. Volunteer patrols and signage are great ideas, but nothing incentivizes good behavior like a hefty fine. The Coast Guard should have a couple of boats stationed between Rivergate Park and the railroad bridge and start handing out tickets.

Mary Cay Doherty, editorial board member:

The Cuyahoga River Safety Task Force has the right idea: Signage, apps, and volunteer patrols will educate boaters and promote safety. Required education courses shouldnt be necessary. Volunteers must be trained to anticipate and diffuse conflict. Undoubtedly, some boaters will resent perceived admonishments from a volunteer patrol. And, for heavens sake, cut the CRAP: Our world-class city deserves world-class acronyms. Rename the Ambassador Program.

Eric Foster, editorial board member:

According to the ODNR Division of State Parks & Watercraft, there have been 20 fatal boating accidents in Northeast Ohio since 2015. While that may not seem like a lot to some, those are 20 deaths that, arguably, were preventable. Im not sure what else can be done to promote safety, but anything that increases vigilance and communication among the vessels on the water cannot be a bad thing!

Victor Ruiz, editorial board member:

In todays times, the selfie trumps safety. With that said, unless fines and tickets follow the warnings, then nothing will change.

Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, cleveland.com:

River recreation is getting to be big-business fun along the Cuyahoga -- hence the deserved attention to safety. But the Cuyahoga remains a narrow, crooked, working river where ore boats need to navigate and dredging is de rigueur to keep the cargos moving. More engagement from the Coast Guard and Cleveland police is needed.

Editors note: This roundtable was updated at 10:15 a.m. to note that the solar-powered signs have already been installed.

Have something to say about this topic?

* Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the Follow option at the top of the comments, and look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com.

* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.

* Email general questions about our editorial board or comments on this editorial board roundtable to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com.CLEVELAND, Ohio  Deadwood: The Movie, which HBO premieres at 8 p.m. Friday, May 31, opens in darkness but not in silence. First, before any flicker of light, there is that familiar sound  the relentless rhythmic clackety-clack of a train rumbling down the tracks.

The train, moving through a tunnel, emerges into bright sunshine warming a rugged Western landscape. We cut to a glimpse of Calamity Jane (Robin Weigert) on horseback. Like the train, she is making a lot of noise. Like the train, she is heading for Deadwood, that South Dakota town where so many fascinating characters crossed paths.

Thats right. Were going back. It has been a long-delayed, much-desired return trip for Deadwood devotees. It has been about 13 years since the plug was abruptly pulled after three ferociously brilliant seasons of this acclaimed series.

Could this possibly have been worth the wait? The aptly named master of the expletive, saloon owner Al Swearengen (Ian McShane), would have a more vivid and colorful way of expressing it, but lets just leave it at this: Oh, yeah.

Deadwood fans were rightly stunned and outraged when the series simply stopped without much in the way of an explanation and with several story lines hanging in the air. HBO maintained that the show wasnt canceled and might return (even though the actors contracts werent renewed). Executive producer, writer and creator David Milch said he was offered a mere six-episode order, adding, My old man used to say, Never go anyplace where youre only tolerated. 

Whatever the reasons, it amounted to this. One of the greatest shows in the history of television was tossed aside with a whole lot of unfinished business.

Through it all, there were rumors and hints about a possible Deadwood movie. And, finally, here it is.

The highest compliment you can pay Deadwood: The Movie is that it is the continuation and the conclusion that both the series and its fans deserved. Its just that good.

Its powerful, at times profound, at times bittersweet. And its made all the more bittersweet by our realization that it arrives about a month after the 74-year-old Milch revealed he has been diagnosed with Alzheimers.

What makes this such a triumphant return to Deadwood is that Milchs writing recognizes the changes the years must bring, yet, at its core, it recalls everything we prized in the series. Theres still that incredibly potent blend  profane and poetic, fierce and funny, all at the same time. And its all served up with the grandeur of Shakespearean themes and the grittiness of a blood-and-mud-soaked Western epic.

Timothy Olyphant, left, and Ian McShane, stars of HBOs Deadwood: The Movie.

Set 10 years after the end of the third season, Deadwood: The Movie opens in 1889 with the town preparing to celebrate South Dakota statehood. The momentous occasion provides a reason for most of the original characters, and us, to again gather in that same old place.

These characters are all older, of course, but some not necessarily wiser. Over at the Gem Saloon, its owner is looking a bit worse for wear and hard living.

You went somewhat wrong with your liver, Al, no-nonsense Doc Cochran (Brad Dourif) tells him, and even the boys down in the bar have to admit that, The boss is looking poorly, kind of sore.

Indeed, much of the story examines the effects of time on the characters and the town. As we observe these changes, well, we couldnt be in better company.

Yup, just about everyone is back for this magnificent roundup. In addition to McShane, Weigert and Dourif, the reunited cast includes Timothy Olyphant as Seth Bullock, Molly Parker as Alma Garrett, Anna Gunn as Martha Bullock, Paula Malcomson as Trixie, Dayton Callie as Charlie Utter, William Sanderson as E.B. Farnum, Kim Dickens as Joanie, Gerald McRaney as George Hurst and John Hawkes as Sol Star.

Greatly missed is Powers Boothe (Bella Union saloon owner Cy Tolliver), who died of pancreatic cancer in 2017.

Als soliloquies are as dazzling as ever, splendidly written by Milch and compellingly delivered by McShane. With all the change and all the soliloquies, there is a new battle to be fought. How will Seth and Al respond?

Finding the answer is all about finding your way back to Deadwood. Make the trip, by train or horseback or however you can get there. Make the trip, by all means and by any means. Make the trip, because Milch and his team have made the most of this opportunity.

REVIEW

Deadwood: The Movie

What: A film set 10 years after the end of the acclaimed dramas third season.

When: 8 p.m. Friday, May 31.

Where: HBOThe best Europe in history is facing some of its greatest challenges ever. They will test the sustainability, effectiveness and relevance of the European Union and its related institutions that helped end centuries of conflict.

Despite all the focus on this week's European parliamentary elections  the most closely watched and most widely reported in their four-decade run  this vote shouldn't distract anyone from the more existential questions facing Europe.

The dangers are deep and fall under three, broad categories: consistently slow economic growth, declining global relevance and unimaginative political leadership.

The good news is that European leaders and citizens can address all three, and European parliamentary elections might even help more than they hurt by creating a more democratically dynamic and truly European body that is closer to its constituents.

The bad news is that most European leaders and citizens continue to live in denial, insufficiently aware of the fragility of their historic accomplishments and inadequately motivated to make the decisions that could build on the past 74 years of European peace and progress.

Even worse, few in the Trump administration  least of all President Donald Trump himself  are willing to say loudly and publicly that today's Europe is one of the greatest foreign policy accomplishments in American history, achieved at a considerable cost of blood and treasure through two world wars and a Cold War that followed.

Fast-forward to today. The stakes have rarely been greater for U.S.-European relations as we enter a new and intensifying period of major power competition, pitting democracies and open societies against autocratic rivals.

We confront a historic inflection point as significant as 1919, 1945 and 1989, and just as then Europe is at the center of a global contest and the United States remains a crucial actor in how that unfolds. Whatever challenges the West faces in the 21st century  ideological, economic, technological and geopolitical  all are playing out again in full force on the European continent.

As the financier George Soros has argued, "Europe is sleepwalking into oblivion, and the people of Europe need to wake up before it is too late. If they don't, the European Union will go the way of the Soviet Union in 1991. Neither our leaders nor ordinary citizens seem to understand we are experiencing a revolutionary moment, that the range of possibilities is very broad, and that the eventual outcome is thus highly uncertain."

Share that warning with most Eurocrats in Brussels or officials in European capitals, and they'll roll their eyes. They'll remind you that critics  and particularly Americans  have been underestimating the European Union since its beginning and should drop outdated, apocalyptic thinking about their future.

I share the view that this European project, at age 74, is more robust and resilient than doomsayers recognize. Indeed, even as many worry that Eurosceptic and nationalist parties will surge in this weekend's elections, far-right populist parties, except in the UK, have shifted away from seeking a way out of the European Union to wanting to change it from within.

This vote is perhaps the most truly European in the European Union's history, with ideological battle lines being drawn across national borders. The result is likely to be a more factionalized European parliament with more pronounced disputes. However, it at the same time will be a more democratically dynamic, political and pan-European parliament, one that more closely reflects the preferences of national electorates and thus might increase confidence in the EU.

That, however, will only happen if they and national political leaders address the three broad issues listed above.President Donald Trump speaks during an inspection of border wall prototypes in San Diego, California on March 13, 2018.

A federal judge blocked on Friday President Donald Trump from building sections of his long-sought border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency.

U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr. on Friday immediately halted the administration's efforts to redirect military-designated funds for wall construction. His order applies to two projects, scheduled to begin as early as Saturday, to replace 51 miles of fence in two areas on the Mexican border.

Gilliam issued the ruling after hearing arguments last week in two cases. California and 19 other states brought one lawsuit; the Sierra Club and a coalition of communities along the border brought the other. His ruling was the first of several lawsuits against Trump's controversial decision to bypass the normal appropriations process to pay for his long-sought wall.

"The position that when Congress declines the Executive's request to appropriate funds, the Executive nonetheless may simply find a way to spend those funds 'without Congress' does not square with fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic," the judge wrote in granting a temporary injunction to stop construction.

At stake is billions of dollars that would allow Trump to make progress in a signature campaign promise heading into his campaign for a second term.

Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House over fully paying for the wall that led to a 35-day government shutdown. As a compromise on border and immigration enforcement, Congress set aside $1.375 billion to extend or replace existing barriers in Texas' Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.

Trump grudgingly accepted the money, but he declared the emergency to siphon money from other government accounts because he wanted to spend $8 billion on wall construction. The funds include $3.6 billion from military construction funds, $2.5 billion from Defense Department counterdrug activities and $600 million from the Treasury Department's asset forfeiture fund.

The president's adversaries say the emergency declaration was an illegal attempt to ignore Congress, which authorized far less wall spending than Trump wanted.

"We welcome the court's decision to block Trump's attempts to sidestep Congress to build deadly walls that would hurt communities living at the border, endanger wildlife, and have damaging impacts on the environment," said Andrea Guerrero, a member of the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

The administration said Trump was protecting national security as unprecedented numbers of Central American asylum-seeking families arrive at the U.S. border.

The courtroom showdowns come amid a flurry of activity to accelerate wall construction.

Kenneth Rapuano, an assistant secretary of defense, said in a court filing last month that work on the highest-priority, Pentagon-funded projects could begin as soon as Saturday. The Defense Department has transferred $2.5 billion to border wall coffers.

The Defense Department transferred $1 billion to border wall coffers in March and another $1.5 billion earlier this month. Patrick Shanahan, the acting defense secretary, is expected to decide soon whether to transfer an additional $3.6 billion.

The Army Corps of Engineers recently announced several large contacts with Pentagon funding. Last month, SLSCO Ltd. of Galveston, Texas, won a $789 million award to replace 46 miles (74 kilometers) of barrier in New Mexico.

Last week, Southwest Valley Constructors of Albuquerque, New Mexico, won a $646 million award to replace 63 miles (101 kilometers) in the Border Patrol's Tucson, Arizona, sector. Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, Montana, won a $141.8 million contract to replace 5 miles (8 kilometers) in Yuma and 15 miles (24 kilometers) in El Centro, California.

The administration has planned to use $601 million in Treasury money to extend barriers in the Rio Grande Valley."Full House" star John Stamos has listed his four-bedroom, four-bathroom Beverly Hills home for $6.75 million.

Stamos, best known for his role as Uncle Jesse on the hit 1990s comedy, purchased the property in 2005 for $3.57 million, the Los Angeles times reports.

Take a look inside.

The gated home sits on a half-acre and has 3,500 square feet of living space, according to the listing by Barry Peele of Sotheby's International Realty. Because it sits on a hill, it has city, canyon and ocean views.Amazon.com shareholders overwhelmingly rejected a proposal that the company stop selling facial recognition technology to government agencies, while a resolution to audit the service drew more support, a regulatory filing on Friday showed.

Some 2.4% of votes were in favor of the ban. A second proposal that called for a study of the extent to which Amazon's "Rekognition" service harmed civil rights and privacy garnered 27.5% support.

Amazon's sale of the technology to law enforcement in Oregon and Florida has put the company at the center of a growing U.S. debate over facial recognition, with critics warning of false matches and arrests and proponents arguing it keeps the public safe.

Amazon has defended its work and said all users must follow the law.

These and other Amazon resolutions by shareholders faced an uphill battle to winning majority support, with Amazon's board recommending against them and founder and Chief Executive Jeff Bezos controlling 16% of the stock and voting rights.

Calculation of support was based on the total votes for, against and abstaining. The tallies excluded broker non-votes.

Law enforcement in the United States have used facial recognition for years, and vendors of the technology have abounded, including France's Idemia, Japan's NEC and newer entrants like Israel's AnyVision and Microsoft, which has called for regulation in recent months.

Now, members of the U.S. Congress are looking into the rights impact of the technology. Amazon's marketing of facial recognition has resulted in intense scrutiny, and researchers have said its technology struggled to identify the gender of individuals with darker skin, prompting fears of unjust arrests.

Among other issues shareholders considered before Amazon's annual meeting on Wednesday was a request to make it easier for investors to call a special meeting, which garnered 35.3% of votes.

A proposal that the company report how it plans to deal with climate change received 29.8% of votes. Nearly 7,700 employees had signed a letter of support of the climate resolution, in a sign of rising worker activism at Amazon.A man wearing an unicorn costume plays at a computer during the Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2019 event in Katowice on March 2, 2019. BARTOSZ SIEDLIK/AFP/Getty Images

In November 2015, tech investor Marc Andreessen weighed in on a hot debate about whether Silicon Valley's start-ups were frothy from all the cash propping up so-called unicorns, or venture-backed companies valued at $1 billion or more. Andreessen noted at a Fortune conference that the whole class of billion-dollar start-ups, headlined by Uber and Airbnb, was "worth half of Microsoft," and he opined on the hypothetical choice of investing in Microsoft or the "basket of unicorns." He suggested the unicorns were a better value. "As a basket, it's almost certainly too low," Andreessen, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, told Fortune's Alan Murray. "Microsoft's a fine company, but you need a couple to really take off, and it becomes very clear in retrospect that they're undervalued." (Microsoft was actually worth $433 billion at the time, and the unicorns were valued at a combined $504 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal's "Billion dollar start-up club" tracker. Andreessen, through a spokesperson, declined to comment.) In the long run, Andreessen could still be right. But three and a half years after those comments, the straight Microsoft bet would have yielded stronger returns than the non-existent unicorn index.

Since Andreessen's session on Nov. 3, 2015, Microsoft shares have gained 133%, closing on Friday at $126.24. The value of unicorns over that stretch, based on the Journal's tracker, has climbed by 89%, with a good chunk of the value creation coming from companies that have since gone public or been acquired. The start-up group has still done fine against the broader market, solidly beating the S&P 500, which is up 34%. But Andreessen's view reflected both the tendency for Silicon Valley investors to downplay the ability for Microsoft (and probably other mega-cap tech companies) to continue growing in the face of stiffer competition, and their willingness to pay up for companies that in many cases were years away from being able to justify their price tags.

Source: CNBCThe former manager of Stan Lee has been arrested on charges of financial elder abuse and false imprisonment against the late comic book legend, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Keya Morgan allegedly mishandled Lee's money. This included $262,000 that Lee never received from autograph signing sessions.

"Mr.Lee had a large estate worth over an estimated $50 million with no clear protection from opportunists who could insert themselves into his life and take control of it," the LAPD said on Saturday in a press release.

In June of last year, Morgan removed the 95-year old Marvel Comic Book creator from his Hollywood Hills residence to a condominium in Beverly Hills to gain more control over him, according to the police.

Lee's lawyers filed a restraining order against Morgan last year, according to TMZ. The criminal investigation into Morgan began in March of last year.

Lee died on November 12, 2018 from pre-existing medical conditions.

Morgan denies the allegations. In a statement to TMZ, he said: "This is a witch-hunt by his daughter and her lawyer against me because she cannot stand the fact Stan likes me so much."A trader takes an order in the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index options pit at the Chicago Board Options Exchange following the Federal Open Market Committee meeting on January 25, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois.

Buybacks have gotten a bad rap from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers this year. But the stock market would be trading at a much lower level without them.

Data compiled by Ned Davis Research shows the S&P 500 would be 19% lower without buybacks. The firm looked at the S&P 500's performance between the first quarter of 2011 and the first three months of 2019. Then they subtracted the amount of net monthly repurchases to arrive to that conclusion. The broad market is up more than 125% in that time while net buybacks have totaled about $3.5 trillion.

"Without focusing too much on numbers, we can say that the S&P 500 index would probably be lower today if not for buybacks versus other uses of cash," Ed Clissold, chief U.S. strategist at Ned Davis Research, wrote in a note last month.

Lawmakers on both sides are bashing buybacks and want to make it harder for companies to repurchase their own stock. They argue that buybacks inflate corporate executives' pay and share price at the expense of a company's workers.

In a Feb. 20 Medium post, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, said companies should reinvest their capital differently. Earlier in February, Schumer and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT  a presidential hopeful  proposed in a New York Times op-ed that companies should provide living wages and health benefits to workers if a buyback program is launched.

"At a time of huge income and wealth inequality, Americans should be outraged that these profitable corporations are laying off workers while spending billions of dollars to boost their stock's value to further enrich the wealthy few," the senators wrote in the op-ed.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL, said in a series of tweets the U.S. does not have a "free market," noting: "We have tax code which engineers economy in favor of inflating prices of shares at the expense of future productivity & job creation."

But while politicians clamor for buybacks to be curtailed, the market would be trading below current levels if excess cash had been put to work in other ways. Ned Davis Research found the would be 10% lower if excess cash had gone towards dividends rather than buybacks. The broad index would be 2% lower if buybacks were substituted for corporate reinvestment and 5% lower if companies just sat on the excess cash.

"Companies have been using buybacks because it allows them to put capital to better use and back in the hands of investors without committing to making those payments overtime," said Kate Warne, investment strategist at Edward Jones. "We like buybacks," though "we prefer dividends."

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.President Donald Trump, on the first day of his state visit to Japan, dug at Tokyo for what he called a "substantial advantage" in trade and asked Japanese businesses to invest more in the United States.

"Japan has had a substantial advantage for many, many years, but that's okay, maybe that's why you like us so much," Trump said during a meeting with Japanese business leaders in Tokyo.



The president said Tokyo and Washington were "getting close" to a deal that would address the U.S. trade deficit. The U.S. had a deficit of $56.8 billion in goods and services with Japan in 2018, according to the U.S. Trade Representative.



"With this deal we hope to address the trade imbalance, remove the barriers to United States exports and ensure fairness and reciprocity in our relationship," Trump said.



The president's state visit comes amid tensions with carmaker Toyota over potential auto tariffs. Trump has repeatedly threatened Japanese and European carmakers with tariffs.

Earlier this month, Trump postponed a decision on car levies for up to six months and directed U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to seek trade agreements with Tokyo and Brussels.

But in his decision to postpone tariffs, the president made clear that he views car imports as a potential threat to U.S. national security. That provoked a strongly worded statement from Toyota.



The Japanese carmarker said Trump's view of car imports "sends a message to Toyota that our investments are not welcomed, and the contributions from each of our employees across America are not valued."



Toyota's president was present during the meeting with Japanese business leaders on Saturday in Tokyo. During the meeting, Trump recognized Toyota for its investments in the U.S. and called for Japanese businesses to invest more.



"If you join in seizing the incredible opportunities now before us in terms of investing to the United States, I think you're going to see tremendous return on your investments," he said.



Japan's economy minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, said he did not expect even a partial agreement on trade when Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hold their summit on Monday, according to Reuters.



Motegi met with Lighthizer and told reporters that the U.S. and Japan sill need to narrow their differences on trade. He said they did not discuss Trump's decision to label some auto imports a national security threat.U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he was considering pardons for "two or three" American soldiers charged with war crimes, a move he also said would be controversial but justified because they had been treated "unfairly."

Trump told reporters at the White House that he had not decided yet on the cases but may wait until the accused stood trial before deciding whether to grant them pardons.

"Some of these soldiers are people that have fought hard, long. You know, we teach them how to be great fighters, and then when they fight sometime, they get really treated very unfairly," Trump said.

He did not identify which cases he was reviewing.

The New York Times on May 18 reported Trump had asked the Justice Department for paperwork on several high-profile war crimes cases in preparation for possible pardons to be announced on or around the U.S. Memorial Day holiday honoring fallen troops. This year's holiday is to be observed on May 27.

One request, according to the Times report, was for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, a decorated U.S. Navy SEAL court-martialed on charges he fatally stabbed a helpless, wounded Islamic State fighter in his custody, and shot two unarmed civilians from a sniper's perch during his 2017 deployment to Iraq.

The 39-year-old combat veteran and platoon leader has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Defense lawyers say the allegations against him were fabricated by subordinate SEAL team members disgruntled with his leadership style and seeking to force him out.

Gallagher's trial was delayed this week until June 10 at the earliest. His lawyer told Reuters he had not asked for a pardon, and Gallagher declined to comment on the possibility of presidential clemency when asked by reporters in court.Young people in the U.K. are four times more likely to downsize their homes this year than those aged over 55, a new study found.

The research, published Saturday by investment manager Hargreaves Lansdown, also showed that Brits aged between 18 and 34 were more likely to downsize than move up the property ladder in 2019. It examined the plans of both renters and homeowners.

Among the wider population, 6% of people were planning to move into a smaller property this year, with one-in-six planning to move home. A large proportion of the planned moves was among young renters, a third of whom were planning to move to a new house over the next 12 months.

The report noted that as rents were rising, tenants may be forced to continue downsizing to keep the cost of living manageable. People who were aiming to buy their own home may also have to downsize again in order to get onto the property ladder, researchers said.

The survey will likely add to a growing debate about housing and the generation gap in the U.K. Some housing experts suggest exorbitant prices in places like London have been accentuated by a reluctance from "baby boomers" to downsize their homes.High-tech entrepreneur Elon Musk's SpaceX company launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida on Thursday on a mission to carry the first batch of five dozen small satellites into low-Earth orbit for his new Starlink internet service.

The rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at about 10:30 p.m. local time (0230 GMT Friday), marking a milestone in a global enterprise aimed at generating cash for Musk's larger ambitions in space.

The launch came a week after two back-to-back countdowns for the mission were scrubbed - once due to high winds over the Cape and the next night in order to update satellite software and "triple-check" all systems.

The Falcon 9 was due to release its cargo of 60 satellites into orbit about an hour after Thursday's launch. Each one weighs 500 pounds (227 kg), making it the heaviest payload for any SpaceX rocket to date.

Those satellites are designed to form the initial phase a planned constellation capable of beaming signals for high-speed internet service from space to paying customers around the globe.

Musk has said he sees the new Starlink venture as an important new revenue stream for his California-based Space Exploration Technologies, known as SpaceX, whose launch service income he expects to top out at around $3 billion a year.

Speaking to reporters last week, Musk said that makes Starlink pivotal in helping pay for his larger goals of developing a new spacecraft to fly paying customers to the moon and for eventually trying to colonize Mars.

"We think this is a key stepping stone on the way towards establishing a self-sustaining city on Mars and a base on the moon," said Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur who is also chief executive officer of automaker Tesla Inc.

At least 12 launches carrying similar payloads are needed to achieve constant internet coverage of most of the world, Musk said. Starlink is only currently authorized for operations in the United States.

Musk faces stiff competition. In February, Airbus SE-backed OneWeb launched its own clutch of satellites, while LeoSat Enterprises and Canada's Telesat are also working to build data networks.

In each network, the tiny satellites orbit closer to Earth than traditional communications satellites, a technological shift made possible by advances in laser technology and computer chips.

Musk said SpaceX would begin approaching customers later this year or next year. As many as 2,000 satellites will be launched per year, with the ultimate objective of placing up to 12,000 into orbit.During his first address to the Missouri General Assembly, Gov. Mike Parson praised the work of legislators, pledging to restore honor and integrity at the Capitol.Types of obituaries

The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries  family obituaries and life stories.

A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries

A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories.May resigns

Brexit claims another victim  FT

Outgoing Prime Minister was met with wall of applause after speech  The Times

as she offers tearful apology to staff  The Sun

Ex-aide reveals moment May purportedly cracked under pressure  Daily Express

What the cameras didnt see  Daily Mail

Theresa May bowed to cabinet pressure yesterday and tearfully announced that she would resign within two weeks, triggering aleadership contest that could plunge the nation into a constitutional crisis. Mrs May confirmed that she would stand down as Tory leader on June 7 in an address that concluded with a declaration of gratitude for the opportunity to serve the country I love. Watched by her husband, Philip, Mrs May said that she had done everything she could to deliver Brexit and defended her attempt to win Labour backing for her deal, the move that precipitated her ejection from No 10.  The Times

Editorial:

Mays departure wont break the deadlock  FT

Author of her own downfall  The Sun

Premiership sank without trace  Daily Telegraph

Self-inflicted failure  The Times

>Today: ToryDiary: How Dinah Glover brought down Theresa May

>Yesterday:

She will remain an MP

Theresa May will stay in the Commons as a backbench MP when she leaves No 10 in July, her local party chairman has said.The prime minister telephoned Richard Kellaway, who chairs the Conservative association in Maidenhead, before she addressed the nation from Downing Street yesterday morning. The main concern for us as her association is that shes not going to resign her seat, Mr Kellaway said. She will carry on as a member of parliament, which is welcomed by us. Mr Kellaway, who has known the prime minister for most of the 22 years that she has been Maidenheads MP, described her as a remarkable constituency representative who still canvassed regularly.  The Times

Daughter of Kindertransport founder criticises May  The Times

Analysis:

How the new Iron Lady crumbled  Camilla Tominey, Daily Telegraph

Meagre legacy of a short reign  Henry Zeffman, The Times

How Mays mistakes stacked up  Jim Pickard, FT

Ive seen how Prime Ministers handle crises  Gyles Brandreth, Daily Telegraph

>Yesterday: MPs Etc.: Tributes to the Prime Minister. Senior Conservatives, leadership candidates.

Daniel Finkelstein: Whatever the reason, May failed

Johnson vows to take Britain out, deal or no deal

Theresa Mays premiership has ended in failure. Nobody can seriously argue with this conclusion, however well disposed they are to her. No historian, however revisionist, is likely to revise that. She set herself the task of delivering Brexit smoothly and on time and she has not. She committed herself to an ambitious attempt to take the problems of those just about managing and she has not been able to make much headway. She sees herself as someone who profoundly understands the Conservative Party, yet she has been deserted by its members and its voters. Much more open to debate will be the reasons for that failure. There are two broad and conflicting accounts.  The Times

Boris Johnson has vowed to take Britain out of the EU on October 31 deal or no deal if he becomes Prime Minister as his leadership bid received heavyweight backing. Hours after a tearful Theresa May announced June 7 as the date she will step down as Tory leader, Mr Johnson insisted there would be no further extension of Article 50 if he wins the race to succeed her. His campaign received a major boost as both Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd indicated they could back him, suggesting he could receive top-level support from both Remain and Leave campaigners. Mrs May broke down as she told the nation it had been an honour to serve the country I love, admitting she had failed to deliver Brexit and it was time for a new leader to try to do better.  Daily Telegraph

MPs fear contest will devolve into Eurosceptic arms race  FT

EU leaders say hard Brexit is nearly impossible to stop  The Times

as they pledge to stand firm behind Withdrawal Agreement  The Guardian

Sorting out backstop will be top of new leaders in-tray  The Times

Comment:

Compromise is a dirty word when it means betraying Brexit  Iain Duncan Smith, Daily Telegraph

>Today: Sir Geoffrey Cilfton-Brown in Comment: May failed to lead Britain out of the EU  but her successor can yet succeed

>Yesterday: Iain Dales column: The stars are aligning for a Johnson premiership

as Goodman warns of danger he faces with grassroots

After May: Boris? No Deal?  Channel 4

Boris Johnson faces this danger among the Conservative grassroots and the Brexiteer MPs in the Tory Party as he attempts to become Prime Minister Paul Goodman, the Editor of the Conservative Home website, told Channel 4 News: The question about Boris Johnson is, does he catch the public imagination and restore, repair some of the damage to the Conservative share of the vote thats kicked in over the last few months.  He added: I think theres a slight danger for him here in that his base is the Brexiteer vote, but he has a reputation for unreliability.  Daily Express

More:

Only I can save your jobs, favourite tells MPs  The Times

Trump could use visit to endorse Johnson  The Sun

>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: After May, Johnson? And No Deal?

and Rudd says she might back him

Amber Rudd has signalled she could work with Boris Johnson if he becomes Prime Minister as she formally rules herself out of the Tory leadership race. The Work and Pensions secretary left the door open to the creation of a Bamber joint leadership ticket in next months battle to succeed Theresa May. Amid speculation she could become Mr Johnsons Chancellor, she said would like to lower taxes  we have to be the low tax party because people have certain expectations and they need to be able to look after their own money. Ms Rudd also waded into the row over the UKs new mobile 5G network, saying we should be able to do business with China and Huawei.  Daily Telegraph

But Stewart says he could not serve a no-deal administration  Daily Telegraph

Comment:

Johnson is rascal enough to rat on Brexit  Matthew Parris, The Times

He is the paradoxical choice  Camilla Cavendish, FT

So flawed, yet the public forgives him  Simon Walters, Daily Mail

Raab is the serious Brexiteer who can save the Tories  Mark Brolin, Daily Telegraph

>Today: MPs Etc.: Leadership election candidate MP support numbers: Hunt 27, Johnson 19, Raab 13, Gove 12, Javid 10

Hancock will run

Fox refuses to rule himself out  Daily Mail

Successor must be less wooden than the Maybot  The Times

Activists demand candidates face 18 gruelling hustings  The Sun

Remainer Matt Hancock has confirmed he will run to replace Theresa May as PM. The Health Secretary said this morning: I am running to win. And he added: I believe from the bottom of my heart that we need a leader for the future, not just for now. The Sun revealed the 40-year-old was set to launch his bid today, after he told fellow MPs the night before last at a function: I am ready to lead. And he said this morning on Radio 4 he was honoured by the number of MPs who had demanded he run to be PM. He promised to be honest about the trade offs of Brexit to build a mandate to get us out of the EU without having a general election.  The Sun

>Yesterday:

Tory MPs warn against snap election

Tory MPs have warned Theresa Mays successor that the Conservative Party needs an early general election like it needs a hole in the head amid calls for a snap poll to break the Brexit deadlock. Europhile and Eurosceptic Tories are united in their opposition to holding an election immediately after Mrs May is replaced. Both wings of the party are adamant Brexit must have been resolved before voters are asked to elect a new House of Commons for fear of the party being annihilated at the ballot box. Jeremy Corbyn, Nicola Sturgeon and other senior figures have demanded an early general election but the majority of Tory MPs are vehemently against the move.  Daily Telegraph

The slow demise of Conservative England  Geoffrey Wheatcroft, FT

How the Conservatives can avoid plunging into oblivion  Leo McKinstry, The Sun

>Today: Nick Hargraves column: Why a referendum and not an election could offer the new leader a Brexit answer

as Corbyns Labour braced for worst election result in 35 years

Brexit Party landslide in waiting?  Daily Mail

Cable announces departure date

Jeremy Corbyns crumbing Labour Party suffered their worst election day in 35 years, according to an MP out on a dispiriting campaign trail during the crunch European ballot. Ben Bradshaw aired his views on what appeared to be a dire day of campaigning for the party, whose mandate includes a so-called peoples vote or final say on the Brexit deal Labour remain behind Nigel Farages Brexit Party in the early opinion polls of the European election results.  Daily Express

Vince Cable has set the date for his departure as Liberal Democrat leader, saying he will hand over a bigger, stronger party to his successor on 23 July. With the party expected to do well when the results of Thursdays European elections are announced on Sunday, Cable said it was time to fulfil his promise to step aside. The contest to succeed the 76-year-old former business secretary features the former business minister Jo Swinson and the former energy secretary Ed Davey among the frontrunners. Lib Dem MPs can be nominated up until 7 June, which is also the cut-off date for new members to join the party in order to vote in the contest.  The Guardian

Brexit Partys energy leaves rivals in the shadows  John Harris, The Guardian

Inside Trumps re-election war room

Welcome to the Trump 2020 campaign headquarters. It is from this 14th-floor office on the edge of Washington, DC, looking across the Potomac River on to the capitals famous white monuments, that the presidents re-election bid is being plotted. There may be 18 months until the country goes to the polls, but Mr Trumps behemoth of a campaign is already up and running  as became clear to us when The Telegraph became the first British publication to look around inside.

T

News in Brief:

Johnson will have to win a General Election if he wants to deliver Brexit  Steve Moore, Reaction

The leadership race is his to lose  Matt Singh, CapX

The grave mistake that has killed Mays Brexit deal  James Forsyth, The Spectator

Why Brown should get back in his box  Douglas Murray, UnHerd

The EU is a betrayal of Europes exceptionalism  Douglas Carswell, 1828

he campaign is well funded, with more than $100 million banked since the last election. It is well organised, with a set-up that dwarfs his 2016 effort in scale and depth. And it is well drilled, delivering messages honed over years, which already secured one victory.  Daily TelegraphSir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown is a Vice-Chairman of the 1922 Committe, and is MP for the Cotswolds.

Ever since the Second World War, the issue of Europe has been a divisive one for the Conservative Party. During the early 1960s, there was certainly a degree of enthusiasm for the European Project. Ted Heath, who was at the helm of negotiations was possibly the most Europhile politician we have ever had. But De Gaulle firmly vetoed the UK gaining membership to the Common Market: his opinion was that Britain was not a good fit for Europe; clearly he had a point. In 1973, Heath negotiated our membership into the European Economic Community, which was confirmed by a referendum in 1975.

It wasnt until the late 1980s that the dilemma of Europe began to surface in earnest again, causing problems for the Conservatives. Throughout Margaret Thatchers premiership she was vigorous in fighting against the excessive powers of Brussels. Whilst she campaigned in 1975 for the UK to remain in the European Community, her tolerance with it was quickly tested. The European Community was being moved into a new direction: economic liberty and Single Market priorities were being superseded by the ideas of a political and social Europe. In 1988, Thatcher made her famous statement against a united Europe: We have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain only to see them re-imposed at a European level, with a European superstate exercising a new dominance from Brussels.

During the early 1990s, the party was at civil war over Europe. The Maastricht rebels were a significant opposition to John Major. A treaty that proposed greater European integration led to a relatively small number of MPs fighting to block the ratification. Major defeated them. And hot on the heels of the Maastricht saga came our ignominious exit from the Exchange Rate Mechanism. But for many Conservatives the unthinkable had been sparked: the proposition that the UK could one day leave Europe.

David Cameron inherited a party that had not been in power for 13 years. Keen to end the divisions within the Conservatives and alarmed by the rise of UKIP, he committed to a referendum of EU membership in his 2015 general election manifesto

The European Union Referendum Bill was presented to Parliament and passed in 2016. The major parties committed to implementing the results. Large numbers of MPs from all parties publicly stated that they would honour the results of this referendum. Both Conservatives and Labour ran on a manifesto in 2017 which reiterated that promise. Many MPs have subsequently abandoned this position  refusing to honour their own manifesto promises to their electorate. This has led to the current arithmetic in the House and the Withdrawal Agreements blockage by Parliament.

Across Europe, there has been a recent trend of long-established right and left wing parties failing to match their electorates mood. Some centre-right governing parties have effectively disintegrated. In Spain, Partido Popular is down to 16-18 per cent from 33 per cent in 2016. Les Republicans of France are polling at 13 per cent, down from 22 per cent in 2017. In the Netherlands the VVD is polling at 16 per cent, down from 26 per cent in 2012. In Italy, Forza Italia is polling at just eight per cent, down from 29 per cent in the early 2000s and Swedens Moderata party is polling at 15 per cent, down from 37 per cent in 2006. This trend has also impacted some established socialist parties in Europe, most notably in Greece  where PASOK are now polling at six to seve per cent, down from 44 per cet in 2009. These parties are showing little signs of recovering and are being replaced by more populist parties.

I have recently campaigned for the local and European elections in my constituency of the Cotswolds, and I imagine that my experience on the doorstep was similar to many others. There is anger and confusion over the failure of the party to deliver Brexit, which we were elected to do so: Theresa May failed to do so. Unfortunately, this has revitalised Nigel Farage, whose Brexit Party has in the last two months emerged from nothing to a position where he is predicted by the polls to gain a substantial number of seats when the European Election results are declared tomorrow.

The voluntary party has been driven to utter despair: why otherwise would 70 Association Chairman have called for an Emergency General Meeting of the National Convention which is due to be held on June 15th to demand a vote of no confidence in the leadership? The professional party in CCHQ are hampered in their task as funding has dried up dramatically. Many MPs are bewildered over what to do as the Conservative ship is about to be engulfed by the storm ahead.

So how can the party be revived?

Mays resignation today was imperative. The Party should recognise and praise her for her valiant efforts to deliver Brexit, but for a variety of reasons she has failed. However, I think that most Brexiteers and Remainers accept that even more damage would be done to the Party if we end up never leaving the EU.

In the coming weeks, the Party will decide who our next leader will be: a new leader who will have the vision, toughness, flexibility and ability to find a solution to package the deal in a way that it might be agreed upon by Parliament. This is not as difficult as it seems. The European Parliament will be different if increased numbers of centre-right populist party MEPs are elected in the European elections. They will be much more sympathetic to the nation state rather than the will of the Brussels bureaucracy. Therefore, there may be greater willingness by Brussels to negotiate to resolve the Brexit problem.

A successful EU exit would remove the Brexit poison, and allow a new leader to reaffirm fundamental truths the Conservative Party stands for. Those fundamental elements that allowed us to be the most successful party for more than a current century. The new leader would then be able to build on our record  a successful economy, more people in work than ever before, and an ability to be able to build on the record amounts going into the Health and Education departments to create world leading services.

We already have a tremendous but almost unheard of record on the environment, and we are rising to the challenge of building new homes. All of those could be sold to the electorate as a proud Conservative vision for a future which is good for young and old. However, it is currently being drowned out by Brexit  which is why we must resolve this problem. Above all, it will be a total contrast to Jeremy Corbyns Marxist agenda which would send the UK economy into free fall.

A new leader must confidently deliver this clear domestic agenda, staving off the general election long enough to realistically give the Conservative Party a chance of winning. The party is at an absolute crossroads; we could win  or we could have a repeat of 1997 all over again or maybe worse, when the number of Conservative MPs halved from 343 to 165 and the party was out of power for 13 years.

We must be bold and positive if we are to succeed.Phil Taylor: The UN report on Britains digital workhouse is built on naked misuse of statistics

Phil Taylor is a Conservative activist in Ealing.

On Wednesday Professor Philip Alston, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, published his final report on the UK.

This Australian academic, who is based in New York, made wide ranging comments over 21 pages that essentially placed the blame for the creation of a digital workhouse on post-2010 austerity.

Alston built his argument on a succession of misused and garbled statistics. He has created a misleading and nakedly political piece of work, and one that lets down struggling families by mistaking political point scoring about austerity with a forensic skewering of real problems in the benefit system. In Alstons view the economy is in a good place and the government simply refuses to roll back austerity because of its ideological agenda.

Alston makes six howlers with his data:

1. Wealth

The first plank of his argument is that:

the United Kingdom is the worlds fifth largest economy

Well, yes, of course, but the UK is also very populous and on a measure of GDP per head at purchasing power parity the UK is listed 26th by the IMF in 2018. So the UK is a middling wealthy country in the EU and OECD to be fair.

2. Poverty

He contrasts the UKs wealth with its poverty.

one fifth of its population (14 million people) live in poverty

The 14 million number comes from the Social Metrics Commission work published in September, an attempt to recast existing HBAI poverty data to come up with an agreed measure of poverty as this is a hugely contested area of public policy.

If you scroll down to page 133 you can see their metric compared the HBAI one. It is lower than it was before austerity in 2009 and remains pretty flat over 16 years. Like any measure of relative poverty it slowly undulates with the overall economy. Counter intuitively they tend to be worse in good times and get better in bad.

If you compare relative poverty in the UK with the rest of the EU the UK comes out dead average, not much worse than Germany.

So, Alstons chosen measure of poverty in the UK is actually marginally better than it was pre-austerity, largely flat over time (as you might expect from a relative measure), and unexceptional in the wealthy EU.

Only yesterday Philippa Stroud was promoting the work of the Social Metrics Commission on Conservativehome. By misusing their data Alston makes it harder for them to succeed.

3. Child poverty

Alston mentions child poverty five times, citing forecasts of possible increases. The reason he talks about forecasts rather than the actual record is that the past tells the wrong story for him. Again the SMC data shows child poverty slightly better than in 2009 pre-austerity and an OECD comparison shows the UK in a good light not far above Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

4. Destitution

Alston claimed:

1.5 million [of them] experienced destitution in 2017

This comes from work by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation published in June. This is a made-up number invented by JRF themselves. Alston did not notice or did not choose to highlight that, on a like-for-like basis JRF destitution had fallen by 25 per cent between 2015 and 2017. An apparently miraculous positive performance that was left unremarked upon.

The JRF exaggerate their numbers and use constructions such as:

the number of people who were pushed into destitution during 2017

to obfuscate the fact their headline number multiplies a short brush with hardship into a year-long experience of destitution. On page 13 they explain how they get from a count of 184,000 in their reference week to a number 8 times larger.

If unemployment statistics were done like this a week of unemployment would keep you in the numbers all year.

There is robust EU-SILC data, share of population living in severe material poverty, for which the data is collected by ONS. They interview 15-20,000 households in the UK per annum to get this data, so it is top quality. Again on an EU comparison the UK is well below average and only marginally changed from before austerity.

5. Food poverty

Alston refers to food banks ten times in his report. I wont even start on how unsound food bank counting is. Alston says there are no UK measures of food poverty. Maybe, but again there is robust EU-SILC data on this (data gathered by ONS remember in very large scale survey). The series Population unable to afford a meal with meat, fish, chicken or a vegetarian equivalent every second day must be some kind of measure of food poverty. On this measure the UK improving and better than Italy, Germany, France and Belgium.

6. Suicide

Finally, I wanted to mention suicide. Alston mentions suicide three times, once in a frankly snide references to a minister for suicide prevention.

In the UK suicide is historically low, 2017 was the lowest ever year for male suicide and female suicide is at recently typical levels. The UK has very low suicide rates compared to other EU countries. We have the 4th lowest suicide rate in the EU.

Alston simply had no business raising suicide.

Finally

There is a bone-headedness about the way that Universal Credit is being implemented. Alston might have done struggling families more of a service if he had kept his focus on specific system failings rather than having a generalised whinge that does not stand up to scrutiny.

It is too easy for the government to dismiss Alston as someone with an agenda taking a swipe at UK government policy as a result of Alstons active misuse of statistics. As an Australian based in New York representing the UN Alston fails to make any international comparisons. I assume because they would spoil his argument.

In the process Alston has abused the good work of the Social Metrics Commission (SMC). Alston has ensured that he will not be heard. Hopefully he has not trashed the SMC brand too.We are now at the point in the political cycle when we reflect upon who is responsible for the downfall of Theresa May. One obvious place to start is whether or not she is to blame. This comes down to whether it was the Parliamentary arithmetic which left it impossible for any Prime Minister to have honoured the referendum result. Jacob Rees-Mogg put the case to Sophie Ridge on Sky News last month that May could still have chosen to end our membership of the EU. He said:

I would question the failure to get enough support for no deal. You are quite right, Parliament has passed motions objecting to a no deal Brexit. But, it passed two laws which provided for us to leave on March 29 which was subsequently delayed. Law trumps motions and the Prime Minister could have taken us out on March 29, it was the Prime Minister who asked for an extension. It was the Prime Minister who changed the date by prerogative power from March 29 to April 12. This all rests with her and on her shoulders. She has made, the Prime Minister, Mrs May, has made active choices to stop us leaving and she deserves to be held to account for that, because people ought to know the truth of the position, rather than trying to blame everybody else.

That is convincing. However, there is no automatic correlation between a Prime Minister performing poorly and being swiftly removed from office. Often the Prime Minister of the day will refute such a premise and instead resolve that it is a matter of public duty to cling to office  the current holder of the office has shown the most exceptional tenacity in that respect. Rather than jumping, a push is required.

Even if a general election isnt the mechanism for removing a PM, the mood of the electorate matters. Some seemed to feel that Brexiteers would have to accept whatever mild (some would say bogus) form of Brexit that the Government offered as the alternative was no Brexit at all. It wasnt as if switching from the Conservatives to Labour or the Lib Dems would offer much advantage. UKIP is ceased to be a credible force. So Brexiteers would just have to suck it up. They could put up with what they regarded as a vassal state offer of being an EU colony, a kind of non-voting membership where we still had to follow the rules and pay the subs. Or we could drop the whole idea and carry on as full EU members. Just because they had won the referendum what made these extremists think they could have it all their own way with a real Brexit?

The extraordinary rise of Nigel Farages Brexit Party showed this approach to be a miscalculation. It provided a vehicle for Brexiteers to indicate that they were not prepared to suck it up. So Farage might have a claim to have forced Mays demise. Or, perversely enough, those devoted to her but who gave her such dire advice could be held to be culpable. Step forward, Gavin Barwell. His opposition to Brexit is positively fanatical. Yet May chose him as her Chief of Staff. Thus the Government signed up to a deal which was so craven it was very hard to defend.

Once the unpopularity of the Governments approach became clear there was the the role for the men in grey suits. Tory MPs concerned about losing their seats make their concerns apparent to the 1922 Committee, which represents them. Then the required message is passed on. Except it was passed on without enough clarity. Or at any rate, was resisted. Last December a motion of no confidence was held but the MPs fluffed it. That then left the procedural point that nothing more could be done for a year without changing the rules. So that led to lots of chin scratching and dithering. But there was a valid point about fair play. The vote in December was meant to resolve the matter for at least 12 months.

There was an alternative route available. The Cabinet can also bring down a Prime Minister. Under Margaret Thatcher, it had a crucial role. But, if anything, the Cabinet has proved even more cautious that the 1922 Committee. There would be coded references to how difficult the situation was. But then it was possible for May not to understand the code  or affect not to do so.

So what really brought matters to a head? Who brought down the Prime Minister?

There is a case to be made that it was Dinah Glover, the Chairman of the London East Conservatives. She was responsible for gathering the signatories for a special meeting of the Partys National Convention to consider a motion of No Confidence in the Leader. This was to be considered on June 15th. Glover now accepts that there is no need for this to take place. But she proposes that the meeting goes ahead with a different item of business:

Each leadership contender needs to be put under the spotlight of democracy and be questioned by the membership and possibly wider about their policies, vision and route to exiting the EU. This can be happening simultaneously to the MPs votingWe need a leader who believes in post Brexit Britain and its benefits, who will ensure we leave either with a good deal or if the EU will not change their current position be prepared to leave on WTO terms. They must be able to articulate a positive Brexit.

In other words a hustings. We understand that her request is likely to be agreed.

I remember Dinah from some years ago when we were both active in the Greater London Young Conservatives. At the time she was rather pro European. I even have a vague recollection of Dinah (then Dinah Evans) and her friend Jane Ellison (of the Tory Reform Group and future MP for Battersea) organising Europe Day food festivals. Andrew Rosindell was around at the time and didnt think much of it. Of course, the EU, or the EEC as it was then named, was rather different then.

The irony is that while the Conservative Party membership supposedly has little power, it would have been hard to see May continue after the humiliation of a no confidence motion from the voluntary party going through  as there was every sign it would have done. The date was fixed. It was getting nearer. While the backbenchers and cabinet ministers were being feeble, the Party membership showed resolve.

This would not have been easy. The rank and file are traditionally the most loyal to the leadership. Yet the duty to the nation comes first and that was what many quietly resolved. The fact that the motion no longer needs to be debated does not detract from the significance of it having been tabled. It turns out that all those humble raffle sellers and envelope stuffers in grassroots are capable of exercising some political clout after all.60%

Website loei3.go.th uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of .

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2019-09-21, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.100%

Website volia.com uses latest and advanced technologies. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 42409 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 421273 bytes (411.40 kb uncompressed).

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-10-25, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.Tam's appetite and level of activity fell suddenly towards the end of last month. The animal is under constant observation by veterinarians. Iman, the last female specimen in Malaysia, is also ill.

Kota Kinabalu (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Malaysia is in danger of losing its last male Sumatra rhinoceros: Elder Tam (photo) has stopped eating since April and his health is deteriorating rapidly. The alarm was raised by Christina Liew, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment of the State of Sabah (in the northern region of Borneo).

"Tam's appetite and activity level suddenly dropped towards the end of last month," Liew said last week. "Veterinarians are monitoring it 24 hours a day. Tests are underway, but it appears that one or more of its internal organs are not working well."

In August 2008, forest rangers captured the male rhino in the Kretam palm oil plantation in Tawau. In the past, this area was jungle. Before the capture of Tam, a group of members of the Sabah Wildlife Department (Swd), SOS Rhino and WWF-Malaysia had spent a week feeding and making friends with the animal, to gain his trust and convince him to enter in a box.

Tam was taken to the Tabin Nature Reserve, where he has lived ever since. At the time of his capture, it was thought that the rhino was about 20 years old. Augustine Tuuga, director of the SWD, says that "today Tam is in old age for a Sumatran rhino". If Tam died, he would leave the female Iman as the last specimen of his species in Malaysia. In June 2017, another female named Puntung was shot dead.

Puntung was captured in 2011, while Iman was captured in 2014. "Hopes of finding a partner for Tam were broken when we found out that Puntung had cysts throughout the uterus. Even Iman, on the other hand, suffers from massive uterine fibroids. These diseases are the reflection of too few rhinos and insufficient reproductive success in the last decades of the last century, "explains the minister.

"Since 2011 - concludes Liew - all the efforts made in Malaysia to save species from extinction have focused on the application of advanced reproductive technology, including IVF attempts and collaborations with Indonesia. To date, these have not been successful ".MILFORD  A huge tree snapped and blocked roads for hours Friday near Lauralton Hall High School.

Police blocked the road while crews from the Department of Public Works used power saws to cut it up. They used a front loader to lift the huge pieces into a dump truck.by Purushottam Nayak

The Franciscan nun pronounced her solemn vows last month. Priests, nuns and thousands of people gathered in Raikia for a thanksgiving mass. Some repented Hindu extremists also attended the ceremony. In August 2008, the radicals killed about 100 Christians from Kandhamal.

Raikia (AsiaNews) - On 10 May, eight priests, five nuns and three thousand Hindus and Christians gathered in Raikia on the occasion of a thanksgiving mass for Sr. Lucy Pradhan, who made her solemn vows in April. The religious of the Franciscan nuns of St. Joseph (Fsj) is one of the survivors of the 2008 violence against the Christians of Kandhamal, a district in the State of Orissa.

In his introductory speech, Fr. Pradosh Chandra Nayak, pastor of the parish of Our Lady of Charity, said: "The religious vocation is a divine call and implies great challenges in life to work for the Kingdom of God in a country with a Hindu majority like India. We know that Christians are threatened, killed and deprived of many government privileges, although they are Indian citizens. Most Dalit Christians are deprived of the structures and benefits granted by the government only because they are Christians."

The celebration in the village of Bakingia, near Raikia, was also attended by some of the Hindu extremists who brutally killed, murdered many Christians and chased away the family of Sister Lucy in 2008. Dilip Pradhan, a 45-year-old Hindu, sat next to a family member of the nun. "The nature of the people of Kandhamal - he says - is to promote love, peace, unity and brotherhood. There have been some cruel Hindu extremists who, for selfish purposes, spread hatred against Christians among the minds of simple and innocent people ".

Prabodh Pradhan survived the 2008 massacres by hiding in the forest, without food and water for a week. "Our people - he says - were nourished by cruelty against Christians by Hindu extremists who came from outside. But can any threat or persecution hinder work in the Lord's vineyard? No earthly power can become an obstacle to the will of God. He knows us from before we our formed in the maternal womb. Despite the threats and today's persecutions of the existence of Christianity, God continues to call the survivors of Kandhamal for his Kingdom ".

Rosalo Pradhan and Debi Pradhan are the parents of Sister Lucy, who has a brother named Raphael. "In 2008 we could have been killed by Hindu extremists and our daughter too. Today I thank God because He saved her from anti-Christian violence and called her to His Kingdom. If God is with us, who will be against us?" said Mr. Rosalo, quoting Saint Paul (Rom 8:31).

Sister Lucy was born on May 2, 1994. Between 1999 and 2003 she attended primary school in the village of Bakingia; the public secondary school in Raikia in the following five years. During the pogroms of 2008, she spent days in the forest with her parents, with nothing to eat or drink: throughout the sectarian violence she experienced persecution, pain and suffering but her faith in Jesus Christ remains steadfast. The following year she entered the convent of St. Thomas Mount in Chennai - capital of Tamil Nadu.

On 27 April, the nun pronounced solemn vows in a ceremony presided over by Msgr. Singaroyan Sebastianappan, bishop of Salem, in the presence of 16 priests and a hundred faithful. Along with Sister Lucy, nine other sisters participated in the perpetual profession. Five of these come from the Kandhamal, land of martyrs. THey are Sister Snehalata Pradhan, originally from Banjamaha; Sr. Sujata Balliarsingh and Sr. Renu Balliarsingh, both from Bamunigam; Sister Mariagoretti Prodhan, from Jidubadi; Sister Manjuta Pradhan, of Badingnaju.Select the Female and Male Athletes of the Week for Dec. 17-23

sportsWEST CHESTER  Three state representatives pushed for a $15 an hour minimum wage, at a Thursday rally.

Similar rallies of Real Jobs, Real Wages, also took place in Norristown, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Bucks County and Hazelton.

State Reps. Carolyn Comitta, D-156, Dan Williams, D-74, and Danielle Friel Otten, D-155, all support the jump from the current minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

The rally was held at Mabels Barbecue on Market Street where Mabel Spann runs the popular southern eatery.

The increased minimum wage would help the economy, let workers pay rent and take that leap, Spann said, Its the only way the area is going to grow.

Good workers dont come to a small business like this because they dont think theyll get paid.

Spann said that employers have to watch out for the additional added tax burden and make appropriate adjustments. She also noted that with higher wages employee turnover is not as great.

Several statistics culled from Comittas district concerning an increased minimum wage were cited at the rally.

* 25 percent, or 9,000 workers, would be impacted.

* 29 percent are parents.

* 58 percent work fulltime.

* On average, teenagers affected by a minimum wage increase earn 11 percent of their familys income.

* 55 percent have some college or more.

* On average, the workers affected by a minimum wage increase to $15 per hour earn 37 percent of the family income.

* 52 percent are women.

* 40 percent of minimum wage earners are over the age of 40.

* Only 11 percent are 19 or younger.

* 27 percent are people of color.

Kadida Kenner organized the rally. She said that a minimum wage earner should be able to afford necessities for a prosperous life.

Comitta: Paying your staff a good, fair wage helps them, the business and the Commonwealth.

Comitta said that Gov. Tom Wolf support s increasing the minimum wage.

We can support businesses more, support individuals and workers who can take care of themselves and their families, Comitta said. Workers deserve a wage to put food on the table.

Williams said that raising the minimum wage was simply the right thing to do. He noted that some workers toil at two or three jobs to make ends meet.

To empower people is to invest in the community, he said. It creates opportunities.

Whats good for the goose is good for the gander  we need to invest in people.

Friel Otten said that raising the minimum wage is a moral issue.

She said we need to give workers dignity in the richest and healthiest county in the state.

She talked about the hospitality industry, including Mabels.

It takes a lot of skill to put out quality, safe food, she said.WEST CHESTER  Results from the May 21 primary election for Chester County offices promise that voters will have an unpredictable fall election, as county Democrats continue to show emerging vitality even as Republicans put their faith in a slate of candidates with years of collective service.

That is, the campaign is almost sure to feature energy versus experience as the two political parties approach parity for the first time in modern history. And the final results in November will be anyones guess  much different from the predictable nature of past GOP wins as the leaves fall from the trees.

Unlike primary elections as recent as 2013, county Democrats turned out in large numbers  at least for a May election when no national offices were on the ballot. The overall number of Democrats going to the polls outpaced their Republican counterparts, a figure not seen in recent memory.

According to unofficial returns from the Chester County Office of Voter Services, 30,070 Democrats cast their ballots in the election that featured races for county commissioners, county row offices, Common Pleas Court judges, and municipal and school district offices, or 21.7 percent of the total of 56,385 voters. That compared with 26,272 GOP voters, or 17.68 percent. The overall turnout was 19.6 percent, almost unheard of for a municipal primary in recent years.

At the top of the ticket in the fall, incumbent Republicans Terence Farrell and Michele Kichline will face two Democrats with political experience, but who have never sought countywide office previously.

Downingtown Mayor Josh Maxwell and Tredyffrin businesswoman Marian Moskowitz will carry the Democratic banner.

I would just say that the county commissioner race in Chester is shaping up as one of the more intriguing and important in the Commonwealth this fall, said John Kennedy, a professor of political science at West Chester University who has studied state political trends for years.

Democrats have been surging both in terms of registered voters, performance in last falls election results, and also, judging by Tuesdays results, overall turnout, Kennedy said Friday. The stakes are incredibly high and the ramifications are enormous. The GOP needs to withstand the tide while the Dems are finally looking to break through.

Kennedy pointed to the way in which county governments actions can shift significantly with the changing of the political guard in a local courthouse, such as what took place in neighboring counties in the 21st century.

The importance of controlling county governance cannot be minimized, he said. For comparison, look at the direction the two parties have traveled in Montgomery County since 2011, the year they took control of that countys governance.

Once a bastion of Republican power in suburban Philadelphia, Montgomery County is now almost thoroughly blue: all of its county row officers are Democrats, save one lone jury commissioner  a fact dictated by law.

Looking at the results in recent primary elections is illustrative of the surge in Democratic numbers in Chester County. In May 2013, only 12,402 Democrats cast ballots  9.9 percent of the total party registration.

That contrasted with 22,727 Republicans, or 15.3 percent. In 2015, Republican voters against outnumbered Democrats in the municipal primary, 24,198 to 15,126. The percentage of Democrats voting in May 2017 topped the GOP, 17.9 to 14.3, even though the number of Republicans voting still outdid the Democrats, 25,588 to 23,726.

To further underscore the wave of Democratic participation in Chester County, the leading vote-getter in the primary was not one of the incumbent Republican office holders who have had years to cultivate a political following, but a newcomer to partisan campaigns: Deb Ryan, the Democratic candidate for district attorney, who is making her first run for elective office.

Ryan, a former prosecutor who now works as a program administrator for the local crime victims advocacy organization, received 27,230 votes on Tuesday. That bested her likely opponent in the November general election, incumbent District Attorney Tom Hogan, who received 23,070 votes. The leading voter-getter on the GOP side was also a newcomer, West Goshen resident Jim Fitzgerald, the former FBI agent seeking to become the next county sheriff.

As Ryan will face Hogan and Maxwell and Moskowitz go up against Farrell and Kichline, so too will attorney Michelle Vaughn of East Whiteland face incumbent Register of Wills Terri Clark and Coatesville City Councilwoman Debbie Bookman face incumbent Prothonotary Matt Holliday. Fitzgerald will be opposed for sheriff by Birmingham attorney Fredda Maddox, a former state trooper.

Kennedy, in an interview, said the negative influence of President Donald Trump on voters in the county could not be discounted.

Last fall, it was obviously a major factor, when Democrats won in congressional and state legislative races. Im sure it still is. Chester County is not Trump country, even among many Republicans. And he is going to be a drain again in Chester County for Republicans.

The head of the Chester County Democratic Committee, Dick Bingham, agreed that the president had an impact on his partys surge. But he also credited the candidates that had been on the ballot as continuing that energy.

It starts right at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Bingham said. But we are also very motivated locally. Im very proud of every one of our candidates. We showed that the enthusiasm on the Democratic side of the ballot is alive and well.

For Rick Loughery, the new chairman of the Chester County Republican Committee, the turnout on Tuesday was more a result of turmoil on the Democratic side than lethargy among his base. We had a better turnout than expected the largest number overall in years. We had a much quieter primary than the Democrats, with no county contests, which boosted their numbers.After ten months as Health Secretary, Matt Hancock thinks he can offer a prescription to save his country and party in these tortured times.

Sure enough, yesterday he declared he was the leader for Britain's future.

Mr Hancock believes he can inherit the crown with a pitch for the centre, presenting himself as the young Cabinet gun who can sort out Brexit and win back generations turned off by the Tories.

I have known him for almost a decade since I took over his desk outside the offices of David Cameron and George Osborne during my brief spell as a speechwriter. Now, Mr Hancock seeks to fly their flag of compassionate conservatism.

Yet he was an undistinguished Culture Secretary. And on his biggest test at Health, he has not only shown a depressing lack of leadership skills.

Just waffle? Matt Hancock snacks on a waffle during a live television interview after talking about the snack three times last week

Far worse, he displays near-contempt for people with autism and learning disabilities locked up in abusive detention, as well as their distraught families.

Yes, there have been lots of warm words and talk of action. But this scandal cries out for genuine leadership, not more reviews and technocratic tinkering, after so many years of political failure to free people who should not be in secure units.

We saw the legacy again last week with a distressing Panorama documentary revealing more hideous abuse  just as we saw in 2011 when similar horrors were exposed at Winterbourne View care home.

The new BBC expose followed The Mail on Sunday's campaign to end such barbarism, which often only helps profiteering private firms. As we have shown, it is far more effective, kinder and usually cheaper to care for people with autism and learning disabilities in the community.

Mr Hancock pledged instant action after I raised the case of Beth, a 17-year-old girl being fed through a hatch in solitary confinement for almost two years.

Near-contempt: He has come under fire for failing to aid youngsters with autism and learning difficulties

PM bid: But Ian Birrell believes he has shown a lack of leadership over the NHS

But she remains locked up, with her father having to resort to legal action against the NHS. Mr Hancock also set up a review by the Care Quality Commission in response to our revelations.

Strangely, the report was suddenly pulled forward to the day before the Panorama documentary  appearing on the same day as two other damaging reviews about the needless deaths of people with learning disabilities in the health system.

Yet he did the minimum possible in response, for all his pledges to parents. Not that he seems very bothered: he tweeted three times about waffles last week, twice with pictures of dogs, but not once on this scandal unfurling under his watch.

Then he went to Cabinet waving a bag of waffles, attempting to show his jokey side but revealing both his immaturity and breathtaking contempt for desperate people looking to him to salvage their lives and families. Their fury was intense.

HE HAS, unbelievably, already slowed down targets for discharge. Now he says he will not 'over promise'. But as his advisers made clear to me in private talks, his real concern was to get these issues buried before launching his leadership pitch.

Fighting to become Prime Minister: Matt Hancock and Jeremy Hunt are battling it out for the top job

Never mind the wrecked lives of distressed people seeking state support but ending up stuck in cruelty. Never mind their devastated families. They are merely pawns swept aside in Mr Hancock's push to become Prime Minister.

This ongoing national scandal exposes a politician who is a depressing example of all that is wrong with Westminster.

He sees politics as simply a platform for his ego, relying on spin and childish use of social media while playing games to further his personal ambitions.

This could not be further from compassionate conservatism. This is the soiled politics of the past, not the optimistic politics of the future.Margot Robbie honored Sharon Tate at the Cannes Film Festival by recreating the unique braided hairstyle the late actress wore to the same event back in 1968.

The 28-year-old, who plays Tate in Quentin Tarantinos upcoming film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, showed up to the film's photocall at the festival on Wednesday sporting a middle part and two loose braids on each side of her head.

Tate wore the ethereal hairstyle in Cannes just one year before she was brutally murdered by Charles Manson's followers in 1969.

Inspiration: Margot Robbie honored Sharon Tate at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday by recreating the unique braided hairstyle the late actress wore to the same event back in 1968

Style: Robbie's copycat hairstyle worked well with her bohemian off-the-shoulder Chanel frock

The Valley of the Dolls stars was eight-and-a-half months pregnant with her and her husband Roman Polanski's first child when she was stabbed to death at the age of 26.

The copycat hairstyle Bryce Scarlett created for Robbie was noticed on Thursday by writer Evan Ross Katz, who tweeted side-by-side photos of her and Tate sporting the look 51 years apart.

While Tate paired her hairstyle with a slinky spaghetti-strap dress, Robbie opted to wear a bohemian off-the-shoulder white lace Chanel frock with a tulle hem.

The I, Tonya star also channeled Tate at the film's premiere on Tuesday by subtly recreating a modern version of her teased waves and curled ends.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood centers around fictional television star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), who are trying to navigate a changing Hollywood in 1969. In the film, Tate is Dalton's next door neighbor.

Resemblance: The copycat hairstyle Bryce Scarlett created for Robbie was noticed on Thursday by writer Evan Ross Katz, who tweeted side-by-side photos of her and Tate

Execution: To achieve Tate's look, hairstylist Bryce Scarlett parted Robbie's hair down the middle and made two loose braids on each side of her head

Earlier this month, Robbie told People that she prepared for the role by speaking with Tate's family and friends.

'They all said how kind, loving, and good-hearted she was,' she said. 'I was fortunate enough to step on to set with Debra Tates blessing, Sharons sister.'

After seeing the second trailer for the Tarantino's ninth film, Debra Tate told TMZ that she pleased with Robbie's performance.

Although she spoke with Tarantino and spent time on set, she was concerned with one scene in which Tate goes to a movie theater to see a film she's in and tells the ticket taker who she is.

'Depending on how Margot played it, it couldve appeared egotistical. But, no, she did a beautiful job. Sharon did not have an egotistical bone in her body,' she said. 'Margot captures Sharon's sweetness very nicely.'

Looking back: Tate (pictured with her husband Roman Polanski) wore the hairstyle at the Cannes Film Festival just one year before she was murdered by Charles Manson's followers

'60s style: Robbie (right) also channeled Tate (left) at the film's premiere on Tuesday by subtly recreating a modern version of her teased waves and curled ends

The film has gotten rave first reactions as well as a reported six-minute standing ovation at the premiere. However, a press conference, Tarantino was quick to shut down a New York Times journalist who asked why Robbie wasn't given more lines.

'I just reject your hypotheses,' he hit back, refusing to elaborate.

Robbie, meanwhile, said the lack of lines actually helped her get into character.

'I think the moments I was on screen gave a moment to honor Sharon. I think the tragedy was the loss of innocence. To show the wonderful sides of her could be done without speaking,' she said.

'I did feel like I got a lot of time to explore the character without dialogue, which is an interesting thing. Rarely do I get an opportunity to spend so much time on my own as a character.'

Tragic loss: Tate, who is pictured with Polanski on their wedding day, was eight-and-a-half months pregnant with their first child when she was stabbed to death at the age of 26

Role of a lifetime: Robbie plays Tate in Quentin Tarantinos upcoming film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (pictured), which received a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival this week

Tarantino has also received criticism from Polanski's wife, French actress Emmanuelle Seigner, who slammed the director on Friday for not consulting with her husband on the film.

In a post on Instagram, Seigner said she was not attacking the film as a whole but rather Polanski's lack of input.

'I am just saying that it doesn't bother them (in Hollywood) to make a film which takes Roman and his tragic story... while at the same time they have made him a pariah. And all without consulting him of course,' she wrote.

Polanski fled to France in 1978 after admitting the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl and spent 42 days in jail before being released for good behavior

The 85-year-old has been a fugitive ever since from the U.S. justice system, despite repeated attempts to have him extradited.Last week NatWest made an astonishing apology for decades of patronising, dismissive attitudes to women and our finances. It came in the form of an open letter, published on the cover and three other pages of the magazine Stylist.

Headlined A message to all women, and accompanied by a picture of a traditional bowler-hatted City gent, it reads: For years now, I have patronised you, ignored you, talked to your husbands, fathers and brothers instead of you, and made far too many suggestions that your earnings and expenditures are meaningless and trivial.

I created a culture that still, in 2019, has made you feel uncomfortable and unwelcome when it comes to talking about money. I speak on behalf of many when I say I am ashamed.

It ends with the conclusion: I am an outmoded stereotype. You need to be spoken to respectfully, in a non-patronising way. You need to hear from people who actually get you.

Last week NatWest made an astonishing apology for decades of patronising, dismissive attitudes to women and our finances, writes Jo Elvin (Pictured)

Where do I start with the most patronising apology for being patronising ever printed?

Perhaps with the  I kid you not  lovely picture of 20 notes styled as a floral bouquet on the front to charm us sweet, simple-minded ladies. Or the signing of the letter with a cutesy Mr Banker moniker, as if this was a bedtime story, instead of an attempt to engage adult women in a conversation about their money.

Or how about NatWest expecting warm congratulations for admitting to decades of sexism and then decreeing in the same breath that women are frightened and confused by the whole complicated business of finance.

I wish I could say I was shocked by their stupidity (and surely the brains behind this must have been predominantly male) but in my career as a womens magazine editor, Ive been invited into a lot of boardrooms to speak to men wanting the answer to the question that mystifies them most: How do we talk to women?

Their faces are a mixed bag of disappointment and even hostility when I say: Er, in the same way you talk to men?

No, that cant be right, the men then tell the woman theyve just asked about speaking to women.

But guys, I promise there is no secret language were keeping under wraps. Like you, we just want a good bank, not a special lady bank.

Instead of all these empty, virtue-signalling protestations about how much you respect me and my money, you could, you know, actively respect me and my money. Just sell me your (excellent, Im sure) products and services.

Stop trying to tell me how much you value my economic power and just show me by speaking to me like a human being instead of some strange alien species.

Jamie-bashing is the wrong recipe

The collapse of Jamie Olivers restaurant empire is terrible for him, the high street and, of course, the 1,000 newly unemployed. But I object to seeing him portrayed as a villain. The idea that a few pictures posted with his kids on social media is flaunting his wealth is a bit of a spiteful stretch.

Jamie has built a brand thats given several shots to the arm of our economy, across hospitality, TV, publishing and more, not to mention helping disadvantaged groups like young ex-offenders given apprenticeships at his restaurant, Fifteen.

Lets not paint him as a heartless fat cat when hes spent vast sums of that personal wealth fighting to save the business. And lets not show potential entrepreneurs, who well need to boost our post-Brexit economy, that we pitchfork anyone who, after decades of success, suffers a setback.

Ouch! Ive been insulted by omission

I recently posted a picture on Instagram of me and my friend, Teri. Amid the handful of likes and cheery comments, this one stuck out: Teri, you never age!

Yes, she really does look the same as she did 20 years ago, but, um hello?! Im right here.

Its a new phenomenon Ive noticed of late: the insult by omission. That Instagrammer didnt actually say Im ageing more rapidly, less gracefully than Teri. But now I know thats exactly what they think!

Longing for a bloody difficult finale...

If Id spent three years running myself into the ground performing a thankless, impossible task, before being unceremoniously fired, the temptation to cause a bit of chaos on my way out would be overwhelming. I wonder if anyone has thought of that as Theresa May insists on staying on to host the Trumps? Go on Theresa, show us one last time how bloody difficult you can be.

So even Maggie was an ironed lady

A discussion about fashion and power in the compelling BBC 2 documentary, Thatcher: A Very British Revolution, struck a chord.

I was fascinated that even the Iron Lady, right, acquiesced to something as frivolous as a style makeover when her spin doctor Tim Bell made her ditch her fussy dresses in busy floral prints: too housewifey to be considered powerful, apparently.

Sharp blazers and collared shirts in sombre, block colours were considered much more the thing for a PM-in-waiting  especially our first female contender. It showed, yet again, that while the world loves to dismiss fashion as irrelevant nonsense, it has immense power over how others see us  and, crucially, how we see ourselves.

I was fascinated that even the Iron Lady, right, acquiesced to something as frivolous as a style makeover when her spin doctor Tim Bell made her ditch her fussy dresses in busy floral prints, writes Jo Elvin

When I first joined this newspaper a year ago, no one told me what to wear. But I remember a subconscious belief taking root: that this was a more corporate world than my previous perfumed fashion mag one and so I should dress accordingly (read: stuffily).

Banished to the back of the wardrobe were my glittery shoes and my see-them-from-space trousers in a kaleidoscope of colours.

Yet every time I pulled on a simple black pencil skirt and dark grey jumper, I felt like I was putting on someone elses soaking wet mohair coat. It dampened my personality, my confidence and with it my creativity and effectiveness. So I decided to stop pretending I was a serious power-dresser.

Last week, when I headed out of the door in a suit of head-to-toe lilac, my husband asked if Id meant to look like Willy Wonka  and my boss burst out laughing at the sight of me.

Perhaps women who wear purple suits dont get to be world leaders. But we are guaranteed to brighten up the world which, I think, is quite a superpower.Fat transfer operations may seem a risk too far. Last year, it was revealed that women undergoing buttock augmentation with fat had a one in 3,000 chance of dying following the procedure, also known as the Brazilian butt lift  making it the deadliest of all cosmetic procedures.

However, the cosmetic surgery industry remains relentlessly innovative.

Statistics released last week showed that some 28,000 people in the UK underwent cosmetic surgery in 2018 - about half the number in 2013.

Instead, the choice these days seems to be tweakments: smaller procedures with, hopefully, subtle, natural results.

A raft of these new procedures were unveiled in New Orleans last week and no doubt will soon be winging their way across the Atlantic.

Here are some of the latest advances, and what the experts had to say about them.

Launched in the UK last autumn, EMsculpt is a device that hones muscles by blasting them with electromagnetic energy. Rapid pulses activate nerves that control muscles, making them contract spontaneously. The entire muscle is activated, rather than the 40 to 70% achieved by tensing. (File image)

BANISH BINGO WINGS, BUILD BIGGER BICEPS

What is it?

Launched in the UK last autumn, EMsculpt is a device that hones muscles by blasting them with electromagnetic energy.

Initially designed for the abdomen and buttocks, the device has now been modified by the Czech company behind it, BTL, to also target smaller muscle areas: the biceps and triceps and calves.

How does it work?

Rapid pulses activate nerves that control muscles, making them contract spontaneously.

The entire muscle is activated, rather than the 40 to 70 per cent achieved by tensing.

While stomach and buttock treatments use large, paddle-like applicators attached to the body, the new designs are smaller and curved in order to fit the arms and lower legs. One 20-minute session can mimic the effect of 20,000 biceps curls.

Arm circumference in volunteers grew by an inch on average, studies suggest. Upper arms appear more toned, and larger calf muscles give the effect of making the ankle seem slimmer and leg more shapely, said Dr Barry DiBernardo, the New Jersey-based surgeon leading trials on the new device.

Is it worth it?

The downside, explains Louisiana surgeon Dr Simeon Wall Jr, is that without regular use, the muscle gained may quickly wither away.

Youre not going to see the best results unless you exercise and eat well, he adds.

Treatments could cost from 750 per session, although clinics may offer discounts for packages of multiple treatments.

drritarakus.co.uk

CURE FOR CELLULITE... BUT IS IT WORTH THE PAIN?

What is it?

Injections of a drug called collagenase clostridium histolyticum  brand name Xiapex  into the buttocks and thighs may help reduce the appearance of orange-peel skin dimpling, otherwise known as cellulite, which affects up to 90 per cent of women.

How does it work?

Cellulite is simply normal fat beneath the skin. It appears lumpy because it pushes against the connective tissues, called septae, that anchor the skin to the lower muscular layer. Even slim women have cellulite, but the dimpled appearance can be exaggerated with both weight gain and ageing due to loss of elasticity in the skin.

Xiapex is an enzyme that breaks down collagen, the protein than makes up the septae. Injected into dimples in the buttocks, it dissolves the septae, helping to smooth out the skin.

Is it worth it?

Cellulite is typically graded in severity on a scale of one, which is mild, to four, which is severe.

In studies, volunteers had 12 dimples treated on each buttock. Each dimple was injected three times. Three sessions, 12 weeks apart, were given after which patients saw a one- or two-point improvement in cellulite severity.

But British consultant cosmetic surgeon Nigel Mercer warns: Injections can be painful and in many cases, releasing the septae doesnt simply make the skin spring back to flat, so it may not be enough to erase the dimples.

Another new non-surgical skin-tightening and resurfacing technology is the Renuvion device (pictured). This uses a unique type of energy which the manufacturers have called J Plasma, a heated helium gas. Emitted from the end of the machines needle-like handpiece, it looks like a mini flame-thrower

MINI FLAME-THROWER TO TIGHTEN THE SKIN

What is it?

Another new non-surgical skin-tightening and resurfacing technology is the Renuvion device.

How does it work?

This uses a unique type of energy which the manufacturers have called J Plasma, a heated helium gas.

Emitted from the end of the machines needle-like handpiece, it looks like a mini flame-thrower.

The needle is slid beneath the skin and moved around. The heat causes the skin and tissue to shrink. The technology is designed for use on the face, under the arms, on the stomach and even above the knees.

renuvion.com

Is it worth it?

In the wrong hands, heating beneath the skin can be a disaster, claimed Dr Wall. We have seen horrific third-degree burns in some patients whove had procedures like these, and there is little that can done to help them, he said. Mr Mercer agreed: Its not the technology thats the problem, its the person using the technology  the margin for error is small, and in the UK there isnt much regulation about who can use these machines.

The non-surgical facelift is a way to tighten lax, wrinkly skin without cutting and stitching  or a general anaesthetic. Two new methods were showcased last week, including the Recross rotational fractional resection (above). The hand-held device houses tiny scalpettes  hollow, blunt needles  in the tip. These rotate as they are pressed into the skin and a suction device then pulls out the core of tissue within the scalpette

NO MORE JOWELS WITH A HOLE PUNCH FACELIFT

What is it?

The non-surgical facelift is a way to tighten lax, wrinkly skin without cutting and stitching  or a general anaesthetic.

How does it work?

Two new methods were showcased last week: the Recross rotational fractional resection and the Cytrellis dermal micro-coring device. Both are hand-held devices that house a number of tiny scalpettes  hollow, blunt needles  in the tip. These rotate as they are pressed into the skin and a suction device then pulls out the core of tissue within the scalpette.

Between five and ten per cent of the total skin surface area is removed via these micro-incisions. These then close up, shrinking the skin, giving a lifting effect.

Is it worth it?

In a new study, 90 per cent of Recross subjects who had treatment said they would recommend it to a friend, but one in ten was left with visible scarring.

The size of the holes made is the problem, said Mr Mercer. Scarred skin is weaker skin, which could cause problems further down the line.

Cytrelis achieves similar results but uses finer needles, meaning there is no scarring. Cytrelis is for younger patients who are looking for a subtle improvement, said Boca Raton, Florida-based surgeon Jason Pozner.

Given the cost is likely to be in the four-figure region, the value for money remains to be seen.

recrosmedica.com, cytrellis.comTony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

Tall story: Global Spread Exchange claims to be based in the City's Heron Tower

R.G. writes: I was contacted by a 'David Green' of Global Spread Exchange and was persuaded to invest 500, having been told that his company is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Later, a 'Blake Crawford' rang to say he had made 245 profit for me and urged me to invest a further 1,000.

I told him I would not add to the 500, though other people have since called from the company with the same request. Now I find I cannot contact them.

Global Spread Exchange is a fraud. It says it is based in the huge Heron Tower in the City of London. It is not. It says it is governed by the rules of the Financial Conduct Authority. It is not. And it says it is UK company number 07011630. But it is not.

It is operating illegally in so many ways that it is hard to know where to start, so let's begin with its own words.

It says: 'Global Spread Exchange work together with our clients to choose the best possible investments in traditional currency, cryptocurrency and risk managed investments to ensure that collectively we achieve the best possible results.'

If it did this, it would need a licence from the FCA. It does not have one. It is selling shares at 12,500 apiece in a scheme to invest in classic cars.

Again, without FCA authorisation, this is a criminal offence punishable by up to two years in jail. But how does a scam like this operate? Who provides the facilities it needs?

Well, its website is registered to 1&1 Internet, a genuine company based in Gloucester. 1&1 refused to say who pays it to host the website. I warned 1&1 that the site was fraudulent. Would it pull the plug and shut it down?

The internet firm replied: 'Not without a court order we won't, or unless it breaks our terms and conditions.'

How about banking then? Every business needs an account and you transferred 500 to account number 31 67 14 05 with a sort code of 08-71-99.

This sort code belongs to Cashplus, which described itself to me as a 'digital banking services provider'. It is fully authorised by the FCA and follows the same 'know your customer' procedures of any high street bank.

Cashplus refused to discuss the account, except to tell me: 'Incidents like this will generally involve a chain of accounts across multiple providers.

'When we are alerted to alleged fraudulent activities, we'll take appropriate action in relation to our accounts and also work closely with banks and relevant outside authorities.'

However, Cashplus declined to say what action it would take in this case.

In theory, of course, it should be possible to uncover a lot about Global Spread Exchange by looking into its records at Companies House. But company number 07011630 belongs to Consultancy Exchange Ltd, a management consultancy based in Buckingham.

Its boss Ken Munro told me: 'We have certainly never been involved in spreads or any sort of financial advice.'

And, startlingly, he added that he had been contacted by another victim of the fake firm.

'I tried to report the incident to Action Fraud, but it would not take the report,' he said. 'It seems that it can only take reports from individuals who have been duped and not from businesses that have been cloned in order to carry out the fraud.'

Munro reported the fake firm to the FCA too. He says he was told it would investigate, but has heard nothing more about it.

In short, you have been mugged over the phone and the muggers have a company number, website and bank account. And they have got away with it.

To anyone who says you have only yourself to blame for being so trusting, I should add you are 75 years old and totally blind.

I suppose the muggers sleep well at night, though I can't imagine how.

Tax 'penalty' for overpayments

A.G. writes: I wanted to top up my National Insurance Contribution record and asked Revenue & Customs how much in voluntary contributions would be needed.

I was surprised to receive a reply from the Revenue mentioning a 'final time limit' and a 'payment date without penalty'.

Since when does making a voluntary, optional payment in good faith mean there would be penalties and time limits?

Misunderstanding: Voluntary contributions are charged at the rate for the year for which they are being purchased

I think this is a bit of a culture clash. You were offering to pay extra contributions to beef up your eventual State pension, so the last thing you expected was a reply mentioning penalties.

You might think the Government would be glad to take the money from your hand. The letter from the Revenue could be far better worded.

What it should have said  in gentler terms  was that voluntary contributions are charged at the rate for the year for which they are being purchased.

So for example, voluntary payments for 2016-17 can be bought at the National Insurance Contribution rates for that year.

But there is a deadline for each year, after which higher rates can be charged.

Redrafting the Revenue's letter to make clear that it is trying to help by keeping costs down, rather than using off-putting mentions of penalties, might be a good idea.

Top-up payments are voluntary and I suspect many people would be put off by the implied threats.

Will Booking.com ever pay full refund?

Mrs S.D. writes: I read your recent article about Booking.com. The update is that the company has paid me 702 and not the full 762. I thought I ought to let you know.

Two weeks ago The Mail on Sunday published your letter, telling how you had successfully sued Booking.com after a hotel turned out not to be quite as it was described. You won your court case, but Booking.com ignored the whole affair until I supplied copies of the court papers, ordering it to pay up.

Short-changed: Booking.com ignored the whole affair until Tony supplied copies of the court papers

Perhaps optimistically, I reported that the company had promised me it would give you a full refund. But I added: 'Obviously, if all that lands in your bank account is the amount taken from your credit card, with nothing for the court costs, that would not be respecting the judgment of the court. I hope you receive the full 762, but if not, just let me know.'

Unbelievably, this is exactly what happened. Booking.com's idea of a full refund did not include 60 you had to pay the court to get it to cough up. A spokeswoman has now told me in an odd form of words: 'Booking.com have escalated the booking, for the remaining balance of 60 to be refunded back to the guest.'

I am hoping this means the cash will land in your bank account, but if it fails to arrive, well, just let me know.Humble pie: When Terry Smith launched an emerging markets investment trust he was adamant it would prove a success

When star manager Terry Smith launched an emerging markets investment trust nearly five years ago, he was adamant it would prove a success.

He also said he would not be making the same mistakes as Fidelity's Anthony Bolton who had enjoyed great success running UK portfolios in the 1980s and 1990s, only to come unstuck when going on to manage a China fund.

Last week, Smith, 66, who has enriched the financial lives of thousands of investors with his successful management of investment fund Fundsmith Equity, was forced to eat humble pie.

After nearly five years at the helm of investment trust Fundsmith Emerging Equities, Smith said he would be standing down as manager and allowing new blood  Michael O'Brien, 47, and Sandip Patodia, 37  to run it. He also said the trust's annual charge would be reduced from 1.25 to one per cent.

'I believe the changes we are announcing will help deliver the long-term outperformance that we seek,' he added. He also apologised to any investors who felt short-changed as a result of putting money into the fund.

The trust's performance has certainly been disappointing. Since launch in June 2014, it has underperformed most of its emerging market rivals although its share price has moved ahead by some 20 per cent  from 10 five years ago to 12 now.

But analysis of the three-year numbers make for somewhat embarrassing viewing. As the table shows, some emerging market funds have delivered triple the returns that Fundsmith Emerging Equities has achieved.

Most investment experts believe Smith's move makes good sense, allowing him to concentrate on the running of the humongous Fundsmith Equity fund  17.6 billion and growing.

Dzmitry Lipski, investment analyst at Interactive Investor, says Smith should not have 'his fingers in all the pies' and is encouraged by the fact that he is now giving other managers the opportunity to shine.

This is something he did with last year's launch of Smithson, a 1 billion trust investing in global smaller companies. Since launch in October, the fund's share price has risen some 19 per cent. It is managed by Simon Barnard, 38, and Will Morgan, 40.

While Lipski argues the changes at Fundsmith Emerging Equities may make the trust a 'wild card investment option'  and Smith himself says it could 'come good in explosive fashion'  most advisers believe there are better options.

Many like investment trust JP Morgan Emerging Markets  among the top performing emerging market funds over the past three years. Apart from its strong track record, they take comfort in the fact it is run by a long-standing manager in Austin Forey. Sister fund JPM Emerging Markets, managed by Forey and Leon Eidelman, is also favoured by some advisers.

The main differentiator between the two JPM vehicles is that the investment trust is listed on the UK stock market  like any other share. The fund is not, although investors can easily buy a stake in it via an investment platform. Other funds that are liked include Fidelity Emerging Markets, again run by an experienced manager in Nick Price.

Given the volatile nature of many emerging economy stock markets, investors should only have a fraction of their portfolio  around five per cent in such assets.

Emma Wall, head of investment analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, says many emerging markets now represent good value, in part a result of recent market volatility caused by the trade spat between the United States and China.

She says: 'Asian markets in particular look cheap compared to the rest of the world and the United States. For investors willing to take a long-term view, the growth prospects are compelling.'Investment manager Rory Powe set himself an ambitious target when he took over at the helm of fund Man GLG Continental European Growth in October 2014: to generate average annual returns in the region of 10 per cent.

Some experts thought he was being too ambitious. Others thought he would fail and be forced to fall on his sword  a view based on the fact that Powe had fallen on it twice before when caught up in the bursting of the dot.com bubble in early 2000 (when at Invesco) and then again in 2008 when a flagship hedge fund he was running (Modulus Europe) went into liquidation.

Yet, more than four and a half years later, Powe has proved his doubters horribly wrong, delivering an overall return for investors with him from the start of 110 per cent. No other European fund has matched his performance.

While such outstanding numbers may raise a few eyebrows  the rise before a possible fall  Powe has delivered them by applying a somewhat straightforward investment process.

He identifies businesses that enjoy a competitive advantage over their rivals  and more importantly will do so for the foreseeable future.

He then holds them as their revenues rise, profit margins increase and the share prices move ahead. He does not bet on stocks falling. He plays the long game. Hold and wait. So far, it has worked quite brilliantly.

Powe says: 'Europe is not blessed with dynamic economic growth, not now and probably not in the future. So I see my job as one of identifying those European companies that will thrive irrespective of the economic backdrop, probably because they hold a strong global position in the markets they operate in.'

The result is a portfolio comprising just 30 stocks  some of which are leading consumer brands such as Ferrari, Moncler, L'Oreal and LVMH (Louis Vuitton). Yet two thirds of the holdings are companies that are not consumer facing. They make profits by supplying products or services to other businesses.

One of Powe's most successful investments is Danish bioscience company Chr. Hansen, which develops cultures and enzymes for use in the production of food  for example, cheeses and yogurts. He says: 'I bought shares in the company for the fund as soon as I was appointed in October 2014.

'Chr. Hansen dominates the markets it operates in and continues to enjoy annual growth in the order of 9 per cent. Its success is not dependent upon the state of the world economy. It is based on the fact that people want to buy healthy produce that has a long shelf life.'

Some of the enzymes it has developed, adds Powe, have reduced the need for food processors to use sugar as a sweetener while its suite of probiotics (bacteria and yeasts) are currently helping to reduce pesticide residues in crops used in food produce or animal feed.

Shares in Ferrari  like Chr. Hansen a top 10 holding  were bought in 2016. Powe loves the company because of its focus on quality rather than quantity.

The fund's success can be measured by the fact that its assets are now worth 1.4 billion yet Powe notes a word of caution. He says: 'This fund bears no resemblance to any stock market index. Inevitably, there will be bumps along the road and at times it will underperform.'

The fund charges an annual fee of 0.9 per cent and Interactive Investor includes it on its list of 60 'super' funds.Sir Philip Green has offered to put an extra 185 million of security behind the Arcadia pension scheme in an effort to win support for a major overhaul of his Topshop to Dorothy Perkins retail empire.

The sum is chiefly made up of property assets and includes security over the flagship store on Oxford Street. The agreement would mean that in a crisis the buildings could be sold to fund payouts to pensioners.

The offer takes the package put forward by Green and Arcadia to support the pension scheme to 360 million over the next three years.

Offer: Sir Philip Green is using the Oxford Street store as security in the deal

It includes 100 million directly from his family bank account, controlled by his wife Tina. The mogul has made the pledge as part of a 'highly complex' plan to reshape his empire before a vote on June 5.

The proposal would see 23 of his 566 shops close, while also reducing the rent paid to landlords at almost 200 stores.

Sources said last night that landlords and The Pensions Regulator are engaged in daily conversations with the 20,000-employee group.

Arcadia says many existing lease contracts include clauses guaranteeing increases which have taken rents to unsustainable levels.

The company must win support from The Pensions Regulator and the Pension Protection Fund  the entity which will take responsibility for the 750 million deficit if Arcadia fails.

The group's plan involves the use of a temporary insolvency process known as a Company Voluntary Arrangement that allows retailers to tear up leases and negotiate new terms.

The alternative is almost certainly a full-blown administration which would put the future of the group in doubt unless a rescuer could be found.

Confidential company documents sent to creditors show the value of the 185 million of assets has been calculated based on a zero valuation of the group. That suggests the value of the property would be higher if the overhaul rejuvenates the business or triggers interest from buyers.

The Pension Protection Fund will vote on the deal on behalf of Arcadia's 9,500 pensioners.The BBC is among several British pension funds which lost millions of pounds on their investments in US carmaker Tesla last week.

Shares in Elon Musk's electric car firm slammed further into reverse, taking total losses this year to nearly 40 per cent and leaving the company's valuation at $33.7 billion (26.5 billion).

Analysts at Morgan Stanley warned the price  currently $190  could crash to just $10 amid concerns about its debt pile and a fall in demand from China.

Debt pile-up: Elon Musk's electric car firm Tesla made a $700 million loss

Tesla reported a worse-than-expected loss of $700 million for the first three months of 2019 thanks in part to weak sales.

The BBC pension fund's shareholding in Tesla is one of its largest equity investments and was worth 27 million at the end of March last year.

That stake is now likely to be worth up to 9 million  or a third  less. The BBC's pension fund, worth 16.6 billion at the end of March last year, also has stakes in a number of US tech companies including Amazon, Google-owner Alphabet and Facebook.

Other British funds are also exposed to Tesla's recent woes. The hardest hit has been Baillie Gifford.

The Edinburgh-based investment trust is Tesla's largest shareholder after eccentric founder and chief executive Elon Musk, with a stake worth $2.6 billion (2 billion). Others include Legal & General, Royal London and Aviva.

Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas dropped his worst case scenario for Tesla's shares from $97 to $10, suggesting the company could suffer because of the trade war between the US and China.

There is some hope however as a leaked memo on Thursday from Musk to staff appeared to show strong sales of its cars.More than 16 billion  almost half of their value  has been wiped off the share prices of Thomas Cook, Tui, Ryanair and easyJet in the past year, with hedge funds betting on further falls in a miserable summer for holiday firms.

Over the past month alone share prices for the quartet have fallen 3.5 billion as travel companies struggle to persuade Britons to go abroad this summer.

Investment giants BlackRock, Citadel and Marshall Wace have in recent weeks taken out short positions against the stocks  meaning they profit if the share prices fall.

Bracing: Four major travel firms have lost 3.5 billion of value in just a month

Thomas Cook's shares crashed 40 per cent a week ago when they were branded 'worthless' by one analyst due to the company's enormous debt pile.

City sources last night said Peter Fankhauser, the German chief executive of Thomas Cook, could emerge as a victim of the turmoil, with speculation mounting that chairman Frank Meysman is preparing to oust him.

One source familiar with the company tipped Will Waggott  the former boss of Airtours who joined Thomas Cook in February as head of tour operating  as a likely successor. A senior company insider played down the suggestion.

Many firms have launched sales on flights to Europe as they try to prop up their bottom lines. Industry figures admitted they are hoping for a colder UK summer to encourage Britons to flock abroad.

Paul Carter, chief executive of Hotelplan, a business that includes Inghams, Explore, Ski Total and Espirit, said big firms have been offering up to 50 per cent off last-minute holidays. 'A repeat of last year's hot summer will mean that demand will be lighter and then prices are likely to reduce,' he added.

In the past few days, City analysts have highlighted a series of major issues the firms are facing, including Brexit uncertainty, which has affected consumer confidence.

Longer term, it is feared that rising concerns over the environmental impact of planes will mean travellers will fly less and new taxes may be introduced. In the past year, Thomas Cook's market value has dropped from 1.7 billion to less than 200 million on Friday. According to Bloomberg data, 6.88 per cent of the firm's shares are being shorted by hedge funds.

Short-sellers bet against firms that they believe are over-valued on the stock market. They borrow their shares from other investors, sell them and then hope to buy them back at a cheaper price, pocketing the difference.

Thomas Cook's share price plummeted earlier this month after the 178-year-old company, which serves 20 million people a year, reported a half-year loss of 1.5 billion.

Tui, the Anglo-German travel group listed on the London Stock Exchange, suffered last week when investment bank UBS advised investors to sell its shares.

Its share price has plummeted nearly 60 per cent in the past year, lopping more than 5 billion off its value, which now stands at 3.8 billion. Some 3.18 per cent of its shares are currently controlled by short-sellers.

UBS analysts suggested that Tui's losses  which deepened to 301 million in its first-half results this month, from 170 million the year before  may eat into its 320 million dividend.

Ryanair also suffered a downgrade from HSBC last week. Citadel has a 0.73 per cent short on the Dublin-based airline which has seen its value plummet nearly 7 billion in the last year.

BlackRock and Marshall Wace are shorting 1.13 per cent of easyJet's shares, which have fallen 47 per cent to 9.19. The airline is facing relegation from the FTSE 100 if its fortunes do not improve soon.The proposed 2 billion-plus takeover of care home giant Barchester Healthcare is taking longer than expected due to the Brexit impasse.

The Mail on Sunday revealed in February that Australian investment house Macquarie had entered into exclusive discussions with Irish tycoons Dermot Desmond, JP McManus and John Magnier  majority shareholders in Barchester Healthcare.

City sources said a deal should have been struck by now  but negotiations have been tough amid concerns about Brexit and its impact on the pound.

Gathering storm: City sources said a deal should have been struck by now  but negotiations have been tough amid concerns about Brexit and its impact on the pound

'The mergers and acquisitions market has been extremely quiet since the New Year and it's mostly due to the failed Brexit negotiations and political uncertainty,' said one investment banker.

However, one source said Barchester Healthcare, which owns more than 200 care homes housing 11,000 elderly people, is still in talks with Macquarie.

The investment group is well known in the City for gobbling up huge infrastructure assets, such as Thames Water, and then selling them on to investors and pension funds.The private equity owners of car finance firm Blue Motor Finance are weighing up a 200 million sale.

City sources said Cabot Square Partners had been talking to bankers about a sale of its stake and was now working with advisers from Lazard on 'strategic options' for the business.

Cabot Square invested between 30 million and 40 million in Blue Motor Finance in 2014, since when it has grown rapidly. Blue Motor says it has about 100,000 customers, whom it has lent a total of 1 billion.

Change of direction: The firm works with 3,700 UK car dealerships and in the past 12 months financed 50,000 vehicle purchases

The firm works with 3,700 UK car dealerships and in the past 12 months financed 50,000 vehicle purchases.

Bankers said the business generates about 15 million in operating profit and could change hands for 150 million to 250 million.

It is now Europe's fastest growing firm, beating the food delivery app Deliveroo, the Financial Times said as the popularity of car leasing soars. Cabot Square didn't return calls for comment.Advertisement

Tourists are flocking to an ancient Balinese village where bodies are laid out to rot instead of being buried or cremated - as 'dark tourism' becomes more popular.

Villagers from Trunyan in the north of the island are laid to rest in bamboo cages underneath a sacred tree where their bodies are left to decompose in the smoldering Indonesian heat.

Once the flesh has rotted away, the skulls and bones are added to an ever-growing cartilage shrine under the tree, which is said to be 1,100 years old.

Visitors can only access the village by hiring a boat to cross Lake Batur and reach the settlement at the base of the Mount Batur volcano deep in the jungle.

Villagers from Trunyan in northern Bali are laid to rest in bamboo cages underneath a sacred tree where their bodies (pictured) are left to decompose in the smothering Indonesian heat

A married woman looks to be recently laid to rest in a bamboo cage. Only married people have the honour of this funeral, while unwed people are buried underground

Tourists can touch and even hold skulls and are welcomed by villagers who are eager to share their culture with the outside world

Only married people have the honour of this funeral, which is only practiced in Trunyan, while unwed people are buried underground.

The bamboo cages protect bodies from animals looking for a free meal and are are arranged under a special species of tree.

The Taru Menyan tree, which translates to 'nice smell', emits a pleasant scent that is said to neutralise the odor of rotting.

When all the cages are full of bodies, the one that has been there longest is removed to make room for the next, and placed on a pile.

Only when a body is completely skeletonised is the skull removed to place on the stone steps of the altar.

The cemetery has bodies at varying states of decay. Some still have skin and hair, like the man pictured, while others are more skeletal

The bamboo cages are arranged under a Taru Menyan tree (pictured), a special species that emits a pleasant scent that is said to neutralise the smell of rotting

Once the flesh has rotted away, the skulls and bones are added to an ever-growing cartilage shrine (pictured) under the tree, which is said to be 1,100 years old

People leave offerings like money and even cigarettes next to skulls. A visitor described it as a 'poorer area' and encouraged tourists to pay for their visit

There is a strict rule that only men are allowed to deliver the body to the cemetery after the preparation ritual - which involves cleaning the corpse with rain water and wrapping it in cloth, leaving the head uncovered.

Women are not allowed to enter the cemetery when a body is being carried but are allowed to enter at other times.

It is believed an earthquake or volcanic eruption will be caused if women venture in to the cemetery during the delivery of a body.

The village people of Trunyan believe they are the original Balinese, there before the Majapahit migration from Java began in 1340.

Tourists wishing to visit Trunyan themselves can do so by taking a boat from the mainland, three hours from Denpasar.

The funeral practice is only practiced in this region of Bali. People in Trunyan believe they are the original Balinese people

A picture of a deceased man in front of his above-ground grave. An Australian woman said Trunyan cemetery is a 'must do experience' in the Bali Bogans Facebook group

The bamboo cages (pictured) protect the bodies from animals looking for a free meal, allowing them to decompose fully

Skull island: Trunyan is deep in the jungle at the base of the Mount Batung volcano in the north of Bali

Bali is infamous for being full of Australian tourists but many visitors are hungry for attractions off the beaten track.

An Australian woman said Trunyan cemetery is a 'must do experience' in the Bali Bogans Facebook group.

'There was an actual ceremony today and we were able to see the villagers celebrating a life and creating a special ceremony of offering to their god,' she wrote.

'I know this sounds quite morbid but it was such a meaningful experience that we will never forget.

'If this is something that youd like to do please be mindful that this is an old village that needs to be respected.

'Also, they are a poorer area and there is a cost to being able to visit.'

Hundreds of years worth of skulls (pictured) are scattered all around the cemeteryAdvertisement

Captivating vintage photos tell the story of Greenwich Village, the New York district that became a creative haven for artists, poets, writers and musicians in the middle of the 20th century.

The images, unearthed in the TopFoto photographic archive in Kent, England, had been in storage for several decades before their recent discovery.

Bob Dylan, Jack Kerouac and Maya Angelou would visit the New York neighborhood, which was also the birthplace of the Beat Generation and radical counterculture.

The Gaslight Cafe (seen above in undated pictured) was a coffeehouse in the Greenwich Village. It opened in 1958 and it soon became famous as a venue for folk music and other musical acts. It later closed in 1971. It also served as a place to socialize as emerging stars such as Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Springsteen worked or met there

The former Gaslight Cafe is now the Up & Up Cocktail Bar at 116 Macdougal Street (as seen above in present day)

The pictures, taken in April 1960, include a beautiful woman, dressed all in black during a live jazz performance.

She sits at a table with a man, who cannot be seen clearly, with two bottles of beer in front of them, as the jazz band plays in the background.

The images also feature the staircase leading down to the Gaslight Cafe, where emerging stars such as Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Springsteen played.

The coffeehouse first opened in 1958 and it soon became famous as a venue for folk music and other musical acts. It closed in 1971.

The Village was home to many late-night jazz-heavy basement bars and sculpted some of the most famous talents of the era. The Beat Generation movement, whose birthplace was Greenwich, rejected conventional society, but valued free self-expression and favored modern jazz as a musical form. Unnamed artists are seen above in the Village in this undated photo

One of the photo shows a woman during a jazz performance as she sits at a table with a man who cannot be seen clearly. In front of them, there are two beer bottles and a glass, as musicians play in the background. The captivating vintage photos have been discovered after several decades in storage in the TopFoto photographic archive in Kent, England

A beautiful woman dressed all in black is pictured during a music performance at The Gaslight Cafe, as she looks to her left while sitting at a table with a glass in front of her

Greenwich Village was filled with many basement bars as well as coffee houses, popular among some of the most famous talents of the era.

The black and white images also show Cafe Bizarre, where the rock band The Velvet Underground performed alongside some of the finest literary minds of the era.

Rick Allmen opened the cafe at 106 West 3rd Street in 1957, and it reportedly became a favorite haunt of artist Andy Warhol.

A guitarist, pictured, plays in Greenwich Village, where music and poetry were among the core cultural elements. Performers including Bob Dylan, Nina Simone and Jimi Hendrix all played there

Huge audiences often attended live performances by musicians and were encouraged to snap their fingers instead of applaud to prevent noise complaints from neighbors.

In the late 1940s, the counterculture known as the 'Beat Generation' emerged.

Its adherents, who called themselves 'beats', were generally apolitical and indifferent to social problems.

 Slide me  MacDougal Alley in Greenwich Village (pictured) was originally a private lane made up of 19th century stables belonging to adjacent townhouses. When cars became popular in the early 20th century, most of the stables became studio workshops

They saw taboos against frank discussions about sexuality as unhealthy and possibly damaging to the spirit.

The Beat Generation rejected the idea of a conventional society, valuing free self-expression above all else.

The movement converged around the writings of Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs - embracing nonconformity and a bohemian, sexually-liberal lifestyle.

It laid the philosophical foundations for a free-spirited expressionism that would become the broader hippie movement in the 1960s.

Cafe Bizarre, pictured, at 106 West 3rd Street often hosted the band The Velvet Underground as they played alongside some of the finest literary minds

Rick Allmen opened it in 1957. Andy Warhol discovered the rock band there. The cafe was one of the leading places for New York artists to hang out, share music and poetry and generally be themselves

John Cale (left) and Lou Reed (right) of the Velvet Underground performs on stage at the Cafe Bizarre in December 1965

The image above of the building at 106 West 3rd Street shows where Cafe Bizarre used to be. The building is now a dormitory operated by the New York University School of Law

Truman Capote, Dylan Thomas and Jackson Pollock often used the Village to socialize.

One of the photos also shows MacDougal Alley in Greenwich Village, which was originally a private lane made up of 19th century stables belonging to adjacent townhouses.

When cars became popular in the early 20th century, most of the stables in the street became studio workshops for artists, including sculptor Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney.

An atmospheric black and white shot captures a man during a wild night in Greenwich Village. In the late 1940s, a new counterculture known as the 'Beat Generation' emerged in the neighborhood

Bob Dylan was a frequent visitor to Greenwich Village venues. He is seen above in this undated file photo

Today, most of the buildings in the street there are used as private residences.

Welsh writer Dylan Thomas died after a heavy drinking session in Greenwich Village at the White Horse Tavern in 1953. Decades later the district would be the birthplace of the protests against the Vietnam War and the Stonewall Riots.Alex Traykov, 20 (pictured), has been sentenced to 15 years jail after unleashing a 'ferocious' knife attack on four police officers he lured by a bogus 999 call while he was 'high' after smoking strong cannabis

A university drop-out has been jailed for 15 years for unleashing a 'ferocious' attack on four police officers he lured by a bogus 999 call while he was 'high' after smoking strong cannabis.

Alex Traykov, 20, lashed out at the officers who responded to his report of a fight at a house in Islington, north London, on October 6 last year.

Following an Old Bailey trial on Friday, Traykov was cleared of attempted murder but convicted of three counts of wounding with intent and a fourth charge of attempted wounding with intent.

Judge Wendy Joseph QC said it was a 'truly terrifying incident' which lasted some 20 seconds.

Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC told the court of how Traykov attacked the four officers without hesitation or warning.

CCTV footage shows him bringing the blade down onto the head of Pc Istarlin Said-Ali, 31, cutting her raised hand.

He lunged at Pc Rafal Kedziora, 34, cutting his face and slashing the back of his neck.

He then turned on Pc Ben Thomson, 40, before Pc Launa Watkins, 39, who tasered him twice.

CCTV footage from the incident, on October 6 last year, shows him bringing the blade (pictured) down onto the head of Pc Istarlin Said-Ali, 31, cutting her raised hand

Judge Wendy Joseph QC said it was a 'truly terrifying incident' which lasted some 20 seconds. Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC told the court of how Traykov attacked the four officers without hesitation or warning (CCTV still)

Giving evidence, Traykov, who was living with his estate agent mother in Redhill, Surrey, accepted he had injured the officers but denied he meant them serious harm.

The former Winchester University history student said he was so 'high' on strong cannabis he was not thinking straight.

Following his conviction, he said he was 'very sorry' for the injuries to the officers.

The four police officers became emotional as they read out victim impact statements in court.

Pc Kedziora told the court he never expected he would have to fight for his life and considered himself lucky despite being stabbed in the face and neck.

He said he hoped to put the incident behind him, like it was a 'bad dream'.

Pc Said-Ali said she was left 'insecure, scared and anxious going outside, especially in the dark'.

He lunged at Pc Rafal Kedziora, 34, cutting his face and slashing the back of his neck. Traykov then turned on Pc Ben Thomson, 40, before Pc Launa Watkins, 39, who tasered him twice (CCTV still)

Meanwhile Pc Thomson told of the 'unseen mental injury' to him and his colleagues from the 'ferocious' attack, including regular night terrors.

He became emotional as he said: 'I feel like my world is falling apart at times. I have relived the incident in part and in full countless times.'

'I would like nothing more than to be able to say what could have been does not enter my thoughts, but that would be a lie.'

Pc Watkins said she and her colleagues thought they would die at the hands of Traykov that night.

Traykov, a former Winchester University history student, accepted he had injured the officers but denied he meant them serious harm (CCTV still)

She said: 'Despite the odds against us we never gave up. We each played a role in not only saving each other but making sure Alex Traykov did not have the opportunity to hurt anyone else.'

Speaking outside court, Detective Inspector Kate Stannard commended their bravery in the face of a 'nightmare' situation.

'What they faced that night on October 6 was a violent and frenzied attack by Alex Traykov. He was determined to cause the officers very serious harm.

'However, thankfully because of Pc Watkins' deploying her taser he fell to the ground and officers were able to detain him.

'I'm pleased that the sentence reflects the gravity of the offences. If you attack police officers you are not going to get away with it and there are consequences.'The Securities and Exchanges Commission has reportedly launched its own investigation into the conduct of Boeing as United Airlines cancels another month's worth of flights with 737 Max planes that were grounded after two deadly accidents.

SEC will look at whether the Chicago, Illinois-based company disclosed information in the proper way about a cockpit alert not working, something they admit they knew about a year prior.

In a May 5 filing Boeing states that it revealed the findings to customers and the FAA in October 2018 - after the Lion Air 610 crash in the ocean just off Indonesia.

The FAA is currently looking into whether a faulty anti-stall system caused the aircraft and the same Ethiopian Airlines model that crashed in Addis Ababa on March 10, to nosedive and whether pilots were improperly trained about how to take control again.

United Airlines is cancelling another month's worth of flights with Boeing 737 Max planes that were grounded after two deadly accidents

United said Friday it has removed the Max from its schedule through August 3 and will cancel about 2,400 flights in June and July as a result. It had previously canceled all Max flights through early July

However SEC's probe focuses on a filing Boeing should have made through them to let investors know about issues that could impact them both financially, Bloomberg reports.

The 737 Max planes are said to be Boeing's biggest sauce of profit and the company stopped share repurchases to preserve cash when the jets were grounded in March, after the second crash in five months.

Boeing acknowledged in an April 24 SEC filing that they were facing multiple legals actions from both customers and families of the 346 victims from the two tragedies.

However Boeing said it 'cannot reasonably estimate a range of loss, if any, that may result'.

Bloomberg News said that shares dropped 0.56 percent to $353 after they reported the SEC investigation Friday. Later in the afternoon they were back up by 1.2 percent to $354.72.

FAA Acting Chief Daniel Elwell called a Thursday meeting with aviation regulators from around the globe in Dallas, Texas 'both comprehensive and constructive' but declined to give a timetable for the agency's review, saying the FAA won't allow the Max to return to the skies until it is convinced the plane is safe.

Engine parts are seen at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 11

On Friday it was reported SEC is looking into whether Boeing properly disclosed information about a cockpit alert that didn't work properly. Boeing reported it after the October Lion Air crash. Group of National Transportation Safety Board from United States and Indonesian Committe of Safety Transportation investigate the debris November 1

The FAA meeting with nearly 60 officials from more than 30 countries explained its process for analyzing Boeing's changes to the Max.

Boeing has said 200 of the aircraft have successfully completed test flights after a software update and it is expected to soon formally submit its changes and a proposal for additional pilot training to the FAA for approval.

But it wasn't enough for United as on Friday it said it has removed the Max from its schedule through August 3.

United will cancel about 2,400 flights in June and July as a result. It had previously canceled all Max flights through early July.

United is using other planes to cover some flights that had been scheduled with its 14 Max jets.

Southwest dropped the Max from schedules into August. A number of grounded Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft are shown parked at Victorville Airport, California, March 26

Southwest and American have already dropped the Max from their schedules into August.

Other regulators around the world grounding the plane in March after the second crash without waiting for the FAA to do so was a setback to FAA's prestige.

The FAA hopes that this time, other regulators - some of whom are doing their own separate reviews - will approve Boeing's changes at the same time or soon after FAA does.

'Our review of the Max design changes, the software upgrade, is already under way,' said Nicolas Robinson, the head of civil aviation for Transport Canada, that country's counterpart to FAA.

Robinson said, however, that it's 'difficult to put a time limit on that' because the length of the review will depend on how quickly Canada gets answers to questions it has about Boeing's work.

Robinson said that at Thursday's FAA meeting in Fort Worth, some attendees put timelines on the review process but the consensus - and the view of FAA - was that 'this is not about meeting a deadline, it's about getting safety done properly. It will be done when we feel comfortable.'Millions of guarded ballot boxes stuffed with European election voting cards are waiting in centres across the UK before the mammoth counting operation gets underway on Sunday night.

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party is expected to storm to a decisive victory following their surge to the top of the opinion polls which are predicting the collapse of the Conservative vote.

Britain went to the polls on Thursday after a delay to the Brexit departure date forced an election to return a new batch of UK politicians to the European Parliament.

Voters in Latvia, Malta and Slovakia are casting their ballots today, before 21 other countries including Germany, France and Spain begin on Sunday.

The Italians will be the last to cast their ballots, and the UK, Netherlands and Ireland have already closed the polls.

Unlike a General Election - when the counting process begins immediately after polls close at 10pm (BST) - votes will only be added up on Sunday so the result does not influence the electorates of the other 27 EU member states who are voting on different days.

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Millions of guarded ballot boxes stuffed with European election voting cards are waiting in centres (Uttlesford District Council pictured) across the UK before the mammoth counting operation gets underway on Sunday night

When polling stations shut at 10pm on Thursday, the hoard of sealed ballot boxes were taken to hundreds of local counting centres (South Cambridgeshire pictured) where they remain under the watchful eye of volunteers

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party is expected to storm to a decisive victory following their surge to the top of the opinion polls which are predicting the collapse of the Conservative vote

Ballots are counted in the European Parliamentary elections and the referendum on Ireland's divorce laws at the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin today

Many of the votes inside the ballot boxes are expected to have been cast in favour of the hardline eurosceptic Brexit Party, which is poised to thrash the mainstream parties.

Its popularity saw the party climb to 37 per cent in the latest YouGov opinion poll, miles in front of the second placed Liberal Democrats which sat on 19 per cent going into Thursday's vote.

EU elections voting timetable Thursday May 23 - Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Friday May 24 - Ireland. Saturday May 25 - Latvia, Malta and Slovakia. Sunday May 26 - Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. Member states cannot publish results until the last vote has been cast on Sunday. Announcements are set to begin after 10pm (BST). Advertisement

Founded only six weeks ago by ex-Ukip leader Farage, the party recruited thousands of supporters during an election campaign which saw the charismatic leader tour the nation for a series of rallies.

The Brexit Party's success is expected to eat away at votes for the two main parties, with Labour dwindling on 13 per cent and the Conservatives poised to take a drubbing with only seven per cent in the polls.

When polling stations closed at 10pm, the hoard of sealed ballot boxes were taken to hundreds of local council counting centres where they remain locked away - but not before being snapped and tweeted by council volunteers.

Each ballot box was sealed in front of witnesses and candidates, with candidates even allowed to fasten their own seal.

On Friday, the contents of each box was emptied and the ballot slips were tallied.

Farage's former party Ukip - which won the last European election in 2014 - will likely get hammered and could fail to return any of their MEPs.

On Friday, the contents of each box was emptied and the ballot slips were tallied face-down so that voter turnout could be gauged ahead of the proper count (Wealden centre pictured)

The official count will start at 10pm on Sunday night when the other 27 EU states have finished their elections

Many of the the votes inside these ballot boxes are expected to have been cast in favour of the hardline eurosceptic Brexit Party - led by Nigel Farage - which is poised to thrash the mainstream parties

The latest EU elections poll, run by YouGov, predicts that the Conservatives will face a drubbing on Sunday night with just seven per cent of voters support

Each counting station will be presided over by a Returning Officer who will then pass the result to the Regional Returning Officer for the announcement.

But while some smaller regions will declare the results on Sunday night and in the early hours of Monday, the larger and sparsely populated regions are likely to still be counting the following day.

In the UK, there are 12 electoral regions: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, East Midlands, Eastern, London, North East, North West, South East, South West, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber.

These regions will return a total of 73 MEPs who will sit in the 751-strong European Parliament in Brussels.

The Parliament's size is intended to be reduced to 705 in the 20192024 legislature after 46 of the UK's seats are removed following Brexit, and the rest are shared out among unrepresented countries.

Throughout June the elected candidates will negotiate to form political groupings to sit with in the Parliament, before beginning the new ninth term on July 2.

The European Parliament is the legislative body of the European Union that votes on laws proposed by the un-elected Commission.

Because the UK was originally meant to leave the bloc on March 29, Euro elections were only scheduled at the last minute when outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May failed to push her Brexit deal through the Commons.John Pinto, a Navajo Code Talker in World War II who became one of the nation's longest serving Native American elected officials as a New Mexico state senator, has died at 94.

Senate colleague Michael Padilla confirmed Pinto's death in Gallup on Friday after years of suffering from various illnesses that rarely kept him from his duties.

After serving as a Marine, Pinto was elected to the Senate in 1976 and represented a district that includes the Navajo Nation for more than four decades. The region is one of the poorest in the country.

World War II Navajo Code Talker and Democratic New Mexico state Sen. John Pinto (pictured in 2018) passed away after years of suffering from various illnesses. He was 94 years old

'Words cannot express the sadness we feel for the loss of a great Dine warrior,' said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, using the indigenous word for Navajo. 'He dedicated his life to helping others.'

Born in Lupton, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation to a family of sheep herders, Pinto didn't start formal schooling until he was nearly a teenager.

'At the age of 12, I was in kindergarten,' Pinto told the Albuquerque Journal in a 2007 interview. 'I guess I did all right.'

Pinto also recalled that his grandparents told of being forced at gunpoint from their land in the 1860s by the U.S. Army in the forced relocation of the Navajo people on foot to southern New Mexico.

After serving as a Code Talker - a group of radio men who translated American coordinates and messages into an indecipherable code based on the Navajo language - Pinto had to take an English test four times before he was finally admitted into the University of New Mexico's College of Education.

Pinto (in 2018) was a Code Talker, a group of radio men who translated American coordinates and messages into an indecipherable code based on the Navajo language

Pinto (in January) served in the Marines before winning a seat in New Mexico state Senate in 1976 as one of the state's first Native American senators

Pinto served in the Legislature for 42 years, championing the needs of impoverished indigenous populations and advocated for education reform and anti-poverty programs

Navajo code talkers, shown using a field radio, were instrumental in the Pacific during WWII as they designed an unbreakable warfare code that flummoxed Japanese code breaks (file image)

He graduated with a bachelor's in elementary education at 39, and eventually earned his master's, becoming a teacher and a truancy officer in Gallup.

Pinto delved into politics to address the needs of impoverished indigenous populations. The Democrat won a seat in state Senate in 1976 as one of the state's first Native American senators.

An unassuming appearance and manner belied Pinto's political determination that carried him through 42 years in the Legislature. Laurie Canepa, the senior librarian for the Legislative Council Service, said that made him the longest serving senator in state history.

Manny Aragon, the state's one-time Senate president, tells the story of driving to the Statehouse in a January 1977 snowstorm and picking up a middle-aged Navajo man who was hitchhiking in Albuquerque. The hitchhiker was newly elected Sen. Pinto.

'I just thought he was a transient,' Aragon said.

In the Legislature, Pinto advocated for education reform and anti-poverty programs. Receiving a lifetime achievement award in 2016, Pinto recalled going hungry at times as a child while his parents juggled odd jobs and said the experience influenced his work on issues of homelessness as a lawmaker.

Every year, Pinto would sing on the Senate floor the 'Potato Song' - a Navajo song about a potato, planted in the spring and visited in the summer until it is harvested. Fellow senators, staff and aides clapped along to Pinto's rendition.

Lenore Naranjo, the Senate's chief clerk, says Pinto taught her bits of Navajo language over the decades.

'A beautiful man is all I can say,' Naranjo said.Kanye West claims in his forthcoming appearance on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman that 'Liberals bully people who are Trump supporters'.

The musician is interviewed by the legendary late night talk show host for Season 2 of his Netflix original which drops next Friday.

West gets into talking about President Donald Trump on the Emmy-nominated show and compares his 'fear' of being a man during the #MeToo era to being a fan of the 45th president.

'This is like my thing with Trumpwe don't have to feel the same way, but we have the right to feel what we feel,' West says according to Daily Beast.

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Kanye West says 'we don't have to feel the same way' about President Donald Trump in a new Netflix interview dropping May 31

My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman host tells West 'you don't have a say in this' after hearing he has never voted

West shocked his own fans when he wore a hat with the Make America Great Again slogan Trump made popular during his presidential campaign.

But West admitted: 'I've never voted in my life' and said his donning the red cap was 'not about politics'.

Instead he claims he hopes to break the stigma but who people vote for.

However his comments don't go down well with the host who tells West, 'you don't have a say in this' after hearing he didn't exercise his right to vote.

After applause from the audience, West admits after a pause: 'Well you got me, you got me.'

President Donald Trump hugs Kanye West during a meeting in the Oval office of the White House on October 11, 2018 in Washington, DC

The musician says wearing a MAGA hat was 'not about politics' but to break the stigma

During the interview Letterman attempts to chat with West about voter suppression efforts from Republicans but West returns to his sympathy for people who voted for Trump and says they are 'treated like enemies of America because that's what they felt.'

Refusing to acknowledge loopholes used to stop people likely to vote Democrat from having their say, he then responds to Letterman's question about who does most of the bullying.

Gunnar Johansson, 14, said a school aide told him to remove his Make America Great Again cap in March during a Florida school bus ride

'Have you ever been beat up in your high school for wearing the wrong hat?' he asks. 'Liberals bully people who are Trump supporters!'

In March, Florida police were investigating an incident where a school bus aide allegedly removed 14-year-old boy Gunnar Johansson's cap after he refused to take it off.

Students were allowed to wear caps that day if they donated to charity and Johansson said he wore a MAGA hat 'to show my pride in Trump America'.

Johansson told law enforcement a teacher's aide told him to 'never wear that nonsense on this bus again' and allegedly yanked it off him.

His mother said she believed her son being asked to take the hat off was politically motivated. 'We all have a right to who we want to vote for, this is America,' she said.

But Johansson said other students wore Make America Great Again hats that day.

The parent then requested cops launch an investigation in order to make the school bus incident recording available.

Completing Letterman's five-episode season about extraordinary people Ellen DeGeneres, Tiffany Haddish, Lewis Hamilton, and Melinda Gates appear from May 31.A six-year-old girl shot in the neck is among dozens of sick and wounded Australian children pleading for rescue from a squalid refugee camp built for Islamic State families.

The child, known as Rand, has been held at the Al-Hawl refugee camp in northern Syria, since the ISIS stronghold toppled at the town of Baghouz earlier this year.

The six-year-old was fleeing the town while it was under siege when a bullet struck her in the neck after passing through someone else, The Age reported.

Aid groups say the girl has been left with 'nerve damage in her shoulder and arm'.

Rand - who is from Victoria - is one of at least 30 Australian children stuck in the detention camp.

Their desperate families are begging the Morrison government to evacuate the children from the camp of 73,000 detainees, even offering to take full responsibility for their reintegration to society if the youngsters can be brought home.

A six-year-old girl shot in the neck is among dozens of sick and wounded Australian children pleading for rescue from a squalid refugee camp built for Islamic State families (stock image)

Rand (not pictured) - who is from Victoria - is one of at least 30 Australian children who have been asked to be evacuated from the camp of 73,000 detainees (stock image)

International aid group Save the Children has counted about 22 children in the camp are under the age of 10.

Many of them are understood to be injured as a result of shrapnel wounds and bomb blasts.

Some have been left with broken teeth, while others are malnourished or suffering post-traumatic stress disorder.

A seven-year-old girl suffers 'uncontrollable shaking' and a boy less than a year old, who was born to Australian ISIS members, has been labelled as 'premature and extremely underweight'.

'Children are dying from hypothermia, pneumonia, dehydration or complications from malnutrition,' Save the Children director Mat Tinkler said.

Daytime temperatures are also said to exacerbate the children's injuries, as the mercury soars to the high 30Cs.

Families have written a letter addressed to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, urging the country's leader to speed up the process for evacuation.

'We are part of the fabric of our society and we call on you to act urgently and humanely,' their letter states.

'We are all willing to work with the government. When they do return, we will help them pick up the pieces of their lives and rehabilitate them so other citizens, the country and you will be proud of them.'

The letter says that other camp detainees have even threatened the lives of the Australian children.

The letter was sent via Save the Children and Mr Morrison responded four days later on May 10.

International aid group Save the Children has counted around 22 children are under the age of 10 (stock image)

He said although he was 'deeply concerned' he could not guarantee a speedy process.

In the past, the Prime Minister has said priority will be given to young children who have lost their parents.

Three orphaned children of an Islamic State fighter could soon be returned to Australia as political pressure continues to build.

The Australian has reported three children, believed to be of Bosnian background, were likely to be the first children from the war to be returned home.

Australian authorities have reportedly been working to move the children to Lebanon or Iraq, where they would meet with an Australian consular official before being flown to Melbourne.

Authorities have also been trying to locate relatives in Australia who could take the children, but it is understood the youngsters do not have much in terms of extended family in the country.In a harsh bump back to reality Theresa May was spotted clutching a shopping list in Waitrose just hours after her emotional resignation speech.

With basics like washing up liquid to buy the Prime Minister stopped in a Twyford store to pick up her weekly grocery shop with husband Philip yesterday.

The couple were driven back to their home in Mrs May's Maidenhead constituency after her speech - as they prepare for their last months in No 10.

She was described as 'relaxed and casual' by another shopper, as she took the opportunity to de-stress by walking through the aisles.

With basics like washing up liquid to buy the Prime Minister stopped in a Twyford store to pick up her weekly grocery shop with husband Philip yesterday

The shopper added that while she was accompanied by two bodyguards as Philip wheeled the trolley, Mrs May didn't appear to mind being out in public after the momentous day.

In her six-and-a-half minute speech in Downing Street Mrs May delivered 1,000 words and held back tears as she announced she would step down as Tory leader on Friday, June 7.

After being nicknamed the 'Maybot' over a perceived inability to show emotion she finally broke as she finished addressing the world at 10.10am.

She choked over her words as she said she was leaving with 'enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love'.

The couple were driven back to their home in Mrs May's Maidenhead constituency after her speech - as they prepare for their last month in No 10

Once back inside, No 10 staff gave her a standing ovation, and an emotional Mrs May paid tribute to her husband Phillip.

She told them: 'It's been a journey', before the couple returned to their Berkshire home for the weekend.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Home Secretary Sajid Javid had started a chain-reaction after they both demanded private meetings yesterday and told her face-to-face they would be refusing to back her deal with the EU.

After a night at her Berkshire home with her husband Philip, the couple returned to No 10 together where she told staff she had decided to resign as Tory leader after Donald Trump's visit to Britain.

Prime Minister Theresa May returned to Downing Street by the back entrance earlier as she prepared to quit after an ill-fated three years in power

The Mays left Downing Street via the back door after she made her dramatic departure announcement today

A meeting with Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, then sealed her fate after Tory backbenchers sent him in threatening to oust her if she failed to name her exit date.

It was shortly after this meeting that she emerged to announce her decision in front of a wall of waiting cameras at 10.04am.

Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said at the time: 'The person closest to her is clearly her husband, and I think somebody has to say look, nobody likes this... Politics is a nasty, sometimes brutal, ghastly business.

'But the reality is that she has no confidence any longer, not just in her party but in the Cabinet as well. So the best thing for her and the best thing for everybody else is to break away and say it's time to find a new leader.'

The PM will have discussed her future with her husband but she is thought to have made up her mind up to quit earlier this week after her deal fell flat on Wednesday and Commons leader Andrea Leadsom resigned that evening.

In her speech the PM set out the things she had achieved in office but admitted she had to quit as Tory leader having failed to deliver her promise: delivering Brexit.

Theresa and Philip May have been spotted several times in their local branch of Waitrose in Berkshire, on one occasion with two packets of own-brand crisps and a dozen pink roses

He voice cracked as she said: 'I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honour of my life to hold  the second female Prime Minister but certainly not the last'.

As she walked back in to No 10 she was heard expressing regret that she had been overcome by emotion.

But one aide said the show of tears should be 'one in the eye for the Maybot reputation'. 'It has always been a nonsense,' the source told MailOnline.

Mrs May then made a speech to a room of special advisers, thanking them for their hard work over the past few years. And she paid tribute in particular to her 'rock' Philip May.

An aide who was there said: 'She held it together quite well but at the end when she was thanking Philip she was a bit tearful.'

Mrs May apparently welled up when she said of her time in office, 'it's been a journey'.The former boss of a young women's institution who raped and abused girls and boys in the 1970s will spend the rest of his natural life behind bars.

In Campbelltown District Court on Friday, Frank Valentine, 78, was sentenced to 22 years behind bars, with a non-parole period of 13 years for 21 historical offences.

Valentine's reign of terror started in 1971, less than a month after arriving to work at a Western Sydney institution.

Judge Nicole Norman said he treated his young victims with 'disdain and sexual depravity'.

In Campbelltown District Court on Friday, Frank Valentine, 78, was sentenced to 85 years and three months for 21 historical offences including rape and buggery at young women's institutions in NSW in the 1970s

He was found guilty of sexually abusing a 15-year-old who was pregnant, and repeatedly raped another girl in the notorious dungeon of the institution, where he kept her for three days.

When another victim asked why he was sexually abusing her, Valentine said 'you're a whore, like all the others in here'.

The mother of a 25-year-old man who hanged himself in 1988 - two days before he was to testify against Valentine - was seen wiping away tears as the man was sentenced.

The man was 15 when he was sexually assaulted by Valentine, but the charges were dropped after his suicide.

In 1973, the then Public Service Board was concerned about whether Valentine should continue to hold a senior position in the department.

Despite knowing about the sexual abuse allegations, authorities instead moved Valentine around various NSW institutions for more than 20 years.

Outside the court his mother was seen hugging Steve Sibraa, 47, who is another one of Valentine's victims.

For over 20 years authorities moved Valentine around various NSW institutions, despite knowing about the accusations of sexual abuse

Valentine allegedly raped Mr Sibraa when he was an 11-year-old ward of the state in Wagga Wagga, but he was acquitted of the charges in 1987.

The court has suppressed the name of the institution in Western Sydney where some of his heinous crimes took place between 1971 and 1973, when Valentine was deputy superintendent.

More than 20 women who went to the institution as girls also attended Valentine's sentencing on Friday to support the six victims who gave evidence.

'We have a voice now, no more silence,' one of his victims said in her victim impact statement.

Valentine pleaded not guilty, while Judge Norman pointed out he had not shown any remorse.

In 1996 the Child Protection Agency began an investigation into sexual abuse allegations against the grandfather, but no action was taken.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse began investigating the western Sydney institution in 2014 after several women claimed they were victims of abuse while they lived at the institution.Health Secretary Matt Hancock has joined Jeremy Hunt in throwing his hat into the ring to replace Theresa May

The Tory leadership race has exploded into life, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock joining Jeremy Hunt in entering the contest, as Amber Rudd ruled herself out from running.

Mr Hancock and Mr Hunt join leading contender Boris Johnson, International Development Secretary Rory Stewart, and former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey in announcing their candidacy for the Tory Crown.

Mr Hancock told the BBC this morning: 'Yes. I'm going to run to be the next prime minister.'

Mr Hancock said he would take a different approach to try and get Commons support for a Brexit deal than the one Theresa May used.

He said: 'She didn't start by levelling with people about the trade-offs.

'I think it is much, much easier to bring people together behind a proposal if you are straightforward in advance.'

Mr Hancock said: 'Some of my contenders may say that if they don't get their preferred option, whether it be no deal or something else, then they'll have a general election.

'I put it to you that would be a disaster for the country and it would risk Corbyn by Christmas.'

Mr Hancock's declaration comes just a day after Jeremy Hunt's heavy hint that he would stand to replace Mrs May, but Work and Pensions Secretary Ms Rudd ruled herself out.

Mr Hancock wrote on Twitter: 'We need a leader for the future, not just now'

Mr Hunt said: 'I'll make the announcement on my own candidacy at the appropriate time.

'I think this is a day to remember Theresa May and her duty, her sense of public service, the fact that she has done an incredibly difficult job with enormous integrity, and I think that's what people up and down the country will be thinking today.'

Brexiteer Dr Fox, the International Trade Secretary, also refused to rule out joining Mr Hancock when he was asked today.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured at Haselmere Festival yesterday) heavily hinted that he will join the race to replace Mrs May as Tory leader as he delivered a speech in his Surrey constituency

He told the BBC: 'Well, I don't think it's likely to happen, but, as you say, it's an unusual contest.'

Dr Fox said: 'It is best for us to leave with an agreement.

'But, I think that it is possible, and probably increasingly likely now, that we could leave without a deal because I think there's a limited patience from the European Union with Britain's constant delay.'

Asked if Labour would force a Commons no confidence vote in the new prime minister when they take office, shadow chancellor John McDonnell told the Today programme: 'Yes.

Brexiteer Dr Fox, the International Trade Secretary, also refused to rule out joining Mr Hancock when he was asked today

'Because we believe any incoming prime minister in these circumstance should go to the country anyway and seek a mandate.'

Ruling herself out of the contest, Ms Rudd said: 'The members and country want someone who is more enthusiastic about Brexit than I am.'

However, she warned she would be 'very concerned' about a new Conservative leader who is 'enthusiastic' about a No Deal Brexit after Mr Johnson said he would take the country out of the EU in October - with or without a deal.

The former foreign secretary is odds-on favourite to be the next Conservative Leader.

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson is the odds-on favourite to be the next Conservative leader and prime minister

At an economic conference in Switzerland, he yesterday ruled out any further delays beyond the end of October, when the latest extension is due to expire.

He said: 'We will leave the EU on October 31, deal or no deal.'

But Ms Rudd warned: 'I would be very concerned about somebody who is too enthusiastic about no deal.

'It is very important that whoever takes this on looks for a solution and tries to work to find where the majority of the House (of Commons) is.'

Ms Rudd was joined in her opposition to No Deal by fellow cabinet minister Rory Stewart, who launched an attack on Mr Johnson.

The International Development Secretary was an one of the first of the candidates to announce that he is to run to replace Mrs May.

But he told the BBC's Today programme this morning: 'I could not serve in a government whose policy was to push this country into a no-deal Brexit.

'I could not serve with Boris Johnson.

Other names to have joined the scramble for Number 10 include former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey

'I spoke to Boris, I suppose, about two weeks ago about this and I thought at the time he had assured me that he wouldn't push for a no-deal Brexit.

'So, we had a conversation about 20, 25 minutes and I left the room reassured by him that he wouldn't do this.

'But, it now seems that he is coming out for a no-deal Brexit.'

Other names to have joined the scramble for Number 10 include former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey, who said she was putting herself forward 'as a future leader'.

International Trade Secretary Rory Stewart is running to replace Mrs May but said he could not serve under Boris Johnson

Hosting a radio call-in on LBC, Ms McVey said: 'I'll put my hands up here, I better declare an interest straight away. I have put myself forward as a future leader.'

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab is expected to reveal his intentions today, and Conservative Party shop steward Graham Brady resigned from his position last night while he considers whether to run himself.

A source said there was an awkward moment as Sir Graham revealed his intentions as he met with Mrs May, her chief-of-staff Gavin Barwell and Tory chairman Brandon Lewis.

Even party shop steward Graham Brady joined the scramble for Number 10

Environment Secretary Michael Gove - who stood in the 2016 leadership race and may consider another bid - said Mrs May 'deserves our respect and gratitude'.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who had a 'frank' discussion with Mrs May about her deal on Thursday, said 'nobody could have worked harder or had a greater sense of public duty'.

Former leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom, who pulled out of the race to succeed David Cameron in 2016, is yet to announce whether or not she will run this time around.

Liz Truss, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, has also not confirmed if she is running, but gave a heavy hint that she may do so in a recent interview.

She told You Magazine: 'I think you have to be prepared to put yourself forward because nobody else is going to.'

Leading Eurosceptic Steve Baker said he is 'considering' running.Brussels last night warned that whoever replaces Theresa May would not be able to make changes to her Brexit deal.

And EU leaders, officials and diplomats all agreed that the chances of a No Deal Brexit had now dramatically increased.

The stage is now set for a showdown if Boris Johnson or another hardline Brexiteer, such as Dominic Raab, wins the keys to Number 10.

Her voice cracking, Mrs May said it had been the 'honour of my life' to be PM, and she hoped she would not be the last woman to lead the country

Guy Verhofstadt, who heads negotiations for the European Parliament, threw down the gauntlet to Mr Johnson and told the Daily Mail: 'He is famous across Europe for making promises during the Brexit referendum that were undeliverable.

In the running: Boris Johnson split from his wife Marina and is in a relationship with former Conservative staffer Carrie Symonds

'The current withdrawal agreement remains the only deal on the table. Why it remains blocked is a matter for the British people and their elected representatives.'

A spokesman for EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said 'there is no change' to Brussels's position and Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte said 'the withdrawal agreement is not up for renegotiation' adding that Mrs May's resignation had 'increased rather than decreased' uncertainty.

Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar said: 'This is a period of danger for us, but whatever happens we're going to make sure that we hold our nerve.

'In the next few months we could see the election of a hardline Eurosceptic prime minister who wants to repudiate the withdrawal agreement and go for No Deal or we may even see a new British government that wants to see a closer relationship with the EU and possibly even a second referendum.'

The Mays left Downing Street via the back door after she made her dramatic departure announcement today

His deputy, Simon Coveney, added: 'Regardless of who the British Prime Minister is, the EU position will remain that the withdrawal agreement took two-and-a-half years to negotiate, and it's closed.'

In the running: Dominic Raab has become a cheerleader for a hard Brexit since stepping down as Brexit secretary in November

But Spanish government spokesman Isabel Celaa warned that 'a hard Brexit appears to be a reality that is near impossible to stop'.

She added that the UK Government and MPs would be 'solely responsible for a No Deal exit and its consequences'.

EU diplomats said they most feared a hardline Brexiteer taking over, but predicted that if one did they would be broken down by Brussels.

One said: 'I think the new PM, if everyone tells them what No Deal means, will be concerned with the ramifications.

In the running: Sajid Javid has seen his stock take a hit over the knife crime crisis and migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats

'Everybody is afraid of Johnson because with him you never know what you get. Raab is utterly disliked because he is not honest, people don't regard him as being honest.

'Boris Johnson, he is difficult to estimate, because he's such a populist but you don't know if it's words. Does he mean it? What's behind what he says? Does he have a sense of responsibility or not?'

However, No Deal is not inevitable and depends on who the new prime minister is and when they first go to Brussels.

The drawn-out Tory leadership contest means Mrs May's successor will not be in post until late July and will miss a key EU summit next month.

They may not even be in place until after Parliament's summer recess begins on July 24, with MPs not coming back until September 4.

The next Brexit summit is on October 17, just two weeks before Britain is due to cut ties with the EU .Another option in that case would be for a second extension.

One EU source said: 'I think there will be another extension because there will not have been enough time in office.

Philip May (pictured centre) looked as though he was suppressing an urge to comfort his wife as she made her speech. After her notorious coughing conference speech in 2017 he leapt on stage to embrace her at the end

In the running: Jeremy Hunt, a born-again Brexiteer after supporting Remain, toured Africa last month with wife Lucia

'So whatever happens with Brexit, it will happen in 2020 and not in 2019  that's if the new prime minister isn't completely intent on No Deal.'

Brussels is also preparing for the possibility of Mrs May's successor calling a General Election. An extension would almost certainly be granted in such a scenario.

In the running: Michael Gove has made a remarkable political comeback after being sacked by Theresa May in 2016

Mrs May will meet EU leaders in Brussels on Tuesday for an informal summit dinner following the European Parliament elections. They will also discuss who should replace Mr Juncker and EU Council president Donald Tusk when their terms end in November.

Yesterday EU leaders paid tribute to Mrs May's 'tenacity, her courage and her determination'.

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said: 'I just want to express my full respect for Theresa May and for her determination in working towards an orderly withdrawal of the UK from the EU, and on our side we will work exactly in that direction in the next few weeks and months.'

Mr Juncker's spokesman said: 'President Juncker followed Prime Minister May's announcement this morning without personal joy. Theresa May is a woman of courage for whom he has great respect.'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had 'respect' for Mrs May and that she had 'worked well' with her.

Mr Varadkar said: 'Politicians throughout the EU have admired her tenacity, her courage, and her determination during what has been a difficult and challenging time.'

Mr Rutte phoned Mrs May after her resignation speech. He said: 'I told her that I thought what she did in the past years was brave and that she worked under incredibly difficult circumstances.'Advertisement

The Texas mansion where a mother and her two daughters were found shot to death has hit the market for $975,000 just five months after their murders.

Nichol Olsen, 37, and her daughters, Alexa Montez, 16, and 10-year-old London Bribiescas, were found in a pool of blood in their San Antonio home in January.

The Anaqua Springs Ranch home, which is owned by Charles Wheeler, Olsen's boyfriend, made its debut on Realtor.com on Thursday.

According to the website, the 4,500 square-foot home sits on 2.7 acres of land and features four beds and 4.5 baths.

The Texas mansion (pictured) where Nichol Olsen, 37, and her daughters, Alexa Montez, 16, and 10-year-old London Bribiescas, were found shot to death, has hit the market for $975,000

The Anaqua Springs Ranch home, which is owned by Charles Wheeler, Olsen's boyfriend, made its debut on Realtor.com on Thursday

According to the website, the 4,500 square-foot home sits on 2.7 acres of land and features four beds and 4.5 baths

Inside the gated front entry is a courtyard (pictured) that's complete with a walk-in pool and spa

This room sits close to the sprawling pool area of the home and appears to be an office space

This home features a combination of contemporary-modern and rustic elegance (pictured, an area inside a bathroom)

The home, which was built in 2008, also has a three-car garage and a game room

Inside the gated front entry is a courtyard that's complete with a walk-in pool and spa, an outdoor kitchen and waterfall.

The home, which was built in 2008, also has a three-car garage and a game room.

Olsen and her two daughters were discovered by Wheeler on January 10. All three suffered gunshot wounds.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled that London and Alexa were murdered and that their mother had committed suicide.

But the Bexar County Sheriff's Office is continuing their own investigation and said Wheeler remains a person of interest to this day.

Deputies were called to Wheeler's home at 9am on January 10 and found him crying on the front lawn of his Anaqua Springs Ranch home.

But officers noted in the report that deputies did not notice 'any tears on his face'.

This photo shows one of the modern-looking living areas in the home

The home features four bedrooms, including this master bedroom

The home is described as having 'superior craftsmanship' in 'every detail inside and out with a thoughtful flow that lends itself to entertaining as well as comfort'. Pictured is another bathroom inside the home

This contemporary living space sits directly next to the kitchen in the home

This photo shows an aerial view of the home that hit the market on Thursday

Once inside, officers found a large pool of blood near Olsen and her daughter's bodies on the second floor as well as a large amount of blood smeared on the floor and walls.

The Medical Examiner's office said Olsen died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Alexa died from a gunshot wound to the head, while London suffered a gunshot wound to her head and neck.

Authorities said all three were 'cold and rigid to the touch' when they were found.

Wheeler told investigators that he had an argument with Olsen the previous night around 10pm and had slept at a friend's house.

He claimed he tried to call the Olsen and her daughters all night but 'none of them answered him'.

Wheeler said he returned to the house the next morning, parked his truck in the garage, and then went inside and found his girlfriend and her daughters dead upstairs.

Olsen and her two daughters were discovered by Wheeler (pictured with Olsen) on January 10. All three suffered gunshot wounds

The Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled that London and Alexa (pictured with Olsen) were murdered and that their mother had committed suicide

The Medical Examiner's office said Olsen (right) died from a gunshot wound to the head. Alexa died from a gunshot wound to the head, while London (left, with Alexa) suffered a gunshot wound to her head and neck

Mark Stevens, Wheeler's attorney, slammed Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar for labeling his client as a person of interest.

'There is no definition in the law of a person of interest. It means absolutely nothing, Stevens told KTSA in January. 'It just serves to frankly, slander a name by innuendo.'

But Stevens refused to say where Wheeler was at the time of the shootings.

'I'm not going to tell you what his side of the story is because I don't want this case tried in the media,' he said at the time. 'Unfortunately, that's already started.'

Salazar said it would be 'irresponsible' for the department to rely solely on the Medical Examiner's decision.

'We can't just say, "Oh, well then she must've been the one who did this to these two litter girls". We still have to go out and find out who it was that killed these two young ladies,' he said in January.

'Our investigation may concur with the medical examiner. Or we may find something through the course of our investigation that may change that finding all together. At this point, it's just too early to tell.'

Salazar and his detectives are also operating under the theory that all three victims could have been killed by someone who is on 'no one's radar'.

'This case is far from over...I wish it was like TV and you could solve it in an hour,' he told DailyMail.com in January. 'It just doesn't work like that.'

The FBI is continuing to assist the Bexar County Sheriff's Office with the investigation.

Meanwhile, Olsen's friends and family have insisted that she would never hurt herself or her beloved daughters.

'Nichol was a loving mother who cared deeply for her children,' friends of the hairdresser told DailyMail.com.

'They were her entire world, and there was nothing she was more proud of than her kids.'

Friends also revealed that Olsen and Wheeler, who had been together for around two years, did not have the happiest of relationships. She had been living in his home for the past year.

The Bexar County Sheriff's Office is continuing their own investigation and said Wheeler remains a person of interest to this day

Detectives are also operating under the theory that all three victims could have been killed by someone who is on 'no one's radar'

Last month, Skylar Nobles, 22, Olsen's son, said he is still searching for answers surrounding their deaths. 'I just really want to know what happened that night,' said Nobles, who pleaded with authorities to 'keep searching' for answers'. Nobles is pictured here with his two sisters

Carlos Montez, Olsen's ex-husband and Alexa's father, said he knows Olsen 'could not have done this'.

'The home she was living in, we just feel it wasn't a great place for our children to have been loved,' he told KHOU 11 in January.

Before her marriage to Montez, Olsen was briefly married to James William Nobles, Skylar's father.

She did not marry London's father, Hector Bribiescas. He has not commented publicly since his daughter's death.

Last month, Skylar Nobles, 22, Olsen's son, said he is still searching for answers surrounding their deaths.

'It honestly has been really hard,' Nobles told KENS in April. 'I wake up every day thinking I am going to see them. And I am still not able to.'

'I just really want to know what happened that night,' said Nobles, who pleaded with authorities to 'keep searching' for answers'.

Nobles said he felt that it was finally time for him to speak out for his mother and sisters.

'I feel like I need to put out my statement, what I have been feeling, what I have been going through,' he said. 'It is tough. But I have to keep going and do it for them.'

'Home is heaven to me, and that is where they are,' he added.

Authorities have not released any further details regarding their investigation.Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson publicly condemned the 'toxic and nasty' protests in Birmingham

The head of a primary school embroiled in a LGBT row has lashed out at parents for whipping up 'hatred and division' in their protests against the teaching of homosexuality in lessons.

Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson of Anderton Park primary in Moseley, Birmingham, heaped pressure on rallying parents to end their weeks of demonstrations by threatening to bring a legal case against them.

But the protesters, who have faced down counter rallies from LGBT activists outside the school gates, have vowed to continue their organised disruption.

Miss Hewitt-Clarkson took to the airwaves today to publicly condemn the 'toxic and nasty' protests and warned that her pupils' safety was being put at risk.

Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live, Miss Hewitt-Clarkson said equality education is 'crucial', and making changes would be 'the thin end of a very sinister wedge'.

She added: 'Our country will fall apart if that happens.'

Lessons ended early on Friday at Anderton primary school for the half-term break after a decision by school leaders concerned about safety amid the protests

Defiant Miss Hewitt-Clarkson said she will not change what is taught at the school because of the demonstrations (pictured)

LGBT activist Edan Powell (right) debates with protester Zafar Majid, who has been campaigning against relationship education

Lessons ended early on Friday for the half-term break after a decision by school leaders concerned about safety amid the protests.

Defiant Miss Hewitt-Clarkson said she will not change what is taught at the school because of the demonstrations.

In a series of tweets on Friday night, West Midlands Police said in response to questions from the public that investigations into 'a number of criminal offences' at the protests were ongoing.

'We will act where people seek to exploit these matters and break the law,' the force said.

Miss Hewitt-Clarkson added that the school is now seeking an injunction against the demonstrations.

She said: 'There is a real despair that has made this us-and-them feeling.

'It's only a small minority of parents and actually a majority are totally fed up of this.

Shakeel Afsar addresses the demonstration - branded 'toxic and nasty' by the head - outside Anderton Park Primary School

Miss Hewitt-Clarkson added that the school is now seeking an injunction against the demonstrations

'It's not peaceful, it is aggressive, it's rude.

'Their tactics are very bullying and intimidating, they're meant to crush the spirit of people like me, and other women.'

She added there had been 'sexism, misogyny, racism, on top of all the homophonic stuff and everything else we've had'.

She added it had been 'really toxic, nasty, uncivil behaviour'.

The chief constable of West Midlands Police and Education Secretary Daman Hinds have this week both called for protests outside the school to stop.

Mr Hinds said on Thursday that the demonstrations are 'unacceptable', adding: 'There is no place for protests outside school gates.'

Miss Hewitt-Clarkson was also critical of recent remarks by Labour constituency MP Roger Godsiff, in which he said he understands some parents' concerns about how 'age-appropriate' elements of the LGBT teaching had been, for children aged four and five.

She said: 'He commented four or five years old might be too young. Well, that's discriminatory.

'It's horrific, it's the fabric of British society that is at stake here. Because the equality laws hold us together.

'The law is there as a mark in the sand and that's what we all have to promote, and understand and aspire to.

Labour MP Jess Phillips told protesters earlier this week, outside the school (pictured), they could not 'pick and choose' which equality they apply

'And as public servants, as Roger Godsiff is a public servant, he has to as well.'

She praised Labour MP Jess Phillips for telling protesters earlier this week, outside the school, they could not 'pick and choose' which equality they apply.

Miss Hewitt-Clarkson said: 'It's an absolute nonsense and the Labour Party need to sort it out. Thank god for Jess Phillips.'

Despite the criticism, the main organiser Shakeel Afsar used a sound system set up in the street to vow protests would be continuing after the half-term break, to cheers from a dozen protesters.

Another demonstrator, local businessman Zafar Majid, said: 'The issue we have is the education being given, the indoctrination of the young children is that they are expected to affirm, to celebrate, to embrace LGBT ideology, which is against the moral ethics of the many Abrahamic religions and faiths.

'We can co-exist, live peacefully together, but what we cannot do is force each other's ideology on one another.'

But debating with protesters was Edan Powell, a 16-year-old student from Staffordshire carrying a rainbow flag.

He had come with a friend to confront protesters because he felt 'only one side of the argument' is being put to parents.

Debating with Mr Majid, he said: 'I think it is not only morally right but it is an obligation we have to teach our kids about other things rather than maths, English and science.

'We need to be able to teach our kids about the real world, and the real world does include seeing people that aren't the same as you.'

Mr Majid said: 'I totally agree, we shouldn't bury our heads under the sand and not expose them to what the real world is.

'But there's a fine line that gets breached between teaching children and proselytising them against a certain ideology.'

Afterwards, Mr Powell said: 'There was dialogue at least, and I think that's important.'

Commenting on what the children are being taught, he added: 'I don't think it's inappropriate because children are going to see it in the street, so why is it inappropriate to show it in a book that talks about two moms and two dads?'

Asked how the protests have impacted on the city's wider gay community - who will be marking Birmingham Pride on Saturday - he said: 'Since these protests started, they feel more unsafe about being in Birmingham.'

As parents collected their children from the school on Friday, all expressed frustration at the continuing disruption from the demonstrations.

Several expressed support for the school, though one parent - who was unsupportive - said he would take his child out of the school without a compromise.A widow is travelling the world with a cardboard cut-out of her late husband from their wedding day - so he can see the places he missed out on during his life.

Michelle Bourke, 58, has taken the lifesize cut-out of husband Paul to the Grand Canyon, Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace and Stonehenge.

The couple, who enjoyed 25 years of happy marriage, hoped to travel the world together but Paul died of cancer aged 61 in 2016.

Michelle Bourke, 58, has taken the lifesize cut-out of husband Paul to the Grand Canyon, Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace and Stonehenge

Michelle promised to honour their dream in a conversation before his death and so embarked on the journey with Paul's cardboard doppelganger.

The cut out uses an image of Paul aged 34 from their wedding day and he's wearing his wedding suit.

Michelle from Melbourne, Australia, said: 'Paul asked ''what are you going to do when I'm gone?''

Michelle promised to honour their dream in a conversation before his death and so embarked on the journey with Paul's cardboard doppelganger. Pictured in New York

Pictured at Windsor Castle. Cardboard Paul has visited New York, Phuket in Thailand, Buckingham Palace and nearly blew away at Stonehenge

The fold up cutout, transported in a bag which never leaves Michelle's side, will be replaced ahead of its latest adventure because it has been damaged from all the travelling. Pictured at Limerick's King John's Castle

'I said: ''I'm going to travel - I'll pack a photo of you in my suitcase and take photos of us in all the different countries''.'

But Michelle took it one step further when she learned about a business producing lifesize prints of loved-ones.

Cardboard Paul has visited New York, Phuket in Thailand, Buckingham Palace and nearly blew away at Stonehenge.

The fold up cutout, transported in a bag which never leaves Michelle's side, will be replaced ahead of its latest adventure because it has been damaged from all the travelling.

Michelle had two children with Paul - Sarah, 24, and Matthew, 26 - and is step-mother to sons Brendan, 36, and Garry, 38, from his previous marriage. Pictured on Route 66 Santa Monica

She said: 'Twelve months after Paul died I went on a tour with Cardboard Paul from LA to Las Vegas and San Francisco.

'Then we flew to Houston and later visited Paris, London, Edinburgh, Wales, Dublin and Somerset.

'Stonehenge was an amazing experience because I really wanted to go there.

'It was silent but windy and I had to stop Paul from blowing away. I felt at home.

The 'soulmates' were in separate marriages when they met at work and struck up a friendship

'The Grand Canyon was spectacular - the energy there was lovely, peaceful and calm.

'Paris was amazing because Paul and I always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower.

'When I saw it I cried, it was beautiful.

'En route back to Australia I visited Singapore to relax.'

The friendship became a romantic relationship two years later when their marriages broke down. Ms Bourke brought the cardboard cut-out to Buckingham Palace

Michelle added: 'The Paul I've been travelling with is pictured on our wedding day aged 34 - but it's falling to pieces.

'I have another cutout of him in his mid-50s - but I will be replacing my regular Cardboard Paul with a new one for the next trip.'

Michelle had two children with Paul - Sarah, 24, and Matthew, 26 - and is step-mother to sons Brendan, 36, and Garry, 38, from his previous marriage.

Paul was diagnosed with melanoma, a type of skin cancer, in 2008 after discovering a rash on his neck when shaving

The 'soulmates' were in separate marriages when they met at work and struck up a friendship.

But the friendship became a romantic relationship two years later after their marriages broke down.

Michelle, who works for a dementia charity, said: 'Paul was family oriented, my best friend and soulmate.

'We were comfortable around each other and enjoyed going for breakfast every Sunday.

'Paul was fun, quirky and had a weird sense of humour.

Michelle promised to honour their dream in a conversation before Paul's death and so embarked on the journey with his cardboard doppelganger

Paul was diagnosed with melanoma again in 2014 after it spread to his spine and brain. He died on May 20, 2016

'He talked more than the average man and would follow me around the house telling the same stories over and over again.

'He liked dad jokes around the dinner table and was easy-going. We enjoyed holidays together at our shack in Central Victoria, Australia.'

Paul was diagnosed with melanoma, a type of skin cancer, in 2008 after discovering a rash on his neck when shaving.

The truck driver was in remission when in 2010 a lump formed in his neck which turned out to be non-Hodgkin's Lyphoma.

Doctors said the diagnosis was unrelated to his earlier cancer.

The tumour was removed and Paul underwent radiotherapy but was diagnosed with melanoma again in 2014 after it spread to his spine and brain.

He died on May 20, 2016.

The truck driver was in remission when in 2010 a lump formed in his neck which turned out to be non-Hodgkin's Lyphoma. Doctors said the diagnosis was unrelated to his earlier cancer

Michelle wrote a book, titled Conversations With Paul, describing his final years and the impact of his death.

She has penned a second book, Travelling With Cardboard Paul, which will be released on Saturday, May 25.

Australia has one of the highest rates of melanoma in the world and it is often referred to as the 'national cancer'.

More than 13,000 Australians, who are at greater risk due to UV radiation from the sun, were diagnosed in 2017, according to the Melanoma Institute of Australia.

One in 14 men and one in 24 women in Australia will be diagnosed with melanoma in their lifetime.

Michelle, who visited Phuket last year, plans to head back to the UK in August 2019.

She has penned a second book, Travelling With Cardboard Paul, which will be released on Saturday, May 25The story of almost every modern premiership can be told as a two- act tragedy.

Act One. A car sweeps into Downing Street and out climbs the hero of the hour. Wreathed in smiles, a picture of confidence and vigour, the new master (or mistress) of British politics walks to the microphone, delivers a few inspirational soundbites and steps inside the famous black door.

Act Two. The door opens, and our hero re-emerges. But now the face is pale and haggard, the eyes puffy, the voice weary and disappointed. The long struggle for survival is over. The torture chamber has claimed its latest victim.

As Theresa May wept on the steps of No 10 yesterday, her voice cracking in yet another moment of excruciating melodrama, it would have come as little consolation that no Prime Minister for more than 40 years has escaped such a fate.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives for a family photo during the European Union leaders informal summit in Salzburg, Austria, September 20, 2018

Jim Callaghan was destroyed by the Winter of Discontent. Margaret Thatcher was assassinated by her own ministers. John Major was crushed beneath an electoral landslide.

Tony Blair was forced out by his backbenchers. Gordon Brown was knifed by his colleagues and rejected by the electorate. And David Cameron saw his political life ended overnight when the British people voted to leave the EU.

For sheer gruelling agony, though, Mrs Mays ordeal was in a league of its own.

And though she was not the first Prime Minister to shed a tear on leaving office, the fact that none has ever broken down so completely tells its own story.

Mrs May was overcome by tears as she spoke of her pride at having been PM, even though she admitted to having failed to deliver Brexit

She became Prime Minister on July 13, 2016. At the time, few people doubted that she was the right woman for the job.

In the wake of Mr Camerons resignation, Michael Goves betrayal of Boris Johnson and Andrea Leadsoms gaffe-induced withdrawal, the former Home Secretary looked like the only grown-up left.

While her rivals bickered and plotted, Mrs Mays palpable seriousness, her sense of duty, set her apart. Here, it seemed, was a new Iron Lady, who would restore order where all was chaos.

But the essence of any good tragedy is that the protagonist is doomed by a fatal flaw: an error or defect that makes failure inevitable, no matter how much the hero struggles against it.

Perhaps her most fatal mistake was calling a snap election that lost her MPs rather than gained them (pictured having chips and a coffee on the campaign trail on May 2, 2017)

Mrs May broke into dance whilst meeting with Scouts at the United Nations offices in Nairobi, Kenya, last August and then danced on to stage at the Conservative Party annual conference in October last year

And like so many Prime Ministers, Mrs May was doomed by precisely the qualities that had elevated her to the top job in the first place.

Her earnestness became woodenness, her steadfastness became stubbornness, and even her sense of duty became a prison, trapping her inside No 10 long after it was clear that her party had turned against her.

Perhaps, in some alternative universe, her tenure might have turned out differently. Her credentials were impeccable.

As a rising Tory star in the 2000s, the first woman to serve as party chairman had argued for modernisation, warning activists that they were seen as the nasty party.

The self-confessed 'bl**dy difficult woman' grabbed power after David Cameron's resignation in 2016 and the 62-year-old enjoyed rocketing approval ratings as she triggered Article 50 in March 2017. She is pictured with Prince William and Theresa May in the Royal Box Wimbledon

And as the longest-serving Home Secretary for more than 60 years, she had weathered storms that would have sunk most of her rivals, deporting the radical cleric Abu Qatada, fighting to get immigration down and challenging the police to clean up corruption.

In her first speech as Prime Minister, delivered on that sunny July day three years ago, Mrs May promised a crusade against the burning injustices in British society.

She promised to work for working-class families, as well as those who were just managing. She promised to give people more control over their lives, to make it easier to buy homes and to tear down the barriers of class and race.

None of it materialised. All her reforming ambitions were consumed by the black hole of Brexit.

The public gave her the nickname the 'Maybot' and her awkward mannerisms, with her laughing in the Commons becoming one of a number of popular gifs

Yet, at first, after six years of an insouciant Old Etonian in No 10, Mrs Mays sober new approach felt distinctly refreshing.

Indeed, it seemed that Britain had found its own Angela Merkel: another dogged, dutiful clergymans daughter, with an instinctive understanding of the ambitions and anxieties of Middle Britain.

Later, as Mrs Mays premiership collapsed in chaos, people forgot that she had once been extraordinarily popular.

As late as April 2017, an opinion poll found that she led Jeremy Corbyn by a staggering 54 to 15 per cent, while the Tories were 21 per cent clear of Labour.

But that marked the beginning of the end.

One sunny April morning, Mrs May unexpectedly called a snap General Election, gambling that she could use her popularity to secure a bigger majority in the House of Commons.

The Tory needed to nail her conference speech in 2017 after the snap election disaster, but suffered a coughing fit (left) and then the set with her new slogan fell apart (right)

The result was a disaster.

Day by day, as her nerves and awkwardness as a campaigner were exposed before the cameras, her lead ebbed away. And when the votes were counted on the night of June 8, she had lost her majority  and with it, her political capital.

When future historians ask what went wrong, Mrs Mays personal weaknesses will surely loom large.

Like Gordon Brown  another dour, inflexible clergymans child  she seemed to shrink from the limelight. When the cameras rolled, she visibly tensed, as if mortally afraid of saying the wrong thing.

It is supremely telling that when an interviewer teasingly asked about the naughtiest thing she had ever done, the only thing that occurred to her was that, as a child, she used to run through fields of wheat.

This from a woman who had been at Oxford in the mid-Seventies, the heyday of sit-ins, soft drugs and student hedonism.

One day, perhaps, Mrs Mays biographers may conclude that her pathological defensiveness was rooted in her experience as a woman in politics.

Depressingly, women in public life still face appalling abuse, from casual sexism to horrifying rape threats.

Mrs May rightly took pride in being the second woman Prime Minister. Yet, unlike Margaret Thatcher  who loved being the only woman in the room - Mrs May never turned her femininity into an asset

Her voice cracking, Mrs May said it had been the 'honour of my life' to be PM, and she hoped she would not be the last woman to lead the country

The premier walked back through the famous black door as the country digested the impending end of her premiership

Indeed, I lost count of the times I heard supposedly high-minded Left-wingers jeer that Mrs May was weak and wobbly. It never seemed to occur to them that far from being witty and clever, they were merely exposing their own disgusting sexism.

Mrs May rightly took pride in being the second woman Prime Minister.

Yet, unlike Margaret Thatcher  who loved being the only woman in the room, played up her housewife credentials and boasted of giving the men a handbagging  Mrs May never turned her femininity into an asset.

Although her aides tried to play up the comparison with the Iron Lady, the differences were far starker than the similarities. Mrs Thatcher loved conflict. Mrs May shrank from it. Mrs Thatcher had a clear vision of where she was going. Mrs May seemed content merely to stagger from day to day.

Above all, Mrs Thatcher was a ruthlessly instinctive politician, a calculating opportunist who played Westminsters game of thrones to perfection. By contrast, Mrs May, inflexible to the last, seemed entirely bereft of political cunning.

Almost every major decision ended up backfiring.

Under pressure from her backbenchers, she invoked Article 50 before she had a clear strategy, lost an entire army of Cabinet ministers and finally produced an EU withdrawal plan that satisfied nobody.

The Prime Minister announced her departure in an emotional statement on the steps of Downing Street today

Humiliated in the Commons, she appealed to Jeremy Corbyn for support, horrifying Tory activists. Finally, she made one last attempt to re-launch her deal, only to alienate her remaining allies in the Cabinet.

Even outside Westminster she seemed to have a kind of reverse Midas touch. Nothing ever went right.

Hearing of the disaster at Grenfell Tower in June 2017, she decided against rushing to meet the survivors, judging that it would be better to spare them an exploitative media circus.

But, instead of being hailed for her sense of responsibility, this supremely decent woman was condemned as both callous and uncaring.

And when, at her party conference that autumn, she lost her voice on stage, croaking desperately while the set collapsed around her, it confirmed the impression that she had been singled out by fate for special punishment, condemned to limp from one disaster to the next.

But, of course, there was another crucial factor in Mrs Mays demise.

And it all comes down to a word that, very tellingly, she did not even use in that speech in Downing Street on her first day as Prime Minister: Brexit.

As a former Remainer, Mrs May was probably doomed from the start. In hindsight, as many have argued, the Tories might have done better with an ardent Brexiteer, who would have found it easier to carry their colleagues with them.

Any fair-minded observer will surely agree that she had a horribly unenviable inheritance, taking over not just a divided party but a divided country.

Probably no politician on earth would have been able to mollify both the 17.4 million people who voted Leave and the 16.1 million who voted Remain.

Prime Minster Theresa May and her husband Philip cast their vote at a polling station during the European elections in her Maidenhead constituency on Thursday

Theresa May dreamed of being PM, photographed standing next to her husband Philip in 1980 after marrying

But Mrs May never came up with a way through the quagmire. As a cold-blooded political strategist, she proved an unalloyed failure.

For six months she dodged the question, insisting merely that Brexit means Brexit. Then, at the behest of her aide Nick Timothy, she swung to the Right, adopting an aggressive, uncompromising tone that alienated Remainers.

Once she got into negotiations with the EU, however, her tone began to change.

She became ever more secretive, alienating Brexiteer ministers such as David Davis and Dominic Raab.

On the Right, critics accused her of conceding too much ground on the Irish border, wanting to enter a customs union by the back door, and even conspiring to undermine Brexit completely.

Theresa May, pictured with her smiling husband Philip, chose to wear a blue two-piece suit when first elected in 1997, as Mrs Thatcher did when she entered Downing Street in 1979. The couple moved into Downing Street in July 2016 but will now be leaving

Yet, at the same time, she never successfully reached out to potential allies on her partys Left. As a result, she found herself friendless.

Three times she introduced her deal in the Commons, and three times it failed. This was not parliamentary strategy so much as parliamentary sadomasochism.

It is too simplistic, though, to blame all this on the failings of one woman.

After all, it is no coincidence that Mrs May was the fourth successive Conservative Prime Minister, after Cameron, Major and Thatcher, to fall victim to the partys interminable and increasingly bitter schism over Europe.

Her critics claimed that the only other female Prime Minister in our history would have stormed into the conference chamber, breathing fire and swinging her handbag.

But the historical record tells a different story.

Margaret Thatcher had 11 years to pull Britain out of the EU. But far from taking us out, she actually took us further in.

It is easy to list Mrs Mays limitations, mistakes and misfortunes. It is much harder, though, to identify precisely what she should have done instead.

Talk to any Tory MP and they give you a different answer. That tells its own story.

It is true, of course, that an alternative leader might have proceeded with greater tactical cunning. Similarly, almost any other leader would surely have done a better job of selling her exit deal to the British people.

But would the 27 EU leaders really have behaved differently if the lone British leader had been a belligerent, blustering man rather than a cautious, awkward woman? Would we really have got a better deal? I doubt it.

And would another leader really have healed the political and cultural wounds of the 2016 referendum? Wouldnt the same combination of posturing, intransigent ultra-Brexiteers and sanctimonious, sneering Remainers have combined to block any progress in the House of Commons?

So if the Tories think her exit is a panacea, I fear they have a shock coming.

Their standing in the polls is abysmal. Nigel Farage is buoyant. Jeremy Corbyn waits in the wings. And no Brexit solution is in sight.

For the past three years, Mrs Mays critics have assured us that she is the great impediment to success, and that if she goes, Britain will soar, with one wave of a magic wand, towards a glorious post-Brexit future.

We will soon see if they were right.

As for Mrs May herself, the end of her premiership has undoubtedly come as a deep humiliation. Whether she likes it or not, the final, unbearable moments of her speech yesterday, when she broke down before the cameras, will surely define her time in office.

But on a purely human level, she is better off out of No 10, safe at last from the sneers, plots and betrayals.

She tried her best. She failed. There is no dishonour in that.

In the long days ahead, she can console herself that she did her duty. She will always be able to look at herself in the mirror. I wonder how many of her critics will be able to say the same.Universities offering 'low value, low quality' courses could have their fees slashed to around 7,500.

A government review of post-18 education, headed by financial services expert Philip Augar, is to be published shortly.

It is expected to recommend stopping universities charging the full 9,250 a year they are currently able to demand if their degrees show poor economic returns for students, according to the i newspaper.

Universities offering 'low value, low quality' degrees to students could be forced to slash their fees to 7,500 a year

Instead, a lower fee of around 7,500 would be introduced.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds told the newspaper that under the current fee system, there is 'no distinction' between courses that offer a high return for graduates and the economy and those that do not.

But too many institutions are 'incentivised' to expand courses that offer poor prospects to graduates in a bid to boost income, he said. Mr Hinds insisted action is necessary 'in the interests of the taxpayer'.

The move is set to crack down on media studies and creative arts courses in a shake-up that university leaders say would result in a 1.8billion reduction in funding for institutions.School teachers were forced to call the RSPCA after a young fox got its head stuck in a bin lid outside a secondary school.

The fox had to be sawed out of the bin lid after it was found on the grounds of Saracens High School in North West London.

A hacksaw blade was used by animal collection Officer Mariam Adwan after trying to gently ease him out did not work.

She said: 'This juvenile fox had got himself into a real pickle. He was really scared, poor thing.

The fox had to be sawed out of the bin lid after it was found on the grounds of Saracens High School in North West London

'Somehow he'd managed to put his head through the hole in the lid of the bin, but then couldn't get out.

'I managed to calm him down and checked whether I could gently ease him out, but his cheeks seemed to be the sticking point.

'This wasn't going to be an easy rescue and I had to to find a solution fast.'

Teachers at the school found the fox after its head became trapped on May 17.

A hacksaw blade was used by animal collection Officer Mariam Adwan after trying to gently ease him out did not work

Ms Adwan added: 'Protecting the fox with one of my hands, I carefully cut a T-shaped slit to open up the hole in the lid.

'Once I had done that he came out easily and following a quick check up at the vet, I was happy to learn he was unscathed by his ordeal.'

Once released the fox headed straight for a den and seemed to know where he was.

Ms Adwan said: 'I hope is now reunited with his family.'Stacey Dooley has again defended a controversial photo taken with a child in Uganda following a 'farcical' row with a Labour MP.

The Strictly Come Dancing winner was accused by David Lammy of acting like a 'white saviour' after posting pictures on Instagram holding an African child.

The image was taken while the broadcaster was filming for Comic Relief in February.

Stacey Dooley posted this photo of her holding 5-year-old Mwesigwa Waiswa on February 23 during the Uganda trip. Mr Lammy criticised the 'white saviour' complex promoted by celebrities such as Miss Dooley

Mr Lammy criticised the 'white saviour' complex promoted by celebrities such as Miss Dooley

Among critics of the picture was Tottenham MP Mr Lammy, who accused Miss Dooley of using social media to 'look like a heroine saving 'victim' black children'.

He added on Twitter: 'The world does not need any more white saviours. This just perpetuates tired and unhelpful stereotypes.'

Miss Dooley, 32, who defended her actions online at the time, returned to the subject at the Hay Festival this week.

'I never had a conversation with David Lammy,' she said. 'He never picked up the phone, he never came to me and said, 'Can I have 20 minutes of your time so I can tell you what my concerns are?'

'I'm a reasonable, rational woman. I would have sat down and listened to what he had to say.'

'She asked: 'Can I hold him?' I said OK. She wanted to take a photo. Another person then asked if that was OK, so they brought out papers,' said grandmother We had no idea who she was. For us, we just saw people.

Miss Dooley went to Africa after being invited by Comic Relief to be involved in one of its projects.

She said of Mr Lammy: 'Maybe he assumed that I just picked up this child that I had no existing relationship with. If you look through my pictures, certainly through the past decade, there are pictures of me with black children, white children, Roma kids from Europe, kids from Afghanistan, kids from Iraq, kids from Latin America.

'I've always done that. The idea that I would walk up to a kid that I had no existing relationship with and say, 'Come and have a picture with me'  it's farcical.'

Mwesigwa Waiswa, 5, (centre in yellow t-shirt) is looked after by his grandmother Beatrice Kituumira Bugonzi (above), 50, who holds cousin Faheem, 2, at their home in Luuka county

The boy in the picture is five-year-old Mwesigwa Waiswa, who was abandoned by his mother.

He is being raised by his paternal grandmother, Beatrice Kituumira Bugonzi, who said: 'I have no idea what Comic Relief help does.

'I don't have a problem with foreigners filming here if it results in help, but ... whatever happens with that money raised from pictures of my children, I do not see it.'

However, Miss Dooley said she had been in touch with the family who were 'very happy' with the way she behaved.

Dooley, 31, recently film a documentary with Comic Relief about neonatal clinics and malaria in Uganda. She presents a series called Stacey Dooley Investigates on BBC 3 which looks at current affairs issues affecting young people around the world.Fleabag will be remade scene-by-scene with a Parisian cast and backdrop - but the main character will be renamed Fly.

In an increasingly common trend British shows are being completely remade in different countries and languages rather than just adding subtitles.

And Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag is the latest show to see an entirely new cast, writer and director.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag is the latest show to see an entirely new cast, writer and director

But many of the scenes, apart from an additional funeral scene and more development in the relationship between Fleabag and her best friend, will stay the same.

Instead of fantasising over Barack Obama, Mouche, or Fly, will be sexually attracted to Benoit Hamon - the former French Socialist Presidential candidate.

The episodes will air on Canal+ from June 3.

Instead of fantasising over Barack Obama Mouche, or Fly, will be sexually attracted to Benoit Hamon - the former French Socialist Presidential candidate

Writer and Director Jeanne Herry, who adapted it, told France Inter radio: 'The English version is excellent, so I don't see why you'd change it.'

As part of her deal with French producers Herry was allowed to add two or three scenes to each episode.

She said: 'I didn't want to be adding things in. It was about making sure it sounded right in France.'A semi-trailer carrying pet food has tipped over along a busy highway sparking traffic chaos.

The heavy vehicle careered off the road and landed on its side along the Great Western Highway at Medlow Bath, north-west of Sydney, at 7am on Saturday.

The Great Western Highway stretches from east to west in NSW and links Sydney to Bathurst and the state's Central Tablelands.

The driver had left Blayney earlier in the morning with the large haul of pet food and was headed to Sydney.

A semi-trailer carrying pet food has tipped over along a busy highway sparking traffic chaos

The heavy vehicle careered off the road and landed on its side along the Great Western Highway at Medlow Bath, north-west of Sydney at 7am on Saturday

A trail of destruction was left behind with boxes of pet food stretching for metres along the side of the road.

Images of the crash site show a shattered light pole with one half on the ground and buried between the boxes.

The driver was transported to hospital with minor injuries.

The accident has sparked lengthy delays with emergency services working quickly to clean up the site.

Wires across the road has forced the east bound lane to close and police to redirect traffic.

Authorities urge drivers to avoid the area as the clean-up continues, with delays expected to continue throughout the day.

A trail of destruction was left behind with boxes of pet food stretching for metres along the side of the roadFollowing the brutal rape and murder of an Israeli student in January, a garbage truck driver has become a Guardian Angel to keep people safe on the streets.

Michael Makridis, 53, founded the Melbourne chapter of the Guardian Angels - which was first started in New York City in 1979.

Mr Makridis has managed to patrol the streets by himself every day and almost every night for the last two months in Melbourne's northern suburbs.

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Michael Makridis (left) started the Melbourne chapter of the Guardian Angels two months ago, and patrols the streets, train stations and parks to keep people safe

'The primary purpose of it is to patrol the streets and to keep the community safe,' he told the Nine Network's A Current Affair.

Aiia Maasarwe's brutal rape and murder in January was what kick started his desire to keep women and the community in general safe.

The 21-year-old student was attacked while walking home to her accommodation after a comedy show on the night of January 16.

Her half-naked body was found near a shopping centre the next morning.

Ms Maasarew's last known movements were when she traveled on the route 86 tram to Bundoora - a tram line that Makridis now regularly patrols.

He says despite CCTV cameras, people are still being sexually assaulted on Melbourne trams.

'Everyone has the right to either get home or to get wherever they're going safely, without having to be sexually assaulted or assaulted or killed for it'.

Israeli student Aiia Maasarwe's brutal rape and murder in Melbourne in January was what kicked started Mr Makridis's desire to keep women and the community safe

The Guardian Angels patrol the streets unarmed in their distinctive red berets and emblazoned T shirts, in a bid to keep the community safe.

The crime fighting movement has also spread to Logan, near Brisbane, where Ed Hornery takes to the pavement to find and bin drug paraphernalia.

He says needles are often found behind bushes in parks and in hidden corners of the street.

Ms Maasarew's last known movements were when she traveled on the route 86 tram to Bundoora - a tram line that Makridis now regularly patrols

Despite their resistance to crime, Mr Makridis insists the group are not vigilantes.

'We're not vigilantes it's as simple as that. We don't go around looking for trouble. We don't chase criminals. We don't go out looking to arrest people,' he said.

Mr Makridis says that while they're not doing the job of police, they aim to be a visible presence to deter crime.

Guardian Angels took matters into their own hands in the late 1970s when gangs and thugs ruled the streets of New York City

Since starting their patrols, the group have fortunately not come across any major crimes.

Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa said that in the 1970s they took matters into their own hands when gangs and thugs ruled the streets of New York City.

'As volunteers we decided to fill the void and give people hope that things could turn around,' he said.

Volunteers patrolled the subway, dressed in a Guardian Angels shirt and a red beret, and were originally trained to make citizens arrests.

Now, the group also provides training programs to youth and teachers, disaster response, an internet safety program called the CyberAngels, and self defence courses.

The Guardian Angels continue to gain traction across the globe, and have now spread to 130 cities in 13 countries.US District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr (pictured) halted the administration's efforts to redirect military-designated funds to build sections of wall on the border on Friday

A federal judge in California has blocked President Donald Trump from building sections of his long-sought border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency.

US District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr immediately halted the administration's efforts to redirect military-designated funds to build sections of wall on the Mexican border on Friday.

His order applies to two planned projects to add 51 miles of fence in two areas.

Gilliam issued the ruling after hearing arguments last week in two cases.

California and 19 other states brought one lawsuit; the Sierra Club and a coalition of communities along the border brought the other.

At stake is billions of dollars that would allow Trump to make progress on his signature campaign promise heading into his campaign for a second term.

He declared the emergency in February after losing a fight over fully paying for the wall.

That led to a 35-day government shutdown.

On Wednesday, the US Customs and Border Protect agency updated its accounting of progress on Trump's border wall project, concluding that 42 miles of border barriers have been completed since he took office.

That's more than double the 20 miles of finished walls that the agency reported in an internal document DailyMail.com obtained Monday.

Trump declared the emergency in February after losing a fight over fully paying for the wall. That led to a 35-day government shutdown

The judge's order applies to two planned projects to add 51 miles of fence in two areas (file image)

But that 'Border Wall Status' summary contradicted itself in two places, raising questions that CBP corrected three days later.

The totals in the new report dated Thursday still fall short of what the president pledged hours later, on a day when he agreed to omit new wall funding from a $19.1 billion disaster aid bill in order to get it to his desk.

'We will soon have hundreds of miles under construction,' he told reporters at the White House, 'and we'll have way over 400 miles completed by the end of next year'.

That self-imposed deadline is supposed to arrive in time to help with his re-election effort.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday that between 100 and 115 miles of the president's long-promised wall are finished.

On Monday Trump said the end of 2020 would see 500 miles brought to completion.

The new CBP report also downgrades from 255 to 205 the number of miles for which the administration has secured funding outside a Pentagon financing channel that Trump activated when he declared a national emergency in February.

Both versions suggest 336 miles are funded overall, including the Defense Department's role during Trump's presidency.

Thursday's report concludes that 12.5 per cent of it is done so far.

'Since January 2017, approximately 205 miles of new and replacement border barriers have been funded through the traditional appropriations process and via Treasury Forfeiture Funding, of which approximately 42 miles have been completed to date,' Thursday's report reads.

Throughout, CBP changed how it refers to sections of wall erected along sections of the US-Mexico border where weaker barriers existed before Trump's inauguration.

Where Monday's report referred to 'updated' walls, Thursday's describes 'replacements'.

On Wednesday, the US Customs and Border Protect agency updated its accounting of progress on Trump's border wall project (file image), concluding that 42 miles of border barriers have been completed since he took office

Overall, just 110 miles of walls reflected in CBP's report consist of 'new' barriers where the US-Mexico border has previously been open to vehicle and foot traffic.

The rest are 'replacement' wall sections.

When a 'Fox & Friends' host asked White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders on Wednesday how much of the wall is finished, she replied: 'There's over 100 miles. I think it's close to 115 miles.'

Trump downplayed the news about Thursday's disaster funding bill, saying at the White House that 'were going to get the immigration money later, according to everybody'.

Sen Richard Shelby, the Alabama Republican who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, told The Wall Street Journal that 'Im sure he wanted the border, its humanitarian money, but we took it all out'.

'Were going to try and push that separately when we come back.'

According to a chart in the report, the sections of the wall that are funded and in varying stages of contracting and completion include 86 miles of 'new primary wall' and 24 miles of 'new levee wall'.

Also included are 68 miles of 'replacement primary wall,' 144 miles of 'replacement vehicle wall' and 14 miles of 'replacement secondary wall'.

CBP breaks down the sources of funding that the US Army Corps of Engineers is using for construction contracts into three buckets.

The first two, adding up to '205 miles of new and updated border barriers,' are regular congressional appropriations and money shifted over from a Treasury Department fund that's flush with cash from the sale of forfeited assets like cars and real estate.

A separate Defense Department program that will build walls to block narcotics traffickers, according to CBP, will contribute another 131 miles of barriers.Wine lovers and bargain lovers will find plenty of reason to celebrate next week as ALDI is offering up an entire case of wine for just $13.

ALDI is now selling cases of Six of One 750ml Sauvignon Blanc and a Shiraz Cabernet from the same brand as part of their Special Buys promotion.

Under the new promotion, the case containing six bottles of wine costs the same price as one 750ml bottle from the same range.

The amazing special goes on sale May 29 in a number of ALDI stores in NSW, ACT, Victoria and WA.

ALDI is now selling cases of Six of One 750ml Sauvignon Blanc for $12.99 as part of their Special Buys promotion. Under the new promotion, the case containing six bottles of wine costs the same price as one 750ml bottle

'Enjoy the Sauvignon Blanc with flavours of passionfruit and citrus for a delightful clean, crisp, dry white,' a spokesperson for ALDI said.

Many social media users were very excited about the promotion.

'I might have to buy a couple cases of that red so I can stay home get drunk and save money,' one commenter said.

Another commenter said they would 'stock up for Wednesday family dinner.'

'I think a ALDI trip is in order but I better make sure my boot is empty before I go,' one user said.

The amazing special also includes a Shiraz Cabernet variety and goes on sale May 29 in a number of ALDI stores in NSW, ACT, Victoria and WA

ALDI's wines are often praised, and the company has won several awards for its offerings in the past.

'Winning awards for three of our wines is testament to the excellent calibre of ALDI's Australian suppliers and our commitment to creating quality wines that are great value,' ALDI Buying Director Jason Bowyer said.

'We are absolutely thrilled.'Advertisement

The bodies of a man and a woman were discovered Friday in a submerged vehicle near the Mississippi River in Missouri, bringing the death toll to nine from storms that have ravaged the central US this week and threaten major flooding through the holiday weekend.

John Reinhardt, 20, and Caitlin Frangel, 19, both of Hazelwood, Missouri, were reported missing on May 15.

Their bodies were found around 4am on a flooded rural road that runs along the river at Portage Des Sioux, about 40 miles north of St Louis.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Dallas Thompson said an autopsy determined they both drowned.

'We believe they went into it in the dark, not knowing the roadway was flooded, and they were unable to get out,' Thompson said.

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John Reinhardt, 20, and Caitlin Frangel, 19, both of Hazelwood, Missouri, were reported missing on May 15

Their bodies were found in a submerged vehicle around 4am on Friday along a flooded rural road that runs along the river at Portage Des Sioux, about 40 miles north of St Louis

A pickup truck evacuates from an area in north Jefferson City Missouri as floodwaters from the Missouri River rise over the road on Friday

In this aerial image, homes are inundated with flood waters from the Arkansas River near South 145th West Ave near Highway 51 on Thursday

A truck is seen overturned near the remains of the Donnie Braun and Sons Auto Repair on Thursday

Dee Raithel sorts through the remains of a storage unit looking for her possessions in Jefferson City, Missouri

On Friday, authorities reported that an elderly couple was hurled 600ft from their home and another woman died in her mobile home when tornadoes ripped through the state.

Kenneth Harris, 86, and his wife Opal, 83, were discovered hundreds of feet from their home in Golden City, while Betty Berg, 56, died when her tiny house was wrecked on Thursday.

The Midwest storms killed another two people in Missouri earlier this week, as well as one death in Oklahoma and another in Iowa.

Heavy rain in recent weeks has spurred major flooding in several states.

Flooding along the Arkansas River will threaten communities from Tulsa into western Arkansas through at least the holiday weekend, officials said Friday, as water released from an Oklahoma dam combines with additional rain in the forecast.

Debris from houses ripped open by the ferocious 160mph winds of the twister is strewn across a residential street in the state capital Jefferson City, Missouri on Thursday

Buildings were totally gutted by the twister which tore through the city of around 42,000 just before midnight on Wednesday, as authorities warned residents to barricade themselves inside

To control flooding in Tulsa, the US Army Corps of Engineers on Friday began increasing the amount of water being released into the river from the Keystone Dam northwest of the city of about 400,000 people.

'The dam is doing what it is supposed to do. It has maintained the flood to a manageable level,' said Oklahoma US Sen James Lankford, following an aerial tour of the region.

The river in Tulsa was just above 22 feet Friday, four feet above flood stage, and was expected to remain at that level through Tuesday.

Riverside residents were urged to leave their homes and at least one oil refinery suspended operations.

'The most disturbing thing that I've heard in the last 24 hours from our first responders are reports of parents letting their kids play in the river,' said Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum.

'If you're a parent that's letting your kid play in this river right now, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.'

Missouri Capitol was damaged after the tornado tore through Jefferson City - scaffolding that covered parts of the building as it undergoes a renovation was damaged during the storm

Cars, including heavy trucks, were tossed around in a Toyota dealership by the powerful winds of the EF-3 tornado

Debris from a building which was torn down by the twister is strewn across a parking lot in Jefferson City

Carey Riley looks over damaged cars at a Toyota dealership he owns with his two brothers

Arkansas officials braced for record flooding as the water moves downstream.

Gov Asa Hutchinson declared a state of emergency Friday to lift hurdles in what state agencies can do to assist flooded areas along the Arkansas River.

The proclamation came after he ordered the state's National Guard to station high-water rescue teams in the western part of the state by Saturday and the Corps of Engineers warned residents to stay off the river throughout the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

'We hope people are getting to safer areas now,' said Aric Mitchell with the Fort Smith, Arkansas, police department.

The Arkansas River is expected to reach 41 feet by Sunday near Fort Smith, which is the state's second-largest city with nearly 89,000 residents.

That's nearly 20 feet above flood stage and 3 feet above the record of 38.1 feet set in 1945.

'Nearby business, residences could be flooded ... it's going to be a mess,' said National Weather Service meteorologist Pete Snyder. 'We've not seen it get this high before. It's a different situation than we've ever seen.'

The concerns in Oklahoma and Arkansas follow days of severe storms that exacerbated spring flooding throughout the Midwest and spawned dozens of tornadoes.

Jefferson City, Missouri: A tornado tore apart buildings in the state's capital city as part of an overnight outbreak of severe weather

Carnage: A wrecked home in examined by emergency responders on Thursday

Chase Burgoon stands in his front yard as water approaches in the Meadow Valley neighborhood of Sand Springs, Oklahoma on Thursday

David Freeman makes his way through his front yard in Sperry, Oklahoma on Thursday

More rain is likely through the weekend from western Texas through Illinois, according to weather service meteorologist Matt Mosier with the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

On Friday, floodwaters from the Missouri River topped a levee at Jefferson City and prompted some streets around the state Capitol to be shut down, as residents worked to clean up from one of the twisters, which cut a 3-mile-long path through the city earlier this week.

Jefferson City's airport already had been evacuated, but other residents and workers drove precariously through flooded roads to escape the rising waters.

The Capitol building sits on a bluff on the south side of the river and is not in danger of flooding.

The tornado had also damaged the Missouri headquarters for the Special Olympics, prompting the organization Friday to cancel its summer games.

Damaged homes near the intersection of Marshall Street and East Capitol Ave in Jefferson City, Missouri are pictured Thursday

Both cars and homes were destroyed in the devastating tornado that hit Jefferson City on Thursday night

Chaos: Flooded rivers in Oklahoma sparked two runaway barges - while dozens of homes were ruined by water

Friends and family of the owners of Campus Coworking move tables out of the co-working space on Capitol Ave in Jefferson City, Missouri on Thursday

Residents of the state capital around 150 miles away in Jefferson City were warned to barricade themselves inside as the twister tossed cars across a dealership lot, injuring about two dozen people.

The National Weather Service confirmed that a large and destructive twister moved over the city of around 42,000 shortly before midnight on Wednesday.

Police Lt David Williams said the tornado cut a path about 3 miles long and a mile wide from the south end of Jefferson City north toward the Missouri River.

Emergency workers reported about two dozen injuries, Williams said, and around 100 of people went to shelters.

Hospitals reported treating injuries such as cuts and bruises.

There were no immediate reports of any deaths or missing people in the capital and it appeared everyone was accounted for after door-to-door checks that were nearly complete Thursday evening, Williams said.

A damaged car with a piece of wood smashed through the windscreen is seen parked on Woodlawn Avenue in Jefferson City Thursday

Jessica Rodgers and a neighbor Ray Arellana carry a stroller carrying Rodgers' sister Sophia Rodgers over downed power lines as they head to Rodgers' mother's apartment to check on damage Thursday

Donald Trump pledged his support, alongside Governor Mike Parson, following the devastating floods plaguing the region

Vehicles damaged by a tornado sit in the parking lot of the Missouri Department of Social Services building on Flora Drive on Thursday morning

Many in Jefferson City considered themselves fortunate to survive.

David Surprenant watched the storm approach then rushed to join his family in the basement. By then, the windows had started shattering and the pressure dropped.

'It was just the eeriest sound ever, and it felt like it was taking your breath right out of you,' Surprenant, 34, said. He and his family were unharmed.

Kevin Riley operates a car dealership next to Surprenant's home, where he sells Chevys and Toyotas. He figured that 98 per cent of the approximately 750 vehicles on the lot were damaged.

Lincoln University President Jerald Woolfolk rode out the tornado in the basement of her official residence, and it may have saved her life.

University spokeswoman Misty Young told the Jefferson City News-Tribune that the home, built 103 years ago, was so badly damaged it appeared to be uninhabitable.

Weather forecasters had been tracking the storm before it arrived, and sirens first sounded in Jefferson City at 11.10pm - about 30 minutes before the first property damage.

Governor Mike Parson credited the warning system for saving lives.

Vehicles damaged by a tornado sit in the parking lot of the Missouri Department of Social Services building on Flora Drive on Thursday morning

This shocking drone footage has revealed the devastation caused by a monster tornado which ripped through Jefferson City in Missouri

Homes destroyed: A relentless barrage of violent weather in the central US left three people dead. Houses were ripped apart with roofs torn away amid the devastating winds that struck Jefferson City in Missouri overnight Wednesday

Destruction: Buildings are seen torn open and belongings scattered across the road following the series of tornadoes which have battered the Heartland along with flash flooding ruining homes and livelihoods. The damage left behind by the twister is pictured above in Jefferson City on Thursday morning

This map shows the location and number of tornadoes to hit the Midwest in the past 48 hours

President Donald Trump tweeted the Governor to say: 'Our hearts go out to the people of Missouri as they woke up to assess the damage from storms. You are strong and resilient, and we are here to assist.'

The NWS said preliminary information indicates the tornado at Jefferson City was an EF-3, which typically carry winds up to 160mph.

The severe weather moved in from Oklahoma, where rescuers struggled to pull people from high water. This week has seen several days of twisters and torrential rains in the Southern Plains and Midwest.

Kerry Ann Demetrius locked herself in the bathroom of her Jefferson City apartment as the storm approached.

'It sounded like stuff was being thrown around, everything was just banging together, and then it just went dead silent,' she said. She emerged to find the roof had been blown off her apartment building.

Another natural disaster could be imminent in Jefferson City. Most of the city, including the tornado-ravaged section, sits on a bluff overlooking the south side of the Missouri River.

But the swollen river is projected to top a levee on the north side of the river by Friday, potentially flooding the city's airport, which already has been evacuated.

Chaos: The aftermath of the destruction on a highway leading to Jefferson City taken on Thursday is shown from above

 Slide me  Before and after: A home in Jefferson City is totally destroyed following the powerful twisters on Wednesday night. The tornado here struck hours after a twister roared through the rural hamlet of Golden City, 170 southwest of here, killing three people. Amazingly, no fatalities were reported in Jefferson City, the state's capital and home to more than 40,000 people

The Missouri Office of Administration said several state office buildings sustained damage, mostly roof damage.

A tornado also skipped through the town of Eldon, population 4,900, about 30 miles outside Jefferson City, where it damaged the business district and 'tore up several neighborhoods,' Miller County Emergency Management Director Mike Rayhart said.

But Mayor Larry Henderson said people in Eldon were counting their blessings, despite all the damage, just one man was hurt, when the wind flipped his truck. Henderson did not have any details about the man's injuries.

A twister also caused damage and several injuries in the town of Carl Junction, not far from Joplin, on the eighth anniversary of the catastrophic tornado that killed 161 people in that city.

Police Chief Delmar Haase said nearly three dozen homes had significant damage and several people sustained minor injuries. He estimated total damage in Carl Junction was 'in the millions'.

The NWS said the EF-3 tornado that hit Carl Junction was among four tornadoes that hit that area of the state Wednesday night over a path of roughly 50 miles.

Jefferson City's damage spanned about a 3-mile area, said Police Lt David Williams

About 20 people were rescued by emergency personnel, and although there were no reports of missing people, authorities planned door-to-door checks Thursday, he said. A home is pictured in ruins following the storms overnight

Floodwaters cover a stretch of road in the Indian Springs Country Club in Broken Arrow Oklahoma

More destruction in Jefferson City, Missouri. This property had its roof ripped off by the tornado overnight on Wednesday

Meteorologist Mark Burchfield in Springfield, Missouri, said Thursday that the tornado that hit Carl Junction was on the ground for about nine miles.

He said the deadly EF-3 tornado outside Golden City was on the ground for 12 miles.

The severe weather was expected to push eastward Thursday, with forecasters saying parts of the Ohio Valley and the mid-Atlantic - including Baltimore and Pittsburgh - could see tornadoes, large hail and strong winds.

Storms and torrential rains have ravaged the Midwest, from Texas through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois, in the past few days.

Two barges carrying a total of about 3,800 pounds of fertilizer broke loose Thursday and floated down the swollen Arkansas River in Oklahoma, spreading alarm downstream as they hit a dam and sank.

New Toyotas are piled up at a dealership in Jefferson City, Missouri, on Thursday after a tornado tore though the city late Wednesday night

Storm damage off Ellis Bvld in Jefferson City, Missouri, on Thursday

Storm: Heavy winds rips the roof from a building in Jefferson City, as drone footage captures the devastation on Thursday

On Facebook, Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, warned the town's 600 residents: 'If the dam breaks, it will be catastrophic!! Leave now!!'

The barges had been floating out of control, on and off again, since Wednesday night near the town of 600, which was under a mandatory evacuation order due to flooding concerns.

Aerial footage from the Oklahoma City television station KFOR showed the moment of impact shortly before noon Thursday.

The Army Corps of Engineers was checking the dam for damage.

The severe weather was expected to continue Thursday as the storms head east. Forecasters at the Storm Prediction Center say parts of the Ohio Valley and the Mid-Atlantic could see tornadoes, large hail and strong winds. Forecasters say the area most at risk for bad weather Thursday includes Baltimore and Pittsburgh (a house in Jefferson City, Missouri, stands in ruin)

Storms and torrential rains have ravaged the Midwest, from Texas through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois. Authorities urged residents of several small towns in Oklahoma and Kansas to leave their homes as rivers and streams rose

The NWS said it had received 22 reports of tornadoes by late Wednesday evening, although some of those could be duplicate reporting of the same twister. One of the other tornadoes (pictured) skirted just a few miles north of Joplin, Missouri

This image posted on Twitter account of Stechshultsy shows tornado-hit Jefferson City. Missouri on Thursday

This wall collapsed in Jefferson City, Missouri on Thursday. At the time, the NWS said a 'violent tornado' touched down in Jefferson City

The Army Corps of Engineers immediately inspected the dam and said only 'minimal' damage was found. However, the wrecked barges sank and are blocking three of the dam's 12 flood gates.

Near Tulsa, about a dozen homes were evacuated as the Arkansas River continued to swell.

The potential for further flooding also prompted the HolleyFrontier Tulsa Refinery to temporarily shut down.

Officials in Tulsa said additional residents may be asked to evacuate as the Army Corps of Engineers increases the flow rate at a dam northwest of the city to help drain a watershed flooded by severe storms.

These pictures posted by the Missouri State Highway patrol show damaged caused by a tornado in Jefferson City including a collapsed tree and an overturned vehicleMs Valentine said she had slowly rebuilt her relationship with her child over time

She said she had reconnected with her daughter who was jailed over death

Her grandmother Belinda Valentine said she had learned to accept tragic event

Chloe Valentine died from head injuries after motorbike accident at in 2012

The grandmother of a toddler who died of head injuries from a motorbike accident said she has reconnected with one of the people responsible for the tragic death, her own daughter.

Belinda Valentine lost her granddaughter Chloe, 4, after the girl was forced to ride a 50kg motorbike that repeatedly crashed over a three-day period in the backyard of her Adelaide home in January 2012.

The girl eventually succumbed to the injuries she sustained and died in her hospital bed, The Advertiser reported.

The girl's drug-addicted mother Ashlee Polkinghorne, 27, and her violent, then-partner Benjamin Robert McPartland, 35, were jailed on manslaughter charges and given a non-parole term of over four years.

On Thursday, Polkinghorne was released on parole.

Belinda Valentine (pictured) lost her granddaughter Chloe, 4, after the girl was forced to ride a motorbike that repeatedly crashed over a three-day period in the backyard of her Adelaide home in January 2012

The girl eventually succumbed to the injuries she sustained and she died in her hospital bed

Polkinghorne is also the daughter of Ms Valentine, who said she directed nothing but ill-feelings towards her child for some time.

'I tried to hate her for it,' Ms Valentine said.

'I wanted to. But it was actually making me really sick, all that hate and confusion and judgment.'

It wasn't until the death of Polkinghorne's grandmother that the mother and daughter started to speak, and started to heal.

'When youre in the midst of it, we thought "well never repair this",' Ms Valentine said.

'But weve had to recognise how deep our unconditional love for our children actually is and weve had to learn to separate Ashlee's behaviour from who she is.'

Before Chloe died, Families SA received 20 abuse notifications from friends and family concerned about the girl's filthy, transient and unsafe living conditions.

Coroner Mark Johns said Polkinghorne was often given the benefit of the doubt by social workers, who helped clean her house and avoided confronting her about her drug use.

Mr Johns described Polkinghorne as an 'accomplished and manipulative liar' who easily fooled her case workers.

'Ashlee was given virtually limitless opportunities to address her problems,' he said.

She was also provided with three supported accommodation sites and government-subsidised childcare.

The girl's drug-addicted mother Ashlee Polkinghorne and her violent, then-partner Benjamin Robert McPartland were jailed on manslaughter charges and given a non-parole term of over four years

A coronial inquest into little Chloe's death was launched and the law eventually reshaped to protect children and prevent similar ends

He said the agency made a 'mistake' when they declared it was unnecessary to drug test Polkinghorne, a known amphetamine user, and condemned the 'rigid' agency's failure to consider Chloe's grandmother as a potential guardian.

'(Families SA) took the path of least resistance, and the whole history of its dealing with Ashlee is a history of drift, irresolution and aimlessness,' he said.

In a scathing verdict, the coroner found social workers 'flagrantly disregarded' their legal responsibilities to seize children from neglectful parents.

Despite the difficult times following the death of little Chloe, Ms Valentine, her husband Steve Harvey and Polkinghorne's brothers Chad, Scott and Jake slowly began to reconnect with Polkinghorne.

What began as letters being sent between the two camps, slowly evolved to visits to Adelaide Women's Prison, where Polkinghorne was incarcerated.

Ms Valentine said for a long time her daughter hated herself and there would often be reports of an inmate bashing whenever news of the little girl's death resurfaced in the media.

In a scathing verdict, the coroner found social workers 'flagrantly disregarded' their legal responsibilities to seize children from neglectful parents

'Shes wanted to die, of course she has, thinking "no ones ever going to forgive me, my life is over because I did this to this beautiful girl",' Ms Valentine said of her daughter.

She said Polkinghorne began counselling inside prison and that she would continue to attend sessions now she was a free woman.

Ms Valentine said the image of her granddaughter continued to haunt the young mother, who has been working hard to get on with life.

She said her daughter would be turning 28 in June and had chosen to start living an honourable life in memory of the little girl.

Polkinghorne's family have already joined Child Protection programs to help families who are struggling with addiction.

Ms Valentine said that although she had accepted the turn of events back in 2012, she still felt herself get angry at times - but the anger did nothing to change the past.The San Francisco Police Chief has apologized for a raid carried out at a journalist's home during an investigation to discover a confidential source and admitted that the search could've been illegal.

The May 10 raid was conducted at the San Francisco home and office of freelance videographer Bryan Carmody, who had previously refused to divulge the identity of the person who leaked a police report containing shocking details surrounding the death of public defender Jeff Adachi, 59, in February.

San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott told the San Francisco Chronicle that he was 'sorry that this happened' and also offered up an apology to city denizens and the mayor while stating that police 'should have done a better job.'

San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott has apologized for a police raid on a journalist's home and admitted that the search could've been illegal

Police are shown here with sledgehammers, battering ram and pry bar, arriving at journalist Bryan Carmody's San Francisco home on May 10

Carmody was handcuffed and his cameras, phones and computers were seized during the raid

Scott said that he had finished reviewing all the material related to the raid and noted that he was 'concerned' about the fact that the search warrant applications hadn't sufficiently identified Carmody as a journalist.

This was particularly true regarding the warrant for Carmody's cell phone, Scott said.

Police in California are expressly barred from obtaining sensitive information through searches thanks to the state's shield law, which also protects journalists from having to reveal confidential sources or turnover notes, recordings and images that have not been published.

Scott also revealed that the police officers who carried out the search at Carmody's house had failed to talk with the district attorney's office prior to obtaining the warrants, which was a violation of department policy.

Scott said that police will now turn over the investigation to independent agencies, which could pave the way for an internal affairs investigation, charges or discipline for the officers involved in the raid.

He said that none of the evidence that was seized during the raid on Carmody's home and office will be used by police and that it will not provide it to other investigative bodies.

Although Scott didn't specify which independent investigators will be responsible for looking into the criminal investigation, the city's independent Department of Police Accountability has stepped up to investigate possible administration violations.

The independent investigation was said to have been called for by San Francisco mayor London Breed.

Breed said in a statement obtained by the Chronicle that Scott's decision to acknowledge the mistakes was a good thing, but noted that 'We have to restore the trust among the department, the public, and the media. An independent and free press is essential in our city and our society.'

San Francisco mayor London Breed called for an independent investigation into the raid

Carmody's home was raided after he refused to name the confidential source that leaked him a salacious police report on the February 22 death of public defender Jeff Adachi

The report, which Carmody sold to news stations, revealed some cannabis infused gummies were discovered inside the apartment where Adachi died

Empty alcohol bottles were found near a trash can in the apartment

Shown above is a syringe that was found next to some medication bottles. They could have been from paramedics who tried to revive him and were not necessarily his but they were included in the photos leaked to the media

Previously Scott had said police believed Carmody had been part of a criminal conspiracy to steal the internal police report.

Carmody claimed that he neither paid for the report nor conspired to steal it, stating that he had obtained the report via a confidential source. Carmody sold the report to several news stations.

When Carmody refused to reveal his source in April, police showed up at his home, armed with a sledgehammer, battering ram and pry bar. They then handcuffed Carmody and seized his computers, cameras and phones.

Carmody's lawyer, Ben Berkowitz, told the Chronicle that the police department needs to 'come out and clear Bryans name with a statement that he has engaged in no criminal activity whatsoever.'

Berkowitz also noted that it was particularly 'offensive' that the police had 'picked on an independent journalist. They wouldnt have dared break down The San Francisco Chronicles door.'

Adachi was found dead on February 22, after a woman who called herself Caterina called police.

His autopsy found that he had a mixture of cocaine and alcohol in his system which, combined with a heart condition he was suffering, caused his death.

In the days that followed, more details of the scene where he was found emerged from a leaked police report that was given to the media.

It revealed that he was in an apartment where there was an 'unmade bed, empty bottles of alcohol, cannabis gummies, and two syringes that may have been left by paramedics'.

The publication of those details prompted questions over who leaked them and why.

Adachi and the woman had been out to dinner, she told the 911 operator, and returned to the apartment.

He had only had two glasses of champagne but complained about feeling ill once they got back to the property.

He asked her for an antacid but she gave him an Advil, she said.

When he collapsed, she called 911 then fled and has never been publicly named.

'It's curious that we're reading leaked details about another 'woman,' the renting of an apartment, and entirely unnecessary mentions of alcohol, cannabis, and syringe.

'Certainly the incident ought to be investigated, as any death should, but the information coming out makes it seem like Adachi's decades-old battles with law enforcement - on behalf of defendants and otherwise - may continue even after his passing,' read an opinion piece in the Chronicle.

Adachi's widow, Mutsuko Adachi condemned the police department for leaking the information so soon after his death.

'It was despicable what the police department did to myself and my daughter by releasing the police report.

'It was less than 12 hours and they released a police report with pictures, and it was all over the news. We had no privacy.

'It was an ongoing investigation and I don't believe they should have released it.

'To say that it doesn't affect the family is an understatement. It's incredibly painful to have the police department do this to you,' she said.

The police department officially apologized before launching an internal investigation.A 20-year-old man was killed by police on Saturday morning after getting out of a car armed with a knife.

The man called police about 9am threatening self harm. A single officer was sent to a home on Tapleys Hill Road in Seaton, Adelaide, in response.

As the officer approached the home, the man was seen leaving in a silver Mercedes sedan with two women.

The policeman followed the trio, and when he pulled the car over, the 20-year-old emerged from the front passenger seat, wielding a knife.

The officer shot the man in the chest, causing injuries that would prove fatal.

Police allege they received a call from the man, 20, at 9am who threatened to self-harm and an officer travelled to the home in Tapleys Hill Road in Seaton, Adelaide's west. The officer approached the house where the man was seen leaving in a car alongside two women known to him

'The single officer fired a shot as he was retreating from the man who was allegedly armed with a knife. That shot caused critical injuries,' Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval said to the ABC.

Police gave the man first aid before he was rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a critical condition, where he died later on Saturday.

No other people were injured and the two women who were accompanying the man are assisting the police.

The police did not confirm whether the man threatened the officer before he was shot and Assistant Commissioner Duval said he 'did not have the full details.'

'There will be a commissioner's inquiry into this incident as well as a report for the coroner so at this stage I can't comment on the officer's actions.'

After the officer pulled over the man's car on Green Avenue, near Alfred Avenue, he exited the vehicle wielding a knife. The officer shot the man and he later died. No other people were injured and the two women who were accompanying the man are assisting the police

Neighbours reported they heard gun shots after the man allegedly exited his vehicle wielding a knife.

'It's pretty scary,' one neighbour told Adelaide Now.

Investigators from Major Crime, Western District CIB and Internal Investigation Section are currently at the scene where an investigation is underway.

Police have set up a crime scene near the corner of Green Avenue and Alfred Avenue close to the location of the knife and the spent round.A prisoner who was given a hero's welcome by an entourage of friends and whisked away in a Rolls-Royce when he was released has been revealed as drill rapper Snap Capone.

The musician walked free in a grey tracksuit ensemble holding a clear bag of his possessions at Standford Hill Prison on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent yesterday, grinning as his friends slapped him on the back and embraced him.

Capone, whose titles include Nothing Personal, The Memoir, Return of the Shooter and The Purge, has performed on BBC Radio 1's Fire in the Booth - which earned 1.5million views.

The rapper, who boasts 20,000 Twitter followers, was seen outside prison exchanging high-fives, and Capone posed in front of a camera-phone before hopping into the backseat of the exclusive Rolls Royce.

Snap Capone (in grey tracksuit), an ex-inmate of HMP Standford Hill was given a hero's welcome by his friends who slapped him on the back and embraced him yesterday

Pictured: Capone on BBC Radio 1's Fire in the Booth - in a video which earned 1.5million views

Capone exchanged high-fives with his friends yesterday on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent

Pictured: Snap Capone (right) with fellow rapper Corleone after the former's release from prison

One of Capone's tracks, Seen It All, features the lyrics: 'I started with shanks then I moved up to sticks.

'Started with Zs and I moved up to bricks mother f***er.'

He later adds: 'Devil on my shoulder, proud of my killings.

'Killing n***** part of my religion.

'I be in the villa in Venice.

'With some OGs that love Guinness.'

Another song, titled Wanted, begins with a clip of Robert De Niro as Al Capone in The Untouchables saying 'I want that son of a b**** dead, I want him dead'!

The beat drops and Capone starts rapping, opening with the lyrics: 'I want that n**** dead, ain't no talking please.'

The ex-prisoner, who walked free in a grey tracksuit ensemble and clutching a clear bag of his possessions, grinned from ear to ear

Once comfortable in the back seat of the Rolls Royce Phantom, he wound down the window, poked his head out and smiled while his friends took yet more snaps of the jubilant jailbird

Some of Capone's lyrics include: 'When you're dead you're dead it ain't reversible. Clean headshot I did it surgical' (pictured: Capone on BBC Radio 1)

He later continues: 'When you're dead you're dead it ain't reversible.

'Clean headshot I did it surgical.'

Capone started his career as a member of S.I (Shoot Instant), a set of the Peckham Boys gang, according to music website Genius.

When he left prison, he was welcomed by at least six men - and one driver - who seemed ecstatic to be reunited with the drill rapper.

To the backdrop of the jail Category D prison, the group laughed and took pictures with the former inmate under blue skies yesterday.

The recent inmate appeared to be lapping up his luxurious exit from the prison as he was seen beaming to cameras

The Rolls Royce pulled up right outside the entrance of Standford Hill Prison on Friday

He then stepped into the white Rolls Royce Phantom - which retails for an eye-watering 360,000.

Once in the back seat, he wound down the window, poked his head out and smiled while his friends took yet more pictures.

Capone's song Gangster's Tale, from the album The Memoir, includes the lyrics: 'Shank by my pelvis I'm a health risk, boss of my wing ask my workers and servants.

'Beef? Then a homemade shank gets inserted.

'S so certified. Had to dodge the 35, stuck in this dirty life.

'Bread in the toaster, can't find no butter knife, uh.'

The welcome party comprised of at least six men - and one driver - who seemed ecstatic to be reunited with their freed friendAdvertisement

Dressed to impress and with nothing but a good night on their minds, thousands of revellers took to the streets of Birmingham last night to enjoy the last May Bank Holiday.

The warm temperatures earlier in the day may have encouraged party-goers to kick off the drinking festivities earlier than usual, leaving some needing physical support from friends as they teetered home at the end of the night.

One man was even wheeled through the streets in a pram by a friend.

Pubs and clubs were packed on Birmingham's Broad Street with women dressed to the nines in heels and figure-hugging dresses and men sporting a more casual look.

While the majority of the alcohol-fuelled goings on were in the name of harmless fun, one man was spotted taking it too far and ended up getting arrested.

He was told to leave the well-liked club, Popworld, but refused so was swiftly arrested and bundled into a police van.

Clubbers were out in the popular party hotspot until the early hours of the morning, as they made the most out of one of the busiest nights of the year.

Feeling tired? One man was wheeled through the streets of Birmingham in a pram by a group of friends

Women dressed up to the nines in figure-hugging dresses and high heels while partying into the early hours of the morning

Party-goers in bright neon outfits take a break on some steps outside the well-liked club Popworld on Birmingham's Broad Street

A man is helped to his feet by friends after partaking in the Bank Holiday's alcohol-fuelled festivities until the early hours of the morning

Police arrest a man when he refused to leave the area on Broad Street in Birmingham after he was denied entry to Popworld nightclub

Two men help their friend who was seen slumped next to a sign with a picture of what may have caused his sudden bout of tiredness

A couple enjoy a takeaway sitting on some steps while waiting for their Uber to arrive and whisk them away

More attendees of Popworld's neon-themed night were seen chatting together outside the popular nightclub. The man is seen wearing a headband with hearts that say 'bride to be' while talking to a woman dressed in a neon tutu

Lean on me: Two women walk with their arms round each other as they teeter down cobbled roads in their high heels

Friends walk along Broad Street while clutching pink inflatable flamingos and linking each other by the armThe 40-year-old pledged Twiggy's death, a dog she tried to save, would make a difference for other dogs (pictured is Ms Barber)

An Australian woman who made a desperate effort to save a street dog has started a charity which has helped hundreds of dying strays.

Prue Barber, 40, made the move from Melbourne to Bali with her boyfriend Linus Dean, 43, after a visit inspired her to rescue abandoned dogs.

The graphic designer founded Mission Pawsible after she made a promise to Twiggy, an injured dog she found and tried to save.



'I followed her, she ran as much as she could then I picked her up. We drove to the vet clinic and I just burst into tears,' Ms Barber told Nine News.

The 40-year-old pledged Twiggy's death would make a difference for other dogs and she would have a legacy.

Ms Barber has since helped 300 dogs in the past four years and many have been relocated to loving homes.

One of the first dogs she helped named Putih, was injured because he was chained to a wall in a small town and his chain kept getting caught.

'I couldn't go every day, so I had to come up with strategies to ensure animals were getting the medicine,' Ms Barber said.

She paid a nearby family, who have since taken Putih in, $5 a week to feed him and ensure he was given his medication for a skin condition he developed.

Ms Barber said she was first inspired to start her charity after travelling the world and meeting a women who rescues dogs in India.

She also creates shortfilms called UnAdoptables which are aimed at inspiring people to adopt dogs who may not be 'normal'.

One film features a blind dog named Stevie Wonder who was found in a gutter.

Prue Barber (pictured) moved to Bali with her boyfriend after a visit inspired her to rescue and help stray dogs

He has since found a home and is a much loved member of a new family.

'Mission Paw'sible aims to try and education that rescue doesn't mean broken. It means someone has let them down. It doesn't mean they have problems,' Ms Barber said.

She has also launched a sponsorship scheme in which volunteers can support a dog by donating $100 towards vet visits and supplies.Xem them

...

Tin bai cuoi cung

Khong con du lieu e loadUS President Donald Trump wants Australia's role in sparking the 2016 FBI probe into potential links between his election campaign and Russia examined by US Attorney General William Barr.

In a potentially explosive development for the historically rock solid US-Australian alliance, Mr Trump has publicly named Australia for the first time while discussing what he calls the 'Russia hoax' and 'witch hunt'.

The move was denounced by some members of US Congress who predicted trust between the Five Eyes intelligence sharing nations - the US, Australia, UK, Canada and New Zealand - could be eroded.

President Donald Trump wants Australia's role in sparking the 2016 FBI probe into potential links between his election campaign and Russia examined by US Attorney General William Barr

Australian high commissioner to the UK Alexander Downer (pictured) had met Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos in a London bar in 2016

Mr Trump said he has declassified potentially millions of pages of intelligence documents related to surveillance activities on his campaign and Mr Barr would have 'full and complete authority' to examine them.

'So what I've done is I've declassified everything,' Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday before departing on a trip to Japan.

'He can look and I hope he looks at the UK and I hope he looks at Australia and I hope he looks at Ukraine.

'I hope he looks at everything, because there was a hoax that was perpetrated on our country.'

US Special Counsel Bob Mueller's report on links between the Trump campaign and Russia, pointed to a 2016 meeting between then Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos and Australian high commissioner to the UK Alexander Downer in a London bar as prompting the FBI to open its Trump-Russia probe.

The FBI probe led to Mr Mueller being appointed as special counsel.

Mr Papadopoulos has claimed Mr Downer spied on him during the bar meeting, a claim which Mr Downer has rejected this.

Downer did say Mr Papadopoulos told him at the bar Russia had damaging material on Mr Trump's presidential rival Hillary Clinton.

Trump said he has declassified potentially millions of pages of intelligence documents related to surveillance activities on his campaign and Mr Barr would have 'full and complete authority' to examine them

The information was forwarded to Canberra and then passed on to US intelligence services and the FBI.

Mr Papadopoulos denies telling Mr Downer anything about Russia obtaining damaging information on Ms Clinton.

Mr Trump on Friday described the Russia probe as 'an attempted coup or an attempted takedown of the president of the United States'.

Mr Trump also said he might ask outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May about 'potential Five Eyes spying' on his campaign.

'I may very well talk to her about that, yeah,' Mr Trump said.

'There's word and rumour that the FBI and others were involved, CIA were involved, with the UK, having to do with the Russian hoax,' Mr Trump said.

Jim Himes, a Democrat member of the House Intelligence Committee, said Mr Trump was damaging alliances and potentially exposing confidential sources for his own political purposes.

'What the UK and Australia and New Zealand see is because the president, in order to forward a political fantasy, may blow our sources and methods, put our people at risk,' Mr Himes told CNN.

Mr Trump on Friday described the Russia probe as 'an attempted coup or an attempted takedown of the president of the United States'

'This is a very dangerous thing for the United States.'

Mr Papadopoulos was one of Mr Mueller's first convictions, with the former aide pleading guilty to lying to the FBI. He was sentenced to 14 days' jail.

Mr Papadopoulos, Republican members of Congress and right-wing US media figures have been urging the president to declassify the documents.

'It's the greatest hoax, probably, in the history of our country and somebody has to get to the bottom of it,' Mr Trump said.

'We'll see. But for a long period of time, they've wanted me to declassify and I did.''Ever since I first stepped through the door behind me as Prime Minister, I have striven to make the United Kingdom a country that works not just for a privileged few, but for everyone.

And to honour the result of the EU referendum.

Back in 2016, we gave the British people a choice.

Against all predictions, the British people voted to leave the European Union.

I feel as certain today as I did three years ago that in a democracy, if you give people a choice you have a duty to implement what they decide.

I have done my best to do that.

I negotiated the terms of our exit and a new relationship with our closest neighbours that protects jobs, our security and our Union.

I have done everything I can to convince MPs to back that deal.

Sadly, I have not been able to do so.

I tried three times.

I believe it was right to persevere, even when the odds against success seemed high.

But it is now clear to me that it is in the best interests of the country for a new Prime Minister to lead that effort.

So I am today announcing that I will resign as leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party on Friday 7 June so that a successor can be chosen.

I have agreed with the Party Chairman and with the Chairman of the 1922 Committee that the process for electing a new leader should begin in the following week.

I have kept Her Majesty the Queen fully informed of my intentions, and I will continue to serve as her Prime Minister until the process has concluded.

It is, and will always remain, a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit.

It will be for my successor to seek a way forward that honours the result of the referendum.

To succeed, he or she will have to find consensus in Parliament where I have not.

Such a consensus can only be reached if those on all sides of the debate are willing to compromise.

For many years the great humanitarian Sir Nicholas Winton  who saved the lives of hundreds of children by arranging their evacuation from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia through the Kindertransport  was my constituent in Maidenhead.

At another time of political controversy, a few years before his death, he took me to one side at a local event and gave me a piece of advice.

He said, Never forget that compromise is not a dirty word. Life depends on compromise.

He was right.

As we strive to find the compromises we need in our politics  whether to deliver Brexit, or to restore devolved government in Northern Ireland  we must remember what brought us here.

Because the referendum was not just a call to leave the EU but for profound change in our country.

A call to make the United Kingdom a country that truly works for everyone. I am proud of the progress we have made over the last three years.

We have completed the work that David Cameron and George Osborne started: the deficit is almost eliminated, our national debt is falling and we are bringing an end to austerity.

My focus has been on ensuring that the good jobs of the future will be created in communities across the whole country, not just in London and the South East, through our Modern Industrial Strategy.

We have helped more people than ever enjoy the security of a job.

We are building more homes and helping first-time buyers onto the housing ladder - so young people can enjoy the opportunities their parents did.

And we are protecting the environment, eliminating plastic waste, tackling climate change and improving air quality.

This is what a decent, moderate and patriotic Conservative Government, on the common ground of British politics, can achieve - even as we tackle the biggest peacetime challenge any government has faced.

I know that the Conservative Party can renew itself in the years ahead.

That we can deliver Brexit and serve the British people with policies inspired by our values.

Security; freedom; opportunity.

Those values have guided me throughout my career.

But the unique privilege of this office is to use this platform to give a voice to the voiceless, to fight the burning injustices that still scar our society.

That is why I put proper funding for mental health at the heart of our NHS long-term plan.

It is why I am ending the postcode lottery for survivors of domestic abuse.

It is why the Race Disparity Audit and gender pay reporting are shining a light on inequality, so it has nowhere to hide.

And that is why I set up the independent public inquiry into the tragedy at Grenfell Tower  to search for the truth, so nothing like it can ever happen again, and so the people who lost their lives that night are never forgotten.

Because this country is a Union.

Not just a family of four nations.

But a union of people  all of us.

Whatever our background, the colour of our skin, or who we love.

We stand together.

And together we have a great future.

Our politics may be under strain, but there is so much that is good about this country. So much to be proud of. So much to be optimistic about.

I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honour of my life to hold  the second female Prime Minister but certainly not the last.

I do so with no ill-will, but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love.'A woman who shot and killed five peacocks on her farm before roasting and eating one for dinner has been labelled a murderer.

Sue Stubenvoll said the wild birds interfered with wildlife at her property in Lyttelton, near Christchurch, so she asked her hunting friend to exterminate them.

'They (peacocks) look beautiful, they are very seductive, but they are absolute killers,' she told Stuff.

Neighbour Janelle Wills, who has condemned the killings, is working with Serendipity Rescue to move the birds and safely re-home them.

Sue Stubenvoll said the birds interfered with wildlife at her property in Lyttelton, near Christchurch, so she asked her hunting friend to exterminate them. Pictured: a picture of a wild peacock shared to social media by neighbour Janelle Wills

Neighbour Janelle Wills (pictured), who has condemned the killings, is working with Serendipity Rescue to move the birds and safely re-home them

Ms Stubenvoll said the peacocks had been eating rare geckos at her eight-acre property.

The birds were humanely killed, according to Ms Stubenvoll, before one of the birds was skinned, stuffed and roasted for a meal.

She invited two friends over to try the bird, kept an additional one in the freezer and gave the remainder to the hunter.

'It was the first time I'd eaten peacock. It was very nice. Because it's a very dry, gamey, bird, I put strips of bacon over the breast and the dripping kept it moist,' she said.

Ms Stubenvoll said she was forced to phone police after neighbours turned to social media to brand her 'evil' and a 'witch' for slaying the birds.

'I have been called a murderer without any consideration of the facts. As the owner of my land, I am responsible for it,' she said.

Ms Wills said the birds had been in the area for as long as she'd live there and her son had given them names from the movie Grease. Mr Wills shared this image of the birds to social media

Ms Stubenvoll said she is legally entitled to shoot the birds and she always notifies police when she kills an animal on her property.

Janelle Wills, who lives next door, said she's concerned about the remaining birds and wants to take them somewhere they're guaranteed to be safe.

Ms Wills said the birds had been in the area for as long as she'd live there and her son had given them names from the movie Grease.

One of the birds killed was the mother of three chicks, who Ms Wills has successfully rescued.

She has built a trap to capture and house the birds before finding them a forever home.A land development agency allegedly warned a building developer its construction site wasn't safe a year before scaffolding collapsed and killed a young tradesman.

Construction apprentice Christopher Cassaniti, 18, died at Macquarie Park in north-west Sydney on April 1 when a 15-metre tower of scaffolding fell on top of him.

Landcom was allegedly so concerned about the 'nbh' site they reached out to its developer Greenland in November 2017, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The infrastructure agency wrote to Greenland on November 22 to raise 'grave concerns' about the developer's safety measures for its construction workers.

Construction apprentice Christopher Cassaniti, 18 (left with mum Patrizia), died at Macquarie Park in north-west Sydney on April 1 when a 15-metre tower of scaffolding fell on top of him

Landcom was allegedly so concerned about the 'nbh' site at Macquarie Park (pictured) in northwest Sydney, that they reached out to its developer Greenland in November 2017

In a letter, signed by Landcom's chief executive John Brogden, the agency allegedly requested Greenland to engage experts to 'install appropriate fall protection'.

Landcom reportedly drew attention to several 'severe' safety issues, which the building developer had allegedly not addressed.

A week later, Landcom development director Greg Betts reported the 'multiple serious safety issues' at the Greenland construction site to SafeWork NSW.

'Landcom is greatly concerned that a major incident, or worse, a fatality may occur from Greenland's poor (workplace health and safety) management practices,' the letter stated.

Less than 18 months later, on April 1, 18-year-old Mr Cassaniti was killed at the site after nine storeys of scaffolding and concrete fell on top of him.

His mother Patrizia, who served coffee at a mobile truck down the road, was on the site within minutes after the disaster and was told her son was trapped.

Landcom is believed to have reported 39 issues to SafeWork NSW regarding the Greenland Australia construction site (left and right)

Mr Cassaniti's mother, Patrizia, who served coffee at a mobile truck down the road, was on the site within minutes after the disaster and was told her son was trapped

'I was in total denial. I just screamed and I said, 'No. It's not possible, he's too young,' Mrs Cassaniti told 60 Minutes.

At the time, speculation was rife as to what caused the collapse, which also hospilatised a 39-year-old tradesman.

An investigation is under way to determine the exact cause of Mr Cassaniti's death as his parents are calling for industrial manslaughter charges against operators.

While Greenland was the developer, construction was managed by Sydney builder Ganellen, and the scaffolding provided by Synergy Scaffolding Services.

Christopher Cassaniti, 18, was killed at the site after scaffolding collapsed on top of him

According to documents obtained by the Herald, workers had been on site without safety equipment and excavation equipment were left with keys left in the ignition.

Landcom is believed to have reported 39 issues to SafeWork NSW regarding the Greenland Australia construction site.

The issued ranged from 'open hoardings ... to public space with an approximate drop of 15m' to 'workers working in excavation adjacent to the open hoarding without hard hats or protection from falling objects'.

But despite providing a lengthy report to SafeWork NSW, highlighting various safety issues, an inspector from the authority allegedly declined to comment on the matter.

The Sydney Morning Herald previously reported Synergy had also allegedly warned Ganellen about alleged safety concerns relating to scaffolding on the site.

SafeWork NSW reportedly declined to comment on why no action was taken to investigate the claims, despite Landcom allegedly reporting its concerns, the Herald reported.

'All notices issued to the sub-contractor on site in December 2017 ... were complied with,' the SafeWork NSW spokesperson said.

A SafeWork NSW spokesman told Daily Mail Australia on Friday Safeworks investigation is ongoing.

'SafeWork is continuing to investigate following the death of an 18-year-old man at a building site in Macquarie Park,' the spokesman said.

Greenland Australia has also allegedly declined to comment on the matter given the ongoing investigations.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Landcom and Greenland Australia for comment.A couple who witnessed the aftermath of the crash which killed Princess Diana say her death was 'no accident.'

Robin and Jack Firestone claim they still live in fear for their lives after reporting seeing two dark and mysterious cars at the scene.

Princess Diana, 36, her lover Dodi Fayed, 42, and their driver Henri Paul, 41, all died in the Pont de' l'Alma tunnel, Paris, on August 31, 1997.

Robin and Jack Firestone (pictured) claim they still live in fear for their lives after reporting seeing two dark and mysterious cars at the scene of Princess Diana's fatal crash 22 years ago

Princess Diana (left) and her lover Dodi Fayed (right) were killed in a car crash in Paris

The couple believe Princess Diana's death was not an accident after witnessing the aftermath of the crash (pictured)

The Firestones told the Express they were on their way to their hotel in the back of a taxi when they drove into the tunnel just minutes after the collision.

They say they saw two 'formal' and 'awkwardly parked' cars which had stopped at the front of the Princess' Mercedes S280.

But it was only the next morning they realised the woman inside the Mercedes was Diana.

The property owners found a French police officer to report the mysterious cars they'd spotted.

Robin said: 'We went up to him and I said "listen we were in the tunnel last night and we need to talk to the police because there are things that we saw".



'Without hesitation, he said they have enough witnesses. Don't worry about it.

'We were dumbfounded. One of the most famous women in the world is killed and they don't want to speak to witnesses.'

Despite being eyewitnesses, they claim they were stopped from giving evidence by French authorities and then the British because their testimony was so controversial.

They were not even called to the first inquest which took place in London in January 2007.

The Pont de' l'Almal tunnel where Princess Diana, her lover Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul were killed in a crash

Months later, when it was ruled the inquest should be heard in front of a jury, Dodi's father Mohamed Fayed made contact with the Firestones.

In September 1999, French Judge Herve Stephan had thrown out charges of manslaughter against nine photographers and a press motorcyclist, saying that drugs and alcohol taken by driver Henri Paul, as well as excessive speed, caused the deaths.

But Mr Fayed was convinced his son and Princess Diana were murdered.

The couple met with Fayed's legal team in New York, who then presented their statement to Lord Justice Scott Baker, who was chairing the inquest.

However, Robin claims it was 'clear' neither the English or French wanted to listen to her testimony.

Robin Firestone says she hopes Prince William and Harry will find out what really happened to their mother

A jury returned a verdict of 'unlawful killing' by Henri Paul and the paparazzi pursing the Princess' car.

Robin said: 'We still live in fear today because of what we saw and what we were told.

'I do not think Diana's death was an accident, and the action of the authorities makes me believe that to this day more than ever.

'The whole crash was an establishment thing.

'I hope that one day, as William and Harry grow older that they want to take responsibility to find out what really happened to their mother.'

Robin and Jack say they believe 'something bad' could happen to them in a bid to silence their testimony.

They are so fearful of reprisals, they now even live in a gated complex.

Jack is reportedly in talks with a production company about turning his book Chasing Diana into a film.

Princess Diana's final days

Who was really responsible for Princess Diana's death? Seven conspiracy theories

Everything you need to know about Princess Diana's funeralDonald Trump offered his condolences to Theresa May and repeated accusations of Britain 'spying' on his presidential campaign ahead of his state visit on June 3.

The President said he was 'feeling very badly' for the outgoing Prime Minister but said he may have to confront her over allegations GCHQ was involved in wire tapping on behalf of the Obama Administration.

He told reporters on the White House lawn on Friday: 'There's word and rumour that the FBI and others were involved, CIA were involved with the UK having to do with the Russian hoax and I may very well talk to her about that. Yes.'

Trump called Mrs May a 'very strong woman' the day after she announced her resignation as Prime Minister after admitting her failure to secure a Brexit deal.

Mrs May tearfully announced her resignation outside 10 Downing Street yesterday. Donald Trump praised her for being a 'very strong woman' who he 'liked very much'

He said: 'I feel badly for Theresa, I like her very much. She's a good woman, she worked hard.

'She decided to do something that some people were surprised at. It's for the good of her country.'

Mrs May's resignation will come into effect on June 7, so she will still be acting Prime Minister during Trump's visit.

When Trump raised the issue of the UK being involved with 'spying' on his campaign on Twitter last month, GCHQ released a statement saying: 'The allegations that GCHQ was asked to conduct "wire tapping" against the then president-elect are nonsense. They are utterly ridiculous and should be ignored.'

In April the President tweeted that a former CIA agent, Larry Johnson, had accused the UK of 'helping the Obama Administration spy on the 2016 Trump presidential campaign'.

It was his second accusation against the UK for being involved in what he claims was an 'attempted coup to take down the president of the United States'.

Donald Trump called the Russia probe an 'attempted coup' and says he may raise what he terms British 'spying' on his campaign during his State Visit with Theresa May in June

In April the President tweeted that a former CIA agent, Larry Johnson, had accused the UK of 'helping the Obama Administration spy on the 2016 Trump presidential campaign'

In 2017 Sean Spicer, Trump's then press secretary, repeated a claim originally made by an analyst on Fox News that GCHQ was hired by Barack Obama to spy on Trump's campaign.

He said: 'Three intelligence sources have informed Fox News that President Obama went outside the chain of command - he didn't use the NSA, he didn't use the CIA, he didn't use the FBI and he didn't use the Department of Justice - he used GCHQ.'

Trump has said he wants Attorney General Bill Barr to take his investigation into the Russia probe global and examine events in Great Britain, Australia, and Ukraine.

He said: 'It was an attempted coup or an attempted take down of the president of the United States.

'It should never ever happen to anybody else.'

'I declassified, I guess, potentially millions of pages of documents,' Trump told reporters

He explained his order granting Barr declassification authority and ordering the intelligence community to cooperate.

He said: 'Ive declassified everything. He can look.

'I declassified, I guess, potentially millions of pages of documents.

'I don't know what it is. I have no idea. But I want to be transparent.

'Everybody wanted me to declassify. I've done it. You could almost says he's (Barr) the trustee.'

Johnson was described as a conservative conspiracy theorist by US media monitoring organisation Media Matters for America.

Barr has assigned a federal prosecutor in Connecticut to probe the origins of the Russia investigation in what is the third known inquiry into the opening of the FBI probe.

Philip May could be seen watching from the shadows (far left) as his wife delivered her parting message from Downing St

Her voice cracking, Mrs May said it had been the 'honour of my life' to be PM, and she hoped she would not be the last woman to lead the country

Yesterday's dramatic scenes of Mrs May's resignation came after her last-ditch effort to get her EU deal through the Commons backfired spectacularly.

Tories were up in arms and the Cabinet mounted an open revolt after she offered MPs a vote on holding a second referendum and joining a temporary customs union with the EU.

The PM humiliatingly pulled her Withdrawal Agreement Bill - known as WAB - yesterday after accepting the reality of her demise.

She repeatedly broke down in tears today as she admitted her Brexit-wracked premiership is coming to an end - first on live TV and then behind closed doors.

'I've done my best,' she said. 'I have done everything I can to convince MPs to back that deal ... sadly I have not been able to do so.

'It is and will always remain a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit.'

She declared she will resign as Conservative leader on June 7, triggering a contest that should be complete by the end of July.

Mrs May was overcome by tears as she spoke of her pride at having been PM, even though she admitted to having failed to deliver BrexitOne person has died after a luxury Ferrari burst into flames after it was stolen from outside a cafe.

The red supercar was taken from the front of the cafe in West Perth, about 10.20am on Saturday.

About an hour later, police officers on patrol spotted the car parked on Vincent Street, North Perth, and decided to approach the alleged thieves.

One person has died after a luxury Ferrari burst into flames seconds after it was stolen from outside a cafe

Police said the red supercar was taken from the front of the cafe, in West Perth, about 10.20am on Saturday

But the driver sped away as they advanced, before losing control and crashing into a metal pole 100 metres away.

The Ferrari quickly erupted in flames and video footage from the scene shows the luxury vehicle consumed by thick black smoke.

Motorists were forced to wait in gridlock as emergency services flooded to the scene.

A female occupant died at the scene, Nine News reported.

The other occupant, a man, was taken to hospital and is assisting with police investigations.

The car crashed after police saw the Ferrari an hour after it was reported stolen

The other occupant, a man, was taken to hospital and is assisting with police investigations

It is not yet known who was behind the wheel.

The scene was attended by Major Crash Investigators and detectives from the Internal Affairs Unit.

A man, aged in his 40s, also died after a car accident in Western Australia on Saturday.

His white Nissan Patrol was travelling along the South Coast Highway, about 5 kilometres south of Jerramungup, when he left the road and hit trees.A community has been living in fear as tensions reach boiling point between rival gangs after a string of shootings.

Violence has been rife across south Auckland, on New Zealand's North Island, since the start of the year with a slew of gang-related shootings linked to the Killer Beez and the Tribesmen.

Three people have already been killed from shootings in the area since February.

The most recent incident happening on Saturday, when a man was shot and killed in the early hours. A homicide investigation has been launched.

Fears were raised over escalating violence when Killer Beez president Josh Masters (pictured) was shot in the back last month

The accused shooter is patched Tribesmen member and former friend Akustino Tae (pictured)

Former police officer and Auckland councillor Alf Filipaina told NZME the violence was now the worst he had seen in 60 years.

'Our community, they're afraid,' he said.

Fears were raised over escalating violence when Killer Beez president Josh Masters was shot in the back last month.

The accused shooter is patched Tribesmen member and former friend Akustino Tae.

The aspiring rapper had only recently been released from his latest stint in prison for dealing drugs when he was shot.

At the time, sociologist Jarrod Gilbert said there was an opportunity for someone in the Killer Beez to step up and make a name for themselves by avenging their leader.

A community has been living in fear as tensions reach boiling point between rival gangs after a string of shootings

One school in the area has been forced to increase security measures and requested parents not to leave their children waiting at the gate before and after school.

Inspector Wendy Spiller, Area Commander for Counties Manukau East told Daily Mail Australia police were actively dealing with recent events in the Counties Manukau District and staff were committed to holding those responsible to account.

'These incidents are generally being carried out by a small numbers of people across the district who are intent on carrying out high risk behaviour and causing harm.

'We have the co-operation of our neighbouring Districts in Tamaki Makaurau to ensure that we are equipped to deal with the issues and support nationally from the National Organised Crime Group.'Police divers located the body of Phillip Evans on day two of a major sea and air search late on Friday

A British diver who disappeared on off the coast of south eastern Spain has been found dead.

Police divers located the body of Phillip Evans, 69, on day two of a major sea and air search late on Friday near a marine reserve called Hormigas Islands - Islas Hormigas in Spain.

The find was confirmed by Francisco Jimenez, a central government delegate for the region, who said: 'The body of the British diver who disappeared on Thursday has been located 170 feet underwater in the Hormigas Islands area.

'We regret this tragic outcome.'

A local dive school raised the alarm around midday on Thursday after former Armed Forces veteran Mr Evans, from Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, disappeared.

Two helicopters were immediately mobilised as part of a major air and sea search which included vessels belonging to the Spanish Navy, coastguards and Red Cross.

Expert Civil Guard divers, who ended up finding 69-year-old Mr Evans' body, were also brought in.

A regional government representative for the area said shortly after the alarm was raised: 'All the state's resources have been activated in the search for this British national, a former member of the military who disappeared while he was diving north of the Hormigas Islands in Cabo de Palos.'

A local dive school raised the alarm around midday on Thursday after former Armed Forces veteran Mr Evans, from Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, disappeared

Mr Evans's body is already thought to have been brought ashore, although there was no immediate confirmation this morning from local authorities.

The Briton is understood to have been an experienced diver. He praised the dive school he was on an excursion with - Club de Buceo Islas Hormigas dive school - on Facebook after a trip with them in 2017.

He called them the 'friendliest club in the area' and said he had dived with them for many years.

Cabo de Palos (pictured) is next to the popular holiday destination of La Manga, around 20 miles from the town of Cartagena

A helicopter search was launched after Mr Evans, 69, disappeared earlier this week

A local investigating judge is now expected to be tasked with a probe into the circumstances surrounding Mr Evans' death.

Officials had admitted yesterday the chances of finding the Scot alive were slim.

A neighbour of the missing man in Balmedie was quoted as saying: 'It's a terrible shame. None of us round here can believe it, really.

'We're all just in absolute shock, it's awful.'

Cabo de Palos is next to the popular holiday destination of La Manga, around 20 miles from the town of Cartagena.

Members of the Spanish Coastguard are pictured surveying a stretch of sea off Cabo de Palos on the country's southern coast

It is popular with scuba diving fans as its sea bed is one of the most important nature reserves in the Mediterranean.

Hormigas Islands are two and a half miles from the coast. The sea bed there is considered one of the best scuba diving sites in Spain and has been designated an Integral Marine Reserve for its beauty and excellent state of conservation.

As well as the remains of shipwrecks and sunken boats, it is also home to reefs and deep underwater corral.

Mr Evans is believed to have been part of a diving school in Cabo de Palos, near Cartagena, and the group lost contact with him after he was last seen near a marine reserve called the Hormigas Islands.

A Spanish Coastguard spokesman confirmed two helicopters had been taking turns to search for the diver along with a Red Cross boat and two other Coastguard vessels.

One of the vessels was being used to drop a remote operated vehicle participating in the search.

A Spanish Coastguard spokesman had previously said: 'We were alerted at eight minutes past midday today.

Cabo de Palos (pictured) is next to the popular Spanish holiday destination of La Manga, around 20 miles from the town of Cartagena

'The missing man is a British ex-member of the Armed Forces aged 70. A Civil Guard and Coastguard helicopter are taking turns to search for him.

'Two Coastguard vessels and a Red Cross boat are also involved. A remote operated vehicle has been dropped from one of our vessels and it is currently searching at 40 metres below the sea surface.

'A call has gone out to any Spanish Navy vessels in the area to help out as well if they can.'

A regional government spokesman added: 'All the state's resources have been activated in the search for this British national, a former member of the military aged 70 who disappeared while he was diving north of the Hormigas Islands in Cabo de Palos.'

Cabo de Palos is next to the popular holiday destination of La Manga, around 20 miles from the town of Cartagena.

It is popular with scuba diving fans as its sea bed is one of the most treasured nature reserves in the Mediterranean.

Hormigas Islands are two and a half miles from the coast.

The sea bed there is considered one of the best scuba diving sites in Spain and has been designated an Integral Marine Reserve for its beauty and excellent state of conservation.

As well as the remains of shipwrecks and sunken boats, it is also home to reefs and deep underwater corral.Advertisement

A British climber who died on Mount Everest had previously told of his worries about overcrowding on the mountain and had even changed his plans before setting off.

Robin Haynes Fisher, 44, died in the 'death zone' -known for low oxygen levels - on his descent after reaching the summit of the world's highest mountain.

In one of his last social media posts, he told of how he had changed his plans in order to avoid the 'fatal' crowds.

He said: 'With a single route to the summit, delays caused by overcrowding could prove fatal so I am hopeful my decision to go for the 25th will mean fewer people. Unless of course everyone else plays the same waiting game.'

Mr Fisher is one of ten people who have lost their lives on the treacherous and overcrowded slopes in nine days. It comes as record numbers of climbers are cramming on to the piste during the spring season's good weather.

His partner Kristyn Carriere took to social media to pay tribute to him and said: 'He got his goal. My heart is broken. It was his ultimate challenge.'

Robin Haynes Fisher, 44, died in the 'death zone' of Mount Everest - known for its low oxygen levels and had previously told of his worries around overcrowding on the mountain

Mr Fisher was described as an 'aspirational adventurer' who 'lived life to the full' in a statement from his family. They said: 'He achieved so much in his short life, climbing Mont Blanc, Aconcagua and Everest. Pictured is Mr Fisher on his way to climb Everest

Mr Fisher, who was born in Burton-upon-Trent and lived in Birmingham, is one of at least seven climbers to die on its treacherous slopes in the past two weeks

The 10 climbers who have died on Everest in the past nine days May 16: Irish professor Seamus Lawless went missing on May 16 after reportedly falling. The search operation has since been called off and he is presumed dead. This week: Four Indians, one Austrian, one American and one person from Nepal died on Everest. Friday: Irishman Kevin Hynes, 56, passed away on the northern Tibet part of the mountain. The father-of-two died in his tent at 23,000ft on the descent after turning back before reaching the top. Saturday: Robin Haynes Fisher, 44, collapsed and died only 150m from the peak. Advertisement

Local guides have blamed the clogged up routes for the recent death toll because waiting in queues is sucking up mountaineers' limited oxygen supply and exposing them to the harsher winds for longer.

Hiking officials attributed most of the deaths to weakness, exhaustion and delays on the crowded route to the 29,030-foot (8,850-metre) summit.

Mr Fisher was described as an 'aspirational adventurer' who 'lived life to the full' in a statement from his family.

They said: 'He achieved so much in his short life, climbing Mont Blanc, Aconcagua and Everest.

'He was a 'tough guy', triathlete, and marathoner. A champion for vegetarianism, published author, and a cultured theatre-goer, lover of Shakespeare.

'We are deeply saddened by his loss as he still had so many more adventures and dreams to fulfil.

'Everyone who ever met him in any capacity will always remember the positive impact he had on their lives.

'Robin is a much loved and loving son, brother, partner, uncle, and friend.'

In a video shot on the expedition by Mr Fisher's partner, Kristyn Carriere, he is heard saying it 'should be a trip to remember' as he looks up at the ascent from base camp.

His girlfriend who had previously embarked on trips with Mr Fisher said her heart was 'broken' following the death of her partner

Four weeks ago, Mr Fisher took to Instagram to post this picture of him and Miss Carriere and said sometimes it's best to 'stick to the path more travelled'

At base camp in Nepal in April, Mr Fisher posted another picture and joked about having a 'white beard' which is part of a ceremony where white flour is rubbed on your face

In a video shot on the expedition by Mr Fisher's partner, Kristyn Carriere, he is heard saying it 'should be a trip to remember' as he looks up at the ascent from base camp

The route up the mountain includes several large obstacles including a huge moving glacier near to base camp as shown in the map above

A series of deaths have occurred on Everest over the last two weeks, amid concerns around overcrowding.

There are 41 teams with a total of 378 climbers permitted to scale the mountain during the spring climbing season in Nepal that begins around March and ends this month.

An equal number of Nepalese guides are helping them get to the summit.

His death caused a queue to the summit of the world's tallest mountain. Above: Climbers queue to stand on the summit of Everest on May 22

His family added: 'Everyone who ever met him in any capacity will always remember the positive impact he had on their lives'

Seamus Lawless 39, from Bray, Ireland, fell during his descent from the peak having achieved a lifetime ambition of reaching the summit. Above: Mr Lawless after scaling Alaska's 20,000-ft Mount Denali last summer

Irish climber Kevin Hynes, 56, died in his tent at 7,000 metres in the early hours of Friday after turning back before reaching the summit.

The father-of-two was part of a group from UK-based climbing company 360 Expeditions which was attempting to scale Everest.

His death comes a week after Trinity College professor Seamus Lawless, aged 39 and from Bray, Co Wicklow, fell during his descent from the peak having achieved a lifetime ambition of reaching the summit.

The search for Mr Lawless has been called off.

An American climber, Austrian climber and two Indian climbers are also reported to have died.

Mr Fisher was the tenth fatality on Everest in the current climbing season that ends this month and the 18th in Nepal's Himalayas in the same period.

'He died because of weakness after a long ascent and difficult descent,' Murari Sharma of the Everest Parivar Treks company that arranged his logistics told Reuters.

'He was descending with his sherpa guides from the summit when he suddenly fainted.'

Fellow guides changed Fisher's oxygen bottle and offered him water, but could not save him, Sharma said.

Garrett Madison of the U.S. based Madison Mountaineering company that sponsors Mount Everest climbers said many were not 'well qualified or prepared climbers' and didn't have the support necessary to ascend and descend safely.

'If they were with a strong and experienced team they would have likely been fine, but with minimal support, once something goes wrong it's tough to get back on course,' Madison told Reuters.

Mount Everest can also be climbed from Tibet and casualties have been reported from there this season too.Advertisement

Bank Holiday revellers are set to enjoy highs of 73F (23C) today before being hit with two days of wide-spread showers, according to the Met Office.

But Britons could be forced to experience the balmy weather while stuck in traffic as motoring experts predict an estimated eight million more car journeys this Bank Holiday compared to last year.

The RAC is warning that 22 million car journeys are expected with people set to make the most of a pleasant bank holiday weekend.

People sunbathe on the beach at Brighton in East Sussex as temperatures remain high for much of the country

Hundreds of families flocked to the beach at Bournemouth, Dorset, this afternoon to make the most of the fine weather before the Bank Holiday turns into a washout

Bournemouth was packed with happy Bank Holiday revellers wanting to make the most of the sunshine

People enjoy the beach during the changeable weather on the pebbled beach in Brighton today

Heavy traffic on the M40 near Solihull in the west Midlands this morning as people hit the road for the bank holiday weekend and half term break

In terms of weather there will be a north south divide for much of the Bank Holiday weekend, with northern Scotland in particular bearing the brunt of the bad weather with rain and potential thunder storms on Monday.

Sunny spells will mean the south of England and Wales see highs of 70F (21C) tomorrow before showers begin to wash over the country.

Getaways will peak on Saturday with an estimated 6.6million trips planned, up from 3.8million last year, followed by bank holiday Monday with 5.6million, up from 2.9million, and tomorrow with 5.3million, up from 4.5million.

Manchester-based RAC employee Ben Aldous said: 'Our research suggests a lot of drivers are planning on taking to the road over this weekend, with routes leading to the coasts, national parks and highlands like the Lake District likely to see significant volumes of traffic  and some extensive jams.'

Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and north England and Wales are most likely to see the best of the weather tomorrow while everywhere else starts experiencing drizzle.

Rain will then start to gradually affect Northern Ireland and Scotland and continue throughout the evening.

Britons could be forced to experience the balmy weather while stuck in traffic as motoring experts predict an estimated eight million more car journeys this Bank Holiday compared to last year. Pictured is the M40 near Solihull today

A man sunbathes on the pebbled beach at Brighton today amid the warm weather conditions in southern England

A lady is seen relaxing on the beach in her bikini during today's highs of 73C today in Brighton

Two people go for a walk along the promenade at Brighton as the country experiences above-average temperatures

While temperatures will remain above average across the UK on Saturday (left), no one will be safe from showers as persistent rain forces its way across the country on Sunday (right). Scotland are expected to bear the brunt of the bad weather and will potentially see thunderstorms on Monday

It will be quite hard for anyone to avoid the showers across the UK this weekend with some areas of the north set to see heavy downpours and thunderstorms.

While the south will initially stay dry, there is potential for rain on Monday as the showers slowly spread southerly throughout the country.

A Met Office meteorologist said: 'This upcoming bank holiday weekend will start off fine and warm with sunny spells in the south, but for northern parts of the UK it'll be cooler, cloudier and breezy with some rain at times.

'At the moment Saturday looks to be one of the better days of the weekend with the promise of sunshine for most, whereas Sunday will be cloudier with outbreaks of rain moving in from the west.

D-Day veterans were seen taking advantage of the blissful weather today as they turned out in force to the Chelsea Flower Show taking in the D-Day 75 Garden

The D-Day garden, created to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, will be transported piece by piece to Normandy after the Chelsea Flower Show finishes

The garden will be dismantled and rebuilt in Arromanches in Normandy. The Mayor of Arromanches-les-Bains, Patrick Jardin, said: 'We are pleased and proud to give the D-Day 75 Garden a permanent home in our town of Arromanches.

'By Monday this rain and cloud should clear with a return to sunny spells and the odd shower in places, feeling cooler across the country in the fresh westerly breeze.'

And D-Day veterans were seen taking advantage of the blissful weather today as they turned out in force to the Chelsea Flower Show taking in the D-Day 75 Garden.

Increasingly persistent rain will then push east across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England overnight, while persistent rain will continue across Scotland for much of Sunday, although most of England will stay dry.

Much of the next few days will be determined by the impact on Britain of stormy weather across North America, which has included tornadoes in the mid-west affecting the upper atmosphere.

One month ago Britain was bathed in a record heatwave at Easter, with Easter Monday proving to be the hottest on record with 77F (25C) recorded at Heathrow and Northolt in West London and Wisley in Surrey.

The highest temperature for the late May bank holiday was 91F (32.8C) in Horsham, West Sussex, on May 29, 1944. Meterological summer begins on June 1, and the UK daytime average for the time of year is around 61F (16C).Retaillers have launched a $400million class action against the New South Wales government, blaming the setback-plagued light rail construction in Sydney for ruining their businesses.

The project, linking the city's CBD with several south-eastern suburbs, was meant to be finished in March but that has been pushed back to May 2020.

The project has ballooned to $2.1 billion and a 'ghost town' has formed along the route with many businesses left boarded up for months.

And now business owners have banded together seeking compensation.

Amelia Birch, who closed her Book Kitchen cafe in Surry Hills in 2017 after eight years said the project has had devastating results for business owners

The project, linking the city's CBD with several south-eastern suburbs, was meant to be finished in March but that has been pushed back to May 2020

Amelia Birch, who closed her Book Kitchen cafe in Surry Hills in 2017 after eight years, told the Sydney Morning Herald the project had been poorly handled.

She said it has had devastating results for business owners.

'I lost everything. It's not just a loss of business, a loss of revenue. It's a loss of identity, a loss of dignity, I lost my marriage because of all of this. There have been huge consequences,' she said.

The Devonshire Street property remains empty two years after she was forced to vacate.

Ms Birch said the way they had managed the project by closing off the whole route the entire time had been 'really inefficient'.

About 150 business owners, including small business and large corporations, are part of a lawsuit seeking compensation for mental anguish, and lost turnover allegedly caused by road closures, excessive noise and barricades.

However, the state government has fired back, arguing the disruptions were unavoidable and that it acted 'reasonably', the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Documents filed by Transport for NSW in the Supreme Court shows the government will use NSW Civil Liability Act 2002, which protects government agencies from being sued for damages when developing major projects, but only if the court does not deem their actions to be unreasonable.

The project was originally budgeted to cost $1.6billion before a $500million blowout (pictured, construction of the light rail project in Sydney's CBD near Wynyard train station)

Justice Peter Garling ruled this month that Transport for NSW's defence can drag construction companies into the dispute, allowing it to argue that ALTRAC, the group overseeing the project, and Acciona, the building subcontractor, should be liable for any harm suffered by the retailers.

Transport for NSWs claim that the disruptions were inevitable has been rejected by retaillers, arguing it failed to effectively plan the project.

Transport for NSW argued in its cross-claim against the companies it had no direct supervision or control over construction work.

It argued that it was on the contractors to endure the work did not 'unduly interfere' with the activities of residents and businesses.

ALTRAC and Acciona will dispute the allegations.The matter has been adjourned to July 26.Mohammed Hajisaid, 27, was jailed for three months after perverting the court of justice

A cheeky driver who tried to dodge a speeding fine by inventing a fake Dutch driver was nailed by a crystal-clear CCTV image of him behind the wheel.

Mohammed Hajisaid, 27, told cops his car was being driven by a Dutch man when he was caught doing 55mph in a 40mph zone on Heartlands Parkway, Birmingham.

West Midlands Police ran checks but found no trace of the person he had named.

He even went as far as to specify a home-city of his fictitious character, citing Amsterdam as his origin.

Camera images proved Hajisaid had been at the wheel when the offence happened.

He is seen clearly in his Renault, looking just like he does in his mugshot.

Hajisaid, of Nechells, Birmingham, admitted perverting the course of justice at Birmingham Crown Court.

He was jailed for three months on May 21 and Facebook users laid into him for his lame excuse.

Dani Tamara said the 27-year-old's excuse was 'as bad as my dog ate my homework.'

Doreen Wallace said: 'How stupid can you be, denying you were the driver when they have a photo of you.'

Mohammed Hajisaid, 27 - not a Dutchman from Amsterdam - caught on camera speeding

It is not the first time dishonest drivers have tried to dupe police in and around Birminham for similar crimes.

Mohammed Arif ended up in jail after he was caught doing 40 mph in a 30mph.

It was not his excessive speed that landed him in jail, but his attempts to veil the truth by paying someone else to take the blame.

Arif pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice at the same court in November and was handed a seven-month suspended sentence, ordered to carry out 180 hours community service and hit with a two-month driving ban.

He was also told to pay 1,340 court costs but If he had of admitted his initial shortcomings he would have received the standard fine and a three-point licence penalty.Facebook has refused to take down a viral video of Nancy Pelosi that was doctored to make her appear drunk.

A video of Pelosi's speech at a Center for American Progress event was subtly edited to make her voice sound garbled and slowed down, as if she was under the influence of alcohol.

She was speaking at the time about Donald Trumps refusal to cooperate with congressional investigations, which she said was tantamount to a 'cover-up.'

One version of the video posted on the conservative Facebook page Politics WatchDog, was viewed more than 2 million times and has been shared almost 50,000 times.

Facebook has refused to take down a video of Nancy Pelosi, (pictured), which was doctored to make her appear drunk and has been widely shared on social media

On Friday, Pelosi's daughter hit out at Republicans and their supporters for sharing the doctored video of her mother, claiming that she doesn't even drink.

Christine Pelosi tweeted: 'Republicans and their conservative allies have been pumping this despicable fake meme for years! Now they are caught. #Factcheck. Madam Speaker doesnt even drink alcohol!.'

She tweeted a link to the original article where the issue was raised in The Washington Post on Friday.

She continued her criticism in a follow-up tweet, calling on Facebook to suspend the account of a user who sent her a message describing Pelosi as an alcoholic in need of an intervention.

'This is the c**p Im talking about,' Christine wrote and claimed she had reported the account.

'Obviously this doesnt stop ME but others are affected by the 'voter depression' strategy that Trump allies are perpetuating.'

The footage received 23,000 comments and social media users questioned whether she was 'drunk' and called her 'a babbling mess.'

version of the video posted by the conservative Facebook page Politics WatchDog, was viewed more than 2 million times and has been shared almost 50,000 times

Analyses of the distorted Center for American Progress video by researchers indicate that the video has been slowed to about 75 percent of its original speed

The video has appeared in the comments sections of message boards and regional news outlets, as well as YouTube and Twitter accounts.

Rudy Giuliani, Trumps personal attorney, tweeted a link to the altered video Thursday night with the comment: 'What is wrong with Nancy Pelosi? Her speech pattern is bizarre.' The tweet has since been deleted.

Giuliani stoked concerns about his own well-being on Friday morning with a tweet containing a backhanded apology to Pelosi for circulating a fake video of her appearing incoherent during public events.

'ivesssapology for a video which is allegedly is a caricature of an otherwise halting speech pattern,' tweeted Giuliani.

Nancy Pelosi's daughter Christine has also hit out at Republicans and their supporters for sharing the doctored video of her mother, claiming that she doesn't even drink. They are pictured here together at an event in Philadelphia's Central Library in 2008

Christine Pelosi tweeted: 'Republicans and their conservative allies have been pumping this despicable fake meme for years!'

'[S]he should first stop, and apologize for, saying the President needs an intervention. Are'

The tweet ended there, leading some on Twitter to speculate that Giuliani was drunk at 9.00 am.

On Thursday night, Trump tweeted a different video of Pelosi - an edited montage taken from Fox News - that focused on moments where she briefly paused or stumbled, that the president claimed showed her stammering through a news conference.

The clip included roughly 30 seconds of Pelosis speech on Thursday, in which she took questions from reporters and discussed what she called Trump's 'temper tantrum.'

Facebook has admitted its own failures to combat fake news in the lead-up to the 2016 election, and had introduced a system that was intended to stop the flow of misleading and false material.

Rudolph Giuliani, Trumps attorney, tweeted a link to the altered video Thursday night with the comment: 'What is wrong with Nancy Pelosi?'

He stoked concerns about his own well-being on Friday morning with a tweet containing a backhanded apology to Pelosi for circulating a fake video of her appearing incoherent

On Friday, a company spokesperson told the Huffington Post that content like the Pelosi video, does not technically break any rules because theres no policy against posting fake content on the platform.

As a result Facebook is allowing the video to remain.

However, the social media giant did 'enqueue' the video for review by a third-party fact-checking company, which apparently deemed it misleading.

Instead of being deleted outright, the fake version of Pelosi's speech will be made harder to find on the platform, the spokesperson added.

Trump tweeted a video of Pelosi, an edited montage taken from Fox News, which focused on moments where she briefly paused or stumbled, that he claimed showed her stammering

The footage received plenty of reaction on Facebook with users asking if she was drunk

The spokesman said: 'Theres a tension here: we work hard to find the right balance between encouraging free expression and promoting a safe and authentic community, and we believe that reducing the distribution of inauthentic content strikes that balance.

'But just because something is allowed to be on Facebook doesnt mean it should get distribution. In other words, we allow people to post it as a form of expression, but were not going to show it at the top of News Feed.'

Analyses of the distorted Center for American Progress video by the Washington Post and outside researchers indicate that the video has been slowed to about 75 percent of its original speed.

The video also appears to have been altered to modify her pitch, to more closely resemble the sound of her natural speech, even though the speech change would have deepened the sound of her voice.

'There is no question that the video has been slowed to alter Pelosis voice,' Hany Farid, a computer-science professor and digital-forensics expert at University of California, Berkeley, told the Washington Post.

'It is striking that such a simple manipulation can be so effective and believable to some.

'While I think that deep-fake technology poses a real threat, this type of low-tech fake shows that there is a larger threat of misinformation campaigns  too many of us are willing to believe the worst in people that we disagree with.'A fourth woman has been found killed and dumped in public in Victoria in less than a year, once again shining the spotlight on men and their attitude towards women.

The body, which is yet to be identified, was found by dog walkers in Royal Park, in Melbourne's north, on Saturday morning.

The suspected murder is less than a year since 22-year-old Eurydice Dixon was killed in a nearby park in mid-June 2018.

Victoria's Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius used the incident to remind men to take responsibility for their treatment of women.

'The critical piece is, particularly when we're talking about violence against women, the men in our community need to take responsibility for this,' he said.

Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius (pictured) used the recent homicide in Melbourne to remind men they had to take responsibility for the recurring instances of violence against women

The woman, who is yet to be identified, was found by dog walkers in Royal Park on Saturday morning. Pictured: police remove the body

'We need to reflect on our behaviour, we need to reflect on the behaviour of men who are known to us, we need to reflect on what we say to our sons.

'It gives me pause for reflection about what it is in our community that allows some men to think that it's still okay to attack women or take from women what they want,' he said.

'Violence against women is absolutely about men's behaviour.

'I will say this, certainly there have been instances in our recent past where women have been attacked and they've been attacked by men.'

'The key point I'd make about that is this is about men's behaviour. It's not about women's behaviour.'

Mr Cornelius referred to a spate of violent attacks against women while addressing the media. Pictured: 22-year-old Eurydice Dixon who was murdered less than one-year ago

The aspiring comedian was walking home from a show at a bar when she was raped and killed by a stranger

Ms Dixon, an aspiring comedian, was walking home from a show at a bar when she was raped and killed by a stranger at Princes Park in Carlton North.

Jaymes Todd, who followed her home before attacking, pleaded guilty to the murder.

Ms Dixon's death sent shockwaves across the country and led to a number of vigils remembering the young woman and those who died at the hands of men.

Israeli student Aiia Masarwe was on her way home from a comedy show, speaking with her sister on FaceTime, when she was raped and murdered in January this year.

The 21-year-old's naked body was found near a shopping centre in Bundoora, a northern suburb of Melbourne, the next morning.

Ms Masarwe had been living in Melbourne for six months as part of an exchange program at La Trobe University.

Israeli student Aiia Masarwe (pictured) was on her way home from a comedy show, speaking with her sister on FaceTime, when she was raped and murdered in January

Ms Masarwe had been living in Melbourne for six months for an exchange program at La Trobe University

Codey Herrmann is accused of killing Ms Masarwe.

As recently as last month, Natalina Angok's body was dumped in the city's CBD at the intersection of Little Bourke Street and Celestial Avenue.

Her body was found by a passerby at about 6.30am on April 24.

The 32-year-old African-Australian was dating Christopher Bell, the man who has been charged with her murder.

Mr Cornelius said Melbourne was still one of the safest cities in the world despite the recent spate of violent killings.

As recently as last month, Natalina Angok's (pictured) body was found dumped in the city's CBD at the intersection of Little Bourke Street and Celestial Avenue

The 32-year-old was dating Christopher Bell, the man who was charged with her murder

'Melbourne remains one of the safest cities in Australia, if not the world,' he said.

'Women and men are absolutely entitled and should feel safe to go about their normal day-to-day activities.'

'I often reflect on what advice I might give my wife or my daughter and the advice that I give them is we're in a very safe city.'

Homicide detective Andrew Stamper told reporters on Saturday the recent homicide appeared to be a 'horrendous' crime.

'It's the death of a woman sadly again in our city,' he said.

'We get impacted as much as anyone else in the community.'

Homicide detective Andrew Stamper (pictured) told reporters on Saturday that the recent homicide appeared to be a 'horrendous' crime

Despite the murders, Mr Cornelius (right) stood in support of Melbourne and claimed it remains to be one of the safest cities in the world

Det-Insp Stamper said homeless people regularly sleep rough in the park but it's not yet known if Saturday's victim was homeless.

'This is a horrendous crime, as all murders are. Our focus will be on catching the perpetrator of this horrendous crime,' he said.

Det-Insp Stamper did not reveal if the woman was sexually assaulted but said a post-mortem examination would be undertaken.

Police are appealing for anyone who was in the area between Friday evening and Saturday morning who could have information in relation to the suspicious death.

'We really need the community's help with this,' Det-Insp Stamper said.

There will be an increased police presence at the park over the next few days.

Det-Insp Stamper said homeless people regularly sleep rough in the park and it's not yet known if Saturday's victim was homeless. Pictured: police at Royal Park on Saturday

Forensic investigators at the crime scene at Royal Park, Melbourne, on Saturday

Before Ms Dixon's death last year, 17-year-old Masa Vukotic was stabbed to death 49 times by Sean Price in March 2015.

The schoolgirl was on a stroll through Koonung Creek reserve - only a short distance from her Doncaster home - when Price attacked her.

A year earlier, Renea Lau was raped and killed when she walked to work in South Yarra early on June 28, 2015.

Scott Allen Miller chased the 32-year-old, also known as Yuk Ling Lau, before beating her unconscious and dragging her into a nearby park.

Masa Vukotic was stabbed to death 49 times by Sean Price in March 2015

Renea Lau was raped and killed when she walked to work in South Yarra early on June 28, 2015

Jill Meagher was brutally raped and murdered while walking home from a night out Brunswick in 2012

He left her to die and her bloodied body was discovered by walkers a few hours after the attack.

In September 2012, Irish woman Jill Meagher was brutally raped and murdered while walking home from a night out Brunswick.

The murder of the 29-year-old, committed by serial sex offender Adrian Bayley, led to the reform of Victorian parole laws in August 2013.

Advertisement

Up to 1,450 soldiers and 400 musicians line up on Horse Guards Parade today as they rehearse for next month's Trooping of the Colour parade that marks The Queen's official birthday.

The Major General's Review takes place two weeks before the Trooping of the Colour held to mark The Queen's official birthday on June 8, after she turned 93 on April 21 - her actual birth date.

Today is the first of two rehearsal reviews, held at Horse Guards Parade off Whitehall.

A total of 113 words of command will be given by the Officer in Command of the Parade, whose route extends along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall before turning back on itself.

The official trooping takes place on a Saturday in June by The Queen's personal troops, the Household Division, on Horse Guards Parade, with Her Majesty herself attending and taking the salute.

During the ceremony, held for every sovereign since 1748, The Queen will be greeted by a Royal salute and will carry out an inspection of the troops.

After the bands have performed a musical 'troop', the Regimental Colour will be carried down the ranks.

The Foot Guards and Household Cavalry will then march past the monarch while The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, rank past.

Later, Her Majesty will join members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch an RAF fly-past.

Soldiers and Musicians rehearse at the Major General's Review on May 25, just off a Union Jack-lined Whitehall

Today is the first of two rehearsal reviews, held at Horse Guards Parade off Whitehall, carried out in the weeks before the birthday parade

This impressive display of pageantry that is the official trooping takes place on a Saturday in June by her personal troops, the Household Division, on Horse Guards Parade, with Her Majesty the Queen herself attending and taking the salute

A total of 113 words of command will be given by the Officer in Command of the Parade, whose route extends along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall before turning back on itself

Major General's Review is the first of two rehearsals ahead of Trooping The Colour which will take place on Saturday June 8

During the ceremony for her birthday, The Queen will be greeted by a Royal salute and will carry out an inspection of the troops. Soldiers and Musicians rehearse at the Major General's Review

The Trooping of the Colour is also known as the Queen's Birthday Parade and has marked the official birthday of the sovereign since 1748

After the bands have performed a musical 'troop', the Regimental Colour will be carried down the ranks. The Foot Guards and Household Cavalry will then march past the monarch while The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, rank past

After the bands have performed a musical 'troop' at the Trooping, the Regimental Colour will be carried down the ranks

Foot Guards and Household Cavalry will then march past the monarch while The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, rank past

Her Majesty will join members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on June 8 to watch an RAF fly-past

Music has always been an integral part of the Trooping of the Colour and will see more than 400 musicians from ten bands and crops of drums march and play as one

Soldiers and Musicians rehearse at the Major General's Review on May 25, 2019 in London, a year after the heat felled a participating soldier

The second rehearsal almost always takes place exactly two weeks before the actual Birthday Parade, which will broadcast live to millions of viewers around the world

Members of the public are able to watch the grand ceremony by standing on The Mall or on the edge of St James's Park overlooking Horse Guards

Soldiers and Musicians rehearse at the Major General's Review on May 25, 2019 in London, England. The Major General's Review is the first of two rehearsals

The parade route extends from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and back again. Members of the Queen's Guard can be seen taking part in the Colonel's Review today along The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace

Soldiers and Musicians rehearse at the Major General's Review on May 25, 2019 in London

Major General's Review is the first of two rehearsals ahead of Trooping The Colour which will take place on Saturday June 8

During the full ceremony, held for every sovereign since 1748, The Queen will be greeted by a Royal salute and will carry out an inspection of the troops

Fans line the streets along the road leading up to Buckinham Palace and take pictures as guards march byFrench police are hunting a suspected bomber in sunglasses and a cap after 13 people were wounded including a ten-year-old girl, in central Lyon.

Anti-terror prosecutor Remy Heitz said no terror group had yet claimed responsibility after the parcel bomb packed with screws, nails and bolts exploded at 5.30pm on Friday outside a bakery on Rue Victor Hugo.

President Emmanuel Macron called it an 'attack' and sent interior minister Christophe Castaner to the city.

Police issued an appeal for witnesses on Twitter as they sought the man believed to be in his early 30s, who was picked up by security cameras on a mountain bike immediately before the explosion.

A CCTV image of the man suspected to be behind the bomb blast in central Lyon on Friday evening

Emergency service workers load injured people into ambulances after the bomb blast Friday, which French President Emmanuel Macron labelled 'an attack'

Forensics officers inspect the area on Friday evening after a parcel bomb packed with nails, screws and bolts went off at around 5.30pm

Forensics officers in protective clothing examine the scene, taking photos and gathering evidence on Friday evening after at least 13 people - including a young girl - were injured in the blast

An image of the suspect, wearing light-coloured shorts and a longsleeved dark top, was posted. He was described as 'dangerous'.

Justice minister Nicole Belloubet told BFM television it was too soon to say whether the blast was a 'terrorist act'.

The case was nonetheless handed to the Paris prosecutor for anti-terrorism that deal with all terrorist cases.

The number of wounded stood at 13 people, with 11 taken to hospitals. None of the injuries was life-threatening but included eight women and a 10-year-old girl as well as four men.

Specialist police force officers sit in a vehicle to secure the perimeter around the Rue Victor Hugo on Friday evening

An officer armed with a tactical assault rifle and wearing a balaclava secures the scene in central Lyon

A view over the street in central Lyon where police officers gather (left) and forensics officers (right) gather evidence in the cordoned off area

A police source said the package contained 'screws or bolts'. It had been placed in front of a bakery near a busy corner of two crowded streets at around 5.30pm.

District mayor Denis Broliquier said 'the charge was too small to kill,' and an administrative source told AFP it was a 'relatively weak explosive charge' that was triggered at a distance.

The blast occurred on a narrow strip of land between the Saone and Rhone rivers in the historic centre of the southeast city. The area was evacuated and cordoned off by police.

'There was an explosion and I thought it was a car crash,' said Eva, a 17-year-old student who was about 15 metres (50 feet) from the blast site.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner was at the scene in downtown Lyon to support police officers in their intervention and offer reassurance to the public

Emergency workers carry a person injured in a suspected package bomb blast along a pedestrian street in the heart of Lyon

French officers stand beside a police cordon set up in the aftermath of the explosion which French President Emmanuel Macron described as an attack

Anti-terror soldiers secure the site of the suspected bomb attack in central Lyon as authorities hunt for a man in his 30s

'There were bits of electric wire near me, and batteries and bits of cardboard and plastic. The windows were blown out,' he said.

The attack upended last-minute campaigning ahead of France's European Parliament vote on Sunday with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe cancelling his appearance at his centrist party's final rally Friday night.

'I was working, serving customers, and all of a sudden there was a huge 'boom',' said Omar Ghezza, a baker who works nearby.

'We though it had something to do with renovation work. But in fact it was an abandoned package,' he said.

A 'parcel bomb' filled with nails, screws and bolts exploded on a busy street in Lyon, France

Emergency workers attended to an injured person in the back of an ambulance after the bomb blast in Lyon

French police escort the emergency services following a suspected package bomb blast along a pedestrian street in the heart of Lyon

Authorities are saying a man on a bicycle was seen placing a bag on the ground just moments before the blast

The bombing follows a series of Isis and al-Qaeda attacks on France over the past five years that have seen 250 people killed in a series of devastating attacks.

They started in January 2015 with a murderous attack on the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo by two brothers affiliated to al-Qaeda.

Later that year, in November, a series of assaults by Isis terrorists carrying Kalashnikov and explosive in Paris caused 130 deaths.

ISIS has targeted France since the country became involved in bombing raids on the so-called Isis caliphate in Syria and Iraq, but that has been decimated in recent months.

Shocked shoppers looked on as a large police presence filled the busy pedestrian street in the heart of Lyon

A dressed victim being loaded into an ambulance after the attack, with officials later saying there were no serious injuries

A police officer carries evidence at the site of the suspected bomb attack in Lyon on Friday evening

Police officers are seen near the site of a suspected bomb attack in central Lyon this evening

A row of ambulances are spotted as emergency workers attended to injured people in the back of an ambulance after the attack

Despite this, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner and his security chiefs have warned the threat of further violent crimes 'remains very high'.

Last month two Frenchmen were charged in Paris on suspicion of planning an attack on a school or a police officer.

Far-Right groups have also been intercepted planning assaults on ethnic minority targets and politicians, including President Macron himself.

The attack came on the eve of European Parliament elections in France, when millions will go to the polls to elect new MEPs.

Armed police are seen near the site of the suspected bomb attack in central Lyon

The area where the explosion occurred has been evacuated with at least eight people injured

The package contained 'screws or bolts' and had been placed in front of a bakery on the corner of the two popular streets

Anti-government Yellow Vest protesters have also been causing chaos in major cities such as Lyon every weekend as they call for Mr Macron tor resign.

Particularly disturbing attacks on the police have taken place in Lyon, but none have caused fatalities.

Following the bomb explosion, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner called on prefects to 'reinforce security in public place' and urged people to 'be vigilant.'An Instagram account that posts pictures of ramshackle fixer-upper homes for sale is capturing imaginations across the country, inspiring dreams of a simpler rural life.

Launched in 2016 by real estate maven Elizabeth Finkelstein, 38, Cheap Old Houses offers a generation saddled by student debt a shot at the dream of home ownership - if they are willing to put in some elbow grease.

'The account was this perfect storm,' Finkelstein told The Cut. 'People can't afford to buy a home; I'm posting affordable homes. People are tired of living on the internet; these houses offer them the chance to do something tactile, to work with their hands.'

'I think people are buying these houses for the same reason people are quitting their jobs and, you know, making artisanal pickles,' said Finkelstein. 'For people who are sick of the city or sick of staring at their computers for ten hours a day, these houses offer a chance to live offline.'

Towanda, Illinois: $150,000

David and Randi Howell were living in Denver when they found this 6,000-square-foot home on Cheap Old Houses in the central Illinois town of Towanda, population 480

The couple has undertaken an ambitious restoration of the manor room by room

The house had no plumbing, heat or electricity when they moved in with an air mattress

The manor was built around the time of 1869 by a livestock dealer named William R. Duncan, who moved to the Towanda area from Clark County Kentucky in late 1863 during the Civil War

David has left behind design work to take local construction jobs, while wife Randi, a fashion designer, has found work as a clerk in the town post office

Renovation cost: $100,000 (so far)

David and Randi Howell were living in Denver when they found this 6,000-square-foot home on Cheap Old Houses.

The home had no heat, plumbing or electricity, and the couple has undertaken extensive renovations.

'For the first four months, we slept on an air mattress outside, on one of the houses two balconies,' the told The Cut.

'We set up a makeshift kitchen on the other balcony: a fridge, running on temporary electric.'

David, a designer, has taken local work in construction to make ends meet, while his fashion designer wife is working as a clerk in the local post office.

Mount Pulaski, Illinois: $15,000

Contractor Matt Hill, 34, moved from Riverside, California last moth to renovate this massive Victorian home in the small central Illinois town of Mount Pulaski

Abraham Lincoln is rumored to have spent the night in the house at one point in law school

Though hill is an experienced contractor, the home renovation presents a daunting task

The home has no working plumbing, and Hill uses the bathroom at a nearby general store

Hill spent his whole live in California before moving to rural Illinois to buy the home

Renovation cost: $4,000 (so far)

Contractor Matt Hill, 34, had spent his entire life in Riverside, California when he spotted this massive Victorian home on the Cheap Old Houses account in February.

He purchased the home sight unseen, and last month packed up his belongings and drove cross country to the town of 1,500 in central Illinois.

Sleeping on an air mattress in one of the parlors, he gets up at 5am every day and works on the house until the sun goes down.

'Id never been to Illinois or anywhere close to there, really. I just wanted the project,' he told The Cut.

Hill brought some materials and tools donated by his employers in California, but is hoping to raise $10,000 to fund the renovation with a GoFundMe campaign.

Bergton, Virginia: $70,000

Jessica Phillips, a realtor in northern Virginia, was looking for a vacation home when she spotted this home near the West Virginia border

The 1930s cottage sits on four riverfront acres. In addition to using it as a vacation home, Phillips is renting the house out on AirBnb

Phillips spent much of her renovation budget on furnishings to spruce the place up

Renovation cost: $16,000 (so far)

Phillips will use the home for vacations

Jessica Phillips, a realtor in northern Virginia, was looking for a vacation home when she spotted this gem on Cheap Old Houses.

As a child, she had spent time in Bergton, and even discovered a family connection to the home when she learned it was built by the owner of a milking parlor that used to supply her milkman uncle.

'Buying the house was a pretty easy decision,' she told The Cut. 'It had original shiplap and walnut floors harvested from the land, an old cast-iron tub, an old well pump that you have to crank to use  you rarely see working ones anymore.'

Phillips, in addition to using the house for vacations, is renting it out on AirBnB for $225 a night.

Logansport, Indiana: $70,000

Indianapolis resident Missy Price found this home on Instagram and decided to buy it

The home used to belong to the family of War of 1812 hero General John Tipton, later a US Senator from Indiana whom Tipton, Indiana, was named after

Price realized the home would need extensive work but decided to roll up her sleeves

Work is being done to replace the columns of the house, costing about $100,000

Renovation cost: $100,000 (so far)

Indianapolis resident Missy Price found this home about two hours away from her on Cheap Old Houses.

Although it was in poor condition with a leak in the roof, she decided to buy it and fix it up as a retirement home.

'Everything is more expensive than I thought  by a lot,' she told The Cut.

'Were replacing all the columns on the front of the house, which we thought would be about $30,000. Its going to be about $100,000, and Im already about $100,000 in.'

Bristol, Connecticut: $175,000

Ex-lovers Miguel Pantoja and David Farineau decided to get back together to buy this house

Renovations on the house in Bristol, Connecticut are underway

When Farineau sent Pantoja a link to the house on Cheap Old Houses, they decided to get back together and buy the place

Renovation cost: $20,000 (so far)

Miguel Pantoja and David Farineau dated for six years and lived together in Bristol, but broke up when Pantoja moved to Manhattan.

When Farineau sent Pantoja a link to the house on Cheap Old Houses, they decided to get back together and buy the place.

'We closed on the house in March; last weekend, we moved our things in,' Pantoja told The Cut.

'Im hoping the renovation will cost somewhere between $150,000 and $200,000, but things could, of course, go terribly wrong.'A deafblind student who is legally blind with 'inconsistent' hearing, claimed she was kicked off a Jetstar plane because she wasn't travelling with a support person.

Vanessa Vlajkovic, 21, was supposed to travel unaccompanied on a flight from Perth to Adelaide for the first time on Thursday evening for a quick getaway.

But when she arrived at the boarding gate, the 21-year-old claimed she was told by crew she couldn't fly alone - despite having already spoken to the airline's staff.

Vanessa Vlajkovic (pictured) was supposed to travel unaccompanied on a flight from Perth to Adelaide for the first time on Thursday evening for the purpose of a quick getaway

'What they said at the time was 'Yeah, all good, that's fine',' Ms Vlajkovic told ABC News through an interpreter.

Ms Vlajkovic, who was born with optic atrophy - a condition which limits her vision to shapes and shadows - said she arrived at the gate with a support person, who allegedly explained her situation to Jetstar staff.

But when the support person left, the 21-year-old claimed she was left alongside another person in a wheelchair with no information for more than 20 minutes.

Ms Vlajkovic said she was eventually approached by a Jetstar employee, who started talking to her via her BrailleNote computer, which converts text to Braille.

She said the airline employee asked her whether she could read the in-flight safety information, and she replied: 'No, I'm blind. I've told you all of this before.'

The 21-year-old said the employee then asked her whether she could hear anything and tried to give her an iPad to read from, before she reiterated she couldn't see.

Ms Vlajkovic said Jetstar told her the flight had been delayed for 45minutes while crew tried to find someone to accompany her - but eventually it left without her.

'So I cried for 20 minutes, because I couldn't believe what had happened. I wasn't allowed on the plane, which was basic discrimination, just because I can't read the safety instructions,' she said.

Ms Vlajkovic said Jetstar told her the flight had been delayed for 45minutes while crew tried to find someone to accompany her - but eventually it left without her

A Jetstar spokeswoman said Ms Vlajkovic had 'done everything correctly', however an administrative error meant she was unable to fly

Jetstar told Ms Vlajkovic, who is a journalism student and avid cheerleader, she would need to be rebooked on another flight the following day, where she would be accompanied by a crew member.

A Jetstar spokeswoman told ABC News the 21-year-old had 'done everything correctly', but an administrative error meant her details were entered incorrectly.

As a result of the glitch, 'only one of her disabilities' was allegedly recorded in the booking system, which meant it affected her eligibility to fly.

For safety reasons, deafblind passengers must travel with a carer to avoid on-boarding and off-boarding risks, the spokeswoman said.

Ms Vlajkovic (left and right) said she wants the airline's policies to change because a Jetstar crew member allegedly told her there was no proof of her disability in her booking

Despite being born with limited vision, Ms Vlajkovic said she could previously hear, until it gradually began to deteriorate from the age of seven.

She said if the flight crew had provided her with safety instructions in Braille she would have been fine to fly unaccompanied on Thursday.

The usually upbeat 21-year-old, who was previously WA's Young Person of the Year, said she wants the airline to admit fault over the incident and apologise to her.

Ms Vlajkovic also said she wants the airline's policies to change because a Jetstar crew member allegedly told her there was no proof of her disability in her booking.

She said she wants to raise awareness about the issue because other people with disabilities go through similar situations, which is not acceptable.

'I want to break through the barriers, because this is really not good enough,' she said.

Jetstar has since apologised to Ms Vlajkovic and confirmed it is reviewing her case to determine whether all processes were followed.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Jetstar for comment.The aunt of a young intern who was mauled to death by a lion at a North Carolina animal sanctuary is claiming that the staff seemed more preoccupied with saving the big cat than her niece, after an investigation found that the girl was left with the predator for almost three hours during the attack.

Alex Black, 22, was just 10 days into her unpaid internship at the private Conservators Center animal sanctuary, when the tragedy occurred.

She had been preparing deer meat to feed the big cats, and suddenly found herself alone, staring down the lion in a place where it could have reached visitors, according to her aunt, Virginia Black.

'Rather than panic and run away, she tried to keep him calm, keeping his focus on her and trying to distract him with the deer,' Black wrote in a letter to North Carolina's lawmakers.

'It is possible she saved other lives that day,' Black wrote. But she lost her own. The lion pounced, pulling her back through an open gate into its enclosure, where it dragged her around by the neck.

Virginia Black (right) and her late niece, Alexandra Black, (left) in Lafayette, Indiana in October of 2018. Alexandra died in a fatal lion mauling at an animal sanctuary in North Carolina in December 2018. Now, her aunt is urging lawmakers to strengthen regulations on animal facilities in the state

Alexandra Black (left), 22, was an intern at the Conservators Center in Burlington, North Carolina, who was killed by a male lion named Matthai (right) at the center on December 30

A sign outside the entrance to Conservators Center in Burlington, North Carolina where an intern was mauled to death by a lion on December 30

Months after the mauling last December at the Conservators Center in Burlington, North Carolina, the family still questions the sanctuary's safety protocols.

'We still want more answers and certainly the public deserves to have more answers,' Black told The Associated Press in an interview. 'I think what happened to Alex is a call to action.'

North Carolina is one of just four states with no laws controlling ownership of nonnative big cats. Its rules for owning other wild animals are generally lax.

Black urged lawmakers to strengthen a House bill that passed this month that would prohibit private ownership of big cats, great apes, hyenas and bears, but wouldn't regulate facilities such as the Conservators Center, which are licensed by the US Department of Agriculture. She wants the state to require routine safety drills and law enforcement-approved safety plans.

'Sanctuaries and zoos where a person has been killed or injured where investigation has revealed a lack of proper safety drills, equipment and protocols should no longer be able to keep dangerous wild animals,' she wrote.

It's unclear how Matthai - a 14-year-old male with 2.5-inch long upper canine teeth - escaped. The medical examiner cited an animal trainer who said a ball kept a gate from closing.

Alex Mack (pictured) had been preparing deer meat to feed to the lions on December 30 when she suddenly found herself alone, staring down the lion Matthai in a place where he could have reached visitors, according to her aunt, Virginia Black

Arriving firefighters who didn't have a tranquilizer gun sprayed water from fire hoses in a futile attempt to move the lion away from Alex (right)

The center said it was 'neither accurate nor plausible' that a 28-inch wide lions' play ball blocked the gate, but offered no alternative explanation.

Outside the steel enclosure, the only barrier is a roughly 4-foot high chain-link fence that visitors are instructed not to lean on, for fear it might break.

The attack happened around 11.15am, the Caswell County sheriff's report said. Alex's body wasn't examined until 2.15pm.

With no tranquilizer gun immediately on hand, arriving firefighters sprayed water from fire hoses in a futile attempt to move the lion away.

Once the center's CEO, Douglas Evans, had the tranquilizer gun, he struggled to load it, and a dart seemed to break inside, the sheriff's report said.

'When the gentleman tried to assemble the tranquilizer gun, he was reading the instructions,' Black wrote in her letter, citing a witness she wouldn't identify.

Evans then drove to retrieve a blow gun, and hit the lion twice with tranquilizer darts, to no apparent effect. Law enforcement officers ultimately shot the lion eight times, the sheriff's report said.

In a letter to lawmakers, Alex's aunt said 'The center apparently made an early decision that she had died, and the priority became saving the lion'

A sheriff's report revealed Alex's body was motionless when law enforcement arrived at the scene of the attack on December 30 and it was 'unclear' whether she was alive or dead

'It seems clear that if the center had a real plan for how it would react in such a situation, it had rarely or never been practiced,' Black concluded in her letter.

'The center apparently made an early decision that she had died, and the priority became saving the lion.'

Alex's body was motionless, her status 'unclear,' when law enforcement arrived, the sheriff's report said. When they finally reached her, she had bled out and died, the autopsy found.

'What if she could've been saved?' Black said.

The center responded to emailed questions about Black's claims with a brief statement saying safety measures have been thoroughly reviewed and the staff retrained.

'The Center is confident that if all of its policies and procedures are followed, its guests, staff, and animals are safe,' Executive Director Mindy Stinner wrote in an email.

Officers ultimately shot the lion Matthai (pictured) eight times, killing the animal. When responders reached Alex, she had already bled out and died

In this Sept. 30, 2017 photo made available by Erik Sommer, the lion Matthai relaxes inside his enclosure at the Conservators Center in Burlington, North Carolina. Matthai escaped from his enclosure in December 2018, and fatally mauled Alex Black, 22, before he was shot eight times and died

The center's USDA license does require it to pass inspections and abide by certain animal welfare and safety regulations, and violations can result in fines and ultimately loss of the license.

But the USDA has allowed repeat violators to continue operating, and its standards aren't as strict as those required for accreditation by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

An unannounced USDA inspection in January 2019, one month after Black's death, found the center had 'no non-compliant items,' and the department declined to say if it's still investigating. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration declined to discuss its separate investigation, which it expects to finish in June.

The center reopened in February with a dozen employees caring for more than 80 animals, seen by 16,000-plus visitors annually, according to its website.

Alexandra Black (left) graduated from Indiana State University not long before she was killed

'I was surprised when it opened,' Black said. 'I just don't know why it's enough for them to say, "look we changed some things... come on over!"'

Her letter has had some impact: Lawmakers amended their bill to include a study of safety requirements for exempted facilities, which the center supports.

'I would've loved to see a stronger bill. I did what I could,' said Rep. Pricey Harrison, a Democrat. She introduced the amendment, but said her efforts to add more regulations were spurned by some of her colleagues.

Republican Rep. Rena Turner, who introduced the bill, said she wants to see whether the USDA will change its rules before adding state regulations.

Dan Ashe, executive director of the AZA, said the center contacted a member of his association for unofficial safety advice following Black's death. Facilities like these should get AZA accreditation, he said, calling USDA standards 'minimal.'

'If a facility has dangerous animals, they should hold themselves to high standards and should be held by the government to high standards,' he said.

No states mandate AZA accreditation, but some cities require it as a condition of building or operating permits, and while meeting higher standards can be costly, reducing risk is worth it, Ashe said.

'How much is a life worth?' he asked.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into two airports over complaints of religious discrimination after Chick-Fil-A was banned from the premises for over the company's controversial LGBTQ+ views.

FFA officials are now working to determine whether the San Antonio and Buffalo Niagara International airports acted in a discriminatory way towards the Southern Baptist influenced fast-food chain.

The Department of Transportation has received complaints alleging discrimination by two airport operators against a private company due to the expression of the owners religious beliefs,' the FAA said in a statement.

According to the agency, airports that are funded federally are forbidden from discriminating on the basis of religion.

FFA officials are working to determine whether the San Antonio and Buffalo Niagara International airports discriminated the company's 'Christian values'

According to the agency, airports that are funded federally are forbidden from discriminating on the basis of religion (pictured: San Antonio airport)

The FAA notes that federal requirements prohibit airport operators from excluding persons on the basis of religious creed from participating in airport activities that receive or benefit from FAA grant funding, the statement continues.

Chick-fil-A has faced an onslaught of criticism after news emerged that the business directs donations towards organisations that actively oppose same-sex marriages and gay relationships.

Several public officials and governing groups have since publicly denounced the popular chain for holding homophobic views.

By a slim margin, San Antonios city council voted against allowing a Chick-fil-A to open in its airport, citing the restaurants legacy of anti-LGBTQ+ behavior.

Similarly, Buffalo Niagara International rejected a proposal to open a chain of the chicken fast-food specialist, calling the business an anti-LGBTQ corporation.

But in response, First Liberty  a law firm dedicated to fighting for religious freedom - filed a complaint to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in March, accusing San Antonio of outright discrimination that caused it to miss out on federal funding.

Federal taxpayers should not be required to subsidize religious bigotry, first Liberty said in reference to San Antonio's verdict.

Chick-fil-A has faced criticism after news emerged of the business direct donations towards organisations that actively oppose same-sex marriage

Associate of the firm, Keisha Russel, blasted San Antonio on Friday, claiming the city had engaged in blatant, illegal, religious discrimination.

We are pleased that the FAA responded to our request by opening an investigation into San Antonio for its blatant, illegal religious discrimination against Chick-fil-A, Russell told Fox News.

First Liberty also launched our own investigation into the Citys actions and we vow to get to the bottom of San Antonios decision. American business owners should not have to suffer because they want to operate their businesses in accordance with their religious beliefs. Few things are more un-American than government hostility against religion.

In solidarity with First Liberty, lawmakers in Texas passed a Save Chick-fil-A bill to push back against the San Antonio City Councils decision.

The bill as filed ensures religious beliefs are protected from discrimination. It's about the First Amendment and freedom of speech, freedom of religion  those uniquely American rights, the bill's author said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign the bill, tweeting What are the odds Ill sign the Chick-fil-A bill, uploading a picture to Twitter of a soda from the restaurant. Ill let you know after dinner.

Rodney Bullard, executive director for the Chick-fil-A Foundation, told Business Insider the companys mission of helping the community outweighs the outrage of pro-LGBT groups over contributions to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army.

Chick-fil-A gave $1,653,416 to the fellowship and $150,000 to the Salvation Army in 2017, according to tax filings released earlier this year.

Chick-fil-A gave $1,653,416 to the fellowship and $150,000 to the Salvation Army in 2017, according to tax filings released earlier this year (pictured a donation stub to the FCA for $825,000)

Buffalo Niagara International (pictured) rejected a proposal to open a chain of the chicken fast-food specialist, calling the business an anti-LGBTQ corporation

The calling for us is to ensure that we are relevant and impactful in the community, and that we're helping children and that we're helping them to be everything that they can be, Bullard said.

For us, that's a much higher calling than any political or cultural war that's being waged, he said. This is really about an authentic problem that is on the ground that is present and ever present in the lives of many children who can't help themselves.

Bullard further defended the companys donations to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, noting that though the companys board doesnt believe in same-sex marriage, the fellowships summer camp does focus on helping young people from low income households.

Chick-fil-A added that it was in no way involved with the FAAs investigation and insisted the company held no social or political opinions, contrary to reports.

Chick-fil-A is not involved in this investigation. Recent coverage about our company continues to drive an inaccurate narrative about who we are. We are a restaurant company focused on food and hospitality for all, and we have no social or political stance, the company said in a statement to Fox News.

We are grateful for all our customers and are glad to serve them at any time. We welcome and embrace all people, regardless of religion, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity.An elderly cat has died after suffering in agony for three days when she was sprayed with waterproof paint by a cruel animal torturer who has struck three times in recent days.

Miggeli was 13 years old and an easy target for the cat torturer that has allegedly already abused several other pets in the Biel-Benken region of north-west Switzerland.

It is believed the abuser broke the jaw of one cat and shaved the fur off two others in the area in recent weeks.

Miggeli, 13, suffered in agony for three days before succumbing to her injuries when she was sprayed with waterproof paint by an animal abuser

It is believed the abuser broke the jaw of one cat and shaved the fur off two others in the area in recent weeks

Miggeli's owner Sina Kunz said: 'Her entire body and especially her face were sprayed with waterproof yellow paint.'

The cat died three days later after slipping into a critical condition and never recovering.

Ms Kunz added that she was convinced that a cat torturer that had been operating in the area was responsible for the attack, and has reported the incident to police.

Other animal abuse incidents that have been reported include an attack involving a one-year-old male cat called Gringo, who had been shaved and had his jaw and front legs broken.

Miggeli's owner Sina Kunz said: 'Her entire body and especially her face were sprayed with waterproof yellow paint'

Other animal abuse incidents that have been reported include an attack involving a one-year-old male cat called Gringo, who had been shaved and had his jaw and front legs broken

His shocked owner said it appeared the legs had been broken with a pair of pliers.

A six-year-old cat called Haxli was also found with most of her fur shaved off, and her claws and whiskers cut off.

A vet who examined her said the fur appeared to have been cut off by scissors and then shaved with some form of razor.

The vet told local media: 'A normal person would not do something like that.. I think whoever did this really needs some serious help.'

A police spokesman said they were investigating all three incidents although they noted that the paint attack had happened some 7 kilometres away from where the two cats had been shaved.A U.S. Navy SEAL officer charged with war crimes in Iraq who Donald Trump is considering pardoning has been allowed to see his wife.

Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher is charged with killing a wounded Islamic State prisoner under his care in Iraq in 2017.

He is currently being held in a California prison amid accusations he repeatedly plunged a knife into the wounded body of a young ISIS fighter and fired sniper rounds at innocent civilians in Iraq.

Navy Seal Edward Gallagher, who was charged with war crimes has been allowed to see his with his wife Andrea for a second time. They are pictured here together in an undated photo

After being reunited with his wife Andrea and children for the first time since his arrest in 2017, he he was allowed to spend more time with his wife

He was reunited with Andrea and their children for the first time since his arrest in 2017, according to an undated photos provided by his legal team.

It comes amid reports that Trump has requested the paperwork needed for pardons, suggesting that the final announcements could come on Memorial Day. Trump and his family will be in Japan over the holiday, which falls on Monday.

Dozens of Republican congressmen have championed Gallagher's cause, claiming he's an innocent war hero being unfairly prosecuted.

Trump got him moved from the brig to better confinement in a military hospital with access to his lawyers and family.

Gallagher was a highly lauded special warfare operator who has racked up numerous awards during his eight tours of duty.

Trump said on Friday he was considering pardons for 'two or three' American soldiers charged with war crimes, including Gallagher.

He accepted the move would be controversial but justified because they had been treated 'unfairly.'

'Some of these soldiers are people that have fought hard, long. You know, we teach them how to be great fighters, and then when they fight sometime, they get really treated very unfairly,' Trump said.

He did not identify which cases he was reviewing.

The New York Times on May 18 reported Trump had asked the Justice Department for paperwork on several high-profile war crimes cases in preparation for possible pardons to be announced on or around the U.S. Memorial Day holiday honoring fallen troops. This year's holiday is to be observed on Sunday.

Trump said on Friday he was considering pardons for 'two or three' American soldiers charged with war crimes including Gallagher (pictured)

Gallagher is currently being held in a California prison amid accusations he repeatedly plunged a knife into the wounded body of an ISIS fighter and shot at innocent civilians

Gallagher, 39, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Defense lawyers say the allegations against him were fabricated by subordinate SEAL team members disgruntled with his leadership style and seeking to force him out.

Gallagher's trial was delayed this week until June 10 at the earliest. His lawyer told Reuters he had not asked for a pardon, and Gallagher declined to comment on the possibility of presidential clemency when asked by reporters in court.

The prospect of Trump offering Gallagher a pardon seemed heightened by this week's appointment to his defense team of former federal prosecutor Marc Mukasey, one of Trump's personal lawyers and an associate of fellow Trump attorney Rudolph Giuliani, the former New York City mayor.

In March, Trump got Gallagher moved from the brig to better confinement in a military hospital in San Diego with access to his lawyers and family

Gallagher was reunited with his family for the first time in April since his arrest in 2017

Another Giuliani associate, ex-New York Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik - who served three years in prison in a federal corruption case - is an investigator on Gallagher's defense team.

Mukasey, in an interview with Reuters on Thursday, dismissed the notion of seeking a pardon for Gallagher.

'I have a job to do in the courtroom. I have no clue whether anything else is going on,' he said.

Gallagher's wife denied any suggestion of impropriety over a lawyer for the commander-in-chief joining her husband's court-martial defense.

'There is no direct conflict in my mind,' she told Reuters on Friday. 'Marc Mukasey has not talked to the president.

Trump first weighed in on the Gallagher case publicly in March, ordering the defendant moved to less restrictive pre-trial confinement 'in honor of his past service to our country'

Gallagher was a highly lauded special warfare operator who has racked up numerous awards during his eight tours of duty prior to his arrest

'The president has not talked to him. So I think that this insinuation that a lawyer representing one individual that's also representing another is actually just stringing together a conspiracy that's non-existent.'

Gallagher's lead civilian attorney, Timothy Parlatore, told reporters on Wednesday following a hearing at Naval Base San Diego: 'If the president decides to step in, that's what the commander does.'

Trump first weighed in on the Gallagher case publicly in March, ordering the defendant moved to less restrictive pre-trial confinement 'in honor of his past service to our country.'

Gary Solis claimed Trump dishonors all military members who do adhere to the laws of war by considering pardons for serviceman who have defied orders

A number of conservative commentators have urged him to pardon Gallagher.

Critics say it would preempt justice, undermine military discipline and send a message that battlefield atrocities will be tolerated.

Many veterans have been angered by reports that Trump intends to pardon alleged war criminals on Memorial Day, which is when they are honored by the country.

Gary Solis, a former military judge, prosecutor and Marine, told Quartz: 'He is a serial draft evader who wants to play general. This just exhibits the presidents ignorance.'

Solis claimed that Trump dishonors all military members who do adhere to the laws of war by considering pardons for serviceman who have defied orders.

'The presidents move disregards civilian law, too, as every military offense under the U.S. Uniform Code of Military Justice is also a federal crime, Solis notes.

Since the president is responsible for signing amendments that implement and improve the military code, and Trump has signed two already, hell also be undermining his own handiwork, the former marine points out.A surge in dead or dying gray whales washing up on the shores of Americas West Coast since the beginning of Spring is causing concern among scientists - but the reason behind troubling rise in fatalities largely remains a mystery.

In the late 19th Century gray whales were hunted to the point of near-extinction, and their existence looks precarious once more after 61 mammals have washed up dead on U.S. shores this year alone.

The disturbing statistic is predicted to be much worse because only around 10 percent of dead whale carcasses likely wash ashore.

So far as many as 610 may have died since the turn of the year, marking a significant dent in the grays' already dwindling population of just 27,000.

According to scientists, most dead grays found exhibited typical signs of malnutrition, with some having starved to death. But its the reason behind the apparent lack of food sources thats continuing to perplex experts.

The reason behind troubling rise in fatalities among grays remains a mystery. Sixty-one of the great mammals have washed up dead on the shores of the US West Coast this year alone

According to scientists, the majority dead grays found exhibited typical signs of malnutrition, with some of the creatures having even starved to death

Grays are currently in the midst of its annual migratory season, which sees them travel from the coast of Mexico, all the way up to the shores on Alaska in search of new feeding grounds.

To survive the grueling 10,000 round-trip, the whales need to be coated in a thick layer of blubber to help them maintain energy and warmth as they traverse through varying water temperatures.

However, disruptions in the food-chain are preventing many of the creatures from building a substantial insulatory layer, and as a result theyre dying prematurely during the exhausting journey.

Clearly something is going on with the forage, as these animals tanks of gas are either empty or very low, said Justin Viezbicke, California marine mammal stranding coordinator for National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to the Press Democrat.

One possible cause of the gray whales woes is that theyve reached whats known as a carrying capacity - the maximum number their habitat can sustain

Already this season, a total of 37 whales have been found dead in California. The average death toll for whales in the state for the entire migratory period is usually between 20 and 25.

Combining the body count with those found in Oregon and Washington, 61 of the mammals have been found dead in total, putting 2019 on course to either match or exceed the last big death spike, seen in 2000, where 86 were found dead.

There are more dead whales than there should be, said UC Davis Research Associate Frances Gulland, a veterinarian and member of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission. Its certainly enough to get one concerned about whats going on in the feeding grounds.

One possible cause of the gray whales woes, scientist have theorized, is that theyve reached whats known as a carrying capacity  the maximum number of whales its habitat can sustain.

They believe it may be the case there is just simply not enough food to go round for each of the creatures, leaving the least tenacious of the species to starve.

But scientists say theyre also investigating whether recent warming trends in the Arctic and melting ice caps may have impacted the whales prey.

But scientists say theyre also investigating whether recent warming trends in the Arctic and melting ice caps may have impacted the whales prey

2019 is on course to either match or exceed the last big death spike, seen in 2000, where 86 were found dead.

We have to really be on top of: Is there any relationship to climate change? And does this link to any other factors that might be affecting other species as well?' John Calambokidis of the Cascadia Research Collective told KTOO.

Could gray whales be an early warning sign of other things that we need to be watchful for?

The Arctic is warming at the twice the rate of the rest of the world  with temperatures in the Bering Sea as much as nine degrees warmer than last summer.

Calambokidis said the apparent warming of the oceans and retreating of ice shelves appear to be driving gray whales further north to hunt for food than they ever would have before.

But the so-called warm blob phenomenon - a broad, persistent band of warm water that stretched down the West Coast from Alaska in 2014 and 2015  may have had a knock-on effect that is only visible among the gray whales now.

It does seem like there is some lack of food thing going on, but its not 100 percent clear what is causing that, said Elliott Hazen, a research ecologist with NOAAs Southwest Fisheries Science Center to the PD. Basically, is it long-term change? Is it still a repercussion of the warm water events we had in 2015? Theres not a clear smoking gun.

Johnson added that reports from Mexico this year suggested that 50 percent of the whales that arrived on the countrys warm shores last year were already underweight.

Fewer calves were born than usual during their stay down south as well, officials say.

ohnson added that reports from Mexico this year suggested that 50% of the whales that arrived on the countrys warm shores last year were already underweight

In another display of unusual behavior, grays  which are known for swimming close to the shore  have started deviating from their traditional course north and wandered into places such as the San Francisco Bay.

Typically, one or two gray whales would be sighted passing beneath the Golden Gate Bridge during this time of year, however this season experts have seen as many as five entering the bay at the same time.

Among the dead, the majority of those found have been female. Scientists say this makes sense as the mothers and their young are the last to embark on the migration and therefore have the least reserves.

Among the dead, the majority of those found have been female. Scientists say this makes sense as the mothers and their young are the last to embark on the migration and therefore have the least reserves

But experts say theyre concerned that so many adult grays have been found lifeless on the shoreline, because theyre usually good at buffering against really bad conditions by lowering reproductive rates for a few years until food supplies improve.

When you start having adult mortalaties, these large predators, its a sign theyve been facing a number of bad years, most likely, Hazen said. I tend to view them as sentinels of ecosystem change for that reason. I do think they are telling us something.

NOAA surveys the gray whales feeding habits and patterns every summer. Last years results are now being intensely analysed to see if they can explain this springs surge in deaths.

This year, NOAA say they will be conducting a survey to specifically determine whether there are more whales that are competing for limited resources, or, for some reason, is that food less nutritious or not providing them as much energy to sustain them on during the migration.Feminist American author Naomi Wolf was corrected live on British radio about a fundamental factual error in her new book, which falsely claims certain men in Victorian London were executed for sodomy.

Wolf was stunned to learn of her mistake in an interview on Thursday with BBC Radio 3 journalist Matthew Sweet, who gently pointed out that she had misinterpreted the British legal term 'death recorded.'

'I found, like, several dozen executions,' Wolf told Sweet of her research into Old Bailey prosecutions of sodomy in the 1800s, for her new book, Outrages: Sex, Censorship And The Criminalization Of Love.

'I don't think you're right about this,' Sweet fired back. 'Death recorded is what's in most of these cases that you've identified as executions. It doesn't mean that he was executed.'

Feminist Naomi Wolf (left) was stunned to learn of her mistake in an interview on Thursday with BBC Radio 3 journalist Matthew Sweet (right)

'It was a category that was created in 1823 that allowed judges to abstain from pronouncing a sentence of death on any capital convict whom they considered to be a fit subject for pardon,' Sweet said.

Wolf's new book is due out in June

'I don't think any of the executions you've identified here actually happened,' he continued.

Stunned, Wolf replied: 'Well, that's a really important thing to investigate.'

Sweet zeroed in on a particular case presented on page 71 of Wolf's book, that of teenager Thomas Silver, whom she writes was 'actually executed for committing sodomy.'

'Thomas Silver wasn't executed,' Sweet says in the interview, producing a contemporary newspaper clipping showing that Silver's sentence was commuted.

The 1859 article from the Windsor and Eton Express read: 'The prisoner was found guilty, and a sentence of death was recorded. The jury recommend the prisoner to mercy on account of his youth, and the judge said that he would lay the communication in before the proper authorities.'

Prisoners are seen on the gallows for mass execution at Old Bailey in the 1780s. The Judgement of Death Act of 1823 introduced the commuted sentence of 'death recorded'

In her book, Wolf describes the case of Thomas Silver, a teenager she says was executed for committing sodomy in London in 1859

A newspaper clipping from the time shows that Silver's automatic death sentence was commuted, as well as that his crime was much more serious than Wolf indicated

Sweet also pointed out that the nature of Silver's crime was more disturbing than Wolf's description of an 'unnatural offense.'

The Express reported that Silver, then 17, was convicted for indecently assaulting a six-year-old boy, adding that 'the evidence was totally unfit for publication.'

Jail records show that Silver served a prison term in Newgate.

Wolf took to Twitter to admit that she had made a critical mistake in her book.

'There is an error on on 71 and p 72 of my book Outrages: Sex, Censorship and the Criminalization of Love,' she wrote. '14 year old Thomas Silver, sentenced to death at the Old Bailey for sodomy, was not ultimately executed, nor was 60 year old John Spenser. Corrected.'

What is a sentence of 'death recorded' at Old Bailey Open-air Justice Hall in Old Bailey is seen as it was before enclosure in 1737 In 1823, the U.K. Parliament passed the Judgement of Death Act, which reformed the death penalty by allowing judges to commute the death sentence for all crimes excepting treason and murder. At the time, there were more than 200 offenses that carried a mandatory death penalty under English law, but royal pardons had become routine for lesser crimes. Criminals would routinely make a mockery of the death sentence from the dock, knowing that they would be spared execution for minor crimes. To reform the system, the new law required a judge to enter a sentence of death in the court record for mandatory capital crimes, but the judge could then commute the sentence himself rather than waiting for an inevitable royal pardon. Thus, 'death recorded' meant the opposite of 'death pronounced', since a death sentence had to be verbally proclaimed for an execution. Advertisement

The error drew massive backlash from both academic and lay commentators, some of whom pointed out Wolf's history of dubious claims.

Wolf, a former adviser to the presidential campaigns of both Bill Clinton and Al Gore, was excoriated in 2014 for claiming that ISIS hostages were actors and the group's beheading videos were a hoax.

During former President George W. Bush's time in office, Wolf made the controversial claim that his administration was plotting a secret fascist takeover of American society.

In a statement, Wolf's U.S. publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt said the error was unfortunate, but that it believed the overall thesis of Wolf's book still holds.Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of pregnant teenager Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, who was murdered by a family of 'womb raiders' who cut out her unborn baby after luring her to their home with the promise of free children's clothing.

The 19-year-old was strangled on April 23 before having her son cut from her womb in a sickening attack in Chicago that went undetected for three weeks.

Marlen's husband Yovany was pictured helping to carry his wife's coffin as he joined her family from Mexico to lay her to rest at the Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Stickney, Illinois, on Saturday.

Her heartbroken uncle, Jesus Maldonado, said it feels 'like it will never end' as the family gathered to pay their respects.

Marlen's grandparents and extended family had arrived in Chicago on Thursday for the service and were introduced to her newborn son, Yadiel, who remains in the intensive care unit at the Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois.

That is where her alleged killers brought him on April 23 after they are accused of cutting him from her womb, claiming he was their own.

Mourners entered the funeral home in large groups as a picture of Ochoa-Lopez on her wedding day was placed in front of her casket.

Many wore t-shirts with a picture of Marlen on as they shared memories of their loved one.

The funeral procession filled with friends and family of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez at Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Stickney

The 19-year-old was strangled on April 23 before having her son cut from her womb in a sickening attack in Chicago that went undetected for three weeks

Marlen Ochoa-Lopez's coffin is carried by loved ones, including her husband Yovany, after hundreds came to mourn her death

Her newborn son, Yadiel, who remains in the intensive care unit at the Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois

Marlen Ochoa Lopez's funeral was held at Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Stickney, Illinois

Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral for pregnant teenager on Saturday

Marlen's sickening murder went undiscovered for three weeks. Her grandparents and extended family arrived in Chicago on Thursday for the service

Two mourners embrace. Late on Thursday, her parents shared photographs from inside the funeral home of her white casket which was adorned with flowers

Many mourners wore t-shirts with a picture of Marlen on as they shared memories of the mom

A slideshow showed pictures of the young mom with her son and selfies she had taken

A slideshow revealed pictures of the young mom with her son and selfies she had taken of her nails, painted by her own mother.

Jesus Maldonado, Ochoa-Lopez's heartbroken uncle, told The Chicago Tribune: 'It just started. This is all very hard. It feels like it will never end. '

Marlen Ochoa-Lopez was murdered on April 23

Family friend Maria Martinez added: 'There are people that don't know her, but it hurts us all. How can people be so bad?'

Prayers cards which read 'Todo lo puedo en Cristo que me fortalece,' meaning, 'I can do anything with Christ's strength.' were also handed out.

It comes as it was revealed the teen's family are now working with politicians to create a bill, called 'Marlen's Law', that would make checks at hospitals for women who show up with babies mandatory.

Clarisa Figueroa, 46, her daughter Desiree, 24, and Clarisa's boyfriend Piotr Bobak, 40, are all behind bars awaiting their first court appearances on charges of murder and concealing a corpse.

Marlene went missing on April 23 and was reported missing by her husband the next day.

The alleged killers are said to have distracted her with a photo album of her dead son then ambushed her with an electrical cable and then used a butcher's knife to cut her baby out from her womb, it was claimed on Friday as fresh, sickening details of the murder emerged.

But for two weeks, her alleged killers pretended her baby boy was their own in the hospital. They were caught by a DNA test, which proved he bore no relation to him.

Her husband Yovany, left, tearfully revealed how her family suspected he was responsible for her disappearance before the truth emerged. Mourners shared their memories of Marlen at her funeral on Saturday, right

Family and friends, including Marlen's mother and grandmother pictured, arrive at her funeral

One mourner carried a painting of tragic Marlen, left, as her father Arnulfo Ochoa arrives, right

Her heartbroken uncle, Jesus Maldonado, said it feels 'like it will never end' as the family, pictured, gathered to pay their respects

A mural for Marlen Ochoa-Lopez at 16th and South Newberry Ave in the Pilsen neighborhood

It was only when police were alerted to Marlen's Facebook contact with Clarisa by one of the family's friends that any connection to the accused was made.

Marlen's body was not found until May 15 in a trash can behind Clarisa Figueroa's house.

On Thursday, her husband of three years, Yovany, tearfully revealed how her family suspected he was responsible for her disappearance before the truth emerged.

He also told how he was forced to take a lie detector test by Chicago cops and that the whole process left him 'broken-hearted' and defeated.

Clarisa Figueroa, 46, was the mastermind of the plot. She pretended she was pregnant for months and lured Marlen to her home after meeting her on Facebook, according to police

Clarisa's 24-year-old daughter Desiree, left, is four months pregnant. She made a full confession to police including how she pulled Marlen's fingers away from her neck to stop her from fighting her mother as she strangled her with an electric cable. Piotr Bobak, 40, right, is Clarisa's boyfriend who is accused of helping them cover up the murder

The hospital where the baby was brought is also now under investigation for not calling the authorities when Clarisa appeared, claiming to have given birth to him on April 23, but showing no signs of labor.

Prosecutors say Clarisa was examined by an OB technician who cleaned Marlen's blood off her but that no one thought to call the authorities about the fact it was clear she was not in the condition of a woman who had just given birth at home.The Navy admiral who oversaw the May 2011 raid on Osama bin Laden's compound has revealed the advice he gave to his team of SEALs as they prepared to confront the world's most wanted terrorist.

In an interview with Fox & Friends on Saturday, Admiral William McRaven disclosed that he told the special ops of SEAL Team Six to 'just do their jobs'.

Reminiscing on the raid - which ended in the death of bin Laden - the 63-year-old stated: 'I told the guys, "It is going to be easy to get overcome by the moment, but just do your jobs"'.

While McRaven claimed he wanted to approach the mission 'just like any other' he conceded that it 'obviously felt different'.

On Saturday's edition of Fox and Friends, Admiral William McRaven reminisced on Operation Neptune Spear - the May 2011 raid on Osama bin Laden's compound

'We knew that if bin Laden was there, that this was going to be a historic moment in terms of bringing justice to all those people that were killed in 9/11', he told interviewer Pete Hegseth.

The mission - known as Operation Neptune Star - involved 25 Navy seals who raided the terrorist's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in the early morning hours of May 2, 2011.

Bin Laden was shot and killed by decorated special forces soldier Rob O'Neill, who said earlier this week that he immediately knew he was confronting the terrorist.

Speaking on Fox Business Network on Wednesday, O'Neill stated: 'I was sure when I saw him. When I saw him standing up on two feet I recognized his nose his beard was short and white.'

25 Navy SEALs stormed the the terrorist's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan (pictured)

Bin Laden (left) was shot and killed by decorated special forces soldier Rob O'Neill (right)

O'Neill said that people inside the house also confirmed that Bin Laden was there.

'There was a group of women that found him  and they turned out to be - one woman in particular - 100 percent right about 100 percent of the people inside,' he said.

'She was so frustrated saying "If you want a shot at Osama bin Laden he's on the third floor of this house right now and I don't understand why we are not leaving"'.

O'Neill noted that bin Laden's youngest of four wives, Amal bin Laden, confirmed that the raid by the SEALs killed her husband.It was dawn on Tuesday, June 6, 1944. In a landing craft filled with a sense of fear and trepidation, two officers from very different backgrounds crouched low to avoid the inevitable incoming fire. In an earlier confidential briefing, the men had been warned to expect 75 per cent casualties  dead and wounded  as they charged up Sword Beach as part of the D-Day landings.

They had, understandably, kept that grim prediction from the rank-and-file as they prepared for their role in the largest seaborne invasion in history: codenamed Operation Neptune, it involved more than 155,000 men.

One of those two men was the privately educated Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Burbury, 38, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment; the other was a working-class Lancashire lad, Lieutenant Eric Ashcroft, a 27-year-old signals officer. The latter was also my beloved father.

Lord Ashcroft tells how a previously undiscovered family document revealed the mesmerising story of the colonel that led his father into battle. (Pictured) Troops coming ashore during training exercises for D-Day

As they crashed through the waves and ran on to Sword Beach, the 1st South Lancs came under withering enemy fire.

Lieut-Col Burbury was shot dead by a snipers bullet and my father suffered serious shrapnel injuries.

Such are the fine margins between life and death on the battlefield. If my father had been standing just a few feet to one side, he would have been killed and Lieut-Col Burbury might have lived.

My father fought on until he was ordered from the battlefield, and he went on to make a full recovery.

Later, he would marry, have two children and enjoy a fulfilling career as a colonial officer before eventually dying in February 2002, a month before his 85th birthday.

A young Lord Ashcroft photographed with his father Eric. His father suffered serious shrapnel injuries during the war while Lieut-Col Burbury was shot dead by a snipers bullet

My father would recount his terrifying experiences to me when I was a boy of about ten, and it was this that first inspired my lifelong interest in bravery  one that would lead me to amass the worlds largest collection of Victoria Crosses (more than 200 to date) and to write six books on gallantry.

Throughout my adult life, I had always wanted to learn more about Lieut-Col Burbury, but aside from his name, rank, age and the date of his death, the details of his life were unknown to me  until now.

Pictured: Lt Col Richard Burbury who was killed in action during the D-Day landings in 1944

For in a strange coincidence, I discovered that Eton College put out an appeal several months ago asking the families of Old Etonians involved in D-Day to come forward with information for a school project to mark the 75th anniversary of the landings.

Sarah Warren and Emily Houghton, the school librarians, and the inspiration behind the project, were understandably delighted when they were sent a fascinating archive on the life and career of one Lieut-Col Burbury. It turned out that, in another coincidence, Sarah Warren had collaborated closely with Andy Saunders, a respected military historian with whom I have worked  and who was aware of my interest in Lieut-Col Burbury. After gaining the familys consent, Eton kindly allowed me to access the archive to tell the full story of his remarkable life  and death  for the first time

RICHARD Percival Hawksley Burbury was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on April 1, 1906. He had a twin sister, Patience, and three older brothers.

The five children were initially brought up in the town on the west bank of the River Dearne.

Richards father, Francis, was himself an experienced soldier. He had served as an officer in the Queens Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) before retiring from the Army to run a successful firm of linen manufacturers, then subsequently resuming military service for the Great War.

Francis Burbury and his wife Ethel both died in 1919. Francis died on active duty in India; his wife probably died from Spanish flu (between 1918 and 1920, the pandemic claimed some 50 million lives worldwide, thereby making it one of the deadliest illnesses in human history).

The five orphaned children were then cared for by their aunt, Ethels sister, who had two sons of her own. However, money was clearly plentiful as they were educated privately. Richard attended Ludgrove School and, later, Eton College, leaving in 1923 at the age of 17, destined for a military career.

Following officer training, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry, serving for a time in India. Already a promising soldier, he was sent to Palestine in 1938, a year before the outbreak of the Second World War, and was mentioned in dispatches.

ON his return from the Middle East, he married Daphne Macnaghten, an Army officers daughter from Camberley, Surrey, in March 1940.

Burbury served in France in 1940 and was evacuated from Dunkirk. Again, he was mentioned in dispatches. A confidential report from a senior officer dated August 14, 1941, in which Burbury is assessed for promotion, describes him as having sound technical knowledge, good judgment and considerable personality, initiative and determination. I consider him in all fitted to command a battalion.

Burbury was indeed marked out for senior command for, having been promoted to substantive major in September 1942, he was seconded, in the rank of lieutenant-colonel, to take command of the 1st South Lancs.

Such advancement no doubt reflected his valuable services in Palestine and with the British Expeditionary Force in France in 1940 and, equally so, his leadership qualities.

Among his equipment, when he took part in the D-Day landings, were silk maps of France and Germany  clearly supposing that the Nazi army would soon be on the retreat to its homeland.

I am fortunate that, many years after leaving the Army, my father gave a tape-recorded interview to the Imperial War Museum sound archive in which he described, with a typically wicked sense of humour, the atmosphere in the landing craft as the assault force crossed the choppy English Channel.

The chaps that were sick, their vomit bags were pushed over the side. And one chap was signalling frantically, you know, Dont throw the bag over! Apparently his [false] teeth were in the bag.

And that seemed to break the tension of things: this chap wasnt worried about landing on the beaches; it was more that his teeth were in the bag.

Once ashore, Burbury shouted encouragement to his men as they raced up the beach.

Captain Arthur Rouse, of the 1st South Lancs, was also interviewed by the museum and he takes up the story: Colonel Burbury headed for the sand dunes. There was a slight gap to his left, and his gaunt figure strode across the sand towards this gap in the sand dunes. I followed him and one or two people started to fall as mortar fire and machine-gun fire came across and [there was] fixed artillery firing along the line of the beach.

I said, Keep going, theyll be looked after. We didnt want people trying to help their friends.

Eventually we all assembled in the lee of these sand dunes, the commanding officer and me looking over. And he just turned to me with his map in his hand and said, Where are we, Arthur? and then he was shot, immediately.

His jaw went into spasms and he dropped down.

The colonel was such an obvious target: he had a flag in his hand in case there was going to be confusion and he could be rallied round, he waved his map as well. I think he was hit by a sniper.

My father, who had seen Lieut-Col Burbury get shot in his chest, also recounted: About two-thirds to the high-water mark I was knocked sideways when, so it would appear now, an 88-millimetre splinter [a splinter from an 88mm shell] struck my right arm. I was moving across the beach at the time fairly fast and I didnt think anything of it. I just kept moving.

My father added: I remember, when we were in the sand dunes, I was looking down and saw a procession of ants and thought, Goodness me, theyre not affected by the war. The silly thoughts you get.

JUNE 6, 1944 marked the end of both Burburys life and my fathers war on the front line. General Sir Douglas Baird, Colonel of the South Lancs, wrote to Burburys twin sister Patience on June 22, 1944, saying: Please accept my deepest sympathy at your great loss. Your brother was a magnificent soldier.

In his museum interview, my father recalled the aftermath of the hand-to-hand fighting: I was sent back to the field-dressing station and it was at that stage that I saw many of the wounded in the beach area.

I saw officers that had been blinded, walking wounded, stretcher cases, and all the documentation was going on. Labels, tags.

Ones that were given morphine had lipstick put on their foreheads, I seem to remember: a capital M.

In fact, although there were many dead and wounded on, and close, to the five Normandy beaches chosen for the invasion, casualties were smaller than feared.

On D-Day itself, Allied casualties were just over 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead.

Eventually, my father was evacuated to Britain on a hospital ship. Indeed, it was during his recuperation that he met my mother, who, incidentally, died earlier this year, aged 97.

The archive on Richard Burbury belongs to Will Stirling, himself an Old Etonian and the godson of Patience Burbury. Patience never married and eventually lived into her 90s.

The death of her twin was a second terrible loss for the family as the eldest of the boys, Jack, had already been killed in the First World War.

Jack, also an Old Etonian, was killed, aged 19, at the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium in 1915.

Contained in the Burbury family archive is a moving letter from the front line in which their father (who was also fighting on the Western Front) describes Jacks death. He was hit by a bit of a shell in the head, and though he lived 12 hours was never conscious, thank God, he wrote.

I, who am on a railway staff job, and was about ten miles away, borrowed a car and ran over as soon as I heard, but did not see him alive, which I do not regret.

I saw him, and his face was the face of an angel, and I would rather remember him so.

ETon College may be a bastion of wealth and privilege but there is no doubt that Old Etonians have performed magnificently on the battlefield for centuries.

No fewer than 37 Old Etonians have been awarded the VC in conflicts spanning from the Crimean War to the Falklands War (Colonel H Jones  who died liberating those islands  attended Eton before joining the Army and embarking on officer training at Sandhurst).

At least 17 Old Etonians were killed during Operation Neptune, the first phase of Operation Overlord aimed at capturing Normandy before, eventually, pushing on deeper into German- occupied Europe.

Five years ago, ahead of the 70th anniversary of D-Day, I visited Sword Beach to see for myself where my father had landed and where his CO had fallen.

I visited Hermanville Cemetery in Normandy in order to pay my respects at Burburys grave. As I looked at his gravestone, I noticed that, etched in the white Portland stone, the date of his death was given as June 7, 1944.

As a stickler for detail, I decided to get this corrected: after all, he died on D-Day, one of the most significant dates in world history, not a day later.

After providing proof of his date of death, I am glad to say that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission eventually agreed to correct the date on his gravestone.

So, given my great interest in Burburys life, you can imagine my joy  just days ago  at being given access to his archive: photographs, letters, Army documents, certificates, maps, his regimental lapel badge, school books and much more.

Incredibly, the archive also included photographs of the original grave marker showing the date of Burburys death as 6.6.44.

Today I feel a sense of closure that I have finally learnt so much more about my fathers courageous CO. And I feel privileged that, through this article, I have been able to pay a public tribute to the man who fell at my fathers side on D-Day 75 years ago.

Perhaps the best tribute to Burbury was the one paid publicly to him by his regiment after his death: To meet him was to at once be impressed with his strong personality and soldierly bearing. He was a born commander and a regular officer of the very best type

In the manner of his passing, he has inscribed his name in the hearts of the men who admired and loved him and who saw him fall in the thick of the fight.The Home Secretary has insisted that the Conservatives will 'deliver a deal' on Brexit, putting him at odds with hard Brexiteers in the party - like fellow leadership candidate Boris Johnson.

Sajid Javid, who was campaigning in Peterborough today for the June 3 by-election, is one of the front-runners to replace Theresa May.

However, his desire for a Brexit deal means that he is pitting himself against several candidates, including Mr Johnson.

Former Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson previously vowed to take the UK out of the EU at all costs.

Laying down a marker, he said Brexit must happen by October 31 when the extension agreed with the EU is due to expire.

'We will leave the EU on October 31, deal or no deal,' Mr Johnson told an economic conference in Switzerland.

'The way to get a good deal is to prepare for a no deal.'

Mr Javid was supporting candidate Paul Bristow in the by-election, called following the sacking of disgraced Labour MP Fiona Onasanya.

The Home Secretary is one of the front-runners to replace Mrs May, though he is yet to officially announce his candidacy.

Yesterday, Conservative MP for Harlow, Robert Halfon, said: 'We need a Leader who is electable, can unify the country, and who embodies the Conservative spirit of the ladder of opportunity. Thats why Im backing @sajidjavid for the job.'

Speaking in Peterborough today, Mr Javid said: 'A lot of people are concerned about the challenges ahead and we're concerned. But if we get through them it's going to be through a united Conservative government.

'While people are concerned about what's happening next with Brexit, we know what's happening next.

'We're going to deliver a deal. We're going to bring people together, we're going to bring Parliament together we will deliver a deal.

'There's so much going right in this country and it's absolutely worth us reminding people of that.'

Supporting candidate Paul Bristow, Sajid Javid claimed that his party will 'deliver a deal' on Brexit

The Home Secretary is one of the front-runners to replace Mrs May, though he is yet to officially announce his candidacy

Paul Bristow will face off against 14 other candidates in the Peterborough by-election, which will be held on June 3.

It was called after former Labour MP Fiona Onasanya became the first politician to be booted out of the Commons by voters using a recall petition.

Almost 20,000 people in Peterborough signed the petition to kick her out of the seat after less than two years.

The disgraced politician was jailed in January for perverting the course of justice after lying to police over a speeding charge.

Fiona Onasanya was booted out of the Commons after almost 20,000 people in Peterborough signed the petition to kick her out of the seat after less than two years

Postal and Signatory ballot papers arrive at City Hall in Peterborough for the removal of Fiona Onasanya as MP

Mr Javid's appearance comes after a tearful Theresa May announced she would be resigning as Prime Minister and Tory leader.

Within minutes of her announcement, candidates were scrambling to get out of the blocks, and staking their claim for her job.

Cabinet big beasts such as Jeremy Hunt and Mr Javid, as well as Michael Gove, who dodged questions about his intentions, are being linked with the top job.

Brexiteers like Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom and Liz Truss are also blatantly on manoeuvres.

But a range of more obscure names are also contemplating joining the fight. Sir Graham Brady, the Tory 'shop steward' who chairs the 1922 committee, unexpectedly threw his hat into the ring.

And backbench 'hardman' Steve Baker, deputy chair of the Brexiteer ERG bloc, has also indicated that he could take part in the race.

Theresa May broke down in tears on the steps of No10 today as she announced the date of her resignation as Tory leader - sparking an official contest

Boris Johnson (pictured on his bike in London) said Brexit must happen by October 31 'deal or no deal' as he made a high-octane pitch for 10 Downing StreetA family has been hit with a 100 parking fine after spending more than three hours in Costco when they lost track of the time.

Hassan and Maria Fallahi were in the wholesaler store on Waterloo Road, Liverpool, with their two children on April 9.

But the couple from Liverpool outstayed their two-hour permit and clocked up around three and a half hours doing their weekly shop.

Hassan and Maria Fallahi (pictured with their two children) from Liverpool were hit with a 100 fine after parking outside the Waterloo Road Costco for too long

Mr Fallahi, 49, told the Liverpool Echo: 'We have two kids and the shopping took a bit longer than usual.

'That day we just didn't realise - after shopping, we sat down in the cafe in the Costco and had a meal with the kids.'

They left the store without any problems but received the 100 fine in the post a week later.

Mr Fallahi said: 'After about a week we realised that we had a parking ticket for a 100 charge. It said if we paid within the 14-day limit, we would only pay 60.

'To be honest it's never happened to us in a Costco before.'

Mr Fallahi tried to strike a deal with the private company who runs the car park and received some help from Costco management.

The couple lost track of the time and outstayed their two-hour permit outside the store (pictured) and clocked up around three and a half hours doing their weekly shop

But he said he was forced to pay the 60.

The father of two added that he thought he could have been let off the charge due to being a regular customer.

'I thought they would give us a chance because we had shopped and sat down with the kids in the cafe.

'We are regular customers, we normally spend hundreds each month at the store.'

Costco have been approached for comment.Members of a notorious jihadist group, banned after the 7/7 bombings, are active online again and feared to be grooming a new generation of terrorists, a Mail on Sunday investigation reveals.

At least 11 extremists linked to the outlawed Al-Muhajiroun (ALM) network have been using social media in recent weeks.

Terror experts believe they are testing the waters in their renewed activity to avoid falling foul of the law and may also be holding meetings in secret.

The group has been linked with the London 7/7 bombings in 2005 which killed 52 people, the slaying of soldier Lee Rigby in 2013 and the London Bridge attack two years ago which killed eight.

Members of a notorious jihadist group Al-Muhajiroun (ALM) network have been using social media in recent weeks. This coincides with the recent release of the groups one-time leader in the UK, Anjem Choudary, 52 (pictured), from a bail hostel to his East London home

The surge in online activity coincides with the recent release of the groups one-time leader in the UK, Anjem Choudary, 52, from a bail hostel to his East London home.

He served half of a five-and-a-half-year term for inciting support for Islamic State.

Former ALM spokesman Omar Brooks, 43  also known as Abu Izzadeen  returned to preaching on Facebook in September and ten days ago was filmed shouting at members of a Muslim anti-extremist group in East London.

He was twice convicted of terror-related offences and was jailed for supporting terrorism.

Former ALM spokesman Omar Brooks, 43 (pictured)  also known as Abu Izzadeen  returned to preaching on Facebook in September. He was twice convicted of terror-related offences and was jailed for supporting terrorism

Another ALM luminary, Mohammed Shamsuddin, featured in a Channel 4 documentary The Jihadis Next Door alongside Khuram Butt, who went on to take part in the London Bridge terror attack.

Shamsuddin, who uses the pseudonym Abu Saalihah, emerged on Facebook on March 19. His Facebook posts have included a call to free the founder of ALM, Omar Bakri Mohammed, who fled to Lebanon in the wake of the 7/7 bombings.

One closed Facebook group liked by Shamsuddin and followed by 1,508 others, including dozens of suspected ALM members and supporters, is called Pure Tawheed.

The groups logo consists of an outstretched index finger  the so-called one-finger Tawheed salute  a trademark of IS fighters.

Mohammed Shamsuddin (pictured) emerged on Facebook on March 19. He also made a post calling for LM, Omar Bakri Mohammed, who fled to Lebanon in the wake of the 7/7 bombings to be freed

Another Choudary-linked extremist, Abu Haleema, also featured in the Channel 4 film. He emerged on Facebook in February after a three-year absence and quickly amassed a following of 3,854 people before his account was suspended.

He soon opened a new one and currently has 2,756 friends. Haleema also operates a Twitter account and he is on Instagram.

Former Met counter-terrorism detective David Videcette (pictured) said of ALM: to radicalise their recruits they rely on secret meetings, personal messages, word of mouth  thats the kind of tradecraft they use

ALM expert Michael Kenney said Choudarys release had emboldened his former associates.

It appears that many of his followers are testing the waters now, to see what they can get away with, said Mr Kenney, a US academic and author of Islamic State In Britain.

Some activists are going on social media, or using encrypted apps, while others have gone to Speakers Corner in Hyde Park.

Former Met counter-terrorism detective David Videcette, who investigated the 7/7 bombings, said of ALM: Now theyre reinvigorated. They may put stuff out online to encourage people to join them. But to radicalise their recruits they rely on secret meetings, personal messages, word of mouth  thats the kind of tradecraft they use.

Ive no doubt they will be returning to that kind of activity.Two black paratroopers are suing the British Army after top brass covered up the racial abuse they suffered from soldiers who decorated their barracks with Nazi flags and pictures of Adolf Hitler, according to legal documents obtained by The Mail on Sunday.

The troops  named as Lance Corporal Zulu and Private Gue  claim senior officers and military police conspired in a bid to prevent the racial harassment and discrimination they endured in the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, ever being made public.

Their case is due to be heard by an employment tribunal after Army lawyers failed in a desperate bid to persuade the presiding judge the soldiers claims were inadmissible.

Two black paratroopers are suing the British Army after their barracks was covered in Nazi flags and pictures of Adolf Hitler. A dog was also dressed in Nazi uniform

Judge Jane McNeill QC accused commanders of rejecting their complaints in a bid to prevent scrutiny of the Army.

In their legal submissions, L/Cpl Zulu, from South Africa, and Pte Gue, from Uganda, also suggested military officials lacked the moral courage to admit racism is a deeply entrenched problem in the Army.

Pictured: Dog dressed in what appears to be German military uniform. L/Cpl Zulu, from South Africa, and Pte Gue, from Uganda, are suing the army claiming it tried to stop the racial abuse from being made public

The documents reveal:

In January 2018, Pte Gue approached military police after soldiers scrawled swastikas and racial slurs on his door in 3 Paras barracks in Colchester, Essex. He said: I attended an interview and halfway through giving my statement the officer was called outside the room. He then returned and said this was not a police matter. I felt extremely let down.

When Pte Gue told senior officers he was leaving the Army due to racism, 3 Para commanders recorded his motives for seeking discharge as personal reasons, not racial abuse. In the legal documents Pte Gue said: This was a deliberate attempt by the Army to cover up for my resignation.

Pte Gues colleagues decorated their accommodation block with Nazi/SS flags alongside pictures of Hitler. He also said that soldiers brag of their exploits within far-right groups and use offensive, discriminatory language without fear of reprisals.

In September 2014, L/Cpl Zulu told 3 Paras Commanding Officer a sergeant had called him a black c***. But, according to the documents, L/Cpl Zulu was never told how his complaint was handled. And in 2017 on an Army exercise in Kenya he reported that British soldiers were calling local troops N******. But no action was taken.

Since the pair left 3 Para last year, top brass have fought to have their claims thrown out by the Armys Service Complaints Ombudsman (SCO) and then by the employment tribunal.

One of the key points in the soldiers legal battle has been whether they can rely on evidence such as the display of Nazi flags and use of derogatory racial terms when this behaviour was not necessarily directed at them.

The Nazi symbols were hung up at Merville barracks in Colchester, Essex

The SCO ruled these behaviours were inadmissible only for Judge McNeill to overrule.

In her written response, she suggested defence chiefs had sought to stop others hearing of the claims, saying the Army does not explain why is it proportionate it should act as gatekeeper, making determinations of complaints which have the effect of preventing scrutiny.

Recent recruitment campaigns have presented the Army as an ideal career choice irrespective of race, gender or religious faith.

But in a joint statement to the employment tribunal, L/Cpl Zulu and Pte Gue suggested racism was allowed to flourish in 3 Para and commanders were fully aware of Nazi flags hanging in an accommodation block near battalion headquarters at Merville Barracks.

And The Mail on Sunday recently saw an image posted on social media by troops from 3 Para of a pet dog dressed in body armour and a German military hat with SS insignia. The picture is thought to have been taken six weeks ago.

In their statement, L/Cpl Zulu and Pte Gue said: A racist environment is allowed to exist within some areas of 3 Para and not enough is being done by the chain of command to take it seriously or properly sanction those responsible.

They also cited a lack of moral courage amongst other members of the unit who have been bystanders to the events and failed to uphold the Armys values.

The MoD confirmed it was continuing to contest the claims.

A spokesperson said: It would not be appropriate to comment on the case while proceedings are ongoing.

'The Armed Forces take complaints of harassment and discrimination seriously. All such allegations are investigated thoroughly and the appropriate action is taken.A disabled girl from North Carolina who was viciously attacked by online trolls over her appearance has died aged 10.

Sophia Weaver died of complications related to the brain disorder Rett syndrome on Thursday, with her death announced by her mother Natalie.

The little girl was at the center of a social media storm in January when an individual used her image on Twitter in a poster promoting abortion.

Sophia Weaverdied of complications related to brain disorder Rett syndrome on Thursday, with her death announced by her mother Natalie. They are pictured together in 2017

In a Tweet on Friday, Natalie said: 'Our #SweetSophia left this earth last night as she spent every day of her life, surrounded by love & adoration. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate to sophias-voice.com.

'Once we pull ourselves from this shattering pain we will continue to help others in her memory.'

Rett Syndrome mostly affects girls and is typically found between the age of 1-2.

Symptoms include slowed brain growth, decline of social and language skills, trouble breathing, problems walking and using hands.

In February, her family placed her in hospice care after she underwent numerous surgeries.

'This last surgery made it clear to us that Sophias body is tired and we always said we would listen to what her body is telling us and respect that, no matter how hard it is for us,' Weaver wrote on February 20.

Her mother is a well-known advocate for children with disabilities. She is the founder of Sophias Voice, a non-profit that helps people with chronic illnesses and disabilities get their medical needs met.

Sophia underwent more than 20 grueling surgeries in her short life, had a feeding tube and colostomy bag, and required 24 hour care.

Sophia Weaver (pictured) was at the center of a social media storm in January when an individual used her image on Twitter in a poster promoting abortion.

Sophia's mother Natalie was constantly defending her young daughter, whose disfigurement made her a constant target for stares and hateful comments

Natalie was constantly defending her young daughter, whose disfigurement made her a constant target for stares and hateful comments.

In January, Natalie criticized Twitter and its regulations after she came across a poster promoting abortion with a picture of Sophia used in it.

She reported the hateful tweet posted by user @OBSIDIANSMOAK.

The reported message first read: 'It is okay to think that every child matters however a lot of them do not hence the amnio test.'

The poster went on to say: '(It) should be a mandatory test and if it proves negative and the woman does not want to abort then all bills accrued after that is on her and the father.'

After her report, Twitter initially declined Weaver's request, and suggested there was nothing wrong with the poster.

Sophia underwent 22 grueling surgeries in her short life, had a feeding tube and colostomy bag, and required 24 hour care. She is pictured with parents Natalie

Her family were dedicated to giving her 'bucket list' experiences after she was placed in hospice care before her death on Thursday

Furious, Weaver, the founder of Advocates for Medically Fragile Kids North Carolina, took to her page to share her disapproval over the matter.

'@TwitterSupport Just received an email that Twitter doesn't think a person using my child's image as the poster child to ABORT & to weed out all the 'defectives' in utero is a violation.

'Why? Bc they won't recognize hate toward ppl w/ disabilities in their regulations/reports,' she wrote.

The mother's message instantly went viral - with thousands of people showing their support for Weaver and her concerns.

After receiving backlash, Twitter confirmed in a statement that they decided to suspend @OBSIDIANSMOAK's account.

Weaver shared on Twitter that Sophia also suffers from facial deformities.

'The Hate & Stares I received when Sophia was a baby were painful & made me hide away for 7yrs,' she said back in January, alongside a tearful video message.

'I decided over a year ago to stand up & fight against this! I will not be silenced by hate! Thank you for supporting us!'

Her family were dedicated to giving her 'bucket list' experiences after she was placed in hospice care, The News Tribune reported.

A local salon owner gave Sophia green hair extensions. 'She absolutely loved it,' Weaver told NBCs The Today Show

On May 16, Weaver announced that the family had been loaned an RV for a month-long adventure to the American west. But on May 18 Sophia woke with a fever and she got sicker as the days progressed.Claim: Tobias Ellwood (pictured) was quizzed by senior party figures over claims stemming from his official visit to the US last year

A Defence Minister was at the centre of an extraordinary row last night over allegations that he spoke 'inappropriately' about sensitive security matters to a diplomatic colleague in America.

Tobias Ellwood  who was hailed for his heroism during the 2017 Westminster terror attack  was quizzed by senior party figures over claims stemming from his official visit to the US last year.

Last night, the MP, a former captain in the Royal Green Jackets infantry regiment, reacted with fury to The Mail on Sunday's inquiries about the incident, saying he had not been subject to a 'formal complaint' or a 'formal reprimand' and insisting the allegations 'emanate from someone with a political agenda'.

It comes after Mr Ellwood ruled himself out of the Tory leadership race during a bad-tempered TV appearance. After being asked whether he was planning to run, Mr Ellwood said: 'I don't have the rank and I don't have the experience.

'I am not going to run and this isn't a TV reality contest.'

It is understood that the complaint about Mr Ellwood was made by a female worker attached to the British Embassy in Washington, whose allegations included the claim that Mr Ellwood, 52, had been indiscreet about sensitive security matters.

The MP struggles to save stricken PC Palmer during the Westminster terror attack in 2017. It is understood that the complaint about Mr Ellwood was made by a female worker attached to the British Embassy in Washington

Government sources say that the complaint was passed back to London, and led to Mr Ellwood being called back from a family holiday in August to be questioned by Chief Whip Julian Smith.

The sources add that the complainant had been invited to 'escalate' the case, but had declined. One said: 'The complaint in question is not currently a live investigation.'

Mr Ellwood, who tried in vain to save the life of PC Keith Palmer when he was stabbed by Khalid Masood during the 2017 Westminster terror attack, is a lieutenant colonel with the 77th reservists.

Government sources say the complaint was passed back to London, and led to Mr Ellwood (pictured with wife Hannah) being called back from a family holiday in August to be questioned by Chief Whip Julian Smith

The MP for Bournemouth, who completed his Sandhurst training in 1991 and served in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Kuwait, Germany, Gibraltar and Bosnia, is being actively courted by a number of the key leadership contenders, but he was highly critical of frontrunner Boris Johnson's remarks last week in which he said he was prepared to leave the EU without a deal.

Mr Ellwood said: 'If the Brexit experience to date has taught us anything, it's to avoid making promises and drawing red lines you may later regret or cannot honour.

Trust in our party is low. I humbly urge potential premiers  avoid the temptation of playing purely to our base with eye-catching commitments that might box us in and could haunt us at the next General Election.'

Mr Ellwood has also indicated his support for a second referendum.

In a statement released last night, a spokesman for Mr Ellwood said that the Veterans Minister had not 'been made aware of anyone having a formal issue or complaint against him, and has not been subject to a formal reprimand.

He can therefore only assume that the source of the allegations you put to him last night emanate from someone with a political agenda'.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: 'We take all allegations of misconduct extremely seriously. It would be inappropriate to comment on individual cases.'The parents of a college freshman who died from meningitis B are traveling to university campuses across the country in order to raise awareness of the disease.

Mark and Laurie Stelzer of Los Angeles were left devastated when their healthy 18-year-old daughter Sara suddenly lost her life to the disease in October 2014.

The San Diego State University student first called her parents to complain of headaches, exhaustion and nausea on Sunday, October 12.

She was admitted to hospital two days later, and died less than 48 hours after that.

Speaking with Yahoo Lifestyle on Wednesday, mother Laurie stated: 'We had no idea that these flu-like symptoms could develop and kill her within 36 hours.'

Mark and Laurie Stelzer are travelling to college campuses across the U.S. to raise awareness about meningitis B - the disease that killed their daughter Sara

Sara was a healthy and vibrant college freshman before she was fatally struck down by the disease

Sara had previously been vaccinated A, C, W and Y strains of meningitis, but not for the B strain - with the vaccine only becoming available the year after her death.

Mark and Laurie say they were left distraught by the passing of their daughter, who was 'a ray of sunshine'.

'You don't realize how your body and mind is affected by a loss like that - the first year was a fog,' father Mark recently told Fox News.

'But when the fog lifted, we felt we had to do something'.

Now, Mark and Laurie are raising awareness about the dangers of meningitis B with college students around America.

Laurie is pictured with her late daughter shortly before her death in 2014

By holding information sessions on campus, the couple have already managed to save lives.

Last year, one RA at San Diego State University recognized that a student was exhibiting symptoms of the disease due to knowledge gleaned during Mark and Laurie's seminar.

The student was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with meningitis B, but managed to survive.

Meanwhile, Mark and Laurie are also urging students to be vaccinated against the B strain of the disease.

While the CDC recommends universal vaccination for meningitis strains A, C, W and Y, they don't endorse that all children be vaccinated against meningitis B.

However, some colleges are implementing changes at the behest of Mark and Laurie.

In the fall of 2019, all incoming freshman at San Diego State University will be vaccinated against meningitis B.A vicar has resigned following a bitter dispute with his bishop over the way a Church of England school handled an eight-year-old pupil's plan to change gender.

The Reverend John Parker, a governor at the school, supported the boy's wish to become a girl but said he was silenced when he raised concerns that parents and pupils would be kept in the dark.

He also feared that staff and governors had been misled by the transgender lobby group Mermaids, which had been invited in to advise the school.

After his worries were dismissed by the bishop, Mr Parker quit the church where he had been a vicar for 14 years, and also the school after seven years as governor.

The Reverend John Parker, a governor at the school, supported the boy's wish to become a girl but said he was silenced when he raised concerns that parents and pupils would be kept in the dark

Mr Parker quit the church where he had been a vicar for 14 years, and also the school after seven years as governor

In an emotive resignation letter to his bishop, Mr Parker wrote of his fear that children were being 'sacrificed on the altar of trans ideology', even in Church schools.

Mr Parker said last night: 'I was basically told by my bishop that if I wished to faithfully follow the teachings of the Bible then I was no longer welcome in the Church. It felt very much like I was being silenced by the Church and the school.'

The dispute comes amid growing controversy over the number of children now choosing to change gender.

Mr Parker, 49, was told in March that an eight-year-old pupil would be transitioning from a boy to a girl at the primary school in an Essex village. The Mail on Sunday is not naming the school to protect the privacy of the pupils.

He raised concerns that the school had no formal policy on how staff should deal with a child who wanted to change gender.

There was no guidance to cover matters such as whether the student would be allowed to use the girls' toilets or share changing rooms and accommodation with female pupils during trips away.

Mr Parker was equally keen to receive assurances that other pupils and parents would be told about the student's transition so they could be prepared.

In an emotive resignation letter to his bishop, Mr Parker wrote of his fear that children were being 'sacrificed on the altar of trans ideology', even in Church schools

He asked for evidence that the child had seen a psychologist or a medical professional to ensure that the desire to live as a girl was not being driven by the parents  but his request was dismissed.

The vicar also questioned whether any 'pastoral provisions' had been made for Christian parents and children who might be confused about what was going on at the school.

But Mr Parker said when he put these points to the head teacher at a meeting, she dismissed them as merely being his 'personal views'.

He said she told him she was legally bound by the Equality Act not to deviate from the way she was already handling the transition, and that parents would not be informed about what was happening.

Mr Parker said: 'After the head told us about the plan to allow the pupil to transition, the school suddenly turned into a place where you did not even have the freedom to question things. I felt it was no longer a Christian place of grace and truth  it was a place of oppression.'

But the most disturbing episode for the softly spoken clergyman was yet to come. In April, the transgender youth charity and campaign group Mermaids was invited into the school to deliver a training session to teachers and governors.

Mr Parker, 49, was told in March that an eight-year-old pupil would be transitioning from a boy to a girl at the primary school in an Essex village

According to Mr Parker, the head said she had brought in the group on the advice of the diocese and the local authority.

Mermaids has previously attracted criticism for advocating the prescription of sex-change hormones to youngsters under 16.

During a two-hour presentation, the Mermaids trainer, who said she had a 'background in education', instructed the group on a range of complex subjects including neurology, biology of the sexes, transgender mental health and equality laws.

She insisted it would be illegal to deny anyone the use of the toilets or changing rooms for the gender they identify as, and warned using the wrong pronoun for a transgender child would be a 'hate crime'.

Many of the points made in the lecture  including sections on the science of biological sex  were simply wrong, contends Mr Parker, who studied biology at Oxford.

At the end of the session, which was recorded by Mr Parker, those who attended were told they could ask questions.

But when the vicar politely attempted to query what he considered to be legal and scientific falsehoods, he was aggressively shut down.

'The presentation was so full of factual inaccuracies,' he said. 'I am an Oxford biologist by background so I was gobsmacked by what was being said from a biological perspective.

'I also knew some of the legalities of the situation and knew that the whole governing body and staff were being misled.'

After gently requesting if he could pass on some literature to staff which contained 'alternative' factual information, he received the sharp reply from the head teacher: 'No, I don't think so, John. It's training today, it's not time to share your viewpoints.'

When he vainly tried to defend himself by saying that it was not an opinion he wanted to share but scientific facts, he was again abruptly cut off by the head teacher.

The Mermaids instructor barked: 'My job is to deliver training. I have done that. I don't have to listen.'

The vicar was so shaken by the tense exchange that he broke down in tears afterwards.

Mr Parker, who studied biology at Oxford, attempted to query what he considered to be legal and scientific falsehoods in a Mermaids lecture

'From a Christian point of view, it went against everything, not just in terms of speaking the truth, but also allowing freedom of speech and freedom of discussion and disagreement.'

Mr Parker said this upsetting incident was the final straw and followed his increasing disillusionment with the Church of England's 'unquestioning acceptance of a particular kind of politically correct transgender ideology'.

Last December, the Church issued new pastoral guidance encouraging ministers to create new baptism-style ceremonies for transgender people.

'I have felt growing disquiet about the intolerance to holding different views within the Church,' he said. 'But when I raised my worries with bishops about the direction the Church was moving, I was told that if I didn't accept their approach, I could leave.'

At the end of April, Mr Parker informed the primary school that he would be resigning as governor with immediate effect.

Shortly after this, he informed the Bishop of Chelmsford by letter of his decision to resign as a vicar, concluding 'there is no longer a place for me in the Church of England'.

The school eventually decided to email parents on the day of the pupil's transition to let them know what was happening.

Andrea Williams, of the Christian Legal Centre, said: 'This is not an isolated case and we are going to see more like it if nothing is done.

'Parents have a right to know if and when this ideological movement is in their schools and being taught as fact.

'I believe a real threat is posed to schools from organisations such as Mermaids. They implement a new ideological tyranny  and any disagreement is at best silenced, and at worst, punished.

The number of children confused about their sex and gender and seeking treatment is escalating and it is our children who are suffering. In imposing this ideology, we are not being kind but cruel. It is time for this to stop.

'The Church of England has one million children in its care. This is a serious God-given duty which the Church is failing at.

'It has invited the new state ideology into the classroom and it has lost confidence in its own message of what it means to be human. The Church needs to act before it is too late.'

Last night, a former parishioner of Mr Parker's spoke of his sorrow at the vicar's resignation: 'I've been coming to this church for six years. John has been brilliant. He will be missed.

'People really like him for what he's done over the years. He's well respected, and he's respectable. There's no way you could say that he's a bigot.

The vicar, whose opposition was shut down, was so shaken by the tense exchange that he broke down in tears afterwards

'He always makes an effort to see people, to connect with people, whether or not they go to church. You don't need to come to church  he's there for you.'

The Rev Tim Elbourne, director of education for the Diocese of Chelmsford, said: 'Church of England schools are inclusive environments which nurture pupils to respect diversity of all kinds.

'Our schools must comply with the legal requirements of the Equalities Act 2010. Additionally, the Church of England, through its policy Valuing All God's Children, gives guidance for Church of England schools.'

A spokesman for the school said: 'We understand the concerns and convictions of the people on our governing body and we are very sorry he has left us.

'We respect that everyone will have their own opinions regarding transgender pupils and how a sensitive issue should be managed and communicated.

'We have embarked on a process of communication surrounding the rights of transgender pupils and input from outside the school has been carefully managed.

'As a Church school, we believe that if we have disagreements around personal choice and individual rights, that these are managed respectfully.'

Trans charity 'twisted truth' when training teachers

By Sanchez manning and Stephen Adams

The controversial charity brought in to advise the Essex school on a child who wanted to switch gender has been accused of misleading staff.

Mermaids, which has received tens of thousands of pounds in Government funding and a 500,000 Lottery grant, sent in a representative to train teachers and governors.

But during the two-hour lecture to about 50 staff  recorded by Mr Parker  the trainer made a series of dubious scientific statements and claims about the law on transgender rights, say experts.

Last year Mermaids was accused of helping to exaggerate the risk of suicide in trans children, after it advised the makers of ITV's Butterfly.

Butterfly starred Anna Friel as the mother of a boy who is so desperate to live as a girl that the child self-harms

The drama starred Anna Friel as the mother of a boy who is so desperate to live as a girl that the child self-harms.

Mermaids has also faced condemnation for arguing children under 16 should be put on powerful cross-sex hormones, against NHS guidelines.

Among the assertions made by the trainer was that 'puberty-blocker' medication was safe and 'doesn't affect fertility'.

But Professor Olle Soder, of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, said the long-term effects of the drugs were not yet known.

It was impossible to state they did not affect fertility as 'the data is not there yet'.

Dutch studies suggest puberty-blockers could permanently affect bone density.

The trainer also played down the importance of a basic genetic difference that distinguishes boys from girls in the vast majority of cases. Boys almost always have one X and one Y sex chromosome, while girls are almost always XX.

Last year Mermaids was accused of helping to exaggerate the risk of suicide in trans children, after it advised the makers of ITV's Butterfly (star Anna Friel pictured)

The instructor said: 'We now know through advancements in science that that is not fact. The human race has many more combinations of chromosomes.'

But Steve Jones, emeritus professor of genetics at University College London, called the statement 'misleading'.

'In 99.9 per cent of all cases, boys are XY and girls are XX,' he said.

The trainer also told staff that 'by the time we're three-and-a-half, our gender identity is fixed'.

But psychotherapist Bob Withers said a child's perception of their own gender could fluctuate well into their teens. Those with gender identity issues when young 'very often reconcile themselves to being the same gender' as their body during puberty, he added.

On the legal front, the trainer claimed minors could 'self-identify' as they wished. However, barrister Amanda Jones, an expert on gender law, said the Gender Recognition Act did not apply to under-18s 'so young people cannot self-identify for the purposes of the law'.

When it came to toilets and changing rooms, the trainer claimed: 'The Equality Act is unambiguous  you can't prevent anyone using the facilities of the gender with which they identify.'

But Ms Jones said this was 'plain wrong', adding: 'Either they don't understand the law or they are twisting the truth.'

She added that the Act contained clear exemptions which meant transgender individuals could be excluded from single-sex areas if there was a legitimate reason, such as to preserve the privacy of most people who used them.

The trainer also issued a chilling warning to those who persistently failed to address a transgender person by their preferred pronoun. The trainer said: 'To intentionally not use it is a hate incident.'

But Ms Jones said this interpretation was far too simplistic, adding: 'Using the wrong pronoun is not a hate crime. There is no criminal offence of misgendering.'

Last night Mermaids said: 'We are very proud of the training we offer to schools. All of the scientific and legal information we offer is publicly available and well-tested.

'We are surprised to see that a Church of England rector is complaining about our training when we are included in the C of E guidance on support for transgender people.'I was proud to serve in Theresa Mays Cabinet and work alongside her. We didnt always agree on Brexit, but no one can deny her determination and integrity. She can be immensely proud of her record of service to the country she loves.

The contrast between Theresa May and the self-serving expediency of Jeremy Corbyn is stark. Corbyn has done everything he can to exploit Brexit for narrow political gain.

Last week, voters frustration with all the politicians who have failed to keep their promises on Brexit came to a head in the European elections.

We will learn the results tonight, but we can expect a reckoning with voters who feel betrayed  and worse to come, if we dont heed the warning.

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab himself forward to lead the Conservative Party and the UK following Theresa May's resignation announcement

We cant live in a country where politicians make promises to respect your vote in a referendum, and then junk them if they dont like the verdict.

The country feels stuck in the mud, humiliated by Brussels and incapable of finding a way forward. The Prime Minister has announced her resignation. Its time for a new direction.

That is why I will put myself forward to lead the Conservative Party and our country. I will fight for a fairer deal on Brexit, a fairer deal for British workers, and a fairer society where every child can fulfil their potential.

To change the dynamic on Brexit will require leadership with conviction, a genuine belief that we can grasp the opportunities of leaving the EU. I believe I have the right plan to deliver Brexit, and honour our promises to voters.

We should keep the arm of friendship extended to our European neighbours. Over the long-term, both sides will want to build a new partnership.

But we must also calmly demonstrate unflinching resolve to leave when the extension to negotiations ends in October  at the latest.

I would prefer that we leave with a deal. There is still time to negotiate changes to the so-called backstop of EU laws, over which currently we would have no say. That is a reasonable, limited request and would work in all sides interests.

It is the only solution MPs have approved. But we will not be taken seriously in Brussels unless we are clear that we will walk away on World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms, if the EU doesnt budge.

'To deliver Brexit successfully will require focus, discipline and resolve. As a former Foreign Office lawyer and Brexit Secretary, I have the experience. And I am the only negotiator who Michel Barnier (right) and Guy Verhofstadt complained pushed Brussels too hard,' he said

To deliver Brexit successfully will require focus, discipline and resolve. As a former Foreign Office lawyer and Brexit Secretary, I have the experience. And I am the only negotiator who Michel Barnier and Guy Verhofstadt complained pushed Brussels too hard.

I would put together a Cabinet with wide-ranging experience, reflecting different views from across my party.

This team would be united in the need to deliver Brexit by October 31, even if the EU refuses to move its position.

Next, I would bring forward a Brexit Budget, to boost UK businesses through this period of uncertainty. If we are forced by EU stubbornness to leave on WTO terms, we will be able to draw from the 39 billion budgeted for the Brexit deal, to help ease the transition.

We could manage the short-term risks of leaving on WTO terms  not least after another six months to prepare for it.

And, as the Institute for Government observed, it is near impossible for MPs to stop a Prime Minister who is determined to leave in this way. I dont want a WTO departure.

'I would put together a Cabinet with wide-ranging experience, reflecting different views from across my party. This team would be united in the need to deliver Brexit by October 31, even if the EU refuses to move its position,' Mr Raab added

But we must end this debilitating uncertainty  for businesses, and for trust in our democracy. Brexit is only the starting point for the change we need.

We face the threat of a dangerous hard-Left Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn who threatens jobs, our security, and gives succour to virulent anti-Semitism.

The most potent antidote to Corbyns poisonous politics is an optimistic Conservative vision for the future  a fairer deal for Britain.

We need a fairer deal for workers. That means grasping the opportunities of Brexit through a more energetic approach to global free trade  to boost small businesses, stimulate productivity to raise workers wages, and ease the cost of living by cutting prices for UK consumers.

Next, we should cut taxes to give workers on low and middle incomes a pay rise, which many havent had for years. Raising the threshold for National Insurance to 12,500 and taking 1p off the basic rate of income tax will boost take-home pay for those on low incomes, saving the average worker 640 a year.

We must also end consumer rip-offs, to deliver a fairer deal on everything from a students mobile phone contract to pensioners energy bills. And we must build a fairer society  to give the aspirational underdog in our country their shot in life.

Mr Raab said: 'We must also end consumer rip-offs, to deliver a fairer deal on everything from a students mobile phone contract to pensioners energy bills. And we must build a fairer society  to give the aspirational underdog in our country their shot in life'

This is personal to me. My father came here as a refugee aged six with no English. Britain gave him sanctuary and opportunity, through a grammar school education and a great job at Marks & Spencer.

Neither of my parents went to university. Both enjoyed successful careers, bought their own home, raised a family and lived the British dream. Those opportunities have narrowed for young people today.

We wont be taken seriously in Brussels unless were clear that we will walk away...

So we must renew our mission to break those glass ceilings, so every young person gets their chance to be a success, based on their abilities and hard work.

I would revive Young Apprenticeships for 14- to 16-year-olds, and expand degree apprenticeships, like the one offered by Jaguar Land Rover in partnership with Warwick University  giving young people all of the opportunity of university, but without the debt.

We must radically upgrade our ambition for building the homes young people and those on lower incomes can afford  overhauling stamp duty, releasing government- owned land and ramping up the delivery of homes for shared ownership.

We should also recognise the generational shift in the way young families now work as a team.

'Great challenges lie ahead. But they are challenges we can rise to with an optimistic vision for post-Brexit Britain. Thats why I am putting myself forward for the leadership of the Conservative Party,' he promised

Last week, I was proud to work with Maria Miller, the chairman of Parliaments Equalities Select Committee, on plans to protect new mums who return to work from losing their job.

We are also pressing for paternity leave reform. With two sons, aged six and four, I know how precious this can be.

Paternity leave helps us dads bond with our children, and nurture a team ethic with our partners  one of the best ways to build more resilient families.

And giving dads more opportunity to take on childcare responsibilities helps working mums to pursue their careers. Its about empowering couples by giving them more choice.

The next generation also cares passionately about the environment. The Luddite Labour Party wont come up with credible solutions to climate change.

So Conservatives must harness the power of innovation and technology to reinforce UK energy policy so that it makes environmental and economic sense.

Great challenges lie ahead. But they are challenges we can rise to with an optimistic vision for post-Brexit Britain.

Thats why I am putting myself forward for the leadership of the Conservative Party.

Thats why I am fighting for a fairer deal for Britain  a fairer deal for workers, a fairer society, and a fairer deal from the EU.Trump has hit back at a federal judge in California who blocked his administration from building sections of his border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency.

U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr immediately halted the administration's efforts to redirect military-designated funds to build sections of wall on the Mexican border on Friday.

Trump, who is visiting Japan, tweeted Saturday: 'Another activist Obama appointed judge has just ruled against us on a section of the Southern Wall that is already under construction. This is a ruling against Border Security and in favor of crime, drugs and human trafficking. We are asking for an expedited appeal!'

Trump has hit back at a federal judge in California who blocked his administration from building sections of his long-sought border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency (President Trump speaks in Tokyo on Saturday, May 25)

Trump, who is visiting Japan, tweeted Saturday: 'Another activist Obama appointed judge has just ruled against us on a section of the Southern Wall that is already under construction. This is a ruling against Border Security and in favor of crime, drugs and human trafficking. We are asking for an expedited appeal!'

Gilliam Jr's order applies to two planned projects to add 51 miles of fence in two areas. Gilliam issued the ruling after hearing arguments last week in two cases.

California and 19 other states brought one lawsuit; the Sierra Club and a coalition of communities along the border brought the other.

At stake is billions of dollars that would allow Trump to make progress on his signature campaign promise heading into his campaign for a second term.

He declared the emergency in February after losing a fight over fully paying for the wall. That led to a 35-day government shutdown.

On Wednesday, the US Customs and Border Protect agency updated its accounting of progress on Trump's border wall project, concluding that 42 miles of border barriers have been completed since he took office.

That's more than double the 20 miles of finished walls that the agency reported in an internal document DailyMail.com obtained Monday.

But that 'Border Wall Status' summary contradicted itself in two places, raising questions that CBP corrected three days later.

The totals in the new report dated Thursday still fall short of what the president pledged hours later, on a day when he agreed to omit new wall funding from a $19.1 billion disaster aid bill in order to get it to his desk.

Trump declared the emergency in February after losing a fight over fully paying for the wall. That led to a 35-day government shutdown

'We will soon have hundreds of miles under construction,' he told reporters at the White House, 'and we'll have way over 400 miles completed by the end of next year'.

That self-imposed deadline is supposed to arrive in time to help with his re-election effort.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday that between 100 and 115 miles of the president's long-promised wall are finished.

On Monday Trump said the end of 2020 would see 500 miles brought to completion.

The judge's order applies to two planned projects to add 51 miles of fence in two areas (file image)

The new CBP report also downgrades from 255 to 205 the number of miles for which the administration has secured funding outside a Pentagon financing channel that Trump activated when he declared a national emergency in February.

Both versions suggest 336 miles are funded overall, including the Defense Department's role during Trump's presidency.

Thursday's report concludes that 12.5 percent of it is done so far.

'Since January 2017, approximately 205 miles of new and replacement border barriers have been funded through the traditional appropriations process and via Treasury Forfeiture Funding, of which approximately 42 miles have been completed to date,' Thursday's report reads.

Throughout, CBP changed how it refers to sections of wall erected along sections of the US-Mexico border where weaker barriers existed before Trump's inauguration.

Where Monday's report referred to 'updated' walls, Thursday's describes 'replacements'.

Overall, just 110 miles of walls reflected in CBP's report consist of 'new' barriers where the US-Mexico border has previously been open to vehicle and foot traffic.

The rest are 'replacement' wall sections.

When a 'Fox & Friends' host asked White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders on Wednesday how much of the wall is finished, she replied: 'There's over 100 miles. I think it's close to 115 miles.'

On Wednesday, the US Customs and Border Protect agency updated its accounting of progress on Trump's border wall project (file image), concluding that 42 miles of border barriers have been completed since he took office

Trump downplayed the news about Thursday's disaster funding bill, saying at the White House that 'we're going to get the immigration money later, according to everybody'.

Sen Richard Shelby, the Alabama Republican who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, told The Wall Street Journal that 'I'm sure he wanted the border, it's humanitarian money, but we took it all out'.

'We're going to try and push that separately when we come back.'

According to a chart in the report, the sections of the wall that are funded and in varying stages of contracting and completion include 86 miles of 'new primary wall' and 24 miles of 'new levee wall'.

Also included are 68 miles of 'replacement primary wall,' 144 miles of 'replacement vehicle wall' and 14 miles of 'replacement secondary wall'.

CBP breaks down the sources of funding that the US Army Corps of Engineers is using for construction contracts into three buckets.

The first two, adding up to '205 miles of new and updated border barriers,' are regular congressional appropriations and money shifted over from a Treasury Department fund that's flush with cash from the sale of forfeited assets like cars and real estate.

A separate Defense Department program that will build walls to block narcotics traffickers, according to CBP, will contribute another 131 miles of barriers.Friends of the Pensions Secretary say her defence of the controversial company had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Huawei has been a client of Finsbury, the PR business founded by her wealthy brother Roland

Amber Rudd has surprised Westminster by praising Huawei, the Chinese tech giant that has been advised by her brothers PR firm.

Friends of the Pensions Secretary say her defence of the controversial company had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Huawei has been a client of Finsbury, the PR business founded by her wealthy brother Roland, right.

Ministers have been tight-lipped about Huawei since Gavin Williamson was sacked as Defence Secretary over claims  which he denies  that he leaked security concerns about the firm.

But Ms Rudd told the Daily Telegraph: We should be able to do business with China and Huawei.

'Not having them participate would delay the roll-out of 5G [the fast mobile phone network] by years and cost billions.

A friend of the Rudds insisted last night: Amber and Roland lead totally independent lives and his business affairs have no impact on her views.Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab announces his intention to run for Tory leader in todays Mail on Sunday

The race to succeed Theresa May exploded into life last night as contenders traded the first vicious blows of the contest  and one of the frontrunners launched his Stop Boris manifesto.

Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab announces his intention to run for Tory leader in todays Mail on Sunday. In an article for the newspaper, he positions himself as the contests arch-Brexiteer by pledging to demonstrate unflinching resolve to leave the EU  without a deal if necessary.

It comes as Boris Johnsons rivals try to mobilise against an expected pact between the former Foreign Secretary and pro-Remain Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, designed to unite both Brexit wings of the party.

Within hours of Mrs May giving her tearful resignation speech on Friday, the battle for No 10 started to turn toxic. In an extraordinary day:

Aid Secretary Rory Stewart launched an astonishing attack on Mr Johnson, saying he would not serve under a Pinocchio and branding his fellow Old Etonians Brexit stance damaging, unnecessary and dishonest. It prompted former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith to call Mr Stewarts opening salvo stupid.

Mr Johnsons supporters dismissed as a dog**** smear claims by rivals that he promised a second referendum to pro-Remain Cabinet Ministers to buy their support;

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced he was running by saying Mrs Mays successor must be more brutally honest about the trade-offs required to get a Brexit deal through Parliament;

Tory leadership contender Rory Stewart has explicitly said he could not serve in a government led by Boris Johnson as he branded a No Deal Brexit 'dishonest'

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, another frontrunner, attacked Mr Hancock for his lack of No Deal planning and set out his own pro-business manifesto.

Mrs May prepared to make a series of policy announcements before she leaves No 10 to ensure her legacy;

The Tories braced themselves for devastating results in the European elections this evening, with Nigel Farages Brexit Party expected to lead their wipeout;

It emerged that Mr Johnsons family held a summit at which they agreed to rally round to help him to win the keys to No 10;

Home Secretary Sajid Javid boosted his leadership credentials by forcing social media companies to co-operate with police trying to crack down on paedophiles and other criminals.

Mr Raab, second favourite in the race behind Mr Johnson, writes today that the country feels stuck in the mud, humiliated by Brussels and incapable of finding a way forward That is why I will put myself forward to lead the Conservative Party and our country.

He says that tackling Brexit will require leadership with conviction we must calmly demonstrate unflinching resolve to leave when the extension to negotiations ends in October  at the latest. I would prefer that we leave with a dealbut we will not be taken seriously in Brussels unless we are clear that we will walk away on World Trade Organisation [WTO] terms if the EU doesnt budge.

Setting out his pitch to be leader just hours after Theresa May announced her departure, the former foreign secretary said it was time to 'put Brexit to bed'

Mrs May will stand down on June 7, triggering a Tory leadership contest which will produce a new Prime Minister by the end of July.

Mr Stewart, who announced his intention to stand earlier this month, dubbed Mr Johnson Pinocchio  implying a reputation for mendacity  and said: I could not serve in a Government whose policy was to push this country into a No Deal Brexit. I could not serve with Boris Johnson. Liberal Democrat MP Sir Ed Davey said he had been told other Tories would also refuse to serve under Mr Johnson. He said: Rory has shown himself to be a politician of principle and I am hearing similar noises from several other Conservative MPs. A few are saying privately that they will resign the Tory whip if he is elected.

Senior EU sources have said that any request to extend Article 50 beyond October was likely to be rejected if Mr Johnson became PM  although he has vowed to take Britain out of the EU on October 31, deal or no deal.

Matt Hancock has joined the race to be the next leader of the Conservative Party

Accusing Mr Johnson of going back on his word, Mr Stewart claimed: I spoke to Boris two weeks ago about this and I thought he had assured me that he wouldnt push for a No-Deal Brexit. But it now seems that he is coming out for No Deal. It would be a huge mistake.

But one of Mr Johnsons supporters said: Boriss position is not No Deal, it is to go back Brussels to get a deal but we cant kick the can for ever. To suggest otherwise is dishonest. One pro-Boris MP added: A lot of people are going to embarrass themselves in the next six weeks, but I didnt realise we would see someone do it so quickly.

The potential Bamber alliance between Mr Johnson and Ms Rudd, first revealed by The Mail on Sunday earlier this year, has spooked rivals. It has been dubbed the juggernaut option because of the number of MPs it could attract.

Dominic Grieve threatened that he and other Tory MPs could help sink a Johnson-led government that pursued No Deal

Yesterday Ms Rudd rowed back on her previous public criticism of Mr Johnson, and repeatedly avoided answering questions from the BBC about his integrity, instead saying: Im not going to start maligning any of my colleagues.

Supporters of Mr Raab argue that as the price for Ms Rudds support, Mr Johnson could be forced to drop or dilute his No Deal stance. However, others say Ms Rudd is more likely to buckle, as she has softened her opposition to No Deal as long as sufficient preparations are made.

Mr Johnsons supporters have been infuriated by claims that he offered a second referendum between WTO rules and Remain to woo Remainers to his campaign. The idea horrifies Brexiteers, and one source close to Mr Johnson said: It is not true. It is a dog**** smear, pure and simple. But another Cabinet-level source said: I have definitely heard Boris float it. How serious he was is another matter.

In a sign of their strengthening alliance, The Mail on Sunday understands Ms Rudd had a key role in stopping Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson publicly attacking Mr Johnson despite being one of his most voracious critics. On Wednesday, Ms Davidson said she would work with him if he wins, having previously said he would alienate Scottish voters.

Last night Mr Hunt also set out his pro-business agenda, telling the Sunday Times: If I was Prime Minister, Id be the first Prime Minister in living memory who has been an entrepreneur by background. Doing deals is my bread and butter.The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels.



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Donald Trump took to Twitter to blast Jussie Smollet and his case in Chicago, calling the incident a 'hate crime' against him and his base of supporter.

The president, who is in Japan to meet the nation's new emperor, appeared to suggest that those who wanted to 'Make America Great Again' were the real victims of the actor's actions.

Smollett had claimed he was the victim of a hate crime after he told police he was attacked by two men, one of whom shouted 'this is MAGA country'. The actor was later accused of filing a false police report after two brothers came forward to say he'd paid them to stage the attack.

'In addition to great incompetence and corruption, The Smollett case in Chicago is also about a Hate Crime,' Trump said in the Saturday tweet. 'Remember, MAGA COUNTRY DID IT! That turned out to be a total lie, had nothing to do with MAGA COUNTRY. Serious stuff, and not even an apology to millions of people!'

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The President appeared to suggest that those who wanted to 'Make America Great Again' were the real victims of the actor's allegations

'In addition to great incompetence and corruption, The Smollett case in Chicago is also about a Hate Crime,' Trump said in the Saturday tweet. 'Remember, MAGA COUNTRY DID IT! That turned out to be a total lie, had nothing to do with MAGA COUNTRY. Serious stuff, and not even an apology to millions of people!'

This is the third time Trump has mentioned the Smollett case - he voiced his grievance once Smollett was released by Cook County and later mentioned him during a rallying cry in Wisconsin. He also voiced his displeasure with people who file fake police reports.

The 16 counts against Smollett, which included filing a false police report, were dismissed in March.

Earlier in May at an event for fallen police officer, Trump took aim at the former 'Empire' star as he complained about people who file false police reports.

'In recent years another dangerous trend has begun, a number prosecutors in cities such as Philadelphia and Chicago have decided not to prosecute many criminals who pose a severe threat to public safety and community well being,' he began. 'Every prosecutor takes an oath not to uphold the law, not to advance a political agenda.'

The 16 counts against Smollett were dismissed with little explanation in March

The Smollett case files were made public on Thursday by a judge who agreed with media lawyers that Smollett had no right to privacy because he had spoken openly about the case to defend himself.

The Cook County court record was unsealed and contained 250 pages of previously unseen paperwork but nothing in it was of particular note.

Six hundred pages of Chicago PD work, however, remains secret.

It is likely to be made public next week, once officers have had a chance to review what it and upload it to its website following an order from the court which it has not yet received.

Among the document which did become public on Thursday was SA Kim Foxx's letter to the Office of the Inspector General, asking for a review.

In its response to her, they noted, interestingly, that she had in the past refused such a review.

It is unclear what other cases were up for investigation. The Office of the Inspector General did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for clarification on Friday morning.Even in the small hours, Ibizas giant Pacha club was heaving. Lasers flickered over the sweating crowds, picking out celebrity clubbers including Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Paris Hilton as the music thumped.

Pushing his way across the dancefloor, ducking to dodge the half-naked acrobats swinging from the ceiling, came a giant figure of a man  6ft 5in of well-groomed, Harvard-educated millionaire. Then, as if this werent strange enough, the giant was joined at the bar by a doppelganger, a second square-jawed athlete. Both seemed to have stepped from the pages of a Ralph Lauren catalogue  two Great Gatsby characters transported to the ear-splitting chaos of an Ibiza nightspot. Tyler Winklevoss and his identical twin brother Cameron were already famous thanks to their protracted battle with Facebook billionaire Mark Zuckerberg and its dramatisation in The Social Network, the Hollywood movie about the creation of the site. And it was as they were getting ready to leave that they were recognised. A wild-eyed, muscular guy with a heavy Brooklyn accent accosted them. He seemed to know about their wealth and history and said he had a big idea. The twins werent interested  until the stranger with the Brooklyn accent said something that struck them hard: Facebook isnt revolution any more. Facebook is the Establishment.

Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss were still only 31, but they had money to invest. Lots of it

So whats the idea? asked Cameron. Another social network?

The guy pulled a dollar bill from his shirt pocket.

The oldest social network on earth, he grinned.

Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss were still only 31, but they had money to invest. Lots of it. It was only a year since Zuckerberg had paid them $65 million following one of the most famous legal battles on the planet. Theyd always been an unlikely match-up. Zuckerberg was nerdy and socially awkward; the handsome Winklevoss brothers were twin embodiments of Americas East Coast elite who, already blessed with brains the size of houses, would go on to become members of Americas 2008 Olympic rowing team in Beijing.

Two years later, they competed for Oxford in the Boat Race. Yet it was Zuckerberg who was making the real name for himself. From murky and contested origins, he was turning Facebook into one of the most powerful companies on Earth with a staggering 2.3 billion users.

The problem, though, was this: the Winklevosses believed the idea for such a network had been theirs and that Zuckerberg had effectively stolen it from them. In 2011, after years of wrangling  which included a bizarre threat from Zuckerberg to f*** them in the ear  they reached a settlement. Zuckerberg could certainly afford it as by this time his fortune was an estimated $15 billion.

For the twins, this was a new beginning. It was a chance to disentangle themselves from the poisonous battles of the past four years and, as author Ben Mezrich explains in a compelling new book about the brothers, it brought the prospect of revenge in its sweetest known form  success.

Tyler and Cameron were cautious, replying that Bitcoin was just a gamble and that few get rich by gambling. True, said Azar with a grin. But you do get rich if you own the casino

Yet, as Mezrich reveals, Zuckerberg cast a long shadow, something the twins would find out for themselves as they started to explore the strange new world of the technology boom. On one occasion, for example, they flew out to Silicon Valley in California to meet with a tech wizard looking for investors. Their appointment, it turned out, was in a burger bar with a nervous-looking red-haired young man called Jake. It was the sort of place where the whizzkids and tech geeks came to eat and talk between working at the headquarters of Facebook and Google, Apple and PayPal nearby.

Yet by the time they sat down, Jake had already gone cold. No one looking for start-up capital in Silicon Valley would dare take investment cash from the two guys Zuckerberg hates more than anyone else in the world, he explained. You should be glad this place will even serve you a hamburger. The Winklevoss twins knew then they needed something entirely separate from the giant corporations of the Valley, something utterly brilliant. It would be the start of their gamble with the shadowy new world of cryptocurrency  and their ascent to a new level of fame and fortune based on an invention so powerful it might even eclipse the billions of Zuckerberg.

Google was born in a garage. PayPal was first pitched in a Silicon Valley pancake restaurant. And the Bitcoin investment revolution started in an Ibiza nightclub at 3am in July 2012.

The muscular guy with the big idea was a man called David Avar. When the three of them met again at the Blue Marlin beach club  where a sun lounger costs 350 for one afternoon  he was sober. And, as the twins listened, it all started to make sense. With Facebook you could befriend anyone in the world. With Skype you could talk to anyone in the world. But try to move money around, and the banks would do it at a snails pace and take a cut for themselves.

Money was still controlled by institutions formed centuries before the internet. Bankers, governments, bureaucrats: all of them had a say in what you did with your money  your money, not theirs.

The brothers have a long way to go to match their enemy Zuckerberg, who is reckoned to be worth almost $69 billion

Avar explained that it was time for money to become cryptocurrency with no human authority in charge and no headquarters. This would be a currency of digital data and pure maths, money that moved at the speed of electricity. The implications were staggering.

Tyler and Cameron were cautious, replying that Bitcoin was just a gamble and that few get rich by gambling. True, said Azar with a grin. But you do get rich if you own the casino.

Even today, the whole Bitcoin business looks like a mad gamble.But for the Winklevoss twins, widely read in economics, Bitcoin looked like something else entirely. First set up in 2009 by someone calling himself (or themselves) Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin is a digital currency that allows people to send or receive money across the internet. No identities are revealed or required, only encrypted addresses. It is also decentralised, meaning, in a sense, that there are no human beings in charge. It is rather governed by the laws of mathematics, and processed via computers.

The Winklevosses did some research. Every establishment figure they talked to dismissed Bitcoin as a scam, a Ponzi scheme. But what about cash, they replied? No longer linked to gold, any government could print as much as it liked. Wasnt that a Ponzi scheme? In contrast, the total number of Bitcoins had been fixed for ever at 21 million by its shadowy creator. It would never change.

Then the brothers started meeting stranger figures still, including a jittery, pot-smoking 22-year-old called Charlie Shrem. A tech genius, he still lived in his mothers basement in New York, and believed in Bitcoin with a passion.

They encountered an obese recluse called Mark Karpeles, who ran the Bitcoin exchange itself  which implemented the transactions. They met passionate libertarians who saw Bitcoin as a way of taking back power from the state.

The cryptocurrency was also becoming a favourite of criminals, most notoriously on the so-called Dark Web. Cryptocurrency was the Wild West. But for Tyler and Cameron, the arguments were convincing. It was good maths. After all, no one eschewed cash just because criminals liked using it. The same went for Bitcoin.

Soon afterwards, they put $800,000 into the BitInstant company, an electronic platform for buying and selling the currency, and began to buy heavily into Bitcoins themselves. They started learning about cybersecurity. They worked on cold computers that had been purchased new and never connected to the internet. The twins used these to set up accounts and store data. They bought a 16-sided dice to generate random numbers for passwords.

On one occasion, Cameron took a sledgehammer to a laptop to make sure theyd left no digital fingerprints. Soon, the Winklevosses would put $11 million into the virtual currency, which at that time bought them about one per cent of all the Bitcoins in existence.

Richard Branson invested in another Bitcoin-dealing platform called BitPay

Around the world, Bitcoin was derided as a scam, yet the value kept going up. And then, in 2013, something happened to dramatically change the way the world saw cryptocurrency. When the EU bailed-out the tottering Cyprus economy, it did so on condition that the government order a huge levy on all bank holdings over 100,000 (88,150). The EU called it a tax, but to others it seemed a staggering act of theft from private bank accounts  many held by Russians  and on a colossal scale. It was just as the libertarians of Bitcoin had warned: governments and banks could not be trusted.

The price of a single Bitcoin unit rose from $80 to $260 in a matter of weeks.

Then in April 2013 The New York Times ran a headline that made the brothers hearts soar: Never Mind Facebook: Winklevoss Twins Rule in Digital Money. It was a dream come true for the brothers  and they started living that dream to the full. Among Americas most eligible batchelors, they share an interest in tall, dark-haired beauties, with models Amanda Salvato, Natalia Beber and supermodel Irina Shayk appearing on their arms. They own separate luxury apartments in Manhattan, but routinely stay together at one or the other, and share ownership of an 18 million contemporary mansion in the Hollywood Hills.

Bitcoin was even becoming respectable. Richard Branson invested in another Bitcoin-dealing platform called BitPay. A million dollars isnt cool, Tyler Winklevoss was now saying. You know whats cool? A billion dollars  in Bitcoin.

The brothers have a long way to go to match their enemy Zuckerberg, who is reckoned to be worth almost $69 billion. Even so, their one per cent ownership of all Bitcoins is worth around 1,323,000,000, making them the worlds first known Bitcoin billionaires. They have also established a cryptocurrency exchange business called Gemini, itself valued at another billion or so.

Believing passionately in the future of cryptocurrency, Tyler and Cameron claim that Bitcoin is, in fact, gold 2.0, another form of investment safe from economic downturns and crashes. Then, yesterday, came perhaps the strangest twist of all in this astonishing story  when it was revealed that the Winklevoss twins have been approached by a major figure from Silicon Valley to collaborate in launching a new cryptocurrency, a digital coin that will be tied to the value of the US dollar. The figure in question is Mark Zuckerberg. For more than a year, a secretive Facebook unit has been working on the project, aiming at a currency to be used across Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and beyond. Reportedly called GlobalCoin, it is due to be launched next year.

The first commercial transaction involving Bitcoin took place on May 22, 2010, when a computer programmer in Florida called Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 Bitcoins for two pizzas because he liked to have a bit of spare pizza around to nibble on the next day.

Ten thousand Bitcoins were worth about $30 then, so $15 per pizza, with home delivery, was about right.

A young student took him up on the offer, and the pizzas were duly delivered. If Hanyecz had kept a hold on those Bitcoins, today they would be worth around 62,800,000.

Even Zuckerberg, the eighth-richest man in the world, has taken notice. But this time, its advantage Winklevoss.A council boss believes calls to his switchboard should not be answered too quickly  and hopes that residents will be driven online instead.

Average call-answering times at North Yorkshire County Council have been slashed from 84 seconds to just 38 seconds, a meeting of its executive cabinet was told.

But Councillor Greg White, who is in charge of customer engagement, said that no further improvement in answering times should be attempted because the target of 70 per cent of contacts being made online by 2020 was short at only 11.3 per cent.

He said: The county council is convinced that the best way we can offer quality services to our customers and residents is through our digital channels. We must make sure that we are not so quick at answering the phone that we frustrate that ambition.

Average call-answering times at North Yorkshire County Council have been slashed from 84 seconds to just 38 seconds, a meeting of its executive cabinet was told

His comments prompted a sharp reminder from campaigners for the elderly that not everyone can access the internet. Public services should always offer multiple ways of contacting them, especially via the phone to ensure those who are offline dont miss out, said Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK.

Councillor Derek Bastiman echoed her concerns. He said: I would hate for people to be disadvantaged because we dont answer the phone soon enough and that everybody has the opportunity to ring in and make complaints or make comments.

Mr White said provision was in place to help people get online at libraries with support from staff.

But Councillor Greg White, who is in charge of customer engagement, said that no further improvement in answering times should be attempted because the target of 70 per cent of contacts being made online by 2020 was short at only 11.3 per cent

The Mail on Sunday called Mr White for clarification, but his voicemail was full. Contacted by email, he called back and said: I stand by my comments but perhaps they could have been more nuanced.

We do get a lot of people calling to ask things such as the date of school holidays, which would be much better done online.

I think phones should be answered promptly, but I was just saying we dont need to put more resources into improving the answering time.

Some people getting in touch by phone might want to report safeguarding issues to social services and its imperative that calls like that get through quickly, and the best way to do that is to encourage much of the other traffic online.At 5pm, the great twin-portcullis gate of Manorbier Castle in Pembrokeshire slams shut, as the castle closes to the public - but not to the lucky people who've rented the Victorian cottage tucked inside its Norman walls.

Suddenly you have the smugglers' well, witch's hat tower, dungeon and sprawling, undulating lawn, all to yourself.

I used to feel that sensation of comfort and seclusion for weeks on end during my childhood summers in the 1970s.

Magical Manorbier: You can stay in a cottage inside the walls of this castle by the sea

For a decade, my family rented that cottage and, ever since, Manorbier has been my mental refuge. Today, Manorbier is magically unchanged. It is a combination I've never seen anywhere else: a Norman castle, overlooking a beach and the sea, with the pretty village of Manorbier, with its medieval church just outside the castle gates.

The castle was built in the 12th century, one of a chain of magnificent Norman castles strung across Pembrokeshire.

The best are Carew, Picton and Pembroke, the hulking, great fortress that dominates the town and has the tallest keep in Britain. It was this early Norman foothold in Pembrokeshire that gives the county its nickname, 'Little England beyond Wales'.

Still, today, in south Pembrokeshire, English speakers dominate over Welsh ones, and the place names  Bosherston, Lamphey, Haverfordwest  are English. As you head into north Pembrokeshire, you meet the ancient Welsh lands, with their 'Ll-' names: Llanfair-Nant-Gwyn; Llanychaer.

The holiday home sleeps 12 and costs up to 2,299 for a week to rent. Above, a twin bedroom in the annex

Make sure you visit St David's, Britain's most charming small cathedral, built out of the lovely purple Caer Bwdy stone, which you can still see in the cliffs at nearby Caer Bwdy bay.

Ah, the beaches  the best in Britain. The loveliest are the long, sandy strands of Broadhaven and Freshwater West, both National Trust; and the prettiest, tucked between two headlands, Barafundle. It's bird heaven around here, too.

Every summer, thousands of guillemots come to nest on Stack Rocks, limestone towers moored at sea which are only 50 yards from the coast: far enough to stop rats eating their eggs; close enough for you to see their darkest grey and white plumage and hear their howling call.

For birding nirvana, take a day-trip to Skomer Island where you'll find guillemots, razorbills, puffins (pictured) and more

Choughs circle overhead, their bright red legs and beaks prominent against their black feathers. For birding nirvana, take a day-trip to Skomer Island. Along with the guillemots and razorbills, you'll find puffins, the rare Skomer Vole and a quarter of a million Manx Shearwaters (although these shy birds only come out of their burrows at night).

For a traditional bucket-and-spade holiday, Tenby, with its two beaches and clifftop castle, is ideal. A fashionable resort since the 1780s, Tenby lost out to the foreign holiday boom of the 1960s, but that means it has survived as a delicate time capsule of 18th and 19th century, elegant, classical terraced houses, overlooking Caldey Island. And it doesn't end there.

I have been to Pembrokeshire every summer since 1972. And, every year, I find something new  and unique to the country. Not so much Little England beyond Wales as Little Paradise in Wales.We think nothing of taking a bus tour when visiting a city overseas. But how many of us have climbed aboard one in Britain? Indeed, how knowledgeable are we about our own country?

Of course, the running commentary can vary in quality, but you're regaled with some amusing tales, whether fact or fiction. And the buses are very convenient, saving you shoe leather and letting you hop on and off.

Here we present five of the UK's top double-decker tours...

Beyond the Beatles

A spirited tour of Liverpool lasts 50 minutes and showcases a richly varied city

What is it? A spirited tour of the centre of Liverpool (11, cityexplorerliverpool.co.uk), with live commentary from a waggish local guide. The tour lasts 50 minutes and showcases a richly varied city. Your fellow passengers will be mainly English-speaking, as there are no multilingual audio guides. Hard-core Fab Four fans tend to take one of the specialist Beatles tours.

What you see: All the main sights, from the Mersey and the Liver Building to the Cavern Quarter and the city's two contrasting cathedrals. You get great views across the city as the bus climbs the steep streets from the docks.

What you're told: Historical titbits, with a larding of Scouse humour. 'Victoria Street... named after Victoria Beckham.' 'The Catholic cathedral... known as Paddy's wigwam.' 'And there's where Gladstone was born... Queen Victoria thought he was the most boring man she had ever met.'

Top tips: Of the stop-off points, the Cavern Quarter is an obvious must. Don't miss the statues of John Lennon, Eleanor Rigby and Cilla Black (who worked at the Cavern Club as a cloakroom attendant). You should also leave time for the excellent museums at Albert Dock. 4/5

Bristol fashion

From the docks to the SS Great Britain and the Clifton Suspension Bridge, a bus tour of Bristol shows you everything you would want to see

What is it? A 90-minute hop-on, hop-off tour (15.50, bristolinsight.co.uk), with a live guide at weekends and pre-recorded commentary on other days. A well-crafted tour of Bristol, with a first-class talk. The route meanders, but to excellent effect.

What you see: Everything you would want to see, from the docks to the SS Great Britain and the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

What you're told: A shed-load of Bristolian trivia, plus some sly West Country humour ('the students' union... regularly voted the ugliest building in the city'). Whether you are interested in the Bristol of Brunel or the Bristol of Banksy, you will be given plenty to chew on.

Top tips: Don't book if the weather looks dodgy as there are no covered seats on the top deck. Great hop-off stops include uber-cool Clifton village, with its shops and restaurants, the wonderful church of St Mary Redcliffe and the SS Great Britain, the first iron steamer to cross the Atlantic. 4/5

Auld Reekie

A hop-on, hop-off tour of Edinburgh city centre includes detours to Holyrood House and Arthur's Seat. Above a view of Holyrood House from Arthur's Seat

What is it? A hop-on, hop-off tour of Edinburgh city centre (16, city-sightseeing.com) with a multi-lingual audio guide. The English commentary is pretty dire, but the views of a great city and its monuments are genuinely stirring.

What you see: The full, rich architectural brew that is Edinburgh, from the narrow streets of the Old Town to the Georgian grace of the New Town, with detours to Holyrood House and Arthur's Seat.

What you're told: A load of cobblers, alas. The out-of-sync audio guide is feeble, with far too much Horrible Histories-style trivia about hangings, executions, chamber pots, Burke and Hare, etc. (Specimen joke: 'The museum is packed with Egyptian mummies, but not Egyptian daddies.')

Top tips: Stop off near the High Street, pat the statue of Greyfriars Bobby and visit the excellent little Writers' Museum. Or, if politics is your bag, look in on the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood. 2/5

Brighton Rocks

Palace by the sea: An hour-long tour of Brighton has ten hop-off points and a multi-lingual audio guide. Above, the Royal Pavilion, one of Regency Brighton's sights

What is it? An hour-long tour (14, city-sightseeing.com), with ten hop-off points and a multi-lingual audio guide. The latter is uninspired, to put it mildly, but the combination of great architecture, a stiff sea breeze and a faint hint of seediness has its own appeal.

What you see: A generous stretch of the seafront, extending east and west of the city centre, a glimpse of the Royal Pavilion and a mazy little tour of Hove, Brighton's bolshie sibling rival.

What you're told: A thin gruel of facts and figures about everything from the Prince Regent and Laurence Olivier to the nudist beach. The audio guide includes a cringe-worthy impression of Margaret Thatcher's speech to her party conference after the 1984 Brighton bombing.

Top tips: You are never far from the sea, so hop off the bus, stretch your legs, enjoy the crumbling Regency terraces and get some salt air into your lungs. The Brighton Pavilion is always worth a visit. And, for great shops, bars and restaurants, it is a toss-up between the famous Lanes, very crowded in summer, or the subtler charms of Hove. 2/5

The bard on tour

To learn about all things Shakespeare, take an hour-long loop of Stratford-upon-Avon. Above, Shakespeare's birthplace on Henley Street

What is it? An hour-long loop of Stratford-upon-Avon and the surrounding countryside (15, city-sightseeing.com), with an excellent audio guide in seven languages. A remarkably informative tour, from which even Shakespeare buffs will learn something.

What you see: The main Shakespeare 'shrines' in the town centre, including his birthplace, Holy Trinity church and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, as well as a generous dollop of Warwickshire countryside, including Mary Arden's Farm, where the Bard's mother was brought up.

What you're told: A wealth of historical morsels about the bustling market town where Shakespeare came of age. The audio guide is mercifully free of cheesy puns but is a mine of information on everything from thatched roofs and four-poster beds to Elizabethan medicine and the ancient Forest of Arden.

Top tips: Shakespeare's grave in Holy Trinity church is a must  far more atmospheric than the birthplace. It is also a good idea to buy a combination ticket for the bus tour, which includes visits to Shakespeare properties, such as New Place and Anne Hathaway's Cottage. 5/5This is a city of two halves separated by the Danube. To the west is hilly Buda, to the east is Pest, spread out on a plain.

In 1873, the two parts combined to establish Budapest. Many of the magnificent bridges date from the 19th century, when the city was forging its identity.

Expect cafe culture, art nouveau buildings, late-night revelry... and hot water. The city has geothermal springs, which attracted the Romans (and can still be enjoyed today).

Where to stay

Budapest is a city of two halves, says the Daily Mail's Tom Chesshyre, with hilly Buda to the west of the Danube river and Pest to the east

Brody House: A secretive, 11-room hotel next to the excellent Hungarian National Museum (mnm.hu) in Pest. You enter up a grand stone staircase into a shabby-chic lounge with creaky floorboards, old leather sofas, fireplaces, an honesty bar and an arty crowd. Super-comfortable. B&B doubles from 59 (brody.land).

Mamaison Hotel: Situated in the north-east of downtown Pest, Mamaison is a modern, friendly hotel a short walk from the Szechenyi Thermal Baths. A lift whisks you to 68 smart rooms with modern art, espresso machines and wide beds. B&B doubles from 86; breakfast 14pp extra (mamaison.com).

Maison Bistro & Hotel: Up the hill in Buda, not far from Matthias Church, Maison has 17 delightful rooms set around a courtyard with a jolly lunchtime bistro on one side  plus nine more just down the street. This is another quiet setting. Designer furniture features throughout, and some bathrooms have marble fittings. B&B doubles from 100 (maisonbudapest.hu).

Corinthia Hotel: One of the inspirations for the hit 2014 film The Grand Budapest Hotel, starring Ralph Fiennes. If you book in the winter, last-minute rooms can be had for 95. At other times, theyre from 150  plush furnishings, tinkling pianos and spa entry included. Doubles from 95 (corinthia.com/budapest).

Where to eat

Frici Papa: This is a no-nonsense restaurant in the centre of Pest serving dishes including dumpling soup, goulash and chicken paprika with noodles. Its great value: a meal for two with wine starts at 15. Service is swift and friendly. fricipapa.hu

Hauer: Off the beaten track, but not far from Keleti station (where international trains arrive), Hauer is an oasis of calm. The restaurant/patisserie dates from 1899 but closed in 1991, then re-opened again two years ago. It has red velvet curtains and old wooden panels. Go for pork ribs with mash and pickles (7). Cake is 2 a slice. hauercukraszda.hu

Great Market Hall: This massive covered hall by the river near Liberty Bridge is on two levels. On the mezzanine, stalls offer goulash and bowls of spicy fish soup for 4.50. On the ground floor, hams, cheeses, fruits and vegetables are sold. Its a raucous, cacophonous place usually swarming with tourists. But its great for lunch or a snack  a slice of apple strudel is recommended (80p). budapestmarkethall.com

The Great Market Hall is a popular spot described as being 'raucous' and 'cacophonous'

Karavan Street Food: In the heart of the historic Jewish quarter on Kazinczy Street, this is popular for brunches  especially for those who have been out in the nearby bars the night before. Stalls offer chicken stews with dumplings (5.50), burgers (3), pizzas (3.50) and kurtos cakes (4).

Best ice cream: It's worth a diversion to the little ice cream stall on March 15 Square, near Elizabeth Bridge on the Pest side. Flavours include pistachio, orange and cheesecake and raspberry and basil. A scoop is 1, but after 9.30pm theyre 60p.

What to see and do

Spa day: Budapest's spas are legendary, with waters touching 40c. The best is the Szechenyi Thermal Spa in a huge palace-like complex in Varosliget Park. Arrive before the crowds to make a day  or at least half a day  of it. There are places to eat and sun loungers in the courtyard. Entry costs 15 and includes locker access. Entry to an inner 'beer spa' where unlimited beer can be drunk while in hot tubs  if that is your thing  is 26 for 45 minutes. szechenyispabaths.com

Visit a 'ruin bar': The Jewish quarter fell into decline under communism (Soviet troops withdrew in 1991). Now, the crumbling edifices have become a warren of 'ruin bars' around Kazinczy Street. They're incredibly busy at weekends. Go during the day for a beer (3), wine (2) or shot of palinka fruit brandy (1.80). Head for Szimpla Kert to be in the heart of the action. offbeatbudapest.com

A relaxing dip: Budapest's spas are legendary, with waters touching 40c. The best is the Szechenyi Thermal Spa (pictured) in a huge palace-like complex in Varosliget Park

Have a cocktail: One of the coolest spots for a cocktail is the TOPRUM SkyBar, on the top-floor of Hotel Rum, where a rum, mango, pineapple and lime punch sets you back 5.65. hotelrumbudapest.com

Picnic by the Danube: Pick up ingredients from the Great Market Hall, or in one of the supermarkets that dot the city centre, and head for the river. Some gather by the lowest point of the suspension cables of Liberty Bridge to enjoy sandwiches (and the great views). Afterwards, walk along the waterfront.

Pinball wizard: Enjoy the delights of the Budapest Pinball Museum  where the history of Hungarian pinball is explained (flippermuzeum.hu)  and pop in to dozens of others, including the Liszt Ferenc Memorial Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts. A 24-hour Budapest Card, which covers museum entry and public transport, is 19. budapestcard.org

Ride the old Metro: If you don't want a Budapest Card, a 24-hour public transport pass is 4.30. The M1 Metro is the oldest on mainland Europe, with tiny trains and narrow carriages. Tickets are available at stations.

See the synagogue: The Dohany Street Synagogue is the largest in Europe, seating 3,000 people. There is a moving weeping willow-shaped memorial to the Jews who died in Budapest during World War II. Excellent tours are included in the 10 entry fee, with cash going towards maintaining the building.On turning out the light at the Four Seasons in Trinity Square opposite the Tower of London, I realise my mobile telephone is missing.

I am about to get dressed and pop down to the Mei Ume restaurant, where we had enjoyed a wonderful Chinese dinner, when I see a note has been left under our door.

Typed on letterheaded paper, it says that a waiter has found my mobile but 'due to the late hour we did not want to call the room... in case you need the phone, call reception and we will send it up'.

Opulent: Four Seasons in Trinity Square is housed in a building built in the Twenties. It was originally the Port of London Authority headquarters

Service at a Four Seasons is always exemplary. In fact, sometimes it is almost too perfect. At breakfast, when I place my napkin momentarily on the banquette beside me, a waitress rushes forward to fold it and puts it back on the table.

And it might sound churlish given how my phone was lost and found, but there are only so many times I want to be asked how my 'day has been so far' and what plans I have 'for the rest of the evening', if I have 'come far', and hoping 'everything is satisfactory'.

Everything was satisfactory. And the building itself is stupendous. Built in the Twenties as the Port of London Authority headquarters, it was opened by Prime Minister David Lloyd George and hailed as one of the finest in the country.

Its design was the result of a nationwide competition won by Sir Edwin Cooper, who adopted a neoclassical style with Corinthian columns, large portico and central rotunda that mirrored the dome of nearby St Paul's Cathedral.

We're not sure what Sir Edwin would think of the gold chandelier bowl in the lobby, or the huge carpet with red and mauve splodges but, in general, he'd be delighted at how the Grade II-listed building has been preserved.

The Inspector says that now many rooms at Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square have views of Tower Bridge, but his did. Above, the interiors of a 'premier room' at the hotel

It oozes glamour and opulence, with Tiffany-style lamps in and around the copper bar, a Michelin-star French restaurant in addition to Mei Ume, and acres of space to meander or sit and cogitate.

Not many rooms have views of Tower Bridge, but ours does  just, with a peep of the Tower of London in the foreground. The marble bathroom glistens: gold taps, huge mirror that doesn't fug up, ambient lighting, separate shower and WC.

If you don't sleep well here, you won't sleep well anywhere. We read in a brochure by the bed that the king-size duvet has 29oz of 100 per cent white duck down in it, and you can buy one for 300, and the bed for 2,600.

Nothing is cheap. Continental breakfast costs 24 per person; the full English for 28. If you bring your dog he or she can have room service 'organic chicken breast' for 15, served with a side of rice, pasta, seasonal vegetables or steamed carrots.They had a special date night yesterday night as they were spotted at celeb-beloved Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica.

And on Friday, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West went all out, celebrating their five-year wedding anniversary with a huge floral display on their kitchen counter at their home in Hidden Hills, California.

The reality diva, 38, took to Instagram to show off the fancy arrangement that spelled out 'Kimye,' she and the 41-year-old musician's celebrity couple nickname.

Floral frenzy: On Friday, the Kim Kardashian and Kanye West went all out, celebrating their 5 year wedding anniversary with a huge 'Kimye' floral display at their home in Hidden Hills, California

The flowers were so big that Kim couldn't fit them all in the frame.

And if the blooms attached to the letters weren't enough, there were another few dozen roses spread out on the counter in a bed underneath them.

She posted a video to her Instagram story while the song Anniversary by Tony! Toni! Tone! played over it.

It's too big: The flowers were so big that Kim couldn't fit them all in the frame

Look familiar? The arrangement was made up of hundreds of white roses, not unlike the ones she had at her actual wedding ceremony five years ago (pictured May 2014)

The arrangement was made up of hundreds of white roses, not unlike the ones she had at her actual wedding ceremony five years ago.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was also seen posing in front of them to promote her new Mrs West beauty collection, which launched today.

White roses: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was also seen posing in front of them to promote her new Mrs West beauty collection, which launched today (posted May 22)

Sold out! The collection, which includes items like eye shadow, highlighter, lip liner, lipstick and blush - could be purchased in its entirety for $100 (posted May 13)

The collection, which includes items like eye shadow, highlighter, lip liner, lipstick and blush - can be purchased in its entirety for $100.

It sold out almost immediately after being released at noon today.

The packaging for the new Mrs. West palette features Kim on her wedding day in the stunning Givenchy gown she sported as she walked down the aisle.Former Bachelor Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson proposed to pregnant girlfriend Laura Byrne last month during their Fiji babymoon.

And on Saturday, Matty, 31, revealed the couple were already in the early stages of planning their wedding.

Appearing on his Nova weekend breakfast radio show, Matty said he had started scouted venues on New South Wales' South Coast.

Scroll down for audio

'I'm not going to be able to afford this!' On Saturday, Bachelor Matty J (left) revealed he is worried a lavish $40,000 ceremony is out his price range as he prepares to welcome first child with fiancee Laura Byrne (right) next month

'I've only started to look at a couple of venues. I saw one and it was a lovely venue down the South Coast,' the TV presenter said.

He shared his concerns to co-hosts Matt De Groot and Sarah McGilvray: 'It was $40,000 for the venue! I thought, "Gosh, I'm not going to be able to afford this!"'

Matty and Laura, 33, began dating in 2017 after meeting on the popular Channel 10 dating franchise's fifth season.

Engaged! Matty proposed to pregnant girlfriend Laura last month during their Fiji babymoon

An insider told Woman's Day this month that the former Bachelor stars were planning on having two weddings, however, Laura has denied the claims.

'This is certainly news to the both of us. No we are not having two weddings. Disney movies are more factual than Woman's Day,' Laura told Daily Mail Australia.

The couple are due to welcome their first child any week now, with Matty returning just in time from an extended work trip for the impending birth.

Just in time! The couple are due to welcome their first child any week now, with Matty returning just in time from an extended work trip for the impending birth

What a sparkler! Matty turned to Larsen Jewellery to create the bespoke ring for his established jewellery designer fiancee

While on the weekend radio program, Matty confessed he had begun planning his proposal to Laura last December.

He turned to Larsen Jewellery to create the bespoke ring for his established jewellery designer fiancee.

The finished ring features a rare D colour 1.58ct pear-shaped rose cut diamond, which is accentuated by a half halo of 2.5pt diamonds.

The ring itself is handmade entirely out of Fairtrade certified 18ct yellow gold.Chloe Ferry's romantic with Sam Gowland has left fans confused of late, with the pair holidaying together in Magaluf just days after their split.

But the Geordie Shore star was keen to show Sam what he was missing when she slipped into a skimpy blue bikini during their poolside group getaway on Friday, putting her hourglass curves on display.

The 23-year-old star barely covered up her ample assets in her skimpy string two-piece as she flaunted her figure on her Instagram Stories.

Bikini babe: Chloe Ferry was keen to show her ex Sam Gowland what he was missing when she slipped into a skimpy blue bikini during their awkward Magaluf holiday on Friday

Chloe put her hourglass waist and peachy derriere centre stage in her swimwear as she twirled around for the photo.

The reality star was the picture of glamour thanks to her giant shades and her long blonde wig.

Just yesterday she vented that she and her ex are not back together despite holidaying together.

Loving life: Chloe put her hourglass waist and peachy derriere centre stage in her swimwea

Allegations have emerged claiming that Sam partied with an 18-year-old girl in his hotel room just hours after he and Chloe split.

The fresh report follows claims that he also had a steamy romp with a fellow Love Island contestant, just days after he split from his ex-girlfriend.

The Geordie Shore star reportedlyinvited pretty brunette Holly McConnell, 18, back to his hotel room in Walsall after meeting her outside a club Birmingham.

In a short video clip obtained by The Sun, Sam can be seen opening the door to his hotel room in his boxer shorts, with his unmistakable Chloe leg tattoo on display.

Holly told The Sun: 'I was standing outside Rosie's in Birmingham when I spotted Sam and asked for a picture.

'The next thing I knew he was asking me back to his hotel and I decided to say yes.

The teenager told the publication that Sam, who she claims was in good spirits, didn't mention Chloe after going into his room.

Oh dear: After returning from their holiday together, claims emerged that Sam had allegedly invited an 18-year-old woman back to his hotel room, just one day after his split from Chloe

Claims: Holly McConnell told The Sun that after going back to Sam's hotel room at his request: 'We chatted for a bit afterwards and then I got a cab home. We didn't exchange numbers

Holly explained that the reality star was sober, despite attempting to get drunk, and the pair chatted before she got a taxi home.

She said: 'We chatted for a bit afterwards and then I got a cab home. We didn't exchange numbers but I'd only just come out of a relationship myself so wasn't looking for anything.'

MailOnline has contacted Sam and Chloe's representatives for comment.

The allegation comes shortly after claims emerged that Sam romped with a Love Island beauty just a few days after Chloe ended their 17-month romance.

Not bitter: The claims of Sam partying with an 18-year-old girl in his hotel room emerged after Chloe and Sam returned from their holiday in Magaluf, Majorca

Earlier this week, Chloe broke her silence on the claims her ex hooked up with another Love Islander as she reportedly shared a now-deleted tweet, which read: 'Mad how you think you know someone so well but you don't know them at all.'

She also added on Twitter: 'And he's still trying to deny it,' followed by a laughing face emoji.

Sam has since jetted off to Ibiza while Chloe also flew out to the popular Balearic island on Friday.

On Wednesday, Chloe angrily took to social media to set the record straight that she and Sam were not together despite holidaying together.

Sizzling: On Wednesday, Chloe angrily took to social media to set the record straight that she and Sam were not together despite holidaying together

She said on Instagram: 'To answer everyones question me and Sam are NOT back together. Yeah, we live together, but thats because weve got a mortgage together. We cant just chuck each other out.

'And why are we on holiday together? Because we work together and Sams best friend is here.'

The holiday snaps come after it was reported that Sam had a steamy romp with a Love Island star, just days after he split from his ex-girlfriend Chloe.

The Geordie Shore star and the Love Islander reportedly had the rendezvous during a wild night out in Soho earlier this month, heading back to his hotel room after partying until the early hours.

Showing her ex what he was missing: During her angry rant, she ended it with: 'And why are we on holiday together? Because we work together and Sams best friend is here.'

A source told The Sun: 'Sam knows the Love Island star very well and it isnt the only occasion theyve spent time together, they were all over each other as they had drinks at a bar and it wasnt long before they continued the night behind closed doors.

'Both Sam and the former Islander were single at the time so they havent done anything wrong  though pals were shocked Sam moved on so quickly.

'Its unknown if Sams been open with Chloe about his shenanigans while they werent together.'

Moving on: Sam is also said to have had a steamy romp with a Love Island star, just days after he split from his ex-girlfriend Chloe (pictured with Chloe in 2018)

The claims come after reports the pair had got back together following the demise of their two-year relationship.

Earlier this month, the Geordie Shore star couple saddened their fans with the shock news of their break up.

They had invested in their bright future together as they got a mortgage and bought a house during their happy two-year romance.

Romp: The Geordie Shore star and the Love Islander reportedly had the rendezvous during a wild night out in Soho earlier this month, before heading back to his hotel room

Chloe had shared their split with her 3,200,000 fans on social media but she insisted the former flames were 'still friends'.

She wrote on Instagram: 'It hurts me to say this but me and Sam have gone our separate ways. We are still friends. Things carry on as normal.'

Things soon turned sour when a jealous Chloe discovered Sam had followed a bevy of girls on Instagram less than 24 hours after their break up.

Sam, of Love Island fame, had joined the Geordie Shore cast as Chloe's boyfriend following his rise in status to the spotlight.The Married At First Sight brides have become two of season six's biggest stars since the finale aired in early April.

And on Saturday morning, Ines Basic and Jessika Power were spotted reuniting at Brisbane airport.

The controversial reality TV stars were seen embracing for a warm hug as they lugged their luggage into the domestic terminal.

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Come fly with me! Married At First Sight stars Ines Basic (left) and Jessika Power (right) reunited with a warm embrace at Brisbane Airport as they prepared to take a short trip together on Saturday

Ines is based in Brisbane, while Jessika lives on the Gold Coast, a one-hour drive from Brisbane's CBD.

The pair, who became friends while filming the social experiment last year, looked overjoyed to see each other.

Ines was seen arriving to the domestic airport first, toting a takeaway coffee in her hand ahead of the early-morning flight.

Reunited! The pair, who became friends while filming the social experiment last year, look overjoyed to see each other

After spotting Jessika, the pair embraced in a warm hug and walked towards the check-in counter together.

Ines kept went casual in a leather jacket, grey hoodie and a pair of black jeans, while Jessika looked comfortable in a grey sweater and white workout leggings.

The reality TV stars appeared to be going on a short trip together, as they only had a small carry-on item each.

But first, coffee! Ines was seen arriving to the domestic airport first, toting a takeaway coffee in her hand ahead of the early-morning flight

Girls' trip! It's unclear where the women were heading, but Ines joked they were 'off to Wimbledon' when she shared a short video on Saturday

It's unclear where the women were heading, but Ines joked they were 'off to Wimbledon' when she shared a short video online on Saturday.

Ines also captioned the upload from the tarmac with Jessika to her 159,000 online fans: 'Yeah the boys.'

Jessika happily re-posted the video to her own social media account which boasts an impressive 210,000 followers.

Hugging it out: Earlier this week, Ines sparked concerns for her mental health after sharing a series of troubling social media posts

Keeping it simple! Ines kept her look casual in a pair of black jeans, a grey hoodie and leather jacket, while Jessika looked comfortable in white workout leggings and a grey sweater

Earlier this week, Ines sparked concerns for her mental health after sharing a series of troubling social media posts.

On Thursday afternoon, she flooded her Instagram Story with dozens of obscene and sexually explicit captions.

One particularly worrying post featured a photo of Ines walking through an airport, alongside the text: 'I wonder if there's any dogs here I can have sex with.'

Ines, a former legal assistant from Queensland, also referenced illegal drug use during her social media spree.

She later claimed the posts were in good humour and that she was just 'taking the p**s out of myself'.

Not going far: The reality TV stars appeared to be going on a short trip together, as they only had a small carry-on item each

'Some are worried they'll be snubbed': While the MAFS stars were part of Channel Nine's ratings juggernaut this year, there are fears they will be banned from attending the 2019 Logie Awards in June for being 'too controversial'

While the MAFS stars were part of Channel Nine's ratings juggernaut this year, there are fears they will be banned from attending the 2019 Logie Awards in June.

Daily Mail Australia understands that several participants are 'begging' Channel Nine publicists for an invite ahead of the big event on June 30.

'Some of them are worried they'll be snubbed for being "too controversial" and "a liability", which is ridiculous because producers encouraged this sort of behaviour during filming,' an insider said.

Daily Mail Australia understands that Channel Nine is yet to formally invite any MAFS cast members, and will be narrowing them down in the coming weeks.

With 24 participants appearing on the show this year, it is expected that only a handful will be invited due to the venue's limited capacity.

'Golden couple' Jules Robinson and Cameron Merchant are likely to score invites, as well as other uncontroversial stars including Heidi Latcham and Melissa Lucarelli.

The nominees for the 2019 Logie Awards will be announced at The Star Gold Coast on Sunday.She's a model, entrepreneur and social media influence who was named best dressed New Yorker in the New York Post's Page Six in 2012.

And on Thursday, Olivia Palermo showed off her flare for fashion when she hit the bustling streets of Manhattan for a photo shoot.

Making this even more memorable and personal, Palermo's husband Johannes Huebl was the one behind the camera snapping away picture-after-picture.

Pretty in pink: Olivia Palermo hit the streets of Manhattan for a photo shoot on Thursday

The 33-year-old fashion maven donned a pair of form-fitting cream pants and a white shirt.

But what stood out the most was her long pink cape that was adorned with a large hanging black scarf that was tied into a bow.

She rounded out the ensemble with a matching furry pink and red handbag, silver patterned heels and her long light brown tresses were pulled into a back bun.

Family affair: Palermo's husband, Johannes Huebl, was behind the camera for the shoot

Stunner: The fashion maven donned form-fitting cream pants, white shirt and silver heels

Strike a pose: She donned a pink cape with a large hanging black scarf that was tied into a bow

Accessorizing: Palermo rounded out the ensemble with a matching furry pink and red handbag

The German-born Heubl, 41, had his wife flaunt her toned figure while striking a number of poses as she strutted up and down a street.

Along with his skills behind the camera, Huebl has been a successful model and fashion designer.

The couple will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary June 29, although they began dating for many years before.

The German-born Heubl, 41, had his wife flaunt her toned figure while striking a number of poses as she strutted up and down a street

Breakthrough: Palermo originally came to fame on MTV's The Hills spin-off The City

Her transitional role: The socialite appeared in both seasons of the reality show as Whitney Port's workplace friend and later rival

Moving and shaking: Since her reality stint, Palermo has become one of the most established front-row regulars on the fashion circuit, attending the world's most prestigious events

Palermo originally came to fame on MTV's The Hills spin-off The City, which documented Whitney Port's move to New York to work for Diane von Furstenberg in 2008.

The socialite appeared in both seasons of the reality show as Port's workplace friend and later rival.

Since her reality stint, Palermo has become one of the most established front-row regulars on the fashion circuit, attending the world's most prestigious events.

The New York City native has also helped brand a number of fashion and business ventures and has appeared on the covers of such prestigious magazines as Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Elle, Marie Claire and Harper's Bazaar.

Multi-talented city girl: The New York City native has also helped brand a number of fashion and business ventures

Nod and a wink: The entrepreneur gave a thumbs up to other photographers at the shootBachelor couple Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich recently announced plans to start 'trying for a family next year'.

And on Saturday, Tim hinted the pair were already thinking about having a nursery in their new $1.9 million Sydney unit.

The Neighbours actor, 37, hinted to The Daily Telegraph: 'There are three bedrooms, so enough room space for kids down the track.'

'There's enough room for kids': Bachelor Tim Robards hints at exciting plans with Anna Heinrich to convert a bedroom in their $1.9 million Sydney unit into a nursery

Tim and Anna purchased the stunning $1.9 million unit in Sydney's affluent Rose Bay late last year, less than six months after tying the knot in Italy.

The Art Deco harbourside pad, built in the 1930s, boasts three bedrooms.

Earlier this month, Tim revealed that he wanted to have a child with Anna soon, but was finding it difficult while launching his acting career on Neighbours.

SOLD! Tim and Anna purchased the stunning $1.9 million unit in Sydney's affluent Rose Bay late last year, less than six months after tying the knot in Italy

'We will probably start trying for a family next year,' the 37-year-old said of himself and wife Anna, 32.

Tim added that starting a family was not 'conducive to acting' as he may be required to travel at short notice, or spend 'weeks or months without a job'.

'We possibly could [settle in Melbourne] down the track, but we just bought a house in Sydney, and we've set our lives up there,' he explained.

His big break! Tim recently landed a permanent role as shady entrepreneur Pierce Greyson on Channel 10's long-running soap. Pictured on Neighbours

Long-distance lovers: Tim lives in Melbourne from Monday to Friday, but returns home to Sydney on the weekends to be with wife Anna

Tim plays Pierce Greyson on the long-running soap and lives in Melbourne from Monday to Friday, but returns home to Sydney on the weekends.

Tim officially relocated to Melbourne in March and Sydney-based criminal lawyer Anna has previously stated the move has been 'tough' on their relationship.

The original 2013 Bachelor couple dated for four years before getting engaged in 2017.

The couple wed in June last year at the Masseria Potenti hotel, among the olive groves and vineyards of the Puglian countryside in Italy.Selena Gomez was seen in a casual baby blue ensemble while enjoying a lunch outing in Los Angeles this Friday.

The 26-year-old pop star and Instagram icon was joined by a couple of friends, one of whom she was seen hugging on the sidewalk.

Sweeping her dark hair back into a bun, the Texas-born songbird teamed a cozy-looking top with a pair of sweatpants and some white sneakers.

On the town: Selena Gomez was seen in a casual baby blue ensemble while enjoying a lunch outing in Los Angeles this Friday

Earlier this month, Selena was in the south of France for the annual Cannes Film Festival amid some of the top stars in the world.

She was in Cannes attending the premiere of her new movie The Dead Don't Die, a zombie comedy also starring Adam Driver, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton.

Selena's movie was directed by Jim Jarmusch, who has helmed such movies as Coffee And Cigarettes and Only Lovers Left Alive.

Warm feelings: The 26-year-old pop star and Instagram icon was joined by a couple of friends, one of whom she was seen hugging on the sidewalk

Simply stylish: Sweeping her dark hair back into a bun, the Texas-born songbird teamed a cozy-looking top with a pair of sweatpants and some white sneakers

Globetrotter: Earlier this month, Selena was in the south of France for the annual Cannes Film Festival amid some of the top stars in the world

Earlier this month, Woody Allen used his own Facebook page to release the trailer to his movie A Rainy Day In New York, starring Selena.

The film started life at Amazon, but the website pulled the film amid Woody's resurfaced #MeToo scandal and he is now suing them for $68 million over it.

In the trailer, Selena, Elle Fanning, Timothee Chalamet and Diego Luna find themselves in kooky romantic entanglements as a downpour hits the Big Apple.

Movie star: She was in Cannes attending the premiere of her new movie The Dead Don't Die, a zombie comedy also starring Adam Driver, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton

Pedigree: Selena's movie was directed by Jim Jarmusch, who has helmed such movies as Coffee And Cigarettes and Only Lovers Left Alive

It's back: Earlier this month, Woody Allen used his own Facebook page to release the trailer to his movie A Rainy Day In New York, starring Selena

Although Amazon pulled Woody's film with Selena, French company Mars Films will release the movie in theaters in the Fifth Republic in September, France 24 reports.

Selena also has a voice role as a talking animal in the latest film inspired by British author Hugh Lofting's iconic children's book character Dr. Doolittle.

Out next January, The Voyage Of Doctor Dolittle sees Selena join a cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Tom Holland, Emma Thompson and Rami Malek.

Backdrop: The film started life at Amazon, but the website pulled the film amid Woody's resurfaced #MeToo scandal and he is now suing them for $68 million over it

She's everywhere: Selena also has a voice role as a talking animal in the latest film inspired by British author Hugh Lofting's iconic children's book character Dr. DoolittleShe made a huge splash and set off a major controversy when, at the young age of 12, she played a child prostitute in Louis Malle's 1978 drama film Pretty Baby.

Fast forward 41-years, and Brooke Shields can still create a stir with her seemingly age-defying beauty.

Case in point: when the actress and model met a friend for an al fresco lunch at a the popular Italian restaurant Nello on Madison Avenue in New York City on Friday.

Looking good: Brooke Shields, 53, flashed a peace sign during her lunch date with a gal-pal in New York City on Friday

Opting to relish the fresh spring air, Shields and her lady-friend had a table in the outside portion of the restaurant, among a packed house, just feet from the bustling street.

The 53-year-old star oozed style and class in a blush-colored dress that came just past her knees.

For added flare, the number cinched at the waist, had a double-layer of fabric over the chest region and pleats along the lower half of the design.

She rounded out the ensemble with blush-striped heels and wore her dark brown tresses long and flowing, but pulled back off of her face.

Cheers! The two pals toasted with some champagne during their al fresco lunch at a popular Italian restaurant, Nello, on Madison Avenue

Comic relief: The pair were also seen bursting into laughter

Focused listener: Shields and her pal appeared to be engulfed in conversation the entire time

intense: The actress-model appeared to get serious during the afternoon chat

Shields and her gal-pal appeared to be engulfed in conversation the entire time.

At one point, the pair toasted with some champagne and then burst into laughter. Then, moments later, the Blue Lagoon star could be seen listening intently with her head resting on her hands as her friend chatted away.

Once the lunch date ended, Shields turned heads as she made her way to the streets. where she gave a nod and wink to an awaiting photographer.

Later in the day, the actress and model took to her Instagram and shared a photo of herself sitting alone at the restaurant while holding her champagne with the caption, 'Cheers to Friday.'

Summery: Shields oozed style and class in a blush-colored dress that came just past her knees

Pizzazz: For added flare, the number cinched at the waist, had a double-layer of fabric over the chest region and pleats along the lower half of the design

Child star: Shields made a huge splash and set off a major controversy when, at the young age of 12, she played a child prostitute in Louis Malle's 1978 drama film Pretty Baby; she also created controversy as a teenage model

Shields's controversial role in Pretty Baby was due to the depiction of child prostitution and the nude scenes she filmed when she was just 12.

By 1980, she became the youngest fashion model to ever appear on the cover of Vogue.

She would garner more notoriety and controversy throughout her teenage years, as the face of the Calvin Klein jeans campaign, which included her uttering the seductive phrase: ' You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins -- nothing' when she was 15-years-old.

The Princeton University graduate appeared in such movies as The Blue Lagoon (1980), Endless Love (1981), Freeway (1996) and The Other Guys (2010). Her television credits include the lead role in Suddenly Susan (1996-2000), That '70s Show (2004), Hannah Montana (2007-2009) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2017-2018).Ray Meagher's iconic character on Channel Seven's Home and Away has cheated death multiple times in the past 30 years.

And the veteran actor, 74, has now spoken about how he'd like his character Alf Stewart to die on the series.

'My preference would be to have him fishing on the pier and just go,' he told The Good Weekend on Saturday.

Is this the end for Alf Stewart? On Saturday, Ray Meagher (pictured), 74, said he'd like his iconic Home and Away character to be killed off the Channel Seven soap while doing what he loved - fishing

Ray has starred on Home and Away since the show's debut in 1988, earning him the Guinness World Record for the longest-serving actor in an Australian serial.

On the series, Alf suffered a heart attack in 2016 and has previously faced a string of personal crises - from his wife dying, to natural disasters and even stints in jail.

Ray said if Alf's death was going to be dramatic, producers might 'have him shot, or in some fire where he tries to save a life and finishes up burned to death'.

Close call! In 2018 (pictured) fans feared for Alf's survival when he collapsed into a sinkhole and became trapped with no one around to hear his cries for help. Luckily he was rescued

Last year fans feared for Alf's survival when he collapsed into a sinkhole and became trapped with no one around to hear his cries for help.

Luckily for fans, Ray confessed in his latest interview that his character isn't being killed off anytime soon, as he's just signed a contract for another three years on the popular Australian soap.

Ray, who has played Alf for three decades, was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia, or OAM, for his work in the performing arts in 2017.

He was framed! On the series, Ray's character Alf (pictured) was wrongly jailed for murder following an evil plot by twisted Penn Graham

He also won the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television in 2010, and the Most Popular Actor Logie Award in 2018.

Alf has been married twice on the series, to Martha Baldivis (played by Alison Mulvaney, and later by Belinda Giblin) and Ailsa Hogan (played by Judy Nunn).

Ray's character has fathered five children on the series, including one step-child, and has also helped raise eight foster children.

He's never going anywhere... for now! Ray confessed his character isn't being killed off anytime soon, as he's just signed a contract for another three years on the popular soap

Much-loved star! Ray won the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television in 2010 (left), and the Most Popular Actor Logie Award in 2018 (right)

Reflecting on his own life, Ray said he hoped he would die peacefully in his sleep, but confessed he wasn't ready to go anytime soon.

The much-loved actor said while it's 'out of [his] control' how he will be remembered, he added: 'I hope as little money is spent on my funeral as possible, and as much money on the wake as possible.'

Home and Away airs Monday to Thursday from 7pm on Channel SevenShe's already spent 12 years in the public eye pursuing a music career and recently landed a role on Neighbours.

But opening up about the realities of fame, Bonnie Anderson admits it hasn't been all glamorous, as she once was forced to go back to washing dishes at a local bakery.

Speaking to BW magazine on Saturday, the star confessed that following her Australia's Got Talent win she returned to her old job that paid $6 an hour.

Not so glamorous: On Saturday, Bonnie Anderson (pictured) opened up about the realities of fame and revealed she was forced to go back to washing dishes for $6 an hour at a local bakery following her win on Australia's Got Talent

Bonnie was just 12 years old when she won the first ever series of Australia's Got Talent back in 2007.

Her win saw her bag the show's big money cheque worth $250,000, but Bonnie revealed: 'I still remember going back to washing dishes at my local bakery for $6 or $7 an hour.'

The soap star turned down offers from record labels following her triumphant stint on the show and instead returned to school.

Singing sensation: The talented star, now 24, was just 12 years old when she won the first ever series of Australia's Got Talent back in 2007

Bonnie said that not everyone was supportive of her success on Australia's Got Talent, but those that were a 'little harsh' have only made her stronger today.

So much so, that she has relied on her music to get her through the 'tough times' in her life.

She says that writing her new hit, I'm Sorry, had been a cathartic experience and helped her to deal with issues she faced at 19.

Cathartic journey: Bonnie says she has relied on her music to get her through the 'tough times' in her life and claims writing her new hit, I'm Sorry, had been a 'cathartic experience'

'I was 19 and those are the times you're really vulnerable and confused and lost,' Bonnie said.

She spoke of how she went over to LA and wrote the track while explaining she had been dealing with relationship issues and trying to 'figure out how I can work through things'.

Addressing her ups and downs, Bonnie said she hopes her single will influence other teens who have gone through a similar experience.

Self-reflection: Speaking of issues she faced at 19 years old, Bonnie said: 'Those are the times you're really vulnerable and confused and lost'

'That makes you who you are. Every day I doubt myself and that's OK too,' she said.

The Melbourne-based star released six singles between 2012 and 2016 after winning Australia's Got Talent and has since turned her hand to acting.

She landed a role on Neighbours in May last year as fiesty Bea and previously said of her character: 'She's very guarded to begin with. I think we will see her really let her guard down soon.Bella Hadid has been soaking up the glitz and the glamour along the French Riviera during the festivities surrounding the 72nd Annual Cannes Film Festival in recent days.

And on Saturday, the model lent her show-stopping style and strut to an intimate dinner hosted by Swiss luxury company, TAG Heuer.

The event, which was also attended by the likes of actor Patrick Dempsey and model Winnie Harlow, was coordinated to coincide with the kickoff of the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix weekend and the unveiling of the company's Monaco 1969-1979 Limited Edition watch.

Stunning: Bella Hadid attended an intimate dinner hosted by Swiss luxury company Tag Heuer

Hadid, 22, showed off her toned figure in an eye-catching burnt-orange mini dress with its strap design and plunging neckline.

For added flare, the number had an extra layer of fabric along the bottom portion near the front pockets and it was cinched in at the waist with a wide black-patterned belt.

The Washington, DC native wore opened-toed heels and pulled her long brown tresses into a tight bun.

And, of course, she sported one of Tag Heuer's iconic square-shaped Monaco watches.

Marketing move: Tag Heuer was coordinated coincided the dinner with the kickoff of Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix weekend and the unveiling of its Monaco 1969-1979 Limited Edition watch

Glitz and glamour: Some of the high profile guests also included model Winnie Harlow, actor Patrick Dempsey and Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen

Model marketing: Harlow and Hadid sandwiched Verstappen ahead of the kickoff of the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix in Monaco

2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the company's distinctive Monaco watch that was named after the famed French city that hosts the legendary Formula 1 race.

The new Monaco 1969-1979 Limited Edition version is the first of five collector-focused limited editions that will pay tribute to the silver anniversary.

Along with its watches, the Swiss luxury company manufactures fashion accessories, eye-wear and cell phones.

Luxurious lifestyle: The model and Verstappen sported Tag Heuer watches at a heliport

The model and the racer: The pair struck a number of poses

Stylish: The model showed off her toned figure in an eye-catching burnt-orange mini dress

Globetrotting: Hadid, 22, has also been enjoying the spoils of the French Riviera as part of the 72nd Annual Cannes Film Festival

Hadid's BFF Fanny Bourdette Donon and Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen were also on hand for the swanky dinner.

The France-born-Africa-raised Donon has made waves as the international PR and special projects manager for Dio Beauty.

Hadid, who is the daughter of real estate man Mohamed Hadid and former Real Housewife Of Beverly Hills Yolanda Hadid, is once again with musician The Weeknd, who she first dated from around 2015 to fall of 2016, until reuniting around summer of last year.

During one of their off periods, The Weeknd (nee Abel Tesfaye) dated Selena Gomez, and the two women unfollowed each other on Instagram.

Mates: Hadid shared a pic of herself with BFF Fanny Bourdette Donon; she's the international PR and special projects manager for Dio Beauty

Summer vibes: Winnie donned a tiered, red and black dress complete with a palm tree print for the event

Simplicity: The former America's Next Top Model star toned down the rest of her outfit, choosing a beautiful pair of strappy black heelsRyan Reynolds and Jodie Comer kicked off filming for the upcoming action-comedy film Free Guy in Boston, Massachusetts less than a week ago.

And on Friday, the 42-year-old leading man was spotted on the set once again; this time while shooting an intense fight seen with one of the movie's bad guys.

In the film, Reynolds plays a lonely bank teller who discovers he's actually a player inside a video game in the virtual reality style plot.

Ryan Reynolds was spotted shooting an intense fight scene for the upcoming action-comedy film Free Guy in Boston on Friday

Fit and ready: The leading man, 42, looked lean and muscular for his role

The Deadpool actor showed off his superhero skills as he battled with a gun-wielding man dressed in a black leather jacket and military-style camouflage pants.

At one point Reynolds' character, Guy, appeared to take a punch before he rallied and countered with a couple of shots of his own.

Eventually he grabbed the gas-masked man by the arm in what looks like a martial arts move.

In the scene, the Vancouver, Canada native was dressed casually in light brown khakis and a form-fitting long-sleeve shirt that showed off his lean and muscular upper body.

Trippy: Reynolds plays a lonely bank teller who discovers he's actually a player inside a video game in the virtual reality style plot

Action! The Deadpool actor showed off his superhero skills as he battled with a gun-wielding man dressed in a black leather jacket and military-style camouflage pants.

Intricate: At one point Reynolds' character, Guy, appears to take a punch before he rallies and counters with a couple of shots of his own

Rugged: The actor's character looked like he was getting the upper hand in the fight sequence

Busting out the moves: Eventually Reynolds grabbed the gas-masked man by the arm in what looks like a martial arts move in the scene

Reynolds and the movie crew were also seen practicing the intricate fight scene moves a number of times on the set, in-between takes.

Then, when director Shawn Levy yelled 'action' the actors all hit their marks without anyone getting hurt.

Earlier in the week Comer, who won a best actress BAFTA for her role as Villanelle in BBC thriller Killing Eve, was seen wielding a gun as she shot a scene with The Hitman's Bodyguard star.

She looked almost unrecognizable wearing a dark wig and skin-tight leather trousers, as she pushed a gun into Reynolds' ribs in a bank robbery sequence.

Lean, mean fighting machine: The Vancouver, Canada native was dressed casually in light brown khakis and a form-fitting shirt that showed off his lean and muscular upper body

Cut! Reynolds and the movie crew were also seen practicing the intricate fight scene moves a number of times on the set, in-between takes

Working it: The cast looked like they were working on a gun-struggle

Honing their roles: One the gun fell the punches were flying

Nailed it: Reynolds looked happy with the take judging from his body language

The Liverpool-born actress plays a mousy programmer and an avatar called Molotov Girl in Free Guy.

The film also stars Taika Waititi, Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery, Utkarsh Ambudkar and Camille Kostek.

Free Guy is scheduled to premiere in the US July 3, 2020.She recently returned to Los Angeles from France's Cannes Film Festival.

And Amber Heard was looking happy and refreshed as she joined family at Malibu's swanky Japanese spot Nobu on Friday evening.

The 33-year-old actress swooned over her baby nephew while waiting outside the restaurant.

Family outing: Amber Heard, 33, was looking happy and refreshed as she joined family at Malibu's swanky Japanese spot Nobu on Friday evening

Amber showed off a punk rock look with a chic olive-colored biker jacket.

The 5ft7in Aquaman star had on a white halter top underneath, and she added a pair of acid wash Wrangler jeans with one blown out knee.

She showed off a pair of semi-laced white boots with black heels, while wearing a stylish pair of round frame sunglasses and carrying a black handbag over one shoulder.

Her long, golden locks were done up in a casually messy bun, with loose strands whipping around in the wind.

Edgy: The 5ft7in Aquaman star showed off a punk rock look with her olive biker jacket and ripped jeans

Too cute: She couldn't get enough of her adorable baby nephew

Amber took a turn holding the little baby while her party waited, even lifting the little tyke in the air to admire him.

Earlier this week, the Her Smell actress was engaged in more serious business as she spoke at the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C., to advocate for making revenge porn a federal crime.

She was joined by Representative Jackie Speier, who introduced the SHIELD (Stopping Harmful Image Exploitation and Limiting Distribution) act, which would make distribution of sexual or compromising photos and videos punishable by up to five years in prison.

Speaking at the event, she said: 'Nonconsensual porn is one of the worst violations of privacy and it doesn't discriminate, instead it disproportionately affects women around the world with devastating consequences.

'Intimate content released into the internet is virtually impossible to remove, further subjecting victims to harassment and judgment from strangers and acquaintances alike.

'It can result and often does in devastating and economic, social psychological consequences.'

Fighting back: Amber was in Washington, D.C., earlier this week to support the SHIELD act, which would make revenge porn a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison; pictured Thursday with Representative Jackie Speier (R)

Amber infamously had stolen nude photos posted online in 2014, which she said still affect her and her career to this day.

Her appearance came as she was in the midst of a messy divorce from Johnny Depp, 55, who's currently suing her for defamation. She claimed that he was manipulative and abusive throughout their relationship.

The two were married from 2015-2017.

Prior to her turn toward activism, the Rum Diary star was in Cannes for the prestigious film festival.

Though she wasn't featured in any of the films shown this year, she still managed to steal the show with her extravagant outfits, including a silky crimson dress and thigh-high red leather boots that she wore to the premiere of Pedro Almodovar's new film Pain And Glory.

Haute couture: The Her Smell actress showed off her fiercest looks while visiting France earlier this month for the Cannes Film Festival; pictured May 17Lindsay Lohan has responded to her former friend Paris Hilton calling her 'beyond,' 'lame' and 'embarrassing.'

This Friday, Lindsay, 32, posted a throwback photo with Paris' sister Nicky - then another with Paris herself taken in 2005.

Alongside the photo with Paris, Lindsay wrote: '#beyond friends are true. Love @parishilton congratulations on your new song!'

Comeback: Lindsay Lohan fired up her Instagram on Friday to post a throwback snap of herself with Paris Hilton and wrote: '#beyond friends are true'

Paris recently released a single called Best Friend's A** with a music video co-starring her pal and fellow sex tape icon Kim Kardashian.

Back in the aughts, Kim drew media attention as a member of Paris' entourage before falling out with her and becoming a global sensation in her own right.

Paris and Kim rekindled their friendship in the intervening time and have been seen palling around on multiple occasions, but Lindsay has not been so lucky.

On an episode of Watch What Happens Live this month, Andy Cohen asked Paris to 'say three nice things about Lindsay Lohan.'

Scathing: Paris recently appeared on Watch What Happens Live and told host Andy Cohen that her former pal Lindsay was 'beyond,' 'lame' and 'embarrassing'

'She's...beyond,' said Paris haltingly after a long pause, and then eventually added: '....lame and embarrassing.'

Near the end of last year, Paris went on Andy's SiriusXM radio show and gossiped about why her friendship with Lindsay went kaput.

'Back in the day we were friends,' said the hotel heiress, sniping that Lindsay 'is just, like, one of those people I just don't really trust.'

Paris, who also fell out with her The Simple Life co-star Nicole Richie, added: 'And I only like to be around positive energy and good people - good vibes only.'

Remember when: The photo Lindsay posted this Friday of herself with Paris was taken at a 2005 birthday tribute to Marilyn Monroe at the Los Angeles restaurant Meson G

One evening in 2006, Paris and Britney Spears were going out of an evening, only for Lindsay to attach herself to them uninvited.

'We were all at the Beverly Hills Hotel at the bungalows and we were at an after-party and then Britney and I wanted to leave to go home,' Paris told Andy.

Lindsay then made for Britney and Paris and 'squeezed' herself into the 'two-seater' car they were taking to get away from the party venue.

Paris said that she allowed Lindsay to get into the vehicle because 'I didn't want to humiliate her in front of all the paparazzi and be like: "Get out of my car."'

Attached after the hip: After posing together at Meson G, Paris also took Lindsay to her socialite pal Allison Melnick's birthday party

The photo Lindsay posted this Friday of herself with Paris was taken at a 2005 birthday tribute to Marilyn Monroe at the Los Angeles restaurant Meson G.

Some valuables from Marilyn's estate were being displayed ahead of auction at the event, where Lindsay hobnobbed with Hillary Clinton.

Marilyn's old pal, aging pinup Jeanne Carmen, met Lindsay there and told her: 'I just got chills - you remind me of Marilyn,' People reported.

'Oh my God, thats the best compliment Ive ever gotten in my whole life,' gushed Lindsay, who like Marilyn was plagued by addiction.Married At First Sight star Jessika Power has been hotly tipped to join the new season of Love Island.

And doing little to dispel the rumours, the reality star teased a potential appearance on the Channel Nine show despite striking up a romance with Sam Abdulrahim.

Touching down in Brisbane on Saturday, Jessika, 27, hinted she could be set to ditch her new beau for a second shot at reality TV while dismissing questions about settling down.

All's fair in love and reality TV? On Saturday, MAFS star Jessika Power (pictured) hinted she'll ditch new beau Sam Abdulrahim for Love Island this year despite their blossoming romance

Jessika was spotted making her way through arrivals at Brisbane Airport alongside her MAFS co-star Ines Basic.

The blonde beauty was asked how things are going with her new boyfriend Sam and she replied: 'It's going very well.'

Although, Jess teased that their romance could be over before it has time to begin, as she shot down suggestions of making things long-term.

Is that a hint? Jessika teased she could be set to ditch her new boyfriend Sam for the new season of Love Island as she made her way through Brisbane Airport on Saturday

Asked if she is thinking about settling down, Jessika said: 'I don't know yet, guys. Love Island might be on the cards.'

Rumours Jessika is appearing on Love Island have been circulating for some time, with the Perth-based star previously ruling out joining the show.

In the wake of her break up from MAFS star Dan Webb, Jess told New Idea: 'I am flattered, but my hunt for love right now is on hold as I'm hurt.'

Although, she didn't rule it out completely as she added: 'If the opportunity is still there in the future it may be something I will consider.'

All's fair in love and reality TV: The MAFS star revealed she's not sure she wants to settle down just yet, despite enjoying a series of PDA-filled outings with Sam (left) lately

Jess is now dating Sam and the pair have been spotted packing on the PDA during several dinner dates and outings recently.

She confirmed their romance to Daily Mail Australia and revealed the pair are 'taking things slowly' after being introduced by mutual friends.

Sam was jailed last year for causing the death of 88-year-old great-grandmother, Muriel Hulett, in a high-speed car crash in 2015.

New love? Sam was jailed last year for causing the death of 88-year-old great-grandmother, Muriel Hulett, in a high-speed car crash in 2015

Sam was driving nearly 50km/h above the speed limit and was on the wrong side of the road when he lost control of his Ferrari and crashed into three cars in Melbourne.

Lynette Vernall, who was driving her mother, Muriel, at the time of the accident, was seriously injured. Muriel eventually died after eight days in a coma.

In July 2018, Sam was sentenced to two years in jail by the County Court of Victoria.

Their romance comes after Jess bitterly split from MAFS star Dan Webb following their controversial relationship on the reality show's sixth season.

Jess faced backlash from viewers for keeping husband Mick Gould in the experiment to pursue Dan, who was married to Tamara Joy, and embarking on an affair behind her partner's back.

She and Dan came clean about their cheating and were allowed to re-enter the experiment as a new couple, but they split for good after the show's finale aired.Winnie Harlow has been has been party hopping during the festivities surrounding the 72nd Annual Cannes Film Festival along the French Riviera.

And on Saturday, she slipped into work mode when she attended an intimate dinner hosted by Swiss luxury company, Tag Heuer in Monaco.

The event coincided with the kickoff of the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix weekend and the unveiling of the company's Monaco 1969-1979 Limited Edition watch.

Stunning: Winnie Harlow attended an intimate dinner hosted by Swiss luxury company Tag Heuer in Monaco

The Victoria's Secret model, 24, commanded attention as she posed in a tiered, red and black dress complete with a palm tree print for the event.

She matched it with a pair of black-strapped open-toes heels and wore her raven tresses long, straight and flowing with a part on the left.

Being that was there to help market Tag Heuer's distinctive square watch, the Ontario, Canada native also donned a black version of the company's coveted design.

Strike a pose: Winnie donned a tiered, red and black dress with a palm tree print for the event

Simplicity: The former America's Next Top Model star toned down the rest of her outfit, choosing a beautiful pair of strappy black heels

Beautiful: Winnie modeled glamorous bronzy eye make-up and a nude lip

Harlow posed outside on a heliport next to a helicopter, both solo, and with fellow guest of honor, Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen.

The pair also headed inside for photos with other guests such as actor Patrick Dempsey, model Bella Hadid and her BFF, Fanny Bourdette Donon

The France-born-Africa-raised Donon has made waves as the international PR and special projects manager for Dio Beauty.

Luxurious lifestyle: The model and Verstappen sported Tag Heuer watches at a heliport

Glitz and glamour: Some of the high profile guests also included actor Patrick Dempsey, model Bella Hadid and Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen

2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the company's distinctive Monaco watch that was named after the famed French city that hosts the legendary Formula 1 race.

The new Monaco 1969-1979 Limited Edition version is the first of five collector-focused limited editions that will pay tribute to the silver anniversary.

Along with its watches, the Swiss luxury company manufactures fashion accessories, eye-wear and cell phones.She has been jetting-setting to promote her new movie X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

And Jessica Chastain has ensured she looked chic at every turn as she emerged in a monochrome ensemble while arriving at a London hotel on Friday evening.

The 42-year-old Hollywood star sported stylish in black harem trousers paired with a slogan T-shirt and white pointed boots.

Stylish: Jessica Chastain looked chic in a monochrome outfit at she arrived at a hotel in London on Friday evening

Paired with a black woollen coat, the American actress added a pop of colour as she slung a burgundy handbag over her shoulder.

She added height to her frame with a pair of white laced-up heeled boots.

The fiery redhead styled her tresses in a bob with a fringe, and opted to go make-up free as she arrived in London.

Chic: Paired with a black woolen coat, the American actress added a pop of colour as she slung a burgundy handbag over her shoulder

It comes as the star recently called out Game of Thrones writers for a controversial scene in the latest episode involving Sophie Turner's Sansa Stark.

The scene in question featured a reunion between Sansa and The Hound (Rory McCann), who tells her that none of the bad things that happened to her, would have happened if she left with him early on in the series.

Sansa responds by telling him she would have 'stayed a little bird all my life,' if those things never happened to her, including her gruesome wedding day rape by her then husband Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon), which many have denounced, including Chastain.

No butterfly: 'Rape is not a tool to make a character stronger,' Chastain began. 'A woman doesnt need to be victimized in order to become a butterfly'

The #LittleBird was always a Phoenix,' she continued, in what may have been an homage to the film she stars in with Sophie Turner, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, where Turner plays the Dark Phoenix.

'Her prevailing strength is solely because of her. And her alone. #GameOfThrones,' Chastain concluded, while including a GIF of Turner on the Iron Throne.

Sophie Turner's Sansa Stark is one of the few characters to have survived all the way from the pilot episode in the first season through this final season.

Little Bird: The #LittleBird was always a Phoenix,' she continued, in what may have been an homage to the film she stars in with Sophie Turner, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, where Turner plays the Dark Phoenix

Her character arc is also one of the most brutal on the entire series, having been manipulated by Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish (Aiden Gillan), married off to the nefarious King Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) and later forcefully married to Ramsay Bolton.

Her wedding night rape by Bolton in the sixth episode of Season 5, titled (ironically) Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken, continues to be one of the show's most enduring controversies.

Chastain was definitely not alone in voicing these rape concerns on Twitter, with several women speaking out shortly after the episode aired on Sunday.

'I still love #GameOfThrones but this show proves over and over again they have no idea how to write about rape,' said Australian reporter Alex Bruce-Smith.

'Sansa just shrugging off what happened to her by saying she's stronger for it?? do any women write for this show, or...?' she added.She recently underwent an emergency operation to have her breast implants removed.

And now, Charlotte Crosby has revealed that she decided to have the surgery to return to her B-cup bra size after she experienced pains in her breast which left her fearing that her life was in danger because she wasn't able to check her breast.

The former Geordie Shore star, 29, must wait until her wounds have fully healed to have a breast scan to rule out anything sinister, but insisted that she is finally happy with her natural B cup boobs and revealed her boyfriend Josh Ritchie 'loves' them.

Scary! Charlotte Crosby, 29, has revealed that she had her breast implants removed after experiencing shooting pains which left her fearing that her life could be in danger

Charlotte explained that she went to see a doctor because she was in agony with 'shooting pains and dull aches' in her left breast.

She told The Sun that after going to the doctors, she was informed that her body was rejecting the implants, which is something which happens gradually.

The reality star's breast was feeling hot and the doctor felt severe inflammation around the area.

Thanks to the swift removal of the implants, Charlotte has avoided any further damage, but will have to wait until she is fully recovered from surgery to be scanned to ensure there are no further issues, and hopefully be given the all clear.

Waiting game: The former Geordie Shore star must wait until her wounds have fully healed to have a breast scan to rule out anything sinister

Happy: Charlotte insisted that she is finally happy with her natural B-cup boobs and revealed her boyfriend Josh Ritchie 'loves' them

Painful: Charlotte explained that she went to see a doctor because she was in agony with 'shooting pains and dull aches' in her left breast

The TV star revealed that while her mother was 'worried sick' about her, she herself was left in fear for her life because she wasn't able to check her breasts properly.

Charlotte told the publication: 'I heard that when you have implants it's actually harder to feel for lumps like that. Breast cancer lumps can go unnoticed.'

The presenter first decided to get surgery in 2017 to correct her 'uniboob' - a congenital symmastia where breasts merge across the breastbone - and opted to have implants at the same time.

The Geordie babe admitted that she was 'crazy' to ever have the implants in the first place, and has finally 'accepted who she is' after having them removed, insisting she much prefers her natural body.

Worrying: The TV star revealed that while her mother was 'worried sick' about her, she herself was left in fear for her life because she wasn't able to check her breasts properly

The natural look: The Geordie babe admitted that she was 'crazy' to ever have the implants in the first place, and has finally 'accepted who she is' after their removal (Pictured in 2016)

She said: 'I am finally back to myself. I prefer my natural body. I was crazy to ever get those implants in. I am back to my natural normal boobs.

'I think having the implants out has made me realise that when I look back I was perfect without them. I have accepted who I am.'

The television personality also revealed that her boyfriend Josh 'completely loves' her new look, telling her that her implant-free breasts are 'cute and little.'

Charlotte also insisted that she's in the 'best place ever' after having them removed and no longer dreams of being 'another person'.

Charlotte is currently still healing from having the implants removed, with tape covering the wounds and a special bra which she'll have to wear for the next two months.

It comes after Charlotte went under the knife this week when her body rejected her breast implants.

It was reported she underwent surgery following a trip to Brazil last week, with the whole ordeal said to be captured for her MTV reality series, The Charlotte Show.

This comes after the star vehemently denied having a boob job in the past. A source revealed to the Sun: 'Charlotte has been in quite severe pain with her breasts, one in particular.

Enhancements: Charlotte has spoke candidly about her various surgeries in the past and in 2016 she unveiled her new nose after a rhinoplasty procedure

'She saw a specialist before Brazil and he diagnosed severe inflammation and capsular contracture - which is when the scar tissue around the implant inside the body gets tight and hard.

'This can cause chronic pain and hardness which was what Charlotte was experiencing. As a precaution she has also been referred for breast scans to ensure there is nothing else going on.'

The publication states that the star had her implants put in in 2017, at the same time as she had surgery to correct her symmastia aka 'uniboob' - which sees the breast merge across the breast bone.

However, the TV personality had doubts about having the boob job, with the source adding that Charlotte 'bitterly regrets' having the procedure.

Tough time: The star vehemently denied having a boob job in the past (pictured in 2018)

The Geordie Shore beauty will now have to spend plenty of time resting at home while she recovers from her operation.

Charlotte has spoke candidly about her various surgeries in the past and in 2016 she unveiled her new nose after a rhinoplasty procedure.

The star admitted scrutiny from the show's audiences drove her to have the surgery. She told Heat magazine: 'It's not like I can hide it. If I'd not been on TV, I'd never have got it done.

'I do think [my nose] caused a lack of confidence, and you always compare yourself to other people who are on TV as well.'

She added: 'You just think, 'I hate it', especially on television. I think it'll make a big difference to my life in terms of getting photographed and always being on the telly, not having to worry about where to stand or what angle to go from.'They're as close as siblings can be.

And on Saturday, Bindi Irwin paid tribute to her 15-year-old brother, Robert, for National Brothers Day in the US.

Taking to Instagram to share throwback photo of the pair together as children, the 20-year-old gushed about her sibling.

Sweet: Bindi Irwin posted an emotional tribute to brother Robert on Saturday, as she marked National Brothers Day in the US

She wrote in the accompanying caption: 'Remembering when my little brother really was "little".

'He's always had the most wonderful curiosity about the world. Watching him grow up has been such a blessing. #NationalBrothersDay' she added.

The khaki-clad siblings, who are handling a snake in the throwback, have barely changed.

Still the same! The khaki-clad siblings, who are handling a snake in the throwback, have barely changed. Pictured recently

In the snap, they are pictured on site at the family business, Australia Zoo, sitting in the branches of a tree.

Robert, who is a toddler in the photo, looks on as his sister casually handles a very large snake.

Recent photos show the pair dressed similarly and still rather fond of all creatures slithery and not so small.

Nature lovers: Recent photos show the pair dressed similarly and still rather fond of all creatures slithery and not so small. Pictured with their mother Terri Irwin

There has been much talk that Robert might take the mantle left by his father, The 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin, who was killed by a stingray barb as he filmed a documentary in 2006, aged 44.

Robert, who has said he'd be up for appearing on Dancing With the Stars, also did a round of celebrity interviews during his recent LA visit.

The rising young star last week appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, introducing the 44-year-old TV host to a miniature horse.Mel B was the only Spice Girl to address the backlash to their debut tour date performance after attendees raged over sound issues which resulted in some fans walking out.

Early on Saturday morning, Scary Spice uploaded a video to Instagram in which she admitted there were sound and vocal problems at the group's debut Dublin gig - and pledged to improve the sound quality for the next show.

After a fresh-faced Mel, 43, shared the candid video at 6am the day after the first gig on the reunion tour, her fellow bandmembers, Emma Bunton,43, Mel C, 45, and Geri Horner, 46, took to the photo-sharing site to gush over their performance and thank their 'supportive' fans.

Scroll down for video.

Solo: Mel B was the only Spice Girl to address the backlash to their debut tour date performance after attendees raged over sound issues which resulted in some fans walking out

Speaking into the camera whilst lying in bed, she appeared irked as she said: 'Hey guys thank you for attending our show tonight in Dublin.

'We will see you in Cardiff and hopefully the vocals and the sound will be much, much better.'

The mother-of-three then made an exasperated, and purposefully audible, sigh.

While her bandmate acknowledged the sound gaffe, Geri Horner, 46, chose to ignore the backlash to their debut tour performance as she took to Instagram to celebrate their comeback.

Difference stance: Emma Bunton, 43, Mel C, 45, and Geri Horner, 46, chose to ignored the backlash and instead gush over their performance and thanked their 'supportive' fans

Candid: In an Instagram video Scary Spice admitted there were sound and vocal problems at the group's debut Dublin gig - and pledged to improve the sound quality for the next show

Honest: Speaking into the camera whilst lying in bed, she appeared irked as she said: 'Hey guys thank you for attending our show tonight in Dublin'

Hopeful: 'We will see you in Cardiff and hopefully the vocals and the sound will be much, much better' said Mel, before making an exasperated, and purposefully audible, sigh

Positive vibes only: While her bandmate acknowledged the sound gaffe, Geri Horner, 46, chose to ignore the backlash to their debut performance as she celebrated their comeback

United: Ginger Spice shared a snap of herself on stage clad in a red and blue Renaissance-style gown and a shot of herself backstage walking hand-in-hand with her bandmates

Ginger Spice shared a snap of herself on stage clad in a red and blue Renaissance-style gown and a shot of herself backstage walking hand-in-hand with her bandmates.

She captioned the photographs, simply: 'Thank you Dublin! #welove #weserve #wecelebrate #SpiceWorld.'

Mel C gushed about the girl-band's return, thanking fans for their support as she posted a fierce photograph to Instagram of herself on stage alongside her fellow Spice Girls.

Thankful: Mel C gushed about the girl-band's return, thanking fans for their support as she posted a fierce photograph to Instagram

Amazing! Emma Bunton branded their first performance 'amazing' as she too took to Instagram to mark the Spice Girls comeback

She wrote alongside: 'Wow! Words cannot describe how it felt to be back on stage with @officialmelb @therealgerihalliwell @emmaleebunton last night. I love you all so much, more than ever!!!

'Thank you so much to our incredible team, their talent, dedication and relentless hard work have that made this show this best thing I have ever been a part of.

'Thank you to our wonderful fans, without you we never could have done this, we are eternally grateful for your endless support. Cant wait to do it all over again and again!!!! Watch out Cardiff were coming for you!'

Thankful: Baby Spice also decided to focus on other positive developments rather than address the backlash received after the Spice Girls' reunion performance

Emma Bunton branded their first performance 'amazing' as she too took to Instagram to mark the Spice Girls comeback.

Next to a solo snap of herself on stage, she wrote: 'Amazing first night, thank you Dublin #spicegirls #spiceworld.'

Emma also decided to focus on other positive developments rather than address the backlash received after the Spice Girls' reunion performance.

Taking to her Instagram stories, the mother-of-two celebrated garnering 1million followers on the photo-sharing site, thanking fans.

Comeback: The Spice Girls kicked off their long-awaited reunion tour, as the iconic band took to the stage for their first performance in Dublin on Friday

Mel's selfie video comes after fans who attended the first date of the Spice Girls reunion tour in Dublin on Friday voiced their disappointment, as sound problems inside the stadium meant they were unable to hear the show, and one fan even claimed they saw 'huge numbers' walking out of the show.

Emma Bunton, 43, Geri Horner, Mel Brown, and Mel C, 45, delighted the crowd of around 58,000 fans with a medley of their greatest hits, and Ginger Spice even paid homage to her iconic Union Jack dress with a red and blue Renaissance-style gown.

While many fans took to Twitter to share their excitement about attending the concert, others were quick to share their dissatisfaction with the Spice Girls' first performance.

Raging: Many fans angrily took to Twitter to complain about sound issues during the concert, with many hitting out the venue Croke Park after spending around 100 on tickets

Shocking: As many fans complained about the sound issues, one even claimed they say 'huge numbers' of the audience walk out

Shocking: As many fans complained about the sound issues, one even claimed they say 'huge numbers' of the audience walk out

Although fans were delighted to see the band finally reunite to kick off their tour, some took to social media to complain that sound issues meant they were unable to hear the show, with one even claiming they saw members of the audience leaving the concert.

Several also bemoaned the issues given how much they had spent on the sold-out concert, with ticket prices ranging from 66 to 146.

One wrote: 'Sound is so bad... v disappointing,' while another posted: 'Be great if someone could tell the sound people at Spice Girls that the audience can't hear them.'

Amazing: The band finally returned to the stage on Friday, seven years after their last group performance at the 2012 Olympics

A third also tweeted: 'There's something wrong when the crowd at @spicegirls concert are all sitting down because no one has a clue what song is on because the sound really is THAT bad.'

'Sound! Sort the sound out @spicegirls team. Is it the band or the sound engineer?' a fan angrily posted.

Fans anticipation was rife ahead of the concert, as it was the first time the band had taken to the stage as a group in seven years.He's the star of one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year.

And on Saturday, Taron Egerton was in Sydney for the Australian premiere of Rocketman at the State Theatre.

The 29-year-old Brit looked dapper as he strode the blue carpet in a Giorgio Armani Made to Measure suit.

Reaching for the stars! Taron Egerton (pictured) cut a dapper figure in a black suit as he attends the Australian Rocketman premiere in Sydney on Saturday

The suit was paired with a snakeskin print silk shirt in various tones of green and grey.

The British actor wore his hair slicked back off his face, and had just one accessory, a white-faced watch with a leather strap.

A pair of black leather dress shoes, worn without socks, completed the stylish ensemble.

Slick! The 29-year-old looked dapper as he strode the blue carpet in his Giorgio Armani Made to Measure suit

Neat and tidy: He opted for a fitted black suit, cutting a cool silhouette

Getting shirty! The suit was paired with a snakeskin print silk shirt in various tones

Rocketman tells the incredible story of Elton John's rise to fame, with Taron starring as the musician and Richard Madden as his early lover and manager, John Reid.

During the Cannes Film Festival premiere, the actor was fortunate to be watching the film next to the rockstar he portrayed in the much-discussed biopic.

Taron shed some insight on Elton and his husband David Furnish's emotional response to the film, in a radio interview on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show.

Hairy situation: The British actor wore his hair slicked back off his face

Simple touches: The actor had just one accessory, a white-faced watch with a leather strap

Out and about: Taron posed with Rocketman director Dexter Fletcher at the premiere

He told TV host Zoe Ball: 'Dexter and I watched it from a 45 degree angle to watch Elton and David.'

'They were grabbing and squeezing each other's knees. They were crying. [It was] Really emotional. It's the spirit of their life.'

Despite the 'enormous amount of work' on the film, Taron said it was made easier by Elton who went to great lengths to befriend him and tell him everything he needed.

Well done: Rocketman tells the incredible story of Elton's rise to fame, with Taron starring as the musician and Richard Madden as his early lover and manager, John Reid

Nervous: The Robin Hood star has admitted he was incredibly nervous about singing the musician's beloved songs

He said: 'It's a nerve-wracking and risky business. His songs are so global and people feel ownership. I'm just here some guy from Aberystwyth'

In character! Taron is pictured in the film, playing Elton

He explained: 'I had the great privilege having someone who has had to befriend me and he's not a wallflower, he's not precious, he will tell you anything in relish.'

The Robin Hood star admitted he was incredibly nervous about singing the musician's beloved songs.

He said: 'It's a nerve-wracking and risky business. His songs are so global and people feel ownership. I'm just here some guy from Aberystwyth. [It's a delight how] understandable people are.'She has been hitting all the right notes with her sartorial choices in Cannes.

And Josephine Skriver was back at it again as she put on a stylish display when she arrived at the Amber Lounge 2019 Fashion Show in Monte-Carlo, Monaco, on Friday.

The model, 26, was sure to turn heads in her dazzling gown, which had a daring thigh slit to showcase her slender legs.

Chic: Josephine Skriver dazzled in an ivory gown that showed off her slender legs as she attended the Amber Lounge 2019 fashion show in Monaco on Friday

Josephine's sleeveless ivory ensemble sat low on her figure, whilst the outfit's train cascaded elegantly to the floor as it pooled around her feet.

Boosting her height in a pair of nude heels, Josephine dazzled by wearing dangling diamond earrings, a bracelet, and an array of rings.

Her brunette locks were brushed into a sleek, straight style, and the Danish beauty wore a natural palette of make-up to highlight her pretty features.

Following her dazzling display in Cannes over the past week, Josephine was sure to impress guests during the show.

Stylish: The model's brunette locks were brushed into a sleek, straight style, and the Danish beauty wore a natural palette of make-up to highlight her pretty features

The 2019 Cannes Film Festival takes place at the iconic Palais des Festivals until Saturday May 25.

Actress Elle Fanning, French graphic novelist Enki Bilal and the Oscar-nominated director of The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos, will be among jury members during the annual event.

Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu will preside over the panel that decides on prizes, including the top Palme D'Or award.

The jury for the festival's 72nd edition will also include Pawel Pawlikowski, the Polish filmmaker and screenwriter named best director at Cannes last year for the impossible love story Cold War.

Glam: Josephine's sleeveless ivory ensemble sat low on her figure, whilst the outfit's train cascaded elegantly to the floor as it pooled around her feet

Maimouna N'Diaye, who has directed documentaries and acted in films such as Otar Iosseliani's Chasing Butterflies will also sit on the panel, alongside two other female directors.

Kelly Reichardt, whose Wendy and Lucy starring Michelle Williams was a contender for Cannes' Un Certain Regard award in 2008, directed 2016's Certain Women.

Italy's Alicia Rohrwacher won best screenplay at Cannes last year for her film Happy as Lazzaro, a satirical fable about a peasant family.

French filmmaker Robin Campillo, who took Cannes by storm in 2017 with 120 BPM - Beats Per Minute, winning the Grand Prix for his movie about an AIDs activist, will complete the line-up.Britains Got Talent viewers were left cringing following an audition by a Theresa May impersonator who stripped on the show, just one day after the real Theresa broke down in tears as she resigned as Prime Minister.

Yoga teacher Kath Thompson, 56, dressed up as the PM and mocked her dodgy 'Maybot' dance moves in an unexpected strip-routine at the start of the show  awkwardly filmed before Theresa stepped down on Friday.

The Theresa May impersonator was clad in an incredibly similar outfit to the one worn by the PM during an August 2018 trip to South Africa, which saw her dance with school children in a move which spawned a mass of hilarious memes and GIFs.

No way! Britains Got Talent viewers were left cringing following an audition by a Theresa May impersonator who stripped on the show, just one day after the real Theresa broke down in tears as she resigned as Prime Minister

For the opening audition in Britain's Got Talent on Saturday night, dancer Kate was filmed leaving 10 Downing Street in a pair of leopard print heels before arriving at the London Palladium.

She was then seen taking to the stage clad in a pillar-box red blazer and black trousers, with a short grey wig atop her head.

She walked onto the stage clutching a red box with Theresa May's initials in place, before she began dancing much to the shock of audience members.

Pretending to come over as funny, Kath then continued the strip tease, removing all items of clothing until she was left wearing just a skimpy black cut-out body.

Awkward: Yoga teacher Kath Thompson, 56, dressed up as the PM and mocked her dodgy 'Maybot' dance moves in an unexpected strip-routine at the start of the show  filmed before Theresa stepped down on Friday

Unfortunate timing: Just a day before the Theresa May impersonator's audition aired on BGT, Prime Minister Theresa May herself broke down in tears as she announced her resignation

Strikingly similar: The Theresa May impersonator was clad in an incredibly similar outfit to the one worn by the PM during an August 2018 trip to South Africa

Viewers watching at home were left cringing at the awkward and unfortunate timing of the audition, seeing as Theresa had quit the previous day.

Taking to Twitter, one viewer wrote: Rather awkward time for Theresa May to dance on #BGT, no?

While another remarked: Not awkward that #BritainsGotTalent are mocking @theresa_may #bgt.

A third watcher wrote: And the prize for the most unfortunate timing goes to... #bgt.

This is so bad timing but this woman did more than Theresa May did let's be fair #BGT, added a fourth.

Look away Theresa! Viewers watching at home were left cringing at the awkward and unfortunate timing of the audition, seeing as Theresa had quit the previous day

With another adding: This is so bad timing but this woman did more than Theresa May did let's be fair #BGT.

Waving both British and EU flags, the dancer received a standing ovation and left judge David Walliams musing: 'If this doesn't solve Brexit I don't know what will!'

Simon Cowell was left gobsmacked, exclaiming: 'Unbelievable! The fact that you've come on and you've chosen our show it's amazing and I really appreciate that.'

Comedian David added: 'It was one of the most fun things I've ever seen in my life. If this doesn't solve Brexit I don't know what will!

Alesha Dixon admitted: 'I've been so uncomfortable watching Teresa dance lately. When she was in Africa and she was doing [waves her arms]. It was brilliant!'

Having fun: During her trip, Theresa danced with school children in a move which spawned a mass of hilarious memes and GIFs

Alesha was referencing Theresa's awkward 'Maybot' dancing with schoolchildren during a visit to South Africa in August 2018.

However, in a double blow for the politician, the fake Theresa later failed to make it through to the next round.

The Prime Minister's toe-curling moves as she watched a display of traditional singing and dancing sparked comparisons with footballer Peter Crouch's famous 'robot'.

Viewers around the world watching through their fingers as she jerked and shuffled her way across the playground.

A video of her dance moves provoked hilarity online, with Twitter jokers comparing her to the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz.

Awkward: Alesha Dixon told the impersonator: 'I've been so uncomfortable watching Teresa dance lately. When she was in Africa and she was doing [waves her arms]. It was brilliant!'

And again: In October 2018 Twitter once again erupted after Theresa May robot-danced to the podium to ABBA's Dancing Queen at the Tory party conference

In October 2018 Twitter once again erupted with users grimacing after Theresa May robot-danced to the podium to ABBA's Dancing Queen before giving her speech at the Tory party conference.

Her cringe-worthy entrance sparked a flurry of hilarious internet memes which poked fun at her dance moves.

Just a day before the Theresa May impersonator's audition aired on BGT, Theresa May herself repeatedly broke down in tears as she announced her resignation on the steps of Downing Street.

'I've done my best,' she said, adding: 'It is and will always remain a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit.'

Mrs May was almost unable to continue as she voiced her pride at having served the country. She declared she will resign as Conservative leader on June 7, triggering a contest that should be complete by the end of July.He famously played a washed-up rockstar and serial womaniser in iconic Christmas film, Love Actually.

And Bill Nighy proved he has a way with the ladies as he celebrated after getting a kiss from a pretty blonde in the street on Thursday.

The Shaun Of The Dead actor, 69, hilariously punched the air shortly after the clinch with the mystery woman, with delight written all over his face.

Lol: Bill Nighy proved he has a way with the ladies as he celebrated after getting a kiss from a pretty blonde in the street on Thursday

The public display of affection unfolded as the pair chatted in Soho, with Bill looking dapper in a powder blue shirt and his signature navy blazer - paired with grey trousers.

The mystery blonde, who looked chic in all-black, looked happy as she chatted with the national treasure, before leaning in to plant a kiss on his neck.

Bill hugged her in return before walking away looking extremely pleased with himself.

Love, Actually: The Shaun Of The Dead actor, 69, enjoyed a clinch with the mystery woman, with delight written all over his face

MailOnline has contacted Bill's representatives for comment.

The British actor has a 34-year-old daughter, Mary, from his 27-year relationship with ex-girfriend Diana Quick. The couple split in 2008.

In a statement, the couple said: 'Bill and Diana separated amicably. They remain great friends.'

Delight: Bill hugged her in return before walking away looking extremely pleased with himself

Nighy met Quick while performing at the National Theatre, in 1981.

In 2015 he was rumoured to be dating US Vogue editor Anna Wintour, 69, after the pair were spotted at a number of high-profile fashion events together.

When asked about the speculation, the star remained coy and told an American paper: Well, I have obviously nothing to say about that, adding that there are a lot of rumours about me and probably about Anna Wintour.Australian television host Darren McMullen caught a frisky couple joining the mile high club in the comfort of their own economy seats.

On Friday, the 37-year-old presenter witnessed a woman giving her male companion a 'hand relief' during a Jetstar flight.

Taking to his Instagram Story, he shared the moment between the pair with his 50,000 followers, who clearly had no concerns of being caught in the act.

How awkward! Australian TV host Darren McMullen, 37, (pictured) caught a couple joining the mile high club on a Jetstar flight on Friday... and joked that the act was 'legendary'

Onlookers appeared to have no idea what the couple were up to, even the passenger beside them seemed oblivious while gazing out at the horizon from the aircraft's window.

Darren then panned the camera onto himself and mouthed: 'What the f**k!'

In a second video, he appeared to congratulate the male passenger, who he labelled as his 'new hero'.

You don't see that everyday! The 37-year-old presenter witnessed a woman giving her male companion a 'hand relief' during a Jetstar flight

No hiding it: Taking to his Instagram Story, he shared the erotic moment between the pair with his 50,000 followers, who clearly had no concerns of being caught in the act

'Hey man, I've got to say, that was legendary,' Darren said, while shaking the man's hand, adding: 'My new hero.'

The presenter then had a moment of clarity and joked: 'I can't believe I just shook that guy's hand. That hand!'

He added: 'I just got carried away. It's not that often you see such a blatant disregard for airline laws.'

'Didn't give a f**k. Guy's horny. Wanted to get his n*t off,' he said.

'Go on my son. Go on,' adding: 'I need a bath.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted a Jetstar representative for a comment.New Bachelorette Angie Kent will soon hit screens again in the reality dating series.

But on Friday night, the 29-year-old beauty looked to be in good spirits while catching-up with her 'I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here' camp mates.

Heading to a pub in the inner city suburb of Erskineville, Angie was all smiles as she caught up with co-stars including gossip guru Richard Reid, Gogglebox star Yvie Jones and US soap star, Katherine Kelly Lang.

Lots to catch up on! New Bachelorette Angie Kent, 29, (pictured) reunited with her 'I'm A Celebrity' camp mates including Katherine Kelly Lang in Sydney on Friday

Angie looked her happy go lucky self while strolling down the Sydney street, chatting with former housemate and Gogglebox star, Yvie, 46.

At one point, she happily posed with American gossip guru Richard along with Yvie, with the trio known to be friends outside of the show.

Angie kept it casual for the Autumn evening, clad in a thigh-skimming white dress which flaunted her trim pins.

Let's chat: Angie was clearly excited for the meet up, looking jovial

Leggy ladies: Angie and Yvie, 46, both opted for thigh-skimming dresses for the evening

The starlet paired the pretty frock with a faded denim jacket along with a pair of grey suede ankle boots.

Angie finished her look with a stylish black handbag which she wore casually slung over one shoulder.

Angie complimented her stunning complexion with a dewy-style makeup look, along with a bright red eye-catching lipstick.

Elated: (from left) Richard, Angie and Yvie were clearly happy to be back in each other's company

Trio! Angie showed her closeness with Richard (L) and Yvie (R), with the three former camp mates known to be close. Yvie and Angie appeared together on Gogglebox

Angie had her blonde tresses tied back in a low-maintenance pony tail.

Clearly in high spirits was Studio Ten co-host Yvie Jones, who put on a leggy display in a thigh-skimming black dress.

The blonde beauty cut a stylish figure in the frock, which she paired with black ankle boots along with a tan-hued handbag which she wore over one shoulder.

Yvie flaunted her flawless complexion, with a glossy makeup style, while she opted to wear her blonde tresses tied back.

Look who's here! Richard (pictured) was clearly in high spirits while walking to the venue

Gossip guru Richard Reid kept it low-key, with the animated TV star wearing a fitted blue collared shirt along with a pair of olive Corduroy pants.

He finished his preppy look with a pair of tan sneakers which featured red shoelaces.

Joining them out at the bar for a drink, was Bold and the Beautiful star Katherine Kelly Lang, 57.

Hollywood calling: Katherine, 57, was all smiles as she walked to the inner Sydney venue, while being assisted by a male companion

Out and about: The stylish actress walked hand-in-hand with a friend

The beautiful: Katherine looked very glamorous in the graphic blouse and white jeans

The veteran soap star looked every inch the Hollywood glamour girl in a graphic tiger print blouse with billowing sleeves along with a pair of white pants.

Katherine added an upscale edge to her look, wearing a tan Gucci belt, along with a maroon leather jacket she wore elegantly slung over her shoulders.

Meanwhile, former Biggest Loser host Ajay Rochester, 50, opted for a quirky long black dress which she paired with a statement gold necklace.

Black to basics! Former The Biggest Loser host Ajay Rochester, 50, (pictured) opted for a floor length black dress

Gold standard: Ajay (pictured) paired the frock with a gold statement necklace

Channel Ten star Angela Bishop also opted for an all-black ensemble.

The blonde beauty donned a plunging black blouse, which she paired with a leather mini-skirt,finishing it off with a Fendi handbag and knee-high boots.

Angela opted to wear her trademark blonde hair in a half-up, half-down hairstyle - with her choosing a glossy make-up look.

Tressed to impress! Angela, 51, wore her trademark blonde hair partially in a bunThey have all admitted to having various plastic surgery procedures over the years, in a bid to change their appearances.

And, Holly Hagan, 26, poked fun at herself and her female Geordie Shore co-stars' increasingly similar looks as she took to Instagram to share a photograph of them posed together during their current girls holiday in Ibiza.

The television personality joked that she, Chloe Ferry, 23, Charlotte Crosby, 29, Abbie Holborn, 21, and Sophie Kasaei, 29, had effectively morphed into each other thanks to sharing the same plastic surgeon.

Hilarious: Holly Hagan, 26, poked fun at herself and her female Geordie Shore co-stars' increasingly similar looks during their current girls holiday in Ibiza

In the sultry snap, Holly showcased her flawless features, surgically-enhanced chest and jaw-dropping curves in a black bikini and sheer trousers as she stood between her gal pals.

Alongside the group shot, she wrote: 'When you all have the same surgeon!' followed by a winking face and a laughing face.

Holly and Chloe were clad in a identically-shaped swimwear sets, which served to highlight their now strikingly similar body-shapes.

Platinum blonde Chloe flaunted her physique in a purple version of the bikini, covering up somewhat with an animal print sarong.

Before and after: Holly is pictured, left, in 2013 before getting work done and right, in a recent Instagram snap

Banter: The television personality joked that she, Chloe Ferry, 23, Charlotte Crosby, 29, Abbie Holborn, 21, and Sophie Kasaei, 29, had effectively morphed into each other thanks to sharing the same plastic surgeon

Back in the day: Chloe was all natural when she first joined Geordie Shore (pictured left in 2015), but these days she's a fan of cosmetic procedures (pictured this month, right)

Hourglass physique: Chloe is a fan of showcasing her hourglass physique on her social media account, posing for regular bikini snaps

Pucker up: Both Chloe and Charlotte have been candid about the work they have had done and are big fans of lip fillers

Meanwhile, Charlotte Crosby - who recently had her breast implants removed - displayed her similarly smooth visage complete with extremely full pout.

Although she had draped her body in a silky red kaftan for the photograph, Sophie Kasaei flashed a side-view of her surgically-enhanced chest.

Finally, Abbie Holborn stood tall, showcasing her curves, which have also been refined by a plastic surgeon to create her desired look.

Transformation: Charlotte - pictured in 2011, left - displayed her similarly smooth visage complete with extremely full pout (right)

Going under the knife: She recently had her breast implants removed and has bounced back from the surgery

Tanned to toned: Sophie Kasaei (pictured left in 2014) was a fan of a spray tan, but these days (pictured right in 2018) she's more focused on the gym

Gym buff: Sophie has worked hard to get into shape after previously confessing she was insecure about her weightNicole Kidman is famous for her red hair and on Friday, she was showcasing it with an equally eye-catching dress.

The 51-year-old wore a retro orange dress on the set of her new miniseries, The Undoing, in New York.

Nicole beamed as she crossed the road clad in the 1970s style dress, which clung to her lithe figure.

Orange you looking bright! Nicole Kidman (pictured) matched her flame-red hair to her retro rust-toned frock on the set of her new drama The Undoing in New York on Friday

Cinched at the waist and featuring a full skirt and a v-neck, the frock certainly made a fashion statement.

Nicole paired the outfit with a pair of snakeskin flats and had her naturally red, curly hair down around her shoulders.

A warm, peachy makeup look completed the apricot palette of the Hollywood star's ensemble.

Looking good! Nicole beamed as she crossed the road clad in the 1970s style dress, which clung to her lithe figure

In The Undoing, the Australian actress plays a therapist, Grace Sachs, whose life falls apart in spectacular fashion.

Her world in upended when husband Jonathan, played by Hugh Grant, goes missing right before she's about to publish her first book.

David E. Kelley of Big Little Lies fame wrote the drama miniseries with Nicole taking on executive producing credits.

Score! It comes after HBO announced Meryl Streep (right) had signed on to portray Mary Louise Wright, Celeste Wright's (Nicole Kidman) mother-in-law on Big Little Lies season two

It comes after, in January, HBO announced Meryl Streep had signed on to portray Mary Louise Wright, Celeste Wright's (Nicole Kidman) mother-in-law on Big Little Lies season two.

The Australian star told Foxtel Magazine the hit show's author, Liane Moriarty specifically asked for Meryl to join the show and Nicole and her co-star Reese Witherspooon had a hand in the casting too.

'Reese [Witherspoon] and I said, "We can't get you Meryl!" but then I sent Meryl a text and, when she responded after the Globes, Reese and I were literally screaming on the phone with each other!' Nicole said.Apart from being a top-earning movie star, he's busy raising two daughters under the age of three.

But Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson ensured he still made time to attend his eldest daughter, Simone's, 17, high school graduation on Friday.

The 47-year-old took to social media to share how proud he was before smothering his oldest child with love.

Scroll down for video

Momentous day: Dwayne Johnson was a proud father on Friday when he stepped out to attend his eldest daughter, Simone's, 17, high school graduation

'And then your babies graduate,' he began the heartfelt post.

'Very proud of my first daughter daughter graduating high school, kickin' ass and is now NYU bound.'

He continued: 'I love you and one day you'll stop pulling away from my beastly arms & kisses.'

All grown up: 'Very proud of my first daughter daughter graduating high school, kickin' ass and is now NYU bound.' He continued: 'I love you and one day you'll stop pulling away from my beastly arms & kisses'

She's a graduate! Simone also took to her social media to document the special day

And despite pulling away from his 'beastly' hugs in the photos, Simone appeared to be thrilled her father could join in on the momentous occasion.

'love you thank you for coming,' she replied in the comments.

And it would've been hard to miss the Hollywood superstar at the ceremony, with his bulging biceps stealing the show.

Throwback: Dwayne shares Simone with his ex-wife Dany Garcia

Still in each others lives: The pair have remained not only close friends but run a production company together

The Rock opted for a Hawaiian style foliage T-shirt and jeans for the procession, adding a pair of tinted glasses.

Simone also took to her social media to document the special day.

Dwayne co-parents the teen with his ex-wife Dany Garcia. The pair have remained not only close friends but run a production company together.

Love: The Jumanji star is currently in a long term relationship with signer Lauren Hashain, 34

Dany went on to marry Dave Rienzi in 2014, Dwayne's personal trainer.

The Jumanji star is currently in a long term relationship with signer Lauren Hashain, 34.

The pair first met in 2006 when he was filming Game Plan.

Lauren and the actor welcomed their first daughter, Tiana, three, in December 2015 and second child, Jasmine, one, in April 2018.Kim Kardashian and Kanye West paid to have his facial tattoos removed following his release from prison.

And now Paul Algarin has 'job offers rolling in,' according to TMZ.

'He's been getting hit up by people all over the world,' reported the gossip site on Saturday, citing countries as diverse as Nigeria and the UK.

Good deeds indeed: Earlier this month, Kim and Kanye pledged to help the recently freed Paul Algarin [R] by promising to pay to remove his face tattoo

Among the job offers are 'modeling and work in a tattoo parlor' say TMZ.

Earlier this month, Kim and Kanye pledged to help the recently freed Algarin by promising to pay to remove his face tattoo.

The superstar couple went to Charlotte to meet with the North Carolina man and his family after he wrote to the reality star upon hearing of her work with prison reform.

Kim and Kanye made the special trip a day after attending the Met Gala in New York and were pictured with Paul, who was released from Central Prison in North Carolina last month after serving seven years.

Paul's twin sister Azaria wrote on Instagram the family had lunch with the stars before starting the procedure 'of removing [her] brother's face tattoos'.

Trouble: The superstar couple went to Charlotte to meet with the North Carolina man and his family after he wrote to the reality star upon hearing of her work with prison reform. Algarin seen here in his 2013 mugshot

She said: 'Recently my twin was released from central prison where he served an accumulation of seven years. He asked me for Kims address so he could send her a letter and I rolled my eyes and never sent it. Eventually my mom sent it to him so he would stop harassing us.

'Never in a million years did I think Kim would write him back (or even read his letter), fly in right after the met gala (not to mention her 4th baby is due at any minute), invest in our family & laugh / relate to us over the smallest things.

'Kim flew in to CLT with her doctor to have lunch with us and start the procedure of removing my brothers face tattoos.'

In 2013 Algarin was charged with bringing guns to a Fayetteville high school, according to local reports.

His mom Sonya added: 'Yesterday was a great day and also a long day coming. My children and I had the awesome opportunity to meet @kimkardashian and her husband @kanyedoingthings.

'Kim was there to grant a request that my son asked her assistance with which was to remove a tattoo from his face. Thank God she received his letter and was happy to grant his request.

'Her work and dedication to helping others restart their lives and move forward with a more positive start is something that I am extremely grateful for and most appreciative.

'Kim and Kanye taking time out of their busy schedules to come meet and sit with us was amazing and an experience we will always remember.'

A family affair: Paul's twin sister Azaria [pictured with Kanye] wrote on Instagram the family had lunch with the stars before starting the procedure 'of removing [her] brother's face tattoos'

Here comes the bride! On Friday, Kim took to Instagram to post photos from her 2014 wedding to Kanye

The reality TV star began her social justice bids by petitioning President Donald Trump over the release of Tennessee grandmother Alice Marie Johnson in June last year.

Since the 63-year-old was pardoned by Trump after meeting Kim at the White House, she has joined campaigns to get other prisoners released.

Kim joined attorney Brittany K Barnett and has secretly funded the Buried Alive Project, which has helped free 17 inmates who were handed huge jail sentences for low-level drug offences as part of its 90 Days of Freedom project.

Some of Kim's campaigns have been well-publicized, such as former sex slave Cyntoia Brown, Jeffrey Stringer and Johnson, who spent 21 years in prison for a non-violent drug offense.

Kim helped get Stringer from Miami out of prison after he was locked up for more than two decades for a low-level drug case.

The reality star tweeted on Friday that she helped fund his case after he had been sentenced to life in prison.She has often referenced her heartbreak since she joined the cast of TOWIE earlier this year.

And viewers finally become acquainted with one of Demi Sims' former flames as the reality TV star met her ex Meg for a drink to apologise for 'vanishing' after they had a summer of fun.

In an exclusive clip obtained by MailOnline, the bisexual star discusses her past mistakes with her former flame - who makes her debut appearance on the Essex show.

Catch-up: TOWIE viewers finally become acquainted with one of Demi Sims' former flames as the reality TV star meets her ex Meg for a drink to apologise for vanishing after their fling last year

During the conversation, Meg speaks honestly about their former fling and questions if she did something wrong.

The brunette begins: 'Demi, to be be honest I dont know what happened we had a really good summer and then you just vanished.'

Owning up to her wrongdoing, Demi responds: 'Yeah, I am really sorry about that Meg and thats why I have brought you here to apologise to you.'

Revealing her hurt for being ghosted, Meg added: 'For so long I felt like I did something wrong to you, did I?'

Debut: During the conversation, Meg speaks honestly about their former fling and questions if she did something wrong

Opening up: Owning up to her wrongdoing, Demi responds, 'Yeah, I am really sorry about that Meg and thats why I have brought you here to apologise to you'

Demi confirms that Meg was not responsible, as she adds: 'No you did nothing wrong, nothing, like it was not you at all. I have never really been a relationship type person.'

Meg chimed in: 'But we were never like serious, serious, it was just fun to hang about and we just got on and I never wanted anything serious at the time, neither did you.'

Apologising again, Demi says: 'Like I handled it completely wrong and I shouldnt have done what I did but unfortunately I did. So I am sorry for that.'

Karma: Demi confirms that her next relationship ended, which left her heartbroken after she was ghosted - likewise to what she did to Meg

Then Meg shares how she felt when Demi then moved on: 'Then I did see that you was in a relationship and I was like "oh great"'.

Demi quizzes: 'Oh really, did you get sad?'

'A little bit,' admits Meg, which Demi probes: 'Did you?'

Meg replies: 'Yeah obviously I did, there was a lot between me and you like it wasn't.

Changing the topic, she asked: 'So what happened between you and your ex?'

Demi shares: 'I genuinely fell in love with her, she just cut me off and said she didnt want to be with me anymore.'

Meg comments on the parallels: 'She did to you, what you did to me.'

Drama: Demi has already found herself at the forefront of the drama during her first series on The Only Way Is Essex after she caught the eye of Sam Mucklow

Triangle: The romance has not been without drama, as Sam was sleeping with Shelby Tribble at the time

Demi confirms that she was served karma, as she adds: 'She did what I did to you and what I had done to other people and its put me in a different head space now.'

Proving that they are both ready for fun, the both tell that they are 'fully single.'

Demi has already found herself at the forefront of the drama during her first series on The Only Way Is Essex after she caught the eye of Sam Mucklow.

Their fleeting romance was over before it had really a chance to flourish; the TOWIE beauty first garnered his affections during the cast trip to Thailand.

The romance has not been without drama, however, as Sam was sleeping with Shelby Tribble at the time.

This led to an explosive row that saw Shelby throw a drink over him and he retaliated by calling her a 's**g'.

Demi hasn't allowed the scandal to deter her as she broke off things with Sam after she enjoyed a brief flirtation with Shelby herself.

The Essex beauty has been supporting her sister Chloe through the midst of her heartache with Dan Edgar, 28.

Chloe was devastated when Dan's ex Amber Turner, 25, claimed that she had been between the sheets with the 28-year-old when he was with Chloe.

Sisters: Demi joined TOWIE as Chloe Sims' sister with this being her first series on the show



Mel B was the only Spice Girl to address the backlash to their debut tour date performance in Dublin after attendees raged over sound issues which resulted in some fans walking out.

And, after uploading a video to Instagram in which she admitted there were sound and vocal problems at the group's debut and pledged to improve the sound quality for the next show in Cardiff on Monday night, Scary Spice, 43, cosied up to band-mate Emma Bunton, 43, as they arrived back in London on Saturday afternoon.

A fresh-faced Mel B commanded attention in a bright pink tracksuit whilst Emma B strolled along in a floral ensemble.

Scroll down for video.

On tour: Mel B and Emma Bunton jetted into London on Saturday afternoon after Scary Spice was the only Spice Girl to address first night criticism

Early on Saturday morning, Scary Spice uploaded a video to Instagram in which she admitted there were sound and vocal problems at the group's debut Dublin gig - and pledged to improve the sound quality for the next show.

After a fresh-faced Mel B, shared the candid video at 6am the day after the first gig on the reunion tour, her fellow bandmembers, Emma Bunton, Mel C, 45, and Geri Horner, 46, took to the photo-sharing site to gush over their performance and thank their 'supportive' fans.

Speaking into the camera whilst lying in bed, she appeared irked as she said: 'Hey guys thank you for attending our show tonight in Dublin.

'We will see you in Cardiff and hopefully the vocals and the sound will be much, much better.'

Fresh-faced: A fresh-faced Mel B commanded attention in a bright pink tracksuit whilst Emma B strolled along in a floral ensemble

Speaking out: Mel B was the only Spice Girl to address the backlash to their debut tour date performance in Dublin after attendees raged over sound issues which resulted in some fans walking out

Social media: Mel uploaded a video to Instagram in which she admitted there were sound and vocal problems at the group's debut and pledged to improve the sound quality

Solo: Mel B was the only Spice Girl to address the backlash to their debut tour date performance after attendees raged over sound issues which resulted in some fans walking out

Difference stance: Emma Bunton, 43, Mel C, 45, and Geri Horner, 46, chose to ignored the backlash and instead gush over their performance and thanked their 'supportive' fans

Candid: In an Instagram video Scary Spice admitted there were sound and vocal problems at the group's debut Dublin gig - and pledged to improve the sound quality for the next show

The mother-of-three then made an exasperated, and purposefully audible, sigh.

While her bandmate acknowledged the sound gaffe, Geri Horner, 46, chose to ignore the backlash to their debut tour performance as she took to Instagram to celebrate their comeback.

Ginger Spice shared a snap of herself on stage clad in a red and blue Renaissance-style gown and a shot of herself backstage walking hand-in-hand with her bandmates.

All smiles! The duo appeared to be in high spirits following their first appearance on stage

Cosying up: Emma and Mel put on a cosy display as they exited the airport

Heading home: The girls are set to enjoy a short break before their next show in Cardiff

Catching up: They had catch to catch up following their first live show

Strut: Emma beamed as she strolled in the sunshine while Mel was engrossed on her phone

Honest: Speaking into the camera whilst lying in bed, she appeared irked as she said: 'Hey guys thank you for attending our show tonight in Dublin'

Hopeful: 'We will see you in Cardiff and hopefully the vocals and the sound will be much, much better' said Mel, before making an exasperated, and purposefully audible, sigh

Positive vibes only: While her bandmate acknowledged the sound gaffe, Geri Horner, 46, chose to ignore the backlash to their debut performance as she celebrated their comeback

United: Ginger Spice shared a snap of herself on stage clad in a red and blue Renaissance-style gown and a shot of herself backstage walking hand-in-hand with her bandmates

She captioned the photographs, simply: 'Thank you Dublin! #welove #weserve #wecelebrate #SpiceWorld.'

Mel C gushed about the girl-band's return, thanking fans for their support as she posted a fierce photograph to Instagram of herself on stage alongside her fellow Spice Girls.

She wrote alongside: 'Wow! Words cannot describe how it felt to be back on stage with @officialmelb @therealgerihalliwell @emmaleebunton last night. I love you all so much, more than ever!!!

Thankful: Mel C gushed about the girl-band's return, thanking fans for their support as she posted a fierce photograph to Instagram

Amazing! Emma Bunton branded their first performance 'amazing' as she too took to Instagram to mark the Spice Girls comeback

'Thank you so much to our incredible team, their talent, dedication and relentless hard work have that made this show this best thing I have ever been a part of.

'Thank you to our wonderful fans, without you we never could have done this, we are eternally grateful for your endless support. Cant wait to do it all over again and again!!!! Watch out Cardiff were coming for you!'

Emma Bunton branded their first performance 'amazing' as she too took to Instagram to mark the Spice Girls comeback.

Thankful: Baby Spice also decided to focus on other positive developments rather than address the backlash received after the Spice Girls' reunion performance

Next to a solo snap of herself on stage, she wrote: 'Amazing first night, thank you Dublin #spicegirls #spiceworld.'

Emma also decided to focus on other positive developments rather than address the backlash received after the Spice Girls' reunion performance.

Taking to her Instagram stories, the mother-of-two celebrated garnering 1million followers on the photo-sharing site, thanking fans.

Comeback: The Spice Girls kicked off their long-awaited reunion tour, as the iconic band took to the stage for their first performance in Dublin on Friday

Mel's selfie video comes after fans who attended the first date of the Spice Girls reunion tour in Dublin on Friday voiced their disappointment, as sound problems inside the stadium meant they were unable to hear the show, and one fan even claimed they saw 'huge numbers' walking out of the show.

Emma Bunton, 43, Geri Horner, Mel Brown, and Mel C, 45, delighted the crowd of around 58,000 fans with a medley of their greatest hits, and Ginger Spice even paid homage to her iconic Union Jack dress with a red and blue Renaissance-style gown.

While many fans took to Twitter to share their excitement about attending the concert, others were quick to share their dissatisfaction with the Spice Girls' first performance.

Raging: Many fans angrily took to Twitter to complain about sound issues during the concert, with many hitting out the venue Croke Park after spending around 100 on tickets

Shocking: As many fans complained about the sound issues, one even claimed they say 'huge numbers' of the audience walk out

Shocking: As many fans complained about the sound issues, one even claimed they say 'huge numbers' of the audience walk out

Although fans were delighted to see the band finally reunite to kick off their tour, some took to social media to complain that sound issues meant they were unable to hear the show, with one even claiming they saw members of the audience leaving the concert.

Several also bemoaned the issues given how much they had spent on the sold-out concert, with ticket prices ranging from 66 to 146.

One wrote: 'Sound is so bad... v disappointing,' while another posted: 'Be great if someone could tell the sound people at Spice Girls that the audience can't hear them.'

Amazing: The band finally returned to the stage on Friday, seven years after their last group performance at the 2012 Olympics

A third also tweeted: 'There's something wrong when the crowd at @spicegirls concert are all sitting down because no one has a clue what song is on because the sound really is THAT bad.'

'Sound! Sort the sound out @spicegirls team. Is it the band or the sound engineer?' a fan angrily posted.

Fans anticipation was rife ahead of the concert, as it was the first time the band had taken to the stage as a group in seven years.

Proud as punch: Mel posed up a storm with her lookalike sister Danielle as they celebratedAntonio Banderas has been honoured with the prestigious best actor award for his film Pain And Glory at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday evening.

The actor, 58, and his glamorous girlfriend Nicole Kimpel appeared as loved-up as ever, as they attended The Specials premiere during the closing ceremony for the two-week long event on Saturday night.

Antonio won the male acting prize for his role as a tortured filmmaker in Pedro Almodovar's loosely biographical film - one of the films that had also been tipped for the top honour.

Glitzy: Antonio Banderas and his glamorous girlfriend Nicole Kimpel appeared as loved-up as ever, as they attended The Specials premiere during the closing ceremony for the two-week long event on Saturday night

At the event Nicole, 38, put on a dazzling display in a plunging semi-sheer black gown which was heavily adorned with diamante detailing all-over and showcased her ample assets.

The blonde beauty's stunning gown also featured a thigh-high leg slit, which showed off her enviably toned pins which also sported a sun-kissed glow.

Nicola added inches to her statuesque frame with a pair of strappy black heels which were tied around her ankles and featured a T bar section up the front.

She accessorised her look with a dainty silver necklace and a pair of delicate drop earrings, while clutching a sparkling grey clutch bag.

Hot couple: Nicole, 38, put on a dazzling display in a plunging semi-sheer black gown which was heavily adorned with diamante detailing all-over and showcased her ample assets

Winner! Antonio won the male acting prize for his role as a tortured filmmaker in Pedro Almodovar's loosely biographical film - one of the films that had also been tipped for the top honour

Glitzy: The couple stormed the red carpet looking madly in love as Nicole certainly sparkled for the cameras

Nicole wore her ombre tresses in a lightly tousled style, while sporting a sultry grey smokey-eye and lashings of liner with a nude pink lip gloss.

Antonio looked dapper in a smart navy suit, which he teamed with a crisp white shirt and a black tie along with a pair of shiny black dress shoes.

Last week, Antonio and Nicole packed on the PDA at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of his new movie Pain And Glory.

The duo put on a cosy display, posing for pictures and they later shared a tender smooch in front of onlookers.

Dazzling: Nicole wore her ombre tresses in a lightly tousled style, while sporting a sultry grey smokey-eye and lashings of liner with a nude pink lip gloss

Sensational: The duo put on a cosy display, posing for pictures and they later shared a tender smooch in front of onlookers

Blowing a kiss! The couple looked elated as they stormed the red carpet, while Antonio blew kisses to the crowd

Amazing: Antonio looked dapper in a smart navy suit, which he teamed with a crisp white shirt and a black tie along with a pair of shiny black dress shoes

Prestigious: Antonio looked pleased as he won the male acting prize for his role as a tortured filmmaker in Pedro Almodovar's loosely biographical film

Incredible: Nicole looked sensational in the dress with a plunging neckline

Antonio and Nicole have been dating for four years after he split up with his then-wife of 19 years Melanie Griffiths.

Pain and Glory is a Spanish film that follows a director Salvador Mallo, played by Banderas, in his decline as he reflects and revisits big moments and decisions in his life.

He stars opposite Penelope Cruz who plays Salvador's mother in flashback scenes from his childhood in the 1960s.

The 2019 Cannes Film Festival is taking place at the iconic Palais des Festivals until May 25.

Actress Elle Fanning, French graphic novelist Enki Bilal and the Oscar-nominated director of The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos, will be among jury members during the annual event.

Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu will preside over the panel that decides on prizes, including the top Palme D'Or award.She appeared on This Morning last week to chat about the long-awaited Downton Abbey film.

And Elizabeth McGovern was spotted leaving the BBC Radio studios in London after another tell-all interview on Saturday, joined by her West End co-star Matthew Broderick.

The 57-year-old actress looked cool and casual in a smart blazer and jeans after chatting about the pair's new play, The Starry Messenger.

Stepping out: Elizabeth McGovern was spotted leaving the BBC Radio studios in London after another tell-all interview on Saturday, joined by her West End co-star Matthew Broderick

Elizabeth was rocking a pair of faded denim jeans paired with a double breasted blazer and a pinstriped shirt.

She dressed the look down with a pair of simple trainers and a small cross-body bag.

The brunette beauty set off her look with a slick of pink lipstick and a pair of teal drop earrings.

Stylish: The 57-year-old actress looked cool and casual in a smart blazer and jeans after chatting about the pair's new play, The Starry Messenger

West End sensation: Matthew was casually clad in a baggy jumper and khaki trousers

Putting in an appearance: Star Trek actress Marina Sirtis was also seen leaving the studios

Last week, Elizabeth told how it felt like the cast had 'never left' when they got together to shoot the film and likened them to a 'family'.

The actress, who plays Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham on the series, spoke to Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on Thursday's edition of This Morning to discuss the upcoming flick.

She said: 'Well it felt like we'd never left, it was amazing, I mean it really is a bit like a family, we've been through so much together and you just slot right back in, all the old dynamics just resume and we march on.'

Family: Downton Abbey's Elizabeth revealed it felt like the cast had 'never left' when they got together to shoot the film during an appearance on This Morning

The film is scheduled to be released on September 13 in the UK and the cast and crew have not ruled out a sequel.

Elizabeth said: 'All doors are always left open is as much as I can say so we'll see.'

The film is set in 1927 and features a visit to Downton Abbey by King George V and Queen Mary.

Elizabeth told how she felt like 'no time had passed' since the events of the series.

She said: 'Well it felt like we'd never left, it was amazing, I mean it really is a bit like a family'

She said: 'I think so, it's certainly our intention, I havent seen it yet but it is for the fans it is for the people who stayed for the show, loved getting to know the characters.

'It's not that much farther forward, we're at the same milieu, the house hasn't changed much. I felt like no time has passed.'

Geraldine James will star as Queen Mary while Simon Jones will portray King George V.

The first trailer for the film was released on Tuesday, giving fans their first glimpse at what they can expect.

She added: 'We've been through so much together and you just slot right back in, all the old dynamics just resume and we march on'

The trailer opens with Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) asking his mother the Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith) if she wants to stay for dinner, remarking 'it's a buffet.'

The family matriarch is unsure though, exclaiming 'well I'm not changed,' only to be told she just needs to take off her hat for such a low-key occasion. 'You talk as if that were easy.' she quips.

As the words 'They live like royalty but are they ready for the real thing?' flash up on screen, Lord Grantham is seen getting important post, revealing to his family 'Heavens, the King and Queen are coming to stay,' while his mother predicts 'here we go.'

It's a flurry of activity as both upstairs and downstairs prepare for the regal visit. 'A royal luncheon, a parade and a dinner? I'm going to have to sit down,' declares cook Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol).

Story: The film is set in 1927 and features a visit to Downton Abbey by King George V and Queen Mary

Interview: Elizabeth chatted with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby about the upcoming feature

The film's new faces feature in the trailer as Killing Eve and Four Weddings star David Haig makes his first appearance as the King's butler, paying an advance visit to check things are in order.

He is seen clashing with Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) while a new French chef riles up Mrs Patmore.

The theme of change rings through the trailer as Lady Mary is seen questioning if the household will survive a new era. 'The last few days have made me think. What are we doing? Should we really go on with it?' she laments.

The much loved period drama, written by Julian Fellowes, ran for six series between 2010 and 2015 and won several accolades including Emmys and Golden Globes.

Back in action: Elizabeth told how she felt like 'no time had passed' since the events of the series

TV: The much loved period drama, written by Julian Fellowes, ran for six series between 2010 and 2015 and won several accolades including Emmys and Golden Globes

Downton Abbey's Christmas 2015 series finale wrapped up with the bombshell that Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) was pregnant with her second husband Harry Talbot's child.

Other stars set to reprise their roles for the movie include Raquel Cassidy, Brendan Coyle, Kevin Doyle, Harry Hadden-Paton, Rob James-Collier, Phyllis Logan and Sophie McShera.

There is one notable face missing as Lily James has confirmed that she won't be returning to her role as Rose, telling People magazine: 'My character Rose moved off to New York, so it would be far-fetched to bring her back.

'I would have loved to have come back for a scene, but for a movie, it cant be like a Christmas special and it needs to be a focused storyline. There was simply no space for Rose.'

The film is set for a European release on September 13, 2019, and US release on September 20, 2019.South Korean director Bong Joon-ho picked up Cannes Film Festival's coveted Palme d'Or award for his social satire Parasite on Saturday night.

The film was awarded the festival's top prize, while Quentin Tarantino's latest outing Once Upon A Time In Hollywood was snubbed by the board in all categories.

Joon-ho's tragicomedy is about a poor family of hustlers who find jobs with a wealthy family, but become embroiled in dark, unexpected and currently unknown incident.

Top prize: South Korean director Bong Joon-ho picked up Cannes Film Festival's coveted Palme d'Or award for his social satire Parasite on Saturday night

Similarly to Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, little has been revealed about the film so that the audience can enjoy it without knowing how the plot will unfurl.

Parasite has received rave reviews ever since it premiered at the glitzy event and received a five-minute standing ovation from the audience.

It stars one of Korea's most prolific actors, Song Kang-ho, and Parasite marks the fourth time he's worked with prestigious director Joon-ho.

Snubbed: The film was awarded the festival's top prize, while Quentin Tarantino's latest outing Once Upon A Time In Hollywood was snubbed by the board in all categories

Making history: Joon-ho is the first Korean filmmaker to ever win the Palme d'Or

Joon-ho is the first Korean filmmaker to ever win the Palme d'Or and also only the second Asian filmmaker be awarded the prize after Hirokazu Koreeda won it last year for his family drama, and Oscar nominee, Shoplifters.

In the festival's closing ceremony, jury president Alejandro Inarritu said the choice had been 'unanimous' for the nine-person jury.

The genre-mixing film had arguably been celebrated more than others at Cannes this year, hailed by critics as the best yet from the 49-year-old director.

Joon-ho's previous successes include Netflix hit Okja starring Tilda Swinton, South Korean murder mystery Memoirs Of A Murderer and cult hit Snowpiercer.

Ta-da! It stars one of Korea's most prolific actors, Song Kang-ho (left), and Parasite marks the fourth time he's worked with prestigious director Joon-ho

The decision to allow Netflix films Okja and The Meyerowitz Stories by Noah Baumbach to compete in Cannes in 2017 sparked outrage.

Film festival head Thierry Fremaux, 57, said Netflix and other streamers could still screen their movies, but couldn't vie for the top prize, according to an article by The Hollywood Reporter.

Fremaux said he wanted the films by the acclaimed directors to premiere at Cannes instead of going to another festival, but neither one of them won.

'Last year, when we selected these two films, I thought I could convince Netflix to release them in cinemas. I was presumptuous, they refused,' Fremaux said.

Outrage! Film festival head Thierry Fremaux (pictured), 57, said Netflix and other streamers could still screen their movies, but couldn't vie for the top prize, according to an article by The Hollywood Reporter

Netflix tried to secure permits to screen the movies, but ran afoul of France's strict chronology laws surrounding film release. The festival has since changed its rules to require theatrical release in France.

The festival's second place award, the Grand Prize, went to French-Senegalese director Mati Diop's feature-film debut, Atlantics. The film by Diop, the first black female director ever in competition in Cannes, views the migrant crisis from the perspective of Senegalese women left behind after many young men flee by sea to Spain.

Although few quibbled with the choice of Bong, some had expected Cannes to make history by giving the Palme to a female filmmaker for just the second time. Celine Sciamma's period romance Portrait of a Lady on Fire was the Palme pick for many critics this year. Instead, Sciamma ended up with best screenplay.

Second place: The festival's second place award, the Grand Prize, went to French-Senegalese director Mati Diop's feature-film debut, Atlantics

In the festival's 72-year history, only Jane Champion has won the prize in 1993 for The Piano, tying with Chen Kaige's Farewell My Concubine.

Best actor went to Antonio Banderas for Pedro Almodovar's reflective drama Pain and Glory. In the film, one of the most broadly acclaimed of the festival, Banderas plays a fictionalised version of Almodovar looking back on his life and career.

'The best is still to come,' said Banderas, accepting the award.

CANNES' FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS - Palme d'Or: 'Parasite' by Bong Joon-ho (South Korea) - Grand Prix: 'Atlantics' by Mati Diop (France) - Jury Prize: 'Les Miserables' by Ladj Ly (France) and 'Nighthawk' by Kleber Mendonca Filho (Brazil) - Best director: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (Belgium) for 'Young Ahmed' - Best actress: Emily Beecham (Britain) for 'Little Joe' - Best actor: Antonio Banderas (Spain) for 'Pain and Glory' - Special mention: 'It Must Be Heaven' by Elia Suleiman - Best screeplay: 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' by Celine Sciamma (France) Advertisement

Best actor: Best actor went to Antonio Banderas for Pedro Almodovar's reflective drama Pain and Glory. In the film, one of the most broadly acclaimed of the festival, Banderas plays a fictionalised version of Almodovar looking back on his life and career

Humble: 'The best is still to come,' said Banderas, accepting the award

The Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, who have already twice won the Palme d'Or, took the best director prize for Young Ahmed, their portrait of Muslim teenager who becomes radicalized by a fundamentalist imam.

The jury prize, or third place, was split between two socially conscious thrillers: The French director Ladj Ly's feature-film debut Les Miserables and Brazilian director Kleber Mendonca Filho's Bacurau.

British actress Emily Beecham won best actress for her performance in Jessica Hausner's science-fiction drama Little Joe. The jury also gave a special mention to Palestinian director Elia Suleiman's 'It Must Be Heaven.'

The Camera d'Or, an award given for best first feature from across all of Cannes' sections, went to Cesar Diaz's 'Our Mothers,' a drama about the Guatemalan civil war in the 1980s.

Tarantino, who attended the closing ceremony, didn't go home empty handed. On Friday, a prominent pooch in his film won the annual Palme Dog, an award given by critics to Cannes' best canine.

Best director: The Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, who have already twice won the Palme d'Or, took the best director prize for Young Ahmed, their portrait of Muslim teenager who becomes radicalized by a fundamentalist imamLately she's rarely been seen without her beloved pooch Colombo.

And the adorable puppy was by Emily Ratajkowski's side again on Saturday, when the 27-year-old took a stroll with husband Sebastian Bear McClard.

The I Feel Pretty actress turned heads in an orange dress with a plunging neckline that made the most of her abundant cleavage.

Puppy love! Her adorable pooch was by Emily Ratajkowski's side again on Saturday, when the 27-year-old took a stroll with husband Sebastian Bear McClard

Emily paired the figure-hugging garment with white Nike sneakers and shielded her eyes with reflective wraparound sunglasses.

In one hand she carried Colombo's leash, while her husband carried the dog itself.

The supermodel also brought her new pooch onto the set of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and cradled him during her interview on Friday.

Taking the plunge! The I Feel Pretty actress turned heads in an orange dress with a plunging neckline that made the most of her abundant cleavage

Future's so bright: Emily paired the figure-hugging garment with white Nike sneakers and shielded her eyes with reflective wraparound sunglasses

Inseparable: The supermodel also brought her new pooch onto the set of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and cradled him during her interview on Friday

Emily showed off her famously svelte frame in a figure-hugging striped nude-and-rust dress that featured a half-turtleneck and an ankle-length hem.

The Gone Girl supporting player accessorized with red earrings and a metallic pair of sky-high ankle-strap stilettos.

It was a star-studded evening at the Tonight Show, which also played host to comedian Dana Carvey this Friday.They announced they were expecting their first child together earlier this month.

And Jess Shears and husband Dom Lever were putting on another loved-up display when they stepped out in Manchester on Saturday, with the pregnant reality star cradling her baby bump as they arrived at Impossible Bar Manchester for a date night.

The duo are set to welcome the third Love Island baby later this year - following in the footsteps of season 1 now-exes Luis Morrison and Cally Jane Beech and season 2 victors Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey.

Date night: Jess Shears and husband Dom Lever were putting on another loved-up display when they stepped out in Manchester on Saturday

Jessica looked stylish in an all-black ensemble, donning a plain T-shirt and leather look leggings for her outing.

She layered up with an oversized blazer complete with gold button detailing and rounded off her look with lace-up boots.

Dom was spotted strolling along beside his pregnant wife as the pair prepared for a night out together.

Bumping along: The duo are set to welcome the third Love Island baby later this year - following in the footsteps of season 1 now-exes Luis Morrison and Cally Jane Beech and season 2 victors Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey

Glamorous: Jessica looked stylish in an all-black ensemble, donning a plain T-shirt and leather look leggings for her outing

The stunning model, 25, and former career advisor, 27, who met on Love Island in 2017, took to Instagram to share a sweet picture of their news earlier this month.

Posting a snap of the ultrasound, Jess added a Polaroid photo of herself cradling her baby bump while Dom mimicked her pose in a different shot.

She captioned it with: 'The best is yet to come,' followed by a pregnancy and angel emoji, while Dom also shared the exact same post on his Insta, sweetly adding: 'Living the dream .'

Parents-to-be! The stunning model, 25, and former career advisor, 27, who met on Love Island in 2017, took to Instagram to share a sweet picture of their news earlier this month

Jess and Dom's former Love Island contestants, both on and off their series, were quick to congratulate the pair.

Amber Davies commented: 'Congratulations,' followed by a series of love heart emojis while Marcel Somerville added: 'Congratulations you guys,' followed by heart and hand emojis.

Meanwhile Love Island contestants Olivia Buckland, Alexandra Cane and Charlie Brake, who appeared on the 2016 and 2018 series, also shared their congratulations.

Smitten: Posting a snap of the ultrasound, Jess added a Polaroid photo of herself cradling her baby bump while Dom mimicked her pose in a different shot

Jess and Dom's fellow celebrity pals, Geordie Shore Marnie Simpson - who is also expecting her first child with Casey Johnson, and Vicky Pattison also shared their well wishes.

The couple's baby news comes seven months after they tied the knot during a romantic wedding ceremony in the Greek Island of Mykonos in October.

The pair, who struck up a romance on Love Island in 2017, became the second couple to say 'I do' from the ITV2 show, weeks after Olivia Buckland and Alex Bowen married in a lavish Essex ceremony.

Beaming with delight on the cover of OK! magazine, glamour model Jess, and former career advisor Dom, opted for an intimate wedding with only 22 guests as they revealed they didn't invite their co-stars to the event.

Sweet: Jess and Dom's former Love Island contestants, both on and off their series, as well as their celebrity pals were quick to congratulate the pair

Jess and Dom became engaged after three months of dating following their introduction on Love Island in 2017.

Speaking on their lavish nuptials, the Manchester native revealed they only invited 22 guests as they wanted an 'intimate' wedding.

He said: 'Going abroad meant we didn't have any pressure to invite every Tom, Dick and Harry. As we were limited on numbers, we only invited people we see all the time. Choosing who to invite made us realise who was really important to us.'

Jess added that they only had room for their nearest and dearest on the day, but revealed they would have a separate ceremony to ring in their newlywed status in the UK.

Whirlwind: Jess and Dom became engaged after three months of dating following their introduction on Love Island in 2017 (pictured on the dating series in June 2017)

The couple also touched on their whirlwind relationship, which saw Dom get down on bended knee after just three months of knowing Jess.

He said: 'People said we wouldn't last but now we're husband and wife. We're proof that when you meet the right person, there's no need to hang around.'

Brunette bombshell Jess insisted that she knew their relationship would last from early on in their romance, gushing that she's excited for their next chapter together.

In February 2018, Jess and Dom 'tied the knot' during a Valentine's Day themed Good Morning Britain.

The couple stripped down to minimal clothing as they entered into a playful ceremony with presenter Richard Arnold, who had been ordained for the occasion.

After Jess and Dom's live wedding, their co-star Olivia, 24, appeared to mock their TV nuptials by 'liking' a tweet posted by a fan.

It read: 'Jess in a bikini & Dom topless getting married on GMB this morning has gotta be the most tragic thing of 2018. Imagine doing whats meant to be the most amazing day of our life dirty like that'

Meanwhile, the pair's families were supposedly introduced for the first time when the couple hosted a joint hen and stag party this summer in Dom's hometown Manchester.

Speaking of her engagement to the hunk, Jess previously said 'never in a million years' did she think she would meet Mr Right during her stint in the Love Island villa.After 17 years, Tigerlily returned to Fashion Week in Sydney, but there was a noticeable absence from the Australian label on the runway.

Famous for its itsy-bitsy bikinis and whimsical beach-babe attire, the brand chose not to feature swimwear in its resort 2020 show at Sydney's Carriageworks on Monday.

Instead, the focus was firmly on fashion.

Tigerlily hallmarks including bohemian fringing, crochet, feminine prints and fresh linens were coupled with more refined, tailored pieces and bold colours including hot pink, cobalt blue and yellow.

A new line of accessories including teeny-tiny purses and vintage-inspired wooden handbags were also shown for the first time.

CEO Chris Buchanan says it was a conscious decision to showcase a "more elevated offering" at Fashion Week, in part to dispel a common myth about the brand.

"Tigerlily is one of Australia's most admired and respected brands, however, a common misconception is that Tigerlily offers swimwear only," he told AAP before the show.

"In fact, 80 per cent of the brand's sales come from apparel."

He said it made sense to return to the Fashion Week runway on the eve of the brand's 20th birthday.

"In brand terms, it is a renaissance. We felt the time was right to return to the catwalk," he said.

Fellow Australian designers Bec + Bridge and P.E Nation also unveiled their resort collections at Carrigeworks on Monday.

Bec + Bridge, which has developed a cult following with celebrities including the Kardashian-Jenner clan, Bella and Gigi Hadid, Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez, showcased a collection inspired by the 1960s and 70s surf culture.

In what was likely a first for Fashion Week, models including Bambi Northwood-Blyth strutted down a shag-carpeted runway in flares, slinky dresses and Hawaiian-inspired prints.

Activewear label P.E Nation, meanwhile, drew gasps from the audience when it showered models in water while unveiling its swimwear collaboration with Speedo.

US designer Jonathan Simkhai wrapped up day two of Fashion Week with a show at North Bondi Lifesavers Club.

Simkhai, who usually shows at New York Fashion Week, said Australia was the perfect place for his first show outside of the United States.

"This collection was inspired by the colours of Bondi sunsets and my favourite time of day - during the magic hour when the sun is painted in beautiful colours and I'm surrounded by my loved ones," he told AAP.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia runs until May 18.A 24-hour city centre could become a reality in Sydney after the passing of a new late-night trading plan it's hoped will push the NSW state government to reconsider its lockout laws.

The City of Sydney's Late Night Trading plan passed at its monthly council meeting on Monday night, after councillors unanimously voted in favour of new development controls.

The new controls allow for 24-hour trading across the city centre and extended trading to 2am for low-impact food and drink venues on major high streets.

A new cultural precinct for Alexandria, and late-night trading areas in fast-growing neighbourhoods such as Barangaroo and the Green Square precinct were also given the green light.

Changes in the plan are subject to the NSW government's lockout laws.

"It's time for Sydney to become a 24-hour city and we've now given businesses the opportunity to open around the clock," Lord Mayor Clover Moore said in a statement on Monday night.

More than 10,000 people said they wanted a diverse and exciting night-time economy, not a city that is "unsafe or that shuts down as soon as the sun goes down," Cr Moore said.

"The City of Sydney is doing its part. I hope these changes encourage the NSW Government to reconsider the lockout laws and help Sydney regain its status as one of the world's premier late night destinations."

However, a spokesman for Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello said it was often the council's "own restrictions rather than lockout laws that stop venues from trading later at night".

"The NSW Government supports a vibrant and diverse nightlife for Sydney and welcomes initiatives that contribute to this," the spokesman said in a statement.

"The City of Sydney has already stated that their plans for 24-hour trading would be subject to the lockout and last drinks measures that apply to certain licensed venues in the Sydney CBD and Kings Cross precincts."

The changes will take effect in June.

Businesses and venues will need to apply for additional trading hours through a development application process.

They will be subject to trial periods to ensure the community is consulted and that venues are well managed.Australian Sara Zelenak may have slipped over before she could run away from the three terrorists who stabbed her to death in the London Bridge attacks, an inquest has heard.

The 21-year-old and fellow Australian Kirsty Boden were among eight people killed when Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba used a van to run down dozens of people on the bridge before stabbing dozens more with ceramic kitchen knives in nearby Borough Market on the night of June 3, 2017.

Witness Erick Siguenza, who had been out with friends that night, saw a young woman with blonde hair slip over just metres from where the attackers' van crashed at the southern end of London Bridge.

He agreed that the recent rain and her high heels may have caused her to lose her footing on the wet pavement.

Mr Siguenza then saw a man, who may have been Briton James McMullan, gently try to help her up, but the three attackers had already got out of the van with their knives in hand.

"There was no time for him to be able to help her up because the driver and other terrorists were already running towards them, so there was no time," he told the inquest at London's Old Bailey.

Mr Siguenza said the man was stabbed in the left side of his chest and the woman was stabbed while she was on the ground.

The Australian's friend Priscilla Goncalves heard the van crash and people shouting "run", so she started running away.

She initially assumed Ms Zelenak was running next to her but then realised the Australian was not there.

"Then we start running and when I look again (sic) she's not next to me anymore," she told the inquest.

Ms Goncalves had no idea it was a terrorist attack and had just instinctively run away.

"I just thought that maybe gangs, I knew it was dangerous," she said.

"I looked behind and I saw men on top of another man and then I thought maybe someone is attacking someone but I didn't know it was a terrorist attack."

"I didn't see any gun or knife."

Ms Goncalves didn't see her friend Ms Zelenak again either despite trying to contact her continually on Whatsapp that night.

"I thought maybe she had lost her phone so I sent messages on messenger as well, on Facebook and I called but she didn't pick up," she said.

"I didn't know where she was, I was hoping she was maybe hiding somewhere."

Days later Ms Goncalves found out that her friend had been killed.

Canadian Christine Archibald, 30, Briton James McMullan, 32, Frenchmen Xavier Thomas, 45, Alexandre Pigeard, 26, and Sebastien Belanger, 36, and 39-year-old Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria also died in the attack.

Mr Thomas and Ms Archibald were hit by the van, with the others all stabbed to death.

The coroner said another 48 people were seriously wounded, while all three attackers were shot dead by police at the scene.Australian fashion designer Alice McCall has dressed some of the world's most famous women including Beyonce, Kylie Minogue, Debbie Harry and Marianne Faithfull.

But it's little known she's also dressed one of the world's most powerful women in New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

"She has by choice purchased from us a few times and I would very much love to dress her again," McCall told AAP, ahead of her show at Fashion Week in Sydney on Tuesday.

"But in saying that, I get the same excited feeling meeting a woman who wore one of my dresses to her 21st or that dressed her bridesmaids in my dresses. It's the same feeling whether they're a celebrity or not."

McCall celebrates 15 years of her eponymous label alice McCALL at Fashion Week this year, having first launched at the event in 2004.

While trends have come and gone, McCall says her vision for the brand has remained the same.

"We're creating keepsakes," she said.

"In this fast-paced, disposable world we live in, that's what's important - the dress, the feeling, the journey, the memory."

Without giving too much away, McCall said the new resort collection featured chic party pieces, unique takes on denim and bright, embellished gowns.

She also plans on saving the best for last.

"I love this saying 'hit the model over the head with the magic stick' so definitely towards the end of the show we ramp it up, we bring out the magic stick," McCall said.

Also showcasing her resort collection on Tuesday is Ainsley Hansen of Hansen and Gretel.

The confident and cool brand will showcase a men's capsule this year as well as its women's collection, dubbed Venus.

"This collection has been designed to celebrate a woman's coming of age and the continued expression of self that follows," Hansen told AAP.

"Our modern dame is showcased through a fashion-scape of floral tributes, feline stripe and stately diamond motif, all designed to capture her prism of personalities."

Other designers on the schedule include We are Kindred, swimwear label Bondi Born, Michael Lo Sordo and Christopher Esber, who will be celebrating his label's 10th anniversary.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia runs until May 18A $649 million redevelopment of Sydney's Cockle Bay Wharf has been given the green light despite fears it will overshadow a proposed Town Hall square, with Sydney's Lord Mayor saying it may set a "shocking precedent".

The NSW Independent Planning Commission on Monday announced it had approved the project, which includes shops, bars, restaurants and a commercial office tower up to 183 metres high, despite objections from the City of Sydney council and the public.

The council has for many years been acquiring properties around Town Hall for a new public square.

It argues the project, on the southeastern side of Darling Harbour, will overshadow the square and create wind impacts while being inconsistent with the draft central Sydney planning strategy.

But the commission on Monday found any additional overshadowing of the square would be "outside of the time the space will experience peak utilisation such as lunchtime".

The height of the commercial office tower has been reduced to a maximum 183m, the commission said, and the building envelope has been reconfigured to limit overshadowing.

"I am shocked and appalled by the ... decision to approve a development in Cockle Bay that will overshadow the future Town Hall Square after 4pm," Lord Mayor Clover Moore told AAP in a statement. She added it risks setting "a shocking precedent".

Planning for the new civic space began more than three decades ago when developers abided by height and draft sun access controls, she said.

But a delay in the public exhibition of the draft central Sydney planning strategy meant commissioners were not guided by revised planning controls.

The lord mayor called on newly-appointed Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes to consider the impact of the plan on the public domain and "intervene" in stage two of the application.Another driver has died in South Australia as police, emergency services, and road safety and motoring experts prepare to hold a crisis summit on the state's road toll.

The man died on Monday evening after a two-car crash on Reedy Creek Road at Palmer, east of the Adelaide Hills.

Emergency workers were called just after 6.15pm but the driver died at the scene. The driver of the other car was taken to hospital with minor injuries, police said.

South Australia's death toll for 2019 is now at 45 compared with 28 at the same time last year.

Monday's fatal crash came hours after Emergency Services Minister Corey Wingard called the number of road deaths in South Australia unacceptable.

Mr Wingard said a crisis summit this week will discuss how to stop further road deaths, and consider whether to introduce new laws.A truck driver has died after his B-double crashed with another truck and tumbled 50 metres down a bank in northwest Sydney.

Emergency workers were called to the M1 near Ku-Ring-Gai-Chase Road at Wahroonga about 10.40pm on Monday and found one truck on its side with the driver trapped inside.

He was freed and taken to hospital in a stable condition. Officers found a B-double truck about 50m down an embankment. Police say the driver died at the scene.

Two of the three southbound lanes are blocked and traffic was backed up for several kilometres early on Tuesday, according to the Transport Management Centre.

The centre warned motorists to delay travel or consider taking a train, saying the lanes were unlikely to reopen in time for the morning peak.Two British police put themselves in danger as they doggedly tried to save Australian Sara Zelenak's life after she was viciously stabbed in the London Bridge attacks.

The 21-year-old and fellow Australian Kirsty Boden were among eight people killed in the violence on the night of June 3, 2017.

Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba used a van to run down dozens of people on the bridge before stabbing dozens more with ceramic kitchen knives in nearby Borough Market.

An inquest at London's Old Bailey on Monday heard Ms Zelenak and her friend Priscilla Goncalves had been walking down a staircase when they heard the van crash.

They turned back to investigate but Ms Goncalves heard people screaming "run" and fled down the steps.

"Then we start running and then I look again, she's (Ms Zelenak) not next to me anymore," Ms Goncalves told the inquest.

Across the street witness Erick Siguenza saw a young blonde woman, believed to be the Australian, slip and fall just metres from where the van crashed.

He agreed that the woman likely lost her footing because she was wearing high heels on the wet pavement.

Mr Siguenza then saw a man, who may have been Briton James McMullan, try to help her up, but the three attackers were already out of the van and had knives.

"There was no time for him to be able to help her out because the driver and the other terrorists were already running towards them, so there was no chance for them," he told the inquest.

Minutes later Police Constables Clint Wallis and Richard Norton found Ms Zelenak lying on her back in a dimly lit corner at the top of the stairs.

"I could see that there was copious amounts of blood on the floor. I could see that she had multiple stab wounds to the left side of her neck," Const Norton said.

Ms Zelenak's eyes were open but she had no pulse and she was not breathing, so the officers started CPR.

Const Wallis noticed the Australian was clutching her phone, which was flashing as her friend Ms Goncalves repeatedly tried to contact her.

The officers realised they were potentially in harm's way as well, being unarmed and hearing bursts of gunfire nearby, but they carried on.

"So whilst we were attending to Sara we were very conscious that our backs were exposed to the steps that the attackers had previously run down," Const Norton told the inquest.

"We asked members of the public to keep a look out for us and if they should see anybody that were armed, then to alert us."

The officers continued CPR for about 10 minutes.

"She showed no signs of life and we had a discussion whether we should continue or whether we could help any other people. We both agreed that we should stop," Const Wallis said.

At that point paramedic Garry Evans arrived and declared the Australian dead.

"She looked ... she wasn't breathing and she looked lifeless," Mr Evans told the inquest.

Both Const Wallis and Const Norton then went down into the Boro Bistro to try to save 36-year-old Frenchman Sebastian Belanger and 32-year-old Mr McMullan, who both died.

Canadian Christine Archibald, 30, Frenchmen Xavier Thomas, 45, and Alexandre Pigeard, 26, and 39-year-old Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria also died in the attack.

Mr Thomas and Ms Archibald were hit by the van, with the others were stabbed to death.

The coroner said another 48 people were seriously wounded, while all three attackers were shot dead by police at the scene.Today's Birthday, May 25: Mike Myers, Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter and producer (1963 - ).

On-screen Mike Myers is a chameleon, skilfully hiding behind his many characters. So much so, one received its very own Hollywood walk of fame star, bumping Myers' tally up to two.

Myers' lovable green ogre Shrek received the accolade following the final film in the popular franchise.

The gifted comedian, who creates and writes most of the work he appears in, is constantly working behind the scenes, taking four or five years in-between each film.

After bursting onto Saturday Night Live in the early 90s as the mulleted and goofy rock fan Wayne, he was quickly known for his show-stopping ability to envisage - and then become - multiple striking characters.

From Wayne, which spawned cult comedy hit film Wayne's World, he became better known as hip-swinging 60's spy icon Austin powers, and his arch-nemesis Dr Evil.

Myers' illustrious and enduring career includes spectacular highs and lows.

His Love Guru venture was described as one of the worst, most unfunny movies of 2008.

Recently he was slated to produce and star in a new comedy show for online streaming giant Netflix. For the series Myers will once again don many hats to play a multitude of people.

Born in Toronto, Canada, both Myers' parents are from Liverpool in northern England.

He started his career at the tender age of two acting in commercials. After finishing high school he joined improvisational comedy troupe The Second City. He moved to the UK in 1985 and helped start The Comedy Store Players in London.

Myers debuted his character Wayne as a cast member on Saturday Night Live between 1989 and 1995. Two successful Wayne's World films followed.

At the Oscars this year Myers and Wayne's co-star Dana Carvey paid homage to a classic scene from the film while introducing Bohemian Rhapsody, a film Myers also starred in.

Playing the title character in four Shrek films between 2001 and 2010, the surprise hits created one of the most successful animated franchises of all time.

In 2009 Myers had a small part in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.

Last year he led tributes to his former co-star Verne Troyer, who played Mini-Me in Austin Powers. He died aged 49.

In 2010 Myers secretly wed his second wife Kelly Tisdale in New York. The couple shares three children together.The extent of Melbourne criminal barrister turned snitch Nicola Gobbo's police informing has made it "impossible" for a royal commission to produce a report by the end of this year.

The Victorian inquiry into police use of informers has been granted another $20.5 million and an extension to carry out public hearings.

Led by commissioner Margaret McMurdo, it's the recruitment and management of people used to supply information to police including the gangland barrister who represented some of the state's most notorious underworld criminals.

When the inquiry was announced it was understood Ms Gobbo had been registered as Informer 3838 from 2005 and 2009, but was still providing information until 2010.

But it was revealed in January she'd first been recruited in 1995 and again in 1999.

"The increased span of inquiry into Ms Gobbo's activities, coupled with a multitude of suppression orders and numerous other information delays has made reporting on our first term of reference by 1 July 2019 impossible," Ms McMurdo said on Saturday.

The first task is focused on the number and extent to which cases might have been affected by police use of Ms Gobbo as a source.

Her former clients include gangland killer Carl Williams and drug lord Tony Mokbel, who is already seeking to appeal a 30-year sentence on the basis of her informing.

The inquiry is also considering the conduct of police who recruited, handed and managed her as an informer.

An interim report due for release on July 1 this year will be replaced with a progress report to be presented to the state governor.

A final report has been pushed back from December to July 2020.

The Victoria Court of Appeal, which is also seeking similar information in relation to Mokbel's appeal has sought its own progress report from lawyers on June 30.

They're also handling appeal applications by drug trafficker Rob Karam, who is serving a 35 year sentence, and Zlate Cvetanovski, who is due to be released after serving a more than decade-long sentence next year.

Attorney-General Jill Hennessy said the extension and further funding request had come from the commission.

"The complexities of dealing with a large volume of sensitive material that requires timely and detailed analysis, as well as security of the evidence, has resulted in the need for additional funding," Ms Hennessy said.

Former detective Paul Dale, who handled Ms Gobbo before being charged with murdering her former client and fellow police informer Terence Hodson and his wife Christine, will give evidence when hearings resume on June 17.

Charges against Mr Dale were later dropped.Nick Kyrgios will turn his attention to greener pastures after withdrawing from the French Open for the second straight year, just days after claiming the Paris grand slam "sucked" in a social media video.

The polarising Australian was defaulted following an on-court outburst in Rome last week, before hitting with Andy Murray at Wimbledon in preparation for the tournament.

But he won't line up at Roland Garros after announcing his withdrawal due to illness on Friday.

Britain's Cameron Norrie, his scheduled first-round opponent, will play French lucky loser Elliot Benchetrit instead.

It means Kyrgios, the world No.36, played just two complete matches on clay all season - winning one, losing one and defaulting from the other - with his next booked appearance at The Queen's Club ahead of Wimbledon in July.

Kyrgios has made no secret of his disdain for the slower clay conditions, taking to Instagram last week while walking through Wimbledon's famed grass court complex saying "the French Open sucks compared to this place. Sucks. Absolute sucks".

Last year he pulled the pin in Paris as he chased some respite from a nagging elbow injury but, other than his online grumbles, there were no suggestions this year that the 24-year-old wouldn't line up at the event until his announcement on Friday.

His withdrawal ends a brief but eventful clay swing that earned headlines off the court for his frank assessment of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in an interview on the NCR podcast.

He took aim at Djokovic's "cringeworthy" post-match celebrations and Rafael Nadal's "super salty" double standards while also slamming "god's gift" Fernando Verdasco.

That interview was sandwiched between an impressive defeat of Daniil Medvedev and his default to Casper Rudd at the Italian Open, while he was also bundled out of the Madrid Open in the first round.

His red dirt blip followed a charmed run on American hard courts, highlighted by a title in Acapulco that featured wins against Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka and Alexander Zverev.Victorian firefighters are being forced to extinguish scores of "ridiculous" fires caused by careless landowners.

About 15 Country Fire Authority firefighters rushed to a burn-off near Morwell in the state's east last Sunday afternoon after landowners left it unattended.

The spate of preventable fires from burn-offs last weekend prompted officials to scold landowners for wasting their time.

"The calls-outs of the past weekend have been a waste of CFA's time and resources," acting chief officer Gavin Freeman said in a statement on Friday.

"Last weekend, CFA crews responded to a ridiculous number of burn-offs that were left by careless landowners, meaning our crews lost time with their families and their jobs fixing your mistakes.

"It is not difficult to conduct a burn-off safely and legally."

Landowners keen to clean up their properties with a burn-off are urged to check weather conditions before starting any fire, and keep watch until it's out.

"Never leave a burn-off unattended as it's the resident's responsibility to ensure it does not get out of control," Mr Freeman said.

Residents must register all burn-offs on 1800 668 511.Adani believes it will have approvals for its controversial Queensland coalmine within three weeks, and has vowed to immediately ramp up construction.

The company is confident it will soon be working on stage two of the Galilee Basin mine after deadlines were set for the state approvals it's been waiting on for 18 months.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Friday Adani would know by June 13 if the environment department would approve its plans to protect an endangered finch and groundwater at its mine site.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Queensland to get on with the vetting the plans and make a decision.

Adani has previously accused the state government of frustrating the project by constantly moving the goal posts, but now says it's feeling encouraged.

Adani Australia chief executive Lucas Dow said jobs would quickly begin to flow if the state environment department gave its consent.

"Our construction activity will start almost immediately - the moment we've got those approvals."

Adani supporter and Queensland LNP Senator Matt Canavan said the project would create thousands of jobs.

But the construction union warned the state government to ensure there really were iron-clad jobs guarantees.

Adani considers the outstanding state approvals the greatest threat to its mine.

But there are also some federal approvals, legal challenges and a dispute with some indigenous owners pending.

Other major issues to resolve include a royalties agreement, Adani's plans for a rail line and other infrastructure agreements.

The company will be back before the Federal Court on Monday as some traditional owners continue their fight against the mine.

They are appealing a decision that upheld Adani's Indigenous Land Use Agreement with the Wangan and Jagalingou people.Prime Minister Scott Morrison could announce his new cabinet line-up as early as Sunday following the government's surprise federal election win last weekend but Finance Minister Mathias Cormann is keeping tight-lipped on the matter.

"The prime minister is considering all of these matters," Senator Cormann told reporters in Perth on Saturday.

Senator Cormann is expected to stay in the Finance portfolio but again he was coy on the issue.

"I am very happy to serve whatever capacity the prime minister sees fit,"

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg are also set to stay in the same roles.

However, the retirement of Christopher Pyne, Nigel Scullion and Kelly O'Dwyer at the election has opened up three positions in the 22-strong cabinet.

Liberal MPs Alan Tudge, Michael Sukkar, Scott Buchholz, Anne Ruston and Sussan Ley are all thought to be in the mix for promotion.

Attorney-General Christian Porter is expected to add Leader of the House to his workload, replacing Mr Pyne in managing the day-to-day of parliament tactics.

Health Minister Greg Hunt, Education Minister Dan Tehan and Foreign Minister Marise Payne are likely to keep their spots.

West Australian minister Ken Wyatt is tipped to take on indigenous affairs, becoming the first indigenous Australian to hold the role - a priority policy area for the prime minister over the coming term.

There is speculation Environment Minister Melissa Price's portfolio could be scaled back, but she will keep the job.

A rise in Liberal MP numbers is expected to push down the quota of Nationals ministers in the cabinet from five to four, which is calculated on a proportional basis.

This would leave Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie, David Littleproud and Matt Canavan in cabinet.Australian Sara Zelenak died nearly instantly when she was stabbed through the neck during the London Bridge terror attacks and would not have felt it when she was stabbed another six times and slashed twice, an inquest has heard.

The 21-year-old and fellow Australian Kirsty Boden, 28, along with six others, were killed when Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba used a van to run down dozens of people on the bridge on the night of June 3, 2017 before stabbing dozens more with ceramic kitchen knives in the nearby Borough Market.

Pathologist Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl told an inquest on Friday when the Queenslander slipped and fell, one of the men stabbed her right through the neck as she lay on the ground.

He said that initial blow severed her brain stem, spinal chord, carotid artery, jugular and windpipe.

"I would expect her to have died extremely rapidly given the importance of the structures of the brain stem and the spinal cord at this extremely high level," Dr Fegan-Earl told the court.

He clarified that in his view, it would have caused "near instantaneous death" because of her complete loss of control of her heartbeat and breathing.

Dr Fegan-Earl said that meant she would have felt none of the attackers' subsequent stabs.

Counsel for the coroner Jonathan Hough QC asked if it was unlikely that Ms Zelenak had felt any pain or suffering after the first blow.

"I can say that with confidence," Dr Fegan-Earl replied.

After the Australian's brain stem was severed, she was stabbed another six times and slashed twice as she lay lifeless on the ground.

She was stabbed in the neck a second time, with the knife fracturing her jaw, and slashed across the back of her neck.

Ms Zelenak was also stabbed in the left side of her chest with so much force that one of her ribs was cut in two.

A stab wound to the left side of the Australian's back went all the way through skin and muscle, and scored her left shoulder blade. She had another two superficial knife wounds in her waist.

Ms Zelenak was also stabbed in her upper left thigh, with the knife passing right through to the other side.

A slash wound on her lower left leg passed through skin and muscle to score her fibula bone.

Canadian Christine Archibald, 30; Frenchmen Xavier Thomas, 45, Sebastian Belanger, 36, and Alexandre Pigeard, 26; Briton James McMulln, 32; and 39-year-old Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria were also killed in the attack.

Ms Archibald and Mr Thomas were hit by the van while all the others were stabbed to death.

Another 48 people were seriously wounded. All three attackers were shot dead by police at the scene.A model of the Great Synagogue in Warsaw in 2013, 70 years after it was destroyed during World War II

Poland on Monday said it had scrapped a visit by Israeli officials over their intention to raise the issue of the restitution of Jewish properties seized during the Holocaust, a matter Warsaw insists is closed.

"Poland decided to cancel the visit of Israeli officials after the Israeli side made last-minute changes in the composition of the delegation suggesting that the talks would primarily focus on the issues related to property restitution," the foreign ministry said in a statement posted to its website.

It said a delegation headed by Avi Cohen-Scali, the director general of the Israeli Ministry for Social Equality, had been due in Warsaw on May 13.

Contacted by AFP, the Israeli foreign ministry had no immediate comment. Nor did the social equality ministry, which was to have sent a delegate due to its role in safeguarding benefits for senior citizens.

Yair Lapid, co-leader of the main opposition Blue and White party, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Israel Katz should stop debating Holocaust issues with Poland.

"The Polish government is again embarrassing Israel over the memory of the Holocaust," he Tweeted.

"If Netanyahu and Katz do not halt this and stop negotiating on the subject the world will know that the memory of the Holocaust is not sacred to the government of Israel."

"Those who are prepared to negotiate with the Poles on the very memory of the Holocaust should not be surprised that in the end it places them in a shameful position," Labour party MP Itzik Shmuli wrote on his Twitter account.

Several thousand nationalists rallied in the Polish capital on Saturday against a US law on the restitution of Jewish properties seized during the Holocaust, an issue which has surfaced ahead of parliamentary elections later this year.

The governing right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party as well as the centrist and liberal opposition have downplayed the law signed by US President Donald Trump in May 2018, insisting that it will have no impact on Poland.

The US Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act -- known as the 447 law -- requires the State Department to report to Congress on the progress of countries including Poland on the restitution of Jewish assets seized during World War II and its aftermath.

On Monday the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO) said it was "disappointed in the tone and language in Poland regarding property restitution in recent weeks."

"We hope for a renewed dialogue with Poland so that they can address this historical injustice," WJRO chair of operations Gideon Taylor added in a statement.

Pre-war Poland was a Jewish heartland, with a centuries-old community numbering some 3.2 million, around 10 percent of the population.

Anti-Semitic concerns regarding Poland have recently resurfaced.

Last year, Warsaw passed a law that made it illegal to accuse the Polish nation or state of complicity in Nazi German war crimes.

The move sparked an outcry from Israel, which saw it as an attempt to ban testimonials on Polish crimes against Jews.

In response, Warsaw amended the law to remove the possibility of fines or a prison sentence.

In February, Katz drew Poland's ire by saying "Poles suckle anti-Semitism with their mothers' milk".

In April, the World Jewish Congress condemned a Polish town after reports that residents burnt an effigy "made to look like a stereotypical Jew" in a revival of an old Easter tradition.New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been the driving force behind calls for tech firms to tackle online extremism after the Christchurch massacre, when 51 people were killed by a white supremacist

New Zealand's leader Jacinda Ardern will join other world leaders in launching a "Christchurch call" to curb online extremism at an international meeting in Paris on Wednesday, following the worst mass killing in her country's recent history.

Participants will be asked to commit to pledges to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content on social media and other online platforms.

The move was prompted by the massacre in March at two Christchurch mosques by a self-described white supremacist, who broadcast live footage on Facebook from a head-mounted camera as he gunned down 51 people.

Arden has been the driving force behind the Paris summit, co-hosted with French President Emmanuel Macron, following the tragedy.

"Macron was one of the first leaders to call the prime minister after the attack, and he has long made removing hateful online content a priority," New Zealand's ambassador to France, Jane Coombs, told journalists on Monday.

"It's a global problem that requires a global response," she said.

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, (L), met with French President Emmanuel Macron (R) to discuss ways to swiftly remove hateful content from the social media giant

In an opinion piece in The New York Times over the weekend, Ardern said the Christchurch massacre underlined "a horrifying new trend" in extremist atrocities.

"It was designed to be broadcast on the internet. The entire event was livestreamed... the scale of this horrific video's reach was staggering," she wrote.

Ardern said Facebook removed 1.5 million copies of the video within 24 hours of the attack, but she still found herself among those who inadvertently saw the footage when it auto-played on their social media feeds.

Since the attack, Ardern has strongly criticised tech giants for not doing enough to combat online extremism.

Attendees at the Paris summit will include heads of state or government from Britain, Canada, Ireland, Norway, Jordan, Senegal and Indonesia.

Top executives from Twitter, Microsoft, Google and Amazon will also attend, though Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg will be represented by another executive from the social media giant, after meeting with Macron last Friday.

"We deliberately limited the number of participants to ensure we can move forward quickly, but the idea is to create something that we can open up to as many people as possible," a source in the French presidency said.

- 'Practical outcomes' -

"Terrorists have always been a step ahead of us when it comes to the online techniques they use," the source said, adding that companies needed to "anticipate how their features will be exploited."

Firms themselves will be urged to come up with concrete measures, he said, for example by reserving live broadcasting to social media accounts whose owners have been identified, to avoid bad surprises from newly created anonymous accounts.

"No company wants their platforms to become a pool of hateful content, nor do their advertisers or most of their users," he said.

Running alongside the G7's "Tech for Humanity" meeting in the French capital, Ardern said the Christchurch Call was a voluntary code aimed to stop terrorist content being uploaded to social media platforms.

"(We're) asking both nations and private corporations to make changes to prevent the posting of terrorist content online, to ensure its efficient and fast removal and to prevent the use of live-streaming as a tool for broadcasting terrorist attacks," she wrote in The Times.

She added: "This is not about undermining or limiting freedom of speech. It is about these companies and how they operate."

While some -- such as Zuckerberg -- have called for better regulation to address the issue, Ardern said governments could not succeed without help from the tech sector.

"Practical outcomes are what we're seeking from this work," she told New Zealand's Newshub.

51 Muslims were killed in the Christchurch mosque attack, carried out by a self-described white supremacist

"Not just governments regulating, but actually tech companies taking ownership and responsibility over their platforms and the technological solutions that they hold the key to."

Ardern said New Zealand had been "left reeling" by the Christchurch massacre, and it wanted to prevent similar atrocities happening elsewhere.

"We have a reluctant duty of care, a responsibility that we now find ourselves holding," she said.Relations have cooled since Kim Jong Un (L) and South Korea's President Moon Jae-in held their first meeting

Ever more South Koreans prefer peaceful co-existence with the nuclear-armed North to reunification of the peninsula, a survey found Monday.

Despite sharing a common language and ethnicity and centuries of history, North and South Korea have become radically different societies in recent decades.

Ruled with an iron grip by three generations of the Kim family, the North has turned itself into a nuclear power -- at the cost of international isolation -- while the South has embraced democracy and risen to become the world's 11th-largest economy.

The South's President Moon Jae-in regularly affirms unification as an eventual goal, but the picture in his country is far more nuanced, the survey by Seoul's Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) showed.

A total of 65.9 percent of South Koreans saw unification as necessary, it said, down from 70.7 percent last year as inter-Korean engagement and nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington stall.

But when offered an alternative, 49.5 percent of Southerners favoured peaceful co-existence with the North with only 28.8 percent preferring unification, the biggest difference the survey has shown.

The differences are larger among younger people, with those in their 20s having spent their adult lives living with and sometimes threatened by a nuclear North.

If given a choice between unification and the economy, 70.5 percent put a higher priority on the economy, with just 8.3 percent backing unification.

A year ago the preferences were 60.7 and 12.8 respectively, but discontent over the South Korean economy is rising amid persistent unemployment and faltering growth.

The researchers carried out just over 1,000 face-to-face interviews last month, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump failed to reach a deal over denuclearisation and sanctions relief in Hanoi in February, and before North Korea last week carried out its first missile launches for more than a year.Across the Kashmir Valley, thousands of government forces personnel wearing riot gear were deployed to contain the spreading protests, officials said

Large parts of Indian-administered Kashmir erupted in protest on Monday over the rape of a three-year-old child, leaving at least a dozen people injured in clashes with government forces, police said.

Last Wednesday, a car mechanic -- a neighbour of the victim's family -- allegedly lured the child into the toilet of a nearby school and sexually assaulted her.

The accused, from the Sumbal area north of the main city of Srinagar and thought to be 20 years old, has already been arrested.

On Monday, allegations emerged that the principal of another school issued a certificate for the accused that he was a minor, sparking anger and triggering protests across the Kashmir valley.

At least a dozen people, including government forces personnel, were injured when tear gas and pellet shotguns were fired to quell the protests in many towns, top police officer Swayam Prakash Pani told AFP.

"One of the injured protestors is critically wounded," Pani said.

"We have registered a separate case against the school principal and detained him for questioning."

Thousands also protested in Srinagar and clashed with government forces.

Across the Kashmir Valley, thousands of security forces wearing riot gear were deployed to contain the spreading protests, officials said.

A police statement later Monday said that protests had spread to northern Baramulla district where 47 security personnel and seven protestors were injured in the clashes.

The security personnel used tear gas on the angry stone pelting protestors in the region.

Schools across the valley shut spontaneously as did shops and businesses.

Hundreds of students at three university campuses also protested, demanding capital punishment for the alleged perpetrator and action against the school principal.

Lawyers abstained from work in the courts on Monday to express solidarity with the victim.

Condemnations of the crime poured in from leaders from across the political spectrum appealing for calm, with a top separatist leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq saying on Monday the incident was "a crime against humanity".

Another separatist leader with a wide following in Kashmir, Syed Ali Geelani, said the alleged crime was "a black stain on the social fabric" of Kashmir.

Baseer Ahmad Khan -- the region's top administrator -- also appealed for calm and said in a statement that the "enquiry of Sumbal incident is being conducted on a fast-track basis".

In January 2018, an eight-year-old girl was abducted, starved for a week and murdered after she was raped by several people in the southern Kathua area of Jammu & Kashmir.

That incident caused widespread outrage and protests in Kashmir and many Indian cities and towns.Motorbikes burnt during an attack outside an Ebola treatment centre in Butembo, the epicentre of the latest outbreak

Police and soldiers repelled an attack on an Ebola treatment centre in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo overnight, killing one assailant, a government official said Monday.

The dead man was a member of the Mai-Mai rebel group, Sylvain Kanyamanda, the mayor of Butembo in the North Kivu province, told AFP.

"The security forces prevented the attackers from crossing a 40-metre (130-foot) perimeter" around the centre where Ebola patients were being treated.

North Kivu province is at the centre of a new outbreak of the viral disease which has killed more than 1,100 people since last August out of about 1,600 infected, according to the authorities. Among these, 99 health workers have been infected, and 34 have died.

The Ebola fightback in the region is hampered by the presence of warring armed groups, including the Mai-Mai, and by locals in denial who refuse treatment and ignore prevention advice.

Last week, the UN special representative to the DRC blasted rumours that the world body was trying to cash in on Ebola.

Leila Zerrougui, head of the UN mission to the sprawling central African nation, slammed as "sheer madness" local speculation that "there is no illness, that they want to poison us because they are trying to cash in on us."

The outbreak is the biggest on Congolese soil since the disease was first recorded in the country, then Zaire, in 1976.

An epidemic in 2014-16 killed 11,300 people in West Africa.Sri Lankan security personnel stand guard at a checkpoint in Colombo after authorities imposed a nationwide night curfew

Mobs slashed to death a Sri Lankan Muslim man despite a nationwide curfew imposed Monday night after anti-Muslim riots spread to three districts north of the capital in a violent backlash against Easter suicide bombings.

The 45-year-old man died shortly after admission to a hospital in Puttalam district during the rioting which began Sunday in the area, a police official told AFP.

"Mobs had attacked him with sharp weapons at his carpentry workshop," the official said. "This is the first death from the riots."

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the curfew was declared to prevent unidentified groups destabilising the country by orchestrating communal violence.

"At several places in the North-Western Province these groups created trouble, damaged property," Wickremesinghe said in a televised address to the nation.

"Police and security forces have contained the situation, but these (unidentified) groups are still trying to create trouble."

Wickremesinghe said the unrest would hinder investigations into the April 21 attacks that targeted three Christian churches and three luxury hotels, killing 258 people and wounding nearly 500.

In a separate TV address, Police Chief Chandana Wickramaratne warned police will take stern action against rioters, and constables have been issued orders to use maximum force.

Residents in the North-Western Province were ordered to stay indoors after Christian-led mobs torched dozens of Muslim-owned shops, vehicles and mosques on Sunday and Monday.

The attacks came during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.

Later the curfew was extended to cover the entire country of 21 million people.

Police said there were sporadic incidents of mobs throwing stones and torching shops, motorcycles and cars owned by Muslims. In the town of Hettipola, at least three shops were torched.

In the town of Minuwangoda, just north of Colombo, a Muslim-owned hotel and a mosque were attacked by stone-hurling mobs armed with sticks.

"Several shops have been attacked," a senior police officer told AFP. "When mobs tried to attack mosques, we fired in the air and used tear gas to disperse them."

The officer added that "there are people trying to make political capital out of this situation."

- PM warns against rumours -

Earlier Monday, authorities banned Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media platforms.

Facebook was blocked after Muslim shops were targetted in Sri Lanka

Platforms were similarly blocked after the Easter attacks.

The prime minister urged the public not to believe rumours and warned that civil unrest will stretch the already thinly deployed security forces.

"I appeal to all citizens to remain calm and not be swayed by false information," Wickremesinghe said on Twitter, which was not targeted in the social media blockade.

A state of emergency has been in place since the bombings -- which the Islamic State group claims to have helped -- and security forces have been given sweeping powers to detain suspects.

The latest wave of unrest started when a mob targeted Muslim-owned shops in the town of Chilaw, 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Colombo on Sunday in anger at a Facebook post by a shopkeeper.

"Don't laugh more, 1 day u will cry," he wrote, which local Christians took to be a warning of an impending attack.

Sri Lanka has been on high alert since the Easter Sunday attacks

The group smashed the man's shop and vandalised a nearby mosque prompting security forces to fire in the air to disperse the crowd, but the violence spread.

There had already been clashes last week between Christians and Muslims in Negombo, the town north of Colombo that was targeted by the suicide attackers.

The main body of Islamic clerics, the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), said there was increased suspicion of Muslims after the Easter Sunday killings.

"We call upon the members of the Muslim communities to be more patient and guard your actions and avoid unnecessary postings or hosting on social media," the ACJU said.

Internet service providers said they have been instructed by the telecommunications regulator to block access to Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and Instagram.

-Schools reopen -

The latest unrest came as Catholic churches resumed public Sunday masses for the first time since the bombings.

Dozens of people have been detained since the Easter attacks, and with security heightened students are only allowed into schools after checks for explosives.

Workshippers have started to return to churches in Sri Lanka

But attendance has been extremely low, according to education authorities.

Muslims make up around 10 percent of Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka's population and Christians about 7.6 percent.President Donald Trump has warned that companies will leave China if a trade deal with the US is not reached

President Donald Trump on Monday warned China not to retaliate after Washington raised punitive duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports to 25 percent from 10 percent.

"China should not retaliate-will only get worse!" Trump wrote in a flurry of tweets on trade.

The tariffs were imposed on Friday after two days of talks to resolve the US-China trade battle ended with no deal, however negotiations will continue.

Trump also addressed Chinese President Xi Jinping and warned that companies would leave China if a trade deal was not reached.

"I say openly to President Xi & all of my many friends in China that China will be hurt very badly if you don't make a deal because companies will be forced to leave China for other countries."

"Too expensive to buy in China. You had a great deal, almost completed, & you backed out!" Trump tweeted.

In Trump's view, "Tariffed companies will be leaving China for Vietnam and other such countries in Asia. That's why China wants to make a deal so badly! ... There will be nobody left in China to do business with. Very bad for China, very good for USA!

"But China has taken so advantage of the U.S. for so many years, that they are way ahead (Our Presidents did not do the job)."

Research shows that Americans will bear the brunt of the impact from the tariffs, as the levies are paid by importers and ultimately passed on at least partially to consumers.

Global markets remain on red alert over a trade war between the two superpowers that most observers warn could shatter global economic growth, and hurt demand for commodities like oil.Sudanese protesters gather outside the army headquarters in Khartoum on May 9, 2019

Sudan's army rulers and protest leaders resumed crucial talks Monday over handing power to a civilian administration after days of deadlock in negotiations, a spokesperson for the protest movement told AFP.

Protest leaders Omar al-Digeir and Satea al-Haj were among those attending the talks on behalf of the Alliance for Freedom and Change umbrella movement, the group's spokeswoman Mashar Darraj said.

The meeting was being held behind closed doors at a convention centre in central Khartoum, an AFP correspondent reported from the venue.

The latest round of talks, which have hit snags on several key issues, comes as thousands of protesters remain camped outside the army headquarters in central Khartoum.

They say they are determined to force the ruling military council to cede power -- just as they pushed the army into deposing veteran president Omar al-Bashir on April 11.

The protest alliance said Saturday the generals had invited the movement for a new round of talks.

The army generals and protesters are at loggerheads over who will sit on a new ruling body that would replace the existing military council.

The generals have proposed that the new council be military led, while the protest leaders want a majority civilian body.

Late last month, the alliance -- which brings together protest organisers, opposition parties and rebel groups -- handed the generals its proposals for a civilian-led transitional government.

But the generals have pointed to what they call "many reservations" over the alliance's roadmap.

They have singled out its silence on the constitutional position of Islamic sharia law, which was the guiding principle of all legislation under Bashir's rule but is anathema to secular groups like the Sudanese Communist Party and some rebel factions in the alliance.

The alliance has said it wants to "sort out all these points in 72 hours" once the talks resume.

Protesters meanwhile remained camped outside the army headquarters in the capital, demanding that the generals step down.

Crowds have dwindled during the day due to the scorching heat, but protesters still gather in the thousands after breaking the fast in the evening for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.China's estimated 10 million Catholics are split between an underground church that swears allegiance only to the pope and a state-supervised body

A top cardinal has said "many questions" remain despite the Vatican's diplomatic thaw with China, and that a deal paving the way to rapprochement was "only a starting point".

Cardinal Pietro Parolin's remarks -- in an interview with China's state-run Global Times, published Monday -- follow the signing in September last year of a historic bilateral agreement on the thorny issue of the appointment of bishops.

That deal came after decades of mistrust between Beijing and the Vatican.

China's estimated 10 million Catholics are split between an underground church that swears allegiance only to the pope and a state-supervised body -- the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.

The September agreement allowed both sides to have a say on the appointment of bishops, and paved the way for a rapprochement between the Vatican and Beijing, which broke diplomatic ties in 1951.

Parolin -- the Vatican's number two -- called the deal "a starting point" and that there were "elements which demonstrate an increased trust between the two sides".

"Many questions still need to be addressed and we are facing them with willingness and determination."

The Vatican's deal with Beijing has divided Chinese Catholics.

Some see it as helpful in improving religious freedoms in China. But others are wary -- including Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zen, who accused the Holy See of "selling the Church" to Beijing's communist government.

"It's no surprise that there are critics, within the Church, in China, or elsewhere, with this opening that may seem unprecedented after such a long period of confrontation," said Parolin, a key player in the negotiations with Beijing.

The accord was forged despite a clampdown on religious worship in China, where churches were destroyed in some regions and several church-run kindergartens closed last year. Authorities have also cracked down on Bible sales.

China's officially atheist government has tightened its grip on all faiths in recent years, and measures have included requiring clergymen to undergo ideological training, according to local media reports.

Parolin said this push for the "Sinicization" of religion was not at odds with the Vatican as the Chinese leadership has reiterated its "willingness not to undermine the nature and the doctrine of each religion".

China and the Vatican, he said, "have to journey together, because only in this way will we be able to heal the wounds and misunderstandings of the past".Palestinians stand in a queue outside the post office in Gaza City to receive cash aid, part of $480 million in aid allocated by Qatar

Qatar began distributing millions of dollars in aid in the Gaza Strip on Monday in a fresh bid to restore calm after a flareup with Israel, a Qatari official said.

Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas, along with an allied militant group, fired hundreds of rockets at Israel on May 4 and 5, saying they were frustrated by the slow implementation of a previous ceasefire deal.

A new agreement was brokered which reportedly includes tens of millions of Qatari aid to Gaza as part of a package to ease Israel's crippling blockade of the strip.

The Gulf state, a rare Hamas ally in the region, has been providing millions in aid to the strip monthly since November.

Qatari envoy Mohammed al-Emadi entered Gaza early Monday, the Qatari source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"This morning, the distribution of a cash aid of 100 dollars per poor family began," he said, adding it was destined for 108,000 families.

Hundreds of Palestinians waited at post offices in Gaza City to receive the $100 cash payments, an AFP photographer said.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008 and analysts fear another round remains likely.

UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov warned Monday of the risk of fresh conflict.

"The risk of war remains imminent and today we have perhaps the last chance to consolidate the agreements that have been reached," he told a press conference in Gaza.

"The next escalation is going to be probably the last."

He said he had seen welcome steps by Israel in the wake of the latest uptick, such as extending the Gaza fishing zone and reopening border crossings.

The UN was preparing a series of projects to improve the lives of people in Gaza, he said.

Around 80 percent of Palestinians in impoverished Gaza are reliant on international aid, according to the United Nations.YARDLEY BOROUGH >> Yardley Borough has always loved its ducks. From day one, the boroughs location on the Delaware River has made it the perfect stop over site for migrating waterfowl. And then theres the Delaware Canal and the historic towpath, where waterfowl enjoy congregating, and also Yardley Boroughs picturesque Lake Afton, a quiet nesting spot for ducks of all...The billboard put up alongside Tel Aviv's busiest highway by an Israeli anti-occupation group is a play on the 2019 Eurovision slogan "Dare to Dream"

An Israeli anti-occupation NGO came under fire Monday for using this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv to offer foreign visitors tours to see "the reality" of military rule over Palestinians in the West Bank.

The billboard put up Sunday along Tel Aviv's busiest main road by Breaking the Silence says in English "Dare to Dream of Freedom", a play on the 2019 Eurovision slogan "Dare to Dream".

It comes just a day before the popular annual songfest is set to kick off in Israel, which sees it as a glittering opportunity to show its fun face and promote tourism.

Behind the slogan, the billboard shows a picture of Tel Aviv's Mediterranean beachfront alongside a view of Israel's West Bank separation wall with a military watchtower.

It also invites visitors to "See the Full Picture" with daily free tours to Hebron in the occupied West Bank, starting from Tuesday.

The ancient city, holy to both Muslims and Jews, is a constant flashpoint where at least 600 Jewish settlers live under heavy military guard amid some 200,000 Palestinians.

Breaking the Silence, which Israel's right wing has accused of treason, collects and publishes testimony from current and former Israeli soldiers of abuses they say they carried out or witnessed during their service in the occupied Palestinian territories.

"We're happy you came to party with us! Enjoy the sunny beaches and exciting nightlife," its website says.

"But there is another side to Israeli society. An hour away from your hotel, throughout the territories millions of Palestinians are still living under our military rule."

The initiative outraged Israeli political leaders and the local media.

"The despicable hate organisation Breaking the Silence again finds time to spread lies against the state of Israel," Public Security Minster Gilad Erdan tweeted.

Top-selling Israeli daily Yedioth Aharonot said the Eurovision phenomenon was meant to set reality aside.

"In Eurovision there are only fantastic landscapes, beautiful people and spectacular beaches."

It accused the group of "exploiting the opportunity to circulate propaganda in service to the anti-Israel campaign".

A counteroffensive came from Los Angeles-based Israel advocacy group StandWithUs, which is set to put up its own billboard on May 15.

It shows pictures of doves, the beach, small children and a Jew and Palestinian walking arm-in-arm, according to the group's website.

It too offers free tours "to see our open society and how Israel is a beacon of light to the world".

Their itinerary covers the mixed Arab-Jewish city of Haifa in northern Israel, settlements in the occupied West Bank, and the flashpoint Israel-Gaza border.Democratic Republic of the Congo President Felix Tshisekedi has vowed to fight corruption and nepotism

Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi on Monday cautioned the country's newly elected provincial governors, many allied to his predecessor Joseph Kabila, to align themselves to his vision and steer clear of corruption.

"First of all, I would like to remind you that you are the worthy representatives of the president of the republic in your respective provinces. This requires you to adopt exemplary behaviour in the management of your respective entities," Tshisekedi told a seminar for 23 governors elected last month.

"This also means you must develop your programmes... by incorporating my vision which seeks the comprehensive development of our country."

Most of the 23 governors come from the pro-Kabila Common Front for Congo (FCC) coalition.

Kabila, who had been in power for 18 turbulent years, yielded power to Tshisekedi after December elections in the first peaceful change of power since the country's independence from Belgium in 1960.

Another opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu, disputes the legitimacy of the December 30 elections and claims his rivals stitched up a deal to keep him out of power.

Tshisekedi won the presidential election, but a parliamentary vote held the same day left the 500-seat legislature dominated by Kabila-allied parties.

The imbalance has left Tshisekedi, inaugurated on January 24, unable to appoint a prime minister of his choosing, and delayed planned policy changes.

Tshisekedi and Kabila have agreed to form a coalition government.

"I will fight with all my energy against corruption, the misappropriation of public money, tribalism, nepotism (and) bribery," Tshisekedi told the governors.

Having visited several provinces recently, he said he was "shocked by the administrative, police, and military harassment facing the population."Saudi Arabia said two of its oil tankers, including the Al-Marzoqah pictured here, suffered significant damage in sabotage attacks

Four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, were damaged in mysterious "sabotage attacks" that further inflamed Gulf tensions on Monday amid a standoff between the United States and Iran.

In the face of growing international concern, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo scrapped a planned visit to Moscow to head to Brussels instead for talks with European officials on Iran.

Tehran called for an investigation into Sunday's "alarming" attacks off the Emirati coast and warned of "adventurism" by foreign players to disrupt maritime security.

Britain warned of the danger of conflict erupting "by accident" in the Gulf.

US President Donald Trump warned Iran would "suffer greatly" if it does "anything".

"I'm hearing little stories about Iran," Trump said at the White House. "If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake. If they do anything they will suffer greatly."

The United States has already strengthened its military presence in the region, including deploying a number of strategic B-52 bombers in response to alleged Iranian threats.

Saudi Arabia, the Islamic republic's regional arch-rival, condemned "the acts of sabotage which targeted commercial and civilian vessels near the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates", a foreign ministry source said.

Saudi ships hit by "sabotage attacks"

"This criminal act constitutes a serious threat to the security and safety of maritime navigation and adversely impacts regional and international peace and security," the source added.

The United Nations called for restraint from all sides.

"We are concerned about the heightened tensions in the region. We call upon all concerned parties to exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace, including by ensuring maritime security," said UN spokesman Farhan Haq.

A UAE government official said the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad were attacked off the emirate of Fujairah along with the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory and an Emirati ship, the A. Michel.

The Andrea Victory's managers, Thome Group, said the tanker had a hole in the hull area "after being struck by an unknown object on the waterline".

The crew were unharmed and the ship was not in any danger of sinking.

- 'Alarming and regrettable' -

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said the kingdom's two tankers suffered "significant damage" but there were no casualties or any oil spill.

Neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE gave details on the nature of the attacks or accused anyone of responsibility.

The UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, said the Emirates would probe the "deliberate sabotage" of the ships.

The managers of the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory said it had a hole in the hull after being struck by an unknown object

Fujairah port is the only Emirati terminal located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, through which most Gulf oil exports pass.

Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in case of a military confrontation with the United States.

"If, and it's an 'IF', there really has been a deliberate attempt to damage these oil tankers, then it's possibly a warning from Iran about the consequences of anybody taking military action against Iranian targets anywhere in the region," said Middle East analyst Neil Partrick.

Oil prices rose on world markets on Monday with benchmark Brent North Sea crude up 1.6 percent at $71.74 a barrel in London.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi expressed concern over the incidents which he called "alarming and regrettable".

The US has sent an aircraft carrier task force to the Gulf

He "warned against plots by ill-wishers to disrupt regional security" and "called for the vigilance of regional states in the face of any adventurism by foreign elements", a statement said.

Almost all the oil exports of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran itself, at least 15 million barrels per day, are shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.

The UAE had earlier categorically denied reports on social media of massive explosions in oil tankers off the coast of Fujairah, whose port on Monday was calm with no signs of damage.

- 'Dangerous escalation' -

Karen Young, a resident scholar at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute think tank, said: "Tensions are high and have been escalated by the US as well. We have to be wary of tit for tat provocations, and those that may be misinterpreted or even false flag actions."

The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council -- which includes Saudi Arabia and the UAE -- as well as the Arab League condemned Sunday's incident.

"This is a dangerous escalation representing evil intentions by those that planned and executed this operation," said GCC secretary general Abdullatif al-Zayani.

Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the "criminal acts were a dangerous violation of the freedom and safety of trade".

British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt called for "a period of calm".

Fujairah has the only port in the UAE located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz

"We are very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident with an escalation that is unintended on either side but ends with some kind of conflict," he said in Brussels.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he used a one-on-one meeting with Pompeo to stress that "we are concerned about the development and the tensions in the region, that we do not want there to be a military escalation".

Shiite-majority Iran rivals Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia for influence in the Middle East, with the two taking opposing sides in multiple regional conflicts including in Yemen.

Last year, Saudi Arabia temporarily suspended oil shipments through the Bab al-Mandab strait -- a vital shipping route between the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa -- after two of its ships were attacked by Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels.

The increasing tensions come after Tehran said Wednesday it had stopped respecting limits on its nuclear activities agreed under a 2015 deal that has since been abandoned by Washington.iPhone owners won the right to sue Apple for illegally monopolizing its online App Store in a ruling by the US Supreme Court

The US Supreme Court ruled Monday that a consumer lawsuit accusing Apple of illegally monopolizing the company's App Store may proceed, opening a new avenue of antitrust litigation against the iPhone maker.

In a 5-4 ruling, the justices rejected Apple's argument that consumers lacked standing to proceed with their lawsuit because it was merely an intermediary with app developers.

The class-action lawsuit maintains that Apple, which takes a 30 percent commission on app sales, abuses its monopoly position, resulting in higher prices.

The opinion written by the newest court member, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, said consumers had a right to pursue their case because they have a direct relationship with Apple.

"If a retailer has engaged in unlawful monopolistic conduct that has caused consumers to pay higher-than-competitive prices, it does not matter how the retailer structured its relationship with an upstream manufacturer or supplier," the opinion said.

Kavanaugh was joined by liberal justices Ruth Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor.

A dissenting opinion written by Justice Neil Gorsuch and joined by other conservatives on the court agreed with Apple's argument that developers, not the company, sell to consumers and that the lawsuit is based on "pass-on" liability.

"The problem is that the 30 percent commission falls initially on the developers," Gorsuch wrote.

"So if the commission is in fact a monopolistic overcharge, the developers are the parties who are directly injured by it. Plaintiffs can be injured only if the developers are able and choose to pass on the overcharge to them in the form of higher app prices that the developers alone control."

Apple's online marketplace is the sole avenue for apps for its iPhone and other mobile devices, and the company has paid out more than $100 billion to developers since launching the store a decade ago.

Apple did not immediately respond to an AFP query on the decision.Victims are treated at a hospital following a suicide attack on a private construction company on March 6, 2019 in Jalalabad -- the area near the Afghan city is home to fighters from the Taliban and the Islamic State group's Afghan affiliate

At least three people were killed and another 20 wounded in a series of blasts in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on Monday, an official said.

Nangarhar provincial spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said three blasts rocked the city centre, and had taken place near an armoured police vehicle.

"The nature of explosions is not clear, but it could be IEDs," Khogyani said, using the acronym for improvised explosive devices.

"So far we can confirm three people have been killed and 20 wounded."

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but the area around Jalalabad is home to fighters from both the Taliban and the Islamic State group's Afghan affiliate.

On March 6, at least 16 people were killed in a suicide attack on a construction company in Jalalabad, which is near the Pakistan border.

Violence in Afghanistan has continued apace even during the holy month of Ramadan, and despite government calls for a ceasefire.Sudanese protesters gather during a demonstration in the capital Khartoum on May 13, 2019

Sudan's protest leaders said Monday that agreement has been reached with the country's military rulers on the overall transitional authority to run the country, including a "sovereign council".

"At today's meeting we agreed on the structure of the authorities and their powers," Taha Osman, a spokesman for the protest movement, told AFP.

"The authorities are as follows -- the sovereign council, the cabinet and the legislative body.

"Tomorrow the talks will continue to discuss the period of transition and the composition of the authorities."

Sudan's army rulers and protest leaders resumed crucial talks Monday over handing power to a civilian administration after a deadlock in negotiations.

The army generals and protesters are at loggerheads over who will sit on a new ruling body that would replace the existing military council.

The generals have proposed that the new council be military led, while the protest leaders want a majority civilian body.

Late last month, the alliance -- which brings together protest organisers, opposition parties and rebel groups -- handed the generals its proposals for a civilian-led transitional government.Former Interpol president Meng Hongwei vanished while visiting his native China last year. Chinese authorities later informed Interpol he had resigned and they were holding him on suspicion of taking bribes-- but his wife said no evidence has been produced

The wife and children of former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei, who vanished while visiting China in September last year, have been granted political asylum in France, the family's lawyer told AFP on Monday.

Grace Meng, who was given police protection after she alleged an abduction attempt at the start of the year, was granted asylum on May 2 along with the couple's two children, their lawyer Emmanuel Marsigny said.

Meng Hongwei disappeared last September after leaving the French city of Lyon, where Interpol is based, for China. He later sent his wife a social media message telling her to "wait for my call," and then a knife emoji signifying danger.

A few weeks later Interpol was informed that Meng, the first Chinese president at the international police agency, had resigned, with China later saying he was being held on suspicion of taking bribes.

He was officially charged this month with accepting bribes that allowed him to illegally obtain several properties while Marine Police chief and vice minister in China.

But his wife said recently that Chinese officials had presented "no proof whatsoever to back up their charges."

In French media interviews she has said she fears for her life, and was afraid she and her seven-year-old twins would be the targets of kidnapping attempts.

In January, when she lodged her asylum request, she told Liberation newspaper that two Chinese businessmen, one of whom she knew, visited her at home in October and invited her to travel with them by private jet to the Czech Republic.

She also said that later that month, the Chinese consulate in Lyon said they had a letter for her from her husband, but insisted she show up in person to collect it.

She also reported receiving "strange phone calls" and said she was once followed into a hotel by a Chinese couple who attempted to gather information about her.

Meng Hongwei is among a growing group of Communist Party cadres caught in President Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign, which critics say has served as a way to remove the leader's political enemies.

He has since been replaced as president of Interpol by South Korea's Kim Jong-yang.Hanan Ashrawi speaks during a press conference on February 24, 2015 in the West Bank city of Ramallah

A senior Palestinian official has been refused a visa for the United States, she said Monday, amid worsening relations between the two sides.

Hanan Ashrawi, a longtime aide to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, announced on Twitter she had been turned down without being given a justification.

"I'm over 70 & a grandmother; I've been an activist for Palestine since the late 1960's; I've always been an ardent supporter of nonviolent resistance," she said in a tweet.

"I've met (& even negotiated with) every Sec. of State since (George) Shultz, & every President since George H. W. Bush (present administration excluded)."

She later told AFP it was the first time she had ever been refused a visa to the United States, where her daughter and grandchildren live.

"I travel there at least three or four times a year," she said.

Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's executive committee and former minister, has been involved in Palestinian politics for decades and has won multiple awards for her work, including the French Legion of Honour.

There was no immediate reaction from the US embassy.

Relations between the US and the Palestinians have been strained since President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017.

The Palestinians see the eastern part of the disputed city as the capital of their future state and cut ties with the Trump administration in response.

Trump is expected to release a long-delayed peace plan in the coming months.

In a recent tweet Ashrawi referred to Trump peace envoy Jason Greenblatt as a "self-appointed advocate/apologist for Israel".President of the European Council, Donald Tusk (R) welcomes Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj prior to a meeting in Brussels on May 13, 2019. Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar's offensive against Tripoli represents a threat to international peace, the EU warned

Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar's offensive against Tripoli represents a threat to international peace, the EU warned Monday.

The bloc called for all sides in the Libyan conflict to put down their arms and to commit to UN talks, though the month-long assault on the capital shows little sign of ending.

EU foreign ministers had earlier held talks on the crisis, which deepened dramatically last month when Haftar, whose Libyan National Army (LNA) holds the east of the country, launched a bid to seize Tripoli, seat of the UN-recognised government.

"The LNA military attack on Tripoli and the subsequent escalation in and around the capital constitutes a threat to international peace and security and further threatens the stability of Libya," EU members said in a statement.

"Furthermore, it enhances the risk of increased terrorist threat across the country."

The statement, issued after EU ministers met the UN-recognised prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, also voiced concern about the "impact on migration flows" the fighting was having.

Libya, which has been wracked by chaos since the 2011 uprising that killed veteran dictator Moamer Kadhafi, has long been a major transit route for migrants desperate to reach Europe.

Around 60 migrants died on the weekend when their boat capsized in the Mediterranean after leaving Libya for Italy.The belongings, including computers, mobile phones, memory sticks and other electronic devices, will be sent to the United States, according to the e-mail

Ecuador will hand over to the United States documents and computer hardware which Wikileaks founder and whistleblower Julian Assange left behind at its London embassy, his lawyers said Monday.

Ecuadoran public prosecutors have authorised police next Monday to search the room which the Australian occupied for seven years and seize his personal belongings, they said.

They cited an e-mail from the public prosecutors dated May 8 but AFP was not able to confirm its authenticity.

The belongings, including computers, mobile phones, memory sticks and other electronic devices, will then be sent to the United States as part of Ecuador's response to a request from the US Department of Justice for cooperation into its investigation into Assange, according to the e-mail.

This is an "absolute violation of the right of defence, because they will hand over to the United States all his communications with his lawyers, which are confidential," Assange's lawyer in Madrid, Aitor Martinez, told AFP.

Assange, 47, is currently in a London jail. A US indictment charges him with "conspiracy" for working with former US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password stored on Department of Defense computers in March 2010.

Manning passed hundreds of thousands of classified documents to WikiLeaks, exposing US military wrongdoing in the Iraq war and diplomatic secrets about scores of countries.

Assange could face up to five years in jail if found guilty, although his team is fighting his extradition and the process could take years.

His lawyer in Ecuador, Carlos Poveda, told AFP that he was "never" notified of the public prosecutors' decision.

Poveda said he had appealed the permission to seize Assange's belongings be suspended.

If public prosecutors do not reverse their decision, he has asked that Assange be present when the room is searched.

According to Ecuadoran judicial sources, the public prosecutors' office has not made the decision public because it is part of a confidential international cooperation document.

Assange, who holed himself up in the Ecuadoran embassy in London in June 2012 to avoid a British extradition order to Sweden over an allegation of rape, was arrested on April 11 after Ecuador gave him up.

A London court sentenced him on May 1 to 50 weeks in jail for breaching bail when he took refuge in the embassy.

Swedish prosecutors decided Monday to reopen his investigation for alleged rape in 2010, which he denies and says is a pretext to transfer him to the United States.This photo taken on May 11, 2019 shows a worker adjusting a hydraulic lift at a factory in Jinan, in east China's Shandong province, which produces construction machinery for export to many countries, including the US. China blames US policies for creating an "existential crisis" at the World Trade Organization, and urged reform of the body to help it withstand US pressure

China on Monday blamed US policies for creating an "existential crisis" at the World Trade Organization, and urged reform of the body to help it withstand the pressure from Washington.

In a document posted on the WTO website, China cautioned that a range of recent "unilateralist and protectionist practices" had "undermined the authority and efficacy of the WTO".

"As a consequence, the organisation is facing an unprecedented existential crisis," it said.

China did not mention the United States by name, but it referred to a number of policies clearly associated with Washington.

Among other things, it warned that the decision by a "certain member" to use its national security as a pretext to impose "unwarranted tariffs on steel and aluminium", had "disturbed the international trade order and international market... and undermined the relevant rules of the WTO".

It also slammed the unnamed WTO member for taking "unilateralist measures of raising trade barriers and imposing import tariffs in an arbitrary way and without authorisation from the WTO".

The document was released amid new eruptions in the US-China trade war, despite ongoing discussions aiming to resolve the two countries' differences.

Beijing said earlier Monday it would raise tariffs on $60 billion worth of US goods from June 1 in retaliation for the latest round of US tariff hikes on $200 billion worth in Chinese products.

US President Donald Trump had also ordered the start of a process to impose new duties on another $300 billion worth of Chinese items.

Trump, who began the standoff last year complaining about unfair Chinese trade practices, has specifically blasted the WTO for slighting US trade interests to the benefit of China.

In the document filed to the WTO, China said it supported "necessary reform of the WTO so as to overcome its existential crisis, enhance its authority and efficacy, and increase its relevance in terms of global economic governance."

It stressed the need to resolve several "urgent issues threatening the existence of the WTO".

In addition to the issues related to tariffs, it decried the blockage of the appointment of new judges to the appellate chamber at WTO's Dispute Settlement Body.

The appellate body, which offers a last resort to settle international trade disputes and avoid escalation between countries, normally counts seven judges.

But the number has gradually dwindled amid Washington's refusal to agree to fresh appointees, amid US complaints the body's arbitrators treat the US unfairly.

The Chinese document warned that if the blockage continues, there will be only one WTO appeals judge left in office by December.

"Such a situation would severely threaten the proper functioning of the dispute settlement mechanism and therefore pose an imminent and institutional risk to the Organization," it said.A fighter loyal to the internationally recognised government in Tripoli holds a position south of the capital as forces under commander Khalifa Haftar set their sights on taking the capital

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has told the Security Council he is deeply concerned by the battle for Tripoli and reports of fresh weapons supplies flowing into Libya, according to a report seen by AFP on Monday.

Guterres reported to the council on the European Union's Operation Sophia to inspect vessels off Libya's coast to shore up the arms embargo.

That military operation was authorized by a council resolution in 2016.

EU vessels conducted three vessel inspections in September, November and January, but no arms were found onboard those ships, the report said.

Libyan port and custom authorities, who are trained by the EU, seized armored vehicles in the port of Misrata in February and weapons in Khoms in January, according to the document.

"I am deeply concerned by the current military operation in Libya, which, reportedly, is being reinforced by arms transfers into the country, including by sea," said Guterres in the report sent to the council on Friday.

Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, whose forces hold the east of the country, launched the offensive on April 4 to seize Tripoli, seat of the UN-recognized government.

The assault derailed a UN plan to hold a national conference that would have paved the way to elections aimed at ending the chaos that has reigned since the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi.

Libya remains divided between the Tripoli-based authorities and Haftar's supporters in the east.

UN experts earlier this month said in a separate report to the council that missiles fired at pro-Tripoli forces in April pointed to a likely drone attack that could involve a "third party," possibly the United Arab Emirates.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are seen as key supporters of Haftar, praising his battlefield successes against the Islamic State group and other extremists in Libya.Sri Lankan security personnel stand guard at a checkpoint on a roadside in Colombo on May 13, 2019. A Muslim man was slashed to death in Sri Lanka, police said after imposing a nationwide curfew to contain a violent new backlash against Easter suicide bombings

A Muslim mas was slashed to death in Sri Lanka Monday, police said after imposing a nationwide curfew to contain a violent new backlash against Easter suicide bombings.

The 45-year-old man died shortly after admission to a hospital in Puttalam district during anti-Muslim rioting which began Sunday in the area, a police official told AFP.

"Mobs had attacked him with sharp weapons at his carpentry workshop," the official said. "This is the first death from the riots."

His death was reported after authorities ordered the entire country placed under a night curfew and police were ordered to use maximum force to deal with troublemakers.

Police will take stern action against rioters and constables have been issued with orders to use maximum force, Police Chief Chandana Wickramaratne warned in a televised address after rampaging mobs set fire to Muslim-owned shops and vehicles.

Homes and mosques were also vandalised by large groups of people armed with sticks and blunt weapons, police said.

The unrest was concentrated in three districts north of the capital, but a night curfew was imposed across the country to prevent the spread of violence, police said.

The latest rioting came three weeks after a string of suicide bomb attacks against three Christian churches and three luxury hotels, leaving 258 people dead and nearly 500 wounded.Planes like Boeing's 737 MAX for China Southern Airlines -- already in limbo due to a global grounding after two crashes -- could also become ensnared in the US-China trade dispute

Already in crisis mode over the grounding of its top-selling 737 MAX aircraft, Boeing now finds itself at risk of becoming collateral damage in the US-China trade dispute.

The editor of Communist party-owned Global Times newspaper said Monday that Boeing's order book could take a hit as Beijing parries Washington in the escalating trade fight.

"China may stop purchasing US agricultural products and energy, reduce Boeing orders and restrict US service trade with China," Global Times editor Hu Xijin wrote on his verified Twitter account.

Talk of a Boeing hit came just after Beijing announced it will increase tariffs on $60 billion worth of US goods starting June 1, in retaliation for the latest round of US tariff hikes.

A Boeing spokesman struck a reassuring note, telling AFP, "we're confident the US and China will continue trade discussions and come to an agreement that benefits both US and Chinese manufacturers and consumers."

But the company's share price fell 4.5 percent in afternoon trading to $338.74.

"Any significant reduction in orders would be bad for Boeing," said Scott Hamilton of aviation consultancy Leeham Company. "However, China would hurt itself, too."

He noted that China is a supplier to Boeing and Shanghai is home to a Boeing plane finishing center.

In 2018, Boeing reported $13.8 billion in revenues from China, equivalent to nearly 14 percent of overall company sales.

During the past five years, about one in every four Boeing commercial jets went to an operator in China, supporting tens of thousands Boeing jobs, according to the company.

"It would be impossible for Boeing to not be wrapped up in this giant mess," said Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group, an aerospace consultancy.

"Jetliners are the US' biggest manufactured export, and it's hard to see any other large products China would buy to make the US happy," Aboulafia said. "To look at it the other way, it's hard to see what the Chinese would conspicuously not buy to signal their displeasure."

- Under pressure -

Boeing is already under pressure after two deadly plane crashes forced the global grounding of its top-selling 737 MAX planes.

It has been working on a software fix for the flight system and hoping for quick approval from regulators, but it is unclear if the planes will be back in the air before the end of the critical summer travel season.

As a result of the 737 MAX crisis, Boeing has suspended deliveries of the planes and slowed production, hitting company revenues and clouding its profit outlook.

CFRA Research analyst Jim Corridore characterized uncertainty the 737 MAX as a major question mark dogging shares, but rated the trade war threat as less significant.

"We note that Chinese airlines are growing so rapidly that they need to continue to order and take delivery of planes, and Airbus alone cannot accommodate this demand," he said in a note.

"We think China recognizes the positive impact on their own economy from its growing air travel business."Public housing built in a district of Equatorial Guinea's capital Malabo after the country came into oil wealth

In a country awash with oil, the poorest survive in shantytowns a stone's throw from smart modern apartments and family homes supposedly built to help those most in need.

The government of Equatorial Guinea had billed the rows of state-subsidised housing as never-to-be-missed home-owning opportunities for the poor.

But people familiar with the blocks say the homes are typically occupied by middle-class families and some of the country's most privileged.

"Just look at the cars around here," said Leandro Eneme, a 42-year-old trader, pointing to the gleaming SUVs making their way between apartments on well-paved roads. "There's nothing poor about this place!"

He lives in the Buena Esperanza neighbourhood of the capital Malabo, the product of a state housing programme that emerged after an oil price boom in the 2000s.

Equatorial Guinea's president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, in power since 1979 and Africa's longest serving head of state, had promised that developments like this would provide "public housing for everybody".

In the past decade, authorities have built more than 8,600 state-subsidised homes in the African mainland section of the country and the island of Bioko, according to government figures.

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema has been in power since 1979

But with a population of 1.2 million, largely impoverished and cut off from the lavish lifestyles of an elite surrounding the president, critics say the scale of the programme is way too small to be effective and vulnerable to corruption.

"You can't get one of these homes if you earn less than 300,000 CFA francs ($500/450 euros) a month," said Eneme.

Many statistics on Equatorial Guinea are unavailable but it is estimated that more than two-thirds of the population of this tiny central African state survive on less than $2 (1.8 euros) a day.

- 'No money to eat' -

Buena Esperanza was supposedly built to rehouse residents of the nearby shantytown of Nubili, the biggest informal settlement in Malabo.

The name of the new project means "Good Hope" in Spanish -- an emotion that many of those living in Nubili may have felt when the scheme was announced.

Thousands of people in Nubili are crammed into tiny shacks erected from rusting corrugated steel or wood, often without safe water, sewage or electricity. Accidental fires are a notorious risk.

But almost a decade since it began, the vast majority of people in Nubili remain stuck.

Elena Oye, a food seller, said that the cost of her dream home turned out to be a nightmare.

"We lost the apartment because we didn't have enough money. We didn't even have enough to eat," she said.

The down payment was the equivalent of $2,500, followed by monthly payments of $120 spread out over a number of years, she said.

Oye said she earns the equivalent of around $200 in a good month, and meeting the needs of her four children is a daily struggle.

"Most housing (in Equatorial Guinea) does not meet minimum standards," said the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF) in a report.

The government of Equatorial Guinea had billed the rows of state-subsidised housing as never-to-be-missed home-owning opportunities for the poor

"Houses are derelict and unsafe, sewage and refuse removal are inadequate, and there is, among other problems, overcrowding and insufficient ventilation."

A senator, a resident of Buena Esperanza who wished to remain nameless, defended the government's record.

"Many people who once lived in shanties now have decent homes, like here," he said.

Information Minister Eugenio Nze Obiang told AFP that the government had taken action.

"When will people stop complaining? There isn't a country in the world where the government provides free housing," Obiang said.

"The government has done the best it can by building these homes and cutting prices."

- 'Same people profit' -

The government's room for manoeuvre has been crimped by the slump in oil prices which began in 2014, badly hitting revenue.

Many in Equatorial Guinea live in desperate poverty

Major construction projects have been cut back and many public housing projects suspended, making homes harder to obtain.

The economic crisis also meant that some people who moved into public housing found themselves on harder times, unable to afford the monthly payments.

In February, the government sought to ease the situation by revising terms of access to the properties and extending credit, thus lowering monthly payments.

"This is really good news for my family," said Marisol Andeme Esono, a nurse with an upstairs flat in Malabo II, another district of the capital.

Esono said she had been paying the equivalent 300 euros a month, which was roughly equal to her salary, but the rate had been reduced to just over 100 euros.

Rates have also been reduced in Buena Esperanza, although some still complain that the prices are out of reach for many and that the market has been skewed by profiteers.

"Today rich people are buying these lodgings to rent them out," said Engono Mbo, 40, who gave up his bid for a new home. "It's always the same people who profit."

"Social housing is for the middle and upper classes," said student Estanislao Obiang.US celebrity chef Mario Batali -- seen exiting his arraignment hearing in Boston -- is accused of groping a woman at a restaurant after offering to take a selfie with her

US celebrity chef Mario Batali pleaded not guilty Friday to a charge of indecent assault and battery stemming from accusations that he groped a woman in a Boston restaurant in 2017.

Reporters flocked around Batali, who has been accused of sexual assault by several women, as he arrived at Boston Municipal Court. He made no comment before or after his arraignment.

The Seattle-born chef, 58, was released on his own recognizance and ordered to stay away from the alleged victim. The next hearing in the case was set for July 12.

Batali has faced a series of allegations since December 2017, but this was the first time he has been formally charged.

The case dates back to the first half of that year.

The accuser reportedly met the chef while they were dining separately at the same Boston restaurant, the Towne Stove and Spirits, not far from Batali's restaurant Eataly.

Seeing that the young woman was trying to take a picture of him, Batali asked her to join him for a selfie. Once she was beside him, the chef allegedly kissed and groped her.

The name of Batali's accuser does not appear in the indictment, according to The Boston Globe.

But the charges mirror allegations made in a civil case against Batali filed by a Massachusetts woman named Natali Tene, 28, who was claiming damages for an unspecified amount.

Tene's lawyer, Eric Baum, confirmed she is the accuser.

"Mario Batali abused his celebrity status... while taking the photograph, Mario Batali groped her breasts, buttocks and genitals and kissed her repeatedly without consent," Baum said in a statement.

"He must be held accountable criminally and civilly for his despicable acts."

Batali's lawyer Anthony Fuller said the charges, "brought by the same individual without any new basis, are without merit."

"He intends to fight the allegations vigorously and we expect the outcome to fully vindicate Mr. Batali," he told CNN.

The first charges Batali faced were published by the specialized site Eater in December 2017, as the #MeToo movement was gathering steam.

More accusations followed against the once-prestigious chef, known for his red ponytail and orange Croc shoes.

Those allegations led him to apologize publicly for making "many mistakes," to take a sidelined role at his businesses and to leave "The Chew" television program aired on ABC.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures during his victory speech at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met allies and former mentors Friday to plot a course for his second term after a landslide victory left the once-mighty Gandhi dynasty reeling.

A considerable to-do list includes addressing India's lacklustre economic growth and reducing unemployment, as well as fixing a stricken agriculture sector on which 70 percent of households depend.

Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 303 seats, its best ever score, giving it an even bigger majority than five years ago and defying predictions of a dip, final results confirmed Friday.

The main opposition Congress party, which has ruled the roost in India for much of its post-independence history, improved on its historic low five years ago of 44 seats but still only managed a paltry 52.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi even lost his own seat in Amethi, long a family bastion. He did win a seat in the southern state of Kerala, however, a quirk allowed under Indian election rules.

There were delirious scenes at Bharatiya Janata Party offices across India, and in Siliguri, West Bengal state, a BJP supporter wore a mask of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of celebrations

Chinese President Xi Jinping, meanwhile, joined a chorus of international well-wishers, with US President Donald Trump hailing Modi's "BIG" win and even Pakistan's Imran Khan tweeting congratulations.

On Thursday there were delirious scenes at BJP party offices across the nation of 1.3 billion people, including its headquarters where Modi, 68, was showered with petals by chanting fans.

"The voting numbers in India's election is the biggest event in the history of (the) democratic world. The entire world has to recognise the democratic strength of India," Modi told cheering crowds.

"Modi will make India great again. Modi is the strongest prime minister India has ever had and will get. We need to support his policies to prosper," said one supporter, Santosh Joshi.

On Friday, ahead of a cabinet meeting, Modi conferred with two now-sidelined former mentors, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, touching their feet in sign of respect.

-'Can Modi deliver?' -

With the election behind him, Modi must now tackle the economy and unemployment -- notably among women, who have one of the lowest labour market participation rates in the world.

The Congress Party under Rahul Gandhi suffered a major rout at the polls

"The real question is can Modi deliver on his economic commitments -- for example creating the high number of jobs needed?" said Champa Patel, of the Chatham House think-tank.

"This is essential to address India's growing wealth inequalities. Can he address the challenges that millions of Indians face on a daily basis in a highly stratified country?"

India's agriculture industry is also in a dire state with drought, low prices and debt driving thousands of farmers to suicide in recent years.

The country's waterways are filthy and India is home to 22 of the world's 30 most polluted cities, killing 1.24 million people early in 2017 according to a Lancet Planetary Health study.

India election result

On Friday, around 80 to 100 people held a demonstration in Delhi as part of a global day of climate change to demand Modi does more on the environment, .

"We are here to fight for our right to breathe clean air," said Ishika Goyal, 16.

Modi and the Hindu nationalist BJP must also try to heal divisions which have left religious minorities -- including India's 170 million Muslims -- feeling anxious for the future.

During the campaign he managed to deflect criticism on these issues by focusing on national security, claiming he alone could defend India.

Congress meanwhile was picking up the pieces after the second election debacle in a row, having failed to win a single seat in 13 states and five union territories.

These included Rajasthan where it won state elections late last year. This time the BJP swept all 25 seats, and in Uttar Pradesh Congress took just one constituency.

An anti-Modi alliance in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state with 200 million people, also failed to prevent the BJP juggernaut sweeping 64 out of 80 seats.

Even in West Bengal, run by formidable Modi critic Mamata Banerjee, the BJP made major inroads, boosting its seat tally from two to 18.

Congress on Friday was forced to deny media reports that Gandhi -- the great-grandson, grandson and son of three former premiers -- had offered to throw in the towel.

"The Congress leadership has clearly failed. It is a discredited and bankrupt leadership," Kanchan Gupta from the Observer Research Foundation think-tank told AFP.

"It is astonishing that Rahul Gandhi has not yet resigned", Ramachandra Guha, a renowned historian, said on Twitter. "The Congress should dump the Dynasty."

burs-stu/foxHuawei has repeatedly denied it works with the Communist-led government

China ramped up a war of words with the United States over Huawei on Friday, accusing Washington of spreading "lies" about the telecom giant thrust to the centre of their trade war.

The fiery response came hours after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected Huawei's denials that the Chinese company works with the Communist government.

The Trump administration has infuriated Beijing by blacklisting the smartphone and telecommunications company over worries that China uses it as a tool for espionage, and allegations of breaking sanctions on Iran.

Huawei has repeatedly denied it works with the Communist-led government.

"To say that they don't work with the Chinese government is a false statement," Pompeo told CNBC on Thursday, adding that Huawei was "deeply tied" to the Communist Party.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said US politicians have spread rumours about Huawei without providing evidence.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Huawei is lying about its ties to the Beijing government and that any data it touches is at risk

"These American politicians continue to fabricate various subjective, presumptive lies in an attempt to mislead the American people, and now they are trying to incite ideological opposition," Lu said at a regular press briefing.

Trump on Thursday again said Huawei posed a threat to national security.

"You look at what they've done from a security standpoint, a military standpoint. Very dangerous," he told reporters at the White House.

The heated rhetoric comes as trade negotiations have stalled, with neither side announcing a new date to resume talks after they exchanged increases in tariffs earlier this month.

But Trump also said Thursday there was a "good" possibility that the two sides will strike a bargain and linked Huawei to any deal for the first time.

"If we made a deal, I can imagine Huawei being included in some form or some part of a trade deal," he said.

- 'Long March' -

Trump's comments directly contradicted Pompeo, who earlier said Huawei and the trade issues were not linked.

The chief US diplomat separated the two issues between national security concerns and efforts to create a "fair reciprocal balanced trade relationship."

Lu said he was not aware of the "specifics" of Trump's comments and repeated that dialogue must be based on "mutual respect".

US President Donald Trump's moves seen as targeting Huawei came days after he increased tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods

The official Xinhua news agency said in a commentary on Friday that China has "fully prepared for a protracted trade war" with the United States.

President Xi Jinping himself declared on Monday that China faced a "new Long March" -- a reference to the legendary 1934-35 strategic retreat by Communist revolutionaries before their victory in 1949.

"All of the Chinese people are ready to embark on a new 'Long March' journey with greater courage and resilience and will never yield to foreign bullying and assault," Xinhua said.

Trump, meanwhile, unveiled a new $16 billion aid package to help farmers hit by tariffs.

- 'Foreign adversary' -

In Washington, US lawmakers this week introduced a bipartisan proposal to help telecom networks remove Huawei as they upgrade to 5G systems.

The bill is aimed at preventing "companies subject to extra-judicial directions of a foreign adversary to infiltrate our nation's communications networks," said Democratic Senator Mark Warner.

Companies around the world are scrambling to comply with the US blacklist, which would prevent them from supplying American technology components or software to Huawei.

Major Japanese and British mobile carriers said this week they would delay releasing new Huawei handsets as a result of the US sanctions.

In the US, equipment makers Inphi Corp, Qorvo, Neophotonics and Rogers Corp. all said they would see lower sales due to the Huawei sanctions.

Last week, Trump declared a national emergency to bar US companies from using foreign telecom equipment deemed a security risk -- a move seen as targeting Huawei.

The Commerce Department also announced a ban on US companies selling or transferring technology to Huawei, though it later issued a 90-day reprieve.

Google said it would cut off Huawei devices from some services on the Android operating system.

Huawei has since indicated that it could roll out its own mobile operating system this year in China and internationally next year.Washington's deployment to the Gulf of an aircraft carrier task force as well as B-52 bombers, an amphibious assault ship and a missile defence battery has raised concerns that the brinksmanship with Tehran could lead to a dangerous miscalculation

Oman said Friday it was trying to reduce spiralling tensions between the Unites States and Iran, as the Pentagon confirmed it was considering deploying more troops to the region.

The small but strategically located sultanate, which faces Iran across the highly sensitive Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Gulf, has maintained good relations with Tehran throughout successive regional crises.

That has at times allowed it to play an important mediating role, including with the United States.

"We and other parties seek to calm tensions between Washington and Tehran," Muscat's state minister for foreign affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah said in a statement.

"A war could harm the whole world, and both the American and Iranian sides are 'aware of the dangers'."

Abdullah earlier this week visited Tehran, where he met Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Tehran's official state news agency IRNA said.

Oman played a crucial role in bringing US and Iranian negotiators together for the preliminary talks that ultimately led to a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers, including the United States.

The current crisis began when President Donald Trump abandoned the deal in May last year and gradually reimposed crippling sanctions that have left Iran's economy reeling.

Washington has since further increased the pressure on Iran, deploying an aircraft carrier task force as well as B-52 bombers, an amphibious assault ship and a missile defence battery to the Gulf.

The movements have come in response to alleged Iranian threats to US interests or those of its Middle East allies.

But they have raised concerns, even among governments close to the US, that brinksmanship with Tehran could lead to a dangerous miscalculation.

On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi announced that he intended to send delegations to the US and Iran "very soon" in an attempt to ease tensions between the two countries, both key allies to Baghdad.French-Tunisian film director Abdellatif Kechiche has been savaged by the critics over "Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo"

An almost unwatchable "lech fest" of a film by one of France's top directors that includes some two and a half hours of twerking and pole dancing was savaged at the Cannes film festival Friday.

Critics laid into Abdellatif Kechiche -- who is being investigated by police for an alleged sexual assault on an actress -- for the way his camera drools over the bodies of his female cast and for a 13-minute cunnilingus scene in a nightclub toilet.

The director ran out of his own gala red-carpet premiere after his young leading actress, Ophelie Bau, whose bottom occupies the screen for much of the movie, left before the end.

Kechiche picked up a microphone as the lights came up and said, "I apologise for having kept you and now I'm off."

He then laughed and hurried away from his actors and up the aisle toward the exit.

The 58-year-old director later defended "Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo" at a stormy press conference where he said it was an attempt to "create the most free cinema experience possible", praising his actors for having "fearlessly crossed boundaries" for him.

Kechiche also railed at an AFP question about the sex assault allegations levelled against him in October by a 29-year-old actress as "stupid and sick".

He said he had a "clear conscience" and that the "new morality of our time disturbs me".

- 'Three hours of jiggling butts' -

Within minutes of his bizarre exit from the premiere, Kechiche's self-styled ode to "love, desire, music and the body" was getting a critical pasting.

"It is painfully retrograde and painful to watch," the Hollywood Reporter declared.

The movie was little more than "three-hours-plus of jiggling female butts", wrote critic Boyd van Hoeij.

"Oral-sex intermezzo aside, this is basically 'Twerking Female Fannies: The Movie'."

"Sitting through it was its own kind of hell. If only one could unsee and unhear it," he added.

Questions have been raised whether the latest film from French-Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche (3rd left) will ever be released

Variety said that given the sex assault allegation against Kechiche -- which he strenuously denies -- this "bloated, petty provocation" may never be released.

Others questioned how it should have been allowed to compete for the festival's top prize, the Palme d'Or, which the Tunisian-born director won in 2013 for "Blue Is the Warmest Colour".

The stars of that lesbian love story, Lea Seydoux and Adele Exarchopoulos, later complained about Kechiche's behaviour towards them on set.

- 'Lascivious trash' -

New Zealand producer Patricia Hetherington, one of many who walked out of his new movie's first Cannes screening early Friday, called the film "the most lascivious leery trash I've seen. Eurgh!

"Talk about objectification and voyeurism."

Its inclusion in a year when the festival -- once a stalking ground of disgraced Hollywood legend Harvey Weinstein -- also honoured veteran French actor Alain Delon had already stoked controversy.

#MeToo campaigners launched a petition calling for the award to be withdrawn, branding Delon a violent "misogynist".

The actor had earlier admitted to slapping women after his son revealed that he once broke eight of his mother's ribs and her nose twice.

Bau and two other actors from "Mektoub, My Love" did not attend the Cannes press conference with Kechiche refusing to comment on their absence.

But a spokeswoman for the film said later that the actress could not be there because she was making another movie.

Even some of Kechiche's biggest fans were appalled by the film, the second part of a trilogy set in his childhood home of Sete, a port and resort on France's Mediterranean coast.

David Ehrlich of the Indiewire website called it "a four-hour movie about butts. Literally 60 percent of the movie is close-ups of butts.

"I had a mild psychotic break(down) at one point," he tweeted as the curtain came down.

But the film also had its fans among French critics. Philippe Rouyer hailed the "actors who gave everything to play out this magisterially filmed trance."

Even so, the New York Times wondered if "you die from twerking for too long? The women's stamina is ultimately terrifying."

Journalist Kyle Buchanan said Kechiche's focus on his actresses' backsides was "so obsessive that even Sir Mix-A-Lot might blanch", referring to the US rapper whose hit "Baby Got Back" starts with the immortal line, "I like big butts and I cannot lie."

Kechiche seemed to confirm that when he told reporters that "when you walk around Paris you see lots of beautiful backsides", particularly on the classical sculptures that adorn the French capital.Mac-Chi journeys to eternity Facebook

Armed men fighting for the restoration of the independence of a country they call Ambazonia  geographically Cameroons North West and South West regions, attacked the funeral convoy of deceased journalist Peter Tebit Chief aka Mac-Chi Saturday, May 25, 2019.

The remains of Mac-Chi, a pidgin newscaster at Radio Hot Cocoa in Bamenda were being transported from Bamenda for burial in his native Moko'oh in Guzang, Batibo Subdivision.

Somewhere around 87 along the Bamenda-Bali stretch of road, some armed men who said they were Ambazonia fighters otherwise referred to as Amba Boys blocked the funeral convoy. They later left the hearse bearing the corpse and few family members, to continue and asked the mourners to make a U-turn to Bamenda, an eyewitness told Cameroon-info.net.

We also learnt that the armed men fired rounds at some of the cars in the convoy before sending them back.

The Amba boys sent back all mourners. The guys fired at the tank of our car and asked us to turn back our fuel tank was leaking as we drove from Mile 87 back to Bamenda. As they shot, they asked if we thought we were immune to their attack, another member of the funeral convoy said.

Other sources say the corpse of Mac Chi was taken to Batibo amidst shootings between soldiers and Amba fighters. The convoy was sent back to Bamenda by Amba fighters, but the ambulance carrying the corpse was allowed to move on, journalist Akumbom Elvis Mc Carthy said.

The remains of Peter Tebit Chi were coffined at the Bamenda Regional Hospital Mortuary Saturday morning and laid in state at his Metta Quarters Residence  Mac Chi Sewing Machines Repair House.

A brief funeral service at Radio Hot Cocoa paved the way for the journey to Moko'oh village in Guzang, Batibo Subdivision where he has been buried.

Thousands of mourners were at the Bamenda Regional Hospital Mortuary for the confining. A thick crowd also attended the funeral service at Radio Hot Cocoa.

Mac Chi died on Tuesday May 14, 2019. He was undoubtedly the finest pidgin newscaster in the North West Region of Cameroon. He started his pidgin broadcast at Radio Hot Cocoa in 2008.Sudan's protest movement -- encamped outside military headquarters in Khartoum -- has drawn together a wide range of factions, including secular parties, and some are keen to make a break with sharia altogether

Turkey and Qatar risk losing geopolitical influence due to turmoil in Libya and Sudan, as regional rivals Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates extend their own reach, analysts say.

Doha, a long-time ally of deposed Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, has silently watched developments unfold in Khartoum following the veteran leader's ouster on April 11.

Talks between Sudan's military rulers and protesters on a transition to civilian rule remain deadlocked.

Bashir, who came to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989, had long been able to count on foreign aid from energy-rich Qatar, which -- along with Turkey -- supports Islamist groups, primarily the Muslim Brotherhood.

"Doha has lost influence in Sudan amid the revolution," Andreas Krieg, a professor at King's College London, told AFP.

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan's new military council, "has stronger ties to Abu Dhabi than Doha", Krieg said.

Key regional power brokers Saudi Arabia and the UAE have voiced support for the transitional council, while they continue to isolate Qatar for allegedly supporting "terrorists" and seeking closer ties with arch-rival Iran.

Sudan is part of a UAE and Saudi-led military coalition fighting Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen.

Krieg said Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are "trying to cement their personal relationship" with Burhan and "consolidate long-term control" in the country.

Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy chief of Sudan's military council, met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah on Thursday, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

In the council's first major foreign policy announcement since it ousted Bashir, Dagalo vowed to back Saudi Arabia "against all threats and attacks from Iran and Huthi militias", according to a council statement on Friday.

Dagalo also told the crown prince that Sudan would continue sending troops to support the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, the statement said.

- 'Battlefield' -

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have each deposited $250 million (223 million euros) in Sudan's central bank as part of a three-billion dollar support package following Bashir's departure.

The two oil-rich countries oppose any kind of popular uprising in the region that could lead to the rise of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, which they blacklist as a "terrorist" organisation.

Doha's support for the Muslim Brotherhood is one reason behind the ongoing diplomatic dispute with Qatar.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut all ties with Doha in June 2017 over accusations it supports "terrorists". Qatar denies the allegations.

The struggle between the two blocs has played out across the region, including in Khartoum.

"There is a struggle over power and influence in Sudan between those in favour of the Qatar-Turkey camp and those inclined to join the Saudi-UAE camp," said Mathieu Guidere, a professor at the University of Paris and a specialist in Arab politics.

For leaders of the country's protest movement, Sudan should be left to resolve its own affairs.

"The political change has been brought by Sudanese people and has nothing to do with any other country," a protest movement official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"We are really concerned about the intervention of Gulf countries because they are trying to use our country as their battlefield," the official said, adding that Sudan wants "balanced" ties with countries across the region and beyond.

The protest movement has drawn together a wide range of factions, including secular parties.

- 'Diplomatically open up' -

Fighters loyal to Libya's internationally-recognised Government of National Accord near the frontline during clashes against the self styled Libyan National Army

Another struggle is playing out in Libya, where Doha similarly risks losing influence.

While Qatar and Turkey back the internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), Saudi Arabia and the UAE support strongman Khalifa Haftar and his self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA).

The UAE and Egypt are accused of militarily supporting Haftar, who is leading an offensive against the UN-recognised government in Tripoli.

Haftar has accused Turkey and Qatar of supplying weapons to his rivals.

Fighting since Haftar launched his assault on Tripoli in early April has left at least 510 people dead, according to the World Health Organization.

As many as 10 countries are "permanently interfering in Libya's problem" funnelling arms, cash and military advice to the country, UN envoy Ghassan Salame warned Wednesday.

For Karim Bitar, an expert at France's Institute for International and Strategic Affairs, Sudan and Libya "have become fields of confrontation between rival powers in the Gulf".

The camps are "engaged in a military struggle in Libya" and an "economic and financial" one in Sudan, he said.

Guidere said Saudi Arabia's and the UAE's engagement in Libya and Sudan may "reduce Qatar's influence and aggravate its isolation", he said.

According to Bitar, those with the most to lose remain the countries in which these geopolitical rivalries are playing out.

"Qatar-Saudi proxy wars will only prolong and aggravate" crises, he said.Rock arrangements mark the ground where authorities say bodies, mostly babies, were recovered from Nairobi's rivers

A major operation to clean up the trash-clogged rivers in the Kenyan capital has led to the grisly discovery of 14 bodies, most of them babies and children, the local government

On Friday, clean-up crews found the body of an eight-year-old boy who had been strangled and dumped near the Nairobi River, just days after the bodies of twin babies were discovered in a plastic bag.

"Nairobi county youth conducting cleaning of Nairobi River have today (Friday) found yet another body of a... boy strangled and dumped near the river," said county government spokesman Elkana Jacob.

"This makes a total number of 14 bodies of adults and infants retrieved from Nairobi rivers since Governor Mike Sonko launched the clean-up exercise," he said.

Nairobi's name comes from a Maasai phrase meaning "place of cool waters", however the main river and its tributaries have fallen prey to industrialisation and chaotic urban planning.

Factories spew industrial waste into the rivers, while dozens of informal settlements with no proper sewage system or trash removal fill them with garbage and human waste.

Sonko announced the latest in a string of clean-up operations over the past two decades in May last year, however it began in earnest in early 2019.

"These numbers of dead bodies retrieved from rivers are worrying. We have called on the police to investigate these cases. Who are the people behind these senseless killings," Sonko said in a press statement Saturday.

"Once we have clean running rivers, no one will dump anything into the waters without being noticed. My teams are working round the clock to ensure we achieve what we have decided to do."

Aside from eight infants and the young boy found Friday, the bodies of five adults were also found during the operation this year in the Nairobi River, and its tributaries the Ngong River and Mathare River.

Fredrick Okinda, chairman of Komb-Green Solutions which is assisting in the cleanup, blamed illegal clinics performing abortions for some of the bodies found. He said some appeared to be foetuses.

"Some hospitals here are doing abortions to young ladies and they don't have any place to dump the bodies," he told AFP.

Abortion is illegal in Kenya unless the life of the woman is in danger.

Some of the babies appeared to have been "thrown after being born", said Okinda.

His organisation had buried some of the babies next to the river.

"We are not surprised because you know this is a slum area... so when we come to the cleanup we were ready to face any challenge as long as we reclaim the lost glory of Nairobi River."Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam slammed Germany's decision to grant asylum to Ray Wong and Alan Li

Hong Kong's leader lashed out at Germany Friday for granting asylum to two fugitives involved in a violent 2016 political protest, summoning Berlin's envoy for an explanation.

Chief executive Carrie Lam took action two days after former pro-independence activists Ray Wong and Alan Li broke their silence on their whereabouts after skipping bail in 2017 to avoid standing trial on riot charges.

Wong and Li have been granted refugee status in Germany in what is one of the first cases of dissenters from the semi-autonomous Chinese city receiving such protection.

In an afternoon meeting with David Schmidt -- Germany's acting consul general -- Lam said she "strongly objects to and deeply regrets" Bonn's move, according to a government statement.

"Anyone accused of breaching the law in Hong Kong would face an open and fair trial," Lam said in the statement.

Wong and Li faced riot charges relating to Lunar New Year clashes in February 2016 -- the city's worst political violence in decades -- when protesters hurled bricks torn from pavements and set rubbish alight in the commercial district of Mong Kok.

The saw scores arrested and left dozens injured -- including police officers.

Lam's statement said Wong and Li faced "serious charges" -- including rioting and assaulting police -- and their action had "seriously jeopardised public order and safety".

She questioned whether Germany's decision to grant them asylum was based on facts.

Germany' move highlights growing fears that freedoms in Hong Kong are quickly deteriorating as an assertive Beijing flexes its muscles and stamps down on dissent.

Wong, 25, told AFP that he was "paying a big price" in exile despite avoiding possible jail.

He said there was "zero chance" he could ever return to Hong Kong if a controversial extradition bill currently being mulled by the city was passed, fearing he could ultimately be brought to mainland China.

A Hong Kong Watch report said Germany's decision to grant the pair amnesty was because they faced trial under a punitive law that has been used to crackdown on and imprison the city's political opposition.

"The decision... is a sign of the urgent need to reform the Public Order Ordinance, a law which has been repeatedly been criticised by the United Nations for breaching human rights standards, and now is causing a chilling effect on protest in Hong Kong," said Benedict Rogers, chair of Hong Kong Watch.Boeing had to suspend deliveries of its 737 MAX planes, but sales of other big-ticket items also fell in April

Sales of US-manufactured goods were unexpectedly weak in April, hitting the lowest level in nine months, as American companies sold fewer cars, planes and factory equipment, according to data released Friday.

And sales in March were not as robust as originally reported, due to a sharp downward revision to aircraft sales.

That takes the some of the shine off the unexpected jump in economic growth in the first three months of the year, which President Donald Trump has hailed as proof his economic policies are working.

But Trump's trade war with China and other trading partners is overshadowing the outlook.

The disappointing Commerce Department data on durable goods sales for April marked a subdued start to the second quarter of 2019, which is expected to show a slowdown in economic activity.

Although a sales dip in April was expected due to the crisis at aviation giant Boeing -- which was forced suspended deliveries of a top-selling jet after deadly crashes -- orders for jets fell even faster than expected.

Auto sales also dropped sharply and a category seen as a proxy for business investment fell.

New orders for big-ticket manufactured items fell 2.1 percent for April to $248.4 billion, the lowest since July of last year, putting sales down in two of the last three months, the Commerce Department reported.

Economists had expected a two percent drop. Sales are still two percent higher in the first four months of 2019 compared to the same period last year.

Auto sales sank 3.4 percent while civilian aircraft orders -- a volatile category in the best of times -- plunged 25.1 percent, following a major reduction to the March sales figures.

Excluding transportation, sales were flat, after two months of declines, undershooting economists' expectations for a token 0.2 percent rebound.

Meanwhile, orders for primary metals, telecommunications equipment and non-defense capital goods -- a measure that can track oil prices and companies' plans for expansion -- all fell.

The White House made boosting capital expenditures by businesses a central argument for the 2017 tax cuts, claiming it would boost productivity and employment by freeing up resources for manufacturers to build factories.

Sales of defense items were a bright spot, rising 4.8 percent.

Jim O'Sullivan of High Frequency Economics said the trend in the data was not as weak as the April figures alone would suggest "but there has been significant slowing."

April was flat compared to the same month last year, whereas a year ago, the 12-month change was as high as nine percent, he said.

"The manufacturing sector is disproportionately exposed to weakening foreign demand," he said in a client note.During his visit Filippo Grandi spoke with both Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine Buddhist communities

Myanmar must "show results" to convince Rohingya refugees to return, the UNs High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said Friday at the end of his first visit to Myanmar since the crackdown against Rohingya Muslims in 2017.

A brutal military campaign in western Rakhine state forced some 740,000 Rohingya over the border into Bangladesh.

Around one million Rohingya now languish in sprawling refugee camps from various waves of persecution.

A UN fact-finding mission called for Myanmars top generals to be prosecuted for "genocide" and the International Criminal Court (ICC) has started preliminary investigations.

During his visit Grandi spoke with both Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine Buddhist communities in Maungdaw and Buthidaung in northern Rakhine, the epicentre of the violence.

He also held discussions with officials in capital Naypyidaw, including civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, describing all talks as "constructive".

"My message is: 'please accelerate', because it has been very slow in the implementation in this first year. We need to show results," he told AFP in an interview in Yangon.

"This is not enough to convince people to come back," he said.

Grandi visited the camps in Bangladesh in April.

The two countries have signed a repatriation agreement but so far virtually no refugees have returned, fearing for their safety and unconvinced they will be granted citizenship.

Myanmar pejoratively labels the Rohingya as "Bengali", implying they are illegal interlopers and the community has had its rights eroded over decades.

Gaining independent access to northern Rakhine is difficult with most journalists, observers and diplomats only allowed on brief chaperoned visits.

Grandi defended the UNHCRs involvement in a plan by the Bangladeshi government to move some 100,000 refugees onto low-lying island Bhashan Char.

The area in the Bay of Bengal is prone to flooding and cyclones.

Rights groups oppose the scheme that has also so far been universally rejected by the Rohingya themselves.

The refugee agency must be "involved" to have the necessary information in order to take a stance on the issue, Grandi said.

"Were still at that stage, no more than that."

He also visited camps near Rakhines capital Sittwe, where nearly 130,000 Rohingya have been confined since a previous bout of violence in 2012.

Myanmar has announced it will close the camps but many are sceptical the displaced will enjoy more freedoms.

Grandi said the UNHCR would reconsider its role in providing services if conditions did not substantially improve.

"To simply transform the camps, upgrade the camps, upgrade the houses, for example, but leave them in the same situation will not be a solution," he said.More than a dozen states have adopted laws banning or drastically curtailing access to abortion which was legalized in the landmark 1973 US Supreme Court ruling Roe v Wade

A US federal judge Friday blocked Mississippi's strict abortion law which would have banned the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy.

The bill banning abortion where a heartbeat is detectable -- from six weeks -- was passed in March and was due to go into effect on July 1.

"Here we go again. Mississippi has passed another law banning abortions prior to viability," district judge Carlton Reeves wrote in his order.

"The parties have been here before. Last spring, plaintiffs successfully challenged Mississippi's ban on abortion after 15 weeks. The Court ruled that the law was unconstitutional and permanently enjoined its enforcement. The State responded by passing an even more restrictive bill," Reeves said.

Last year, the state passed a law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, but it was blocked before Reeves ruled in November that it violated women's rights.

The new "Heartbeat Bill" which was signed into law by state Governor Phil Bryant makes exceptions for medical complications, but not for cases of incest or rape.

Earlier in the week Reeves heard arguments from advocates for Mississippi's only abortion clinic.

The ban "threatens immediate harm to women's rights, especially considering most women do not seek abortion services until after 6 weeks," Reeves wrote in his order.

"Allowing the law to take effect would force the clinic to stop providing most abortion care."

Bryant said he was disappointed at the court ruling.

"As governor I've pledged to do all I can to protect life. Time and time again the Legislature and I have done just that," he said in a statement.

"I will encourage the attorney general to seek immediate review of the preliminary injunction."

- Chipping away at Roe v Wade -

More than a dozen states have adopted laws banning or drastically curtailing access to abortion which was legalized in the landmark 1973 US Supreme Court ruling Roe v Wade.

In Alabama, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Friday against the southern state's new near-total ban on abortion.

"This law is blatantly unconstitutional, and the ACLU will not stand by while politicians emboldened by President (Donald) Trump's anti-abortion agenda exploit our health and our lives for political gain," said ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project senior staff attorney Alexa Kolbi-Molinas.

Earlier this month, Governor Kay Ivey signed into law the measure that makes abortion a felony -- even in cases of rape or incest -- unless the mother's health is at risk, triggering protests in the state and beyond.

It punishes doctors with up to 99 years in prison for providing the procedure.

The ban is due to take into effect on November 15, and if it goes ahead, Alabama abortion providers "will be forced to stop providing and/or referring abortions," read the lawsuit filed on their behalf in federal court in the state.

"Enforcement of the ban will thereby inflict immediate and irreparable harm on plaintiffs' patients by violating their constitutional rights, threatening their health and well-being, and forcing them to continue their pregnancies to term against their will."

Randall Marshall, executive director of the ACLU's Alabama chapter, said the lawsuit was intended to "make sure this law never takes effect."

Several other Republican-led states have passed tough abortion laws they hope will eventually end up before the Supreme Court in hopes it will reverse Roe v Wade.

Conservative states have slowly chipped away at abortion access, starting by imposing strict conditions on facilities that provide the procedure, such as requiring that they be located near a hospital or have operating rooms or halls of a certain size.

In other states, like North Carolina, women can undergo abortion only within 20 weeks of gestation.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed into law Friday a measure that makes the procedure illegal from eight weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Five states require that women be alerted to links between abortion and breast cancer that have not been proven. And doctors in 13 states must advise women considering abortion that the fetus may feel pain -- a scientifically controversial claim.Sadeq al-Keheli (L), interim speaker for a faction of Libyan parliamentarians opposed to strongman Khalifa Haftar, inspects damage at a hotel serving as a HQ in Tripoli

A hotel complex in the Libyan capital serving as a base for lawmakers opposed to strongman Khalifa Haftar was hit by rocket fire Friday, witnesses said.

The internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) blamed the attack at the Rixos Hotel and Conference Centre on Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), which launched an offensive against Tripoli in early April.

The attack damaged the entrance to the conference centre adjoining the hotel, shattering its windows, AFP journalists at the scene said.

The minority faction of lawmakers, opposed to Haftar's offensive against Tripoli, installed itself in the capital in early May.

The 42-strong group held meetings at the Rixos, threatening a lasting schism with Libya's parliament based in Benghazi, in Haftar's eastern stronghold.

Sadeq al-Kehili, provisional speaker for the dissident lawmakers, described the attack as a "dangerous escalation" and accused Haftar's forces of a "war crime".

The GNA's interior ministry described the raid as "criminal" and said it was "a desperate attempt... resulting from the defeats" suffered by Haftar's forces.

Haftar advanced from his eastern stronghold into Libya's south early this year before turning his forces towards Tripoli, the seat of the GNA, on April 4.

But a counter-offensive by forces nominally loyal to the GNA has resulted in stalemate on the southern outskirts of the capital.

The fighting around Tripoli has killed at least 510 and wounded 2,467, while over 100,000 are trapped, according to the United Nations and NGOs.

Over 82,000 people have been displaced by the clashes since April 4, according to the UN's refugee agency UNHCR.

The Rixos is in the heart of the capital and had been the seat of a parliament elected in 2014 -- the first since former dictator Moamer Kadhafi was deposed and killed in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising.

But a seizure of the capital by militias forced the body to relocate to the east, in one of many episodes of violence that have engulfed Libya throughout most of the last decade.The Amjad was one of two Saudi tankers mysteriously sabotaged in the Sea of Oman

A Saudi tanker damaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in mid-May appears to have leaked a trail of oil, satellite images released on Friday show.

Radar satellites operated by the Finnish company Iceye photographed the vessel Amjad on May 14, two days after it and three other ships, including another Saudi tanker, were mysteriously sabotaged in the Sea of Oman.

Neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE, both close allies of the United States, have yet given details on the exact nature of those attacks, which come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Riyadh's arch rival Tehran.

"There is a trail of oil that is on the surface of the sea," Iceye's vice president Mikko Keranen told AFP.

"The trail is linked to the vessel Amjad and we have had a third party verify that for us," Keranen said, adding that images taken by the European Space Agency satellite Sentinel-2 also seem to confirm the presence of oil around the ship.

Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said after the attack there were no casualties or any oil spill from the tankers.

The oil in the pictures could be fuel from the engine.

The strikes on the ships were followed two days later by drone attacks on the key Saudi east-west oil pipeline, which Saudi Arabia denounced as an attack on the security of the world's oil supplies.

Yemen's Huthi rebels claimed responsibility for the strikes and said they were a response to "crimes" committed by Saudi Arabia and its allies during more than four years of war in support of the government.

The Saudi cabinet called for "confronting terrorist entities which carry out such sabotage acts, including the Iran-backed Huthi militias in Yemen."

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest exporter of oil, currently pumps around 10 million barrels per day (bpd) of which around seven million bpd are exported.LGBTQ community members and supporters comforted each other after the Kenyan court's verdict refusing to scrap laws criminalising homosexuality

Kenya's high court refused to scrap laws criminalising gay sex on Friday, in a blow to the LGBT community that was criticised by rights groups and the UN as a major step backwards for equality in the east African powerhouse.

Gay rights organisations had hoped Kenya would follow a global trend toward easing legal restrictions on homosexuality, with landmark legal decisions seen in India and Taiwan, while three African nations have recently overturned anti-gay laws.

But three years after they filed their petition, the high court ruled that laws criminalising homosexuality were not unconstitutional, leaning heavily on concerns about culture and family values in Kenya, a deeply Christian country.

"We find the impugned sections (of the penal code) are not unconstitutional. We hereby decline the relief sought and dismiss the consolidated petition," said Roselyne Aburili, presiding over a three-judge bench.

Inside the packed courtroom, gay couples held hands and waved rainbow flags as the lengthy judgement was read out

Inside the packed courtroom, gay couples held hands and waved rainbow flags as the lengthy judgement was read out, while a bishop sat clutching a bible in the front row.

After the ruling, the couples embraced and wiped away tears, and others wrapped themselves in flags.

"We have to fight for our rights. This is who we are," said Jordan Zeus, a gay Ugandan man who escaped persecution there to seek refuge in Kenya, urging activists to keep fighting.

In a remark prompting gasps, Aburili said that evidence presented in court provided "no conclusive scientific proof that LGBTQ people are born that way".

Campaigners had asked the court to scrap two sections of the penal code that criminalise homosexuality.

Map of Africa showing the 28 countries with anti-homosexuality laws, according to Human Rights Watch

One section states that anyone who has "carnal knowledge... against the order of nature" can be imprisoned for 14 years.

Another provides for a five-year jail term for "indecent practices between males".

While convictions under the decades-old laws are rare, gay activists say the legislation infringes on their privacy and dignity, foments discrimination and blocks access to healthcare and justice.

The court dismissed all of these arguments, saying the petitioners failed to provide sufficient evidence.

Aburili said that while rulings scrapping such laws around the world were "persuasive, they are not binding on this court".

- 'Step backward' -

A coalition of gay rights groups issued a statement expressing their "great distress" at the ruling, saying it "justifies the stigma, discrimination and violence meted against Kenyans" in the LGBT community.

Human Rights Watch said the decision was "a step backward in the progress Kenya has made toward equality in recent years."

Rights groups said the decision was a step back for equality in Kenya

"Kenya's High Court has relegated people in same-sex relationships in Kenya to second-class citizenship, based on the absurd claim that the penal code is not discriminatory," said Neela Ghoshal, the watchdog's senior LGBT rights researcher.

The judges leaned heavily on section 45.2 of the constitution, which states that "every adult has the right to marry a person of the opposite sex."

Aburili said it did not matter that the petitioners were not seeking the right to same-sex marriage, as decriminalisation would lead to "same-sex persons living together as couples" and would contradict the constitution.

United Nations rights chief Michelle Bachelet urged LGBT activists and their allies to keep fighting for equality.

"Criminalizing acts targeting certain individuals based on who they are and whom they love is inherently discriminatory. It also sends a dangerous signal to broader society and encourages hostility and even violence against LGBT individuals," Bachelet said in a statement.

The high court ruled that laws criminalising homosexuality were not unconstitutional, leaning heavily on concerns about culture and family values

The United Nations AIDS agency said it "deeply regrets" the decision, as "a missed opportunity for Kenya to uphold human rights and to restore privacy, respect and dignity" to the LGBT community.

Outside the court, a Christian group sang choir songs and held aloft banners declaring "God forbids it and we say no!" as dejected members of the LGBT community streamed past.

Kenya's leaders, like many in Africa, deride homosexuality as a western import that goes against local culture.

Campaigners were upbeat that the decision would go in their favour, after the same court in March last year banned forced anal testing of men suspected of being gay.

And in September a court ruled that "Rafiki" ('Friend'),a film about a lesbian love affair which was the first Kenyan movie to be shown at the Cannes film festival, could be screened domestically for seven days after its initial banning.

- 'Kenyans are happy' -

Charles Kanjama, a lawyer for the Kenyan Christian Professionals Forum, which opposed the petition, welcomed the ruling.

"The people of Kenya are happy that the courts have not been misused to try and introduce laws that the majority of Kenyans and their institutions are opposed to."

Activists believed Kenya had a chance to blaze a trail in Africa where homophobia is virulent in many communities.

Twenty-eight out of 49 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have laws penalising same-sex relationships, according to Ghoshal.

Angola, Mozambique and Seychelles have scrapped anti-gay laws in recent years.

On the other hand, Chad and Uganda have introduced or toughened legislation.

np-fb/riSylvester Stallone and Spanish actress Paz Vega play together in "Rambo V" in which traumatised Vietnam veteran John Rambo goes up against a Mexican drugs cartel

Sylvester Stallone said Friday that he and Arnold Schwarzenegger should set up a Hollywood elocution school together as he gave the Cannes film festival a sneak preview of "Rambo V: Last Blood".

The "Rocky" star opened up about the facial paralysis that dogged him since birth and left him not being able to speak properly for years.

He told a masterclass at the world's biggest film festival that he thought he would never make it because of his "physical flaws".

"It was hard for me to speak. I had an accident when I was born so this side of my mouth was paralysed. So even as a boy when I talked I had this very deep 'How ya doing?' voice," Stallone said.

"So (later) when I was trying to get jobs in commercials, the director would say, 'What are you saying? What language is this?'

"I knew it was bad when Arnold Schwarzenegger said to me, 'You have an accent.'

"Arnold and I should open up a school for speech lessons, it would be perfect. If we can make it, anyone can."

A nerve was severed in Stallone's face when doctors used forceps during his difficult birth.

- Rambo rides again at 72 -

Sylvester Stallone films the standing ovation he got from cinema lovers at the Cannes film festival

The 72-year-old action hero actor showed a rarely-seen philosophical side at his Cannes talk before a screening of a restored version of his original "Rambo" film, "First Blood".

His life's work has been about resilience, Stallone told cineastes gathered in the French Riviera resort, and he has found himself returning to the theme again and again.

"There is something about the nature of men and women, we are resilient, we have been through so many upheavals over thousands of years," he said.

"Civilisations have been destroyed but they come back. I am very into the theme of fight backing, not accepting defeat easily. And if you do get defeated, rebuild yourself and come back."

Fate was also fickle, he warned. "Life can be beautiful and you get one phone call and your life is changed."

The actor was given a prolonged standing ovation at his masterclass, with critics and cinema lovers clapping and cheering him as he filmed their reaction with his iPhone.

Stallone said that despite his heroes' never-say-die attitude, he has never been above "pain, fear and failure. If you are... you are not human. Being human is balancing your weaknesses and making them a strength."

The actor said the two roles that have defined his career are emblematic of two sides of human nature, one dark and the other hopeful.

"Rambo deals with a very dark side of nature that unfortunately a lot of people live with, and they feel isolated.

"Rocky is the more optimistic type. He realises he is not a special man but tries to be special."

The star will be honoured at a black-tie dinner in Cannes later on Friday, which will begin the build-up to the release of "Rambo V" in September.

What is being billed as the final instalment of the saga has the traumatised Vietnam veteran John Rambo going up against a Mexican drugs cartel.Retired Judge who declared independence of Southern Cameroons Facebook

Justice Ebong Frederick Alobwede , a separatist who declared the restoration of Southern Cameroons Independence over CRTV Buea(Radio Buea), died on Friday May 24, in the United States.

While in the United States when the ongoing Anglophone crisis became bloody, he was disappointed at the way separatists in the diaspora fought amongst themselves, as confirms Mark Bareta when he says I know that despite the differences

Justice Ebong saw how diaspora has become so divided, he was consoled and happy of this Generation finally taking over and doing what they wanted to be done by the youths.

He remains one of those who laid the foundation in youths of the North West and South West regions, to develop the zeal to seek for independence of a state now referred to as Ambazonia

On the 30th of December breaking 31st in 1999 around 11:30pm, some armed activists stormed CRTV Bues and seized their microphones.

Technicians were given at tape and asked to play to the nation The tape contained victory songs and a voice followed suit, that of Justice Ebong, then chairman of the High Command Council of the Southern Cameroons national Council(SCNC) declared North West and South West regions would be referred to as the Federal Republic of the Southern Cameroons.

It was a far fetched dream, as government launched a clamp down against these activists, and Justice Ebong and two others were arrested and jailed in Yaounde. He was detained for almost two years. On release, he went on exile to Nigeria on the 15th of April 2001 for several years before he returned in Cameroon in 2004 for his retirement benefits. He was a retired judge of the state of Cameroon.US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will make up a cancelled visit to Germany on his latest tour of Europe

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet with German leaders after his abrupt cancellation in early May during a European tour starting next week, the State Department said Friday.

The top US diplomat will also visit Switzerland, The Netherlands and Britain during the May 30-June 5 trip.

Pompeo had been scheduled on May 7 to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin but instead made a detour for a day trip to Iraq, where he warned of threats from neighboring Iran amid a concerted US pressure campaign.

The State Department said that Pompeo would meet Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in Berlin on the first stop of the latest trip.

Germany and other European powers are uneasy with President Donald Trump's hawkish line on Iran and continue to support a multinational denuclearization deal negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama.

Trump has had rocky relations with Merkel, whom he has openly criticized over her welcome to migrants.

Pompeo will join Trump on his state visit to Britain, which will take place under the shadow of political chaos after Prime Minister Theresa May's resignation Friday as she failed to negotiate the terms of the country's divorce from the European Union.

Pompeo will take part in an international conference on entrepreneurship in The Hague and meet with the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in Switzerland.

The bilateral meetings in Switzerland will also likely include discussion on Iran as the neutral nation takes care of US interests in the Islamic republic in the absence of diplomatic relations between Washington and Tehran.(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on April 17, 2019, shows at left a police file photo made available February 6, 2002 of the "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh and at right a February 11, 2002 photograph of him as seen from the records of the Arabia Hassani Kalan Surani Bannu madrassa (religious school) in Pakistan's northwestern city of Bannu.A Pakistani religious teacher who spent six months with John Walker Lindh has hailed his release, describing him as a "good person" who became upset over the situation in Afghanistan, Kashmir and Palestine

A Pakistani religious teacher who spent six months with "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh has hailed his release, describing him as a "good person" who became upset over the situation in Afghanistan, Kashmir and Palestine.

Lindh symbolised betrayal for the US when he was captured, bearded and dishevelled, while fighting for the Taliban in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif in 2001.

His release from prison on Thursday -- three years before the end of his 20-year sentence -- has re-awakened memories of the September 11 attacks and underscored the tragedy of the US invasion of Afghanistan, where civilians are paying a deadly price as the war grinds on.

President Donald Trump said he was upset about the release, but government lawyers had told him there was no legal way to keep him in prison.

"We'll be watching him and watching him closely," Trump told reporters.

But Mohammad Iltimas, who taught Lindh for six months at a Muslim school near the Afghan border in Pakistan's northwest, said he was happy to hear of the decision to release him.

"He was such a pure person, such a positive-thinking man," Iltimas told AFP.

Iltimas said Lindh came to his school -- the Madrassa Arabia Hussania, outside the city of Bannu -- in December 2000, and stayed until May or April of the next year.

"He wanted to memorise the Koran," he said, describing how Lindh could often be seen listening to Koranic verses on a tape recorder or learning Pashto.

"He was such a good student, pious and focused on his studies, I never saw him sitting idle. He was not interested in sports. He was such a serious and committed person to his cause."

Lindh was "upset over the situation in Afghanistan, Kashmir and Palestine", said Iltimas.

At the time, the Taliban regime which controlled most of Afghanistan was engaged in a bloody fight with the rebellious Northern Alliance.

Soon the madrassa student enlisted in the Taliban's ranks.

After the United States intervened in Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Lindh was one of hundreds of Taliban fighters captured by Northern Alliance forces on November 25.

He revealed his American identity to two CIA officers in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

One of them, Johnny Micheal Spann, was killed in a prisoner revolt hours after he interrogated Lindh, making him the first American killed in post-9/11 conflict in Afghanistan.

- 'Too brave or too stupid' -

Mazar residents who remembered Lindh described to AFP their shock on hearing that an American had been captured fighting for the Islamist militants.

"People were asking how is that possible," recalled 40-year-old resident Khayber Ibrahimi.

"I think he must have been too brave or too stupid to have gone with the Taliban," he told AFP.

In July 2002 plea deal, Lindh admitted charges of illegally aiding the Taliban and carrying weapons and explosives.

By most accounts, he clung firmly to his faith throughout his imprisonment.

An internal 2017 report from the US National Counterterrorism Center, obtained by the Foreign Policy website, said that Lindh "continued to advocate for global jihad and to write and translate violent extremist texts".

The claim was not supported by public evidence.

Iltimas told AFP that Lindh had written him from prison, although AFP was unable to immediately verify the claim.

When Lindh left for Afghanistan, Iltimas said, he left some of his possessions behind at the madrassa, claiming he would return.

"I still have that stuff -- his briefcase, books, shoes, clothes, notebooks," Iltimas told AFP.

"People at the time used to ask me if I had changed him into a jihadi," he said.

"I always replied to them that I turned him to education, and changed him as a scholar."

Now 38, Lindh will settle in Virginia under strict probation terms that limit his ability to go online or contact any other Islamists.

In Afghanistan, where he was captured, the Taliban are once again resurgent, Afghan civilians desperate for peace, and the US eager to escape what has become the longest war in its history.

str-us-sjd-st/dsSandiaga Uno (L), the running mate of presidential challenger Prabowo Subianto, gestures to the media as he announces his team will file an appeal with Indonesia's Constitutional Court over claims of widespread cheating in the country's election

Indonesia's opposition candidate lodged an appeal Friday over claims that he lost the presidential election due to widespread cheating, allegations that spawned deadly rioting in the capital Jakarta.

At least eight people were killed and hundreds were injured in two nights of street battles between police and protesters opposed to Joko Widodo being re-elected leader of the world's largest Muslim-majority country.

The level of violence in the capital had not been seen in years.

Widodo's rival Prabowo Subianto, a retired general with strong ties to the Suharto dictatorship that collapsed in 1998, has claimed that the April 17 poll was a fraud.

On Friday, his legal team filed a formal challenge to the results at Indonesia's Constitutional Court, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.

The court is expected to issue a ruling by the end of June.

Election officials and analysts have discounted Subianto's rampant cheating claims, and he lost a similar court battle in 2014 when Widodo defeated him.

Official results this week showed Widodo won the election, setting off peaceful demonstrations by Subianto supporters.

Election officials and analysts have discounted the claims of rampant cheating made by Indonesia's presidential challenger Prabowo Subianto

But as thousands flowed into central Jakarta on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, some protesters hurled stones, fireworks and Molotov cocktails at police lined up behind a razor wire barricades near the election supervisory agency building.

Police fired water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets at crowds, as dozens of cars were torched.

By Thursday the chaos had subsided, but parts of the city's downtown core remained blocked off and heavily guarded by tens of thousands of military and police.

Since the rioting, more than 400 demonstrators have been arrested, according to police, who blamed the violence on "provocateurs" they claimed mixed with the crowd to stir up trouble.

Police have offered few details on how the demonstrators died or who was responsible, though earlier said some had gunshot and blunt force wounds.

Authorities denied firing live rounds into the crowd.

About 900 people were injured in the riots, according to the Jakarta Health Agency.Polling staff and party monitors count votes at a polling station in in Blantyre

Malawi's electoral board on Friday said it was suspending updates of results from this week's elections in order to resolve complaints raised by some of the parties.

A count of votes tallied in three-quarters of the country's polling stations, released Thursday, found incumbent president Peter Mutharika leading with 40.9 percent.

His closest challenger Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party had 35.44 percent of the vote.

"At this point, the commission will not be providing an update on the status of results because announcement of results is interlinked with the resolution of complaints and concerns," electoral commission chairwoman Jane Ansah said.

She said her commission had received 147 complaints. The elections on Tuesday chose a president, lawmakers and municipal councillors, and the complaints related to all three tiers.

The electoral body has to announce the final results within eight days of voting.

"The commission is utilising every moment, day and night to ensure that we provide a credible outcome of the polling process," Ansah said.

"We will make sure that every vote that has been counted at the polling station is counted in the national tally."

The most prominent complaint was that figures on result sheets had been altered by correction fluid, incidences the electoral body said were widespread across the country.

"Our legal team is expediently reviewing all the complaints received and giving feedback to the complainants," she said.

Chakwera on Wednesday warned of alleged attempts to rig the vote, saying his MCP had conducted its own count and this, he maintained, showed he was ahead.

The European Union observer mission has described the vote as "well-managed, inclusive, transparent and competitive".

But it said that tension during the campaign "was not helped by various claims of 'rigging'".

The southeastern African country has around 6.8 million potential voters, with more than half aged under 35.

Turnout data has not been published.US victims of flooding, wildfires and hurricanes in communities like Puerto Rico have been forced to wait until next month for Congress to approve $19.1 billion in disaster relief after it was blocked by one Republican lawmaker: US Rep. Chip Roy of Texas

US victims of flooding, wildfires and hurricanes in communities like Puerto Rico have been forced to wait until next month for Congress to approve $19.1 billion in disaster relief after it was blocked Friday by one Republican lawmaker.

After months of delays, the compromise bill appeared set to clear Congress and head to President Donald Trump for his signature after a deal was reached between congressional leaders and the White House, a bright spot during an intensely divisive week in Washington.

After passing the Senate, the bill headed Friday to the House of Representatives, where most lawmakers had already left for a holiday recess.

Democrats moved to pass the bill by unanimous consent, but Texas conservative Chip Roy objected.

"If I do not object, Congress will have passed into law a bill that spends $19 billion of taxpayer money without members of Congress being present," the Republican said on the floor, a move that delays the measure until the House reconvenes in early June.

Roy also expressed frustration that negotiators dropped a Republican provision of billions of dollars in border security funding.

The measure would fund infrastructure development, rural community assistance, and disaster damage mitigation in the US island territory of Puerto Rico and states like California, Florida, North and South Carolina, Iowa and Roy's state of Texas.

Democrats reacted with outrage.

"House Republicans' last-minute sabotage of an overwhelmingly bipartisan disaster relief bill is an act of staggering political cynicism," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.

"Countless American families hit by devastating natural disasters across the country will now be denied the relief they urgently need."Mourners in the capital Sanaa carry the coffins of Yemenis reportedly killed during a coalition air strike

President Donald Trump's administration on Friday bypassed Congress to sell $8.1 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies, citing a threat from Iran, infuriating lawmakers who fear the weapons could kill civilians in Yemen.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration would circumvent the required review by Congress to approve 22 arms transfers to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, saying that the freeze on sales by Congress could affect the Arab allies' operational abilities.

The weapons, which include munitions and aircraft support maintenance, are meant "to deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defense capacity," Pompeo said in a statement.

The sale was announced earlier Friday by Senator Robert Menendez, who had used his powers to block shipments of tens of thousands of precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, fearing they would contribute to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where the US allies are mounting an offensive.

"I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump administration has failed once again to prioritize our long-term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia," Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.

He said that the administration failed to meet the legal definition of an emergency as he vowed to work with lawmakers to counter the decision.

Senator Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, pictured in 2018, had used his powers to block sales of tens of thousands of precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates

"The lives of millions of people depend on it," Menendez said.

Another senior Democrat, Senator Dianne Feinstein, said that the United States needed to rein in rather than give more weapons to Saudi Arabia.

"The Saudi-led war in Yemen is not an emergency, it is a crime against humanity," she said in a statement.

Opposition to the arms sale was not limited to Democrats.

Congressman Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, termed Trump's decision "unfortunate," saying in a statement that the move "will damage certain future congressional interactions."

The sales come after Trump vetoed an attempt by Congress to stop US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, where tens of thousands have died and millions are at risk of starvation in what the United Nations calls the world's biggest humanitarian crisis.

Pompeo has resolutely defended US support for the Saudis, noting that the Huthi rebels who control much of Yemen are allied with US adversary Iran and saying that Huthi rocket attacks into Saudi Arabia could kill Americans taking commercial flights.

Carolyn Miles, president of relief group Save the Children, said that while all sides are at fault, "arms sales to the Saudi/Emirati coalition will increase the suffering of starving children in Yemen."

- Outrage at Saudis -

Trump has waged a major campaign to roll back Iran's influence in the Middle East and also on Friday announced he was deploying 1,500 additional US troops to the region.

But outrage at Saudi Arabia has grown in Congress, even among some of Trump's Republican allies, after the October killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Virginia resident who had written critically of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in The Washington Post.

"My whole view of Saudi Arabia changed with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi," Feinstein said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh in January 2019

Khashoggi was strangled to death and his body dismembered after he visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to complete paperwork for his wedding, according to US and Turkish officials.

"Rather than stand up against those who murdered Jamal Khashoggi and are working against US interests, the Trump administration decided to do an end run around the Congress and possibly the law," Menendez said.

Trump, in a lengthy statement after Khashoggi's death, said he was not concerned over whether Prince Mohammed ordered the killing as Saudi Arabia was a major buyer of US weapons.

Pompeo said he considered the emergency sales to be a one-off and voiced frustration that the United States was no longer being seen as a "reliable security partner for our allies."

But Menendez said that the administration was putting arms sales at risk by bypassing Congress.

"With this move, the president is destroying the productive and decades-long working relationship on arms sales between the Congress and the executive branch," he said.Australian actress Margot Robbie, who played Sharon Tate in "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" wore her hair in braids as Tate did when she visited Cannes in 1968

Roman Polanski's wife hit out at Quentin Tarantino on Friday for not consulting her husband over his critically-acclaimed "Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood" which features Polanski's late second wife Sharon Tate as a character.

French actress Emmanuelle Seigner took to social media to accuse Tarantino of "using the tragic life of someone and then walking all over them".

Tate was eight months pregnant when she was murdered by members of the Manson family cult in 1969 while married to the Polish-born director of "Rosemary's Baby".

In a post on Instagram, Seigner said she was not attacking the film as such.

"I am just saying that it doesn't bother them (in Hollywood) to make a film which takes Roman and his tragic story... while at the same time they have made him a pariah. And all without consulting him of course," she wrote.

Polanski fled to France in 1978 after admitting the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl, and spent 42 days in jail before being released for good behaviour.

- Tribute to murdered actress -

Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate married in London in January 1968

The 85-year-old has been a fugitive ever since from the US justice system, despite repeated attempts to have him extradited.

Tarantino's epic, starring Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio is set in Los Angeles in 1969, and has Polanski as a fleeting figure, with his then-wife played by Australian Margot Robbie.

"Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" is one of the favourites to lift the Cannes film festival's top prize on Saturday, 25 years after Tarantino last won the Palme d'Or for "Pulp Fiction".

Tarantino reportedly consulted Tate's sister, the writer Debra Tate, before he started filming, and told reporters at Cannes that he wanted to drag Tate's great lost talent back from the tabloid headlines.

Robbie, who wore double braids framing her face in tribute to Tate's hairstyle during a 1968 visit to Cannes, said she felt an obligation to do justice to the late actress.

"Quentin said it to me early on -- she's the heartbeat of the story. I just saw her as a ray of light," she said.

"I felt like I could honour the memory of real-life Sharon Tate who so many people said was such a bright light."

Seigner, 52, who has two children with Polanski, is best known for her roles in the Oscar-nominated "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly".

While her husband rarely speaks in public, she often jumps to his defence.US President Donald Trump is daring opponents to initiate proceedings against him -- but Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is leading the charge against impeachment

US President Donald Trump doubled down Friday on his claim of an "attempted coup" against him as his battle with Democratic foes entered a vicious new phase of personal insults and strong-arm tactics.

Hovering over it all: the looming question of whether or not the Republican leader will be impeached -- "the big I-word," as Trump put it recently.

The president said he has given his attorney general wide latitude to declassify intelligence information as he probes the origins of the government's investigation into Trump's 2016 campaign ties to Russia.

"They will be able to see ... how the hoax or witch hunt started and why it started," he told reporters as he departed on a trip to Japan. "It was an attempted coup or an attempted takedown of the president of the United States."

"There's word and rumor that the FBI and others were involved, CIA were involved with the UK, having to do with the Russian hoax," he said, adding that he might talk to the outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May about it.

"We're exposing everything," he added.

Trump's bid to turn the tables on his political opponents comes amid an escalating constitutional clash of powers with the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives.

House Democratic leaders have launched numerous probes aimed at getting evidence gathered during Special Counsel Robert Mueller's 22-month probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign -- only to be stonewalled by the White House.

US President Donald Trump took angry shots at Democrats on the White House lawn before heading on a visit to Japan

That has raised calls by Democrats to initiate impeachment proceedings against Trump.

In an odd turn however, it has been House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Trump's congressional nemesis, who has pumped the brakes on impeachment -- even as she accuses the president of a potentially impeachable cover-up.

The president, for his part, is daring his opponents to initiate proceedings against him -- confident that an impeachment by the House would most certainly be blocked in the Republican-controlled Senate.

"'If they try to Impeach President Trump, who has done nothing wrong (No Collusion), they will end up getting him re-elected,'" the president wrote Friday, approvingly retweeting a warning to Democrats by a fellow Republican, Senator Lindsey Graham.

- Cutting words -

Trump, meanwhile, is pulling out the stops in the fight for political supremacy as the country heads toward the 2020 presidential election.

President Donald Trump has authorized Attorney General William Barr to investigate those who investigated his campaign's ties to Russia ahead of the 2016 election

On Thursday, he gave Attorney General William Barr sweeping and unprecedented new authorities to investigate the investigators of his 2016 campaign's ties to Russia -- directing all US intelligence agencies to "quickly and fully cooperate" with Barr's review.

The intelligence agencies had previously rebuffed, on national security grounds, declassification demands by Republican lawmakers seeking to spotlight alleged misdeeds by investigators.

As pressure mounts, a cutting war of words has erupted between Trump and Pelosi, with each questioning the other's mental stability.

On Friday, Trump posted a video of Pelosi remarks that had been edited to mash up instances in which she stumbled over her words.

Asked why he was attacking her personally, Trump bristled: "Did you hear what she said about me long before I went after her?"

"She said terrible things, so I just responded in kind. Look, you think Nancy is the same as she was? She's not," he said.

On Thursday, speaking to a room full of farmers and ranchers who had been invited to the White House for an unrelated event on China tariffs, Trump said Pelosi -- the most senior female politician in American history -- was "a mess."

Pelosi had spent the previous few days needling Trump, claiming he threw a "temper tantrum" during a meeting with Democrats, saying she would "pray" for him, and suggesting those close to him should stage an "intervention."

"She's obviously gotten under the president's skin," House Democrat Ro Khanna told CNN.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is now being called "Crazy Nancy" by Donald Trump; she in turn mocked him for calling himself an "extremely stable genius"

Where this goes from here is unclear -- although there is an opportunity to lower the political temperature, with Trump off to Japan and Pelosi out of Washington next week on a holiday recess.

Pelosi must contend with a restless Democratic caucus that is divided over whether or not to impeach the president.

Progressives including Maryland congressman Jamie Raskin have argued that, in the face of White House stonewalling, the time has come to begin impeachment proceedings.

Raskin argued recently that this would consolidate the varied House inquiries in a single centralized process that would have greater standing in the inevitable court battles to come.

But Pelosi also must consider the impact of what she said would be a "very divisive" impeachment battle on some 30 vulnerable Democrats in districts carried by Trump.

Their loss in the next election could threaten her party's hold on the House, which puts Pelosi at a fateful crossroads.It's been a busy week at the top of Everest with long queues of climbers trying to reach the summit

A traffic jam of climbers in the Everest "death zone" was blamed for two of four new deaths reported Friday, heightening concerns that the drive for profits is trumping safety on the world's highest peak.

Nepal has issued a record 381 permits costing $11,000 each for the current spring climbing season, bringing in much-needed money for the impoverished Himalayan country.

But a small window of suitable weather before the short season ends has in recent days triggered bottlenecks of hundreds of climbers wanting to achieve for many -- although perhaps not for purists -- the ultimate in mountaineering.

The four latest deaths reported on Friday, taking the toll from a deadly week on the overcrowded peak to eight, include two Indians and a Nepali on the Nepal side and an Austrian on the way down on the northern Tibetan side, officials and expedition organisers said.

Ang Tsering Sherpa, former president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, said that the weather window to summit this season was narrow, meaning that many teams had to wait to go up.

"Spending a long time above the death zone increases the risk of frostbite, altitude sickness and even death," he said.

Kalpana Das, 52, reached the summit but died on Thursday afternoon while descending, as a huge number of climbers queued near the top. The other Indian, Nihal Bagwan, 27, also died on his way back from the summit.

"He was stuck in the traffic for more than 12 hours and was exhausted. Sherpa guides carried him down to Camp 4 but he breathed his last there," said Keshav Paudel of Peak Promotion.

A 33-year-old Nepali guide died at the base camp on Friday after he was rescued from Camp 3 for falling sick.

Mount Everest

Wednesday claimed the lives of an American and another Indian.

Donald Lynn Cash, 55, collapsed at the summit as he was taking photographs, while Anjali Kulkarni, also 55, died while descending after reaching the top.

Kulkarni's expedition organiser, Arun Treks, said heavy traffic at the summit had delayed her descent and caused the tragedy.

"She had to wait for a long time to reach the summit and descend," said Thupden Sherpa. "She couldn't move down on her own and died as Sherpa guides brought her down."

Pasang Tenje Sherpa, of Pioneer Adventure, told AFP that Cash collapsed on the summit and died close to Hillary Step as guides were bringing him back.

Last week, an Indian climber died and an Irish mountaineer went missing after he slipped and fell close to the summit and is presumed dead.

The Irish professor was in the same team as Saray Khumalo, 47, who this week became the first black African woman to climb Everest and who is hoping to conquer the highest summits on each of the seven continents.

- Big business -

Mountaineering in Nepal has become a lucrative business since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made the first ascent of Everest in 1953.

Most Everest hopefuls are escorted by a Nepali guide, meaning more than 750 climbers were expected to tread the same path to the top in the current season.

Mountaineering in Nepal has become a lucrative business since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made the first ascent of Everest in 1953

At least 140 others have been granted permits to scale Everest from the northern flank in Tibet, according to expedition operators. This could take the total past last year's record of 807 people reaching the summit.

"About 550 climbers have summited the world tallest mountain by Thursday according to the data provided by expedition organizers to us," said Mira Acharya, spokeswoman for Nepal's Tourism Department

Many Himalayan mountains -- including Everest -- are at peak climbing season, with the window of good weather between late April and the end of May.

Eight other climbers have died on other 8,000-metre Himalayan peaks this season, while two are missing.

In 2015, 18 people were killed at the Everest base camp because of an avalanche triggered by a quake.

- Winning widows -

In happier news, two Sherpa widows, Furdiki Sherpa and Nima Doma Sherpa reached the summit of Everest on Thursday, their team coordinator confirmed.

Mountaineer Elisabeth Revol after she was rescued while attempting to climb Nanga Parbat in 2018

The two want to force a rethink about the role of widows in their conservative community, after their husbands died on the world's highest mountain.

"We want to climb Everest with a message for widows and single women. We are not less than anyone, we are capable of achieving anything," Nima Doma said in an interview with AFP ahead of the expedition.

French climber Elisabeth Revol, who was dramatically rescued last year from Pakistan's Mount Nanga Parbat, summited Lhotse Friday morning, a day after reaching the top of Everest.Brazil has sued British American Tobacco (BAT), Philip Morris International and their Brazilian subsidiaries, saying they should pay for costs of treating tobacco-related diseases

The World Health Organization has praised Brazil's move to sue two global cigarette makers and their local units for costs of treating tobacco-related diseases, but the firms said Friday they were still waiting for details of the lawsuit.

British American Tobacco (BAT), Philip Morris International and their Brazilian subsidiaries were named by the attorney general's office (AGU) as the targets of the lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court.

The AGU wants to recover at least some of the billions of dollars spent over the past five years on treating patients suffering from 26 diseases linked to smoking tobacco products or exposure to cigarette smoke.

Since the targeted companies take the profits from cigarette sales abroad, "it is only fair that they pay for the burden they are leaving Brazilian society," prosecutor Davi Bressler said in a statement.

The WHO said Thursday it applauded the "Brazilian government's action."

The amount of compensation sought would be calculated if the lawsuit was successful, the AGU said.

Philip Morris spokesman Ryan Sparrow said the company had not yet been served with the complaint and cast doubt on the AGU's chances of success.

"It is worth noting that for the past 20 plus years, courts in Brazil have consistently found that tobacco manufacturers are not liable for smoking-related damages given that the sale of cigarettes is a legal, heavily regulated activity and that the health risks of smoking have been well known for decades," Sparrow told AFP.

Souza Cruz, a subsidiary of BAT, said it was also waiting to see the lawsuit.

BAT, Philip Morris and their subsidiaries account for 90 percent of the production and sale of cigarettes in Brazil, the AGU said.

But Souza Cruz disputed the figure, saying illegal cigarettes made up more than half of the Brazilian market, with most of the products smuggled from Paraguay.

Tobacco companies have been forced to pay out billions of dollars in compensation in lawsuits brought by governments and smokers around the world over the health effects of cigarettes.Rape victims usually find it hard to speak out facebook

A 21-year-old who works at a company in Yaounde, has told the BBC News Pidgin, that she has been raped on four different occasions, twice by a priest , her uncle and her teacher.

The girl who requested anonymity said she tried to commit suicide on several occasions until she met a nongovernmental organisation which helped her regain self-confidence. By narrating her story, the victim says she intends to encourage rape victims to know that they were not the only persons affected.

At 13, her uncle was the first who forcefully had sex with her. She couldnt open up about it and suffered with the pains, until she decided to inform a priest. The priest rather added the wound by raping her too. She explains that it was hard for her to go through the pains, until she found solace in cigarettes and drugs. In school, she was raped by her teacher.

She was lucky to come across Voice of Hope(VOH), the nongovernmental organisation who gave her money and offered her psychological support. Rosaline Fonkwa , head of the organisation says they want to help the victim publish her story in a book to help rape victims. The victim is also expected to help young persons in schools, sensitising them based on her experience.

It is uncommon for rape victims to open up in Cameroon, as most often the society look for excuses to blame the victim for luring her rapists especially when she is a teen. Some rape cases go unreported while others go unpunished.

Between 1970 and 2008, the German Technical Cooperation during a campaign to stop rape in Cameroon, revealed that at least 400,000 women had been raped. Cameroon Health and Demographic Survey, DHS also revealed that 21% of women in Cameroon are forced to have sex.Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, pictured in April 2019, met with General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy chief of Sudan's transitional military council

A top Sudanese general vowed to back regional ally Saudi Arabia against "all threats and attacks" from Iran during talks with the kingdom's crown prince, Sudan's military council said Friday.

General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy chief of Sudan's transitional military council, met with Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, the official Saudi Press Agency reported earlier in the day.

"Sudan is standing with the kingdom against all threats and attacks from Iran and Huthi militias," Dagalo, widely known as Himeidti, told the crown prince during their meeting, the council said in a statement.

A Saudi-led military coalition, which includes Sudan, backs an internationally recognised government against the Iran-aligned Huthi rebel group in Yemen's conflict.

Himeidti also said the military council would continue deploying Sudanese troops to Yemen as part of the coalition.

It was Dagalo's first international trip since Sudan's army generals took power after they backed protesters in ousting longtime-president Omar al-Bashir last month.

The statement, the council's first major foreign policy announcement, represents a continuation of the deposed leader's policy.

Bashir deployed troops to Yemen in 2015 as part of a major foreign policy shift that saw Khartoum break its decades-old ties with Iran and switch to supporting Tehran's main regional rival Saudi Arabia.

"The Sudanese forces will remain in Yemen to defend the security of Saudi Arabia," Himeidti said, according to the statement.

Hundreds of Sudanese soldiers and officers are fighting in Yemen and have often suffered casualties, spurring calls at home for withdrawal.

Sudanese media reports claim that many of the troops deployed in Yemen are from the Rapid Support Force (RSF) paramilitary group, which is led by Himeidti and is now part of the regular army.

- 'Civil Disobedience' -

Days after Bashir was ousted, oil-rich Gulf states Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pledged to inject $500 million into Sudan's central bank and $2.5 billion to help provide food, medicine and petroleum products.

They said the move was aimed at shoring up the Sudanese pound.

In recent years Sudan has been hit by an acute lack of dollars, a key factor behind the nationwide protests that first erupted in December and led to Bashir's political demise.

Both Gulf nations have voiced backing for Sudan's military rulers, who face calls from protesters and Western powers to cede power to a civilian transitional government.

Protesters remain camped outside the army headquarters in central Khartoum, demanding that the generals step down.

"We will not give up any of our rights ... we do not care if he (Himeidti) follows the Saudi agenda or even the Egyptian agenda," protester Omar Ibrahim told AFP after offering Friday prayers at the sit-in.

"We only want a civilian government and if they (the generals) refuse we will go for civil disobedience and a general strike."

Talks between protest leaders and generals have stalled over forming a new ruling body that would be tasked with installing a civilian government.

The generals insist it should be led by a military officer and protest leaders demand it be headed by a civilian.

On Thursday, protest leaders said they would seek advice from demonstrators on how to break the talks deadlock.

They have also threatened a general strike, but no date for such a strike has been announced.Many Syrian refugees in Lebanon live under squalid conditions in informal refugee camps

Lebanon has "summarily deported" at least 16 Syrians, some of them registered refugees, by forcing them to sign "voluntary repatriation forms," human rights groups said on Friday.

Lebanon hosts nearly one million Syrian refugees -- a significant burden for a country of four million people -- and there has been mounting pressure for them to go home even though the UN says many areas remain unsafe.

The 16 were all removed to Syria on April 26 after they arrived at Beirut airport, Human Rights Watch and four other groups said in a joint report.

Most of them were sent back to Lebanon after they were barred from entering Cyprus via Turkey, quashing their plans to seek asylum, it said.

At least five were registered with the United Nations refugee agency, it added.

"Lebanese authorities shouldn't deport anyone to Syria without first allowing them a fair opportunity to argue their case for protection," said HRW's acting Middle East director, Lama Fakih.

The report said around 30 Syrians have been deported from Beirut airport this year by Lebanon's General Security agency.

The rights groups say some 74 percent of Syrians in lebanon lack legal residency and are at risk of detention.

The latest deportees said they were "pressured" by General Security officers at the airport into signing documents stating that they were "voluntarily" returning to Syria.

"My biggest fears returning to Syria are that I would be conscripted and have to fight, or that I would be arrested because the regime has me on a wanted list or because of a case of mistaken identity," the report quoted one of the deportees as saying.

"If I wasn't scared of arrest, I wouldn't have left Syria in the first place."

General Security estimates that over 170,000 Syrian refugees returned home from Lebanon between December 2017 and March 2019.

Despite some returns, the United Nations says the country as a whole remains unsafe for large-scale repatriations.

Local media in Lebanon have reported that the Supreme Defence Council, whose decisions are not made public, recently instructed General Security to deport all Syrians who have entered the country illegally.

The official NNA news agency, quoting a "security report", said Friday that Lebanese authorities had deported 301 Syrians between May 7 and May 20.

Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions inside Syria and abroad since starting in March 2011 with a crackdown on anti-government demonstrations.Talks between Sudan's ruling military council and protesters are deadlocked over who should lead a new governing body -- a civilian or an officer

Sudan's protest leaders have called for a two-day general strike starting Tuesday amid deadlock in talks with the ruling army generals on installing civilian rule, the key demand of demonstrators.

The umbrella protest movement, which led nationwide demonstrations against longtime leader Omar al-Bashir that led to his ouster on April 11, is at odds with the generals over the forming of a new governing body.

"There is no longer any alternative to using the weapon of a general strike," the Alliance for Freedom and Change said in a statement Friday.

It said the strike, affecting "public and private institutions and companies", would be accompanied by civil disobedience and was "an act of peaceful resistance with which we have been forced to proceed".

Talks between the protest leaders and generals have been suspended since Monday after a disagreement over who should lead the new authority -- a civilian or an officer.

The generals who seized power after Bashir was toppled have resisted calls from the demonstrators and the international community to step down.

- Meeting demonstrators -

The protest alliance said that on Saturday its leaders will hold meetings with demonstrators at the sit-in outside the military headquarters to consult the demonstrators on how to end the deadlock in talks with the generals.

Thousands of protesters remain camped at the sit-in demanding that the generals who seized power after ousting Bashir step down.

The Alliance for Freedom and Change has also called for rallies from residential areas in Khartoum heading towards the sit-in on Sunday.

On Thursday, employees of several companies as well as government institutions, including the central bank, held spontaneous demonstrations in parts of the capital in support of the protest movement.

Several rounds of talks have so far failed to finalise the makeup of the new ruling body, with both the generals and protest leaders insisting on their demands.

Western nations like the United States, Britain and Norway have consistently called on the generals to hand over power to a civilian administration, while the ruling army council has received support from regional allies like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Days after Bashir was ousted, oil-rich Gulf states Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pledged to inject $500 million into Sudan's central bank and $2.5 billion to help provide food, medicine and petroleum products.

They said the move was aimed at shoring up the Sudanese pound.

In recent years Sudan has been hit by an acute lack of dollars, a key factor behind the nationwide protests that first erupted in December and led to the toppling of Bashir.

But the Western troika, which has previously been involved in mediation in Sudanese conflicts, reiterated this week that the two sides reach an agreement urgently.

"Any outcome that does not result in the formation of a government that is civilian-led, placing primary authority for governing with civilians, will not respond to the clearly expressed will of the Sudanese people for a transition to civilian rule," the United States, Britain and Norwary said in a joint statement.

"This will complicate international engagement, and make it harder for our countries to work with the new authorities and support Sudan's economic development."US President Donald Trump says the deployment of 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East is a "protective" move

The United States said it was deploying 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East to counter "credible threats" from Iran in a move denounced by Tehran on Saturday as "a threat to international peace".

"Increased US presence in our region is very dangerous and a threat to international peace and security and must be confronted," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told the official IRNA news agency.

The escalation of the US military presence follows a decision in early May to send an aircraft carrier strike force and B-52 bombers in a show of force against what Washington's leaders believed was an imminent Iranian plan to attack US assets.

And it comes as the Trump administration is planning to bypass congressional restrictions to sell arms to Saudi Arabia, a close US ally and Iran's arch-enemy in the region.

"This is a prudent response to credible threats from Iran," acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Friday.

President Donald Trump, who approved the deployment, called it "protective."

"We want to have protection in the Middle East," Trump told reporters as he prepared to set off on a trip to Japan.

"We're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective," Trump added. "It'll be about 1,500 people."

- Fighter jets, missile battalion -

The new deployment includes reconnaissance aircraft, fighter jets and engineers. Six hundred of the personnel belong to a Patriot missile defense battalion that had its deployment in the region extended.

Washington has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln and B-52 bombers in a show of force

Pentagon officials said the move was necessary after multiple threatening actions and several small-in-scope attacks in May by Iranian forces, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and "proxy" forces.

Those include a rocket launched into the Green Zone in Baghdad, explosive devices that damaged four tankers in Fujairah near the entrance to the Gulf, and a Houthi drone attack against a Saudi oil installation.

Iran has denied involvement in any of the attacks.

"Americans make such claims to justify their hostile policies and to create tension in the Persian Gulf," Zarif said.

The initial threat came at the beginning of May, according to Rear Admiral Michael Gilday, director of the Pentagon's Joint Staff.

The US caught the IRGC attempting to covertly deploy "modified dhows capable of launching cruise missiles," he said, referring to small traditional boats.

"We view this as a campaign," Gilday told reporters.

The moves "are all part of a dangerous and escalatory strategy by Iran to threaten global trade and to destabilize the region."

- 'Highest levels' -

"We believe with a high degree of confidence that this stems back to the leadership of Iran at the highest levels, and that all of the attacks... have been attributed to Iran through their proxies or their forces," Gilday said, citing still-secret US intelligence.

US officials said the aim of the deployment was both to extend greater protection to the 70,000 US forces in the Middle East and Afghanistan, and to deliver a message to Iran to refrain from attacks.

"We think that through a combination of a very measured deployment of assets as well as public messaging, we are again trying to underscore that we are not seeking hostilities with Iran," he said.

Gilday said the US moves have had some impact. When Washington first learned of Tehran's alleged intent to launch attacks, it delivered a stern warning to Tehran "within hours" through an unnamed third party.

Since then, the threat of the missile-bearing dhows appears to have subsided.

- 'No strategy' -

However, the Trump administration continues to draw criticism that it has not clearly shown the need for an escalation.

Members of Congress were also angered that Trump was overriding their block on delivery of lethal weapons to the Saudis.

"More tactics with absolutely no strategy," tweeted Democratic Senator Chris Murphy.

"All that is happening now is escalatory move after escalatory move. Trump has ZERO plan for how this ends, and that should scare the hell out of everyone."

But Pentagon officials stressed that the US does not seek war with Iran.

"We do not see these additional capabilities as encouraging hostilities. We see them as defensive in nature," said acting Assistant Secretary of Defense Katie Wheelbarger.

"Our policy remains an economic and diplomatic effort to bring Iran back to the negotiating table to encourage a comprehensive deal that addresses the range of their destabilizing behavior in the region."Disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein (C) -- seen at his last court appearance on April 26, 2019 -- is due to go on trial for sex assault in September 2019

Harvey Weinstein and his former studio partners have reportedly reached a tentative settlement with women who filed civil suits against the disgraced film mogul for sexual harassment, but the multi-million-dollar deal will not forestall his criminal trial, set for September.

Under the proposed deal, millions of dollars would go to Weinstein's accusers -- the first compensation for the women who galvanized the #MeToo movement -- and creditors of his former studio.

The agreement, reported by several US news outlets, is expected to go before a bankruptcy judge handling the Weinstein Company case on June 4 for final approval.

The details of the deal, which would put an end to a year of legal wrangling, have yet to be revealed.

Weinstein, 67, was once one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, producing Oscar-winning hits such as "Shakespeare In Love" and "The English Patient."

But it all came crashing down in October 2017, when allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced. Weinstein has now been accused of harassment and assault by more than 80 women.

- 'Long, complex process' -

Hollywood magazine Variety and other organizations have cited sources close to the situation indicating that $30 million would go to Weinstein's numerous women accusers as well as the studio's creditors.

Another $14 million would pay for the legal fees of his studio partners, who have been named as co-defendants in several of the suits.

The funds are to be paid out by insurance agencies, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The hope is that the settlement will globally resolve the civil complaints targeting the studio, including one filed by New York state's attorney general for failing to keep employees safe.

"It's been a long, complex process, and we do feel this settlement provides a measure of justice though it's not everything one might hope for," said Aaron Filler, an attorney for one of the complainants, actress Paz De La Huerta.

For Bennett Gershman, a former prosecutor and professor of law at Pace University, the apparent deal is "a victory for the women who claimed abuse."

But it's likely also good news for Weinstein and especially his company, which no longer has any ties to him and can henceforth "put this major lawsuit behind them... they can move on."

But actress Ashley Judd, one of the first women to publicly accuse Weinstein of misconduct, stressed Friday she was not dropping her case against him.

A Los Angeles judge in January dismissed Judd's sexual harassment lawsuit but said she can move forward with allegations Weinstein defamed her and damaged her career.

"Ashley Judd's case against Harvey Weinstein is ongoing and we intend to bring it to trial. She is not a party of any settlement," a tweet on the actress's Twitter account said.

- Symbolic effect on criminal trial? -

As for the criminal trial, due to begin on September 9 in New York, Gershman said the civil settlement would have little effect.

Weinstein has been charged over the alleged assaults of two women -- a rape and an incident of forced oral sex. He faces life in prison if convicted.

The civil settlement -- which could largely remain sealed -- is unlikely to include any admission of guilt by Weinstein or his business associates, as such statements could be used in court, Gershman said.

So any impact would be mainly "symbolic in the sense that they have agreed to pay a lot of money... which seems to imply that they did something wrong," the professor noted.

That could potentially sway jurors called to rule on Weinstein's guilt.

But the settlement is not all rosy for prosecutors, explains Julie Rendelman, another New York attorney.

If any of the women involved in the settlement are called to testify, Weinstein's defense team could seek to discredit them as solely in it for the money.

For now, prosecutors have not revealed who they plan to add to the witness list for the trial, which is expected to last up to six weeks.

Last month, at a hearing held behind closed doors, lawyers from both sides discussed the list of potential prosecution witnesses with the judge.

The judge hinted that a ruling may not come until the start of the trial.

Testimony from five accusers was allowed at the retrial of disgraced comedian Bill Cosby on sex assault charges. Like Weinstein, he had dozens of accusers, but faced criminal charges in only one case.

Cosby was sentenced last year to at least three years in prison.Jake Thomas Patterson, 21, is pictured in this police booking photo released on January 11, 2019, by the Barron County Sheriff's Department in Wisconsin

Calling him the "embodiment of evil," a US judge on Friday sentenced a 21-year-old man to life in prison for murdering a couple in their home in order to kidnap their 13-year-old daughter.

Jake Patterson pleaded guilty in March to first degree murder and kidnapping for shooting dead James and Denise Closs in their rural Wisconsin home last October.

He broke into the home planning to kill the couple so that there would be no witnesses to his kidnapping their daughter Jayme, whom he had earlier seen boarding a school bus.

Despite a nationwide search, the young girl spent three months in captivity until she made a daring escape -- running to a neighbor near the rural cabin where Patterson lived and had kept her locked away under his bed.

In handing down the maximum sentence of life without parole, Judge James Babler rejected defense attorneys' pleas for the possibility of parole in several decades' time.

He pointed to Patterson's statements in jail in which he allegedly admitted to fantasies of kidnapping multiple girls and killing their families in order to give meaning to his isolated life.

This photo provided by Jennifer Smith shows 13-year-old Jayme Closs (R), her aunt/godmother Jennifer Naiberg Smith (L) and Molly the dog posing together after being reunited on January 11, 2019

"There is no doubt in my mind that you are one of the most dangerous men to ever walk on this planet," Babler said in the two-hour, emotionally charged court proceeding.

"You are the embodiment of evil, and the public can only be safe if you are incarcerated until you die," he added.

The hearing was the first time the public heard from Jayme, through a victim impact statement read by attorney Chris Gramstrup.

"It's too hard for me to go out in public. I get scared and I get anxious," Closs wrote, asking the judge for the maximum sentence.

Patterson, who often shook his head as the prosecution and the judge described his actions and statements, apologized for his crimes.

"I'll just say that I would do like absolutely anything to take back what I did," Patterson said, his voice breaking. "I don't care about me. I'm just so sorry."Beecham has spent most of her career in supporting roles

Britain's Emily Beecham has been catapulted into the movie big time by winning best actress at the Cannes film festival for playing an enigmatic scientist in "Little Joe".

Beecham, who has spent most of her career in supporting roles, was a surprise choice for the award for her performance as a botanist working on a flower that gives off a scent so ambrosial it makes people euphoric just to sniff it.

Indeed she admitted that she was so shocked that "I forgot to pack my toothbrush" when she received a call, after she'd left Cannes, telling her to come back and pick up the prize.

But while Beecham's rise has hardly been meteoric, the 35-year-old has been marked out as a talent to watch for a decade, winning best actress awards at both the Edinburgh and London Independent film festivals for one of her first films, "The Calling", in 2009.

Her big break came two years ago playing what Variety called "one of the more unpleasant characters in recent memory", a misanthropic young woman who witnesses a stabbing in Peter Mackie Burns' arthouse gem, "Daphne".

That helped consolidate the reputation the Manchester-born actress had won for a stream of British television roles including in the award-winning series "The Unforgiven", and the even more acclaimed "The Village", where she played opposite Maxine Peake and John Simm in the gritty historical rural drama.

- Martial arts queen -

Doors really began to open up for her in the United States, her mother's homeland, after she landed a small part in the Coen brothers 2016 sword and sandals send-up, "Hail, Caesar!"

By then she had landed the role of The Widow in the US martial arts action series, "Into the Badland".

Beecham caught the acting bug at her posh British school

Although her father is a pilot, she caught the acting bug at her school, the elite Hurtwood House in Surrey, which bills itself as "the most exciting school in England".

It is also the alma mater of the "Mary Poppins" star Emily Blunt and Princess Sarah Zeid of Jordan.

Beecham told AFP that she jumped at the chance to work with the highly-rated "Little Joe" director Jessica Hausner.

"She's one of the only female directors I've worked with so far. She's extraordinary," Beecham said of the Austrian, who was vying for Cannes top prize, the Palme d'Or.

"But I'm noticing more scripts and things come through with female directors attached. It's brilliant."

- Smart women -

The actress, who played opposite fellow Briton and "Mary Poppins" star Ben Whishaw and New Zealander Kerry Fox in the movie, said she was "profoundly inspired" by the French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier and the naturalist Jane Goodall as she researched her role.

"One thing they both talked about -- Jane Goodall discussed it specifically -- is that her relationship with her family interfered with her research. She kind of had to put (her family) on the back burner and put the chimpanzees in the forefront."

Beecham said that she tried to work the pain of that into her character, a senior researcher in a biotech firm in the UK of the near future.

Hausner said she wanted to explore how "crazy" becomes a label used to keep women down.

"I was always fascinated by the films about crazy women. I felt that male perspective and I thought 'Yeah, but what's so crazy about them?'" she said.

"The 'craziness' of women is actually the very interesting point about them because I think it's also about being sensitive and intelligent."

Beecham told AFP after she won the prize that she was drawn to Hausner after seeing her previous film "Lourdes", set in the French town where some Catholics believe the Virgin Mary appeared.

"So I loved her work already. Ben Whishaw was attached and I read the script and it was unquestionably a great project to be involved in and I really wanted to do it," she said.WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House's top economic adviser has acknowledged that U.S. consumers and businesses pay the tariffs that the Trump administration has imposed on billions of dollars of Chinese goods, even as President Trump himself insisted in a tweet, incorrectly, that China pays.

Chris Wallace, host of "Fox News Sunday," asked him, "It's U.S. businesses and U.S. consumers who pay, correct?"

"Yes, I don't disagree with that," said Larry Kudlow, the head of the president's National Economic Council.

Kudlow added, "Both sides will pay," but he stipulated that China "will suffer (economic) losses" from reduced exports to the U.S., not from paying the tariffs.

Kudlow's admission contradicts many of Trump's comments and tweets to the effect that Chinese companies pay the tariffs in what amounts, in the president's view, to a massive transfer of wealth to the United States from China. Yet almost no economist has agreed with Trump's view and fact-checkers routinely brand Trump's assertion false and point out that American importers of goods from China pay the tariffs.

Trump has also asserted that trade wars are "easy to win," but Kudlow accepted that they come with costs for the U.S. economy, though he downplayed the impact.

A worker walks near truck trailers and cargo containers, Friday, May 10, 2019, at the Port of Tacoma in Tacoma, Wash. U.S. and Chinese negotiators resumed trade talks Friday under increasing pressure after President Donald Trump raised tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods and Beijing promised to retaliate. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

On Friday, the Trump administration raised duties on $200 billion of Chinese imports to 25% from 10%, after charging that China had backtracked on commitments it made earlier in the talks. The administration has already hit $50 billion of additional Chinese goods with 25% duties.

Later Sunday, Trump reiterated his view in a tweet: "We will be taking in Tens of Billions of Dollars in Tariffs from China. Buyers of product can make it themselves in the USA (ideal), or buy it from non-Tariffed countries."

Yet Carl Weinberg, chief international economist at High Frequency Economics, a forecasting firm, pointed out that many goods made in China aren't manufactured elsewhere. That's why many U.S. importers have little choice but to pay the tariff.

"So if you need that new iPad, it is you who will be paying the import duty, not some worker in China," Weinberg wrote in a research note.

Trump has also threatened to impose import taxes on the remaining $300 billion in Chinese imports, a step that Kudlow estimated would take several months to implement.

Imposing those tariffs would impact a wide range of consumer goods - clothes, shoes, toys, and electronics such as iPhones - that have been mostly exempted so far and could prompt steep cost increases that many Americans would likely notice.

Kudlow, however, said the economic impact of placing tariffs on all Chinese imports would be to cut economic growth 0.2 percentage points, "a very modest number."

Independent economists, though, think the impact would be larger. Gregory Daco, an economist at Oxford Economics, estimates it would reduce U.S. growth by a half percentage point and cost 300,000 jobs.

Kudlow also said the U.S. is awaiting retaliation from China over the increased tariffs, after talks in Washington ended on Friday without a deal.

"The expected countermeasures have not yet materialized. We may know more today or even this evening or tomorrow," he told "Fox News Sunday."

Both sides have indicated that future talks are likely. Kudlow said on Sunday that Chinese officials have invited U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to visit Beijing, though nothing has been scheduled.

Kudlow also said that Trump and China's President, Xi Jingping, may meet in late June at the G-20 international conference in Japan.

On Saturday, Trump tweeted that he thought that "China felt they were being beaten so badly in the recent negotiation that they may as well wait around for the next election, 2020, to see if they could get lucky & have a Democrat win."

Beijing retaliated for previous tariff hikes by raising duties on $110 billion of American imports. And officials have targeted American companies operating in China by slowing customs clearance and stepping up regulatory scrutiny.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told ABC's "This Week" that he advised the president to finalize a trade deal with China soon, "because the longer we're involved in a tariff battle or a trade war, the better chance there is that we could actually enter into a recession because of it."

The two countries are sparring over U.S. allegations that China steals technology and pressures American companies into handing over trade secrets, part of an aggressive campaign to turn Chinese companies into world leaders in robotics, electric cars and other advanced industries.

FILE - In this May 3, 2019, file photo, White House chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow speaks with reporters outside the White House in Washington. The White House's top economic adviser, Kudlow, acknowledged Sunday, May 12, that U.S. consumers and businesses pay the tariffs that the Trump administration has imposed on billions of dollars of Chinese goods, even as President Trump himself insisted in a tweet, incorrectly, that China pays. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, second from left, and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, right, speak with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, left, as he departs the Office of the United States Trade Representative in Washington, Friday, May 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

John Deere Agricultural machinery made by Deere & Company sits staged for transport, Friday, May 10, 2019, near cranes at the Port of Tacoma in Tacoma, Wash. U.S. and Chinese negotiators resumed trade talks Friday under increasing pressure after President Donald Trump raised tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods and Beijing promised to retaliate. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The Latest on alleged sabotage of ships off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (all times local):

6:15 p.m.

The owners of a Norwegian-flagged oil tanker say their vessel sustained a hole in its hull from "an unknown object" while off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, amid what Gulf officials describe as sabotage targeting ships there.

Thome Ship Management said in a statement Monday that the MT Andrea Victory was still off the coast of Fujairah and was "not in any danger of sinking."

It said the rear section of the ship was hit by the object on Sunday.

It added its sailors were supporting local authorities and were conducting a full inspection of the vessel.

A fisherman prepares his boat near an oil storage tank in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Saudi Arabia said Monday two of its oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates near Fujairah in attacks that caused "significant damage" to the vessels, one of them as it was en route to pick up Saudi oil to take to the United States. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

Saudi Arabia said earlier Monday that two of its oil tankers also were targeted in "sabotage operations" off the UAE coast, with one of them as it was en route to pick up Saudi oil to take to the United States.

___

12:45 p.m.

The head of the Arab League has condemned attacks that targeted vessels off the coast of the United Arab Emirates the previous day, including two Saudi oil tankers, as "criminal acts."

Ahmed Aboul-Gheit said in a statement on Monday that these acts are a "serious violation of the freedom and integrity of trade and maritime transport routes."

He says the Arab League stands by the UAE and Saudi Arabia "in all measures taken to safeguard their security and interests."

___

11:40 a.m.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry is condemning "acts of sabotage" that targeted two of its oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman near the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

A ministry statement published on the state-run Saudi Press Agency on Monday, said "this criminal act poses a serious threat to the security and safety of maritime traffic, which reflects negatively on regional and international peace and security."

It added that Saudi Arabia stands alongside the UAE "in all measures taken to safeguard its security and interests." The kingdom says the unspecified act of sabotage did not lead to any casualties or oil spill.

Earlier, SPA also quoted the Saudi minister of energy, Khalid Al-Falih, as saying the attack on Sunday aims to undermine the freedom of maritime navigation, and the "security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world."

He also emphasized the "joint responsibility of the international community to protect" the safety of maritime navigation and the security of oil tankers.

___

9:10 a.m.

Iran's Foreign Ministry is calling for clarification about what happened with two Saudi oil tankers that the kingdom said were targeted in a "sabotage attack" off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Monday expressed concerns over the incident that affected the oil tankers and said there should be more information about what exactly happened.

He says the security of shipping and maritime transport in the region is of paramount importance.

The state-run IRNA news agency also quoted Mousavi on Monday as cautioning against any "conspiracy orchestrated by ill-wishers" and "adventurism by foreigners" to undermine the region's stability and security.

___

7:30 a.m.

Saudi Arabia's energy minister says two Saudi oil tankers were targeted in a "sabotage attack" off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and sustained "significant damage."

Khalid Al-Falih made the comments in a statement carried early Monday by the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

He said the two tankers were targeted off the coast of Fujairah.

He said one tanker was en route to the kingdom to be loaded with Saudi crude oil to send to the United States.

He did not identify the tankers.

He said: "Fortunately, the attack didn't lead to any casualties or oil spill; however, it caused significant damage to the structures of the two vessels."

The UAE on Sunday said an alleged sabotage attack targeted four boats, without elaborating or naming suspects.

___

7 a.m.

The U.S. has issued a new alert to maritime traffic over alleged "acts of sabotage" of ships off the coast of the United Arab Emirates amid heightened regional tensions between American and Iran.

The U.S. Maritime Administration, which stressing the incidents had not been confirmed, warned shippers early Monday to exercise caution when traveling past Fujairah, a port city on the eastern edge of the United Arab Emirates on the Gulf of Oman.

It gave coordinates of the alleged sabotage, putting it just north of Fujairah.

The UAE on Sunday said the sabotage targeted four boats, without elaborating or naming suspects. It came just hours after Iranian and Lebanese media outlets aired false reports of explosions at the nearby Emirati port in Fujairah, which bunkers and ships oil.

A fishing boat sails in waters off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Saudi Arabia said Monday two of its oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates near Fujairah in attacks that caused "significant damage" to the vessels, one of them as it was en route to pick up Saudi oil to take to the United States. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

An Emirati coast guard vessel passes an oil tanker off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Saudi Arabia said Monday two of its oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates near Fujairah in attacks that caused "significant damage" to the vessels, one of them as it was en route to pick up Saudi oil to take to the United States. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)WASHINGTON (AP) - Top Republicans are searching district-by-district for just the right candidates - women and political newcomers in many cases - to help them recapture the House, six months after a political tidal wave swept Democrats into control with the most diverse majority in history.

Recruits include one of the few Republican women in the Oklahoma state Senate and a black political novice from Houston with Iraq combat experience and three Ivy League degrees on his resume. They are part of a GOP drive to gain at least 18 seats in the 2020 elections to win the majority - historically a tall order for the party out of power in presidential election years.

Finding women and minority candidates is an imperative for an overwhelmingly white GOP openly embarrassed that just 13 of its 197 House members are women. By contrast, 89 of the 235 House Democrats are women and nearly 90 are black or Hispanic.

But Republicans want challengers with other qualities too, following a 2018 election that saw the GOP lose 31 districts that President Donald Trump had won just two years earlier, many in moderate suburbs.

Desirable attributes include an ability to woo moderate GOP voters who've turned against Trump, whose name will be atop the ballot. In some districts they want political outsiders without voting records to attack, in others it's political veterans with a proven ability to win votes. Enticing personal stories and an aptitude for raising money also help.

"You will see a party that's reflective of the entire nation. That would mean from gender to race to others, but it will also show that we can compete in every single district," said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

FILE - In this Jan. 15, 2019, file photo, New Jersey Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. , R-Westfield, addresses reporters in Trenton, N.J. Top Republicans are hunting district-by-district for just the right candidates to help them recapture the House, six months after a tidal wave swept 62 Democratic freshmen into office and handed that party control of the chamber. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

Democrats scoff that GOP efforts will flop because Americans care less about candidates' attributes than about issues like buttressing health care and wages.

"You can have all the interesting stories in the world, you can have an interesting background," said Rep. A. Donald McEachin, D-Va., a candidate recruiter for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, House Democrats' political organ. He added, "They are a party in the wilderness right now and they are deluding themselves - 2020 is going to be a lot about Trump."

GOP leaders are boosting potential challengers including Young Kim, who wants a rematch against the freshman Democrat who badly outspent her but only narrowly defeated her last year in increasingly diverse Orange County, California; Karen Handel, elected to the House in an expensive 2017 special election, only to lose re-election last November by 3,000 votes; and Tom Kean Jr., who's seeking a House seat in western New Jersey and hopes the popularity of his father, moderate former Gov. Tom Kean, will outweigh the state's antipathy to Trump.

McCarthy says he's met with over 30 contenders, of whom nearly 6 in 10 are women and nearly half are minorities. Rep. Susan Brooks, R-Ind., recruitment chief for the National Republican Congressional Committee, the House GOP's campaign arm, says more than 130 women have contacted the committee about running. One group called Winning for Women and another, E-PAC, formed by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., are also seeking female GOP candidates.

So far, Republicans haven't matched Democrats' ability to attract women candidates. According to data collected by The Associated Press through noon last Monday, just 38 of 172 declared Republican House challengers were women, around 1 in 5. That compared to 84 of 222 declared House Democratic challengers, nearly 2 in 5.

Democrats are already compiling GOP recruits' weaknesses, including past statements, underwhelming fundraising starts and districts' changing demographics. And there are no guarantees that Republican recruits will survive GOP primaries and be nominated.

Still, Republican leaders are finding contenders like Wesley Hunt, a black West Point graduate and former Army Apache helicopter pilot who fought in Iraq and has three Cornell University master's degrees. He would oppose freshman Rep. Lizzie Fletcher in Houston's suburbs.

"As an African-American conservative man who grew up in a conservative suburban home, my values just align very well with the suburbs of Houston," said Hunt, 37. He traveled to Washington last week so McCarthy could introduce him to potential donors in his first run for public office.

"You're a West Point graduate, you served your nation. That's going to give somebody an advantage over somebody that's been in the legislature," McCarthy said.

In other areas, Republicans hope women like Oklahoma GOP state Sen. Stephanie Bice would oust female Democrats like freshman Rep. Kendra Horn. Horn squeaked past a male GOP incumbent last November in a district around Oklahoma City that Trump carried in 2016 by 40,000 votes.

"I get the impression that they're really interested," said Bice, 45, who's already spoken with McCarthy and other Republican leaders.

In one district encompassing Staten Island and part of Brooklyn, GOP leaders are touting Nicole Malliotakis, a state assemblywoman and New York City's only elected Republican. She's half Cuban and half Greek, lost a 2017 mayoral race but did well in that district and has reported raising $300,000 - a decent start in a race that could cost nearly 20 times that amount.

Republican leaders expect Sara Hart Weir, 37, to seek a House district that includes Kansas City, Kansas. Weir until recently was president of the National Down Syndrome Society, which gives her fundraising experience and familiarity with health issues. She says she's met McCarthy and spoken to nearly every GOP congresswoman. She'd challenge freshman Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids, one of Congress' first Native American women.

"I don't see why they wouldn't want somebody with my background, my results and my leadership to raise their hand and step forward," Weir said.

___

Ryan Dubicki and Lauren Johnert of the AP Election Research and Quality Control team in New York contributed to this report.

FILE - In this Jan. 15, 2019, file photo, Rep. Susan Brooks, R-Ind., joined by, from back left, Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, speaks to reporters outside the West Wing following a meeting with President Donald Trump about border security at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)WARSAW, Poland (AP) - The Polish government canceled a visit by an Israeli delegation that had been planned for Monday, saying the Israeli government made last-minute changes that suggested it would focus on the issue of the restitution of former Jewish property.

The delegation was to have been headed by Avi Cohen-Scali, director general of the Israeli Ministry for Social Equality, Poland's Foreign Ministry said as it announced the cancellation Sunday.

It said without elaborating that "the Israeli side made last-minute changes in the composition of the delegation suggesting that the talks would primarily focus on the issues related to property restitution."

The issue of former Jewish property in Poland is emerging as an emotional issue during campaigning before European elections this month and national elections in the fall.

Poland was once home to 3.3 million Jews, but most were murdered by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. Their properties were often looted by Germans and later nationalized by the communist regime. The World Jewish Restitution Organization has been seeking compensation on behalf of families who lost property.

On Saturday, thousands of nationalists marched in Warsaw to the U.S. Embassy to protest Washington's pressure on Poland to settle the outstanding matter of unpaid restitution.

Thousands of Polish nationalists march to the U.S. Embassy, in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, May 11, 2019. Thousands of Polish nationalists have marched to the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, protesting that the U.S. is putting pressure on Poland to compensate Jews whose families lost property during the Holocaust. The protesters included far-right groups and their supporters. They said the United States has no right to interfere in Polish affairs and that the U.S. government is putting "Jewish interests" over the interests of Poland. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Poland was occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II, suffering extensive material losses, and those protesting argued that it isn't fair to ask Poland to compensate Jewish victims when the country has never received adequate compensation from Germany.

But Gideon Taylor, head of the World Jewish Restitution Organization, told The Associated Press on Monday that there is a huge misconception about his organization's campaign and it is being manipulated for political reasons.

"The reality is that Poland was a victim country. But what we are talking about here is not property that the Nazis confiscated. We are talking about confiscation after the war, after the Holocaust by the communist government," Taylor said. "We are not seeking what was taken by the Germans. We are seeking compensation for what was taken by Poland and I think this issue has been lost."

Poland is the only European Union country that hasn't passed legislation regulating the compensation or restitution of property lost as a result of the war and communism. A string of Polish governments has said that it can't afford to do so.

Poland's right-wing government had been vowing to made demands on Germany and saying that it wouldn't pay any compensation for Jewish claims.

The nationalists who protested on Saturday said that Poland would be forced to give $300 billion to Jewish organizations.

Taylor said that this number is based "on nothing."

"Our priority is to deal with people who have individual claims," he said. "No one has any idea what the value of the properties is. What we want is a fair process that would address it. We are not looking for a sum of money."

___

Aron Heller in Jerusalem contributed to this report.BAGHDAD (AP) - The U.S. Embassy in Iraq is advising U.S. citizens against traveling to the country amid what it called "heightened tensions," reflecting worsening strains between Washington and Tehran.

The advisory was posted on Twitter on Sunday night. The U.S. has long advised its citizens against travel to Iraq, but the renewed warning followed Washington's deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf in response to unspecified "threats" by Iran.

The warning follows a surprise visit to Baghdad by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week which he said was aimed at demonstrating U.S. support for the Iraqi government, as the U.S. says it has been picking up intelligence that Iran is threatening American interests in the Middle East.

During his visit, Pompeo also said he wanted to underscore Iraq's need to protect Americans in the country.

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have rocketed since President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the 2015 nuclear treaty with Iran and re-imposed severe sanctions on Iran's energy and finance sectors.

The strain has tested Iraq's leaders as they try to balance relations between the two rivals. Iraq sees billions of dollars in cross-border trade with Iran and has close ties with Tehran after it stepped in to fill the political vacuum following the 2003 U.S. invasion.

But Iraq is also host to more than 5,000 U.S. servicemen and women invited by the Iraqi parliament in 2014 to assist in the war against the Islamic State group.STOCKHOLM (AP) - Swedish prosecutors said Monday they are reopening a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and will seek his extradition from Britain.

The move sets up a legal battle with the United States, where the Australian computer hacker is separately wanted for allegedly hacking into a Pentagon computer. British authorities will have to decide which extradition request takes precedence.

Assange, who sought refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2012 to avoid being sent to Sweden for questioning, was evicted last month after Ecuador revoked his political asylum. He was arrested by British police on April 11 and is currently in London's Belmarsh Prison serving a 50-week sentence for jumping bail in 2012.

Eva-Marie Persson, Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions, told a news conference in Stockholm Monday that "there is still a probable cause to suspect that Assange committed a rape." She added: "It is my assessment that a new questioning of Assange is required."

Swedish prosecutors filed preliminary charges - a step short of formal charges - against Assange after he visited the country in 2010, following complaints from two Swedish women who said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange.

While a case of alleged sexual misconduct was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelf it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden.

FILE - In this Wednesday May 1, 2019 file photo, buildings are reflected in the window as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is taken from court, where he appeared on charges of jumping British bail seven years ago, in London. Swedish prosecutors plan to decide whether they will reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

The statute of limitations in that case expires in August next year. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual.

The Australian secret-spiller now faces questioning in Sweden, on top of being held on a U.S. extradition warrant for allegedly conspiring with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to hack into a Pentagon computer.

Assange's Swedish lawyer Per E. Samuelson told The Associated Press on Monday that the decision to reopen the rape case is "outrageous."

"He is in prison in the U.K., he faces the risk of being extradited to the United States and on top of that, to demand that he's going to put all his energy into looking into a 10-year-old story from Sweden is just too much," he said.

But Elisabeth Massi Fritz, the lawyer for the woman who reported being raped by Assange, said her client "feels great gratitude" over the decision to reopening the case.

She said it "signals that no one stands above the law," and that "the legal system in Sweden doesn't give a special treatment to anyone."

Persson said a European arrest warrant will be issued for Assange. A Swedish court would formally issue the extradition request, which Assange could appeal.

She added that while there is a risk the case may cut close to the statute of limitations deadline, "there is also a chance that we will be able to get him extradited before August 17 next year."

Persson said it was "impossible to predict" how the extradition process would unfold.

The 47-year-old Australian met the women in connection with a lecture in August 2010 in Stockholm. One was involved in organizing an event for Sweden's center-left Social Democratic Party and offered to host Assange at her apartment. The other was in the audience.

A police officer who heard the women's accounts decided there was reason to suspect they were victims of sex crimes and handed the case to a prosecutor.

Neither of the alleged victims has been named publicly.

Assange faces a maximum of four years in prison in Sweden.

The British extradition process is not swift, and Assange could appeal several times if decisions go against him. It's expected it would take a year or longer for him to be sent to the United States or possibly to Sweden even if he ultimately loses in court.

WikiLeaks' Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson said the decision to reopen the case against Assange "will give Julian a chance to clear his name."

He said in a statement that Persson had been under "intense political pressure" to reopen the case, and criticized authorities for "mishandling" it from the start.

___

Olsen reported from Copenhagen, Denmark. Gregory Katz contributed from London.

___

This story has been corrected to spell the name of Assange's lawyer as Samuelson, not Samuelsen.

FILE - In this Wednesday May 1, 2019 file photo WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange being taken from court, where he appeared on charges of jumping British bail seven years ago, in London. Swedish prosecutors are to reopen rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

Vice chief prosecutor Eva-Britt speaks at a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, Monday May 13, 2019. Swedish prosecutors are to reopen rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency via AP)

Vice chief prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson speaks at a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, Monday May 13, 2019. Swedish prosecutors are to reopen rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency via AP)

Vice chief prosecutor Eva-Britt speaks at a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, Monday May 13, 2019. Swedish prosecutors plan to say Monday whether they will reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency via AP)KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Three explosions ripped through an Afghan provincial capital, Jalalabad, killing three people and wounding another 20 on Monday. All of the casualties were believed to be civilians, said Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for eastern Nangarhar's governor.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack which came as the United Nations expressed grave concerns about the increase in violence around the country during the first week Ramadan, the ongoing Muslim month of fasting from sunrise to sunset.

Both the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate operate in Nangarhar province. Over the past year, the U.S. has stepped up its air strikes in the area to try to dislodge IS fighters.

The explosions took place in Jalalabad's city center, but the target was not immediately clear.

In a statement earlier Monday, the U.N. Mission in Afghanistan pointed out two major Taliban attacks in the past week - an assault in the capital, Kabul, on a non-governmental agency that killed five and an attack in northern Baghlan province that struck a police headquarters, killing 13 officers.

"There can be absolutely no justification for deliberate or indiscriminate attacks against civilians," Tadamichi Yamamoto, the U.N. secretary-general's special representative, was quoted as saying.

Afghan municipality workers clean a road in front of the damaged buildings, a day after an attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, May 9, 2019. Taliban fighters attacked the offices of a U.S.-based aid organization in the Afghan capital on Wednesday, setting off a huge explosion and battling security forces in an assault, the Interior Ministry said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Late Sunday, Taliban targeted security checkpoints in Afghanistan's northern Sari Pul province, killing at least seven members of the country's security forces, provincial officials said Monday.

The insurgents also abducted two members of the force and left five wounded in the attacks near the provincial capital, said Mohammad Noor Rahmani, head of the provincial council.

The troops were in charge of providing security for fuel wells in the area. Zabi Amani, the provincial governor's spokesman, said four Taliban fighters were killed in what he said was a gunbattle that lasted several hours.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but provincial officials blamed the Taliban insurgents who repeatedly target Afghan security forces in the province.

In recent months, the Taliban have stepped up their attacks, inflicting staggering casualties on Afghan forces, and now hold sway over half the country. The U.S., meanwhile, has accelerated efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the 17-year war - America's longest conflict - and has pressed for direct talks between the Taliban and Kabul.

The Taliban have rejected an offer by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's government for a cease-fire during Ramadan.

___

Associated Press writer Amir Shah in Kabul, Afghanistan, contributed to this report.BERLIN (AP) - Executed for standing up against Adolf Hitler's dictatorship and then denied graves so as not to become a rallying point for others, the partial remains of 300 Nazi resistance fighters were laid to rest Monday in a solemn ceremony in a downtown Berlin cemetery.

The small wooden box lowered into the square granite-edged plot included remains of Erika von Brockdorff, who was beheaded in the Nazis' notorious Ploetzensee Prison on May 13, 1943 - exactly 76 years ago - for her involvement in the famous Red Orchestra resistance movement.

"I'm just happy that there is now this place," reflected her daughter, 81-year-old Saskia von Brockdorff, after sprinkling handfuls of earth into the grave. "We always drove with my sons to Ploetzensee, but that is really a place of execution even if it is not what it was then, and I'm glad I can come here now."

The remains - fragments of tissue - were discovered two years ago by descendants of Hermann Stieve, the former director of the Berlin Institute of Anatomy at the Charite hospital.

Stieve wasn't a member of the Nazi party himself, but was complicit in their crimes, said Johannes Tuchel, director of the German Resistance Memorial Center, who was involved in the investigation into the remains and organizing their burial. Among other things, Stieve reached a deal with Nazi authorities to quickly receive the bodies of victims who had been executed for his research, in exchange for agreeing to leave no traces of their bodies behind.

"The Nazis worried that the graves of the resistance fighters could become martyrs' cemeteries, so to speak, and they wanted to avoid this," Tuchel told The Associated Press.

A cemetery staff member holds a box with the remains of political prisoners of the Nazi regime in Berlin, Germany, Monday, May 13, 2019. Some 300 microscopic tissue samples belonging to resistance fighters, mostly women, who were executed during the Third Reich at Berlin's Ploetzensee prison were buried during a ceremony at the Dorotheen cemetery in Berlin on Monday. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

Stieve's main focus was on female menstrual cycles, and he wrote papers on how stress affected the female reproductive system.

The tissue samples discovered by Stieve's heirs were primarily taken from women, aged 20 to 40, and the doctor would have certainly known that they didn't die of natural causes, Tuchel told relatives and others who packed the small chapel at the Dorotheenstaedtischer Cemetery for a multi-denominational service by Protestant and Catholic priests and a Jewish rabbi before the burial.

"It was clear they were involved in the resistance and were executed for their activities," he said.

Overall, more than 2,800 people were executed by hanging or guillotine at the Ploetzensee prison during the Nazi era.

Not all of the 300 tissue samples, which were on a collection of microscope slides, were identified and Tuchel said the families asked that the names of the identified victims not be released. Von Brockdorff, however, agreed to talk with the AP about her story after the service.

She and more than 15 others sprinkled dirt into the grave, across from a memorial to some of the prominent leaders of the failed 1944 attempt to kill Hitler, while some placed flowers and said silent prayers.

Tuchel praised the courage of the Stieve family for coming forward with their discovery, knowing it would open new discussion and questions about their ancestor, who died in 1952.

"Now we can give those murdered back their dignity," he said.

___

Kirsten Grieshaber contributed to this story.

Saskia von Brockdorff, relative of a political prisoner killed by the Nazi regime, talks during an interview in Berlin, Germany, Monday, May 13, 2019. Some 300 microscopic tissue samples belonging to resistance fighters, mostly women, who were executed during the Third Reich at Berlin's Ploetzensee prison were buried during a ceremony at the Dorotheen cemetery in Berlin on Monday. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

A cemetery staff member holds a box with the remains of political prisoners of the Nazi regime in Berlin, Germany, Monday, May 13, 2019. Some 300 microscopic tissue samples belonging to resistance fighters, mostly women, who were executed during the Third Reich at Berlin's Ploetzensee prison were buried during a ceremony at the Dorotheen cemetery in Berlin on Monday. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

A cemetery staff member lets down a box with the remains of political prisoners of the Nazi regime in Berlin, Germany, Monday, May 13, 2019. Some 300 microscopic tissue samples belonging to resistance fighters, mostly women, who were executed during the Third Reich at Berlin's Ploetzensee prison were buried during a ceremony at the Dorotheen cemetery in Berlin on Monday. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

A cemetery staff member lets down a box with the remains of political prisoners of the Nazi regime in Berlin, Germany, Monday, May 13, 2019. Some 300 microscopic tissue samples belonging to resistance fighters, mostly women, who were executed during the Third Reich at Berlin's Ploetzensee prison were buried during a ceremony at the Dorotheen cemetery in Berlin on Monday. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) - Croatian authorities have advised people to stay indoors Monday after two pedestrians were injured in the capital Zagreb during storms that uprooted trees and brought down traffic lights.

Authorities have restricted traffic on several roads in the country and warned of landslide danger. The gusts were reported to have reached 150 kph (93 mph) in some areas.

In Zagreb, which is not used to such strong winds, firefighters reported 240 deployments in the capital since Sunday evening.

"We have not seen such a storm in the last 45 years," said Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic.

In northwestern Bosnia, heavy rains have swollen rivers, flooding dozens of houses and some roads. Authorities in neighboring Serbia also warned of upcoming heavy rains that could cause small rivers to overflow.

The region was hit by massive flooding in 2014 when dozens of people died and huge areas,

Drago Ban inspects the damage to his car from fallen branches of a tree, in Zagreb, Croatia, Monday May 13, 2019. Stormy winds have uprooted trees, knocked over traffic lights and disrupted traffic in Croatia, injuring two people and prompting authorities on Monday to advise people to stay indoors. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

A group of students walk past cars damaged by fallen branches of a tree, in Zagreb, Croatia, Monday May 13, 2019. Stormy winds have uprooted trees, knocked over traffic lights and disrupted traffic in Croatia, injuring two people and prompting authorities on Monday to advise people to stay indoors. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

A car drives past fallen branches of a tree, in Zagreb, Croatia, Monday May 13, 2019. Stormy winds have uprooted trees, knocked over traffic lights and disrupted traffic in Croatia, injuring two people and prompting authorities on Monday to advise people to stay indoors. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

A car drives past fallen branches of a tree, in Zagreb, Croatia, Monday May 13, 2019. Stormy winds have uprooted trees, knocked over traffic lights and disrupted traffic in Croatia, injuring two people and prompting authorities on Monday to advise people to stay indoors. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)BERLIN (AP) - The bodies of two women have been found at the apartment in Germany of one of three people who died at a hotel several hundred kilometers away in a mysterious case involving crossbows, police said Monday.

Police said they didn't immediately have details of the identity of the women found in a search of the apartment in Wittingen, in northern Germany, and what happened to them. They said in a statement that they are investigating possible links to the three people found dead in Passau, near the Austrian border, on Saturday.

The discovery added a new level of mystery to that case. Investigators were still trying Monday to determine the relationship between the three people whose bodies shot with crossbow bolts were found in Passau.

Bavarian police spokesman Stefan Gaisbauer said earlier Monday there are no indications that anyone other than those found dead were involved but that it is not yet clear what happened.

"We assume that no other people were involved in the deaths of the three," he said, adding that autopsy results were expected Tuesday.

The dead, a 53-year-old man and two women aged 33 and 30, are all German citizens. The man and the older woman are from the village of Berod in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in southwestern Germany, while the younger woman was last registered as living in Wittingen. Police didn't release further details on the identities of the three.

A guesthouse is pictured at the river 'Ilz' in Passau, Germany, Monday, May 13, 2019. Police investigating the mysterious death of three people whose bodies were found with crossbow bolts inside at the hotel in Bavaria on Saturday, May 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

The bodies were found at the hotel in Passau on Saturday morning by an employee who opened the door to their three-bed room when they didn't respond to repeated knocking.

The man and the older woman were lying together in bed, while the younger woman was lying on the floor.

Passau prosecutor Walter Feiler told the German news agency dpa later Monday that the couple on the bed had several bolts in them and was found holding hands. The woman on the floor had one bolt in her body.

Two crossbows were found Saturday. Police said Monday they had found a third, unused crossbow inside a bag.

Crossbows can be purchased legally in Germany by all people aged 18 or older.

___

Geir Moulson contributed to this report.

A guesthouse is pictured at the river 'Ilz' in Passau, Germany, Monday, May 13, 2019. Police investigating the mysterious death of three people whose bodies were found with crossbow bolts inside at the hotel in Bavaria on Saturday, May 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's judiciary said an Iranian national has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of spying for Britain, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported Monday.

Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said the female suspect had worked for the British Council and cooperated with British intelligence, trying to infiltrate in cultural field in Iran. He said the suspect had been jailed in Iran for the past year while her case was under investigation.

The British Council is a non-political organization that works in education, arts and culture.

Esmaili did not identify the suspect by name but said she had been studying in Britain and was recruited while looking for job there. He said the suspect was sentenced after "clearly confessing to assignments with the British intelligence." Before her detention, he said the unnamed suspect regularly visited Iran and had planned several cultural and artistic projects.

In a statement Monday, the British Council said it had seen reports of the sentencing but said "we have not been able to confirm that this is our colleague."

The British Council had released a statement earlier this month saying it was aware of the detention of a staffer following the arrest of Iranian national Aras Amiri. The council said she had traveled to Iran on a private trip to visit family, and not for work.

It was not immediately clear if Amiri was the woman sentenced Monday.

Britain's Foreign Office also released a statement saying it could not confirm more details and was "urgently seeking further information."

The sentencing comes at a time of increasing tensions between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. Though the British Embassy in Tehran has reopened, the British Council has been closed since 2009.

A British-Iranian woman held in Tehran, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for allegedly planning the "soft toppling" of Iran's government while traveling with her young daughter.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who works for the charity arm of Thomson Reuters, was arrested in April 2016. Her sentence has been widely criticized.

Iran does not recognize dual nationalities.

Many hardliners in Iran view the country as fighting a cultural "soft war" against westernization, which is attempting to transform the country's Islamic beliefs.BANGKOK (AP) - The parents of a self-exiled Thai activist who disappeared after reportedly being extradited from Vietnam visited government offices and diplomatic missions in Bangkok on Monday to seek information about his fate.

Siam Theerawut is one of three exiles about whom human rights groups have expressed concern about because neither Thai nor Vietnamese authorities acknowledge holding them.

Siam, Chucheep Chivasut and Kritsana Thapthai fled Thailand after a May 2014 military coup to neighboring Laos, where they continued political activities critical of their homeland. Thai authorities have been seeking their return on charges of insulting the monarchy, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

There is increased fear for the safety of Thai dissidents after three others disappeared from Laos last year, and the eviscerated bodies of two of them were found later in the Mekong River.

Siam's parents, accompanied by sympathizers, presented letters Monday to Thailand's National Human Rights Commission, the Vietnamese Embassy and the European Union's office.

Theerawut's mother, Kanya Theerawut, told reporters that Thailand's Crime Suppression Division police said they have no information about his case.

Kanya Theerawut, mother of Siam Theerawut, talks to reporters outside Vietnam Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 13, 2019. Siam is one of three self-exiled Thai activists who seem to have disappeared after they were reportedly arrested by Vietnamese authorities earlier this year. The three men, Chucheep Chivasut, Siam Theerawut, and Kritsana Thapthai, have been accused by Thai authorities of insulting the country's monarchy including by operating an online anti-monarchy radio programs and mobilizing support for anti-monarchy campaigns. (AP photo/Sakchai Lalit)

"I want information from Vietnam's embassy on whether Siam was deported to Thailand or not. I'm most worried for his life," she said.

In a letter addressed to Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Hai Bang, she said she hoped the ambassador would look after the rights of the Thai people and not extradite refugees who risk harassment.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said the three were handed over to Thai authorities on May 8, though Thai officials have denied any knowledge of such a transfer.

"Only by publicly affirming that these three activists are in detention and in contact with their relatives and legal counsel will the authorities put to rest the fear that these men have been forcibly disappeared, " Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said at the time.

Many of those who fled to Laos after the 2014 coup are associated with Thailand's anti-military Red Shirt movement, which staged aggressive street protests in Bangkok in 2010 that were violently crushed by the military.

Chucheep has been a particularly high-profile target as he has produced an online radio program in which he has been critical of both Thailand's military and its constitutional monarchy.

Siam, Chucheep and Kritsana are believed to have moved to Vietnam after their fellow Thai activists in Laos were killed. Their deaths raised concern among fellow activists that they were kidnapped by a death squad, either vigilante or officially sanctioned.

Last September, Thailand's military government linked activists in Laos to a tiny political movement advocating the abolishment of the constitutional monarchy. They arrested several of the group's sympathizers inside Thailand on charges of sedition, seizing as evidence T-shirts bearing the group's logo of a red and white flag.

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, a former army chief and member of the ruling junta, commented at the time that those detained were part of a network of outlaws that had fled to Laos to evade charges of sedition and insulting the monarchy. He called them "traitors" and said they would all be arrested.

___

This story has been corrected to show that a letter was presented to the European Union, not the European Commission.

Thai activists and Kanya Theerawut, second right, mother of Siam Theerawut, hold the portraits of Siam Theerawut outside Vietnam Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 13, 2019. Siam is one of three self-exiled Thai activists who seem to have disappeared after they were reportedly arrested by Vietnamese authorities earlier this year. The three men, Chucheep Chivasut, Siam Theerawut, and Kritsana Thapthai, have been accused by Thai authorities of insulting the country's monarchy including by operating an online anti-monarchy radio programs and mobilizing support for anti-monarchy campaigns. (AP photo/Sakchai Lalit)TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Terry Gou, head of the world's largest contract assembler of consumer electronics, stepped closer to running for president of Taiwan on Monday by announcing that he would not accept a vice presidential slot on the ticket of the opposition Nationalist Party.

Gou is chairman of Foxconn, which assembles electronic products such as Apple's iPhones. He would bring a strongly pro-business and China-friendly platform to what is expected to be a crowded field for next year's presidential election.

Gou, who ranks among Taiwan's richest people with a fortune estimated by Forbes at $7.8 billion, says the Nationalists should hold debates to select their candidate.

Incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen has been hampered by low public approval ratings and a diplomatic embargo imposed by China, which claims the island as its own territory.

"I am not a suitable candidate for a vice president, because I am used to making decisions," Gou told reporters.

Gou's candidacy would be the first for a Taiwan business mogul and may appeal to Taiwanese dissatisfied with stagnating incomes who want a different, more business-oriented style of leadership.

Terry Gou, the head of the world's largest electronics supplier Foxconn, is surrounded by the media after meeting with Nationalist Party chairman Wu Den-yih at the party headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, Monday, May 13, 2019. Gou plans to run for president of Taiwan, bringing his pro-business and pro-China policies to what is expected to be a crowded field for next year's election. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

However, Gou is likely to face criticism from China skeptics in Taiwan over Foxconn's 12 factories in nine Chinese cities and his close ties to the Chinese government.

Gou, the 68-year-old son of a police officer who moved to Taiwan after the Communist takeover of the mainland in 1949, began his career in plastics before branching out into electronics and later mobile phones.

China claims sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan and has threatened to take it by force if it deems it necessary. More than 80% of Taiwanese oppose unification with China, the island government's Mainland Affairs Council said in January.

Despite that, the Nationalists favor closer ties with Beijing, largely as a way of recharging the island's high-tech economy through access to China's massive economy.

Gou has a reputation at Foxconn for a strongly authoritarian leadership style and strictly controlling employees.

Foxconn announced in 2017, to much fanfare, that it planned to invest $10 billion in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and hire 13,000 people to build an LCD factory that could make screens for televisions and a variety of other devices.

After waffling earlier this year on its intentions, Gou recommitted to the project in February after a meeting with President Donald Trump.

Terry Gou, the head of the world's largest electronics supplier Foxconn, poses for a photo before meeting with Nationalist Party chairman Wu Den-yih at the party headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, Monday, May 13, 2019. Gou plans to run for president of Taiwan, bringing his pro-business and pro-China policies to what is expected to be a crowded field for next year's election. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Terry Gou, the head of the world's largest electronics supplier Foxconn, speaks to the media after meeting with Nationalist Party chairman Wu Den-yih at the party headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, Monday, May 13, 2019. Gou plans to run for president of Taiwan, bringing his pro-business and pro-China policies to what is expected to be a crowded field for next year's election. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Terry Gou, the head of the world's largest electronics supplier, Foxconn, answers to media after meeting Nationalist Party''s chairman Wu Den-yih at the Nationalist Party''s headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, Monday, May 13, 2019. Gou plans to run for president of Taiwan, bringing his pro-business and pro-China policies to what is expected to be a crowded field for next year's election. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)STOCKHOLM (AP) - The Latest on Swedish prosecutors' decision whether to reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (all times local):

2 p.m.

The lawyer for a Swedish woman who reported being raped by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in 2010 says "today we got great news."

Elisabeth Massi Fritz says the decision by Swedish authorities to open the rape case against Assange "signals that no one stands above the law," and that "the legal system in Sweden doesn't give a special treatment to anyone."

Massi Fritz told reporters Monday she spoke with her client, who is not named, by phone. She said her client "feels great gratitude."

Earlier in the day, Swedish prosecutors said they will seek Assange's extradition to Sweden.

Vice chief prosecutor Eva-Britt speaks at a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, Monday May 13, 2019. Swedish prosecutors plan to say Monday whether they will reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency via AP)

Massi Fritz said she hoped justice would prevail, and "we believe the evidence is good enough that it must be tested."

Assange denies wrongdoing. He is serving a 50-week prison term in London for jumping bail in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face the allegations.

___

11:45 a.m.

WikiLeaks' editor-in-chief says the Swedish decision to reopen a rape case against Julian Assange "will give Julian a chance to clear his name."

Kristinn Hrafnsson said in a statement Monday that Swedish prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson had been under "intense political pressure" to reopen the case. He also asserted that the case has been "mishandled" from the start.

Persson announced the Swedish decision a month after Assange was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Assange's Swedish lawyer, Per E. Samuelsen, said that his client is innocent and he doesn't understand the reasoning for reopening a 10-year-old case.

___

11:35 a.m.

Julian Assange's Swedish lawyer says he is "very surprised" by prosecutors' decision to reopen a rape case against the WikiLeaks founder and says that his client is innocent.

Prosecutors in Stockholm announced the decision on Monday, a month after Assange was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. They said they would seek Assange's extradition from Britain.

Lawyer Per E. Samuelson told Swedish broadcaster SVT: "I do not understand the Swedish prosecutor's ... reasoning for reopening a 10-year old case."

Swedish prosecutors filed preliminary charges against Assange in 2010.

Seven years later, a case of alleged sexual misconduct was dropped when the statute of limitations expired. That left a rape allegation, which couldn't be pursued while Assange was living at the embassy. The statute of limitations on that case expires in August 2020.

___

11:25 a.m.

Swedish prosecutors say they will seek the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Assange after he has served his 50-week prison term in Britain for jumping bail.

Prosecutors in Stockholm said Monday that they will reopen a rape case against Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Assange denies wrongdoing.

Eva-Marie Persson, Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions, told a news conference that "in order to execute the arrest warrant, the prosecutor will issue a so-called European arrest warrant."

The Swedish move would leave Britain to decide whether to extradite Assange to Sweden or to the United States, where he is wanted for allegedly hacking into a Pentagon computer.

___

11:15 a.m.

Swedish prosecutors are reopening a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

Eva-Marie Persson, Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions, told a news conference in Stockholm that "there is still a probable cause to suspect that Assange committed a rape." She added: "It is my assessment that a new questioning of Assange is required."

Swedish prosecutors filed preliminary charges against Assange after he visited the country in 2010.

Seven years later, a case of alleged sexual misconduct was dropped when the statute of limitations expired. That left a rape allegation, which couldn't be pursued while Assange was living at the embassy. The statute of limitations on that case expires in August 2020.

___

9:25 a.m.

Swedish prosecutors plan to say Monday whether they will reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

Eva-Marie Persson, Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions, is scheduled to hold a news conference in Stockholm. If Sweden relaunches the case, that could leave Britain deciding whether to extradite him to the Scandinavian country or the United States.

Swedish prosecutors filed preliminary charges against Assange after he visited the country in 2010.

Seven years later, a case of alleged sexual misconduct was dropped when the statute of limitations expired. That left a rape allegation, which couldn't be pursued while Assange was living at the embassy. The statute of limitations on that case expires in August 2020.

___

This story has been corrected to spell the name of Assange's lawyer as Samuelson, instead of Samuelsen.KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) - Sudanese prosecutors have charged ousted President Omar al-Bashir with involvement in killing protesters and incitement to kill protesters during the uprising that drove him from power last month, state news agency SUNA reported Monday.

It was not immediately clear what punishment he might face. Protest organizers say security forces killed around 100 demonstrators during the four months of rallies leading to al-Bashir's overthrow.

The transitional military council ruling Sudan has said al-Bashir will face justice inside the country and will not be extradited to the Hague, where the International Criminal Court has charged him with war crimes and genocide linked to the Darfur conflict in the 2000s.

Al-Bashir, who was the only sitting head of state to be subject to an international arrest warrant, was imprisoned in the capital, Khartoum, days after the military removed him from power.

The military ousted al-Bashir on April 11, but the demonstrators have remained in the streets, demanding the dismantling of his regime and a swift transition to civilian rule. In recent weeks they have threatened a general strike and civil disobedience.

At least a dozen protesters were wounded Monday in clashes with the military, the Sudan Doctors Committee said, including eight at the ongoing sit-in area outside the military headquarters in Khartoum. The doctors committee is part of the Sudanese Professionals Association , which has spearheaded the protests since December.

FILE - In this April 11, 2019 file photo, Sudanese celebrate after officials said the military had forced longtime autocratic President Omar al-Bashir to step down after 30 years in power in Khartoum, Sudan. As the uprising against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir gained strength, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia began reaching out to the military through secret channels to encourage his removal from power. They had long viewed al-Bashir as a problem because of his close ties to Islamists. (AP Photo, File)

Footage circulating online showed protesters blocking roads in Khartoum with burning tires and trees. Other footage showed men from the Rapid Support Forces forcibly dispersing protesters. The paramilitary RSF, which has led counterinsurgency campaigns in Darfur and other regions, is led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy head of the military council.

The SPA said the road closures were in response to the military council's delay in handing over power to civilians.

The protesters had resumed negotiations with the army earlier Monday while also calling for more demonstrations nationwide, including another march to the main sit-in.

Lt. Gen. Shams al-Deen al-Kabashi, a spokesman for the military council, said Monday's meeting, the first in over a week, was held "in a more optimistic atmosphere."

The protesters are represented by the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, a coalition of opposition groups led by the SPA.

Al-Kabashi said they agreed on the creation of a sovereign council, a Cabinet and a legislative body that would govern the country during the transition. He said they will discuss the makeup of the three bodies and the duration of the transition on Tuesday.

The two sides remain divided over what role the military, which is dominated by al-Bashir appointees, should have in the transition period until elections can be held. The military wants to play a leading role in a transition lasting up to two years, while the protesters have demanded an immediate transition to a civilian-led authority that would govern for four years.

The protesters fear the army will cling to power or select one of its own to succeed al-Bashir. They also worry that Islamists and other factions close to the deposed leader, who is now jailed in Khartoum, will be granted a role in the transition.

The military agreed last month to recognize the FDFC as the uprising's only legitimate representative in a victory for the protesters. But the generals have called for other political parties - with the exception of al-Bashir's National Congress Party - to be included in the transition.

_________________

Magdy reported from Cairo.NEW DELHI (AP) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been skewered by the opposition for going ahead with an airstrike in Pakistan on the mistaken belief that cloudy skies would help India's air force avoid radar detection.

In a television interview broadcast Saturday, Modi said he used his "raw wisdom" in the operation, believing Indian aircraft would benefit from the cloud cover.

The opposition mocked Modi's apparent lack of understanding of surveillance radar signals, which can easily pass through clouds, and for ignoring experts' advice to delay the operation until the weather cleared.

Ajai Shukla, a military expert, tweeted that India should hang its head in shame for Modi perceiving that "cloud cover would help the aircraft" leave Pakistan's air space without detection.

India's staggered national elections are underway with the last day of voting set for May 19. Results are expected four days later.

Modi has used the airstrike as a major election issue to project strength in dealing with longtime nuclear-armed rival Pakistan.

FILE- A Dec. 11, 2018 file photo of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, India. Modi has been skewered by the opposition for going ahead with an airstrike in Pakistan on the mistaken belief that cloudy skies would help India's air force avoid radar detection over experts' advice to delay the operation until the weather cleared. In a television interview, Modi said he used his "raw wisdom" in the operation, believing Indian air force aircraft would benefit from the cloud cover. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)

Omar Abdullah, the opposition National Conference leader, tweeted sarcastically that "Pakistani radar doesn't penetrate clouds. This is an important piece of tactical information that will be critical when planning future strikes."

The strike came days after a suicide attack on Indian paramilitary forces in the Indian-controlled portion of disputed Kashmir that killed 40 soldiers. Modi said the Indian air force hit a training camp run by Pakistan-based Jaishe-e-Mohammed, the militant group that claimed responsibility for the assault. Pakistan rejected India's claim that the air strike caused heavy casualties at the site.

"National security is not something to be trifled with. Such an irresponsible statement from Modi is highly damaging. Somebody like him can't remain India's prime minister," said Sitaram Yechury, a top Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader.

A senior leader in Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party and Cabinet minister, Prakash Javadekar, while not addressing the gaffe itself, offered a defense of the prime minister's comments on Monday.

"Modi did not reveal anything he was not supposed to reveal," the Press Trust of India news agency quoted him as saying.NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - A Cypriot army captain who confessed to killing seven foreign women and girls will remain in custody after a court on Monday approved a police request to extend his detention for another eight days.

Investigators need more time to collect testimony and other evidence as authorities continue to search for the bodies of two of the victims, police investigator YIannis Georgadjis told the court.

The 35 year-old suspect, believed to be Cyprus' first known serial killer, faces charges including premeditated murder and kidnapping in the slayings of three Filipino women and the daughter of one of them, a Romanian mother and daughter and a woman believed to be from Nepal.

The killings appear to have taken place over a period of 2  years starting in September 2016 with the disappearance of 36-year-old Romanian Livia Florentina Bunea, and her 8-year-old daughter Elena Natalia.

Police are accused of failing to properly investigate initial missing persons' reports that may have prevented the suspect from claiming more victims. Revelations of what the Cypriot president called "negligence" on the part of some police officers led to the justice minister's resignation while the police chief was fired.

The suspect, who authorities haven't formally identified, faces an additional charge of raping a woman he contacted through a social media platform. The woman, who was 19 in early 2017 when the alleged rape took place, told police the suspect had sex with her against her will in his car when he picked her up supposedly to give her modelling photographs he took of her.

A diver walks out from a toxic man-made lake after a dive search for a third victim near the village of Mitsero outside of the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Investigators hunting for bodies dumped by a suspected serial killer pulled a suitcase containing decomposing human remains from a toxic lake. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

The suspect is denying the rape allegation. Wearing a bulletproof vest, he represented himself in court on Monday and said he didn't object to his detention.

The chance discovery of the bound body of Mary Rose Tiburcio, 38, from the Philippines, down an abandoned mineshaft triggered an investigation last month that led to the suspect's arrest.

The suspect confessed to seven killings in a 10-page handwritten note and took investigators to where he dumped some of his victims.

They include a poisonous lake that is part of a disused copper mine where he said he disposed of the bodies of Bunea, her daughter and another Filipino woman after placing them in suitcases. Divers have so far retrieved two suitcases from the lake and are continuing to search for a third.

A separate search is being carried out at another lake where the suspect said he dumped the body of Tiburcio's 6-year-old daughter Sierra Grace.

Investigators said the suspect, who is divorced and has two children, had a six-month relationship with Tiburcio before she and her daughter vanished in May 2018.

A man is sprayed clean with water after a dive in a toxic man-made lake during a search for a third suitcase near the village of Mitsero outside of the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Michailides has apologized to the families of seven foreign women and girls who an army captain has confessed to killing. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A man is sprayed clean with water after a dive in a toxic man-made lake during a search for a third suitcase near the village of Mitsero outside of the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. New police chief Kypros Michailides has apologized to the families of seven foreign women and girls who an army captain has confessed to killing. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Cyprus' fire chief Marcos Trangolas explains to the new police chief Kypros Michailides the investigations area at the toxic man-made lake during a visit near the village of Mitsero outside of the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Michailides has apologized to the families of seven foreign women and girls who an army captain has confessed to killing. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - A van carrying 20 Singaporean students participating in a community service project crashed into a curb in central Vietnam on Monday, injuring 12, official media said.

The state-owned Tuoi Tre newspaper said two of the students, who were traveling to Bach Ma national park in Hue province, suffered leg and neck injuries respectively, but were not in critical condition. Others received minor injuries such as bruises.

The newspaper said that the students were treated at a provincial hospital, and all have been discharged except for the two with more serious injuries.COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - Sri Lanka's government imposed a nationwide curfew Monday and temporarily blocked social media following a flare-up of communal violence in apparent response to last month's Easter attacks that killed more than 250 people, officials said.

Acting police chief C.D. Wickramaratne said the violence started with a few shops being stoned in the North Western town of Kuliyapitiya on Sunday. It was soon brought under control, but on Monday mobs carried out violence on a bigger scale, he said.

"This small group must stop the dangerous game they play against the lives and property of innocent people," Wickramaratne said in a televised statement. "We won't allow the country being led to anarchy by those who impose their strength on unarmed, innocent civilians."

He warned that those arrested for breaching the law could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in a speech to the nation that security forces had brought the violence under control but the government decided to impose the curfew to stop the violence from spreading to other parts of the country.

Police said the curfew would be enforced until further notice in the country's North Western region, and until Tuesday morning in the rest of the nation.

FILE- In this March 7, 2018 file photo, a blocked Facebook window is seen on a smart phone screen in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's government has temporarily blocked social media and messaging apps following a flare-up of communal violence, the third time it has taken such a step since last month's Easter attacks that killed more than 250 people, an official said Monday. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)

Tensions have been running high in the Buddhist-majority Indian Ocean island nation since the attacks by seven suicide bombers who struck two Catholic and one Protestant church and three luxury hotels. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks, carried out by a local radicalized Muslim group.

Muslims have been subjected to hate comments since the Easter Sunday bombings.

The government imposed the social media ban after an exchange of accusations between two people on Facebook led to a mob to attack a Muslim-owned shop Sunday in the Catholic-majority town of Chilaw, said Nalaka Kaluwewa, the chief of the Information Department.

Kaluwewa said the government took the step "to prevent misinformation from being circulated and also to prevent spreading of information that would harm communal harmony."

Previous blocks on social media and messaging apps imposed following the April 21 suicide attacks on churches and hotels were lifted after several days.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said police have arrested a 38-year-old Muslim businessman, Abdul Hameed Mohamed Hasmar, for allegedly writing the Facebook comments that sparked the violence.

Local media reported that residents in the area angered by the comments stoned Hasmar's shop.

The government has intensified security across the country, with police and troops deployed to protect schools, churches and key government offices.

On Sunday, the Catholic Church held the first regular Sunday Mass since the attacks amid tight security. Sunday services had been canceled the two previous weekends for fear of more attacks, leaving the faithful to hear Mass via live TV transmission from the residence of Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo.

___

Associated Pres writer Krishan Francis contributed to this report.WARSAW, Poland (AP) - A new documentary revealing cases of sexual abuse by priests has deeply shaken Poland, one of Europe's most Roman Catholic societies, eliciting an apology from the church hierarchy and prompting one cleric to leave priestly life.

"Tell No One," a film financed through a crowdfunding campaign, was released on YouTube on Saturday. By Monday, the documentary had more than 8 million views.

It triggered soul searching in a country where there is no higher authority than the Catholic Church and its clergy.

"Why do priests commit such crimes? Why did the bishops not react as they should? Why, for years, did a conspiracy of silence prevail among the clergy?" journalist Andrzej Gajcy asked Monday on the news site Onet, voicing some of the uncomfortable questions confronting many Poles.

The primate of Poland has thanked the brothers who made the film, Tomasz and Marek Sekielski, for their "courage."

"I apologize for every wound inflicted by the people of the church," Archbishop Wojciech Polak said Saturday.

People walk by the Temple of Divine Providence, a major church in the Polish capital,in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, May 13, 2019. A new documentary about pedophile priests has deeply shaken Poland, one of Europe's most Roman Catholic societies, eliciting an apology from the church hierarchy and prompting one priest to leave the clergy.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

The Vatican's ambassador to Poland, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, also expressed sympathy for abuse survivors on behalf of both himself and Pope Francis.

"The pope is very concerned and we express sympathy and solidarity," Pennacchio said.

Among others in the Polish church, the reactions were mixed. The archbishop of Gdansk, Leszek Slawoj Glodz, said he has better things to do than watch the film.

The Rev. Jacek Prusak, a Jesuit priest, called the church "a home for a herd of wolves in clerical collars" that would face judgment.

Most Poles identify as Catholic and have a powerful attachment to the church. They credit the Catholic Church with keeping their country's language and culture alive during more than a century of foreign rule.

The late Polish pope John Paul II, who was made a saint, is revered both as a moral authority and for his opposition to communism.

But like many other countries, Poland has had to reckon recently with revelations about clergy who molested children. In March, Polish church authorities said they had recorded cases of 382 clergymen who abused 625 victims under the age of 18 since 1990.

The documentary presents new evidence that priests who were known to be pedophiles were transferred between parishes instead of pushed out of the church or referred to police.

One is the late Rev. Franciszek Cybula, who in 1980-1985 was the priest of a shipyard technician named Lech Walesa who founded Poland's anti-communist Solidarity movement and became president after communism fell.

"I am so surprised that I do not know what to say," Walesa said. "If I, as a Catholic, had known, would I allow such a thing? No way."

The film opens with a 39-year-old woman, Anna Misiewicz, returning to a parish in Topola, a village near Krakow, to confront an elderly priest who molested her when she was about 7-years-old.

Fearful and wearing a hidden camera, Misiewicz tells the priest how his abuse still keeps her from sleeping at night. When she reminds him he had kissed her and used her hands to masturbate, the priest admits his wrongdoing with her and other girls.

He expresses remorse and blames the devil.

"I know I shouldn't have done it, shouldn't have touched or kissed you. I know I shouldn't have. Some stupid passion," the priest tells her. He is identified only as Father Jan A., and his face is blurred in the film because he hasn't been convicted.

The film also alleges that the Rev. Dariusz Olejniczak, a priest who was sentenced for molesting 7-year-old girls, was allowed to continue working with young people. On Sunday, he announced he was seeking to be laicized.

Another victim, Marek Mielewczyk, describes being 13 when he was first raped by a priest. The perpetrator ordered him "not to tell anybody what happened," not even during confession - the message captured in the film's title.

Politicians also have reacted to the film, promising to take a tougher approach to stopping child sex abuse.

The prosecutor general said Monday he was ordering an investigation of the crimes depicted in the film.

The Kielce curia, which oversees Topola, issued a statement detailing steps it took in the case of Father Jan A. since Jan. 7, when it was notified of wrongdoing. It said collected evidence was sent to the Vatican.

_____

Monika Scislowska in Warsaw contributed to this report.

Cars drive on the street in front of the Temple of Divine Providence, a major church in the Polish capital, in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, May 13, 2019. A new documentary about pedophile priests has deeply shaken Poland, one of Europe's most Roman Catholic societies, eliciting an apology from the church hierarchy and prompting one priest to leave the clergy.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)BEIRUT (AP) - Lebanon's state-run National News Agency says a fishing boat that was illegally carrying eight Syrian refugees to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus has capsized.

The report says the incident occurred on Monday off the northern Lebanese town of Chekka. It says that Lebanon's navy detained three of the Syrians when they returned to the coast and that the other five are still missing.

Lebanon is host to the highest number of refugees per capita in the world, with about 1 million Syrians - or nearly a quarter of the small Arab country's population.

In September, a child drowned after a boat carrying 39 migrants hoping to reach Cyprus capsized off the northern Lebanese coast.LONDON (AP) - Swedish prosecutors say they are reopening a rape case against Julian Assange, the founder of anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London

A look at key events in the Assange saga:

- August 2010: Swedish prosecutor issues arrest warrant for Assange based on one woman's allegation of rape and another's allegation of molestation. The warrant was withdrawn shortly, with prosecutors citing insufficient evidence for the rape allegation. Assange denies the allegations.

- September 2010: Sweden's director of prosecutions reopens rape investigation. Assange leaves Sweden for Britain Sept.27.

- November 2010: Swedish police issue international arrest warrant for Assange.

- December 2010: Assange surrenders to police in London and is detained pending extradition hearing. High Court grants Assange bail on Dec. 16.

FILE - In this Wednesday May 1, 2019 file photo WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange being taken from court, where he appeared on charges of jumping British bail seven years ago, in London. Swedish prosecutors are to reopen rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

- Feb. 24, 2011: District court in Britain rules Assange should be extradited to Sweden.

- Dec. 5, 2011: Assange granted an appeal to the Supreme Court.

- May 30, 2012: Supreme Court rejects Assange's appeal.

- June 2012: Assange asks Supreme Court to reopen case; court refuses. Assange enters Ecuadorian embassy in central London, seeking asylum on June 19. Police set up round-the-clock guard to arrest him if he steps outside.

- Aug. 16, 2012: Assange is granted political asylum by Ecuador.

- July 2014: Assange loses bid to have an arrest warrant issued in Sweden against him canceled. A judge in Stockholm upholds the warrant alleging sexual offences against two women.

- March 2015: Swedish prosecutors ask to question Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy.

- Aug. 13, 2015: Swedish prosecutors drop investigations into some allegations against Assange because of the statute of limitations; investigation into a rape allegation remains active.

- Oct. 12, 2015: Metropolitan Police end their 24-hour guard outside the Ecuadorean embassy but say they'll arrest Assange if he leaves - ending a three-year police operation estimated to have cost more than 12 million pounds ($17 million).

- Feb. 5, 2016: Assange claims "total vindication" as the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention finds that he has been unlawfully detained and recommends he be immediately freed and given compensation. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond calls the finding "frankly ridiculous."

- April 6, 2017: Ecuador's president-elect, Lenin Moreno, warns Assange that as a condition of asylum granted in 2012, he is not allowed to meddle in politics following comments on Twitter.

- May 19, 2017: Swedish prosecutors drop their investigation into rape allegation against Assange, and the European arrest warrant is withdrawn because there is no prospect of bringing Assange to Sweden. British police say he is still wanted for jumping bail in 2012.

- September 2018: Ecuador's president says his country and Britain are working on a legal solution to allow Assange to leave the embassy in "the medium term."

- October 2018: Assange seeks court injunction pressing Ecuador to provide him basic rights he said the country agreed to when it first granted him asylum.

- November 2018: A U.S. court filing that appears to inadvertently reveal the existence of a sealed criminal case against Assange is discovered by a researcher. No details are confirmed.

- April 2, 2019: Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno blames WikiLeaks for recent allegations of corruption.

- April 5, 2019: A senior Ecuadorian official says no decision has been made to expel Assange from the London embassy despite rumors he could be kicked out soon.

- April 11, 2019: London police arrest Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy for breaching bail conditions in 2012, as well as on behalf of U.S. authorities, shortly after Ecuador's government withdrew his asylum status.

- May 1, 2019: Assange sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for breaching bail conditions in 2012.

- May 13, 2019: Swedish authorities reopen investigation of rape allegation against Assange and say they will seek his extradition.LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) - The Nigerian army says it has rescued 54 women and children held captive by the extremist group Boko Haram.

A statement issued Monday by military spokesman Sagir Musa says troops rescued the captives during a clearance operation over the weekend in Borno State.

The military spokesman said the rescued persons consist of 29 women and 25 children.

Sagir said Boko Haram fighters had fled the villages before troops arrived.

Boko Haram frequently abducts women and children. The jihadist group began its insurgency in northeastern Nigeria and now has expanded its reach to the neighboring countries of Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

In April 2014, 276 girls were abducted from the Government Secondary School in Chibok. More than 100 of them are still missing five years later.COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - An Arab activist living in Norway said Monday he's been given protection by two different Norwegian entities after the CIA informed officials of an unspecified threat against him, which he said is likely linked to his research on Saudi Arabia.

Iyad el-Baghdadi is an outspoken commentator on Arab affairs on Twitter, where he has over 130,000 followers. He used a press conference in Norway to explain some of the Saudi-related projects he'd been working on that might have made him a target for the kingdom.

"The decision to go public was not something that was taken lightly," he said. "The advice I received repeatedly from independent security experts was that publicity would be protection."

He explained that he worked without pay or contract with a team of investigators hired by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos looking into a blackmail case against the U.S. billionaire, who also owns The Washington Post, where slain Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi was a contributing columnist. Khashoggi was killed by Saudi agents inside the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul last year.

Bezos had previously accused The National Enquirer magazine in the U.S. of trying to blackmail him by threatening to publish intimate details and text messages showing an extramarital affair he was having. He noted in a piece for Medium exposing the blackmail that his ownership of The Washington Post may lead some powerful people to "wrongly conclude I am their enemy."

El-Baghdadi said the lead investigator hired by Bezos, named Gavin de Becker, contacted him after seeing his tweets and analysis about why Bezos' personal texts might have been obtained. De Becker has since written in The Daily Beast that his team of private investigators "concluded with high confidence that the Saudis had access to Bezos' phone and gained private information."

Saudi Arabia has rejected allegations that it was involved in the dispute between Bezos and the parent company of The National Enquirer.

Additionally, el-Baghdadi said he's also helming a project to document Saudi attempts to influence Arabic political commentary on Twitter. The project was originally spearheaded by Khashoggi before he was killed.

The two men were friends and fiercely critical of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose aides were behind the plot that led to Khashoggi's killing.

The Guardian first reported last week that el-Baghdadi had been contacted by Norwegian security agency PST to tell him he may be in danger, before taking him to a safe place for a few hours. He was quoted as saying it is unclear what the threat was.

The Guardian said the CIA had warned Norway that el-Baghdadi faced a potential threat from Saudi Arabia.

Time magazine published a story days later saying that the CIA sent warnings to at least three associates of Khashoggi, among them el-Baghdadi.

The Palestinian-born activist told reporters in Oslo that in March he'd filed a police report in Norway saying he believed he was under threat based on information he'd received from various sources, which he did not publicly disclose.

"When the PST showed up at my doorstep on April 25th, I wasn't the least surprised," he said. "In fact, I think the first thing I said was something like 'what took you so long?'"

The CIA has declined to comment, referring any questions to authorities in Norway. The Saudi Embassy in Washington has not responded to an AP request for comment.

El-Baghdadi rose to prominence during the Arab Spring protests in 2011, using sharp analysis and a steady stream of tweets to amass tens of thousands of followers on Twitter.

He was granted political asylum in Norway after his online activism prompted his expulsion in 2014 without charge from the United Arab Emirates, where he was a resident. His family was later pressured to leave the country in 2015.

"I've been advised by security experts that my family is a soft target," he told reporters, referring to his parents who live in Malaysia. "I can no longer travel to see them. I need to bring them here for them to be safe."WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is warning Chinese President Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) that China "will be hurt very badly" if they don't agree to a trade deal.

Trump tweeted Monday after the countries failed to reach a deal in recent talks. The Trump administration has raised tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports after charging that China had backtracked on commitments it made in earlier negotiations.

Trump tweeted China "had a great deal, almost completed, & you backed out!"

Trump insisted the tariffs the U.S. has placed on Chinese goods don't hurt American consumers, saying there is "no reason for the U.S. Consumer to pay the Tariffs."

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow acknowledged Sunday that U.S. consumers and businesses pay the tariffs. "Both sides will pay," he told Fox News.SRINAGAR, India (AP) - Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Indian-controlled Kashmir to protest the alleged rape of a 3-year-old girl by a neighbor who lured her to a school bathroom, escalating into intense clashes between protesters and government forces.

Top local administrator Baseer Khan said on Monday that police arrested the suspect in a village in Sumbal town and a fast-track inquiry is underway.

Police said the girl was hospitalized in critical condition on May 8 but her condition has stabilized.

Protests erupted Sunday and spread to new areas Monday after the suspect's family produced a school-issued birth certificate giving his age as 13. The protesters claimed it was a fake birth certificate produced by the family to show him as a juvenile and save him from a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The protesters said the suspect is at least 20 and worked in a motor repair workshop. The area is 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of Srinagar, the main city in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir.

Police said they were questioning the school principal who issued the birth certificate.

Protesters blocked highways and fought pitched battles with government forces at several areas in the region. During the clashes, police and paramilitary soldiers fired shotgun pellets and tear gas and also fired into the air to stop stone-throwing protesters from marching on highways.

About 100 civilians and government personnel were injured in the clashes, police and medics said. One young man was said to be in critical condition.

Hundreds of students also joined protest marches demanding justice for the victim.

Khan, the administrator, appealed for calm. "Justice will be done and the culprit will be given fair punishment as per the law," he said.

India has been shaken by a series of sexual assaults in recent years, including the gang rape and murder of a student on a moving New Delhi bus in 2012. That attack galvanized a country where widespread violence against women had long been quietly accepted.

While the government has passed a series of laws increasing punishment for rape, it's rare for more than a few weeks to pass without another brutal sexual assault being reported.MANILA, Philippines (AP) - Filipinos voted Monday in midterm elections highlighted by a showdown between President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and opposition candidates fighting for checks and balances under a leader they regard as a looming dictator.

Nearly 62 million Filipinos have registered to choose among 43,500 candidates vying for about 18,000 congressional and local posts, including 81 governors, 1,634 mayors and more than 13,500 city and town councilors in 81 provinces, in one of Asia's most rambunctious democracies.

Final results are expected to be declared in at least a week for national posts and a few days for local positions unless specific outcomes come under protest.

Many see the elections as a crucial referendum on Duterte's rise to power with a brutal crackdown on illegal drugs that has left thousands dead, his unorthodox leadership style, combative and sexist joke-laden outbursts and contentious embrace of China.

"President Duterte's name is not on the ballot but this is very much a referendum on his three years of very disruptive yet very popular presidency," Manila-based analyst Richard Heydarian said.

The outcome will show whether the Filipino populace affirms or rejects Duterte's authoritarian-style leadership in an Asian bastion of democracy, Heydarian said.

First-time voter Shaina Cervantes, poses to show the indelible ink on her forefinger as proof that she had voted in the midterm elections highlighted by a showdown between President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and an opposition fighting for check and balance under a leader they regard as a looming dictator Monday, May 13, 2019 in Manila, Philippines. Nearly 62 million Filipinos have registered to choose among 43,500 candidates vying for about 18,000 congressional and local posts in Monday's elections in one of Asia's most rambunctious democracies. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Wearing casual clothes, Duterte cast his vote at a school in his hometown in southern Davao city before voting closed at nightfall. He told reporters that he was ready to step down if all his candidates lose.

Asked about his three children, who are running in the elections, Duterte said he wished they would abandon politics. He warned his daughter, Sara, who is running for re-election as Davao city mayor and has been seen as a possible successor for him, that the presidency "will just destroy you."

The most crucial races are for 12 seats in the 24-member Senate, which Duterte wants to fill with allies to bolster his legislative agenda. That includes the return of the death penalty, lowering the age for criminal liability of child offenders, and revising the country's 1987 constitution primarily to allow a shift to a federal form of government, a proposal some critics fear may be a cover to remove term limits.

Military and police forces were on full alert to respond to any violence, especially in security hotspots that include the entire southern region of Mindanao, and to help prevent cheating amid intense local political rivalries.

Two explosions were reported in southern Maguindanao province, including one grenade blast shortly before voting started at 6 a.m. that caused no injuries. In Lanao del Sur province, also in the south, three men in a parked van were arrested after they tried to hurl a grenade at soldiers guarding a voting center in Marantao town. The grenade hit the van's window and exploded in the van, wounding one of the three suspects, who also possessed a homemade bomb, army brigade commander Col. Romeo Brawner said.

Despite pockets of violence, Commission on Elections spokesman James Jimenez said the campaign has been relatively peaceful compared to past years. Police say 20 people have died in poll-related violence.

In Manila's financial district of Makati, former Vice President Jejomar Binay protested after his ballot was rejected by an automated counting machine, one of at least 400 such machines which malfunctioned, Jimenez said.

An AP journalist witnessed ballots jamming in a voting machine, which a poll worker repeatedly banged on and shook until the papers went through. In some instances, the worker had to pull out the ballot, which emerged with its sides badly frayed. The machines were last used in the 2016 presidential election.

"It's not really a show stopper," Jimenez said, adding that the malfunctioning machines were a fraction of about 85,000 used in the elections and would not affect the outcome.

At least two mayoral candidates have been put in police custody elsewhere but one was later freed and allowed to vote. In two southern provinces, gunfire wounded several people, police said.

Opposition aspirants consider the Senate the last bastion of checks and balances given the solid dominance of Duterte's loyalists in the lower House of Representatives.

Last year, opposition senators moved to block proposed bills they feared would undermine civil liberties.

Duterte's politics and key programs, including his drive against illegal drugs that has left more than 5,200 mostly poor urban suspects dead, have been scrutinized on the campaign trail and defended by close allies running for the Senate, led by his former national police chief Ronald dela Rosa, who enforced the crackdown when the president took office in mid-2016.

Aside from the drug killings, Duterte's gutter language and what nationalists say is a policy of appeasement toward China that may undermine Philippine territorial claims in the South China Sea have also been the cause of protests and criticism.

A May 3-6 survey by independent pollster Pulse Asia showed 11 Duterte-backed senatorial candidates and four other aspirants in the winning circle, including only one from the opposition. The survey also showed some favorites had narrow leads and a considerable number of voters were undecided, indicating a chance the results could change. The survey of 1,800 respondents had a margin of error of 2.3 percentage points.

Duterte himself remains hugely popular based on independent ratings surveys.

Divided, cash-strapped and without a unified leader, opposition aspirants are fighting an uphill battle to capture the few Senate seats they need to block any hostile legislation.

Many Filipinos seem more open to authoritarianism due to failures of past liberal leaders, Heydarian said. Such a mindset has helped the family of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos to make a political comeback, including one of his daughters who was running for a Senate seat and was endorsed by Duterte.

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Associated Press journalists Bullit Marquez, Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila contributed to this report.

A Filipino boy looks as his mother votes during the country's midterm elections inside a polling center in Manila, Philippines on Monday, May 13, 2019. Filipinos voted in midterm elections highlighted by a showdown between President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and an opposition fighting for check and balance under a leader they regard as a looming dictator. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A Filipino woman uses a magnifying glass to aid her as she votes during country's midterm elections at a polling center in Manila, Philippines on Monday, May 13, 2019. Filipinos voted in midterm elections highlighted by a showdown between President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and an opposition fighting for check and balance under a leader they regard as a looming dictator. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Manila mayor candidate Francisco "Isko" Moreno Domagoso shows off the indelible ink on his finger after casting his vote at the polling center in the Manuel L. Quezon elementary school, Manila, Philippines, Monday, May 13, 2019. Filipinos have begun voting in midterm elections highlighted by a showdown between President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and an opposition fighting for check and balance under a leader they regard as a looming dictator. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Filipino-Muslims show the indelible ink on their forefingers as proof that they have voted Monday, May 13, 2019 in Manila, Philippines, in the midterm elections highlighted by a showdown between President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and an opposition fighting for check and balance under a leader they regard as a looming dictator. Nearly 62 million Filipinos have registered to choose among 43,500 candidates vying for about 18,000 congressional and local posts in Monday's elections in one of Asia's most rambunctious democracies. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

An election worker places indelible ink on a finger of a resident after she casts her vote at a polling center at the Manuel L. Quezon elementary school, Manila, Philippines, Monday, May 13, 2019. Filipinos began voting in midterm elections highlighted by a showdown between President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and an opposition fighting for check and balance under a leader they regard as a looming dictator. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A Filipino man votes during the country's midterm elections inside a polling center at a school in Manila, Philippines on Monday, May 13, 2019. Filipinos voted in midterm elections highlighted by a showdown between President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and an opposition fighting for check and balance under a leader they regard as a looming dictator. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Filipinos vote for the country's midterm elections Monday, May 13, 2019 in Manila, Philippines. Monday's midterm elections are highlighted by a showdown between President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and opposition candidates fighting for checks and balances under a leader they regard as a looming dictator.(AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Philippines Opposition Senator Leila de Lima, second right, shows the printout of her cast ballot for the country's midterm elections Monday, May 13, 2019 in suburban Paranaque, southeast of Manila, Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and an opposition fighting for check and balance under a leader they regard as a looming dictator. Nearly 62 million Filipinos have registered to choose among 43,500 candidates vying for about 18,000 congressional and local posts in Monday's elections in one of Asia's most rambunctious democracies. De Lima, who was given a 2-hour furlough Monday, is jailed since February 2017 allegedly on drug charges. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Muslim-Filipinos check their names at a Manila polling precinct prior to voting in the country's midterm elections in Manila, Monday, May 13, 2019. Nearly 62 million Filipinos have registered to choose among 43,500 candidates vying for about 18,000 congressional and local posts in Monday's elections in one of Asia's most rambunctious democracies. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

A Filipino checks her ballot as she votes at a polling center at the Manuel L. Quezon elementary school, Manila, Philippines, Monday, May 13, 2019. Filipinos began voting in midterm elections highlighted by a showdown between President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and an opposition fighting for check and balance under a leader they regard as a looming dictator. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A man helps his wife fill out her ballot as they vote at a polling center in the Manuel L. Quezon elementary school, Manila, Philippines, Monday, May 13, 2019. Filipinos began voting in midterm elections highlighted by a showdown between President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and an opposition fighting for check and balance under a leader they regard as a looming dictator. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Philippines Opposition Senator Leila de Lima casts her ballot for the country's midterm elections Monday, May 13, 2019 in suburban Paranaque, southeast of Manila, Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and an opposition fighting for check and balance under a leader they regard as a looming dictator. Nearly 62 million Filipinos have registered to choose among 43,500 candidates vying for about 18,000 congressional and local posts in Monday's elections in one of Asia's most rambunctious democracies. De Lima was jailed since February 2017 allegedly on drug charges. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Philippines Opposition Senator Leila de Lima shows the indelible ink on her forefinger, a proof that she has voted, after casting her ballot in the country's midterm elections Monday, May 13, 2019 in suburban Paranaque southeast of Manila, Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte's allies who aim to dominate the Senate and an opposition fighting for check and balance under a leader they regard as a looming dictator. Nearly 62 million Filipinos have registered to choose among 43,500 candidates vying for about 18,000 congressional and local posts in Monday's elections in one of Asia's most rambunctious democracies. De Lima is jailed since February 2017 allegedly on drug charges. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)ISTANBUL (AP) - Turkey's official news agency says a man accused of planning a deadly 2013 bomb attack was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Anadolu Agency said Monday that a court in Ankara convicted Yusuf Nazik of murder, disrupting the unity of the state and membership in a terror group, among other charges.

Turkish intelligence agents captured Nazik in Syria in September and brought him to Turkey. He was accused of planning and organizing two car bombings that killed 52 people in the town of Reyhanli, near the border with Syria.

Turkey blamed Damascus for being behind the explosions, saying they were carried out by a Turkish Marxist group with alleged links to Syria's intelligence agency. The Syrian government has denied the accusations.

Two other suspects were sentenced for aiding a terror group.AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro on Monday unveiled an education plan that joins other 2020 candidates in calling for tuition-free higher education, universal prekindergarten and raising teacher pay.

The rollout follows the former Obama Cabinet member's immigration plan that was more detailed than many of his rivals in the sprawling Democratic field . This time, Castro is getting behind education reforms that other candidates have also embraced ahead of the first debates in June that he believes will offer his slow-building campaign a new chance to stand out.

Expanding prekindergarten was arguably Castro's signature mark during his five years as mayor of San Antonio , where he convinced voters to fund early education programs through part of the city's sales tax. It was not the universal prekindergarten that Castro is now proposing for children as young as three.

Castro has also come around to eliminating tuition at public colleges. He had previously stopped short of championing the idea during his campaign launch in January, instead proposing to make the first two years of college "affordable" and accessible.

"Our antiquated commitment to a K-12 system that starts some children ahead of others, and prevents many from continuing their education after high school has left our students and nation at a disadvantage," Castro said in rolling out his education plan.

He also called for expanding student loan forgiveness and boosting teacher pay by up to $10,000 through a federal tax credit.

Democratic presidential candidate former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro speaks during a meeting with Iowa State University students and Story County democrats, Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Other Democratic candidates are also embracing tuition-free higher education and reforming the nation's student loan programs. Last month, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts proposed eliminating existing student debt altogether for millions of Americans.

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Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pauljweberLEBANON, Ind. (AP) - The family of a 12-year-old boy who alleges he was sexually abused by a central Indiana pediatrician has filed a civil lawsuit.

The Indianapolis Star reports the child's parents, identified in court records as Jane Doe and John Doe, are seeking damages from 41-year-old Dr. Jonathon Cavins of Jamestown.

Cavins' attorney in the civil case isn't commenting on the lawsuit, due to pending litigation. Cavins is awaiting trial and now faces accusations from five accusers.

Cavins is charged with child molestation involving a 12-year-old boy and sexual misconduct with a minor involving two other teenage boys. The 12-year-old came forward in February, accusing Cavins of fondling him. In April, a judge approved a motion from prosecutors to add two additional counts of child seduction.

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Information from: The Indianapolis Star, http://www.indystar.comBENI, Congo (AP) - Authorities say an Ebola treatment has come under attack again in eastern Congo.

Butembo Mayor Sylvain Kanyamanda said Monday that one of the attackers was killed in the overnight assault in Katwa. Two patients also died after all the nursing staff fled the health facility.

The mayor pleaded with residents to support the Ebola response teams.

The Ebola outbreak that began in August marks the first time that the deadly disease has struck in a conflict zone. Many falsely believe that the virus was brought there so that people could make money off of the local community.

The mistrust and violence has seriously impeded efforts to end the outbreak. The World Health Organization warned last week that the disease could spread beyond two Congolese provinces if the violence continues.BANGKOK (AP) - Eleven small political parties in Thailand announced Monday they will support the military-backed candidate to form the next government, seven weeks after the country's first general election in five years of army rule.

Their announcement came after no single party won an absolute majority in the March 24 polls. The military-backed Palang Pracharath party won 115 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives, while its rival, the Pheu Thai party associated with self-exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, won 136.

Palang Pracharath is seen as a proxy for the military, which seized power in a 2014 coup. Coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha has been prime minister in the military government, and is Palang Pracharath's candidate to remain in office as head of an elected government.

The 11 small parties hold one seat apiece under a controversial "party list" formula applied by the state Election Commission, whose critics accuse it of favoring the military's side. The third-place Future Forward party with 80 seats supports Pheu Thai. Neither the Democrat nor the Bhumjaithai party, with 52 and 51 seats respectively, has declared whom they will support, but are widely seen as holding the balance of power.

Prayuth should easily be able to return to office regardless of the vote in the lower house, because the prime minister will be selected by a joint vote with the appointed Senate, which represents conservative interests and essentially will be chosen by the junta. However, if his rivals control the lower house, Prayuth will have a hard time passing laws and getting a budget approved.

The explanation of the party list formula released by the Election Commission before the election, as generally understood, would have denied seats to many of the smaller parties awarded them last Wednesday. The formula that was actually applied benefited them, at the apparent expense of parties allied with Pheu Thai.

The election was already controversial before it was held because the military junta had changed the constitution and other laws to create an electoral system that disadvantaged Pheu Thai, which won the last free election in 2011.

The elected candidates officially registered Monday as members of Parliament. However, the Election Commission has repeatedly warned that the seat allocations may change anytime in the year after the vote, if winners or their parties are disqualified and new polls must be held.

The Future Forward party is seen as being particularly at risk because of its anti-military orientation. The party and its leaders already face several criminal complaints and protests to election authorities that could lead to disqualification.MOSCOW (AP) - When Ukraine's would-be president Volodymyr Zelenskiy showed his ballot to a swarm of TV and photo cameras on election day, little did he know that he would not only win the vote by a landslide - but would also face a fine.

A local court in the capital Kiev on Monday fined Zelenskiy, a popular comedian, 850 hryvnas ($32) for breaking the election law safeguarding the secrecy of voting. The court said that Zelenskiy, who was absent, had pleaded guilty.

Zelenskiy's rivals cried foul after the beaming comedian showed the ballot with the tick next to his name to journalists before casting it.

Zelenskiy is expected to be sworn in later this month.RABAT, Morocco (AP) - Moroccan authorities said Monday they have stopped boats carrying 117 sub-Saharan migrants from crossing to Europe and arrested 40 people trying to scale a fence into Spain's North African enclave of Melilla.

A Moroccan military official told The Associated Press that the navy prevented three boats from sailing Saturday across the Mediterranean. It was unclear where the migrants onboard were taken.

Meanwhile, a police official in the northern Moroccan city of Nador said 40 migrants were arrested Sunday while storming a razor-wire fence into Melilla.

Another group of 52 migrants managed to cross into Spain, in what Moroccan authorities called the biggest border-crossing attempt on Melilla since October.

Clashes left seven security officers and two migrants injured on the Moroccan side, and they were transferred the Nador Provincial Hospital, the official said.

Both officials were not authorized to be publicly named according to government policy.

Moroccan authorities have been stepping up security against migrants in recent months, after Spain became the leading migration entry point to Europe last year. Migration pressure is also rising during the spring and summer months.

At least 250 migrants were arrested from their homes in Nador or while attempting to cross by sea last month, according to the Moroccan Human Rights Association.

Migrant arrivals to Spain last year eclipsed those to Italy and Greece, with some 60,000 migrants arriving in Spain, almost all of them by sea. Since then, the EU and Spain have increased aid and cooperation with Moroccan authorities.

Human rights experts, however, warn that outsourcing Europe's border control to North African countries creates a risk of human right violations. Amnesty International last year denounced a Moroccan crackdown on sub-Saharan migrants, including alleged mass roundups and expulsions without due process.

Meanwhile, a fishing boat capsized Monday while illegally carrying eight Syrian refugees to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said. It said that Lebanon's navy detained three of the Syrians when they returned to the coast and that the other five are still missing. Lebanon is host to the highest number of refugees per capita in the world, with about 1 million Syrians.

Overall, the migrant flow to Europe has fallen sharply since 2015, when as many as 1 million entered the continent.MADRID (AP) - A Saudi cargo ship that Spanish arms control groups suspect is carrying European weapons for possible use in Yemen left the port of Santander on Monday and sailed for Genoa, Italy.

The Bahri Yanbu left the northern Spanish port after loading two containers, Alberto Estevez, of the Control Arms Coalition of human rights and aid groups which is trying to stop arms reaching conflict zones, told The Associated Press.

A Spanish government spokesman said the ship took on cargo contracted from private companies that he said wasn't illegal nor contravened any international laws.

A company called Instalaza, from Zaragoza, sent weaponry for a trade exhibition in the United Arab Emirates and it will be returned to Spain, while another company sent ceremonial cannon to Saudi Arabia, the spokesman told the AP.

He spoke on condition of anonymity, in accordance with government rules.

Countries are under pressure not to send arms to Saudi Arabia, amid concerns they are being used against civilians in Yemen where thousands have died since the conflict began in 2014.

In Yemen's civil war, the Iran-backed Houthis have been fighting a Saudi-led military coalition backing Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi's forces. The fighting in the Arab world's poorest country has also left millions at risk from food and medical care shortages and pushed the country to the brink of famine.

The Bahri Yanbu, which has been making its way around European ports apparently to pick up weaponry, arrived in Santander from France on Friday.

French Defense Minister Florence Parly confirmed that the ship was meant to pick up French weapons in Le Havre as part of a contract signed with Saudi Arabia several years ago.

However, after French activists held a protest and sought emergency legal measures to try to stop the weapons supplies, the ship didn't pick up any arms in Le Havre after all, according to a French defense official. The official, who was not authorized to be publicly named, in accordance with French government policy, would not comment on why or give any further details.

Amnesty International suspects that, before sailing to France, the ship took on Belgian-made ammunition in Antwerp.

Activists provided a Belgian Customs document, dated May 7, to the AP that indicated arms were placed on board the Bahri Yanbu at Antwerp.

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders last week acknowledged concerns about the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia given concerns over their potential use but that such a decision lies with regional governments in the country under Belgium's constitution.

"I think it would be good to suspend arms delivery contracts to Saudi Arabia," he told Belgian state broadcaster RTBF.

Ara Marcen Naval, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for Arms Control and Human Rights, said the Bahri Yanbu was a "serious test" of the European Union's commitment to halt conflicts.

"No EU state should be making the deadly decision to authorize the transfer or transit of arms to a conflict where there is a clear risk they will be used in war crimes and other serious violations of international law," Naval said.

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Barry Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal. Angela Charlton from Paris and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - A group of Iranian university students held a campus protest Monday against authorities' increasing pressure on women to wear mandatory headscarves in public.

The semi-official ISNA news agency said the Tehran University students - both men and women - briefly scuffled with another group of students who support the country's conservative dress code. The rally ended after a few hours.

Deputy head of the university, Majid Sarsangi, told ISNA that there were no new measures in place regarding compulsory hijab at the university. However, he said students should have more respect for the rule during the ongoing Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. He said the protesters did not receive any permission to hold the rally.

The headscarf, or hijab, is mandatory in public for all women in Iran. Those who violate the rule are usually sentenced to two months in prison or less and fined around $25.

A prominent human rights lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, was sentenced in May to seven years in prison after defending anti-hijab protesters.

Iranian authorities have adopted a tougher approach toward such protests since 2017, after dozens of women publicly took off their headscarves. Authorities blamed those protests on foreign-based opposition groups.

The hijab has been matter of dispute since the 1980s, when it became compulsory under the law, though Iranian women were still allowed to drive and hold public office.

In Tehran today, some fashionable young women wear tighter clothes with a scarf loosely covering their head, technically meeting the requirements of the law while drawing the ire of conservatives.

Both President Hassan Rouhani and Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, support a softer attitude toward women who don't properly follow the dress code, although hard-liners who are opposed to any such easing still dominate Iran's security forces and the judiciary.

In April, a woman who removed her hijab in a public protest, Vida Movahed, was sentenced to one year in prison but pardoned by Khamenei, her lawyer said.FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - Florida's 2019 principal of the year is taking over at the school where 17 people were fatally shot last year.

The Sun Sentinel reports Michelle Kefford is replacing Ty Thompson as principal at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Thompson recently announced he's stepping down due to health and family reasons.

Kefford was formerly a science teacher at the school.

Thompson was principal in February 2018 when authorities say a former student opened fire at the school. He was added to a school district investigation in March, when his responsibilities were reassigned to other administrators. Three assistant principals were transferred to other jobs in November while the district investigated their roles in the shooting.

Thompson was not on campus when the shooting happened. A state panel investigating the shooting criticized him for not being informed on how his administration handled student threats.

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Information from: Sun Sentinel , http://www.sun-sentinel.com/ISTANBUL (AP) - Turkey's electoral board has rejected a demand by opposition parties to annul local election results in Istanbul's 39 districts, following the board's decision to strip the opposition of its victory in the mayoral race.

The Supreme Electoral Board on Monday also turned down the opposition's request to annul the results of last year's presidential and parliamentary elections, which further solidified President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's grip on power.

The board ruled in favor of Erdogan's party last week, ordering a re-run of the mayoral race on June 23, saying some officials overseeing the election weren't civil servants as required by law.

The opposition had argued that the board's decision on ballot box committees should apply to all results in Istanbul, where Erdogan's party won a majority of districts.PARIS (AP) - The wife of Meng Hongwei, the former Interpol president jailed in China for what she believes are political reasons, said Monday that France has saved her life and the lives of their two young boys by granting her asylum request.

The French government office that rules on asylum requests rendered its decision last week, granting her refugee status, Grace Meng's legal team said. The asylum office didn't respond to Associated Press contacts by phone and email, and the French Interior Ministry said it doesn't comment on individual cases.

Grace Meng told the AP that the guarantee of being able to stay in France, where Meng Hongwei was stationed with Interpol, offers her family greater security while she pursues her struggle to get information from China about her husband's whereabouts and even whether he is still alive.

"If France hadn't protected me, I would have been killed ages ago," she said. "It's a second life for us, me and my children."

Her last communication with her husband was an emoji of a knife he texted her from China shortly before he disappeared on a trip to Beijing last September. Chinese authorities subsequently announced that Meng Hongwei was in detention, accused of corruption.

He was expelled from the ruling Communist Party and from his office as vice minister of public security, a title he retained after his 2016 election to the presidency of Interpol, the international police liaison organization headquartered in Lyon, France.

Grace Meng claims her husband is a victim of political persecution in China. There are suspicions that he fell out of favor with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has carried out a wide-ranging crackdown on corruption and perceived disloyalty that observers say is calculated to strengthen party control while bringing down potential challengers to his authority.

Last week, Chinese prosecutors indicted Meng Hongwei on charges of accepting bribes, accusing him of abusing his positions to "illegally accept cash and property in return for performing favors for others."

Grace Meng said that China has failed to provide a shred of evidence to support the accusations.

"This is a political case," she told the AP.

In the wake of her husband's detention, Grace Meng has lived under police protection in France.

In filing her asylum request to French authorities last November, her lawyers argued that she would be in danger if she returns to China, having criticized Chinese authorities' handling of his case."Mama's Boy: A Story from Our Americas" (Knopf), by Dustin Lance Black

Dustin Lance Black's new memoir hooks readers right off the bat by describing the moment his beloved mother might die.

The beginning of "Mama's Boy: A Story from Our Americas" opens with Black sitting in the back seat of a taxi, driving to the airport ahead of a flight to London. This is when Black gets a call from his stepfather, urging him to come back home. Black's mother, a survivor of polio and currently battling cancer, had just collapsed.

This memoir, however, is more than a recounting of a deep parent-child bond.

The book is about Black's roots and the unexpected way his life unfolded. He's a well-known gay rights activist who helped overturn Proposition 8 in California and writer of the Oscar-winning blockbuster film "Milk," a 2008 biographical movie on Harvey Milk, California's first openly gay politician.

Black's mother Anne was a conservative Southern lady, a military wife and devout Mormon. Black, who was so shy he had trouble making friends, recognized he was gay when he was 6. This would have never gone over in his household, where even things like alcohol and soda were considered ungodly. And so Black hid this secret for years - until he was in film school at UCLA.

This cover image released by Knopf shows "Mama's Boy: A Story from Our Americas," by Dustin Lance Black. (Knopf via AP)

"To outsiders, in this day and age, my mom and I should have been enemies," Black writes. "Our house should have been divided - North vs. South, red vs. blue, conservative vs. progressive ... Instead we fueled each other."

Anne taught her boys allegiance to each other and their family. She taught them to be fighters for ideas they hold deeply.

"Mama's Boy" is a fast read with witty observations, and all the emotions to go along.

A devastating case of childhood polio left Anne without use of her legs. Doctors said she'd never have children, to give up on that dream. Yet, she refused to listen and had three boys, who occupied the center of her life. There were surgeries endured, poverty that kept the family without many resources, and two abusive husbands. Black's father abandoned the family when the boys were little.

"Mama's Boy" is testament to the powerful impact a good parent has on children. One good, supportive parent can be a child's foundation in the face of trauma, turmoil and change.

And with all the news surrounding the college cheating scandal, Black and "Mama's Boy" show just how far the unlikeliest of children can go with pure, unabashed grit.LONDON (AP) - The British government used its powers to preserve the nation's cultural treasures on Monday to halt the export of a tattered paperback copy of "Lady Chatterley's Lover."

The copy of the once-scandalous book was used by the judge in the U.K. obscenity trial of Penguin Books. Penguin was prosecuted in 1960 for publishing D.H. Lawrence's novel about an affair between a wealthy woman and her husband's gamekeeper, a landmark in the frank literary depiction of sexuality.

A prosecution lawyer infamously asked in court whether it was "a book that you would ... wish your wife or your servants to read?"

It took jurors just three hours of deliberation to find Penguin not guilty, and the case is regarded as a landmark victory for freedom of speech and a sign of changing social mores.

The copy used by judge Laurence Byrne contains notes by his wife Dorothy detailing the explicit passages, and a hand-sewn damask bag designed to stop photographers snapping the judge carrying the scandalous tome.

It was sold to an anonymous overseas bidder at a Sotheby's auction in October for 56,250 pounds ($73,000).

FILE - In this Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 file photo, a copy of D.H Lawrence's book "Lady Chatterley's Lover" that was the judge's personal version used in the infamous 1960 Chatterley trial, on view in Sotheby's auction house in London. The British government has on Monday, May 13, 2019 used its powers to preserve the nation's cultural treasures to halt the export of a tattered paperback copy of "Lady Chatterley's Lover." The copy of the once-scandalous book was used by the judge in the U.K. obscenity trial of Penguin Books, prosecuted in 1960 for publishing D.H. Lawrence's novel about an affair between a wealthy woman and her husband's gamekeeper.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)

The government's decision halts the export for several months to see whether a buyer can be found to keep it in Britain.

Arts minister Michael Ellis said the Chatterley trial "was a watershed moment in cultural history, when Victorian ideals were overtaken by a more modern attitude."

"I hope that a buyer can be found to keep this important part of our nation's history in the U.K.," he said.NEW YORK (AP) - Amazon, which is racing to deliver packages faster, is turning to its own employees with a proposition: Quit your job and we'll help you start a business delivering Amazon packages.

The offer, announced Monday, comes as Amazon seeks to speed up its shipping time from two days to one for its Prime members. The company sees the new incentive as a way to get more packages delivered to shoppers' doorsteps more quickly.

Amazon says it will cover up to $10,000 in startup costs for employees who are accepted into the program and leave their jobs. Those who participate will be able to lease blue vans with the Amazon smile logo stamped on the side. The company says it will also pay them three months' worth of their salary.

The offer is open to most part-time and full-time Amazon employees, including warehouse workers who pack and ship orders. Whole Foods employees are not eligible to receive the new incentives.

Seattle-based Amazon.com Inc. declined to say how many employees it expects to take them up on the offer.

The new employee incentive is part of a program Amazon started a year ago that let anyone apply to launch an independent Amazon delivery business and provided $10,000 in reimbursements to military veterans.

FILE- In this Aug. 3, 2017, file photo, packages ride on a conveyor system at an Amazon fulfillment center in Baltimore. Amazon, which is racing to deliver packages faster, is turning to its employees with a proposition: Quit your job and we'll help you start a business delivering Amazon package. The offer, announced Monday, May 13, 2019, comes as Amazon seeks to speed up its shipping time from two days to one for its Prime members. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

The expansion is part of the company's plan to gain more control over its deliveries rather than rely on UPS, the post office and other carriers. It also gives Amazon a way to grow its delivery network without spending the money needed to buy vehicles or hire workers, says Barb Ivanov, director of University of Washington's Urban Freight Lab, a research lab that focuses on logistics and supply chain transportation.

"The wage problem won't be Amazon's problem," says Ivanov.

Overall, more than 200 Amazon delivery businesses have been created since it launched the program last June, says John Felton, Amazon's vice president of global delivery services.

One of them is run by Milton Collier, a freight broker who started his business in Atlanta about eight months ago. Since then, it has grown to 120 employees with a fleet of 50 vans that can handle up to 200 delivery stops in a day. It has already been preparing for the one-day shipping switch by hiring more people.

"We're ready," says Collier.

But Amazon is still far posing a threat to UPS and FedEx, says Beth Davis-Sramek, a supply chain management professor at Auburn University. Those carriers have thousands of trucks and hundreds of planes to get packages where they need to go. And they're doing more than just delivering boxes to doorsteps, she says; they're also transporting packages between warehouses and businesses.

"UPS and FedEx will be just fine," says Davis-Sramek.

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Contact Joseph Pisani at http://twitter.com/josephpisaniLONDON (AP) - The founder of anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, is wanted by prosecutors in two countries - the United States and Sweden - and he is currently imprisoned in a third - Britain. The tug-of-war stems from different alleged criminal acts. This is how Assange ended up with legal woes on multiple fronts:

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WHAT IS ASSANGE'S LEGAL STATUS?

The 47-year-old Assange is locked up at Belmarsh Prison on the outskirts of London serving a 50-week sentence for jumping bail in Britain. But his legal problems do not stop there. U.S. prosecutors want him brought to the United States to face charges of allegedly conspiring with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to hack into a Pentagon computer system. Swedish prosecutors said Monday they are reviving a rape investigation of Assange and will also seek his extradition.

___

WHY IS SWEDEN'S RAPE INQUIRY ACTIVE AGAIN?

FILE - In this Friday, May 19, 2017 file photo, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange looks out from the balcony while claiming political asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Swedish prosecutors are to reopen rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)

Swedish officials started investigating in 2010 and dropped the case in 2017 because Assange had avoided extradition by obtaining political asylum inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, making it difficult for prosecutors to move the case forward. Ecuador's government withdrew his political protection in April and British police arrested Assange at the embassy hours later. Swedish officials now believe they can extradite Assange to Sweden for questioning and a possible trial.

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WHICH COUNTRY WILL GET ASSANGE FIRST?

That's not clear yet. Sweden hasn't yet made a formal extradition request. It will be up to a British court - and ultimately, Britain's home secretary, a senior Cabinet official who has the government's final say on extradition matters - to determine which claim takes priority. British officials will consider several factors, including the seriousness of the charges and the order in which the requests were received, when deciding which case takes precedence. Some British lawmakers argue that Sweden's claim must receive top priority, but the decision is not up to Parliament.

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HOW WILL THE COURT DECIDE WHETHER TO GRANT THE EXTRADITION REQUESTS?

The extradition proceeding will not be an evaluation of the evidence against Assange. Instead, the British judge will focus on whether the offenses he is accused of would be a crime in Britain along with other factors, including human rights considerations and how long it's been since the illegal acts allegedly took place. British courts will not extradite a person who could be sentenced to death for an alleged crime, but that won't be a factor in this case unless additional charges are filed since the U.S. charge carries a maximum prison term of five years and Sweden does not impose capital punishment.

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ISN'T ASSANGE'S WORK PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT?

A grand jury indicted Assange on a charge of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion. If the case goes to trial, U.S. officials are expected to argue the alleged plot with Manning to break into a classified Pentagon computer system threatened national security and was not directly related to his publishing activities. Assange's defense lawyers are likely to claim his actions were those of a legitimate journalist dealing with a source and are thus protected by the First Amendment.

Vice chief prosecutor Eva-Britt speaks at a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, Monday May 13, 2019. Swedish prosecutors are to reopen rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency via AP)

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, left, demonstrates with protestors against a possible extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the USA in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, May 2, 2019. (Wolfgang Kumm/dpa via AP)

Assange supporters block a major roadway in front of Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Thursday, May 2, 2019. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is facing court over a U.S. request to extradite him for alleged computer hacking.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

FILE - In this Wednesday May 1, 2019 file photo WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange being taken from court, where he appeared on charges of jumping British bail seven years ago, in London. Swedish prosecutors are to reopen rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

US actress Pamela Anderson leaves Belmarsh Prison in south-east London, after visiting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Tuesday May 7, 2019. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)

A supporter of Julian Assange, with a poster of the WikiLeaks founder, joins other protesters to block a major road in front of Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Thursday, May 2, 2019. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is facing court over a U.S. request to extradite him for alleged computer hacking. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Elisabeth Massi Fritz, the lawyer representing a woman who alleges that she was raped by Julian Assange, holds a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, Monday May 13, 2019. Swedish prosecutors said Monday they are reopening a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and will seek his extradition after he has served his 50-week prison term in Britain for jumping bail. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT via AP)DETROIT (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a dispute over a coat that belonged to civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks.

The court rejected an appeal Monday. A lawyer for the trustee of Parks' estate says relatives reneged on a deal to turn over a wool coat that Parks wore when she was arrested on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus in 1955. But a niece insists she doesn't have the coat.

Steven Cohen turned to the Supreme Court after exhausting appeals in Michigan courts. Despite the loss, he predicts the "controversy will continue."

In 2014, the foundation of philanthropist Howard Buffett purchased hundreds of Parks' personal belongings for $4.5 million, without the coat. Cohen says Buffett subsequently donated them to the Library of Congress. Parks died in 2005.NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Pressure from religious leaders for Tennessee's governor to grant mercy to a death row inmate mounted Monday as the U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal that could have delayed his upcoming execution.

Don Johnson's petition for clemency has centered on his religious conversion and Christian ministry to other prisoners. That journey included his ordination as an elder in a Nashville Seventh-day Adventist church while on death row.

In a letter hand-delivered to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Monday, worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church President Ted N.C. Wilson asked Lee to consider sparing Johnson's life so he could continue his "important spiritual ministry."

"I am told that he has brought other prisoners to Christ, leading them to make a full surrender to God, and that this is having a positive influence throughout the prison and beyond," Wilson wrote of Johnson.

The letter is one in a series of appeals from religious leaders that includes the president of the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Episcopal bishops of middle and east Tennessee.

Johnson is scheduled to be executed Thursday for the 1984 murder of his wife, Connie Johnson. Her daughter, Cynthia Vaughn, has forgiven Johnson and joined in the request for clemency, but other relatives sent a letter to the governor asking that the execution move forward.

FILE - This undated file image released by the Tennessee Department of Correction shows death row inmate Don Johnson. Pressure from religious leaders for Tennessee's governor to grant mercy to the death row inmate mounted on Monday, May 13, 2019, as the U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal that could have delayed his upcoming execution. Johnson's petition for clemency has centered on his religious conversion and Christian ministry to other prisoners. He is scheduled to be executed Thursday, May 16 for the 1984 murder of his wife, Connie Johnson. (Tennessee Department of Corrections via AP, File)

In the letter, Connie Johnson's sister, Margaret Davis, called Johnson a "con man" who would kill again if set free.

The appeal rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday was the last legal resort for Johnson, whose attorneys have said he does not want to file any last-minute challenges.

The case involved Tennessee's midazolam-based lethal injection combination, but it didn't directly challenge lethal injection. Instead it took aim at Tennessee secrecy laws that shield information about the procurement of execution drugs.

The 23 death row inmates who are plaintiffs in the suit argued the laws prevented them from proving a more humane drug is available.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented from her colleagues' Monday decision not to consider the case. She wrote that requiring prisoners who challenge a method of execution to prove there is a better method available is "fundamentally wrong" and added that state secrecy laws compound the injustice.

The last two prisoners executed in Tennessee chose to die in the electric chair rather than by the state's default method of lethal injection, saying they believed electrocution would be quicker and less painful. Because Johnson has not requested the electric chair, he will be put to death by lethal injection.YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) - A court in Armenia has opened a trial of the country's former president on charges stemming from a deadly police crackdown on a demonstration a decade ago.

Robert Kocharian, who has been jailed since December on charges of violating constitutional order for ordering the crackdown, contends the case is political revenge by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, who was a leader of the 2008 protest against election fraud.

Eight demonstrators and two police officers died in the clash.

The demonstration was protesting results of an election two weeks earlier that declared Serzh Sargsyan as Kocharian's replacement. Sargsyan, who was supported by Kocharian, served as president for the next 10 years before briefly serving as prime minister. Mass protests led by Pashinian drove Sargsyan out of office a year ago.MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Vermont has joined a handful of states in renaming Columbus Day to honor Native Americans.

Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill May 6 recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day.

A half-dozen states, including Vermont, and several cities have made the change.

The governors of Maine and New Mexico signed similar measures last month.

Native American tribes and others say celebrating Italian explorer Christopher Columbus ignores the effect that the European arrival in the Americas had on the native peoples.

They suffered violence, disease, enslavement, racism and exploitation at the hands of the settlers.

Vermont's law states that "Vermont was founded and built upon lands whose original inhabitants were Abenaki people and honors them and their ancestors."

____

This story has been corrected to change the day of the bill signing to May 6, instead of Friday.KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) - The Latest on the uprising in Sudan that ended President Omar al-Bashir's 30-year reign last month (all times local):

8:30 p.m.

The Sudan Doctors Committee says at least a dozen protesters were wounded in clashes with the military, including eight at the ongoing sit-in area outside the military's headquarters in Khartoum.

Footage circulating online Monday showed protesters blocking roads in Khartoum with burning tires and trees. Other footage showed men from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces forcibly dispersing protesters.

The Sudan Doctors Committee is part of the Sudanese Professionals Association, which has spearheaded the protests since December that eventually led to the military's ouster of President Omar al-Bashir last month. The protesters have remained in the streets, demanding a swift transition to civilian rule.

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FILE - In this April 11, 2019 file photo, Sudanese celebrate after officials said the military had forced longtime autocratic President Omar al-Bashir to step down after 30 years in power in Khartoum, Sudan. As the uprising against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir gained strength, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia began reaching out to the military through secret channels to encourage his removal from power. They had long viewed al-Bashir as a problem because of his close ties to Islamists. (AP Photo, File)

6:30 p.m.

Sudan's state news agency says prosecutors have charged ousted President Omar al-Bashir with involvement in killing protesters and incitement to kill protesters during the uprising that drove him from power last month.

SUNA publicized the charges Monday. It was not immediately clear what punishment he might face.

The transitional military council ruling Sudan has said al-Bashir will face justice inside the country and will not be extradited to the Hague, where the International Criminal Court has charged him with war crimes and genocide linked to the Darfur conflict in the 2000s.

Al-Bashir was imprisoned in the capital, Khartoum, days after the military removed him from power.

The protesters have remained in the streets, demanding a swift transition to civilian rule.

___

11:20 a.m.

Sudanese protesters who drove President Omar al-Bashir from power last month are resuming negotiations with the ruling military council in renewed efforts to find common ground on forming a transitional government.

Shams al-Deen al-Kabashi, a spokesman for the military council, says Monday's meeting - the first in over a week - is being held "in a more optimistic atmosphere."

The protesters are represented by the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, a coalition of opposition groups.

The two sides are divided over what role the military, dominated by al-Bashir appointees, should play in the transitional period. The protesters demand a full transfer of power to a civilian government during this time.

The military seeks a two-year transitional period during which army generals would retain most of the power.DELAWARE, Ohio (AP) - Authorities believe a tankless water heater probably caused a carbon monoxide leak that killed a family of four at a home in Ohio.

Genoa Township authorities found 50-year-old Richard Reitter III, 49-year-old Jennifer Reitter, and their children, 15-year-old Richard Reitter IV and 13-year-old Grace Reitter, dead in their home May 2. Their three dogs also were dead.

Township police say the last known contact with the family was April 29 when they all complained of illness.

Investigators say a forensic engineering company tested the water heater and found it emitted high levels of carbon monoxide. Police say determining what caused the leak would require more testing.

No carbon monoxide detectors were found in the home.

Genoa Township is roughly 20 miles (30 kilometers) north of downtown Columbus in Delaware County.ROME (AP) - Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has taken aim at a Vatican cardinal who climbed into a utility manhole to restore electricity to squatters in a state-owned building, pitting far-right Italian politics against Pope Francis' humanitarian agenda.

Salvini was incensed by the take-charge action of Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who is the pope's official almsgiver.

A rising force in Europe's far-right politics, Salvini is insisting that Krajewski pay 300,000 euros (about $340,000) in back electricity bills for the Rome palazzo, tweeting Monday that Italians who pay for their own power must be "fools."

Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano rallied to the cardinal's side, equating what Krajewski's did on Saturday night for about 450 homeless people, among them nearly 100 children, to a "gesture of humanity."

Krajewski, a Polish prelate who was elevated to cardinal's rank last year by Francis for championing the needs of society's poor, said he'd pay the bill that is being run up now that he has switched back on the building's electricity meter.

"I'll even pay his utility bills," Krajewski told Corriere della Sera in an interview, referring to Salvini.

FILE - In this Thursday, June 28, 2018 filer, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski right after being elected in a consistory in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. Pope Francis' almsgiver has gone down a Rome manhole to restore electricity for hundreds of homeless people living in an unused state-owned building. Polish Cardinal Konrad Krajewski told Italian news agency ANSA he went underground and flipped a power switch Saturday in a "desperate gesture" to help the building's more than 400 occupants . (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)

But the cardinal, who goes around town in street clothes delivering hot food and sleeping bags to Rome's homeless and has in the past arranged for them to have private viewings of Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, prefers to move the matter to a higher plane.

"One talks about money, but that's not the first problem. There are the children. So the first question to be posed is - why are they there, for what reason?"

In a text message to The Associated Press, the cardinal, declining an interview, said of his actions: "The gesture speaks for itself."

Salvini had already railed against Francis for telling governments they mustn't close their borders to those in need like migrants. Eager to be Italy's next premier, he is working to unite far-right parties for the upcoming European Parliament elections, and in working the crowds at his rallies, he rails against what he mockingly calls Italy's do-gooders.

Among his targets are charities operating rescue boats in the Mediterranean, saving thousands of migrants from foundering, unseaworthy human traffickers' vessels.

Salvini's campaign cry, both now, and in the run-up to the 2018 Italian parliamentary election that brought Europe's first-all populist government to power, is "Italians first."

But many of those who have been living in the building since October 2013, largely before the first waves of hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers rescued at sea were brought to Italy's shores, are Italians. The seven-story building, a short walk from St. John in Lateran Basilica, is property of a state-run pension agency.

Among the homeless there is Andrea Alzetta. He called what Krajewski did "an act of courage."

"Someone, in this case, the pope's almsgiver, has taken on the task of getting his hands dirty, standing up and connecting the electricity again," Alzetta said. Taped on the door of one of the families who live there is a photo of Francis.

Krajewski says he'll pay any fine for putting his hands on the electricity meter.

"What do you want? It was a particular, desperate situation," the cardinal said. On May 6, the utility company had cut off the power because of the unpaid bill. A nun who volunteers there had alerted the cardinal to the power cutoff.

Lately, some of Italy's politics have turned ugly.

Last week at the Vatican, the pope greeted a Roma family, with 12 children, who recently were given Rome public housing. Encouraged by small, pro-fascist party, CasaPound, angry local residents had taunted the family, with one protester shouting if they didn't leave, the mother would be raped.

On Sunday, on a boulevard leading to St. Peter's Square, a handful of supporters of the extreme-right party Forza Nuova hoisted a banner denigrating the pope and demanding a stop to immigration.

___

Paolo Santalucia and Alessia Melchiorre contributed to this report.

___

Frances D'Emilio is on twitter at www.twitter.com/fdemilio

In this photo taken on Sunday, May 12, 2019, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, center, poses with activists and residents of an unused state-owned building in Rome. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has taken aim at a Vatican cardinal who climbed into a utility manhole to restore electricity to squatters in a state-owned building, pitting Pope Francis' humanitarian priorities against far-right Italian politics. Salvini was incensed by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski's actions. A rising force in Europe's far-right politics, he is insisting that Krajewski pay 300,000 euros in back utility bills for the Rome building, grumbling that Italians who pay for their own power must be "fools." (Fabio Grimaldi via AP)

Maria, last name not given, who lives in an occupied building, leaves after collecting some food a day after Pope Francis' almsgiver restored electricity for hundreds of homeless people living in the unused state-owned building. A papal aide's descent into a Rome utility manhole has angered Italy's right-wing leader, pitting do-gooders vs. politicians. The Vatican on Monday defended as a "gesture of humanity" Cardinal Konrad Krajewski's unauthorized restoration of electricity to some 500 illegal occupants of an unused state-owned building. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

A view of an occupied building in Rome, Monday, May 13, 2019, a day after Pope Francis' almsgiver restored electricity for hundreds of homeless people living in the unused state-owned building. A papal aide's descent into a Rome utility manhole has angered Italy's right-wing leader, pitting do-gooders vs. nationalist politicians. The Vatican newspaper l'Osservatore Romano on Monday defended as a "gesture of humanity" Cardinal Konrad Krajewski's unauthorized restoration of electricity two days earlier to some 500 illegal occupants of an unused state-owned building. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

A man walks in a occupied building in Rome, Monday, May 13, 2019, a day after Pope Francis' almsgiver restored electricity for hundreds of homeless people living in the unused state-owned building. A papal aide's descent into a Rome utility manhole has angered Italy's right-wing leader, pitting do-gooders vs. nationalist politicians. The Vatican newspaper l'Osservatore Romano on Monday defended as a "gesture of humanity" Cardinal Konrad Krajewski's unauthorized restoration of electricity two days earlier to some 500 illegal occupants of an unused state-owned building. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

A view of the exterior of an occupied building in Rome, Monday, May 13, 2019, a day after Pope Francis' almsgiver restored electricity for hundreds of homeless people living in the unused state-owned building. A papal aide's descent into a Rome utility manhole has angered Italy's right-wing leader, pitting do-gooders vs. nationalist politicians. The Vatican newspaper l'Osservatore Romano on Monday defended as a "gesture of humanity" Cardinal Konrad Krajewski's unauthorized restoration of electricity two days earlier to some 500 illegal occupants of an unused state-owned building. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

People stand on a utility manhole of an occupied building in Rome, Monday, May 13, 2019, a day after Pope Francis' almsgiver restored electricity for hundreds of homeless people living in the unused state-owned building. A papal aide's descent into a Rome utility manhole has angered Italy's right-wing leader, pitting do-gooders vs. nationalist politicians. The Vatican newspaper l'Osservatore Romano on Monday defended as a "gesture of humanity" Cardinal Konrad Krajewski's unauthorized restoration of electricity two days earlier to some 500 illegal occupants of an unused state-owned building. (AP Photo/Paolo Lucariello)JERUSALEM (AP) - A senior Palestinian official said the United States denied her application for a visa to travel to the U.S. on Monday in what appears to be the latest sign of escalating American political pressure on Palestinians.

Hanan Ashrawi, a top official in the Palestine Liberation Organization and outspoken activist for Palestinian rights, told The Associated Press that she believed she was rejected for political reasons.

She said she had been invited to a series of speaking engagements at universities and think tanks in the U.S., and was also planning to visit relatives, including a daughter and grandchildren living there.

Educated in the U.S., Ashrawi, 72, said she has visited America many times and typically makes several visits a year. With her fluent English, she is a prominent Palestinian spokeswoman on TV and has met with top U.S. officials over the past three decades.

Asked whether her visa denial was political, she said: "Of course," calling it "pettiness and vindictiveness."

A State Department official declined to provide details about Ashrawi's case, citing confidentiality requirements, but said the U.S. does not refuse visas based solely on people's political views or statements.

The Palestinian Authority severed ties with the Trump administration after it recognized contested Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and moved the embassy there. The U.S. responded with a series of punitive measures that have increasingly alienated Palestinians, from shuttering the U.S. consulate overseeing relations with Palestinians to slashing humanitarian aid to the West Bank and Gaza.

In a series of tweets about the rejected visa, Ashrawi said: "I just hope someone can explain this to my grandchildren & all the rest of my family there."SEATTLE (AP) - Canada has approved measures designed to protect endangered orcas in the Pacific Northwest, with some policies going further than laws recently enacted by Washington state.

The Seattle Times reports Canadian agencies last Friday announced the policies aimed at improving access to food for orcas, including reducing chinook salmon fishing and vessel disturbances on the animals.

Canada also will create sanctuaries for orcas in the Salish Sea, closing coastal waterways to most vessel traffic from June through October.

Vessels in Canadian waters will be required to stay 437 yards (400 meters) away from orcas.

Vessels in Washington state waters must keep 300 yards (274 meters) away from orcas.

The measure was among several bills that Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed last week.

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Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.comDETROIT (AP) - The U.S. government is withdrawing a proposal to require all passenger vehicles to have safety systems to prevent unintended acceleration.

The government said Monday the rule isn't needed because the auto industry has installed systems voluntarily.

The industry opposed the rule. It was proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2012 after a series of unintended acceleration problems with Toyota vehicles.

The agency says all 2018 passenger vehicles have systems that override the throttle if a driver presses the gas and brakes at the same time, and it doesn't expect any automakers to remove the brake-throttle override system in the future.

But Jason Levine, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, said it will take years to find out whether automakers installed the systems due to the threat of a regulation or could remove them without the regulation pending. "What we know today is that with no requirement, there is no performance standard for the throttle control system and nothing preventing it from being sold as a luxury feature," he said. "We can only hope a few years from now we won't see reports of crashes that could have been prevented by a required system that met minimum safety standards."

The move comes as the administration of President Donald Trump pushes to reduce or eliminate regulations, which Trump considers an unnecessary burden on industry. "NHTSA does not find that there is presently a safety need for a BTO (brake-throttle override) requirement," the agency said in the withdrawal notice, which was posted Monday on a government website.

The rule also would have required vehicles to return to idle if a driver stops pressing the gas pedal. But NHTSA wrote that it needs a broader understanding of safe design of vehicle electronic control systems to make a decision on that.

Override systems would have been required in passenger cars, trucks and buses weighing less than 10,000 pounds. Most large trucks and buses weigh more than that, however.

The proposed rule was an outgrowth of investigations in 2010 into claims that electronic defects were causing unintended acceleration in some Toyota models. An investigation by NHTSA and a separate study by NASA ruled out electronic defects in high-speed crashes and determined that in some cases drivers had inadvertently pressed the brake and gas pedal at the same time or that gas pedals had become trapped by floor mats.

One accident that gained attention was the August 2009 high-speed crash of a Lexus near San Diego that resulted in the deaths of four people. Investigators determined that the driver, a veteran California highway patrolman, had applied the brake of the loaned car but was unable to override the accelerator, which was trapped by a floor mat.

In February 2011, Toyota Motor Corp. recalled 2.17 million vehicles in the United States to address accelerator pedals that could become entrapped in floor mats or jammed in driver's-side carpeting, prompting NHTSA to close its investigation. The agency also fined Toyota $50 million for not recalling millions of vehicles in a timely fashion.

The rule was aimed at minimizing the risk that drivers would lose control of their vehicles as a result of either accelerator-control system disconnections or accelerator-pedal sticking or floor-mat entrapment, the safety administration said at the time.HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (AP) - The Latest on the shooting at a suburban Denver school (all times local):

11 a.m.

A memorial service is planned for a student hailed as a hero for tackling one of two teenage gunmen who attacked his suburban Denver school.

A celebration of life will be held Wednesday at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch for 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo.

Castillo and two classmates have been credited with helping thwart the attack by charging at one of the shooters in a classroom.

Castillo was a member of the school's robotics club who loved to tinker on his projects and worked part-time at a manufacturing company. He was set to graduate days after he was killed.

This undated photo provided by Rachel Short shows Kendrick Castillo, who was killed during a shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (Rachel Short via AP)

Formal charges are expected to be filed against the suspected shooters on Wednesday.

____

9:40 a.m.

The last student still hospitalized after being wounded in last week's school shooting in a Denver suburb near Columbine was released from the hospital over the weekend.

Littleton Adventist Hospital said in a statement that the patient brought there after the shooting at the STEM School in Highlands Ranch was allowed to go home on Sunday. Seven others were also wounded.

Killed in the shooting was 18-year-old student Kendrick Castillo. Witnesses say he was shot while tackling one of the two shooters.

Two teenage suspects were arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

Formal charges are expected to be filed when they appear in court Wednesday.ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - More Florida counties must provide election materials and ballots in Spanish, a federal judge has ruled.

An order Friday from U.S. District Judge Mark Walker expanded a temporary injunction that he had granted ahead of last fall's elections.

Under Walker's latest order, election supervisors in 32 more counties must provide ballots in Spanish by March 2020 when the presidential primary election is held. Fifteen counties already do so, and Walker's order would raise the total to almost four dozen of Florida's 67 counties.

"This case is about the fundamental right to cast a ballot," the judge wrote.

If a county holds an election before next March's primary election, elections supervisors must provide sample ballots in Spanish, according to the order.

The order also requires election supervisors to provide information in Spanish on their websites, recruit bilingual poll workers and have a bilingual hotline to assist Spanish-speaking voters during early voting.

The judge's order was in response to a lawsuit filed last year by a coalition of Latino civic groups as well as Puerto Ricans who had moved to Florida after Hurricane Maria in 2017 and said they didn't understand English well.

"I will not be able to vote effectively without access to Spanish-language elections materials," said one of the plaintiffs, Marta Valentina Rivera Madera, in a declaration filed in the case.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last month directed the Florida Department of State to start rule-making that would expand the availability of ballots and elections material in Spanish throughout the state for the 2020 election cycle and beyond.

More than 4 million of Florida's 20 million residents speak Spanish at home, according to U.S. Census figures from the 2017 American Community Survey.

"Florida has a significant Spanish-speaking population and our state is home to many Puerto Ricans who moved here after the devastation of Hurricane Maria," the Republican governor said last month. "These fellow citizens should be able to fully participate in our democracy."

The judge praised the state's efforts to update rules expanding access to Spanish-language election materials, but he said there was no way of knowing when they would be finished. An order was necessary to ensure compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act, he said.

"What is clear is that the rules are currently not in place and elections will be held between now and then," the judge wrote.

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Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAPSAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Police Sgt. Kelvin Ansari had just arrived for his evening shift when he greeted Lt. Gregory Mitchell with a joke and laugh. A few hours later, the lieutenant was driving his co-worker's wife to the hospital after Ansari got shot while responding to an armed robbery call.

Ansari, 50, didn't survive.

The patrol sergeant's fatal shooting late Saturday left his 500 fellow officers in the Savannah Police Department in stunned disbelief. They gathered Monday outside police headquarters - along with the mayor, district attorney, local judges and other officials - to lay bouquets of flowers atop a police SUV in memory of the fallen officers.

Mitchell had known Ansari for nearly a decade and was his direct supervisor in the Central Precinct that patrols neighborhoods to the south of Savannah's downtown historic district.

"It's almost unbelievable," Mitchell said. "We're trying to maintain because we still have a job to do ... Our hearts are grieving. Our hearts are heavy."

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the state's top law enforcement agency, is investigating Ansari's killing. A second officer, Douglas Thomas, was wounded by a gunshot to the leg. He attended the memorial event Monday in civilian clothes, dabbing tears as he stood at Mitchell's side.

Savannah police Officer Douglas Thomas, center in plain clothes, wipes an eye as he stands between police Maj. Robert Gavin, left, and Lt. Gregory Mitchell, during a memorial event Monday, May 13, 2019, for an officer killed in a weekend shooting. Authorities say Thomas was wounded in the leg and Sgt. Kelvin Ansari was fatally shot while responding to an armed robbery call Saturday, May 11, 2019. The suspect, Edward Fuller III, was shot and killed by police. (AP Photo/Russ Bynum)

The suspected gunman, 49-year-old Edward Fuller III, also died after being shot by police.

The two officers were shot during a hunt for an armed robbery suspect who stole money late Saturday from a person leaving a barber shop, the GBI said in a news release. After committing the robbery, Fuller sat in a nearby vehicle "unknown to the officers," the GBI said, when Ansari approached.

As the officer got close to the parked vehicle, the GBI said, Fuller got out and began shooting - striking both Ansari and Thomas. The bureau said Fuller fled to the backyard of a nearby home, where he was shot as he pointed a handgun at officers as they closed in on him.

Chatham County court records show Fuller had at least three prior felony convictions dating back to 1990, when he received probation after pleading guilty to auto theft and simple battery. In 2016, Fuller was sentenced to a year in jail after he pleaded guilty to cocaine possession and obstruction of an officer.

Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter said Ansari had worked in the department for 10 years. He became an officer after retiring from the Army after 21 years of military service. The fallen officer was married with four children, ages 5 to 25.

Sgt. Dana Purvis recalled working with Ansari when he was trainee. Within a decade he rose quickly through the ranks to become a patrol supervisor.

Purvis, Savannah's officer in charge of security for special events, said Ansari was always quick to offer help during busy road races and other popular events such as the city's sprawling St. Patrick's Day parade.

Ansari also liked to help families in need in the neighborhoods he patrolled, Purvis said, like donating and wrapping gifts for children at Christmas.

"He was just always that sergeant that was always giving and caring," Purvis said. "You could never say a bad word about him."

This undated photo from the Savannah Police Department shows Sgt. Kelvin Ansari, who died after being shot Saturday, May 11, 2019, while responding to an armed robbery call. Authorities say Ansari, 50, was helping investigate a robbery outside a barber shop when the suspected robber stepped out of a vehicle and shot him. The suspect, 49-year-old Edward Fuller Jr., was also fatally shot. A second police officer survived after being shot in the leg. Photo from the Savannah Police Department. (Savannah Police Department via AP)CANNES, France (AP) - A year after 82 women protested en masse on the red carpet, the Cannes Film Festival on Monday defended its record on female filmmakers and for the first time divulged data on its selection process.

Addressing reporters on the eve of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival, Thierry Fremaux spoke at length, both touting the festival's strides in gender parity and bristling at what he described as Cannes' being held to an impossible standard.

Issues of gender equality have resonated particularly in Cannes, where only one female filmmaker (Jane Campion, in 1993 for "The Piano") has ever won the festival's top award, the Palme d'Or, and where women directors have never numbered more than four in the main slate of approximately 20 films. Not wearing high heels has even, as recently as four years ago, been a reason for denying entry to a premiere.

Cannes is also where Harvey Weinstein for decades was a prominent regular. At the festival's closing ceremony last May, Italian filmmaker Asia Argento declared on the stage: "In 1997, I was raped by Harvey Weinstein here at Cannes. I was 21-years-old. This festival was his hunting ground." (Weinstein has denied the encounter was rape.)

Following pressure by 50/50x2020, the French sister group to Time's Up, Fremaux last May signed a pledge - with Cate Blanchett, Ava DuVernay and others looking on - promising to make the festival's selection process more transparent and to push their executive boards toward gender parity.

This year, Cannes's selection committee was 50 percent female for the first time. On the recommendation of 50/50X2020, the festival created a space for nursing mothers, which it dubbed Le Ballon Rouge. And four films directed by women were selected for competition, matching the previous record set in 2011.

A view of the Palais des festivals during the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 13, 2019. The Cannes film festival runs from May 14th until May 25th 2019. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Cannes on Monday offered a dose of transparency on its selection process, including who sat on the selection committee. That, too, had been a suggestion of 50/50X2020. The festival said that it received 1,845 feature film submissions from 39 countries, 26% were directed by women. Its official selection of 69 films, both features and shorts, included 19 films directed by women, or 27.5%.

Still, some have said Cannes isn't progressing coming quickly enough, noting that it trails parity rates of other major festivals, including recent editions of Berlin, Sundance and Toronto. For the second time in two years, Fremaux held a press conference defending Cannes from its critics, the day before Jim Jarmusch's "The Dead Don't Die" will open the festival.

"When we signed this charter, the idea was never that the selection would be based on gender parity," Fremaux said Monday. "All the films in the official selection - and there are 15 women directors in all, 20 if you add the shorts - all these films are there because in our view as the people who selected the films, they really deserve to have been selected."

"There have never been so many women directors in the official selection because there have never been so many women directors in the industry as a whole," said Fremaux.

Cannes, Fremaux said, is criticized in a way that other festivals and social organizations are not.

"The Cannes Film Festival has to be impeccable and absolutely perfect. Of course we try to be perfect," said Fremaux. "No one has asked me to have 50% of films made by women. That would show a lack of respect."

50/50X2020 said it will review the findings in a press conference in Cannes on Friday.

This year's festival has also attracted some backlash to its selections. In competition is Abdellatif Kechiche, whose "Blue Is the Warmest Color" won the Palme d'Or in 2013. In October, Paris authorities launched an investigation into a sexual assault allegation against the director. Kechiche has denied it.

The decision to give Alain Delon, the 83-year-old French acting legend of "Le Samourai" and "The Leopard," an honorary Palme d'Or prompted an online petition against it. Deon has acknowledged slapping women in the past and said he opposes the adoption of children by same-sex parents.

Fremaux said Delon comes from another generation and that he's free to express his views, whatever they are.

"We're not giving Alain Delon the Nobel Peace Prize," said Fremaux.

Last year's demonstration by 82 women formed one of the most striking images of the Cannes Film Festival when they stood together in a demonstration on the festival's red carpet steps. One of the leaders of that protest was Agnes Varda, the French New Wave pioneer who died in March at age 90.

This year's festival poster is a picture of Varda, who was given an honorary Palme d'Or in 2015, shooting her debut feature, 1955's "La Pointe Courte," peering through the lens of a raised camera while standing on the back of a man.

___

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

A view of the Carlton Hotel in Cannes during the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 13, 2019. The Cannes film festival runs from May 14th until May 25th 2019. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)

A view of the Palais des festivals during the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 13, 2019. The Cannes film festival runs from May 14th until May 25th 2019. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)Cory Booker was the mayor of New Jersey's largest city and considering a run for higher office, but he had a different goal in mind when he appeared on stage at the 2012 Tech Disrupt Conference in San Francisco.

Booker was there to promote Waywire, the social media company that he had recently co-founded. He believed the video-sharing network could change the way millennials consumed news and participated in politics - a prospect that positioned Booker as a tech-savvy political leader of the next generation and stood to earn him millions.

Waywire aimed to improve on YouTube by making it easier to create, share and discover videos based on one's interests. Booker told the audience that the videos would elevate the voices of everyday Americans and their challenges, helping address everything from discrimination to joblessness. "We can change America at a far more rapid pace than it's being changed right now," he said.

Booker's grand ambitions for Waywire crashed. The company fizzled out in the way that many digital startups have over the years. Booker kept his focus on politics, winning two elections to the Senate and earlier this year launching a bid to be president.

But his one-time aspiration to be a revolutionary tech mogul is a revealing window into his close association to the industry, his optimism about the power of technology and his willingness to mix public service with a for-profit business. At the time his involvement raised questions about whether he was potentially beholden to influential Silicon Valley leaders, who invested in the startup.

At campaign stops, Booker does not bring up Waywire. But the company could resurface as a political liability at a time when many Americans - including Booker and his Democratic rivals - are calling for tougher regulations on tech companies.

FILE - In this April 15, 2019 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., speaks during an election stop at the Sioux City Public Museum in Sioux City, Iowa. The campaign of presidential candidate Cory Booker is defending his decision to start a tech company while he was serving as mayor of New Jersey's largest city. A spokeswoman says that Booker "jumped at the chance" to start Waywire in 2012 because he saw it as a socially-conscious video network that could bring people together. But his one-time aspiration to be a tech mogul, and his long ties to the industry, could become a liability for his campaign. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Booker declined an interview request, but campaign spokeswoman Sabrina Singh defended his decision to start Waywire while leading Newark, a city of 285,000 people.

"Cory is passionate about bringing people together, and when presented with the opportunity to be a part of a new, forward-thinking and socially-conscious online video network, he jumped at the chance," she said.

Booker has taken a harder line toward the technology industry since Donald Trump's election. Just last month, he wrote on Twitter that tech platforms "are becoming engines for discrimination, harassment, misinformation and extremism while stifling innovation."

In an interview that aired Sunday on ABC's "This Week," Booker declined to endorse Sen. Elizabeth Warren's call to break up Facebook. But he said the Justice Department should study consolidation in the tech industry and others and more aggressively enforce antitrust laws.

At the 2012 tech conference, Booker called Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg "an American hero," praising his entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Booker had persuaded Zuckerberg to donate $100 million to help improve Newark's public schools.

Money from tech executives and employees has also helped fuel his political career. Former Google chairman Eric Schmidt and LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, who were among the early investors in Waywire, earlier this year gave $2,800 apiece to his presidential campaign, the maximum allowed.

Booker raised more than $447,000 from the internet industry for his Senate campaigns and his political action committee from 2013 through 2018, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Supporters say his knowledge of the industry gives him valuable insight, noting that he pioneered the use of Twitter to communicate with constituents. They say he believes in the power of technology to be a force for social good, calling Waywire an earnest effort to improve political dialogue among young people.

"I think this indicates that he's a curious, and open and responsible person who doesn't use his authority or his influence for himself but to find more policies to help people," said Philip Stephenson, who was one of Waywire's first employees in 2012.

Stephenson said the day-to-day operations of the company, which was run out of a Manhattan office by Booker's founding partners Sarah Ross and Nathan Richardson, was plagued by uncertainty about its direction. He and other journalists were let go after a few months as the company struggled. Booker severed ties with it after a media firestorm surrounding his role, which became a bump on his path to the U.S. Senate.

Waywire aimed to capitalize on Booker's popularity on Twitter, where he had amassed more than 1 million followers and communicated about storms and potholes with residents. Booker used his connections to help raise $1.75 million to start Waywire, which included investments from Schmidt's Innovation Partners, Hoffman and LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, Oprah Winfrey and Lady Gaga's manager.

The company was entwined with Booker's political brand from the start. The company posted videos that put Booker in a flattering light: delivering a commencement speech at his alma mater, Stanford; campaigning for President Barack Obama's re-election in 2012; and answering questions such as, "How do you feel about your superhero status?"

He urged his constituents and supporters to send him "wires," the homemade videos that he hoped would make the company compelling. A digital strategist who worked for him in Newark - and later in the U.S. Senate - joined the company.

Even as he was promoting Waywire publicly, Booker minimized his ties to it on the initial Senate financial disclosure form he filed as a candidate in 2013 running in a special election to replace the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg. He listed himself as a co-founder but didn't list his ownership as an asset.

Two months later, in July 2013, he amended his disclosure to list his Waywire stake as worth between $1 million and $5 million and to add his role as a board member. He said those details had been inadvertently omitted.

His rivals in the Democratic primary criticized Booker after his role in the company was the subject of a front-page New York Times article days before the election. They questioned whether he was seeking to profit at Newark's expense and was compromised by his tech associations. Tabloids pounced on a particularly juicy detail: that a Waywire advisory board included the teenage son of CNN President Jeff Zucker, who had been given a stock option for his role. The boy, 15, resigned.

Booker won the primary and shortly before the general election, announced that he had given his ownership stake to charity. A campaign spokesman said the donation wasn't itemized in his tax returns but that it went to the New Jersey Community Foundation. Foundation President Hans Dekker said he could not confirm the gift under its privacy policy but that Booker "has been wonderfully philanthropic not only to our foundation, but also to Newark in general."

Waywire was sold in 2013 for an unspecified sum to online video distributor Magnify Media, which took the brand in a different direction. Waywire's remaining assets were sold again, in 2017, to a company controlled by a Ukrainian entrepreneur and is no longer operating.

Steve Rosenbaum, of Magnify Media, said Booker's vision for Waywire was solid and remains relevant today. But he said Booker's role with the company was not sustainable once he started campaigning for Senate, which happened earlier than he expected following Lautenberg's death.

"All of a sudden, it was pretty clear that he just didn't have the bandwidth nor was it the right thing for him to be running for U.S. Senate and also running a startup," he said.Reports that commercial ships have become targets of alleged sabotage near the Strait of Hormuz have focused new attention on the region as tensions have risen. A look at the key waterway:

WHERE IS THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ?

The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf. It is in the territorial waters of Iran and Oman, which at its narrowest point is just 33 kilometers (21 miles) wide. The width of the shipping lane in either direction is only 3 kilometers (2 miles). It flows into the Gulf of Oman, where ships can then travel to the rest of the world. The strait is viewed as an international transit route.

WHY IS THE STRAIT IMPORTANT?

One third of all oil traded by sea passes through the strait. Anything affecting it ripples through global energy markets, raising the price of crude oil. That then trickles down to consumers through what they pay for gasoline and other oil products.

WHY IS IT IN THE NEWS?

Since President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and others in Tehran have reinvigorated a long-made threat that the Islamic Republic could close off the strait. Meanwhile, Gulf officials say that a "sabotage" attack targeted oil tankers off the coast of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. That's a point where many ships traveling through the strait stop.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

U.S. forces routinely travel through the strait, despite sometimes-tense encounters with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary force answerable only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and its strike group are expected to arrive after the White House deployed it there amid still-unspecified threats from Iran. Given the tension, any incident between Iranian and U.S. forces could escalate the situation.NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Latest on the upcoming execution of Tennessee inmate Don Johnson (all times local):

12:50 p.m.

The worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church is asking for mercy for a Tennessee inmate scheduled to be executed Thursday.

Don Johnson's petition for clemency has centered on his religious conversion and Christian ministry to other prisoners. That journey included his ordination as an elder in a Nashville Seventh-day Adventist church while on death row.

In a letter hand-delivered to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Monday, Seventh-day Adventist Church President Ted N.C. Wilson asks Lee to consider sparing Johnson's life so he may continue his "important spiritual ministry."

The letter is one in a series of appeals from religious leaders that includes the president of the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Episcopal bishops of middle and east Tennessee.

Johnson is sentenced to die for the 1984 murder of his wife, Connie Johnson.

___

10 a.m.

The U.S. Supreme Court won't consider an appeal that could have delayed an upcoming Tennessee execution.

The appeal involves Tennessee's midazolam-based lethal injection combination. Inmates claim in a lawsuit that the method causes excruciating pain.

The appeal doesn't challenge lethal injection directly. Instead it challenges Tennessee secrecy laws surrounding the procurement of execution drugs. Inmates argue the laws prevented them from proving a more humane drug is available.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor agrees. In her dissent on Monday, she says the requirement that prisoners challenging one method of execution prove there is a better method available is "fundamentally wrong." She adds that state secrecy laws compound the injustice.

Don Johnson is scheduled to be executed Thursday for the 1984 murder of his wife, Connie Johnson.ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - In a story May 13 about a civil lawsuit alleging a former Somali colonel now living in Virginia engaged in torture, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the plaintiff's lawyer, Ben Klein, works for the Center for Justice and Accountability. He works for DLA Piper, which partnered with CJA on the lawsuit.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Ex-Somali colonel faces civil trial in US alleging torture

A northern Virginia man who served decades ago as a colonel in the Somali Army is facing accusations in a federal courtroom that he tortured and killed those perceived as enemies of the government

By MATTHEW BARAKAT

Associated Press

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - A northern Virginia man who served decades ago as a colonel in the Somali Army is facing accusations in a federal courtroom that he tortured and killed those perceived as enemies of the government.

A civil jury in Alexandria heard opening statements and testimony Monday in a lawsuit against Yusuf Abdi Ali of Alexandria, who was known as "Tokeh" when he served under dictator Siad Barre.

The suit was brought by a Somali man who says he was shot by Ali during a 1988 interrogation and left for dead. He survived.

The lawsuit has been delayed for nearly 15 years, mostly by legal debate over whether a Somali national could bring suit in the U.S. over alleged torture overseas.

In opening statements, lawyer Ben Klein with DLA Piper said his client, Farhan Mohamoud Tani Warfaa, lived in northwest Somalia and is a member of the Isaaq clan, which was singled out for persecution under Barre.

Klein said Ali was commanding the Army's 5th Brigade in that region when he rounded up multiple young men from Warfaa's town in December 1987 for interrogation over a missing water-tanker truck.

Warfaa was jailed for several months and was regularly stripped naked and beaten, Klein said.

He was also hogtied in a stress position Klein said "was so excruciatingly painful, so unbearable, it would cause Farhan to go unconscious."

Ali would personally supervise many of these sessions, Klein said.

In a final interrogation in early 1988, Klein said resistance fighters attacked Ali's brigade in the middle of questioning. At that point, Klein said, Ali shot Warfaa multiple times while he lay on the ground, shackled.

Warfaa lost consciousness and was presumed dead, Klein said, so Ali ordered his underlings to bury Warfaa.

But, Klein said, the soldiers realized Warfaa was alive and solicited a bribe from his family to let him live.

Warfaa testified directly about his experience Monday to the jury. He said he was one of about 15 detainees who were taken from his village and kept in what amounted to a large shipping container on a military base. He was then just 17 years old, and singled out for a higher level of abuse because they thought his age made him more susceptible to shedding information, even though he knew nothing about the missing tanker that was the pretext for the interrogations.

He pointed to Ali several times in his testimony, and said he saw Ali personally dozens of times while he was under arrest. He said Ali did nothing to stop the abuse inflicted by soldiers.

"There was nothing we could do. There was no one to ask for help. There was no one to complain to," Warfaa said through an interpreter.

Ali's lawyer, Joseph Peter Drennan, said his client was a professional soldier who received training in the U.S.

Drennan told jurors he does not dispute that Warfaa suffered torture, but said it was not at the hands of Ali. The lawsuit is all about "clan vengeance," Drennan said, and is orchestrated against Ali because he lives in Virginia and is vulnerable to a lawsuit under the federal Torture Victims Protection Act.

"There is a hidden agenda here," Drennan said.

Ali is expected to testify in his own defense later in the trial.

The Center for Justice and Accountability, which helped file the lawsuit on Warfaa's behalf, brought a similar lawsuit against Somalia's former prime minister, Mohamed Ali Samantar, who also took up residence in northern Virginia. In that case, Samantar accepted a default judgment against him on the eve of trial and refused to contest the allegations against him in court, though he said outside court that he committed no wrongdoing. In 2012, a judge entered a $21 million judgment against Samantar, though he had already declared bankruptcy.PRAGUE (AP) - Thousands of Czechs are rallying in Prague and elsewhere for the third straight Monday to demand the new justice minister's resignation.

The protesters say the minister might compromise the legal system at a time when prosecutors have to decide whether to indict Prime Minister Andrej Babis over alleged fraud involving European Union funds.

Babis denies wrongdoing.

The justice minister has significant control over prosecutors. Marie Benesova was appointed in April. She's a lawyer and adviser to President Milos Zeman, Babis' close ally. Zeman has repeatedly criticized prosecutors.

As a lawmaker, Benesova voted against a police request to strip Babis of parliamentary immunity to face investigation. The protesters and the opposition say she might try to influence his case.

Benesova denies that.

Protesters gather at the Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic, Monday, May 6, 2019. Thousands of Czechs rallied in Prague for the second time in a week to demand the resignation of the new justice minister. The protesters say the minister might compromise the legal system at a time when prosecutors have to decide whether to indict Prime Minister Andrej Babis over alleged fraud involving European Union funds. Babis denies wrongdoing. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

The protests are set to continue.NEW YORK (AP) - Actress Jessica Hecht, best known to the world for her supporting roles in "Friends" and "Breaking Bad," was riding the subway in New York and someone was staring at her.

So she asked, "What am I doing that's making you upset?" His reply: "Excuse me, you're my hero on that show."

Hecht says that's been the common response - from men and women, old and young, black and white - to her performance as the loving, emotional mother of a gay son with cerebral palsy on Netflix's "Special."

Fans on social media have tweeted that the Tony-nominated Hecht is "a national treasure" and "a gift to this world" for this performance - though she wouldn't know it because she doesn't have a Twitter account.

On "Special," Hecht, 53, plays Karen Hayes, the overbearing mother of a nearly 30-year-old disabled son trying to live his best life and find his voice. He's portrayed by series creator and executive producer Ryan O'Connell.

"I have people you would never realize you touch talking to me in the street right now," Hecht said. "I think it's an incredible cross section because ... it's also like middle-aged women and men who are like, 'Oh my god, that show is so great.' I didn't realize the scope of Netflix also. I'm a moron."

This April 24, 2019 photo shows actress Jessica Hecht posing for a portrait at the JW Marriott Essex House in New York to promote her Netflix series "Special." (Photo by Christopher Smith/Invision/AP)

"Special" debuted on Netflix last month and is based on O'Connell's 2015 memoir, "I'm Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves." Hecht joined the series after "The Big Bang Theory" actor and "Special" executive producer Jim Parsons, who became friends with Hecht while working on a play together, told her about the show. She was also contacted by director Anna Dokoza, who had worked with Hecht and Hecht's husband, Emmy-winning director-producer Adam Bernstein.

Dokoza, also an executive producer on the show, praised Hecht's stirring performance as a co-dependent single mother trying to learn how to put herself first.

"What I loved about this script is that this relationship is co-dependent because it has to be. She ties his shoelaces. This is not a maybe. This is the actual definition of a co-dependent relationship. So to see him want to break away from that, and to have a parent who's been raising him for 28 years have no identity beyond that sort of stop and go - 'Who am I when I am not tying his shoelaces?' - is incredible. I just knew that Jessica could deliver that fine line," Dokoza said.

"She's an everyday person that's trying to figure out how to live and how to assist her child and how to, for the first time in her life, put herself first. You can see all that on her face. In that final emotional scene when she's actually, they just lay it all out, that's heart-wrenching."

That last scene actually had to be re-shot, though, since the footage was lost. Hecht remembers that her makeup was off, it was 2 in the morning, and she was soaking in the bathtub when she got the phone call with that bad news. "Is there any chance you can come back?" she heard on the other end of the phone. "Is there any chance you're still awake? We've lost all your coverage of that scene."

They re-shot it, but then a month later the original was recovered.

"They used like 30 seconds of the new one," Hecht said. "Everything else was the original done that night."

"Special" is a series you can binge-watch in less than two hours since each of the eight episodes are roughly 15 minutes. Hecht said shooting a short series "felt like doing an indie movie," and said it all worked thanks to O'Connell's sharp writing skills.

"When you read short stories, each one has something juicy in it. That's the way the script, the whole series, read to me. He allows each character to truly be developed in certain episodes," she said.

Hecht has had a steady career in the last three decades: On "Friends," she was part of one of the first lesbian couples on television as Susan Bunch, the wife of Ross Geller's ex-wife, Carol Willick. She played Gretchen Schwartz in "Breaking Bad," and she has appeared often on Broadway, earning a 2010 Tony nomination for best featured actress in a play for Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge" (she lost to co-star Scarlett Johansson).

"I've been blessed to work on things both in the theater and on TV where people have substantial stories about human life that they want to tell," she said.

Her "Friends" role remains special to her because the lesbian character "had not been seen on TV before.

"That is the gift that keeps on giving. I love lesbians. I'm actually like, 'Oh my god, you're a lesbian? We are going to be so close,'" she said, laughing. "I've played a lot of lesbian characters. I think it's that I just love women."

___

Online:

https://www.stage13.com/shows/special/

This April 24, 2019 photo shows actress Jessica Hecht posing for a portrait at the JW Marriott Essex House in New York to promote her Netflix series "Special." (Photo by Christopher Smith/Invision/AP)

This image released by Netflix shows Jessica Hecht, left, and Ryan O'Connell in a scene from the series "Special." (Netflix via AP)

This April 24, 2019 photo shows actress Jessica Hecht posing for a portrait at the JW Marriott Essex House in New York to promote her Netflix series "Special." (Photo by Christopher Smith/Invision/AP)

This April 24, 2019 photo shows actress Jessica Hecht posing for a portrait at the JW Marriott Essex House in New York to promote her Netflix series "Special." (Photo by Christopher Smith/Invision/AP)

This April 24, 2019 photo shows actress Jessica Hecht posing for a portrait at the JW Marriott Essex House in New York to promote her Netflix series "Special." (Photo by Christopher Smith/Invision/AP)QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistani police say a powerful bomb attached to a motorcycle has killed four policemen guarding a mosque in the southwestern city of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province.

City police chief Abdur Razzaq Cheema says 10 people were also wounded in Monday's bombing.

The Pakistani Taliban quickly released a statement claiming responsibility for the attack.

The bombing came two days after another insurgent group, the Baluch Liberation Army, stormed a luxury hotel in the coastal town of Gwadar, triggering a shootout that left all three assailants, a special forces soldier and four hotel employees dead.

Baluchistan province has been the scene of a low-level insurgency by separatists demanding more autonomy and a greater share in the region's natural resources such as gas and oil.PARIS (AP) - The leaders of France and New Zealand will make a joint push to eliminate acts of violent extremism from being shown online, in a meeting with tech leaders in Paris on Wednesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will launch the "Christchurch call" -named after the New Zealand city where 51 people were killed in a March 15 attack on mosques.

Leaders of Britain, Canada, Ireland, European Union, Senegal, Indonesia and Jordan will attend the meeting along with representatives of Twitter, Microsoft, Google, Facebook and other internet companies.

New Zealand Ambassador Jane Coombs said Monday the Paris meeting aims to push governments, tech companies and other organizations to make "concrete commitments."

The gunman in Christchurch livestreamed the attack on Facebook.ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan signed a first-in-the-nation measure Monday to make it easier for people without health insurance to find out if they qualify for low-cost insurance after they file their taxes.

The new law will create a box for people to check on state income tax returns. If a taxpayer checks the box, the state's health care exchange will see if the person qualifies, based on information in the tax return. Those who qualify for Medicaid will be enrolled automatically. The exchange will reach out to people who qualify for private coverage.

Hogan, a Republican, highlighted bipartisan work in the General Assembly, which is controlled by Democrats, on other health-related measures he signed Monday. One of them raises the smoking age from 18 to 21 and includes vaping in the definition of tobacco products.

"We are also proud to continue Maryland's record of leadership on health care by enacting legislation to further improve access and lower costs," Hogan said.

Sen. Brian Feldman, a Democrat, said the measure is part of a response to efforts at the federal level to overturn the Affordable Care Act, including the end of the mandate requiring people to have insurance or else pay a tax penalty.

The Maryland measure initially included a provision that would have revived the individual mandate in Maryland, but with an innovative twist: the uninsured would have had a choice of paying a tax penalty or make a down payment on health insurance. That provision was taken out of the bill.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan highlights bipartisan efforts to improve health care in Maryland before signing legislation to help uninsured residents get health insurance and to raise the smoking age from 18 to 21 on Monday, May 13, 2019 in Annapolis, Maryland. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller is sitting left and House Speaker Adrienne Jones is sitting right. Hogan also signed a bill to create tougher penalties for violent crimes against pregnant women. (AP Photo/Brian Witte)

"We've been continuing to look for bipartisan ways to get more Marylanders health insurance," Feldman said. "We've made a lot of strides. About six or seven years ago, we had about 760,000 people without health insurance. Now, we're down to 360,000, and in light of what's happening at the federal level - the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act, the elimination of the mandate, we're starting to see some backtracking on that. So, we came up with an idea here that's first in the nation that you can use the state income tax return to check a box, and it will immediately opt in."

Stan Dorn, who is director of the National Center for Coverage Innovation, estimated there are tens of thousands of Maryland residents who do not have health insurance who are eligible for low-cost insurance but don't know it.

"The problem of millions of Americans being uninsured but eligible for help has escaped notice, and today Democrats and Republicans in Maryland have come together to find practical innovative solutions to help lower people's health care cost and get more people the financial security that comes with health insurance," said Dorn.

Dorn said he hopes to spark interest in other states in the idea.

"We haven't begun beating the drum, and we've already heard from Oregon, New Mexico and Virginia," Dorn said. "I'm expecting we're going to hear from state capitals all around the country, interested in following up with what's happened here."BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - Argentina's president and politicians across the political spectrum gathered on Monday at a wake for a lawmaker who was killed in what has been described as a "mafia-style" attack that has shocked Argentines.

President Mauricio Macri and politicians from rival parties put their differences behind to attend wake at the lower house of Congress in Buenos Aires.

Legislator Hector Olivares of La Rioja province died Sunday, three days after being seriously wounded in the gun attack that also killed a provincial official. Macri decreed a 48-hour period of national mourning.

Olivares belonged to the Radical Civic Union party of the ruling government coalition and was part of the transportation committee in the lower house. His remains will now be sent to his home province, where he will be buried.

"There's profound sadness," said lawmaker Eduardo Amadeo. "We've lost a colleague, a hard worker and a great defender of his province. ... He was a good friend who will be missed."

Officials say two gunmen in a parked car shot Olivares and Miguel Marcelo Yadon near the congress building in the Argentine capital on Thursday. Yadon died shortly after being shot.

People attend the wake of lawmaker Hector Olivares who was shot near the Congressional building last week, inside Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, May 13, 2019. Olivares died three days after being seriously wounded in a May 9 gun attack that killed a provincial official. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

At least six people have been detained in the attack that the security minister has attributed to a mafia clan. Some legislators who were close to the victims at first believed that it was politically motivated, but authorities later said it was likely personal. The motive is still being probed.

"We have to wait for the investigation to end and for those responsible who have been detained to go to trial," said lawmaker Daniel Lipovetzky.

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Associated Press writer Almudena Calatrava contributed to this report.

People line up outside Congress before a wake service for late lawmaker Hector Olivares in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, May 13, 2019. Olivares died three days after being seriously wounded in a May 9 gun attack that also killed a provincial official. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

President Mauricio Macri leaves Congress after attending the wake for lawmaker Hector Olivares who was shot near the Congressional building last week in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, May 13, 2019. Olivares died three days after being seriously wounded in a May 9 gun attack that also killed a provincial official. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Men enter Congress with the coffin of late lawmaker Hector Olivares for a wake service in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, May 13, 2019. Olivares died three days after being seriously wounded in a May 9 gun attack that killed a provincial official. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Journalists stand outside Congress where a wake for late lawmaker Hector Olivares is being held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, May 13, 2019. Olivares died three days after being seriously wounded in a May 9 gun attack that also killed a provincial official. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

President Mauricio Macri leaves Congress after attending the wake for lawmaker Hector Olivares who was shot near the Congressional building last week in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, May 13, 2019. Olivares died three days after being seriously wounded in a May 9 gun attack that also killed a provincial official. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

A van from the Argentine Federal Police Explosion Brigade sits parked outside Congress after bomb threats in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, May 13, 2019. Bomb threats were received at the annex building of the Chamber of Deputies and in the Casa Rosada, according to the official news agency Telam. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is warning Iran, saying that if Tehran does "anything" in the form of an attack "they will suffer greatly."

Trump was asked Monday about two Saudi oil tankers and a Norwegian-flagged vessel being damaged in what Gulf officials described as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

Details of the incident remain unclear. But it raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies at a time of increasing tensions between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers.

Trump was asked about the sabotage, and responded: "It's going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens."

He spoke to reporters in the Oval Office while meeting with the prime minister of Hungary.MOSCOW (AP) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's first trip to Russia is scheduled to start Tuesday in Black Sea coastal city of Sochi, where he and Russian Foreign Minister are sitting down for talks and then having a joint meeting with President Vladimir Putin. A look at the top issues Pompeo and Lavrov are expected to discuss before briefing Putin:

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ARMS CONTROL

The state of arms control treaties between the United States and Russia is likely to feature prominently in the talks.

The U.S. unilaterally pulled out of a 1987 nuclear missile pact this year, accusing Russia of violations. Putin responded in kind, saying he was suspending Russia's participation in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty and accusing Washington of making false allegations.

Trump has said he wants to negotiate new arms control accords that reflect current conditions and to bring in other nations, notably China.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, gestures while speaking to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during their meeting in the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, Monday, May 13, 2019. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is at left. (Alexander Nemenov/Pool Photo via AP)

The U.S. president said after he and Putin spoke by phone last week they were considering a deal that would "get rid of some of the tremendous firepower that we have right now" and also include China.

Speaking ahead of Pompeo's visit, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Monday that Moscow wants to focus on extending the START treaty, another key arms control deal between Moscow and Washington which runs out in 2021.

Ryabkov added that Moscow wants to focus on bilateral commitments first before bringing China into treaty negotiations.

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ELECTION INTERFERENCE

Pompeo's sit-down with Putin and Lavrov will be the highest-level, face-to-face talks between Washington and Moscow since the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Trump has downplayed the Russian interference and insisted Mueller's report cleared him of wrongdoing. U.S. officials acknowledge Russia inserted itself in the 2016 campaign and think it will try to do so again in the United States and elsewhere.

While Putin has repeatedly denied Russia played any role in other countries' elections, U.S. officials say Pompeo will raise the subject of election meddling in Sochi. At a meeting in Finland earlier this month, Pompeo said he told Lavrov the interference is "not appropriate and that we're going to do everything we can to deter it."

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SYRIA

The United States has urged Russia to end escalating airstrikes in the last Syrian province under rebel control. U.S. Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey is accompanying Pompeo to Sochi to get a sense of Russia's long-term plans for Idlib.

The Russian military has described its current operations there as limited and solely in response to frequent rebel attacks on its air base. But U.S. officials appear concerned that Russia could be laying the groundwork for a full-on offensive by Syrian government forces.

Russia and Turkey struck a cease-fire deal for Idlib in September, averting what was then seen as an inevitable offensive on the rebel stronghold. Syrian and Russian military planes started bombing the province on April 30.

Russian officials publicly expressed their impatience with Idlib's rebels, but said they oppose a major offensive.

Lavrov is likely to press Pompeo on the U.S. military presence in Syria as well as the international sanctions on Syria President Bashar Assad's government. Russia argues the sanctions hamper the much-needed reconstruction efforts for the war-battered country.

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IRAN

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have spiked since Trump withdrew a year ago from a 2015 nuclear agreement between six world powers and Tehran while reinstating economic sanctions on Iran's energy and finance sectors.

Russia is one of the remaining signatories, and Lavrov is likely to stress to Pompeo the deal's importance for international security.

Iran said this week it would partially end its compliance with the agreement unless the European parties are able to circumvent the U.S. sanctions and preserve the benefits the Middle East country expected to see from the accord.

Pompeo scrapped the short visit to Moscow on his trip itinerary Monday and made an unplanned stop in Brussels to discuss the future of the Iran nuclear deal with European officials.

Last week, the U.S. said it was dispatching an aircraft carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Middle East in response to intelligence that Iran was preparing to retaliate for the sanctions with attacks on American interests in the region.

Trump also said he would like to meet Iranian leaders "someday" to "work out an agreement."

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NORTH KOREA

Pompeo is coming to Sochi likely wanting to know if Moscow can do more to get North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to abandon his arms buildup. Russia is likely to press the U.S. to provide more security guarantees to North Korea as a first step to break the diplomatic stalemate.

Kim traveled to Russia last month to meet with Putin, who appears to be eager to play a bigger role in solving the security dilemma of the Korean Peninsula.

With no formal agreements signed or announced, Putin said Kim was willing to give up nuclear weapons, but only if he gets ironclad security guarantees supported by a multinational agreement.

North Korea tested three new missiles last week. The launches were seen as a possible warning to Washington over deadlocked nuclear negotiations as the two sides continue to struggle with mismatched demands on sanctions relief and disarmament.

North Korea has contended that it needs a nuclear arsenal to defend itself against what it sees as U.S. hostility and wants concrete reassurances of its safety, including the removal of the American nuclear threat.

A summit between Trump and Kim in February failed. Kim later criticized Washington for taking a "unilateral attitude in bad faith," causing a diplomatic standstill.

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This story has been corrected to show that Pompeo's sit-down with both Putin and Lavrov, not just Lavrov, will be the highest-level face-to-face meeting of U.S. and Russian officials since the Mueller report came out.

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Matthew Lee contributed from Washington.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, center, leaves after a meeting at the Europa building in Brussels, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, arrives for a meeting with European foreign ministers at the Europa building in Brussels, Monday, May 13, 2019. The EU backers of the Iran nuclear deal meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss ways to keep the pact afloat. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives for a meeting with European foreign ministers at the Europa building in Brussels, Monday, May 13, 2019. The EU backers of the Iran nuclear deal meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss ways to keep the pact afloat. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)WOBURN, Mass. (AP) - A Massachusetts woman has been convicted of second-degree murder in the death of an infant in her care.

Pallavi Macharla was convicted Monday after about eight hours of jury deliberations over two days.

Prosecutors said the 44-year-old Macharla shook 6-month old Ridhima Dhekane in March 2014 so violently her brain bled. Macharla was a physician in her native India who ran a daycare out of her Burlington home.

The defense said the baby vomited and became unresponsive after eating applesauce. Macharla testified in her own defense to describe how she heard the baby gurgle and saw her eyes close.

Prosecutors say Macharla changed her story and as a trained doctor, should have promptly called 911 instead of first calling the baby's mother. The baby died at a hospital days later.The men who fought on D-Day, June 6, 1944, are now in their 90s or 100s, wrinkled and often moving with the help of a cane or wheelchair. Their hands often tremble and their voices shake as they labor to speak. But 75 years ago they were young men, many in their teens, preparing to go to war.

For those in the invasion force, they had months of rigorous training. They clambered down precarious rope ladders into landing craft or climbed into planes, parachutes strapped to their backs.

The determined German defenders were dug into pillboxes, trying to hold the high ground.

Scared? Of course. Many in the Allied forces had never seen combat. But they were also determined to do their jobs and perhaps more importantly not let down the man, the buddy, the friend fighting beside them.

The Associated Press captured images of D-Day veterans from the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Germany who are returning to Normandy for the 75th anniversary. For some. it will be their first time since they fought there. Others have made repeated pilgrimages to the sandy beaches. They will remember the choppy waters lapping at the ships, the flash of the tracer bullets, the roar of the artillery, and they'll say a prayer for those who did not make it back.

British D-Day veteran Leonard 'Ted' Emmings, who was a naval Coxswain serving on a small landing craft which landed 36 Canadians on Juno beach in France, poses for photographs backdropped by the map used to plan the Normandy D-Day landings at Southwick House near Portsmouth, England, May 9, 2019. Southwick House was the forward headquarters of the allied forces preparing for the invasion of Normandy in 1944, the nerve center of D-Day. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Dennis Trudeau, a World War II veteran who landed in Normandy on D-Day, poses for a photo at his home May, 21, 2019, in Grovetown, Ga. Trudeau had joined the Canadian military at 17 and became a paratrooper in part because they paid an extra $50 a month. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)

British Chelsea Pensioner and D-Day veteran Frank Mouque poses for a portrait during a D-Day 75th anniversary event in the State Apartments at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London, May 13, 2019. Mouque, who can't hear well now and answered media questions by reading them from a piece of paper, was a Sapper and Corporal in the British Royal Engineers. On D-Day he landed on Sword beach and carried with him 21 pounds of explosives to blow down telegraph poles. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

World War II U.S. veteran Frank DeVita, who took part in the D-Day battle poses for a picture at his home in Bridgewater, N.J., May 14, 2019. This June he'll make his 12th trip back to Normandy. He likes to bring people with him so they'll know what happened there. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

In this photo taken April 29, 2019, D-Day veteran Jake Larson poses before going for a ride in the "The Spirit of Benovia" World War II-era aircraft in Oakland, Calif. Both Larson and the former C-53 Skytrooper transport plane plan to be in Normandy, France and take part in events for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The plane takes its name after a winery in Sonoma County. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Steve Melnikoff who came ashore Normandy, France on D-Day with the 175th Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division, sits in his home in Cockeysville, Md., on May 21, 2019. His unit was part of the bloody campaign to capture the French town of Saint-Lo through fields marked by thick hedgerows that provided perfect cover for German troops. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

German D-Day veteran Paul Golz poses for a photo at his home in Koenigswinter, Germany, after an interview with The Associated Press on May 17, 2019. Golz and his comrades were taken prisoner by an American patrol on June 9, 1944, three days after the Allied landing. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

In this photo taken May 20, 2019, veteran Norman Harold Kirby sits with a photo of his mother, Katherine Louise Kirby, and himself, at 17, and a post-war portrait as he poses for a photo at his home in Lions Bay, Canada. The Canadian from British Columbia had joined the army when he was only 17 and was barely a 19-year-old private when he climbed into the landing craft that would take him to shore on June 6, 1944. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)WASHINGTON (AP) - An autistic man walks out of a store without paying for a toy he picked up. He's followed by a storekeeper demanding he come back inside. The situation quickly escalates, and police are called.

Officers arrive, their patrol car's lights flashing and sirens blaring, to find the man in the parking lot, yelling and not responding to their commands. They have a choice: confront the man and risk having the situation turn violent or regroup to figure out a different approach.

The scenario is part of a virtual reality simulation for police that's being developed by Axon - the company known best for developing the Taser - so officers can learn how to interact with people who have autism and de-escalate situations that could quickly turn awry. The developmental disorder that can involve varying degrees of language and social impairments, often including repetitive behaviors. In 2018, the U.S. government estimated about 1 in 40 kids is diagnosed with autism.

This week, the company announced a partnership with Chicago police to train officers by using virtual reality headsets. It will be making the program, developed with the help of mental health and autism experts, available to police departments across the U.S.

For now, they offer two training modules: one for autism and another for dealing with people who have schizophrenia.

"The ability to tell the difference between someone who's acting in an unusual way that may be due to their autism versus someone who could be a risk to you can be a really fine line," said David Kearon of the advocacy group Autism Speaks. "When you're trying to make that judgment very quickly, that's where we see mistakes made."

Axon Immersion Training Virtual Reality (VR) headset, used in training police officers to learn the best way to interact with people who suffer with autism, Thursday, May 23, 2019 in Washington. Police officers are now using virtual reality to learn the best ways to interact with people who suffer from autism and de-escalate situations that could quickly turn awry. A new training simulation using virtual reality headsets is being rolled out by Aon, the company best known for developing the Taser. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The officers don headsets similar to those used for video games and are immediately immersed in a virtual reality training ground. With a small remote, they can pick the scenario and go through each training scenario in just about five minutes.

In the autism scenario, officers experience it first from the point-of-view of the autistic person, watching as the storekeeper approaches somewhat angrily and pulls the toy robot away, telling the man he needs to pay for it. Police are called and officers arrive and confront him.

They can then play it from the perspective of the police officers, observing tell-tale signs that someone could be autistic.

A crackling call on the radio reports an aggressive male suspect shoplifting and fighting with an employee. The officers pull up to find the man in the parking lot, holding the toy and flailing his arms. They introduce themselves and ask the man what's happening. He doesn't respond.

"We need you to calm down!" an officer tells the man, who is hitting himself in the head and speaking incoherently.

The officers can then choose to either talk to their partner or close in and confront the man.

The officers are taught that flashing lights and sirens can be overstimulating and just turning them off could ease the situation. They are also encouraged to remain calm, avoid physically confronting the person and to engage specially trained officers from a mental health crisis team, if their department has one.

The training can also create "a sense of empathy" and emphasizes that other methods like shouting or grabbing a suspect, "can hyper-escalate someone who is autistic," Rick Smith, Axon's founder and CEO, said in an interview with The Associated Press.

"Rather than just training police how to use a Taser, maybe we should train them how to avoid using it," he said.

Police departments large and small have had difficulties responding to calls involving autistic people.

In Graham, Texas, about 120 miles (195 kilometers) west of Dallas, a 19-year-old man was throwing rocks at his neighbor's fence. The autistic teenager, Michael Moore, had difficulty communicating with the responding police officers, so they guessed he might have been drunk or high. They tried to give him a field sobriety test and when he failed the test, they moved in to arrest him. A struggle ensued. Body camera video shows the teen, whose mother says he has a "high functioning" form of autism, being shot with a Taser and thrown to the ground.

"When the officers approached him, he tried to maintain contact," his mother, Tracie Brown, said. "It's very hard for people with autism."

"His hands were visible at all times and he kept saying over and over, 'My mama is inside. Let me go get my mom' and for whatever reason the police officers refused to come and verify," she said.

Brent Bullock, Graham's interim chief, said all of his 25 officers underwent autism training after the incident and were given field guides to identify whether someone may have autism or be suffering from a mental health crisis.

"I believe it was a positive thing," he said. Since then, his officers have encountered similar situations and managed to de-escalate them, Bullock said.

Axon plans to provide autism training free with the purchase of Taser devices. Hundreds of law enforcement agencies already use the company's other products, like Tasers and body camera.

The virtual reality experience may be more effective for officers than conventional training, Smith said, because officers can feel what it would be like to be on the other side of the encounter and may be more likely to remember it.

"By putting them through this training, we're giving the officers a chance to learn through experience, which we know is a much more effective way than just trying to remember some checklist they may have been taught in the academy," Smith said.

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Associated Press journalist Robert Bumsted in New York contributed to this report.ISLAMABAD (AP) - Iran's foreign minister lashed out at President Donald Trump on Friday during a critically timed visit to Pakistan amid a simmering crisis between Tehran and Washington and ahead of next week's emergency Arab League meeting called by Saudi Arabia over the region's tensions.

The remarks by Mohammad Javad Zarif were the latest in a war of words between him and Trump. The Iranian diplomat on Friday assailed the American president for his tweet earlier this week warning Iran not to threaten the U.S. again or it would face its "official end."

"Iran will see the end of Trump, but he will never see the end of Iran," Zarif was quoted by Iran's semi-official Fars new agency as saying during a visit to Islamabad.

Tensions have ratcheted up recently in the Mideast as the White House earlier this month sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the region over a still-unexplained threat it perceived from Iran. And on Thursday, the Pentagon outlined proposals to the White House to send military reinforcements to the Middle East to beef up defenses against Iran.

The purpose of Zarif's visit to Pakistan, where he held talks with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi and also Prime Minister Imran Khan, was not made public.

But there has been speculation that Iran is looking to Islamabad and its close relationship with the Saudis to help de-escalate the situation. In a statement following meetings with Zarif, Khan said "Pakistan was prepared to use its friendly relations in the region to help lower tensions among brotherly countries and promote peace and stability in the region. ... War is not a solution to any problem."

In this photo released by the Foreign Office, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, right, shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, May 24, 2019. Zarif is in Pakistan Friday on a critically timed visit amid a crisis between Tehran and Washington and ahead of next week's emergency Arab League meeting called by Saudi Arabia as regional tensions escalate.(Pakistan Foreign Office via AP)

Zarif has been criticized this week by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who named him and President Hassan Rouhani as failing to implement the leader's orders over Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Khamenei had claimed the deal had "numerous ambiguities and structural weaknesses" that could damage Iran.

Separately, the official Iranian news agency IRNA quoted Zarif in Islamabad as warning of anarchy if world powers don't unite to stop what he called U.S. aggression - Iran's official parlance for Washington's pressure on Tehran.

The crisis takes root in the steady unraveling of the nuclear deal, intended to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The accord promised economic incentives in exchange for restrictions on Tehran's nuclear activities.

The Trump administration pulled America out of the deal last year, and subsequently re-imposed and escalated U.S. sanctions on Tehran - sending Iran's economy into freefall.

Khamenei's criticism of Zarif signaled a hard-line tilt in how the Islamic Republic will react going forward amid President Donald Trump's maximalist pressure campaign.

Iran declared earlier this month that the remaining signatories to the deal - Germany, France, Britain, China and Russia - have two months to develop a plan to shield Iran from American sanctions.

On Monday, Iran announced it had quadrupled its production capacity of low-enriched uranium, making it likely that Tehran will soon exceed the stockpile limitations set by the nuclear accord, which would escalate the situation further.

Several incidents have added to the crisis.

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia said Yemen's Iran-aligned rebels again targeted an airport near its southern border with a bomb-carrying drone. The Saudi military said it intercepted the drone, while the rebel Houthis said it struck a Patriot missile battery at the airport. The Houthis have claimed three times in recent days to have targeted the airport, which also hosts a military base. It comes after the Houthis last week targeted a Saudi oil pipeline in a coordinated drone attack.

Pakistan was quick to condemn the attacks and promised Saudi Arabia, a staunch ally, its full support. The kingdom this week announced a $3.2 billion deferred oil and gas payment package for energy-strapped Islamabad.

With neighboring Iran, Pakistan walks a fine line and their relationship is sometimes prickly. Islamabad has little leverage with Washington, although relations between the two have improved since Pakistan expressed readiness to help move talks between the Afghan Taliban and Washington forward.

IRNA also reported that Zarif came to Pakistan with a proposal to link Iran's port of Chabahar on the Arabian Sea with Pakistan's Gwadar port, mostly being developed by China as part of the multi-billion-dollar One Road project that will connect the Arabian Sea with China.

The proposal is unexpected because Pakistan's rival India has been Iran's partner in developing Chabahar while Iran's key regional rival, Saudi Arabia, has been in talks to develop an oil refinery facility at Pakistan's Gwadar, though no agreements have been signed.

Meanwhile, Oman's Foreign Ministry said it was working to "ease the tensions" between Iran and the U.S.

The ministry in a series of tweets on Friday morning attributed the comments to Yusuf bin Alawi, the sultanate's minister of state for foreign affairs, and cited an interview in Asharq Al-Wasat, the London-based newspaper owned by a Saudi media group long associated with the Al Saud royal family.

In the interview, bin Alawi warns war "could harm the entire world if it breaks out." He doesn't confirm any current Omani mediation but says both the U.S. and Iran realize the gravity of the situation.

Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said spoke last week by telephone with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Oman, a nation on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, has long been an interlocutor of the West with Iran. The U.S. held secret talks in Oman with the Iranians that gave birth to the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

___

Vahdat reported from Tehran, Iran. Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, and Zarar Khan in Islamabad contributed to this report.

In this Tuesday, May 21, 2019 photo, Qatari Air Force Mirage 2000s, right, and U.S. F-35A Lightning IIs fly in formation over Southwest Asia in undisclosed location. (Senior Airman Keifer Bowes/U.S. Air Force via AP)

In this photo released by the Foreign Office, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, attends meeting with Pakistani officials at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, May 24, 2019. Zarif is in Pakistan Friday on a critically timed visit amid a crisis between Tehran and Washington and ahead of next week's emergency Arab League meeting called by Saudi Arabia as regional tensions escalate.(Pakistan Foreign Office via AP)

In this photo released by the Foreign Office, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, left, shakes hands with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, May 24, 2019. Zarif is in Pakistan Friday on a critically timed visit amid a crisis between Tehran and Washington and ahead of next week's emergency Arab League meeting called by Saudi Arabia as regional tensions escalate. (Pakistan Foreign Office via AP)

In this photo released on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks to a group of students in Tehran, Iran. Khamenei publicly chastised the country's moderate president and foreign minister Wednesday, saying he disagreed with the implementation of the 2015 nuclear deal they had negotiated with world powers. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

In this Saturday May 18, 2019, photo, two U.S. F/A-18E Super Hornets fly alongside two AV-8B Harrier over the Arabian Sea. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group are conducting joint operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, as Mideast tensions remain high between Tehran and the United States. (Lt. Logan Holshey/US Navy via AP)

In this Monday, May 20, 2019 photo, released by U.S. Navy, an F/A-18E Super Hornet from the "Jolly Rogers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103 launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) on Arabian Sea. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jeff Sherman/U.S. Navy via AP)BEIJING (AP) - Stepping up Beijing's propaganda offensive in the tariffs standoff with Washington, Chinese state media on Friday accused the U.S. of seeking to "colonize global business" with moves against Huawei and other Chinese technology companies.

There was no word from either side on progress toward resuming talks between the world's two largest economies, though President Donald Trump said he expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, next month at a G-20 meeting in Japan.

Negotiations over how to cut the huge, longstanding U.S. trade deficit with China and resolve complaints over Beijing's methods for acquiring advanced foreign technologies foundered earlier this month after Trump raised tariffs on billions of dollars of imports from China.

At a daily briefing Friday, foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang accused American politicians he didn't name of "fabricating various lies based on subjective presumptions and trying to mislead the American people."

The China Daily, an English-language newspaper, said U.S. expressions of concerns about Chinese surveillance equipment maker Hikvision were for the self-serving aim of claiming the "moral high ground" to promote Washington's political agenda.

"In this way, it is hoping to achieve the colonization of the global business world," the newspaper said.

A man looks at his smartphone as he walks past an electronics shop advertising phones from Huawei and Apple in Beijing, Friday, May 24, 2019. Stepping up a propaganda offensive against Washington, China's state media on Friday accused the U.S. of seeking to "colonize global business" by targeting telecom equipment giant Huawei and other Chinese companies. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Hikvision said in a statement Friday that it takes U.S. concerns about its business seriously and is working to ensure it complies with human rights standards.

Activists have been urging the U.S. and other countries to sanction China over repression of members of Muslim minority ethnic groups in the northwestern Xinjiang region, where an estimated 1 million people are being detained in re-education camps.

The New York Times reported the U.S. Commerce Department might put Hikvision on its "entity list," restricting its business with U.S. companies for its alleged role in facilitating surveillance in Xinjiang.

In its statement, the company said it had "engaged with the U.S. government regarding all of this since last October."

Hikvision said it had retained former U.S. Ambassador-at-large Pierre-Richard Prosper of the firm Arent Fox to advise the company regarding human rights compliance.

"Over the past year, there have been numerous reports about ways that video surveillance products have been involved in human rights violations," the statement said. "We read every report seriously and are listening to voices from outside the company."

In South Korea, officials said they were discussing security issues related to its 5G, or fifth generation, cellphone networks with the U.S.

Officials in South Korea's Foreign Ministry and presidential office did not, however, confirm the report by the Chosun Ilbo newspaper that U.S. officials want Seoul to block a local wireless carrier that uses Huawei equipment for its 5G services from unspecified "sensitive areas."

Washington considers Huawei, the world's leading supplier of telecom gear and No. 2 smartphone maker, a security threat. Huawei has sought to alleviate those concerns and has rejected assertions that it would facilitate spying by Beijing.

It's unclear whether Seoul would accept potential U.S. demands to block imports of Huawei products at risk of triggering retaliation from China, its biggest trade partner.

A U.S. business group reported Friday that its members' operations in China are facing growing pressure from trade friction after the Trump administration imposed 25% tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese imports, with plans to extend those duties to another $300 billion - virtually all the goods America buys from China.

"The negative impact of tariffs is clear and hurting the competitiveness of American companies in China," the American Chamber of Commerce in China and AmCham Shanghai said in announcing the results of a survey of nearly 250 companies conducted May 16-20.

China has raised tariffs on $110 billion of U.S. products and has said it's prepared to do more to defend its national interest.

The report said about 40 of the companies surveyed were being subjected to more inspections or slower customs clearance. Just over half have yet to experience any impact from such non-tariff retaliatory measures.

To cope, companies are focusing more on the China market, it said, rather than exporting to the U.S., and delaying or canceling investment decisions.

People wait cross the street in a crosswalk in the central business district in Beijing, Friday, May 24, 2019. Stepping up a propaganda offensive against Washington, China's state media on Friday accused the U.S. of seeking to "colonize global business" by targeting telecom equipment giant Huawei and other Chinese companies. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

A child watches a video depicting the flow of digital information during the National Science and Technology Week exhibition held at the Military Museum in Beijing on Friday, May 24, 2019. Stepping up Beijing's propaganda offensive in the tariffs standoff with Washington, Chinese state media on Friday accused the U.S. of seeking to "colonize global business" with moves against Huawei and other Chinese technology companies. (AP Photos/Ng Han Guan)

A woman carries a child near images of Chinese microchips during the National Science and Technology Week exhibition held at the Military Museum in Beijing on Friday, May 24, 2019. Stepping up Beijing's propaganda offensive in the tariffs standoff with Washington, Chinese state media on Friday accused the U.S. of seeking to "colonize global business" with moves against Huawei and other Chinese technology companies. (AP Photos/Ng Han Guan)

Shipping containers are seen at a port of Kwai Tsing Container Terminals in Hong Kong, Friday, May 24, 2019. Kwai Tsing Container Terminals is one of the busiest ports in the world. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A staff member checks cargos at a port of Kwai Tsing Container Terminals in Hong Kong, Friday, May 24, 2019. Kwai Tsing Container Terminals is one of the busiest ports in the world. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)LONDON (AP) - Theresa May ended her failed three-year quest to lead Britain out of the European Union on Friday, announcing that she will step down as Conservative Party leader June 7 and triggering a contest to choose a new prime minister who will try to complete Brexit.

"I have done my best," May said in a speech outside 10 Downing St., as close aides and her husband Philip looked on, before acknowledging that it was not good enough.

Concluding her remarks, she struggled to contain her emotions and her voice broke as she expressed "enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love."

Then she turned and strode through the famous black door of No. 10.

May will stay on as a caretaker prime minister until the new leader is chosen, a process the Conservatives aim to complete by late July. The new party leader will become prime minister without the need for a general election.

She became prime minister the month after the U.K. voted in June 2016 to leave the European Union, and her premiership has been consumed by the attempt to deliver on that verdict.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement outside at 10 Downing Street in London, Friday May 24, 2019. Theresa May says she'll quit as UK Conservative leader on June 7, sparking contest for Britain's next prime minister. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

May was brought down by Brexit, but her nemesis wasn't the EU, with which she successfully struck a divorce deal.

She was felled by her own Conservative Party, which refused to accept it. The plan was defeated three times in Parliament, rejected both by pro-EU opposition lawmakers and by Brexit-supporting Conservatives who thought it kept Britain too closely bound to the bloc.

Many Conservative lawmakers came to see May as an obstacle and blamed her for the U.K.'s failure to leave the EU on the scheduled date of March 29. The bloc has extended that deadline until Oct. 31 in hope Britain's politicians can break their political deadlock.

The pressure on May reached breaking point this week as House of Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom quit and several Cabinet colleagues rejected the bill she planned to put before Parliament in a fourth attempt to secure lawmakers' backing for her Brexit blueprint.

In her farewell speech, May defended her record, saying she had "negotiated the terms of our exit and a new relationship with our closest neighbors that protects jobs, our security and our Union."

"I have done everything I can to convince MPs to back that deal," she said. "Sadly, I have not been able to do so."

"It is now clear to me that it is in the best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead that effort," she added.

Multiple contenders are already jockeying to replace her in a contest that will see a new leader chosen by Conservative lawmakers and party members. The early front-runner is Boris Johnson, a former foreign secretary and strong champion of Brexit. Other contenders are likely to include Leadsom, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab.

Johnson, whose relentless criticism helped push May out of the door, tweeted: "Thank you for your stoical service to our country and the Conservative Party. It is now time to follow her urgings: to come together and deliver Brexit."

Whether it is Johnson or another contender, the next prime minister is likely to be a staunch Brexiteer, who will try to renegotiate the divorce deal, and if that fails, to leave the bloc without an agreement on the terms of the departure.

"The person who will replace her will embrace the possibility of a no deal with alacrity rather than fear," said Steven Fielding, professor of political history at the University of Nottingham. "They will have to embrace it if they want to be elected by the Tory party membership."

Most businesses and economists think that would cause economic turmoil and plunge Britain into recession. Parliament has voted to rule out a no-deal Brexit, though it remains the legal default option.

But many Conservatives think embracing a no-deal Brexit may be the only way to keep the support of voters who opted in 2016 to leave the EU.

The Conservatives expect to take a bruising when results come in late Sunday from this week's European Parliament election, which many British voters are expected to use to express displeasure over the political gridlock. Opinion polls suggest Conservative voters deserting in droves to the single-issue Brexit Party led by Nigel Farage.

Any attempt to take Britain out of the EU without a deal will be fiercely resisted by Parliament, and could see pro-Europeans leave the Conservative Party.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, an opponent of Brexit, tweeted that May's exit "will not solve the Brexit mess that the Tories have created. ... The prospect of an even more hard-line Brexiteer now becoming PM and threatening a no deal exit is deeply concerning."

EU leaders expressed respect for May, and stressed they would not renegotiate the Brexit deal.

"We have set out our position on the withdrawal agreement and on the political declaration," said EU spokeswoman Mina Andreeva.

She said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had great respect for May and would "equally respect and establish working relations" with any new British leader.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany would continue to "do everything it can to ensure there is a good partnership with Britain, an orderly exit, and then continuing good cooperation."

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has sometimes differed publicly with May, said he was "feeling badly" for her.

"I like her very much," said Trump who is due to meet May on a state visit to Britain June 3-5.

And May departed with a warning to her successor.

"To succeed, he or she will have to find consensus in Parliament where I have not," she said. "Such a consensus can only be reached if those on all sides of the debate are willing to compromise."

She said it had been "the honor of my life" to serve as Britain's leader, the second woman to hold the job, after Margaret Thatcher.

"The second female prime minister - but certainly not the last," May said.

___

Associated Press writers Gregory Katz in London, Raf Casert in Brussels and David Rising in Berlin contributed.

___

Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement outside at 10 Downing Street in London, Friday May 24, 2019. Theresa May says she'll quit as UK Conservative leader on June 7, sparking contest for Britain's next prime minister. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

British Prime Minister Theresa May walks away after making a speech in the street outside 10 Downing Street in London, England, Friday, May 24, 2019. Theresa May says she'll quit as UK Conservative leader on June 7, sparking contest for Britain's next prime minister. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement outside at 10 Downing Street in London, Friday May 24, 2019. Theresa May says she'll quit as UK Conservative leader on June 7, sparking contest for Britain's next prime minister. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement outside at 10 Downing Street in London, Friday May 24, 2019. Theresa May says she'll quit as UK Conservative leader on June 7, sparking contest for Britain's next prime minister. (Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives to make a statement outside at 10 Downing Street in London, Friday May 24, 2019. Theresa May says she'll quit as UK Conservative leader on June 7, sparking contest for Britain's next prime minister. (Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP)CAIRO (AP) - Libya's navy confirmed on Friday that it rescued three boats carrying a total of 290 Europe-bound migrants off the country's Mediterranean coast, a day after a German aid group released video showing a sinking raft packed with dozens of migrants, with some people scattered in the sea.

Libyan coast guards first reported finding a sinking rubber boat whose bottom had collapsed on Thursday, leaving most migrants in the water and hanging onto what was left of the boat and plastic barrels. A statement posted Friday on the navy press center's official Facebook page says that boat carried 87 migrants, including six women and a child.

Earlier, the coast guard came to the rescue of two other rubber boats carrying a total of 203 migrants, according to a separate statement.

The three boats carried mostly Arab and African nationals as well as 14 Bangladeshis, who were handed over to Libyan police after receiving humanitarian and medical aid.

A few hours earlier, German aid group Sea-Watch said its aircraft had witnessed three rescue operations by Libyan coast guards on Thursday.

Libya became a major conduit for African migrants and refugees fleeing to Europe after the 2011 uprising that ousted and killed dictator Moammar Gadhafi and amid the subsequent chaos and turmoil that engulfed the oil-rich North African country.

Thousands have perished while making the perilous sea crossing, while others have been detained and abused in Libya by smugglers and armed groups.LONDON (AP) - The Latest on Brexit and Britain's political crisis (all times local):

8:15 p.m.

Theresa May has ended her failed three-year quest to lead Britain out of the European Union, announcing that she will step down as Conservative Party leader June 7 and triggering a contest to choose a new prime minister who will try to complete Brexit.

May says Friday in a speech outside 10 Downing St. in London, that "I have done my best" before acknowledging that it was not good enough. She struggled to contain her emotions and her voice broke as she expressed "enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love."

Then she turned and strode through the famous black door of No. 10.

May will stay on as a caretaker prime minister until the new leader is chosen, a process the Conservatives aim to complete by late July. The new party leader will become prime minister without the need for a general election.

A police officer stands outside 10 Downing Street, the residence of British Prime Minister Theresa May, in London, England, Friday, May 24, 2019. Conservative lawmakers have given May until Friday to announce a departure date or face a likely leadership challenge. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

___

6:25 p.m.

U.S. President Donald Trump says he is "feeling badly" for British Prime Minister Theresa May who announced Friday that she would resign.

May held an emotional news conference in London hours earlier and said she would step aside June 7 after being unable to secure a Brexit deal.

The president, leaving the White House for Japan, told reporters that "I like her very much."

Trump will meet with May in the U.K. early next month. He is heading to Europe for a state dinner in England as well as D-Day anniversary ceremonies.

The president caused a stir last summer when, in advance of a trip to London, he gave an interview to the tabloid The Sun criticizing May's Brexit divorce plan from the European Union.

___

2:55 p.m.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has called on U.K. authorities to respect the verdict of the Brexit referendum and make the U.K. leave the European Union.

Le Pen, the leader of the anti-migrant, populist National Rally party, said Friday in a news conference in Henin-Beaumont, in northern France, that British Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to quit "because she tried to bypass the will expressed by the British in the Brexit referendum."

She said that French politicians and media must not "teach morality lessons" to the British people who decided to leave the EU.

Polls suggest that Le Pen's party will be among France's top two vote-getters in the European parliament elections that are being held in the bloc until Sunday, along with French President Emmanuel Macron's party.

___

1:50 p.m.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis says he hopes that Britain will hold another referendum on leaving the European Union after Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation.

Commenting on May's step, Babis says "I still hope that (Britain) will hold a snap election and at the end they will have one more referendum. That the (British) people finally understand that the misinformation that that they received (about Brexit) is not true and Britain will stay in the European Union."

Babis says he thinks that would "the best for all."

He has called Britain one of the best allies of his country in the bloc because "it's a big state that counterbalances the dominance of Germany and France."

___

12:25 p.m.

Spain's caretaker government says that Theresa May's announcement she is stepping down as leader of Britain's Conservative Party is "bad news" because it will make a "hard Brexit," where the country leaves the EU without a deal on future relations, more likely.

Government Spokeswoman Isabel Celaa says that May's resignation, which would usher in a new Conservative prime minister, is not good for those hoping for Britain's orderly departure from the European Union.

May is "throwing in the towel" and the departure agreement negotiated between her government and the EU has "no chance to go ahead," said Celaa, who is also Spain's caretaker education minister.

"A hard Brexit is a reality that under the current circumstances is almost impossible to avoid," Celaa said.

The spokeswoman also says that, ahead of the European parliamentary election in which Spain will take part on Sunday, Britain's politics are "a clear example of what can happen if we allow ourselves to be dragged by extremisms."

___

12:15 p.m.

French President Emmanuel Macron has praised Theresa May's "courageous work" on Brexit after the British prime minister announced her resignation.

"It's too soon to speculate on the consequences of this decision", Macron said, according to a statement from the French presidency. "France is ready to work with the new British prime minister on all European and bilateral issues."

Macron sent May a personal message of support and appreciation, the statement said.

As European parliament elections are being held in the bloc until Sunday, Macron said "this must also remind us, at a time of important choice, that rejection votes with no alternative project lead to an impasse."

___

11:50 a.m.

The pound and British stocks are rising after Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation, as some investors appear to hope it could unblock the political stalemate over Brexit, though analysts warn it could simply mean another delay to the EU departure.

The Conservative Party will tap a new prime minister after May leaves on June 7 and it is more likely that the next leader will be more in favor of Brexit. However, experts say a "no-deal" Brexit - in which Britain leaves the EU without a deal on new trade relations, causing havoc for business - remains unlikely as lawmakers remain divided over how to proceed.

Samuel Tombs, chief U.K. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, notes that "changing the leader won't alter the maths in parliament."

Tombs expects Britain will remain stuck in political stalemate for at least another year, requiring an extension to its Oct. 31 Brexit deadline.

The pound was up to $1.2715 on Friday from $1.2660 before May's announcement. The FTSE 100 stock index was up 0.6%.

___

11:30 a.m.

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker says that he considers British Prime Minister Theresa May as "a woman of courage for whom he has great respect."

European Union spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said that Juncker watched May's announcement that she will step down as Conservative Party leader on June 7 "with emotion" and added it was "without personal joy."

She said Juncker will "equally respect and establish working relations" with May's successor. Britain currently faces an Oct. 31 deadline to leave the EU.

___

11:10 a.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has noted "with respect" the decision of British Prime Minister Theresa May to step down, and will continue to work closely with her successor for an orderly Brexit.

Merkel's spokeswoman, Martina Fietz, told reporters Friday that the chancellor and May always "worked together in a good and trusting" relationship and would continue to do so while May remains in office.

Looking ahead, Fietz says, "we, and the EU as a whole, are interested in a good solution being found in Britain" to the Brexit issue, and that means "an orderly exit."

The German government would not speculate on May's possible successor.

___

11 a.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May's departure speech is drawing praise from fellow Conservative Party members, including some who had criticized her Brexit stance.

Andrea Leadsom, who resigned as House of Commons Leader on Wednesday to protest May's Brexit plan, tweeted that May's speech was "an illustration of her total commitment to country and duty."

Leadsom, a possible leadership contender, said May "did her utmost" and praised the dignity of the prime minister's speech.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove tweeted his thanks to the prime minister. He called it, "A moving speech from a Prime Minister who deserves our respect and gratitude."

Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, a frequent critic of May, says she is worried May's decision will bring "an even more hardline" Brexit-backer to power.

___

10:05 a.m.

Theresa May says she will step down as U.K. Conservative Party leader on June 7, sparking a contest to become Britain's next prime minister.

She will stay as caretaker prime minister until the new leader is chosen, a process likely to take several weeks.

May has bowed to relentless pressure from her party to quit over her failure to take Britain out of the European Union on schedule.

Her departure will trigger a party leadership contest in which any Conservative lawmaker can run. The early front-runner is Boris Johnson, a former foreign secretary and strong champion of Brexit.

Britain is currently due to leave the EU on Oct. 31, but Parliament has yet to approve divorce terms.

___

8:55 a.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is meeting a leader of her Conservative lawmakers amid mounting speculation that she is about to announce her departure date.

The party's key backbench committee has set a showdown meeting Friday for May to agree to leave soon or face a leadership challenge.

Pressure on May to quit over her failure to get Parliament's approval for a European Union divorce deal reached critical point this week as a senior minister quit and several Cabinet colleagues expressed doubts about her Brexit bill.

Several British media outlets reported that May would agree to give up the prime minister's post June 10, sparking a Conservative leadership contest.

She could stay in office as a caretaker prime minister for several weeks until party lawmakers and members choose a successor.

Combo of images that shows at left, Theresa May on the day she became British Prime Minister speaking to the media outside 10 Downing Street in London on Wednesday July 13, 2016 and at right, May speaking outside number 10 on Friday, May 24, 2019 on the day she announced that she would quit. Theresa May says she'll quit as UK Conservative leader on June 7, sparking contest for Britain's next prime minister. (AP Photo, File)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves Downing Street in London, Friday, May 24, 2019. May announced Friday that she will step down as U.K. Conservative Party leader on June 7, admitting defeat in her attempt to take Britain out of the European Union and sparking a contest to become the country's next prime minister. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)WASHINGTON (AP) - Intelligence professionals warned Friday that President Donald Trump's decision to give his loyal attorney general carte blanche to disclose still-secret material from the Russia investigation will let William Barr cherry-pick intelligence to paint a misleading picture about what started the probe.

The president claims his campaign was spied upon, though Trump administration officials have said they have no specific evidence that anything illegal was done when the campaign came under FBI surveillance that was approved by a court.

On Thursday, Trump gave Barr full authority to publicly disclose information about the origins of the investigation the president has repeatedly dismissed as a "hoax."

"You have to get down to what happened because what happened is a tremendous blight on our country," Trump said, adding that Barr is highly respected and will be impartial in reviewing documents.

But Trump's critics are wary of leaving the decision of what intelligence to release - and what should remain hidden - in Barr's hands. Barr is a staunch Trump defender who Democrats say spun special counsel Robert Mueller's report in Trump's favor, playing down aspects suggesting possible criminal conduct. Mueller has also complained to Barr about his handling of the release of the report.

That has prompted concern that Barr will take a similar approach to his review of the origins of Mueller's probe, releasing intelligence backing Trump's claims that it was politically motivated, while keeping classified evidence demonstrating the need for the probe.

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, May 24, 2019, before boarding Marine One for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Tokyo. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Barr has already said he believes "spying did occur" on the Trump campaign, but he also made clear at a Senate hearing that any surveillance wasn't necessarily illegal or improper.

Barr has asked the U.S. attorney in Connecticut to examine the origins of the Russia investigation to find out if intelligence and surveillance methods used during the probe were lawful and appropriate.

Intelligence experts claim Trump is trying to do an end-run around U.S. spy agencies. They say having someone outside the intelligence community deciding what can be released jeopardizes sources and undercuts America's partnership with spy agencies in friendly nations, including some that shared information with the U.S. regarding the Russia probe.

Traditionally, when Congress, for instance, asks for material to be declassified, the request is forwarded to the intelligence agencies where the information originated or resides. Those agencies recommend what part, if any, can be declassified without jeopardizing intelligence sources or spy craft. Then, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence coordinates the feedback from all the agencies and makes a decision.

National Intelligence Director Dan Coats said in a statement Friday that 17 intelligence agencies he represents will provide the Justice Department all appropriate information needed for its review of intelligence activities related to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Coats also said he's confident Barr will work in accordance with "long-established standards to protect highly-sensitive classified information that, if publicly released, would put our national security at risk."

But while Trump's memorandum instructs Barr to consult with appropriate intelligence agencies "to the extent he deems it practicable" before he releases anything, it doesn't require him to do so.

This has alarmed Trump critics, who have served in high-level U.S. intelligence posts.

"It is potentially dangerous if the attorney general were to declassify something the director of national intelligence thought should be kept classified, as the director is in the best position to judge the damage to intelligence sources and methods," said Michael Morell, a former U.S. intelligence official and host of the Intelligence Matters podcast.

Morell said Trump should never have given Barr the declassification authority. "It is yet another step that will raise questions among our allies and partners about whether to share sensitive intelligence with us," he said.

David Kris, former head of the Justice Department's national security division, said it's "very unusual - unprecedented in my experience - for a non-intelligence officer to be given absolute declassification authority over the intelligence."

Kris, now a consultant at Culper Partners, said people expect the nation's top law enforcement officer to be nonpartisan and there is now fear the apolitical nature of intelligence could be threatened.

John McLaughlin, a former deputy director of the CIA who served as acting director in 2004, tweeted, "Giving Barr declassification authority for this investigation is a really bad idea." He said congressional intelligence committees "need to stand in the door on this one."

California Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House intelligence committee, vowed to conduct oversight of any effort to selectively reveal and distort classified information or manipulate the declassification system.

"The clear intent of this abuse of power is to override longstanding rules governing classified information to serve the president's political interests, advance his 'deep state' narrative, and target his political rivals," Schiff said.

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, accused Trump and Barr of politicizing the intelligence that people risked their lives to gather. That "will make it harder for the intelligence community to do their jobs protecting this country from those who wish to do us harm."

But Rep. Mark Meadows, one of Trump's congressional allies, said Trump's directive reflected the president's pledge for an open and transparent investigation.

Meadows tweeted: "Outstanding - President Trump authorizing the Attorney General to declassify documents related to surveillance during the 2016 election. Americans are going to learn the truth about what occurred at their Justice Department."

___

Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr shake hands during a Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor presentation ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, May 22, 2019.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - A bomb exploded during weekly prayers Friday at a mosque in an eastern part of Kabul, killing two people, including the prayer leader, and wounding 16, officials said.

According to Kabul police chief's spokesman, Basir Mujahid, the bomb was concealed in the microphone used to deliver the sermon. The prayer leader, Maulvi Samiullah Rayan, was the intended target, the spokesman added.

No militant group immediately claimed responsibility but both the Taliban and the Islamic State group regularly stage attacks in the country's capital.

The Kabul neighborhood where the bombing took place is dominated by ethnic Pashtuns, most of whom are Sunni Muslims and who make up the backbone of the Taliban movement.

U.S. Army spokesman Lt. Ubon Mendie confirmed that five Romanian NATO soldiers were injured in southern Kandahar late on Friday but offered no details. Kandahar was the former heartland of the Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan until their ouster in December 2001 by U.S.-led coalition forces.

Meanwhile, a car bombing wounded 12 people late on Thursday also in the southern city of Kandahar. Provincial council member Yousaf Younasi said the bombing targeted insurgents from neighboring Pakistan's secessionist Baluchistan Liberation Army.

A wounded man receives treatment in a hospital after a bomb explosion during Friday prayer on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, May 24, 2019. According to Kabul police chief's spokesman, Basir Mujahid, the bomb was concealed in the microphone used to deliver the sermon. The prayer leader, Maulvi Samiullah Rayan, was the intended target, the spokesman added. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

It was the second attack in recent years to target the group in Kandahar's posh Aino Mina residential area, he said. Last year, a suicide bomber blew himself up there, killing five Baluch separatists, including the mastermind behind the attack last November on the Chinese Consulate in Pakistan's port city of Karachi that killed four people - two police officials and two civilians.

Pakistan has struggled with the years-long insurgency in Baluchistan where the separatists demand a greater share of the region's wealth and autonomy from Islamabad. The separatist group also claimed responsibility for an attack earlier this month on a luxury hotel in the Pakistani port city of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea. Most of the residents in the hotel were Chinese nationals involved in the development of the port.

Kandahar's provincial police chief, Tadin Khan, said there was no evidence that Baluch insurgents were the target of the explosion, which he said also wounded four children.

____

Associated Press writer Kathy Gannon in Islamabad contributed to this report.

An Afghan security personnel stands inside a mosque after a bomb explosion during Friday prayer on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, May 24, 2019. According to Kabul police chief's spokesman, Basir Mujahid, the bomb was concealed in the microphone used to deliver the sermon. The prayer leader, Maulvi Samiullah Rayan, was the intended target, the spokesman added. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

A wounded man receives treatment in a hospital after a bomb explosion during Friday prayer on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, May 24, 2019. According to Kabul police chief's spokesman, Basir Mujahid, the bomb was concealed in the microphone used to deliver the sermon. The prayer leader, Maulvi Samiullah Rayan, was the intended target, the spokesman added. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

A wounded man receives treatment in a hospital after a bomb explosion during Friday prayer on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, May 24, 2019. According to Kabul police chief's spokesman, Basir Mujahid, the bomb was concealed in the microphone used to deliver the sermon. The prayer leader, Maulvi Samiullah Rayan, was the intended target, the spokesman added. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

A wounded man receives treatment in a hospital after a bomb explosion during Friday prayer on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, May 24, 2019. According to Kabul police chief's spokesman, Basir Mujahid, the bomb was concealed in the microphone used to deliver the sermon. The prayer leader, Maulvi Samiullah Rayan, was the intended target, the spokesman added. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An Afghan Journalist take a photo inside a mosque after a bomb explosion during Friday prayer on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, May 24, 2019. According to Kabul police chief's spokesman, Basir Mujahid, the bomb was concealed in the microphone used to deliver the sermon. The prayer leader, Maulvi Samiullah Rayan, was the intended target, the spokesman added. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Remains of belongings of people inside a mosque after a bomb explosion during Friday prayer on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, May 24, 2019. According to Kabul police chief's spokesman, Basir Mujahid, the bomb was concealed in the microphone used to deliver the sermon. The prayer leader, Maulvi Samiullah Rayan, was the intended target, the spokesman added. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)WELLFLEET, Mass. (AP) - As Cape Cod's tourist season gets underway, there's uncertainty after two shark attacks - including Massachusetts' first fatal attack since 1936 - rattled beachgoers last year and sparked a still unresolved debate about how the vacation destination should respond.

Among the questions on many minds this Memorial Day holiday weekend: Will there be more attacks? Will the region's billion-dollar tourism economy take a hit as scared beachgoers stay away? And is there anything that can be done to make the sea safer?

At Longnook Beach in Truro, where a New York man was badly mauled by a shark but survived on Aug. 15, resident Beckett Rotchford said he'll likely skip the boogie boarding this summer and stick to swimming at lifeguard-monitored beaches rather than more secluded stretches of sand like Longnook.

But he isn't in favor of some of the more drastic measures pushed by some, such as shark barriers around popular swimming beaches.

"That's their habitat. We can't restrict their ability to swim," Rotchford said as he walked along the shore with his dog. "I think we can coexist, but occasionally attacks happen. It's just the reality."

At Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet, where 26-year-old Arthur Medici was killed by a shark while boogie boarding Sept. 15, Brewster resident Leslie Young said she'd be open to somehow limiting the seal population that draws the sharks in the first place. Town officials are studying a range of controversial measures, including administering contraception to seals or outright culling them.

In this May, 22, 2019, photo, a woman walks with her dogs at Newcomb Hollow Beach, where a boogie boarder was bitten by a shark and later died of his injuries the previous summer, in Wellfleet, Mass. Cape Cod beaches open this holiday weekend, just months after two shark attacks, one of which was fatal, rattled tourists, locals and officials. Some precautionary new measures, such as emergency call boxes, have yet to be installed along beaches where great whites are known to frequent. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

But Young's niece, Ashley Frisbee, wasn't so sure.

"That's ridiculous. The sharks are the ones feeding on them," the 25-year-old Oklahoma City resident said of the seals. "They shouldn't be punished."

Frisbee said she briefly waded into the ocean earlier in the week and says she would have ventured out farther had the water not been so chilly.

"I'd definitely be cautious," she said, while her family paused at an informal memorial to Medici set up at the top of the sandy path down to the beach. "I wouldn't swim farther out than anyone else on the beach, but I wouldn't stop swimming."

Lifeguards won't be out at most Cape beaches until late June, and the modest safety measures promised by local officials - such providing new emergency call boxes and medical kits stuffed with tourniquets and other lifesaving equipment at beaches - also won't be up and running until then at a number of beaches.

Not having those measures in place for the start of the beach season isn't unreasonable, officials say.

The number of great white sharks doesn't peak until about August even though they start migrating into the region in late May and early June, said Megan Winton, a staff scientist with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, a nonprofit group based on the Cape that's been studying the local population for years.

A broader study on more costly and controversial shark safety measures, meanwhile, won't be complete until after this beach season. And even then there's no guarantee any of the measures will be adopted. At least one town has already voted on and rejected a proposed shark barrier.

Local officials need to do more to make beachgoers feel safe or else the region's tourism economy will suffer, said Eastham homeowners Alison and Isabel Cossar as they relaxed on Newcomb Hollow Beach.

Rental property owners are already experiencing more vacancies than usual, a possible sign that vacationers are staying away over shark concerns, the sisters said. The London residents say their Cape Cod property is usually fully booked through the summer by now but still has about four weeks' worth of openings.

"It's the worst we've ever seen," said Alison Cossar.

Ryan Castle, CEO of the Cape Cod & Islands Association of Realtors, said rental bookings on Cape Cod are down about 10% to 15%, but argues it has more to do with the state's new tax on short-term home rentals, which takes effect this summer.

"There are some concerns about sharks from visitors, but it is definitely secondary to the new taxes," he said. "It is a sticker shock. It'll take time for the market to adjust."

Concerned residents also note that visits to Cape Cod National Seashore beaches dipped from a peak of 4.7 million visits in 2016 to 3.9 million in 2018, the second consecutive year of declines, according to statistics from the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.

But Wendy Northcross, the chamber's CEO, said the visitation figures are based on car counts taken by beach parking lot attendants, so the drops could be attributed to parking lots being closed for construction, storm damage or other reasons.

If Cape Cod wants to continue to be a beach destination, it should take its cues from places like Australia, where they've long ago invested in shark barriers and shark spotting technology like aerial drones and underwater sensors, said Isabel Cossar.

"It's not beyond the realm of technology to make the beaches safer," she said.

But Florida resident Bill Van Arsdale, who grew up on the Cape in the 1960s, couldn't see the logic as he and his college-age daughter watched the waves crash on a mostly desolate section of Longnook Beach.

"To screw with Mother Nature makes no sense to me," he said. "We're in a wilderness area. Are you going to put a wall around Yellowstone just because it has bears? Let nature be nature."

___

Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo .

In the May 22, 2019, photo, a memorial stone for Arthur Medici, who died of injuries sustained in a shark attack while boogie boarding the previous summer, is adorned with a tiny cairn and seashells at Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet, Mass. Cape Cod beaches open this holiday weekend, just months after two shark attacks, one of which was fatal, rattled tourists, locals and officials. Some precautionary new measures, such as emergency call boxes, have yet to be installed along beaches where great whites are known to frequent. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

In thiis May 22, 2019, photo, a couple stands next to a shark warning sign while looking at the ocean at Lecount Hollow Beach in Wellfleet, Mass. Cape Cod beaches open this holiday weekend, just months after two shark attacks, one of which was fatal, rattled tourists, locals and officials. Some precautionary new measures, such as emergency call boxes, have yet to be installed along beaches where great whites are known to frequent. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

In this May 22, 2019, photo, two children play in the surf at Newcomb Hollow Beach, where a boogie boarder was bitten by a shark and later died of his injuries the previous summer, in Wellfleet, Mass. Cape Cod beaches open this holiday weekend, just months after two shark attacks, one of which was fatal, rattled tourists, locals and officials. Some precautionary new measures, such as emergency call boxes, have yet to be installed along beaches where great whites are known to frequent. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)SANAA, Yemen (AP) - Yemen's internationally recognized president sent a letter to the U.N. secretary-general criticizing his envoy to the war-torn Arab country over allegedly siding with Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, the president's office said Friday.

In the letter addressed to Antonio Guterres, Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi accuses Martin Griffiths, the U.N. special envoy to Yemen, of undermining chances for peace. Hadi also warned his government would stop dealing with the U.N. envoy.

"I can no longer tolerate the violations committed by the special envoy, which threaten prospects for a solution," read the five-page letter, a copy of which was released to reporters Thursday.

It also accuses Griffiths of treating the "rebels as a de-facto government and as an equal to the legitimate and elected government" of Yemen.

The conflict in Yemen began with the 2014 takeover of the capital, Sanaa, by the Shiite Houthi rebels. A Saudi-led coalition allied with Hadi's government has been fighting the Houthis since March 2015. The fighting in the Arab world's poorest country has killed an estimated 60,000 people and left millions suffering from lack of food and medical care.

Also on Friday, security officials in Houthi-controlled territory said a Saudi-led air raid killed eight civilians and wounded at least four in the southwestern province of Taiz. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of their safety, said the attack took place Friday in Mawya district.

People inspect the site of an airstrike by Saudi-led coalition forces, in Sanaa, Yemen, Thursday, May, 16, 2019. Yemen's human rights minister says heavy fighting is underway in the country's south as rebel Houthis push to gain more territory from government forces and their allies. The clashes come as the Saudi-led coalition carried out airstrikes on the capital, Sanaa, earlier on Thursday, targeting the Houthis and killing at least three civilians. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed)

Mohamed Abdel Salam, spokesman for the Houthis, condemned the attack.

Tensions arose between Griffiths and Hadi last week after the U.N. announced the long-delayed Houthi withdrawal from the flashpoint port city of Hodeida.

Hadi's government accused Griffiths at the time of turning a blind eye that the rebels had allegedly only handed control of the port to "militia leaders" loyal to them. The "redeployment of Houthis" from Hodeida was part of a U.N.-brokered deal concluded in December.

Hadi went on to say that Griffiths' "poor understanding" of the Yemeni conflict makes him unfit for his post.

While briefing the U.N. Security Council on the situation in Yemen last week, Griffiths urged the warring sides to maintain the momentum of the Houthi withdrawal from Hodeida - the country's lifeline to foreign aid - and to work urgently on a political solution to the devastating conflict.

There were "signs of hope" but "also alarming signs" that could threaten progress, Griffiths said, a reference to continuing clashes in the southern Dhale province.

Later on Friday, Houthi rebel leader Mohamed Ali al-Houthi tweeted that Hadi's letter to the U.N. chief was "a miserable attempt to curtail peace."

___

ElHennawy reported from Cairo.HONG KONG (AP) - Hong Kong's leader summoned the German consul on Friday to complain about Germany granting political asylum to two Hong Kong political activists, in a rare case of diplomatic intervention by the government of the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Carrie Lam called the pair bail jumpers who were facing charges including rioting and assaulting police over a violent incident in February 2016.

She said Hong Kong courts would have granted the two a fair trial and Germany had "unjustifiably undermined Hong Kong's international reputation in the rule of law and judicial independence." Lam asked David Schmidt to convey "deep regrets and strong objections" to the German authorities.

In interviews with The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times published on Wednesday, Ray Wong Toi Yeung said he and fellow pro-democracy protester Alan Li Tung Sing were granted asylum last year.

Germany's Interior Ministry would not give names due to privacy regulations, but confirmed it had granted two people from Hong Kong asylum last year. Wong and Li are the only dissidents known to have been in Germany seeking protection.

Wong told the Journal he chose to reveal his asylum status now in response to a proposed Hong Kong law that would allow criminal suspects to be handed over to mainland China where they would likely not receive a fair trial.

Pro-China protesters hold pictures of Hong Kong activists Ray Wong Toi-yeung, right, and Alan Li Tung-sing during a demonstration near the German Consulate General Consulate in Hong Kong to against Germany in granting a refugee status for the Hong Kong activists, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Germany has granted asylum to two Hong Kong activists in a sign of growing concern over how dissent is dealt with in the territory. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

That law is seen as part of a drive by Beijing to rein in Hong Kong's freedoms, endangering its independent legal system which it was granted for 50 years after its 1997 handover from British rule.

Hong Kong authorities have generally taken a low-key approach to international disputes, mindful of the territory's reputation as a largely apolitical center of business and finance.

However, Germany's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it was "increasingly concerned about the diminishing space for the political opposition" in the Chinese territory.

The Feb. 8-9, 2016, outbreak of violence in the city's working-class Mong Kok district between police, illegal street food hawkers and activists followed 2014's "Umbrella Movement" protests demanding greater democracy.

In this Thursday, May 23, 2019, photo, pro-China protesters hold a picture of Hong Kong activist Ray Wong Toi-yeung as they hands a letter to a representative from German Consulate General, left, in Hong Kong to against Germany in granting refugee status for the Hong Kong activists. Hong Kong's leader has summoned the German consul to complain over Germany granting political asylum to a pair of Hong Kong political activists. Carrie Lam on Friday called the pair bail jumpers who were facing charges including rioting and assaulting police over a violent incident in Feb. 2016. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

In this Saturday, July 11, 2015 photo, Ray Wong Toi-yeung, member of Hong Kong Indigenous group attends a demonstration in Hong Kong. Germany has granted asylum to two Hong Kong activists in a sign of growing concern over how dissent is dealt with in the territory. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - Blocked from pursuing his political crusade in Spain's parliament, the most prominent jailed leader of Catalonia's separatist movement is vowing to take his fight to the European Parliament.

The lower chamber of Spain's Parliament on Friday suspended Oriol Junqueras and three colleagues from their recently gained seats as national lawmakers because they are currently in jail during an ongoing trial at Spain's Supreme Court. They face up to 25 years in prison for rebellion charges that stem from a banned referendum and an independence declaration made by the separatist-controlled Catalan government in late 2017.

But Junqueras is also running for the European Parliament in elections that take place on Sunday, and polls say that he and his former boss, Carles Puigdemont, who unlike Junqueras fled the country to avoid arrest, have a high chance of being elected.

Even so, the Catalan separatists face several legal hurdles to be sworn in as European lawmakers.

"The sole fact that a European lawmaker and a candidate to the presidency of the European Commission is a political prisoner of one of the European Union's member states is a very powerful message in favor of democracy, fundamental rights and freedoms not only in Catalonia but in all Europe," Junqueras told The Associated Press on Friday.

The Spanish government has repeatedly rejected the term "political prisoner" to refer to the prosecuted Catalan separatists, pointing out that they were jailed by independent courts according to legal provisions in the country.

The leader of the Catalan ERC party and European Parliament candidate Oriol Junqueras speaks from Soto del Real prison in Madrid, Friday, May 24, 2019, during an interview via video conference with The Associated Press in Barcelona, Spain. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

The government also often reiterates that political parties openly advocating for secession are legal in the country, but the only way to achieve independence for a region like northeastern Catalonia is by reforming the country's 1978 constitution, which currently prohibits the secession of a region unless all Spaniards vote on it.

Junqueras spoke via video conference from a jail on the outskirts of Madrid shortly before the widely expected announcement that he would be suspended as a Spanish lawmaker.

Speaker Meritxell Batet announced that the governing body of the Congress of Deputies had ruled for the suspension in line with the country's criminal code, which bans those indicted for rebellion or terrorism-related charges and in preventive custody from holding public office.

But the 50-year-old former no. 2 of the Catalan regional government, who was previously a European lawmaker between 2009 and 2012, told AP that the suspension in Spain doesn't affect him because he was planning to give up his seat anyway: Members of the European Parliament can't hold certain public offices in their home countries.

Junqueras is the lead candidate in the European elections of Ahora Republicans, a coalition of a Catalan and other small regionalist parties in Spain. Polls give it enough votes for him to claim one of the 751 seats in the chamber, but his possibilities to be sworn in are unclear given his legal situation.

Junqueras said he hopes Spain's Supreme Court will allow him to travel to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, for the opening session in July.

"For me, it will be a pleasure to return to the European Parliament," he said, because that would allow him rejoin former colleagues in the bloc's assembly and "explain to them firsthand the deep injustice that innocent people are in prison."

If he succeeds in becoming a parliament member, Junqueras plans to launch a largely symbolic candidacy to become European Commission president as the contender for the European Free Alliance, a grouping of small regional and separatist parties from across Europe, including Scottish, Flemish and Corsican nationalists.

While Junqueras said that if his attempt to become a European lawmaker is blocked he will appeal it in court, Puigdemont faces even greater potential challenges to join him in the continental legislature.

According to an internal report by the European Parliament's legal services that the AP has had access to, Puigdemont would have to return to Spain to be officially included in the list of its elected European lawmakers and thereby face arrest.

Despite the chaos caused by the Brexit referendum in the U.K., Junqueras is not wavering in his belief that the solution to the Catalan question is a regional vote on independence.

Election results and polls indicate that the 7.5 million residents of the Catalonia region are roughly split down the middle by the secession question.

Junqueras and three fellow separatists from Puigdemont's conservative JxCat party were elected last month to a new, fragmented Spanish lower house, along with another colleague who won a seat in the Spanish Senate.

Spain's Supreme Court granted them permission earlier this week to attend - escorted by police - the opening parliamentary sessions of the new legislative term.

While Junqueras has made clear that he wants to give up his seat to another member of his left-wing separatist ERC party, all eyes in Spain are on what the three JxCat politicians will do.

Deciding to accept the suspension but not giving up their seats and leaving them empty would alter the number of deputies needed to form the next Spanish government. Caretaker Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialist party won April 28 national elections but fell short of a majority and will need support to form a government.

When not attending trial as a defendant, Junqueras, a historian, says he spends his time at the Soto del Real prison writing a collection of stories for his son and daughter, who he estimates he has seen "a total of 50 hours" since he was put behind bars in November 2017.

"I tell (my children) that unfortunately we live in a country where I can be put in jail," Junqueras said. "My job consists precisely in ensuring that this doesn't happen again and that my children don't have to go through what their father has."

___

Aritz Parra reported from Madrid.

The leader of the Catalan ERC party and European Parliament candidate Oriol Junqueras speaks from Soto del Real prison in Madrid, on Friday, May 24, 2019, during an interview via video conference with The Associated Press in Barcelona, Spain. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

The leader of the Catalan ERC party and European Parliament candidate Oriol Junqueras speaks from Soto del Real prison in Madrid, on Friday, May 24, 2019, during an interview via video conference with The Associated Press in Barcelona, Spain. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)BERLIN (AP) - Protesters - many of them too young to vote - took to the streets Friday across the European Union to demand tougher action against global warming as the 28-nation bloc elects a new parliament.

From Portugal to Finland, from Italy to Britain, students followed the call of Swedish teenage activist Greta Thunberg to stage 'school strikes' against climate change.

The issue has come to the fore ahead of the elections that began Thursday and end Sunday for the EU's 751-seat assembly. The vote is expected to boost the influence of parties that have a strong environmental message.

In Berlin, thousands of mostly young people rallied in front of the German capital's landmark Brandenburg Gate waving banners with slogans such as "There is no planet B" or "Plant trees, save the bees, clean the seas."

Clara Kirchhoff said although she's not yet allowed to vote, she's been pressing family members and older friends to consider the world's long-term future when they go to the polls Sunday.

"I think, particularly at the European level, it's an important issue to create a level playing field, because there's no point in Germany doing a lot for the climate and others not pulling their weight," the 17-year-old said.

A protestor holds a poster as he attends a protest rally of the 'Friday For Future' movement in Berlin, Germany, Friday, May 24, 2019. Some thousands students attend the demonstration near the Brandenburg gate in the German capital. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Fourteen-year-old Parvati Smolka said she and her fellow students felt an obligation to attend the Berlin rally on behalf of future generations.

"We've got a chance to go on the streets here and make our voice heard," she said.

A few thousands of people, mostly high school and university students, marched Friday in the streets of Paris in a joyful atmosphere to demand action against climate change. Some sang "One, two, three degrees, that's a crime against humanity" and waved posters reading "No nature, no future."

Thunberg, who was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, said she consciously chose he run-up to the EU parliamentary vote to organize another continent-wide protest.

"We think that it spreads a message that this is a very important election, and that it should be about the climate crisis," she told Sweden's TV4.

__

Sylvie Corbet from Paris contributed to this report.

___

For more AP coverage on climate issues go to apnews.com/Climate

___

For more news from The Associated Press on the European Parliament elections, go to https://www.apnews.com/EuropeanParliament

Young protestors hold a sign reading 'vote for the planet because your kids can't' ahead of the European elections during a climate strike of school students as part of the Fridays for Future movement in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, May 24, 2019. (Boris Roessler/dpa via AP)

Students hold posters as they attend a protest rally of the 'Friday For Future' movement in Berlin, Germany, Friday, May 24, 2019. Some thousands students attend the demonstration near the Brandenburg gate in the German capital. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Young demonstrators take part in a demonstration organised by 'Global Strike 4 Climate' beneath the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, in Rome, Friday, May 24, 2019. (Maurizio Brambatti/ANSA via AP)

Young demonstrators take part in a demonstration organised by 'Global Strike 4 Climate' beneath the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, in Rome, Friday, May 24, 2019. (Maurizio Brambatti/ANSA via AP)

Young demonstrators take part in a demonstration organised by 'Global Strike 4 Climate' near Parliament in London, Friday, May 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Young demonstrators take part in a demonstration organised by 'Global Strike 4 Climate' near Parliament in London, Friday, May 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Young climate activists demonstrate in front of the Finnish Parliament building in Helsinki, Finland, Friday May 24, 2019, a global day of student protests aiming to spark world leaders into action on climate change. (Vesa Moilanen/Lehtikuva via AP)

Thousands of students demonstrate front of the Credit Suisse bank during a  Climate strike  protest in Lausanne, Switzerland, Friday, May 24, 2019. Students from several countries worldwide plan to skip class Friday in protest over their governments' failure to act against global warming. (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg takes part in the demonstration Global Strike for Climate, in Stockholm, Sweden, Friday, May 24, 2019. (Janerik Henriksson/TT News Agency via AP)

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks on stage in Kungstradarden park during the demonstration Global Strike for Future in Stockholm, Friday May 24, 2019. (Janerik Henriksson/TT News Agency via AP)

A girl shouts slogans as she marches with others during a climate protest in Brussels, Friday, May 24, 2019. Protesters are holding rallies in several European Union countries to demand tougher action against global warming, as the 28-nation bloc votes to fill the European Parliament. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Young demonstrators take part in a climate protest organized by the Fridays For Future Hungary and the Extinction Rebellion Hungary in downtown Budapest, Hungary, Friday, May 24, 2019. (Balazs Mohai/MTI via AP)

Youths take part to a climate march Friday, May 24, 2019 in front of the Opera house in Paris. Organizers expect more than one million young people to join protests over the world. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Youths take part to a climate march Friday, May 24, 2019 in front of the Opera house in Paris. Organizers expect more than one million young people to join protests over the world. Banner reads "Change the air" (AP Photo/Michel Euler)HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's treasury department is accusing about a dozen large financial firms of working together to illegally inflate the price of bonds issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over seven years.

A federal court filing by Pennsylvania Treasurer Joe Torsella cites what his office says is evidence from a "cooperating co-conspirator" in a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into price-fixing in the secondary market for bonds issued by government-controlled companies.

Evidence cited in the filing late Thursday includes brief transcripts of what it says are electronic chats between traders from various financial institutions that are the largest dealers of the bonds.

In the discussions, the traders allegedly agree to fix bond prices at artificially inflated prices, cheating Pennsylvania and other buyers of the bonds. The price-fixing began in 2009 and lasted through 2015, and violates federal anti-trust law, Torsella's filing said.

In one 2012 exchange in Torsella's filing, a Morgan Stanley trader says, "I just don't want to create a race to the bottom between the 3 of us, doesn't help anyone."

That trader and traders from Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas then agree on a price.

FILE - This Jan. 15, 2019 file photo shows treasurer of Pennsylvania Joe Torsella before Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf takes the oath of office for his second term at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa. Pennsylvania's treasury department is accusing about a dozen large financial firms of working together to illegally inflate the price of bonds issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over seven years. A federal court filing by Torsella on Thursday, May 23, cites what his office says is evidence from a "cooperating co-conspirator" in a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into price-fixing in the secondary market for bonds issued by government-controlled companies. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

One trader proposes a price of $99.985, another agrees and the third responds, "Good by me."

An analysis shows that pricing patterns are consistent with such a price-fixing agreement, the filing said. The "economic fingerprints" of the conspiracy diminished after January 2016, when the cooperating co-conspirator discovered it, it said.

Torsella's office said it is bound by a confidentiality agreement and could not reveal how it came to receive information from the cooperating co-conspirator. It would not say who the confidentiality agreement is with.

Named as defendants are Barclays, Bank of America, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, BNP Paribas, First Tennessee Bank, TD Securities, Morgan Stanley, Nomura, JP Morgan, Cantor Fitzgerald, UBS and HSBC.

Most firms declined to comment, while other financial institutions contacted by The Associated Press did not immediately respond Friday. Some asked for a copy of the lawsuit.

Justice Department spokesman Jeremy Edwards declined comment Friday.

The bonds are a cornerstone for the investment portfolios of government and institutional investors, and Torsella's office said it expects that a large number of governments, public agencies, pension funds and other public institutional investors are victims of the alleged conspiracy.

Thursday's filing is part of an ongoing case in federal court in New York's southern district being led by Torsella's office.

Pennsylvania is seeking class action in the case, which has consolidated lawsuits by various government entities, labor unions and public pension systems, including the city of Baltimore.

It said Pennsylvania's various state agencies bought or sold $63 billion in so-called GSE bonds during the seven-year period. Torsella's office is in the process of determining how much money state agencies lost because of the alleged price-fixing scheme, officials there said.

The Department of Justice hasn't filed any criminal charges and the cooperating co-conspirator is not directly identified in Torsella's court filing.

However, Torsella's filing identifies Deutsche Bank as a co-conspirator and one of various entities that participated in the violations, but that are not named as defendants. A Deutsche Bank spokesman declined comment Friday.

In a March filing in the case, the Alaska Electrical Pension Fund lobbed similar accusations against a nearly identical group of financial firms, saying traders communicated through electronic chatrooms, instant messaging, emails, telephone and in-person meetings.

It went on to name 27 "key personnel" on the desks that traded the bonds in question at 11 firms: Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, FTN Securities, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley and UBS.

They shared "highly sensitive trading information about their own books and about the trading strategies of their customers," positioning themselves to earn "extraordinary trading profits in the secondary market," it said.

Buyers didn't know that the firms' traders had secretly agreed not to compete, and often sought to drive competition among the firms to get a better price, the Alaska Electrical Pension Fund's lawsuit said.

"Little did they know that, behind the scenes, defendants would invariably share their clients' confidential information and coordinate their actions to ensure such efforts to benefit from competition went nowhere," it said.

___

Associated Press reporter Michael Balsamo in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.BRUSSELS (AP) - The Latest on the four-day voting in the European Union to fill the 751-seat European Parliament (all times local):

2:50 p.m.

Polls have opened for the European Parliament elections in the Czech Republic, with a centrist party led by populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis expected to win despite the fraud charges he faces involving European Union funds.

The Czechs on Friday opened their two-day ballot for their country's 21 seats in the 751-seat European Parliament. Voters in the Netherlands and Britain on Thursday kicked off four days of voting across the 28-nation bloc.

Babis' ANO (YES) movement is predicted to win up to 25% of the vote, followed by the moderate euroskeptic Civic Democratic Party and the pro-European Pirate party.

Babis wants his country to remain in the bloc but is calling for EU reforms.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar casts his vote at Scoil Thomais, Castleknock as people across the Republic of Ireland go to the polls to vote in the European and local elections along with the referendum on Ireland's divorce laws, in Dublin, Friday May 24, 2019. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP)

The country's most ardent anti-EU group, the Freedom and Direct Democracy party, is predicted to win around 10% of the vote and capture its first seats in the EU legislature.

___

1 p.m.

Protesters are holding rallies in several European Union countries to demand tougher action against global warming, as the 28-nation bloc votes to fill the European Parliament.

Thousands attended a rally Friday in Berlin, where mostly young people waved banners with slogans such as "There is no planet B" or "Plant trees, save the bees, clean the seas."

Many protesters will be too young to vote when Germans cast ballots Sunday in the European Parliament election, but are pressing family and older friends to consider the world's long-term future.

Clara Kirchhoff said the election for the EU's 751-seat assembly was particularly important for tackling climate change on a continental level.

The 17-year-old says "there's no point in Germany doing a lot for the climate and others not pulling their weight

___

8 a.m.

Ireland is going to the polls to kick off the second day of European Union elections which have already caused a stir in the Netherlands.

According to a surprise Ipsos exit forecast late Thursday, the Dutch Labor Party of European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans will become the country's biggest party in the European Parliament.

Britain also voted on Thursday, and in neighboring Ireland polls opened Friday morning. The Czech Republic was set to open two days of voting in the early afternoon.

By Sunday night, all 28 nations will have voted and results will start to come in. The vote is seen as a battle between pro-EU parties and those who seek to wrest power from the EU and back to national capitals.

12:01 a.m.

Pro-European Dutch parties were predicted to win most of the country's seats in the European Parliament, with right-wing populist opponents of the European Union managing to take only four of the nation's 26 seats.

In a surprise forecast, the Dutch Labor Party of European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans on Thursday became the country's biggest party in the 751-seat European Parliament, according to an Ipsos exit poll.

The poll was published by Dutch national broadcaster NOS after polling stations closed Thursday evening in Netherlands. Earlier in the day, Dutch and British voters kicked off the first of four days of voting for the European Parliament in all of the EU's 28 nations.

Official results will only be announced after the last polling station in the EU closes late Sunday.

The Dutch Labor party was forecast to win five seats, while the pro-European center right VVD of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte gained one seat to win a total of four seats. Populists also won four seats.

Ballot boxes are transported around Inishbofin island, Ireland, Thursday, May 23, 2019 in preparation for voting in the European Parliament elections. Some 400 million Europeans from 28 countries head to the polls from Thursday to Sunday to choose their representatives at the European Parliament for the next five years. (Niall Carson/PA via AP)

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, right, and his wife Monika Babisova, left, cast their votes in the European elections in Pruhonice near Prague, Czech Republic, Friday May 24, 2019. (/Michaela Rihova/CTK via AP)

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, left, casts his vote in the European elections in Pruhonice near Prague, Czech Republic, Friday May 24, 2019. (Michaela Rihova/CTK via AP)

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the polling station in Scoil Thomais, Castleknock as people across the Republic of Ireland go to the polls to vote in the European and local elections along with the referendum on Ireland's divorce laws, in Dublin, Friday May 24, 2019. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP)NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws.

The judges' unanimous ruling in the closely watched case was followed by activists' vows to appeal. Many in Kenya's vibrant gay community had hoped the court would make history by scrapping the British colonial-era laws and inspiring other countries in Africa to do the same.

Activists argue that the laws criminalizing consensual same-sex relations between adults are in breach of the constitution because they deny basic rights. The state should not regulate intimacy between gay couples, they say.

One law punishes "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" and prescribes up to 14 years in prison for people convicted of homosexual acts. Another says "indecent practices between males" can bring up to five years in prison.

The laws create an environment of fear and harassment even if they are not always enforced, activists say. "The issue is violence, discrimination and oppression," one activist, Tirop Salat, said.

The judges, however, said the petitioners had failed to prove how the laws violated their right to health, dignity and privacy and said the laws do not single out gay people. Kenya has no social pressure to legalize homosexuality, they added.

Kenyan gay and lesbian activists and their supporters commiserate after a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

"Acknowledging cohabitation among people of the same sex, where they would ostensibly be able to have same-sex intercourse, would indirectly open the door for (marriage) of people of the same sex," said the judgment read in part by Justice Roselyn Aburili.

Reaction was swift.

"These old colonial laws lead to the LGBT community suffering violence, blackmail, harassment and torture. They devastate people's lives and have no place in a democratic Kenyan society," the Nairobi-based National Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission said after the decision was announced.

Lawyer Paul Muite for the commission, the main petitioner in the case, said they would appeal.

At least half of Kenya's LGBT persons in Kenya have suffered physical and verbal assault, the commission says. Most assaults are not reported because people don't have confidence that police will protect them, activists say.

In a separate statement, the organization Stonewall UK called the decision "crushing news" and said some 70 countries around the world still criminalize same-sex relationships.

Thirty-three of those are in Africa, according to Human Rights Watch, which called Friday's ruling "a step backward in the progress Kenya has made toward equality in recent years."

Some in Kenya, however, praised the decision as a strike against what they called "sexual perversion." Gerald Walterfang with the Kenya Christian Professionals Forum said they were delighted with the ruling against a "destructive sexual lifestyle" and called the case "an attempt to sanitize what is illicit."

Kenyan Bishop Alfred Rotich added: "LGBT is an orientation. You cannot legalize something as an orientation. If somebody has an orientation to steal money, we cannot legalize it."

Kenya's courts had recently ruled in favor of LGBT rights.

Last year, an appeals court ruled unlawful the use of forced anal exams to test whether two men had gay sex. In 2015, High Court judges ordered a government agency to register a rights group representing gay people, saying Kenya's constitution recognizes and protects the rights of minorities.

Resistance to gay rights exists at the top of Kenya's politics, however.

Gay rights are "not of any major importance," President Uhuru Kenyatta told CNN in an interview last year . He said the laws criminalizing same-sex relations are supported by "99 percent" of the Kenyan people.

The activist who filed the first petition against the laws in 2016, Eric Gitari, told The Associated Press after Friday's decision that "we are worried that this is going to embolden people who do not like LGBT people in Kenya and give them justification to act arbitrarily in harming people. The apprehension of increased violence is very reasonable. What will happen is that more and more people are going to closet themselves, they are going to live in shame and fear."

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa

Kenyan gay and lesbian activists and their supporters commiserate after a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

An activist supporting the LGBT community, wearing a rainbow flag, walks past a gathering of Christians opposed to the decriminalization of homosexuality, after a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

An activist supporting the LGBT community, wearing a rainbow flag, walks past a gathering of Christians opposed to the decriminalization of homosexuality, after a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Activists from the LGBT community and their supporters commiserate after a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Activists from the LGBT community and their supporters commiserate after a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Activists from the LGBT community and their supporters commiserate after a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Activists from the LGBT community and their supporters gather before a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Activists from the LGBT community, supporters and media gather in a packed courtroom for a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Christians opposed to the decriminalization of homosexuality gather outside the court after a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Representatives of the LGBT community read a statement after a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

An activist from the LGBT community holds up a rainbow flag inside the courtroom at the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Disappointed LGBT activists and their supporters listen to the ruling inside the courtroom at the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Disappointed activists from the LGBT community and their supporters leave after a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court on Friday upheld sections of the penal code that criminalize same-sex relations, a disappointment for gay rights activists across Africa where dozens of countries have similar laws. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Kenya gay and Lesbian activists and their supporters gather outside the Milimani Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court is due to rule Friday on whether laws that criminalise same sex relations are unconstitutional (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)

Kenya LGBT activists and their supporters gather outside the Milimani Court in Nairobi, Kenya, Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court is due to rule Friday on whether laws that criminalise same sex relations are unconstitutional (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)

Kenya LGBT activists and their supporters gather outside the Milimani Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court is due to rule Friday on whether laws that criminalise same sex relations are unconstitutional (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)

Kenya LGBT activists and their supporters gather outside the Milimani Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court is due to rule Friday on whether laws that criminalise same sex relations are unconstitutional (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)

Kenya LGBT activists and their supporters gather outside the Milimani Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court is due to rule Friday on whether laws that criminalise same sex relations are unconstitutional (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)

Kenya LGBT activists and their supporters gather outside the Milimani Court in Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. Kenya's High Court is due to rule Friday on whether laws that criminalise same sex relations are unconstitutional (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Police in a Connecticut city were still searching Friday for a fugitive who failed to honor an agreement and surrender once enough people responded positively to his wanted poster on social media.

Jose Simms, 29, has seven arrest warrants and is being sought as a fugitive after failing to appear in court on charges that range from breach of peace to risk of injury to a child.

He is believed to be somewhere in New York.

Torrington police Lt. Brett Johnson posted on the department's Facebook page Wednesday that Simms had contacted him through the social media site and agreed to turn himself in if the post containing his poster received 15,000 likes.

The page has far surpassed that number, but still no sign of Simms.

Police said despite the no-show, they are satisfied with their decision to enter into the agreement.

This undated booking photo released in a wanted poster by the Torrington, Conn., Police Department on its Facebook page shows Jose Simms, a fugitive with seven arrest warrants being sought after failing to appear in court. An officer in the department reached a deal with the fugitive on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, who agreed to turn himself in if there were 15,000 likes of the wanted poster on social media. (Torrington Police Department via AP)

"It's generated phone calls and tips and leads that we otherwise may not have been able to get," Lt. Bart Barown said. "We've got all kinds of information and tips that will help us."

Barown said the Facebook post, was just one of many tools being used to try and get Simms into custody. He noted that national media publicity - including a country song parody about the case by the band Dixie Jade - has made it harder for Simms to hide.

"We're going to get him," Barown said.

The deal led to some criticism. Maki Haberfeld, an expert in police ethics and procedure at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said Simms is using social media to manipulate both the news media and police, who she said have no business negotiating a deal with a suspect, never mind one that involves likes on Facebook.

"It turns this into a joke," she said. "People will start looking at these various violations of law as a game."

Simms did not respond Friday to a Facebook message seeking comment and took down his Facebook page. On Wednesday, he had written that he was a "man of my word" and said he had decided to negotiate his surrender because "looking over your shoulder every 5 seconds can cause a lot of stress."

He also responded to the original Torrington Police post, complaining about his mug shot on the site, calling it a "trash pic."

"Jose, it's the only one we had.hopefully we will get a 'good' one soon," the department replied.

___

This story has been corrected to show the fugitive's name is Jose Simms, not Sims.OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The bodies of a man and a woman were discovered Friday in a submerged vehicle near the Mississippi River in Missouri, bringing the death toll to nine from storms that have ravaged the central U.S. this week and threaten major flooding through the holiday weekend.

John Reinhardt, 20, and Caitlin Frangel, 19, both of Hazelwood, Missouri, were reported missing May 15. Their bodies were found around 4 a.m. on a flooded rural road that runs along the river at Portage Des Sioux, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of St. Louis.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Dallas Thompson said an autopsy determined they both drowned.

"We believe they went into it in the dark, not knowing the roadway was flooded, and they were unable to get out," Thompson said.

Heavy rain in recent weeks has spurred major flooding in several states. Flooding along the Arkansas River will threaten communities from Tulsa into western Arkansas through at least the holiday weekend, officials said Friday, as water released from an Oklahoma dam combines with additional rain in the forecast.

To control flooding in Tulsa, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Friday began increasing the amount of water being released into the river from the Keystone Dam northwest of the city of about 400,000 people.

In this aerial image, homes are inundated with flood waters from the Arkansas River near South 145th West Ave near Highway 51 on Thursday, May 23, 2019, in Sand Springs, Okla. Storms and torrential rains have ravaged the Midwest, from Texas through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois, in the past few days. (Tom Gilbert/Tulsa World via AP)

"The dam is doing what it is supposed to do. It has maintained the flood to a manageable level," said Oklahoma U.S. Sen. James Lankford, following an aerial tour of the region.

The river in Tulsa was just above 22 feet (6.71 meters) Friday, four feet (1.22 meters) above flood stage, and was expected to remain at that level through Tuesday. Riverside residents were urged to leave their homes and at least one oil refinery suspended operations.

"The most disturbing thing that I've heard in the last 24 hours from our first responders are reports of parents letting their kids play in the river," said Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum. "If you're a parent that's letting your kid play in this river right now, you ought to be ashamed of yourself."

Arkansas officials braced for record flooding as the water moves downstream.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson declared a state of emergency Friday to lift hurdles in what state agencies can do to assist flooded areas along the Arkansas River. The proclamation came after he ordered the state's National Guard to station high-water rescue teams in the western part of the state by Saturday and the Corps of Engineers warned residents to stay off the river throughout the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

"We hope people are getting to safer areas now," said Aric Mitchell with the Fort Smith, Arkansas, police department.

The Arkansas River is expected to reach 41 feet (12.5 meters) by Sunday near Fort Smith, which is the state's second-largest city with nearly 89,000 residents. That's nearly 20 feet (6 meters) above flood stage and 3 feet (0.9 meters) above the record of 38.1 feet (11.61 meters) set in 1945.

"Nearby business, residences could be flooded ... it's going to be a mess," said National Weather Service meteorologist Pete Snyder. "We've not seen it get this high before. It's a different situation than we've ever seen."

The concerns in Oklahoma and Arkansas follow days of severe storms that exacerbated spring flooding throughout the Midwest and spawned dozens of tornadoes.

More rain with possible tornadoes is likely through the weekend from western Texas through Illinois, according to weather service meteorologist Matt Mosier with the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

On Friday evening, a tornado touched down just south of Iowa City, Iowa, the home of the University of Iowa, causing some damage but no injuries. A high school commencement was disrupted by the storm, prompting people attending to scurry to the bowels of a basketball arena in Iowa City while a tornado siren blared.

Floodwaters from the Missouri River topped a levee at Jefferson City Friday and prompted some streets around the state Capitol to be shut down, as residents worked to clean up from one of the twisters, which cut a 3-mile-long path through the city earlier this week.

Jefferson City's airport already had been evacuated, but other residents and workers drove precariously through flooded roads to escape the rising waters. The Capitol building sits on a bluff on the south side of the river and is not in danger of flooding.

The tornado had also damaged the Missouri headquarters for the Special Olympics, prompting the organization Friday to cancel its summer games.

This aerial image shows the Arkansas River with the Tulsa, Okla., skyline after flooding on Thursday, May 23, 2019. Storms and torrential rains have ravaged the Midwest, from Texas through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois, in the past few days. (Tom Gilbert/Tulsa World via AP)

Water is released from the Keystone Dam into the Arkansas River northwest of Tulsa, Okla., Friday, May 24, 2019. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began increasing the amount of water being released from the dam on Friday to control the flooding. (Tom Gilbert/Tulsa World via AP)

Homes are flooded on the Arkansas River in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday, May 24, 2019. The threat of potentially devastating flooding continued Friday along the Arkansas River from Tulsa into western Arkansas. (Tom Gilbert/Tulsa World via AP)

Tulsa County Sheriff's Deputy Miranda Munson makes her way back to a fan boat after checking a flooded house for occupants in the Town and Country neighborhood in Sand Springs, Okla., Thursday, May 23, 2019. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

The River Spirit Hotel and Casino has flood waters surrounding it on the Arkansas River on Friday, May 24, 2019, in Tulsa, Okla. (Tom Gilbert/Tulsa World via AP)

Homes are flooded near South 145th West Ave. near Oklahoma 51 on the Arkansas River on Friday, May 24, 2019, in Tulsa, Okla. (Tom Gilbert/Tulsa World via AP)BOSTON (AP) - Celebrity chef Mario Batali, whose career crumbled amid several sexual misconduct accusations, pleaded not guilty Friday to a charge that he forcibly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017.

Batali, 58, wearing his signature red ponytail and a blazer, did not speak during the brief hearing but nodded as the judge ordered him to stay away from the woman.

The court entered a not guilty plea on Batali's behalf to a charge of indecent assault and battery.

Batali was released on his own recognizance. He will not have to appear at the next hearing, scheduled for July 12.

It's the first criminal charge levied against Batali following sexual harassment and assault allegations that first surfaced in 2017.

The woman says Batali noticed her taking a photo of him at the restaurant and invited her to take a selfie with him. She says Batali then groped and kissed her repeatedly without her consent.

Chef Mario Batali departs after pleading not guilty, Friday, May 24, 2019, at municipal court in Boston, to an allegation that he forcibly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

The woman filed a civil lawsuit against Batali in August, seeking unspecified damages for "severe emotional distress."

Batali did not comment as he walked through a slew of reporters to leave the courthouse Friday. His lawyer said earlier this week that the charge is "without merit."

"He intends to fight the allegations vigorously and we expect the outcome to fully vindicate Mr. Batali," attorney Anthony Fuller said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

The woman's attorneys applauded the Suffolk District Attorney's Office for bringing the case.

"Mr. Batali must be held accountable criminally and civilly for his despicable acts," lawyers Eric Baum and Matthew Fogelman said in an email to media.

Batali could face up to 2 years in jail, if convicted. He would also have to register as a sex offender.

Batali's food empire included such high-end eateries as Babbo in Del Posto in New York City as well as restaurants in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Singapore. He became a household name through appearances on Food Network shows such as "Iron Chef America."

He stepped down from operations of his restaurants and was kicked off the ABC show "The Chew" in 2017 after four women accused him of inappropriate touching.

Batali said at the time about those allegations that "much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted."

He also came under fire for sending a newsletter to subscribers that included both an apology for "many mistakes" and a recipe for a "holiday-inspired breakfast."

Batali announced in March that his longtime partner, Joe Bastianich, and others had bought out his share in his restaurants.

The New York Police Department said last year that it was investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against the chef after a woman told "60 Minutes" that Batali drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2005. Batali denied assaulting the woman.

___

Follow Alanna Durkin Richer at http://www.twitter.com/aedurkinricher

Chef Mario Batali is arraigned on a charge of indecent assault and battery in Boston Municipal Court in connection with a 2017 incident at a Boston restaurant, Friday, May 24, 2019, in Boston. (David L Ryan/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Chef Mario Batali is arraigned on a charge of indecent assault and battery in Boston Municipal Court in connection with a 2017 incident at a Boston restaurant, Friday, May 24, 2019, in Boston. (David L Ryan/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Chef Mario Batali arrives for arraignment, Friday, May 24, 2019, at municipal court in Boston, on charges he forcibly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

Chef Mario Batali departs after pleading not guilty, Friday, May 24, 2019, at municipal court in Boston, to an allegation that he forcibly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

Mario Batali arrives for arraignment, Friday, May 24, 2019, at municipal court in Boston, on charges he forcibly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

Mario Batali arrives for arraignment, Friday, May 24, 2019, at municipal court in Boston, on charges he forcibly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

Mario Batali arrives for arraignment, Friday, May 24, 2019, at municipal court in Boston, on charges he forcibly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

Chef Mario Batali departs after pleading not guilty, Friday, May 24, 2019, at municipal court in Boston, to an allegation that he forcibly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

Chef Mario Batali departs after pleading not guilty, Friday, May 24, 2019, at municipal court in Boston, to an allegation that he forcibly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

Chef Mario Batali departs after pleading not guilty, Friday, May 24, 2019, at municipal court in Boston, to an allegation that he forcibly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)VALDOSTA, Ga. (AP) - A civil rights activist clashed with a Georgia mayor over a proposal to rename a street for former President Barack Obama.

The Valdosta Daily Times reports police escorted 80-year-old Rev. Floyd Rose from a Valdosta city council meeting Thursday after Mayor John Gayle said he kept talking beyond his public comment time.

Rose wants Forrest Street renamed to honor the nation's first black president. He says it was named in 1883 for Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Ku Klux Klan leader.

Gayle said petitioners need to follow a new ordinance, but Rose said it was designed to thwart the name change. It says only one signature can come from each parcel along a road, so multiple signatures from a single apartment complex don't count.

___

Information from: The Valdosta Daily Times, http://valdostadailytimes.com/BEIRUT (AP) - Lebanese Cabinet ministers wrapped up weeks of haggling, agreeing on a 2019 draft budget that aims to avert a financial crisis by cutting public spending and reduce a ballooning deficit. Critics say the proposed measures fail to introduce structural reforms needed to rescue the flagging economy.

Information Minister Jamal Jarrah said the proposals put forward reduce the projected percentage of the deficit compared to the gross domestic product from an estimated 11% last year to around 7.5%. Reducing the deficit was a key aim through which the government hopes to unlock $11 billion in loans and grants made by international donors at an international conference in Paris last year.

Jarrah said the ministers agreed to all articles in the draft budget in Friday's session - the 19th time the Cabinet has convened to discuss the budget bill that aims also to tackle a national debt that stands at more than 150 percent of GDP. The corruption-plagued country is one of the most indebted in the world and there have been serious concerns about an economic crash.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri has said the ministers were aiming for a budget likely to be the most austere in Lebanese history. The discussions unleashed a wave of public discontent. It included protests and strikes by public sector employees and military and security veterans amid media reports and leaks that the proposed austerity budget may affect their pensions and benefits. Protesters gathered daily in a square outside the government house where the ministers were meeting, shouting "Thieves!"

"Today, we have finished discussing and endorsing the articles and figures in the 2019 budget," Jarrah said, without disclosing details of the bill. Ministers have said the proposed measures include tax increases, including an import tax and a hike in the tax on interest payments and various spending cuts.

Lebanon is struggling not just with soaring debt, but rising unemployment and slow growth. The $85 billion debt and unemployment believed to be around 36% are compounding concerns that the country will finally cave in economically. Lebanon is also host to hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who fled their country's war, putting a further strain on finances.

Lebanese Information Minister Jamal Jarrah speaks to journalist at the Government House in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, May 24, 2019. Jarrah says the government has agreed on a 2019 budget, wrapping up weeks of haggling over an austerity budget that aims to cut public spending and reduce the deficit. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Nassib Ghobril, an expert who heads the research and analysis department at Byblos Bank, suggested the proposed measures might stabilize the financial situation in the country for now but do not reduces expenditures significantly.

"What it's doing though, which is positive, is it's stopping the increase in spending and it's focusing on increasing public revenues to effectively reduce the fiscal deficit," he said.

The draft budget is now expected to be formally endorsed at a session at the presidential palace before being sent to parliament for ratification. No date for the next session was immediately set.ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - The Starz drama "Vida" returns for its second season on Sunday with an even deeper exploration of an issue facing many U.S. Latino communities: gentrification.

The show follows Emma and Lyn, played Mishel Prada and Melissa Barrera respectively, who have inherited from their late mother an East Los Angeles apartment building and a lesbian bar. Each must come to terms with their lives in the old neighborhood and unresolved issues around love.

The first season ended with the sisters at odds on whether to continue their lives away from East Los Angeles or come back and save a bar that helped shape them.

It remains one of the only television shows featuring a majority U.S. Latina cast.

With its themes around queer love and sex, the show has gained a small but loyal following and drew critical praise for centering its focus on Latina characters and pressures related to gentrification and gente-fication - the phenomenon that middle-class Latinos are working to change a working-class community. (Gente means people in Spanish).

Executive Producer Tanya Saracho said the second season will continue to explore those themes as a backdrop of the overall family drama. "This show is based on what is happening right now" in Latino neighborhoods around the U.S., she said. "All the tactics of protests involving gentrification try to remain authentic."

This image released by Starz shows Melissa Barrera, left, and Mishel Prada from the series "Vida," a drama that follows two Mexican American sisters battling gentrification and the aftermath of their mother's death. (Kat Marcinowski/Starz via AP)

Currently, tensions are high in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights, where anti-gentrification activists have participated in aggressive protests targeting art galleries by spray painting storefronts and reported death threats. Hispanic activists in Albuquerque's South Valley and Houston's Northside also are speaking out against gentrification efforts they say displaces poor Latinos.

Saracho said she wanted the show to reflect those realities. But Saracho said the second season also wanted to explore gente-fication. The sisters, if they decide to keep the bar, will be in the center of the gente-fication movement and must deal with any backlash, Saracho said.

Prada, starring in her first lead television role, said she's honored to play a strong young Latina who isn't a stereotypical sexy maid or self-entitled millennial. Emma is a lesbian with a high-powered corporate job in Chicago but is working to come to terms with her family's history - a rare character on television.

"You can see her trying to go back and face her demons," Prada said. "It's a scary place for a lot of people but also a brave place."

Lyn, played by the Mexican-born former telenovela actress Barrera, is straight and always searching for the next party and her next sexual conquest. But Barrera said she, too, must mature in the second season amid pressures on the family to sell the bar to an aggressive developer. She said Lyn is in the middle of experiencing an "awakening" that will transfer her character.

"She's coming to terms with the horrible person she was," Barrera said. "I think in season two we get to explore her and see how she became who she is and how she wants to make her sister proud."

Barrera said she finds it empowering how both sisters control their sexuality and that the show refuses to shy away from lesbian love. "It's powerful to see queer bodies like this," Barrera said.

Prada said she's been blown away by how the production has hired female directors, writers and crew. She hopes this leads to a transformative movement in television.

"You start looking around and see that it's possible," Prada said. "And why not?"

___

Russell Contreras is a member of The Associated Press' race and ethnicity team. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras .

This image released by Starz shows Melissa Barrera, left, and Mishel Prada from the series "Vida," a drama that follows two Mexican American sisters battling gentrification and the aftermath of their mother's death. (Kat Marcinowski/Starz via AP)KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens' request to return to active duty with the Navy has been approved, but he will not serve again as an elite Navy SEAL.

Greitens will be assigned to the Navy Operation Support Center in St. Louis as a general unrestricted line officer, which usually involves performing general office jobs, Navy Personnel Command spokeswoman Cmdr. Karin Burzynski said.

Greitens, 45, resigned as governor in June 2018 amid allegations of sexual misconduct and campaign finance violations. He made his former status as a Navy SEAL a cornerstone of his gubernatorial campaign and tenure as governor.

The news that Greitens is returning to the Navy was criticized by some who said it sent the wrong message while the military is grappling with an increase in sexual assaults, The Kansas City Star reported .

Rep. Jackie Speier, a California Democrat who has pushed Congress to combat sexual assault in the military, said it is "beyond pathetic" that the Navy would even consider allowing Greitens to return to active service.

"He should be court-martialed," said Speier, who is chairwoman of the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee. "Retaining him sends a horrible signal about what the Navy values and its unwillingness to hold officers accountable."

A spokesman for the Navy Reserve said the Navy is committed to addressing sexual misconduct.

"Sexual assault and sexual harassment are toxic threats that harm us all. Sexual assault and harassment are not tolerated in the Navy," said Capt. Christopher Scholl.

Greitens, who has not commented to the media since his resignation, was put on inactive status with the Standby Reserve in 2017. He applied for a transfer to selected reserves in April 2019 and late Wednesday the Navy confirmed he was approved to return to active status.

However, during any reactivation process to the Navy Selected Reserves, each community the applicant applies to or could potentially return - such as, in Greitens' case, the Special Warfare community - conducts its own review. In Greitens' case, the Special Warfare community determined that he would not be able to return, an official said. The Navy didn't provide a reason for that decision.

___

Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.comIOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - A secretary at Iowa's school for juvenile offenders has been fired after using her job to purchase pain pills from a former student who later demanded monthly payments to keep quiet about the transaction, records show.

Kelly Reed lost her 19-year position at the State Training School for Boys in Eldora in March after reporting what she called a 9-month blackmail scheme to the institution and police, according to records related to her termination and request for unemployment benefits obtained by The Associated Press.

The former student threatened that, if he was not paid, he would tell the school and news outlets of the purchase she made last year when she was desperate to relieve back pain, Reed alleges. In reporting the case, she said she could no longer tolerate the threats and wanted them to stop.

The Division of Criminal Investigation and the county attorney are now investigating the purchase of pills, which occurred off school grounds, and the alleged threats and payments that came afterward. So far no charges have been filed against Reed or the former student, who was not identified in the records.

The State Training School is for boys ages 12 to 18 who have committed felonies involving violence or substance abuse and have been ruled delinquent. There, they can undergo a range of treatment and education programs designed to transition them back into society. The school has a history of controversy that includes assaults of employees by students and allegations that boys are placed in isolation rooms too frequently and mistreated in other ways.

Reed hasn't returned messages seeking comment. But at a recent hearing in her unemployment case, she testified that the former student had left the program about five years earlier and called the school in May 2018 seeking a copy of his transcript. Reed said she was suffering from pain that was unbearable at the time. She had a rapport with the ex-student and called him back to ask if he could help her obtain prescription drugs. Her doctor was planning to reduce her pain medications before she planned to enroll in a program at the Mayo Clinic in a couple months.

"I was going to go to Mayo on July 9. I needed a little help to get there and asked (the former student) if he would help me out and he said yes," Reed testified, according to audio obtained by the AP.

She said she wasn't thinking clearly because of the pain but that she knew her actions were wrong. The man got her some prescription pain medications and then "started blackmailing me once a month," she said.

"He was going to go to my employer and the media and smear my name," she said.

Reed said after receiving a threatening text message in February of this year, she reported the alleged blackmail to leaders of the training school and was placed on paid administrative leave. She testified that she had been making the payments to protect the school, herself and her family but "I just couldn't do it anymore, so I came forward." Reed said that she turned over text messages and other information to the DCI.

Reed, 38, had worked at the school since 2000 and had no prior record of discipline. She testified that she did not expect to be terminated given the circumstances. She said that she completed a three-week pain rehabilitation program at Mayo and that her "life was much better" afterward, a fact confirmed in a letter from her therapist to state officials.

The Department of Human Services, which operates the school, ended Reed's employment on March 8 after an internal investigation, her termination letter shows. The department concluded that she had violated several policies, including those that bar unauthorized contact with former students and illegal conduct.

Administrative Law Judge Christine Louis denied Reed's claim for unemployment benefits. Louis said she understands that Reed was in a "dire mental state at the time the situation occurred" but that her actions nonetheless amounted to serious misconduct.

The school's human resources supervisor, Ed Gilliand, testified at the hearing that the misconduct in Reed's case "would kind of be off the charts" since it involved multiple violations.

"It was truly an egregious act," he said.Here are the highest paid CEOs in the S&P 500 index for 2018, as calculated by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm.

The AP's compensation study covered 340 executives at S&P 500 companies who have served at least two full consecutive fiscal years at their respective companies, which filed proxy statements between Jan. 1 and April 30. Some companies with highly paid CEOs do not fit these criteria.

Pay for chief executives rose to a median of $12 million last year, including salary, stock and other compensation. Median means half were larger, and half were smaller.

Compensation often includes stock and option grants that the CEO may not receive for years unless certain performance measures are met. For some companies, big raises occur when CEOs get a stock or option grant in one year as part of a multi-year grant.

___

1. David Zaslav

This photo combination shows the highest-paid CEOs at big U.S. companies for 2018, as calculated by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm. Top row, from left: David Zaslav, Discovery, $129.5 million; Robert Iger, Walt Disney, $65.6 million; Stephen MacMillan, Hologic, $42 million; Joseph Hogan, Align Technology, $41.8 million; and Daniel Schulman, PayPal, $37.8 million. Bottom row, from left: Reed Hastings, Netflix, $36.1 million; Brian Roberts, Comcast, $35 million; Robert Kotick, Activision Blizzard, $30.8 million; and James Dimon, JPMorgan Chase, $30 million. The third-highest paid CEO, Richard Handler of Jefferies Financial Group, is not pictured. Handler made $44.7 million. (AP Photo)

Discovery

$129.5 million

Change from last year: 207%

His pay vs typical company worker: 1,511 times, up from 522

___

2. Robert Iger

Walt Disney

$65.6 million

Change from last year: 81%

His pay vs typical company worker: 1,424 times

___

3. Richard Handler

Jefferies Financial Group

$44.7 million

Change from last year: 105%

His pay vs typical company worker: 298 times, down from 489

___

4. Stephen MacMillan

Hologic

$42 million

Change from last year: 275%

His pay vs typical company worker: 478 times

___

5. Joseph Hogan

Align Technology

$41.8 million

Change from last year: 256%

His pay vs typical company worker: 3,168 times, up from 920

___

6. Daniel Schulman

PayPal

$37.8 million.

Change from last year: 96%

His pay vs typical company worker: 543 times, up from 274

___

7. Reed Hastings

Netflix

$36.1 million

Change from last year: 48%

His pay vs typical company worker: 178 times, up from 133

___

8. Brian Roberts

Comcast

$35 million

Change from last year: 8%

His pay vs typical company worker: 426 times, down from 458

___

9. Robert Kotick

Activision Blizzard

$30.8 million

Change from last year: 7%

His pay vs typical company worker: 319 times, up from 306

___

10. James Dimon

JPMorgan Chase

$30 million

Change from last year: 6%

His pay vs typical company worker: 381 times, up from 364

FILE - In this March 13, 2018, file photo Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav is interviewed by host Maria Bartiromo on the "Mornings with Maria" program on the Fox Business Network, in New York. Zaslav was the highest paid CEO at big U.S. companies for 2018, as calculated by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm. He made $129.5 million. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

FILE - In this March 13, 2017, file photo, The Walt Disney Company CEO Robert Iger attends a special screening of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" at Alice Tully Hall in New York. Iger was the second-highest paid CEO at big U.S. companies for 2018, as calculated by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm. He made $65.6 million. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

This May 23, 2019, photo shows the logo for the Jefferies Financial Group in New York. CEO Richard Handler was the third-highest paid CEO at big U.S. companies for 2018, as calculated by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm. He made $44.7 million. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

In this undated photo provided by Hologic, Inc. company CEO Stephen MacMillan poses for a photo. MacMillan was the fourth-highest paid CEO at big U.S. companies for 2018, as calculated by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm. He made $42 million. (Hologic, Inc via AP)

In this undated image provided by Align Technology company CEO Joseph Hogan poses for a photo. was the fifth-highest paid CEO at big U.S. companies for 2018, as calculated by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm. He made $41.8 million. (Align Technology via AP)

In this undated image provided by PayPal company CEO Daniel Schulman poses for a photo. Schulman was the sixth-highest paid CEO at big U.S. companies for 2018, as calculated by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm. He made $37.8 million. (PayPal via AP)

FILE - In this Feb. 28, 2017, file photo, Netflix Founder and CEO Reed Hastings smiles during an interview in Barcelona, Spain. Hastings was the seventh-highest paid CEO at big U.S. companies for 2018, as calculated by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm. He made $36.1 million. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 8, 2015, file photo, Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts speaks at the conference "Ignition: Future of Digital," in New York. Roberts was the eighth-highest paid CEO at big U.S. companies for 2018, as calculated by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm. He made $35 million. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

In this undated photo provided by Activision Blizzard company CEO Bobby Kotick poses for a photo. Kotick the ninth-highest paid CEO at big U.S. companies for 2018, as calculated by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm. He made $30.8 million. (Activision Blizzard via AP)JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The Mississippi House speaker said Friday that he is asking lawyers to research how to remove a lawmaker if it's true that the man punched his own wife and does not resign voluntarily.

Second-term Republican Rep. Doug McLeod of Lucedale was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic violence after deputies were called to his home late Saturday.

George County sheriff's deputies said McLeod, 58, was drunk and bloodied his wife's nose after she didn't undress quickly enough when he wanted to have sex.

Republican Speaker Philip Gunn said Friday that the House Ethics Committee will "closely monitor this case."

"Finally, if the allegations prove to be true, I have requested the House legal staff to research the correct process for the removal of the member if he does not voluntarily resign," Gunn said in a statement.

Section 55 of the Mississippi Constitution says each chamber of the Legislature may each "punish its members for disorderly behavior" and with a two-thirds vote may expel one of its own members.

FILE - In a Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017 file photo, Rep. Doug McLeod, R-Lucedale, questions a health care witness at a House Medicaid Committee hearing, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. McLeod of Lucedale was arrested Saturday, May 18, 2019 on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. McLeod punched his wife in the face after she didn't undress quickly enough when the lawmaker wanted to have sex, according to a police report in the case.(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

The Legislature has already finished its work for this year and will only return to the Capitol if the governor calls them into special session.

McLeod has not responded to numerous messages from The Associated Press or other news outlets. He was released from jail by Monday on a $1,000 "signature bond," which meant he did not have to post that amount of money.

Earlier this week, Gunn, Republican Gov. Phil Bryant and Mississippi Republican Party chairman Lucien Smith all said McLeod should resign if the charge of domestic violence is true. Some Democratic lawmakers have also called for his resignation. Republicans hold a majority in the Mississippi House and Senate.

McLeod has represented George and Stone counties in south Mississippi since 2012 and is unopposed for reelection this year.

In 2017, McLeod was among the majority of legislators who voted to enact a law making domestic abuse a reason for divorce in Mississippi.LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Latest on the Michigan attorney general's investigation of clergy abuse within the Catholic Church (all times local):

11:30 a.m.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says prosecutors have brought sexual abuse charges against five Catholic priests as part of her office's investigation into clergy abuse.

Nessel said Friday that the priests served in dioceses in Detroit, Lansing and Kalamazoo, and that they've been charged with various counts of criminal sexual conduct. She says four of them have been arrested in Arizona, California, Florida and Michigan, and that the fifth awaits extradition from India.

A sixth priest faces an administrative complaint and has had his counseling license suspended by the state.

Nessel is among more than a dozen attorneys general investigating or reviewing clergy abuse following a shocking Pennsylvania grand jury report last year detailing seven decades of child sex abuse by more than 300 predator priests.

She has asked the state's seven dioceses to suspend their own internal review processes until her office's probe is complete.

___

10:34 a.m.

A Catholic priest who admitted when he resigned from a Flint-area parish that he had sexually abused a child has been charged with several counts of sexual assault dating back decades.

The Detroit News and The Flint Journal report that prosecutors charged 80-year-old Vincent DeLorenzo on Thursday with six counts of both first- and second-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The Diocese of Lansing says eight people have accused DeLorenzo of sexual abuse and that he's being defrocked.

Court records list DeLorenzo as a Lantana, Florida, resident, but The Associated Press couldn't find a listed phone number for him in that area and wasn't able to reach him for comment.

He served several Michigan churches and resigned from Holy Redeemer in Burton in 2002. He wasn't charged at that time.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is expected to discuss the case Friday while giving an update on her clergy abuse investigation.WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. will send hundreds of additional troops and a dozen fighter jets to the Middle East in the coming weeks to counter what the Pentagon said is an escalating campaign by Iran to plan attacks against the U.S. and its interests in the region. And for the first time, Pentagon officials on Friday publicly blamed Iran and its proxies for recent tanker bombings near United Arab Emirates and a rocket attack in Iraq.

President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that the 1,500 troops would have a "mostly protective" role as part of a build-up that began this month in response to what the U.S said was a threat from Iran.

The announcement caps three weeks of elevated tensions with Iran, as the administration hurled accusations of an imminent attack and abruptly deployed Navy warships to the region. The moves alarmed members of Congress, who demanded proof and details, amid fears the U.S. was lurching toward open conflict with Iran.

Adding to the uncertainty, Trump alternated between tough talk toward Iran and a more conciliatory message, insisting he is open to negotiations with the Islamic Republic.

On Friday he seemed to downplay the prospect of conflict when he spoke at the White House.

"Right now, I don't think Iran wants to fight and I certainly don't think they want to fight with us," he said.

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, May 24, 2019, before boarding Marine One for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Tokyo. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

In a related move, the Trump administration on Friday used an emergency legal loophole to move ahead with the sale of $7 billion in precision-guided munitions and other military support to Saudi Arabia, citing threats the kingdom faces from Iran.

Vice Admiral Michael Gilday told Pentagon reporters that the U.S. has "very high confidence" that Iran's Revolutionary Guard was responsible for the explosions on four tankers, and that Iranian proxies in Iraq fired rockets into Baghdad. He said Iran also tried to deploy modified small boats that were capable of launching cruise missiles.

The deployments announced Friday include a squadron of 12 fighter jets, manned and unmanned surveillance aircraft, and a number of military engineers to beef up protection for forces. In addition a battalion of four Patriot missile batteries that was scheduled to leave the Middle East has been ordered to stay. The total number of troops involved is about 1,500, with roughly 600 included in the Patriot battalion. None of those troops will go to either Iraq or Syria.

"We are going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective," the president said at the White House before setting off on a trip to Japan. "Some very talented people are going to the Middle East right now and we'll see what happens."

Briefing reporters at the Pentagon, Gilday, the Joint Staff director, did not provide direct evidence to back up claims tying Iran to the attacks. He told reporters the conclusions were based on intelligence and evidence gathered in the region, and officials said they are trying to declassify some of the information so that it could be made public.

"This is truly operations driven by intelligence," Gilday said, adding that the U.S. continues to see intelligence suggesting that Iran is actively planning attacks against the U.S. and partners in the region by the Revolutionary Guard and Iranian proxies in Yemen and Iraq.

When pressed for proof of Iran's involvement, he said the mines used in the tanker attacks were attributed directly to the Revolutionary Guard and he said threats could be traced back to senior leaders in Iran.

"I'm not reverse engineering this," he said. "The Iranians have said publicly they were going to do things. We learn more through intelligence reporting. They have acted upon those threats and they've actually attacked."

The announcement of additional forces was met with mixed reviews.

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Democrat Adam Smith of Washington, called the build-up "unsettling."

"Leaders from both sides of the aisle have called for de-escalation. At first blush, this move does not fit the bill," Smith said in a statement Friday. "Without a clearly articulated strategy, adding more personnel and mission systems seems unwise, and appears to be a blatant and heavy-handed move to further escalate tensions with Iran."

The senior Republican on the committee, Mac Thornberry of Texas, called it "a prudent step to protect our forces and deter Iran," and said requests from commanders should "never be subject to a partisan debate."

The administration notified Congress earlier in the day about the troop plans.

Gilday and Katie Wheelbarger, the acting assistant defense secretary for international affairs, said the mission is strictly defensive, and is not designed to provoke Iran into carrying out additional attacks. They said the Pentagon will continue to evaluate the number of troops in the region in case more are needed later.

Earlier this week, officials said military planners had outlined options that could have sent up to 10,000 military reinforcements to the region. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan later said planners hadn't settled on a figure.

The U.S. has about 70,000 troops across the Middle East, including at a major Navy base in Bahrain and an Air Force base and operations center in Qatar. There are about 5,200 troops in Iraq and 2,000 in Syria.

Earlier this month, the U.S. sent thousands more into the region around Iran, including an aircraft carrier strike group, four bomber aircraft, a Patriot missile battery and fighter jets.

Tension had been rising with Iran for more than a year. The Trump administration withdrew last year from the 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and world powers and reinstated American sanctions that have badly damaged the Iranian economy.

The president has argued that the nuclear deal failed to sufficiently curb Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons or halt its support for militias throughout the Middle East that the U.S. argues destabilize the region.

FILE - In this March 20, 2019 file photo, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Shanahan is set to deliver the commencement address to the 2019 graduating class of the U.S. Naval Academy. The former Boeing executive will speak Friday, May 24, 2019, at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)CHICAGO (AP) - Decades after American Airlines Flight 191 crashed moments after taking off from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, it remains the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history.

The DC-10 was destined for Los Angeles when it lost one of its engines on May 25, 1979, killing 273 people, including all 271 people onboard and two others on the ground. More lives were lost in the Sept. 11 airplane crashes, but those crashes are classified as acts of terrorism, not accidents.

Reporter Marc Wilson covered the Chicago crash for The Associated Press. In a first-person account published about a week later, he described the burning debris and seeing policemen throw up, priests recoil from the touch of superheated bodies and the first body bags being loaded onto trucks to be taken to a temporary airport morgue.

"More body bags were used than there were bodies," Wilson wrote, adding that he dreamed for the three nights after the accident that he was aboard the plane.

The AP is republishing Wilson's original report to mark the 40th anniversary of the disaster.

___

FILE - In this May 26, 1979 file photo, investigators view the wreckage of the ill-fated American Airlines Flight 191 to Los Angeles, which crashed on take off from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. Decades later, the crash, moments after it took off, remains the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history. The DC-10 was destined for Los Angeles when it lost one of its engines May 25, 1979, killing what investigators later determined were 273 people _ all 271 people aboard the jetliner and two people on the ground. (AP Photo/Fred Jewell File)

An American Airlines wide-bodied jet loaded with 270 Memorial Day weekend travelers crashed nose first and broke apart in flames yesterday just after takeoff from O'Hare International Airport. Authorities said all aboard were killed in the worst air disaster in U.S. history.

Seconds before the Los Angeles-bound DC-10 jetliner crashed, one of its three engines fell off and landed on the runway at O'Hare, said Chicago Fire Commissioner Richard Albrecht. He said the plane hit nose first about a half-mile from the runway in an abandoned airfield in Elk Grove Township.

Lee Alfano, police chief of the nearby community of Des Plaines, said there were no survivors.

Rescue workers walked through the smoking rubble, marking bodies with 4-foot-high metal stakes topped by red, yellow and black streamers. The yellow streamers indicated two to three bodies, the red, one body, and the black, five bodies. About 50 stakes had been set out.

Several persons on the ground were injured by debris, at least two of them seriously enough to require hospitalization.

As darkness fell, floodlights were brought to the crash site. By 11 p.m., 250 bodies had been removed from the wreckage, federal investigator Douglas Dreifus said. He said the others would not be removed before daylight.

"Some are still buried under the wreckage and we didn't want to disturb the wreckage," Dreifus said.

Neal Callahan, public affairs officer for the Federal Aviation Administration in Chicago, said a recording of conversations between the pilot and the control tower indicated the tower knew on takeoff there was trouble.

"The only thing we do know for sure is that he didn't have time to talk to the control tower," Callahan said.

Asked by reporters whether the plane should have been able to fly with one engine missing, Callahan said:

"Yes it should fly, no question about that, but that's one thing that will be determined in a further investigation."

"It's incredible but not unheard of for an engine to fall off," he added.

Elwood T. Driver, one of several National Transportation Safety Board investigators sent from Washington, said, "You can bet your bottom dollar we'll home in on the dropped engine."

Roy Mueller, manager of the Oasis mobile home park near the disaster site, said, "We heard a loud rumbling. We went to the door and we saw this airplane flip-flopping in the air. It bellied over and went straight down.

"One of my superintendents just came back from the field and he, 'There's bodies scattered all over.'"

John Wayne, a Chicago-area resident, was on an Ozark Airlines flight landing on another runway at the time American Flight 191 took off.

"The plane was in the air, and the young fellow in front of me said, 'Look at that.' I looked over and he said, 'The engine fell off.' We watched the plane as far as we could. He went on a fairly level course and gained just a little teeny bit of altitude and then he nosed off to the left, the wing went down and it was just one solid mass of flame all at once."

Robert Anderson was driving nearby when the plane crashed in an abandoned airfield in Elk Grove Township, northwest of Chicago.

He said the plane was "almost vertical and I almost started to scream because I knew it would not come out of it.

"It continued almost upside down. As it impacted, flames shot out to where I thought my face was going to be singed," Anderson said. "When I looked back, it looked like an atomic bomb explosion."

Other eyewitnesses said the left engine came loose, and then the plane banked to the left, shuddered for a few seconds and struck the ground, hitting on its nose and left wingtip at about the same time.

Witnesses also said the plane appeared to be traveling at an unusually slow speed for a jetliner taking off.

Hospitals in the area were alerted to receive survivors, but the alert was soon canceled.

A temporary morgue was set up at an American Airlines hangar at O'Hare. Chicago police sent 10 police vans to help remove bodies, which were being wrapped in blue plastic bags.

Deputy police chief Charles Pepp told rescue workers to "put as many in (the vans) as you can, but don't stack them. Treat them like your own personal family."

Relatives of victims were asked to gather at American VIP lounge at the airport.

Highways in the area were jammed with rush-hour motorists and hundreds of people gathered at the grisly scene, including residents of a nearby trailer park, some of whom suffered minor injuries from debris.

O'Hare, the world's busiest airport, shut down briefly, disrupting heavy holiday traffic, but later some runways reopened. Departing flights were delayed an hour or more.

After the crash, which occurred at 3:03 p.m. under clear but windy skies, a United Airlines employee reported he could see flames from eight miles away.

The plane was bound nonstop to Los Angeles, American Airlines said. It was due to leave Chicago at 2:45 p.m. CDT and to arrive in Los Angeles at 4:42 p.m. PDT.

The same jet had landed at O'Hare at 1:05 p.m. CDT, with Flight 630 from Phoenix, Ariz.

American officials in Chicago said their records showed 270 people aboard: 255 passengers and 15 crew members. Of the crew members, there was the pilot, copilot and flight engineer, 10 flight attendants on duty and two flight attendants "deadheading," or traveling from one completed assignment to the starting point of another.

Andrew Bellavia, 46, of Wheeling and Richard Masker, 28, of Schaumburg were taken alive from the scene to Alexian Brothers Hospital in Elk Grove Village. A spokeswoman there said both were working in the area on the ground when the crash occurred. Bellavia later was transferred to a burns unit at another hospital.

The jetliner fell in an abandoned airfield in Elk Grove Township northwest of Chicago, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The plane had been taking off about a half a mile from the end of the runway at the north end of the airport, the FAA in Washington said.

A spokesman for Playboy magazine said passengers on the flight included its managing editor, Sheldon Wax; his wife, the novelist Judith Wax; Mary Tierney Sheridan, administrative director of Playboy Enterprise's international publishing division; and Victoria Haider, Playboy's fiction editor.

Mike Murphy, a magazine vice president, described Wax as "the man who puts the magazine out." Ms. Wax just published a book about middle age, "Starting in the Middle." Murphy said the Playboy contingent was bound for a convention of the American Booksellers Association.

American identified the pilot as Capt. Walter H. Lux of Phoenix, Ariz., the copilot as James R. Dillard of Chicago and the flight engineer as Fred Udovich of Chicago.

___

AP Corporate Archives contributed to this report.

FILE - In this May 25, 1979 file photo, a fireman hoses down twisted remains of an American Airlines DC-10 which crashed and exploded on takeoff from O'Hare International Airport, in Chicago. Decades later, the crash of American Airlines Flight 191 moments after it took off from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport remains the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history. The DC-10 was destined for Los Angeles when it lost one of its engines killing what investigators later determined were 273 people _ all 271 people aboard the jetliner and two people on the ground. (AP Photo/Fred Jewell File)

FILE - In this May 26, 1979 file photo, investigators view the wreckage of the ill-fated American Airlines Flight 191 to Los Angeles, which crashed on take off in Chicago. Decades later, the crash, moments after it took off from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, remains the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history. The DC-10 was destined for Los Angeles when it lost one of its engines May 25, 1979, killing what investigators later determined were 273 people _ all 271 people aboard the jetliner and two people on the ground. (AP Photo/Fred Jewell File)

FILE - In this May 25, 1979 photo, a portion of the landing gear of an American Airlines DC-10 lies in foreground as firemen and emergency personnel survey wreckage scene northwest of O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. Decades later, the crash of American Airlines Flight 191 moments after it took off from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport remains the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history. The DC-10 was destined for Los Angeles when it lost one of its engines May 25, 1979, killing what investigators later determined were 273 people _ all 271 people aboard the jetliner and two people on the ground. (AP Photo/Fred Jewell File)

FILE - In this May 26, 1979 photo, William Schaefer of American Airlines, right, and Elwood Driver of the National Transportation Safety Board, left, examine the engine that fell off the DC-10 in Chicago, Ill., Decades later, the crash of American Airlines Flight 191 moments after it took off from O'Hare International Airport remains the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history. The DC-10 was destined for Los Angeles when it lost one of its engines May 25, 1979, killing what investigators later determined were 273 people _ all 271 people aboard the jetliner and two people on the ground. (AP Photo/Fred Jewell File)RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Climate change activists in Latin America rallied for action on global warming Friday, heeding a call by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg to hold demonstrations across the world.

In Rio de Janeiro, a small group of students gathered outside the state legislature to deliver a letter dated from the future in which they lamented Brazil's loss of coastline, rainforests and species.

"We, the Brazilians of the future, are also asking you: is there anything more important than protecting life and ensuring a quality future for the next generations? No, there is not," they wrote.

In more than a dozen other cities throughout the country, youth also staged strikes and took to the streets, using the issue to challenge the environmental policies of the far-right government of President Jair Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro says excessive regulation has hindered economic development and has moved to strip the environment ministry's authority over water and forestry services.

Last week, his environment minister questioned the effectiveness of the Amazon Fund created to contain deforestation. The minister has also called climate change a "secondary issue."

A student holds a sign up to her forehead with a message that reads in Portuguese: "Earth has lost its patience, us too", during a protest against President Jair Bolsonaro's environmental policies, in front of the state legislature in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, May 24, 2019. A small group of students gathered outside the state legislature to deliver a letter dated from the future in which they lamented Brazil's loss of coastline, rainforests and species. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Meanwhile, in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, a few dozen protesters explicitly abstained from commenting on politics amid a monthslong standoff between President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Andreina Duffy said protesters were careful not to voice opinions about the conflict between the Venezuelan government and the opposition but were prepared to criticize "whatever government exists" on environmental issues. She said economic hardship had compelled many Venezuelans to consume and waste less, making them more aware of the need to conserve.

"Of course, there's still a lot to do," she said.

Her daughter, 7-year-old Victoria Duffy, showed up with a picture of Earth.

"You can make a difference," the poster read.

In Mexico City, a few hundred demonstrators gathered on the steps of a central monument before marching several miles (kilometers) to the sprawling main square known as the Zocalo.

Natalia Naranjo, 19, of the environmental group Nosotros por la Selva (We for the Forest), came to the demonstration in an animal-print top with her face painted to resemble a jaguar's.

She expressed concern about a project known as the Mayan Train that would link beaches, cities and ancient ruins along the length of the Yucatan Peninsula and down into the state of Chiapas. Critics have said the fast-tracked project, designed to cater to tourists and boost the economies of poor communities, could threaten the environment, and Naranjo called for modifications such as elevating the train or making passageways for animals to cross.

"What we are trying to do is for them to evaluate the Mayan Train project, to evaluate the environmental impact that is being created and come up with solutions," Naranjo said.

Naranjo called Thunberg "an inspiration for the whole planet."

Students protest President Jair Bolsonaro's environmental policies in front the state legislature in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, May 24, 2019. A small group of students gathered outside the state legislature to deliver a letter dated from the future in which they lamented Brazil's loss of coastline, rainforests and species. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)PARIS (AP) - French far-right leader Marine Le Pen says that the nation's European Parliament elections amount to the referendum the "French asked for but didn't get."

Le Pen said before a final rally Friday that President Emmanuel Macron's party "must not be first Sunday night."

France has 34 lists but polls consistently show Le Pen's far-right and Macron's centrist parties battling for first place.

Le Pen's lead candidate, Jordan Bardella, made a stark call for voters backing three other opponents to give his party their ballots so as not to waste them on potentially losing causes.

Le Pen said that "May 26 is the popular referendum the French asked for but didn't get," referring to demands by the yellow vest movement she has courted and other social discontent.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen answers reporters after a press conference in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, Friday, May. 24, 2019. Polls suggest that Le Pen's party will be among France's top two vote-getters in the election, along with French President Emmanuel Macron's party. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, left, and top of the list Jordan Bardella attend a press conference in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, Friday, May. 24, 2019. Polls suggest that Le Pen's party will be among France's top two vote-getters in the election, along with French President Emmanuel Macron's party. Poster behind reads: Give the power to the People. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, left, followed by top of the list Jordan Bardella arrive at a press conference in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, Friday, May. 24, 2019. Polls suggest that Le Pen's party will be among France's top two vote-getters in the election, along with French President Emmanuel Macron's party. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has been more accessible to the press than any leader in recent times, but he regularly uses his platform to dismiss reporters as agents of Mexico's elite.

This week, Lopez Obrador referred to the press as "el hampa del periodismo," or 'underworld of journalism,' a dig that came amid questions over his administration's policies, as they frequently do.

But the president's most reliable label for the press has been "fifi," which is slang for elite or frivolous. When one long-time reporter took issue with that term at Friday's press conference, pointing out that he'd known Lopez Obrador for 30 years, the president tried to place the term in historic context.

He explained that the original "fifis" were the privileged press and elite who drove around in celebration after the torture and killing of President Francisco Madero's brother Gustavo in 1913.

"It's not that everyone (in the press) should feel that they're fifi, only if they have that conservative thinking and those attitudes," Lopez Obrador said.

The barbs, broadcast through the country's loudest megaphone, hit a domestic press corps that for years has understandably felt under assault. Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for reporters, with six killed just since Lopez Obrador took office on Dec. 1, according to New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.

Last week, various freedom of expression advocates, including CPJ, signed a statement marking the second anniversary of the murder of renowned crime reporter Javier Valdez, expressing their concern for hostile attitudes toward the press and Lopez Obrador's tendency to dismiss critical voices.

But on Friday, the discussion opened anew with the publication by newspaper Reforma of an incomplete list of news outlets and journalists who received payments from the government during the previous administration.

In Mexico, newspaper operating budgets often rely on government advertisements, which have historically been allocated as a result of political leanings.

Lopez Obrador said he had reduced these ad buys from about $525 million in the final year of his predecessor Enrique Pena Nieto to about $210 million this year. When one reporter asked why he would not just eliminate them entirely, however, Lopez Obrador said the government had a need and a right to get its message out.

He pointed out that there was nothing illegal about the payments, though he alluded to some journalists who have side businesses who received government money as well.

The president also said he provided the information to the country's transparency agency in response to a public records request, and his press secretary Jesus Ramirez clarified that a complete list would be forthcoming. Some of the country's largest outlets were noticeably absent from this release.

But Lopez Obrador's latest verbal shots still came as a surprise, even as some defended him for complying with an information request and praised him for increasing face time with the public in the first place.

Typically, Lopez Obrador holds a news conference five days a week beginning at 7 a.m. in the national palace.

Sometimes, he opens by touting a government program before moving into a question and answer session. Microphones are passed as he stands alone at a podium for about an hour and calls on reporters.

Whether the president answers a question directly or uses it as an opportunity to assail his predecessors or exalt his own government remains at his discretion. But he often seems to genuinely enjoy the exchanges - equally comfortable parrying pointed questions or lecturing on moments in Mexican history.

As his relationship with the press became increasingly complicated on Friday, however, he appeared to offer reporters an olive branch.

"You aren't fifis, you are professional, honest reporters," he said.

Then the leftist president and proud defender of workers urged the reporters before him to form a movement to raise their meager wages.WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the United States and Iran tensions (all times local):

1:25 p.m.

A senior Pentagon officer says the U.S. blames Iran and its proxies for the recent tanker bombings near United Arab Emirates and a rocket attack in Iraq.

Vice Admiral Michael Gilday says the U.S. has a high degree of confidence that Iran's Revolutionary Guard was responsible for the explosions on four tankers, and that Iranian proxies in Iraq fired rockets into Baghdad.

Gilday, the Joint Staff director, says the latest decision to send 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East will boost surveillance of Iranian forces and their proxies. The additional forces will include more manned and unmanned aircraft, a squadron of fighter jets, a Patriot missile battalion and military engineers.

He did not provide direct evidence to back up claims tying Iran to the attacks. He told reporters the conclusions were based on intelligence and evidence gathered in the region.

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, May 24, 2019, before boarding Marine One for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Tokyo(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

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12:20 p.m.

President Donald Trump says the U.S. will bolster its military presence in the Middle East with an additional 1,500 troops.

He says the troops will have a "mostly protective" role. He spoke to reporters on the White House lawn as he headed out on a trip to Japan.

The U.S. began reinforcing its presence in the Persian Gulf region this month in response to what it said was a threat from Iran.

The administration had notified Congress earlier Friday about the troop plans.

Acording to a copy of the notification obtained by The Associated Press, the forces would number "roughly" 1,500 and would deploy in the coming weeks, "with their primary responsibilities and activities being defensive in nature."

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11:50 a.m.

U.S. officials say the Trump administration has notified Congress it plans to send 1,500 troops to the Middle East amid heightened tensions with Iran.

Officials said members of Congress were notified following a White House meeting Thursday to discuss Pentagon proposals to bolster the U.S. force presence in the Middle East.

The officials spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because the troop plans have not yet been formally announced.

Earlier this week, officials had said that Pentagon planners had outlined plans that could have sent up to 10,000 military reinforcements to the region. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan later said planners hadn't settled on a figure.

The U.S. began reinforcing its presence in the Persian Gulf region this month in response to what it said was a threat from Iran.MONACO (AP) - Special tributes will be held in memory of Formula One great Niki Lauda at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday.

The three-time champion died on Monday at the age of 70 , less than one year after undergoing a lung transplant. The Austrian driver won two of his three F1 titles after coming back from a horrific crash that left him fighting for his life in a burning car at the 1976 German Grand Prix.

A minute's silence will be held at 2:53 p.m. local time, with all 20 drivers on the grid - along with contemporaries and peers of Lauda - holding a red cap in tribute.

Lauda, who was scarred for life and lost most of his right ear following his accident, stood out in the paddock in recent years because of his distinctive red cap.

He won 25 races, including two in Monaco, and fans watching Sunday's race are encouraged to pay their own tributes.

"They can either wear a red cap, display a message on a banner, or simply applaud," F1 said in a statement Friday. "Those watching from the yachts in the harbor can sound their klaxons, anything appropriate to honor the memory of one of the sport's true heroes."

Formula One supporters holds a banner to pay tribute to the three-time Formula One world champion Niki Lauda, at the Monaco racetrack, in Monaco, Friday, May 24, 2019. The Formula one race will be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

In recent years, Lauda worked as a non-executive chairman at Mercedes alongside head of motorsport Toto Wolff.

They became close friends and Wolff paid a moving tribute to Lauda .

Lauda played a key role in persuading Lewis Hamilton to join Mercedes in 2013, after the British driver left McLaren.

Hamilton has won four of his five titles under the guidance of Lauda and Wolff, with Mercedes winning every drivers' and constructors' title since 2014.

In Thursday's practice sessions, Hamilton carried the message 'Thanks Niki' on his car, and Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel had Lauda's name on his racing helmet.

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More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The name of three-time Formula One world champion Niki Lauda is written on the helmet of Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany during the second practice session at the Monaco racetrack, in Monaco, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Three-time Formula One world champion Niki Lauda, who won two of his titles after a horrific crash that left him with serious burns and went on to become a prominent figure in the aviation industry, has died on May 21, 2109. He was 70. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

A part of Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain car with German that reads, "Thanks Niki," stands on the Mercedes garage during the first practice session at the Monaco racetrack, in Monaco, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Three-time Formula One world champion Niki Lauda, who won two of his titles after a horrific crash that left him with serious burns and went on to become a prominent figure in the aviation industry, has died on May 21, 2109. He was 70. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Friday signed a bill that bans abortions on or beyond the eighth week of pregnancy without exceptions for cases of rape or incest, making it among the most restrictive abortion policies in the nation.

Under the law that comes into force Aug. 28, doctors who violate the eight-week cutoff could face five to 15 years in prison. Women who terminate their pregnancies cannot be prosecuted. A legal challenge is expected, although it's unclear when that might occur.

The measure includes exceptions for medical emergencies, such as when there is a risk of death or permanent physical injuries to "a major bodily function of the pregnant woman." But the lack of exceptions women who find themselves pregnant after being raped or subjected to incest has drawn sharp criticism, including from wealthy GOP donor David Humphreys, a Missouri businessman, who had urged the Republican governor to veto the bill and called it "bad public policy."

"I have to believe that the politicians in Jeff City that voted for this bill would themselves support their wives or daughters' right to choose if their loved ones were raped," Humphreys said.

Greg Blair, a consultant who released Humphreys' statement, told The Associated Press on Friday that Humphreys would be willing to fund a possible ballot initiative to repeal the legislation.

Parson defended the lack of exceptions as he spoke to a group of abortion opponents gathered Friday for the bill signing in his Capitol office.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signs one of the nation's most restrictive abortion bills, banning the procedure on or beyond eight weeks of pregnancy, Friday, May 24, 2019 in Jefferson City, Mo. (AP Photo by Summer Balentine)

"Is it a terrible thing that happens in those situations? Yes it is. ... But the reality of it is bad things do happen sometimes. But you have two months to decide what you're going to do with that issue, and I believe in two months you can make a decision," he said.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri said it was exploring "all options, including litigation, to block the law from going into effect." The organization's state legislative and policy director, Sara Baker, in a statement said the bill is "unconstitutional, and it must be stopped."

Alabama's governor signed a bill on May 15 making performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases. Supporters have said they hope to provoke a legal challenge that will eventually force the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationally.

Unlike Alabama's near-total abortion ban, lawmakers who helped draft the Missouri bill say it's meant to withstand court challenges instead of spark them. If the eight-week ban is struck down, the bill includes a ladder of less-restrictive time limits at 14, 18 or 20 weeks.

Missouri's bill also includes an outright ban on abortions except in cases of medical emergencies, but that would kick in only if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Missouri Right to Life called it "the strongest pro-life bill in Missouri history."

Missouri state House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade said in a written statement the new law treats women "as little more than fetal incubators with no rights or role in the decision, even in cases of rape and incest."

Kentucky , Mississippi , Ohio and Georgia also have approved bans on abortions once fetal cardiac activity can be detected, which can occur in about the sixth week of pregnancy. Some of those laws already have been challenged in court, and similar restrictions in North Dakota and Iowa have been struck down by judges.

Missouri already has some of the nation's most restrictive abortion regulations, including a requirement that doctors performing abortions have partnerships with nearby hospitals. Missouri is down to one clinic performing abortions, which is in St. Louis.

A total of 3,903 abortions occurred in Missouri in 2017, the last full year for which the state Department of Health and Senior Services has statistics online. Of those, 1,673 occurred at under nine weeks and 119 occurred at 20 weeks or later in a pregnancy.

A total of 2,910 abortions occurred in 2018 in Missouri, according to provisional data provided by the agency. That includes 433 abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy and 267 at six weeks or earlier.

The bill also bans abortions based solely on race, sex or a diagnosis indicating the potential for Down syndrome.

It also requires a parent or guardian giving written consent for a minor to get an abortion to first notify the other parent, except if the other parent has been convicted of a violent or sexual crime, is subject to a protection order, is "habitually in an intoxicated or drugged condition," or lacks legal or physical custody.WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Trump and the Russia investigation (all times local):

3:40 p.m.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats says the nation's spy agencies will provide the Justice Department all appropriate information for its review of intelligence activities related to Russian interference in the 2016 election.

President Donald Trump claims his campaign was the victim of "spying" and has given Attorney General William Barr full authority to publicly disclose still-secret information collected during the investigation.

Some former intelligence officials and Democrats worry that Barr will cherry-pick intelligence to paint a misleading picture about the roots of the probe.

In a statement released Friday, Coats said he's confident that Barr will work with "long-established standards to protect highly sensitive, classified information that, if publicly released," would put U.S. national security at risk.

FILE - In this May 15, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr speak at the 38th Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Trump is directing the U.S. intelligence community to "quickly and fully cooperate" with Barr's investigation of the origins of the multi-year probe into whether Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

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12:40 p.m.

President Trump says he will declassify documents related to the origins of the investigation into Russia's links to the campaign.

Trump, leaving the White House on Friday for Japan, told reporters that the investigation was "an attempted coup."

The president said it could run up to "millions of pages" and said he wanted to declassify FBI and CIA documents, including those that might pertain to contacts overseas in the United Kingdom.

Trump's comments come a day after he granted Attorney General William Barr new powers to review and potentially release classified information.

The president ordered the U.S. intelligence community to "quickly and fully cooperate" with Barr's investigation into the origins of the Russia probe.

Trump said Barr is "in charge" and "let's see what he finds."

___

12:05 a.m.

President Donald Trump is stepping up his effort "to investigate the investigators." He directed the U.S. intelligence community on Thursday to "quickly and fully cooperate" with Attorney General William Barr's investigation of the origins of the multi-year probe of whether his 2016 campaign colluded with Russia.

The move marked another effort in Trump's efforts to undermine the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe amid mounting Democratic calls to bring impeachment proceedings against Trump.

Press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Trump is delegating to Barr the "full and complete authority" to declassify documents relating to the probe.CHICAGO (AP) - A 76-year-old man has been convicted in the 1992 strangulation death of an Illinois teenager.

Robert Serritella, of Park Ridge, was found guilty Thursday on two counts of first degree murder in the killing of 15-year-old David Chereck, of Skokie.

The teen was found strangled with a scarf in a forest preserve Jan. 2, 1992. He had last been seen a day earlier, walking home from a bowling alley in Skokie.

Serritella, a convicted sex offender, later incriminated himself in conversations with people in California and Utah, authorities said. He was arrested in California in 2014 and charged in the killing.

"The state proved the defendant guilty of both counts of murder," said Cook County Circuit Court Judge Lauren Edidin, after the four-day bench trial in the Skokie courthouse.

Chereck's "life was tragically ended by the defendant in a violent and cruel way," Edidin said.

In this Jan. 7, 1992 photo, Esther and Allan Chereck, parents of slain David Chereck, hold a photo of their son during an interview at their home in Skokie, Ill. on Jan. 7, 1992. Eduardo Contreras, Robert Serritella was found guilty Thursday, May 23, 2019 of first-degree murder in the 1992 death of 15-year-old David Chereck. Serritella, 76, of Park Ridge, was charged in 2014 in the decades-old cold case. Chereck was found strangled with his own scarf in a Morton Grove forest preserve. (Eduardo Contreras/Chicago Tribune via AP)

The decision drew tears from Chereck's mother, Esther, who testified Monday during the first day of the trial.

"I'm so relieved. I'm so relieved," she whispered in the courtroom.

After the trial, she embraced friends and family and said: "He got justice."

The state's attorney's office and the Cook County sheriff's office collaborated in the investigation.

"He talked and he talked and he talked," said Assistant State's Attorney Ethan Holland. "To police, to reporters, to his friends, to Esther, to cellmates."

Serritella's statements repeatedly put him in a white car at the time and place of Chereck's disappearance and death, Holland said. Three of Cherek's friends testified that they remembered noticing a white car idling near the park where they were socializing that night.

"If it wasn't for (Serritella's) refusal to remain silent," said Holland, the cold case may have never gone to trial.

The trial included the testimony of a man who said Serritella solicited him for sex when he was 16 years old in 1991. In phone conversations, Serritella would frequently discuss explicit sex acts, including strangulation, the man testified. In their talks, Serritella proposed they meet in a forest preserve, he said.

Serritella had rejected a plea deal that would have released him from prison in five years. In exchange for the agreement, Serritella needed to plead guilty to murder in Chereck's death. Serritella maintained his innocence. He could now be sentenced to 20 to 60 years in prison.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 19.

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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.comNEW YORK (AP) - Almost every Monday night, Gaby Dalkin, hosts a live cooking demo from her home in southern California on her Instagram account, What's Gaby Cooking .

The show is under an hour and Dalkin's husband, Thomas Dawson, records it and reads out questions and comments from viewers.

Dalkin, who went to culinary school and has worked as a private chef, will offer tips for de-boning salmon, cleaning mushrooms, and joke about her polka dot sweatsuit that Thomas says resembles pajamas. It's all very casual and doable, which Dalkin said is the point.

"It's like you're cooking alongside your best friend in the kitchen," said Dalkin in a recent interview. "I don't want to spend five hours cooking a meal and I know everyone else doesn't. Let's show people how to make something simple and delicious and go about our lives."

It turns out there is an audience who make tuning in a ritual.

"We have people in India where it's their morning when they're watching," said Dalkin.

This April 10, 2019 photo shows Gaby Dalkin shopping for oranges at Santa Monica Downtown Farmers Market in Santa Monica, Calif. Dalkin, the chef behind the popular Website and social media accounts, "What's Gaby Cooking," is forging her own path. Every Monday she posts a live demo to Instagram as she cooks dinner which has become appointment viewing for some fans. Her husband films it and reads questions from viewers as she's cooking. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

She recently got a message from a viewer's husband who said every Monday night he falls asleep listening to her voice because his wife is watching as they go to bed. He wanted to not like her, but now he's a fan.

She also encourages her followers to make the recipes throughout the week and tag her on Instagram, which as Dalkin notes, is free marketing and publicity.

Thomas may be heard and not seen in the cooking demos, but he's earned his own devotees. There's an Instagram account, What's Thomas Eating, where he's often poking fun at his wife. He sometimes posts his own videos when he's home alone and cooking her recipes.

"He started What's Thomas Eating as a total joke and I think sometimes he's more influential than I am," laughed Dalkin.

Dalkin says she's not looking for a traditional cooking show because she feels like she's already doing that online.

"Back in the day, all I wanted was to be the 'Next Food Network Star.' I applied three years in a row and got denied three years in a row. Yes, we would do some sort of TV series, but I would need it to be a lot more animated and fun and maybe even lifestyle and travel-related."

Dawson is in the process of transitioning from his day job in advertising to work with Gaby full-time. The goal is to ramp up their content and produce more videos for her website, YouTube and Instagram accounts. Dalkin also has two cookbooks, "Absolutely Avocados" (fans know she seriously loves avocados,) and "What's Gaby Cooking: Everyday California Food." She's now working on a third.

"I haven't taken a day off in the last probably five years," confesses Dalkin. "Sometimes I'll have a full meltdown because I can't think of any recipes and Thomas is good about being like, 'Let's go for a walk and remove ourselves from the kitchen and where we normally work.'"

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Online: https://whatsgabycooking.com

This April 10, 2019 photo shows Gaby Dalkin at Santa Monica Downtown Farmers Market in Santa Monica, Calif. Dalkin, the chef behind the popular Website and social media accounts, What's Gaby Cooking, is forging her own path. Every Monday she posts a live demo to Instagram as she cooks dinner which has become appointment viewing for some fans. Her husband films it and reads questions from viewers as she's cooking. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

This April 10, 2019 photo shows Gaby Dalkin taking a photo of strawberries at Santa Monica Downtown Farmers Market in Santa Monica, Calif. Dalkin, the chef behind the popular Website and social media accounts, What's Gaby Cooking, is forging her own path. Every Monday she posts a live demo to Instagram as she cooks dinner which has become appointment viewing for some fans. Her husband films it and reads questions from viewers as she's cooking. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

This April 10, 2019 photo shows Gaby Dalkin posing for a portrait at Santa Monica Downtown Farmers Market in Santa Monica, Calif. Dalkin, the chef behind the popular Website and social media accounts, What's Gaby Cooking, is forging her own path. Every Monday she posts a live demo to Instagram as she cooks dinner which has become appointment viewing for some fans. Her husband films it and reads questions from viewers as she's cooking. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

This April 10, 2019 photo shows Gaby Dalkin at Santa Monica Downtown Farmers Market in Santa Monica, Calif. Dalkin, the chef behind the popular Website and social media accounts, What's Gaby Cooking, is forging her own path. Every Monday she posts a live demo to Instagram as she cooks dinner which has become appointment viewing for some fans. Her husband films it and reads questions from viewers as she's cooking. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

This April 10, 2019 photo shows Gaby Dalkin at Santa Monica Downtown Farmers Market in Santa Monica, Calif. Dalkin, the chef behind the popular Website and social media accounts, What's Gaby Cooking, is forging her own path. Every Monday she posts a live demo to Instagram as she cooks dinner which has become appointment viewing for some fans. Her husband films it and reads questions from viewers as she's cooking. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)U.S. regulators have approved the most expensive medicine ever, for a rare disorder that destroys a baby's muscle control and kills nearly all of those with the most common type of the disease within a couple of years.

The treatment is priced at $2.125 million. Out-of-pocket costs for patients will vary based on insurance coverage.

The medicine, sold by the Swiss drugmaker Novartis, is a gene therapy that treats an inherited condition called spinal muscular atrophy. The treatment targets a defective gene that weakens a child's muscles so dramatically that they become unable to move, and eventually unable to swallow or breathe. It strikes about 400 babies born in the U.S. each year.

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the treatment, called Zolgensma, for all children under age 2 who are confirmed by a genetic test to have any of the three types of the disease. The therapy is a one-time infusion that takes about an hour.

Novartis said it will let insurers make payments over five years, at $425,000 per year, and will give partial rebates if the treatment doesn't work.

The one other medicine for the disease approved in the U.S. is a drug called Spinraza. Instead of a one-time treatment, it must be given every four months. Biogen, Spinraza's maker, charges a list price of $750,000 for the first year and then $350,000 per year after that.

This photo provided by Novartis shows Zolgensma. The one-time gene therapy developed by Novartis, Zolgensma, will cost $2.125 million. It treats a rare condition called spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA, which strikes about 400 babies born in the U.S. each year. The therapy, given in a one-hour infusion, was approved for children under age 2 and will be available within two weeks. (Novartis via AP)

The independent nonprofit group Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, which rates the value of expensive new medicines, calculated that the price of the new gene therapy is justifiable at a cost of $1.2 million to $2.1 million because it "dramatically transforms the lives of families affected by this devastating disease."

ICER's president, Dr. Steven D. Pearson, called the treatment's price "a positive outcome for patients and the entire health system."

The defective gene that causes spinal muscular atrophy prevents the body from making enough of a protein that allows nerves that control movement to work normally. The nerves die off without the protein.

In the most common type, which is also the most severe, at least 90% of patients die by age 2, and any still alive need a ventilator to breathe. Children with less-severe types become disabled more slowly and can live for up to a couple decades.

Zolgensma works by supplying a healthy copy of the faulty gene, which allows nerve cells to then start producing the needed protein. That halts deterioration of the nerve cells and allows the baby to develop more normally.

In patient testing, babies with the most severe form of the disease who got Zolgensma within 6 months of birth had limited muscle problems. Those who got the treatment earliest did best.

Babies given Zolgensma after six months stopped losing muscle control, but the medicine can't reverse damage already done.

Evelyn Villarreal was one of the first children treated, at eight weeks. Her family, from Centreville, Virginia, had lost their first child to spinal muscular atrophy at 15 months. Two years later when Evelyn was born a test showed she also had the disease, so the family enrolled her in the gene therapy study at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Evelyn is now 4 years old and showing no muscle problems other than minor trouble standing up, said her mother, Elena Villarreal. She has been feeding herself for a long time, she draws and speaks well, and will be starting kindergarten in the fall.

"She's very active and goes to the playground a lot," said Elena Villarreal. "She's walking and even jumping."

It is too early to know how long the benefit of the treatment lasts, but doctors' hopes are rising that they could last a lifetime, according to Dr. Jerry Mendell, a neurologist at Nationwide Children's. Mendell led one of the early patient studies and is Evelyn's doctor.

"It's beginning to look that way," he said, because a few children treated who are now 4 or 5 still have no symptoms.

Early diagnosis is crucial, so Novartis has been working with states to get genetic testing for newborns required at birth. It expects most states will have that requirement by next year.

The FDA said side effects included vomiting and potential liver damage, so patients must be monitored for the first few months after treatment.

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Follow Linda A. Johnson at https://twitter.com/LindaJ_onPharma .

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.SAN DIEGO (AP) - A U.S. sailor has pleaded guilty to two counts of espionage and was sentenced to three years after admitting he took classified information about the Navy's nuclear-powered warships and planned to give it to a journalist and then defect to Russia, officials said Friday.

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Stephen Kellogg III wished to publish an expose on waste within the military and admitted he wanted to share the information with Russians, said Jeff Houston of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in an email to The Associated Press.

According to Navy court documents, Kellogg, 26, was in contact with Sevmash, Russia's largest shipbuilding enterprise and only nuclear submarine producer. He admitted he knew releasing the information could degrade the ability of nuclear-powered warships, and therefore cause injury to the United States.

Neither Kellogg nor his lawyers could be immediately reached for comment.

Authorities learned of his plans after arresting Kellogg, on Aug. 27 for drunken disorderly conduct at the San Diego airport where he was stopped by a Delta Air Lines employee from boarding a flight to New York City because he was being belligerent, according to court documents.

He had bought a one-way ticket and planned to meet a friend from high school who is a journalist who lives in New York City and told the person he had a big story, according to investigators and court documents.

FILE - In this March 5, 2018, file photo, a Vietnamese passenger boat sails past U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson as it docks in Danang bay, Vietnam. A U.S. sailor has pleaded guilty to espionage and sentenced to three years after admitting he took classified information about a Navy's nuclear-powered warship and planned to give it to a journalist and then defect to Russia officials said Friday, May 24, 2019. Jeff Houston of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service or NCIS said that U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Stephen Kellogg III wished to publish an expose on waste within the military and admitted he wanted to share the information with Russians. Kellogg, who joined the Navy in 2014 served aboard the USS Carl Vinson from 2016 to 2018. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh, File)

Kellogg knew if the information became public, potential adversaries would likely know the capabilities and limitations of the United States' nuclear-powered warships, according to his pre-trial agreement.

Kellogg, who joined the Navy in 2014, was a nuclear electrician's mate with access to classified information relating to the capabilities, operations and maintenance of the Navy's nuclear propulsion systems. He served aboard the USS Carl Vinson from 2016 to 2018 and said he could draw and explain the majority of the ship's critical nuclear propulsion plant systems from memory, according to court documents.

"This sailor's attempts to disclose classified Navy nuclear propulsion information posed a significant threat to national security and endangered the lives of American service members," FBI Special Agent in Charge Garrett Waugh said in a statement.

Kellogg admitted to telling his roommate that he planned to defect to Russia and had searched the Internet for information relating to flights to Moscow, contact information for the Russian Consulate in San Diego, and wrote to an email address associated with Sevmash and called the company six times. It is unclear if the shipbuilder wrote back.

Around the same time, he told a childhood friend that he wanted to get out of the Navy and that I "might go Ed Snowden," referring to the former National Security Agency contractor who exposed U.S. government surveillance programs by disclosing classified material.

Though Kellogg pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the Espionage Act, his military defense attorneys told the judge at Naval Base San Diego before his sentencing that he was not a spy but rather had a drinking problem and may have been suffering from depression.

People who know Kellogg, they said, described him as harmless and someone just trying to get attention. The defense also pointed out that Kellogg had left his passport at his San Diego apartment, undermining claims he was headed to Russia.

Authorities said Kellogg also admitted to photographing areas containing sensitive information about the Navy's nuclear propulsion program on the ship, and then sending the photos to his father and ex-girlfriend.

He told authorities he stored classified information in his berth, violating protocol, according to the FBI.

He will receive a dishonorable discharge and a reduction in rank.

"This type of behavior has no place in our military," said Cmdr. Nate Christensen, deputy spokesman of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.NEW YORK (AP) - Shareholders are still voting overwhelmingly in favor of big pay packages for CEOs, but there are more pockets of resistance eight years after "Say on Pay" became a mandatory exercise at annual meetings.

Median pay for CEOs at the biggest U.S. companies climbed 7% to $12 million last year, according to data analyzed by Equilar for The Associated Press. The median increase for a typical worker at these companies was 3%. Median means half were larger, and half were smaller.

The stock market is in the midst of the longest bull run on record. Earnings per share for the companies in the S&P 500 surged 20% last year before cooling off in the first three months of 2019. Companies are repurchasing record amounts of their stock to return cash to investors. So, shareholders have had a lot to be happy about.

The median company in the survey received a 94% approval rate on its "Say on Pay" vote, where shareholders give a thumbs up or thumbs down on executive compensation. That was down only slightly from 95% a year earlier. While mandatory under the Dodd-Frank Act, the votes are nonbinding.

However, while the approval numbers remain high, executive compensation packages are receiving increased scrutiny from shareholders.

At Nuveen, the asset management arm of TIAA, the company voted "No" on 8% of "Say on Pay" votes last year, up from 4% the prior year. It's still in the middle of voting in this year's annual meeting season, but the numbers will likely continue to trend upward, said Peter Reali, Nuveen's senior director of responsible investing.

FILE - In this April 26, 2018, file photo Disney CEO Robert Iger speaks at the grand opening of Toy Story Land at Shanghai Disneyland in Shanghai, China. Iger earned $65.6 million in 2018, according to data analyzed by Equilar for The Associated Press. Disney shareholders were upset last year about his pay, and 52% of shares cast at the annual meeting voted against the compensation packages for top executives. In response, the company toughened the performance goals Iger would need to meet to get the full bonus he would be due in 2021. (AP Photo, File)

"It's become very challenging for companies to convince shareholders that pay is really driving the shareholder returns that we expect," he said. Beyond the company's stock returns over the shorter and longer term, he also takes into consideration other performance gauges specific to companies, such as profitability and other measures of returns.

When investors do vote against companies' executive compensation, boards often react quickly.

"If you're getting pressure on your 'Say on Pay' vote, you're going to be expected to make some changes," said Dan Laddin, partner at Compensation Advisory Partners. "Maybe that doesn't mean lowering CEO pay. But holding the CEO's feet to the fire in terms of how to earn that pay is one of the common outcomes."

Consider the No. 2 paid CEO in this year's survey, Robert Iger of Disney, who earned $65.6 million. Disney shareholders were upset last year about his pay, and 52% of shares cast at the annual meeting voted against the compensation packages for top executives.

In response, the company toughened the performance goals Iger would need to meet to get the full bonus he would be due in 2021. The company subsequently cut his potential future annual earnings by $13.5 million.

At this year's Disney meeting, held four days after Iger agreed to the pay changes, 57% of shares cast voted in favor of executives' pay packages.

"Mr. Iger's results-driven compensation reflects the exceptional value he has created for the company, its shareholders and employees," a spokesperson for The Walt Disney Co. said.

Sometimes it takes more than a year to get back in shareholders' good graces.

At last year's Ameriprise Financial annual meeting, for example, more than 70% of the shares cast rejected executives' compensation packages. In the prior year, 81% voted in favor.

After the failed vote, the financial services company made several changes to its compensation program, based on feedback from investors. It reduced the maximum bonus that executives can earn each year, among other changes.

CEO James Cracchiolo's compensation rose 11% to $24.8 million last year. While Ameriprise stock fell in 2018- it was hit particularly hard by the stock market's swoon at the end of the year - revenue rose 5% and earnings per share were up 18%. The stock's return since Cracchiolo took over in 2005 has more than doubled the S&P 500.

But when Ameriprise shareholders met in Minneapolis last month to vote on executive pay, the majority was clear again: 64% voted "No."

An Ameriprise spokesperson said the board "will consider this additional feedback as we continue to evolve our program."WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump said Friday that he has been considering pardons for several American military members accused of war crimes, including headline-grabbing cases of shooting unarmed civilians and killing an enemy captive.

Trump, leaving the White House for a trip to Japan, said he was "looking" at the pardons after being asked about reports that he was considering clemency for the soldiers around the upcoming Memorial Day holiday.

"Some of these soldiers are people that have fought hard and long," the president said. "You know, we teach them how to be great fighters, and then when they fight, sometimes they get really treated very unfairly."

But, Trump cautioned, "I haven't done anything yet. I haven't made any decisions."

"There's two or three of them right now," the president continued. "It's a little bit controversial. It's very possible that I'll let the trials go on, and I'll make my decision after the trial."

A number of veterans groups have registered opposition to the possible pardons, including one that could reportedly go to Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, a Navy SEAL. Gallagher is charged with killing a wounded Islamic State prisoner under his care in Iraq in 2017.

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, May 24, 2019, before boarding Marine One for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md, and then on to Tokyo. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Dozens of Republican congressmen have championed Gallagher's cause, claiming he's an innocent war hero being unfairly prosecuted. Trump got him moved from the brig to better confinement in a military hospital with access to his lawyers and family.

Prosecutors said Gallagher fatally stabbed a wounded teenage Islamic State fighter, shot two civilians in Iraq and opened fire on crowds. Gallagher has pleaded not guilty to all counts. His lawyers said that he did not murder anyone and that disgruntled SEALs made the accusations because they wanted to get rid of a demanding platoon leader.

Several major veterans groups said they had not been consulted by the White House about the possible pardons and were not provided with information they had requested about who was being considered and why.

Jeremy Butler, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, urged Trump to exercise caution and not rush to act before Memorial Day, expressing concern that pardons could be issued before trials were held or fully adjudicated.

"These are not the types of decisions to be rushed and should be made after long and careful consideration," he said. "We want to hear from the administration as to their rationale - what additional information they have and why they are taking this course."

The Vietnam Veterans of America said it was opposed to the idea of issuing pardons to those accused or convicted of war crimes, which they believe could sidestep justice. Officials there said they saw no reason for the U.S. to deviate from its norm of abiding by the code of conduct and the Nuremberg principles, as embodied in the Universal Code of Military Justice, for more than 70 years.

"It is mind-blowing that these are the persons this administration is considering for pardons," said Kristofer Goldsmith, an associate director for policy and chief investigator at Vietnam Veterans of America.

A number of influential Trump outside advisers have pushed the president to pardon the soldiers. Others believed to be considered for pardons are Mathew Golsteyn, a former U.S. Army commando being charged with murder for killing a suspected Taliban bombmaker in Afghanistan, and Nicholas Slatten, one of four former Blackwater guards who were found guilty at trial in the fatal shooting of unarmed Iraqi civilians in a crowded Baghdad traffic circle.

Prosecutors argued that Slatten, of Sparta, Tennessee, fired the first shots in a massacre that left more than a dozen dead and many others injured. His attorney has said that's not the case and pointed to statements that he says show another member of the Blackwater team initiated the shooting.

The case took a long and winding path over the course of a decade. An appeals court in 2017 overturned the first guilty verdict against Slatten, ruling that he should have been tried separately from his three co-defendants. A second trial ended in a mistrial, and he was found guilty of murder last December in a third trial in federal court in Washington. He was sentenced to life in prison.

Slatten, who joined Blackwater after leaving the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, has long maintained his innocence.

Trump had said in December that he would be "reviewing" the case against Golsteyn, calling him a "U.S. Military hero" who could face the death penalty "from our own government." The former Green Beret could face the death penalty if convicted.

Golsteyn was charged with killing the suspected bombmaker during a 2010 deployment in Afghanistan. Golsteyn was leading a team of Army Special Forces troops at the time and believed that the man was responsible for an explosion that killed two U.S. Marines.

The possible pardons were first reported by The New York Times.

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Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Eric Tucker and Deb Riechmann contributed to this report.

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Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire and Yen at http://twitter.com/@hopeyen1FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - A U.S. marshal's task force fatally shot a fugitive wanted for attempted murder outside a Florida mosque.

The marshal for South Florida, Gadyaces Serralta, told reporters a deputy marshal and officers from the Fort Lauderdale and Plantation police departments confronted the man Friday afternoon in the parking lot of the Masjid Al-Iman Mosque.

Serralta said the man got out of his car with a gun and the deputy marshal and officers opened fire. The man died at the scene. He was from central Florida but his name wasn't immediately released. No one from law enforcement was injured. Further details weren't immediately available.

Council on American Islamic Relations spokesman Wilfredo Ruiz said the man wasn't known to the mosque members.CONCORD, N.C. (AP) - William Byron knows how to qualify. Now, he is looking to prove he can win at NASCAR's highest level.

The Charlotte native would love nothing more than to win his first Cup Series race at his home track of Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday in the Coca-Cola 600.

He has put himself in a good position: The 21-year-old Byron has his No. 24 Liberty Patriot Camaro ZL1 out front for NASCAR's longest race, becoming the youngest driver ever to capture the pole for the crown jewel event.

"This is a dream come true," said Byron, who attended the race every year while growing up.

Qualifying first and finishing first are two different things, as Byron has learned repeatedly this year.

He started on the pole at the Daytona 500 but finished 21st. He also started on the front row at Texas, Bristol and Dover but failed to register a top-five finish. He has two top 10s this year, but his finishes haven't matched his strong showing in qualifying.

William Byron, left, is congratulated by team owner Rick Hendrick after winning the pole position during qualifying for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., Thursday, May 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

"There are a lot of things we've got to do right to get to that point," Byron said of winning the 600. "But, I think the speed has been really good and the execution of our race last weekend was nearly flawless from a team's perspective and then from my perspective. So, I think we're getting there, for sure. We're close."

Byron's first attempt at the 600 a year ago did not go well. He crashed and called it a "miserable" day, something he plans to use as motivation on Sunday.

"I really had that thought in my head going into this week is to just make it better than what last year," Byron said. "I learned from that and the mistakes I made. ... And, it helps when the guys bring a really fast car and that just makes your job easier. I think it's going to be added motivation going into the weekend."

It will help to have Chad Knaus in his corner, too.

The crew chief extraordinaire knows a thing or two about how to get around Charlotte Motor Speedway, pairing with Jimmie Johnson to win the Coca-Cola 600 four times. Only Darrell Waltrip (five) has more.

"We had a really good conversation today about a 600-mile race," Byron said of Knaus. "Just the balance characteristics and the changes the track goes through, but the cool thing about him is that there are certain tracks where he really lights up and likes to talk about. ... It's really cool to listen to him about what he's got to say about this place. He's got a good idea of what we need to do to be successful here. Hopefully we can get the balance right on Saturday and have a really good Sunday."

It's expected to be a grueling race. Temperatures are forecast to be in the mid-90s as an early heat wave hits the East Coast.

Over the course of a 400-lap race, Byron knows his experience - or lack thereof - will be tested. He's never driven 600 miles in a race before after joining the Cup Series last season.

Still, Byron doesn't like to be viewed as a "young" driver.

"I don't really like having the youngest term attached to me because I've always been the young guy and I just want to be part of the conversation as a normal person, no matter what age I am," Byron said. So, I don't really look at myself as younger than other guys, just as what I'm doing and how I'm doing it compared to them or everybody out there. But yeah, it's cool. But I really just look at myself as a race car driver."

On Sunday he hopes to look at himself as a Cup Series winner.

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More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsLOS ANGELES (AP) - University of Southern California records reveal medical experts hired to evaluate a campus gynecologist after years of complaints reported there was evidence he preyed on Asian students and had signs of "psychopathy," the Los Angeles Times reported.

The confidential report was among USC records concerning Dr. George Tyndall that were made public Thursday by U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson at the newspaper's request.

The records had been filed under seal a part of a class-action lawsuit by former patients against Tyndall and USC, following a Times investigation into claims of sexual abuse or harassment of patients by the gynecologist.

Wilson said in a written ruling that the public had an interest in "all pertinent information" about Tyndall and the university's response.

"Providing the public with all available nonprivileged information furthers the public narrative about inappropriate sexual behavior and ensures for longer-lasting changes beyond the case at hand," Wilson wrote.

Since news of the allegations and USC's handling of them over many years surfaced last year, university President C.L. Max Nikias was ousted, most top administrators have left or will soon, more than 650 lawsuits have been filed, and Los Angeles police have been conducting an extensive sex crimes investigation.

FILE - This May 22, 2018 file photo shows the University of Southern California's Engemann Student Health Center in Los Angeles. USC records reveal experts who evaluated a campus gynecologist after years of complaints reported there was evidence he preyed on Asian students and had signs of "psychopathy." The Los Angeles Times reports the report was among records concerning Dr. George Tyndall made public Thursday, May 23, 2019, by a judge. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

Tyndall hasn't been charged, and he denies any wrongdoing.

The gynecologist, who started at the campus clinic in 1989, was suspended in 2016, when the expert evaluation began, and he later left his post with a substantial payout, the Times reported.

Newly released records include documents handed over to lawyers for plaintiffs and another set of records given to the judge for his decision on whether to approve a $215 million settlement with some former patients in the class action.

Memos, correspondence and handwritten complaints are among records dating to the 1990s.

The records show that the medical experts hired to evaluate Tyndall told the university he appeared to be targeting international students from Asia who were vulnerable because of their age and language skills.

"If the patients were young and Asian, they were more likely to have a pelvic exam completed," said the report from Colorado-based consulting firm MDReview.

The evaluation included inspection of medical charts, review of university files and interviews with clinic staffers, administrators and Tyndall.

The report found that Tyndall's pelvic exams were inappropriate and not within medical standards, and that he had "unusual and potentially dangerous opinions about breast exams."

The experts were concerned about photographs Tyndall took of patients' genitals and his "dubious" reasons for keeping them.

Patients who were "non-Asian, obese, or older" were less likely to receive a pelvic exam, according to the report.

Tyndall had potential mental health problems, including "underlying psychopathy," the report said. It noted such signs as hoarding, poor hygiene and his request to personally keep a patient's used intrauterine device.

Those issues were outside the scope of the report, but "impossible to ignore," it said.

An attorney representing the university said in a letter to Wilson that by the time administrators received the report Tyndall had already been suspended and never treated another USC patient.

The proposed federal class-action settlement could give $2,500 to $250,000 to the plaintiffs against Tyndall. Former patients with allegations against Tyndall are deciding whether to join the settlement, which has been criticized by attorneys for hundreds of women in state court cases.

USC published a website with all the materials that were filed in court, and the university's interim president, Wanda Austin, said in a statement late Thursday that the records "should help confirm that the proposed settlement remains the best option" for resolution.

___

Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com/RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Brazil's aviation authority is suspending all Avianca Brasil flights out of safety concerns.

The National Civil Aviation Agency said Friday that the company is obligated to either reimburse or rebook its customers. It advised passengers to contact the airline.

The suspension is the latest bad news for the carrier, which licenses the name from the Colombian airline but operates separately.

In April, Avianca Brasil was forced to return 18 planes to leasing agencies, cancel over 1,000 flights and scrap several international routes from Sao Paulo to New York, Miami and Santiago, Chile.

It is unclear how many planes it still has in its fleet.

The company filed for bankruptcy in December.BARRON, Wis. (AP) - The latest on the sentencing hearing for a Wisconsin man accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents (all times local):

5:05 p.m.

The family of Jayme Closs says they are satisfied that the man who kidnapped her and killed her parents will be spending the rest of his life in prison.

Jake Patterson was sentenced Friday to life in prison without release. He had previously pleaded guilty to the Oct. 15 killings of James and Denise Closs and to Jayme's abduction.

Jayme's aunt, Jennifer Smith, said after the sentencing that this was an important step in helping Jayme to move forward. She said the family believes the outcome will give Jayme some "much needed peace of mind."

Smith said Jayme has made progress, but has much work left to do. She has spent time with her friends, is doing homework, and hanging out with her dog.

FILE- In this March 27, 2019, file photo, Jake Patterson appears for a hearing at the Barron County Justice Center, in Barron, Wis. Patterson could spend the rest of his life behind bars for kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents after his sentencing hearing Friday, May 24. Patterson pleaded guilty in March to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. He admitted to abducting Jayme after killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, in October. (T'xer Zhon Kha/The Post-Crescent via AP, Pool)

Prosecutor Brian Wright says the case has always been about the courage of a 13-year-old girl who overcame incredible odds to escape and return home.

___

3:50 p.m.

The Wisconsin man who abducted 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killed her parents wrote that he fantasized "about keeping a young girl, torturing her and controlling her."

Jake Patterson's writings were summarized by Judge James Babler shortly before he sentenced Patterson to life in prison without any chance of release.

Babler said Patterson had written that "fear of hell" initially stopped him, but he stopped believing in God and began looking for an opportunity. Patterson wrote that he drove around looking for a girl to take but soon realize that wouldn't work, then conceived of doing it in a home invasion.

Patterson told investigators he carefully planned and carried out his attack in October on the Closs family home near Barron.

Babler called Patterson "the embodiment of evil."

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3:35 p.m.

A Wisconsin man will spend the rest of his life in prison for kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents.

Twenty-one-year-old Jake Patterson was sentenced Friday in Barron County. He pleaded guilty in March to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. He admitted to abducting Jayme in October and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs.

The teen was held captive in a remote cabin for 88 days before she escaped.

Patterson was sentenced to life in prison without release on each homicide count and 25 years in prison on the kidnapping count. The sentences will be served consecutively.

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3 p.m.

A prosecutor says a Wisconsin man who kidnapped 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killed her parents should never be released from prison.

Barron County District Attorney Brian Wright told a judge during Jake Patterson's sentencing hearing Friday that Patterson would never stop trying to find and possibly kill Jayme if he gets out of prison.

He said Patterson can never get another opportunity to kidnap another girl and kill her or anyone with her.

Patterson's attorney, Charles Glynn, countered that Patterson has pleaded guilty to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping to spare the community a long, painful trial and allow the Closs family to heal.

Patterson is accused of abducting Jayme from her home near Barron after killing James and Denise Closs in October. He held Jayme captive in a remote cabin for 88 days before she escaped.

___

This item has been updated to correct that commenting defense attorney is Charles Glynn, not Richard Jones.

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2:10 p.m.

Wisconsin teenager Jayme Closs says she wants to see the man who kidnapped her and killed her parents "locked up forever."

Jayme's words were read Friday at the sentencing hearing for Jake Patterson. The 21-year-old admitted kidnapping her and killing her parents in a carefully planned attack last October.

The 13-year-old didn't appear in court Friday, but her guardian read a statement from her.

Jayme wrote that Patterson "thought that he could own me, but he's wrong. I was smarter."

Patterson held Jayme for 88 days at his isolated northern Wisconsin cabin before she escaped.

She says Patterson "thought he could make me like him. But he was wrong." She also said Patterson "will never have any power over me."

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1:50 p.m.

Members of Jayme Closs' family are asking a Wisconsin judge to sentence the man who kidnapped her and killed her parents to the maximum amount of time in prison.

Twenty-one-year-old Jake Patterson pleaded guilty in March to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping.

He admitted to abducting Jayme from her home near Barron after killing James and Denise Closs, in October. He held Jayme captive in a remote cabin for 88 days before she escaped.

Jayme's aunt Sue Allard began a sentencing hearing Friday by telling the judge that she fell to the ground and screamed when she got learned Jayme had vanished and her parents were dead. She says Jayme lost everything.

Aunt Jennifer Smith said Jayme no longer has a 13-year-old's life. She says her family lives in fear every day.

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8 a.m.

A Wisconsin man could spend the rest of his life behind bars for kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents.

Twenty-one-year-old Jake Patterson pleaded guilty in March to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. He admitted to abducting Jayme after killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, in October.

Jayme was held captive in a remote cabin for 88 days before she escaped.

A judge will sentence Patterson on Friday. He faces up to life in prison without release on each homicide count, and up to 25 years in prison on the kidnapping count. Wisconsin does not have the death penalty.

Members of Jayme's family are expected to speak at Friday's hearing. Patterson also has the option of addressing the court.WASHINGTON (AP) - The Botswanan government has enlisted a public relations firm with deep ties to Hollywood to push back against the bad publicity generated by the southern African nation's decision to lift its ban on elephant hunting.

42 West, a firm mostly known for its work with celebrities and the film industry, notified the U.S. Justice Department last week that it will be working with Botswana's tourism ministry, according to a filing made under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

The firm will be paid $125,000 over the next two months - with the possibility of more work to come - for developing talking points and a communications plan that "articulates Botswana's policy on elephant hunting" that will be delivered to "key U.S. and other Western audiences," according to its filing.

That puts 42 West in an awkward spot. Big-game hunting is a deeply divisive issue, particularly in Hollywood, and numerous celebrity activists have spoken out against killing the world's largest land mammal for sport, including some calls for a tourism boycott of Botswana.

Among the firm's clients is actress Meryl Streep, who has been a vocal opponent of the sale and importation of ivory, which in 2014 she called a "product of horrific cruelty to elephants, who could very well become extinct within decades if we don't act now."

Allan Mayer, a principal with 42 West who is leading the effort, declined to comment on Friday. Streep publicist Leslee Dart, a 42 West co-CEO who is named in the filing, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

FILE - In this March 3, 2013 file photo elephants drink water in the Chobe National Park in Botswana. Botswana's government says it has lifted its ban on elephant hunting, a decision that is likely to bring protests from wildlife protection groups. (AP Photo/Charmaine Noronha, File)

Botswana has been a relatively safe refuge for elephants on a continent where illegal poaching and habitat loss has sent their numbers into sharp decline. The country is home to an estimated 130,000 African elephants - about a third of all that remain.

After its initial announcement on Thursday was met with social media blowback, the Botswanan government clarified on Friday that it plans to issue no more than 400 elephant hunting permits per year.

Elephant hunting is already legal in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa. With a population of just over 2 million people, Botswana has more space than some of its more densely populated neighbors for elephant herds to roam. Still, the government said there have been a growing number of conflicts between elephants and humans - especially farmers.

Groups lobbying in favor of trophy hunting, such as U.S.-based Safari Club International, have long argued that the fees paid by well-heeled American and European hunters provide essential revenue for cash-strapped African governments to fund anti-poaching and conservation programs. A licensed two-week elephant hunting safari can cost more than $50,000 per person, not including airfare, according to advertised rates.

The African elephant has been classified as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act since 1978. Though President Donald Trump has decried big-game hunting on Twitter as a "horror show," his administration has reversed Obama-era restrictions on the importation of elephant trophies from Zimbabwe and Zambia. Elephants have long been hunted for their hides and tusks, either for taxidermy trophies or ivory used for carving and jewelry making.

Botswana's hunting ban was put in place under a previous president, Ian Khama, an outspoken conservationist. But the current president, Mokgweeti Masisi, has advocated for reopening the nation to hunting, and the decision to lift the ban comes ahead of general elections in October.

Masisi raised eyebrows earlier this month when he gave stools made of elephant feet to regional leaders while hosting a meeting on the animals' fate.

The American talk show host Ellen DeGeneres tweeted Tuesday: "President Masisi, for every person who wants to kill elephants, there are millions who want them protected. We're watching. #BeKindToElephants."

___

Associated Press writer Cara Anna contributed to this report from Johannesburg, South Africa.

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Follow Slodysko at http://twitter.com/brianslodysko and Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseckBAGHDAD (AP) - Thousands of supporters of an Iraqi populist Shiite cleric held sit-ins around Iraq on Friday night, saying their country should not be a battlefield between the United States and Iran.

The sit-ins come days after a rocket slammed into Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling U.S. Embassy. No injuries were reported and no group claimed responsibility.

Last week, the U.S. ordered the evacuation of nonessential diplomatic staff from Iraq amid unspecified threats from Iran. The White House has also sent warships and bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter the alleged Iranian threats.

In Baghdad, more than 3,000 people gathered Friday night in central Tahrir Square chanting "no to war" and "yes to peace." In the southern city of Basra, Iraq's third largest, more than 2,000 men and women gathered for a similar sit-in.

The demonstrators are supporters of influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who recently said that any political party that would drag Iraq into a U.S.-Iran war "would be the enemy of the Iraqi people."

"The aim of these demonstrations is to distance Iraq from any war," said cleric Ibrahim al-Jabiri, a member of al-Sadr's movement, as supporters stood by waving Iraqi flags and white roses signaling peace.

Followers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr chant pro-peace slogans during a sit-in at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, May 24, 2019. Thousands of supporters of an Iraqi populist Shiite cleric held sit-ins around Iraq saying their country should not be a battlefield between the United States and Iran. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)

Al-Jabiri added that the Iraqi government should be "strong and courageous to prevent such a war as Iraqis could be the victims of such a war."

There have been concerns recently that Iraq could once again get caught in the middle. The country hosts more than 5,000 U.S. troops, and is home to powerful Iranian-backed militias, some of whom want those U.S. forces to leave.

For the Shiite-majority Iraq to be a theater for proxy wars is not new. It lies on the fault line between Shiite Iran and the mostly Sunni Arab world, led by powerhouse Saudi Arabia, and has long been the setting in which the Saudi-Iran rivalry for regional supremacy played out.

After America's 2003 invasion of Iraq to oust dictator Saddam Hussein, American troops and Iranian-backed militiamen fought pitched battles around the country, and scores of U.S. troops were killed or wounded by sophisticated Iranian-made weapons.

"Iraqi should stay away from this war. There are foreign parties that want to get Iraq involved in this war," said protester Salam al-Darraji.KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) - Thousands of Islamists in Sudan long allied with ousted president Omar al-Bashir's regime are rallying to support military-backed Islamic rule in the face of alleged attempts by protesters to abolish it.

Friday's rally in the capital Khartoum was called by Nusrat al-Sharia and Rule of Law, a coalition of Islamic parties. Protesters chanted, "Freedom, peace, justice and Shariah are the people's choice."

Demonstrators gathered in a street leading to the presidential palace but security forces blocked off roads to the palace.

Mohammad Abdel-Kareem, vice president of the coalition, says the rally is a message to the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change "that (Islamists) have a say in Sudan." The FDFC represents the demonstrators who helped bring about the military overthrow of al-Bashir on April 11 after nearly four months of protests..DENVER (AP) - Authorities said Friday they raided hundreds of black market marijuana operations in Colorado that flouted the state's cannabis law by growing tens of thousands of plants in Denver-area homes and selling the drugs out of state.

Investigators seized more than 80,000 plants and 4,500 pounds (2,040 kilograms) of harvested marijuana, state and federal prosecutors said at a news conference. Officers raided 247 homes and eight businesses and arrested 42 people in Denver and seven nearby counties.

State law allows up to 12 marijuana plants per residence for personal use, but some of the homes had more than 1,000 and many had hundreds, said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn.

Colorado and nine other states have broadly legalized marijuana use but it remains illegal under federal law. That has created tension between some state and federal officials.

But George Brauchler, district attorney for the south and east Denver suburbs, stressed the investigation was a joint state-federal operation, not the U.S. Department of Justice imposing its will on Colorado.

"Make no mistake, we are equal partners in this," Brauchler said.

Dave Young, 17th Judicial District Attorney, center, makes a point while U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn, left, and George Brauchler, 18th Judicial District Attorney, listen during a news conference to announce the arrest of 42 people this week in one of the largest black market marijuana enforcement actions in the history of Colorado Friday, May 24, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

State and federal officials said the nearly three-year investigation showed that illegal marijuana trafficking mushroomed after voters approved recreational use in 2012.

Dunn said Colorado has become the epicenter for a nationwide black market in marijuana.

Brauchler warned that Colorado is becoming "the wild West of weed." He said the provision in the law that allows small-scale home marijuana cultivation opened the door to big, illegal operations.

Brauchler warned that other states considering allowing home marijuana plants could expect the same but added he was not trying to discourage them from doing so.

"I think states are entitled to do whatever they want," he said. "But they need to know the reality of this."

Mason Tvert, a spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, which advocates for decriminalizing marijuana, questioned how prosecutors know that Colorado's law attracted illegal growers.

"Did they conduct a survey of illegal marijuana cultivators to determine why they decided to operate where they did?" he said. "Are they able to know whether those operations existed prior to legalization or not?"

Tvert blamed the illegal operations on states that still ban marijuana, and said if they legalized and regulated it as Colorado does, there would be little illegal production.

Dunn said investigators plan to use federal forfeiture laws to seize 41 homes, 25 vehicles and $2.2 million in cash connected to the marijuana operations.

He said the 41 homes have an average market value of $400,000.

"These grow operations are not occurring in abandoned houses or poor parts of the metro area," he said. "These are happening in middle- and upper-class neighborhoods where many of us live and raise families, and they're occurring all over the metro area."

William McDermott of U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency said the Colorado operations did not appear to be violent. He said officers seized a few guns but would not say how many.

Sixteen of the suspects were arrested on federal drug charges and 26 on state charges.

___

Follow Dan Elliott at http://twitter.com/DanElliottAP.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - An internal Indianapolis police investigation has determined that a detective didn't violate department policies by working with USA Gymnastics' former chief executive to deflect criticism of the organization's child abuse reporting policies.

The Metropolitan Police Department conducted a monthslong probe into the actions of Lt. Bruce Smith, the Indianapolis Star reported. The police supervisor, an acquaintance of ex-USA Gymnastics CEO Steve Penny, formerly ran the department's Child Abuse Unit.

Aliya Wishner, an IMPD spokeswoman, called the internal affairs probe "detailed," but noted investigators were "unsuccessful in obtaining all of the statements sought in this instance due to the unwillingness of external individuals with knowledge of the situation to cooperate with the investigation, as well as indictments in other jurisdictions."

"Absent additional information, Internal Affairs found no violation of IMPD policy or procedure," she said.

Penny, who resigned as CEO in 2017, was indicted last year in Texas and accused of ordering the removal of documents related to former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar's activities at Karolyi Ranch, the elite national team training center near Huntsville, Texas. Penny has pleaded not guilty.

Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison in 2018 after hundreds of girls and women said he molested them during treatment.

IMPD Chief Brian Roach ordered the internal affairs probe after the newspaper revealed the possible collaboration between Smith and Penny in November.

The U.S. Olympic Committee commissioned a report in December showing Smith and Penny conversed throughout the summer of 2016. Penny contacted Smith for his help to "kill the story," according to the report. One text message stated: "We need to body slam the other sources."

Emails the newspaper obtained from IMPD through a public records request revealed that Smith wrote a press release defending USA Gymnastics, and sent it to Penny for review and recommendations. Smith also helped a Virginia attorney the USA Gymnastics had hired to combat undesirable media coverage. IMPD never officially published the release.

These discussions happened around the time Smith contacted the newspaper's reporters via text before their first USA Gymnastics story appeared in 2016. In the text, Smith said the journalists were "barking up the wrong tree." He also dismissed one of their sources as "disgruntled."

Facing dozens of sex-abuse lawsuits, USA Gymnastics filed for bankruptcy in December.

___

Information from: The Indianapolis Star, http://www.indystar.comNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A jury on Friday found a man guilty of first-degree murder in a shooting at a Nashville church two years ago that left a woman dead and seven wounded.

Jurors deliberated less than five hours before delivering the verdict against Emanuel Kidega Samson. He was found guilty on all 43 counts in the indictment.

Samson, 27, is black; the victims are white. Samson left a note about a 2015 shooting massacre at a South Carolina black church and aimed to kill at least 10 white churchgoers in revenge, Deputy District Attorney Amy Hunter said. Jurors are next considering a life sentence without parole, a decision that could be made as early as Tuesday.

Congregants of the multicultural Burnette Chapel Church of Christ testified during the four-day trial about the hail of bullets and the bloody scene that unfolded in front of them just after their Sunday worship service concluded. Some had the gunshot wounds to show for it.

After the verdict was read, they poured into the hallway, cried and hugged each other.

Burnette's minister, Joey Spann, remembered Samson as a different man years ago when he once was a member of Spann's church, well before the shooting. The preacher, who lost a finger in the shooting spree, said his congregants haven't even heard "I'm sorry" from Samson.

Emanuel Kidega Samson sits in court as the verdict is read in his murder trial Friday, May 24, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Samson was found guilty of first-degree murder in a shooting at a Nashville church two years ago that left a woman dead and seven wounded. Jurors deliberated less than five hours before finding Samson guilty on all 43 counts in the indictment. (Shelley Mays/The Tennessean via AP, Pool)

"I hope that that other Emanuel Samson comes back," Spann said following the verdict. "I also hope he comes back to him in jail for the rest of his life."

The September 2017 shooting rampage killed 38-year-old Melanie L. Crow of Smyrna, Tennessee. She was shot in the church parking lot while she walked out to her car to get a cough drop, dropping her Bible and notes, Hunter said.

"Melanie touched and left an impression on everyone she met," Crow's sister, Bridget Polson, testified. "She had a big heart, a beautiful smile, and an uplifting soul."

Samson testified that he didn't remember committing the crime. He said his mental health disorders have caused lapses in memory and constant shifts from feelings of ecstasy to the thoughts of suicide he said he experienced the morning of the shooting. He said he's on medication now in jail and his thoughts have "slowed down drastically." He said his memory kicks in at the tail end of the church shooting, when he was shot in the chest during a tussle with a congregant who authorities say saved lives.

To undermine Samson's testimony, prosecutors replayed jail calls from the month after the shooting in which he and his ex-girlfriend laugh about the victims and brag about how good he looked in media coverage. They called his spotty-at-best memory a convenient way to avoid answering hard questions on the witness stand.

Samson also said he couldn't remember writing the note that cited white supremacist Dylann Roof's massacre at a black church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015. The note, found in his car outside the church, included a reference to the red, black, and green Pan-African flag, sometimes called RBG. Additionally, prosecutors said Samson swung his gun by two African American churchgoers during the shooting, skipping over them.

"Dylann Roof is less than nothing," the note read, according to Hunter. "The blood that 10 of your kind will shed is that of the color upon the RBG flag in terms of vengeance." The note included an expletive and ended with a smiley face, Hunter said.

Samson said he did remember writing what the defense described as a suicide note to his then-girlfriend that day.

The judge had limited what could be said in front of jurors about Samson's mental illnesses. Defense attorney Jennifer Lynn Thompson said the case was deemed not to meet the criteria for an insanity defense.

Before the trial, the judge largely shielded details about the case from public view. At an open hearing in April, it was revealed that a psychiatrist diagnosed Samson with "schizoaffective disorder bipolar type" and post-traumatic stress disorder after an abusive, violent upbringing.

With the jury out of the room, Samson's father at one point testified that he unsuccessfully tried to persuade authorities to take away Samson's guns after he sent a suicidal text in the summer of 2017.

Prosecutors also said the shooting revealed a true-life hero.

Churchgoer Robert Caleb Engle, 24, testified that during the rampage, he twice confronted the gunman, who was wearing a tactical vest and a motorcycle-style mask with a clown smile on it. Engle said he was pistol-whipped three times in the head. At one point, he pushed the gun back on the shooter and a shot fired, striking the gunman and sending him to the ground.

Engle said his father kicked the gun away, stood on the shooter's hand and told Engle to go get his gun out of his truck.

Engle came back with his weapon, put his foot on the shooter's back and stood guard until first responders arrived.

Burnette Chapel Church of Christ member Brenda Enderson hugs a family member of Melanie Crow, a victim in a 2017 church shooting, before the verdict is announced in the trial of Emanuel Samson on Friday, May 24, 2019. Samson was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2017 shooting at a Nashville church that left a woman dead and seven wounded. Jurors deliberated less than five hours before finding Samson guilty on all 43 counts in the indictment. (Shelley Mays/The Tennessean via AP, Pool)BRUSSELS (AP) - As British Prime Minister Theresa May announced her departure with a Brexit plan nowhere near success, European Union leaders offered kind words. But it was quite another matter during the years of negotiations with the bloc that often produced exasperation, miscommunication and even some ridicule of her.

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, whose office led the Brexit negotiations, on Friday called May "a woman of courage for whom he has great respect," saying he watched her resignation speech "without personal joy."

And Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said: "I just want to express my full respect for Theresa May and for her determination."

But they expressed plenty of frustration during the rocky ride that May engineered over nearly three years that saw good relations go sour.

After the U.K.'s 2016 referendum in which voters decided to leave the EU, officials in Europe complained that May waited almost a year to begin the negotiations and that her team was ill-prepared for the task and later turned on her after failing to make progress. They were dismayed after she called a general election in June 2017 to bolster her Conservative Party's numbers to help the negotiations, only to lose its majority and weaken her government. That made her beholden to special Northern Ireland interests that complicated the talks.

Perhaps the lowest point came in September 2018 at Salzburg Castle when EU president Donald Tusk publicly mocked her for being too greedy in the negotiations.

In this Monday, Dec. 4, 2017 file photo, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, right, walks behind British Prime Minister Theresa May prior to addressing a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels. As May announced her departure with a Brexit plan nowhere near success, European Union leaders offered kind words. But it was quite another matter during the years of negotiations with the bloc that often produced exasperation, miscommunication and even some ridicule of her. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)

"A piece of cake, perhaps? Sorry, no cherries," Tusk wrote in an Instagram photo of him offering May a dessert tray. It was a withering, undiplomatic jibe that accused her of cherry-picking the best parts of EU legislation while discarding what she disliked.

Two months after Salzburg, May somehow agreed to a withdrawal agreement that included enough guarantees for Ireland that all 27 member states could live with it.

In December, May apparently misinterpreted a comment by Juncker at an EU summit in Brussels and tempers frayed. She confronted him, seething, "What did you call me? You called me 'nebulous?'"

Juncker was seen shaking his head, apparently replying: "No I didn't."

But then came the shock for Europe that May could not sell the deal to her own Conservative Party, failing three times to get it through Parliament.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, while saying he respected May but not British politics, compared her to the hapless Black Knight in a Monty Python sketch. The knight has both arms and legs cut off, but still refuses to surrender and tells his opponent to call it a draw.

On Friday, May announced that she will step down as Conservative Party leader June 7, which will trigger a contest to choose a successor who will try to complete Brexit as the next British prime minister.

After her speech, Rutte didn't mention the Black Knight but instead expressed his "thanks and respect for Theresa May."

He did add however that "the deal between the EU and the United Kingdom for an orderly Brexit remains on the table."

EU leaders could soon look back longingly at the May era.

One possible successor, former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, in 2016 compared the EU's aims to those of Adolf Hitler, arguing the bloc was trying to create a superstate that mirrors the attempt of the Nazi leader to dominate the European continent. At the time, Tusk called the comment "absurd."

Barnier, the EU negotiator, refused to contemplate what the future would hold if Johnson or any other pro-Brexit politician became the next prime minister.

"What could happen now? Let me just clearly say here in Brussels that it is for the U.K. to decide. Nobody else." he said.

If a new prime minister withdraws Britain from the EU without an orderly transition plan, there could be high economic costs for all involved.

"It now means we enter a new phase when it comes to Brexit and a phase that may be a very dangerous one," said Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.

"Whatever happens, we are going to hold our nerve," Varadkar said.

___

Associated Press writer Lorne Cook contributed.

___

Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit

In this Wednesday, April 10, 2019 file photo, European Council President Donald Tusk, left, speaks with British Prime Minister Theresa May, center, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, second left, prior to a dinner during an EU summit in Brussels. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool Photo via AP, File)

In this Friday, Oct. 20, 2017 file photo, British Prime Minister Theresa May waits for the arrival of European Council President Donald Tusk prior to a bilateral meeting at an EU summit in Brussels. As May announced her departure with a Brexit plan nowhere near success, European Union leaders offered kind words. But it was quite another matter during the years of negotiations with the bloc that often produced exasperation, miscommunication and even some ridicule of her. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, Pool, File)

In this Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019 file photo, protestors in costume and wearing Union and EU flags demonstrate against the Brexit process outside EU headquarters in Brussels. As British Prime Minister Theresa May announced her departure with a Brexit plan nowhere near success, European Union leaders offered kind words. But it was quite another matter during the years of negotiations with the bloc that often produced exasperation, miscommunication and even some ridicule of her.(AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)

In this Thursday, April 11, 2019 file photo, British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during a media conference at the conclusion of an EU summit in Brussels. As May announced her departure with a Brexit plan nowhere near success, European Union leaders offered kind words. But it was quite another matter during the years of negotiations with the bloc that often produced exasperation, miscommunication and even some ridicule of her. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)

British Prime Minister Theresa May reacts as she turns away after making a speech in the street outside 10 Downing Street in London, England, Friday, May 24, 2019. Theresa May says she'll quit as UK Conservative leader on June 7, sparking contest for Britain's next prime minister. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

In this Tuesday, April 2, 2019 file photo, an anti Brexit protester looks at placards showing pictures of British politicians as she demonstrates outside the Houses of Parliament in London. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)WASHINGTON (AP) - A new indictment against Julian Assange could further delay what was already expected to be a protracted battle to get the WikiLeaks founder out of a London jail cell and into a U.S. court, opening the door for his legal team to argue that the Espionage Act charges are political and thus not covered by an extradition treaty between the two countries.

U.S. authorities want to extradite Assange to face charges that he directed the publication of a huge trove of secret documents that disclosed the names of people who provided confidential information to American and coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Assange, 47 and originally from Australia, is serving a 50-week sentence in London after being evicted from the Ecuadorian Embassy in April. He has insisted he will fight extradition.

Though the United States and the United Kingdom have a longstanding extradition treaty, one exception is for political offenses. The criteria aren't clearly spelled out, but Assange and his lawyers are likely to use the charges filed Thursday to argue that the Justice Department wants to put him on trial for crimes that are inherently political in that they involve the acquisition and publication of government secrets.

"At least on the face of it, it seems like it would complicate the ability of the United States to extradite Assange from the U.K. because we often think of espionage as one type of political offense," said Ashley Deeks, a University of Virginia law professor and national security and international law expert.

She said she regarded an initial indictment made public last month - charging Assange with a single count of conspiring with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to hack a Defense Department computer password - as an attempt to "thread the needle and allege an underlying offense that did not seem like a political offense."

FILE - In this May 1, 2019, file photo, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange puts his fist up as he is taken from court in London. The Justice Department has charged Assange with receiving and publishing classified information. The charges are contained in a new, 18-count indictment announced May 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

Whether the new Espionage Act charges fit the traditional definition of espionage, and by extension a political offense, may be murkier. "The question remains, how will the U.K. decision-makers think about this case," Deeks said.

That view was echoed by Stephen Vladeck, a national security law professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

"I don't think it's an especially meritorious argument that the new charges against Assange would fall within that exception, but it's certainly a more plausible argument than the original indictment," Vladeck said. "Now Assange's lawyers can argue with a straight face to a British court that some of what he's being prosecuted for is politically motivated."

Assange's lawyer, Barry Pollack, hinted at that argument after the new indictment was announced Thursday, saying "the fig leaf that this is merely about alleged computer hacking has been removed."

A senior Justice Department official, who discussed the prosecution with reporters Thursday on the condition of anonymity, wouldn't go into detail on how the new indictment might affect extradition, saying that Assange will have a "full and fair opportunity to raise all legal objections that he can, and a British judge will rule."

The extradition process was always going to be complicated in this case.

Swedish prosecutors have said they are reviving a rape investigation of Assange and will also seek his extradition. It's not clear which country would get Assange first. It will be up to a British court - as well as a senior Cabinet official with final say on extradition matters - to determine which claim takes priority.

One factor that may tip in favor of the U.S. is that British authorities tend to have less tolerance for disclosure of national security secrets, Vladeck said. On the other hand, he said, British authorities could also be wary of extraditing a defendant who faces the prospect of a long prison sentence.

Assange faced a maximum sentence in the first indictment of five years. Each of the 17 Espionage Act counts he faces in Thursday's indictment carries a maximum 10-year sentence.

No matter what happens, Vladeck added, "Extradition cases, even routine ones, are often so much more about the politics than the law."

___

Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAPWASHINGTON (AP) - Mexico would like the United States to speed up projects announced in December for Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador that involve $5.8 billion in investment, the country's foreign minister said Friday.

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said the funds are a good fit for a development plan for Central America's Northern Triangle that he shared with President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan.

"What we are saying is well, speed up those projects. That commitment has been already made," said Ebrard, referring to the December U.S aid announcement aimed at providing better security and economic conditions in Central America to allow residents to stay instead of migrating north.

A State Department spokesperson for Western Hemisphere Affairs told The Associated Press the U.S. looks forward to continued dialogue with Mexico over how support from Washington may complement recommendations of the U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, or ECLAC, development plan announced on May 20.

Ebrard brought with him to Washington a plan presented earlier this week in Mexico by ECLAC which is designed to boost development in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

Mexico is appealing to the international community to jointly finance the seven projects included in the plan's roadmap. Ebrard will present the plan next week in Germany.

Mexico's foreign minister described it as not a traditional plan of regional aid but a strategic decision similar to the one made in the 1990s to create a North American common market.

"Of course we don't expect (United States) to reply to us immediately because it is very complex thing that we are talking about," he said.

Since taking office Dec. 1, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has pushed the idea of developing southern Mexico together with Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador as the best option for stemming the flow of migrants.

Mexico and the Central American countries have already budgeted at least $30 billion over the next five years for development projects, according to Ebrard.

The U.S. and Mexico have been discussing an arrangement under which the U.S. government would guarantee some $10 billion in development investments for Mexico and Central America, but Ebrard said there was no mention of those additional funds during his Friday meeting at the White House.

___

Luis Alonso Lugo on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/luisalonsolugoMEXICO CITY (AP) - Prosecutors in western Mexico say they have found five more bodies in an area where rival drug gangs have been battling for days.

Prosecutors in Michoacan state said the five charred bodies were found Friday in a burned-out pickup truck.

The truck was found on a rural road near the city of Uruapan. The bodies were 80% consumed in the fire.

On Wednesday, 10 people were shot to death near Uruapan in what authorities described as a confrontation between rival gangs.

They did not identify the gangs involved, but the Jalisco cartel and a small gang known as the Viagras have been active in the state.PHOENIX (AP) - A wrong-way crash on a rural highway in Arizona killed at least five people Friday, the latest in a string of recent fatal wrecks as the state struggles to combat the problem of drivers traveling in the wrong direction.

In the latest crash, an 82-year-old man from Nevada was driving the wrong way on a highway near the California and Nevada state lines, the Arizona Department of Public Safety said. He died at a hospital.

Few other details had been released, including whether anyone else was injured. State Trooper Vanessa L. Sevilla said she could not release the names of the victims until their families had been notified.

The wreck occurred about 14 miles (23 kilometers) southwest of the small Arizona town of Kingman on Interstate 40, a major east-west route that runs from central California to North Carolina.

The Arizona Department of Transportation said westbound lanes have partially reopened.

The problem of wrong-way drivers in Arizona has become so serious that state lawmakers last year made it a felony to drive the wrong way while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Traffic is stopped on Interstate 40 after a wrong-way crash Friday, May 24, 2019, near Kingman, Ariz. At least four people were confirmed dead in a wrong-way crash on a rural highway in the northwest part of Arizona, state troopers said Friday. The accident was just the latest in a string of fatal wrong-way wrecks this year in Arizona, which has a continuing problem with deadly crashes blamed on drivers headed the wrong way. (Vanessa Espinoza/Kingman Daily Minor via AP)

Transportation officials have installed a first-of-its-kind system to detect wrong-way drivers. Thermal cameras positioned at off-ramps along a 15-mile (24-kilometer) stretch of freeway in the Phoenix area alert authorities when a vehicle enters the freeway in the wrong direction.

Larger and lowered "Wrong Way" and "Do Not Enter" signs also have been installed on hundreds of freeway ramps and overpasses in Phoenix and rural state highways.

In another wrong-way wreck in Arizona earlier this month, a female driver slammed head-on into a vehicle on Interstate 10 in southern Arizona, killing a woman and her two adult sons. A third son was hospitalized with serious injuries. The woman traveling alone in the car that caused the May 5 crash also died.

Four people died in March when a pickup truck traveling the wrong way on a remote stretch of Interstate 10 in western Arizona collided head-on with a van carrying British indie-pop duo Her's.

Bandmates Stephen Fitzpatrick and Audun Laading were killed along with their tour manager Trevor Engelbrektson as they headed to California after a performance in Phoenix. The truck driver also died.

___

Associated Press writer Paul Davenport contributed from Phoenix.ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Wreckage on the ocean floor near a Japanese island must be from a fighter-bomber that crashed in 1945 with an American pilot who is still listed as missing in action, according to a World War II researcher who recently visited the crash site.

The aircraft, lying on coral reef about 70 feet (21) meters down, is the same type of F4U-4 Corsair that 2nd Lt. John McGrath was flying when he crashed off Iriomote Jima in July 1945, researcher Justin Taylan said this week.

"This is the only American aircraft lost at that precise spot," said Taylan, the founder of Pacific Wrecks, an organization that researches and catalogues WWII crashes.

McGrath, of Troy, New York, is still officially listed by the U.S. military as one of nearly 73,000 American MIAs from WWII. He was 20 when his aircraft disappeared.

Taylan explored the wreckage during a scuba dive in March, along with a Japanese man who discovered the wreck in 1987.

Both wings, the engine and other parts lie approximately 300 yards (275 meters) from shore, a location where American pilots said they saw the plane go down.

FILE - In this October 1943 file photo provided by Catholic Central High School, four classmates in military uniform walk down the stairs at Catholic Central High School in Troy, N.Y. From left are John Marcil, John McGrath, Howard McAlonie and Alfred Mahoney. World War II researcher Justin Taylan says airplane wreckage on the ocean floor near Okinawa is from the fighter-bomber flown by McGrath, who's still listed as missing in action. (Catholic Central High School via AP, FILE)

Although no identifying markings are visible after 74 years in sea water, the coral-encrusted wreckage clearly is from the newer version of the Corsair that McGrath's Marine Corps aviation unit was flying at the end of the war, Taylan said.

Taylan, a former Pentagon contractor hired to research and find WWII crash sites in Papua New Guinea, became interested in McGrath's story in 2017, when he was contacted by the son of one of the missing pilot's old high school classmates.

After researching U.S. military records, Taylan enlisted the help of Kuentai, a Japanese group that searches WWII battlefields in the Pacific for the remains of Japanese and American servicemen.

In March, Taylan traveled to Iriomote Jima, 275 miles (440 kilometers) southwest of Okinawa. With Kuentai's help, he met island residents who witnessed McGrath's plane crash into the sea on July 21, 1945, during a bombing raid on Japanese defenses in the village of Sonai.

Japanese newspapers reported in 1988 that local officials and the U.S. consul general to Okinawa attended a memorial honoring remains pulled from the crash site. At the time, it was not known whose remains they were. Press coverage included a photo of the consul general standing over an American flag-draped box said to contain the remains.

Emails and phone messages requesting comment were left Thursday and Friday with officials from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the Pentagon office tasked with recovering the nation's missing war dead. Officials said they couldn't immediately provide information on McGrath's case and whether his remains were recovered.

As many families of missing veterans have, McGrath's has provided DNA samples to the agency in the hopes of finding a match, according to one of McGrath's nephews, Jack Law, a 74-year-old Vietnam War combat veteran and retired New York Army National Guard colonel.

"We're aggressively bringing closure on this one way or another," said Law. "We're not done, but we're close."

While home on military leave in 1943, McGrath was photographed for the Catholic Central High School yearbook along with three other classmates who also happened to be on leave. The image shows the four uniformed men descending a staircase: Coast Guardsman Jack Marcil, Marine pilot McGrath, Navy sailor Howard McAlonie and Army soldier Alfred Mahoney.

Mahoney died in 2005. McAlonie passed away in 2014. His son Michael, who accompanied Taylan on the trip to the crash site, said his father spent his final years often thinking about his classmate lost in the Pacific.

"I think it stayed with him his whole life," the younger McAlonie said.

Of the four servicemen in the yearbook photo, only Marcil is alive.

"Last man standing," Marcil, now 95, said from his home outside Albany.

In this March 24, 2019 photo provided by Justin Taylan of PacificWrecks.com, a scuba diver swims near the left wing wreckage of an F4U-4 Corsair fighter aircraft off Sonai, Iriomote Jima, in Japan. World War II researcher Justin Taylan says the airplane wreckage on the ocean floor near Okinawa is from the fighter-bomber flown by John McGrath, a U.S. pilot from New York who's still listed as missing in action. (Justin Taylan via AP)

This March 23, 2019 photo provided by Justin Taylan of PacificWrecks.com shows an aerial view of Sonai, Iriomote Jima, Japan. Taylan says airplane wreckage on the ocean floor near the island is from the fighter-bomber flown by 2nd Lt. John McGrath, a U.S. Marine Corps pilot from New York who's still listed as missing in action. (Justin Taylan via AP)

In this March 22, 2019 photo provided by Justin Taylan of PacificWrecks.com, Japanese elder Kinsei Ishigaki points to the crash site off the coast of Sonai, Iriomote Jima, Okinawa Prefecture in Japan, where the wreckage of an American fighter aircraft crashed into the water during World War II. Ishigaki saw the plane believed to be piloted by United States Marine Corps 2nd Lt. John McGrath crash into the ocean on July 21, 1945. World War II researcher Justin Taylan says airplane wreckage on the ocean floor near Okinawa is from the fighter-bomber flown by the U.S. pilot from New York who's still listed as missing in action. (Justin Taylan via AP)ALFRED, Maine (AP) - A Massachusetts priest who was defrocked for child sexual abuse and was portrayed in the movie "Spotlight" is going to prison for a second time - this time in Maine.

A judge on Friday ordered Ronald Paquin to serve 16 years in state prison for sexually abusing an altar boy during trips to Maine in the 1980s. Paquin, 76, already served more than 10 years in prison in Massachusetts for sexually abusing another altar boy in that state.

Justice Wayne Douglas said he didn't detect expressions of remorse or responsibility from Paquin, who he said betrayed the "sacred trust" of his victims. He imposed the maximum sentence of 20 years but suspended a portion of the sentence.

One of Paquin's victims, 45-year-old Keith Townsend, testified before the sentencing that Paquin's abuse sent him into a spiral of depression and drug abuse, and caused him to question his faith in God. The Associated Press does not normally identify victims of sexual abuse, but Townsend identified himself as the victim and gave permission for his name to be used.

Later, Townsend said he was satisfied with the sentence, and he hopes it motivates more victims to name their abusers.

"I just hope it shows victims who are still living in the shadows that they can come forward," Townsend said.

Former priest Ronald Paquin arrives for sentencing York County Superior Court, Friday, May 23, 2019, in Alfred, Maine. The defrocked Massachusetts priest was convicted for sexually abusing an altar boy years ago. Paquin spent more than 10 years in a prison in Massachusetts for sexually abusing another altar boy in that state. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Paquin was portrayed in the movie "Spotlight" about the Boston Globe investigation into abuse by Roman Catholic clergy and his case was a critical piece of a sexual abuse scandal that consumed the Archdiocese of Boston. Testimony against Paquin in the Maine case included allegations that he plied young victims with alcohol and allowed them to drive his car without a license. Victims alleged the abuse went on for years.

Paquin, who was defrocked 15 years ago, was convicted in late November on 11 of 24 counts of gross sexual misconduct. His attorneys said after court that he plans to appeal both the conviction and the sentence.

One of Paquin's attorneys read a statement during court that had been written by Paquin in which he said he is a victim of sexual abuse himself. The statement said he spent years "pretending that I was living a happy life with no problems," when he was actually traumatized by the abuse.

He was charged with assaulting two boys, one of whom was Townsend, between 1985 and 1988 in Kennebunkport when the victims were 14 years of age or younger. He spent more than 10 years in a prison in Massachusetts for sexually abusing another altar boy in that state, and then faced more charges in Maine for abuse.

Paquin was released from prison in 2015 after his completing his sentence in Massachusetts and then taken into custody in Maine. He faced a maximum of 20 years in prison, and prosecutors requested that he serve all of it because of his long pattern of winning his victims' trust so he could abuse them.

The case of Paquin's abuse of Townsend was an example of abusing power, they said.

"He's a young boy who is being told to respect this religious authority who's telling him what is happening to him is OK," prosecutor Justina McGettigan said in court. "He would be able to control their minds because of who he was in their lives."

Former priest Ronald Paquin arrives for sentencing York County Superior Court, Friday, May 23, 2019, in Alfred, Maine. The defrocked Massachusetts priest was convicted for sexually abusing an altar boy years ago. Paquin spent more than 10 years in a prison in Massachusetts for sexually abusing another altar boy in that state. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Former priest Ronald Paquin attends his sentencing York County Superior Court, Friday, May 23, 2019, in Alfred, Maine. The defrocked Massachusetts priest was convicted for sexually abusing an altar boy years ago. Paquin spent more than 10 years in a prison in Massachusetts for sexually abusing another altar boy in that state. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - Bail has been denied for a former Mississippi police officer charged in the killing of a woman with whom he was romantically involved.

News outlets report Circuit Judge John Gregory denied bail Friday for 38-year-old Mathew Kinne (KIHN'-ee), who is charged with murder.

City officials fired Kinne on Tuesday from his job at the Oxford Police Department, two days after 32-year-old Dominique Clayton was found shot to death in her home in Oxford.

Clayton's relatives say she and Kinne had been in a romantic relationship.

Clayton's mother, Bessie Clayton, had expressed outrage Wednesday after prosecutors told a different judge that they and defense lawyers might discuss bail.

Kinne is white, and Dominique Clayton was black. Her mother said Wednesday: "There is no justice for black people."

Oxford Police Officer Matthew Kinne, center, is escorted into a hearing by Lafayette County Sheriff Dept. Maj. Alan Wilburn at the Lafayette County Courthouse, Wednesday, May 22, 2019, in Oxford, Miss. Kinne is charged in the death of 32-year-old Dominique Clayton, who was found dead Sunday. (Bruce Newman/The Oxford Eagle via AP)

Kinne remains jailed.SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California lawmakers are headed toward a confrontation with Gov. Gavin Newsom over whether to keep a tax that can generate nearly $2 billion for low-income health benefits but means approval from the Trump administration amid a feud between state and federal officials.

Senate and Assembly budget committees finished their versions of the $214 billion annual budget this week and want to keep a tax on managed care organizations. The companies manage Medicaid plans in California, the joint federal-state program that provides health coverage for the poor and people with disabilities.

California uses the money from those taxes to pay its share of Medicaid costs, which then trigger payments from the federal government. When fully implemented, the tax saves the state about $1.8 billion.

The tax is set to expire June 30, and California needs permission from the federal government to keep it. Newsom is worried that might not happen and did not include it in his budget proposal.

California has a rocky relationship with President Donald Trump's administration. The state is poised to extend Medicaid to cover some adults in the country illegally , which goes against Trump's immigration policy.

State Attorney General Xavier Becerra also has filed at least 50 lawsuits challenging the administration's executive actions and policies. And the federal government last week canceled more than $1 billion it had promised to help California build a high-speed rail network.

Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at the California Chamber of Commerce's 94th Annual Sacramento Host Breakfast, Thursday, May 23, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. Newsom said housing and inequality are two of the biggest issues facing state government and California businesses. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

"I thought it would be imprudent to include it until we had more confidence," Newsom said of the tax.

Lawmakers disagree, noting that the federal government already has approved a similar tax for Michigan.

"Closed mouths don't get fed, as my father used to say," said Holly Mitchell, a Los Angeles Democrat who heads the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee. "I couldn't support not trying, based on an assumption because (Trump) changes his mind apparently every day."

The tax is unusual because many managed care organizations want to keep paying it. The money they send to the state is used to draw down federal cash that's sent back to them for providing coverage to Medicaid recipients.

"The stakes are too high for (the tax) to be disapproved or rejected," said Brianna Lierman, CEO of Local Health Plans of California, which represents managed care organizations. "We agree with and support the cautious approach to both structuring this tax and seeking approval for it. There is just too much to lose."

The Senate and Assembly will begin budget negotiations with Newsom next week. Lawmakers adopted his revenue projections, which call for a $21.5 billion surplus, the largest in at least 20 years. Lawmakers must pass a budget by June 15 or they stop getting paid.

The two legislative versions have vastly different health care proposals.

The Senate, following Newsom's lead, wants to tax people who don't have health insurance and use that money to help middle-income families pay their monthly insurance premiums.

The Assembly did not include money for that, with budget chairman Phil Ting saying representatives preferred to consider those options later this year. Advocates worry that would significantly delay new benefits.

The Senate also wants to expand Medicaid to include adults in the country illegally if they're between the 19 and 26 or at least 65 and older. But the Assembly only included money to cover young adults.

"Whenever you do a budget, there are thousands of phenomenal proposals that just don't make it in. And it's not that we don't care, it's really because we couldn't quite make room," said Ting, a San Francisco Democrat.

Another issue dividing lawmakers and the governor: How to improve the state's drinking water.

Health advocates say more than a million people in the state don't have access to clean drinking water because of problems with public water systems.

Newsom proposed a 95-cent tax on most residential water customers to help pay for improvements.

The Senate rejected the tax but recommended spending $150 million a year in existing tax dollars to make the improvements. The Assembly did not include any money for it, deferring the issue until later in the year.

California state Assembly Budget Committee chairman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, speaks with reporters at the state Capitol on Friday, May 24, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. The Assembly Budget Committee finalized its spending plan on Friday. Lawmakers are headed toward a confrontation with Gov. Gavin Newsom about whether to continue a tax that helps pay for low-income health care benefits. (AP Photo/Adam Beam)BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Idaho police captured a man Friday afternoon suspected of shooting and killing a motorist in northern Utah earlier this week after a two-day manhunt.

Officers arrested 45-year-old Jonathan Llana about 3:15 p.m. in an area of southern Idaho outside of Pocatello about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from where the suspect crashed his car into a canal Wednesday night after a police pursuit, according to news releases from Idaho State Police and the Utah Highway Patrol. LLana had broken into a house in the area and stolen an all-terrain vehicle, they said. No officers or residents were injured.

The Los Angeles man is charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with the Wednesday night shooting that killed Dennis Gwyther, 50, of Salt Lake City and injured Gwyther's passenger.

The victim's husband, Matt Gwyther, said in a statement he wants "swift justice" for the suspect and celebrated Llana's arrest on his Facebook account .

Matt Gwyther said in a Facebook post that he and Dennis Gwyther married on Dec. 10, 2013, the day gay marriage was legalized in Utah. He said Dennis Gwyther was the "love of his life" who enjoyed being the "bonus dad" to his two teenage children and enjoyed having fun and laughing.

He said Dennis Gwyther loved kidding around and playing jokes and was like a "kid inside an adult body." He said he loved gadgets and was a genius with technology, loved writing and did sound and lighting for clubs in Salt Lake City.

This undated booking photo provided by the Idaho State Police shows Jonathan Llana, 45. A search was underway Thursday, May 23, 2019 in southern Idaho for Llana, suspected of shooting and killing a motorist on a Utah highway, Idaho State Police said in a statement. (Idaho State Police via AP)

Dennis Gwyther was also a strong advocate for LGBTQ rights, his husband said.

Utah officials said the two victims were heading toward Idaho on Interstate 84 in northern Utah when the suspect fired multiple rounds at their vehicle. Idaho troopers chased Llana's vehicle until it crashed into a canal in southern Idaho. Llana then fled on foot, police said.

The motive of the shooting is still unknown, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Nick Street said.

Utah Bureau of Investigation Sgt. J.T. Jensen told reporters Friday night that it's unknown if the shooting was random, but that authorities believe it was unprovoked.

Gwyther worked as a flight attendant for SkyWest Airlines, company spokesman Wes Horrocks said. The company is shocked and saddened by the killing, Horrocks said.

___

McCombs reported from Salt Lake City.MONTGOMERY, N.Y. (AP) - The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James said Friday that it will investigate the fatal shooting of an unarmed man by a state police trooper on the shoulder of a highway north of New York City.

State police say 41-year-old Luke Patterson of Tannersville was fatally shot around 2 a.m. Thursday on Interstate 84 in the Orange County town of Montgomery. Patterson was a chef who had recently sold two restaurants he owned in Arcata, California, and returned to the Catskill village where his parents had a summer home, said Chris Cade, a longtime friend who runs a Tannersville art gallery.

State police have released only basic information so far to explain why the trooper opened fire. Troopers initially responded to a report of a disabled vehicle that had been abandoned in a traffic lane. After moving the car, they spotted Patterson walking alone along the westbound shoulder, officials said.

One of the troopers got out to speak with him while the second trooper drove alongside. At a news conference Thursday, state police Major Pierce Gallagher said the man "did not cooperate with the troopers, refused to comply with any commands and multiple times ignored the troopers."

When Patterson made a "sudden movement" to try and open the door of the police car, Gallagher said, the trooper on foot opened fire. Patterson was fatally wounded. Police haven't identified the troopers involved.

"I don't understand why the first choice was to shoot," Cade said. "He's not a violent person."

Patterson had visited friends around 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Tannersville area and had said he was heading home, Cade said. It's unclear why Patterson ended up in Montgomery, more than an hour's drive south.

Patterson was renovating a house to create a boutique wedding destination in the tiny mountain top village of Tannersville, Cade said. The village has undergone a tourism revival through the efforts of Patterson's mother, artist Elena Patterson, who implemented the "Paint Project" to create dramatic pastel paint schemes on downtown buildings.

Patterson was known for community service, Cade said. He staged large-scale Thanksgiving dinners for the homeless in Arcata and brought Fresh Air Fund kids from New York City to the Catskills. He sold Luke's Joint and The Other Place in Arcata in 2015.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, signed an executive order in 2015 directing the attorney general's office to review cases in which unarmed people are killed by police.

The executive order came in the wake of the death of Eric Garner, the New York City man who died after an officer allegedly put him in a banned chokehold. The intent is to avoid any potential favoritism local prosecutors might show in investigating police officers who often work closely with them on cases.

State police and the Orange County District Attorney's office had been investigating the shooting.WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump asked the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to resign, leaving yet another vacancy within the Department of Homeland Security.

Lee Francis Cissna told staff on Friday that his last day would be June 1, according to a copy of the email obtained by The Associated Press.

Cissna leads the agency responsible for legal immigration, including benefits and visas. With his departure, there are more than a dozen vacancies of top leadership positions at the sprawling, 240,000-employee department. Some are being temporarily filled, including secretary and inspector general. Cissna's position, like others, requires Senate confirmation.

Cissna had been on the chopping block last month amid a White House-orchestrated bloodbath that led to the resignation of Secretary Kirstjen (KEER'-sten) Nielsen, in part because aides felt he wasn't moving quickly enough to tighten immigration rules and push through complicated regulation changes.

But his job was saved, temporarily, after high-ranking Republicans spoke out about his record, particularly Sen. Chuck Grassley , who worked with Cissna for years. And it appeared he was back to business.

He told The Associated Press just two weeks ago that his agency was training dozens of U.S. border patrol agents to start screening immigrants arriving on the southwest border for asylum amid a surge in the number of families seeking the protection.

In this May 8, 2019, file photo, Lee Francis Cissna, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, sits for a photo in Laguna Niguel, Calif. President Donald Trump has asked Cisna to resign, leaving yet another vacancy within the Department of Homeland Security. Cissna told staff on Friday, May 24, that his last day would be June 1 (AP Photo/Amy Taxin, File)

Asylum officers conduct initial interviews of immigrants arriving on the border to determine whether they have a credible fear of returning to their countries or should be sent back. Those who pass the interviews are allowed to seek asylum before an immigration judge, but their cases may take years to wind through the backlogged immigration courts.

But Trump is dealing with a growing crisis as tens of thousands of Central American migrants cross the border each month, overwhelming the system, and he has been unable to deliver on his signature issue of reduced immigration and tighter border security.

Cissna told his staff in the email that he was grateful for their support and service, but offered no information on what was ahead.

"During the past 20 months, every day, I have passionately worked to carry out USCIS' mission to faithfully administer the nation's lawful immigration system," Cissna wrote to staff.

Earlier this week, administration officials said Ken Cuccinelli, the former attorney general of Virginia, would be taking a job at the department, but it wasn't clear what his role would be. A person familiar with the matter said Cuccinelli was being considered for Cissna's job, but it was unclear how that would work because the position requires Senate confirmation. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters within the administration.

Cuccinelli's name has been tossed around for months. He had also been considered for a position as an immigration czar, a job possibly housed within the White House, but officials said this week he would not be taking on that role.

Cuccinelli has in the past advocated for denying citizenship to the American-born children of parents living in the U.S. illegally, and limiting in-state tuition at public universities only to those who are citizens or legal residents.

A message sent to Cuccinelli wasn't immediately returned Friday.WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump's trip to Japan (all times local):

8:15 p.m.

President Donald Trump has greeted U.S. troops in Alaska while on his way to a state visit in Japan.

Trump shook hands and signed caps for the service members on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.

Air Force One stopped there to refuel before it continued on to Tokyo, where Trump is being welcomed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

As he walked across the tarmac, Trump said Alaska is a "nice stop" and commented about needing the fresh air.

President Donald Trump greets troops after landing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for a refueling stop en route to Japan Friday, May 24, 2019, in Anchorage. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

__

1:45 p.m.

Japan is ready to roll out the newest phase of its charm offensive targeting President Donald Trump as it welcomes him on a state visit, hoping to defuse the threat of potentially devastating U.S. tariffs on autos.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, arguably Trump's closest friend on the world stage, will continue a years-long campaign that so far appears to have spared Japan from far more debilitating U.S. actions.

The stakes are high. U.S. tariffs could cripple Japan's auto industry, while North Korea remains a destabilizing threat in the region.

Trump departed Washington for Tokyo on Friday.

President Donald Trump greets troops after landing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for a refueling stop en route to Japan Friday, May 24, 2019, in Anchorage. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - Ayanda Sibanda, a model with albinism, has invariably been called "yellow" or "white" by friends and even some relatives. But she hardly recalls anyone referring to her by her actual race.

"I am black, that's what I thought, but then I am always made to feel otherwise," said the 18-year old who was crowned Miss Albinism Zimbabwe on Friday night.

At the pageant, competitors and organizers spoke frankly about color and prejudice.

About 70,000 of Zimbabwe's estimated 16 million people are born with albinism, according to government figures. They often stand out, making them a subject at times of discrimination, ridicule and dangerously misguided beliefs.

"Some have superstitions that we can bring luck or cure HIV," said Brenda Mudzimu, organizer of the pageant, one of a growing number of such events in Africa .

In nearby Malawi and Tanzania, albinos are sometimes killed for their body parts for use in witchcraft. No such killings have been recorded in Zimbabwe. But people with albinism say life is still tough.

Ayanda Sibanda smiles, after being crowned Miss Albinism Zimbabwe 2019 at an albino pageant held in Harare, early Saturday, May 25, 2019. About 70,000 of Zimbabwe's estimated 16 million people are born with albinism, according to government figures. They often stand out, making them a subject at times of discrimination, ridicule and dangerously misguided beliefs. The Mr. and Miss Albinism Zimbabwe competition, now in its second year, is a chance to push back. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

The Mr. and Miss Albinism Zimbabwe competition, now in its second year, is a chance to push back.

"I want it to be normal for an albino girl to achieve without it being a newspaper headline," Ayanda told The Associated Press. "They never say a black girl won Miss Zimbabwe. But if I were to win it, they would all say an albino girl won."

Friday night's crown was her second in just weeks. Last month she was crowned second princess of Miss Teen Zimbabwe. "It was open to every race," she said. But she said she has been told she lost some other pageants only because of her albinism.

She and others, including university students and a nurse, strutted down the tiny runway Friday night to Ed Sheeran's hit song "Perfect," posed for judges and answered questions to cheers from the crowd.

The loudest cheers were for the male models, competing for the first time.

"My God, he is such a hunk," shouted one woman in the crowd. "This is what I call a real man," yelled another as the eventual winner of Mr. Albinism, Edson Mambinge, a 21-year-old fitness trainer, strolled by.

"When I am modelling, albinism is not my peculiarity. My fitness is," Mambinge said.

Amping up the energy, poet Rufaro Chinyanga went lyrical to unpack the racial complexities.

"Walking down the streets I hear these voices, 'You ghost, you pig, you half caste' and I go home with my heart in my hands and I say, 'Mother, tell me the truth, did you have an affair with a white man?' And she looks at me and says, 'My son, you are just white yet black, black as they are.'"

The crowd snapped fingers in eager response.

"These are life experience lyrics. I am speaking on behalf of myself and for all the people with albinism," Chinyanga said afterward.

The battle to impress pageant judges started three days earlier at a boot camp with lessons in catwalking and confidence-building. Beauty pageants are popular in this southern African country, and even pre-school children compete for regional titles.

Putting this event together was a "nightmare," however, because of lack of adequate sponsorship, said organizer Mudzimu.

Winners walked away with mobile phones, and the Miss Albino winner will attend a confidence-building and women's workshop in neighboring Botswana, she said. The male winner will travel to neighboring South Africa for a grooming session.

Mudzimu said she hoped more sponsors will chip in as the pageant grows and gains more popularity "like the so-called normal ones."

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa

Edson Mambinge, centre, is accompanied on stage after winning the Mr Albinism Zimbabwe 2019 at an albino pageant held in Harare, early Saturday, May 25, 2019. About 70,000 of Zimbabwe's estimated 16 million people are born with albinism, according to government figures. They often stand out, making them a subject at times of discrimination, ridicule and dangerously misguided beliefs. The Mr. and Miss Albinism Zimbabwe competition, now in its second year, is a chance to push back. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Contestants are seen during rehearsals for the Miss Albinism Zimbabwe 2019 at an event in Harare, Friday, May 24, 2019. About 70,000 of Zimbabwe's estimated 16 million people are born with albinism, according to government figures. They often stand out, making them a subject at times of discrimination, ridicule and dangerously misguided beliefs. The Mr. and Miss Albinism Zimbabwe competition, now in its second year, is a chance to push back. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Edson Mambinge is crowned Mr Albinism Zimbabwe 2019 at an albino pageant held in Harare, early Saturday, May 25, 2019. About 70,000 of Zimbabwe's estimated 16 million people are born with albinism, according to government figures. They often stand out, making them a subject at times of discrimination, ridicule and dangerously misguided beliefs. The Mr. and Miss Albinism Zimbabwe competition, now in its second year, is a chance to push back. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

A contestant walks on stage, during the Mr and Miss Zimbabwe Albinism pageant held in Harare, early Saturday, May 25, 2019. About 70,000 of Zimbabwe's estimated 16 million people are born with albinism, according to government figures. They often stand out, making them a subject at times of discrimination, ridicule and dangerously misguided beliefs. The Mr. and Miss Albinism Zimbabwe competition, now in its second year, is a chance to push back. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Ayanda Sibanda, centre, smiles, after being crowned Miss Albinism Zimbabwe 2019 at an albino pageant held in Harare, early Saturday, May 25, 2019. About 70,000 of Zimbabwe's estimated 16 million people are born with albinism, according to government figures. They often stand out, making them a subject at times of discrimination, ridicule and dangerously misguided beliefs. The Mr. and Miss Albinism Zimbabwe competition, now in its second year, is a chance to push back. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Contestants wait to go on stage during the Mr and Miss Zimbabwe Albinism pageant held in Harare, early Saturday, May 25, 2019. About 70,000 of Zimbabwe's estimated 16 million people are born with albinism, according to government figures. They often stand out, making them a subject at times of discrimination, ridicule and dangerously misguided beliefs. The Mr. and Miss Albinism Zimbabwe competition, now in its second year, is a chance to push back. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Edson Mambinge, centre, is crowned Mr Albinism Zimbabwe 2019 at an albino pageant held in Harare, early Saturday, May 25, 2019. About 70,000 of Zimbabwe's estimated 16 million people are born with albinism, according to government figures. They often stand out, making them a subject at times of discrimination, ridicule and dangerously misguided beliefs. The Mr. and Miss Albinism Zimbabwe competition, now in its second year, is a chance to push back. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)A pink drink that enables surgeons to precisely target brain tumours has been rolled out across the NHS and could benefit 2,000 patients a year.

The drink, known as 5-ALA, uses fluorescent dye and ultraviolet light to make cancerous cells glow under UV light.

This enables surgeons to more precisely target brain tumour tissue during surgery to remove it, and helps to spare healthy brain cells.

There have also been calls in the House of Commons for more brain cancer patients to take part in clinical trials if dramatic improvements in fighting the disease are to be made.

Research suggests that the whole tumour can be successfully removed in 70.5% of cases where 5-ALA is used, up from about 30% without it.

The pink drink treatment has been available in some NHS hospitals but will now be available in every neurological centre in England, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

Dame Tessa Jowell had glioblastoma (PA)

The announcement comes a year after the death of Baroness Tessa Jowell from brain cancer.

The Labour MP was diagnosed with a glioblastoma, the most common cancerous brain tumour in adults, in May 2017, and went on to campaign for better funding and treatments for the disease.

Mr Hancock said: Tessa Jowell fought passionately and courageously for more recognition of rare brain cancers before she tragically passed away last year.

One year on, the effects of her tireless campaigning can already been seen.

I am proud to announce we have now rolled out this groundbreaking treatment aid across the country, transforming care for 2,000 patients every year  a fitting testament to Tessas memory.

A cancer diagnosis is life-changing, but I want every single patient to feel reassured that they have access to the best and fastest care in our wonderful NHS.

Speaking in the House of Commons, shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth paid tribute to his late Labour colleague

Mr Ashworth said: It is an extraordinary testament to Tessas bravery in the final harrowing months of her life that, when faced with a highly aggressive, very difficult to treat cancer, in full knowledge of the life expectancy associated with such a devastating cancer, Tessa led from the front, campaigning for better brain cancer treatment for others.

Mr Ashworth added: We live in hope of dramatic improvements, but further research is needed, when less than 2% of the 500 million spent on cancer research is dedicated to brain tumours.

He said: We also desperately need more involvement in clinical trials.

The numbers of brain cancer patients taking part in clinical trials is less than half the average across all cancers.

How will the Government encourage more trials and the sharing of data?

Mr Hancock responded: The truth is the amount of research money that went into brain cancer and, therefore, the amount of clinical trials, was too low.

Mr Hancock said just because brain cancer is difficult to treat doesnt mean we shouldnt try.

He said: We have increased the amount of research money going in. I am determined to see an increase in the number of clinical trials, and to make sure that the data from those trials is properly used and openly disseminated.

He said the NHS is very good at treating cancer once it is spotted, but said the UKs cancer survival rates need to improve through early diagnosis.

Mr Hancock said bringing in more equipment and more staff were also priorities for the NHS.

Emma Greenwood, Cancer Research UKs director of policy and public affairs, said: Brain tumours remain a huge challenge, with survival barely improving over the last 30 years, and making 5-ALA available across the NHS is one of Dame Tessa Jowells many legacies.Two senior Labour frontbenchers have thrown their weight behind calls for a second referendum on a cross-party Brexit deal to gain the backing of their MPs.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer warned it was impossible to see how an agreement between the Conservatives and his party could clear the Commons unless it guaranteed the deal would be put back to the public for a confirmatory vote.

And Labours deputy leader Tom Watson said he thought the way out of the impasse was a confirmatory ballot on Theresa Mays agreement, saying it would be difficult for his party to assist in the UKs exit from the EU without another referendum.

Ahead of the continuation of cross-party talks on Monday afternoon, Sir Keir told the Guardian that probably 120 if not 150 of the partys 229 MPs could vote against the deal unless it was linked to a second referendum.

And he said: Ive made it clear that at this stage, at this 11th hour, any deal that comes through from this Government ought to be subject to the lock of a confirmatory vote.

Mr Watson told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: If a deal could be found that inspires enough votes in Westminster then fine, but it seemed to me that thats very, very difficult.

Sir Keir Starmer said any deal `ought to be subject to the lock of a confirmatory vote (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

And so my idea of a confirmatory ballot is not a religious point or a point of ideology, its just how do you get an outcome, how do you sort this out?

And one way to do it are these two minority positions  the Prime Ministers deal and those that think the people should have a say on the deal  plug them together and you build a majority.

Mr Watson also described Labours position in relation to the European elections as a remain and reform party.

He is expected to plead in a speech to the Fabian Society on Monday for supporters to back Labour in the polls next week.

There are only two forces that can win this election  that nasty nationalism of the Farage Brexit Party, or the tolerant, compassionate outward looking patriotism of the Labour Party, Mr Watson will say.

I can only plead with Labour supporters- dont stay at home, dont put that cross elsewhere, dont let them win.

Last month Jeremy Corbyn saw off an attempt to commit the party to a confirmatory referendum on any Brexit deal, and Labour will instead only back a fresh vote only if it cannot either win the changes it wants to Mrs Mays deal or secure a general election.

Nigel Farage later said the idea of a confirmatory referendum was the most outrageous proposal he had ever seen and would lead to a party like the Brexit Party winning a majority in Parliament at the next general election.

Speaking during a walkabout in Pontefract, part of Labour MP Yvette Coopers constituency, Mr Farage said: A confirmatory vote, it sounds all nice and fluffy, what does it mean?

Nigel Farage is meeting voters in Pontefract this morning. pic.twitter.com/iKFTeNccxF  Amy Murphy (@AmyMurphyPA) May 13, 2019

It means we stay in the European Union as we are, or we nominally leave and stay permanently part of a customs union and with single market rules. They wouldnt even give the public the option of actually leaving. Its the most outrageous proposal Ive ever seen.

It wouldnt break the deadlock, it would just mean were not leaving the European Union. It would just mean, basically, the second referendum would be there, giving two choices to reverse the result of the first one. Its an outrage, it cannot happen.

I promise you this, if we get forced as a country into that choice of a referendum, therell be bigger change in British politics than anybody can even imagine.

(PA Graphics)

He added: If the Labour party and sections of the Tory party were to completely sell-out on any idea of a clean break then the Brexit Party, or something like it, would win a huge number of seats at the next general election and undoubtedly hold the balance of power in Westminster.

Housing Secretary James Brokenshire said a confirmatory referendum would be taking us in a different direction  thats actually saying well, were looking at this issue all over again and not giving effect to the original vote.

He described the cross party talks as very serious, adding: We wouldnt have committed all of the time and effort on all sides in relation to this.

"We are a remain and reform party."



Labour deputy leader @tom_watson says "remain is not on the ballot paper" in the EU elections but "narrow populism" and "nationalism" is, so voters should "look at the wider context of the political world we're in" #r4today pic.twitter.com/7pU4w8GTgz  BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) May 13, 2019

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said this week would be crunch week for cross-party Brexit negotiations, but rejected the possibility of a second referendum.

Speaking outside the EUs Foreign Affairs Council, Mr Hunt said: From a Conservative point of view, weve always said that we think that would be a betrayal of what people voted for, and we want to implement the first referendum.

But lets see where these talks go to.

Downing Street said the talks so far had been serious but difficult.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said Mrs May has made clear her views about a second public vote, insisting she was focused on delivering the result of the first referendum.

The Cabinet is expected to consider the progress of the talks in a meeting on Tuesday as frustration mounts in Westminster about the failure to secure a breakthrough.

If the cross-party approach is abandoned, Mrs May has signalled that a series of votes would be held in the Commons with the aim of finding a Brexit plan that could command a majority.

A Government source said that ministers had tried everything else.

Elsewhere, the Chancellors parliamentary aide, Huw Merriman, said the Tories will suffer an absolute mauling in next weeks European Parliament elections.

The public will blame the Conservative government because we were the party that brought forward the referendum, Mr Merriman told BBC Radio 4s Westminster Hour on Sunday night.(Adds Home Office source quotes in final 3 pars)

Swedish prosecutors are to reopen an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, deputy director of prosecutions Eva-Marie Persson announced.

She told a press conference in Stockholm that circumstances had changes following Assanges arrest last month when he was dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he had lived for almost seven years.

Swedish prosecutors dropped the rape investigation in 2017 because they were unable to proceed while he remained inside the embassy.

Assange had also faced investigation for a second sex-related allegation in Sweden, which was dropped in 2017 because the statute of limitations had expired.

He denied both allegations.

Eva-Marie Persson said: The prosecutor will shortly request that Julian Assange be detained in his absence suspected on probable cause for an allegation of rape from August 2010.

Julian Assange arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court in London (PA)

To be able to execute a detention order, the prosecutor will issue a European Arrest Warrant. An application for a detention order will be submitted to Uppsala District Court, as the suspected crime took place in Enkoping municipality.

On account of Julian Assange leaving the Ecuadorian embassy, the circumstances in this case have changed. I take the view that there exists the possibility to take the case forward.

Julian Assange has been convicted of a crime in the UK and will serve 25 weeks of his sentence before he can be released, according to information from UK authorities.

I am well aware of the fact that an extradition process is ongoing in the UK and that he could be extradited to the US.

In the event of a conflict between a European Arrest Warrant and a request for extradition from the US, UK authorities will decide on the order of priority. The outcome of this process is impossible to predict.

However, in my view the Swedish case can proceed concurrently with the proceedings in the UK. Reopening the investigation means that a number of investigative measures will take place.

In my opinion a new interview with the suspect is required. It may be necessary, with the support of a European Investigation Order, to request an interview with Julian Assange be held in the UK. Such an interview, however, requires Julian Assanges consent.

Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks said: Since Julian Assange was arrested on April 11 2019, there has been considerable political pressure on Sweden to reopen their investigation, but there has always been political pressure surrounding this case.

Recall that it was initially dropped in 2010 when a prosecutor concluded that, no crime at all had occurred. It was reopened as WikiLeaks prepared to publish the Iraq War Logs.

This case has been mishandled throughout. After the Swedish prosecutor refused to question Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy for years, it was only when forced by Swedish courts that she travelled to London to finally question Assange.

Then Sweden wanted to drop its arrest warrant for Assange as early as 2013. It was the British government that insisted that the case against him continue.

Since the investigation was closed in 2017, we have received reports of the destruction of records and correspondence on behalf of UK and Swedish authorities, surely an impediment to a thorough investigation.

Assange was always willing to answer any questions from the Swedish authorities and repeatedly offered to do so, over six years. The widespread media assertion that Assange evaded Swedish questioning is false.

This investigation has been dropped before and its reopening will give Julian a chance to clear his name.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid could ultimately play a role in deciding whether Assange faces courts in the US or Sweden.

It is understood that the Extradition Act says that where there are requests for extradition from both a non-EU state and an EU member the Home Secretary may order proceedings on one of the requests to be deferred until the other has been disposed of, a Whitehall source said.

The Home Secretary would take into account factors including the relative seriousness of the offence, whether a person has been convicted and the date of the request for assistance but the source said I would suggest we are not at that point yet.Tories fear humiliation at the European elections, heaping further pressure on Theresa Mays leadership.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of the European Research Group of Brexiteer Conservatives, said the May 23 contest looked set to be difficult and pleaded with disillusioned Tories to stick with the party for the sake of Mrs Mays successor.

Ministerial aide Huw Merriman said the party faced a mauling as an opinion poll suggested the Conservatives could slump to fifth place in the contest, which is taking place because Brexit has been delayed.

The YouGov study for the Times put the Tories on just 10% for the Euro-election, behind the Brexit Party on 34%, Labour on 16%, the Liberal Democrats on 15% and the Greens on 11%.

In a general election, the poll suggested the Tories would be neck and neck with Labour on just 24%, with the Brexit Party on 18% and Lib Dems on 16%.

Latest Westminster voting intention (8-9 May)

Con - 24%

Lab - 24%

Brexit Party - 18%

Lib Dem - 16%

Green - 7%

Change UK - 2%

UKIP - 2%

Other - 6%https://t.co/yr67xo9Oon pic.twitter.com/TCQMz1AsX4  YouGov (@YouGov) May 13, 2019

Mr Rees-Mogg hit out at the complete vacuum of leadership at Westminster and called on Mrs May to leave office, saying she had lost the support of the grassroots in Conservative associations across the country.

At the moment, nobody is saying anything supportive of the leader or of the leaders policy and the majority of people in associations Im addressing  and these are members of the party  tell me they are voting for the Brexit Party.

On LBC radio Mr Rees-Mogg, whose sister Annunziata is standing for Nigel Farages Brexit Party, called for Conservative voters to show loyalty even if they did not like Mrs May.

(PA Graphics)

The opinion polls are far from promising for the Conservatives for the European elections. You have to ask yourself why should Conservatives go out, he said.

The truth is that people like me will vote Conservative because we are loyal Conservatives who will support the party in any election.

But many Conservatives, people who have been members for decades, feel this is a two-pronged opportunity  one, to say why havent we left? And the other to say we are not entirely convinced by the current leadership.

And people feel that if they vote Conservative they will be saying they are accepting Mrs Mays deal and Mrs Mays leadership.

Many Conservatives, most Conservatives, want to leave the EU and would prefer to leave on WTO terms, the so-called no-deal exit, and therefore they dont feel that they should go out and support the Tories on this occasion.

The results look as though they will be difficult.

In a message to Tories, he said: I would appeal to their loyalty, to their tradition, and to say that the Conservative Party will get a new leader at some point.

He added: We want that new leader to have a base on which he or she can build and if we find that we are getting under 15% of the vote, if we are coming fifth behind the Greens, then it will be harder for that figure to rebuild.

Chancellor Philip Hammonds ministerial aide Huw Merriman said he expected a bleak set of results from the European contests, with both pro-EU and Brexit-supporting voters turning against them.

Were at the perfect storm, so yes, I think well get an absolute mauling, he told BBCs Westminster Hour.

The ConservativeHome website, an influential voice within the party, said the powerful 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers should be prepared to signal the end of Mrs Mays leadership by changing the partys rules to allow a fresh challenge to her position.

The Prime Minister is due to meet the committees executive later this week and the websites editor Paul Goodman, a former Tory MP, said they must act.

He said: However unpalatable it may be, the Committee must, if she refuses this week to go by the end of the summer, change the leadership challenge rules immediately  perhaps with a trigger ballot threshold of 40% or so.

We are well aware that the most painless course for them is to opt for manana. But the wait for tomorrow risks marginalisation  even oblivion.

 YouGov polled 2,212 British adults on May 8-9.Photo: Facebook Elrich Dyck took the stand for the second day at Steven Pirko's murder trial Friday.

There was some heated testimony at Steven Pirko's murder trial Friday during the cross examination of Pirko's long-time friend.

The second-degree murder trial entered its 18th day of the Crown's evidence submissions, with the defence's cross examination of Crown witness Elrich Dyck.

The Crown says Dyck had been losing a fight with Chris Ausman in the early hours of Jan. 25, 2014, when Pirko struck Ausman in the head with a hammer, killing him.

Under cross examination by defence counsel Jordan Watt, Dyck, admitted he had feared for his life while he was being hit by Ausman, but he noted Pirko could have taken other steps to stop Ausman.

He could have went up and grabbed him, he could have tried talking to him, he could have pushed him, he could have done something other than what he did, Dyck said.

Dyck's reliability as a witness was put into question under cross examination, as Watt noted several examples of Dyck's testimony that conflicted with his testimony at the case's preliminary inquiry in January 2018, and with what he told police upon his arrest in November 2016.

On Thursday, Dyck claimed he didn't know Pirko was carrying a hammer on the night of Ausman's death, but a recording from the preliminary inquiry contradicted this.

That didn't sound like me at all. That wasn't me, Dyck said after the recording was played in court.

When Watt showed a transcript from a police interview with Dyck, in which Dycks states Pirko went back and checked on Ausman as he lay on the concrete, Dyck said the transcript was wrong.

Dyck's testimony in cross examination even contradicted his testimony from the day before. When Watt asked him about his testimony Thursday that he had never "blacked out" from drinking, Dyck said: "I've blacked out lots in my lifetime."

In reference to his statement Thursday about being hit by Ausman seven times, Dyck denied he had said this, becoming somewhat incoherent in his response.

I'm going to get really upset here, like why am I being questioned like this, Dyck said. I got no life now, it's getting ruined, because somebody's f***ing black magic s**t. And I got to deal with it too."

After Dyck noted that a document he was handed smelled like f***ing dirty bacon, Justice Allan Betton told him it would be helpful if you could just try to answer the questions.

Following Dyck's testimony Friday, Justice Betton instructed the jury about how to deal with conflicting evidence from the same person.

You must not use the earlier statements of evidence as to what actually happened unless you conclude that Mr. Dyck accepted them as true in the witness box, Justice Betton said. Even then, as with any evidence, you will have to decide whether and how much to rely on it.

Justice Betton added that Dyck's prior criminal record, which was revealed to the jury Thursday, can be used to assess his credibility.

The trial continues Monday.A domestic abuse survivor told Prime Minister Theresa May her support makes a world of difference as she visited a charity helping women and children.

The PM visited Advance, a charity which supports women and children who have survived abuse across the capital, at its headquarters in west London on Monday morning.

It coincides with Mrs Mays announcement of plans to end the postcode lottery for domestic abuse survivors and ensure councils have a legal obligation to provide them with secure homes.

The new policy, backed by funding, aims to end the variation across the country and bolster protection in the Domestic Abuse Bill being considered by MPs.

Domestic abuse has no place in our country and together we must, and will, defeat it.  PM @Theresa_May https://t.co/55aMrVFPRr  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) May 13, 2019

In a private meeting with Mrs May, Christina, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, said she was extremely grateful for the PMs support.

She said: It was explained to me since youve come in, that certain bills have been changed down to yourself so thank you, it makes a world of difference, it really does.

Mrs May replied that the Bill was something Ive been working on for some time, adding: I think this is something in Parliament generally people recognise we need to do more on, so Im pleased to be able to put something through that hopefully will be of real benefit to people.

The Prime Minister says she wants to end the postcode lottery for victims of domestic abuse (Victoria Jones/PA)

Christina, in her 50s, said she only realised how many people are affected by abuse when she was given help.

She was subject to physical and mental abuse by her husband, who was also abusive towards their two children.

She said: Its more of an eye opener for me how many people are going through it, since Ive got out of it.

When I was in the situation I was very blinded, but when youre out youre just amazed by exactly whats going on, so I appreciate your input, its amazing, thank you.

Theresa May, left, talks with Advance CEO Niki Scordi (Victoria Jones/PA)

The Prime Minister then heard from other workers at the charity, who told her educations the key at the moment.

Mrs May said: I remember talking to a survivor in the past who said that the police from the specialist unit were excellent, but the trouble is if theres a moment of crisis its whoever happens to be there..

Absolutely, one of the case workers there agreed.The Scottish Government has been accused of making laughable progress towards achieving its target of expanding nursery care.

Last year, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pledged that by the end of the current Parliament in 2021, around 750 nurseries across the country would be built, expanded or refurbished.

However, in response to a written question by Scottish Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton, minister for children and young people Maree Todd indicated that, so far, a total of 97 nurseries have been built, extended or refurbished since August 2017.

It represents 13% of the nurseries needed to achieve the governments target of 750.

The Scottish Conservatives suggest the government could fall short by around 500 nurseries if the current rate of progress is maintained.

The Scottish Government has also promised to increase free childcare from 600 hours to 1,140 hours per year by 2020.

The Scottish Government has pledged to expand provision of nursery care (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Rachael Hamilton MSP said: The SNP has made so little progress towards their own target on nursery capacity it is laughable.

Nicola Sturgeon herself has promised that 750 nurseries will be built, expanded or refurbished by 2021, yet the SNP is nowhere near.

The SNP has taken almost two years to upgrade or build 97 nurseries in total.

With this kind of progress, how on earth can they promise each child will have 1,140 hours of childcare next year?

Yet again it seems that there is a massive gulf between the SNPs promises and the reality of their delivery.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: These figures only capture the very early phase of the expansion and exclude the many hundreds of projects now either under way or at an advanced stage of development.

We are therefore very confident that councils will comfortably meet the pledge of around 750 new or refurbished nurseries.The Duke of Cambridge has joined a host of stars in a radio broadcast urging listeners across the country to talk about their problems  in a bid to stay mentally fit and healthy.

William called on the nation to really stop and listen to a person in need, in the minute-long message broadcast at 10.59am across hundreds of UK radio stations to mark the start of mental health awareness week.

Others taking part included Katy Perry, Jameela Jamil, Alesha Dixon and the comic and actor Stephen Fry, who has talked about his battles with mental health over the years.

Stop  and take a moment to listen to @Heads_Togethers #MentalHealthMinute.



Each and every one of us has the power to make a difference, just by taking a minute to stop, and to listen. #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek pic.twitter.com/obCQBLei11  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 13, 2019

The two-part documentary Stephen Fry: The Secret Life Of The Manic Depressive was aired in 2006, and five years later he became president of the mental health charity Mind.

In the message Fry said: There are people out there desperate to be heard and you can help by taking the time to listen  even if you are a prince.

The duke spoke after the actor, saying: Being able to talk about how youre feeling is essential for keeping mentally fit and healthy.

So maybe now is the time for us to stop and to really listen.

The radio message came days after the launch of the Heads Together legacy project, Shout, a free 24/7 crisis text service being delivered by Mental Health Innovations.

Led by Radiocentre, the industry body for commercial radio, and working with Heads Together, the mental health campaign spearheaded by the dukes Royal Foundation, the broadcast highlighted an important message as the week-long awareness initiative for mental health began.

If you need mental health support today but youre not sure where to turn, you can text SHOUT to 85258 for free and confidential help  > https://t.co/N9ncX3sDFj @giveusashout#MentalHealthMinute #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek pic.twitter.com/CLT28MTUHM  Heads Together (@heads_together) May 13, 2019

The message ended with William saying: And each and every one of us has the power to make a difference to someone.

Jameela Jamil added just by taking a minute to stop and to listen, really listen.Stormy winds have uprooted trees, knocked over traffic lights and disrupted travel in Croatia, injuring two people and prompting authorities to advise people to stay indoors.

Police said two pedestrians were injured in the capital, Zagreb, where the wind hurled around rubbish bins and market stalls, blew the roof off one house and ripped off tree branches.

Firefighters reported hundreds of deployments across the capital since Sunday evening. Officials recommended that people not go outside unless absolutely necessary.

Authorities have restricted traffic on several roads across the country.

The gusts were reported to have reached 93mph in some areas.

We have not seen such a storm in the last 45 years, said Zagreb mayor Milan Bandic.

A car was damaged by falling branches in Zagreb, Croatia (Darko Bandic/AP)

In north-western Bosnia, heavy rains have swollen rivers, flooding dozens of houses and some roads.

Authorities in neighbouring Serbia also warned of upcoming heavy rains that could cause small rivers to overflow.

The region was hit by massive flooding in 2014 when dozens of people died.ScotRail has announced it will train more than 50 of its staff to provide mental health first aid to anyone in need.

The NHS-accredited training will help employees identify people who may require assistance and guide them towards support services.

Some workers have already completed the programme, which involves instruction on listening, reassuring and asking about suicide where appropriate.

The announcement was made by ScotRail at the start of Mental Health Awareness Week.

Great to see the team from @MHFScot at @NetworkRailGLC this morning for the start of #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek. Make sure you check out their stand if you're passing through the station. pic.twitter.com/0Ll7x24mfn  ScotRail (@ScotRail) May 13, 2019

ScotRails occupational health manager Nadya Kuhl said the training will prove worthwhile if it assists anyone in getting the help they need.

Ms Kuhl said: ScotRail is absolutely committed to providing appropriate support for mental health issues and the introduction of mental health first aiders will enhance what we can deliver for our own people and customers.

ScotRail has announced it will provide mental health support for anyone who needs it (Danny Lawson/PA)

We know the importance of engaging and identifying the signs of someone in need of support and how critical this can be to helping with treatment, and ultimately saving lives.

If even just one person who is going through a difficult time gets the help they need, then it will be worthwhile.

#mentalhealthawarenessweek2019 @BTPwestScotland officers are partnership working with @samaritans patrolling @ScotRail services from Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh Waverley. Its OK not to be Ok, lets talk. #ItsOkNotToBeOk #smalltalkssaveslives pic.twitter.com/XIuQhAwYLW  BTP West Scotland (@BTPWestScot) May 13, 2019

Tom Scott from See Me, Scotlands programme to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination, urged other employers to ensure staff are supported in the workplace.

Mr Scott said: There is a significant problem with people in Scotland being able to speak openly about their mental health, especially at work. We want organisations to create cultures that are open in talking about mental health and where discriminatory behaviour is challenged.

Its great to see the action that ScotRail are taking to give their staff the confidence and knowledge to have open and supportive conversations on mental health.

We have been working with them for the past few months and this is one of a number of things the company has done to challenge stigma and improve cultures for both their staff and their customers.

When someone is struggling with their mental health, they deserve help and compassion, and we would urge all workplaces to ensure that their staff feel confident and able to speak about mental health.Investigators will seize a 6 million haul of assets including a 4-star hotel and a 100,000 Bentley, after an eight-year money-laundering probe.

The National Crime Agency uncovered an alleged international network that it claimed funnelled hundreds of millions of pounds through more than 100 bank accounts in the UK, Russia, Hong Kong and Switzerland.

Its investigation focused on businessman Jonathan Nuttall, 46, from Romsey, Hampshire, who is accused of putting recoverable assets into other peoples names, including his wife Amanda.

She won more than 2.5 million on the Lotto in 2008, and could not give a consistent account of how it was spent.

Eight-year NCA investigation results in multi-million pound asset recovery including an award winning luxury hotel and a 100k Bentley. Read more: https://t.co/eBlIu3mxXp pic.twitter.com/WryS8RTauI  National Crime Agency (NCA) (@NCA_UK) May 12, 2019

The couple rented a 2,000-a-week flat in Londons Belgravia, built a swimming pool at their countryside home, hired a private jet, visited Cannes and Dubai, and shopped in Harrods.

Mrs Nuttall, 45, from Romsey, Hampshire, property developer Eric Grove, 89, of Lapworth, Warwickshire, and barrister Timothy Becker, 55, from London, agreed to hand over assets rather than face trial.

A 100,000 Bentley Mulsanne is among assets recovered (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Eleven properties, including the White Horse Hotel and Brasserie in Romsey, and the luxury car, are part of the haul.Abuse survivors in Northern Ireland have called for improved compensation and demanded a meeting with the Secretary of State.

Survivors of institutional abuse want to meet Karen Bradley to urge her to introduce legislation at Westminster before the summer to set up the redress scheme.

The scheme has been delayed for more than two years following the collapse of the Northern Ireland Executive in 2017.

The calls follow a 16-week government consultation on draft legislation to establish a compensation scheme for victims.

The survey comes two years after the publication of the report of the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry (HIAI), which found widespread and systemic abuse in childrens homes across Northern Ireland.

In the 562 responses to the abuse law consultation received by the Executive Office, 82% of respondents recommended higher redress payments, 69% of whom think compensation should reflect the number of childhood years spent in abusive institutions.

The scheme has been delayed for more than two years (Picture posed by model) (Jon Challicom/NSPCC/PA)

And 76% of people disagreed with the proposal that only judges could serve on the redress board.

Most responses to the consultation, published on Monday, called for more generous levels of compensation and for payments to reflect the number of years which children spent in institutions where abuse was rife.

The original proposals had recommended a standard payment of just 7,500, irrespective of how long a child had spent in one of the residential institutions where the HIAI had found widespread and systemic abuse.

Survivors say it is up to Karen Bradley to listen to victims and ensure justice, which has been too long delayed, is now delivered.

We are seeking an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State to urge no further delay in bringing forward legislation at Westminster, said Gerry McCann, survivor and chairman of victims group Rosetta Trust.

Too many survivors have had to wait too long already for this scandal to be brought to an end.

We want Karen Bradley to introduce legislation at Westminster before the summer to ensure a fair deal for victims who have suffered so much already.

The HIAI studied allegations of abuse in 22 homes and other residential institutions between 1922 and 1995.

These were run by the state, local authorities, the Catholic Church, the Church of Ireland and the childrens charity Barnardos.

The largest number of complaints related to four Catholic-run homes.

Almost two years on from the publication of the report of the four-year inquiry, the Government has so far failed to deliver an apology and financial redress.

Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, which has supported abuse survivors, said the delay was unacceptable.

No redress scheme can compensate properly for the suffering which thousands of children experienced in residential homes across Northern Ireland, he said.

But compensation is an important component of justice which the Government has an obligation to deliver.

Survivors have spoken loud and clear through this consultation.

Given the delays which victims have already been forced to endure, the Secretary of State should move swiftly to bring this cruel saga to a conclusion.

Hundreds of victims and survivors of institutional child abuse were helped to respond to the consultation by support groups Survivors North West and Rosetta Trust, working alongside Amnesty International and Ulster University.

A similar campaign has been launched in the Republic of Ireland, where victims of abuse at the hands of the state and church have called on the Government to pay for the medical care of survivors.A graphic designer who created a Wolverhampton Wanderers shirt motif has denied a copying claim.

Pensioner Peter Davies says he created the wolf head design when he was a teenage schoolboy growing up in Wolverhampton nearly 60 years ago.

Mr Davies, a former building industry manager, said he recognised the drawing in 1979 when he noticed that Wolves new kit bore a wolf head logo.

He has made a copyright complaint and wants damages.

Bosses at the Premier League club dispute his claim.

A ruling is expected later this year (Nick Potts/PA)

A judge is analysing the dispute at a High Court trial in London.

The trial is due to end later this week and Mr Justice Nugee is expected to deliver a ruling later in the year.

Mr Davies, 71, says he composed sketches after a teacher asked him to demonstrate an understanding of Blaise Pascals Hexagrammum Mysticum Theorem and entered his wolf head design in a Wolverhampton art competition in the early 1960s.

He says his design must have been copied.

Wolves bosses say the 1979 logo was devised by graphic designer Ian Jackson then revamped by designer Jonathan Russell in 2002.

They say there is no reason why either designer would have copied Mr Davies alleged design.

Mr Jackson on Monday told the judge: It is impossible for me to have seen anything.Critics of the smacking ban have claimed Police Scotland will have to investigate more than 2,300 allegations of assault against parents if the law is changed.

Campaigners said research from Wales shows that if the defence of reasonable chastisement is removed there could be an estimated 1,370 smacking allegations recorded in the first five years.

The Be Reasonable group said the study, carried out by the Police Liaison Unit for the Welsh Government, suggests there could be 2,370 investigations into smacking claims against Scottish parents, accounting for Scotlands higher population.

A Bill to remove the defence of justifiable assault in Scots law, which allows parents to use physical punishment on children, is being considered by the Scottish Parliament, with similar legislation going through the Welsh Assembly.

Simon Calvert, a spokesman Be Reasonable, said: If the Welsh figures are extrapolated to take account of Scotlands higher population, they show an estimated 2,370 investigations into smacking allegations against Scottish parents in the first five years of a new law.

Thats a massive figure. MSPs are living in cloud cuckoo land if they still think parents will not be criminalised by a ban.

Critics of the proposed smacking ban argue there will be thousands more parents investigated over assault allegations (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Supporters of the ban must stop misleading the public about the real-world consequences of what they propose.

Should this Bill become law, it is chilling to consider that thousands of parents could face criminal charges for something as reasonable as giving a child a light tap on the back of the legs.

In evidence presented to Holyroods Equalities and Human Rights Committee in April, the Crown Office said that if the Bill is enacted, reports from the police on assaults on children as a form of punishment could increase, adding that it would not be unusual for awareness raising and changes in societal attitudes to result in increased reporting.

However, the Crown Office highlighted evidence from places where smacking is banned which it said suggests such a change did not result in a significant increase in prosecutions, and stressed each case would be considered on its own facts and circumstances.

Prosecutions would only take place if they were considered to be in the public interest, it added.

MSP John Finnie, who proposed the Bill, said: This so-called evidence is nothing more than a series of exaggerations and suppositions.

The physical punishment of children is prohibited in 54 countries with all the evidence showing that there is unlikely to be any increase in prosecutions.

We know that physical punishment can be harmful to children and that is why my Bill will ensure children in Scotland enjoy the same protection in law as adults.Out of control soldiers were prepared to shoot anyone innocently on the streets during the Ballymurphy killings in West Belfast, a former serviceman said.

Some within the Parachute Regiment were rogue psychopaths, an ex-corporal known as M597 alleged, who revelled in what they had done and congratulated each other afterwards.

A new inquest at Belfast Coroners Court is examining the deaths of 10 civilians, including a mother of eight and a Catholic priest, across three days in August 1971.

The witness said: Rogue soldiers were out of control, killing people on the street and knowing that they would be protected.

He added: They were saying, anything out there that moves, we consider them to be in the IRA or associated with the IRA, and for that alone they could be or should be shot.

He could not recall any briefing or debriefing after the killings and claimed young soldiers were left to fight for their lives.

They were on a high and enjoying it, soldiers do enjoy going to battle as opposed to doing nothing.

Those soldiers were enjoying it and could not wait to get back out again.

He was challenged by a lawyer about why he did not raise an issue with the soldiers conduct or why he did not just leave early.

He added: It was not an organisation where you could go to an officer and say that type of thing.

It just is not that type of organisation, you would have been in real deep trouble had you done that.

He was investigated over a separate shooting of a petrol bomber and was congratulated by other servicemen, who told him how lucky he was to have a notch on my rifle.

It was sheer bravado.

He added: In fact it was a pat on the back for what I had done.

He said the Parachute Regiment was no different today than it was 50 years ago and referred to recent Facebook postings by ex-servicemen surrounding prosecution of soldiers.

Death, dementia and delay.

What they are saying is delay it, delay it and we will all be gone.

Rioting had been ongoing since early on August 9, after the British army moved into republican areas across Northern Ireland to arrest IRA suspects after the introduction by the Stormont administration of the controversial policy of internment without trial.

The incident was part of a three-day series of shootings from August 9-11 which has become known as the Ballymurphy Massacre.During an appearance in Kelowna Friday morning, Premier John Horgan said he was disappointed by Friday's B.C. Court of Appeal decision that ruled the province cannot restrict oil shipments through its borders.

Despite the ruling, Horgan says the issue is far from over in his eyes.

These are areas of law that need to be defined. We've said all along that it was probably likely a Supreme Court (of Canada) decision. Mr. Eby, the Attorney General, is reviewing our appeal options at this time, he said.

Click here to read the full story.Nicola Sturgeon has spoken in support of an SNP MP facing bullying allegations, insisting Joanna Cherry is a massive asset to her party at Westminster.

The Scottish First Minister said she spoke to Ms Cherry at the weekend after the allegations emerged.

Ms Sturgeon stressed these should be properly considered and due process must take place.

Speaking to Radio Clyde about the SNPs home affairs spokeswoman, Ms Sturgeon said: Joanna is hugely talented, she is a massive asset to the SNP and the Westminster parliamentary group, I think everybody recognises that.

Pleased to have the support of Nicola Sturgeon. I echo the views on the need for due process which she has today expressed https://t.co/NHL43B4lZj  Joanna Cherry QC (@joannaccherry) May 13, 2019

The First Minister added: Where complaints are brought forward by the staff of any parliamentarian it is important that they are properly considered, but that should happen under due process, not in the pages of the media.

Ms Cherry has spoken out on Twitter about the smear campaign against me, with the Edinburgh South West MP calling for unity behind the #independence cause & an end to @theSNP infighting.

Nicola Sturgeon has dismissed claims of SNP infighting (Jane Barlow/PA)

She also stated she was pleased to have the support of Nicola Sturgeon, adding: I echo the views on the need for due process which she has today expressed.

Lies are being told about me in some newspapers today. At present Im not able to give my side of the story. I hope to be in a position to do so soon. Meantime Im overwhelmed by the support from constituents, @theSNP members & #Yessers. Thank you   Joanna Cherry QC (@joannaccherry) May 12, 2019

Ms Sturgeon dismissed the MPs comments on SNP infighting, denying this was a problem for the party.

She stated: The SNP is not just a big party, we represent a mass movement, thats a real strength and attribute and something that most other leaders of most other parties would give their eye teeth for.

There are vibrant debates, that is a good thing in democracy, but I lead a party that is very focused in the short term on winning the European elections and then beyond that giving people in Scotland the opportunity to choose independence, and then winning that argument so Scotland can become that progressive, independent European nation.

The First Minister stressed: My focus as SNP leader is firstly on winning the European elections next week, because thats how we send the strongest possible message that Scotland doesnt want Brexit.

Then, of course, in the legislation we will bring forward later this month in taking the steps to give people in Scotland a choice of independence later in this term of Parliament. Thats my focus as SNP leader and I think that is what the party is focused on.

Scottish Tory deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said: Nicola Sturgeon has made clear today that, as she puts it, her focus at these elections is a second independence referendum.

Once again we see the reality: it doesnt matter what the election is  Nicola Sturgeons priority is always to try and use it to push through the one thing she cares about  independence.

He added: Its time to respect the results of the referendums we have held, deliver a sensible Brexit and then let Scotland and the whole UK move on.Police are hunting for a driver who left his injured passenger after the Porsche they were in crashed near a shop.

The collision happened in Livingston, West Lothian, at about 1.40pm on Sunday.

The black Porsche Cayenne was travelling on Ladywell East Road when it left the carriageway and came to rest on a footpath near a convenience store on Thymebank.

Police said the front-seat passenger, a 37-year-old man, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

CAR LEAVES ROAD #Livingston



We're appealing for witnesses after a vehicle left the roadway at #LadywellEastRoad on Sunday 12 May & came to rest at #Thymebank. A man suffered serious injuries and inquiries are ongoing to trace the driver.



Read more at: https://t.co/H3PS3wPmrS pic.twitter.com/zj944wTbAJ  West Lothian Police (@WestLothPolice) May 13, 2019

The driver left the scene before police arrived and officers are urging anyone with information to contact them.

Inspector Richard Latto said: This has been a serious collision and our inquiries are ongoing to trace the driver of the vehicle.

Police are appealing for information about the crash (David Cheskin/PA)

The passenger sustained serious, but thankfully not life threatening, injuries and we are eager to ascertain the circumstances leading up to the vehicle leaving the carriageway.

Wed appeal to anyone who saw the vehicle travelling on Ladywell East Road immediately prior to the collision, or who witnessed what happened, to contact officers as soon as possible.

Similarly, anyone who may have captured the incident on private CCTV or dash-cam should come forward and provide this as soon as possible.

The road was closed for about five hours following the crash.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 2219 May 12.The youngest victim of the London Bridge attack was fatally stabbed in the neck after she fell over in her high heels, an inquest heard.

Australian Sara Zelenak, 21, appeared to lose her balance just at the terrorists crashed their hire van into railings on the bridge and got out armed with 12 inch ceramic knives.

Briton James McMullan, 32, rushed to help her up but they were both set upon, the Old Bailey was told.

Ms Zelenak suffered deep gashes to her neck and Mr McMullan was stabbed once in the chest.

Police officers found Ms Zelenak mortally injured still clutching her mobile phone and immediately started CPR.

However, the court heard there were only three paramedics around as the scene was made safe, and one of them decided she could not be saved.

Erick Siguenza filmed terrified people screaming and running away as Ms Zelenak and Mr McMullan were attacked.

He told the court: As soon as the van crashed they stepped out and the driver stabbed the woman that had jumped out to get out of the way of the van crashing. Thats when they started stabbing her. I believe there was a gentleman trying to help her get up and he was stabbed as well.

As I was recording there was a lot of screaming and just people realising what was going on and just shouting in general.

James McMullan was fatally stabbed as he went to the assistance of Ms Zelenak (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Gareth Patterson QC, representing the victims families, said: We know Sara Zelenak was found within minutes at the top of the steps and we know the young white woman with long hair had stab injuries.

We also know she was wearing high heels and on the ground it was quite wet that night.

From what you saw of this man helping her, did you get the impression she lost her balance?

The witness said: Yes. She was completely on the ground. He just grabbed her left arm and gently tried to pick her up but by then the attackers were in close proximity and thats when they started attacking.

There was no time for him to be able to help her up because the driver and the other terrorists were already running towards them.

Picture

The inquest heard how Ms Zelenak had been out for a drink with her friend Priscila Goncalves on the evening of June 3 2017.

CCTV footage showed Ms Zelenak in blue jeans, white shirt, leather jacket and black lace-up high heel shoes.

Giving evidence, Ms Goncalves told how they were heading to a bar by London Bridge when they heard a crash.

She told the court: When we were going down the stairs and then I heard something and then we went up the stairs to see what happened and people started saying run and thats what we did.

It sounded like a crash to me. It sounded like it was something big which is why we went back to take a look.

I thought I had seen the van but now I dont think I had actually. I was just very confused.

She said: I had no idea what was going on. We were together. People said run. I started to run. I thought she was with me and then I looked, she was not. Everybody was running.

Ms Golcalves tried to contact her friend on Facebook after she took refuge in a hotel but she was unable to get a response.

Mr Patterson QC, suggested that Ms Zelenaks high heels coupled with wet weather might have caused her to suffer an ankle injury.

He said: Maybe those two factors contributed to make her less stable than she might otherwise have been when this sudden attack came on her.

Detective Constable Alastair Hutchison said: Yes, thats a possibility.

Ms Zelenak and Mr McMullan were among eight people killed when Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, launched their van and knife rampage on London Bridge and in Borough Market.

Xavier Thomas, 45, Christine Archibald, 30, Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Kirsty Boden, 28, Sebastien Belanger, 36, and Ignacio Echeverria, 39, also died in the atrocity before their attackers were shot dead by armed police.Christian Pulisic says it will be a dream come true to make his Premier League debut with Chelsea.

United States international Pulisic agreed a 57.7million move to Stamford Bridge from Borussia Dortmund in January but remained on loan with the Bundesliga club.

Title-chasing Dortmund play their final game of the campaign against Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday, with winger Pulisic set to link up with Maurizio Sarris Blues in pre-season.

Christian Pulisic will join Chelsea in the summer (John Walton/PA)

It feels amazing and Im super excited to get started, Pulisic told Chelseas website.

Obviously I have a season to finish off (with Dortmund) but Im definitely looking forward to being here.

I cant wait, its going to be an amazing experience. A little change for me but to be in England and be able to speak EnglishIm thrilled.

'Its been one of my biggest dreams to be here and play in the @PremierLeague'  @cpulisic_10s first interview as a Blue is a must watch over on the Chelsea app!  Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 13, 2019

Ive been waiting a long time for this. It has been one of my biggest dreams to be here and play in the Premier League. To be a Chelsea player is a huge honour and Im obviously really excited.

Pulisic has scored four times and provided three assists in 19 Bundesliga appearances this season.

The 20-year-old could still arrive in London a German champion, if Dortmund win this weekend and leaders Bayern Munich lose to Champions League-chasing Eintracht Frankfurt.

Going for the title, its really close, Pulisic continued.

Ive learnt so much as a player and as a person over there in Germany. Its definitely getting me ready for the big challenges to come.

(The Chelsea fans) can expect a really good team guy who is going to give everything. Hes going to bring his attacking style to the team and do whatever he can to help the team win games.Irelands climate change minister has said the public will have to adopt a new set of beliefs in a bid to fix the Earths climate.

Richard Bruton criticised what he described as the worlds love affair with plastics adding that the effort needed to tackle climate change has been underestimated.

Speaking at the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA) in Co Wicklow, the Climate Action Minister said that governments and people of influence will have to lead by example.

His comments come days after Ireland became the second country in the world to declare a climate emergency.

Minister @RichardbrutonTD makes the opening address to the 58th #BIPA plenary in Druids Glen #Wicklow pic.twitter.com/dhJUvlA6ul  British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (@BritishIrishPA) May 13, 2019

The BIPA event promotes co-operation between politicians in the UK and Ireland.

The bi-annual event took place on Monday at Druids Glen Hotel.

Richard Bruton said the effort needed to tackle climate change has been underestimated (Niall Carson/PA)

Addressing climate action, Mr Bruton said: We do underestimate it and we havent even thought through the sort of things we need to do.

Honesty and information is key to it. If it becomes the elite versus the ordinary person we are lost.

We need to get the right information out as I know that two thirds of the plastics people put in the green bin in good faith are not recycled. We have a love affair with plastics.

He said that the European Parliaments plan to ban single-use plastic from 2021 was ambitious but added that more can be done.

I think thats where we can work with suppliers, not just supermarkets but the whole supply chain, to ensure that plastic is less used and when it is used its not single use, he added. We have a big battle on our hands.

It is like a new set of beliefs that we have to adopt. If we are not seen to be making changes in our areas of influence, if we are not out there influencing our supply chain, we wont do it.

Laura Burke, director general of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said: Ireland experienced an extraordinary time during 2017 and 2018 where our environment and climate reminded us of the fragile nature of our infrastructure, our economy and food production systems.

It was a year which nature reminded us of who is in charge.

We do know that with our changing climate the confident predictions are that we can expect such extreme events at greater frequency into the future, and there will be economic and social costs as well as environmental costs.

Mitigation is essential, adaptation is equally as essential, anything less is unsustainable  indeed irresponsible  given what we now know are the impacts of climate change.

Targets and limits and standards we now recognise are no longer sufficient, we need people to want to do this, to work towards what will be considered a new normal.

Helen Jones, Labour MP for Warrington North, said that now is the time for politicians to tell the public about the real truth about what is needed to save the planet.

We can no longer expect all different kinds of fruit and vegetables to be flown around out-of-season. We are going to have to make real changes.Seven of the surviving veterans from the Battle of Normandy and D-Day have been honoured ahead of the 75th anniversary of the landings next month.

Bill Fitzgerald, 94, who served with the Sussex Regiment, was 18 at the time of the landings and one of seven veterans who attended an event held in their honour at the Royal Hospital Chelsea on Monday.

He described how the soldiers knew they had a job to do, with only each other for support as they approached the beaches on boats.

Chelsea Pensioner Bill Fitzgerald was 18 during the D-Day landings (Jonathan Brady/PA)

We were the third one in on the day, he said.

We got so far in and then we hit something underneath so we knew we were going to get wet.

The Beach Master was there shouting out: Get off this bloody beach and dont get killed.

The water was full of bodies and they were mostly all Marine Commandos  but you couldnt take too much notice, all you were thinking of was helping each other.

He went on: We had our packs and rifles and it wouldnt have been much use landing without a rifle.

Looking at the bodies, you felt sorry about it, but you had a job to get on that beach and wait for your friends.

The worst thing is, when you lose some of your comrades coming in they might get shot.

Mr Fitzgerald added: When we started out we were all 18 in 1943, we were young lads then. By the time it was 1944 we were really and truly first class soldiers, we knew what to do.

Chelsea Pensioners Bill Fitzgerald and Frank Mouque (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Speaking about his time at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, he said: Most of the time we listen to what the others were doing in the Falklands. I dont think they fully understand. Our war was different to theirs.

Mr Fitzgerald did not finish the campaign in France after being injured in a shelling on June 15.

We had a horrible day fighting and the tanks decided to stop in the woods, he said.

Believe me they shelled the hell out of us. All I can remember is getting a shell very near me, going up into the air and coming down and one of my friends putting my helmet over my face.

Chelsea pensioners Roy Cadman, James George, Bill Fitzgerald, Ernie Boyden, Frank Mouque, George Skipper, and Arthur Ellis (Jonathan Brady/PA)

His femur was broken in half and he was flown back to London on June 17, where his leg was clamped.

After I was discharged, I got my suit, I got my hat and youre outside the door saying whats next?' he said.

There was nobody to talk to who could help you.

Luckily enough I saw my girlfriend again and we started going out with each other, and we got married in 1948.

We had two sons after that  it was the end of the war for me then.

My wife died in 2005. Before she died she said: Look after the children if I go first, and Im still looking after them.

Chelsea Pensioners Roy Cadman, James George, Bill Fitzgerald, Ernie Boyden, Frank Mouque, George Skipper, and Arthur Ellis (Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)

Frank Mouque, 94, was a corporal in the Royal Engineers disposing bombs on a stretch of land beyond the parapet next to the beach on D-Day.

Asked how he felt on before setting foot on the beach, he said: Apprehensive. It wasnt so much a fear, we knew what was going on and how we were expecting things to be. Youre on a high pitch and you observe everything thats going on around you in great detail.

Its survival thought. Where can I hide? Where am I going to be safe? Should I go over there? No, stop where you are and get under here. Youre tensed all the time.Jason Roy has hailed England team-mate Jos Buttler as an extreme talent and said his brutal match-winning century in the second one-day international against Pakistan was no shock.

The England squad trained in Bristol on Monday ahead of the third ODI, with the dust only just setting on Buttlers spectacular 50-ball ton in Southampton two days ago that underpinned a 12-run victory.

It was the second-fastest hundred by an England batsmen in one-day internationals  Buttler also holds the record with a 46-ball ton  and Roy said on Sky Sports: He is as good as it gets to be honest.

Jos Buttler celebrates his century during the second one-day international (Adam Davy/PA).

It is not kind of a shock.

It is getting a bit routine for him to go out and play those innings, demoralising those guys at the top of the order that are kind of going at a run a ball, and he comes in and just blitzes it.

He is an extreme talent, works hard for it and deserves everything he gets.

How good was it to see @JasonRoy20 back in action!  pic.twitter.com/NMMr5oIT4g  England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 13, 2019

Roy was also in the runs, hitting 87 on his return to action from a back spasm that followed on from hamstring trouble.

I am 100 per cent fit, Roy said.

I spent six or seven weeks with my hamstring injury and fixing that, and then the back was quite a big issue, but it was resolved by the great medical staff we have.

I feel better than I felt before, which is a nice feeling.Firefighters are tackling a wildfire near a beach in the Highlands.

The alarm was raised at about 10.12pm on Sunday and fire crews were still at the scene near Melvich beach on Monday afternoon.

There are three fire fronts, the longest of which is around 900 metres, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said.

A wildfire warning is in place across Scotland until Friday, May 17.



Livestock, farmland, wildlife and woodland can all be devastated by these fires  as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities



Please follow our advice - https://t.co/pWkMCaGDyU pic.twitter.com/ddfT0TdmZf  Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (@fire_scot) May 13, 2019

Four fire engines were at the scene dealing with the incident.

There were no reports of any injuries.

SFRS said a wildfire warning remained place across the country until Friday.

Fire crews are tackling a blaze near a beach in the Highlands (Rui Vieira/PA)

The fire service tweeted: Livestock, farmland, wildlife and woodland can all be devastated by these fires  as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities.A former senior policy adviser to the Scottish Government has announced his backing for the Scottish Greens ahead of the European elections.

Writing in the Courier newspaper, Alex Bell, who advised Alex Salmond during his time as First Minister, suggested that Scotland needs a Green surge to ensure the countrys voice is heard in the face of Brexit.

It follows the endorsement of the Scottish Greens by the Sunday Mail and Outlander actor Sam Heughan.

In a column, Mr Bell said that voters should take the opportunity to send a message to the largest parties that they must take the planet seriously and urge politicians to declare a climate emergency.

He wrote: In keeping with all European elections, its effect will be to say something about the state of domestic affairs. Which is why I shall be voting Green.

If you are a nationalist and worried about disloyalty, then the Greens are pro-Indy. If you are a unionist, then an EU vote is no mandate for indyref2.

The Sunday Mail and actor Sam Heughan are backing the Scottish Greens (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Whats more, the Greens are steadfast Remainers. We have to change profoundly if we are to adapt to climate change, and we need to say that loudly.

Even if the protest is lost on Brussels, then our scream will be heard in Holyrood and Westminster. Thirty years on from the last Green surge, we need another, for all our sakes.

It's the economy, stupid!



Vote for a Green MEP on 23rd May for a Green New Deal which will create jobs and tackle the climate emergency.#VoteGreen2019 #GreenWave pic.twitter.com/5sALK9s77f  Scottish Greens (@scottishgreens) May 13, 2019

Maggie Chapman, the Greens co-convener, is standing as the partys lead candidate for the European Parliament election.

Lorna Slater, Gillian Mackay, Chas Booth, Mags Hall and Allan Faulds comprise the full list of candidates.

Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer welcomed the endorsement from Mr Bell.

Its great to have yet another prominent voice get behind our EU elections campaign, said Mr Greer.

This is the most important European election weve ever faced, its vital that we elect Scotlands first Green MEP to work in tandem with our European neighbours and tackle the climate emergency.Two men reported to prosecutors after a paragliding protest during Donald Trumps stay at Turnberry will face no criminal proceedings.

A banner reading Trump: Well Below Par was flown from an aircraft shortly after the US president arrived at his South Ayrshire hotel on July 13 last year.

A 55-year-old man was subsequently arrested, charged and released pending further inquiries.

In November, police said a 35-year-old man had been reported to the procurator fiscal in connection with the incident.

It emerged on Monday they will face no criminal proceedings.

A Crown Office spokesman said: The procurator fiscal deals with every case on its own individual facts and circumstances, and will take action where there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to do so.

A banner reading `Trump: Well Below Par was displayed shortly after the US President arrived at the hotel (John Linton/PA)

Following full and careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of this case, Crown Counsel instructed that there should be no criminal proceedings at this time.

The Crown reserves the right to proceed in the future should further evidence become available.

During the private leg of his four-day visit to the UK, Mr Trump and his wife Melania stayed at the Trump Turnberry resort.

Figures obtained by the Press Association revealed the 14.2 million cost of policing the visit in which he met the Queen at Windsor Castle and was hosted by Prime Minister Theresa May.Photo: Contributed

It has been 30 years since Charles Horvath was last seen, but RCMP continue to investigate.

In the spring of 1989, Horvath was registered at the Tiny Town Campground in Kelowna. He disappeared three weeks after arriving in Kelowna after backpacking through Canada from the United Kingdom.



Horvath was last seen on May 26th, 1989 cashing a cheque at the Orchard Park Royal Bank.

Mother to Horvath, Denise Allan has been travelling back to Kelowna for years hoping to raise awareness of her sons disappearance and to stir up any secrets that may lead to the answers she has been searching for all these years.

''This year Charles mother, who has never given up hope that someone will come forward with answers to her beloved sons disappearance, has written an emotional poem," said Cpl. Jesse ODonaghey.

''Denise shared this piece of poetry with our investigators, who continue to search for clues and has asked the RCMP to share her literary work with the media and in turn the public,'' he added.

30 Years

Beautiful Charles, loving son of mine...

30-years of searching, only never to find.

Many times I've crossed the ocean...

the waters ever so blue, always praying a tip, will lead to finding you.

My heart is broken, so filled with sorrow...

I struggle each day, always hoping tomorrow.

You were only 20, a very good man,

living without you... I do the best I can.

After 30-years of searching, I've come to regret...

It's your earthly body, I have to find yet.

Begging all who know wherever you lay,

please send a lead... I so often pray.

My Charles, sweet Charles... my only son.

I will continue my search, until my earth's work is done.

For whoever knows, what happened to you...

Please speak up now, it's long overdue.

All I want is my child, to have and to bury,

here with his family, in a quaint cemetery.

Please bring me answers, to where Charles'll be found,

I'll dig myself... I'll turn up the ground.

Nobody needs to know, except you and me...

Please send me a tip, and your heart'll be free.

The RCMP is asking anyone with information to come forward and call Sgt. Paul Gosling of the Kelowna Serious Crime Unit at (250) 762-3300.

Or if you want to remain anonymous you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or leave an online tip at www.crimestoppers.netMary Lou McDonald has urged Northern Irelands voters to back pro-remain candidates in the European election.

The Sinn Fein president called for her partys candidate, Martina Anderson, to be given the number one preference, before transferring to pro-remain, progressive candidates.

Mrs McDonald told her party manifesto launch at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on Monday that the election was a chance to unite behind a pro-remain message.

This is the opportunity to reassert the will of the majority of people in the North - @MaryLouMcDonald #EE2019 pic.twitter.com/EqSqWoltKl  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) May 13, 2019

Brexit changes everything for all of us, and its for that reason that we identify this as maybe a unique and unifying moment of solidarity for people who want what is best for all of us right across Ireland, she said.

The only thing to do is to vote for pro-remain parties and reject Brexit.

Martina Anderson is the strongest advocate of the pro-remain position, I think its important that a pro-remain candidate tops the poll, but I also think its very important that, in the round, the pro-remain argument wins the day.

Mary Lou McDonald at the launch of Sinn Feins European Election manifesto (Niall Carson/PA)

So I would say to everybody, whether they come from unionism or from nationalism, or they are somewhere in between, think long and think hard, and be sure in this European election that we send the right, the accurate and the progressive signal to Brussels, to London, and beyond, that people here are united in a desire for progress to protect our peace process, our peace agreements, to protect our economy, our livelihoods, our agriculture, thats what a vote for a pro-remain candidate amounts to.

The message was in stark contrast to Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster who, at her party manifesto launch earlier, urged that Brexit be delivered, rejecting the suggestion of a second confirmatory Brexit referendum as placing democracy at risk.

Mrs McDonald urged caution among those calling for a second referendum, questioning whether the result would be any different.

In 2016 a majority in Northern Ireland voted to remain, while the majority across the rest of the UK voted to leave the European Union.

We are launching our EU manifesto today. Use your vote on 23rd May for @DianeDoddsMEP to send a clear message that the EU referendum result must be implemented and respected. #VoteDUP pic.twitter.com/qTrZD92Jvl  DUP (@duponline) May 13, 2019

People here voted to remain and yet that democratic verdict was overridden by the British Government.

So if there is a second referendum of course we will go out and campaign again for the remain position, and I believe that would be the position of the vast majority of the people living here.

But we need to be realistic about this, even if in that case scenario, if a different decision is taken on the neighbouring island, well then the democratic view is set aside, thats really the crux of the problem, she said.

People talk about a second referendum, it might happen  just be clear that in the event that if it did happen, you cant be sure that the result in Britain would be any different, so I think it would be a big mistake to put all of your eggs in the second referendum basket.A deal to resurrect Stormont can be reached, Theresa May has been told by Sinn Fein.

The Prime Minister spoke to political leaders in Northern Ireland as efforts continue to secure the return of devolved government at Stormont.

The powersharing institutions have been collapsed since January 2017 following a breakdown in relations between leading parties the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein.

A fresh round of talks started last week with what was described as a constructive meeting of the parties.

On Monday the Prime Minister spoke to Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald, vice president Michelle ONeill, Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann, Alliance leader Naomi Long, and was due to speak to SDLP leader Colum Eastwood.

Downing Street said Mrs May had previously spoken to the DUPs Arlene Foster.

Locked gates at Stormont (Niall Carson/PA)

Have spoken to Teresa May @10DowningStreet setting out our determination to resolve outstanding issues and establish powersharing institutions. A deal is possible, with equality at its core.  Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) May 13, 2019

Mrs McDonald said she told Mrs May that a deal can be reached.

We are now into the second week of talks. I told the British Prime Minister the Sinn Fein negotiation team is fully and positively engaged. We believe that the outstanding issues can and must be resolved and the powersharing government re-established at Stormont, she said.

The issues we face are not insurmountable or unresolvable. Agreement can be reached and the institutions restored with the positive political will and support of all parties and both governments.

Mrs McDonald said they also discussed Brexit and legacy issues.

I remain convinced that agreement is possible, and the powersharing institutions can be re-established operating to the highest standards with equality and rights at their core, she said.

The British Government has a decisive and central role in facilitating agreement, guaranteeing the agreements and safeguarding the rights and equality of all citizens.

Meanwhile Mr Swann said he pressed Mrs May on a number of issues.

One of these was the need to act urgently to provide long overdue redress to the victims of historical institutional abuse, he said.

It recently emerged that the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, David Sterling, had written to the Secretary of State to ask her to take the work forward, and as a result the Secretary of State now proposes to introduce legislation at Westminster.

Given that all five local party leaders in Northern Ireland support such a move, I urged the Prime Minister to give her backing to the Secretary of States plan and to ensure as swift a passage as possible through Westminster so that some assistance can finally be given to those people who have already had to wait for far too long.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: The PM is very keen to see progress being made in the talks and the UK Government, working with the Irish Government, is doing everything in its power to make the talks a success.Councillors are to consider plans which would commit Edinburgh to becoming a carbon neutral city by 2037.

Members of Edinburgh City Council will debate the proposals, set out in a new report, on Tuesday.

The Sustainability Approach report outlines a three-step delivery plan for the capital to work towards achieving a net zero carbon target by 2030, but with a hard target of meeting this by 2037.

The local authority is currently on course to meet a target to reduce carbon emissions by 42% by 2020.

In the report, it is indicated that if the new proposals are agreed to, the council would work as a matter of urgency with partners to secure a formal agreement, acknowledging the need for a city-wide effort to meet targets.

Last week a number of streets in Edinburgh were closed to traffic between noon and 5pm as part of efforts to reduce pollution.

Edinburgh could be committed to being carbon neutral by 2037 (Jane Barlow/PA)

It is part of an 18-month trial period which will see certain streets closed on the first Sunday of every month.

People are already starting to fill Victoria Street for our first #OpenStreets where streets around the Old Town are closed to motor traffic for the enjoyment of people on foot or bike. Head along between 12 + 5 today! https://t.co/Zr2BPa9eHp pic.twitter.com/sM6UhShXf9  The City of Edinburgh Council (@Edinburgh_CC) May 5, 2019

Edinburgh City Council leader Adam McVey described the proposals as ambitious but realistic.

Cities and towns all over the world are recognising the horrifying scale of the climate change challenge facing us all, he said.

We have to act and act fast  and that is why this council and indeed the Scottish Government are not shying away from recognising the state of affairs as a climate emergency.

We are proposing an ambitious target, to be a zero-carbon capital by 2030 and certainly no later than 2037.

Our task as a whole council is to work cross-party to tackle this together, along with our partner organisations across the city  we owe it to future generations to get this right.

Its a massive and definitely daunting piece of work, so it needs a clear direction of travel if were to do this properly.

I know we can achieve great things if we take an ambitious but realistic approach, and Im looking forward to some constructive and engaging debate about this at the meeting.A brazen moped gang has been jailed for a string of bold professional, planned and organised high profile raids across London and a shocking attempted robbery where a mother was threatened with her three-year-old being snatched away from her.

Among the bold crimes committed by the gang between July 2017 and June 2018 was the theft of BBC camera equipment filming the Oxford versus Cambridge boat race.

Judge Georgina Kent told the 12-strong gang, who were crowded into the dock at Kingston Crown Court: Many offences were committed using motorbikes or mopeds, often stolen with false number plates.

Many offences offences were committed at night.

She added: The motorbike helmets and clothing, often all in black, were an effective disguise and created an intimidating appearance. The motorbikes provided a quick getaway.

Many of these offences were committed in public view because you were confident you could get away with it.

Kingston Crown Court (Martin Keene/PA)

In what the judge described as an exceptionally serious and shocking attempted robbery which had a degree of planning, four gang members were caught on CCTV targeting a woman with a young child in broad daylight in Sandpits Road in Richmond.

Pheobe Ruele was walking hand-in-hand with her son whom she had just picked up from nursery when two motorcycles road past, pulled into the road and waited for her on June 21 last year.

The court heard that John McFadyen, 24, grabbed her arm hard enough to leave finger-mark bruises and told her: Give me your rings. Im going to hurt your child and take him away.

Footage shows the terrified woman can be seen dragging her child into the road before builders chase the gang away, brandishing scaffolding poles.

The judge noted that fortunately there were no cars in the vicinity at that moment but added that Ms Ruele is now afraid for her childrens safety when she takes them to and from school.

The judge said she had no doubt this offence would have struck fear into any parent who heard about it.

The judge added: A mother and her three-year-old son are extremely vulnerable. The threats that were made were calculated to exploit that vulnerability.

To threaten a mother with violence towards a very young child and threaten to take the child away is a most effective and distressing threat.

The footage went viral after being circulated on social media by Britains Got Talent judge Amanda Holden, who asked the public to call 101 or 999 if u know these scumbags.

Taking the gang off the streets has helped cut moped-enabled crime in the capital by 52% in the space of a year, according to the Metropolitan Police.

The defendants, who are aged between 19 and 36, also used their mopeds to block traffic before taking an angle grinder to cameras rigged up to capture the boat race on March 22 last year.

Although their first attempt on Putney Bridge was interrupted by off-duty police officer Steven Wagstaff, a highly-specialised BBC camera worth an estimated 180,000 was stolen from Lonsdale Road by Barnes Bridge just an hour later.

Of the first incident, the judge said: One of the riders rode at Mr Wagstaff, kicking out with his foot. Another threatened to stab him and one of the pillion (passengers) threatened to stab him with the angle grinder.

The gang escaped empty-handed.

The gang, who were all linked to ringleader Terry Marsh, 32, were sentenced for offences including conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to burgle,conspiracy to steal, criminal damage and handling stolen goods.

Three gang members  Omar Tafat, 22, Josh Myers, 19, and Kian Taylor, 20  were arrested on May 7 last year following a high-speed police chase.

It lasted more than 90 minutes and spanned 10 London boroughs, with all three piled onto the same bike.

At one point they even drove the wrong way up the A40 into oncoming traffic to try to shake off the helicopter, police motorbikes and dog units chasing them. They had arranged for an associate to wait by the roadside with a can of fuel to try to escape.

The three, who had tried to film the escapade, were arrested when they crashed by South Ealing Cemetery.

The gang first came to police attention on December 31 2017 when they carried out a ram-raid on high-end outdoor clothing company Altimus Ltd in High Street Kensington using a stolen Range Rover and several mopeds.

They made off with thousands of pounds worth of Canada Goose and Nicole Benisti jackets which can retail at up to 2,000.

Within a month, the gang had returned to the same store to carry out a second raid, violently assaulting the security guard hired to protect the premises and throwing him out into the street.

The two raids cost the business 43,000 in lost goods, and a total of 80,000 including damage.

The judge said the security guard, who was just doing his job, suffered head injuries, bruises to his body and a foot injury.

She added: Since then he felt unprotected when he goes to work and he is afraid that something like this could happen again.

Other brazen attacks included spraying a police car with fire foam extinguishers as officers waited for a stolen moped to be collected, and making off with the bike.

They also targeted two unmarked police cars, stealing an officers bag from one and smashing another up with a hammer in a bid to do as much damage as possible.

In April they raided three Kensington-based businesses, making off with thousands of pounds of electronic equipment  one company alone lost 83,000 worth of MacBooks and other Apple products.

Although the majority of their activity was focused in south-west London, four defendants travelled to Redditch in Worcestershire in January last year where they stole three motorbikes worth a total of 30,000 after their owner accidentally posted his address after advertising them on eBay.

Investigating officers said the gang were highly forensically aware and managed to carry out a number of raids without leaving any DNA evidence, forcing the police to painstakingly analyse huge volumes of mobile phone data to link the defendants and the offences.

Marsh alone had three handsets and 20 different SIM cards in a bid to avoid being tracked down by mobile phone data.

Following the arrest of Tafat, Myers and Taylor in May, a further five gang members were arrested in July last year, with the remaining defendants apprehended after caches of evidence found at their co-conspirators addresses were analysed.

Tafat, 22, of Fulham, was jailed for a total of eight years and five months after being sentenced for a count of conspiracy to steal, attempted robbery, the theft and attempted theft of BBC cameras, going equipped to steal, criminal damage to a police car and breach of a criminal behaviour order.

Myers, 19, of Shepherds Bush, was sentenced to eight years in a young offenders institution and disqualified from driving.

He had pleaded guilty to attempted theft, going equipped to steal, criminal damage to a police car, dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, possession of an offensive weapon and conspiracy to steal.

He was also found guilty of two further counts of robbery and possession of an offensive weapon at trial.

Taylor, of no fixed address, admitted attempted theft, going equipped to steal, criminal damage to a police car, dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and possession of an offensive weapon, and was found guilty of robbery after trial.

He was sentenced to a total of nine years and four months at a young offenders institution and given a driving disqualification.

Steven Weller, 36, of Ealing, was given consecutive sentences of 49 months for conspiracy to rob, four month for conspiracy to steal and 26 months for conspiracy to burgle, and was sentenced to a total of six years and seven months.

The court heard Marsh was supremely organised and diligent in rotating the Sim cards in the telephones he used and was the common denominator in the crime spree.

Marsh, of Fulham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to burgle.

The 32-year-old was jailed for a total of 13 years and two months. He was given consecutive sentences of 54 months for conspiracy to rob, 48 months for conspiracy to steal and 56 months for conspiracy to burgle.

After admitting a series of offences, Moran, 36, of Fulham, was give concurrent suspended sentences of two months for conspiracy to steal, 24 months for conspiracy to burgle and a month for handling stolen goods.

He was given a total sentence of 24 months, suspended for 18 months with a six-month curfew.

John McFadyen, 24, of Feltham, was jailed for 32 months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to rob, while his brother Isaac, 19, admitted conspiracy to rob was sentenced to 32 months in a young offenders institution.

Mitchell Leaver, 18 of Battersea, was given a 12-month suspended sentence and and a three-month curfew after admitting conspiracy to burgle.

Scott Leaver, 25, of Lambeth, was sentenced to 56 months imprisonment after being found guilty of the same charge after trial.

The judge sentenced Aaron Pask, 27, of White City, to a total of six years and eight months after his convictions for conspiracy to burgle, conspiracy to steal and burglary.

Ram Monk, 23, of no fixed address, was sentenced to two years and eight months after being found guilty of conspiracy to burgle.A man arrested on suspicion of the murder of a community worker has been reported to the PPS.

The 37-year-old man was arrested in February on suspicion of the murder of Ian Ogle in east Belfast on Sunday January 27.

Ian Ogle, a 45-year-old father of two, died in after he was stabbed and beaten while praying with a pastor on a street near his home in Cluan Place in the east of the city.

On Friday morning, Mark Sewell, of Aigburth Park, Belfast, became the third person to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court charged with the murder.Cross-party talks aimed at striking a Brexit deal were continuing as two senior Labour frontbenchers threw their weight behind calls for a second referendum on any agreement reached.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer warned it was impossible to see how an agreement between the Conservatives and his party could clear the Commons unless it guaranteed the deal would be put back to the public for a confirmatory vote.

And Labours deputy leader Tom Watson said he thought the way out of the impasse was a confirmatory ballot on Theresa Mays agreement, saying it would be difficult for his party to assist in the UKs exit from the EU without another referendum.

The latest session of talks began on Monday evening, with patience wearing out in the Tory ranks about Mrs Mays leadership and the attempt to strike a deal with Jeremy Corbyns party.

Downing Street said the talks, which began in early April, had been serious but difficult.

Asked if Mondays meeting between the negotiating teams was the last chance to make progress, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Lets see how this evening plays out.

Sir Keir told the Guardian that probably 120 if not 150 of the partys 229 MPs could vote against the deal unless it was linked to a second referendum.

And he said: Ive made it clear that at this stage, at this 11th hour, any deal that comes through from this Government ought to be subject to the lock of a confirmatory vote.

Mr Watson told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: If a deal could be found that inspires enough votes in Westminster then fine, but it seemed to me that thats very, very difficult.

Sir Keir Starmer said any deal `ought to be subject to the lock of a confirmatory vote (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

And so my idea of a confirmatory ballot is not a religious point or a point of ideology, its just how do you get an outcome, how do you sort this out?

And one way to do it are these two minority positions  the Prime Ministers deal and those that think the people should have a say on the deal  plug them together and you build a majority.

Mr Watson also described Labours position in relation to the European elections as a remain and reform party.

He was using a speech on Monday to plead with voters to back his party to counter the threat posed by Nigel Farage, who was spending the day campaigning in Labour heartlands.

There are only two forces that can win this election  that nasty nationalism of the Farage Brexit Party, or the tolerant, compassionate outward looking patriotism of the Labour Party, Mr Watson will say.

I can only plead with Labour supporters, dont stay at home, dont put that cross elsewhere, dont let them win.

Last month Mr Corbyn saw off an attempt to commit the party to a confirmatory referendum on any Brexit deal, and Labour will instead back a fresh vote only if it cannot either win the changes it wants to Mrs Mays deal or secure a general election.

Mr Farage said the idea of a confirmatory referendum was the most outrageous proposal he had ever seen and would lead to a party like the Brexit Party winning a majority in Parliament at the next general election.

Speaking during a walkabout in Pontefract, part of Labour MP Yvette Coopers constituency, Mr Farage said: A confirmatory vote, it sounds all nice and fluffy, what does it mean?

Nigel Farage is meeting voters in Pontefract this morning. pic.twitter.com/iKFTeNccxF  Amy Murphy (@AmyMurphyPA) May 13, 2019

It means we stay in the European Union as we are, or we nominally leave and stay permanently part of a customs union and with single market rules.

They wouldnt even give the public the option of actually leaving.

Its the most outrageous proposal Ive ever seen.

Housing Secretary James Brokenshire said a confirmatory referendum would be taking us in a different direction, thats actually saying well, were looking at this issue all over again and not giving effect to the original vote.

"We are a remain and reform party."



Labour deputy leader @tom_watson says "remain is not on the ballot paper" in the EU elections but "narrow populism" and "nationalism" is, so voters should "look at the wider context of the political world we're in" #r4today pic.twitter.com/7pU4w8GTgz  BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) May 13, 2019

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said this week would be crunch week for the cross-party negotiations, adding that another public vote would be a betrayal of what people voted for, and we want to implement the first referendum.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said Mrs May has made clear her views about a second public vote, insisting she was focused on delivering the result of the first referendum.

Tuesdays Cabinet meeting will consider the state of the talks process.

There will be a substantive Cabinet discussion on wherever we have got to, a senior Government source said.

If the cross-party approach is abandoned, Mrs May has signalled that a series of votes would be held in the Commons with the aim of finding a Brexit plan that could command a majority, ideally with the support of Labour.

A Government source said that ministers had tried everything else.

Meanwhile, planning for a no-deal Brexit was continuing in case nothing can be agreed by the October 31 deadline.

But Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay warned Eurosceptics: If MPs continue to refuse to vote for a deal to leave the EU, we will head towards a showdown in October where we risk losing Brexit altogether,

He added: In a choice between a no deal exit or revoking Article 50 I would vote for the former  yet many MPs would vote to revoke.A year after 82 women protested en masse on the red carpet, the Cannes Film Festival has defended its record on female film-makers.

For the first time, it also divulged data on its selection process.

Addressing reporters on the eve of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival, director Thierry Fremaux spoke at length, both touting the festivals strides in gender parity and bristling at what he described as Cannes being held to an impossible standard.

Following pressure by 50/502020, the French sister group to Times Up, Fremaux last May signed a pledge  with Cate Blanchett, Ava DuVernay and others looking on  promising to make the festivals selection process more transparent and to push its executive boards towards gender parity.

This year, Canness selection committee was 50% female for the first time.

The festival said it received 1,845 feature film submissions from 39 countries, 26% were directed by women.

Its official selection of 69 films, both features and shorts, included 19 films directed by women, or 27.5%.

For the second time in two years, Fremaux held a press conference defending Cannes from its critics, the day before Jim Jarmuschs The Dead Dont Die will open the festival.

When we signed this charter, the idea was never that the selection would be based on gender parity, he said on Monday.

All the films in the official selection  and there are 15 women directors in all, 20 if you add the shorts  all these films are there because in our view as the people who selected the films, they really deserve to have been selected.

There have never been so many women directors in the official selection because there have never been so many women directors in the industry as a whole.

Fremaux said Cannes is criticised in a way that other festivals and social organisations are not.

The Cannes Film Festival has to be impeccable and absolutely perfect, he said.

Of course we try to be perfect.

No-one has asked me to have 50% of films made by women. That would show a lack of respect.

50/50X2020 said it will review the findings in a press conference in Cannes on Friday.

Jane Campion is the only female film-maker to have won the Palme dOr (Ian West/PA)

Issues of gender equality have resonated particularly in Cannes, where only one female film-maker  Jane Campion in 1993 for The Piano  has ever won the festivals top award, the Palme dOr.

Women directors have also never numbered more than four in the main slate of approximately 20 films.

Not wearing high heels has even, as recently as four years ago, been a reason for denying entry to a premiere.

Cannes is also where Harvey Weinstein was a prominent regular for decades.

At the festivals closing ceremony last May, Italian film-maker Asia Argento declared on the stage: In 1997, I was raped by Harvey Weinstein here at Cannes.

I was 21-years-old. This festival was his hunting ground.

Weinstein has denied the encounter was rape.

This years festival has also attracted some backlash to its selections.

In competition is Abdellatif Kechiche, whose Blue Is the Warmest Color won the Palme dOr in 2013.

In October, Paris authorities launched an investigation into a sexual assault allegation against the director. Kechiche has denied it.

The decision to give Alain Delon, the 83-year-old French acting legend of Le Samourai and The Leopard, an honorary Palme dOr prompted an online petition against it.

Deon has acknowledged slapping women in the past and said he opposes the adoption of children by same-sex parents.

Fremaux said Delon comes from another generation and that hes free to express his views, whatever they are.

Were not giving Alain Delon the Nobel Peace Prize, said Fremaux.A man has been charged in connection with the death of T2 Trainspotting actor Bradley Welsh.

The 48-year-old was shot as he walked down the stairs to his Edinburgh flat on April 17.

Police confirmed on Monday a 28-year-old man had been charged in connection with the actors death.

Forensic teams at Chester Street in Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA)

He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

A statement from police added: He is also charged with the attempted murder of a 48-year-old man and the serious assault of a 22-year-old man in Pitcairn Grove on Wednesday Mach 13.

Members of the public are thanked for their assistance with both of these investigations.Theresa May has announced she will stand down as leader of the Conservative Party on June 7, signalling the start of the race to replace her.

 When will Theresa May leave office?

An emotional Mrs May announced outside No 10 that she will remain as Prime Minister until the Tory leadership contest is decided.

When David Cameron resigned following the referendum result in June 2016, the contest was originally planned to end in early September that year  but Mrs May was the last candidate standing and became Prime Minister on July 13.

In a joint statement, party chairman Brandon Lewis and the vice chairmen of the backbench 1922 Committee, Dame Cheryl Gillan and Charles Walker, said they hoped the new leader could be in place by the time MPs break for the summer  normally late July.

(PA Graphics)

 How will a leadership contest work?

Candidates must be nominated by two Conservative MPs. If only one candidate comes forward, he or she becomes leader, but a coronation appears unlikely given the crowded field of leadership hopefuls already jostling for position.

The list of candidates is whittled down to a shortlist of two in a series of votes by Conservative MPs.

The final pair then go to a postal ballot of all party members, with the position of leader  and prime minister  going to the victor.

(PA Graphics)

 How long will it take?

Under the timetable set out by Mr Lewis and the 1922 vice-chairmen, nominations will close in the week beginning June 10.

The aim then would be to conclude the parliamentary stage of the process by the end of the month.

That would be followed by a series of hustings around the country, where non-members as well as members will have a chance to put their questions to the final two candidates, with voting to be wrapped up by the time of the summer recess.Immigration to the UK from the European Union has fallen to the lowest level in five years.

Official figures show an estimated 201,000 EU nationals moved to the UK with an intention to stay 12 months or more in 2018.

This was the lowest inflow from the bloc since 2013, when it also stood at 201,000.

Around 127,000 EU citizens emigrated  giving a net figure of 74,000.

In the year to June 2016, when the Brexit referendum was held, net long-term EU migration was 189,000.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said non-EU long-term immigration has gradually increased over the last five years to similar levels seen in 2011.

Overall net international migration was estimated at 258,000 last year  down from 285,000 in 2017 but still well above the Governments target level of under 100,000.

Jay Lindop, director of the ONS centre for international migration, said: Our analysis of the available data suggests that long-term net migration, immigration and emigration figures have remained broadly stable since the end of 2016.

EU net migration has decreased since mid-2016 following a period of increase, while non-EU net migration has gradually been increasing since 2013, standing at an estimated 232,000 last year, the ONS report said.

(PA Graphics)

It added: However, both EU and non-EU citizens continue to add to the population, while more British citizens leave long-term than return.

Net migration from eight eastern European states that joined the EU in 2004 has been negative in four consecutive quarterly statistical bulletins.

In the latest period, 10,000 more nationals from the so-called EU8 states  Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia  departed than arrived.

There was a statistically significant rise in net migration from the Middle East and Central Asia, rising from 18,000 in 2017 to 30,000 last year.

Ms Lindop said the pattern of migration to the UK for work has been changing since 2016.

She added: Long-term immigration to the UK for work has fallen, mainly driven by the decline in EU arrivals.

Despite this, 99,000 EU citizens still came to the UK long-term to work in 2018, a level similar to 2012.

(PA Graphics)

We are also seeing the number of skilled work visas for non-EU citizens increasing, although overall non-EU work-related immigration has remained broadly stable.

The latest figures prompted fresh calls for the Tories to abandon a controversial objective of reducing net migration to the tens of thousands.

Prime Minister Theresa May has remained in favour of the target, but Home Secretary Sajid Javid has refused to commit to a specific figure, instead saying the Governments aim is to bring migration down to sustainable levels.

Sunder Katwala, director of think-tank British Future, said: These will be Theresa Mays final immigration statistics as a prime minister and home secretary who placed the net migration target at the centre of the Governments immigration policy.

But the net migration target was a promise to voters that could never be kept.

Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said: Its clear that the UK has become less attractive for EU citizens over the past few years, whether because of the lower value of the pound or the uncertainty around Brexit.

But Brexit doesnt seem to have put off non-EU migrants: the UK continues to be a top destination for international students and skilled workers from outside the EU.

Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes said: These figures show that the UK is continuing to attract skilled workers like doctors and nurses, who play a vital role in supporting our communities and boosting our economy.

Net migration continues to be stable and as we leave the EU our new immigration system will give us greater control over who comes here, while ensuring employers have the access to the skills they need.Amid simmering tensions between Washington and Tehran in recent weeks, United States President Donald Trump on Friday said that his country will deploy about 1500 additional troops to the Middle East as a "protective measure".

"We're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops," Trump told reporters at the White House here, as cited by Xinhua. "We'll see what happens."

Taking to Twitter shortly after the development, US Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan deemed the move a "prudent response to credible threats from Iran," while announcing that the Pentagon has informed Congress about the deployment.

"The @DeptofDefense has informed Congress I approved the combatant commander's request to deploy approximately 1,500 additional troops & defensive capabilities to the @CENTCOM area to increase our force protection posture. This is a prudent response to credible threats from Iran"

In a press briefing on Friday afternoon, Pentagon officials said that about 600 troops have already arrived in the region with the Patriot battery, a defence system designed to track and destroy incoming missiles, while the remaining 900 troops will be deployed to mainly operate intelligence surveillance radar and drones.

In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that the additional deployment of military forces by the US in the region does not intimidate the country.

The move has come hours after the US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo confirmed the approval of USD 8.1 billion in arms transfers to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates amid hostilities with Iran. The equipment includes aircraft support maintenance; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; munitions and other supplies, reported Sputnik.

"Today, acting in accordance with the authority granted to us by Congress, I made a determination under the Arms Export Control Act to formally notify Congress of 22 arms sales to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. These directly protect US citizens and our partners," Pompeo wrote on his official Twitter handle on Friday.

"We presented some of these sales almost 18 months ago to Congress, but it has failed to act. The US is and must remain, a reliable security partner in the Gulf and to our allies around the world. It's fundamental to our national security," he added.

US military is increasing its presence in the Middle East. Recently, the country deployed carrier strike warships and B-52 bombers off the coast of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to counter an alleged and unexplained threat from Iran.

-ANIThe number of households living in temporary accommodation in England has risen by almost 75% this decade, according to the Governments latest homelessness figures.

A total of 83,700 households were in bed and breakfasts and other temporary accommodation at the end of December 2018, including 124,490 children, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said.

The latest statutory homelessness figures show a 5% rise on the total of 79,720 at the end of December 2018 and a 74.3% rise on the low of 48,010 at the end of 2010.

Among the 83,700 households in temporary accommodation there were 61,740 families with children, including 5,710 in emergency bed and breakfasts and hostels.

Polly Neate, chief executive at homeless charity Shelter, said: Its impossible to ignore the frightening levels of homelessness in England right now.

Hundreds of thousands of people are desperate for help, from those sleeping on the street to families trapped in emergency B&Bs.

More people are being pushed to the hard edge of the housing crisis by crippling private rents, frozen benefits, and endless waiting lists for social homes that dont exist.

Its clear this is a national emergency that wont go away on its own  real change must happen now.

The figures show that London continues to have a disproportionately high number of households in temporary accommodation with 68% of the total for the whole of England.

The capital had 56,880 households living in temporary accommodation at the end of December.

In England, there were approximately 1.4 households living in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households outside London but this figure is 16.2 in the capital.

(PA Graphics)

According to the statistics released on Friday, the number of households in temporary accommodation with shared facilities, bed and breakfast and hostels including womens refuges, was 12,720, or 15.2% of the total.

Of these, 6,980 households were living in bed and breakfasts, an increase of 20.8% from 5,780 at the same time last year and the highest since the third quarter of 2004.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive at homeless charity Crisis, said: Its both shocking and heartbreaking that thousands of people across England are finding themselves trapped in unsuitable temporary accommodation when what they really need is a stable housing.

B&Bs are no place to call home. Theyre often cramped or sub-standard and sometimes even dangerous.

Whats worse is more and more people are becoming trapped in these B&Bs for months or even years at a time with no hope of moving on, in part because Local Housing Allowance (LHA) no longer covers the true cost of renting in large parts of the country. 

MHCLG released figures for the two quarters to December 2018 after the new Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) came into force in April last year.

The Act created new duties for local authorities in England and created new categories and the ministry stressed that the statistics are not directly comparable to previous figures due to the significant changes in the system.

Shocking new statistics show the number of #homeless people trapped in B&Bs in #England has soared by more than 20% in the last year. This cannot go on.

1/4 pic.twitter.com/9RjxrKQFw1  Crisis (@crisis_uk) May 24, 2019

The data shows that in the last six months of 2018 some 58,120 households were found to be homeless  defined as owed a relief duty  and 70,250 were found to be threatened with homelessness  defined as owed a prevention duty.

However, the statistics also show homelessness has been prevented for 39,640 households since the the Act came into force last year.

Mr Sparkes said: The Homelessness Reduction Act, which places an increased duty on councils to prevent and resolve peoples homelessness, has great potential, but can only work alongside further measures that tackle the root causes of the issue.

Alex Cunningham MP, Labours shadow housing minister, said: The shameful rise in homeless children stuck in temporary accommodation will be the legacy of this failed Conservative Government.

Rising homelessness is a crisis of the Tories own making as weve seen investment in the number of low-cost homes to buy and rent tumble.

Add to that cuts in housing benefit, reduced funding for homelessness services and a private rental sector lacking any real protections and we know why so many are being let down.

A Local Government Association spokesman said: Many councils are struggling to cope with rising homelessness and to find suitable accommodation for those in need.

The increasing use of temporary accommodation is not only financially unsustainable for councils but is hugely disruptive for those families placed in such accommodation.Brussels issued a stark message to whoever becomes the next prime minister, insisting the Brexit deal could not be rewritten.

The European Union has repeatedly said it would not reopen the legal text of the Withdrawal Agreement signed off by Theresa May and the 27 other leaders after protracted negotiations.

European Commission officials agreed that nothing has changed in relation to the status of the Brexit deal.

.@Mina_Andreeva @EU_Commission: @JunckerEU very much liked & appreciated working with PM @theresa_may...a woman of courage, for whom he has great respect. He will equally respect & establish working relations with any new PM, whomever they may be.   Daniel Ferrie  (@DanielFerrie) May 24, 2019

Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker followed Prime Minister Mays announcement this morning without personal joy, Brussels said.

Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva added: The president very much liked and appreciated working with Prime Minister May, and has said before, Theresa May is a woman of courage for whom he has great respect.

He will equally respect and establish working relations with any new prime minister, whomever they may be, without stopping his conversations with Prime Minister May.

Theresa May greets Jean-Claude Juncker ahead of a working dinner (John Stillwell/PA)

But she stressed: We have set out our position on the Withdrawal Agreement and on the political declaration.

The European Commission and the Article 50 format has set out its position and we remain available for anyone who will be the new prime minister.

Manfred Weber, an ally of German chancellor Angela Merkel and the centre-rights lead candidate to replace Mr Juncker after the European elections, said Brexit was a total disaster but Mrs May fought for a stable solution and a viable deal.

In a message to her successor he said: We hope once more for a constructive approach from our British partners.

I appeal to the UKs sense of responsibility and leadership in these times of great uncertainty.

Respect to @theresa_may, who fought for a stable solution and a viable deal. We hope once more for a constructive approach from our British partners. I appeal to the UKs sense of responsibility and leadership in these times of great uncertainty. #Brexit 2/2  Manfred Weber (@ManfredWeber) May 24, 2019

Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte stressed that the Withdrawal Agreement reached with the EU remains on the table.

Mrs Merkel said that regardless of what happened in the UK, the German government would continue to work to achieve a good partnership, an ordered exit and good co-operation.

I would like to express my full respect for @theresa_may and for her determination, as Prime Minister, in working towards the #UKs orderly withdrawal from the EU.  Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) May 24, 2019

The EUs chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, expressed his full respect for Mrs May and her determination to reach a Brexit deal.Thousands of schoolchildren across Scotland have taken part in another day of strikes to demand urgent action to tackle climate change.

Events were held at locations including outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh and at George Square in Glasgow.

Protests were also held in towns and cities across the country including Aberdeen, Fort William, Skelmorlie, Aboyne, Fort William, Peebles, Nairn, Stirling and Ullapool.

Hundreds of school pupils have marched to the Scottish Parliament as part of a day of action across the country to demand urgent action on climate change #ClimateStrike pic.twitter.com/F3yZiJqhaC  Lewis McKenzie (@LewisMcKenzie94) May 24, 2019

Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie told crowds in George Square, Glasgow, that it is vital they keep up the pressure on Governments and decision-makers.

Theres huge sense of optimism right now, inspired by this global movement, that we can finally deliver the decisive action to reduce emissions we should have had years ago when Scotland first passed climate legislation, he said.

But we need to resist the instinct from corporations and others whove created the crisis to shift responsibility for change back onto individual lifestyles.

We need full system-level change and we need it urgently. Thats why this movement is so vital and why it must keep going.

Protesters march on the Scottish Parliament (Jane Barlow/PA)

Ahead of the demonstrations, Holly Gillibrand, 13, from Fort William said: I am too young to vote and we cant wait for people my age to come into power.

Thats why we need to strike to make our voices heard.

Neelu Saraswatibhatla, 17, from Edinburgh, said: Business as usual will result in climate destruction and disruption is necessary in order to force governments to take urgent action as the alternative is death.

Evie Hylands, 15, from Glasgow, said: This protest symbolises something greater than just a strike.

It gives a perfect depiction of the anger of the youth, who will be most affected by the fall of mother nature, yet we always seem to be the ones whose opinions are disregarded.

The youth is now speaking up now so hear us out. We want to save our planet.

Thousands of people took to streets across Scotland (Jane Barlow/PA)

At the SNP conference last month, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon declared a climate emergency, noting she had been inspired by demonstrating pupils.

She told her partys conference: I met some of the young climate change campaigners whove gone on strike from school to raise awareness of their cause.

They want governments around the world to declare a climate emergency. They say thats what the science tells us. And they are right.

So today, as First Minister of Scotland, I am declaring that there is a climate emergency. And Scotland will live up to our responsibility to tackle it.

Pupils have been inspired by Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg (Jane Barlow/PA)

Earlier this month, the Scottish Government also agreed to set a target of net-zero emissions by 2045  an aim described by experts as the most ambitious in the world.

It followed recommendations set out by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) that Scotland meet the target five years ahead of the UK in 2050.

Glasgow and Edinburgh have also both outlined their aims to cut greenhouse emissions and to become the UKs first net zero city.

The climate strikes by pupils were started in August 2018 by the Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg and have since been mirrored across the world.The number of EU nationals living in the UK has fallen for the first time since official data recording started 15 years ago, new statistics show.

An estimated 3.64 million EU citizens were resident in the country last year.

This was a fall of around 173,000 compared to 2017, when the EU national population in the UK was approximately 3.81 million.

(PA Graphics)

An Office for National Statistics report detailing the findings said: This decrease follows continual increases since 2004.

Much of the decrease was due to a fall in the number of occupants from eight eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004.

Last year there were 1.43 million nationals of the so-called EU8 states living in the UK, down by 153,000 on the number in 2017.

(PA Graphics)

The number of Poles living in the UK fell by 116,000 year-on-year to 905,000.

Despite the recent decline, Polish remains the most common non-British nationality in the UK, followed by Romanian (415,000) and Indian (355,000).

Last year the overall non-British population in the UK was 6.1 million, while 9.3 million inhabitants were born abroad.David Cameron has voiced sympathy for Theresa May over her painful decision to stand down as Prime Minister.

The former premier alluded to his own resignation as he paid tribute to the spirit of duty and service which had driven her time in office.

Theresa is right that compromise is not a dirty word and she should be thanked for her tireless efforts on behalf of the country, he said in a statement.

I know how painful it is to accept that your time is up and a new leader is required. She has made the right decision  and I hope that the spirit of compromise is continued.

Speaking later in Oxfordshire, where he used to be an MP, he added: I know what it feels like when you come to realise that your leadership time has finished, that the country needs a new leader.

It is extremely difficult and painful to step outside of Downing Street and say those things. This will be a very difficult day.

David Cameron announcing his resignation following the 2016 referendum result (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA)

Strong and brave speech by a Prime Minister driven by duty and service she should be thanked for her tireless efforts on behalf of the country. Full statement below. pic.twitter.com/4XpEZIzrxh  David Cameron (@David_Cameron) May 24, 2019

The former premier no doubt recalled another sunny morning three years ago when he emerged onto the steps of No 10 to declare the country needed fresh leadership after dramatically voting to leave the EU.

I will do everything I can as prime minister to steady the ship over the coming weeks and months but I do not think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination, he said.

But while he spoke then of the need for stability, the legacy he left behind of a party and a country divided, was one that proved impossible for his successor to overcome.

With the spirit of compromise hard to find among the warring factions on Brexit, it remains to be seen whether a new leader can find a way of healing the deep divisions which have opened up.British politics is entering a phase that could be very dangerous for Ireland, the Taoiseach has warned.

Leo Varadkar said a Eurosceptic Tory who wants to repudiate Britains EU Withdrawal Agreement could replace outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May.

After Mrs May announced she will step down as PM and Tory leader on June 7, Mr Varadkar said no matter who replaces her, Ireland will hold its nerve.

Speaking in Dublin after voting in the European and local elections on Friday, he said: Obviously as anyone can see, British politics is consumed by Brexit and will be consumed by Brexit for a very long time.

It now means we enter a new phase when it comes to Brexit and a phase that may be a very dangerous one for Ireland.

In the next couple of months we may see the election of a Eurosceptic prime minister who wants to repudiate the Withdrawal Agreement and go for a no-deal, or we may even see a new British Government that wants a close relationship with the EU and goes for a second referendum.

Leo Varadkar described Theresa May as a `passionate politician (PA)

Whatever happens we are going to hold our nerve, we are going to continue to build and strengthen and deepen our alliance across the European Union, and we will make sure we see Ireland through this.

He also paid tribute to Mrs May, saying he will miss her and her team.

Sorry to hear of resignation of PM May. We worked closely with her and her team on Brexit and the North. I want to thank her for agreeing with us to retain and strengthen the Common Travel Area so that Irish & British citizens can travel, live, work, study, access healthcare..1/2  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) May 24, 2019

We worked very closely on issues over the past one-and-a-half years on Brexit and the North, he added.

I particularly want to pay tribute to her to agreeing to retain and strengthen the Common Travel Area.

As a result of the agreement we made, British and Irish citizens are able to live, work, study, travel and access health care, housing, education and welfare and pensions in each others countries as though we are citizens of both.

That is going to be there and protected no matter what else may happen as a consequence of Brexit and part of that was done because of her work with us, and I want to pay tribute to her and her team for that.

He had earlier praised Mrs May, saying: She is principled, honourable and deeply passionate about doing her best for her country, and her party.

Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, meanwhile, repeated previous warnings that the EU will not renegotiate the Brexit withdrawal deal  no matter who the UKs next prime minister is.

This idea that a new prime minister will be a tougher negotiator and will put it up to the EU and get a much better deal for Britain? Thats not how the EU works, Mr Coveney told Newstalk.

Micheal Martin, the leader of Irelands main opposition party Fianna Fail, said of Mrs Mays departure: Her fate is a reflection of the emerging and ongoing crisis in British politics as a result of Brexit and is a reminder of how unstable and potentially damaging this process remains.

The coming leadership election within the Conservative Party has the potential to further destabilise the Brexit process.

In Ireland, those of us entrusted with positions of leadership must remain vigilant and stay alert to the threat of a no-deal Brexit.

Our hope will be that her replacement is someone with the skills and determination to achieve the compromise needed to allow the UK and the EU to move on.

We must also ensure that this development is not used to further delay the restoration of the Executive and Assembly in Northern Ireland.

Irelands Labour party leader Brendan Howling said Mrs Mays resignation represents the exhaustion of the current political process around Brexit.

He added: In Ireland, we must move our preparations to an orange warning, as the risk of a disorderly no-deal Brexit is now a real and present danger to jobs and the economy.Payments of up to 100,000 are being offered to council workers in a long-running equal pay row.

Settlement letters are being sent to thousands of current and former Glasgow City Council workers after the local authority agreed to pay out at least 500 million earlier this year, more than a decade on from the dispute arising.

Around 16,000 workers, mostly women, brought claims against the council following a Court of Session ruling in 2017 that female employees had been discriminated against.

The council adopted the Workforce Pay and Benefit Review, implementing its job evaluation-based pay and grading system in 2006, with the aim of ensuring men and women received equal pay for jobs of the same value.

But some women claim they were paid 3 an hour less than men in similarly graded roles.

The claimant group, including unions GMB, Unison, Unite as well as Action 4 Equality, reached a deal with the council months after around 8,000 Glasgow council workers walked out on strike for 48 hours in October in a bid to settle the pay claim.

A mass rally during the equal pay strike in October (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Now, payment offers are arriving, with the GMB union saying settlements average out to around 22,000 while some are up to 100,000.

GMB branch secretary Shona Thomson, a home carer for the council, said: It actually feels quite surreal.

Its finally here and weve got our letter and know our amounts.

Im just so happy for all my colleagues and all of us that have been underpaid for all these years.

Its not a bonus that weve got  it is our money that weve earned.

She plans to go on a holiday and get a new car but said she hoped people would not make rash decisions.

Cleaning supervisor Lyn Marie OHara said she feels a sense of justice delivered.

She said: It delivers equality and a recognition of the fact the we have been disadvantaged in our working lives.

The Unison steward added: 163 people have died waiting on their equal pay.

Equal Pay Glasgow UPDATE. UNISON legal team aim to start posting offers from the Council on Thursday May 23rd. Further information: https://t.co/OGplgnHJcq  UNISON Scotland (@unisonscot) May 17, 2019

GMB Scotland organiser Rhea Wolfson said: Today is incredibly important in that it is a culmination of 12 years of fighting for pay equality in Glasgow.

It comes as a direct consequence of the strike in October where workers organised themselves and fought back against the council.

Its not the end of the journey as members still go to work and are underpaid at the moment, and that wont change until the new job evaluation scheme is put in place.

She added: The level of some of the payments shows how much was taken from some of these women.

Its not a lottery win  its what these women should have been paid and for the council to have deprived so many women of this money is jaw-dropping.

Sadly, for too many women it has come too late.Women in politics have been reflecting on Theresa Mays impact as a female leader in a mans world following her resignation.

Mrs May became only the second female PM in the countrys history when she took over from David Cameron in 2016, following in the footsteps of fellow Conservative Margaret Thatcher.

Labour MP Harriet Harman criticised the outgoing Prime Minister for leaving the UK more divided and unequal, but encouraged people to consider her achievements not just failings Esp when they are a woman in whats still a mans world.

Ms Harman said the PM brought in important new laws on equal pay, human trafficking and domestic values  issues which disproportionately affect women.

She leaves UK more divided and unequal but when a dedicated public servant leaves, look at achievements not just failings. Esp when they are a woman in whats still a mans world. So I acknowledge PM brought in imp new laws on equ pay, human trafficking & dv.  Harriet Harman (@HarrietHarman) May 24, 2019

Conservative MP for Chelmsford Vicky Ford described Mrs May as the most remarkable supporter of women coming into Parliament.

Tory MP for Redditch Rachel Maclean tweeted: Ive been fortunate to have seen first-hand her support for women in public life and to have worked on her policies of ending domestic abuse and tackling the gender pay gap.

A mans world? Theresa May was Britains second female PM (PA)

What ever happens next lets remember that @theresa_may has been the most remarkable supporter of women coming into Parliament. Ive always found TM to be someone who listens closely, cares deeply and strives tirelessly to do good.  Vicky Ford MP (@vickyford) May 24, 2019

Theresa May shows huge dignity as she leaves office, and has a number of achievements to be proud of. Ive been fortunate to have seen first hand her support for women in public life and to have worked on her policies of ending domestic abuse and tackling the gender pay gap.  Rachel Maclean MP #GetBoostedNow (@redditchrachel) May 24, 2019

Praise has not been forthcoming from all quarters, however. The Womens Equality Party tweeted: Theresa May leaves behind the devastating impacts of #austerity and #windrush inflicted on women and minorities.

Theresa May leaves behind the devastating impacts of #austerity and #windrush inflicted on women and minorities, and a political system in crisis.  Women's Equality Party (@WEP_UK) May 24, 2019

Mrs May has identified as a feminist in the past, and in 2010 became the first Tory to become minister for women and equality.

However, she was criticised in some quarters after she told BBCs The One Show that her husband took out the bins, citing boys jobs and girls jobs.

She has also faced pressure to overturn restrictive abortion laws in Northern Ireland. Her Government says this is an issue for the devolved Stormont Government once it is restored.

Labour MP Jess Phillips also condemned the media for the nature of its reporting on Mrs May, tweeting she does not give a toss about her effing shoes!! No one talked about Camerons combover.

She also urged people to stop going on about Mrs Mays emotions.

I do t give a toss about her effing shoes!! No one talked about Cameron's combover  Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips) May 24, 2019

Stop going on about her emotion. David Cameron did the same, get over it, she was upset that she failed. The end.  Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips) May 24, 2019

The impact on the PMs gender on the nature of the debate persisted right to the end of her leadership.

After Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith said Mrs Mays husband Philip should intervene to ensure her resignation, a Metro front page carried the headline: Just Tell Her Phil.

Labour MP Alison McGovern tweeted: This splash says absolutely nothing about the future of our poor country and everything about Iain Duncan Smith who thinks it is ok to tell a woman she must be told what to do by her husband.The UK Aviation Minister has praised Glasgow Airport for halving the number of offences involving disruptive passengers.

Baroness Vere travelled to Scotland for its launch of Campus Watch 2019.

The scheme, which involves bar and restaurant employees working with security staff and retailers to highlight incidents to the central control room and share information, has been running since 2013.

It was a flying visit to @GLA_Airport but a fascinating one. They are doing great things on accessibility - ensuring everyone feels welcome! And they have a Changing Places facility. Coming home w @British_Airways pic.twitter.com/jn2qEYU52W  Charlotte Vere (@CharlotteV) May 24, 2019

During her visit, Baroness Vere met staff involved in the campaign who spoke about the 50% reduction in the number of offences involving disruptive behaviour since 2017.

While noting other airports do similar, Baroness Vere told the Press Association: I know that Glasgow certainly is the leader in all sorts of different ways and they were one of the first to do it.

Whats really interesting in Glasgow is that we can see that its had a bit of an impact.

Airport managing director Mark Johnston and members of staff welcome Baroness Vere (Glasgow Airport/PA)

Of course (staff) cant be eyes and ears for absolutely everything all the time.

It really helps because otherwise you might have passengers who get refused service in one bar, think theyll have a go in another bar and if you have Campus Watch that other bar can say actually, no, that bloke in the yellow hoodie  were not going to serve him.

She added: The other thing they do is they then mark that persons boarding card to make sure that when they go check in, the airline is aware just be careful with that person, keep an eye on them.

Its one of the many good things Glasgow is doing to make the passenger experience more pleasant.

When asked if it meant a possible reduction in opening hours of some of the air-side bars, she said: I dont think were quite there yet because I think most people want to enjoy their holiday.

And travelling to the airport can sometimes be a bit stressful, youre up really early in the morning.

Its absolutely fine to get to the airport, have a nice glass of something, put your shoes off and read your book.

What we just dont need is people coming here and drinking too much.

As part of an investment into facilities, 8 million was used to upgrade the airport ahead of Emirates operating a Dubai service  on the worlds largest commercial aircraft, the A380  which began last month.

There could also be more traffic coming to Glasgow, with the long-mooted expansion of Heathrow Airport potentially bringing in many more passengers.

Baroness Vere said: Once Heathrow has expanded, 15% of the slots will go to domestic routes.

What we want to make sure is that the benefits of expansion are expanded around the country.

Obviously Glasgow will benefit from that, many other regional airports will benefit from that.

But thats not to say its just all about flying through Heathrow.

She added: From Glasgow you can get some really great long-haul direct routes. Theres sometimes no need to go through Heathrow at all.

I think theres two options there and its about giving choice to people and as much connectivity as possible.

Glasgow Airport managing director Mark Johnston said: Instances of disruptive behaviour remain extremely rare and Im confident our Campus Watch programme has played a key role in ensuring the vast majority of our passengers travel through the airport safely, responsibly and without incident.

Offences involving disruptive behaviour were halved last year at Glasgow Airport and we are seeing a further reduction this year to date, so Campus Watch is having a positive effective and our zero-tolerance approach is getting through to the tiny minority who fail to act in a responsible manner.

For many of our passengers, the arrival at the airport signals the start of their holiday and theres absolutely nothing wrong with this.

We want to ensure our passengers continue to enjoy a pleasant, safe and disruption-free journey and Campus Watch is in place to ensure its a memorable one for the right reasons.A chaotic Conservative leadership race must not distract from Brexit threats or derail efforts to restore Stormont, Sinn Feins leader has warned.

Reacting to Theresa Mays announced departure, Mary Lou McDonald was scathing of her time in office.

She said the outgoing prime minister had set unrealisable red lines on Brexit and had entered a confidence and supply deal with the DUP that had damaged the political process in Northern Ireland.

The chaos at Westminster cannot be allowed to distract from the very real threat that Brexit poses to Ireland, Mrs McDonald said.

They also should not derail progress in the North talks.

The Sinn Fein president was commenting in Dublin as she cast her vote in Irelands European and local council elections.

Mary Lou McDonald said the Tory leadership election should not derail progress in the Stormont talks (Niall Carson/PA)

Irrespective of who leads, it is paramount that peoples rights and agreements are protected, she said.

Following the British general election, Theresa May prioritised a deal with the DUP at Westminster over re-establishing the powersharing institutions.

This Tory/DUP deal has had a negative influence on the political process.

Theresa May set unrealisable red lines in the Brexit negotiations and only eventually accepted the need for a backstop as the bare minimum to avoid a hard border.

The people want and need a resolution to the impasse in the North to the issues which led to the collapse of the institutions.

An agreement can be reached and a deal can be done. But the process must not be derailed nor responsibility abdicated in respect of peoples rights and agreements.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the resignation should send a very clear message to Britain and Europe that Brexit is a fundamentally undeliverable prospect.

SDLP Leader @columeastwood has branded Brexit an 'undeliverable doctrine' following Theresa May's resignation.



The next Prime Minister must learn from May's mistakes - revoke Article 50 and end this political, diplomatic and economic car crash.



More: https://t.co/OrENogIDQ1 pic.twitter.com/yQ9Vl1PBDS  Social Democratic and Labour Party (@SDLPlive) May 24, 2019

Attempts to implement Brexit have now cost the British Government 38 ministers since the 2016 referendum, including two prime ministers, he said.

It is a doctrine that seeks to sink an axe of simplicity into the delicate layers of political relationships across Ireland and it has broken old political certainties in Britain. It is fundamentally an undeliverable prospect.

I have disagreed with Theresa May almost every single step of the way over the course of the last three years.

Triggering Article 50 with no plan to prevent a hard border in Ireland, reneging politically on the agreed terms of the backstop, and stubbornly refusing to call a halt to the madness that has consumed Westminster.

It is undeniable, however, that she has exhausted every avenue to find agreement in the House of Commons.

The simple fact remains, however, that there is clearly no consensus to be found.

The European Union has already said very clearly that the Withdrawal Agreement is not up for renegotiation.

A new Prime Minister should recognise the mistakes made by Theresa May, revoke Article 50 and put an end to this political, diplomatic and economic car crash.

Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry said the next prime minister would face the same issues and must be prepared to act with realism and honesty.

Next Prime Minister will still face the same issues, says @StephenFarryMLA



See more here -https://t.co/Kk7pwJ3Nad pic.twitter.com/HgPn0D2KXT  Alliance Party (@allianceparty) May 24, 2019

While Theresa May conducted herself in a dignified and courteous manner, it doesnt change the fact she has left the UK in a worse place than when she took up the role, he said.

While she attempted several times to get her Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament, she had her hands tied through mutually contradictory red lines over Brexit.

Mrs May also had the chance to build a consensus around a softer version of Brexit with a special deal for Northern Ireland, but failed to do so.

No matter who now replaces her, the same problems will still persist  they will face stark choices regarding Brexit and its consequences, and they need to approach them with honesty and realism.

Given the time needed to conduct the process to select a new Conservative leader and prime minister, it is likely another extension to Article 50 will be required, if we are to not leave the EU with no deal.

The next prime minister must push for a Peoples Vote and allow people to Remain, now they know the mess Brexit will bring.

Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann said the Prime Ministers successor should have an absolute commitment to the maintenance of the Union and the prosperity of all its people.

The country is deeply divided and the Prime Ministers successor will have to seek to heal those divisions whilst delivering a Brexit which maintains the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom.

The new prime minister should have all four corners of our nation at the forefront of their thinking when they are making defining decisions about the future direction of the United Kingdom.RTHK: US judge blocks part of Trump's wall building plan

A federal judge blocked on Friday President Donald Trump from building sections of his long-sought border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency.

US District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr. on Friday immediately halted the administration's efforts to redirect military-designated funds for wall construction. His order applies to two projects, scheduled to begin as early as Saturday, to replace 51 miles of fence in two areas on the Mexican border.

Gilliam issued the ruling after hearing arguments last week in two cases. California and 19 other states brought one lawsuit; the Sierra Club and a coalition of communities along the border brought the other. His ruling was the first of several lawsuits against Trump's controversial decision to bypass the normal appropriations process to pay for his long-sought wall.

"The position that when Congress declines the Executive's request to appropriate funds, the Executive nonetheless may simply find a way to spend those funds 'without Congress' does not square with fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic," the judge wrote in granting a temporary injunction to stop construction.

At stake is billions of dollars that would allow Trump to make progress in a signature campaign promise heading into his campaign for a second term.

Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House over fully paying for the wall that led to a 35-day government shutdown. As a compromise on border and immigration enforcement, Congress set aside US$1.375 billion to extend or replace existing barriers in Texas' Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.

Trump grudgingly accepted the money, but he declared the emergency to siphon money from other government accounts because he wanted to spend US$8 billion on wall construction. The funds include US$3.6 billion from military construction funds, US$2.5 billion from defence department counterdrug activities and US$600 million from the treasury department's asset forfeiture fund.

The president's adversaries say the emergency declaration was an illegal attempt to ignore Congress, which authorised far less wall spending than Trump wanted.

"We welcome the court's decision to block Trump's attempts to sidestep Congress to build deadly walls that would hurt communities living at the border, endanger wildlife, and have damaging impacts on the environment," said Andrea Guerrero, a member of the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

The administration said Trump was protecting national security as unprecedented numbers of Central American asylum-seeking families arrive at the US border.

The courtroom showdowns come amid a flurry of activity to accelerate wall construction.

Kenneth Rapuano, an assistant secretary of defence, said in a court filing last month that work on the highest-priority, Pentagon-funded projects could begin as soon as Saturday. The defence department has transferred US$2.5 billion to border wall coffers.

The defence department transferred US$1 billion to border wall coffers in March and another $1.5 billion earlier this month. Patrick Shanahan, the acting defence secretary, is expected to decide soon whether to transfer an additional US$3.6 billion.

The Army Corps of Engineers recently announced several large contacts with Pentagon funding. Last month, SLSCO Ltd. of Galveston, Texas, won a US$789 million award to replace 46 miles of barrier in New Mexico.

Last week, Southwest Valley Constructors of Albuquerque, New Mexico, won a US$646 million award to replace 63 miles in the Border Patrol's Tucson, Arizona, sector. Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, Montana, won a US$141.8 million contract to replace 5 miles in Yuma and 15 miles in El Centro, California.

The administration has planned to use US$601 million in Treasury money to extend barriers in the Rio Grande Valley. (AP)

This story has been published on: 2019-05-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.A 52-year-old man has been arrested by detectives investigating the murder of a father outside a school in Belfast.

Jim Donegan, 43, was shot as he waited to collect his 13-year-old son from St Marys Christian Brothers Grammar School in west Belfast in December.

The suspect was detained on suspicion of murder, police said, following the search of a property in the Dunmurry area of West Belfast on Friday.

Items were seized and taken away for examination.

PSNI Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery said: Forty-three-year-old Jim was brutally murdered as he sat in his car outside a school on the Glen Road in west Belfast on 4 December 2018.

Police at the scene where Jim Donegan was shot dead on the Glen Road in West Belfast (Niall Carson/PA).

I would continue to urge anyone who has any information, or who witnessed the murder, to contact the police on 101.

Or if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details, they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.Theresa Mays replacement will have a daunting in-tray when they take office.

Here we look at some of the challenges facing an incoming prime minister.

Brexit

Finding a way to succeed where Mrs May failed by getting a Brexit deal through Parliament will be the most immediate political challenge.

Unless a snap general election is called to elect a new House of Commons, the incoming leader will face the same parliamentary difficulties that scuppered Mrs Mays attempts to build a coalition behind her proposals.

Alternatively, a new premier could pursue a no-deal policy and allow the UK to leave on October 31 without a formal agreement  although MPs may take steps to prevent that happening.

The new Tory leader will have to counter the threat posed by Nigel Farage (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

Either way, the new prime minister will have to find a way to reunite a Tory party which has splintered over the issue and counter the threat posed by Nigel Farages Brexit Party which has sucked support away from the Conservatives.

The Union

Brexit has reignited the Scottish National Partys push for independence.

Scotland voted to remain in the European Union and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she wants another referendum on independence by 2021 if the country faces being taken out of the bloc.

Border Communities Against Brexit protest at Carrickcarnon, on the northern side of the Irish border (Niall Carson/PA)

In Northern Ireland, which also voted to remain in the EU in 2016, Sinn Fein has repeatedly called for a border poll to be conducted on whether there should be reunification with the Republic of Ireland.

Under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement, the UK Government is obliged to call a vote on the constitutional issue if there is evidence of a change in public opinion in Northern Ireland in favour of Irish reunification.

Donald Trump

How will the next prime minister handle the US president? (Brian Lawless/PA)

Although Mrs May will still be in Downing Street when the US president comes to visit in early June, managing the special relationship will be a challenge for her successor.

A post-Brexit trade deal is one of the key prizes sought by the UK after leaving the European Union, but negotiations are likely to run into difficulties over agricultural standards  with political rows over chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-treated beef  and Mr Trumps America first approach to international affairs.

China

Chinese President Xi Jinping is another formidable world leader (Oli Scarff/PA)

The tensions caused by Chinas rise as an economic and political powerhouse are felt across the West, with the row over whether to allow Huawei to contribute to the UKs 5G network a symptom of wider unease.

Mr Trumps US has adopted a tough public approach to China  banning Huawei and slapping tariffs on steel and other imports  while the UK has sought to build a golden era of relations with Beijing.

But pressure on the new PM from Washington, a final decision on Huawei and disputes over Beijings territorial claims in the South China Sea could lead to a rocky period for the UK-China relationship.

Iran

The UK is also at odds with its US allies over the Iran nuclear deal, but shares some of Washingtons concerns about Tehrans wider activities in the Middle East.

With Mr Trump ramping up the US military presence in the area, the new prime minister could be forced to confront major decisions about war and peace early in their tenure.

Social care

Social care is coming under ever increasing strain (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The issue which, more than any other, derailed Mrs Mays 2017 general election campaign, her successor will have to come up with a system to cope with the rising costs of the UKs ageing population.

A green paper setting out proposals on how to fund the system has been repeatedly delayed and the issue is politically toxic, with any suggestion of paying for care out a persons estate after they die liable to be condemned as a death tax by critics, while hiking income tax or national insurance could also be unpopular.

Housing

The UK has a shortage of houses (AP)

Successive governments have failed to get to grips with the nations housing shortage and the issue is likely to feature heavily in the Tory leadership contest.

The Government has a goal of building 300,000 new homes a year by the mid-2020s.Abortion providers have asked a US federal judge to block an Alabama law that would ban most abortions in the state.

The American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood filed the lawsuit on behalf of providers seeking to overturn the nations most stringent abortion law.

The Alabama law would make performing an abortion at any stage of pregnancy a felony punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison for the provider. The only exception would be when the womans health is at serious risk.

The law is set to take effect in November unless blocked by a judge.

BREAKING: along with our partners at @ACLUAlabama, we just filed a lawsuit, challenging Alabama's outright abortion ban. We meant it when we said we'd see you in court, @GovernorKayIvey. #alpolitics #hb314 #stopthebans  Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates (@PPSE_Advocates) May 24, 2019

Make no mistake: Abortion remains  and will remain  safe and legal in Alabama. With this lawsuit, we are seeking a court order to make sure this law never takes effect, said Randall Marshall, executive director of the ACLU of Alabama.

The lawsuit says the Alabama law to criminalise abortion is clearly unconstitutional and would harm women by forcing them to continue pregnancies against their will.

Protesters for womens rights (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

For over 46 years  since the Supreme Court decided Roe vs Wade  US law has recognised the fundamental constitutional right to make the profoundly important and personal decision whether or not to terminate a pregnancy, the lawsuit reads.

The plaintiffs in the case are the three Alabama clinics that perform abortions, Planned Parenthood and Dr Yashica Robinson, an obstetrician who also provides abortions at a Huntsville clinic.

BREAKING: We just filed our lawsuit to stop Alabama's abortion ban from ever going into effect. pic.twitter.com/o3j25NsaHM  ACLU (@ACLU) May 24, 2019

Emboldened by new conservatives on the Supreme Court, Alabama is part of a wave of conservative states seeking to mount new legal challenges to Roe vs Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision that legalised abortion nationwide.

Governors in Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia have approved bans on abortion once a foetal heartbeat is detected, which can happen as early as the sixth week of pregnancy.

None of the laws has taken effect and all are expected to be blocked by the courts as the legal challenges play out with an ultimate eye on the Supreme Court.

Supporters of the Alabama law have said they expected a lawsuit and expected to initially lose in court, but they hope the appeal could eventually land before the Supreme Court.

My goal with this bill, and I think all of our goals, is to have Roe vs Wade turned over and that decision ability sent back to the states, Republican representative Terri Collins, the bills sponsor, said when it passed last week.The devastating injuries which killed two of the victims of the London Bridge terror attacks were laid bare at their inquest.

The deaths of Christine Archibald and Sara Zelenak would have been near instantaneous, according to Home Office pathologist Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl.

Ms Archibald received several injuries after being struck by the attackers van on London Bridge while Ms Zelenak was repeatedly stabbed. She suffered a fatal blow to the neck that severed her spinal cord.

Sara Zelenak, 21, suffered a number of stab wounds (Met Police/PA)

Eight people were killed and 48 others injured after Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, launched a van and knife attack on June 3 2017.

Ms Archibald, 30, Ms Zelenak, 21, Xavier Thomas, 45, Sebastien Belanger, 36, James McMullan, 32, Kirsty Boden, 28, Alexandre Pigeard, 26, and Ignacio Echeverria, 39, were all killed in the attack, which lasted less than 10 minutes.

Ms Archibald suffered a range of injuries including fractures to her jaw and skull, broken ribs, major shearing forces to her spine and two critical tears to her aorta.

There was also bruising and grazing across her body.

Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl told the central London inquest that Ms Archibald would not have suffered and that there would have been no medical treatment that could have saved her life.

He said: If a full operating theatre was present, she could not have been saved given the extent of these injuries.

The inquest was told Ms Zelenak fell over in her high heels (Met Police/PA)

The court has heard that the van was travelling at 34mph when it struck Ms Archibald.

Dr Fegan-Earl described the energy transfer when a vehicle strikes a body as immense, adding that a vehicle can produce multiple injuries as it is demonstrated here.

Ms Zelenaks injuries included a severed rib and spinal cord plus a fractured jaw. She was stabbed just below her left ear, with the knife severing her vertebra and spinal cord.

This would have had an impact on all the basic structures of life which are controlled in this area, the court heard.

Eight people were killed by the attackers (Met Police/PA)

Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl told the central London inquest that was without doubt the fatal injury, and added that he would have expected Ms Zelenak to die extremely rapidly.

Stab wounds to the chest, slashes to her legs plus a knife wound right through her thigh were among her other injuries.

The court has previously heard that Ms Zelenak had been running away from her attackers when she stumbled and turned her foot.

Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl said Ms Zelenak, who was wearing a pair of strappy high-heeled shoes, had an ankle injury and that she may have turned her ankle and fell on her right hand side.

He added there were no defence wounds to her hands and arms.

An expert on deaths said that Mr Thomas would have died quickly.

The French father-of-two was thrown into the River Thames where his body was recovered downstream three days later.

He was hit by a hired van being driven by terrorists as he walked across London Bridge with his partner of two years Christine Delcros, who was struck and seriously injured in the attack.

Immersion expert Paul Savage gave a range of possible scenarios surrounding Mr Thomass death including that the impact of hitting his head on the water may have stopped his breathing or that his heart stopped.

The court was told that more study is needed in this field of research.

Mr Savage directed his final comments towards Mr Thomass family who were sitting quietly in court and listening through a translator.

He said: I would like to say that it is my absolute strong belief that Mr Thomas entered the water and almost immediately died with no suffering.

The hearing was adjourned to Tuesday at 10am.Workers at two of Scotlands biggest airports are to go on strike at the same time amid a dispute over pay.

Unite the union has announced its members will take industrial action at the Glasgow and Aberdeen terminals on June 7 and 10 between 4am and 4pm.

It follows a breakdown in talks about pensions and pay with owners AGS Airports.

Shauna Wright, Unite regional industrial officer, said: Unite members at Aberdeen Airport will join those at Glasgow Airport taking industrial action to fight against this coordinated attack by AGS on our members pension scheme.

We have repeatedly warned AGS that if they do not keep to the agreements they made with us then industrial action would be inevitable.

Lets not forget that this attack comes despite Aberdeen Airport having enjoyed a near doubling of their profits.

Workers at Glasgow and Aberdeen airports will go on strike at the same time (Jane Barlow/PA)

Industrial action is now set for June and further dates will be forthcoming, causing widespread disruption during the summer period due to the broken promises of AGS.

Those taking part in the action include firefighters, taxi marshals and airfield operations workers.

Pat McIlvogue, Unite regional industrial officer, said: The company are insistent upon abolishing a scheme they agreed to only three years ago while the boardroom enjoys pre-tax profits of 91 million.

Our members deserve better. So this is not about saving money, it is about attacking our members terms and conditions.

Industrial action is now set for the summer period and the blame for that lies fully with Glasgow Airport.

The pay rise offer was increased from 1.3% to 3%, in line with union demands, but negotiations ended early when the firm failed to maintain a pension scheme agreed in 2016.

AGS Airports described the position as unaffordable as the cost to the company is due to rise by 24.7% per employee.

Aberdeen Airports after-tax profits increased from 10.7 million in 2016 to 19.1 million in 2017, while Glasgow posted a 74 million profit after tax in 2017, up from 51 million in 2016.

An AGS Airports spokesman said: We are extremely disappointed that the trade unions have served notice of industrial action.

We have been in talks since January and, despite attending Acas, there has been no willingness whatsoever on the part of the unions to engage in a constructive negotiation.

As always, we remain open to continuing dialogue, however, we will now put our robust contingency plans in place to ensure it will be business as usual at Aberdeen and Glasgow airports for our passengers and airlines on both Friday June 7 and Monday June 10.Protesters have vowed to continue demonstrations against LGBT teaching at a primary school despite widespread criticism.

The head of Anderton Park Primary School labelled the protests, which have continued for weeks, as toxic and nasty, adding they are bringing hatred and division to the usually quiet Birmingham cul-de-sac.

Lessons ended early on Friday for the half-term break after a decision by school leaders concerned about safety amid the protests.

School head Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson said she will not change what is taught at the school, in Moseley, because of the demonstrations.

Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live, Miss Hewitt-Clarkson said equality education is crucial, and making changes would be the thin end of a very sinister wedge.

She added: Our country will fall apart if that happens.

In a series of tweets on Friday night, West Midlands Police said in response to questions from the public that investigations into a number of criminal offences at the protests were ongoing.

We will act where people seek to exploit these matters and break the law, the force said.

Quite a few people asking us about the protest at Anderton Park Primary School today. As with the other protests in recent months, we've done everything necessary to maintain the public peace. We're currently investigating a number of criminal offences and enquiries continue...  West Midlands Police (@WMPolice) May 24, 2019

Miss Hewitt-Clarkson added that the school is now seeking an injunction against the demonstrations.

There is a real despair that has made this us-and-them feeling, she said. Its only a small minority of parents and actually a majority are totally fed up of this.

Its not peaceful, it is aggressive, its rude.

Their tactics are very bullying and intimidating, theyre meant to crush the spirit of people like me, and other women.

She added there had been sexism, misogyny, racism, on top of all the homophonic stuff and everything else weve had.

She added it had been really toxic, nasty, uncivil behaviour.

Shakeel Afsar, who has organised the protests (Aaron Chown/PA Wire)

The chief constable of West Midlands Police and Education Secretary Daman Hinds have this week both called for protests outside the school to stop.

Mr Hinds said on Thursday that the demonstrations are unacceptable, adding: There is no place for protests outside school gates.

Miss Hewitt-Clarkson was also critical of recent remarks by Labour constituency MP Roger Godsiff, in which he said he understands some parents concerns about how age-appropriate elements of the LGBT teaching had been, for children aged four and five.

She said: He commented four or five years old might be too young.

Well, thats discriminatory.

Its horrific, its the fabric of British society that is at stake here.

Because the equality laws hold us together.

The law is there as a mark in the sand and thats what we all have to promote, and understand and aspire to.

And as public servants, as Roger Godsiff is a public servant, he has to as well.

She praised Labour MP Jess Phillips for telling protesters earlier this week, outside the school, they could not pick and choose which equality they apply.

Miss Hewitt-Clarkson said: Its an absolute nonsense and the Labour Party need to sort it out.

Thank god for Jess Phillips.

Police officers outside Anderton Park Primary School. (Richard Vernalls/PA)

Despite the criticism, the main organiser Shakeel Afsar used a sound system set up in the street to vow protests would be continuing after the half-term break, to cheers from a dozen protesters.

Another demonstrator, local businessman Zafar Majid, said: The issue we have is the education being given, the indoctrination of the young children is that they are expected to affirm, to celebrate, to embrace LGBT ideology, which is against the moral ethics of the many Abrahamic religions and faiths.

We can co-exist, live peacefully together, but what we cannot do is force each others ideology on one another.

But debating with protesters was Edan Powell, a 16-year-old student from Staffordshire carrying a rainbow flag.

He had come with a friend to confront protesters because he felt only one side of the argument is being put to parents.

Debating with Mr Majid, he said: I think it is not only morally right but it is an obligation we have to teach our kids about other things rather than maths, English and science.

We need to be able to teach our kids about the real world, and the real world does include seeing people that arent the same as you.

Protester Zafar Majid and LGBT activist Edan Powell debating in the street, outside the school. (Richard Vernalls/PA)

Mr Majid said: I totally agree, we shouldnt bury our heads under the sand and not expose them to what the real world is.

But theres a fine line that gets breached between teaching children and proselytising them against a certain ideology.

Afterwards, Mr Powell said: There was dialogue at least, and I think thats important.

Commenting on what the children are being taught, he added: I dont think its inappropriate because children are going to see it in the street, so why is it inappropriate to show it in a book that talks about two moms and two dads?

Asked how the protests have impacted on the citys wider gay community  who will be marking Birmingham Pride on Saturday  he said: Since these protests started, they feel more unsafe about being in Birmingham.

As parents collected their children from the school on Friday, all expressed frustration at the continuing disruption from the demonstrations.

Several expressed support for the school, though one parent  who was unsupportive  said he would take his child out of the school without a compromise.A woman has recalled how her gentle giant husband begged for death after hepatitis C destroyed his health.

Sharon Lowry, from Newtownards, Co Down, said her husband Richard was forced to leave the teaching career he loved as his health deteriorated after he was infected by a contaminated blood product to treat his haemophilia.

Mrs Lowry described her 6ft 7in husband as a proud and quietly spoken gentleman who inspired his pupils as she gave evidence to the Infected Blood Inquiry sitting in Belfast.

Co Down man Richard Lowry who died in 2011 after contracting Hepatitis C from a contaminated blood product. (Lowry family/PA)

Mr Lowry was a teacher at a grammar school and had become vice principal before he became too ill to work.

Mrs Lowry said he received treatment with blood products in 1969, 1970, 1972 and 1973 for mild haemophilia.

In 1991 he was diagnosed with hepatitis C, and over time his symptoms became more severe.

Mrs Lowry described how in 2009 he received a liver transplant but his condition continued to worsen.

He was in and out of hospitals in both London and Belfast.

By the end of his life, Mrs Lowry said he had become a skeleton with skin on.

Sharon Lowry

Thats the only way I can describe him, she told the inquiry.

He had no flesh. He had no muscle.

The long spells in hospital and being left so weak that even sitting up in a wheelchair was painful resulted in him losing the will to carry on, Mrs Lowry said.

A few days before he died, he begged her to kill him.

To say that in words is horrific, its not what you expect to hear, he just wanted to die, he had had enough, she said.

Mrs Lowry said at no stage was she ever offered counselling, and when asking for help to pay for hospital car parks as she spent hours at his bedside, she told the inquiry the response was he doesnt have cancer, no, go away.

Her husband died on November 28 2011 from chronic renal failure with cirrhosis.

He was such a big man, there was a massive gap, you really do miss him, we still miss him, she told the inquiry.

Its the simplest things, you go and buy a birthday card for someone, all you see is cards for fathers, husbands, even now I hate things like that.

Seeing couples walking around hand in hand, we used to hold hands all the time.

Family weddings are hard without him there, I just find it incredibly lonely without him.

We were robbed of the life together we thought we were going to have.

Messages left in memory of those affected by contaminated blood products at the UKs Infected Blood inquiry in Belfast (Brian Lawless/PA)

Thousands of patients were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s.

Around 2,400 people died.

Mrs Lowry said she hoped the Government would accept responsibility and liability for what should never, ever have happened.

The inquiry later heard from Mark Donnelly, from Co Armagh, who was just eight when his father died at the age of 50 after being infected with HIV through contaminated blood products.

He described how his mother blamed herself for what happened and the guilt drove her to chronic alcoholism.

My mother blamed herself for infecting my father with HIV from factor 8 that she believed she had administered, he told the inquiry.

I cant help but wonder if the truth was told from the beginning, would my mother have felt as guilty and would she possibly still be alive today.

Mr Donnelly criticised what he termed the deliberate scaremongering in the 1980s by advertising campaigns which he claimed created an environment of fear and further legitimised the stigma that surrounded HIV and hepatitis C sufferers.

The Government and these ad campaigns conveniently avoided telling the truth of what was going on in NHS hospitals with NHS supplies of contaminated blood products, he said.

My father, like thousands of others, placed his trust in the NHS doctors to make the best decision for his health and well-being.

These same pharmaceutical companies collected blood from the cheapest possible sources such as prisons, greatly increasing the chance of having an infected donor.

In my opinion given all this, someone was certainly to blame for my fathers death, should it be a pharmaceutical CEO who made a decision to buy cheap blood from prisons or perhaps a government minister who looked the other way while infected blood products were dished out on their watch or even maybe a doctor who prescribed blood products knowing the increased dangers and chance of infection.

I know one thing for certain, although my mother was certainly not to blame, another innocent life taken by guilt, a guilt that belongs to someone else.Sepsis warnings are to be included on milk bottles at supermarket Iceland in a bid to raise awareness of the life-threatening condition.

Own-brand cartons at the retailer will bear the message, Just Ask: Could It Be Sepsis?, as part of a partnership between the Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation (IFCF) and the UK Sepsis Trust.

The special bottles are already available in some sizes in stores around Scotland, north England and north Wales, and will be rolled out more widely in the Midlands and south of England in the next two months.

The bottles are now LIVE in Scotland, the North of England and North Wales. If you're in any of these places, we'd love it if you could:

1. Visit your local Iceland supermarket

2. Grab of milk with our branding on it

3. Share it on social media with the hashtag #IcelandSepsis pic.twitter.com/iaigesgJ57  The UK Sepsis Trust (@UKSepsisTrust) May 24, 2019

Dr Ron Daniels, chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, said: We are so thrilled to be launching the milk bottle awareness campaign, in partnership with Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation.

With their help, we will be able to raise unprecedented levels awareness in the hope that, having seen our branding on a milk bottle, people will feel empowered to Just Ask: Could It Be Sepsis?, whenever anyone presents whos very unwell with an infection.

Were so grateful to the IFCF and we are incredibly excited to continue this momentum into 2019, to raise even more awareness.

Iceland milk bottles will contain messages about Sepsis (Niall Carson/PA)

Tarsem Dhaliwal, chief executive of Iceland Foods, said: By using the branding on Icelands milk, an everyday item for many and one of our bestselling products, we will reach millions of people across the UK.

Im confident that this new campaign will achieve new levels of awareness and educate a significant number of people on the symptoms to look out for.

The UK Sepsis Trust branding will feature on Iceland-branded milk cartons until the end of 2019.An inquiry must be held as a matter of urgency after EU citizens living in the UK were denied the chance to vote in the European Parliament election, according to Mike Russell.

Thousands complained on social media under the hashtag #Deniedmyvote, citing apparent administrative errors by local councils, when they tried to cast their vote on Thursday.

In a letter sent to Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington and the Electoral Commission, the Scottish Governments Constitutional Relations Secretary said it was an outrageous deprivation of democratic rights.

The number of EU nationals who appear to have been denied the vote today is a scandal. These are people who live and work here. This is their home and they had as much right to a vote as any of us. Serious questions need to be answered. #DeniedMyVote  Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 23, 2019

He wrote: It is a disgrace that in addition to the uncertainties that EU citizens have had to endure over the last almost three years since the EU referendum, some have been denied their right to vote in the European Parliament election.

We want EU citizens in Scotland to feel settled and secure, and to continue to feel welcome and valued in Scotland.

This debacle will do nothing to ease their concerns.

Ballot boxes and signs ahead of the election (Jane Barlow/PA)

We also have first-hand reports of EU citizens being unable to vote even though they had completed and returned the forms on time.

Mr Russell added any seat secured by a small margin could be impacted by the incident.

I would ask you to investigate the scale of this problem, which may have arisen due to the lack of time in the run-up to the election, he wrote.

I believe it is imperative that an inquiry is conducted into these issues as a matter of urgency.

Any seat that is secured by only a small number of votes could be impacted by this outrageous deprivation of democratic rights.

The Electoral Commission said it can understand the frustration caused by the situation and attributed the problem to the very short notice on the UKs participation in the European election.

EU citizens must transfer their vote from their member state to the UK in a process that must be done 12 working days in advance of the poll, a process the Electoral Commission said could be made easier.

Were aware that some EU citizens, resident in the UK, have been unable to vote today and understand the frustration this has caused. Heres our statement: https://t.co/jziu14L9Nf pic.twitter.com/7ukg7arASJ  Electoral Commission (@ElectoralCommUK) May 23, 2019

It said in a statement issued on Thursday: We understand the frustration of some citizens of other EU Member States, resident in the UK, who have been finding they are unable to vote today when they wish to do so.

All eligible EU citizens have the right to vote in the EU elections in their home Member State.

If an EU citizen instead chooses to vote in the EU election in the UK, there is a process for them to complete to essentially transfer their right to vote, from their home Member State to the UK.

This is a requirement of EU law, which specifies that this has to be done sufficiently in advance of polling day.

UK law sets this as 12 working days in advance of the poll.

It added: This legal process could be made easier for citizens, and the Commission made the case for doing so following the last EU elections in 2014.

However, improvements to the process are reliant on changes to electoral law, which can only be taken forward by Government and Parliament.

The very short notice from the government of the UKs participation in these elections impacted on the time available for awareness of this process amongst citizens, and for citizens to complete the process.Theresa May has given her resignation speech announcing she will stand down on June 7.

 Days to go

160, if Brexit comes on the latest deadline of October 31.

 What happened this week?

On Tuesday, Mrs May set out her new 10-point Brexit plan, but it was pronounced dead on arrival by the Tory, Labour and DUP MPs she was trying to woo.

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom quit her job in protest on Wednesday evening, saying she could not bring the new plan forward.

Voters went to the polls to elect 73 UK MEPs for Brussels on Thursday, and the Government announced it had pulled plans to publish the latest Withdrawal Agreement Bill in time for a vote in the first week of June.

Friday morning brought Mrs Mays resignation, with her saying it had been an honour to serve the country she loves.

Theresa May making her statement outside 10 Downing Street (Yui Mok/PA)

 What happens next?

The results of the European elections will be announced in the early hours of Monday morning, with the most votes expected to have gone to Nigel Farages Brexit Party.

US President Donald Trumps state visit to the UK begins on June 3.

MPs are on a week-long break for Whitsun, returning to Parliament on June 4, and the Tory leadership campaign officially starts on June 10.

(PA Graphics)

 Good week

Nigel Farage

The Brexit Party leader is expected to sweep the board in the European elections and send the most MEPs to Brussels.

Following that, he is expected to continue campaigning for Brexit and start the campaign to win seats at Westminster.

It is difficult not to feel for Mrs May, but politically she misjudged the mood of the country and her party. Two Tory leaders have now gone whose instincts were pro-EU. Either the party learns that lesson or it dies.  Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) May 24, 2019

 Bad week

Theresa May

The Prime Minister finally decided to call time on her premiership after unbearable pressure from her party.

Her announcement came ahead of the European election results where the Tories are expected to come in fifth place and only a fortnight after the worst Tory council election results for nearly a quarter of a century.

 Quote of the week

Former Conservative prime minister David Cameron said he feels desperately sorry for Mrs May following her decision to stand down.

He said: I know what it feels like when you come to realise that your leadership time has finished, that the country needs a new leader.

 Tweet of the week

Andrea Leadsom

It is with great regret and a heavy heart that I have decided to resign from the Government.

It is with great regret and a heavy heart that I have decided to resign from the Government. pic.twitter.com/f2SOXkaqmH  Andrea Leadsom MP (@andrealeadsom) May 22, 2019

 Word of the week

Dignity

Conservative MPs, including Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees Mogg and Steve Baker, queued up to say Mrs May had left office with dignity.The UK will have a new prime minister by the end of July as a tearful Theresa May was finally forced to set out the timetable for her exit from Number 10.

The Prime Minister will end her turbulent reign as Tory leader on June 7, paving the way for a potentially brutal contest to replace her.

The next prime minister is expected to be in Number 10 by the time the Commons rises for its summer recess and leadership contenders are already ramping up their efforts ahead of the official start of the contest.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt indicated he would stand, while bookmakers favourite Boris Johnson sought to secure the Brexiteer vote by stressing he would be prepared to back a no-deal departure to ensure the UK leaves the EU on October 31.

In an emotional statement in Downing Street, with husband Philip and her closest aides watching on, Mrs May said it was in the best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead efforts to deliver Brexit.

Her voice cracked as she said: I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honour of my life to hold  the second female prime minister but certainly not the last.

Prime Minister Theresa May outside 10 Downing Street (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

I do so with no ill-will, but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love.

With Mr Johnson the current favourite to replace her, and former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab his nearest contender, Mrs May warned against a hardline approach, saying a consensus was necessary.

Such a consensus can only be reached if those on all sides of the debate are willing to compromise, she said.

The Prime Minister will remain in office until the leadership process is concluded.

The timetable for the contest will see nominations close in the week of June 10, with MPs involved in a series of votes to whittle what is set to be a crowded field down to a final two contenders.

(PA Graphics)

The Tory hierarchy promised that members and non-members would get the chance to question the would-be prime ministers during the election process.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mrs Mays replacement should call an immediate general election.

US President Donald Trump, who makes a state visit to the UK in early June, praised Mrs May.

He said: I feel badly for Theresa.

I like her very much. She is a good woman. She worked very hard.

She is very strong.

She decided to do something that some people were surprised at. Some people werent.

Its for the good of her country.

But, I like her very much.

In fact, Ill be seeing her in two weeks.

Mrs Mays statement came after a bitter backlash against her last effort to get a Brexit deal through Parliament.

A Cabinet mutiny and the prospect of the backbench 1922 Committee allowing another confidence motion eventually forced the Prime Ministers hand.

She insisted she had done my best to deliver Brexit and take the UK out of the European Union.

But almost three years after the UK voted to break away from Brussels, Mrs May said: It is, and will always remain, a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit.

It will be for my successor to seek a way forward that honours the result of the referendum.

(PA Graphics)

Mr Hunt, MP for South West Surrey, heavily hinted he will join the race to replace Mrs May, telling his local newspaper the Farnham Herald: Ill make the announcement on my own candidacy at the appropriate time.

An ally of the Foreign Secretary told the Press Association we will be saying more in the coming days about that.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson was at a conference in Interlaken, Switzerland, and said he would seek to renegotiate the Brexit deal if he became prime minister.

But he stressed that you need to be prepared to walk away without a deal if necessary in order to ensure the UK does actually leave the EU.

Mr Raab, in a sign his campaign is gathering momentum, received a boost as Tory MP Helen Grant quit as a vice chairwoman of the party to back his leadership bid.

She said the former Brexit secretary has an inspiring vision for a fairer Britain and I think he is undoubtedly the best person to unite the Conservative Party and our country.

Dignified as ever, @theresa_may showed her integrity. She remains a dedicated public servant, patriot and loyal Conservative. https://t.co/2YjBp0x8HM  Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) May 24, 2019

And Sir Graham Brady quit as the leader of the 1922 Committee  a position which gave him a significant role in the Prime Ministers departure  in order to consider a leadership bid.

He told the Press Association: I have been approached by a number of colleagues across the party both inside and outside Parliament asking me to put myself forward as a candidate.

Therefore I have taken the decision to stand down from the position of chairman of the 1922 Committee in order to ensure a fair and transparent election process.

Within minutes of the Prime Ministers statement, Cabinet colleagues  including some who have ambitions to replace her  paid tribute to Mrs May.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove  who stood in the 2016 leadership race and may consider another bid  said Mrs May deserves our respect and gratitude.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who had a frank discussion with Mrs May about her deal on Thursday, said nobody could have worked harder or had a greater sense of public duty.

Nobody could have worked harder or had a greater sense of public duty than the Prime Minister. Her dedication in taking our country forward has been monumental. She has served her country with fortitude and we are grateful to her for it.  Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) May 24, 2019

Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt was less effusive, but said the Prime Minister put what she believed was in the national interest first.

.@theresa_may s speech today and the manner in which it was delivered, shows why she retained the sympathy of so many of the public. She gave the job her all. She endured. She put what she believed was in the national interest first. Thank you Prime Minister.  Penny Mordaunt (@PennyMordaunt) May 24, 2019

Labour leader Mr Corbyn said: The last thing the country needs is weeks of more Conservative infighting followed by yet another unelected prime minister.

Whoever becomes the new Conservative leader must let the people decide our countrys future, through an immediate general election.

Former prime minister David Cameron offered his sympathy to Mrs May, saying I know how painful it is to accept that your time is up and a new leader is required.The Government is being urged to hold an inquiry after potentially thousands of EU citizens and British expatriates were left unable to vote in this weeks European elections.

Campaign group the3million, which represents EU citizens in the UK, said it had received several hundred messages from people claiming they had been blocked from voting due to administrative errors by British councils.

Meanwhile, a number of British voters reported problems voting from EU member states, due to delays in receiving postal votes from UK councils.

Labour MEP Claude Moraes wrote to Home Secretary Sajid Javid on Thursday, calling for an inquiry into the disenfranchisement of voters in a national election in the United Kingdom.

He said councils had made three main clinical errors that appeared to have contributed to the issues: failing to communicate about the forms, failing to send the forms to people on time, and failing to register the forms when they were received.

Helen Thompson, a prospective Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate in Lambeth, claimed the problems were horrific, estimating as many as 2,000 people may have been turned away in the London borough alone.

British expats and UK citizens in Europe have encountered voting problems (Rui Vieira/PA)

If the pattern is repeated across the borough and London that could potentially mean thousands of votes for Remain parties not being cast, she told the Press Association.

Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder also raised concerns on behalf of British expats.

I have authored a cross-party letter to the Electoral Commission on behalf of those UK citizens abroad who couldnt vote because their postal vote never arrived. Similar letter for EU27 citizens being sent by @Claude_Moraes. We cannot permit lousy disenfranchisement like this. pic.twitter.com/2wG2rZHPf1  Catherine Bearder-former MEP (@catherinemep) May 24, 2019

In a cross-party letter to the Electoral Commission, she said: We have received a number of complaints from these citizens who have been prevented from voting given the delays in their postal vote being sent by the local councils.

Local councils have admitted that they were unable to print and send off postal ballots for the EU elections given the short time frame, which has left numerous UK citizens disenfranchised.

This has left peoples voices silenced and is an affront to our democracy. We would like to request that you allow all postal votes received before the count on Sunday to be considered valid given that it is still within the EU election period.

Turned away from polling station this morning. Told I should vote in my EU member state. Called local council yesterday, they confirmed I could vote. Called again today. Apparently council had no time to send out forms to all EU residents. Nothing they can do now #DeniedMyVote  Agata Patyna (@APatyna) May 23, 2019

On Thursday, the UKs election day, many complained on social media using the hashtag #DeniedMyVote.

In a statement, the Electoral Commission blamed very short notice from the Government of the UKs participation in these elections.

EU citizens must transfer their vote from their member state to the UK by handing in a form 12 working days in advance of the poll, a process the Electoral Commission said could be made easier.

Claudia Falcone, 27, had sent her additional EU Parliament voter registration form after discovering it on social media, and rang the council to confirm she was on the register, but was also initially denied her vote.

When I went to vote, the two clerks showed me that my name was on their list, but with not allowed written next to it, the PhD student from Germany, now living in Bangor, Wales, told the Press Association.

Were aware that some EU citizens, resident in the UK, have been unable to vote today and understand the frustration this has caused. Heres our statement: https://t.co/jziu14L9Nf pic.twitter.com/7ukg7arASJ  Electoral Commission (@ElectoralCommUK) May 23, 2019

The3million said it is speaking with lawyers and called on whoever replaces Theresa May to have a serious conversation about who can vote in this country.

Co-founder Maike Bohn told the Press Association: Leaving long-term non-UK residents out of the fundamental process of voting will hinder integration  something those who voted Leave said was an issue with immigration.Brexit could diminish collaborative working between British and European partners around tackling online child sexual abuse and exploitation, an inquiry heard.

The Independent Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) heard it was crucial that the UK continued to shape future policies outside its borders.

Peter Alcock, representing the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), told the inquiry on Friday that Brexit could diminish collaborative working between partners in Britain and the EU.

He said: The IWF currently receives 10% of its funding from the EU, approximately 400,000 per year. In addition the wider partnership of the UK Safer Internet Centre depends on such funding even more.

Not only will there be the loss of the work financed by the potential funding shortfall, but also collaborative working with EU partners stands to diminish after Brexit.

The IWF is the largest hotline in Europe and makes the largest global contribution to the INHOPE database and so it is crucial that the UKs influence in helping shape future policy outside of the UK is not jeopardised.

The inquiry has heard calls for better regulation (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

The IICSA is conducting its second investigation phase, into how the internet is used to facilitate child sexual abuse in England and Wales through acts such as grooming, sharing indecent images and live-streaming abuse.

Leading tech firms including Facebook, Apple, Google and Microsoft have given evidence on how they are fighting child sexual exploitation on their platforms.

During the closing statements to this investigative phase on Friday the inquiry was warned that end-to-end encryption was likely to embolden paedophiles and make their automated detection near impossible.

William Chapman, who represents three victims of online child sexual abuse, said that under self-regulation the big internet companies will only do as much as they are shamed into doing.

He added. They are not going to self-regulate themselves out of business, theres too much money to be made.

They certainly will not do so if there is not a common set of rules for everyone. Self-regulation means those companies set the rules.

Mr Chapman said that while online child sexual abuse was driven by a sexual interest in children, sadism and power over the vulnerable, a more fundamental reason was opportunity.

He said that the rapid expansion of social media to create huge networks provided huge opportunities for predatory paedophiles, and to tackle online sexual abuse the opportunity had to be removed.

He added: Sex, sadism, power are nothing new, they are as old as the hills and will never go away.

Whats new and growing is the opportunity to indulge these. The internet provides that opportunity.

Mr Chapman called for bold action to regulate the big internet companies including companies having to check images and videos before they can be uploaded to their platforms as well as age and identity verification for people wishing to sign up to platforms and services.

He added: Be bold because this is a horrifying problem that is likely to grow exponentially.

Be bold because of the imbalance of power: on the one hand the immensely wealthy global organisations, on the other hand, children.

Be bold because the interests of big tech are not well aligned with child protection.

Mr Chapman also suggested there should be a new criminal offence of an adult posing as a child without reasonable excuse.

He added: We are not saying people should not be free to play with their identity online but there is a limit, a 60-year-old man has no business playing Peter Pan in Neverland.

Nick Griffin QC, representing the Home Office, told the inquiry that the Government had published its online harms white paper consultation and made it clear there had to be a model of regulation.

But Mr Griffin said the Home Office recognised there was much more to do to tackle the problem.

He added: The most appalling and horrifying illegal content and activity remains prevalent on an unacceptable scale.

The white paper is recognition that the industry has to respond quickly to the evolving threat.

The Government has made clear that we need to move beyond a self-regulation model to a model of regulation.

Counsel to the inquiry Jacqueline Carey said the final investigation report is expected to be published early next year.Theresa Mays mention of her response to the Grenfell Tower fire in her resignation speech has been described as disgraceful by the Fire Brigades Union.

The Prime Minister, who will step down on June 7, mentioned the inquiry into the tragedy as she outlined how she used her premiership to fight the burning injustices that still scar our society.

Matt Wrack, the Fire Brigades Union general secretary, issued a statement shortly after the speech on Friday, describing her response as awful.

Grenfell United, the campaign group, said residents were devastatingly let down by the Government and Justice4Grenfell also criticised Mrs May.

The fire in North Kensington, west London, on June 14 2017 claimed the lives of 72 people.

An inquiry was launched in September that year but is not expected to conclude until at least the end of 2021.

Kensington Labour MP Emma Dent Coad also issued a strongly-worded statement in which she said the Prime Minister should be ashamed.

Mrs May said she set up the independent inquiry into the tragedy at Grenfell Tower to search for the truth so nothing like it can ever happen again, and so the people who lost their lives that night are never forgotten.

Mr Wrack said: Many of the underlying issues at Grenfell were due to unsafe conditions that had been allowed to fester under Tory governments and a council for which Theresa May bears ultimate responsibility.

The inquiry she launched has kicked scrutiny of corporate and government interests into the long grass, denying families and survivors justice, while allowing business as usual to continue for the wealthy.

For the outgoing prime minister to suggest that her awful response to Grenfell is a proud part of her legacy is, frankly, disgraceful.

Emma Dent Coad said: From the first day of her awkward visit to Grenfell, to her last day congratulating herself for failures, Theresa May should be ashamed of her actions and lack of leadership.

Her predecessors bonfire of red tape was responsible for the decimation of building and fire safety regulations yet she did nothing to redress this.

@theresa_may and her governments response to Grenfell was riddled with failures. To class it as an achievement is deeply insulting.



My statement in response is below. pic.twitter.com/8cbGzXURDc  Emma Dent Coad (@emmadentcoad) May 24, 2019

Ms Dent Coad said the inquiry is so narrowly focused that it threatens to exonerate the perpetrators of this avoidable atrocity and may not give any recommendations.

Grenfell United said the Prime Ministers personal interventions have not delivered change.



Our response to Theresa May's speech today:



"Whoever becomes Prime Minister will inherit the moral debt owed by this Government to the families of 72 people who lost their lives."



"We will not rest until there is justice and change."#Grenfell pic.twitter.com/amR1VWRLyM  Grenfell United (@GrenfellUnited) May 24, 2019

A statement said: Its hard to think of a greater injustice in recent years than Grenfell. We were devastatingly let down by the Government before, during and after the fire.

We recognise that after her initial failings Theresa May has personally engaged with survivors and bereaved families, but two years later her personal interventions have not delivered change.

The Government promised that no stone will be left unturned in the fight for justice.

Whoever becomes Prime Minister will inherit the moral debt owed by this Government to the families of 72 people who lost their lives.

The group said the Government has failed to deliver reform in response to the tragedy and made the past two years a battle for survivors and bereaved.

A Justice4Grenfell spokesman said the group had no evidence Mrs May had made progress and criticised her failure to meet victims of the fire during her first visit to the scene.

A spokesman added: Bereaved families, survivors and the affected community are losing trust in Mrs Mays promised inquiry to search for the truth.

She promised that all survivors would be housed within three weeks. There are still families living in emergency and temporary accommodation 23 months on.

The group said efforts to remove similar dangerous cladding from other buildings in the UK were tardy, adding: Nearly two years on, no recommendations or change to legislation has occurred to reduce the risk of additional preventable loss of life.

Many continue to feel unsafe in their homes.Thousands of students have joined protests across the country calling on the Government to take action on climate change and better educate children on the risks it poses.

Organisers from the UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN) said around 125 protests have been held in towns and cities across the UK.

Demonstrators took to social media to share images and footage of students gathering in London, Brighton, Portsmouth, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Manchester and Cardiff.

Students take part in the strike in Canterbury, Kent (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Young people carried placards reading climate crisis not climate change, theres no plan B, and if you wont act like adults we will.

In Bristol, schoolchildren marched against proposals to expand the citys airport.

Students protesting in central London gathered in Parliament Square before marching on the Department for Education.

The demonstrations have centred around sending a teach the future message to ministers, urging them to reform the curriculum to include more material on climate change.

Students protest in Westminster (Yui Mok/PA)

Jake Woodier, a spokesman for the UKSCN, said the curriculum around climate change was very limited and often pigeonholed into a few hours of geography and science.

He said activists wanted to see a golden thread of climate change teaching across all school subjects.

The protests in London would drive the message home to the heart of where education policy and governance is in this country, Mr Woodier added.

It is really important to deliver that message direct to that source.

The day of protest action coincides with a commitment from the Labour Party to make climate change a core part of the curriculum from primary school onwards.

The Government said climate change already features in teaching for subjects such as geography and science.

Students take part in Westminster (Aaron Chown/PA)

Similar large-scale youth protests took place in February and March this year, with students striking from school to take part.

Extinction Rebellion, which organised protests in London last month, said it is not involved in Fridays event but supports the cause.

Mr Woodier said the protests showed their message was continuing to build momentum.

These demonstrations have come in the middle of exam time, yet weve still seen incredible numbers turn up across the UK, he said.

Great to see so many passionate young people at todays @Strike4Youth @Strike4YouthBH



Their moral authority in making case that older generation is destroying their future can only be answered by urgent climate action



Declaring an emergency isnt enough - we need action now pic.twitter.com/aRWQP2AaS9  Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) May 24, 2019

The student protesters were backed by Green MP Caroline Lucas, who wrote on Twitter: Their moral authority in making case that older generation is destroying their future can only be answered by urgent climate action.

Declaring an emergency isnt enough  we need action now.

The protests are part of a decentralised movement inspired by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg.

Greta began striking from school on Fridays to lobby the Swedish parliament on climate change in August 2018.

Her protest sparked similar strikes across Europe, North America and Australia.

Protesters in 110 countries were expected to take part in Fridays strike.

UK students protesting in Cambridge (Tom Dorrington/PA)

A Department for Education spokeswoman said: It is important that pupils are taught about climate change, which is why it is in the national curriculum as part of science and geography in both primary and secondary school.

The curriculum also includes the knowledge pupils need to help address climate change in the future.

For example, in design and technology pupils are taught to consider the impact of the products they design on individuals, society and the environment.

Schools have the autonomy to go into as much depth on these subjects as they see fit.The governor of Missouri has signed a bill that bans abortion from the eighth week of pregnancy  without exceptions for cases of rape or incest  making it among the most restrictive policy in the US.

Under the law that comes into force on August 28, doctors who violate the eight-week cut-off could face five to 15 years in prison.

A legal challenge is expected, although it is unclear when that might occur.

Missouri Stands for the Unborn https://t.co/HWMxd0pkje  Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) May 15, 2019

The measure includes exceptions for medical emergencies, such as when there is a risk of death or permanent physical injuries to a major bodily function of the pregnant woman.

But women who become pregnant after being raped or subjected to incest will not be allowed to abort after eight weeks. Women who terminate their pregnancies cannot be prosecuted under the law.

When pressed last week on the rape and incest issue, governor Mike Parson, a Republican, told reporters that all life has value.

President Donald Trump has said he supports exceptions in cases of rape and incest.

Donald Trump (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Missouri businessman David Humphreys, a wealthy Republican donor, had urged Mr Parson to veto the bill.

A bill this restrictive, without the opportunity for exceptions for rape and incest, is bad public policy and bad for Missourians, Mr Humphreys said.

Alabamas governor signed a bill on May 15 making performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases.

Supporters have said they hope to provoke a legal challenge that will eventually force the Supreme Court to revisit its landmark 1973 Roe vs Wade ruling that legalised abortion nationally.

Unlike Alabamas near-total abortion ban, legislators who helped draft the Missouri bill say it is meant to withstand court challenges instead of spark them. If the eight-week ban is struck down, the bill includes a ladder of less restrictive time limits at 14, 18 or 20 weeks.

Missouris bill also includes an outright ban on abortions except in cases of medical emergencies, but that would kick in only if the Roe vs Wade decision that legalised abortion is overturned.

Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia have also approved bans on abortions once foetal cardiac activity can be detected, which can occur in about the sixth week of pregnancy.

Some of those laws already have been challenged in court, and similar restrictions in North Dakota and Iowa have been struck down by judges.

Missouri already has some of the nations most restrictive abortion regulations, including a requirement that doctors performing abortions have partnerships with nearby hospitals.

Missouri is down to one clinic performing abortions, which is in St Louis.

A total of 3,903 abortions occurred in Missouri in 2017, the last full year for which the state Department of Health and Senior Services has statistics online.

Of those, 1,673 occurred at under nine weeks and 119 occurred at 20 weeks or later in a pregnancy.

A total of 2,910 abortions occurred in 2018 in Missouri, according to the agency.

The bill also bans abortions based solely on race, sex or a diagnosis indicating the potential for Downs syndrome.

It also requires a parent or guardian giving written consent for a minor to get an abortion to first notify the other parent, except if the other parent has been convicted of a violent or sexual crime, is subject to a protection order, is habitually in an intoxicated or drugged condition, or lacks legal or physical custody.The Liberal Democrats will replace Sir Vince Cable with a new leader on July 23.

Sir Vince said it was time for a new generation at the top of the party but pointed to expected gains at the European elections as a sign that we are in an excellent position to lead a centre-ground movement in British politics.

Deputy leader Jo Swinson is firm favourite to succeed Sir Vince, who announced the start of the contest in an email to party members.

He said membership was at a record level and the party had enjoyed the best local election results in its history.

After our partys best ever council election results and a surge of support for the European elections, my thanks to everyone who has helped rebuild the @LibDems. Ill be proud to hand over a bigger, stronger party to a new leader on July 23rd. https://t.co/gTYVfG99sD #StopBrexit  Vince Cable (@vincecable) May 24, 2019

There are major challenges ahead. One is to win, finally, the battle to stop Brexit.

Our campaigning has given hope; now we need to secure a referendum in Parliament, and then win it.

Sir Vince Cable (David Mirzoeff/PA)

Another is the opportunity created by the conflict and decay within the two main parties to build a powerful, liberal, green, and social democratic force in the centre ground of British politics.

We are now in an excellent position to lead such a movement.

The party only has 11 MPs and the leadership rules require any candidate to have the support of 10% of their colleagues in the Commons and 200 members spread across at least 20 local parties.

Nominations close on June 7.

The contest will be taking place as the Tories also choose a new leader following Theresa Mays decision to resign.Irelands political leaders have cast their votes in the European Parliament elections and local authority elections.

Irish President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina also voted on Friday morning at their local polling station at St Marys Hospital in Dublins Phoenix Park.

The couple, who presented their passports as a form of ID, spent a number of minutes casting their votes from the long list of candidates in the Dublin constituency.

President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina cast their votes (Brian Lawless/PA)

Irish premier Leo Varadkar voted at around midday at his local polling station in Castleknock.

After marking the ballot papers, he joked to reporters: I really had to think about the transfers.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald voted at St Josephs School on the Navan Road in Dublin.

In Cork, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin was accompanied by his wife Mary and their children Micheal A and Aoibhe as they all cast their votes at St Anthonys Boys National School in Ballinlough.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, voting with his wife Mary and their children Micheal A and Aoibhe (Micheal Martin/PA)

More than 6,500 polling stations around the country opened at 7am and will close at 10pm.

Two of the 13 elected MEPs face an uncertain wait as to when they can take their seats due to the Brexit delay.

The Republic is receiving two of the 27 places formerly reserved for the UK which are being redistributed among 14 member states.

The UK is participating in the poll, with British MEPs set to attend the inaugural plenary session of the new parliament on July 2.

As a result, those elected in last place in Irelands Dublin and South constituencies must wait to see if they can take their seats.

Residents on remote Atlantic islands off the coasts of Donegal, Galway and Mayo cast their votes a day early (Niall Carson/PA)

Residents on remote Atlantic islands off the coasts of Donegal, Galway and Mayo cast their votes a day early on Thursday.

Local council elections are also being held on Friday, as is a referendum on divorce laws  with a Yes set to reduce the lengthy period separated couples have to wait before they can obtain a formal divorce.

Voters in Cork, Waterford and Limerick will also be able to participate in separate plebiscites on government proposals to create directly elected city mayoral positions with executive functions.

Counting in the local elections and divorce referendum will begin on Saturday morning.

The European election count for Irelands three constituencies  Dublin, South, and Midlands-North-West  will commence on Sunday morning at centres in Dublin, Cork and Castlebar, Co Mayo.

A Europe-wide embargo means the first results in that poll cannot be declared until 10pm that night.

`Ive Voted stickers at a polling station in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

If previous elections are a guide, counting is likely to continue through into Monday.

Counting in the mayoral plebiscites is likely to get under way in the three impacted cities on the Monday.

The European and local government elections will be the first electoral test for Irelands main parties since the inconclusive general election of 2016.

The result delivered a hung parliament and precipitated months of negotiations between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties with a century-old enmity dating back to Irelands Civil War.

A historic accord emerged that saw Fianna Fail agree to support a minority Fine Gael-led government through a confidence and supply deal for three years.

The parties renewed that arrangement late last year, extending what has been dubbed an era of new politics until early 2020.

While Fridays elections focus on European and council issues, the results will no doubt be interpreted as a public judgment on Fine Gaels performance in government and how effectively Fianna Fail has managed the delicate balancing act of holding an administration to account while at the same time propping it up.

Other smaller parties in the Oireachtas parliament, such as Sinn Fein, the Green Party and Labour, will hope to be the beneficiaries of any potential public disaffection with new politics.The US will bolster its military presence in the Middle East with an additional 1,500 troops, Donald Trump has confirmed, amid heightened tensions with Iran.

The president told reporters on the White House lawn that the troops would have a mostly protective role.

The administration had notified Congress earlier in the day about the plans.

The forces will number roughly 1,500 and will deploy in the coming weeks, with their primary responsibilities and activities being defensive in nature, according to a copy of the notification obtained by the Associated Press.

Their mission will include protecting US forces already in the region and ensuring freedom of navigation, the notification said.

Patrick Shanahan (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Earlier this week, officials said Pentagon planners had outlined plans that could have sent up to 10,000 military reinforcements to the region. Acting defence secretary Patrick Shanahan later said planners had not settled on a figure.

Washington began reinforcing its presence in the Persian Gulf region this month in response to what it said was a threat from Iran.

The US has tens of thousands of troops in the Middle East, including at a major Navy base in Bahrain and an Air Force base and operations centre in Qatar.

There are about 5,200 troops in Iraq and 2,000 in Syria.

Earlier this month, the US sent thousands more into the region around Iran, including an aircraft carrier strike group, four bomber aircraft and fighter jets.An Irish climber has died while attempting to climb Mount Everest.

Kevin Hynes, 56, died in his tent at 7,000 metres in the early hours of Friday, after turning back before reaching the summit.

The father of two was part of a group from UK-based climbing company 360 Expeditions which was attempting to scale the worlds highest mountain.

In a statement, 360 Expeditions said: It is with the greatest sadness that we have to confirm that one of our Everest team has passed away.

Kevin (56 yrs) was one of the strongest and most experienced climbers on our team, and had previously summited Everest South and Lhotse.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it was aware of reports of the death of an Irish citizen on the north slopes of Mount Everest.

Mount Everest and the Himalayas (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

We stand ready to provide consular assistance, a spokesman said.

The company said Mr Hynes reached Camp 3 at 8,300 metres on Wednesday.

But on Thursday, while other climbers in the team headed higher, Mr Hynes began his descent accompanied by experienced Sherpa Dawa Sangee, who had himself made the summit of Everest South twice, Everest North and Makalu twice.

Kevin passed away in his tent at the North Col at 7,000m in the early hours (Nepali time) of the 24th May, the company confirmed.

His wonderful wife, Bernadette and two children, Erin and James are comforted by all the communication that Kevin sent out from his expedition, letting them know that, this was proving the most fun he had had on any one of his expeditions and the team was amazing and that he was loving being with (mountaineer) Rolfe Oostra.

The company added: Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences are with all Kevins family and his friends. He really was a wonderful man and it was a great privilege to have him on our team.

His death comes a week after Trinity College professor Seamus (Shay) Lawless, aged 39 and from Bray, Co Wicklow, fell during his descent from the peak having achieved a lifetime ambition of reaching the summit.

The search for Mr Lawless has been called off.

A Trinity statement said: It is with deep sadness that we have learnt this evening that the search for our friend and colleague, Seamus (Shay) Lawless, has been unsuccessful.

While the experienced search team has made every effort to locate Shay, the extremes of operating at high altitude and the sheer range of the search area ultimately proved too difficult and based on expert advice the Lawless family have decided to call off the search rather than risk endangering anyones life in the treacherous conditions.The Queen will host US president Donald Trump for lunch at Buckingham Palace during his state visit to the UK in June.

The American head of state, and his wife Melania, will have a private lunch with the Queen when he arrives in Britain on Monday June 3.

The US president will also have tea with the the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House, and visit Downing Street for talks with Prime Minister Theresa May during the stay.

Mr Trumps first trip to the UK as president sparked controversy last year and critics have said he should not have been given the honour of an official state visit.

The president arrives on June 3 (Andrew Milligan/PA)

The Queen, Charles, and the Duchess of Cornwall, will officially welcome Mr Trump, and his wife to Buckingham Palace on the first day of his visit.

Accompanied by Charles, the US president will inspect a guard of honour at Buckingham Palace and royal gun salutes will be fired in Green Park and at the Tower of London in the capital.

After lunch, the Queen will invite the Trumps to view a special exhibition in the picture gallery at Buckingham Palace which will showcase items of historical significance to the United States from the royal collection.

Afterwards, the US president and his wife, accompanied by the Duke of York, will visit Westminster Abbey, where Mr Trump will lay a wreath at the grave of the unknown warrior.

The grave of the unknown warrior (John Stillwell/PA)

The president and first lady will then have a short tour of Westminster Abbey.

This will be followed by tea at Clarence House with Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

That evening the Queen will give a state banquet at Buckingham Palace for the president at which both heads of state will make speeches.

On Tuesday June 4, Mrs May and the US president will co-host a business breakfast meeting, attended by the Duke of York, at St Jamess Palace.

The US president will then visit Downing Street to hold talks with the Prime Minister.

Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump (Chris Jackson/PA)

The PM and president will then hold a joint press conference in Downing Street.

That evening the Trumps will host a return dinner at Winfield House, the residence of the US ambassador, which Charles and Camilla will attend on behalf of the Queen.

On Wednesday June 5, the Queen and Charles will attend the national commemorative event for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Southsea Common, Portsmouth.

More than 300 Day veterans will be at the ceremony which aims to tell the story of D-Day through musical performance, testimonial readings and military displays, including a fly-past of 25 modern and historical aircraft.

The Queen will then formally bid farewell to the Trumps in Portsmouth.

The visit comes after Mrs May announced that she would resign as Tory leader on June 7.A 62-year-old fined for dressing up as a black and white minstrel at a works party didnt know it was racist, a court has heard.

Brian Davies was ordered to pay a total of 450 earlier this year for racially harassing a black colleague after blacking up his face and performing a racist song and dance routine at their Christmas do.

On Friday the maintenance engineer appeared in court to appeal against his conviction of causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress to head chef Loretta Doyley, denying he knew the television show from which his routine derived from was today seen as derogatory and demeaning to black people.

Cardiff Crown Court was shown mobile footage from the incident on December 20 last year at the citys Coopers Carvery, with Davies wearing black face paint, white paint around his eyes and mouth, a straw boater hat, and swinging around a cane while dancing and singing the song Mammy in the direction of Mrs Doyley.

Prosecutor Suzanne Payne said to Davies: You could see as you were dancing and singing around her she was upset by you.

You knew by dancing around singing that you were being abusive to her.

Screengrab of Brian Davies dressed up as a black and white minstrel (CPS/PA)

And you shouldve been aware it would be. Because its insulting and humiliating what you did.

And that was your intention.

Davies said he had a prior conversation with colleagues including Mrs Doyley about The Black And White Minstrel Show, which appeared on British television in the 1960s and 1970s, which gave him the idea for his stunt.

He told the court: It didnt even cross my mind. I didnt even think of anything racist.

Just thought I was dressing up as something that used to be on telly on a Sunday night.

Ms Payne told Davies the show had not appeared on British television for years as it was deemed derogatory and demeaning to black people.

Davies said: I didnt know it was racist.

Mrs Doyley, who worked with Davies at Ty Catrin, a facility run by mental healthcare provider The Priory Group in Cardiff, said Davies had repeatedly asked her to go the Christmas do after she had initially declined.

She told the court: I felt humiliated and wanted the floor to open up and swallow me.

I felt because everyone was laughing I went into shock and I felt myself laughing as well, not because it was funny, I just didnt know how else to act.

Tom Roberts, for Davies, told the court it needed to be sure his clients behaviour was intentionally abusive towards Mrs Doyley.

He said: It was clearly ill judged. He accepts he was stupid and naive.

But that does not equate to him using abusive behaviour towards Mrs Doyley. It is of course not politically correct behaviour.

He added: At most this was an ill judged and disreputable incident. Did he display hostility? I would say he didnt.

Judge David Wynn Morgan and Justices Robin Coombes and Sharon Winter adjourned the appeal until next Thursday when they will make their decision on its outcome.Simon Byrne has been appointed the next chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Mr Byrne, 56, led Cheshire Police until 2017 and has more than three decades of policing experience.

He will lead a force under severe threat from dissident republicans opposed to the peace process and one which is preparing for the impact of Brexit, if any, on the Irish border.

George Hamilton steps down as PSNI chief next month.

Congratulations to Simon Byrne following his selection as next Chief Constable of @PoliceServiceNI We look forward to working with you. @NIPolicingBoard  Justice NI (@Justice_NI) May 24, 2019

Northern Irelands Policing Board chairwoman Anne Connolly said: Mr Byrne brings a wealth of strategic and operational policing experience to the role, he has 36 years of policing experience, 21 years as a chief officer and almost eight as a chief constable serving the Metropolitan Police, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

We are looking forward to working with him in further developing the PSNI as a highly professional and community-focused organisation.

Simon Byrne (Cheshire Constabulary/PA)

The appointment was unanimously agreed by a selection panel from the board.

Mr Byrne was chief of Cheshire Police from 2014-2017.

He was suspended over unfounded allegations of bullying but later cleared of 74 misconduct claims.

Ms Connolly said: Mr Byrne alerted the board to the fact that he had been subject to, as it turned out unfounded, allegations.

He has been totally exonerated and the last time I looked, that meant the person was innocent.

So the board have absolutely no problem in appointing him.

His skill and experience and his display of the competencies at interview were exceptional and we are delighted to have him on board.

The PSNI has been forced to make a series of budget savings over recent years while maintaining community policing, targeting contemporary terrorism and investigating killings during the conflict.

Rank and file police argue the service needs more officers to combat the serious threat posed by renegade paramilitaries more than 20 years after the Good Friday Agreement was signed.

Mr Byrne was deputy chief constable of Greater Manchester Police from 2009 to 2011 and assistant commissioner for territorial policing in the Metropolitan Police from 2011 to 2014.

He began his career as a Met constable in 1982 and became an assistant chief constable at Merseyside in 2006.

The board scrutinises the PSNI and the selection panel included politicians from the DUP and Sinn Fein among others.

Ms Connolly said the appointment comprised a rigorous selection process based on merit, fairness, openness and transparency.

She said independent scrutiny was incorporated at all stages of the competition to provide added assurances.

Interviews were held on Thursday and Friday. Four men were interviewed for the 207,000-a-year job.

Congratulations to Simon Byrne on his selection as next Chief Constable of @PSNI. It is a huge honour to lead the officers and staff of this great organisation. I wish Simon every success in his new role. @NIPolicingBoard  Sir George Hamilton (@SirGHamilton) May 24, 2019

Mr Hamilton was among the first to congratulate the successful candidate.

He said: It is a huge honour to lead the officers and staff of this great organisation. I wish Simon every success in his new role.

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland, which represents rank and file officers, said Mr Byrne faces a series of significant challenges, including the legacy of the violent conflict, how the organisation is resourced and the ongoing severe dissident threat.

Chairman Mark Lindsay said: Mr Byrne will have to be across the range of issues that will fill his in-tray from day one.

He has considerable operational experience and I wish him well in this new and very demanding role.

DUP board member Mervyn Storey said: The real work commences now as we seek to improve policing and tackle those issues which need to be addressed so our communities feel safe in their homes and proud of their police force.

Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle ONeill said: Action is required to rebuild and redevelop public confidence in policing.

Sinn Fein urges the incoming chief constable to commit to policing with the community as the core principle and basis for progressing modern policing.

Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley said: PSNI continues to deal with many difficult issues on a daily basis and as an organisation makes a vital contribution to the stability of Northern Ireland.

Simon brings significant strategic and operational experience to this role at a crucial time. I look forward to working with him and his senior team.A controlled explosion has been carried out on a Second World War bomb which was discovered on a building site.

Police confirmed the bomb, which was found in Kingston, south-west London, was detonated by Army experts on Friday afternoon.

So far, limited damage has been discovered with a 50 metre radius of the detonation, the Metropolitan Police said.

School and university buildings, two polling stations and roughly 1,500 houses were evacuated after the bomb was found in Fassett Road at about 9.15am on Thursday.

The controlled explosion took place at 4.16pm on Friday and cordons were lifted several hours later.

We have opened the area denoted by the outer circle on the map, to pedestrians only. Please note Penrhyn Road remains closed to pedestrians and vehicles. We will provide additional updates as soon as we can. Again we thank the local community for their patience. pic.twitter.com/YCUieRJ9AJ  Kingston Police (@MPSKingston) May 24, 2019

South West BCU Commander Chief Superintendent Sally Benatar said: I would like to thank all local residents and businesses owners who have been displaced by this inconvenience.

The response from the local community and Kingston Council has been so understanding and we are grateful for your cooperation.

The displacement was for your safety  which was our top priority throughout.

The matter of detonating this device was taken with the utmost seriousness and Id like to thank the Army and the other emergency services for their assistance and support.

Two polling stations were closed after the bomb was discovered (Kingston Police/PA)

She added: There may also be some ongoing disruption to utilities in the coming week, as a result of dealing with this incident.

It is not possible to qualify the degree or extent at this stage.Northern Irelands next police chief felt he had lost his vocation over unfounded bullying allegations and claims that he treated junior officers and staff like roadkill.

Simon Byrne, aged in his 50s, left his last employer after his suspension but resurrected his career on Friday when he was appointed chief constable in a policing environment unique in the UK or Ireland.

He will have to balance addressing the real threat posed to his officers by dissident republicans with reaching out to the communities from which the gunmen and bombers spring.

As she announced the appointment, Policing Board chairwoman Anne Connolly urged the enormously experienced officer to develop the forces community focus and professional approach.

Mr Byrne was suspended as chief constable of Cheshire Constabulary in 2017 after being accused of breaching standards of professional behaviour surrounding authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct.

His contract with the force expired since his suspension.

Simon Byrne previously served as GMPs deputy chief constable (GMP/PA)

He said he was pleased to have been totally exonerated following the allegations he bullied and belittled staff after moving from the Met Police to take up the top role at the Cheshire force in 2014.

A misconduct hearing was told Mr Byrne had a reputation for being like Darth Vader and treated junior officers and staff like roadkill.

The panel heard he handed pictures of Dads Army characters to officers after he became angry when flooding made him late for work.

However in its report, the panel found the incident was an example of Mr Byrnes approach to leadership and it was wrong to attribute malevolent intent to it.

Afterwards the senior officer said the 350,000 process had gone on too long and wasted precious public money.

He added: In some ways, it still feels like upside down justice as I have lost my vocation after 35 years of public service.

Those years began with a spell as a constable with the Met and included a term as assistant chief constable in Merseyside, where he first rose to a more junior command position.

He was in charge of territorial policing at the Met, essentially uniformed police who have closer interaction with members of the public.

He became chief in Cheshire in 2014.A missing 75-year-old man is being sought by police in Aberdeenshire.

Derek Gray has not been seen since he left an address in the Beech Court area in Kemnay at around 8am on Friday.

Police Scotland said there are growing concerns for his welfare and they are appealing to the public for information to help find him.

Derek Gray was last seen on Friday morning (Police Scotland/PA)

Mr Gray, who lives in Kemnay, is described as being white, 5ft 5ins and bald.

When last seen, he was wearing grey trousers, a grey and navy waist-length jacket, brown shoes and a flat cap.

Anyone who may have seen him, or who has information on his whereabouts, is asked to contact police on 101, quoting incident number 1633 of May 24.The Spice Girls have kicked off their first arena tour in a decade with their hit single Spice Up Your Life and a fireworks display.

One of the biggest bands of the 1990s reunited on stage for the first time in seven years in Dublins Croke Park.

Baby, Scary, Ginger and Sporty took to the stage in extravagant fashion for their first number, wearing hand-embellished Swarovski crystal costumes designed by Gabriella Slade.

Geri Horner donned a floor-length sparkling Union flag gown, Emma Bunton wore a shimmering pink minidress, Melanie Brown had a glittering animal print jumpsuit for the occasion, while Melanie Chisholm sparkled in a shining Olympian outfit.

It was just the beginning of the costume changes for the girls who had numerous outfits throughout Fridays performance.

Geri Horner (Andrew Timms)

Victoria Beckham will not be joining Brown, Chisholm, Horner and Bunton on the tour across the UK and Ireland.

But the group, who burst on to the scene in 1996 with their debut single Wannabe, did not disappoint the thousands of fans who flocked to Croke Park, many of whom had either worn Spice Girls T-shirts or dressed up as their favourite Spice girl.

Horner greeted the crowd saying: Welcome to Spice World. Spice girls, spice boys, everyone is welcome. We want every single one of you to feel special tonight. Like a king or a queen, we celebrate you. But I got to say there are a lot of queens here tonight.

Emma Bunton (Andrew Timms)

Irish premier Leo Varadkar, his partner Matt Barrett and Mr Varadkars sister Sonia were among the 82,000 strong crowd, as was the countrys European Affairs Minister Helen McEntee who attended with a group of her friends.

Chisholm told the crowd it was very special for the band to be back in Dublin.

She said: In 98, we started our world tour in Dublin so we truly are home. Its got a very special place in our hearts.

It is the first time the group has performed since the closing ceremony of the London Olympics in 2012.

Mel C (Andrew Timms)

The stage, which features an imposing Spice World sculpture and large screens on each side, was used to display messages of female empowerment, including We are stronger together and their motto Girl Power.

Ahead of the first gig, Baby Spice also said she was confident about the comeback, saying I think were there.

She told Heart Breakfast: Its so much fun, being back on stage with the girls. Literally, we giggle to ourselves and of course we make mistakes in the dress rehearsals.

And she said: Ive remembered all the words and Im just getting to grips with the choreography, so I think were there.

There were colourful scenes at Croke Park (Tom Honan/PA)

Bunton added that she really hoped that Posh Spice will see her former bandmates at some point on the tour.

The 13-date Spice World Tour was announced last November.

The band had to deny rumours of a rift in April following Browns claims that she had a one-night stand with Horner in the Spice Girls heyday.

Fans were all smiles (Tom Honan/PA)

But on the opening night, there did not appear to be any tension between the girls, who all laughed and joked with each other throughout the show.

After Croke Park, the Spice Girls will head to Cardiffs Principality Stadium (May 27), the Etihad Stadium in Manchester (May 29 to June 1), Coventrys Ricoh Arena (June 3-4), Sunderlands Stadium Of Light (June 6), Edinburghs BT Murrayfield Stadium (June 8), Bristols Ashton Gate Stadium (June 10) and Londons Wembley Stadium (June 13-15).A 75-year-old man who went missing in Aberdeenshire has been found safe and well.

Derek Gray had not been seen since he left an address in Kemnay on Friday morning.

MISSING PERSON - DEREK GRAY

Police Scotland are pleased to report that missing person Derek Gray has been traced safe and well.

We would like to thank all persons who assisted in the enquiry and by sharing the post.  North East Police (@NorthEPolice) May 24, 2019

Police Scotland issued an appeal for information and confirmed he had been traced a short time later.

In an update on Twitter, the force said: We would like to thank all persons who assisted in the enquiry and by sharing the post.Friends of murdered journalist Lyra McKee begin a three-day peace walk from Belfast to Londonderry later.

Miss McKee, 29, was shot in the head by dissident republican group the New IRA while observing clashes with police in the Creggan estate in Londonderry last month.

The demonstrators are walking to call for an end to the killings.

Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody is due to join them on the last leg on Monday ahead of a rally at Derrys Guildhall.

At her funeral a priest asked Northern Irelands politicians why it took the death of a 29-year-old woman to unite their parties.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May stood alongside her Irish counterpart, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, behind Miss McKees coffin.

A new mural of Lyra McKee in Belfast city centre (David Young/PA)

The latest talks process designed to restore devolved political powersharing was launched soon after the murder.DUBAI, May 25 (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday that the U.S. decision to deploy more troops to the Middle East in response to the perceived threat from Iran was "extremely dangerous" for peace.

The United States said it was sending 1,500 troops to region in what it called an effort to bolster defences against Tehran, and it accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for attacks on tankers this month.

"The Americans have made such allegations to justify their hostile policies and to raise tensions in the Persian Gulf," Zarif told state news agency IRNA.

"Increased U.S. presence in our region is extremely dangerous and it threatens international peace and security, and this should be addressed," he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump also invoked the threat from Iran to declare a national security-related emergency that would clear the sale of billions of dollars worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries without congressional approval.

It follows decisions to speed up the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group as well as to send bombers and additional Patriot missiles to the Middle East.

Following U.S. media reports that Zarif had met Senator Dianne Feinstein during a U.S. visit last month, Iran's Foreign Ministry said informative talks were common and did not involve negotiations.

"For more than two decades, discussions have been held with non-governmental U.S. political elites, including members of Congress, to clarify and explain the policies of the Islamic Republic," ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said.

Separately, a Revolutionary Guards commander said the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route, was linked to Iran being able to export its oil, the semi-official news agency Fars reported.

"Major General Gholamali Rashid said that talking about security and stability in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz is not possible without considering the interests of the Iranian nation, including the export of oil," Fars said.

Iran has threatened to disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz if the United States tries to strangle Tehran's economy by halting its oil exports through increased sanctions.

Separately, an Iranian military official said Iran could sink U.S. warships in the Gulf, while another said it was unlikely for a war to start in the region.

"America...is sending two warships to the region. If they commit the slightest stupidity, we will send these ships to the bottom of the sea along with their crew and planes using two missiles or two new secret weapons," General Morteza Qorbani, an adviser to Iran's military command, told the Mizan news agency.

Western experts say Iran often exaggerates its weapons capabilities, although there are concerns about its missile programme and particularly its long-range ballistic missiles.

"We believe rational Americans and their experienced commanders will not let their radical elements lead them into a situation from which it would be very difficult to get out, and that is why they will not enter a war," Brigadier General Hassan Seifi, an assistant to Iran's army chief, told Mehr news agency. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Sam Holmes, Alexander Smith and Angus MacSwan)Electoral democracy has spoken. The Bharatiya Janata Party juggernaut has defeated its major opponents. The process will be x-rayed with recrimination for legitimate proposals for electoral reform and through election petitions. The result is clear and has to be accepted. However, an election is only one part of democracy for people to choose their rulers.

Truly of the people

Substantive democracy is a continuous process which actively guarantees participatory rights of free speech, association and assembly, right to belief, the necessity of continuing good governance and enabling prosperity for all, especially the least advantaged. These objectives are not born from broken election promises but the ongoing responsibility of continuing substantive democracy. Abjuring any finite separation between civil and political society, there is a need to heed the advice of Pericles: Here we do not say that a man who takes no interest in politics is a man who minds his own affairs, we say he has no business here at all.

Western thinking has bequeathed to us a divisive separation of civil from political affairs, which deprives people of their positive duties to sustain democracy between elections. Democracy can never be suspended or left to politicians, still less to those who claim absolute power. It exists in every nook and cranny of the country to address both the power of government and the ills in society itself. News after news reiterates the viciousness and cruelty of Indian society encouraged by the sins of omission and commission of political governance. Electoral democracy is a prelude which can never challenge activist democracy which in turn keeps government and power structures in check wherever they are  into subservience.

Elections are an integral part of democracy but not the only one. (Photo: PTI)

The foremost challenge for Indias people is to prevent an elected autocracy. The entire Sangh Parivar including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is behind Narendra Modi. This election empowers them. What may be restored and encouraged are lynching, targeting minorities, ghar wapasi, oppressive anticorruption laws and communalism. Indian secularism has never meant no religion but, uniquely, all religions to cement India together. Second, we must preserve free speech and action as the voice of democracy. The last five years have shown a resurgence of offences of sedition as an alibi to arrest activists. Muscular nationalism is counterpoised to silence criticism and hand over critics to Parivar mobocracy. Television is taken over financially and through certain anchors, making TV a global laughing stock. Peoples voice is essential to democracy.

Thirdly, we must tackle the excessive concentration of powers. Under Modi, this has included controlling the Central Bureau of Investigation, Central Vigilance Commission, the Lokpal and other agencies. The election campaign has been misdirected towards attacking leaders on half-truths; on the assumption that what destroyed Rajiv Gandhis re-election would also destroy Modis chances of winning again. That by itself is a mistake.

Pressing issues

Today, our democracy is under a financial, commercial and economic takeover by capitalism  both Indian and global.

There are two areas where India is being pillaged: the exploitation of mineral and environmental resources; and contractual deals which reek with corruption. Each deal about Indias resources and contracts has to be examined beyond the flurry of accusations. This is a task for civil society. We live in a global marketplace. Despite Modis multi-crore travels, our foreign policy is in shambles. The negative muscular nationalism directed against Pakistan will bring no solace. Peace, not posturing, is the answer. The positive policies are missing. By imitating America and Israel, we have lost the wood for the trees. The US is rewriting global trade.

India is suffering from the lack of a cohesive international policy. (Photo: PTI)

India, unlike China, has only begging bowl options. Indias Middle East policy favours Israel. We are in a position to take a lead on resolving the Rohingya crisis. India has allowed Nepal to drift to China and has no Africa policy. This lack of clarity cannot be replaced by spurious symbolic victories on Pakistani terrorists.

Indians first

The fundamental value of social justice goes to the heart of equal and equitable justice for all people. Dr BR Ambedkar rightly reminded the nation that political justice underlying of one man, one vote is insufficient without economic justice for all. Without it, Indian governance would explode. This election has brought to the forefront problems of poverty, sustenance, unemployment, welfare benefits and also the sad plight of farmers.

All sides have promised too much. Will they deliver through both markets and programmes? Or is this a chimera to be addressed in the 2024 election? This, too, is a task for civil society activists.

Noting the decline of unionised power, activists have to ensure deliverance. The Congress, in particular, has much to introspect about its leadership and building cadre strength, without which it is impotent, as is self-evident from this election. Regional parties have to hold their own. Yet political solutions are only part of the answer. Indian society must operate its activist strength on a continuing basis. The election results portray the electoral strength of the people. Our democracy is not a game of thrones but the true will of the people to save democracy. Democracys fight is not over. It has just begun.

(Courtesy of Mail Today)

Also read: Only a Gandhi can save CongressBT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreCanadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through four strategic business units: Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S. Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; and Capital Markets. The company offers chequing, savings, and business accounts; mortgages; loans, lines of credit, student lines of credit, and business and agriculture loans; investment and insurance services; and credit cards, as well as overdraft protection services. It also provides day-to-day banking, borrowing and credit, investing and wealth, specialty, and international services; correspondent banking and online foreign exchange services; and cash management services. The company serves its customers through its banking centers, as well as direct, mobile, and remote channels. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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Read MoreBank of Ireland Group plc provides various banking and financial products and services. The company operates through Retail Ireland, Wealth and Insurance, Retail UK, and Corporate and Treasury segments. Its products and services include current and savings accounts, and business deposits and accounts; personal, car, home improvement, graduate, and student loans, as well as overdrafts; business and farming loans, BREXIT loans, small medium enterprise loans, asset finance, commercial finance, hire purchase, and leasing services; and property, trade, and project finance. The company also offers account reconciliation, moving/sweeping funds, bulk payment services, direct debit originator, domestic and international payments, and FXPay services; international payments and credit cards; protection overview, mortgage protection, life cover, specified illness cover, income protection, protection for individuals, and protection for families; pensions and investments, foreign exchange, and treasury deposits and services; personal products; private banking services; leveraged acquisition finance; and funding and acquisition, cash management, transaction support and agency, and escrow agency services. In addition, it provides home, car, travel, and life insurance products. Bank of Ireland Group plc was founded in 1783 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

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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..There is not enough analysis data for BlackRock Municipal Bond Trust.

4.4 Community Rank

Outperform Votes BlackRock Municipal Bond Trust has received 101 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

Underperform Votes BlackRock Municipal Bond Trust has received 51 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.)

Community Sentiment BlackRock Municipal Bond Trust has received 66.45% outperform votes from our community.

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about BlackRock Municipal Bond Trust and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe BBK will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe BBK will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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NextThe following companies are subsidiares of Bristol-Myers Squibb: 1096271 B.C. ULC, 345 Park LLC, A.G. Medical Services P.A., AHI Investment LLC, AbVitro LLC, Abraxis BioScience Australia Pty Ltd., Abraxis BioScience Inc., Abraxis BioScience International Holding Company Inc., Abraxis BioScience LLC, Abraxis BioScience Puerto Rico LLC, Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Adnexus, Adnexus a Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D Company, Allard Labs Acquisition G.P., Amira Pharmaceuticals, Amira Pharmaceuticals Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Apothecon LLC, B-MS Generx Unlimited Company, BMS Benelux Holdings B.V., BMS Bermuda Nominees L.L.C., BMS Data Acquisition Company LLC, BMS Forex Company, BMS Holdings Sarl, BMS Holdings Spain S.L., BMS International Insurance Designated Activity Company, BMS Investco SAS, BMS Korea Holdings L.L.C., BMS Latin American Nominees L.L.C., BMS Luxembourg Partners L.L.C., BMS Omega Bermuda Holdings Finance Ltd., BMS Pharmaceutical Korea Limited, BMS Pharmaceuticals Germany Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals International Holdings Netherlands B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Korea Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Mexico Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Netherlands Holdings B.V., BMS Real Estate LLC, BMS Spain Investments LLC, BMS Strategic Portfolio Investments Holdings Inc., Blisa Acquisition G.P., Bristol (Iran) S.A., Bristol Iran Private Company Limited, Bristol Laboratories Inc., Bristol Laboratories International S.A., Bristol Laboratories Medical Information Systems Inc., Bristol-Myers (Andes) L.L.C., Bristol-Myers (Private) Limited, Bristol-Myers Middle East S.A.L., Bristol-Myers Overseas Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Israel) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (NZ) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Proprietary) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Taiwan) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (West Indies) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb A.E., Bristol-Myers Squibb Aktiebolag, Bristol-Myers Squibb Argentina S. R. L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Axia Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb B.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Belgium S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Business Services Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada International Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Delta Company Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Denmark Filial of Bristol-Myers Squibb AB, Bristol-Myers Squibb EMEA Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Egypt LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Epsilon Holdings Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Ltda., Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Portuguesa S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb GesmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH & Co. KGaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holding Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings 2002 Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Ireland Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Pharma Ltd. Liability Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Ilaclari Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb India Pvt. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Company Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Investco L.L.C., Bristol-Myers Squibb K.K., Bristol-Myers Squibb Kft., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg International S.C.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb MEA GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Manufacturing Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Marketing Services S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Middle East & Africa FZ-LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Norway Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Nutricionales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Peru S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (HK) Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (Thailand) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Holding Company LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Ventures Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Polska Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Products SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico/Sanofi Pharmaceutical Partnership Puerto Rico, Bristol-Myers Squibb Romania S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.A.U., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Service Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Services Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Spol. s r.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Theta Finance Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Trustees Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Colombia S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Costa Rica Sociedad Anonima, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Guatemala S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb/Astrazeneca EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership, Bristol-Myers de Venezuela S.C.A., CHT I LLC, CHT II LLC, CHT III LLC, CHT IV LLC, CR Finance Company LLC, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals Inc., Celem LLC, Celem Ltd., Celgene, Celgene A.B., Celgene AS, Celgene Ab (Finland), Celgene Alpine Investment Co. II LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. III LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. LLC, Celgene ApS, Celgene B.V., Celgene BVBA, Celgene Brasil Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltda., Celgene CAR LLC, Celgene CAR Ltd., Celgene Chemicals Sarl, Celgene China Holdings LLC, Celgene Co., Celgene Corporation, Celgene Distribution B.V., Celgene EngMab GmbH, Celgene Europe B.V., Celgene Europe Limited, Celgene European Investment Company LLC, Celgene Financing Company LLC, Celgene Global Holdings Sarl, Celgene GmbH [Austria], Celgene GmbH [Germany], Celgene GmbH [Switzerland], Celgene Holdings East Corporation, Celgene Holdings II Sarl, Celgene Holdings III Sarl, Celgene Ilac Pazarlama ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Celgene Inc., Celgene International Holdings Corporation, Celgene International II Sarl, Celgene International III Sarl, Celgene International Inc., Celgene International Sarl, Celgene K.K., Celgene Kft., Celgene Limited [Hong Kong], Celgene Limited [Ireland], Celgene Limited [New Zealand], Celgene Limited [Taiwan], Celgene Limited [UK], Celgene Logistics Sarl, Celgene Ltd, Celgene Luxembourg Sarl, Celgene Management Sarl, Celgene NJ Investment Co, Celgene Netherlands B.V., Celgene Netherlands Investment B.V., Celgene Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Celgene Pte. Ltd., Celgene Pty Ltd, Celgene Puerto Rico Distribution LLC, Celgene Quanticel Research Inc, Celgene R&D Sarl, Celgene RIVOT LLC, Celgene RIVOT Ltd., Celgene RIVOT SRL, Celgene Receptos Limited, Celgene Receptos Sarl, Celgene Research Incubator At Summit West LLC, Celgene Research S.L.U., Celgene Research and Development Company LLC, Celgene Research and Development I ULC, Celgene Research and Development II LLC, Celgene Research and Investment Company II LLC, Celgene S. de R.L. de C.V., Celgene S.L.U., Celgene S.R.L., Celgene SAS, Celgene Sarl AU, Celgene Sdn Bhd, Celgene Services Sarl, Celgene Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Celgene Sp. Z.o.o., Celgene Sro [Czech Republic], Celgene Summit Investment Co, Celgene Switzerland Holding Sarl, Celgene Switzerland II LLC, Celgene Switzerland Investment Sarl, Celgene Switzerland LLC, Celgene Switzerland Sarl, Celgene Tri A Holdings Ltd., Celgene Tri Sarl, Celgene UK Distribution Limited, Celgene UK Holdings Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing II Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing III Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing Limited, Celgene d.o.o., Celgene sro [Slovakia], Celmed LLC, Celmed Ltd., ConvaTec Divestiture, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals AB, Crosp Ltd., Delinia Inc., Deuteria Pharmaceuticals Inc., DuPont Pharmaceuticals, E. R. Squibb & Sons Inter-American Corporation, E. R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C., E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited, EWI Corporation, EngMab Sarl, F-star Alpha, FermaVir Pharmaceuticals L.L.C., FermaVir Research L.L.C., Flexus Biosciences, Flexus Biosciences Inc., Forbius, Galecto Biotech, GenPharm International L.L.C., Gloucester Pharmaceuticals LLC, Grove Insurance Company Ltd., Heyden Farmaceutica Portuguesa Limitada, IFM Therapeutics, Impact Biomedicines Inc., Inhibitex, Inhibitex L.L.C., Innate Tumor Immunity Inc., JuMP Holdings LLC, Juno Therapeutics GmbH, Juno Therapeutics Inc., Kosan Biosciences, Kosan Biosciences Incorporated, Linson Investments Limited, Mead Johnson (Manufacturing) Jamaica Limited, Mead Johnson Jamaica Ltd., Medarex, Morris Avenue Investment II LLC, Morris Avenue Investment LLC, MyoKardia, O.o.o. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Oy Bristol-Myers Squibb (Finland) AB, Padlock Therapeutics, Padlock Therapeutics Inc., Pharmion LLC, Princeton Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Receptos LLC, Receptos Services LLC, RedoxTherapies Inc., Route 22 Real Estate Holding Corporation, SPV A Holdings ULC, Seamair Insurance DAC, Signal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Sino-American Shanghai Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Societe Francaise de Complements Alimentaires(S.O.F.C.A.), Squibb Middle East S.A., Summit West Celgene LLC, Swords Laboratories, VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Westwood-Intrafin SA, Westwood-Squibb Pharmaceuticals Inc., X-Body Inc., ZymoGenetics, ZymoGenetics Inc., ZymoGenetics LLC, ZymoGenetics Paymaster LLC, iPierian, and iPierian Inc..ConocoPhillips engages in the exploration, production, transportation and marketing of crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and liquefied natural gas on a worldwide basis. It operates through the following geographical segments: Alaska; Lower 48; Canada; Europe, Middle East and North Africa; Asia Pacific; and Other International. The Alaska segment primarily explores for produces, transports and markets crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. The Lower 48 segment consists of operations in the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico. The Canada segment is comprised of oil sands development in the Athabasca Region of northeastern Alberta and a liquids-rich unconventional play in western Canada. The Europe, Middle East and North Africa segment consists of operations and exploration activities in Norway, the United Kingdom and Libya. The Asia Pacific segment has explorations and product operations in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. The Other International segment handles exploration activities in Columbia and Argentina. The company was founded in 1875 and is headquartered in Houston, TX.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of BP: 200 PS Overseas Holdings Inc., 563916 Alberta Ltd., ACP (Malaysia) Inc., AE Cedar Creek Holdings LLC, AE Goshen II Holdings LLC, AE Goshen II Wind Farm LLC, AE Power Services LLC, AE Wind PartsCo LLC, AM/PM International Inc., ARCO, ARCO British International, ARCO British Limited, ARCO Coal Australia Inc., ARCO El-Djazair Holdings Inc., ARCO Environmental Remediation L.L.C., ARCO Exploration Inc., ARCO Gaviota Company, ARCO International Investments Inc., ARCO International Services Inc., ARCO Midcon LLC, ARCO Oil Company Nigeria Unlimited, ARCO Oman Inc, ARCO Resources Limited, ARCO Trinidad Exploration and Production Company Limited, ARCO Unimar Holdings LLC, Actomat B.V., Advance Petroleum Holdings Pty Ltd, Advance Petroleum Pty Ltd, Air BP Albania SHA, Air BP Brasil Ltda., Air BP Canada LLC, Air BP Croatia d.o.o., Air BP Finland Oy, Air BP Iceland, Air BP Limited, Air BP Norway AS, Air BP Sales Romania S.R.L., Air BP Sweden AB, Air Refuel Pty Ltd, Allgreen Pty Ltd, AmProp Finance Company, American Oil Company, Amoco (Fiddich) Limited, Amoco (U.K.) Exploration Company LLC., Amoco Bolivia Petroleum Company, Amoco Bolivia Services Company Inc., Amoco Canada International Holdings B.V., Amoco Capline Pipeline Company, Amoco Chemical (Europe) S.A., Amoco Chemicals (FSC) B.V., Amoco Cypress Pipeline Company, Amoco Destin Pipeline Company, Amoco Environmental Services Company, Amoco Exploration Holdings B.V., Amoco Guatemala Petroleum Company, Amoco International Finance Corporation, Amoco International Petroleum Company, Amoco Leasing Corporation, Amoco Louisiana Fractionator Company, Amoco MB Fractionation Company, Amoco MBF Company, Amoco Main Pass Gathering Company, Amoco Marketing Environmental Services Company, Amoco Netherlands Petroleum Company, Amoco Nigeria Exploration Company Limited, Amoco Nigeria Oil Company Limited, Amoco Nigeria Petroleum Company, Amoco Nigeria Petroleum Company Limited, Amoco Norway Oil Company, Amoco Oil Holding Company, Amoco Olefins Corporation, Amoco Overseas Exploration Company, Amoco Pipeline Asset Company, Amoco Pipeline Holding Company, Amoco Properties Incorporated, Amoco Remediation Management Services Corporation, Amoco Research Operating Company, Amoco Rio Grande Pipeline Company, Amoco Somalia Petroleum Company, Amoco Sulfur Recovery Company, Amoco Tri-States NGL Pipeline Company, Amoco Trinidad Gas B.V., Amoco U.K. Petroleum Limited, Amprop Illinois I Limited, Amprop Inc., Anaconda Arizona Inc., Arabian Production And Marketing Lubricants, Aral Aktiengesellschaft, Aral Luxembourg S.A., Aral Services Luxembourg Sarl, Aral Tankstellen Services Sarl, Arco Mediterraneo Inversiones S.L., Areas Noriega S.L., Areas Singulares Reyes S.L., Aspac Lubricants (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Atlantic 2/3 UK Holdings Limited, Atlantic Richfield Company, Atlantic Richfield Companyd, Autino Holdings Limited, Autino Limited, Auwahi Wind Energy Holdings LLC, B2Mobility GmbH, BASS Management Pty Ltd, BP (Abu Dhabi) Limited, BP (Barbados) Holding SRL, BP (Barbican) Limited, BP (China) Holdings Limited, BP (China) Industrial Lubricants Limited, BP (GTA Mauritania) Finance Limited, BP (GTA Senegal) Finance Limited, BP (Gibraltar) Limited, BP (Guangzhou) Advanced Mobility Limited, BP (Hunan) Petroleum Company Limited, BP (Indian Agencies) Limited, BP (Shandong) Petroleum Co. Ltd, BP (Shanghai) Trading Limited, BP - Castrol (Thailand) Limited, BP AMI Leasing Inc., BP Absheron Limited, BP Advanced Mobility Limited, BP Africa Limited, BP Africa Oil Limited, BP Akaryakit Ortakligi, BP Alaska LNG LLC, BP Alternative Energy Holdings Limited, BP Alternative Energy Investments Limited, BP Alternative Energy North America Inc., BP Alternative Energy Trinidad and Tobago Limited, BP America Chembel Holding LLC, BP America Chemicals Company, BP America Foreign Investments Inc., BP America Inc, BP America Inc., BP America Limited, BP America Production Company, BP Amoco Chemical Company, BP Amoco Chemical Holding Company, BP Amoco Chemical Indonesia Limited, BP Amoco Chemical Malaysia Holding Company, BP Amoco Exploration (Faroes) Limited, BP Amoco Exploration (In Amenas) Limited, BP Andaman II Ltd, BP Angola (Block 18) B.V., BP Argentina Exploration Company, BP Argentina Holdings LLC, BP Aromatics Holdings Limited, BP Aromatics Limited, BP Asia Limited, BP Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., BP Asia Pacific Holdings Limited, BP Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, BP Australia Capital Markets Limited, BP Australia Employee Share Plan Proprietary Limited, BP Australia Group Pty Ltde, BP Australia Investments Pty Ltd, BP Australia Nominees Proprietary Limited, BP Australia Pty Ltd, BP Australia Shipping Pty Ltd, BP Australia Swaps Management Limited, BP Aviation A/S, BP Benevolent Fund Trustees Limited, BP Berau Ltd., BP Biocombustiveis S.A., BP Bioenergia Campina Verde Ltda., BP Bioenergia Ituiutaba Ltda., BP Bioenergia Itumbiara S.A., BP Bioenergia Tropical S.A., BP Biofuels Advanced Technology Inc., BP Biofuels Brazil Investments Limited, BP Biofuels Louisiana LLC, BP Biofuels North America LLC, BP Biofuels Trading Comercio Exportacao Ltda., BP Bomberai Ltd., BP Brasil Ltda., BP Brazil Tracking L.L.C., BP Bulwer Island Pty Ltd, BP Business Service Centre Asia Sdn Bhd, BP Business Service Centre KFT, BP CIV Pty Ltd, BP Canada Energy Development Company, BP Canada Energy Group ULC, BP Canada Energy Marketing Corp., BP Canada International Holdings B.V., BP Canada Investments Inc., BP Capellen Sarl, BP Capital Markets, BP Capital Markets America, BP Capital Markets America Inc., BP Capital Markets p.l.c., BP Car Fleet Limited, BP Caribbean Company, BP Castrol KK, BP Castrol Lubricants (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., BP Central Pipelines LLC, BP Chembel, BP Chemicals (Korea) Limited, BP Chemicals East China Investments Limited, BP Chemicals Investments Limited, BP Chemicals Limited, BP China Exploration and Production Company, BP Comercializadora de Energia Ltda., BP Commodities Trading Limited, BP Commodity Supply B.V., BP Company North America, BP Company North America Inc., BP Containment Response Limited, BP Containment Response System Holdings LLC, BP Continental Holdings Limited, BP Corporate Holdings, BP Corporate Holdings Limited, BP Corporation North America, BP Corporation North America Inc., BP D-B Pipeline Company LLC, BP D230 Limited, BP Danmark A/S, BP Developments Australia Pty. Ltd., BP Dogal Gaz Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, BP East Kalimantan CBM Limited, BP Eastern Mediterranean Limited, BP Egypt Company, BP Egypt East Delta Marine Corporation, BP Egypt East Tanka B.V., BP Egypt Production B.V., BP Egypt Ras El Barr B.V., BP Egypt West Mediterranean (Block B) B.V., BP Energy Asia Pte. Limited, BP Energy Colombia Limited, BP Energy Company, BP Energy Europe Limited, BP Energy Solutions B.V., BP Energy do Brasil Ltda., BP Energia Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., BP Espana S.A. Unipersonal, BP Estaciones y Servicios Energeticos Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, BP Europa SE, BP Exploracion de Venezuela S.A., BP Exploration & Production Inc., BP Exploration (Absheron) Limited, BP Exploration (Alaska), BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., BP Exploration (Algeria) Limited, BP Exploration (Alpha), BP Exploration (Alpha) Limited, BP Exploration (Angola), BP Exploration (Angola) Limited, BP Exploration (Azerbaijan), BP Exploration (Azerbaijan) Limited, BP Exploration (Canada) Limited, BP Exploration (Caspian Sea), BP Exploration (Caspian Sea) Limited, BP Exploration (D230) Limited, BP Exploration (Delta), BP Exploration (Delta) Limited, BP Exploration (El Djazair) Limited, BP Exploration (Epsilon) Limited, BP Exploration (Gambia) Limited, BP Exploration (Greenland) Limited, BP Exploration (Madagascar) Limited, BP Exploration (Morocco) Limited, BP Exploration (Namibia) Limited, BP Exploration (Nigeria Finance) Limited, BP Exploration (Nigeria) Limited, BP Exploration (Psi) Limited, BP Exploration (STP) Limited, BP Exploration (Shafag-Asiman) Limited, BP Exploration (Shah Deniz) Limited, BP Exploration (South Atlantic) Limited, BP Exploration (Xazar) Pte. Ltd., BP Exploration Angola (Kwanza Benguela) Limited, BP Exploration Argentina Limited, BP Exploration Australia Pty Ltd Level 15, BP Exploration Beta Limited, BP Exploration China Limited, BP Exploration Company (Middle East) Limited, BP Exploration Company Limited, BP Exploration Indonesia Limited, BP Exploration Libya Limited, BP Exploration Mexico Limited, BP Exploration Mexico S.A. De C.V., BP Exploration North Africa Limited, BP Exploration Operating Company, BP Exploration Operating Company Limited, BP Exploration Orinoco Limited, BP Exploration Personnel Company Limited, BP Exploration Peru Limited, BP Express Shopping Limited, BP Finance Australia Pty Ltd, BP Finance p.l.c., BP Foundation Incorporated, BP France, BP Fuels & Lubricants AS, BP Fuels Deutschland GmbH, BP GOM Logistics LLC, BP Gas & Power Investments Limited, BP Gas Europe S.A.U., BP Gas Marketing Limited, BP Gas Supply (Angola) LLC, BP Ghana Limited, BP Global Investments, BP Global Investments Limited, BP Global Investments Salalah & Co LLC, BP Global West Africa Limited, BP Greece Limited, BP Guangdong Limited, BP High Density Polyethylene - France, BP Holdings (Thailand) Limited, BP Holdings B.V., BP Holdings Canada, BP Holdings Canada Limited, BP Holdings International B.V., BP Holdings North America, BP Holdings North America Limited, BP Hong Kong Limited, BP India Private Limited, BP Indonesia Investment Limited, BP International, BP International Limited, BP International Services Company, BP Investment Management Limited, BP Investments Asia Limited, BP Iran Limited, BP Iraq N.V., BP Italia SpA, BP Japan K.K., BP Korea Limited, BP Kuwait Limited, BP LNG Shipping Limited, BP Latin America LLC, BP Latin America Upstream Services Inc., BP Lubricants KK, BP Lubricants USA Inc., BP Luxembourg S.A., BP Malaysia Holdings Sdn. Bhd., BP Management International B.V., BP Management Netherlands B.V., BP Marine Limited, BP Mariner Holding Company LLC, BP Maritime Services (Singapore) Pte. Limited, BP Marketing Egypt LLC, BP Mauritania Investments Limited, BP Mauritius Limited (in liquidation), BP Middle East Enterprises Corporation, BP Middle East LLC, BP Middle East Limited, BP Midstream Partners GP LLC, BP Midstream Partners Holdings LLC, BP Midstream Partners LP, BP Midwest Product Pipelines Holdings LLC, BP Mocambique Limitada, BP Mocambique Limited, BP Muturi Holdings B.V., BP Nederland Holdings BV, BP Netherlands Upstream B.V., BP New Ventures Middle East Limited, BP New Zealand Holdings Limited, BP New Zealand Share Scheme Limited, BP Nutrition Inc., BP Offshore Gathering Systems Inc., BP Offshore Pipelines Company LLC, BP Offshore Response Company LLC, BP Oil (Thailand) Limited, BP Oil Australia Pty Ltd, BP Oil Espana S.A., BP Oil Hellenic S.A., BP Oil International, BP Oil International Limited, BP Oil Kent Refinery Limited (in liquidation), BP Oil Llandarcy Refinery Limited, BP Oil Logistics UK Limited, BP Oil New Zealand Limited, BP Oil Pipeline Company, BP Oil Senegal S.A., BP Oil Shipping Company, BP Oil UK Limited, BP Oil Venezuela Limited, BP Oil Vietnam Limited, BP Oil Yemen Limited, BP Olex Fanal Mineralol GmbH, BP One Pipeline Company LLC, BP Pacific Investments Ltd, BP Pakistan (Badin) Inc., BP Pakistan Exploration and Production Inc., BP Pension Escrow Limited, BP Pension Trustees Limited, BP Pensions (Overseas) Limited, BP Pensions Limited, BP Petrochemicals India Investments Limited, BP Petroleo y Gas S.A., BP Petrolleri Anonim Sirketi, BP Pipelines (Alaska) Inc., BP Pipelines (BTC) Limited, BP Pipelines (North America) Inc., BP Pipelines (SCP) Limited, BP Pipelines (TANAP) Limited, BP Pipelines TAP Limited, BP Polska Services Sp. z o.o. Ul., BP Portugal -Comercio de Combustiveis e Lubrificantes SA, BP Poseidon Limited, BP Products North America, BP Products North America Inc., BP Properties Limited, BP Raffinaderij Rotterdam B.V., BP Refinery (Kwinana) Proprietary Limited, BP Regional Australasia Holdings Pty Ltd, BP River Rouge Pipeline Company LLC, BP Russian Investments Limited, BP Russian Ventures Limited, BP SC Holdings LLC, BP Scale Up Factory Limited, BP Senegal Investments Limited, BP Services International Limited, BP Servicios de Combustibles S.A. de C.V., BP Servicios territoriales S.A., BP Shafag-Asiman Limited, BP Shipping Limited, BP Singapore Pte. Limited, BP Solar Energy North America LLC, BP Solar Espana S.A., BP Solar International Inc., BP Solar Pty Ltd, BP South America Holdings Ltd, BP Southern Africa Proprietary Limited, BP Southern Cone Company, BP Subsea Well Response (Brazil) Limited, BP Subsea Well Response Limited, BP Taiwan Marketing Limited, BP Technology Ventures Inc., BP Technology Ventures Limited, BP Train 2/3 Holding SRL, BP Transportation (Alaska) Inc., BP Trinidad Processing Limited, BP Trinidad and Tobago, BP Trinidad and Tobago LLC, BP Turkey Refining Limited, BP Two Pipeline Company LLC, BP UK Retained Holdings Limited, BP Venezuela Investments B.V., BP West Aru I Limited, BP West Aru II Limited, BP West Papua I Limited, BP West Papua III Limited, BP Wind Energy North America Inc., BP Wiriagar Ltd., BP World-Wide Technical Services Limited, BP Zhuhai Chemical Company Limited, BP+Amoco International Limited, BP-AIOC Exploration (TISA) LLC, BPA Investment Holding Company, BPNE International B.V., BPRY Caribbean Ventures LLC, BPX (Eagle Ford) Gathering LLC, BPX (KCS Resources) LLC, BPX (Karnes) Gathering LLC, BPX (Permian) Gathering LLC, BPX (WSF Operating) Inc., BPX Energy Inc., BPX Midstream LLC, BPX Operating Company, BPX Production Company, BPX Properties (GP) LLC, BPX Properties (LP) LLC, BPX Properties (NA) LP, BTC Pipeline Holding Company Limited, BXL Plastics Limitedv, Bahia de Bizkaia Electridad S.L., Baltimore Ennis Land Company Inc., Black Lake Pipe Line Company, Blueprint Power, Brian Jasper Nominees Pty Ltd, Britannic Energy Trading Limited, Britannic Investments Iraq Limited, Britannic Marketing Limited, Britannic Strategies Limited, Britannic Trading Limited, Britoil Limited, Burmah Castrol, Burmah Castrol Australia Pty Ltd, Burmah Castrol Holdings Inc., Burmah Castrol PLC, Burmah Castrol South Africa (Pty) Limited, Burmah Chile SpA, Butamax Advanced Biofuels, CASTROL Austria GmbHb, CH-Twenty Inc., CNAA, Cadman DBP Limited, Casitas Pipeline Company, Castrol (China) Limited, Castrol (Ireland) Limited, Castrol (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Castrol (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Castrol (Tianjin) Lubricants Co. Ltd., Castrol (U.K.) Limited, Castrol Australia Pty. Limited, Castrol B.V., Castrol BP Petco Limited Liability Company, Castrol Brasil Ltda., Castrol Caribbean & Central America Inc., Castrol Colombia Ltda., Castrol Del Peru S.A., Castrol Egypt Lubricants S.A.E., Castrol India Limited, Castrol Industrie und Service GmbH, Castrol KK, Castrol Limited, Castrol Lubricants RO S.R.L, Castrol Mexico S.A., Castrol Namibia (Pty) Limited, Castrol Offshore Limited, Castrol Pakistan (Private) Limited, Castrol Philippines Inc., Castrol Servicos Ltda., Castrol Ukraine LLC, Castrol Zimbabwe (Private) Limited, Centrel Pty Ltd, Charge Your Car Limitedc, Chargemaster, Chargemaster (Europe) GmbH, Chargemaster Limited, Charging Solutions Limited, Clarisse Holdings Pty Ltd, Coastwise Trading Company Inc., Consolidada de Energia y Lubricantes (CENERLUB) C.A., Conti Cross Keys Inn Inc., Coro Trading NZ Limited, Cuyama Pipeline Company, DHC Solvent Chemie GmbH, Dermody Developments Pty Ltd, Dermody Holdings Pty Ltd, Dermody Investments Pty Ltd, Dermody Petroleum Pty. Ltd., Dome Beaufort Petroleum Limited, Dome Wallis (1980) Limited Partnership, ECM Markets SA (Pty) Ltd, Elektromotive Limited, Elite Customer Solutions Pty Ltd, Elm Holdings Inc., Energy Global Investments (USA) Inc., Enstar LLC, Estacion de Servicio Alto Campoo S.L., Estacion de Servicio Ganzo 10 S.L., Estacion de Servicio Reocin 9 S.L., Estacion de Servicio Santillana II S.L., Estacion de Servicio Sardinero S.L., Estonian Aviation Fuelling Services, Europa Oil NZ Limited, Exomet Inc., Expandite Contract Services Limited, Exploration (Luderitz Basin) Limited, Exploration Service Company Limited, FWK (2017) Limited, FWK Holdings (2017) LTD, Finite Carbon, Flat Ridge 2 Holdings LLC, Flat Ridge Wind Energy LLC, Foseco Holding Inc., Foseco Holding International B.V., Foseco Inc., Fosroc Expandite Limited, Fotech Solutions Ltd, Fowler Ridge Holdings LLC, Fowler Ridge I Land Investments LLC, Fowler Ridge II Holdings LLC, Fowler Ridge III Wind Farm LLC, FreeBees B.V., Fuel & Retail Aviat ion Sweden AB, Fuelplane- Sociedade Abastecedora De Aeronaves Unipessoal Lda, GOAM 1 C.I S. A .S, Gardena Holdings Inc., Gelsenkirchen Raffinerie Netz GmbH, Grampian Aviation Fuelling Services Limited, Guangdong Investments Limited, Highlands Ethanol LLC, Hosteleria Noriega S.L., IGI Resources Inc., Insight Analytics Solutions Holdings Limited, Insight Analytics Solutions Limited, Insight Analytics Solutions USA Inc., International Bunker Supplies Pty Ltd, Iraq Petroleum Company Limited, Jupiter Insurance Limited, Ken-Chas Reserve Company, Kenilworth Oil Company Limited, Kingbook Inversiones Socimi S.A., Latin Energy Argentina S.A., Lebanese Aviation Technical Services S.A.L., Limited Liability Company BP Toplivnaya Kompania, Limited liability company Setra Lubricants, Lubricants UK Limited, Lytt Limited, Manormaker (Nominee No. 1) Limited, Manormaker (Nominee No. 2) Limited, Manormaker GP Limited (99.90%) 11 Black Horse Lane, Mardi Gras Transportation System Company LLC, Markoil S.A., Masana Petroleum Solutions (Pty) Ltd, Mayaro Initiative for Private Enterprise Development, Mehoopany Holdings LLC, Mes Tecnologia En Servicios Y Energia S.A., Minza Pty. Ltd., Mountain City Remediation LLC, No. 1 Riverside Quay Proprietary Limited, Nordic Lubricants A/S, Nordic Lubricants AB, North America Funding Company, OMD87 Inc., OOO BP STL, Omega Oil Company, OnSight Analytics Solutions India Private Ltd., Open Energi, Orion Delaware Mountain Wind Farm LP, Orion Energy Holdings LLC, Orion Energy L.L.C.b, Orion Post Land Investments LLC, Oyambre 1 S.L., PRODUITS METALLURGIE DOITTAU, PT BP Petrochemicals, PT Castrol Indonesia, PT Castrol Manufacturing Indonesia, PT Jasatama Petroindo, Pacroy (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Peaks America Inc., Pearl River Delta Investments Limited, Petrocorner Retail S.L.U., Phoenix Petroleum Services Limited, Pozuelo 4 S.L., Prospect International C.A. (In liquidation), Puente Arce 4 S.L., Remediation Management Services Company, Richfield Oil Corporation, Rio Corvo 2 S.L., Rolling Thunder I Power Partners LLC, Romax Insight Korea Ltd., Ropemaker Deansgate Limited, Ropemaker Properties Limited, Ruhr Oel GmbH, Rusdene GSS Limited, SOFAST Limited, SRHP, Saturn Insurance Inc., Sherbino I Holdings LLC, Sherbino Mesa I Land Investments LLC, Sociedade de Promocao Imobiliaria Quinta do Loureiro SA, Societe de Gestion de Depots d'Hydrocarbures - GDH, South Texas Shale LLC, Southeast Texas Biofuels LLC, Southern Ridge Pipeline Holding Company, Southern Ridge Pipeline LP LLC, Sp/f Decision3 (GreenSteam) Company, Standard Oil Company, Standard Oil Company Inc., Standard Oil of Ohio, Stryde Limited, Sunrise Oil Sands Partnership, TISA Education Complex LLC, TJKK, Taradadis Pty. Ltd., Telcom General Corporation, Terre de Grace Partnership, The Anaconda Company, The BP Share Plans Trustees Limited, The Burmah Oil Company (Pakistan Trading) Limited, The Standard Oil Company, Thorntons, Toledo Refinery Holding Company LLC, Torrelavega 7 S.L., Union Texas International Corporation, Vastar Pipeline LLC, Veba Oel AG Veba Oel, Verenium, Viceroy Investments Limited, Villacarriedo 8 S.L., Warrenville Development Limited, Water Way Trading and Petroleum Services LLC, Welchem Inc., West Kimberley Fuels Pty Ltd, Westlake Houston Development LLC, Whiting Clean Energy Inc., Windpark Energy Nederland B.V., and Winwell Resources L.L.C.Genworth Financial, Inc. is a financial services company, which engages in the provision of insurance, wealth management, investment and financial solutions. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Mortgage Insurance, Australia Mortgage Insurance, U.S. Life Insurance, and Runoff. The U.S. Mortgage Insurance segment offers mortgage insurance products predominantly insuring prime-based, individually underwritten residential mortgage loans. The Australia Mortgage Insurance segment offers flow mortgage insurance and selectively provides bulk mortgage insurance that aids in the sale of mortgages to the capital markets and helps lenders manage capital and risk. The U.S. Life Insurance segment offers long-term care insurance products as well as service traditional life insurance and fixed annuity products in the United States. The Runoff segment includes the results of non-strategic products which are no longer actively sold but continue to service its existing blocks of business. Its non-strategic products primarily include variable annuity, variable life insurance, institutional, corporate-owned life insurance and other accident and health insurance products. The company was fo

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Centene: APS Parent Inc., AWC of Syracuse Inc., Absolute Total Care Inc., AcariaHealth Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy #11 Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy #12 Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy #13 Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy #14 Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy Inc., AcariaHealth Solutions Inc., Access Medical Acquisition LLC, Access Medical Group of Florida City LLC, Access Medical Group of Hialeah LLC, Access Medical Group of Lakeland LLC, Access Medical Group of Miami LLC, Access Medical Group of North Miami Beach LLC, Access Medical Group of Opa-Locka LLC, Access Medical Group of Perrine LLC, Access Medical Group of Tampa II LLC, Access Medical Group of Tampa III LLC, Access Medical Group of Tampa LLC, Access Medical Group of Westchester LLC, Accountable Care Coalition Direct Contracting LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Chesapeake LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Community Health Centers II LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Community Health Centers LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers II LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers III LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers IV LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers V LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers VI LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers VII LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Florida Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Georgia LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Maryland LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Maryland Primary Care LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Mississippi LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of New Jersey Inc., Accountable Care Coalition of North Texas LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Northeast Georgia LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Northeast Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Northwest Florida LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Prime Health LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health II LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health III LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Physician Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Texas Inc., Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Wisconsin LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Tennessee LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Texas Inc., Agate Resources Inc., AirLogix, Ambetter of Magnolia Inc., Ambetter of North Carolina Inc., Ambetter of Peach State Inc., America's 1st Choice California Holdings LLC, American Progressive Life and Health Insurance Company of New York, Apixio, Apixio Inc, Arch Personalized Medicine Initiative LLC, Arkansas Health & Wellness Health Plan Inc., Arkansas Total Care Holding Company LLC, Arkansas Total Care Inc., B2B Gestion Integra S.L.U., B2B Salud S.L.U., Bankers Reserve Life Insurance Company of Wisconsin, Blackcrow Asistencia Medica S.L, Bridgeway Health Solutions LLC, Bridgeway Health Solutions of Arizona Inc., Buckeye Community Health Plan Inc., Buckeye Health Plan Community Solutions Inc., CCTX Holdings LLC, CMC Real Estate Company LLC, CT Poprad s.r.o., CT Presov s.r.o., Calibrate Acquisition Company, California Health and Wellness Plan, Cantina Laredo Clayton LP, Cardium Health Services, Care 1st Health Plan of Arizona Inc., Care1st Health Plan Administrative Services Inc., Carolina Complete Health Holding Company Partnership, Carolina Complete Health Inc., Casenet LLC, Casenet S.R.O., CeltiCare Health Plan Holdings LLC, CeltiCare Health Plan of Massachusetts Inc., Celtic Group Inc., Celtic Insurance Company, Cenpatico Behavioral Health LLC, Cenpatico Behavioral Health of Arizona LLC, Cenpatico of Arizona Inc., Centene Center I LLC, Centene Center II LLC, Centene Center LLC, Centene Company of Texas LP, Centene Europe Finance Company Limited, Centene Health Plan Holdings Inc., Centene Institute for Advanced Health Education LLC, Centene International Ventures LLC, Centene Investments LLC, Centene Management Company LLC, Centene Venture Company Alabama Health Plan Inc., Centene Venture Company Florida Inc., Centene Venture Company Illinois Inc., Centene Venture Company Indiana Inc., Centene Venture Company Kansas Inc., Centene Venture Company Michigan Inc., Centene Venture Company Tennessee Inc., Centro Inmunologocia De La Comunidad Valenciana S.L., Centurion Correctional Healthcare of New Mexico LLC, Centurion Detention Health Services LLC, Centurion LLC, Centurion of Arizona LLC, Centurion of Delaware LLC, Centurion of Florida LLC, Centurion of Kansas LLC, Centurion of Minnesota LLC, Centurion of Mississippi LLC, Centurion of New Hampshire LLC, Centurion of Pennsylvania LLC, Centurion of Tennessee LLC, Centurion of Vermont LLC, Centurion of West Virginia LLC, Centurion of Wyoming LLC, Chrysalis Medical Services LLC, Clinica Santo Domingo De Lugo S.L., Collaborative Health Systems IPA LLC, Collaborative Health Systems LLC, Collaborative Health Systems of Maryland LLC, Collaborative Health Systems of Virginia LLC, Comfort Hospice of Missouri LLC, Comfort Hospice of Texas LLC, ComfortBrook Hospice LLC, Community Medical Group, Community Medical Holdings Corporation, Comprehensive Health Management Inc., Comprehensive Reinsurance Ltd., Coordinated Care Corporation, Coordinated Care of Washington Inc., Country Style Health Care LLC, Discare CZ a.s., District Community Care Inc., Dr Magnet s.r.o., Elche-Crevillente Salud, Envolve Benefits Options Inc., Envolve Captive Insurance Company Inc., Envolve Dental IPA of New York Inc., Envolve Dental Inc., Envolve Dental of Florida Inc., Envolve Dental of Texas Inc., Envolve Health, Envolve Holdings Inc., Envolve Inc., Envolve Optical Inc., Envolve PeopleCare Inc., Envolve Pharmacy IPA LLC, Envolve Pharmacy Solutions Inc., Envolve Total Vision Inc., Envolve Vision Benefits Inc., Envolve Vision IPA of New York Inc., Envolve Vision Inc., Envolve Vision of Florida Inc., Envolve Vision of Texas Inc., Essential Care Partners LLC, Exactus Pharmacy Solutions Inc., Family Nurse Care II LLC, Family Nurse Care LLC, Family Nurse Care of Ohio LLC, Fidelis Care, Forensic Health Services LLC, Foundation Care LLC, Godgrace Asistencia Medica S.L., Golden Triangle Physician Alliance, Grace Hospice of Austin LLC, Grace Hospice of Grand Rapids LLC, Grace Hospice of Illinois LLC, Grace Hospice of Indiana LLC, Grace Hospice of San Antonio LLC, Grace Hospice of Virginia LLC, Grace Hospice of Wisconsin LLC, Granite State Health Plan Inc., Growly Asistencia Sanitaria S.L., HHS Texas Management Inc., HHS Texas Management LP, Hallmark Life Insurance Company, Harmony Behavioral Health IPA Inc., Harmony Behavioral Health Inc., Harmony Health Management Inc., Harmony Health Plan Inc., Harmony Health Systems Inc., Health Care Enterprises LLC, Health Net Access Inc., Health Net Community Solutions Inc., Health Net Community Solutions of Arizona Inc., Health Net Federal Services LLC, Health Net Health Plan of Oregon Inc., Health Net LLC, Health Net Life Insurance Company, Health Net Life Reinsurance Company, Health Net Pharmaceutical Services, Health Net of Arizona Inc., Health Net of California Inc., Health Plan Real Estate Holdings Inc., HealthSmart Benefit Solutions Inc., HealthSmart Benefits Management LLC, HealthSmart Care Management Solutions LP, HealthSmart Information Systems Inc., HealthSmart Preferred Care II LP, HealthSmart Preferred Network II Inc., HealthSmart Primary Care Clinics LP, HealthSmart Rx Solutions Inc., Healthy Louisiana Holdings LLC, Healthy Missouri Holdings Inc., Healthy Washington Holdings Inc., Heritage Health Systems Inc., Heritage Health Systems of Texas Inc., Heritage Home Hospice LLC, Heritage Physician Networks, Home State Health Plan Inc., HomeScripts.com LLC, Hospice DME Company LLC, Hospinet S.L., Hospital Polusa S.A., Hospital Povisa S.A., Hudson Accountable Care LLC, IAH of Florida LLC, Illinois Health Practice Alliance LLC, Infraestructuras y Servicios de Alzira S. L., Integrated Care Network of Florida LLC, Integrated Mental Health Management LLC, Integrated Mental Health Services, Interpreta Holdings Inc., Interpreta Inc., Iowa Total Care Inc., Kentucky Spirit Health Plan Inc., LBB Industries Inc., LifeShare Management Group LLC, LiveHealthier Inc., Louisiana Healthcare Connections Inc., MH Services International Holdings (UK) Limited, MHM, MHM Correctional Services LLC, MHM Health Professionals LLC, MHM Services Inc., MHM Services of California LLC, MHM Solutions LLC, MHN Government Services LLC, MHN Services LLC, MHS Consulting International Inc., MHS Travel & Charter Inc., MR Centrum Melnick s.r.o., MR Poprad s.r.o., MR Zilina s.r.o., Magnolia Health Plan Inc., Managed Health Network, Managed Health Network LLC, Managed Health Services Insurance Corporation, Maryland Collaborative Care LLC, Maryland Collaborative Care Transformation Organization Inc., Mauli Ola Health and Wellness Inc., Medicina NZ spol s.r.o., Meridian Health Plan of Illinois Inc., Meridian Health Plan of Michigan Inc., Meridian Management Company LLC, Meridian Network Services LLC, MeridianRx IPA LLC, MeridianRx LLC, MeridianRx of Indiana LLC, Michigan Complete Health, Mid-Atlantic Collaborative Care LLC, Nebraska Total Care Inc., Network Providers LLC, New York Quality Healthcare Corporation, Next Door Neighbors Inc., Next Door Neighbors LLC., North Florida Health Services Inc., Northern Maryland Collaborative Care LLC, Novasys Health Inc., OB Care, OB Klinika, Ohana Health Plan Inc., Oklahoma Complete Health Inc., One Care by Care 1st Health Plans of Arizona Inc, Operose Health (Group) Ltd., Operose Health (Group) UK Ltd., Operose Health Ltd., OptiCare Health Systems - Managed Vision Business, PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy, Panther Pass Co LLC, Panther Specialty Holding Co LLC, Pantherx Access Services LLC, Pantherx Specialty LLC, Parker LP LLC, Peach State Health Plan Inc., Penn Marketing America LLC, Pennsylvania Health and Wellness Inc., Phoenix Home Health Care LLC, Pinnacle Home Care LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Illinois LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Indiana LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Kalamazoo LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Missouri LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Wisconsin LLC, Premier Marketing Group LLC, PrimeroSalud S.L., Pro Diagnostic Group A.S., Pro Magnet CZ s.r.o., Pro Magnet s.r.o, Pro RTG s.r.o, Progress Medical A.S., Prowl Holdings LLC, QCA Healthplan Inc., Qualchoice Life and Health Insurance Company, Quincy Coverage Corporation, R&C Healthcare LLC, RMED LLC, RX Direct Inc., Rapid Respiratory Services LLC, Ribera Lab S.L.U., Ribera Salud II, Ribera Salud Proyectos S.L., Ribera Salud S.A., Ribera Salud Tecnologias S.L.U., Ribera Slaud Infraestructuras S.L.U., Ribera-Quilpro UTE, Salus Administrative Services Inc., Salus IPA LLC, Secure Capital Solutions 2000 S.L.U., SelectCare Health Plans Inc., SelectCare of Texas Inc., Seniorcorps Peninsula LLC, Servicios De Mantenimiento Prevencor S.L.U., SilverSummit Healthplan Inc., Social Health Bridge LLC, Social Health Bridge Trust, Specialty Therapeutic Care GP LLC, Specialty Therapeutic Care Holdings, Specialty Therapeutic Care Holdings LLC, Specialty Therapeutic Care LP, Sunflower State Health Plan Inc., Sunshine Health Community Solutions Inc., Sunshine Health Holding LLC, Sunshine State Health Plan Inc., Superior HealthPlan Community Solutions Inc., Superior HealthPlan Inc., The Practice Properties Limited, The WellCare Management Group Inc., Torrejon Salud S.A., Torrevieja Salud S.L.U., Torrevieja Salud UTE, Traditional Home Health Services LLC, Trillium Community Health Plan Inc., U.S. Medical Management Holdings Inc., U.S. Medical Management LLC, UAM Agent Services Corp., US Script, USMM Accountable Care Partners LLC, Universal American Corp., Universal American Financial Services Inc., Universal American Holdings LLC, WCG Health Management Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of America, WellCare Health Insurance Company of Kentucky Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Louisiana Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Nevada Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of New Hampshire Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of New Jersey Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Oklahoma Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Washington Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Wisconsin Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Arizona Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Connecticut Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Hawaii Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of New York Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of North Carolina Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Southwest Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Tennessee Inc., WellCare Health Plans, WellCare Health Plans of Arizona Inc., WellCare Health Plans of California Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Kentucky Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Massachusetts Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Missouri Inc., WellCare Health Plans of New Jersey Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Rhode Island Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Tennessee Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Vermont Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Wisconsin Inc., WellCare National Health Insurance Company, WellCare Pharmacy Benefits Management Inc., WellCare Prescription Insurance Inc., WellCare of Alabama Inc., WellCare of Arkansas Inc., WellCare of California Inc., WellCare of Connecticut Inc., WellCare of Florida Inc., WellCare of Georgia Inc., WellCare of Illinois Inc., WellCare of Indiana Inc., WellCare of Kansas Inc., WellCare of Maine Inc., WellCare of Michigan Holding Company, WellCare of Mississippi Inc., WellCare of Missouri Health Insurance Company Inc., WellCare of New Hampshire Inc., WellCare of New York Inc., WellCare of North Carolina Inc., WellCare of Ohio Inc., WellCare of Oklahoma Inc., WellCare of Pennsylvania Inc., WellCare of Puerto Rico Inc., WellCare of South Carolina Inc., WellCare of Texas Inc., WellCare of Virginia Inc., WellCare of Washington Inc., Wellcare Health Plans Inc., Western Sky Community Care Inc., Windsor Health Group Inc., Winning Security S.L., Worlco Management Services, and nirvanaHealth LLC.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The following companies are subsidiares of Sonoco Products: 2103393 Ontario Inc., 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), 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..The following companies are subsidiares of Jones Lang LaSalle: 225 Fitness Inc., 360 Commercial Partners, ACREST, AGL, AMAS Limited, AVM Partners, Advanced Technologies Group Inc., Alaska UK (GP) Ltd, Alkas Consulting, Aoyama Holding Limited, Australian Valuation Solutions, Avenue9, BRG, BRG International LLC, BRG Resource Group ULC, BRG WORKPLACE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS (EUROPE) LIMITED, BRG Workplace Management Solutions (India) Private Limited, BRG Workplace Management Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Beijing Dazheng Zhongheng Enterprise Consulting Co. Ltd., Beijing Guotai Zhongheng Enterprise Consulting Co. Ltd., Beijing Jones Lang LaSalle Property Management Services Co. Ltd., Big Red Rooster Flow LLC, Bill Goold Realty, Bradford McCormack & Associates, Brune Consulting Management GmbH, Building Services Network Inc., Business Products Group Inc., Business Resource Holdings Inc., CIG III Technoparc Nominee II Inc./Fiduciaire CIG III Technoparc II Inc., CMM Projekt & Office Solutions GmbH, COBERTURA - SOCIEDADE DE MEDIACAO IMOBILIARIA S.A., CTH, Capital Realty LLC, Carolyn House (General Partner) Limited, Charter Oaks Financial Services Inc., Churston Heard Ltd, Claygate Residential (General Partner) LLP , Claygate Residential (Nominee) Limited, CoR Advisors, Cobertura, Colliers Baltimore, ComRef LIM Co-Invest LLC, Corporate Concierge Services Inc., Corporate Concierge Services of Hawaii Inc., Corporate Realty Advisors, Corrigo, Corrigo Incorporated, Credo Real Estate (Singapore), Creston Residential (General Partner) LLP, Creston Residential (Nominee) Limited, DST International Property Services, Dalian Jones Lang LaSalle Services Limited, ECD Energy and Environment Canada, ECD Energy and Environment Canada Ltd., EID (General Partner) LLP, ELPF Lafayette Manager Inc., Eleven Eleven Construction Corporation, Environmental Governance Ltd, Europe Fund III Alberta GP Inc., Europe Fund III GP LLC, FACILITY ASSOCIATES RECRUITMENT LIMITED, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (NSW) PTY LTD, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (NT) PTY LTD, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (QLD) PTY LTD, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (SA) PTY LTD, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (TAS) PTY LTD, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (VIC) PTY LTD, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (WA) PTY LTD, Five D Holdings Pty Limited, Five D Holdings Pty Ltd, Five D Property Management (ACT) Pty Ltd, Fox RPM Corp., GFN Property Investments L.L.C., Guangzhou Jones Lang LaSalle Property Services Company Limited, Guardian Property Asset Management, Guardian Property Asset Management Limited, H Park Germany LP GmbH, H Park Germany Verwaltungs-GmbH, HALL AND KAY FIRE HOLDINGS LIMITED, HFF, HFF Holdings Limited, HFF InvestCo LLC, HFF Partnership Holdings LLC, HFF Real Estate Limited, HFF Securities L.P., HFF Securities Limited, HG2 Limited, HUB PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LIMITED, Halcyon Real Estate, Hall & Kay Fire Services Ltd, Harry K Moore, Hentschel & Company LLC, Hercules Property Manager (Jersey) Limited, Holliday Fenoglio Fowler L.P., Holliday GP LLC, Hunter Facilities Management (HFM), Huntley Mullaney Spargo & Sullivan Inc., Huntley Mullaney Spargo & Sullivan LLC, IFM Services Finland OY, INTEGRAL UK HOLDINGS LIMITED, Inmobiliaria Jones Lang LaSalle Limitada, Integra Realty Resources, Integra Realty Resources - Dallas, Integral, Integral Facility Services Limited, Integral UK, Integrated General Administration Services K.K., J P Sturge Limited, J.L.W. Nominees Limited, J.L.W. Second Nominees Limited, JLL 2002, JLL 2003 Limited, JLL CAMBRIDGE LTD, JLL CMG LLC, JLL Capital Markets AB, JLL Chile Asesorias Inmobiliarias Limitada, JLL Corporate Solutions - Servicos De Conservacao e Manutencao de Imoveis Ltda, JLL Corporate Solutions AB, JLL Corporate Solutions Holdings Inc., JLL Corretagen e Trasacoes Imobiliarias Ltda., JLL Expertises SARLAU, JLL Infrastructure Advisory Pty Ltd, JLL Ingenierie, JLL Investment Scottish Limited Partnership II, JLL Kapitalmarkand Holding AB, JLL Kapitalmarknad AB, JLL Ltd, JLL Macau Limited, JLL Mall Management K.K., JLL Marketplace LLC, JLL Morii Valuation & Appraisal K.K., JLL Mortgage Services Pty Limited, JLL Nevada Inc., JLL Properties LLC, JLL Public Sector Valuations Pty Ltd, JLL Puerto Rico Realty & Co. S. en C., JLL Real Estate Capital Pte. Ltd., JLL Scottish II G.P. L.L.C., JLL Singapore Capital Pte. Ltd., JLL Transaction Services AB, JLL Treasury Support AB, JLL Valuation & Advisory Services LLC, JLL/BWXT Naval Facility Experts LLC, JLLBRR LLC, JLLINT Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle & Compania Limitada, Jones Lang LaSalle (ACT) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (B) Sdn Bhd, Jones Lang LaSalle (Barbados) Ltd., Jones Lang LaSalle (Beijing) Consultants Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (China) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (Fiji) Pte Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle (Geneva) SA, Jones Lang LaSalle (Luxembourg) Secs, Jones Lang LaSalle (NSW) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (PNG) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (Philippines) Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle (Portugal) - Sociedade de Mediacao Imobiliaria S.A., Jones Lang LaSalle (Puerto Rico) Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle (QLD) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (S E) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (SA) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (Shenzhen) Commercial Consultancy Company Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (VIC) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (WA) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (pty) ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle - Central Texas LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle - Front Range LLLP, Jones Lang LaSalle - Northeast Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle - Texas Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle -Sociedade de Avaliacoes Imobiliarias Unipessoal Lda, Jones Lang LaSalle 1. Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Jones Lang LaSalle AG, Jones Lang LaSalle Acquisition Corp., Jones Lang LaSalle Administration B.V., Jones Lang LaSalle Advisory Services Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Americas (Illinois) L.P., Jones Lang LaSalle Americas Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Arizona LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Asia Holdings Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Asset Management GmbH, Jones Lang LaSalle Australia Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle BV, Jones Lang LaSalle Bangladesh Private Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Beihai Holdings L.L.C., Jones Lang LaSalle Belgium Holdings LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Billion Management Services Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Brokerage Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Building Operations Private Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Bulgaria EOOD, Jones Lang LaSalle Capital Investments Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Charities, Jones Lang LaSalle Co-Investment Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Co. Ltd., Jones Lang LaSalle Constructions K.K., Jones Lang LaSalle Corporate Appraisal and Advisory Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Corporate Finance Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Corporate Property (VIC) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Corporate Property Services Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Dorchester Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Ecuador S.A. JLL ECUADOR, Jones Lang LaSalle Electronic Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Espana S.A., Jones Lang LaSalle Europe Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle European Holdings Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle European Services Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Expertises SAS, Jones Lang LaSalle Facility Services S.L., Jones Lang LaSalle Finance BV, Jones Lang LaSalle Finance Europe, Jones Lang LaSalle Finance Luxembourg Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Finland Oy, Jones Lang LaSalle French Co-Investments Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Gayrimenkul Hizmetleri Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Jones Lang LaSalle German Holdings B.V. & Co. KG, Jones Lang LaSalle Global Finance Luxembourg Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Global Finance UK Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Global Finance US LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Global Holdings BV, Jones Lang LaSalle GmbH, Jones Lang LaSalle Great Lakes Corporate Real Estate Partners LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Group Finance Luxembourg Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Group Holdings BV, Jones Lang LaSalle Group Holdings SNC, Jones Lang LaSalle Group Services spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Jones Lang LaSalle Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Jones Lang LaSalle Gutland S.a.r.l., Jones Lang LaSalle Haiti S.A., Jones Lang LaSalle Holding AB, Jones Lang LaSalle Holding BV, Jones Lang LaSalle Holding SAS, Jones Lang LaSalle Holdings Cyprus Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Holdings Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Holdings Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Holdings Y.K., Jones Lang LaSalle Holdings spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels (NSW) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Participacoes Ltda., Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels S.A., Jones Lang LaSalle IP Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Innovation Development L.L.C., Jones Lang LaSalle Insurance Services Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle International Holdings Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle International Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle International Properties Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Investments LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Israel Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Jamaica Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle K.K., Jones Lang LaSalle KFT, Jones Lang LaSalle Kenya Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle LLP (Kazakhstan), Jones Lang LaSalle Lanka (Private) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Laser Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Limitada, Jones Lang LaSalle Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Limited Liability Company, Jones Lang LaSalle Lithuania UAB, Jones Lang LaSalle Ltd (Ireland), Jones Lang LaSalle Ltd., Jones Lang LaSalle Ltda., Jones Lang LaSalle Luxembourg Star Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Malta Holdings Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Malta Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Management Services Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Management Services Taiwan Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Michigan LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Midwest LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Misr LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Multifamily LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Multifamily Member LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle New England L.L.C., Jones Lang LaSalle Northwest LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Pension Trustees Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Procurement Funding Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Procurement Ltd., Jones Lang LaSalle Property Consultants (India) Private Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Property Consultants Pte Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Property Fund Advisors Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Property Management Pte Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Property Management Services LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate Advisory Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate Brokerage Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate Services Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Receivables Holdings LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Residential Development GmbH, Jones Lang LaSalle Resources Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle S. de R.L., Jones Lang LaSalle S.R.L., Jones Lang LaSalle S.p.A., Jones Lang LaSalle SAS, Jones Lang LaSalle SE, Jones Lang LaSalle SEA Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle SSC (Philippines) Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Saudi Arabia Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Secs, Jones Lang LaSalle Securities L.L.C., Jones Lang LaSalle Services (Jersey) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Services (Malta) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Services (Private) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Services AB, Jones Lang LaSalle Services AS, Jones Lang LaSalle Services ApS, Jones Lang LaSalle Services B.V., Jones Lang LaSalle Services Bahrain S.P.C., Jones Lang LaSalle Services Gmbh, Jones Lang LaSalle Services LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Services Lebanon S.A.R.L., Jones Lang LaSalle Services Limited (Nigeria), Jones Lang LaSalle Services Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Services S.r.l., Jones Lang LaSalle Services SA/NV, Jones Lang LaSalle Services SAS, Jones Lang LaSalle Services SRL, Jones Lang LaSalle Services Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Jones Lang LaSalle Sociedad Comercial de Responsabilidad Limitada, Jones Lang LaSalle South Africa (Proprietary) Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Strata Management Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Surveyors (Shanghai) Company Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Taiwan Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Technology Services Pte Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Trinidad Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle UAE Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle UK FC, Jones Lang LaSalle UK Hanover, Jones Lang LaSalle Vietnam Company Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle d.o.o. (Croatia), Jones Lang LaSalle d.o.o. (Serbia), Jones Lang LaSalle de Venezuela S.R.L., Jones Lang LaSalle of New York LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle of Pennsylvania Inc, Jones Lang LaSalle s.r.o, Jones Lang LaSalle s.r.o., Jones Lang LaSalle sprl, Jones Lang LaSalle spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Jones Lang Wootton Ltd, Jones Lang Wootton Property Management Services Ltd, KHK Group Limited, Kensington CA LLC, Keystone Partners, King & Co Limited, King Sturge, King Sturge Holdings Limited, King Sturge Management SPRL, LAOF V (General Partner) LLP, LASALLE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT BV, LAVA (General Partner) LLP, LIC II (General Partner) Limited, LIC Lafayette Manager Inc., LIM Advisory Services S.a r.l., LIM Asia Co-Investments Pte. Ltd., LIM Associates L.L.C., LIM Consejeros S. de R.L. de C.V., LIM Management Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., LJPF Co-Investments GK, LMF Investments LLC, LPI (Australia) Holdings Pty Ltd, LRA MKP TRS L.P., LREDS II PF L.P., LREDS III Carry Partner L.P., LUKSS I Carry Partner L.P., LUKV Carry Jersey Limited, LUKV/CPP Co-Investment L.P., LaSalle (Shanghai) Industrial Co. Ltd. [ () ], LaSalle - VA Industrial GP LLC, LaSalle AIFM Europe S.a r.l., LaSalle Acquisitions Corp., LaSalle Asia Opportunity II GP LLC, LaSalle Asia Opportunity II Investors GP LLC, LaSalle Asia Opportunity III GP Ltd., LaSalle Asia Opportunity IV GP LTD, LaSalle Asia Opportunity Investors III GP Ltd., LaSalle Asia Opportunity V GP Ltd., LaSalle Asia Recovery L.L.C., LaSalle Asia Venture Co-Investment Trust, LaSalle Aureum Verwaltung GmbH, LaSalle Blooms General Partner Limited, LaSalle CAVA Industrial Carryco LLC, LaSalle CIG III GP Inc., LaSalle CIG IV GP Inc., LaSalle Canada Core Real Property GP Inc., LaSalle Canada Property Fund GP Inc., LaSalle China Logistics Venture GP Ltd, LaSalle China Logistics Venture GP S.a r.l., LaSalle China Logistics Venture SCSp, LaSalle Co-Investment L.L.C., LaSalle Co-Investment Management (General Partner) Limited, LaSalle Direct General Partner Limited, LaSalle EMEA (Scots) Investments GP LLP, LaSalle Euro Growth II S.a.r.l. , LaSalle European Co-invest (Scotland) LLP, LaSalle European Investments L.L.C., LaSalle European Recovery III (GP) LLP, LaSalle French Fund II Co-Investment GmbH, LaSalle French Fund II G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle Fund Management B.V., LaSalle Funds General Partner Ltd, LaSalle Funds Management Limited, LaSalle GPS Holdings LLC, LaSalle Genco G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle German Income and Growth G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle German Retail Venture GP L.L.C., LaSalle Global Partner Solutions Limited, LaSalle GmbH, LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VI Carry L.L.C., LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VI GP L.L.C., LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VI L.P., LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VII Carry L.L.C., LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VII GP L.L.C., LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VIII Carry L.L.C., LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VIII GP L.L.C., LaSalle Investment (Luxembourg) SARL, LaSalle Investment Limited Partnership II-A, LaSalle Investment Management, LaSalle Investment Management (Canada), LaSalle Investment Management (Canada) Inc., LaSalle Investment Management (Jersey) Limited, LaSalle Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, LaSalle Investment Management Asia Pte Ltd, LaSalle Investment Management Australia Pty Ltd, LaSalle Investment Management Co. Ltd., LaSalle Investment Management Distributors LLC, LaSalle Investment Management Espana S.L.U., LaSalle Investment Management Hong Kong Limited, LaSalle Investment Management Inc., LaSalle Investment Management K.K., LaSalle Investment Management Kapitalverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, LaSalle Investment Management Korea Yuhan Hoesa, LaSalle Investment Management Luxembourg SARL, LaSalle Investment Management SAS, LaSalle Investment Management Securities B.V., LaSalle Investment Management Securities LLC, LaSalle Italia SRL, LaSalle Japan Logistics II GP Ltd, LaSalle Japan Logistics III GP Ltd, LaSalle Japan Logistics Investors II GP Ltd., LaSalle Japan Logistik-Immobilienfonds GP SARL, LaSalle Japan Property Fund GP Limited, LaSalle LIC II A G.P. Ltd., LaSalle LIC II A UK LLP, LaSalle LIC II B G.P. LLC, LaSalle Land General Partner Limited, LaSalle Land Trustee Limited, LaSalle Logistics GP LLC, LaSalle Mariner Co-Investment Fund Carryco L.L.C., LaSalle Mariner Co-Investment Fund G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle Medical Office Fund III GP LLC, LaSalle Mexico Advisors Inc., LaSalle Mexico Fund I Investors A G.P. LLC, LaSalle Mexico I (General Partner) LLC, LaSalle Mortgage Real Estate Investors Inc., LaSalle North American Holdings Inc., LaSalle Paris Office Venture General Partner L.L.C., LaSalle Partners (Mauritius) Pvt Ltd, LaSalle Partners International, LaSalle Partners S. de R. L. de C. V., LaSalle Partners Services S. de R.L. de C.V., LaSalle Property Fund GP Holdings LLC, LaSalle Property Fund GP LLC, LaSalle Property Fund REIT Inc., LaSalle RECC GP LLC, LaSalle REDS GP Inc., LaSalle REDS III GP Sarl, LaSalle REDS TSA GP LLC, LaSalle REIT Advisors K.K., LaSalle Ranger Co-Investment Fund G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle Ranger Co-Investment Fund II G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle Ranger Co-Investment Fund III G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle Ranger II Carry L.L.C., LaSalle Ranger III Carry L.L.C., LaSalle Real Estate Debt Strategies II (GP) LLP, LaSalle Real Estate Investment Strategies GP S.a r.l., LaSalle Residential Finance Fund GP Inc., LaSalle Residential Fund III GP Inc., LaSalle Retail Japan-Immobilienfonds GP S.a r.l., LaSalle Salt River Carry L.L.C., LaSalle Special Situations Carry GP LLC, LaSalle Special Situations II Venture GP S.a r.l., LaSalle Student Housing L.L.C., LaSalle Transpennine GP (Scot) LLP, LaSalle UK Property Services Limited, LaSalle UK Ventures (General Partner) Limited, LaSalle UKSS I GP Ltd., LaSalle UKV Co-Investor GP LLC, LaSalle UKVA GP LLC, LaVA Carry (Scotland) L.P., LaVA Feeder (Scotland) LP, Lava II GP S.a r.l., Lead Fast Investments Limited, Lee & Klatskin Associates, Leechiu & Associates, Lexington MKP Management L.P., Light bluu Limited, LodgeTax, MSCI's Global Occupiers business, Maloney Field Services, Martin Potts & Associates, Means Knaus Partners, Merlin UK Property Venture GP Limited, Merritt & Harris Inc., Midosuji Management GK, Morii Appraisal & Investment Consulting, Neo-Swiat, New England - Jones Lang LaSalle LLC, Nextport, Nima Mountaineer AB, Oak Grove Commercial Mortgage, Office Blocks Pte. Ltd., Opex Consulting, Orchid Insurance Limited, Oxford General Partner Limited, P.1 Administracao em Complexo Imobiliarios Ltda., P.2 Administracao em Complexo Imobiliarios Ltda., P.3 Administracao em Complexo Imobiliarios Ltda., PDM International, PDM International (Beijing) Limited, PDM International (Chengdu) Limited, PDM International China Limited, PDM International HK Limited, PDM International Limited, PMX, PT Jones Lang LaSalle, PT. Procon Indah, Pacific Real Estate Partners, Peloton Commercial Real Estate, Primary Capital Advisors, Prime Property Consultants Limited, Procofin, Propell National Valuers Pty Ltd., PropertyLinx Pty Ltd, Quadrant Realty Finance, Rogers Chapman UK Ltd, SBR Continental Europe GP LLC, Sage Capital, Salt River Investors GP LLC, Sandalwood Mall Management Private Limited, Shelter Bay Retail Group, Sovereign Asian Properties Inc., Spaulding and Slye Federal Services LLC, Stessa Inc., Strategic Advisory Group, TETRIS ARQUITECTURA SL - SUCURSAL EM PORTUGAL, TETRIS Arquitectura S.L, Tansei Mall Management Co. Ltd., TeTriSolutions LLC, Tenzing AB, Tetris Amenagement SARL, Tetris Design & Build BV, Tetris Design & Build Romania SRL, Tetris Design & Build Sarl, Tetris Design & Build sprl, Tetris Design and Build (Pty) Ltd, Tetris Design and Build S.R.L (Italy), Tetris Design and Build Sarl, Tetris Poland spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Tetris Projects GmbH, Tetris Projects Ltd, Tetris SAS, Tetris Tasarm ve Insaat Hizmetleri A.S, The Apartment Group, The Horizon Management Services Limited, The Spargo Corporation, The Standard Group LLC, The Staubach Company, Travis Commercial Real Estate Services, Triangle General Partner Limited, Trinity Funds Management, Trussard Property Consultants, Tetris Design & Build Servicos de Arquitetura Ltda., Tetris Design & Build s.r.o., Utrillo Ltd, ValuD Consulting, Veronique Nocquet, W A Ellis LLP, Washington Partners, Whitetail GP LLC, Wilson Retail Group, Wonderment BV, YY Property Solutions, bluu City Limited, bluu Projects Limited, bluu Regions Limited, bluu Solutions Limited, and bluuco limited.Grupo Supervielle SA operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of banking services. It operates through the following segments: Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Treasury, Consumer, Insurance and Asset Management and Other Services. The Retail Banking segment involves in granting of loans and other credit products such as deposits of physical persons. The Corporate Banking segment focuses in advisory services at a corporate and financial level, as well as the administration of assets and loans targeted to big clients. The Treasury segment operates with Government Securities of the Group, syndicated loans, and financial lease. The Consumer segment consists of loans and other credit products targeted to middle and lower-middle income sectors and non-financial products and services. The Insurance segment comprises insurance products, with a focus on life insurance. The Asset Management and Other Services segment offers mutual funds and other products and services. The company was founded on October 8, 1979 and is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. Ltd., Abbott (UK) Finance Limited, Abbott (UK) Holdings Limited, Abbott AG, Abbott Asia Holdings Limited, Abbott Asia Investments Limited, Abbott Australasia Holdings Limited, Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbott B.V., Abbott Bahamas Overseas Businesses Corporation, Abbott Belgian Investments, Abbott Bermuda Holding Ltd., Abbott Biologicals B.V., Abbott Biologicals LLC, Abbott Bulgaria Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Capital India Limited, Abbott Cardiovascular Inc., Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Abbott Delaware LLC, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care Limited, Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics GmbH, Abbott Diagnostics International Ltd., Abbott Diagnostics Technologies AS, Abbott Doral Investments S.L., Abbott Equity Holdings Unlimited, Abbott Equity Investments LLC, Abbott Established Products Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Finance Company SA, Abbott Financial Holdings SRL, Abbott France S.A.S., Abbott Fund Tanzania Limited, Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H., Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Abbott Health Products LLC, Abbott Healthcare (Puerto Rico) Ltd., Abbott Healthcare B.V., Abbott Healthcare Costa Rica S.A., Abbott Healthcare LLC, Abbott Healthcare Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Abbott Healthcare Products B.V., Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd, Abbott Holding (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding GmbH, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited Luxembourg S.C.S., Abbott Holdings B.V., Abbott Holdings LLC, Abbott Holdings Limited, Abbott Holdings Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Iberian Investments (2) Limited, Abbott Iberian Investments Limited, Abbott India Limited, Abbott Informatics Asia Pacific Limited, Abbott Informatics Canada Inc, Abbott Informatics Corporation, Abbott Informatics Europe Limited, Abbott Informatics France, Abbott Informatics Germany GmbH, Abbott Informatics Netherlands B.V., Abbott Informatics Singapore Pte. Limited, Abbott Informatics Spain S.A., Abbott Informatics Technologies Ltd, Abbott International Corporation, Abbott International Enterprises Ltd., Abbott International Holdings Limited, Abbott International LLC, Abbott International Luxembourg S.ar.l., Abbott Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Ireland, Abbott Ireland Financing Designated Activity Company, Abbott Ireland Limited, Abbott Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Abbott Knoll Investments B.V., Abbott Korea Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco (Dos) SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Laboratories (Mozambique) Limitada, Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Philippines), Abbott Laboratories (Puerto Rico) Incorporated, Abbott Laboratories (Singapore) Private Limited, Abbott Laboratories A/S, Abbott Laboratories Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Abbott Laboratories B.V., Abbott Laboratories C.A., Abbott Laboratories Finance B.V., Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Abbott Laboratories International LLC, Abbott Laboratories Ireland Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited - Laboratoires Abbott Limitee, Abbott Laboratories NZ Limited, Abbott Laboratories Pacific Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Laboratories Products B.V., Abbott Laboratories Residential Development Fund Inc., Abbott Laboratories S.A., Abbott Laboratories SA, Abbott Laboratories Services Corp., Abbott Laboratories Slovakia s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trustee Company Limited, Abbott Laboratories Uruguay S.A., Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises, Abbott Laboratories d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories de Chile Limitada, Abbott Laboratories de Colombia S.A., Abbott Laboratories de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Abbott Laboratories druzba za farmacijo in diagnostiko d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories(Hellas) Societe Anonyme, Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat ve Ticaret Ltd.Sti, Abbott Laboratorios Lda, Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda., Abbott Limited Egypt LLC, Abbott Logistics B.V., Abbott Management GmbH, Abbott Management LLC, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited, Abbott Mature Products International Unlimited Company, Abbott Mature Products Management Limited, Abbott Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Abbott Medical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Medical (Portugal) Distribuicao de Produtos Medicos Lda, Abbott Medical (Schweiz) AG, Abbott Medical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Australia Pty. Ltd., Abbott Medical Austria Ges.m.b.H., Abbott Medical Balkan d.o.o. Beograd (Novi Beograd), Abbott Medical Belgium, Abbott Medical Canada Inc./ Medicale Abbott Canada Inc., Abbott Medical Danmark A/S, Abbott Medical Devices Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Espana S.A., Abbott Medical Estonia OU, Abbott Medical Finland Oy, Abbott Medical France SAS, Abbott Medical GmbH, Abbott Medical Hellas Limited Liability Trading Company, Abbott Medical Ireland Limited, Abbott Medical Italia S.p.A., Abbott Medical Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Korea Limited, Abbott Medical Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Medical Laboratories LTD, Abbott Medical Nederland B.V., Abbott Medical New Zealand Limited, Abbott Medical Norway AS, Abbott Medical Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Medical Sweden AB, Abbott Medical Taiwan Co., Abbott Medical U.K. Limited, Abbott Medical spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L., Abbott Molecular Inc., Abbott Morocco SARL, Abbott Nederland C.V., Abbott Nederland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Netherlands Investments B.V., Abbott Norge AS, Abbott Nutrition Limited, Abbott Nutrition Manufacturing Inc., Abbott Operations Singapore Pte. Ltd., Abbott Operations Uruguay S.R.L., Abbott Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Overseas Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Overseas S.A., Abbott Oy, Abbott Point of Care Canada Limited, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Abbott Poland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Procurement LLC, Abbott Products (Philippines) Inc., Abbott Products (Spain) S.L., Abbott Products Algerie EURL, Abbott Products B.V., Abbott Products Distribution SAS, Abbott Products Egypt LLC, Abbott Products Limited, Abbott Products Limited Liability Company, Abbott Products Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Products Operations AG, Abbott Products Operations LLC, Abbott Products Romania S.R.L., Abbott Products Tunisie S.A.R.L., Abbott Products Unlimited Company, Abbott Resources Inc., Abbott Resources International Inc., Abbott S.r.l., Abbott Saudi Arabia Trading Company, Abbott Scandinavia Aktiebolag, Abbott Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Abbott South Africa Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Strategic Opportunities Limited, Abbott Trading Company Inc., Abbott Universal LLC, Abbott Vascular Devices (2) Limited, Abbott Vascular Devices Limited, Abbott Vascular Inc., Abbott Vascular Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Abbott Vascular International, Abbott Vascular Japan Co. Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc.,      ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics.The following companies are subsidiares of Dover: Accelerated Production Systems, Acme Elevator, Advansor A/S, Advansor Dover International (Poland) sp. z o.o, Advansor Germany GmbH, Alfred Fueling Systems Holdco Ltd., Alfred Fueling Systems Inc., Alfred Fueling Systems Intermediate Holdco Ltd., All-Flo Pump Company, Anman LLC, Anthony Equity Holdings Inc., Anthony Holdings Inc., Anthony Inc., Anthony International, Anthony International Foreign Sales Corp., Anthony International Holding Company, Anthony Mexico Holdings LLC, Anthony North Holdco Inc., Anthony Specialty Glass LLC, Anthony TemperBent GP LLC, Auto Glanz Solutions LLC, Automatik Grundstucksverwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, Automatik Plastics Machinery (Taiwan) Ltd., BSC Filters Limited, Background2 Limited, Belanger, Belanger Inc., Belvac Middle East FZE, Belvac Production Machinery Inc., Blackmer, BlitzRotary GmbH, Butler Engineering and Marketing S.P.A., CDS Visual, CEP Liquidation LLC, CP Formation LLC, CPC Europe Inc., CPI Products Inc., Caldera, Canada Organization & Development LLC, Chief Automotive Technologies (Shanghai) Trading Company Ltd., Chippewa Square Captive Insurance Company, Colder Products Company, Colder Products Company GmbH, Colder Products Company LTD, Cook Compression BV, Cook Compression LLC, Cook Compression Limited, Cook-MFS Inc., DD1 Inc., DDI Properties Inc., DE-STA-CO Benelux B.V., DE-STA-CO FRANCE, DE-STA-CO Shanghai Co. Ltd., DESTACO UK Limited, DFH Corporation, DFS Netherlands B.V., DSR BZ Holdings LLC, Datamax International Corp, De Sta Co (Asia) Company Limited, De-Sta-Co Cylinders Inc., DeStaCo Europe GmbH, Delaware Capital Formation Inc., Delaware Capital Holdings Inc., Dover (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Dover (Schweiz) Holding GmbH, Dover (Shanghai) Industrial Co. Ltd., Dover (Shenzhen) Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Dover (Suzhou) Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Dover Asia Trading Private Ltd., Dover Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Dover Business Services EMEA Limited, Dover Business Services LLC, Dover Business Services Philippines Corporation, Dover CLP Formation Limited Partnership, Dover CR spol s r.o., Dover Canada Holdings ULC, Dover Canada Operations ULC, Dover Corporation Regional Headquarters, Dover DEI Services Inc., Dover Denmark Holdings ApS, Dover EMEA FZCO, Dover Energy UK Ltd, Dover Engineered Products Segment Inc., Dover Europe Inc., Dover Europe Sarl, Dover Fluids UK Ltd, Dover France Holdings, Dover France Participations, Dover France Technologies, Dover Fueling Solutions Segment Inc., Dover Fueling Solutions UK Limited, Dover Germany GmbH, Dover Global Holdings LLC, Dover Holdings de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Dover Imaging & Identification Segment Inc., Dover India Pvt. Ltd., Dover Intercompany Services UK Limited, Dover International B.V., Dover International Operations Inc., Dover International Ventures Inc., Dover International Ventures Tunisia S.a.r.l., Dover International ithalat ihracat ve Pazarlama Limited Sirketi, Dover Italy Holdings S.r.l., Dover Luxembourg Finance Sarl, Dover Luxembourg Participations Sarl, Dover Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Dover Luxembourg Services Sarl, Dover Operations South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Dover Overseas Ventures Inc., Dover Pumps & Process Solutions Segment Inc., Dover Refrigeration & Food Equipment Segment Inc., Dover Refrigeration & Food Equipment UK Ltd, Dover Resources International de Mexico S. de R.L. C.V., Dover Solutions Colombia SAS, Dover Southeast Asia (Thailand) Ltd., Dover Spain Holdings S.L., Dover UK Pensions Limited, Dover WSCR Holding LLC, Dover WSCR LLC, Dover do Brasil Ltda., Dow-Key Microwave Corporation, Dresser Wayne Data Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Dresser Wayne Fuel Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., EOA Systems Inc., Ebs-Ray Holdings Pty Ltd, Ebs-Ray Industries Pty. Ltd., Ebs-Ray Pumps Pty. Ltd., Em-tec, Espy, Ettlinger, Ettlinger Kunststoffmaschinen GmbH, Fairbanks Environmental Limited, Fibrelite Composites Limited, Fibresec Holdings Limited, Fibresec Limited, Finder, GAL LLC, GIIER LLC, Gala Industries, Gala Kunststoff-und Kautschukmaschinen GmbH, Guangdong Tokheim LIYUAN Oil Industry Technology Limited Company, Highland Park Insurance Company, Hill PHOENIX Inc., Hill PHOENIX WIC LLC, Hill Phoenix Costa Rica Sociedad De Responsabilidad Limitada, Hill Phoenix El Salvador Limitada de Capital Variable, Hill Phoenix Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix Honduras Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hiltap Fittings Ltd., Hydro Systems Company, Hydro Systems Europe Ltd., Hydronova Australia-NZ Pty Ltd, Industrial Motion Control LLC, Innovative Control Systems, Innovative Control Systems Inc., Inpro/Seal LLC, JK Group, JK Group S.P.A., JK Group USA Inc., K S Boca Inc., K&L Microwave DR Inc., K&L Microwave Inc., KPS (Beijing) Petroleum Equipment Trading Co Ltd., KPS Fueling Solutions Sdn. Bhd., KPS Hong Kong Holding Limited, KPS UK Limited, KS Formation Inc., KS Liquidation Inc., KSLP Liquidation L.P., Kiian Digital (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Knappco LLC, Knowles Electronics, LIQAL, Liquip, Liquip International Pty Limited, MAAG, MARKEM FZ SA, MARKEM-IMAJE Corporation, MIP Holdings Inc., MS Printing Solutions, MS Printing Solutions S.R.L., Maag Automatik GmbH, Maag Automatik Plastics Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Maag Gala Inc., Maag Italy S.R.L., Maag Pump Systems, Maag Pump Systems (US) Inc., Maag Pump Systems AG, Maag Reduction Inc., Maag Service (Malaysia) Sdn. Bdn., Maag Systems (Thailand) Limited, Marathon Equipment Company (Delaware), Markem Imaje Center of Competencies Spain S.L.U., Markem-Imaje, Markem-Imaje (China) Co. Limited, Markem-Imaje - Unipessoal Lda, Markem-Imaje A/S, Markem-Imaje AB, Markem-Imaje AG, Markem-Imaje AS, Markem-Imaje B.V., Markem-Imaje CSAT GmbH, Markem-Imaje Co. Ltd., Markem-Imaje GmbH, Markem-Imaje Holding, Markem-Imaje Identificacao de Produtos Ltda., Markem-Imaje Inc., Markem-Imaje India Private Limited, Markem-Imaje Industries, Markem-Imaje Industries Limited, Markem-Imaje KK, Markem-Imaje LLC, Markem-Imaje Limited, Markem-Imaje Limited, Markem-Imaje Ltd., Markem-Imaje N.V., Markem-Imaje Oy, Markem-Imaje Philippines Corporation, Markem-Imaje Pty Ltd, Markem-Imaje S.A., Markem-Imaje S.A. de C.V., Markem-Imaje S.r.l., Markem-Imaje SAS, Markem-Imaje Sdn Bhd, Markem-Imaje Singapore Pte. Ltd., Markem-Imaje Spain S.A.U, Markpoint Holding AB, Midland Manufacturing LLC, Mouvex, Northern Lights (Nevada) Inc., Northern Lights Funding LP, Northern Lights Investments LLC, Nova Controls Inc., OK International, OK International (UK) Ltd., OK International Holdings Inc., OK International Inc., OPW Engineered Systems Inc., OPW Fluid Transfer Group Europe B.V., OPW Fluid Transfer Solutions (Jiang Su) Co. Ltd., OPW Fluids Group Inc., OPW France, OPW Fuel Management Systems Inc., OPW Fueling Components (SuZhou) Co. Ltd., OPW Fueling Components LLC, OPW Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OPW Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., OPW Slovakia s.r.o., OPW Sweden AB, Officine Meccaniche Sirio S.R.L., PDQ Manufacturing, PDQ Manufacturing Inc., PISCES by OPW Inc., PSD Codax Holdings Limited, PSD Codax Limited, PSG (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, PSG (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., PSG California LLC, PSG Germany GmbH, Petro Vend Sp. z o.o., Pike Machine Products Inc., Pole/Zero Acquisition Inc., Precision Brasil Equipamentos E Servicos Para Postos De Combustiveis Ltda., Precision Service - Servicos De Manutencao E Instalacao De Postos De Abastecimento De Combustivel Ltda., Production Control Services, Pump Management Services Co. LLC, RAV Equipos Espana S.L., RAV France, Ravaglioli Deutschland GmbH, Ravaglioli S.P.A., Reduction Engineering GmbH, Revod Corporation, Revod Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Revod SAS, Revod Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd, Revod Sweden AB, Robohand Inc., Rosario, Rosario Handel B.V., Rotary Lift Consolidated (Haimen) Co. Ltd, SE Liquidation LLC, SWEP Germany GmbH, SWEP Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., SWEP North America Inc., SWEP Slovakia s.r.o., SWEP Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Seabiscuit Motorsports Inc., Simmons Sirvey Corporation, So. Cal. Soft-Pak, So. Cal. Soft-Pak Incorporated, Solaris Laser, Solaris Laser S.A., Somero Enterprises, Sound Solutions, Space S.R.L., Spirit, Start Italiana Petrol Cihazlari Sanayi Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Start Italiana S.R.L., Swep Energy Oy, Swep International A.B., Swep Japan K.K., Sys-Tech Solutions, Sys-Tech Solutions Inc., Systech GB Limited, Systech Shanghai Consulting Company Limited, TQC Quantium Quality S.A. de C.V., TTSI III Inc., TWG Canada Consolidated Inc., TXHI LLC, Tartan Textile Services Inc., The Heil Co., Tokheim Belgium, Tokheim China Company Limited, Tokheim GmbH, Tokheim Group, Tokheim Hengshan Technologies (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Tokheim Holding B.V., Tokheim India Private Limited, Tokheim Sofitam Applications, Trans - Logistic Group S.R.L., Triton Systems, Tulsa Winch Inc., UPCO Inc., US Synthetic, Unattended Payment Solutions LLC, Unified Brands, Unified Brands Inc., Val TemperBent Glass L.P., Vectron Frequency Devices (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Vehicle Service Group LLC, Vehicle Service Group UK Limited, Vos Food Store Equipment Ltd., WSCR Corp., Warn Automotive LLC, Warn Industries, Waukesha Bearings, Waukesha Bearings Corporation, Waukesha Bearings Limited, Waukesha Bearings Russia LLC, Wayne Fuel Management UK Ltd., Wayne Fueling Systems, Wayne Fueling Systems (Rus) Limited Liability Company, Wayne Fueling Systems Australia Pty Ltd, Wayne Fueling Systems Canada ULC, Wayne Fueling Systems Deutschland GmbH, Wayne Fueling Systems Italia S.R.L., Wayne Fueling Systems LLC, Wayne Fueling Systems Ltd., Wayne Fueling Systems Sweden AB, Wayne Fueling Systems UK Holdco Ltd., Wayne Industria e Comercio Ltda., WellMark, XanTec Steuerungs- und EDV-Technik GmbH, and em-tec GmbH.Cotinga Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, develops therapies for the treatment of cancer and other unmet medical needs. The company's lead compound is COTI-2, an oral small molecule targeting p53 a tumor suppressor gene. It also develops COTI-219, an oral small molecule compound targeting the mutant forms of KRAS without inhibiting normal KRAS functions. Cotinga Pharmaceuticals Inc. has a research collaboration with St. Vincent's University Hospital to evaluate COTI-2 in combination with eribulin in patients with triple negative metastatic breast cancer. The company was formerly known as Critical Outcome Technologies Inc. and changed its name to Cotinga Pharmaceuticals Inc. in January 2018. Cotinga Pharmaceuticals Inc. is based in Toronto, Canada.

Read MoreThe divisions current practice is to take personal days from an employees sick leave hours, according to board documents. The revised policy established that personal leave shouldnt be taken from sick leave.

Keiser said thats one provision they are pausing to look at more closely. That change also could have led to more teachers taking leave without pay, she said.

We want to make sure that the policy we adopt recognizes and allows for individual needs of our teachers, creates a culture of leave and attendance that is positive and proactive, and sets clear expectations around acceptable use as we know student performance is clearly tied to having a high-quality teacher who is present, Keiser said.

The newly revised policy will serve as an interim policy until staff presents a final version in the fall, Keiser said.

This version of [the policy] allows the recently adopted policy to be implemented for all employees except teachers and reverts back to the current practices in the language related to teachers, she said.Albemarle County police arrested an unidentified male Friday morning after the male did not follow orders during a traffic stop.

While attempting to make the stop, a county officer drew his weapon when the driver abruptly got out of his vehicle, according to a department news release. The department said an internal investigation is underway into the incident.

Officers attempted to stop a vehicle early Friday morning at the intersection of Ricky and Barracks roads for expired registration. The driver of the vehicle did not stop and continued to drive on Ricky Road to the 2100 block of Angus Road, authorities said. Thats where the driver left his car, and the officer drew his weapon, the release said.

The driver continued to ignore commands and got back into the car, per the release. Eventually, officers removed him from the vehicle because of his noncompliance and the location of the stop.

Attempts to gain clarification and additional information on the incident were unsuccessful.

The male was charged with misdemeanor eluding, first offense driving on a suspended license and expired registration.

Send news tips to news@dailyprogress.com, call (434) 978-7264, tweet us @DailyProgress or send us a Facebook message here.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Alberene Cemetery Association (Esmont) holds its annual memorial service at 11 a.m. Sunday, with lunch to follow. Donations help maintain the cemetery throughout the year. 3061 Alberene Church Lane.

 Ebenezer Baptist Church will hold its summer Sunday morning worship services at 10 a.m. beginning June 2. 201 Sixth St. NW. (434) 296-7158.

 Mount Calvary Baptist Church (Ivy) celebrates its 150th anniversary and Homecoming during its morning worship service June 2. Guest preacher Stanley Woolfolk and the Evergreen Ministry will follow at 3 p.m. 3445 Morgantown Road. (434) 295-0555.

 Operation Esther Prayer Circle meets at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Christian Study Prayer Room, 128 Chancellor St. (434) 227-0811.

 Wake Forest Baptist Church (Scottsville) hosts performances by Dennis Shelton and the Tornadoes and the Anointed Praise Dance Ministry at 3 p.m. June 2. Proceeds benefit the building fund. 3075 Rolling Road. (434) 296-3959.

This calendar, published every Saturday, lists special events of a religious nature. Because of space constraints, notices about regular worship services cannot be included. Items intended for publication, including an address and phone number, should be faxed to (434) 978-7252; mailed to Worship Calendar, The Daily Progress, P.O. Box 9030, Charlottesville, VA 22906; or emailed to ewood@dailyprogress.com. Material must be received by 4 p.m. the Wednesday prior to publication.

Send news tips to news@dailyprogress.com, call (434) 978-7264, tweet us @DailyProgress or send us a Facebook message here.

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.Here's an episode in which officials tried to negotiate a deal with  well, dealers.

In Berlin earlier this month, managers of a park attempted to corral a drug problem by designating dealer spots from which the bad guys could sell their drugs away from children and law-abiding joggers.

They drew bright pink lines, and told the dealers they could stand on the other side.

That idea was panned from both sides of the line.

Germanys top anti-drug official overruled the plan, saying it appeared to legitimize illegal activity.

And the dealers said they werent going to toe the line anyway.

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.SBI customers of Delhi, NCR and Uttarakhand can attend this programme in 41 locations, the bank said.

New Delhi: The country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) will conduct a customer outreach programme next week to address their queries and seek suggestions to improve services.

The 'Mega Customer Meet', to be held on Tuesday, is expected to engage with 100,000 customers across 500 locations through 17 local head offices across the country. SBI customers of Delhi, NCR and Uttarakhand can attend this programme in 41 locations, the bank said.

Under this initiative, customers can interact with the staff to discuss concerns and share feedback and suggestions on the bank's products and services.Its becoming increasingly difficult for our Bollywood filmmakers to find new and exciting locations for their films. Gone are the days when all they had to do was fly to any part of Switzerland and shoot. Today, the hunt is constantly on for virgin locales. And after looking for one for his remake of the 1995 hit movie Coolie No.1, David Dhawan has finally zeroed in on Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan.

Speaking from the location, David says, You have to see this place. It is a paradise on earth. We were invited by the government of Azerbaijan to visit and choose the location and we were completely bowled over. Why hasnt anyone shot an Indian film here before?

The original Coolie No.1 had Govinda playing the eponymous role of a railway porter who poses as a millionaire to marry an heiress played by Karisma Kapoor. In the remake, Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan are set to reprise the roles of Govinda and Karisma respectively. While the original version was shot in Mumbai, it will be interesting to see how writer Rumi Jaffrey takes the plot to Azerbaijan.Tabu and Salman Khans friendship goes back a long way. The actress, who is judicious about the films she chooses, has a small part in Salmans Bharat. The actress has not been a part of the films promotions and she tells us more about her brief cameo. Tabu says, I always look forward to working with Salman and have known him for so long now. In Bharat, there is just one scene that I have done but I can assure you, its a beautiful moment. Reports suggest she will play Salmans sister in the film.

Tabu goes on to talk about her equation with both Salman and Ajay Devgn, with whom she has worked in several films. Salman and Ajay are two actors that I have worked with from the time I have entered this industry. I have had the longest relationships with them. Salman is like family to me. It is always a pleasure to work with them even if its a small role, she added. Tabu was recently seen in De De Pyaar De with Ajay Devgn. With Salman, she also did a small role in Jai Ho, which released in 2014.Charlotte, 4, will go to Thomass Battersea school, where George, 5, has been a pupil since 2017. (Photo: AP)

London: Britains Princess Charlotte, fourth in line to the throne, will start at the same private London school as her brother George from September, Kensington Palace said on Friday.

Charlotte, 4, second child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, and the great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth, will go to Thomass Battersea school, where George, 5, has been a pupil since 2017.

We are delighted that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have decided that Princess Charlotte will join her elder brother, Prince George, at Thomass Battersea, headmaster Simon OMalley said in a statement. We greatly look forward to welcoming her and all of our new pupils to the school in September.

Police said in 2017 they would review security arrangements at the southwest London school after a 40-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary there shortly after George started.

The woman accepted a caution for causing a nuisance on school property. Thomass Battersea teaches 560 boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 13, with yearly fees for four year-olds of around 19,000 pounds ($24,000).As part of the study, published in the Journal of mBio, many cooks were invited to isolate the yeast specimens from the ancient debris and to create a beer with it. (Photo: Representational/Pixabay)

Washington: Wondering what type of beer your ancestors enjoyed? Israeli scientists might just have an answer for you. As part of a recent project, researchers recreated 5,000-year-old brew using a sample of yeast extracted from ancient beer jugs.

The pottery used to produce beer in antiquity served as the basis for this new research. The researchers examined the colonies of yeast that formed and settled in the pottery's nano-pores. Ultimately, they were able to resurrect a sample of yeast to create a high-quality beer that's approximately 5,000 years old.

As part of the study, published in the Journal of mBio, many cooks were invited to isolate the yeast specimens from the ancient debris and to create a beer with it.

The archaeologists gave them shards of pottery that had been used as beer and mead (honey wine) jugs back in ancient times, and miraculously, still had yeast specimens stuck inside.

These jars date back to the reign of Egyptian Pharaoh Narmer (roughly 3000 BCE), to Aramean King Hazael (800 BCE) and to Prophet Nehemiah (400 BCE) who, according to the bible, governed Judea under Persian rule.

The researchers cleaned and sequenced the full genome of each yeast specimen and turned them over to Amir Szitenberg at the Dead Sea-Arava Science Center for analysis. Szitenberg found that these 5,000-year yeast cultures are similar to those used in traditional African brews, such as the Ethiopian honey wine tej, and to modern beer yeast.

Now it was time to recreate the ancient brew. Local Israeli beer expert Itai Gutman helped the scientists make the beer and the brew was sampled by Ariel University's Elyashiv Drori, as well as by certified tasters from the International Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP), under the direction of brewer and Biratenu owner Shmuel Nakai. The testers gave the beer a thumbs up, deeming it high-quality and safe for consumption.

"This ancient yeast allowed us to create beer that lets us know what ancient Philistine and Egyptian beer tasted like. By the way, the beer isn't bad. Aside from the gimmick of drinking beer from the time of King Pharaoh, this research is extremely important to the field of experimental archaeology--a field that seeks to reconstruct the past. Our research offers new tools to examine ancient methods, and enables us to taste the flavours of the past," explained Ronen Hazan, lead author of the study.The police said that they have arrested all the five accused who mercilessly had beaten up the victims with sticks. (Photo: Screengrab)

Seoni: Three youths were allegedly thrashed on suspicion of possessing beef by some cow vigilantes in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni city on Friday.

The police said that they have arrested all the five accused who mercilessly had beaten up the victims with sticks.

This is how Muslims are treated by Vigilantes created by Modi voters welcome to a New India which will Inclusive and as @PMOIndia said Secularism Ka Niqaab ...... https://t.co/Cy2uUUTirk  Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) May 24, 2019

The police have named Ram Sena Leader Shubham Baghel as one of the accused. "We came to know that Shubham Baghel had stopped one woman and two men yesterday. Baghel along with his four to five friends had beaten up the men. The video of the incident had gone viral on social media. We have registered a case against all the accused and five people have been arrested. They all will be sent to judicial remand soon," GS Uikey, the local police official said.

6 & 9pm Nationalist watch how the Mind has been hacked in last 5 years,I am sure this is not radicalisation for Modi voters but a Natural treatment for Muslims ,this will be watched by Muslim youths will increase alienation & marginalisation -well done Hackers https://t.co/cr6gNOEZdP  Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) May 24, 2019

The investigation into the matter is underway.

The official also told ANI that Baghel had earlier been booked for his involvement in similar cases.Kochi: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has evinced interest in procuring solar vessels on the lines of Aditya, the countrys first solar ferry deployed in Vaikkom-Tavanakkadavu section of Alappuzha district, based on the requirement of its member countries.

This is after a delegation of the ISA travelled in the solar-powered ferry operated by the State Water Transport Department the other day during a visit to the state.

Experts from NavAlt, the Kochi-based firm which built the vessel, explained the technical features and the benefits then.

Wed a ride in Aditya..very happy to know that in five years you can recover the cost and solar energy in the rooftop made 66 per cent of their capacity requirement. Were also happy to know that two more boats are under construction, said Upendra Tripathy, Director General, ISA.

The Government of Kerala can have an MoU with us so that these companies (from Kerala) can operate through them. We can take these projects to other countries. Well soon conduct discussion with the Ministry of Water Resources and the government, he said.

ISA is an alliance of 74 countries initiated by India and France formed in 2015 sharing the ambition to undertake joint efforts required to reduce the cost of finance and the cost of technology and mobilise required investments by 2030 for massive deployment of solar energy among others.

The delegation that visited the state on May 22 consisted of ambassadors/high commissioners of 25 African countries including Egypt, Senegal, Nigeria and Tanzania and also from countries like France, Brazil, Chile, Malaysia, Bolivia and Sri Lanka.

Were co-ordinating with member nations for understanding the solar ferry requirement and to make a requirement pool. Well look to fund such requirement with aid from the World Bank, he said.Bhopal: Former chief minister and BJP national vice-president Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday indicated that his party would not pull down the Kamal Nath government which survived on outside support from two BSP MLAs, one SP legislator and four Independents.

Mr Chouhan said that BJP did not believe in horse trading and Kamal Nath government would fall on its own due to infighting in ruling Congress which has intensified further after the ruling party faced debacle in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections in MP.

Congress could bag only one out of total 29 seats in the outgoing LS polls in MP. Mr Chouhan had earlier also expressed his disapproval over demand by BJP legislature party leader Gopal Bhargav that Kamal Nath government should face floor test in the house to prove its majority.

BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, said to be the architect of his partys stupendous show in West Bengal in the just-concluded LS polls, had earlier also backed Mr Bhargav on the issue.

The Kamal Nath government may not last 22 days, he had predicted a couple of days ago.Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Sanatan Sanstha's advocate and legal face Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave, a Sadhak, from Mumbai on Saturday in connection with the murder case of 67-year-old rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar. The officials said the duo were part of the conspiracy and were known to the shooters.

The CBI officials said that the arrests were made from Mumbai after their respective roles cropped up in the investigation. Punalekar allegedly suggested the destruction of the weapons after the rationalist was shot dead and also played a role in the destruction of evidence that would link the organisation with the murder. Officials said that he was in the know of the conspiracy.

Bhave, on the other hand, is an accused in the two low-intensity explosions that were carried out in auditoriums in Thane and Vashi in 2008. The explosions were to oppose the staging of a play that allegedly depicted Hindu gods in a bad light. Bhave was sentenced 10 years behind bars and a monetary penalty was imposed on him in connection with the blasts.

CBI officials said that after his release from prison on bail, Bhave started assisting Punalekar and they acted together while destroying evidence in the Dabholkar murder case. It is suspected that Bhave, a Thane resident, also played a pivotal role in identifying the rationalist for the shooters.The police said that a group of Congress supporters stormed the house of Mateen Patel, 48, after the Lok Sabha results were out.

Mumbai: A Muslim worker of the BJP was killed in Maharashtras Akola district after a group of persons, allegedly associated with the Congress, assaulted him following an argument over the Lok Sabha polls.

A district police official said the incident took place on Friday at the districts Mohalla village, 580 km from Mumbai.

The police said that a group of Congress supporters stormed the house of Mateen Patel, 48, after the Lok Sabha results were out. They attacked the house and dragged the victim out from the house and attacked him with sharp weapons.

He died on the spot. Mateens 55-year-old brother, who was seriously injured in the attack

The district police has registered offences against 10 people, including the Congress Akola candidate Hidayatulla Patel, and is on the lookout for them. Hidayatulla Patel suffered a humiliating defeat in the elections, coming third behind the BJPs Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi candidate, Prakash Ambedkar.

Mateen Patel was an active BJP worker and had vigorously campaigned for Mr Dhotre, particularly in Muslim areas in the district in the elections.

Meanwhile, the district authorities have deployed State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) jawans in the area to maintain law and order situation.

They assaulted Mateen with an iron pipe and sticks. He succumbed to his injuries on the spot, the official said

A case under has been registered against 10 persons, including Hidayatulla Patel, he said.Ahmedabad: The BJPs spectacular show in Gujarat, sweeping all 26 Lok Sabha seats despite a strong performance by the Congress in the Assembly polls, has left many people wondering over how the party achieved it.

Although we were claiming that we would win all the seats, we did not anticipate it. Amit Shah has pulled off a miracle, said a Gujarat BJP leader.

Considering partys performance in the 2017 Assembly election, political observers were of the opinion that the BJP may lose at least Lok Sabha four seats. The Congress too was hoping to re-open its account in the state this time. But the results showed that the BJP had increased its vote share by 12.9 percentage points in just 16 months after the Assembly election, upending all calculations.

A party insider said that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Amit Shah had analysed the ground situation in the state immediately after the Assembly results and started working at the micro level for the Lok Sabha polls. First, Mr Shah identified Lok Sabha constituencies where the Congress was in a position to put up a fight. These were Amreli, Anand, Surendranagar, Bardoli, Junagadh, Chhota Udepur, Patan and Banaskantha seats.

State leaders of the BJP then started approaching powerful Congress leaders and pursued them to join the BJP. Mr Kuvarji Bawalia, a strong leader of the Koli community, was made minister the day he switched over, keeping an eye on the communitys huge vote share in Saurashtra.

Ahir community leader and Manavadar MLA Jawahar Chawda was made Cabinet minister the day he crossed over. The strategy behind this move was also to make up for the possible damage to the partys Patidar vote base which had badly affected during the Assembly elections. The leaders presence seemed to help the BJP secure Koli and Ahir votes and win the Surendranagar and Junagadh Lok Sabha seats.

According to party leaders, Mr Shah was strict and changed a total of 11 candidates on the basis of ground reports without worrying about the possibility of a revolt. Candidates of Banaskantha, Patan, Chota Udepur, Mehsana and Anand were changed. Not only that, Mr Shah made sure that Mr Modi would address rallies only where the party was facing a tough fight from the Congress.

Remaining in the state on April 23, he monitored the situation and ensured maximum voting at the micro level.Hyderabad: A government school headmaster in the city has been suspended by the school education department for making a video that alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had not kept his promises.

Mr Lateef Mohammed Khan, principal of the Government High School at Nampally, had listed out the promises in a nine-minute video and released it on social media.

Mr Khan had recorded the video in Hindi and detailed the points which he alleged were not fulfilled by the Chief Minister.

His list included Mr Raos alleged promises like making a Dalit the Chief Minister, giving 12 per cent reservation to Muslims and free KG to PG education.

To each promise, Mr Khan asked why it had not been fulfilled.

The video received 51 views, and it was then given sub-titles in Telugu and circulated.

Mr Khan is also the general secretary of the Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee and stated that the video was to question the government on their promises.

The video led to an inquiry by the school education department and it was found that he had violated the model code of conduct as a government employee and the process for his suspension was initiated.

He will be under suspension till the disciplinary action against him is confirmed by the department.

Mr Khan stated that he would challenge the decision in the High Court.The teachers, who have left their jobs in private institutions for the jobs in the government sector, are upset as there is no clear communication from the education department when their postings will be done. (Representional Image)

Hyderabad: Over 7,400 teachers, who had successfully completed the selection process by the Telangana state government, are yet to be issued appointment orders by the education department. The teachers on Saturday staged dharna demanding immediate issue of appointment orders.

The teachers, who have left their jobs in private institutions for the jobs in the government sector, are upset as there is no clear communication from the education department when their postings will be done.

M. Srinivaslu of the Telang-ana Teachers Union said, We demand that the appointment orders are released before the schools re-open. The government does not have any reason to stall the appointment of teachers. There is a requirement and those posts have to be filled. Whenever we approach the education department, the officials say that the government has to give its nod. Why are they asking the government when the procedure is completed and only the final order has to be issued?

MLC Narsireddy also spoke to the who staged dharna and assured them to follow up the case with the government.Hyderabad: AP Chief Minister-designate Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddys visit to Pragathi Bhavan to meet Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was special for more than one reason.

It was the first time in about a decade that he was stepping inside the premises of what was once the home of his father, the late Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. He said he had mixed memories of the place.

Accompanied by his wife Bharathi and party leaders, Mr Reddy called on Mr Rao to invite him for his swearing in ceremony at Vijayawada on May 30. The meeting lasted for about an hour during which the two families exchanged mementoes.

A close aide of Mr Reddy, who was with the CM-designate, told Deccan Chronicle, The topic of late YSR did surface. Mr Rao reminded Jagan that it was his father who had built the camp office. Jagan replied, Yes, I lived there and I have mixed memories.

An IAS officer who accompanied Mr Reddy on Saturday recalled the days when he was deputed to the 9,000-sq ft camp office that Rajasekhar Reddy had built.

The family moved from Lakeview Guesthouse to Greenlands in 2005, a year after YSR was sworn in as Chief Minister for the first time. Jagan and his family lived in Bengaluru. Jagan had not entered politics and he was running his business in Karnataka, the officer recalled.

Quite often the family visited his parents at the camp office. The visits increased after Jagan was elected MP from Kadapa, though he did not stay there. The family has fond memories of the house, he said.

It was to the same place that body of YSR was brought after he died in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009 before it was taken to the family estate at Idupulapaya.

After that, YSRs wife Ms Vijayalakshmi stayed at the house for about a month before moving out in October 2009.

Mr Reddy returned to the home for the first time on Saturday.Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath has skipped the Congress Working Committee (CWC), held in New Delhi on Saturday, to take stock of political situation in the state in the wake of NDAs return to power at the Centre.

Sources close to Mr Nath said, the chief minister has earlier intimated the AICC president Rahul Gandhi about his inability to make it to Saturdays crucial CWC meeting, in view of volatile political situation in the state.

He however strongly backed Mr Gandhi to continue in his post, saying, the party badly needed Mr Gandhis leadership at the crucial juncture.

Two CWC members from MP, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Arun Yadav, however attended the Saturdays meeting of partys highest policy making body.

Both Mr Scindia and Mr Yadav lost the recently held Lok Sabha elections from their respective constituencies of Guna and Khandwa.

Mr Nath meanwhile has called a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting here on Sunday to review the debacle of the party in the just-concluded LS elections in the state.

He has also convened his cabinet meeting on Monday to get feedback from his ministers on the reasons for the partys disastrous show in the LS polls.

He was scheduled to visit Delhi on Monday to submit the feedback report to the party high command, sources said.

A senior Congress leader on Saturday disclosed to this newspaper that the state leadership was devising a strategy to nip in bud any attempt by Opposition BJP to destabilize the Kamal Nath government following NDAs return to power at the Centre.

Kamal Nath government which has a wafer thin majority in the house was getting outside support from two BSP MLAs, one SP legislator and four Independents.

BJP in Madhya Pradesh was divided over pulling down the Kamal Nath government by engineering defection in the ruling Congress.

While a section of the party led by BJP Legislature Party leader Gopal Bhargav was in favour of dislodging the state government through a trust vote in the assembly, former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was opposed to it.Patna: The 2019 Lok Sabha election has turned out to be a major setback for regional leaders like Tejashwi Yadav, Upendra Kushwaha, and Jitan Ram Manjhi who were aspiring to play a crucial role in Bihar politics.

Sources said that these leaders and their parties have called for introspection at the organisational level to find reasons behind the humiliating defeat in the general election.

The NDA comprising of BJP, JD(U) and LJP won 39 out of 40 seats in Bihar. Congress managed only Kishanganj seat while RJD, HAM, RLSP, and VIP failed in saving their electoral space after the poll results on Thursday.

In his first hard-hitting reaction after the poll results, former Bihar chief minister and HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi said that "Modi factor and national security issue led to the crushing defeat of the Mahagathbandhan. We should sit and analyze why the Mahagathbandhan couldn't convince people the way NDA did during their campaigns. In my view, the Mahagathbandhan had no answer to NDA's national security issue. ".

Jitan Ram Manjhi who was being seen as a strong Mahadalit leader had contested from two seats but suffered a humiliating defeat by NDA candidates.

HAM sources claim that Mr. Manjhi has a major stake in the Mushahar community, a sub-caste among Dalits in Bihar. The community has a population of around 40 Lakh and was classified among Mahadalits in 2007 by chief minister Nitish Kumar.

"The NDA used surgical strikes and nationalism issue to gain in the Lok Sabha elections. But the Mahagathbandhan couldn't handle these issues and failed in convincing the voters", Mr. Manjhi said in Patna. He also slammed the BJP for playing "Hindutva card" to win the election and said that "the poll result was also fixed".

"They (BJP) tried everything to win elections. The poll result in my view was totally fixed. The NDA didn't even spare the Army and also tried to politicise the surgical strike and martyrdom of our jawans but the Mahagathbandhan had no answer to these issues and also failed in convincing the voters during campaigns", Jitan Ram Manjhi said in Patna.

on Saturday.

On the question of fixing responsibility on Tejashwi Yadav, he said, "Instead of blaming single person everyone in the Mahagathbandhan should take the responsibility".Kolkata: Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday broke her silence over her partys drubbing at the hands of the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections and announced that she had offered to resign as West Bengal chief minister but was prevented from doing so by party leaders.

Addressing a press conference after reviewing the TMCs below-expectation performance, Ms Banerjee accused the BJP of using money power, polarising people on religious lines to garner votes and questioned if some sort of setting or foreign power played a role in the saffron partys success. Now I will focus more on the party and devote more time to it, she announced, claiming that she had completed all development work the state promised in the party manifesto.

She congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a sarcastic tone and dared the BJP to topple her government.Prime Minister Narendra Modi being greeted by Pragya Thakur during the NDA parliamentary board meeting at Parliament House in New Delhi on Saturday (Photo: AP)

New Delhi: Our mantra should be sabka saath, sabka vikas and sabka vishwas (with all, for everybodys development and having everyones trust), he said.

They (minorities) cannot be handed over to them (Opposition), who benefit because we keep quiet, he said, accusing his rivals of exploiting them during elections as part of their votebank politics.

He said the poor were deceived all these years but his government managed to break through this deception and improved their lot, and asked the NDA MPs to similarly smash through the deception around minorities. Minorities were deceived, like the poor, the Prime Minister said.

It would be good if their education, social and economic standards were lifted all these years, he said.

We have to break through this deception. We have to win their trust... It is a big responsibility that we have to fulfil. Those who vote us are ours and those who did not are also ours. Even our most trenchant opponents are ours. We cannot believe in any discrimination, he said.

Invoking the 1857 War of Independence against the British rule, he said all communities had then fought together and called for replicating a similar unifying spirit for good governance now as India readies to celebrate the 75 years of Independence in 2022.

The Constitution is supreme for us. Whatever form of worship we follow at home but outside there cannot be a bigger God for us than Bharat Mata (Mother India), he said, likening the countrys 130 crore citizens to 130 crore Gods who should be served by the ruling alliance with a similar spirit.

Minorities, especially Muslims, are seen to be strongly opposed to the BJP due to their wariness over its Hindutva ideology.

We stand for those who trusted us and also for those whose trust we have to win... We have to take everyone along to take India to new heights in the 21st Century, he said.

With speculation being rife over who will join his Council of Ministers, Mr Modi said he was yet to go through the details of NDA MPs and asked them to not trust media reports, adding they are aimed at creating confusion and often put out with bad intentions.

Many Narendra Modis have cropped up in the country, giving out ministerial positions to MPs, he said wryly and added that newspaper reports do not make ministers.

Responsibilities will be given as per norms, he stressed.

Mr Modi said elections often divide and create gulf but 2019 polls united the people and society. There was a pro-incumbency sentiment in this election, he said.

We ran the government for poor people between 2014-19 and I can say the poor elected the government this time, the Prime Minister said.

With the BJP having had an uneasy relation with some of its allies during the last five years, Mr Modi underscored his partys commitment to take allies along and noted that he is making this comment despite the saffron party winning 303 seats, many more than the majority mark of 272.

Invoking the late BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee for making coalition political successful, he called for the NDA to work with cohesion for the countrys development and said his naara (slogan) for the alliance is national ambition and regional aspirations.

Asking MPs to work with him, he said they should shun arrogance as it is the people  not their personality, any caste or Modi  who elected them. He also asked MPs to avoid falling to temptation of publicity in the media.Congress President Rahul Gandhi with Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh at the CWC meeting in New Delhi on Saturday. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi: Drama over Congress president Rahul Gandhis offer to resign over the partys drubbing in Lok Sabha election and its rejection by top party leaders continued throughout the day on Saturday.

While the Congress Working Committee, chaired by the party president himself, rejected his offer to quit and authorised him to overhaul the organisation, Mr Gandhi reportedly remained adamant to step down and make way for a new chief from outside the Gandhi family.

"We have to continue our fight. I am and will remain a disciplined soldier of the Congress and continue to fight fearlessly. But I do not want to remain the party president. It is not necessary that the president should be from the Gandhi family, Mr Gandhi was quoted as having told the partys 52-member highest decision-making body.

The meeting was attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and chief ministers of three party-ruled states  Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh  and of the Union Territory of Puducherry

As the confusion and drama continued over Mr Gandhis proposed resignation, the CWC adopted a resolution not merely rejecting his offer to step down but also authorising him to rebuild the outfit.

The CWC resolution stated, president Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress president for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times.

The CWC also authorised Mr Gandhi to overhaul and restructure the party at all levels.

At a personal level, Mr Gandhi has been dealt with a double blow - not only did his party fare poorly in the polls but he himself lost the election in the family bastion of Amethi.

Since Mrs Gandhi entered politics in 1997 the party has seen just two party chiefs, she herself and her son. Also since the Nehru days Congress has mostly been led by the Nehru-Gandhi clan. With Mr Gandhis reported "insistence" on stepping down, the dilemma before the Congress at this juncture is about whom to pick as president from outside the Gandhi family.

A proposal to appoint a non-Gandhi working president is also being discussed in the party.

For several decades, the Gandhi family has managed to keep the party together despite several electoral debacles. There is an apprehension that rivalry among party leaders could lead to a split in the organisation in the absence of the Gandhis.

The pathetic show during the general elections has not only put a massive question mark to Mr Gandhis leadership but also the organisations lack of connect at the grassroots level.Thiruvananthapuram: A group of people led by a priest of the Capuchin order in the Catholic Church has built cabin houses for economically backward families who lost their houses in the floods in Idukki.

The cost of a single bedroom house with kitchen, toilet, sit-out and bathroom is only Rs 1.5 lakh.

Normally we build single bedroom houses. However, some families with more members need two-bedroom houses which would cost Rs 2 lakh, Fr Jijo Kurian, who is behind the project, told Deccan Chronicle.

The money for the project was raised through Facebook friends. For those who did not have land, houses were built in three cents donated by philanthropists, said Fr Kurian.

We have built 13 houses in Vazhathoppu, Mariyapuram, Kanjikuzhi and Arakulam panchayats. Most of those from economically backward families have their land in areas near abandoned hydro-electric projects or in areas where land surveys have not been completed. As per norms fixed for the distribution of compensation for flood victims in Idukki district, the families must have title deeds for the land. As a result, it was difficult to get building permits for permanent concrete houses. On the other hand, log houses have a life of at least ten years, he said.

One house each was constructed with the financial support of charity organisations based in the United States and Britain.

Priority was given for unwed mothers and elderly couples who were not supported by their children, he said.Congress, despite extensive campaigning by its president Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, was decimated to a single seat in Uttar Pradesh - Sonia Gandhi's Raebareli Lok Sabha seat. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday offered his resignation which was unanimously rejected by the members of Congress Working Committee (CWC) unanimously.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala in a media briefing said that the party has given a free hand to the party president to overhaul the organisation.

''CWC has given Congress President the right to make changes to restructure the party, a plan for this will be brought soon,'' Surjewala said.

Earlier on Saturday, CWC meet was conducted to review the reason for a poor performance of India's major Opposition party in natioanl elections.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, ex-PM Manmohan Singh, Congress' Uttar Pradesh East General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi and party president Rahul Gandhi among top party leaders were present at the CWC meet.

After facing a humiliating defeat for the second time in the consecutive Lok Sabha elections, the Congress held a meeting to discuss the reason for party's debacle.

Though there was no official word on the agenda for the meeting, sources said the committee will talk about future strategies.

The CWC is also expected to take stock of the party's loss in Uttar Pradesh.

Congress, despite extensive campaigning by its president Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, was decimated to a single seat in Uttar Pradesh - Sonia Gandhi's Raebareli Lok Sabha seat. Rahul Gandhi, who represented the Amethi seat since 2004, lost to BJP's Smriti Irani.

The sources also indicated that the committee is likely to discuss party's complete loss in the states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where it had won the Assembly elections just five months ago.

All members of the committee have been instructed to talk and put their proposal openly in front of the committee in the meeting today, the sources said.

Speculations are that the party president Rahul Gandhi is likely to offer his resignation accepting moral responsibility for the debacle. However, Gandhi's offer may not be accepted and the party may reaffirm its faith to work under his leadership, said sources.

Gandhi apparently wants to send a signal that he was also accountable for the party's performance which was not any better than the 2014 results.

In the last elections, the Congress had won 44 seats, the lowest-score in its history, and improved its tally marginally by 8 to reach 52 seats in the latest elections.

Meanwhile, presidents of the party units in states like Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha have offered to resign from their post accepting responsibility for the poor showing of the party in the just-concluded elections.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading.'We are not interested in bringing down the (MP) government but BJP can't help if it falls on its own,' Chouhan told reporters. (Photo: File)

Bhopal: BJP national vice president Shivraj Singh Chouhan Saturday said his party was not interested in bringing down the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh but cannot help if it falls on its own.

The BJP had won 28 out of 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the just-concluded general polls and there has been speculation about the longevity of the Congress-led government in the state which is in power due to the support of BSP, SP and Independent MLAs.

"The BJP doesn't believe in any kind of horse trading, but there are contradictions within the Congress. We are not interested in bringing down the (MP) government but BJP can't help if it falls on its own," Chouhan told reporters at a meet-the-press event here.

"After the ticket distribution, a BSP candidate joined the Congress. Possibly, Mayawati ji can take this seriously or something happens within (the Congress). I am telling you the truth, if we wanted, we would not have allowed (Congress) to form the government," he said.

During the Lok Sabha elections, the BSP's Guna candidate Lokendra Singh had opted out of the race and joined the Congress extending support to Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Later, in a tweet, BSP supremo Mayawati threatened to withdraw support to the Kamal Nath government. In the 2018 Assembly polls, the Congress had emerged as the single-largest party with 114 seats, two short of the simple majority mark of 116 seats, in the 230-member Assembly.

The Congress then formed the government in the state with the support of two BSP, one SP and four Independent MLAs. The BJP, in power since 2003, had got 109 seats.Truman went on, The technique of the big lie consists of two things. It consists first of making a charge against one's opponents which is frightening and horrible and so extreme that nobody could believe that a decent person would make it if it were not true. Hitler explained this very clearly. He said that if a lie is bold enough people will think there is some truth in it because it would never occur to them, in their own experience, to lie on such an exaggerated scale.Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda on Friday dismissed as 'not a big issue', his drubbing at the Lok Sabha polls. (Photo: File)

Bengaluru: Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda on Friday dismissed as "not a big issue", his drubbing at the Lok Sabha polls.

"As a former prime minister, I have been defeated twice. This is not a big issue," he told media persons here.

The JD(S) leader who lost to BJP's G S Basavaraj from Tumakuru Lok Sabha seat by a 13,000 vote margin said his concern is to strengthen the base of his party.

"My concern is how to save a regional party. I will see that JD(S) strengthens its base. I will take the responsibility and proceed forward," said Gowda.

The veteran politician further said that he won't blame anyone for his defeat.

"I am not going to blame anybody for the loss. How it happened is not to be discussed in media," he said.

Asked about the future of the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka after the Lok Sabha polls, he said: "It is the responsibility of both the parties to give a stable government."

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Working President Dinesh Gundurao on Friday expressed confidence that the coalition government of Congress and JD(S) in Karnataka will stay its course and take everybody together going forward.

Later in the day, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy tweeted, "Met coordination committee chairman @Siddaramaiah today. We discussed various issues including the outcome of loksabha polls, better coordination between JDS&INC for the smooth functioning of the coalition govt. ahead and on reaching the development programs of the govt to the people."

Met coordination committee chairman @Siddaramaiah today. We discussed various issues including the outcome of loksabha polls, better coordination between JDS&INC for the smooth functioning of the coalition govt. ahead &on reaching the development programs of the govt tothe people  H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 24, 2019

The BJP won 25 of the 28 seats along with an Independent backed by it just leaving one seat each to Congress and JD(S).

BJP is the single largest party with 105 members in the 225 member assembly while the ruling coalition has 117 members with 79 legislators from Congress, 37 from JD(S) and 1 from BSP.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading.Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that it was a victory of 'Modivaad' over 'dynasty, casteism, terrorism and hooliganism'. (Photo: ANI)

Bhopal: Giving credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for BJP's massive victory in the Lok Sabha elections, party leader and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said that it was a victory of 'Modivaad' over 'dynasty, casteism, terrorism and hooliganism'.

"There was a Modi wave which favoured BJP. I had said that BJP will cross 300 seats and NDA will get more than 350 seats," he told reporters here.

"The biggest achievement of this election is that it has ended casteism, cultism, monarchy and hooliganism. Dynasty, casteism, terrorism and hooliganism were defeated; it is a victory of 'Modivaad' over them," Chouhan said after the BJP registered a spectacular 303 seat victory in the recently concluded elections and is set to form the government at the Centre again.

The former chief minister took a jibe at SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh, which secured only 15 seats, and RJD, which did not win even a single seat in Bihar.

"In UP it was being said that since the SP and BSP had come together it would be difficult for BJP to win even 40 seats. People did not vote for caste and BJP got 62 seats. In Bihar, RJD, which does caste-based politics, drew a blank," he said, adding that people voted for development, national security and public welfare.

"Opposition targeted Modi ji instead of issues," Chouhan said.

On allegations of BJP trying to topple Chief Minister Kamal Nath-led government, he said, "BJP does not believe in horse trading. I have said before that Congress has won the largest number of seats and it should form the government. BJP does not have any interest in toppling the present state government. If something happens on its own, we cannot do anything."

In Madhya Pradesh, BJP swept the LS polls winning 28 out of 29 seats. The parliamentary seat of Chhindwara was won by CM Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath.After the meeting today, Modi will call on President Ram Nath Kovind, staking claim to form the government. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: A host of political leaders from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) arrived here to attend the BJP-led coalition meeting later in the day.

Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Goa, Assam, Gujarat and Uttarakhand -- Devendra Fadnavis, Raghubar Das, Pramod Sawant, Sarbananda Sonowal, Vijay Rupani and Trivendra Singh Rawat, respectively, were among those who arrived in the national capital.

Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) president Poonam Mahajan, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam also arrived for the meet.

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal arrived for the NDA parliamentary meeting as well.

(Photo: ANI)

BJP leader Hema Malini, elected MP from Mathura said, "Modi ji has worked very hard and he has impressed the entire country. As I have also won, I'm happy that I delivered some good work in my constituency, that is why I got here."

(Photo: ANI)

Actor-turned-politician and newly elected BJP MP, Sunny Deol, arrived for the NDA Parliamentary Board meeting.During the convention, the BJP-led coalition is expected to elect Narendra Modi as its leader to head the new government.

(Photo: ANI)

The meeting will be held at 5 pm in the Central Hall of Parliament, BJP had tweeted on Friday.

After the meeting today, Modi will call on President Ram Nath Kovind, staking claim to form the government, sources said.

On May 21, during a meeting of NDA leaders, Modi had said that the coalition represents the country's expectations and ambitions.

Meanwhile, the 16th Lok Sabha was on Saturday dissolved following the general elections and the new House has been constituted.

The President signed the order accepting the advice of the Cabinet which met on Friday and made a recommendation to this effect.

BJP secured an outright majority, winning 303 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, 21 more than it had got in the 2014 polls.

Along with its NDA allies, the BJP-led coalition has 351 members in the Lower House.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading.The flaws in the Congress campaign were so glaring as to be almost laughable. Driven by the belief that this would be a repeat of what happened to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in 2004, and not, as they believed, what happened to Dr. Manmohan Singh, who was re-elected to a second term, the poll rhetoric attempted to paint Narendra Modi as a crooked politician who lined the coffers of his coterie, and like any other sitting dispensation would face anti-incumbency.

The chorus of toadies who have reduced Rahul Gandhis resignation  as they have West Bengal Chief minister Mamata Banerjees - to a charade, a farce, need to be told that the best thing the Congress party could do right now is to have, not just Rahul Gandhi resign, but the entire CWC, the electoral think tank  if they have one  and then, have every single state party leader who was unable to stand up to the Modi avalanche, follow suit.

Rahul Gandhi understands the need for a mea culpa. He knows that the sheer scale of the defeat, which saw the misnamed Grand Old Party winning only 52 seats, eight more than 2014 as opposed to the BJPs jaw-dropping 303+ spells finis to the party, as he and every Congressman has known it.

I cannot see why the rest of his party doesnt! Yes, yes, were told that the BJP will use it to say he is running away from the battlefield. That without the Gandhi glue, the Congress will go back the Narasimha Rao-Sitaram Kesri era when every leader from Arjun Singh to Madhavrao Scindia to Rajesh Pilot and even P. Chidamabaram, left.

But then the question that must be asked is this - why couldnt he  and for that matter, every one of the many stalwarts who have fought poll after poll see what was coming? See what was staring them in the face  the undercurrent of support for Modi, the willingness to give him a chance to make good on his promise of a better India? Why couldnt they sense what everyone else could, that this would be Modi 2.0, even if some of us greatly under-estimated the groundswell of support that Narendra Modi clearly commands across the country that cuts across caste, creed and community?

The flaws in the Congress campaign were so glaring as to be almost laughable. Driven by the belief that this would be a repeat of what happened to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in 2004, and not, as they believed, what happened to Dr. Manmohan Singh, who was re-elected to a second term, the poll rhetoric attempted to paint Narendra Modi as a crooked politician who lined the coffers of his coterie, and like any other sitting dispensation would face anti-incumbency.

Except, there was no proof. Mr. Modis status as Mr Clean couldnt be smirched. The tired Chowkidar Chor Hai litany, that was fresh and potent when Mr Modis home state went to the polls, certainly didnt have the ability to draw blood, a good 12 months later. Frankly, the Congress analysts should have known that the reasons that drive voters to punish sitting governments  especially three time chief ministers  are not the same reasons that govern their choices in a parliamentary poll. Pragya or no Pragya! Especially in the absence of an alternative prime minister.

Instead, the charge that dynasts run the Congress, with Mr. Modis usage of the word, naamdaar, drew blood. Curious that the Congress, instead of tackling the charge head-on, ignored it completely. Are there no dynasts in the BJP? No sons, no daughters, no widows, no wives who get tickets? The Shiv Senas Thackerays. Ram Vilas Paswans Chirag. Garam Dharams Sunny Deol.

The silence, the reluctance to engage on the subject, was equally evident in the refusal of the Congress to bat on behalf of the Muslims. Why was Unnao, and the lynch mobs, not made an issue of? If not by the Congress, then Muslim leaders in the lawless Hindi heartland? Far removed, one must say, from the sanity of the south.

Even if its true that Mayawati, the BSP chief scuttled the alliance that the Samajwadi chief Akhilesh Yadav wanted to forge with the Congress because she was worried that if she did, she would face the wrath of the ED, why would a Dalit leader stay silent on the BJPs move to give reservations to the Brahmins, as a first step to amending the constitution that would disenfranchise people whose cause she espouses? The worlds media was quick to pounce on Mr. Modis record on agrarian distress, the drop in employment, labeling him Modi, the great divider. But no, not the Congress! It even forgot to plug its own tired socialistic trope of putting money into the pockets of the poor.

The smart thing to do  yes, in retrospect  would have been to have a smart campaign where the Congress subsumed itself and played the role of just another opposition party, and strategized with its allies in the states on the way to counter the Modi-Shah combine.

Rahul put in the miles. But it was Narendra Modi and Amit Shah who outflanked and outmanouvred and outran em all.Huawei is allowed to buy US goods until Aug. 19 to maintain existing telecoms networks and provide software updates to its smartphones.

Global tech firms, including chip suppliers, are cutting ties with Chinas Huawei Technologies Co Ltd after the US government put the worlds largest telecom equipment maker on a trade blacklist citing national security concerns.

The United States has effectively banned its companies from doing business with Huawei, exacerbating an ongoing Sino-US trade war. The ban applies to goods that have 25 per cent or more of US-originated technology or materials and may affect non-American firms.

Huawei is allowed to buy US goods until Aug. 19 to maintain existing telecoms networks and provide software updates to its smartphones.

Following are companies that have suspended business with the Chinese firm:

ALPHABET INC: Google on May 19 suspended the transfer of hardware, software and technical services to Huawei, except what it has made publicly available via open source licensing.

US CHIPMAKERS: Intel Corp, Qualcomm Inc, Xilinx Inc and Broadcom Inc told their employees they will not supply critical software or components to Huawei until further notice, Bloomberg reported on May 19.

LUMENTUM HOLDINGS INC: The optical components maker said on May 20 it discontinued all shipments to Huawei, adding it intends to fully comply with the US imposed license requirements. Huawei represented 18 per cent of the companys total revenue in the latest quarter.

QORVO INC: The radio frequency chipmaker said on May 21 it expects first-quarter revenue to take a USD 50 million hit due to a halt in shipments to Huawei. The Chinese firm represents 15 per cent of Qorvos total revenue in the year ended March 30.

ANALOG DEVICES INC: Chief Executive Officer Vincent Roche on May 22 said his company will not be shipping anything to Huawei for the foreseeable future.

INPHI CORP: The optical communications chipmaker on May 22 lowered its second-quarter earnings forecast based on its understanding of the US government blacklisting of Huawei, which accounted for 14 per cent of Inphi's sales in 2018.

ARM: The British chip designer, owned by Japans SoftBank Group Corp, said on May 22 it has halted relations with Huawei to comply with the US ban.

PANASONIC CORP: The Japanese electronics giant said on May 23 it had stopped shipments of certain components to Huawei. It will still sell some components to Huawei, a point it made clear on its China website.

NEOPHOTONICS CORP: The optical components maker said on May 23 it wrote down certain inventories as a result of the US ban on Huawei, while fully complying with the restrictions by ceasing shipments of products.

SYNOPSYS INC: The electronic products and software maker said on May 23 the company was restricting trade with Huawei and this will impact its revenue.

MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC: Chief Financial Officer David Zinsner said on May 23 the chipmaker, which earned 13 per cent of its revenue in the first and second quarter from Huawei, was restricted from exporting additional product to the Chinese company.

MICROSOFT CORP: The software maker has stopped accepting new orders from Huawei as it moves to comply with the US ban, a South China Morning Post report on May 24 said. The two areas of business between Huawei and Microsoft - Windows operating systems for laptops and other content-related services - have been suspended.

IQE Plc: U.K.-based maker of semiconductor wafers used in chips said on May 24 that the US ban of Huawei could lead to delay in orders and the need for adjustment of supplier managed inventory levels, mainly in its wireless business unit. IQE supplies wafers to multiple chip companies, some of whom supply to Huawei.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.Its not a really great time to be Huawei right now as it appears that all their partners have been forced to stop doing any sort of business with them. One of the biggest blows to the Chinese brand is that Google wont be providing the Android OS to Huawei. This comes as a major blow as it is the operating system that runs on practically all their devices. It now appears that Huawei has a back-up plan in the works.

Huawei has been long rumoured to be preparing its own operating system; however, details regarding it have been pretty slim. The last we heard about the brand was that it would partner with Aptoid to introduce its own app store as a replacement for Google Play. But if the latest news is anything to go by, then Huawei is preparing its own Android alternative which will let it run as an independent OS without relying on Google. A report by the Wall Street Journal claims that Huawei has filed a trademark for Hongmeng with the Intellectual Property Administration in China. This is in all likelihood the Project Z or Plan B operating system that had been previously spoken about by Huawei.

Reports suggest that Huawei has for some time been developing its own OS as an insurance policy as there has been increasing threats against its business in the US. With the Android OS under threat, it appears that Huawei has decided to certify their own OS.

A report by Trusted Reviews state, Its currently unclear what the inspiration for the name is, but Hong Meng is a character in the Daoist text, Zhuanghai. It is translated in many ways, but often as Mist of Chaos, Vital Principle, and Natural Energy. All could be applied to the firms current predicament, but perhaps the latter is the most appropriate.

As of now, its unclear when Hongmeng will be announced; but it will be a waiting game as the deal with Google has been given a short extension.

Disclaimer: The above report is completely based on online rumours and leaks from the respective sources. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Deccan Chronicle and/or other staff and contributors to this website.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.The US leader is scheduled to make a state visit to Britain next month. (Photo:AP)

Washington: US President Donald Trump said Friday he felt sorry for British Prime Minister Theresa May, who has resigned after three years of turmoil surrounding her country's "Brexit" from the European Union.

"I feel badly for Theresa. I like her very much. She is a good woman," Trump told reporters on the White House lawn as he prepared to set off on a trip to Japan.

"She's a good woman. She worked very hard. She's very strong," Trump said.

Also Read: Theresa May resigns: Timeline of UK PM's turmoil filled 3 years at Downing Street

Trump has nonetheless criticized May repeatedly in recent months for her handling of Brexit even as she tried to establish good relations with him.

The US leader is scheduled to make a state visit to Britain next month and will meet with May just days before her final day in office, which is June 7.UN Secretary-General appoints Indian Army officer as the new Force Commander of the UNMISS. (Photo: Twitter)

New York: A decorated Indian Army officer has been appointed the new Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar, 57, will succeed Lieutenant General Frank Kamanzi of Rwanda who completes his assignment on May 26. The UN chief made the announcement on Friday.

A statement by the UN Spokesperson about the decorated Indian Army officer read: "has had a long and distinguished career with the Indian Armed Forces spanning over 34 years".

Tinaikar graduated from the Indian Military Academy in 1983 and is currently serving as the Commandant of the Infantry School since July 2018.

He previously served as the Additional Director General of Military Operations at the Army Headquarters from 2017 to 2018. He commanded a division, a recruit training center and a brigade between 2012 to 2017.

For his distinguished service, Tinaikar was awarded the Sena Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal.

From 1996 to 1997, he served in the United Nations Angola Verification Mission III, and from 2008 to 2009, in the United Nations Mission in Sudan.

He holds a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in Defence and Strategic Studies from The University of Madras.

Currently, contributions of more than 6,400 military and police personnel to the UN peace operations in Abyei, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, the Middle East, South Sudan, and Western Sahara have been made by India, the fourth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to the UN peacekeeping missions.

The UN mission in South Sudan, a country born in July 2011, has 19,400 personnel deployed with it as of March 2019.

India is the second highest troop-contributing country to UNMISS with 2,337 Indian peacekeepers, second only to Rwanda with 2,750. It also contributes 22 police personnel to UNMISS.Washington: A day after ruling BJP secured a resounding victory in the parliamentary elections, US President Donald Trump on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a "great man and leader".

Trump also telephoned Modi to once again congratulate him for his strong showing in elections.

"Just spoke to Prime Minister @NarendraModi where I congratulated him on his big political victory. He is a great man and leader for the people of India - they are lucky to have him!" tweeted Trump.

Also Read: Trump, Imran Khan, other leaders congratulate PM Modi after he gets majority

Modi-led BJP has swept the 17th Lok Sabha elections, garnering 303 seats. The saffron party, along with its allies, have secured 352 seats out of 542.

Yesterday also, Trump along with his deputy, advisor and several other American leaders tweeted to extend their wishes to PM Modi on his re-election.

"Congratulations to Prime Minister @NarendraModi and his BJP party on their BIG election victory! Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. I look forward to continuing our important work together!" the US President had tweeted.

Meanwhile, the US State Department has also congratulated PM Modi on his electoral victory and highlighted that the Indian elections "serve as an inspiration to democracies and individuals around the world."

Scores of world leaders, right from Japan in the East to Canada in the West, have wished the BJP leader for securing a resounding mandate in the latest Indian general elections.The actions were the latest by the Trump administration as it highlights what it sees as a threat of potential attack by Iran. (Photo:AP)

Washington: The United States on Friday announced the deployment of 1,500 troops to the Middle East, describing it as an effort to bolster defenses against Iran as it accused the country's Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for this month's tanker attacks.

President Donald Trump's administration also invoked the threat from Iran to declare a national security-related emergency that would clear the sale of billions of dollars' worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries without required congressional approval.

The actions were the latest by the Trump administration as it highlights what it sees as a threat of potential attack by Iran, and follows decisions to speed the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group as well as send bombers and additional Patriot missiles to the Middle East.

Also Read: 'Wont talk with US under any circumstance': Iran

The deployments, decried by Iran as escalatory, have come amid a freeze in direct communication between the United States and Iran that has raised concerns about the increasing risk of an inadvertent conflict.

Trump, however, described the latest deployments as defensive, in nature. The 1,500 troops include personnel manning missile defence systems, aerial surveillance to spot threats and engineers to fortify defenses. It also includes a fighter jet squadron.

"We want to have protection in the Middle East. We're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective," Trump said as he left the White House for a trip to Japan.

The decision on troops marks a reversal of sorts for Trump, who only on Thursday said he thought no more forces were needed. Trump has sought to detangle the US military from open-ended conflicts in places like Syria and Afghanistan.

The deployment is relatively small compared with the about 70,000 American troops now stationed across a region that stretches from Egypt to Afghanistan. In addition, some 600 of the 1,500 "new" troops are already in the Middle East manning Patriot missiles, but will see their deployments extended.

Still, the Democratic lawmaker who heads the House Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith, said the deployment "appears to be a blatant and heavy-handed move to further escalate tensions with Iran."

Eager to avoid escalation with Iran amid already heightened tensions, Pentagon officials stressed the defensive nature of the deployment in a news briefing and noted that none of the troops would be heading to hot spots like Iraq or Syria.

At the same time, the US State Department informed Congress that it will go ahead with 22 arms deals worth some USD 8 billion, congressional aides said, sweeping aside a long-standing precedent for congressional review of such sales.

Some lawmakers and congressional aides had warned earlier this week that Trump, frustrated with Congress holding up weapons sales like a major deal to sell Raytheon Co precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia, was considering using the loophole to go ahead with the sale.

Rear Admiral Michael Gilday, the director of the Joint Staff, on Friday described US intelligence portraying a new Iranian "campaign" that used old tactics, and stretched from Iraq to Yemen to the waters in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime chokepoint for the global oil trade.

"We believe with a high degree of confidence that this stems back to the leadership of Iran at the highest levels and that all of the attacks that I mentioned have been attributed to Iran through their proxies or their forces," he said.

Also Read: 'We shall respond with great force If Tehran attack interests': Trump

Gilday accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of being directly responsible for attacks on tankers off the United Arab Emirates earlier this month, in what could be a foreshadowing of the conclusion of ongoing investigations into the incident.

"The attack against the shipping in Fujairah, we attribute it to the IRGC," Gilday said, explaining that the Pentagon attributed limpet mines used in the attack directly to the IRGC.

He declined to describe "the means of delivery" of the mines, however.

A Norwegian-registered oil products tanker and a UAE fuel bunker barge were among four vessels hit near Fujairah emirate, one of the world's largest bunkering hubs located just outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Gilday also accused Iran-backed "proxy" forces of carrying out a rocket attack in Baghdad's Green Zone last week.

The Pentagon did not provide evidence to support its claims but said it hoped to further declassify intelligence supporting them. Iran has dismissed the accusations entirely and accuses the United States of brinkmanship with its troop deployments.

Trump played down the potential for military conflict in the region, saying he believed Iran did not want a confrontation with the United States - even as Washington tightens sanctions with a goal of pushing Iran to make concessions beyond the terms of its 2015 nuclear deal.

Trump pulled out of the international deal between Iran and six major world powers last year.

"Right now, I don't think Iran wants to fight. And I certainly don't think they want to fight with us," Trump said.

"But they cannot have nuclear weapons," he continued. "They can't have nuclear weapons. And they understand that.""I feel that laker vessel companies  owners and operators  need to have confidence in the technologies that they may one day install on their vessels," Prihoda said. "I don't feel like they're going to have that confidence in the technologies being able to perform consistently in the Great Lakes unless there is large-scale controlled land testing."London: The contest to replace Theresa May, who on Friday announced she was quitting as the UK prime minister, hotted up on Saturday with five candidates now vying for the job, the British media reports say.

In the race are British health minister Matt Hancock, former foreign minister Boris Johnson, current foreign minister Jeremy Hunt, International Developm- ent Secretary Rory Stewart and former work and pensions minister Esther McVey. Mr Stewart said he would not serve under rival Boris Johnson because of his backing for a no-deal exit. Party bosses expect a new leader to be chosen by the end of July, reports BBC.

Mr Hancock told Radio 4s Today there was no point in becoming prime minister unless he was straightforward about the trade-offs - between sovereignty and market access and the trade-offs to get a deal through this Parliament.

He also said the party needed a leader for the future not just for now, capable of appealing to younger voters.

We need to move on from the horrible politics of the last three years, he said. "We need a fresh start and a fresh face to ensure this country wins the battles of the 2020s and remains prosperous for many years to come."

"It pains me to say it," he told BBC News.

Boris has many, many qualities but I talked to him a few days ago and I thought he had said to me that he was not going for a no-deal exit.

"He has now come out and said yesterday that he is going for something which I believe is undeliverable, unnecessary and is going to damage our country and economy."

Amber Rudd is not standing but wants to shape the debate on Brexit. Mr Johnson told an economic conference in Switzerland on Friday that a new leader would have the opportunity to do things differently.

We will leave the EU on 31 October, deal or no deal. The way to get a good deal is to prepare for a no deal.

The public broadcaster says most bookmakers have Mr Johnson as the favourite, in front of former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Environment Secretary Michael Gove.The United States once described Sadr as the most dangerous man in Iraq. (Photo:AP)

Baghdad: Thousands of supporters of a populist Iraqi Shiite Muslim cleric urged political and factional leaders on Friday to stay out of any conflict between Baghdads two biggest allies, Iran and the United States.

Protesters from the movement of Moqtada al-Sadr, who once led Shiite militiamen against US forces and is also vocally critical of Iranian influence in Iraq, chanted no to war and yes to Iraq in central Baghdad and the southern city of Basra.

Iraqis worry that their country will be caught up in any escalation of US-Iranian tensions, which spiked earlier this month when President Donald Trumps administration said it had sent additional forces to the Middle East to counter alleged threats including from Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.

Also Read: 'US dare not attack Iran': Iran Revolutionary Guard commander

Politicians and Shiite paramilitary leaders have called for calm and the Iraqi government has tried to position itself as a mediator between the two sides.

Weve just recovered from Islamic State. Iraq must not be used as a base to try to harm any country. America doesnt want Iraq to be stable, said protester Abu Ali Darraji.

There was speculation that Sadr would speak to demonstrators in Baghdad but he did not appear. The firebrand leader, whose political bloc came first in Iraqs parliamentary election last year, is a friend of neither Washington nor Shiite Iran.

The United States once described Sadr as the most dangerous man in Iraq, and designated his militia at the time, the Mehdi Army, a bigger threat to its forces than al Qaeda during an insurgency against US troops after their 2003 invasion.

Sadr campaigned last year on a platform of Iraqi nationalism, opposed to both US and Iranian influence in the country.

Also Read: More troops stationed at Middle-East as US blame Iran for tanker attacks

Amid rising US-Iran tension, a rocket was fired last week into Baghdads fortified Green Zone which houses government buildings and diplomatic missions, but caused no casualties. No group claimed responsibility; US officials say they strongly suspect Irans local allies.

The attack came after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Iraqi leaders that if they failed to keep in check powerful Iran-backed militias, Washington would respond with force.

US intelligence had showed militias positioning rockets near bases housing US forces, according to Iraqi security sources.

After pulling out of Irans 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Trump restored US sanctions on Iran last year and tightened them this month, ordering all countries to halt imports of Iranian oil or face sanctions themselves.

Iraq has said it will send delegations to Washington and Tehran to help calm tensions.

Both Iran and the United States say they do not want war, but security officials and analysts warn that a small incident could spark a new spiral of violence in the volatile region.Tens of thousands of young climate activists rallied in Germany on Friday in the latest mass protest demanding urgent action against global warming, ahead of the weekend's European Parliamentary elections.

At least 5,000 students boycotted classes and demonstrated at Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate in what was expected to be one of the largest of protests planned in more than 120 countries.

Large crowds also gathered in Hamburg, Frankfurt and other German cities, mirroring protests across Europe and the world.

In Berlin, they carried signs with messages such as "Climate now, homework later!" and "There is no planet B", while teenage activists chanted: "What do we want? Climate justice! When do we want it? now!"

The initiator of the "Fridays for Future" protests, 16-year-old Swedish school girl Greta Thunberg, again passionately called on youths in Europe and around the world to join the movement.

"It is time for all of us to resist on a massive scale," she wrote in a text co-authored with German activist Luisa Neubauer in the newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

"We have the feeling that many adults have not yet fully understood that we young people cannot stop the climate crisis on our own," they wrote, calling the challenge "a task for all of humanity".

While many previous protest movements have started on university campuses, the "Fridays" rallies emerged from among school students -- a generation that has grown up with predictions of ecological doom yet witnessed what they see as only glacial political change.

"Climate change doesn't respect borders, climate change will at some point become irreversible," said one protester, Berlin student Aaron Langguth, 21. "That's why we have to do something now.

"The students realise that there's no point going to classes if they don't have a future."

Many of the banners, posters and protest cries reflect a rising sense of frustration and anxiety about inheriting a warming planet with melting ice caps and glaciers that is battered by worsening droughts, floods and storms.

"You are running out of excuses, we are running out of time," read one message directed at politicians, while another demanded: "The climate is changing, why aren't we?"

Many messages addressed the serious issue in a more light-hearted way, including signs that read, "Make the world cool again" "Make love, not CO2" and "Don't blow it - good planets are hard to find".

One boy's hand-painted sign mixed ecological alarm with a teenager's optimism: "Our planet is getting hotter than my future girlfriend." Another issued a direct warning to adults: "If you don't take us seriously, we'll scrap your pensions".

In recent months, the rallies have indeed helped to significantly shift political attitudes among adults.

Most mainstream parties have addressed climate change and other environmental issues as a Eurobarometer poll shows that it is now a leading concern for European Union voters, not far behind economic issues and migration.

Present at the Berlin protests were #ParentsForFuture and similarly named groups by Scientists, Doctors, Entrepreneurs, Midwives and Queers.

Under the 2015 Paris deal to limit global warming to well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the 28-nation EU has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030, compared to 1990.

But many scientists and climate activists say Europe and all other major economies must sharply raise their ambition.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change warned in October that warming is currently on track towards a catastrophic 3C or 4C rise.Senior BJP leader R Ashok Saturday demanded the resignations of Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and Congress Legislative Party leader Siddaramaiah from their posts in view of the ruling coalition's rout in the Lok Sabha elections in the state.

Referring to his party's win in 25 of the 28 seats in the state, Ashok, a former deputy chief minister, said it meant people voted for it in more than 177 assembly segments. "People have given us massive support. They have voted for BJP in more than 177 assembly segments out of 224, it means Kumaraswamy and CLP leader Siddaramaiah must immediately step down from their positions," he told reporters here.

His demand came a day after the Karnataka cabinet Friday reposed its 'faith and confidence' in the leadership of Kumaraswamy, asserting that the coalition would continue. The JD(S) and Congress won only one seat each.

Mocking Siddaramaiah, Ashok said the former chief minister was the chairman of the ruling coalition's co-ordination committee but the panel lacked co-ordination. "People saw how Siddaramaiah co-ordinated in Tumkur and Mandya to ensure the defeat of JD(S) candidates (H D Deve Gowda and grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy)," he said.

In a shocking outcome, Gowda lost to independent and multi-lingual actress Sumalatha, wife of late Congress MP and actor Ambareesh. Ashok also claimed people rejected the JD(S)-Congress government within a year because of its poor performance.He said none of his past offenses even included guns and that he doesnt like guns. He said he moved away from Chicago years ago, changed his life, worked hard at many different jobs and cared for his children. He apologized to Jouravleffs family that he had been killed but insisted he was not with the other men or at Jouravleffs home that night.SALT LAKE CITY  The Utah Supreme Court has suspended a city judge for making "shirty and politically charged" comments from the bench and posting "indelicate" criticism online about President Donald Trump.

Judge Michael Kwan will serve a six-month suspension without pay for repeatedly violating the Utah Code of Judicial Conduct. In his 21 years as a Taylorsville Justice Court judge, the Judicial Conduct Commission has issued Kwan two letters of education and the Supreme Court has publicly reprimanded him twice for various violations.

One of those reprimands involved Kwan's "crass in-court reference to sexual conduct and a former president of the United States," according to the court. The other addressed his political activities as the head of a nonprofit organization that criticized candidates online using his name and title as a judge.

"We note that previous endeavors to help Judge Kwan correct this behavior have not been successful. And we regretfully conclude that a sanction less severe than suspension without pay will suffer the same fate as our prior attempts," Justice John Pearce wrote in the court's opinion.

Kwan admitted to the most recent violations but contended they warranted a lesser penalty because the sanction rested, in part, on an unlawful attempt to regulate his constitutionally protected speech.

The Supreme Court opinion cites judicial conduct rules that say a judge shall not engage in political activity that is inconsistent with the independence, integrity or impartiality of the court.

Kwan's attorney, Greg Skordas, said he argued that political comments by a judge aren't necessarily prohibited, but the court didn't deal directly with the free speech issue.

"Its the type of thing that, I think, the Supreme Court felt, at the very least, made them uncomfortable, to think a sitting judge would do that and that was really part of the problem here," he said.

Skordas described Kwan as a "popular judge" and a "charming man" and hopes Taylorsville can find someone to fill in while he's gone.

"Arguably, he allowed his political thoughts to get the better of him and the Supreme Court has reprimanded him for that and the reprimand was quite severe," he said.

During an exchange with a defendant during a January 2017 hearing, Kwan launched into a commentary about Trump's immigration and tax policies. Apparently behind in his fine payments, the defendant told Kwan he would pay after he received his tax refund.

Kwan questioned whether the defendant would get any money back.

"I pray and cross my fingers," the man said.

Kwan replied, "OK. Prayer might be the answer. Cause he just signed an order to start building the wall and he has no money to do that, and so if you think you are going to get taxes back this year, uh-yeah, maybe, maybe not. But dont worry, there is a tax cut for the wealthy so if you make over $500,000 youre getting a tax cut. Youre right there, right? Pretty close? All right, so do you have a plan? Other than just get the tax cut and pay it off?"

Kwan, according to the Supreme Court opinion, contends that the comment was intended to be funny, not rude.

"It is an immutable and universal rule that judges are not as funny as they think they are. If someone laughs at a judges joke, there is a decent chance that the laughter was dictated by the courtrooms power dynamic and not by a genuine belief that the joke was funny," Pearce wrote.

In 2016 and early 2017, Kwan repeatedly posted comments and shared articles on Facebook and LinkedIn about Trump.

"With respect to Donald Trump, Judge Kwans postings were laden with blunt, and sometimes indelicate, criticism," Pearce wrote.

Kwan posted a Washington Post article titled, Ghazala Khan: Trump criticized my silence. He knows nothing about true sacrifice," in July 2016. Above the articles headline, he added, Checkmate.

In November 2016, three days after the presidential election, "Judge Kwan remarked, 'Think I'll go to the shelter to adopt a cat before the President-Elect grabs them all ," the court's opinion states.

On the day Trump was inaugurated in January 2017, Kwan posted, Welcome to governing. Will you dig your heels in and spend the next four years undermining our countrys reputation and standing in the world?  Will you continue to demonstrate your inability to govern and political incompetence?"

In February 2017, Kwan wrote, Welcome to the beginning of the fascist takeover," and "We need to  be diligent in questioning Congressional Republicans if they are going to be the American Reichstag and refuse to stand up for the Constitution, refuse to uphold their oath of office and enable the tyrants to consolidate their power."

"Again, these are illustrative examples  not a comprehensive recitation  of the comments and articles shared online by Judge Kwan that referenced Donald Trump and a range of other topics between mid-2016 and early 2017," Pearce wrote.

The court found that Kwan's postings gave the appearance that he didn't believe the judicial conduct rules applied to him.

Pearce wrote that the primary concern is not that Kwan voiced his views on political issues through his criticism of Trump. "Far more importantly, Judge Kwan has implicitly used the esteem associated with his judicial office as a platform from which to criticize a candidate for elected office," he wrote.

The sanction imposed on Kwan also stems from his treatment of his clerk after he learned an administrative staff member was promoted without his involvement.

Kwan confronted the clerk in an "angry" and "screaming" manner, according to court documents. A short time later, he wrote a notice of disciplinary action, threatened to put her on unpaid suspension pending termination and directed her to be escorted from the building.

Recipients of Kwan's email understood it to be a judicial order in part because the email included a signature block indicating it as such. Kwan argued the signature block was unintentional but the Judicial Conduct Commission did not find that claim credible.

Every time a judicial officer engages in misconduct, he or she spends the goodwill of the judiciary as a whole, Pearce wrote, adding "Here, we readily conclude that Judge Kwan has been spending our goodwill."

Contributing: Marc GiaqueMemorial Day weekend is here, and it's a perfect time to catch up on the news in a fun, easy way with these political cartoons.

President Trump and the trade war with China were a popular topic this week.

America's farmers have been hit hard by the trade war. China used to be the largest buyer of U.S. soybean exports, but about 75 percent of that money was lost last year, dropping from $12 billion to $3 billion.

To try to offset the loss, the Trump administration is giving farmers a $16 billion farm aid package.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Trump have been in the news for their heated discussions and comments this week.

Although meetings were meant to center around Infrastructure Week, stories highlighted the Democrats' push for impeachment and Republicans' demand for border wall funding.

Memorial Day is Monday, May 27. It is dedicated to remembering those who died while in the Armed Forces.

Other stories this week included Trump's large loss of business income, billionaire Robert Smith promising to pay off the student loans of Morehouse graduates and comments likening Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg's strategy to Trump's.While Memorial Day presents an opportunity to reflect on the historic toll of Americas involvement in military conflict, its also a chance to look forward to the sobering prospect of future engagements, especially with the drumbeat of tensions mounting in the Middle East.

It would be naively optimistic to expect the nation to never again go to war, but it is essential that it is clear-headed about the reasons to deploy forces overseas, and the likely outcome. Its not certain such temperance is in play currently, as the administration makes overtures of intervention in Iran. Forces already have been deployed to the area after the White House said there are threats to American interests emanating from Tehran, though its unclear exactly what those are.

Earlier this month, National Security Advisor John Bolton issued a statement saying the U.S. has seen a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings from the Iranian regime and that it is necessary to send a clear and unmistakable message to the Middle Eastern country.

No doubt Iran under its current government is inclined to enmity toward the West, and it has a record of human rights violations against its own citizens. In a press conference after briefing members of Congress on the issue, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reminded the attendees that Iran has engaged in 40 years of terrorist activities. But there is a lack of detailed evidence that the nations actions with regard to nuclear development or military maneuvering pose a current threat to the U.S. or its allies.

On Friday, Trump ordered another 1,500 troops to the surrounding region. Should matters escalate, it would be a mistake to bypass Congress. It is the constitutional province of Congress to declare war, but many conflicts have begun on the basis of executive order. Here, its good to see Congress reasserting itself after years of inaction. In March, it passed a resolution to end U.S. military involvement in Yemen. The president vetoed the resolution in April.

So far, signs point toward less destructive motivations in Iran. Acting secretary of defense Patrick Shanahan told reporters that U.S. action is already having a hampering effect on the regime. This is about deterrence, not about war, he said. Indeed, neither country would benefit from armed intervention. Military strikes may turn the sympathies of everyday Iranians against the U.S., and it seems Trump wants to avoid conflict.

So why sound the alarm? Some experts in the field think its an effort, along with intense economic sanctions, to cripple the Iranian economy, drive oil exports to zero and possibly utilize dissatisfaction in parts of the country to spark a regime change. That idea, as Gerald Seib of The Wall Street Journal points out, is as old as the four-decade conflict.

A different goal, according to Seib, may be to force Iran into talks with the United States. Given Trumps affinity for conducting diplomacy in person, this may be a plausible strategy for crafting better relations. It certainly would be the better path over military engagement.

In the meantime, the administration should be as open as possible with the public. Shanahan told reporters that Congress wants us to be more communicative with the American public, and we agreed to do more of that. The Utah delegation and other members of Congress should hold the administration accountable to that claim so citizens need not be confused or panicked.SALT LAKE CITY  Christians in Iraq are close to extinction, according to BBC News.

The Most Rev. Bashar Warda, the archbishop of Erbil in Iraq, accused Christian leaders in Britain of not doing enough to stop Christian persecution in Iraq.

He said Christians in Iraq face extinction after 1,400 years of persecution. Specifically, he said the Christian community has dropped by 83 percent since the United States invasion of Iraq. He said numbers have dropped from 1.5 million to 250,000, BBC News reports.

"Christianity in Iraq," he said, "one of the oldest Churches, if not the oldest Church in the world, is perilously close to extinction. Those of us who remain must be ready to face martyrdom."

He said the battle with the extremist Islamic State is the final, existential struggle after the group began assaulting Christians in 2014, according to BBC News.

"Our tormentors confiscated our present while seeking to wipe out our history and destroy our future, he said, according to BBC News. "In Iraq there is no redress for those who have lost properties, homes and businesses. Tens of thousands of Christians have nothing to show for their life's work, for generations of work, in places where their families have lived, maybe, for thousands of years."

But its not only Iraq or Christians. Religious persecution is widespread across the world. Notably, China has made headlines for placing Muslims in internment camps, according to The Associated Press.

China has denied that these camps target specific faiths. However, according to the AP, the camps are majority Muslim.

As Nicholas Kristof wrote for The New York Times, China is engaging in internment, monitoring or persecution of Muslims, Christians and Buddhists on a scale almost unparalleled by a major nation in three-quarters of a century.

But these appears to be the largest such internment of people on the basis of religion since the collection of Jews for the Holocaust, Kristof wrote.

The country hasnt set up concentration camps for Christians but it has harassed congregations, closed or destroyed churches, in some areas barred children from attending services and last year detained Christians about 100,000 times, he wrote, based on numbers from China Aid, a religious watchdog group.

U.S. religious freedom ambassador Sam Brownback told the Deseret News that hes working with political groups and organizations to end religious persecution across the world.

Brownback said he meets a lot of people who express experiences with religious persecution, showing him that it's a widespread problem for many.

"I went in to buy a pair of cowboy boots in Kansas over the holidays and a young man was there that had known my son growing up," he said. "He was telling me about people that he knew that were being persecuted in India for practicing their faith."

He added, "Why should anybody be persecuted for peacefully practicing their faith, whatever that faith is? That just, at a core level, irritates me and makes my blood boil. "

Read more: The Atlantic writes about how Christians are disappearing from the Middle East, especially a group that has been there since the region was first settled.SALT LAKE CITY  Is it possible for an American flag to be too big?

The city of Statesville, North Carolina is suing a business for violating a city ordinance by flying an American flag that is way too big, according to USA Today.

But the business hasnt brought down its flag. In fact, Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis wont remove the flag despite a court order to do so. He told USA Today that he doesnt plan on removing the piece of American pride, either.

The flag isnt coming down. Its the only thing I know for certain," Lemonis said. "I know Im going to die. I know Im going to pay taxes. And I know Im not taking the flag down.

According to the North Carolina city, the business, Gander RV, has let a 3,200-square-foot flag wave in the wind for six months. But the company only received a permit for a flag that was 1,000 square feet, The Charlotte Observer reports.

So, theres where the rubber meets the road. Or where the flag meets the wind?

In a statement, the city said it has asked the RV business to replace the current flag with a new one that matches the size the city approved.

The city will seek a fine of $50 for every day that the current flag is on display, according to the statement.

Lemonis shared on Twitter an email he received that said the fine was worth more than $10,000.

Hey @cityofsvl we have received your lawsuit regarding our #usflag #AmericanFlag. It will not come down. pic.twitter.com/eiVV8tAtz2  Marcus Lemonis (@marcuslemonis) May 18, 2019

If a judge grants the city an injunction, Lemonis says his refusal to remove the flag could land him in contempt of court. He said he would be willing to take that personal consequence, according to USA Today.

But why?

Lemonis' position is simple, he said: As long as the American flag isnt creating a safety hazard or interfering with airspace, there shouldnt be a limit on its display size. He says that position is specific to the American flag, USA Today reports.

Camping World shared a Facebook post that explained the decision to keep the flag, according to The Charlotte Observer.

"This is about more than just the flag. This is about our Veterans, Military, and the men and women that have sacrificed for this great country," Camping World posted to Facebook on May 18. "They are the reason we fly the flag and they are the reason we will NOT take it down!"

The City of Statesville, North Carolina has filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction to require Gander RV in Statesville,... Posted by Camping World on Saturday, May 18, 2019

Officials in Statesville, North Carolina said in their own Facebook post that they stand by the flag but not necessarily the business' decision to keep it flying.

The City of Statesville stands by our flag and what it represents.

We take our laws and ordinances very seriously. Our doors are open to any business looking to prosper and grow in our community. We only ask that the proper channels are followed. That is the first and necessary step to any potential change in code, said the post.

We would like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU for the outpouring of support many have shared for our American... Posted by City of Statesville on Tuesday, May 21, 2019

More than 200,000 people have signed a petition to keep the flag flying. The goal was originally 75,000 signatures but has now been raised to 300,000.SALT LAKE CITY  Hillcrest High School student Ari Trionfo, one of the leaders of a youth-led climate strike Friday, said it doesn't matter if members of her generation grow up to be politicians  if today's politicians don't act on the climate crisis today, their efforts won't matter.

Trionfo was one of dozens of Utah junior high and high school students who skipped school and walked to the Capitol in Salt Lake City as part of a global youth-led climate strike. The worldwide protest held in over 130 countries was sparked by the efforts of Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old who started the movement last year in Sweden.

People that are old enough to be making these differences, its not going to affect them, its going to affect us, Trionfo said. We need to do something right now. We have until 2032 and some scientists are even saying 2031, and after that, no matter what we do, it will be too late.

Last fall, scientists of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a special report that said urgent environmental changes need to be made in the next 12 years to prevent climate change from having a negative irreversible impact on the planet that could lead to catastrophic drought, extreme weather and poverty, according to the study.

Granger High School science teacher Myla VanDuyn is glad to see the next generation "ready to take the mantle" and do what "we should have been doing a long time ago."

Eighteen-year-old Raquel Juarez, another youth leader who's been at every climate strike at the Capitol since March 15, said she often hears others yell at her in the street and tell her that climate change isn't real or that it is a myth.

"Students believe their future is in danger and that the issue of climate change has not been addressed and has been ignored for decades," she said.

Juarez said people in charge have put environmental issues on the back burner for too long, and that the problems have to be addressed with urgency.

Yoram Bauman, co-founder of Clean the Darn Air, a grassroots environmental issues committee, is working to have the Clean Air Carbon Tax Act ballot measure appear on the November 2020 ballot.

"The science is clear that this is a problem that humans are contributing to, and that we should take action. There are smart approaches that we can do to address this problem," Bauman said.

Bauman said the organization held seven public hearings in different regions across the state, spanning from Price down to St. George, with an average attendance of a dozen people at each one. Provo and Price had higher attendance of 20 to 30 people, he said.

After receiving feedback from the hearings, emails from constituents and engaging in conversations with community members, the organization received feedback that some believed its original proposal wasn't investing enough in improving air quality or promoting rural economic development, Bauman said.

Clean the Darn Air has since updated its clean air and climate ballot measure to reflect the feedback; it submitted those updates last Friday. The biggest changes include increasing funding to improve air quality from $75 million to $100 million a year and doubling the funding for rural economic development to $50 million a year.

Bauman emphasized that climate change is more than just a climate issue, it's an economic, health and family issue as well.

He said it's an issue that affects his family and he's heard of companies declining to fly prospective employees to Utah during winter months because of the poor air quality.

"This measure we're working on is pretty close to what most economists would say is a policy to smart action," he said. "We want to tax pollution  not potatoes."

Before gathering the sufficient amount of signatures required, Bauman said the ballot measure is in the process of getting an updated fiscal estimate from the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst and expects it no later than June 17.

Once that's completed, the organization can begin collecting the required 115,869 signatures of registered Utah voters and meet specific signature thresholds in at least 26 of the 29 state Senate districts by February 18, 2020.

"We're excited about the enthusiasm that folks have shown about joining the campaign. It's an initiative that's important to all of us," he said.

Cherise Udell, founder of Utah Moms for Clean Air, came to the Capitol to provide support for the students at the protest.

"The future of these children is at stake. The direction that we're going the planet is becoming extremely unstable and it's going to become more and more unstable if we don't address this issue aggressively in the next 12 years," Udell.

Udell said it's inspiring to see students stand up and speak for themselves, but it's been a "colossal failure" on the behalf of the adults.

"We're the ones who have made this mess, and we're refusing to clean it up. We're not even acknowledging that we've made a mess," she said. "They are the ones that are having reality hit them so hard in the face that if we do not address this problem then they're the ones who are really going to suffer."

Trionfo said the group plans to protest at the Capitol each Friday for the rest of the summer until "something gets done."

Adults are invited to join the next global climate strike, set for Sept. 20.The homeowner, a 39-year-old man, confronted Johnson and shot him in the buttocks, police said. Johnson was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was stabilized.SANDY  The city of Sandy has settled a potential defamation lawsuit threatened by former Police Chief Kevin Thacker, after he claimed Mayor Kurt Bradburn made "false and misleading statements to the media" when he was fired in April 2018 amid allegations of inappropriate touching, mainly hugging women too often and in an inappropriate manner.

The city paid Thacker $100,006.40  with $25,000 going to Thacker's attorneys to cover legal fees  in the October 2018 settlement that states the agreement does not serve as "an admission of any fault, wrongdoing or liability."

In his notice of claim to the city, obtained Friday through a public records request, Thacker says he wanted to clear his name after alleging that Bradburn said he should be kept away from wives and children because of allegations that he made women uncomfortable with his frequent and unwanted hugs.

The notice of claim contained a "formal demand for a 'name-clearing hearing'" and said Thacker intended to personally sue Bradburn for defamation because of "false and disparaging remarks" about him.

A three-week investigation launched last year, which led to Thacker's termination, ultimately found his behavior was "unprofessional and inappropriate, and that it leads to an inappropriate atmosphere in the police department."

Detailed in the report are "neck massages, touching thighs and hugging cheek-to-cheek" behaviors with women in the office.

Thacker's notice of claim also alleges that when he was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, it was "out of the blue" and that Bradburn had "predetermined" he would fire Thacker.

It is unclear from the heavily redacted 2018 review how far back the allegations dated, though the report refered to complaints "several years ago." Attorney Scott Hagen, who prepared the report, appeared to have talked to at least eight employees, including Thacker.

The notice of claim, dated June 8, 2018, states Bradburn delivered a "false narrative that clearly suggested a long history of sexual misconduct and repeated warnings" to Thacker.

On April 24, 2018 the notice of claim states Bradburn fired Thacker and refutes Bradburns statements Thacker had been warned.

The notice of claim states at no time was Mr. Thacker ever warned or told (let alone repeatedly told) that he was not to hug employees.

It goes on to state that ironically at the end of the meeting, Mayor Bradburn attempted to hug Mr. Thacker, to which Mr. Thacker pushed back saying Mayor, I can't give you a hug  as he had just been fired for hugging.

"No one has made a formal complaint, but the women who were interviewed stated that it is not welcome to them. Male officers find the conduct to be unprofessional and embarrassing," states the April 2018 investigation report compiled by Salt Lake City law firm Ray Quinney & Nebeker.

"I found no evidence that Chief Thacker has committed any actual sexual assault, nor any evidence of overtly sexual contact between him and any female employee, whether consensual, or not," the report continued.

The investigation report also noted that witnesses were reluctant, teary and emotional and felt the investigation could make things worse for them. One woman said she felt her participation was disloyal because she had previously accepted Thacker's apology.

Thacker told a representative of the law firm he believed his hugs were proper and innocent, and "denies that he ever hugs in the way described by female witnesses," according to the 2018 report. He may have touched a woman "briefly on the leg, but as a reassurance, not in a sexual manner" and "denies touching cheeks when hugging female officers or employees," the review states. He acknowledged a prior complaint but said it was unfounded.

Thacker, who became police chief in 2014 after more than 30 years in the force, wrote in a 2018 email to Sandy Police Department: "Looking back, I made a lot of mistakes as I learned and tried to conform to a position I never sought."

The email, made public by colleagues, followed a news conference held by Bradburn where he said Thacker's behavior led to a "negative working environment."

Thacker refuted the claim in the email, saying "I respectfully disagree," and that he felt the department "made tremendous progress and are better now than we were four years ago."

In a news conference held April 26, 2018, Bradburn, a human resources attorney, said, "The work environments that these behaviors create are not healthy. Just because you feel like it's OK to touch someone in a certain way because that's your mode of expressing feelings, it doesn't mean that somebody else should have to put up with that."

In Thacker's notice of claim, he said it was the statements made at these April 2018 news conferences that defamed him, including "melodramatic" comments he claimed Bradburn made warning the public that Thacker should be "kept away from wives and daughters."

These press conferences, the notice of claim states, were intended to paint Bradburn as "a #metoo advocate, fighting with/for wives and daughters.'" Thacker said Sandy breached contract by terminating him without cause, refusing to pay three-month severance "he is entitled to under contract."

As part of the agreement to settle Thacker's claim outside of court, the city granted Thacker retirement credentials, and returned his chief of police badge. It was also stipulated that Thacker will cease contact with Sandy police and its employees in regard to his termination, the operations of the department or requests for a hearing.SALT LAKE CITY  A State School Board committee on Friday approved new science standards for Utah public school students in grades K through five and nine through 12, but not before some pushback on the teaching of evolution and climate change.

Except for some slight tweaks, the proposed standards were approved by the Standards and Assessment Committee and will be considered for adoption at an upcoming State School Board meeting.

The effort to update the standards started in late 2017, said Ricky Scott, science education specialist for the Utah State Board of Education. Friday's committee hearing came after a lengthy process to update and write new standards and a 90-day review period, which included six public hearings.

Linda Hanks, representing the Utah School Boards Association, said local school districts anxiously await state board approval of the standards so they can get to work selecting curriculum.

"Our teachers are anxious, waiting for it, the same kind of excitement the six to eight teachers who have already been teaching it," referring to earlier State School Board approval of science standards at the middle-school level.

Dawn Monson, president of the Utah Science Teachers Association, urged the committee's approval of the new standards.

"Students need the opportunity to experience and question. This is what the SEED standards (Utah Science with Engineering Education standards) are. It's not about content but it's about pedagogy. The students need an opportunity to be the scientist," Monson said.

But others pushed back against the new standards.

"The fact our children are continuously proselytized to believe in evolution is a problem to all us religious people," said small-business owner Lee Pearson.

When God is taken out of the picture, "there's no accountability. That makes us free to think we're free to do anything, including killing our unborn children," he said.

Board member Lisa Cummins made multiple attempts to amend the standards, expressing concern about how the standards approach the teaching of evolution and climate change.

Cummins claimed she knows an individual who witnessed the doctoring of data on the greenhouse effect, although she was not personally aware of the events.

Nevertheless, it raises skepticism, she said.

"It brings into discussion what else is out there. What are we not being told? What's been doctored? What's not been doctored?" she said.

"I don't want my kids to think we're going to die in 12 years."

Ashley Russon, science specialist for the Alpine School District who worked to develop the proposed standards on earth science, said, "I don't think any of these approaches lend themselves to a doomsday approach."

Candace Penrod, science supervisor for the Salt Lake City School District and another member of the group that developed the standards, said the standards encourage students' critical thinking skills as they examine data and trends about climate change and engineer helpful changes in human behavior or industry.

"Our children need this information because we want this world to survive," Penrod said.

With respect to evolution, Cummins questioned under the new standards whether Utah public schools "are teaching evolution as a fact or are we including other ideas?"

"Scientific theory, yes," said John Taylor, associate professor of biology at Southern Utah University, who helped develop the high school biology standards.

"We're trying to create scientific classes. So if I took an art class, I would expect to learn art," Taylor said.

"As a parent, I would not find it appropriate to go into science class and hear Adam and Eve creep in. As a parent, I would be saying, 'I had my student take that class to learn science.'"

The standards are based on the work of the National Research Council, the National Science Teachers Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he said.

"These are the largest bodies of scientists coming together saying, 'Heres where we're at,'" Taylor said.

"As of right now, there isn't a better explanation of the diversity of life and even where man came from than evolution," he said.SALT LAKE CITY  Railroad workers, business leaders, politicians and journalists were among those present at the golden spike ceremony on May 10, 1869.

Apostle Franklin D. Richards was there, along with other Latter-day Saint delegates from Ogden and Salt Lake City.

John Sharp, a bishop in the Salt Lake Valley, was an invited guest and attended on behalf of Brigham Young. He also represented the church in dealings with the Union Pacific Railroad.

At least three church members  Abraham Hunsaker, his son Israel, and William Neeley  are identified in Andrew J. Russell's iconic black-and-white photo with Jupiter and the No. 119 engines.

Elder Richards served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1849 until his death in 1899. According to his personal journal in the Church History Archives, Elder Richards was one of four official delegates from Ogden assigned to attend the golden spike ceremony. A Salt Lake delegation joined them for the trip to Promontory Summit.

Elder Richards recorded the following entries in his journal:

"Saturday May 8, 1869: Evening met with City Council and was elected one of 4 Committee to go to the Promontory on Monday next at connecting the rails and driving the last spike.

"Sunday May 9, 1869: The Delegation from Ogden went to the Rail Road & retired for the night. The Salt Lake City Delegation staid and went up with us.

"Monday May 10, 1869: Went as delegate with L. Farr (Lorin Farr), C.W. and J.B.H. Stenhouse to Promontory, Summit Co. to attend the ceremony of laying the last tie and rails connecting the U.P. (Union Pacific) and C.P. (Central Pacific) Rail Roads into one. Appointed and authorized by the City Council of Ogden. I was and we were cordially entertained by Gov. Stanford and his friends of the C.P. R. but the men of the U.P.R. scarcely noticed us. Returned at night being 5:20 p.m. and arrived home about 10 p.m. I handled the Golden Spike that was struck twice with the silver hammer by Gov. Leland Stanford, and which two blows discharged the guns in San Francisco and Chicago.

Farr joined the church with his family in 1832 and later became a close friend of Joseph and the Smith family in Missouri. Farr came to Utah with the pioneers and settled in Ogden, where he served as the city's first mayor and the first president of the Weber Stake, according to "Lorin Farr, Friend of the Prophet" by David J. Farr at rsc.byu.edu.

Sharp, a convert from Scotland, supervised the work of several hundred men as they cut tunnels for the Union Pacific railway in Weber Canyon. Sharp was also one of the builders of the Utah Central railway from Ogden to Salt Lake and southern Utah. He later served as superintendent of Utah Central and director of the Union Pacific before his death in 1891, according to a newspaper article on his FamilySearch.org profile.

The Hunsakers and Neeley are identified by family members as standing in the lower right-hand corner of the famous golden spike photograph.

Neeley joined the church in 1844, lived in Nauvoo and crossed the plains to Utah. He thrice served as a bishop, according to his life history on FamilySearch.org.

According to his life history and newspaper articles, Abraham Hunsaker and his wife Eliza joined the church in 1840. He marched with the Mormon Battalion and later settled in Brigham City. He served a mission and was the first bishop of the the Honeyville Ward.

With some of his older sons, Abraham contracted with the Central Pacific Company to build a mile of road grade near Corinne and harvest timber at his sawmill for a bridge over the Bear River, according to a family history.

The Hunsakers were among many Box Elder County settlers who turned out to witness the historic event, according to family records. Israel Hunsaker was about 16 years old at the time.

When the United States needed rails during the World War II defense effort during 1942, then 90-year-old Israel Hunsaker attended the "unspiking" ceremony. He was said to be the oldest living man to have worked on the railroad 73 years earlier.

For northern Utah native John Jensen, there was something magical about discovering his ancestors, the Hunsakers, in the famed photograph. It was his "Back to the Future moment," reminiscent of the scene in "Back to the Future 3" in which time travelers "Doc" Brown and Marty McFly end up in a black-and-white photograph with the Hill Valley clock, Jensen said.

"I had seen the famous photograph of the driving of the golden spike multiple times in school, but when I found out later, as a young adult, that my ancestor was involved in the railroad and was clearly visible in the photograph, history came off the page," Jensen said. "History wasn't just something I read about anymore, it was something that happened to my family."

Jared Allen grew up in Box Elder County and has ancestral ties to both Hunsaker and Neeley. He's grateful for their contributions to the railroad.

"I came to a realization that we stand on the shoulders of giants," Allen said.MURRAY  Smaller. Faster. Smarter.

Common goals in the world of tech startups, but Teal Drones founder and CEO George Matus  having nailed these three attributes very early on with drones he and his team developed  is on a quest for something more elusive and, perhaps, more consequential.

"Once consumer drones started becoming widely used and really popular, I started realizing that all they are is just a flying camera that can take photos and videos," Matus said. "And, I've always had these grand visions of what drones could do  and the role for good that they could have in society."

Building drones that can fulfill a greater and more impactful mission is a goal now very much in sight for Matus.

In late April, Teal was announced as one of only six companies awarded contracts with the U.S. Army to develop and prototype a lightweight surveillance drone for use by soldiers in the field. Matus, who launched Teal in 2014 and has already released two high-performance consumer model drones, said he's excited to be in the competition for designing a drone that could play a part in saving lives.

"The intention of this aircraft is to be a rucksack portable, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft the war fighter can have in their bag, pull out at any time, launch into the air and see what's around the next terrain feature, whether that's a hill or a building or whatever," Matus said. "Right now, the army doesn't have a quadcopter of this size and capability  and we're excited to be working on a design with all these awesome attributes that will potentially save lives."

Matus said the six companies, including Teal, were awarded some $11 million collectively and each have a year to design and complete a prototype that meets the specifications as outlined by the Army's program executive officer for aviation, in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit.

I got that first radio-controlled plane and really fell in love with it. I started learning as much as I could about hardware and software and flying. I was running lemonade stands and doing magic shows and babysitting to save up to buy my next $200 plane.  Teal Drones founder and CEO George Matus

Teal may have a jump on the competition as a company that has already developed two drone models, including the Teal One, which went on sale in October 2018. The Teal One has top speeds over 60 mph and, according to Matus, is the fastest production drone on the market. Features of the craft include a high-performance hardware and software platform powered by an NVIDIA Jetson supercomputer, capable of artificial intelligence, augmented reality and open source programming that allows users to modify or tweak as they wish. The Teal One is also backpack portable and modular to easily swap out propellers, arms and batteries.

The company, or companies, that win favor with the Army could be looking at procurement contracts north of $100 million. Matus said he likes Teal's chances.

"We're taking everything we've learned, all the experiences and all the mistakes that we've made from these last few products that we've launched, and taking that into this next generation with us," Matus said. "It is going to be quite an evolution and something that is going to blow a lot of people away with its capability."

Blowing people away is a strategy Matus has made a habit of. It's noteworthy that while his company has been around for five years, and attracted over $20 million in venture backing, Matus is all of 21 years old. But, his chronology is a little deceiving as he's been on the path to Teal since he became enamored of radio controlled planes and helicopters as a boy and developed a skill set that would lead to his first job in the drone industry, as a wizened 12-year-old.

"I got that first radio-controlled plane and really fell in love with it," Matus said. "I started learning as much as I could about hardware and software and flying," Matus said. "I was running lemonade stands and doing magic shows and babysitting to save up to buy my next $200 plane.

"And, when I was 12 became a test pilot for a drone company. I just applied for fun, because I saw an application."

That gig not only provided some budget relief for young Matus, but also gave him the chance to get hands-on experience with the latest-and-greatest in the still-nascent world of drones. Not long after he started building his own drones  including a large craft that could fly for two hours and carry a 25-pound payload and another smaller drone that could reach a blistering top speed over 100 mph. For that project he devised an innovative system for tilting the drones rotors, for which he received a patent.

While Matus watched the manufacturers of camera-bearing drones creating a red-hot consumer market, he thought he could do better and create something with a much wider range of potential uses by developing a drone with onboard computing capabilities. And he connected with someone who could help him take the first steps down that road.

While Matus was still in high school, he applied for and was chosen to join a select group of young entrepreneurs for a Thiel Fellowship. The namesake program of PayPal founder and venture capitalist Peter Thiel launched in 2011 with the mission of offering financial and expertise support for entrepreneurs under 22 years old who "want to build new things instead of sitting in a classroom."

"The idea is that there are people out there who, with the right support, can build something amazing without needing to necessarily attend college, or have other experience," Matus said. "Their motto is that 'some ideas can't wait'  so every year he brings in 20 kids, tells them not to go to college, gives them $100,000 and tells them, 'go do it.'"

And that's what Matus did, leveraging the seed money from Thiel and another $150,000 from a Salt Lake angel investor to get the company off the ground. He developed first the Teal Sport, and a short time later, the Teal One, with an onboard mini supercomputer and a whole lot of potential.

For now, Teal is taking a pause on consumer drones as it focuses on the Army development contract while simultaneously exploring a host of new, non-consumer business uses for drones. Matus said amidst rising commentary focused on Chinese manufactured drones and data security, it became clear that the demand for developing applications for industry was just too large to ignore.

"It was interesting that around the same time that we launched the consumer product we started getting just so many requests from different organizations looking for drones for their use cases," Matus said. "They all had similar challenges, not being able to find software that could address their needs and not able to utilize Chinese manufactured products that came with their own security concerns."

Colin Guinn has a deep resume in the drone industry and runs a company, Guinn Partners, that helps startups get their products market ready. He met Matus a few years back and became a friend and informal advisor. He said Matus is a standout in the drone world, both for his vision of how useful, beyond flying cameras, he believes drones can be, and for his ability to put that future outlook into practice.

"I am a big fan of George and the passion he brings to the space," Guinn said. "He has such a long history of building his own drones and really understanding how to create the best user experience."

Guinn, who previously worked for DJI, a China-based drone manufacturer that he said controls some 80 percent of the computer market, said Matus has always been looking further down the road than most of the competition. He noted that Teal's arc is recognizing that the use cases for drones will eventually tilt away from consumers and heavily toward an enterprise, or business, market. Guinn said data gathering, mapping, infrastructure inspection, search and rescue and many other applications have just been waiting for the technology to come up to speed. And Matus is helping lead that charge.

"I think George is right on the money with the direction they're going," Guinn said. "Becoming capable of gathering, processing and delivering data in near-real time  is a high value creation. Its definitely happening, and Teal is one of the players that's taking us there."

Teal's $20 million plus in funding has included backing from some local venture capital firms including Pelion Venture Partners and Kickstart Seed Fund. Kickstart administrative partner Alex Soffe said his team was blown away by Matus from the start and noted that while a young founder, he's been an expert in his space for over half his life.

"When you talk with George, you realize he is wise beyond his years," Soffe said. "Hes going to do great things and we're really impressed with his ability to adapt and react and change strategy. While Teal initially was going to be a consumer play they're now pivoting to enterprise and building the go-to portable drone for the military. I just love that hes willing to learn and is so great at taking feedback.

"And, he's a prodigy."OGDEN  Students interested in science and technology will soon be able to attend class in an old military plane in northern Utah.

A Vietnam era cargo plane has been converted into a classroom for science, technology, engineering and math students and attached to a museum at the Hill Air Force Base near Ogden, The Standard-Examiner reports.

Crews renovated a plane that had been stored at The Hill Aerospace Museum and Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah for decades and connected it to the building. The classroom was dedicated in a ceremony May 14.

Once attached to the building, the plane was painted and outfitted with new furnishings. Other than its missing wings, which were cut off to attach the plane to the museum, the plane looks like a working C-130 Hercules.

The museum's education program will offer aerospace lessons, science experiments, competitions and other activities in the aircraft, said Mark Standing, an education instructor at the museum. He said the classroom provides a unique, interactive learning component that differs from static museum displays.

"Often times we hear visitors say, 'We come to the museum but we never get to see the inside of an airplane,'" said Standing. "And now we will be able to say, 'Come on in!'"

A museum representative said Charlie White and his company, White's Aircraft, Salvage and Parts, donated to the renovation.

The United States military has used C-130 planes since the 1950s. The plane can land and take off in rough conditions and was designed to transport troops, medics and cargo. Officers have also used the plane for search and rescue missions, aerial refueling, firefighting and more.

The plane now serving as a classroom first went into service for the Air Force in 1965. It was last used in 1995.

"In the past couple weeks we've had the opportunity to let some vets in here who flew C-130s during their career," said museum Director Aaron Clark. "They come in here and they see it and they smell it and it takes them back and you see them get emotional. It's really cool."SALT LAKE CITY  Ask a Republican elected official in Utah if they're endorsing a second term for the sitting president of their own party and the answer should be obvious, shouldn't it?

Apparently not if the president running for re-election is Donald Trump.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, answered that question from CNN's Jake Tapper recently by joking he wasn't ready to say yet if he's going to write in the name of his wife, Ann, in the 2020 presidential election, as he did in 2016.

"We'll have to see how she does," Romney said with a laugh.

But when pressed about backing Trump, a candidate he criticized during the 2016 presidential race as a phony and a fraud, Utah's most prominent politician had little comment.

"I have not made any decision on that front, so we'll wait. This is way too early for that," Romney said. He did, however, have plenty to say about whether the president has failed as a moral leader.

"I think he could substantially improve his game when it comes to helping shape the character of the country," Romney said, reiterating his pledge to speak up when he disagrees with Trump.

He also pointed out that he believes "young people as well as people around the world look at the president of the United States and say, 'Does he exhibit the kind of qualities that we would want to emulate?'"

Some other Utah GOP political leaders have also exhibited reluctance to publicly get behind Trump's re-election, initially not responding to questions and when they did, offering little comment or stopping short of an endorsement.

Take Gov. Gary Herbert. His office initially said it was very early in the presidential race so there would be no comment on an endorsement at this point, suggesting a reporter check back next year.

When the Republican governor who's finishing what he has said will be his final term in office was later directly asked about endorsing the president, he talked about liking a lot of what the administration is doing for states.

Governors of both political parties appreciate being treated "as co-equal partners, not subservient partners," by the federal government under Trump, Herbert said during his monthly news conference on KUED.

Utah has been a big beneficiary, he said, with three Cabinet members visiting in recent weeks and another coming soon. Herbert just signed a forest management agreement with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue at the state Capitol.

"That's the part I feel very good about. President Trump and Vice President Pence have not asked for my endorsement," the governor said. "We'll have to wait and see what happens down the road."

Herbert did, however, suggest an endorsement might come eventually.

"I don't know any reason why I would not endorse. I'm working very closely with the administration, but I work with all people in Washington, D.C.," he said when questioned about what might prevent him from backing Trump.

Trump's popularity in Utah has always lagged behind what would be expected for a Republican in one of the reddest states in the country. A Democratic presidential candidate hasn't won Utah since President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

But Trump finished a distant third in Utah's March 2016 GOP caucus vote, behind Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. He won the state that November with just over 45 percent of the vote, his lowest margin of victory anywhere.

"In a typical year, it sort of goes without saying that Republicans will endorse the Republican standard-bearer," said Chris Karpowitz, co-director of BYU's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy.

"Nationally, the Republican Party right now is the party of Donald Trump and he enjoys support from the vast majority of Republicans. That's less true in Utah," Karpowitz said. "Support for the president is softer than we would expect."

The political science professor indicated the reluctance of some elected Republican officials to endorse the president at this point may reflect their unwillingness to go against the views held by voters.

"One thing this indicates is that President Trump's coattails are very short to nonexistent in the state of Utah," Karpowitz said. "There's just no evidence that getting on board the Trump train is the path to re-election."

Former Rep. Mia Love is a good example, Karpowitz said. Love, a Republican, narrowly lost to Rep. Ben McAdams, now the only Democratic member of Utah's congressional delegation.

Although Trump publicly taunted Love for not accepting his offers to campaign in the state, Karpowitz said the president may have alienated even more of the moderate Republican and independent voters who ultimately decided the race.

McAdams and Rep. John Curtis, a Republican, both professed similar-sounding reasons for not endorsing yet in the presidential race.

Of course for McAdams, the 2020 presidential race is a different story, with some two dozen Democrats vying to be selected by their party to take on Trump in next year's general election.

"Congressman McAdams is focused on representing Utahns and their families, not the presidential election," his campaign manager, Andrew Roberts, said. "He wants to hear what ideas, values and problem-solving policies the candidates offer before making a personal decision about how he will vote."

Curtis spokeswoman Ally Riding said he's "focused on a robust legislative agenda on behalf of the 3rd District and will continue to prioritize this over an election nearly 18 months away. He doesn't have any comments or announcements at this time."

Sen. Mike Lee and Reps. Chris Stewart and Rob Bishop are all at least planning to back Trump's re-election.

"Sen. Lee is planning to support President Trumps re-election in 2020. While Sen. Lee has a very different governing style than the president, President Trump has delivered important policy accomplishments," his spokesman, Conn Carroll, said.

Stewart is one of Trump's staunchest supporters in Congress, but he also did not deliver an outright endorsement.

"Congressman Stewart is planning on supporting President Trump in his re-election. Compared to the current Democrat candidates, he believes this administration is the best thing for the American people as we continue to fight against democrat socialism," his campaign manager, Adam Snow, said.

Bishop, who has said he will not seek another term in Congress but is reportedly considering a run for governor next year, was a little more direct.

"President Trump's policies have been undeniably positive for Utah and the nation. From national defense to the economy to public lands, we are far stronger now than during the last administration," Bishop said. "The president has made it known he plans to seek a second term. I support that effort."

For Greg Hughes, a former Utah House speaker also looking at a run for governor next year, there should be no doubt among the state's elected Republican leaders that Trump deserves another term.

"It isn't a question for me. I endorse President Trump for re-election," Hughes said, citing a list of the administration's accomplishments, including "reasonably scaling back" the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase national monuments.

Also on Hughes' list were approving Medicaid waivers, cutting taxes, creating jobs, strengthening religious liberties, appointing conservative judges, signing justice reforms into law and securing funds to fight the opioid epidemic.

"President Trump, under an avalanche of unprecedented negative coverage and political attacks, has been delivering on his promises," he said. "I like that the issues President Trump was elected to address are the very issues he's delivering on for Utah and the country."

Karpowitz said Utahns largely remain uncomfortable with Trump, particularly how he conducts himself as president, although that doesn't mean he won't end up winning the state again in the 2020 election.

But what Romney may be signaling by holding back an endorsement, Karpowitz said, is that "it's OK to be concerned about the president and his actions. So I do think that provides some cover to other elected officials."

It's also sending a message that there can be a new direction for Republicans nationally, he said, one that may take some time to register outside the state.

"I do think think Utah has the potential to represent a different brand of Republicanism, one that could be some path to the post-Trump world," Karpowitz said. "But right now, you'd have to say that's not the common position."

The governor lamented what he described as hyperpartisanship in Washington he sees as fueled by Democrats as well as the administration, and used what he called "the Herbert way of doing things" as an example of how to bridge the divide.

"We're all on the same team. We forget that sometimes," he said, seeking shared goals including a healthy economy, healthy families and a healthy environment along with access to health care and improved infrastructure."

The differences are in how to achieve those goals, the governor said. "How I deal with things is I am a right of center conservative but I am moderate in tone and I am inclusive in process. I think that's how you get things done."

His advice for Washington suggests looking to Utah as a model.

"Everybody needs to dial it back a notch or two and say, 'Can we come together,'" Herbert said. "That's what we do in Utah. I can only deal with Utah, really. And in Utah, we are very good at coming together and finding compromise and rational solutions that reflect the will of the people."SALT LAKE CITY  A little over a year ago, Darin "Ace" Thomas' world was unexpectedly turned upside down.

The Roosevelt man, who had worked in the Duchesne County School District for more than two decades and will turn 50 next week, was accused of offering a woman money for sex, and encouraging that woman to find juvenile girls to also participate, according to police and prosecutors.

On April 29, the last of the six criminal charges against Thomas was dropped.

But the damage had already been done.

"My whole life is destroyed over a false accusation, he told the Deseret News. "Its so frustrating to get your life pulled out from under you over somebody making stuff up."

Now as Thomas works to regain what he has lost, he is also planning a lawsuit against those whose false claims resulted in jail time, lost wages and a damaged reputation.

"People hear this horrible stuff, they want to jump on this kind of stuff, he said. "Its destroyed my life. Its taken everything from me."

On May 4, 2018, Thomas was charged in 8th District Court with five felonies: conspiracy to commit rape of a child, conspiracy to commit sodomy on a child, conspiracy to have unlawful sexual activity with a minor and two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, as well as a misdemeanor charge of patronizing a prostitute.

An undercover officer from the Vernal Police Department used the cellphone of a woman whom Thomas had been accused of propositioning, and then posed as that woman. The charges state that Thomas allegedly offered the woman $100 for sex and that he wanted to have sex with two girls, ages 13 and 16.

Thomas said after he was arrested, he spent 11 days in jail, including five in solitary confinement.

But on Jan. 30, all the felony charges against Thomas were dismissed. All that remained was the charge of sexual solicitation.

According to Thomas, at that point, his attorney advised him that he would likely have to plead guilty to that count. But Thomas remained steadfast and said no.

"I told them from the get-go, I knew I did nothing wrong, he said.

Thomas hired a new attorney, James Lewis, to fight the misdemeanor.

"We were a little bit perplexed about why they decided to proceed with that misdemeanor. So we got ready for trial and then found out late in the evening before trial that their so-called key witness would not be appearing at the trial. And so that case was dismissed the next morning, he said.

The "key witness," according to both Thomas and Lewis, was the woman who claimed she was being solicited by Thomas.

On April 24, the prosecutor made a motion for the case to be dismissed "stating a witness that is critical to his case was not served with the subpoena," according to court records.

Lewis said the two officers who were also expected to take the witness stand, each blamed the other for not serving the subpoena, though he also noted it was "kind of surprising they didn't figure that out until the night before the trial."

Thomas and Lewis believe the woman was making up accusations and throwing out names to police in an effort to avoid her own pending prison sentence.

"The police officers believed it hook, line and sinker, and actually participated in this so-called sting where they didnt really get any solid evidence but nevertheless proceeded with bringing these charges. If you want my personal view, I think it was highly inappropriate how the case was handled from beginning to end, Lewis said. "I dont think the case should have ever been brought. I think it was wholly lacking in adequate evidence to back up the charges."

Lewis said after he became Thomas' lawyer, he was able to get his client's seized electronic devices back. On one phone, he said there was a long text conversation between Thomas and the woman that was clearly exculpatory evidence.

"There was no money for sex component whatsoever, he said.

"Not one thing of any evidence of any impropriety at all was ever found on any of my devices. And Ive kept every phone for the last 20 years. So they had everything from my whole life, and they did not find one (piece of evidence), Thomas added.

Thomas said he is now in the process of talking to the school district about getting his job back. He said he is thankful for people like Lewis.

"I cannot say enough good about that man. He is just an honest man, and I didnt think there was an honest attorney left in this world, Thomas said.

"Youre supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but this world is not that way anymore. You are guilty the second youre charged. And youre fighting for your life. And no matter what the circumstances, you are not innocent."CEDAR CITY  Southern Utah University's Gerald R. Sherratt Library has made a sizable donation of materials to the National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, which was gutted by fire last September.

The museum housed over 20 million invaluable items including Egyptian mummies, dinosaur fossils, the last recordings of regional languages no longer spoken and other irreplaceable historical artifacts. The anthropological library contained a collection of some 37,000 titles.

Richard Saunders, SUU's collections development librarian, decided to help after hearing about the librarys need for assistance through his connections with professional library organizations.

We made an offer. We were one of only a couple of libraries in the U.S. that made really a substantive donation of material to Brazil, Saunders said.

Thus far, the SUU Library has made several shipments of a couple of hundred books, of what is anticipated to be an ongoing donation.

Utah anthropologist Alan Schroedl said the recent fire that severely damaged Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral devastated France's "cultural patrimony."

Last years fire at the National Museum of Brazil was just as devastating to the cultural heritage of the people of Brazil," said Schroedl.

Brazilian leaders said 200 years of work, research and knowledge were lost.

Paula Mello, chief librarian of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, issued a call for donations on the internet.

"For the first shipment, Professor Saunders sent over a list of 3,200 titles of which we selected a bit more than 500, said Carlos Fausto, anthropology faculty member at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

Many of these collections given to Brazil were originally donated to SUU by Schroedl. Many of the titles in Schroedls collection focus on Brazil and surrounding areas.

I am very pleased that some of the anthropology books that I donated to SUU will be sent to Brazil to help them start rebuilding their library, Schroedl said.

It will require years of worldwide cooperation to help rebuild the collections at the National Museum of Brazil.

The Gerald R. Sherratt Library has also sent several books that are now out of print.

Good things happen when people are willing to stand up and do things for simple reasons, Saunders said.

Nobodys going to make any money off of this, but Im hoping that it will do something good for a country that really has given a lot anthropologically to modern day society, he added.

To help with the efforts in Brazil, visit the American Anthropological Associations website.The OnePlus 7 Pro stocks exhaust in China.

One of the USPs of the OnePlus 7 Pro is the display. Besides offering a QHD+ resolution, the display has HDR10+ certification and offers a 90Hz refresh rate. Apart from the Razer Phone 2 and the ROG Phone, no other smartphone has such high refresh rates. But some users are now complaining of phantom or ghost touches on the phones display. Several people have posted videos demonstrating how OnePlus 7 Pros display is processing a non-existent tap.

Basically, a phantom or ghost touch is a response of a display that is given even if the screen is not tapped by anyone. While there is no clear reason about the cause of this behaviour, some are claiming that it is due to CPU-Z hardware information/identification app. The affected people have demonstrated that just opening the app and leaving the phone idle is enough to trigger the random touches, Android Police reported.

It seems that not all devices have this problem, in fact, we didnt face any such issues with the unit we have. Meanwhile, a bug report on OnePlus' forums confirmed that the company is aware of the issue and is working to resolve it. The company has also urged the affected to report it via the OnePlus Community app or the feedback section of the forum. You can read our piece on Gaming on the OnePlus 7 Pro display here.

This comes at a time when OnePlus is reportedly witnessing insufficient production capacity and stocking of the flagship in China. According to the official data, the OnePlus 7 Pro net sales exceeded 1 billion yuan (approx $145 million) in a minute. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has said that he had moved the mobile phones sent overseas to the domestic market to meet the demand. I understand the mood of everyone very much. I have had such experience before Liu Zuohu said in a post on Weibo.Rosa said she lives nearby and was visiting a friend on the block when she heard gunshots and saw the boy collapse on the sidewalk near the southeast end of Sawyer, a stretch that soon became encircled with red crime tape. She also witnessed a vehicle zooming away just as the man who was shot ran to the gangway between Sawyer and Kedzie Avenue, she said.Pete Buttigieg, 37, is supposed to be one of the adults in the room, but he, like de Blasio, envisions national enlargement through subtraction. He has joined the progressive pile-on against the founders who, say their current despisers, are inferior to our enlightened selves. Radio host Hugh Hewitt asked Buttigieg whether the Democratic Partys annual Jefferson-Jackson Day dinners should be renamed. Jacksons seriously disagreeable behaviors have already caused him to be tossed down the memory hole (see George Orwells 1984 on erasing the past). But Buttigieg said Jefferson is more problematic because, although there is much to admire in Jeffersons thinking, he knew slavery was wrong and did not act accordingly. So, scrubbing Jeffersons name from things is the right thing to do. Well, then, what does Buttigieg propose for the Jefferson Memorials prime real estate on Washingtons Tidal Basin? Perhaps an annex for the expanded Supreme Court that he, the supposed moderate who is less than half as old as The Venerable Moderate, proposes to pack?The first votes been sorted and verified for the Donegal County Council elections today at the Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny are for the Buncrana Electoral Area.

Five seats are up for grabs.

Out-going councillors Paul Canning and Rena Donaghy are set to be returned for Fianna Fail, while Jack Murray (Sinn Fein) and Independent Nicholas Crossan look certain to retain their seats.

However, out-going Fine Gael candidate Mickey Doherty looks set to lose his seat.

And this would mean that Fine Gael will have no councillor in the Buncrana Electoral Area. Unless Doherty gets massive transfers Sinn Fein look like getting a second seat as Terry Crossan has polled well.

The actual count will not take place until tomorrow for the Buncrana Electoral Area, and this will be in Carndonagh.

While tally figures are only a guide, they are a good indicator.

Tally figure for the electoral area reveal the following first preference votes:

Paul Canning (Fianna Fail) 1,518

Nicholas Crossan (Independent) 1,061

Terry Crossan (Sinn Fein) 716

Mickey Doherty (Fine Gael) 475

Rena Donaghey (Fianna Fail) 1,213

Frankie Lavelle (Independent) 313

Michelle McKenna (Fine Gael) 294

Mark McKinney (Independent) 89

Joe Murphy (Aontu) 255

Jack Murray (Sinn Fein) 1,266

Sinead Stewart (Independent) 298

Tally figures are being compiled for the Carndonagh (North Inishowen) Electoral Area, where there are four seats available.Leitrim's longest serving councillor, Fianna Fail's Mary Bohan is set to top the poll for the Manorhamilton Local Electoral Area.

One of the longest serving councillors in the country, she is very happy with the tally figures which show her in poll topping territory:

"I am absolutely thrilled with the [tally] results and I am really delighted for my canvassers, my family and my supporters who have been so wonderful and who have worked so hard," said Mary Bohan at the count centre in Carrick-on-Shannon this evening.

Although her vote as not been made official, there is no doubt that she will be forming part of the new Leitrim County Council.

It seems a world away from when she was first asked to run for election 40 years ago. At the time she had only just returned to Drumkeerin from Dublin with her young family.

"We were starting a small business at the same time so I hadn't intended to run but I was persuaded," she recalls.

Coming from a background in community work, she said her focus was, and remains, serving her local community.

"I absolutely didn't think, 40 years ago, that I'd be here (on the council) as long as I have been, but I am very proud to have been a part of not just Leitrim County Council but also served with the Vocational Educational Association (now known as the Mayo, Leitrim Sligo Education and Training Board) and many committees, boards and voluntary groups down through the years," she said.

"It has been a great honour to think that people have put their trust in me to represent them."

She readily admits there are significant challenges facing women in not just local but also national politics.

"Even to be a county councillor now, is a full time job. It is so time consuming and it has become even more so than when I was first elected to the council," she said.

"If you are already working full time it is difficult to juggle that and the job of being a county councillor, so that can discourage some from entering politics.

"There are also the difficulties of juggling a family, especially a young family, and a career as a public representative. I think these are also factors that influence whether a young woman gets involved in politics, at both local and national level.

"Possibly the political parties have been slow to organise people on the ground as well and I know there is also a bit of cynicism nowadays when anyone says they want to enter politics, but I would encourage both women and men, to get involved."Fianna Fail and Fine Gael look set to share most council seats while the Green Party has made a big impact in today's elections, especially in the European Parliament poll, according to the RED C exit poll for RTE and TG4.

The exit poll also reveals that 87% of voters are backing a yes vote in the divorce referendum change.

The two big parties each stand at 23% following the exit poll which surveyed 3,000 voters. Next up was Sinn Fein on 12% with Green Party coming in fourth at 9% of votes in the local elections.

Labour vote is stuck at 6% while up to 15% of voters are backing independents.

If the exit poll is replicated in Longford, the it is the Independents who will be the power brokers once again.

Five years ago in Longford, the three elected Independents joined forces with Fianna Fail (7 seats) to wrestle control of the local authority chamber, with Fine Gael, who had the biggest representation of 8 seats, losing out.

Nationally, in 2014, Fianna Fail finished with the bragging rights when it won 267 seats compared to 235 for Fine Gael.

Support for the Greens is more notable in the European elections. In Dublin the Green Party's former TD Ciaran Cuffe looks set to top the poll with 23% of the vote.

The poll of the local elections and the divorce referendum come with a margin of error of 3%. RedC spoke to voters at more than 150 polling stations.

Counting of votes gets underway on Saturday morning.

ALSO READ: (Green Party's Saoirse McHugh makes a surge in Midalnds North West)There is more to Donegal than spectacular scenery and wonderful wildness, because it is the food youll eat here and the people you meet here that makes Donegal such a special place to visit.

Donegals Food Coast Experiences - an exciting range of food-related events  launched in Castlegrove House this week, combines not just celestial cuisine using the countys rich parlour of ingredients, but also memorable moments that visitors will cherish.

Food plays an intrinsic role in the visitor experience and the series of food events planned for Donegal this year will offer extraordinary experiences celebrating Donegal food and its champions, said Michael Tunney, Head of Enterprise in Donegal.

He added that through the Food Coast Initiative, the Local Enterprise Office has tried to impress on Donegals producers and food outlets over the past few years that offering a wide range of food offerings will help the county secure a greater share of that tourism food spend  adding that the tourists can just as equally be locals and visitors from within the county as those from outside Donegal.

"Our aim, when we launched the Food Coast Experiences, was to develop a calendar of food events that offers an experience celebrating Donegal food and its champions. When we commenced the project we had a gathering of interested food parties who heard from other regions where successful visitor experiences have been built around local food.



That meeting really set the ball rolling and helped people here really understand how we in Donegal can collaborate to make Donegal famous for food," he said.

At that launch two years ago, Failte Irelands Sinead Hennessy told food industry professionals that while tourists don't necessarily come to Ireland for its food, it is a key part of their experience and they spend 2 billion on food every year with 35% of their total spend going on food.

Indeed, Failte Ireland are following up on that potential in September of this year when, Taste the Island will promote the island of Irelands extensive catalogue of food and drink experiences to domestic and international visitors, creating opportunities for Irish businesses to attract higher numbers of visitors outside of the already busy summer months.

The Taste the Island programme will be extensive, including everything from visits to food producers, distillers and brewers; food trails and food festivals; participation in traditional skills; opportunities to forage and fish; and chances to sit back and enjoy the best of modern Irish cuisine in traditional pubs, small-town cafes, restaurants, city bistros and Michelin-starred experiences.

Producers and food businesses pictured at the launch of the Donegal Food Coast 2019 Food Coast Experiences in Castlegrove Country House this week with Michael Tunney and Eve Anne McCarron Business Advisor from the Local Enterprise Office



The chance to experience local food in a completely authentic way is one that visitors from across the globe have sampled in Donegal over the past two years. Through those experiences visitors can learn more about the local traditions and get to know the people through their food. Our own Donegal Food Experiences, coupled with the Taste of Ireland launch will give Donegal food businesses a brilliant opportunity to tap into this growing market, the Head of Enterprise added.

He said the Food Coast was truly delighted with the range and diversity of ideas this year, suggesting it was clear evidence that those working in the food sector are keen to build on the calendar of events to make it even better year on year.

The stakeholders have really grasped the opportunity to add to the Donegal food story and really expand on the potential it has for all involved, Mr. Tunney concluded.

Local Enterprise Office Donegal is supported through co-funding from the Irish Government and the European Regional Development Fund 2014  2020.Several family members of fallen officers were there to witness the recognition, including former Jackson County Sheriff John McDaniel, there on behalf of his wife, Mellie, who was shot and killed on Jan. 30, 2007 at their home during an attack by intruders. Deputy Mike Altman was also killed in that incident. Some of his family members also attended Thursdays ceremony. Three children of Aaron Creel, sons Lawrence and Charles R. Creel and daughter Gayle Quinn, were there to honor their father, who was killed along with fellow Jackson County deputy Allen Finch on the 4th of July, 1963. The Creel children said the ceremony means a great deal and that they appreciate the county continuing the recognition more than a half-century after their fathers death at the hands of an inmate who had been taken to a hospital after an escape attempt and overpowered one of the officers at the hospital, killing both.

Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.Glover Funeral Home, a locally owned funeral facility in Dothan, has acquired Kent Funeral Homes in Eufaula and Clayton, Alabama.

Glover Funeral Home owner Kendall Glover, a native of the Eufaula/Clayton area, began his funeral career at Kent Funeral Homes in 1988, working with Donna and Ricky Kent. Kendall left to pursue his education in funeral service and returned to Kent Funeral Homes in 1990, remaining there until 1996 when he moved to Dothan, opening Glover Funeral Home in 2012 with his wife, Caroline Hanahan Glover.

Donna and Ricky Kent have owned the Clayton funeral home since 1982 and opened the Eufaula facility in 1985. The two funeral homes have served those communities for almost 40 years.

My family and I are very honored and humbled to continue the long heritage and tradition that the Kent family has provided the communities they served, said Glover. I am very thankful to Donna Kent and her children for the trust and confidence they have placed in my family to carry on their tradition of service. This acquisition will provide Glover Funeral Home with three locations in Alabama and will help to contribute a greater value to the families we serve.Shortly after World War II, the U.S. Army assigned its oldest unit to Our Nations Most Sadred Shrine  Arlington National Cemetery. The unit became known as The Old Guard, the Armys ceremonial unit. Its top priority today is military honor funerals for those members of our armed forces who made the supreme sacrifice for our freedom.

Sergeant Major of the Army Dan Dailey recently shared a story with U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas which epitomizes the meaning of The Old Guard at Arlington. On their way to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Daily explained the duties of The Old Guard to his guest, who is a foreign military leader. While still focused on the headstones, the guest said, Now I know why your soldiers fight so hard. You take better care of your dead than we do our living.

Sen. Cotton, himself a decorated combat veteran, said: We honor our fallen for them, of course, but also for us, the living. Their stories of heroism, sacrifice, and patriotism remind us of what is best in ourselves, and they teach our children what is best in America.Should CPS be the primary authorizing entity for charter schools in Chicago? CPS is the chartering authority for Chicago charter schools. And now there is proposed legislation to kill the State Charter School Commission. In other states, it is a university or state board or even the mayor who authorizes charters. For CPS to be negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with the avowed enemy of charter schools puts an undue burden on an elected board that will have plenty of trouble from Day One. Even if the city does not move to an elected school board, it should separate chartering authority from CPS.I am so distraught listening to that news that I believe Donald Trump is about to declare war on Iran just as an attempt to save himself from an ignominious end. If he does call for a declaration of war against Iran, the final result will rest upon a called vote of Congress. And I am not so sure that the Republican Party will not try to comply with a favorable vote in order to preserve itself.Green party candidate for Dundalk South Marianne Butler spoke to the Dundalk Democrat ahead of the result of the final count.

"Well, Im a bit overwhelmed with my result in Dundalk South and just really want to thank the voters for the faith they have put in me and the mandate they have given me.



"It was a long campaign. It was good fun for the most part and I just really look forward to serving the people of Dundalk South and really delighted with how the greens have performed today. Hopefully were going to elect a new MEP Saoirse McHugh and looking forward to meeting the other new green party councillors in Dublin on Friday and catching up with everybody and getting to know some new councillors."

When asked if she thought there was a green wave nationally Marianne said:

"I think we saw it in recent weeks in the north in recent weeks really increasing our numbers of councillors there. So we kind of got an inkling that yes, there was definitely going to be a bit of a surge for us. I think I have doubled my vote since five years ago but obviously, I got the last seat in 2014 so I knew I had to up my game so I definitely ran a better campaign this time. But again looking forward to getting onto Louth County Council and delivering real climate action for the county."More to the point, the policies the boomers implemented were hotly debated among boomers themselves, and virtually none of them expressly argued from a desire to self-deal for their own generation at the expense of others. Just as there are millennial socialists and millennial anarcho-capitalists, there are boomers in those categories as well. If we're going to assign blame  and why not?  it's more helpful to put it on those who were wrong rather than indicting an entire generation of some 75 million people.I now get an alert every time theres a shooting and I look at these things and I just think, Dear God, Lightfoot said. This isnt news to me. I know shootings happen. I know theyre happening at a volume that is unacceptable but when you see my inbox, I go away for half an hour and I come back and its just flooded with emails. We have to start talking about not accepting this behavior as something that is just business as usual.Blog Archive June 2021 (1) May 2021 (77) April 2021 (77) March 2021 (82) February 2021 (68) January 2021 (64) December 2020 (67) November 2020 (66) October 2020 (66) September 2020 (67) August 2020 (74) July 2020 (83) June 2020 (92) May 2020 (86) April 2020 (104) March 2020 (105) February 2020 (74) January 2020 (75) December 2019 (75) November 2019 (70) October 2019 (89) September 2019 (69) August 2019 (81) July 2019 (77) June 2019 (73) May 2019 (110) April 2019 (110) March 2019 (102) February 2019 (85) January 2019 (123) December 2018 (116) November 2018 (112) October 2018 (121) September 2018 (107) August 2018 (150) July 2018 (163) June 2018 (190) May 2018 (145) April 2018 (112) March 2018 (124) February 2018 (113) January 2018 (164) December 2017 (150) November 2017 (144) October 2017 (169) September 2017 (171) August 2017 (135) July 2017 (131) June 2017 (147) May 2017 (160) April 2017 (138) March 2017 (156) February 2017 (143) January 2017 (203) December 2016 (208) November 2016 (185) October 2016 (173) September 2016 (194) August 2016 (232) July 2016 (225) June 2016 (238) May 2016 (231) April 2016 (215) March 2016 (246) February 2016 (226) January 2016 (252) December 2015 (230) November 2015 (250) October 2015 (234) September 2015 (222) August 2015 (253) July 2015 (275) June 2015 (279) May 2015 (223) April 2015 (226) March 2015 (243) February 2015 (258) January 2015 (281) December 2014 (292) November 2014 (296) October 2014 (413) September 2014 (472) August 2014 (506) July 2014 (483) June 2014 (488) May 2014 (512) April 2014 (497) March 2014 (531) February 2014 (482) January 2014 (535) December 2013 (482) November 2013 (441) October 2013 (416) September 2013 (491) August 2013 (521) July 2013 (491) June 2013 (470) May 2013 (457) April 2013 (426) March 2013 (420) February 2013 (414) January 2013 (489) December 2012 (433) November 2012 (504) October 2012 (469) September 2012 (430) August 2012 (427) July 2012 (360) June 2012 (336) May 2012 (362) April 2012 (322) March 2012 (263) February 2012 (224) January 2012 (291) December 2011 (295) November 2011 (325) October 2011 (330) September 2011 (319) August 2011 (333) July 2011 (318) June 2011 (387) May 2011 (373) April 2011 (389) March 2011 (375) February 2011 (335) January 2011 (400) December 2010 (445) November 2010 (395) October 2010 (312) September 2010 (262) August 2010 (277) July 2010 (323) June 2010 (386) May 2010 (360) April 2010 (333) March 2010 (351) February 2010 (336) January 2010 (384) December 2009 (353) November 2009 (300) October 2009 (308) September 2009 (350) August 2009 (298) July 2009 (255) June 2009 (203) May 2009 (193) April 2009 (186) March 2009 (197) February 2009 (173) January 2009 (148) December 2008 (181) November 2008 (197) October 2008 (236) September 2008 (304) August 2008 (314) July 2008 (273) June 2008 (27) May 2008 (1) April 2008 (6) October 2007 (1) May 2007 (1) April 2007 (6) March 2007 (2) February 2007 (1) October 2006 (1) September 2006 (1) August 2006 (4) July 2006 (4) June 2006 (1) July 2005 (1) May 2005 (2) March 2005 (1) June 2004 (2) May 2004 (1) April 2004 (4) March 2004 (2) February 2004 (2) July 2003 (2) June 2003 (5)19,830 irregular migrants and refugees entered Europe

During the same period last year, 28,325 refugees and migrants entered Europe and 638 drowned in the Mediterranean Sea.

Some 19,830 irregular migrants and refugees reached Europe by sea since the beginning of 2019, the UN migration agency said Friday.

19,830 REFUGEES

Of that figure, 512 died at sea, according to a report published by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

According to Ana Dodevska IOM Spain, 7,666 refugees and irregular migrants arrived in Spain through May, 22. In the first 5 months of 2018, roughly 8,150 irregular migrants arrived in the country by the Western Mediterranean route. Until May 22, 2019, some 950 irregular migrants arrived Spain, much fewer than 3,523 arrivals in May 2018, IOM Spain reported.

Arrivals in Greece by May 22, 2019, reached 9,430, IOM Greeces Christine Nikolaidou reported. In the same period last year, 10,641 irregular migrants arrived in Greece through the sea. A total of 30,510 migrants died between 2014 and 2018 while making the treacherous journey to Europe, the UN agency reported in January.Turkish jets hit PKK terror targets in northern Iraq

Weapon emplacements, shelters and ammunition depots of terror group destroyed, Turkeys Defense Ministry says.

Turkish fighter jets struck PKK terrorist targets in northern Iraq, the Turkish National Defense Ministry Hulusi Akar said on Saturday.

On Twitter, the ministry said Turkish air operations in the Hakurk region of northern Iraq destroyed weapon positions, shelters, and ammunition depots used by terrorists.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including many women and children.Bomb attack targeting mosque in Kabul

Mawlavi Samiullah Raihan was killed and 16 others were injured when an improvised explosive device went off inside the al-Taqwa Mosque during Friday prayers, Interior Ministry says.

A prominent pro-government religious scholar was killed in an explosion targeting a mosque in the Afghan capital Kabul on Friday, an official statement said.

ONE KILLED, SIXTEEN INJURED

According to the statement by the Interior Ministry, Mawlavi Samiullah Raihan was killed and 16 others were injured when an improvised explosive device went off inside the al-Taqwa Mosque during Friday prayers.

Vehemently condemning the attack, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said in a statement: The terrorists wish to hide their true face by silencing such voices of righteousness through this attack.

Raihani, a prominent television celebrity for religious programs, was a staunch supporter for the Afghan security forces and opponent of the raging armed insurgency in the country. There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

In the past, the Taliban took responsibility for killing a number of such religious figures challenging the legitimacy of the armed insurgency in the country.Netanyahu thanks Sisi for help fighting fires

The statement also noted that the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority had also taken part in the firefighting efforts.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for his country's assistance in fighting a spate of wildfires that broke out Thursday in several parts of Israel.

"THANK YOU MY FRIEND"

I thank my friend, Sisi, for sending two helicopters to help fight the fires, read a Friday statement released by Netanyahu's office. The Egyptian authorities, for their part, have yet to comment on Netanyahu's statement.

According to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, Egypt sent two military aircraft on Friday to help extinguish the blazes. Four European countries Croatia, Italy, Cyprus and Greece also reportedly dispatched aircraft to Israel to help fight the fires.

On Thursday, dozens of wildfires broke out across Israel due to unusually high temperatures, destroying dozens of homes and prompting the evacuation of hundreds of people. According to the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, Netanyahu instructed the foreign and homeland security ministries to request international assistance in putting out the fires.No nuclear talks unless US changes position

N.Korea said that nuclear negotiations with US will never resume unless the Trump administration moves away from what Pyongyang described as unilateral demands for disarmament.

North Korea on Friday asked the US to put aside its "current method" in negotiations to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

N.KOREA BLASTS US POSITION IN NUCLEAR TALKS

"Unless US comes forward with a new method of calculation, the DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea) -US dialogue will never be resumed," a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson told state run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Pyongyang claimed that it discontinued its nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests in view of negotiations between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Lamenting that the US did not respond to North Korea's goodwill, the spokesperson accused Washington of deliberately "pushing the talks to a rupture" by demanding the DPRK disarm unilaterally.

Referring to the failed summit in Hanoi last February, Pyongyang blamed the "arbitrary and dishonest position" of the US for setbacks to the meeting. "We also took a broadminded step towards the realization of the repatriation of the American POW/MIA remains," the spokesperson added.

Trump walked out of the summit last February when he claimed he could not agree to all of Kim's demands.No one can talk about Turkey's relations with NATO negatively

We have completely fulfilled commitments to notably NATO and international organizations, as well as national duties, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar says.

Turkey has actualized its commitments from Afghanistan to the Adriatic and we will continue to do, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Friday.

"TURKEY FULFILL DOMESTIC NATO DUTIES"

"No one can talk about Turkey's relations with NATO negatively, he said while speaking at the closing ceremony of 'Anatolian's Anka' military drill in Konya province. "We have completely fulfilled commitments to notably NATO and international organizations, as well as national duties."

Akar said the fight against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group Ankara accuses of being behind a defeated coup, is not finished. When new information and documents came to light, we did what we need to do and we will continue," he said.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured, according to authorities. The terror group is also accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

Among attendees were Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler, Land Forces Commander Umit Dundar, Naval Forces Commander Adnan Ozbal, Air Forces Commander Hasan Kucukakyuz at the 3rd Main Jet Base. Azerbaijan, the UK, Qatar, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Pakistan and Romania participated in the drill.Trump: I feel badly for Theresa

Trump said on Friday he felt bad for Theresa May, who said on Friday she would quit after failing to deliver Brexit.

Donald Trump said Friday he felt "badly" for British Prime Minister Theresa May, who announced her resignation earlier in the day.

"SHE IS A GOOD WOMEN AND VERY STRONG"

"I feel badly for Theresa, I like her very much. She worked very hard," Trump told reporters at White House ahead of his departure to Japan for official talks.

May will step down from the top government office and as leader of the Conservative Party on June 7. Her announcement came this morning after meeting with the chairman of her partys 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, who has also resigned from his post. She said she has not been able to deliver Brexit and it is and will always remain a matter of deep regret for me.

In his remarks, Trump described May as a "good woman" and "very strong". "She decided to do something that some people were surprised at, some people werent. Its for the good of her country. In fact, I will be seeing her in two weeks," he said. Trump will make an official state visit to the United Kingdom on June 3-5.Trump is the real terrorist, says Iranian FM

Donald Trump is the real terrorist, he is responsible for waging economic terrorism against Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif says.

Iran will see the end of Donald Trump, but Trump will never see the end of Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Friday amid an ongoing war of words between Tehran and the Trump administration.

"DONALD TRUMP IS THE REAL TERRORIST"

Speaking from Pakistani capital Islamabad, Zarif slammed the US president for a recent tweet in which the latter accused Iran of supporting terrorist groups. Donald Trump is the real terrorist, Zarif said. He is responsible for waging economic terrorism against Iran.

In a Sunday tweet, the US president also said that if Iran wanted to fight, it would be the end of Iran. Zarif responded to the threat by saying: We will see the end of Trump, but he will never see the end of Iran.

Tensions between the two countries have mounted steadily since Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from a landmark nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of nations (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany).

The Trump administration has also re-imposed sanctions on Irans banking and energy sectors, while Iran has threatened to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz to US oil shipments.Turkey expects respect over Eastern Mediterranean rights

Turkish Defense Chief Hulusi Akar says I believe talks with Greece on Eastern Mediterranean, Aegean will continue in the future period.

Turkey expects not to face provocative acts and irresponsible statements on Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, the countrys defense minister said on Saturday.

"OUR RIGHTS MUST BE RESPECTED"

"It is our sincere expectation that provocative acts and irresponsible statements, which do not help resolve problems in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean are not allowed, Hulusi Akar said during an event as part of Turkeys largest military exercise Sea Wolf (Denizkurdu) 2019. Our desire and expectation are that the rights and interests of Turkey which has the longest coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to be respected. We expect from all the sides to respect these subjects. This is our most natural right, Akar said.

Turkey, in every occasion, voices that it sides with resolution of the problems in Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus within the framework of good neighborly relations and international law and it exerts efforts in this direction," Akar added.

Turkey has consistently contested the Greek Cypriot administrations unilateral drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, saying Turkish Cypriots also have rights to the resources in the area.

In 1974, following a coup aiming at Cyprus annexation by Greece, Ankara intervened as a guarantor power. In 1983, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was founded. The decades since have seen several attempts to resolve the dispute, all ending in failure. The latest one, held with the participation of the guarantor countries Turkey, Greece, and the UK ended in 2017 in Switzerland.

In regards to the recent talks with Greece, he said, Inter-delegation talks have completed in Athens in the direction of the agreement we made with Greek Defense Minister Evangelos Apostolakis. I believe these talks will continue in the future period and think that they will be for the benefit of both countries, Akar said.

A Turkish defense delegation went to Athens for a technical meeting with Greek officials to enhance cooperation especially in confidence-building measures and code of conduct in the Aegean Sea between May 20-25.US judge blocks part of Trump wall plan

US judge has temporarily blocked the use of defense department funds to build a border wall between the US and Mexico.

The order blocks the use of $1 billion from the Department of Defense in Arizona and Texas, out of $6.7 billion that Trump administration said it planned to direct toward building the wall.

BORDER WALL PLAN IS BLOCKED

The position that when Congress declines the Executives request to appropriate funds, the Executive nonetheless may simply find a way to spend those funds without Congress does not square with the fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic, Haywood Gilliam Jr, a US judge in California, wrote in the order.

Separately, Gilliam denied a preliminary injunction against the border wall sought by a coalition of sixteen states, but said they could move forward with their case.

Spokespeople for the Department of Homeland Security, Pentagon and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump has said the wall is needed to address a crisis of drugs and crime flowing across the border into the United States.b The ruling adds to Trumps frustrations with federal court orders blocking his initiatives for cutting illegal immigration, a policy area he will focus on in his 2020 re-election bid.Does the electoral victory of the NDA strengthen the moral foundation of democracy?

The results of the 2019 Lok Sabha general elections have been seen by many as the victory of the largest democracy in the world. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and its supporters obviously have their own reasons to celebrate their electoral victory. These supporters may also assign to the success of the NDA an enormous political weightage under which it, for the time, sought to reduce the opposition to insignificance. The NDA might even claim that, through these elections, it has got the formal truth on its side. It may choose to define this formal truth in terms of the mandate that gave it a huge majority of seats. In fact, after its victory, some of the top NDA leaders have already started universalising their truth claim by now saying that this is a victory for India. Such victories might carry a numerically spectacular political significance that such parties seem to have acquired through the formal electoral process. However, what is much more important is to ask the following question: Was the victory of the NDA the result of its truthfulness and did it present an honest testimony about the fulfilment of the promises made in 2014?

This question becomes important for assessing not just the formal political victory of the coalition, but also, the very moral foundation of substantive democracy. Put differently, does this victory strengthen the moral foundation of democracy?About one in five Canadian adolescents uses cannabis (19% of Canadians aged 15-19), and its recent legalization across the country warrants investigation into the consequence of this use on the developing brain. Adolescence is associated with the maturation of cognitive functions, such as working memory, decision-making, and impulsivity control. This is a highly vulnerable period for the development of the brain as it represents a critical period wherein regulatory connection between higher-order regions of the cortex and emotional processing circuits deeper inside the brain are established. It is a period of strong remodeling, making adolescents highly vulnerable to drug-related developmental disturbances. Research presented by Canadian neuroscientists Patricia Conrod, Steven Laviolette, Iris Balodis and Jibran Khokhar at the 2019 Canadian Neuroscience Meeting in Toronto on May 25 featured recent discoveries on the effects of cannabis on the adolescent brain.

Dr. Patricia Conrod, at Universite de Montreal, studied the year-to-year changes in alcohol and cannabis use and cognitive function in a sample of adolescents consisting of 5% of all students entering high school in 2012 and 2013 in the Greater Montreal region (a total of 3,826 7th grade students). Students were assessed annually for 4 years on alcohol and cannabis use, and their cognitive function was evaluated using computarized cognitive tests. The researchers found substance use to be linked to low cognitive functioning, a finding that could be indicative of an underlying common vulnerability. Cannabis use was linked to impairments in working memory and inhibitory control, which is required for self-control. Cannabis use was also linked to deficits in memory recall and perceptual reasoning. Alcohol use was not linked to impairments in these cognitive functions, suggesting cannabis could have more long-term effects than alcohol.

More recently Dr. Conrod's team analysed the sex difference in cannabis response in the same sample of adolescents. Preliminary data indicates that cannabis use had a stronger effect on the memory functions of male students than female students. Both sexes were however, equally affected by cannabis on inhibitory control. These results help identify at-risk youth groups and target them for early intervention and information.

Dr. Steven Laviolette presented research on the effect the primary psychoactive component of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, on the adolescent brain, in rodent animal models. His team demonstrated that adolescent exposure to THC induces changes in specific a region of the brain called the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and in a brain circuit, the mesolimbic pathway, that closely resemble the abnormalities observed in schizophrenia. Furthermore, adolescent THC exposure also caused affective and cognitive abnormalities including deficits in social interactions, memory processing and anxiety regulation.

Interestingly, Dr. Laviolette's team found that administration of drugs that restore normal PFC function in early adulthood could reverse the effects of adolescent THC exposure. They also demonstrated that co-administering THC with drugs that prevent the THC-induced disruption in brain signaling pathways prevented the development of schizophrenia-like effects. These results offer insights into ways to prevent or reverse THC-induced brain signaling defects in adolescents.

Dr. Iris Balodis, from McMaster University, investigates the mechanisms that motivate individuals to act and make decisions that can go against a person's best interest, as seen in people suffering from addiction. To compare decision-making in individuals suffering from cannabis addiction (also called cannabis use disorder) to healthy controls, Dr. Balodis used an effort-based decision-making test, which explores how much effort and individual is willing to make to receive a given reward. Participants are given a choice between an easy task or a hard task in which they can gain varying amounts of money (for example, pressing a lever a number within a certain time limit). During the administration of this test, Dr. Balodis and her team looked at differences in activity in different brain regions by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Initial findings suggest that there are differences in encoding the value of the reward (money received) and of the effort cost (amount of work done) in individuals addicted to cannabis relative to healthy controls. These were revealed by differences in activation of specific brain regions known to be important for motivation. This information could be key to finding cannabis addiction vulnerability factors.

Adolescent cannabis use is associated with behavioral changes related to reward and motivation in humans. Paradoxically, this use has both been suggested to increase motivation for other drug use (the gateway hypothesis) and a potential "amotivation syndrome" in which individuals are less willing to expend effort to receive a reward. It is not known whether adolescent cannabis use causes either of these responses, or if cannabis use is rather a symptom of a pre-existing state that results in these behaviours. In order to better understand the long-term effects of adolescent cannabis exposure on the brain, Dr. Jibran Khokhar, from the University of Guelph, studied the effect of THC exposure in adolescent rats on their adult behaviour. In this study, adolescent THC exposure differentially impacted instrumental (decreased lever pressing) and Pavlovian learning (increased sign-tracking). These rats also showed differences in other reward-related behaviors. These behavioural changes were accompanied by changes in the connection between different regions of the brain, including those involved in encoding reward and motivation. These results suggest adolescent cannabis exposure in rats can produce long-lasting changes in brain circuitry which might contribute to the behavioral changes observed after cannabis exposure.

Taken together, the research results presented in this symposium help decipher the links between cannabis use and long-lasting changes in the brain, which underlie changes in behaviour in adolescent humans, and in studies reverse-translating these findings to animal models. Research in humans shows that adolescent cannabis use is widespread, and associated with defects in working memory, self-control and motivation. Similar results were obtained in animal studies, through which researchers were also able to test therapies that can reverse the effects of adolescent cannabis use in adulthood. These findings provide keys to prevent and treat the long term effect of adolescent cannabis use.

###Athens, Greece - 26 May 2019: Elderly patients with heart failure who see a pharmacist once a week are more likely to take their tablets and be active in daily life, according to late breaking results from the PHARM-CHF randomised controlled trial presented today at Heart Failure 2019, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1

"Adhering to a complex medication regimen is a huge challenge for elderly patients with heart failure," said co-principal investigator Professor Martin Schulz, of the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Germany. "It is estimated that 30% to 50% of patients in Europe are nonadherent to heart failure medications, which results in increased frequency and severity of symptoms such as breathlessness, worsening heart failure and consequent hospitalisations, and higher mortality."

Nonadherence includes not collecting a prescription, taking a lower dose or less pills than prescribed, drug holidays (during weekends or holidays, or when feeling better), or completely stopping one or more drugs.

The PHARM-CHF trial investigated whether regularly seeing a pharmacist improves adherence to heart failure medications.2 A total of 237 ambulatory chronic heart failure patients aged 60 years and older were randomly allocated to usual care or a pharmacy intervention and followed-up for a median of two years. The average age was 74 years, 62% were male, and the median number of different drugs was nine.

The intervention started with a medication review. Patients brought their drugs to a pharmacist who made a medication plan, checked for drug interactions and double medications, and contacted the physician about any risks. Patients then visited the pharmacy every 8-10 days to discuss adherence and symptoms, and have blood pressure and pulse rate measurements. Drugs were provided in a pillbox with compartments for morning, noon, evening, and night on each day. The pharmacist updated the medication plan if needed and contacted the doctor with new drug-related problems or significant changes in vital signs.

The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of days three heart failure medications were collected (using pharmacy claims data) in the year after randomisation. The drugs were beta blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. Compared to usual care, the intervention resulted in a significant 5.7% absolute increase in collection.

The researchers also calculated the proportion of patients who collected the three drugs at least 80% of the days under study (defined as adherent) compared to baseline.3 The proportion of adherent patients increased from 44% to 86% in the pharmacy group and from 42% to 68% in the usual care group - a significant 18%-points difference between groups. Patients in the pharmacy group were three times more likely to become adherent compared to the usual care group. Six patients would need to receive the intervention to achieve at least 80% adherence in one patient.

There was no difference between groups in the primary composite safety endpoint of days lost in the year following randomisation due to unplanned cardiovascular hospitalisations or all-cause death.

Improvement in quality of life was more pronounced in the pharmacy group after one year and significantly better compared to the usual care group after two years. This meant patients in the pharmacy group were less limited in their daily activities and less worried about their disease.

Professor Schulz, who is also director of the Department of Medicine at ABDA - Federal Union of German Associations of Pharmacists, said patients would need to see the pharmacist every week lifelong for the benefits to continue: "The key point is that pharmacy visits need to be used as an opportunity to provide structured care."

Co-principal investigator Professor Ulrich Laufs, director of the Department of Cardiology, Leipzig University, Germany, said: "Cardiologists and general practitioners would welcome this type of intervention since it does not change the medication that is prescribed but helps patients to follow the treatment strategy."

###

Authors: ESC Press Office

Tel: +33 (0)4 8987 2499

Mobile: +33 (0)7 8531 2036

Email: press@escardio.org

Follow us on Twitter @ESCardioNews

The hashtag for Heart Failure 2019 and the World Congress on Acute Heart Failure is #heartfailure2019.

Funding: ABDA, Pharmacists' Foundation Westphalia-Lippe, Chamber of Pharmacists North Rhine, Lesmueller Foundation, Foundation Pharmaceutical Care.

Disclosures: None declared.

References and notes

1 The abstract 'Pharmacy-based interdisciplinary intervention for patients with chronic heart failure: results of the PHARM-CHF randomized controlled trial' will be presented during the session Late breaking trial II - Chronic heart failure on Sunday 26 May at 08:30 to 10:00 EEST in the Trianti lecture room.

2 Laufs U, Griese-Mammen N, Krueger K, et al. PHARMacy-based interdisciplinary program for patients with Chronic Heart Failure (PHARM-CHF): rationale and design of a randomized controlled trial, and results of the pilot study. Eur J Heart Fail. 2018;20:1350-1359. doi:10.1002/ejhf.1213.

3 Baseline adherence was calculated over a 183-day period prior to randomisation.

About Heart Failure and the World Congress on Acute Heart Failure

Heart Failure and the World Congress on Acute Heart Failure are annual congresses of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

About the Heart Failure Association

The Heart Failure Association (HFA) is a branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Its aim is to improve quality of life and longevity, through better prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart failure, including the establishment of networks for its management, education and research.

About the European Society of Cardiology

The European Society of Cardiology brings together health care professionals from more than 150 countries, working to advance cardiovascular medicine and help people lead longer, healthier lives.

Information for journalists attending Heart Failure 2019

Heart Failure 2019 and the World Congress on Acute Heart Failure will be held 25 to 28 May at the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre in Athens, Greece. Explore the scientific programme.Texas lawmakers have passed a bill that would allow nonprofits and churches to share information about sex abuse allegations against former employees without becoming vulnerable to lawsuits.

House Bill 4345, sponsored by McKinney Republican Scott Sanford, is headed to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott after approval by the Texas Senate and House of Representatives.

Sanford proposed the bill weeks after a Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News investigation that found more than 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers had abused some 700 children in the last two decades.

In some of those cases, the newspapers found, predators were able to find new jobs  and victims  because their previous employers did not disclose allegations for fear of being sued.

Sanford, who is also a Southern Baptist minister, said the bill would help prevent predators from moving into unsuspecting congregations.

Employers shouldnt fear litigation for ensuring predators dont move from workplace to workplace, he said.

Its one of the reasons Southern Baptist Convention officials said they did not alert Mark Aderholts future employers about abuse allegations brought to them in 2007 by a Texas woman, Anne Marie Miller. An internal investigation by the International Mission Board, the denominations missionary arm, which employed Aderholt at the time, found that he had more likely than not abused Miller when he was a seminary student in Fort Worth in the late 1990s.

Aderhold was extradited to Texas and then indicted last year after Miller filed a police report. His case is pending.

The bill is also supported by Texas Catholic leaders and two entities associated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Victims groups said they support the legislation, but they reiterated their desire for stronger legal protections for victims, some of whom have been sued for defamation after they came forward with allegations of abuse.

robert.downen@chron.comThe volunteers fanned out Friday, placing small American flags on 110,000 graves at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

An annual Memorial Day weekend ritual, it brought the Boy Scouts, Young Marines, veterans, active duty military personnel and corporate and community volunteers to the 336-acre cemetery, which was established in 1937.

The Alamo Area Council is proud to see our youth do a good turn and pay respects to the armed forces as part of our duty to the community, said Michael de los Santos, scout executive of the Boy Scouts of Americas local council.

The spiffing up of the cemetery, where more than 162,000 veterans and their family members are buried, came in anticipation of crowds of people from around the area converging there Monday morning.

The Memorial Day ceremony at the Assembly Area, which starts at 9:30 a.m. after a musical performance, will feature retired Army Col. Evan Renz, a Ranger who commanded Brooke Army Medical Center and is now chief of staff for the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.

Other events connected with the solemn holiday are planned around the Alamo City.

Starting at 8 a.m. Saturday in Shelter No. 3, members of the American Legion will read the names of more than 2,500 veterans who have died in the past year and were buried at Fort Sam. Retired Army Sgt. Maj. Robert Masten, a former commander of the Legions District 20, said he expects about 25 Legion members to do the reading.

As the Legionnaires do their reading, 60 soldiers from the Texas Army National Guard will hold a deployment ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houstons Freedom Park Amphitheater. The 71st Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigades 636th Headquarters and headquarters detachment is deploying to the Middle East in support of Special Operations Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve. The farewell will mark the guards largest military intelligence deployment since 2009.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn will welcome some of the 229 Texans who have been selected to attend the nations five service academies. That event will run Monday afternoon in Freeman Coliseum and feature Cornyn, R-San Antonio, and former Navy Secretary Gordon England.

City Hall and most municipal offices and will be closed Monday, including all public libraries and metro health locations and clinics. The Parks and Recreation Departments four regional pools will be open from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday. They include Heritage, at 1423 Ellison Drive; Lady Bird Johnson, 10700 Nacogdoches; Southside Lions, 3100 Hiawatha, and Woodlawn, 221 Alexander Ave.

Some events occurred earlier in the week.

The Army Residence Community recognized veterans with a ceremony that included the opening of a permanent photo exhibit, Before Theyre Gone: Portraits & Stories of World War II Veterans, by photographer D. Clarke Evans. Over the past two years, hes photographed and interviewed 26 residents of the community.

The images and words illuminate faces and lives across generations, revealing the character and strength of those who have served around the world. Each portrait contains a glimpse of war, a reason for joining, and a reveal of life today, beyond the conflicts that shaped them.

It was important for us to preserve not only our history, but our nations history as well, said Steve Fuller, the Army Residence Communitys CEO. We are fortunate at the ARC to have 21 WWII Veterans living with us - we need to honor them and tell their stories.

The Bexar County Military and Veterans Services Center on Wednesday unveiled a memorial bench in honor of unaccompanied homeless veterans. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and Air Force Brig. Gen. Laura Lenderman, commander of the 502nd Air Base Wing, were on hand for the event at Fort Sams Memorial Trail.

USAA, which salutes Memorial Day each year, held a ceremony Wednesday at Joe Robles Auditorium that placed a special focus on the 75th anniversary of D-Day, which is less than two weeks away.

Air Force veteran and Gold Star father Darryl Walker was the emcee for the event, United We Remember the Fallen, while Col. Cole Kingseed, Ph.D., a military historian and author of Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters, was the keynote speaker. USAA was founded by the military, for the military, so it is important we lead the way in honoring our fallen, retired Navy Vice Adm. Jim Syring, USAAs chief administrative officer.

Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday in 1971. Once known as Decoration Day, it was initially created to honor Union and Confederate soldiers after the Civil War and was expanded after World War I to commemorate U.S. troops who died in all conflicts.

Sig Christenson covers the military and veterans in San Antonio, Bexar County and the nation. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | sigc@express-news.net | Twitter: @saddamscribeJust in time for summer, the Hertzberg clock downtown is getting a spiffy new coat of paint, its first since 2008.

Art restorer Chris King is doing most of the work, from sanding off the old, flaking paint to priming the surface and applying the final coat of green and gold industrial paint.

Im hearing a lot of stories from people about how they remember seeing this clock when they were children, or how this is where they would meet with their friends, she said, taking a short break in the hot sun. Theyre happy to see it being repainted and happy that its going to look the same as it always has.

The freestanding, 17-foot-tall cast iron and brass clock is owned by the San Antonio Conservation Society. Before the work began, some research was needed.

Currently, for example, only two sides of the four-sided base have the name Hertzberg painted on them vertically. But did the name ever appears on all four sides?

We looked through some old photos to check, King said. But it never did.

Built by E. Howard & Co. of Boston, the clock was originally installed in 1878 outside the Eli Hertzberg Jewelry Co. on Commerce Street.

In 1910, when Commerce Street was widened, the clock was moved to its current location at the corner of Houston and St. Marys streets.

For a short time in 1979, Dallas-based Zale Corp.  which had purchased the Hertzberg store in the mid-60s  considered moving the clock to one of its North Side stores. That plan was foiled because at the time the clock was still owned by Hertzberg descendents Maxine Goodman Bordelon and Jennita Goodman Poston and they refused to sell.

Later that year, the sisters donated the clock to the conservation society.

The mechanical street clock may be the last of its kind  most others having been electrified  and runs via a system of dangling weights, like a grandfather clock. Its wound by hand each week.

King said she hopes to have the paint job done by Tuesday.

Richard A. Marini is a features writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | rmarini@express-news.net | Twitter: @RichardMariniThis story has been updated to correctly reflect Sheriff Javier Salazar's thoughts on the recent succession of family violence crimes.

Four incidents of family violence throughout San Antonio over three days have left three people dead and a woman in critical condition.

In the latest incident, 45-year-old Jose Villalobos is accused of shooting a woman about 6 a.m. Friday in the 600 block of H Street, according to police.

Investigators said the two were in an on-and-off relationship and had been arguing when she tried to call a friend to pick her up and Villalobos pulled out a gun and shot her in the neck.

She was taken to an area hospital in critical condition, police said. An updated condition was not immediately available Friday evening.

Villalobos is charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of felony possession of a firearm. His bail totals $425,000.

Earlier this week, Alicia Wills, 62, and her 71-year-old husband, Louis Joseph Benevento, were fighting about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 6900 block of Luckey Path, according to the Bexar County Sheriffs Office.

Sheriff Javier Salazar said Friday that Wills was on the phone with the 911 call taker when she was fatally shot multiple times in the upper torso.

Its heartbreaking, Salazar said.

The sheriff could not comment fully on the incident as it is still under investigation, but he said Wills and Benevento had not been married long.

Benevento wrote on his social media page that they had recently returned to Wills far West Side home after a small fire scorched the garage and damaged several of his model planes in September.

Deputies arrested Benevento at the scene. He was charged with murder, and bail was set at $100,000.

In a second shooting, Darryl Webb, 57, had been in a dispute with a relative about 9:45 a.m. Thursday in the 400 block of Dorie.

At one point, Webb allegedly shot the man several times in the upper torso and head. Officers found Webb inside the home and arrested him without incident, police said.

The two men had a history of disputes, an SAPD spokesman said.

Webb has a criminal history that includes a murder conviction from Aug. 17, 1982, when he and brother Felmo Webb robbed and killed a taxi driver named Rogelio Rodriguez in the 2600 block of Dignowity, according to previous reports.

Webb was charged with murder. His bail was set at $300,000.

In a third incident Thursday, two sisters-in-law were fighting in front of a home in the 1000 block of Grand River about 4 p.m. Police Chief William McManus said.

One of the women went inside her residence and was followed by her sister-in-law, police said. When the sister-in-law refused to leave, the woman grabbed a gun and fatally shot her in the doorway.

The sister-in-law, 44, was pronounced dead moments after officers arrived, according to police. The other woman, 39, was taken into custody as police investigate whether charges should be filed.

It very well could turn out to be a justified shooting, we just dont know right now, McManus said. Were looking at it from all angles.

Neither woman has been publicly identified as of Friday evening, and police have not said whether charges are being filed.

McManus said there had been at least seven calls for disturbances at the home over the past few months but that there was nothing that we could intervene any further on.

Neither McManus nor Salazar could pinpoint what has caused the sudden surge in family violence.

Both agreed that it could be weather-related, as high temperatures have reached the lower 90s.

It could also be the natural cycle of crime, Salazar said Friday.

Every couple argues. Its to be expected, he said. But you walk away from that situation, and certainly, if at some point it starts to escalate to violence, thats not going to be isolated.

Both the San Antonio Police Department and the Sheriffs Office have personnel dedicated to handling victims of continued violence in similar situations, but Salazar said the ultimate decision to leave the abusive relationship is on an individual, if not for the benefit and safety of their children or other loved ones.

We would say while it may seem like the end of the world, I can promise you it will be much better, he 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Robin Jerstad /

The Metropolitan Health Department will hold a public meeting to present its master plan aimed at reducing ground-level ozone to avoid penalties that could be handed down by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Central Library, 600 Soledad St.Think about what it feels like to be Greg Brockhouse right now.

Youve spent much of the past decade mapping out and executing a political strategy for yourself.

You worked in two City Council offices. You came close to running for the District 4 council seat in 2011 before meeting a young contender named Rey Saldana and working to get him elected.

You moved to District 6 and challenged Ray Lopez in 2013. After losing that race, you fought alongside the firefighters union to derail a downtown streetcar project and campaigned against a 2015 charter amendment granting council members full-time pay. In 2017, you ran again in District 6 and pulled out a tough runoff victory.

Youre now on the cusp of attaining the big prize: mayor of San Antonio. And in the final weeks of your campaign, youre hounded by questions about a 2009 police report describing an act of domestic violence that you allegedly committed against your wife.

You insist that the report is false. Imagine how angry and outraged you would feel if a phony allegation was blocking the doorway to your dream.

But thats not the way Brockhouse sounded Thursday during an interview with Texas Public Radio host David Martin Davies.

The 2009 report, obtained by San Antonio Express-News reporter Brian Chasnoff, states that police were called to Brockhouses home Dec. 23 of that year by his wife, Annalisa, after Brockhouse screamed at (her) to leave him alone and grabbed (her) and threw (her) on the ground and got on top of her. The report says Brockhouse was trying to hit her, only stopping when the children came into the room and told (him) to get off.

The day after the story broke, I asked Brockhouse about the 2009 report following a KTSA mayoral debate in which he addressed a 2006 domestic violence incident involving him and his ex-wife but failed to mention the later report, which has disappeared from city records, apparently after being expunged.

Ive got to see what this report is, Brockhouse said. Im waiting.

It struck me then as a strange response. It still does.

As Davies pointed out during his interview with Brockhouse, there really are only two possibilities when it comes to this alleged incident: One, police officers were called to Brockhouses home by his wife; two, someone  presumably within the San Antonio Police Department  committed the criminal act of typing up a phony report about an incident that never happened.

When confronted by Davies with this narrow set of options, Brockhouse stuck to a prepared line that skirted the central question.

He stopped short of accusing SAPD of manufacturing a fictional report but obsessed about the fact that the report inaccurately described his height and eye color. (Keep in mind that, according to the report, Brockhouse had left his house by the time police officers arrived, so they wouldnt have seen him themselves.)

When Davies asked if someone had created a fraudulent document, Brockhouse said, I have no idea. When Davies asked again, Brockhouse replied, I dont know. Im only looking at what I saw.

Davies repeatedly asked Brockhouse if police went to his house that night. Brockhouse ducked the question and simply said, 100 percent the situation did not happen.

Think about what it feels like to be Greg Brockhouse. If someone conjured up a fictional police report about you, you wouldnt be hedging and misdirecting.

Youd say, No, the police never came to my house. My wife did not call them. This report is a fake, and the creation of this document is a criminal act that needs to be investigated.

He said none of those things.

While youre at it, think about what it would take to fabricate this report.

Youd have to know Brockhouses 2009 address. Youd have to hope that he and his wife were at their home on the night in question and in town for the holidays. Otherwise, Brockhouse would have had a rock-solid alibi.

Youd have to know the name and badge number of the officer named on the report.

Youd have to be willing to risk criminal prosecution.

And youd have to know that Brockhouses stint working in Mary Alice Cisneros council office had come to an end at that time, a detail mentioned in the report. (According to the Nationwide Multistate Licensing Systems database of business licensees, Brockhouse self-reported his employment in Cisneros office ending in November 2009, a month before the alleged incident. According to city records, he received his last paycheck from Cisneros office Jan. 15, 2010.)

By comparison, planting a bloody glove in O.J. Simpsons backyard would have been easy.

Regardless of your political ideology, it should matter to you if a candidate for the office of mayor in your city is lying to you, particularly about something as sensitive as a domestic violence allegation.

None of us should have a greater allegiance to our political biases than we have to the truth.

Gilbert Garcia is a columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470It was easy to board the Lets Kick Ted Cruz starship last week after he mentioned the threat of space pirates. The imagery of intergalactic buccaneers opportunistically cruising through space was meme gold, turning the senator into a punchline in a snap.

In a speech May 14, the Republican senator from Texas  also the chairman of the subcommittee on aviation and space  touched on why America needs a Space Force to defend our interests.

Since the ancient Greeks first put to sea, nations have recognized the necessity of naval forces and maintaining a superior capability to protect waterborne travel and commerce from bad actors, Cruz said. Pirates threatened the open seas, and the same is possible in space. In this same way, we too must now recognize the necessity of a Space Force to defend the nation and to protect space commerce and civil space exploration.

Its easy to see why it drew snorts from late-night talk-show hosts, as well as the far corners of the internet. Cruz shot back by pointing out that piracy and espionage by rogue nations are real.

In Teds defense, ye can laugh, but hes got more than a wobbly peg leg to stand on.

Space is no longer the final frontier, a place where no man has gone before. These days, everybody is up there in one form or another. It isnt just NASA that plans to return to the moon to stay; Space X also has plans to take a couple of private citizens around the moon next year. And last week, Space X planned to send dozens of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, and thats just a few of the 12,000 it wants to launch by 2027 to provide high-speed internet to the landlubbers back on Earth.

The European Unions Copernicus program monitors the Earth and its environment, according to its website, for the ultimate benefit of all European citizens. According to SpaceWatch Middle East digital magazine, the United Arab Emirates leads the Middle East space industry with high-range observation satellites and plans to launch a probe scheduled to reach Mars by 2021. China has already placed a rover on the dark side of the moon and out of communication range, so it has to communicate information to one of its satellites.

And aside from China, perhaps, those are our mates, right? Of course, there are always rogues and disgruntled employees, some of whom could do damage with a turning of the tides. After all, those satellites that help us navigate the passage to our local supermarket were set up by someone.

We know we need to watch our backs; what we dont know is if we need another branch of the military. We already have a space industry. Would another government agency really help our focus and increase our security, or would it just amount to more brass, bureaucracy and red tape? The Defense Department has asked for more than $306 million to establish a Space Force, and thats a lot of loot.

Sure, the lingo Im using is lame, but its done to parrot what was done to Cruz after his pirate remarks: cheap shots that ignore the real issue  which isnt the threat of brigands from another galaxy.

Then again, maybe its too late anyway, since the brigands we know are scary enough.

mariaanglinwrites@gmail.comWhen whites first began immigrating to what is now the U.S. in the early 1600s, they were not the majority. They became the majority later.

European immigrants used a variety of means to push Native Americans out of the way. They killed them with disease and genocide to decimate their numbers as whites became the largest group in the U.S., bolstered even further by immigration that lasted for more than three centuries.

But the white share of the U.S. population has been dropping, from a little under 90 percent in 1950 to 60 percent in 2018. It will likely drop below 50 percent in another 25 years.

White nationalists want America to be white again. But this will never happen. America is on its way to becoming predominantly nonwhite.

Who is white?

The U.S. federal government uses two questions to measure a persons race and ethnicity. One asks if the person is of Hispanic origin, and the other asks about the persons race.

A person is defined as white if he or she identifies as being only white and non-Hispanic. A minority, or nonwhite, person is anyone who is not solely non-Hispanic white.

Whites were not the first people to settle in what is now the U.S. The first immigrants were a people known today as American Indians and Alaskan natives, also commonly referred to as Native Americans. They arrived in North America around 14,000 years ago.

When Christopher Columbus arrived in America in 1492, there were around 10 million American Indians living in the lands north of Mexico. But by the 1800s their numbers had dwindled to about 1 million. They are now the smallest race group in the U.S.

The first sizable stream of immigrants to what is now the U.S. were whites from England. Their arrival at Plymouth in 1620 in search of religious freedom marked the start of large waves of whites coming to this land.

When the U.S. was established as a country in 1776, whites comprised roughly 80 percent of the population. The white share rose to 90 percent in 1920, where it stayed until 1950.

Declining numbers

The proportion of whites in the U.S. population started to decline in 1950. It fell gradually over the years, eventually reaching just over 60 percent in 2018  the lowest percentage ever recorded.

Although the majority of the U.S. population today is still white, nonwhites account for more than half of the populations of Hawaii, the District of Columbia, California, New Mexico, Texas and Nevada. In the next 10 to 15 years, these half-dozen majority-minority states will likely be joined by as many as eight other states where whites now make up less than 60 percent of the population.

Census Bureau projections show that the U.S. population will be majority-minority sometime between 2040 and 2050. Our research suggests that this will happen around 2044. Indeed, in 2020, there are projected to be more nonwhite children than white children in the U.S.

The nonwhite population is growing more rapidly than the white population. Minorities accounted for 92 percent of the U.S. population growth between 2010 and 2018, with Latinos comprising just under half of the nations overall growth.

Behind the trends

Why are the numbers of white people declining, and why are nonwhite numbers increasing? The answer is basic demography: births, deaths and immigration.

White women have an average of 1.7 children over their lifetimes, while Latina women average 2.2. The total fertility rates of blacks, Asians and American Indians are in between. So whites have fewer births than all nonwhite groups.

There are also big differences in age structure. Sixty-two percent of Latinas 15 or older are of childbearing age. Only 42 percent of white women fall into this group. Latinos also have lower mortality rates than whites. Demographers call this the epidemiological paradox.

In 2015, for the first time, there were more white deaths in the U.S. than white births. Indeed, as of 2016, in 26 states, whites were dying faster than they were being born. The states with more white deaths than white births include California, Florida, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

How about immigration to the United States? Of the more than 43 million foreign-born people living in the U.S. in 2015, 82 percent originated in Latin America and Asia. Only 11 percent were born in Europe. So whites dont increase their representation in the U.S. via immigration.

The future of whiteness

The aging white population, alongside a more youthful minority population, especially in the case of Latinos will result in the United States becoming a majority-minority country around 2044.

The demographic shift in the U.S. has resulted in many whites proclaiming that they are losing their country and that they already are or will soon become a minority group.

In her research on working-class whites in rural Louisiana, sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild observes that many whites feel frustrated and betrayed, like strangers in their own land. In Donald Trump, they saw a white man who brought them together to take back their country.

Hochschild points out that at a Trump campaign rally, whites held signs with slogans such as TRUMP: MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN and SILENT MAJORITY STANDS WITH TRUMP.

The decline of the white share of the U.S. population could result in the shifting of racial boundaries to assign whiteness to some people of color to bolster the white numbers.

This has happened before. Groups that were initially seen as very different from whites, such as the Irish and Italians, once sought to distance themselves from blacks and eventually were accepted as white.

In addition, although people of Mexican origin largely identified racially as white, in the 1930 census Mexican was used as a racial category, at a time when there was heightened hostility against Mexicans due to their growing population size and the Great Depression.

But any future changes cannot override demography. The U.S. will never be a white country again.

Dudley Poston is a professor of sociology at Texas A&M University. Rogelio Saenz is a professor of demography at the University of Texas at San Antonio. This article was first published in The Conversation.The Joe Biden polling surge has raised the frightful specter of Democratic rationality.

What if Donald Trump hasnt driven Democrats insane, sending them into a spiral of self-defeating radicalism, but instead made them shockingly pragmatic?

Bidens early strength suggests it may be the latter, that the reaction to Trump is so intense that it has crossed some sort of event horizon from fevered fantasy of his leaving office early via resignation or impeachment to a cold-eyed, win-at-any-cost practicality.

If this is true, one of the exogenous factors that could appreciably increase Trumps odds of reelection  a zany Democratic nomination contest leading to a nominee much too far left for the American electorate  may not materialize.

The commonsense play for the Democrats has always been to nominate a nonsocialist with appeal to Obama-to-Trump voters in former Blue Wall states  if not necessarily Biden, then someone with a similar, relatively moderate profile.

If hardly dispositive, Bidens robust numbers at least suggest that this play is more likely than it seemed in the very early going, when candidates were stumbling over one another apologizing for sundry alleged offenses in the Woke Olympics.

If thats not going to be the true dynamic of the race, Im as surprised as anyone. Whats extraordinary, though, is that almost every Democratic candidate might have been misreading it as well, and chasing the wrong rabbit down the track.

Certainly, Bernie Sanders dominated the intellectual and policy debate in the wake of his 2016 run, driving other presidential candidates to embrace his signature proposals. And Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a genuine political star.

Its only because the center of gravity of the party has clearly moved left that Biden, always a standard liberal, now sounds like a centrist when he calls himself an Obama-Biden Democrat.

But, as Harry Enten of CNN, among others, has been insisting for some time, the average Democrat is older, more moderate or conservative, and less likely to have a college degree than youd guess from following Twitter or cable TV.

These voters were underserved by the rest of the field, and Biden is taking dead aim at them with the simple message that he can beat Trump.

Electability is usually a wan, uninspiring rationale for lackluster establishment campaigns, but Trump may have transformed into something more urgent and exciting for Democrats in 2020.

In this scenario, fear and loathing of Trump doesnt drive Democrats into a politically risky dead end like impeachment  although thats still possible  but a sensible appraisal of how to beat him at the ballot box.

In a recent CNN poll, about half of Democrats said its extremely important that a candidate have a good chance of beating Trump, much higher than any other candidate quality. Journalists on the trail have reported hearing the same thing from Democratic voters.

Of course, if we learned anything from 2016, its that pundits know much less about electability than we think. Bidens paper strength may dissipate.

How often in American politics has the old candidate promising a restoration won? History shows that Democrats have had better electoral luck when they fall in love with a youthful candidate promising a fresh start. Think Bill Clinton, not Walter Mondale; Barack Obama, not Hillary Clinton.

Bidens long record has plenty for Trump to shoot at, and after he gets beaten up over his past positions on busing and crime, he may have some of the same trouble as Hillary turning out the Democratic base.

Bidens electability will have to be proven not just in general election polling matchups with Trump, but day-by-day campaigning during the primaries with more incoming than hes experienced to date.

All that said, Bidens level of support out of the gate has already changed the narrative of the race. It may be that hes understood how Trump is shaping the 2020 landscape better than his more with-it and current Democratic competitors.

comments.lowry@nationalreview.comRe: Museum fuels hatred of America in a foreign land, Other Views, May 3:

Marc Theissen, Im happy you are able to travel to Spain and see fantastic museums such as the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and we let you back into this country to write such columns.

But does it ever dawn on you that because we are free to make our opinions  uneducated or not  known on museum walls and newspapers, this is what makes this country so special? Even in other countries?

I am sure if you would rather live in a country that would allow your special restrictions to be in place, you can find many to choose from. Maybe then you would start to understand the show you reviewed.

Robert Ziebell

Costly Brockhouse

How and why are we having a runoff election for mayor of San Antonio? I see this as a runoff only because of misinformation being fed to the voters.

Do we want a mayor who wants what is best for all of San Antonio? Or do we want a mayor who caters to only one department of our city? We can vote for Mayor Ron Nirenberg or Greg Brockhouse.

Mayor Nirenberg has done more than just a decent job this past two years. He does not cater to some special group or individual. Brockhouse, on the other hand, has a special group on his side  the San Antonio Fire Department. We all have heard the firefighters union wants Brockhouse elected because it can get a better contract if he is elected. The fire union has gone all out for him. Let us remember the two propositions that it was very instrumental in getting voted in the previous election.

Mayor Nirenberg was very much against the three propositions, and he explained in detail what would happen if they were voted in. We have lost an excellent city manager, and our citys bond rating has been adversely affected. Now, we have a union that wants a more lucrative deal. Are we going to empty the bucket on only one city department?

I can say that every city employee deserves more than they are getting paid, but we do have limited resources and cannot accommodate everyone, but the Fire Department wants more than its share.

Can we afford Greg Brockhouse as mayor of San Antonio? Lets be better informed before we vote June 8.

Santos Hernandez

Mayor choice clear

Re: Amid runoff for mayor, a storm brews, Metro, May 9:

Your editorial lays out very clear reasons why it is important for the financial well-being of our city that Ron Nirenberg, and not Greg Brockhouse, be elected mayor.

I would bet those in the northern suburbs who voted for Brockhouse were not as aware of these issues as they should be, and hopefully your editorial woke up at least some of them; it certainly woke me up. I would have liked to have seen all these points brought up prior to the general election, but at least you are bringing them up now, hopefully before its too late.

Bill Johnson

Nirenbergs drum

Here are a few examples of Mayor Ron Nirenberg marching to a different drummer  not in the best business interest of our city:

1. San Antonios sanctuary city status.

2. Light rail plans with streetcars to nowhere.

3. City Manager Sheryl Sculleys resignation.

4. A Chick-fil-A debacle controlled by a special interest group.

5. The cold turndown of an invitation to the 2020 Republican National Convention.

6. An extreme climate change program that is not realistic.

Donna Howington

And now you know

Re: Sad sign of times, Your Turn, May 3:

It is a sad time when a person cannot support the mayoral candidate of their choosing without the opposition taking some kind of outrageous action against you.

I am so sorry this happened, and this is an obvious violation of your rights. I hate to say this, but now you know how it feels to be a Republican supporter in San Antonio.

Emmet Cook

Calm not enough

Re: McGahn rebuffed pressure by White House, Metro, May 11:

Michael Schmidt of the New York Times informed how former White House counsel Donald McGahn maintained integrity by refusing to publicly state he did not believe Donald Trump obstructed justice.

Schmidt wrote, White House officials believed that McGahn asserting his belief publicly would calm the president.

Then I watched Trumps nonsensical hatemongering rant at his Florida rally. Trump doesnt need to be calmed, he needs to be canned.

Carlos Valle Jr., Laredo

A deserving thanks

Federal employees serve and protect us every day at every level across the country and in our community. At no time was this more evident than during the 35-day partial government shutdown earlier this year.

From ensuring safe air travel, to regulating new medicines, to maintaining a safe food supply, to processing Social Security checks, civil servants are everywhere, yet invisibly so. And contrary to popular belief, 85 percent of the federal workforce is located outside of Washington, D.C.

When natural disasters strike, they provide relief and help us rebuild. When mass shootings take place, they enter harms way and care for the wounded. When once-eradicated viruses re-appear, they investigate public health crises. Whether they are in the public eye or active behind the scenes, civil servants take pride in working for something bigger than themselves.

At a time when the image of civil servants is unfairly tainted and the idea of a career in public service is not on the minds of young professionals, its imperative that we recognize the noble profession of civil service. Lets thank federal employees for keeping our country running safely, efficiently and for the good of the American people.

Alan GibbsGREENWICH  Under blue skies, sun and a light breeze, the members of Cos Cob Veterans of Foreign Wars gathered with the community Saturday morning to pay tribute to the sacrifices of those who gave their lives on ground, on sea and in air.

Memorial Day is a time to honor the war dead. But, during a brief ceremony by the VFW Post 10112s memorial on Strickland Road, Post Adjunct Bill Cameron focused on those who served in combat and endured mental and emotional injuries, not necessarily physical ones.

He said those veterans were rarely spoken of and in a sort of Twilight Zone for combat veterans.

They are the unfortunate men and women who have died in combat but are still walking around today, Cameron said.

He spoke about a friend of his named Bill Maloney, a retired Marine colonel who had received a battlefield commission at Iwo Jima and also served in Korea. Cameron said he would visit Maloney in Cape Cod for fishing and duck hunting and that once a week at his home Maloney would host a coffee klatch for friends, most of whom were ex-military.

One week, Cameron said Maloney invited him to the klatch and once there he introduced him to a man sitting alone and downcast in the kitchen. The man had to use both hands to hold his coffee cup and when introduced he did not shake Camerons hand and barely glanced up.

The story that Bill told me shook me to my very core and still does today, Cameron said as he explained that this man was a survivor of the USS Indianapolis.

The Portland class heavy cruiser had been on a top secret mission in 1945, delivering pieces used to build the atomic bomb, when on its return it was sunk by a Japanese submarine torpedo in the Pacific Ocean. The ship went down in 12 minutes with 300 sailors still on it. While 800 were able to get life jackets and abandon ship they were left in shark-infested waters for five days before help finally arrived.

Of the 800 men who made it into the water, only 316 survived with hundreds perishing due to injuries from the explosion, exhaustion or the sharks. Maloneys friend at the coffee klatch had been one of those survivors, Cameron recalled.

Bill believed that a part of his friend died in that blood-soaked ocean and that he never fully recovered, Cameron said. He could only hold a job where he was allowed to work alone.

There were many others like him. Cameron recalled how Maloney introduced him to another one of his friends who had been in fierce combat in Korea and after his service spent almost all of his life in a Massachusetts VA hospital for depression and alcoholism. His service had left him unable to function in society, Cameron said.

On this Memorial Day weekend when you remember our fallen heroes, please say a prayer for those who are forever scarred by war that they may be relieved of their inner pain and finally experience peace of mind, Cameron said.

The VFW post gathers by the monument every Memorial Day and Veterans Day to pay tribute.

Attendance for the ceremony has been growing in recent years. Last year brought about 40 people to the memorial in the small park across the street from the Bush Holley House; on Saturday that number increased to close to 50. The crowd included U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, a town resident, and Selectman John Toner, Chief of Police James Heavey and state Reps. Livvy Floren, R-149, Stephen Meskers, D-150, and Fred Camillo, R-151.

Town Board of Estimate and Taxation member Michael Mason, who like Camillo is a Republican candidate for first selectman, also attended and brought with him a fully restored Willys MB Army jeep that was originally built in 1944 as a radio jeep for use in World War II but never left the country.

Cameron noted the growing crowds during his remarks, saying he was seeing new faces every time Post 10112 did the ceremonies and that it was heartwarming to see more people turn out.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.comNew Canaan Police are looking for a missing woman Saturday, May 25.

Jennifer Dulos, 50, was reported missing around 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 24. A sliver alert has been issued.

New Canaan Police with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police initiated a search and an investigation both of which are ongoing as of 8:45 am. Saturday..

Anyone with information related to Duloss whereabouts should contact Sgt. Joseph Farenga at 203-505-1332.FAIRFIELD  The Board of Education, in a 6-3 vote, approved over $1.3 million in recommended cuts to software and capital projects at their May 21 in order to accommodate a budget reduction and increasing utility rates.

Superintendent Toni Jones, who heads for Greenwich at the end of next month, and the executive team recommended $1,337,263 in cuts to schools for the 2019-20 year.

Items that are part of the $1.3 million cut include Mindplay software, pupil service testing materials, pension contributions, snow maintenance removal, World Language K-2 software.

Additional reductions include a $20,000 cut originally destined for high school capital as well as legal fees and a maintenance lift.

As these items saw reductions, others saw an increase in funds due to new information and rising rates.

Paraprofessional salaries, electricity rates and insurance adjustments are some of the five items that are seeing a $687,263 increase as novel information has been provided to administrators.

Board of Education members discussed and debated the recommended cuts including two amendments that would have taken out $9,500 for the Math Academy program and $206,006 for Chromebooks for 6th graders proposed by board members Jeff Peterson and Trisha Pytko, respectively.

The amendment to eliminate the Math Academy failed in a 3-6 vote. The proposal to take out the money for the Chromebooks, however, elicited more conversation among board members and the public.

Taking with a lot of parents of middle schoolers...I have gotten a lot of complaints and have heard from a lot of parents that (the Chromebooks) are a distraction, Peterson said at the Tuesday meeting.

Other board members rebutted, saying the laptops were an important part of middle school education.

None of our middle school principals support removing (the 6th grade Chromebooks), Jones said.

The amendment failed to pass in a 3-6 vote.

Ultimately the $1.3 million in adjustments were approved in a 6-3 vote where board members Pytko, Nick Aysseh and Jennifer Jacobsen voted against the recommended cuts.

The Board of Education in January had approved their own $182.3 million budget unanimously in what amounted to a 5 percent increase, the largest ask from the board in the last 10 years.

It was never going to be easy ever since First Selectman Mike Tetreau first proposed a $700,000 to the schools budget in February.

Jones and the board touted the budget as one that focused on what matters meaning that only half a percent was allocated to items that were not directly related to contract increases, utilities and maintenance projects.

The nearly million-dollar cut from Tetreaus proposed budget worked its way through the Board of Finance and ultimately the Representative Town Meeting which approved the entire budget at its May 6 meeting.

In total, $181.7 million in funds were approved for schools, representing a 4.6 percent increase over the current fiscal year.

Staff were very pleased as the majority of the Board of Education voted to support the recommendations put forth, Jones said after the meeting.

humberto.juarez@hearstmediact.comCategory Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release

SubCategory Select Sub-CategoryView this post on Instagram #us A post shared by Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) on May 24, 2019 at 9:32pm PDT

Shahid Kapoor has earned the reputation of being the perfect family man of Bollywood. Despite being hampered by tight schedules pretty much throughout the year, the actor always manages to make some time for his family. Shahid will next be seen in the Hindi remake of Arjun Reddy and before he kicks off with the hectic promotion schedule, hes decided to spend some quality time with his family on a holiday in Phuket.While hes having a blast with his family in Thailand, he treated fans with a lovely selfie of himself and Mira Kapoor against a picturesque backdrop. In the picture, we see Shahid rocking sunglasses while Mira is flashing her gorgeous smile. Shahid decided to go simple with the caption this time as it reads, Us..Mira Kapoor too shared a picture of her lovely children Misha and Zain, in which we see the kids admiring the view on the beach. She captioned the picture, Creator of life and light, we praise thee this day for the beauty of thy world, for sunshine and flowers, storm-cloud and starry night, for the radiance of dawn and the last smouldering calm of the sunset.Kabir Singh is the official remake of Telugu hit, Arjun Reddy which featured Vijay Deverakonda in the lead role. Helmed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Shahid will be seen romancing Kiara Advani in the film. Kabir Singh will release on June 21, 2019.On May 16 (local time), an event was held at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival to recommend China's most beautiful shooting locations on the theme of "Fascinating China."

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190525005008/en/

The representative from Cannes Convention Bureau (1st L), Michel Chevillon (C), vice president of the French Riviera Chamber of Commerce and Industry and head of hotel association, and Adeline CHAUVEAU (3rd R), officer in charge of film and television projects from French Embassy to China, pose for a group photo with the representatives from the cities awarded for "The most beautiful shooting location in China." (Photo: Business Wire)

In the event, the Yellow Sea National Forest Park in Dongtai, Jiangsu Province, the One Hundred Mile Azalea Forest in Bijie, Guizhou Province, Siming District of Xiamen, Fujian Province, and the Li Autonomous County in Lingshui, Hainan Province were on the list.

The promotional films about the scenery in these four cities were also screened repeatedly in the festival's official projection hall.

During the event, the representatives from each city promoted their local culture and landscape to the guests at home and abroad.

The Yellow Sea National Forest Park boasts of distinct seasons, long sunshine duration, and fresh forest air comparable to that of untraversed areas in mountains.

In the One Hundred Mile Azalea Forest, the blooming azaleas all over the hills and dales can be seen in every spring.

Siming District of Xiamen, Fujian Province has a long history, bustling street views, unique arcade-houses, and distinctive international atmosphere.

With clear blue sea, shining beaches, bright-colored corals and deep rock caves, Li Autonomous County in Lingshui, Hainan Province has become the shooting location of many outstanding movie and television works.

Many professional filmmakers all over the world spoke highly of the scenery and grandeur of these locations in China.

After promoting their local landscape and cultural resources to the guests around the world, representatives from the cities of China's most beautiful shooting locations communicate warmly with the guests.

Representatives of international filmmakers and organizations have expressed strong interests in going to China to shoot their movie and television works.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190525005008/en/

Contacts:

Company Name: XINHUANET

Contact Person: Liu Qian

Email: liuqian@news.cn

Website: http://www.xinhuanet.com/ent/zgzmwjd/index.htmNepal Police on Friday arrested Yunus Miya Ansari along with three Pakistani and two Nepalese nationals possessing counterfeit Indian currency amounting to over Rs 7.5 crores from the Tribhuvan International Airport.

Kathmandu: Nepal Police on Friday arrested Yunus Ansari along with three Pakistani and two Nepalese nationals possessing counterfeit Indian currency amounting to over Rs 7.5 crores from the Tribhuvan International Airport.

"We have arrested Yunus Miya Ansari along with three Pakistanis and two Nepalese nationals from the Tribhuwan International Airport with counterfeit Indian bank notes. They came to Nepal from Qatar with the fake Indian currencies but their passport shows that their travel starts from Pakistan," Nepal Police Spokesman, Deputy Inspector General Bishwo Raj Pokharel told ANI over the phone.

"We have recovered four suitcases from them, where fake currency amounting to 7 crores and 67 lakhs was found," he added. As per the police, Ansari along with others was arrested at 9.30 am on Friday from the airport when they came to receive the counterfeit Indian Bank Notes.

Ansari, who is said to have links to underground groups especially from Pakistan, has been previously investigated in several similar incidents. He was also sent behind the bars after charges were proven against him.

The police have identified Sopal Khan and Sujan Ranabhat as the arrested Nepalese nationals, while Mohammad Akhtar Nasiruddin and Najia Anuwar are two of the three Pakistanis involved in the incident.

The Pakistanis had landed in Kathmandu on a Qatar Airways flight while the other three, including Ansari, reached the airport to receive the amount when they were nabbed.Gujarat GSEB 12th Result 2019 Declared LIVE Updates: The pass percentage for the Gujarat Class 12 Arts and Commerce streams is 73.27 percent. Students can check the official website for their scores. Out of 3 lakh students who appeared for the exam, around 2 lakh students have passed.

Auto refresh feeds

The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSEB) has declared the results of the Class 12 Arts and Commerce streams, however, the scores will only be available on the official website ( gseb.org ) at 8 am.

Students should keep in mind that the results of the Class 12 Arts and Commerce exam will be released on the Gujarat board's official website only at 8 am, however, the board declared the results early on Saturday morning in keeping with trends from previous years.

Students can check the GSEB HSC Result 2019 by following these steps:

Students waiting to check the official website of the Gujarat board for their Class 12 Arts and Commerce results can also check their scores on alternative websites like examresults.net and indiaresults.com , in case the official website is slow due to heavy trafffic.

More than 5 lakh students appeared for the GSEB HSC 2019 General or Arts and Commerce examinations. The results for the exams will be released by the board on its official website at 8 am.

The Gujarat board will release the HSC or Class 12 results for the General streams (Arts and Commerce) soon. According to the official website, it was to be available after 8 am.

The marksheets and other documents, verifying the Gujarat board Class 12 Arts and Commerce result, will be distributed on Saturday from 12 pm.

Students are advised to log on to the official website (gseb.org) for the Class 12 Arts and Commerce exam result booklet. Here is the direct link to access the booklet.

The pass percentage for the Gujarat Class 12 Arts and Commerce streams is 73.27 percent. Students can check the official website for their scores. Out of 3 lakh students who appeared for the exam, around 2 lakh students have passed.

This year, 73.27 percent students cleared the exam , which is 4.5 percentage points better than 2018 when the overall pass percentage was 68.96 percent. Girls have outperformed boys against this year with 79.27 percent female students clearing the exam compared to 67.94 percent boys.

Around 3,978 students of the general stream and 8 vocational students have secured above 99 percent in the GSEB Class 12 Arts and Commerce exam.

Students waiting to check the official website of the Gujarat board for their Class 12 Arts and Commerce results can also check their scores on alternative websites like examresults.net and indiaresults.com , in case the official website is slow due to heavy trafffic.

More than 5 lakh students appeared for the GSEB HSC 2019 General or Arts and Commerce examinations. The results for the exams will be released by the board on its official website at 8 am.

The Gujarat board will release the HSC or Class 12 results for the General streams (Arts and Commerce) soon. According to the official website, it was to be available after 8 am.

The marksheets and other documents, verifying the Gujarat board Class 12 Arts and Commerce result, will be distributed on Saturday from 12 pm.

Students are advised to log on to the official website (gseb.org) for the Class 12 Arts and Commerce exam result booklet. Here is the direct link to access the booklet.

The pass percentage for the Gujarat Class 12 Arts and Commerce streams is 73.27 percent. Students can check the official website for their scores. Out of 3 lakh students who appeared for the exam, around 2 lakh students have passed.

This year, 73.27 percent students cleared the exam , which is 4.5 percentage points better than 2018 when the overall pass percentage was 68.96 percent. Girls have outperformed boys against this year with 79.27 percent female students clearing the exam compared to 67.94 percent boys.

Around 3,978 students of the general stream and 8 vocational students have secured above 99 percent in the GSEB Class 12 Arts and Commerce exam.



Gujarat Board GSEB Class 12th Result 2019 Date and Time Latest Updates: The pass percentage for the Gujarat Class 12 Arts and Commerce streams is 73.27 percent. Students can check the official website for their scores. Out of 3 lakh students who appeared for the exam, around 2 lakh students have passed.

Students are advised to log on to the official website (gseb.org) for the Class 12 Arts and Commerce exam result booklet. Here is the direct link to access the booklet.

The Gujarat board will release the HSC or Class 12 results for the General streams (Arts and Commerce) soon. According to the official website, it was to be available after 8 am.

Students should keep in mind that the results of the Class 12 Arts and Commerce exam will be released on the Gujarat board's official website only at 8 am, however, the board declared the results early on Saturday morning in keeping with trends from previous years.

The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSEB) has declared the results of the Class 12 Arts and Commerce streams, however, the scores will only be available on the official website (gseb.org) at 8 am.

The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSEB) is likely to declare results of the Class 12 Arts and Commerce streams today (Saturday, 25 May) at 8 am on its official website gseb.org.

Approximately 5 lakh students appeared for the Gujarat Board General while nearly 17 lakh took part in all the three streams (Arts, Science and Commerce) of Class 12 board examination in the state. For the previous years too, both the GSEB HSC arts and commerce results were out on 31 May and the GSEB HSC science was announced on 31 May.

The Class 12 board examination for General were held between 7 and 23 March.

Students can check the GSEB HSC Result 2019 by following these steps:

Step 1: Go to the official website.

Step 2: Click on the result tab at the bottom.

Step 3: Click on HSC result 2019.

Step 4: Login using required details.

Step 5: Click on the Submit button.

Step 6: Download or take a print out for future reference.

The board had announced the results for Class 12 science stream on 8 May. The Class 12 exams for the science stream was held between 7 and 16 March at more than 1,500 centres across the state.

Results can also be checked on examresults.net and indiaresults.com.

GSEB is a board of school education in the state of Gujarat. It was formed on the basis of The Gujarat Secondary Education Act 1972. The primary function of the board is to prepare academic programmes and organise examination for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC).Gowda has now reasons to be upset. In the Lok Sabha election, Gowda and his grandson (the son of Kumaraswamy) Nikhil have lost the Tumakuru and Mandya seats respectively.

The movie isn't over yet. Its just the intermission. So pick up your popcorn, sit back and wait for the curtain to go up again.

In the first half of the movie, Narendra Modi vanquished the main villain Rahul Gandhi and his satraps. In the second half, he is expected to decimate other flunkeys and allies of the dynast. Topping that list are HD Kumaraswamy, the chief minister of the Janata Dal (S) and Congress coalition in Karnataka, and Kamal Nath, the Congress chief minister of Madhya Pradesh.

In both the states, the governments have wafer-thin majorities in the Assemblies and the BJP has done quite well in the latest Lok Sabha elections. The BJP won 25 of the 28 seats in Karnataka and 28 of the 29 seats in MP.

But the problem in Karnataka, as the BJP sees it, might resolve itself soon in one of two ways: One, the BJP, much stronger now, will once again try to woo MLAs from JD(S) and Congress to form its government. Two, a faction of the JD(S) aligns with the BJP just the way it happened in 2006.

The first is a distinct possibility. With a by-election victory taking the BJPs strength in the 224-member Assembly to 105, the party now needs only eight MLAs to destabilise the HD Kumaraswamy government. That doesnt look too tough, considering the disgruntlement in Congress. When this happens, the Gowda clan gets nothing.

Its the second scenarioof a section of JD(S) backing a BJP government in return for a few ministerial portfoliosthat will help the Gowda family or a part of it to stay on in power. This is just in the realm of speculation, the only basis for which being that it happened before, in 2006.

The JD(S) is little more than a family enterprise. If the partys chief honcho Deve Gowdas third son Kumaraswamy is the chief minister, second son Revanna is a powerful minister in the coalition cabinet. Kumaraswamys wife Anita is an MLA. Revannas wife Bhavani is active in the Zilla Panchayat politics of the familys home district. DC Thammanna, the father-in-law of Gowdas youngest son Ramesh, a radiologist, is a minister.

Gowda has now reasons to be upset. In the Lok Sabha election, Gowda and his grandson (the son of Kumaraswamy) Nikhil have lost the Tumakuru and Mandya seats respectively. Apart from the Modi wave, what caused their defeats is the sabotage by the supporters of Congress leader Siddaramaiah. The lone victory of another grandson Prajwal (son of Revanna) can hardly make up for the loss of power and political marginalisation the family appears to face.

What happened in 2006

In January 2006, the coalition government of Congress and JD(S) headed by chief minister Dharam Singh collapsed after nearly two years of bickering over sharing power. Singh (Congress) resigned after Kumaraswamy walked out of the coalition with 48 MLAs, aligned with the BJP which had 79 members and became the Chief Minister. Gowda then said it was the saddest day of his life, disowning what his son did. He compared Kumaraswamys rebellion to what the Congress had done in 1997 to cut short his tenure as the Prime Minister of the United Front. He, of course, mysteriously made up with his son later.

Whats different between 2006 and 2019 is that BJP is much stronger now and short of only eight MLAs. Its unlikely to concede too much to a JD(S) faction if such a scenario arises. But the need for the Gowda family to remain in power is too compelling, even without the CMs post. And as for state BJP president BS Yeddyurappa, he is in too much of a hurry to snatch the CMs job once again. He had three truncated terms as CM earlierthe first lasted seven days (2007); the second, three years (2008-11) and the third, six days (2018).

The key player in the Congress is, of course, Siddaramaiah. The fact that family mattered to Gowda more than anything else was the chief reason why Siddaramaiah, once an important leader of JD(S), rebelled against that party. Expelled from JD(S) in 2005, he joined the Congress next year and became the chief minister in 2013. Ever since they parted ways, Siddaramaiah and Gowda have been trying to destroy each other politically in the southern Karnataka where both have significant strength.

But the Congress president forced the state unit to have an alliance with JD(S) after the 2018 Assembly election to keep the BJP, the single largest party, out of power. Rahul conceded the chief ministers post to JD(S) though it has only half the number of MLAs Congress has, to flaunt the coalition as a model for a nationwide Mahagathbandhan he proposed to fight BJP.

Hardly a month after the coalition government was formed in May 2018, Siddaramaiah was heard saying in a leaked video tape, that he doubted whether the Congress-JD(S) government would last beyond the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. And all along Siddaramaiah has been giving one pinprick or the other to Kumaraswamy, raising frequent doubts over the governments survival.

Each time it appeared on the brink of collapse on account of either internal bickering or threat from the BJP, the coalition survived. Rahul is apparently keen on continuing the coalition, but the situation is no longer in his hands. The government has been in a state of going, going for too long. It may be gone soon, unless a miracle saves it.Prime Minister Narendra Modi was thus right in his assertion that the caste divide is artificial and the only real divide is rich-poor.

People by and large are not taken in by grandiose promises smacking of impossibility of fulfillment. Small wonder then that the NYAY scheme promised by the Congress party in its 2019 manifesto failed to resonate with the masses. A promise of Rs 72,000 on a platter was too good to believe. So was Narendra Modis supposed Rs 15 lakh per person promise from out of black money retrieved from abroad belonging to Indians. Neither did that apparently resonate with the masses in 2014 nor did the failure to live upto this promise anger them has been validated in retrospect by the overwhelming mandate in 2019.

What resonates with the masses is the delivery of doable promises. MNREGA, the brainchild of the Communists implemented by the Congress, ensured the UPAs return to power in 2009 after it was launched in 2005. It is another matter that it has been derided by its detractors as dole economics at its worst.

The delivery of 1.53 crore houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awaaz Yojana by the Modi government between 2014 and 2018 seems to have endeared it to the beneficiaries. A house is the most aspirational product/property. Walking the talk thus has paid very rich dividend to the Modi government. Remember a small house also comes with a toilet. Therefore, the housing-for-all scheme of the Modi government in a way also took forward the Swachch Bharat Abhiyan.

Physical infrastructure like expressway is a social good enuring for all. But Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) houses constitute social infrastructure and thus are targeted at the poor. Naturally, the beneficiaries have given their thumbs up despite the fact houses under the scheme are not given free but through an intelligently crafted interest subvention scheme.

Opening of about 33.5 crore bank accounts under the Jan Dhan Yojana was also a step in the direction of financial inclusion and empowerment of the masses resulting in Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of subsidies without leakage or diversion. The bait of overdraft and free accident cover served to hook the poor into a banking habit they had remained untouched by for long years. This is more than a third of India.

Subsidised gas connection to as many as 5.86 crore households, both literally and figuratively, wiped the tears off the eyes of rural women. Simultaneously it also made the well-to-do urban folks socially conscious and give up their subsidies so the resultant savings to the government could be spent on the poor. It was a masterstroke. So was the steps taken on war footing to ensure electric connection to every household in the country.

The delivery of free health services under the Ayushman Yojana has been even more spectacular. Launched on 23 September 2018, it has already benefitted close to 9 lakh patients. In a country where the poor and middle class often had to dispose off their properties for providing prolonged and expensive medical treatment to their dear ones, this was the best initiative ever.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was thus right in his assertion that the caste divide is artificial and the only real divide is rich-poor. He has done well to dismantle the caste barrier and bend all his energies towards making lives of the EWS segment easier. While doing so, caste and religion simply do not figure.

The catchphrase, 'it is economy, stupid', used by the former US President Bill Clinton has caught on in India, too, among the commentariat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to have understood its import very well. In his first term he has focused on social infrastructure. In his second, hopefully, he would focus on the more broad-based physical infrastructure so that private investment shy for more than a decade now is galvanized into action and the festering problem of unemployment is solved.

(The author is a senior columnist and tweets @smurlidharan)There are the recent measures within Pakistan to curb activities of the India focused terror groups in Pakistan, the already stabilizing situation in Jammu and Kashmir in a season in which terrorist infiltration seems to have been placed on the back burner

Elections 2019 are finally over, barring the shouting. So we may reasonably expect a second inauguration of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of India, although second term prime ministers do not necessarily desire a high profile inauguration. These are ceremonial events but also great occasions to make political statements; no words are required for that, gestures are sufficient. At the end of a highly acrimonious national election, can it be expected that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his second stint, will extend a gesture of peace to Pakistan. The expectation emerges because it happened with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 2014 and Modi received a round of praise for the gesture; although Sharif did later express his unhappiness at the protocol snafus. Prime Minister Modi is known for his out of the box style of functioning with gestures which have taken even his advisers by surprise. If nothing materializes we would have at least discussed Indo-Pakistan relations in the context of the hypothesis of a potential gesture.

Hypothesizing, what would be the benefits of any major gesture of peace at this juncture? Firstly, it is being assessed that provided there are no further spectacular negative events (of the Uri or Pulwama variety) in the next six months to a year, Kashmir remains relatively quiet and the LoC exchanges are at much reduced levels, there will be international pressure on India to commence some form of dialogue with Pakistan to reduce the chances of future conflict. The supporters of this line will point to Imran Khans frequent gestures, of extending a hand to India; also his statement that only under the NDA combine could a lasting solution to Jammu and Kashmir be found.

In addition, there are the recent measures within Pakistan to curb activities of the India focused terror groups in Pakistan, the already stabilizing situation in Jammu and Kashmir in a season in which terrorist infiltration seems to have been placed on the back burner, and the necessity to quickly move away from the very acrimonious exchanges over the last three months. Are these sufficient indicators of changing times in the absence of no verbal commitment on withholding further sponsorship of terrorism in India? Supporters will further substantiate this by stating that an early recovery of a peace process will give maximum impetus and perhaps strengthen Imran Khans hands in curbing the activities of the terror groups that Pakistan's deep state has nurtured over the years. It will help improve the geopolitical environment of the subcontinent and not divert attention from the efforts to find peace in Afghanistan. These arguments also point to the virtual impossibility of a statement from Pakistan that it will not indulge in sponsored proxy war against India; the essence will be in the demonstration of absence of violence.

The above sounds far too simplistic in the light of Pakistans most awkward gesture today, of once again signaling willingness to engage in talks and simultaneously conducting a training test of it 1,500 kilometre range SSBM Shaheen II to message its strategic capability and reach. All this even as counting of votes was underway. The NDA's political strength and fortunes improved substantially because of the anti-Pakistan rhetoric and a campaign focused on national security. To respond positively or even make an independent gesture of peace at this early stage to Pakistan could make the NDA look insincere to its own voters and draw flak of the Opposition too. That is a point which the government will need to keep in mind. In the light of Pakistan's awkward gesture which appears driven with a military mindset obviously gestures of peace from India will be misconstrued.

There are reports of some emerging friction between Imran Khan and General Bajwa. In recent weeks many advisers and ministers have been replaced by those from the Musharraf times, on a belief that Pakistan was never treated so severely by the international community as it is being treated under Imran Khan and therefore needs some experienced hands to handle the current status.

The Pakistan prime ministers attendance of the Indian prime ministers inauguration ceremony in 2014 required the express endorsement of the Pakistan Army; it is one of the strange countries where such a requirement exists. The last time in 2014 when Sharif was invited it took the Pakistan Army by surprise and it did not know how exactly to respond. A refusal or presence of a lower functionary such as the Foreign Minister would have appeared boorish and inappropriate. The environment in Kashmir was just heating up and the LoC was live. Sharif then considered his personal appearance at the inauguration as a transformational gesture which would go beyond the ordinary and help in creating an environment of peace, notwithstanding the Pakistan Armys ignoble ideas. He thus travelled to India with reluctant endorsement by the Pakistan Army and also drew criticism of many within Pakistan. The gamble may just have paid off if the Pakistan Army and the deep state did not have alternate ideas. Prime Minister Modi waited for 15 months before he found himself fully comfortable to handle Pakistan. That is when he undertook the Ufa dialogue, the meeting of the two NSAs took place at Bangkok, also the visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Islamabad for the Heart of Asia Conference 2015 and finally the boldest and what should have appeared the most sincere gesture  the surprise re-routing from Kabul to Lahore on Christmas day 2015, to meet and greet Sharif. The Pathankot terror attack followed seven days later.

So what should we make of all these arguments for and against. It is obvious that the last time hurry and bold initiatives did not pay off; in fact they got Prime Minister Modi much flak which he had to stave off. It is unlikely that he will wish to repeat that. Yet, he too would realise that with another five years at his disposal it may be good to start early now that Pakistan is in the economic dumps and isolated internationally. Positive gestures may draw positive response. Its a difficult decision which has to keep in mind geopolitical realities, Indian public sentiment and timing, all of which are crucial. As a personal aside I would always recommend a slower start, monitoring responses and building the environment to keep the LoC and Kashmir quiet for an elongated period. That may provide a conducive environment for progress, if it has to take place at all. Besides that the FATF decision is soon awaited. An Indian invite to the Pakistan head of government will definitely go in Pakistans favour when the factors for and against are placed in balance at the FATF. India is surely in no mind to assist Pakistan with that.Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modis swearing-in ceremony scheduled to be held in New Delhi on 30 May, according to several media reports.

Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modis swearing-in ceremony scheduled to be held in New Delhi on 30 May, according to several media reports.

An official at president Sirisena's office confirmed the news to The Hindu. It is confirmed. The president spoke to Mr Modi yesterday, the official told the newspaper Saturday.

News18 reported that sources in the Sri Lankan establishment confirmed that Sirisena would make a visit to balance ties with India after his recent visit to China. Sirisena's attendance at Modi's swearing-in ceremony would send out a strong message of Sri Lanka being keen on keeping its momentum in ties with India, sources added.

On Friday, Sirisena tweeted:

It was a pleasure to congratulate Prime Minister Modi (@narendramodi) over the phone a while ago. I shared thoughts that Sri Lanka too celebrates along with the world's largest democracy, on his re-election. We look forward to work together to further develop our bilateral ties.  Maithripala Sirisena (@MaithripalaS) May 24, 2019

On Thursday, Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and main Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa congratulated Modi after he led the Bharatiya Janata Party towards a resounding victory for a second term in office. "Congratulations on your victory and the people's re-endorsement of you leadership," Sirisena said in a tweet.

"I have immense pleasure in extending to you my warmest congratulations and sincere best wishes on the victory of the BJP," Wickremesinghe's message of congratulations said. "Heartfelt best wishes and congratulations," Rajapaksa said in his message. Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera interrupted his speech in Parliament to offer congratulations to Prime Minister Modi.

Several other lawmakers in Parliament offered best wishes to the Indian leader. Last year, Sri Lanka faced a major constitutional and political crisis which lasted over 50 days after Sirisena took a controversial decision of sacking Wickremesinghe as prime minister to replace him with Rajapaksa in late October. He was then forced to restore Wickremesinghe in office as Rajapaksa was not able to prove his majority in Parliament.

With inputs from PTIIndia had strongly supported Chinas entry into the United Nations and the Security Council as well.

New Delhi has once again demanded comprehensive reforms of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), emphasising that India deserves a place at the UN high table as a permanent member.

Addressing the meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj remarked, "India firmly believes in the efficacy of multilateralism and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter. It is imperative to have comprehensive reforms of the United Nations and its Security Council to make it more representative and effective.

In most immediate terms, Swaraj was asking for the SCOs support for Indias candidature for the non-permanent membership of the UNSC for the years 2021-2022. But that is not what India is actually aiming for. India has served as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for seven terms  1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92 and most recently in 2011-12. It needs to be mentioned that India got a record number of 187 of the 190 votes during the election process at the UN General Assembly in October 2010 for the 2011-12 term.

However, India has been at the forefront to seek expansion of the UNSC in permanent categories. India  along with Germany, Brazil and Japan  has been coordinating its efforts through a group called G-4 to demand a comprehensive reform and expansion of the UNSC that reflect the geopolitical and geoeconomic realities of the present times.

The SCO was founded in Shanghai in 2001 by Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India, which was granted an observer status in 2005, became full member of the group in 2017 along with Pakistan. The fact that China is the most important stakeholder in the long-term success of the SCO as a multilateral regional bloc, Indias demand for UNSC reforms at the platform of the SCO assumes special significance.

The reason is not far to seek. Securing Chinese support for Indias quest for a permanent seat on the UNSC has proved to be one of the biggest challenges for Indian foreign policy. Having received an unprecedented electoral mandate in the just-concluded parliamentary elections, the Modi government is likely to focus its diplomatic energies on how to secure Chinese consent to Indias candidature for a permanent seat in the UNSC.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aware of the challenges ahead. While addressing the students of the Tsinghua University during his 2015 China visit, Modi had underlined the positive impact of Chinas support for a permanent seat for India at the UNSC. He said, Chinas support for Indias permanent membership of a reformed UNSC and for Indias membership of export control regimes like Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) will do more than just strengthen our international cooperation. It will take our relationship to a new level. It will give Asia a stronger voice in the world.

However, the joint statement that came out of the visit only stated that China understands and supports Indias aspiration to play a greater role in the United Nations, including in the Security Council.

It has become a customary feature during high-level official visits for the Chinese side to merely understand and support Indias aspirations for a greater international role.

The fate of Indias bid is mainly in the hands of the veto-wielding permanent members of the UNSC, and China is the only veto-wielding permanent member that has yet to extend unequivocal support to Indias bid to become a permanent member. Any accommodative shift in Chinas position on the permanent seat is likely to recalibrate Beijings ties with Islamabad, as the latter has been vocal in resisting Indias permanent entry into the UNSC.

Beijing is not likely to upset its all weather friend at this juncture, undermining the centrality of Pakistan in the Chinas geopolitical calculus. Beijing may also fear that Indias entry into the UNSC would be an enormous loss for Chinas international status among the third world countries. Another important factor that China does not ignore has been Indias solidarity with Japan  Chinas arch rival  in making a joint bid for the UNSC permanent membership.

Past analysis of official documents and statements shows that China has neither clearly supported nor opposed Indias bid. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabaos visit to India in April 2005 resulted in a Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity with India. The joint statement declared that Indian side reiterated its aspirations for permanent membership of the UN Security Council...China attaches great importance to the status of India in international affairs. It understands and supports Indias aspirations to play an active role in the UN and international affairs.

Indias former foreign secretary, Shivshankar Menon, has claimed that former Chinese president Hu Jintao, during his 2006 India visit, had assured India that China would not be an obstacle to Delhis quest for permanent membership of the UNSC. Despite these assurances, no concrete guarantee emerged in the subsequent joint declaration signed by the two countries.

During then Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs visit to China in January 2008, the Shared Vision for the 21st Century took this line: Indian side reiterates its aspirations for permanent membership of the UN Security Council. The Chinese side attaches great importance to Indias position as a major developing country in international affairs. The Chinese side understands and supports Indias aspirations to play a greater role in the United Nations, including in the Security Council.

Nirupama Rao, then Indian foreign secretary, had sounded upbeat when Chinas president Hu Jintao had assured the visiting former president Pratibha Patil in 2010 that Beijing was ready to discuss the complex issue of a permanent Security Council seat for India. Yet that assurance was simply a continuation of Beijings hide-and-seek strategy on this issue. In September 2014, during President Xi Jinpings India visit, the joint statement declared, China attaches great importance to Indias status in international affairs as a large developing country, and understands and supports Indias aspiration to play a greater role in the United Nations including in the Security Council.

A careful reading of the paragraph pertaining to Chinas support for Indias membership of the UNSC shows that even the wording of the statements has remained unchanged over recent years. China has perfected the knotty art of saying neither yes nor no.

The 2017 Doka La military stand-off had put a temporary break on high-level interactions between the two leaders, who resumed it last year at Wuhan in China. However, no joint communique was issued during the Wuhan informal summit.

Indias frustration at being denied entry into the worlds most elite club is compounded by the fact that China is the non-Western, Asian country wielding veto power in the UNSC. What irritates Indians the most is that fact that India had strongly supported Chinas entry into the United Nations and the Security Council as well. It has been credibly claimed that Jawaharlal Nehru had declined a reported American offer in the 1950s to take the permanent seat on the UNSC, then held, by Taiwan, and urged it to be given instead to Beijing. Because the US offer went against the grain of Nehrus idealistic vision of Asian solidarity, India lost a historic opportunity to become one of the fortunate five.

Delhis quest for a permanent seat on the UNSC continues to meet with Chinese ambivalence at best, or resistance at worst. Beijing may have made sympathetic noises in bilateral meetings with New Delhi. However, it has been frustrating all diplomatic efforts at the global level to expand the Security Councils permanent membership.

Modis electoral campaign focused primarily on making India more secure, powerful and great if he is returned to power with a decisive mandate. The people of India have reposed their faith again on Modis leadership. Getting a permanent seat at the global high table has long been a dream of most of Indians, irrespective of their ideological affiliations. It remains to be seen whether the Modi government 2.0 will be able to make China blink in the next five years.Cyclone Fani originated from a tropical depression that formed west of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean on 26 April, and traveled towards India, making landfall with the speed of 175 kilometres per hour to 185 kilometres per hour on the morning of 3 May, 2019 at Puri, Orissa. 64 people lost their lives in the cyclone, while earlier cyclones had claimed thousands of lives in the region. The world hailed the Orissa government for its successful evacuation of 11,00,000 people against an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm. The estimated loss in the state is approximately Rs 12,000 crore, and basic resources like housing, electricity, water and telecommunications have been badly hit. The Orissa government announced help for all those who suffered; the relief for each family comprises 50 kilos of rice, one tarpaulin sheet and a sum of Rs 2,000 per month. Puri district was found to be the most affected, and in the aftermath of the storm, those who have been left behind pick up scattered pieces of the past with a hope to survive and rebuild in the present.

Dogs walk by the edge of the Chilika Lake in the Sanpatna village. Most villagers make a living by fishing for shrimp in the lake. However, not many boats on the lake are left intact, leaving the villagers worried about earning a livelihood.

A lone television set survived the storm in the Baleswar Patana village, while many houses around it have been destroyed or damaged. The villagers say the landfall happened not too far away from Baleswar Patana.

Manguli stands in front of her fallen mud house. She says she doesnt know what to do, or where to start. Her husband, meanwhile, has gone to the panchayat office to get some help. In spite of multiple visits and roadblock protests, the Paika Padha village has received no help from the government. Its Day 7 since the storm.

The temple city of Puri has run out of drinking water and the electricity supply has stopped. The water tankers supplied by the government have not met the needs of the people, and many have returned with empty buckets. All houses and shops run on generators, the fuel prices have shot up, and the shortage of fuel has also led to the opening up of a black market.

The Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary, with an area of 72 kilometres, is located along the coast, between the towns of Puri and Konark. The sanctuary includes sandy beaches and coastal dunes and is home to a herd of Blackbucks and Spotted Deer. Olive Ridley Sea Turtles nest on the beaches too. Cyclone Fani resulted in the loss of 5.5 million trees, many of which were instrumental in protecting the villages around from strong winds. Today, you dont see a single tree in the sanctuary.

By the golden beach stands the old Puri Hotel, where a huge mass of sand has entered the premises. The government has asked the hotel not to take in tourists until further notice, due to the lack of basic resources.

Bansidhar Behra and his three brothers lost their father eight days before Cyclone Fani. On the 13th day after his demise, they were to offer prayers for him and feed the people who attended the ceremony, as is the custom in Hindu culture. However, today they stay at the local primary school (in the Panda Pukhari village), as their house has been completely destroyed in the storm. In spite of the harsh conditions, they intend to offer prayers and have asked the local priest to come to the school.

The village of Keto Kuddi has lost most of its coconut and plantain farms. They have been collecting the fallen coconuts and selling them in the local market. Though they won't get a good price for these coconuts, the money they earn will help them meet their immediate needs.

Lakkan Sahu and Kuna Mani Sahu, an elderly couple, run a small tea stall by the Puri-Konark highway in the Bali Ghai village. They seem to have lost faith in the governments distribution strategy and have reopened their tea stall, which didn't suffer much damage. Their faith in Jagannath remains undeterred; they hope he will send customers their way so they earn enough to survive. The husband speaks about how this tea stall helped him build a strong house in the village, where he could accommodate a few villagers and their cattle during the storm.

Along the Brahmagiri-Sathpada road, mostly locals have managed to clear the streets. At a few places along the road, you also see dead cattle that were not lucky enough to find shelter. The Blue Cross of India has been working hard to get rid of these bodies, to avoid the spread of any epidemic.

Its been eight days since the storm. Upon realising that they have received no help from anybody, the women of Keto Kuddi village take it upon themselves to block the road and ask for food and water from the government vehicles that pass by, even pleading with the trucks transporting relief to serve their village before they go any further. There has been news among the locals that in some villages, the relief trucks have been looted in desperate attempts to survive.

Lunch has been served in the Keto Kuddi village street today. When they didn't receive any help from the government for about a week, someone from the village suggested that they put together everything that remained in their individual kitchens to start a community kitchen. The villagers assume they can survive for two more days with the food from this kitchen.

Chilika Lake attracts a large tourist population and provides employment for many locals. A man stands at Chilika bus stop, where he once worked. The place is usually crowded and abuzz  but the man wonders about its future and glory.

A girl walks to the cyclone shelter through what is left of her village. Chilika Lake is a brackish water lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts of Orissa. It is the largest coastal lagoon in India, and the second largest in the world. It has been featured in the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list. It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds in the Indian sub-continent. The lake has large fishery resources. It sustains more than 150,000 fishermen living in 132 villages on the shore and islands.

At Batapur, there are serpentine lines leading to the panchayat office, because the sum of Rs 2,000 promised by the government has finally made its way to the villagers. The villagers are desperate to collect the money. While few worry about their lost identification documents, others are concerned about how they will survive on Rs 2,000 per month  and how long it will be before their lives return to normalcy. All photographs by Kaveer RaiA crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday unanimously rejected Rahul Gandhi's offer to resign.

New Delhi: A crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday unanimously rejected Rahul Gandhi's offer to resign as party president after the Lok Sabha poll debacle and authorised him to overhaul and restructure the party at all levels.

The meeting deliberated on the reasons behind the Congress' defeat in the elections for four long hours with various leaders urging Rahul Gandhi to continue to provide leadership to the party.

"Congress President Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress President for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times," said the resolution passed by CWC.

The CWC "unanimously" called upon the Rahul Gandhi to lead the party in its ideological battle and to champion the cause of India's youth, the farmers, the SC, ST, OBCs, the minorities, the poor and the deprived sections, it said.

Top Congress leaders from across the country on Saturday got together to review the Lok Sabha poll drubbing, as the party's highest decision-making body met in New Delhi.

The CWC meeting, chaired by Rahul Gandhi, was attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, chief ministers of party-ruled states and other top leaders.Top Congress leaders from across the country on Saturday got together to review the party's drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls, in a CWC meeting.

New Delhi: Top Congress leaders from across the country on Saturday got together to review the party's drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls, in a Congress Working Committee meeting. However, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who chaired the meeting, left the venue without addressing the media.

The CWC meeting was attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Uttar Pradesh (East) in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and chief ministers of three party-ruled states  Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh  and of the Union Territory Puducherry.

The meeting of the party's highest decision-making body is expected to have gone into the reasons behind the party's debacle and discus as to why it's poll narrative failed to convince the people.

There were speculations that the Congress president would offer his resignation taking responsibility for the party's poor performance in the polls. However, the party clarified that reports about Rahul offering to resign "were wrong".

Senior leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram was also present in the meeting alongside other party colleagues including AK Antony, Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sheila Dikshit, Mallikarjun kharge, Ambika Soni, Anand Sharma, and Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot also attended the meeting along with their Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel. Though the Congress improved on its 2014 tally of 44, it could win just 52 Lok Sabha seats this year. In 18 states and Union Territories, the party could not open its account.

Murmurs are already appearing within the party over taking responsibility for its poor performance, with some of its leaders already sending in their resignations. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar and Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik have announced their resignations from the post.Many other statements by Opposition leaders also ended up helping the BJP as people found them to be in bad taste.

During the 1992 United States presidential elections, a campaign slogan coined by James Carville  campaign manager for Bill Clinton  hit the mark and struck a chord with the voters. Clinton defeated the incumbent Republican president George HW Bush, and the catchphrase, "It's the economy, stupid" by Carville became a case study for election campaign strategists.

The reason for the massive appeal of Carvilles slogan was that it succeeded in convincing the electorate that Clinton and his party are concerned about the plight of working people and Clinton's government, if voted to power, would work on that front.

In India, election campaigns are often remembered for the slogans and messages they tried to convey to voters. From Indira Gandhis "Garibi hatao, Indira lao, desh bachao" slogan given by the Congress in the 1971 elections to the slogans of "Jan Sangh ko vote do, bidi peena chhod do; Bidi mein tambaku hai, Congress-wala daaku hai and "yeh dekho Indira ka khel, kha gayi shakkar, pee gayi tel given by Jan Sangh during the 1977 elections, to the clarion call given by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) of "Bachcha bachcha Ram ka, janmabhoomi ke kaam ka" during the 1990s  all of them changed the discourse of political campaigning.

However, some catchphrases like "India Shining", launched by the BJP for the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, failed to deliver.

But what was noteworthy about campaigning the 2019 Lok Sabha election was the way the BJP hijacked the political slogans of the Congress to its advantage. The thrust of the Congress campaign was on highlighting the alleged irregularities in the Rafale deal and targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the same. In an attempt to do so, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, while campaigning for the Rajasthan Assembly elections held in 2018, coined a slogan: chowkidar chor hai.

In September 2018, Rahul, addressing a rally in Dungarpur in Rajasthan, said, "Gali gali mein shor hai, Hindustan ka chowkidar chor hai (The whole country asserts, that the country's 'guard' is a thief)

Following this, Rahul used this catchphrase with confidence on multiple occasions. However, he ran into trouble when he attributed the phrase to the Supreme Court. For this, he had to face a contempt petition and had to tender an apology to the apex court.

Subsequently, the BJP hijacked the catchphrase, and lakhs of the party's social media warriors played an important role in this.

On 16 March, Modi said in a tweet, Your Chowkidar is standing firm & serving the nation. But, I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar. Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a Chowkidar. Today, every Indian is saying-#MainBhiChowkidar.

With this tweet, #MainBhiChowkidar became a Twitter tend. The slogan was endorsed and promoted by all the ministers in the Union Cabinet, MPs, ministers in BJP-ruled states, BJP MLAs and BJP volunteers who started prefixing the word "chowkidar" to their name.

And on 23 May, after the BJP received a massive mandate and an absolute majority to form the government, the prefix "chowkidar" was removed from Modis handle. Before this could lead to any speculation, Modi tweeted: "The people of India became chowkidars and rendered a great service to the nation. Chowkidar has become a powerful symbol to safeguard India from the evils of casteism, communalism, corruption and cronyism. Now, the time has come to take the chowkidar spirit to the next level. Keep this spirit alive at every moment and continue working for Indias progress. The word chowkidar goes from my Twitter name but it remains an integral part of me. Urging you all to do the same too!"

Several other slogans of the BJP also made a major impact. Consider some such examples:

"Modi hai toh mumkin hai (When there is Modi, it is possible)": This slogan was launched in the wake of the Balakot strike. Earlier, the Opposition had attacked Modi over the Pulwama attack. After the Balakot strike, the catchphrase was popularised through videos on social media.

INS Viraat as a personal taxi: At a rally in Delhi on 8 May, Modi alleged that former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi used the now decommissioned naval warship INS Viraat as a personal taxi during a 10-day trip to Bangaram Island in Lakshadweep. This was in response to Rahul Gandhi's remark that the Indian Army is not the personal property of Modi.

"Bhrashtachari number 1": Addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh on 4 May, Modi had hit out at Rahul Gandhi, saying, "Your father was termed 'Mr Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'bhrashtachari number 1.' This was in response to the Congress' allegations of corruption against the prime minister.

'Dictionary of love': Rahul Gandhi, in an interview, had said, Narendra Modi used hatred and I used love. And I think love will triumph. Responding to this, Modi said at a rally, "See what kind of dictionary of love they have; what kind of words are there in their dictionary of love, and how they shower love on their opponents," he said. He then went on to narrate the abusive names that he was called by senior Congress leaders: Gandi naali ka keeda, gangu teli, pagal kutta, bhasmasur, bandar, virus, Dawood Ibrahim, Hitler, Gaddafi, Mussolini, Tuglaq, Natwarlal, badtameez nalayak beta, rabies bimari se peerit bandar, chooha, lahu purush, asatya ka saudagar, Ravan, saanp, bichhu, ganda admi, jahar bone wala, maut ka saudagar, most stupid prime minister, neech aadmi, person whose fathers identity was unknown, nikamma, anpadh, ganwar...They even abused my mother by asking who my father was.

Bengal ki mitti ka laddoo (Laddoos made of Bengal's soil): In yet another example of turning an attack to an advantage, Modi, while addressing a rally in Kolkata, said that it will be an honour for him to eat laddoos made of the soil of Bengal  which gave the world great personalities like Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, JC Bose and Subhas Chandra Bose. This was in response to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjees statement that she will serve Modi with laddoos made of mud, filled with pebbles.

Many other statements by Opposition leaders also ended up helping the BJP as people found them to be in bad taste. Examples of these were Rahul Gandhi's remarks that he would "send Modi to jail after the elections," and Tejashwi Yadav's description of the prime minister as a 'fake backward caste leader.'

Follow live updates on the Lok Sabha Election results hereThe Trinamool fortress had proved impregnable during the last Lok Sabha elections and its Modi wave. They had withstood the BJP in the 2016 Assembly elections despite the Saradha-Narada scandals

If nothing else, the results in West Bengal have demolished some beloved myths in the state about what makes Bengali politics unique and intrinsically BJP-proof.

No Non-Bengalis Please

The BJP might have its roots in Syama Prasad Mukherjee and the Jan Sangh but in Kolkata, SP Mukherjee is just the name of another busy thoroughfare. The prevailing wisdom was BJP was a north Indian cow belt party that had little purchase in a state snooty in its sense of Bengali exceptionalism. Back in 2014, Ranabir Samaddar of the Calcutta Research Group had said "I am not sure Bengal will go for a pan-Hindu identity that BJP offers transcending a Bengali identity." Even in this election, the BJP was ridiculed when its state president Dilip Ghosh, an old RSS-hand mixed up his Vidyasagar with his Rabindranath, or rather their books. Amit Shah called Birbhum Rabindranath Tagores pavitra janmabhoomi when Tagore was born in the heart of Kolkata. Despite those bloopers, the BJP managed to entice voters because in the end Tagore and Vidyasagar are about nostalgia for a golden yesterday. The BJP dangled the promise of a golden tomorrow if Bengal only aligned with the winner in Delhi instead of being in constant fractious opposition to it. At the same time, it played up the bogey of Mamata Banerjee pandering to her Muslim votebank and their imams and reactionary elements and Bangladeshis coming across the border. "Do you want Urdu teachers in Bengal or Bengali teachers?" asked Amit Shah at a rally in the state as he promised to make Kangal Bangla Sonar Bangla again.

Follow the leader but whos the leader?

Its true the BJP has no mass leader in the state yet. But it turned out, that in a Lok Sabha election, it didn't matter. It became a Mamata Banerjee versus Narendra Modi contest. Swapan Dasgupta put it bluntly at a rally meant to shore up support for Locket Chatterjee, erstwhile actor and BJP candidate. "Every vote for Locket Chatterjee goes directly into Narendra Modi's account," he told the crowd. It worked. Locket Chatterjee dislodged veteran Trinamool MP Ratna De Nag and is headed to Delhi. The mass leader was Narendra Modi. That might not work in 2021. "In Bengal, you need a mass leader to be a game changer. Mamata Banerjee and Jyoti Basu were not built in a day," said Maidul Islam, assistant professor at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences. "You still need a mass leader to be a game changer in Bengal." In 2021, they will need to project a CM-face to counter Didi and it can't be Modi again.

The Communist babus still red at heart

34 years of Communist rule had given the state and the bhadralok Bengali a redder than-thou reputation. But as this election showed the Left vote pretty much seamlessly transferred over to the BJP. While the Left's erosion was clearly benefiting the BJP "no one predicted such a total collapse of the Left vote," said Maidul Islam. Ranabir Samaddar said the Communists had given up hope of winning and were trying to play "moral guardian" in the state wagging their fingers at others. BJP candidates on the campaign trail openly asked for Congress and Left votes, positioning themselves as the only party with the might to challenge Mamata. Mamata Banerjee in her own rallies accused the CPM of doing Congress in the morning, CPM in the afternoon and BJP by night. While the Left has come in for huge criticism for acting as the wind beneath BJP's wings, Mamata cannot escape responsibility either. The buck stops with her. Her relentless and ruthless campaign to uproot the Left from the state helped exacerbate this situation. It was both personal and political for her. This is the party that was responsible for stitches on her head, the party whose leaders disparaged her as a low class woman, a "Kalighater mynah" (a talking bird from the slums of Kalighat) and even in this election mocked her pronunciation skills in a tweet. There was a time when her party leaders warned their workers to not even drink with Communists. Stories were rife about Trinamool cadres, many of them ex-Left cadres, terrorising what remained of the Left in the villages. This election was the Lefts revenge. But to what end remains to be seen. In the state's north, in the erstwhile bastions of the Left and Congress, the slogan was aagey Ram tarpor baam (first comes Ram, then the Left) writes Samyak Ghosh in The Wire. The logic is the old Bengali proverb kaanta diye kaanta tola (use a thorn to pull out the thorn). But kaanta can also mean fishbone. And this fish bone could well get stuck in the throat of the Left.

Dilli Door Ast

Maidul Islam has written that Tamil Nadu and West Bengal with their strong regional roots have traditionally resisted the dominance of national parties. He has pointed out that from the late 1990s, the big national parties have "been trapped in selected pockets of the state." The BJP has been growing but largely on the back of the RSS. Islam points out in 2011, there were 580 shakhas in West Bengal. By December 2016 there were 1,492 many of them working in tribal areas.

However the BJP still was a weak party organizationally in Bengal. I remember meeting Aniket Mitra, a young college lecturer in Krishnagar. He said he once saw a young woman distributing BJP campaign literature in his college which is dominated by Trinamool unions. When he asked her if she felt safe doing it, she said "It's ok. Pechhoney lok aachhey (There are people who have my back)." Whether they did literally or not, Modi and Amit Shah helicoptered into the state again and again to assure the party workers they had their back. They were not just campaigning but also doing confidence building measures in a state where the party was still weak.

The Trinamool fortress

The Trinamool fortress had proved impregnable during the last Lok Sabha elections and its Modi wave. They had withstood the BJP in the 2016 Assembly elections despite the Saradha-Narada scandals. Even now experts point out that Mamata Banerjee has held on to her vote share. The BJPs rise has been because it has gobbled up the Left votes. As Ranabir Samaddar said "The BJP can become the main opposition but it still has to beat Mamata." And Mamata has said as long as her party is No. 1 she does not care who is No. 2. But there are chinks in her fortress.

In the 2016 Assembly elections the BJP fielded 17 SC/ST candidates from unreserved constituencies, far more than Trinamool or the Left. "The BJP is clearly sending a message of reaching out to significant sections of non-upper caste voters," said Islam. This time five of the 10 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes in West Bengal went to the BJP. One of them is Cooch Behar which has over 20 percent Muslim population. Bengal has a 23.5 percent Dalit population reports The Times of India. This election saw the BJP eat into Mamatas Dalit vote bank despite all the bounties she had showered. At his election rallies, Shah promised the crowd they would root out the ghuspetiyas (infiltrators from across the border). They promised citizenship to migrant Hindus. Modi, reports The Times of India, drove a wedge by using religion as a part of Dalit identity.

Doomsday Didi?

All of this does not mean its doomsday for Didi. The BJP still has to find a mass leader. It still has to match Trinamools strength on the ground. But it has money power and central clout and the CBI in its arsenal. Mamatas challenge will be to hold her party together in the face of that. In forming Trinamool, Mamata poached many leaders. Politicians once poached can be poached again by a higher bidder. On top of that, many of her lieutenants are unhappy about the rise of the nephew.

But if nothing else, this election proved that her conviction that whoever she nominated, whether a Moon Moon Sen or a Sandhya Roy could win, just because of Didi's charisma does not work anymore. "She will have to be much more discerning about her candidates," said Ranabir Sammadar. "She will have to be a leader and deal with infighting in Trinamool and not just bypass it by nominating some celebrity as an MP."

This was a wake-up call and a stinging one. But its not a bad thing. Trinamool is smarting but some of its supporters are not so unhappy. The rise of a strong opposition in Bengal might just make Mamatas Trinamool a better, more responsible party.Lok Sabha election results 2019 LIVE updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rashtrapati Bhavan thanked all the NDA allies and said no stone will be left unturned to fullfill the aspirations of the people.

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Expect all political parties to huddle up with their respective leaders and office bearers in the wake of the historic results of the general elections. While the BJP will hold consultations with its allies at the NDA's Parliamentary Party at Parliament's Central Hall, the Congress will introspect after the crushing defeat and possibly take a call on its future at its working committee meeting. Trinamool Congress will review the BJP's rise in West Bengal. YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh will formally elect Jaganmohan Reddy so he can be sworn in as chief minister. Meanwhile in Tamil Nadu, DMK leaders and MPs will hold a meeting to celebrate their stellar performance.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has dismissed the nomination of all the media panelists of the party, and asks the media houses to not invite any party office-bearer for debates.

As the Congress Working Committee prepares to meet on Saturday to introspect on and evaluate the party's performance, it is BJP's social media-happy supporters who have been tweeting en masse using the #CongBachaoRahulHatao hashtag to poke fun at speculation on Rahul's resignation from the party president's post. Several have noted how this possibility will perhaps be denied by Rahul's family itself.

Suspended TMC MLA Subhrangshu Roy on Friday said he would join the BJP within a few days, a "new innings" in which he will be able to "breath freely". The Trinamool Congress earlier in the day suspended Roy for six years for anti-party comments. Subhrangshu, the TMC legislator from Bijpur, is the son of BJP leader Mukul Roy. "Now, I will breath freely. Many in the TMC feel suffocated," he said, claiming that several others from the party will "follow his footsteps".

Senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, PL Punia, Motilal Vohra and Ratanjit Pratap Narain Singh have all arrived for the Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled on Saturday in New Delhi. The Congress will introspect after the crushing defeat it has faced in the Lok Sabha polls and possibly take a call on its future under president Rahul Gandhi.

In what is looking to be a sombre meeting of evaluation, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and senior party leaders P Chidambaram and Siddaramaiah have arrived for the Congress's working committee meeting. Former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh has also arrived at the venue.

The Congress Working Committee meeting has taken off with the doors to the meeting room of the party's headquarters in New Delhi now being shut for discussions and evaluations on the party's dismal performance in the election. Several veteran leaders are seated at the table, including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Manmohan Singh, Siddaramaiah, P Chidambaram, Ashok Gehlot, Sheila Dikshit, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Ratanjit Pratap Narain Singh, PL Punia and Motilal Vora are present.

BJP MP Pinaki Misra, who defeated BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra by several thousand votes from Odisha's Puri constituency, has said that he will give up his 'entire salary and allowances' from the Parliament to the the Chief Minister's Relief Fund so that the people in his constituency can benefit from the resulting relief work.

"If Modi used his charisma in electioneering, he also poured money into electoral spending  many times more than the Congress Party and all the other political parties. This is in addition to the asymmetry in media coverage: The state-owned television network, Doordarshan, gave the ruling BJP twice the amount of airtime than it offered to the Congress Party in the important month of May," Sen wrote.

Nobel laureate and economist Amartya Sen has written an opinions editorial in the New York Times , where he has called Narendra Modi's victory a loss of the "battle of ideas." He has criticised the open rightwing hatred allegedly harnessed by the BJP in the path to its electoral victory, citing examples of Pragya Singh Thakur and Modi's repeated mentions of the Balakot airstrikes.

Congress spokesperson Aiyshwarya Mahadev tweeted in the aftermath of her party's loss in the Lok Sabha elections that it was not the BJP which beat Congress but its own hubris. She also called for a change of guard. The topic has proven a recurring one in the ranks of the Congress, as its working committee meets to discuss the future of the leadership in the party.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath is not present at the Congress Working Committee meeting taking place at the party headquarters today. No reasons have been made official as to why Nath has skipped the meeting, even though speculation is alive that the leader is worried about his own government's future.

DMK president MK Stalin and newly elected MPs and MLAs, along with other leaders of the party, paid tributes to M Karunanidhi, in Chennai, following their sweep of Tamil Nadu in the Lok Sabha election and comparatively worse performance in the bypolls. The leaders also met party general secretary K Anbazhagan at his residence.

Hot in the heels of speculations as to whether Rahul Gandhi has offered his resignation at the Congress Working Committee meeting, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala has confirmed that Rahul has not tendered his resignation and that such a claim is incorrect.

Faced with the charges, Gambhir had asked Arvind Kejriwal to prove they were true and offered to hang himself if they were. His present reaction to AAP may be considered a bit of a volte face, considering that he had exchanged pleasantries with Atishi right after being declared winner.

At the press conference attended by all seven of Delhi's newly elected MPs, East Delhi elect Gautam Gambhir brough up his controversial run in with AAP's candidate Atishi on the campaign trail. AAP had accused Gambhir of circulating a wildly misogynistic pamphlet. "I don't have words to describe these people, who can blame me this way for just one seat," he said.

In a leap of expression, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya has posted a meme in apparent retaliation to comedian Kunal Kamra, projecting Narendra Modi's many qualities, all of which Surya claims, outshine the fantasy superheroes, Avengers. "Energy better than Hulk. Agility better than Captain America. Heavy lifting better than Thor. Vision better than Iron man. Tactics better than Black Widow," the young BJP MP wrote.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has submitted the list of winners of the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 to President Ram Nath Kovind.

President Ram Nath Kovind, on the advice of the Union Cabinet, has signed the order on dissolving the 16th Lok Sabha.

Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat have arrived for the National Democratic Alliance's Parliamentary Party meeting, to be held at around 5 pm today (Saturday, 25 May).

ANI has reported that a Congress worker, one BL Sen, in Madhya Pradesh, has shaved his head after losing a bet to a BJP worker in Rajgarh. The two had decided that they will shave their respective heads if prime ministers were elected of the opposing parties.

Sanjay Nirupam, a key player in the Congress's Mumbai branch, has spoken against the demand for Rahul Gandhi's resignation as Congress chief. "There is a conspiracy to malign our leader and a well-designed plan to target him. It must be stopped and party must stand by him fully," he tweeted.

A BJP worker was shot dead in Nadia district of West Bengal, an ABP report has said. The murder has come only days after the party worker quit TMC to join the saffron party. BJP has blamed Mamata Banerjees party for Santu Ghoshs murder.

BJP MP Roopa Ganguly said on Saturday that Bengal politics is filthy. "Wherever BJP has won there will be even more commotion and torture, after all they are the ruling party (TMC), police is with them and their cadres are experts in this," she told ANI. A BJP worker was allegedly shot dead in Bengal's Nadia two days after quitting the TMC.

YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy will meet Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governor ESL Narasimhan and Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao later today (Saturday). YSRCP won 151 out of 175 seats in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly Election.

The Congress Working Committee meeting has concluded at the party's headquarters. However, none of the leaders have spoken to reporters. Party leaders KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala will hold a media briefing at 3.30 pm, it is learnt.

Congress leader Ambika Soni has said that Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's leadership was not questioned in the party's CWC meeting at all, in spite of the speculation surrounding it.

Addressing his second press conference since the loss of his party in the Lok Sabha election, Congress communications in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said which Rahul Gandhi had in fact submitted his resignation at the party's Congress Working Committee meeting, the panel unanimously rejected it, asking him to instead restructure the party as he sees fit. Surjewala and KC Venugopal also expressed gratitude to the voters who exercised their franchise and the party's workers, candidates, allies and leaders for their role in the election.

Addressing a press conference by Congress, AK Antony said he did not agree that the party's performance was a disastrous one. "But we were not able to rise up to the expectations. The party will discuss this in details...Today we had only general discussions," he said.

NDA leaders will call on President Ram Nath Kovind to stake their claim in forming the government at 7 pm today. Narendra Modi will then stake his claim to lead the government at 8 pm. The leaders are expected to pose for photographs in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The prime minister will make a statement to the media as well, after staking the claim to form the government.

"No one has a doubt on his leadership but the situation was like that. If someone can lead the party in such situation, it's only Rahul Gandhi, if anyone can lead opposition, it's only Rahul Gandhi," Azad added.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said at the party's press conference after the CWC meeting that "everyone unanimously told him (Rahul Gandhi) that he did a good job" in the Lok Sabha election.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari met Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit on Saturday, in a rare show of friendship between the two parties, and sought her blessings.

BJP president Amit Shah has arrived for the NDA parliamentary board meeting. Immediately after arrival, he greeted senior party leaders of the BJP, as well as allies such as Nitish Kumar and Parkash Singh Badal.

Elections will come and go, the day "you lose your conscience you lose everything", he added.

On Kejriwal, the BJP MP said, "I do not have any words for him if he can level such allegation just to win a seat. You can lose an election and move ahead but how can one face himself after losing his conscience."

Gambhir, who defeated AAP's Atishi Marlena from East Delhi, had been accused by AAP leaders of being involved in distribution of "obscene and derogatory" pamphlets against her during election campaign.

In a swipe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over a "dirty pamphlet" against the AAP candidate from East Delhi, cricketer-turned-BJP MP Gautam Gambhir Saturday said elections come and go but one cannot afford to lose one's conscience.

Polls come and go but one can't afford to lose conscience: Gautam Gambhir's dig at Kejriwal

Speaking to the media, BJP MP Giriraj Singh scoffed at reports of Rahul Gandhi's offer to resign as Congress president said, "Can anyone in the party dare to ask for his resignation?...Till the Congress remains a dynastic party, it will remain in a bad state."

At the meet, which is expected to begin shortly, NDA MPs are expected to choose Narendra Modi as their leader.

After Rahul Gandhi, another key Opposition leader offered to step down from her post. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was quoted by ANI as saying, "I told at the beginning of the meeting that I don't want to continue as the chief minister."

Mamata Banerjee says she expressed wish to step down as Bengal CM

NDA leaders greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a standing ovation as he arrived at the Parliament House for the NDA's parliamentary board meeting. Much like a poll rally, there were shouts of 'Modi, Modi' in the hall.

BJP chief Amit Shah proposed the name of Narendra Modi as leader of the BJP's parliamentary party. Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari seconded Modi's name. The alliance's MPs responded with roaring applause and thumping of desks.

Parkash Singh Badal proposed the name of Modi as the leader of the NDA. Nitish Kumar, Uddhav Thackeray, Ram Vilas Paswan seconded the proposal, amid thumping of desks and cheering.

A beaming Amit Shah announced that the NDA has unanimously chosen Narendra Modi as its leader. Chants of 'Modi, Modi' again resonated in the hall.

Amit Shah said that the mandate shows the beauty of democracy. He said, "When Modi became the prime minister, the poor people felt that the ideals of the Constitution have been realised. The Modi govt in 2014 was an experiment, and now I can say without any hesitation, that the experiment has been successful."

Amit Shah also touched upon the issue of terrorism, and said, "Now, there is a government which has placed counter-terrorism as its top priority."

As Narendra Modi rose to address the gathering, the NDA leaders gave him a standing ovation. The prime minister bowed before the Constitution before beginning his speech.

The prime minister thanked leaders of the BJP and NDA for choosing him as the NDA parliamentary party leader. He also thanked the Election Commission and security forces for ensuring the smooth conduct of the Lok Sabha election.

In his address, Modi said, "Such a big mandate also means a huge responsibility. We must move forward with a new energy. It is important to understand India's democracy and the good sense of voters. Democracy in the country has matured and the voters do not accept hankering for power."

"The people have accepted us because of our dedication to public service. If hankering for power reduces, people's respect increases," Modi said.

"Normally, elections divide people and create enmity among them. But the 2019 Lok Sabha election has done the work of breaking barriers and bringing hearts together," Modi said in his speech.

Thanking NDA leaders for their support, Modi said, "Senior colleagues of the NDA have showered their blessings on me, and have chosen me as their leader. However, I consider this to be merely part of a system. I am one of you, and am an equal to you. We have to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with each other."

'I am one of you, and an equal to you': Modi tells NDA leaders

Speaking about the results of the election, Modi said, "When there is a feeling of trust, a pro-incumbency wave is created. This election was characterised by a positive vote."

The prime minister further said, "I appeal to the public representatives to take note, that they should not consider anyone as an outsider. We should attempt to win hearts."

Modi emphasised that women voted in equal numbers to men during the recently-concluded election. "In the next election, women will surge ahead of men," he said.

The prime minister said, "We are here for those who trusted us today. We are here for those too whose trust we are yet to win."

Modi says 'we are here for those whose trust we are yet to win'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "NDA is moving forward on two tracks. One on regional aspirations and the second on national ambitions. But NDA also has two names: energy and synergy".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that during his campaign, he felt on many ocassions that neither he or the BJP were fighting elections. "It felt like it was being fought by the people. When journalists asked me then why am I campaigning, I told them that I was just going around thanking them. 2019 elections was a pilgrimage for me," Modi adds.

Campaign was like a pilgrimage for me, says PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned NDA netas not to be swayed by power and fame and exhorted them to remember their roots. He urged them to think beyond their constituences and to put an end to VIP culture.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said minorities in India have been kept in a sense of false fear and turned into a vote bank. "They have not been allowed to grow. We have to promise to end this illusion of fear and gain their trust. We have to break that barrier," Modi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the NDA meet in New Delhi, urged lawmakers to think of both Kashmir and Kerala when making decisions for the benefit of the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the 21st Century belongs to Asia, but lawmakers must make 21st Century about India. "The world expects a lot from India, not just in terms of diplomacy. Democracies of this world are looking at us. We as the representatives of India must deliver," said Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday evening to stake a claim to form the new government. The NDA returned to power with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections with the BJP alone bagging 303 of total 542 seats contested. Elections were held in 542 of the 543 seats

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee Saturday offered to quit as chief minister of West Bengal following her party's poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls, but the TMC rejected it.

Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modis swearing-in ceremony scheduled to be held in New Delhi on 30 May, according to several media reports.

A crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday unanimously rejected Rahul Gandhi's offer to resign as party president after the Lok Sabha poll debacle and authorised him to overhaul and restructure the party at all levels. The meeting deliberated on the reasons behind the Congress' defeat in the elections for four long hours with various leaders urging Rahul to continue to provide leadership to the party.

According to several media reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to be sworn in on 30 May.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday and staked his claim to form the new government.

"The government is going to continue its good work. We don't want even a moment to be wasted. 'Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas' is a mantra which is necessary for India's development. Keeping everyone's security and national prosperity in mind, we will move forward. The new government will leave no stone unturned to fulfill the aspirations of the people."

"It is obvious that the country has given us a big mandate. There are a lot of aspirations attached with this mandate. Our government is for New India and especially for 2022, when the country will celebrate 75 years of Independence, is going to be a cause for celebration for every citizen. 2022 is a golden opportunity to take India to new heights."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rashtrapati Bhavan thanked all the NDA allies and said no stone will be left unturned to fulfill the aspirations of the people.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the 21st Century belongs to Asia, but lawmakers must make 21st Century about India. "The world expects a lot from India, not just in terms of diplomacy. Democracies of this world are looking at us. We as the representatives of India must deliver," said Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday evening to stake a claim to form the new government. The NDA returned to power with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections with the BJP alone bagging 303 of total 542 seats contested. Elections were held in 542 of the 543 seats

AICC General Secretary Deepak Babaria of MP: CM Kamal Nath has offered his resignation from the post of Madhya Pradesh Congress committee President. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/1iuHpAjYrE

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee Saturday offered to quit as chief minister of West Bengal following her party's poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls, but the TMC rejected it.

Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modis swearing-in ceremony scheduled to be held in New Delhi on 30 May, according to several media reports.

A crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday unanimously rejected Rahul Gandhi's offer to resign as party president after the Lok Sabha poll debacle and authorised him to overhaul and restructure the party at all levels. The meeting deliberated on the reasons behind the Congress' defeat in the elections for four long hours with various leaders urging Rahul to continue to provide leadership to the party.

According to several media reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to be sworn in on 30 May.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday and staked his claim to form the new government.

"The government is going to continue its good work. We don't want even a moment to be wasted. 'Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas' is a mantra which is necessary for India's development. Keeping everyone's security and national prosperity in mind, we will move forward. The new government will leave no stone unturned to fulfill the aspirations of the people."

"It is obvious that the country has given us a big mandate. There are a lot of aspirations attached with this mandate. Our government is for New India and especially for 2022, when the country will celebrate 75 years of Independence, is going to be a cause for celebration for every citizen. 2022 is a golden opportunity to take India to new heights."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rashtrapati Bhavan thanked all the NDA allies and said no stone will be left unturned to fulfill the aspirations of the people.



Lok Sabha election results 2019 LATEST updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rashtrapati Bhavan thanked all the NDA allies and said no stone will be left unturned to fullfill the aspirations of the people.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday and staked his claim to form the new government.

An NDA delegation led by BJP chief Amit Shah met President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday evening.

According to several media reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to be sworn in on 30 May.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday evening to stake a claim to form the new government. The NDA returned to power with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections with the BJP alone bagging 303 of total 542 seats contested. Elections were held in 542 of the 543 seats.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the 21st Century belongs to Asia, but lawmakers must make 21st Century about India. "The world expects a lot from India, not just in terms of diplomacy. Democracies of this world are looking at us. We as the representatives of India must deliver," said Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned NDA netas not to be swayed by power and fame and exhorted them to remember their roots.

The prime minister thanked leaders of the BJP and NDA for choosing him as the NDA parliamentary party leader. He also thanked the Election Commission and security forces for ensuring the smooth conduct of the Lok Sabha election.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at Parliament for the NDA meet, and was received by Amit Shah and other top BJP leaders.

BJP chief Amit Shah has arrived for the NDA parliamentary board meeting. At the meet, NDA MPs are expected to choose Narendra Modi as the leader of the alliance

Addressing his second press conference since the loss of his party in the Lok Sabha election, Congress communications in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said which Rahul Gandhi had in fact submitted his resignation at the party's Congress Working Committee meeting, the panel unanimously rejected it, asking him to instead restructure the party as he sees fit. Surjewala and KC Venugopal also expressed gratitude to the voters who exercised their franchise and the party's workers, candidates, allies and leaders for their role in the election.

YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy will meet Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governor ESL Narasimhan and Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao later today. YSRCP won 151 out of 175 seats in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly Election. Jagan is expected to stake his claim to form the government in Andhra Pradesh.

The Congress Working Committee meeting has concluded at the party's headquarters. However, none of the leaders have spoken to reporters. Party leaders KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala will hold a media briefing at 3.30 pm, it is learnt.

Narendra Modi is likely to stake claim to form the new government at around 8 pm today, say reports. This will happen after the NDA's Parliamentary Party meeting. Moments after President Ram Nath Kovind accepted resignation of the Union Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said while the sun has set on the term of the present government, the brightness of its work will continue to illuminate the lives of people.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has submitted the list of winners of the Lok Sabha Elections to President Ram Nath Kovind. The president has, upon the advice of the Union Cabinet, dissolved the 16th Lok Sabha.

Hot in the heels of speculations as to whether Rahul Gandhi has offered his resignation at the Congress Working Committee meeting, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala has confirmed that Rahul has not tendered his resignation and that such a claim is incorrect.

As the Congress Working Committee met to introspect on and evaluate the party's performance in the Lok Sabha polls, the #CongBachaoRahulHatao hashtag began trending on Twitter. While many used it to reflect on whether the Congress chief would need to resign from the party in order to take it forward, BJP supporters used it to poke fun, noting how this possibility will perhaps be denied by Rahul's family themselves.

The Congress Working Committee meeting is set to take off in a few minutes. Several veteran leaders are seated at the table, including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Manmohan Singh, Siddaramaiah, P Chidambaram, Ashok Gehlot, Sheila Dikshit, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Ratanjit Pratap Narain Singh, PL Punia and Motilal Vora are present.

Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Ratanjit Pratap Narain Singh, PL Punia and Motilal Vora have arrived for the party's working committee meeting scheduled on Saturday in New Delhi. Among others to have already arrived are UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Siddaramaiah and P Chidambaram. The Congress will introspect after the crushing defeat it has faced in the Lok Sabha polls and possibly take a call on its future under president Rahul Gandhi.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has dismissed the nomination of all the media panelists of the party, and has asked media houses to not invite any party office-bearers for debates. His party has won only five seats in the polls.

Expect all political parties to huddle up with their respective leaders and office bearers in the wake of the historic results of the general elections. While the BJP will hold consultations with its allies at the NDA's Parliamentary Party at Parliament's Central Hall, the Congress will introspect after the crushing defeat and possibly take a call on its future at its working committee meeting. Trinamool Congress will review the BJP's rise in West Bengal. YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh will formally elect Jaganmohan Reddy so he can be sworn in as chief minister. Meanwhile in Tamil Nadu, DMK leaders and MPs will hold a meeting to celebrate their stellar performance.



Moments after President Ram Nath Kovind accepted resignation of the Union Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said while the sun has set on the term of the present government, the brightness of its work will continue to illuminate the lives of people.

With the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance returning to power with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha election, Modi is set to be sworn in as the prime minister next week. The president has asked the Union Council of Ministers to continue till the next government is formed in the next few days.

"The sun sets on this term, but the brightness our work has brought will continue to illuminate the lives of millions. A new dawn awaits, a new term beckons," Modi tweeted. He said his government is even more determined to fulfil the dreams of 130 crore Indians and create the "New India all of us dreamt of".

Meanwhile, BJP workers from Varanasi Friday handed him the official certificate of election.

Modi won the Varanasi constituency by a margin of 4.79 lakh votes, thus retaining the seat. Feel happy to be representing one of the oldest and most vibrant centres of Indian culture, he tweeted. Earlier in the day, Modi met officers and staff of the Prime Minister's Office at South Block.Addressing her first press conference after the election results were declared, she accused the BJP of polarising the people on religious lines to garner votes in West Bengal.

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee Saturday offered to quit as chief minister of West Bengal following her party's poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls, but the TMC rejected it.

Addressing her first press conference after the election results were declared, she accused the BJP of polarising the people on religious lines to garner votes in West Bengal.

"At TMC's internal meeting, I offered to leave the chief minister's post. However, the offer was rejected by the party and I may continue," Banerjee said.

She also raised suspicion over BJP's stellar poll performance.

"This huge victory is not beyond suspicion. It is quite astonishing how opposition is completely wiped out in several states. There has been some setting and foreign powers are also involved," she claimed.

The TMC chief also said that an Emergency-like situation was created in the state by the BJP to win the elections.Modi received a standing ovation from the MPs present at the Parliament House on two occasions  when he first entered the hall, and when he rose to make his speech.

Narendra Modi was on Saturday appointed prime minister-elect by President Ram Nath Kovind, who also invited him to form the new government. After the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) unanimously elected him as their leader, Modi reached the Rashtrapati Bhawan Saturday night to stake claim to form the next government. Earlier, NDA leaders met the president with a list of their MPs as a proof of the dispensation's majority in the 17th Lok Sabha.

Modi later told reporters at the forecourts of the Rashtrapati Bhawan that President Kovind has appointed him prime minister-elect and asked him to form the new government. "I am grateful to the NDA leaders for giving me the responsibility," he said. He said the "massive mandate" given by the people also brings responsibility to fulfil their aspirations. With its resources, India has great opportunities, he said, adding "we have to be ready to take advantage of it." He also asserted that his government will not sit back, and continue with the development work at a faster pace.

"No stone will remain unturned to fulfill the aspirations and dreams," Modi said. He underlined that his government will ensure safety and security of every citizen and work for the progress of India. The outgoing Union council of ministers had tendered its resignation on Friday night and Kovind had asked Modi to continue as caretaker PM. After the NDA returned to power with a massive majority, Modi becoming the prime minister again was a foregone conclusion.

Modi, in his address to the NDA's parliamentary board meeting, touched upon a range of topics, including the "pro-incumbency" wave in the recently-concluded election, VIP culture among politicians and the need to gain the trust of minorities.

Earlier, Modi was unanimously elected as the leader of the NDA coalition. The prime minister, before taking the dais to make his address, bowed before the Constitution of India. He received a standing ovation from the MPs present at the Parliament House on two occasions: when he first entered the hall, and when he rose to make his speech.

In his over 75-minute address, Modi stressed on the need to win over the trust of minorities, saying they were made to live in "fear" and "exploited" during elections for vote-bank politics, apparently a dig at the Opposition parties.

He invoked the spirit of 1857 struggle for freedom, saying all communities had then joined hands for independence and a similar movement should be started for good governance now.

"We stand for those who trusted us and also for those whose trust we have to win over," he said.

Modi also gave several directions to the MPs, including to not give media statements merely for publicity and shun the "VIP culture".

With speculation rife over who will join his Council of Ministers, Modi said he was yet to go through details of all the NDA MPs and asked them to not trust media reports in this regard, adding they are aimed at creating confusion and often put out with "bad intentions".

Responsibilities will be given as per norms, he said.

Thanking NDA leaders for their support, Modi said, "Senior colleagues of the NDA have showered their blessings on me, and have chosen me as their leader. However, I consider this to be merely part of a system. I am one of you, and am an equal to you. We have to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with each other."

Modi said elections often divide and create gulf, but 2019 polls united people and society.

There was a pro-incumbency sentiment in this election and its result was a positive mandate, he said, adding that there is no better path than serving people when in power. "We ran the government for poor people between 2014-19 and I can say the poor elected the government this time," he said.

He also called for the NDA to work with cohesion for the country's development and said his "NARA" (slogan) for the alliance is "national ambition and regional aspirations".

Earlier, BJP president Amit Shah, who has himself been elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time from Gandhinagar, proposed Modi's name as the leader of BJP parliamentary party, which was seconded by former party president and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, another former president and Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

"I propose the name of Narendra Modi as the leader of BJP's parliamentary party," Shah said moving the resolution. "With great joy and pleasure I announce that the BJP parliamentary party has unanimously elected Narendra Modiji as its leader," Shah said.

After Modi's formal election as leader of the BJP parliamentary party, Akali Dal veteran Prakash Singh Badal moved a resolution on behalf of NDA proposing Modi as leader of the coalition. His resolution was seconded among others by JD(U) leader and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, AIADMK leader and Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palanisamy, Nagaland chief minister Niphiu Rio and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma.

"Today is a historic day. I am very happy about the BJP's parliamentary party unanimous decision to appoint Narendra Modiji as its leader. As the leader of SAD which is a long time ally of the BJP, I support this move and congratulate Modiji for the same," Badal said.

With inputs from agencies

Follow live updates on the Lok Sabha Election Result hereReuters

China on Friday accused US officials of lying to the public about their trade war, as rising tensions between the world's two largest economies kept financial markets in a state of unease.

Talks to end the trade dispute collapsed earlier this month, with the two sides in a stalemate over US demands that China change its policies to address a number of key US grievances, including theft of intellectual property and subsidies for state enterprises.

Washington has slapped higher tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate, and effectively banned US firms from doing business with Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's largest telecom network gear maker.

"Domestically in the United States there are more and more doubts about the trade war the US side has provoked with China, the market turmoil caused by the technology war and blocked industrial cooperation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

US officials "fabricate lies to try to mislead the American people, and now they are trying to incite ideological opposition," he said, when asked about US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent criticism of Huawei.

In an interview with CNBC on Thursday, Pompeo said Huawei was connected to the Chinese government, dismissing Huawei chief executive Ren Zhengfei's assertions that his company would never share user secrets.

"The company is deeply tied not only to China but to the Chinese Communist Party. And that connectivity, the existence of those connections puts American information that crosses those networks at risk," Pompeo said.

Huawei has repeatedly denied it is controlled by the Chinese government, military or intelligence services.

Pompeo said he believed more American companies would cut ties with the tech giant, while the United States has been rallying its allies to persuade them not to use Huawei for their 5G networks.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that US complaints against Huawei might be resolved within the framework of a US-China trade deal, while at the same time calling the Chinese company "very dangerous."

Lu said he did not know what Trump was talking about.

"Frankly, I'm actually not sure what the specific meaning of the U.S. leader, the U.S. side, saying this is," he said.

World equity markets rebounded on Friday from heavy selling in the previous day's session. The U.S. dollar was trading lower against a basket of currencies and prices of safe-haven U.S. government debt fell.

No Talks Scheduled

With no further talks between Washington and Beijing scheduled, investors are nervously eyeing the prospect of an escalation in the tit-for-tat tariffs the two countries have slapped on each other's products.

The seeds of the current impasse were sowed when Chinese officials sought major changes to the draft text of a deal that the Trump administration says had been largely agreed.

Trump, who has embraced protectionism as part of an "America First" agenda, has threatened to slap tariffs of up to 25% on an additional list of Chinese imports worth about $300 billion.

Meanwhile, China's move to impose higher tariffs on a revised $60 billion list of U.S. goods is set to go into effect on June 1.

Financial markets fear the trade war could badly damage global supply lines and prompt a further slowdown of the world economy. Economists say the tariffs will curb growth in the United States and China, two of the more solid economies.

China can maintain healthy, sustainable economic growth even as it suffers some impact from the trade friction, a senior official from China's state planner told state television on Friday.

"China's healthy, steady and sustainable growth can be maintained in the medium- and long-term," said Ning Jizhe, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission.

The Trump administration says it is monitoring any possible impact of tariffs on U.S. consumers. It also announced this week a new aid package of about $15 billion to help US farmers, exceeding the up to $12 billion that was rolled out last year.

American farmers, a key Trump constituency, have been among the hardest hit in the trade war. Soybeans are the most valuable US farm export, and shipments to China dropped to a 16-year low in 2018.

Read more on the Huawei banning saga:

Huawei's Android license has been revoked: Here's what Huawei has to say about it

Huawei's Android license revoked: What it means for existing Huawei and Honor phone users

Intel and Qualcomm join Google in cutting off ties with Huawei following Trump ban

After Huawei blacklist, 'Boycott Apple' campaign gaining steam in China: Report

German chipmaker Infineon suspends shipments to Huawei after US trade blacklist

Huawei is reportedly releasing its own Android alternative called IndeoenOS this fall

Huawei accuses US of bullying, says working with Google to respond to ban

Huawei doesn't mention Android at its new Honor 20 series smartphone launch event

Huawei's trade ban by the US could advance local Chinese chip suppliers

Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei claims the US's 90-day reprieve does not bear 'much impact'

Some Huawei Mobile users are considering a switch after Google suspensionSameer Sachdeva

Solutions in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) domain depend on large amounts of data on individuals, entities and communities. Currently, this data collection happens without proper consent of users. Hence, protection of user privacy in an AI-dominated era assumes significance as the data collection is occurring in a non-transparent manner.

There are two major aspects of collection and usage of data. First, companies are inappropriately using it as they gain insights about consumers. Second, companies are amassing large data sets in a bid to gain, and consequently build, an unfair competitive advantage. The 17th parliamentary elections are an example of both these issues. In the just-concluded elections, some political parties used data to understand voter behaviour by data mining of social media. Major parties have also amassed large amounts of data on users and are using them to gain a competitive edge while infringing upon citizens privacy. These companies have IT tools to analyse the obtained data. This information helps the companies to build a first mover advantage when it comes to driving business value.

S Gopalakrishnan, joint secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), explained the dire need of a regulator and legal safety net to protect users data. We need a consent mechanism, law and regulator. The AI needs data, which includes personal information. Based on personal data, a profile of an individual can be created, and that may lead to the users loss. We need a regulator and regulations to protect personal data. A privacy bill will lead to seamless evolution of these technologies. In the absence of a data protection bill and regulator, there can be a breach and users can and will be harmed. Ideally, a good data protection law will adapt to new emerging technologies, he said.

Companies need to create awareness among users to safeguard their privacy and online rights

Dr Lovneesh Chanana, Vice President (Digital Government), Asia Pacific and Japan, SAP, agrees with the challenge posed by emerging technologies. The potential of emerging technologies calls for responsible use for both technical and social domains. User awareness is the key to safeguard privacy rights.

A legally binding data protection framework is the need of the hour. The data protection legislation, as proposed by Justice Srikrishna Committee is timely, and the new government must implement it pronto.

There are seven core principles such as Informed consent, technology agnosticism, data controller accountability, data minimisation, holistic application, deterrent penalties and structured enforcement that must be followed for data protection. The legislation should also look into international best practices like the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) guidelines while framing the law.

Anurag Saxena, global head of Strategic Initiatives, Microsave, has a word of caution about privacy laws. He says, We cannot put every emerging technology platform in one bucket when we talk about privacy. Artificial Intelligence, IoT and Blockchain are three different packets. If we go by design, blockchain is all about the decentralised ledger and decentralisation is something which protects privacy. When it comes to AI and IoT, its more about user experience. It all depends on the way you design the solution. It is possible to protect the privacy because it is designed in a way we dont want to use the data of individual or to identify the individual.

From the above, it is clear that technology can prevent or interfere in privacy. Therefore, there is a strong need of a regulator. Some countries have gone ahead and also established sectoral regulators. Japan and Germany have developed new frameworks applicable to specific AI issues such as regulating next generation robots and self-driving cars respectively. There is a real need of education to companies and users of applications while dealing with privacy issues in the era of AI. Also, the AI developers should adhere to international standards and ethics. The Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems of the IEEE has a chapter on Personal Data and Individual Access Control in Ethically Aligned Design. Indian enterprises and developers need to build these standards into AI design itself.

In order to promote the AI, MeitY is planning to set up a National Centre on Artificial Intelligence. The ministry has set up four committees on AI which include:

 Committee on Platforms and Data for Al

 Committee on Leveraging Al for identifying National Missions in Key Sectors

 Committee on Mapping Technological capabilities, Key Policy enablers required across sectors. Skilling and Re-skilling, R & D

 Committee on Cyber Security, Safety, Legal and Ethical Issues

The report of these committees has been examined and based on the recommendations, MeitY is setting up a National Centre on Artificial Intelligence.

However, the immediate task of the new government that will be formed will be to work out the Data Protection Bill. The report and the draft Bill were placed in the public domain and comments were sought, feedback has been received. Now, steps are afoot to bring about data protection legislation.tech2 News Staff

The impact of the United States' ban on Huawei seems to be growing.

The Chinese company has now been barred from being a member of the SD Association, the trade group that standardizes specifications for SD and microSD cards. Which means, Huawei is no longer allowed to put official SD or microSD card support in its future phones or laptops, reported 9to5Google.

A report by Android Authority also confirms that Huawei will be removed from the group owing to US President Donald Trumps executive order. Notably, SD and microSD cards will continue to work on existing Huawei mobiles and laptops, however, the removal from the group means the future Huawei products will not be able to use the standard.

In the past few weeks, there have been many companies that cut ties with Huawei. First Google announced that it will revoke Android license from Huawei, then German chipmaker Infineon suspended shipments to Huawei, soon after ARM employees were instructed to suspend business with Huawei, and then Microsoft took down Huawei laptops from its store. Intel and Qualcomm have also cut ties with Huawei.

According to a report by Nikkei Asian Review, the Wi-Fi Alliance, which similar to SD Association, standardises specifications for Wi-Fi across the industry, has also temporarily restricted Huaweis membership due to the US ban.

The report also reveals that Huawei has voluntarily left JEDEC  a semiconductor standards group for defining RAM specifications.By Joey Peters BARRON, Wis. (Reuters) - A Wisconsin judge sentenced Jake Patterson to two terms of life imprisonment on Friday for kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and murdering her parents, describing him as 'one of the most dangerous men ever to walk this planet.' Barron County Circuit Court Judge James Babler said Patterson, 21, admitted to having fantasies of 'taking multiple girls, and killing multiple families' and he could never be released from prison

By Joey Peters

BARRON, Wis. (Reuters) - A Wisconsin judge sentenced Jake Patterson to two terms of life imprisonment on Friday for kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and murdering her parents, describing him as "one of the most dangerous men ever to walk this planet."

Barron County Circuit Court Judge James Babler said Patterson, 21, admitted to having fantasies of "taking multiple girls, and killing multiple families" and he could never be released from prison.

"Mr. Patterson, you initially murdered two innocent parents, parents trying to protect their daughter," an emotional Babler said as he gave Patterson the maximum sentence possible in a state that does not have the death penalty.

He described the former cheese factory worker, who was kicked out of the U.S. Marines after five weeks, as "the embodiment of evil."

Patterson, 21, in March admitted to committing the October killings and abduction in Barron County, Wisconsin, holding Closs for 88 days before her daring Jan. 10 escape.

Closs had a message for Patterson, who killed her parents only feet away from her.

"Jake Patterson took (my parents) away forever, she said in a statement read by her attorney. "He cant take away my freedom. I will always have my freedom and he will not."

Closs now lives with her uncle and aunt.

"Because of this monster, Jayme won't have her mom and dad at her dance recitals," Mike Closs, Jayme's uncle, said in court.

Closs' aunt Jennifer Smith said the family was satisfied with the sentence and knew it would give Jayme peace.

"She lives in fear, doesn't have a normal 13-year-old life, and that's all from what you did," Smith told Patterson in court. "I won't let you destroy our family no more. We can be happy."

Patterson, with close-cropped hair and dressed in an orange prison uniform, sat with his head down most of the time. But he shook his head on two occasions. The first was when Barron County District Attorney Brian Wright said he remained a threat to Jayme. The second was when Babler said, based on a statement Patterson made in his jail cell, that he had fantasies of kidnapping and killing multiple people.

Patterson's defense lawyer said "a lifetime of social isolation" led him to commit the crimes.

Patterson expressed his regret in a mumbling statement.

"I would do absolutely anything, I would die, I would do absolutely anything to bring them back," said Patterson, provoking his father to break down in tears. "I don't care about me, I'm just so sorry."

Patterson carefully planned the crime, according to police, visiting the Closs family twice before he pulled into their driveway in the early hours of Oct. 15.

Dressed in black with a face mask, he shot Closs' father through the front door with a shotgun then broke down the door of the bathroom where Closs and her mother were hiding. Patterson bound the girl with duct tape, shot her mother, then put Closs in the trunk of his car and drove to his cabin in Gordon, about 60 miles (97 km) north of Barron.

Patterson, described by his lawyer as "a quiet man," kept Closs locked in his room and barricaded her under his bed when he had guests, according to court documents.

On Jan. 10, when Patterson left the cabin, the girl escaped and police subsequently arrested Patterson.

"This case was about the courage and bravery of a 13-year-old girl," said Wright following the sentencing. "We are proud of you, Jayme."

(Additional reporting by Andrew Hay; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.A federal judge blocked on Friday President Donald Trump from building sections of his long-sought border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency.

San Francisco: A federal judge blocked on Friday President Donald Trump from building sections of his long-sought border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency.

US District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr on Friday immediately halted the administration's efforts to redirect military-designated funds for wall construction. His order applies to two projects, scheduled to begin as early as Saturday, to replace 51 miles of fence in two areas on the Mexican border.

Gilliam issued the ruling after hearing arguments last week in two cases. California and 19 other states brought one lawsuit; the Sierra Club and a coalition of communities along the border brought the other. His ruling was the first of several lawsuits against Trump's controversial decision to bypass the normal appropriations process to pay for his long-sought wall.

"The position that when Congress declines the Executive's request to appropriate funds, the Executive nonetheless may simply find a way to spend those funds 'without Congress' does not square with fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic," the judge wrote in granting a temporary injunction to stop construction.

At stake is billions of dollars that would allow Trump to make progress in a signature campaign promise heading into his campaign for a second term. Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House over fully paying for the wall that led to a 35-day government shutdown.

As a compromise on border and immigration enforcement, Congress set aside $1.375 billion to extend or replace existing barriers in Texas' Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.

Trump grudgingly accepted the money, but he declared the emergency to siphon money from other government accounts because he wanted to spend $8 billion on wall construction. The funds include $3.6 billion from military construction funds, $2.5 billion from Defense Department counter-drug activities and $600 million from the Treasury Department's asset forfeiture fund.

The president's adversaries say the emergency declaration was an illegal attempt to ignore Congress, which authorized far less wall spending than Trump wanted.

"We welcome the court's decision to block Trump's attempts to sidestep Congress to build deadly walls that would hurt communities living at the border, endanger wildlife, and have damaging impacts on the environment," said Andrea Guerrero, a member of the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

The administration said Trump was protecting national security as unprecedented numbers of Central American asylum-seeking families arrive at the US border. The courtroom showdowns come amid a flurry of activity to accelerate wall construction.

Kenneth Rapuano, an assistant secretary of defense, said in a court filing last month that work on the highest-priority, Pentagon-funded projects could begin as soon as Saturday. The Defense Department has transferred $2.5 billion to border wall coffers.

The Defense Department transferred USD 1 billion to border wall coffers in March and another $1.5 billion earlier this month. Patrick Shanahan, the acting defense secretary, is expected to decide soon whether to transfer an additional $3.6 billion.

The Army Corps of Engineers recently announced several large contacts with Pentagon funding. Last month, SLSCO Ltd. of Galveston, Texas, won a $789 million award to replace 74 kilometres of barrier in New Mexico.

Last week, Southwest Valley Constructors of Albuquerque, New Mexico, won $646 million award to replace 101 kilometres in the Border Patrol's Tucson, Arizona, sector. Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, Montana, won a $141.8 million contract to replace 8 kilometres in Yuma and 24 kilometres in El Centro, California. The administration has planned to use $601 million in Treasury money to extend barriers in the Rio Grande Valley.By Joey Peters BARRON, Wis. (Reuters) - A Wisconsin judge sentenced Jake Patterson to the maximum sentence of life imprisonment on Friday for kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and murdering her parents, describing him as 'one of the most dangerous men to walk the planet.' Barron County Circuit Court Judge James Babler said Patterson, 21, was a danger to society due to his fantasies of 'taking multiple girls, and killing multiple families' and he could never be released from prison. Babler sentenced Patterson to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment, without eligibility for release, plus a 40-year sentence for Closs' abduction

By Joey Peters

BARRON, Wis. (Reuters) - A Wisconsin judge sentenced Jake Patterson to the maximum sentence of life imprisonment on Friday for kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and murdering her parents, describing him as "one of the most dangerous men to walk the planet."

Barron County Circuit Court Judge James Babler said Patterson, 21, was a danger to society due to his fantasies of "taking multiple girls, and killing multiple families" and he could never be released from prison.

Babler sentenced Patterson to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment, without eligibility for release, plus a 40-year sentence for Closs' abduction.

"Mr. Patterson, you initially murdered two innocent parents, parents trying to protect their daughter," an emotional Babler said in his sentencing statement, describing the former cheese factory worker as "the embodiment of evil."

Patterson, 21, in March admitted to committing the October killings and abduction in Barron County, Wisconsin. He told investigators Closs "was the girl he was going to take" after he saw her get on a school bus.

"Because of this monster, Jayme won't have her mom and dad at her dance recitals," Mike Closs, Jayme's uncle, said in court.

Following the hearing, Closs' aunt Jennifer Smith said the family was satisfied with the sentence and knew it would give Jayme peace.

"She lives in fear, doesn't have a normal 13-year-old life, and that's all from what you did," Smith told Patterson in court. "I won't let you destroy our family no more. We can be happy."

Patterson, with close-cropped hair and dressed in an orange prison uniform, sat with his head down most of the time. But he shook his head on two occasions. The first was when Barron County District Attorney Brian Wright said he remained a threat to Jayme. The second was when Babler said, based on a statement Patterson made in his jail cell, that he had fantasies of kidnapping and killing multiple people.

Patterson's defense lawyer said "a lifetime of social isolation" led him to commit the crimes.

Patterson expressed his regret in a mumbling statement.

"I would do absolutely anything, I would die, I would do absolutely anything to bring them back," said Patterson, provoking his father to break down in tears in the courtroom. "I don't care about me, I'm just so sorry."

Patterson carefully planned the crime, according to police, visiting the Closs family twice before he pulled into their driveway in the early hours of Oct. 15.

Dressed in black with a face mask, Patterson shot Closs' father through the front door with a shotgun, according to the criminal complaint.

He broke down the bathroom door where Closs and her mother were hiding, bound the girl with duct tape, then shot her mother. He put Closs in the trunk of his car and drove to his cabin in Gordon, about 60 miles (97 km) north of Barron, according to police.

Patterson, described by his lawyer as "a quiet man," kept Closs locked in his room and barricaded her under his bed when he had guests, according to court documents.

On Jan. 10, when Patterson left the cabin, the girl escaped. A dog walker found her, neighbors called 911 and police subsequently arrested Patterson.

"This case was about the courage and bravery of a 13-year-old girl," said Wright following the sentencing. "We are proud of you, Jayme."

(Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Scott Malone, Susan Thomas, Dan Grebler and Jonathan Oatis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.By Joey Peters BARRON (Reuters) - Jake Patterson, the Wisconsin man who kidnapped 13-year-old Jayme Closs and murdered her parents, was sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment, without the eligibility of release, on Friday. Barron County Circuit Court Judge James Babler said Patterson's crime was 'the most heinous and dangerous' he had seen and he was a danger to society due to his fantasies of 'taking multiple girls, and killing multiple families.' Patterson also received a 40-year sentence for Closs' abduction, in which he held her for 88 days in a rural cabin before her daring escape on Jan

By Joey Peters

BARRON (Reuters) - Jake Patterson, the Wisconsin man who kidnapped 13-year-old Jayme Closs and murdered her parents, was sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment, without the eligibility of release, on Friday.

Barron County Circuit Court Judge James Babler said Patterson's crime was "the most heinous and dangerous" he had seen and he was a danger to society due to his fantasies of "taking multiple girls, and killing multiple families."

Patterson also received a 40-year sentence for Closs' abduction, in which he held her for 88 days in a rural cabin before her daring escape on Jan. 10.

"Mr. Patterson, you initially murdered two innocent parents, parents trying to protect their daughter," Babler said in his sentencing testimony, describing the former cheese factory worker as "the embodiment of evil."

(Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Scott Malone, Susan Thomas, Dan Grebler and Jonathan Oatis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.Pakistans relations with Iran have also been strained in recent months, with both sides accusing each other of not doing enough to stamp out militants allegedly sheltering across the border.

Islamabad: Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan warned against the risk of conflict in the region, following a visit to Islamabad by Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif as tensions between Washington and Tehran escalated. Strains have increased between Iran and the United States, which is a firm backer of Tehrans regional rival Saudi Arabia, in the wake of this months attack on oil tankers in the Gulf region that Washington has blamed on Iran.

Tehran has distanced itself from the bombings, but the United States has sent a aircraft carrier and an extra 1,500 troops to the Gulf, sparking concerns about the risks of conflict in a volatile region. Imran, who has been seeking to improve Pakistans strained relations with neighbour Iran, said he was concerned about the rising tensions in the Gulf, but did not specifically name the United States or Saudi Arabia. He underscored that war was not a solution to any problem, Khans office said in a statement late on Friday, citing the premier.

Further escalation in tensions in the already volatile region was not in anyones interest. All sides needed to exercise maximum restraint in the current situation. Washington has been seeking to increasingly tighten sanctions against Iran, as relations continue to worsen under President Donald Trump. At the end of the two-day visit to Pakistan, Zarif told Iranian State-run newswire IRNA that US allegations against Tehran were increasing tensions.

These actions are also a threat to global peace and stability, he said. Earlier this month, four tankers, including two belonging to Saudi Arabia, were bombed near the United Arab Emirates Fujairah emirate, one of the worlds largest bunkering hubs, located just outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Washington has accused Irans Revolutionary Guards of carrying out the attacks, and the Trump administration has declared a national security-related emergency that would clear the sale of billions of dollars worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries, bypassing congressional approval. Pakistans relations with Iran have also been strained in recent months, with both sides accusing each other of not doing enough to stamp out militants allegedly sheltering across the border.Pakistan has to acknowledge that things have changed, and deal with it

With the results finally in, and congratulatory messages pouring in from all over the world, exhausted politicians and their supporters are likely to take a while to discern some notable developments next door. Not that at least one wasnt really in your face. But the point is the assessment of all the obvious and the not so obvious issues that are like to arise, and soon.

The first was the obvious test of a two stage Shaheen II missile, said to be Medium Range of 1,500 kilometres and based on a Chinese design. That missile can cover most of India, and unless Pakistan is looking to hit Turkey, thats all the range it needs to make it into a strategic weapon. Missile tests are usually planned well in advance with notices issued for all flight activity and ships in the vicinity. Pakistan had, at any rate, extended the over flight ban till end May, apparently as a cautionary measure till the end of elections.

But the firing of this missile into the Arabian Sea, just a day before elections were to end seems to be far too much of a coincidence. The press release issued by Major General Asif Ghafoor DG (Inter-Services Public Relations) carefully mentioned that the missile could carry both conventional and nuclear warheads which is an interesting point. Apparently, Islamabad wants to convey that it is ready to use these missiles during war: a fallout of the story run by Reuters that India was planning to launch some six missiles at Pakistan, and that Islamabad threatened to launch three times as many. That story quoted sources in Islamabad, including a western diplomat.

Clearly there are some strategic moves being made here, by not just Pakistan, but also others.

A second development was the appointment of a new high commissioner, Moin-ul-Haq, to New Delhi just recently. Not just that, the outgoing High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood has been elevated to foreign secretary. The New Delhi post is a coveted one, despite or probably because of the difficulties attached to it. Unsurprisingly, past high commissioners generally went on to become foreign secretaries. Riaz Khokkar and Salman Bashir come readily to mind, while others were favoured political appointees.

The outgoing ambassador would certainly have had enough opportunity to showcase his ability to defuse the volatile situation. Just weeks after being summoned to the Foreign Office in Delhi and issued a demarche, Pakistan was making specific gestures to bring down tensions. It quickly announced its intention of releasing some 360 prisoners, most of whom are fishermen. That kicked off on 7 April, with these catspaws to a bilateral game being sent back through Wagah.

And two weeks after the terrorist strike, the two sides were talking about the modalities of setting up the corridor between Kartarpur in Pakistan and Gurdaspur in Punjab. All this despite the posturing and clamour was continuing on social media as well as on election platforms. Islamabad simply walked around the Pulwama strike and came up with a passage to Delhi. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh could not have been more nonplussed.

The outgoing ambassador did not leave without a cue to this successor. In his final interaction with Indian media he noted, Sustained engagement and structured dialogue would enable the two countries to understand mutual concerns and differences, resolve outstanding disputes and build the edifice of durable peace, security and prosperity in the region. This diplomatic mouthful is supposed to indicate that Pakistan wants to restart engagement whatever the odds. It will be the new ambassadors job to make that push palatable. Thats not going to be easy.

Apart from the fact that the recent elections focused rather heavily on Pakistan and its terror tendencies, the bureaucrat sitting in the foreign ministry is ask a fundamental question: what is the likely deliverable of a resumption of talks? Certainly files of more than a decade ago  when the "composite" talks last took place  can be dusted off and pored over. The composite dialogue at the time had a 'basket' of issues to be discussed, which included among other confidence building measures, an end to terrorism and the Kashmir issue.

In the four years that this dialogue took place (2004 to 2008) a rather surprising number of issues were successfully dealt with, including the beginning of the train and bus service, revival of long extinct trade routes, and the setting up of a judicial commission to look into the humanitarian issues with respect to the arrests of fishermen and other civilians. The whole was pulled up short by the Mumbai attacks of 26 November, 2008. That was the end of the formal talks. During the UPA period, a second track dialogue took place intermittently to no discernible effect. Now it seems the decks are being cleared  in Pakistan  for a fresh dialogue process with India.

Into this comes another report and a rather quick denial. On 19 May Pakistani media reported that Prime Minister Imran Khan was considering appointing a new national security advisor to resume back channel diplomacy. Earlier, under Nawaz Sharif, Lieutenant General Naseer Janjua as NSA held several rounds of quiet dialogue with his counterpart Ajit Doval. It seemed that the Pakistani prime minister was serious about talks, since getting the army to talk to the (entirely civilian) establishment in New Delhi was vital.

Two days later, however, another rather curious report not only denied that any NSA was being appointed, but also chose to state that the entire NSA apparatus had been dismantled, with its 27 or so officials repatriated back to their units or cadre. Whether this means that the Pakistan Army is refusing to get involved in the talks, or whether it is Imran making a push for independence in foreign policy is unclear. It could equally be that the army is letting the civilian government do the talking, while they pull the strings from behind. It could even be a little of all three.

So heres the thing. Pakistan is undoubtedly girding itself for talks, with the missile test intended to send a signal of resolve and strength. Or so it thinks. The new government under a revitalised BJP is likely to view that with annoyance. Modi is not one who likes grandstanding in others. Second, talking to Pakistan means investing political capital rather heavily, and no politician  however barrel-chested  want to go on a risky path, when he has so much more on his plate.

Third, a spanking new foreign secretary and high commissioner however well intentioned, can't inspire confidence unless there is a definite signal of the armys acquiescence. Thats the reality. Else, it will be partial walk back to another phase of desultory talks, followed by the inevitable terrorist attack: with one difference.

The Balakot strikes pushed the force envelope to a new frontier. Any talks have to deal with the reality of that new line in the snow. The Pakistani Army knows this. But for dialogue to start, it needs to find a way to communicate this to India. In simple words, Pakistan has to acknowledge that things have changed, and deal with it: and not use missiles as flag bearers. That calls for a rare degree of diplomacy not seen yet. One can but hope.As another year marked by the global pandemic comes to an end, our photojournalists remain challenged  and, frequently, awed - by the constant state of change.



We documented our ever-evolving world in ways few photo staffs could as we all worked to regain normalcy amid COVID-19s seemingly unbreakable hold on our communities. We showed the relieved faces of people receiving a coveted vaccine, telling the story of a scientific breakthrough with images of those benefitting from it. We covered new workplace policies, school protocols and policing practices. We traveled half-way across the world to an Olympics where the athletes couldnt hug each other, masked medalists step atop the podium and no one came to watch.



The Chicago Tribune faced its own series of changes, too. We have new owners. New bosses. Endured another move. Gained new talented journalists and lost many others from the newsroom ranks. The one constant has been our dedication to providing photography on a daily basis that is relevant to the communities we cover: The joy of picnicking at the lakefront on a summer afternoon, the pain of children, police officers and neighbors all falling victims to violent crime. Documenting whos in and whos out in the political landscape, escaping to your favorite cultural event or sports competition.



We hope this installment of the annual Photos of the Year project reminds us of the moments that shaped our lives and the thoughtful way we portray them. Its also a platform for acknowledging the talent and dedication of Tribune photographers, and all photojournalists, who make change a way of life.



The Chicago Tribune staff photographers for 2021: Brian Cassella, Erin Hooley, Terrence Antonio James, Vashon Jordan Jr., John J. Kim, Youngrae Kim, Jose M. Osorio, Antonio Perez, Armando L. Sanchez, Chris Sweda, Abel Uribe, E. Jason Wambsgans, Stacey Wescott and Raquel Zaldivar.



Tribune visual editors: Mark Hume, Andrew Johnston, Marianne Mather, Steve Rosenberg and Peter Tsai.

- Todd Panagopoulos, Director of Content/VisualsAccording to fresh reports, Facebook is said to launch its cryptocurrency in 12 countries next year. It has been referred to internally as GlobalCoin, and the company plans to start testing its cryptocurrency by end of this year finally set up a digital payments system in the first quarter of 2020.

Facebook is said to provide users an affordable and secure way of making payments with GlobalCoin. It does not require users to have a bank account and the company is said to be in talks with money transfer firms including Western Union to streamline the process and make it easy for people to send and receive money.

The company also plans to join hands with banks and brokers that will enable people to change international currencies into Facebooks digital coin. Reportedly, online merchants are planning to partner with Facebook GlobalCoin as a mode of payment in return for lower transaction fees.

However, Facebook will need to overcome regulatory and technical hurdles before launching it commercially next year. The companys founder Mark Zuckerberg met the Bank of Englands governor, Mr Carney to discuss the opportunities and risks involved in its cryptocurrency and has also sought advice on operational and regulatory issues from officials at the US Treasury.

The report also adds that, reportedly, India is a key focus for Facebooks GlobalCoin, where it hopes it will allow Indian workers abroad to send and receive money using WhatsApp. Facebook also has to go through a lot of regulations before launching it commercially here.

GlobalCoin is expected to roll out next year and it is to be seen if people will trust Facebook to exchange their cash for digital coin.

SourceDividend-paying stocks provide investors with several benefits. Not only can they provide spendable income, but those payments often account for a significant portion of a stock's total returns over the long run. That's why dividend-paying stocks have historically outperformed their stingier peers. Furthermore, they tend to do so with less volatility.

The best-performing dividend stocks tend to be those that have above-average yields. With most companies in the S&P 500 yielding around 2%, those paying over 4% certainly fit the bill. Three top options with dividends above that level are TC Energy (NYSE:TRP), WestRock (NYSE:WRK), and IBM (NYSE:IBM).

Different name, same great dividend

Matt DiLallo (TC Energy): Canadian pipeline giant TransCanada recently changed its name to TC Energy, which better reflects its diversification across the entire North American continent. However, while the name might be different, the energy infrastructure company's dividend remains as attractive as ever. The payout, which currently yields 4.6%, is on track to continue expanding at a healthy rate over the next few years.

TC Energy has worked hard to ensure that it can sustain that high-yielding payout. One way it has done that it by selling assets with more volatile cash flow and replacing them with those that generate stable earnings. As a result, more than 95% of TC Energy's cash flow now comes from predictable sources like long-term contracts. The company further supports its dividend with a conservative payout ratio of less than 65% of its cash flow and a strong investment-grade balance sheet.

TC Energy uses its retained cash and balance sheet strength to invest in high-return expansion projects. The company currently has 30 billion Canadian dollars ($23.3 billion) of growth projects underway that should support 8% to 10% dividend growth through at least 2021. Meanwhile, TC has another CA$20 billion ($14.9 billion) of projects in development, which could enable it to continue growing the payout at a healthy pace well into the next decade.

TC Energy's well-supported, fast-growing, high-yield dividend makes it a top option for income-seeking investors to buy for the long term.

An industry leader priced well below book value

Maxx Chatsko (WestRock): This company continues to deliver -- and Wall Street continues to ignore the progress. Engineered paper leader WestRock leaned on its recently acquired KapStone assets to post 16% year-over-year revenue growth in its fiscal second quarter of 2019 (the period ending March 30). That was driven by a strong performance in the corrugated packaging segment, which achieved year-over-year revenue and operating income growth of 27% and 18%, respectively.

A confluence of factors headlined by the rise of e-commerce, a growing global middle class, and a desire among customers to ditch plastic packaging have created historic market conditions for cardboard. That's why, after decades of decline, the American pulp and paper industry is pouring capital into corrugated products and the facilities that manufacture them, providing what could amount to a long-term advantage in the international market thanks to new and rebuilt infrastructure. WestRock isn't letting the opportunity go to waste.

The company expects investments in operating efficiency this year and next to deliver an additional $80 million in annual EBITDA. Upgrades completed in 2021 will bump up that annualized total to $150 million, equivalent to nearly 5% of total EBITDA from fiscal 2018. The bounty from those strategic investments is largely in addition to management's plan to realize $200 million in run-rate synergies from the recent KapStone acquisition by the end of fiscal 2021.

The two combined amount to a significant windfall for a company that isn't exactly hurting for profits. WestRock expects full-year fiscal 2019 adjusted EBITDA of about $3.35 billion, up from $2.89 billion in fiscal 2018. That solid financial foundation allows the $10 billion business to pay an annualized dividend yield of 4.7%. It also results in the company being significantly undervalued: Shares trade at 0.86 times book value (they'd have to rise 14% to be "fairly" valued), a PEG ratio of 0.63, and just 9.3 times future earnings. Investors with a long-term mindset might not hesitate to add shares to their portfolio.

A high-yield tech giant

Tim Green (International Business Machines): Shares of IBM have jumped nearly 20% this year, but the stock remains beaten-down relative to its multiyear highs. A rising dividend coupled with a slumping stock price over the past few years has pushed IBM's dividend yield to nearly 5%. Following the latest dividend increase last month, the yield sits at about 4.8%.

IBM expects to produce adjusted earnings per share of at least $13.90 this year, but just 47% of that total will go toward dividends. And once the company's acquisition of Red Hat closes, both per-share earnings and free cash flow are expected to benefit within a couple years. IBM's dividend growth will likely be slow for a while as the company focuses on reducing its debt following the Red Hat deal, but there's no reason to believe the company's 24-year streak of dividend hikes will end anytime soon.

IBM is still struggling to consistently grow revenue, as the performance of legacy businesses offsets growth in areas like cloud computing. But the company's bet on hybrid, multicloud computing, which will be boosted by the Red Hat acquisition, looks like the right strategy. For dividend investors, IBM is a high-yield stock worth buying.Financial technology, or fintech, is one of the most exciting growth opportunities in the market, as payments and banking have evolved rapidly in recent years. We asked three Fool.com contributors to share some of their favorite fintech opportunities, and here's why they think Green Dot (NYSE:GDOT), Mastercard (NYSE:MA), and Worldpay (NYSE:WP) are worth a closer look right now.

A high-potential fintech specialist on sale

Matt Frankel, CFP (Green Dot): While it isn't the best-known fintech company, I've said before that Green Dot could end up being one of the biggest winners of the trend toward a cashless society. With the stock down sharply after its first-quarter earnings, now is a great time to take a closer look.

Green Dot has two main businesses. First, it offers prepaid debit card products, alternative checking accounts, and other products aimed at the unbanked and underbanked segment of the population -- that is, people who don't have checking accounts and credit cards of their own.

In addition to this, Green Dot offers a banking as a service (BaaS) platform to other businesses. Essentially, Green Dot lets other companies use its existing banking infrastructure to offer certain features to their customers. To name a couple of examples, Green Dot's technology is behind the Apple Pay Cash person-to-person payment platform, and also allows Uber drivers to get paid immediately after rides.

So there are two different long-term growth drivers. I can see Green Dot's BaaS platform getting much bigger, especially with its recently announced investments because it's becoming increasingly useful for companies to offer banking-type services, but it's generally undesirable for these companies to actually become banks themselves. And, Green Dot's own products are geared toward the segment of the population that is most likely to still be using cash to pay for purchases. As it continues to become less and less convenient to pay with cash, Green Dot's products could be adopted at an accelerated rate.

The fintech company hiding in plain sight

Matthew Cochrane (Mastercard): It might seem odd to consider a giant credit card network a fintech company, but investors should know that Mastercard is anything but stodgy and old-fashioned. The company makes the vast majority of its money through its payments network, collecting a tiny fee for each purchase made using a Mastercard product. This business is immensely profitable, allowing Mastercard to post a mouth-watering 56.9% adjusted operating margin in its first quarter results.

Mastercard also benefits from the war on cash, naturally growing its business as consumers shift to electronic and digital forms of payments. In Q1, revenue rose to $3.89 billion, a 13% year-over-year increase, while adjusted earnings per share (EPS) grew to $1.78, jumping 24% from the year-ago period (on a currency neutral basis). This strong revenue and earnings growth was driven by a 12% uptick in gross dollar volume to $1.48 trillion and a 17% increase in switched transactions to 19.2 billion.

Mastercard makes this list, however, for its growing "other revenues" business segment, which rose 14% in the first quarter to $842 million. This segment collectively accounts for the growing number of supplemental services Mastercard offers its clients, including artificial intelligence-powered fraud prevention services, data analytics, and loyalty program management. In recent years, it has used a number of acquisitions to augment these services, including Oltio, a South African mobile payments start-up, and Transfast, a company specializing in cross-border payments.

The way the world pays

Dan Caplinger (Worldpay): No matter what payment method someone uses to do business, financial transactions always have two sides. When it comes to most card-based electronic payment systems these days, those two sides are the selling merchant that receives the payment and the issuer that pays the money on behalf of its client, the cardholder who's making the purchase. Worldpay has long been one of the most important payment processors for merchants, and it's made every effort to keep growing.

Last year, Worldpay and Vantiv joined forces to create the world's largest payment processing company. The combination allowed Worldpay to claim truly global scope, giving itself a major competitive advantage over most of its primary competitors. Rather than having to enlist multiple payment processing companies to handle transactions in different locations, clients can instead just go to Worldpay and allow it to coordinate logistics in dealing with global payments.

Now, Worldpay is poised to become even bigger. Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE: FIS) made an offer to acquire Worldpay. FIS concentrates largely on the other side of payment transactions, giving its services to help issuing financial institutions with their half of the payment process. Under the terms of the $33.5 billion deal, Worldpay shareholders would control about 43% of the combined company.

The merger isn't yet complete, but it would open up new doors for Worldpay, because FIS does business in areas like Brazil and India where Worldpay hasn't yet taken full advantage. Optimism about payment processing is at high levels, and Worldpay investors have a reason to think their company will emerge as one of the big winners in fintech in the long run.Over the next decade, there's a very good possibility that marijuana will be the fastest growing industry in North America. Depending on which Wall Street forecast you prefer, the legal cannabis industry could grow anywhere between 12% and 17% per year, through 2030.

But that's not the case in the early going. Although Canada became the first industrialized country in the world to green-light recreational marijuana in October, the ramp up of adult-use weed in our neighbor to the north has not gone smoothly.

Canadian pot sales hit a new high in March, but don't uncork the Champagne

Last week, on May 22, Statistics Canada released its monthly trade sales data for March for a variety of industries, which now includes cannabis stores. Since marijuana is such a tightly regulated industry in Canada, sales data reported to Statistics Canada is considered to be of extremely high quality, and therefore pretty darn accurate.

According to the May 22 release, cannabis store sales in March hit an all-time high, but that isn't exactly saying much when compared with the other months recreational pot has been legal since sales began on Oct. 17, 2018. Here's a rundown of cannabis store sales since October, as reported in Canadian dollars (CA$), with U.S. dollar equivalency in parenthesis:

October 2018: CA$53.68 million ($39.98 million)

CA$53.68 million ($39.98 million) November 2018: CA$53.73 million ($40.01 million)

CA$53.73 million ($40.01 million) December 2018: CA$57.34 million ($42.7 million)

CA$57.34 million ($42.7 million) January 2019: CA$54.88 million ($40.87 million)

CA$54.88 million ($40.87 million) February 2019: CA$51.66 million ($38.47 million)

CA$51.66 million ($38.47 million) March 2019: CA$60.54 million ($45.08 million)

As you can see, Canadian pot sales reversed a surprising two-month decline in January and February from the previous record-high sales total in December, although they've advanced very minimally from what was sold in the two-week period of Oct. 17-31 following the launch of recreational cannabis.

Furthermore, you'll note that aggregate sales over the past 5 1/2 months total just $247.11 million, putting the industry on track for perhaps $550 million to $600 million in trailing first-year sales on an extrapolated basis. That might sound great, but it's really not, considering that Wall Street has been calling for between $5 billion and $6 billion in annual Canadian pot sales by as soon as 2022.

Canada's marijuana teething pains, in a nutshell

If the popularity of cannabis and cannabis products is on the rise, you might be wondering how on earth sales are stagnating to our north. The answer is threefold.

The first problem has been caused by the regulatory agency Health Canada. Tasked with overseeing the licensing, processing, and sales application process, Health Canada has been hit with a monstrous backlog of paperwork that it's had no effective means to work through. Marijuana Business Daily notes that the agency had a licensing backlog of almost 840 applications in January 2019, with the average cultivation application taking many months to review, and sales applications taking almost a full year to approve, as of May 2018. Without these licenses, pot companies cannot grow, harvest, process, distribute, and sell their product.

If there is a silver lining (or perhaps a green lining in this case), it's that Health Canada is shaking up its policy to dramatically reduce its application backlog by requiring that growers complete their production facilities prior to submitting a cultivation license application. The agency notes that in more than 70% of approved cultivation license applications over the past three years, the facility in question wasn't complete and ready for compliancy review. This policy change should eliminate a lot of the smaller and underfunded players.

Second, this is a packaging problem. Health Canada outlined a laundry list of labeling, warning, and safety requirements in 2018 that packaging would need to follow if growers had any hope of getting their products to dispensary store shelves. Unfortunately, compliant packaging has been limited, which means that unprocessed cannabis has been stuck on the sidelines.

The third and final issue is with the growers themselves, albeit I don't fault them one bit. Constructing greenhouses and acquiring capacity can be very expensive, and most of these pot stocks didn't want to outlay tens or hundreds of millions of dollars without knowing for certain that the Cannabis Act would become law. It didn't become apparent until roughly December 2017 or January 2018, when excise tax agreements were reached between Canada's federal government and most individual provinces, that the Cannabis Act would indeed become law. But the wait amid the Canadian Senate debate has left most pot stocks still attempting to ramp up production.

A mixed bag for Canada's biggest players

As you might imagine, Canada's persistent supply problems have dealt quite a blow to the marijuana stocks that possess the largest premiums -- namely, Canopy Growth (NASDAQ:CGC) and Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQ:ACB). Sales and bottom-line estimates for both companies -- which are lugging around market caps of $16 billion and $9 billion, respectively -- have been declining steadily for more than three months.

With regard to Canopy Growth, packaging shortages are the likeliest culprit in its struggles. The largest pot stock in the world already has more than 4.4 million square feet of its 5.6 million square feet of eventual production licensed for cultivation by Health Canada, meaning it's probably not twiddling its thumbs while awaiting licensing.

The same can't be said for Aurora Cannabis, which is sporting an industry-leading annual run rate of more than 150,000 kilos, as of March 31, 2019. The problem here is that Aurora's largest facilities are still awaiting the green light from Health Canada for cultivation, albeit some are still in the process of being constructed, such as the 1.62-million-square-foot flagship Aurora Sun campus in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

As long as these supply constraints exist (and they're not going to disappear overnight), sales are likely to underwhelm Wall Street, while operating losses could grow at a faster rate than initially expected.

But the positive for Canopy Growth and Aurora is that these deep-pocketed pot stocks should have the advantage in terms of getting additional facilities licensed under Health Canada's new policy. Canopy Growth ended 2018 with almost $3.7 billion in cash and cash equivalents, while Aurora ended March 2019 with $259.1 million in cash and cash equivalents, with $750 million in a shelf offering at its disposal. Small businesses that lack the financing to complete the construction of greenhouses for licensing purposes are now at a distinct disadvantage to the likes of Canopy and Aurora.To call in, an aldermen must give 24-hour notice that he or she intends to do so. Calling in has to be for specific reasons: because of a personal illness, or because of a family emergency of 14 days or longer.The Spotsylvania congregation of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints welcomed a new bishopric on May 5.

One of the bishoprics goals is simply to bring individuals and families closer to Jesus Christ, said Alan Camp, who assumed the responsibilities of bishop from Ben Andrews.

Camp, who previously led the congregations Young Men program, is the Senior Scientist and Technical Fellow at Parsons Corporation. He and his wife of 22 years, Kristy, have six children. He was raised in Lincoln, Neb., and served a two-year full-time mission for the Church in Taiwan.

Jacob Wangberg and Dondrea Minus will serve as his counselors.

Wangberg, who was born in California and raised in Utah, is a branch operations manager for Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes. He served a two-year full-time mission for the church in southern California. He and his wife of 17 years, Heather, have three children.

Minus, who was born and raised in South Carolina, served in the Army for 10 years and is a security database administrator for the Department of Defense. He and his wife of 23 years, Kameshia, have two children.I came to buy a few flags to put out at (a) grave site this weekend, Vera said. One of my nephews told me about this event so I wanted to come. I always try to buy something to recognize the veterans from my family and others on weekends like this and also the Fourth of July.Every day for us is Memorial Day, Strong said.

With almost five years behind them since the loss of her father, Sophie is now at the age where she is beginning to ask a lot of questions about him.

Hes really her hero, said Strong. He had a zest for life like Ive never seen before. He literally lived every day like it was his last. He was brave, strong and he had an incredible spirit and he was magnetic. Everyone around him was drawn to him, just loved him and respected him. I certainly did, and continue to do so to this day.

Larry Bivens of Stafford, who served in the Vietnam War, fought in the Battle of Hamburger Hill in May 1969. He found Fridays ceremony to be extremely emotional and memorable.

Fighting back tears, Bivens said, I came here to pay my respects to all the fallen soldiers and the guys who didnt make it back when I was there. Its very hard, really. Still, after 50 years.

Jerry Clement, of Stafford, also attended Friday's ceremony. He has three sons in the military and two grandchildren who will join the military soon.Here are some of the Memorial Day events planned in the Fredericksburg area:

SATURDAY

24th annual Memorial Luminaria, Fredericksburg National Cemetery, 1013 Lafayette Blvd. More than 15,300 candles will honor soldiers who have died in the service of this country, taps every 30 minutes and park staff telling stories about some of the formerly unidentified soldiers for the first time. 8-11 p.m. Free. Park at the University of Mary Washington lot at the corner of William Street and Sunken Road. Fredericksburg Trolley will provide shuttle service between the parking area and the national cemetery. Pets are not permitted in the cemetery. Rain date: May 26. 540/693-3200; nps.gov/frsp.

Luminary, Fredericksburg Confederate Cemetery, 1100 Washington Ave. Luminaries for the 3,550 interred at cemetery. 6 p.m. Hosted by the Fredericksburg Ladies Memorial Association, assisted by American Heritage Girls, Evergreen Shade and SCV Mathew Fontaine Maury Camp. Taps by camp musician Roy Perry and closing salute volley from SCV Matthew Fontaine Maury Camp.News

Windstorm insurer rescinds proposed rate increases

Henry Freudenburg

GALVESTON

The Board of Directors of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association voted Friday to rescind a controversial proposal to increase residential and commercial insurance rates approved last year.

The agency announced the unanimous vote in a five-paragraph statement on the its website on Friday.

Texas Windstorm Insurance Association policyholders will not be impacted by a premium rate increase in 2019, the statement said.

The board of directors in August 2018 voted to increase windstorm insurance rates by 10 percent. If the increase had been approved, it would have been the eighth increase in wind insurance premium rates in 10 years, and the steepest rate increase since 2009, just after Hurricane Ike in 2008.

The board voted for the rate hike amid assertions that the associations funding had been depleted by claims filed after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The windstorm association received more than 75,000 Harvey-related claims, for which it paid a little more than $1 billion, according to the association.

The association is the windstorm insurer of last resort for property owners on the Texas Gulf Coast. The legislature created the association in 1971 to provide insurance to property owners who private companies refused to cover. The association manages more than 200,000 insurance policies in 14 coastal counties.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott blocked the increase in October, saying the association should at least wait until after the legislative session to give lawmakers time to consider windstorm insurance reform bills.

The session officially ends on Monday.

It was unclear whether any one piece of legislation caused the board to reverse its decision on the rates. The association did not respond to a request for comment on Friday afternoon, and video of the boards meeting, which took place in Austin, had not yet been posted on the associations website.

The Texas Senate approved a bill May 21 revising some of the associations operations. Among other things, the bill creates a process for people to automatically renew their windstorm policies and changes the way the association determines replacement costs for damaged properties.

Critics of the bill said it did not go far enough in addressing central policy issues about the associations structure, according to an analysis by the Texas House Research Organization.

A different bill, which was approved by the Texas House of Representatives, but did not make it through the Senate, would have extended Abbotts moratorium on rate increases until 2021.

The rate freeze bill passed the House by a vote of 132-10. Its author, state Rep. Todd Hunter, told the Corpus Christi Business News that vote sent a clear signal to the associations board.

The boards decision was lauded by critics of the rate increases who argued they would harm coastal residents and governments.

Henry Freudenburg, chairman of the Coastal Windstorm Insurance Coalition, a consumer advocacy group, said there was still work to do to reform the association.

He said he expected the legislature to call for a study to find ways to reform the association and come up with recommendations to change it ahead of the 2021 legislative session.

You cant do that during the session, its just too much, he said. Were very, very confident that TWIA, from this day forward, will become a profitable entity.

The associations board is scheduled to meet next in Galveston in August.The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. Girl Scouts can earn the Bronze Award in fourth and fifth grades, the Girl Scout Silver Award between grades six and eight, and high-school-age participants are eligible to earn the Gold Award.Sweet Home families have discovered a new extracurricular organization for their daughters called American Heritage Girls, a faith-based character development program for girls ages 5-18.

It is dedicated to the mission of building women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country.

An informational meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. on June 9 at St. Helens Catholic Church, 815 Fifth Ave. in Sweet Home.

Troop OR 0312 is the first American Heritage Girls troop in the community. It is chartered at St. Helens.

Founded in 1995 in Cincinnati, American Heritage Girls has grown from 10 troops and 100 members to more than 49,000 members across 15 countries and in 50 states.

With an emphasis on faith, service and fun, girls choose from more than 240 badges, participate in service projects, leadership opportunities and outdoor experiences. Troops are led by adult volunteers who facilitate the program while encouraging girl leadership.

Faith-based organizations such as churches can charter American Heritage Girls troops to achieve their ministry goals for youth. As a new charter, Sweet Homes troop is focusing on girls in grades one through six, with a goal of expanding to include older girls.

Contact Linn County reporter Alex Paul at 541-812-6114.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.SUNDAY

Patriotic Concert 2019, 4 p.m., Jefferson High School, 575 Washington St., Jefferson. Patriotic musical salute featuring the Athens Classic City Band. Event will include an armed services flag presentation and veteran recognition. Free. Information: https://www.facebook.com/events/323661258269576/.

MONDAY

Memorial Day Service, 9 a.m. Brownsville Pioneer Cemetery, 35707 Kirk Ave. Hosted by American Legion Auxiliary 133 and Travis Moothart Memorial Post.

Corvallis American Legion Post 11 Annual Memorial Day Service, 10 a.m., Crystal Lake Cemetery, 1945 SE Crystal Lake Drive. Information: N. Jones, 541-760-3109.

Memorial Day Service, 10 a.m., IOOF Cemetery Road, Lebanon. Fire Chief Gordon Sletmoe will be the guest speaker. Hosted by Lebanon American Legion Post 51, which will have an honor guard to present and retrieve colors.

Memorial Day Service, 10:30 a.m., Crawfordsville Union Cemetery, Highway 228, near Bush Creek Road. Hosted by American Legion Post 133.

Memorial Day Service, 11 a.m., Linn County Veterans Memorial, Timber Linn Memorial Park, 900 Price Road SE, Albany. Presented by the Linn County Veterans Memorial Association. Information: 541-990-7715 or https://albanyvisitors.com/event/memorial-day-service/?instance_id=14449.

Memorial Celebration, 2 p.m., Benton County Veterans Memorial, National Guard Armory, 1100 NW Kings Blvd., Corvallis. Live music begins at 1:30 p.m. Commander Timothy Reidy of the Navy ROTC will give the keynote speech. Harry Lagerstedt, who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, will be given the flag of honor. The program will be moved indoors in case of inclement weather.

Memorial Day Program, 2:30 p.m., Imagine Coffee, 5460 Philomath Blvd., Corvallis. Corvallis Scout Troop 3 and the O.K. Chorale, a 24-voice four-part choir will present a family-friendly, audience participation event. Free. Parking at Bi-Mart.

Memorial Day concert: "A Day of Remembrance," 7 p.m., LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis. The Willamette Valley Concert Band, directed by Mike Bevington and special guest director emeritus Richard Sorenson, will perform. Donations accepted. Proceeds will help mid-valley music students attend summer music camps. Information: jddlove@cat-tummy.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Communion celebrated: Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 2650 NW Highland Drive in Corvallis, will share God's Word and Holy Communion at 9 a.m. Sunday.

Pastor Eric Bohlmann's sermon will focus on the renewal of self. Fellowship and refreshments will follow the service. The multigenerational Sunday school will start at 10:30. The study, "Who Is My Neighbor," is the first in a three-part interactive series about loving your neighbor. Information: 541-753-2816 or www.svlc-corvallis.org.

Taoist meditation group: The group will meet at 9 a.m. Sunday at the First Alternative Natural Foods Co-op north store, 2855 NW Grant Ave. in Corvallis.

The event features Taoist Quiet Sitting meditation, also known as Preserving the Light of the One. Information: docneedlestcm@gmail.com.

Church discussed: The 9:30 a.m. service on Sunday at First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe Ave. in Corvallis, will consider the question "Why Church?"

Participants will be invited to reflect on why they come to church.

Baha'i devotions and discussion: The Sanctity of Nature" is set for 10:15 a.m. Sunday at 5006 SW Hollyhock Circle, Corvallis.

Nature reflects the hand of the Creator; it reveals itself in many forms. Nature is endowed with a power, a reality the human mind can never fully grasp, and can be seen as a physical door leading to the mystical. The person of insight sees not only the visible beauty of nature, but the eternal beauty of the Creator. All are invited to join in stimulating discussion inspired by sacred texts.

Eckankar: Learning to Love God, Each Other, and Our Selves is the theme of the ECK Light and Sound Service at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Eckankar Center of Corvallis, 875 NW Grant Ave.

People of all faiths and backgrounds are welcome. Dreams, intuition, gratitude, and the love we have for our families are all experiences in the Light and Sound. Help in daily life, creativity, problem-solving  all are ways to experience the Light and Sound. Simply, the Light and Sound is Gods love.

To learn more about ECK teachings, call 503-233-1595, or visit Eckankar.org or MiraclesinYourLife.org.

Centering Prayer: A Christian Centering Prayer group will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Marys Catholic Church, 706 SW Ellsworth St. in Albany.

Centering Prayer is a receptive practice of silent prayer in which Gods presence can be experienced within. This nonverbal method of prayer is not meant to replace other types of prayer but rather adds depth of meaning as practitioners slowly learn to rest in God.

Those attending are asked to enter by the side door on Ninth Street. Information: livinggreen@comcast.net.

Taize: A contemplative ecumenical Taize worship service is set for 7 p.m. June 2 at the Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan, 333 NW 35th St. in Corvallis.

The event features singing and prayers. Information: 541-753-7622.

Women's gathering: After 5 Connection, affiliated with Stonecroft, will present "Harmonious Hormones" at 6 p.m. June 11 at the Lobby, 661 S. Main St. in Lebanon.

Malinda Davis of Lebanon will speak on bio-identical hormone therapy, sharing how to keep looking and feeling fit, healthy and beautiful through all of life's stages. Nancy Gabert of Bend will present "What's in Your Backpack?" Gabert is a certified residential appraiser and an amateur dramatist.

Cost is $10, which includes dinner; no credit cards. Reservations: 541-258-6414 or nancypinzino@comcast.net.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0I want to begin by commenting on the response Bill Halsey gave concerning a letter i submitted relating to popular vote vs. Electoral College. In Bill's response he implied that I consider myself as being superior to the homeless. How wrong can he be?

I have worked a number of years directly with people with severe mental health and addiction issues. I worked on the front lines. i understand homelessness and poverty and have great compassion for those folks.

But the liberal-socialist policies in large cities isn't working. Let's compare data from two large cities with comparable populations, one managed with liberal-socialist policies, the other with conservative policies, Houston and Chicago. Houston has only a fraction of homeless compared to Chicago.

In Chicago there are 13,500 police. In Houston there are 5,318. There are 184 gun stores in Houston and zero in Chicago. in 2012 there were 1,806 gun-related homicides in Chicago, 207 in Houston. The level of other crimes in Chicago is 10 times greater than Houston.

If popular vote was used in national policies, the whole nation would look like Chicago. There would be open borders which would allow unlimited amounts of drugs and crime to enter our country.

The liberal-socialist lawmakers in Congress all support letting unlimited number of migrants enter the United States from anywhere on Earth. There are tens of thousands of illegal migrants living in subsidized housing and at the same time tens of thousands of legal Americans homeless! Makes sense?

Matthew Goss

Lebanon (May 23)

Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Gloudeman said some of the participants just want to learn a little bit about welding while others are there to work on projects that they will show in a fair.High demand for dollars or the investment decline  Why Georgian Lari depreciates - GeorgianJournalWe appreciate the partnership we had with the Fox Valley Career Center and the programs they have provided our students over the years, but the long drive out to the campus always forced kids to make tough choices, Smith said. With a shorter drive, a much larger percentage of our students will be able to look at our Career and Technical Education offerings and still have room for foreign languages, band and fine arts in their schedule.Huawei now barred from using SD and microSD cards News oi-Vishal Kawadkar Huawei has also been banned from selling phones in the US.

Huawei's ongoing issues with the US government are far from over, as the company has now been barred from being a member of the SD Association (SDA), the group that standardizes SD and microSD cards.

This change also means that Huawei will no longer be able to offer memory card support on its devices using official SDA branding. The SD Association confirmed to Engadget that Huawei was dropped from the trade group after the US Department of Commerce gave orders to stop the use of Huawei products.

Huawei told Android Authority that for now, the users will be able to use SD and microSD cards with its products. However, the company isn't sure how the new move will affect its future devices. Huawei has already planned its move away from the format in favor of its in-house "Nano Memory Cards."

Google has suspended Android support for all the smartphones from the company, and Intel, Qualcomm, and AMD have also cut off supplies for the Chinese telecommunication giant.

Apart from supplying communications equipment, Huawei is also a renowned smartphone maker with the US being one of its major markets. If the company is forced to shut its operation in the US, there's a possibility that Google will cut ties with the firm which also means no Android for Huawei smartphones.

Huawei already confirmed that its own operating system is in the works. The company started working on the OS back in 2012 after the US banned ZTE from using American products and services.

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US charges WikiLeaks founder Assange with espionage

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 05:27AM

The US Justice Department has charged WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with espionage by publishing hundreds of thousands of secret military and diplomatic files about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Justice Department said Thursday that Assange had violated the US Espionage Act by conspiring with and assisting ex-Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in obtaining access to classified information.

Assange faces a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison in the US if convicted of all the charges against him.

"These unprecedented charges demonstrate the gravity of the threat the criminal prosecution of Julian Assange poses to all journalists in their endeavor to inform the public about actions that have been taken by the US government," said Barry Pollack, an American attorney for Assange.

The Justice Department said Assange aided and encouraged Manning with the theft of classified materials.

Manning was arrested in May 2010 and convicted by court martial in 2013 of espionage in connection with the 2010 Wikileaks disclosures.

The US President Barack Obama reduced Manning's sentence to 7 years from 35 years, but she is now in jail after repeatedly refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating Assange.

Assange is now fighting extradition to the United States, after Ecuador in April revoked his seven-year asylum in the country's embassy in London.

He was arrested on April 11 by British police as he left the embassy.

He is now serving a 50-week sentence in a London jail for skipping bail when he fled to the Ecuadorean embassy in 2012.

Under extradition rules, the United States had only a 60-day window from the date of Assange's arrest in London to add more charges. After that, foreign governments do not generally accept superseding charges.

Legal experts say the decision to charge Assange with espionage crimes is unusual since most cases involving the theft of classified information have targeted government employees, like Manning, and not the people who publish the information itself.

Following Assange's arrest, prosecutors in Sweden re-opened a criminal investigation into allegations that Assange sexually assaulted a woman during a visit to Stockholm. Swedish authorities recently sent British authorities a fresh request for Assange's extradition.

The decision regarding which country should have its chance to prosecute him first is now in the hands of UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

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Trump Orders U.S. Intelligence Agencies To Cooperate With Probe Into 2016 Campaign 'Surveillance'

By RFE/RL May 24, 2019

President Donald Trump has ordered U.S. intelligence agencies to fully cooperate with the Justice Department review of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russia's interference in the 2016 election campaign.

Trump's order, released on May 23, was the latest move in an ongoing effort by the White House to undermine the conclusions of Mueller's investigation.

Mueller's final report, released last month, corroborated U.S. intelligence conclusions of Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign, and also documented Trump's efforts to undermine the Mueller inquiry. It said there was insufficient evidence to prove Trump and his team obstructed the inquiry, but it also did not exonerate him.

Since the report's release, Trump and some Republican allies have been mounting calls to "investigate the investigators" involved in the origins of the probe.

The investigation was initially opened by the FBI, but then taken over by Mueller after Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey.

The head of the Justice Department, Attorney General William Barr, has suggested the FBI "spied" on the Trump campaign, an assertion that has been downplayed by the current FBI director.

In the order, Trump said he had directed intelligence agencies to "quickly and fully cooperate" with Barr's review. He also said he had granted Barr broad powers to potentially release highly classified information.

The move comes with growing calls among congressional Democrats to begin impeachment hearings against Trump.

Several committees are investigating not only aspects of the Russia investigation, but also some of Trump's tax and business dealings.

Representative Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, accused Trump and Barr of "weaponizing" law enforcement agencies.

"The cover-up has entered a new and dangerous phase," Schiff said. "This is un-American."

With reporting by AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-mueller- investigation/29960288.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Press Advocates Warn Of Dangers As U.S. Files New Charges Against Assange

By RFE/RL May 24, 2019

U.S. authorities have filed new criminal charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, accusing him of causing the United States major harm by publishing thousands of classified documents.

The new, 18-count indictment, unsealed on May 23, was filed under the Espionage Act, accusing Assange of directing a former U.S. Army intelligence analyst to leak the materials.

The leak was one of the largest compromises of secret information in U.S. history.

Assange is currently in British custody after being kicked out in April of Ecuadorian Embassy, where he had been holed up for several years.

The United States is seeking his extradition.

"No responsible actor, journalist or otherwise, would purposely publish the names of individuals he or she knew to be confidential sources, exposing them to the gravest of dangers," Assistant Attorney General John Demers said in a statement.

The new Espionage Act charges go beyond the initial indictment made public last month. That indictment accused him of conspiring with the army analyst, Chelsea Manning, to crack into a defense computer.

The classified materials, published by the antisecrecy organization Wikileaks, included the names of people who helped U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and U.S. diplomats, according to prosecutors.

Manning was convicted in military court for providing a trove of classified documents to Wikileaks but her sentence was later commuted by then-President Barack Obama.

She is currently in a northern Virginia jail on a civil contempt charge.

Press advocates decried the new charges, saying that Assange's conduct in obtaining the materials was virtually indistinguishable from the conduct of conventional investigative journalists who cover national security or subjects involving classified government secrets.

"Regardless of what you think about Wikileaks or Julian Assange, an Espionage Act prosecution can only turn out badly for press freedom in this country," David Kaye, an American lawyer and United Nations special rapporteur for press freedom, said in a Twitter post.

"This is not about Julian Assange," Democratic U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said in a statement. "This is about the use of the Espionage Act to charge a recipient and publisher of classified information. I am extremely concerned about the precedent this may set and potential dangers to the work of journalists and the First Amendment."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/assange-indictment -press-warning/29960285.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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US Intelligence to Share 'Appropriate Information' for Trump-Ordered Probe

By Jeff Seldin May 24, 2019

U.S. intelligence agencies will cooperate with a new Justice Department investigation into whether officials overstepped their bounds and improperly surveilled U.S. President Donald Trump's presidential campaign in 2016.

In a statement issued late Friday, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said intelligence agencies would provide U.S. Attorney General William Barr with "all of the appropriate information" for his investigation.

"As part of that process, I am confident that the attorney general will work with the IC [intelligence community] in accordance with the long-established standards to protect highly sensitive classified information that, if publicly released, would put our national security at risk," Coats added.

The statement from the country's top intelligence officer followed Trump's directive, issued late Thursday, that called on U.S. intelligence agencies to "quickly and fully cooperate" with the new Justice Department probe.

The directive also gave Barr what the White House described as "full and complete authority to declassify information pertaining to this investigation."

"We want to be very transparent," Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday before leaving for a state visit to Japan.

"Everything that they need is declassified, and they'll be able to see how the hoax or witch hunt started and why it started," he added. "It was an attempted coup or an attempted takedown of the president of the United States. It should never, ever happen to anybody else."

The move comes as some Democratic lawmakers have ratcheted up calls to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump, a Republican. It also comes as the White House has battled with Democratic lawmakers over the two-year investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Already, several Republican lawmakers have praised the new investigation.

North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows called the move "outstanding" and tweeted:

Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan also accused Democratic lawmakers of being "focused on taking down the president."

"They're so desperate to stop the president that they won't help the country," he tweeted.

But Democrats fired back. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff of California tweeted:

The vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Democrat Mark Warner of Virginia, also raised concerns.

"People risk their lives to gather the intelligence material that President Trump and Attorney General Barr are so eager to politicize," Warner said in a statement Friday. "Selectively declassifying sources and methods in order to serve a political agenda will make it harder for the intelligence community to do their jobs protecting this country from those who wish to do us harm."

Former U.S. intelligence officials also expressed reservations about Trump's actions.

April Doss, a former head of intelligence law at the National Security Agency, said on Twitter:

Asha Rangappa, a former FBI special agent who also comments for CNN, tweeted:

But Trump has repeatedly pointed to the special counsel's report, which did not find evidence to support criminal charges against the president, as proof his campaign did not collude with Russia to turn the 2016 election in his favor.

Instead, the president has said the report shows there was a conspiracy against him, telling supporters at a rally in Pennsylvania on Monday that former U.S. officials spied on his presidential campaign and were guilty of treason, a claim he stood by on Thursday.

"If you look at [former FBI Director James] Comey; if you look at [former FBI Deputy Director Andrew] McCabe; if you look at probably people higher than that," Trump said when asked which officials committed treason, which is punishable by death.

"They couldn't win the election, and that's what happened," he said. "That's treason."

Comey, the former FBI director who was fired by Trump, responded Friday on Twitter:

Another frequent target of Trump's ire, former CIA Director John Brennan, an outspoken Trump critic, also spoke out on the social media platform late Friday.

Highlighting one of the president's tweets  showing a cartoon of him, Comey and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper  Brennan called Trump's behavior "very immature":

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May 23, 2019

News Release

Press Operations

Release No. NR-128-19

U.S.-China Asia Pacific Security Dialogue

Defense officials from the United States and China met in Washington D.C., for the third Asia Pacific Security Dialogue on May 21.

Mr. Randall Schriver, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, led the U.S. delegation in talks with Chinese Major General Ci Guowei, Director of the Office for International Military Cooperation. The dialogue emphasized a constructive, results-oriented military relationship with a focus on maintaining open and clear communication, especially in times of crisis.

The U.S. delegation included representatives from the Joint Staff, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and the U.S. Department of State, while the Chinese delegation included representatives of their Central Military Commission's Office for International Military Cooperation and several other military offices.

The meeting covered topics including regional security issues, the South China Sea, North Korea, and the enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

https://dod.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1857803/

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May 23, 2019

News Release

Press Operations

Release No. NR-127-19

Readout of Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan's Meeting With Vietnam Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh

Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan met with Vietnam Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh at the Pentagon today to reaffirm the comprehensive partnership between the United States and Vietnam.



The leaders discussed the regional security environment and highlighted historic progress in the U.S.-Vietnam defense partnership. The two countries are continuing to build practical defense cooperation in the areas of maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and peacekeeping. The leaders also highlighted close cooperation on addressing legacy of war issues and accounting for U.S. personnel missing from the Vietnam War.



Secretary Shanahan outlined the U.S. vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and the two leaders agreed that a strong and comprehensive U.S.-Vietnam partnership, specifically in the area of defense cooperation, promotes regional and global security and economic development.

The U.S. and Vietnam partnership is based on mutual respect and common interests and principles, particularly freedom of navigation, respect for international law, and recognition of national sovereignty.

https://dod.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1857279/

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USNS Comfort Mission Stops Announced

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS190524-01

Release Date: 5/24/2019 8:35:00 AM

From U.S. Southern Command Public Affairs

MIAMI (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) will return for another deployment to South America, Central America, and the Caribbean mid-June to begin a five-month medical assistance mission as a result of the humanitarian crisis created by the ongoing political and economic instability in Venezuela.

Comfort medical teams will pull in to Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago for working port visits.

"This deployment responds directly to the man-made crisis Maduro's regime has created," said U.S. Navy Adm. Craig Faller, commander of U.S. Southern Command, which will oversee the deployment. "Comfort medical teams will be working alongside host nation medical professionals who are absorbing thousands of Venezuelan migrants and refugees. The Venezuelan people are desperately fleeing their homeland for hope of a better way of life. We are committed to finding ways to support the Venezuelan people and our regional partners who share the goal of seeing a legitimate, democratic government reinstated in Venezuela."

From October to December 2018, Comfort completed its sixth deployment, an 11-week deployment for medical support to Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Honduras, helping more than 26,700 patients in need, including 599 onboard surgeries.

This marks the seventh hospital ship deployment to the region since 2007. The embarked medical teams will provide care on board and at land-based medical sites, helping to relieve pressure on national medical systems strained partly by an increase in cross-border migrants. As with the last deployment, the plan is to embark medical professionals from partner nations to join in the effort to provide medical care to patients. The deployment reflects the United States' enduring promise of friendship, partnership and solidarity with the Americas.

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U.S. army airstrike kills 2 IS fighters in northern Somalia

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 08:43, May 24, 2019

MOGADISHU, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The United States military said on Thursday that it killed two Islamic State (IS) fighters in Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region in an air attack on Wednesday.

The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the latest strike was conducted in cooperation with Somali government targeting encampment in the Golis Mountains.

"Currently, we assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of this airstrike. Our process and procedures allow for additional information to inform post-strike analysis," AFRICOM said in a statement.

The Wednesday's attack was the fifth precision airstrike against IS-Somalia since April 14 in a deliberate campaign to limit and disrupt freedom of movement in the area and to eliminate leaders of the organization.

Pro-IS militants split from al-Shabab in October 2015 and later occupied Qandala, a key location in Bari Region under Puntland State Administration in northern Somalia since 2016.

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US sending assault ship, Patriot missile battery to Middle East: Pentagon

Iran Press TV

Fri May 10, 2019 10:18PM

The United States says it is deploying an amphibious assault ship and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East just a few days after it sent an aircraft carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the region.

"The Acting Secretary of Defense has approved the movement of USS Arlington (LPD-24) and a Patriot battery to US Central Command (CENTCOM) as part of the command's original request for forces from earlier this week," the Pentagon said in a statement on Friday.

"These assets will join the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a US Air Force bomber task force in the Middle East region in response to indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against US forces and our interests," the statement added.

John Bolton, the hawkish US national security adviser, said Sunday that the US was doing so in a "clear and unmistakable" message to Iran that "any attack on United States interests or on those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force."

Bolton said the decision was "in response to a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings."

Meanwhile, a senior Iranian military official said on Friday the Trump administration did not dare to wage a war on Iran despite its recent move.

The Americans think they can intimidate the Iranian nation and force officials to sit for talks by combining military rhetoric with sanctions and economic pressures, but the Iranian nation well knows the scenario, and considers the US untrustworthy, said Brigadier General Yadollah Javani, a political head of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

The move by the US comes as it had earlier vowed to cut Iran's oil exports down to zero, prompting Tehran to warn that it will not allow any other country to export oil through the Strait of Hormuz if Tehran cannot sell its crude.

The US administration said in a statement on April 22 that buyers of Iranian oil must stop their purchases by May 1 or face sanctions. The move ended six months of waivers, which allowed Iran's eight biggest buyers -- Turkey, China, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan -- to continue importing limited volumes.

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Trump announces US military buildup in Middle East

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 05:19PM

US President Donald Trump has announced he would deploy about 1,500 American troops to the Middle East region for "mostly protective" reasons, amid escalating tensions with Iran.

"We want to have protection in the Middle East. We're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective," Trump said on Friday as he left the White House for a trip to Japan.

"Some very talented people are going to the Middle East right now. And we'll see what happens," he said, with providing details what he really meant by "very talented people".

The Pentagon said only about 900 of the 1500 troops will be newly deployed. It said the other 600 are already in the Middle East region and will be extended.

The US Defense Department added that the deployment approved by the US president includes Patriot missile batteries, reconnaissance planes and troops.

Members of Congress were notified following a White House meeting on Thursday where the Pentagon's proposals to bolster US military presence in the Middle East were discussed.

A senior Trump administration official earlier on Friday told CNN that Trump has approved the deployment of "additional military resources" to the Persian Gulf.

The US began reinforcing its presence in the Persian Gulf region this month in response to alleged threats from Iran. Tehran has slammed the US move as psychological warfare.

But only on Thursday, Trump said he did not think additional American troops were needed in the Middle East.

"I don't think we're going to need them," he told reporters. "I really don't. I would certainly send troops if we need them."

Earlier on Thursday, acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan confirmed that the Pentagon was considering deploying additional American troops to the Middle East.

"What we're looking at is: Are there things that we can do to enhance force protection in the Middle East?" Shanahan said speaking to reporters outside the Pentagon. "It may involve sending additional troops."

However, Shanahan rejected media reports claiming specific numbers of troops were being considered by the Pentagon, saying: "As soon as there's a change, I'll give you an update."

US officials speaking to various media outlets on Wednesday said the White House would decide whether to approve the plan to send about 5,000 troops to the Middle East while some media outlets reported that up to 10,000 could be deployed.

"I got up this morning and read that we were sending 10,000 troops to the Middle East, and then I read more recently that there was 5,0000," Shanahan said. "There is no 10,000 and there is no 5,000."

Trump has resorted to blacklisting the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in the wake of withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and tightening sanctions against Tehran.

Iran has time and again asserted that it is not seeking war but stands ready to defend its interests in the region.

Iran has played down Washington's belligerent posture, ruling out the possibility of war between the US and Iran.

There were, meanwhile, reports that the US president is using legal loopholes to sell even more arms to Saudi Arabia amid tensions with Iran.

Trump has said he does not want to go to war with Iran, but has also threatened to use military force against the country.

On Sunday, he threatened to destroy Iran if the Islamic Republic attacked its interests.

His most recent tweet appears to be a shift in tone just days after he said he was interested in diplomacy and wanted to avoid war.

"If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" he tweeted.

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9 Yemenis killed as Saudi-led jets hit petroleum derivatives plant

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 01:30PM

Nearly a dozen people have been killed when Saudi-led military aircraft carried out a string of airstrikes against an area in Yemen's southwestern province of Ta'izz.

Local sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Arabic-language al-Masirah television network that the warplanes struck a petroleum derivatives plant in the Mawiyah district of the province on Friday afternoon, leaving nine people dead and several others injured.

Earlier, Saudi-backed militiamen loyal to Yemen's former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi lobbed a barrage of mortar shells at a vegetable oil extraction workshop at Kilo 16 area of al-Hali district in the strategic western Yemeni province of Hudaydah.

There were no immediate reports about the extent of damage caused and possible casualties.

Scores of Saudi-paid militiamen were also killed and injured when Yemeni army soldiers, backed by allied fighters from Popular Committees, mounted a surprise attack in the Khabb wa ash Sha'af district of the country's northern province of al-Jawf.

Separately, Yemeni troops and their allies struck the positions of Saudi soldiers and their mercenaries in the Rabuah area of the kingdom's southern border region of Asir.

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the goal of bringing the government of Hadi back to power and crushing the Houthi Ansarullah movement.

The US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, estimates that the Saudi-led war has claimed the lives of over 60,000 Yemenis since January 2016.

The war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN says over 24 million Yemenis are in dire need of humanitarian aid, including 10 million suffering from extreme levels of hunger.

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Senior cleric killed in Kabul mosque blast

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 12:50PM

Three people, including a senior cleric, have been killed and at least 20 others injured in a bomb attack at a mosque in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

The blast occurred at the al-Taqwa Mosque in eastern Kabul, where Samiullah Raihan was leading the Friday noon prayers.

Raihan was a supporter of the Kabul government and a member of the National Ulema Council, which is Afghanistan's top Muslim clerical body.

According to Kabul police chief's spokesman, Basir Mujahid, the bomb was hidden in the microphone used to deliver the sermon and Raihan was the intended target.

No individual or group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast. Both the Taliban and Daesh group are present in Afghanistan and regularly carry out attacks in the country.

The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan and toppled a ruling Taliban regime in 2001. That ongoing war has failed to bring stability to the country despite the presence of thousands of foreign forces.

Daesh has established a foothold in eastern and northern Afghanistan in more recent years.

And the US is now negotiating with the Taliban in an attempt to disengage from the country 18 years after the invasion.

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Trump rejects additional troop deployment to MidEast, says there is 'no need'

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 10:35AM

US President Donald Trump has rejected any "need" for additional troop deployments in the Middle East after reports claimed the Pentagon was considering sending up to 10,000 troops to the region.

"I don't think we're going to need them. I really don't," Trump told reporters on Thursday. "I would certainly send troops if we need them," he added.

Trump made the comments shortly after the Associated Press reported that the Pentagon would present plans to the White House on Thursday to send up to 10,000 troops, quoting unnamed US officials.

Earlier on Thursday, Reuters also published a similar report, putting the probable deployment number at 5,000.

The reports presented the measures as seeking to "beef up defenses against Iran amid heightened tensions in the region".

The two reports were, however, specifically rejected by acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan earlier on Thursday.

"I got up this morning and read that we were sending 10,000 troops to the Middle East, and then I read more recently that there was 5,0000," Shanahan said.

"There is no 10,000 and there is no 5,000, and that's not accurate," he added.

The rumors surrounding a probable US troop deployment to the Middle East came after the US deployed an aircraft carrier strike group and a bomber task force in the Persian Gulf earlier this month to counter a "threat" from Tehran.

Last week, the New York Times reported that Trump's team had gone as far as drawing up plans for a possible military strike against Iran that could involve sending 120,000 soldiers to the Middle East.

Similar to what happened on Thursday, however, the report was rejected shortly afterwards by the US president.

"I think it's fake news, OK? Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that. Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that," Trump said.

Last Friday, media outlets reported that Trump had ordered his administration to avoid a military confrontation with Iran.

There are also reports of the Trump administration having failed to convince US lawmakers of the alleged Iranian "threat" after presenting a congressional committee with related "intelligence" last week.

Many lawmakers have said the administration is "inflating threats and bending intelligence" to push for war against the country.

On Thursday, the US State Department failed to meet a congressional deadline explaining about possible biased statements against Iran in an annual arms controls report.

The three Democratic chairmen of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs, Armed Services and Intelligence committees had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week to provide explanations after concerns emerged that the report had made the assessments in an attempt to lay the groundwork for a probable war.

Various reports in the past months have also suggested that Trump has been specifically at odds with his National Security Adviser John Bolton and Pompeo over their push for military confrontation with Tehran.

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Bin Salman agrees to support Sudan's military if it keeps forces in Yemen

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 10:11AM

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly pledged to continue supporting Sudan's military transition council if Khartoum agrees to keep its forces in Yemen.

Bin Salman and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who goes by the nickname Hemedti, reached the agreement as they met in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Friday.

Last month, Sudan's military announced that it had unseated Bashir and proceeded to imprison him. It then set up the Transitional Military Council (TMC) to rule the country and promised to hand over the power after elections.

But protests, the pressure of which forced Bashir out, have continued in Sudan, with people demanding that more civilians be on the council than military figures during the transition period.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have announced their support for the transitional military council. They have also expressed support for measures taken by the council following Bashir's ouster.

On Tuesday, the leading Sudanese protest group Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) called for a general strike as the ruling generals in the country refused to grant a demand for the establishment of a civilian-majority transitional body.

The SPA said that after two late-night negotiation sessions with the army generals, they failed to reach an agreement as the army was still insisting on directing the transition and keeping a military majority on the council.

Sudan, under Bashir, had forged close relations with Saudi Arabia after renouncing ties with Iran.

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Three Dead, Including Senior Cleric, In Kabul Mosque Blast

By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan May 24, 2019

Three people, including a senior cleric, were killed and at least 20 wounded in an explosion during prayers at a mosque in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told RFE/RL's Afghan Service that among the dead was prayer leader Mawlawi Raihan, a supporter of the Western-backed government, in the May 24 explosion.

Jan Agha, a district police official, was quoted by the AP news agency as saying the bomb was apparently planted in the microphone used by the mosque leader during Friday Prayers.

No militant group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but both the Taliban and the Islamic State group regularly stage attacks in the country's capital.

"Our initial information on the incident shows that the Taliban terrorist group was behind the attack," Rahimi said.

The Kabul neighborhood where the bombing took place is dominated by ethnic Pashtuns, most of whom are Sunni Muslims.

The attack rattled the community, which was in the midst of celebrating the 19th day of Ramadan.

"No Muslim is allowed to kill another Muslim, especially during Ramadan. This is a great sin," said Kabul resident Ghulam Haidar.

Raihan was relatively well-known in Kabul, as he appeared frequently on religious shows broadcast on local TV.

With reporting by AP and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/cleric-killed-in-kabul -mosque-blast/29961053.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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U.S. To Send Additional 1,500 Troops To Mideast For 'Protective' Role

By RFE/RL May 24, 2019

The United States will send 1,500 soldiers to the Middle East to bolster its forces amid rising tensions with Iran.

President Donald Trump told reporters in Washington on May 24 that the additional troops would play a "mostly protective" role in the region.

"We want to have protection in the Middle East. We're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective," Trump said as he left the White House for a trip to Japan.

"Some very talented people are going to the Middle East right now. And we'll see what happens," he added.

Relations between Tehran and Washington have plummeted since Trump a year ago pulled the United States out of a 2015 nuclear accord between world powers and Iran that curbed the country's nuclear program in exchange for relief from crippling economic sanctions.

Since then, Washington has stepped up its rhetoric and reimposed sanctions.

Earlier this month, the United States beefed up its military presence in the Middle East and Persian Gulf, citing "imminent threats" from Tehran, prompting growing concerns of a possible military conflict with Iran.

Tehran denied the allegations.

Amid the escalating tensions with Washington, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has warned of anarchy in the Middle East if world powers do not unite to stop what he called U.S. aggression.

The official Iranian news agency IRNA said Zarif made the remark May 24 in Islamabad, where he held talks with top Pakistani officials.

The Arab League is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting next week amid the tensions.

Zarif later on May 23 in the Pakistani capital criticized the Trump administration for designating last month Iran's powerful paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist group.

Earlier, Zarif met with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.

A brief statement from Khan's office said only that bilateral issues were discussed during the meeting on May 24.

Iran and Pakistan share a troubled 900-kilometer-long border and Tehran says that anti-Iranian Sunni Muslim militants have found safe havens in Pakistan's border province of Balochistan.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Maashal, CNN, Reuters, and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iranian-foreign-minister-in-pakistan -amid-growing-tensions-with-u-s-/29960632.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Menendez on Trump Admins Decision to Flout Congress Role in Approving Arm Sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE

May 24, 2019

NEWARK  U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after the Trump Administration formally informed Congress that it is invoking an obscure provision of the Arms Export Control Act to eliminate the statutorily-required Congressional review of the sales of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and others, but failed to explain its legal or practical basis for doing so. The unprecedented and legally dubious move breaks a long-standing process designed to ensure that Congress is able to review and disapprove arms sales.

I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump Administration has failed once again to prioritize our long term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia.

I have kept the Trump administration from selling tens of thousands of precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates until they could prove that U.S. assistance and arms sales were improving Saudi Arabia and the UAEs respect for human rights in Yemen and were in line with U.S. national security interests and values. The Saudi governments flagrant human rights abuses are clear, as is Muhammad bin Salmans record of killing innocent people  including Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Similarly, reports of the UAEs human rights abuses in Yemen, as well as its illicit transfers of U.S. military equipment to radical militias, are deeply troubling. Yet, rather than stand up against those who murdered Jamal Khashoggi and are working against U.S. interests, the Trump Administration decided to do an end run around the Congress and possibly the law.

In trying to explain this move, the Administration failed to even identify which legal mechanism it thinks it is using, described years of malign Iranian behavior but failed to identify what actually constitutes an emergency today, and critically, failed to explain how these systems, many of which will take years to come online, would immediately benefit either the United States or our allies and thus merit such hasty action. With this move, the President is destroying the productive and decades-long working relationship on arms sales between the Congress and the Executive Branch. The possible consequences of this decision will ultimately threaten the ability of the U.S. defense industry to export arms in a manner that is both expeditious and responsible.

As I repeatedly warned the Trump administration in the lead up to this ill-informed decision, I will fight any effort to further erode Congressional review and oversight of arm sales. I am in discussion with several Democratic and Republican colleagues and I hope the Senate Foreign Relations and the House Foreign Affairs Committees will soon be able to expeditiously address this latest attack on our Constitutional responsibilities. The lives of millions of people depend on it.

###

Press Contact

Juan Pachon 202-224-4651

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Trump Okays Sending 1,500 More Troops to Mideast Amid Simmering Iran Tensions

Sputnik News

17:58 24.05.2019(updated 21:20 24.05.2019)

Earlier, acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan denied reports that between 5,000 to 10,000 US troops would be sent to the Middle East, saying that these figures were "not accurate".

US President Donald Trump confirmed that the Pentagon will deploy 1,500 more troops to the Middle East amid tensions with Iran, Reuters reported, citing sources. According to Mr Trump, the troops' deployment is mostly protective.

The Pentagon said on Friday that the US is sending more troops to the Middle East due to "credible intelligence" that Iran continues to plan attacks against US and its allies in the region.

According to acting Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs Kathryn Wheelbarger, the troops would not be deployed to Iraq or Syria. However, she declined to specify where exactly the troops would be placed, adding that the US "has a few locations in the region".

The US is also deploying a Patriot battalion, a fighter aircraft squadron, and reconnaissance aircraft in addition to 1,500 troops to the Middle East, acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan said.

The US military also said that it believes that Iran's Revolutionary Guards are directly responsible for the attacks on tankers off the United Arab Emirates.

On Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates said it was concerned about Iran's behaviour in the region following the attack on oil tankers off its coast last week, though it did not blame Iran directly. Tehran has distanced itself from the attack, with an Iranian parliamentary spokesman telling the IRNA agency that Israel was to blame for it.

Tensions between the United States and Iran intensified last year after Washington unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran. On 8 May, Iran announced its decision to suspend some of its obligations under the nuclear agreement.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that Iran is not seeking a war with the United States, but will continue to resist Washington.

 Sputnik

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India Rules out Talks Until Pakistan Takes THIS STEP

Sputnik News

17:34 24.05.2019(updated 17:37 24.05.2019)

The two countries wound up on the verge of war at the end of February 2019, after the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted airstrikes on alleged terrorist positions in Pakistani territory. Pakistan's Air Force (PAF) later retaliated, with at least one IAF MiG-21 being downed in the ensuing dogfight.

Indian envoy to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla has stated that New Delhi will not engage in negotiations with Pakistan until it shows "immediate, efficient and verifiable" actions aimed at combating terrorist organisations on its soil, India TV reported. He added that Islamabad must cease its alleged use of terrorism to meet its political goals if it wants to achieve peace with India.

"[Pakistan] cannot be pursuing a policy of supporting terrorism on the one hand and then trying to talk of peace on the other. That double handed policy is not something that we can deal with anymore", Shringla said.

The ambassador insisted that the Indian people strive to have good relations with all their neighbours and added that Pakistan can also develop good relations with Delhi, if it takes the necessary steps.

Shringla's statements come in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's re-election on a wave of nationalistic sentiment caused by the recent terrorist attack against country's security forces. His Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan congratulated him on his victory and expressed hope to work with Modi "for peace, progress and prosperity" despite the tensions between the two countries.

The two states' relations worsened in February 2019 after the IAF carried out airstrikes on alleged positions of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist group in Pakistan in retaliation for an attack on a convoy carrying security personnel in the state of Jammu and Kashmir on 14 February 2019.

In response to the air raid, the Pakistani Air Force downed at least one Indian MiG-21 and captured its pilot. The latter was released several days later as a "peace gesture" by Islamabad. However, the Line of Control in Kashmir witnessed multiple exchanges of fire in the following months, while India has downed several Pakistani drones that allegedly violated the country's airspace.

 Sputnik

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Political Forces in Sudan Want to Establish Parliamentary Republic - Opposition

Sputnik News

16:25 24.05.2019(updated 16:52 24.05.2019)

DOHA (Sputnik) - Political forces in Sudan are planning to establish a parliamentary republic with expanded powers of the government and parliament for a transitional period, a spokesman for the opposition Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, Satia Alhaj, said on Friday.

"Since it is expected that Sudan will be a parliamentary republic, the powers of the government and the parliamentary control will be expanded", Alhaj, who participated in a seminar on the future of Sudan in Qatar, said.

Alhaj also said that talks between Sudan's Transitional Military Council and opposition movement Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change on the makeup of the future sovereign council for governing the country were not suspended but stopped.

"Talks with the military council were not suspended but stopped", he said.

Alhaj added that Sudan could hold a vote to elect members of the council that would govern the country during the three-year transitional period if the opposition and the Sudanese Transitional Military Council fail to reach an agreement.

"We have not yet reached agreement with the military [on the membership of the council] but we are full of optimism. Perhaps, there will be a vote. Both sides want democratic changes in the country and a civilian government", Alhaj said.

He added that the opposition alliance is capable of making Sudanese people's wishes come true, as it is supported by at least 8 million people in the country.

On 15 May, the TMC and the opposition agreed on a three-year transitional period. Sudan experienced a military coup on 11 April following four months of anti-government protests. President Omar Bashir, who had been in power for 30 years, was overthrown and then imprisoned. The TMC came to power and pledged to hold a new election within two years. However, the opposition did not approve of this plan and called on the TMC to immediately hand over power to civilian structures.

 Sputnik

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Saudi Crown Prince Meets Deputy Head of Sudan's Transitional Council - Report

Sputnik News

03:41 24.05.2019(updated 04:03 24.05.2019)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has met with the Deputy Head of Sudan's Transitional Military Council (TMC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported citing Saudi Press Agency.

The meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sudan's Deputy Head of the TMC Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, was held in the city of Jeddah, where they discussed cooperation between the two countries, Reuters reported citing Saudi Press Agency.

Earlier Saudi Arabia voiced support for the Sudanese transitional military council and the latter's measures to stabilize the revolution-torn country.

At the time Saudi Arabia announced the delivery of an aid package to Sudan including wheat, medicine and petroleum products. According to the Saudi Press Agency, Riyadh has backed the council's views for the future of Sudan and expressed hope that these steps would lead to security and stability in the country.

Sudan experienced a military coup on 11 April following four months of anti-government protests. President Omar Bashir, who had been in power for 30 years, was overthrown and then imprisoned. The TMC came to power and pledged to hold a new election within two years.

However, the opposition did not approve this plan and called on the TMC to immediately hand over power to civilian structures.

On 19 May the TMC and the opposition Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change resumed talks in Khartoum after a three-day break.

As a result of the talks on 15 May, the TMC and the opposition reached an agreement on a three-year transitional period in the country. The negotiations were supposed to continue on 16 May, but the TMC announced that it had decided to take a three-day break in the talks and remove all barricades erected by protesters in Khartoum, reportedly criticizing the demonstrators for blocking roads and bridges in the capital.

 Sputnik

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Emergency Notification of Arms Sales to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia

Press Statement

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State / May 24, 2019



Today, I made a determination pursuant to section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act and directed the Department to complete immediately the formal notification of 22 pending arms transfers to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia totaling approximately $8.1 billion to deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defense capacity. These sales will support our allies, enhance Middle East stability, and help these nations to deter and defend themselves from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Delaying this shipment could cause degraded systems and a lack of necessary parts and maintenance that could create severe airworthiness and interoperability concerns for our key partners, during a time of increasing regional volatility. These national security concerns have been exacerbated by many months of Congressional delay in addressing these critical requirements, and have called into doubt our reliability as a provider of defense capabilities, opening opportunities for U.S. adversaries to exploit. The equipment notified today includes aircraft support maintenance; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); munitions; and other supplies. Today's action will quickly augment our partners' capacity to provide for their own self-defense and reinforce recent changes to U.S. posture in the region to deter Iran.

I intend for this determination to be a one-time event. Section 36 is a long-recognized authority and has been utilized by at least four previous administrations since 1979, including Presidents Reagan and Carter. This specific measure does not alter our long-standing arms transfer review process with Congress. I look forward to continuing to work with Congress to develop prudent measures to advance and protect U.S. national security interests in the region.

The United States is, and must remain, a reliable security partner to our allies and partners around the world. These partnerships are a cornerstone of our National Security Strategy, which this decision reaffirms.

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In a sense, his epitaph was written by war reporter Ernie Pyle, my personal beacon in journalism. Pyle was killed by enemy fire on April 1945 on the tiny Pacific Ocean island of Ie Shima. On his body was an unfinished column. In it he tried to tell America that war scars the memory of soldiers in a way that is unknowable by civilians who read the news of the war or hear a mention that he was a near one who went away and never came back.Afghan Mosque Bombing Kills Prominent Pro-Government Cleric

By Ayaz Gul May 24, 2019

Afghan officials say a bomb blast ripped through a crowded Kabul mosque during Friday prayers, killing a prominent pro-government cleric along with another worshipper. Separately, a roadside bomb attack injured four Romanian soldiers in southern Kandahar province.

The Interior Ministry and residents in the Afghan capital reported that Mawlavi Samiullah Rayhan, the slain cleric, was leading the afternoon prayers when the explosion occurred.

The attack injured at least 16 people. Some of them were reported to be in "critical condition."

There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack, which officials said appeared to have been aimed at Rayhan. Officials accused the Taliban of plotting the attack, but a spokesman for the insurgent group denied its involvement.

The 36-year-old cleric was a staunch supporter of the Afghan government and national security forces battling Taliban insurgents. Rayhan also was the host of a daily religious television show and was highly critical of the Taliban for orchestrating suicide bombings in violation of Islamic teachings.

Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict in the country, which has suffered through years of hostilities.

Bomb hits military convoy

Meanwhile, Romania's Defense Ministry confirmed that five of its soldiers were wounded when a roadside bomb hit their combat vehicle Friday in Kandahar.

Romanian state media quoted a ministry statement as saying the troops were "conscious and in stable condition." It added that the soldiers were part of a joint patrol mission with U.S. military in the area.

The Taliban took responsibility for the bombing near the Kandahar airfield, claiming the improvised explosive device blew up the Romanian armored personnel carrier and killed "invaders" on board, referring to U.S.-led foreign military forces in Afghanistan. The insurgents' claims are often inflated.

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Senate Foreign Relations Chief: North Macedonian NATO Accession Vote Possible by June

By Milena Gjorgjievska May 24, 2019

U.S. lawmakers may vote to approve North Macedonia as the 30th member of NATO as early as next month, according to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator James Risch.

"The process is that we need to have a hearing on it in the Foreign Relations Committee, and I have tentatively scheduled that for approximately two weeks from now," the junior Idaho Republican senator told VOA's Macedonian Service. "Then, as far as when it will be finalized, it goes to the Senate floor, and we would very much like to have that done in June, and we are cautiously optimistic that we can get that done in June."

North Macedonia's long-standing bid to join the military alliance was blocked for more than a decade because of a name dispute with neighboring Greece, which has a province called Macedonia.

North Macedonia, formerly known as Macedonia, changed its name under the Prespa Agreement in June 2018 with Greece, opening the path to NATO and EU membership.

North Macedonia's accession protocol was signed by all member states in Brussels on Feb. 6. The accession process continues in the capital of each allied nation, where individual protocols are ratified according to national procedures.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has praised the country as a "steadfast security partner," submitted its NATO accession protocol to the Senate for ratification on April 30.

North Macedonia's full accession to the alliance would represent a blow to Russia, which opposes NATO expansion and, therefore, the country's accession.

Asked if North Macedonia's NATO membership can reduce Russian influence or political meddling within North Macedonia, he said "that's going to be up to the North Macedonian people themselves."

"But they've already spoken on that," Risch said. "I think the election itself, regarding accession, was a good, clear indication that they don't want that Russian influence, that they don't want that Russian propaganda. So, this taking of what would really be a final step into NATO is a final rejection of Russia and what it stands for and the kind of malign influence they bring."

Last August, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson and Connecticut Democrat Senator Chris Murphy, sponsored a bipartisan resolution to put the tiny Balkan country on the path to NATO and European Union membership.

Risch also said he anticipates near-unanimous support for North Macedonia's accession protocol when the bill arrives on the Senate floor.

This story originated in VOA's Macedonian Service.

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Bomb attack injures 13 in France's Lyon

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 06:08PM

A bomb attack has wounded at least 13 people in France's southeastern city of Lyon.

The attack took place on a pedestrian street in the heart of Lyon around 5:30 pm local time on Friday, French officials said.

French Interior Ministry officials initially said eight people had been wounded, but police sources later put the number of the casualties at 13. None of the injured people were in a life-threatening condition.

French President Emmanuel Macron was starting a live address as news of the blast broke. "My thoughts are with the injured," he said.

Police sources and local Mayor Denis Broliquier said police forces were looking for a suspected suitcase bomber.

The partially masked suspect was captured on security video arriving at the scene by bicycle before leaving a case in front of a bakery shortly before the blast took place.

The Paris anti-terrorism prosecutor launched an investigation into the incident, with police treating the blast as attempted homicide, according to law-enforcement officials.

France experienced its worst terrorist attack on November 13, 2015, when seven sites in and around the French capital of Paris were targeted. A total of 130 people were killed and hundreds more were injured in shootings and bombings.

Also in July 2016, a man deliberately plowed his truck through a Bastille Day crowd in the French city of Nice, killing 84 people and wounding 200 others. An 85th victim died later in hospital.

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NATO warns Russia, other foes of 'full range' of responses

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 08:13AM

NATO has warned Russia and other perceived foes that the US-led military alliance is prepared to use all its resources to respond to any cyber attacks, after the UK claimed that 16 member-states had been targeted by Moscow.

"For deterrence to have full effect, potential attackers must know we are not limited to respond in cyber space when we are attacked in cyber space," Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of the Western alliance, declared on Thursday in a joint press conference with British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in London.

"We can and will use the full range of capabilities at our disposal," he further underlined.

Stoltenberg's warning came as NATO members remained on alert in fear of possible interference in European Parliament elections that commenced in Britain and the Netherlands earlier in the day.

Last week, the European Union adopted the power to impose "targeted restrictive measures to deter and respond to cyber attacks."

Members of the cold-war era NATO alliance have also accused Moscow  without verifiable evidence -- of attempting to alter the outcome of US presidential election in 2016, and using cyber technology to impair the infrastructure of neighboring Ukraine. Russia has categorically denied the allegations.

Hunt also claimed during the press briefing that the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has shared details of malicious Russian activity with 16 of the 29 NATO members over the past 18 months. However, he did not publicly discuss the details of such activities.

UK accuses Russian 'proxies' of election meddling

He further accused Russian "proxies" of attempting to tamper with the voting system and delaying the final results of a presidential election in Ukraine in 2014 that followed the ouster of a pro-Russian leader.

"In the cyber age, authoritarian states possess ways of undermining free societies that dictators of earlier times would have envied," Hunt also alleged, adding: "Recent events demonstrate that our adversaries regard democratic elections as a key vulnerability of an open society."

Such claims by Hunt comes despite the fact that Britain has itself been supporting and shipping arms to many of the world's most brutal dictators. Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf oil-rich Arab kingdoms stand as prime examples of dictatorships receiving military and political support from the UK to wage war on neighboring countries, suppressing domestic dissent and funding terrorism.

No clear action plan by NATO

Stoltenberg and Hunt refused to state what steps might be taken by NATO, which Russia continues to regard as a top national security threat even after the conclusion of the Cold War.

"We need to balance clarity about our determination to act with constructive ambiguity about exactly what we would do in specific circumstances," Hunt further emphasized, pointing to the new EU sanctions regime as just one of the potential options.

Stoltenberg's visit to London came as part of his preparations for a NATO summit due to be held in the British capital on December 3-4.

The hostile anti-Russia remarks by Hunt was made as longstanding tensions between London and Moscow culminated in the poisoning last year of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal on British soil.

The UK continues to claim it has evidence that the poisoning was plotted by senior leaders in Moscow and carried out by members of Russia's military intelligence agency.

The Kremlin, however, remains adamant that Britain's case is inconclusive and politically motivated.

This is while Western allies still joined forces to expel nearly 150 Russian embassy staff from around the world as Moscow immediately reciprocated the move.

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India Declares Bangladesh Based Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen as Terror Outfit

Sputnik News

19:09 24.05.2019

The decision was taken in view of the arrests of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JuM) operatives by the Indian police from different parts of West Bengal in the last few months. Kolkata Police, during interrogations, said that the outfit is active in recruiting cadres for the group in bordering districts of the state.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  India's Ministry of Home Affairs has declared Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, which operates from Bangladesh, as a terrorist organisation following intelligence input indicating that the unit has plans to set up permanent bases within a 10 km area along the Bangladesh border.

Intelligence reports warned that the terror outfit is in the process of establishing a base close to India's eastern border in West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura states. The outfit has been also planning to spread its network in South India, with an overarching motive to establish a caliphate.

The notification issued by the Indian Home Ministry on 24 May stated that "the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and its formations like Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Hindustan and their manifestations have committed acts of terrorism, promoted acts of terrorism and have been engaged in radicalisation and recruitment of youth(s) for terrorist activities in India".

The Indian investigation agency established the involvement of the outfit in two major bomb blasts in 2014 and 2018. Police have arrested over 56 accused belonging to the outfit involved in the blasts and conducting terror activities in Assam and Bangladesh in the last few months.

India and Bangladesh have been sharing closer ties in tackling anti-terror activities under the incumbent government in Dhaka. On 20 May, Bangladeshi Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that after receiving special intelligence input, security personnel have been taking action to stop potential terror attacks in the country.

 Sputnik

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SpaceX rocket brings first batch of 60 internet satellites into space

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 14:10, May 24, 2019

WASHINGTON, May 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. private space company SpaceX launched its first batch of 60 Starlink satellites into space on Thursday, in an effort to build a 12,000-strong satellite network capable of providing broadband internet services.

The Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the satellites, was lifted off at 10:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (1430 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

SpaceX designed Starlink to connect end users with low-latency and high-bandwidth broadband services by providing continual coverage around the world using a network of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit, according to the company.

Approximately one hour and two minutes after the liftoff, the Starlink satellites began deployment at an altitude of 440 km, according to the SpaceX live broadcast.

The satellites will then use onboard propulsion to reach an operational altitude of 550 km, SpaceX said.

With a flat-panel design featuring multiple high-throughput antennas and a single solar array, each Starlink satellite weighs approximately 227 kg.

The satellites are equipped with star tracker navigation systems that allow SpaceX to pinpoint the satellites. They are also capable of tracking on-orbit debris and autonomously avoiding collision, according to SpaceX.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk said on a tweet that about 400 satellites will be needed to provide "minor" coverage and 800 for "moderate" coverage. The constellation is expected to grow to about 12,000 satellites by 2024.

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North Korea suspends talks until US 'changes method'

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 03:04PM

North Korea says it is halting its negotiations with the United States over its nuclear and missile programs until Washington changes its zero-sum approach toward Pyongyang.

In a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency on Friday, a spokesman for North Korea's Foreign Ministry referred to the failure of the second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump, in the Vietnamese capital in February, and said that failure was the result of America's "arbitrary and dishonest position."

Trump claimed he had "walked away" from the summit in Hanoi because Kim had insisted on the removal of all sanctions on North Korea at once. But Pyongyang rejected that account, stressing that it had only asked for a partial lifting of the bans in return for a set of steps that it was willing to take.

The unnamed North Korean spokesman said that the US had insisted on "a method which is totally impossible to fulfill."

"Unless the United States puts aside the current method of calculation and comes forward with a new method of calculation, the DPRK-US dialog will never be resumed, and by extension, the prospect for resolving the nuclear issue will be much gloomy," the North Korean official said.

The official said his country would adopt a stronger approach if the US aggravated its hostilities. "The United States would not be able to move us even an inch with the current method it has in mind, and if its mistrust and hostile acts toward North Korea grow, the fiercer our reaction will be."

On May 9, the US said it had seized a North Korean cargo ship for allegedly violating sanctions on Pyongyang, taking the tensions with North Korea to a higher level. North Korea called that seizure "robbery" and demanded that the ship be immediately released.

The US has refused to release the vessel.

The US and North Korea had been negotiating since last year, when a rapprochement between North and South Koreas later led to a diplomatic opening between Pyongyang and Washington.

But the talks had effectively stalled in recent months, and the Friday North Korean pronouncement made any resumption of the talks seem impossible.

Washington has imposed rounds of unilateral sanctions and spearheaded multilateral ones against Pyongyang since 2006 over its nuclear and missile programs. The bans have mostly targeted Pyongyang's exports, including coal, iron, lead, textiles, and seafood, while also hindering the imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products.

Soon after the diplomatic engagement with the South, North Korea took a number of unilateral goodwill measures, including suspending all nuclear and missile testing.

None of those measures were reciprocated by America.

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North Korea Blames US for Failed Talks in Vietnam

By VOA News May 24, 2019

North Korea is blaming the United States for deadlocked nuclear negotiations, vowing they will "never be resumed" unless Washington abandons demands for disarmament.

U.S. President Donald Trump's second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi ended in February without agreements on sanctions relief for Pyongyang and on concessions the North would make regarding its banned nuclear and ballistic programs.

A statement issued Friday through Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency, citing a North Korean spokesman, accused the U.S. of intentionally causing the talks to collapse with impossible demands.

The statement said North Korea "took crucial and meaningful measures," including the discontinuation of nuclear and ballistic missile testing and steps toward the "repatriation of the American POW/MIA remains." But instead of responding to "our goodwill measures in the same manner," the statement said the U.S. "deliberately pushed the talks to a rupture by merely claiming the unilateral disarmament of the DPRK," a reference to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

North Korea said the U.S. "would not be able to move us even an inch with the device it is now weighing in its mind, and the further its mistrust and hostile acts towards DPRK grow, the fiercer our reaction will be."

The U.S. has maintained the talks failed because of North Korean demands for sanctions relief in exchange for a partial dismantling of its nuclear programs.

South Korea

After the collapse of the Trump-Kim summit, Pyongyang also slowed the pace of talks with South Korea, which seeks warmer relations with its northern neighbor and a bigger role in reviving U.S.-North Korean talks.

Pyongyang's statement came just hours before Trump travels to Japan for a meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in which the North Korean nuclear issue will likely be a top agenda item.

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Indian Army Unit Looking After China Border Test-Fires BrahMos Missile

Sputnik News

18:17 24.05.2019

In 2018, the Indian government cleared the fourth regiment, which has over 100 upgraded BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, for deployment along the Sino-India border.

New Delhi (Sputnik): The Indian Army's Eastern Command Unit, which looks after the China border, has "validated the deep penetration capability" of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile "as part of joint training by Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force".

The army said on Friday that the test was conducted on 22 May, the day when the Indian Air Force also test-fired an air launched version of the missile from its frontline Su-30MKI fighter jet.

"The launch of the BrahMos missile involved coordination with large number of agencies for a successful and smooth conduct of firing. It was a cohesive effort of all three services demonstrating high standards of Inter Service Synergy", the army said, while adding that the missile was test fired at a specially designed target chosen at a range of 270 km.

The test validated the capability of the jointly Indo-Russia developed missile's accurate engagement of targets in depth.

"[The] BrahMos missile has by now established itself as a major 'Force Multiplier' in modern day battlefield with impeccable multi role and multi-platform launch capabilities furthering the confidence amongst our troops", the army statement read.

In 2018, the Indian government approved another regiment of 100 BrahMos missiles for the region. The step invited a sharp reaction from the Chinese military, which warned not to make such decisions and asked to "do more for peace and stability in the border region rather than contrary".

The BrahMos  a portmanteau of Brahmaputra and Moscow  is a missile that has been jointly developed and produced by Russia and India since 1998. BrahMos missiles can be launched from all platforms, from warships and submarines, as well as from aircraft and land-based launchers.

 Sputnik

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India Successfully Test Fires 500 Kg Guided Bomb Near Pakistani Border

Sputnik News

15:49 24.05.2019(updated 16:48 24.05.2019)

South Asia's two nuclear armed nations are testing weapons amid talks of restoring peace in the region which has been disrupted since mid-February when the Indian Air Force targetted alleged terror infrastructure inside Pakistani territory in response to a terror attack on 14 February in which 40 Indian soldiers were killed in Kashmir.

New Delhi (Sputnik): A day after Pakistan test fired a nuke capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile, Indian scientists on Friday successfully test-fired a 500-kg inertial guided bomb from Sukhoi at the Pokhran range near the Pakistani border.

A military official said that the winged version of the bomb with a range of 30 km hit the target with precision, "meeting all mission objectives". The guided bomb achieved the desired range and hit the target with high precision, the weapons system is capable of carrying different warheads, a statement by the defence ministry read.

In future, the domestically-developed bomb will replace the imported guided bombs from Israel.

The source further added that the state-funded Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing kits for the Indian Air Force (IAF) that will give 100 kg, 250 kg and 1000 kg bombs precision guidance and glide capability.

On 23 May, Pakistan test launched a surface-to-surface Shaheen II ballistic missile capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads up to a range of 1,500 km.

Shaheen II, two stage solid fuel missile, is a Pakistani version of the Chinese M-18, originally shown at the 1987 Beijing Air Show as a two-stage missile with a 1,000 km range carrying a 400-500 kg payload.

The two countries have been testing their weapons systems amid talks to restore peace after a major escalation earlier this February.

On Thursday, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated his Indian counterpart Modi on the latter's re-election and reiterated that he looked forward to working with him "for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia". Modi thanked Khan for his "good wishes", saying he had "always given primacy to peace and development in our region".

On 22 May, during the first informal interaction with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meet in Bishkek, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmud Qureshi said Pakistan "wants all the matters resolved through dialogue and that Prime Minister Imran Khan had said in his very first speech that if India takes one step forward, we would take two steps forward".

 Sputnik

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Carmona was just 8 when his mother was shot and killed during a family trip to the Michoacan state in Mexico. The accidental death made Carmona grow up quickly, he said. He learned how to do errands, cook and take care of himself, he said.Zarif discusses Washington's anti-Iran measures in trip to Pakistan

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 07:04PM

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that talks during his ongoing trip to Pakistan have focused on countering Washington's anti-Iranian measures.

"Discussions were held with Pakistan's leaders regarding how the two countries can counter the United State's ambitions and bullying," said Zarif on Friday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

The Iranian foreign minister made the comments after meeting Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser.

In a meeting with the Pakistani prime minister, the two officials discussed boosting mutual ties between the two countries, describing relations between Tehran and Islamabad as being in a good state and stressing the need to remove any obstacles impeding a further expansion of relations.

Upon meeting with Zarif, Pakistan's foreign minister said that Islamabad seeks to facilitate the resolution of regional issues by diplomatic means, an issue that had been reportedly discussed between the two foreign ministers alongside expanding energy relations.

Zarif also discussed expanding security cooperation with Pakistan's defense chief.

Speaking after the Friday meetings, the Iranian foreign minister further pointed that Tehran and Islamabad had a common position regarding the negative role of "arrogant powers" on the world stage, adding that the two countries were specifically concerned about United States President Donald Trump's so-called "peace place" for Palestine.

"We talked about the need for cooperation among all Islamic countries to counter American and Zionist schemes against the region, including in Palestine and "deal of the century", which is an attempt to quash the ideals of the Palestinian people," Zarif added.

Upon arriving in Islamabad, Zarif had stressed the need for regional and international cooperation to safeguard international security and the respective interests of individual states, saying that the "American sanctions had targeted international order".

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Iran will see end of Trump, not vice versa: Zarif

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 05:49PM

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran will see the end of US President Donald Trump, not the other way around, and unlike what the American president has said.

Last week, Trump had tweeted, "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran." That tweet came unprovoked, and was the latest in a series of abusive remarks by the 45th president of the United States against Iran. On Thursday, Trump also called Iran "a nation of terror."

Asked by a reporter about those remarks on Friday, Foreign Minister Zarif said they reflected Trump's real attitude toward the Iranian people, as opposed to his more usual claims that his administration cared about the Iranian people.

Iran has been around for thousands of years and will continue to stand, he said, and a country that has newly arrived on the block has no right to talk about Iran like that.

Zarif said Trump was attempting to impose his political view on Iran through economic sanctions, including with sanctions on food and medicine. That is terrorism, he said.

The label "terrorist" is thus only befitting of the US president himself, he said.

Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of a multilateral deal with Iran last year. His administration has been imposing sanctions on the country ever since. The US president claims he wants another deal with the Islamic Republic and has said he is ready to negotiate.

Iran has rejected the prospect of talks with America until it changes its approach.

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US military deployments nothing to intimidate Iran: IRGC

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 03:36PM

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the United States' deployment of military assets to the Middle East does not intimate the Islamic Republic.

Speaking on Friday, IRGC spokesman Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif said the hype created by America over the deployments was an attempt to grab attention.

"With hype and propaganda, the Americans are attempting to stay relevant in [global] public opinion. [However,] sending some aircraft carrier from one geographical location to another and the talk of moving forces from one place to another are nothing to drive our nation back," Brigadier General Sharif said.

The US said earlier this month that it was dispatching an aircraft carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Middle East region to counter an alleged threat from Iran. That announcement came shortly after the US administration designated the IRGC as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization."

Those measures worked to raise speculation that a military conflict was likely between Iran and America.

Iran said that, while it would not initiate any conflict, it was ready to defend itself against any potential military aggression. Also, in response to the US move against the IRGC, Iran designated the American Middle East force as a terrorist organization.

Most recently, however, the US administration has dialed down its rhetoric, with US President Donald Trump reportedly telling his aides to avoid a military clash with Iran.

Sharif said that, facing Iran's strong will, American soldiers in the Persian Gulf were in a state of fear, "with hands that tremble and faces that have gone pale."

The general, who was speaking on the 37th anniversary of the liberation of the southwestern Iranian city of Khorramshahr during the eight-year Iraqi war on Iran (1980-88), said Iran succeeded in defeating an enemy in that war that both had a stronger motive and stronger command of the region.

"Now, who do you think you are frightening by sending forces from thousands of kilometers away?!"

'Daesh was created to weaken the Palestinian cause'

Elsewhere in his remarks, Sharif pointed to what he described as the US's objective in creating the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group.

He said America sought to shift public opinion away from the issue of Israel by creating Daesh but failed when the regional resistance defeated the terrorist group.

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Iran Will Make Adversaries Regret Economic War  President Rouhani

Sputnik News

05:39 24.05.2019(updated 09:55 24.05.2019)

The president made his remarks during a speech commemorating the anniversary of the Iran-Iraq War, known in Iran as the Sacred Defence.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has compared the resistance of Iranians during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War to today, saying Iran will not give in to the ongoing economic war or actual bombs.

Speaking at a ceremony commemorating the Iran-Iraq War, known in Iran as the Sacred Defence, Rouhani said Iran will make adversaries regret the economic war they wage against Tehran, and will not be demoralised by military action.

"We need resistance, so our enemies know if they bomb our land, and if our children are martyred, wounded or arrested, we will not give up on our goals for the independence of our country and our pride".

The president recalled the capture of the border city of Khorramshahr and the day the city was liberated with some 19,000 Iraqi soldiers surrounded inside, saying today's Iranian youth is ready for new battles like Khorramshahr.

The United States ramped up its military presence in the Arabian Sea and in neighbouring Iraq, reportedly increasing troops at Iraqi military bases. Washington is also said to be mulling over sending additional troops to the region, which has been confirmed by acting Defence Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan.

Earlier reports indicated the US military had also transported armoured vehicles to Iraq from Jordan. Despite that, the US president says Washington does not want to go to war with Iran.

Last year Trump re-imposed economic sanctions against Iran lifted by the previous administration. The US unilaterally withdrew from the so-called Iranian deal and designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) a foreign terrorist organisation. In response, Iran designated the US Department of Defence's Central Command a terrorist organisation as well.

Iran has repeatedly said it will adhere to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, despite the unilateral US exit from the accord. Tehran has called on the international community and local allies to stop Washington's "hegemonic policies" and resist US-imposed sanctions.

 Sputnik

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Iranian FM Holds Talks in Pakistan on Tehran's Tensions With US

By Ayaz Gul May 24, 2019

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met Friday with leaders from neighboring Pakistan to discuss bilateral matters and Tehran's escalating tensions with the United States.

Zarif and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi led their respective delegations in formal talks before the visiting Iranian diplomat went for a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. Officials said the discussions focused on bilateral issues and regional developments.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have been escalating since U.S. President Donald Trump announced his decision to try to cut Iran's oil exports to zero and beef up the American military presence in the Gulf in response to what he said were Iranian threats.

After landing in Islamabad late Thursday, Zarif told Iranian media he would brief Pakistani officials on what he described as "dangerous" developments in the region.

Before wrapping up his visit, the Iranian foreign minister also called on Pakistan military chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and the two discussed "matters of mutual interest and evolving situation in the region."

A military statement issued after the meeting quoted Bajwa as telling Zarif "that war is not in anyone's interest and all sides need to make efforts to keep conflict away from the region."

Pakistan already has said it will not take sides in the current confrontation and described the crisis in the Persian Gulf region as "disturbing." Islamabad says, however, Washington's decision to deploy an aircraft carrier, as well as bombers, has fueled tensions in "the existing precarious security situation" in the Middle East.

"We expect all sides to show restraint, as any miscalculated move can transmute into a large-scale conflict," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal told a weekly news conference Thursday. "Pakistan always supports dialogue and desires that all issues should be settled peacefully and through engagement by all sides."

Border security

The bilateral talks were also expected to review issues related to border security, officials said.

Pakistan and Iran share a long border of more than 900 kilometers. Iranian officials regularly allege anti-state Sunni militants use hideouts on the Pakistani side to orchestrate terrorist attacks inside Iran.

For its part, Islamabad says separatist groups active in its volatile Baluchistan province use sanctuaries on the Iranian side to plan cross-border terrorist attacks.

Khan last month undertook his first official visit to Tehran and held extensive talks with President Hassan Rohani on strengthening bilateral security, economic and trade ties.

Rohani noted that Khan's visit would be "a turning point" in improving bilateral relations.

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UNHCR: Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh Face Water Shortage

By Lisa Schlein May 24, 2019

The U.N. refugee agency says water rations for tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have been cut because of a serious shortage.

The U.N. refugee agency reports that temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) and sporadic rainfall have reduced the region's water supply to a critically low level.

UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic says aid agencies will begin trucking in water in the next two weeks for the more than 140,000 Rohingya refugees living southeast Bangladesh's Teknaf Peninsula. He estimates the operation will cost about $60,000 a month.

Because of the growing shortage, the UNHCR began rationing the refugees' daily water supply.

"We are talking here about 20 liters a day," Mahecic said. "This is a minimum standard in an emergency and we, because of the shortage of water, had to go even lower now to 15 liters a day per person. This is supposed to meet all of peoples' needs for water during the day. So, from hygiene, preparing food, sanitation, everything."

Mahecic notes the situation is different in the northern part of Bangladesh's Teknaf Peninsula, where the 900,000 Rohingya refugees living in the Kutupalong settlement in Cox's Bazar have water available through boreholes.

The dry spell in the southern part of the peninsula is expected to last a few more weeks, andwill likely be broken when the monsoon season begins in June.

In preparation, Mahecic says the UNHCR is building better facilities to capture and preserve rain water. He said hundreds of refugees are participating in a project to create a reservoir to capture monsoon rain in Teknaf and preserve it throughout the year.

The project, which is run by the World Food Program with humanitarian agency ADRA and supported by UNHCR, should temporarily improve the situation.

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Blast Targets Mosque In Pakistan's Quetta

By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal May 24, 2019

Two people have been killed and more than a dozen wounded in a blast at a mosque in Pakistan's restive Balochistan Province.

Police said the explosive device had been planted inside the mosque in the provincial capital of Quetta and went off as worshippers had gathered for Friday Prayers.

No one has claimed responsibility for the blast at the mosque in the Pashtoonabad neighborhood.

Sectarian violence, mostly targeting Pakistan's minority Shi'ite Muslims, has left hundreds dead in recent years in Balochistan. However, the Pashtoonabad neighborhood in Quetta is a Sunni-majority area and the mosque was attended by Sunni Muslims.

Separatists and Islamist militants both operate in Balochistan.

Baluch separatist groups target people from other ethnicities, while the Islamists mostly single out minority Shi'a.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/blast-targets-mosque- in-pakistan-quetta/29960902.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Blast in Pakistan Kills Two, Wounds Dozen

By Ayesha Tanzeem May 24, 2019

A blast in south western Pakistan killed at least two people and wounded more than a dozen others. Police said the explosion Friday in Quetta's Pashtoonabad area damaged a mosque where locals were offering Friday prayers, as well as nearby buildings.

Quetta is the capital of the restive Balochistan province, which has long been home to a low intensity separatist movement as well as a target of various other militant groups.

It is also home to Gwadar, the port that is the epicenter of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, one of the major arms of China's larger "One Belt One Road" initiative.

Earlier this month, the Balochistan Liberation Army separatist group claimed responsibility for an attack on a luxury hotel near the port in Gwadar that left at least eight people dead, including four hotel employees, one Pakistan navy commando, and at least three attackers.

Several days later, a Pakistani Taliban militant group claimed responsibility for an attack on a police vehicle that killed four policemen.

Last month, at least 14 passengers of a bus were shot on their way to Gwadar from Karachi.

The minority Shi'ite Hazara community of Quetta has long complained of targeted attacks against them. Hundreds of Hazaras have died in such attacks spanning over a decade.

Sabotage of China plans?

China is investing upwards of $60 billion in Pakistan for a network of roads, railway lines and other infrastructure and power projects. Pakistani officials claim attacks in Balochistan are part of an effort to sabotage the Chinese investment plans.

"We shall not allow these agendas to succeed. (The) Pakistani nation and its security forces shall defeat them all," Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said after the hotel attack.

Pakistan has deployed a special security contingent to guard CPEC-related projects and Chinese nationals working on them.

Balochistan is considered the poorest province in Pakistan, with almost all of its human development indices lagging behind Pakistan's other three provinces.

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South Korean Officer Killed, 4 Injured in Accident Involving Destroyer - Reports

Sputnik News

11:04 24.05.2019(updated 11:22 24.05.2019)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A South Korean Navy officer was killed and four others were wounded in an accident involving the destroyer Choe Yeong at a port in the city of Jinhae-gu, Yonhap reported on Friday, citing officials.

The accident occurred at 10:15 am local time (01:15 GMT) when a rope used to tie the 4,400-tonne destroyer to the dock snapped for an unknown reason, the Yonhap news agency reported.

"The sailors appear to have been injured as the rope hit them when it suddenly snapped", a Navy officer said, as quoted by the agency.

Five officers were sent to local hospitals after the accident, while four others sustained non-life-threatening injuries, the agency reported.

The ship earlier returned to the country after a six-month anti-piracy mission in the Guld of Aden near the shores of Somalia.

 Sputnik

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Russia Clarifies Threats That Would Lead It To Decouple RuNet From World Wide Web

By Matthew Luxmoore May 24, 2019

Russia's Communications Ministry has specified a list of threats that may necessitate isolation of the country's Internet under a new law approved by President Vladimir Putin on May 1. It's the first time the country's government has clarified the legislation, which has been slammed by rights activists.

In a proposal published on the parliament's online portal, where registered users can critique a proposal on how the new legislation would be implemented in practice, the ministry lists three types of threats under which communications watchdog Roskomnadzor could decouple the Russian segment of the Internet, known as RuNet, from the World Wide Web.

These include a threat to the network's "integrity," explained as the ability to safeguard connections between users; a threat to its resilience through the failure of certain equipment or the occurrence of a natural disaster; and a threat to the network's security, via a hacking attack on service providers' equipment or an instance when the network is subjected to "destabilizing internal or external informational pressure."

The document also allows Roskomnadzor to assume control over the Russian Internet without giving prior notice to providers in cases when "an urgent reaction" is needed.

The proposal comes amid widespread confusion concerning the nature of Russia's so-called "sovereign Internet" law, which allows the government to cut off the country's segment of the web from foreign servers, essentially centralizing its operation under Roskomnadzor, the watchdog agency tasked with overseeing its safety. Among other measures, it requires Internet providers to install equipment to route Russian web traffic through servers in the country.

Surveillance Fears

Critics have warned that the new law will lead to censorship over wide parts of the Internet and allow for greater surveillance by Russian intelligence agencies. Many view it as part of an ambitious government campaign to bring the Internet to heel at a time when the Kremlin is becoming increasingly aware of the web's power to incite protest and civil disobedience.

In several cities, the planned measures to tighten control over the web have elicited demonstrations.

"We expect greater self-censorship in the Russian Internet," Sarkis Darbinyan of Roskomsvoboda, an organization that monitors online censorship in Russia, told RFE/RL in March.

Russian officials have defended the legislation as a protective measure in the event the United States was to disable Russia's Internet, and frequently cite the National Cyber Strategy announced by the White House in September 2018 as a threat.

If Russia were to perceive threats to its online security, the law stipulates, Roskomnadzor could essentially seize control of its Internet and assume the prerogative to filter all web traffic in the country.

MTS, Russia's largest network provider, announced on May 23 that it was taking part in a series of government tests relating to deep packet inspection (DPI) technology, which will be used by Roskomnadzor should it be called upon to monopolize control over the country's web.

"[This] testing is the only thing being done from our side to prepare for execution of the law," MTS Vice President Andrei Ushatsky told the Russian daily Vedomosti. "Otherwise, we're not preparing in any way."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/wholeness-resilience- security-russia-clarifies-threats-to -sovereign-internet-/29961306.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Trump defies Congress, clears arms sales to Saudi, UAE: Senator

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 07:57PM

The administration of US President Donald Trump is bypassing Congress, clearing the sale of billions of dollars worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, citing what Washington says a threat from Iran, a senator says.

The administration said it would proceed with 22 arms deals worth some $8 billion in spite of lawmakers' concerns about their use against civilians in Yemen, Senator Bob Menendez said Friday.

"Rather than stand up against those who murdered Jamal Khashoggi and are working against US interests, the Trump administration decided to do an end run around the Congress and possibly the law," Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.

The decision is seen as a move that sweeps aside a long-standing precedent for congressional review of such sales.

"I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump Administration has failed once again to prioritize our long-term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia," Menendez said.

Menendez had used his powers to block sales of precision-guided bombs to the two Middle Eastern countries, fearing they would exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

"The lives of millions of people depend on it," he added in his statement.

In addition, Republican Foreign Relations Committee chairman Senator Jim Risch said he had received formal notification of the Trump administration's decision to go ahead with "a number of arms sales."

"I am reviewing and analyzing the legal justification for this action and the associated implications," Risch said in a statement.

Tensions started to mount between Tehran and Washington in May last year, when Trump pulled his country out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and re-imposed harsh sanctions against the Islamic Republic in defiance of global criticisms.

The tensions saw a sharp rise on the first anniversary of Washington's exit from the deal as the US moved to ratchet up the pressure on Iran by tightening its oil sanctions and sending military reinforcements, including an aircraft carrier strike group, a squadron of B-52 bombers, and a battery of patriot missiles, to the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Trump announced Friday he would deploy about 1,500 American troops to the Middle East region for "mostly protective" reasons.

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Pompeo Confirms $8.1 Bln in Arms Transfers to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, UAE

Sputnik News

00:06 25.05.2019(updated 01:01 25.05.2019)

US State Secretary Mike Pompeo has confirmed approval of $8.1 billion in arms transfers to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates in a bid to "deter Iranian aggression," AFP reported.

"Today, I made a determination pursuant to section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act and directed the Department [of State] to immediately complete the formal notification of 22 pending arms transfers to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia totaling approximately $8.1 billion to deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defense capacity," Pompeo said on Friday.

"These sales will support our allies, enhance Middle East stability and help these nations to deter and defend themselves from the Islamic Republic of Iran," Pompeo said as cited by AFP.

Pompeo said this move would be a "one-time event." He emphasized that these arms transfers are critical for the United States' partners in the region to be able to provide for their own self-defense and to back US forces in the region.

The equipment includes aircraft support maintenance; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; munitions; and other supplies, Pompeo noted.

Earlier in the day, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez said in a press release that the Trump administration had invoked a provision in US foreign arms sales legislation that would allow the White House to bypass Congress and sell weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and others.

US President Donald Trump has publicly stated he would not end support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen for fear of losing business with Riyadh, which he previously estimated to be around $100 billion.

Menendez said Trump cited the threat from Iran as one of the reasons for invoking the emergency clause.

The lawmaker also said he is in discussions with several colleagues on both sides of the political aisle to address Trump's "latest attack" on Congress's constitutional responsibilities.

Under the Arms Control Act of 1976, presidents are required to notify Congress of any pending arms sales, and if sales are meant for the Middle East, to certify that any shipments would not adversely affect Israel's qualitative military advantage over its regional neighbours. Congress, for its part, can block any arms sale simply by passing a resolution of disapproval.

Earlier on Friday, US President Donald told reporters the United States was sending 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East region in order to deter threats from Iran. The United States in recent weeks has built up its forces in the Middle East in response to alleged disturbing activities.

Tensions between Iran and the US sparked following US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the 2015 nuclear deal, in May 2018.

Washington ramped up pressure on Tehran, designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization and deploying a carrier strike group and a bomber task force with nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Middle East.

Tehran reciprocated by designating the US Central Command (CENTCOM) terrorists, and announcing that it will suspend some of its voluntary obligations under the JCPOA.

 Sputnik

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Syrian helicopters distribute Idlib evacuation leaflets in preparation for military campaign

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 07:51AM

The Syrian army has warned civilians to leave the country's northwestern Idlib province as it prepares for a final military campaign to flush terrorists out of the region.

Leaflets were distributed from Syrian helicopters urging residents to leave the entire province in order to protect their lives, the Syrian al-Watan newspaper reported on Thursday.

The impending operation comes amid an escalation in clashes in the province after the Syrian army launched an offensive to counter numerous terrorist violations of an earlier de-escalation agreement.

Under the agreement, which was signed between Russia and Turkey last year, Takfiri groups had to withdraw from areas bordering government-controlled areas in the region.

Despite Turkey's pledge to implement the deal, the Takfiri groups have never complied with the agreement and have periodically launched attacks against Syrian troops from the buffer zone.

Turkey steps up support for terrorists

Turkey has set up patrols and bases in the province on the pretext of monitoring the agreement.

However, sources speaking to the al-Watan newspaper said the observation bases have effectively turned into command-and-control centers for the terrorists, providing them with arms and information on Syrian military deployments.

The sources made specific references to Turkey's monitoring base in Shir al-Maghar, saying it had actively helped terrorist groups regain control of the previously-liberated town of Kafr Nabuda south of Idlib on Wednesday.

The reports said Turkey had provided the terrorists with military and supply vehicles along with anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) which were widely used in the attack.

Syrian forces later published images of destroyed vehicles used by the terrorists, which appeared to be Turkish-made "Panthera F9" armored personnel carriers (APCs).

Syria has witnessed increased hostile drone attacks, notably targeting the strategic Hmeimim airbase in the northeastern Latakia province and various vital installations in the west-central Hama province.

Russia had previously warned that advanced technologies on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) acquired by terrorists required "professional knowledge and experience" in operating drones.

US, UK, France again raise chemical attack fears

With the Syrian campaign to liberate Idlib going into high gear, Paris expressed concern over a possible "humanitarian catastrophe", warning against any Syrian operation.

Washington and London have also sought to intimidate Damascus, threatening to "respond appropriately" if recent allegations of chemical weapons use are confirmed.

The threats came after mysterious reports of four members of the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group having been admitted to hospital from "respiratory failure" emerged.

The US and its allies, which have greatly supported different terrorist groups in Syria, have periodically used dubious claims of government chemical attacks to pressure or even launch strikes against Damascus.

Syria has denied the allegations, while many reports have indicated terrorist control and use of the dangerous chemicals.

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Terrorists to Use Truck Bombs to Break Through Syrian Army Lines - Russian MoD

Sputnik News

22:25 24.05.2019(updated 23:24 24.05.2019)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Terrorists in the Idlib de-escalation zone are preparing up to four vehicles filled with explosives to help them break through Syrian army defensive positions, the commander of the Russian centre for Syrian reconciliation said on Friday.

According to Maj. Gen. Viktor Kupchishin, more than 800 militants, at least seven tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 15 pickup trucks with heavy machine guns have already arrived in the southwest of the Idlib de-escalation zone. Illegal armed groups are bringing in reinforcements, weapons and military equipment to the town of Kafr Nabudah in Hama province.

"We have received information that the leaders of these terrorist groups have ordered to prepare up to four vehicles filled with explosives and driven by suicide bombers, in order to break through the Syrian army defenses," Kupchishin said at a daily briefing.

On Tuesday, Kupchishin said during a briefing that militants from the Nusra Front terrorist group attempted to attack Syrian army positions using tanks and vehicles filled with explosives.

He revealed that terrorists in Syria were planning chemical attacks in the Idlib de-escalation zone, as well as in the west of Aleppo province.

He added that terrorists operating in the Idlib de-escalation zone possess significant quantities of poisonous substances for use in staged provocations aimed at accusing the Syrian army of "chemical attacks" against the civilian population.

Over the past two weeks, terrorists have reportedly increased the number of attacks on Syria's northwestern provinces, in particular in Idlib.

In early May, terrorists escalated attack fequency in the Syrian provinces of Hama, Aleppo and Latakia. They have also attempted to attack Syrian army positions in the region. Government forces have responded by amplifying attacks on terrorists in the province of Idlib.

Syrian forces are targeting Nusra Front* terror group depots, artillery positions and observation posts.

Russia, alongside Turkey and Iran, is a guarantor of the ceasefire in Syria. Moscow has also been assisting Damascus through supporting the struggle against terrorist groups, providing humanitarian aid to local residents and facilitating the return of refugees.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with forces backing the country's leader, President Assad, fighting numerous opposition groups backed by Western states, as well as militants and terrorist organizations.

*Jabhat al-Nusra (Nusra Front) is terrorist organization banned in Russia and many other countries.

 Sputnik

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Taiwan to Expand Joint Rescue Operations in Disputed Sea

By Ralph Jennings May 24, 2019

Taiwan said Tuesday it will continue doing "humanitarian" search and rescue work in the South China Sea, where it holds the largest of about 500 tiny islets.

In a statement, the Coast Guard Administration said it will "deepen its cooperation mechanism" with surrounding countries, the agency said.

China, the most powerful claimant to the 3.5 million-square-kilometer sea that's rich in fisheries and fuel reserves, calls Taiwan its own despite self-rule of some 70 years. Officials in Beijing demand that other countries, including the four Southeast Asian states with competing claims to the sea, avoid any formal relations with Taiwan.

But joint search-and-rescue work, even if not publicly supported by other countries, would give Taiwan a welcome name abroad for cooperation rather than for extending the sovereignty dispute. Taiwan has tried over the past decade to stand out from China, which has bilateral issues with an array of countries, by spreading its culture, disaster relief and economic aid overseas.

"The best way at the moment for us to make entry is truly through humanitarian rescue work," said Huang Chung-ting, a Chinese politics and military affairs assistant research fellow with the Taipei-based policy analysis nonprofit Institute for National Defense and Security Research. "Only under this framework can we possibly raise the odds of South China Sea cooperation with surrounding countries and even the United States."

Search-and-rescue legacy

Taiwan started describing Taiping Island as a search-and-rescue hub for the contested sea's Spratly Islands in 2015. Taiwanese personnel on the island were already helping about 10 boats a year from China or Vietnam, usually during storms, a coast guard official said then.

That year ex-president Ma Ying-jeou called Taiwan a humanitarian player in the sovereignty dispute and urged all claimant countries to share resources. The following year Taiwan's coast guard and navy held search-and-rescue exercises near Taiping Island with the aim of helping sailors from any country as needed.

On Tuesday, the coast guard joined five other Taiwan government agencies for search-and-rescue drills. They simulated the rescue of a fishing boat accident that had killed one and injured five, two seriously. The agencies used four ships, four drones, two planes and a helicopter for the drill, the coast guard statement said.

Taiping Island works as a rescue center because the 400-meter- wide by 1,400-meters-long island supports a 10-bed hospital in addition to an airstrip and a pier.

Taiwan will increase cooperation mainly by rescuing more foreign-registered fishing boats in distress, and those ships are unlikely to refuse help, a coast guard spokesperson said Friday.

Bridging rival claimants

Taiwan already exchanges "intelligence" and scientific research reports with other South China Sea claimants without upsetting China, said Huang Kwei-bo, vice dean of the international affairs college at National Chengchi University.

The other claimants to all or part of the sea are Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. They might help Taiwan's search-and-rescue work, but only quietly or informally, analysts expect.

"In principle, there are both intelligence report exchanges and marine science cooperation, but when it comes to conducting humanitarian drills around Taiping Island, the stances of nearby Southeast Asian counties are unclear because they might be afraid of Beijing's attitude," Huang Kwei-bo said.

A country that helped Taiwan publicly might be seen as conceding its own sovereignty claims to Taiwan and anger China. China controls 90 percent of the sea, much of it by landfilling small islets for military use since 2010. Beijing mutes anger in Southeast Asia by using its massive economy to offer trade and investment benefits.

U.S. role

The United States might back Taiwan's search-and-rescue work, since it has taken other steps under President Donald Trump since 2017 to check China's reach in the sea, said Lin Chong-pin, a retired strategic studies professor in Taiwan. Joint humanitarian work moves the maritime dispute "in a direction that Beijing doesn't want to happen," Lin said.

"Of course, the United States would be eager to do something to challenge China," he said. Other countries, he added, are probably "hedging" on how to work with Taiwan.

The U.S. government has taken other steps under President Donald Trump since 2017 to check China's reach in the sea.

On Wednesday the U.S. Navy passed two warships through the strait separating Taiwan from China, the island's defense ministry said. China resents those ship movements, which have become routine over the past year, as intervention in its relations with Taiwan.

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Theresa May Quits, But Brexit Puzzle Remains

By Jamie Dettmer May 24, 2019

Theresa May became the third Conservative leader to fall victim to party divisions over Britain's relationship with the European Union, following in the footsteps of Margaret Thatcher and David Cameron.

Facing a party revolt and threats of mass cabinet resignations, May on Friday announced her departure, but will remain as Prime Minister while the Conservatives elect a new leader, and will stay as head of government for U.S. President Donald Trump's state visit to Britain next month.

Her exit, though, is unlikely to clarify how and when, and under what terms, Britain will leave the European Union, say party insiders and analysts.

Her successor will face exactly the same conundrum that thwarted May  bridging the division between those who want to remain in the EU and those who want out.

The irreconcilable division within the Conservative parliamentary party over Brexit reflects the split down the middle in the country at large. And with parliament hung, factions undermining party discipline, and no party commanding an overall majority in the House of Commons, the challenge to find a way out, nearly three years after Britons voted by a slim majority for Brexit, becomes thornier by the day.

"The scope for compromise has drastically narrowed," warned The Economist magazine Friday.

Brexiters increasingly want a stark, sharp and total break with the EU and are dismissive of even negotiating a trade deal with Brussels; while their opponents now hope to reverse the 2016 referendum and shape the circumstances for a second plebiscite, which they hope will lead to Britain remaining a member of the bloc.

How Britain escapes the trap remains unclear and is unlikely to be helped by the results of the European parliamentary elections due to be announced Sunday. The newly formed Brexit Party of Nigel Farage will likely top the poll, but smaller pro-Remain parties will also likely do well  reflecting the overall confounding split in the country.

Those results may well pull the two main establishment parties  the Conservatives and Labour  further to the extremes in the Brexit debate, polarizing Britain even more and making it harder for May's successor to navigate a way out of the mess.

The drift is depressing the value of the pound, deterring foreign investment and prompting despair among business executives, who are unable to make any firm plans.

Possible successors

Boris Johnson, the colorful former foreign minister, is the leading contender to succeed May. An opinion poll published Friday in The Times suggested Johnson is the favorite among Conservative activists to be the next leader. But he's unpopular among party lawmakers, who disdain his opportunism and showmanship and doubt he has the discipline and consistency to helm a government and put in the everyday work needed.

Conservative lawmakers initially pick via a series of knockout votes two candidates to present to the broader party membership, which makes the final decision. "The race really is Boris's to lose," according to Fraser Nelson, editor of the Spectator magazine.

Other candidates include the current foreign minister, Jeremy Hunt, the interior minister, Sajid Javid, and hardline Brexiters Dominic Rabb and Andrea Leadsom, whose resignation midweek as a minister triggered the chain of events for May's decision to quit. Another possible dark horse is Michael Gove, the environment minister.

The election process will take nearly two months to conclude.

'Fight to the death'

The political struggle ahead both within the ruling Conservatives and across the country is likely to be even more brutal than the last two years. "Brexit will become a fight to the death," predicted commentator Philip Collins. "All along, there have only been three options: to leave without a deal, to leave with a deal and to remain via a second referendum. The country, though, has been held to ransom by purists."

He added: "Brexit will become a straight contest between one group of extremists who kid themselves that leaving the EU without an agreement is worth the collateral damage, and another group of extremists who put their fingers in their ears so they cannot hear the banal truth that thwarting the 2016 referendum result comes at a severe political cost."

The political damage is mounting. Both of Britain's main two parties are cracking under the strain and face existential threats, the Conservatives most obviously. The Brexit Party is splitting the right-wing vote.

Pollsters say that Farage's new party, if it continues to surge, could take between 60 to 113 seats off the Conservatives in a general election. That would deny the Conservatives any chance to form a new government, if an election is called in the next few months, a high likelihood. Labour, too, under the leadership of the far-left Jeremy Corbyn is seeing voters defect to the Liberal Democrats and small parties.

The continuing political uncertainty in London, with more disarray likely in the coming months, is exasperating EU leaders and the national leaders of the 27 other member states. Johnson has said if elected leader, he will seek to renegotiate May's contentious Brexit deal, itself the result of nearly two years of ill-tempered haggling with Brussels.

But EU leaders have made it clear they're unprepared to restart talks on the deal.

Reaction in Europe

European leaders reacting to May's announcement expressed worry that a no-deal Brexit might now be more likely. Ireland's prime minister, Leo Varakar, said: "Obviously, as anyone can see, British politics is consumed by Brexit and will be consumed by Brexit for a very long time. It now means we enter a new phase when it comes to Brexit and a phase that may be a very dangerous one for Ireland."

Spain's caretaker government said May's resignation is bad news for those hoping for an orderly British exit from the EU. "A hard Brexit is a reality that under the current circumstances is almost impossible to avoid," said spokeswoman Isabel Celaa.

France's Emmanuel Macron said it would likely prolong an impasse.

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Zelenskiy, Merkel Discuss Conflict In Eastern Ukraine

By RFE/RL May 24, 2019

Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by phone on May 24, discussing efforts to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine, both offices said.

According to Zelenskiy's office, both leaders agreed on the need to restart peace efforts, including the so-called Normandy format, which brings together Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France.

The statement also said that Zelenskiy plans to hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in the nearest future.

In Berlin, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said on May 24 that Merkel and Zelenskiy agreed on a need for a "full implementation" of the current peace agreements.

In Moscow, the Kremlin said Russia would support a meeting within the Normandy format in case if there would be potential for a significant result.

"No one wants it to be a meeting for the sake of a meeting," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS on May 24.

Since April 2014, some 13,000 people have been killed in fighting between Kyiv's forces and the Russia-backed separatists who control parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Cease-fire deals announced as part of the Minsk accords -- September 2014 and February 2015 pacts aimed at resolving the conflict -- have contributed to a decrease in fighting but have failed to hold.

A new cease-fire agreement was reached on March 8, but both sides have accused each other of repeated violations since then.

The conflict in the region known as the Donbas is one of the challenges facing Zelenskiy, who was inaugurated on May 20.

With reporting by dpa and TASS

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/zelenskiy-merkel-discuss-conflict -in-eastern-ukraine/29961224.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Ukrainian Church Leaders Meet Amid Power Struggle

By Current Time May 24, 2019

KYIV -- Top figures in Ukraine's new Orthodox Church are meeting in a synod amid an apparent power struggle between Patriarch Filaret, an early vocal supporter of the independent Ukrainian church, and the new church's elected head, Metropolitan Epifaniy.

Patriarch Filaret, 90, has said that he should govern the new church that got its independence from the Moscow Patriarchate earlier this year, while Metropolitan Epiphany, 40, should represent it internationally.

According to Filaret, that was agreed between him, Epifaniy, and then-President Petro Poroshenko in December 2018.

Epifaniy has accused Filaret of trying to rule the church on his own, contradicting, according to Epifaniy, agreements reached in October when Ukraine secured approval from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople -- the spiritual head of Orthodox Christianity -- to set up an independent Orthodox church.

According to Epifaniy, who was officially installed as the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine's first metropolitan in February, the church must be ruled collectively.

Ukraine's move to obtain independence from the Moscow Patriarchate was fiercely opposed by Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church, under which many Orthodox parishes in Ukraine have pledged allegiance to for centuries.

Bartholomew handed over a document establishing the Ukrainian church's independence, known as a "tomos," to Epifaniy at a ceremony in Istanbul on January 6.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukrainian- church-leaders-meet-amid-power- struggle/29960665.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Ukraine's PrivatBank Sues Billionaire Kolomoyskiy In U.S. Court

By Todd Prince May 24, 2019

A major Ukrainian bank at the center of a scandal involving a powerful, politically connected billionaire has sued its former oligarch owners in U.S. court, amid a battle for control that could affect relations with Western lending institutions.

PrivatBank, which was nationalized by Ukraine three years ago, filed the lawsuit on May 21 in Delaware state court against Ihor Kolomoyskiy and Hennadiy Boholyubov.

The suit was filed one day after Ukraine's newly elected president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, was sworn into office.

Zelenskiy is linked to Kolomoyskiy through the oligarch's ownership of the TV station that hosted a comedy program in which Zelenskiy starred. Zelenskiy has also appointed a lawyer for Kolomoyskiy to be his chief of staff.

Kolomoyskiy, who had been living in self-imposed exile for almost two years, returned to Ukraine following Zelenskiy's election on April 21.

The lawsuit comes as Kolomoyskiy seeks to regain control of the bank he helped found in 1992. The National Bank of Ukraine nationalized it in 2016 under then-President Petro Poroshenko and regulators later injected roughly $6 billion of Ukrainian taxpayer money to prevent its collapse.

A Ukrainian court ruled last month that the nationalization was illegal, boosting the chances that Kolomoyskiy could once regain control of the bank.

The lawsuit filed in Delaware Chancery Court accuss the two Ukrainians, as well as three residents of Miami, Florida, of fraud and money laundering that nearly destroyed the lender, according to court records.

PrivatBank accused Kolomoyskiy and Boholyubov of lending money to companies they controlled and later laundering it through Delaware entities to acquire assets in the United States, including property and metals companies.

The two men "used PrivatBank as their own personal piggy bank -- ultimately stealing billions of dollars from PrivatBank and using United States entities to launder hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of PrivatBank's misappropriated loan proceeds into the United States to enrich themselves and their co-conspirators," the lawsuit says.

Kolomoyskiy and Boholyubov could not be immediately reached for comment.

Zelenskiy's ties to Kolomoyskiy have raised concerns that, as president, he might be partial to the tycoon's business interests.

During the election campaign, Zelenskiy denied he would seek to hand the bank back to Kolomoyskiy, a move that would damage relations with the International Monetary Fund.

The fund has loaned Ukraine billions of dollars over the past five years, but has made much of the lending contingent on Ukrainian leaders doing more to clean up the country's endemic corruption.

Last month, the fund urged Ukraine to continue efforts to recover losses from failed banks, including PrivatBank, from former owners and said that it was "closely monitoring developments in this area.''

The Washington-based fund declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-privatbank- lawsuit/29960283.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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US senate unveils $750-billion proposal aimed at China's growing influence

Iran Press TV

Fri May 24, 2019 09:28AM

The US senate has unveiled a draft bill that would authorize Washington to modernize its nuclear weapon arsenal, in a move to counter China's growing influence around the globe.

The Senate Armed Services Committee unveiled the $750-billion proposal on Thursday, admitting that America's "margin of military supremacy has eroded and is undermined by new threats from strategic competitors like China and Russia."

The bill would also authorize the Pentagon to buy more Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth jets.

China's foreign ministry denounced the move on Thursday, saying the "legislation violates the basic norms of international law and international relations and the Chinese side, of course, firmly objects."

"We urge the US side not to proceed the deliberation of the legislation, in order not to bring new disruption to the China-US relations," said Lu Kang, a ministry spokesman.

Lu said that the "legislation violates the basic norms of international law and international relations and the Chinese side, of course, firmly objects."

'Cold War mentality'

Earlier on Wednesday, China's disarmament ambassador Li Song told the world's main disarmament forum In Geneva that Washington's foreign policy was destabilizing, baffling and redolent of Don Quixote  the Spanish fictional hero whose misplaced determination leads him on a series of doomed endeavors.

"The Cold War mentality has come back to drive the security strategy and policy of a major power," Li told the Conference on Disarmament. "In particular, the US keeps saying other countries make it feel unsafe - this is truly baffling.

This is only one of a growing number of sticking points in the US-China relationship, which also include a trade war initiated by the US as well as an aggressive campaign it launched against Chinese telecom giant Huawei.

Washington has escalated its trade dispute with Beijing over the past weeks, raising speculations that tensions could even extend beyond the trade sphere and affect other areas of contention, including Taiwan as well as the South China Sea.

The two world powers are also locked in dispute over US military presence in resource-rich South China Sea.

Beijing  which claims almost all of the South China Sea  has constantly warned the US against its military activities in the sea, saying that potential close military encounters by air and naval forces of the two countries in the region could easily trigger miscalculation or even accidents at sea or in air.

The US has been taking sides with several of China's neighboring countries, which have competing sovereignty claims to the strategic waters.

Taiwan, the self-ruled island, is another source of tension between Beijing and Washington over which China asserts sovereignty.

Beijing has accused Washington of making "a series of moves" on Taiwan and "other issues" that harm China's sovereignty.

The US navy said two of its warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Thursday.

The warships the USS Preble, a destroyer, and USNS Walter S. Diehl, a supply ship, conducted a routine transit "in accordance with international law," the navy said.

"The ships' transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," it claimed. "The US Navy will continue to fly, sail and operate e anywhere international law allows."

In 1979, the US adopted the "One China" policy, but under the administration of US President Donald Trump, it has courted Taipei in an attempt to counter China.

The transit through the Taiwan Strait came as the US, Japan, South Korea and Australia kicked off naval drills in the vicinity of Guam, a US island territory in Micronesia, in the Western Pacific region.

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What I find interesting about the Dutch colonial is that the exterior looks basically the same as it did in 1905, but the interior is completely and totally renovated  theres only a bit of what was there originally, Grupe said. The interior is a modern open floor plan with lots of bathrooms and bedrooms. The only thing that isnt updated is the original staircase.EDISON, N.J., May 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlockSafe Technologies, Inc. , the company securing the blockchain ecosystem, today announced the launch of its Ambassador Program, an initiative to generate awareness around crypto wallet security and the companys CryptoDefender offering. Ambassadors, including cryptosecurity enthusiasts and passionate CryptoDefender users, who refer the program to their networks of crypto speculators, banks, and financial institutions, will now receive up to 33% of the profits generated from their referrals.



BlockSafes Ambassador Program is open to participants globally. Additionally, Ambassadors will have access to different levels of investment packages to participate in BlockSafes Securitized Token Offering of BlockSafes BSAFE token, a revenue participation token, and in doing so, unlock several levels of compensation.

More than a billion dollars in cryptocurrency was stolen in 2018, a four-fold increase over 2017, and $9 million is s tolen each day from individual wallets, said George Waller, CEO of BlockSafe Technologies. Our Ambassador Program is a great way for those who feel strongly about the rising need to secure the cryptocurrency community and to earn money while generating awareness around crypto wallet security. Come join our mission and help us make the crypto world a safe place.

BlockSafe's CryptoDefender app, which protects crypto wallets by securing desktop and mobile devices, is the industry's most comprehensive security solution for desktops, laptops and mobile devices and is currently available for a $9.99 monthly subscription, $99 yearly and can be installed on up to five different devices.

To sign up for BlockSafes Ambassador Program, please visit https://www.ambassador.blocksafetech.io

BlockSafe has also created a global Telegram communications network, which boasts over 7,900 members. To learn more, visit https://t.me/officialblocksafetechnology2019

About BlockSafe Technologies, Inc.

BlockSafe is the company that secures the blockchain ecosystem with a suite of solutions that protect against an array of cyber vulnerabilities. BlockSafe is a subsidiary of StrikeForce Technologies and is headquartered in Edison, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.blocksafetech.com .

Safe Harbor Statement:

Matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "may," "intend," "expect" and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations of the Company and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with: the sales of the company's identity protection software products into various channels and market sectors, the issuance of the company's pending patent application, and the impact of economic, competitive and other factors affecting the Company and its operations, markets, product, and distributor performance, the impact on the national and local economies resulting from terrorist actions, and U.S. actions subsequently; and other factors detailed in reports filed by the company.

Media Contact:

Fusion Public Relations, on behalf of BlockSafe Technologies:

Olga Shmuklyer

917.715.0329

olga@fusionpr.com





BlockSafe Technologies, Inc.

George Waller, CEO

732.661.9641IRVINE, CA, May 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC: CBIS), a U.S. company specializing in the development of cannabinoid-based medicines, is pleased to announce the Companys participation in the 2019 Global Health Catalyst (GHC) Summit at Harvard Medical School. The GHC Summit is a premier, annual event dedicated to catalyzing high-impact international collaborations to eliminate global health disparities, with the main focus on cancer and related diseases. Since 2015, the yearly summits are part of a series of high impact initiatives of the Harvard Global Health Catalyst (http://ghc.bwh.harvard.edu/) funded by the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies at Harvard University, and a growing number of international institution partners.



As an industry partner, the GHC Summit provides Cannabis Science with the opportunity to discuss, collaborate, and partner with other key groups with like mind and intentions in the U.S. and globally, as well as to expand our global consortium of research collaborators through this avant-garde of professionals, stated Mr. Raymond C. Dabney, CBIS President, CEO, and Co-founder. It will be very interesting to see the outcomes of this years Summit. These activities directly impact our drug-development initiatives and should help CBIS accelerate our research, development, and clinical trials for promising cannabinoid-based medicines. Also, there is a significant announcement regarding our work with the Justicia plant that we expect will further energize our stakeholders and shareholders.

During this years event, Cannabis Science plans to update GHC Summit participants on the Companys drug-development pipeline and the transition into clinical trials as well as other major company initiatives. Additionally, CBIS and its collaborators will discuss its most-recent research agreement to investigate the potential use of a proprietary extract from the Justicia plant to treat a number of blood disorders. The Company has initially identified multiple potential products for development based on current research on the proprietary extract from the Justicia plant. These products could include a nutraceutical for blood health, a biomaterial that could serve as a blood substitute, and an ingredient that could be used in the production of meat substitutes.

Harvard GHC Summit is Streaming Live!

Friday 5/24/19

8am: https://externalmediasite.partners.org/Mediasite/Play/036143006d3147c4a18dde85c06050821d

10:30am: https://externalmediasite.partners.org/Mediasite/Play/0f89506a94f1454ba3f3efa5a297b9a41d

2pm: https://externalmediasite.partners.org/Mediasite/Play/3583454757f648ba8dcc225bf62f23891d

6pm: https://externalmediasite.partners.org/Mediasite/Play/ccc6960c511249c4aac053c7954efdff1d





Saturday 5/25/19

8am: https://externalmediasite.partners.org/Mediasite/Play/7f065e5e18fc47b0bf75c421c25455f81d

10:30am: https://externalmediasite.partners.org/Mediasite/Play/9c7d30ed672a408799bdb8d3bacb7b121d

2pm: https://externalmediasite.partners.org/Mediasite/Play/1ab5b16aa2ef464cacdc6b6bc6ad77be1d

4:30pm: https://externalmediasite.partners.org/Mediasite/Play/ddcc67e9478444e89df157c9cfd571461d

6:30pm: https://externalmediasite.partners.org/Mediasite/Play/1e82d9f013b548ccb7f886c82d6757671d





Sunday 5/26/19

8am: https://externalmediasite.partners.org/Mediasite/Play/df263faac4c34661b34d9cb3ff4c28a81d

10:30am: https://externalmediasite.partners.org/Mediasite/Play/6a770fe411e84c2dbdcab309b050212d1d

2pm: https://externalmediasite.partners.org/Mediasite/Play/79591da4ba834a94afabbe5abe2aa94c1d

CBIS has successfully initiated a number of major activities as a result of the Companys participation in past GHC Summits. On July 9, 2018, CBIS announced the signing of an historic collaboration agreement with Elpasso Farms (South Africa), Harvard Medical Schools GHC, and American States University (ASU). This agreement calls for the development of initiatives throughout Africa to strengthen its economic and healthcare infrastructure through education, agriculture, technology, and food security. This collaboration was initially discussed during the 2018 GHC Summit. Please click here to read the release in its entirety:

https://cannabisscience.com/2018/470-cannabis-science-harvard-medical-school-s-global-health-catalyst-elpasso-farms-south-africa-and-american-states-university-partner-to-strengthen-africa-s-economic-and-healthcare-infrastructure

In early April of this year 2019, Elpasso Farms was awarded one of the first licenses to cultivate medical cannabis by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).

Similar to the other CBIS Economic Development projects, the Elpasso Farms Economic Development Project in South Africa will utilize the University platform to provide PAACU scholarships for educating local and regional residents in several different industries applicable to their area, with a heavy focus on agriculture and farming. PAACU topics will be focused on general, good farming practices and specialized crops, including topics on the many applicable uses of cannabis and industrial hemp agriculture. Farm assessments, depending on the demographic regulatory environment and the application, will allow the group to use large land deals for scale and recoupment costs. The Companys Economic Development Project with Elpasso Farms is expected to significantly contribute to providing education opportunities for locals and local area job creation, all in support of CBIS drug development initiatives.

In addition to overall participation in this years GHC Summit, CBIS leadership team will present at the Phytomedicines in Global Health Session on Sunday, May 26th at 8:00 a.m., and at the Diaspora Session on Sunday, May 26th at 10:30 a.m.

For the Phytomedicines in Global Health Session, the CBIS presenters will include:

Mr. Raymond C. Dabney, President, CEO, and Co-founder  Mr. Dabney will present on Evidence-based Medical Cannabis versus Cancer, Pain, and other Diseases; American Diaspora Engagement and the CBIS African Economic Development Initiative; and the Success and the Launch of the Harvard International Phytomedicines and Medical Cannabis Institute with other Academic Institutions, Industry, and International Partners.

Dr. Julius Garvey, Chief Medical Officer and President, CBIS Scientific Advisory Board  Dr. Garvey will present on Evidence-based Medical Cannabis versus Cancer, Pain, and other Diseases.

H.E. Brylyne Chitsunge, Pan-African Ambassador for Food Security, CEO of Elpasso Farms, and Member of CBIS Scientific Advisory Board  Ambassador Chitsunge will participate on a panel to discuss the Harvard GHC International Phytomedicines Institute.

For the Diaspora Session, the CBIS presenters will include:

Dr. Julius Garvey, Chief Medical Officer and President, CBIS Scientific Advisory Board  Dr. Garvey will present on Pan-African Diaspora Engagement and Win-Win Collaborations.

Mr. Melvin Foote, CEO of the Constituency for Africa, and Member of CBIS International Government Affairs Advisory Board  Mr. Foote will present on American Diaspora Engagement and Policy.

Mr. Raymond C. Dabney, President, CEO, and Co-founder  Mr. Dabney will present on American Diaspora Engagement and the CBIS African Economic Development Initiative.

The theme of the Phytomedicines in Global Health Session is From Farm to Bedside: Advancing Clinical Translation of evidence-based Medical Cannabis and other phytomedicines products for global health And Development. This highly educational session will focus on the potential use of Medical Cannabis in healthcare, closing the global pain divide, and on leading-edge international collaborations to accelerate research and clinical translation of phytomedicines in global health. Expected outcomes include the launching of the biggest phytomedicines initiative in global health education; research and care; publications; and agreements to collaborate, including multiple institutions in the U.S. and low and LMICs, and industry for global health and economic development.

The theme of the Diaspora Session is Developing win-win collaborations with the Diaspora as catalysts for high-impact global health and development. The Harvard GHC Summit will bring together hundreds of Diaspora leaders, advocates, global health cancer leaders to discuss ideas and strategies on how they can be a sustainable partner and catalyst for high impact global health. Working together united against cancer, this would constitute a powerful and unprecedented grassroots movement in the global fight against cancer in advocacy, education/awareness for cancer prevention, crowdsourcing, crowdfunding, etc. to save lives, and to help curb the emerging African cancer epidemic with the vision of ultimately eliminating cancer disparities.

For more information on the 2019 GHC Summit at Harvard Medical School, please visit:

https://www.globalhealthcatalystsummit.org/

For the 2019 GHC Summit agenda, please visit:

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/7c636d_ce71ebdfba2240f6abf63cf22d76cd71.pdf

About Cannabis Science, Inc.

Cannabis Science, Inc. takes advantage of its unique understanding of metabolic processes to provide novel treatment approaches to a number of illnesses for which current treatments and understanding remain unsatisfactory. Cannabinoids have an extensive history dating back thousands of years, and currently, there are a growing number of peer-reviewed scientific publications that document the underlying biochemical pathways that cannabinoids modulate. The Company works with leading experts in drug development, medicinal characterization, and clinical research to develop, produce, and commercialize novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment for illnesses caused by infections as well as for age-related illness. Our initial focus is on cancers, HIV/AIDS, and neurological conditions. The Company is proceeding with the research and development of its proprietary drugs as a part of this initial focus: CS-S/BCC-1, CS-TATI-1, and CS-NEURO-1, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Press Release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. A statement containing words such as "anticipate," "seek," intend," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "project," "plan," or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Some or all of the events or results anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based drugs. Cannabis Science, Inc., does not undertake any duty nor does it intend to update the results of these forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a 'safe harbor' for forward looking statements. Certain of the statements contained herein, which are not historical facts are forward looking statements with respect to events, the occurrence of which involved risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements may be impacted, either positively or negatively, by various factors. Information concerning potential factors that could affect the company is detailed from time to time in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact Information

Cannabis Science, Inc.

Mr. Raymond C. Dabney

President & CEO, Co-Founder

raymond.dabney@cannabisscience.com

Tel: 1-888-263-0832(EDITORS NOTE: This is the second of two columns on divisions inside United Methodism.)

The word conversion has been at the heart of Christianity for two millennia, with missionaries and evangelists urging sinners to repent and change their wicked ways.

Jesus also needed to be converted from his bigotries and prejudices, according to Bishop Karen Oliveto, who leads the United Methodist Churchs Mountain Sky region. Consider the New Testament passage in which Jesus seems to rebuke a Canaanite woman who seeks healing for her daughter. The woman persists and, seeing her faith, Jesus performs the miracle.

Jesus, Jesus, what is up with you? ... Too many folks want to box Jesus in, carve him in stone, create an idol out of him, wrote Oliveto, in a 2017 online essay that was later taken down. The wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting one, prince of peace, was as human as you and me. ... We might think of him as the Rock of Ages, but he was more like a hunk of clay, forming and reforming himself in relation to God.

In this case, Jesus changed his mind, noted Oliveto, who is the first openly lesbian United Methodist bishop and is married to a deaconess. The global United Methodist Church has repeatedly affirmed its Book of Discipline bans on same-sex marriages and the ordination of self-avowed practicing LGBTQ clergy.

Jesus, she added, is meant to be a boundary crosser, and in the crossing over, reveals bigotry and oppression for what they are: human constructs that keep all of us from being whole. ... If Jesus can change, if he can give up his bigotries and prejudices, if he can realize that he had made his life too small, and if, in this realization, he grew closer to others and closer to God, then so can we.

This doctrinal approach inspires many in the UMCs Western Jurisdiction, a vast expanse stretching from Colorado to the Pacific Ocean. While this regions population has soared in recent decades, 2017 reports found only 295,308 United Methodists. The Southeast Jurisdiction, meanwhile, reported 2,668,806 members.

While 40 years of fighting over sexuality have grabbed headlines, a recent online survey by United Methodist Communications, partnering with Research Now, suggested that these fights have been signs of deeper doctrinal cracks in what is now a global flock.

A 2014 Pew Research Center poll found that 49 percent of United Methodists in America favored same-sex marriage, and 60 percent affirmed that homosexuality should be accepted. This new survey focused on United Methodist laity in America, and avoided sexuality questions. In the new survey, 44 percent of participants identified as conservative-traditional on doctrinal issues, compared with 28 percent who claimed to be moderate-centrist and 20 percent progressive-liberal. Membership totals in various regions shaped how the final survey results were calculated. Key findings included:

 Large majorities of conservative, moderate and liberal laity affirmed the resurrection of Jesus, his birth by the Virgin Mary and that humans are reconciled to God through the cross. Large majorities in these groups said God's grace is available to all.

 Saving souls for Jesus Christ should be the UMCs primary goal, according to 88 percent of conservatives, while 68 percent of progressives chose social justice.

 Only 50 percent of liberal laypeople affirmed belief in a literal hell, compared to 82 percent of conservatives and 70 percent of moderates.

 A relationship with Jesus is the only way to salvation, according to 86 percent of conservatives, while 64 percent of moderate laity agreed and 54 percent of liberals.

 Asked to name the most authoritative source for their beliefs, 41 percent of conservatives said scripture and 30 percent said Christian tradition. Among liberals, 39 percent (the largest group) chose reason and 6 percent chose scripture.

 Women were more likely to be liberals. Church attendance was strongest among traditionalists.

On the theological questions stressed in this survey, self-described moderates tended to be closer to traditional beliefs than to those held by United Methodist liberals, according to Chuck Niedringhaus, who oversees research for United Methodist Communications.

I dont think you can add the moderates and progressives and say that's where the church is, he told the United Methodist News Service. Oftentimes we think the denomination is equally divided. It was important for us to see that the plurality of people see themselves as more conservative.

Mattingly is the editor of GetReligion.org and Senior Fellow for Media and Religion at The King's College in New York City. He lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.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Police allege Preston was involved in an altercation on Aug. 15 where a 28-year-old Zion man identified by the Lake County Coroners Office as Julian King was found wounded by gunfire. Waukegan officers had been dispatched around 10 p.m. to a report of shots fired on the 1400 block of Grand Avenue.CentralSquare, the largest public safety software provider in the U.S., has purchased Tellus Safety Solutions , doing so with a goal of taking 911 dispatch centers out of communication silos by connecting them in a nationwide, interoperable network. CentralSquare announced the purchase this week of the Utah company, whose software allows dissimilar computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems to communicate and share information. The price of the purchase was not released. The deal, however, stands to integrate CentralSquares own CAD platform with two pieces of Tellus software: Aware, which allows neighboring emergency response agencies to see each others incidents and resources, and Unify, which allows disparate agencies to dispatch resources to an incident.Touting safety without borders in its announcement, CentralSquare is giving Aware to its 5,000 public safety agency customers for free, hoping to cut down on response times across the country by making it faster and easier for dispatchers to coordinate, even if they use disparate software. The company will also continue to support non-CentralSquare platforms and enable them to communicate, albeit with comparatively less speed and function.The possible upshot of these integrations varies depending on whos guessing, but at least two sources suggest they could save hundreds of thousands of lives. The Federal Communications Commission estimated in 2014 that cutting emergency response times by one minute would save 253,032 lives a year; in a 2015 report , RapidSOS put the figure at 149,331.CentralSquare CEO Simon Angove said in Orange County, Calif., giving dispatchers the ability to find and send the closest first responders to an incident regardless of department cut mutual aid request times from 2.5 minutes to 15 seconds. He estimated the time savings in Columbus, Ohio, at about 60 percent.Angove compared the business strategy to CentralSquares acquisition of Lucity in January, which allowed the company to integrate enterprise and asset management software with finance and community development applications  combining complementary tools to streamline government operations. CentralSquare itself is the result of a merger between Superion, Aptean, TriTech Software Systems and Zuercher Technologies, a subsidiary of TriTech.Our vision is to build the industrys broadest, smartest, most unified platform to meet all the needs of our public-sector customers, to make sure all these applications reside on a single platform. Where we believe there is an application that adds value to our customer base, we will acquire that and integrate it with the rest of this platform, he said. Its very much about one-stop shopping for these agencies.Angove said CentralSquares main competitors in the public safety market are Motorola and Hexagon, who are working on CAD-to-CAD communications in a way thats very manual and labor-intensive. He said CentralSquares out-of-the-box solution is easier to deploy, with greater functionality and ultimately, given the size of the companys client base, greater reach.Besides more acquisitions, Angove said artificial intelligence may have a role to play in future integrations, with the goal being to make limited human resources more efficient through proactivity and automation.We are investing a lot in artificial intelligence. Overall in research and development, were spending 19 percent of revenues on R&D, which is about three times our nearest competitor, so investing in product innovation is a huge part of our strategy, he said. One of the big challenges in the public sector today is personnel shortages. If you look at the staffing levels in public safety or administration, theyve been flat or declining for the last 20 years. Citizen expectations, meanwhile, have been increasing. So the challenges for local governments being, how do we do more with less, given our personnel shortages.(TNS)  Cook Countys assessor has one quarter of the staff needed to evaluate the areas more than 1.8 million property parcels. Despite plans for new technology, the office still relies on a green screen computer mainframe. The systems low-quality data is so outdated that investigators cant calculate its precise age.A new audit warns that a monumental and costly task is in store to reform the countys troubled property tax system. The report released Thursday offers few specific price tags for fixing problems first identified by the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois , but does suggest overhauls that could cost millions of additional dollars.That may present yet another challenge to county board President Toni Preckwinkle as she crafts a new budget and works through a projected $49 million deficit. Still, the sheer size of assessor Fritz Kaegis jurisdiction and extent of the problems embedded in his system led auditors to call for a long-term commitment of resources.The task ahead is monumental, and the financial and resource commitment for modernization is substantial, said the report from International Association of Assessing Officers consultants.Kaegis office requested the audit, but said it didnt have a cost estimate for the reports implications. Preckwinkle said officials budget requests often seek more money than the county has. That means delicate negotiations could be in store over an operation once led by a close ally of the board president.Government at every level at this time is resource-challenged, Preckwinkle told reporters after the county boards Thursday meeting.Were looking at a $49 million budget gap. However, its always a challenge to close the gap and we will do our best to meet the needs of all of our bureaus and departments  and separately, elected officials  within this constrained climate, she said.A Tribune investigation found the assessor's office under Joseph Berrios tended to overestimate the value of single-family homes in poor or working-class neighborhoods while underestimating the value of homes in wealthier areas.Those problems put a disproportionate share of the county's property tax burden on less affluent homeowners, whose tax bills often were inflated while others got an undeserved break. Reporters also found defects in the assessment system for commercial properties, which shifted the tax burden unfairly onto smaller business owners, as well as homeowners.The latest audit underscored those problems, as well as reviews from the Civic Consulting Alliance and Tyler Technologies  a county contractor charged with updating the assessors technology.Auditors concluded the assessor would need to hire, train and equip 90 new data collectors for its residential valuations department  plus supervisors and clerical workers. That step alone would require a very significant increase in the budget plus time to get those employees up to speed.Kaegis office could hire a company to handle property reappraisals, at an estimated cost of $88 million, though auditors did not recommend that approach.While contractors are on the clock to replace the assessors AS400 computer system toward the end of this year, auditors said the switch requires a clear plan and more staff to implement the new technology.Whats more, the assessors office needs to update the data it uses in appraisal projects. Data used today has been so poorly collected and maintained that it raises questions about the accuracy of ensuing property values, auditors said.The office also needs to develop new methods of assessing real estate value, and write guidelines for its initial valuation procedures and appeals process.The IAAO has laid out in very clear terms that we have a significant task ahead of us in reforming this office, said Scott Smith, a spokesman for Kaegis office.Weve started those changes, but obviously completing them is going to be a yearslong process. Implementing their suggestions is something well be working on with our partners in the county, and that includes coming up with costs.Preckwinkle said its still too early to predict how much money will be needed.My general experience has been that every bureau and every elected official asks for more money than we have. So, its always a matter of negotiation and trying to set priorities.(TNS)  On the heels of Racine being named one of five winners of the nationwide Smart Cities Readiness Challenge , officials in Union Grove, Wis., want to explore how the village could implement its own smart city and 5G internet features. Smart cities tap into technology and data gathering to better inform development and government decisions. The implementation could be something as simple as using LED streetlights to save on energy costs, or as high-tech as having traffic lights synced up to allow faster travel for emergency response vehicles when they are on a call.Village Trustee Gordon Svendsen, chairman of the Community Development Authority, said at the CDAs meeting Tuesday that he was inspired to see how the technology could fit Downtown Union Grove after hearing about how Kansas City, Missouri, implemented smart city features to revitalize a blighted part of its downtown.Everybody expects this now everywhere you go  so I think its something we should at least begin to look at, Svendsen said. I know its not anything that we can just flip a switch and make it happen.Not just big citiesAlthough smart cities technology sounds futuristic and is typically implemented in midsize or large municipalities, it can be scaled to smaller communities as well, said Bob Bennett, Kansas Citys former chief innovation officer. As CIO, Bennett oversaw transforming Kansas City into what has been hailed as one of the most successful examples of a smart city.I am fully of the opinion that any city can be a smart city  and, in fact, most of them are, Bennett said, adding that a municipality does not even necessarily need to use technology to be smart. Officials just need to take the data they have readily available and find the best ways to analyze it to implement positive changes in the community, he said.The small cities of Parkville, Missouri (population 5,500), and Seat Pleasant, Maryland (population 4,700), have begun implementing smart-city features, Bennett said.Parkville and Kansas City have internet-connected kiosks that have slots for advertisements and provide information to passersby and serve as public WiFi hot spots. They are typically installed through a public-private partnership in which the municipality gets a share of the advertisement profits, Bennett said.In Kansas City, kiosks have been installed at bus stops in impoverished neighborhoods and offer information on travel, voting and job training, with some revenue generation from advertisements for nearby businesses.Parkville, meanwhile, placed three or four kiosks at key locations in the city to do things such as track population flow and air quality and offer information on the citys downtown shopping district, Bennett said.The kiosks cost $12,000 to $18,000 each, Bennett said, and cities have paid for portions of the installation in exchange for a cut of the advertising revenue.Looking more into itBennett, who left his government job in April to start smart city consulting firm B2 Civic Solutions, spoke about smart cities on May 16 at Racine County Economic Development Corp.s annual meeting . It was there that Svendsen said he became interested in how Union Grove could apply smart city methods.Svendsen said he hopes to work with Village Administrator Michael Hawes to explore how to proceed. The village will begin researching other comparable communities that have implemented public WiFi and smart city technology to determine if it is feasible in Union Grove, Hawes said in an email.I think it is something Union Grove will want to be out in front of, if the quality of technology and required investment are attainable, Hawes said.Svendsen said becoming a more high-tech municipality could help drive development to the village, including redevelopment of long-vacant parcels such as the former J & K Quik Mart, 802 Main St., which the CDA considered purchasing earlier this yearA failed bid to halt sales of Rekognition, Amazons controversial facial recognition software, is the most recent in a string of high-profile controversies surrounding the new surveillance technology.As the prevalence of facial recognition has grown, governments and businesses alike have grappled with how to appropriately deploy it, spurring concerns from civil liberties groups and inspiring debates about the proper balance of privacy and innovation.Most recently, the city of San Francisco became the first in the nation to ban government use of facial recognition by law enforcement, though some have noted the bill still leaves the door open for spying by private companies This week, privacy activists  most notably those attached to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)  sought to encourage Amazon shareholders to pass proposals that would have limited the company's ability to sell Rekognition. The proposals, both non-binding and subject to veto, were presented at the annual shareholders conference in Seattle this week, but were ultimately voted down.One of the proposals would have put a moratorium on sales of the technology to government agencies, while another would have mandated the commission of an independent study to determine the effects on individual civil liberties.Rekognition is used by myriad organizations and companies, but activists worry specifically about the company's aggressive marketing push to police and law enforcement agencies. The software has already been adopted by a number of prominent agencies, including by the Washington County Sheriffs Office in Oregon , as well as the Orlando, Fla., Police Department This technology fundamentally alters the balance of power between government and individuals, arming governments with unprecedented power to track, control and harm people, reads a letter penned by the ACLU, in anticipation of this week's conference. It would enable police to instantaneously and automatically determine the identities and locations of people going about their daily lives, allowing government agencies to routinely track their own residents. According to Amazon , the software utilizes AI and deep learning to extract metadata from visual content, collating and analyzing it to identify and index individuals. The technology identifies not only demographic indicators like age, gender, and race, but can also read human sentiment like emotions and mood. It can also analyze and track people in real time, allegedly identifying as many as 100 people in a single picture frame.Activists have expressed myriad concerns about the new technology  chief among them the fact that face recording will be inordinately used to target minorities, people of color and women.Multiple studies have shown that facial recognition software is consistently less accurate when attempting identifications of people of color and women, spurring fears of a kind of automated bias.In the wake of the companys decision, the ACLU denounced the decision as tone deaf to privacy concerns.The fact that there needed to be a vote on this is an embarrassment for Amazons leadership team, said Shankar Narayan, ACLU of Washington. It demonstrates shareholders do not have confidence that company executives are properly understanding or addressing the civil and human rights impacts of its role in facilitating pervasive government surveillance.Police in Lake Bluff received reports of 11 burglaries involving unlocked cars during the overnight hours of May 13 into the morning hours of May 14, said Deputy Police Chief Matt Smizinski. In five of the cases, items, including loose change and electronics, were removed from the cars, he said.(TNS)  Gmail accounts used by Baltimore officials as a workaround while the city recovers from the ransomware attack were disabled because the creation of a large number of new accounts triggered Googles automated security system, a spokesman for the company said.Lester Davis, a spokesman for Mayor Bernard C. Jack Young, said city employees began realizing there was a problem Thursday morning and were able to talk to senior executives at Google later in the day to resolve the issue.They know Baltimore is dealing with a sensitive situation, Davis said. I dont think it was ever their intent to be disruptive.  They stepped in and overruled the machines.James Bentley, another spokesman for Young, initially said the city had been told by Google that the accounts were circumventing the paid service the city would need for a business account.Emails sent Thursday to addresses used by City Council President Brandon Scott, two City Council aides, a Health Department spokesman and an aide to the mayor were all sent back with a message: The email account that you tried to reach is disabled.Brooks Hocog, a Google spokesman, said the company had restored access to the affected accounts. He said an automated security system disabled the accounts due to the bulk creation of multiple consumer Gmail accounts from the same network. A Google system detects when a large number of accounts is being created in one place and steps in because they might be used to send spam or commit fraud.Google provides both a free Gmail service and a paid system for businesses and other organizations. The reason for the misunderstanding over the cause of the suspensions was not clear, but the creation of a large number of new addresses on a business account would not have been treated as suspicious by Googles system.Mona Rock, a spokeswoman for the Health Department, said she logged in Thursday morning and could see old messages but not send or receive messages. She said there was no notice showing why the account wasnt working.The ransomware struck Baltimore municipal government on May 7 , locking up the citys records, shutting down the online payment system and grinding the real estate market temporarily to a halt. It also knocked out baltimorecity.gov email addresses. The hackers behind the attack demanded payment in the digital currency bitcoin to turn over the keys to the files.The mayors office has said it could takes months to recover . The FBI and the Secret Service are investigating. On Thursday, members of Marylands congressional delegation requested a briefing on the attack from federal law enforcement.Citing the investigation and concerns about giving hackers clues about the citys weaknesses, city officials have been reluctant to share many details about how the incident happened or how they have been responding.But Sheryl Goldstein, a newly hired deputy chief of staff to Young, said in an interview the city has divided its response between a forensic team and a recovery team. Goldstein, who started work Monday, has been assigned to oversee the response.The forensic team is focused on hunting the malicious computer code that allowed hackers to lock city files. The ransomware is a new variant called RobbinHood. A researcher who has studied it says it relies on the attacker gaining unfettered access to the victims system. Goldstein said each of the citys computers needs to be checked.Every machine that was potentially impacted and every server that was potentially impacted has to be assessed, she said.Meanwhile, the recovery group is working to bring back systems such as email and databases. That team is proceeding cautiously.The first step is to create a safe environment in which you can slowly start bringing things back online, making sure theres nothing in there thats problematic, Goldstein said. It is preferable for us to be safe and do it right than to do it fast.Goldstein declined to say when computer systems might begin coming back online. But she pointed to Atlanta, which suffered a similar attack last year, saying it was about six months until services were restored to something like full capacity and that the recovery was still going on a year after the incident.In the meantime, officials have been developing new ways to get work done. Some employees have been using laptops  either ones issued by the city or their own  and public wifi. The Finance Department developed a new system for guaranteeing that sellers would clear outstanding debts against properties, getting the real estate market moving again. And many officials have been using Gmail accounts to communicate.Googles move bears some similarity to a decision by mobile internet provider Verizon to slow down a data connection being used by firefighters in California last year as they responded to the Mendocino Complex wildfire. Verizon later acknowledged it had made a mistake(TNS)  Websites and computer programs linked to Philadelphias court system have been shut down since Tuesday afternoon, according to sources.The First Judicial District has experienced a virus intrusion on a limited number of computers," city spokesperson Mike Dunn said in a statement Thursday.To safeguard other systems, the district and the citys Office of Innovation and Technology shut down certain court IT functions to fully review and clean the operating systems, Dunn said. This is a necessary step to contain the virus.Added Dunn: This was not a data breach nor a ransomware attack. All court proceedings are taking place as scheduled.Because of the precautions, certain computer operating systems and websites  the First Judicial Districts website and the online civil docket search  have been inoperable. Online criminal dockets , which are on a statewide portal system, are still accessible.The cautionary shutdown also affected electronic programs, including the eFiling system for civil and criminal cases, used by attorneys to file pleadings, motions, and petitions. And the public Criminal Document Management System, which allows people to access court filings at public computers in the Stout Center for Criminal Justice, also has been inaccessible. People can still look at paper files.During the shutdown, court staffers have not been able to access their work email.It was not known Thursday when the computer programs and websites would be running again.Defense attorney Fortunato Perri Jr. said Thursday that his office uses the eFiling system regularly. With the system down, weve simply had our couriers delivering motions to the court, he said.Dunn said city government computers have not been impacted by the virus.The First Judicial District tweeted Wednesday: We are currently experiencing network issues with our website. We are working to restore connectivity. We apologize for the inconvenience."On Thursday, the court system tweeted notices asking people who want to file documents to be patient, saying that emergency civil filings can be made in person in Room 296 at City Hall and criminal filings can be made in person at the Office of Judicial Records in the Stout Center.Say Yes celebration at Ragsdale High (copy) In this September 2015 photo, then- Superintendent Maurice Mo Green speaks to students, faculty and community leaders as Guilford County Sch

GREENSBORO  A report from a Washington, D.C., think tank found it "almost inexplicable" how badly leaders with Say Yes to Education miscalculated how much money would be needed to fund a new "last dollar" scholarship program in Guilford County.

In its 200-page study released in June 2018, the Brookings Institution looked at the efforts and impacts of Say Yes to Education in three communities: Syracuse and Buffalo, N.Y., and Guilford County. The latest chapter in Cleveland, Ohio, which is giving out its first scholarships this year, was not included. Researchers interviewed more than 50 people, conducted focus groups and compiled and analyzed data for "Gown Towns: A Case Study of Say Yes to Education."

The Brookings Institution said the Say Yes initiative in Guilford County lost a unifying champion and cheerleader when Superintendent Maurice "Mo" Green left the district in 2016, and then suffered a second blow when they had to cut back on the scholarships being offered to students after spending around $5 million more than anticipated the first year.

"Say Yes staff blamed the school district for providing faulty data on which the modeling was based," the researchers wrote. "District staff and some other stakeholders believe the Say Yes model was too crude. Certainly, the episode has damaged the reputation of Say Yes in the county."

Chuck Cornelio, the former local Say Yes scholarship board chairman, told the News & Record in 2017 that the average payout per student  about $2,411 was more than expected, though the total number of recipients wasn't.

Say Yes Guilford has since gained local control from the national organization, while retaining ties and a good relationship, according to current Say Yes Guilford Co-Chair Mindy Oakley.

In an interview with the News & Record, Guilford County Schools Chief of Staff Nora Carr said, "Were confident that the data we provided was accurate and that everyone worked hard to make sure Say Yes was a success here. We continue to support Say Yes."

A 'last dollar' tangle

Originally, Say Yes Guilford offered what was billed as a "last dollar" tuition scholarship for eligible Guilford County Schools graduates attending a North Carolina public college or university.

The idea behind "last dollar" is that Say Yes pays the remaining balance of tuition once all other federal, state, college, and other scholarship aid is directed toward tuition, allowing students to attend tuition-free.

The less the government and schools give a student for scholarships, the more Say Yes ends up covering.

Leaders, apparently, made some assumptions that were based, in part, on how the scholarships worked in Buffalo and Syracuse.

But those communities are different from Guilford County. According to the Brookings Institution, 30 percent of families in Guilford County have incomes of more than $75,000. By comparison, the other two communities are each at about 20 percent.

"A common theme in our interviews with those involved, both at a national and local level, was "we just didnt have the data" or that the error was caused by bad data. What this seems to mean is that accurate data on the distribution of household incomes for families in Guilford County was lacking," researchers wrote.

Say Yes national staff told the Brookings Institution researchers that free and reduced K-12 lunch numbers were used in the scholarship modeling calculations. But as the study points out, that information speaks to the number of low-income families in a school district but says almost nothing about how many students are from higher income families. Such families, they said, are also more likely to send their students to four-year colleges, which are relatively more expensive.

"Our own sense is that simply analyzing the demographics of Guilford County using published census data, and assuming similar college-going rates by income as in national datasets, would have generated much more accurate figures," the researchers wrote.

Say Yes Guilford Co-Chair Robert Pompey told the News & Record that the model Say Yes national gave to the local scholarship board, based on the prior two communities, under-estimated the number of students who would get less financial aid and therefore need a larger Say Yes scholarship.

However, that's not the same thing as underestimating wealthy families, he added. There are multiple factors that the federal government uses in determining who gets federal financial assistance, he said, and it's not just wealthy people left without federal financial aid in a given year.

"You dont have to make $100,000 or $200,000 to not qualify for financial need," he said. "What drives that number would be more of your middle-class population."

Blame and hindsight

Say Yes national staff members told the Brookings Institution that Guilford should have provided better or more data to create the scholarship funding model. And some even suggested that the school district had purposely given bad data to undermine the scholarship.

Also, some of the national staff members suggested to the Brookings Institution that North Carolina colleges had reduced institutional aid to students and let the Say Yes scholarship cover any gaps left in tuition. They didn't specify which colleges.

The News & Record reached out to the county's three public colleges to ask if they had reduced their institutional aid for Say Yes students.

Spokeswomen from GTCC and UNCG said their schools had not reduced their aid.

"UNCG did not, nor will we, reduce our institutional spending so that students might receive more funding from Say Yes or any other foundation," the director of UNCG's financial aid office said in a statement. "Our goal is to help our students by having a positive working relationship with Say Yes. From the beginning we have worked diligently to assist Say Yes in their efforts to support Guilford County students."

A spokeswoman for N.C. A&T did not respond with an answer to the question.

Carr, the school district chief of staff, said that along with the data on free and reduced lunch, the school district supplied Say Yes with numbers of students who graduate, the number of students in the senior class, and local census data, including income levels in the county.

Both Carr and Superintendent Sharon Contreras belong to Say Yes Guilford's current board, but Carr has a longer involvement with the local effort.

Contreras had worked with Say Yes Syracuse in her former role as superintendent there, but was not in Guilford when the scholarship payout projections and $70 million fundraising goal were set.

By August 2016, when Contreras was sworn in as superintendent, members of the first class of Say Yes Scholars were already starting their first semester of college.

Out of the data Say Yes was looking for to inform the scholarship model, Carr said the only thing she knew of that the schools did not have at the time and could not supply was a breakdown of how many students went to college and what colleges students attended after graduating. She said the school district is now signed up to get this type of data through the National Student Clearinghouse.

She said the schools also provided surveys of students saying what colleges they expected to attend.

The whole situation shows how important local context is, she said.

"I think that's true for anything that we are trying to do in education," she said. "I think that's part of what makes it so complex."

Just as Guilford continues its efforts with the Say Yes program, the national organization is continuing its work.

Just two months after the public announcement of the overspend in Guilford County, Say Yes to Education announced that leaders in Cleveland had satisfied early requirements toward bringing the initiative there.

This January, Say Yes announced Cleveland as its fourth community-wide chapter. This year's graduating class will be the first eligible for scholarships there.

While smaller in size, Cleveland  a city school system about half the size of Guilford's county system  set a scholarship endowment goal of $125 million, much larger than Guilford's $70 million goal. And leaders there have raised $90 million in pledges and contributions. In Cleveland, there is a cap of no more than $5,000 per year in scholarships for students whose families make more than $75,000 annually. They have framed their effort as providing scholarships for the next 25 years, rather than indefinitely like Guilford planned when Say Yes launched here.

Contact Jessie Pounds at 336-373-7002 and follow @JessiePounds on Twitter.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Henry, I gotta keep it short on a lot of things, but I need you, Brown wrote in the letter, according to the search warrants. Im locked up on another one, no evidence just a finger. I go to trial in 90 days, if the finger doesnt show, I will walk. Breeding told a jury Brown noted in that letter that Talleys house was not being watched.

Brown later wrote, Fill up your tank, pull up, do it for real, get back on the highway, the search warrants said. In another section, Brown wrote, If you need a lighter, have my BM link you up with Kane. The search warrants said the word lighter is another term for a gun.

Search warrants said Ognosky received another letter dated July 9, 2018, and addressed to an Imani Vanstory, saying that prosecutors had no evidence except for a (expletive) saying that she saw my face and she watched me slump her boyfriend, looking out of a window into the parking lot of a dark (expletive) neighborhood.Tutelo-Saponi is a branch of Siouan once spoken by American Indians in central and eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. As a trade language, Tutelo-Saponi was spoken by many tribes in the region including the Occaneechi around what is now Hillsborough, and the Haliwa-Saponi tribe in Halifax and Warren counties.

Richardson said documents show that the Haliwa-Saponi tribe has been in the area since at least the 1720s. It now has about 4,000 enrolled members, mostly living around Hollister. Theyre descended from the Nansemond, Saponi and Tuscarora tribes, which came together for safety from disease and warfare after the beginning of colonization.

Of course, we know that weve been here for thousands of years, he said. A lot of our people live here, and we still own a lot of our land.

Richardson considers the tribe to be partially federally recognized because it does receive some funding from the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act, which funds their housing program.

Part of his job as director of the legacy program involves collecting oral and written histories in an effort to gain full federal recognition, which would open up more funding opportunities for ongoing language projects.It is important to educate our citizens about World War I, and about the Napervillians who were involved in The Great War, seven of whom died in service, committee co-chairman Marty Walker said. More than 300 Naperville citizens served in World War I, about 10 percent of the citys population at the time, Murtaugh Gangi said.Xiaomi sub-brand Redmi is set to unveil its first ever flagship smartphone, the K20 Pro, on May 28. This phone has been leaking like crazy, and Redmi GM Lu Weibing has been slowly drip-feeding us information about the upcoming device codenamed "Demon King".

In the latest such Weibo post, Lu Weibing reveals that the K20 Pro will have a headphone jack as well as Hi-Res Audio certification. With all this talk about the K20 Pro, we've almost forgotten that there's a non-Pro K20 coming too.

Thankfully new information from China claims to shed light on what the main difference between the two models will be, and that is the chipset. While the K20 Pro has already been officially confirmed to rock the Snapdragon 855, the K20 is allegedly going to have to settle for the recently announced Snapdragon 730, the new king of the mid-range SoCs.

While it's obviously a step down from the 855, the 730 is definitely no slouch, but its presence should allow making the K20's price even lower than the K20 Pro's. Interestingly the K20 is said to keep most of the other features of the Pro, including the 6.39" 1080x2340 touchscreen, triple rear camera setup (with a 48 MP main shooter), and 4,000 mAh battery. The K20 model purportedly shown in the very blurry image above has 6GB of RAM but there may be other versions with differing amounts as is tradition with Chinese smartphones.

Via 1 | Via 2 | Via 3As theyve gotten into the project, theres been a number of costs that were unanticipated, Lynch said. The initial project just about breaks even. Its a margin that would be leaner than most developers would accept. Without the incentive, he would not move forward with the second project. We understand the second project is not feasible without the incentives.



Haiti - Japan : Rehabilitation of the Faculty of Human Sciences 9 years later





Fils Aime Ignace Saint Fieur, Director General of the Monetary Office of Development Assistance Programs (BMPAD), in the presence of the Japanese Ambassador to Haiti Mizumo Mitsuaki, Rector of the State University of Haiti (UEH) Fritz Deshommes and members of the Administrative Council and students of the Faculty of Human Sciences (FASH), this week officially launched the rehabilitation work of the FASH heavily damaged by the earthquake of January 2010.



It should be remembered that for the past 9 years, students have been attending classes in light-structure sheds that were beginning to deteriorate badly.



With funding from the Government of Japan, as part of President Jovenel Moise's vision to modernize State-owned enterprises, including higher education institutions, and to provide students with a more modern and safer, FASH will be fully rehabilitated and strengthened.



It is the Haitian engineering firm EXECO.S.A. which has been tasked with executing the works that will last 10 months, that Japan is financing close to 70 million gourdes (69,322,659.44 Gdes) in the framework of the bilateral cooperation Haiti - Japan.



In his intervention, Fils Aime Ignace Saint Fieur recalled that the FASH had already trained several thousand students and that it was "one of the magnificent jewels of Haitian higher education" for him, there is no more beautiful ways of doing justice to the reputation of the Faculty as well as to the students who attend today and aspire, every day more to better conditions of training and existence.



HL/ HaitiLibre

















Peter Contos, a representative from Speak for Safety Illinois, is expected to present information on the Firearms Restraining Order law, while Mark Jones, a policy advisor to the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence and the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Education Center, is scheduled to speak about firearm regulations and policies. The Park Ridge Police Department will also offer information on how it is implementing new state laws and policies, according to the group.



Haiti - Justice : Gang rapes in Haiti, the LWBC recalls the duties of the State





For a week, media and some organizations denounce the gang rapes perpetrated on students leaving the University https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27800-haiti-security-female-students-victims-of-gang-rapes.html . Faced with this new form of aggression, Lawyers Without Borders Canada (LWBC) is indignated and reminds the Haitian State that the prevention, protection and care of female victims must be one of the Government's priorities. .



"Women victims should not be forced to shut up for fear of reprisal or stigmatization by public opinion, or for lack of trust in the justice system because of the many cases that go unpunished. As long as the State fails to ensure a healthy care for these women, the fight against these types of violence will not progress.



The fight against violence against women is a challenge that every society faces. It is up to the States to give themselves the means to fight this scourge which affects the woman in all her physical and psychical integrity, but also her entourage" affirms Pascal Pascal Pascal, Director General of LWBC.



LWBC reiterates the recommendations made to the Haitian State by the organization "Kay Fanm", the Office of Citizen Protection (OPC) and LWBC during their participation in the 171st hearing of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR), held in Bolivia in February 2019. In their brief "Impunity for violence against women and girls", it asks the Haitian State, inter alia, to :



Ensure the protection of women's rights and ensure the effectiveness of the right to non-discrimination;



Guarantee judicial independence and ensure that women victims of violence have access to non-discriminatory justice services and fair trials before independent and impartial judges;



Take the necessary steps to modernize the normative framework for preventing and combating violence against women and girls;



Establish an information system for the collection and processing of data on violence against women and girls, including taking into account regional disparities;



Put in place measures and infrastructure, including shelters for women victims of violence, to ensure the protection of women and girls victims of violence;



Establish communication programs to raise awareness of women's rights and the causes and consequences of violence against women and girls with a view to achieving a change in social norms.



With regard to sexual violence against female students, justice must act to bring all those involved before the competent courts. Violence against women and girls of all types and perpetrators must be punished. Victims must be provided with an integrated and adapted accompaniment for each situation in the respect and dignity concluded LWBC.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27800-haiti-security-female-students-victims-of-gang-rapes.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26067-haiti-social-campaign-on-sexual-education-violence-and-early-marriage.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25555-haiti-justice-more-than-30-rapes-of-minors-in-the-center.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24346-icihaiti-security-nearly-a-rape-on-under-18-every-3-days.htmlhttps://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23483-haiti-flash-the-protector-of-the-citizen-alarmed-and-worried.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-12579-haiti-social-gender-violence-hinders-the-development-of-the-country.html



HL/ HaitiLibre

















Rutgers-led team uses stem cell-based disease models to pinpoint gene linked to impaired memory in Down syndrome

Targeting a key gene before birth could someday help lead to a treatment for Down syndrome by reversing abnormal embryonic brain development and improving cognitive function after birth, according to a Rutgers-led study.

Using stem cells that can turn into other cells in the brain, researchers developed two experimental models  a living 3D organoid model of the brain and a mouse brain model with implanted human cells  to investigate early brain development linked to Down syndrome, according to the study in the journal Cell Stem Cell. The study focused on human chromosome 21 gene OLIG2.

Our results suggest the OLIG2 gene is potentially an excellent prenatal therapeutic target to reverse abnormal embryonic brain development, rebalance the two types of neurons in the brain  excitatory and inhibitory, and a healthy balance is critical  as well as improve postnatal cognitive function, said Peng Jiang, assistant professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick.

Usually, a baby is born with 46 chromosomes, but babies with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome 21. That changes how a babys body and brain develops, which can lead to mental and physical challenges, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition diagnosed in the United States, affecting about one in 700 babies, and about 6,000 infants are born each year with the condition.

The researchers obtained skin cells collected from Down syndrome patients and genetically reprogrammed those cells to human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Resembling embryonic stem cells, the special cells can develop into many different types of cells, including brain cells, during early life and growth and are useful tools for drug development and disease modeling, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Using brain cells derived from stem cells with an extra copy of chromosome 21, the scientists developed the 3D brain organoid model, which resembles the early developing human brain. They also developed the mouse brain model, with stem cell-derived human brain cells implanted into the mouse brain within a day after the mice were born. They found that inhibitory neurons  which make your brain function smoothly  were overproduced in both models, and adult mice had impaired memory. They also found that the OLIG2 gene plays a critical role in those effects and that inhibiting it led to improvements.

The combination of the brain organoid and mouse brain model could be used to study other neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder. It may also help scientists better understand the mechanisms in Alzheimers disease. Down syndrome patients often develop early-onset Alzheimers disease, Jiang noted.

The studys lead author is Ranjie Xu, a postdoctoral researcher in Jiangs lab. Other Rutgers co-authors include Hyosung Kim, a former post-doc in Jiangs lab; Ronald P. Hart, a professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at RutgersNew Brunswick; Zhiping P. Pang, an associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and Jing-Jing Liu, a former post-doc in Pangs lab. Scientists at the University of Texas Health Science Center, Kent State University, and University of Nebraska Medical Center contributed to the study.

Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyAt our farm, a favorite symbolic constructed design of my fathers engineering was twisted by the same violent storm winds that also uprooted a century-old stately Black Oak tree anchored along our ditch bank. Right beside this majestic oak was a beloved footbridge my dad constructed in 1983 with the help of my Uncle Swede. Located near our farm mailbox, the bridge allowed access to the adjacent fields. My older sister Pam reminded me one of the reasons our dad built this bridge decades ago was to allow an easy access for our snowmobile during the winter months.Pals Sean Little and Jordan Davis were murdered just 17 hours apart

Gardai are investigating if a young man shot dead as he pushed his baby in a buggy had fallen further into the money mire after one of the country's most dangerous gangland criminals "borrowed" 20,000 from him.

Jordan Davis (22) was shot just 17 hours after his close pal Sean Little (also 22) was murdered in a suspected gangland double-cross on Tuesday night.

Officers in Coolock are examining different theories about the Davis murder but are in no doubt that he was killed because he owed a major drugs debt.

Sources said the murder was "most likely" carried out by a young local criminal who was unmasked and escaped from the scene on a red mountain bike, which has since been recovered by gardai.

Murder

They have also received intelligence the gunman has been "boasting" about the murder, claiming that even if he is caught, he believes he "will only serve 10 years".

It can be revealed that gardai believe Davis's financial situation suffered after a notorious hitman took 20,000 in cash from him just weeks before he was gunned down.

This hitman has been arrested for the botched feud-related attempted murder of Hutch mob associate James 'Mago' Gately at Clonshaugh in 2017.

The hitman is now out of the country having fled his south inner city base in March.

"Davis was in serious financial bother and the fact that 20 grand was taken from him definitely did not help his situation," a source said last night.

"It is not known if the hitman planned to give the money he had taken from Davis back, but it meant that he had even less money to pay the gang who he owed money for drugs to, and this may well have contributed to his death."

The notorious hitman is not a suspect in the Davis murder.

The Herald can reveal that the hitman's younger brother was a very close pal of Little, who was gunned down in a laneway in Balbriggan on Tuesday night.

The hitman's brother is based in the Artane area and is a major target for officers based in Raheny and Clontarf.

Gardai are investigating if Little was shot dead by a 31-year-old Coolock criminal who has close links to feared drugs trafficker 'Mr Big'.

However, this is just one theory among many in the complicated investigation.

As in the case of the murder of his friend Davis, gardai believe that the most likely motive for Little's murder was something to do with a major drugs debt.

Little's body was found beside his own burning car near Balbriggan on Tuesday night.

The shooting happened at Rowan's Little, Walshestown, at about 11.20pm.

It is believed Little was the victim of a gangland double-cross and had been lured to the area by a close associate who set him up.

He was shot multiple times in the head, face and chest.

Little and Davis were also pals of the first gangland murder victim of 2019 - Zach Parker (22), who was shot dead as he left a gym in Swords, north Co Dublin, on the night of January 17.

Shocked

Little was so shocked over his pal's death that he briefly "called a halt" to his drug dealing and cash-gathering activities.

He even used a profile photo of himself with slain Parker on his Instagram account homepage.

"A lot of people were very upset when Zach was gunned down like that in Swords but none so much as Sean Little. He was very close to Zach. They did a lot of business together," a source said.

"It seems that Zach considered himself almost untouchable because of his relationship with Little, as he often boasted that he had links to young members of the Kinahan cartel based in the Crumlin area of the southside."Maria Bailey ran The Bay 10k three weeks after falling from the hotel swing

Fine Gael TD Maria Bailey took part in a 10km race three weeks after falling from a swing in a Dublin hotel.

The politician lodged a personal injury claim on the basis that she suffered injuries to her head, lower back and hip after falling backwards from the swing in the Dean Hotel.

It is claimed she can no longer sit or stand for long periods without experiencing pain and discomfort as a result of the incident on July 10, 2015.

Court papers say she was a "keen runner prior to the accident but could not run at all for three months post-accident and has had to reduce her activities significantly since".

Social media posts show that on August 3 she ran The Bay 10k in Dun Laoghaire in a time of 53 minutes and 56 seconds.

"Always enjoy the race never fails to impress, and also never gets easy. A few hills at the start. Well done to all involved," Ms Bailey wrote on social media afterwards.

It has also emerged that the dates recorded in her court submission are inaccurate.

Inaccurate

The papers indicate Ms Bailey was in the hotel with friends at around 9pm on Monday, July 13, 2015.

Sources close to the TD say the incident actually took place on the previous Friday evening.

The following morning, she woke up with severe back pain at 6.30am, which prevented her from getting out of bed.

A doctor was called but was not able to attend, and 45 minutes later Ms Bailey did "extricate herself" from bed with the assistance of her mother and medication.

The papers said she was "then taken to the A&E department of the Beacon Hospital, Sandyford".

"The plaintiff was in severe pain. Her jaw was swollen and her bite was off line," her lawyers say, adding that she was "stiff and sore and had a severe headache".

Ms Bailey made a number of public appearances in the days after receiving hospital treatment, including one on TV3's Ireland AM programme to discuss her experience with migraines.

At 7.52am on July 14, she posted a message on social media publicising her appearance.

Her appearance was alongside Dr Sinead Beirne and host Alan Hughes at 8.45am. She discussed suffering from excruciating headaches before discovering exercise could reduce the pain.

She also spoke at a number of other events, including a conference on migraines in South Dublin on July 15 and a Women For Election event at Google on July 17.

The next day, she attended the Longitude Music Festival, according to a Facebook post from July 18. It includes a photo and caption saying the concert was "such a laugh, great event".

The then councillor went on to be selected as a Fine Gael general election candidate on July 29.

Court papers note she could not take time off work because she was running for election. Ms Bailey was elected as a TD in February 2016.

She has brought a lawsuit against the Dean in the Circuit Court, where damages of up to 60,000 can be awarded.

She alleged that the hotel was negligent because the swing had been "unsupervised" and there were no signs to instruct patrons on how to use it safely.

Ms Bailey's lawyers said she sat on the swing and was having her photo taken by friends "when she was caused to fall backwards".

The Dean Hotel denies negligence and says that if injury was suffered, this was due to Ms Bailey's own negligence or contributory negligence.

It claims she was holding items when using the swing, restricting her ability to balance and preventing her from holding rope grips properly.A 'Green wave' has swept through polling stations across the country to put the party in major contention for three European seats.

The Greens scored 9pc in an exit poll of 3,000 voters, which is a massive jump from 1.6pc five years ago.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are tied in terms of popular support, reducing the chances of either Leo Varadkar or Micheal Martin pushing for a general election in the near future.

Sitting Green Party councillor Ciaran Cuffe is set to top the European poll in Dublin with 23pc, which will come as a massive shock to Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein.

The three largest parties are in a battle to take one of the three automatic seats with Independents4Change Clare Daly.

Former Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald is on course to finish second in the capital on 14pc.

Risk

Fianna Fail's Barry Andrews is on 12pc alongside Ms Daly.

The only sitting MEP in Dublin running for re-election, Sinn Fein's Liadh Ni Riada, is on 10pc and at serious risk of losing her seat.

As expected, Fine Gael's Mairead McGuiness will top the poll in the Midlands-North West, with the RTE/TG4 exit polls putting her on 25pc.

Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy is likely to return to Brussels with 15pc first preferences.

However, the other sitting MEP, Luke 'Ming' Flanagan, faces a battle to retain his place.

He is on 10pc behind the Green Party's newcomer Saoirse McHugh (12pc).

Ms McGuinness' running mate, Maria Walsh, is also in contention for the fourth seat on 10pc.

Independent Peter Casey is on 7pc and could feature too.

Once again, the constituency has proved a bridge too far for Fianna Fail, who will be desperately disappointed with the showing of former minister Brendan Smith and Galway TD Anne Rabbitte. They have a combined vote of just 9pc.

Nationwide, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael picked up 23pc of the vote in the local elections, while the Green Party picked up 8pc.

In the referendum on divorce, an overwhelming majority of 87pc voted in favour of easing restrictions.

Turnout at the local and European elections and the referendum was mixed across the country.

In Dublin, it was slow for most of the day, but there were reports of up to 30pc turnout in Galway and 28pc in Kerry.

Two of the 13 elected Irish MEPs face an uncertain wait as to when they can take their seats due to the Brexit delay.

Ireland has received two of the 27 places formerly reserved for the UK, which are being redistributed among 14 member states.

However, the UK is participating in the poll, with British MEPs set to attend the inaugural plenary session of the new parliament on July 2.

As a result, those elected in last place in Ireland's Dublin and South constituencies must wait to see if they can take their seats.

President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina voted yesterday morning at their local polling station at St Mary's Hospital in Dublin's Phoenix Park.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar voted at around noon at his local polling station in Castleknock.

After marking the ballot papers, he joked: "I really had to think about the transfers."

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald voted at St Joseph's School on the Navan Road.

In Cork, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin was accompanied by his wife Mary and their children Micheal A and Aoibhe, as they all cast their votes at St Anthony's Boys National School in Ballinlough.

Plebiscites

Residents on remote Atlantic islands off Donegal, Galway and Mayo cast their votes on Thursday.

Voters in Cork, Waterford and Limerick were also able to participate in plebiscites on Government proposals to create directly-elected mayors.

Counting in the local elections and divorce referendum will begin this morning.

The European election count for Ireland's three constituencies - Dublin, South and Midlands-North-West, will begin tomorrow morning at centres in Dublin, Cork and Castlebar, Co Mayo.Leo Varadkar has praised Theresa May as an "honourable and deeply passionate politician who did her best for her country".

The Taoiseach said he and the outgoing prime minister had got to know each other very well in the past two years.

"She is principled, honourable and deeply passionate about doing her best for her country and her party," he said.

"Politicians throughout the EU have admired her tenacity, her courage and her determination during what has been a difficult and challenging time.

"Theresa May strove to chart a new future for the United Kingdom. I want to wish her the very best for the future."

Dangerous

However, Mr Varadkar warned that British politics was entering a phase that could be "very dangerous" for Ireland.

He said a Eurosceptic Tory who wants to "repudiate" Britain's EU Withdrawal Agreement could replace Mrs May.

Mr Varadkar said no matter who replaced her, Ireland would hold its nerve.

Speaking after voting in the European and local elections, he said: "British politics is consumed by Brexit and will be consumed by Brexit for a very long time.

"It now means we enter a new phase when it comes to Brexit and a phase that may be a very dangerous one for Ireland.

"Whatever happens, we are going to hold our nerve, we are going to continue to build and strengthen and deepen our alliance across the European Union, and we will make sure we see Ireland through this."

He said of Mrs May: "We worked closely on issues over the past one-and-a-half years on Brexit and the North. I particularly want to pay tribute to her to agreeing to retain and strengthen the Common Travel Area.

"As a result, British and Irish citizens are able to live, work, study, travel and access health care, housing, education and welfare and pensions in each other's countries as though we are citizens of both.

"That is going to be there and protected, no matter what else may happen."A photo exhibition in memory of Chinese migrant workers' contribution to U.S. Transcontinental Railroad 150 years ago kicked off Friday at Thompson Center in Chicago.

The exhibition, "The Chinese and the Iron Road -- Building of the Transcontinental", will last for seven days at the state-owned building.

Dozens of guests and organizers attended the opening ceremony, with several exquisite pictures featuring "Building the Transcontinental", "Hiring of Laborers", "Dangerous Work Conditions" and "Chinese Migrant Workers' Contributions."

Chinese Consul-General in Chicago Zhao Jian said in the opening remarks that 150 years ago, the Transcontinental Railroad was completed with much sacrifice from Chinese migrant workers. After 150 years, the contributions they had made should never be forgotten in both Chinese and American people's minds.

"We're glad to see American Chinese community has been one of most important members in diversified American culture and society ... I hope our American Chinese community will work together promoting the development of Chicago, and also enhance exchanges and cooperation between China and the United States," Zhao said.

Zheng Zheng, chairwoman of Chinese American Association of Greater Chicago (CAAGC), said that more than 10,000 Chinese migrant workers had worked on the railroad, but their voice was seldom heard. They had not been in the history book. They had not been invited to events to celebrate the railroad.

"Today we are here to give them their voice and to give them credit in the U.S. history. And this is a day to kick off the event in Chicago to memorize the contribution of the Chinese migrants to the U.S. history," said Zheng.

The Transcontinental Railroad was completed on May 10, 1869, linking the West and the East for the first time in American history. The construction, which took six years and stretched for nearly 2,000 miles (about 3,200 km), was one of the most remarkable engineering feats of the 19th century.Robert James Johnston Moore and I sat at a table together, as we do almost every Wednesday morning, and shared prayer requests. Our prayer group is made up of five men. Not all of us get there every week, but we always pray for each other and communicate, via text message, with those not present. Today, just Jim and I showed up.

Before sharing prayer requests and checking texts for others to add to our list, I made a different request of my friend. If you dont mind, Id like to hear the story about your biological father again.

Having heard pieces of the story before, I needed a reminder, close to Memorial Day.

James Fred Johnston of Coeburn, Virginia, enlisted in the army in 1940, between the outbreak of World War II and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Sixteen years old at the time, Fred, like many patriotic young men of the day, lied about his age. Finding someone to sign for him, Fred left his heartbroken mother in Wise County and went off to fight the Japanese until the war finally ended. In five years of combat, this man/boy traveled all over the bloody theater of The Pacific War from Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands, to the Philippines.Maryland jury trials put on hold as COVID-19 surges

Maryland jury trials will be rescheduled as courts across the state revert to more restrictive protocols amid a sure in COVID-19 cases.Some of China's famed Terracotta Warriors are now on exhibit in Melbourne. It's been almost four decades since the ancient relics last went on display in the city.



The exhibition is part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces, an annual event that shows artworks from around the world. The new exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, the NGV, is on a much larger scale than the previous showing of these well-known Chinese relics.

"Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality" features eight life-size warriors, two life-size horses, and two half-size replica bronze chariots, each drawn by four horses. Gold, jade, and bronze artifacts dating back thousands of years are also showcased in the exhibition.

Sasha Grishin, an art historian from the Australian National University, traveled from Canberra to Melbourne for the chance to see these sculptures again up close. He was here when the Terracotta Warriors came to Melbourne back in 1982.

"In 1982, when the Terracotta Warriors came, that was already a very long time ago. And we had a different perspective on China. It was exotic then. Here we're looking not at the exotic, but we're looking at important art. And we're seeing China not as something out there, but China as being part of the global art community. And seeing it in the context of very important contemporary Chinese art, that's a very important development," said Sasha Grishin.

Zhou Kuiying is the deputy director of the Cultural Heritage Administration of Shaanxi Province, the home of the Terracotta Warriors. He said the exhibition can play a role in building cultural ties between China and Australia.

"Over more than 30 years, we have discovered many artifacts in China, including more Terracotta Warriors. Many of the sculptures and artifacts here today are part of the new discoveries. We hope exhibits like this will help Australians, especially young people, to understand ancient Chinese culture, and the China of today, as this can strengthen mutual trust and friendship between Chinese and Australian people," said Zhou Kuiying.

Alongside the Terracotta Warriors exhibition, the NGV is also showcasing works by the contemporary Chinese artist Cai Guoqiang. One of the highlights is an installation containing 10,000 porcelain birds, which seeks to create a scene at Mount Li where China's first emperor Qin Shihuang and his warriors were buried.

Wayne Crothers is the senior curator of Asian art at the NGV. He hopes that the two exhibitions, which contrast ancient and modern Chinese art, can create a dialogue that will inspire the public.

"We saw them as being a wonderful sort of two exhibitions to be brought together in a dialogue with each other. And also we wanted to inspire the visitors not just to view the objects as historical pieces. We wanted to let them be inspired by a great sort of contemporary mind which works in conversation, in dialogue with the historical pieces. And allow the public to be inspired and create their own type of feelings, experiences and understanding of Chinese culture itself, both past and present," said Wayne Crothers.

The organizers are looking to attract a broad audience with these exhibitions. And it is especially keen to draw in members of younger generations.

With this in mind, in the gallery's gift shop are Terracotta Warrior-themed poker cards, books specially designed for children, and more. The exhibition opens to the public on May 24 and will run until October.The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Qingdao Forum on Local Economic & Trade Cooperation opened on Friday in Jiaozhou, a county-level city under Qingdao of East China's Shandong province on Friday.



The two-day event, which includes thematic seminars, business talks and field visits, aims to consolidate the outcomes of the SCO 2018 Summit held last June in Qingdao, and further promote economic and trade cooperation among member countries.

With the theme of "Consultation, Cooperation and Benefit for All - Creating New Prospects for SCO Local Economic & Trade Cooperation," the forum drew more than 390 government officials, business leaders and academics from all the 18 countries within the SCO framework.

They discussed key issues including energy cooperation, development of regional financial centers and trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Wang Kaixuan, deputy director of the Eurasian Affairs Department at the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, said that, after 18 years of development, the SCO provided a shining example of regional economic cooperation with mutual benefits.

Wang said cooperation at the local level had become a new direction for future SCO economic and trade cooperation, and member countries were now negotiating an outline development plan in this regard.

At the SCO 2018 Summit, China supported the opening of a demonstration area in Qingdao for China-SCO local economic and trade cooperation.

Located in Jiaozhou, the core area of the demonstration area covers 61.1 square kilometers. Mayor Bi Weizhun said seven projects were currently under construction and another 13 were planned, with investment of 6.8 billion yuan and 10.57 billion yuan respectively.

Bi said a financial service center was already providing professional financial support for bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and a total of 10 organizations, including China Development Bank were currently operation under its auspices.

A committee of legal services and an international arbitration center had also been established to create a law-based business environment, Bi added.

Wang Kaixuan said the demonstration area could act as an important logistics hub connecting the SCO and the wider Asia-Pacific market, as it provides convenient land, water and air transportation, with effective links to the Port of Qingdao, the Qingdao Liuting International Airport and the CRIntermodal Qingdao center.

Vladimir Norov, secretary general of the SCO Secretariat, said that, although the SCO had already developed into a united and well-established organization with global influence, there was still great potential for expansion, especially on the economic front.

Norov noted that SCO national leaders had called for enhanced cooperation on innovation and advanced technologies, and emphasized the importance of transport development at last year's summit.

He said the demonstration area offered a good platform for deepening cooperation, adding: "It can collaborate with other SCO industrial parks and demonstration areas to promote the development of new overseas economic and trade cooperation zones, as well as large-scale international transport and logistics corridors."

An effective mechanism was needed to this end, and the SCO Secretariat was ready to make due contributions.Staying safe on the water includes making sure your boats lights are working and in the right place. Navigation lights must be turned on if the boat is in operation after sunset, with a red light displayed on the port side and a green light on the starboard side with an all around white light from the stern, according to Gleason.

In addition to life jackets, it is required by law to keep at least one fire extinguisher onboard if your boat is less than 26 feet in length. For boats at 26 feet in length and longer, multiple fire extinguishers are required, as well as a throwable flotation device.

As for jet skis, they cannot be in operation between sunset and sunrise and everyone must be wearing a life jacket and the person operating the jet ski must have the cut off switch attached to his or her person.

If you for some reason fall off, you want the jet ski to switch off, Gleason said, adding that a rogue jet ski can cause bodily injury and almost always property damage.Over the last couple of years, in many conversations, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters expressed concern that with the way things were going, prime minister Narendra Modi and the BJP would be lucky to hang on to 160-180 seats, making his continuation as PM unlikely. I disagreed, arguing I have more faith in Modi and BJP party presidents Amit Shahs electoral magic.

While I consistently predicted a Modi return, even I am stunned by the scale of the victory. Let me also be clear: my opinion, that Modi would come back big, was not based on any statistical model or scientific polling, but simply a gut instinct. That instinct told me that, unlike the genteel Rahul Gandhi of the Congress, Modi and Shah always play to win, never to come an honourable second. For one thing, the stakes, were they to have lost, were too high to contemplate.

Theres no question Gandhi had improved his game and managed to lead the Congress to some key victories in state assembly elections in the Hindi heartland last December. But the party was slow to get its electoral act in place, squandering the first two to three years and finally waking up after Gandhi was elevated to the post of party president. In the end, it was too little too late, with a diffused campaign focused on issues that failed to resonate, such as the Rafale controversy, which did not dent Modis personal appeal to many voters.

Whatever the reason, the fact is Modi won a handy re-election in the context of a struggling economy, controversy over fudged and suppressed data, clear evidence that all was not well in many sectors of the economy, to say nothing of the unresolved jobs crisis. To all of those, including me, who argued Modi urgently needed to address these issues, there is now an easy political answer: he did not have to. Modi supporters can now blithely dismiss such issues as irrelevant, or that they are urban legends propagated by an out of touch liberal elite. One Modi appointee even branded my comments on the economy as vitriolic.

The irony is this: the need for reform after yet another five years of wasted opportunities is more pressing than ever. Yet the sweeping magnitude of Modis win  campaigning on everything other than the economy  tilts the political economy heavily against any further reforms. And let us be clear. Rolling out a plethora of branded schemes and projects is no substitute for genuine structural reform even if we grant some people voted on that basis. Indeed, Modi is going to double down on his preferred model, a version of East Asian state-driven capitalism, presided over by a strong leader such as himself, his exemplars being Singapore and Malaysia.

But, we know such a model cant work in a large, complex, and principally private sector-driven economy such as India. The truth is, after 1991, and through the late 1990s, the PV Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee governments unshackled Indias private sector and laid the foundations for what we have today.

These reforms, now well in the past, are nowhere nearly enough to sustain growth, as the data themselves reveal. India cant possibly even dream about double digit growth without further fundamental reform, especially of labour markets, financial markets, and greater privatisation of public sector undertakings  to say nothing of simplifying the Goods and Services Tax into a single rate with minimal exemptions. This was one of the Congress partys more sensible manifesto ideas, and Modi would do well to stick true to form and pluck the best ideas of his defeated predecessors.

But, I wouldnt hold your breath, as the people have spoken. It affirms to Modi that all of his choices in his first term were correct: including whimsical policy measures such as demonetisation or fielding a terror-accused as a Lok Sabha candidate. This is going to be Modis New India.

Rupa Subramanya is a Mumbai economist

The views expressed are personalThe Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC), opening in Beijing on May 15, has produced 26 outcomes, including the 2019 Beijing Consensus of CDAC, the event's organizer said Friday.



Participants of the CDAC agreed in the 2019 Beijing Consensus that diverse civilizations should respect each other in a spirit of inclusiveness and mutual learning and conduct more extensive and in-depth dialogue, exchanges and cooperation, according to a press release from the CDAC organizer.

During the event, China and Asian countries have agreed on cooperation projects in various areas such as cultural heritage conservation, translation of classic literature, joint film and TV production, the statement said.

The participants also signed a number of multilateral and bilateral cooperation documents in areas such as support for young scholars, cooperation among think tanks and joint development of culinary cultures.

Several reports were published during the event, including reports on Asia's role in global governance, awareness of Asian civilizations and tourism cooperation.At the age of 85, most people would slow down, go on cruise vacations and spend time with their grandchildren. But Madhur Jaffrey, the New York-based grande dame of Indian cooking, who has opened up the intricate world of Indian food to generations of people in the west, author and an actress who won a Silver Bear at the Berlinale for her first film  Shakespeare Wallah  in 1965, is showing no signs of retiring.

What is retirement?, she asks seated in the buzzing Indian restaurant Saar, located in Manhattans theatre district. Retirement is when you get pension and you do nothing. Why would you want to do nothing?

Earlier this month Jaffrey released her 30th cookbook  Instantly Indian Cookbook: Modern and classic recipes for the Instant Pot. The Instant Pot is a modern day electric pressure cooker  first introduced in 2010 in Canada, with electronic buttons and settings for different kinds of foods. The market is flooded with cookbooks for the Instant Pot. Already some clever authors have cashed into this booming market with books on cooking Indian food using the pot. But Jaffrey took her time, tested her recipes using the pot. And she acknowledges that the Instant Pot is not a miracle cooking machine.

There has to be a trial and error period, she warns. You have to work with the pot, play with it to get perfect results, she says. I didnt want my gobi or my fish to be overdone. In any case many Indian dishes require some basic steps before the Instant Pot is put to use. Rice, for instance has to be soaked and drained before it is cooked in the pot. Nahin to bilkul al dente aati hai, aur kaun Hindustani al dente rice khata hain? (Otherwise it comes al dente, and which Indian eats al dente rice?)

Fifty years ago she began giving cooking lessons in New York City and writing cookbooks (she started working on her first book An Invitation to Indian Cooking in 1969) because she says she was getting awful acting jobs. Writing was a necessity for her since she had to support her three young daughters after her divorce from the late actor Saeed Jaffrey. Later she had a popular cooking show on BBC.

After all these years she still has this grandmotherly approach in speaking to her readers, many of whom might be attempting to cook Indian food for the first time.

Earlier this month Jaffrey released her 30th cookbook  Instantly Indian Cookbook: Modern and classic recipes for the Instant Pot. The market is flooded with cookbooks for the Instant Pot. Already some clever authors have cashed into this booming market with books on cooking Indian food using the pot. But Jaffrey took her time, tested her recipes using the pot. And she acknowledges that the Instant Pot is not a miracle cooking machine.

Many of the recipes have more ingredients than you may be used to using, she writes in the introduction to the book. Dont let it worry you. I did not want to dumb down Indias authentic tastes for this book. Remember that Indian food is as great as it is because of its magical use of spices.

Two months ago Jaffrey played a different kind of grandmother. The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London trained actress appeared in a video called Nani, by a young Indian American rapper Mr Cardamom, aka Zohran Mamdani. In the video Jaffrey appears as a smoking, four-letter mouthing grandmother who wears a long white wig (the last time she wore a white wig was when she played Shashi Kapoors royal mother in the 1983 Merchant Ivory production Heat and Dust), with makeup inspired by Goddess Kali. Mamdani  son of the filmmaker Mira Nair and Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani, made the video as a tribute to his maternal grandmother, Praveen Nair, the founder of the Salaam Baalak Trust.

The video is mostly shot in the South Asian working-class neighbourhood of Jackson Heights in New York City. Jaffreys nani responds to her son who is scolding her by saying Im the best damn nani that you have ever seenIm the number one nani, dont f**k with me.

Jaffrey had no issue with the f-word in the video even though she does not think she has ever spoken it before in her long acting career. But then I have played Lady Macbeth and Medea where I kill my children, she says. That was hard. This was much easier.

If there was a challenge it had to do with Mamdanis rapping. He raps very fast and it was my lip movement and his voice. And she had to learn to keep up with the beat. For that she took guidance from her violinist husband Sanford Allen.

The rap video has gone viral and her grandchildren now consider her cool. She is getting more offers to play grandmothers roles in films. There was even a recent Disney animation project Mira, Royal Detective, an animated mystery-adventure series for preschoolers.

She has had a good life that continues to surprise her with interesting opportunities. There are no regrets. Its a life I wanted, I chose it, she says. Physically I am not that strong but mentally I am very determined.Over the last 25 years, I have taught at seven schools in seven countries  from Canada to India, Singapore to Germany. Ive learnt a lot about what it takes to be a great teacher and run a great school  most of all from my students.

Here are five things my students taught me.

1. Textbooks are less than half the story

What are you going to teach me that I cant learn from a book? What a question! This was asked by Maya, a 16-year-old girl from California, who walked up to me on my first day working at Pearson United World College and introduced herself as one of my physics students.

Over the next two years, I stopped using a textbook entirely, unless I was sharing readings from literature or journals about the applications of the physics we were studying. Textbooks are a wonderful resource, but they are not a teacher.

2. A classroom needs to be a team

There is no point starting a class full of 16-year-olds on Newtons laws if they dont trust each other enough to share a doubt. For the first few weeks with a new class Im not interested in teaching physics or any subject content at all; Im interested in learning what the students interests, needs and preferences are. After that I can begin to build trust between everyone so that we can all make mistakes in front of each other and learn from them. This will not happen if judgment, certainty and blame come ahead of curiosity, collaboration and compassion.

Creating a team out of your students and teaching them how to learn together is the key to their success, and it took me teaching at two schools to recognise that.

3. Silence is the opposite of golden

It didnt take long to learn that there were plenty of kids in the room who were smarter than me. This is one of the reasons why most learning in a classroom occurs between the children. Children dont learn by having a teacher at the front of the room talking at them; if a teacher is talking for 90 per cent of the lesson, then you can be sure that the children are only thinking for 10 per cent of it. These percentages need to switch because it is only when students are engaged in thinking that they will learn. Quiet classrooms are a picture of obedience, not a picture of learning.

4. Subjects dont matter, skills do

In 25 years of teaching, I have had perhaps 20 of my students go on to study physics, perhaps another 75 or so study engineering. I have seen a lot of teachers teach like theirs is the only subject that counts, but at the end of the day I know that most of my students are not going to study science. Once a teacher understands this, she or he needs to be able to see what is really important for the students to learn.

I stopped using a text book in class, unless I was sharing readings from literature or journals about the applications of physics

As a science teacher, I want them to learn the skills of thinking; questioning, hypothesising, experimenting, data collection, analysis, synthesis, data presentation, pattern recognition and evaluation. The subject content becomes the medium through which these skills are developed.

5. Teachers teach even when theyre not teaching

Students notice everything! You dont have to sit through many end of year 12th Class revues to realise that the students spot everything that is going on in school; every relationship, every disappointment, every professional jealousy and certainly every gait, tick, catchphrase and accent. This leads to some very funny observations of (usually) their favourite teachers, but it also leads to the realisation that you have taught them so much more that what was on your lesson plan. While watching you go about your business as a teacher, they have learned how to treat and respond to others, how to share and communicate, how to handle their parents and other teachers and how to respond when things dont go perfectly.

This is how important it is to have the right people teaching, because teachers are some of the most significant adult influencers in the lives of children. As well as teaching physics, my job is teaching each student to be a better person for everyone on their team in the future.

(Author bio: Matthew Raggett is the headmaster of The Doon School and the author of How your Child can Win in Life: The Doon Schools Headmaster on Raising Kids who Love to Learn)

From HT Brunch, May 26, 2019

Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch

Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunchThe Kashmir valley witnessed a complete shutdown for the second consecutive day on Saturday over the killing of top militant leader Zakir Musa in a gunfight with security forces on Thursday night.

Musa, who was instrumental in setting up an Al Qaeda affiliate, Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind in India, had been on the radar of security forces, according to the police.

For the second day, restrictions were imposed in the old city and additional security forces were deployed in sensitive areas.

Mobile internet services were snapped soon after the killing. However, in the afternoon internet was restored in some parts of the city and town.

Shops and business establishments remained closed across Kashmir and less traffic was visible on roads.

The administration has closed schools and colleges in the Valley fearing widespread protests over the killing of the top commander. Train services also remained suspended for the second day.

On Thursday, evening restrictions were imposed in parts of old city and south Kashmir. People observed a spontaneous shutdown in places where restrictions were not imposed.

On Friday separatist leader and Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Geelani had asked people to observe a strike for the second day.

Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were deployed in large numbers at many places in Srinagar to prevent a 2016-like situation.Kashmir had witnessed violent protests following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. Over 100 people lost their lives during four months of clashes with security forces.

Musas killing is being termed by security officials a huge success as he was one of the top surviving commanders active in south Kashmir. After his killing only Hizbul Mujahideen operational commander Riyaz Naikoo is the most wanted commander in Kashmir.Just 724 women contesting in an election in which 8,049 candidates were in the fray says it all. Women are coming out in droves to vote, outnumbering men in many states, but when it comes to getting a slice of the electoral pie, they are on the margins. The Congress, though beaten fair and square, put up the maximum number of women at 54, followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 53. Though she is not known to espouse womens causes, Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party fielded 24 women, the Trinamool Congress 23, the CPI (M) 10, the CPI four and the Nationalist Congress Party a dismal one. As many as 222 women contested independently.

It is ironical that despite the massive women voter turnout, only 78 won. It is cold comfort that this is marginally better than the 61 women who won in 2014 and the 59 who made it to the 2009 Lok Sabha. Among the women who came up trumps are the BJPs Smriti Irani who did the seemingly impossible and wrested the Gandhi family seat from the party president, Rahul Gandhi.

But the fact remains that despite women winning against all odds, gender issues are rarely, if ever, discussed by political parties, either during campaigns or while in office. Whenever parties target women voters, it is always with the same condescending distribution of sarees, sewing machines, food processors and promises of money. It is never about substantial issues like economic empowerment in the form of rural start ups, or employment generation. As the new government begins its onerous task of getting down to business, it will have to grapple with many big ticket items from internal security to the economy. The mandate that Modi has got will make it easier for him to push his ministers to take up womens issues with much greater focus than in his first term.

For the gender agenda to get the prominence it deserves, proactive and dynamic ministers must be chosen for the human resource development and women and child portfolios. Traditionally, many political heavyweights have quailed at the prospect of being given these ministries as they are seen as lightweight ones. I remember a former woman minister who was so angry when she was given charge of women and child development that she refused for a while to go to office. When she finally did, it was to come out with family planning slogans like One is fun, two will do and so on.

The first thing the Modi government should in the area of gender is to tackle the jobs crisis which has affected women across the board. There is a crisis of jobs all around in India and this is more acute in the case of women who often lack the education and skills to compete. We have been stuck in this crippling loop for too long. But perhaps, the new ministers need to look at this from a different perspective. For example, in rural areas where retention in schools is a problem, there should be efforts to visit these areas and discuss the kind of jobs that women can get if they have the right educational qualifications. A United Nations study in which recruiters for the business processing industry went to villages outside Delhi to provide information to women and advertise jobs for those with a secondary school education is informative. There was an improvement in school enrolment, particularly in courses that would be beneficial to secure the jobs on offer, among them English and computer literacy. The spin-offs were huge and heartening. Girl children got better nutrition, there were delays in marriage age and child bearing and economic independence for the girls who benefited.

Many parents who stop their girls from going to school or who pull them out early are not aware of the returns they could get from educating them. We need to make available information on what jobs educated women from rural areas can get, how their public mobility can be made safer and also utilise credible role models for young women.

The next HRD minister should be out there in rural areas at least once a month to motivate women to get educated, for families to invest in educating the girl child and to encourage women to get jobs, if possible locally. Education is a state subject but when the push comes from the Centre, the states will find it difficult not to match the initiative.

lalita.panicker@hindustantimes.comThe Congress finds itself in a familiar place.

And it seems to be reading from an equally familiar, if tired script.

Two senior leaders have voiced disagreement with how the campaign was run; party president Rahul Gandhis offer to resign was unanimously rejected by the Congress Working Committee; and the partys district chief in Amethi has taken responsibility for the party presidents loss from the Gandhi family pocket borough, and resigned.

As always, accountability flows bottom-up in Indias Grand Old Party

The Congress finds itself in a familiar place.

Others have been here before it. Among political parties, for instance, the Bharatiya Janata Party has.

It was all but decimated in the 1984 Lok Sabha elections, winning just two seats. The numbers went up to 85 in 1989; 182 in 1998 when it formed its second government (the first, in 1996 lasted just 13 days; this lasted 13 months); fell to 138 and 116 in the UPA years; and then soared to 282 in 2014 and 303 in 2019.

The Congress, with 206 seats of its own in 2009, has seen the number fall to 44 in 2014, and rise marginally to 52 in 2019.

A lot has been written about the BJPs revival in the Advani-Vajpayee years  around the twin strands of Hindutva (especially the Ram temple movement), and alliances. What will it be for the Congress?

The Congress finds itself in a familiar place; it is a place in which companies regularly find themselves.

The companies have an easy solution which actually seems to work  they change the top team, starting with the CEO. Change is always frightening, but the companies that effect such changes know that the impact of not changing could be much worse (even if it appears marginally better optically, like a 44 turning into a 52, for instance).

Then, if the Congress is, as its opponents uncharitably suggest, and some of its own members embarrassedly admit, a family firm, changing the top team isnt an option.

Strangely enough, family-managed companies  India has a lot of them  have the answer to this too. They separate ownership from management. They professionalise. They empower a new team to change things. It is naive to expect that all qualities and abilities required to run and lead a company are resident in one limited genetic pool, and the good companies realise this. The ones that dont, suffer. What did the Congress do? In the finest tradition of not-so-well managed family enterprises, ahead of the elections, it parachuted Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra into a senior position, effectively making her No 3 in the party.

But where do they find leaders? After all, if the Congress party is to be believed, it is very difficult to find leaders. Smart companies look within. They look at unlikely alternatives. They look at young people. And if that doesnt help, they look without.

A digression may be in order here. Narendra Modi, who has just won a second term as Prime Minister, is the tallest leader in the BJP today, but that wasnt always the case. In old photographs of Advani filing his nomination in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Modi is in the margins. As is, in some photographs, current BJP President Amit Shah. Both worked their way up the ranks  and their party allowed them to. Their party also had the organisational strength to support them and while much has been said of how the BJPs organisation is stronger than the Congress (this is probably true), the BJP is actually a far younger party than the Congress. Almost every state in India (some of the newer states are exceptions) has, at least once since independence, had a Congress chief minister. That cant be said for the BJP. So, why is the Congress weak organisationally?

In contrast, the Congress hasnt really groomed young leaders. In December, when an opportunity presented itself to the party to opt for change and pick young chief ministers in both Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh (Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan and Jyotiraditya Scindia in Madhya Pradesh had also worked hard to ensure the partys success in the elections), it looked the other way. It won one seat in Madhya Pradesh and none in Rajasthan in the Lok Sabha elections. And the partys top decision making body, the Congress Working Committee, has a constancy thats almost frightening.

All the Congress has to do to start the process is to answer two fundamental and related questions. One, what does it stand for? This has to be more than the partys heritage or its long association with one family. In at least two conversations with Hindustan Times, Congress President Rahul Gandhi has said that his partys core philosophy is to stand with the underprivileged, disenfranchised, and the wronged. Maybe thats a good place to start.

The second question is: what is its purpose? Does it have a larger purpose revolving around the country and its people? Its not just the leadership of the party that has to ask itself these questions; everyone throwing in their lot with it should. To succeed electorally, the two answers should be relevant and salient to the electorate.

The Congress finds itself in a familiar place. It has to decide whether it wants to find itself there again in 2024.

letters@hindustantimes.com

.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONWho won on Thursday? The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or, more accurately, Narendra Modi? And how should we describe the new India that Modi believes was born from this mandate? The first question is easy to answer. The second, perhaps because its interpretative, is more controversial.

I have no doubt the result is a huge endorsement of Narendra Modi himself. Look at the new political map of India and youll understand why. First, five months ago the Congress won Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. On Thursday, Modi reclaimed those states. He took every seat in Rajasthan, all but one in Madhya Pradesh and was two short of a full house in Chhattisgarh. December was clearly a vote against the BJP. Thursday was the triumph of Narendra Modi.

The same picture emerges from Bihar and Gujarat. In 2014, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 31 in Bihar. Now they have won 39. Nitish Kumar was the loser in 2014 but Modi was on the winning side both times. Eighteen months ago, the Congress thought it had dented the BJP in Gujarat. This time, when the country was voting for Modi, he won all 26 of the states seats. Once again, the result in both these states is a vote of faith in one man, Modi.

A year ago, the Congress cobbled together a coalition in Karnataka and thought it would win most of the Lok Sabha seats in 2019. Instead, Modi won 25 out of 28 with a vote share of 55%. And now can we doubt this heralds his partys entry into south India? It has won 4 seats in Telangana and appreciably boosted its vote share to nearly 20%. Could this be its second home in the south?

No doubt the BJPs formidable organisation played a significant role in winning 18 seats in West Bengal and 8 in Orissa. But can anyone deny that Modi was the man the voters had in mind when they pressed the EVM button?

Modi, consequently, has elevated himself to a pantheon of prime ministers comprising Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Hes risen above prime ministers such as Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Rajiv Gandhi. Which brings me to the new India he believes this mandate has unveiled. What is its identity?

First, the Nehruvian concept of a land of multiple religions, castes, ethnicities, languages and cultures  a nation of rich diversity  held together by a unifying, secular, federal state is slipping into history. Its believers have been pushed to the political peripheries of the country. At the centre, theres a new definition of India. This one is essentially Hindu, with a unitary civilisation, not one composed of different cultures, where minorities merge with the mainstream and the country seeks strength and international recognition through its Hindu character.

Modis admirers claim this is a truly indigenous vision of India. Nehrus, they say, was elite and western. Perhaps, though Im not sure I agree. What is undeniable, however, is that Modis India is more aspirational and less dependent and it is turning its back on feudal or upper class entitlement.

Finally, three questions that cry out for answers. If today Muslims and, perhaps, Dalits are nervous or even fearful, will the new India reassure them? Will difference and dissent, by which we once defined ourselves, be despised and silenced? Will Sangh Parivar voices  including BJP Members of Parliament and its governors  say hateful things which the government tolerates?

It all depends on Narendra Modi. In this new India, hes the only person who counts. At least, for now.

Karan Thapar is the author of Devils Advocate: The Untold Story

The views expressed are personal

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONA 35-year-old man allegedly beat a street dog to death for biting his wife near their home in north Delhis Mukundpur on Thursday night, police said.

The incident was captured on camera by local residents who then approached the police. The police booked the man under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The man, identified as Raj Kumar, works in the transport sector and has been arrested.

We have registered a case at Bhalswa Dairy police station and arrested the man, Gaurav Sharma, deputy commissioner of police (outer-north), said.

The DCP said that the sequence of events leading to the alleged killing began with Kumars wife walking her pet dog in a street near the couples house on Thursday night.

According to Kumar, a street dog attacked their pet dog, prompting the woman to defend the pet. The street dog then went on to bite his wife too, the DCP said. The woman then returned home and complained to her husband, Kumar then left the house with a stick and beat the dog to death, he added.

A video shot by a local resident on his mobile phone showed Kumar thrashing the dog with a stick even as another street dog tried to approach multiple times.

Another local resident, who was among those who approached the police with a complaint, alleged that the situation had only arisen after Kumars wife pelted stones at the street dog. We tried to save the dog, but the man wouldnt listen to us, the resident said.A 24-year-old man from Kerala who was travelling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to New Delhi by Saudi Airlines, was arrested after he unzipped in front of a woman cabin crew who tried to stop him from lighting a cigarette on board the aircraft on Tuesday. According to the police, the man, Abdul Shahid Shamsudeen, a resident of Kottayam in Kerala, was on board the Saudi Airlines aircraft when he allegedly attempted to smoke.

As told by others present in the plane, when a woman cabin crew asked the man to put the cigarette back, he refused and abused her verbally. When the woman called other cabin crew members for assistance, the man created a ruckus and allegedly unzipped his pants and made obscene gestures at her, said an officer, who is not authorised to speak to the media, said.

The flight crew reported the incident to the airport operations control centre and the Central Industrial Security Force personnel were alerted. As soon as the flight landed, the man was detained and escorted to the IGI Airport police station by the CISF men. He was handed over to the Delhi Police for further legal action, the officer said.

Deputy commissioner of police (IGI Airport) Sanjay Bhatia said they arrested the man and booked him for under IPC section 354 (molestation) and 509 (using word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman under section 509. Police said that the man works as an electrician and had visited Saudi Arabia on work visa a few months ago.CM Of Assam congratulates Assam Board students

Chief minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal tweeted to congratulate the studdents. Heartiest congratulations to all successful candidates of Assam HS Examination 2019. May this milestone inspire you to pursue and fulfil your dreams. My best wishes.

Heartiest congratulations to all successful candidates of Assam HS Examination 2019.



May this milestone inspire you to pursue and fulfill your dreams. My best wishes.  Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) May 25, 2019

Candidates can check their result on mobile app

AHSEC has introduced a mobile app named Upolobdha to check Assam HS final result. Click here to download the AHSEC app

Assam HS Result 2019: AHSEC website crashed

Assam Board has declared results of higher secondary or class 12th exam of all streams. Over 2.2 lakh candidates had appeared for the exam. Due to heavy traffic, the AHSEC website at ahsec.nic.in has been crashed. Candidates can check their results using other third party websites. Check list of websites of third party websites here.

Assam 12th HS Result 2019: Check your scores via SMS

Candidates can check their scores through SMS

Type ASSAM12ROLLNUMBER

Send it to 56263

Your Assam HS Result 2019 and marks will be sent to you in your inbox

Assam Board HSE Result 2019: Arts, Commerce, Science results out

Candidates can check their results of arts and commerce and science streams now. Assam Board has declared the results of all the streams on its official website.

Assam Board Result 2019: List of websites to check result

Candidates can check their results on the official website of AHSEC at ahsec.nic.in or try logging in using these websites:

sebaonline.org

assamonline.in

resultresultsassam.nic.in

examresults.net

indiaresults.com

eduassam.com

Check full list here

Assam Board 12th HSE Result declared

Assam Higher Secondary Education Council(AHSEC) has on Saturday, May 25 declared the results of Class 12 or HSE examination. Students who have appeared in the exam can check their results on the official website. Check your scores at ahsec.nic.in.

Assam Board result shortly. Know the 2018 toppers

In just few minutes, Assam Board results will be released. Sampriti Rajkhowa of Ramanuj Junior College in Nagaon topped the humanities stream scoring 487 marks out of 50.Amar Singh Thapa from Abdul Hasib Higher Secondary School in Hojai came first in the science stream scoring 486 marks.Raunak Lohia of Geetanjali Junior College, Nagaon came first in the commerce stream with 474 marks.

Assam Board HSE Result 2019 soon

In less than an hour, Assam board will declare the results of class 12th or HS exam. Candidates can check their results at ahsec.nic.in after 9 am

Assam Board HSE Result: Last years pass percent

Last year, the Assam board HSE results were declared on May 31 and the pass percentage in humanities stream was 90.77, 85.74 in science and 84.64 in commerce.

Check Assam Board Result online at ahsec.nic.in

Assam Board class 12th exam candidates can check their Higher Secondary result online at ahsec.nic.in. There are several other websites too, where the result can be checked. Click here to check the list

2.2 lakh candidates had appeared for Assam Board exam

This year around 2.2 lakh candidates had appeared for the AHSEC class 12th exams who will get their results today at 9 am.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONTwo personnel of Assam Rifles were killed and four critically injured when a truck they were travelling in was ambushed by suspected militants of the NSCN (Khaplang) in Nagalands Mon district on Saturday, officials said.

An official of the Assam Rifles familiar with the details of the incident said the attack happened between Toba and Ukha in Mon district close to the Myanmar border at around 1.20 pm on Saturday.

The Assam Rifles party which came under attack was travelling to relieve another party which has been involved in operations on the Myanmar border, this official said.

Two personnel have died while another four have been critically injured after the vehicle they were travelling in came under fire, said Thavaseelan K, Deputy Commissioner, Mon.

According to the Assam Rifles official, the injured have been evacuated to the Air Force Hospital in Jorhat in Assam. No insurgent group has so far claimed responsibility. However, NSCN (Khaplang), the major Naga insurgent outfit which operates out of Myanmar is the prime suspect. The group is not part of the ceasefire agreement with Centre.

We suspect it is most likely the Yung Aung faction of the NSCN (K) which is behind this attack, the Assam Rifles official said. The Khango Konyak faction is also a suspect but it is unlikely since they have now joined the talks with the Government of India, this official said.

Khango Konyak, the former chairman of the NSCN(K) who was ousted as the group split in the middle belongs to Mon district. Earlier this year, Khango Konyak faction joined the working committee of the Naga National Political Groups which is engaged in talks with Government of India simultaneously with the NSCN(I-M).

Anti-India insurgent outfits including the NSCN(K) which are operating out of Myanmar are feeling the heat since the Myanmar Army started an offensive earlier this year targeting the camps of these outfits in the Naga Self Administered Zone.

As the Myanmar Army has launched an offensive, we have also beefed up operations on our side to make sure insurgents do not infiltrate, the Assam Rifles official said.Tibetan alpine rescuers successfully rescued an Australian climber experiencing critical health problems at an altitude of 7,500 meters on the northern slope of Mount Qomolangma  known as Everest in the West  according to the Tibet Mountaineering Association.



The stranded climber was discovered Wednesday at 7 pm by a four-person mountaineering crew from the Tibet Himalaya Expedition Co on their way back from repair work.

On their journey they found the climber in a state of physical exhaustion, out of consciousness, and in critical condition.

The team reported the situation to Qomolangma Base Camp, and the liaison officer ordered the team to assist the climber's descent, also directing six other mountaineers to facilitate the rescue.

The climber was brought to an altitude of 7,028 meters Wednesday night, and for safety concerns, the team stayed one night at this location.

On Thursday morning the climber was then brought to a camp at an altitude of 6,500 meters, the association's general secretary, Pema Trinley, said.

The association sent ten locals and one riding yak for support, and the climber was transferred to the 5,200-meter base camp by 4 am Thursday. He was sent to Gyrong Port by midnight, which he left Friday morning in good condition, Trinley said.

This year, the region started its annual spring mountain climbing activities in early April, and since then 144 overseas and 12 domestic climbers have been approved to attempt to conquer the mountain.

According to the latest information from the Tibet Himalaya Expedition Co, by Thursday morning, 12 climbers from the company and 21 mountaineering guides successfully reached the summit of the mountain from the northern slope.

Tsering Samdrub, general manger of the company, said with significant training long for 43 days, 12 Chinese climbers made it to the summit.

"The weather on Thursday was so nice. Thanks to this, the climbers were all in very good condition," said Tsering Samdrub, commander-in-chief of ongoing spring climbing.

"Hampered by weather factors this year, the final climbing period to the summit was later than the previous year, and climbers from different countries all take this opportunity to complete their climbing," said Samdrub.

Samdrub also said more than 200 climbers are huddled together, which has led to one-two hour postponements of climbing times.

"After from the Chinese climbers who made it to the summit, eight climbing teams from countries such as Russia and India are ready to conquer the summit."YSR Congress party president and chief minister-designate of Andhra Pradesh Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Sunday afternoon.

Jagan Reddy, who registered a landslide victory in the assembly elections on Thursday, will fly to New Delhi at 10.30 am and after a brief stay at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan, he will drive down to the Prime Ministers Office to meet Narendra Modi at 12 noon.

A YSRC leader familiar with the development said that the meeting was a courtesy call but Reddy will also discuss problems confronting the new government in Andhra Pradesh with the Prime Minister. He further added that close associates like V Vijay Sai Reddy, state chief secretary L V Subrahmanyam will also be present at the meeting.

At the YSRC meeting held in Tadepalli, Amravati, former minister and MLA Botsa Satyanarayana proposed the name of Jagan as YSRCP leader, making way for Jagans swearing-in as the new chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. He was unanimously elected as the YSR Congress Legislature Party leader at the meeting.

The resolution was supported by several other senior YSRCP leaders like Dharmana Prasada Rao, Rajanna Dora, Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, Adimulapu Suresh, K Parthasarathi, Mustafa, R K Roja, Alla Nani, Kona Raghupathi, and P Vishwaroop among others.

Jagan Reddy thanked the voters, party leaders and workers while addressing the party legislature. He said that the targets for 2019 have been achieved and now the party workers must aim to get a much larger verdict in 2024 while sustaining this lead.

This is a historic win which will be written in golden letters in the annals of the state. God has scripted this history. It proves that He shall not forgive those who indulged in irregularities and corruption. TDP, which had poached 23 of our party MLAs, ended up with just 23 MLAs and paid penalty for its misdeeds, he said taking a swipe at outgoing CM and TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu.

According to party leaders, the YSRC chief will be sworn in as the new chief minister of Andhra Pradesh at a public ceremony to be held at the Indira Gandhi municipal stadium on Bandar Road in Vijayawada at 10.30 am on May 30. The swearing-in timing has been set according to the muhurtam fixed by Visakha Sarada Peetham seer Swamy Swaroopanandendra Swamy.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONAfter the Congress rout in Rajasthan, the biggest question doing the rounds in state politics is: Will Ashok Gehlot go as chief minister for failing to win even a single seat for the party in Lok Sabha election?

Some senior BJP leaders are indicating that the Congress government in the state may also be in danger, claiming that some Congress legislators were in touch with the BJP to switch sides.

Gehlot came under attack from BJP leaders who mocked him for failing to win even Jodhpur, his home ground, for his son. Former home minister Gulab Chand Kataria said during a press conference in Udaipur on Friday that Gehlot will be removed by the Congress central leadership for failing to win even his pocket borough.

I am sure the Congress high command will ask him to go, Kataria said.

Another senior BJP leader, Rajendra Rathore, said the political winds in the state could blow in some other direction soon. When a ship begins to sink, its inhabitants jump out. The Congress ship in Rajasthan has sunk with the loss in all 25 (Lok Sabha) seats. I am sure Rajasthan is headed for political change, he said.

Former education minister Vasudev Devnani also indicated a change in the state government. Some Congress MLAs are in touch with us. You never know what is there in store for Rajasthan, he said in Ajmer on Friday.

The Congress has 100 MLAs in a House of 200 members, and the BJP, 73. The Congress government enjoys support of 12 Independent legislators also.

Meanwhile, there were murmurs with the Congress ranks, too, about a possible change of guard in the state.

Its a myth that Gehlot saab is a big leader. The party has never won under his leadership. His son, Vaibhav Gehlot, has lost even in Sardarpura, Ashok Gehlots constituency, said a leader on condition of anonymity.

Congress general secretary in charge of Rajasthan, Avinash Pande, however, played down the issue of change of guard in the state.

He said the loss is a collective responsibility of the party and no one individual could be blamed for it.

We need to sit and introspect on what went wrong  whether there was problem at the level of individuals or whether there was a systemic issue. Dont jump to conclusion before the discussions, he said.

Meanwhile, some local TV reports in Rajasthan suggested that the Congress may be considering making Ashok Gehlot a working president. There was however no clarity on who will be his successor.A day after the Congress stood a distant second in Delhi, losing all seven Lok Sabha seats by more than two lakh votes each, former chief minister and the states party president Sheila Dikshit put up brave face, saying the party would now go into the preparatory mode for the assembly polls.

Asserting that there was no chance of writing off the Congress from Delhis politics, Dikshit said the party would look at where it went wrong, try to correct them and come back stronger for the next elections.

The margins of loss have been very huge, which means something did not work. We will see what needs to be corrected, she told HT on Friday.

Dikshit,81, lost to the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJPs) Manoj Tiwari from North East Delhi by over 3.5 lakh votes.

The partys stalwarts, former Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken who contested from New Delhi and former MP JP Agarwal, the partys candidate from Chandni Chowk, also lost by more than two lakh votes. The partys South Delhi candidate, professional boxer Vijender Singh, ended a distant third, getting just over 13% votes and losing his deposit.

The partys performance though improved from the 2014 parliamentary elections.

Dikshit said she would work with party functionaries to chalk out a strategy for the assembly elections, where the direct competition, unlike the Lok Sabha polls, would be with the AAP.

When you go into a state election, you compete with the government of the day. But what we can see is that the atmosphere that was there in favour of AAP has not gone up since, she said.

Reacting to AAP writing off the Congress as contenders in Delhi, Dikshit said the Congress had too much history behind it to ever be wiped out in any state.

How can a new party like AAP ever compare themselves with the Congress? We have a history of building the nation. This party has contributed to the independence struggle, she said.

Dikshit, while agreeing that the (Narendra) Modi wave swung voters towards BJP, said, We cannot deny the wave but that does not mean we do not think about what mistakes were made from our end. We will analyse them and come back stronger, she said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONA Delhi court on Friday dismissed an application moved by BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy in which he had sought directions to the police to produce a 2016 vigilance enquiry report on the role of police officers probing the Sunanda Pushkars death case.

Special CBI Judge Arun Bhardwaj said that mere filing of a PIL for a thorough probe into the murder case does not give him the right to move an application for ascertaining if all the shortcomings pointed out in a vigilance inquiry have been considered by the police before the filing of charge sheet.

The court noted that though the provision in CrPC allowed any private person to instruct the prosecutor, this individual cannot be a complete stranger to the case.

Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, was found dead in a suite in Hotel Leela Palace in south Delhi on January 17, 2014.

Tharoor has been booked under sections 498A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. Tharoor had denied the charges and called the charge sheet preposterous.Hours after the pulsating battle of ballots in which Didi (as Smriti Irani is known here) triumphed over Bhaiya (as Rahul Gandhi is called here), this backward district was a cocktail of emotions.

From Thursday, when Congress suffered only its third defeat here since 1967, most Amethi residents had very little sleep as they celebrated or rued the result. Amethi has seen Congress lose only twice earlier  in 1977, 1998.

Union minister Smriti Iranis early Friday tweet of a new beginning for Amethi, a new resolve got people talking again even as teary-eyed Congressmen struggled to come to terms with the shock loss of their party chief Rahul Gandhi.

Also Read | CWC meet to take stock after humiliating defeat in Lok Sabha elections

An elderly small time shopkeeper, who showed his semi-constructed toilet constructed with government funds as reason for his first ever vote to BJP this time, but broke down when asked if he was angry with Rahul.

I am unhappy with none, except my fate, said Ram Aadhaar Vishvakarma, 76.

WATCH | Rahul Gandhi takes onus for LS defeat, asks Smriti to treat Amethi with love

Vishvanath, a farmer, who pointed to a road that was being freshly laid as proof of development in the region in the last five years, said: The road was in bad shape for years but as you can see things are improving.

Mohd Lateef, 56, a former gram Pradhan and cancer patient, who in a voice quivering with emotion, made a contrasting statement about how Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi had visited him and how Rahul Gandhi had helped arrange for his treatment in Delhi.

At the local BJP office in Amethi a group of excited youths happily shared how they tapped social media to effectively propagate the party line and message among the people. Vivek Maheshwari, 31, an engineer-turned-district IT cell convener coordinated a team of 150 persons and together they managed the partys twitter handle, its facebook page, nearly a thousand plus whatsapp groups  all for free!

Also Read | The North Remembers, Smriti Irani after dethroning Rahul Gandhi

Their incentive: Well, Vivek is followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and didi too on twitter, you see! said Sunny Dubey, 24, one of the volunteers of Maheshwaris IT team.

We would drive down 60 km out of sheer commitment. Our political rivals wanted to hire us for 15,000 per month but we said no to them for we wanted Modis wave to sweep Amethi too, said Prashant Shukla, 38.

To prove their commitment, they said, We would set up challenges for boosting our spirits. For instance Maheshwari said he wont marry if BJP failed to win from here, Shukla said as Vivek laughed.

A little distance away, Ashok Tiwari, a die-hard Congress fan, bitterly wept every now and then while sharing details of how much Rahulji had done for Amethi.

Do you know that under Rahuljis advice, Congress runs free medical vans which replace old lens, help people get operated for eye trouble without any cost? Do you know before Congress arrived here Amethis soil was infertile but it was Rajiv Gandhiji who got the soil treated and today its fertile ..., he said as some local Congress men nodded in approval.

Bhupendra Mishra, BJP district secretary, however pointed out to the Congress rout as proof of the partys neglect of the VIP bastion. In booths in even Muslim dominated areas like Kamrauli we have won. In Songra village booth out of 706 votes polled, we got 517, while the Congress got just 189. In 2014 we had lost this booth by 21 votes. So the anger against the Congress was building up since then, he said.

Also Read | Disconnected campaign behind Congress defeat

Before she left Amethi after the counting was over, Irani reportedly told the cadres that the real challenge now is to deliver expectations. With the RSS firmly backing her and BJPs bid to unsettle the Congress, the Yogi Adityanath government extended its beneficiary outreach programme to Amethi in a big way.

More than 6.5 lakh beneficiaries here are proof, BJP leaders said.

BJP general secretary Govind Narayan Shukla, who was the Amethi district chief in 2014, said, I remember how we operated from a room in a local dharamshala because we didnt even have our office here. From then till now, its an immensely satisfying aspect for people like us here, who had seen those days when despite our limited presence we would guard the ideological space.

Raj Karan Tripathi, a local Congress functionary said they plan to visit Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and assure him that the loss was an aberration. I tell you, people are already feeling sad, he claimed. But BJP leaders like Asha Bajpai said they would ensure that Didis win became permanent.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONPrime Minister-designate Narendra Modi set the tone for his second term in office on Saturday, telling newly elected Lok Sabha members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to win the confidence of the minorities and carry everyone along in a speech that emphasised the need for national unity.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in the NDA elected Modi as their leader and he met President Ram Nath Kovind along with senior leaders of the alliance to stake his claim to forming the next government.

Modi later told reporters on the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan that President Kovind had appointed him prime minister-elect and asked him to form the new government on a date of his choosing.

Also read | In outreach to minorities, PM Modi wants to win trust, end imaginary fear

BJP chief Amit Shah handed over to the president a letter from NDA allies electing Modi as their leader. He is likely to be sworn in as Prime Minister on May 30.

In his speech in Parliaments central hall at the NDAs parliamentary party meeting, attended by all senior leaders of the alliance, Modi added sabka vishwas (everyones confidence) to his sabka saath, sabka vikas (collective effort, inclusive growth) slogan.

This will be our mantra, he said in the speech, after bowing before a copy of the Constitution kept in the central hall.

Modi said the alliance had

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONDescribing the elections as a pilgrimage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the newly-elected government would work towards the development of all segments of Indian society and live up to the mandate that the electorate had given to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

The prime minister was addressing a key meeting of the NDA parliamentary party in Parliaments Central Hall soon after being unanimously elected as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance.

After the results were declared on May 23, it became evident that the BJPs vote share had gone up by 25% as compared to the last general election in 2014.

The votes cast for the Bharatiya Janata Party increased by 25 per cent in 2019 as compared to the votes polled in 2014. In the 2016 Presidential Elections in the United States, Donald Trumps entire vote share is our increment this year, PM Modi said while addressing the NDA meeting.

WATCH: Amid Modi, Modi chants, PM addresses MPs after being elected NDA leader

The US President, from the Republican Party, had swept the 2016 Presidential elections, defeating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Out of 538 members of the Electoral College, Trump secured 304 votes while Clinton received 227 votes despite having a larger popular vote percentage.

In the Lok Sabha elections 2019, BJP alone secured 303 seats, which is 22 more than it got in the 2014 general elections. When results were declared on May 23, the NDA along with its allies took its tally up to 352 in the 17th Lok Sabha.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Also read | In outreach to minorities, PM Modi wants to win trust, end imaginary fearIn his acceptance speech after being named leader of the BJP-led NDA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the alliances newly-elected lawmakers to pierce the imaginary fear in the mind of minorities, who, like the poor had been deceived by parties for years. We have to win their trust, PM Modi said.

Minorities have been made to live in fear by those who believe in vote-bank politics We have to end this deception and take everyone along, PM Modi said in a 75-minute speech at Parliaments central hall where he was elected leader of the NDA. The criticism was seen to be directed at the Congress and other parties but this may be the first time that he appeared to acknowledge that there was a perceived gap.

PM Modi went a step further and also tweaked his development for all slogan to incorporate this new element in his governments philosophy.

Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and now, Sabka Vishwas is our mantra, PM Modi said in his speech where he shared his perspective of the jumbo mandate for the national coalition, gave first-time lawmakers a long list of things they should be guard against and outlined his vision for the alliance and the government.

WATCH: Minorities victims of deception, we must win sabka vishwas, says PM Modi

Also read | Narendra Modi stakes claim for second term at meeting with President Kovind

He also invoked the spirit of 1857 struggle for freedom, saying all communities had then joined hands for independence and a similar movement should be started for good governance now. We stand for those who trusted us and also for those whose trust we have to win over, he said.

PM Modi described the 2019 elections that had united people and society unlike other elections that often divide and create gulf.

There was a pro-incumbency sentiment in this election and its result was a positive mandate, he said, adding that there is no better path than serving people when in power.

To the alliances newly-elected lawmakers, PM Modi told them to always remember that they had been elected by the poor, advised them to steer clear of powerbrokers who will reach out to help them find their way around in the national capital and the VIP culture. Get yourself frisked at the airports, he said.

The 2019 polls have ensured unity among all social groups. This election has broken down walls. There was a strong pro-incumbency wave all over the country and pro-incumbency is always linked to trust in the existing government. This election was one which indicated only positive votes, he said.

Also read | I wanted to resign as chief minister, but party didnt agree: Mamata in her first press meet post LS resultsAfter being elected as Aligarh MP for the second time in a row, BJP leader Satish Gautam said that his first priority was to send the portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) to Pakistan.

The right place for Jinnahs portrait is not at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), but in Pakistan. There is no change in our stand and it will be sent by whatever means possible, said Gautam while interacting with the media.

The BJP MP thanked his party organisation and voters for giving him a second term from Aligarh.

Gautam had been vocal on this issue often during his first term as MP from Aligarh. He raked up the issue even when he cast his vote on April 18.

The BJP MP had in the past also written a letter to AMU vice- chancellor Tariq Mansoor, seeking the status of the Jinnah portrait at AMU.

The issue had re-surfaced when the portrait came in the open during an exhibition organised at AMU in October, 2018 to mark Gandhi Jayanti.

Gautam had raised objection at that time too and the university administration removed the portrait from the exhibition and served a show-cause notice to the librarian for the lapse.

We are also committed to reservation to SC/ST and OBC students at the AMU, an issue we had been raising time and again. The AMU has to give reservation to these students, asserted Gautam.

A section of students had demanded construction of a temple on the AMU campus for Hindu students. Replying to a question in this regard, Gautam extended full support to Ajay Singh, the student leader at AMU for such issues.

Singh was suspended by the AMU administration after an incident of violence on the campus in February this year. Gautam also assured to help out the suspended student leader.

Gautam was sitting MP for BJP in Aligarh and got a ticket again for 2019 election. He won after defeating his nearest rival Ajeet Baliyan of the BSP.Election results in Bengal have made it clear that the biggest contribution to Bharatiya Janata Partys astounding performance in the state came from the vote bank that was earlier enjoyed by the partys arch rivals, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and its partners.

Out of 40 Left candidates in the race, deposits of 39 were forfeited as they failed to secure one sixth of the votes cast in their respective seats. The direct beneficiary was the BJP.

All over Bengal, Left votes went to BJP. CPI (M) workers were asked to vote for the saffron party. It is no secret. The two parties had an understanding, Trinamool Congress Dum Dum candidate Saugata Roy, who won the seat for the third time, said.

Roy got 42.51% votes with BJPs Samik Bhattacharya trailing at 38.1% and CPI (M)s Nepaldeb Bhattacharya running third with 13.9 %. The fact that the CPI (M) got 15.08% less than its score in 2014 and BJP got 15.61% more than what it achieved that year vindicated Roys claim.

Similar figures rolled out of voting machines all over Bengal, including those seats where BJP did not win. At the so-called TMC stronghold in Kanthi (East Midnapore), for example, two-time TMC MP Sisir Adhikari got 50% votes but BJPs Debasish Samanta secured 42% while CPI (M)s Paritosh Pattanayak ended third with 5.3%. In 2014 and 2009, Adhikari won the Kanthi seat but CPI (M) came second with 34.72% and 42.5% respectively. It was apparent that the bulk of the votes that went to the CPI (M) in the past had gone to BJP this year.

From Malda district to Cooch Behar, BJP painted north Bengal saffron; winning seven out of eight seats by securing votes that went to not just CPI (M) but the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Forward Bloc in 2014.

In Alipurduar, for example, BJPs John Barla won with 54.4% votes, TMCs Dasrath Tirkey got 36.7% and RSPs Mili Oraon came in third with 3.9%. In 2014, RSP came second with 27.72 % votes.

BJP won so many seats because of religious polarization. Lefts vote share in the state remains around 8%, said CPI (M) state secretariat member and Siliguri mayor Ashok Bhattacharya.

The Left contributed to BJPs victory in north Bengal. But this will not be the picture in the 2021 assembly election, tourism minister Gautam Deb said.

In Kolkata, where BJP could not score, TMCs Mala Roy won the Kolkata South seat with 47.5% votes, securing a rise of 10.55% over 2014. BJPs Chandra Kumar Bose came second with 34.64%, a rise by 9.36% over 2014. CPI (M) candidate, Nandini Mukherjee, came third with 11.63%, marking a drop by 12.17 % since 2014.

Sarthak Roychowdhury, professor of economics and political commentator said, CPI (M) workers relentlessly asked for support from the leadership in the districts and villages but were left in a void. They were desperate to save their existence and exercise their minimum rights. They got that support from the BJP.

In urban areas, middle class and upper middle class Hindu voters silently supported BJP because religion is an important issue for them. Also, people did not like the way opposition leaders badmouthed Narendra Modi and called him a thief, Roychowdhury added.

BJP contested in Bengal with whatever resources it had at its disposal and had to put up with stiff resistance from the ruling party at every step. People appreciated our struggle, said Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh.

This is the result of competitive communalism by BJP and TMC. We have to analyse the results and form a new national and state-level strategy said CPI (M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra.

In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, which was the first electoral confirmation of votes swinging away from the Marxists, the Left Front secured 43.3% votes but won only 15 seats. In comparison, 19 seats went to Trinamool Congress although the party had a far lower vote share of 31.18%. That year, BJP got only 6.14% votes and one seat in Bengal.

The saffron camps vote share in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls rose to 17.02% when it won two seats from the state, the highest it ever had.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONPresident Ram Nath Kovind designated Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of India late Saturday evening.

Modi later told reporters at the forecourts of Rashtrapati Bhavan that President Kovind has appointed him prime minister-elect and asked him to form the new government.

Our government is committed to the development of a new India, especially when the country is going to celebrate 75 years of Independence, he said.

Earlier in the evening, a National Democratic Alliance delegation led by Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah, had met the President to hand him a letter stating that Modi had been elected leader of the BJP parliamentary party.

The President also asked Modi to provide details of appointed members of the Union Council of Ministers and indicate the date and time of the swearing-in-ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution of India, President Kovind, today appointed @narendramodi to the office of Prime Minister of India, the social media handle of the office of the President tweeted.

The President requested @narendramodi to i) advise him about the names of others to be appointed members of the Union Council of Ministers; and ii) indicate the date and time of the swearing-in-ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official Twitter handle further posted.

The BJP-led NDA won a majority of 353 seats in the recently concluded general elections.

Shortly before Modi met the President, an NDA delegation led by BJP president Amit Shah, and comprising BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari, besides NDA partners from different states, including Parkash Singh Badal of Akali Dal, K Palaniswami of the All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Nitish Kumar of Janata Dal (United), Conrad Sangma of the National Peoples Party in Meghalaya, and Ram Vilas Paswan of Lok Janshakti Party, also met the President to hand him letters of support for Modi.

A letter stating that Modi had been elected leader of the NDA parliamentary party was also handed over to the President.Earlier in the day, Modi was unanimously elected leader of the NDA at a meeting attended by its newly elected MPs and senior leaders in Parliaments Central Hall.

Modi is elected the leader of the parliamentary party of 353 MPs unanimously, BJP president Amit Shah announced.

Top alliance leaders, including Shiv Senas Uddhav Thackeray extended their partys support. Senior BJP leaders LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were present on the dais with other alliance leaders.

Modis election was a mere formality as the NDA had already declared him the alliances prime ministerial candidate.

The NDA returned to power with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections with the BJP alone bagging 303 of total 542 seats contested. Elections were held in 542 of the 543 seats. The election in Vellore LS seat was cancelled by the EC citing abuse of money power. Meanwhile, the full Election Commission on Saturday called on President and handed over the list of 542 newly-elected members that will enable him to initiate the formal process of new government formation.

Without any taint, he (Modi) has been elected as the countrys PM for the second term. This has been possible because he governed the country by rising above vote bank politics..., Shah said.

Modi on Saturday asked newly elected MPs of the NDA to work without any discrimination, including on the basis of faith and castes. In his over 75-minute address after being elected the leader of the BJP-led NDA, Modi also stressed on the need to win over the trust of minorities, saying they were made to live in fear and exploited during elections for vote-bank politics.

With speculation rife over who will join his Council of Ministers, Modi said he was yet to go through details of all the NDA MPs and asked them to not trust media reports in this regard.Former Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife, Anita, were stopped from travelling abroad by Mumbai immigration officials on Saturday afternoon.

Goyal was offloaded from a Dubai bound Emirates flight after the aircraft was called back to the terminal around 3.40 pm as it was taxiing towards the runway of Mumbai airport. Airport officials said immigration officials called the flight back and offloaded the couple along with their checked-in luggage.

Confirming the development, Mumbai Commissioner of Police, Sanjay Barve, said, Naresh Goyal was stopped by Mumbai police and immigration branch officials.

Goyal and his wife had resigned from the board of Jet Airways in March and the airline announce temporary suspension of its operations in April.

Immigration officials declined to reveal the reasons for stopping Goyal from leaving the country, but it is learnt they were to take a connecting flight to London. The Enforcement Directorate is investigating the airlines accounts for irregularities.

Jet Airways employees had earlier said they were worried about the Goyals leaving the country even as the airlines revival plan remains unclear.

While Jet Airways is yet to issue a statement, an Emirates spokesperson in a statement said, Emirates is co-operating fully with the relevant authorities.Reacting to chief minister Capt Amarinder Singhs charge that local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhus performance was not up to the mark, his wife Navjot Kaur on Friday said that there were facts and figures to prove the CM wrong.

On Capts remark that Sidhus statements in Bathinda left a negative impact on the partys performance, she said, Had Sidhu Sahib not gone there, the Congress would have lost the seat by over one lakh votes. His campaign worked and reduced the margin to around 20,000. Congress high command came to know that partys position is weak there, so it deputed Sidhu in the constituency.

She made it clear that her husband did not make comment against anyone at the Bathinda rally and he only spoke against those indulging in anti-party activities.

Sidhu is doing what the party high command is asking him to do. He will never cooperate with those indulging in anti-party activities, she said.

Saying that Sidhu had not been able to handle his department, Capt on Thursday stated that the Congress in Punjab performed poorly in urban areas and Sidhu was urban development minister. Also, the CM had stated that he will take up with the party high command Sidhus outbursts which damaged the party in this election.

Interacting with select mediapersons, Navjot Kaur said, Punjab local bodies department has facts and figures to prove its performance.With Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam winning 23 out 38 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which was in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party, was not the only one routed (they won 1 seat). New entrants Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) of actor Kamal Haasan and TTV Dhinakarans Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), which had hoped to win in the recently concluded general elections failed to open account.

All candidates of the latter two parties lost their deposits. To secure a deposit, a candidate should get one-sixth of the total votes polled. A candidate has to give a deposit of 25,000 if they belong to the general category, and 12,500 and 5,000 if they belong to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories, respectively.

Dhinakaran, 56, was supposed to be the big disruptor in Tamil politics that had for long settled into the easy rhythm of a two-party system. Analysts had said that the nephew of VK Sasikala, a long-time aide of late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, could potentially help the alliance led by DMK (which included Congress), by cutting into AIADMK votes for both, the bypolls and general elections.

The MNM, which was launched by Haasan a year ago, projected itself as an alternative to the two Dravidian parties, and fielded candidates in 36 out of the 38 Parliamentary constituencies and 19 out of the 22 bypoll seats. It performed reasonably in the Western region and in Chennai South

TN saw voting for 22 assembly bypolls, alongside its 39 Lok Sabha seats. However, the LS election was cancelled in Vellore, after the Election Commission found evidence that large amounts of cash was being used to influence voters.

The assembly bypolls were necessitated after a faction of legislators, led by Dhinakaran, quit AIADMK and formed the AMMK.Claiming that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will win a consecutive second term in the Delhi assembly polls scheduled to be held next year, senior party leader Gopal Rai on Friday said there was no alternative to Arvind Kejriwal as the chief minister of Delhi.

Speaking a day after the results of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections were announced in which the party drew a blank, Rai said the verdict will have little impact on the outcome of the assembly polls.

Rai said, Just like in the Lok Sabha election people voted for Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) because there was no alternative, in Delhi too there is no alternative to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. AAP will come to power for a second term in the national Capital.

Rai, who is AAPs Delhi unit chief and party in charge of Haryana, said the party did not expect such a result, particularly in Delhi where it had won 67 of the 70 assembly seats in 2015 and had finished second in the 2014 general elections.

We were hoping to win at least three seats  South, North West and East Delhi, he said.

Riding high on the Modi wave, the BJP, for a second time, won all seven parliamentary seats in Delhi with margins ranging from 2.2 lakh to 5.78 lakh. The Congress, which was routed in the 2015 assembly elections, climbed up to the second spot with a vote share of 22.5%, which was 7.5 percentage points more than 2014.

The AAP finished third with 18.11% votes, registering a 14.8 percentage point fall in its vote share since the last Lok Sabha polls. This was the first time in five years that the Congress performed better than the AAP in Delhi.

The AAP said issues such as full statehood to Delhi, the ongoing sealing of commercial establishments, demonetisation of high value bank notes and the roll out of Goods and Services Tax were not the talking points of the 2019 general elections.

We accept that our key poll plank of full statehood to Delhi failed to dominate the political narrative in this highly polarised election. It now looks like the election was a total personality battle  a fight between Modi and Rahul Gandhi. In such a contest, people did not see an option in Kejriwal and the issues that the AAP raised, Rai said.

The AAP leader said the party could not get votes from unauthorised colonies, slums and Muslim dominated areas because of the same reason. He, however, dismissed that the same factor would play out in the assembly election, saying people vote differently in national and state polls.

An analysis of the assembly constituency-wise vote shares shows that the BJP and the Congress got most of the votes from these areas.

At a time when AAP MLAs are defecting to parties such as the BJP, the AAP said Kejriwal will hold a meeting on Sunday to motivate party workers and legislators. After the results on Thursday, Rai said the party leadership had met its Lok Sabha candidates to introspect on the reasons behind the loss.

We have decided that we would concentrate on the AAP governments work in the national capital. It would be wrong to compare our performance in 2014 with this election because Congress was not a factor then as there was strong anti-incumbency against the grand old party. It is not the case this time, he said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONNo incidents of any mismatch between VVPAT slips and vote count on EVMs were reported from Delhi, Delhis Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh said on Friday.

There were also no reports of EVMs being replaced till date in the national capital, said a senior official from Delhi CEOs office.

This puts to rest all allegations raised by a section of political parties that EVMs could be manipulated or replaced. Some political parties had alleged that the Election Commission (EC) was working with the BJP to tamper EVMs to get results of the Lok Sabha polls in the partys favour.

We have not received a single complaint of EVMs being replaced or tampered with in strong rooms. On Friday, when the counting of votes polled took place, there were no incidents in which the EVM vote count mismatched with that of VVPAT slips, said Singh, CEO of Delhi.

EVMs and VVPATs were kept in seven strong rooms spread across the seven parliamentary constituencies from May 12, when Lok Sabha polls were held in Delhi, till May 23 when the counting of votes took place.

Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said, The AAP were making EVMs an issue as they knew that they were losing the elections.

EVM and VVPAT is purely a technical subject. We would refrain from commenting before we get some data based on research. We will keep advocating electoral reforms in the worlds largest democracy, said Saurabh Bharadwaj, national spokesperson of AAP.

Since we havent observed any complaints on EVMs and VVPATs, we would not like to comment on it, said Sheila Dikshit, president of Delhi Congress.

A senior poll panel official said that allegations of EVMs could be replaced in strong rooms are baseless as three tier security arrangements were made along with CCTVs at all the seven strong rooms and counting centres. Even political parties had deployed their workers to keep a watch on storehouses where EVMs and VVPATs were stored till Thursday.

A three tier security arrangement comprising personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces and Delhi Police  was made at strongrooms. CCTVs were also installed to keep watch. Special arrangements were made for political parties, so that they can deploy their volunteers who kept a watch on the strong rooms throughout, said K Mahesh, returning officer of East Delhi parliament constituency.

The East Delhi counting centre, located at the Commonwealth Games Village, was identified as a model counting centre.

While on one hand strong rooms of each assembly constituency was marked with a separate colour, poll officials were given coloured t-shirts that matched the strong rooms. They were escorted by CAPF personnel.

Special counters, covered with mesh wire, were made where VVPAT slips were counted, said Sandip Dutta, SDM (elections) of east Delhi.NOTA (none of the above), a ballot option that enables voters to officially register their votes of rejection for all candidates in the fray, performed better than 159 candidates out of total 229 contested from 14 parliamentary constituencies in Jharkhand.

States 14 Lok Sabha seats saw a total of 1,49,62,473 votes polled in four phase polls, of which 1,89,367 votes went to NOTA option which amounts to around 1.27% vote share. Interestingly, none of the candidate, excluding the winners and runners-up, could defeat NOTA in four parliamentary constituencies viz Singhbhum, Khunti, Giridih and Godda.

The votes exercised in favour of NOTA was even more than the victory margin in two tribal dominated parliamentary constituencies of Khunti and Lohardaga, which could have turned around the election results, a political observer said.

In Khunti, where BJPs Arjun Munda defeated Congress Kali Charan Munda by 1445 votes in a thrilling contest , saw a total 21,245 votes went to NOTA option.

As many as 11 candidates contested the polls from the seat but nine candidates lost to NOTA.

Similarly, Congress candidate Sukhdeo Bhagat lost to BJPs sitting MP Sudarshan Bhagat by 10,636 votes in Lohardaga where 10,783 voters pressed NOTA option.

Koderma registered the highest NOTA votes where 31,164 voters rejected all candidates contesting the polls. Altogether, 14 candidates were in fray from the seat, 11 of them lost to NOTA.

BJP had fielded former Jharkhand RJD president Annapurna Devi on the seat, dropping its sitting MP Ravindra Rai.

Devi, however, defeated Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) chief Babulal Marandi by huge margin of 4,55,600 votes.

The second highest NOTA votes were recorded in Singhbhum where 24,270 voters rejected all nine candidates in the fray. Interestingly, NOTA performed better than seven candidates in the constituency.

Congress Geeta Koda defeated BJP state president Laxman Gilua from the seat by 72,155 votes.

Dhanbad recorded the lowest 4,346 NOTA votes, while Ranchi the second lowest of 4,381 NOTA votes.

In Dhanbad, BJPs PN Singh was locked in a directed fight with Congress Kirti Azad. Singh defeated Azad by 4,86,194 votes. Similarly, BJPs new face Sanjay Seth defeated Congress Subodhkant Sahay by 2,83,026 votes.

Common people generally vote for stable government and strong leadership. This was visible even in this election. Even if people voted for in NOTA in large number in some constituencies, it means they really did not like any candidate in fray from their constituencies, said LK Kundan, associate professor of political science department at Ranchi University.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONUnion Minister and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday mocked the Congress for eyeing the prime ministers post, but ending up with a tally which falls short to even help it get the chair of leader of the opposition.

Paswan further said he had predicted victory of his ministerial colleague Smriti Irani from Amethi against Rahul Gandhi.

I have been telling it for past three years that there is no vacancy for the post of the Prime Minister in 2019 and hence they (opponents) should vie for leader of opposition (LOP) chair.

But, Congress has not even got seats to be able to get the LOP post again. Congress has got 52 Lok Sabha seats, Paswan told reporters here.

As per the criteria, a party must get 10 per cent of the total seats of the lower house to occupy the LOP.

Elections were held for 542 Lok Sabha seats, implying that 55 seats are required for a party to get the chair of LOP.

Criticising RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav for his utterances against Bihar CM Nitish Kumar during electioneering, Paswan said that he has been addressing Kumar as Paltu Chacha all through the campaigning. He should have taken care of his (Kumars) age and the prestige and honour that he enjoys.Yadav has been using the term Paltu Chacha (turncoat uncle) as a sneer remark against Kumar to take a swipe at him for leaving the Grand Alliance, and joining hands with BJP again in Bihar in July 2017.

There is no leader left in Bihar as people have rejected everyone in the general elections, he said in a jibe at rivals.

He said all sections of the society - dalits, mahadalits, minorities, EBCs and upper castes - voted for the NDA, breaking caste and religious barriers.

Asked whether his son Chirag Paswan would be made minister in the Narendra Modi government, the LJP chief said that Amit Shah had offered him (Chirag) the ministerial berth in 2014, but he refused, saying he was inexperienced and let his father become the minister.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)A day after BJP-led NDAs landslide win in the Lok Sabha elections, two Muslim religious outfits have urged upon the members of the community to not take the defeat of the so-called secular forces personally and expressed hope the new government at the Centre would adopt an inclusive approach.

Elections are fought between political parties, who win and lose. Communities should not feel threatened. The public mandate is respected in a democracy. We urge all to look forward and hope for peace, communal harmony and progress of the nation, said the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) in a statement on Friday.

Asking Muslims to not worry, organisations general secretary Maulana Wali Rahmani said the coming days could pose some problem but the community should face the same with courage and be optimistic. The Muslims should maintain courage, passion and encourage others to meet the situation. Our elders had decided to remain in this country with some objective. Earlier too, we have faced several critical situations and this time too we will tide over it, the cleric said in an open letter.

The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), another Muslim religious body, which has a significant following in Uttar Pradesh, also expressed hope that the newly-elected members of Parliament and the ruling class would work for the welfare and development of all Indians irrespective of their caste, class and religion, and execute their constitutional duties seriously and honestly.

We hope that now that the elections are over, the surcharged atmosphere that was created during the elections and differences, if any, would be forgotten and the elected representatives would discharge their duties in the best traditions of this country, said Syed Sadatullah Husaini, the national president of the JIH.A radio-tagged female Amur falcon, which returned to the Indian sub-continent in the first week of May after completing her winter sojourn covering thousands of kilometers in African countries, has reached her breeding area in northern China, a Wildlife Institute of India (WII) official said on Saturday.

She arrived precisely to the same location in her breeding site (in the wee hours of) today, WII scientist R Suresh Kumar, who is currently monitoring the route of the migratory bird, said.

A crude measure of the distance she has flown from her breeding grounds in Northern China to her wintering grounds in South Africa (after passing her various roosting sites in Indian sub-continent) since tagging is about 120,000 km.

Longleng, a female Amur falcon (Falcon amurensis) named after Nagalands district was radio-tagged in October 2016 in Nagaland by WII scientists as part of projects to study the flight route of these long-distance migratory birds and environmental patterns along the route.

The bird arrived in India after her non-stop 4-day return passage from Somalia (on April 29) with flying at a speed of 45 km per hour from her winter sojourn in South Africa and left northeast India on May 6 for Myanmar way to her breeding grounds, the scientist said.

This is the third time Longleng reach her breeding grounds since tagging and it is approximately 937 days (2 years and seven months) of our continuous tracking, the scientist who has tagged more than 10 birds in the last 5 years, said.She will at her steppe habitat for the next four months.

The previous two years of tracking Longleng arrived at her breeding site (in northern China) on May 30 in 2017 and May 20 in 2018, he added.

Two more Falcons-Tamenglong (female) and Manipur (male), were also tagged in Tamenglong district in Manipur on November 4, 2018. Unfortunately, Manipur was found dead four days later while Tamenglong has lost contact after reaching Zambia.

Reacting to a report of catching an exhausted amur falcon and its subsequent release in Assam on May 20, WII scientist said that he will find out from his friends in University of Capetown about the ringed bird.

The Amur falcons that spend their summers at their breeding grounds in northern China migrate to their wintering grounds in South Africa. On the way, they stop in north-eastern states and leave the region in November after having enough food for their non-stop flight.Nothing seems to work for Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav. His comeback strategies have failed to deliver results, and the partys performance has been on a steady downhill path from election to election.

Yadav, now 45, son of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, seemed to be just what the SP needed when in the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh state assembly elections in 2012, he converted a rickety old vehicle of his fathers into what he called the Kranti Rath and toured the entire state.

Crediting him for the victory, his father, the then party president, stepped down and appointed Yadav as the partys chief ministerial candidate.

It was to be his last electoral success. Akhilesh Yadav was chief minister when the SP went into the 2014 parliamentary polls under his leadership. Mulayam Singh was the national party chief, but Yadav was the de facto leader of the SPs 2014 campaign.

By the time the elections ended, SP was down to five Lok Sabha seats, from 23 in 2009, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) snapped up 71 of the 80 seats filled by UP in Parliaments lower house.

The party is puzzled. Akhilesh ji is a good leader, well-intentioned and well-meaning politician, yet things are not working his way, an SP leader said on condition of anonymity.

Soon after the 2014 results, the famous Yadav family feud broke out, with uncle Shivpal Yadav challenging Yadavs control in SP. Yadav won, and was appointed national president of the party, replacing Mulayam Singh, in January 2017.

The UP assembly elections that the party contested under Yadavs absolute leadership just three months afterwards, came as a jolt to the SP, which won barely 47 seats in the 403-member legislature, down from 224 in 2012. BJP cleaned up 312 seats.

The vote share of the SP fell to 22% in the assembly polls in 2017, from 29.15% in 2012. Similarly, the vote share of the party in LS polls has also seen a decline.

In the 2009, SPs vote share was 23.26%. In 2014, the vote share fell to 19.77%, and in 2019, it has slid further to 17.96%.

In 2014, Yadav had ruled out any kind of pre-poll alliance, projecting his father as a potential candidate for the post of prime minister. But in 2017, he struck an alliance with the Congress in an attempt to consolidate backward classes, Muslims, and upper caste voters.

When the alliance performed dismally, Mulayam Singh blamed Yadav for both debacles, in the 2014 LS polls and 2017 UP polls. The patriarch had been against the alliance all along.

History repeated itself. Before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Yadav joined hands with Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati, a one-time arch rival,to ensure that the anti-BJP vote would not split. Together, the two parties were considered a force to reckon with, and they in turn, counted on the support of Dalits, Other Backward Classes and Muslims.

The arithmetic didnt work for the SP, which ended up with five seats, the same as its 2014 tally. And this time, three Yadavs family members and sitting MPs  Dimple Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav, and Akshaya Yadav  lost their bid for re-election. BSP gained 10 seats from zero in 2014.

Yadav may be a well-meaning politician, but he comes across as immature, said SK Dwivedi, a political analyst and retired head of the department of political science, Lucknow University.

Yadav should have mended fences with Shivpal Yadav (his uncle) or should have allied with the Congress (in 2019). His father had cautioned him, yet Yadav went ahead with the alliance with the BSP, ignoring the history of the BSPs alliance with SP earlier or any other party. BSP gained, BSP has revived; and SP lost, Dwivedi said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONIndias largest hospital for psychiatric treatment, the government-run Regional Mental Hospital at Yerawada, Pune, is facing acute staff shortage which is affecting patients with serious mental illness.

According to Dr Abhijit Phadnis, medical superintendent of the hospital, the hospital that houses at least 1,260 patients, have only two psychiatrists on duty and 11 vacancies.

The authorities of he government-run Regional Mental Hospital have asked the Maharashtra government to approve 20 additional positions of psychiatrists.

Dr Phadnis said, The requisition for filling vacancies was sent to the state government last month and this is being followed up with daily reminders. The issue has, however, not progressed satisfactorily.

Dr Phadnis added, Two approved positions of clinical psychologists continue to be vacant. As a result, counselling for the patients and their families, to help them cope with the mental illness, is carried out by social workers.

We also need at least 200 Class-3 and Class-4 workers. We currently have 280 workers and 30 workers have retired in the last six months. The hospital is going through a severe staff crunch at present, he said.

Class-3 and Class-4 employees are required to clean the patients, work as caretakers, help the doctors in physiotherapy and help in providing occupational therapy, rehabilitation of the patients like helping them talk, communicate and cross the road.

All the patients need to be seen, screened, treated, diagnosed and counselled. All of this cannot be done by just two psychiatrists. This leaves us with no option but to check or treat only those who are critical, severely ill and need urgent medical attention. If the state of mental health is to be improved, we need psychiatrists need to be provided on an urgent basis for early diagnosis, early treatment and proper rehabilitation, Dr Phadnis said.

When asked about this distressing situation, Dr Sadhana Tayade, head of mental health services of Maharashtra said, We are well aware of the staff shortage in all the hospitals. The shortage of psychiatrist is not a state issue but a national one. We are trying to address this issue urgently. We have requested the state health department to provide us with 20 psychiatrists who can be deputed equally in every mental hospital and not just Pune.

Dr Tayade said, that although they have asked for 20 psychiatrists as of now, the requirement is a lot more.

She said, We have requested the Maharashtra health department to provide us with 20 psychiatrists who can be deputed equally in every mental hospital and not just Pune.

The mega-recruitment drive will only begin in June after the elections. Till then, the hospitals will be required to manage the issues.

The South Asian Association of Regional Corporation (SAARC) Psychiatry Federations president, Brigadier MSVK Raju, said, Currently India has at least 5,000 psychiatrists and we need at least 13,500. There are 150 million people suffering from mental illness in the country and the ratio of patients and psychiatrists is very poor here.His refusal to return 30 lakh and then seek protection from gangsters led to the murder of TikTok star Mohit Mor in outer Delhis Najafgarh on Tuesday, police said on Friday after apprehending one of the three suspects.

Mor was murdered just two days after a gang war that had left two alleged gangsters, Vikas Dalal and Praveen Gehlot, dead on a busy road near the Dwarka Mod Metro station.

Police said Mor was under Dalals patronage and his killing had left him exposed to his enemies.

The nabbed murder suspect, a 17-year-old boy, was new to the world of crime and had allegedly taken up the assignment to prove his mettle to the members of a gang he had joined just a month ago.

Mohit Mor, 27, was a gym enthusiast and a star on video-sharing app TikTok, where he had over 5.50 lakh followers.

While he did not have any criminal case against him, police said he kept the company of gangsters. He had helped Mangu, an alleged member of the notorious Nandu gang, invest 30 lakh in a west Delhi property, said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (special cell).

But after Mangu was killed in a gang war in February 2017, Mor allegedly refused to return the money to the slain mans friends, one of them being Sandeep Pehalwan.

Mor ended up making many enemies in the process, but saved himself by seeking protection from Pradeep Solanki and Vikas Dalal, who were members of the notorious Manjeet Mahal gang, the DCP said.

After Dalal was gunned down in the gang war in Dwarka on Sunday, Pehalwan once again asked Mor to return the money, the officer said. Mor refused, leading to the enmity taking the shape of a murder plan, the DCP said.

To eliminate Mor, Pehalwan allegedly roped in three persons  Vikas, Rohit Malik and the juvenile who was just a month old in the gang. The boy had joined the gang after making some enemies. He was desperate to prove his mettle and loyalty to the gang members, said the DCP.

He got a chance on Tuesday evening when Pehalwan got to know that Mor was sitting in a photocopy shop in Najafgarh. Pehalwan called the trio and gave them a pistol each to kill Mor. The three of them entered a shop and pumped 13 bullets into Mor who was seated on a sofa, said the officer.

As the suspected killers fled the crime scene, they and their scooter were captured by CCTV cameras. That helped the local police identify the people involved in the crime.

The boy was nabbed by a special cell team which received a tip-off about him arriving in Dwarka Sector 23.A trekker from West Bengal died and another was injured in Himachal Pradeshs Kinnaur district on Saturday.

The deceased identified as Jevaasheesh Mehtu, a resident of Kolkata, faced difficulties in breathing at the high altitude and died, an official said.

Mehtu was a part of a seven-member trekkers group which was going towards Barua pass of Kinnaur district located at an elevation of 11,800 feet above the sea level. The expedition route started from Pabbar valley of Rohru in Shimla district to Sangla valley of Kinnaur district. All the trekkers were residents of West Bengal.

As per information, four members of the group experienced breathing issues due to high altitude and decided to return to Rohru, whereas other three trekkers reached the Barua camp in Shagode.

While one of the trekker Rupam Ghosh was critically injured during the trek, Mehtu was declared dead at the base camp. The third trekker is reported to be safe. The four trekkers who had returned due to breathing issue informed the police and Rohru administration about the entire incident.The BJP continued its winning streak in Assam begging nine seats out of the ten it contested including Silchar in Barak Valley and even the Muslim majority Karimganj.

In 2014, the BJP had won seven out of 14 seats in Assam.

Only months ago, as protests over Citizenship (Amendment) Bill--which promises to fast track citizenship to six non-Muslim communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistanengulfed Assam and other Northeastern states, the saffron party looked in a tough spot. The indigenous groups opposed CAB claiming it violated the Assam Accord of 1985 while others claimed it will encourage illegal immigration.

The BJP wrested the Autonomous District Constituency from the Congress, won again in Gauhati, Tezpur, Jorhat, Mangaldoi, Lakhimpur and Dibrugarh where the local communities have been opposing the CAB. BJPs Rajdeep Roy, expectedly defeated sitting MP Sushmita Dev in Silchar, where the dominant Bengali speaking Hindus have been demanding the CAB.

In neighbouring Karimganj, the BJPs candidate managed to sneak through making it the first time since 1991 when the saffron party has swept Barak Valley.

The partys vote share stood at 36.05%, just about half a percent more than the Congress which despite its tally of three seats increased its vote share by five percentage points to 35.44%. The BJP, however, contested ten seats as it left four for its alliesall of whom lost.

Senior leader and brain behind BJPs campaign in all of Northeast including Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma credited the BJPs consistent performance in all parts of Assam to positive vote for development work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and partys organization strengthened by party president Amit Shah.

Also read: People of Bengal see new ray of hope in PM Modis leadership: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Prime Minister Modi made around two and half dozen trips to Northeast during his tenure during which he inaugurated long pending projects like the twin bridges on the Brahmaputra in Upper Assam.

Joydeep Biswas, an associate professor in Cachar college in Silchar said the BJP benefitted from the CAB in both the Brahmaputra Valley and the Barak Valley. Assamese voters in Brahmaputra Valley did not consider the CAB as an issue big enough to sway their choice in the polls, while in the Barak valley voters took it upon themselves to vote for the party which is pushing for it to benefit the Bengali community.

In Silchar for example, it was complete polarization on both sides, said Joydeep Biswas, adding how CAB aided in polarising the majority community votes in favour of the BJP.

Modi knows how to exploit sentiment of the people, said Tarun Gogoi, the former chief minister and senior Congress leader.

Gogoi conceded the BJP was able to use their push to the CAB in its favour in Assam.

They used the CAB in a divisive way, telling the people openly that the threat comes from Muslims who have become a majority in several constituencies and pose a danger to the indigenous communities, he said explaining how BJP managed to turn the issue in its favour in even the Brahmaputra Valley even as Congress kept opposing the CAB.

It did not help the Congress in Brahmaputra Valley but cost them votes in Barak, said Biswas.

Himanta Biswa Sarma explained how CAB helped the BJP and suggested that Congress may have fallen into BJPs trap by making the CAB a political issue.

CAB has helped us consolidate our votes We never wanted to make it a political issue. It was a humanitarian issue and should have been left at that. But Congress made it a political issue. And obviously, if you polarize then counter polarization will also happen, he said.

Sarma said how the BJP fought a battle for 50% votes in Assam and claimed that the Congress and the AIUDF fought the polls together. BJPs assertion of this understanding gained traction as AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, snubbed by the Congress over his alliance offer still went ahead and announced the party will contest only three seats, the ones it won in 2014.

The results show the Congress has been confined to winning three seatsNowgong, Barpeta and Kaliabor--which have a sizeable number of Muslim voters while the AIUDF has retained Muslim majority Dhubri with Ajmal winning another term.

The aim of the NDA was to block the Congress. We managed to do that, said Manoj Saikia, the spokesperson of the AGP, insisting how the party even as it may have not won any of the three seats it contested but increased its vote share to 8.2%.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) yielded an inch to gain a mile through the deft alliances it had stooped to stitch. The Congress foolishly clung to the inch and was left regretting its action.

Its fashionable to lam the loser. Yet, at times the spanking is well deserved. Not only did the Congress fail to break new ground, it meekly ceded the space it had in the recently won states: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Karnataka. The bubble also burst in Gujarat where it gave the BJP a scare in the 2017 assembly polls.

Adding insult to injury were Rahul Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindias defeats in Amethi and Guna. The blight only got bigger with the failed Jodhpur venture of Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlots son, Vaibhav.

On reading my unflattering report on the poll scenario in the town thats the elder Gehlots karmabhoomi, a friend who knows the state better had said: The Congress will be routed in Rajasthan if Vaibhav loses in Jodhpur. His off-the-cuff remark proved prophetic!

Also Read | How BJP used data to craft landslide win

In immediate terms, Rahul Gandhi has to come to terms with the loss of two good parliamentarians, Scindia and Mallikarjun Kharge, who was defeated in Karnataka. The likes of Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tiwari could perhaps fill the void but Rahul himself has to take the Karnataka veterans role as the leader of the single largest group in the new Lok Sabha.

So stark is the ignominy of the Congress wipeout that for the second successive election, it has failed to qualify as the principal Opposition. Its tally has improved from the earlier 44 but is still short of the 10% of the House strength to get the Leader of Opposition (LoP) slot.

The parameters for designating the LoP were set by the first Speaker, GV Mavalankar, who ruled that the numbers needed for it should be equal to the quorum (of 55) to run the House. The outgoing speaker, Sumitra Mahajan, refused to be flexible on that count and her successor is unlikely to be any different. The Congress has a tally of 54 in the 17th Lok Sabha.

In 2014, so sluggish and dispirited was the deeply tainted Congress that it didnt even fight for an honourable defeat. The result: a simple majority after three decades, in this instance for Narendra Modi. Five years on, the party fought valiantly in Rahuls helmsmanship but without returns. Why?

A quick answer: Rahul couldnt build himself, or be seen as, an alternative to Modi. That bolstered the image of the PM as a doer, one that had been in any case reinforced after Balakot.

Also Read | Decoding polls in 10 questions

On Pakistan and terrorism, the people wanted a demon-slayer; the Congress mascot fell short of it as a self-professed votary of love. He had few takers across Modis religio-nationalist wall that captivated the voter in the name of the martyred CRPF troopers and the brave fighter-pilots who targeted terror camps in Pakistan.

Modis stratosphere was beyond the Congresss reach, be it the airwaves or the moving pictures that influenced the mass mind space. He used the watershed Balakot moment to completely outmanouevre his rivals.

The non-BJP parties had no catchy counter narrative. The Congress was obsessed with the chowkidar rant, but it found no traction. As one who claimed to have forsaken family ties, Modi carried the day against the so-called dynasties in the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Nationalist Congress Party. He managed to do that while in an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dals equally extravagant Badals.

For the Congress, the real anatomy of the 2019 poll is in the verdicts in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Punjab. The Congress and its allies did well in these states as Balakot wasnt an issue and Modi not a decisive factor. A case study in itself was the manner in which Capt. Amarinder Singh countenanced Modis nationalist pitch in the border state.

The Captains was an issue-based support of the PM on Indias post-Pulwama retaliatory air strike. He travelled the border districts after Balakot, demanding no proof from the Centre, suggesting instead that if Pakistan has killed 41, India should kill 82 of their soldiers. His stand distinguished him from Navjot Singh Sidhus over-the-top, ill-timed soft-pedalling on Pakistan as also the Congresss flip flop on the issue.

He also weathered and pushed back in Punjab the storm over Sam Pitrodas cavalier hua tou hua comment on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. As one who had quit Parliament and the Congress after Operation Blue Star, he even dared Modi to apply the same yardstick of accountability to the post-Godhra carnage during his tenure as Gujarat CM.

Singh got away with the challenge. How? His political track record was his arsenal. No other Congressman could have risked questioning the PM on the 2002 Gujarat violence in the middle of a polarised campaign.

The Congresss takeaway from Punjab is about the value of popular trust, of peoples faith in the leaderships ability to deliver. It lost other bipolar contests due to early anti-incumbency and Rahuls and the local leaderships inability to match Modis appeal. That should worry the Congress about its organisational state and reservoir of leaders.

In MP, the state governments half-met loan waiver promise had the farmers disbelieve the Nyay scheme. The yearly ~72,000 dole it entailed seemed too good to be true.

As is evident from the Congresss situation in Odisha and West Bengal, absenteeism is suicidal in politics. In his future battles, Gandhi will need foot soldiers who reach out to the people to develop trust in him and the party.

A Bharat Yatra on the lines of Chadrashekhars 1983 journey could help Rahul talent scout for young cadres, gather popular expectations from his party besides understanding issues agitating the people.

Thats easier said than done but can be achieved through persistent public contact. As Lohia used to say: Zinda quomen paanch baras intezaar nahin kartin (communities that are alive dont wait for five years). Such advocacy of popular struggles is more relevant than ever before. Todays is an impatient India unwilling to wait out trickle-downs.Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday offered to resign, taking responsibility for his partys decimation in the Lok Sabha elections, but the Congress Working Committee (CWC) rejected the offer in one voice and instead, asked him to overhaul and restructure the organisation.

The four-hour-long meeting of the CWC, the partys highest decision-making body, held two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured a second term in a landslide victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), discussed the reasons for the Congresss drubbing in the national elections.

In his opening address, Gandhi, who was the face and voice of his party in the election, thanked party workers. This was followed by comments by CWC members, praising Gandhis role in the partys campaign. Gandhi spoke after they had their say and said he wanted to step down and urged the party to elect a new president. CWC members rejected this offer, and once again commended him for his effort.

Party general secretary and Gandhis sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra intervened and said just one person could not be held accountable for the poll debacle. Gandhis mother, former party president Sonia Gandhi, was present but did not speak.

WATCH | Rahul Gandhis resignation rejected by Congress top decision-making body

The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same (Gandhis offer to resign) and requested the Congress president for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times, a resolution passed in the meeting said.

While some reports later claimed that Rahul Gandhi was insisting on stepping down, senior Congress functionaries said a CWC resolution was binding on any member or office bearer irrespective of the post. The matter ends there, a party leader said.

The CWC meeting was attended by all the permanent members, special invitees, and four chief ministers. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath could not attend the deliberations as he decided to stay in Bhopal to keep a close watch on political developments in the state where his government could be on shaky ground.

The CWC unanimously called upon the Congress president, Shri Rahul Gandhi, to lead the party in its ideological battle and to champion the cause of Indias youth, the farmers, the SC/ST/OBCs, the minorities, the poor and the deprived sections, added the resolution moved by senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

Apart from recommending a thorough introspection on the electoral defeat, the CWC also authorised Rahul Gandhi to go for a complete overhaul of the party.

In his speech, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh suggested setting up a committee to analyse the reasons for the partys rout in the elections, the Congress second successive poor showing in a national election. In 2014 too a committee headed by AK Antony was formed to do just this.

Pitching the election as a secularism versus communalism battle, perceived minority appeasement, strong anti-incumbency against chief ministers and lack of coordination between central and state leadership were some of the reasons cited by the Antony committee for the partys rout in 2014.

Rahul Gandhi is expected to carry out a major reshuffle of the party at the earliest given that assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi are due in a few months.

The dominant view in the Congress is that a revival at the national level is possible only when the party resurrects itself in the states.

Also read: After big loss, can Rahul Gandhi rebuild ailing Congress?

Delhi-based political analyst N Bhaskara Rao said the Congress should formulate state-specific strategies for its revival. Rahul Gandhi should maintain a fine balance between veterans and young leaders and utilise their services according to their strengths, he said.

Addressing a news conference at the party headquarters in Delhi, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the CWC members asked Rahul Gandhi to identify the strengths of all the leaders and accordingly assign them new responsibilities.

Accepting the verdict, the grand old party thanked voters and insisted that it will play the role of a constructive opposition and continue to raise peoples issues and hold the government accountable.

The CWC fully recognises the challenges, the failures and the shortcomings, resulting into this mandate Congress party has lost the election but our indomitable courage, our fighting spirit and commitment to our ideology remains stronger than ever. We shall continue our fight against forces that thrive on hatred and division, the resolution said.

Also at the meeting, senior leaders such as Ahmed Patel, P Chidambaram, Captain Amarinder Singh and Azad reiterated the partys concerns over electronic voting machines.The Congress and other opposition parties are expected to rake up the issue again once the election dust settles down.

The Congresss chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the partisan manner in which the Lok Sabha polls were conducted by the Election Commission was also discussed.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONUS President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday agreed to meet at the G-20 Summit in Japan next month as both the leaders pledged to further strengthen the US-India strategic partnership and build on the achievements of the last two years.

Trump telephoned Modi to congratulate him on the historic electoral victory in the Lok Sabha polls, the White House said.

Prime Minister Modi on Thursday led his Bharatiya Janata Party to a landmark victory for a second five-year term in office, winning 302 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

The leaders look forward to seeing one another at the G-20 Summit in Osaka, where the US, India, and Japan will hold a trilateral meeting to pursue their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, the White House said.

The G-20 Summit meeting is slated for June 28 and 29.

China is flexing its muscles in the South China Sea (SCS) which serves as a passage for annual trade worth USD 3.5 trillion. The US and China are locked in a tussle for the commercial control of the SCS.

Also read| Indians lucky to have Narendra Modi, says Donald Trump

China claims almost all of the strategic SCS with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam pushing competing claims to parts of the resource-rich maritime region. The US, Japan and India do not have any territorial claims there.

The US and India have made enormous strides together which include the expansion of bilateral defence cooperation and combined military exercises, the historic civil nuclear deal, the nearly six-fold increase in US-India trade, the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative and the designation of India as a Major Defence Partner.

Later speaking to reporters at the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One on his way to Japan, Trump said, I just spoke to Prime Minister Modi and I gave him my warmest regards and congratulations.

I just conveyed congratulations on behalf of our country, myself and everybody. He had a great election win. He is a friend of mine. We have a very good relationship with India.

In a tweet, later, Trump hailed Modi as a great man and leader for the people of India.Just spoke to Prime Minister @NarendraModi where I congratulated him on his big political victory. He is a great man and leader for the people of India - they are lucky to have him! he tweeted.

Also read| Great things in store: Donald Trump congratulates PM Modi on BIG win

The White House said that the President and Prime Minister pledged to continue to strengthen the United States-India strategic partnership, building on the achievements of the last two years. Earlier on Thursday, congratulating Prime Minister Modi on his BIG election victory on Twitter, Trump said that great things are in store for the Indo-US strategic ties under his second innings.

Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. I look forward to continuing our important work together! Trump had said.

Modi had responded saying, I too am looking forward to working closely with you for closer bilateral ties, which also augur well for global peace and prosperity. The PM had also thanked US Vice President Mike Pence, who congratulated him saying he looked forward to working with India.

Thank You @VP. This is a victory of democracy, which India and the US cherish. I will continue to promote our partnership with the US for peace and shared prosperity for our two countries and the world, Modi tweeted Friday.BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday hailed the Lok Sabha election results as a testimony of people choosing politics of performance over politics of dynasty, casteism and appeasement.

After the sixties, democracy in this country was under the grip of dynasty politics, casteism and appeasement. It is for the first time in 2019 that the country has pushed these things out of politics and has reposed faith in politics of performance, he said addressing the NDA Parliamentary Parliamentary in the Central Hall of Parliament after election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as leader of the NDAPP to head the government again.

Shah thanked all the allies and the MPs for unanimously choosing Modi as prime minister again and said, This euphoric mandate is massive and historic. After 1971, for the first time, a Prime Minister is returning to the post with an even bigger majority after completing a first five-year term.

He also asserted that Narendra Modi becoming the prime minister of the country exemplified the spirit of the constitution.

After Modi became Prime Minister, the poorest of Indian felt that the spirit of the Constitution can turn into reality and a person from poor background become Prime Minister. It was a Narendra Modi experiment when people wanted him to replicate the development model of Gujarat in the whole country. This experiment of people has been successful.

Shah outlined various people-centric initiatives of the NDA governments first term and said, The 50 crore poor who were looking for their place in the countrys system were previously not able to find it. In the five years, Narendra Modi has uplifted the 22 crores poor of the country and it is their blessing which has come as this historic mandate.

He also talked about the surgical strikes, while criticising those who questioned it the first time.

When the first surgical strike happened, people felt that a government has come which can answer the countrys enemies inside their homes. Initially the defence pundits of the country called surgical strike as a fluke but after Pulwama attack the air force personnels took the revenge through air-strike, said Shah.

Shah also said that it is peoples expectation to see India emerge as a world power and hopefully same will happen in the second term of the Modi led NDA government.

Earlier during the NDA meeting, Narendra Modi was elected as the leader of the NDA.

He was greeted by SADs Parkash Singh Badal, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, JD(U)s Nitish Kumar, BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari after being elected as the leader of NDA and BJP at the NDA meeting.

Modi-led NDA swept the elections and won 352 out of 542 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha elections. In the official count, the BJP has secured 303 seats, 22 more than in 2014 elections. (ANI)President Ram Nath Kovind, today appointed Narendra Modi to the office of Prime Minister of India

Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution of India, President Ram Nath Kovind, today appointed Narendra Modi to the office of Prime Minister of India, reports by ANI.

Rashtrapati Bhavan: Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution of India, President Ram Nath Kovind, today appointed Narendra Modi to the office of Prime Minister of India pic.twitter.com/63lfkNtzsD  ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

President has invited me to form the govt: PM Modi

PM Narendra Modi speaks after staking claim to form government.

President today gave me a letter designating me as the Prime Minister...The country has given me a huge mandate and the mandate comes with the expectations of the people, says PM Narendra Modi.

Narendra Modi meets President Kovind after being elected leader of NDA, stakes claim to form government

The delegation handed over to the President a letter stating that Narendra Modi had been elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party. Letters of support from NDA constituent parties were also handed over to the President.

The delegation handed over to the President a letter stating that Narendra Modi had been elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party. Letters of support from NDA constituent parties were also handed over to the President https://t.co/eZzb8fuq9t  ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

We are not here to do few things, we are here to do a lot of things: says PM Narendra Modi

We have worked for Sabka Saath (Everyones support), Sabka Vikas (Everyones growth), now we have to strive for Sabka Vishwas (Everyones faith),

Every government does something or the other. We are not here to do few things, we are here to do a lot of things: says PM Narendra Modi

Minorities have been kept in fear, used in elections: PM Modi

Minorities have been kept in fear, used in elections. We have to end this cycle.

In 2014, I said that my Government is dedicated to the Dalits, the poor, the victims, the underprivileged, the tribals of the country. Today, again, I want to say that in 5 years we did not let ourselves lose sight of that

We must not leave anyone behind, there should be no discrimination.: says PM Narendra Modi

The party worker in us should always be alive: PM Narendra Modi

Even though I am the Prime Minister of India, I do not want to be treated differently. I dont want to be treated differently at the airport, I want to stand in the line for security check,

The party worker in us should always be alive PM Narendra Modi

What we are is not because of Modi, it is because of the people: says PM Modi

Never believe anybody who says you are going to be a minister, it will all be according to norms.

What we are is not because of Modi, it is because of the people: says PM Narendra Modi

We are NA RA National Ambition, Regional Aspirations: PM Modi

We are NA RA National Ambition,Regional Aspirations.

NDA has two essential things; one is energy and second is synergy. NDAs second name is energy.

This energy and synergy is a chemical, To which we have been empowered and capable.: PM Modi

First time in Independent India, large number of women MPs are sitting in the Parliament: PM Modi

This is for the first time in Independent India that such large number of women MPs are sitting in the Parliament. This has been made possible due to women power.

PM Narendra Modi addressing NDA parliamentary meeting: This is for the first time in Independent India that such large number of women MPs are sitting in the Parliament. This has been made possible due to women power. pic.twitter.com/2CinVlEnKc  ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

We are for those who trusted us and also for those whose trust we have to win over, says Modi to NDA MPs

We are for those who trusted us and also for those whose trust we have to win over, says Modi to NDA MPs.

I would urge the peoples representatives that we can no longer be a stranger with human sensitivities.

Its strength is huge. We will try to win Hearts, says PM Modi.

PM Narendra Modi addressing NDA Parliamentary meeting: I'm talking to you after bowing before the constitution, there can not be a 'bhed-rekha' for a people's representative. We are for those who were with us, we are also for those who will be with us. pic.twitter.com/Sd3TUXrk3q  ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

From 2014 to 2019, the country has run with us, sometimes two steps ahead of us: PM Modi

In the Democratic life of India, the people of the country have started a new era in the electoral tradition. We are all his witnesses.

From 2014 to 2019, the country has run with us, sometimes two steps ahead of us.

When the door of faith is strengthened, the pro-informatics wave arises, the wave is bound by a door of trust, PM Modi

2019 election has become a movement of social unity: PM Modi

Today, all the senior colleagues of the NDA have blessed me. You have all chosen me as the leader. I consider this to be a part of the system. I am also one of you. I am equal to you. We have to walk shoulder by side.

It is generally said that the election divides, creates distances, makes the wall. But the 2019 election has worked to break the walls. This election has added hearts. This election has become a movement of social unity: PM Modi

The pro-incumbency wave is tied with the thread of trust: PM Modi

These elections were pro-incumbency. This pro-incumbency wave is tied with the thread of trust...The trust was not only between people and govt but also among people themselves. This gave birth to that trust, PM Narendra Modi, reports from ANI.

The election was a celebration in itself, the polling was also full of colours: PM Modi

In India, the election was a celebration in itself, the polling was also full of colours.

But the Triumph was even more spectacular than that.

India lovers from around the world have participated in the festival of election. This is a matter of pride for us, PM Modi

Pursue new India with a new energy, PM Modi

This incident of Central Hall today is an unusual occurrence. We are going to pursue a new journey here today. Pursue new India with a new energy.

All of the changes that have been made by the politics of the country have led to it. You are thankful to all the felicitation. But the members who have come by choosing for the first time are thankful to the special felicitation: PM Modi

We are beginning new journey: PM Modi addresses NDA meeting

I convey my heartfelt gratitude to you all. The BJP chose me unanimously as the leader of the parliamentary party and all the NDA parties supported it and I am thankful for it, PM Modi

PM Narendra Modi addresses the NDA Parliamentary board meeting

PM Narendra Modi addresses the NDA Parliamentary board meeting at Central Hall of Parliament.

Modi works for 18 hours a day, hasnt take single off: Amit Shah

22 crore people whose living standards have improved have blessed PM Modi, says Amit Shah

Everyone believed that Modi government would return with a clear majority. The nation has blessed us from all corners of the country.

Surgical strikes showed us that there is a leader who can hit the terrorists back, says Amit Shah

Modi works for 18 hours a day, hasnt take single off: Amit Shah : BJP chief Amit Shah

Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi greets Narendra Modi

Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi greets Narendra Modi, after he was elected as the leader of BJP & NDA at the NDA meeting, reports from ANI.

Delhi: Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi greets Narendra Modi, after he was elected as the leader of BJP & NDA at the NDA meeting. pic.twitter.com/B9e1Z4vO5C  ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

Narendra Modi seeks blessings from senior BJP leader LK Advani

Narendra Modi seeks blessings from senior BJP leader LK Advani, at the NDA meeting. He has been elected as the leader of BJP & NDA, reports from ANI.

Delhi: Narendra Modi seeks blessings from senior BJP leader LK Advani, at the NDA meeting. He has been elected as the leader of BJP & NDA. pic.twitter.com/WfKKWEDc3j  ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

I thank all the allies and the MPs who have unanimously chosen NDAs leader Narendra Modi: Amit Shah

I thank all the allies and the MPs who have unanimously chosen NDAs leader Narendra Modi as the new Prime Minister of the country, BJP President Amit Shah.

Narendra Modi elected leader of NDA, to meet President at 8 pm

Prime Minister Narendra Modi elected leader of National Democratic Alliance. He will meet President at 8 pm

SAD Chief Parkash Singh Badal proposes Narendra Modis name as the leader of NDA Party

SAD Chief Parkash Singh Badal proposes Narendra Modis name as the leader of NDA Parliamentary Party. JDU Chief Nitish Kumar and Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray endorse the proposal.

Senior BJP leaders LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi are also present at the NDA parliamentary meeting : Reports from ANI

SAD's Parkash Singh Badal proposes Narendra Modi's name as the leader of NDA Parliamentary Party. JDU Chief Nitish Kumar and Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray endorse the proposal. pic.twitter.com/2eGPHh21qD  ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

PM Modi elected leader of BJP in Lok Sabha, announces Amit Shah

PM Modi elected leader of BJP in Lok Sabha, announces Amit Shah.

PM Modi reaches NDA meet, sits with veterans LK Advani, MM Joshi on dais

PM Modi reaches NDA meet, sits with veterans LK Advani, MM Joshi on dais

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi arrives at the NDA Parliamentary board meeting. pic.twitter.com/AW4EMgfx7d  ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

Bullets were fired, violence was taking place in these elections, CM Mamata Banerjee

Bullets were fired, violence was taking place in these elections...They (BJP) are even controlling the armed forces. How is it that they got all the seats in Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujrat. I dont believe this and I am ready to die. CM Mamata Banerjee.

I told the party that I dont want to ctontinue as CM: Mamata Banerjee

Votes were given on the basis of how money was distributed, votes were given by dividing hindu and muslims. I told the party I dont want to continue as CM, CM Mamata Banerjee

Im not like Congress. Ill not surrender. Country belongs to everyone: Mamata

I am not like the Congress. I will not surrender. The country belongs to everyone. I am a Hindu but I do not believe Muslims can be sidelined. : TMC CM Mamata Banerjee

NDA meet set to begin shortly

NDA to formally choose PM Modi as their leader, meet to begin shortly

If anyone can provide leadership to the Congress Party in such circumstances, it Rahul Gandhi: GN Azad

If anyone can provide leadership to the Congress Party in such circumstances, it Rahul Gandhi. With him the party can play a strong opposition at the national level, Congress spokesperson Ghulam Nabi Azad.

GN Azad: In CWC meeting everyone unanimously told him(Rahul Gandhi)he did a good job...No one has a doubt on his leadership but situation was like that. If someone can lead the party in such situation. it's only Rahul Gandhi, if anyone can lead opposition, it's only Rahul Gandhi. https://t.co/3pJr0gcDGX  ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

The CWC noted the challenges faced by the country, which are to be resolved by the new government, Congress spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala

The Congress party has lost the election, but our indomitable courage, our spirit of struggle and our commitment to our principles are stronger than ever. The Congress Working Committee took cognizance of the challenges faced by the country at present, which are to be resolved by the new government.

Party President Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation but it was rejected by the members of CWC unanimously, Congress spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala.

The CWC acknowledges the challenges, failures and shortcomings which led to the mandate, Congress spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala

The Congress Working Committee acknowledges the challenges, failures and shortcomings which led to the mandate. The Congress Working Committee authorises the Congress President with complete introspection at all levels to radically alter and restructure the organizational structure of the party, says Congress spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala.

Could not rise up to expectations: AK Antony

I dont agree that it was a disastrous performance, but we were not able to rise up to the expectations. Party will discuss this in details, said Congress AK Antony.

CWC unanimously rejected Rahul Gandhis resignation: Congress

Congress spokesperson told the media that party chief Rahul Gandhi had offered his resignation, but the CWC unanimously called on the Congress president to lead the party, said AK Antony.

We accept result of 2019 Lok Sabha elections: Congress

We humbly accept the result of 2019 Lok Sabha elections. We thank all those who supported and voted for us.

I thank all party leaders for working hard throughiut the difficult election scenario, said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

Congress addresses media

Ghulam Nabi Azad, Shri AK Antony, Shri KC Venugopal, Shri Randeep Singh Surjewala, Shri RPN Singh and Shri Gaurav Gogoi are addressing the media at AICC Headquarters.

CWC passes a resolution, authorising Rahul Gandhi to restructure party

CWC had passed a resolution, authorising Rahul Gandhi to restructure the party.

EC submits list of newly-elected MPs to President

The full Election Commission on Saturday called on President Ram Nath Kovind and handed over the list of 542 newly-elected members of the Lok Sabha that will enable him to initiate the formal process of new government formation.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and the other two Commissioners, Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra, met the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and gave him a copy of the notification issued by the poll body in terms of provisions of the Representation of the People Act containing the names of MPs elected in the just-concluded polls.

While the notification sets in motion the constitution of the 17th Lok Sabha, the list given to the President enables him to initiate government formation process.

On Saturday evening, newly-elected MPs of the National Democratic Alliance are likely elect Narendra Modi as its leader.

Congress worker loses bet to BJP worker, shaves head

A Congress worker, BL Sen shaved his head after losing a bet to a BJP worker in Rajgarh. He says, We had a bet that if Modi becomes PM, Ill shave my head & if Rahul Gandhi becomes PM, he (BJP worker) will shave his head. Now that my party has lost, I shaved my head, reported news agency ANI.

Akhilesh Yadav asks party men to prepare for 2022 Assembly polls

Unfazed by the results of the Lok Sabha elections, Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday asked party workers to start preparing for the 2022 Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

The former Chief Minister asked party workers not to waste time but to launch a door-to-door campaign and create awareness about the anti-people policies of the BJP at the Centre and in the state.

We will continue our efforts to bring in mahaparivartan (major change), he said.

The day you lose your conscience: Gautam Gambhir pans Kejriwal

I want to tell the chief minister that elections will come and go but the day you lose your conscience and honesty, you lose everything.

To win one seat, if you can come up with such disgusting allegations, I dont have enough words to talk about them, said BJPs Gautam Gambhir.

Gautam Gambhir: Main CM sahab ko bolna chahunga ki chunaav aenge-jaenge. Jis din aap apna zameer aur imaan haar jaenge us din sab haar jaenge. Ek seat jeetne ke liye agar aap aisa ghinona arop laga sakte hain to mere pas zyada shabd nahi hain un ke baare main baat karne ke liye pic.twitter.com/W1POxEKHOi  ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

Tamil Nadu CM, Uttrakhand CM in Delhi for NDA meet

Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami, deputy CM O Panneerselvam and Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat have arrived in Delhi for NDA meeting, to be held today.

Punjab CM thanks people for party victory

Two days after the Lok Sabha elections results, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday expressed his gratitude to the people of the state for reposing faith in the Congress party.

I express my gratitude to all workers for their support & hardwork which led to such a good showing in the Lok Sabha polls. Thank you, Punjab for placing your trust in us! I reiterate my commitment to making Punjab #1 again! he tweeted.

Congress meet underway

A meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) is underway at the party headquarters in New Delhi to discuss the humiliating defeat they faced in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

Several senior leaders including UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party president Rahul Gandhi, former PM Manmohan Singh, Motilal Vora, former union ministers RPN Singh, PL Punia and P Chidambaram, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Opposition leader in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, are present at the meeting.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah are also attending the meeting.

Though there was no official word on the agenda for the meeting, sources said the committee is likely to discuss future strategies.

Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaders hold CWC meet to review poll setback

Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived at the party office in Delhi for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

Former PM Manmohan Singh arrives

Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh arrive for the Congress Working Committee meeting.

At the CWC meeting, the party is expected to take a hard look at its performance, analyse the reasons for its humiliating defeat and find a way to move forward.

Sonia Gandhi arrives for CWC meet

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi arrived for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting which is set to take stock of crushing defeat in Lok Sabha polls.

Senior Congress leaders P Chidambaram and Siddaramaiah have also arrived for the meeting.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge arrive for CWC meet

Senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge and Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh arrived for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

Congress leaders arrive for CWC meet

Congress leaders RPN Singh, PL Punia and Motilal Vora have arrived for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. The panel will review the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections 2019.

PM Modi to visit his mother in Gujarat tomorrow

PM Narendra Modi will go to Gujarat tomorrow evening, to seek blessings of his mother, he tweeted this morning.

Day after tomorrow morning, he scheduled to visit Kashi to thank the people of this great land for reposing their faith in me, he says.

Mischievous and incorrect: Cong on speculation of Rahul Gandhi offering to resign

The Congress has firmly rejected speculation that its president Rahul Gandhi has offered to resign. The party said these reports are mischievous and incorrect.

A Congress leader said that even if Gandhi makes an offer to quit as some expect it is likely to be rejected because he had taken all views on board when the party finalized its strategy and decided candidates.

CWC to meet today to review poll setback

The Congress Working Committee, the partys highest decision making body, will meet on Saturday to review the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections where it won only 52 seats, marginally improving on its worst performance in the 2014 elections when it won 44 seats.Human capital is always a key element of socioeconomic growth. While the starting point to measure this may be the share of the workforce with secondary or even tertiary qualifications, a more advanced indicator might be the number of research postgraduates, with degrees commonly known as masters/doctors of philosophy (MPhil/PhD).



In the current era of technology and innovation, this group of people is directly related to the amount of scientific knowledge, new ideas and cutting-edge products a society can produce. In assessing the strength and potential of a country, observers now look at the number of Nobel laureates, patents/patented products, research articles in academic journals, to name but a few. All of these come from the pool of experts trained in research in their respective areas, in other words, the group of PhDs. However, the world today seems to be facing the opposite problem: Are we having "too many" PhDs?

There is an emerging frustration growing among doctoral students in many countries who only end up with highly competitive short-term research contracts upon the completion of their degree. Some of these postdoctoral researchers have described themselves as "cheap labor" in the field of academia. A recent report by The Guardian highlighted the concern that only a small number of PhD graduates eventually obtain a coveted permanent position in the U.K.

While some of these graduates might seek alternative positions, for example in the R&D departments of private companies, 80% of researchers actually want to stay in academia according to an industry survey. This contrasts with some disciplines in universities which only have enough academic jobs to employ a few percent of all the PhD graduates in that area. Indeed, the uncertain career prospects in academia, which have existed for years, deserve attention amid the boom of PhD holders across the globe.

The issue of job mismatch in the PhD workforce is not limited to Western countries and is also seen in Asia. The number of new doctorate degree holders each year in Japan is misaligned to the number of job openings and permanent jobs are also rare now in academia. Data from the Japan Science and Technology Agency show that between 2012-2015, 71% of job postings for assistant professors were for limited terms. According to a news report by Nature Index, only 10.9% of tenured researchers were under 40 in 2013, down from 18.8% in 2007, whereas the proportion of fixed-term contracts has increased from 14.5% to 20.3% in the same period.

An advisor for Japan's Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, said government policies are partly to blame for this trend, as the grants used to pay wages for permanent staff in national universities have been reduced by about 1% every year. Instead, more money is being pumped into short-term projects with which many young researchers' salaries are tied to.

Young doctoral graduates in South Korea are also facing hardship and are struggling to get a job. Official data showed that one out of five doctorate graduates in 2017 were without a job, the highest rate since data collection on this trend began in 2014. According to the Korean Statistical Information Service, the figure was 21.3% in 2014, 20.3% in 2015 and 21.6% in 2016. Younger PhD graduates in South Korea are now struggling harder to find a job as compared to their older counterparts. Sociologists warned that the shortage of jobs for PhD graduates will hinder social development in the long-term and urged society to find ways to make good use of these highly educated workers.

On the contrary, the employment situation in China is not as alarming as the others mentioned above. China has produced the most number of graduates with doctorate degrees in recent years and it is estimated that there were 362,000 doctorate students as of 2017. A report by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) found that the overall employment rate of Chinese doctoral graduates in 2014 was generally high. A relatively low proportion of these people were engaged in freelance and short-term contracts, averaging below 10%. Notably, the unemployment rate of PhD graduates from Tsinghua University and Peking University during the year was 2.4% and 3.18% respectively, well below the national urban unemployment rate of 4.1%.

The CASS report analyzed six prestigious research universities in China and found that around 30% to 60% of graduates went into the academia and science research institutes, while the remaining PhD holders were absorbed into the public sector. Other popular options for science graduates were biotech and public health industries. Despite the low unemployment rate and relatively good prospects, it has been reported that professors in China are underpaid compared to their counterparts in other industries who may have had the same educational background. A China Daily report interviewed some PhD candidates who said that the best students seldom ended up in academic positions. Rather, they preferred going into banks or foreign companies with better compensation packages.

In light of the above, governments should balance between the development of the advanced research sector and the utilization of this pool of human resources. The government should also increase spending in public universities to improve the relatively low proportion of tenure-track positions in academia in the long-term. This should alleviate the frustration of poor job prospects faced by young PhD graduates, who have the ability to drive innovation in the economy. At the same time, universities can also provide related training to equip students to adapt to the demands of the private sector, including leadership and communication skills, should they find the academia unsuitable for them.

Dr. Mathew Wong is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Social Sciences in the Education University of Hong Kong.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.





If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn.



Lok Sabha elections won, its now mission Rajya Sabha for the Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP and the National Democratic Alliance led by it are looking to overcome a minority status in the upper house of parliament  something that scotched the previous NDA governments efforts to push through key laws.

The NDAs majority in the Rajya Sabha would help in easy passage of legislations in Parliament, something that has proved to be a major hurdle in recent years. Key bills on issues such as Triple Talaq, the motor vehicles act or amendments to the citizenship act could not be passed as the NDA couldnt get the requisite numbers.

Unlike Lok Sabha MPs who are elected directly by the people, lawmakers in the Upper House are elected by the MLAs of a state. The more the number of MLAs a party has, the brighter its chances to send more MPs to the upper house. A Rajya Sabha MP has a term of six years while his counterpart in the Lok Sabha faces election every five years. But not everyone in the Rajya Sabha is elected at the same time.

WATCH: 2019 mandate is for a new India, PM Modi at BJP HQ after historic win

Last year, the BJP overtook the Congress for the first time in the history of the Upper House; the total number of NDA MPs in the upper house stands at 101 in the 245 seat House. It also enjoys the support of three nominated members, Swapan Dasgupta, Mary Kom and Narendra Jadhav and at least three independent MPs, taking the total tally to 107. KTS Tulsi, a UPA-nominated member, will also retire early next year, giving the NDA a chance to appoint a nominee of its choice.

Read| From faith to gender and profession to caste: A profile of the 17th Lok Sabha

By November 2020, the NDA government will secure another 19 seats from as many as 14 states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, helping it go past the halfway mark of 123 and get 125 seats, making it the first government to reach majority in the upper house in nearly 15 years. Most of its seats will come from Uttar Pradesh where it has 310 MLAs in the 403-member assembly. It will also gain 6 seats in Tamil Nadu thanks to its new ally the AIADMK, three in Assam, two in Rajasthan and perhaps one in Odisha  the last one with the help of a friendly party, the BJD.

It will also gain one seat each in Karnataka, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand while it will lose seats in states such as Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

A big victory in the Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand assembly polls later this year can further bolster the BJP-led NDAs lead in the Upper House of Parliament by November 2020. If the NDA reaches the majority mark in 2020, it will get nearly four years in the Rajya Sabha to further its legislative agenda.

Between now and November 2020, 75 Rajya Sabha seats will be up for election.

In the past five years, numbers have proved to be quite a headache for NDA party managers. The amendments to the Land Acquisition Act could not be taken up in the Upper House as nearly all non-NDA parties joined hands to oppose the bill. The bill to criminalize Triple Talaq failed to get Parliaments clearance as the Opposition didnt even allow a debate on the bill. On one occasion in 2016, the united Opposition even passed amendments to the Presidents speecha rare but embarrassing proposition for the ruling establishment. The government in fact moved the Aadhaar bill as a money bill to avoid delays in the Rajya Sabha as many Opposition parties were determined.

Also read| BJP cements its position as central pole of Indian polity

During the previous UPA-era as well, the much-awaited PFRDA bill and the Insurance law amendments lingered on as the BJP, then the principal Opposition party, didnt agree to some of its clauses. While the UPA government finally managed to pass the pension fund bill at the fag-end of its tenure, the stalemate over the Insurance bill continued and ultimately the bill got passed after the NDA came to power.

Former parliamentary affairs secretary Afzal Amanullah maintained, that sheer majority might not be enough.

In the past few years, there is an increasing trend that even a group of 5-6 MPs are capable of stalling proceedings of Parliament. and even if you have majority, bills often get stuck due to disruption from one corner of the House. For the NDA, the next five years will also be a key test in Parliament as it needs to bring many more reforms, but may also face an aggressive Opposition still capable of disrupting the Houses.

Also read| How BJP used data to craft landslide win

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONOpponents of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were convinced the BJPs sweeping victory in 2014 atop the Modi Wave was a black swan event  a rare event that happens by chance and is unlikely to be repeated again. After seeing the results of the 2019 election, we realise the 2014 result was the first step towards political consolidation. Overall, as per the Election Commissions provisional data by 7 pm on Friday, the BJP won around 303 out the 438 seats it contested for a strike rate of about 68%.

At its core, beyond affirmative support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this is a rebuke to the Congress. In 2019, provisional data from the ECI helps underscore the point. In 2019, the BJP and Congress had 191 head-to-head contests, meaning that they were the top two finishers in a constituency. In these 191 constituencies, the BJP won 175 contests for a whopping 92% strike rate against the Congress. In 2014, the BJP had a similarly large strike rate of 86%.

Critics argued then it was a one-off, but we are witnessing now that it was only the first step towards the numbers we are witnessing in 2019.

It is exactly this dynamic that explains the sweeps in the Hindi belt states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in 2019, just like in 2014. In the 185 constituencies that the BJP was competitive (finishing in the top two) against a party other than Congress, its strike rate was 68% (a significant portion due to the BJPs performance in Uttar Pradesh).

Also read | From Modi to Priyanka, deciphering what next 5 years hold for 8 key leaders

Thus, while the BJP has made inroads to regions outside of its core base in northern and western India, the regional parties in India continue to put up a much better fight than the Congress. (This is to say nothing of the 65 seats in which the BJP is not competitive).

In fact, the inroads the BJP has made can also be partially attributed to the Congress, as it has taken over the opposition space (or more) in states like Odisha, Tripura and West Bengal where the Congress has traditionally been the chief opposition party to a regional power.

The BJP also increased its margins of victory against the Congress in these constituencies, from an average of 16% in 2014 to 20% in 2019. One major storyline for the Congress throughout the election was that rural distress would culminate in a silent vote against the BJP for the Congress. But the data show anything but this trend.

The figure displays the predicted victory margins for the BJP in 2014 and 2019 against the 188 seats it competed head-to-head against the Congress using a statistical technique known as LOESS. What is noticeable is a secular increase in the margin of victory between 2014 and 2019, with the greatest gains and highest margins of victory coming in the most rural regions.

How do we explain this spectacular performance of the BJP, especially vis-a-vis the Congress?

First, it is about the personality and popularity of Modi. While a class of analysts is still trying to understand why issues like joblessness and rural distress didnt cut ice with the electorate, the BJPs supporters are demonstrating a principle well-known to scholars of voting behaviour.

Voters are drawn to Modi and have decided to vote for him, and are then looking to come up with issues to support the idea  whether it be quality of leadership, standing strong against Pakistan, or centrally sponsored welfare schemes.

Second, it is about the quality of the BJPs communication with the voter. In a very genuine sense, we have witnessed the first media PM in Modi. This means Modi, from the day he was elected to government, has carefully choreographed his appearances to appeal to the voter and maximise future vote share. It is a phenomenon we have seen in the United States with presidents like Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, but never in India. The average citizens testimonies to the unimpeachable character of Modi testify to this fact. This explains why Congress chowkidar chor hai (the watchman is the thief) jibe at the Prime Minister fell flat.

Finally, one must marvel at the strength of the BJPs party machinery, and the financing of that machinery. In the countryside, particularly in the Hindi belt, one will often only find BJP party workers  with the Congress workers missing.

This confers an extraordinary advantage to the BJP, as it has workers to directly communicate the BJPs and Narendra Modis message to the voter, and, of course, minimise its shortcomings.The BJP has built a juggernaut, and it has changed Indian elections. For once, let us not speculate about the future, but let us marvel at the scale of this victory for the BJP.

(Neelanjan Sircar is an Assistant Professor, Ashoka University, and Visiting Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research)

Also read | In 10 charts, the complete story about PM Modis spectacular victoryPrime Minister Narendra Modi will start his second stint not with a 100-day agenda, but a 1,000-day agenda that will run up to the first half of 2022, the 75th anniversary of Indias independence, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said on condition of anonymity.

The plan will include several initiatives, from empowering women in agriculture to sending an Indian into space, as Modi seeks to fulfil his promise of creating a New India in his second term, they added.

We have been directed to chalk out agenda for the first 1,000 days and the new ministers and department heads will have to frame a comprehensive strategy to meet these objectives by 2022, said one of the people cited in the first instance, who works in a key government department.

A continuing emphasis on inclusive social welfare programmes, under the umbrella of Antodaya (upliftment of the poor), will run through the plan, the first person added. The emphasis on similar programmes, which benefited 220 million people (by the governments own count), is believed to be one of the factors responsible for the National Democratic Alliances (NDA) re-election.

WATCH: 2019 mandate is for a new India, PM Modi at BJP HQ after historic win

Modi is understood to have directed his officials to go beyond the routine 100-day agenda and, instead, work on a comprehensive three-year strategy.

The departments have been asked not to wait for the constitution of the new government, but to act immediately. After council of ministers is constituted, and portfolios allocated, they will start implementing the strategies in a mission mode, without wasting any time, the second person said.

Also read | In 10 charts, the complete story about PM Modis spectacular victory

On Thursday, addressing party workers at the BJP headquarters soon after the election results came out, Prime Minister Modi said: For the next five years, every Indian will have to pledge to transform India into a strong nation. The mission will require the same spirit as the one witnessed during the freedom struggle. We can make India a strong nation by 2022, before we complete 75 years of Independence.

On Friday morning, BJP president Amit Shah met key ministers and told them to focus on fulfilling the agenda for 2022 with all seriousness, HT learns. The new government is in no mood to waste any time and wants to act from day one, the second person said.

Some of the key schemes that will figure in the 1,000-day plan are: doubling farmers income by 2022; setting up 40,000 MW rooftop solar projects ; housing for all; generating 100 GW solar energy; empowering women including farm workers, and launching Indias first manned space mission, according to government officials who are working on Mission New India, as the plan is being tentatively called.

According to the officials, security to migrant labourers and factory workers is also a top priority, and the governments effort will be to cover 100 million workers in the Employees State Insurance Scheme by 2022. There will also be programmes that build on Digital India, an e-governance programme of the first Modi government, and a focus on science and technology and healthcare, they added.

Also read | From Modi to Priyanka, deciphering what next 5 years hold for 8 key leadersPresident Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday evening appointed Narendra Modi as Prime Minister, minutes after leaders of the 40-member national coalition NDA called on him after electing the prime minister as the coalitions leader.

President Kovinds office tweeted that PM Modi had been asked to indicate the date of the swearing in ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan and list the names of his council of ministers.

Standing at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, PM Modi told reporters that his government wouldnt waste a moment to get down to work for the people. President today gave me a letter designating me as the Prime Minister The country has given me a huge mandate and the mandate comes with the expectations of the people, PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister is expected to take oath early next week after visiting his home state Gujarat to seek his mothers blessings and then fly down for a quick thanksgiving trip to his constituency Varanasi which sent him to Lok Sabha.

The NDA swept the Lok Sabha elections winning 349 of the 542 seats for which polls were held and garnered almost 45 per cent of the votes across the country.

Also read | Told the party I dont want to continue as chief minister, says Mamata Banerjee

Earlier Saturday, President Kovind dissolved the 16th Lok Sabha with immediate effect on recommendation of the Union cabinet, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi plans to hit the ground running with a 1,000-day agenda that will run up to the first half of 2022 which will also mark the 75th anniversary of Indias independence, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said on condition of anonymity.

The 1000-day agenda will include several initiatives, from empowering women in agriculture to sending an Indian into space as part of Modis promise of creating a New India in his second term.

Also read | Rahul Gandhi offers to resign at CWC meet, gets free hand to overhaul partyA split in the SP-BSP-RLD alliance and the Congress votes may have affected the outcome on at least 10 seats, notwithstanding the accusation that the grand old party cut into the gathbandhans votes in Uttar Pradesh.

A close scrutiny of the 2019 poll results indicates that a possible joint opposition Alliance, including the Congress, could have been arithmetically stronger and may have secured more votes than the BJP on 10 more seats. The situation would have remained the same in the rest of the seats in the state.

This becomes evident from the vote share of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance and the Congress put together vis-a-vis the BJP. The SP-BSP-RLD alliance and the Congress together got 45.20% votes against the BJPs total vote share of 49.56%.

The votes of the Congress and the alliance, if taken together, are however higher than those of the BJPs winners in Badaun, Banda, Meerut, Barabanki, Dhaurahara, Basti, Sant Kabr Nagar, Sultanpur, Machhlishahar and Firozabad, where Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) led to split in the votes of the Samajwadi Party.

There are strong possibilities that on these seats the Congress candidates secured non-BJP votes that may have otherwise gone to the alliance. In Badaun, the SP candidate Dharmendra Yadav lost to BJPs Sangh Mitra Maurya by a margin of 18,454 votes. Yadav may have been a winner if the Congress candidate Salim Iqbal Sherwanis 51,947 votes were added to his account.

In Banda, SPs Shyama Charan Gupta lost by a margin of 58,553 votes and his tally would be higher if 75,438 votes secured by the Congress candidate were added to his account. In Meerut, BSP candidate Haji Mohammad Yaqub lost to the BJP by 2,379 votes. If his votes were added to the Congresss share, the total would be higher than the winners votes.

In Barabanki, SP candidate Ram Sagar Rawat lost to the BJP candidate Upendra Singh Rawat by 110,140 votes. Congress candidate Tanuj Punia polled 159,611 votes. Punia is the son of senior Congress leader PL Punia, who lost the seat in 2014. Similarly, BSP candidate Arshad Iliyas Siddiqui lost to BJP candidate Rekha Verma by a margin of 160,601 votes in Dharauhara. Congress candidate and former union minister Jitin Prasada secured 162,856 votes there. The alliance or the Congress candidate would have won the seat if only one of them had contested.

A nearly similar situation prevailed in Basti, Sant Kabr Nagar and Sultanpur. In Machhlishahar, Congress-supported Jan Adhikar Party polled about 7000 votes. If the JAP votes were added to the Alliances tally, it would make BSP candidate T Ram a definite winner against the BJPs Bholanath Saroj, who won by 181 votes. In Firozabad, the split in SP votes led to the victory of the BJP candidate. Samajwadi Party candidate Akshaya Yadav and PSP (L) chief Shivpal Singh Yadavs votes put together were higher than the votes of the winner.

However, in Saharanpur, the BJP lost to the BSP despite the Congresss Imran Masood securing about two lakh votes. Did the Congress candidate cut into the BJPs votes and help the alliance win the seat? Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) spokesman Surendra Rajput said, Imran Masood has a secular image and he secured votes of all the sections of society. So, the Congress candidate cutting into BJPs votes in Saharanpur cannot be ruled out.

During the campaign, Congress general secretary for east UP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra countered accusations that the Congress was cutting into the votes of the alliance. Wherever the Congress candidates were weak, they would cut into BJP votes and not of the alliance, Priyanka had said.

Meanwhile, the UPCC leaders accepted the peoples verdict and said the Congress contested the poll strongly.

We have strongly fought 2019 Lok Sabha election. We accept the peoples verdict, said Congress MLA and media coordinator Aradhana Mishra.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONDrinking coffee used to be a simple matter of instant or filter. When Cafe Coffee Day and Barista first began to spread at the turn of the millennium, we began to be able to tell our lattes from our cappuccinos, but we still know more about where our wine comes from, than our brew.

India is currently the seventh largest producer of coffee in the world, and there are Indian coffees so sought-after by foreign markets that theyre hard to find here at home. According to the Coffee Board of India (CBoI), we produce about 3.1 lakh tonnes of coffee beans a year. Most, and the best, of it is exported to Italy, Germany and Russia. About 75 per cent is exported, says Babu Reddy, deputy director of market research at the CBoI.

There are 13 major coffee-growing regions in the country, Coorg and Chikmagalur in Karnataka being the largest. Coffee is also grown in parts of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and the north-east.

Six Indian varieties have recently been awarded the Geographical Indicator (GI) tag by the Government of India, meaning that their names can only be ascribed to beans from those specific regions. Heres a look at the six, and the brands where you might encounter them.

BABA BUDANGIRI & CHIKMAGALUR ARABICA: DESI MOCHA

Taste notes: Intensity and clarity of a rich mocha flavour Used by: KC Roasters, Dope Coffee Roasters

The Baba Budangiri hills in Chikmagalur, Karnataka, are where coffee was first grown in the country. According to legend, seven coffee beans were smuggled here from Yemen in the 17th century, hidden in the tunic of a Sufi saint. His name was Hazrat Shah Janab Allah Magatabi, or Baba Budan. The coffee grown here takes his name.

Plantation workers in Wayanad. The gently sloping hills and rich laterite soil of low-lying Wayanad district in Kerala are excellent for the cultivation of coffee. (iStock)

WAYANAD ROBUSTA: THE INSTANT BEAN

Taste notes: Bitter, pungent, but with a mild flavour and full body Used by: A number of instant coffee and filter coffee brands

The gently sloping hills and rich laterite soil of low-lying Wayanad district in Kerala is excellent for the cultivation of Robusta beans. According to the Coffee Board of India, Wayanad produces 90% of the states coffee.

Broken Robusta beans are used to make instant coffee as well as in filter coffee blends. Indian filter coffees are usually a blend of Robusta and Arabica, combined with chicory for a strong flavour base. This type of blend is best suited for the milk-and-sugar coffee that Indian coffee drinkers prefer.

ARAKU VALLEY ARABICA: THE DESI EXPAT

Taste notes: Exhibits a full body coupled with bright citric flavours and striking aroma with a note of chocolate and a sweetness in the finish. Used in India by: Araku Valley Coffee House in Vishakapatnam

Getting your hand on a cup of Araku Valley coffee might be easier in Paris than in India. This smooth, mellow, complexly flavoured bean grows in a single region on the borders of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, by tribals who follow traditional practices of growing, selective picking and management. The cherry ripens slowly in the mild climate at the high altitude of Araku Valley, but as with the Ratnagiri Hapus, most of it is exported.

COORG ARABICA: SOUTHERN STAPLE

Taste notes: A well-balanced and mildly sweet taste with subtle body, its neither bitter nor sour, has low acidity levels and a mild chocolatey aftertaste. Used by: Dope Coffee Roasters, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters

Coorg is the largest coffee-growing district in the country. The Coorg Arabica is identified by its uniform beans that lend itself to an even roast. It is cultivated at high altitudes, and registers a slow growth rate, which prolongs the time for the cherry to ripen. Its balanced flavours are best extracted through a medium roast and hot brew.

MONSOONED MALABAR

Taste notes: Mellow, musty and fruity-flowery flavour, mildly aromatic and reduced acidity Used by: Marcs Coffees, Dope Coffee Roasters, The Coffee Co

The Monsooned Malabar was identified and branded as a specialty coffee by the Coffee Board of India in the 1960s. It is harvested just before the monsoon and left to soak up the moisture laden winds of the Western Ghats during the rains, in order to replicate the conditions created during its rocky voyage from India to Europe centuries ago. As the story goes, owing to the monsoon winds en route, the swollen beans at the end of the journey acquired special characteristics that resulted in reduced acidity and mellow taste. It is usually blended with stronger and more acidic varieties of coffee.The Bandra unit of the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) on Friday night arrested a Kenyan national and seized 510 grams of high-quality cocaine worth Rs3.06 crore. The accused  identified as David Lemaron Ol Tubulai, 33  was intercepted at Carter Road.

Cocaine, mainly produced in Latin American countries, is transported from Brazil to Lagos or Lomo in Africa. From here, it is smuggled into India. According to Shivdeep Lande deputy commissioner of police, ANC, the sought-after drug is encased in capsules, swallowed by traffickers and smuggled into the country. The traffickers are then given laxatives to pass the drug out with stool.

Tubulai had acquired the drugs from such traffickers. This is the first time we have arrested a Kenyan national in a drug-related case, said Lande.

Tubulai, hailing from Embakasi in Kenya, is a resident of Kopar Khairane in Navi Mumbai.

We suspect that Tubulai was involved in supplying drugs to high-profile clients around Khar, Juhu and Versova. We have booked him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, said Lande.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONA 34-year-old man, who in 2013 allegedly raped a 13-year-old and later married her when her family wanted to file a police complaint, only to flee the country after the marriage, was arrested at the Lucknow international airport. The accused was caught by the Lucknow police based on a look out circular(LOC) that had been issued against him. The accused had taken a flight from Saudi Arabia. The Lucknow police intimated the Amboli police of his arrest on Friday. A team from Amboli police is on its way to Lucknow to take his custody.

A city court had recently passed an order making three police officers co-accused in the case for allegedly forcing the minor to marry the 34-year-old man. The three cops  police inspector (PI) Jaywant Shinde , then an assistant police inspector with the Amboli police station; PI Vivek Shende; and constable Janita Bhosale  have been summoned to be present at the court on June 10. They had allegedly thwarted the attempts of the girl and her father to register a rape case.

A police complaint in the matter was eventually filed in 2014, when a social worker saw the minor with a child and enquired with her about it. The family alleged the case was registered only after the intervention of the Child Welfare Committee.

According to the prosecution, the 34-year-old man was a neighbour of the minor girl and had, along with another accused, raped her on multiple occasions between July 2012 and January 2013. The other accused has already been arrested in the case.

The prosecution said the accused had raped the girl for the first time in July 2012 after spiking her drink, which made her lose consciousness. The girl realised she had been raped when she regained consciousness. The accused threatened the girl they would kill her family if she revealed the crime to anyone, the prosecution said.

The incident came to light when the girl was found to be pregnant. When the family approached the police, the three police officers named as co-accused allegedly settled the case by forcing the girl to marry the accused. However, police officers said the accused had fled to Saudi Arabia after the marriage and had severed all communication with the girl and her family.Actor Hina Khan recently made her red carpet debut at the Cannes Film Festival and was appreciated for her style. The actor was, however, criticised a magazine editor who commented on her Cannes appearance saying that Cannes is turning into Chandivali Studios. Hina has now revealed that she was hurt by the statement.

Hina told film critic Anupama Chopra in an interview, Coming from somebody sitting at such a huge position, it was disheartening. I did feel bad, I wont deny. I did feel that it was not necessary. I felt bad not just for myself that I have put in a lot of effort but for the person as well that its not required. You are what you are. You dont need it.

Cannes 2019: Hina Khan dazzles on red carpet

Several TV actors including Sumona Chakravarti, Arjun Bijlani and producer Ekta Kapoor had shown support for her. Even Salman Khan had spoken in her defence at an event. This is very responsible of the editor to make a comment like that, so thoughtful. I dont understand what did he want to say? Cannes is Chandivali or Chandivali is going to Cannes, he said.

Hina made her red carpet debut at the screening of Brazilian film Bacurau where she wore a grey embellished Ziad Nakad gown with dramatic sleeves. She again walked the red carpet at Cannes in a gleaming Alin Le Kal wrap gown. She had also unveiled the poster of her film Lines at the festival.

Hina Khan at the screening of the film Bacurau at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival. (REUTERS)

Hina also attended a Chopard party hosted by Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas at Cannes along with Bollywood actors including Diana Penty and Huma Qureshi. Thanking Priyanka for inviting her to the party, Hina wrote on Instagram, An unexpected invitation by a world star.. personally, after I gained consciousness and prepared my self to finally make it, I was still an outsider but only until you arrived. You didnt need to, but still never left my hand for a second, introduced me to the people I probably wouldnt have met and I felt as if all the achievements of my little career happening in fast forward as you present me as a star to each one of them.

Also read: Salman Khan on Priyanka Chopra quitting Bharat: She chose USA in the nick of time, she can be part of films promotions

Priyanka had responded to her saying, Thank you for the kind words Hina. Was so good to meet you and spend time with you. Proud of what you have achieved and it was my pleasure to highlight the talent the Indian industry possesses in anyway that I could. Wishing you all the luck in the world, onward and upwards! Xoxo #GirlsForGirls.

Follow @htshowbiz for moreIncluding Pakistan in the grey-list of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in June 2018 over terror financing is seen in the country as a political act and less vital than the flight of corrupt cash abroad, a new report by a leading think-tank said on Friday.

Titled Security through financial integrity: Mending Pakistans Leaky Sieve, the report by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) says the countrys international engagement on financial crime issues at the government-to-government level has largely been at cross-purposes.

Focussing on various aspects of Pakistans financial system, including the illegal hawala/hundi system of money transfer and the role of Dubai, the report based on a series of interviews and workshops in London and Pakistan, says Islamabad faces several challenges.

The focus of the FATF on counterterrorist financing in Pakistan is seen as a foreign preoccupation that unjustly obscures the issue of greatest relevance to Pakistan itself, namely the proceeds of corruption siphoned off outside the country, the report by Tom Keatinge and Anton Moiseienko says.

After the FATF officially announced Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018, from the next month the country has also been included on the European Unions list of high-risk third countries that pose a significant threat to the EUs financial system.

Pakistani interviewees widely view the FATFs decision as politically motivated and at the same time damaging to the countrys reputation, report says, adding that despite the perceived injustice, they acknowledge the need to engage with the FATF process.

When the research team suggested that improving Pakistans financial crime defences dovetails with Pakistans anti-corruption agenda, several interviewees agreed but argued that the FATFs focus on CTF (counter terror financing) in Pakistan obscured the issue that was of greatest relevance, namely the proceeds of corruption siphoned outside the country, it says.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley said earlier this month that India wants Pakistan to be further downgraded to FATFs black-list. In February this year, FATF said Pakistan does not demonstrate a proper understanding of terror financing risks posed by militant groups and persons affiliated with the Taliban.

The UK, the report says, is seen as an enabler of corruption in Pakistan, partly as a consequence of high-profile cases such as that of Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari, both of whom own UK-based real estate.

More broadly, there is a palpable feeling that the UK is a favoured destination for dirty funds from Pakistan, and that UK law enforcement would be able to reverse the situation if there were sufficient political will to do so, the report adds.

One interviewee evoked the metaphor of a leaky sieve (Pakistan) and a bucket where the water flows (UK), the report says, adding that in interviewees view the only reason why Pakistan is a leaky sieve in the first place is the availability of attractive destinations for dirty funds.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONYou are here: World

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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his country will send about 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East amid escalating tension with Iran.

Trump told reporters at the White House that the extra deployment, which is "relatively small number of troops," is mainly a protective measure.

"We'll see what happens," he added.

U.S. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said later in the day that the Pentagon has informed Congress about the new move.

Shanahan said in a tweet that he has approved the combatant commander's request to deploy approximately 1,500 additional troops and defensive capabilities to the Middle East to increase U.S. force protection posture.

"This is a prudent response to credible threats from Iran," he added in the tweet.

Trump's decision came one day after he downplayed the likelihood of sending more American troops to the Middle East.

"I don't think we're going to need them. I really don't," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"I would certainly send troops if we need them," he added.

Trump also revealed on Thursday that a high-level meeting centering on Iran would be conducted at the White House later in the day.

Washington and Tehran have been locked in a war of words over the past two weeks amid escalating tension that had been stoked up following America's military buildup in the Middle East.

Iran has vowed to withstand the U.S. "bullying policies."Early in Americas independence, anyone who was not a white male property owner was shut out of the ballot box. No one else had the right to vote. Seeking that right and broader social justice reform, womens rights activists organized the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention that launched the suffrage movement.

The push for a womans right to vote was disrupted by the Civil War but regained momentum during the Reconstruction period. Controversy arose over what became the 15th Amendment, which guaranteed voting rights regardless of race or color but did not mention gender. Some womens rights supporters were split on whether to support or oppose the amendment.

On May 15, 1869, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony formed the National Woman Suffrage Association, which opposed the 15th Amendment, seeking instead a constitutional amendment that guaranteed women the right to vote. At the same time, NWSA advocated for broader social reforms to ensure equal rights for women.

About the same time, womens rights advocates who supported the 15th Amendment formed the American Woman Suffrage Movement, which concentrated on getting individual states to pass laws allowing women to vote.The group had some success in doing so, particularly in the West. The territory of Wyoming was the first to allow women to vote.

Yet it would be more than 70 years after the Seneca Falls Convention before all women in the United States were allowed to vote, after the states ratified what is the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Flash

Theresa May announced her resignation Friday as Britain's prime minister. She will remain at 10 Downing Street as caretaker while a search begins to elect her successor.



May said she will resign as leader of the Conservative Party on June 7, with the process to choose her successor as Britain's next prime minister beginning on June 10.

She made her decision against the backdrop of one of the world's best known front doors, with world media crowded on the opposite side of Downing Street to record her announcement.

May became emotional, and was close to tears, as she concluded her statement by saying being Britain's second female prime minister had been the honor of her life.

"It is, and will always remain, a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit," said May.

In her resignation speech, May said: "I have done everything I can to convince MPs to back that deal. Sadly, I have not been able to do so. I tried three times. I believe it was right to persevere, even when the odds against success seemed high."

"But it is now clear to me that it is in the best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead that effort," she said.

May said Queen Elizabeth had approved her remaining as prime minister until her successor is chosen.

The timetable announced by May means she will still be in office next week when U.S. President Donald Trump pays a state visit to Britain.

Ahead of announcing her resignation, May held a private meeting with Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, the body that represents backbench Conservative MPs in the House of Commons.

A number of senior ministers have already indicated their intention to join the race, expected to start on June 10, to choose her successor as leader of the Conservative Party.

Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who also served two terms as Mayor of London, has emerged as favorite to succeed May as prime minister.

May's time as prime minister has come to a crashing end over unrest among her own MPs over the Brexit withdrawal plan which she had planned to announced today.

The task of finding a way out of the Brexit deadlock will go to her successor.

A prime minister in British politics is not chosen by the population but falls onto the person who is leader of the governing party.

Thousands of grassroot members of the Conservative Party across Britain will take part in the process to find a new leader.

The focus will now switch to the race among leading Conservatives to get hold of the key to 10 Downing Street.

Apart from Boris Johnson, other top Conservatives ministers and ex-ministers joining the race are expected to include Dominic Raab, who resigned as Brexit minister, Michael Gove and Esther McVey.

One of the first reactions to May's decision came from Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's first minister who is also leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party.

She said in a statement from Edinburgh: "We had profound disagreements, not least on her handling of Brexit and her disregard for Scotland's interests. However, leadership is tough, especially in these times, and she deserves thanks for her service."

"Her departure will not solve the Brexit mess that the Conservatives have created. Only putting the matter back to the people can do that. Given current circumstances, it also feels deeply wrong for another Conservative to be installed in Number 10 without a General Election."

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt paid tribute to May, saying: "Delivering Brexit was always going to be a huge task, but one she met every day with courage and resolve."

Media reports said a conversation between Hunt and May on Thursday night, when he told her she must withdraw her proposed re-written Brexit withdrawal bill, had been instrumental in May's decision to go.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. Flash

A Foreign Ministry spokesperson for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday blamed the United States for the failure of the summit meeting in Hanoi in late February between DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump.

The spokesperson told Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) that the underlying cause for setback of the Hanoi meeting "is the arbitrary and dishonest position taken by the United States, insisting on a method which is totally impossible to get through."

To build mutual confidence with the U.S. side, "we have taken crucial and meaningful measures of a strategically decisive nature, including the discontinuation of nuclear test and test-fire of intercontinental ballistic missile," the KCNA quoted the spokesperson as said.

However, the United States did not respond to the goodwill measures in the same manner, but deliberately pushed the talks to a rupture by merely claiming the unilateral disarmament of the DPRK, the report said.

The Hanoi Summit on February 27-28 ended without any agreement between Kim and Trump. It was the second meeting between the two leaders, following the first meeting in June 2018 in Singapore.Earlier this month, Asian Da Brat sat down with Fuse to offer up her ASMR installment. She whispered away and spoke with them about her image, her music, and what it's been like being signed to Gucci Mane's label, 1017 Eskimo Records. She gave him credit for helping shape her career and said that she's the female version of Guwop.

"I'm only 22 and I'm the first lady, it makes me feel bossy to have that title," she told the publication. She added, "I love to have fun, even when I'm mad or sad in the studio. I just like to talk my sh*t." All seemed well during that conversation and there didn't seem to be any hiccups between the rapper and her label when she dropped off her eighth mixtape, UNFUCCWITABLE just days later. However, Asian Da Brat recently dropped hints that things may not be well on the homefront.

"I wish I wasnt signed I wish I was still INDEPENDENT doing my own thing ," she wrote before adding "I dont care about the hype I been the hype." The young rapper didn't offer up an explanation as to why she's dissatisfied with being a signed artist, but she did list off her accolades in a tweet just days prior. "Ive did a lot of sh*t in my career at 22. Nick Minaj co sign. Queen radio. Cover of XXL & later that month I was in it again. Wildin Out. Cover of Paper Mag. Signed to Gucci. Drop the Best mixtapes. Authentic Feature. Performed @ 3 rolling louds. World tour INDEPENDENTLY etc..."

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx092cXA1jh



https://twitter.com/_/status/1131589593013338114

https://twitter.com/_/status/1130966734347878400



It's been a stressful time for Asian Da Brat as she announced on Twitter that her sister was recently shot. She offered up advice to her followers, telling them if they were ever able to move out of the 'hood, they should seize the opportunity.Blink and you missed it. Beast Coast accomplished the impressive feat of jamming a 13-song LP with give or take a good dozen participants staking their claim on the project. Irrespective of how the parts were devised, "Bones" is highly representative of what a high-stakes environment would look like amongst friends.

The 8th song on the LP doesn't offer much in the way of solo vindication. Kirk Knight, Darko, Zombie Juice, Erick the Architect, Nyck Caution, Issa Gold and Erick Arc Elliott all succeed in the compacted space of 8 bars at best.

Only AK The Savior and Meechy Darko, of The Underachievers and Flatbush Zombies respectively, register as full-timers on "Bones," and deservedly so - as they impacted the song with a certain pedigree, and a pace-setting example for the remaining 5 songs on the LP. Give us your thoughts on Escape From New York in the comment section below, as well as your rank and file for "Bones" from BEAST performer to least spectacular.

Quotable Lyrics:

Mike Amiri on, lookin' like a Shotta

Louis carry-on, fell in love with ganja

Keep a very long shotty for imposters

Pellegrino on the wrist cost a comma

Nefertiti on the dick, she a scholar.

- AK The SaviorDisgraced film executive and former board of The Weinstein Company Harvey Weinstein has reportedly reached a tentative deal to settle the numerous civil lawsuits against him by dishing out $44 million. According to The Blast, there will most likely be a confidentiality agreement involved that will bar his accusers of sexual assault from sharing their stories with anyone in the future, or from working with the prosecution. Weinstein isn't out of hot water just yet. He still faces a criminal trial where he's been accused of sexual violence, however, because many of the witnesses in that trial are the accusers that he just settled his multi-million dollar deal with, he may come out victorious.

The Blast also said that they've recently spoken to Bill Cosby who is currently incarcerated at the State Correctional Institution in Phoenix after he was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault. The publication recalled how Cosby and one of his accusers, Andrea Constand, settled for $3.8 million back in 2006. However, she broke the confidentiality agreement with that deal and later attempted to have him charged criminally for assaulting her.



Clem Murray - Pool/Getty Images

Cosby issued a warning to Weinstein that he shouldn't breathe any easier just because he's ready to hand over those checks to his accusers. "I was given a promise, waived my 5th Amendment Rights and settled out of court with Andrea Constand for $3.8 million dollars, Cosby told The Blast. "She was able to get a second bite of the apple, please tell me  is this Un-American or not?" He continued, "Good that Mr. Weinstein has an ethical judge, who rules based on the law, not personal agenda and/or political aspirations. My lynchers, Judge ONeill and Kevin Steele, have shown the true color of their uniforms: a White Sheet.

The comedian's lawyers have been working hard for Cosby to be released early. He was sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison. His earliest release date is in 2021.You are here: World

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At least eight people, including four children, were killed on Friday when a Saudi-led coalition airstrike hit a petrol station in Yemen's southwestern province of Taiz, pro-government Almasdaronline news website reported.

Dozens of others were wounded in the air attack which targeted the petrol station in Maweyah district in the eastern part of Taiz, Almasdaronline said.

However, Houthi-controlled health authorities in the capital Sanaa said the death toll had increased to 12.

There have been no comments yet from the Saudi-led coalition.

Last week, a coalition airstrike hit a tall building in the center of Sanaa, killing six family members, according to the residents and medics.

The Saudi-led coalition has been intervening in the civil war in Yemen since 2015 to fight the Houthi rebels who seized most of Yemen's north, including the capital Sanaa.he's looking at a life sentence El Chapo's case was one of the biggest trials of this decade. The Sinaloa Cartel boss was convicted for various crimes related to the drug trafficking charges and with sentencing set for June, he's looking at a life sentence. Chapo's been in federal custody for the past 27 months but his lawyer claims that within that time, he's dealt with "cruel and unusual" prison standards. His lawyer, who requested a judge get in the middle of this, said that he was being deprived of both sunlight and air nor was he able to receive enough exercise or water, and said that he needed earplugs since the prison sounds were too loud for him get proper sleep.



YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images

"Even those who have been convicted of the most heinous acts deserve not to have their most basic human rights violated," his lawyer Mariel Colon said. "Since (his extradition) he has not been able to see natural sunlight or breathe fresh air. Hes been inside. Hes been denied any outdoor privileges whatsoever."

Despite this, the prosecutors said he never asked the Bureau Of Prisons for such request, and even if he did, they would be denied because he's a high flight risk.

In this case, any outdoor exercise time would be particularly problematic for this defendant, Brooklyn federal judge Brian Cogan wrote. The defendant has successfully planned and executed elaborate escapes from two high-security penal institutions. As detailed at trial, one of the defendants escapes involved the construction of a sophisticated, ventilated tunnel that stretched for over a mile. Certainly, an escape via rooftop, using a helicopter, or any related means would be elementary by comparison.

The prison said that they don't hand out earplugs because inmates could use them as a ruse to ignore, or pretend not to hear, the guards orders. In terms of the six water bottles, the filing claims that he's lying and that he's received six bottles of water per week since April.Gucci Mane's become a whole new person since his release from prison a few years ago. He's not the same Gucci Mane with the Bart Simpson chain nor is he hip-hop's Boogeyman who blessed us with his banger "My Kitchen." He made a complete 180 after his release, giving up drugs and alcohol while living his best life. The rapper took to Instagram today to reflect on the three-year anniversary since he came out of federal prison.

Gucci Mane was once referred to as a clone after his release from prison due to how healthy he was looking. Of course, he has thanked his wife Keyshia Ka'oir on numerous occasions for staying by his side throughout everything. The rapper shared an Instagram post where he flexed with a new chain that includes a photo of him and Keyshia surrounded by diamonds. "I got out the feds 3 years ago today  My wife was just a huge inspiration @keyshiakaoir," he wrote. "Thank you."

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx5L6bIF2Vu



As previously mentioned, Gucci Mane's become a whole new person. Despite being released from prison three years ago, he recently got permission to go to Canada -- a highly difficult task for anyone convicted of a crime -- for his first Canadian tour. Although the tour was postponed, the rapper still went up North for Game 3 of Raptors vs. Bucks.Ike Turner was married to Tina Turner when he impregnated one of his backup dancers and become a father to Mia Turner. Tina released her autobiography in October of last year that detailed jaw-dropping recollections of her marriage to Ike, that explained rape, and endless abuse at the hands of her husband.

However, Mia claims that such events aren't true in her recent conversation with Daily Mail. According to the publication, Mia states that the violent rape scene in the film What's Love Got to Do with It (the film on Tina's life) was "fictionalized."



Michael Putland/Getty Images

"Obviously I wasn't there that nightbut after I saw the movie I called Tina's sister Aillene and said: 'What in the world?' She then called Tina and confirmed to me that it never happened," Mia told the publication. "A high percentage of Tina's account has been accurate. When she signed off on the movie it was the way she wanted it, but it was edited heavily afterwards."

She added: "We find out later it was tweaked. It was made Hollywood, so there's quite a few scenes, primarily the rape scene. It didn't happen. In Hollywood, sex sells, whether it's good, bad or indifferent."

Mia is working on a documentary of her own since she lived with Ike, Tina and her mother at one point during her childhood.Tyler, The Creator is in the spirit of celebration as of now according to XXL reports. According to the news outlet, the woman behind the rapper's multiyear UK ban has now resigned. Precisely, the unexpected resignation of Theresa May hinted the former prime minister would be stepping down from her duties beginning June 7th. The dismissal came through this past Friday, May 24th. As such, Tyler was quick to post about the news on his social media. The "Yonkers" rapper stated: "Theresa gone, im back." And indeed, perhaps he is.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1131941353368109061



Considering Tyler has released his new album, IGOR, we can expect a few tour dates across the pond. Tyler's initial ban stemmed from 2015 when Theresa May forbade him from entering the country. At the time, the rapper's lyrics were believed to be the root cause. The United Kingdom's political representative stated Tyler, The Creator's lyrics "encourage violence and intolerance of homosexuality" and "foster hatred with views that seek to provoke others to terrorist act." The ban was set to span three to five years and it has since been lifted. Tyler then returned to the UK, but his concert was cancelled due to overwhelming concern with regards to rowdy fans. A make-up concert has been scheduled since then.

[Via]Mattress Firm, the nation's largest mattress retailer, has tapped former television executive John Eck as its new chief executive.

The Houston company on Friday said it is confident the former Univision and NBCUniversal executive can set a new strategic course for the mattress giant, which emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November. Eck, who starts his new job next week, will be tasked with driving sales during the busy summer season, which kicks off with Memorial Day sales this weekend.

"This is the perfect time for John Eck to join Mattress Firm," the company said in a statement released late Friday. "He is a transformational leader who has a unique ability to navigate highly dynamic industries and unite teams around a common vision that modernizes the company."

Eck replaces Mattress Firm veteran Steve Stagner, who resigned last month. The former chairman and chief executive's rocky relationship with Tempur Sealy, one of Mattress Firm's most lucrative suppliers, likely cost Stagner his job, according to Wall Street analysts. Since Mattress Firm's bankruptcy, Tempur Sealy has been in talks with Mattress Firm to sell its high-end Tempur-Pedic mattresses in Mattress Firm's 2,500 stores nationwide, but no deal has been struck yet.

Eck brings years of media experience to Mattress Firm, a major media advertiser in Houston. The Connecticut resident was most recently a senior adviser and consultant at Rockdale Partners, a New York financial advisory firm specializing in technology, media and telecommunications. He was previously chief local media officer for Univision, a Hispanic media company which operates 120 TV and radio stations nationally.

Eck previously spent 28 years at General Electric in its lighting, aviation, financial services and media divisions, and led the integration of NBC and Universal. He was later named president of NBC's television network.

Eck comes to Mattress Firm during a challenging time for the retailer, a subsidiary of Steinhoff International, a South African retail conglomerate mired in a financial accounting scandal. The parent company, which has been under investigation and audits, earlier this month reported a net loss of $4.5 billion in 2017, warning investors about its ability to operate as a going concern.

There is "significant doubt upon the company and group's ability to continue as a going concern beyond the foreseeable future," Steinhoff said in its 2017 annual report released May 7. "The management board and operational management require sufficient time to stabilize the group and re-establish value at operational level."

Mattress Firm, in a statement earlier this month, said it is focused on moving the company forward since its restructuring.

"The Board is pleased with the speed of sale recapture, profitability and liquidity improvement to date," Sunni Goodman, a Mattress Firm spokeswoman, said in an email earlier this month. "The company is in a strong go-forward position."

Eck, who did not return calls for comment Friday, said in a statement he plans to shape Mattress Firm into a customer-centric and innovative company.

"Mattress Firm has incredible brand equity, a strong network of stores and distribution centers and tremendous potential," Eck said. "I look forward to working with the team and building a brand that customers look to first, last and always for a great night's sleep."This review of the film "Alien" was originally published on May 24, 1979, in the Houston Chronicle. It opened at four Houston theaters: the Alabama, Almeda 9, North Oaks and Westchase. At the Alabama, the movie was shown in 70mm. To mark the film's 40th anniversary, a 4K restoration of the film will be screened Sunday at Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra. -- JR Gonzales

"Alien" is the second feature of Ridley Scott, the English director whose first film, "The Duellists," was one of the best-looking period films I've ever seen. "Alien" is inarguably the best looking science-fiction movie I've ever seen. The film, Rated R, is due at several theaters Friday.

With no consideration given at this point to the ideas generated by the film's narrative, I assure anyone with the slightest affection for the SF genre that it's worth its admission price simply for the intelligence and audacity of its look.

It melds the American-pragmatic form-as-function look of "2001" with the European fantasist influence of artists whose work appears in the upscale-head-comix magazine Heavy Metal. The space ship in which most of the film takes place is an humble freighter, and it looks used. The crew has humanized it with toys, wind chimes, a cat, non-company-issued clothing. The outside of the space ship is standard-issue count-the-rivets "Star Wars." But the space suits are based upon 15th century Japanese samurai warriors. And the dead race which once lived within the alien planet upon which the ship lands created works of engineering which appear made of organic matter. The first half-hour of the film, before we settle in the space-freighter interior for the rest of the evening, is one breathtaking visual effect after another.

The storyline is bone simple, and I refuse to devalue the film for you by telling you a milligram more than the sacred canon of film reviewing requires. The crew of the freighter is played, with a selfless sense of ensemble, by Tom Skerritt, as the captain; Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto.

They're employed by a large company with a mining subsidiary. Skerritt, as ordered, puts down on the cold, dark planet in search of a radio beacon which suggests there is intelligent life thereupon. When they lift back off, they are harboring an alien life form of terrifyingly virulent hostility.

The rest of the film concerns the battle between the humans and the alien. A warning: Despite the state-of-the-art special effects and Scott's remarkably comprehensive use of the syntax of film, Scott seeks to entertain you by the brutally primal tactic of reaching into your gut and squeezing your adrenal gland: There's an awful thingie there in the dark, and it gets people, and you have to watch it as it does.

The filmmakers have come up with some images that are sheerest nightmare. The film earns its shudders honestly: Scott is too talented to need gratuitousness as a aid. We are repelled more by the idea of what's happening than by simple excess of repellent images. Still, even while you acknowledge that the filmmakers are scrupulous, sitting with your arms wrapped around your head because you can't watch the screen may not be your idea of a good time.

"Alien" is such a startlingly well-made film that it seems the height of something -- malcontentedness, I guess -- to complain even in low tones about its objectives. Inarguably, the filmmakers achieve their objective entirely -- they make us leave the theater reeling.

Is it fair to Scott and the other filmmakers to suggest that they did not fully extend themselves? Once we settle back into the freighter, Scott signals an end to the film's intellectual development and indicates what the movie will be like the rest of the way -- we are in for an hour of oh-God-I-can't-watch scenes as the next crew member confronts the alien in the dark. Maybe Scott goes one time too often to that well.

He retains all his options to shock until the last frame; but because he abandoned the film of ideas that was coequal and contiguous with the film of sensation, he loses his capacity to surprise. I was intrigued by the depiction of the alien planet and was looking forward to more development of concept -- what is an alien culture like? But Scott dedicates the balance of the film to those who prefer having their viscera twisted to their brains tickled. The alien, finally, is simply to boogeyman.

Is it critical overreaching to ask that Scott had been more ambitious? Probably. You never want more from bad films, though. You just want out. Good ones, as they satisfy appetites, often create fresh hungers.

But the movie Scott wants to make -- as opposed to the one I'd preferred he made -- works. Wow, does it work. If you leave the theater with your nerves unjangled, you arrived in a coma.Local veterans in The Woodlands are issuing a call to anyone who knows or is related to a veteran in an effort to fill a memorial with tiles of remembrance for those who served in the armed forces.

Bill Wingo, treasurer for The Way Home Project, said the effort to create an all-encompassing memorial to Texas veterans from all branches of the military  the Marine Corps, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force and the Merchant Marines  began in 2004 when members of The Greater Woodlands Public Art Foundation began a fund-raising drive for the project. That effort led to the unveiling of the current veterans memorial in Town Green Park.

Now, Wingo said, the group wants to adorn the monument with tiles bearing the names of those who have served.

It was conceived in 2004 at a meeting at the American Legion. I got involved in 2007 after the funeral of Cory Kosters. When I came back (from the funeral), I started the project again, Wingo explained. The (new memorial) will be made of tiles in memory of veterans, whether they were killed in action, POWs, missing in action. All we are doing is completing the project with the tiles.

How to get a tile Visit the project's website at web site at: http://www.thewayhomeproject.com/ or for additional information, contact: Bill Wingo, treasurer, The Way Home Project at 281-367-9990 or via email: bwingo@wingocompanies.com. See More Collapse

In an effort to do that, Wingo and others involved in the project are asking anyone who knows a veteran to submit that persons name and details of service to project coordinators to honor all veterans from the region and The Woodlands.

The problem is, most veterans will not submit their own names, for whatever reason  survivor guilt or not thinking their service was important, he said. It often takes a loved one to make it happen. I have seen so many tears shed when a veteran sees their name on a tile.

According to a press release about the effort, the monument in Town Green Park, named The Way Home, was first dedicated on Memorial Day, 2015, and was created, In recognition of all those who have served our country, some of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice, said Everett Ison, president of the Greater Woodlands Public Art Foundation.

We must never forget that their service allows us to live safely and freely in the United States, Ison stated in the release.

According the press release, the monument was paid for with only donations from area companies and organizations. More than 1,000 memorial tiles were sold to anyone who wanted to honor a veteran, and the land for the monument was donated by The Woodlands Township. On top of the base of the monument are depictions of two young men who were residents of The Woodlands area  Army Cpl. Cory C. Kosters, who was killed in Iraq on March 5, 2007, and Army Cpl. Zach R. Endsley, who lost was killed in Afghanistan on June 23, 2007, the release stated.

Today we launched a website at: http://www.thewayhomeproject.com/ so people everywhere can learn about Zach and Cory, and pay tribute to our veterans, Wingo stated in a press release. The web site has detailed information on these heroes along with photos and videos. The site also has an order form for anyone who would like to purchase memorial tiles, or sponsors who would like to help with the costs associated with maintaining the memorial.

The effort to honor all veterans in The Woodlands, and resulting support from so many in the community is a welcome feeling, Wingo admitted.

When we did the 2015 dedication, we expected 500 people and we got 5,000. This is very important to the community and the community has shown it, he said. I am proud to be a member of this community and know it supports veterans.

jeff.forward@chron.comLONDON  Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation Friday after three years of trying and failing to pull Britain out of the European Union, throwing her country into an unpredictable situation and setting off a bare-knuckled contest among other Conservative lawmakers to replace her.

As she stood behind a lectern outside No. 10 Downing St., May admitted that a different leader was needed to shepherd the split, known as Brexit. But she also warned that the unyielding stance taken by the hard-line factions of lawmakers who had proved her undoing would have to change.

To succeed, he or she will have to find consensus in Parliament where I have not, May said. Such a consensus can only be reached if those on all sides of the debate are willing to compromise.

Whether such compromise is even possible in Britains polarized politics is unclear at best.

Brexit has splintered both the Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party into warring factions since the referendum that narrowly approved the departure on June 23, 2016. A second referendum that could keep Britain in the European Union remains a distant possibility.

But many Conservative lawmakers have grown more hard-line during Mays long, fractious tenure and now support leaving the bloc with no withdrawal deal at all  a move opposed by a majority in Parliament and one that most analysts warn could bring dire economic consequences.

Mays departure, eagerly anticipated even by members of her own Cabinet, is certain to mean a politically charged summer in Britain. May said she would step down as Conservative Party leader on June 7, a few days after President Donald Trump makes an official state visit. The contest to succeed her will begin the following week, and May will remain in office until her successor is chosen.

Brexit, meanwhile, will remain in a state of suspended animation until a new leader is chosen. Britain was originally scheduled to leave the European bloc on March 29, but the deadline was extended to Oct. 31 after Parliament refused three times to pass the withdrawal agreement that May had negotiated with European leaders.

Boris Johnson, the former foreign secretary and a hard-line supporter of Brexit, on Friday signaled an unflinching attitude, foreshadowing the tone for a leadership contest. He is a leading contender to replace May.

We will leave the EU on Oct. 31, deal or no deal, Johnson told an economic conference. The way to get a good deal is to prepare for a no deal.

Opposition figures relished Mays departure. Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, who has sparred relentlessly with the prime minister in the House of Commons, described her resignation as an indictment of a Conservative Party riven for decades by the issue of Britains membership in the European Union.

Corbyn said she had now accepted what the country has known for months: She cannot govern, and nor can her divided and disintegrating party.

Lawmakers from Mays own side were more generous, despite many of them having been involved in backroom machinations to oust her and having already begun campaigning in private to succeed her. Mays government  deeply divided, and sometimes chaotic  suffered around three dozen ministerial resignations during her tenure.

Andrea Leadsom, who only two days earlier quit Mays Cabinet to protest her latest effort to revamp her Brexit plan, said the prime ministers departure was an illustration of her total commitment to country and duty. Leadsom, a pro-Brexit lawmaker, is likely to be among the crowded field of contenders for her job.

To decide the leadership contest, Conservative Party lawmakers will first winnow a long list of contenders to two, then hand the choice to the partys roughly 120,000 members, who largely favor a no-deal exit and are expected to choose the new leader around July.

That will leave the new prime minister only a few months to try to rebuild the wreckage of Mays deal  and then decide what to do if that fails. To make matters trickier, the leadership of the European Union is set to change during the coming months. The blocs leaders have insisted that their position on Brexit will not budge, making it difficult to see how Mays successor will wring new concessions from them.

In Brussels, and even in some quarters in London, May won sympathy for her resilience and knack for absorbing political punishment. But May failed at her sole objective  delivering Brexit. And she also left behind a political system that is more deadlocked and deeply polarized than before.

Her Conservative Party faces a rejuvenated adversary in Nigel Farage, the former leader of the U.K. Independence Party, who stormed back onto the political scene amid Mays failure to win backing for her Brexit deal.

The party Farage now leads, the Brexit Party, is expected to do well in the European Unions parliamentary elections this week  elections that May had promised would never take place on the assumption Britain would be out of the bloc by now. The Conservatives are braced for a collapse in support when the results are declared, late Sunday or early Monday.

If the results are as bad for the Conservatives as some lawmakers fear, that could rattle the party and make the selection of a hard-line Brexiteer successor to May even more likely.

On the other side, many pro-Europe Remainers also are likely to have used the European elections to register their anger at the Brexit process, voting for smaller and unabashedly anti-Brexit parties that back holding a second Brexit referendum. If Mays successor is a hard-line Brexiteer, killing the idea of a soft Brexit compromise, Corbyn will face even more pressure to end his months of dithering on the issue and adopt a firmly anti-Brexit stance.

Mays undoing came after her final, desperate effort to win passage of her withdrawal plan in Parliament. Conservative lawmakers reacted with fury after she softened her original Brexit plan, notably by allowing Parliament to vote on whether to remain in a customs union with the European bloc and also on whether it wanted another public referendum on the deal.

Those ideas were anathema to hard-line Brexiteers who saw them as a betrayal of the 2016 referendum result, but seen as far too mild by pro-Europeans in the Labour Party.

Mays successor will inherit a daunting political calculus, within the divided Conservative Party, and inside Parliament.

May will continue as a member of Parliament after stepping down as prime minister.

Her downfall echoed that of another Conservative Party leader undone by divisions over Europe, Margaret Thatcher, complete with the sexist overtones of some of Mays adversaries this week suggesting her husband step in to tell her she had to resign.

By the end of Friday, Mays plea for a compromise was already running into stiff headwinds, with a staunch Brexiteer and former leader of the Conservative Party, Iain Duncan Smith, writing: No, compromise in search of the lowest common denominator is not the way forward. It becomes a dirty word.

This article originally appeared in The New York TimesWASHINGTON - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo notified lawmakers Friday that President Donald Trump is invoking his emergency authority to sidestep Congress and complete 22 arms deals that would benefit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries, despite lawmakers' objections to the transactions.

Republicans and Democrats urged the Trump administration this week not to take the rare step of exploiting a legal window to push through deals - worth about $8 billion, according to congressional aides - that lawmakers have blocked from being finalized.

Pompeo's notification letters effectively give the Trump administration a green light to conclude the sale and transfer of bombs, missile systems, semiautomatic rifles, drones and repair and maintenance services to aid the Saudi air fleet, and precision-guided munitions that lawmakers fear Saudi Arabia may use against civilians in Yemen's civil war.

Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had been blocking the sale of the precision-guided munitions. In a statement, he said that Trump had "failed once again to prioritize our long term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia."

Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch, R-Idaho, said in a statement that he was "reviewing and analyzing the legal justification for this action and the associated implications."

Traditionally, the administration must notify Congress when it contemplates a new arms sale, giving lawmakers the opportunity to review deals and block those they find objectionable. In each of his letters notifying lawmakers of the decision, Pompeo stated that he had "determined that an emergency exists which requires the proposed sale in the national security interest of the United States and thus, waives the congressional review requirements" - without noting the nature of the emergency or offering details about it.

In his letters, he added that the government had "taken into account political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control considerations."

Lawmakers have frequently questioned the Trump administration's approach to national security policy and its track record on human rights. In particular, Trump and Congress have been at odds over the president's unapologetic embrace of Saudi leaders, despite U.S. intelligence showing that the Saudi crown prince was behind the October 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a contributing columnist for The Washington Post.

This year, the House and Senate voted to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led military coalition operating in Yemen - a move that Trump vetoed with the support of most of the GOP. But even key Republican lawmakers who balked at curtailing U.S. engagement through a war-powers resolution have advocated halting nondefensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and its coalition allies until the country does more to improve the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

"There is no new 'emergency' reason to sell bombs to the Saudis to drop in Yemen, and doing so only perpetuates the humanitarian crisis there," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., one of Congress' chief advocates for extracting the United States from the Yemen conflict, said in a statement. "This sets an incredibly dangerous precedent. . . . If we don't stand up to this abuse of authority, we will permanently box ourselves out of deciding who we should sell weapons to."

But it is not clear how lawmakers will try to reassert control over the arms deals or challenge Trump's use of emergency authority over them. Democrats are hoping that Risch will agree to expedite legislation through the Foreign Relations Committee that could stop the contracts before parts and weapons are sent abroad. Barring that, they may try to use funding measures to block completion of the sales, by prohibiting federal funds from being used to transfer the weapons.

Lawmakers anticipated that the Trump administration might try to push through arms deals benefiting Saudi Arabia, in light of increased tensions with Iran. Earlier this week, Pompeo, acting defense secretary Patrick Shanahan and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., briefed all House and Senate lawmakers on the intelligence behind the administration's latest moves in the Persian Gulf, arguing they were necessary to respond to evidence showing an increased threat.

Republicans largely endorsed their actions as prudent, while Democrats accused the officials of spinning the evidence to justify a march toward war, expressing consternation that the administration would not consult Congress before taking military action.

Yet the breadth of the Trump administration's decision Friday, which benefits many more countries than just Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Iran's regional rivals, will probably upset members of both parties, according to congressional aides. Thus far, however, few are openly criticizing it, save for figures such as Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., who is also the only congressional Republican to have endorsed the idea of impeaching Trump.

Amash tweeted about the arms sale Friday: "Congress must reclaim its powers. When will the legislative branch stand up to the executive branch?"

Democratic congressional aides pointed to one transaction - a deal to support manufacturing and production of F-18 combat jets - as particularly disturbing. Saudi Arabia does not use F-18s but helps make them for countries such as Israel, India and South Korea.

Democrats are also questioning whether Trump invoked the proper emergency authority under the Arms Export Control Act, pointing out that deals with NATO countries and allies such as Australia are treated as legally distinct from deals with nations such Saudi Arabia and arguing Pompeo's letters conflate them.

"The Administration failed to even identify which legal mechanism it thinks it is using, described years of malign Iranian behavior but failed to identify what actually constitutes an emergency today, and critically, failed to explain how these systems, many of which will take years to come online, would immediately benefit either the United States or our allies and thus merit such hasty action," Menendez said, accusing Trump of "destroying" relations between Congress and the executive branch and jeopardizing the interests of defense contractors.In the winter of 2013, when the principal of Houston ISDs Westside High School suggested making copies of colorful study guides recently purchased from a small Austin-area company, an English teacher responded that there was a glaring disclaimer about copyright at the bottom of the documents.

The teacher suggested the guides, which cost nearly $2,000 total, should be handed out during class and picked up before the final bell. But when the schools principal brushed aside the copyright concerns, the teacher fell in line.

Im ok with violating it thoughlol, the teacher wrote in an email, according to a lawsuit.

The guides creator, DynaStudy, got the last laugh on Thursday, when a federal jury awarded the company $9.2-million after finding dozens of HISD employees repeatedly violated federal copyright laws pertaining to the guides. Jurors sided with DynaStudy on all counts following a seven-day trial, validating allegations that HISD staffers cropped out the companys logo, hid copyright violation warnings and widely distributed the manipulated study guides to colleagues throughout the district.

The verdict offered a resounding victory to DynaStudy, a 13-year-old company with two full-time employees that has sold educational products to more than 650 Texas districts. DynaStudy first raised potential copyright issues with HISD in 2012, filed its lawsuit in 2016, then spent three years in litigation with the states largest school district.

DynaStudy is inspired to return its energy and resources back to its mission of evening the learning field by getting effective learning tools into the hands of students in Houston and across Texas, the companys owner, Ellen Harris, wrote in an email. This verdict both affirms copyright law and enables DynaStudy to reimagine the best possible business model to accomplish its mission.

In a statement Friday, HISD administrators said they are reviewing the verdict to determine next steps. They added that all employees now participate in online training on copyright laws at the beginning of each school year, with principals receiving additional in-person training.

HISD certainly will be adding additional training and safeguards concerning the reproduction of copyrighted material going forward, the statement read.

HISD administrators did not respond to questions about what source of funds would be used to pay the verdict. The district budgeted about $1.9 million in fiscal 2019 for liability insurance, though its not clear whether the insurance would cover the verdict.

HISD Board President Diana Davila said a roughly $7 million verdict against the district in 2017 was paid from the reserve fund, but trustees did not know whether that would happen in the DynaStudy case.

This is really going to hurt, Davila said. Were going to respect the jurys decision on this, because apparently they saw something the district should not have done.

Davila declined to discuss the boards approach to the DynaStudy litigation, which was discussed in private sessions. Trustees must approve legal settlements impacting the district, often in consultation with HISD lawyers.

Lawyers for the district offered multiple defenses for employees actions throughout the lawsuit: Staffers were not aware of copyright violations; educators engaged in fair use of reproduced copyrighted work; improperly published material was immediately removed from the Internet; and DynaStudy provided inaccurate information when seeking federal copyrights.

However, jurors found HISD employees violated copyright laws hundreds of times over a decade, improperly using 36 study guides created by DynaStudy. In its lawsuit, the company described various methods of skirting copyright rules, often validating the claims with email exchanges or Internet postings made by employees.

In one case, a teacher at Heights High School cropped off DynaStudys name and copyright warning from a biology guide, then shared the document with other HISD educators, according to the lawsuit. DynaStudys lawyers discovered the cropped documents file name contained the phrase Dyna notes Biology EOC, a reference to end of course exams administered by the Texas Education Agency.

Ultimately, the altered biology guide reached districts from across the country. DynaStudys lawyers found the guide publicly posted online in 28 Texas school districts, as well as districts in Indiana, New Jersey and North Carolina.

In another case, a Northside High School teacher appeared to photocopy the same biology guide, using a pink sticky note to hide the copyright warning on the bottom of the document, according to the lawsuit. The copied guide circulated among HISD teachers for more than two years, DynaStudy lawyers said.

In a third case, DynaStudy alleged that a West Briar Middle School employee used white tape to hide copyright warnings on an eighth-grade science guide, then circulated the document more than 50 times over two years. A district teacher shared the file as recently as 2017  after DynaStudys lawsuit was filed  in an email, asking an assistant principal for paper on which to print the modified guide.

Harris said companies such as DynaStudy fill a wide gap between large textbook publishers and teacher-created materials, assisting students and educators.

DynaStudy is proud to have played a role in affirming the rights of copyright owners so that all these small companies and the authors to come can continue to create and contribute to the dynamic market for educational materials, Harris said.

jacob.carpenter@chron.comThe graduating 5th grade class at Houston's Rummel Creek Elementary ended the school year with a splash Friday.

More than 100 students participated in "Boogie Down Brittmoore," an annual event sponsored by the PTA that includes a pool party, water guns and water balloons.

After the final dismissal bell of the year, the students began their "celebratory" walk to a nearby public neighborhood pool, located a few blocks away on the same street.

As the students made their way, their families, lined up on both sides of the road, soaked the children with water balloons and water squirt guns.

The fun ended with a pool party including swim time and lunch.

Boogie Down Brittmoore started in 2004, according to Monica Ramero, whose daughter is in the 5th grade at Rummel Creek.

"It's been a tradition for many years," Ramero told Chron.com. "The kids look forward to it all year long."

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 rhythmic beat of conga drums reverberated across Our Park, as dozens of vendors showcased colorful African and Caribbean fashion from Ankara dresses and Dashiki tops to Rasta hats and Ankh-shaped jewelry.

Hundreds of Houstonians on Saturday came out to the Third Ward park to celebrate the 40th annual Pan-African Cultural Festival, held annually on Africa Day, May 25. Known previously as African Liberation Day, Africa Day commemorates the founding of the political bloc now called the African Union and marks the liberation of the continent from slavery, colonialism and apartheid rule.

There are many in the African diaspora who came here voluntarily, but a whole lot came here involuntarily, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said at the festival. We cant forget from whence we came. We come from the sons and daughters of kings and queens.

S.H.A.P.E. Community Center organized the first Pan African Cultural Festival in 1979 to raise awareness among African Americans in Houston about their African history and culture. The first festival, held in a nearby parking lot, featured a half-dozen vendors and drew about 100 people.

Since then, S.H.A.P.E.  which stands for Self-Help for African People through Education  has grown the family-oriented festival to three dozen vendors, adding food trucks and musical performances and attracting more than a thousand visitors each year.

While the festival is a celebration of all things Africa, its also a call for African Americans to get involved in their community, said Deloyd Parker, the executive director of nonprofit S.H.A.P.E. While African Americans and Africans have come a long way from breaking the bonds of slavery and casting off the yoke of European colonialism, there is still much work to be done, especially in light of high-profile police shootings and the mass incarceration of blacks in the United States, he said.

Were not free yet, Parker said. Injustice and institutional racism, its probably more prevalent now than ever before.

Regina Dember-Garvey, 58, has attended the festival each year for the past 20 years. The Third Ward resident and daughter of local community organizer Jean Wilkins-Dember, who died last year, she said she remembers the shock of being called the N word while growing up in Long Island, New York. After moving to Houston three decades ago, Dember-Garvey said, she brought her two daughters, now college graduates living in Austin, to the festival to teach them about their history and culture.

Growing up, people said Africans did nothing, but we know better, Dember-Garvey said, listing the Egyptian Pyramids as an example. We have a great heritage. I wanted my children to know that and to be proud of it.

Deandra Abuto, a Houston native and writer, came to the festival to sell her self-published childrens book, Mommy, Am I Brown? Abuto said she wrote the book a couple of years ago after her son, Braydon, 7, started asking questions about his ethnic background when he entered kindergarten.

Im African American and my husband is from Kenya, Abuto said. I wanted to encourage my son to love his own skin and believe he can do anything.

African Americans are more and more interested in their roots, said Carmalita Allen, a Houston native who is planning her first trip to Africa this summer. Its been more than four decades since publication of Alex Haleys book Roots took the country by storm and spurred interest in genealogy, and former President Barack Obama returned to Kenya, the country of his fathers birth, last year

Allen, 39, is planning to teach at a vacation Bible school in Ghana and visit Elmina Castle, formerly a major stop along the West African slave trade.

Growing up here, you have this one image of Africa that I know is not true, Allen said. If you know where you came from, you can understand yourself. Thats what I want to do.

paul.takahashi@chron.com

twitter.com/paultakahashiState officials on Friday pushed back on allegations that they withheld newly released cellphone video of the arrest of Sandra Bland, a black woman who died in a Waller County jail cell several days after the escalation of a traffic stop.

Leaders from the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Attorney Generals Office avowed during a Texas House committee meeting that attorneys representing Blands family received the video during a civil litigation discovery process.

The authorities who spoke at the meeting instead suggested that the opposing lawyers never saw  or couldnt find  the video among what they obtained from state agencies. Nichole Bunker Henderson, associate deputy attorney general for civil litigation, said that a thumb drive provided to the attorneys wasnt sorted with a table of contents.

We are conceding that it was not indexed, she said.

Officials on the committee referred to statements made by Chicago-based lawyer Cannon Lambert, who represented Blands mother, saying that he never saw the 2015 traffic stop as represented in Blands phone. The 28-year-olds arrest and death became a national issue, making her a face of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Democratic state Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, chair of the County Affairs committee, accused two DPS officials at the hearing of either not personally sending him the video, or hiding it in a data dump of files the agency provided him.

The cellphone video made it clear that the trooper who stopped Bland wasnt in fear of his life before making threats, said Coleman, who carried the criminal justice reform Sandra Bland Act to law in 2017.

Seeing the video really makes one think differently about what actually occurred, he said. It shows a very different scenario.

DPS officials repeatedly answered that they provided Coleman with a Ranger Report that described the footage extracted from Blands phone.

You got it, DPS Director Steve McCraw said during a tense moment with the representative.

DPS general counsel Phillip Adkins said that the agency gave the video to Lambert the same year of the incident. The attorney couldnt be reached for comment on Friday.

Blands mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, attended the committee meeting but did not testify.

The 39-second recording was published this month by Dallas television station WFAA in partnership with the nonprofit Investigative Network, showing for the first time Blands perspective of the confrontation.

The cell phone video offered another perspective from what was visible in dash camera footage. Blands video showed the state trooper pointing a stun gun at her, ordering her out of the vehicle and saying, I will light you up.

Bland was found hanging in her jail cell outside Houston three days after her arrest. Her death was ruled a suicide. Waller County officials would not comment on Bland's mental state when she arrived at jail. They insisted the standard entry evaluations and any additional medical services she received were private.

The trooper who stopped Bland, Brian Encinia, was indicted on a perjury charge in 2016. That charge was dropped when Encinia agreed to turn over his police credentials and sign a sworn statement promising not to work as a licensed peace officer again.

Reed-Veals attorney settled the civil lawsuit for a total $1.9 million, recovering the maximum possible amount from the Department of Public Safety.

During Fridays hearing, Coleman asked DPS and Attorney General officials to turn over everything they had on the case. After two hours, he ended the hearing because of a lack of time.

Quite frankly, we still have some progress to make, he said. Well have to do another hearing, yall.

Reporter Taylor Goldenstein contributed to this article.

samantha.ketterer@chron.com

Twitter.com/sam_kettThe Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation into the San Antonio City Councils decision to remove Chick-fil-A from an airport vendors contract, breathing new life into a controversy that roiled the mayors race and potentially putting millions of dollars in federal grants at risk.

Chick-fil-A was founded by a devout Southern Baptist. Its CEO made comments opposing same-sex marriage in 2012, and its charitable arm has donated money to organizations opposed to LGBTQ rights.

City Council members who voted March 21 to strike Chick-fil-A from a list of airport vendors said they were acting to protect San Antonios reputation for inclusion and equality.

On ExpressNews.com: Smoke Shack and Local Coffee are coming to San Antonio airport  but not Chick-fil-A

The FAA, however, told San Antonio officials Friday that it is investigating complaints that the city-owned airport discriminated against a private company due to the expression of the owners religious beliefs.

The FAA notes that federal requirements prohibit airport operators from excluding persons on the basis of religious creed from participating in airport activities that receive or benefit from FAA grant funding, the agency said in a statement.

The San Antonio International Airport receives millions of dollars in grants from the federal government. Future funds could be threatened if the probe finds that the City Council discriminated against Chick-fil-As owners based on religion.

City Attorney Andy Segovia said his office received the notice Friday and would need time to review it to determine our course of action.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched a separate state inquiry a week after the City Council vote, intended to determine whether the city violated Texas laws. At the time, he encouraged the U.S. Department of Transportation, which oversees the FAA, to look into the matter as well.

On ExpressNews.com: Attorney general to investigate San Antonio ban on Chick-fil-A at airport

The City Councils decision drew immediate controversy and widespread criticism from those who saw it as an infringement on religious freedom. The Texas Legislature this month passed a Save Chick-fil-A Bill that bars government agencies from punishing people or companies for affiliating with or donating to religious organizations. That bill doesnt affect San Antonios decision.

The FAA investigation could serve as a rallying point for religious leaders and conservatives who were enraged by the council vote.

It could also give new life to an issue that has energized the campaign of Councilman Greg Brockhouse, who is in a June 8 runoff with Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

Nirenberg voted for the removal of Chick-fil-A. Brockhouse, who voted against it, has castigated Nirenberg over the decision.

Brockhouse brought renewed attention to the issue in April by trying to bring it up for reconsideration by the council; that effort failed. He has promised a redo vote if he is elected mayor.

At a candidates forum Tuesday, Brockhouse described the council decision as the greatest affront to religious freedom in the history of this city and a failure of leadership by the mayor.

This is literally Rons chickens coming home to roost for his bad decision making and awful leadership, Brockhouse said Friday of the FAA investigation. This is another prime example of why a majority of voters voted against Ron: Theyve had enough.

On ExpressNews.com: City Council shoots down Brockhouse's bid to reconsider controversial Chick-fil-A vote

Nirenberg said his vote had nothing to do with religion. He has argued that it was about the restaurants policy of closing on Sundays, which he said would inconvenience travelers.

My decision was based on the best interests of passengers, especially the 1.5 million who pass through our airport on Sundays, Nirenberg said. They should have a full range of options, and preferably local ones. Religion had nothing to do with decisions on airport retail vendors. The only one to raise the issue of religion has been Councilman Brockhouse.

In its March decision, City Council voted 6-4 to approve a new contract with Paradies Lagardere, an Atlanta firm that operates shops and restaurants in airports, on the condition it replace Chick-fil-A with another restaurant.

The company has yet to identify a replacement, according to airport officials.

Councilman Roberto Trevino, who proposed excluding Chick-fil-A, said he couldnt support the companys legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior.

Trevino said Friday that he stands by his comments and is confident the vote was legal. He said he wasnt surprised by the FAAs announcement, since Paxton had encouraged the Department of Transportation to investigate.

This motion is not about someones religious beliefs but rather the history of discrimination toward our LGBTQ community, he said. This is not an attack on religion. This is certainly not an attack on Christianity. This is a stand for equality.

The FAA is also looking into a similar situation at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York. There, officials similarly decided to cancel plans to include Chick-fil-A.

Dylan McGuinness covers City Hall and local politics in San Antonio. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | dylan.mcguinness@express-news.net | Twitter: @DylMcGuinnessFormer First Lady Hillary Clinton blasted the Texas Legislature in a speech in Houston on Friday for ignoring the number of women without insurance and passing bills targeting Planned Parenthood that she says will ultimately make it harder for women to get the health care they need.

Here in Texas youve already seen the dire consequences of laws designed to make it harder for women to get the health care we need, Clinton told the Harris County Democratic Party.

Clinton said new reports show the uninsured rate for Texas women of child-bearing age is twice as high as the national average. The Georgetown University report showed 12.3 percent of women of childbearing age don't have health insurance nationally. The rate in Texas, however, is 25.5 percent.

But instead of leaping into action to address this emergency, Republicans in your State Legislature are focused again on trying yet again to defund Planned Parenthood, Clinton said.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Her comments came at almost the same exact time the Texas Senate was giving final approval to Senate Bill 22, which would ban governmental entities from transactions - including sales, purchases, leases or donations - with groups that provide abortions or their affiliates, which provide health care like sexually transmitted disease testing and cancer screenings. That bill is now heading to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature.

Republicans argue the measure ensures no taxpayer money can be used to support organizations that provide abortion, although state and federal law already bans government funding of abortions.

Democrats accused Republicans of passing the bill to score political points, though it will block access to womens health care.

Clinton said the Texas Legislature's actions are especially shameful at a time the nation is struggling with a maternal mortality crisis that disproportionately affects women.

Clinton was the featured speaker at the Harris County Democrats annual JRR fundraising luncheon.AUSTIN  Public school teachers in Texas could see a pay raise under the Legislatures sweeping education reform bill, but the size depends on the district, which can choose whether to boost salaries or put the money toward health insurance benefits, according to a copy of the plan obtained by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News.

Every school district is poised to receive more state funding from the $11.4 billion, two-year plan and administrators must use at least a third of that extra cash to boost employees compensation, the documents show. From there, $3 of $4 dollars must go to teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians.

Its definitely not all raises, said Monty Exter, a lobbyist for the Association of Texas Professional Educators, but if youre paying less in premiums, your paycheck is going to go up.

Texas teachers have complained of crippling health care costs, saying they have taken side jobs or put off seeing doctors. Some Texas educators now pay premiums starting at $1,000 a month for family coverage under the state-sponsored plan. The premiums have roughly doubled over the last decade.

The plan that lawmakers pitched Thursday would give at least $4.5 billion more for education and $5 billion more for property taxes, although earlier versions would have dedicated more to education and less to tax relief. Exter said the overall effect is still good for teachers.

More Information A needed boost for education Texas is responsible for educating 5.4 million students, about 10 percent of the nation's schoolchildren. While students here are graduating at some of the highest rates in the country and out-performing peers in all but eight other states on the most recent National Assessment of Education Progress, Texas is lagging in other areas. The state's shortfalls are evident early and continue through college. About 4 in 10 children are unprepared when they start kindergarten. Texas has slipped to 46th in the nation in fourth-grade reading. And just 28 percent of graduating seniors earn a post-secondary degree or credential in six years. See More Collapse

At least half of that is going directly into public education programing, which is still a huge amount of money at half the bill. Most of the things that educators asked not to be in the bill arent, so those are all pluses, he said. Its mostly a step in the right direction.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

The bill has yet to be released to the public, but a fiscal analysis released Friday shows districts across the state receiving more money while paying less in so-called Robin Hood payments, which are taken from property-rich districts to fund those with less resources. Houston ISD, for instance, would stop paying Robin Hood and receive an overall $100 million bump in funding  roughly $521 per student, the documents show. Under the bill, roughly $30 million of that would be earmarked for employee compensation increases.

Northside ISD in San Antonio, meanwhile, would receive roughly $42 million extra in the first year, or about $427 per student, according to the analysis.

It's not as far as we would have liked to be, but we're in way better shape than we have ever been, said Nicole Conley Johnson, chief financial officer of Austin ISD, the district that shoulders the biggest Robin Hood payments in Texas.

Top Republican leaders have promised to increase teacher pay this year  at one point with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the Senate insisting upon a $5,000 raise to every full-time teacher and librarian in the state. In the House, lawmakers called for an average of $1,800 raises for all school employees, including janitors and counselors. Surveys have shown that the average Texas teacher makes about $54,000 a year  $6,000 less than the national average .

The plan gives school districts more discretion on how to distribute additional funding for compensation while also investing in full-day preK programs for low-income students, increasing basic per-student funding and capping future increases in local property taxes.

For subscribers: See how each Texas school district will fare under education reform plan

The state now pays $75 per month toward health care premiums, which will likely double under a plan by Republican leaders to $150 under SB12, according to Exter. Districts also pay $150.

To cover some of the extra costs, lawmakers plan to tap $300 million a year in revenue from the Texas Permanent School Fund, as well as the proceeds from a new state sales tax on internet commerce, the documents show. That tax is estimated to yield $550 million over the next two years.

Otherwise, lawmakers are counting on continued economic growth to fund the expanding cost, several members said.

On Thursday, Republicans Gov. Greg Abbott, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Patrick celebrated the legislation, which they called a historic win for Texas. In addition to the school funding, they disclosed details of a property tax relief package that will lower school property tax rates by an average of 8 cents per $100 in home value in 2020 and by 13 cents in 2021. For the owner of a $200,000 home, that would amount to decrease of about $160 in 2020.

The plan still needs the approval of the Republican-led House and Senate before the legislative session ends Monday. Until then, details could change.

Besides increases to teacher compensation, the plan increases the base amount of money the state spends per student by more than $1,000 to $6,160.WASHINGTON - Final U.S. House passage of a $19.1 billion package for disaster relief was stymied singlehandedly on Friday by Texas Rep. Chip Roy, who complained that the bill contained none of the money sought by the Trump administration for the U.S.-Mexico border.

The long-delayed legislation, which passed the Senate on Thursday 85-8, includes a provision to force the federal budget office to release nearly $4.4 billion already appropriated for storm protection in Texas, funds that were allocated after Hurricane Harvey.

Unanimous consent was needed to finish the legislation because the House adjourned on Thursday for the Memorial Day recess.

But Roy, R-Dripping Springs, a first-term member and close ally of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, stood to say that he would not go along with the consent.

Roy, a member of House Freedom Caucus, an alliance of ardent conservatives, began by saying that the House should not advance legislation of such magnitude without members being present.

For subscribers: Freshman Texas Rep. Chip Roy keeps his promise to go against the grain in Washington

With jabs at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Roy turned to the refusal by the Senate in negotiations to include money requested for the border.

While Speaker Pelosi has consistently denied the crisis at our border, and thus has denied the humanity of the victims of cartels and other traffickers, she has been insisting that there is no money to satisfy the good faith compromise emergency funding requests from the White House, he said.

Pelosi issued a statement accusing House Republicans of sabotage and an act of staggering political cynicism.

Roy noted that the White House had requested $4.4 for operations at the border including managing the over 100,000 illegal aliens being apprehended along with unaccompanied minor children.

The Speaker, however, continues not to care about these children while empowering cartels and lawlessness at the expense of our national sovereignty and the migrants who seek to come here, Roy said.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

The bill aids victims of recent disasters, including California wildfire and flooding in the Midwest. It also provides $900 million to Puerto Rico, which was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017, and includes provisions requiring the White House to make available billions of dollars previously withheld for Puerto Rico relief.

Before Senate passage, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, inserted a provision to force the White House Office of Management and Budget to release $4.38 billion in money for future storm protection in Texas.

The money is the Texas allocation from the Housing and Urban Development Department under a new program that involves a set of regulations stalled since last year at the budget office.AUSTIN  Gov. Greg Abbott and legislative leaders are proposing a plan to boost education spending, while reining in local property taxes.

The bill has yet to be released to the public, but a draft obtained by Hearst Newspapers shows the state would raise its spending for each student, while requiring schools to earmark a third of their new money for boosting educators compensation packages, which could include raises or increased health insurance spending.

Early estimates show what each Texas school district stands to gain under the legislation, which will boost school spending by about $4.5 billion over the next two years.

See the 2020 fiscal year estimates, and the 2021 fiscal year estimates.

Allie Morris covers politics and policy in Austin. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | amorris@express-news.net | Twitter: @MorrisReportsAs an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content.

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Ivanka Trump and Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga To Lead Closing Session at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit

Washington, DC - Today, the United States of America and the Kingdom of the Netherlands are pleased to announce Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump and business leader Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga will lead the closing session at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) on Wednesday, June 5, 2019, in The Hague, The Netherlands. Manisha Singh, Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs, will moderate the session. Co-hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and The Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, GES 2019 is the ninth gathering of entrepreneurs, business leaders, supporters, and government officials.

As Ms. Trump announced: I am excited to visit The Netherlands and participate, for the second year, in the Department of States Global Entrepreneurship Summit. I plan to address issues related to womens economic empowerment, with a focus on womens entrepreneurship. A core pillar of our W-GDP initiative, launched by the White House this year, is to help women in developing countries succeed as entrepreneurs through access to capital, markets, networks, and mentorship. I am looking forward to joining Queen Maxima, Secretary Pompeo, Mastercards CEO Ajay Banga and entrepreneurs from around the world at this powerful Summit to build on the progress.

GES is the preeminent annual entrepreneurship gathering that convenes emerging entrepreneurs, investors, and partners. This years Summit will accelerate the momentum of the 2017 GES in Hyderabad, India, which highlighted Women First, Prosperity for All. More than 1,000 entrepreneurs from around the world will have unprecedented opportunities to showcase their start-ups to more than 300 investors that collectively represent trillions of dollars of assets under management.Imperial County Board of Supervisors Announce Off-Site Meeting Schedule

El Centro, California - In an effort to reach all communities within Imperial County, the Board of Supervisors have announced a series of off-site meetings in each supervisorial district throughout the year. The meetings are open to the public and residents from all districts are encouraged to attend.

Off-site meetings provide residents an opportunity to easily attend Board of Supervisors meetings at a location that might be closer to them than regular meetings held in the Board Chambers in El Centro. Meeting agendas will be posted on the Countys website, www.co.imperial.ca.us, on the Friday prior to each meeting date.

Off-site meetings have been scheduled as follows:

Palo Verde June 4, 2019  6:00 p.m. Improvement Hall 1051 Desert View Palo Verde Heber July 2, 2019  6:00 p.m. Heber Community Center 1132 Heber Avenue Heber Seeley July 23, 2019  6:00 p.m. Sunbeam Lake RV Resort Recreation Room 1716 Sunbeam Lake Drive Seeley Ocotillo September 10, 2019  6:00 p.m. Ocotillo Community Park 266 West Imperial Highway Ocotillo Salton City October 1, 2019  6:00 p.m. Senior Citizen Club 1375 Borrego Salton Sea Way (S22) Salton City Winterhaven November 5, 2019  6:00 p.m. Quechan Housing Authority 1810 Turquoise Winterhaven Niland December 10, 2019  6:00 p.m. Fountain of Youth RV Resort 1500 Spa Road Niland

For more information, please contact the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors at (442) 265-1030.Guyanas Independence Day

Washington, DC - secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo: "On behalf of the Government of the United States, congratulations to the people of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on your 53rd anniversary of independence on May 26.

"The United States and Guyana have been friends and partners for decades, and we commend and encourage Guyanas continued leadership on matters of regional concern. The American Chamber of Commerce-Guyana continues to create trade partnerships and opportunities, resulting in greater prosperity for both our countries. As Guyana looks toward production of its oil resources, the United States stands ready to assist to ensure all Guyanese will benefit. The United States looks forward to a future of strong ties and collaboration based on our shared democratic values.

"The United States joins you in celebrating Guyanas diversity, freedom, and natural beauty. On behalf of the citizens of the United States, I wish the citizens of Guyana a prosperous year and a happy Independence Day celebration."It's not easy becoming an Instagram influencer. But if you get there, you can suddenly generate nice amounts of cash for promoting brands, products, and services. But as a new leak suggests, there's another side to that.

Earlier this week, TechCrunch reported that millions of Instagram influencer and celebrity accounts that had been scraped from the social network leaked online. In its evaluation of the data, the site found 49 million account records and discovered that they included user email addresses, phone numbers, and other information.

According to the report, the data was found on a databse owned by a Mumbai-based social media marketing firm called Chtrbox. TechCrunch said that Chtrbox pays influencers on social media sites, including Instagram, to help promote its clients' products. The database apparently helped the company determine how much to pay for sponsorships.

But since then, some new developments have emerged.

For one, Instagram told TechCrunch that after an investigation, the company didn't find any evidence of private user information leaking publicly. And the company said that the database only included 350,000 users instead of the 49 million.

In a subsequent statement, Instagram told TechCrunch that it's conducting a deeper investigation into the data to see how Chtrbox allegedly obtained the data.

Of course, soon after the report, there was widespread concern that data was being obtained from Instagram users. And as you might expect, in its statement to TechCrunch, Instagram made clear that it takes "any allegation of data misuse seriously."

But there's perhaps more to this story than just a reported data leak. This story is about the appeal of influencers--and what to do when a data breach happens.

The Influencer Appeal

The fact is, influencers have become integral components in the broader marketing mix companies use to promote their brands. You might already be using digital ads, social media, and traditional media to promote your company, but you should be aware that some influencers have millions of followers who care about everything they have to say. Getting your product in front of those millions of people--and getting the influencer to get them to buy--can be a boon for your company.

It's against that backdrop that marketing firms across the world are analyzing social media accounts to find the best method for promoting client brands. And it's why companies are trying to find opportunities to use data to analyze influencer accounts and determine how much they need to pay influencers to get the best results.

For influencers, however, there are real implications. They want to build their audiences and attract brands to their pages, but they also want to maintain their privacy. They are, after all, celebrities. And having their phone numbers or email addresses publicly available can be quite the cause for concern.

But exactly what they can do is tough to say. For one, it'd be good to create distinct email addresses and phone numbers for their influencer accounts. That way, in the worst-case scenario data leak, only the information they already share with companies and perhaps even consumers is publicly available.

Beyond that, there isn't much influencers--or anyone--can do in today's Internet to maintain privacy. Like it or not, companies house our data and third-parties are constantly looking for ways to obtain it. In some cases, our data is kept safe. In others, it's taken. And by the time it's made public, there's little any of us can do to stop it and rebuild our privacy.Former Australias Next Top Model contestant Taylah Roberts has been praised for normalising flaws after posting a realistic changing room selfie on social media.

The 24-year-old shared the photo with her 47,000 followers on Instagram to encourage women to accept their bodies.

The image showed Roberts standing with her back to the camera as she posed in her underwear below the fluorescent lights of the changing room.

In the caption, Roberts admitted that she would have previously struggled to share this kind of photo but hoped it would inspire other women to think positively about the way they look.

I could write a long a** caption and talk about how this once would have made me break down and cry but instead Im just gonna leave it here with the intent of normalising flaws in the hopes that someone will see this at the right time and know they are beautiful too, no matter how you look in an awfully lit changeroom #bodyconfidence, Roberts wrote.

Inspiring body positivity quotes Show all 12 1 /12 Inspiring body positivity quotes Inspiring body positivity quotes Ashley Graham "And cellulite, I have not forgotten about you. I'm going to choose to love you even though you want to take over my whole bottom half. You're a part of me and I love you." Inspiring body positivity quotes Danielle Brooks "Sometimes I don't like what I see, but I have the power to change the way in which I relate to my body both physically and mentally." Inspiring body positivity quotes Iskra Lawrence "Stop comparing yourself to anybody else. The [pictures of] movie stars, even the Disney characters, thats not real. Thats not attainable. You cant be anybody else. You are you. You cant be them. So you really just have to start embracing yourself and accepting so-called flaws that society has given the name flaws. Its just our body, our patchwork quilt. Inspiring body positivity quotes Beyonce "The most alluring thing a woman can have is confidence." Getty Images Inspiring body positivity quotes Kate Winslet "Nobody is perfect. I just don't believe in perfection. But I do believe in saying, 'This is who I am and look at me not being perfect.' I'm proud of that." Getty Images Inspiring body positivity quotes Rihanna "You just want something that someone else has, but that doesn't mean what you have isn't beautiful, because people always want what you have and you always want what they have - no one is ever 100 per cent like, 'Yes, I'm the bomb-dot-com - from head-to-toe!" REUTERS Inspiring body positivity quotes Tess Holliday "Never compare yourself with others and celebrate what makes you, you." Inspiring body positivity quotes Demi Lovato "Instead of looking in the mirror and focusing on your flaws, look in the mirror and appreciate your best features... everyone has them." Inspiring body positivity quotes Kim Kardashian-West "See this little dimple of cellulite here? It was so worth it for that cookies 'n' cream ice cream!" Inspiring body positivity quotes Jennifer Lawrence "It should be illegal to call someone fat." Inspiring body positivity quotes Mindy Kaling "Insults about the way I look cant be the thing that harms me and my heart the most. It has to harm me the least. If I have a daughter, Im going to tell her that. Far too many women are much more hurt by being called fat or ugly than they are by being called not smart, or not a leader." Rex Features Inspiring body positivity quotes Selena Gomez "Im learning that you can be comfortable and still look beautiful. AFP/Getty Images

The post, which has been liked more than 5,000 times, has since received hundreds of comments from people thanking Roberts for sharing such a realistic photo.

Thank you, one person wrote on Instagram.

I've cried too many times in the change room. Not anymore.

Another added: Changing room lights should be illegal! I love my body but sometimes looking at it under those lights has almost brought me to tears.

A third person wrote: Love how you are honest and real about life and positive body images women empowering women THANK YOU [sic].

The honest post follows a before-and-after photo Roberts shared on the same platform in which she condemned the fashion industrys attitude towards body image.

All I see in the photo on the left is sadness, exhaustion, insecurity and lack of worth beyond size. This is what an industry only focusing on what your outer shell looks like does to you, Roberts wrote in the caption.

I was always, always fighting to stay that way. Terrified that in an instant my dreams would be ripped away from me if the number on a measuring tape had increased by half an inch.

I love that fashion is a form of self-expression and art but at what cost? After years of feeling unworthy and left with a lot of work to do to get to the place I am now (pictured on the right) Ill take my health, happiness and my size 12/14 a** over EVER feeling like that again."A British climber has died on the slopes of Mount Everest in Nepal after reaching the summit of the worlds highest mountain, officials have said.

Robin Haynes Fisher, 44, died in the so-called death zone known for low levels of oxygen on his attempted descent from the summit on Saturday morning, a Nepalese tourism department official said.

Mr Fisher, from Birmingham, was described as an aspirational adventurer who lived life to the full in a statement from his family.

He achieved so much in his short life, climbing Mont Blanc, Aconcagua and Everest. We are deeply saddened by his loss as he still had so many more adventures and dreams to fulfil  Everyone who ever met him in any capacity will always remember the positive impact he had on their lives.

The British citizen is believed to have been the tenth fatality on Mount Everest in the current climbing season. The death is also the 18th across Nepals Himalayan mountain range during the season, which ends later this month.

Hiking officials have attributed most of the recent deaths to weakness, exhaustion and delays on the crowded route to the 29,000ft summit. So-called traffic jams of climbers have formed near the summit after about 380 permits to climb were issued by the Nepalese authorities.

Fellow guides changed Mr Fishers oxygen bottle and offered him water, but could not save him, according to Everest Parivar Treks, the company that helped arrange the logistics of Mr Fishers journey.

Murari Sharma, managing director of the company, said: He died because of weakness after a long ascent and difficult descent. He was descending with his sherpa guides from the summit when he suddenly fainted.

Jake Meyer: youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest Show all 10 1 /10 Jake Meyer: youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest Jake Meyer: youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest Jake Meyer climbed Everest, aged 21 years and four months Jake Meyer Jake Meyer: youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest Team climbing at 7400m on K2 Jake Meyer Jake Meyer: youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest Ottalie and Poppy (with Daddy on the front page) Jake Meyer Jake Meyer: youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest Camp 4 on K2 - 7650m Jake Meyer Jake Meyer: youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest Jake on way to summit Jake Meyer Jake Meyer: youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest Climbing though the glacier Jake Meyer Jake Meyer: youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest Jake at summit of K2 Jake Meyer Jake Meyer: youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest Ottalie, Jake and Saskia at Heathrow as Jake arrives home Jake Meyer Jake Meyer: youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest K2 Summit Ridge Jake Meyer Jake Meyer: youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest Basecamp panorama K2 on left, Broad Peak on right Jake Meyer

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: We are in contact with relevant tour operators following reports that a British climber has died on Mount Everest and are ready to provide support to the family.

It follows the death of an Irish climber in the early hours of Friday. Kevin Hynes, 56, died in his tent at 7,000m after turning back before reaching the summit. The father of two was part of a group from UK-based climbing company 360 Expeditions.

A US climber also died on his way down from Mount Everest on Friday, mountaineering officials said. Don Cash, 55, became ill at the summit and was treated by his two guides, said Pasang Tenje Sherpa, head of the Pioneer Adventure company.

Climbers lining up to stand at the summit of Mount Everest on Wednesday, when teams had to queue for hours to reach the summit (AFP)

When he was on the top he just fell. The two Sherpas who were with him gave CPR and massages, he said. After that he woke up, then near Hillary Step he fell down again in the same manner, which means he got high altitude sickness.

Their deaths come a week after Irish professor Seamus Lawless, aged 39 and from County Wicklow, fell during his descent from the peak having achieved a lifetime ambition of reaching the summit. The search for Mr Lawless, presumed dead, has been called off.

An Austrian climber and two Indian climbers are also reported to have died in the past week. Conditions are reportedly worse than usual this year, with high winds leaving less time for climbers to reach the summit.

Garrett Madison of the US based Madison Mountaineering company that sponsors climbers of Mount Everest said many were not well qualified or prepared climbers and were without the support necessary to climb safely.

If they were with a strong and experienced team they would have likely been fine, but with minimal support, once something goes wrong its tough to get back on course, said Mr Madison.

Additional reporting by agenciesAn exodus of experienced staff driven by Britains prison crisis is putting the public at risk, experts have warned as new figures show 80,000 years of prison officer experience has been lost from the justice system since 2010.

Former senior prison staff told The Independent criminals were being released onto the streets without any meaningful rehabilitation as a toxic cocktail of overcrowding and soaring staff turnover rates leaves them embittered and a danger to society.

It comes as new data shows the total cumulative length of service among prison officers has plummeted by a quarter in the nine years that the Conservatives have been in government, dropping from 329,353 years in 2010 to 248,008 in 2018.

Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon, who obtained the figures in a parliamentary question, said the loss of experienced officers was leaving prisons less safe and undermining the rehabilitation of prisoners.

These figures underline the long term damage that Conservative austerity policies have done to our prisons system, he said. This is vital experience, built up over the decades, that has been lost for good and which our prisons will take years to recover from.

The number of officers leaving the role surged from 596 to 1,244 in the two years to 2018  an increase of 109 per cent  with one in 16 officers resigning last year, compared with one in 33 officers two years before and just one in 100 in 2009/10.

Former prison governor Phil OBrien, who worked his way up from officer grade to senior governor during a 40-year career, told The Independent years of cutbacks had pushed experienced staff out of the system, leaving officers on wings too few in number and without sufficient experience or know-how.

In their absence, prisons quickly descend into dangerous and unrewarding places to work, as violence, drug use and the impossibility of rehabilitating inmates mean new recruits quickly become disillusioned and leave, he said.

There are consequences. People are dying in jail, and if you look at the reasons given at inquests its the same things that crop up time after time, said Mr OBrien, who has written a book about his career. Bullying, violence, shortages of suitable staff, lack of training, poor record-keeping and communication between officers and medical staff, inadequate risk assessments and often poor emergency responses to situations.

 Prisons minister Rory Stewart admits government shouldn't have cut officer numbers

The vast majority of prisoners dont get involved [in violence and disruption]. They want to be protected and theyve got as much right to be as anyone. Build relationships with prisoners who want a quiet life and who will tell you whats going on. Once youve got a relationship with them, you will get a stable prison.

Mr OBrien, who spent time working in HMP Frankland, a dispersal prison which has housed some of the countrys most infamous murderers, including Harold Shipman and Ian Huntley, warned that failing to tackle the soaring rates of staff turnover would have knock-on effects when prisoners are released.

Theyve got to come out at some point, and theyre going to come out embittered, theyre going to come out not rehabilitated, and theyre going to come out very angry. So in terms of society, youre putting [people] at risk, he said.

If you dont invest properly and put rehabilitation and control [in place], youre going to have a lot of people coming out  because you will let them out at some point, you have to  embittered and a danger to society  still a threat.

Real-terms spending on prisons is now 16 per cent lower than it was in 2009, according to an analysis by the Institute for Government. Over that time, jails have been plagued by rat infestations, staff being physically overcome by drug fumes and increasing numbers of inmates carrying out murderous attacks.

Rates of self-harm and violence have hit record levels each year since 2012, with prisons in England and Wales now witnessing on average an assault every 20 minutes, and a prisoner taking their own life every four days.

Mark Fairhurst, national chair of the Prison Officers Association (POA), said intelligence-gathering had suffered from being taken out of the hands of officers during a recent round of reforms, leaving unskilled civilians to carry out this work during office hours only and no extra staff to act upon intelligence.

On the effect this has on inmates, he said: Rehabilitation is just a word. If we are serious about rehabilitation we must invest heavily to ensure all prisoners occupy a workspace and are given skills that can gain them employment upon release.

Until we tackle violence and drugs and make our jails safe we cannot even begin to rehabilitate prisoners.

Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns for the Howard League for Penal Reform, said that while government has made some efforts to recruit new officers, they were often coming in with very little work experience of any description.

The well-documented problems in prisons are caused by a toxic cocktail of overcrowding and staff shortages, and that isnt just shortages in terms of numbers of staff, it is also about the shortage of staff experience that is now in place, he said.

Were well aware of the high levels of violence, that includes assaults on staff, and its perhaps no surprise that the Ministry of Justice, despite its efforts at recruiting prison officers, is struggling to retain them.

Mr Neilson said this meant prisons continued to be in an untenable situation, adding: The loss of staff experience contributes to that chaos and that chaos ultimately will mean that the period in prison if anything is just going to make things worse. Its certainly not going to do anything to cut reoffending.

A prison service spokesperson said: Weve recruited over 4,700 additional prison officers since the end of 2016 and are working hard to retain experienced staff, with the biggest pay increase in a decade awarded last year.

Weve also taken action to improve support for new starters, are providing additional training and tools like Pava pepper spray and body-worn cameras to make their jobs safer, and have invested an extra 70m in making prisons more secure and decent.Theresa May had barely wiped the tears from her eyes before Boris Johnson fired a bazooka that struck fear into the hearts of MPs trying to stop a no-deal Brexit.

Striking the hardest-possible stance, the strong favourite to follow her into No 10 vowed he would crash the UK out of the EU if necessary  and would do so as soon as the end of October.

There would be no more pleading for extensions to Article 50, Mr Johnson insisted, telling his  no doubt top-buck paying  audience in Switzerland: We will leave the EU on 31 October, deal or no deal.Moderate Tory MPs will help Labour bring down an extremist new prime minister pursuing a no-deal Brexit, John McDonnell has predicted.

The shadow chancellor  as he announced Theresa Mays successor would face an immediate vote-of-no-confidence  said there could be a majority in the Commons for a general election, or a Final Say referendum, in those circumstances.

We will be talking to the other political parties, Mr McDonnell said. Asked if that included Conservative backbenchers, he replied: Yes.

This isnt a matter of asking people to be disloyal to their beliefs or their party, he told the BBC.

Were now possibly faced with an extremist leader of the Conservative Party coming in, willing to take us over the edge of a no deal.

Mr McDonnell said: Faced with that situation, I think there may well be a majority in the House of Commons to bring about some form of public vote  and that could include a general election.

Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Show all 9 1 /9 Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has long been hopeful, he previously stood in the leadership contest that followed the Brexit vote and has at many times since been thought to be maneuvering himself towards the goal. He remains a darling of the party's right wing, particularly those in the ERG, and is the most popular choice among Tory voters but his leadership bid would be fiercely opposed by many MPs PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Michael Gove Environment secretary Michael Gove is another member who has long wanted to be leader. He has lately been known for rousing his party in the commons, his recent speeches on the Brexit deal and Labour's no confidence motion have overshadowed the Prime Minister's. He has been loyal to the Prime Minister, partly to shed his reputation as a backstabber who abandoned Boris Johnson to stand against him in the 2016 leadership election Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Dominic Raab Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has emerged as a favourite to be the Brexiteer candidate in a contest to succeed to Ms May. He displayed a grip on detail in his role as Brexit secretary. When asked recently if he would like to become prime minister he replied "never say never" Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Rory Stewart International development secretary Rory Stewart is pitching himself as the sensible candidate, promising to rule out both a second referendum and a no-deal Brexit. He was only recently promoted to the cabinet, previously serving as prisons minister, where he caught headlines with a pledge to resign if he could not reduce levels of violence within a year PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary announced that she will be standing for the leadership when May leaves. McVey is the first to explicitly state that she intends to stand. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Sajid Javid Home secretary Sajid Javid is said to have a plan in place for a leadership race. He made headlines over Christmas when he declared that people smuggling over the English channel was a "major incident" and more recently when he revoked the citizenship of ISIS bride Shamima Begum. Son of a bus driver, he wants the Conservatives to be seen as the party of social mobility PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Jeremy Hunt Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt was recently thought to be the favourite in the event of a leadership race as he could sell himself as the man to unite the party. Critics worry that his long stint as health secretary could return to haunt him at a general election. He has reportedly been holding meetings with Tory MPs over breakfast to promote his leadership PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Andrea Leadsom Following the Prime Minister's second defeat over her Brexit deal, Leader of the house Andrea Leadsom hosted a dinner party at which "leadership was the only topic of conversation", The Times heard. Leadsom ran against Theresa May in the 2016 leadership election before dropping out, allowing May to become Prime Minister AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Priti Patel Former international development secretary Priti Patel is thought to be positioning herself as a contender. One MP told The Independent "she knows she's from the right of the party, the part which is going to choose the next leader, so she's reminding everyone she's there." Patel left the government late in 2017 after it emerged that she had held undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials PA

The comments came after Rory Stewart became the first senior Tory to rule out serving under Boris Johnson, describing the no-deal Brexit he is willing to pursue as damaging and dishonest.

Within hours of the prime ministers resignation, the leadership favourite ruled out a further Article 50 extension, telling an audience: We will leave the EU on 31 October, deal or no deal.

Leading pro-EU Tories, including Dominic Grieve, the former attorney general, have hinted at a willingness to use any means to prevent a crash-out Brexit.

In the interview, Mr McDonnell also said Labour should move quickly to agree a new Brexit policy, after widespread criticism that the partys existing stance is muddled, saying: The world has changed.

On the no-deal threat, he added: Most of the analysis means that will lose people their jobs, undermine their livelihoods.

We cant stand by and let an extremist Conservative leader take their country down with them.

The timing of the Tory leadership election, to conclude only days before Westminsters summer break in late July, risks a constitutional crisis, some experts believe.

The new prime minister  particularly one chosen on a no-deal ticket  is likely to be challenged to prove that they have a Commons majority within days of taking office.

As well as opposition from anti-no-deal Tories, he or she must also retain the support of the Democratic Unionist Party that has propped up the May administration.

Following the defection of three Tories to The Independent Group, now Change UK, the working majority of the Conservative-DUP alliance is just six  meaning only four Tories would need to switch sides for a no-confidence vote to succeed.

If the new leader failed at the hurdle, and no alternative government is confirmed by the Commons within 14 days, there will be a general election.Rory Stewart has become the first senior Tory to rule out serving under Boris Johnson, describing the no-deal Brexit he is willing to pursue as damaging and dishonest.

The international development secretary suggested Mr Johnson had misled him over his stance  as a fifth leadership contender, health secretary Matt Hancock, joined the race to succeed Theresa May.

Meanwhile, Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary, ruled herself out of the contest and hinted she could sit in a cabinet with Mr Johnson, the clear favourite.

In contrast, Mr Stewart tore into the former foreign secretary after he vowed to crash the UK out of the EU without an agreement in October, if necessary.

I could not serve in a government whose policy was to push this country into a no-deal Brexit. I could not serve with Boris Johnson, he told the BBC.

Mr Stewart  a candidate himself  added that he had spoken with Mr Johnson only two weeks ago and believed he had assured me that he wouldnt push for a no-deal Brexit.

Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Show all 6 1 /6 Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Phillip Hammond Chancellor Phillip Hammond said in an interview with the Mail that Boris has never been "a details man", won't be next Prime Minister and that his most notable policy achievement is the launching of Boris Bikes AFP/Getty Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris David Davis Speaking to Sophie Ridge on Sunday, former Brexit Secretary David Davis said "a lot of his ideas, I think, are good headlines but not necessarily good policies" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Ruth Davidson Speaking on Sunday Politics, Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson has said that Boris' use of language in attacking the Prime Minister's Chequers plan was "not wise" and urged for a "period of silence" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Greg Clark Speaking at a fringe event at the conference, Business Secretary Greg Clark stated that Boris' idea to scrap HS2 and instead build a bridge to Northern Ireland was "completely the wrong approach" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Lord Digby Jones Speaking on stage in Birmingham, crossbench peer Lord Digby Jones branded Boris as "irrelevant" and "offensive" for his comments on business PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris David Mundell Referring to Boris' recent 6-point Brexit plan, Scottish Secretary David Mundell stated that "these are things for headlines, not for the substance of negotiations" PA

Yet, within hours of the prime ministers tear-stained resignation, he had ruled out a further Article 50 extension, telling an audience: We will leave the EU on October 31, deal or no deal.

I spoke to Boris, I suppose, about two weeks ago about this and I thought at the time he had assured me that he wouldnt push for a no-deal Brexit, Mr Stewart said.

So, we had a conversation about 20, 25 minutes and I left the room reassured by him that he wouldnt do this. But, it now seems that he is coming out for a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Hancock, the youngest candidate at just 40, said he was running for leader because the party needed to look to the future and attract younger voters.

Arguing against a crash-out Brexit, he vowed to pursue a different approach to try to get Commons support for a deal than the one Ms May failed with.

She didnt start by levelling with people about the trade-offs, Mr Hancock said.

I think it is much, much easier to bring people together behind a proposal if you are straightforward in advance.

The health secretary also sought to woo Tory MPs terrified about the prospect of an early general election, insisting it should not happen before Brexit is achieved.

Some of my contenders may say that, if they dont get their preferred option, whether it be no deal or something else, then theyll have a general election, he said.

I put it to you that would be a disaster for the country and it would risk Corbyn by Christmas.

Mr Hancock joins Mr Johnson, Mr Stewart, foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt and Esther McVey, the former work and pensions secretary, as declared candidates.

Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, refused to rule himself out as he warned a no-deal Brexit was increasingly likely.

Asked if he would stand, Mr Fox told the BBC: Well, I dont think its likely to happen, but, as you say, its an unusual contest.

Arguing it was better to leave with an agreement, he added: I think that it is possible, and probably increasingly likely now, that we could leave without a deal because I think theres limited patience from the European Union with Britains constant delay.Theresa May must use the dying days of her premiership to pass a law to prevent her successor taking Britain out of the EU in a no-deal Brexit against the will of parliament, a former cabinet minister has said.

Sir Ed Davey said Ms May was likely to be followed into No 10 by a hardline Brexiteer, such as Boris Johnson or Dominic Raab, who is ready to quit Europe without an agreement on 31 October.

MPs have already voted by a majority of 43 against a no-deal outcome, but that motion was not binding on the government.

Sir Ed said it was a genuine worry that a prime minister seeking to achieve a no-deal exit could simply suspend parliamentary sittings through a process known as prorogation until the Halloween deadline has passed in order to avoid MPs staging another vote to prevent it.

Under UK and EU law, Britain will leave without a deal by default on the deadline of Halloween unless a fresh extension is approved, a withdrawal agreement is ratified on both sides or the Article 50 letter informing Brussels of its intention to quit is revoked.

The former energy secretary  who is thought likely to be a contender to succeed Sir Vince Cable in the upcoming contest for Liberal Democrat leader  told The Independent: There is a lot I disagree with Theresa May on, but I believe that she is a responsible person who wants to do what is right for the national interest.

I think she needs to recognise the danger to our country of a future Tory prime minister who is a no-deal Leaver.

And she needs to use the remaining powers she has in the remaining days she has left to help the majority in parliament insulate our country from that danger.

Prorogation marks the end of a parliamentary session and is normally followed by a short recess until the Queens Speech that opens the next session. There is no fixed timetable, leaving the timing in the governments hands. The current session, which began after the 2017 election is already the longest for many centuries, after Ms May stretched it to the limits in the hope of getting her Brexit deal through.

 Boris Johnson says he will defenitely run for office at Swiss Economic Forum

With the new prime minister expected to be installed in No 10 just days before MPs leave Westminster for their summer break in July, and with a further three-week break for party conferences in late September and early October, parliament is anyway scheduled to sit for only a few weeks under the new regime before the Halloween deadline.

Sir Ed said he was concerned that a no-deal prime minister, elected by a deeply anti-EU Tory membership of around 125,000, could use prorogation to ensure that MPs are not present in Westminster to stop them driving the country over the cliff-edge.

This is a genuine worry, he told The Independent. I think people from across parties ought to put pressure on the PM to put forward a piece of legislation as prime minister to put into law that there cant be an exit from the EU of any nature without a vote in parliament.

We have to have a procedure to prevent a no-deal Brexit being imposed on our country by a small number of MPs from a party with a leader who has effectively been elected prime minister by a very, very small and unrepresentative portion of our country.

He called for cross-party talks to draw up and pass legislation in the few weeks left to Ms May.

Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation Show all 13 1 /13 Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation Reuters Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation PA Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement outside at 10 Downing Street in London, where she announced she is standing down as Tory party leader on Friday June 7. PA Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation AFP/Getty Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation AP Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation AFP/Getty Images

And he said that the prime minister would be able to push such a bill through with the support of Liberal Democrat votes as well as many Labour and Tory MPs who fear no-deal.

I think there needs to be some good cross-party talks, he said.

I would prefer legislation to go through which would require a Peoples Vote on any final outcome, with the option of Remain on the ballot paper.

But I think she should at least work across parties to put a law in place that would prevent any government taking Britain out of the EU without a parliamentary vote on that proposition, so it would be impossible for a no-deal Leaver to prorogue parliament and say we are going whether you like it or not.A judge has sentenced former Catholic priest Ronald Paquin to 16 years in prison for sexually abusing an altar boy during trips to Maine in the 1980s.

Paquin, 76, was already served more than 10 years in prison in Massachusetts for sexually abusing another altar boy there. Following that sentencing, he was defrocked by the Catholic Church.

The uncovering of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests, particularly of altar boys, in Massachusetts, was portrayed in the 2015 film Spotlight, titled after the special projects desk at the Boston Globe that reported the abuse. Pacquin was played by Ronald ORourke. Although the abuse was and remains widespread, the 2002 report out of Boston, which contains a large Catholic population, is considered to have brought the issue to a global audience.

The judge, Wayne Douglas, said that Paquin betrayed the sacred trust of his victims. He noted that he did not detect expressions of remorse or responsibility from the former Catholic priest. Mr Douglas imposed the maximum sentence of 20 years, but suspended a portion of the sentence.

Keith Townsend, 45, testified before the sentencing as a victim of Paquins. He said that Pacquins abuse sent him into a spiral of depression and drug abuse, and caused him to question his faith. He gave the Associated Press, which normally does not identify victims of sexual abuse, explicit permission to use his name.

Mr Townsend said he was satisfied with the ruling.

I just hope it shows victims who are still living in the shadows that they can come forward, Mr Townsend said.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Paquin was defrocked 15 years ago. In the new case, he was charged with assaulting two boys, one of whom was Mr Townsend, between 1985 and 1988 in Kennebunkport, Maine. At the time, the victims were 14 years old or younger.

Hes a young boy who is being told to respect this religious authority whos telling him what is happening to him is OK, prosecutor Justina McGettigan said in court, referring to the state of mind of one of Pacquins victims at the time of the crime. He [Pacquin] would be able to control their minds because of who he was in their lives.

Pacquins attorneys said that he plans to appeal both the conviction and the sentence.A Florida state representative told a group that God told him to a rewrite an abortion bill without exceptions for rape or incest.

In a speech given to Women for Responsible Legislation group in Pensacola, Florida, state representative Mike Hill said God spoke directly to him about a restrictive abortion bill he had previously tried and failed to pass in Floridas legislature.

"As plain as day, God spoke to me, Mr Hill, a Republican, told the group. He said 'that wasn't my bill,' talking about the heartbeat detection bill that I filed. He said 'that wasn't my bill.'"

I knew immediately what he was talking about, the state representative confirmed.

The bill which Mr Hill, and, allegedly, God, were referring to would have restricted abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Mr Hills proposed version of the ban, which is currently sweeping the nation in various forms, included exceptions for rape, incest, medical emergency, human trafficking, and domestic violence.

Recommended Trump to be broadcast every hr on 3 Florida FM stations until election

Mr Hill told the group he included the exception in hopes of getting the bill passed, but the proposed law died before getting a committee hearing, which he lamented was more focused on "health care, transportation, and the Everglades" than his attempt at an abortion ban, according to the Pensacola News Journal.

Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Show all 7 1 /7 Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Derry Girls cast members Siobhan McSweeney and Nicola Coughlan (right) join MPS and women impacted by Northern Ireland's strict abortion laws PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Heidi Allen (second right) joins the protest PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster A luggage tag on a suitcase, symbolising the women who travel from Northern Ireland to England for terminations PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster The campaigners march across Westminster Bridge PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Counter-protesters Rebecca Morgan (left) and her daughter Helen, one, demonstrate in favour of Northern Ireland's current laws Getty Images Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Protesters supporting Northern Ireland's abortion laws at Parliament Square Getty Images Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Demonstrators pull suitcases to symbolise the women who travel from Northern Ireland to England for a termination AFP/Getty Images

Mr Hill says hes currently working on a new bill, with outside help.

 Abortion laws: In which states is it illegal?

"[God] said, 'you remove those exceptions and you file it again.' And I said 'yes Lord, I will'," Mr Hill said. "It's coming back. It's coming back. We are going to file that bill without any exceptions, just like what we saw passed in Alabama."

On Friday, the ACLU and Planned Parenthood sued the state of Alabama for its unconstitutional abortion ban. Representatives of the ACLU of Alabama told The Independent on Thursday that they expect the legal fight to take around three years. Abortion remains legal in the state for now.

Elizabeth Renda, Womens Media Director for the Democratic National Committee, said: "The national Democratic Party opposes these abortion bans or any infringement on women's reproductive freedom in the strongest possible terms. We have been extremely clear about where we stand on reproductive rights, and our platform demonstrates our commitment to preserving a woman's fundamental right to make decisions about her own body with her doctor. The abortion bans sweeping the country are part of a targeted effort to overturn Roe v. Wade, and they will put women's lives at risk by barring their access to safe, legal abortion. As a party, Democrats remain committed to protecting women and their access to the health care they deserve."A US sailor was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting he planned to give classified information about the US Navys nuclear-powered warships to a journalist then defect to Russia, officials said.

Stephen Kellogg III pleaded guilty to two counts of espionage on Friday. The 26-year-old had contacted Sevmash  Russias largest shipbuilding enterprise and only nuclear submarine producer, according to Navy court documents.

He wished to publish an expose on waste within the military and admitted he wanted to share the information with Russians, according to Jeff Houston of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

The former US Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class also admitted he knew releasing the information could degrade the ability of nuclear-powered warships, and therefore harm the US.

Authorities learned of his plans after arresting Kellogg on 27 August for drunken disorderly conduct at San Diego airport, where he was stopped by a Delta Air Lines employee from boarding a flight because he was being belligerent.

Living the American dream. But all the time spying for Russia Show all 3 1 /3 Living the American dream. But all the time spying for Russia Living the American dream. But all the time spying for Russia 403896.bin REX FEATURES Living the American dream. But all the time spying for Russia 403897.bin GETTY IMAGES Living the American dream. But all the time spying for Russia 403898.bin AFP

He had bought a one-way ticket to New York City, where he planned to meet a journalist friend from high school after telling him he had a big story to reveal.

Kellogg had admitted to telling his roommate that he planned to defect to Russia and had searched online for flights to Moscow, contact information for the Russian Consulate in San Diego, and wrote to an email address associated with Sevmash and called the company six times. It is unclear if the Russian shipbuilder wrote back.

Around the same time, he told a childhood friend that he wanted to get out of the Navy and that I might go Ed Snowden, referring to the former National Security Agency contractor who exposed US government surveillance efforts by disclosing classified material.

USS Carl Vinson docked in Vietnam. Stephen Kellogg served on board between 2016 to 2018 (AP)

FBI special agent Garrett Waugh said: This sailors attempts to disclose classified Navy nuclear propulsion information posed a significant threat to national security and endangered the lives of American service members.

Though Kellogg pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the Espionage Act, his military defence attorneys told the judge at Naval Base San Diego before his sentencing that he was not a spy but rather had a drinking problem and may have been suffering from depression.

People who know Kellogg, they said, described him as harmless and someone just trying to get attention. The defence also pointed out that Kellogg had left his passport at his San Diego apartment, undermining claims he was headed to Russia.

Kellogg served on board the USS Carl Vinson between 2016 to 2018, having joined the Navy in 2014. The authorities said he admitted to photographing areas containing sensitive information about the nuclear propulsion program on the ship, and then sending the photos to his father and ex-girlfriend.

He told authorities he stored classified information in his berth, violating protocol, according to the FBI. He will receive a dishonourable discharge. This type of behaviour has no place in our military, said Commander Nate Christensen, deputy spokesman of the US Pacific Fleet.

Additional reporting by APViolence and disruption against abortion clinics in the US increased to its highest levels since the 1990s last year, a report by the National Abortion Federation has found.

The increase in violence was attributed, at least in part, to president Donald Trump and his administrations rhetoric.

The report noted a significant increase in obstruction, vandalism, and trespassing, with 1,135 incidents of trespassing recorded in 2018 - the most since the NAF began tracking the crime in 1999.

There were also 3,038 instances of obstruction, a 78 per cent increase compared to the previous year, and nearly 100,000 instances of picketing.

Anti-choice individuals and groups have been emboldened by the rhetoric of president Trump, vice president Pence, and other elected officials and we are seeing this play out in more instances of activities meant to intimidate abortion providers and disrupt patient services, said Dr Katherine Hancock Ragsdale, who serves as interim president and CEO of NAF.

Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Show all 23 1 /23 Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of an expected ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions An abortion rights activist holds placards outside of the US Supreme Court before the Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. The US Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Texas law placing a raft of restrictions on abortion clinics, handing a major victory to the "pro-choice" camp in the country's most important ruling on the divisive issue in a generation. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Pro-life activists pray on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Texas abortion provider Amy Hagstrom-Miller looks on as Nancy Northup, President of The Center for Reproductive Rights speaks to the media outside of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions An abortion rights activist holds placards outside of the US Supreme Court before the Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. The US Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Texas law placing a raft of restrictions on abortion clinics, handing a major victory to the "pro-choice" camp in the country's most important ruling on the divisive issue in a generation. Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Texas abortion provider Amy Hagstrom-Miller wipes a tear as she walks down the steps of the United States Supreme Court with Nancy Northup, President of The Center for Reproductive Rights on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Abortion rights activists Morgan Hopkins of Boston, left, and Alison Turkos of New York City, celebrate on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Abortion rights activists Morgan Hopkins of Boston, left, and Alison Turkos of New York City, celebrate on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. (Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images) Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activist Morgan Hopkins of Boston, celebrates on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists embrace after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of a ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists embrace after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Pro-choice activist, Alissa Manzoeillo, of Washington, D.C. waits for rulings in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. A ruling is expected in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, a Texas case the places restrictions on abortion clinics, as well as rulings in the former Virginia Governor's corruption case and a gun rights case. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of an expected ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of an expected ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. AFP/Getty Images

She added: Demonising health care providers and women who rely on them for abortion care has become one of the go-to tactics for anti-choice politicians. Those lies have consequences and it is not the anti-choice politicians who are facing those consequences; it is those who are denied abortion care and the providers targeted by threats, harassment, and violence who are. It is time for the demonizing of abortion providers and their patients to end.

Given the political climate and the increase in hate incidents throughout the country, it is more important than ever that law enforcement and prosecutors appropriately respond to anti-abortion criminal activity.

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The study did note a decrease in stalking, burglary, assault, and battery against abortion providers.

It comes during a fresh wave of anti-abortion legislation such as the Alabama abortion ban, which is currently being contested in a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood, and heartbeat bills which ban elective abortion after a foetal heartbeat is detectable.

As a foetal heartbeat is first detectable at six weeks - a point where many pregnant people may not even know they are pregnant - these initiatives are seen as a back-door abortion ban and are also being contested in court.

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Politicians in support of banning abortion hope these cases will rise to the Supreme Court of the United States and lead to an overturning of Roe V Wade, which set the precedent for elective abortion until the end of the second trimester in the US.As Donald Trump sets off on his five-country state visit tour, the presidents aides are in for quite the ride.

Mr Trump has not travelled often during his tenure as US president, often sending cabinet members or top aides on state visits, citing a focus on domestic issues.

However, this reluctance may be influenced by Mr Trump dislike of international travel. One official described travelling with the US president on Air Force One as "like being held captive".

According to CNN, who interviewed five anonymous officials within the administration, the trips are chaotic.

The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Show all 25 1 /25 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Bernie Sanders The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Joe Biden The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling EPA The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial "stop and frisk" programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor Getty Images The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Pete Buttigieg The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Deval Patrick The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party's various voting blocs AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Beto O'Rourke The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by "gross differences in opportunity and outcome" AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris The former California attorney general was 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 AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Steve Bullock The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor's seat in a red [Republican] state Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended 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 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017 AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Andrew Yang The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: 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 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tom Steyer Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor AFP/Getty

There is incredibly limited sleeping space, they said, and Fox News is constantly blaring on the TV. Mr Trump brings boxes full of magazines, newspapers and hours of pre-recorded cable footage on board to review how hes seen in the media, sometimes waking staffers to discuss and draft a response to a bad headline, telling the staffers to fix it rather than review materials for his upcoming meetings.

The president also reportedly refuses to sleep. Mr Trump has previously made claims that he only sleeps four to five hours a night, but staffers report its even less on the plane, as he stays up to talk business, sports, and gossip.

Recommended Trump asks director of legal immigration asked to resign

Mr Trump plans his travel to minimise time abroad, being described as an impatient traveller who prefers his own bed. The president has been known to cut state visits short and change schedules, as he did at the Hanoi summit in Singapore last year, creating short deadlines and high stress for staffers.

As for accommodations, Mr Trump allegedly berates staffers when his hotel is not up to his personal standards. The president also demands access to Fox News and multiple televisions.

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It is well-documented that White House trips to other nations are not pleasurable, with strenuous hours and packed agendas, but multiple Trump Administration officials have noted that overseas travel with Mr Trump are easily the worst.The US will order more troops to the Middle East, Donald Trump has said, despite just a day earlier saying he thought further deployments in the region were unnecessary.

Mr Trump said around 1,500 troops would be sent amid rising tensions with Iran. Congressional aides confirmed that Congress was notified of the new plan before it was announced.

"We want to have protection. The Middle East, we're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops," Mr Trump told reporters at the White House before boarding a plane for Japan. "Mostly protective. Some very talented people are going to the Middle East right now. And we'll see how  we'll see what happens."

A defence official later claimed that the actual number of incoming troops was 900, which will be to added to 600 troops whose deployment in the region will be extended.

The announcement comes at the end of a week in which several numbers were floated for troop increases in the region.

Revolution in Iran: In pictures Show all 11 1 /11 Revolution in Iran: In pictures Revolution in Iran: In pictures A demonstration against the Shah in 1979 Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Armed women on guard in one of the main squares in Tehran at the beginning of the Iranian Revolution Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Demonstrators hold a poster of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in January 1979, in Tehran, during a demonstration against the Shah AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Iranian rebels pose with a U.S. flag they bayonetted upside down on trees at Sultanabad Garrison northeast of Tehran on February 12 2019 AP Revolution in Iran: In pictures A gun battle in Khorramshahr during the revolution, 1979 Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Ayatollah Khomeini's supporters demonstrate in the streets of Tehran against the Shah among tear gas. The "black friday" caused the death of 200 people according to the Iranian government, 2000 according to the opposition, September 8 1978 AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Women wearing the traditional Chador demonstrate in the streets of Tehran against the Shah on September 7 1978 AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Demonstrators in Tehran calling for the replacement of the Shah of Iran during the Iranian Revolution, 1979. They carry placards depicting Ayatollah Mahmoud Talaghani, one of the leading revolutionaries Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Ayatollah Khomeini's supporters demonstrate in the streets of Tehran against the Shah. The "black friday" caused the death of 200 people according to the Iranian government, 2000 according to the opposition, September 8 1978 AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Thousands of the Ayatollah Khomeini's supporters on the streets of Tehran calling for the religious leader's return in January 1979 Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures The Iranian Islamic Republic Army demonstrates in solidarity with people in the street during the Iranian revolution. They are carrying posters of the Ayatollah Khomeini, the Iranian religious and political leader Getty

On Thursday, the acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, denied reports that between 5,000 to 10,000 US troops could be sent to defend against the potential threat from Iran.

"There is no 10,000, there's no 5,000, and that's not accurate," he told reporters.

Representative Adam Smith, who serves as the House Armed Services Committee Chairman, issued a statement calling the increase in troops an unsettling move.

"Without a clearly articulated strategy, adding more personnel and mission systems seems unwise, and appears to be a blatant and heavy-handed move to further escalate tensions with Iran," Mr Smith said.

"I look forward to hearing from Acting Defense Secretary Shanahan how this decision complements a broader strategy in the region, which focuses on de-escalation and diplomacy first, his statement continued.A volcano has erupted on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali, causing flight cancellations to and from Australia after a huge ash cloud rose into the sky.

The Mount Agung volcano spewed out lava and showers of rocks over a distance of about two miles late on Friday night, with ash falling over dozens of villages, according to officials on the island.

There were no reports of casualties, but the national disaster agency imposed a 2.5 mile exclusion zone around the mountain and said 50,000 masks would be available as a precaution.

Bali airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim said nine flights between Bali and Australia were cancelled on Friday night, flights to and from New Zealand have not been affected.

Brent Thomas, commercial director at New Zealand travel company House of Travel, said tourists should be operating on a watch and see basis. It could go dormant again or it could erupt again, no one knows, he told the New Zealand Herald.

Six postponed flights for Qantas and Virgin Australia were set to go ahead on Saturday, said Mr Ahsanurrohim, as the islands airport returned to normal operations.

A spokesperson for Auckland Airport said New Zealand flights were also expected to go ahead today. There are no disrupted flights that we are aware of, but this may change.

Photographs taken near Agung showed an ash column and glowing lava in the crater of the volcano, which rises over eastern Bali at a height of just over 3,000 metres.

In late 2017, authorities raised the alert level on Agung after a spike in activity, triggering evacuations and travel chaos at the time.

The alert level has since been lowered but the rumbling Agung has erupted intermittently since then and occasionally disrupted flights.

A major eruption in 1963 killed more than 1,000 people and razed several villages. Agung is only one more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to eruptions and earthquakes due to its location on the Ring of Fire  a series of fault lines stretching from the western hemisphere to Japan and southeast Asia.

Famous for its surf, beaches and temples, Bali attracts around 5 million visitors a year.

Additional reporting by agenciesPope Francis has compared having an abortion to hiring a hitman and said the procedure can never be condoned, even when the foetus is gravely sick.

Speaking at a Vatican-sponsored anti-abortion conference, he urged doctors and priests to support families to carry all pregnancies to full term.

Is it licit to throw away a life to resolve a problem? he asked his audience. Is it licit to hire a hitman to resolve a problem?

The pontiff said that the matter was not a religious issue but a human one.

And he denounced decisions to abort pregnancies based on prenatal testing, saying a human being is never incompatible with life.

Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Show all 20 1 /20 Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Women in Dublin celebrate the result of yesterday's referendum on abortion law Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum A woman in Dublin celebrates the result of yesterday's referendum Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Activists react at the count centre as votes are tallied folowing yesterday's referendum Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Co-Director of Together For Yes Ailbhe Smyth speaking to the media at the count in Dublin PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes voters react, as the results of the votes begin to come in PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Long time campaigner Annette Forde, from Drumcondra, at the count centre in Dublin's RDS as votes are counted PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Minister for Health Simon Harris (centre) with Fine Gael's Kate O'Connell and Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy (left) speaks to the media on arrival at the count centre PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes voters celebrate at the count centre in Dublin as official results for constituencies are announced PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes campaigners celebrate at the count in Dublin PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum A woman writes a message on a mural to Savita Halappanava, a woman who died of pregnancy complications AFP/Getty Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Activists react at the count centre as votes are tallied folowing yesterday's referendum Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald reacts with a member of the Yes campaign PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes campaigners celebrate at the count in Dublin PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes campaigners react, as the results of the votes begin to come in Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Senator David Norris at the count centre in Dublin as votes are counted PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum A woman sits in front of the Dublin mural of Savita Halappanavar, a woman who died of pregnancy complications PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Repeal supporters at Dublin's RDS await the start of the count last night PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Minister for Health Simon Harris is greeted by retired Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness at the count in Dublin PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes campaigners react, as the results of the votes begin to come in AP Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum A Yes voter poses with a badge as votes are counted AFP/Getty

It is not the first time the Pope has spoken out strongly against abortion but his new comments come little more than a week after the issue was pushed into the global spotlight when the US state of Alabama passed highly restrictive laws banning abortion in almost all cases, including where pregnancies have been caused by rape.

The bills architects expect that it will be defeated in the lower courts, but hope that it will therefore come before the countrys newly conservative Supreme Court.

If judges there uphold the bill, it will give the green light for other states across the US to impose similarly draconian measures.

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Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio are among others which have also passed new abortion restrictions in recent months with the same goal in mind.Boris Johnson began his leadership campaign by making a promise he cannot deliver. We will leave the EU on 31 October, deal or no deal, he said yesterday. He had to say it, because no candidate can expect to win the leadership election without such a pledge.

But I do not believe it is possible for any prime minister to take the UK out of the EU without a deal at the end of October. Johnson would be removed from office before he could do so. This may sound extreme, but it is a question of numbers.

The Conservatives with the DUP have a majority in the House of Commons of five. There are three Labour or former Labour MPs who support a no-deal exit: Kate Hoey, Kelvin Hopkins and Graham Stringer, and Peterborough will probably elect a Brexit Party MP in the by-election the week after next.

That means it would take only seven Conservative MPs to deprive Johnson of his majority. There are many more than seven Tory MPs who think a no-deal exit would be so damaging they are prepared to put country before party.

We can start with the six who have consistently voted against leaving the EU at all  let alone without a deal. Dominic Grieve was out and about yesterday saying that he would take all steps necessary to stop a no-deal exit. This group includes Jo Johnson, the putative prime ministers brother, which sets up the intriguing possibility of a family drama even greater than that of David and Ed Miliband. Would Jo vote to bring down Boris, just a few weeks after he entered No 10?

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

Perhaps the tie of fraternal loyalty would stay his hand, but there are many other Conservative MPs  some of them even in the cabinet  who would do whatever it took to avoid what they call a disorderly exit from the EU.

There has been much learned constitutional debate about how parliament could prevent a no-deal exit. Supporters of what they like to call a clean break or WTO Brexit were excited by an analysis by Maddy Thimont Jack of the Institute for Government that suggested it couldnt be stopped.

This is a good example of how people see what they want to see. The article makes the point that it would be hard for Yvette Cooper and Oliver Letwin to repeat their constitutional innovation of legislating from the backbenches to require a prime minister to seek an extension to the Brexit timetable.

That device needs the government to table an amendable bill or motion. If the government doesnt have any legislation it has to get through, the Cooper-Letwin process cant start.

But the article also makes clear that there is a more drastic option, which is to depose a prime minister by passing a vote of no confidence in the government. It doesnt go into detail about what could happen next, so let me outline a possible scenario.

If prime minister Johnson were intending to allow our EU membership to expire on 31 October without a deal, he could be removed by seven, or 10, or 20 Conservatives voting with Jeremy Corbyn on a motion of no confidence. This would not lead straight away to a general election: under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, the Commons would have 14 days to pass a motion of confidence in an alternative government.

This could be a government of national unity led by, say, David Lidington, Kenneth Clarke or  just for the TV rights  Jo Johnson. The new prime minister would be installed by the Commons for the sole purpose of seeking a further extension of the Article 50 deadline.

It may be objected that Corbyn would never whip his MPs to put a Conservative in power, but if it were the only way to stop a no-deal exit I think he would do it. Not only did Labours manifesto say leaving the EU with no deal is the worst possible deal for Britain, but ousting Boris Johnson feels like a Labour win that could bring a general election nearer.

In any case, the scenario is credible enough to scare Johnson. The choice facing him  or any other no-deal prime minister  would then be to prevent parliament from sitting, allowing the UK to leave by default on 31 October, or to ask for an extension himself.

Again, there has been learned constitutional debate about how prime minister Johnson could prorogue parliament, or refuse to set a date for it to sit, so that MPs would be powerless to stop him taking the country out of the EU without a deal.

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These are dangerous waters. I find it hard to believe that it is being seriously suggested that a prime minister should suspend parliamentary democracy to do something as important as this in defiance of a majority in the House of Commons.

Whatever anyones doubts about Boris Johnsons qualities as a potential prime minister, I do not believe he would try to subvert the will of parliament.

No: he will find himself on the same treadmill of unrealistic promises as Theresa May. He will try and fail to renegotiate the deal. The DUP will remain opposed. The Tory party will become increasingly wedded to an outcome that cannot be delivered.

He wont be able to call a general election, because Tory MPs, fearful of losing their seats, wont let him. In the end, he may be driven to a referendum, but even then the Commons could refuse to allow a no-deal exit as one of the options on the ballot paper.

It is a good thing Johnson believes that by sheer force of personality he can change reality, because it seems all roads ahead are blocked, not just for him but for any other possible Tory prime minister.

Update: This article was amended to take into account the likely election of a Brexit Party MP, supporting a no-deal exit, in the Peterborough by-election on 6 June.Joe Biden was beloved by Democrats when he was vice-president. When he chose not to run in 2016 and Donald Trump won, many Democrats said Biden likely would have beaten the Republican candidate, prevailing in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan  the three states that ultimately delivered Trump's electoral victory.

Now that Biden is in for 2020, the tables have suddenly turned. Before Biden even got into the race, he faced a backlash from progressive activists over what was called inappropriate touching. No one accused Biden of sexual harassment, but several women did claim Biden invaded their space in a way that made them feel uncomfortable. Biden also faced scrutiny for his vote on the 1994 crime bill, his views on busing and the Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas hearings.

Now some progressives have said to Biden, "Thanks, but no thanks."

Justice Democrats, a progressive organization that backed Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, said in a statement that it wouldn't back Biden, at least in the primary, writing: While were going to support the Democratic nominee, we cant let a so-called centrist like Joe Biden divide the Democratic Party and turn it into the party of No, we cant.

The group's attacks against Biden sharpened within hours. One tweet from the group read: The simpler time in politics' that Joe Bidens campaign apparently harkens back to was wrought with racism, sexism, and a class war that Joe Biden often capitulated to."

That's quite the change from 2016.

There's a contingent of Democratic voters cheering on the Biden attacks because they want one of their own to face off against Donald Trump. They want Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris or Elizabeth Warren, all of whom have endorsed one or more of the items on the progressive wish-list such as Medicare for All, free college tuition, reparations, school loan debt forgiveness, and the Green New Deal. The latest salvo from the 2020 Democratic nominees is the advocation for felons to have the ability to vote  while in prison.

It's easy to map out the Trump re-election strategy. Assuming the economy doesn't crash and burn in the next 18 months, Trump will highlight it as the main reason to send him back for another term. He's not going to engage in nuanced policy debates. It will be a torrent of bombast and insults the entire time.

Who better to deal with that than Biden? It's not hard to remember his debate win over Paul Ryan in 2012. Ryan probably won on points. But Biden's constant snickering and smiling kept Ryan off his game, and it obviously bothered him. Biden will have the ability to do the same with Trump during a debate, while at the same time get his message across to the audience and to voters.

When Democrats took control of the US House in 2018, they won with a mixture of moderate candidates in suburban districts. Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) beat former Rep. Pete Sessions in the 32nd district in Texas. Allred hasn't pushed for any of the progressive ideas favored by the Bernie wing of the party. Allred got on board with Medicare For All early in 2018, but crucially he hasn't mentioned it since he won.

The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Show all 25 1 /25 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Bernie Sanders The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Joe Biden The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling EPA The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial "stop and frisk" programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor Getty Images The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Pete Buttigieg The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Deval Patrick The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party's various voting blocs AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Beto O'Rourke The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by "gross differences in opportunity and outcome" AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris The former California attorney general was 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 AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Steve Bullock The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor's seat in a red [Republican] state Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended 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 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017 AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Andrew Yang The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: 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 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tom Steyer Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor AFP/Getty

Middle class voters in Midwestern states who abandoned the Democrats for Trump in 2016 are not sitting around the dinner table discussing the voting rights of those in prison and picking out the electric car they'd drive after the Green New Deal gets fully implemented. The challenge for Democrats will be to convince those voters that Trump's way is not working. That won't be easy. GDP growth in the first quarter was 3.2 per cent  a surprising number, but one that bolsters Trump's argument that the economy will do better with him in charge. The unemployment rate is 4 per cent, the lowest it's been since the days of the dot-com boom.

To convince some voters that they're missing out on what may overall be good news is going to take a great deal of political skill. It's hard to imagine anyone making the argument more effectively than Joe Biden. Biden is from Pennsylvania and can connect with voters there and in Michigan and Wisconsin in a way that Hillary could not. And likely more effectively than Sanders, Harris or Warren.

People may ask, "What about Beto O'Rourke and Pete Buttigieg?" Both O'Rourke and Buttigieg have embraced progressive agendas and focused more on the "hope and change" style of campaigning that helped Barack Obama win in 2008. That will be a completely different challenge for Joe Biden. But as it stands now, the polling shows he will have to get past Sanders and Harris first.

Jay Caruso is deputy editor of the Washington ExaminerTheresa May is the only British prime minister Donald Trump has had any kind of relationship with  perhaps even that fabled special relationship we were led to believe should exist between Britain and the US.

The unappealing pair have had their ups, downs and more downs over the last two years.

During his Chequers visit, Trump may have grinned at the podium alongside May, but he was quick to betray their indispensable relationship.

Wielding a Brexit-shaped knife, he stabbed her in the back, telling reporters: I would have done it much differently.

But our dancing, coughing, departing PM had her attack ready, telling the press what Trumps Brexit advice was (it was that Britain should sue the EU...thanks for the input, mate...)

British Prime Ministers throughout the years Show all 14 1 /14 British Prime Ministers throughout the years British Prime Ministers throughout the years British prime minister Margaret Thatcher looking pensive at the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool. Getty Images British Prime Ministers throughout the years Newly elected British Prime Minister Tony Blair (C) waves at supporters 02 May upon his arrival at No. 10 Downing Street in London, his new residence after winning the 01 May general elections against outgoing Prime Minister John Major. AFP/Getty Images British Prime Ministers throughout the years British Prime Minister, Theresa May addresses the nation after asking the European Union for a Brexit extension, at number 10 Downing Street on March 20, 2019 in London, England. EU Commission President, Donald Tusk has said that the EU would grant a short extension to Article 50, if Theresa May can get approval for her withdrawal agreement from Parliament before next Friday. Getty British Prime Ministers throughout the years Edward Heath in a serious mood at the Tory Party Conference. Getty Images British Prime Ministers throughout the years Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874 - 1965) addressing a Women Conservatives meeting. Getty British Prime Ministers throughout the years British prime minister Sir Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, at the door of 10 Downing St, London, with his wife Lady Eden. Getty Images British Prime Ministers throughout the years British Prime Minister John Major, with his wife Norma, waves from the doorstep of No. 10 Downing St. after securing a victory by 218 votes out of 327 in the 04 July Conservative Party leadership election. Major quit as leader 23 June in an attempt to secure his mandate as prime minister. AFP/Getty Images British Prime Ministers throughout the years Prime Minister Gordon Brown speaks about the current state of Government and announces that he will step down as Labour leader, outside number 10 Downing Street on May 10, 2010 in London, England. Getty Images British Prime Ministers throughout the years Former British Prime Minister, Lord Clement Attlee, speaking on stage at St Pancras Town Hall, London, October 4th 1964. Getty Images British Prime Ministers throughout the years Prime Minister David Cameron speaks as he leaves Downing Street for the last time on July 13, 2016 in London, England. Getty Images British Prime Ministers throughout the years British statesman of the Conservative Party Alec Douglas-Home (1903 - 1995) on his flat's balcony, London, UK, 25th July 1965. Getty Images British Prime Ministers throughout the years British politician James Callaghan (1912 - 2005) at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton, UK, 1975. Getty Images British Prime Ministers throughout the years British Conservative Party politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Harold Macmillan (1894-1986) waves from the bottom of the staircase during a visit to Lancaster House in London on 26th July 1963. Getty Images British Prime Ministers throughout the years British Labour politician Harold Wilson (1916 - 1995), Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, UK, 12th May 1975. Getty Images

So as she cried her way out of office, it was inevitable the human tweet machine that is Donald Trump would respond.

The US president said he feels badly for her, as reporters inundated him with questions before his flight to Japan.

I feel badly for Theresa  I like her very much. Shes a good woman, she worked very hard, shes very strong. She decided to do something that some people were surprised at, some people werent. Its for the good of her country.

Trump added that hell be seeing Theresa May in two weeks, referring to his highly anticipated UK visit on 3 June (highly anticipated by us in America who get to be Trump-free for a few blissful days).

Donald Trump may say he feels sorry for Theresa May  and perhaps he genuinely does  but surely hell be delighted with the likely alternative.

The current frontrunner in the Tory leadership race is fellow New York native Boris Johnson. With 800,000 in the campaign bank over the last year alone, the pro-Brexit anti-deal MP is currently most likely to be Britains next Prime Minister.

During that same Chequers visit last year, President Trump said: I have a lot of respect for Boris. He obviously likes me, and says very good things about me.

Trump also said Boris is a great representative for Britain and would be a great prime minister.

When BoJo quit Mays cabinet, Trump even went so far as to call him his friend and reiterate how much he likes him  and no wonder: the pair have a lot in common.

They both seem to think they know how to solve Brexit, without either of them laying out any kind of clear plan. They have both made racist comments about Muslims (who could forget LetterboxGate?). And between them theyve made enough offensive jibes about Africa to fill a book.

But Donald Trump has even more reason to rejoice. With Nigel Farage at the helm of the relatively newly formed Brexit Party, they are feeding off of Mays failures  so theres plenty for them to gorge on.

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The milkshake-wearing Brexiteer was the first British politician to visit president-elect Donald Trump in November 2016, and received endorsement from the soon-to-be president to be the next ambassador to the US.

With Theresa May out of the picture, it looks like were about to be left with three milkshake-covered swamp monsters, each clamouring for the crown of most right-wing and self-interested. And each determined to drag us deeper into their isolationist, anti-immigrant view of the future. How will we drain that swamp without even the moderates left around to challenge them?The Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran said he was saddened at last years decision to liberalise the regime surrounding early terminations (Niall Carson/PA)

The Catholic church has reaffirmed the fundamental dignity of life on the anniversary of Irelands abortion referendum.

Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran said he was saddened at last years decision to liberalise the regime surrounding early terminations.

He said many voted for change with ambivalence and may not be happy with their choices.

Today marks the first anniversary of the referendum which led to the legalisation of abortion in Ireland.

In marking this anniversary, we reaffirm our belief in the fundamental dignity and right to life of every human being from conception to natural deathBishop of Elphin Kevin Doran

In marking this anniversary, we reaffirm our belief in the fundamental dignity and right to life of every human being from conception to natural death.

This is not simply a matter of faith, it is what reason and common sense suggests.

There remains a real sadness that the majority of Irish people, for a variety of reasons, said yes to abortion if not for themselves, then at least as an option for others.

We believe that there are many who voted yes with a certain ambivalence and who may now not be entirely happy with their choice.

He expressed gratitude that so many people remained committed to what he termed the Gospel of Life.

The challenge now remains for us, in these changed circumstances, to find new and more effective ways to serve life and to bear witness to the essential goodness and beauty of every life.

This is the mission of the new Council for Life established by the Irish Catholic Bishops, but it is a mission that we share with all who recognise the right to life, believers and non-believers alike.Emotional: British Prime Minister Theresa May reacts as she delivers her statement. Photo: REUTERS/Toby Melville/TPX IMAGES

The future of the backstop will feature heavily in the race to replace Theresa May as British prime minister.

There are growing concerns that the contenders to replace Mrs May in Downing Street will offer up a series of extreme Brexit promises in order to gain power.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has described it as a "very dangerous" time for Ireland.

"In the next couple of months we may see the election of a Eurosceptic prime minister who wants to repudiate the Withdrawal Agreement and go for a no deal, or we may even see a new British government that wants a close relationship with the EU and goes for a second referendum," he said.

Mrs May's resignation was an admission that there is no hope of getting the Withdrawal Agreement through the current House of Commons.

In her farewell speech, Mrs May said she "negotiated the terms of our exit and a new relationship with our closest neighbours that protects jobs, our security and our union.

"I have done everything I can to convince MPs to back that deal. Sadly, I have not been able to do so.

"It is now clear to me that it is in the best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead that effort," she added.

Multiple contenders are already jockeying to replace her in a contest that will see a new leader chosen by Conservative lawmakers and party members.

The early front-runner is Boris Johnson. Other contenders are likely to include Andrea Leadsom, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab.

Sources in Dublin admitted they are very concerned about what the leadership hustings will bring.

On the back of the Brexit Party's strong showing in the European elections, they suspect candidates may take a very hard line on Brexit.

Mr Johnson said yesterday that if he wins the UK will leave in October "deal or no deal".

He added that a second referendum on EU membership would be a "very bad idea" and divisive.

"The job of our next leader in the UK, he or she, is to get out of the EU properly and put Brexit to bed," Mr Johnson said.

Speaking in Dublin after voting in the European and local elections, Mr Varadkar said: "Obviously as anyone can see, British politics is consumed by Brexit and will be consumed by Brexit for a very long time.

"It now means we enter a new phase when it comes to Brexit and a phase that may be a very dangerous one for Ireland."

He also paid tribute to Mrs May, saying he will miss her and her team.

"We worked very closely on issues over the past one-and-a-half years on Brexit and the North," he added.

"I particularly want to pay tribute to her to agreeing to retain and strengthen the Common Travel Area," he added.

"As a result of the agreement we made, British and Irish citizens are able to live, work, study, travel and access health care, housing, education and welfare and pensions in each other's countries as though we are citizens of both."

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said her fate was "a reflection of the emerging and ongoing crisis in British politics as a result of Brexit and is a reminder of how unstable and potentially damaging this process remains".

"The coming leadership election within the Conservative Party has the potential to further destabilise the Brexit process."Ireland has a very fragmented pattern of land ownership. The country has a total land area of 6.9m hectares of which 4.5m are used for agriculture. There are 137,500 farmers so the average farm size is just 32.4ha (80ac).

This small farm size has been cited by the Department of Agriculture Food and Marine (DAFM) as a barrier to the viability of our family farms.

Farm Partnerships have been promoted as the solution to this structural problem. There are two main categories of Farm Partnerships operating in Ireland today.

Firstly, there are Registered Farm Partnerships whereby two farmers come together, sign a partnership agreement and register it with in the partnership office in Dublin. Entering such a partnership allows both farmers to retain their individual identity when it comes to EU grants and payments but operate as a partnership in every other way. There are individual Basic Payments, two GLAS payments and of course the double TAMS. There are also a selection of taxation benefits to incentivise the farmer follow the registered partnership path. But there are one set financial accounts.

Secondly, there are Non-Registered Farm Partnerships commonly known as Tax Partnerships. These partnerships exist primarily because they cannot meet the criteria to qualify as Registered Farm Partnerships.

However, the toxic mix of maximising grants/subsidies, and minimising taxation has made the decision-making process much more complicated for many farmers considering such arrangements.

The new trendy question in Irish agriculture is to ask a farmer, what's your farm business trading structure?

The business could be trading as:

a sole trader

registered farm partnership

a tax partnership

a limited company

an unlimited company

a group structure or

a combination of the above. The combinations are endless.

Advisors

A whole new industry has developed around the creation, ongoing advice and dissolving of such trading structures. Agricultural consultants, taxation advisors, valuers and solicitors with this specialist agricultural knowledge are in high demand for such assignments.

Getting the best advice on maximising grants / subsidies and minimising tax is all very good, but farmers must not lose sight of the fact that the trading structure must be simple and easy to work on the ground in the day to day management of the farm business. One does not enter such an arrangement just to get a double grant on a new shed! Unfortunately this is the motivation for many farmers.

Poorly informed farmers run the risk of serious BPS penalties, loss of grants and taxation interest and penalties from poorly constructed or operated trading structures.

Many accountants and taxation advisors have poor knowledge of DAFM schemes / grants and many advisors have poor knowledge of trading structures and tax, this is a dangerous situation.

Every farmer should ask the question has my consultant/advisor ever met or spoken to my accountant?

In my experience the most important meeting for a farmer considering a new or change of trading structure is to get his consultant/advisor and accountant/tax consultant all in the one room to plan the set up.

It is vital that everybody is singing from the one hymn sheet from the beginning. You will also see which who is swimming without their shorts on when it comes to good experienced advice. Beware those ploughing a new furrow and using you as the guinea pig.

In my experience all trading structures and/or farm partnerships have a lifespan. What appears to be the perfect fit today may not be so in one, five, ten or 20 years-time, the arrangement will end one day. This fact has to be accepted and planned for from the start - knowing the exit strategy is the key to a successful arrangement.

The recent announcement of the proposed ceasing of the Greenfields Farm in Kilkenny illustrates this point. An exit strategy must now be implemented for the dissolution of an agreement ending long before its intended end date.

The Greenfields project run by Teagasc was truly an excellent project. It achieved what it set out to achieve by proving that a dairy farm could be set up and run profitably on leased land.

There have been many lessons learned by farmers, advisors and the industry as whole along the way. Perhaps the biggest learning is yet to come in the amicable dissolution of the farm business.

Solution

I am undecided if the focus on incentivising registered farm partnerships by DAFM is a solution to land fragmentation or a legal instrument that spawns complicated trading structures to maximise grants and minimise taxation.

From the very start of Registered Farm Partnerships the majority of the arrangements are family partnerships. Are these really resolving the land fragmentation issue?

Every farm business has its own set of individual criteria so it is vital that farmers entering a partnership gets the best of advice and has a good experienced team on his side.

Mike Brady is managing director at Brady Group agricultural consultants & land agents; email: mike@bradygroup.ieAn Ireland-based unit of Microsoft paid a massive $77bn (68.8bn) dividend to its group shareholder firms in the last financial year.

The dividend surge - the figure paid by Microsoft Ireland Research was 140 times the $550m it handed over in the previous year - came as US President Donald Trump gave domestic firms a chance to repatriate cash to America at significantly reduced tax rates in what's been a lacklustre initiative.

If the full $77bn had been repatriated by Microsoft to the United States last year, it would have represented 11pc of the total $665bn that was sent home by US firms in 2018 under the scheme.

Before the scheme was introduced, Microsoft had about $132bn in overseas funds.

During its 2018 financial year, which covers the 12 months to the end of last June, Microsoft Ireland Research converted $103.9bn on its share premium account into profits available for distribution.

"Each year, we determine the level of dividends to be paid and manage our treasury affairs so as to support the commercial and investment objectives of our global business," said a Microsoft spokesperson.

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Microsoft Ireland Research licenses rights to assets owned by the company to other group companies.

It made a $10.5bn profit in the year to the end of last June - more than twice the amount it made in the previous year.

Newly-filed accounts for another of Microsoft's main Ireland-based units - Microsoft Ireland Operations - show that it paid a $3.5bn dividend to Microsoft Ireland Research in the 12 months to the end of last June.

That was 10 times more than it paid in the previous year.

The accounts for Microsoft Ireland Operations show the dividend was paid as the unit saw a surge in revenue and increased profits.

Its revenue jumped by $4.7bn in the 12 months to the end of June last year to $27.5bn, as it benefited from increased business across all its segments. Its operating profit rose by $113m to $1.23bn.

Microsoft has experienced a resurgence under CEO Satya Nadella, with its $966bn market capitalisation now higher than that of Apple and Amazon.

Microsoft Ireland Operations division markets, sells and distributes Microsoft hardware and software products and services in the EMEA region.

Of its $27.5bn revenue in the year, $16.1bn was generated from product sales and $11.3bn from services.

Microsoft Ireland, headed by Cathriona Hallahan, employs about 2,000 people here and earlier last year moved to a new 134m campus at Leopardstown in south Dublin.

New, one-off rules introduced by Mr Trump in 2017 saw a 15.5pc corporate tax rate introduced on repatriated cash, and 8pc on non-cash or illiquid assets.

While the total in repatriated cash was $665bn last year, Mr Trump previously said he believed that $4trn would be repatriated.A company owned by Davy Hickey Properties is planning to build almost 500 homes on a site at Navan in Co Meath it acquired in 2016 for more than 6m.

The site surrounds Belmont, a period house which had been home to the Spicer family. Coindale, the firm owned by Brendan Hickey and Hugh Lynn's Davy Hickey Properties, has entered initial consultations with An Bord Pleanala regarding the development of the site under the Strategic Housing Development rules.

It aims to build 317 houses, 58 apartments and 12 duplex apartments on the land. A creche will also form part of the development. Davy Hickey Properties is perhaps best known for its development of the Citywest business campus in Dublin.

The price paid for the 44-acre Navan site in 2016 was a 2.4m premium to the 4m guide price that was attached to the land when it went up for sale.

It fronts onto Academy Street on the Dublin Road and is close to Navan town centre and the River Boyne. Navan is a significant commuter town for Dublin.

The sale of the site followed the collapse of the Spicer family's bakery business. It closed in 2012, having already been in receivership. The family's business had been established almost 180 years earlier.

Developers can go straight to An Bord Pleanala under the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) rules. It means they don't first have to seek permission from local councils. The planning agency is dealing with a huge volume of such applications and has recently been assessing plans for as many as 4,000 apartments in Dublin alone. However, applications with a total number of more than 7,800 dwellings are currently being assessed by the planning watchdog. They include houses, apartments and student accommodation units.

There are currently 30 SHD applications under consideration.

The SHD process delivered permission for 7,102 housing units and 4,479 student bed spaces last year.

In the first full year of the legislation that initiated the scheme, An Bord Pleanala last year granted planning permission to 3,284 houses and 3,818 apartments along with the student bed spaces.

In 2018, 39 SHD applications were assessed, with planning granted in 27 cases.Facebook is edging closer to starting its own cryptocurrency with an aim to launch as soon as next year, a report has claimed.

Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is thought to have met Bank of England governor Mark Carney to discuss the plans, according to the BBC, as well as speaking to the US treasury and firms such as Western Union, to develop an affordable way for people to send money to each other.

Dubbed GlobalCoin, testing will reportedly start at the end of the year ahead of a slated roll-out to about a dozen countries in early 2020.

The social network has long been rumoured to be exploring a digital currency, after hiring former PayPal president David Marcus in 2014 to run its Messenger app.

When asked for comment, Facebook repeated previous statements, saying: "Like many other companies Facebook is exploring ways to leverage the power of blockchain technology.

"This new small team is exploring many different applications. We don't have anything further to share."

It would not be the first time the social network has tried its hand at a digital currency, having run Facebook Credits until 2013, allowing people to buy in-app items through Facebook.

However, this new effort would go beyond the digital world, allowing users to buy goods and services in the real world, pegged against an established currency, such as the US dollar, euro or Japanese yen, for stability.Thomas Keneally is a writer with nothing left to prove. The genial Australian (whose grandparents emigrated from north Cork) will always be most famous for Schindler's Ark, his 1982 Booker Prize-winning novel that was later filmed by Steven Spielberg as Schindler's List.

He has also penned more than 50 other books, dealing with such diverse historical subjects as Joan of Arc, the Irish Famine and Antarctic exploration.

At the age of 83, then, Keneally must feel he has earned the right to indulge himself a little. This is the best explanation for The Book of Science and Antiquities, which was originally published in Australia under the more prosaic but informative title Two Old Men Dying.

Rambling, disjointed and not nearly as profound as Keneally seems to think, it's a frustrating read in many ways - although the author's polished prose and quiet intelligence prevents it from being a complete dud.

The primary narrator is Shelby Apple, an elderly Oscar-winning documentary maker from Sydney who wields his camera as "God's eye in a naughty world". Newly diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, he has resolved to die in as dignified a manner as possible.

"Exactly as I've faced the world frame by frame," he writes, "excluding with the rectangular limits of the lens whatever does not suit my case; now it is only fair that the world should strike back with the unframe-able, the unfilm-able."

Before Shelby's date with what he calls "Jack the Dancer", however, there is one final item on his to-do list. For decades he has been obsessed with a set of prehistoric human bones discovered near Lake Learned in New South Wales, believed to be the missing link between Africa and Australia's first inhabitants.

Now Shelby wants Learned Man's remains returned from the National Museum to his homeland as a symbol of racial reconciliation.

The second narrator is Learned Man himself, facing a set of vaguely similar dilemmas 42,000 years ago. Just like Shelby, he is both a person of distinction among his community and aware that he does not have long to live.

With great power comes great responsibility, of course, landing him with such unpleasant tasks as tracking and executing a man who has raped one of his tribe.

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"If you prevail, you are given tasks," Learned muses in a typically august homily while watching his intended victim. "He does not know that the killing bone is meant to go down the base of his handsome laughing throat."

Back in the 21st century, meanwhile, Shelby weighs up his past through a series of fragmentary flashbacks. The most striking details his trip to war-torn Eritrea with a charismatic eye doctor (loosely based on the real-life ophthalmologist Fred Hollows) who thinks humanity could be on the verge of another evolutionary leap. "A burst of DNA and we would wake up wiser, finer, less contradictory," he argues, adding quite understandably, "Now, I know you think I'm bloody mad."

As the twin narratives unfold, other parallels become clear. Shelby's creative partner Andy died just a few feet away from him in the Vietnam War and now feels like "my doppelganger in the shades, someone who has endured the nullity of death on my behalf".

Learned is equally haunted by the premature loss of his son Unnameable, who fell victim to a wild animal described only as 'the slicer' as they hunted together.

What does all this add up to? Every now and then there is a touching reflection on mortality, including Shelby's realisation that he has reached the final stages of his marriage "when the hands that once tore at the flesh become wielders of wet cloths, or holders of the puke and blood bowl". But the episodic plotlines are long on philosophy and short on dialogue, giving them a didactic tone that soon becomes more tiresome than thought-provoking.

Perhaps The Book of Science and Antiquities' biggest problem is that Keneally seems to have no idea how smug or pretentious his chief storyteller can sound. "Cath [his wife] and I had the capacity, as if to seal our suspicions about events, for a deeper discourse, the comfort of caresses," he recalls at one point, a polite way of saying that wanted a quiet place to have sex.

Later on he sends the Australian prime minister a laughably pompous email that must have gone straight to trash, declaring, "You cannot even find the grit to progress us for fear of the grey neo-fascists of your right wing! Are you thus no more than a palace eunuch?"

Thomas Keneally's place in literary history is secure. This ponderous and misconceived novel, sadly, will only be remembered as an eccentric footnote.They stand to the side and let others get the accolades. Their job requires that they listen and measure and invoke, and yet we rarely give them a second thought, let alone know their names. Their work is unglamorous, seldom considered, poorly-paid and often dictated by tight deadlines. And yet the success of the entire project and that of its creator rests on their performance.

Culture is a moving thing, like water. It travels and irrigates and goes stagnant if it is not shared with other territories. Translators are not only the people who stamp the passport of cultural works about to be showcased overseas, they fly the plane, too.

In Ireland, where the quality of our literature is inversely proportionate to the size of the domestic market, bookshelves beyond the English-speaking world simply cannot be ignored. So important are translations, in fact, that official bodies such as Literature Ireland exist to midwife the process.

"It was set up in 1994 by the Arts Council as a reaction to the fact that Irish literature wasn't being recognised as Irish around the world," says Executive Director Sinead Mac Aodha. "There was a need to say that it was.

"Also, it can improve the income for writers. There's a whole other world out there so why shouldn't readers in other territories read your work as well? It's good for the writer's profile, and can lead to festival invites, awards nominations, who knows, maybe even a Nobel Prize."

Literature Ireland attends all the major book fairs (Frankfurt, London, Beijing, etc) peddling the finery of this island. There, it meets publishing houses from around the world, and after coming to an agreement, it facilitates and supports translations in the host country. Translators almost always work from the second language into their mother tongue, and each publishing house tends to have a small stable of trusted local incumbents.

Trust, it turns out, is a commodity upon which no price can be allocated. Literature Ireland needs to know that the translations they are funding will do justice to the work in question. For this reason, Mac Aodha explains, it asks the publisher to submit a sample translation. This is then given to an independent expert and a report is commissioned to see if hits its targets.

For a piece of by-numbers genre fiction, this is perhaps simpler. But modern literary fiction can have a real seam of stylistic boldness about it, and even if it doesn't, it can be laced with endemic idioms, turns of phrase and gnarled syntax. How do you pass that kind of work through the filter of a professional translator who has lived all their life in a culture vastly removed from their Hibernian client and come out the other side with style, flare and personality intact?

With great difficulty, seems to be the answer. There are some things that can be done to ensure baby does not go the way of bathwater, however. Extensive background research is always done into a writer when a contract is undertaken, for example.

Elizabeth MacDonald is an Irish academic, translator and writer based in Pisa, where she has lived for more than three decades. Her debut novel, A Matter of Interpretation, comes out in September, and tells of a 13th-century monk who uncovers lost knowledge and upsets the establishment while translating the works of Aristotle.

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"You have to research in order to know what you're dealing with," she says. "It allows you to second guess the writer with greater accuracy. The poet George Szirtes compared it to ballroom dancing - the writer takes the lead and the translator has to have that unerring instinct for where the writer is going to take us. It's a shadow activity."

Irish-born proponents like Frank Wynne and Shaun Whiteside are stars of English translation who are called on to retool the works of literary heavyweights, from Friedrich Nietzsche to Michel Houellebecq. Having grown up surrounded by two languages, could there be something that predisposes us to this skill?

"I think Irish people are linguistic, potentially," Mac Aodha says, "but the problem is that the publishing scene here is quite small, so literary translators are at a disadvantage in that most of the English translating work is being done in London."

MacDonald, meanwhile, feels that being born on a small island and being intrigued by visiting Spanish students contributed to her fascination with other cultures.

Literature Ireland also hosts foreign translators here so they can immerse themselves, something which helps add a layer of cultural sensitivity to proceedings. Recently, it has welcomed a French translator working on bringing Lisa McInerney's The Blood Miracles to Gallic audiences, and has organised for a Danish translator to do a stint in Belfast while she reworks Anna Burns' Milkman.

Another is Hiroko Mikami, Professor of Irish Studies at Waseda University in Tokyo, and now translator in residence at the Trinity Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation. She is currently working on bringing the works of the great playwright Tom Murphy to Japanese readers, and in the past has translated and published works by Frank McGuinness, Brian Friel and Thomas Kilroy.

"You have to understand the source text and its background," she says, "but it is more important to have a good writing competence of the target language. I always try to keep the rhythm of the source text. I find jokes, particularly witty wordplays based on ambiguities of words or in puns, are very challenging. I try to not use footnotes, but sometimes I have to."

While Mikami understands the market for translated Irish theatre will be quite niche in Japan, she is confident Murphy's themes will travel, and has always found the Galway playwright to be "a gateway" to understanding Ireland's culture, history, and people.

Thanks to obligatory inclusion on front covers, translators are more visible in her homeland, some attaining near household-name status. While this part of the world has been slow to catch up, progress is being seen. The International Dublin Literary Award now gives 25pc of the overall 100K prize money to the translator if the winner has not originally been penned in English. In 2017, when Jose Eduardo Agualusa won, his translator Daniel Hahn used part of his 25K to establish a prize for debut literary translation.

And given what's at stake, it seems ludicrous that translators have been treated like invisible utilities. We are living in an age where readerships demand to have access to the latest Scandi-noir offering or sensuous Japanese literary fiction. The circulation of culture, knowledge, language and ideas is central to human progress, and always has been. While translators agonise over tricky linguistic equivalences or uncooperative local idioms, let's ensure they get all the recognition and support they deserve.Director Bong Joon-ho poses with the Palme dOr award for the film Parasite (Vianney Le Caer/AP)

South Korean director Bong Joon-hos social satire Parasite, about a poor family of hustlers who find jobs with a wealthy family, has won the Cannes Film Festivals top award, the Palme dOr.

The win for Parasite on Saturday marks the first Korean film to ever win the Palme.

In the festivals closing ceremony, jury president Alejandro Inarritu said the choice had been unanimous for the nine-person jury.

The genre-mixing film had arguably been celebrated more than others at Cannes this year, hailed by critics as the best yet from the 49-year-old director of Snowpiercer and Okja.

It was the second straight Palme victory for an Asian director.

Last year, the award went to Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-edas Shoplifters, a film also about an impoverished family.

We shared the mystery of the unexpected way this film took us through different genres, speaking in a funny, humorous and tender way of no judgement of something so relevant and urgent and so global, Mr Inarritu told reporters after the ceremony.

Many of the awards at Cannes were given to social and political tales that depicted geopolitical dramas in localised stories, from African shores to Paris suburbs.

The festivals second place award, the Grand Prize, went to French-Senegalese director Mati Diops feature-film debut, Atlantics.

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The film by Diop, the first black female director ever in competition in Cannes, views the migrant crisis from the perspective of Senegalese women left behind after many young men flee by sea to Spain.

Les laureats du 72e Festival de Cannes 



The 72nd Festival de Cannes awards winners 

#Cannes2019 #Awards pic.twitter.com/IrqSJFSMrF  Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) May 25, 2019

Although few quibbled with the choice of Bong, some had expected Cannes to make history by giving the Palme to a female filmmaker for just the second time.

Celine Sciammas period romance Portrait Of A Lady On Fire was the Palme pick for many critics this year.

Instead, Sciamma ended up with best screenplay.

In the festivals 72-year history, only Jane Champion has won the prize in 1993 for The Piano, tying with Chen Kaiges Farewell My Concubine.

Best actor went to Antonio Banderas for Pedro Almodovars reflective drama Pain And Glory.

In the film, one of the most broadly acclaimed of the festival, Banderas plays a fictionalised version of Almodovar looking back on his life and career.

Expand Close Actresses Lee Jung-Eun, from left, Park So-dam, Cho Yeo-jeong, and Chang Hyae-Jin pose for photographers at the photo call for the film Parasite (Petros Giannakouris/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Actresses Lee Jung-Eun, from left, Park So-dam, Cho Yeo-jeong, and Chang Hyae-Jin pose for photographers at the photo call for the film Parasite (Petros Giannakouris/AP)

The best is still to come, said Banderas, accepting the award.

The Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, who have already twice won the Palme dOr, took the best director prize for Young Ahmed, their portrait of Muslim teenager who becomes radicalised by a fundamentalist imam.

The jury prize, or third place, was split between two socially conscious thrillers: The French director Ladj Lys feature-film debut Les Miserables and Brazilian director Kleber Mendonca Filhos Bacurau.

Ly called his film an alarm bell about youths living in the housing projects of Paris suburbs.

Filho viewed his feverish, violent Western about a rural Brazilian community defending itself from a hard-to-comprehend invasion as a reflection of President Jair Bolsonaros Brazil.

British actress Emily Beecham won best actress for her performance in Jessica Hausners science-fiction drama Little Joe.

The jury also gave a special mention to Palestinian director Elia Suleimans It Must Be Heaven.

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The Camera dOr, an award given for best first feature from across all of Cannes sections, went to Cesar Diazs Our Mothers, a drama about the Guatemalan civil war in the 1980s.

The ceremony Saturday brought to a close a Cannes Film Festival that was riven with concerns for its own relevancy.

It had to contend, most formidably, with the cultural television force of Game Of Thrones.

The continuing rise of streaming was also a constant subject around the festival.

Two years ago, Bong was in Cannes competition with Okja, a movie distributed in North America by Netflix.

After it and Noah Baumbachs The Meyerowitz Stories, another Netflix release  premiered at Cannes, the festival ruled that all future films in competition needed French theatrical distribution.

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Netflix has since withdrawn from the festival on the French Riviera.

This year, bowing to pressure from 50502020, the French version of Times Up, the festival released gender breakdowns of its submissions and selections.

Cannes said about 27% of its official selections were directed by women.

The 21-film main slate included four films directed by women, which tied the festivals previous high.

The 72nd Cannes had its share of red-carpet dazzle, too.

Sir Elton John brought his biopic Rocketman to the festival, joining star Taron Egerton for a beachside duet after the premiere.

And Quentin Tarantino unveiled his 1960s Los Angeles tale Once Upon A Time  In Hollywood, with Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, 25 years after the directors Pulp Fiction won the Palme dOr.

Tarantino, who attended the closing ceremony, did not go home empty handed.

On Friday, a prominent player in his film won the annual Palme Dog, an award given by critics to Cannes best canine.Spice Girls dazzle in Dublin as first arena tour in a decade kicked off on Friday night but a small number of fans had issues with the sound in Croke Park (Andrew Timms)

While The Spice Girls' first concert of their tour at Croke Park on Friday night was deemed a resounding success by the vast majority of fans, a handful of concert goers were disappointed by the sound in the Dublin stadium.

The show itself was spectacular, kicking off with Spice Up Your Life and a fireworks display, and included messages of diversity throughout a set list spanning their biggest 90s and 2000s hits.

However, a small group of the 80,0000 fans at the concert took to social media to complain about the sound quality, which appeared to be an issue in one small area in the stands at the top of the venue.

Organisers declined to commet, but on Saturday morning, Melanie Brown shared a video message with fans on her Instagram story and addressed the issue, We will see you in Cardiff. And hopefully the vocals and the sound will be much, much better, pfft.

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Even those fans who did experience issues, however, praised Mel B and her fellow Spice Girls Emma Bunton, Geri Horner, and Melanie Chisholm for their performance and the show, pointing out that their disappointment simply lay with the sound quality where they were seated.

One fan commended the group on a "fabulous" show but added that the sound was "poor" and they "could hardly make out the words they were saying at times," and said it "Was worst sound I've ever heard at a concert".

One fan shared a video from high up in the stands with the caption, "There's something wrong when the crowd at @spicegirls concert are all sitting down because no one has a clue what song is on because the sound really is THAT bad."

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Another fan who also shared a video from the top stands in the stadium said, "Sorry @spicegirls but we cannot hear a thing sitting here in @CrokePark - sound is AWFUL!!!!"

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The issues echo those of a small number of fans who attended the Bruce Springsteen concert at Croke Park in May 2016 and had a similar experience with the sound.

During that show, a small number of complaints were made to the organisers, Aiken Promotions, and the issues were brought to the attention of the sound engineers who rectified the situation before the concert had ended.

On Friday night, the vast majority of fans were thrilled with their experience at The Spice Girls, with one tweeting, "Can't get over how good the @spicegirls were. Got [sic] gonna lie I was prepared to be disappointed but good god they were UNREAL".

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Another fan wrote, "Major pitch-side bopping last night at the biggest hen party pf the year!! Over 83,0000 strong; electric gig & amazing atmosphere for the Spice Girls. They look better now than they did 20 years ago! Zig a zig ahhhh....!"

"One of the best concerts @spicegirls #SpiceWorldTour #dublin #CrokePark" wrote another with a video of the spectacular fireworks, filmed from the pitch area, and another fan shared a photo taken from the stands and enthused, "The gals are absolutely wrecking the gaff #SpiceGirls #SpiceWorld2019".

Another tweeted, Such a surreal night last night at the Spice Girls. Reliving the childhood was amazing, felt so emotional. Best night ever #SpiceWorldTour2019 #GirlPower #wannadoitagain.The Chemical Brothers performed at the All Points East festival (Yui Mok/PA)

A sudden downpour threatened to put a damper on The Chemical Brothers set at All Points East.

Even those who found shelter were still getting pelted with rain, but there was enough determination to see the dance stalwarts perform to pull through.

Those who did not escape in an Uber were rewarded with a stage show which ran through the latest to the greatest hits.

New single Go kicked off the set and got the crowd jumping as twilight began to cloak the grounds.

As darkness fell, lasers lit up the night to fan favourite Hey Boy Hey Girl and fans were bouncing in synch to the beats.

Modern dance became the focus, with a man fighting a tent of double bass strings and masked fighters moving to the beats.

The message of escaping your constraints was as strong as the bass and growing ever louder.

Before anything became too intellectual, the focus shifted again to caped crusaders fighting scary monsters.

Then a cute camera trick gave the impression of watching the whole show through old school 3D glasses  a pair of fencers crossed swords as the light flickered red and blue across them.

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More silliness ensued as the end of the set approached, with slow-motion milkshake explosions bursting over the stage.

And the producers crossed into camp by wheeling out two giant robots in red and blue.

But the show got serious again in the build up to the encore, with slow-motion shots of the plumes of bubbles left by divers plunging into the water.

A curtain of strobes was a fitting finale for the curtain call of Dont Hold Back, Push the Button, and Block Rockin Beats.Comedian Tommy Tiernan has made a living out of outrageous comments and his quick-fire wit.

However, the RTE presenter (49) said he will celebrate his 50th birthday by sitting in silence in the west of Ireland for 10 days.

The performer will head to a Buddhist centre in Clare for his birthday on June 16 as he adopts a Zen-like approach to entering a new decade.

He said his birthday would be spent not talking but meditating for nine hours a day and eating nothing after lunchtime.

None of his pals took up the invitation to join him.

"It takes three days for the scales of culture to fall off you," Tiernan said.

"We're all so busy and we're all flying around. It takes three days of sitting still looking at a spot on the floor for your body to kind of come back to itself."

He said the following three days were spent in "moral and psychic panic" but that the end result was more than worth it.

"The final four days, you're kind of coming to some sense of yourself. You leave calm as a breeze," he said.

Tiernan spent 10 years as a strict teetotaller after giving up his hell-raising ways, but he told RTE's Ryan Tubridy he was now back on the booze.

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He said working as a comedian on the live circuit as well as shooting his popular Saturday night chat show on RTE One meant he regularly operated "on a high".

"I drink whiskey, I smoke cigars, I shout at the television, but then I collapse," he said. "There are moments when I'm energy-less, so I have this extreme way of life."

Tiernan said that while he enjoyed drinking now, it was not to the same extent as when he was younger.

"I just think that every now and again, that thing of losing control, I'm not sure it's an altogether bad thing," he said.

He told Tubridy his sober decade was "wonderful" and gave him great clarity.Fine Gael TD Maria Bailey took part in a 10km race three weeks after falling from a swing in a Dublin hotel.

The politician lodged a personal injuries claim on the basis that she suffered injuries to her head, lower back and hip after falling backward off the swing in the well-known Dean Hotel.

It is claimed Ms Bailey can no longer sit or stand for long periods without experiencing pain and discomfort as a result of the incident on July 10, 2015.

Eight days later she attended the Longitude music festival.

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Court papers describe her as a "keen runner prior to the accident but could not run at all for three months post-accident and has had to reduce her activities significantly since".

Social media posts show that on August 3, she ran 'The Bay 10k' in Dun Laoghaire. She recorded a time of 53 minutes and 56 seconds, according to the Racetimer website.

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"Always enjoy the race never fails to impress, and also never gets easy. A few hills at the start. Well done to all involved," she wrote on social media afterwards.

It has also emerged that the dates recorded in her court submission are inaccurate.

The papers indicate Ms Bailey was in the hotel with friends around 9pm on Monday, July 13, 2015.

Sources close to the TD say the incident actually took place on the previous Friday evening.

The following morning she woke up with severe back pain at 6.30am which prevented her from getting out of bed.

A doctor was called but was not able to attend and 45 minutes later Ms Bailey did "extricate herself" from bed with the assistance of her mother and medication.

The papers say she was "then taken to the A&E Department of the Beacon Hospital, Sandyford".

"The plaintiff was in severe pain. Her jaw was swollen and her bite was off line," her lawyers say, adding that she was "stiff and sore and had a severe headache".

Ms Bailey made a number of public appearances in the days after receiving hospital treatment, including one on TV3's 'Ireland AM' programme to discuss her experience with migraines.

At 7.52am on July 14 she posted a message on social media publicising her appearance. Her appearance, alongside Dr Sinead Beirne and host Alan Hughes, was at 8.45am. She discussed suffering from excruciating headaches before discovering that exercise could reduce the pain.

Ms Bailey also spoke at a number of other events, including a conference on migraines in south Dublin on July 15 and a Women For Election event and a gathering in Google on July 17.

The next day she attended the Longitude music festival, according to a Facebook post from July 18.

It includes a photograph and caption saying the concert was "such a laugh, great event".

The then-councillor went on to be selected as a Fine Gael general election candidate on July 29.

Court papers note that she could not take time off work because she was running for election. Ms Bailey was elected as a TD in February 2016.

She has brought a lawsuit against the Dean Hotel in the Circuit Court where damages of up to 60,000 can be awarded. She alleges the hotel was negligent because the swing was "unsupervised" and there were no signs to instruct patrons how to use it safely.

Ms Bailey's lawyers say she sat on the swing and was having her photograph taken by friends "when she was caused to fall backwards", suffering injuries to her head, lower back and hip.

Fine Gael did not respond to a request for comment last night.

However, sources have told the Irish Independent that senior figures within the party are unhappy with the unwelcome attention on the eve of the local and European elections.

The Dean Hotel denies negligence and says that if injury was suffered, this was due to Ms Bailey's own negligence or contributory negligence.

It claims she was holding items in both hands when she sat on the swing, restricting her ability to balance and preventing her from holding rope grips properly.Injuries: Stuart French said he had drank just two pints before fall on bus. Picture: Collins

A man who fell and injured himself on a Dublin Bus has had his 60,000 damages claim dismissed after a judge suspected he had consumed more alcohol on the night than he had admitted.

Stuart French, of Elm Grove, Ballybrack, Co Dublin, told Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke he drank two pints in the Graduate pub in Killiney after shopping in Dun Laoghaire on February 22, 2016.

He told the court he boarded the 45A bus and had been sitting downstairs.

He stood up to ring the bell when he was approaching his stop. Mr French said the bus driver had not been slowing down so he got up to ring the bell a second time.

He said the driver continued to drive on so he had stood up to tell him he had missed his stop. Mr French said as he had done this, the driver slammed on the brakes, causing him to fall. He had injured the left side of his body including his knee and wrist.

When cross-examined by Sean Coleman, solicitor for Dublin Bus, it had been put to Mr French that both the driver of the bus and an independent witness thought he had been fairly intoxicated. Mr French denied he had been drunk.

It was also put to Mr French that a companion of his on the bus had said to the driver "he is locked" after the fall. This companion then told the court he had not said this, but asked Mr French "are you locked?"

Judge Groarke said he had been compelled to conclude what actually happened had been that Mr French stood up for the bell, missed the bar and had fallen.

He dismissed the claim.He was the musical director of 'The Late Late Show' for two decades and she was the darling of Sunday evening television.

For many years, Frank McNamara and his wife Theresa Lowe were fixtures on our screens. Ms Lowe in particular, as presenter of the popular quiz show 'Where in the World' between 1989 and 1996, was a household name.

Both would go on to pursue other interests. He worked as a musical conductor in the US, while she went to Kings Inns and became a barrister.

But somewhere along the line, things went awry for the high-flying celebrity couple.

Unpaid music royalties, property investments during the housing bubble, and a failed bid by Mr McNamara to become a TD led to financial difficulties.

What started as a trickle of small debt cases around a decade ago soon became quite serious and now the couple have debts of 3.7m.

Expand Close Dail run: Frank McNamara with Mary Harney, leader of the Progressive Democrats, ahead of his failed election bid in 2007. Photo: Maxpix / Facebook

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Whatsapp Dail run: Frank McNamara with Mary Harney, leader of the Progressive Democrats, ahead of his failed election bid in 2007. Photo: Maxpix

Next week, lawyers acting on their behalf will argue that around 2.9m of this debt should be written off under a proposed personal insolvency arrangement. This is a mechanism introduced following the financial crash that allows for the restructuring of secured debts up to 3m for people who cannot pay.

However, it is by no means certain the deal, devised by personal insolvency practitioner James Green, will be approved by the High Court.

The couple's barrister, Keith Farry, has argued creditors would fare better under the personal insolvency arrangement than if the couple were made bankrupt. However, their main creditor, American vulture fund Tanager, is opposed to the proposal, which would see more than 1.7m it is owed being written off.

Tanager, which is owned by US private equity group Apollo Global Management, has already had three largely procedural objections rejected by the court.

One required a full hearing and a written judgment, delivered last December, by Mr Justice Denis McDonald.

A fourth objection, that not enough creditors are in favour of the proposal, still has to be ruled on by the judge, who will hear submissions on Monday.

The mortgage on the couple's family home near Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, was part of a tranche of loans bought by the fund from Bank of Scotland (Ireland) in 2014.

Mr McNamara (59) and Ms Lowe (56), who have two dependant children, have debts of 2.3m secured against the four-bedroom house, which is currently worth around 500,000.

Under the proposed deal, they would make a lump sum payment of 100,000 towards a new written-down mortgage of 550,000. Some of the cash will come from a 181,000 inheritance from Mr McNamara's parents' estate, while 30,000 has been pledged from a life assurance policy that is set to mature in seven years. Money will also be raised from the sale of land next to their home.

A feature of the case is the hard-nosed attitude adopted by the vulture fund. In court filings, it says the proposed arrangement is not a "product" it offers at present "in the ordinary course of its business".

The "suite of options" offered to debtors include mortgage to rent, voluntary sale or surrender or a debt purchase offer, but not what is being proposed in the personal insolvency arrangement.

Tanager says the only circumstance in which it is willing to write a debt down to the market value of a property is where the home is either surrendered or voluntarily sold.

This policy, it says, ensures the true market value of the property is achieved.

However, it would also see Mr McNamara and Ms Lowe losing their family home.

Mr Farry told the court earlier this week that Tanager was not interested in long-term structuring of debts and seemed to want bankruptcy for his clients. He said the fund's strategy was to realise the debt in as short a period as possible and that Tanager "don't do forbearance".

Mr McNamara did not want to comment when contacted by the Irish Independent.

Publicly available records show the couple's financial woes began to manifest themselves in the courts a decade ago. Land registry records indicate the couple bought four residential investment properties in Dublin in 2004.

Five years later, the management company for one of those properties secured a judgment against them for an unpaid bill.

Two further judgments were secured by management companies in 2010. The sums involved were small, ranging between 1,721 and 3,219.

A year later Eircom pursued Mr McNamara for an unpaid debt and secured a judgment against him for just 2,075, while another management firm secured a judgement for 5,256 against him.

A number of judgment mortgages were also registered against Mr McNamara's interest in the family home, including one by Permanent TSB and one by a car and consumer loan company. The sums involved are not recorded.

Earlier this week, Mr Justice McDonald was told the couple remortgaged and sold properties in a bid to escape what they saw at the time as temporary financial difficulties.

The judge was told the financial problems stemmed from a number of issues.

These included a claim by Mr McNamara that he is owed over $1.2m (1m) for his work as a composer and conductor. The debt is said to date back 16 years.

Mr Justice McDonald heard that when the recession hit, Mr McNamara could no longer afford to travel to the US as orchestras there were unable to continue paying travel and accommodation expenses.

The judge was also told a failed attempt at election to the Dail added to the financial difficulties. Mr McNamara ran as a candidate for the Progressive Democrats in Dublin South Central in 2007, but secured just 474 votes.

Despite their financial woes, the couple clearly have an eye on the future.

Last December they set up a company called Theresa Lowe Communications to provide media training, public speaking and executive development courses. Both are involved in providing the courses.

Under the proposed debt deal, the couple would have to work well past normal retirement age.A Dublin man who stabbed his sister in the back after an argument about him cleaning their bathroom has been given a partially-suspended sentence.

Colm Delaney (29) of Seafort Terrace, Sandymount, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting his sister causing her harm at his address on October 1, 2018.

Garda Shauna Ferncombe told Elva Duffy BL, prosecuting, that on the date in question Sharon Delaney (42) was in the house she shared with her brother when a row broke out about him having to clean the bathroom, to which he reacted badly.

She turned away from him and felt a sharpness in her back. He then proceeded to slap her in the face and she cursed at him.

Ms Delaney then went to buy cigarettes and felt weak upon returning home. She asked what he had done to her, he said to her it was only a scratch and laughed.

She went to her neighbour's house and realised she had been stabbed when she touched her back and her hand came away covered in blood. Neighbours described seeing one open stab wound on her back and what looked like a slash.

Ms Delaney told gardai she had a love/hate relationship with her brother and that he reminded her of a Jekyll and Hyde type of person. The court heard she was willing to have him back in the house when he is released from custody and she has visited him in prison.

Delaney has been remanded in custody since the date of the offence. He has no previous convictions and is in a long-term relationship with his partner who was present in court.

At the initial sentence hearing earlier this month, Gda Ferncombe agreed with Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, that the accused's father died in 2012 and his mother died in January of 2018.

She agreed that his sister appeared to have played some role in rearing him and that alcohol seemed to be a large factor in both of their lives.

Mr Le Vert said his client was absolutely devastated by what he had done to his sister and that it was very much them against the world following the death of their parents.

Judge Karen O'Connor today noted that there were unusual circumstances in the case and the offence was out of character.

She said this was a violent attack and noted the effect on his sister. She took into account his early guilty plea and remorse, as well as his lack of previous convictions.

Judge O'Connor imposed a two-year sentence, backdated to October 2018, and suspended the balance of the term. She ordered him to undergo 12 months probation supervision.The case of a young woman who died in a car crash after a high-speed chase in Co Fermanagh was upgraded to a murder investigation within three days, a court has heard.

Natasha Carruthers (23), a mother-of-one from Co Fermanagh, was killed in the accident just before midnight on October 7, 2017.

Police initially thought that her death was the result of a "single vehicle road traffic accident" as there was "no obvious reason" as to how her Vauxhall lost control on a straight stretch of road and smashed into a tree.

The blue Corsa was being driven by Nathan Phair (23), from Castlebalfour Park, Lisnaskea, as he was attempting to evade Cavan man Padraig Toher in his black BMW over an alleged failed drug deal the previous evening.

While Phair denies, among other charges, causing Natasha's death by dangerous driving, Toher (28), from Bawnboy, Ballyconnell, whose car "bumped and nudged" the Corsa as they raced along the rural road between Letterbreen and Derrylin, has admitted her manslaughter.

At Dungannon Crown Court yesterday a police inspector told defence QC Brian Macartney that by October 11 she had noted in her log "intelligence reports" indicated the "presence of another vehicle as having caused the collision and the increasing complexity of the investigation requires additional specialist knowledge and resources".

Mr Macartney had put it to the inspector the case upgrade came about because of suspicions "the people in the BMW had deliberately come into contact" with the Corsa and that this was a possible way "of causing the accident".

The inspector agreed that "there were a number of lines of investigation", before the lawyer then added that the accident investigation "then proceeded as a full-blown murder inquiry" and was handed over to a major investigation team.

Earlier the court heard that although the two cars were captured on CCTV at various points during the chase, afterwards Toher's BMW was never picked up by any security cameras and looked to have "disappeared".

A detective who viewed the various CCTV clips, some 20 minutes before and after picking up the two speeding cars, said he found only one other innocent vehicle captured on the footage.

However, the officer told the defence he was not aware that the reason why the CCTV clips were discovered in the first place was because a passenger in the BMW had alerted police to the route the cars had travelled.

Mr Macartney also revealed those in the BMW "were CCTV aware" and knew which routes were covered by cameras and which were not. The officer said he was "not provided with that information" and that it would have nothing to do "with my tasking", which was to review all of the CCTV footage and took him over a weekend to do so.

Defence counsel then suggested the reason why police had found no footage of the BMW after the fatal crash was because they had taken a "route where they knew there would be no CCTV... they were very cute".

The detective later said while he was not briefed about any possible contact between the BMW and Corsa, he was aware this may have happened

However, again, while not part of his remit, if he had come across any such footage, "I would have commented upon it". The trial continues on Tuesday.You will hear a lot about the Green Party's resurrection today. Driven to the verge of extinction in the 2011 General Election, after coalition with Fianna Fail, which saw Ireland in a global recession, the Green Party has been slowly recovering.

Indications are that former junior urban planning minister Ciaran Cuffe will take the first Euro seat in Dublin and the party may well scrap its way to two more seats.

Its 9pc local election showing in the TG4/RTE exit polls suggest a strong presence in the local council chambers over the coming five years. It all tells us that a generation of younger voters get the messages about the perils of global warming and other environmental problems.

Yes, the overall numbers for the Green Party are still small. But yesterday's local council and European Parliament elections otherwise have a distinctive "more of the same" look about them. So, Eamon Ryan's party's performance is rather eye-catching.

It seems the dogged campaigner Mr Cuffe may take the first seat in the four-seat Dublin Euro constituency. In the five-seat South constituency, Senator Grace O'Sullivan is in with a fighting chance. She was on Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior, when French intelligence forces sank it off New Zealand in 1985.

In four-seat Midlands-North-West Saoirse McHugh, from Achill Island, cannot be ruled out. All round this is a good election for the Green Party.

It knows that it has seen false dawns before. In May 2007 it returned six TDs, and eventually had three senators, taking a total of four posts in the coalition government team.

Two elections later it barely existed.

But it has persisted, rebuilt and benefited hugely from its links to the European and global green movement.

Now a long tough road lies ahead.

The "green agenda" recedes in times of recession. But there is a feeling from the younger generation of voters that it cannot recede too far.Former UFC fighter Paddy Holohan is tipped to win a seat in South Dublin County Council, but has revealed that his political ambitions span far beyond the realms of his constituency.

I would love to be the president of Ireland one day, the 31-year-old from Jobstown, Tallaght told Independent.ie.

Paddy Power had me at 50/1 to become president of the country by 2039, but thats ages away so who knows what Ill be doing then.

Its a mad goal, but I feel that an athlete representing the country would do a fantastic job, whether its me, Paul McGrath or Robbie Keane.

Its a crazy dream, but who knows. I may be the first ever councillor to get to the Aras, he said.

The Sinn Fein candidate, who has topped the polls in the Tallaght South ward, believes his skills as a mixed martial artist will bode well for him in the political arena.

The ability to stay calm and collect is in my blood, he continued.

Knowing youre going to fight someone with eight weeks notice builds up a special layer of toughness.

I believe I can look at peoples mechanics and tell whether theyre making the right decisions or talking a load of nonsense.

Im not afraid of confrontation so I think Ill be all right in the political arena.

Mr Holohan added that he intends to focus on building closer communities in his constituency.

I believe we need to support our local residential associations and have community leaders within estates.

Far too many working class areas have been deprived of local amenities so I will do whatever I can to bring back these essential resources.

The Jobstown native isnt the only athlete to run in South Dublins local elections.

Olympic boxer Kenneth Egan ran a successful election campaign in Clondalkin in 2014 and is likely to retain his seat in South Dublin County Council once again.

However, Mr Holohan strongly criticised the silver medalist for running under a Fine Gael banner.

Kenny ran for Fine Gael at a time when the government was raising taxes and cutting mental health supports everywhere.

I think it was a very poor decision and I believes theres a huge difference between our situations. "Besides, Kenny was an amateur while I was a professional athlete," he laughed.They are coming of age as politicians in the era of Trump, Brexit, climate change - and the two landmark referendums that turned traditional Ireland upside down.

Many of them were born when the Internet was already a mass medium, and they know nothing of life before the age of always-on culture and mobile phones.

A new generation of candidates under 30 will try to make their first baby steps onto the political ladder when they stand as candidates in the local elections.

Buoyed by idealism and a refreshing lack of cynicism about politics, they seem undeterred by reports of the gruelling nature of the job - and the scant rewards of the unglamorous life of a councillor.

They are determined to point out that life for them as millennials has not been as cushy as their elders sometimes try to make out.

A good number of candidates at the upper end of this age range went to school during the Celtic Tiger era, confident that a life of prosperity awaited them.

By the time they graduated, the crash had arrived, stripping many of them of the hope of a cushy job - and later on they found that the property boom excluded them from any hope of affordable accommodation.

A high proportion of the new young candidates live at home with their parents - and in a good number of cases, they moved back in after a stint paying a small fortune in rents.

According to the latest estimates by political geographer Dr Adrian Kavanagh, the new wave of young candidates has a higher than average representation of women.

Dr Kavanagh, a lecturer at NUI Maynooth, estimates that 34pc of candidates aged 35 and under are female.

Ciairin De Buis, who runs the training group Women for Election, says many of these young female candidates had their first encounter with politics during the referendum campaigns.

Emboldened women

They got to know the nuts and bolts of political organisation and canvassing. They also saw what could be achieved through political participation, and that seems to have emboldened them.

"After the referendum campaign to repeal the eighth amendment, we saw many more women training to be candidates," says De Buis, who organises seminars for aspiring female politicians.

Left-wing parties are attracting a greater proportion of young candidates under the age of 35 - they make up 33pc of People before Profit candidates, and 26pc of those running for the Social Democrats. Only 8pc of Fine Gael candidates are under 35, and 12pc of those in Fianna Fail are in that age group, according to the latest estimates.

While many under-30s may have been borne aloft on the tide of idealism of the referendum campaigns, there are others who travel into the mainstream politics along a much more traditional route.

There is a certain timelessness about the way in which candidates may be nursed for a life of politics in a well-known dynasty.

At the age of just 22, a fresh-faced Cathal Haughey was this week pounding the pavements of Clontarf and Beaumont seeking to become the fourth generation of his family to serve as a politician for Fianna Fail.

No other young candidate has such a deep-rooted and controversial pedigree as the student, who has just finished a degree in Contemporary Culture and Society at Dublin City University.

His great-grandfather, Sean Lemass, who fought in the Easter Rising, served as Taoiseach; his grandfather Charles was Taoiseach; and his uncle Sean is a TD and former junior minister.

Before she died last year, Cathal's late grandmother Maureen Haughey told the young student to think long and hard before embarking on a life of politics.

She knew how tough politics could be as the daughter of a Taoiseach, the wife of another Taoiseach, and the mother of a TD.

As he went looking for votes in some of Charlie's old stomping grounds this week, Cathal admitted that the Haughey name provokes mixed responses.

"The name does come with strengths and weaknesses," says the candidate, who is a Dublin organiser for Ogra Fianna Fail. "Some people say to me that they would never vote for a Haughey.

"You can't choose your name, so that is something you have to live with. I would ask people to judge me on my own merits, and not based on prejudices."

Property ladder

Like most young candidates of his generation, Haughey is concerned about the housing crisis.

"For young people like me it's very hard to get on the housing ladder," says the candidate, who rents a property on Dublin's Collins Avenue.

"This was not a problem for people twenty or thirty years ago if you had a decent job. There is going to be a whole generation who are locked out of the property ladder."

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Although she is campaigning for a party with a different world view, Stephanie Hanlon, a People before Profit candidate in Kilkenny, also sees housing as a primary concern.

Like many of the candidates in her age group, the 27-year-old college lecturer from a farming background has moved back home to live with her parents. "I used to be embarrassed about it, but not any more," she says. "It's so weird that I can never envision myself being able to save to have a house of my own."

The lecturer at Carlow College says the housing crisis has affected the mindset of young people and their ability to lead independent lives.

"A whole generation is putting their lives on hold to a certain extent.

"They don't have the option to explore a separate part of themselves for themselves. My romantic relationships and my social interactions have to be respectful of the fact that I am living with other people."

Like a good number of young candidates, Stephanie Hanlon cut her teeth as a grassroots politician in referendums campaigns for marriage equality and the repeal of the eighth amendment.

"I hugely identified with marriage equality - as a bisexual I see myself as part of the LGBT community."

As director of election for Together for Yes in Carlow and Kilkenny during the abortion referendum, she learned campaigning tactics and strategy.

"I was looking at the electoral register and doing some of the statistical analysis," she says. "Young people are much more politicised now - voting used to be seen as a duty, but now they want to get involved."

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As a Fine Gael candidate for Dublin City Council, primary school teacher Siobhan Shovlin says she also notices a much greater awareness of politics.

"That has been heightened by the recent referendums, and there is more engagement from young people than there would have been in the past."

As someone who has rented a home for ten years, the teacher is keen to dispel the idea of a snowflake generation that has had it easy.

"I think this is a generation that has overcome various challenges. We went to school during the Celtic Tiger when we felt that the possibilities were endless.

"Then we came out of college and we realised that things were not like that. When I finished college in 2011, there were no jobs for teachers. I was waiting for a text every day to see if I would get a day's teaching."

Cosseted Generation

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Beckha Doyle, a Social Democrats candidate in Clare, is equally dismissive of the notion that the millennials are a cosseted generation.

"We are all supposed to be lazy and sensitive and want everything for nothing," she says. "That idea is overhyped."

The 27-year-old, who works at home in Scarfiff for an e-commerce company and lives with her parents, says: "My generation gets a tough rap. If you look at the statistics you'll find that we work very hard and for less money.

"The things that were achievable for young people twenty or thirty years ago are not achievable now."

If she is elected, the young candidate hopes to address some of the problems suffered in rural East Clare. The plight of her corner of rural Ireland has fired her up with political enthusiasm just as much the recent repeal referendum.

"There is not much to encourage young people to stay, and people feel that the area is being left behind."There is a lack of infrastructure - people are living in villages, where they don't have a doctor and there's no post office."

The young candidate says she feels inspired by the success of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the radical young Democrat elected to the US congress last year.

Full of optimism and hope that they can succeed, the young candidates have plucked up the courage to put their names forward. But are they really prepared for the job that awaits them on the first rung of a ladder that can seem more like a greasy pole?

Dr Adrian Kavanagh of NUI Maynooth scrutinises elections closely and has noticed that many young candidates who were elected in 2014 have not put their names forward this time around.

He has also noticed that candidates who come from well-known dynasties are more likely to stay the course and continue with their political career.

"I think the explanation is that is not a nice job a lot of the time, but the dynasty candidates know from their families what to expect."

There are three young Healy-Raes standing for the council in Kerry, and Dr Kavanagh believes they are likely to stay the course. "A lot of first time councillors don't know the level of work that is required, " he says.

Young councillors can struggle to balance their work for the council, their daytime jobs and their family commitments. The pay for being a councillor is 17,000, plus around 5,000 in expenses.

Jennifer Cuffe, who was elected in her twenties last time out for Fianna Fail in Dun Laoghaire, says she decided to quit, because she found it difficult to balance the commitment with her job as a lawyer.

"A lot of those elected in 2014 are stepping back from it," she says. "Being a councillor is really a part-time job with full-time hours, and I found that I can't work the hours it deserves and pay my mortgage and other bills."

Although she is walking away from the life of a politician with some regret, Cuffe says there are other aspects of the job that she finds difficult.

She says the amount of abuse suffered by councillors and politicians in general has got a lot worse since became involved in 2012.

She has had public comments about her hair colour and her weight, and she cited a recent email when an anonymous correspondent told her to "f*** off, you corrupt Godless bitch".

Hostile environment

Another serving councillor said: "The next generation coming into politics can find that it is a very hostile environment, and you are open to attack and ridicule."

Councillors who are stepping down have also cited the sheer frustration of trying to getting anything done in the job.

All these reservations have not deterred a new generation of aspiring young politicians from coming forward and standing for office.

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For Liam Van Der Spek, a 23-year-old data engineer running for the Labour Party in Cavan, the decision to run developed from a feeling that there is still a deficit of young voices in county councils.

The UCD graduate, who lives at home in Cavan, says: "My generation is politically engaged and there is more activism than there has ever been.

"It is not just about tweeting things, but getting out to marches and demonstrations. There is an element of not being satisfied with the way things are."The Green Party looks set to be the success story of this weekends elections.

Almost one in ten (9pc) people voted for Green candidates in the local elections while the party could possibly land three seats in the European Parliament, if the RTE/Red C opinion poll is to be believed.

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If this transpires, it would be a record-breaking day at the polls for Green Party leader Eamon Ryan.

But how did this happen and when did the electorate become so environmentally conscious?

Only a short five years ago, the Green Party received little more than 1pc of the vote in the 2014 local elections.

Back then, the Greens were the only Opposition party who supported Fine Gael and Labour Partys plan to introduce water charges.

The Coalition, of course, was hammered by voters for their botched handling of the water chargers debacle.

Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein and the hard left all campaigned against the single most progressive green policy put forward by a government in recent years.

As we know, the public didnt want water charges so the idea was eventually scrapped during the negotiations to form the current Fine Gael led minority government.

And now a significant chunk of the electorate has supposedly gone green. But do they know what they have voted for?

Do they realise that first the Greens come for your votes, and then they come for your taxes, cars and beef burgers?

The name should give it away but youd never know. The breakdown of the Green vote will undoubtedly be urban, middle class and young.

Essentially, people who can afford to vote with the environment to the fore of their mind.

Should the Green Party become a minor player in a future government, which on todays results is highly possible, they are likely to insist on policies which would hit voters in the pocket.

For example the partys European election manifesto calls for a "European climate law, with binding carbon budgets reducing emissions by at least 55pc by 2030 and building a net-zero emissions economy."

Thats going to take a lot of carbon taxes to achieve. They also want non-recyclable plastics taxed heavily or banned completely. Someone has to pay for that too.

The Greens also want a European flight tax and VAT on airline tickets so thats the cost of your two weeks in Grand Canaria going up.

However, they do want to reduce income taxes.

In the early stages of this election campaign, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was forced to deny he was a vegan after he said he was planning to cut down his meat consumption.

The Taoiseachs comments led to angry protests in Cork by the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) where demonstrators chanted "wheres the beef, ye vegan" at Mr Varadkar.

Yet, today the party that openly campaigned on a platform of reducing meat consumption is getting on the plaudits.

The Greens also want to introduce supporters to encourage farmers to produce non-meat based products.

A series of apocaylptic reports on climate change and the worrying state of our planet have undoubtedly shifted the publics conscious on green issues.

Whether they are willing to put their hands in their pockets to help save the planet is a question they may have answer soon.Political anoraks should make the most of the coming days' election counts because there is not going to be another one for some time.

Predictions of a snap general election in the aftermath of the European and local votes were well and truly put to bed last night with the publication of the RTE/Red C exit poll.

In recent weeks, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael TDs have been salivating over the thought of a summer or early autumn general election, should their respective parties get a bounce this weekend.

But there has been no bounce. In fact, as predicted, the elections have been a flop.

However, the public's sudden fascination with environmental causes will dissipate very quickly once they realise how much it will hit their pockets. But let's not take from their success today.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will not be celebrating the results of the local elections if, as the exit poll predicts, Fine Gael only holds 23pc of the seats on local authorities. This would represent a small drop in seats on the party's disastrous 2014 local elections. The opinion poll has a margin of error of 4pc, which means Fine Gael could potentially see its seat count jump to 27pc or drop to 19pc.

The latter would see serious questions asked of the Taoiseach. There could already be some awkward conversations to be had about the party's strategy for the Dublin constituency for the European Parliament elections. Former Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald (14pc) should take a seat but, after being an early frontrunner, she will now have to rely on her running-mate, one-time SDLP leader Mark Durkan, to get her over the line. Meanwhile, Derry resident Mr Durkan (5pc) looks to have bombed in Dublin.

Micheal Martin will not be popping Champagne bottles either, with Fianna Fail also on just 23pc - which is a 2.5pc fall on the party's 2014 local election result.

The Fianna Fail leader has the added headache of a potentially disastrous showing in the European Parliament election. Billy Kelleher (12pc) in Ireland South looks to be the only Fianna Fail candidate sure of a seat and he will need transfers from his running mate Malcolm Byrne (9pc).

In Dublin, former junior minister Barry Andrews (12pc) will be in a scrap for a seat. But the real catastrophe looks to be in Midlands North West where Brendan Smith (6pc) and Anne Rabbitte (3pc) haven't managed to salvage a quota between them.

The low voter turnout in certain areas of the capital did not signal a good day for Mary Lou McDonald and the opinion poll shows Sinn Fein could be down more than three points to 12pc since the last local election. Sinn Fein looks like it will retain its seat in Midlands-Northwest with Matt Carthy on 15pc, but it is less certain of a seat in Ireland South with Liadh Ni Riada on 13pc. Similarly, Lynn Boylan (10pc) cannot be sure of returning to Brussels.Gardai search for clues following the murder of Jordan Davis in Darndale

Flowers left in memory of Jordan Davis in the Marigold Road area of Darndale, Dublin Picture credit: Damien Eagers / INM

Pals Sean Little and Jordan Davis were murdered just 17 hours apart

The scene in Darndale where a bike believed to have been used in the shooting of Jordan Davis (inset right) was recovered Picture credit: Damien Eagers / INM

Gardai are asking for people to come forward with information on an orange mountain bike they believe was used in the murder of a man in north Dublin earlier this week.

Detectives say the bicycle is believed to be connected to the commission of the murder of Jordan Davis in Darndale on Wednesday.

Gardai say the bike is an orange Fuji Nevada mountain bike.

The gunman is believed to have fled the scene on the bike after shooting Davis in the Marigold Road area in Darndale at around 4pm.

The bike was recovered in the long grass at the edge of parkland at Belcamp Lane later that day.

"An Garda Siochana are appealing for information on a Fuji Nevada 'orange' mountain bike. This mountain bike is further described as having a rear mudguard, set of black 'Vera' wheels, black saddle with yellow stripes," a garda spokeswoman said.

"Anyone who saw or spoke to any person on a similar bike in the Darndale area in the days leading up to the murder, who knows where this bicycle was or who had possession of this bicycle in the days leading up to the murder.

"Anyone who had seen this bicycle in the Darndale area between the hours of 3.30pm - 4.30pm on the 22nd May 2019 or who saw this bicycle being abandoned on Belcamp lane on the 22nd May 2019."

Davis was killed just 15 minutes after writing a tribute message on his Facebook page to Sean Little, his friend who was shot dead on the Walshestown Road in north county Dublin late on Tuesday night.

Gardai believe that both men were shot because of their involvement in the drugs trade but that their murders are not directly related.

Detectives are investigating if the two close friends were murdered by a crime gang over a significant drugs debt.

Little was well-known to gardai and had close links to a Finglas mob boss, known as 'Mr Flashy', as well as a young associate of the Kinahan cartel based in Crumlin.

The mob led by 'Mr Flashy' are involved in an escalating feud in the Corduff area of west Dublin. A separate non-fatal gun attack in Mulhuddart on Tuesday is believed to be linked to that dispute.

Little, originally from Coolock, was also connected to Zach Parker, a drug dealer shot dead outside a Swords gym in January.

Detectives are investigating if both Little and Davis were murdered by the same criminal gang, but sources stressed a number of motives are being investigated.

While Davis was known to gardai for his links to gangland criminals, he did not have any major convictions and was before the courts for only minor drug possessions.

On April 29 last he was fined 200 at Dublin District Court for possession of cannabis.

Jordan Davis was also due to face a trial at the same court for drugs offences in July. He was also a very close friend of criminal Jamie Tighe Ennis, who was shot dead in November 2017.

Tighe-Ennis had been a major target for gardai for almost all of his adult life and had previous convictions for firearms offences.Influential: Vicky Phelan speaks to the media after meeting the Taoiseach at Government Buidlings last August. Photo by Eamonn Farrell

CAMPAIGNER Vicky Phelan says the courtroom is a terrifying place for plaintiffs in negligence cases.

The mother-of-two last year settled for 2.5m her case against a US testing laboratory over the alleged misreading of her smear tests under the CervicalCheck programme.

After resisting efforts to impose a gagging order, she helped reveal how many other women were affected too.

Speaking about her experience of the High Court case, she described the layout of the courtroom as intimidating and confusing and the seating as uncomfortable for those who are sick.

It is also difficult for some plaintiffs to follow what is going on in court, Ms Phelan told the Bar of Irelands Laws & Effect Conference in Killenard, Co Laois.

She described the difficult experience of having lawyers refer to her terminal diagnosis, which she was still coming to terms with at the time.

Ms Phelan said she only started a new medication a few days before having to give evidence. She had a terrible reaction to the drug, with really bad hallucinations.

I was very sick and I was on a lot of painkilling medication, she said.

She also revealed how her husband Jim struggled with the court process and at one point required medication for anxiety.

Going to court is a very, very terrifying experience for most people, she said.

The courtroom is a terrifying place for plaintiffs.

In her case, she said this was not just because she was very ill and worried about what was to come, but because of the actual layout of the courtroom.

I felt the layout of the court, with the stepped arrangement and everybody on different levels, was very intimidating and confusing to me, she said.

When giving evidence witnesses sit on an elevated stand and cannot see their solicitors, who sit facing in a different direction.

I couldnt see the people who I trusted the most. I couldnt see my family or my friends. I couldnt see my solicitors, she said.

Until that day I went in to give evidence, I did not know I wouldnt be able to see my solicitor. It threw me.

Ms Phelan said it would be useful for plaintiffs to have some signposting to demystify the whole court process.

I would have liked to have been shown the courtroom, maybe a tour, to be walked around the courtroom, she said.

Or, even if that was not possible, to be shown photos of the courtroom and to go through that either with my solicitor or barrister or somebody who would be an advocate for plaintiffs.

She told how she sat on a hot water bottle while giving evidence and how a disabled aunt, who travelled to court with her, had to sit in a wheelchair, because the seating available was also uncomfortable.

Ms Phelan said simple things, such as making courtrooms more accessible, supplying a glossary of legal terms to help people follow the arguments, and instructional videos that could be watched online, would all make the experience less terrifying, if introduced.

Meanwhile, a former attorney general has expressed concern about comments made by a Government minister in relation to the judiciary and the size of injury awards.

Earlier this month, Michael DArcy, the Minister of State with responsibility for insurance reform, said he wanted to "dismantle the system" but that it is "not easy" to take on lawyers, judges and insurance companies.

John Rogers SC told the conference ministers were entitled to speak on issues, but it is tricky when we begin to slip into the language of taking people on.

We cant be turning the judges into an enemy, he said.

Do we remember what happened in the UK only a few months ago when the judges were designated the enemy of the people because they actually ensured parliament would be permitted to deal with the Brexit issue.

Mr Rogers also criticised the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, championed by Transport Minister Shane Ross.

This will create a new body with a lay majority to advise the government on the appointment of judges. The current advisory group has a majority of judges and lawyers.

There are many who say this proposal is unconstitutional, he said.

It is really unfortunate the judiciary are being put in this predicament of being at the wrong end of Governmental opinion about the nature of their work and the people who should be appointed to do that job.An Irishman was shot dead by German police after they claimed he threatened his wife and new-born baby with a knife.

The fatal shooting happened in the city of Hamburg after police were alerted to a domestic incident at the property.

According to police, a 32-year-old woman, a Russian national, said her husband was threatening her and their new-born son at knife-point.

Local units were dispatched to the scene and police said the man then moved towards the officers while armed with the knife.

He was shot a number of times and fatally wounded during the incident.

His wife, the child and the police officers were not physically injured during the incident.

The man's wife is being cared for by the crisis intervention team of the German Red Cross, and the police officers by psychologists.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it is providing consular assistance in relation to the incident.

The fatal shooting happened shortly before 10am local time on Wednesday morning near the town of Hausbruch.

The man has dual Irish-UK citizenship, and has family in Ireland as well as a brother living in France. German police said the man was British, but it is understood he travelled on an Irish passport.

The family are attempting to come to terms with the tragedy. The victim was last night described as an "incredible person" by a relative.

Investigators in Hamburg are continuing their inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

A spokesman for Hamburg police said the matter was now being investigated by their Department of Internal Investigations (DIE) as police officers discharged their firearms resulting in a fatality.

Murder squad officers are also involved in the investigation.

German police yesterday declined to comment further on the identity of the deceased.

Such incidents are extremely rare in Germany. The chairman of the Hamburg police union, Joachim Lenders, described the fatal shooting as an "exceptional case".

The union later added: "We hope that our colleagues will process this application quickly and, above all, well."

A large number of emergency service vehicles attended the scene in the aftermath of the tragedy, including police and ambulance personnel.

Scenes of crime officers have also carried out a forensic examination of the house, which will assist police with their inquiries to determine exactly what happened in the Hamburg property on Wednesday morning.A SMALL group of housing protesters entered the Dublin city count centre in the RDS during a visit by housing minister Eoghan Murphy.

They were led to the door by security but are now outside chanting Murphy, Murphy, Murphy, out, out, out.

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The protesters have a sign that reads Dublin Renters Union.

Gardai and security guests are at the door of the count centre.

Another chant is: Housing is a human right this is why we have to fight.

Junior housing minister John Paul Phelan is also in the count centre.

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One of the protesters is People Before Profit candidate Peter Dooley who is running the Crumlin-Kimmage ward.

His party colleague, another candidate Tina McVeigh, joined him outside.

She said the Dublin Renters Union has been protesting against evictions in the city.

She said I came outside to stand in solidarity with my colleagues.

She claimed another protester was going to be made homeless and has nowhere to live.

Dublin Renters Union are dealing with people who are being thrown out of their houses all the time, Ms McVeigh added.

She said they stand up to the tsunami of evictions that are taking place around the city.

Trinity graduate in genetics, Conor Reddy, 23, told Independent.ie he had heckled the minister as he was tired of following the path hed been told to by getting an education and working hard, only to realise Ill probably not be able to leave home for many years.

Mr Reddy, from Finglas, said: I live with my family now and that is not likely to change in the long term.

There just isnt another option for my generation. But the Government doesnt seem to see how disillusioned my generation is right now with them and their failure to fix the housing market.

A spokesperson for Minister Eoghan Murphy responded to the protest saying:

Protest is part of democracy but the count hall is democracy in action.A FAMILY and a community rocked by the sudden death of a young garda in a hit-and-run ten years ago has been plunged into fresh agony by the sudden death of his brother - also a serving garda officer.

John McCallion (48), who had been on a leisure cycle, was found in an unresponsive state beside his bicycle close to his home in Swinford, Co Mayo on Friday evening.

An autopsy examination at Mayo University Hospital today established that the death was sudden, due to natural causes.

The death comes just a decade after his brother, Garda Robert McCallion, was killed in a road accident while on duty in Co Donegal.

Townspeople in the McCallions hometown today recalled a diligent and considerate policeman who acted as local juvenile liaison officer.

"This is a tragedy beyond words," said prominent businessman Joe Mellett, a former member of Mayo County Council.

"My deepest sympathy is extended to Johns wife, Collette, and three children, his parents, Bob and Nancy and his sisters, Noirin and Deirdre.

Mr Mellett was one of many in the east Mayo town who recalled poignant memories of the day more than a decade ago when John greeted the remains of his late brother back to the Church of Our Lady Help of Christians, Swinford with the words: Welcome home, Robbie.

Like his late brother, Garda John was active in GAA and other sporting circles.

Garda Robbie, who followed a family tradition as his father, brother, uncles and cousins all joined An Garda Siochana, was given a State funeral. with full honours.

On March 26, 2009, the then 30-year-old officer was struck by a speeding vehicle and sustained serious injuries after responding to a call at Tara Court, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.

He was rushed to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin where he died two weeks later.

Arrangements for Garda McCallions funeral have yet to be finalised.THREE workers are being treated for minor injuries after a suspected gas leak at a Cork medical devices plant.

The Stryker plant in Carrigtwohill in east Cork was evacuated as a precautionary measure after the suspected leak in the early hours of this morning.

A number of staff members who were apparently exposed to the substance complained of feeling unwell.

Their symptoms ranged from dizziness to nausea and itchy eyes.

Stryker immediately triggered their emergency health and safety plan.

The nature of the gas involved is not yet confirmed.

The plant was evacuated and a full engineering safety inspection of all materials on site, including gases, is being undertaken.

A number of units of Cork Fire Brigade attended the scene.

Several fire brigade officials who assisted at the site were equipped with breathing apparatus and protective suits.

The three workers who complained of feeling unwell were taken to Cork University Hospital (CUH).

They are not seriously injured.

All are expected to be discharged once they have been kept under precautionary monitoring.

As is routine in such cases, a full Health and Safety Authority (HSA) probe into the incident will be conducted.

The east Cork plant is one of three major plants operated by Stryker.

Stryker will conduct its own review into the incident.It was going to be the thing that saved us all. Screening. A process aimed at detecting disease in infancy, before it has a chance to become full-blown and dangerous. In this country we have screening for breast cancer, cervical cancer, bowel cancer, and diabetic retinopathy (a common complication of diabetes that can lead to deterioration in vision).

The point of screening is that it is carried out on people who are well, not sick. They don't have symptoms - or none that have sent them to their GP anyway. The idea is that, by detecting early, before there are actual symptoms, their chances of survival are greatly enhanced, and their treatment will, hopefully, be less invasive and less toxic.

It's a perfect theory - playing into a growing trend to treat the well population; to pre-empt and prevent, rather than waiting for alarm signals (although it has also been called 'coercive healthism', a demonstration of the power of the State over individuals, and, as one medical professional noted, "the normal code of medical ethics doesn't apply to screening. It is a different endeavour to the rest of medicine. Usually, a person with symptoms comes to you, the doctor. Screening is the opposite of that. It works the other way around. We doctors are going to people without symptoms.")

The Irish National Screening Service was established in 2007 with BreastCheck set up in 2000, CervicalCheck in 2008 and BowelScreen in 2012. And until very recently, all these were seen predominantly as something good, vital tools in the fight against cancer. And given that the latest figures are that one in two of us will develop cancer at some stage in our lives, we clearly need every bit of help we can get.

Also, given that the rate of breast cancer in this country is 2,890 new cases diagnosed every year, with over 2,700 new cases of bowel cancer per year, and around 300 new cases of cervical cancer, not to mention the emotional and psychological ripple effect of these diagnoses, these are cancers worth targeting

Recently however, many of us have fallen out of love with screening. The disaffection began with the cervical cancer controversy and moved outwards to include BreastCheck. It morphed from being primarily focused on the human errors involved, to a consideration of the concept and capabilities of the programmes per se.

We trusted those tests. In hindsight, it's obvious that we trusted them far too much. And this isn't entirely our fault - despite the availability of information, there was a general shyness in emphasising it. How many of us left the GP's surgery after a smear test for example, and were told: 'this is not failsafe. This is not a guarantee. You need to watch for the following symptoms'? Certainly I never was. 'There you go, that's you done for the next two/three/five years' was far more the attitude.

No wonder we felt cheated when the reality became obvious - not only was the test not failsafe, but it never could have been.

More and more, we are hearing from women who have decided not to avail of screening. "I don't see the point," one woman in her late 60s tells me. "The scandals have lowered my confidence in it, and I'm not sure how much difference screening makes. I'd rather go to my doctor if I have a concern."

Mass screening

First, it's important to understand that comparing screening programmes isn't possible, there is no like-for-like basis on which to do so. Cervical screening, although crude, inelegant and based on an old technology, is widely accepted to be a very effective way of mass screening of a population. Controversy notwithstanding, if you mass screen a population for cervical cancer, you will greatly reduce the number of women who will die of cervical cancer in that population.

Breast screening is a trickier issue, because mammography is, in the words of one health professional I spoke to, "nowhere near as good as cervical screening".

Also, and important to point out, is that screening programmes are not considered to be good tests for individual patients with symptoms. That is not their purpose. The purpose of a screening programme is to reduce the number of deaths from the cancer in question in the screened population; it is the crucial difference between screening and diagnostic testing that is often misunderstood.

Let's look primarily at the case for and against breast cancer screening. The aim of BreastCheck is "to reduce deaths from breast cancer in Ireland by finding and treating the disease at the earliest possible stage, when it is generally easier to treat and greater treatment options are available." Its own figures are that between the year 2000, when it was established, to the end of February 2019, "BreastCheck has provided 1.9 million mammograms to over 570,000 women and detected over 12,200 breast cancers; more than half of which were diagnosed at an early stage." It has been accredited three times by international experts, most recently in February 2018, "when BreastCheck achieved the highest level of certification, Level 4, from the European Reference Organisation for Quality Assured Breast Screening and Diagnostic Services (EUREF)."

There is no suggestion that BreastCheck is anything other than an excellently managed screening service. The question is around screening per se, not the individual service.

So the fundamental questions that need answers are these: What good does breast screening do? And what harm does it do? And does the good outweigh the harm?

It all sounds easy enough. Except that the evidence is based on statistics culled from various different studies, some very old by now, other s dubious in quality, and therefore, like all statistics, can vary considerably: statistics, like puppets, can be made to do many dances. There are complicated concepts such as absolute risk and relative risk, and percentages that look like one thing but turn out to be rather different when drilled down into.

First, let's talk about the good. BreastCheck offers routine breast screening to women aged 50 to 67 every two years. So how many cancers has the programme caught: "At the end of February 2019, BreastCheck had detected over 12,200 breast cancers; all in women aged over 50," says a spokesperson.

How many deaths from breast cancer has the screening service prevented? "This has not been established, however the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NRCI) calculated that between 2000 and 2007 in the east of Ireland that there was a 9pc reduction in breast cancer mortality. These early findings are likely to increase with further follow-up and the authors conclude that BreastCheck is on track to achieve 20pc mortality reduction and if all women participated it could be up to 30pc."

Let's take 20pc as the figure; 20pc of deaths from breast cancer prevented. That would be in line with international findings. And that sounds great. Except that, for anyone who knows anything about statistics, that isn't an absolute percentage, it's a percentage of a percentage; a reduction from something fairly small, to something even smaller, in this case that the likelihood that you will die of breast cancer while in the screened age-group drops from 2.1 pc to 1.7 pc.

Significant advances

And it doesn't take into account the significant advances made in treating all breast cancers, but particularly late-stage breast cancers that would previously have resulted in death.

Asked his opinion of breast cancer screening, Professor John Crown, consultant oncologist, founder of the Clinical Trials Unit at St Vincent's Hospital and the Irish Clinical Oncology Research Group, and former senator, says: "The impact that mammography makes on a screened population, while important, is relatively modest. The general feeling is that if you screen over the age of 50 with annual or two-yearly mammograms, you will reduce the death from breast cancer in that population of patients by about 20pc. There are studies that suggest you reduce it by less."

He also makes the point that, "the mortality for breast cancer in America, which leads the world in breast cancer treatment as it does in most things in oncology, thankfully began to drop in the 1990s and has been dropping ever since. Is this because of screening or is it because of better treatment? The original feeling was that this was all screening, but it is now thought that much/most of it is due to better drug treatment, which has improved dramatically, out of all recognition. Screening probably makes a difference, but not by as much as we thought."

BreastCheck also say that "out of every 1,000 women screened for breast cancer, seven women will be diagnosed with cancer." Again, that sounds good. But critics of screening programmes will say that a more accurate barometer of the benefit of such a programme is to calculate the number screened to the number of deaths prevented. This is what's known as Number Needed To Screen (NNS), in general, considered a more meaningful analysis. And there, the landscape looks a little different.

Michael Baum, a professor emeritus of surgery at University College London, publishing in the British Medical Journal in 2013, estimated that 10,000 women would need to be screened to prevent three to four deaths.

An infographic commissioned by the NHS and quoted in an excellent 2014 London Review of Books piece by Paul Taylor, Professor of Health Informatics at University College London, gives a roughly similar picture: If 200 women are screened every three years between the ages of 50 and 70, then by the time they are 80, 15 will have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Of that 15, 8 will be diagnosed and survive; they would have survived anyway without screening. One has her life saved by screening; she would have died without it. Three die of breast cancer even though they were screened. Three are diagnosed with a cancer that would never have become life-threatening.

This would suggest that around 3,500 women have to be screened to prevent one death.

Acceptable number

And that, for the vast majority of us, is probably an entirely acceptable number. If that was all the weighing-up involved, I doubt there would be any debate about this.

However, alongside the good, it is necessary to consider the harm of screening programmes. This falls into two categories: False negatives and false positives.

Let's deal with false negatives first. This is where screening occurs, abnormalities are missed and a woman is wrongly told there is no cause of concern. The NHS calculates that around one in five breast cancers will be missed at screening (false positives are more common in younger women, and those with dense breasts) over a 20-year period. This is a known and, I think, pretty well understood aspect of breast screening, one that is clearly communicated to women when they show up for screening. It is undesirable, but understandable.

Far less clear, and less well communicated, is the issue of false positives, and, linked to that, over-treatment. Again, figures vary, but BreastCheck say that "one in 20 women who receive a BreastCheck mammogram is called back for more tests." That's 5pc of women. The US and UK put their recall figures at closer to 10pc. 'More tests' in this scenario include further mammograms and possibly biopsies, and of the recalled percentage, only about 0.5pc will be found to have cancer.

Again, this might seem - and perhaps is - acceptable. After all, the end result is, mostly, good news: no cancer. But, there is unquestionably a great deal of stress associated with the recall process - research suggests that it takes a full year for women's anxiety levels around breast cancer to return to normal after a false positive. In fact, research conducted by BreastCheck shows that women who have been recalled for a false positive are significantly less likely to present for subsequent screening mammograms.

And then, allied to the false positives, but even less easy to analyse, is the idea of over-treatment. This is where a cancer that may be slow-growing and non-aggressive, is treated like any other tumour - with some or all of the anti-cancer arsenal. As Professor Paul Taylor says, "I think it's more difficult to evaluate the harm than the good. The key thing is over-diagnosis, and you can't measure that in an individual. You can't say 'this individual was over-diagnosed.' It's a population-level concept, and an artefact of the screening process - yes, you have uncovered this disease but the people you have uncovered it in don't benefit because there is no associated change in mortality."

The key example here is ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). This is where the cells that line the milk ducts of the breast have become cancerous, but they have not spread into surrounding breast tissue. DCIS is considered non-invasive or pre-invasive breast cancer, and is also known as 'stage zero' cancer.

Psychological trauma

Right now, the guidelines are that DCIS be considered as cancer and treated accordingly. Typically this will mean surgery and radiation, with all the attendant psychological and physical traumas they bring. However, it is well-known that not all DCIS progresses, which means that had it not been detected, for some women, this would never have presented as a problem. They, therefore, have been over-treated. The problem is that it isn't currently possible to tell which DCIS will progress and which won't. There are trials underway - Cancer Research UK are comparing surgery with monitoring by having yearly mammograms, but they are still recruiting, until July 2020 - so any results are very far off.

DCIS is the precise point where the success of the screening programme becomes especially problematic. As Professor John Crown says: "The victory for the screening programme is picking up DCIS before you get invasive cancer. Somebody with DCIS will have a far less intrusive treatment than somebody whose cancer is picked up by screening as an invasive cancer. That's what you do the whole thing for. That's where it really comes into its own."

But he also agrees that "yes, there is a more philosophical question, but this is controversial - does screening pick up cancers that would not kill the patient? And under those circumstances, should we be doing screening at all?"

This is indeed a philosophical question. One that is hard to quantify in absolute terms. As Dr Nora Pashayan, senior clinical lecturer in Applied Health Research in the Institute of Epidemiology and Healthcare at University College London, and with a clinical background in public health medicine, points out that, "you can evaluate how many false findings you have - these are measurable, easy, observable. You can evaluate how many interval cancers you have. That too is measurable, whereas the other aspects are more difficult." But, she says, the data suggests that, "for every one death from breast cancer prevented by the screening programme, you have two over-diagnosed cases. Is that too much? That is something that we as a society have to decide - what is an acceptable value?" And, she is quick to emphasise, this isn't something women should be left to struggle with alone. "We can involve them in the decision-making, but without throwing it back on them. We are not leaving the burden of decision on the patient."

Switzerland, after a recent analysis of the best available data around breast screening, is rowing back on screening, and recommending that "no new systematic mammography screening programmes be introduced, and that a time limit should be placed on existing programmes."

Elsewhere, for the moment, there is no appetite to get rid of screening programmes.

"I think it's politically impossible to get rid of it," says Professor Taylor, of the UK programme. "It's probably not the best use of the money. But," he cautions, "that is not certain. I wouldn't go to the barricades and say 'this is a shocking waste of money and should be got rid of,' because I don't think we really know. And I think in that situation, it's there, it would be difficult to get rid of it, and so the thing to do is think through - how can we make it better?"

Emotional issue

He's correct that getting rid of the screening programme is "politically impossible" - no politician would touch the idea.

Because as much as breast cancer is a health and welfare issue, it is also a deeply emotional issue, one that the vast majority of us have lived out in our own lives or through the lives of those closest to us.

No cost-benefit analysis can adequately assess the impact of stories of women who have benefited; whose cancers have been caught, early, by screening.

So, what could be done to improve it? One possibility is to categorise women according to risk based on genetics. "We can come up with a polygenic risk score, so that instead of screening all women aged 50-69 every two years, we screen women with a risk level above a certain threshold. If we don't screen women in the lowest third of the risk group, then we can reduce over-diagnosis by a quarter," explains Dr Pashayan.

"To do this, you have to risk-assess everyone, so there is a cost, but if you are screening less often, you are reducing those costs. In a cost-effectiveness analysis, we find that the risk-based approach is more cost effective than the current age-based programme."

There are other possibilities - better imaging, automation of mammogram reading, a better understanding of the progression of DCIS, blood tests that will indicate the presence of cancerous cells - all of which are possible or soon-to-be possible.

The final, and in some ways most important, question is, what do patients - women - want? That, too, is complicated.

"That's one of the things that's striking about this debate," says Professor Taylor. "A lot of clinicians and academics are questioning the value of screening, but if you ask women what they want, they want screening."

He points out that even in focus groups where time is taken to explain carefully and clearly to women all the possible risks associated with screening, "they still come away and say 'on balance, I want it, because it could save my life.'"

And even though that is slightly at odds with the findings of BreastCheck - that women who have been recalled for a false positive are significantly less likely to present for subsequent screening mammograms - for the moment anyway, that is how it falls: Women want a screening programme.

And they want an accurate one.

Other screening programmes

Prostate screening

This is a very good example of a case where the benefit-harm analysis, the fundamental controversy over whether you are helping or harming a patient, led to the non-recommendation of a screening programme in Ireland.

The expert opinion is that some men benefit from PSA screening, but many more are likely to be over-diagnosed and so overall, at a population level, the harms (incontinence and impotence as a result of treatment) outweigh the benefits. Also, the mostly slow-growing nature of prostate cancer influences the decision.

In America where prostate screening does exist, the Public Services Task Force on Screening recently gave a much more nuanced recommendation for PSA screening. That said, there are calls for a full prostate screening programme to be implemented in Ireland.

Bowel screening

Introduced in Ireland in 2012, a review of the first round of BowelCheck, until 2015, showed 196,238 people took up the invitation, with 8,062 people invited to attend for a colonoscopy and 521 cancers detected (giving an overall detection rate of 2.65 per 1,000 people).

One medical expert who works within the field expressed concerns, not with the screening programme itself, but with the landscape in which it is being conducted.

"Bowel screening is working reasonably well," he says. "It is picking up cancers. The problem is that people with symptoms are waiting six months or a year for an endoscopy, and now we are diverting resources into screening those without symptoms. We need to fix the endoscopy waiting lists first, then worry about screening."

This ties into concerns around screening in general - the idea that governments are spending time and money on people who are well, even though, if you get sick then you will, certainly in this country, often find it hard to access healthcare.

There is a paradox there, a disconnect between the way we wish to be as a society - pro-active, preventative - and the way our health service actually functions - overburdened and often clumsily reactive.Germans aren't noted for their riotous sense of humour, but an ad for the Hamburg School of English on a packed commuter train has me laughing out loud.

It's the slogan: "We have ways of making you talk."

Later, in Restaurant Oberhafenkantine (oberhafenkantine-hamburg.de), the laughs continue. I sit at the head of a long table whose surface dips away at a crazy angle towards the far end. As I peruse the menu, a waiter leans in and whispers: "I wouldn't order the soup if I were you."

Tourism professional Jens Becker tells me taxpayers weren't laughing, however, when construction of the Elbphilharmonie concert hall (elbphilharmonie.de) ran wildly over schedule and over budget. It was meant to open in 2010 at a cost of 240m. It opened in 2017, with a bill of 790m.

Far from being a monumental folly, this former red brick warehouse, with an enormous prismatic glass crown that resembles an iceberg, has become a source of great civic pride and a tourist (and fridge) magnet. The open-air walkway (free entry; 2 priority) 37 metres up offers all-round views of the city, harbour and River Elbe.

In Miniatur Wunderland (miniatur-wunderland.com; 15), those same views can be seen in detailed scale reconstructions through which the world's biggest model railway runs on more than 16km of track. "Everybody who comes to Hamburg visits the model railway," says Jens, "so you could say this is Alles in Wunderland."

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Lewis Carroll must be spinning in his grave.

I could watch all day, but tour guide Tomas Kaiser wants to show us around the old port district, Speicherstadt, a canal-lined labyrinth of 19th century warehouses. This was the entry and exit point for the commodities and spices on which Hamburg's considerable wealth was built - the city has more millionaires per capita than any other in Germany. King among those commodities was, and still is, coffee - one in seven cups drunk around the world are made from beans that have passed through here. In Kaffeemuseum Burg (kaffeemuseum-burg.de), I try Indonesian kopi luwak, made from beans that have passed through the guts of civet cats - a fact kept from me until I've drained the last drop. At 650 a kilo, it's the dearest coffee in the world, so I'll stick with Starbucks.

Next, we board an open-topped boat for a tour of the city's harbour and canals (barkassen-meyer.de; 18), chugging through parts of Speicherstadt inaccessible to pedestrians. Businesses occupying the warehouses include importers of exquisite, handmade Persian rugs, many of which are draped from windows, like the Irish flags that festoon hotel balconies in Santa Ponsa.

"These are the best carpets in the world," says Tomas. "You can't beat them."

If this was a pirate ship, he'd be walking the plank.

My visit to Hamburg coincides with the autumn Food Truck Festival, which returns this year to Spielbudenplatz in the St Pauli district from September 7 to 10 (spielbudenplatz.eu), when everything from Polish pierogi dumplings to tacos will be on offer while bands play on the stage. There are also, of course, hamburgers - served from a hatch in the side of an old London double-decker - but as you'd need the detachable jaw of a python to tackle one, I settle for a more manageable foot-long sausage in a bun.

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It's the best wurst ever.

St Pauli is home to the Reeperbahn red light district, where the fledgling Beatles played 300 gigs between August 1960 and December 1962. It was in Hamburg that the band adopted their trademark mop tops, slept on bunk beds in a stinking toilet and were advised to change their name because 'Beatles' sounds like the German slang word for teeny-weeny willies.

It's with these and other fascinating facts that guide Stefanie Hempel regales fans on her Beatles tour of the Reeperbahn (hempels-musictour.de) while playing a ukulele and singing Fab Four favourites.

As gimmicks go, it's a toe-tapping triumph.

After a packed day, bed beckons as I have to be up at 5.30am - to go partying. Every Saturday night, revellers head for the riverside Fischmarkt's auction hall to drink and dance beyond dawn, so Jens and I join the crowds, including three newly married couples still in their white-wedding gear, to breakfast on beer, herring and hard rock. We then take a taxi to the Schanzenhofen district, where dreadlocked activists have been resisting gentrification from their HQ in the Rote Flora cultural centre since 1989, and have done the place up nicely - street art fans will love it.

In the nearby Ratsherrn brewery (ratsherrn.de), beer sommelier Daniel Hertrich says he went to Bavaria for a foundation course in his craft. "I was there for two weeks," he says during a tasting. "When I came back to Hamburg, it took me two days to sober up."

The brewery shop sells 500 different beers, including one of the strongest and most expensive in the world, Schorschbrau Schorschbock 57 (57pc ABV), which gets easier to pronounce the more you drink. Compared with that cat poo coffee, it's a steal at 199 for 330ml.

Over a farewell Mediterranean-inspired lunch in the waterside Strauchs Falco restaurant (falco-hamburg.de), Jens tells me that 80pc of people rent their homes in Hamburg, where a three-bedroomed furnished apartment with river views costs around 1,500 a month.

He nearly chokes on a chunk of chorizo when I say a similar property in Dublin would leave little change from 3,500.

"That's not funny," he splutters, and for the first time in two laughter-filled days, joker Jens is lost for words. Well, plays on words - but he quickly recovers.

"You must all be flat broke," he says. "Get it? Flat broke?"

They should rename this place Ha-ha-hamburg.

Take Three: top tips

DRINK

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Combine beer tasting in the Ratsherrn brewery with lunch in Restaurant Bullerei (bullerei.com). It's owned by TV chef Tim Malzer - the German Jamie Oliver.

EAT

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Fill up on free samples at the open-air Isemarkt fresh food market, set beneath the U-Bahn track between Hoheluftbrucke and Eppendorfer Baum (Tues & Fri, 8.30am-2pm).

SEE

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Enjoy a cocktail while taking in river views and watching the sunset from the posh Skyline Bar 20up on the 20th floor of the Empire Riverside Hotel. empire-riverside.de

Get there

Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) and Ryanair (ryanair.com) both fly daily from Dublin to Hamburg. S-Bahn trains run from the airport to the city centre (3.30, 27 minutes). Tom travelled with Hamburg Tourismus. More info at hamburg-travel.com and germany.travel.

Stay

Tom stayed at the four-star Best Western Premier Alsterkrug Hotel (alsterkrug-hotel.de). A three-night, weekend B&B package costs from 60pps per night, including public transport ticket and use of the spa. Airport and city buses stop outside.

Must-see

The International Maritime Museum (imm-hamburg.de, 13) charts 3,000 years of history on nine 'decks' in the Kaispeicher B, Hamburg's oldest warehouse building. Anyone with even the slightest interest in what happens on and beneath the sea will find it fascinating.

Read more:They call to see us at least once a year. They have the flavour of a slightly aged couple who would drop round for Sunday tea and some sponge cake in former days. Charles and Camilla are bonded by a time and tide that has endured.

They make up a familiar foursome when going out and about with Michael D and Sabina. Both couples exude a body language easy and familiar. The smiles, the handshakes, the hugs need not be forced for the television cameras. All have come to know one another rather well.

The royal love affair is now in its sunset years. Charles, we are told, has his indulged eccentric ways - the hallmark double-breasted suit speaks of a bygone era. In contrast, Camilla is dubbed as 'earthy'. Rather than agonising about the perils of climate change - as is the wont of her husband - she is more inclined to the pleasures of a cigarette laced with gin and tonic.

All the while, Charles waits and waits. Will he ever become king? Will destiny be denied by the sheer longevity of his 93-year-old mother? Might Queen Elizabeth abdicate voluntarily and allow her son to become monarch before the public mood deems his time has passed?

And what of Camilla as potential queen? There are those who think her pedigree is somewhat suspect. She is famously a great-granddaughter of Alice Keppel. Alice made her way in the world as the most favoured mistress of King Edward VII. "This was a woman with the sexual morals of an alley cat," chides one biographer.

But all such musings were cast aside as the Charles and Camilla roadshow once again hit the Irish countryside. Early summer sunshine bathed the Fermanagh borderlands as unionists, nationalists and those oblivious to politics sampled the champagne and savouries. The harsh outside world - at least for a fleeting few hours - was put to one side.

However, all the while, skies were darkening over Westminster. Plot and counter-plot were hatched in secret murmurings. Ambition and ego were at full throttle. The scent of unrestrained blood-letting was in the air. Theresa May was finally done for as prime minister. The build-up to her tearful farewell was at fever pitch. The fight to succeed her will be without mercy.

Her demise is right up there with the great acts of political theatre. She tried might and main but eventually she was ground down by the sheer weight of events. The brutal reality is she failed to get any kind of Brexit deal over the line despite pleas, entreaties and threats, sometimes spiced with a hint of menace and brinkmanship.

On a personal basis it has been a shattering experience. Despite her well-practised verbal stridency, the prime minister looked increasingly shrunken and defeated by the enormity of the task at hand. The viciousness and vitriol coming from her own backbenchers must have been the hardest to take.

It is now clear her fate was sealed when she failed to secure a working majority after an ill-fated decision to call a general election, depending on DUP hard-liners for survival as Brexit-inspired divisiveness traumatised British life and made her task impossible.

From an Irish perspective we are back to the drawing board. It's not so much a question of who will replace Mrs May. Rather, how will they react when confronted by the same set of intractables once they enter Downing Street as prime minister? From that moment forward, he or she will find there are no easy choices when plotting a way out of the Brexit paradox.

There will be lots of promises from those jockeying in the succession stakes. Hopefully, much of it will be just the rhetoric of an election battle. But when the dust settles there will be a line in the sand.

Ireland must fight to preserve the backstop - our insurance against the wilful return of a Border on this island. The EU as a collective must back us in what will be another bout of brinkmanship.

However, despite everything, there are consolations. We have the bonding presence of Charles and Camilla when they sojourn here. Ever since the Queen visited Ireland in 2011, British royalty has signalled special good tidings for this country. That must count for something despite the dismal nature of the Brexit burden.In the end, Theresa May just faded into the background. Out-shouted by her backbenchers and out-flanked by her Cabinet, it was obvious for some time that power was ebbing away.

But back in April, EU leaders gave her one last chance to get the Withdrawal Agreement over the line.

French President Emmanuel Macron was sceptical that May could make any meaningful progress but agreed to give her until October 31.

Sources say that few people at the EU summit actually believed May would make it to Halloween herself. However, they hoped that her final act might be to secure an orderly Brexit.

Sadly, her final act as Conservative Party leader will actually be to host US President Donald Trump.

The news didn't come as a shock but it has opened up new fault lines between the UK and EU.

British politics is entering a phase that could be "very dangerous" for Ireland, the Taoiseach warned shortly after the prime minister's resignation was confirmed.

Irish officials are worried about the impending changes among the top brass in the EU that will follow this weekend's elections.

EU Council President Donald Tusk and EU Parliament President Jean-Claude Juncker are on their way out.

And it is even possible that the man with more knowledge of the Border situation than anybody else, Michel Barnier, could move on.

"Whatever happens, we are going to hold our nerve, we are going to continue to build and strengthen and deepen our alliance across the European Union, and we will make sure we see Ireland through this," Mr Varadkar said.

The Irish view is that the people might be changing but the issues are the same as ever.

Even before the Brexit referendum then-Taoiseach Enda Kenny was talking about the risks to the all-island economy and the Border. Two prime ministers later we will still be focused on these problems.

A source said "we know the solution but those in the UK don't seem willing to accept it".

Ireland will argue that whoever takes over from May must still be a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement. That means acknowledging there can be no return to a hard Border. However, at least one of those in the running to take over, Dominic Raab, admits he hasn't even read the short document that brought peace to this island two decades ago.

Outside of these isles, the reaction to May's announcement was somewhat more mooted. Yet there was also an understanding that it makes life a whole lot more difficult for all involved.

Other EU capitals are desperate to move on the from the Brexit stalemate. They are not nearly as patient as us because they have less on the line.

Spain's caretaker government says that May's departure is "bad news" because it will make a "hard Brexit" more likely.

Mr Macron has praised the outgoing prime minister for her "courageous work" on Brexit.

"It's too soon to speculate on the consequences of this decision," Macron said. "France is ready to work with the new British prime minister on all European and bilateral issues."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel noted "with respect" the decision and committed to working closely with her successor for an orderly Brexit.

Even Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, a frequent critic of May, says she is worried May's decision will bring "an even more hardline" Brexit-backer to power.

May didn't make one fatal error, she made many that eventually combined to ensure her premiership will be remembered as a rolling disaster. Her snap election in June 2017 was meant to be an empowering moment but resulted in a confidence and supply arrangement with the DUP.

Article 50 was triggered without any plan for what Brexit would be. The 'intention to leave' letter was voluntarily signed by May in March 2017.

For the following two years she was incapable of stopping her own party from tearing itself apart and refused to engage with the opposition.

Sources in Dublin say among her biggest problems was that she never sold her 'wins'.

The EU never wanted a UK-wide backstop but eventually 'caved' on the issue. That should have been a big turning point for May.

Instead we are still left wondering what Brexit means.Weight for it: Mary Berry of 'The Great British Bake Off' would never have such problems. Photo: Mark Bourdillon

The 2019 redefinition of the SI base units came into effect this week, by setting exact numerical values for the Planck Constant (a discovery by a German physicist based on energy quanta which won him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918) instead of using the physical paradigm of kilograms which was sealed up in a French basement somewhere - with immediate consequences for my 'bake day'.

You see, my kitchen scales is one of those new-fangled yokes which updates itself by downloading these exact numerical values instead of using the programmed paradigm for the kilogram.

As a result, it downloaded the wrong Max Planck information and blankly refused to give me a measure of anything that wasn't a quantum entity.

Now flour, it seems, is not such an entity, and there I was with not a clue as to weight of said flour in my jug.

After an hour of useless negotiation, I decided to use the scales in the bathroom. I could get a reading and remove the known constant of my own weight from the sum presented. But no. The same thing as the kitchen, except it was stuck in a loop of quantum indeterminacy, waiting, its seems, for some level of atomic decay it could accurately calculate to its own satisfaction.

I wasn't waiting, I had a cake bake to get on with. Bright idea! I'll go down to the local 'speak-your-weight machine'. Bingo!

Apparently the same problem affected this contraption too. I spent three solid hours immersed in a metaphysical debate with this thing about the nature of the mathematical and the material. Eventually it got into a huff, and decided to retain the tangible and return to imperial, which was no good to me, my recipe was in metric.

Not being able to ascertain the exact quantities of a Victoria sponge on a quantum scale I abandoned my bake and took to my bed. Thank you Max Planck, the only constant here is discombobulation.

Malachy Maguire

Clune, Co Kildare

Trump's vindictiveness hurts ordinary Iranians

The current greatest threat in the Middle East, and thus to world peace, is the US administration of President Donald Trump.

Mr Trump is a bully, as is his National Security Adviser John Bolton.

Recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital was a huge mistake and an affront to Palestinians.

Now threatening Iran over its nuclear programme while Israel, the United States and Britain possess nuclear weapons themselves is simply double standards.

The 1979 Iranian revolution was a consequence of US meddling. The former Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, narrowly escaped a richly deserved place before a firing squad for his cruel regime of 1941-79, backed by Savak, his vicious secret police.

Britain put the despot criminal on the throne in 1941 for its own interests, not Iran's.

Mr Trump underestimates Iranian resolve. His vindictive sanctions are hurting ordinary Iranians. I make no secret of my support for Iran's government, and hope it prevails in any conflict with the US.

No Iranian warship has ever sailed provocatively off the US coast.

Dominic Shelmerdine

London, UK

Cead mile failte to the American president

For those of us whose preference is a reasonably stable and peaceful world, the Donald Trump presidency has, so far, been very reassuring.

Firstly, we had to endure the disastrous neo-con adventurism of George Bush, who naively assumed you could impose democratic regimes in the Middle East. With horrific consequences.

As if the Bush administration was not bad enough, the succeeding Obama-Clinton double act compounded matters - particularly Hillary Clinton's reckless adventurism in Libya, resulting in a refugee crisis for which Europe is still paying the price.

Clinton's diplomatically insensitive comment in relation to Colonel Gaddafi - "We came, we saw, he died" - must surely rank among the grossest remarks of any US secretary of state.

Fast forward to President Trump, who has, by and large, lived up to his promise that "America cannot act as the world's policeman".

Since the president's election, by and large, the world is a safer place. There are still many dangerous and volatile regimes out there but so far, so good.

From this perspective, all peace-loving people of goodwill will surely wish the president a cead mile failte on his forthcoming visit to Ireland.

Eric Conway

Navan, Co Meath

No happy ending to our housing situation

I'm very lucky not to be part of the young house-hunting generation.

A Georgian building in Limerick is being converted to accommodate eight people, sharing a kitchen and living room (Irish Independent, May 22).

These units are for rent, not for purchase, and sharing with seven others. Seven bowls, seven plates, seven spoons, seven cups - really a seven dwarfs' life. But what happens if each dwarf has a partner? Fourteen bowls, plates, spoons, cups - and these dwarfs don't know each other. The outlook for young people here is truly shocking, and no, there isn't a market for this kind of communal living, not for a squashed kitchen arrangement.

On the same page in the Irish Independent, the local council is examining a proposal to buy 43 apartments for an average of 491,503 per unit in Sandyford for social housing.

Where is the happy ending for our young people?

Margaret Docherty

Terenure, Dublin 6

How Mog helped bring down the far right

It is heartbreaking to hear that Judith Kerr has finally died at 95.

She wrote 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' and the semi-autobiographical 'When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit' trilogy, but it was the iconic ditzy Mog - every domestic cat that ever was - which started my and many other children's lifelong affinity with the world's purr monsters.

Ironically, she received an unexpected sales boost during the 1983 general election in the UK when she received accidental product placement in the last ever party political broadcast by - of all parties - the National Front.

Television viewers howled with laughter as a walrus-moustached bemedalled Colonel Blimp grew increasingly beetroot-faced as he ranted that he had not been shot and shelled in two World Wars so immigrants and "subversives" could take over - followed by a scrawny droning Brummie mummy with a child on her lap holding 'Mog the Forgetful Cat'.

Come election day, the National Front, as ever, failed to save a single deposit - but sales of 'Mog' meanwhile had gone through the roof.

A Holocaust refugee benefited at a party of Holocaust deniers' expense - who said Yahweh hasn't a sense of humour?

Now Ms Kerr has finally joined Mog, whom she killed off in 2002, in the Elysian Fields but shared a TV encore in a hilarious supermarket Christmas advert only two years ago as Mog demolished a kitchen faster than an army of Inspector Clouseaus and Frank Spencers ever could.

Her books and pictures will be delighting future generations long after we've joined them.

Mark Boyle

Renfrewshire, Scotland

Gee whizz! Breggsit should have X factor

Like most people, I am tired of the whole Breggsit saga.

After a break for the Easter holidays, during which we have been spared round-the-clock Breggsit coverage, it is ramping up again.

Breggsit, I hear you ask? Well, according to our national broadcaster, that's how it is pronounced.

Whatever about the rest of us, surely RTE newsreaders and reporters should pronounce Brexit properly, that is, with an X rather than two Gs.

However, this is unlikely to happen as, according to a response to a letter to RTE asking that it be pronounced with an X, a senior RTE manager replied to say that, and I quote, "Breggsit is exactly how it is pronounced".

Paul Kennedy

Dublin 5It's a well-known phrase implying inquisitive neighbours twitching their curtains, usually in small communities - 'The Valley of the Squinting Windows'. And it's a great title for a book.

The original novel, published just over 100 years ago, has recently been republished in paperback by Bibliolife (a facsimile from its 1920 American edition), and it's available in Hodges Figgis in Dublin, and online. Some libraries also provide it.

Brinsley MacNamara's story is a classic text, and I can honestly say that it's one of the most loathsome I've ever read. Small wonder it was ritually burned in Delvin, Co Westmeath, the village on which it was based (called Garradrimna in the story). Almost everyone in this community is horrible: mean-spirited, spiteful, malicious, begrudging, hypocritical, money-grabbing, blackmailing, dishonest and often filthy. Only one individual - a minor character and a schoolmaster (MacNamara's father was a schoolteacher) - emerges with decency.

Squinting Windows shows a truly nasty side of human nature - the prevailing village activity being glee and pleasure at the misfortunes of others, and active conspiracies, wherever possible, to bring humiliation and disgrace to others. And yet, for all its ludicrous over-exaggeration of village venom, it's a narrative that contains some psychological truths.

It also has historical relevance to women's lives, since the central plot is around the "ruination" of a woman, Nan Brennan, made pregnant out of wedlock by a local wealthy bounder - and the price she has to pay for this "fall". Nan herself, in keeping with the cast of Garradrimna, is a dislikeable character: her error, it is explained, was that "she hadn't made sure of Henry Shannon" before ceding to him. He, in turn, was able to wriggle out of his responsibilities because wealthy lawyers protected him.

The resulting child is disposed of, but will reappear later as part of the tragic revenge plot. Nan goes on to marry a local ne'er-do-well, has another son, John, who, to her overweening pride is studying to be a priest. She compensates for her earlier sin, in the eyes of the community, with a ghastly performance of over-religiosity, though all her craw-thumping doesn't dissuade another venomous character, a "shuiler" (a traveller and mendicant) named Marse Prendergast from blackmailing her on a regular basis.

The parish priest seems mainly motivated by money, and consorting with the strong farmers described routinely as "land-grabbers". Anyway, people only go to chapel "as a measure of respectability" - there's hardly a shred of Christian charity among the whole community.

The postmistress is nothing short of criminal, spending her time either steaming open private letters in the post, or composing poison pen missives to ruin some innocent person's life. The village police sergeant is described as stupid and coarse.

Predictably, the plot leads to a tragic ending for almost everyone, with hardly a single redemptive note.

When Squinting Windows was first published, some found it vastly entertaining, and at a pub in Delvin, the landlord started reading it aloud, "to bawdy jeers and whoops of hilarity", (as Padraic O'Farrell writes in his study The Burning of Brinsley MacNamara.)

But then the landlord halted. He came to a passage which was clearly about his own wife, described as "a notably hard woman the hardest woman in Garradrimna. Her childlessness had made her so" In the book she is Mrs Brannagan, but she was subsequently identified as Anne Clyne, who was indeed childless: she had lost two babies at birth. Cruel.

The schoolteacher, Mrs Wyse in the book, is portrayed as slothful, malicious and negligent: in real life, she was Christina Barry, a "gentle and refined" person. The postmistress, whose real name was Mary Cully, was outraged to see her character painted as a "bitter woman", a venomous "barrenold maid" who routinely perverts the course of the postal service.

Not having swanky lawyers to defend their reputations, the villagers of Delvin burned the book, and boycotted MacNamara's father. (MacNamara's real name was John Weldon, and his schoolteacher father was James, who had indeed been involved in local disputes, and drank more than he should have.)

It all became a great literary sensation: and even 40 years later, visitors to Delvin were advised not to refer to the Squinting Windows reputation. All participants are now dead, and the book's notoriety today is probably more in the way of a tourist attraction.

But it remains a vicious portrayal of a small community's gossip and back-biting. One American critic wrote that the women in the village were "both victims and aggressors"; the men too were seen as being "ruined" by assaults on their reputation.

Thank heaven life is no longer like that! Thank goodness people today have become gentler and kinder. You would never find such spite, malice, personal abuse, bullying, jealousy, or anonymous messages of hate and resentment nowadays.

Oh, wait a minute: have we visited Twitter recently? Have we studied the social media that causes sensitive young girls to kill themselves because such hurtful things are said? Yes, The Valley of the Squinting Windows is no longer located in a village community: it's on the internet, in full bloom. Human nature doesn't change!A two day course on Batik, an ancient fabric dyeing technique which uses wax on cloth, takes place on Saturday and Sunday in Creative Spark. Tunde Toth will show different ways of using wax applications for dyeing fabric, creating multicoloured patterns and images. The workshop takes place from 10am to 4pm. To book a place (140 including materials and lunch both days) contact 9385720 or email hello@creativespark.ie

Cruinne na nOg

Cruinne na nOg returns to the wonderful setting of Mellifont Abbey on Sunday June 15 with a host of activities for all the family. There will be storytelling, treasure trials, music, drawing workshops, and performances by local youth theatre groups. Archealogist Geraldine Stout will lead a fun filled trial of Mellifont and there will be a chance to play some traditional games. There will be a food and craft market. This is a free event and no booking is required.

AIMS nods

Two local groups have received nominations for the hotly contested The Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS) annual awards. Dundalk Musical Society have been nominated for Best Technical Presentation, Lighting, Set & Sound for their production of The Addams Family.

S.O.N.G have received a nomination for Best Choreography for their production of Annie.

The winners of the awards will be announced in Killarney.

Blues On The Bay

Blues fans should head north to the 21st International Guinness Blues Festival taking which gets underway in Warrenpoint tomorrow (Wednesday). The festival features 90 plus gigs with a line up of top blues and jazz acts from Ireland, UK, America and further afield including Rob Strong, Cormac Neeson, Ralph McLean, the Pat McManus Band, Ronnie Greer, Mirenda, the Robin Bibi Band, Big Dog Mercer, and Vanessa Harbek. The poster, by the way, features a painting by Dundalk artist Micheal Duffy. For full details go to www.bluesonthebay.comLocal chamber choir Clermont Chorale recently returned from their travels to Rome where they sang in St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican and in the Irish College.

The choir had been invited last year to go travel to Rome to provide the liturgical music for the Sunday afternoon Mass in St Peter's.

Musical Director Irene Barr explained how plans for the trip evolved over the past number of months.

'One of our choir members Audrey Arthure is friendly with Brother Christopher Kierans, who is originally from Drogheda but in based in Rome for many years. One of his roles in the Vatican was to invite choirs to perform in St Peter's. While he recently retired, he arranged for our visit to take place before he left.'

'I had to submit a programme of possible hymns and Liturgical settings to Maestro Capone who is in charge of all music performed in St Peter's. Everything had to be appropriate in both a musical and liturgical sense and we settled on a wide range of music from the 16th century to the 20th, including an Irish composer, Fintan O Carroll.'

She said that the choir thoroughly enjoyed the experience of singing in the exquisite splendour of St Peter's and sang beautifully.

'Earlier in the day we visited the Pontifical Irish College where we had been invited to provide the music for the first Mass of a newly ordained priest. This was a really special occasion for the choir and we received a wonderfully warm welcome in the college.'

Clermont Chorale will wrap up a busy year of performing with an afternoon concert in Annaverna House in late June.Irene Woods and Paul Hayes at the North Louth Artists EdgeArt Exhibition in An Tain Arts Centre

'The people of Dundalk are fortunate to have such a gathering of artists in their midst,' Michael Gaynor of Dundalk Chamber of Commerce commented as he opened the North Louth Artists' annual exhibition in The Basement Gallery last Thursday.

As always the show is an eclectic collection of work by locally based artists working in a variety of genres and medium.

Stand out pieces include Omin's bright pieces, strongly informed by his street art practice, John O'Connor's abstracted landscapes bursting with the colours of an Irish summers, Paula Eigenheer's skilled pastels of the Irish countryside, and Rosemary Warren's jewel hued watercolours. Irene Woods and Gerry Clarke play to their strengths, presenting vignettes of Irish life. Guest exhibitor Anna Campbell has contributed striking bronze pieces.

The group is 'incredible important to work of An Tain Arts Centre,' said director Paul Hayes, saying that their aim is to make space available to professional artists in Dundalk.

Congratulating the artists on putting together 'such a wonderful and vibrant work,' Michael noted that the group had celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.

He recalled that the first exhibition was held in Ballymascanlon Hotel in 1968 and it was now 'one of the premier showcases of visual arts and sculpture in Ireland'.

He highlighted importance of the visual arts in an era dominated by 'always on' social media which was creating an ever more regulated society where creative expression was hard to find.

'The arts give a platform for self expression,' he said, and he urged the business community to support the arts, noting that displays of fine art can improve workspaces.

The North Louth Painter's exhibition Edge, featuring work by Sandra Bell, Gerry Clarke, Irene Woods, Rosemary Warren, Derek Bell, Paual Eigenheer, Patrick Conyngham, Siobhan Conyngham, Ciara Agnew, John O'Connor, Omin, and Robert Kelly, along with guest artist Anna Campbell, continues at The Basement Gallery until Saturday June 1.Students from St Vincent's Secondary School did the Wee County proud when they competed in the

Student Enterprise National Finals in Croke Park recently,

A team from the school won the award for the Most Effective Use of Social Media. They were presented with their award on stage by the Minister for Trade & Employment Pat Breen T.D., Oisin Geoghegan of the Local Enterprise Offices and Michael Nevin, Chair of the Enterprise Education Committee for the LEOs.

The winning students were: Piper Kelly, Sarah Clarke and Kirsten Doherty, who worked under the guidance of their teacher, James Doyle. Their student enterprise project was called Sister Scrunchies, which designed and sold hair ties/scrunchies.

The St. Vincent's students fought off stiff competition to win this prize. The team from the Local Enterprise Office Louth were in Croke Park to offer them support and encouragement.

Over 26,000 students from 480 schools took part in the Student Enterprise Programme 2019. Starting every September, the enterprise education initiative helps students gain the skills and practical knowledge of running a real-life business. From the 26,000 who took part, 222 students aged between 13-18 made it to the National Final in Croke Park.

Congratulating this year's winners and their schools, Minister Breen said: 'These student entrepreneurs are the future of Irish business and job creation across the country. The skills attained by these young students during the Student Enterprise Programme will be invaluable to these young entrepreneurs and provide them with a fantastic foundation for a future in business.'

Thomas McEvoy, Head of Enterprise with Local Enterprise Office Louth said: "Congratulations to the students of St. Vincent's on winning this prestigious national award in Croke Park this week, which recognises all their hard work."

Liam Reilly, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, commended the students on their National final win saying: 'Louth County Council is very proud to support the Student Enterprise Programme through the Local Enterprise Office and is delighted to have another team from Louth secure national success. We hope the programme has given all the students who participated at both County and National level a positive flavour of enterprise and entrepreneurship.'Preparations for Seek, Dundalk's inaugural urban arts festival, moved from the drawing board to the streets last week as painting began on three town centre buildings which will become canvasses for internationally renowned street artists next month.

The festival, which is being organised by Dundalk BIDS and Creative Spark, with sponsorship from Colour Trend, Creative Ireland and Louth County Council, will run from June 15 to 22.

The event sees artists creating large scale murals detailing aspects of the town's history on buildings at Rampart Lane, Francis Street and Patrick Street, as well as a workshop for children and teenagers and walking tours of the town centre.

BIDS Manager Martin McElligott said that volunteers have been busy prepping the walls of the three buildings with paint supplied by their main sponsor Colourtrend and height equipment from Dromad Hire.

'We are looking forward to the festival taking place next month and hopefully becoming an annual event.'

Artist Barry Finnegan of Thinking Cap Design explained: 'This is something we have been keen to do for so long that it's great to see it happening. We are a month out from the festival and everything is starting to falling place.'

'It's an absolutely privilege to be involved in this and I am pinching myself that it is actually happening but it has come out of a lot of hard work.'

He said that public awareness about the festival is growing as people see the preparation work being carried out on the side of the Hotel Imperial, Bunny's Icecream Parlour and the Cuchulainn Bar.

'What is unique to Seek is that each of the artists have been given a brief as usually at street art festivals, they have no brief,' he explains. 'They have also been given a week to complete their pieces which means that they will have plenty of time to complete their work in comfort and people will also be able to see how they work.'

This means that a mural dedicated to the renowned Dundalk engineer Peter Rice will be created by local street artist OMIN at Rampart Lane, Dublin artist AchesDub will be doing a piece about Edward the Bruce, at Francis Street, just across the road from where he is reported to have been crowned the last high king of Ireland, while James Earley, also from Dublin, has been tasked with painting Cuchulainn on the side of the Cuchulainn Bar.

The festival will also see Dundalk artist Sean McGuill leading an urban art workshop for children and teenagers at the Market Square on Saturday June 16, while walking tours of the artwork, explaining the project as well as the history and culture of the town, will take place during the week.

Anyone who would like to volunteer to get involved during the festival, either in assisting the artists or giving guided tours can do so by via the seekdundalk Facebook page.Local make up artist and blogger Rosie Kirk was named as the Social Media Influencer of the Year at the Irish Makeup Awards in Dublin recently.

The Roche native, who now lives in Mullaghbawn with her husband Martin and their two children, Mamie Rose and Charlie, was thrilled to receive the award at the highly contested event which featured top makeup artists and bloggers from around the country.

'It's lovely to get recognition for something I work so hard at. I'm lucky that I love my job,' she said.

This was a tremendous achievement for Rosie who swapped a career in book keeping to be a makeup artist following the birth of her son Charlie five years ago.

'He spent a lot of time in hospital and I needed a career where I could be at home with him, so I did a course in Belfast and it took off from there. I had always loved makeup but never thought I'd make money from it.'

However, Rosie's practical and down to earth approach, as well as her funky style, soon earned her legions of customers, and then, as she dipped her toe into the world of social media, thousands of followers.

She is a breath of fresh air in the often fake world of Instagram and Facebook and her policy of keeping it real resonates with her followers.

'I'm nearly 40 and I like to use products that is more suited for more mature skin,' she said. 'I try out products and do tutorials showing customers how they can achieve a certain look.'

'The makeup industry is aimed at a young market and Instagram is full of young woman in their teens and twenties.'

In this world of Kardashian look-a-likes, Rosie stands out as she likes to keep it real.

'I like to enhance the beauty of a lady instead of covering it up,' she says.

As the busy mother of two, she says her followers see her as she is. 'It's the real me on my social media accounts. There's no point in fooling your followers. They see me doing real things, picking the kids up from school, doing the dinners and housework. We don't all have time to spend an hour in the morning doing our face so I like to share the tips that work for me.'

Rosie also loves fashion and her funky style makes her stand out from the crowd. 'I dress to my body shape- I know my good points and my flaws!'

As well as developing her social media profile, which sees her having over 11,000 followers on Facebook and over 10,400 followers in Instagram, Rosie works as a freelance make up artist in Carlingford where she specialises in bridal makeup and hen parties.

She also has her own studio in Mullaghbawn and gives one to one lessons, sharing her tips with her clients.

She also volunteers with the Irish Cancer Society's Look Good Feel Better programme, showing ladies undergoing cancer treatment how to use makeup to improve their appearance.

And despite her success as a social media influencer, Rosie has got her priorities right.

'When they children are there, I put my phone away - they are the priority.'Dundalk's newest school, Colaiste Chu Chulainn has welcomed their new Deputy Principal, Mr Richard Melaniphy to their senior management team.

Principal Mr Thomas Sharkey welcomed Mr Richard Melaniphy as deputy principal having served for eight years as the vice principal of Newry High School.

A teacher of Geography, French, PE and Music, Mr Melaniphy has been teaching for 20 years in a number of large inclusive schools in Brighton, Cyprus, Bath and Newry. He has been living in Blackrock for the last 14 years together with his wife Brenda and two children.

'I am honoured to now serve as a Deputy Principal within a community I fell in love with 14 years ago when I first moved to Dundalk. It is a privilege I relish and believe it is now my time to give something back to a community that has looked after me so well,' he said.

Richard joins a young, energetic and vibrant senior management team, led by the principal and four newly appointed Assistant Principals, Dundalk natives Ms Neasa Ni Chonluain and Mr Ciaran Fisher, Ms Maria Nic Eochaidh, from Dunleer, and Ms Blaithin Ui Riodal.Samantha Gilligan and Samantha Waring with a group in The Holy Family Parish Community Creche during National Pyjama Day. Photos: Aidan Dullaghan/NEWSPICS

There was great fun and excitement when staff and children at the Holy Family Parish Community Creche and Claddagh's Treasures Early Years took part in National Pyjama Day, raising an incredible 980 for charity.

Children and staff dressed up in their PJ's to celebrate this event on Friday May 10 in conjunction with Early Childhood Ireland. This is a special event as it celebrates children having fun as well as helping other children.

The Holy Family Parish and Community Creche has taken part in this event every year since it was first started.

All funds raised go to six chosen charities which are Down Syndrome Ireland, Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland, Irish Neonatal Health Alliance, Temple Street Foundation, AsIAm and ReCreate.

Each year the staff and children in The Holy Family Parish Community Creche and Claddagh's Treasures look forward to the event and the team would like to thank the parents or guardians of the children for their co-operation in helping to make this such a successful event.

This is an exciting year for the Holy Family Parish Community Creche CLG as it marks their 25th anniversary in September. A special programme of events will take place to mark that occasion.Emergency beds in Bray will close at the end of this month, the 12 beds in the cold weather initiative having been extended from their original closing date.

Their was relief in recent weeks with an indefinite extension, however that quickly turned to disappointment when it emerged that the emergency homeless beds would not be available next month.

Speaking in the Dail last week, Deputy John Brady said: 'This week I attended the funeral of a young homeless man who died in Bray last week. He had been sleeping in a tent as a result of the housing crisis. He died in that tent having been failed by this Government's housing policy.' Mr Brady was referring to the late Krzysztof Rudnicki, whose funeral took place in Bray last Tuesday.

'Within days of this young man passing away those using the 12 emergency beds have been notified that it will close at the end of this month,' said the TD. 'People are dying on our streets and the very measly measures being put in place by this Government to prevent this, are being shut down. I have asked Minister Murphy today in the Dail directly and I ask him again now. How many more people without a home unable to access emergency accommodation have to die on our streets before the Government acknowledge that their housing plan Rebuilding Ireland is not working?'

Bray East Sinn Fein representative Grace McManus said that the 12 emergency beds which opened before Christmas hadn't even met the demand in County Wicklow.

'These 12 emergency winter beds opened before Christmas never even met demand in Wicklow. There has been a consistent waiting list to gain access to the emergency beds yet; despite this a decision has been made to close these beds. It is absolutely shameful,' she said.

The 12 beds were due to become unavailable back in March and after an intervention from Deputy John Brady it was agreed to keep them open for an additional month.

It was agreed to keep them open for a further month, and this was under review. Those availing of the beds have now been informed that they have until the end of May.

Cllr Dermot 'Daisy' O'Brien said that between December and February there was a 25 per cent increase in Wicklow of people in emergency accommodation. 'These figures however don't reflect the real story of homelessness as many people are not offered any form of emergency accommodation and are forced to stay with family or friends and don't appear in these stats as homeless,' said Cllr O'Brien.

'Unfortunately due to the government's failure to put in place policies to tackle the crisis there is a huge demand for emergency homeless accommodation in Wicklow and to close 12 beds down at any point is totally unacceptable.'

He said that as long as the housing and homeless crisis remains unresolved, there needs to be homeless accommodation.Watching the Late Late Toy Show is a family tradition in the Bownes' house, one which sees the entire family snuggle up on the couch for an evening of Tubridy and toys every December.

And while this is a predominately happy occasion, Ireland's favourite festive show can sometimes tug at the heartstrings.

'We were watching the Toy Show last year and a girl on there had cancer and had lost all of her hair,' recalls Niamh Bownes. 'My daughter Isobel was very moved by what she saw and said she wanted to help make a wig for a child so they could feel happy or good about themselves.'

And, when it came to donating hair, ten-year-old Isobel was better placed than most. Sporting a 20-inch mane which flowed almost down to her knees, the Delgany girl had been growing her hair since the day she was born, never once having it cut.

Suggesting to her daughter that if she were to get her hair cut she could raise some money for charity in the process, Niamh watched on as Isobel sprung into action, identifying local charity The Gavin Glynn Foundation as one which would benefit from her assistance. The charity provides vital relief for families already struggling with the financial implications of a serious illness.

The first person to donate to the cause was Isobel's brother, Nathan. 'As soon as she said she was going to do it, her nine-year old brother Nathan ran upstairs and got 10 out of his piggy bank,' said Niamh.

In addition to raising funds for charity, Isobel decided to donate her hair to the Rapunzel Foundation in New Ross, but not before an important date in her diary had passed. 'She wanted to keep the hair for her eleventh birthday party,' Niamh said, adding, 'she was very proud of it, her hair was her identity. When people met her they always commented on it.'

When the time to have it cut the family chose to go the Visit Hair Salon in Eden Gate, Delgany. And staff there ensured the big moment was as stress-free as possible. 'They were great with her in the hairdressers, so kind and caring, they even did it for free,' Niamh said.

Happy with the end result, and the 2,316 raised for The Gavin Glynn Foundation, Isobel's actions have had a knock-on effect among her peers.

'A number of children in her school have had their hair cut and donated it now too,' said Niamh.

'I'm beyond proud of her, to do that at such a young age shows she has a good social conscience.'The greatest joy turned to darkest distress last Thursday morning, when Seamus Lawless, having scaled Mount Everest, fell and was declared missing.

Shay achieved his lifelong dream that morning when he reached the peak of the mountain. Tragically, on his descent, Seamus slipped, in the balcony area near the summit, and has been missing since.

The Seacrest man was the first person from Bray, and the second from County Wicklow, ever to reach the top of the world's highest mountain, as part of the 'Ireland on Everest' mountaineering team.

A GoFundMe page established by his family to help with search efforts had amounted to more than 250,000 at the time of going to press. They want to gather a team of expert Sherpas to locate their beloved Shay.

According to the crowdfunding page, the insurance company that had provided a policy are currently not providing assistance with the search operation.

Searching was postponed over the weekend due to bad weather in the region.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney has said that the Irish Government will provide whatever assistance possible as the search for Mr Lawless continues.

Shay, an assistant professor at Trinity College, was determined to reach the summit of Everest before turning 40 in July, and was also raising funds for the children's charity Barretstown.

Mr Coveney told This Week on RTE Radio 1 on Sunday that he has spoken to Shay's wife Pamela a number of times. 'She is a remarkable woman, and she's going through a nightmare that many of us simply can't imagine,' he said. 'We are willing to offer any support we can, either financial or organisational. She knows that.'

The couple are parents to a young daughter.

Speaking to the Bray People in January, Shay said that 'this will be a momentous occasion for the town of Bray, and mark an achievement on a global scale'. The late Ian McKeever of Roundwood preceded Seamus up the famous peak in 2007. Ian was killed by a lightning strike on Kilimanjaro in 2013.

Prior to taking on Everest, Seamus climbed two 6,500 peaks in the Himalayas in 2016, and Denali in Alaska last summer.

A native of James Everett Park, Seamus went to Ravenswell and St Peter's primary schools as well as St Thomas' Community College before going on to study computer science at Trinity.

He had been in Nepal since April to acclimatise to the altitude and conditions.

Seamus had been drawn to the mountains from a young age. 'One of my earliest memories of that was my dad giving me a centre pull-out from a national geographic of the route up the south face of Everest, I had it on my wall for years,' he told the Bray People earlier this year. 'I toyed with the idea a few times over my life before it started becoming potentially feasible. One of the things we want to do this for is to inspire young people and show them anything is possible if you work hard and dedicate yourself.'Students from Loreto in Bray were presented with prizes last Wednesday for their achievements throughout the school year.

Senior prefects made a presentation on behalf of the student community to deputy principal Margaret Wainwright at the end of the event, to congratulate her on her retirement.

Awards were given to groups of students in each of the years for outstanding academic achievement during the year.

The Sr Orla Treacy Junior Cycle student of the year award was established last year to recognise students who espouse the philanthropic and selfless values of Sr Orla. Last year the first winner of the award was Samantha Chigwedere, and this year it was Ciara Donohue.

The culture award was presented to Chloe Donnelly, while Eva Roche was the winner of academic student of the year.

Chinese is a popular subject in Loreto, and students who earned certificates from the UCD Confucius Institute were presented with their awards for their Chinese studies.

Rachel Casey was the overall Chinese award winner.

Other winners included Alannah McEvoy (Loreto Education Trust Joy Award); Rachel Rice (Sports Student of the Year); and Moreblessing Chigwadere, who was presented with the Lions Club Student of the Year award.St Mary's & St Gerard's parents association hosted their annual family fun day last weekend at the school.

The afternoon was most enjoyable. The fun day is the main school fundraiser for the year and all proceeds will go towards the cost of completely replacing the school year.

The yard is in hazardous condition, and the goal is 35,000. The fund has so far exceeded 20,000.

The day included fun fairs, bric-a-brac, bouncy castles, workshops and more.

A monster raffle included a host of prizes donated from within the community.

The top prize was a ruby and diamond ring, with other prizes including cash, vouchers, days out, hotel breaks and much more.

There was also an auction with the item up for grabs a signed Liverpool away jersey.

There was a performance by the Dowling School of Dance.

Copeswood Aviaries were there to show off some exotic animals, including a Burmese python.

Children enjoyed having their faces painted and taking part in games and activities.

There was also plenty for the adults to enjoy, including some delicious food stalls.

Everyone got to pick up more than a few bargains at stalls selling everything from books and toys, to crafts goldfish.

It was all hands on deck as parents organised every aspect of the event from start to finish.A selection from the Boss Murphy Churchtown Collection of traditional Irish music tunes - that have lain dormant for over 80 years - have been brought to exciting, vibrant life through the genius of Buttevant's Alan Finn and his Shandrum Ceili Band. This is through a CD, which was launched at St Mary's Church, Buttevant, last Saturday evening.

The tunes came from a collection amassed by John 'Boss' Murphy of Leap, Churchtown, Buttevant, when he started a two-year project to create a written record of the traditional tunes from the repertoire of North Cork musicians in 1933.

'The Boss' collected a total of 258 tunes, and these were collated by Dr Colette Moloney of Charleville and published in 2003 as the 'Boss Murphy Musical Legacy'.

Last Saturday night, against the backdrop of the magnificent chancel window at St Mary's Church in Buttevant, a packed audience heard Alan Finn and the Shandrum Ceili Band perform a scintillating concert, which delighted the attendance.

It featured the tracks from the Boss Murphy CD, which demonstrated that the music of North Cork equals the traditional music that emanates from either Kerry, Clare or Sligo. Boss Murphy's grandson, Gerry Murphy from Churchtown, in an address at the end of the concert, said that John Murphy's dream had taken 84 years from start to finish.

"But it was well worth the wait, and my grandfather could not have imagined that the Shandrum Ceili Bank - the very best ceili band in Ireland - would record over 30 airs from his collection. This Shandrum Ceili Band recording is the pinnacle of what could be achieved and means our local traditional music from the late 1800s and early 1900s will be preserved in every format possible for future generations.

"We are indebted to Dr Colette Moloney from Charleville, who took my grandfather's handwritten manuscripts that had lain undisturbed on top of a wardrobe in the family home for 70 years, and published the complete collection in 2003. We are grateful to the Shandrum Ceili Band, who have recorded 15 tracks and over 30 tunes," he said.

Mr Murphy thanked Alan Finn for his commitment to this recording project, saying it was Alan who arranged all the music and select the 30 tunes from the 258 available airs.

John Francis 'Boss' Murphy was born in Leap, Churchtown, on November 16, 1875. He was the son of William 'Boss' Murphy, who was born in 1831 at Egmont, Churchtown.

Both the Murphys were interested in traditional Irish music, but it fell to John, who could read and write music, to record in writing for posterity the tunes of the area.

He started the mammoth task of writing down all the tunes he was familiar with from North Cork, in the early 20th century, when he became concerned that the music he loved was under threat.There was much rejoicing across Duhallow this week, with the announcement of the shortlisted finalists of the Silver Surfer Awards which sees the Three Paddies - Paddy Buckley, Paddy McAuliffe and Paddy Tobin in the final three of the 'Hobbies on the Net' Category, and Sean Radley in the Community Champion section.

This is the 10th year of the Silver Surfer Awards, the aim of which is to raise awareness among older people of the benefits of being online and to encourage those who have not gone online to give it a try. Almost one in five adults have never used the internet - that's more than 550,000 people.

The Awards Ceremony will be held in the Helix Theatre, DCU, Dublin 7 on Tuesday the 28th of May.

The three Paddys are a familiar sight at most community events around Duhallow with cameras, photo equipment and microphones always on hand. Paddy McAuliffe (Castlemagner), Paddy Tobin (Castlemagner) and Paddy Buckley (Banteer) combined their talents first on the IRD Duhallow LEADER funded Memory through Media Programme.

Their recent project has seen them recording the life stories of older people in the community and 'archiving their memories' for future generations.

They have completed almost 30 of these DVDs which include wonderful old photographs and are accompanied with poignant music, these DVDs are treasured by family members, especially children and grandchildren living abroad.

Sean Radley is a man who certainly needs no introduction and is an integral part of the Millstreet community. A community champion in every sense, he is an active contributor to Millstreet.ie as well as a presenter on the online radio programme Cork's Radio Treasures, and a founding member of the Millstreet Gramophone Club.

Jack Roche, chairman of IRD Duhallow's Saoi Network commented: "These four individuals undertake a huge amount of work in the community on a voluntary capacity, and we are delighted to see them get the recognition they deserve, on a national stage".A woman who lost her partner and father of her three children when he was hit by a van driver when emerging from a dangerous junction in North Cork has described his death "as a stupid waste of a young life".

Tina Carey told Cork Circuit Criminal Court in a victim impact statement that her partner, Patrick O'Keeffe (35) from Mitchelstown "has been cheated of the life he had built, the family he loved and all because someone couldn't concentrate while behind the wheel of a vehicle".

Ms Carey was speaking after Daniel Kelly (54) of Hillside, Rostellan, Midleton, was found guilty by a jury of dangerous driving causing the death of Mr O'Keeffe on July 28, 2017 at Bridgelands East, Rathcormac.

Kelly had already admitted the lesser charge of careless driving causing death and he wrote a letter of apology to the family of the deceased, who agreed to meet with him privately after the sentencing hearing, the court heard.

Ms Carey told the court that Mr O'Keeffe was "a hardworking man who loved the craic" and he was always there to lend a helping hand to whoever needed it, and is a big loss to his family and community where he did a lot of fund-raising for people.

She said that he loved his job as an electrician and loved a challenge, and in the last few years he was the main driver behind the D'hillbillies Mud Run in Mitchelstown and his death had left a huge void in her life and the lives of their three sons.

"We are broken, devastated and still bewildered at what has happened. Bottom line is: Pa is gone, he can't come back.

"He was my partner and we had been together for 16 and 1/2 years. He was a dad, a son, a brother and a friend to many.

"Pa loved his family. He loved life and lived everyday to the full. He never stopped and he had the heartiest laugh. Sometimes I still think I can hear him laughing. I am gone from planning our future to being a lone parent of three boys.

"I know life goes on, as so many people keep telling me, but it doesn't mean it's easy. We have lost our future together, growing old together, doing our travelling and enjoying our kids together. We have been robbed."

Judge Sean O Donnabhain said Kelly emerged from a byroad on to the old Dublin-Cork road at Barry's Bridge outside Rathcormac, which was a difficult junction and all the more so on this occasion as the defendant was turning right on to it.

Kelly was faced with an oncoming van turning into the by-road as he was exiting on to the main road. "That caused him to think his path of travel was free but there was - outside the turning vehicle - a motorcycle on which the unfortunate deceased was riding.

"It had fatal consequences - the act of emerging when he could not have known his way was clear was dangerous," said Judge O Donnabhain, adding that while Kelly had denied a charge of dangerous driving he had always admitted careless driving causing death, thereby admitting his wrongdoing.

Judge O Donnabhain said that there were absolutely no aggravating factors on Kelly's part, such as speed or alcohol, while Mr O'Keeffe had done everything correctly, being on his correct side and not speeding, and yet he was killed.

"It is a salutary lesson to everyone who sits behind the wheel - we are all casual and neglectful in our driving on occasions," said Judge O Donnabhain as he imposed a six-month suspended sentence on Kelly and disqualified him from driving for four years.In the last 25 years the very fabric of Irish culture has undergone a series of profound changes that have reshaped how we live and how we think about ourselves.

This Friday when we go to the polls to decide on the Local and European Election we will also be asked if we want to see further liberalisation of our divorce laws.

While the elections themselves don't appear to have captured the public imagination in any great manner, the reaction to the divorce referendum is perhaps the most fascinating.

The divorce referendum which, if passed, will see the law changed to allow divorces after two years of separation, looks set to pass by a significant margin.

That in itself isn't particularly surprising. What is far more interesting is the lack of interest in the referendum. Put simply, many people don't know or just don't care about it.

It is remarkable given how, back in 1995, the divorce vote was one of the most bitterly contested and close run referendums the country has ever seen.

Things have changed a lot since then. In the intervening years we have legalised same sex marriage and abortion and the influence of the church has been shattered as the country transformed into a progressive, modern nation.

One has to wonder what's next? We face many important issues - from homelessness to the environment to give just two examples - but in terms of future referendums the legalisation of regulation of cannabis is sure to be close to the top of the pile.

Last year Leo Varadkar's Government said it was considering decriminalising possession of small quantities of cannabis. Three countries and several US states have gone further and legalised it entirely.

Just this week major concerns about legalisation were raised by a group of over 25 leading doctors who wrote an open letter voicing the fears about increasing health-related problems from cannabis use. The doctors say they see the risks and harms of cannabis on a day-to-day basis and they fear Ireland is sleepwalking into a liberal cannabis regime.

To be clear, a referendum would not be strictly necessary to legalise cannabis - Dail approval would be enough - but given the potential impacts on public life and health you would hope the people would be given a say.

Whatever happens, we need an informed debate on the issue.

The doctors' group has valid concerns and they should be addressed. There are certainly benefits to legalising cannabis as have been seen in countries like the Netherlands - including reducing associated crime and bringing in millions in tax revenues - but unquestionably there are risks.

Anyone who claims there are no health risks from cannabis - especially the newer ultra strong strains - need only spend a few hours in an Irish mental health facility to disavow themselves of the notion.

This is not a decision to rush into. It requires a full and reasoned debate.

That will take time and thankfully we have plenty.Part of the protest at KCC offices in Tralee over the councils decision to give the go-ahead to a battery facility in Ballydesmond. Photo: Domnick Walsh

Nora Dennehy and Sean ORouke from Ballydesmond. A protest was held at the Kerry County Council offices in Tralee over the Councils decision to give the go-ahead to a battery facility in Ballydesmond. Photoby Dominick Walsh

The community of Ballydesmond have been left down by Kerry County Council and are now facing what they claim are catastrophic implications that their planning decisions will have on the community according to spokesperson, Fred OSullivan.

He was speaking at a protest at Kerry County Council on Monday morning ahead of the monthly meeting by residents of Ballydesmond who are angered and upset by Kerry County Council decision to granting planning for a battery storage facility at Ballinahulla in Ballydesmond despite hundreds of objections from local residents who fear for their safety and health because of this new technology, which is being used to store electricity from renewable resources for the grid.

The protesters feel that management of Kerry County Council are more focused on business than the community and their health and well-being and future are in danger because of the battery storage compound.

The planning decision is being appealed to An Bord Pleanala and protesters have vowed to take the fight to the Supreme court if necessary.

Anita OSullivan Wharton feels that the battery storage compound is jeopardising the future of their community and of their children.

Among the fears cited is that of a fire which could lead to toxic smoke in the community.

The compound is 2k from the village and less than 700m from some houses.

We are disgusted. It is bringing tears that our homes will be no more. I dont know how they could have done this to us.

We will not stand for it. We will fight, she added.

Nora Dennehy said that the worry is that who is responsible for the compound?

They tell us there is a robust alarm system but who is responsible. Will it be some-one in China. What if they sell it?. Im enraged at the decision, she said.

Some gathered at the protest to also voice their concerns at the planned Gneeveguilla windfarm and have pleaded for longer set-back distances for turbines.

Local community says battery unit could be a fire hazard

Giving a green light for a battery storage unit in Ballydesmond was done without much regard for the people of the area, claimed one protester at this week's demonstration outside Kerry County Council on Monday.

That was the view point of Mary O'Connell who lives in the village and who said her greatest fear is that the battery units will go on fire and emit toxic smoke.

"I am only about one mile from Ballinahulla and I am very worried. If such a fire happens it will have a toxic effect for people, for the environment and for our health and our children's future," she claimed.

"People do not want these battery units in Ballinahulla. In my view, they are absolutely negative. There was a great fighting community spirit on Monday at the public protest and we plan to take this all the way," said Mary.

Mary says that the battery compound is the "last straw for the community."

"Ballydesmond was first hit with an onslaught of wind turbines and now it is the battery storage unit. It is the last straw. I attended the public meetings and became very involved with the community as people do not want them. Who would buy a house in Ballydesmond with these batteries around the place?," she asked.

She also claimed that from the research undertaken on battery units they are not "supposed to be close to houses, people or children," but yet Kerry County Council granted permission for 40 in Ballinahulla.

"This is hugely daunting for people in the area and people are becoming very aware of their potential danger especially fire as the smoke is toxic. There is a huge fighting spirit in Ballydesmond and we are very determined to keep them out," she said.

In April this year, KCC granted planning permission to Redfaze Ltd, who are based in Lissrada, with conditions attached. The conditions attached include the installation of a "robust alarm system to be put in place" and that Redfaze Ltd put in place a noise complaint procedure.

The granting of the planning permission is causing serious angst for many people in Ballydesmond and Gneeveguilla who lodged over 60 formal objections along with up to a group signature with over 200 names to Kerry County Council prior to the decision.A number of Laytown families have sought the help of psychics after encountering paranormal activity in their homes.The bizarre occurrences have placed huge strains on family life and have left one family in utter turmoil.In recent months the housing estates of Inse Bay and Seaview Estate have been particularly affected according to some residents.

A number of Laytown families have sought the help of psychics after encountering paranormal activity in their homes.

The bizarre occurrences have placed huge strains on family life and have left one family in utter turmoil.

In recent months the housing estates of Inse Bay and Seaview Estate have been particularly affected according to some residents.

In the case of Jenny, who lives in Seaview Estate, the paranormal occurrences have turned her quiet family life upside down.

She has recently enlisted the help of a psychic to rid her home of two spirits in particular, one of whom she describes as evil.

Jenny described her experiences to the Drogheda Independent this week claiming she may eventually have to exorcise her home.

In the past number of months the young mum of four has experienced being held rigid by the spirit, and at the same time being unable to move or communicate with anyone around her.

At other times she has felt cold shivers crawling along her body as she has taken a bath.

On another occasion she revealed how a strange smell emanated from one of the bedrooms in the house and remained there after repeated cleaning.

Friends and neighbours who have visited the house have described bursting into tears for no apparent reason.

Meanwhile other residents in Seaview Estate have also described being affected by paranormal activity.

A woman who lives near to Jenny said she aims to enlist help from a psychic in order to rid her home of unusual occurrences.

The 27-year-old woman also described being held rigid by an unknown entity unable to communicate while laying on the sofa just two weeks ago.

In a more frightening episode Laytown woman Jenny says she was getting dressed for bed three weeks ago when the entity she described as being pure evil lifted the bottom of her nightdress.

I know the whole thing sounds bizarre but these things are actually happening.

I have no explanation why, she said.

I used to think I was the only one who had experienced these events until I met other women with similar problems a few weeks ago.

Last week a childminder stayed in the house and described feeling an arm being placed around her shoulder even though there was no-one in the house at the time.

On the same day the childminder also described being unable to breathe while sitting in the sitting room and repeatedly crying for no reason.

There are times when I go numb, I cant talk and have chills across my body, especially when Im in the sitting room, said Jenny.

In recent days a well-known psychic visited her home and experienced the presence of at least two spirits in the house.

While trying to cleanse the house three days ago, and in particular the room with the irregular odour, a highly unusual event occurred, said Jenny.

The psychic burned candles in each room trying to rid the house of spirits and in the room with the odour the small tea candles burned a black circle around the candle while the wax burned inside.

Even the psychic couldnt understand what happened, she added.

The Drogheda Independent has also learned of occurrences in nearby Inse Bay.

In one case a young child is consistently awoken each hour by a strange entity.

The family recently enlisted the help of a psychic who revealed the tragic death of the spirits child.

In light of the above some anguished residents have told this newspaper they may seek the help of members of the clergy to exorcise their homes.

Jenny has called on local historians to detail the exact history of the lands prior to becoming a residential area.

Everyone wants to know whether this place was a battlefield or graveyard or whatever.

But it would be nice to know, she added.Cllr Willie Kavanagh, chairman Enniscorthy Municipal District; Tom Enright, CE Wexford Co Council, Minister Boxer Moran, Minister Paul Kehoe and Cllr Keith Doyle, chairman Wexford Co. Council at the launch of the Enniscorthy Drainage Scheme Public Exhibition of Scheme Documents in Enniscorthy Library

Enniscorthy has been guaranteed 44m for the development of the river Slaney drainage scheme including extensive flood relief works along the riverbank in the town.

At the launch of the public exhibition of the proposed drainage scheme in Enniscorthy library on Friday, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, confirmed to that the money is 'ring-fenced' for the project.

Following the launch the minister spoke to this newspaper about the initiative and said the money is 'absolutely guaranteed' for the project.

During the launch the District Manager, Liz Hore, said it was a very positive day for the town.

Expressing delight at welcoming Minister Moran to the town she said he was making good on a commitment of funding when he was in the town last June.

Addressing the crowd attending the launch Minister Moran highlighted Enniscorthy's history of flooding with the most significant events occurred in 1924, 1947, 1965, 2000 and 2015.

'The residents of Enniscorthy have seen first hand the devastation and loss that flooding can cause to people and their property,' he said.

'I am delighted to be here today to launch the proposed design for the Enniscorthy scheme which will involve significant investment in the town at an estimated cost of 44m [excluding Vat] and which will provide flood protection to 60 residential and 162 commercial properties,' he added.

He also joked that such was the frequency of his visits to Wexford in recent times that: 'the County Manager sees more of me than my wife. I'm like a brother to him.'

'I am delighted to officially open the scheme [for public display],' he said.

'I am also pleased to announced that the 44m cost has been ring-fenced for Enniscorthy here today,' he added.

Minister Moran also highlighted the importance of the public consultation process.

'It's very important and all observations from the public and interested stakeholders will be considered and responded to,' he said.

He went on to comment that 'subject to confirmation of formal approval by the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform' 'it's envisaged that construction will start in early 2020'.

Minister Moran highlighted how there has been cross-party support for the project and he acknowledged the representations made to him by Minister Paul Kehoe with regard to delivering the project for Enniscorthy.

He said he made 'no excuses' for his actions in carrying out his role: 'My job is to protect people and I make no excuses for that.'

Highlighting the ongoing work in Co Wexford he said: 'We are also allowing Wexford Co Council to go for planning [on the proposed Lady's Island project].'

With regard to Enniscorthy he said: 'We said we would deliver on our commitment and we are committed to doing so.'

Minister Paul Kehoe also addressed the launch and said it was a very positive day for Enniscorthy.

'It's very important to move forward with this,' he said.

Describing the launch of the public display as a 'very important occasion' Minister Kehoe commented: 'Everyone knows how long we have been waiting to get to this point. I am delighted that Boxer Moran is here today as the schemes moves to fruition.'

'I know how important it is to the people of the town,' he said.

With regard to the public consultation process he commented: 'It's important we take on board the views of the people.'

However, he welcomed the fact that Minister Moran confirmed that the money for the project was 'ring-fenced'.

'That means it will really be ready to go when the project itself is shovel ready,' he said.

'We know the devastation the flooding for the town and the importance of dealing with it,' he added.

Minister Kehoe also encouraged the people of Enniscorthy to go to the library and view the plan.

'This will make a very positive change for Enniscorthy,' he said.

He thanked the members of the current Municipal District Council and said that despite political differences they were united in their commitment to the scheme.

'I hope the incoming members will have the same commitment,' he said.

The Chairperson of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, Cllr Willie Kavanagh, also addressed the launch and reiterated the sentiments of the two ministers by commenting that it was a very positive event for the town and its people.

He said the town had been affected by flooding too often and highlighted the fact that such an incident had occurred 'as recently' as 2015.

'It resulted in the closure of a national route,' he said.

He added that the elected members represent the people and want the best for them, before commenting: 'The scheme will provide protection for the town and its people.'

He also thanked everyone who had worked on the project to date.

In his capacity as Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Cllr Keith Doyle, said he was delighted to have Minister Moran launch the consultation phase of the scheme.

Highlighting the significance of the project for the town Cllr Doyle also emphasised its significance within the overall context of major projects taking place including the N11 Gorey to Enniscorthy bypass project.

He expressed delight that funding had been allocated, and a contractor appointed, to carry out a feasibility study for the Oylegate to Rosslare road link.

The investment of 16m by Irish Water in the waste water scheme and the advancement of the town's technology park were also underlined by Cllr Doyle as indicative of the way Enniscorthy is progressing.

He also commented on the town's iconic Norman castle and said plans are in place to develop it as a major tourist attraction and focal point of Ireland's Ancient East initiative.

'The Orchard Peace park is opening on Monday,' he said, highlighting another positive project for the town.

The scheme will remain on view for inspection by the public in Enniscorthy library during normal opening hours until 5.30 p.m. on June 18.

It will also be available to view until the same date, at Wexford County Council offices in Carricklawn.

A representative of the OPW, Mott McDonald Consulting Engineers and Roughan & O'Donovan Consulting Engineers, will be in attendance at Enniscorthy library on the following dates to answer questions on the scheme from members of the public: Tuesday, May 28 (10.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.); Wednesday, June 5 (10.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.) and Thursday, June 13 (3 p.m. to 8 p.m.).Enniscorthy is bracing itself for a Norman invasion over the forthcoming June bank holiday weekend.

However, unlike when the Normans first arrived in Ireland this time around the focus of attention will be on storytelling and heritage instead of battles so it will be a real family styled event.

The stories will be relayed in sessions on Enniscorthy castle rooftop and there will also be Norman shield-making events and a living history camp.

The weekend programme of events will form part of a year-long schedule of activities taking place in Wexford to mark the 850th anniversary of the arrival of the Normans to Ireland.

The Norman festival will also form part of this year's annual Strawberry Fair, Street Rhythm and Roots festival.

The festival will open on Friday, May 31, with Norman knights in full attire gathering in the town and they will join the full festival parade at 7.30 p.m. from the promenade.

On Saturday, June 1, guided 'Little Norman Shield-Making workshops' will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. while tales of Norman conquests will be told on the Enniscorthy castle rooftop at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

The castle grounds will also be taken over by the a living history 'keeping up with the Normans' event during which re-enactors will showcase weaponry and share insights into the Norman way of life with visitors to the castle over the weekend.

The camp will then move to Abbey Square in the town centre and will open from 12 noon to 5 p.m. for visitors on Sunday, June 2.

Further details on all of the events taking place over the course of the weekend can be found at www.visitwexford.ie/Norman850.The committee behind the forthcoming Strawberry, Street Rhythms and Roots Festival in Enniscorthy have scored a major coup in securing Grammy award-winning musician, Manoj George, for an appearance in the town during this year's event.

The virtuoso violinist, acclaimed musician, composer and performer has performed at some of the world's premier venues and events including the Miss World pageant and for the United Nations in Geneva.

A spokesperson for the festival organisers said Mr George has been introduced to the festival as a result of his lifelong friendship with Enniscorthy based physician, Dr George Leslie.

The two men come from the same parish in India and prior to his appearance in Enniscorthy Mr George will be performing in Britain.

Dr Leslie is also the first president newly formed Indo-Irish Cultural Society which will aim to bring together members of the Irish and Indian communities through shared culture and heritage.

The society is a non-profit, volunteer organisation, which is free of from race, religion of political affiliation.

The committee spokesperson said the society's mission is to 'preserve, promote and encourage positive attributes of Indian and Irish culture'.

It also plans to enhance social, cultural and community events throughout Ireland.

As part of the festival programme Mr George will perform alongside local ceoltas groups in addition to performing some of his own tunes on violin.

It's hoped he will also perform some Irish songs accompanied by dancers and musicians from the Enniscorthy and Ferns ceoltas group.

'This is such an amazing opportunity for our town,' said the committee spokesperson.

Mr George will perform on the stage in the Market Square on Sunday, June 2, at 4.15 p.m. during the Street Rhythms programme.Strawberry Festival Queen 2018, Ciara Byrne, pictured with this years princesses at the launch of the 52nd Strawberry Fair, Street Rhythms and Roots Festival

This year's Strawberry Fair, Street Rhythms and Roots Festival in Enniscorthy could prove to be the best one ever with an extensive programme of activities planned for the June bank holiday weekend.

The event was launched by Cllr Paddy Kavanagh in D Bar at Treacy's Hotel before a large crowd.

Cllr Kavanagh highlighted the significance of the event for the town and county and he acknowledged the hard work of the organising committee who he said have ensured it will be an event suitable for family members of all ages.

This year will make the 52nd staging of the event and the programme of events will begin on Wednesday, May 29, with the Strawberry Fair Festival Ball and champagne reception in the Riverside Park Hotel.

On Thursday, May 30, activities will include the opening of Enniscorthy camera club's exhibition in the Church Institute on Church Street (at 8 p.m.) and there will also be dog racing at the greyhound track and Enniscorthy Drama Group will feature in a pub night in Holohan's Pub in Slaney Place.

On Friday, May 31, the festival reception will be held in Enniscorthy Castle at 6 p.m. during which Aisling Williams will also perform.

Following the reception the official opening of the festival will take place in the castle will be carried out by Virgin Media One fashion broadcaster, Laura Mullett.

Ms Mullett, who is from Enniscorthy, is also a well known celebrity stylist.

At 7 p.m. that day a festival parade will be held throughout the town featuring Norman re-enactments, dance acts, street performers and musicians with the festival then opening with a kids disco.

There will be great excitement at around 7.30 p.m. when the introduction of this year's Strawberry Princesses will take place followed a performance of Celtic Roots on the stage in Market Square.

On Saturday, June 1, Norman shield workshops will be held at Enniscorthy castle from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., priced 10 per child.

A free 'keeping up with the Normans' event will also be held in the castle from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and storytelling on the castle rooftop is also sure to attract a lot of interest from younger people in attendance.

Africa Day celebrations will also form part of the festival programme with activities taking place in the Presentation Centre from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

It will feature music, food, fashion, arts, an Ethiopian coffee-making ceremony and lots of family activities.

The Strawberry Princesses will be interviewed from the bandstand in Market Square at 7.30 p.m. and there is sure to be a lot of fun with a 'blind date' event at 8.30 p.m.

Among the other activities taking place will be face-painting, balloon modelling and a 'crafts in motion' initiative on Rafter Street.

On Sunday, June 2, music lovers are in for a real treat when Creedence Awakened perform their acclaimed tribute show to Creedence Clearwater Revival on the Market Square bandstand at 8.30 p.m.

That will be preceded by the crowning of the 2019 Strawberry Queen at 7 p.m.

There will also be a local pub trail throughout the weekend and Ferns Comhaltas and friends will bring an Irish trad feel to the event at 9 p.m. on Sunday, June 2.

Copies of the festival programme are available throughout the town and on the event's social media pages.Motor car enthusiasts have something to look forward to in Malahide next weekend with a great family event with rare cars and super cars at its heart.

Some rare and expensive cars will be the big attraction at the Malahide Classic and Vintage Motor Show which will take place at the Grand Hotel in Malahide on Sunday, May 26.

This is the eighth running of the event which now attracts car lovers and families from all across Dublin and Leinster.

The showpiece car will be a very rare 1926 Minerva AF Towncar, a Belgian make once owned by an Irish-American boxer with a history!

Together with up to 100 beautiful old cars on display ranging from Rolls Royce to Jensen, Mustang to Cadillac, Jaguar, Mercedes, Porsche the list goes on.

Malahide Classic and Vintage Motor Show is a charity fundraiser organised by Malahide Lions Club and will open to the public from 11am.

And Malahide Lions Club are delighted to announce a new sponsorship partner this year, in Axa Insurance, Ireland's largest classic car insurer, helping ensure a quality event while raising much needed funds for a great charity.

Entrance to the event will cost 5 per adult or 15 for the whole family with the entire proceeds going to Debra Ireland, the charity supporting those with the severe 'butterfly' skin condition EB.

There will be an audio visual motoring nostalgia display for mum and dad.

For the kids there's ice cream and a play area.

It promises to be a great value event for families and motor enthusiasts alike and all in support of a great cause.

Irish Lions Clubs are members of Lions Clubs International, a community service organisation dedicated to the idea that the men and women who live in a community are in the best position to know who needs help and why.

Clubs around the island of Ireland organise events throughout the year to provide funds to support local people and national and international projects providing practical help where and when it is needed in our local communities.Johnny Logan sings Whats Another Year at the Eurovision Song Contest in The Hague in 1980

Last week's Eurovision result for Sarah McTernan's '22' was one of Ireland's worst in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest as the song failed miserably, recording the lowest score of any entry in either of the two semi finals.

Our top ten from almost 40 years ago is a timely reminder of a time when Ireland could compete at the highest level in the Eurovision.

This was the year a white-suited, fresh faced Johnny Logan (then aged 23) gave Ireland a second Eurovision win, following Dana's victory exactly ten years earlier, with 'All Kinds Of Everything'.

In the final in The Hague, Logan's 'What's Another Year', penned by Shay Healy, claimed victory ahead of the German entry - helped by 12 points to Ireland from the German jury. A total of 19 countries took part in the competition, a far cry from the 40-plus competing today.

Johnny Logan (born Sean Patrick Michael Sherrard) had failed in his first attempt to represent Ireland at Eurovision in 1979, his song finishing third in the Irish national final.

'What's Another Year' was a huge hit across Europe, spending two weeks at number one in the UK. In 2005, it was selected as one of the top 14 Eurovision songs in a televised special to mark 50 years of the contest.

Johnny Logan would go on to make history with a second Eurovision win with 'Hold Me Now' in 1987 and cement his status as a Eurovision great as writer of Linda Martin's winning entry 'Why Me?' in 1992.

Ireland has won the Eurovision a record seven times, but it's 23 years since our last win and results in recent years offer little hope of a return to the glory days.

1 What's Another Year Johnny Logan

2 No Doubt About It Hot Chocolate

3 She's Out Of My Life Michael Jackson

4 Mirror In The Bathroom The Beat

5 Geno Dexy's Midnight Runners

6 Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless) Mash

7 Over You Roxy Music

8 Hold On To My Love Jimmy Ruffin

9 I Shoulda Loved Ya Narada Michael Walden

10 We Are Glass Gary NumanA communications platform for separated parents, a Mathletics initiative, and a programme that teaches parents from disadvantage backgrounds how to plan and cook family meals on a budget were just some of the social enterprise ideas explored at Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI)'s Academy East bootcamp which took place recently.

The bootcamp brought together 30 high-potential social entrepreneurs from across the Leinster region, including Fingal.

Participants took part in training workshops and networking sessions before pitching their idea to a panel of judges to secure a place in SEI's Academy for Social Entrepreneurs.

Now in its third year, SEI's Academy programme provides mentoring and support to those with early-stage social enterprise ideas. The six-month programme, worth in excess of 7,500 to each project, includes interactive sessions on business structures, governance and story-telling, and culminates with the opportunity to pitch for seed funding from a total pot of 30,000. Participants also receive 1:1 mentorship from a member of the SEI network and become part of SEI's community of social entrepreneurs.

This year's Academy programme drew 204 applications from all corners of Ireland, in addition to 120 submissions for SEI's Awards programme.

Commenting, CEO of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, Darren Ryan, said: 'SEI is now in its 15th year and we are so proud and inspired to see the number of applications to our programmes grow year on year. We're really looking forward to meeting those who've made it to the 2019 Academy bootcamps.'Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport increased by 7% in April to 2.8 million, making it the busiest April in the airport's 79-year history.

Passenger volumes to and from Continental Europe increased by 9%, with almost 1.5 million passengers travelling on flights to and from continental Europe in April.

UK traffic increased by 2%, as almost 877,000 passengers travelled to and from the UK last month.

Transatlantic passenger volumes grew by 16%, with almost 344,000 passengers travelling to and from North America in April. Other international traffic, mainly to the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific region grew by 2% with just over 80,500 passengers travelling to and from these destinations in April.

Domestic traffic declined by 3% with more than 8,000 passengers travelling on domestic routes in April.

The number of passengers using Dublin Airport as a hub to connect to another destination increased by 9% with more than 171,000 passengers connecting through Dublin Airport last month.

More than 9.3 million passengers have travelled through Dublin Airport in the first four months of this year, a 7% increase over the same period last year. Dublin Airport has welcomed more than 650,000 additional passengers in the first four months of 2019. Dublin Airport has flights to almost 200 destinations in 43 countries, operated by 53 airlines.Primary school pupils from Balbriggan ETNS and Presentation Primary School Warrenmount have made it to the national final of the 2019 Our World Irish Aid Awards, which is the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's flagship global citizenship programme for primary schools.

They, along with pupils and teachers from 10 other primary schools across Ireland, will travel to Dublin Castle on Tuesday 11 June to showcase their projects as they compete for the overall 'Our World Irish Aid Awards' trophy. Additionally, Balbriggan ETNS was also presented with a Special Distinction Award for its 'Helping Hands' project.

Both schools attended an event at the Dublin Clocktower which saw 15 primary schools from the region compete for three of 12 places at the national final, Best Regional Newcomer, and Special Distinction Awards.

Congratulating the teachers and pupils at Balbriggan ETNS and Presentation Primary School Warrenmount, Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciaran Cannon T.D. said that this year's Award entries had shown exceptional creativity and understanding of the Awards' theme 'Leave No One Behind'. 'I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the teachers and pupils at Balbriggan ETNS and Presentation Primary School Warrenmount on their success at today's regional final.

'As the Minister of State responsible for International Development, I am extremely encouraged by the level of engagement in the Our World Irish Aid Awards and by the willingness of our young people to play an active part in the international effort to make sure that each and every one of the world's 7.6 billion citizens counts equally. The Our World Irish Aid Awards, bring Irish Aid's work to build better futures for some of the world's poorest communities directly into the classroom, challenging the next generation to ensure that it is made an ongoing priority.

'We all have a role to play in Ireland's contribution towards the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development, no matter how young or old we are. Alongside 192 other countries, the part we play in achieving these goals will have a positive impact on the life of every citizen on this planet, as we all count equally. However, the biggest life-changing impact will be seen amongst the most vulnerable and especially those who live in developing countries.'

Now in their 14th year, the Our World Irish Aid Awards help primary school pupils learn about the lives of children and their families in developing countries, and how Ireland and 192 other countries are working together to create a safer and fairer world and a better future for all the world's children through the U.N. Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

Each entry was assessed on its creativity, understanding of the theme and its impact. All 15 schools present at today's regional final were presented with an 'Our World Irish Aid Award' plaque.A brave nine-year-old girl from Garristown has just published her first book - making her the youngest ever author to launch a book at Eason.

Brea Mullarkey, from Garristown is in remission from acute myeloid leukaemia, and recently had her wish to become an author come true by Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In partnership with Eason, Gill Publishing printed 200 copies of Brea's adventure novel which tells the story of three children living on Achill Island and the adventures that await when they visit the forbidden beach caves.

The daughter of Elaine and Tommy, Brea was assisted in writing her book by children's author Catherine Doyle and well-known illustrator Fatti Burke.

Brea said: 'I have two younger brothers who love stories, especially adventure stories.

'Every night I sit in their room and tell them a story until they fall asleep.

'Then I sneak back to my own room and enjoy the peace and quiet until I fall asleep too.'

Brea said: 'I wrote 'Lost & Found' for my brothers.

'I am dedicating my book to staff and support teams at Crumlin Hospital as well as my own bone marrow donor as well as all the selfless bone marrow donors who save lives every day.'

Brea's Mum, Elaine, said: 'Brea has had some tough times with her illness but the journey she has been on to make this wish happen has just been wonderful.

'Brea has always shown an interest in books and writing. It is truly amazing that she can now touch and feel her very own book that she created and is now published.

'I cannot tell you the value of this wish to Brea and the whole family.'

Susan O'Dwyer, CEO of Make-A-Wish Ireland said: 'This was a unique wish and we are honoured to have made Brea's one true wish a reality.

'Creating a partnership with Eason to make this happen has been great.

'To see the joy and happiness on Brea's face when she first held the print version of her book has made it all so worthwhile.'

John Keane, General Manager, Eason O'Connell Street, said: 'To see Brea's face when she saw the final print version of the bookthat's enough, thank you.

'To see the smile on her face, it's absolutely amazing, 100 percent.

'We are honoured to launch her book in Eason O'Connell Street.'

Proceeds from the sale of the book on the night of the book launch will be shared between Crumlin Children's Hospital and Make-A-Wish, and with all future proceeds going to Crumlin Hospital, which was part of Brea's wish.Paul ONeill presents the Local Enterprise of the Year award to Sam Dennigan (right), CEO and Founder of Strong Roots at The Irish Times Business Awards held at the Mansion House Dublin. Photo Kieran Harnett

Fledgling Fingal food company Strong Roots has won the Local Enterprise of the Year Award at the Irish Times Business Awards 2019 in association with KPMG.

The Company, which was founded by Sam Dennigan in 2015 with the aim of revolutionising the frozen food category, won the award for its successful expansion into the UK. Strong Roots specialises in healthy frozen vegetable products and its range includes kale and quinoa burgers, roasted beetroot wedges and sweet potato fries.

The company is now focusing on cracking the US market and has already agreed deals with three major US chains to distribute its goods at more than 3,000 stores.

It expects revenue of about 20 million this year, growing to 100 million by the end of 2022.

Strong Roots' own roots are in north county Dublin. Sam Dennigan worked in the family business, Sam Dennigan & Company based near Oldtown for several years before setting out on his own.

The other nominees for the award included East Coast Bakehouse, Diaceutics and Teeling Whiskey.

Dalata, Ireland largest hotel group, which is headquartered in Sandyford, won The Irish Times Company of the Year Award, sponsored by KPMG.

The hotel group, which is led by entrepreneur, Pat McCann, announced 13 per cent growth in profits before tax to more than 87 million for 2018 in addition to revenue growth of almost 12 per cent to 394 million.

John and Patrick Collison, founders of online payments company Stripe, were the winners of the 2019 Irish Times Business Person of the Year Award while The Irish Times Top 1,000* Distinguished Leader in Business Award was presented to Breege O'Donoghue, a former senior executive of leading fast fashion retailer Primark/Penneys.

The second annual Irish Times Business Awards, which recognise excellence and outstanding achievement in Irish business, were held in the Mansion House last week.

In his address to over 300 guests the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe said; 'Ireland's recovery in recent years is, among other thing, inextricably linked to the willingness of successful companies and exceptional individuals to work hard and embrace innovation.

'They are at the forefront of helping to build an Ireland that will continue to prosper in our rapidly changing world.

'This is evidenced in the winners of, and all those who took part in, the Irish Times Business awards, in association with KPMG.

'There is much to be celebrated and acknowledged in respect of the companies and individuals who have excelled this past year and tonight is fitting recognition of their combined achievements.'In the second part of our exclusive interview with the chief executive of Fingal County Council who left office last week to become Director General of the HSE, the now former heard of Fingal County Council looks to the future and talks about the council and the county he is handing over to his successor.

There are some significant pieces of unfinished business on the desk of the outgoing chief executive, Paul Reid as he leaves office and among them are two major development plans that come with a lot of housing, and therefore, a lot of local controversy.

The plans are for Ballymastone in Donabate and Castlelands in Balbriggan and both plans have faced quite a lot of opposition locally but Mr Reid is convinced that both are 'the right things to be doing'.

He told the Fingal Independent: 'First of all, they are the right things to be doing. We have big landbanks, we have huge, major shortages of housing supply and we have huge issues around affordability.

'You have young people now growing up in Fingal not being able to afford homes to live in Fingal and having to leave and travel to all kinds of remote regional areas and that is not the quality of life that people need and deserve. So firstly for the people of Fingal, it is absolutely the right thing to do.'

'Secondly it is the best use of landbanks that we and the State own.

'So taking leadership on the landbanks we own is the right thing to do. It's the right thing to do because we can have control over the mix of development in those areas.

'Here we have the opportunity to set it at an affordable rate, certainly a significant proportion of the development for affordable housing for people from Fingal and elsewhere. So, it's the right thing to do.'

Addressing each of the plans, he said: 'I think Ballymastone will progress very well.

'There's a huge level of awareness built in, in terms oft he mix and densities that are built into it and that's right. That has taken its own momentum and will move on.

'Castlelands has just been published and inevitably when such an investment is set out and published you do get some public reaction and that's good.

'We want to hear the views of people, particularly in Balbriggan and I have no doubt when we go through that process and get their concerns in, we will be able to address a lot of the concerns people have but ultimately it is a landbank and we need housing, we need affordable housing and my strong message to the people of Balbriggan is to use the opportunity to get the infrastructure the community needs and Castlelands is one of these unique projects in the country that has the opportunity to have the infrastructural investment in advance of the housing.

'I would be strongly saying to people in Balbriggan that the history of objecting to something can actually work against you.

'If you embrace something, you get the investment and the infrastructure in first, it's a big win.'

He said the plan for Castlelands should not be taken in isolation and should be seen in the context of the recently unveiled plan to rejuvenate the town.

He said: 'The socio-economic strategy is important to build the infrastructure and the community impetus in the town along with housing.'

But ultimately, he said: 'There will be more housing in Balbriggan, that's a fact. The land is there and it's affordable so there will be more housing in the town.'

Asked what he will miss about the job as he leaves office, Mr Reid said: 'I will hugely miss a few things. First of all, the people of Fingal, it's a really distinct community, it's not a homogeneous community - it's all very different.

'But it's a community that works very well with the local authority which you don't get all the time.

'So I will miss a lot of the community engagements that I've had and even on the business side, I've met a lot of great business people here who are not just committed for the sake of their business, but they are committed to giving back to the community so I'll miss a lot of the relationships I've had there.

'I will hugely miss the relationships I have had in here with the staff.

'It's something that I'm proud of in there that we've had a really good engagement process with staff to get them to understand what we are trying to achieve, to get them to see the role they play in terms of what we are trying to achieve and to get good buy-in to what we are trying to do.

'Fingal County Council is a great place to work. I can say this genuinely, it has been the nicest job I've had in my career to date.'

The outgoing chief executive had a few things to say about the state of local government as he left office. He believes very strongly that further powers should be devolved from central government to councils.

He explained: 'That's one of the things I've been saying publicly and saying to Government, there's a debate at the moment around directly elected Mayors and that's fine and that's Government policy to have that debate and we'll let that happen but what I'm saying is that the debate should now move to what could be further devolved to local government.

'What central government services can be devolved down because I think we have a great capacity to make a greater impact in people's lives.'

Mr Reid said he believes he is handing over a better council and a better county than the one he found when he took office.

He said: 'I think so, yes. There's no doubt when I came we were still kind of in recession and the economy has improved which has been great.

'Certainly the economic factors have helped because it gave us a chance to invest. I said this to someone in Government recently, I think in Fingal we took control of a lot of things.

'If you look at some of the decisions this council has made. We borrowed from the European Investment Bank when no other local authority had ever done that and we did that.

'We took decisions around the Local Property Tax that some of the other local authorities in Dublin didn't take around retaining it and ring-fencing it for community development.'

He added: 'We took a very balanced approach but we took control of decisions we could take ourselves.

'We didn't put ourselves and this council in victim mode, we put ourselves in control mode and took the decisions we could take ourselves.

'It's interesting when you do that, you generally get the funds from Government because you get the confidence of Government to invest.'

Looking to the future for the county, the outgoing chief executive said he was optimistic for Fingal in the years ahead.

He said: 'I think it's a great county and there's going to be more growth in it, in the future.

'We should continue to engage with the local communities. I think that's when you hit the sweet spot and really crack what local government is about.

'You get get local communities, local business and local State agencies working together.'

He said that Fingal's future, in a very real sense is Ireland's future and the county can be one of the nation's real economic drivers into the future.

He explained: 'Dublin is key to growing the national economy and Fingal is key to growing Dublin and that for me puts us at the very heart of the national planning framework.

'We are at the heart of growing the national economy and I think that's the way we should always see it.

'Here is where the growth is in Dublin and Dublin is at the heart of growing the national economy.'

With those thoughts, Mr Reid closed his files on Fingal and moved on to the HSE where he started work last week as the organsation's Director General.Principals have been appointed to the two newest schools in Swords which are set to open in temporary accommodation in September.

Rivervalley Community National School and Broadmeadow Community National School will open in September 2019 and recently Paddy Lavelle, chief executive of schools' patrons, the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Eduction and Training Board (DDLETB) and Adrian P. Flynn, Director of Schools for DDLETB were delighted to announce the appointment of Ms Anne McArdle to the post of Principal in Rivervalley Community National School and Mr Michael Byrne to the post of Principal in Broadmeadow Community National School.

'DDLETB have a strong presence in the Swords Community through our existing post-primary schools Fingal Community College, St. Finian's Community College and Swords Community College. We are grateful to the people of Swords for entrusting the opening of their new primary schools to us. We wish our newly-appointed Principals every success in their roles,' said Paddy Lavelle.

Adrian P. Flynn, is a Swords resident and former Deputy Principal in St. Finian's Community College and went on to say: 'DDLETB provide the administrative support to schools that ensure our schools can concentrate on what really matters to students and their families which is providing the highest quality teaching and learning experiences. I have enjoyed huge support, through my capacity as a teacher and Deputy Principal in Swords, and I know that the community will rally behind Anne and Michael as they begin the process of starting our new schools to serve the needs of the next generation of Swords families.'

Newly-appointed Principal Anne McArdle added: 'I am honoured to take on this very important role in Rivervalley.

'I would like to thank Paddy, Adrian and everyone in DDLETB for the support to date.

'If parents would like more information regarding the opening of Rivervalley Community National School, please contact me via email on rivervalleycns@ddletb.ie.'

Michael Byrne concluded by saying 'I am delighted to be given this opportunity to contribute to the educational provision in Swords through DDLETB.

'I am excited about our new school, to be located off the Rathbeale Road on the same campus as Swords Community College, and I encourage parents to contact me via email on broadmeadowCNS@ddletb.ie about our enrolment and further details about the school.'Concerns have been raised among local councillors over secondary school provision in Swords, in light of proposed residential developments listed under the draft Swords Masterplans.

With major residential developments planned for Lissenhall, Fosterstown, Estuary West, Barrysparks and Crowcastle, there is concern that increased demand for secondary school places will not be met by existing schools.

Despite provision being made under the draft Swords Masterplans for these areas for two additional national schools, no provision has been made for additional secondary level schools.

Raising the issue at a recent meeting of Balbriggan/Swords Area Committee, Cllr Darragh Butler (FF) said that although, while he was canvassing in Swords for the local elections, residents seemed 'reasonably happy' with the provision of two new primary schools, there were concerns over demand for second level places in the area.

It took the Department of Education and Skills 'five plus years to realise we had a problem with not enough primary schools', he said.

Cllr Butler said he accepted a report issued by the council on the matter, but added that there was 'real concern' there may be a problem with second level places 'down the line.'

He hoped, he said, the Department 'notices in time' the need for additional schools or the need for the extension of existing secondary schools in the area.

A report issued by the council stated that the Department of Education and Skills noted that the existing post-primary schools in the general Swords area 'may be capable' of catering for 'the anticipated increase in pupil numbers.'

'In some instances', the report continued, this may necessitate an extension to existing schools, 'subject to site suitability and agreement of the various stakeholders.'

The local authority said it continued to work 'pro-actively' with the Department to ensure that the issue of schools provision 'is properly addressed through planning policy.'Wowing a British audience with their public speaking skills recently were three Toastmasters from the Swords who travelled to compete in a major competition which proved hugely successful for the travelling trio.

Eileen Hopkins, Seamus Hynes and Mick Rock all won at club, area and division level and we are told that it is almost unheard of for three people from one area to get to this level.

Just to highlight the achievement of Eileen, Seamus and Mick, it should be noted that the division that contestants were drawn from for the contest is currently made up of nearly 200 clubs and 4,400 members.

Two of the three public speakers from Swords reached the top 6 speakers of over 200 clubs in Ireland and the UK.members.

Eileen Hopkins is a member of Swords Toastmasters for just two years, a relative newcomer to Toastmasters.

In these two years, Eileen has won two club finals, two area finals, a division final.

In Norwich, Eileen reached the top six in the final as she delivered a fictitious speech on the subject of dating app, Tinder in the humorous speech contest in a speech entitled 'Love me Tinder, Love me do.'

Mick Rock is a member of East Coast Toastmasters for a number of years and he participated in the International Speech contest where his tongue and cheek story was about his 15 minutes of fame as a 10-year-old kid in a movie called 'The last Remake of Beau Geste' in a speech called: 'My fifteen Minutes of Fame.'

Seamus Hynes is a long-standing member of East Coast, Swords and Balbriggan Toastmasters and participated in the evaluation contest in Norwich. In Toastmasters, the evaluator plays a critical role in helping speakers to develop by identifying their strengths and areas to improve. Seamus has always delivered very encouraging feedback and has been a supportive mentor to many.Former colleagues and servicemen turned out in force to honour Private Andy Wickham in Barntown last weekend. Private Wickham was part of a U.N. peacekeeping operation which came under fire while based in the Congo in 1961.

Having only rejoined the army a short time before his deployment, Private Wickham (25) was killed in the gun battle leaving behind a wife and five children.

Although buried in Glasnevin, Dublin, a special commemorative plaque was erected in his homeplace of Barntown at St. Alphonsus Church in 1992. And it was there that the 27th annual memorial service took place, one attended by dignitaries from a variety of organisations.

'It was a very good day, there was a large turnout, people from Carlow, Kilkenny, Cork, good representations from all over, they're very good like that,' said Private Wickham's brother, Richard.

Among those present were members of the Irish United Nations Veterans Association, the National Ex-Servicemen Association and members of A Company 36th Battalion who served with Private Wickham in the Congo.

Also in attendance were Minister of State at the Department of Defence Paul Kehoe and Mayor of Wexford Tony Dempsey. Private Wickham's widow Eleanor O'Grady laid a wreath at the memorial, as did Martin, Private Wickham's brother.

'You're not just honouring Andy, you're honouring all the people who died on peacekeeping duties,' said Richard. 'It's important to keep this going; people are still finding out, I received a call from someone who served with Andy in the Congo and they'd only found out.'Irish people are living longer than ever before, but for those at a seminar in the Ferrycarrig Hotel the focus was on the quality rather than the quantity of those additional years.

The 'How to Age Well' seminar was delivered by Professor Rose Anne Kenny of Trinity College, Dublin, and was based on a decade's worth of research on how the quality of one's life can get better as you get older. Coordinated by Wexford GAA's Health & Wellbeing committee the presentation cited the importance of social engagement, keeping active and volunteering as one gets older. And Professor Kenny used some novel techniques to maintain her audience's attention.

'She was brilliant in her delivery, sometimes research projects can be a little boring but she really brought it to life,' said Mary Doyle Chairperson of Wexford GAA's Health and Wellbeing Committee. 'She used the example of Wexford's 1910 All-Ireland winners and looked at their life expectancy and then compared it to that of the 1955 team.'

One of the primary aims of the seminar was to encourage people to undergo tests which they might, for one reason or another, have been avoiding.

'There's people going around with Type 2 diabetes at the moment and they might not even know it,' said Mary. 'Screening is available, and when you have it, take it up, don't ignore it.'

With approximately 150 interested parties present on the night Mary is hopeful that, come the summer, those cheering on in the stands will be as healthy as those on the pitch. But this seminar was just one of a number of initiatives she and her team are running throughout the county in the coming months.

'Our role is to look after the whole GAA family, because it is like a family, we're in every community. Every club is encouraged to have a Healthy Club Officer (HCO) and 31 out of 42 club in the county have them so far. Also, St John's Volunteers was the first club in the country to go smoke-free,' Mary said.

But it's not just the physical wellbeing of those in its communities which Wexford GAA is concerned with. 'We're also running an anti-gambling initiative,' Mary said. 'We had Oisin McOnville down to present a talk in the schools. Young lads can identify with that rather than being preached to.'The Seafield Hotel and Spa Resort, Gorey adds to one more to its collection of hospitality awards after it won a national Courtesy and Care award, an honour which was presented by the AA in its annual hotel and hospitality services competition.

'Seafield continues to go from strength to strength, providing a friendly atmosphere for all guests to enjoy,' said Micheal Cunningham, general manager of the hotel.

Micheal said that all at the four star hotel were honoured to accept the award.

'This award recognises the contribution and commitment of each of our valued team members in providing the exceptional customer service, that we pride ourselves on,' said Micheal.

To win such an award, the hotel staff must not only be attentive to the needs of individual guests, but also provide a top notch level of service and have a willingness to go above and beyond when required.

It appears that the Seafield Hotel and Spa Resort have done just that.

'When you arrive at Seafield, everything form the first welcome as you check in to the last goodbye as you check out makes you feel at home, and the staff play a significant role in achieving this,' the judges at AA said.

The AA uses highly experienced inspectors to personally visit every AA accredited hotel or bed and breakfast, and assesses the standards of hospitality, service, cuisine, facilities and staff to decide which are deserving of an award.

The awards ceremony was held in Adare Manor, a hotel which also won an award this time around.

Seafield Hotel and Spa Resort was one of just four hotels in Ireland to win an award, and other winners were Adare Manor in Limerick, winning hotel of year, guest accommodation of the year went to Castlewood House in Dingle, county Kerry, and restaurant of the year went to The Earl of Thomand, Dromoland Castle, Newmarket on Fergus, in county Clare.Writer Anne Griffin visited Gorey Library and presented her debut novel to a crowd of budding writers and interested readers, who managed to catch her while she is on a new journey in writing, that is due to take her to France later this month.

'It was an absolute pleasure to come to Gorey Library, the crowd were so engaged and everything was so well organised, by Gorey Library and Byrne's bookshop,' said Anne Griffin.

'It was lovely to speak to a group of active writers, as sitting with other writers makes you feel like you're all in it together,' she said.

'When All Is Said,' by Anne Griffin tells the story of an old man, Maurice Hannigan, as he recalls his life in five monologues from a bar stool.

The debut novel from this Irish writer, she says takes inspiration from her memories of spending summers in Wexford.

'I've a lot to thank Wexford for,' said Anne Griffin, who won the John McGahern award for her writing in 2017.

Anne said that coming back to Gorey had sentimental value for her, especially having her cousin June Kinsella in the audience, as she still has cousins as well as an uncle and aunt who live in Ballythomas.

'I still have that lovely link to Wexford, and my sister lives in Enniscorthy,' said Anne.

She said that as a writer, you can never underestimate the importance of critical feedback.

'A writer can't do without other writers, it's as important to your writing as the writing itself,' said Anne.

Anne also spoke on the night about the process of trying to get an agent, and that this road is often long and challenging.

'You have to work hard and have faith in your book, it's what you just have to do as this is going to be long road,' said Anne, who submitted her book 37 times before she got an agent to take her on.

The book has now been a bestseller for some weeks on the charts, and has even been turned into an audio book, starring Irish actor Niall Buggy, who recently came to Gorey Little Theatre starring alongside Gorey's Garrett Lombard, in the Druid Theatre production of 'Furniture'.

Anne said that on the first time hearing Niall play the role of Maurice, she cried.

'It has just been an amazing journey, it seems to have came out of nowhere but I'm grateful and really just amazed to see it when I walk into book shops,' she said.

'I was an unknown writer, but people have really taken this book to their heart, and I'm absolutely shocked,' she said.

Anne Griffin will also be a guest at as well as the Dublin International Literature Festival, and a sit down chat with John Boyne at Listowel Writers Week in Kerry and she is now working on a second novel.Well-known solicitor Robert Pierse is launching a book based on his experiences while trapped by a storm on a desert island off the Central American country of Belize.

Under the Bed: Stories and Thoughts from a Desert Island is to be launched by Billy Keane at the Listowel Arms Hotel on Friday, May 24, next at 7pm in an event to be attended by plenty of music, storytelling and recollections.

Blogger Jeremy Murphy described the work as a 'gripping memoir and adventure story, full of stories, thoughts and reflections from Robert's life'.25 kilometres through some of the nation's finest scenery. A fundraising target of 20,000. Untold benefits for remote rural communities in Tanzania. That was what Saturday in the Reeks was all about for the 50 or so walkers who took part in the Drive for Life charity campaign.

It was the latest chapter in the long-running work of Listowel man Willie Keane and his family, including sons Billy, Don and Patrick.

Raising funds for the Medical Missionary of Mary Sisters (MMM), Willie has helped generate more than 250,000 in recent decades - overseeing the building of nothing less than a hospital, school and clinic in the Tanzanian Maasai districts of Arusha and Nangwa.

Industrial giant Kostal - for whom son Billy works in Abbeyfeale - meanwhile came on board in a big way in recent years, helping Willie and the MMM establish vital water catchment projects in the remote areas.

Saturday's Drive for Life was undertaken in aid of a new jeep that will help medics access extremely remote communities.

"We were delighted with it and can't thank everyone who walked and undertook sponsorship enough," Billy Keane said.

"Everyone really enjoyed the day and the weather held off thankfully as we walked from Muckross through Torc and Derrycunnihy and down the oak forests to Lord Brandon's Cottage before pushing up the Gap of Dunloe. The legs were sore on Sunday!"

A big delegation from Kostal was among the walkers, combining the event with a special Wellbeing programme Billy is overseeing at the plant. Listowel man Kieran Moloney, who has travelled to Tanzania with the Keanes, also brought a strong cohort from his regular walking group on the Drive for Life 2019 in a great day out for all.It was a night of many old memories and stories at the International Hotel in Killarney on Saturday night as 16 members of 'The Class of 1960' at Loreto Killarney met up for their class reunion - and as is the case with so many reunions, some hadn't met each other since their schooldays ended.

Organiser Angela Brosnan from Kenmare explained to The Kerryman that some of her classmates came from as far away as Dublin and Wicklow to the International, owned by another classmate, Frankie Coyne.

Quite a few had kept in regular contact since 1960, but it was a case of getting to know each other all over again for some.

"We all had a get-together before a lovely meal," Angela said. "Some hadn't seen each other for a long, long time," she added.

"There were quite a few people from Killarney itself, I'm from Kenmare, and we had three from Cork, but others had travelled from Dublin, and Greystones in County Wicklow. One of the ladies wasn't able to make it to the meal, but she called in during the night, which we were all delighted with.

"We all stayed around after the meal to have a chat. As you can imagine, there were a lot of old memories and some great old stories as well.

"Everybody was thrilled with how it went. It was a really lovely night," she added.Louise OBrien (centre) with her colleagues from Salesforce in Dublin who went litter-picking with Dingle Tidy Towns on Friday. Photo by Declan Malone

Louise O'Brien from Gallarus brought her Dublin work colleagues home with her last weekend when she came on a mission to clean up the streets.

Louise works for Salesforce, an American company with a Dublin base where 1,500 people are employed, which provides customer relationship management solutions - in short this means they do research and marketing for their clients. Salesforce has a policy of giving one per cent of its equity, profits and employee time to good causes and Louise thought that helping Dingle Tidy Towns would qualify as a good cause.

So last Friday Louise and a bunch of her co-workers met up with Richie Williams and Joe Lynch who kitted them out with litter pickers, gloves and bage and dispatched them to the four corners of Dingle to clean the ditches.

Given their expertise in research, the Salesforce crew might now be able to provide Richie with a profile of the kind of people who think the ditch is the best place for an empty coffee cup.Cllr John Sheahan Mayor of Killarney Municipal Area cutting the tape to officially open the Farranfore Railway Park with Margaret Kelly, Margaret Sheehan, Dan Ahern Secretary, Gobnait OMahony, Fiona Walsh, John ODonoghue Tidy Towns, Liam Fell, Catherine Cahill, Irish Rail. Jerome Crowley, Eileen ODonoghue, MD Officer Killarney Municipal Area, Fr Tadhg ODochartaigh, Sean Linnane and local residents on Sunday. Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin

Community resourcefulness was at its finest in Farranfore on Sunday last as the new Farranfore Railway Park was officially opened by Killarney Area Mayor, John Sheahan.

The park - which has been developed at the site of the old Railway water tower - was originally the old starting point of the Farranfore-Valentia rail line.

It's a location teeming with history as it was a busy place for people emigrating during the 1940s and '50s.

Now that the site has been beautifully restored to reflect its sense of history, a small pocket-style park, with a paved path and meeting area centred on the tower, has been added. This now provides locals and visitors to Farranfore with a quiet, communal space that highlights Farranfore's rich transport heritage.

"The site was all overgrown and it's something that has been in the pipeline since 2012. It's a lovely place for a walk and there's a little footbridge over the river that takes you around the water tower. It's a lovely tranquil area," said Dan Ahern, Secretary of Farranfore Development Association (FDA).

Farranfore resident Jerome Crowley spoke about the history of the railway in Farranfore at Sunday's opening, while PP Fr Tadhg O Dochartaigh blessed the park. As well as huge local interest and input in the project, FDA is indebted to a host of individuals, businesses and organisations that have helped in the project.

"The work really started in 2018 with the landscaping taking place in recent weeks. It was an area totally lost to the public and now it's opened up for them to enjoy. It's a quiet space where people can get away from it all. The park is integrated into our walking routes which is safe and will encourage more people to use it," said Dan.

FDA wishes to acknowledge the support and assistance of all individuals, businesses and organisations, including Irish Rail, Kerry County Council, North East West Kerry Development, LEADER Programme, Rural Social Scheme, Clann Credo, Cara Credit Union, contactor Earthworks Profiling, Project Engineer Rory McGillicuddy and Project Legal Advisor, Cormac Foley & Associates.A car stolen from a private home in Ballybunion in the early hours of Monday was used in crimes in Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford in the space of 24 hours, gardai believe.

The Opel Astra was taken after thieves burgled the Ballybunion home.

Gardai from North Kerry travelled to Clonmel on Tuesday following the arrest of four people, who were travelling in the car when it was stopped on the outskirts of the Tipperary town late on Monday night by gardai who had become suspicious of it. The occupants of the car, two males and two females, all from Limerick and in their 20s were arrested. Two were detained for questioning in Clonmel with the two others detained for questioning in Cahir.

The burglary occurred at around 2.30am on Monday morning after raiders broke into the house in Ballybunion while its occupants were sleeping, before driving off in the car in what gardai believe was an opportunistic crime.

They are now appealing for anyone in the Ballybunion/North Kerry area who might have witnessed suspicious activity to contact them to aid in their investigation.As Institute of Technology Tralee's planned amalgamation with Cork IT enters its closing stages the main teaching union representing staff at both colleges launched a blistering attack on the merger process.

On Monday - with just days to go before an international panel is due to visit ITT and CIT to adjudicate on their joint bid to form a new Munster Technological University (MTU) - the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) launched a broadside attack on the plan.

The union urged members to vote 'No' in a ballot on the merger process on Monday and Tuesday and it plans to mount protests in Cork later this week when the adjudication panel arrives to assess the MTU bid.

TUI members in Cork and Tralee voted in January to back the MTU project. However, the union claims promises made to secure its members' support were not followed through on.

"Academic staff are left without clear answers to basic questions. Questions on structures and protection of courses need to be addressed. For example, we have no idea of the structure of the new University and how local courses in each campus will be affected," said a TUI statement.

Ursula Barrett, Chair of the TUI branch at IT Tralee said members are "very disappointed" with the process.

"We remain willing to meet our responsibilities to negotiate but Management needs to follow through on addressing all issues they previously agreed to address. This needs to be through ongoing meaningful consultation," she said.

Management at ITT said it was "disappointed" at the planned TUI protests and insisted that engaging with all stakeholders had been a priority throughout the process.

ITT said that since September 2018 there were 20 "formal engagements" between ITT/CIT management and TUI,

"Senior management from both Institutes are currently engaged in a process with PwC to design an organisational structure for the new university," said ITT Acting President Dr Brendan O'Donnell.

"The overarching principle of the organisation design is to support a consistent, equitable and high quality student, staff and alumni experience, in the most efficient and effective manner across the MTU," Dr O'Donnell said.

"Significant progress has been made on the organisational structure and whilst work is ongoing, in order to ensure appropriate levels of consultation across both organisations, it has not been possible to finalise these structures in advance of the panel's visit," Dr O'Donnell told The Kerryman.On 6 May 2019, in Paris, the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service (IPBES) published its global assessment on the state of the world's biodiversity and ecosystem services. The report was compiled over three years by over 400 international experts in the field of biodiversity from 132 countries, including Ireland, and runs to 1,800 pages.

Thankfully, the editors condense these 1,800 pages down to five key take-away messages each backed up by a wealth of evidence: (1) the decline of our natural heritage is 'dangerous' and 'unprecedented', (2) species extinction rates are 'accelerating', (3) the current global response is 'insufficient', (4) 'transformative changes' are needed to restore and protect nature, and (5) 1,000,000 species are presently threatened with extinction.

Staying with the theme of no. 5, the report identifies the five key direct drivers of change in nature with the largest relative global impacts: (1) change in the way we use land and sea, like agricultural intensification and urban sprawl, (2) our direct exploitation of organisms, like overfishing of scarce species, (3) climate change, (4) pollution, and (5) the spread of invasive species.

These findings make stark reading. The bottom line is that the planet is in trouble. And the trouble that it is in is due to human activity. The way in which we are currently trying to live is out of kilter with the way Earth naturally functions. The United Nations has warned that if we don't change our ways, our own welfare as a global community will be under threat.

The picture that the report paints is an ominous one: change or suffer the consequences. There is now an urgency about acting as we are confronted by a climate and biodiversity emergency.

Four years ago, in his ground-breaking encyclical letter Laudato Si' dated 24 May 2015, Pope Francis made an urgent appeal to all humanity to take better care of planet Earth, our common home. In Ireland, we have national and local Biodiversity Plans setting out ambitious objectives and detailed actions to be taken, but are these backed up with the human and financial resources needed to make them happen?

The alarm bells are ringing. President Michael D Higgins, oft quoted remark put it so well: "if we were coal miners, we would be up to our knees in dead canaries". The time is ripe for national government and local authorities to come up with appropriate responses and transformative changes.The President of New Ross & District Chamber of Commerce stressed the need for continued cooperation between the chamber and the council ahead of a vote next week which could see a county chamber created.

Speaking at the meeting of New Ross Municipal District in The Tholsel, Jonathan Keenan said it was his first time attending a council meeting. District manager Sinead Casey outlined the achievements of the council over its five year term and Mr Keenan said he was very impressed with the progress made within the area. 'From what I have seen we have lessons to learn and improvements to make and hopefully we can deliver on it,' Mr Keenan said.

Cllr Michael Sheehan said councillors and officials have had a very positive working relationship with the chamber. 'We have regular meetings with the chamber and I wish him well in his campaign in making the change. A strong corporate presence is vital for the area.'

He said a strong chamber for the county can push an area forward and thanked Jonathan and his chamber colleagues for their help in advancing plans for an advance factory for Butlersland.

Cllr Michael Whelan said he proposed that the chamber should meet with councillors back in 2014. The two bodies meet once every quarter and Cllr Whelan said it is important to prevent councillors from going off, 'doing their own thing ad hoc'.

Cllr Willie Fitzharris complimented Jonathan for taking an active part in his community. 'He arrived in New Ross and rolled up his sleeves and got involved. A lot of people could take from his example. I am not sure what the future is going to hold but what I know so far is that changes can only be for the good. I think we need to get behind this as I don't see there being any other show in town.'

Cllr Anthony Connick said the chamber of commerce has been very progressive. 'It's a big challenge out there in business. It's hard but you are doing a good job.'

Cllr Martin Murphy said the chamber and council alliance has to be developed post bypass opening. 'This is a great opportunity for the two to work together as once the footfall comes in everything else will follow so it's very important to have commercial representatives working hand in hand with the council.'

Cllr Larry O'Brien said the business owners of New Ross are the lifeblood of the town. 'They are the people who keep the town going.'

He said he was involved in getting Co Wexford projects included in the government's 2040 plan, urging incoming Wexford councillors to adopt it if the additions sought are added. 'Waterford comes out of it well which will help New Ross.'

District manager Sinead Casey said the relationship between the two bodies has been exceptional. 'I think New Ross is in the enviable position that we have such a good working relationship between representatives of the retail community and ourselves. We are both working to the same aim. We have briefed the chamber on projects and the chamber were hugely supportive and worked on the background. We've had a good cop, bad cop approach, us being the bad cop. Jonathan, your presence has been progressive and I wish you all the best in the rest of your term. I hope with the next Extraordinary General Meeting that the result will be favourable.'

Cathaoirleach Cllr John Fleming said councillors have gotten a great insight into what is happening on the retail front in New Ross through the quarterly meetings.

District director Eamonn Hore said New Ross has the best working relationship with a chamber of commerce of any of Co Wexford's towns.

Wexford County Council CEO Tom Enright said the municipal council had achieved a lot in its lifetime. He said the councillors and council faced many challenges in 2014 as the county started to pull itself out of recession.

'Investment was much needed for the two towns of New Ross and Enniscorthy which were not performing as well as they could have done. Over the last few years we have seen significant improvements and the next period is going to be critical for New Ross and district.'

Mr Enright said the new bypass will help the district hugely, as will the transfer of New Ross Port to Wexford County Council. Other developments on the quay and with the greenway will also be beneficial to the town, he added.

'An innovation centre is going to be established on John Street similar to the Hatch Lab in Gorey and we are close to getting the advance factory which will happen in the early life of the next council. We have a private investor. I think there are a lot of things to look forward to in New Ross.'

Mr Enright said for a town and distinct to be strong it has to have a strong chamber at its heart, adding that the council firmly believes there is great potential in New Ross.

Chamber secretary Mary Browne thanked the councillors and officials for their continued support of the chamber and thanked councillors Larry O'Brien and Martin Murphy specifically for their support and the hard work they did for New Ross and district during their 28 and 12 years respectively, adding 'to stand for election is no mean feat'.

She said the chamber is on the cusp of major change. 'I want to say on behalf of ourselves and on behalf of the community that we are working hard on the amalgamation process,' urging councillors to let constituents know about the chamber's vision.After three years of research, writing and preparation the book, Rower Inistioge Vocations: An Anthology, was launched by Bishop Dermot Farrell, Bishop of Ossory in The Rower.

The anthology, compiled by Fr Richard Scriven, former Parish Priest of The Rower Inistioge, records the lives of over 130 priests and religious from the parish who worked locally and all around the world. On the night Sean O hUiginn, Master of Ceremonies, former principal of the primary school in The Rower (called Marymount after the college in New York which Mother Butler a native of the parish founded) welcomed over 150 parishioners and visitors as the book was formally presented to Bishop Farrell by the committee.

Bishop Farrell spoke of the value of the work as a record of great significance locally of the lives of great men and women who could easily be forgotten. Admiring the production and the attention to detail Bishop Farrell thanked Fr Scriven for the work and dedication which had brought the book to print. He said the book records a rich time of vocations in the church and how, now as we face the future, parishoners must build upon the work of great people who had gone before them.

Fr Scriven thanked the committee for their interest and openness to the project which had begun in 2016. He said the families of those in the book had engaged so positively in the work and he was delighted to see such a large crowd gathered for the launch. Richard welcomed Srs Anna Corcoran (St John of God), Breda Burke (Mercy), Eucharia Brereton (Mercy), Bride Lyng (Sisters of Charity), Frs Tom Murphy (Ossory), Dick Lyng (Augustinian), all who feature in the book.

The book - which runs to nearly 200 pages - is full of stories of local people that made a difference and of the incredible commitment and strength of the native sons and daughters of The Rower/Inistioge. It is available to buy in local shops.The longest bridge in Ireland and a unique feat of design and engineering globally - the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge - will be completed in July.

Project Liaison Officer Sean Dobbs, of Wexford County Council, confirmed that the bridge is due to meet in the middle in July.

Mr Dobbs said people are witnessing history in the making as construction on the massive 887m bridge nears its conclusion. A new Portuguese crew has been drafted in to help finish the bridge, which is at the heart of a 14km bypass of New Ross town, stretching from Corcoran's Cross roundabout to Glenmore.

'It's progressing very well and is due to be completed in quarter four,' Mr Dobbs said.

The dual carriageway includes the world's longest three tower extradosed bridge, a type of cable-stay structure, spanning the River Barrow.

Traffic will not be on the bridge and bypass until late autumn, early winter, Mr Dobbs confirmed, as once the bridge's central spans - which are the longest in the world - meet, a significant amount of work will remain to be completed, including final improvements, the installation of monitoring equipment and finishing works, meaning crews will be on site throughout the autumn.

Mr Dobbs said the bridge's construction has captured the public's imagination, as reflected in the hundreds of photographs posted online of the structure every month.

'It has generated a lot of interest on social media and has attracted international attention also. It will be the longest bridge in Ireland at almost 900m and it features the longest central type span of its kind in the world.'

Camera crews have been recording the bridge as it nears completion and it has already featured in engineering magazines abroad.

Describing the structure as a world leader in terms of design and engineering, Mr Dobbs said the project is on track, while all the roads on either side of the Barrow have also been completed.

'It's progressing very well. From the public's point of view the feedback I am getting is that they are really noticing all the progress that is being made on the bridge and I think it is looking particularly spectacular at the moment,' he said in a radio interview recently.

'To see the bridge decks which are being constructed over the river from both sides. When you look at it, it is as if the bridge decks are hanging in mid-span over the river. Week on week the spans are progressing and getting closer and closer together so it's very evident what the final bridge is going to look like.

'We are getting closer and closer so it looks like the bridge decks will met in the middle - probably in July.'

He said the construction programme is very challenging but the project remains on track for the latest estimate for the bypass opening. The great news for commuters is that the drive time to Waterford will be significantly reduced. Mr Dobbs said the new route from New Ross to Waterford and Wexford will be reduced, adding that the journey time from Waterford to New Ross will be reduced as the bypass route is shorter.

He said the days of 7km tailbacks coming in to New Ross at peak times will be over, adding that with less trucks passing through New Ross, opportunities will open up for business.To commemorate the centenary of the awarding of the Victory Cross to CSM Martin Doyle - New Ross Library hosted a lecture given by Irish Times journalist, author, editor and presenter Ronan McGreevy in front of a large crowd, including relatives of Doyle, one of New Ross town's most celebrated sons.

McGreevy told the story of Doyle who was born in New Ross on October 25, 1894, and lied about his age to join the British army on St Stephen's Day, 1909, when he was barely 15. He successfully led a bayonet charge on a German machine-gun post in a derelict barn in no-man's-land.

The official announcement from the British Army concluded: 'Throughout the whole of these operations, Doyle set the very highest example to all ranks by his courage and total disregard of danger.'

When the awarding of his VC was confirmed, he wrote to his parents: 'I am all in a whirl of joy.'

Doyle won the Victoria Cross and the Military Medal fighting for Britain in the First World War. Yet, like many of his contemporaries, he joined the IRA during the War of Independence and played his part in the struggle which led to Irish freedom. His story personifies many of the contradictions and shifting loyalties of Irish people during the revolutionary period.

A plaque has been dedicated to Doyle and will be placed outside his family home on Mary Street by New Ross Municipal District.More than 170 people attended a bring your own grub dinner in aid of Good Counsel College students,

The night was organised by the school's parent's council who organised a hugely successful Easter draw, raising 4,200. The remaining 2,000 was raised at the dinner night, held at the Horse & Hound hotel in Ballinaboola.

Sheila McAuliffe of Good Counsel Parent's Association said the money they raise each year goes towards meeting the costs of a career's night, a Christmas carol event and the annual 6th Year barbecue, among other school events.

The Easter draw saw the main winner walk home with a new iPad, with several cash prizes also won, including a seller's prize.

The parent's association provided cold meats for the Summer Supper, with each hostess inviting ten guests per table.

Each of the guests, in turn, brought a dish, making for a lucky dip of a night, with fantastic food enjoyed.

Teachers and parents mingled and got to enjoy a relaxing evening, away from the stresses of studies ahead of the state exams coming up next month.

Ms McAuliffe said thanked past Good Counsel student Brendan Murphy for the use of the hotel free of charge.

'We want to thank everybody who got behind this; all of the parents, the ten committee hostesses, the principal and vice principal.'The official opening of the Mountelliott roundabout took place on Wednesday.

Addressing a crowd in attendance, New Ross Municipal District cathaoirleach Cllr John Fleming said: 'We are privileged to have been allocated funding for not one, but two new roundabouts in New Ross, the Mountelliott roundabout and the Oakland's roundabout. The combined value of both is approximately 2,500,000 and funding was received from Transport Infrastructure Ireland.'

Cllr Fleming said the opening of the roundabout beside Mannion's pub was a cause for celebration, not only for the people of New Ross town, but also for those who travel into or through the town every day. 'These are the people for whom travelling to and from New Ross will now be a far better experience. The new roundabouts not only bring greater safety and improvements in traffic flow, but the quality of the finish on both roundabouts frame the entrance to the town and make it more visually appealing.'

Ronnie Basquill, Glen Jones and their team from Tramore House Regional Design Office, were in attendance and were praised for the design of the roundabouts.

David Walsh and Joe Whelan from David Walsh Civil Engineering who constructed the roundabout and Roger Smith of Dan Morrissey Ltd who carried out the surfacing works and all the subcontractors involved in both projects were also acknowledged, as was engineer George Walsh.

'While some traffic diversions and delays were unavoidable, every effort was made to reduce the need for them as much as possible. And I'm sure that looking at this superb piece of infrastructure today and of course the Oakland's roundabout too, most will admit that it was worth the wait. I acknowledge the patience of the businesses and commuters who were inconvenienced for a period of time, but for all the best reasons in the end. We are looking forward to a bright future for New Ross town and District once the bypass opens and the addition of Mountelliot and Oakland's roundabouts will enhance the experience of all.'

A new fruit and farm shop opened opposite Mannion's coinciding with the launch.Last week's Eurovision result for Sarah McTernan's '22' was one of Ireland's worst in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest as the song failed miserably, recording the lowest score of any entry in either of the two semi finals.

Our top ten from almost 40 years ago is a timely reminder of a time when Ireland could compete at the highest level in the Eurovision.

This was the year a white-suited, fresh faced Johnny Logan (then aged 23) gave Ireland a second Eurovision win, following Dana's victory exactly ten years earlier, with 'All Kinds Of Everything'.

In the final in The Hague, Logan's 'What's Another Year', penned by Shay Healy, claimed victory ahead of the German entry - helped by 12 points to Ireland from the German jury. A total of 19 countries took part in the competition, a far cry from the 40-plus competing today.

Johnny Logan (born Sean Patrick Michael Sherrard) had failed in his first attempt to represent Ireland at Eurovision in 1979, his song finishing third in the Irish national final.

'What's Another Year' was a huge hit across Europe, spending two weeks at number one in the UK. In 2005, it was selected as one of the top 14 Eurovision songs in a televised special to mark 50 years of the contest.

Johnny Logan would go on to make history with a second Eurovision win with 'Hold Me Now' in 1987 and cement his status as a Eurovision great as writer of Linda Martin's winning entry 'Why Me?' in 1992.

Ireland has won the Eurovision a record seven times, but it's 23 years since our last win and results in recent years offer little hope of a return to the glory days.

1 What's Another Year Johnny Logan

2 No Doubt About It Hot Chocolate

3 She's Out Of My Life Michael Jackson

4 Mirror In The Bathroom The Beat

5 Geno Dexy's Midnight Runners

6 Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless) Mash

7 Over You Roxy Music

8 Hold On To My Love Jimmy Ruffin

9 I Shoulda Loved Ya Narada Michael Walden

10 We Are Glass Gary NumanAn unusual and little known insight into Sligo history will be taking place in County Armagh next week.

The latest in a series of presentations looking at the forgotten Orange heritage of Ireland outside the confines of Ulster, is scheduled to take place in Sloan's House Museum Loughgall on Tuesday 28th May at 8pm.

The popular lectures have been ongoing now for over two years, and have increasingly been attracting interest across the entire island.

The May lecture will be focusing in on the Orangemen of County Sligo.

Entitled 'The Yeats County Orangemen', the talk will be given by Armagh historian Quincey Dougan.

Speaking on the event Quincey said: "Orangeism in Connacht is a fascinating subject, not least in the county of Sligo where it was incredibly strong.

"Over thirty lodges were once operational, with Orange parades even a common phenomenon in the early 19th Century!

"Some particularly interesting insights come with references to Sligo Orangemen celebrating St Patricks Day, the attempts to gain arms for the then 400 strong membership in the 1880's, and the visit of over 100 Sligo Orangemen to Portadown during the height of the Third Home Rule Crisis.

"On the latter occasion a long poem was even penned and appeared in the Sligo Champion!"

Quincey told The Sligo Champion that he has been making his way around the country on this project.

"I am an orangeman with connections to an orange lodge in Leitrim."

The fact that the community was so big in Sligo means that there is a wealth of information out there for someone like Quincey to research.

"At least four dedicated Orange Halls existed including a substantial property in Sligo town, and others in Riverstown and Stonehall.

"Orangeism thrived until the land wars of the late 19th Century when lodges began to find it difficult to meet, and most had folded by 1906.

"The last lodge connected with Sligo Orangeism ceased operating in the 1920's.

"Their story offers an interest far beyond just Orangeism, with a relevance to the entirety of Irish history, and even offering lessons for the modern day."

Quincey would welcome any insights/ anecdotes into the Orange Institution in Sligo, and in particular would be grateful for images relating to the subject including regalia, certificates or other paperwork.

He hopes to deliver the presentation in the County in the near future. In June he will be visiting Achill and in July Ballina, on both occasions talking about Mayo's Orange heritage.

For further information on the event or topic you can contact Quincey on 7835624221 or email qdougan01@qub.ac.uk.A leading consultant at SligoUniversity Hospital has expressed fears over the future of acute services there due to the non filling of posts.

Dr Aine Burke, Consultant Haematologist has said the decision in October 2012 by the then Minister for Health to unilaterally reduce consultant salary rates by 30% for consultants employed beyond this date has had a severe impact.

The cut was in addition to the other salary cuts made to all public servants and to other public service new entrants she said and as a direct result hundreds of permanent consultant posts nationally remain unfilled, there is reduced competitiveness for posts, and the hiring of non-specialist locum doctors to specialist positions is a regular occurrence.

In a letter to all local election candidates, Ms Burke points out: "At Sligo University Hospital (SUH) the Dermatology service has advertised for an additional consultant on three different occasions in recent years and has failed to fill the post.

"There over 800 individuals on the waiting list to be seen by this service. An additional cardiologist post has also failed to fill and with the impending retirement of the current Cardiac specialist, there is concern over the ability to maintain this service within the hospital.

"A joint community and acute service Geriatrician post failed to attract any applicants last year.

"This is of particular concern as the region has an above-average proportion of the population classified as "elderly".

"A diabetes specialist (Endocrinologist) who was offered a post a number of months ago has yet to take up the job and there is a waiting list backlog of over 24 months to be seen by this service.

"What is really at stake now, for the population of Sligo and it's neighbouring counties, is the future of acute hospital medicine.

"If the current situation is allowed to continue it will result in the removal of such vital patient care by stealth due to inaction.

"The population of the SUH catchment area are fortunate to currently have these services but, as our more senior consultant colleagues approach retirement, their care is in jeopardy due to the failure to fill essential consultant posts.

"Sligo's political representatives need to ensure the full range of acute hospital services are developed by ensuring that the hospital is fully staffed by consultants who are on the specialist register.

"This is essential to avoid the hospital being downgraded.

"It is important that we do not find ourselves in a situation of progressing other new infrastructure services while at the same time the basic fabric of our acute hospital services is being undermined because we are no longer competitive in filling consultant posts.

"Pay parity must be restored urgently for Hospital Consultants.

"Only by doing so, can this internationally-mobile group of highly trained specialists be encouraged to return to, or stay in, Ireland, to serve and develop our health service.

"Establishment of pay parity across all consultants will address the recruitment and retention crisis, the hundreds of unfilled permanent consultant posts and the appointment of non-specialist doctors to consultant posts.

"As a result, access to see a specialist, waiting lists and waiting times, and overall standard and safety of care will improve."

Councillor Declan Bree said the contents of the letter was shocking and the Minister for Health needed to make a statement in regard to the future of acute services at the hospital.

"Her stark warning will be a wake-up call for those who have been turning a blind eye to the deterioration of services in the hospital." said Cllr Bree.

He added: "Dr Burke has made it abundantly clear that the issue here is not about a significant problem in one department - it is about a major crisis in our hospital and it is about the future of acute medicine in Sligo University Hospital.

"Despite being propped up by Fianna Fail, Fine Gael in government continues to prove that it is incapable of managing our health services." Cllr Bree declared.Irish Water recently opened the doors of the Foxes Den Water Treatment Plant to a group from Engineers Ireland.

The visit, organised by the North West regional branch of Engineers Ireland was attended by a group of over 20 engineers from the locality.

On the day, the engineers had the opportunity to view at first hand the state of the art treatment plant which ensures a safe supply of water to homes and businesses for over 11,000 people in Sligo.

The Foxes Den Water Treatment Plant has undergone a significant upgrade since the inception of Irish Water. The upgrade had also led to the treatment plant in Cairns Hill being decommissioned, and the scheme being removed from the EPA's remedial action list, a list of schemes that the EPA deem to be at risk.

Anthony Skeffington, Irish Water's Regional Operations Lead stated: "This is a vital piece of infrastructure for Sligo.

"It provides water for businesses and homes and is essential for social and economic growth.

"Visiting sites and seeing infrastructure in operation is hugely beneficial to engineering professionals who are, or will be, involved in the design, construction and operation of our future infrastructure.

"The visit to the Foxes Den plant is informative, and gives a valuable insight into how engineers and today's technology turns raw, untreated water from Lough Gill into clean, safe drinking water which feeds the taps of Sligo and its environs."The newly developed family room 'Seomra Teaghlaigh' located in Medical 7 ward at Sligo University Hospital was officially last Thursday by hospital chaplain Fr. John Carroll.

Funded through the Irish Hospice Foundation's (IHF) Design and Dignity Programme, the HSE and local support, the family room is a beautiful serene space in the midst of a very busy acute Medical ward catering for stroke and frail elderly patients.

The room will provide family members with a peaceful and restful space. The room can accommodate up to twelve people comfortably and can facilitate overnight stays.

It includes a kitchenette, armchairs, kitchen table and chairs. The family room is beautifully finished with exquisite original paintings by one of Ireland's pre-eminent romantic landscape painters the late Sean McSweeney in unification with the Model Art Gallery in Sligo.

Sligo University Hospital is one of over forty hospitals in Ireland linked to the Hospice Friendly Hospitals (HFH) Programme. The HFH Programme is an initiative of the Irish Hospice Foundation. It seeks to ensure that palliative, end of life and bereavement care are central to the everyday business of hospitals.

Ann Hayes, Development Coordinator for End of Life Care, Sligo University Hospital explains: "We wanted to create a dignified comfortable space away from the clinical environment that was welcoming and homely for families and friends. This new space will help in practical ways, for example in minimising travel and accommodation costs at a time when families have more important things to think about.

"The most important thing for all of us at Sligo University Hospital is to continue to improve the family experience by demonstrating true care and compassion at a time when it is needed most."

Grainne McCann, General Manager, Sligo University Hospital said: "We are pleased to open this new facility which will provide an opportunity for families to spend time together in a calmer and quieter environment at a very difficult time.

"The room is designed to give families a private and comforting space where loved ones can all be together."

Fr. John Carroll stated: "Almost everyone knows from personal experience how the illness of a loved one can impact on a family. This new family room 'Seomra Teaghlaigh' offers a quiet family friendly space where relatives can get some rest, share their anxieties and concerns, share stories and just spend time together as a family."

The family of the late Maureen Mullen outlined: "As a family coming to terms with our mother's Illness, the family room was invaluable to us. It enabled us to have the privacy we needed.

"In this room we eat, rested and chatted with friends and family, we laughed and cried there. In the family Room it was like home from home for the two weeks our mum was in hospital and gave us quality time to spend with her.

"Without this room we would not have been able to spend so much time in the Hospital and remembering those precious days is what is going to help us to get through the loss of our mum."Taoiseach Leo Varadkar led a moving ceremony in the centre of Sligo on Sunday to remember all those who suffered and died during the Great Famine. The Taoiseach was accompanied by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan at the National Famine Commemoration held at Stephen Street Car Park.

The formal State ceremony included military honours and a wreath laying ceremony by Ambassadors to Ireland in remembrance of all victims of the Famine. The event also included performances by musicians from Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Sligeach and the sixty voice Sligo Famine Choir formed specially for the commemoration.

Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Councillor Martin Baker and Mayor of Sligo Municipal District, Councillor Rosaleen O'Grady, gave readings, while prayers were led by local church leaders including the Bishop of Elphin, Kevin Doran. Some 40,000 people from the North West who emigrated through Sligo Port between 1841 and 1851. The population of Co Sligo was over 180,000 before the failure of the potato crop. It fell by one third as thousands of people left the northwest in that period. Mr Varadkar was greeted on his arrival by the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett. He then inspected a guard of honour from the 28th Infantry Battalion in Finner Camp in Donegal.

It was the 12th consecutive year in which the National Famine Commemoration has taken place and the third time it hashas taken place in Connaught. Speaking at the event the Taoiseach said the Famine was the single most traumatic event in Irish history.

"Every county has its own famine story, and the story in Sligo was terrible and tragic. There were 162 sailings from the Port of Sligo, between 1847 and 1851, the majority of them to Canada and the United States.

"Thirteen thousand people left in Black '47 alone. 440 people set off from here in the 'Bark Larch' to Quebec. Many of these died without ever setting foot on shore. The few who did land on Grosse Ile received comfort from Fr. Bernard McGauran, himself from Sligo.

"I believe the best way we can honour those who suffered and died during the Great Famine is by showing empathy with those who are experiencing similar problems today, whether through natural disaster or oppression.

"Our country has a longstanding commitment to working for the eradication of poverty and hunger in the world. We were refugees once and we recall the great compassion and the open doors shown around the world. It is seared on our collective memories as we work to assist today's refugees."The work of the County Sligo Famine Commemoration Committee was praised by the Minister for Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan during Sunday's National Famine Commemoration at Stephen Street Car Park, Sligo.

"I would like to express my appreciation to the commitment of local communities and committees throughout the island of Ireland who persevere to keep the memory of those that suffered alive.

"In particular, I would like to recognise the work of the members of the County Sligo Famine Commemoration Committee," said the Minister who is also chariperson of Chairperson of the National Famine Commemoration Committee,

The Commemoration on Sunday afternoon also saw the launch, in the Model Arts Centre, by the Minister of a booklet produced by the County Sligo Famine Commemoration Committee in 1997 to mark the 150th Anniversary of the Famine.

After the Commemoration Ceremony, the Model Arts Centre also hosted a preview of the Trailer for Lost Children of The Carricks, written and directed by Professor Gearoid O hAllmhurain.

The Minister said she was delighted that with the generous support of the County Council, a the booklet had been reprinted and she was pleased to announce its relaunch

"I am especially pleased that copies of this important local record will be distributed to local schools and I am confident that it will serve as a valuable teaching resource into the future," she said.Self-lighting stairs, electric quad bike, and even a robotic bartender were all on show at the 2019 Engineering and Technology Expo at IT Sligo last week in association with AbbVie.

Over 1,000 people visited the expo which is the largest of its kind in the region, offering an opportunity for students and professionals to see the latest in engineering and technology.

Fifty-five companies from all over Ireland and the UK, exhibited at the expo from a range of engineering and technology industries. The expo not only gives companies an opportunity to showcase their products to potential clients, but also the opportunity to view some of the emerging talent from the faculty of Engineering and Design at IT Sligo.

With nearly eighty students demonstrating their projects at the event, there was a lot for companies to see.

Some of the larger inventions included; a double round bale lifter, a retro fitted electric car and an ingenious device to shake off algae from oyster bags whilst protecting the shells.

Inside the expo the hall was filled with innovations in all things Industry 4.0, connecting manufacturing to the "Internet of Things", robotics and automation. Visitors were greeted by AbbVie's impressive robotic display made by local firm Ward Automation.

Bernard Murray, Engineering Manager with AbbVie in Ballytivnan, who were main sponsors of the Expo said: "AbbVie is delighted to support this year's IT Sligo Engineering and Technology Expo and help play our part in identifying and nurturing the engineers of the future.

"As a global biopharmaceutical company, which is expanding its footprint in Sligo, AbbVie has to be proactive in its support of STEM in our local communities and showcase the exciting engineering-related career paths available to students in the northwest."

Overall, there were four awards presented at the Expo to the best projects. The winners were: Computing Programme Award: Mark O'Shea - Carraroe, Sligo who designed an Augmented Reality experience to help people with anxiety to prepare for presentation; Metatronic Programme: Michael Haran,- Drumcliffe, Co Sligo for his Automated Capping Machine, Electronic & Computer Engineering: Ryszard Kaczor -Grange, Cork, designed an augmented staircase lighting system using piezoelectric sensors.

The Mechanical & Precision Engineering award was won by four students from Mayo, Clare and Cavan, for their Seaweed De-watering screw press which speeds up the process of seaweed drying for use in the production of food and beauty products.A group called 'Friends of Metal Man' has said if there isn't urgent maintenance works carried out on the Rosses Point navigation beacon they will take the law into their own hands and paint the historic monument themselves.

A campaign calling for painting and improvement works on The Metal Man, has gained momentum across Rosses Point and further afield since its inception in recent weeks.

The well-known painted cast-iron statue of a Royal Navy petty officer at Perch Rock was last painted ten years ago, according to Kieran Devaney of 'Friends of Metal Man'.

Speaking to The Sligo Champion, Devaney said Sligo County Council were asked to repaint the beacon four years ago but it was never done.

"Since then yachts men and fishermen said it is in great danger of rusting away. It's time to do something. We've got a lot of support from the village," said Devaney.

The famous beacon was erected at Perch Rock between Rosses Point and Oyster Island in 1821.

The figurative navigation beacon cast in 1819 by Thomas Kirke in London, is seen as forming an important element of the maritime history of County Sligo.

It has an identical twin beacon in Tramore, Co Waterford.

Commenting on teh beacon's upcoming 200 year anniversary in 2021, Devaney said if it was in any other country in the world it would be praised as a national monument.

"The county council don't seem to care about him. It's all money, money, money but once he's gone there's no way of getting him back. Two hundred years of history gone."

Asked what works needed to be undertaken in order to restore The Metal Man to its former glory, Devaney said first an engineer's report should be undertaken.

"A lot of rust needs to be sorted out. There's 200 years of paint on him.

"We need a report to see if it should be sandblasted and repainted."

Speaking of repainting, Devaney said local paint shop Decorplan had offered to supply paint and painters to undertake the works, however, he said Sligo County Council indicated this could not be undertaken as works would not be covered by insurance.

The Metal Man had been intended to be placed on the Blackrock Beacon but when the merchants of Sligo looked for Blackrock to be converted to a lighthouse the sailor, on their suggestion, was placed on Perch Rock. An acetylene light was established beside him on 16th October 1908.

On 13th March 2003 the gas powered light was changed to solar powered. From this date the light is exhibited in hours of darkness only.Children from Nuns Cross NS and Scoilna Coroine Mhuire who performed with composer Elaine Agnew at the concert in the Church of the Most Holy Rosary

Ashford's annual Feile Londubh poetry and music festival featured everything from storytelling for children to woodland walks.

The three-day festival was presented by Alchemy Concerts and officially opened with a special concert held on Friday night featuring Wicklow Male Voice Choir, composer Elaine Agnew, poetry by students from St Coens and music by students attending Nun's Cross NS and Scoil Coroine Mhuire NS. Earlier that day, Fiona Dowling, a French-Irish storyteller, held a storytelling event in the Ashford Heritage Centre.

Other highlights included a lunchtime concert on Saturday featuring performances from emerging artists Stephen Walker and Preachan.

A Seamus Heaney Woodland Walk through Devil's Glen was led by writer David Butler and naturalist Richard Nairn. Other activities enjoyed included a baby and toddler music workshop and a children's workshop called 'Fighting Words.' The festival's flagship event was titled 'The First 100 Years' and reflected on 100 years of the Irish Republic through poetry, music, and song, featuring Jane Clarke, Sonamus, Londubh String Quintet and Deirdre Moynihan.High demand has led to the Mermaid Arts Centre adding an extra performance of their Concert for Babies on Sunday, May 26, at 10.30am.

'Concertos Para Bebes' is a musical experience specially designed for young people.

The experienced musicians of 'Concertos para Bebes' ('Concerts for Babies) invite the children - along with parents, siblings, grandparents and friends - to listen to a range of styles, from Monteverdi to Traditional Irish Music, Baroque Guitar to Saxophone.

Joining them will be special guest, Eamon Sweeney, who is the Mermaid's Music Network Artist in Residence 2018/9, an initiative of Music Network in partnership with Wicklow County Council Arts Office and Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre.

Tickets cost 10 for adults, 8 for babies or 30 for families (two adults and two children) and are on sale now from the Mermaid.Greystones Art Group didn't have far to travel to find inspiration for its latest exhibition 'Water', which opens at the Signal Arts Centre in Bray on Monday (May 27).

The artworks span generations, mediums and disciplines yet all are united under the banner of water. The active group of amateurs and professionals is based in Greystones and regularly draws inspiration from their proximity to the sea and the lakes of Wicklow.

The group has transferred to canvas ideas and emotions evoked from their interpretation of water using oils, watercolours, inks and tempera. Asked about the exhibition, a Greystones Art Group spokesperson said; 'We are delighted to be exhibiting for the first time in the Signal Arts Centre. This year has been a really exciting time as the group is diversifying and opening up to new opportunities; including more exhibitions, inspiring demonstrations, outdoor painting sessions and we're working on a series of creative workshops.'

'To be able to show in a well-respected venue such as the Signal Arts Centre is a real benefit for our group and gives us a great opportunity to share our group's talent to a wider audience.'

Established in 1965, Greystones Art Group is one of Ireland's longest running art groups. The main purpose of the group was (and still is) to encourage amateur artists. The aim is to advance members artistic knowledge and skills through on-going lectures and demonstrations. In addition there are also Annual Exhibitions of paintings and other works of art, for all members, both amateur and professional.

An opening reception for 'Water' will take place on Friday, May 31, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and the exhibition will continue until Sunday, June 9.Mountain climbers lining up to stand at the summit of Mount Everest. Photo: AFP PHOTO / PROJECT POSSIBLE

A British climber too weak to descend from Mount Everest died on Saturday, officials said, the eighth climber to die on the worlds tallest mountain and the 18th in Nepal's Himalayas during the current climbing season.

Hiking officials attributed most of the deaths to weakness, exhaustion and delays on the crowded route to the 8,850-metre (29,035 feet) summit.

Expand Close Mountaineer Kevin Hynes, from Galway, who died on the descent from Mount Everest. Picture courtesy of RTE / Facebook

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Whatsapp Mountaineer Kevin Hynes, from Galway, who died on the descent from Mount Everest. Picture courtesy of RTE

Robin Haynes Fisher, 44, died in the so-called "death zone" known for low levels of oxygen on descent from the summit, Mira Acharya, a tourism department official, said.

Two Irishmen, both experienced mountaineers, have died on the mountain in the past 10 days.

[Mr Fisher] died because of weakness after a long ascent and difficult descent, Murari Sharma of the Everest Parivar Treks company that arranged his logistics told Reuters. He was descending with his sherpa guides from the summit when he suddenly fainted."

Fellow guides changed Fisher's oxygen bottle and offered him water, but could not save him, Sharma said.

Expand Close Trinity College professor and climber Seamus Lawless / Facebook

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Garrett Madison of the U.S. based Madison Mountaineering company that sponsors climbers to Mount Everest said many were not "well qualified or prepared climbers" and were without the support necessary to ascend and descend safely.

"If they were with a strong and experienced team they would have likely been fine, but with minimal support, once something goes wrong it's tough to get back on course," Madison told Reuters.

Kevin Hynes, from Galway, died on Everest while attempting to scale the world's highest peak from the Tibetan side early Friday morning, according to expedition organisers.

"It is with the greatest sadness that we have to confirm that Kevin Hynes from Galway, Ireland, one of our Everest team members, has passed away," 360 Expeditions said in a statement reported by the 'Himalayan Times'. "Kevin (56) was one of the strongest and most experienced climbers on our team and had previously summited Everest South and Lhotse."

It is understood Mr Hynes lived and worked in the UK, and had previously scaled Everest in May of last year. He was a father of two.

Father-of-one Seamus Lawless (39) from Bray, Co Wicklow, fell at an altitude of 8,300 metres while descending from the world's highest peak on Thursday of last week.

Just hours after Mr Lawless reached the summit tragedy struck and the search has since been reclassified as a recovery mission.Abortion-rights advocates have taken part in protests in the US (Michael DeMocker/NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune via AP)

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Mississippi law that would ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, at about six weeks of pregnancy.

Here we go again, US District Judge Carlton Reeves wrote in his order. Mississippi has passed another law banning abortions prior to viability.

His new order stops the law from taking effect on July 1.

Mr Reeves is the same judge who struck down a 2018 Mississippi law to ban abortion at 15 weeks.

Mississippi is one of several states that have pushed this year to enact bans on early abortions.

Expand Close Alabamas Republican governor recently signed a law to ban most abortions, sparking protests in the state (AP Photo/Kim Chandler, File) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Alabamas Republican governor recently signed a law to ban most abortions, sparking protests in the state (AP Photo/Kim Chandler, File)

Opponents of abortion are emboldened by new conservative Supreme Court justices and are looking for ways to challenge the courts 1973 ruling that legalised abortion nationwide.

Mr Reeves heard arguments on Tuesday from lawyers for the states only abortion clinic, who said the law would effectively eliminate all abortions in Mississippi because cardiac activity is often first detectable when many women might not know they are pregnant.

Lawyers with the state attorney generals office said the law should be allowed to take effect because it was not a complete ban on abortion but was instead a limit on when the procedure could be done.

Alabamas Republican governor recently signed a law to ban most abortions, while Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana and Ohio have enacted or neared approval of measures barring abortion once there is a detectable fetal heartbeat.

Missouri politicians approved an eight-week ban. All of those laws are expected to face legal challenges, and the Kentucky one was temporarily blocked by a federal judge in March.

Mr Reeves ruled last year that Mississippis 15-week ban was unconstitutional because it would prohibit access to abortion before a fetus could survive outside the pregnant womans body.

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Whatsapp People gather for a rally in support of reproductive rights in Dallas (Ryan Michalesko/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

Viability is generally considered to be about 23 or 24 weeks.

In an indication of which way he was leaning on the request to block the new law with the earlier ban, Mr Reeves asked lawyers on Tuesday: Doesnt it boil down to: Six is less than 15?

Also during the hearing, Mr Reeves criticised Mississippi politicians for passing an earlier ban after he struck down the one at 15 weeks.

It sure smacks of defiance to this court, he said.

Mr Reeves will hear arguments later about the question of whether the six-week ban is constitutional. He wrote on Friday that the new law prevents a womans free choice, which is central to personal dignity and autonomy. This injury outweighs any interest the State might have in banning abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat.

The state is appealing Mr Reeves ruling on the 15-week ban, and Republican Governor Phil Bryant signed the new law in March.

The states only abortion clinic, Jackson Womens Health Organisation, quickly sued the state.

BREAKING: A federal judge just struck down Mississippis 6 week abortion ban!!



Once again the rule of law has prevailed over political ploys to control personal health decisions. Well fight tooth and nail to make sure all of these bans meet the same fate.  Center for Reproductive Rights (@ReproRights) May 24, 2019

Mr Bryant said in a statement on Friday that he was disappointed in Mr Reeves ruling.

As governor, Ive pledged to do all I can to protect life, Mr Bryant said. Time and time again the Legislature and I have done just that.

The Mississippi law says physicians who perform abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected could face revocation of their state medical licences.

It also says abortions could be allowed after a fetal heartbeat is found if a pregnancy endangers a womans life or one of her major bodily functions.

Senators rejected an amendment that would have allowed exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.Donald Trump has been blocked from building sections of his long-sought border wall (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

A federal judge has blocked US president Donald Trump from building sections of his long-sought border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency.

US district judge Haywood Gilliam Jr immediately halted the administrations efforts to redirect military-designated funds for wall construction on Friday.

His order applies to two projects, scheduled to begin as early as Saturday, to replace 51 miles of fence in two areas on the Mexican border.

Mr Gilliam issued the ruling after hearing arguments last week in two cases.

California and 19 other states brought one lawsuit; the Sierra Club and a coalition of communities along the border brought the other.

BREAKING: We just won our motion on behalf of the @SierraClub and @SBCCoalition to block the illegal construction of Trumps border wall.



Construction using money illegally diverted under the presidents emergency declaration was set to begin as soon as tomorrow.  ACLU (@ACLU) May 25, 2019

His ruling was the first of several lawsuits against Mr Trumps controversial decision to bypass the normal appropriations process to pay for his long-sought wall.

The position that when Congress declines the Executives request to appropriate funds, the Executive nonetheless may simply find a way to spend those funds without Congress does not square with fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic, the judge wrote in granting a temporary injunction to stop construction.

At stake is billions of dollars that would allow Mr Trump to make progress in a signature campaign promise heading into his campaign for a second term.

Mr Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House over fully paying for the wall that led to a 35-day government shutdown.

This is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities.



The court blocked all wall projects currently slated for immediate construction.



If the Trump administration begins illegally diverting additional funds, we'll be back in court.  ACLU (@ACLU) May 25, 2019

As a compromise on border and immigration enforcement, Congress set aside 1.375 billion US dollars (1.08 billion) to extend or replace existing barriers in Texas Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.

Mr Trump grudgingly accepted the money, but he declared the emergency to siphon money from other government accounts because he wanted to spend 8 billion dollars (6 billion) on wall construction.

The funds include 3.6 billion dollars (2.8 billion) from military construction funds, 2.5 billion dollars (2 billion) from Defence Department counter-drug activities and 600 million dollars (470 million) from the Treasury Departments asset forfeiture fund.

The presidents adversaries say the emergency declaration was an illegal attempt to ignore Congress, which authorised far less wall spending than Trump wanted.

We welcome the courts decision to block Trumps attempts to sidestep Congress to build deadly walls that would hurt communities living at the border, endanger wildlife, and have damaging impacts on the environment, said Andrea Guerrero, a member of the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

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Whatsapp Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House over fully paying for the wall that led to a 35-day government shutdown (AP Photo/Matt York, File)

The administration said Mr Trump was protecting national security as unprecedented numbers of Central American asylum-seeking families arrive at the US border.

The courtroom showdowns come amid a flurry of activity to accelerate wall construction.

Kenneth Rapuano, an assistant secretary of defence, said in a court filing last month that work on the highest-priority, Pentagon-funded projects could begin as soon as Saturday.US President Donald Trump has granted Attorney General William Barr "full and complete authority" to declassify government secrets, issuing a memorandum that orders US intelligence agencies to co-operate promptly with Mr Barr's audit of the investigation into Russia's election interference in 2016.

The president's move gives Mr Barr broad powers to unveil carefully guarded intelligence secrets about the Russia investigation, which the attorney general requested to allow him to quickly carry out his review, according to the memo.

"Today's action will ensure that all Americans learn the truth about the events that occurred, and the actions that were taken, during the last presidential election and will restore confidence in our public institutions," the White House said in an accompanying statement, which Mr Trump then tweeted.

The president has labelled the investigation of his campaign a "political witch hunt".

His Republican allies in Congress who have reviewed some of the related files argue that the FBI investigation was opened based on flimsy and questionable evidence of wrongdoing, and that surveillance of campaign advisers to Mr Trump was improper.

"This is candidly part of the president wanting to make sure the American people have the entire story of what went on and what will be construed by most people as improper activity within the FBI.

"It's also the very first step in rectifying and repairing the damage done by certain people at the FBI," said Mark Meadows, one of the president's biggest defenders on Capitol Hill.

Mr Meadows said he discussed with the president how granting Mr Barr this authority would provide answers about whether the investigation was biased.

Conservative lawmakers, such as Mr Meadows, have insisted to friends in the administration that declassifying these documents will help Mr Trump protect his presidency and further distance himself from any political fallout from the Russia investigation, according to multiple people involved in those discussions.

The move is likely to further anger Democrats who have said that Mr Barr is using his position as the nation's top law enforcement official to aggressively protect the president and attack his critics.

 Washington PostBacking: Donald Trump talks to the media in the Roosevelt Room at the White House. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Donald Trump conspicuously failed to deny former FBI officials involved in probes into his presidential campaign should be put to death for what he describes as treason.

The US president listed former FBI directors James Comey and Andrew McCabe, as well as agents Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, when asked who he was accusing of treason.

Expand Close Critical: Nancy Pelosi said Trump might want to take a holiday. Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Critical: Nancy Pelosi said Trump might want to take a holiday. Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

"Sir, the constitution says treason is punishable by death. You've accused your adversaries of treason. Who specifically are you accusing of treason?" NBC journalist Peter Alexander asked Mr Trump during a White House event.

"Well I think a number of people, and I think what (sic) you look is that they have unsuccessfully tried to take down the wrong person," Mr Trump responded.

"If you look at Comey, if you look at McCabe, if you look at probably people higher than that. If you look at Strzok, if you look at his lover Lisa Page, his wonderful lover.

"The two lovers they talked openly. You know they didn't use their private server because they didn't want to get caught, so they used the government server. That was not a good move."

Mr Trump has long railed against the four officials he falsely accused of treason.

The president's 2017 firing of Mr Comey, who he then blamed for "this Russia thing", led to the appointment of both Mr McCabe as FBI chief and the launch of Robert Mueller's investigation.

The bizarre comments came after Mr Trump traded insults with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the previous day.

The enmity between Mr Trump and Ms Pelosi deteriorated into rude-and-then-some questioning of his fitness for office and her sanity, with personal attacks flowing from both.

The bitter exchanges left it uncertain ahead of the 2020 election whether Mr Trump and the Democrats will be able to work together on funding the government and raising the federal borrowing limit, let alone thornier issues such as immigration, national security and more.

Ms Pelosi openly questioned Mr Trump's fitness to remain in office. The California Democrat described a pattern of "stunts" by the president to change the subject amid the investigations and unflattering news about him.

On Wednesday, Mr Trump stormed out of a meeting with Democrats that had been set up to talk about how to pay for a $2trn (1.8trn) package to repair the nation's roads and bridges.

Ms Pelosi told her weekly news conference: "I wish that his family or his administration or his staff would have an intervention for the good of the country."

And she suggested: "Maybe he wants to take a leave of absence."

The flare-up between Mr Trump and Democratic congressional leaders came as Mr Trump has refused Democrats' demand for documents and testimony in the aftermath of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russia's election meddling and contacts with the Trump campaign.

Mr Trump, describing Ms Pelosi, said: "She's a mess.

"Crazy Nancy... I watched Nancy and she was all crazy yesterday."

As for himself, he declared: "I'm an extremely stable genius."

But Ms Pelosi hit back: "When the 'extremely stable genius' starts acting more presidential, I'll be happy to work with him on infrastructure, trade and other issues," she tweeted.

With regard to Mr Trump's earlier comments it was not clear who "people higher than" Mr Comey was a reference to, but in the previous administration only the attorney general and former president Barack Obama would rank as more senior.

Mr Strzok and Ms Page have long been subject of Republican suspicions after it emerged the pair, who were in an extramarital affair while investigating Mr Trump, exchanged texts disparaging of the then presidential candidate. Mr Mueller later removed Mr Strzok from his team once the texts emerged, including one in which Mr Strzok told Ms Page the probe was an "insurance policy" in case Mr Trump won.

Experts have said Mr Trump's treason accusations are baseless, since the founders narrowly defined the crime in the US constitution as "levying war" against the US or "adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort".

The White House has been contacted for comment.Soldiers at the scene in central Lyon (Sebastien Erome/AP)

French police are hunting a suspect following an explosion that injured 13 people in a busy pedestrian street in Lyon.

The countrys counter-terrorism prosecutor, Remy Heitz, said an investigation has been launched into attempted murderer in relation with a terrorist undertaking.

He said no group has claimed responsibility for the explosion.

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Regional authorities said 13 people suffered mostly minor injuries, including 11 who were still in hospital on Saturday morning.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the explosion an attack on Friday.

Mr Heitz described video surveillance that shows the suspect heading towards Lyon city centre on a bicycle on Friday afternoon.

The man was seen arriving on foot, pushing his bike, in the pedestrian Victor Hugo street. He was seen leaving a paper bag on a concrete block in the middle of the street near a bakery, Mr Heitz said.

The suspect immediately returned to his bike and left by the same path. One minute later, the explosion shattered the glass of a cooler in the bakery.

Investigators at the scene have found screws, metallic balls, a triggering device that can be used remotely and plastic pieces that may come from the explosive device.

Police issued an appeal for witnesses and described the suspect as dangerous.Only a true-blue Game of Thrones fan knows what it means to see the last episode of a show that has been a part of your life! After eight glorious years, the show ended and even when for some it was disappointing, it'll take some time for every time to get over the fact that it has ended. The craze still remains!

While many fans are all ready to place their bet and money on Game of Thrones' prequel, Blood Moon, others are busy stalking their favourite GoT actors on social media. One very interesting detail has paved its way on the internet.

Not many know that actor Staz Nair, who essayed the role of Dothraki 'Qhono' has an interesting India connection. The actor penned down a heart warming note in which he didn't just thank the makers of Game of Thrones, but he also expressed how grateful he is that the show allowed him to reconnect with Indian heritage.

Extending gratitude towards the people of his hometown, Kerala, he wrote,

"GOT also allowed me to reconnect with my Indian heritage, its such an honour to be a part of so much pride, the hometown (Kerala) support has been so humbling so Thankyou to all of my malayali/Indian people."

Read his full heartwarming note right here:

"From Womb to Tomb... THANKYOU @hbo and everyone involved.

Cant help but feel a little at a loss right now, I had just stopped living in a corridor when I booked @gameofthrones so it represents SUCH a transition in my life that I will always be so grateful for.

GOT also allowed me to reconnect with my Indian heritage, its such an honour to be a part of so much pride, the hometown (Kerala) support has been so humbling so Thankyou to all of my malayali/Indian people.

I hope those who havent watched the last episode enjoy it. Thank you for all your support throughout the years, a production is only ever as successful as its fanbase Is passionate - you guys helped turn this show into the legacy its become and its an honour to be a part of that."After IAFs airstrike in Balakot in Pakistan on February 26, the Indian and Pakistani jets scrambled against one another on February 27. Amid the news of Pakistan breaching Indias air space, a news came that IAFs Mi-17 helicopter had crashed in Budgam in which six of the IAF personnel on board and civilian lost their lives. One of the IAF personnel who died in the crash was Sergeant Vikrant Sherawat.

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The initial reasons given were technical fault but the preliminary findings have revealed that helicopter was shot down by a friendly fire done by Indias own ground based air-defence apparatus and now knowing this has made family of Sergeant Sherawat feel cheated as they were kept in dark for months.

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Sergeant Sherwats father, 62-year-old farmer, Sri Krishan has all rights to complain. The Hindu went to Bhadani village in Jhajjar, Haryana to Sri Krishna, the father of the IAF officer.

We dont understand the politics. But it could be because of the elections that the facts were hidden from us. The way the Pulwama attack was politicised to seek electoral mileage, it seems the matter [friendly fire] was hushed up to avoid embarrassment to the government in election season, says Mr. Krishna.

Suman, the wife of the officer told that a week after the incident, she read in a Hindi daily that the helicopter was hit by fire from Indian forces.

The mother of late sergeant also voiced that other friends of his son who also serve in IAF and are from neighbouring villages hinted that the helicopter was downed by friendly fire, but adviser her to maintain silence.

Now the report of the Court of Inquiry probing the incident is expected to submit its report in couple of weeks and only then the official version will come before the family and until all the information that family has got is through media.

News reports suggest the senior-most officer among those guilty is being transferred as punishment. I demand that all officers responsible be given strict punishment, said Devi.A US court on Friday ordered a man from Oregon to learn about Sikh religion as sentence for an attack on a Sikh shopkeeper. He will have to submit a report to the court of what he learnt about the religion as a part of his sentence, a civil rights group said.

Andrew Ramsey who had attacked a Sikh shopkeeper in Salem had pleaded guilty to misdemeanour counts of intimidation and assault in an incident which took place on January 14 in which he targeted Harwinder Singh Dodd, the largest Sikh civil rights organisation the Sikh Coalition said in a release and news agency Associated Press reported it.

The release said that the intimidation count is considered a hate crime. The Intimidation count is considered a hate crime, it said.

The witnessed in the case told the court that Ramsey pulled beard of the victim after he refused to sell him cigarettes with an ID. He also punched and pulled him down. The bystanders stopped Ramsey from further assaulting Harwinder.

AP/Representational Image

Harwinder came to the US from India and owns a convenience store and if statistics are believed hate crimes are on the rise in the US. Between 2016 to 2017, there have been a 40 percent increase in Oregon, according to the FBI.

"He didn't see me as a person," Dodd said of Ramsey. "He attacked me because of how I look. Because of my turban and beard my religious articles of faith."Lets face it, staying invisible online is hard. Its almost impossible to network for your career without Facebook and Twitter at least, and there are probably other online services you use too.

The problem is, all these require handing over data, and its not always well protected.

Images courtesy: Reuters

Its a sort of understanding, that you hand your data over to social media companies and theyre going to use it for ads or whatever. At the very least though, youd expect them to take care of that data. And maybe you can trust them to, but can you also trust the thousands of people working for them? Apparently not always.

Its just come to light that some Snapchat employees are the untrustworthy kind. According to two former Snap (the company that owns Snapchat) employees that spoke to Motherboard, there were instances of spying happening right in the office.

It seems multiple employees at the company several years ago improperly accessed user data on the service. Yep, they abused their privileges to access details about customers outside of official reasons why they would need them.

The thing is, Snapchat has internal tools that grant employees access to personal information like location data, saved photos and videos on the app, phone numbers, and email addresses. And it looks like some people there abused this tool at least a few times.

One of these tools is called SnapLion, which was originally designed to let the company access user data in case law enforcement demanded it. Its only accessible by the Spam and Abuse team, Customer Operations, and security. Apparently some employees used this to look up users email addresses.

Snap hasnt yet commented on whether any action was taken against said employees, and whether they now have a precaution in place to prevent it. Either way, its a harsh wake up call for those of you that still somehow thought these companies keep your data safe.

Even with all the security measures in the world, your privacy is only as safe as a someone with access and questionable ethics.A rare white lion was born in Szeged Zoo in Hungary and made its first public appearance on May 24. The female lion cub has been named as Sonja. The mother gave birth to baby Sonja on May 15 without any complications and she weighs 1.5 kg.

"The mother, Nadja, has given birth to Sonja on May 15," Robert Veprik, the director of the zoo told local media, after a medical examination of the little one.

The father of the cub is separated from the family but soon the whole family will be reunited again.

Hello Sonja! A rare white lion, born in the Szeged Zoo in #Hungary on May 15, made its first public appearance on Fri. White lions are not albinos, but have coloration that results from a genetic rarity. pic.twitter.com/ng1TtRl6qI  People's Daily, China (@PDChina) May 25, 2019Meanwhile, anybody who wants to meet baby Sonja can see her in the lions room and her steps are also followed by a camera, so she can be seen on a monitor.

White lions are not albinos. They are a rare colour mutation of the lion - specifically the South African lion. Their white color is caused by a recessive trait, distinct from the gene responsible for white tigers.

Recently, a 3-week old baby porcupine was also clicked in Szeged Zoo sitting on its mother's back.For the first time in the history of the Man Booker Prize a writer has been declared the winner for her book in Arabic. Jokha Alharthi received this years prize for her book Celestial Bodies. She is also the first Omani writer to win the literary award.

What is more impressive is that the 40-year-old author will be sharing the prize money that she got - Rs 44,10,681 lakh - equally with her English translator Marilyn Booth. Alharthis book was competing against five other books from Europe and South America.

Were delighted to announce our #MBI2019 winner is Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi, translated by Marilyn Booth and published by Sandstone Press. Read more here: https://t.co/rWHBRXwDOy pic.twitter.com/SfJr2Yg98u  Man Booker Prize (@ManBookerPrize) May 21, 2019

I am thrilled that a window has been opened to the rich Arabic culture, Alharthi told reporters after the ceremony at the Roundhouse in London. Oman inspired me but I think international readers can relate to the human values in the book- freedom and love, she added.

Celestial Bodies is set in the Omani village of al-Awafi and it revolves around three sisters: Mayya - who marries into a rich family, Asma - who marries for duty, and Khawla - who is waiting for a man who has emigrated to Canada.

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Bettany Hughes, a historian who led the judging panel, said that the book avoids every stereotype.

We felt we were getting access to ideas and thoughts and experiences you arent normally given in English. It avoids every stereotype you might expect in its analysis of gender and race and social distinction and slavery. There are surprises throughout. We fell in love with it, Bettany Hughes told The Guardian.We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to formPrime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah meet party veteran L.K. Adavni at his residence in New Delhi on May 24. The BJP on Thursday recorded a stunning and historic victory by winning 299 seats while it was leading on four seats. (Twitter/@narendramodi photo)Popular Senator, Dino Melaye has been recognised as a man of integrity for his outspokenness by a media organization.

The Nigerian Association of Christian Journalists presented Senator Dino Melaye, who has given hint that he wants to contest for the governorship seat in Kogi State, the Man of Integrity award.

This award is coming after a turbulent start to the year for the senator, whose house was surrounded by the police authority for more than 3 days in January.

Also Read: God Cannot Answer Your Prayers If You Dont Honour Your Parents  Reno Omokri Warns

The Senator won his re-election bid and is believed to be one of the major forces of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) returning to the upper chamber.

See the award below:Social media crusader and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has adviced Nigerians to honour their parents for God to listen to their prayers.

Reno Omokri warned that Christians give accord to their pastors, but fail to do so at home.

Reno pointed out that christians regularly check up on their pastors, while abandoning their own parents.

Also Read: Curvy Actress, Princess Shyngle Reveals Root Of All Evil, Not Money!

He wrote:Sandra Iheuwa, Ubi Franklins alleged 4th baby mama has taken to IG to call the music executive out.

Sandra via a post on IG revealed how she met Ubi in May 2017 in London and how he asked her for a Loan of N8 million which she gave to him.

Ubi, however, refused to pay her back in full.

She further revealed that an agreement was drawn by her lawyer and Ubi has paid N4 million of the owed money but is refusing to pay the rest.

Read what she wrote as well as the screengrabs of the court paper below.Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Wakili has retired from the police force.

The super cop who played an inspiring role during the last general election will be surely missed both by the people of Kano and Nigerians generally.

Wakili who spent less than 5 months as thr Commissioner of Police in Kano, was very passionate about tackling hard-drug sellers, drug-abuse and dangerous crimes in the state.

Wakili was born in Gombe where he attended Central Primary School and was also among the pioneer students of the Gombe Community Secondary School, known as Doma, at a temporary site in present Tudun Wada Primary School.

He proceeded to the North East College of Arts and Science (NECAS)  the college was upgraded to the University of Maiduguri  and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hausa Language.

He joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1986, after his participation in the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC).The people of Aga community in the Ikorodu area of Lagos state were thrown into shock on Friday morning, after a man, his wife and son were found dead in their apartment.

According to a neighbour of the deceased identified as Taiwo Salami, a Charles Omomo, popularly referred to as Baba Efe, his wife, Faith and their three children were all inside the apartment when the incident occurred.

According to the neighbour, while it was discovered that Omomo committed suicide the cause of death of the wife and son is yet to be known.

I left home very early as usual with my motorcycle. After some hours, my wife called me that Baba Efe, his wife and their last child, Glorious were found dead inside their apartment, Salami said.

On getting home I saw a crowd in our compound. I entered the apartment of Baba Efe only to discover he had committed suicide, the wife lay on the floor dead and the son on the three-seater chair also dead.

I was surprised because yesterday night, I saw both the wife and the husband sitting together as usual without any rancour. In fact, they were playing with their children around them. I dont know what could have caused this sudden situation.

Efe, the eldest daughter went to one of their family members, living nearby to report the development. On getting there, she screamed for help.

The dead man used to be a motorcycle rider but a few months ago he stopped working because his motorcycle had developed a fault.

The children also stopped going to school but I saw them yesterday and there was no sign of any problem among them.

Another neighbour who spoke on anonymity said: There was a time the husband and wife were fighting and the husband was accusing his wife of infidelity that the wife must tell him the real father of the son if not that nobody will be alive among them, the neighbour was quoted to have said.

As you can see, the children and their parents were together at the time of the incident and nothing happened to the two older girls.

The mother and son whose matter is in contention were found dead and the father was also found to have committed suicide.

Officers of the rapid response squad from Ikeja and the Ikorodu police division evacuated the corpses from the apartment, NAN reports.Musician cum dancer, Peter Okoye (Mr. P), the other half of the defunct music group, PSquare, has promised to sue his brother, Paul (Rude Boy) over image rights.

Mr. P took to Instagram to reveal that he is set to sue his brother Paul Okoye  King Rudy for using his photo in a show in Angola.

The other half of the defunct music group, Rude Boy, is billed to perform in Angola tomorrow and the show promoters used one of the old photos the duo took together, to promote the show.

Also Read: Dolapo Badmus Reacts To Death Threat From A Marlian

While taking to Instagram, Peter otherwise known as Mr P mentioned that it is quite sad they needed his photo to sell their show.

He wrote:

Na Wa o! So they needed my image to sell their show Angola. This promoters @pubfoureventos youll be hearing from my lawyers soon. #UnaDonFindMyTrouble.

See the picture below:This is our top headlines from Nigerian Newspapers for Today, Thursday, 23rd May, 2019:

Nigerians have taken to Twitter to react after the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, on Thursday, threatened another strike action.

A former presidential aide, Reno Omokri has taken a quick swipe at Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi over his potbelly.

Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina state has just announced that kidnapped and bandits in the state will get the ultimate sentence.

The supreme court has dismissed an appeal by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the nullification of all primary elections in Zamfara.

The supreme court on Friday upheld the victory of Kayode Fayemi in the 2018 governorship election in Ekiti state.

The outgoing governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha says he wonders if the pains he took for the All Progressives Congress(APC) are worth it.

The outgoing governor said this on Thursday during the visit of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to Imo state.

Speaking when Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo inaugurated some projects in the state.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has debunked claims credited to the outgoing governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha that it blocked the states account.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in Ekiti state, Professor Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola has congratulated Governor Kayode Fayemi on his victory at the Supreme Court today.

The people of Aga community in the Ikorodu area of Lagos state were thrown into shock on Friday morning, after a man, his wife and son were found dead in their apartment.

Senator Ben Murray Bruce has said that Nigerians politicians can make more money from doing business legitimately in a growing economy.

A-Z primary school in Apapa area of Lagos State has been as one school that collects plastic waste in place of school fees.

The outgoing governor of Zamfara state, Alhaji AbdulAziz Yari has said that the increase rate of the unproductive population in the country constitutes a time bomb and must be addressed.

Protesters have marched to the Edo State House of Assembly over a bill seeking to criminalize electricity theft which was newly passed by the states legislator.

Femi Fani Kayode, a former minister for aviation, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari would have difficulties in hoping in and out of the United Kingdom if Boris Johnson emerges as the next Prime Minister.

Fani Kayode who spoke through his Twitter handle said Buhari would have such difficulty because of the atrocities he and his people are committing in Nigeria.

A man and his family have been found dead in their apartment located in the Ikorodu area of Lagos.

According to reports, the man who was a motorcyclist and identified as Enife Omomo allegedly murdered his wife, Faith Omomo and their last child (name withheld) before proceeding to kill himself in their No.12, Obafemi Eruja Street, off Mustapha Asha Street home.

Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has said that Asiwaju Bola Hameed Tinubu, the National Leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress(APC) does not have the kind of courage the duo of former president Olusegun Obasanjo and Wole Soyinka have.

Those were our newspaper headlines for today: Thursday, May 23rd, 2019.Lagos state governor-elect, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that he wouldnt tolerate laziness in his administration.

He said: By the grace of God, our administration will be driven by hardwork; there is no place for laziness. 

Sanwo-Olu said this on Saturday while speaking at the Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat victory party organised by the independent campaign group (ICG), his campaign organisation in Ikeja.

According to Sanwo-Olu, his government would hit the ground running as soon as he is sworn-in on May 29, and would fulfil all the electoral promises he made.

We will work and work to meet the aspirations of our people and make the state better for everyone, he said.

As we start a new journey on May 29, I appeal to residents to roll up their sleeves and support us to realise the the state of our dream.

If you are sweeper, it is time to sweep better, if you are sprinter, it is time to run faster, if you are a farmer, it is time to farm better.

It is time for everybody to work harder and up their game so that together, we can build a better state.

The incoming governor also thanked residents for voting him and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat in the last election.Popular Nollywood actor, Afeez Oyetoro, popularly referred to as Saka, has taken to social media to celebrate his marriage anniversary.

Saka expressed joy to be married to his wife for 16years but disclosed that he got married to her just only sixteen years ago and not earlier than that.

Also Read: [Photos]: Roman Goddess flaunts her hourglass curves in sexy photos

See his full post below:Following Fridays Supreme Court judgment on Zamfara state, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has declared candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), winners of the governorship elections in the state.

INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, on Saturday made the declaration to install PDP candidates as winners of the election.

The Supreme Court in its judgment nullified the victory of all candidates of the All Progressives Congress, ordering that the candidates with the second highest votes be declared winners  As long as they meet INECs requirement for the position.

Read Mahmoods full statement below.

TEXT OF PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE HON. CHAIRMAN, INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC), PROFESSOR MAHMOOD YAKUBU, ON THE SUPREME COURT DECISION ON CANDIDATES OF THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) IN THE 2019 GENERAL ELECTIONS IN ZAMFARA STATE HELD AT THE CONFERENCE ROOM, INEC HEADQUARTERS, ABUJA, ON SATURDAY 25TH MAY 2019

Ladies and Gentlemen

1. First, let me welcome all of you to this Press Conference. The reason for addressing you today is to provide an update on the recent decision of the Supreme Court regarding the candidates fielded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State for the 2019 general elections.

2. It is important to provide a background to the legal process that culminated in the Supreme Court decision on 24th May 2019. You may all recall that the Commission issued the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2019 general elections on 9th January 2018, over one year in advance. Among other activities, the conduct of party primaries was scheduled to take place between 18th August and 7th October 2018. Unfortunately, the APC did not conduct its primaries in Zamfara State within this stipulated time and the Commission duly informed the party that it would not be in a position to present candidates for elections in the State. Subsequently, various interested parties, including the APC itself, approached the court over the decision of the Commission. Just before the election, the subsisting court judgment at the time ordered the Commission to include the APC on the ballot for the Governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly elections, which the Commission complied with.

3. However, since the elections were completed, a Court of Appeal judgment and now a Supreme Court judgment have determined that the APC did not conduct valid primaries for the elections in question. In its judgment delivered on 24th May 2019, the Supreme Court, having determined that the APC did not conduct valid primaries, said that the votes cast for the party in all the elections in question were wasted and ordered the Commission to recognize the runners-up as the winners. This judgment affects the positions of Governor and Deputy-Governor, three Senatorial, seven Federal and twenty-four State Assembly Constituencies.

4. Following the judgment of the Supreme Court, the Commission has met in two emergency sessions and taken briefings from our lawyers and staff on the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment. While the legislative elections (Senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly elections) are straight forward to deal with because they entail first-past-the-post or simple majority of votes, the Governorship election is determined not just by majority votes but also spread in accordance with Section 179 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). This means that we had to first discount the votes cast for the APC at the elections and then carefully rework the spread by Local Government Areas based on the new valid votes.

5. In compliance with the Supreme Court judgment, the Commission has now determined the winners of the elections in Zamfara State as follows:

Governorship

S/N

POSITION

NAME OF ELECTED CANDIDATE

GENDER

PARTY

1. GOVERNOR BELLO MOHAMMED MATAWALLE, MALE, PDP

2. DEPUTY GOVERNOR

MAHDI ALIYU GUSAU, MALE, PDP.

Senatorial

S/N

NAME OF SENATORIAL DISTRICT

NAME OF ELECTED CANDIDATE

GENDER

PARTY

1

ZAMFARA NORTH

ALHAJI YAU SAHABI

MALE

PDP

2

ZAMFARA CENTRAL

MOHAMMED HASSAN

MALE

PDP

3

ZAMFARA WEST

LAWALI HASSAN ANKA

MALE

PDP

House of Representatives

S/N

NAME OF FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY

NAME OF ELECTED CANDIDATE

GENDER

PARTY

1

KAURAN NAMODA/BIRNIN MAGAJI

UMAR SANI DAN-GALADIMA

MALE

PDP

2

SHINKAFI/ZURMI

BELLO HASSAN SHINKAFI

MALE

PDP

3

GUSAU/TSAFE

KABIRU AMADU

MALE

PDP

4

BUNGUDU/MARU

SHEHU AHMED

MALE

PDP

5

ANKA/TALATA MAFARA

KABIRU YAHAYA

MALE

PDP

6

BAKURA/MARADUN

AHMED MUHAMMAD BAKURA

MALE

PDP

7

GUMMI/BUKKUYUM

SULAIMAN ABUBAKAR GUMI

MALE

PDP

State House of Assembly

S/N

NAME OF STATE CONSTITUENCY

NAME OF ELECTED CANDIDATE

GENDER

PARTY

1

KAURA NAMODA NORTH

ZAHARADEEN M. SADA

MALE

PDP

2

KAURA NAMODA SOUTH

ANAS SARKIN FADA

MALE

PDP

3

BIRNIN MAGAJI

NURA DAHIRU

MALE

PDP

4

ZURMI EAST

SALIHU USMAN ZURMI

MALE

PDP

5

ZURMI WEST

NASIRU MUAZU

MALE

PDP

6

SHINKAFI

MUHAMMAD G. AHMAD

MALE

PDP

7

TSAFE EAST

MUSA BAWA MUSA

MALE

PDP

8

TSAFE WEST

ALIYU NA-MAIGORA

MALE

PDP

9

GUSAU EAST

IBRAHIM NAIDA

MALE

PDP

10

GUSAU WEST

SHAFIU DAMA

MALE

PDP

11

BUNGUDU EAST

KABIRU MAGAJI

MALE

PDP

12

BUNGUDU WEST

NASIRU BELLO LAWAL

MALE

PDP

13

MARU NORTH

YUSUF ALHASSAN MUHAMMAD

MALE

PDP

14

MARU SOUTH

KABIRU HASHIMU

MALE

NRM

15

ANKA

YUSUF MUHAMMAD

MALE

PDP

16

TALATA MAFARA NORTH

SHAMSUDEEN HASSAN

MALE

PDP

17

TALATA MAFARA SOUTH

AMINU YUSUF JANGEBE

MALE

PDP

18

BAKURA

TUKUR JEKADA BIRNIN TUDU

MALE

PDP

19

MARADUN I

FARUK MUSA DOSARA

MALE

PDP

20

MARADUN II

NASIRU ATIKU

MALE

PDP

21

GUMMI I

ABDULNASIR IBRAHIM

MALE

PDP

22

GUMMI II

MANSUR MOHAMMED

MALE

PDP

23

BUKKUYUM NORTH

IBRAHIM MOHAMMED NAIDDA

MALE

PDP

24

BUKKUYUM SOUTH

SANI DAHIRU

MALE

PDP

6. The Commission will issue Certificates of Return to the new winners as follows:

i. Governor and Deputy Governor-elect, Senators-elect and Members of the House of Representatives-elect will receive their certificates on Monday 27th May 2019 at the Commissions Electoral Institute at 2.00pm.

ii. Members of the State House of Assembly-elect will receive their certificates from the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Zamfara State at the INEC State Office in Gusau on Friday 31st May 2019 at 10.00am.

7. I wish to seize this opportunity to draw the attention of all stakeholders, but particularly the political parties, to the implications of the Supreme Court judgment on the Zamfara matter. It is clear that properly conducted party primaries are cardinal to the proper internal functioning of political parties, the electoral process and our democratic system at large. Therefore, political parties must take very seriously the conduct of primaries according to all extant rules, including the monitoring of the processes by INEC to avoid a repeat of the Zamfara experience. I want therefore to remind us that the Commission has since 9th April 2019 issued the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2019 Bayelsa and Kogi Governorship elections by which party primaries are scheduled to hold between the 2ndand 29th August 2019. I appeal to political parties intending to field candidates in the elections to adhere strictly to this and other timelines in the Timetable and Schedule of activities.

8. I thank you very much and I will now take some questions.The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in Ekiti state, Professor Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola has congratulated Governor Kayode Fayemi on his victory at the Supreme Court today.

In his congratulatory message, the PDP candidate asked Governor Fayemi show the true Omoluabi attitude of Ekiti people and govern without bitterness.

My consolation at this time is that the people of Ekiti, as well as Fayemi and the APC, knew I was robbed and God is God, the true story shall be told someday by those who orchestrated the theft, he said.

The least expectations of Ekiti people from Fayemi and APC now is that they should reduce the peoples pains by governing well so the people do not suffer double loss having now lost their mandate freely given.

 I urge Ekiti people to maintain peace and keep hope alive, adding that everyone including himself will cooperate to move Ekiti forward as the state is greater than any individual.

I am committed to Ekiti, I am going nowhere but will work side-by-side with my people until Ekiti is delivered from clutches of mindless and heartless vampires and election riggers, he added.

I call to all true lovers of Ekiti that time for a broad coalition to free Ekiti from those mortgaging its interests and destinies to outside forces has come. I am prepared to play my part and together we shall win. Awolowo once said after darkness comes glorious dawn

 Again I urge the good people of Ekiti to remain committed to the development of the state and trust in God for better days ahead.

 I congratulate Governor Kayode Fayemi over his election as chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum and I wish him success.A new report following the death of Stephen Urueye, the resident doctor at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba who was murdered by hoodlums, has emerged.

According to family members of the deceased, the police has remained silent on the case.

The family while speaking to a Newman said the police has refused to give them an update seven weeks after the 25-year-old doctor was cruelly killed.

Recall news broke a few weeks ago that the Late Urueye, who was set to finish his housemanship at LUTH in December 2019, was attacked around 9pm on April 4th while seeing a female friend off when he was attacked.

Urueye, was reportedly stabbed him in the thigh and died at the hospital in the early hours of Friday. The police not long after his death released a statement saying two suspects, Gbadebo Jimoh and Malik Adeboye, were arrested in connection with the murder.

Mrs Amina Wahab, an elder sister of the deceased, while speaking in an interview with City Round on Thursday, said that was the last they heard about the case.

It is almost two months now, no information from the police; no justice. At least, we deserve to know what is happening. The bandits stabbed him near his private parts which aroused suspicions. A robber will probably stab somebody in the chest or hand to injure him. The most annoying part of it is that my mother called a policeman, one Officer Nurudeen, at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department over the case on Wednesday and he was insulting her. Maybe they have concluded that we are weak and cannot do anything.

Wahab stated further that attempts by the family to get first-hand information on the attack from the female friend Urueye was seeing off that evening had proved abortive. She said,

One of Stephens (Urueye) friends gave us the phone number of the girl whom he was seeing when the attack happened. Her real name, according to Stephens friends, is Deborah and not the name the police gave out. Whenever we call her and introduce ourselves as Stephens relations, she would just end the call. All attempts to trace the girl have been abortive. Why is she running away if she has nothing to hide? She is not his girlfriend and we dont know her. We all know his girlfriend. She (Deborah) is the only eyewitness to the incident yet she has not deemed it fit to contact the family to give us information about what actually happened. Somebody lost his life because he took the risk to see you off in a dangerous area; courtesy demands that you show up to tell the family exactly what happened.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Bala Elkana, speaking on the case said;We have been engaging the hospital authorities in our investigation and the chief security officer of the hospital has been coming for updates.

Wahab, however, said the family had not received any information from LUTH as regards police investigation.A new chapter in Brazils tax reform

The Brazilian tax system is highly complex  composed of several taxes and taxing entities (a federal government, 27 states and 5,000 plus municipalities)  and imposes a high tax burden and excessive cost for taxpayers, which must comply with countless ancillary tax obligations.

As mentioned in our previous article, a broad tax reform is necessary and claimed by the Brazilian society because the current system leads to uncertainty, risks and many conflicts.

In this context, congressman Luiz Carlos Hauly drafted Proposal to Amend the Brazilian Federal Constitution 293/2004, which intends to:

Substitute the federal excise tax (IPI), federal tax on financial transactions (IOF), federal social contributions on revenues (PIS and COFINS), federal contribution for funding basic education, federal contribution on fuels (CIDE-fuels), state VAT (ICMS), and municipal service tax (ISS) with one single federal VAT  the goods and services tax ( Imposto Unico sobre Bens e Servicos ; IBS);

; IBS); Create a federal selective tax for goods whose consumption must be regulated by means of higher or lower taxation;

Incorporate the social contribution on net profits (CSLL) into the corporate income tax (IRPJ);

Transfer the state donation and inheritance tax (ITCMD) to the federal government; and

Strengthen the automotive vehicles property tax (IPVA), which would be also levied on the property of vessels and airplanes.

Such proposal was being broadly debated, but congressman Hauly was not re-elected in 2018. This has not prevented him from continuing to defend his project and assisting the Brazilian Congress in the discussions about the matter.

In April 2019, congressman Baleia Rossi presented Proposal to Amend the Brazilian Federal Constitution 45/2019, which was more restricted and focused on taxes on consumption. Such proposal was drafted by Centro de Cidadania Fiscal (Fiscal Citizenship Centre  CCiF), which is an independent institution established to think about improvements to the Brazilian tax system based on the principles of simplicity, neutrality, fairness and transparency.

Congressman Rossis project intends to substitute the taxes IPI, PIS, COFINS, ICMS and ISS by the IBS. Under the model proposed, the IBS will be levied on (a) domestic transactions with goods, services, intangibles, assignment and licensing of rights, and lease of goods; and (b) imports of (tangible and intangible) goods, services, and rights. The IBS will be a non-cumulative tax, not levied on exports, and not subject to tax incentives that, directly or indirectly, reduce its tax burden.

As the IBS substitutes federal, state and municipal taxes, it would be a national tax, governed by one single national law. If implemented, it will be collected and overseen by a tax agency composed of representatives of the federal, state and municipal governments, and its revenues will be shared between them. The sharing of tax revenues has always been and may continue to be a deal breaker in Brazilian tax reform.

The IBS will be subject to a global tax rate (the same for every good and service), which is composed of the sum of the rates established by the federal, state and municipal governments. Therefore, the IBS rates will vary depending on the location where the transaction is carried out.

On inter-state and inter-municipal transactions, the IBS will be calculated considering the rates established by the state and municipality of destination - an improvement in the tax system -, and such destination will be entitled to receive its share of the tax revenue.

The project also intends to create a federal selective tax, which will be a one-time-charge sin tax, to discourage the consumption of certain goods and services.

The proposal also establishes a 10-year transition period, under which the IBS will be gradually increased, and the taxes which will be substituted will be proportionally decreased, until their extinction. This means that the current and new taxes will coexist for ten years, which seems to be quite complicated for taxpayers.

It is intended that the current level of tax burden be maintained, especially because the federal, state and municipal governments cannot afford to lose their revenues.

The tax reform and the social security reform (also under discussion at the National Congress) are of the utmost importance for Brazils development. They are expected to increase productivity, GDP and the inflow of investments, and to improve the countrys business environment.

This article was written by Ricardo Marletti Debatin da Silveira (rms@machadoassociados.com.br) and Gabriel Caldiron Rezende (gcr@machadoassociados.com.br) of Machado Associados.

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Share this articleTechnology companies have become a dominant driver in recent years of economic growth, consumer tastes and the financial markets. The biggest tech stocks as a group, for example, have dramatically outpaced the broader market in the past decade. That's because technology has reshaped in a major way how people communicate, consume information, shop, socialize, and work.

Broadly speaking, companies in the technology sector engage in the research, development, and manufacture of technologically based goods and services. They create software, and design and manufacture computers, mobile devices, and home appliances. They also provide products and services related to information technology.

Below we look at the 10 biggest technology companies measured by trailing 12-months (TTM) revenue. This list is limited to companies which are publicly traded in the U.S. or Canada, either directly or through ADRs. The one exception is Samsung, which is far too large to exclude from the list, yet unlike many large companies outside the U.S. does not have an ADR. Some foreign companies may report semiannually, and so may have longer lag times. It's important to note that 6 of the biggest ten are U.S. companies, illustrating America's continued dominance in technology. Two are Japanese, one is South Korean, and one is Taiwanese. None of the biggest companies are from Mainland China. Data is courtesy YCharts.com. All figures are as of May 13, 2020.

Some of the stocks below are only traded over-the-counter (OTC) in the U.S., not on exchanges. Trading OTC stocks often carries higher trading costs than trading stocks on exchanges. This can lower or even outweigh potential returns.

Revenue (TTM): $268.0 billion

Net Income (TTM): $57.2 billion

Market Cap: $1.4 trillion

1-Year Trailing Total Return: 59.8%  

 Exchange: Nasdaq

Apple designs, manufactures, and markets a broad range of consumer technology products, including smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearable devices, home entertainment devices, and more. Some of its most popular products include its iPhone smartphones and Mac computers. Apple also has dramatically expanded its sales from services. It operates digital content stores and recently launched several streaming services, including Apple+, a platform for on-demand entertainment content.

Revenue (TTM): $197.5 billion

Net Income (TTM): $18.4 billion  

 Market Cap: $325.4 billion  

 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 17.2%    

  Exchange: Korean Stock Exchange

Samsung Electronics competes with Apple and other major tech companies worldwide in key product areas. It's engaged in a broad range of businesses, including consumer electronics, information technology, and communications. The South Korean company sells mobile phones, tablets, wearable devices, virtual reality products, TVs and home theaters, computers, printers, home appliances, and more. Samsung is best known for its popular line of Galaxy smartphones.

Revenue (TTM): $173.1 billion

Net Income (TTM): $3.7 billion

Market Cap: $36.0 billion

1-Year Trailing Total Return: 0.7%  

 Exchange: OTC

Hon Hai Precision, also known as Foxconn, is a Taiwan-based multinational electronics manufacturer. The company produces electronics and electronic components for use in the information technology, communications, automotive equipment, automobile, precision molding, and consumer electronics industries. Foxconn is a key supplier in Apple's supply chain, manufacturing a significant proportion of its iPhones.

Revenue (TTM): $138.7 billion

Net Income (TTM): $46.3 billion

Market Cap: $1.4 trillion

1-Year Trailing Total Return: 45.5%  

 Exchange: Nasdaq

Microsoft is a global developer and licensor of software, devices, solutions, and services. The company is well known for its Windows and Office Suite software. The company is getting a growing share of its profit and revenue from cloud computing, and has developed its own cloud platform called Azure. Microsoft also owns and operates LinkedIn, the popular social networking site for job seekers.

Revenue (TTM): $92.2 billion

Net Income (TTM): $4.6 billion

Market Cap: $31.2 billion

1-Year Trailing Total Return: -37.1%  

 Exchange: New York Stock Exchange

Dell designs, makes and sells hardware, information technology products, and services worldwide. The company offers desktop and laptop computers, traditional and next-generation storage solutions, and networking products. Dell also sells a cloud-native platform and cloud management solutions. Dell's best-known products are its personal computers.

Revenue (TTM): $79.3 billion

Net Income (TTM): $6.0 billion

Market Cap: $80.0 billion

1-Year Trailing Total Return: 32.4%  

 Exchange: New York Stock Exchange

Sony is a Japanese technology company that designs and produces electronics products for consumer, professional, and industrial markets worldwide. The company sells products including personal computers, mobile phones, video game consoles and software, and video cameras. It also produces and distributes recorded music, as well as live-action and animated motion pictures. Sony makes and sells PlayStation, the popular video game console.

Revenue (TTM): $76.5 billion

Net Income (TTM): $9.0 billion

Market Cap: $106.8 billion

1-Year Trailing Total Return: -8.1%  

 Exchange: New York Stock Exchange

IBM is an integrated solutions and services company, also referred to as "Big Blue." The company offers software and IT solutions for a broad range of uses, including healthcare, financial services, Internet of Things (IoT), weather, security, as well as cloud-computing services. The company is known for its powerful Watson computer, which offers a suite of enterprise-ready AI services, applications, and tools.

Revenue (TTM): $75.7 billion

Net Income (TTM): $22.7 billion

Market Cap: $247.2 billion

1-Year Trailing Total Return: 29.3%  

 Exchange: Nasdaq

Intel is a premier global producer of computer chips and a provider of computing, networking, data storage, and communication solutions. The company offers platform products for the cloud, enterprise, and communication infrastructure markets. Intel provides flash memory, programmable semiconductors, and processors for notebooks, mobile devices, and desktop computers. The company is well known for its high-performance processors used in PCs worldwide by businesses and consumers.

Revenue (TTM): $70.4 billion

Net Income (TTM): $2.6 billion

Market Cap: $17.4 billion

1-Year Trailing Total Return: -10.6%  

 Exchange: OTC

Panasonic is a Japan-based developer, manufacturer, and servicer of electronic products primarily for the consumer market. The company offers personal computers, tablets, projectors, as well as broadcast and professional AV systems. Panasonic also produces appliances such as air conditioners, TVs, refrigerators, and washing machines.

Revenue (TTM): $58.7 billion

Net Income (TTM): $3.0 billion

Market Cap: $21.3 billion

1-Year Trailing Total Return: -19.5%  

 Exchange: New York Stock Exchange

HP makes and sells products used for personal computing, imaging and printing, as well as related technologies, solutions, and services. The company offers personal computers, workstations, commercial mobility devices, retail point-of-sale systems, and software. HP is perhaps best known for its printer hardware and scanning devices used by consumers and businesses globally.Arch-Brexiteer Boris Johnson is the early front-runner to replace Theresa May after the tearful prime minister admitted defeat and finally named the date she will quit office.

As Ms May announced her imminent resignation outside Downing Street, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar warned that the leadership change represents a dangerous period for Ireland.

In a statement, Ms May confirmed that she is stepping down as Conservative Party leader on June 7.

She will remain as prime minister until a new leader has been elected, with Mr Johnson, Michael Gove, Dominic Raab, and Andrea Leadsom  the latter of whom resigned from cabinet on Wednesday  among 18 MPs tipped to announce their candidacy by June 10.

In a speech outside Downing Street yesterday, Ms May fought back tears to say she is leaving now because it is in the best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead the Brexit talks.

With her voice cracking, she said that being prime minister has been the honour of my life.

I do so with no ill will, but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love.

Asked about Ms Mays exit as he voted in local and European elections Dublin, Mr Varadkar warned that today is a dangerous period for Ireland, adding: Whatever happens, were going to hold our nerve.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney said that, regardless of who is prime minister, the EU will remain steadfast.

However, he said Ms Mays departure poses a lot of uncertainty for Ireland.

The position was echoed by Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin.

Speaking in Switzerland, meanwhile, Mr Johnson gave a clear indication that he will run, saying the next prime minister, who could be in place by early July, needs to put Brexit to bed".Green Party councillor Ciaran Cuffe is set to top the Dublin European constituency by a shock landslide after Fine Gael's Frances Fitzgerald suffered a surprise slump in the polls.

An RTE-TG4-Red C exit poll released on Friday night said Mr Cuffe will win 23% of first preference votes, a full 9% higher than his next nearest competitor, putting him in contention to be elected on the first count.

The poll, which is detailed below, has also predicted that Ms Fitzgerald will win just 14% of first preferences despite a Government push to see her elected.

While this is likely to be enough for her to win one of the four seats on offer, the slump does put the former justice minister at potential risk if she fails to attract transfers.

Fianna Fail's former TD Barry Andrews is also at potential risk for the same reason after winning just 12% of first preferences according to the exit poll.

He is tied in the exit poll with Independents4Change TD Clare Daly on 12%.

Among other headline projections from the exit poll are that Sinn Fein's MEP Lynn Boylan is in a battle, most likely with Ms Daly, for a seat after she was predicted to win just 10% of first preferences - placing her fifth in the four seat constituency.

Social Democrats candidates Gary Gannon, who polled better than predicted on 6%, and Labour's Alex White, on 5%, may also be able to scramble together enough support to be in the race, while Fine Gael's second candidate and former SDLP leader Mark Durkan's 5% will most likely be used to help Ms Fitzgerald over the line.

The poll states:Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune is at real risk of losing the seat she won in 2014, with an official exit poll placing her seventh on first preferences in the five seat constituency.

An RTE-TG4-Red C exit poll for Ireland South said the Cork-based MEP is on 9% of first preferences, and is in a four-way fight for the final seat in the constituency.The Divorce Referendum is expected to ease into a yes vote with the exit poll showing support of 87%.

That compares to the Ireland of 1995 when just over 50% of people voted to lift the ban on divorce.

The Coalition for YES, a coalition of NGOs and lawyers, have welcomed the results of the exit poll.

The executive director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), Liam Herrick, said: "With this vote, we have taken a huge leap towards protecting the rights of people who need a divorce.

It will also help to ensure that people who are stuck in dangerous or financially and emotionally distressing situations can be freed from them.

Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children's Rights Alliance said: "This referendum was essential to address our punishing divorce laws. Children need to be protected during divorce.

"Our new divorce law and family supports need to be designed with this in mind."

Culture Minister and Fine Gaels Divorce Campaign director of elections, Josepha Madigan, says it shows the kindness and compassion of the people of Ireland.

"I'm pleased about the deep swell of kindness and compassion that the Irish people have had for those going through a marital breakdown and that they recognise that," said Minister Madigan.

"They have demonstrated that over the past number of years."No disciplinary proceedings should be taken against two gardai after a firearm was lost in Dublin city centre last year, says the Garda watchdog.

The Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) recommends no further action be taken against two detectives arising out of an incident on July 10, 2018 when an official firearm was handed into a Garda station by a member of the public after it fell out of a garda vehicle.

Gsoc launched an inquiry following media reports claimed that a loaded sub-machine gun  a Heckler & Koch MP7  was temporarily lost from a Garda car near Harcourt Square.

Contrary to some reports at the time, Gsoc said the gun was not loaded and was not carried on the Luas by a member of the public before being brought to Store Street Garda Station.

Following reconstructions of events, the inquiry concluded that, on the balance of probabilities, the car boot where the firearm had been placed opened as the unmarked Garda vehicle went over an exit ramp. Investigators believe the firearm fell from the boot as the car made a sharp turn onto another street.

Gsoc said it has written to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris with the recommendation that all gardai be given instructions on how firearms are to be carried in vehicles in a safe manner. Gsoc said it became aware there was no standard operating procedure for the transport of firearms in vehicles within the force.

The two detectives told Gsoc they were in an operation which had just become active and were driving with lights and sirens at the time the bag containing the firearm fell from the vehicle.

They said they took immediate steps to retrieve the firearm as soon as they became aware the boot had opened. The detective in the passenger seat said he ran towards the bag containing the gun when he saw a woman place it beside railings before the driver of another car took it and drove off.

Garda stations were alerted about the missing weapon and it was confirmed within 15 minutes the bag containing the gun and ammunition had been handed into Store Street Garda Station by a member of the public. Gsoc said a warning light on the dashboard to highlight an open boot may not be visible right away to gardai having to show care and attention to pedestrians and other vehicles when driving on busy streets.

It said no breach of discipline could be considered as the firearm was packed into the vehicle in a carry bag in the safest condition  unloaded with the breach cleared and the safety catch forward, while the ammunition was kept separate.

Gsoc said it was unlikely the detectives would have heard a warning noise about the boot being open given the noise on the street and from sirens, radio and traffic. It also acknowledged the gardai made every effort to stop safely and retrieve the firearm promptly.A memorial service is to be on Monday for a father-of-one who died just hours after summiting the worlds highest mountain.

The search for missing father of one and Trinity College Professor Seamus Shay' Lawless who had been missing since falling on Mount Everest nine days ago was called off on Friday.

The 39-year-old from Bray, Co Wicklow fell up to 500 metres during his descent from the mountain at an altitude of 8,300m, in an area known as the balcony.

It was his ambition to climb Everest, which stands at 8,848m before he turned 40 in July.

In a death notice on the bereavement website rip.ie, details of the service were given.

A memorial service celebrating Shays life will be held in the Holy Redeemer Church in Bray on Monday at 11am.

Shay died following a freak accident having summited Mount Everest on May 16.

"He will be sadly missed by his loving wife Pamela and best friend Pam, his special little girl Emma, adoring parents Betting and Jimmy, brothers and sisters Ciaran, Deirdre, Sheila, Fidelma, Jemma and Eilis, large extended family and wide circle of friends.

The family have asked for donations if desired to be given in memory of Mr Lawless to Barretstown Childrens Charity.

Mr Lawless, an assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin, attempted the mammoth climb to raise up to 25,000 for Barretstown, a charity dedicated to seriously ill children and their families.

The expedition team, led by Co Down man Noel Hanna along with eight highly skilled Sherpas, had flown to Camp II and commenced their search from Camp IV which is not far from where Mr Lawless went missing in the death zone area.

The area is classed as the death zone, due to the lack of oxygen.

The team also used drone technology to assist them in the search operation. Mr Hanna was leading the group of eight from Seven Summits Treks when Mr Lawless went missing.

In a statement following the decision to call-off the recovery mission Mr Lawless family thanked the expedition team, the public and government for their support, generosity and kindness.

We, the Lawless family would like to extend their gratitude for the huge outpouring of support we have received since Shay went missing on Mount Everest last week and to all who donated towards the search operation.

In just six days, over 267,000 was donated by more than 7,300 people.

"Your generosity has been overwhelming and your messages of support mean so much to us.

The GoFundMe campaign was instrumental in helping us fund an experienced search team for Shay. Unfortunately, it was not successful.

While the experienced search team has made every effort to locate Shay, the extremes of operating at high altitude and the sheer range of the search area ultimately proved too difficult.

"Based on expert advice we have decided to call off the search rather than risk endangering anyone's life in the treacherous conditions.

The family added: This search operation will be paid for out of this fund and the final cost is still not clear.

"When it is, it is our wish that any amount above the cost of the search will be accordingly refunded to donors and we will work with the GoFundMe team on that.

Although the search mission was unsuccessful we will never forget the kindness and generosity of people in Ireland and around the world who were moved by this tragedy and who came together to try and help us.

"In particular wed like to extend our appreciation to the search team led by Noel Hanna, the Sherpas, and to the Ireland on Everest team, Shays climbing partners, for doing everything in their power to find Shay for us."

The family went on to thank the government and all of those who knew Mr Lawless in a professional and private capacity.

The backing we have received from the Irish Government, Barretstown Childrens Charity, Trinity College Dublin and the ADAPT Centre has been tremendous and is a small indication of Shays legacy.

Search efforts had been hampered by poor weather, of high winds and frigid temperatures.

His colleagues in Trinity Colleges ADAPT Centre, where Mr Lawless was an assistant professor in artificial intelligence at Trinity Colleges School of Computer Science and Statistics.

At ADAPT we are mourning the loss of one our rising research stars, an inspirational colleague, and a much loved and valued member of our family.

"Shays legacy is enormous. An expert in Information Retrieval, his peer-reviewed publications, his supervision of cutting-edge doctoral research, and his leadership of internationally acclaimed research projects have transformed the boundaries of the discipline.

As a colleague and as a friend, Shays enthusiasm, his creativity and his approach to his work was inspirational.

"In the months ahead we will gather to pay tribute to his remarkable scholarship and his contribution to ADAPT and Trinity College Dublin and it will be an opportunity for friends and colleagues to remember someone who will never be forgotten.

We are heartbroken at this news and will be making no further statement at this time. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis.

Meanwhile, the remains of a second Irish climber, Kevin Hayes, 56, from the village of Newbridge, Co Galway, who died.

The father of two, an experienced climber, who has lived in the UK for up to 30 years, was part of a group from the climbing company, 360 Expeditions attempting to scale the Everest summit.

Mr Hynes was attempting to scale Mount Everest from the Tibetan (North) side.

He passed away in his tent at the North Col at 7,000 m in the early hours of Friday.

It is understood that altitude sickness is linked to his death.

In a statement, 360 Expeditions said: Kevin (56) was one of the strongest and most experienced climbers on our team and had previously summited Everest South and Lhotse.

Mr Hynes had reached Camp Three at 8,300m on Wednesday.

The statement added: Yesterday, while our summit climbers were heading higher, Kevin started his descent.

"He was accompanied by experienced guide, Dawa Sangee, who himself has summited Everest South twice, Everest North and Makalu twice.

His wonderful wife, Bernadette and two children, Erin and James are comforted by all the communication that Kevin sent out from his expedition, letting them know that  this was probably the most fun he had had on any one of his expeditions, the team was amazing and that he was loving being with Rolfe Oostra (group leader).

A Department of Foreign Affairs official said: The Department is aware of reports of the death of an Irish citizen on the north slopes of Mount Everest. We stand ready to provide consular assistance.Three staff from the Stryker Medical Devices plant at Carrigtwohill in Cork have been hospitalised and the plant has been evacuated after what is described as the escape of gas at around 1am today.

Stryker's emergency plan was activated and the three workers were rushed to Cork University Hospital for treatment after complaining of nausea, headaches and sore eyes.GALWAY chef JP McMahon thinks it should be a national food. Food experts estimate it could create up to 200 jobs in coastal areas. And earlier this month, the Slow Food Festival in the Burren put it centre stage.

Seaweed is having something of a moment, but the increasing interest in one or our most plentiful natural resources is not a passing fad. As seaweed goes mainstream, there is a new recognition of the considerable commercial potential of Irish aquaculture.

Seaweed farming in Ireland might be in its infancy compared to Asian countries, but its growing every year, according to Bord Iascaigh Mhara, the Irish seafood development agency.

And the financial rewards are only a part of the story. Seaweed, or sea vegetables as the experts phrase it, is a fat-free, protein-rich food that is good for health and wonderful in all types of cuisines.

Birgitta Hedin-Curtin, chairperson of the Burren Slow Food Festival, has seen the growing interest in seaweed first hand and says that is why the festival organisers decided to invite people to taste the Atlantic this year.

The owner of the Burren Smokehouse studied seaweed herself when she arrived in Ireland from Sweden in the 1980s and says she is fascinated by the 450 or so varieties of seaweed on our shores.

I think seaweed is very much up and coming, she tells Feelgood.

The seaweed on our shores is very clean and natural. There is nothing in it that shouldnt be there and it is very rich in protein, iodine and minerals.

She said there was an increasing interest in how it can be used in home consumption and that was likely to grow.

Seaweed is one of the things that is unique to Ireland and unique to the coming-and-up Irish cuisine, she said.

The possibilities offered by that cuisine were outlined by seaweed experts, foragers and producers  Wild Irish Seaweed and Blath na Mara on Inis Mor, among them  at this years Burren Slow Food Festival.

Seaweed even made it to the cocktail menu. Sliabh Liag Distillers from Co Donegal use five locally harvested seaweeds to make An Dulaman Maritime Gin.

There are also an increasing number of new seaweed-based products on the market. And they are moving out of the specialist health food sector on to supermarket shelves. SuperValu, for instance, has a range of seaweed-inspired products made by Irish producers, including This is Seaweed, the Connemara Organic Seaweed Company and The Laughing Oyster.

The growing interest in seaweed is also good news for health, says Joanne Faulkner. The shiatsu practitioner uses modern food and ancient Chinese medicine to help tackle a range of health issues and she cant say enough about the benefits of seaweed.

I recommend eating seaweed every day in some form. It can be sprinkled into stews and, after a little soaking, tossed into a stirfry, she says.

In Chinese medicine, seaweeds are considered cooling in nature. They bring yin fluids to the body which help hormonal and nervous system function.

They also aid digestion by ensuring the uptake of minerals from food and helping toxins bind and leave the body. This detoxification benefits the liver, thyroid and blood.

Here is Joanne Faulkners potted guide to seaweeds and their benefits:

Dulse: Exceptionally concentrated in iodine and rich in manganese. Does not need to be soaked before use and can be eaten raw like crisps.

Hijiki and arame: High concentrates of calcium and iodine. Soak the small strips for 10 to 20 minutes before tossing in a stirfry.

Kombu and kelp: Very good at reducing swelling: goitres, arthritis, rheumatism, high blood pressure, prostate and ovarian problems, blood clots and anaemia. Cooked with pulses and not eaten itself.

Nori: Highest protein content and most easily digested. Rich in vitamin A, B1 and niacin, decreases cholesterol, treats painful urination. Comes in delicate sheets which can be eaten raw or toasted and sprinkled over salads.

Wakame: Good for purifying the blood and promoting healthy skin and hair. Soak for a minute or two, chop and add to salads or buy chopped and add to stews and quiches.

Carrageen: Resolves phlegm, soothes the lungs and large intestine, soothes peptic and duodenal ulcers, mild coagulant effect on the blood.

www.joannefaulkner.orgWE ARE on Easter holidays and have fetched up in Kilkenny and, though this terrific town offers splendid dining choices, we only have eyes for Ristorante Rinuccini, 30 years old this year yet overly long on my radar without so much as a shot across the bows.

First impressions count for an awful lot, and Rinuccinis gives great first impression. Its downstairs in a cellar and, when it comes to professional carousing, its very hard to beat the sub- terranean intimacy of a cellar, ideally with an added spritz of the illicit, real or imagined.

Low lighting, dark wood panelling, repro- old masters and tables dressed to the nines makes for a very romantic, intriguing space. Even the progeny let out a low whistle, all the more so when a flotilla of tuxedoed waiters set sail our way.

No 2 Son is genuinely out of sorts, perusing the menu like a maiden aunt after a fit of the vapours, settling on just two starters and no mention of steak.

His calamari e zucchini fritti are very more-ish battered fritters of fresh squid rings and courgettes, a silky lemon and anchovy aioli on the side but hes not too weak to fight us off as we come scavenging for scrumptious seconds.

Meatballs in his polpettine con spaghettini are plump, proud and most palatable in tomato, garlic and basil sauce. La Daughter, herself, part pasta, is in her element sucking up fresh tagliatelle with a creamy ragu.

We have done much eating over the past few days so I consider settling for just a main course until ravioli gorgonzola e noci, handmade by chef Antonio, take to humming their sirens song from the menu, with a rollicking Dance of the Seven Veils thrown in to boot. They are mighty fine, fresh al dente pasta, housing ricotta and fresh spinach, baptised with a gorgonzola, cream and white wine sauce and a sprinkling of crushed toasted walnuts. As it happens, they are so fine, I taste just two; Id have gladly burst my belt buckle for the entire plateful.

Having daintily eschewed a starter and instead eaten half of mine, Current Wife, dives into a main course of spaghettini con gamberoni, pasta tossed in a pan along with succulent Kilmore Quay prawns, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, tomato, basil and chilli, a simple treatment of good produce resulting in an elemental splendour.

Memories of one magical autumnal trip to the Tuscan hills prod me in the direction of anatra al profumo darancia, silver hill Irish duckling oven-baked for an eternity until skin is deep golden-brown crackling encasing rich, tender meat. Orange juice and aurum liquor sauce is overly thin and sharp for my liking but the duck is moist enough, also coping with crispy roast spuds and vegetable gratin alongside.

Rinuccinis boast a serious cellar of over 12,000 bottles. A random shuffle through the list has me drooling like a starving dog at a butchers window. After romping through fields of fantasy at the upper end, I slide back down to the real world and plump for one of the Super Tuscans, Gavioli Sergavio 2013, sublimely structured, with plummy black fruit, spice and leather notes all resolving in an elegant clean finish. Its marriage with my duck, is truly made in heaven.

We finish with scoops of ice cream for the progeny  further heroics from No 2 Son  and a tiramisu classico for CW. It is one of our ongoing collective missions, to track down the definitive tiramisu, and this is quite the contender, sponge-laced with rum and espresso, sweet creamy zabaglione and crowned with lovely bitter notes of cocoa and dark chocolate. I have torta al cioccolato con caramello salato, a very decent salted caramel and chocolate tart with crisp base, rich chocolate leavened by in-house honey and biscuit ice-cream, but I have to call in a coalition of the only-too-damned-willing to finish the thing, my belly having run up the white flag some time ago.

Rinuccinis may not be not part of any new vanguard of Italian cuisine but thats perfectly fine. Rather, it delivers superbly a roster of traditional dishes, a strong hand further emboldened by the use of excellent Irish ingredients, ensuring this old stager operates with the vibrancy of eternal youth  30 years old but forever young.

the tab

The Bill: 147

How to:

Lunch: Monday to Friday, 12pm-2.30pm; Saturday, 12pm-3pm; Sunday, 12pm-5pm.

Dinner: Monday to Saturday, 5pm-10pm; Sunday, 5pm-9pm

The verdict

Food: 8/10

Service: 8.5/10

Value: 8.5/10

Atmosphere: 9.5/10

T: 056 776 1575

W: www.rinuccini.com[section][options][type]ONE_COLUMN[/type][parallax]SophieToscanDuPlantierHomeWestCork_large.jpg[/parallax][customcssclass]header[/customcssclass][/options][content][column1][title]Ian Bailey trial:

The latest chapter in tragedy which has captivated nation for over two decades[/title][/column1][/content][/section]

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Ian Bailey will be tried for murder in his absence next week and the trial in a Parisian courthouse will be the latest chapter in a story that has captivated Ireland since Sophie Toscan du Plantier was found murdered in the west Cork village of Schull in 1996.

[section][options][type]TWO_COLUMN[/type][fullheight]true[/fullheight][/options][content][column1][timgfull]Sophie1immersive_large.jpg[/timgfull][sticky][timgfull]zzzSophieToscanDuPlantierBoatingHolidayCREDITDeathInDecemebr_large.jpg[/timgfull][/sticky][/column1][column2][subhead]On 23 December 1996 the body of Sophie Toscan du Plantier was found about 200 yards from her holiday home in Schull, west Cork. She had been battered to death. The scene suggested that she had been running for her life from her home when the assailant attacked her in the most brutal manner.[/subhead]Ian Bailey, an English journalist who had been living locally since 1991, was one of the first to report on the discovery. Pretty soon, he came under suspicion himself.Since then Mr Baileys name has been inextricably linked to Ms du Plantiers through a series of reports, inquiries and investigations. That has culminated with the forthcoming murder trial in Paris.Bailey has always proclaimed his innocence. He has initiated a number of actions based on his entitlement to the presumption of innocence. Ms du Plantiers family have been central to the campaign in France to bring Mr Bailey to trial. The French justice system is now doing so under an ancient law which allows for the prosecution of anyone in relation to the death of a French citizen.No charges were ever brought against Ian Bailey in this jurisdiction in relation to Ms du Plantiers death. Now the French are putting him on trial. Absolutely nothing has emerged to even suggest that the French prosecutorial authorities have uncovered more evidence than the gardai.[timgfull]zzzPierreLouisBaudleyVignaudsSonOfSophieToscanduPlantierUSEONCEONLYdec16_large.jpg[/timgfull][style=color: #5a5a5a; font-size: 17px] Sophie Toscan du Plantier with her son Pierre. Reproduced with kind permission of du Plantier family[/style][/column2][/content][/section]

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Garda Investigation

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DPP analysis of garda investigation

[section][options][type]TWO_COLUMN[/type][align]center[/align][/options][content][column1][timgfull100=Sophie's parents lay flowers at the scene of her death in 2004]duPlantierFamilyFlowersAtScene2004_large.jpg[/timgfull100][/column1][column2][timgfull100=Sophie pictured while she lived in Schull]SophieToscanduPlantiernew_large.jpg[/timgfull100][/column2][/content][/section]

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Libel action

Garda review of Garda Investigation

[section][options][type]THREE_COLUMN[/type][/options][content][column1][timgfull100]zzzFrenchPoliceWestCorkSophieToscanduPlantier2011_large.jpg[/timgfull100][/column1][column2][timgfull100=Ian Bailey, his partner Jules and solicitor, Frank Buttimerl]IanBaileyJulesThomasandFrankButtimerNov2014_large.jpg[/timgfull100][/column2][column3][/column3][/content][/section]

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Extradition hearings

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Recordings Tribunal

[section][options][type]ONE_COLUMN[/type][height]400px[/height][parallax]IanBaileySchullMay2019DanLinehan_large.jpg[/parallax][/options][content][column1][/column1][/content][/section]

[section][options][type]ONE_COLUMN[/type][/options][content][column1]On 4 November 2014 Ian Baileys High Court action against the state opened. It was expected to run for six weeks.The hearing was in front on a jury. The option had been open to Bailey to opt for a judge only. A decade earlier, he had brought his libel action to the Circuit Court in front of a judge only, where the limit to any award was 38,000. If he had brought that action to the High Court, and won, he could have received damages of many multiples of what was available in the Circuit court. But back then little had emerged about the garda investigation. The DPP analysis was not known publicly. Marie Farrells credibility as a witness was not questioned.Now all had changed. Now, Bailey quite obviously hoped that public sympathy in some quarters for his case might be reflected in a jury room.The six week schedule turned out to be very wide of the mark. The hearing ran for 64 days over five months  one of the longest in the history of the state  and involving 90 witness.On 30 March 2015 the jury delivered its verdict. It found against Bailey on the two conspiracy allegations they were asked to consider  whether gardai had conspired to implicate him in the murder of Ms Du Plantier and whether there was a garda conspiracy to obtain false statements from Marie Farrell.The jury was not asked to consider any wrongful arrest because it had taken place outside a specified legal period. [/column1][/content][/section]

[section][options][type]TWO_COLUMN[/type][/options][content][column1][timgfull=A composite image of Jules Thomas, Ian Bailey and Marie Farrell]JulesThomasIanBaileyMarieFarrellComposite_large.jpg[/timgfull][/column1][column2][/column2][/content][/section]

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GSOC complaints

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A timeline of events that rocked a nation

1991

1993

1996

December 20:

December 23:

1997

January 11:

January 20:

January 21:

January 24:

February 4:

February 10:

April 17:

September 29:

December 18:

1998

January 27:

March 9:

2000

July 7:

September 22:

2001

August 18:

November:

2002

January:

December 19:

2003

March:

December:

2004

March:

2005

April:

2006

April:

2007

May 1:

November:

2008

June:

July:

2009

June:

2010

February 19:

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December:

2011

March 18:

October:

2012

March 1:

Sept:

October:

2013

May 10:

2014

April:

October:

November 4:

2015

March 30:

2016

July 27:

August:

December 23:

2018

August 3:

2019

February 26:

May 20:

[section][options][type]FOOTER[/type][/options][content][column1] irishexaminer.comBack to Irish Examiner[/column1][/content][/section]It was 100-30 the field yesterday for next Saturdays Epsom Derby and that tells you all you need to know about the open nature of this Classic.

The old rule of thumb used to be that if you had more than one Derby horse in reality you had none, but, of course, Aidan OBrien has long since debunked that theory.

OBrien has numerous contenders and it will be interesting to see how many darts he finally fires at the board.

The most fascinating possibility of all, arguably, is his twice-raced and unbeaten Camelot colt, Sir Dragonet, who will have to be supplemented to run.

Youd imagine he has not been easy to train and was unraced as a two-year-old.

He made his debut in a 12-furlong maiden at Tipperary on April 25 and it seems Ballydoyle had little notion of the machine they were bringing to the races.

He went off at 14-1, with OBrien also supplying the favourite, 4-5 shot King Pellinor.

Sir Dragonet hardly broke sweat, quickening away in the straight to put 15 rivals to the sword for a clearcut success.

He then stepped way up on that effort in the Group 3 Chester Vase, slamming his apparently better-fancied stable-companion, Norway, by eight lengths.

What makes Sir Dragonet so interesting is that he would not be the first horse to score at big odds and then subsequently develop into a top-class performer.

Perhaps, the best example of all is the dual Prix de LArc de Triomphe winner, Alleged, who was trained by Vincent OBrien. As a three-year-old he won the Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh at 33-1.

Another excellent example is the mighty Vintage Crop, the first horse from the northern hemisphere to win the Melbourne Cup in 1993.

Trained by Dermot Weld, he made his debut at Thurles on October 17, 1991, in a two-mile race on the Flat.

Mick Kinane was stable jockey at the time and he rode another of Welds, the 3-1 shot Padiord, who finished 12th.

Meanwhile up ahead Vintage Crop was bounding clear in the hands of Pat Shanahan, scoring by eight lengths at 20-1.

Will OBrien, and the lads decide to supplement Sir Dragonet? The indications on Tuesday were that they will, which surprised this observer. I would have wagered they wouldnt, on the basis all the evidence is he is a soft-ground horse, highly unlikely to get such conditions at Epsom, and they dont really need to anyway.

Until we know for sure just what OBrien is going to run in the Derby there is no point in predicting the outcome.

That said it does seem Anthony Van Dyck and Broome will be very much to the forefront of his charge.

Anthony Van Dyck showed no signs of stopping when landing the mile and a half Derby Trial at Lingfield,

though he may not have beaten much.

Broome won the Ballysax Stakes and the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial in good style at Leopardstown and shapes as a thorough stayer.

Mind you Im told he wouldnt beat the local cat on the Ballydoyle gallops!

Another well worth a second glance is the Kevin Prendergast-trained Madhmoon.

One might have thought the Irish 2000 Guineas would be his target, following a highly creditable fourth behind Magna Grecia in the Newmarket equivalent, but Prendergast had no hesitation nominating the Derby as the way to go.

The problem is will Madhmoon stay?

His dam, Aaraas, only won once in 13 outings and that was over six furlongs at Navan.

His sire is Dawn Approach, who won the 2000 Guineas of 2013 at Newmarket and was essentially a high-class miler.

On the credit side, however, is the fact Dawn Approachs daddy, New Approach, won the Epsom Derby in 2008.

Madhmoon certainly looked as if he was crying out for a longer trip at Newmarket, but whether an extra four furlongs is called for remains to be seen.

Bottom line is it will take a few more days before we can contemplate having a punt.

Aidan OBrien continues to make the right noises about Capri and seems to still see him as an Ascot Gold Cup horse.

On his best form, Capri is a top-notcher, having won an Irish Derbv, English St Leger and taking a solid fifth behind Enable in last years Prix de LArc de Triomphe.

But if the magic man can get this lad to win the Ascot Gold Cup, Ill give up punting for a month.

Capri has developed into a right sourpuss. He made his seasonal debut, under Ryan Moore, in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan last month and never went a yard when fifth behind no-hoper, Master Of Reality.

Partnered with restraint then, Donnacha OBrien took over at Leopardstown eight days ago in the Saval Beg Stakes.

On this occasion, Capri was allowed stride along from the start and looked a happy bunny for a lot of the mile and six-trip.

But when OBrien asked him to go and win his race early in the straight, Capri basically downed tools and was a well beaten third behind Twilight Payment and Falcon Eight at the line.

Youd imagine the Dermot Weld-trained Kiss For A Jewel has a decent future, even if she did get overhauled late and beaten a neck into second by Ger Lyons Kaftan in a maiden at Naas last Sunday.

The daughter of Kingman did just about everything right through the one-mile contest, but was mugged by a marginally better rival on the day.

Kiss For A Jewel will surely improve as the campaign progresses and it is worth noting that her pedigree screams she needs cut in the ground. It was a fast surface at Naas.

She is regally bred, by Kingman out of Sapphire.

Kingman was a brilliant horse, winning seven of his eight races.

He scored four times at Group 1 level and basically went on any ground. Kingman was seriously effective when getting his toe in, however, taking the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh, on soft to heavy, by five lengths.

Sapphire used to be trained by Weld and won six of her 11 races. An admirable filly, the softer the ground the better she was.

Its terrific Too Darn Hot runs in this afternoons Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh and, trained by a master of his profession, John Gosden, he is entitled to the utmost respect.

But I am a massive fan of Magna Grecia and will be very disappointed, and a trifle poorer, if he fails to cope with the overseas challenger.Its not often the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 proves superior to the English equivalent but the unexpected presence of Newmarket absentee Too Darn Hot in todays line-up has elevated todays Curragh feature to cracker status.

Even before it was confirmed last seasons leading juvenile would take his chance  just nine days after surrendering his unbeaten record on his seasonal reappearance at York  this already looked an above-average Irish 2,000 Guineas with the Newmarket first and third, Magna Grecia and Skardu, squaring up again and Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes runner-up Phoenix Of Spain making his return to action.

But the unexpected bonus of Too Darn Hot doesnt half add to the intrigue.

John Gosdens charge looked a superstar in the making last season, winning each of his four starts in sizzling style, a flawless record that culminated in victory in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes.

He went into the winter as the hot favourite for the English 2,000 Guineas but after injury ruled him out of his prep race, Gosden ran out of time to get his charge ready for Newmarket.

Having missed that engagement, connections now faced a dilemma. Would a horse who looked all speed as a two-year-old have the stamina to stay the Derby trip?

His pedigree suggested a mile and a half would be his optimum distance but the evidence of the eyes suggested otherwise.

Yorks Dante Stakes over an extended 10 furlongs would provide the answer and after Too Darn Hot was outstayed by Telecaster in the final furlong, Epsom plans were quickly shelved. The Dubawi colt would be kept to a mile for the foreseeable future.

That he returns so quickly is a surprise but he thrived on his racing last season, his four runs coming in a two-month spell.

What is slightly more concerning is his reported lack of physical development from two to three but even in defeat at York, there was still evidence of his star-quality in the effortless way in which he chased down the front pair before his stamina ebbed away in the closing stages.

Todays drop in trip should be far more to his liking and the expectation is the class he oozed as two-year-old will again come to the surface.

On home soil, Aidan OBriens Magna Grecia promises to be a tough nut to crack but he may find Too Darn Hots finishing kick too much to cope with.

With Frankie Dettori on duty on Too Darn Hot at the Curragh, Rob Havlin comes in for the plum Calyx ride in the Armstrong Aggregates Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock and itll rank as massive disappointment if the Kingman colt fails to round off his Commonwealth Cup preparations by stretching his unbeaten record to four.

The Armstrong Aggregates Temple Stakes, the other Group 2 on the Haydock card, revolves around Battaash.

At his brilliant best, the Charlie Hills-trained gelding is close to unbeatable over five furlongs but he let down favourite-backers in three of his five runs last season and, consequentially, now looks hard to trust at a short price.

That being the case, preference is for Mabs Cross.

Agonisingly touched off in the Nunthorpe Stakes last August, the Michael Dods-trained filly ended last season in style by deservedly winning the Prix de lAbbaye.

She made a winning return to action earlier this month, showing a good attitude to win a Newmarket Group 3.

A Group 1 penalty for her French success makes todays task stiffer but she still looks a safer betting proposition than Battaash.

Elsewhere at Haydock, Eden Rose looks the most likely winner of the Amix Ready Mixed Concrete Handicap while Oasis Prince can complete a four-timer by winning the Amix Silver Bowl Handicap.

Yorks feature is the Group 3 William Hill Bronte Cup Fillies Stakes where Roger Varians Pilaster can foil Enbihaar. Copper Knight gets the vote in the William Hill Leading On Course Bookmaker Sprint Handicap.

The ITV4 cameras are also at Goodwood where Willie John looks sure to go well in the Betfair Best Odds On ITV Races Festival Stakes while Dubai Legacy boasts leading claims in the Betfair Each Way Edge Handicap.

SelectionsElections are a thing of beauty. They allow us to do a sort of collective stock take, gauge the national temperature, showing us where were at on a broad range of issues.

And regardless of your politics or political apathy, our elections have also given us a chance to be grateful, as we get to see our relatively peaceful democracy brought to life in 3D form.

There was the jostling about who had their poster on what lamppost, the public keeping vigilant watch that they were above the 3m limit and not placed on electricity poles. There were a host of candidates with a rainbow of views handing out flyers and knocking on doors as you tried to mash the potatoes and get the homework done and signed off.

And there was heated and humorous debate on traditional and social media and when all was said and done, men and women, without voter suppression, and if they so wished, got to cast their ballot on 949 local council seats, 11 European Parliament seats and on whether to reduce the divorce waiting period from four to two years.

However, all that aside and before we get the results of your ballots, the last few weeks have given us a three-course meal in food for thought, providing us with a glimpse into the psyche of the nation.

There was the good, the bad and the ugly on the menu: our own swing to the right, housing, physical violence, the return of that get out of bed early trope, the climate, more women running, more first-time candidates running and racism.

How alive and well is racism on this island, both explicit and coded? We know from Irish academic research, that proponents of hate speech use seemingly innocuous but very specific phrases, both in their election literature, in broadcast debate and on social media, to spread their message. The same language and arguments are used by similar proponents across the globe.

Could these people make racism fetch in Ireland? Did they succeed? Did their attempt to pit Irish born against second-generation Irish raise your blood pressure? Did their what-aboutery on helping our own first cause you to give them your number one vote on the ballot sheet?

We will know the answers to those questions later on in the day but from conversations with friends, family, neighbours, and Joe Soaps in doctors waiting rooms, I cant say Ive met any of those sentiments from real human beings Ive encountered over the last number of weeks. Only the ballot will tell.

The polls have said that there is a Green Wave sweeping over the nation with the Green Party set to make gains locally and in Europe. This was the case in Northern Irelands elections earlier this month, but will the trend play out here?

After years of climate-change denial and the mockery and belittling of environmental activists, dismissed as hippies and tree huggers, weve been inundated with unavoidable bad news in the last year.

There were the two UN reports, one saying we have now 11 years to avoid irreversible climate damage and another saying one million species face extinction. And weve had the unrelenting voices of teenager named Greta Thunberg and a nonagenarian called David Attenborough.

Our Government became the second country to declare a climate emergency, but the question is whether there is real action to back up that declaration  enough to have inspired voters to vote Fine Gael? Or will voters opt to go with the crowd with the track record on this one, the Green Party? Or, do we care about the climate at all, and will the Greens gain any traction? Only the ballot will tell.

From a green wave to a pink one, a historic number of women ran in this years local elections. About 559 women declared themselves as running out of 1,980 overall candidates, making up nearly 30% of your choice on the ballot sheet. Only 314 women contested 2014s local elections. No doubt that is a big shift, but did you give them a vote, enough for them to reach the quota and be declared a public official? Only the ballot will tell.

Age, experience, inexperience, all got thrown around during the debate season. A pale, male candidate accused a much younger female opponent of being inexperienced, not exactly a punishable crime. Now neither candidate could out match the other in the political experience stakes so his argument was null and void, for he was really just promoting the myth that years on the clock equate to a steady, capable hand on a ships deck. Does the nation buy into that notion?

Of the new women running, 10% of them are aged 18 and 35, and our youngest candidate nationally is a 19-year-old man by the name of Saran Fogarty running for Fianna Fail in Bray, Co Wicklow.

Trump has plenty years on the clock and never held political office in his life before winning the White House, so it seems its youth and not inexperience weve a problem with.

However, in Ireland, will we flip that biased belief and vote fresh young blood into our stale and very male 31 local councils? Only the ballot will tell.

Who thinks theyre worthy of your vote, worthy to represent you, deserving of public office? With nearly 2,000 people positioning themselves as worthwhile candidates, there were many approaches and abilities in the mix. We had one fella, lets call him Mr PC, take to the national broadcaster to participate in a TV debate, whose arsenal of argument was fairly low in fact. Even Junior Cert students know that any assertion made in an essay needs to be backed up, not by personally held beliefs, but by cold, hard evidence-based fact.

Do we think the likes of Mr PC are good enough for us, or do we deserve better in our public officials? Only the ballot will tell.

And one final insight that this election process has given us: there has been little or no talk about the question of reducing the divorce waiting period to two years. Its garnered little passion and provoked almost no debate. Yet just 24 short years ago, after a highly divisive campaign that involved Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa, we voted to introduce divorce, by a minute margin of just 9,114 votes. How times have changed.

Were and who are we now? The opened ballot boxes will hopefully give us some kind of an answer to that.Dateline Dealing with Rising Religious Tensions in Myanmar

This week, The Irrawaddy discusses the forced closure of a temporary Islamic prayer site in Yangon by a crowd of Buddhist nationalists.

Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! This week, well discuss the forced closure of Islamic prayer sites in North Dagon by a crowd of nationalists last week, why racial and religious instigation continue and how it should be handled. Ko Mya Aye, one of the 88-Generation students, and Ko Thet Swe Win of Synergy Center for Social Harmony join the discussion. Im Ye Ni, the Burmese editor of The Irrawaddy.

I remember that the flames of racial hatred rose in 2012, the year The Irrawaddy returned to Myanmar, under U Thein Seins government. The flames erupted in Rakhine and spread to central Myanmar, and the situation was worst in Meiktila. And the flames nearly spread to Yangon and Mandalay. And the latest incident took place in North Dagon Township. The way the government handled and the way the public responded to racial and religious instigation from 2012 to 2019 has changed. It is fair to say that it has become more and more mature. The government has held interfaith prayers, and activists and NGOs have promoted social harmony. But why did that incident happen in North Dagon? How much [has] the authorities handling of such cases improved?

Mya Aye: Racial and religious problems are common in countries that undergo transition from dictatorship to democracy. To speak from [a] political, ideological point of view, the right-wing attitudes usually rise in such circumstances. Again, the military dictatorship exercised a system of divide-and-rule throughout its rule, taking advantage of the different identities of the people living in the country. Whenever such [racial and religious] problems arise, one of the views is that the problem is due to deliberate provocation. But on the other hand, we are now over 50 years old, and we have grown up under the military dictatorial rule, so we are sensitive to certain issues. For example, brawls are common in a ward. They are just a normal part of the life. One side may be hit in the fighting, but once religious and racial labels are put on it, it becomes a big problem. From the very beginning, the communities could not build understanding and [instead] have [an] underlying dislike for each other. And they did not have opportunities to build understanding. We cant blame one side. This is my view. This is a Buddhist-majority country where loving-kindness flourishes. I [as a Muslim] grew up by a monastery, but there were only some small problems. If people are united, there is no chance to play on racial and religious feelings. But as the Muslim community feels they are discriminated against, they narrowed their angle. I mean they only live in their small angle, and have not tried to go outside and engage with the outside world. As to the handling by the government, as the case is connected with politics, the government will view it from a political perspective. We need to be aware of this. It has to take the opinion of the majority into consideration, and also has to consider how to ensure the rights of the minority. It has difficulties satisfying both at the same time. As everyone knows, racial problems arose with [the killing of] Ma Thidaw Htwe in Rakhine [in Maungdaw], and 10 [Muslims] were killed in Taungup. The government newspapers, in their reports, referred to them as Muslim kalars [a racial slur for people of Indian origin]. It was an unprecedented case. I think the government intentionally used it as a political tool, resulting in a brawl on Sule Pagoda Road. And we had to mediate. An investigation commission was formed. But the flame that ignited in Maungdaw spread to the whole country. It is a racial problem, but then religion was also meddled into it. There is a need to build mutual understanding, respect and trust between communities for people to protect and defend against the use [of racial and religious instigation] as a political tool. And the government, on its part, has to effectively enforce the rule of law. By the rule of law, I mean not favoring the majority or the minority, just treating them as citizens living in the country. If one group, either Muslim or Buddhist or Hindu or Christian, uses hate speech, the government must stop it in a determined way. Discrimination is not accepted in big democracies, and people, on their part, have to build understanding gradually. Only when they engage, will they understand each other, and only then there will be trust.

YN: We have experienced racial and religious conflicts since 2012. As Ko Mya Aye said, people are important in building trust, and Buddhist monks have actively participated in promoting social harmony. In the case of North Dagon, the Asia Light Sayadaw came and gave white roses to Muslim followers there, and also encouraged them. Organizations like Ko Thet Swe Wins also [got] involved and presented white roses to Muslim followers at Bahadur Zafar Shar Dargah mosque. Why is it important to conduct such a campaign, and how important do you think it is to prevent racial and religious conflicts?

Thet Swe Win: When racial tensions were rising elsewhere in the country, we saw the signs of potential conflicts in Yangon. 969 [an anti-Muslim movement] stickers were a common sight in Yangon at the time. I have participated since that time to prevent racial problems. However, civil society organizations are always a step behind when it comes to those problems. We have been involved in responding to racial problems from the beginning. We have made tens of thousands of stickers [that say] dont let racial and religious conflicts [be] caused by you printed and distributed across the country. We also persuaded [people] to replace 969 stickers with our stickers. The civil society organizations took various approaches to prevent racial conflicts. There have been many racial and religious conflicts since 2012. We civil society organizationswe are not as big as the government; we dont have many mechanismsresponded as much as we could with the available sources. We worked to spread true news, and urged the people not to respond angrily to provocation. But then, we are always a step behind in tackling those problems. Since 2012, we have thought about ways and means to counter radical nationalism. But at the same time, the radical nationalism grew bigger and bigger and spread across the country. We civil society organizations are still thinking about how to counter it. There is a need to strengthen the networking between us. There have been many successful examples of preventing racial conflicts due to collaboration between civil society organizations. There were successful campaigns, online campaigns, signature campaigns and, the latest was [a] white rose campaign. We need to consider carefully, because there is a new narrative that accuses politicians, human rights activists and civil society organizations [of] protecting kalars. This narrative is accepted by many people, including the media. Our image was distorted and discord was sown between us and the people. We need to find a way to cooperate with the media and explain [to] people our beliefs and why we are doing this. Only then will we be able to give an effective message. Now, it is very easy to label us. We are labelled as dollar earners [those who benefit from Western governments to support Muslims] and kalar supporters. And some said that the idea of human rights is imported from Western countries, and it is not necessary in Myanmar. Such narrative[s] have been successful more or less. We are faced with a big challenge and it is time we think about how to counter it.

YN: As you said, our Irrawaddy media got the same label. No matter which posts we share, the comments are the samecritical of us. This reminds me of the speech given by former U.S. President [Barack] Obama at Yangon University during his visit to Yangon in 2012. He said in his speech that diversity is an asset. Sadly, it has not yet become an asset. The NLD government, after it came to power, organized large-scale interfaith prayers in order to reduce intolerance. What is your assessment of the current stage? Do you think the policies and laws of the government are sufficient?

MA: Frankly speaking, [they are] far from being sufficient. There are many weaknesses. Whats worse, no matter what the law stipulates, some instructions clearly show discrimination. For example, in [the] passport office, there are counters for mixed-blood only. It is completely against the democratic and human right norms. And there are problems in getting national ID cards. There is confusion between race and religion. For example, different nationalities follow Islam, and similarly not every Buddhist is a Bamar. The religion and the race are two different things. But at grassroots level, there is greater confusion between these two. There are two parts to this problem. As the governments policies and laws are not sufficient, the minorities tend to live in their narrow angle. Taking a look back at history, people of all races and all religions worked in harmony in their independence struggle. There were many Muslim leaders like student union leader Ko Tun Sein and others. Not only Muslims were involved in it. They might not even think of themselves as Muslims, and they might think of themselves as Myanmar citizens.

YN: At the time, religion was not that sensitive.

MA: It was not. And we can clearly see the attitude of national leader Gen. Aung San [about race and religion]. [Former] ambassador U Pe Tin and others also took part [in the independence struggle]. We are not missing our golden days. Our Muslim community wants to reemerge from the narrow angle we lock ourselves in. As the two communities become more distant, it is difficult to build understanding. We want to make a community change, but the government needs to give a nod. When a person takes citizens rights, he also has to bear citizens responsibilities. The government needs to [enforce] the rule of law and the equal treatment of all citizens regardless of their racial identity. But as the government doesnt provide that hope, it is difficult to pull people out of the narrow angle. To turn diversity into strength, there is a need to build deep understanding between diverse people. Some people are accusing Muslims of Islamizing in the country. According to the 2014 census, the Muslim population is just over 4 percent of the total population, which is just 5 million of the 54 million people [total]. There was no discrimination in the political circle in prisonBuddhists [were] my friends, comrades and brothers who would risk their lives to protect me. We dont care at all about our religious identitymembers of the KNU (Karen National Union) are Christians, and Ko Rahu is a Hindu. We are very humane toward each other. What makes me frustrated is that those who have gone through humane experiences are now in power. I dont view the North Dagon incident as Buddhists disrupting Muslims. Buddhist people do not have such attitudes. It has been proven by Asia Light Sayadaw, Ko Thet Swe Win and the rest of the country. Myanmar people do not have such attitudes. We have had those problems due to some misunderstandings. This problem will push the country down into the abyss. The country will become a failed state without any hope of salvage. We have to stop terrorism no matter what religion practices it. There is a need for the people to get connected to prevent terrorism. The government must provide assistance to make it happen. The government itself must build diversity as an asset. What is the main ideology of our country, nationalism or democracy? Nationalism beyond a certain extent becomes fascism. I dont blame the right-wingers. In Europe, the right wing does not ignore democracy and human rights. But in Myanmar, the right wing is blindly right-wing. We need to be very cautious about it. The leading ideology of our country should be democratic and [include] human rights. This is the transition we want. The government must treat all citizensI dont mean foreignersin accordance with those norms. The government must work to strengthen communication between two [the] communities and get rid of old attitudes, and prevent terrorism from permeating into the communities.

YN: Ko Thet Swe Win, what else would you like to say?

TSW: I attach greater importance to the moral leadership of political leaders. As Ko Mya Aye has pointed out, humane values and humanity have started to die out in our society. There has been hatred, suspicion and jealousy in our society. Under such circumstances, the moral leadership of our leaders plays a crucial role. Frankly speaking, our leaders fail to provide moral leadership. Millions of Rohingya fled and many people died. Our leaders said nothing about that. I am not talking about if they are entitled to citizenship or not. They should at least acknowledge on humanitarian grounds that they had been living in the country, and are now in trouble after they left the country. Muslims have suffered, and Arakanese people are suffering now, and so are Kachin and Shan people. Only when a leader defines the norms and values of [a] society will people be able to follow. But now, the direction is not clear, and people dont know who to follow. Fascism is already taking place in Myanmar. Fascist attitudes have not only taken root in those with power, but fascist attitudes and behaviors have unconsciously developed in ordinary people. There have been cases of group bullying and bigotry. These are the signs of fascism. Our leaders must be able to see it and fix it. One day when we have leaders who dare to say the country has no place for people with such amoral attitudes, and define clear moral standards for the society, then, hopefully there will be some changes to our society.

YN: Thank you for your contributions!MERILLE, Kenya - For generations, Kaltuma Hassan's clan would study the sky over Kenya's arid north for any sign of rain - some wind here, a wisp of cloud there - to guide their parched livestock to water.

But such divination has been rendered hopeless by intensifying droughts. Days on foot can reveal nothing more than bone-dry riverbeds and grazing land baked to dust, sounding the death knell for their herd.

"You might go a long distance, and they die on the way. ... It is a very hard life," Hassan said in Marsabit, a sparse and drought-prone expanse where millions of pastoral families depend entirely on livestock to survive.

Traditional Samburu tribeswomen gather their goats to be sold at Merille livestock market near Nairobi, Kenya, on April 30. Tony Karumba / Agence France-Presse

Today, she leaves less to chance.

The 42-year-old relies on detailed rainfall forecasts received via text message from a Kenyan tech firm to plan her migrations, a simple but life-changing resource for an ancient community learning to adapt to increasing weather extremes.

Nomadic livestock herders in East Africa's drylands have endured climate variability for millennia, driving their relentless search for water and pasture in some of the world's most inhospitable terrain.

But their resilience is being severely tested by climate change, forcing a rethink to traditional wisdom passed down for generations.

Kenya endures a severe drought every three to five years, the World Bank says, but they are increasing in frequency and intensity, and temperatures are rising too.

With conditions evermore unreliable, Hassan no longer relies on warriors she once dispatched to scout for suitable grazing land for her cattle.

"They wake up very early in the morning and they look at the clouds, they look at the moon, to predict. I use this now," she said, scrolling through customized weather updates on her phone, sent via SMS in Rendille, a local language.

The service uses advanced weather data from US agricultural intelligence firm aWhere to provide subscribers with rain and forage conditions for the week ahead in their locality.

Text messages

The forecasts are sent as text messages, so they are compatible with basic phones often used by pastoralists in remote areas.

Kenyan IT firm Amfratech, which launched the SMS service earlier this year, has also rolled out a more advanced app-based version. They hope to eventually sign up tens of thousands of pastoralists.

Rainfall - the difference between feast and famine in East Africa and the Horn - is more erratic than ever, arriving late or not at all.

A long dry spell can set a pastoral family back years and erode their capacity to handle future shocks, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization said in a 2018 report.

Such a crisis is already brewing in Kenya's pastoral country to the north and over its borders in neighboring arid regions.

This year's so-called long rains failed to arrive, putting millions at risk. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network has warned that hunger in pastoral areas will worsen in coming months.

Meanwhile, the text messages have helped Samuel Lkiangis Lekorima protect not just his livestock, but the safety of his community.

Longer, harsher droughts have stoked intense competition between pastoralists for ever-scarcer water and pasture. A feud between two groups over a watering hole near Ethiopia left 11 dead in May, local media reported.

Lekorima, a 22-year-old herder from Marsabit, said advance knowledge of rainfall helped keep his people wandering far, and avoid any potential tensions with distant clans.

"When I get that message, I phone people (and) tell them ... don't go far away, because there is rain soon," he said.

Other modern interventions are also playing a part, helping protect not just pastoralists but a sector that contributes more than 12 percent to Kenya's GDP, according to the World Bank.

The Nairobi-based International Livestock Research Institute uses satellite imagery to determine when pasture levels are critically low - a portent of livestock death.

Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 05/25/2019 page7)On This Day When the Myanmar Navy Took Possession of Its 1st Flagship

The Myanmar Navys first flagship, the Mayu.Saturday, May 25th, 2019 (12:01 am) - Score 6,062

Concerns are growing that many consumers, broadband ISPs and mobile operators in the United Kingdom could be impacted much more severely than first thought after the President of the USA, Donald J. Trump, signed an executive order to prohibit transactions posing an unacceptable risk to the national security of the USA.

At first glance you may well wonder how Trumps decision, which directly hit companies like Huawei (i.e. an effective ban due to the present security concerns), could impact the UK. The answer stems from a matter which is often overlooked by the casual observer (its a similar story in the Brexit debate), that of the complicated and deeply rooted global supply chain for technologies and patents.

When you buy a broadband router, Smartphone, core network kit or some other piece of hardware from a major company like Huawei then youre not purchasing something that 100% originates in China. The hardware you purchase is in fact made up of many different components and these are manufactured all over the world. Likewise those components also have patents, many of which can be traced back to the USA.

Complex Supply Chain

The problem this creates was starkly illustrated after British CPU firm, ARM, announced earlier this week that it was ordering all of its employees and contractors to cease work on all active contracts, support entitlements, and any pending engagements with Huawei. Since then weve seen similar moves or preparations by Broadcom, Intel, Qualcomm, Xilinx and Panasonic. All sell bits and pieces to the Chinese giant.

Likewise Google has already pulled some of the support it can provide for the Android OS software used by Huaweis Smartphones, which is ironically a decision that seems to be counter-intuitive as a loss of support could leave consumers who own such devices at a huge disadvantage (e.g. loss of future feature updates and possible some future security patches).

A Spokesperson for Huawei said: We value our close relationships with our partners, but recognise the pressure some of them are under, as a result of politically motivated decisions. We are confident this regrettable situation can be resolved and our priority remains to continue to deliver world-class technology and products to our customers around the world.

In one fell swoop Trump hasnt just hit Huawei smack in the balls, hes also screwed up a hugely complicated global supply chain (threatening jobs and economic growth across a whole sector in the process) and potentially made millions of consumers less secure in the process. Nice, thanks Donald.

Just to be clear, none of the companies in this complex supply chain want to stop working with Huawei, but equally many have even bigger customers and legal considerations in the western side of the world (particularly the USA) and those will take precedence.

Huaweis Nuclear Fallout

Before all this the only concern that Huawei and its supporters in the UK telecoms sector had, which includes many of the markets major operators (Openreach, BT, EE, Vodafone etc.), was whether or not the UK Government would carry forward their preliminary decision to ban the firm from supplying core networks (non-core kit would be left alone). Further context here.

At the time the Governments position was a huge issue, but fast forward a few weeks and it now seems more akin to a small hill against a veritable mountain of Chernobyl fallout (side note  thats an excellent TV series!). Whether or not the UK now chooses to completely ban Huawei may thus become a moot point because a decision in the USA has effectively stopped a mass of key businesses across the world from working with the company.

Huaweis kit can be found all over the place in modern broadband and mobile networks. Youll see it in Smartphones, youll see it in Openreachs street cabinets and in consumer routers. Now imagine what happens when the company that supplies so much of that struggles to provide the necessary on-going and future support (replacement kit, updates, new features etc.).

Huawei has been dealt a colossal hammer blow and in turn many of those who have come to rely upon or enjoy their products will also end up suffering. We did ask Openreach and other ISPs to give us their comment on a this but, perhaps for obvious reasons (everybody is still assessing the potential damage), none responded. However the UK ISP Association (ISPA) and Government (DCMS) were kind enough to reply.

A Government Spokesperson told ISPreview.co.uk: The security and resilience of the UKs telecoms networks is of paramount importance. The Government has undertaken a thorough, evidence-based and hard-headed review of the 5G supply chain to ensure the secure and resilient roll-out of 5G. It will report in due course, and to Parliament first. The UK is not considering any options that would put at risk our national security communications, within the UK and with our closest allies.

A Spokesperson for the ISPA said: ISPA and its members are aware of the current focus on the telecoms supply chain, including the DCMS ongoing Telecoms Supply Chain Review. ISPs will continue to follow this dynamic area as events unfold. It is important to stress that there are a diverse range of suppliers within the UKs fixed broadband network that underpin a competitive and interconnected market.

Youll note that in this article we havent touched on the key security fears that surround Huawei and are the trigger for all this (see our other links above for context). One reason for this is that such issues are a matter for the national security and intelligence agencies (secret), which is virtually impossible for ordinary folk to judge. We wouldnt be so bold as to assume we know better than they.

Furthermore it seems unlikely that so many countries would be creating such a fuss if there wasnt a serious concern. On the other hand screwing up a global supply chain so aggressively and damaging masses of consumer products in the process, many of which we all own (sometimes without even realising it), is perhaps not the right outcome. Putting it mildly.

Donald J. Trump said: Huawei is something that is very dangerous. You look at what theyve done from a security standpoint, a military standpoint. Very dangerous.

Meanwhile, short of finding a solution, Huawei will have to find a way to produce some of their products using different non-USA linked components and patents, which could make what they have to offer seem less competitive. Quietly there may be some companies, particularly a few of their arch rivals, who will be celebrating moves to neuter one of their biggest competitors.

However many of those same companies will also have to be wary about the precedent this sets, which could see a similar approach being used against their own products in the future (e.g. Apple, Tesla etc.). This is why, until now, most political leaders have been super-careful with their approach. Its almost like theres a trade war going on.. oh wait.

If we made a deal, I could imagine Huawei being possibly included in some form or some part of it, said Trump.

UPDATE 1st July 2019

Perhaps predictably, Trump has opted to relax his Huawei ban as part of the USAs on-going trade negotiations with China (here).China has unveiled new cyber security regulations calling for "secure and controllable" technology in its networks, raising the possibility that it could be used to block American technology companies on national security grounds.

A report in the South China Morning Post said the draft document, Cyber Security Review Measures, had been published by the country's Cyber Space Administration on Friday and would be up for comment until 24 June.

It asks operators of the country's information infrastructure to evaluate the risk to national security when they buy products and services from foreign companies.

The issuing of the new draft law comes after the US imposed a ban on Chinese telecommunications equipment provider Huawei Technologies and 68 of its affiliates on 16 May, preventing the company from importing components from American companies without government approval. Some of the affiliates are in countries like Canada, Japan, Brazil, the UK, Singapore and others.

The same day, US President Donald Trump also put in place a ban on the use of equipment from Huawei and its fellow Chinese firm, ZTE, within the US but that would not have much effect on either firm as the US uses very little equipment from either company.

On 20 May, Google announced it was cutting off Huawei's access to future updates of Google's Android and Google Play Store.

The next day, the US Commerce Department eased some of the restrictions, allowing Huawei to maintain and update existing networks and handsets.

Huawei deputy chairman Ken Hu referred to the US ban during a speech to a conference in Germany on cyber security.

Speaking in Potsdam, Hu said, "When I arrived earlier, I was told that we are at a historic site where the Berlin Wall once stood. This reminded me of the fact that we dont want to see another wall and we dont want to go through another painful experience.

"Equally, we dont want to build a new wall in terms of trade, we dont want to build a new wall in terms of technology either.

"We need an integrated global ecosystem which can help us to promote faster technological innovation and stronger economic growth. Ultimately, it is what we have to rely on in order to maintain prosperity for human society."

The draft regulation was not specific, giving Chinese officials latitude to interpret it any way they wished.

Nick Marro, an analyst with The Economist Intelligence Unit based in Hong Kong, told the SCMP: "The regulatory opacity means that officials have quite a lot of flexibility in how they want to implement this  meaning it could be applied to US firms in a way that embodies qualitative measures as part of Chinas trade war response."

When Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang was asked, at a regular press briefing in Bejing on Friday, whether China was willing to discuss Huawei's position as part of trade negotiations, he responded:

"Recently we have stated China's position on the Huawei issue repeatedly. We urge the US to correct its wrong act of using state power to bring down foreign businesses, seeking illegitimate interests, disrupting the market and undermining international cooperation.

"Regarding the China-US trade talks you mentioned, China has already made clear its position on many occasions. China believes that differences in the trade and economic fields between the two countries should be resolved through friendly dialogue and consultation.

"But all dialogue and consultation must be based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. It takes such principle to make a dialogue possible, hopeful and meaningful."Vodafone Hutchison Australia and TPG Telecom have taken action in the Federal Court, seeking orders that the proposed merger between the two companies will not have the effect, or likely effect, of substantially lessening competition.

In a statement posted to the ASX after it closed on Friday, VHA said it had filed a statement of claim to seek approval for the proposed merger.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission announced on 8 May, a day ahead of the scheduled date for its final decision, that it would be opposing the proposed merger between the two companies.

Both firms said the same day that they intended to challenge the decision in court.

A VHA spokesperson said in a statement on Friday: "We believe the merger will create an entity that can compete more aggressively in the mobile market and will increase our ability to invest in networks, new technologies, and competitive plans and products for Australian consumers."

TPG's statement to the ASX said: "For legal process reasons, the Statement of Claim identifies VHA as the applicant and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and TPG as the respondents.

"TPG and VHA are working together to progress the proceedings and TPG supports the orders being sought in the VHA application. The parties will seek orders for expedition of the proceedings."

As to the reasons for its decision, the competition watchdog said it had considered that the proposed merger would reduce competition and contestability in the fixed broadband sector.

It said, in particular, a deal was likely to "substantially lessen competition in the supply of mobile services because the proposed merger would preclude TPG entering as the fourth mobile network operator in Australia".

TPG announced in January that it was cancelling plans for a mobile network due to the Australian Government ban on the use of equipment from Chinese vendor Huawei Technologies.

The proposed merger was announced on 30 August last year, with the scrip deal creating a company with an enterprise value of about $15 billion.Extradition bill should be passed soon: Tam Updated: 2019-05-24 07:13 By Joseph Li in Hong Kong(HK Edition)

Former DAB chairman says Hong Kong people have nothing to fear from proposed changes

Hong Kong people have nothing to fear from proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance, former lawmaker Tam Yiu-chung told China Daily in an exclusive interview.

The former chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong also said he fully supports these amendments.

They will enable the government, in the interests of justice, to surrender the Hong Kong man who admitted killing his girlfriend in Taiwan last year, he said. The revision will also allow Hong Kong to enter into agreements with other jurisdictions such as the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Macao.

Veteran politician Tam Yiu-chung tells China Daily the dispute surrounding the city's extradition bill has come to a point where the central government has to break its silence, following smear campaigns attacking the central government and Hong Kong authorities, 'one country, two systems' and the mainland's judicial system. Roy Liu / China Daily

As the amendments clearly state that the law will only target fugitive offenders of serious crimes, law-abiding Hong Kong people will have nothing to worry about. He said ordinary citizens have been telling the DAB they are unconcerned about the proposed fugitive law amendments.

Tam, who is a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, noted that Hong Kong has signed mutual legal assistance agreements with 32 jurisdictions and surrender of fugitive agreements with 20 jurisdictions. There are no such agreements between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland but these are permitted under Article 95 of the Basic Law.

"Since Hong Kong has not entered into agreements with many other jurisdictions 22 years after its return to the country, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor wants to settle two issues at once; the central government is supportive.

"If such agreements are not reached, the SAR government will then have to deal with each case every time.

"The CE believes there will be double safeguards after she triggers the mechanism and the courts will act as a gatekeeper when it comes to deciding whether or not to hand over a fugitive. Offenders will still be able to apply for habeas corpus or seek a judicial review of the extradition application.

"If only the section of the law concerning the Taiwan murder case is handled this time, the remaining sections will never be done in the future. This is because the opposition camp will obstruct laws involving the mainland," Tam explained.

"At the beginning, the central government did not say a word because the extradition bill was not tailored for the mainland.

"However, it has come to a point where the central government has to break its silence following smear campaigns attacking the central government and Hong Kong authorities, 'one country, two systems' and the mainland's judicial system," he added.

Tam strongly criticized the opposition camp for trying to obstruct the amendments. He was particularly critical of veteran opposition politicians Martin Lee Chu-ming and Anson Chan Fang On-sang for visiting the United States and Europe to seek foreign support in attacking the amendments.

"The extradition law amendments have become an episode in the China-US trade conflict, with people from the opposition camp willing to be manipulated as pawns by external forces," Tam noted.

"There are various human rights safeguards in regard to the extradition of fugitive offenders.

"However, people from the opposition camp seem to support fugitive offenders and not the SAR government, or perhaps they don't support the SAR government but support the US government," he noted.

Last week, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council expressed support for the amendments. On Tuesday, Vice-Premier Han Zheng, the highest ranking government official in charge of Hong Kong and Macao affairs, extended the central government's full backing.

The next day, Wang Yang, chairman of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, told a visiting business delegation from Hong Kong he was totally behind the SAR government's efforts to revise the extradition law.

He also said people should be prepared for the fact that the Sino-US trade dispute will not end in the near future.

Tam said that now the SAR government has decided to resume a debate on the bill at the second reading stage during a full Legislative Council meeting on June 12, the bill should be passed as soon as possible.

Normally, a bill is first examined by a bills committee so government officials can answer questions from legislators. Unfortunately, since the relevant bills committee cannot function properly due to disruptive tactics by the opposition camp, there is no alternative but to go directly to a plenary meeting.

"This complies with LegCo's Rules of Procedure," he noted.

"At the Friday House Committee meeting (today), some will also propose dissolution of the bills committee as a way forward. The House Committee chairman, who has received the request from the secretary for security to bring the bill straight to the plenary meeting, may invite lawmakers to give their views.

"In the end, the chairman may rule that she will accede to the secretary's request and there is no rule that the secretary's request should be taken to a vote." "I hope the extradition law amendments will be passed before July 1, because after that there is still the National Anthem Bill to be carried before the summer recess in mid-July," Tam added.

joseph@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 05/24/2019 page4)Architect of bold designs Updated: 2019-05-24 08:06 (HK Edition)

I.M. Pei, the man who designed some of the most iconic modernist structures in China and elsewhere, died last week at 102. Lee Ho-yin remembers his brief, illuminating encounters with the legendary architect.

I have been asked what influence the modernist architect, Ieoh Ming Pei, who died on May 16, had on contemporary architecture. I could probably fall back on my experience as an educator in architectural design and architectural conservation to come up with an answer. However, I think my personal encounters with the master and his works during my formative years as an architecture student would make for a better and more sincere response.

My first indirect encounter with Pei happened when I was a sophomore at the School of Architecture at the National University of Singapore. This was in the early 1980s, an era of aesthetic excess as reflected in the prevailing disco culture and postmodern architecture. One day, a professor introduced Pei's first piece of work in the city state, the OCBC Centre, completed in 1976. Typical of sophomores who tend to favor style over substance, I was not particularly impressed by what appeared to be a rather unremarkable - and drab-looking - office tower. The only lesson that stuck in my clueless mind was an irrelevant side-story that, whether by coincidence or design, the facade of the building resembled the Chinese character denoting the architect's surname.

It was around the same time that the ambitious Raffles City project - of which Pei was the chief architect - had successfully lifted Singapore's status from Third World urban obsolescence to First World modernity. Completed in 1986, the project included the world's tallest hotel and the city's largest shopping mall. By the time it opened in the late 1980s, I was more knowledgeable in architecture, having completed the first of a two-degree program and a year-long intensive internship with two architectural firms in Hong Kong.

I remember visiting the mall's spacious atrium with my classmates and being blown away by what I saw. It was like being immersed in a space that came alive with crisscrossing shoppers on the ground, along the open corridors, and on the bridge spanning the atrium. For the first time I got a sense of Pei's subtle genius and realized what my professors had been trying to drum into my head about creating spaces that would produce a memorable immersive experience.

Culture in architecture

Toward the end of my studies, I had my first direct encounter with the master architect when he came to lecture in our school. As expected, Pei's lecture in the school's largest lecture theater was filled to capacity.

Pei talked about his first project in China, Fragrant Hill Hotel in Beijing (completed in 1982). He spoke of his struggle to incorporate cultural relevance in the wantonly neutral style of modernism. To accomplish this, as he explained, the architecture had to be infused with cultural familiarity. This was achieved by using abstract Chinese decorative features, and applying the Chinese concept of "borrowed landscape" through framing outdoor landscape scenes with windows and wall openings to form living landscape paintings. No wonder the hotel has become a timeless masterpiece by giving people the experience of physical as well as cultural space.

During the question-and-answer time after his talk, I could not resist the temptation of asking him if there was any truth to the facade of the OCBC Centre being a giant pronouncement of his surname.

Pei gave a bemused chuckle, and said that it was no more than an urban legend. "I am not that egoistic," he replied, "but that is a great story to tell people."

Banking on humor

In the 1990s, after my stint as an architectural designer in several firms, I left Singapore for doctoral studies at The University of Hong Kong. That was when I had my second direct encounter with Pei, when he came to the university to give a talk. At this talk, I learned how Pei was able to use his wits to reverse a seemingly lost situation.

The first story relates to the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong (completed in 1990) which stands today as one of the city's most iconic landmarks. As with many of his projects, things didn't go smoothly due to the groundbreaking nature of his architectural concepts. The board of directors reacted badly to his design, complaining about the X-shaped structural frames on the building, "You know, we are an important bank, and it doesn't inspire confidence to see a series of Xs all over our headquarters!"

"Crosses? What crosses? Those are stacks of diamonds!" Pei had told them. He wore his trademark Cheshire Cat smile as he narrated the incident to us.

Needless to add, the Bank of China directors approved the design.

The second story is about the Louvre Pyramid in Paris, completed in 1989. In his persistence for quality, Pei wanted near 100 percent transparency in the glass used to build the pyramid. This meant that the material had to be of optical glass quality. But the French glass makers said this was impossible - the best they could come up with was a 90 percent transparency. Not willing to compromise, Pei ran a search and found that there were glass makers in Germany who could achieve his desired standard. Armed with this information, he went back to Paris, and let it be known that he was considering giving the job to German glass makers. Out of national pride, the French government hurriedly assured him that they would try to match whatever the Germans could do.

Pei's design for the Louvre Pyramid was panned in France and by architects the world over. Back then, it was a near-taboo to attach a modern design to an important historic monument. Yet 30 years on, the once universally hated glass pyramid has become a much-treasured modern monument as people came to appreciate how the new architecture has refreshed the otherwise frozen history of the Louvre.

Today, I often say to my students, "Look around Hong Kong at some of the Revitalisation Scheme projects, and you will see the subtle but long-lasting influence of the master I. M. Pei."

The author is associate professor and head of the Division of Architectural Conservation Programmes at The University of Hong Kong.

(HK Edition 05/24/2019 page10)The Nash-Bolich building in downtown Winston-Salem has changed hands for the second time in five years, this time being sold to a New York investment group expanding its local presence.

According to Linville Team Partners, the two-story, 36,000-square-foot property at 614 W. Fourth St. was bought for $7.62 million. Linville broker Ben Bloodworth represented the seller and Linville broker Tommy Adams the buyer.

The sale was completed May 22. The seller was Nash Building LLC and the buyers were Nash SSV LLC (72% ownership stake), WSNC Nash LLC (20%) and WS Nash Bldg LLC (8%).

The buyers are affiliated with DTWS1 LLC, with an address of 290 Central Ave. in Lawrence, N.Y., thats associated with New York urologist Michael Rotman.

DTWS1 LLC spent $6.24 million in November to purchase One Salem Tower building, a three-story, 55,000-square-foot building at 119 Brookstown Ave. The purchase also includes an adjacent 0.49-acre tract that serves as a parking lot.The warrants for his arrest Thursday were on charges of assault by strangulation, kidnapping, assault on a female, communicating threats and violation of a domestic violence protective order, according to jail records.

When law enforcement agencies fail to honor immigration detainers and release serious criminal offenders onto the streets, it undermines ICEs ability to protect public safety and carry out its mission, said Sean Gallagher, who oversees ICEs operations in Georgia and the Carolinas.

Immigration advocates and the sheriffs office, though, have pointed out that the criminal justice system can still keep any inmates who pose a public safety risk from making it out of jail.

A district court judge issued a protective order to keep Pineda-Ancheta away from a woman on May 7, according to arrest warrants.

He was then arrested on May 15, when he was charged with assault on a female, communicating threats, felony larceny, simple assault and injury to personal property, according to jail records. ICE placed a detainer on him the following day, and he was released from jail one day later, on May 17.

Police say he committed another domestic assault against the same woman on May 21.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.The N.C. Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating Wednesday's death of a construction worker inside the unfinished sciences building at Winston-Salem State University, a state official said Friday.

Michael Bailey of Salisbury died after suffering a heart attack on the fifth floor of the building, authorities said. The Bailey's medical emergency was reported around 3:45 p.m., said Jay Davis, a WSSU spokesman.

Bailey was an employee of The Kirlin Group of Rockville, Md., a subcontractor on the project at the sciences building, Davis said.

Natalie Bouchard, a division spokeswoman for the N.C. Department of Labor, said OSH is investigating the circumstances that led to the worker's death.

The division typically investigates workers' deaths at workplaces in North Carolina, according to the division guidelines. An OSH investigator will visit the construction site and collect evidence.

The investigator may also interview employees, witnesses and managers about the incident, according to the agency's guidelines. The investigation may take a few weeks to six months to complete.

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.So the Trump administration delivered a clear message that America will hold Iran directly responsible for any attacks on Americans, even if they are carried out by surrogates  and offered a show of force to back those threats  providing clarity that makes it less likely Iranian leaders will miscalculate.

Sanctions are inflicting major pain. But if the goal is to roll back Irans expansionism, then sanctions alone are not enough. We must also aggressively confront Iran throughout the region, building up our allies inflicting defeats on Iran in critical theaters, just as President Ronald Reagan did to the Soviets. A major drawdown of U.S. forces in Syria is incompatible with a maximum pressure approach.

Will Iranian leaders come to the table? Far less draconian sanctions brought Iran to the negotiating table under Obama. But Trump has rightly paired tougher sanctions with tougher demands. Pompeo has laid out 12 requirements for a deal with Iran  including an end to support for Middle East terrorist groups and a complete withdrawal from Syria  that Iran is unlikely to meet.

If they dont come to the table, then what is our strategy? Does Trump really want to bring about the collapse of the Iranian regime? Its not clear. If he does, then, as my American Enterprise Institute colleague Frederick W. Kagan points out, this task may be even harder than it was with the Soviet Union. As North Korea has shown, tyrannical regimes can survive even crippling sanctions. Certainly, the world will be better if Iran is focused on survival rather than expansion and terror. But it will take more than sanctions to leave the Iranian regime on the ash heap of history. That requires a strategy.

Marc Thiessen is a columnist for The Washington Post. Follow him on Twitter @marcthiessen.On the first of May 1769, Daniel Boone departed from the banks of the Yadkin River at the mouth of Beaver Creek in todays Wilkes County. (Whippoorwill Academy and Village near Ferguson exhibits a replica Boone cabin with original stones.) He ventured on a long hunt with his brother-in-law, John Stuart; an old Indian trader, John Finley; and three other men who would process the hides Boones party would harvest from the Kentucky wilds for selling in Salisbury. Finley had traded with the Shawnee by canoeing down the Ohio River years before. He convinced Boone they could find this rumored passage through the seemingly impenetrable mountain barrier into Ken-te-ke. Thus, they began.

Daniel Boone had arrived in North Carolina with his parents in 1752. They settled in the Forks of the Yadkin (todays Davie and Yadkin counties, his parents buried in Mocksville.) At 21, he married Rebecca Bryan, 17, in 1756. Their young family retreated for safety from the Carolina frontier in 1759 as did half the settlers there during the Cherokee War, but they soon returned. After exploring north Florida in 1765 on the idea of moving his family there, Boone instead moved to the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the upper Yadkin River where Finley found him in 1769.A great job?

On May 21, Rep. Doug Collins, the Republican ranking member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, was on CNN claiming that we already know that the Mueller report cleared President Trump. He said the Democrats attempts to look further into the report are just part of a circus put on for media exposure.

He joins President Trump, Attorney General William Barr and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in wanting to close the door on Trumps possible crimes, saying, Nothing to see here, folks, the report cleared the president.

The conclusion of Volume II of the Mueller report reads,  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, 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.

We all know that Trump is dishonest. If he is guilty of obstruction of justice as well, it makes sense that he would try to hide his crimes from the House.Summerville, SC (29483)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.President Donald Trumps administration on Friday bypassed Congress to sell $8.1 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies, citing a threat from Iran, infuriating lawmakers who fear the weapons could kill civilians in Yemen.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration would circumvent the required review by Congress to approve 22 arms transfers to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, saying that the freeze on sales by Congress could affect the Arab allies operational abilities.

The weapons, which include munitions and aircraft support maintenance, are meant to deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defense capacity, Pompeo said in a statement.

The sale was announced earlier Friday by Senator Robert Menendez, who had used his powers to block shipments of tens of thousands of precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, fearing they would contribute to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where the US allies are mounting an offensive.

I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump administration has failed once again to prioritize our long-term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia, Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.

He said that the administration failed to meet the legal definition of an emergency as he vowed to work with lawmakers to counter the decision.

The lives of millions of people depend on it, Menendez said.

Another senior Democrat, Senator Dianne Feinstein, said that the United States needed to rein in rather than give more weapons to Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi-led war in Yemen is not an emergency, it is a crime against humanity, she said in a statement.

The sales come after Trump vetoed an attempt by Congress to stop US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, where tens of thousands have died and millions are at risk of starvation in what the United Nations calls the worlds biggest humanitarian crisis.

Pompeo has resolutely defended the US support for the Saudis, noting that the Huthi rebels who control much of Yemen are allied with US adversary Iran and saying that Huthi rocket attacks into Saudi Arabia could kill Americans taking commercial flights.

Carolyn Miles, president of relief group Save the Children, said that while all sides are at fault, arms sales to the Saudi/Emirati coalition will increase the suffering of starving children in Yemen.

 Outrage at Saudis 

Trump has waged a major campaign to roll back Irans influence in the Middle East and also on Friday announced he was deploying 1,500 additional US troops to the region.

But outrage at Saudi Arabia has grown in Congress, even among some of Trumps Republican allies, after the October killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Virginia resident who had written critically of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in The Washington Post.

My whole view of Saudi Arabia changed with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, Feinstein said.

Khashoggi was strangled to death and his body dismembered after he visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to complete paperwork for his wedding, according to US and Turkish officials.

Rather than stand up against those who murdered Jamal Khashoggi and are working against US interests, the Trump administration decided to do an end run around the Congress and possibly the law, Menendez said.

Trump, in a lengthy statement after Khashoggis death, said he was not concerned over whether Prince Mohammed ordered the killing as Saudi Arabia was a major buyer of US weapons.

Pompeo said he considered the emergency sales to be a one-off and voiced frustration that the United States was no longer being seen as a reliable security partner for our allies.

But Menendez said that the administration was putting arms sales at risk by bypassing Congress.

With this move, the president is destroying the productive and decades-long working relationship on arms sales between the Congress and the executive branch, he said.After a female-majority jury last year when the festival was dominated by the #MeToo movement, five men and four women will decide this years winner of Cannes top Palme dOr prize.

 Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu 

He may now have five Oscars under his belt for the likes of Birdman and The Revenant, but it all began for the Mexican director at Cannes way back in 2000 with Amores Perros.

A regular on the Croisette since that staggering debut  although he has never picked up the Palme  this year he returns as the head of the jury.

Now 55, Inarritu is one of the three amigos of Mexican auteurs with Alfonso Cuaron of Roma fame and Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water) who have been lording it over arthouse cinema lately.

Like them, he is a director with a strong social conscience, bringing a virtual reality installation on the migrant crisis to Cannes in 2017 that went on to win a special Oscar.

 Elle Fanning 

At 21 the American actress may be the baby of the jury, but the sometime model has a long career behind her.

She made her Cannes debut at just eight in Inarritus Babel, six years after making her screen debut as a toddler in the Oscar-nominated I Am Sam alongside Sean Penn and her older sister, Dakota Fanning.

A regular for Cannes favourite Sofia Coppola, appearing in Somewhere and The Beguiled in 2017, she turned up on the Riviera again the following year in Nicolas Winding Refns The Neon Demon as a teenage model whose beauty sparks not just jealousy among her peers but a veritable bloodbath.

Despite her status as a screen and catwalk queen, the young star has been spotted queueing up with the hoi-polloi for an ice cream at Cannes when not on red carpet duty.

 Maimouna NDiaye 

Best known to millions of children as the voice of the mother of the heroic little boy from the animated classic Kirikou and the Sorceress, NDiaye is one of west Africas biggest stars.

A documentary maker and activist as well as actress, she grew up in Guinea, but her parents hail from Senegal and Nigeria.

She has also has spent large parts of her life working in neighbouring Ivory Coast and in Burkina Faso after studying in France.

She first came to notice in Georgian Otar Iosselianis Chasing Butterflies in 1992 and won the African Academy best actress award in 2015 for Eye of the Storm, where she played a lawyer defending a former child soldier on war crimes charges.

 Kelly Reichardt 

The queen of US indie slow cinema made a big critical splash  ever so quietly  with her last film, Certain Women, a restrained but heartfelt portrait of women in small-town Montana with Michelle Williams, Laura Dern and Kristen Stewart.

It won the top prize at the London film festival with The Guardians Peter Bradshaw marvelling at how even an opening hostage drama never ruffled its quiet force.

Its directed so calmly it feels as if were watching a mild disagreement at a church coffee morning, he wrote.

Williams was also the lead in Reichardts first film at Cannes, Wendy and Lucy, which was also widely acclaimed, and her next movies, Meeks Cutoff and Night Moves were both premiered at the rival Venice film festival.

Many had predicted that her latest film, First Cow, might make the Cannes line-up this year, but it is still in post-production.

 Yorgos Lanthimos 

The Greek director who scored a huge hit this year with his Oscar winning The Favourite, scored his first big international success with Dogtooth at Cannes in 2009.

He was back to win the jury prize in 2015 with another original off-kilter look at the world in The Lobster, his first film with Rachel Weisz and Colin Farrell.

He teamed the Irish actor with Nicole Kidman in his even freakier The Killing of a Sacred Deer, which also made its bow at the festival, where he explored family and power relationships with an unforgettable twist.

 Pawel Pawlikowski 

The passionate Polish director, who won best director last year for his black-and-white love story Cold War which went on to get three Oscar nominations, made his name with a string of brilliant documentaries for the BBC about post-Soviet Russia and the war in the former Yugoslavia.

He switched to fiction in 2001 with the acclaimed Last Resort which he followed up with My Summer of Love.

He made his dark masterpiece Ida after moving back from Britain to his native Poland. His story of a nun who discovers she was born Jewish during World War II won him the best foreign language film Oscar but the wrath of some conservative Catholics at home.

But few  even hardened hearts  could resist the romantic force of Cold War, which was based on his own parents stormy relationship, and which made a star of actress Joanna Kulig.

 Alice Rohrwacher 

The great female hope of the

Italian arthouse cinema won best screenplay at Cannes last year for Happy as Lazzaro having won the grand prix (second prize) three years earlier for The Wonders starring her sister Alba Rohrwacher and Monica Bellucci.

The 36-year-old philosophy graduate made her Cannes debut in 2011 with Heavenly Body about a teenage girl going through a religious crisis.

 Robin Campillo 

The writer of the Oscar-nominated The Class, which also won the Palme dOr in 2008, created something of a sensation at the festival two years ago with 120 BPM (Beats per Minute), his sweeping portrayal of AIDS activism during the darkest years of the crisis in Paris.

It was a huge hit and France and proved a big international break-out for the screenwriter, who came to directing rather late.

Campillo, 56, also wrote and directed Les Revenants which was later turned into an acclaimed television series, The Returned.

 Enki Bilal 

The Belgrade-born author of futuristic and apocalyptic graphic novels is something of a legend in his adopted home of France, where his books are often instant bestsellers.

At 67, he has also directed three feature films including Bunker Palace Hotel (1989) with Jean-Louis Trintignant and Carole Bouquet and Tykho Moon (1996).EAGLE POINT, Ore.  A large complaint among trade employers is a lack of qualified applicants. Students are being told to attend four-year universities and trades arent introduced in classes as viable options for successful careers.

Following the very beginning of what seems to be a shift in the norms, high schools across the country are working to implement Career and Technical Education Programs (CTE). One local high school however, never got rid of their CTE programs and is now a part of the movement to get more students into the local trades.

Eagle Point High Schools Matthew Boren prides himself and his CTE classes on producing quality students who have a solid foundation in a trade before graduation.

Just being exposed to multiple careers, that helps a student find a plan, a path, and develops a pathway for their education or industry careers, said Boren.

Many of his students are industry professionals right here in the valley.

I have students in almost every industry in the valley, from HVAC to plumbing to diesel repair, collision and paint automotive mechanics, said Boren.

Every year around this time Boren says he gets multiple calls a week from employers looking to hire students.

Many of those folks that are calling me are my students that have been successful, they are now operating their own businesses or managing other peoples businesses, said Boren.

According to Boren, students who go through CTE programs learn foundational skills for the workforce, like creating a resume, conducting an interview and keeping a timecard.ROGUE RIVER, Ore. -- Seven lakes and 54 miles of the Rogue River are all in Jackson County. If the sun is out this weekend, Deputy Jason Denton, JCSO Marine Search and Rescue Division, said he expects the lakes and river will all be packed.

Deputy Denton said, "First and foremost have lifejackets, wear your lifejackets and have them on board and ready to go. Lifejackets are what saves lives."

State law requires boaters to have lifejackets on readily accessible onboard. For kids under 12-years-old, a life jacket is always required to be worn, but those over 13-years-old have the option of wearing a jacket. If jackets aren't being worn, they need to be placed in an area easy to access in emergency. There is two primary types of lifejackets - the inflatable kind and then foam jackets which are bulkier and more common.

Deputy Denton said the water throughout Southern Oregon will be cold this weekend and if you plan on getting in it, you need to be prepared.

"It doesn't take but 30 seconds before the cold seeps into your muscles, and what your body is trying to do is conserve energy and heat, so it's going to start shutting down the extremities - your arms and your legs, hands and feet," Deputy Denton said.

He said it's not uncommon for them to make hypothermia rescues, even in the middle of the summer.

"You can be in serious trouble in this river in a matter of two minutes."

In addition to cold water and lifejackets, Denton asks those on the water to be alert. If you're not paying attention, you could get your boats, kayaks, rafts or tubes caught on something in the water.

"What happens is whenever floating devices come down, and gets trapped in the tree, it wants to go over or under it," Denton explained. "It's human reaction to just grab ahold of something to make it okay and that works most of the time, but if you grab a hold of the top of this and the rest of your body goes underneath, you get pinned in there."

The Marine Search and Rescue Division will be out on the water this weekend to keep everyone safe. Denton said he wants everyone to have fun, but to keep it under control. Police will be on an increased alert for intoxicated drivers, this includes those driving boats on the water.LINCOLN  The application deadline has been extended to June 14 for corn growers interested in a governor appointment to the District 5 seat on the Nebraska Corn Board.

The district encompasses Buffalo, Dawson, Hall, Howard and Sherman counties.

Current Director Tim Scheer of St. Paul is not seeking reappointment after his term ends June 30.

The Nebraska Corn board oversees investment of state corn checkoff funds.

Board candidates must be Nebraska citizens age 21 or older who have been growing corn in the state for at least five years and derive a substantial portion of their incomes from growing corn.

They must file a petition with the Nebraska Corn Board by 6 p.m. June 14 that has signatures of at least 50 District 5 corn producers.

For more information or to obtain a petition, write to Nebraska Corn Board, P.O. Box 95107, Lincoln NE 68509; call 800-632-6761; or send an email to nikki.bentzinger@nebraska.gov.An entry written on May 16, 1914, states that the committee chairwoman (no name given) reported that it was not advisable to put in a fountain for the present. The entry said the committee consulted with a Mr. Hutchinson and liked the idea of the gate instead.

The first contributions quickly followed. On June 14, Mrs. C. O. Norton pledged $100, as did Mrs. Wort. Mrs. Nortons full name was Charlotte Lottie Gove Norton. She was the most influential woman in Kearney at the time.

Cash from card parties

To raise money, the group held card parties, charging a fee to play. Minutes from Nov. 6, 1925, state that two bridge parties had raised $60 toward the Memorial Gate Fund.

Minutes from Feb. 5, 1926, say that a benefit picture show raised $63.12, including 60 cents that a member contributed separately. Also, the minutes state, each member was asked to earn and contribute a single dollar for the memorial.

March minutes show that $73.50 came in from another bridge party, and $102 was raised at a Washington Tea held at Mrs. Worts home.KEARNEY  Citing declining traffic, Wells Fargo is closing its north branch drive-thru bank at 4803 Second Ave.

There are seven people employed at the branch, which has operated at that location since January 1985.

Because the location is being closed, team members there will not have a position, so they will have to apply for other positions in the company for which theyre qualified, said Julie Fogerson, a regional spokesperson for Wells Fargo in Boise, Idaho. Fogersons territory includes Nebraska.

She said Wells Fargo will provide job search resources and other support for employees of the north branch bank.

Wells Fargo operates its main bank in Kearney at 21 W. 21st St. An employee there referred questions about the north branch closure to corporate communications.

The north branch performs drive-thru banking services, and has tellers and customer service facilities inside.

It will be closed on Aug. 21, Fogerson said.

She said Wells Fargo examined data on customer use, market and trends, and decided to close its north Kearney facility.A handful of urban senators also opposed the ImagiNE Act, saying it should encourage even higher paying jobs, and didnt prohibit recipient companies from discriminating against workers because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Speaker of the Legislature Sen. Jim Scheer of Norfolk also voted against the cloture motion after telling senators earlier in the week that both property tax relief and business incentives deserved to pass this year.

The cost of the states current business tax incentives, LB 775 and the Advantage Act, came under fire. Freisen said they had already given away more than $1 billion in tax breaks, and that almost all of the 100,000 jobs attributed to the tax breaks would have been created anyway.

Were handing out money like candy, Friesen said.

But backers of the ImagiNE Act, including its chief sponsor, Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward, rejected that. He said that the ImagiNE Act was a vast improvement over existing incentive programs because it sought to create higher paying jobs, required more reporting and had fiscal guardrails that would ensure that it didnt adversely impact the state budget.Recent passage of LB155 provides landowners opposed to Nebraska Public Power Districts R-Project through the Sandhills a new means of challenging the powerline in court. The inclusion of the term rebuttable presumption gives an opportunity to challenge in court whether the use of eminent domain to provide access to private property for construction of a powerline for a privately developed wind turbine project is a public use.

Since this law has been enacted and NPPD has not received any approval for R-Project construction, the project can be challenged in court.

One of the recognized purposes of the R-Project is to provide a means for power generated at private wind energy facilities to be added to an interstate power grid. There have already been plans indicated for construction of a large wind turbine facility  the Cascade Project  in southern Cherry County north of Thedford.

It would likely interconnect to the R-Project at Thedford.1 . YouTuber blogger, Bold Pink has revealed that Tonto Dikehs male friend Swanky Jerry slept with her ex-husband Olakunle Churchill.

2. Cossy Orjiakor has revealed that fellow actress Halima Abubakar once told her that Genevieve is her lesbian partner.

3. More troubles for Ubi Franklin as another lady claims she is expecting his 4th child.

4. Bobrisky has pledged his undying love and support for his best friend, Tonto Dikeh by calling her his heartbeat and soul.

5. The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has threatened to embark upon another strike, thereby crippling any academic activities within member public institutions.

6. Pasuma and Saheed Osupa end their beef at Ramadan 2019 lecture

7. President Buhari breaks Ramadan fast with IDPs and disabled people

8. Davido has reacted to news that Nigerian music executive, Ubi Franklin is set to welcome his fourth child any time from now.

9. Britains Prime Minister Theresa May has said she will step down from her position and as U.K. Conservative Party leader on June 7.

10. How Lilian Esoro reacted to news of ex-husband Ubi Franklin expecting fourth childLAKE VILLA, Ill.  A reformed bad boy of the outlaw motorcycle gang who helped to feed and house more than 1,000 South Sudanese children is coming to Lake Villa, Ill.

Sam Childers, also known as the Machine Gun Preacher, will be sharing his story on June 5 at Chain of Lakes Community Bible Church, 43 W. Grass Lakes Road.

In his youth, Childers was a heroin addict, a drug dealer and a shot-gunner  an armed guard for criminals. Despite his criminal activity, he always knew in the back of his mind he had Jesus.

While in a bar fight one day, witnessing stabbings and the worst violence he had ever seen, he decided that if he could escape and reach the door, he was done with drugs and the criminal life. Shortly afterward, he went on a mission trip to Sudan. He saw the devastation, ethnic cleansing and genocide and felt God call him to start an orphanage in the middle of a war zone.

Shawn Osborne, youth director at Chain of Lakes Community Bible Church, a former Army Ranger, and Navy Reserve chaplain currently serving with SEAL Team 17, became acquainted with Childers story in 2011, while on deployment.

I read his book Another Mans War. It was right when the movie about his life, Machine Gun Preacher starring Gerard Butler, came out, he said I knew I had to meet this guy. Five years later, I found out he was going to speak at Faith Fest in Sandusky, Ohio. I called the event organizers and asked how I could help. I ended up spending the entire afternoon with him and then was asked to play a 30-minute music set and introduce him to the crowd. It was a surreal experience and Sam was as kind and real as I hoped he would be.

While Osborne said Childers is kind and generous, he says that he is a still a biker and likes his guns. He compares his experience with the man akin to hanging out with Aslan from C.S. Lewiss The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

I love Sams story because he is living proof of what Jesus Christ can do to a repentant sinner, said Osborne. Since becoming a Christian, Sam has spent his life giving that same second chance to kids in Sudan. He has literally risked his life more times than he can count in order to complete his mission. There is still a bounty on his head put out by Joseph Kony and the Lords Resistance Army.

The free talk is multigenerational and open to the public, and Osborne is hoping it is well-attended by youth in the area.

If God can call a drug-dealing, shot-gunning biker to do the extraordinary, then we are all without excuse if he calls us, too, said Osborne. Sams story has taught me that anyone can be redeemed, and that people are still having Damascus Road conversion experiences. No one is beyond hope or beyond help.

If you go

What: Machine Gun Preacher Sam Childers

When: June 5

Parking opens: 4:30 p.m.

Event begins: 6:30 p.m.

Childers speaks: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Chain of Lakes Community Bible Church, 43 W. Grass Lake Road, Lake Villa, Ill. 60046

Phone: 847-838-0103

A freewill offering will be taken.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Kenosha Police arrested a suspect in Thursdays ax attack at a business after a foot chase Friday.

The attack occurred Thursday afternoon at a small industrial business in the 5900 block of 35th Avenue at about 1:40 p.m.

An employee of the business said a man walked into the business with an ax and a shovel an assaulted an employee, leaving the man with two lacerations to his arm.

Kenosha Police Sgt. Matt Strelow said Friday the person with the ax  described as a white man in his 20s with curly dark hair  was not known to the people at the business and his motive was unknown.

When the man fled, he left the ax and shovel behind.

After the attack, police searched the area on foot and with two police dogs but were unable to locate the suspect.

On Friday, two police detectives investigating the assault were canvassing the neighborhood where the assault occurred looking for information.

According to a statement from police, detectives spotted a 25-year-old male acting suspiciously. When detectives attempted to interview him, he fled on foot.

They captured the man near 39th Avenue and 53rd Street.

Police said the man was arrested pending charges of first-degree reckless injury, obstruction and resisting police. His name was not released.

Detectives will meet with the Kenosha County District Attorneys Office to discuss additional charges which may be referred as soon as Tuesday, police stated.

A person at the business Friday declined to comment about the incident. The person who was injured declined to be taken to a hospital after the attack.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.It still gives the Rev. Matt Friese chills when he recalls the morning of Sept. 22, 1995, when 22 Americans and two Canadians died after their Boeing E-3 Sentry jet crashed on takeoff from Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska, during a training mission.

Friese was with the wife of a church member who was on the plane when she was brought into the commanders office.

She was informed about his death, and I was also with her during the time she went to pick up her 6-year-old daughter from school, he said. I will never forget her running across the lobby calling Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, we prayed that Daddy would be the first off the plane. The mom said, Daddy was with Jesus and he will not be coming home. It still brings tears to my eyes.

As a pastor and full-time chaplain with the Wisconsin Air National Guard, Friese has seen his share of tragedy throughout his two tours in Afghanistan, Antarctica and Kuwait, but the desire to serve and witness Gods healing love to others is stronger than the heartache experienced. His recent tour as wing chaplain at Kuwaits Ali Al Salem Air Base with the 128th Air Refueling Wing from Milwaukee occurred less than a year after he began serving as pastor of Pleasant Prairie Baptist Church.

I started at Pleasant Prairie Baptist Church in the fall of 2016, was deployed in July of 2017 and returned in July of 2018, he said. The Kuwaiti people were friendly and kind and overall it was a great environment to be in. On the air side, there were three chaplains and three assistants; I was the lead for the air base and they directly reported to us.

Helping stressed troops

While overseeing several thousand troops, Friese helped soldiers through the stresses of deployment, issues back home, illnesses, relationship problems, depression and loss of life.

When life happens on the other side of the earth, it is extremely challenging when you leave home because Murphy shows up  and the dishwasher, washer or dryer suddenly doesnt work, or there are other home maintenance issues that, if the member was home, would be taken care of, he said. Now with the deployment, the one at home has to hire someone to help, and the extra expenses and stress are difficult.

One of the more devastating issues affecting troops are the Dear John letters, and Friese has walked with many soldiers through the anguish of learning that what they thought was true love was not true.

The Dear John letters are extremely painful, he said. And then, there are other stories of great faith. There were others who had situations like that, and I was able to counsel the member here and the spouse back home on multiple occasions. That is very rewarding for me, but one of the most rewarding aspects of that is knowing the little people  who will never know me or see a picture of me  would have the opportunity to grow up with mom and dad, and that is an enormous impact in the life of kids.

One of Frieses responsibilities as a military chaplain is to assist the troops in being resilient and to be able to bounce back from lifes experiences. The Air Force teaches its members to use the four pillars of Comprehensive Airman Fitness  mental, physical, social and spiritual  to help build and sustain a resilient workplace and community.

I can help challenge people to reflect on their lives and where they are going, he said. There is a great opportunity with the chapel to support members and international members holding weekly church services, holidays, special events, memorials and transition ceremonies for the fallen.

Friese received an Outstanding Achievement Award from Lt. Gen. Joseph Guastella Jr., USAF Commander, for the dignified transfer of seven fallen heroes as they transitioned through the area of responsibility at Ali Al Salem Air Base. He also oversaw continuous on-call support, coordinated critical care with 16 helping agencies, supported counseling of 460 Airmen and helped avert four suicides, as well as overseeing personnel through traumatic and life-shattering events for airmen and those at home. He also developed a spiritual care model that included mentoring Air Force, Army, coalition and civilian members, as well as much more.

When Friese left for Kuwait, he resigned his position at Pleasant Prairie Baptist, as he wasnt sure how his life would unfold afterwards and whether he could devote enough time to the church, his family and his role as military chaplain.

I was concerned that I could meet the needs of the church and my family, but I knew God would take care of the church and he did  with the interim pastor, Dave Dryer  but he handed it back to me when I came back in January of this year, he said. It is awesome to be back, and I have no doubt that God has called me to be the pastor of this church. I just have to say that when military are deployed, most are concerned about who will care for their family when they are gone. But for me, knowing that Pleasant Prairie Baptist cared, and took care of my family, spoke volumes to me. The sent me care packages and reached out to my wife, Noelle, and our kids. We are so happy to be part of the community and we are selling our home in Oak Creek and moving down to the Pleasant Prairie area.

Friese will remain with the 128th Air Refueling Wing for the next four to five years, but his chance for another deployment will not be for another few years, unless world events change drastically.

We are a single-income home, as my wife stays home and home schools our five youngest kids, he said. By remaining in the military, our medical and financial needs are taken care of so I can still be part of the Pleasant Prairie Baptist community. I am so thankful for our church, the love for me and my family, and I am excited to be able to invest in them and the community. I am in partnership with other pastors in the area, and when we get down there and the situation holds, I will be getting involved with them.

If you go

What: Pleasant Prairie Baptist Church

Where: 12323 Green Bay Road

Phone: 262-694-3320

Service times:

Sunday school, 9 a.m. (all ages)

Sunday worship service, 10 a.m.

Wednesday prayer meeting, 6 p.m.

Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0On the west side of Highway MB in the town of Paris, about a quarter mile north of 12th Street, is a particularly fertile piece of land.

It is land rich in nutrients for healthy minds, strength of character and inquisitive natures  land that is perfect for growing teachers.

The farmhouse that once stood there was the birthplace of not one, but two, of Wisconsins finest educators:

Mary Davison Bradford, the first female superintendent of schools in Wisconsin and the second to take the helm of a city school system in the nation.

Sister Bartholomew Frederick, OSF, one of the founders of Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee.

Lets start with the one with whom Kenoshans are the most familiar.

Mary Lemira Davison was born Jan. 15, 1856, the sixth of seven children of Andrew J. and Caroline G. Davison. The Davisons had purchased the farm and homestead called the Willis place in 1854.

Mary wrote about her home in her autobiography Memoirs of Mary D. Bradford.

Andrew became disabled in 1861, and the work of the farm was laid on Caroline and the older children. When Marys oldest brother Cordillo died in 1866 of typhoid fever, the Davisons moved into the city of Kenosha.

The farm was sold to German pioneers Matthias and Catharina Frederick in 1868. Subsequently, the farm came into the hands of their son Theodore.

Lover of learning

Mary was a good student and loved school.

In the spring of 1874, her father and sister were exposed to smallpox at the Kenosha train station, and the entire family was quarantined in their home for six weeks.

When Mary returned to school, it was impossible for her to catch up on her studies. She never did graduate from high school.

But at age 16 she passed the teachers examination.

Teaching was truly her lifes work. In the subsequent years, she taught in rural schools, Kenosha High School and attended the Oshkosh Normal School.

She married William R. Bradford in 1878 and gave birth to their son Willie in 1880. Seven months later she was a widow, William dying of tuberculosis.

Mary taught for 12 years at Kenosha High School before being requested to join the faculty of Stevens Point Normal School in 1894 and later Stout Institute and Whitewater State Normal School.

Her selection as the superintendent of schools in Kenosha in 1910  a post she held for 11 years  was nothing short of revolutionary for our city. She inaugurated a host of features that won her the attention and commendation of the progressive educational leaders of the nation.

During her administration as superintendent, she established the first kindergartens, implemented the junior high school system, introduced industrial and household arts, organized the first Parent-Teacher Association, initiated the first open-air school in Wisconsin, increased professional requirements for teachers and introduced the first salary schedule for school employees.

She retired in the spring of 1921 due to illness, but lived to be a world traveler.

At her last public appearance at the Eagles Club, it was announced that the central senior high school was being renamed in her honor. She died nearly three years later on Feb. 5, 1943.

Frederick lived a life of service and prayer

Sister Bartholomew Frederick began life as Elizabeth Frederick, born Sept. 26, 1882. She was the daughter of Theodore and Catherine Frederick, the seventh of nine children.

Elizabeth left the farm life at the age of 15, just a year older than Mary was when the Davisons moved into the city.

But Elizabeths path was very different than Marys.

At 15, she joined the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi in Milwaukee and was given the name Sister M. Bartholomew when she was received as a novice in 1898.

A good student, Sister Bartholomew pursued her education on Saturdays and during the summers.

She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from DePaul University in 1922, and in 1927, she earned a Master of Arts in history from Marquette University, one of the first two members of the congregation to receive a masters degree.

In 1932, at the suggestion of Archbishop Samuel A. Stritch, Sister Bartholomew got busy organizing St. Clare Junior College for members of her order. She served as president of the college from 1934-1942.

Knowing the importance of education, Sister Bartholomew sent other sisters to pursue graduate studies in various Catholic and secular universities in the United States and abroad.

Mother Bartholomew led Franciscan order

She was elected mother general of her community in 1937, a post she held until 1949 at which time the community of sisters included 886 nuns at 87 houses in 13 states and 24 dioceses, and in China.

Under Mother Bartholomews leadership, the sisters opened schools in various parts of the country, including southern rural missions and the Cardinal Stritch College Reading Clinic in Milwaukee.

In addition they founded St. Coletta School for persons with developmental disabilities in Jefferson, Wis.; similar facilities were opened in Longmont, Colo., Hanover, Maine, and Palos Park, Ill.

St. Clare Junior College was reorganized in 1937 into a four-year liberal arts school and opened to lay women. In 1946 it was renamed in honor of Stritch, who had been elevated to cardinal by Pope Pius XII.

Sister Bartholomew was the president of Cardinal Stritch College from 1949-1955.

She retired in 1969 but continued to serve. She would visit the Veterans Administration Hospital, where she chatted with the veterans, wrote letters, did simple mending and wheeled the veterans to appointments.

When she died on Dec. 12, 1981, at the age of 99 having spent 85 years in religious life, she was described as a valiant woman of great vision and achievement.

As for the farmhouse that both young Mary and Elizabeth called home, it was reluctantly razed by the Frederick family in 1986.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0In order to effectively represent the voice of the people, freshman Congressman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., often uses simple advice from this mother.

She would always say, You have two ears and one mouth, Steil said. Use them in that proportion.

Steil, representing the states 1st Congressional District, met with constituents at Gateway Technical College, 3520 30th Ave., during a listening session Friday.

He hosted sessions in Milton and Waukesha as well.

The 38-year-old Janesville native opened the session with a variety of topics including human trafficking, retirement benefits, workforce development, trade opportunities and health care for veterans.

Steil then fielded questions on border security, Medicaid expansion, tensions in Iran, climate change and housing.

Kenosha native John Hervat was one of about two dozen area residents in attendance.

I thought it went pretty well, Hervat said. I always tell everybody, I dont vote for the party; I vote for the person. (Steil) is a good man. Ive heard him speak before. Ive never heard any b.s. from him.

Steil plans to introduce a human trafficking bill with Democrat Madeleine Dean, D-Pa. The bill requires existing Trafficking In-Persons reports to evaluate foreign countries efforts to investigate, prevent and prosecute financial criminal activities associated with the facilitation of human trafficking.

The bill rollout will take place during a press conference on Tuesday in Racine. Steil is expected to be joined at the event by members of local law enforcement.

Human trafficking is a multifaceted problem requiring a multifaceted approach, said Steil, who serves on the House Committee of Financial Services. This bill is a small piece of the puzzle, but really impactful. It can make a substantive difference.

Steil addressed an array of issues in just under 50 minutes. Here are his comments on several of the aforementioned topics:

On human trafficking:

This is an area I spent time learning about in talking to our law enforcement community. Its a real issue. Often its young women who are being pulled into prostitution. (Some) of those women are being trafficked in from foreign countries into the United States. Theyre being recruited from primarily low-income countries, and people are profiting from that. One way we can combat this is through clipping off the ability to profit off of human trafficking. We do it with drugs. Weve done it with terrorism. We need to do it with human trafficking.

On retirement benefits:

My grandma lives in Chicago, and she turns 102 in two weeks. She lives on what I call a three-legged stool with Medicare, Social Security and my grandfathers Wrigley gum pension. Thats always front of mind. We need to make sure the promise and commitment weve made to our seniors, particularly through Medicare and Social Security, are paid for. Thats in large part why Im so focused in on overall federal spending and to make sure we do not have wasteful spending. We need a much more thorough process.

On workforce development:

I used to serve on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents and worked for 10 years in the manufacturing industry. We need to work toward helping middle-class jobs come back to our community. We need to make sure were getting technical training and education into our high schools. Thats cost effective for all of us. Gateway (Technical College) is a national leader on this. When I go out and talk to people, theyre looking for welders. Theyre looking for plumbers. Lets get these students trained as soon as possible for great, family-supporting jobs and no debt.

On trade opportunities:

There is a need for our farmers to access foreign markets. We produce more food in the United States then we consume. We have to send that food somewhere to make sure the farmers have the prices they need to grow crops generation after generation. They need to be able to sell their products in Canada. The (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) takes care of that. Dairy farmers are struggling with low milk prices. We need to get that market. Im hopeful well be able to vote on this on the House floor.

On health care for veterans:

One of the areas I think we can do a lot of work on is mental health. My grandfathers generation called it shell shock, and they just told them to suck it up and go home. We now have a much better awareness. Its a real problem, a real issue.

On border security:

I think we have a true emergency on the southern border. I think sometimes we, collectively as a society, get into political hyperbole instead of addressing the problem. I have a three-pronged approach. You need manpower. You need security. You need a physical barrier. It doesnt need to be as partisan as it is. I think there is an appropriate need to secure the border. I voted in favor of the funding to do that. But there needs to be a three-pronged approach. One piece without the other two doesnt get us there.

On state Medicaid expansion:

All states have the option to expand their Medicaid under a broader Obamacare package. Wisconsin hasnt done that. I dont think youll see any adjustment at the federal level. Ultimately, thats a state-level choice. The argument (against expansion) is you can actually save money by not taking the funds. There are strong arguments as to why you actually save money by not taking it.

On tensions in Iran:

I was part of a secured briefing this week. I cant get into all of the nuances of it. The big picture is Iran is aggressively posturing in the Middle East. They are working actively to destabilize Syria. Theyre actively working to destabilize Yemen. Theres a power struggle going on right now between Saudi Arabia and Iran. All of this needs to stop. I dont think its appropriate for Iran to have nuclear weapons. That needs to be checked with a show of force.

On climate change:

I think climate change is real. I think its particularly man-made, and I think it needs to be addressed. How do you do that? I think the key is that its global-forming. Its not United States-forming. I think we need incentives in place for companies to innovate through research and development and come up with other alternative ways to drive down total carbon usage. Carbon dioxide production has actually dropped in the United States where it has not in a large number of other countries. The real key to this is the technological side and holding India, China and other similarly situated countries fully accountable.

On affordable housing:

One of the most impactful things you can do to make sure your housing is affordable is local zoning regulation. If you look at the cost of housing across the United States, across the board, southeast Wisconsin has pretty affordable housing. Compare it to New York or San Francisco or Los Angeles. They have local zoning laws that make it really difficult to build new housing, to get the density, to get the cost down.

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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.FLORENCE, Ore. -- Police are warning businesses and citizens in Florence after counterfeit money circulated over the Rhododendron Festival weekend.

Florence Police Commander John Pitcher said at least five fake $20 bills turned up that were used to buy goods. The bills are clearly marked replica and for motion picture use.

"It's a busy time. They didn't have the time to be as observant as they usually are and they took that money, and it hurt their bottom dollar," Pitcher said.

People are advised to look closely at bills before accepting them. Pitcher said those responsible could face theft and forgery charges.

KEZI 9 News found multiple websites where people can buy the phony cash. Sellers state that their products should not be used for anything other than its intended purpose as Prop/Play Money.

Pitcher said it's frustrating that it's being used for no good.

"We got small businesses here, and that hurts. It hurts for those to be out there," Pitcher said.

Florence resident Aprill Graham said she feels for the victims.

"We wouldn't want anybody to lose money, especially during the Rhody days and the big festival time," Graham said. "Small businesses I'm sure can't really take that hit like a bigger corporation."

KEZI 9 News also heard from a woman claiming to be a vendor at the Eugene Saturday Market who said she also fell victim two weeks ago.

If you have information or questions, contact Florence police at 541-997-3515.Local councillor Mary Hilda Cavanagh says while the nature of local politics has changed in her time in the council, the people have not.

Tallies from North Kilkenny indicate the Fine Gael councillor will retain her seat in the six-part Castlecomer Electoral Area. It would make her Ireland's longest-serving councillor, having first been elected when she was 23 years old. She has held a seat in north Kilkenny for almost five decades now. She has stood for election and succeeded in every local election since 1974, when she first won her council seat.

"It has changed in that it is a full-time job - the time commitment and social media are the big changes," she said.

"One thing that hasn't changed has been how nice and courteous people have been, how nice they are. The welcome you get and the kettle on."

Cllr Cavanagh also recommended wearing boots rather than runners when out canvassing for lengthy periods of time.Editor's Note: Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news stories and expert opinions that moved the precious metals and financial markets. Sign up here!

Golds respectable gains on Thursday took a week that was headed for a lower close, to closing fractionally higher for the week. Gold traded to a low of $1269, which is two dollars above the double bottom which occurred in April. It also traded to a high at exactly $1287 which is a Fibonacci retracement of .38%. This retracement level is created from the lows of October 2018 at $1185, to the yearly high of $1350 which occurred in February. The 38% retracement level has indicated a resistance area, with the 50% retracement level clearly defining support. The weekly low visibly reinforced that level.

On Tuesday is when the weekly low was created and at that point a clear pattern could be identified. That pattern was a descending triangle. Wednesday was an inside trading day which still looked as it had a decent probability that a break below $1267 would occur. During that time period we had seen gold fall from $1302, a defined lower high than the previous high of $1314 which occurred in the middle of April.

As we identified the descending triangle pattern, we clearly stated that a rally from this point would require an absolute change in one or more of the fundamental factors which had absolutely influenced the financial markets. The fundamentals that we spoke about were the current trade war, the potential conflict in Iran and Brexit.

On Thursday there was a renewed concern on the trade war, as rhetoric on both sides heightened the real possibility that this dispute has deepened and the timeline needed to resolve this issue had extended. Retaliation for recent actions by the administration such as raising tariffs from 10% to 25%, and this weeks blacklisting of Huawei, resulted in the Chinese digging in deeper. Their outside appearance via statements by government officials indicated that they will not meet with Trump at the G20 meeting.

The South China Post was filled with their reaction. Chinese state researcher said, Given the current conditions, what can really come out of the G20? said Zhang Yansheng, the chief researcher at the state-backed China Centre for International Economic Exchanges think tank. It is quite possible that the statements are simply an attempt to save face, and extremely important component of any successful negotiation with China.

The Xinhua News Agency (the official state-run press agency of the Peoples Republic) said that, The Peoples Republic [of China] has been standing tall in the East for the last 70 years, it has never lowered its head and it has never feared anyone, Xinhua said. History will prove again that bullying and threats by the US will not work. Although the statement clearly indicated that China is digging in deeper and will not break because of threats, however their economic despair which has been created by this administration with heightened tariffs has extremely hurt their economy and the statements might be false beliefs in that they need to make a deal extremely soon to stop the bleeding created by this trade war.

Today gold reacted in a tepid way when compared to yesterdays respectable gain. Although it closed higher on the day its entire range was at the upper end of yesterdays range. The stock market showed clear but modest gains indicating that yesterdays concern was not as threatening as first conceived.

However, next week will indicate whether market participants believe that the current negotiations have gone south and resolutions are further away when compared to prior beliefs. Gold needs to break above current resistance at $1287, its current close today was at $1284 30. More importantly we need to see gold trade above the current resistance trendline, just above $1293 before technicians will indicate a solid rally has begun.

For those who would like more information, simply use this link.

Wishing you as always, good trading,RTHK: Iran accuses the US of threatening peace

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday a US decision to deploy 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East is a "threat to international peace," state media reported.

"Increased US presence in our region is very dangerous and a threat to international peace and security and must be confronted," Zarif told the official IRNA news agency before heading home from a visit to Pakistan. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-05-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

A wintry mix this evening. Remaining cloudy overnight with areas of fog. Areas of patchy fog. Low 31F. ESE winds at 10 to 15 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of precip 100%. 1 to 3 inches of snow and ice expected..

Tonight

A wintry mix this evening. Remaining cloudy overnight with areas of fog. Areas of patchy fog. Low 31F. ESE winds at 10 to 15 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of precip 100%. 1 to 3 inches of snow and ice expected.Angola, IN (46703)

Today

Cloudy with a mixture of rain and snow this evening. Some sleet may mix in. Low 31F. ESE winds at 10 to 15 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of precip 100%. 3 to 5 inches of snow expected..

Tonight

Cloudy with a mixture of rain and snow this evening. Some sleet may mix in. Low 31F. ESE winds at 10 to 15 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of precip 100%. 3 to 5 inches of snow expected.(CNN)  Attorneys representing claims against Harvey Weinstein, his company and former associates have reached a $44 million settlement to resolve civil lawsuits over his alleged sexual misconduct.

The attorneys told a Delaware bankruptcy judge Thursday they have a deal that will be paid by insurance policies -- not the disgraced movie mogul.

It allocates about $14 million for legal fees to Weinstein associates who are named as defendants in the lawsuits. The remaining $30 million will go to alleged victims, creditors and former employees of the Weinstein Co., a source with direct knowledge of the settlement tells CNN.

"We now have an economic agreement in principle that's supported by the plaintiffs, the [New York Attorney General's office], the defendants and all the insurers, that if approved will provide significant compensation to victims, creditors of the estate, and allow the parties to avoid years of costly, time consuming, and, you know, uncertain litigation on all sides," Adam Harris, the attorney for Bob Weinstein, told Judge Mary Walrath of the US Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington.

Bob Weinstein is a co-founder of Weinstein Company and brother to Harvey Weinstein.

New York AG's office filed the civil lawsuit

The New York Attorney General's office filed a civil lawsuit last year, saying the Weinstein brothers and their company committed "egregious violations of New York's civil rights, human rights, and business laws."

The suit also alleges "employee-victim accounts of sexual harassment, intimidation and other misconduct," the attorney general's office said in a statement.

"I think this is positive for the victims involved and this helps them avoid the stress and trauma of full litigation," said Aaron Filler, a California-based attorney for actress Paz de la Huerta, who said Weinstein raped her in her apartment on two separate occasions in 2010.

"This is a measure of justice," he added.

Since the sale of the Weinstein Co. to Dallas-based private equity firm Lantern Capital last year, the Weinstein Co. has been engaged in several rounds of mediation in an attempt to resolve lawsuits against the company and its former board members.

Judge Walrath will determine whether or not to approve the settlement in a June 4 hearing.

Neither a spokesman for Harvey Weinstein nor the New York Attorney General's Office would comment on the matter when asked by CNN.

Last week, the Weinstein Co. requested the Delaware court to convert the company's current chapter 11 bankruptcy filing to a chapter 7 in order to liquidate its assets to resolve the civil litigation.

Settlement does not affect criminal case

The settlement has nothing to do with the criminal case.

Weinstein is accused of raping a woman in a New York hotel room in 2013 and forcibly performing oral sex on another woman at his Manhattan apartment in 2006.

He faces two counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of criminal sexual act in the first degree, and one count each of first-degree rape and third-degree rape. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and vigorously denied all of the allegations of rape.

While his charges relate to the two women, more than 80 others have publicly accused him of wrongdoing ranging from unwanted advances to rape.

His trial is set to begin on September 9.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Harvey Weinstein accusers reach $44M deal over alleged sexual misconduct."Auburn, IN (46706)

Today

Rain and snow this evening. Areas of fog developing late. Some sleet may mix in. Low 31F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 100%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected..

Tonight

Rain and snow this evening. Areas of fog developing late. Some sleet may mix in. Low 31F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 100%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected.Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.(BUCHANAN COUNTY, Mo.) Missourians can now tap into a nationwide program to monitor the whereabouts of registered sex offenders.

Missouri State Highway Patrol announced it had contracted with Offender Watch, a monitoring program that gives residents real-time updates on sex offenders in their communities. According to OffenderWatchs website, 3,500 law enforcement agencies across 37 states are enrolled in the service.

Missouri is the 20th state to join the registry network.

The network will allow every sheriff's office in the state, participating police departments and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to use the technology to share records on sex offenders.

Capt. Mark Brock of the Buchanan County Sheriffs office said OffenderWatch offers a better system to track sex offenders and share information about them. The monitoring program gives residents the ability to sign up for alerts when an offender moves to their neighborhood and it will be updated in real time by local law enforcement.

Brock said its also a great investigative tool because it makes collaboration between law enforcement agencies easier.(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) Flooding could be a concern over the Memorial Day weekend as the Missouri River is expected to be back on the rise.

The river is expected to rise into moderate flood stage this weekend as more thunderstorms could develop over the next several days.

The latest forecast shows the river cresting at 25.9 feet in St. Joseph by Sunday.

The City of St. Joseph Emergency Management says that number could go even higher depending on how much rain we see.

They're advising anyone who lives along the Missouri River in the northern part of St. Joseph to take appropriate action.

The river crested at a record 32.12 feet in March.(CNN) -- At least 13 people were hurt Friday in an explosion in the French city of Lyon, prompting a national investigation into possible terrorism.

The blast occurred in the early evening in the city's central shopping area. The French television channel BFMTV reported 12 adults and an 8-year-old child were taken to three hospitals in Lyon.

French police are still looking for the person suspected of carrying out the attack, according to a tweet from the French National Police verified Twitter account. Police also tweeted a photo of the man they believed to be "the author of the attack" and asked the public to call with any information.

French President Emmanuel Macron characterized the blast as an attack shortly after it happened, telling an interviewer: "I'm late because there was an attack in Lyon."

Investigators believe the explosion may have been caused by a parcel bomb packed with nails, a spokeswoman for the city prosecutor told CNN.

The city's second district mayor, Denis Broliquier, said on French television channel BFMTV that overall damage was not severe because "the load of the parcel bomb" did not cause much of an impact. Victims' wounds, he added, were caused by "pieces of metal and glass."

France's National Police tweeted a photo of the man they believed to be "the author of the attack," and asked the public to call with any information.

An investigation into "terrorist conspiracy" has been opened, French Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet announced hours after the explosion.

Hanane Benakkouche, a waitress at the nearby restaurant L'espace Brasserie, told CNN of the moment the blast went off.

"We heard an explosion. I was working on the terrace and people started running, leaving Victor Hugo Street," she recalled. "Policemen arrived quickly on the scene. I'm still shocked."

The evacuated scene was visible in photos tweeted by the regional police of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, which asked the public to avoid the area.

Emergency responders were assisting the wounded, a spokesperson for the Police Nationale told CNN, adding that the priority would be assisting victims "regardless of if it was a car crash or a terrorist attack."

Later in the day, Macron tweeted, "Tonight I think of the wounded in the explosion in Lyon, their families affected by the violence that has befallen their loved ones in the street, and all of Lyon. We are by your side."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Explosion in Lyon, France, prompts terror investigation"May 25, 2019

 Harrison Ford gives voice to the first man to walk on the moon in a new documentary coming to theaters just in time for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission.



"Armstrong," directed by David Fairhead, features never-released home movies that together with still images and footage from NASA's archives chronicle the late astronaut Neil Armstrong's life. Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios company, will release the 100-minute "Armstrong" in theaters and through on demand video services on July 12.



"Telling this story is a documentary filmmaker's dream," said Fairhead, in a statement. "When Neil made his small step onto the lunar surface, it marked his transformation from mere man to global celebrity  something he spent the rest of his life trying to avoid. Through the testimony of colleagues, friends and family we outline his achievements and tell the seemingly familiar, yet also little known tale of the first man on the moon."



In addition to sharing their family's private film reels, Mark and Rick Armstrong, Neil Armstrong's sons, also collaborated with the filmmakers, on and behind the camera.



"He got his pilot's license before he got he his driver's license," recounts Mark Armstrong of his father in the film's newly-released trailer. "It was more important for him to be able to fly."





Others featured in the trailer include David Scott, Armstrong's Gemini 8 crewmate; Charlie Duke, capcom for Armstrong's Apollo 11 mission, and flight director Gerry Griffin. The film also includes interviews with Michael Collins, Apollo 11 command module pilot; flight director Chris Kraft; Admiral Tom Hayward, who flew in combat with Armstrong during the Korean War; the late Janet Armstrong, Armstrong's first wife; and June Hoffman, Armstrong's sister.



"He's the best person of all of us to have been the first man on the moon," says Scott in the trailer.



Armstrong died in 2012 at the age of 82. The film lets Armstrong speak for himself though, by having actor Harrison Ford narrate the astronaut's own words.



"To stand on the surface of the moon and look at the Earth high overhead is certainly a unique experience. The importance of protecting and saving that home has never been felt more strongly," says Ford, reading from Armstrong's remarks.



"Armstrong" is Fairhead's second turn directing a documentary about the Apollo program. In 2017, he and "Armstrong" producers Gareth Dodds and Keith Haviland helmed "Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo" about the men who monitored from the ground Armstrong's and the other astronauts' journeys.



Fairhead, Dodds and Haviland also worked together on the 2014 documentary "The Last Man on the Moon" about Apollo 17 commander Gene Cernan.



"We were delighted to collaborate with the filmmakers, who did such a remarkable job with 'The Last Man On The Moon' and 'Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo,' on this wonderful portrait of our dad," said Mark and Rick Armstrong. "We hope audiences enjoy the opportunity to see some very rare footage of him and to share in celebrating his memory and his achievements."



Gravitas Ventures previously released both "Last Man" and "Mission Control."



"We are very excited to continue our partnership with David, Keith and Gareth on this captivating documentary about Neil Armstrong. Gravitas is proud to be releasing this film just as we as a nation celebrate the 50th anniversary of Armstrong's famous moon landing," said Nolan Gallagher, founder and CEO at Gravitas Ventures.



Gravitas Ventures acquired the North American rights and all worldwide rights excluding the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia to "Armstrong." Altitude Film Distribution will release the film in the UK and Irish cinemas, also on July 12.Amir Khans parents have made the shock revelation the boxer hasnt spoken to them in six months.

Following their tell-all interview with MailOnline, the Im A Celebrity star was spotted attending a fundraising event with his wife glamorous wife Faryal Makhdoom  who his family claim has been controlling Amir and is responsible for the feud.

The couple put on a loved-up display at the annual Iftar at The Savoy fundraiser hosted by One Family, in partnership with Hemraj Goyal Foundation and Eighteen Pakistan.

Faryal looked impossibly chic in an elegant black dress with sheer sleeves and subtle sparkle detailing.



She added a touch of glamour to her look with pink satin heels and dazzling silver earrings and a matching necklace.

The striking beauty wore her hair pinned back in a low bun and highlighted her cheekbones with heavy contouring.

Amir looked pleased as punch to be posing next to his wife, dressed to impress in a smart grey suit and black T-shirt.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updatesThe partial building collapse is said to have happened at about noon on Friday, during school hours.

The deceased, 14-year-old JSS 3 student is the only victim of the incident, some of the blocks that fell from the building were said to have landed on her head.

An eyewitness who confirmed the collapse said the girl was taken to the Ondo State University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital in the town for medical attention.

A good Samaritan who lives in the neighborhood helped to rush the student to the hospital.



He told newsmen that the deceased breathed her last before getting to the hospital.

The men of the Nigeria Police Force have since arrived at the school premises, to prevent any crisis that may occur as a result of the unfortunate incident.

Spokesperson to the Ondo State Police Command, SP Femi Joseph confirmed the incident to Channels Television. He said the building that collapsed was one of the abandoned buildings in the school compound.

He expressed concern that the untimely death of the student would have been prevented if proper measures were put in place by the schools management.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updatesFiat Chrysler Automobiles is proposing a merger with Renault in a deal that would create the worlds third-biggest carmaker.

The transaction will be structured as a 50-50 ownership through a Dutch holding company, Italy-based Fiat said in a statement Monday, adding that there will be no plant closures. In a separate statement, Renault said its board will meet later in the morning to discuss the proposal.

The talks come as automakers worldwide face intense pressure to spend heavily on new technologies and adapt to trends such as car-sharing. Falling sales in the worlds biggest markets  China, the U.S. and Europe  have brought fresh urgency to consolidate. Fiat and Renault expect their joint synergies to amount to more than $5.6 billion, coming from areas such as purchasing power.

Together, Renault and Fiat had a combined market value of $36.5 billion as of Friday.

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Fiat and Renault have moved ahead without the French carmakers 20-year partner, Nissan Motor Co., and Mitsubishi Motors Corp., the other member of their three-way alliance. Both Fiat and Renault went through dramatic changes at the top last year after former Fiat chief Sergio Marchionne died and Carlos Ghosn, who was chairman of the Franco-Japanese alliance, was arrested in Tokyo on charges of financial crimes.

Together, the two companies made about 8.7 million cars last year, which would vault the pair past South Koreas Hyundai Motor Group and Detroits General Motors Co. Thats still behind the worlds two biggest automakers, Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp., which both topped 10 million vehicles last year. Renaults existing alliance, including numbers from partners Nissan and Mitsubishi, also reached this milestone.

Adding Fiat and Renault along with its Japanese partners would bring the total to more 15 million vehicles a year, with a strong presence in all major markets and premium brands such as Jeep, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Infiniti under a common umbrella.

Fiat and Renault would have a broad and complementary brand portfolio covering markets from luxury to mainstream, Fiat said in its statement.

Ghosns arrest widened a rift between Renault and Nissan, which has resisted proposals by the French company to merge in a holding-company structure.

The proposed deal between Fiat and Renault comes against a backdrop of an industry undergoing one of the biggest tectonic shifts in its history. Carmakers are being pushed by regulators to develop electric vehicles to lower emissions. Theyve also been forced to spend on self-driving technology or risk getting left behind by such deep-pocketed competitors as Alphabet Inc.s Waymo.British consumers have begun trading in smartphones from Huawei Technologies Co. in growing numbers since the Chinese tech giant was hit by a U.S. supply blacklist.

Trade-in and price-tracking companies report a surge in U.K. consumers trading in devices from the Shenzhen-based manufacturer, while interest from buyers fizzles. The numbers show that concerns around the company have extended beyond trade talks and corporate procurement and turned into backlash at retail, where Huawei makes most of its sales.

Gadget trade-in website WeBuyTek, which buys and resells about 36,000 handsets a year, has seen a 540% increase in the number of Huawei devices booked this week versus last. Thats the biggest jump its ever seen, the companys director, Paul Walsh, said by email.

We have temporarily stopped accepting any new trade-ins, as we expect the value of these devices to plummet, he said.

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The rush follows the decision by BT Group and Vodafone Group to pull the Huawei Mate 20 X phone from their launches of fifth-generation wireless products. The British carriers joined others from around the world, citing uncertainty after Huawei was cut off from U.S. companies by new trade restrictions and barred from receiving software support for the Android operating system from Alphabet Inc.s Google.

Although existing phones arent yet affected by the U.S. action, news of Googles move spooked consumers about the capabilities of their devices, said Canalys analyst Ben Stanton.

Google and Huawei have offered some explanation, but its been very short and coy, he said. I know from speaking to people within those organizations  theyre still trying to work out exactly how they can work within this framework, and theyre not exactly sure how this will develop.

Clicks on Huawei devices declined 46% this week in the U.K. from the previous week, said PriceSpy, which tracks consumers who are comparing product prices. Over the same period, interest in handsets from rivals Xiaomi Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. rose.

The website www.SellMyMobile.com reported a rise of up to 282% in the number of people assessing the value of their Huawei handsets from May 20 to May 22, compared with previous days, according to a representative.

There seems to be this lapse in consumer confidence, even with the current products, said Stanton, adding that the latest developments have come at a horrific time in terms of the launching of 5G phones.For actor Chris McNally, the ultimate luxury is going off the grid. And he takes his favorite room with him when he goes.

When he isnt busy shooting Hallmarks frontier drama When Calls the Heart, McNally escapes the city and resets in nature in his cozy, no-nonsense rooftop car tent.

Growing up in Vancouver, wed go camping as a family all the time. I wanted a way to explore the California landscape, and Ive been camping on the ground for many years, said McNally, 26.

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Since then hes come up in the world, and at the campsite.

He and his girlfriend stretch out in the collapsible tent, mounted atop his 2005 Toyota 4Runner. Their choice is the $3,900 Skycamp 2.0 by iKamper, which features a king-size memory foam mattress that sleeps four  the couple plus their two Pitskies (pit bull-husky mix puppies), Charlie and Bowie.

Chris McNally and his dogs are ready for an escape in their pop-up camper. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

The dogs always take up a ton of room, so I knew that space was our first priority. And speed. This unfolds and sets up in about a minute, McNally said.

Of his recent adventures, Big Bear has become one of his favorite escapes.

It reminds me a lot of where I grew up, except for the massive, smooth, egg-shaped boulders. We dont have anything like that in Vancouver, he said.

Though off the grid, McNally allows a couple of urban indulgences on his trips, including an outdoor movie theater and gaming area.

Its a little spoiled, but being able to sit outside and play Mario Cart is pretty awesome, he said.

Why is this camper your favorite room?

Because I can go almost anywhere with it. When its raining we can come inside and play cards. We have twinkle lights all over; its really cute at night and more than enough to give a sufficient glow to see. Great mood lighting.

Chris McNally adjusts the awning that shades the outdoor kitchen he sets up beside the camper. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

What inspired you to get a camper?

Im really interested in doing expeditions remotely for a week or two, so Im working toward building a rig thats capable of that. Were going on a road trip up to Vancouver this summer and doing a bunch of camping there. Well be going up the interior of California into Oregon and Washington, then well cut over to Vancouver Island. This will be the longest journey so far in this tent.

Tell me about the camper itself, what are some of its cool features?

The reason I went with this one is that it actually folds down to a king-size mattress. When youve been traveling all day and youre tired and just want to set up camp and not spend a couple of hours doing it, being able to pop this tent up in a minute makes a huge difference.

Tell me about the rest of your rig.

This has an outdoor kitchen that I can set up under the awning. I have a big awning on the other side, too, that goes way out, as well as an annex room  so if its super-windy, raining, or if you want to watch a movie during the day, you can have an inside space on each side. I love being alone out in nature and resetting, but theres also something really fun about being able to watch a movie in that environment.

Chris McNally and Bowie and Charlie in their collapsible tent. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Do you have a favorite moment in here?

It was in Big Bear  the coyotes were howling, which the dogs had never heard before, and they were pretty stressed about it. They were on guard for a couple of minutes, but then the exhaustion of the day took over and both of them curled up on blankets and pillows and fell asleep. It was super cute. Then my girlfriend and I sat out on the front of the tent like its a porch. The stars were visible and beautiful, so we just pulled the tent fly back, hung out and had a glass of wine. It was so peaceful, sitting out with our legs dangling like were on our own little porch on top of the car, with these two bundled up fast asleep. It was the best.

hotproperty@latimes.com

ALSOThe US Department of Justice announced Thursday a new indictment of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange that includes an espionage charge.

A federal grand jury handed down an 18-count indictment for offenses that relate to Assanges alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States, the DoJ said in a statement.

Assange, 47, was initially charged last month with violating cyber security laws in 2009 and 2010 to assist then-US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in gaining access to classified information intended for publication by WikiLeaks.

Conviction on that charge would have entailed a maximum prison sentence of five years.

If found guilty on each of the 18 counts in the superseding indictment, the Australian citizen could be sentenced to as much as 180 years behind bars.

Assanges actions risked serious harm to United States national security to the benefit of our adversaries and put the unredacted named human sources at a grave and imminent risk of serious physical harm and/or arbitrary detention, the DoJ said.

At her court martial, Manning admitted having provided WikiLeaks with 700,000 battlefield reports and diplomatic cables as well as video of a 2007 US helicopter attack in Iraq.

This is madness, WikiLeaks said Thursday in reaction to the new indictment. It is the end of national security journalism and the first amendment, a reference to the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which enshrines freedom of the press.

None of the documents Manning gave WikiLeaks was classified Top Secret and much of the material was marked only as Confidential.

US legislation explicitly states that the classification system is not to be used to conceal evidence of criminal conduct or to shield officials from embarrassment.

The video and military reports pertained to US actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, while the State Department cables offered a window into Washingtons relations with a wide range of countries.

In the wake of the initial batch of Afghan and Iraq war revelations in 2010, US officials said that the disclosures posed great risks to people identified in the documents as collaborating with Washington, but the Defense Department subsequently said that it knew of no deaths that could be attributed to WikiLeaks.

The then-defense secretary, Robert Gates, later characterized reactions to the WikiLeaks publication as overwrought and dismissed predictions that the revelations would jeopardize Washingtons ability to conduct diplomacy.

The fact is, governments deal with the United States because its in their interest. Not because they like us, not because they trust us and not because they believe we can keep secrets, Gates said in November 2010. Is this embarrassing? Yes. Is it awkward? Yes. Consequences for US foreign policy? I think fairly modest.

Politicians and pundits in the US called for Assange to be prosecuted - or even assassinated - after WikiLeaks disseminated diplomatic cables as well as a video that showed an American military helicopter crew killing a Reuters photographer and several other civilians in Iraq.

Assange sought refuge at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in June 2012 after losing a long battle in the British courts to avoid extradition to Sweden to face accusations of sexual misconduct.

The Australian, who has consistently denied the accusations, said he feared that once in Swedish custody, US prosecutors would indict him for espionage and Washington would pressure Stockholm into handing him over.

Quito eventually granted Assange Ecuadorian citizenship, but a change of government in the South American nation resulted on April 11 in his expulsion from the mission.

British police dragged him out of the embassy and is he now serving a 50-week sentence for violating the term of his bail.

Assange says he intends to fight extradition to the US. Since his detention, Swedish prosecutor have re-opened the cases from 2010.

EFE

rso/drWhats a little less Lang Lang and a little less Haydn in the over-the-top final weeks of the Los Angeles Philharmonics exceedingly generous centennial season?

Gustavo Dudamel had planned a five-concert sequence of Beethovens five piano concertos  with a different concerto each night performed by virtuoso pianist Lang Lang  paired with Haydns last four symphonies at Walt Disney Concert Hall. While the L.A. Phils music director loves nothing better than symphony cycles and intensive composer surveys, what this concerto cycle was really supposed to be was the return of Lang Lang.

After a 2017 arm injury that turned out to be tendinitis, Lang Lang canceled a years worth of concerts and was expected to return to a regular schedule this season. But the throw-caution-to-the-wind pianist has been unexpectedly cautious. He scaled down his Beethoven concerto challenge to just two performances of the Second, the least heroic of the group.

Four other pianists, none approaching Lang Langs box-office drawing power, were brought in for the other concertos. The planned Haydn symphony cycle was reduced to one, No. 104, which preceded Lang Langs Beethoven Second. Then a family emergency kept Dudamel from conducting last Saturday night, a program featuring the First and Third concertos.

In the end, the cycle became less about Beethoven, Haydn or Dudamel, and more of a piano competition between young or youngish contenders: Conrad Tao, Beatrice Rana, Javier Perianes, and Julianna Avdeeva, who played the Beethoven Fourth with a startling pinpoint strength that made her the standout.

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Still, this run of concerts was ultimately about Lang Lang. To say hes back doesnt quite sum it up.

He is back in the sense that in March, he finally released a new solo recording, Piano Book, and it has some of the hallmarks of the old Lang Lang. The photos show him dressed in white with a red umbrella, an exuberant idol to adolescent fans. The set is a commercial collection of the kind of piano bonbons taught to beginning and intermediate students, a recording destined for the playlists of billions of brunches.

On the other hand, the Sunday afternoon performance of Beethovens Second Piano Concerto was spectacular, and something people may well be talking about for years. This was not so much Lang Lang returning as Lang Lang arriving. The showmanship hes famous for remains but now is put to the profound service  thats right, profound and Lang Lang no longer make an oxymoron  of making every musical gesture come to life.

Pianist Lang Lang in 2017 when he performed a recital at Walt Disney Concert Hall. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / For the Times)

ALSO: Lang Lang packs Disney Hall for concert thats part thrill ride, part romantic swoon 

The performance made it seem possible that Lang Lang will one day be worthy of mention in the company of Glenn Gould, Vladimir Horowitz and Martha Argerich, the pantheon of pianists of personality, poetry, originality, astonishing virtuosity and enthralling musicality. Lang Langs personality, his clownish need for approval, has in the past run interference. The poetry has always been there, but too often submerged. The virtuosity too often felt superficial.

Here, though, everything coalesced. Sure, he gave every bar a special character, the showy attention that purists who always hated him will no doubt bellyache over for as long as social media offers its megaphones.

But joy was the true hallmark of this approach. Lang Lang phrased every small gesture as an observer of the music, not just as a maker. In his monumental first movement cadenza, he went from elegant delicacy to a ferocious, life-affirming intensity. He also played with exquisite sensitivity to the orchestra around him, which allowed Dudamel to turn the performance into a true dialogue.

Beethoven was the winner. In this concerto, which was written first (if published second), a feisty Beethoven muscularized the Mozartean model, a young Turk showing the Viennese public who the next emperor would be, and that is exactly the energy that Lang Lang brought.

After that, Beethoven became increasingly epic and heroic in his concertos, winding up with a real Emperor, as the gleaming, tuneful, showy Fifth is known. But it was the Fourth where the composer found a deeper meaning, and it was in this that Avdeeva, the 33-year-old Russian pianist, surprisingly excelled.

Surprising because Avdeeva has faltered since winning the 2010 Chopin Competition in Warsaw. Two years later, she made her Southern California debut with a somewhat ordinary rendition of a Chopin concerto with the Warsaw Philharmonic at Soka. Her recordings are nothing special.

But the concentration she brought to the Fourth Thursday night, especially her spiritual intensity in the last movement  aided by Dudamels drama and grandeur  revealed something special indeed. Even her encore, the Bourree movement from Bachs English Suite No. 2, had an otherworldly finesse that made it unrecognizable from her unremarkable recent recording of it. Hers may be an even bigger transformation than Lang Langs.

As for the other concertos, the 24-year-old Tao brought a kind of rock n roll excitement to the First, whereas the 26-year-old Rana was all grace in the ferocious Third. The capable accompaniment here was entrusted to L.A. Phil conducting fellow Stephen Mulligan, who was the last-minute replacement for Dudamel Saturday night.

The Emperor went to Perianes. The Spanish pianist  who was born in 1978, making him the oldest of the piano crew  is the kind of emperor everyone actually wants, graciously listening to and blending his voice in with that of the people. Except the people in this case were the orchestra and the voice was authoritarian Beethovens, thus leading to a reasonable, if relatively bland, Emperor, followed by an entrancing de Falla encore.History was made and history repeated itself, albeit with a wicked twist, when Bong Joon-hos Parasite won the Festival de Cannes Palme dOr on Saturday night.

Bong, whose most recent films were Okja and Snowpiercer, is the first South Korean director to win Cannes top prize, and his delight in the victory was visible when he shook his fist in triumph to the crowd as he approached the Palais des Festival stage.

It was the second year in a row that an Asian film took the Palme. More than that, the plot of Parasite, involving a family of grifters, echoed that of last years Japanese winner, Hirokazu Kore-edas warm and empathetic Shoplifters. But thats where the similarities end.

Parasite is a savage social satire that goes further than anyone will be expecting, detailing the ways that a family of heartless manipulators mercilessly takes advantage of clueless rich folks. And thats only the beginning.

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A superb filmmaker who loves twisting the knife into genre conventions, Bong in his acceptance speech made sure to pay tribute to French director Claude Chabrol, another master of icy crime dramas.

FULL COVERAGE: Cannes Film Festival 

Sylvester Stallone presented director Mati Diop, right, with the grand prix Palme dOr award for the film Atlantique (Atlantics) during the awards ceremony at the 72nd international film festival, Cannes. (Vianney Le Caer / Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Taking the Grand Prix, Cannes runner-up prize, was a first feature, Mati Diops Senegal-set Atlantics, a haunted and haunting film about star-crossed lovers that combines supernatural elements with social consciousness. Diop became the first black female filmmaker to have a film play in Cannes competition.

That film touched us in our hearts, said juror Elle Fanning in the post-awards press conference. It deals with issues, but it also felt quite personal and vulnerable and very emotional and just quite precious.

The best actor award went to Antonio Banderas in Pedro Almodovars quasi-autobiographical Pain and Glory, about a director at a crisis point in his life, and Banderas, who exaggerated the difficulty of climbing the stairs to the stage, paid unstinting tribute to his director.

We made eight movies together. I respect him. I admire him. I love him, the actor said. The award has to be dedicated to him; I owe so much to him.

We suffer a lot as actors; theres a lot of sacrifice, but there are also nights of glory, and this is my night of glory.

With both Quentin Tarantinos Once Upon A Time  In Hollywood and Terrence Malicks A Hidden Life shut out, the only English-language film to win a prize was the best actress award to Emily Beecham in Jessica Hausners Little Joe.

Beecham plays a scientist in this deliciously spooky film who grows plants that turn out to have a will of their own. Arrived just in time for the ceremony from Britain, she confessed she hadnt even brought my toothbrush.

Twice winners of the Palme dOr, Belgiums Dardenne brothers took home the best director prize for Young Ahmed, the story of a radicalized 13-year-old boy who wants to kill a teacher he considers an apostate.

One of the Dardennes minor works, its award announcement drew a noticeably negative reaction in the press viewing area. Sometimes, Cannes loves its veterans too well.

Winner of the screenwriter award was French writer-director Celine Sciamma for her Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

Intense yet restrained, an effective mixture of old-school classic style and modern sensibility, Portrait is set in 18th century France and involves a growing emotional connection between two women, one a reluctant bride-to-be and the other a painter commissioned to do her portrait.

RELATED: Justin Changs Cannes Film Festival diary 2019 

(From left) Jury Prize winner French director Ladj Ly, best actress winner British actress Emily Beecham, best director winners Belgian director Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, best actor winner Spanish actor Antonio Banderas and Camera dOr winner Cesar Diaz. (Christophe Simon / AFP/Getty Images)

Wanting to reward as many films as possible, the jury gave a special mention to Palestinian director Elia Suleimans droll It Must Be Heaven and split the Jury Prize between two films about communities in crisis.

The first film was French director Ladj Lys debut feature, Les Miserables, a street-smart film that balances thrills and social engagement.

Set in the same outskirts-of-Paris neighborhood as the celebrated Victor Hugo novel, it follows an anticrime squad patrolling an area always about to explode.

The other film was Brazils Bacurau, a near-future drama that takes place in a small town where strange things start to happen. It was co-directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho and Juliano Dornelles.

Speaking in English, co-director Mendonca Filho talked movingly about his past at the festival.

This is the 20th time Ive been at Cannes, first as a journalist, then as a critic, he said. So you can imagine what a mind  it is for me to accept this.

Apparently referring to a recently announced proposed cut of 23% to the Ministry of Cultures annual budget in Brazil, the director ended with a plea:

We are ambassadors of culture. We need your support and respect.

Times staff writer Justin Chang contributed to this report.Marina del Rey may be nestled between two neighborhoods that seem to get most of the attention  quirky Venice and the tech landscape of Playa del Rey  but its not in any danger of being overshadowed: Its an ideal spot for a half-day getaway that conveniently takes you right to the waters edge.

(Lou Spirito For The Times)

As the largest man-made small-craft harbor in North America, Marina del Rey is an aquatic playground. Head over early to beat the crowds and to hit the calm, cool sea.

9 a.m. Book a beginner stand-up paddle-board lesson with Tim Sanford, owner of Paddle Method. Each hour-long lesson begins on the sand at Mothers Beach, at 4135 Admiralty Way.

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Students take beginners lessons from Tim Sanford, right, of Paddle Method: Stand Up Paddle Board LA in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

This is the best time to come, because the wind hasnt picked up and there are fewer people, Sanford said as he readied a 10-foot board. The water is like glass.

During the lesson, the certified World Paddle Assn. instructor introduces students to the basics of kneeling, standing and walking on a paddle board. Then, its time to get in the water and show off your skills. Dont worry, falling off means only that you get wet.

10 a.m. After your lesson, walk across the street to grab a caffeine boost at Buna at 552 Washington Blvd. Forgo your usual coffee and get something exciting instead like the Buna Miel, which comes with espresso, honey, cinnamon and the steamed milk of your choice.

1 / 12 Beginners learn the ways of the paddle board from Tim Sanford of Paddle Method: Stand Up Paddle Board LA in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 12 A paddle boarder takes equipment rented from Paddle Method: Stand Up Paddle Board LA for a morning spin around Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 12 Visitors explore Fishermans Village in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 12 Strolling around Fishermans Village in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 12 The ArtSea Festival in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 12 Kayakers paddle past pinnipeds sunning on a dock in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 12 Paddleboarders check out Mothers Beach in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 12 Jorge Daniel Nunez sells handmade T-shirts at the ArtSea Festival in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 12 Get a feel for the area at the Marina del Rey Historical Assn. museum in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 12 Students take beginners lessons from Tim Sanford, right, of Paddle Method: Stand Up Paddle Board LA in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 12 A seagull finds a lofty perch at Fishermans Village in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 12 A boater cruises past pinnipeds sunning on a dock in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

10:15 a.m. Around here, theres only one appropriate way to get around: a scooter. With so many options, including Bird, Lime and probably others we have yet to hear about, youre bound to find a few around. Pick your brand, download its app and hop on for a ride around the marina to Fishermans Village at 13755 Fiji Way. No scooter for you? Lyft or Uber (or enjoy the waterfront view on a walk that will take about 30 minutes.) If youre visiting after June 20, you have an even better option: Take a water taxi straight from Mothers Beach to Fishermans Village for just $1.50.

10:30 a.m. Fishermans Village is a place that time  and developers  have forgotten. Yes, its kitschy, but thats what makes it so worth the visit. More reminiscent of Maine than California, the tiny strip offers several restaurants and cafes, including a tasty ice cream shop.

A pair of kayakers paddle past pinnipeds sunning on a dock in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

The village is best for taking Instagram-worthy photos, thanks to the vibrant buildings and a plentiful seal population seemingly ready and willing to take selfies. If you find yourself there on a Saturday, theres a farmers market, and theres live music on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the spring and summer.

11:30 a.m. Stop at the Marina del Rey Historical Society. Its a stellar opportunity to learn more about the history of the marina. Inside, visitors can peruse historical photos, a presentation, books and memorabilia. Best of all, its free.

Get a feel for the area at the Marina del Rey Historical Assn. museum in Marina del Rey. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

11:45 a.m. Its time to find another flock of Birds to unlock. Hop on and scoot your way back for lunch at Salt, at 13534 Bali Way.

Noon Not only does Salt offer some of the tastiest dishes this side of the 405 but its also home to the best views of the marina. When making your reservation, ask for a table on the far end of the deck to get unobstructed views of the boats passing by. Since youre on the water and youve worked up a solid appetite, go ahead and order the fish and chips. Youve earned it.Los Angeles County is investigating whether an eviction notice sent to a 102-year-old woman at her longtime home in Ladera Heights violated temporary renter protections approved by lawmakers last year.

Thelma Smith, 102, has rented in a small complex in an unincorporated area of Ladera Heights for nearly three decades. She received an eviction notice in March, telling her to move out of her Craftsman-style home by the end of June so the landlords daughter could move in.

The countys Department of Consumer and Business Affairs is now investigating whether the eviction notice complied with interim rental protections that the Board of Supervisors approved last fall.

Contacting all the parties involved and gathering information will take several business days, spokesman Keven Chavez said. Evictions can be delayed or stopped if the landlord did not comply with county policies, he said.

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Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, whose district includes Ladera Heights, said county departments that handle questions of aging, housing and economic survival are also reviewing Smiths situation, as are a homeowners association in Ladera Heights and several tenants rights groups.

It is a reflection on all of us if we dont do everything we can to bring this to a proper conclusion, Ridley-Thomas said in an interview Saturday. Well do whatever we can to make sure that Ms. Smith is not unsettled, and that we protect the quality of her life  a long life.

News of Smiths eviction sparked outrage from family, neighbors and friends, including former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who said that she had been a dear friend for a long time.

Imagine doing this to a 102-year-old woman who gave back to the community her whole life, Schwarzenegger said on Twitter. It is heartless. Thelma, Ill be reaching out to help. Landlords, youll hear from me too.

The countys temporary rent protections took effect in November. They are aimed at protecting elderly, disabled and poor residents in unincorporated areas who live on fixed incomes and cannot afford market-rate rent in Southern California.

The interim rules limit rent increases to 3% annually and require that landlords have a legitimate reason for evictions. The policy does not apply to single-family homes, which are excluded from local rent stabilization policies under California law.

The countys rent policy allows evictions if a landlords immediate family members  including children  are planning to move in. By law, the new tenant must move in within three months of the eviction and use the property as a primary residence for at least a year.

Smiths landlord told her in a letter that they would be ending her month-to-month lease because his daughter would need a place to live when she graduated from law school.

When asked by a television reporter why he would evict a 102-year-old woman, he responded: Would you take care of your child?

Smith has lived alone since the death of her husband and has no immediate family in Southern California.

Shes been there a thousand years and is paying very low rent, said her friend and longtime neighbor Pauline Cooper, who has lived in the quiet neighborhood, which is south of Culver City and Baldwin Hills, since 1999.

Smith worked for years as an executive secretary for the Sugar Ray Robinson Youth Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by the famous boxer that runs sports, anti-drug education and mentoring programs aimed at reducing juvenile delinquency.

Its nice for people to care about you, and share, Smith told CBS2, when she received a fruit basket from Schwarzenegger, topped with a big silver bow. I have always been a caring and sharing person.

Times staff writer Colleen Shalby contributed to this report.

laura.nelson@latimes.com

For more transportation news, follow @laura_nelson on Twitter.Confidential records released this week show decades of warnings to the University of Southern California about Dr. George Tyndall, the longtime campus gynecologist accused of sexually abusing hundreds of students.

The documents span the entirety of Tyndalls career at USC, including a handwritten complaint in 1990 about a rude exam and a lengthy expert analysis in 2016 that posited the gynecologist had underlying psychopathy.

Among the revelations is that USC was told in that expert report that Tyndall appeared to be targeting international students from Asian countries. This has been a particularly sensitive issue for USC, which has aggressively courted Chinese students and donors.

As described in the report from Colorado-based medical consulting firm MDReview, If the patients were young and Asian, they were more likely to have a pelvic exam completed by Tyndall.

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RELATED: The Times investigation into George Tyndall and USC 

The records, totaling more than 600 pages, are evidence in a federal class-action suit by former patients against Tyndall and USC. U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson ordered the documents made public after The Times sought a court order for access.

Overruling objections from Tyndall and the university, Wilson said in his decision that the public had an interest in all pertinent information about the gynecologist and USCs handling of him.

Providing the public with all available nonprivileged information furthers the public narrative about inappropriate sexual behavior and ensures for longer-lasting changes beyond the case at hand, Wilson wrote.

After the judges ruling, USC opted not to appeal and posted the documents on a university website.

The collection of memos, correspondence and student complaints offers a new level of detail to a scandal that has rocked USC after The Times brought it to light last year. The revelations led to the ouster of President C.L. Max Nikias, one of the largest sex crimes investigations in Los Angeles police history, more than 750 lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct by Tyndall and pledges by USCs board to fix a broken school culture.

Nearly all of the universitys top administrators have left or will soon depart, and a new president, Carol L. Folt, takes over July 1.

Tyndall has not been charged with a crime. He and his attorneys have repeatedly denied wrongdoing and said he acted within the standards of gynecological care.

Tyndall started at the clinic straight out of his residency in 1989. By the next year, the complaints had started, the records show. In a handwritten note that September, a clinic staffer related a complaint received by phone from a graduate student who saw Tyndall for the removal of a polyp.

How USCs Tyndall settlement compares with other school payouts 

The caller, a former nurse who had previously worked at a womens health clinic, said Tyndalls care was not good and if this was her first visit as an 18 y.o., she would never return to see a gynecologist.

In the years that followed, the clinics nurses and medical assistants developed suspicions about the gynecologists methods and motives, the records show. Tyndall acknowledged in a 1996 memo to his boss that the nursing staff thought he had prurient reasons for photographing patient genitals and delving in their sexual histories.

But why is your practice so different from that of the other gynecologists, Tyndall quoted a nursing director as asking.

Told that some patients were refusing further appointments with him, Tyndall dismissed the reports as innuendo based on nearly unimaginable prudery by colleagues.

After some proposed the creation of a womens clinic staffed by mainly female doctors, Tyndall told his boss that barring him from gynecological patients would be a breach of contract and suggested he might sue the university. The all-female clinic was not pursued.

A student unhappy with Tyndalls medical care in 1997 filled out a comment card saying she would never again visit the physician, calling him the worst doctor I have ever seen in my life.

The writer claimed to know of 20 others who felt similarly and wrote, If you dont want a huge future lawsuit on your hands, I highly suggest the termination of this man.

Dr. Larry Neinstein, the clinics executive director, confronted the gynecologist that year about three written complaints. In a letter, Tyndall thanked his boss for bringing this minor problem of practice style to my attention.

Former colleagues and patients have said publicly that they made written and oral reports about lewd comments and inappropriate conduct by Tyndall in the 1990s. But Shon Morgan, the USC lawyer, wrote in his letter to the judge that based on the universitys review of the internal records, there were no documented complaints of a sexual nature before 2000.

That year, concerns about Tyndall reached an administrator outside the student health center. Elizabeth Davenport, then assistant dean of student affairs, told Neinstein that she had met with a student who appeared deeply troubled by an encounter with the gynecologist.

Ive been encouraging her to tell you what happened with Dr. Tyndall, and Im really pleased that shes summoned up the courage to do so, Davenport wrote in an April 2000 email.

The patient sent a letter to Tyndall objecting to a degrading and humiliating anecdote he had shared during a visit to the clinic.

The story you told me about the rock guitarist from Megadeth and his experience having sexual relations on the street in Chicago with the woman who had to first remove her tampon was disgusting and inappropriate, she wrote.

Tyndall apologized in writing, according to the documents.

Throughout the early 2000s, there were numerous complaints that Tyndall was blocking the nursing staff from observing his pelvic exams. Several chaperones, medical assistants and nurses required to be present for gynecological visits, told their bosses that Tyndall was placing a curtain or screen between them and the lower bodies of patients.

One 2003 complaint noted that once again GT is not allowing Mas [medical assistants] to be behind curtain when chaperoning MD during pelvic exams. A year later, a nursing director brought up the curtain issue again to a supervising physician, writing, I dont believe this problem has been resolved.

Supervisors ultimately moved the curtain, telling Tyndall it was for ergonomic reasons, according to the documents.

The records are rife with complaints about Tyndalls job performance, separate from sexual misconduct.

He failed to treat a student who tested positive for chlamydia in 2002, and four years later, missed a lice diagnosis, according to the records.

What professional at the USC Health Center cant recognize something as common as lice? the parents of the student who had lice wrote to administrators.

There were also complaints about unsanitary habits  trash and rotten food in his office  and the unexplained hours he spent in his office at night and on weekends.

Seeing three unopened televisions stacked in Tyndalls office bathroom, Dr. William Leavitt told a colleague, My guess is that George is running a durable goods business on the side.

When administrators announced that the clinic would be locked even to staff from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., Tyndall dashed off furious protests.

In 2004, Neinstein told USCs then vice president for student affairs, Michael Jackson, that he was increasingly worried about Tyndall, relating that both he and Leavitt feared for their safety.

I am concerned that we have an employee who is very disgruntled, Neinstein said.

Neinstein consulted the universitys Office of Equity and Diversity in 2013, according to a summary of the report. He told the office, which handles harassment and discrimination claims, that there were several difficulties with Tyndall over the years and that recently staffers and a student had claimed Tyndall made inappropriate comments or otherwise made them or others feel uncomfortable.

Neinstein died in 2016.

The investigator assigned to the case did not interview Tyndall but questioned seven clinic colleagues and a student. Some staffers said students found the doctor creepy, and one administrator said a patient recently complained that Tyndall would not let her leave her appointment  and that when she told him she needed to leave for another appointment, he asked her, Whats more important than your health?

Still, the investigator decided not to pursue the matter.

Interviews with these individuals yielded mixed opinions of Dr. Tyndall but none yielded actionable evidence of any policy violations, investigator Karen Nutter wrote in a three-page memo.

Less than three years later, a nursing supervisor frustrated by what she saw as administrators inaction sought advice from a rape crisis counselor. That led USC to put Tyndall on immediate leave in 2016, launch an investigation and hire MDReview, the outside medical consulting firm.

In their 17-page report, the experts concluded that Tyndalls pelvic exams were inappropriate and not within medical standards. They also expressed concern about photographs Tyndall had taken of patients genitals, noting that he had used a commercial processing lab in upstate New York to develop some images and offered dubious explanations for retaining the pictures.

Not only did Tyndall show a preference for Asian students, but his medical procedures differed for patients perceived as less favorable: non-Asian, obese, or older patients were less likely to receive a pelvic exam, the experts found.

In the wake of the Times initial reports last year, the Chinese Consulate in L.A. expressed serious concerns about Tyndall. USC said at the time it had no evidence he was focused on Asian students.

The firms report said Tyndall had potential mental health problems and listed possible signs: hoarding, poor hygiene and his request to personally keep a patients used intrauterine device. The experts said such issues were outside the scope of the report but impossible to ignore.

In interviews with the experts, Tyndall maintained that he practiced evidence-based medicine to explain his view that Kegel exercises were related to orgasms. When pressed for the source of this view, he referred to a Readers Digest article from two decades ago.

After the expert report was completed, USC did not notify the state Medical Board of its findings and reached a secret deal with Tyndall that allowed him to resign with a settlement.

The university has agreed to pay $215 million to settle the federal class-action suit, and is encouraging some 15,000 patients to participate.

These records should help confirm that the proposed settlement remains the best option for bringing a fair and respectful resolution, interim President Wanda Austin said.

Some 600 patients are expected to pursue individual claims in state court. Their lawyers have said those cases will bring more transparency and likely higher awards than the $2,500 to $250,000 provided in the proposed class-action settlement.The worst fire in California history took off at a spot notorious for its intense winds.

The gusts  some topping 100 mph  blow down the Feather River Canyon each fall. They push into the town of Paradise with force, powered by high-pressure air parked over the Great Basin that moves through this narrow corridor of the Sierra Nevada.

In November, the winds blasted through the canyon with warm, dry air at sunrise. Power equipment owned by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. failed, sparking a fire that killed 85 people and destroyed most of the town of Paradise in a matter of hours.

This week, PG&E announced it would rebuild Paradises power system underground. The process is expensive and speaks to the huge challenges facing California utilities after a series of destructive fires, experts say.

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Utilities have been blamed for starting more than 2,000 fires in the last few years, including the Camp fire in Paradise, the wine country infernos and the Thomas fire, which blackened 281,893 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties in 2017.

It didnt used to be so dangerous, said Michael Wara, director of Stanford Universitys climate and energy policy program. Whats become different in California is we have existing high fire risk  weve had it forever  weve been suppressing fire [for decades] pretty effectively, and weve built up all this valuable real estate and put people where the fires burned, and its all coming to a head.

Liabilities from the fire that destroyed Paradise have already pushed PG&E into bankruptcy. And it along with Californias two other huge electricity suppliers  Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric Co.  are now scrambling to make safety improvements in an era of deadlier and more destructive wildfires.

The utilities have announced a series of steps, including strengthening existing power lines to better sustain winds and shutting off power to large areas when winds pick up.

Edison is installing cameras in isolated areas so it can monitor its grid in real time, and San Diego Gas & Electric is replacing miles of wooden power poles with metal ones that have wide cross arms to keep power lines from slapping each other in high winds.

Placing power lines underground is an appealing idea because it would significantly reduce wind-related dangers.

But its also one of the most expensive fixes.

Cost estimates vary wildly. But a 2013 report by the Edison Electrical Institute put the price tag per mile in the millions, with the costs in urban areas much higher than in rural areas. And some of those costs could be passed on to ratepayers.

In the wake of both the Camp fire and the Woolsey fire that burned through Ventura County and Malibu last fall, utilities have faced mounting pressure to move more lines below ground.

Its almost 18th century technology, in some ways, then-Malibu Mayor Rick Mullen told state lawmakers last year about overhead lines. Lets make the investment to make the system durable.

PG&E has not said how much it will cost to put Paradise power lines underground, adding that the process will take five years. Because of the level of destruction, the utility was going to have to rebuild the power system in Paradise regardless.

While the system in Paradise will be below ground, the massive transmission line that sparked the blaze  several ridges away from the town  would not be covered by the project. PG&E said there will be no cost to the town of Paradise, but a town councilman said some are skeptical.

People are questioning the reasons theyre doing it now, which is natural, said Paradise Councilman Michael Zuccolillo. People are still emotionally charged after six months.

Given the high costs of underground projects, California utilities have turned to less expensive solutions.

PG&E warned San Francisco and other Bay Area cities that potentially millions of residents could lose power if the utility turns off part of the power grid as a fire safety measure. Edisons and San Diegos fire mitigation strategies also include power shut-offs, which can drastically reduce the odds a fire will break out.

But its typically a last-resort option, and power shut-offs can leave residents who do not live in fire-prone zones without electricity. The strategy also requires close monitoring of humidity and dryness, and the utilities dont always make the right call.

PG&E canceled a planned power shut-off in the Paradise area just before the Camp fire broke out in November, and Edison is being sued by victims of the Woolsey fire who say the utility company should have de-energized power lines on the dry, windy day the deadly fire started.

The issue with that strategy, experts say, is that once the lines are shut down, every inch of them has to be inspected before they can be re-powered in case they have fallen or are in contact with a tree.

San Diego Gas & Electric introduced the idea of proactively shutting off power after the Witch fire in 2007, and it was initially met with resistance from state regulators, Wara said. But since then, he said, the utility has refined the technique and created micro-grids within its system so that a shutdown may affect only 10,000 customers, not 100,000.

Experts have said that despite the heavy costs, burying power lines in areas most susceptible to winds would provide a huge margin of safety.

San Diego has been ahead of the curve, placing thousands of miles of power lines underground over the last few decades. Part of the motivation has been aesthetic, clearing ocean views for residents. But it has also helped reduce fire risk.

In 2016, San Diego Gas & Electric began an ambitious plan to make power lines in the Cleveland National Forest more resistant to fire. That included burying 30 miles of lines underground in sensitive areas.

In Paradise, PG&Es announcement that it would bury power lines was welcomed, but some questioned the utilitys motivation. Zuccolillo said he believes PG&E, in part, is seeking to improve its public image as it faces lawsuits from residents who lost homes.

I think people are happy about it, but some people feel like its too little too late, he said.

Mark Toney, executive director for the Utility Reform Network, praised PG&Es plans for Paradise but pointed out that putting utilities underground is too costly and takes too long to do on a mass scale. He said PG&E didnt do enough before Paradise and other major fires to improve safety.

I guess were concerned that for too many years PG&E has been run by investment managers for whom the bottom line was the primary metric, Toney said.

Zuccolillo hopes PG&Es effort will work. At the end of the day, were going to have a safer town, he said.

I hope this is a wake-up [call] to them and other utilities proving that we need to value infrastructure. I just hope this will result in a cultural change for them.John Pinto, a Navajo Code Talker in World War II who became one of the nations longest serving Native American elected officials as a New Mexico state senator, has died. He was 94.

Senate colleague Michael Padilla confirmed that Pinto died Friday in Gallup after years of suffering from various illnesses that rarely kept him from his duties.

After serving as a Marine, Pinto was elected to the New Mexico Senate in 1976 and represented a district that includes the Navajo Nation for more than four decades and is one of the poorest in the country.

Words cannot express the sadness we feel for the loss of a great Dine warrior, said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, using the indigenous word for the Navajo people. He dedicated his life to helping others.

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Born in Lupton, Ariz., on the Navajo Nation to a family of sheep herders, Pinto didnt start formal schooling until he was nearly a teenager.

At the age of 12, I was in kindergarten, Pinto told the Albuquerque Journal in a 2007 interview. I guess I did all right.

Pinto also recalled that his grandparents told of being forced at gunpoint from their land in the 1860s by the U.S. Army in the forced relocation of the Navajo people on foot to southern New Mexico.

After serving as a Code Talker  a group of radio men who translated American coordinates and messages into an indecipherable code based on the Navajo language  Pinto had to take an English test four times before he was finally admitted into the University of New Mexicos College of Education.

He graduated with a bachelors degree in elementary education at 39 and eventually earned his masters, becoming a teacher and a truancy officer in Gallup.

Pinto delved into politics to address the needs of impoverished indigenous populations. The Democrat won a seat in 1976 as one of the states first Native American senators.

An unassuming appearance and manner belied Pintos political determination that carried him through 42 years in the Legislature. Laurie Canepa, the senior librarian for the Legislative Council Service, said that made him the longest serving senator in state history.

Manny Aragon, a former state Senate president, tells the story of driving to the Statehouse in a January 1977 snowstorm and picking up a middle-aged Navajo man who was hitchhiking in Albuquerque. The hitchhiker was newly elected Sen. Pinto.

I just thought he was a transient, Aragon said.

In the Legislature, Pinto advocated for education reform and anti-poverty programs. Receiving a lifetime achievement award in 2016, Pinto recalled going hungry at times as a child while his parents juggled odd jobs and said the experience influenced his work on issues of homelessness as a lawmaker.

Every year, Pinto would sing on the Senate floor the Potato Song  a Navajo song about a potato, planted in the spring and visited in the summer until it is harvested. Fellow senators, staff and aides clapped along to Pintos rendition.

Lenore Naranjo, the Senates chief clerk, says Pinto taught her bits of Navajo language over the decades.

A beautiful man is all I can say, Naranjo said of Pinto.A federal judge in California has blocked President Trump from building sections of his border wall using money redirected through a national emergency declaration.

U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr. on Friday immediately halted the administrations efforts to divert military funds for use in wall construction, granting a preliminary injunction sought by the Sierra Club and a coalition of border community groups that sued the administration.

Critics had objected to the Trump administrations move, saying it overstepped its authority by funneling billions of dollars toward the presidents signature campaign promise without authorization from Congress.

The preliminary injunction applies to two planned projects to add 51 miles of fence on two areas on the Mexican border in El Paso and Yuma, Ariz., scheduled to begin as soon as Saturday. The decision prevents federal officials from taking any action to construct a border barrier in the areas.

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In granting the preliminary injunction to stop the work, Gilliam cited Congress absolute control over federal expenditures under the Constitution, even when that control may frustrate the desires of the executive branch regarding initiatives it views as important.

The position that when Congress declines the executives request to appropriate funds, the executive nonetheless may simply find a way to spend those funds without Congress does not square with fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic, Gilliam wrote.

Gilliam is overseeing two cases that involve Trumps controversial decision to bypass Congress to pay for his long-promised wall, a centerpiece of his 2016 campaign. The other is a lawsuit brought by California and 19 other states.

Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House over fully paying for the wall that led to a 35-day government shutdown.

Congress set aside $1.375 billion to extend or replace existing barriers in Texas Rio Grande Valley. But Trump wanted to spend $8 billion on wall construction, so he declared the emergency to siphon money from other government accounts.

A White House memo identified three funding sources: $3.6 billion from military construction funds, $2.5 billion from Defense Department counter-drug activities and $600 million from the Treasury Departments asset forfeiture fund.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

The judges decision cited comments from the president and others in his administration in which they indicated that if they didnt obtain Trumps desired level of wall funding from Congress, they would use other measures to obtain it one way or another.

Along with remarks from Trump, Gilliams ruling quoted a Fox News interview with acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, in which he said the wall is going to get built, with or without Congress.

The administration has said its actions are needed to protect national security amid a surge of Central American migrants seeking asylum at the U.S. border.

Trumps Feb. 15 national emergency declaration said the current situation at the southern border presents a border security and humanitarian crisis that threatens core national security interests, adding that the southern border is a major entry point for criminals, gang members and illicit narcotics.

But opponents of the administration said the presidents action was an illegal maneuver to spend more money than Congress authorized.

This order is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law and border communities, said Dror Ladin, an attorney with the ACLUs National Security Project, who argued the case on behalf of the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

The court blocked all the wall projects currently slated for immediate construction, Ladin said. If the administration begins illegally diverting additional military funds, well be back in court to block that as well.

California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra welcomed the decision barring President Trump from building a border wall in defiance of Congress power of the purse, calling it a critical victory for our states and communities.

America should be building bridges  not walls, Gov. Gavin Newsom said. The federal government should be focused on the real threats our state faces like wildfires and drug trafficking.

The judges ruling did not address the merits of the wall itself.

Gilliam wrote that the case is not about whether the challenged border barrier construction plan is wise or unwise. It is not about whether the plan is the right or wrong policy response to existing conditions at the southern border of the United States.

Instead, this case presents strictly legal questions regarding whether the proposed plan for funding border barrier construction exceeds the executive branchs lawful authority under the Constitution and a number of statutes duly enacted by Congress.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.The top food stories from this week at the Los Angeles Times:

A great taco truck is a thing of beauty and endless joy. (Charles Glaubitz For The Times)

IN PRAISE OF LONCHERAS

Lucas Kwan Peterson lays out a beginners guide to taco trucks, ubiquitous in Los Angeles: there are over 3,000 licensed food trucks and carts roaming the streets.

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Chicharrones, from left, green chile cheeseburger, salsa verde y queso fries, and a taco plate from Amorcito. (Liz Barclay / For The Times)

ON TACO SALADS

Patricia Escarcega contemplates the culinary and political ramifications of the taco salad  and other Mexican American dishes  at Amorcito in Long Beach.

Specialties at Northern Thai Food Club include khao soi, sai ua (pork sausages) and a selection of stews. (Silvia Razgova / For The Times)

THE SUNSET BOULEVARD SPICE ROUTE

Bill Addison tours the tables at Northern Thai Food Club in East Hollywood, finding excellent bowls of khao soi, stews and other dishes.

The seared cheese of a Oaxacan taco melts and becomes stretchy, making for the ultimate cheese pull. (Dylan + Jeni / For The Times)

IN PRAISE OF CHEESE PULLS

Genevieve Ko has a recipe for Oaxacan string cheese tacos, just in time for the long holiday weekend.

Ototo will serve sake, beer, wine, shochu and contemporary Japanese food. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

DRINKING SAKE IN ECHO PARK

Erica Zora Wrightson pours a few glasses at Ototo, a new sake bar that stocks over 40 bottles of the stuff.

Food Bowl continues. Its another week of our annual May food bowl, with events, screenings, demos and So Much Food. Go to lafoodbowl.com for a calendar, plus links for tickets.

Our 101 Restaurants We Love list for 2018 is out. The list incorporates restaurants and trucks from around Los Angeles and Orange County, in alphabetical order (no rankings this time). Plus, theres a bonus list of 10 classic restaurants.

Check us out on Instagram at @latimesfood.

And dont forget the thousands of recipes in our California Cookbook recipe database.

Feedback? Wed love to hear from you. Email us at food@latimes.com.The freedom of the press to publish information of public importance  even if it has been classified as secret by the government  is a vital check on official wrongdoing and deception. However grudgingly, presidential administrations of both parties have accepted that reality by declining to prosecute media organizations under the Espionage Act.

Now the Trump administration has departed dangerously from that policy, bringing new charges Thursday against Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, in connection with the thousands of secret documents he obtained from former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning and then published on his site.

Assange is an unsympathetic figure, to put it mildly, and WikiLeaks is not a traditional journalism organization. (In addition to publishing the military and diplomatic documents obtained from Manning, WikiLeaks is best known for having posted emails from the Democratic Party that U.S. officials said were hacked by Russia.)

But in prosecuting Assange for soliciting classified information from Manning and then disseminating it, the Justice Department has adopted a legal theory that could potentially make criminals of many conscientious reporters who cover defense and national security. After all, journalists routinely urge their sources to divulge official secrets, and they routinely publish them, as part of their mandate to report truthfully about what happens behind the closed doors of government. Criminalizing that behavior would be an affront to the 1st Amendment, which singles out the press for special protection from intrusion and censorship.

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The decision to prosecute those accused of publishing classified information would be troubling regardless of who occupied the White House.

The charges announced Thursday replaced an earlier  and more restrained  indictment that was unsealed in April. The previous indictment accused Assange not of Espionage Act violations but of conspiracy to violate a law against computer intrusion. It alleged that Assange conspired with Manning to crack a government password in search of secret material.

At the time, this page expressed some relief that the indictment focused mostly on the allegation that Assange conspired to facilitate the theft of information rather than that he received it or published it.

The new, more sweeping indictment goes much farther. It says that Assange repeatedly encouraged sources with access to classified information to steal and provide it to WikiLeaks to disclose. The indictment also accuses Assange of violating the law by publishing [documents] on the internet.

The indictment acknowledges that part of WikiLeaks mission is to disclose ... information to the public. That was also the reason the New York Times published the Pentagon Papers, a classified history of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, almost half a century ago. Its also the reason many newspapers reported on some of the information provided to WikiLeaks by Manning, including a video of an Apache helicopter attack that killed 12 civilians in Baghdad in 2007.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute 

In announcing the new indictment, Assistant U.S. Atty Gen. John C. Demers insisted that the department takes seriously the role of journalists in our democracy and doesnt target journalists for their reporting. He maintained, however, that Julian Assange is no journalist. That was clear, Demers said, from the allegation in the indictment that Assange published, without redaction, the names of individuals in war zones who had provided information to the U.S.

Its true that a responsible news organization generally wouldnt publish the names of informants who might face danger. For example, the New York Times in publishing material from WikiLeaks withheld the names of informants and operatives. But the issue isnt whether Assange is a journalist (or a responsible one); its whether the government is setting a precedent in which it criminalizes those who publish classified information rather than merely those who leak it. If it uses this new legal theory against Assange today, it can use it against Seymour Hersh or the Los Angeles Times or any other legitimate news organization tomorrow.

As Bruce Brown, executive director of Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, put it: Any government use of the Espionage Act to criminalize the receipt and publication of classified information poses a dire threat to journalists seeking to publish such information in the public interest, irrespective of the Justice Departments assertion that Assange is not a journalist.

The decision to prosecute those accused of publishing classified information would be troubling regardless of who occupied the White House. But the current president has relentlessly railed against fake news, called journalists enemies of the people and suggested he might have to get involved in the operation of the Justice Department. That makes this unnecessary change of course especially unsettling.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand FacebookTo the editor: As an Iraq war veteran who was called up to active duty from the Army Reserve in 2005, I respectfully disagree with key parts of former Rep. Jane Harmans piece recalling the intelligence failures and her pro-war vote leading up to the 2003 invasion.

Harman says that then-Secretary of State Colin Powells February 2003 presentation to the United Nations, making the case against Iraq, was highly convincing, and that she has no doubt Powell believed what he was saying.

I do not recall being persuaded by Powells argument. In fact, a contemporaneous Newsweek cover story questioned many claims he made about the supposed weapons of mass destruction and alleged Iraqi connections with Al Qaeda. I also highly recommend the book, Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal and the Selling of the Iraq War, by journalists Michael Isikoff and David Corn. They write that even his [Powells] own specialists did not believe what he claimed at the U.N., and that when he rehearsed his statements beforehand, he declared, This is [expletive].

Invading Iraq was a mistake, so lets be sure we dont make the same blunder and rush to judgment in dealing with Iran.

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John D. Wagner, Altadena

..

To the editor: Harman, who as the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee provided an important vote in 2002 to authorize the use of military force against Iraq, continues to deny reality in blaming faulty intelligence.

In 2002, some people in the White House and the Department of Defense did not accept the U.S. intelligence on Iraq and formed the Office of Special Plans to provide their own conclusions. The primary pieces of evidence presented by Powell to the United Nations were proved false objectively and repeatedly before his presentation, and of course afterward.

No amount of saying the intelligence was wrong will change facts and history.

Richard Havenick, San Pedro

..

To the editor: Harmon excuses her vote in 2002 to authorize war by saying, The intelligence provided prior to the Iraq war was compelling. She omits some details.

President George W. Bush wasnt just looking to go to war at the time of the vote, but was seeking a blank check from Congress to allow him to start a war at his discretion. Congress shouldnt give their war power away; it should have told him to ask for authorization when it was time to fight.

The policy of containment and utilizing the United Nations inspectors to search for the weapons of mass destruction Saddam Hussein supposedly had were always the better alternatives.

The U.S. should never wage war without buy-in from our allies. And, perhaps most important of all, preemptive war (attacking first, as opposed to responding to aggression) is always immoral and illegal and is the stuff of hubris. This was always true, no matter how compelling anyone found the intelligence in 2002.

Jeff Vaughn, Encino

..

To the editor: It is only the bodies of dead Americans that we count as collateral damage. What about the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed as a result of the war?

Dont do unto others as we do unto ourselves seems to be our new Golden Rule. This is a sublime form of racism.

Murtadha A. Khakoo, Fullerton

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and FacebookDedicated readers of the Los Angeles Times have probably noticed that the topic of abortion has occupied significant print real estate lately on the letters page (and taken up considerable digital bandwidth). Not surprisingly, several dozen letters to the editor on abortion were sent to us this week, most of them opposed to new laws in Alabama and Georgia.

So why is the topic occupying this space, and on a day when other abortion letters are being published? Its to point out that abortion is one of a few topics  like, say, gun control  where letters from readers tend to prompt a significant number of more letters from readers. In other words, we get a lot of letters to the editor on abortion written in response to other letters on abortion.

One published letter suggested talking about why women get pregnant when they do not want to. Reader Greg Seyranian obliges:

A letter writer correctly notes that unwanted pregnancies are the real root of the abortion issue. He wonders how such pregnancies might be avoided.

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We already know: free, readily available birth control and comprehensive sex education.

For good measure, we may want to throw in ironclad paternity laws that slap men with lifelong responsibility for the pregnancies they create. That might make rooms full of men a little less likely to continue legislating pregnancy as though it were strictly a womans problem.

Robert Scott of Los Angeles, discussing letters about boycotting Georgia, suggests better wording:

No wonder there is such a lack of agreement on what to do about abortion. Consider the terminology.

If youre not pro-life, youre pro-death. If youre not pro-choice, youre pro-compulsion. Who wants either of those? Instead we should think about the real effects on all of us.

What do you think of unwanted children? Are they a problem? Yes, of course. What do you think of unwilling mothers? Are they a problem? Yes, of course. I dont want us to have either.

Every decision on abortion should depend on the circumstances in each case. I would call this pro-society, but that seems too abstract. Just forget the terminology and make a thoughtful decision.

Melanie Clark of La Canada Flintridge responds to a letter that asserted every abortion ends a life:

It is emphatically untrue that an abortion necessarily stops a beating heart.

When I was an Army officer stationed in Germany during the Reagan administration, a soldiers wife in my unit became pregnant but the fetus died in utero. Under the cruel regulations of the pro-life president, this soldier was denied an abortion at the American military hospital, where she was told her pregnancy had to be carried to term even though the fetus had died.

This poor woman was forced to go to a local German hospital where she received an abortion quickly and with compassion.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and FacebookTo the editor: While I have great respect for anyone assigned to report on Sacramento, having covered it myself as a columnist in the Arnold Schwarzenegger era, I take issue with the article that credited Californias monied suburbs with stopping Senate Bill 50.

I run a nonprofit in Los Angeles involved in housing equity, and we have several thousand supporters including numerous groups and alliances in diverse, low-income and working-class areas. Hundreds of these residents fought SB 50, and they did this by relentlessly calling key legislators, writing emails and even making trips to Sacramento.

We saw the support for this toxic bill crumble among urban senators as the impact of what SB 50 would do  destroy and gentrify thriving urban communities  began to sink in. It was great to have the suburban allies fighting side by side with and just as hard as those of us from urban areas.

But give credit where credit is due, please.

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Jill Stewart, Los Angeles

The writer is executive director of the Coalition to Preserve L.A.

..

To the editor: Some issues should not be on the plate for regular folks to decide. This decision on housing needs to be made by the state.

Its only natural that the NIMBY (not in my backyard) attitude will prevail. It is about housed residents self-interest versus the interests of the less- advantaged.

The same scenario is happening in Venice, with the controversy over the proposed housing project for homeless people raging on. The neighbors on the canals are proudly displaying Stop the Monster signs on the frontyards of the multimillion-dollar homes.

Many of these people are proud liberals. Really, its one or the other.

Michele Castagnetti, Venice

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and FacebookSeveral local residents voiced their opposition recently to a decision by the Burbank Housing Corp. to close its after-school facilities.

They spoke during a Burbank City Council meeting on Tuesday to tell officials that the nonprofits student facilities  Catalina Activity Center, Elmwood Achievement Center, Peyton-Grismer Activity Center and Verdugo Activity Center  had been shut down without any prior notice.

As of Friday, the nonprofit removed traces of its free after-school program, called BHC Scholars, from its website. Additionally, the website for the program was modified to just read Under Construction.

Resident Rafael Barrero, whose daughter attended the Catalina Activity Center at 2321 N. Catalina St., said the facility offered a lotof good education and mentorship programs for students to help expand on what they learn during the school year.

Its sort of a leadership and educational foundation thats been created to support kids who may not have moms or dads who can help with homework or even just families who need help with studies, he said.

Sandra Ocheaga, a former employee of the Elmwood Achievement Center, told council members that the centers gave children, especially those with special needs, a place where they could be heard and receive one-on-one tutoring.

It was a special place, she said. Special-needs kids felt comfortable there because they felt that respect  and not just from adults but from their peers. I felt like we were creating wonderful community members.

Chris Welker, vice president of the Burbank Housing Corp.s board of directors, said she and her colleagues unanimously voted during their previous meeting to shutter the facilities after a lengthy discussion.

She added that the board had a difficult time balancing the dwindling use of the after-school programs and the rising costs to keep the centers operating.

As you who are in the same situation and bound to be fiscally responsible, so are we, Welker said. Its evident that we did not expect questions about our board actions that would create this level of interest, and for that, our board takes absolute responsibility.

Ruth Martinez-Baenen, a board member for the nonprofit, added that letters were sent to each family involved with the centers and no calls were received afterward.

To address why the decision was made, Welker said Judith Arandes, executive director of the Burbank Housing Corp., will be creating a report detailing the reasons why the board decided to close the after-school centers.

Arandes was not available for an interview on Friday.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpioAbout 20 community leaders and local business professionals congregated at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School in Burbank on Friday to talk with students about being leaders to coincide with the birthday of the the schools namesake.

From the local board of education president to an executive of Amazon Studios, all the guests that morning fielded questions from students about how they lead and how they got their leadership roles.

For about 20 years, the school has been celebrating President Roosevelts birthday in different ways, and this year, kindergarten teacher Linda Walmsley thought it would be a good idea to bring in representatives from the community to talk about leadership.

In my 47 years as a teacher, you never know whats going to happen, Walmsley said. You do these things in hopes of inspiring these kids.

Using Burbank Board of Education President Steve Ferguson  who was one of the guests that morning  as an example, Walmsley said there was probably something that happened during his time at Roosevelt, where he was a student, that sparked his interest in speaking on issues he believes in.

And now hes on TV every other Thursday [during school board meetings], telling the whole world about that, Walmsley said.

Ferguson spent his morning talking with John Pikes third-grade class about his role on the board of education and how decisions he and his colleagues make affect students.

The first few questions Ferguson received were about what he does as the board president, but the topic quickly changed to the best places for someone to get ice cream.

Its important to expose young people to different types of leaders in our community, and I love and celebrate the fact that the staff here feels that thats important as well, Ferguson said. Whether or not the students have a full understanding of what I do or what any of these leaders do, they do know that I like ice cream and that they like ice cream. So if I like ice cream, then they can be whatever they want.

J.D. Black, senior marketing lead of original movies at Amazon Studios and whose son attends Roosevelt Elementary, said it was a pleasure to stop by and speak with students about his love of movies.

I just want the kids to have passion in what they want to do and find what they are interested in and pursue that, Black said.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpioThe Huntington Beach Planning Commission on Tuesday will consider an applicants request to build a four-story building with 48 new condominiums and commercial space near Beach Boulevard.

The project would demolish an existing liquor store, a residence and a portion of the defunct Metro car wash lot on a property thats just under an acre at 8041 Ellis Ave.

Project manager Jeff Herbst of Irvine-based MCG Architecture is seeking a conditional use permit to move forward with the proposal.

This new development will be an enhancement to the community by adding a modern environmentally friendly & small sale mixed use complex with unit pricing sized to suit the average consumer, Herbst wrote in May 1 letter to the city planning department. The location allows owners to visit amenities such as Helme Park, medical, dental and eye care centers as well as local markets all within a short walking distance.

The project calls for six, 645-square-foot one-bedroom units and 42 slightly larger, 880-square-foot two-bedrooms. The buildings ground floor would include both condos and retail.

The plan is to sell the units to individual buyers, however, if for some reason the units are managed as rental apartments, five on-site units would be designated for lower-income renters. The proposed project would also help the city meet its share of regional housing by providing smaller and attainable units, according to the staff report.

Three levels of subterranean parking will provide 128 parking stalls for residents and shoppers. Security gates, which would open with access cards, will enclose the residential area.

A traffic impact analysis study found the proposed projects two-way travel lane driveway on Ellis Avenue would work at an acceptable level during peak morning and evening traffic hours, according to the staff report, however, residents may experience delays entering and exiting the site because of cars queuing on Ellis Avenue.

The proposed project is near several businesses and a hotel along busy Beach Boulevard, which carries up to 83,000 vehicles per day.

As of Friday, the city received one opposition letter from a resident who raised concerns about increasing traffic congestion.

Tuesdays meeting begins at 6 p.m. at 2000 Main Street.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.A gang member was sentenced Wednesday to 50 years to life in prison for fatally shooting a 19-year-old Huntington Beach woman whose body was found stuffed in a cooler in an abandoned car, authorities said.

A Los Angeles County jury on July 12 convicted Anthony Robert Moreno, 40, of Hacienda Heights of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a felon in the 2015 slaying of Dawn Molly McEveety.

Jurors also affirmed a special allegation that the killing was committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang with the intent to promote its criminal conduct.

Prosecutors said Moreno shot McEveety on Nov. 24, 2015, in the detached garage of a home in Artesia that was known as a gang hangout.

Moreno placed the body in a cooler and took it to the Whittier area, where it was left in a stolen 1991 Toyota Celica hatchback, prosecutors said.

Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies found McEveetys body in the Celica five days later. The car emitted a strong odor that indicated decomposition, authorities said.

Moreno was identified as a suspect in 2016 when he was in state prison in an unrelated case.

Moreno, whom authorities described as a documented gang member, previously was convicted of various firearms charges and driving a stolen vehicle.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCNUC Irvine has a new chief of police with the appointment this week of Elizabeth Liz Griffin.

Griffin comes from the Long Beach Police Department, where she joined as an officer in 1992 and moved up the ranks to sergeant, lieutenant and, ultimately, commander for the past six years, UCI said.

Griffin received a bachelors degree in criminal justice from Cal State Fullerton and a masters in emergency services administration from Cal State Long Beach. She also is a graduate of the Los Angeles Police Departments West Point Leadership Program and the FBI National Academy.

Griffin will oversee the UCI Police Departments 49 officers and about 60 other staff members serving the campus of nearly 37,000 students.

I am very honored to be chosen for the role, Griffin said Friday. I already feel like theyve accepted me as part of their family.

This isnt the first time Griffin has worked with college campuses. From 2013 to 2015, she was responsible for working with Long Beach City College on behalf of Long Beach police.

From 2015 to 2017, she was commander of the east division, which includes Cal State Long Beach, where most students live off campus.

The UCI Police Department handles patrol, investigations and emergency management on the campus, as well as public safety services at UCI Medical Center in Orange, the university said.

The goal is to continue to build and develop partnerships for the campus community, Griffin said.

Griffin replaces interim Chief Paul Cooper, who had served in the role since last year.

Chief Griffins depth of experience and community involvement makes her the right person to lead the UCI Police Department and advance our community policing efforts by developing collaborative partnerships throughout the campus community, Ronald Cortez, UCIs chief financial officer, said in a statement.

Cortez also is vice chancellor for the division of finance and administration, which includes campus police.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.As a child, Flor Edwards prayed for a good death.

A quick and painless end. One that would spare her from the torments of an approaching apocalypse.

Edwards grew up in the Children of God, a cult that emerged in Huntington Beach in the 1960s. The group followed ordinations from Father David Berg. Like many cult leaders and false prophets, Bergs doctrine preached an impending apocalypse  his was slated for 1993.

I would go to bed praying to be shot if it happened, said Edwards, now 37, of Long Beach. I thought that would be the easiest way to go.

Edwards plans to speak about her childhood trials from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Newport Beach Public Library, 1000 Avocado Ave., where she will highlight her debut memoir, Apocalypse Child: A Life in End Times, detailing her unusual upbringing in an iconic cult of the hippie era.

Berg, who came from a long line of evangelists and preachers, started gathering social castaways on the Huntington Beach Pier in the 1960s. He formed the cult in earnest in 1968. He knew what those who felt unconnected thought they needed. His promises and dicta were prescribed accordingly.

He was very charismatic in the beginning, said Jeanette Solano, an associate professor of religious studies at Cal State Fullerton. He knew how to communicate and motivate. He knew how to write in a simple way that could appeal to the masses and motivate them.

Martin Luther did the same thing. He was able to write booklets and pamphlets that explained complex ideas in a simple way to gather many followers.

Children under the auspices of the Children of God cult sleep in one of the rooms raided in 1993 by Argentine police. Authorities arrested about 30 adults from the sect. They were charged with kidnapping. (Getty Images)

Edwards mother and father met in 1978, shortly after joining the Children of God, where Edwards spent her first 12 years. Her childhood was atypical to say the least. Familial ties were dissolved; every member was part of The Family. Berg was the father.

Everything was broken down so the parents didnt have control over the raising of the children, Solano said. Parental authority was abdicated to the community.

At its height, the Children of God boasted about 14,000 members. Celebrities Joaquin and River Phoenix and Rose McGowan were raised in the cult.

Days were strictly regimented.

Every single minute we were being watched, Edwards said. We woke at 7 a.m. and had work time. Then we would get information from Father David. We did a lot of chores. We would have some exercise in the afternoon, then some time with our families before going to bed at 8 p.m.

Congregants were on a perpetual exodus through third-world countries, living in compounds of about 50. By age 12, Edwards had lived in 24 homes in various countries, including Sweden, Mexico and Thailand.

Schooling was minimal. The only important information in the lives of the congregants came from Berg.

A young Flor Edwards points to a map while in Phuket, Thailand. Edwards lived in various countries while growing up in the Children of God. (Courtesy of Flor Edwards)

Bergs doctrine centered on his apocalyptic musings, aversion to Western customs, and sexual openness. His teachings and orders were either written or given to the group through an intermediary. Members never saw him.

He was a totalitarian phantom, issuing orders behind a curtain. Photos seen by his adherents were doctored so a head of a lion stood on his shoulders  a lion shepherding sheep.

His the Western-world-is-sick-because-of-materialism credo differed little from many of the mid-century cults. What separated the Children of God was its sexually liberal ideology  everybody had sex with everybody.

Sex and God were joined together, Edwards said. Sex was an act of Gods love.

Edwards remembers as a child hearing moaning of adults throughout the compounds. Some former members claim they were victims of molestation and statutory rape.

Berg ordered the women to use sex to attract new members, a technique he called flirty fishing.

He sent women to prostitute themselves  this was evangelism for him, Edwards said. It was a way for them to go out and spread Gods message.

A leading member of the Children of God cult walks with his wife and child in the countryside near Thurber, Texas, in 1971. (AP)

But the primary tenet was the promise of martyrdom. The world would end in 1993, evil would fall and congregants would be lifted to the heavens. For many, it was something to look forward to. But for children, it was tortuous.

I would think a lot about the fact that I was going to die as a martyr at 12, Edwards said. I grew up my entire childhood never really thinking I would become an adult.

Edwards became obsessed with death, thinking of the myriad ways she would die. Many of those scenarios were biblical  maybe shed be crucified or hung.

For many it was euphoric thinking about the afterlife, Edwards said. We earned that spot in heaven  we were the chosen ones. But in my mind, I couldnt just think about the afterlife but that threshold we had to cross to get there. It plagued me as a child.

But the biblical harbingers of doomsday didnt appear. The year 1993 came and went. The seven trumpets didnt sound, the four horsemen never showed and Father David Bergs prophecy proved false. The cult began to crumble.

Edwards, along with many other members, left the cult with her family shortly after Berg died in 1994. Today the Children of God is known as the Family International, a shade of its former self.

A new member is initiated into the Children of God while sitting in one of the cabins of the cults colony at Burlington, Wash., in 1971. (AP)

Leaving the haunted world of a cult wasnt a seamless transition. Edwards and her fellow expats had trouble connecting with others, always trying to keep the past hidden.

Once I knew that I had been in a cult, my eyes were opened, Edwards said. In the beginning I was confused. I was embarrassed and couldnt talk to people. My sisters and I started going to school. I realized I had to hide my path. Even now, when people say Where are you from? I always shake my head.

Tragedy devoured many. Suicide, addiction, financial ruin.

One of the most tragic distinguishing characteristics of Children of God is that there are now thousands of children born into the group who were extremely isolated, minimally educated and, in some cases, sexually abused, said Solano, who brought Edwards to speak at Cal State Fullerton in December. The suicide rate is very high for former childhood members, and the loss of parental influence in their lives forever shapes them. Ironically, many who leave turn to drugs and are atheists or agnostics.

Not Edwards. She attained a bachelors degree in print journalism from Fullerton and a masters in creative writing from UC Riverside. Shes working on her masters in English at Cal State Long Beach.

Writing became an important tool, helping Edwards uncoil the tangled web of her cult years. It took 12 years to write her memoir, Apocalypse Child, which was published last year.

While doing research, Edwards studied the anatomy of cults. While it may be a reasonable assumption that a person whose childhood was stolen by a cult would dislike cults, Edwards concluded that cults are better understood as a commentary on the ills and deficits of general society.

I think the biggest misunderstanding is that cults are bad, Edwards said. The truth is a cult serves a purpose. Its people coming together to rebel against the status quo. It means they are unhappy with something in larger society.

Edwards writing has helped her come to terms with her traumatic past.

It was extremely cathartic, Edwards said. It was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. This was something I had to do.

benjamin.brazil@latimes.com

Twitter:@benbrazilpilotState Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge) said he shelved Senate Bill 50, which would have increased housing around mass transit areas and in single-family home neighborhoods across California, in part, because its punitive to cities that are already working to increase housing production.

He singled out Glendale and Pasadena as examples.

We should be rewarding the cities that are doing good work [with affordable housing], not saying to those cities, Were going to take all your land-use authority, Portantino said about a week after it came to light that he decided to kill the bill for the year, thereby catapulting him into the center of a debate over how to best solve the states housing crisis.

While the bills author, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), agreed some cities are producing more housing than others, he said they are the exception, not the rule.

Its not about whos a good actor and whos a bad actor, its about how do we create 3.5 million homes and wheres the most sustainable place to put them, said Wiener, citing the states reported housing deficit.

According to Wiener, the bill wouldnt eviscerate local land-use authority but reshift the balance between the state and cities.

Under the proposed legislation, cities would need to allow at least four homes on plots designated for single-family homes, but it would still keep in place local height, setback and design standards in those areas.

Around mass-transit hubs, cities would be required to allow four-to five-story apartment complexes.

Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian, who applauded Portantinos decision, said hes committed to maintaining the citys single-family home zoning as well as working to produce affordable housing.

Earlier this month, Glendale adopted an inclusionary zoning ordinance, requiring developers of new rental projects with more than seven units to earmark 15% of those apartments for low-income tenants or pay a fee.

We are going to great extents to do our planning to make sure that the housing that we do permit is built in the appropriate areas, and we do take into account public transit, said Najarian, who is a Los Angeles Metro board member and vice chairman of Metrolink.

The presumption behind SB 50 is that cities are not doing their proper urban planning and theyre not doing enough to create housing. At least for the city of Glendale, nothing could be further from the truth, Najarian added.

Glendale needs to create 2,017 more housing units than it had in 2014 by 2021, including 508 units of very-low-income housing, under a Regional Housing Needs Assessment, or RHNA, by the Southern California Assn. of Governments, or SCAG, in 2011.

A RHNA progress report showed Glendale had issued 3,291 total housing-construction permits by 2017 since the goals were set in 2014. More than 3,100 of those permits were for above-moderate-income level permits, accounting for 360% of the citys above-moderate-income unit goal for 2021.

According to the report, the city still needs to build 969 more units across all other income levels in order to meet its goals. Glendale has completed 17% of its very-low-income unit goal, with a total of 88 units built since 2014, the report showed. It has met .3% of its moderate-income unit goal, with only one unit reportedly added since 2014.

This year, the city is holding a housing lottery for 30 very-low-income units and one low-income unit.

So far, city officials have received 18,000 applications, according to Pamela Jackson, an administrative analyst with the city.

According to Portantino, the answer to spurring housing production is offering cities financial incentives.

Currently, he is co-spearheading a bill to bring back a dedicated state funding source for affordable housing, akin to Californias now-shuttered redevelopment agencies.

Senate Bill 5 cleared the state Senates appropriations committee last week and will now head to the Senate floor for a full vote.

Another bill that would allow Glendale officials to repurpose $27 million in bonds originally intended for redevelopment projects to build affordable housing cleared the Senate this week. Senate Bill 532 is sponsored by the city of Glendale and authored by Portantino.

While Wiener supports SB 5, he said, Its is absolutely inaccurate to claim that redevelopment will solve Californias housing crisis.

SB 50 is expected to come back before the state legislature in January, barring unforeseen circumstances, Wiener said.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.Enrique Hernandezs 2019 season began with an encouraging start. He mashed enough in spring training to be named the Dodgers everyday second baseman, getting rid of the utility tag for the first time in his major league career, and carried the blistering bat over to the regular season.

He homered twice on opening day and had six home runs by the end of April. He recorded two hits May 1, running his on-base-plus-slugging percentage up to .863. He hasnt posted a multi-hit game since. Entering Fridays game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Hernandez was batting .140 with a .399 OPS, one home run, 18 strikeouts and four walks in 63 plate appearances since May 2.

Hernandez, 27, explained frustration was the source of his struggles. He was hitting the ball hard late last month but wasnt getting good results. As a result, he began swinging at pitches outside the strike zone and his production plunged.

It just seemed like I couldnt catch a break and before we knew it, it was bad, said Hernandez, who batted seventh Friday and went 0 for 4 with a walk and a strikeout. Overall, hes batting .216 with an OPS of .684

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The frustration, Hernandez said, threw his mechanics out of whack and affected his pitch recognition, which increased his swings on pitches out of the strike zone. Hes working to make the proper adjustments. For manager Dave Roberts, getting Hernandez back to his April production starts with not letting frustration  and pressure  accumulate.

Its trying too hard, Roberts said. I think its something where you have an opportunity you havent had in your entire career, you want to hold onto it and that leads to trying too hard. I would say that more than being overexposed. Ive seen him pitched differently over the last few years and Ive seen him make adjustments. I know hes going to come out of it and I know he can handle it.

Enrique Hernandez throws out a runner from his knees after diving for the ball during a game against the Cincinnati Reds on May 17. (Joe Robbins / TNS)

Kelly placed on bereavement list

The Dodgers placed right-hander Joe Kelly on the bereavement list Friday and recalled outfielder Kyle Garlick from triple-A Oklahoma City to take his spot on the roster.

A player must spend at least three games on the bereavement list and not more than seven. Roberts said Kelly will rejoin the team Monday in Los Angeles for the Dodgers series opener against the New York Mets.

It is the second major league call-up for Garlick, who made his debut Sunday with a pinch-hit appearance. Garlick, 27, is batting .280 with 10 home runs and a 1.002 OPS in 35 games for Oklahoma City.

Short hops

Roberts said Pedro Baez was probably unavailable Friday, three days after taking a line drive off his right knee, but he should be available to pitch Saturday.

Baez was scheduled to throw off a mound for the first time since Tuesday before Fridays game at PNC Park.

Roberts said an injury wasnt why he took out third baseman Justin Turner in the seventh inning Friday. He said he wanted to give Turner some rest and he wont be in Saturdays starting lineup. His body is sort of taking a little beating, so to get him off his feet was a good thing, Roberts said.

Sign up for our Dodgers newsletter 

jorge.castillo@latimes.com

Twitter: @jorgecastilloTens of thousands of Israelis gathered in the central city of Tel Aviv on Saturday, protesting proposed legislation granting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immunity from prosecution on a series of corruption charges.

The protesters outside the citys Museum of Art also called for protecting Israels democratic identity from government overreach.

The rally was a show of force by the new opposition parties a month after Netanyahu was reelected to his fourth successive term as prime minister.

Yair Lapid of Israels Blue and White party compared Netanyahus efforts to consolidate his power to Turkeys authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

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We wont let you be Erdogan. We wont have a Turkish dictator. We wont allow it, Laid said, addressing Netanyahu.

Some demonstrators wore Ottoman-style fez hats, a reference to Turkey, and waved Israeli flags and banners calling for keeping Israel free.

The demonstrators say Netanyahus incoming coalition is pushing for legislation to shield him from prosecution and is looking to restrict the power of the Supreme Court. Netanyahu is in the final stages of trying to form a new coalition government.

We are not your subjects. We wont let you destroy the Supreme Court. You are not above the law, Lapid told the crowds.

In February, Israels attorney general decided to indict Netanyahu on corruption charges, pending a final hearing.- The alleged 4th baby mama of Ubi Franklin, Sandra Iheuwa, has spoken out or the first time

- According to her, Franklin borrowed the sum of N8m and has been unable to pay back despite signing a legal agreement to do so

- She went to state that he paid several bloggers to write false stories about her in order to tarnish her image

Earlier on, Legit.ng reported the news of how Nigerian business entrepreneur, Ubi Franklin once again became the topic of discussion after a US-based Nigerian lady came out to claim she is expecting his 4th child.

Following his silence on the issue, the lady identified as Sandra Iheuwa, has finally opened up on the true status of their relationship. It turns out not only is she pregnant for Franklin whom she met in 2017, he borrowed the sum of N8m from her which he has been unable to pay back.

Sharing photos of the legal agreement which was signed by both parties, she narrated: "As you all know there has been rumors about me and I would like to clear the air on these issues once. I work hard for my money and I have been through a lot to get to where I am now. To be a woman financially independent without any man's help. I did all this without the help of any sugar daddy runs or selling my body. I am an adult and who I chose to be with is my decision.

READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com)

I met Ubi Franklin in May 2017 at a concert while on vacation in London I had no idea he was a celebrity or public figure a friend of mine told me who he was. We exchanged contacts and started talking. I returned to America where we later met up during one of his visits. As a business woman I could easily relate with him and found him interesting which he said the same about me. Down the line he came to me seeking funds to help push his business and I totally understood how it felt when money could stop you from achieving your business dreams. During this time we became very close.

I offered to loan him the sum of Eight million naira not including the ones I gave him in dollars to help with child support and other issues he had. So I got my lawyer draw up a final settlement agreement letter which he agreed to sign as well as his lawyer and agreed to pay on March 8th 2019. .

READ ALSO: 5-year-old girl named 'most beautiful in the world' becomes international model

Ubi Franklin has been going around tarnishing my image since December 2018 paying bloggers to write fake stories about me to save his image and y'all know I havent said a word and kept quiet but enough is enough as there's so much one can take, he can do it with other people but not me because this woman has had enough. .

There are rumors flying around saying that I was engaged please if you bought a ring and engaged me or paid my brides price from May 2017 till date please speak up biko so I will know I have a husband to be that I am not aware of. .

I challenge you Ubi Franklin to dispute my claims because I'm ready to fight you fire for fire with concrete and hard proof. I want my money remaining 4 million as proceeding will be filed in court on Monday morning. The same way you have an image to save it's the same way I will save and protect mine. F#ck you @ubifranklintriplemg

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App

While this is causing quite the ruckus on social media, Ubi Franklin is yet to respond to the heavy allegations labelled against him by the expectant mother.

This news has shocked quite a number of people as the news of yet another baby on the way, comes barely a few weeks after he confirmed he was expecting his third child from his former worker, a South African lady named Nicola Siyo.

HELLO! NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better

Would you marry a baby mama or baby 'papa'? | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ngAt least one shot was fired and a firearm was recovered in a large fight Thursday near Stroudsburg High School, police said.

No one was wounded by the gunfire during the melee at Westgate Apartments across West Main Street from the school in Stroudsburg, Monroe County. Multiple people, however, were taken to local hospitals with injuries resulting from the fight, police said.

"The community is not in any danger as a result of this incident," Stroud Area Regional Police Chief Jennifer Lyon says in a news release.

Police were dispatched about 2:35 p.m. for the fight and found "a large gathering with several people actively fighting," Lyon says.

One police officer was spat on and kicked numerous times by a juvenile female who was among several people taken into custody from "an uncooperative combative crowd," according to police.

While authorities were taking the girl into custody, another juvenile female hit a Pennsylvania State Trooper in the head and tried to pull him away from the first girl, who was on the ground, according to a news release from state police at Stroudsburg.

Police charged the first juvenile female with riot, aggravated assault, resisting arrest and related charges. The second girl was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, obstruction of justice and related charges.

Authorities did not identify either of the suspects, who were 15 and 17 years old.

The investigation into the incident was continuing, and police asked anyone with information or video to call state police at Stroudsburg at 570-619-6480. The incident number to reference is PA2019-673153.

Assisting Stroud Area Regional police and Pennsylvania State Police were Pocono Township police, East Stroudsburg University police, Monroe County detectives, Stroudsburg School District security and local EMS.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.TROPHIES

Michelle Tatosian is just a half-dozen years removed from a period of drug addiction and recurring rehab stints. Now shes making the most of her sobriety. The Washington Township resident just graduated from Northampton Community College with a 4.0 GPA graduate and was named the top community college student in Pennsylvania, as a New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar. That honor, along with an All-PA Academic Team scholarship, will give her a full ride at East Stroudsburg University, where she hopes to earn a nursing degree and go on to post-graduate work to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner, working with inmates in prisons. A survivor of seven attempts at rehab, Tatosian hopes to help people after incarceration and create programs that crack Americas high recidivism rates.

The Easton Police Department is again taking aim at graffiti  not just to remove it for aesthetic purposes, but to make a record of gang tags and keep a file on them. This week police officers and city public services workers tackled the former Lehigh Valley Railroad Station at the foot of South Side, a wellspring for gang tags. The abandoned station, owned by Norfolk Southern, had become a spray-painted eyesore. Police Chief Carl Scalzo says the program is part of crime fighting, and the quicker the city removes the tagging, the less likely it is to return.

Eastons Cheston Elementary School has been a Leader in Me school for three years, encouraging kids to adopt good habits for learning. This year the school held it first Leadership Day, in which students demonstrated the 7 Habits of Effective People as part of the program. Among other things, classes found ways to drop eggs from the school roof without breaking them; performed a variety of Aesops Fables and connected them to the 7 Habits; created My Future Story Boards, depicting their ambitions in life; and researched career possibilities.

Gary DiPasquale is calling it a career after running one of Eastons oldest family-owned dry cleaning businesses. Hes be closing his shop on the 1100 block of Northampton Street next month, ending a run that started when his mother and father opened a tailor shop in the citys West Ward during World War II. For decades customers brought in formal and work clothing that required dry cleaning, but thats not the rule anymore. We live in a casual society now. People dont dress up anymore, DiPasquale said. He says hell fill up his days in retirement with his wife Lindy in their neighborhood and playing his guitar at assisted living facilities and nursing homes, and with a trio at weekend dances.

TURKEYS

Turnout in U.S. elections has always been a roller coaster ride, peaking in presidential years and dipping in off-years. Tuesdays Pennsylvania primary  featuring judicial, county, municipal and school board races  hit what might be an all-time low in Northampton County, with 11.5 percent of registered voters casting ballots. If you calculate the turnout as a percentage of all voting-age people, it drops into the single digits. Compare this to 2016, when 70 percent of voters took part in the Trump-Clinton race; turnout for the Obama-Romney choice in 2012 was 63 percent. Its time for the state Legislature to consider open primaries, which would allow independents to vote and let Democrats and Republicans participate in either partys balloting.Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

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If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .

Support our mission and join our community now.Fianna Fail and Fine Gael look set to share most council seats while the Green Party has made a big impact in todays elections, especially in the European Parliament poll, according to the REDC exit poll for RTE and TG4.

The exit poll also reveals that 87% of voters are backing a yes vote in the divorce referendum change.

The two big parties each stand at 23% following the exit poll which surveyed 3,000 voters. Next up was Sinn Fein on 12% with Green Party coming in fourth at 9% of votes in the local elections.

Labour vote is stuck at 6% while up to 15% of voters are backing independents.

Support for the Greens is more notable in the European elections. In Dublin the Green Party's former TD Ciaran Cuffe looks set to top the poll with 23% of the vote.

Kildare voters cast their European votes in the four-seater Midlands North West. Sitting MEP Mairead McGuinness of Fine Gael is likely to top the poll on 25% support, and could bring in her FG running mate, ex-Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh, a first-time candidate, who is on 10%, along with sitting MEP Luke 'Ming' Flanagan. Matt Carthy of Sinn Fein is second with 15% and former outside shot Saoirse McHugh of the Greens polled strongly after her strong debating performance last week and is in third on 12%. Controversial ex-Presidential candidate Peter Casey is on 7% - but Fianna Fail are struggling according to the exit poll, with Brendan Smith and Anne Rabbitte on 6% and 3% support respectively. Dominic Hannigan of Labour and Fidelma Healy Eames (Ind) bring up the rear with 3% respectively (note, the poll has a margin of error of +/- 4%)

Counting of votes gets underway on Saturday morning.Newbridge Twinning Committee is delighted with the recent visit of a very large group from its twin town Bad Lippspringe in Germany.

This year the group included 23 young people from the Katholische Landjugend, which is somewhat similar to the Irish scout movement and 18 of them stayed in the scout den in Newbridge for a spell during the visit.

They were treated to a barbecue and games and interaction on their arrival at the den by the Newbridge scouts and indeed the weekend was a big success for both groups, said the committees Peter ONeill.

The weekend (Saturday April 27) started with a visit to Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation where the connection only came to light recently. It was to Glencree that hundreds of German children came after W W 2 to be rehabilitated and then fostered out to Irish families.

This was part of Operation Shamrock in Glencree run by the Irish Red Cross and the French Sisters of Charity and it has transpired that over fifty of the children came from the Paderborn and Bad Lippspringe area.

He explained permission was also secured to visit Turlough Hill to see German machinery there, and another highlight was at Naas races where the German ambassador Deike Potzel was the special guest.

The ambassador is a great supporter of the twinning concept and was delighted to see so many young people involved with us, he said.

A farewell party was held on Tuesday night with music, chat and some food and on Wednesday a very tired busload departed on their return journey but with many promises of coming back again in 2020.

The work of the twinning committee now turns to August when already over 120 adults and children are booked to travel to Bad Lippspringe for the Town Festival of Light.Irelands network of independent craft breweries, the Independent Craft Brewers of Ireland or ICBI, hosts their annual Indie Beer Week this year from Wednesday, May 22, to Sunday, May 26.

Read also: Kildare students are finalists in 2019 Schools Apprentice Chef

Indie Beer Week is a collaborative event, promoted by brewers across the island of Ireland through a series of nationwide events. The aim of Indie Beer Week is to shine a light on Irelands brilliant independent brewers, and maybe introduce beer drinkers to some tasty new beers or breweries with which they may not be familiar.

While beer is Ireland favourite alcoholic beverage, craft beer accounts for less than 3% of the total beer market. Meanwhile, this 3% is produced by almost 100 breweries or brewing companies, many of whom make up the over 30-strong membership of the official representative trade body for independently-operated microbreweries in Ireland, the Independent Craft Brewers of Ireland.

Participants in Indie Beer Week are not required to be members of the ICBI, but they do have to be independently-owned Irish breweries and meet the criteria for a microbrewery which is laid out by the government and Revenue.

During Indie Beer Week, breweries are planning a variety of beer related events. Now in its third year in response to the publics thirst for independent, authentic, exciting beers, Indie Beer Week has grown dramatically since its first incarnation.

Breweries are collaborating with their local pubs, restaurants or off-licences for tap take-overs and tastings. Some are planning live music and local food events to highlight their diverse range of beers; while others will open their doors to the public, welcoming locals and visitors alike for tours and tastings.

Many more breweries are planning special releases of new beers to mark the occasion. Many of the events focus on strengthening the connection between a brewery and its locality, which underlines the importance of these small beer businesses to the communities in which they are based.

Moreover, understanding the importance of small local businesses is an ethos which is not limited to geographic boundaries, so other family run or independent businesses elsewhere can support other likeminded producers and business owners.

At the launch of Indie Beer Week which was held in Dublin recently, we tried a couple of new beers which will be making an appearance at this years celebrations. These beers are from breweries who are actively participating in this years programme.

Up first was Dungarvan Brewings Main Sail, Irelands first alcohol free-independent craft beer. There is a greater awareness of the desire for beers that taste fantastic yet are light on alcohol and this beer cleverly hits the mark. Through careful malt selection and generous hops, this beer is full of flavour yet clocks in at a mere 0.5 ABV.

It tastes clean, very drinkable and doesnt suffer from some of the undesirable flavours that can make no and low alcohol beer difficult to enjoy.

The beer is a triumph, a beverage you can keep drinking that packs a tasty punch that you wont regret the next morning.

The next beer we were exited to try was Et Tu Brut IPA from the Boyne Brewhouse. The beer has a lovely, cloudy, yeasty body. It is dry and juicy with a moreish zesty flavour. We found it smooth and very drinkable.

At a reasonably hefty 7% ABV we found the alcohol very well integrated and surprisingly hard to detect.

Brut IPAs are brewed using the enzyme amyloglucosidase. This enzyme has the ability to break down complex sugars that might not otherwise ferment. This gives the yeast a bonus meal during fermentation and results in a bonedry beer of higher ABV.

Before it was used to brew IPA style beers, it was commonly used to brew boozy, big, imperial stouts that were not cloyingly super sweet on the finish.

See www.indiebeerweek.ie for more information.

Judith Boyle is a qualified chemist (MSc) and accredited beer sommelier. Susan Boyle is a playwright, artist and drinks consultant. See www.awinegoosechase.com.

Both sisters are proud to be fifth-generation publicans. Their family business is Boyles bar and off-licence in Kildare townCounty Leitrim had the highest number of internees per capita from 1925 -1950. Author Patrick Flanagan from Roscommon has been working for eleven years with acclaimed American author, Kathleen Hegarty Thorne in the production of a trilogy of landmark books concerning the Irish Republican Army during the first half of the twentieth century.

Echoes of Their Footsteps chronicles the day-to-day events throughout Ireland, accompanied by thousands of source references, hundreds of appropriate pictures and a few charts.

Half of the final volume, a hardback of almost 700 pages has just been completed and is ready to purchase.

Echoes of Their Footsteps: The Rocky Road To A Republic 1925-2950, is devoted to a litany of the men and women who were imprisoned or interned in the Free State, Northern Ireland and England during World War II, totaling over one thousand in all.

According to Mr Flanagan County Leitrim had the highest number of internees per capita. There is no similar listing anywhere.

One excerpt from the book features the McCormack brothers from Roscunnish, Drumshanbo.

Bertie, John and Hugh McCormack all spent time in prison for the republican cause. Here are some of the details from this fascinating book.

Bertie McCormack joined the IRA about 1934, and when Jimmy Joe Reynolds was killed on the border in 1938, McCormack became the O/C of Leitrim.

He worked on the English Campaign and was deported for his activities.

He was arrested in 1939 and placed in Arbour Hill, from which he was released via the MacBride writ of habeas corpus.

Freedom was short-lived. He was again interned on February 7, 1940 in the Glasshouse and transferred to the main camp in April, where he served on the camp council until headquarters' men came later in the year and took over the council in November.

In January 1941 he was fingered along with about fifty other men and placed in the Glasshouse where a reign of terror ruled.

On February 21, 1941 he was taken to Collins Barracks to stand trial for setting fire to the huts.

He received a three-year ticket into Mountjoy but twenty-seven months later was returned to the Curragh.

Just before Christmas of 1944, Bertie was released after which time he continued to be active in reorganising IRA units while building a business in Dublin.

He was a carpenter and joiner by trade. He also maintained involvement with the Army Council as well as standing on the Sinn Fein ticket in 1955.

Bertie McCormack died in October 1998 and is buried in Kilmashogue Cemetery.

His brother Hugh McCormack also joined the IRA about 1934, taken in by Leo Duignan.

He worked on the English Campaign but was deported, whereas Duignan had to serve ten hard years.

Hugh was arrested on June 2, 1940, taken to Carrick-on-Shannon in order to collect more men, and then driven straight to the Curragh. He was released four long years later on September 12, 1944.

Along with his brother Bertie and Leo Duignan, Hugh built many houses in Dublin. He was also an accomplished fiddle player.

John L McCormack brother of Bertie and Hugh was arrested on June 2, 1940, taken to the barracks in Drumshanbo, transported to Carrick-on-Shannon, where he met up with like-minded comrades.

All were loaded into lorries and taken to the Curragh, where he entered the camp in July.

He was granted a four-week leave to assist his mother and father in moving from their Co Leitrim home to Garlow Cross, Co. Meath.

Released from the Curragh in late summer of 1944 , John. never returned to Leitrim but instead settled on the family farm near Trim.

He was active during the Border Wars of the 1950s and served time in Mountjoy for such involvement.

The McCormack brothers feature along side many other Leitrim men in this new book.

Other Leitrim men featured in Volume III include, Leo Duignan from Aghacashel, Ballinamore men, Mick Ferguson, Michael Heslin, John Joe McGirl, and the Gilhooley brothers, Packy Dolan and Michael McIntyre from Drumshanbo.

Volume I of the book looks at the quest for Irish freedom 1913-1922, Volume II is based on the Irish Civil War 1922-1924 and Volume III is the Rocky Road to the Republic 1925-1950.

Kathleen Hegarty Thorne is also the author of They Put The Flag A Flyin.

This book along with the other volumes are available to purchase online from generationpublishing.com

Read Also: Communities urged to have your say as part of Leitrim forestry studyLABOUR TD Jan O'Sullivan has defended her party's two-candidate strategy in City North.

With a third of the tallies north of the Shannon done, Conor Sheehan and Anne Cronin are in the fight of their lives to win a seat.

Mr Sheehan, Corbally has 200 votes according to tallies, while Ms Cronin, Ennis Road, has polled just 95.

Despite this, Ms O'Sullivan is confident both have a future in politics.

She said: "It is early days. A lot of boxes opened wouldn't be the ones most friendly to us. In particular, I'd hope the Corbally boxes would be good to us - it's my base, it's Conor's base. I still think it was the right thing to do to run two candidates. We were ambitious for both of them, and I wouild see a future of politics for both of them."

There is better news for the Labour party in City West, with tallies showing Cllr Joe Leddin likely to sail home. Half way through polling here, he has received 611 votes, tallies show. He is topping the poll so far.

Ms O'Sullivan described Cllr Leddin as a " good solid politician".

"I'm delighted for Joe, I think he deserves it," she said.

She hopes if returned, the City West member can put pressure on the executive to ramp up its house building programme.

In Ireland South, Sheila Nunan is struggling, with just 3% of the poll.

On this, Ms O'Sullivan blamed the surge in support for the Green Party.

"Sheila was a great candidate. I think it was the Green wave with Sheila. I've been looking at the European tallies and Sheila has received a lot of number twos from Grace O'Sullivan. Certainly, Green is the flavour and the colour of the month, she concluded.

Meanwhile, Senator Kieran O'Donnell has also defended Fine Gael's northside strategy - they have run four here, and at present, Olivia O'Sullivan is way ahead of her running mates with almost 10% of the vote, according to tallies.

He said: "Every election is different. We are at very early stages. We had a good campaign. But they are tough."AFTER A long day at the Limerick Racecourse, the tallies in all six districts across the city and county have been completed, indicating an exciting day of results this Sunday.

Here is a rundown of all the different areas by all our reporters, who spent hours analysing tallies, minute-by-minute, and speaking with the various candidates at the count centre.

This Sunday morning, follow our live blog for the official results when candidates will discover their fate, whether they will be elected or eliminated. All day, for as long as it takes, we will be here to bring you all the updates.

Limerick City East  Jess Casey

The final tally from Limerick City East suggests there could be a shakeup on the way for the district, with two first time candidates neck and neck to top the poll.

With 97.9% of votes cast in the district tallied on Saturday, it looks like the quota for the Limerick City East will roughly be set at around 1,300 votes.

Just one box out of 48 was not tallied on Saturday; A tally was not taken of a box from Ballinacurra.

Fianna Fails Catherine Slattery, from the Old Cork Road, and Fine Gaels Michael Murphy, from Castleconnell, are currently tipped to top the poll in Limerick City East on 10.6% of the overall vote.

According to tallies taken at the Limerick Racecourse by Fine Gael, just six votes separate the two candidates, with Ms Slattery just ahead of Mr Murphy.

Labours Elena Secas, currently a sitting councillor, is close behind on 10.5% and first time candidate Sean Hartigan of the Green Party is predicted to take 9.6% of the vote.

In close succession are Fianna Fails Joe Pond (7.7%), Fine Gaels Michael Sheehan (7.5%), Fianna Fails Jerry ODea (7.3%) and Fine Gaels Sarah Kiely (7.1%).

With margins predicted to be so tight in City East, transfers will be incredibly important for candidates on Sunday.

Aontus Michael Ryan is currently on 6.5% compared to Fine Gaels Marian Hurley is on 6.3%, and Sinn Feins Seighin O Ceallaigh and Sarah Jane Hennelly are neck and neck on 4.7%.

Based on this Saturdays predictions, Paul Keller of Solidarity- People Before Profit and three Independents, Noel Hannon, Derek Mulcahy and Diarmuid Ryan are not set to win seats.

With tallies showing that three first time candidates polled favourably in City East, and with seven sitting councillors re-entering the race, it looks like the district will be set for a shakeup this Sunday.

Limerick City North  Nick Rabbitts

IN City North, former Labour councillor Frankie Daly has hoovered up the vote, according to tallies.

He's on course to top the poll with hundreds of votes to spare, with indications he has pulled in 1,851 votes.

All eyes will be on where his transfers will go, with competition elsewhere in the ward set to be stiff, especially in the lower order.

The Green Party's Brian Leddin is currently placed second, according to tallies, and looks odds on for a seat now, while veteran Fianna Fail councillor Kieran O'Hanlon looks set to take the third seat.

First-time Fine Gael candidate Olivia O'Sullivan has taken 867 first preference votes, indications show. However, her party's running mates have not fared so well.

Brian O'Connor has 315 votes, Eleanor McSherry is ahead with 448 votes, and could take a later seat, while former deputy mayor Denis McCarthy has polled just 255, tallies indicate.

Sinn Fein are waiting to see if its multi-candidate strategy north of the Shannon will pay off.

At present, its sitting councillor John Costelloe has 749 first preference votes, according to estimates.

If elected, it remains to be seen if his transfer goes to running mate Sharon Benson.

She is currently in eighth place just two votes behind Labour candidate Conor Sheehan.

Clonmacken activist Pat O'Neill, Fianna Fail, has 5.5% of the vote, tallies show, and currently sits sixth.

There was disappointment for Solidarity's outgoing councillor Mary Cahillane, who was co-opted in place of Cian Prendiville, who stepped down in October. She has conceded defeat after polling just 367 votes.

Limerick City West  Nick Rabbitts

Meanwhile, in City West, a number of outgoing councillors are in the battle of their lives to hang onto their place in the seven-seater ward.

On a disappointing day for Sinn Fein, Cllr Malachy McCreesh has polled just 556 first preference votes, estimates show, and is in 11th place overall.

Fianna Fail councillor Sean Lynch is only marginally ahead of him on 584 votes, and lies in ninth place at present, while Independent John Loftus took just 44 first preference votes, according to tallies.

Fine Gael councillor Elenora Hogan is facing a nervous day tomorrow, as she has tallied at 679 votes, and may be reliant on transfers from party colleagues to see her over the line.

Mayor James Collins is on course to top the poll, with an estimated 1,378 votes.

His rival in City West, Cllr Daniel Butler, Fine Gael, is just behind him with 1,309 votes.

Despite troubles for Labour elsewhere in the city, long-serving councillor Joe Leddin looks set to win his fifth election in a row, and is currently tallying in third position.

A strong showing in Patrickswell sees Independent Fergus Kilcoyne in the fourth seat - with an estimated 744 votes at present.

Early optimism for Fianna Fail's Azad Kalam Talukder appears to have faded. He has tallied just shy of 700 first preference votes, and it remains to be seen if he will have enough transfers to see him home.

It looks like there will be a battle royale for the final two seats in City West - Cllrs Hogan, Lynch and Fine Gael's Daniel McSweeney all in the mix, along with the Social Democrats candidate Elisa O'Donovan.

Given his party's strong showing in this local election, Green candidate Brendan MacGabhann also remains very much in contention.

Cappamore-Kilmallock  Donal O'Regan

Local elections have a way of making fools of the best observers but the consensus is that Fine Gael will win a seat at Sinn Fein's expense in the seven seat Cappamore-Kilmallock municipal area.

Independent Cllr Brigid Teefy is the front runner with 2,410 or 15.9%, according to the tallies.

"I'm absolutely delighted," said Cllr Teefy, who admitted she was worried in the run-up.

Fianna Fail's Martin Ryan and Cllr Eddie Ryan received 2,157 (14.2%) and 1,804 (11.9%) respectively.

Cappamore's Mr Ryan said it was "unbelievable" to poll so well on his first election outing. In two boxes in his home village he received 74% of the number ones.

Fellow Fianna Fail man, Cllr Mike Donegan, is also expected to be safe with 940 (6.2%).

After that Fine Gael are hopeful of taking three - Cllr Ger Mitchell 8.6%, John Egan 8% and Greg Conway 7%.

Sinn Fein's Jim Hickey is a strong candidate but the party's first preferences fell from 12.79% in 2014 with Lisa Marie Sheehy to 5,4%.

Independent PJ Carey 776 (5.1%); and Social Democrats' Trevor McCarthy 681 (4.5%) have both polled well and are still in with a shout along with Hickey and Noreen Stokes who polled 840 (5.5%).

Fianna Fail's Joe Meagher is on 606 (4%); and Aontu's Shane Hogan 478 (3.2%).

Seasoned observers are calling it as follows: Brigid Teefy, Martin Ryan, Eddie Ryan, Gerald Mitchell, John Egan, Mike Donegan, and Greg Conway will be the new councillors for Cappamore-Kilmallock. But nothing is set in stone.

Adare-Rathkeale  Norma Prendiville

Fine Gael had a good election in Adare-Rathkeale where two of its councillors Adam Teskey and Stephen Keary are set to top the poll.

Cllr Teskey, who was only co-opted to the council in 2016, made a particularly strong showing with 2,444 on his tally while Cllr Keary also made a strong showing with 2073. Party activists are optimistic that their surplus could help secure a third seat for Leo Walsh sho is on 878 according to the tally.

Meanwhile, Independent Richard ODonoghue, who stood as a Fianna Fail candidate in 2014, had a good campaign, boosting his vote from 912 first preferences to a tally vote of 1736 which he puts down to hard work.

The areas other Independent, Emmett OBrien, who stormed to victory in 2014, saw his share of the vote tumble, from 2,270 first preference votes to a tally vote of 1,552, still more than strong enough to retain his seat.

It looks set to be a good election for Fianna Fail in Adare-Rathkeale where they went into the election with just one sitting candidate. Cllr Kevin Sheahan will hold his seat on 1,241 while a second seat is possible, most likely for new candidate Bridie Collins of Adare who is polling at 986, ahead of her fellow candidate Trina ODea on 756.

Both candidates are expected to attract cross-party transfers. But the quota is high at 1,895 and transfers will decide whether Fine Gael or Fianna Fail takes the sixth seat.

New candidate Theresa Storey for the Green Party has produced a very credible first campaign at 535. Direct Democracy Ireland candidates Mark Keogh and John Putt came late into the campaign and failed to resonate with the electorate.

Newcastle West  Norma Prendiville

Fine Gael had its best performance ever in Newcastle West where the party looks on course to take four of the six seats in this district, a phenomenal achievement by any standard and likely to be a national talking point. With four candidates in the field, the partys share of the vote, according to the tally is 57%, a full 10% more than in 2014.

The quota is 1,779.

As expected Fine Gaels Jerome Scanlan topped the tally with 2511 while his party colleague Liam Galvin, based in Abbeyfeale, pulled in 2,117. Glins Cllr John Sheahan clocked up 1,483 on the tally while newcomer Tom Ruddle, from the Newcastle West town area, pulled off an excellent first outing with 1,189 votes.

With Fianna Fail standing only two candidates, the odds were always that they would retain their two seats. Michael Collins looks set to see his vote increase, from 1,682 in 2014 to 2,172 this time out. Francis Foleys vote remained steady at 1,162.

But for Sinn Fein, who won their first seat in Newcastle West in 2014, it was a disappointing turn out. Seamus Browne won 1,271 first preference votes in 2014 but his tally at closing this Saturday was down to 857.

He is not expected to hold the seat, adding to a very disappointing overall performance for the party in Limerick.

Independent candidate Christy Kelly saw his vote fall to 481 while Aontus Conor ODonoghue was on 250 and Renuas John Dalton was on 209. Sean OMahony got 23 votes on the tally.

Meanwhile, Cathal Crowe flies high in Shannon municipal district. Nick Rabbitts has more...SATURDAYS line-up on its own would have been a fitting commemoration of the Rescue of Sean Hogan in Knocklong but there was a whole week of events.

Just over 100 ago years a seminal moment in the War of Independence took place. Tipperary man Sean Hogan was one of the most wanted men in Ireland for his part in the Soloheadbeg ambush.

On May 13, 1919, the 18-year-old IRA volunteer was being transported by train under armed guard from Thurles to Cork for court martial and probable execution. Comrades, aided by local volunteers, planned and executed his rescue from the station in Knocklong.

In the ensuing action, IRA volunteers were seriously injured, two members of the RIC were killed and Sean Hogan was rescued. It was a great boost for Irish Republican morale in the early stages of the War of Independence.

Knocklong History Group and County Limerick Youth Theatre, with the support of the Knocklong Development Association and Limerick City and County Council, planned a series of innovative events to commemorate this centenary.

There were four plays based on the Rescue by Lamprog Theatre - The Dance, The Plan, The Trial. Over 750 young students from local schools took part.

On Saturday afternoon, the national commemoration of The Rescue of Sean Hogan took place in Knocklong community field. It commenced with a parade of local groups. It felt like St Patricks Day with all the floats.

There were speeches from former Fianna Fail politician Martin Mansergh, Minister for State Patrick ODonovan and chairman of the Cappamore-Kilmallock municipal district, Cllr Eddie Ryan.

At 4.30pm, relatives of those involved in The Rescue gathered in the community centre.

Pat Walsh, chairman of Knocklong History Group, said they had some very special guests.

Neil Hogan, a grandson of Sean Hogan came from Australia, with his son Matthew. Chris Clair, the son of Mai Moloney who was instrumental in planning the Rescue, attended with wife Veronica and their two children Catherine and Damian.

The Hogans were really impressed, they were overcome to be honest. It was hugely emotional for them, said Mr Walsh.

There was a photographic presentation of the War of Independence era by Tim Ryan and Mr Clair.

At 8pm, an open air concert by the army band in the community field was followed by fireworks. Locals brought their picnics and flasks and thought of the men and women who fought for the country that we live in today.

The army band went out with the 1812 overture. That is significant with national independence in countries. They played that out to the fireworks, said Mr Walsh. There were numerous events throughout the week including a history seminar, lectures and concerts.

It is hard to sum up a whole week but Mr Walsh said: It was a very fitting and successful commemoration. We did the best we could but I think we were very happy with it in general. A large town or city would be proud of the scale and number of events.

He paid tribute to his fellow members of Knocklong History Group and Knocklong Development Association chaired by Mary Harty. They spearheaded the commemoration.

Mr Walsh thanked Limerick City and County Council and its library service, County Limerick Youth Theatre and Lamprog Theatre, and all involved.

Fiona Quinn, the director, put a superhuman effort in, said Mr Walsh. While Knocklong was marking a moment in history they also created their own.THERE was an emotional moment at City Hall this week as two councillors with almost 50 years combined service bowed out of politics.

Cllrs John Gilligan, Independent, and Michael Hourigan, Fine Gael, are stepping away from representative politics after 28 and 20 years respectively.

At the final metropolitan district meeting of this term, their fellow members paid warm tributes to the pair, who both represent City North.

Metropolitan mayor Daniel Butler said: They are two proud Limerick men  and we are very proud to have you.

You can both walk out of here with your heads held high, was Cllr Kieran OHanlon, Fianna Fails verdict. You were hard fighters for our city area.

He noted that although he had slagging in the council chamber, when they left the arena, they were always friends and always wore the green jersey to deliver for Limerick.

John was a radical socialist when he was elected. Id say he has mellowed a bit since then, laughed Cllr OHanlon, who won office on the same day in 1991.

And remembering his year as mayor between 2008 and 2009, when Limerick was in the grip of a crime epidemic, Cllr Gilligan was also praised for his bravery in standing up to the gangs.

He was never afraid to put his own and his familys life at risk. He was brave to the core, Cllr OHanlon said.

Fine Gael councillor Marian Hurley thanked Cllrs Gilligan and Hourigan for the help he gave to her as a first-time councillor.

You were both an inspiration and brought some big issues to the table. You were very helpful to us newer councillors, she said.

Cllr Sean Lynch, Fianna Fail, added: Thanks for your confidence, friendship and words of advice. The experience you have impacted for us first timers have helped us massively. You are both the councils loss and the peoples loss. Limerick needs people like yourselves.

Solidarity councillor Paul Keller, referencing Cllr Gilligan, said: Men like you do not pass this place too often.

Cllr Elenora Hogan, Fine Gael said: I relied on Michael Hourigan for a lot of mentoring. John Gilligan is always willing to champion causes in Limerick. The council chamber is going to be a slightly more quiet place now!

Labour member Elena Secas said: Us first time councillors definitely learnt a lot from you.

Independent councillor John Loftus asked: How many councils have been lucky enough to have someone like John Gilligan? His knowledge and wisdom is beyond reproach.

Sinn Feins John Costelloe paid tribute to the work Cllr Hourigan has done to build up the St Munchins Community Centre in Kileely.

As for Cllr Gilligan, he said: On a local level, this man put his life before the whole system, and that has to be commended.

Cllr Jerry ODea, Fianna Fail, said: They are both men of conviction and set a great example for the city we live in.

Cllr Michael Sheahan said: In your many years of distinguished service to your respective communities and the people of Limerick, in your respective roles of councillors and mayors, you were held in the highest esteem. You were a symbol of hope, pride, delivery and fulfillment to many here in our historic city.

Tributes were also paid at the meeting to three other councillors who have stepped aside in the council term: Fianna Fail councillor Vivienne Crowley, Solidaritys Cian Prendiville, and Shane Clifford, who stepped down at the end of 2015.

And the officials were also thanked for all their efforts and help to the councillors for the councils first five years.

Kieran Lehane, who heads up the metropolitan district expressed his thanks in return, while the media were also thanked.PRIMARY school pupils from three schools across Limerick have had great success at the annual Our World Irish Aid Awards.

Christ the King Boys School, in Caherdavin, and Crecora National School have made it to the national finals of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trades flagship global citizenship programme, which are to be held in Dublin Castle.

Additionally, Crecora National School was also presented with a Special Distinction Award while Oola National School was named Best Regional Newcomer.

I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the teachers and pupils at Crecora National School, Christ the King Boys School and Oola National School on their success at todays regional final, Minister of State Ciaran Cannon said. This years entries showed exceptional creativity and understanding of the awards theme Leave No One Behind, he added.

The Our World Irish Aid Awards, bring Irish Aids work to build better futures for some of the worlds poorest communities directly into the classroom, challenging the next generation to ensure that it is made an ongoing priority.

We all have a role to play in Irelands contribution towards the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development, no matter how young or old we are.

Now in its 14th year, the Our World Irish Aid Awards help primary school pupils learn about the lives of children and their families in developing countries. All three schools attended the regional event at Mary Immaculate College which saw 15 primary schools from the region compete for three of 12 places at the national final, Best Regional Newcomer, and Special Distinction Awards.

Christ the King and Crecora will now travel along with pupils from 10 other primary schools to Dublin Castle in June to showcase their projects as they compete for the overall Our World Irish Aid Awards trophy.A BUS driver was convicted of holding a mobile phone while driving despite insisting he was holding an e-cigarette when he was encountered by gardai.

During a contested hearing at Newcastle West Court, Desmond OShea, 42, of Uppertullig, Caraghlare, Killorglin, County Kerry insisted Garda Aidan OGorman was mistaken and that he did not have a phone in his hand as alleged.

Garda OGorman, who is a member of the divisional Roads Policing Unit, said he was on duty at Convent Road, Abbeyfeale at 7.30pm when he observed the defendant holding a mobile phone at the steering wheel of the bus.

Solicitor Enda OConnor said his client would give evidence he was holding an e-cigarette in his hand and that his phone was on a shelf unit to the side of the steering wheel.

Initially he denied it, then he said he was checking the time (on the phone), said Garda OGorman who agreed he was around 60 feet away from the defendant and had to look through the passenger side of the bus.

He also said he could not remember which hand Mr OShea was using to hold the phone .

When asked if it was possible he could have mistaken the e-cigarette for a mobile phone, Garda OGorman replied: No judge - he admitted holding it, I have a note of it.

In his evidence, the defendant said he was driving a tour bus and was travelling from Dublin to Kerry when he was stopped by the garda.

He was mistaken, it was an e-cigarette I was holding a the time, he said producing an e-cigarette for the court to examine.

My phone was on a ledge to my right hand side, I looked down to check the time, he added confirming he owns a Samsung smartphone.

Mr OShea told the court he has a sat-nav system in the bus which also works as a handsfree kit when connected to the phone.

You can speak to it, he said adding the sat-nav also reads text and WhatsApp messages out loud.

I didnt make a call, I received no messages, he insisted.

Mr OConnor submitted the e-cigarette was a similar size to the phone and that there had to be a doubt given how far away Garda OGorman was from his client.

Inspector Andrew Lacey disagreed and he submitted the State had proven its case and that the evidence of Garda OGorman could not be disputed.

Convicting the defendant of the charge, Judge Mary Larkin said she did not accept his evidence in relation to his interaction with Garda OGorman and that she was satisfied he did not mention the e-cigarette to him when he was stopped.

Why would the garda say you made admissions, she commented.

She imposed a 200 fine giving him three months to pay.

While not a matter for the court, Mr OShea will also receive penalty points on his drivers licence.

Recognisance of 250 were set in the event of an appeal.POLLING stations have now closed across Limerick, with a shock council result potentially on the cards.

As voters turned out to vote for new members of Limerick City and County Council, it looks like first time Fianna Fail City West candidate Abul Kalam Azad Talukder is set to take a huge number of votes  and potentially top the poll.

Political sources have indicated he could pull into the four figures after members of the local Muslim community rallied behind him. If borne out, the result could shake up the local political scene in Limerick.

A polling place at St Michaels School in Barrington Street was a hive of activity today, with gardai called on a number of occasions after scuffles between supporters of different candidates in City West.

After a slow start, turnout in the metropolitan district increased to close on 50% in some areas, as people took advantage of a warm evening to head to the polling booths.

Boxes in Dooradoyle and Raheen were at 45% as of 10pm, while boxes in St Michaels National School, Barrington Street saw turnout at between 34% and 50%.

John F Kennedy National School, a bellwether booth for the northside ward also saw turnout of 50%, while the Castletroy Gaelscoil had a reported turnout of 30% at around 8.30pm.

Elsewhere, an RTE exit poll suggests that the Green Party could be the big winners at this local election, as counting gets under way tomorrow morning. It looks like Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will fight it out to take top spot. Labour are on 6%, with the Social Democrats on 3%. It remains to be seen how this will manifest itself in the new make-up of Limerick Council.

Meanwhile, in the Ireland South European election constituency, an RTE/TG4 poll suggests former GAA president Sean Kelly, Fine Gael, is poised to the re-elected with the survey of voters putting him on 16% support. Again, the big winner in Europe looks likely to be the Green Party, with Senator Grace OSullivan from Waterford, poised to take a seat.

Billy Kelleher looks likely to be the sole Fianna Fail member elected, while Sinn Feins Liadh Ni Riada looks odds on to retain her seat, despite a drop in support. The fifth and final seat could be a battle royale between Deirdre Clune and maverick TD Mick Wallace.

As well as voting in the council and European elections, people have also been asked whether they ould like to see a directly elected mayor in Limerick.

Meanwhile, the local electorate is joining with the rest of the country in being asked whether they want to remove article 41.3.2 of the Constitution, which provides that a person seeking a divorce must have lived apart from their spouse for four of the previous five years.

The second proposed change is to replace the existing article 41.3.3 with a new article explicitly stating the Oireachtas can legislate to replace foreign divorces.

Approximately 150,000 people are eligible to take part in three of the four votes in Limerick - with the referendum only open to Irish citizens.

The focus now switches to the Limerick Racecourse, where counting of the results will take place tomorrow morning.

The votes will be sorted and tallied, with the ballot papers from the European election taken to Nemo Rangers GAA Club in Cork, where the Ireland South count takes place. Its unclear how long this count will take due to the fact staff may have to conduct the count on the basis of Ireland South being both a four-seater or a five-seater.

Only four MEPs will be in post if Britain reverses its decision to leave the European Union.

One thing is for certain though  no results are allowed to be declared in Ireland South until 10pm on Sunday night when all the polls right across Europe have closed.

After the sorting of votes in Limerick, the divorce referendum papers will be counted, with a final result expected by late afternoon.

It will be on Sunday morning when the count for Limerick City and County Council gets under way, with the counting of ballot papers taking place across all six constituencies concurrently.

Results are expected to trickle in throughout Sunday afternoon  however, tallying on Saturday may give a good indication of which way all the polls have gone locally.

On Monday, papers from the directly elected mayor plebiscite will be counted  a result on this is due by mid-way through the afternoon.

Stay with the Limerick Leader from 9am this Saturday morning for full coverage of the countSince at least 5,000 years ago, people have enthusiastically eaten garlic. Its pungent, slightly spicy flavor infuses curries, pastas, stir-fries and even the occasional dessert. But these delicious dishes can come with an aftershock: the sometimes off-putting aroma of garlic breath that lingers for hours afterward. So why do people love the taste of garlic, but hate the resulting garlic breath?

Chopping garlic releases a heady mix of chemical compounds called sulfides, said Sheryl Barringer, professor and department chair of food science and technology at The Ohio State University. These volatile molecules are what give garlic its "distinctive, pungent garlickiness," she said. When we cook garlic, the sulfide molecules rise into the air and fill the room with their pleasing aroma. Then "we put it into our mouths, the volatiles go up into our nose, [and] the smell is really what makes us like it," Barringer told Live Science.

Garlic's initial appeal may have something to do with its potential health benefits, said Wilfredo Colon, professor and department head of chemistry at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. There's some evidence that the compounds in garlic can help lower blood pressure and offer antimicrobial effects. Those benefits may cause us to subconsciously crave garlic, Colon told Live Science. At least until it turns on us, that is. [Why Does Slicing Onions Make Me Cry?]

Most meal-induced bad breath comes from leftover food particles decaying in the crevices of the oral cavity. But true garlic breath doesn't get its start until the food hits your stomach, Barringer said. There, gastric juices break down the garlic further, releasing sulfides and other vitamins and minerals. Most of these molecules proceed to your intestines for additional processing, but one  a tiny molecule called allyl methyl sulfide (AMS)  is small enough to slip through your stomach lining and into your bloodstream.

AMS is just one of many components of garlic's characteristic aroma. But it's the only one small enough to worm its way into your blood so quickly, Barringer said. As it circulates past your lungs, AMS just as effortlessly passes through the membranes that let oxygen and carbon dioxide into and out of your body. When you exhale, along with CO2, you release a puff of garlicky AMS.

The effect can persist for up to 24 hours, Barringer said. But there are a few foods that can come to your rescue, she and her colleagues have found. In a 2016 paper in the Journal of Food Science, Barringer and graduate student Rita Mirondo reported that eating apples, lettuce or peppermint significantly reduces the concentration of garlic byproducts a person breathes out. These foods work because they contain phenolic compounds, which bind with the sulfides and make them too big to go airborne.

Of course, there is another option: Simply learn to embrace the unique phenomenon. There's nothing about the aroma of garlic breath that makes it inherently unpleasant, Barringer said  we're just not used to smelling food coming out of people's mouths rather than going in.

"It's not that it's a bad odor, it's just that it's out of context," she said. Try considering it a tiny time capsule of the delicious meal you once enjoyed.

Originally published on Live Science.A very big asteroid with its own little moon is going to zip past Earth tonight (May 25)  close enough that, with some preparation and a decent telescope, amateur astronomers may spot it blotting out the stars.

This moon-and-asteroid system, called 1999 KW4, is made up of two rocks. The big one is about 0.8 miles (1.3 kilometers) wide, according to NASA, and shaped like a spinning top. The smaller one is more elongated and stretches 0.35 miles (0.57 km) along its longest dimension. It points lengthwise toward its much larger twin.

Together, the asteroid and its minimoon will pass Earth at such a strange, steep angle that NASA called them "the least accessible  for a spacecraft mission of any known binary near-Earth asteroid." [Doomsday: 9 Real Ways Earth Could End]

But that doesn't mean they aren't interesting to look at.

The two asteroids will pass closest to Earth at 7:05 pm EDT (1105 GMT), when they'll be just 3,219,955 miles (5,182,015 km) from the planet's surface. That's more than a dozen times the distance between the Earth and the moon in its orbit around our planet, and much too far for the space rocks to pose any threat. In fact, this is the fourth approach the binary asteroids have made toward Earth since they were discovered in 1999, and not the closest. This is not the first time, according to EarthSky, that astronomers plan to make radar images of these asteroids as they pass.

A 2001 series of radar images taken with NASA's Goldstone radar telescope shows 1999 KW4. (Image credit: Dr. Steven Ostro et al./NASA)

Back on May 25, 2001, according to NASA, the asteroids passed about 6.7% closer to Earth than they will this time, at a distance of 3,005,447 miles (4,836,798 km). Seventeen years from now, on May 25, 2036, the rocks will pass 55.2% closer to Earth, at a distance of just 1,443,511 miles (2,323,106 km)  again, posing no threat worth worrying about.

These big rocks have been frequent flyers in our planet's neighborhood for a long time.

"1999 KW4 approaches within 0.05 AU of Earth several times each century," NASA's report on the object said. "This trend exists from at least [the year] 1600 [to] 2500." [Black Marble Images: Earth at Night]

"AU" refers to "astronomical units," a unit equal to the distance between Earth and the sun. So 0.05 AU is equal to one-twentieth the distance between Earth and sun, or about 4,650,000 miles (7,480,000 km). The two asteroids have passed even closer to Earth, without incident, several times a century since William Shakespeare was writing, and they will continue to do so until this article is at least 500 years old.

EarthSky reported that during the space rocks' closest approach, they'll be most visible in the Southern Hemisphere, appearing as fast-moving shadows against stars in the constellation Puppis. The two asteroids will remain visible for several days, though, according to EarthSky. North American asteroid hunters may spot the objects near the constellation Hydra on the evening of May 27.

NASA said that its Planetary Defense Coordination Office will continue to closely monitor the asteroids.

Originally published on Live Science.PAUL BUCKOWSKI

The Rev. Clark Poling's portrait hangs in the First Reformed Church of Schenectady where he could have lived a meaningful, happy life as pastor. But at age 31, the Yale Divinity Class of 1936 graduate volunteered to be a chaplain when World War II began. When his ship was attacked, he was one of the men now remembered as the Four Chaplains who gave their life jackets to soldiers when there were not enough lifeboats or jackets for all. This Religion News Service column tells the story:

On a freezing February day in 1943, a German U-boat torpedoed the U.S. Army Transport Dorchester, carrying nearly 900 soldiers across the Atlantic for battle in Europe. In the ensuing pre-dawn chaos, 230 service members were able to find safety thanks in great part to four men: a rabbi, two Protestant ministers and a Catholic priest, who served as the ship's chaplains.It has been a relentless storm season in the Midwest.

First came flooded farm fields and roads. Then the Mississippi River rose and rose, threatening towns along its banks. And Wednesday night, a series of violent tornadoes tore through the region, ripping apart buildings and darkening whole neighborhoods.

Even then, another threat was looming. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, and surrounding suburbs it was a tense evening Thursday as water levels steadily rose and officials braced for some of the worst flooding in decades along the Arkansas River after the Army Corps of Engineers increased the flow of releases from Keystone Dam.

Officials also were warning of swollen waters along the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers.

All of it was bringing a new level of exhaustion to a region that has found itself fighting multiple crises through a wet and battering spring.

All we could think was, Flooding, flooding, flooding, said Jessica Brown, who lives in Jefferson City, Missouris capital, where a wide, dense tornado barreled through on Wednesday, a day when officials had been preparing for flooding from the nearby Missouri River. Then the sirens go, and its Get to your basement, she said.

Brown, a state employee, grabbed her 12-year-old daughter, Angaleah, and fled downstairs, barely escaping the shards of glass that flew through her living room after the windows exploded.

The whole neighborhoods destroyed, Brown said, standing not far from her front porch  the only one that was left on her house by Thursday.

The National Weather Service was investigating 34 reports of tornadoes in Oklahoma and Missouri on Wednesday as storms moved northeast from Texas along a virtually straight diagonal line into western Illinois. Three people, including a couple in their 80s, were killed in a tornado that struck rural southwestern Missouri, which has been drenched with several bouts of heavy rain and flash flooding in recent weeks. The storms sent debris nearly 14,000 feet into the air in at least one location, radar images showed  a defining feature of a particularly damaging and dangerous tornado.

Kenneth G. Harris, 86, and his wife, Opal P. Harris, 83, were found about 200 yards from their home near Golden City, Missouri. Their home was demolished, and authorities said they were uncertain whether the couple had been inside when the storm hit or had tried to flee.

Betty Berg, 56, also was killed. Her mobile home had rolled over, state officials said. Bergs husband, Mark, was hospitalized with injuries.

The storms worst damage occurred in Missouri, near Golden City and Jefferson City. In Jefferson City, wind speeds were estimated to have reached as high as 160 mph. Golden City is not far from Joplin, where one of the deadliest and most destructive tornadoes in U.S. history hit. The storms Wednesday occurred on the eighth anniversary of that tornado, which killed 161 people.

About 25 people were injured in Jefferson City, a community of 40,000 people where rescue workers Thursday searched house by house for survivors near felled oak trees, overturned cars and power lines strewn across driveways. The size of the devastation was yet to be fully understood, but it was extensive; roughly 3 square miles of the city were particularly hard hit. Shelters were opened. A curfew order was issued for part of the city.

Some residents speculated that the timing of the storm may have helped prevent deaths. In Jefferson City, tornado sirens had gone off after 11 p.m., before the storm hit, and by that hour, many people already were at home for the night. Many were in bed.

Jay Banwell, a retired officer with the Army National Guard, said he had woken as wind was whipping at his bedroom window. Then the wind burst through his window pane, slamming his bedroom door shut with such force that he was trapped inside.

I was basically in a room of swirling glass, said Banwell, 56, who was taken by ambulance Thursday to be treated for a laceration.

Loise White, 89, was in bed when she heard the screeching sound. Then the glass blew out of her bedroom window.

Her TV toppled off its stand, clothes swirled around her and the wind pelted her with her own books. It was throwing each one of those books at me just as hard as it could, whamming me, White said.

It was just a really mean wind, she said. And rough.

In the end, her car was crushed by a tree. The upper half of her home was gone.

Its like you just took a knife and sliced off her second story, her son, Greg White, said.

As residents across the region began sorting through the rubble, meteorologists were warning of more dangerous conditions ahead. In addition to heavy rain and flood risks, the possibility of tornadoes was expected to last into early next week as warm air masses from the southeast collide with a cool air mass from the northwest. Tornado-prone storms often form along such intersections, feeding off the variation in the wind direction.

Everything here is already saturated, said Chris Franks, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Kansas City, Missouri. We cant take a lot more rainfall, and the forecast calls for a lot more rain early into next week.

On Wednesday, Carrie Tergin, the mayor of Jefferson City, canceled an air show honoring veterans planned for Memorial Day weekend because the regional airport was forecast to be under 6 feet of water  the result of Missouri River floods for which the city has been bracing all spring.

On Thursday, Tergin canceled a state track meet at the public high school because the tornado had blown the roof off the press box at the stadium.

With all thats been going on with this tornado, I havent even checked on the flood, Tergin said late Thursday afternoon. We just keep canceling things.

The tornadoes came in a period of extreme weather, which has been linked to climate change.

One analysis of extreme weather data found that human-caused climate change was a significant driver of 21 out of 27 extreme weather events, including droughts, floods and heat waves. But limited historical information, especially when compared with temperature data that goes back more than a century, makes it hard for researchers to determine whether the number of tornadoes is increasing or if it is just a matter of better reporting.

A 2016 study in the journal Science found that tornado outbreaks, or several tornadoes forming in the same weather system, were becoming more frequent. But despite the recent string this spring, including one in eastern Alabama in March that killed 23 people, this years tornado season has been within historical averages, according to Patrick Marsh, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Storm Prediction Center.

In Jefferson City on Thursday afternoon, cars were turned upside down and tossed around at a cluster of car dealerships. The historic state penitentiary, about a mile from the state Capitol, was damaged. And in one hilly neighborhood, streets were covered in shattered glass, splinters of wood, a powder-blue mattress, a fork.

For days before the tornado, Trevor Grant, a 54-year-old hospital aide, had worried about the threat from the Missouri River, just blocks from his pale yellow house. What might it do to the place?

Then came the tornado.

I dont know what could be next for us, Grant said Thursday, looking down his street, covered with gutters, roof shingles and chunks of insulation.A federal judge has temporarily blocked part of President Donald Trump's plan to build a wall along the southern border with money Congress never appropriated for that purpose.

U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr., of the Northern District of California, said that those challenging Trump's actions had a good chance of prevailing on their claims that the administration is acting illegally in shifting money from other programs to pay for the wall.

Gilliam wrote that the government's position "that when Congress declines the Executive's request to appropriate funds, the Executive may simply find a way to spend those funds 'without Congress' does not square with fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic."

The law the administration invoked to shift funds allows transfers for "unforeseen" events. Gilliam said the government's claim that wall construction was "unforeseen" "cannot logically be squared" with Trump's many demands for funding dating back to early 2018 and even in the campaign.

With some contracts already awarded for construction, Gilliam said that allowing work to go forward before the legal issues have been fully resolved could cause irreparable harm.

He ruled in response to lawsuits brought by the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

The plaintiffs sought preliminary injunctions against the administration's diversion of billions of dollars meant for other purposes. The plaintiffs alleged that Trump's actions violate the constitutional requirement that no money may be spent without an appropriation from Congress as well as legal restrictions on the purposes for which funds can be reallocated.

The suits asked Gilliam to block any wall-related activity paid for with those funds while he fully considers the merits of the suits.

About $1 billion has been moved from military pay and pension accounts, transfers that Gilliam ruled against Friday, but no money has been transferred from the emergency military construction fund for which the president declared a state of emergency in February. That fund represents about $3.6 billion of the money President Trump wants to use.

Gilliam said he would rule on that issue separately when the administration actually shifts money using that authority. He doubted the administration would prevail on that, either, questioning whether a border fence met the definition of "military construction," an interpretation that would give the government "unbounded authority" not authorized by law, he said.

The Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment late Friday.

A lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, Dror Ladin, who argued the plaintiffs' case, called the order "a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law and border communities."

Friday's order applies to wall segments around Yuma and El Paso. Sanjay Narayan, Sierra Club managing attorney, said additional segments announced too late for Friday's decision will be taken up in early June.

The ruling is the latest chapter in Trump's quest for a "big, beautiful wall" on the southern border to keep out undocumented migrants. Construction of the wall at Mexico's expense was a central promise of Trump's presidential campaign. Mexico refused, and the president was rebuffed by the Democratic-controlled House, which after a 35-day partial shutdown of the government, appropriated only $1.375 billion, for non-wall border security, of the more than $4 billion the president had requested for wall construction.

Trump vowed that if he did not "get a fair deal" from Congress, he would shift money from other government accounts to close the gap. He declared a state of emergency on the southern border on Feb. 15 to tap into one Pentagon fund meant for emergency military construction. So far, the government says that fund has not been touched, allowing the government to argue that it should not be an issue in the cases.

He authorized additional diversions from the Defense and Treasury departments of funds never intended for wall-building.The Trump administration announced Friday that it will kill a Forest Service program that trains disadvantaged young people for wildland fire fighting and other jobs in rural communities, laying off 1,100 employees - believed to be the largest number of federal job cuts in a decade.

The Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers enroll more than 3,000 students a year in rural America. The soon-to-close centers - in Montana, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Virginia, Washington state, Kentucky, North Carolina and Oregon - include hundreds of jobs in some of President Donald Trump's political strongholds. In Congress, members of both parties objected to the plan.

The demise of the program, starting in September, will result in the largest layoffs of civil servants since the military's base realignment and closures of 2010 and 2011, federal personnel expert said. Nine of the centers will close and another 16 will be taken over by private companies and possibly states.

The program will be transferred to the Labor Department, which will close some and hand over operations of others. The agency will continue operating its other Job Corps programs in urban areas. Officials said many of the Forest Service operations are low-performing, with inefficiencies and high costs, and that a reboot was necessary.

Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen, clearly distressed at having to relay unsettling news to her employees, announced the layoffs in a conference call Friday morning. She told hundreds of teachers, administrators, vocational and residential staff on the phone from multiple states that she learned of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue's decision four days ago.

"We don't have all the answers," Christiansen told the employees, many of whom asked when and how they would be formally notified that they would lose their jobs and whether they would receive paychecks until that happens.

Christiansen called the decision a "high-level, pretty quick decision."

"I know many of you have never heard what a RIF is and all that goes with that," she said, referring to a reduction in force, the official federal government term for a layoff. "We're going to work through this together."

Shortly after the call finished, Labor announced in a news release that it is "modernizing and reforming part of the Job Corps program."

"This action creates an opportunity to serve a greater number of students at higher performing centers at a lower cost to taxpayers," the statement said.

In a brief letter to Labor Secretary Alex Acosta dated Friday, Perdue said his agency has other priorities.

"As USDA looks to the future, it is imperative that the Forest Service focus on and prioritize our core natural resource mission to improve the condition and resilience of our Nation's forests, and step away from activities and programs that are not essential to that core mission," Perdue wrote. The program was all but zeroed out in the president's proposed budget for the next fiscal year.

Still, the closures already are meeting resistance from some Republicans in Congress whose districts will lose federal employees and students in rural communities.

"This organization has changed the lives of men and women across the country who otherwise might not have had a chance," Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., said in an email. The center in his district, Jacobs Creek in Bristol, Tennessee, is not on the list for closure, but its future was uncertain.

"Jacobs Creek has given many young people the opportunity to turn around their life, and I hope this will continue for generations to come," Roe said, vowing to "remain as a strong advocate for this program" and press the Trump administration to keep the centers open.

Neither Labor nor Agriculture officials would publicly acknowledge the layoffs, with each agency referring personnel questions to the other.

Job Corps has been a troubled program, with student safety issues, staff turnover and, in some centers, a poor record of job placement.

But Democratic House aides and the National Federation of Federal Employees, the union representing Forest Service employees, said 1,100 job center workers, from welders to counselors, will lose their jobs at the soon-to-be-closed and privatized facilities.

"This is a politically motivated attack that oddly enough, offends both Democrats and Republicans in Congress and in communities across the country," union president Randy Erwin said in a statement. He called the decision "a coordinated attack on the most vulnerable populations in the country: Rural and urban low-income young people hoping to succeed in life."

Union spokeswoman Brittany Holder said in an interview, "What we're saying is, 'This is free labor to the taxpayers. You're boosting the economy in the rural parts of the country. These are 16-year-old kids.' "

Job Corps has its roots in the New Deal-era Civilian Conservation Corps, the popular work-relief program for unemployed, unmarried men that operated from 1933 to 1942. The current program dates to the Johnson administration.

The administration does not need approval from Congress for the layoffs, but the Office of Personnel Management must approve them. The process has costs, though, because everyone losing their job must receive severance pay and be paid for unused leave.

"This would probably be the largest RIF in the government in a decade or more," said Jeffrey Neal, former personnel chief at the Department of Homeland Security and now senior vice president at ICF, a consulting firm. The last large round of layoffs involved base closures that were ordered during the George Bush administration and took effect under Barack Obama.

Democrats, acknowledging the problems with the Job Corps, said nevertheless that the Trump administration is using performance problems to close the centers.

"We are disappointed by the Trump Administration's decision to turn its back on the youth that depend on the Job Corps program in rural communities," Democratic Reps. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and Robert "Bobby" Scott of Virginia, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, said in a statement.

"These programs give young people valuable on-the-job experience and training - putting them on the path to a good job while learning about how to conserve and protect our natural resource."The Utah Supreme Court suspended a judge for six months without pay this week over disparaging remarks he made about President Donald Trump online and in his courtroom.

The court ruling points to several instances in which Judge Michael Kwan, who has sat on the justice court bench for the city of Taylorsville for two decades, violated Utah's judicial code of conduct.

Kwan made a biting remark about Trump's polices during an exchange with a defendant in January 2017. The defendant said he planned to pay off his court fines when he received money from his tax return. Kwan mocked him for thinking he'd be getting a refund with Trump in office.

"I pray and cross my fingers," the defendant said.

"Prayer might be the answer," Kwan said, " 'cause he just signed an order to start building the wall and he has no money to do that, and, so, if you think you are going to get taxes back this year, uh, yeah, maybe, maybe not. But don't worry, there is a tax cut for the wealthy, so, if you make over $500,000, you're getting a tax cut."

Kwan said he was attempting to be funny, not rude, according to a footnote in the Supreme Court's opinion, written by Justice John Pearce.

"It is an immutable and universal rule that judges are not as funny as they think they are," Pearce said.

Through 2016 and 2017, Kwan posted negative commentary about Trump. On Election Day, he encouraged people to vote against him. The Supreme Court opinion shared several examples.

Three days after Trump's victory, Kwan wrote on social media, "Think I'll go to the shelter to adopt a cat before the President-Elect grabs them all," in apparent reference to the infamous Access Hollywood tape in which Trump mused about grabbing women "by the pussy."

On the day of Trump's inauguration, Kwan posted: "Will you dig your heels in and spend the next four years undermining our country's reputation and standing in the world? . . . Will you continue to demonstrate your inability to govern and political incompetence?"

A few weeks later, Kwan wrote, "Welcome to the beginning of the fascist takeover." He also questioned whether congressional Republicans would be "the American Reichstag."

The court ruled Kwan violated the sections of the code of conduct that require judges to be "patient, dignified and courteous" and also the portion that bans a judge from making comments that would undermine public confidence in his "independence, integrity and impartiality."

Kwan defended his right to post political commentary on his private social media accounts as "constitutionally protected speech" under the First Amendment. The state Supreme Court disagreed.

Kwan has been reprimanded for political speech in the past: once for making a crude reference to former president Bill Clinton's sexual conduct and once for serving as president of a nonprofit that took political stances.

"Repeated instances of misconduct are serious matters, which may render a judge not only subject to suspension, but also to removal from office," Pearce wrote. "Judge Kwan's behavior denigrates his reputation as an impartial, independent, dignified, and courteous jurist who takes no advantage of the office in which he serves."

Questions of judicial impartiality have come under more intense scrutiny with Trump often berating judges who rule against his administration.

In April, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves gave a rare rebuff of Trump's attack against the judiciary. He likened such critiques of judges' decisions to efforts in the Jim Crow South to denigrate courts over civil rights decisions.

"Slander and falsehoods thrown at courts today are not those of a critic seeking to improve the judiciary's search for truth," Reeves said during a speech at University of Virginia School of Law. "They are words of an attacker, seeking to distort and twist that search toward falsehood."Santa Fe, N.M.

John Pinto, a Navajo Code Talker in World War II who became one of the nation's longest serving Native American elected officials as a New Mexico state senator, has died. He was 94.

Senate colleague Michael Padilla confirmed Pinto's death in Gallup on Friday after years of suffering from various illnesses that rarely kept him from his duties.

After serving as a Marine, Pinto was elected to the Senate in 1976 and represented a district that includes the Navajo Nation for more than four decades. The region is one of the poorest in the country.

"Words cannot express the sadness we feel for the loss of a great Dine warrior," said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, using the indigenous word for Navajo. "He dedicated his life to helping others."

Born in Lupton, Ariz., on the Navajo Nation to a family of sheep herders, Pinto didn't start formal schooling until he was nearly a teenager.

"At the age of 12, I was in kindergarten," Pinto told the Albuquerque Journal in a 2007 interview. "I guess I did all right."

Pinto also recalled that his grandparents told of being forced at gunpoint from their land in the 1860s by the U.S. Army in the forced relocation of the Navajo people on foot to southern New Mexico.

After serving as a Code Talker  a group of radio men who translated American coordinates and messages into an indecipherable code based on the Navajo language  Pinto had to take an English test four times before he was finally admitted into the University of New Mexico's College of Education.

He graduated with a bachelor's in elementary education at 39, and eventually earned his master's, becoming a teacher and a truancy officer in Gallup.

Pinto delved into politics to address the needs of impoverished indigenous populations. The Democrat won a seat in state Senate in 1976 as one of the state's first Native American senators.

An unassuming appearance and manner belied Pinto's political determination that carried him through 42 years in the Legislature. Laurie Canepa, the senior librarian for the Legislative Council Service, said that made him the longest serving senator in state history.

Manny Aragon, the state's one-time Senate president, tells the story of driving to the Statehouse in a January 1977 snowstorm and picking up a middle-aged Navajo man who was hitchhiking in Albuquerque. The hitchhiker was newly elected Sen. Pinto.

"I just thought he was a transient," Aragon said.

In the Legislature, Pinto advocated for education reform and anti-poverty programs. Receiving a lifetime achievement award in 2016, Pinto recalled going hungry at times as a child while his parents juggled odd jobs and said the experience influenced his work on issues of homelessness as a lawmaker.

Every year, Pinto would sing on the Senate floor the "Potato Song"  a Navajo song about a potato, planted in the spring and visited in the summer until it is harvested. Fellow senators, staff and aides clapped along to Pinto's rendition.

Lenore Naranjo, the Senate's chief clerk, says Pinto taught her bits of Navajo language over the decades.

"A beautiful man is all I can say," Naranjo said.Looking to uncover all that Government Hill Alliance has to offer? Get to know this San Antonio neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a cocktail bar to a glass blowing studio.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Government Hill Alliance, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.Jurors here began deliberations Friday afternoon in a brutal murder case in which two people were fatally shot and stabbed at an apartment in 2016.

Luis Antonio Arroyo, 42, is being retried after proceedings ended in a mistrial last year. He is accused of killing Rodney Spring, 47, who was shot once in the back, and Quickether Jackson, 36, who was shot five times and stabbed three times, on Jan. 21, 2016.

Jacksons mother, Tandylyn Jackson, 59, was also stabbed and shot. She is a witness and the lone survivor of the attack, which one report said was the result of an argument over a pack of cigarettes.

Arroyo was 39 when he was arrested and charged with capital murder in the attack that occurred in the apartment where the Jackson women lived in the 3800 block of Sherrill Brooks Drive on the West Side.

On ExpressNews.com: Judge sequesters Bexar jury deciding mans fate in 2016 stabbing-shooting in San Antonio

His case went to trial in July, but after deliberating 10 hours over two days, the panel told state District Judge Kevin OConnell that they were hopelessly deadlocked, and he declared a mistrial.

Because of that, the DAs Office is prosecuting the case this time as a murder charge.

On Friday, prosecutor Brandon Ramsey began his closing argument by playing the frantic 911 call where the elder Jackson reported Arroyo as the assailant. She could be heard yelling the defendants name in the recording.

Tandylyn told you, Ramsey said to the jury. Tony was the person whose name she screamed on 911, the person she said hurt her, killed her daughter and her friend.

On ExpressNews.com: Brutal stabbing-shooting capital murder case ends in mistrial

He told the panel that once they reviewed the evidence, they would have no other choice than to find Arroyo guilty.

In their closing arguments, defense attorneys Raymond Fuchs and Joel Perez told jurors that the San Antonio police conducted a shabby investigation and did not collect and test all the things they could have from the apartment.

Fuchs also challenged Tandylyn Jacksons testimony and recollections, pointing out that she admitted she smoked crack cocaine that day.

The evidence is simply insufficient to convict anyone in this case, he told the panel.

Perez told the jury police didnt follow up on leads that there were other men who fit the description of the alleged assailant, and that no one else was interviewed.

They should bring you all the evidence if they want you to convict someone of murder, Perez told the panel. Things are inconsistent. It just doesnt pass the smell test.

Prosecutor Lorina Rummel told the panel the case is pretty clear cut, and they presented all the evidence they had.

The job is to prove what happened and who did it, she told the jury. Tandylyn is our live witness. No, please, Tony, 45 seconds in. She tells you while this is happening. She tells you from the get-go who did it.

Jurors deliberated four and a half hours Friday before Visiting Judge Mark Luitjen allowed them to go home for the three-day Memorial Day weekend instead of sequestering them.

They are to return Tuesday morning to continue deliberations in the 227th state District Court.

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Linda Lopez Marsh, a former principal at Brackenridge High School, spent 32 years as a professional educator, a role she exemplified long after her official retirement from teaching.

Marsh, 65, died from cancer May 15.

Born in Poteet, Marsh grew up in Edinburg. Her parents, Andres and Olivia Lopez, both worked in the education field, inspiring her career track early on.

Upon graduating from high school, Marsh attended Pan American University in McAllen, where she obtained her undergraduate degree, and went on to earn a graduate degree in education from Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M University-Kingsville).

In the early 1980s, she began working in San Antonio as a special education teacher at Poe Middle School and Highlands High School, and in 1994, she took on the role of special education supervisor. In 1999, she was assigned to Jefferson High School as an instructional guide, and in 2001, Marsh became principal at Lowell Middle School.

The high point of Marshs educational career began in 2004, when she became principal of Brackenridge, where she remained until her retirement. She placed an emphasis on college admissions for her students.

She would take kids from her high school and show them universities. She made sure that her students could see what was out there for them, daughter-in-law Rachel Marsh said.

In 2007, 86 percent of Brackenridges graduating senior class were enrolled in a two- or four-year college at the time of graduation, something Marsh saw as a huge accomplishment.

She always wanted her students to know that they could push themselves to be what they wanted to be no matter the circumstances, Rachel Marsh said.

Linda Lopez Marsh Born: Aug. 4, 1953, Poteet Died: May 15, 2019, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Andres and Olivia Lopez. Survived by: Son Richie and his wife, Rachel; grandsons Diego and Joaquin Marsh; brother Andres G. Lopez II; niece Laura Justin; and nephew Andres Lopez III. Services: Services were held Friday. See More Collapse

The ways Marsh would make sure that her students had every opportunity to succeed included making house calls to children who were truant or at risk of dropping out, doing all she could to ensure that theyd be back at school as soon as possible.

A story in the San Antonio Express-News in 2008 documented some of these door-to-door visits, in which Marsh, accompanied by then-Mayor Phil Hardberger, attempted to resolve any immediate issues keeping students from attending class, from lack of school uniforms to challenges with certain subjects.

For her years of service and dedication, Marsh was inducted into the San Antonio Womens Hall of Fame in 2008.

Throughout her career, Marsh would help fellow teachers and administrators advance themselves in any way she could, often taking on a mentorship role and providing advice as needed.

Ill never forget one of the biggest lessons she taught me.  Dont get distracted by all the pretty, colorful turkeys on the wall. Make sure the kids can read. educator Chris Castro, who once worked at Brackenridge, said in a Facebook post memorializing Marsh.

After her retirement, Marsh remained active in the teaching world, working as a consultant for other teachers.

Her career successes aside, she was most proud of son Richie Marsh and his family.

Richie was in the Air Force, and everywhere we were stationed, she would come visit, Rachel Marsh said. From Colorado to Cheyenne to D.C., shed come see us multiple times.

Marsh would spend a lot of time with her two grandsons, Diego and Joaquin, taking them on little adventures when they were on summer vacations.

She was an avid reader, and one summer, she and the boys spent time setting up and organizing her personal library in her house, Rachel Marsh said.

In addition to collecting books, Marsh loved to shop for antiques, frequenting many local shops. She decorated her home with the objects and furniture she collected over the years.

Linda was a customer at Off My Rocker but turned into a great friend, said Jo Lynn Swint, the owner of the store on Olmos, in a public Facebook post.

procha@express-news.netFor those who enjoy heading south of the border for vacations, the U.S. Department of State has updated travel warnings for Mexican states where tourists are more vulnerable to crime.

Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the Mexican state of Tamaulipas - which borders south Texas - is on the list of Do Not Travel states because of high crime and possible kidnapping.The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks!

Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics.

The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc.

The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics.

The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates.

Access to college recruiters and advisors  its harder to line up higher education.

Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family.

Vote

View ResultsThe segregation of votes following yesterdays elections and referendum involves a major logistical operation and it will see the ballot boxes from the 75 polling stations across county Longford make their way to the AIT International Arena in Westmeath.

Indeed, votes cast in Longford will be counted at three different locations over the weekend - local election votes will be counted in St Marys Community Centre, Edgeworthstown; referendum votes will be counted at the AIT International Arena and European election votes will be counted from Sunday morning at the TF Royal theatre in Castlebar.

The 39 candidates seeking election in three Longford municipal districts and their tally teams will be at the Athlone Institute of Technology venue from before 9am on Saturday morning (May 26) as the ballot boxes are opened and the three different voting papers inside are separated.

As count staff separate the votes, tally teams will begin their work and by around lunchtime on Saturday, a Longford tally will hopefully be available.

The Longford local election ballot papers will then be transported to the count centre at St Marys campus in Edgeworthstown with the official counting of votes, under the watchful eye of Returning Officer Nora OFarrell and her staff, scheduled to get underway late that afternoon.

During the last local election count in 2014 at Newtownforbes, it was almost 11pm on the Saturday night before a First Count result for Longford Municipal District was officially declared and the counting of votes for the three municipal districts didnt conclude until the following Monday evening. So be prepared for another lengthy count process.

You can keep up to date with all the Longford election news as it happens throughout the weekend on our Longford Leader: Elections 2019 Live blog

Bridin Concannon, European Local Returning Officer Counties Longford and Westmeath, outlined;

The segregation of ballot papers and the verification of ballot paper accounts of the Local and European Parliament elections and the Referendum (on the Dissolution of Marriage) for Counties Longford and Westmeath will take place at the AIT International Arena, Athlone, Dublin road, Co Westmeath on Saturday, May 25 commencing at 9am.

Once the Longford Local election ballot papers have been verified they will be transferred to the Local Count Centre at St Mary's Community Centre, Edgeworthstown, Co Longford.

Once the Westmeath Local election ballot papers have been verified they will be transferred to the Local Count Centre at Moate Community Hall, Moate, Co Westmeath.

The Count of the Referendum for both counties Longford and Westmeath will be conducted in the AIT International Arena.

Also read: Green surge sees Saoirse McHugh in with serious chance of winning European seat in Midlands North West constituency

Fintan J Murphy, Constituency Returning Officer, Midlands North West constituency explained that once votes are segregated that the European votes from each of the counties will be brought by army personnel to the TF Royal theatre in Castlebar on Saturday evening. The Euro Count will then begin on Sunday morning at 9am.

Also read: Independents set to be the power brokers once again in Longford county council chamberLegans Anna Kavanagh is set to take to the River Shannon for a new radio and documentary series.

Anna Kavanagh, who is a strong advocate of peoples rights and a resident of Legan, Co Longford, is to sail the River Shannon in a bid to save it through her brand new radio series and documentary, Taste the Pure Drop.

The launch of the productions, which will be broadcast on Athlone Community Radio (88.4FM), will take place on Friday, May 24, in the Radisson Hotel in Athlone at 7pm.

The series will document Annas seven day journey down the river. She will begin her journey at Lough Allen and make her way to the Shannon Estuary. The series will be broadcast on Athlone Community radio and online at athlonecommunityradio.ie over a 7 week period beginning on June 1, airing from 5.30pm to 6.30 pm.

Guests who will join Anna on her journey to discuss the importance of the river from a historic, economic, environmental and spiritual perspective includes Kevin Boxer Moran, Minister of State for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, Mary Carlton Reynolds, Longford County Librarian, Dr Ina Kelly, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, HSE, historian, Dr Angus Mitchell UL and Anne Goggins, Senior Engineer, Limerick Co Council.

The series was made in conjunction with Afri (Action from Ireland). The guests identify a multiple of threats to the river basin and explain why we need to protect the river for future generations.

The series promotes the rich cultural heritage along the river and incorporates a number of traditional Irish music sessions beginning in Cryans, Carrick On Shannon and ending with a music session featuring students from the The Irish World Academy of Music & Dance, University of Limerick, including Laura Doherty of Cornakelly in Moyne.

Anna Kavanagh explained to the Leader her reasoning behind the production, I retired from teaching last year and began volunteering with Athlone Community Radio last September. I have also been an environmental activist for many years.

The Shannon basin covers a fifth of the country and is under a number of threats. My aim is to make people more aware of the importance of the river from a number of perspectives and create a movement to protect it for future generations.

Although her maiden attempt at making a production of this kind, Anna is under no illusions as to it's potential and hopes it helps alert people to the serious situation developing on the Shannon.

She said, Its my first attempt at producing and presenting a documentary style radio series and film.

Nevertheless I think audiences will find the series educational and entertaining, she continued.

Minister 'Boxer' Moran will be on hand to officially launch the series on May 24. Dr Ina Kelly and Dr Sean Mc Donagh, author of Dying for Water, will also lead a discussion on the night on how we can protect the Shannon for our children and grandchildren.

Further details on the series are available via tastethepuredrop.com and on the Taste The Pure Drop Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as the Athlone Community Radio website, Twitter and Facebook pages.When a Massachusetts State Police trooper stopped a car with an expired inspection sticker, it led to two arrests and the seizure of 400 grams of heroin, officials said.

The trooper stopped the car on 11th Street in Wareham around 9:30 a.m. Friday, state police wrote in a statement released Saturday afternoon.

Inside the car was 24-year-old Jaqua Smith of Onset, the driver, and 22-year-old Shawn Panepinto of New Bedford, state police said.

A search of the car led the trooper to find about 400 grams of heroin hidden inside a container placed in a backpack, state police said.

Both were arrested and taken to the Bourne barracks for booking, state police said. Bail has been set at $250,000 as the two wait for arraignment Tuesday in Wareham District Court.

Smith is charged with trafficking heroin and no inspection sticker. Panepinto is charged with trafficking heroin.A Lawrence man is accused of giving drugs to a 13-year-old girl before she was dropped off at the hospital and pronounced dead, officials said Saturday.

The suspect, 47-year-old Carlos Rivera, is also facing charges of indecent assault, the Essex District Attorneys office said.

Chloe Ricard, identified by family as the victim in the case, was dropped off at the Lawrence General Hospital emergency room at 4:47 p.m. Monday and pronounced dead shortly after arrival, officials said.

Investigators have determined that Rivera brought Ricard to the hospital and was accompanied by a minor girl younger than 16, the district attorneys office said in a statement.

Ricard and the other girl were at Riveras apartment at 59 Bellevue St. on Sunday evening and during most of Monday, the statement said.

Rivera was arrested early Saturday morning, authorities said, and is charged with two counts of distribution of Class B drugs to a minor; two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14; and one count of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14.

Rivera was questioned by investigators at the Lawrence police station. He is expected to be arraigned on Tuesday in Lawrence District Court and is being held on $750,000 bail until then, officials said.

I want to commend the entire investigative team who worked around the clock to determine the events leading of the tragic death of a 13-year old girl, Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said. We will continue our diligent pursuit of justice for this victim.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not yet ruled on a cause and manner of death.

Family wrote on a GoFundMe page that Ricard was taken far too soon.

She was a beautiful soul inside and out and was very kind to others, especially to those less fortunate, the page reads. Chloe had a passion for drawing, loved to listen to music, enjoyed dancing, singing, beach time and spending time with her family & friends.

The page has raised $7,925 of a $10,500 goal as of Saturday morning.

She loved her family so incredibly much, especially her mother Deborah Goldsmith-Dolan whom she was often seen riding the school bus on her mothers route before school just to be able to spend more time with her, the GoFundMe page continues. She was also constantly spoiled by her 2 brothers Kyle and Nicholas Ricard, and step-father Brian Dolan. She missed her dad Raymond Ricard immensely after his passing 5 years ago. They also held a very special relationship.A child in Greater Boston has been diagnosed with measles and was present in various locations that could have resulted in exposure to others while the disease was still in its infectious stage, health officials said.

The child was diagnosed on May 24, according to the state Department of Public Health, the second case of measles in Massachusetts this year during a large national outbreak.

Measles is very contagious. Anyone who visited the following locations on any of these dates is asked to contact their health care provider, the department said.

Saturday, May 18

11 a.m.  3 p.m. at the Weymouth Club, 75 Finnell Drive in Weymouth

Tuesday, May 21

8:15 a.m.  10:40 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at the Jack n Jill Childcare at Marina Bay, 500 Victory Road in North Quincy

Wednesday, May 22

4 p.m.  7 p.m. at Star Market on 130 Granite Ave. in Quincy

2 p.m. - 7 p.m.  at the Quincy YMCA, 79 Coddington St., in Quincy

Thursday, May 23

8:15 a.m.  10:40 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. -7:30 p.m. at the Jack n Jill Childcare at Marina Bay, 500 Victory Road in North Quincy

Friday, May 24

9:10 a.m.  1:40 p.m. at Crown Colony Medical Center, 500 Congress St., Quincy

Those who were exposed and begin to develop symptoms of measles should call their healthcare provider before visiting an office, clinic, or emergency department, the health department said. Visiting a healthcare facility may put others at risk and should be avoided. Anyone who has had measles in the past or has received two doses of the vaccine is unlikely to develop measles even if exposed.

Early symptoms of measles occur 10 days to two weeks after exposure and may resemble a cold, with symptoms like fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, as well as a rash on the skin two to four days after the initial symptoms develop. The rash usually appears on the head and then moves downward. The rash typically lasts a few days and then disappears.

The health department urges anyone who does not know their measles immunization status to get vaccinated with at least one dose of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. A measles vaccine given within 72 hours of exposure may prevent measles disease, and vaccination beyond that window will provide protection from subsequent exposures, the department said.

Lack of vaccination, combined with domestic and international travel, has resulted in the spread of measles nationally and internationally, said Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel. Getting vaccinated is the best way for people to protect themselves from this disease.

Anyone looking for more information can call a local health department or DPH at 617-983-6800. To learn more about measles, visit the DPH website.

Editors note: The Department of Public Health initially provided the wrong date of the childs diagnosis. The child was diagnosed on May 24.WEST SPRINGFIELD  Evangelist Franklin Graham brought his conservative vision of Christianity Saturday to progressive-leaning Western Massachusetts.

A lot of people feel there is no hope, Graham, 67, told The Republican shortly before taking the stage. Were here to say there is hope. Were here to preach a simple message. We know that Massachusetts has a lot of problems. There are terrible drug problems. Its our society today.

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association recruited and trained 625 local volunteers for the revival. Among them was Edgar Medero of Springfield, who heard about Grahams visit through Restoration Worship Center Church in Springfield.

"I want to see people accept Jesus Christ, to be saved" Medero, 24, said. "I want people to accept him into their lives and see what changes he can make."

More than 5,000 gathered at the outdoor Xfinity Arena at the Eastern States Exposition grounds to hear Graham  eldest son of famed preacher Billy  speak on the latest stop of his seven-date Decision America Northeast Tour.

Billy Graham, who died in 2018, spoke in Springfield in April 1982 at a revival in whats now the MassMutual Center days before he made his first journey to Moscow to preach.

Over the past nine days Graham brought his traveling festival to Portland, Maine; Burlington, Vermont and Manchester, New Hampshire.

"Well, I'd heard of Billy Graham," said Sharon Oullette of Enfield who was among the first of the crowd to arrive. "I love Jesus. I'm just looking forward to celebrating, to hearing some great music. I'm looking forward to hearing a great message."

The crowd got a half-hour or so of bluegrass-tinged contemporary Christian music from Crowder.

"It prepares your heart to hear the word," said Lucy Torres of Springfield.

Her friend, Susan Mirkin of Longmeadow, said she was looking Saturday for confirmation of what she said knows, that Jesus is alive and working in the world.

"It's wonderful to be with other believers," Mirkin said.

Graham is also CEO and president of Samaritan's Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization.

It was his work with Samaritan's Purse that drew Ila Casela and her family from Albany, New York.

I want to hear a message from Franklin, I want to know about the future and where he feels God leading him, she said.

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association spent weeks promoting Saturday's revival renting billboards and distributing lawn signs through local churches.

Protesters greeted Graham at his other New England stops. But there werent out Saturday on Memorial Avenue in West Springfield.

Last week, a group of more than 40 clergy from across Western Massachusetts sent a letter to The Republican letting the public know they do not share Graham's views.

The group cited Grahams comments in support of President Donald Trump and his criticisms of gays and lesbians, including presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who is gay.

Graham has also spoken out against Muslim immigration, writing on Twitter in 2015:

"We are under attack by Muslims at home and abroad. We should stop all immigration of Muslims to the U.S. until this threat with Islam has been settled. Every Muslim that comes into this country has the potential to be radicalized  and they do their killing to honor their religion and Muhammad.

In their letter, local clergy took a more inclusive stance:

Rev. Grahams public comments and positions contradict our understanding of Gods message of inclusion, love and justice for all. We affirm all people of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and queer community as beloved children of God. We honor and celebrate our Muslim neighbors and friends. And we are committed to offer a wide welcome for Muslims arriving in our country, as well as immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers from all lands, the letter said

Graham was expected to close the evening by inviting attendees to come forward and give their lives to Christ. Organizers set up tents around the rim of the seating area where worshipers could meet briefly with counselors.

From West Springfield, Graham goes to Providence, Rhode Island, Bridgeport, Connecticut and to Syracuse with a Festival of Hope scheduled for Nov. 15 through 17 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The Northeast tour, an outgrowth of Grahams 2016 effort to appear in all 50 state capitals, is specifically designed to take him to states where religious practice, especially evangelical Protestantism long associated with the Graham family.

According to the Pew Research Center for Religion in Public Life, 40 percent of Massachusetts residents are certain in their belief in God and 9 percent of the state population identifies as evangelical protestant.

Compare that with what the same survey said about North Carolina, where Graham is based. There, 73 percent are certain of the existence of God and 35 percent identify as evangelical protestant.The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is looking for an independent monitor to review Wynn Resorts policy changes as it launches its $2.6 billion Everett casino  that is, if the company agrees to the oversight.

Wynn Resorts has not declared whether it will agree to or appeal the Massachusetts Gaming Commissions $35 million fine and conditions, including the establishment of an independent monitor paid for by the casino giant. The company has until May 31.

Still, the commission is preparing for the possibility that Wynn Resorts will agree to the commissions April 30 decision. The agency published a request for response seeking a contractor to serve as the monitor.

According to the request for response, the monitor would be expected to review the policies and organizational changes adopted by Wynn Resorts to make sure the company is fulfilling the improvements that executives said they made in the wake of the sexual misconduct allegations against founder Steve Wynn. The commission plans to accept quotes from eligible candidates until June 28, five days after the scheduled opening of Encore Boston Harbor.

A spokesman for Wynn Resorts said company officials are reviewing the request for response.

Company executives who appeared before commissioners in April stressed that Wynn Resorts had transformed from the founder-led company controlled by Wynn.

They highlighted a number of organizational changes since early 2018, including firing executives who knew about the allegations and failed to address them, separating the CEO and chairman of the board positions and creating a separate channel for reporting incidents and a human resources executive.

The monitor is expected to measure how effective these changes are. The monitor has to review the companys compliance committee, audit committee and training programs for new and current board members.

The commissioners identified at least four areas the monitor should focus on:

how well Wynn Resorts implements and enforces human resources policies that reflect best practices

whether the company uses any retractions, gag orders, confidentiality clauses or other provisions its potential impact on any non-executive employee

how well the company communicates internally and with regulators

whether the company uses outside counsel and avoids conflicts of interest.

The commissioner wants the monitor to make recommendations to the company on how to correct any deficiencies identified through such baseline assessment, according to the request for response. The commission reserved the right to take the monitors recommendations and deem them conditions required for retaining the Boston-area casino license.

The commission does not expect the monitor to substitute its judgment for that of the company in these matters," the document states. "Instead, the commission is attempting to gain an understanding as to whether the approaches put in place by the company are consistent with recognized best practices and are in fact effective.

The commission said the decision will be based mostly on relevant experience and the applicants proposed plan. Diversity and cost are also factors, according to the request for response.

In the April 30 decision, commissioners wrote that they were troubled by the multiple violations of regulations and policies meant to protect the casino companys employees. They determined there wasnt enough evidence to support revoking the license altogether, but instead imposed the $35 million fine, an additional $500,000 against Maddox and a series of conditions.

The conditions that gaming industry analysts found most shocking were the requirements of an independent monitor and leadership training for Maddox.

Earlier this month, Maddox told investors that the company was reviewing some of the secondary or tertiary decisions imposed by the commission.

A company spokesman confirmed earlier this week that the company was working with the commission to understand the intent of the monitor condition in their recent decision.

The independent monitors contract could last as long as five years, but Wynn Resorts could ask the commission to dismiss the independent monitor after three years if the company shows good behavior.A suspect in the Thursday vandalism of a Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the University of Massachusetts property in Dorchester has been taken into custody and has been sent to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, the Massachusetts State Police said.

UMass Boston Police and State troopers took the 33-year-old suspect into custody Saturday morning without incident after an investigation. He was interviewed, then sent to an area hospital for evaluation. Police did not identify the individual.

Police said when he is released from the hospital, the suspect will be arraigned on charges of malicious destruction of property valued over $250 and tagging in Dorchester District Court.

According to a State Police press release, the suspect was identified as the person who pulled up shrubs and flowers, torn down American flags and threw them into a nearby creek and wrote on the stonework that makes up the Morrissey Boulevard memorial. The defacement was discovered Thursday afternoon.

The same person is the subject of a default warrant issued by the Dorchester court for the theft of an American and state from the UMass campus.

Interim Chancellor Katherine Newman said she is relieved a suspect has been identified and apprehended.

We are relieved to know that this incident has been resolved and thank both the State Police and our own UMass Boston officers for their efforts in this investigation.  she said.SPRINGFIELD  Area activist groups said they expect to have more than 100 individuals and groups testifying at a public hearing on Wednesday in Springfield to oppose changes in state renewable energy regulations that they claim would worsen pollution.

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources is conducting the hearing on May 29, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., in Classroom 14 at the UMass Center at Springfield, 1500 Main St.

The changes are being proposed to the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which requires that a percentage of electricity that utilities sell come from renewable resources.

There have been three past hearings in the state on the proposed changes, but the fourth hearing was added in Springfield as urged by 10 community groups from the region, activists said.

Opposition groups, in a recent statement, said the proposed changes would be a sweeping rollback of rules that govern what biomass plants can receive subsidies under the Renewable Portfolio Standard. The proposed changes could also pave the way for a wood-burning power plant proposed by Palmer Renewable Energy in East Springfield, opponents said.

"Springfield has some of the worst air quality in Massachusetts and the nation," said Michaelann Bewsee, former director of Arise for Social Justice. "With ever-increasing traffic pollution, nearby power plants and the Covanta garbage incinerator, the last thing we need is another polluting power plant here."

Palmer Renewable Energy has defended its proposed plant as not being a threat to public health, and has been successful in multiple court battles around its proposal.

The facts, science, and forestry management best practices all recognize the important role that biomass can play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and expanding the Commonwealths green energy portfolio," a Palmer Renewable Energy spokesman said Friday. "This is clearly reflected in DOERs draft regulations. Palmer Renewable Energy is still reviewing these regulations and will not make a decision on pursuing REC credits until they are finalized.

The company is proposing a $150 million, 35-megawatt biomass energy plant at 1000 Page Blvd., and had been hoping for a spring groundbreaking. No update was available Friday. The plant will be a tenant on the Palmer Paving site at 1000 Page Blvd., said Frank P. Fitzgerald, a lawyer for Palmer Renewable Energy.

Groups that pushed for the Springfield hearing on the proposed state rules changes included Arise for Social Justice, Pioneer Valley Asthma Coalition, Springfield Climate Justice Coalition and Toxics Action Center.

The activist groups stated that the proposed changes "will allow highly polluting biomass power plants to reap million of dollars in clean energy subsidies."

The past hearings took place in Boston, Gardner and Amherst.

Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. June 7. Written comments can be submitted to John Wassam electronically at DOER.RPS@mass.gov, or via mail to the Department of Energy Resources, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 1020, Boston, MA 02114.

For more information, visit mass.gov/service-details/rps-class-i-ii-rulemaking.The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has banned two of its members from the museum and revamped its security procedures after a group of students from the Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy complained they were insulted and harassed because of their race during a school field trip May 16.

The students from the Dorchester-based charter school told museum management that they were subjected to racially insulting comments from other patrons, and that security personnel followed the group as they moved through the museum.

The museum said Friday afternoon that after an investigation  which included reviewing surveillance video and conducting interviews with students, staff and other attendees  senior staff revoked memberships and issued trespass orders to two patrons who used offensive and inappropriate language toward the students on two occasions in the galleries.

The museum is also changing the way it deploys security personnel, after students said they felt guards were following them. The museum said guards going on and off break occasionally overlapped.

Based on surveillance footage, it is understandable that, because of this movement, the students felt followed, the museum said.

In response to an allegation that a staff member told students no food, no drink, no watermelon," the museum said the employee recalled telling the group no food, no drink and no water bottles were allowed in the galleries.

There is no way to definitively confirm or deny what was said or heard in the galleries, the museum said.

The museum also said it will conduct mandatory unconscious bias, conflict resolution and sexual harassment training for its staff.NORTHAMPTON  What is it like being a judge when domestic violence cases are heard, including those involving sexual brutality? Answer: It is not easy, and the cases are among the most difficult.

Hampshire Superior Court Judge John A. Agostini, Northampton District Court Judge Jacklyn M. Connly, and Hampshire Probate and Family Court First Justice Linda S. Fidnick shared some of their insights during a well-attended public forum Thursday moderated by Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan.

Getting the truth  or at least a good handle on the details of a domestic abuse case  is part science, art, skill and perhaps sometimes luck, the judges said.

I often wish I had a crystal ball, Connly said.

The trio emphasized how important it is to have the facts. But the judges acknowledged facts are sometimes incomplete or missing when they issue emergency restraining orders to prevent a victim from harm. Usually within 10 days of an emergency order being issued, a hearing with both parties is scheduled to determine whether facts exist to extend the order.

Sometimes things are not what they seem when we first hear it, Connly said, adding: It is one of the hardest things we do. Issuing a restraining order means the defendant has a criminal record.

Fidnick recounted a case when a man sought a restraining order, alleging his girlfriend smashed the windshield of his automobile. A few days later, the woman came in to apply for a restraining order. Her face badly bruised and she said the man grabbed her and smashed her face-first against that windshield.

We see people manipulating judicial procedures, Fidnick said. It is important to hear both sides.

My staff is trained to never turn someone away when abuse is alleged, Connly said.

Agostini, as a superior court judge, does not hear restraining order requests, but said: I often see the consequences  when things go wrong.

The judges thanked Sullivan for convening the forum, saying sharing information was eye-opening.

They also said there is room for improvement in getting immediate access to court records within and outside of Massachusetts when, for example, it could be useful to know if an abuser has a criminal history. In response to a question, the judges said it could be helpful if they had a research assistants to locate information needed to make a decision.

In situations in which an individual is taking medications, or has stopped taking them, the judges said that unless a party discloses that, a judge has no way of knowing if that might be a factor in how a domestic situation spiraled out of control.

On a question about convicted sex offenders who are released after serving prison time for child rape, the judges said even though the crime may have occurred decades ago, the victim could have grounds to obtain a permanent restraining order.

Objective, reasonable fear is the judicial standard, Connly said.

Fidnick said that among the complicating factors in restraining order cases is that the defendant must surrender any firearms they own to police while the order is in effect.SPRINGFIELD  Eight people were displaced and firefighters rescued a cat named Drogon after a fire broke out on the rear porch of a two-family home in the citys Forest Park neighborhood Friday night.

Dennis Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi, said the fire was reported at 9:28 p.m. at 38-40 Biltmore St. The Red Cross is assisting the residents  four adults who live on the first floor, and four adults who live on the second floor, Leger said.

There were no injuries.

First-floor resident Jake Santiago was home alone when the fire broke out. He said he escaped along with the four second-floor residents.

Missing after everyone was out of the building was Santiagos kitten, Drogon, named for one of the dragons on HBOs Game of Thrones.

The cat was brought out of the smoky building by a fire investigator scared, but otherwise unharmed.

Damage was estimated at $75,000, Leger said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.HOUSTON -- Red Sox manager Alex Cora provided some injury updates before the teams series opener against the Astros on Friday night:

* Utility player Brock Holt (right shoulder impingement) will play shortstop for Double-A Portland on Friday night as he continues his rehab assignment. Cora and the medical staff will meet after Fridays game to decide on activating Holt.

Theres a chance (he could return this weekend), Cora said.

Holt has been out since April 6, first with a scratched cornea in his right eye and then with the shoulder issue. If he doesnt join the Sox in Houston, he will return during the home series against Cleveland next week.

* Second baseman Dustin Pedroia (left knee irritation) will play second base for Portland on Friday night and likely stay with the SeaDogs through the weekend. Cora is encouraged with Pedroias offensive progress despite a lack of results in five games for Pawtucket (3-for-19, one walk).

Hes making strides offensively, Cora said. I know the numbers arent there but if you look at the at-bats, his stride is getting better. He was actually flying open, but little by little hes getting close. Thats a good sign.

Pedroia has experienced no setbacks since restarting his rehab stint May 17.

As far as soreness and all that, no red flags, which is good, Cora said. Well just keep rolling.

* Starter Nathan Eovaldi (loose bodies in right elbow) will throw a bullpen in Houston on Saturday afternoon. Its his second bullpen since undergoing surgery April 23.

Eovaldis next step might be a simulated game or up-and-down next week. He is still a ways away from heading out on a rehab stint.

* Lefty Brian Johnson (left elbow inflammation) will make his third rehab appearance Sunday, starting for Portland. He likely will pitch one more time after that before returning to the roster.HOUSTON -- Red Sox rookie Michael Chavis has hit 10 home runs in his first 29 major-league games, putting himself into the conversation to be included in this years Home Run Derby. Though hes not sure if the Sox would allow him to participate, Chavis does have some interest in competing.

If I was allowed to, yeah, Chavis said. I like hitting home runs. I think it would be fun and be a cool experience. Its something during my career that I definitely want to do."

Chavis has won a few derbies in the past, including one as an amateur at the 2013 Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park. The Red Sox held him out of the 2017 Carolina League derby, making him wonder if the team would prefer he not participate in the big-league version.

I wasnt even allowed to be in the Home Run Derby when I was in High-A," Chavis said. "The Red Sox wouldnt let me, so I doubt theyll let me do it here.

The Red Sox havent had a derby participant since David Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez both competed in 2011, but sluggers Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez could have interest now that the winners prize has increased from $125k to $1 million. That sum could be attractive to a someone like Chavis, who is making the league-minimum of $555k in his rookie season, but will also make the field harder to crack.

Chavis is building a case to make the All-Star team, potentially as the American Leagues starting second baseman. If things align a certain way, he could find himself busy on both Monday and Tuesday of All-Star week in Cleveland.

If they did ask me to do it, Id probably have to ask the Sox and think about it, Chavis said. At some point, I want to do it.The case against Jill Cormier, who is accused in connection with the February death of Roger Bemis in Clinton, is moving to Worcester Superior Court following a Friday indictment, officials said.

Cormier, 43, initially told police that she saw another man hit Bemis at least 10 times in the head and allegedly lied about returning to Bemiss apartment. During a hearing in Clinton District Court earlier this month, prosecutor Brett Dillon said Cormier put out cigarettes in Bemiss eyes after the alleged beating.

Bemis, 58, was found dead inside his Clinton Housing Authority apartment at 367 Water St. on Feb. 7. Authorities said it was clear that Bemis had been dead for several days and that his death indicated foul play.

Cormier was indicted by a Worcester Grand Jury on Friday on a charge of misleading police, according to the office of Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr.

It is not yet clear when she will be arraigned in Worcester Superior Court.

After Bemis was found dead, investigators started to close in on a suspect, Dean Valchuis of Berlin.

Police went to arrest Valchuis at his home and found him injured in the backyard. He had fallen out of a tree stand and suffered serious injuries.

Valchuis was charged with assault and battery causing serious bodily injury.

On April 18, Valchuis was found dead of a suspected suicide at the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Correctional Unit, a medium security correctional unit within the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital.

On May 10, the state dropped the charge against Valchuis, according to Earlys office.

A Clinton District Court judge this month was considering whether Cormier is considered too dangerous to be released on bail. She has been held without bail since her April arraignment on charges of assault and battery and witness intimidation, for which she pleaded not guilty.

At a hearing earlier this month, Dillon told the judge that Cormier gave her sister a different story than what she explained to police investigating Bemiss death.

According to court documents, Cormier told police she and Valchuis were at Bemiss apartment on Super Bowl Sunday. She told authorities she saw Valchuis strike Bemis in the head about 10 times, and the two left the apartment.

However, after Bemis was beaten, Cormier and Valchuis went back to the 367 Water St. apartment with a firearm, Dillon said in court on May 3.

Thats when Valchuis shot Bemis in the head, Dillon said.

Bemis was then beaten with a hammer and Cormier put out cigarettes in Bemiss eyes, according to the prosecutor.

During the hearing, Dillon said he expected Cormier to be indicted soon.For Memorial Day or any day for that matter, McDowell County is fortunate to have not one but two special places set aside to honor and remember those who made the supreme sacrifice for the defense of our nation.

On the lawn of the McDowell County Courthouse, the first veterans memorial, which was erected in the late 1980s has been cleaned and placed in a new position so it will face the new Charters of Freedom display.

And at the McDowell Senior Center in Marion, the other county veterans memorial stands as a tribute to those who died while serving our country and those who survived the wars as well. The McDowell County Salute to Veterans is the result of foresight, dedication and hard work by a small group of Vietnam War veterans. They had the vision and the determination to build something that would not only pay tribute to those who wore the uniform but provides some assistance to our local veterans.

For this Memorial Day, the group gathered recently to talk with a McDowell News reporter about what it took to make this memorial wall a reality six years after its dedication.

In 2010, Vietnam War veteran Randy Hollifield attended a reunion of his Army buddies in Branson, Mo. Hollifield served with the 2nd Battalion, 94th Artillery.by Sean Hargrave , Staff Writer, May 23, 2019

Finally, we have something to say about GDPR turning a year old. And at least it's the big question, the one that truly matters. Is Google compliant?

Those three words have summed up the phony war adland has undergone all year. No journalist could open their inbox for some report or another on how many SMEs are not fully compliant. Typically, it boils down to a privacy policy that doesn't fully explain what they do with data and under which of the six legal justifications offered by the GDPR.

Then there are all the customer surveys that have been popping up all week again, as the first anniversary nears. Suffice it to say that most Brits don't believe they've noticed a difference in how companies handle their data and around a fifth to a third, depending on which research you believe, don't know what the GDPR is or what it should mean to them.

However, all of this is merely a side story compared to the really big issue. Who cares about SMEs? The fact that people know about as much about the GDRP as they did the Data Protection Act it replaced is not a huge surprise.

I've blogged before about how there is only really one massive question, and it involves the duopoly's compliance.

Many questions have been raised before, but now we have confirmation that the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) will investigate the tech giant over its personalisation of ads via data about a user that follows them around the internet. The fact that Google, the US giant that makes most of its EU money in the UK, is being investigated in Ireland tells you everything you need to know about the tech giant.

Yes, we're dealing with our old pal Ireland, the country at the edge of the EU that likes to pitch itself as a tax-efficient base. Readers will probably remember the EU had to get very angry with the country to force it to end a tax deal, and against its will require Apple to pay billions of Euros in back tax. You get the picture?

So Google is being investigated in Ireland, a country you can't imagine wants to rock the boat for the tech giants it harbours. If these companies could choose a potentially sympathetic EU member to be tried by, Ireland would be top of the list.

The key question will be whether Google uses personal information. It may argue that it anonymises data, and then whether it has the correct informed, granular permissions to gather and use personally identifiable information on its properties and beyond. Further questions will be whether it has explained what the data will be used for and the legal basis for processing it.

To be honest, and I've talked with people across the industry, most people simply don't know whether the tech giant that dominates the UK digital advertising scene is compliant or not.

Most have been waiting for an investigation to be launched so they can find out, in turn, whether they have been inadvertently helping Google break the law through running campaigns using its data-targeting capabilities.

I cannot stress strongly enough that this is the decision that London's adland scene has been waiting on for an entire year and nobody knows for sure which way it will go.

The BBC predicts the investigation will take many months, possibly even a year or longer. So, if GDPR's first birthday present is a Google investigation, its second could be the verdict.PHOENIX

May 24, 2019

Wednesday, May 29

Phoenix

Dave Chase

Doug Ducey

Phoenix

Paul Penzone

Marilyn Bartlett

Dave Chase

Scottsdale

David Berg

Janice Johnston

Paul Johnson

/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Health Rosetta will host its upcoming Phoenix Wake-Up Call onat the Arizona Country Club in. The summit is part of Health Rosetta's national Wake-up Call Roadshow, a nationwide tour bringing together local employers, healthcare experts, and civic leaders in an effort to discuss the systemic causes, catastrophic effects and proven solutions for tackling the national opioid epidemic as a microcosm of the larger dysfunction found in our current U.S. healthcare system. Attendees will learn there is one silver lining to the disastrous opioid epidemic. That is, the communities and employers who have successfully tackled the opioid issue at a systemic level go a long ways towards solving the even larger healthcare dysfunction."The Phoenix Wake-Up Call" event puts experts in multiple industries in contact with our innovative and forward-thinking advisors here at Health Rosetta," said, co-founder of Health Rosetta and author of The Opioid Crisis Wake-Up Call. "Our roadshow is part of our mission to unite business and healthcare pioneers committed to navigating the storm of the opioid epidemic and championing battle-tested solutions to fundamental issues with healthcare. Unfortunately, the media and government have oversimplified the opioid crisis failing to recognize the systemic nature. As an example, benzos (i.e., the category of drugs that Xanax and Valium fall under) are repeating the opioid debacle roughly 10 years behind the same progression."Seven out of 10 employers indicate that their workplaces suffer from the catastrophic effects of prescription drug abuse, with businesses around the country reporting increasing rates of drug-related absenteeism, accidents and overdoses. In 2017, Governordeclared a public health emergency in the face of the crisis, and at the end of last year there was no indication that the number of deaths linked to opioids was diminishing from two per day."We know the solutions for the opioid epidemic, which is just one outgrowth of broader systemic dysfunction in how we deliver and pay for healthcare in this country," Chase said. "We organized this roadshow to spread the word about those solutions. We want to empower other local leaders to take up the charge, and this stop inis a critical step in that march toward change."The Phoenix Wake-Up Call includes in-depth discussions that build on proven strategies to arrest the epidemic and correct the glaring issues taking place in our current underperforming health care system. Speakers include Sheriff, Fortune's #13 World's Greatest Leader's, and Health Rosetta Co-Founder. The Wake-Up Call is hosted by Wincline, Inc. and sponsored by leaders throughout the medical, health benefits and business world, including stop loss carrier, OneBeacon, value-based direct primary care organization, Redirect Health, and direct care solutions pioneer, 6 Degrees Health, amongst others.About the Health Rosetta: The Health Rosetta is an open-source ecosystem of transparent healthcare advisors, services, vendors and strategies all meant to reduce an employer's total healthcare spend while improving outcomes. Its team is comprised of benefits advisors who look at health care differently. Working with employers, they adapt a strategy that allows total transparency in a health plan, so employers can see exactly where their money goes. Learn more at http://www.healthrosetta.org.About Redirect Health: Redirect Health is a-based direct care provider -- the result of over 20 years of innovative work in healthcare with a focus on putting people, and the businesses that employ them, first. Dr., Dr.andstarted Redirect Health with one goal -- delivering the best care to the most people in the most efficient way. Simply removing unnecessary administration and waste and streamlining care created a huge positive change that has allowed the firm to grow exponentially and now offer services across the country. By pushing back on the traditional healthcare system, Redirect has put the focus back on people and away from billing codes, unnecessary copays and expensive care.SOURCE Redirect HealthIndian ARMY found another reason to rejoice after Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh took to Twitter to show his appreciation for K-Pop sensation BTS, and their insane fandom.

@BTS_twt @bts_bighit They r Lit  Insane Fan Following.. RESPECT 



Respect entire Team #BTS  DILJIT DOSANJH (@diljitdosanjh) May 24, 2019

Goes without saying that the BTS fanbase in India lost it and fans couldn't stop thanking him for showing his love and respect for the biggest boy band on the planet.

They have an insane fan following cause they are amazing and hard working artists. Their msg touches our heart. Thank you for your kind words Sir!  BANGTAN INDIA  (@BangtanINDIA) May 24, 2019

Thank you for appreciating them. 

BTS being amazing artists and their music which heals has got them the insane fan following. 



Their latest song : Boy With Luvhttps://t.co/00OqqTgHxb  BTS Projects India  (@BTSprojectINDIA) May 24, 2019

I guess the reason why they have such passionate fans is because they are themselves passionate about their art and the messages they try to communicate through their music. Thank you for the appreciation post Sir!   Nayo (@nayoxx) May 24, 2019

Earlier, Indian rapper Badshah had also praised BTS' new single 'Boy With Luv', saying he was hooked to the groovy track.

Im hooked to @BTS_twt boy with luv. @halsey killed it too. What melody, what visuals!!!! Ooa ooa ooa ooa!  BADSHAH (@Its_Badshah) April 14, 2019

To anyone who knows anything about K-Pop, the unbelievable popularity of BTS is not a new development, instead, it does not come as a surprise anymore when celebrities take to social media to show how in awe they are of the seven-member band from South Korea.

 Reuters

The band recently scripted history by becoming the first K-Pop group ever to win the Top Group Award at the Billboard Music Awards. BTS, who were nominated for the first time ever in this category, won the award by beating out Dan + Shay, Imagine Dragons, Maroon 5 and Panic! At The Disco.

Recently, the iconic Empire State Building in New York City turned purple in honour of BTS, who just finished their US tour.

they lit up the empire state building purple JUST for BTS???? no one's doing it like them pic.twitter.com/a8ZcpzvIMh  izzy (@jjkmoonchiId) May 21, 2019

BTS is on a world tour right now, and have hundreds of concerts lined up around the globe.They arrived this year just like they have for the last 14 years. I knew they would be coming sooner or later, but despite expecting them, they still kind of caught me off guard when they turned up in my mailbox.

The letters are quality, cream colored stationary inviting me along with many others to a special event in Lansing. The letter this year was sent by Sen. Micheal MacDonald.

These letters are sent to a select group. It is a group no one wants to belong to because the price of membership is too dear. I am, like millions of others, a Gold Star Mother. The letters are an invitation for an opportunity to remember and honor my son. My oldest son, Sgt. Charles A. Drier, was killed May 24, 2005, by an improvised explosive device in Iraq.

At the time of his death, he was the 52nd member of the U.S Armed forces with known Michigan ties to be killed in Iraq. There have been many others since then.

For the last 25 years, Lansing lawmakers have hosted a Memorial Day Service at the capitol for the families of fallen soldiers.

During the event, there is a folded American Flag on some desks. The flag is on the desk of the representative who had a soldier in his/her district killed during the past year. During the ceremony of remembrance, the lawmaker goes to the front of the chamber and places the flag in a basket.

The other letter is an invitation to attend a luncheon at the governors mansion. The first year that I attended the luncheon at the governors residence, I expected to see an elaborate, several storied-stately mansion. I was surprised to see the mansion was just a large, ranch-styled house.

Because my son, who had just turned 28, was killed just a few days before Memorial Day in 2005, the memorial event at the capitol was over, so there was no invitation that year.

While I have always had a great respect for veterans, it wasnt until my son was killed that the real meaning of Memorial Day truly hit home.

With Memorial Day only a few days away, most people are thinking about ways to enjoy the extra day off from work, and making plans for the summer.

That extra day off comes with a price  the life of a person who served their country and made the ultimate sacrifice. Memorial Day commemorates those who fought for our country and died in wars.

During that extra day off, please take a few moments to think about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy.

Mary Drier, a veteran journalist, pens a bi-weekly column for the Huron Daily TribuneBAD AXE  There are 2,322 veterans in Huron County, according to the Huron County Veterans Affairs office.

The age of the veterans range from their mid-20s to mid-90s, fighting wars all the way back to World War II.

With that many veterans living in Huron County, and some of them in their 90s, their families have to be aware of planning funerals and making sure they get everything their loved ones want.

The VAs preparation pamphlet recommends each veteran discuss their final wishes regarding remains. If the veteran wishes to be buried in a national cemetery, they need to apply for pre-need burial eligibility.

The VA also provides a record for families keeping track of the veterans personal information.

DD-214 forms are issued upon a military service members retirement, separation, or discharge from active duty from the armed forces. DD-214 forms can be obtained through a free online request form from the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency website.

The family supplies the DD-214 form to the funeral home, which takes care of most of the arrangements from there.

Abigail Rochefort, the executive assistant for MacAlpine Funeral Home in Bad Axe, said they contact the appropriate military branch to request honors, call the local VA and VFW branches to bring in local veterans and arrange burials in local cemeteries or at the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan.

Its all up to the family if they want to do all that, Rochefort said, noting burials also include a 21-gun salute.

MacAlpine Funeral Home has done 10 military funerals this year as of May, with an average of between 15 and 20 per year. Of those 10, two did not have the military aspects.

Rochefort said some families do request smaller funerals with just locals, while others forget to submit the DD-214 form, preventing them from requesting military honors.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides memorial flags, at no cost, to drape the casket or urn. Each family of the veteran is entitled to one flag.

Veterans also receive a headstone, columbarium niche cover, or a flat marker for a veterans final resting place. Cemetery medallions can be provided for the headstone or other memorial to signify the deceaseds status as a veteran. A memorial certificate will be provided to the family, signed by the current U.S. President.

Burial benefits are also paid to a spouse, designated family member or executor to help offset burial expenses, plot costs and transportation costs.

If a veteran with a spouse was receiving VA benefits prior to their passing, the spouse would then receive those benefits.

Other benefits the VA can provide for families of deceased veterans include:

 Dependency and indemnity compensation: A monthly tax-free benefit provided to the eligible surviving family

 Dependents Educational Assistance Program: Offers education and training opportunities for eligible dependents of veterans who are disabled or deceased due to military service.

 Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship: Provides financial support for books, fees, supplies and housing for children of service members who died in active duty after Sept. 10, 2001.

 Survivors pension: A net worth and income-based benefit paid to un-remarried surviving spouses and children of a wartime veteran whose death was not service related.

 Special monthly pension benefits: Additional funds available to survivors who are blind, require the aid and assistance of another person to perform daily activities, or are permanently housebound.

 Civilian health and medical program: Helps provide reimbursement for surviving spouses and dependents of veterans with permanent and service-connected disabilities.

 Home loans: The VA can help eligible surviving spouses become homeowners.

 Veterans month of death benefits: The veterans last month of compensation or pension benefits can be paid to their surviving spouse.

More information about military burials can be found at www.va.gov/burials-memorials/NEWTOWN  John Hickenlooper is often labeled a moderate Democrat, but he rebukes that label.

You can have progressive ideas, but you have to present it to them in a moderate way, he told a group of first responders and families affected by the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting Saturday morning in Newtown.

Hickenlooper, one of 23 Democratic candidates whove declared a run for president, proposed a slate of progressive gun violence prevention policies on Wednesday, including national licensing for gun ownership. Newtown was a natural place to talk about it.

But this was more than just a campaign stop, he told the gathering. It was personal.

Hickenlooper was governor of Colorado when a gunman killed 12 at a movie theater in Aurora in 2012. Following the shooting, he led the passage of legislation requiring universal background checks in the state.

He was also, his campaign says, the first governor of a purple state to lead a ban on high-capacity magazines of the sort that were used on the AR-15 murder weapons in Aurora, Sandy Hook and so many other places.

I feel somehow connected to Newtown, Hickenlooper said. Actually being here and hearing their stories is very powerful. And its interesting that its right on the heels of Ethans Law and the other two bills that got passed. So there is this moment of inflection that they are actually succeeding. We obviously have a long way to go.

His stop at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library came two days after the Connecticut Senate overwhelmingly gave final passage to Ethans Law, which requires safe storage of unloaded, not just loaded, guns.

Hickenlooper sat in a circle in a small room on the second floor of the library, listening intently and talking about his gun violence prevention proposals for nearly an hour Saturday morning with members of the Newtown Action Alliance, Junior Newtown Action Alliance, Moms Demand Action and Connecticut Against Gun Violence. They shared the common bond of tragedies that happened in the same year, but the topic was policy  not the horrific events of 2012 in states 2,000 miles apart.

His proposals to curb gun violence include a call for national gun licenses, raising the legal age to own a firearm, universal background checks, extreme risk protection orders, magazine limits and bans on bump stocks and assault weapons.

The groups put pressure on Hickenlooper to commit to oppose arming teachers or allowing federal funding to be used to arm teachers; to consider campaign finance reform in his policy proposals; and to promise that as the bar is raised by other candidates on gun violence prevention, he will amend his platform accordingly.

What is your commitment to the state of Connecticut to take our lead, because we have the fifth lowest gun death rate in the country, some of the strongest laws in the country now, and what were doing is working, so what is your commitment to us? asked Jeremy Stein, executive director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence.

Stein, who helped write Ethans Law, said culture changes since the 2016 election will make gun violence prevention a central issue in 2020. Hes met with several 2020 contenders to discuss the issue.

I think more candidates need to embrace the kind of policies hes proposing to prevent gun violence, Stein said. We will see the importance of prevention come up like we havent seen in previous races and it will be a central issue. I think a lot of people will not vote for anyone without a gun violence prevention platform.

At least on gun violence prevention, Hickenlooper is in the vanguard of restrictive policies in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.

Were going to get a lot of pushback but I dont think its unreasonable, he said. I think its a platform thats achievable.

Hickenlooper was in Connecticut for a 45th reunion of his Wesleyan University class. His fellow Wesleyan graduate, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Col., appointed to the Senate in 2012 by Hickenlooper, is also a declared candidate for president and was also on the Middletown campus Saturday.

kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasseltMore than 3,000 nursing home workers withdrew their threat to strike Friday after reaching an agreement for a new contract with some home operators.

The strike withdrawal was widely anticipated because Gov. Ned Lamont and his administration, in a letter Monday, agreed to add more Medicaid funding to the state budget to provide raises for the workers.The radical idea of replacing most of the state income tax with a payroll tax paid by employers has bubbled quietly among a handful of policymakers for much of this year. A few had hoped it would come to a vote before the General Assembly ends its regular session June 5.

That wont happen. But even as lawmakers and Gov. Ned Lamont lurch toward a new state budget, some people are still hard at work on the payroll tax concept  with an eye toward bringing a massive tax reform bill in 2020 that could save taxpayers and employers $1.6 billion a year and still net the state more than it takes in now.

What were doing right now is doing a lot of the information gathering, said Rep. Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, co-chairman of the General Assemblys tax-writing finance committee.

The Lamont administration is actively exploring whether the state can, indeed, transform billions of dollars of the states revenue stream into a 5-percent payroll deduction that employers pay to the state, eliminating the personal income tax for most residents.

Economists, accountants, lawyers and administrators in the governors budget office and the state Department of Revenue Services are all looking at the plan. It was first presented to Rojas and others in government earlier this year by a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy group, the Connecticut School Finance Project.

All of us are intrigued by the concept and the administration has, I think, shown as much interest in it as we have, Rojas said, referring to members of the finance committee.

Rojas and co-chairman Sen. John Fonfara, D-Hartford, have held out hope that some legislation would happen this year, though clearly it wouldnt be the whole reform.

That could be some kind of initial implementation of a piece, Rojas said, or perhaps creation of a task force  though many think thats how to kill an idea. Or it could be marching orders for the administration to study it, which is happening with or without a formal bill.

The payroll tax is a complex idea that merits further evaluation, Lamont spokeswoman Maribel La Luz said in an emailed statement. It is not feasible for this legislative session but we are continuing to have discussions with our colleagues in the legislature and bringing in other individuals with expertise in this area.

Simple idea, complex problems

The idea behind a payroll tax is simple enough, but the problems it raises are complex. Employers would pay 5 percent of their employees wages to the state. They would expect to pay 5 percent less to the affected employees, so that theyre made whole. Workers would not have to pay 5 percentage points of the state personal income tax.

Heres where the savings comes: Because employees and employers all pay federal payroll taxes amounting to 6.2 percent, theyd save on that cost because wages and salaries would be lower. And everyone would also pay federal income taxes on a lower base, saving even more.

Anyone who now pays less than 5 percent in state income taxes would receive a rebate. Anyone who pays more  the top rate is currently 6.99 percent  would pay the difference in state income taxes.

In all, the Connecticut School Finance Project, which devised the plan, estimates that households would see a benefit of about $1 billion. Employers would benefit by $600 million as their Social Security and Medicare taxes would fall.

And the state would add an estimated $400 million a year to its coffers even after spending money to make lower-income people whole. Thats because it would eliminate certain exemptions in addition to raising overall tax rates for high-end earners.

I went into more detail in a recent column about the idea. Whats happening now is the state is figuring out what the actual numbers would be, based on tax records rather than theory.

Folks here are just starting to dig further into the details, said Scott D. Jackson, commissioner of revenue services, in a written statement through a spokesman. He said part of the complexity is the range of immediate and long-term effects.

DRS looks forward to contributing to the conversation.

The bedrock principle is that everyone, rich, poor, middle class and employers, ends up ahead  because we all would pay less in taxes to the federal government.

Making it work

The problems arent small. They fall into four main areas: First, cutting salaries even to save workers money is not easy or smooth. Unions have contracts, big companies have national scales, homebuyers need to show income to qualify for mortgages and low-income workers have a rising minimum wage.

The latest thinking as the planing moves forward is that the pay cuts, the income tax reductions, and the payroll tax payments, would all be phased in over several years.

Rather than actually having to go and reduce peoples wages by 5 percent, what you are doing is you are saying ... instead of a (cost of living) adjustment ... its going to be a tax-free raise, said Katie Roy, founder and executive director of the Connecticut School Finance Project.

In other words, instead of collecting a 2 percent raise in a year of the phase-in, an employee might get a 1 percent raise with a reduction in his or her state income tax rate.

Second problem: A lower salary with lower payments for Social Security and Medicare means lower payments in retirement. Theres no basic formula for how much less retirees would get, but staff at the project estimate the maximum loss would be 2.4 percent of benefits, perhaps slightly more, for someone who works under a payroll tax for his or her entire career.

That translates to about $480 a year for a retiree receiving $1,660 a month in Social Security. And while thats not trivial, that person would more than likely see at least that much savings every year he or she worked  compared with the current system.

If that money were invested, it would far outweigh the lost retirement income. And anyone far along toward retirement could see almost no reduction in benefits at all.

Third problem: Its possible the Internal Revenue Service would disallow it. I dont have any new intel on this, but Roy believes theres nothing for the Feds to prohibit. Payroll taxes are legal.

Its financial justice to make up for the Trump tax reform, which lowers deductible tax payments in Connecticut by an estimated $10 billion, costing residents $2.9 billion. The benefits in the payroll tax would not depend on the federal reform remaining in place, but they would be larger as a result of it, as taxpayers would lose fewer deductions.

The fourth major hurdle is lack of trust. Skeptics have said, since the idea surfaced in my May 10 column, that the state cant be trusted to eliminate the right portion of the income tax, or that employees simply wont agree to see their wages pared back for a promised reform that might go away, or never happen in the first place.

I cant resolve the trust-in-government issue, Roy said, perhaps stating the obvious.

Bipartisan curiosity

Liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, have all said the idea might make sense if the problems can be resolved.

Conceptually I like it, said Sen. Kevin Witkos, R-Canton, ranking Republican on the finance committee. We definitely need to see it play out. Its time we started thinking outside the box.

Witkos said he would even agree to see the state increase its take from the system, by raising the total net taxes collected, if the extra money were used to pay down liabilities. That could avert the need to refinance the teachers pension fund, he said  a plan he and other Republicans oppose.

Tom Swan, director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, said he participated in a conference call with two Washington, D.C.-based tax and policy groups, and everyone had a lot of questions.

In principle I like the idea of figuring out ways to make Connecticut whole from the Trump tax scam, Swan said, but for me that includes recovering some of the $2 billion from the 1 percent.

He was referring to the tax savings for the very wealthy in the federal reform. Thats part of the whole idea  total state taxes from that group would rise even as they saved money.

dhaar@hearstmediact.comWILTON  Police have admitted an officer used poor judgment when he threw a ball at a turkey that had taken refuge this month in the rafters of the Wilton High School field house.

The incident occurred on May 10, after students had lured the turkey in and officials had difficulty in getting it out. The turkey stayed in the rafters for two days before being caught with a net by a wildlife removal company.

The police department issued a statement Thursday, saying the video of the incident was reviewed.

A review of our officers response did confirm that the officer used poor judgment in their attempt to resolve the issue, by throwing a ball in the direction of the turkey, the statement said. It was found that the officers actions were not malicious or intended to cause harm to the turkey, rather an attempt to persuade the turkey to move from its current location.

When the departments shift supervisor arrived at the school, he instructed the officer to stop and called the wildlife company, the statement said.

Our officers are tasked with responding to myriad different types of calls for services during the course of their shifts and careers. Many of these calls are general service-oriented calls that go beyond the scope of their roles as law enforcement officers or anything that was taught to them in the police academy. Despite that, our officers embrace the opportunity to serve the community of Wilton and solve problems, whether it is assisting a victim of a crime or assisting in an issue such as wildlife removal from a building, the statement continued.

We encourage our officers to be innovators in their attempts to solve community problems they are tasked with responding to. We also accept accountability when our actions can be improved. In the current incident the department and the officer recognize that the act of throwing a ball in the direction of the turkey was poor judgment. The appropriate course of action when confronted with a similar incident has been reviewed with the officer.

The turkeys stay was not without consequence. Gym classes had to be rescheduled or moved outside and bird droppings had to be cleaned up. Most of the gym was sanitized before students returned.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 25)  The legislative session ends on June 7th, along with the shift to a new Congress.

This leaves legislators in a race against time to pass key economic bills of the Duterte administration, as these bills would have to go through the entire legislative process all over again once the 18th Congress takes over on July 22.

Once of these bills include the Private Services Act, which would lift the foreign ownership limits in the telecommunication and transport sectors.

"It can address the issues on water, air, transportation, and power. Sapul lahat doon sa (It will hit) Public Service Act, which is very old," Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III told reporters.

Congress is also working on passing the bill which would increase excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco, which would fund the Universal Health Care Act.

READ: Finance and Health departments renew call to pass sin tax law

The second tranche of the administration's tax reform program, the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-Quality Opportunities (Trabaho) bill, is also still pending in Congress.

Speaking to CNN Philippines Business Roundup, Asian Institute of Management Associate Professor Emmanuel Leyco said that the upcoming administration-allied Congress might make passing these laws easier.

"Well, in terms of passing the law with the majority now with the president, legislation is going to become easier. It will be faster," Leyco said.

However, he added that legislation such as the Trabaho bill should not be rushed.

"One of the major issues that were cited by the business sector was that the benefits they are currently enjoying right now will be removed and they say, if that is removed, they will have no reason to stay in the country. So they will just stay out," Leyco said.

He added that it falls upon the 18th Congress to pass laws that would benefit the economy in the long-run, not just until the end of the administration.

"I am hoping that the new legislative body will put priority on the competitiveness, on the stability and the long term benefit, long term direction of our economy... You have to consult with all stakeholders and make sure that the steps that are being taken right now is not just for the temporary 1-2 years," Leyco said.

CNN Philippines correspondent Rex Remitio contributed to this story.How to Absorb the Marine Corps into the Army and Navy

For decades, the U.S. Marine Corps has attempted to tweak its force structure to enhance performance within a constrained...Former Army Tech Sgt. John Trippon finally told his family how he got those scars on his chest and stomach 70 years after the D-Day invasion of Hitler's Fortress Europe on June 6, 1944.

Trippon, a combat engineer, and his unit from the 6th Engineers Special Brigade of the First Army, under the command of Gen. Omar Bradley, were in the second invasion wave that wove its way to Omaha Beach in landing craft, past floating bodies and German obstacles.

They were pinned down by murderous fire coming from the ridgeline above, and machine-gun crossfire from emplacements that the naval bombardment had failed to knock out.

About half of the 550-man unit had already been killed in their first 90 minutes on the beach, Jim Trippon said in an interview Saturday recounting his father's actions that day. "There was no place to hide," he said.

They had to find a way to get off that beach, get to the heights to stop the Germans, or the carnage would continue.

Following orders, the 22-year-old Trippon found a way out. He threw his body across the barbed wire blocking their escape. The others ran across his back to get clear. John Trippon untangled himself and raced after them.

They would take a 17th-century French chateau about a quarter-mile from the beach that the Germans had used as their elegant field headquarters.

A cow killed in the bombardments was on the grounds. Trippon and others took back meat for the unit. They only realized later that they had walked without a scratch through a minefield to do it.

Over the years, his father waved off questions on how he got the scars, Jim Trippon said. "I could never figure out how he got those scars across his chest."

When asked, his father would growl: "You don't want to know about that."

John Trippon "always had survivor's guilt," the son said.

It was only on a trip back to Normandy for the 70th anniversary that he spoke of it, and other surviving members of his unit confirmed that he had thrown himself on the barbed wire.

"The thing is, none of those guys would talk about it," Jim Trippon said of the details of what happened in history's greatest invasion, involving about two million American, British, Canadian and other allied forces.

When they did, it was often to recall the small things that stand out in memory against others too painful to resurrect.

For his father, it was a Timex watch he received as a high school graduation gift back in Aurora, Illinois. He lost it during the landing and, 70 years later, he was still mad about it, Jim Trippon said.

The naval gunfire had created craters at the shoreline. When John Trippon stepped off the ramp, he was in about 14 feet of water, the son said. He had to strip off his heavy engineer's gear or drown. Somehow, the watch went the way of the rest of the gear.

"He was so proud of that watch," the son said. For the rest of his life, his father's one-liner summary of what happened on D-Day usually amounted to -- "I lost that damn watch."

Trippon's unit remained at the chateau and helped in the construction of the makeshift "Mulberry" port, an artificial harbor, at Normandy. When a storm destroyed the pier, he went to Cherbourg to help rebuild the harbor.

He was also with Army units on the push into Germany and was in Aachen for V-E Day (Victory in Europe) in May 1945.

John Trippon returned to the States and thought he would muster out, but he was held back with many others coming back from Europe for the possible invasion of Japan. The war ended before he was deployed.

He began a career as a civil engineer and raised a family in Oswego, Illinois. He had four kids: Jim, John, Marianne and Jane. Son John was career military and retired as a lieutenant colonel with the 3rd Infantry Division, Jim Trippon said.

His father was proud of son John's service but was initially opposed to his joining the military, possibly because of his own war experiences, Jim Trippon said.

The family has been back to Normandy numerous times as guests of the Hausermann family, owners of the Chateau Vierville-Sur-Mer, where John Trippon slept in a barn in 1944.

The last trip for John Trippon was in 2014 for the 70th anniversary of D-Day. There were fireworks for the occasion, and his father became unsettled by the booms and red glare of the display, Jim Trippon said.

"He just got super emotional and withdrawn," the son said. John Trippon died shortly afterward at age 92.

For the 75th anniversary of D-Day, President Donald Trump is expected to join other world leaders at Normandy. Chateau Vierville will serve as a kind of mini-headquarters for the event, with tents on the grounds and displays of vintage World War II vehicles.

Jim Trippon will be there as the guest of Jean-Paul Hausermann, the 92-year-old family patriarch who was 14 when the Germans took over the chateau.

Against Jean-Paul's advice, Jim Trippon said he will be staying in the barn where his father once slept as a young soldier.

"One night in the barn -- that's where my Dad lived," Jim Trippon said.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct the number of children John Trippon had.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.Key

Select Mineral List Type Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Dana Chemical Elements

Detailed Mineral List:  Anhydrite Formula: CaSO 4 Reference: Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.  Celestine Formula: SrSO 4 Reference: Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.  Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS 2 Reference: Cummings, W. L., (2009) field observation  Fluorite Formula: CaF 2 Reference: Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.; U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 223; USGS OFR 44-56  Galena Formula: PbS Reference: Cummings, W. L., (2009) field observation ; U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 223; USGS OFR 44-56  Gearksutite Formula: Ca[Al(F,OH) 5 (H 2 O)] Reference: Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.  Muscovite Formula: KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Reference: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 223  Muscovite var. Sericite Formula: KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Reference: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 223  Pyrite Formula: FeS 2 Reference: Cummings, W. L., (2009) field observation ; U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 223; USGS OFR 44-56  Quartz Formula: SiO 2 Reference: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 223  Uraninite Formula: UO 2 Reference: Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckel

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts  Chalcopyrite 2.CB.10a CuFeS 2  Galena 2.CD.10 PbS  Pyrite 2.EB.05a FeS 2 Group 3 - Halides  Fluorite 3.AB.25 CaF 2  Gearksutite 3.CC.05 Ca[Al(F,OH) 5 (H 2 O)] Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides  Quartz 4.DA.05 SiO 2  Uraninite 4.DL.05 UO 2 Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates  Anhydrite 7.AD.30 CaSO 4  Celestine 7.AD.35 SrSO 4 Group 9 - Silicates  Muscovite 9.EC.15 KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2  var. Sericite 9.EC.15 KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2

List of minerals arranged by Dana 8th Edition classification Group 2 - SULFIDES A m X p , with m:p = 1:1  Galena 2.8.1.1 PbS A m B n X p , with (m+n):p = 1:1  Chalcopyrite 2.9.1.1 CuFeS 2 A m B n X p , with (m+n):p = 1:2  Pyrite 2.12.1.1 FeS 2 Group 5 - OXIDES CONTAINING URANIUM OR THORIUM AXO 2 xH 2 O  Uraninite 5.1.1.1 UO 2 Group 9 - NORMAL HALIDES AX 2  Fluorite 9.2.1.1 CaF 2 Group 11 - HALIDE COMPLEXES Aluminofluorides - Isolated Octahedra  Gearksutite 11.6.8.1 Ca[Al(F,OH) 5 (H 2 O)] Group 28 - ANHYDROUS ACID AND NORMAL SULFATES AXO 4  Anhydrite 28.3.2.1 CaSO 4  Celestine 28.3.1.2 SrSO 4 Group 71 - PHYLLOSILICATES Sheets of Six-Membered Rings Sheets of 6-membered rings with 2:1 layers  Muscovite 71.2.2a.1 KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Group 75 - TECTOSILICATES Si Tetrahedral Frameworks Si Tetrahedral Frameworks - SiO 2 with [4] coordinated Si  Quartz 75.1.3.1 SiO 2 Unclassified Minerals, Mixtures, etc.  Muscovite

var. Sericite - KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2

List of minerals for each chemical element H Hydrogen H  Gearksutite Ca[Al(F,OH) 5 (H 2 O)] H  Muscovite var. Sericite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 H  Muscovite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 O Oxygen O  Anhydrite CaSO 4 O  Celestine SrSO 4 O  Gearksutite Ca[Al(F,OH) 5 (H 2 O)] O  Uraninite UO 2 O  Quartz SiO 2 O  Muscovite var. Sericite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 O  Muscovite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 F Fluorine F  Fluorite CaF 2 F  Gearksutite Ca[Al(F,OH) 5 (H 2 O)] Al Aluminium Al  Gearksutite Ca[Al(F,OH) 5 (H 2 O)] Al  Muscovite var. Sericite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Al  Muscovite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Si Silicon Si  Quartz SiO 2 Si  Muscovite var. Sericite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Si  Muscovite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 S Sulfur S  Anhydrite CaSO 4 S  Celestine SrSO 4 S  Galena PbS S  Chalcopyrite CuFeS 2 S  Pyrite FeS 2 K Potassium K  Muscovite var. Sericite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 K  Muscovite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Ca Calcium Ca  Fluorite CaF 2 Ca  Anhydrite CaSO 4 Ca  Gearksutite Ca[Al(F,OH) 5 (H 2 O)] Fe Iron Fe  Chalcopyrite CuFeS 2 Fe  Pyrite FeS 2 Cu Copper Cu  Chalcopyrite CuFeS 2 Sr Strontium Sr  Celestine SrSO 4 Pb Lead Pb  Galena PbS U Uranium U  Uraninite UO 2

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ARGALL (1949), COLO. SCH. OF MINES QUART., V. 44, NO. 2, P.182. Lovering, T.S.and E.N. Goddard (1950), Geology and ore deposits of the Front Range, Colorado, USGS Professional Paper 223, 319 pp.: 274, Plate 3. SIMS AND SHERIDAN (1964), USGS BULL. 1159. U.S. Bureau of Mines (1995), Minerals Availability System/Mineral Industry Location System (MAS/MILS), U.S. Bureau of Mines, file ID #0080130004. USGS (2005), Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS): U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, deposit ID #10108228 & 10238476. GODDARD, COLO. SCI. SOC. PROC., V. 15, NO. 61 P.36-38, PL 8. MINE MAP REPO # 402332, 403956 404114, 404632, 404633, 405047, 405052, 405053, 405054 405055, 405224. USGS MRDS ID #DC03369 . VA VANERWILT MINERAL RES OF C

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Link to USGS MRDS: 10108228

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North America Rocky Mountains Mountain Range North America Plate Tectonic Plate

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.

Commodities (Major) - Uranium, Fluorine-FluoriteDevelopment Status: ProducerOWN/ ALLIED CHEMICAL CORP REF.The Burlington Mine was a major producer of fluorite from about 1940 thru 1973. The mine worked a large, nearly vertical, roughly elliptical breccia pipe at least 50-60 feet wide and 200 feet long. This breccia pipe was developed in Precambrian rocks just beyond the northern edge of a Tertiary granodiorite stock and the western edge of a younger, much smaller stock of quartz monzonite porphyry. It contained massive granular fluorite with angular fragments of altered country rock and massive sulphides. Some of the fluorite was a relatively pure, cohesive mass of angular purple fragments ranging from 1/2 inch downward. In other parts of the orebody the fluorite was pale purple to nearly white. This material had more fine grained matrix which contained impurities (rock flour?, clay?, quartz?) that gave it a brownish overall color. The sulphides were mainly argentiferous galena and pyrite or chalcopyrite. Fragments of both the country rock and the sulfide ranged up to a few inches. Multiple episodes of mineral deposition and brecciation does not seem to have produced vugs.At the beginning of February, 1970, this author and a college friend, having just registered for our last undergraduate semester at the Colorado School of Mines, decided to head for the hills on a fine, mild winter day. By chance we came across the then active Burlington Mine. We asked if we could look around the dumps but were offered an underground tour.All the activity was on the deepest level, the 1500 foot level as I recall. It was hot , very humid and oppressive. We didnt get to see the active stopes and I forget exactly what stoping method was in use. I believe it was some variation of sub-level stoping. Fortunately, the crosscuts contained good exposures of the ore, probably as good as or better than wed have seen in the stopes, with a lot less bother. The mine foreman was very obliging and hammered off fragments of whatever we wanted a sample of. He told us that the mine was near the end of its life. All the ore above 1200 or 1300 (hard to remember after nearly 40 years) had been mined out and when mining the remaining block between there and 1500 was completed that would be it. It wasnt economically feasible to extend the shaft to greater depth. The developed part of the ore body was exhausted about 31/2 years later and the mine was closed.On the way back up to the surface we stopped at one of the other levels (1200?), the deepest completely mined out level. It was dramatically cooler and less humid. We walked into a crosscut that ended very abruptly at a huge void. The light from cap lamps was quickly swallowed by the darkness but we could make out the far side of the mined out stope some 60 feet away. The top of the remaining ore block was 100 feet below and irresolvable in the blackness. I dont remember a yawning crater at the surface and there was certainly no surface light at depth. There must have been a near surface pillar of significant thickness. Even though there wasnt a direct opening to the surface the void of the mined out breccia pipe had great vertical extent and enabled far better ventilation.The Burlington Mine was not a producer of attractive specimen material. Only a geologist and a mining engineer could love the samples we collected. It was a great day.Social Media

You can follow us on different types of social media by clicking the links below:GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Standing inside his two-story home in Grand Rapids Garfield Park neighborhood, Ossie Holt Sr. pointed in frustration to his den ceiling, highlighting the cracked, decaying drywall caused by a leaky roof.

A few years ago, a tree fell on his roof, puncturing the structure and causing water to leak inside. Holt, a retired welder who lives on a fixed-income, has tried to fix it himself, but the job was beyond his ability. And because his wife, Shirley, suffers from diabetes and has expensive medical bills, he could not afford to hire a professional to repair the damage.

Now, thanks to a partnership between Home Repair Services and the nonprofit group Amplify GR, Holt is getting a helping hand. Theyre providing him a $4,900 grant to repair the roof.

It was like a blessing to get that kind of money to help me out, because I never would have been able to do it, said Holt, 74, who worked at Steelcase for more than three decades.

Since launching in April 2018, the Neighborhood Strong program has provided about $325,000 to 50 homeowners in the Garfield Park, Oakdale and Madison Square neighborhoods on the citys Southeast Side. It has helped low-to middle-income residents restore crumbled steps, install new windows, update heating and cooling systems, and make foundation repairs.

The program is funded by Amplify GR, an organization created in 2017 by the Doug and Maria DeVos Foundation and the Cheri DeVos Foundation with the goal of revitalizing the neighborhoods and ensuring that residents share in the benefit of future economic development in the area.

Amplify has spent $10 million with its development partner, Rockford Construction Co. to buy 32 properties encompassing 35 acres in the three neighborhoods, which observer say have strong foundations but have not shared in the economic recovery the broader Grand Rapids-area has enjoyed. Amplify was initially greeted with suspicion from some neighbors who expressed concerns about gentrification, but it has since been working to build relationships with residents and community groups.

The true motivation is really how do we come alongside local neighbors in a way that enhances their ability to continue to thrive in their homes, Jon Ippel, Amplify GRs executive director, said of the Neighborhood Strong program.

Repairs to the Holts roof are expected to occur next month. Once that work is completed, the goal is to fix his den ceiling.

He worked with Deborah Armstrong, a housing resource specialist at Home Repair Services, to fill out the paperwork for the grant program, which has a maximum award of $8,000 and requires a 15 percent to 25 percent co-payment by the homeowner. Home Repair Services hires the contractors to carry out the work.

When Holts roof was first damaged, he hired a contractor to fix the structure but said the repairs were poorly made. The leaking continued, eventually causing his ceiling to splinter due to water damage. He looks forward to the day when he no longer has to worry about laying down a tarp and setting out buckets to catch leaking water.

It damages everything, even the wiring, the furniture, the floor, your walls especially, said Holt, who has lived in the neighborhood for about 38 years and recently bruised his leg after falling off the bottom of a ladder when trying to fix the roof.

Armstrong said theres a waiting list of about 34 people who are hoping to take advantage of the Neighborhood Strong program.

She describes the program as helping maintain the American dream of home ownership. After visiting the Holts home, and looking at the cracked, water-stained ceiling, she said she felt a sense of injustice.

Theyve worked, theyve paid their dues, theyve bought the American dream, which is their house --- and it shatters around them, she said. And I dont feel as though they (should) have to look at that every day. That doesnt make sense to me.

The Neighborhood Strong program has been funded through the Doug and Maria DeVos Foundation, the CDV5 Foundation, as well as banks and utilities, Ippel said. Theres about $25,000 left for the program, but fundraising efforts are ongoing, and the goal is to keep the program in place, Ippel said.

We are committed to long term investments that ensure families of all income levels can afford to live in the neighborhoods we serve, he said.

Income qualifications for the program depend on household size. For example, a three-person household that earns up to $69,000 would qualify. Armstrong said the program aims to help low-income households as well as families with higher incomes who may not qualify for other repair programs.

Ippel said the idea for Neighborhood Strong was born out of conversations with neighborhood and community groups, who spoke about the challenge residents face paying for maintenance costs, utility bills and property taxes. Amplify then began discussions with Home Repair Services, a nonprofit located on South Division Avenue, about how the two organizations could work together to tackle some of those challenges.

Folks that are on limited incomes, things such as a roof or a furnace (repair) can have huge financial consequences, Ippel said. And those consequences have ripples in other aspects of their lives as well.KALAMAZOO, MI -- Some students offered a blank check to pay for college tuition still face other barriers to finding success after high school.

The Kalamazoo Promise funds in-state tuition for graduates of Kalamazoo Public Schools, starting with the 2006 graduating class. First announced in 2005 and funded by anonymous donors, the scholarship program drew families to the area and aimed to bring both educational and economic prosperity to the region.

As the scholarship programs 14th graduating class prepares to cross the stage for diplomas this spring, Promise leaders are adapting to better meet the needs of students, Executive Director of Community Relations Von Washington Jr. said.

Of the about 1,873 eligible graduates from the first four graduating classes, whose eligibility window has already closed or will close later this year, about half went on to earn a certificate or degree after high school. The remainder did not, according to data from the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, updated most recently in February.

Of the same group of eligible graduates from 2006-09, about 11% used no Promise dollars at all.

In an effort to better understand, MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette spoke with local officials, Promise graduates and those who work with them to use the money to further their education. Those conversations revealed other barriers exist for students beyond the rising cost of tuition.

Here are the stories of three Kalamazoo graduates and their journeys to find success after high school, told in their own words:

For Aaliyah Buchanan, being a single mother makes it incredible difficult to find the time to take college courses.

At one time, recent Kalamazoo Public Schools graduate Rashan Parker did not expect to attend college despite the offer of free tuition. His thinking has since changed, though Parker is still seeking direction on where his life should go next.

Angelo Lee-Burnett took time off after graduation, and now knows exactly what he wants to do with his life. Though he has not yet earned a degree, Lee-Burnett plans to earn some college credits in the time he has left.BENTON HARBOR, MI -- The state is proposing closing Benton Harbors high school and alternative high school as a means to achieving better academic success.

State officials outlined the idea Friday, May 24 and say it needs approval from the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education before any plan moves forward.

High school students would be funneled into one of eight area high schools instead of the two Benton Harbor high schools. They would receive free transportation to the schools.

The proposal comes after testing showed that no 11th graders in the district were deemed college ready in each of the last five years. The benchmark is based on SAT scores and, statewide, about 35 percent of this years graduating class met the standard when they took the test as juniors.

Other data shows that just 3 percent of Benton Harbor schools third graders could read at grade level in 2018.

State officials say the crisis is due, in part, to the districts $16 million debt load that requires devoting $700 per student each year to pay it back.

Theres no question that this will be an adjustment for Benton Harbor families, but this is the best solution to serve students and get the district on track to resolving their debt, according to a written statement from state Treasurer Rachael Eubanks,

Sitting back and doing nothing is not an option. Were proud of the solution weve put on the table and believe its a much better option than what has happened in the past, where districts have been completely dissolved or converted to a charter system. This way, we can ensure K-8 students can get the skills they need and area high schoolers can get on a path to post-secondary success," she said.

Under the plan, the high school students would begin attending the eight other schools in the 2020-2021 school year. Students also would be allowed to work toward a career technical education" and earn college credits in partnership with Lake Michigan College.MUSKEGON, MI  The decline of Muskegon schools threatens to jeopardize the citys redevelopment progress, a group of 13 prominent industrialists and businessmen have warned the school board.

The group signed onto a letter that calls for the Muskegon Public Schools Board of Education to come together to find solutions as the district continues to decline, starting with the selection of the next superintendent.

Northern Machine Tool Co. President Steve Olsen read the letter to the school board during public comment at a meeting on Tuesday, May 21. In it, the executives tell board members their differences are poisonous to the community.

Downtown Muskegon - which is home to the districts administration building - is in the midst of a renaissance that is bringing condos, hotel renovations, mixed-use apartment buildings, business centers, townhomes, a convention center, small businesses, Muskegon Community College and more into its territory.

This expansion, which will have an enormous benefit on your families, is at risk when the school district that was formerly the jewel of the community continues to decline, the executives letter reads.

Muskegons recent resurgence and push to redefine itself as a destination to live, work, stay and play comes while the citys school district bleeds students and is seeing low test scores.

At the same time, the school board is gearing up to select a new superintendent this summer, has plans to bring a $77 million bond proposal to voters in May 2020, and is working to close several buildings in an effort to right-size the district.

The districts and citys successes are 100 percent tied together, said school board President Cindy Larson when asked about the letter.

And yet, the school district, which is the heart of the community it serves, has not lived up to its remarkable potential, according to the executives letter.

The consistent 4-3 split on board is the root of the problem, the executives wrote.

It has created an us-against-them atmosphere that has become poisonous to not only the district but to our entire community, the letter states.

The largest factor contributing to this decline is your inability to create consensus among yourselves, identify the problems facing this district, and come together to determine the best path forward as for the board and the children and families you are charged to serve, the letter states.

In 2008-09, the district had 5,187 students, according to MI School Data. Now, it has 3,551.

In 2017-18, just 5.2 percent of Muskegon students who took the SAT met the states college readiness benchmarks, according to MI School Data. That same year, more than half of students in third through eighth grades were not proficient in English language arts M-STEP testing.

Its scary, Olsen said of the data.

The letter calls on the board to come together in the superintendent search by unanimously appointing the districts next top leader.

Any failure in this attempt could quite possibly result in a stalemate in the great progress our city is making, the letter states.

Those who signed onto the letter are concerned about the trustees ability to reach a consensus.

Signing the letter with Olsen were Larry Hines, president of Hines Corp.; Mike Olthoff, president of Nichols Paper Supply Co.; Greg Olson, president of Supreme Machined Products; Dan Kuznar, president of Quality Tool and Stamping; John Workman, co-owner of Eagle Alloy; Chris Witham, president of Motion Dynamics; Trip Johnson, member of Pure Muskegon and Muskegon Country Club Partners; Wes Eklund, president of Fleet Engineers; John Essex, president of Port City Group; Jim Fisher, president of Second Act LLC; Max McKee, president of Mart Dock; and Don Kettler, president of DMK Development.

Most of the men who signed the letter are part of the Pure Muskegon group that owns the site of the former Sappi Paper Mill and is working to redevelop it into a mixed-use waterfront asset known as Windward Pointe. Olsen, Hines, Olthoff, Olson, Kuznar, Workman, Witham, Johnson, Eklund and Kettler are part of that group.

The signing group offered their advice and service in the superintendent search. They recommended naming two business leaders to the search committee and provided a list of recommendations for the process and superintendent qualifications.

The school board does not plan to add anyone outside the board and the contracted search firm, Michigan Leadership Institute, to the search committee, Larson said on Friday, May 24.

The district sought community input on what to look for in the districts next leader through a survey available online from May 14-22.

Jennings last day at Muskegon schools will be July 31. The board expects to name his successor in July. Originally, the board consensus was to name an interim who could hold the job through the 2019-20 school year.

The businessmen recommended that board name an interim to serve through the summer to take extra time in the search process.

The board still plans to name a superintendent in July, Larson said.

Jennings informed board trustees of his intent to leave the district on Thursday, April 25, in favor of the CEO position at Youngstown City School District in Ohio. He is expected to start that job on Aug. 1.

Here are the qualities the businessmen hope to see in the next superintendent:

An abundance of energy to confront the tasks at hand;

Proven leadership qualities in prior positions, whether public or private;

Successful experience as a superintendent or assistant superintendent;

Proven accomplishments in raising academic standards and student achievement in settings with students who are confronting socioeconomic challenges;

A demonstrable track record of being a change agent;

Documented experience in identifying and implementing out-of-the-box ideas;

A visible passion for the success of this district and its children; and

Proven integrity and transparency when working with the board, Muskegon Public School employees and the public.

The superintendent job was posted on May 14 and will remain up until Friday, June 14. The board is expected to select candidates for public interviews on Thursday, June 20. Interviews would be held June 24-26. Final candidates would then be named for second interviews to be held July 8-9. The board would hold a separate meeting later in July to hire the next superintendent.

The transition comes during the campaign for a 30-year continuation of a 7.36-mill bond that would raise $77 million to upgrade school buildings. It is expected to come before voters in May 2020. The current bond expires in 2021.

It also comes in the midst of plans to close several school buildings.

The Hackley Administration Building and Marquette, Oakview and Moon elementary schools would all close under the preferred plan presented at a town hall meeting Thursday, May 16. The plan calls for two K-5 elementary schools, one at Lakeside Elementary and the other at Muskegon Middle School. Nelson Elementary would be converted into a middle school.

District administration announcement on May 1 that Moon Elementary School will close after this school year. However, it appears that a board vote is needed for the closure and that hasnt happened yet.

Muskegon Community Education Center (MCEC) closed at the end of the 2017-18 school year. The district is in negotiations to sell MCEC, formerly Angell School, to the Boys & Girls Club of the Muskegon Lakeshore.GRAND HAVEN, MI  With the busy summer season just around the corner, Grand Haven has added several new beach safety measures.

Among the additions are numbered signs to help direct first responders, colored water condition flags, additional rope for life rings and a beach information broadcasting system.

A $7,500 contribution from the Grand Haven Rotary Club to the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety helped pay for the additions.

Improvements at Grand Haven State Park and Grand Haven City Beach announced by the city on Friday, May 24, include:

Location markers

Red numbered signs placed every 300 feet that help callers identify locations on the beach where emergency response is needed. A life ring will be attached to each sign.

Warning flags

A new flagpole with colored flags indicating water conditions placed at the Grand Haven City Beach that mimics those used at Michigan State Park beaches.

A red flag means waves are 3 to 5 feet or higher and that lake conditions are high risk and dangerous. It also means Grand Haven Public Safety will not attempt rescues in water more than thigh deep. Red flags also will signal contaminated water advisories.

A yellow flag indicates waves of 2 to 4 feet and that dangerous rip and structural currents are possible. Swimmers are advised to use caution and watch for dangerous currents and high waves.

A green flag means waves are 2 feet or less and that conditions are considered low or normal risk. As always, swimmers are warned to be aware of the potential for changing conditions.

Life ring rope

Extra 500 feet of rigging rope for throw ropes on pier life rings.

Broadcast information

A broadcast system to which those entering Grand Haven State Park can listen on their vehicles radios. Messages will warn of any dangers and explain the water condition flag system.BIRCH RUN, MI  A section of Main Street in Birch Run has been closed as flooding continues in mid-Michigan.

Main Street between Rottiers and Conquest streets was closed by Birch Run police about 11:45 a.m. Saturday, May 25, due to water covering the roadway.

Due to heavy overnight rainfall, flooding has been occurring throughout parts of mid-Michigan. The National Weather Service has extended a flood advisory from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. for Saginaw County, northern Genesee County, northwestern Lapeer County, and southwestern Tuscola County.

A flood advisory means river or stream flows are elevated, or ponding water in normally dry areas is occurring or imminent. Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other drainage areas and low-lying spots.

At 10:03 a.m., doppler radar indicated only a few light showers across the advisory area, the National Weather Service reports. However, extra time remains needed for runoff to settle. This is especially the case for eastern Saginaw and southern Tuscola counties surrounding the flood warning area.

Communities experiencing flooding include Frankenmuth, Vassar, Saginaw, Clio, Birch Run, Chesaning, St. Charles, Reese, Montrose, Otisville, Merrill, Otter Lake, Oakley, Burt, East Dayton, Bridgeport, Marion Springs, Carrollton, and Nelson.

Hazardous weather could continue throughout the day.

There is a chance of thunderstorms, mainly during the afternoon and

evening hours, the National Weather Service reports. The potential does exist for storms to become severe, with the main window centered between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. The strongest storms will be capable of producing damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph, large hail and locally heavy rainfall. Storms will track to the east at 45 mph.SAGINAW, MI - Arthur Hill High School students celebrated their year with prom on Friday, May 24, 2019.

Students rolled up in style to Ojibway Island for the pre-prom event to take photographs, catch up with people and show off their flashy outfits.

Shortly after, the gathering moved to the Swan Valley Banquet Center for their venue. They enjoyed dinner including a dessert buffet, a photo booth and dancing.

About 161 tickets were purchased to attend.

If you are reading this in your Facebook app, use this link to view the entire gallery of photos.An open letter signed by 76 retired generals, admirals, and ambassadors calls on US President Donald Trump to stop stoking fears of war with Iran and ditch ineffective sanctions and threats in favor of aggressive diplomacy.

In a letter published on Friday by War on the Rocks, which specializes in reports on national security and defense issues, former US military top brass made an urgent plea to Trump to avoid further escalation with Iran and turn to diplomacy, rather than setting the stage for confrontation with military reinforcements.

They argue that the ongoing exchange of harsh statements between Tehran and Washington as well as the deployment of a US carrier strike group and B-52 bombers to the Middle East, along with claims that Iran is plotting an attack on Americans, are highly concerning and make for a potentially deadly confrontation.

Also on rt.com Patriots, fighter jets, spies & engineers: What US is sending to Mid East after hyping Iran threat

While Washington insists that its massive build-up in the region can be credited for deterring Iran from taking bold action, the veterans say that both countries are to blame for creating uncertainty by taking actions the other views as dangerously provocative at best and the beginning of forceful action at worst.

Instead of trading verbal blows with Iran and flexing military muscle, the US government should explore diplomatic means of breaking the deadlock rather than dragging the US into a shooting war with potentially disastrous consequences, they said.

A war with Iran, either by choice or miscalculation, would produce dramatic repercussions in an already destabilized Middle East and drag the United States into another armed conflict at immense financial, human, and geopolitical cost.

In advocating a peaceful resolution of the conflict, the signees pointed out that threats to use force and crippling economic sanctions, the two most favored tools in the Trump administrations playbook on Iran, have been vastly ineffective and have so far only strengthened Tehrans resolve.

READ MORE: Pompeo confirms $8.1bn arms sales to Arab nations without Congress approval to 'deter Iran'

To avoid a disastrous all-out war, Washington should do away with saber-rattling so it can engage in common-sense diplomacy and establish direct communication between US and Iranian elites.

Also on rt.com Trump says 1500 US troops deploying to Middle East for mostly protective purposes

Trump seemingly took pride in refuting media reports that Washington seeks to engage in talks with Iran to defuse tension, insisting that the ball is in Irans court.

While both Tehran and Washington have downplayed the chances of a military confrontation, the White House keeps inflating the supposed Iran menace, sending an additional 1,500 troops to the region. On Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cited the need to deter Iran aggression for sidestepping Congress and clearing $8.1 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will likely provide significant business opportunities to global economies, according to participants of the 8th China Business Forum in London.

They said that the worlds second largest economy, China, is poised to grow strongly in the next two to four decades thanks to the BRI.



Growth is going to continue to come from China for the next 20, 30, maybe 40 years ... The greatest growth opportunity in the world is the Belt and Road Initiative, Stephen Perry, chairman of the 48 Group Club, was cited as saying by China Daily. Perry made a keynote speech at the forum which was organized by London Business School.

Also on rt.com Chinas new Silk Road very important contribution to global economy, IMF says

What China is trying to do is to free the productive capacity and consumer demand from China, across Central Asia, central Europe, and down into Africa, he said, adding it is in the United Kingdom's interests to take part in the initiative.

Participants of the forum discussed key developments of the Chinese and European economies, including Italy joining the BRI. They also talked about trade deals and innovative business practices between China and Europe.

READ MORE: Chinas new Silk Road to link Africa's huge market to the rest of the world  official

Chinas BRI megaproject (dubbed the new Silk Road), which was announced six years ago by President Xi Jinping, covers 152 countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. It is expected to significantly boost global trade, and cut trading costs by half for the countries involved.

Also on rt.com Western sanctions v Eastern promises: Russia's Crimea could become part of Chinas new Silk Road

The International Monetary Fund has recently called the trade route a very important contribution to the global economy, saying that it promotes regional cooperation and connectivity in trade investment, human mobility, and finance.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business sectionWarmongering hawks on President Donald Trumps team are pushing him towards conflict with Iran as the situation in the region becomes more dangerous by the day, former congressman Ron Paul told RT.

The US is embroiled in red-flag warmongering as Trumps National Security Advisor John Bolton and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are looking for a fight with Iran, Paul told Jesse Ventura on his show, The World According to Jesse.

And our president is sort of in the middle. Hes [going] back and forth. One day he says we got to deal with this military-industrial complex. At the same time  hes hiring these neocons. Its a real mess.

The Pentagon recently deployed an aircraft carrier strike group near Iranian waters, then unveiled plans to send an additional 1,500 troops to neighboring Iraq. This posture is very dangerous, considering the already heightened tensions in the region, the former congressman stressed.

On the show, the politician, who leads the Libertarian Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, also discussed Washingtons ongoing trade war with China. By printing unlimited amounts of dollars, the US pulled off giving Beijing pieces of paper in exchange for goods and services throughout the years, he said.

Watch the full episode below.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!Iran is prepared to deploy secret weapons against American warships, a military official in Tehran said, after the Pentagon sent three destroyers to the Persian Gulf amid a wave of increased tensions between the two states.

Without mincing words, General Morteza Qorbani, an adviser to Irans military command, cautioned that should Washington commit the slightest stupidity, we will send these ships to the bottom of the sea along with their crew and planes.

Iran, he promised, would do so using two missiles or two new secret weapons. He did not specify what type of secret weapons he was referring to.

The US earlier deployed three guided-missile destroyers, the USS McFaul, USS Gonzalez, USS Mason, to the Persian Gulf, with the last warship crossing the Strait of Hormuz this week. They joined the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which has been cruising off the coast of Oman, near the Gulf, since early May.

Also on rt.com Rational Americans & experienced commanders wont let radicals in US go to war  Tehran

The military buildup near Iranian waters coincided with the Pentagon announcing plans to send around 1,500 additional troops to Iraq, which borders Iran.

Although General Qorbani did not provide details of the weapons he mentioned, in recent months the nation has been showcasing its newest ships and submarines, as well as its naval firepower. In February, Tehran unveiled and successfully tested its new Hoveizeh long-range cruise missile, which is said to have a range of over 1,350 kilometers.

In the same month, Tehran launched the massive Velayat 97 naval drill, with maneuvers spanning from the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman to the northern Indian Ocean. During the drill, a midget Ghadir-class submarine fired an anti-ship cruise missile for the first time.

Also on rt.com 70+ US Army & Navy veterans urge Trump to stop Iran war-mongering, stick to diplomacy

Relations between the US and Iran deteriorated dramatically after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the Iran nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran. The move was condemned by a number of nations, including Washingtons allies in Europe.

Meanwhile, in the US, dozens of retired top military brass and diplomats wrote an open letter to Trump, urging him to ditch the stick approach and begin real talks with Iran. They warned that by failing to do so, the US risks not only making the situation in the Middle East worse, but also entering into armed conflict at immense financial, human, and geopolitical cost.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!Russian figure skating sensation Evgenia Medvedeva brushed off a 5.1-magnitude earthquake as she performed with fellow stars including countrywoman Alina Zagitova at a show in Japan.

Two-time world champion Medvedeva is in the country for the Fantasy on Ice show, and was performing alongside Olympic and reigning world champion Zagitova, 17, in the Chiba Prefecture outside Tokyo when the quake struck on Saturday afternoon local time.

Medvedeva, 19, shared a video which appeared to have been taken shortly afterwards, with a concerned-looking Zagitova staring around overhead.

A voice behind the camera says in Russian weve just had an earthquake, to which Medvedeva replies its just my skating, prompting laughter from those nearby.

Japanese news agencies report that no tsunami warning was issued after the quake and that no major damage was done, although an elderly woman suffered injuries after falling at her home.

Also on rt.com Russias most beautiful figure skater quells retirement rumors (PHOTOS)

Medvedeva and Zagitova have been wowing their considerable Far Eastern fan base following at a series of post-season shows, with fellow Russian star Elizaveta Tuktamysheva also performing.

Medvedeva in particular has made the headlines with an eye-catching pink outfit, and also put on a popular routine with Tuktamysheva in Japan.

The Fantasy on Ice show will continue with dates across Japan in May and June.NATO experts have developed an updated strategy, the bloc's chief Jens Stoltenberg revealed. And one doesnt have to look for long for an explanation, with bad Russia conveniently cited as a reason for the overhaul.

Our military experts have adopted a new military strategy for the alliance this week, NATO's Secretary General Stoltenberg told Germany's Die Welt.

The very ability to come up with a new strategy, according to NATO's chief, shows the alliance's strength, since we are able to change when necessary.

No actual details about the strategy have emerged at this point. The need for an updated document was explained by Stoltenberg as a reaction to a new security situation, as well as challenges in the east and the south. The top brass also did not miss out on the opportunity to cite a commonly hyped nuclear threat from Moscow as one of the reasons.

While the Russia threat has been actively peddled by top NATO officials for years already, a change in the strategy apparently brings the standoff between Moscow and the bloc to a new level. The announcement was not taken lightly by Russia, with the country's top officials accusing NATO of plotting to eradicate Moscow as a competitor altogether.

It's the sign of a doctrine to push Russia back. It [Russia] is not being held back any longer, it's being eliminated as a military and economic competitor, a member of Russia's upper house, Senator Oleg Morozov told RIA Novosti.

While NATO has been trying hard to paint Russia as an aggressive country, Moscow insists that the whole the Russians are coming hysteria is used only to inflate military budgets of the alliance and creep even closer to the Russian border.

Also on rt.com A world aching for peace & stability can no longer afford NATO

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!The US military has blamed the Iranian elite unit for damage sustained by four commercial ships off the shore of the United Arab Emirates but gave no proof of their claims while the nature of the incident remains unknown.

The attack against the shipping in Fujairah we attribute it to the IRGC, Rear Admiral Michael Gilday, the director of the Joint Staff, told journalists, using the acronym for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Also on rt.com UAE says commercial ships targeted by sabotage, amid rising Gulf tensions

Two weeks ago four vessels were damaged in waters near the UAE emirate of Fujairah. No details were given about casualties and the local government denied reports about an explosion at an oil terminal in a local port.

The Emirates foreign ministry described it as sabotage without giving any further information about its nature or the damage to vessels sailing under the Emirati, Saudi, and Norwegian flags and has remained tight-lipped since then.

Gilday said that limpet mines were used during the attack supposedly launched by the Revolutionary Guards. He declined to comment on the possible means of delivery of the mines nor did he explain why he believed the mines were used in the first place.

The Emirates foreign ministry never mentioned Iran in its statements linked to the incident. It called for unity among the Arab nations in the face of these delicate circumstances and welcomed international help in the investigation of the alleged sabotage. The Arab nations are expected to discuss the incident at an emergency summit which will convene in Mecca on May 30.

However, US officials were quick to note that it is attacks like this, which supposedly are part of some sort of a campaign waged by Tehran, that justify the deployment of additional US troops to the Middle East. On Friday, President Donald Trump announced Washington would send 1,500 troops to the region for protective purposes.

Also on rt.com Detailed footage shows extent of damage to tanker ships in Persian Gulf (VIDEO)

Earlier, the US sent an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable bombers on Irans doorstep to send a message amid a tremendous spike in tensions between Washington and Tehran. The recent developments accompanied by a war of words between US and Iranian officials even prompted some fears of a potential war between the two nations both in the US and in the Middle East, as well as among some of Americas allies.

If you like this story, share it with a friend!Cooler heads among the US population and the army will not allow hardliners to steer the country into an open war with Iran, a senior military official in Tehran said amid growing tensions in the Persian Gulf.

We believe rational Americans and their experienced commanders will not let their radical elements lead them into a situation from which it would be very difficult to get out, and that is why they will not enter a war, Brigadier General Hassan Seifi, an assistant to the nations army chief, told Mehr News Agency on Saturday.

The defense official said that throughout the years the US was able to accurately assess the strength of our armed forces, and for that reason has never tried to attack Iran directly.

He added that Washington will not wage an open war against Tehran because its army will inflict great losses on the American troops and deliver a blow to Washingtons international prestige.

The US earlier deployed two guided-missile destroyers, the USS McFaul and USS Gonzalez, to the Persian Gulf. They are set to join the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, currently operating off the coast of Oman, near the Gulf. This military buildup near Iranian waters coincided with reports of the Pentagon mulling sending more troops to Iraq, which borders Iran.

Relations between Iran and the US deteriorated dramatically after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the nation from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Irans nuclear program last year and re-imposed sanctions. The move was slammed by a number of countries, including Washingtons closest allies.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!A correspondent with RT France has been beaten with a baton by a police officer in the French city of Toulouse where he was filming a Yellow Vests protest. He was wearing press identification.

A video the reporter shared on Twitter shows a police officer wearing riot gear and holding a baton striking him at the moment when he was filming a protesters arrest. The correspondent had a label on his clothes that clearly identified him as a member of the press, RT France said.

The journalist did not sustain any serious injuries as a result of the incident. He remained at the scene and continued to film the protest following the encounter.

On Saturday, Yellow Vests marched across France for the 28th straight weekend. The movement that started with a protest against a planned fuel tax hike in November 2018 later turned into a force opposing President Emmanuel Macrons broader reform agenda.

READ MORE: Yellow Vest movement marks 6-month anniversary with marches, scuffles with police break out (VIDEOS)

The Yellow Vests numbers have dwindled in the months after the movement reached its height. Some 12,500 protesters took to the streets this time, according to police. An activist group monitoring the demonstrations put the number at some 35,000, though.

Despite the relatively small number of demonstrators, the protests ended up in clashes with police on several occasions. In Toulouse, police had to use tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd. Several protesters were detained.

Tear gas was also used against protesters in the French capital of Paris.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!Protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv, rallying against the recently tabled immunity bill that could shield Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from mounting corruption investigations.

The demonstration under the banner "Defensive Shield for Democracy" showed a rare unity of almost all the parties in Israeli opposition. The exact number of the protesters remains unclear, with footage from the scene showing considerable crowds. The organizers of the protest said that at least 80,000 people took part.

The protesters carried placards criticizing Netanyahu and his alleged corruption and sporting the PM's infamous moniker "Crime Minister" in various forms. Many showed up wearing ottoman-style fez headwear and even brought portraits of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, alluding to Netanyahu creating what they called an "Erdogan-style dictatorship".

"The fez symbolizes the regime type that we are opposing, where everything is controlled by one person and people are afraid to express their opinions. That's where we're headed," a protester explained to Haaretz.

Netanyahu has been in office for a decade, and secured his fifth term in April amid three ongoing investigations into his alleged corruption, bribery and fraud. The PM denies the charges, insisting that they are politically-motivated. He has also said that he has no plans to step down from the post even if actually charged.

While the probes have apparently done nothing to dull Netanyahu's drive for power, members of his Likud party tabled a bill that would grant government officials legal immunity by default. If the proposed legislation is adopted, it will not be possible to charge elected officials with a criminal offense unless the 120-member Knesset and the Knesset House Committee decide to waive this immunity.

Also on rt.com Immunity bill submitted to Knesset with Netanyahu indictment pending

The bill effectively reverses the system already in place in Israel  currently, the Knesset and the House Committee have the power to grant an official immunity from prosecution.

If you like this story, share it with a friend!The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is urging Russia to hand over Ukrainian ships and crew detained for border violation off Crimea in 2018. Moscow has hit back, saying the body has no jurisdiction in the matter.

Delivering its take on the matter, Russias Foreign Ministry said that UN rules cant be invoked in this case, again lamenting irresponsible behavior of Ukrainian sailors during the incident over a year ago.

Moscows statement came right after the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ruled that Russia must release the Ukrainian sailors and return the seized warships before the sides can present further argument to the court.

Russia skipped the hearing (which took place in Hamburg, Germany).

Kiev is suing Russia over the standoff in the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov, near Crimea. On November 25, the Russian Coast Guard captured two Ukrainian gunboats and a tugboat which it says violated its maritime borders.

Also on rt.com Kerch Strait standoff: Ukrainian Navy consciously ignored orders to stop, FSB says

DETAILS TO FOLLOWAn Oregon man was told to go to a religious-themed parade and learn more about Sikhism as part of his sentence for a hate crime. He was convicted after ripping off a shopkeepers turban during an argument.

On Friday, Marion County Circuit Judge Lindsay Partridge ordered a local man, Andrew Ramsey, to attend an annual parade hosted by the Dasmesh Darbar Sikh Temple in Salem, local media reported.

Ramsey had earlier pleaded guilty to second-degree intimidation, which is a hate crime under Oregon law. In January, he got into an argument with an Indian-born convenience store owner because he refused to sell him cigarettes without showing an ID. Ramsey ripped the turban off the mans head and pulled his beard, while punching and kicking him.

The victim, who was a Sikh, explained to the court that the turban and the beard are sacred symbols of his faith, and having the turban removed by Ramsey was one of the worst things that could ever happen to him.

The judge now hopes that attending a Sikh event will help the convict to respect other religions. After the parade, Ramsey will have to report to the court on what he has learned.

Bigotry is the result of ignorance, the judge said. All of us are able to learn and benefit from cultures in our community.

The man was also sentenced to 180 days in prison (a bulk of which he has already served) and three years probation. He was told to undergo mental health, drug and alcohol treatment as well.

Sikhism originated in India in the end of the 15th century. Under its key articles of faith, men are required not to cut their hair and wear a turban, known as a dastar.

to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media wont tell you.After National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a second term in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Morningstar Investment Adviser India released a report on the macroeconomic outlook for India.

The report titled Morningstar Managed Portfolios  Insights India General Election Results, 2019 stated that a stable government at the Centre is expected to encourage inflows from foreign portfolio investors into Indian markets.

Macroeconomic Outlook

Morningstar India believes a few lead indicators such as weak auto sales, air passenger traffic, muted growth in personal and consumer loans and sluggish rural demand suggest a moderate pace of growth in private consumption expenditure.

The report stated that PMI (Purchasing Managers' Index) data also suggests a slower pace of expansion in the manufacturing and service industry.

The Nikkei India Manufacturing PMI dropped to 51.8 in April 2019 from 52.6 in the prior month and below market expectations of 52.5.

The PMI is a measure of the prevailing direction of economic trends in manufacturing.

Although, private consumption is expected to get a fillip from public spending in rural areas and an increase in disposable income of households due to income tax benefits.

The report also said that the resolution of stressed assets is expected to improve credit flow and a pickup in fixed investment supported by higher construction activity is expected to drive investment activity.

Further acceleration in capacity utilization and credit to the industry sector could improve the growth prospects.

On the other hand, government expenditure is expected to pick up in NDA's second term with a focus on agriculture and rural economy.

"This will also help to counter the imminent risk of any impact from slowing global economy. Government spending could be supported by increased GST revenue, which is expected to rise by 18.2 percent in budget estimates FY20," the report stated.

However, much of it is dependent on improvement in compliance and reduction in disputes.

Going ahead, reform agenda undertook, adherence to fiscal discipline and resolution of stressed assets will broadly drive the growth prospect in the second term of NDA.The Reserve Bank of India on May 24 fixed the investment limit at Rs 54,606.55 crore for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) under the voluntary retention route (VRR), which allows parking funds in both government securities as well as corporate debt. VRR for investments by FPIs was introduced on March 1. Limits for investment in debt by FPIs were offered for allotment 'on tap' during the March 11-April 30 period.

Based on the feedback received, and in consultation with the government, the RBI said it has made certain changes in the scheme to increase its operational flexibility.

"The investment limit shall be Rs 54,606.55 crore, under the VRR-combined category, which allows investment in both government securities and corporate debt," it said.

The revised VRR scheme will open for allotment from May 27.

The minimum retention period would be three years.

During this period, FPIs shall maintain a minimum of 75 percent of the allocated amount in India.

The RBI further said investment limits should be available 'on tap' and allotted on 'first come, first served' basis. The 'tap' would be kept open till the limit is fully allotted or till December 31, whichever is earlier.

The central bank, in consultation with the government and Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), had introduced a separate channel, called the VRR, to enable FPIs to invest in debt markets in India.

Broadly, investments through the VRR will be free of the macro-prudential and other regulatory norms applicable to FPI investments in debt markets, provided FPIs voluntarily commit to retaining a required minimum percentage of their investments in India for a period, the RBI said.The worse is yet to be over for the HD Kumaraswamy (HDK)-led Karnataka government that performed poorly in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The coalition has decided to continue under HDK in an informal cabinet meeting on May 24. With the rumours of a few MLAs defecting the JD(S)-Congress combine for BJP doing rounds, the tension is palpable in both camps. The friction between long-time rivals Congress and JD(S) is not helping the cause either.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, JD(S) won just one seat in Hassan, a Gowda family stronghold. It lost in all other key constituencies including Tumkur where HD Deve Gowda contested and Mandya, where HDKs son Nikhil Kumaraswamy lost to actress Sumalatha Ambareesh by a margin of over one lakh votes.

This is a huge blow to JD(S). While it would seem that Karnataka was caught in the Modi wave or TsuNaMo, as it is called this time, there is probably more to BJPs victory in Karnataka.

The JD(S) had it coming, said a frustrated farmer, who voted for BJP since he did not like the dynasty politics of Gowda family or the attitude of HDK in the last one year.

The shift in Kumaraswamys attitude after he took over as the CM in 2018 is glaring compared to 2006 when he first became the CM.

In 2006, Kumaraswamy drove a Toyota and travelled by road extensively to meet people and hear their grievances. Now he rides in a Range Rover SUV and stays in Taj off Race Course Road, Bengaluru despite having government allotted guest house.

His reason: He has to entertain a lot of guests. The monthly hotel bill accounts for about Rs 25 lakh and he has refused to answer opposition's question about who foots the bill.

This is not all. An RTI application filed by Times of India revealed that the Gowda family hired private jets and choppers for temple visits. Also, HDK has been cancelling official meetings on account of temple visits.

Neither party members nor people had taken this attitude well. To make matters worse, in the Lok Sabha elections, JD(S) fielded its own family members in high profile constituency such as Hassan, Mandya and Tumkur instead of senior party members.

Two youngest members of the Gowda family got the Lok Sabha ticket  Prajwal Revanna, son of HDKs brother HD Revanna and Nikhil Kumaraswamy, HDKs son.

The angst among the public is obvious. Like the farmer who was not happy, there were thousands of others who shared the same sentiment.

Talking to Moneycontrol, a farmer in Mandya said neither Congress nor JD(S) government did any good for people be it water issues or agrarian crisis.

The election results, thus, is a reflection of poor performance and lackadaisical attitude by HDK and his government. This is what translated into votes for BJP this election.

Unless HDK learns from the mistakes, there is not much hope to regain his popularity. If there is anytime to redeem himself it would be now. Who knows how long the current government in the state will last!Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy

The Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana E S L Narasimhan on May 25 invited YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy to form the government in AP.

The swearing-in ceremony would be held at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation stadium, Vijayawada on May 30 at 12.23 PM, a Raj Bhavan communique said.

It said Botcha Satyanarayana and other YSR Congress elected members of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly called on the Governor and informed him about the election of Reddy as the leader of the YSR Congress Legislature Party.

"While congratulating Y S Jaganmohan Reddy on his election as the Leader of YSR Congress Legislature Party, the Hon'ble Governor has invited him to form the government," the communique said.

Reddy, who reached Hyderabad by air from Vijayawada, met the Governor at Raj Bhavan around 4.30 PM.

After his meeting with the Governor, Reddy called on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at Pragati Bhavan, the latter's official residence in the city.

The YSR Congress chief would stay at his home here for the night, sources said.

Earlier, at the meeting of the newly elected MLAs at the YSR Congress office in Vijayawada, a resolution was adopted electing Reddy as the legislature party leader, the sources said.

In a spectacular performance, Reddy, son of late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, led his YSR Congress to a landslide, winning 151 of 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, the elections for which were held on April 11.

While the TDP headed by N Chandrababu Naidu got 23 seats, the Janasena party had won only one seat.

The YSRC had bagged 22 of the 25 seats in Lok Sabha elections while the TDP managed to get only three seats.DMK president M K Stalin on May 25 said no single state can be ignored by the government at the Centre and asserted India was not Hindi speaking states alone.

Buoyed by his party's performance in the Lok Sabha election, the Dravidian party chief for the first time said his party would take the initiative to oppose the BJP -albeit without naming it explicitly- in other states by working with outfits in those regions.

"The DMK will take constructive measures to replicate the Tamil Nadu model (of propping up secularism and DMK's victory in polls) in other states as well by coordinating with forces committed to communal harmony," he said in an open letter to party cadres.

On a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elected leader of the NDA, Stalin said this was the time to support and embrace people of all identities, states, adding "the days that Hindi speaking states alone was India has vanished."

The future was all about "constructive politics that centred around the states," the DMK chief said.

"No single state can be ignored whichever party took over reins of power at the Centre," Stalin asserted.

The DMK's voice will reverberate in Parliament and State Assembly to protect the people's interests, he said.

The DMK has won 23 seats and the front (Secular Progressive Alliance) led by it has won 37 of 38 seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry (Congress) as well.

DMK will continue its "journey of victory," to protect people's interests, he said.

The historic win of his party-led front in the Lok Sabha polls showed the "secular approach," of the people which was nurtured by Dravidian stalwarts including reformist leader Periyar E V Ramasamy.

The people's verdict in Tamil Nadu showed that Dravidian movement -a reference to the DMK and a pointer to the Dravidian ideology which includes secularism and social justice- can never be decimated, he said.

As regards AIADMK's jibe that despite good showing in the polls, DMK's goal has not been realised, he said it was a "reflection of the frustration of the ruling party and political rivals."The DMK had vowed to return to power in the state by winning the bypolls to all the 22 Assembly seats and strongly pitched for a government led by Congress president Rahul Gandhi at the Centre.

Apart from emerging as the third biggest party in the Lok Sabha, the DMK has wrested 12 seats from the AIADMK pushing its total strength in the Assembly to 101, Stalin said.

The DMK retained Tiruvarur in the by-elections and totally won 13 constituencies in the Assembly bypolls while the ruling AIADMK won 9 segments warding off the probability of threat to its government.

The AIADMK's strength has now risen to 123 while 118 members are enough for a simple majority in the 234-member House.

Stalin credited the DMK's victory to party workers and support of allies including the Congress.Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee Saturday offered to quit as chief minister of West Bengal following her party's drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls but the TMC rejected it.

Addressing her first press conference after the election results were declared, she accused the BJP of polarising the people on religious lines to garner votes in West Bengal.

"At TMC's internal meeting, I offered to leave the chief minister's post. However, the offer was rejected by the party and I may continue," Banerjee said.

She also raised suspicion over BJP's stellar poll performance.

"This huge victory is not beyond suspicion. It is quite astonishing how opposition is completely wiped out in several states. There has been some setting and foreign powers are also involved," she claimed.

The TMC chief also said that an emergency-like situation was created in the state by the BJP to win the elections.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah will be felicitated by the Gujarat unit of the party on May 26 following the massive victory in the Lok Sabha election.

During his first visit to his home state after the poll results, Modi will seek the blessings of his mother Hiraba Modi at her residence.

State BJP president Jitu Vaghani said Modi and Shah will reach Ahmedabad Sunday evening and will visit the party office in Khanpur area where they will be felicitated.

"Our own Narendrabhai, who belongs to the entire country and the world, will visit his home state tomorrow along with our national president, who successfully managed the world's largest political party in a way that it made inroads in states where it was not present and won the election massively," Vaghani said.

"Both Modi and Shah will reach Ahmedabad airport at 5pm, and will be received by party leaders, supporters and heads of various religious and social organisations. Modi will garland Sardar Patel's statue near the airport. From there, they will start for Khanpur office. They will be felicitated by the state unit of the BJP and later they will address a gathering of supporters at J P Chowk near the office," he added.

Modi will leave for Delhi the next morning, after which he is scheduled to visit his Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi.

"Will be going to Gujarat tomorrow evening, to seek blessings of my mother. Day after tomorrow morning, I will be in Kashi to thank the people of this great land for reposing their faith in me," the prime minister tweeted Saturday morning.

He had met his mother on April 23 before casting his vote.

The BJP won all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, repeating its 2014 performance.Representative image

HARISH PUPPALA | RAKESH SHARMA

So the 2019 election finally came to an end. May 23 was counting day and the expected result came to pass. Narendra Modi was elected Prime Minister for a second five-year term by a landslide while the opposition was - how shall I put this delicately - decimated. As of this writing, the BJP has won 303 seats. The Lok Sabha comprises 545 seats, where two are nominated by the President of India, and 543 go to the polls. In 2019, the saffron party will now have over 300 of its own MPs in the 17th Lok Sabha, and the NDA coalition will have upwards of 350 Lok Sabha seats. The Congress party has improved on its 2014 performance of 44 by 18%, meaning they now have 52 seats. The UPA coalition, who many quarters thought would hand the incumbent a humiliating defeat, won a total of 92 seats.

That's underwhelming by any stretch of the imagination, given the hype until counting day. It is a story for another day that a large chunk of the media in India seems to have been blindsided by the swell of support that Modi had across the country, especially in states like Karnataka, MP and Rajasthan which handed the Congress resounding wins a few months ago. We will learn more over the coming weeks, seeing as this election will be parsed till the cows come home.

Today, however, we will talk about those numbers we just mentioned. How is the counting of votes done in India? And well also look at the big upsets that happened on May 23, that will no doubt shape Indias politics in the coming years.

900 million votes

We've been hearing that 900 million Indian were eligible for voting in the long, seven-phase lok sabha elections of 2019. The Election Commission of India claimed that voter turnout was 67.1 percent, the highest ever. That means nearly 604 million voters went out in the sweltering heat of April and May to cast their votes. An impressive feat by any standard. That's three times the population of Western Europe or nearly twice the population of the US.

Those votes need to be counted. Here's how India goes about counting the hundreds of millions of votes cast in general elections.

The approx 600 million or 60 crore voters cast ballots across 10 lakh booths in 29 states and seven union territories. A Parliamentary Constituency has, on average, 6 to 7 Assembly Constituencies. For instance, Telangana state has 119 Assembly seats and 17 PCs. An Assembly Constituency is the fundamental unit for conducting elections and counting. The responsibility for the conduct and counting of each Assembly Constituency rests with the Assistant Returning Officer.

We're going to get into the nitty-gritties here for a couple of minutes.

Before counting begins, the strong room storing the EVMs is opened in the presence of political parties. Who is present when counting votes? Turns out, quite a large number of people actually. The counting staff is assigned randomly, and, to ensure fairness and transparency, a Counting Micro Observer is also appointed (generally officials from banks/LIC). Counting happens in the presence of the Returning Officer, or RO, of the constituency, and candidates and their agents. Each candidate can appoint up to 16 counting agents from his/her party for each place of counting. The counting agent takes care of the interests of the political party. The EC appoints its observers to oversee the process and ensure that it happens in a transparent manner.

The Returning Officer and the Assistant Returning Officer take an oath to maintain the secrecy of voting and read the oath out loud before the commencement of counting. Then - and this is important, given the current atmosphere - the EVMs are inspected before the counting starts. This will be done in the presence of the Returning Officers.

The process usually starts around 8.00 am. Counting of votes is done through EVMs. Counting of EVMs can start 30 minutes after the commencement of Postal Ballots counting, even if all Postal Ballots have not been counted. Postal ballot process is reserved for service officers, their spouses, those on polling duty, electors subject to preventive detention etc. The votes polled are stored in a machine called Control Unit. A control unit has a Result button. On pressing this button, the staff gets the number of votes polled in favour of every candidate sequentially. For instance, the result is displayed as

Candidate - 1

Votes  xyz

That takes just a few minutes. Then comes the paperwork, a checklist to ensure things like the machine number of CU tallying with the number given to political parties before polling; or

all the seals on the machines being intact; and the total number of votes in the machine being equal to the number of votes written on Form 17C (a form given to Political Parties after the polling by the Presiding Officer containing important details like number of votes, seals, etc.)

Boring details? Perhaps. But important nonetheless because were talking about the brass tacks of Indias democracy.

Generally, two to three rounds are done every hour. So it takes six to seven hours to complete the counting of one Assembly Constituency. At the end of each round of counting, the results from 14 EVMs are declared. After the completion of counting, one polling station is selected randomly by the political parties and the counting of VVPAT slips are done for that polling station. Counting of VVPAT slips is a time consuming process and easily take 1 hour per station

Now, weve heard a lot of talk about this thing called VVPAT. Lets look at that quickly. VVPAT stands for Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail. This system generates a printed paper slip bearing the name and election symbol of the candidate. On April 8 this year, the Supreme Court instructed the Election Commission that printed VVPAT slips from randomly selected five polling stations in each assembly segment of a parliamentary constituency should be matched with EVMs. What that means is, VVPAT paper slips need to be matched for about 25-50 machines for each parliamentary constituency. This process requires personal supervision of the RO/ARO. The ECI decided that the counting of five VVPATs will be done sequentially. The RO can declare the final result for the constituency after the VVPAT matching process has been completed.

As Bhavesh Mishra, the current Assistant Returning Officer of Bhadrachalam Assembly Constituency wrote, ...getting results takes only 10% time, the rest of the 90%...(is) devoted to making counting process free from bias, leaving not even an iota of doubt regarding the electoral process.

The ECI undertakes a three-level check on EVM-VVPATs prior to elections: once by slip verification during the first level check. Thereafter, 5% of the EVMs are selected at random and subjected to higher scrutiny through a mock poll, along with slip verification of 1,200 votes for 1%, 1000 votes for 2% and 500 votes for 2% percent of the EVMs.

EVMs and VVPATs are subjected to a second mock poll along with verification of slips during the setting of candidates on the EVMs in the presence of candidates or their representatives. And a third mock poll is undertaken with slips verification of at least 50 votes on EVMs and VVPATs on the day of election in the presence of polling agents.

Thats a lot of checks and balances, which is why counting sometimes goes on well into the night. The RO then declares the result when he or she is certain that counting has been successfully completed.

Upsets galore

No one expected this election to be a wave election. All reports suggested either a close contest or a big upset by Rahul Gandhi or the Mahagathbandhan. So it came as a surprise when the results were to the contrary. The upset win included many upsets at the constituency level. Lets count some of the biggest surprises.

Smriti Irani beats Rahul Gandhi

The biggest upset of 2019 was Congress party president Rahul Gandhi losing to Smriti Irani on family turf Amethi. Rahul Gandhi conceded defeat to Irani in a press conference even before the final results were announced. At the time Smriti Irani was leading Rahul Gandhi by over 25000 votes but her eventual victory margin was over 50,000 votes. This defeat means Rahul Gandhi will now represent the constituency of Wayanad in Kerala where he won by a record 8 lakh votes. Importantly, Amethi passes into the hands of a non-Gandhi family MP after nearly 40 years. After her win, Smriti Irani, ever the firebrand, posted a Game Of Thrones meme on Instagram that read, The North Remembers. Hmm. Subtle.

Jyotiraditya Scindia

Jyotiraditya Scindias loss was a bit unexpected. Guna constituency of Madhya Pradesh has historically belonged to the Scindia family. In a big upset, the scion of the erstwhile Gwalior royal family, Jyotiraditya Scindia, lost by over one lakh votes to Dr KP Yadav of the BJP. Twitter had a photo going viral today, with claims that Yadav had once asked Scindia to pose for a selfie but was snubbed rudely. And now he has defeated him by one lakh votes, say the ones who see poetic justice in the win. Whatever the provenance of that story, the upset will definitely rankle the Congress party given that Scindia was a regular cohort of Rahul Gandhis.

Mehbooba Mufti

Another upset was in the vale of Kashmir. Mehbooba Mufti, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, lost from Anantnag constituency in spectacular fashion. Mufti came in third behind National Conference's Hasnain Masoodi and Ghulam Ahmad Mir of the Congress. In 2014, Mehbooba won Anantnag defeating NC's Mehboob Beg by 65,417 votes. Beg later defected to PDP and is now one of her closest aides. Mehbooba resigned the seat in 2016 when she became the CM after the demise of her father Mufti Mohommad Sayeed. According to DNA, Mufti took her biggest political gamble when she jumped into the fray from Anantnag constituency at a time when her party's stock is down, thanks to the 2016 unrest and the disastrous alliance with the BJP.

HD Devegowda

This is another massive upset. If you know anything about Karnataka's politics, youll know how unbeatable Devegowda has been over the years. However, in the year of the giant slayers, the former Prime Minister and current chief of Janata Dal (Secular) HD Deve Gowda lost from the constituency of Tumkur to BJP's G S Basavaraju. The 86-year-old who became popular as the mannina maga or son of the soil, has won seven terms as a legislator since 1962, and six terms as Member of Parliament since 1991, including one stint as chief minister of Karnataka. Thursday was only the third time that Deve Gowda lost an election. Deve Gowda gave up his bastion Hassan for his grandson Prajwal Revanna and contested from neighbouring Tumkur. Wrong move, as it turns out. He lost to the little known Basavaraju of BJP by just 20,000 votes. It could be the end of the road for Deve Gowda. He will be 91 by the time the next election rolls into town. That is perhaps why his partys only Lok Sabha member, and grandson, Prajwal Revanna decided to resign his Hassan seat to make way for his return to Hassan as an elected member. A grandson resigns for the doyen to remain relevant. If thats not an upset, what else is?

Digvijay Singh

This was another big upset. And theres an interesting story at play here.

Digvijay Singh, a former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, garnered a large amount of infamy for participating in an event back during the UPA years. He was photographed at the launch of a book titled 26/11: RSS ki Saazish. Understandably, that did not go down well with many people. He lost to Sadhvi Pragya, or Pragya Thakur, the BJP candidate from Bhopal, a rather colourful character. Pragya was one of the main accused in the Malegaon blast in 2008 and spent nine years in prison. The special NIA court is yet to discharge her in the case. Though the court dropped provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against her, she is being tried under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). She was granted bail by the Bombay High Court last year.

She defeated Digvijay by a huge margin of 3,64,822 votes in the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat. In a high voltage campaign, BJP president Amit Shah termed Sadhvi Pragya's candidature as a Satyagraha against the Congresss alleged conspiracy of defaming Hindu religion by coining the term Hindu terror.

All things considered, the 2019 election has been a revelatory experience. 600 million voters, bombastic campaigns, seven phases, controversies about EVMs, and massive reversal in fortunes for old school politicians. One can truly say that India's politics will never be the same again.Messaging app WhatsApp has been providing its services for free to its 1.5 billion users spread over 180 countries. The company now plans to generate revenue from the app through ads. WhatsApps parent company, Facebook, has confirmed that the messaging app would start serving advertisements in 2020.

At the annual Facebook Marketing Summit in the Netherlands, Facebook has revealed that WhatsApp would start showing ads from 2020. The initial plan is to feature ads in the WhatsApp Stories section, just like Instagram and Facebook Stories. Olivier Ponteville, the media head at BeConnectAgency, uploaded a few images from the event on Twitter to show how ads would be incorporated in WhatsApp.



WhatsApp will bring Stories Ads in its status product in 2020. #FMS19 pic.twitter.com/OI3TWMmfKj

 Olivier Ponteville (@Olivier_Ptv) May 21, 2019

The photos suggest that ads would be shown between WhatsApp Stories. The demo also indicates that ads would be displayed entirely on the screen and come with a link that can be swiped up to redirect to the website. This is similar to how ads work on Instagram.

Facebook did have plans in the past to introduce ads on WhatsApp for generating revenue. This is also the very reason why WhatsApps former CEO and co-founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton decided to quit the company over disagreements with Mark Zuckerberg.

At the summit, the company also revealed that it would include richer message formats and introduce product catalogues for WhatsApp Business . Facebook at F8 had announced that, in a bid to improve user experience while chatting with businesses, the company is testing a feature that would enable businesses to add their product catalogue directly into chats. The feature would be useful to small businesses that do not necessarily have a website and can use the platform to promote their products. Users can check the list of products through the catalogue without leaving the app.As the election results paved the way for the formation of a new government under prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi, several names have started doing the rounds for getting plum Cabinet portfolios.

The name of railway minister Piyush Goyal, who briefly served as finance minister last year when Arun Jaitley was indisposed, is being circulated as the next full-time finance minister, though other names are also doing the rounds.

Current law and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was also telecom minister for some time in the previous government, is likely to get the telecom ministry again.

Sources said if Mr Jaitley does not take charge at the finance ministry in the new government, ostensibly due to health reasons, then the government may opt for a known hand at the ministry.

Mr Goyal had also presented the interim Budget during his term as finance minister.

If Mr Jaitley opts out, Mr Goyal may be the key choice as he has worked in the ministry, with a Budget round the corner and an economic slowdown hurting the government and an economic survey due as well, Mr Modi may not go for a brand new face, sources said.

But there has been no official confirmation on the ministerial appointments as the team for the new government is currently in the process of being worked out.

The telecom ministry is also likely to get an old hand in Mr Prasad after the incumbent Manoj Sinha lost the election from Ghazipur (East).

Mr Prasad won from Patna Sahib constituency in Bihar defeating Congress candidate and former BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha.

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.The death toll in the Friday's devastating blaze in Surat rose to 23 by Saturday, even as seven students battled for survival in hospitals, officials said.

Two of the injured students were on ventilator and five admitted to intensive care units (ICU). The condition of four others was reported to be stable.

Most of the students who were killed in the fire at an arts coaching centre on the top floor of a four-storey building were between the age of 14 and 17. Some were expecting their Class 12 results on Saturday.

Officials informed that the fire started at the ground floor and reached the top floor. Some students at another class, rushed to the terrace to escape the fire and found themselves stuck there.

According to witnesses, there must have been around 50 students in the Takshashila Arcade building when it caught fire.

Graphic videos on social media showed over 10 students jumping from the third and fourth storey, which was actually a covered terrace, to escape the blaze and the billowing smoke.

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.Mumbai: Ayushmann Khurrana, who has delivered worldwide blockbusters AndhaDhun and Badhaai Ho is set to release his next, 'Article 15' which is inspired by true events.

There have been 4 true events, which the director Anubhav Sinha had thoroughly researched upon, the film draws real-life inspiration from there.

The movie tales from events of true and real relevance to bring to the screen an investigative drama for the audience. With the success of AndhaDhun and Badhaai Ho, it is sure that Ayushmann's next would also be a promising story.

The actor has won praise from across the quarters- audiences, filmmakers, critics, alike for his performance. In a recent development, Ayushmann Khurrana starrer 'Article 15' is set to get a world premiere at the tenth edition of the London Indian Film Festival.

The investigative drama will be the opening night film. London Indian Film Festival is South Asia's largest festival. The film also stars Isha Talwar, M Nassar, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Kumud Mishra and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub.

'Article 15' has been helmed and produced by Anubhav Sinha and Zee Studios.Results from the Lorain County Public Healths Community Health Assessment show the community is getting healthier, but data also reveals there still is a long way to go.

County health officials outlined the progress made with their Community Health Improvement Plan during an update May 23 at Lorain County Community College.

The Community Health Assessment used data collection and analysis from anonymous residents to cover areas regarding health, such as chronic disease, access to health care, social determinants of health and health behaviors.

And the officials deserve credit for ensuring that all segments of the county were contacted for the survey.

However, the survey was sent out by mail to 2,400 adults, but only 696 of them responded.

And more than 2,760 Lorain County students in grades six through 12 were surveyed.

Not a great showing of responses, but at least it was enough to capture what areas needed improving.

The improvement plan includes improving access to care, expanding coordinated education and prevention services regarding infant mortality, improving weight issues in youth and adults, improving mental health and reducing drug and tobacco abuse.

The data was needed to understand the health status of the community, set goals and to know whether Lorain County Public Health and its partners have made a difference since the last time the survey was conducted in 2015.

Some strides were made.

The Community Health Assessment looked at data by gender, age, income and urban, suburban and rural communities.

In 2018, key findings from the urban survey show that 13 percent of Elyria and Lorain adults did not have health care coverage compared to 10 percent of the rest of Lorain County adults.

Data showed that 36 percent of Elyria and Lorain adults rated their health as excellent or very good, compared to 49 percent for the rest of Lorain County residents.

More than 34 percent of adults in urban areas had high blood cholesterol, 68 percent were classified as overweight or obese and 9 percent were current smokers.

In rural Lorain County, 13 percent of adults did not have health care coverage, 42 percent of women had a mammogram in the past year and 49 percent of adults keep firearms in and around their houses.

Key findings in suburban areas show that 7 percent of adults did not have health care coverage, 29 percent had high blood pressure, 13 percent were current smokers and 81 percent considered their neighborhoods extremely or quite safe.

Dave Covell, health commissioner for Lorain County Public Health, said the survey shows that in some areas, great improvements were made in terms of health.

But in some categories, the pendulum really swung the wrong way.

Covell said the efforts from the health officials that are working must continue and for those initiatives that arent, its time to try something new and measure it to make sure it works.

But the common theme from the survey is that access to health care has to improve, and it could by increasing hours at health care facilities and increasing site locations for health care providers.

That can be difficult if a person has no transportation, so that also has to improve, possibly with a better countywide mass transportation system.

Infant mortality rates have improved over time, although Lorain County still is above the national average.

African American infants are at particularly higher risk to die before reaching their first birthday, being three times more likely than other demographics.

Covell said prematurity in infants was by far the leading cause of infant mortality and has been tackled by means of education, programs and home visits.

Obesity and overweight adults have remained relatively stagnant since 2011

And 70 percent of adults were found to be overweight in 2018, with 38 percent of them obese.

Smoking rates in adults have dropped significantly from 22 percent in 2015 to 12 percent in 2018; Lorain County Public Healths goal for 2018 was to drop the percentage to 20 percent.

Elaine Georgas, executive director of the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Service Board of Lorain County, noted that opioid deaths have dropped over the past three years.

Part of this is due to the increase of naloxone kits made available to first responders since 2012.

In 2012, Lorain County was the pilot for fire responders to carry naloxone.

In the two weeks of its implementation, Georgas said 18 of 21 people suffering from an overdose were saved.

From 2017-18, the number of kits used jumped to 503 from 200.

The Lorain County Health Partners are set to meet this summer and begin planning for 2020.

And the next Community Health Assessment will occur in three years.

When officials release the results from the next survey, hopefully more residents will have responded.

Even more important, is that more Lorain County people are healthier.The annual Permian Basin Environmental Regulatory Seminar presented by Midland College's Petroleum Professional Development Center, Permian Basin Petroleum Association and Society of Petroleum Engineers expanded its focus from just a cleaner environment to a safer environment at its annual presentation Thursday.

John Speed, district engineer in the Texas Department of Transportation's Odessa District, discussed ways to improve road safety in the region, which leads the state in wrecks and fatalities.

He first offered some 2018 statistics for the district, which covers Andrews, Crane, Ector, Loving, Martin, Midland, Pecos, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Ward and Winkler counties:

--8,410 vehicle crashes

--18,466 vehicles involved in those crashes

--21,756 people in those vehicles

--3,516 injuries

--210 fatalities

"We need to put our very best foot forward and try to solve some of these challenges," he told the gathering.

The challenge is that the Permian has an unconventional mixture of heavy industrial roads -- what he called monster trucks and moderate-sized service vehicles traveling on Permian Basin roads. These vehicles display greater-than-normal speed discrepancies  one vehicle can be going 60 mph, and another vehicle zips around it going 100 mph.

"These roads were originally designed for agricultural use; they were here before the oil boom," Speed said. "The current loads have extreme weights, acceleration and deceleration and braking demand."

Speed attributed two primary factors that put road safety at risk: behavior and structural.

Behavioral risk includes driving while fatigued, substance abuse, distractions or poor driving skills.

"Little can be done (about behavioral risk) without residents taking an active role with their employees and their circle of friends," Speed said.

He advised companies to carefully vet their personnel and contractors, reviewing safety records, testing for drug and alcohol use and whether contractors are working multiple jobs -- which could lead to increased fatigue -- and provide mandatory training and reinforcement of that training.

As for structural risk, Speed said that 40 percent of crashes are around intersections, and half of that 40 percent involves driveways.

TxDOT urges private entities to get involved in helping to address structural risk, such as helping install acceleration/deceleration lanes into their facilities to help reduce crashes. He said the agency is working hard to secure funding for and schedule work on improving problem roads in the area.

There is a glimmer of hope, Speed said, in that the rate of increase in accidents in the Odessa district is declining compared to the previous year.

Speed attributes that to efforts by the Permian Road Safety Coalition to raise awareness of road safety and how everyone needs to take responsibility for traveling more safely on Permian Basin roads.

Too, he said, residents are "understanding the importance of being careful, of better planning. Companies are also helping their employees address behavioral risk on a personal level."ADHD is a behavioural disorder characterised by continuous procrastination, the inability to complete tasks, mind-wandering, and restlessness of the body and mind. (Photo: ANI)

Washington: Recent findings suggest that Leonardo da Vinci, the man behind some of the world's most iconic art, may have struggled to complete some of his iconic artworks because he suffered from Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), scientists claim.

According to Marco Catani from King's College suggested that ADHD, in addition to explaining his chronic procrastination, could have been a factor in da Vinci's extraordinary creativity and achievements across the arts and sciences.

"While impossible to make a post-mortem diagnosis for someone who lived 500 years ago, I am confident that ADHD is the most convincing and scientifically plausible hypothesis to explain Leonardo's difficulty in finishing his works. Historical records show Leonardo spent excessive time planning projects but lacked perseverance. ADHD could explain aspects of Leonardo's temperament and his strange mercurial genius," Catani asserted. Findings of the researchers were published in the Journal of Brain.

ADHD is a behavioural disorder characterised by continuous procrastination, the inability to complete tasks, mind-wandering, and restlessness of the body and mind. While most commonly recognised in childhood, ADHD is increasingly being diagnosed among adults including university students and people with successful careers.

Leonardo's difficulties with sticking to tasks were pervasive from childhood. Accounts from biographers and contemporaries show Leonardo was constantly on the go, often jumping from task to task. Like many of those suffering from ADHD, he slept very little and worked continuously night and day by alternating rapid cycles of short naps and time awake.

Alongside reports of erratic behaviour and incomplete projects from fellow artists and patrons, including Pope Leone X, there is indirect evidence to suggest that Leonardo's brain was organised differently compared to average. He was left-handed and likely to be both dyslexic and have dominance for language in the right-hand side of his brain, all of which are common among people with ADHD.

Perhaps the most distinctive and yet disruptive side of Leonardo's mind was his voracious curiosity, which both propelled his creativity and also distracted him. Professor Catani suggests ADHD can have positive effects, for example, mind-wandering can fuel creativity and originality. However, while beneficial in the initial stages of the creative process, the same traits can be a hindrance when interest shifts to something else.

"There is a prevailing misconception that ADHD is typical of misbehaving children with low intelligence, destined for a troubled life. On the contrary, most of the adults I see in my clinic report having been bright, intuitive children but develop symptoms of anxiety and depression later in life for having failed to achieve their potential," explained Catani.

According to the researchers, it is incredible that Leonardo considered himself as someone who had failed in life. They hope that the case of Leonardo shows that ADHD is not linked to low IQ or lack of creativity but rather the difficulty of capitalising on natural talents.

"I hope that Leonardo's legacy can help us to change some of the stigmas around ADHD," said Catani.New Delhi: TikTok Start Mohit Mor was shot dead near Delhis Najafgarh on Tuesday for not returning Rs 30 lakh and then seeking protection from gangsters, police said on Friday after one of the three suspects was arrested.

The 24-year-old gym trainer and social media star was shot dead by three unidentified gunmen.

The deceased was identified as Mohit Mor of Haryana's Bahadurgarh who had over 5.17 lakh followers on social media app TikTok. The fitness enthusiast used to frequently upload fitness videos on his TikTok and Instagram profiles and was popular in virtual world.

Mor went out to visit his friend at around 5 pm on Tuesday and was gunned down at a photocopy shop located in his vicinity.

Three unidentified men came on a bike and pushed down five bullets into him when Mor was sitting on a sofa at the shop. According to a senior police officer 13 bullets were fired at him, IANS reported.

The incident was captured in CCTV camera and while one attacker is clearly visible in the footage, the faces of the other two were covered with helmets.

"When Mohit Mor was busy talking with his friend inside the shop, three armed persons barged inside the shop and indiscriminately fired 13 bullets on him. Mohit Mor fell on a sofa kept inside the shop. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead," a senior police said.

Police relate the murder to a gang war near Dwarka Mod metro station on Sunday in which two alleged criminals were gunned down.

"We are checking his Tik Tok and Instagram accounts comments and Call Details Record (CDR) to establish his enmity with anyone on social media that may help us to crack the case," the senior police officer said.

"Prima facie, it appears a case of personal enmity and a money dispute," the officer added.

A case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code was registered and a probe is underway.The graduating class at Illinois School for the Visually Impaired was small, but the graduates aspirations were big.

I will go to Lincoln Land Community Colleges Jacksonville campus and eventually transfer to Illinois State University to become a teacher of the visually impaired, said graduating senior Colton Weimer of Jacksonville.

Weimer and his three senior classmates received their diplomas Friday morning. Most of them had attended ISVI for 12 years and they were all ready to make their marks in the world.

ISVI has made me a lot more independent and has given me more confidence to go out there and really do my best, Weimer said. It has given me more skills and has really helped me to succeed.

But it wasnt all studying and hard work  Weimer said he will always remember the senior class trip several weeks ago.

We went down south to a bunch of museums and went bowling and did all kinds of fun stuff and made lots of memories, Weimer said.

Sadi Stengel of Harrisburg was selected as the class speaker and delivered her remarks before an audience of nearly 100 family, friends and ISVI staff. It was something Stengel felt she couldnt have done without her ISVI education.

They helped me work on my communication skills and the teachers here helped me grow as a person, Stengel said. I will return here to do the fifth-year program, then go to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale to study psychology. I want to try to help people with intellectual disabilities and those who have mental illness.

The students asked retired ISVI physical education teacher James Raabe to give the address to the graduates. They knew hed be nervous with this public speaking role, so students and teachers presented him with a gift on stage  a stick of Degree antiperspirant.

I have a bachelors degree, a masters, and now I can say I have my third Degree, Raabe quipped.

ISVI Superintendent Serena Preston was proud of the four graduates of the Class of 2019.

They are each going to make their own path and they really have already started doing that, Preston said. They are not afraid to express themselves. Each one of them mentioned things in their presentations today that they perceived had prepared them for the next steps.

I think its important to never underestimate anybodys abilities, and with the right education and support and encouragement, people can do a lot of very amazing things in their lives, Preston said..Jacob Bowen was a 2013 graduate of Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville and he shared some words of wisdom with the 19 seniors who graduated from the school on Friday.

Never embarrass your mama. If your mama aint happy, nobodys happy, said Bowen, who added on a more serious note, Dont let others tell you what you can and cant do.

Bowen encouraged the graduates to become teachers, whether they choose that as a profession or simply share knowledge and experience with others. He also told the students to dream, but to make sure they build a strong foundation for those dreams as he has done with his life.

Im not a millionaire or celebrity, Bowen said. Im a hard-working deaf individual just like you.

Graduating senior Esmeralda Jimenez of Waverly credits ISD with teaching her a great vocabulary and providing experiences she can take into the real world.

When I first came here to ISD and I looked around, I thought oh cool, everyones deaf, but I really wasnt used to all of the sign language going on, Jimenez said. Im from another country and they sign differently. So I got here and picked up American Sign Language, and now I can talk to just about anybody on earth who is deaf.

Jimenez will return to ISD for the schools transitional living program and then plans to attend Lincoln Land Community College with a goal of becoming a chef.

Shannon McNeal of Peoria already has a job lined up this summer with the Wreck-A-Mended auto body shop in Jacksonville where he was employed through ISDs work experience program. McNeal will enroll in Lincoln Land Community College this fall to learn the construction trade.

McNeal has attended ISD since first grade and said the school has helped him grow and improve his interactions with the hearing world.

My sophomore and junior year I went to Jacksonville High School and I had an interpreter with me, so I rarely used my voice there, McNeal said. But one day the interpreter wasnt there, and I was sitting in geometry class and saw the answer and said it out loud, and the teacher was like What! You can speak?

The Order of the Tiger, an award selected annually by ISD staff and students, was presented to Jacksonville Police Officer Josh Radliff, who has become a friend and supporter to the school.

ISD Superintendent Julee Nist said the 19 seniors who graduated on Friday are an awesome group of students that have tremendous potential.

The opportunities and experiences they had here they will be able to take forward to become self-supporting citizens. The training that goes on here for these kids is amazing, Nist said. They are all individually amazing kids, and I would love for everyone to watch them.Jacksonville Police

ACCIDENTS

 Dylan M. Pagel, 20, of Jacksonville was cited on a charge of failure to yield at a stopped intersection after the vehicle he was driving and one being being driven by Darrell W. Magelitz, 58, of Jacksonville collided at 11:49 p.m. Thursday at West College Avenue and South Kosciusko Street.

Magelitz was evaluated for injuries at the scene, but declined transportation. He was cited on a charge of operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

 Abigail C. Simpson, 22, of Jacksonville was cited on a charge of following too closely after the vehicle she was driving and a vehicle being driven by Angela Y. Banks, 51, of Jacksonville collided at 12:08 p.m. Friday in the 800 block of West Morton Avenue.

OTHER REPORTS

 The passenger side window of a vehicle was smashed Thursday while it was parked in the 700 block of North Main Street, according to a report filed at 11:47 p.m. Thursday.



Calhoun County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Kandice L. Orr, 25, of Hamburg was booked into the Greene County Jail at 2:53 a.m. Monday on charges of obstructing identification and criminal damage to state-supported property and on a Greene County warrant accusing her of failing to appear in court.



Greene County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Ronald E. Orr Jr., 45, of Portage Des Sioux, Missouri, was booked into the Greene County Jail at 9:26 p.m. Thursday on a charge of driving while license is suspended.

Greenfield Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Patrick E. Chapman, 26, of Greenfield was booked into the Greene County Jail at 9:15 p.m. May 15 on an unlawful restraint charge.

Roodhouse Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Robert G. Maxon Jr., 30, of Roodhouse was booked into the Greene County Jail at 9:05 a.m. Wednesday on charges of aggravated battery to a police officer, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, resisting or obstructing a peace officer and obstructing identification.

White Hall Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 A 15-year-old Roodhouse girl was released to her parents at 8:45 p.m. Thursday after being detained on a disorderly conduct charge.

 Benjamin E. Cox, 35, of White Hall was booked into the Greene County Jail at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on a domestic battery charge.

 Matthew G. Dubois, 19, of White Hall was booked into the Greene County Jail at 12:56 a.m. Sunday on charges of illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor and resisting or obstructing a peace officer.

 Joshua L. Shewmake, 18, of White Hall was booked into the Greene County Jail at 12:22 a.m. Sunday on a charge of illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor.

 Robert L. Pruiett, 33, of White Hall was booked into the Greene County Jail at 3:42 p.m. May 18 on a Greene County arrest warrant accusing him of theft.

 Kimberly S. Pennington, 48, of Roodhouse was booked into the Greene County Jail at 1:20 a.m. May 16 on charges of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident and operating a uninsured motor vehicle.

Compiled by Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree and David C.L. BauerWives can sue their spouses for ...Of the newcomers, 68 were elected on YSRC tickets and three were nominated by the TD.

Visakhapatnam: The new AP Assembly of 175 members will have 71 first-timers, which is an indication of the magnitude of the YSRC victory in the April 11 elections. Of the newcomers, 68 were elected on YSRC tickets and three were nominated by the TD.

There is a former MP and a former MLC making their first appearance in the Assembly. Mr V. Varaprasad Rao, MLA-elect from Gudur constituency in Nellore district, was earlier Member of Parliament from Tirupati. Srisailam MLA-elect Silpa Chakrapani Reddy was a member of the Legislative Council with the TD and resigned while joining the YSRC during the Nandyal byelection that in 2017.

Anantapur and Guntur have sent nine new legislators each. There are seven first-timers each from East Godavari, West Godavari and Kurnool, followed by Visakhapat-nam with six and and Krishna district with five.

Prakasam district voted four first-time legislators, and Srikakulam and Vizianagaram three each.

Kadapa sent two newcomers and Nellore 1.

First-time MLA from Pendurthi A. Addep Raj said gone are the days when people voted for politicians even if they dont work. I will utilise this opportunity to learn from the seniors to raise issues pertaining to the constituency in the Assembly.

Stating that he was really happy to enter the House, he promised to go on a padayatra every six months along with the officials to resolve the problems of the people.

He added, Now I will work for the development of my constituency. Apart from being available, taking part in the local problems and addressing public issues. He said he wanted to learn of the peoples problems by going from house to house.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 25)  Peter Joemel Advincula also known as "Bikoy" left the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame Saturday after his release from the Philippine National Police General Hospital earlier.

He was accompanied by his brother, Joseph Advincula.

Advincula, who claimed to be the hooded figure "Bikoy" in the Ang Totoong Narco List videos, was rushed to hospital Friday due to hypertension.

He posted bail of 6,000 for estafa also on Friday, and 18,000 for large-scale illegal recruitment on Thursday. Advincula turned himself in on Wednesday.

CIDG Metro Manila Chief Arnold Thomas Ibay said Saturday Advincula did not apply for police protection, which he verbally requested earlier, according to Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde.

Ibay said there is no standing warrant of arrest against Advincula.

In a text message to CNN Philippines Friday, PNP Spokesperson Bernard Banac said, "At this time, naka post na ng bail sa lahat ng cases niya [he has posted bail for all his cases]. He may choose to leave the Crame hospital as soon as doctors certify he is fit and well for discharge. But we are also anticipating that he will give or submit his statement and evidences accompanied by a lawyer to the CIDG as he intended to do, so that investigation can proceed."

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told CNN Philippines the Office of the Solicitor General "is assisting the PNP, not Advincula, in case build-up."

'Bikoy' and the videos

In the videos, Advincula accused President Rodrigo Duterte, his family, and allies of being involved in the illegal drug trade.

Advincula said he was once a part of an illegal drugs syndicate, but he decided to come out because of threats to his life and the urgings of his conscience.

However, Advincula told media Thursday that the allegations he made in the videos were all false and were simply orchestrated by the Liberal Party, under the supervision of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, to discredit the Duterte administration.

Trillanes and members of the opposition, including Vice President Leni Robredo, have denied Advincula's newest claims.

CNN Philippines correspondent Crissy Dimatulac contributed to this report.Muslims throng Tolichowki market on Saturday to purchase goods for Id as the month of Ramzan is coming to an end.

Hyderabad: If you happen to be daunted by the thought of braving the Ramzan shopping crowd at Charminar and are in no mood to deal with the heavy traffic on your way to it, plenty other bazaars have gained a footing.

Among such bazaars, Tolichowki is considered the most lively owing to its blend of the new city and the old. Other places people can visit for Ramzan shopping include Mallepally, Sabzi Mandi, Karwan and Musheerabad.

Tolichowki and its surrounding areas comprise a large Muslim population. While previously they would all throng the Old City for festival and wedding shopping, now they have most of what they need available in their own neigbourhood.

Other than dress material outlets and eateries, one may find a vast range of household items on display along the stretch between Mehdipatnam and Tolicho-wki, which is now turning out to be a huge market for the homegrown fashion labels of Secunderabad and Old City.

Additionally, eateries like Pista House, Shah Gouse, 4 Seasons, Mandar, Kabul Darbar and Peshawar in Tolichowki have been serving Haleem and a variety of other special items prepared during the holy month.

The Tolichowki-Hakim-pet road presents a buzzing atmosphere with a large number of shops selling textiles, footwear, ornaments, bangles, carpets, and decorative items.

Ms Fatima Kubra, a resident of Al-Hasnat Colony, who earlier visited the Old City for Id shopping, is relieved to have everything she might need in her own locality now.

Ms Isra Fatima of Al-Kareem Colony said, We no more have to travel all the way to the Old City to purchase bangles, ornaments or mehendi. Now, everything we need is available in the vicinity of our home. With the presence of all famed stores of the city in the same market, we have been enjoying an amalgamation of the Old City and the new city in one place.

Mallepaly Bazaar is to be another destination popular for Id shopping, where shoppers can purchase traditional clothing, dress material, attar (perfumes), and special ingredients for cooking. A fair amount of traders here have set up shops to sell ready-made garments for men, women, and kids.

Similarly, the Old Sabzi Mandi of Karwan has turned into a shopping destination and families living in the surrounding areas need not look any further to fulfill their Id shopping requirements. A vast variety of items ranging from artificial jewellery and dress materials to ready-made garments and footwear are all available for purchase here.

The Bangladesh market at Musheerabad caters to the needs of the people living in the areas surrounding Secunderabad. Mr Zaheeruddin Samar said, We dont have to visit the Old City anymore. In fact, a large number of people from the Old City visit our market to compare prices, and most of them end up buying from here itself for the prices here are very reasonable compared to other markets in the city.A 4-year-old girl recovering from a dog attack two weeks ago has developed pneumonia and remains in serious condition at Children's Medical Center of Dallas.

The pneumonia has forced doctors to delay skin graft surgeries for Jade DeMoss.

Jade has been hospitalized for 16 days. Her stepfather, Mike Hebert, said she has undergone surgery nearly every day.

Jade and Hebert were visiting his son July 19 when the girl was savagely attacked by what the family believes was a stray dog or wild animal.

Van Zandt County sheriff's officials have said they believe the child was attacked by one of the family's three dogs that have since been quarantined.

Sheriff Pat Burnett said an exhaustive investigation leads them to believe the attack was caused by one or more of Hebert's dogs.

Meanwhile, the Heberts shot three dogs under their house on Saturday morning in Redland.

The family found the dogs had dug a sort of tunnel system. They also found the same tunnel-like system beneath an old abandoned barn on the property, Herbert said.

"I can understand the deputy not wanting to climb under the house, but there's got to be someone to call to get these dogs," Hebert said in a story in Tuesday's Tyler Morning Telegraph.

Van Zandt County has no ordinances and no animal control other than deputies, Burnett said.

Jade was to start kindergarten this school year in Tyler. A bank account has been opened at a Tyler bank for donations to help with her medical expenses.

Information from: Tyler Morning TelegraphTwo people died in separate shootings in Harris County Friday evening.

Sheriff's deputies responded to a shooting in the 15500 block of FM 529, northwest of Houston, around 6 p.m. They found the victim, a man in his 20s, dead at the scene.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted that the victim was sitting in a car, and the shooter got in the front seat and shot the victim after an altercation.

The suspect was described as a 5-foot-10-inch Hispanic male wearing a black hoodie, black basketball shorts and black tennis shoes. He has a light complexion and black, shoulder-length hair. He fled the scene in a blue Chevy Cruz.

AT HFD SINCE 2005: Houston Fire captain arrested on child porn charges

The other shooting took place in the 6100 block of Thompson Road in Baytown, also around 6 p.m. Details regarding the victim's age or gender were not immediately available.

The suspects of both shootings are at-large.

This is a developing story.

STAY INFORMED: Text CHRON to 77453 to get breaking news alerts by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.A man who police say threatened officers with a pistol was fatally shot on Houston's south side on Friday.

Police were called to an apartment complex in the 5901 Selinsky Road for reports that a man was trying to break into a unit there.

Houston Police Assistant Chief Bobby Dobbins said that the two officers, each of whom has at least four years of policing experience, then found the unidentified man brandishing a pistol and telling them "Go ahead" or "I'm ready."

A woman was yelling to officers that the man had tried to break into her apartment, police said.

HPD INVESTIGATIONS: Houston Fire Captain arrested on child porn charges

After the man refused to put the gun down and turned to them as he raised his hand, officers opened fire, Dobbins said. He died at the scene. It was unclear how many times he was struck. "We think the officers did a good job," Dobbins said. "Unfortunately, they had to take a man's life tonight. We're never happy about that, but officers have to protect themselves and, unfortunately, he raised the gun and put their lives in danger."

The officers had been in the area for a call of shots fired at a nearby apartment complex. The two officers were responding to that call in the 10900 block of Martindale Road when they were dispatched to the scene where they encountered the gunman.

"It was kind of chaotic for a while," he said. "There were a lot of people out by the pool and a lot of things going on at one time."

It's unclear if the deceased man was connected to the earlier shooting, which injured one woman, who is in stable condition, Dobbins said. The two scenes were within walking distance, he said, so it's possible that the man moved to the apartment complex after police were called to the prior shooting.

Neither the deceased man, a black man in his 30s, nor the officers were identified Saturday.

It marks the first time in three months in which an HPD officer has discharged a weapon, according to the department's website.

The last fatal shooting by a Houston police officer was on Jan. 28, when a husband and wife were killed during a botched raid at their home in Pecan Park. The no-knock raid has since been investigated by various agencies, and has led to the dismissal of dozens of cases handled by two narcotics division officers who are also under investigation.

STAY INFORMED: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.Hyderabad: A woman allegedly stabbed her two children to death in Siddipet. The accused, C. Saroja, was drunk when she stabbed the children with broken beer bottles, police said.

Police said Saroja and her husband C. Bhaskar, a car driver, had two children, Ayan, 5, and Harshvardhan, 3. The couple had been quarrelling for a long time but were being counselled by family elders and police.

Siddepet additional DCP Narasimha Reddy said the murder took place when Bhaskar was away. Saroja allegedly gagged the children and stabbed them with broken beer bottles in their stomach. She was playing the TV loudly to muffle any sounds.

She wrote a suicide letter and left the house but went to the Karimnagar police station and surrendered. The police informed their counterparts at Siddipet who rushed to the house and found the children dead, their entrails hanging out and two broken beer bottles nearby.It is a reflection of City Councilman Greg Brockhouses weakness as a candidate that he very well may lose this runoff against Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

Nirenberg is wonky, visionary, earnest in his views and genuinely likable. There is much to like. But hes also been painfully slow to deal with community issues, and he spent too much time in his first term trying to please everyone, and in turn, he pleased almost no one.

He stuck with former City Manager Sheryl Sculley despite loud community angst about her tenure and compensation. He was too slow to intervene with controversial development around the iconic Hays Street Bridge, allowing the issue to fester. He was painfully hands-off about mandatory paid sick leave. And most significantly, he showed the wrong principles on the controversial decisions to not bid on the 2020 Republican National Convention and not include Chick-fil-A at the airport.

In short, hes given voters on the right and left plenty of reasons to vote against him, and a stronger challenger could have unseated Nirenberg in May. But if we have learned anything this spring, its that Brockhouse is an extraordinarily weak candidate. He has a gift for making the most of community angst, but his failure to address domestic violence allegations raises major questions about character (the allegations are disturbing, just as the lack of reflection or recognition of his past is dismaying), and he hasnt shown independence from the public safety unions.

As San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association President Chris Steele said in a secret recording released last October in the heat of the charter change election, the goal was to set it up to where May of 2019, we can put our own guy in the mayors office, which would be Greg Brockhouse.

The fire union won on two of three propositions in the charter change election last fall, capping city manager pay and tenure, and securing the right to go to arbitration in contract negotiations. Fast forward to the end of May, and their guy is in the runoff and  oh, wait, look, that fire contract remains unresolved.

Can their guy be your guy?

Not only has Brockhouse been a consultant for the public safety unions, but they have gone to bat for him bigly at the polls. Off-duty (friendly) firefighters have manned polling places on behalf of Brockhouse, and the San Antonio Police Officers Association has stuffed our mailboxes.

Just what do they hope to gain from a Brockhouse administration?

We know that in 2016 the police union inked a contract that included a 3 percent lump sum bonus, a wage increase of 14 percent over four years and some minor adjustments to health care. It was hands-down a win for the police union  and Nirenberg opposed this contract.

But it hasnt been enough for the fire union. It wants something better. It wants its own trust fund for health care, using nearly 28 percent raises to cover costs. For the city, this would mean a major increase in what it already spends. Its untenable.

What would their guy do about this request?

The big tell is his silence. When Brockhouse recently rolled out a series of half-baked policy initiatives, he didnt offer any insight on the fire contract.

But the reality is he can talk about cutting city property taxes and prioritizing bus shelters (sigh, VIA Metropolitan Transit already does this) and hiring more police, but its impossible to do any of this if the city is spending more on public safety.

And if the city spends more on wages for firefighters, then the city will have to up the wages for San Antonios finest because of a me too clause in the police contract. And if the fire union gets what it wants on health care, or at least does better than police, well, its hard to imagine the police union settling for anything less in the future. Contract negotiations with police will begin in 2021, toward the end of the next term.

You can see where this is going. More on public safety, coupled with a property tax cut, means less on streets, parks, affordable housing initiatives, transit and crucial social justice functions like, say, providing support for domestic violence survivors.

The cynical hollowness of Brockhouses campaign is he does not expect voters to see any of this or to probe beyond the surface. But if elected, his closeness to the public safety unions could reverberate in this community for years.

jbrodesky@express-news.netThe first thing we do, lets kill all the lawyers, reads a controversial line from William Shakespeares Henry VI.

Some contend that Shakespeare wasnt disparaging lawyers but instead meant the line as a compliment. The character saying the line was a follower of a rebel who believed that if he disturbed law and order, he could become king. Attorneys and judges, because they instilled justice in a society, would thus hamper the pretenders efforts to overthrow the king.

Even though the practice of law has proven itself a time-honored profession, it hasnt prevented many from showing disrespect or otherwise speaking ill of attorneys. I confess that the publics distrust at times is warranted.

But theres one area in which my colleagues have shown their dedication to the profession  in assisting those who need legal assistance but can ill afford it. This is known as pro bono services.

The term pro bono comes from the Latin pro bono publico, meaning for the public good. It denotes work undertaken without charge, especially legal work for a client with low income.

One of the drawbacks of our legal system is that needs are left unattended among those who cant afford legal services.

That doesnt mean that our legal system hasnt attempted to cure this quagmire. Those attempts offer both good and bad news.

First the good news.

For years, courts and legal organizations have joined efforts to provide legal aid to the poor and also legal help at reduced costs.

The American Bar Association believes that when a society confers the practice of law on its members, they accept a responsibility to make justice equally accessible to all. The organization encourages lawyers to offer pro bono services to those in need.

What are some of the things were doing in Texas to carry out this responsibility?

By surfing the internet, a person can find legal help, however limited. For example, there are websites that provide tools to learn about the various court systems.

Heres a partial list of topics found at Texas LawHelp.org, a website of Texas Legal Services Center: court basics; family, divorce and children; protection from violence or abuse; house and apartment; health and benefits; money and debt; school and work; veterans and military. This website provides information and court forms for simple legal problems, and also has a chat capability.

There are websites that answer legal questions, such as justanswer.com/law/Texas or lawyers.findlaw.com. These are lawyer-referral websites, and some provide live chat. Although they dont offer pro bono or reduced-fee programs, they offer a way for prospective clients to get their preliminary questions answered by an attorney.

For instance, Lawyer Referral Information Service, for a nominal fee, permits a 30-minute consultation with an attorney. At the end of the consultation, the attorney and prospective client may discuss possible representation and an affordable price structure.

Texas Legal Services Center performs two functions. First, it serves as a gap filler, providing legal services to Texas residents who dont qualify for legal aid from various providers. Second, it offers support services to those providers. The center also runs several programs, such as Legal Hotline for Texans, Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault, South Central Pension Rights Project and others, that provide legal help to many Texans, including veterans.

Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas was founded in 1981 by Austin attorneys with a mandate to ensure that poverty isnt a barrier to justice. Its founders envisioned an organization that mobilized volunteer attorneys to give back to their community through donations of time and legal expertise.

Throughout Texas, many Legal Aid Societies offer free legal assistance to those who qualify.

The State Bar of Texas does not provide direct legal services, but it does give referrals and offer information about resources, such as low-cost legal service agencies. It also offers other helpful programs.

Trish McAllister is the executive director of the Texas Access to Justice Commission and director of the Legal Access Division of the State Bar of Texas.

Her division publishes a referral directory every two years. The 2019-2020 Referral Directory: Legal Services and Other Resources for Low-Income Texans is available at the State Bar of Texas website.

The division also provides support services and materials to Texas attorneys who perform pro bono services. The State Bar of Texas offers continuing legal education courses every year to train and assist pro bono attorneys.

Now the bad  and sad  news.

No matter the efforts to provide access to justice, the reality is that many legal needs are left unmet. Theres a gap that we must close if we are to achieve access to justice for all.

There are more than 100,000 licensed lawyers in Texas. Pro-bono surveys show that on average, 50 percent of practicing attorneys provide pro bono services. But there are 5.6 million poor people in the state, many of whom require legal services. Legal aid lawyers work hard to help as many of them as limited resources will permit, and private attorneys continue to donate their services. Yet only 10 percent of the need is being met.

The mission of the Texas Commission to Expand Civil Legal Services is to gather and evaluate information on expanding legal services to low- and middle-income Texans and to recommend to the Supreme Court of Texas how to accomplish that expansion.

According to the commission, a study showed that Texas lawyers provide more than 2 million hours of pro bono legal services annually. Despite these efforts, the justice gap remains. Texas legal aid providers estimate that 3 out of 4 qualified applicants are turned away for lack of resources and funding.

Unfortunately, the unmet need for legal services isnt limited to the poor. The middle class, which earns too much to qualify for legal aid but not enough to afford an attorney, suffers also.

McAllister suggested other, nontraditional methods to resolve the gap. We must look at alternatives, such as pro se dockets, she said, because weve got to face the fact that there just arent enough attorneys to handle the need.

As noted by the commission, Judge Learned Hand, a famous jurist, once observed that if we are to keep our democracy, there must be one commandment: Thou shalt not ration justice. The late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Scalia added, But without access to quality legal representation, there is no justice.

Im hopeful that Texas legal profession will do all it can in the years to come to assure the justice gap will be a thing of the past.

Rudy Apodaca, a former chief judge of the New Mexico Court of Appeals, is an Austin attorney/writer. He may be reached at www.rudyapodaca.com.No family should have to endure a sweltering San Antonio summer without the reprieve of air conditioning. Yet thousands of public housing residents in San Antonio have been without air conditioning for not just days, months or years, but generations. As in, many complexes built decades ago have never been updated with suitable amenities.

For Margarita Ramos and her teenage son, residents of the Alazan-Apache Courts public housing complex, the lack of air conditioning has meant lying on the floor near a box fan to find relief.

For Francisco Sandoval Cueva, a resident of the Villa Tranchese senior and disabled apartments on the West Side, no air conditioning last summer meant spending his days at the San Antonio Public Library.

Other public housing residents have covered windows with tin foil and left front and back doors open. Theyve awakened in the middle of the night to take cool baths and then lay beneath fans.

We learned of these stories and others from Express-News reporter Marina Starleaf Riker, who recently chronicled how thousands of affordable housing units across Texas and San Antonio lack air conditioning. The numbers are staggering: At least 7,400 units that receive federal tax dollars lack cooling in Texas. In San Antonio, that number is almost 2,400.

It appeared something of a local solution was in the works to place window air-conditioning units in every apartment without proper cooling  but federal officials nixed a key piece of funding. That plan was based on a $500,000 donation from the private sector, $500,000 from the San Antonio Housing Authority and $500,000 from the city of San Antonio. But officials with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found that the citys use of a federal grant to pay for these air-conditioning units was inappropriate.

Obviously, the city is going to need to find a different funding source to hold up its end of the deal.

But beyond this, CPS Energy will need to meaningfully connect with residents to establish some type of reduced payment plan once they get air conditioning. The average income for SAHA residents is just shy of $10,000 a year, and many residents told Riker they were concerned about not being able to afford higher electric bills with these window units. Tenants receiving these units are also receiving $15 to help cover higher energy costs, but this strikes us as insufficient for their income levels. CPS Energy needs to offer a better subsidy and structured payment plans, while also educating residents about efficiency.

But even if local officials are able to place an air conditioner in every public housing unit in San Antonio, and even if CPS Energy can offer a better subsidy to ensure poor people can pay their bills and not bake all summer, a policy change is clearly overdue.

One of the obstacles to providing cooling in these units is the lack of a federal requirement to do so. As Riker reported, while the federal government requires heating in public housing, there is no such requirement for cooling.

This strikes us as the manifestation of geographic bias. Air conditioning might be a luxury in states such as Pennsylvania or New Hampshire, but it is a necessity in Texas, Florida, Arizona, New Mexico and other states, where heat can be more oppressive during the summer.

The climate is only getting warmer, and heat exposure can lead to illness and death. That means Texas federal delegation should be drafting legislation to mandate air conditioning in public housing units in Texas, as well as other warm-weather states, and providing the funding to HUD to install those units.

If HUDs standard is to provide decent, safe and sanitary housing, then how can that be achieved during a long Texas summer without air conditioning?THE Dr Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T has said preparations for its extraordinary congress are at an advanced in line with a recent High Court judgment, which nullified MDC leader Nelson Chamisas appointment as president of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T).

Justice Edith Mushore ruled that the decision by the late former MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai to handpick two additional vice presidents, Mr Chamisa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri, was illegal and that the party should hold an extraordinary congress within a month using 2014 structures.

Mr Chamisa, however, filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court on Thursday.

In a statement yesterday, Dr Khupe said the party was confident of victory and retaining its former glory. I have had extensive consultations with different stakeholders and constituencies and all are determined to take our party back from the toxic claws of the infamous G40.

Very soon all the delegates of our 2014 congress will have an opportunity to once again retain our movement to its former glorious days of steadfastness to the culture, character, values and principles of social democracy, said Dr Khupe.

She said the party welcomes the appeal of the High Court judgment by Mr Chamisa because they respect the countrys rule of law.

Frivolous as it is, at least it is a departure from the slippery slope posture of impugning the judiciary every time the judgment is not favourable to ones subjective democracy.

We have a lot of legal and political options we can employ moving forward and l want the membership to take courage in that our strength is derived from our strong commitment to constitutionalism and democratic values and processes, said Dr Khupe.

She added that she will soon be visiting all districts and wards of the party, in preparation for the MDC-T legitimate Extraordinary Congress.

There is therefore no need to panic or even employ money and energy in stopping some gathering purported to be our congress as such a gathering is null and void and only amounts to a jamboree.

I urge all our cadres to remain vigilant, loyal and dedicated to the values of our struggle and the character and culture of our movement during this time. Rest assured, victory is certain, said Dr Khupe.

Mr Chamisa was one of the two vice presidents handpicked by Mr Tsvangirai and was later elevated to the position of party president.

The contested judgment followed an application by Gokwe district organising secretary, Mr Elias Mashavire, challenging the 2016 decision by the late MDC-T leader decision to handpick Mr Chamisa and Engineer Mudzuri as his deputies.

The two joined Dr Khupe, who was voted for at the 2014 congress.

Mr Chamisa and Dr Khupe went their separate ways following the death of Mr Tsvangirai in February last year.

At the time, Dr Khupe insisted she was the bona fide MDC-T leader because she was the only vice president elected at the partys congress in 2014.

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Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsA YOUTHFUL Mutare businessman has been arrested in connection with a fuel scam in which he is alleged to have siphoned 18 000 litres of diesel from a Zuva service station in the middle of the night, prejudicing hundreds of motorists who were queuing to procure the same.

The scandal, one of which the newly-appointed Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi vowed to end, also involves fuel attendants at the Blue Star filling station located near the Green Market in Sakubva.

Nolan Simbarashe Manyuchi (32) and his truck driver Liberty Mukuto (26) will today appear before a Mutare magistrate on theft charges.

They were arrested on Wednesday and have spent two nights in holding cells at Mutare Central Police Station.

Deputy Manicaland police spokesman, Assistant Inspector Luxon Chananda, said the crime was committed on May 17.

Circumstances to the case are that Officer Commanding Mutare District Police, Chief Superintendent Florence Marume, received a tip off that the suspects were going to execute their plan at night in the cover of darkness.

At around 12 midnight, Chief Sup Marume set up an ambush with a team of cops and raided the suspects who were in the middle of pumping 18 000 litres of diesel into their tanker.

During the raid, the driver of the truck bolted from the scene. He was arrested three days later together with Manyuchi.

The fuel tanker was subsequently impounded by the police. The truck which is currently parked at Mutare Central Police Station will be used in court as exhibit.

Cops handling the case revealed that the owner of the service station was not aware of the midnight transaction.

They said hundreds of motorists who were queuing for fuel in the afternoon were advised that the product had run out but more than 18 000 litres of diesel were in the underground tanks set aside for the midnight scam.

On Wednesday, after he was sworn in at State House, Minister Chasi vowed to end fuel hoarding and other corrupt practices.

He said he will empower the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority to tightly monitor activities and restore order in the energy sector.

Minister Chasi said acts of misconduct by some fuel attendants who sell thousands of litres to individual customers prejudicing other queuing motorists must end.

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Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsBengaluru: Come June 2 and one of the city's most loved landmarks, the Kempegowda Bus Station, more popularly known as the Majestic Bus Station, turns a grand 50 and to mark the occasion the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has come up with several plans, including the opening of a bus museum, a book looking back at its history and a free round-trip on its Ambaari Dream Class bus to Ernakulam, Pune, Secunderabad or Vijayawada for the winner of a contest for the golden jubilee.

Besides, postal stamps and covers too will be released. Located in the heart of the city, the bus station, which today provides connectivity to almost all parts of the state, was built in 1969. Recalls a senior KSRTC official, The iconic Majestic bus stand was built on the dry Dharmambudhi lakebed. The bus stand got its name from Majestic theatre in the area. Now that it has turned 50, the corporation plans to celebrate the occasion."

In the offing is a book on the station carrying pictures, anecdotes, stories and articles on its past and present. A KSRTC coffee table book, originally released in 2011, will also be unveiled.Lambert here: Note that the Age of Mass Migration is not today, but the period between 1850 and 1915.

By Marco Tabellini, Postdoctoral fellow, Harvard Business School. Originally published at VoxEU.

Recent waves of immigration in the US and Europe have triggered debate around the economic and political impact. This column uses evidence from migration of Europeans to the US in the first half of the 20th century to show that large cultural differences can incite anti-immigrant sentiment despite their positive economic impact. Therefore, policymakers should give due attention to cultural assimilation and cohesion policies.

The recent immigration waves to Europe and the US have fuelled an intense political debate. Proposals to introduce or tighten immigration restrictions are becoming increasingly common, and support for populist right-wing parties has been on the rise in several Western democracies (Dustmann et al. 2019, Halla et al. 2017). Yet, in spite of the rising importance of immigration in the political arena, neither the causes nor the consequences of anti-immigration sentiments are fully understood.

First, despite the evidence on voting, the link between support for anti-immigration parties and the actual policies implemented in response to immigration has not been systematically investigated. Since we ultimately care about the actions and reforms undertaken by political actors, it is crucial to understand which policies, if any, are affected by immigration  and why. Will legislation regulating the immigration regime be introduced? Will redistribution and taxation be changed to prevent immigrants from having access to public goods?

Second, evidence on the causes of anti-immigration sentiments is mixed, and two main hypotheses have been proposed. The first explanation is economic in nature. It argues that political discontent emerges from the negative effect of immigration on natives employment and wages.1 While this idea is consistent with findings in Borjas (2003) and Dustmann et al. (2017) among others, it is in contrast with results in Card (2001, 2005), Foged and Peri (2016), and Ottaviano and Peri (2012), who document that immigrants have a negligible, or even positive, impact on natives earnings.

The second hypothesis is that natives backlash has cultural roots. Both today and in the past, a recurring theme in the rhetoric of anti-immigration politicians is that immigrants cultural diversity is an obstacle to social cohesion and a menace to the values of hosting communities (Abramitzky and Boustan 2017). Historical and anecdotal accounts present many examples of cultural opposition to immigration (Higham 1955), but there is scant systematic evidence on the extent to which culture directly triggers political backlash and policy change.

In a recent paper (Tabellini 2019), I study in a unified framework the political and economic effects of immigration across US cities between 1910 and 1930, a period when the massive inflow of European immigrants was abruptly interrupted by two major shocks: WWI and the Immigration Acts (1921 and 1924). Between 1850 and 1915, during the Age of Mass Migration, more than 30 million people moved from Europe to the US (Abramitzky and Boustan 2017), and the share of immigrants in the US population was even higher than it is today (Figure 1). Also at that time, anti-immigration sentiments were widespread, and the introduction of immigration restrictions was advocated on both economic and cultural grounds.

Figure 1 Immigrants as a percentage of US population

Source: adapted from Tabellini (2019).

This setting offers three main advantages. First, by jointly analysing economic and political outcomes, I can test the relationship between economic insecurity and natives political reactions, and shed light on the causes of natives backlash. Second, since cities were independent fiscal units and because the US went through a major change in its (immigration) policy regime, I not only study the impact of immigration on voting, but I also measure its effects on actual policies  both at the local and at the national level. Finally, in contrast with more recent immigration episodes where migrants often come from culturally homogeneous groups, at the beginning of the 20th century there existed wide variation in immigrants cultural background (e.g. in terms of language or religion). Exploiting such variation, I can assess how the political effects of immigration varied with cultural distance between immigrants and natives.

To causally isolate the impact of immigration, I predict the number of European immigrants in each decade between 1910 and 1930 by relying on the national shocks to immigration triggered by WWI and the Immigration Acts. These events were exogenous to local political and economic conditions across US cities, but affected migration flows from different sending regions to different degrees.2 Since immigrants tend to cluster along ethnic lines (Card 2001), the differential effect of these shocks across European countries generated significant variation in the number as well as in the mix of immigrants received by US cities over time.

I begin my analysis by studying the political effects of immigration, which are summarized in Figure 2. Here, I plot the relationship between 1910-1920 immigration across US cities (x-axis) and the probability that a member of the House representing the cities in my sample voted in favour of the 1924 National Origins Act (y-axis)  the bill that eventually shut down European immigration to the US, and regulated the American immigration policy until 1965. There is a positive and statistically significant relationship between immigration and support for anti-immigrant legislation. These effects are also quantitatively large  a 5 percentage point increase in immigration is associated with a 10 percentage point higher probability of voting in favour of the National Origins Act.

Figure 2 Immigration and support for National Origins Act

Source: adapted from Tabellini (2019).

The political effects of immigration were felt also at the local level, as cities cut public goods provision and taxes in response to immigrant arrivals. The reduction in tax revenues was entirely driven by declining tax rates, while the fall in public spending was concentrated in categories where either inter-ethnic interactions are likely to be more salient (e.g. education), or poorer immigrants would get larger implicit transfers (e.g. sewerage, garbage collection). These ndings suggest that immigrants were perceived as a scal burden, and that immigration reduced natives demand for redistribution.

After establishing that immigration triggered widespread, hostile political reactions, I investigate the potential causes for natives backlash. I start from the rst, and perhaps most obvious possibility  that immigrants might have increased labour market competition, lowering wages and raising unemployment among native workers. However, in contrast with this idea, I nd that immigration had a positive and large eect on natives employment. My estimates suggest that a 5 percentage point increase in immigration raised natives employment by 1.4 percentage points or, by 1.6%, relative to its 1910 level. Immigration also increased rms investment, and induced natives to move away from occupations that were more exposed to immigrants competition and to specialise in better paying jobs which, because of discrimination and language barriers, immigrants did not have access to.3

Even though immigration had, on average, positive effects on natives employment and occupational standing, it is possible that economic losses were concentrated on some specic groups who were able to mobilise and demand political protection. Although I cannot entirely rule out this interpretation, I provide evidence against it. First, I document that even in occupations that were highly exposed to immigrants competition, natives were not more likely to be unemployed. Second, I show that in the sector most exposed to immigration (i.e. manufacturing), there was no signicant reduction in wages. Since manufacturing wages at the time were not reported separately for immigrant and native workers, and new immigrants were closer substitutes for previously arrived migrants than for natives, these ndings can be interpreted as a lower bound for the negative eect (if any) of immigration on natives earnings.

In the last part of the paper, I seek to reconcile the seemingly contrasting economic and the political effects of immigration. I show that natives political reactions were increasing in the cultural distance between immigrants and natives, suggesting that backlash had, at least in part, non-economic foundations. I proxy for cultural diversity using both religion and linguistic distance. The use of religion, in particular, is motivated by the historical evidence that, at that time, nativism often resulted in anti-Semitism and anti-Catholicism (Higham 1955). I find that, while immigrants from Protestant and non-Protestant countries had similar eects on natives employment, they triggered very dierent political reactions. Only Catholic and Jewish, but not Protestant, immigrants induced cities to limit redistribution, favoured the election of more conservative legislators, and increased support for the 1924 National Origins Act.

The findings in my paper may be specific to the conditions prevailing in US cities in the early 20th century, but they could be relevant for the design of policies aimed at dealing with the economic and political effects of immigration today. My results suggest that when cultural differences between immigrants and natives are large, opposition to immigration can arise even if immigrants are on average economically beneficial and do not create economic losers among natives. Thus, favouring the cultural assimilation of immigrants and reducing the (actual or perceived) distance between immigrants and natives may be at least as important as addressing the potential economic effects of immigration.

References available at the original.Massachusetts Man Calls Police After Intruder Breaks Into Home, Cleans It, Leaves Without Taking Anything KTLA

U.S. starts giving documents to lawyers of ex-Goldman banker Ng in 1MDB case Reuters. Enormous corruption case chugs along.

Dems Want DoD Contractor Price-Gouging Fix National Journal

Meet Murray Cox, The Man Trying to Take Down Airbnb Bloomberg

Public-Private Partnerships Will Never Solve Americas Infrastructure Crisis In These Times

Brexit

How deeply damaging policies have destroyed council housing Verso. On the Grenfell fire (see NC here and here).

Syraqistan

Venezuela

India

North Korea

China?

Assange

RussiaGate

Potential Clash Over Secrets Looms Between Justice Dept. and C.I.A. NYT. The lead: President Trumps order allowing Attorney General William P. Barr to declassify any intelligence that led to the Russia investigation sets up a potential confrontation with the C.I.A. It effectively strips the agency of its most critical power: choosing which secrets it shares and which ones remain hidden. So, if the CIA has the power to keep whatever it does secret whenever it wants to, whos really running the country?

Trump Transition

Josh Hawley, the Senator From Main Street The American Conservative. Hawley is having a moment, isnt he?

Avenatti, Wohl and the Krassensteins Prove Political Media Is a Hucksters Paradise Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone

2020

Well, you know how Jews are: Here is the #Antisemitic tweet for context pic.twitter.com/BhFtSod8ud  Jose Caballero for Congress (@JoseCaballeroSD) May 25, 2019

Federal judge blocks Mississippi abortion law CNN

Ursula Le Guin on Abortion: The Princess & What It Was Like Reading is Therapy

Black Injustice Tipping Point

Boeing 737 MAX

Boeing faces preliminary SEC investigation into its 737 MAX disclosures Seattle Times. After Musk thumbed his nose at them. Successfully. Optimism After Daylong Meeting On Efforts To Fix Boeing 737 Max NPR. They buried the lead: [T]he process of conducting test flights and reviewing data could take three or four weeks once the company submits a formal application for review . One would not want Boeing to rush. However, one might speculate that when the lid was lifted on the bucket of worms that was the MCAS software development process, the scope of work suddenly increased.

Class Warfare

When Socialists Swept Milwaukee The Belt. Site of the 2020 Democrat convention.

MacBook Pro 15 Touch Bar 2019 Teardown iFixIt. About that butterfly keyboard.

Your recycled laptop may be incinerated in an illegal Asian scrapyard PRI

Digital Socialism? Evgeny Morosov, New Left Review

Antidote du jour:

Meet snowflake  a rare albino alligator  pic.twitter.com/nEd4Y9n2jC  BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) May 21, 2019

Bonus antidote (via):

Lazy, hazy, crazy.

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.Yves here. The packaging of mindfulness as a means for self-betterment has been a staple of the New Age for at least 30 years. Some programs dangle the promise that if you become adept, youll become more successful, have better relationships..even better sex. And as is often true of cults, if you arent getting results, its because you arent sufficiently devout serious enough about your practice.

By Ronald Purser, a Professor of Management at San Francisco State University and co-host of The Mindful Cranks podcast. His new book, McMindfulness: How Mindfulness Became the New Capitalist Spirituality, is published by Repeater Books. Originally published at openDemocracy

According to its backers were in the midst of a mindfulness revolution. Jon Kabat-Zinn, recently dubbed the father of mindfulness, goes so far as to proclaim that were on the verge of a global renaissance, and that mindfulness may actually be the only promise the species and the planet have for making it through the next couple hundred years.

Really? A revolution? A global renaissance? What exactly has been overturned or radically transformed to garner such grand status?

The last time I watched the news, Wall Street and corporations were still conducting business-as-usual, special interests and political corruption were still unchecked, and public schools were still suffering from massive underfunding and neglect. The concentration of wealth and inequality is now at record levels. Mass incarceration and prison overcrowding have become a new social plague, while the indiscriminate shooting of African Americans by police and the demonizing of the poor remains commonplace. Americas militaristic imperialism continues to spread, and the impending disasters of global warming are already rearing their ugly heads.

Against this background, the hubris and political naivete of the cheerleaders of the mindfulness revolution is stunning. They seem so enamored of doing good and saving the world that these true believers, no matter how sincere, suffer from an enormous blindspot. They seem mindless of the fact that all too often, mindfulness has been reduced to a commodified and instrumental self-help technique that unwittingly reinforces neoliberal imperatives.

For Kabat-Zinn and his followers, it is mindless and maladapted individuals who are to blame for the problems of a dysfunctional society, not the political and economic frameworks within which they are forced to act. By shifting the burden of responsibility to individuals for managing their own wellbeing, and by privatizing and pathologizing stress, the neoliberal order has been a boon to the 1.1 billion dollar mindfulness industry.

In response, mindfulness has arisen as a new religion of the self, unencumbered by the public sphere. The revolution it proclaims occurs not out in the streets or through collective struggle and political protests or nonviolent demonstrations, but in the heads of atomized individuals. A recurrent message is that our failure to pay attention to the present moment  our getting lost in mental ruminations and mind-wandering  is the underlying cause of our dissatisfaction and distress.

Kabat-Zinn takes this one step further. He claims that our entire society is suffering from attention disorder-big time. Apparently, stress and social suffering are not the result of massive inequalities, nefarious corporate business practices or political corruption, but of a crisis inside our heads, what he calls a thinking disease.

In other words, capitalism itself is not inherently problematic; rather, the problem is the failure of individuals to be mindful and resilient in a precarious and uncertain economy. And not surprisingly, the mindfulness merchants have just the goods we need to be contented mindful capitalists.

Mindfulness, positive psychology and the happiness industry share a common core in terms of the de-politicization of stress. The ubiquity of individualistic stress rhetoric  with its underlying cultural message that stress is a given  should make us suspicious. As Mark Fisher points out in his book Capitalist Realism, the privatization of stress has led to an almost total destruction of the concept of the public.

Stress, we are told by the mindfulness apologists, is a noxious influence that ravages our minds and bodies, and it is up to us as individuals to mindful up. Its a seductive proposition that has potent truth effects. First, we are conditioned to accept the fact that there is a stress epidemic and that it is simply an inevitability of the modern age. Second, since stress is supposedly omnipresent, its our responsibility as stressed-out subjects to manage it, get it under control, and adapt mindfully and vigilantly to the thralls of a capitalist economy. Mindfulness targets this vulnerability, and, at least on the surface, appears as a benign technique for self-empowerment.

But in her book One Nation Under Stress: The Trouble with Stress as an Idea, Dana Becker points out that the stress concept obscures and conceals social problems by individualizing them in ways that most disadvantage those who have the least to gain from the status quo. In fact, Becker has coined the term stressism to describe the current belief that the tensions of contemporary life are primarily individual lifestyle problems to be solved through managing stress, as opposed to the belief that these tensions are linked to social forces and need to be resolved primarily through social and political means.

Uncritically ingesting the cultural premises of stressism, the mindfulness movement has eagerly promoted itself as a scientific remedy. But the focus is still squarely on the individual who is expected to heal the so-called thinking disease of modern civilization. By practicing mindfulness, we are told, we can skillfully switch from our frantic doing-mode to a more harmonious being-mode, learning to let go and flow with stressful situations.

Mindfulness is the new immunization, a mental vaccine that supposedly can help us thrive amidst the stresses of modern life. It is up to us to become what Tim Newton has termed stress-fit individuals. Mindfulness is often marketed as a way of upping our game, a useful technique for developing mental fitness so that we can become more productive workers and more effective coping agents. Its no coincidence that the tag-line for the most successful mindfulness meditation app, Headspace, is a gym membership for the mind.

The golden maxim of this movement is to be in the present moment. For mindfulness devotees, social and political change is contingent on the fantasy of converting the distracted masses to follow this advice and live mindfully. The movements present moment fetish is a practice that cultivates social amnesia, encouraging a collective forgetting of historical memory and at the same time effectively foreclosing the utopian imagination.

This present momentism appears, at least on the surface, as a therapeutic solvent for all our problems, making our present situation more bearable. But this bearability of the status quo amounts to a permanent retreat to the psychic bomb shelter of now, a kind of bury-your-head in the sand mindfulness which acts as a sanitized palliative for neoliberal subjects who have lost hope for alternatives to capitalism.

The mindfulness movement operates in resonance with what Eric Cazdyn in his book, The Already Dead: The New Time of Politics, Culture and Illness, characterizes as the new chronic. Cazdyn explains that the new chronic extends the present into the future, burying in the process the force of the terminal, making it seem as if the present will never end. Just be in the present moment and all will be well. By living mindfully, we can continue our lives by deferring, evading and repressing any ongoing crisis.

The faux mindfulness revolution provides a way of endlessly coping with the problems of capitalism by taking refuge in the fragility of the present moment; the new chronic leaves us mindfully maintaining the status quo. This is a cruel optimism that encourages settling for a resigned political passivity. Mindfulness then becomes a way of managing, naturalizing and enduring toxic systems, rather than turning personal change towards a critical questioning of the historical, cultural, and political conditions that are responsible for social suffering.

But none of this means that mindfulness ought to be banned, or that anyone who finds it useful is deluded. There are emerging forms of social and civic mindfulness that avoid this trap. These methods are breaking free of a biomedical focus on individual pathology by integrating social justice activism with contemplative inquiry, cultivating critical thinking rather than non-judgmental disengagement.

Innovators in the field are rewriting mindfulness curricula by employing anti-oppressive, critical pedagogies. For example, Beth Berila has developed mindfulness methods that help practitioners uncover how they have internalized oppression, as well as ways to dismantle and unlearn privilege. Mushim Patricia Ikeda, along with teachers at the East Bay Meditation Center, has developed numerous programs that connect social justice concerns with Buddhist teachings on interdependence to foster solidarity and mindfully-engaged activism. And the Mindfulness and Social Change Network in the United Kingdom is experimenting with mindfulness practices that address social, political and environmental issues.

When we recognize that disaffection, anxiety and stress are not just our own fault but are connected to structural causes, mindfulness becomes fuel for igniting resistance.(Natural News) And there it is. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been charged by the Trump administrations Justice Department with 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act, carrying a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison. Exactly as Assange and his defenders have been warning would happen for nearly a decade.

(Article by Caitlin Johnstone republished from Medium.com)

The indictment, like the one which preceded it last month with Assanges arrest, is completely fraudulent, as it charges Assange with crimes that are indistinguishable from conventional journalistic practices. The charges are based on the same exact evidence which was available to the Obama administration, which as journalist Glenn Greenwald noted last year declined to prosecute Assange citing fear of destroying press freedoms.

Hanna Bloch-Wehba, an associate professor at Drexel Universitys Thomas R. Kline School of Law, has called the indictment a worst-case, nightmare, mayday scenario for First Amendment enthusiasts. Bloch-Wehba explains that that the indictments theories for liability rest heavily on Assanges relationship with Manning and his tendency to encourage Manning to continue to bring WikiLeaks material in a way that is not readily distinguishable from many reporter-source relationships cultivated over a period of time.

One of the versions of the New York Times report on the new Assange indictment, which has since been edited out but has been preserved here in a quote by Slate, said that officials would not engage with questions about how the actions they said were felonies by Mr. Assange differed from ordinary investigative journalism. Notably, The New York Times, among many other news organizations, obtained precisely the same archives of documents from WikiLeaks, without authorization from the government.

Press freedom organizations have been condemning these new espionage charges in stark and unequivocal language.

Put simply, these unprecedented charges against Julian Assange and WikiLeaks are the most significant and terrifying threat to the First Amendment in the 21st century, reads a statement by Freedom of the Press Foundation Executive Director Trevor Timm. The Trump administration is moving to explicitly criminalize national security journalism, and if this prosecution proceeds, dozens of reporters at the New York Times, Washington Post and elsewhere would also be in danger. The ability of the press to publish facts the government would prefer remain secret is both critical to an informed public and a fundamental right. This decision by the Justice Department is a massive and unprecedented escalation in Trumps war on journalism, and its no exaggeration to say the First Amendment itself is at risk. Anyone who cares about press freedom should immediately and wholeheartedly condemn these charges.

The indictment of Julian Assange under the Espionage Act for publishing classified information is an attack on the First Amendment and a threat to all journalists everywhere who publish information that governments would like to keep secret, reads a statement by Committee to Protect Journalists Executive Director Joel Simon. Press freedom in the United States and around the world is imperiled by this prosecution.

For the first time in the history of our country, the government has brought criminal charges under the Espionage Act against a publisher for the publication of truthful information, reads a statement by the ACLU. This is a direct assault on the First Amendment. These charges are an extraordinary escalation of the Trump administrations attacks on journalism, establishing a dangerous precedent that can be used to target all news organizations that hold the government accountable by publishing its secrets. The charges against Assange are equally dangerous for US journalists who uncover the secrets of other nations. If the US can prosecute a foreign publisher for violating our secrecy laws, theres nothing preventing China, or Russia, from doing the same.

BREAKING: For the first time in the history of our country, the government has brought criminal charges under the Espionage Act against a publisher for the publication of truthful information. This is a direct assault on the First Amendment. https://t.co/RJxjFPfkHe  ACLU (@ACLU) May 23, 2019

Also opposing the new indictment, far too late, have been popular pundits from mainstream liberal news outlets.

The Espionage indictment of Assange for publishing is an extremely dangerous, frontal attack on the free press. Bad, bad, bad, tweeted MSNBCs Chris Hayes.

Today the Trump DOJ becomes the first administration to ever charge a publisher with *espionage*??an assertive, unprecedented legal crackdown on the traditional rights and protections for publishers, tweeted MSNBCs Ari Melber. That is a legal fact, regardless of ones views of Julian Assange. The new Trump DOJ indictment treats activities most top newspapers engage in??gathering and publishing classified material??as criminal plotting, claiming Assange conspired with and aided and abetted his source in the pursuit of classified material.

One need only to look at the outraged this is a horrible take commentsunderneath these tweets to see that these condemnations are coming long after the propaganda theyve helped advance against WikiLeaks has seeped well into the bloodstream. Its impossible to tell the same group of people day after day that Assange is an evil Nazi Putin puppet rapist who smells bad and mistreats his cat, and then persuade them to respond to a depraved Trump administration agenda against that same person with an appropriate level of resistance.

I find no satisfaction in saying I told you so to those who for 9 years have scorned us for warning this moment would come. I care for journalism. If you share my feeling you take a stand NOW. Either you are a worthless coward or you defend Assange, WikiLeaks and Journalism. https://t.co/NkUfZWYan8  Kristinn Hrafnsson (@khrafnsson) May 23, 2019

I find no satisfaction in saying I told you so to those who for 9 years have scorned us for warning this moment would come, tweeted WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson. I care for journalism. If you share my feeling you take a stand NOW. Either you are a worthless coward or you defend Assange, WikiLeaks and Journalism.

Indeed, WikiLeaks staff and their supporters have been warning of this for many years, only to be dismissed as paranoid conspiracy theorists and rape apologists by smearers who insisted Assange was merely avoiding rape charges by taking asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London back in 2012. There are many tweets by the WikiLeaks Twitter account warning that the US is trying to charge Assange under the Espionage Act all the way back in 2010, and theyve been warning about it over and over again ever since, but nobodys listened.

The only barrier to Julian Assange leaving Ecuadors embassy is pride, blareda Guardian headline last year by the odious James Ball, with the sub-header The WikiLeaks founder is unlikely to face prosecution in the US, charges in Sweden have been dropped??and for the embassy, hes lost his value as an icon.

Assange has been warning for years that this was coming. Hes been unequivocal about the fact that he was perfectly willing to participate in the Swedish investigation from the beginning and was only taking asylum with Ecuador due to fear of extradition and political prosecution in the US, which Ecuador explicitly stated were its reasons for granting him asylum. He was absolutely correct. Hes been correct the entire time. History has vindicated him. He was right and his critics were wrong.

We are also already seeing Assange vindicated in his warnings of what his prosecution would mean for the free press. He hasnt even been extradited yet and were already seeing a greatly escalated war on journalism being implemented, with new developments in just the last few days like a San Francisco journalist now being charged with conspiracy for receiving internal documents from the San Francisco Police Department, and a prominent French journalist being summoned by police for reporting on corruption in the Macron government.

WIKILEAKS RESPONDS TO ESPIONAGE ACT INDICTMENT AGAINST ASSANGE: UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK ON FREE PRESS pic.twitter.com/F0iUyr0R7F  WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) May 24, 2019

All this of course begs the question: what else has he been right about? Anyone with an ounce of intellectual honesty who has previously had their doubts about Assange will necessarily begin asking themselves this question now. Its worth reviewing the things Assange has been saying about Russia not being the source of the 2016 Democratic Party emails that WikiLeaks published, about what really happened in Sweden, and about his general understanding of whats going on in the world with opaque and unaccountable power structures leading us all down a very dark and dangerous path.

If you open your mind to the possibility that Assange has been right about more than youve given him credit for previously, the implications can shatter your world. Give it a try. Theres no longer any legitimate reason not to.

Read more at: Medium.com(Natural News) Skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis can potentially be treated with marijuana, a recent study suggests. Robert Dellavalle from the University of Colorado School of Medicine explains how some compounds found in marijuana might relieve itching and pain in people suffering from these skin diseases.

The skin is the bodys largest organ. It serves as a protective layer and barrier that shields the body from harmful external factors, such as viruses and bacteria. These pathogens cause a variety of health problems, including chronic skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

Eczema causes a red, itchy, painful rash that affects millions of people. There are over-the-counter and prescription medications available to treat eczema, but they dont always work for patients. Researchers are now investigating the compounds found in marijuana to see how they can relieve skin conditions.

There are more than 100 chemical compounds called cannabinoids that are found in the marijuana plant (Cannabis sativa). One of the most widely known and studied cannabinoids is cannabidiol (CBD). It is a nonpsychoactive compound with anti-inflammatory properties that may help with conditions like eczema.

Theres a large segment of the population that doesnt like using steroids, even if they are topical steroids on their skin. This would be an alternative, natural product for them to try, says Dellavalle.

So, when we have somebody who has tried topical steroids or topical immuno-modulators that suppress the immune system for psoriasis or eczema and they havent gotten completely better, theres a potential of using this new therapy that might work in a different way and help them, he adds.

Dellavalle also reveals that dispensary products containing cannabinoids havent been controlled or tested, but there are companies that already sell topicals containing these compounds, and they are widely available and used for pain, itch, and other indications.

And the data of how its working is not being collected systematically yet, and wed like to do that. I believe its a wide-open horizon with tremendous potential that needs to be investigated, but there are a number of regulatory hurdles that need to be overcome and thats where we are, he explained.

Researchers have already started a clinical study investigating the use of an oral drug containing CBD to treat a certain skin disease related to Parkinsons. The disease, called seborrheic dermatitis, is like dandruff of the face near the nose. According to Dellavalle, about half of patients with Parkinsons have this skin rash.

A total of 40 patients are currently enrolled in phase one and phase two clinical trials sponsored by the Colorado Department of Public Health. But getting the research up and running hasnt been easy.

The fact that its illegal at the federal level, but legal at the state level  it leads to a lot of complications in trying to do research on marijuana and its derivatives, all of the cannabinoids, admitted Dellavalle. Theyve overcome many years of regulatory hurdles in order to come into works, like that Parkinsons trial that I mentioned.

The Parkinsons trials are not yet complete, but previous research has already established that compounds in cannabis can relieve pain related to eczema and psoriasis. Still, health care professionals caution that further study is needed before any reliable recommendations can be made.

Other uses for CBD

CBD oil extracted from the cannabis plant is a widely used natural remedy for common health problems. It is usually diluted in a carrier oil, like coconut or hemp seed oil, prior to use. CBD oil not only relieves skin itching, it also offers the following benefits:

Though more studies are needed, CBD is increasingly becoming a recognized natural remedy. Learn more at CBDs.news.

Sources include:

Newswise.com

InsideScience.org

Healthline.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 1

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 2

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 3

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 4Three people were injured in a residential fire in Beloit early Friday morning.

The fire came from a two-unit home on the 900 block of Oak Street at 3:30 a.m., according to the City of Beloit Fire Department Facebook page.

Three residents were injured from the fire. One resident was taken by the Janesville Fire Department to Beloit Memorial Hospital.

Seven people were displaced by the blaze and the American Red Cross of Wisconsin is assisting those impacted by the fire.

We responded to a residential fire in a two-unit home in the 900 block of Oak Street just after 3:30 a.m. today. Three... Posted by City of Beloit Fire Department on Friday, May 24, 2019

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and a damage estimate was not available, according to the department.

The Janesville Fire Department, South Beloit Fire Department and Town of Beloit Fire Department assisted the Beloit Fire Department.Mike Yastrzemski, the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, was called up by the San Francisco Giants and put in the starting lineup to make his major league debut in Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The younger Yastrzemski was hitting .316 (43 for 136) with 12 home runs and 25 RBIs in 40 games with Triple-A Sacramento. He is playing left field and batting seventh against the Diamondbacks.

The 28-year-old Yastrzemski was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2013 and played 703 games with 2,600 at-bats in the minors. San Francisco traded for him in March, a deal that sent minor league right-hander Tyler Herb to the Orioles.

Mac Willamson was designated for assignment to make room for Yastrzemski. Williamson struck out five times in five at-bats against Atlanta on Thursday, then whiffed three more times in the series opener against Arizona on Friday.

The Giants also placed reliever Trevor Gott on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain and recalled right-hander Dereck Rodriguez from Sacramento.Its full of thousands of props from movies and television shows shot in the Bay Area. Now, a major downsizing is underway. The Prop Shop in Brisbane is selling most of the goods from its 15,000-square-foot warehouse over the next three weekends.

The props can be seen in the backgrounds of films like Zodiac, San Andreas, and Milk. There are briefcases and trophies. Theres a coffin, and a morgue table with a mannequin among the stacks of props.

"We shoot a lot of car commercials up here so I know those backpacks, those sleeping bags, and those coolers came from here," said owner Andrew Lewis.

Lewis says 98% of the warehouse is up for sale. Hundreds of people have already come through this weekend to see and buy the odd items.

"Literally I could have spent way longer here and could have spent a lot more money but you have to stop somewhere," one buyer said.

The owners say landlords tried to raise their rent 80%. They cant afford that, so its time for their finale.

"So at that time we decided that we needed to find less expensive rent which is not easy to do in the Bay Area," Lewis said.

Lewis is moving a small part of his 30 year collection down the street to a 800-square-foot office.

"I have to go smaller, so instead of having 240 pieces of luggage I'll now have 10 pieces of luggage," Lewis said.

The sale will continue for three straight weekends from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

"I've never sold anything before so now the public is getting an opportunity to own something that was in a movie, tv, or commercial. So that's pretty cool," Lewis said.Mumbai: According to an official at the Sri Lankan Presidents office, President Maithripala Sirisena will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modis oath-taking ceremony scheduled to be held on May 30 in New Delhi.

The Hindu reported an official at the Presidents office to have confirmed the news.

Earlier, President Sirisena congratulated PM Modi on his victory in the general election. Sirisena tweeted to inform about his gesture:

It was a pleasure to congratulate Prime Minister Modi (@narendramodi) over the phone a while ago. I shared thoughts that Sri Lanka too celebrates along with the world's largest democracy, on his re-election. We look forward to work together to further develop our bilateral ties.  Maithripala Sirisena (@MaithripalaS) May 24, 2019

Following PM Modis election as Prime Minister in 2014, then President Mahinda Rajapaksa attended the swearing-in-ceremony, along with other global leaders.

After PM Modi secured a resounding majority, all top Sri Lankan leaders wished him, expressing their desire to work with him to take bilateral ties forward.

MEA officials said since the conversation between the leaders was between them, they were not in a position to confirm anything until formal invitations are sent out and accepted.

The government sources were unable to confirm anything as the conversation was between the leaders and others were not privy to this information.Police are looking for thieves that took off with thousands of dollars worth of ripped off wheels of brand new cars at a dealership in Milpitas.

According the dealership, the thieves cut open a chain link fence, drove a car off the lot, then made off with all four wheels from several other vehicles.

Ali Lawji said the thieves took all the milk crates that they usually have stacked in the back of their nearby store and used them to prop up the cars.

He was one of the first people to arrive the morning after the heist.

Here somebody just come in the morning and we see the fence is broken and all tires is gone, Lawji said.

The bandits took all four wheels off eight different cars. The general manager of the dealership said its a loss of tens of thousands of dollars plus the car that was also stolen.

This isnt the only Northern California dealership that was hit. Last week, the Chevrolet dealership in Colfax, which is in Placer county, was also robbed.

In that incident, a sheriffs deputy was alerted to the heist and three men from the Bay Area were arrested. Deputies in Placer County recovered $10,000 worth of wheels that were taken from five vehicles in that heist.

Its not clear if these two cases are related.

Anyone with information on the Milpitas heist is asked to contact the police department.San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott admitted Friday there was a "lack of due diligence" in the raid of a freelance journalist's home and office to obtain information on a confidential source who leaked a police report to him.

He also apologized to the journalist and to the peaople of San Francisco, promising "an independent, impartial investigation by a separate investigatory body" in a statement released Friday evening.

"I am specifically concerned by a lack of due diligence by department investigators in seeking search warrants and appropriately addressing Mr. Carmodys status as a member of the news media," Scott said. "This has raised important questions about our handling of this case and whether the California shield law was violated."



Adding, "We have serious concerns that we may have violated the shield law, absolutely. "We have to dig into everything that has to be investigated as well."

Scott said that in addition to an outside agency, the Department of Police Accountability will investigate the execution of the search warrant on Carmodys home as well as continue their own investigation into the unauthorized release of the police report.

SFPD, under the oversight of the Police Commission, will also review it, Scott said in the statement.

Carmody's attorneys, Ben Berkowitz of Keker Van Nest and Peters LLP, and Tom Burke of Davis Wright & Tremaine LLP, made a statement on Twitter:

"There needs to be real reform in the department to ensure that the SFPD respects the First Amendment and the independence of a free press.

Scott said that he had completed an in-depth investigation of the circumstances surrounding the raid in the last 48 hours.

"SFPDs Statement of Values specifies that 'policing strategies must preserve and advance democratic values.' In this area, we must do a better job. Journalists and everyone in our City deserve a police department that will maintain the constitutional rights of all." Scott said.

He added that he was committed to leading a transparent department.

Media law experts have criticized a claim by San Francisco's police chief that journalist Bryan Cramody allegedly conspired to steal a police report, saying that it is not a crime to disclose a public record.

San Francisco attorney Duffy Carolan, who represents several media organizations siding with the independent reporter, said the public has constitutional rights to public records.

"The impact of trying to criminalize disclosure of public records, whether or not it violated internal policy or practice, will have a profound effect on public employees' willingness to disclose public records," she said. "It would have a chilling effect."

A battle between the press and police is playing out in politically liberal San Francisco after police raided the home and office of Bryan Carmody earlier this month in an effort to uncover the source of a leaked police report into the unexpected death of the city's former elected public defender.

A journalist who actively and meaningfully participated in unlawfully acquiring information could be successfully prosecuted for a crime, said David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition. Hypothetical examples include a reporter providing passwords or hacking instructions to allow someone on the inside to unlawfully access a database.

But Snyder emphasized that a police report is "not a confidential, legally protected document" and its disclosure and publication is lawful.

San Francisco Sgt. Michael Andraychak said Wednesday that the report was not a public record and that state law protects crime reports when "disclosure would endanger the successful completion of the investigation or a related investigation."

But media experts said although the law allows police to keep reports secret, it does not require police to do so and it is perfectly lawful to release the information. Police also did not raid the office of a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle who obtained the same report independently of Carmody. The newspaper has said it did not pay for the report.

Police used a sledgehammer to try to get into Carmody's home and office and cuffed him for hours as they searched and subsequently removed dozens of cameras, cellphones, computers and other equipment used to gather news.

Police Chief William Scott acknowledged at a press conference Tuesday that the raids looked bad. It was his first full remarks more than week after the May 10 raids.

"We believe that that contact and that interaction went across the line," Scott said Tuesday, referring to Carmody's efforts to acquire the report. "It went past just doing your job as a journalist."

Reporters and other First Amendment organizations are asking a San Francisco judge to revoke search warrants that authorized the raids and to unseal the materials submitted in support of them. Because the warrants are under seal, it's not known what information police provided to support the search warrants, or whether they disclosed to the judges that Carmody is a journalist.

Carmody said he passively received the report from a source and that he did not pay for the report  though doing so would not have been a crime, the experts said. Still, Scott said the journalist "crossed the line," motivated by profit or animosity toward the late public defender, Jeff Adachi. An autopsy found Adachi died Feb. 22 of a mixture of cocaine and alcohol, compromising an already bad heart.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that journalists are free to report on newsworthy information contained in stolen documents or illegally intercepted telephone communications obtained from a third party who violated the law, said Carolan, the attorney.

The court may have ruled differently had the journalists encouraged or aided in the unlawful interception of the call, she said. But that has nothing to do with a reporter who encourages a public official or public employee to provide a public record.

"That is what reporters do every day," Carolan said.

Snyder, of the First Amendment Coalition, said the police chief's comments suggest the police employee may have accessed an unauthorized system to obtain the report.

"Would an offer by the journalist to pay the source to break the law be enough? Maybe. It would depend on the circumstances," he said.

"I don't think it matters what Carmody's motivations were. The question is: Was his conduct protected by the First Amendment? And all the facts I've seen thus far show it was," he said.

Scott has not provided details of the investigation other than to say that Carmody was an active participant in acquiring a police record, which the reporter then sold to three television news outlets as part of a news package that included information obtained from interviews and video footage from the scene of Adachi's death.

Carmody has not responded to requests for comment, although he posted on Twitter on Wednesday the hashtag #journalismisnotacrime. A GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $15,000 for the veteran reporter to replace his equipment.

California's shield law specifically protects journalists from search warrants. The Associated Press is among dozens of news organizations siding with Carmody and seeking to submit a friend-of-the-court brief.

NBC Bay Area has a long-time relationship with Bryan Carmody. We bought video from him that included the police reportThe president of the San Francisco Police Officer's Association on Saturday called Chief Bill Scott's apology over the raid of a freelance journalist's home and office a "deceitful and shameful" display of self-preservation, and said it's time for him to go.

The leaders of the San Francisco Police Commission meanwhile are standing behind the chief and even commending him for admitting the mistake.

Chief Scott admitted Friday that there was a "lack of due diligence" in the police department's attempt to obtain information on a confidential source who leaked a police report on late public defender Jeff Adachi to reporter Bryan Carmody. SFPOA president Tony Montoya claimed in a scathing statement to union members Saturday that the raid was initiated by Scott.

"Chief Scott not only followed every twist and turn of the investigation but he knew every element of the investigation, directed the investigation and has clearly either come down with the most debilitating case of amnesia or is flat out not telling the truth about his direct involvement and the horribly flawed direction he gave to find the leak of the police report," Montoya said.

In his promise for a thorough investigation into the raid, Scott said he had "serious concerns that we may have violated the shield law," which specifically protects journalists from search warrants.

He added, "There were concerns with language in, particularly one of the warrants ... we made some mistakes."

In a statement to NBC Bay Area, SFPD's spokesperson David Stevenson said that Scott "made it abundantly clear" that transparency is important and that's why the department is seeking a third-party investigator.

Scott on Friday didn't provide details of the investigation other than to say that Carmody was an active participant in acquiring a police record, which the reporter then sold to three television news outlets as part of a news package that included information obtained from interviews and video footage from the scene of Adachi's death.

In the letter to SFPOA members, Montoya said that the chief knew of Carmody's press status and did not disclose it to the author of the search warrant.

"This investigation was initiated at the top, meaning the chiefs office," he said. "The chief was very well briefed extensively on every step of the investigation, including giving direction to the Sergeants themselves."

Montoya also called for an investigation into Chief Scott and said that he should be placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation. "During that time, he should muster up the personal fortitude to do the right thing and resign," Montoya wrote.

The Department of Police Accountability will be investigating the execution of the search warrant on Carmodys home as well as continuing their own investigation into the unauthorized release of the police report, according to the police department.

SFPD, under the oversight of the Police Commission, will also review it, Scott said.

A letter from police commission President Robert Hirsch and Vice President Damali Taylor, says in part: "Chief Scott did what is rare for police chiefs; he apologized to the citizens of San Francisco. He did so completely and unequivocally. That is the mark of a leader."

Carmody's attorneys, Ben Berkowitz of Keker Van Nest and Peters LLP, and Tom Burke of Davis Wright & Tremaine LLP, made a statement on Twitter:

"There needs to be real reform in the department to ensure that the SFPD respects the First Amendment and the independence of a free press.

Scott said Friday that he had completed an in-depth investigation of the circumstances surrounding the raid in the last 48 hours.

"SFPDs Statement of Values specifies that 'policing strategies must preserve and advance democratic values.' In this area, we must do a better job. Journalists and everyone in our City deserve a police department that will maintain the constitutional rights of all." Scott said.

In response to the union presidents call for Chief Scott to resign over this scandal  the chiefs office issued a statement saying everyones role will be examined, including command staff and the chief himself.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Disclaimer: NBC Bay Area has a long-time relationship with Bryan Carmody. We bought video from him that included the police report.A woman who underwent a Brazilian butt lift procedure at a South Florida plastic surgery clinic ended up at a hospital where she later died.

The Miami-Dade Police Department said they received a call at around 11:13 a.m. Friday about a woman in distress at Mia Aesthetics on Southwest 72nd Street.

Family members of 28-year-old Danea Plasencia said the doctor was done with the procedure when the complications started.

"Then they moved her body to the stretcher, and all of a sudden, she became blue," said Marcio C. Ferez, her grandfather.

Plasencia was rushed to Baptist Hospital, where she died. Miami-Dade police are investigating her death.

She was a mother of three children, ages 9, 5 and 1. She just turned 28 six days before.

In a statement to NBC 6, Mia Aesthetics offered their condolences to Plasencia's family and said this was the only fatality they have had.

"Throughout our years of operations and thousands of procedures performed, this is the first and only fatality we have endured," the statement read. "Our team is devastated by this tragedy and feels that each and every one of our patients is part of our family. We strive to provide the most advanced plastic surgery treatment for our patients. Each of our surgeons is board-certified or board-eligible by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and we are constantly evaluating our practices to ensure our patients receive the safest and best care. Despite these practices, serious surgery comes with the risk of rare, unintended and tragic results. We are fully dedicated to investigating why todays tragedy occurred. We will be fully transparent with our patients and with the public as more details emerge."

A Brazilian butt lift is a popular cosmetic procedure in which fat is taken from other parts of the body and transferred into the buttocks. Plasencia's cousin told NBC 6 that she almost died from a butt augmentation and was hospitalized for two months after.

"When you go to a plastic surgery place, they tell you very superficially what the consequences might be, but that goes very fast and quick under the radar and all these wonderful things are said to you, and you're willing to pay all this money, but you don't really realize that you're putting your life on the line," Jennifer Perez said.

Plasencia's death is the latest out of at least 12 women who have died in recent years in South Florida either during or after undergoing a Brazilian butt lift surgery. The NBC 6 Investigators have been uncovering details of the deaths for more than three years. The investigations have led to two studies, including one that found out that you are 20 times more likely to die after a butt lift surgery than any other cosmetic procedure.

Earlier this month, the Florida House passed Senate Bill 732, which makes it easier for the state to discipline doctors and clinics where deaths happen. The new law will allow the Board of Medicine to immediately revoke a doctor's license in the case of injury or death, require all surgery centers to be owned by doctors and require a clean record for five years before a doctor can open a surgery center.Police have made an arrest in the case of a 13-year-old girl who was dropped off at Lawrence General Hospital earlier this week.

Carlos Rivera, 47, of Lawrence, was arrested early Saturday morning. He is charged with two counts of distribution of class B drugs to a minor, two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and one count of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14.

The victim's stepfather sent NBC 10 Boston a message Saturday morning saying they are glad police have made an arrest.

Chloe Ricard of Amesbury was left at the hospital at 4:47 p.m. on Monday, according to police.

Upon investigation, officials determined that Rivera was the one who brought her to the hospital after learning that Ricard and another female under the age of 16 were at Rivera's Lawrence apartment at 59 Bellevue Street on the evening of May 19 and during most of the next day.

Investigators believe Rivera was accompanied by a female under the age of 16 when he took Ricard to the hospital. According to the District Attorney's office, Ricard died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

The Eagle Tribune reports that investigators reviewed surveillance video to help solve the puzzling incident.

The girl's mother, Deborah Goldsmith-Dolan, told the Boston Globe that she had dropped her daughter off at a friend's house in Amesbury on Sunday afternoon. When she didn't hear from her by Monday morning, she texted her daughter's friends, who told her she was with a friend in Haverhill. She went to file a missing person's report around 4 p.m. Monday and got a text shortly thereafter from one of Chloe's friends saying that she had been taken to the hospital.

The teen was a student at Solstice Day School, an alternative school in Rowley. Prior to that, she attended Amesbury Middle School.

Amesbury schools released a statement saying Chloe "was kind to the younger students in the school and she showed great empathy for others. We will miss her smile, her creativity and her huge heart."

An autopsy was performed Tuesday, but the district attorney's office said it could be some time before there is a ruling on the cause and manner of death.

Rivera is being held on $750,000 bail.

He is expected to be arraigned in Lawrence District Court on Tuesday. It is unclear if he has an attorney.

The incident remains under investigation at this time.Two people are dead and at least 15 others have been wounded, three critically, in shootings across the city of Chicago over the Memorial Day weekend.

The first fatal shooting of the holiday weekend was reported just after 6:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, according to police. A 29-year-old man was standing on a porch in the 100 block of West 109th Place when a person walked out of a gangway and opened fire, striking him in the chest.

The man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead, according to authorities.

No suspects are in custody in the shooting.

Just after 10 p.m. in the 400 block of North 77th Street, two men were standing on a sidewalk when a person in a passing vehicle fired shots, striking both victims.

A 43-year-old man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds, and he later died from his injuries, police said.

Another victim, a 31-year-old man, was also taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, and he was listed in stable condition with a gunshot wound to his left leg.

In another shooting late Friday night, a 25-year-old man was at a gas station in the 5400 block of West Diversey when a man walked up to him and opened fire, striking him in the face, according to Chicago police.

The man was rushed to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition. No suspects are in custody in the case.

Three other people were hurt in a shooting Saturday morning in the citys Brighton Park neighborhood. Just after 2 a.m., the victims were in a sedan traveling southbound when a person in a black SUV pulled up alongside their vehicle and opened fire.

A 42-year-old man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds, and he was listed in critical condition. A 19-year-old woman, who was also shot multiple times, was listed in critical condition at Mount Sinai. A 17-year-old girl was also taken to Mount Sinai, where she was listed in stable condition.

No suspect is in custody, and Area Central Detectives are investigating.

On Friday afternoon, a 24-year-old man was walking northbound in the 6100 block of South Maplewood when he heard gunshots and felt pain, according to police. The man was shot in the upper back, and he was later taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he is listed in serious condition.

City officials, including Mayor Lori Lightfoot, have announced how they plan to keep Chicagoans safe on Memorial Day, and throughout the summer. NBC 5s Regina Waldroup has the details.

Here are the rest of the weekends shootings:

Note: No suspects are in custody unless otherwise noted.

Friday:

In the 1500 block of South Sawyer at approximately 9:44 p.m., two people were walking on a sidewalk when they heard gunshots. A 15-year-old boy was taken to Stroger Hospital with a gunshot wound to his right leg, and a 27-year-old man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with a gunshot wound to his left leg. Both victims are in stable condition, according to police.

Just before 11 p.m. in the 300 block of North Lake Shore Drive, a 20-year-old woman riding in the backseat of a Nissan sedan when a person in a white SUV pulled up alongside the vehicle and opened fire. The woman was shot in the right hand, and was driven to Northwestern Medical Center in stable condition, according to authorities.

Saturday:

In the 300 block of North Cicero at approximately 12:01 a.m., a 31-year-old man was standing on a sidewalk when he heard gunshots. The man was taken to West Suburban, and was later transferred to Stroger Medical Center in stable condition with gunshot wounds to his right arm and right leg, police said.

A 26-year-old man was walking down an alley in the 1400 block of East 70 th Street at approximately 12:40 a.m. when a man walked up to him and opened fire, police said. The victim was struck in the left shoulder and left leg, and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he is listed in stable condition.

Street at approximately 12:40 a.m. when a man walked up to him and opened fire, police said. The victim was struck in the left shoulder and left leg, and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he is listed in stable condition. Just after 2 a.m. in the 7400 block of South Langley, a 45-year-old man was walking on a sidewalk when he heard shots and felt pain in his buttocks, police said. The man was taken to St. Bernards, where he is listed in stable condition.

In the 7600 block of South May at approximately 3:51 a.m., a 33-year-old man was standing on a sidewalk when a person in a black sedan opened fire, striking him in the abdomen and left arm. He was taken to an area hospital in stable condition, police said.

Chicago police responded to a call of a person with a gun in the 800 block of North Leclaire Avenue at approximately 10:48 a.m., and when they arrived they found evidence of a shooting. A short time later, officers learned that a 29-year-old man had been shot in the left ankle, and had transported himself to West Suburban Hospital. The man is in good condition, and police are investigating the shooting.

Sunday:NBC 5 will livestream the final hour of church services at 11 a.m.

Friends, family and an entire community united at Mount Auburn Funeral Home Saturday morning to pay their final respects to slain 19-year-old mother, Marlen Ochoa.

For the last two days, mourners have gathered in south suburban Stickney, Illinois to remember a good wife and loving mother, whom according to prosecutors, was killed the day she reportedly went missing on April 23, and was strangled to death before her baby was cut from her womb.

Marlen Ochoa's baby remains on life support, hospitalized in the NICU where doctors say he has shown some brain activity in recent days.

Ochoa's extended family was able to travel from Mexico to Illinois on Tuesday to say goodbye to their once youngest family member.

She will never be forgotten," said activist and family spokeswoman Julie Contreras. "This baby, she belongs to all of us."

Today I stand in front of my peopleMarlen was not only the daughter of her parents and the wife of her husband, she is the daughter of our pueblo; and she will be etched forever in the laws of the state of Illinois and in this country for today we put on the road the path of a bill that will be called Marlens Law, she declared.

According to Contreras, if this bill passes, any individual who enters a hospital in the state of Illinois or across this nation will have to provide identity through ID and DNA to prove that if they come in with an infant that they say was born in their home, they have to show us.

In Contreras' final remarks, she was able to get the audience to chant in unison "if there is no justice, there is no peace," in Spanish.

"Marlen is everyones daughter today," family spokeswoman Cecilia Garcia said at a vigil for Ochoa Wednesday night. "We have to make sure that this never ever happens to anybody else again."

Last week, Clarisa Figueroa and her daughter Desiree Figueroa were charged with the teens murder, and Clarisa Figueroa's boyfriend Piotr Bobak was charged with concealing the homicide.The dresses, the dancing, the flowers, and, of course, the pictures. Prom is something many high schoolers look forward to. But for Hunter Dale, he wasn't sure prom was something he'd be able to attend.

"It's definitely a really rough illness to come back from. You spend a lot of days not feeling good," said Dale, an EO Smith High School junior.

During his freshman year Dale was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and PSC, a liver disease. He tried different treatments and different medications but still struggled. At one point the 6-foot-4 high schooler was down to just 132 pounds.

Late last year Dale and his doctors at Connecticut Children's decided to remove his large colon, leaving him with a colostomy bag.

"When they tell you you're going to have a bag and it's going to look like this, that's one thing. But when you see what you look like now, that was hard," said Dale's mom Kate.

But Dale isn't letting it slow him down. He's feeling better and is back to doing what he loves: running track. He's also qualified for state in six events this year.

"I'm proud of him. He's very resilient, and that's a mark of why he's been able to get through it so well," said Dale's dad Darren.

"The first time I saw him run on indoor track, it was very emotional for me," said Kate. "I'm just incredibly thankful for how far he's come. It was really great to see."

When prom season came around, Dale even managed to poke a little fun at what he'd been through. He created a promposal sign that said "I may not have a colon, but I have the guts to ask." The high school senior he asked said yes.

"I thought it was really funny and original with the way he played with the words, and it was obviously only a story he could tell. So I thought it was awesome he incorporated that into the promposal," said Maddie Gidman.

With life getting back to normal, the Dale family hopes that their story helps others who may be going through a similar situation. They want other families to know that they're not alone and that it gets better.

"Just hang in there and believe it will get better," said Kate.

"It's going to be a bit of a rough road, but once you do finally get better things will really start to turn up, and life gets a lot better than what it is now," said Dale. "I'm really happy and glad I'm able to embrace what I've been through."

The Dales say they're grateful to Connecticut Children's for all of their support along the way.

As for Dale's future, he plans to continue track in college and wants to study to be an engineer.To help make sure you stay informed on the most shared and talked about stories, each Saturday and Sunday we'll revisit 5 stories from the previous week, including the most recent updates.

Taking a Toll

Gov. Ned Lamont released a "working draft" of his transportation proposal, which includes details on his plan to add tolls to state highways. The tolls would be placed on I-95, I-91, I-84, and parts of Route 15. Any vote on a transportation package would likely come in a special session sometime this summer. Republican lawmakers have said they are opposed to any plan that includes tolls. See more on the toll plan here.

Gov. Ned Lamont has released a working draft of his transportation investment plan, which includes more details on the tolls proposal and highlights the priorities for improvements on Connecticuts major highways.

Likes Wanted

A man wanted by Torrington police reached out to them to make a bizarre deal to turn himself in. Police say Jose Simms told them he would surrender if his wanted poster got 15,000 likes on the department's Facebook page. The post reached that goal in less than 24 hours, but Simms has yet to turn himself in. For more details on the agreement, click here.

A man wanted by Torrington police told them he would turn himself in if his wanted poster gets 15,000 likes on the departments Facebook page.

Tornado Terror

At least three people were killed as tornadoes swept across Missouri Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. The storms were part of a system that brought severe weather to much of the Midwest. Missouri's capital, Jefferson City, took a direct hit from a tornado, leaving hundreds of structures destroyed or damaged. See more on the destruction here.

Snakes in a House

A Farmington family got quite a scare on Monday when they found a 7-foot rat snake hanging from their roof. The snake, which they captured on camera, then slithered back up onto the roof and out of sight. The family brought in an exterminator, who couldn't find the reptile. See the video of the snake here.

A Farmington family caught a 7-foot rat snake on camera as it climbed onto and then into their roof on Monday.

That's Amore

Longtime Glastonbury eatery, Max Amore Ristorante, is closing its doors for good. The restaurant first opened in 1995. The Max Restaurant Group, which owns Max Amore, said they are looking for something new in the future. The final meals will be served on June 30. For more on the closing, click here.

The owners of Max Amore say the Glastonbury restaurant will close its doors for good on June 30.Bengaluru: In a significant departure from his previous stand that disgruntled Congress legislators would migrate to his party and help form a new government, state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday announced that his party is battle ready for midterm elections and exuded confidence of winning 170 to 175 Assembly seats. In the run-up to Lok Sabha elections, Mr Yeddyurappa had maintained that his party would win in 22 constituencies though his colleagues maintained that the tally would not exceed 17.

The Lingayat strongman, however, ensured a record performance with the BJP winning 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats. Such an extraordinary show notwithstanding, the former chief minister has changed tack vis-a-vis formation of the new government, and seems determined to lead the party to another record performance in midterm polls to the Assembly. We will not bring down this government. More than 20 Congress legislators are unhappy with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, and they will bring down the government, he told Deccan Chronicle in an interview. Excerpts:

Besides a strong wave in support of PM Narendra Modi, what are the other factors which favoured the party in our state?

In Karnataka, in addition to the wave in favour of Mr Narendra Modi, three factors facilitated our record victory. First, failures of the coalition headed by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in last one year. It did not bother to address distress among farmers. An unholy alliance between the Congress and JD(S) helped us in the elections. The third reason is that people still remember the good governance provided by the BJP government and popular schemes launched by our. Last, dedicated work by party cadre also helped us win 26 seats (25 BJP candidates, and one independent supported by the party), and secure vote share of 52 per cent.

There is anxiety in the coalition government after both parties managed to win just one Lok Sabha seat each. Will this government last its term?

Soon after results were announced, I said the Chief Minister has lost his moral right to continue because the people have out right rejected this unholy alliance. The results are a mandate against the state government, but leaders of both parties are not ready to accept mandate of the people. I insisted that both parties should spell out their stand to the people. A majority of Congress legislators have registered their protest on continuance of the coalition government.

Going by results of Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has gained a lead in almost 180 Assembly constituencies. Is the party ready for midterm polls?

Absolutely, we are ready for midterm polls. If elections to the Assembly are held this moment, we will secure 170 to 175 seats. Leaders of both Congress and JD(S) are aware of this fact and therefore afraid to go for polls. I will consult the top brass of our party in Delhi, and draw up the future course of action. We will not bring down the state government. There is no need to launch "Operation Kamala' to bring down this government. As I said earlier, more than 20 Congress MLAs are unhappy with Mr Kumaraswamy's government. They will bring down the government.

Will you demand dissolution of the Assembly?

I will discuss our party's strategy with our MLAs, MPs and senior leaders. After taking their feedback, I will discuss with the central leadership. I will go by the advice of central leadership on the question of demanding dissolution of the Assembly.

For the first time, the BJP won all seven reserved Lok Sabha constituencies. Your comment on the paradigm of shift of SC/ST votes in favour of the BJP?

This year's Lok Sabha elections reflected the fact that SC/ST and OBC voters have supported the BJP en masse. We have not only won all seven reserved constituencies, but won by extraordinary margins, except in Chamarajanagar constituency. This shows how SC/ST and OBC voters have accepted the BJP, and handed a fitting reply to Congress and JD(S) for opportunistic politics pursued by them.A coalition of Connecticut Democrats, including Gov. Ned Lamont and legislative leaders, said they've reached consensus on a major bill that could lead to a public health insurance option by 2022.

Called the "Connecticut Option," proponents said Thursday the yet-to-be designed plan would allow individuals and businesses to buy a new "high-quality, high-value health plan" that could save them up to 20% in insurance premiums.

The bill also aims to lower drug costs and reduce insurance expenses for low- and middle-income consumers, among other things.

Democratic Sen. Matt Lesser, of Middletown, said it's the "most ambitious" health care bill any state has considered.

Republican Senate Leader Len Fasano of North Haven is slamming Democrats for not involving the GOP and offering the bill days before the June 5 adjournment.In a fateful swipe at telecommunications giant Huawei, the Trump administration issued an executive order Wednesday apparently aimed at banning its equipment from U.S. networks and said it was subjecting the Chinese company to strict export controls.

Huawei would be the largest business ever subjected to the controls, a law enforcement measure that requires it to obtain U.S. government approval on purchases of American technology, said Kevin Wolf, who had been the assistant secretary of commerce for export administration in the Obama administration.

"It's going to have ripple effects through the entire global telecommunications network because Huawei affiliates all over the planet depend on U.S. content to function and if they can't get the widget or the part or the software update to keep functioning then those systems go down," he said.

Asked if that could include barring Apple from selling its Android operating system, which Huawei uses on its handsets, Wolf said it would be premature to say until he's seen a published order from the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security to be sure of the scope.

The executive order declares a national economic emergency that empowers the government to ban the technology and services of "foreign adversaries" deemed to pose "unacceptable risks" to national security  including from cyberespionage and sabotage.

While it doesn't name specific countries or companies, it follows months of U.S. pressure on Huawei. It gives the Commerce Department 150 days to come up with regulations.

Washington and Beijing are locked in a trade war that partly reflects a struggle for global economic and technological dominance, and Wednesday's actions up the ante.

The export restriction is "a grave escalation with China that at minimum plunges the prospect of continued trade negotiations into doubt," said Eurasia Group analysts in a report.

"Unless handled carefully, this situation is likely to place U.S. and Chinese companies at new risk," the report said.

It appears the law invoked in Wednesday's executive order, the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, has never before been declared in a way that impacts an entire commercial sector. It has routinely been used to freeze the assets of designated terrorists and drug traffickers and impose embargoes on hostile former governments.

The order addresses U.S. government concerns that equipment from Chinese suppliers could pose an espionage threat to U.S. internet and telecommunications infrastructure. Huawei, the world's biggest supplier of network gear, has been deemed a danger in U.S. national security circles for the better part of a decade.

U.S. justice and intelligence officials say Chinese economic espionage and trade secret theft are rampant. They have presented no evidence, however, of any Huawei equipment in the U.S. or elsewhere being compromised by backdoors installed by the manufacturer to facilitate espionage by Beijing. Huawei vehemently denies involvement in Chinese spying.

Huawei said blocking it from doing business in the United States would hamper introduction of next-generation communications technology in which the company is a world leader.

"We are ready and willing to engage with the U.S. government and come up with effective measures to ensure product security," the company said in a statement.

The restrictions "will not make the U.S. more secure or stronger," the company said. It said the United States would be limited to "inferior yet more expensive alternatives," which would hurt companies and consumers.

A senior U.S. administration official, who briefed reports on condition of anonymity, said in a hastily arranged call that the order was "company and country agnostic" and would not be retroactive. Officials said "interim regulations" were expected before final rules were set but were vague on what that meant.

In a statement, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai called the executive order "a significant step toward securing America's networks."

"It signals to U.S. friends and allies how far Washington is willing to go to block Huawei," said Adam Segal, cybersecurity director at the Council on Foreign Relations. Many in Europe have resisted a fierce U.S. diplomatic campaign to institute a wholesale ban on the Chinese company's equipment in their next-generation 5G wireless networks.

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a former telecoms executive, called the order "a needed step" because Chinese law compels Huawei to act as an agent of the state.

The order's existence in draft form was first reported by The Washington Post last June. Segal said that with U.S.-China trade talks at a standstill, the White House "felt the time had finally come to pull the trigger."

It is a "low-cost signal of resolve from the Trump administration," Segal said, noting that there is little at stake economically.

All major U.S. wireless carriers and internet providers had already sworn off Chinese-made equipment after a 2012 report by the House Intelligence Committee said Huawei and ZTE, China's No. 2 telecoms equipment company, should be excluded as enablers of Beijing-directed espionage.

Last year, Trump signed a bill that barred the U.S. government and its contractors from using equipment from the Chinese suppliers.

The FCC also has a rule in the works that would cut off subsidies for companies that use any equipment banned as posing a national security threat. Huawei's handsets are virtually nonexistent in the U.S., and last week the FCC rejected a Chinese phone company's bid to provide domestic service .

Huawei says it supplies 45 of the world's top 50 phone companies. But only about 2 percent of telecom equipment purchased by North American carriers was Huawei-made in 2017.

The domestic economic impact will be restricted mostly to small rural carriers for whom Huawei equipment has been attractive because of its lower costs. That could make it more difficult to expand access to speedy internet in rural areas.

Blair Levin, an adviser to research firm New Street Research and a former FCC official, said the order is likely to widen the digital divide.

Roger Entner, founder of telecom research firm Recon Analytics, tweeted: "Banning Huawei in the U.S. has the FCC in a conundrum: Low cost Huawei equipment helps to build out broadband in rural America faster." He wondered if the FCC would subsidize small rural carriers.

Requests for comment from a group representing small carriers, the Competitive Carriers Association, were not immediately returned. Administration officials told reporters they will welcome comments from the telecommunications industry as regulations are set.

They did not say whether subsidies would be considered.

Early this year, the Justice Department unsealed criminal charges against Huawei, a top company executive and several subsidiaries, alleging the company stole trade secrets, misled banks about its business and violated U.S. sanctions on Iran. The sweeping indictments accused the company of using extreme efforts to steal trade secrets from American businesses  including trying to take a piece of a robot from a T-Mobile lab.

The executive charged is Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, who is also the daughter of the company's founder. She was arrested in Canada last December. The U.S. is seeking to extradite her.They bite, they feed, and they never actually leave, but researchers in Central Texas continue to study mosquitoes, tracking their local impact and studying ways to control them by hacking their genes.

The Waco Tribune-Herald reports Baylor University faculty have operated a state-funded mosquito surveillance program with the city of Waco for the last 10 years, while also doing lab research.

At first their biggest local concern was the Asian tiger mosquito, or Aedes albopictus, which can carry chikungunya virus. But last year something changed.

Cheolho Sim, an associate biology professor at Baylor, said Aedes aegypti, a species that can spread dengue and Zika virus, began showing up in roughly equal numbers to Aedes albopictus last year. Sim said Aedes albopictus tend to dominate an area, and he's still not sure what caused the sudden shift in the local mosquito population.

"The Aedes aegypti have somehow fought back," Sim said. "They said, `Wait a minute, this is my home."'

Sim said they're still not sure what exactly is causing the shift, but intense humidity last year might have contributed.

Patricia Kamanda is a biology graduate student at Baylor. Kamanda has been doing field research with the lab. Kamanda, who moved to the U.S. from Liberia with her family at age 6, said she chose to study mosquitoes because malaria is such a constant health concern in West Africa.

"It's really common, it's almost like the flu," Kamanda said. "Some forms are more aggressive than others. I still have family in Liberia, and it's obviously a constant problem."

Kamanda sets up mosquito traps throughout McLennan County. Each trap contains a fan, a net and a funnel that traps mosquitoes throughout the night. She said her work often requires her to politely ask homeowners and businesses if she can set up the traps on their property.

"Fortunately, people are really nice in Waco," Kamanda said. "We go to a lot of residential areas, and churches give us permission to set up the traps. We also go to Cameron Park."

She said Culex quinquefasciatus, also called the southern house mosquito, is one of the most common in Texas and used to be the most common in the Waco area. But that's changing.

"We're seeing less and less Culex mosquitoes over the years," Kamanda said. "It's been the Aedes."

The researchers recently found another surprise. Species from the genus Psorophora began appearing in the traps as well. In some cases, Psorphora have tested positive for West Nile virus, but they're mostly known for carrying equine diseases.

"It's not just diversifying, it's new species expanding their habitat," Sim said. "Psorophora is more likely in Louisiana, Alabama and Florida, and is expanding west."

Kamanda said Psorophora mosquitoes come with their own host of problems. They're aggressive biters, and they lay their eggs in dirt as opposed to stagnant water, making pest control more complicated.

However, the mosquito labs at Baylor are concerned with pest control on a much more grand scale. In Sim's lab, eggs and larvae sit in plastic containers and mosquito colonies in clear plastic cages line the walls. The National Institutes of Health fund their research, which involves injecting mosquitoes with RNA, DNA or enzymes to alter mosquitoes' genes.

Mosquitoes survive winter by going into a dormant state called diapause, a process Sim is trying to pin down with his research.

"Diapause is a genetic program, and when mosquitoes start diapause, they can survive five times longer than their normal life cycle," Sim said. "This is a key point to controlling mosquito populations, so we're trying to find a way. What is the mechanism? What gene is actually controlling this diapause development program?"

When mosquitoes go dormant, so do any viruses they carry. However, by interrupting diapause, mosquitoes would die off in winter, dramatically cutting down their life span. If Sim succeeded, the Centers for Disease Control would mass produce the successfully genetically modified mosquito and release them in an effort to spread the diapause-deadened genes and put a significant dent in mosquito populations.

Until then, McLennan County will have to rely on more conventional methods of controlling mosquitoes. The CDC recorded no mosquito-borne diseases in McLennan County in 2018, but David Litke, Environmental Health Program Administrator for the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, remembers when West Nile first came to Waco.

"West Nile first made it to the United States in 1999, and then it started spreading," Litke said. "Everybody in public health was watching. Is it isolated? Is it spreading? Can we contain it? Nothing stopped West Nile Virus. Not our geography, not our location on the globe. Nothing. In five years, it made it from east coast to west coast."

West Nile first arrived in McLennan County in 2002, though there were no reported human cases of the disease. The city began working with Baylor's researchers to monitor the disease shortly after, but when the disease did make the jump to humans it took a dramatic toll.

In 2012, McLennan County reported 43 West Nile cases and two deaths. He said until West Nile Virus came to the county, mosquitoes were mostly just considered a nuisance.

The area had been fortunate in avoiding mosquito-borne illnesses like malaria or dengue.

Instead of pesticide trucks or other methods of large-scale pest control, the health district focuses on education measures and distributing mosquito repellent, while city employees in other departments, such as streets, parks and recreation, code enforcement or animal control, do their best to prevent mosquito-friendly environments from forming.

"It's always kind of talked about, but there hasn't been a huge push for something more," Litke said. "For that to happen would take a city council action."

Litke said today, most citizens have reverted back to considering mosquitoes a simple nuisance, though people often ask him when he will "do something" about them.

"There was less talk last year," Litke said. "In years' past, we've had West Nile, Zika and chikungunya hit the news."

For now, mosquito mitigation is mostly in individuals' hands.

Standing water due to rain and saturation provide a perfect habitat for breeds of mosquitoes called "container species," that breed in contained, stagnant water. Backyard pools that aren't properly maintained or become abandoned can become a breeding ground.

"Measures should be year-round, but nobody thinks about it until the weather starts warming up," Litke said.The Grand Prairie woman whose body was found in Mountain Creek Lake two months after she and her estranged boyfriend went missing was strangled, authorities confirmed this week.

Weltzin Garcia Mireles' death was a homicide by strangulation, the Dallas County medical examiner's office said Friday. Police consider the case a murder-suicide.

Mireles, 26, and 28-year-old Alfonso Roderick Hernandez disappeared Feb. 5, the day police issued an arrest warrant for Hernandez over an accusation that he'd punched Mireles about two weeks earlier.

You can read the full story from our media partners at The Dallas Morning News by clicking here.Hospice Care Team, the coastal Texas provider of end-of-life medical support and care, is expanding its mission to include family members that sometimes are overlooked: the pets of hospice patients.

"Hospice Care Team has decided to participate in the Pet Peace of Mind program as so many of our patients are devoted to their pets," said administrator Joe Chapman. "We can now give the reassurance to our patients who worry about their pets that the care, love and needs will continue to be provided for their companion."

The Galveston County Daily news reports sometimes, pet owners simply need to be reassured that once the time comes when they can no longer care for their pet, someone will step in to provide that service.

Sometimes, people spending their last days at home before death don't have the resources to care for their pets amid other personal and financial constraints.

And sometimes, a pet lover's ability to let go and die is impeded by lingering concerns over what will happen to a pet companion once they're gone.

In these and many other scenarios, hospice organizations in the past have had to do whatever they could, but not necessarily in a systematic way, hospice care providers said.

Ten years ago, Dianne McGill of Salem, Oregon, became concerned about this problem and took action, conceiving of and developing Pet Peace of Mind, a training and implementation program for home health care and hospice organizations around the country that were concerned about their patients' pet care problems and how those problems affected end of life.

"I was running a large national animal welfare board and we got a call from a woman who was trying to help her dying friend with some pet care issues," McGill said. "She said she'd called everyone she could think of and asked if we could help."

McGill quickly found through her research that there was no one serving critically ill patients and their pets. She decided to develop a program that would do just that.

Hospice Care Team, headquartered in Texas City since 1983, has long been aware of patients' pet care needs, but didn't have a system in place to offer help.

Brenda Kinder, director of nursing for a team, a pet lover herself, took the reins and led the organization's efforts to add Pet Peace of Mind to its programs.

One of Kinder's staff caregivers, Amanda Ray, had a special passion for pets and soon found herself participating in the program in a way that helped a patient and her husband as well as her own family.

"We were working with a family, the wife was our patient, and both she and her husband were very elderly," Ray said. "The husband was having a hard time being at his wife's bedside and caring for their dog."

Maggie, a golden retriever-yellow lab mix, loved to play and needed lots of attention. Ray, the single mother of Logen, almost 9, and Lainee, 2, had been looking for a dog for her young family.

"The wife was too far gone and the husband just cried; he needed somebody to take the dog," Ray said.

She and her children met Maggie and brought her home. A neighbor who trains therapy dogs tested her and is now training her.

Maggie's owner, the hospice patient, died and her husband moved away, Ray said.

"She fit my family perfectly," Ray said.

"We took her when they needed help. I've been talking to patients about this now because I really have a passion for pets and can see how this helps both patients and pets."

For too many patients, the need for either hospice staff or volunteers to help care for pets is urgent because of lack of resources and support, Ray said.

"It's really sad to say that for many, their families don't come to see them," Ray said. "Some don't have basic stuff they need, so it's hard to get the care they need for their pets."

For patients like these, Pet Peace of Mind can offer financial support for food and supplies, can provide trips to the vet, boarding or walkers, depending on how the program has been developed, officials said.

For some patients, a pet is a patient's closest family member, a companion whose welfare is the greatest cause of concern at the end of the pet owner's life.

Hospice Care Team signed on with Pet Peace of Mind earlier in the year and is just now determining what's needed for their program and how they will staff it.

"Primarily, so far, it's been us doing the pet care, but ultimately we want to engage volunteers," said Rebecca Deaton, public relations spokeswoman for Hospice Care Team.

Sometimes, patients are near death by the time they begin receiving hospice care and die before there's time to bring in a volunteer, officials said.

But other times, when a patient has received a terminal diagnosis and is beginning to receive hospice care with some time to plan, the need for volunteers is crucial, officials said.

"If we could enlist volunteers to work with more long-term patients, that would be ideal," Deaton said. "A client in Freeport has a couple of pets and is real concerned about what will happen to them after he passes.

"It's not that he needs help with them right now, but he will as things progress."

Pet Peace of Mind provides an organization the tools it needs to develop and implement pet care, covering details like how to stay compliant with regulations surrounding home health care, how to staff the program and how to report it, McGill said.

When a program is in place, the national organization provides personalized training online to staff and volunteers.

"It's not a brand-new idea, but Pet Peace of Mind solves a problem that all hospices face on an occasional basis," McGill said.

Appreciating the importance of the pet-patient bond is key, McGill said.

"I know of countless patients who have said their pet is their lifeline," she said.

"For many patients, keeping their pets near them during the end of their life journey and finding homes for their beloved pets after they pass is one of the most important pieces of unfinished business."

More: The Galveston County Daily NewsSix names were added to the Wall of Honor at Veterans Memorial Park in McKinney on Saturday. Each name represents a life sacrificed in service of others.

"We are honoring those that at one point in their life raised their hand to serve our country. They put on their uniform and left Collin County, left Texas, they left their home and put on their uniform and never came home," said Colin Kimball, Vice Chair of Armed Services Memorial Board of McKinney.

The wall contains the names of 416 service members from Collin County who died while serving the United States.

The memorial was dedicated in November 2011, and each year the Armed Services Memorial Board researches and identifies new names of people who were either born in Collin County or enlisted while living there and died while in service.

Six additional heroes were added to the wall Saturday -- one who served in World War I, three who served in World War II and one who served in the Korean War.

Organizers said it is important that people never forget those who died in the armed services.

"I lost a good friend in the Vietnam War and the idea of people forgetting them was unacceptable to me and the idea of anybody forgetting any of these people is unacceptable to me so I work very vigorously to ensure their legacies remain enduring," Kimball said.

Harold Crismon of Celina was one of the service members honored. Crismon was a Flying Fortress pilot who survived World War II, but died in a search and rescue mission off the coast of Panama in 1946. His wife was pregnant with his daughter, Christina, when he died.

"He died before I was born so I never knew him, but I knew all about him because my mother and grandparents shared many stories about him," Crismon's daughter, Christina Schuetz, said.

Stories of his life and service have been passed on through the years to his grandchildren, and now great grandchildren.

"You know, to me it was almost stuff of storybooks just the story of him being a hero and how my mom never knew him," Kim Daugherty, Crismon's granddaughter said. "My grandmother found out she was pregnant right after he died. Just listening to stories of him was so incredible and then today and being a part of this it feels like a real family."

The six veterans honored are listed below.

Jesse Burgess, 26, Valdasta, Army, PFC. Killed in an accident at Camp Travis, San Antonio, Texas, in 1922.

Rodney H. Hickman, 23, Farmersville, Army. Died during the Bataan Death March in the Philippines during World War II.

Harold Crismon, 25, Celina, Army Air Force. A Flying Fortress pilot who survived World War II, killed in a search-and-rescue mission when his plane crashed in the Pacific Ocean, west of Panama in 1946. His brother, Henry, was killed during WWII and is also on the Wall.

Jack M. Shirley, 47, McKinney, Navy, Lieutenant Commander. A 30-year veteran of the US Navy, died in San Diego, California, in 1955.

Mathis O. Ball, 20, McKinney. Army, PFC. First Collin County boy to be killed in the War in Korea. Missing in Action in 1950, declared dead in 1953, remains found and identified in 2018.

John D. Cook, 19, Melissa, Anna. Air Force, Airman 3rd Class. Died in a firearm's accident at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Austin, Texas, in 1952.

Each year the members of the Armed Services Memorial Board searches to find out if there are other service members from Collin County who should be added to the Wall of Honor.

"One of the responsibilities of the Armed Services Memorial Board is to identify the names of the fallen from Collin County. We have a very strict vetting process and we have to confirm that they were from Collin County, either born here or lived here when they enlisted, and that they died while serving our country," Kimball said.

The Collin County Veterans Memorial Park in McKinney is open year-round to the public.A House GOP conservative complaining a long-overdue $19 billion disaster aid bill leaves out money needed to address the migrant crisis at the border blocked the bill Friday, extending a tempest over hurricane and flood relief that has left the measure meandering for months.

The move came a day after the measure flew through the Senate despite a Democratic power move to strip out President Donald Trump's $4.5 billion request for dealing with a migrant crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Texas Rep. Chip Roy, a former aide to Texas firebrand Sen. Ted Cruz, complained that it does not contain any money to address increasingly urgent border needs. "It is a bill that includes nothing to address the international emergency and humanitarian crisis we face at our southern border," Roy said.

He also objected to speeding the measure through a nearly empty chamber, saying it was important for lawmakers to actually vote on a bill that "spends a significant amount of taxpayer money."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., a key force behind the measure which moved through the Senate with the enthusiastic embrace of Roy's two GOP senators, said the delays have gone on too long. Senate action came after Trump surrendered in his fight with powerful Democrats over aid to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

"Now, after the President and Senate Republicans disrupted and delayed disaster relief for more than four months, House Republicans have decided to wage their own sabotage," Pelosi said. "Every day of Republican obstruction, more disasters have struck, more damage has piled up and more families have been left in the cold."

Democrats said the House might try to again pass the measure next week during a session, like Friday's, that would otherwise be pro forma. If that doesn't succeed, a quick bipartisan vote would come after Congress returns next month from its Memorial Day recess.

Rep. Donna Shalala, D-Fla., said she was upset at Roy's action. "The fact that one person from a state that is directly affected could object, it's just irresponsible," she said. Texas was slammed by record floods in 2017, though not Roy's San Antonio-area district.

GOP leaders and Trump support the bill, as do some lawmakers who are otherwise some of the chamber's staunchest conservatives, such as Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.

"This is a rotten thing to do. This is going to pass," said Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass.

The relief measure would deliver money to Southern states suffering from last fall's hurricanes, Midwestern states deluged with springtime floods and fire-ravaged rural California, among others. Puerto Rico would also get help for hurricane recovery, ending a months-long dispute between Trump and powerful Democrats like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Trump said Thursday that he will enthusiastically sign the bill, which delivers much-needed help to many areas in the country where he performs well with voters.

The House drama came less than 24 hours after the Senate passed the bill by a sweeping 85-8 vote that represented a brush-back pitch by a chamber weary of Trump's theatrics and where some members are increasingly showing impatience with the lack of legislative action.

Trump said he favored the bill even though $4 billion-plus to deal with the humanitarian crisis involving Central American migrants border has been removed.

"I didn't want to hold that up any longer," Trump said. "I totally support it."

Much of the money would go to Trump strongholds such as the Florida Panhandle, rural Georgia and North Carolina, and Iowa and Nebraska. Several military facilities would receive money to rebuild, including Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, and Tyndall Air Force Base in Northwest Florida.

Disaster aid bills are always ultimately bipartisan, but this round bogged down. And a late-week breakdown on the appropriations panel left important must-do work for lawmakers when Congress returns next month.

After months of fighting, Democrats bested Trump and won further aid to Puerto Rico, the U.S. territory slammed by back-to-back hurricanes in 2017.

Talks over Trump's border request broke down over conditions Democrats wanted to place on money to provide care and shelter for asylum-seeking Central American migrants. Talks were closely held and the opaque process sometimes left even veteran lawmakers in the dark.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., accused Democrats of insisting on "poison pills" that made the talks collapse. But his office wouldn't go on the record to specify what they were. Other Republicans, especially those trying to project a bipartisan image for next year's campaign, were more circumspect.

"Right now the total dollar amounts are pretty close on border security. Democrats and Republicans are pretty much in agreement about it," said Sen. David Perdue. "We're just trying to work out some detailed language, but we didn't think we could wait any longer to get this done."

In fact, among the reasons for the late-week breakdown was a demand by Hispanic forces and House liberals such as Pelosi ally Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., to insist on a provision to tighten up existing language that tries to block the Homeland Security Department from getting information from the Department of Health and Human Services to help track immigrants residing in the U.S. illegally if they care for migrant refugee children arriving in huge numbers at the border.

All sides agree that another bill of more than $4 billion will be needed almost immediately to refill nearly empty agency accounts to care for migrants, though Democrats are fighting hard against the detention facilities requested by Trump.

Trump rushed to try to claim credit, too, though his budget office never submitted an official request for the disaster aid. But he talked up the aid in a recent trip to the timber-rich Florida Panhandle, his best region in a state without which it's virtually impossible for him to win reelection.

"Well, we're going to get the immigration money later, according to everybody," Trump said. "I have to take care of my farmers with the disaster relief."The U.S. will send hundreds of additional troops and a dozen fighter jets to the Middle East in the coming weeks to counter what the Pentagon said is an escalating campaign by Iran to plan attacks against the U.S. and its interests in the region. And for the first time, Pentagon officials on Friday publicly blamed Iran and its proxies for recent tanker bombings near United Arab Emirates and a rocket attack in Iraq.

President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that the 1,500 troops would have a "mostly protective" role as part of a build-up that began this month in response to what the U.S said was a threat from Iran, without providing details or evidence.

Vice Admiral Michael Gilday told Pentagon reporters that the U.S. has "very high confidence" that Iran's Revolutionary Guard was responsible for the explosions on four tankers, and that Iranian proxies in Iraq fired rockets into Baghdad. He said Iran also tried to deploy modified small boats that were capable of launching cruise missiles.

The deployments announced Friday include a squadron of 12 fighter jets, manned and unmanned surveillance aircraft, and a number of military engineers to beef up protection for forces. In addition a battalion of four Patriot missile batteries that were scheduled to leave the Middle East has been ordered to stay. The total number of troops involved is about 1,500, with roughly 600 included in the Patriot battalion.

"We are going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective," the president said at the White House before setting off on a trip to Japan. "Some very talented people are going to the Middle East right now and we'll see what happens."

Trump has in recent weeks alternated between tough talk toward Iran and a more conciliatory message, insisting he is open to negotiations with the Islamic Republic. He seemed to downplay the prospect of conflict when he spoke at the White House.

"Right now, I don't think Iran wants to fight and I certainly don't think they want to fight with us," he said.

Briefing reporters at the Pentagon, Gilday, the Joint Staff director, did not provide direct evidence to back up claims tying Iran to the attacks. He told reporters the conclusions were based on intelligence and evidence gathered in the region, and officials said they are trying to declassify some of the information so that it could be made public.

"This is truly operations driven by intelligence," Gilday said, adding that the U.S. continues to see intelligence suggesting that Iran is actively planning attacks against the U.S. and partners in the region by the Revolutionary Guard and Iranian proxies in Yemen and Iraq.

When pressed for proof of Iran's involvement, he said the mines used in the tanker attacks were attributed directly to the Revolutionary Guard.

"I'm not reverse engineering this," he said. "The Iranians have said publicly they were going to do things. We learn more through intelligence reporting. They have acted upon those threats and they've actually attacked."

The announcement of additional forces was met with mixed reviews.

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Democrat Adam Smith of Washington, called the build-up "unsettling."

"Leaders from both sides of the aisle have called for de-escalation. At first blush, this move does not fit the bill," Smith said in a statement Friday. "Without a clearly articulated strategy, adding more personnel and mission systems seems unwise, and appears to be a blatant and heavy-handed move to further escalate tensions with Iran."

The senior Republican on the committee, Mac Thornberry of Texas, called it "a prudent step to protect our forces and deter Iran," and said requests from commanders should "never be subject to a partisan debate."

The administration notified Congress earlier in the day about the troop plans.

Gilday and Katie Wheelbarger, the acting assistant defense secretary for international affairs, said the mission is strictly defensive, and is not designed to provoke Iran into carrying out additional attacks. They said the Pentagon will continue to evaluate the number of troops in the region in case more are needed later.

Earlier this week, officials said military planners had outlined options that could have sent up to 10,000 military reinforcements to the region. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan later said planners hadn't settled on a figure.

The U.S. has about 70,000 troops across the Middle East, including at a major Navy base in Bahrain and an Air Force base and operations center in Qatar. There are about 5,200 troops in Iraq and 2,000 in Syria.

Earlier this month, the U.S. sent thousands more into the region around Iran, including an aircraft carrier strike group, four bomber aircraft and fighter jets.

Tension had been rising with Iran for more than a year. The Trump administration withdrew last year from the 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and world powers and reinstated American sanctions that have badly damaged the Iranian economy.

The president has argued that the nuclear deal failed to sufficiently curb Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons or halt its support for militias throughout the Middle East that the U.S. argues destabilize the region.In 1958, Jose Ramon Lopez's father owned Cuba's main airport, its national airline and three small hotels. Conchita Beltran's family had about 2,160 acres of sugar and tobacco fields. And the families of Mickael Behn and Javier Garcia Bengochea had docks in Havana and Santiago de Cuba.

All properties were taken in Cuba's socialist revolution.

The dispossessed families later moved to the United States and abandoned hope of compensation as Cuba and the U.S. severed relations and fought during decades of the Cold War.

But on Thursday, Behn and Garcia Bengochea filed what were believed to be the first lawsuits against European and American companies doing business on confiscated properties in Cuba  thanks to the Trump administration's decision to activate a provision of the U.S. embargo on the island.

Known as Title III of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act, the section allows Americans, and Cubans who later became Americans, to sue almost any company deemed to be "trafficking" in property confiscated by Cuba's government. Every president since the law's passage has suspended Title III because of objections from U.S. allies doing business in Cuba and because of the potential effect on future negotiated settlements between the U.S. and Cuba.

The law contains exceptions for residential properties, properties worth less than $50,000 and properties linked to travel to Cuba deemed legal under U.S. law.

Its activation, however, could generate dozens or even hundreds of lawsuits, along with trade fights between the U.S. on one side and countries including Spain, France and Britain on the other.

Behn and Garcia Bengochea, who filed cases in federal court in Miami, are the heirs of families that owned ports which are now being used to dock cruise ships that began traveling to Cuba in 2016 under President Barack Obama's detente with the island.

Behn's grandfather, American William C. Behn, was president of the company Havana Docks, which owned three docks in the capital that were confiscated in 1960. Mickael Behn, a television executive who lives between Miami and London, says he is suing Carnival Cruise Corporation for up to three times the current value of the docks, as permitted under the law.

Bengochea, a neurosurgeon who lives in northeast Florida, owns 80 percent of the shares of the confiscated Cuban company La Maritima, which operated the port of Santiago de Cuba. He is suing for up to $20 million.

Carnival said only that its cruises to Cuba were continuing and referred The Associated Press to a statement from the Cruise Lines International Association, a trade group, saying that "Cruising to Cuba falls under the lawful travel exemption under Title 3 of the Helms Burton Act. Our cruise members have been and are now engaged in lawful travel to Cuba as expressly authorized by U.S. federal government."

"We want to get justice," said Bob Martinez, the lawyer for both men. "This was a robbery and what we're trying to get is compensation for the illegal use of these properties."

Other potential major targets include Spanish hotel chains Melia and Iberostar, Pernod Ricard of France, and other U.S. cruise lines that dock at ports confiscated from U.S. residents."

Lawyers and potential plaintiffs say they expect only a trickle of lawsuits at first due to the expense and complexity of filing litigation under a law that is being put into effect for the first time and touches on issues of international trade and sovereignty.

Suing is also expensive, with initial filing fees of more than $6,500 a case, and there is the difficulty and expense of proving ownership with old Cuban documents.

For its part, Cuba fears it's already lagging levels of foreign investment could be permanently crippled as a result of the activation of the provision. At a Cuban government-organized May Day parade Wednesday in Havana, marchers carried signs and chanted slogans denouncing the Helms-Burton law.

The law "was an effort to tie the hands of any president to improve relations with Cuba," Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, Cuba's director-general of U.S. affairs, told The Associated Press in Washington.

"No doubt that there will be a threatening effect that will inhibit some investors of going to Cuba. We cannot ignore that that will occur," he said. "It will perhaps have an impact on the living standards, the living conditions, of common Cubans ... It will damage perhaps the relationship of the United States and Cuba more than it is today."

On Thursday, the European Union also said it could file a World Trade Organization lawsuit or levy its own sanctions against U.S. entities that sue under Title III.

"The EU sees the extraterritorial application of unilateral restrictive measures as violating international law, and will take all appropriate measures," the EU said in a statement.

Others, however, celebrated the first lawsuits.

Orlando Gutierrez Boronat, from the exile group Cuban Democratic Directorate, said that the lawsuits have a clear message.

"Everyone who wants to invest in Cuba will have to go to federal court," he said after a press conference in front of the downtown court where the suits were filed.

Beltran said her family had 860 acres (348 hectares) of sugar fields and 1,300 acres (526 hectares) of tobacco in western Pinar del Rio province. She has no idea if she will be able to sue a foreign corporation doing business related to her properties, but she is optimistic.

"God willing, I want to see restitution or compensation before I die," said Beltran, 76, who fled to Miami in 1961. She said her husband died 35 years ago dreaming of some form of compensation for their loss.

"For me, justice is being done," she said of the decision to activate the law.

The Justice Department has certified some 6,000 claims worth approximately $8 billion at current values. There are an additional 200,000 uncertified claims, many by Cuban-Americans, whose value could reach into the tens of billions of dollars.

One of the uncertified claims belongs to Lopez, whose family had owned the airport, airline Cubana de Aviacion and three hotels in Havana and the southern city of Cienfuegos since 1952. Along with the airlines Aeromexico, LATAM of Chile and Copa of Panama, Lopez said he is preparing documents to sue the Cuban government and Melia, which runs the Cienfuegos hotel.

He said he isn't worried by the potential investment of time or money.

"At the end of the day they're going to recognize that it's ours," said Lopez, a 65-year-old retiree who divides his time between Madrid and Miami. "The moment has finally come."

Associated Press writer Gisela Salomon reported this story in Miami and AP writer Michael Weissenstein reported from Havana.What to Know May 25-Sept. 8, 2019

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General museum admission

It's one thing to sense what your individual superpowers might be, and it is another thing to put some of your skills to the test in a superhero-ready setting.

We mean, you could actually have several superhero talents going at once  we have no doubt that could be the case  but a cool opportunity to try your hand at a few fantastical experiences could provide you a clearer view.

No, you won't book a ticket to the planet Krypton to find these experiences, but should arrive at Discovery Cube OC in Santa Ana with a sense of adventure and desire to try a few fresh superheroic deeds.

For "DC Superheroes: Discover Your Superpowers" is opening at the science-cool institution on Saturday, May 25, bringing an "immersive DC environment" to the destination.

Don't worry if you left your cape at home, though; guests are invited to jump into a host of exhibits testing their beyond-extraordinary mettle.

Teamwork will be of paramount importance as "... brave recruits will be called upon by members of the Justice League to make the world a safer place by battling Super-Villains in the fictional, crime-infested city."

A "series of fast-paced challenges" will give the new recruits plenty to try, puzzle out, and solve.

Can you "... work with Wonder Woman to rescue artifacts that The Cheetah stole from the Museum of Ancient History" or assist Batman as he faces down The Joker's latest misdeed?

We're counting on you, new superhero. You can do it.

The creators behind this get-involved exhibition? The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and Warner Bros., the longtime home of the DC comics universe.

Ready to burnish those hero-awesome skills of yours?

Will you show your bravery on behalf of Gotham, of the other recruits-in-training, and, most importantly, yourself? We believe in you, superheroes of Southern California.

Leap whatever tall buildings you must to reach the Discovery Cube OC soon. The price to join the Justice League? General admission will cover it.The weapons, which include munitions and aircraft support maintenance, are meant 'to deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defense capacity,' Pompeo said. (Photo:AP)

Washington: US President Donald Trump's administration on Friday bypassed Congress to sell USD 8.1 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies, citing a threat from Iran, infuriating lawmakers who fear the weapons could kill civilians in Yemen.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration would circumvent the required review by Congress to approve 22 arms transfers to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, saying that the freeze on sales by Congress could affect the Arab allies' operational abilities.

The weapons, which include munitions and aircraft support maintenance, are meant "to deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defense capacity," Pompeo said in a statement.

Also Read: In the midst of Donald Trump's impeachment talk, know how it works

The sale was announced earlier Friday by Senator Robert Menendez, who had used his powers to block shipments of tens of thousands of precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, fearing they would contribute to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where the US allies are mounting an offensive.

"I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump administration has failed once again to prioritize our long-term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia," Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.

He said that the administration failed to meet the legal definition of an emergency as he vowed to work with lawmakers to counter the decision.

"The lives of millions of people depend on it," Menendez said.

Another senior Democrat, Senator Dianne Feinstein, said that the United States needed to rein in rather than give more weapons to Saudi Arabia.

"The Saudi-led war in Yemen is not an emergency, it is a crime against humanity," she said in a statement.

Opposition to the arms sale was not limited to Democrats.

Congressman Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, termed Trump's decision "unfortunate," saying in a statement that the move "will damage certain future congressional interactions."

The sales come after Trump vetoed an attempt by Congress to stop US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, where tens of thousands have died and millions are at risk of starvation in what the United Nations calls the world's biggest humanitarian crisis.

Pompeo has resolutely defended US support for the Saudis, noting that the Huthi rebels who control much of Yemen are allied with US adversary Iran and saying that Huthi rocket attacks into Saudi Arabia could kill Americans taking commercial flights.

Carolyn Miles, president of relief group Save the Children, said that while all sides are at fault, "arms sales to the Saudi/Emirati coalition will increase the suffering of starving children in Yemen."

Trump has waged a major campaign to roll back Iran's influence in the Middle East and also on Friday announced he was deploying 1,500 additional US troops to the region.

But outrage at Saudi Arabia has grown in Congress, even among some of Trump's Republican allies, after the October killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Virginia resident who had written critically of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in The Washington Post.

"My whole view of Saudi Arabia changed with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi," Feinstein said.

Khashoggi was strangled to death and his body dismembered after he visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to complete paperwork for his wedding, according to US and Turkish officials.

"Rather than stand up against those who murdered Jamal Khashoggi and are working against US interests, the Trump administration decided to do an end run around the Congress and possibly the law," Menendez said.

Trump, in a lengthy statement after Khashoggi's death, said he was not concerned over whether Prince Mohammed ordered the killing as Saudi Arabia was a major buyer of US weapons.

Pompeo said he considered the emergency sales to be a one-off and voiced frustration that the United States was no longer being seen as a "reliable security partner for our allies."

But Menendez said that the administration was putting arms sales at risk by bypassing Congress.

"With this move, the president is destroying the productive and decades-long working relationship on arms sales between the Congress and the executive branch," he said.As abortion opponents cheer the passage of fetal heartbeat laws and other bans on the procedure, abortion-rights groups have been waging a quieter battle in courthouses around the country to overturn less direct restrictions passed in recent years.

At least a dozen lawsuits have been filed over the last two years challenging what abortion-rights groups call TRAP laws, Targeted Restrictions on Abortion Providers.

Anti-abortion groups say the laws are needed to protect women's health. Abortion-rights groups say the laws are medically unnecessary regulations designed to drive abortion clinics out of business and make it more difficult for women to end pregnancies.

The first lawsuit to make it to trial is set to begin Monday in U.S. District Court in Richmond.

Women's health groups suing Virginia in the case won a brief victory this month when the presiding judge struck down a law that said only physicians can perform first-trimester abortions. A week later, the judge rescinded his ruling and said he needed more evidence before deciding if the law places an "undue burden" on women seeking abortions.

"We are excited to put this case before the judge," said Jenny Ma, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, a legal advocacy organization.

TRAP laws "have been instrumental in making it very difficult for our clients to run their facilities, and it makes it very difficult for women to access abortion care, both in Virginia and in other states," she said.

The center has filed similar lawsuits challenging abortion restrictions in Arizona, Louisiana and Mississippi.

After the Supreme Court's landmark 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, many states began imposing restrictions on abortion clinics.

Laws focusing on clinic regulation made a comeback in the 1990s and had another resurgence starting in 2011. About one-third of all abortion restrictions passed since Roe v. Wade have been enacted since January 2011, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

On Wednesday, Alabama's Republican governor signed the nation's strictest abortion ban into law, making performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases, punishable by up to life in prison, and with no exceptions for rape and incest.

Hours later, Missouri's Republican-led Senate passed a wide-ranging bill to ban abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy. The bill needs another vote of approval in the GOP-led House before it can go to Republican Gov. Mike Parson, who voiced support for an earlier version.

It includes exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for pregnancies caused by rape or incest. Doctors would face five to 15 years in prison for violating the eight-week cutoff. Women who receive abortions would not be prosecuted.

Four states  Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio and Kentucky  have approved bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur in about the sixth week of pregnancy, before many women realize they are pregnant.

The recent wave of court cases challenging abortion laws has been fueled largely by a 2016 Supreme Court ruling that struck down a Texas law requiring doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. It forced clinics to meet the same standards as ambulatory surgical centers.

The high court held that abortion laws must be based on medical evidence and states cannot adopt restrictions that create an undue burden for women seeking abortions.

Many of the recent lawsuits target physician-only laws, which are on the books in 34 states. The laws prohibit advanced practice clinicians, including nurse practitioners and physician's assistants, from performing first-trimester abortions.

Planned Parenthood is challenging physician-only laws in Virginia, Maine, Wisconsin, Idaho and Arizona.

Other laws being challenged include: a Virginia law that requires women to undergo an ultrasound at least 24 hours before an abortion is performed; a Mississippi law that requires a woman to make two separate trips to a clinic before she can obtain an abortion; a telemedicine ban in Arizona that makes it more difficult for women in remote areas to obtain medication abortions; and a requirement in Louisiana that women seeking abortions undergo a compulsory vaginal exam, regardless of her doctor's recommendation.

Anti-abortion groups say the restrictions are necessary to protect women's health and that eliminating them would make abortions more dangerous.

"It isn't a question of 'targeted.' It's a question of the courts exempting abortion providers for 30 to 40 years. The same regulations that apply to other ambulatory surgical centers should apply to abortion providers to protect women's health and to establish a high standard of care," said Clarke Forsythe, senior counsel for Americans United for Life.

"They insist on exemptions for themselves that make no sense in medicine," he said.

The states that have adopted stringent abortion laws hope that conservative justices who have joined the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold the laws and overturn the landmark 1973 Roe V. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

Abortion-rights groups say that despite the focus on fighting the new hard-line laws, they will also keep challenging restrictions on abortion providers.

Fighting the TRAP laws "is a fundamental piece of the strategy to protect abortion rights," said Elizabeth Nash, a state policy analyst at the Guttmacher Institute.

"At the same time, we will continue the fight against the near-total abortion ban. In a way, that means the resources will be stretched a bit, but we will fully protect abortion rights, and that means continuing all of these challenges."The U.S. ambassador to China urged Beijing to engage in substantive dialogue with exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama during a visit to the Himalayan region over the past week, the U.S. Embassy said Saturday.

Terry Branstad also "expressed concerns regarding the Chinese government's interference in Tibetan Buddhists' freedom to organize and practice their religion," an embassy statement said.

"He encouraged the Chinese government to engage in substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, without preconditions, to seek a settlement that resolves differences," it said.

Branstad also raised long-standing concerns about the lack of consistent access to the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The rare visit to the TAR and neighboring Qinghai province ran from Sunday through Saturday.

Hosted by the Tibet Autonomous Region government, Branstad was given access to important religious and cultural sites, including the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Norbulingka, and Sera Monastery in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa. He also met with senior Tibetan religious and cultural leaders, the embassy said.

China tightly restricts access to Tibet by foreigners, especially journalists and diplomats. In response to those restrictions, the U.S. Congress last year passed an act that would deny entry to the United States for those involved in formulating or enforcing such policies.

There was no immediate response from Beijing, although Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang last week said China welcomed Branstad to witness the "earth-shaking changes in the people's production and life since Tibet's peaceful liberation more than 60 years ago."

"I hope that this visit to Tibet can help Ambassador Branstad make a conclusion without prejudice in the spirit of respecting the facts ... instead of being confused and disturbed by some long-standing hearsay and defamatory speeches," Lu said at a regularly scheduled briefing.

China says Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but many Tibetans say they were effectively an independent nation for most of that time. Beijing's control was most recently asserted when the Communist Party's military wing, the People's Liberation Army, invaded the region in 1950.

The Dalai Lama fled to India amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959 and calls for genuine autonomy for Tibet under Chinese rule. Beijing labels the 83-year-old cleric a dangerous separatist, has refused contacts with his representatives for more than a decade and objects strongly to any meetings between him and foreign politicians.

In recent years there has been a significant tightening of control over Tibetan Buddhism, use of the Tibetan language and traditional cultural expression. Following anti-government protests in 2008, Beijing imposed a policy of "grid policing" that substantially reduces travel and social life for Tibetans, even while China ramps up domestic tourism in the region.

Those methods have been subsequently imposed in the neighboring region of Xinjiang, where an estimated 1 million members of its native Muslim ethnic groups have been confined to detention centers.A Hawaii woman has been found alive in a forest on Maui island after going missing more than two weeks ago.

"The last 17 days of my life have been the toughest days [of my] life, and it's been a really significant spiritual journey that I was guided on," Amanda Eller said in a Facebook video, according to NBC News.

"There were times of total fear and loss and wanting to give up, and it did come down to life and death  and I had to choose," she said. "And I chose life."

Eller was found injured in the Makawao Forest Reserve, the Maui News reported Friday.

"I was crying tears of joy," Eller's mother, Julia, said. "I never gave up hope for a minute. I knew that we would find her."

The physical therapist from the Maui town of Haiku went missing on May 8. Her white Toyota RAV4 was found in the forest parking lot with her phone and wallet inside.

Hundreds of volunteers have searched for her since. Eller's parents had offered a $10,000 reward to encourage people to find her.

Javier Cantellops said he was searching for Eller from a helicopter along with Chris Berquist and Troy Helmers when they spotted her about 3:45 p.m. near the Kailua reservoir, according to Maui Police Department spokesman Lt. Gregg Okamoto and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Cantellops told the newspaper that she was in the bed of a creek with waterfalls on either side.

He told CNN he saw Eller waving her hands at the helicopter.

"It was unbelievable, dude," Cantellops said. "Seeing her for the first time in a long time was just unbelievable. It was nothing short of elation."

Eller was in an area with thick vegetation, he said. "That vegetation is so thick, it's a miracle that we saw her," Cantellops told CNN.

The Maui Fire Department brought Eller to a hospital for evaluation, Okamoto said in a statement.

Her mother told the Maui News that Amanda Eller survived by staying near a water source and eating wild raspberries and strawberry guavas. She even ate a couple of moths, Julia Eller said.

Her daughter tried to catch some crawfish, but she was "not very successful," Julia Eller said.

"She lost quite a bit of weight, as you can imagine, being lost for that amount of time," Julia Eller said. "But she was able to survive it. She had the right skills and did the right things to buy time so that we had a chance to find her."

Amanda Eller suffered a leg fracture, abrasions on her ankles and a severe sunburn, but Julia Eller told the Maui News that her daughter's spirits were good.

"And all of those things are treatable," Julia Eller said.

A photo was posted to a Facebook page tracking the search, showing a smiling Eller with what appeared to be injuries to her face and dirt on her clothing. The photo shows Eller surrounded by Cantellops, Berquist and Helmers.

Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino said he's grateful for the efforts of family, friends, volunteers and first-responders.

"This search and rescue was truly a community collaboration of Maui County first responders, family, friends and community volunteers," Victorino said in a statement. "I extend my deepest appreciation for everyone involved in searching for and locating Amanda. Your work, determination and sacrifice has helped return her to her loving family. God bless them all."How to pronounce Beto O'Rourke's first name  "Is it BET-oh or BAY-toe?"  is debated nearly everywhere the 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful goes in Iowa. But Rich Salas doesn't hesitate.

"BET-oh," the chief diversity officer at Des Moines University says correctly while introducing O'Rourke at a recent gathering of an Asian and Latino political action committee. "What a really great name."

Salas notes that O'Rourke "speaks really good Spanish, better than I do," before leading chants of "Viva Beto!"

It's a rallying cry that may not resonate in Iowa, home to the nation's first presidential nominating contest, but could pay dividends faster than in previous years thanks to a primary calendar that will see the two states with the largest Hispanic populations go to the polls earlier than usual.

Hispanics make up just 6% of the population in Iowa, which holds caucuses Feb. 3, and barely half that percentage in New Hampshire, which goes next. But then comes Nevada, where almost 30% of people are Hispanic. And, just 10 days later this cycle, California and Texas  home to 13-plus million eligible Hispanic voters, nearly half of all such voters nationwide, according to the Pew Research Center  vote on "Super Tuesday."

That means candidates who can win consistent Hispanic support could potentially secure a viable  if narrow  path of survival through the primary's frantic opening weeks, as the 23-candidate field winnows. A total of 4,051 Democratic delegates are up for grabs. Nearly 500 of those will be in California and 260-plus in Texas. Both allocate delegates proportionately, though, meaning even the winners likely have to share their hauls  and potentially providing more lifelines for any candidate who can mobilize Hispanics even if they don't finish first.

"I think it's smart for the candidates to be thinking about how they can become a household name in the Latino community," said Matt Barreto, co-founder of the Hispanic polling firm Latino Decisions. "It will keep them alive, and it will make them a national contender, even if they don't do well in Iowa or New Hampshire."

It's a risky strategy since that means betting on an electorate that's disproportionately young and plagued by low voter turnout  and may still mostly be going to the polls late enough that campaigns working hard to woo it may not last that long. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who was the lone Hispanic in the 2008 presidential race, made a strong showing in Nevada essential to his bid, only to drop out before he got there  following fourth-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire.

U.S. Census survey data shows that general election Hispanic turnout in 2018 climbed 13-plus percentage points from the last midterms in 2014, to 40.4%, but still trailed whites, who reported voting at 55% rates, and blacks, who reported voting at 51.1%. Still, Barreto noted that the overall number of Hispanics who reported voting has risen in recent cycles and that the turnout percentage has been hurt because so many Hispanics are turning 18 and young people of all backgrounds are less likely to vote.

Hispanics, meanwhile, will outpace African Americans to become the electorate's largest nationwide racial minority group for the first time on Election Day 2020  accounting for more than 13% of eligible voters, according to Pew projections. Not all Hispanics are Democrats, but about two-thirds reported voting for the party during last fall's midterms, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of the 2018 national electorate.

"Over the years, there haven't been that many Latino presidential candidates," Julian Castro, former San Antonio mayor and Obama administration housing chief and 2020's only Hispanic presidential candidate, said in a phone interview. "So, there's still this sense of barriers being broken."

Castro has been to Nevada more than any Democratic presidential rival and has announced sweeping plans on issues he says Hispanics most care about, including calls for decriminalizing crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally and universal prekindergarten. O'Rourke, a former congressman, is of Irish decent but speaks fluent Spanish and hails from El Paso, Texas, where more than a quarter of the population are immigrants, most from just across the border in Mexico.

Sen. Kamala Harris has a home-state advantage in California and, during a recent town hall in neighboring Nevada, handed out headsets to attendees who wanted to listen to a Spanish translation  along with signs reading "Kamala Harris for the People" in English and Spanish. She's also named Emmy Ruiz, Hillary Clinton's 2016 state director in Nevada, as a senior adviser, and Julie Chavez Rodriguez, granddaughter of legendary activist Cesar Chavez, is her campaign's co-national political director.

Cristobal Alex, who headed the Latino Victory PAC, is an adviser to former Vice President Joe Biden, while Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign points to polling showing his rising popularity with Hispanics. It's also enlisted Carmen Yulin Cruz, mayor of the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan  known for sparring verbally with President Donald Trump in the wake of Hurricane Maria's 2017 devastation of the island. Then there's New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who invited Yulin Cruz to Trump's State of the Union speech.

Castro went to Puerto Rico immediately after launching his presidential campaign, and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren also visited, while O'Rourke and Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, have talked about going. The island's 64-delegate Democratic primary is March 8, the Sunday after Super Tuesday.

Cristina Tzintzun, executive director of Jolt, a Texas-based group that organizes Hispanics, said candidates won't be able to rely solely on their backgrounds or advisers, saying "I don't believe in honorary Latinos."

"People want diversity," said Tzintzun, a Sanders supporter in the 2016 Democratic primary. "What matters more is who's offering the bold solutions."

Castro has traveled to Nevada six times since December. He has gone to citizenship classes and attended house parties in historically Hispanic communities like east Las Vegas  including one hosted by an immigrant rights activist who is in the country illegally.

"It's likely that my story, the way I grew up, is going to resonate a lot with a lot of Latinos," said Castro, whose grandmother was born in Mexico and whose mother was a noted Latino rights activist. "Because they can see their own story in mine."

O'Rourke is hopeful his background can help him with Hispanics, too.

"I've got to think that, the fact that I live on the U.S.-Mexico border, that a quarter of those with whom I live and represented in Congress were born in another country, that I can tell a pretty powerful, positive story," O'Rourke told reporters after the event in Des Moines.

Of his Spanish, he added, "I'm going to try and reach people in every place and in every language that I possibly can."

Castro speaks some Spanish while campaigning but admits he isn't fluent  and says that's not the key factor.

"There's often this sense that, the only way to measure whether you're connecting with Latinos is if you're fluent in Spanish or not, which is just completely wrong," he said. "It becomes very one-dimensional. And what we've done is we're going after that vote in a much more holistic way."A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump from building key sections of his border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency, delivering what may prove a temporary setback on one of his highest priorities.

U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr.'s order, issued Friday, prevents work from beginning on two of the highest-priority, Pentagon-funded wall projects  one spanning 46 miles in New Mexico and another covering 5 miles in Yuma, Arizona.

On Saturday, Trump pledged to file an expedited appeal of the ruling.

Trump, who is visiting Japan, tweeted: "Another activist Obama appointed judge has just ruled against us on a section of the Southern Wall that is already under construction. This is a ruling against Border Security and in favor of crime, drugs and human trafficking. We are asking for an expedited appeal!"

While Gilliam's order applied only to those first-in-line projects, the judge made clear that he felt the challengers were likely to prevail at trial on their argument that the president was wrongly ignoring Congress' wishes by diverting Defense Department money.

"Congress's 'absolute' control over federal expenditures_even when that control may frustrate the desires of the Executive Branch regarding initiatives it views as important_is not a bug in our constitutional system. It is a feature of that system, and an essential one," he wrote in his 56-page opinion.

It wasn't a total defeat for the administration. Gilliam, an Oakland-based appointee of President Barack Obama, rejected a request by California and 19 other states to prevent the diversion of hundreds of millions of dollars in Treasury asset forfeiture funds to wall construction, in part because he felt they were unlikely to prevail on arguments that the administration skirted environmental impact reviews.

The delay may be temporary. The question for Gilliam was whether to allow construction with Defense and Treasury funds while the lawsuits brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the state attorneys general were being considered. The cases still must be heard on their merits.

"This order is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities," said Dror Ladin, an attorney for the ACLU, which represented the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Friday.

The administration faces several lawsuits over the emergency declaration but only one other seeks to block construction during the legal challenge. A judge in Washington, D.C., on Thursday heard arguments on a challenge brought by the U.S. House of Representatives that says the money shifting violates the constitution. The judge was weighing whether the lawmakers even had the ability to sue the president instead of working through political routes to resolve the bitter dispute.

At stake is billions of dollars that would allow Trump to make progress in a signature campaign promise heading into his campaign for a second term.

Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House that led to a 35-day government shutdown. As a compromise on border and immigration enforcement, Congress set aside $1.375 billion to extend or replace existing barriers in Texas' Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.

Trump grudgingly accepted the money, but then declared the national emergency to siphon money from other government accounts, identifying up to $8.1 billion for wall construction. The funds include $3.6 billion from military construction funds, $2.5 billion from Defense Department counterdrug activities and $600 million from the Treasury Department's asset forfeiture fund.

The Defense Department has already transferred the counterdrug money. Patrick Shanahan, the acting defense secretary, is expected to decide any day whether to transfer the military construction funds.

The president's adversaries say the emergency declaration was an illegal attempt to ignore Congress, which authorized far less wall spending than Trump wanted. The administration said Trump was protecting national security as unprecedented numbers of Central American asylum-seeking families arrive at the U.S. border.

The administration has awarded 11 wall contracts for a combined $2.76 billion  including three in the last two months that draw on Defense Department counterdrug money  and is preparing for a flurry of construction that the president is already celebrating at campaign-style rallies.

The Army Corps of Engineers recently announced several large contacts with Pentagon funding. Last month, SLSCO Ltd. of Galveston, Texas, won a $789 million award to replace 46 miles of barrier in New Mexico  the one that Gilliam blocked on Friday.

Last week, Southwest Valley Constructors of Albuquerque, New Mexico, won a $646 million award to replace 63 miles in the Border Patrol's Tucson, Arizona, sector, which Gilliam did not stop. Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, Montana, won a $141.8 million contract to replace 5 miles in Yuma that Gilliam blocked and 15 miles in El Centro, California, which he did not address.

Gilliam's ruling gives a green light  at least for now  for the administration to tap the Treasury funds, which it has said it plans to use to extend barriers in Rio Grande Valley.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a Democrat and frequent Trump adversary, didn't comment directly on his defeat but congratulated the ACLU and its clients "in securing this critical victory for our states and communities."

Trump inherited barriers covering 654 miles, or about one-third of the border with Mexico. Of the 244 miles in awarded contracts, more than half is with Pentagon money. All but 14 miles awarded so far are to replace existing barriers, not extend coverage.A longtime Utah judge has been suspended without pay for six months after making critical comments online and in court about President Donald Trump, including a post bashing his "inability to govern and political incompetence."

Judge Michael Kwan's posts on Facebook and LinkedIn in 2016-2017 violated the judicial code of conduct and diminished "the reputation of our entire judiciary," wrote Utah State Supreme Court Justice John A. Pearce in an opinion posted Wednesday.

Kwan's Facebook account was private but could have been shared by friends, Pearce wrote.

"Judge Kwan's behavior denigrates his reputation as an impartial, independent, dignified, and courteous jurist who takes no advantage of the office in which he serves," Pearce said.

Kwan has been a justice court judge in the Salt Lake City suburb of Taylorsville since 1998. He deals with misdemeanor cases, violations of ordinances and small claims.

He was first appointed by elected city officials to a six-year term and was retained in the position by voters.

Kwan argued the suspension was inappropriate and an unlawful attempt to regulate his constitutionally protected speech, Pearce wrote in the opinion.

Kwan's attorney, Greg Skordas, said the judge is disappointed with the severity of the suspension but accepted that he would get some reprimand.

Like many people after the 2016 election, Kwan felt strongly about the results and said some things "in haste," Skordas said.

He knows judges are held to a higher standard and must be careful, the lawyer said.

"He certainly regrets making those statements and is committed to not doing anything like that again," Skordas said.

It's unknown what Kwan's political affiliation is because he chooses to keep his voter registration private, an option available to any state voter, said Justin Lee, Utah director of elections.

Skordas said he doesn't know Kwan's political party but noted the judge has been reprimanded previously during his career for comments critical of politicians from both major parties.

Pearce referred to those past reprimands while justifying the severity of the suspension.

Taylorsville city officials agree with the punishment and expect Kwan to return to his position when his suspension ends, city spokeswoman Kim Horiuchi said.

Kwan's online posts about Trump started during the 2016 election.

On Inauguration Day, he posted: "Welcome to governing. Will you dig your heels in and spend the next four years undermining our country's reputation and standing in the world? . . . Will you continue to demonstrate your inability to govern and political incompetence?"

The next month, he posted: "Welcome to the beginning of the fascist takeover. . . We need to be diligent in questioning Congressional Republicans if they are going to be the American Reichstag and refuse to stand up for the Constitution."

The ruling suspending Kwan also cited an interaction in court with a defendant in 2017 in which Kwan criticized Trump after the defendant said he would use his tax refund to pay fines.

"You do realize that we have a new president, and you think we are getting any money back?" Kwan said.

"I hope," the defendant replied.

"You hope?" Kwan said.

"I pray and I cross my fingers," the defendant said.

"OK. Prayer might be the answer cause he just signed an order to start building the wall and he has no money to do that," Kwan said. "But don't worry, there is a tax cut for the wealthy so if you make over $500,000 you're getting a tax cut."

Kwan created a DUI and drug court, which won a governor's award for reducing drug and alcohol abuse and served on the Utah Judicial Council, according to his biography . He is also the president of the Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association, which worked to earn their ancestors proper credit during the recent celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad.

He is not the first judge to come under scrutiny or be reprimanded for political stances. A federal magistrate judge in San Antonio was suspended from leading citizenship swearing-in ceremonies in 2016 after he told new U.S. citizens that they "need to go to another country" if they objected to Donald Trump's presidency.

That same year, a municipal judge in Akron, Ohio, came under fire after she attended a rally for Trump and stood behind him while holding one of his campaign signs.

Associated Press researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed to this report.Here are the 6 things you need to know for Saturday, May 25th.

Weather wise, expect sunny and clear conditions with highs reaching the upper 80s. Some wind will keep those temperatures from feeling too hot.

1. Three Teens Killed By Car While Waiting for Bus to Soccer Tournament

Three teens who were waiting for their bus to a soccer tournament in Weston died Saturday after a vehicle struck them in North Miami, police said.

The teens, who were part of the Little Haiti Soccer Club, were waiting for their bus to the championship game when they were hit by the black SUV, authorities said. The fatal crash happened at 5:22 a.m.

Rescue crews rushed to the scene along NE 125th Street and 13th Avenue where the SUV was found mangled in the middle of the road. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the crash.

2. FHP Trooper Injured in Hit-And-Run Crash

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was injured in a hit-and-run crash on the Turnpike Saturday afternoon.

The crash happened on the southbound Turnpike exit to Hollywood Boulevard, authorities said. The collision, which happened just before 4 p.m., caused traffic delays Saturday afternoon, with authorities closing down the exit following the incident.

3. Teen Killed Outside Hookah Lounge

The search continues for a gunman who shot and killed a teen outside a Southwest Miami-Dade hookah lounge earlier this week. The teen, identified as 17-year-old Gabriela Saldana, was hanging out with friends in the parking lot when they were caught in the middle of a drive-by shooting.

4. Plane Crashes Near the Bahamas

Were waiting to hear if a pilot survived after a small plane heading from Illinois to South Florida crashed east of the Bahamas. The pilot was the only person on board. The U.S. Coast Guard has been called out to assist with the crash.

5. Memorial Day Festivities Underway

Safety will be the main priority this Memorial Day weekend. Hundreds of cops will be out on patrol as thousands of locals and tourists make their way to Miami Beach. Ocean Drive will also turn into a pedestrian only area.

Click here for a list of events being held in honor of Memorial Day.

6. Beef Recall

If youre planning on grilling this weekend, be careful. There is a national beef recall including short ribs, rib-eyes, and briskets. Look out for the USDA mark of inspection. The contaminated products will have an establishment number 788.What to Know Five people have died in an outbreak of Legionnaires disease, a bacteria-triggered form of pneumonia, in New Jersey, authorities say

Health officials say the outbreak appears centered in Union County, though didn't elaborate further; a total of 22 cases have been reported

Legionnaires disease is a type of pneumonia that is caused by Legionella bacteria, which tends to grow in warm water

Five people have died in an outbreak of Legionnaires disease, a bacteria-triggered form of pneumonia, that is connected to a single New Jersey county, health officials said Friday.



As of Thursday, the New Jersey Department of Health said it had confirmed 22 total cases of Legionnaires' in people who live in Union County or have visited it. The people got sick between March 8 and May 13; five of the 22 died.



The state says its health officials are working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the disease cluster. Health officials wouldn't name a city or city in Union County where the cases have been most prevalent as they work to identify the source of the outbreak.



The state sees about 250 to 350 cases of Legionnaires' disease a year.

Legionnaires' disease is contracted by breathing in water droplets contaminated with the Legionella bacterium; those droplets can come from cooling towers, decorative fountains, air conditions and plumbing systems. While Legionella bacteria can be found in many different kinds of water systems, you can't get sick from drinking water, nor can you transmit the disease to another person. Home air conditioning units use a different type of water and are not at risk for Legionella growth, health officials say.

It can take up to two weeks for symptoms to develop. Symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, cough and even diarrhea. The most vulnerable are children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Most cases can be treated with antibiotics. If you develop those symptoms soon after visiting Union County, health officials advise you seek medical attention immediately.

New Jersey health officials say they're conducting epidemiologic and environmental investigations to identify possible sources, as well as recommending some strategies to prevent further transmission.



"This is a continuing investigation. The risk to any resident of, or recent visitor to Union County is very small," New Jersey Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal said in a statement. "Out of an abundance of caution, the Department recommends that individuals who live in Union County who become ill with pneumonia-like/respiratory symptoms, such as fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, and headache visit their healthcare provider."What to Know A missing New York student with autism who was last seen running on the West Side Highway has been found safe, police say

NYPD School Safety tweeted Friday afternoon that it needed the public's help finding 21-year-old Junior Parker

He went missing from Stuyvesant High School

A missing New York student with autism who was last seen running on the West Side Highway has been found safe, police say.

NYPD School Safety tweeted Friday afternoon that it needed the public's help finding 21-year-old Junior Parker. He went missing from Stuyvesant High School in lower Manhattan.

Police on Saturday said Parker had been located. It wasn't immediately clear where police found him.

Parker was last seen on Friday leaving the school at 345 Chambers Street on the West Side just before 9 a.m and running southbound on the nearby West Side Highway, according to police.

A mobile command center had been set up outside Stuvesant High School Friday evening along with at least 10 schools safety vans and cars. A police source told NBC 4 Parker was traced via surveillance video taking the E train in the Oculus. Police lost him after that.

NYC Department of Education deputy press secretary Miranda Barbot said the NYPD immediately responded and was conducting a full search with the department's support. After a student left the building, the door alarm was activated and we are closely monitoring the situation," Barbot said.

Parker normally travels on a yellow school bus, police said. Cops said he was not "travel trained."What to Know LIRR service was suspended on the Montauk Branch each of Patchogue after a train heading to Montauk sideswiped another train

Service east of Patchogue is expected to be suspended all day, according to LIRR

Customers are being advised to use alternate branches or other forms of transportation

Long Island Rail Road service was suspended on the Montauk Branch each of Patchogue early Saturday after a train heading to Montauk sideswiped another train, the agency said.

The disruption limited travel options to the Hamptons at the start of the Memorial Day weekend, often considered the unofficial start of summer.

Limited bus service was offered instead, said MTA spokesman Maxwell Young. The buses were expected to continue Sunday.

The train, which left Penn Station around 1 a.m., sideswiped the other train east of Speonk. Both the Montauk-bound train's engine and the last car of the other train derailed, but no one was injured, according to the agency.

Leaked diesel fuel needed to be cleaned from the tracks before they could be fixed, Young said.

On Sunday, the LIRR said buses were replacing trains in both directions between Patchogue and Hampton Bays. A shuttle is providing service between Hamptons Bay and Montauk, the agency added.

"Customers traveling to the Hamptons/Montauk area may wish to consider alternate branches or alternative means of transportation to avoid transfers," the LIRR tweeted.

The LIRR said it expected service to be restored to the branch on Monday.

The MTA asked Uber, Lyft and taxis to provide extra drivers to the area.

More than 8,600 people took LIRR east of Speonk on Friday, the MTA said. On the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend last year, about 4,000 people took LIRR east of Speonk.The clashes broke out when special forces (FAES) police attempted to rescue some visitors who had been taken hostage. (Representational Image)

Caracas: At least 23 inmates were killed and 14 police wounded in clashes at a jail in western Venezuela on Friday, an NGO that defends prisoner rights said.

The clashes broke out when special forces (FAES) police attempted to rescue some visitors who had been taken hostage Thursday by inmates at the police station jail in Acarigua.

"This morning (authorities) sent the FAES and there was a clash. The detainees had weapons, they shot at the police. Apparently they also exploded two grenades," Carlos Nieto, director of the Una Ventana a la Libertad NGO, told news agency AFP.

Also Read: Maduro proposes early elections for opposition run Congress in Venezuela

An internal police report, quoted by the NGO, said several officers were wounded by shrapnel.

"We can confirm that there are 23 dead detainees and 14 wounded police," said Nieto.

The prisons ministry didn't comment on the incident, saying police station jails aren't under its control.

Violence is a problem in such detention facilities, where inmates are supposed to be held for a maximum of 48 hours, Una Ventana de la Libertad said.

There are around 500 of them in the country, holding 55,000 people even though their total capacity is just 8,000, the NGO added.

Venezuela has one of the worst records for prison violence in the region.

In March 2018, 68 inmates died in a fire at a police jail in the northern city of Valencia.

And in August 2017, a riot at a facility in the southern Amazonas state left 37 prisoners dead.Like many suburban shopping areas, Overland Park, Kansas, has a Whole Foods grocery store and a Cheesecake Factory. Now, it's among the first to have a Sears Home & Life store.

For five decades, from 1967 to 2017, Sears had presence in the booming town, which is also home to Sprint 's headquarters.

But the Sears department store and auto center at 9701 Metcalf Ave. went dark two years ago, to make way for a glitzy mixed-use development. This is the narrative many people associate with Sears these days: store closings and liquidation sales. But a shiny, new Sears Home & Life store is the tale the company wants people talking about as it looks for a fresh start after narrowly escaping liquidation.

Sears on Friday was opening its first such smaller-format stores  selling mainly mattresses, appliances and connected home products  in Overland Park and in Anchorage, Alaska, and in Lafayette, Louisiana. The company hopes these areas will draw new customers and nostalgic ones who shopped at now-shuttered Sears department stores in those neighborhoods and want the once-bankrupted brand back.

Sears is taking lessons from its storied past, with more than 125 years in business as an iconic American retailer, combined with its historic strengths in selling home goods like appliances, in hopes of creating its future. But it will also continue to face headwinds  like tariffs on consumer goods  and trendy, digitally native brands  like furniture retailer Wayfair and mattress-maker Casper  encroaching on its turf.

"We are looking for alternative ways to build our business," Peter Boutros, chief brand officer for Sears and Kmart, said ahead of the Overland Park grand opening. "The brand has so much equity, ... even with what we've been through."

Sears Holdings, which owned Sears and Kmart, filed for bankruptcy protection in October with about 700 stores. A $5.2 billion sale saved the company, including its Kenmore and DieHard brands, and put everything into an entity called Transform Holdco. Transform Holdco is controlled by ESL Investments, a hedge fund owned by former Sears CEO Eddie Lampert , and has about 425 Sears and Kmart locations still operating throughout the country.

Sears Home & Life is the company's next chapter.

"This is an evolution in response to two things in the market," Boutros said. "We are known for our home services, appliances and mattresses. And the second thing is ... customers still want to shop for big-ticket items, lay on a mattress to test it, or talk to a home service expert in a physical store."

The retailer said it designed the Home & Life stores based on feedback gathered from opening a handful of smaller-format stores selling just mattresses and appliances in 2017 in Fort Collins, Colorado, Pharr, Texas, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, and Honolulu. Those four stores are still open and will now be converted to Home & Life-branded locations.

Beyond the three openings Friday, Sears won't say exactly how many Home & Life locations it plans to operate. But it says it's already scouting other real estate across the country. And it seems to have a strategy for where it wants these stores to be.

Young families

"We are looking for emerging communities where young families are building homes," Boutros said. "Also where boomers are downsizing. ... What we have to do with the boomers group is win back their trust, win back their confidence  that they will come back and shop with us for all the things we are known for."

Overland Park, for example, is considered one of the better suburbs to raise a family in the Kansas City area, with highly rated public schools. It was recently rated by neighborhood-review site Niche as the No. 1 city to buy a home in the U.S., ahead of places like Plano, Texas, and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Boutros' team will also consider opening Home & Life shops where there are already full-line Sears stores, if there's ample demand from Sears' customers. But the new Home & Life locations are just a fraction of that size  at roughly 12,500 square feet  and are going to meet consumers where they're spending the most time, likely not in enclosed shopping malls.

"Personally I think an open-air center ... for convenience, driving up ... makes more sense for us," he said. "We are not as encumbered as being inside a mall. There's more flexibility."

The new Home & Life stores offer mattresses from brands like Serta, Sealy and Tempur-Pedic . They also sell small appliances like vacuums, major appliances such as those manufactured under Sears' Kenmore brand and connected home products. Sears has a deal with Amazon in which some Kenmore appliances, like refrigerators, are now Alexa-enabled .

A huge focus of these stores is also service, the company said.

The Home & Life location in Overland Park has a service desk where shoppers can bring questions while they're browsing. It has a "Search Bar," akin to Apple 's Genius Bar, where shoppers can order anything from either Sears' or Kmart's website that's not in the store and get it delivered. It also includes other services like curbside pickup and buy online pick up in store.

To be sure, when compared with other advancements retailers have been making to their bricks-and-mortar stores in recent years, Sears' upgrades within the Home & Life concept might not seem that exciting.

Best Buy's stores selling appliances have similar help-service bars with trained tech representatives, and expanded delivery options. Same with Home Depot and Lowe's. Even big-box chains like Walmart and Target will give Sears' growth strategy a run for its money  they offer many of the same items, like mattresses and appliances.

The mattress category in particular is being flooded with competition from start-up brands like Casper, Purple, Leesa, Tuft & Needle, Eight Sleep and Nectar, which sell directly to consumers, bypassing department stores. Mattress Firm is shutting more than 200 locations , as online mattress sales ballooned more than 60% in 2017. Does Sears Home & Life really stand a chance?

"I'm glad [Lampert] is still trying to find the format that works," said Alan Lacy, former Sears chairman and CEO. "A point of differentiation with Home & Life is it has the Kenmore brand. That does still have some value, so there's something to fight with there."

"But a challenge is going to be the appliance category is something people purchase from rarely," Lacy added. "The principal competitors  Home Depot, Lowe's and Best Buy  all have shoppers in their stores with more frequency." Sears' competitors are more "top of mind" with many consumers in the U.S. today, he said.

Each Home Depot, Lowe's and Best Buy reported same-store sales gains  a closely watched measure of a retailer's health  during their latest fiscal quarters. Investments in their stores and websites are paying off and clearly still driving traffic.

Sears, by contrast, has seen its sales steadily decline. It went 42 quarters with only one three-month period of gains in same-store sales. Its last profitable year was in 2010. In the midst of its bankruptcy proceedings, it lost $318 million during the November-December holiday season, according to SEC filings, though some of that was because of bankruptcy costs.

Lessons from the past

Notably missing from the Sears Home & Life store in Overland Park is apparel, something Sears and Kmart locations have carried for decades. (Clothing and accessories can still be ordered at the store using the Search Bar.)

Boutros said Sears  with Home & Life  really has to "lean into what we are known for," which is its DieHard tool brand, Kenmore washers and dryers, and overall expertise in installing bulky appliances. "We're not trying to create new categories," he said. "We're not trying to create something we're not."

Of course, just because Sears is putting money into its Home & Life concept doesn't mean it will work.

Sears less than a year ago devoted resources toward completely renovating a store at Oakbrook Center in Illinois. It trimmed the size of the store, added more modern fixtures and mixed up the merchandise. But seven months after the renovations were complete, the store shut in April.

Transform Holdco said it opted not to acquire the lease of the Oakbrook store because the location wasn't making money.

Tariffs stemming from the U.S.-China trade war could prove to be another headwind because some of Sears appliances, consumer electronics and other goods are made in China.

There's also still baggage from the bankruptcy. Sears Holdings is suing Lampert, alleging he and other associates stripped the company of valuable assets while Lampert was CEO. Lampert and ESL Investments have denied doing anything wrong.

And there have been plenty of other retailers that have emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, only to fall back on hard times. Payless ShoeSource, RadioShack and Gymoree are just a few examples.

"People are putting Sears down, but I am out in front to change that narrative," Boutros said. "We are going to come out and come back strong. What happens over a period of time ... you get to a stage where you've got to right-size and refocus. Sometimes that is a quantum leap to refocus."

This story first appeared on CNBC.com More from CNBC:

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'Sonic the Hedgehog' Release Date Pushed to 2020What to Know The move further solidifies Barr's position in Trump's eyes as a legal warrior on fighting on his behalf

President Donald Trump has granted Attorney General William Barr new powers to review and potentially release classified information related to the origins of the Russia investigation, a move aimed at accelerating Barr's inquiry into whether U.S. officials improperly surveilled Trump's 2016 campaign.

Trump on Thursday directed the U.S. intelligence community to "quickly and fully cooperate" with Barr's investigation of the origins of the multiyear probe of whether his campaign colluded with Russia.

Former intelligence officials and Democratic lawmakers criticized Trump's move, which marked an escalation in his efforts to "investigate the investigators" as he works to undermine the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe . Trump's announcement came amid mounting Democratic calls to bring impeachment proceedings against him.

Press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Trump is delegating to Barr the "full and complete authority" to declassify documents relating to the probe, which would ease his efforts to review the sensitive intelligence underpinnings of the investigation. Such a move could create fresh tensions within the FBI and other intelligence agencies, which have historically resisted such demands.

Barr has already asked John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to examine the origins of the Russia investigation to determine whether intelligence and surveillance methods used during the probe were lawful and appropriate. Still, Barr has been directly involved, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss it publicly, and is working with CIA Director Gina Haspel, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Trump has frequently claimed his campaign was the victim of "spying," though the intelligence community has insisted it acted lawfully in following leads in the Russia investigation and conducted surveillance under court order.

Wray vocally opposed the release by Congress last year of details from a secret surveillance warrant obtained by the bureau on a former campaign adviser, Carter Page. The White House had eagerly encouraged Republicans on the House intelligence committee to disclose that classified information, believing it could help undermine the Russia investigation.

Wray, though cooperating with Barr in a review of the origins of the Russia probe, would presumably balk at declassifying classified information that could reveal sensitive sources or methods of investigators.

Former intelligence officials and Democratic leaders on congressional intelligence committees criticized Trump's decision.

David Kris, former head of the Justice Department's national security division, said it's "very unusual  unprecedented in my experience  for a non-intelligence officer to be given absolute declassification authority over the intelligence."

John McLaughlin, former deputy director of the CIA who served as acting director in 2004, tweeted: "Giving Barr declassification authority for this investigation is a really bad idea. The agencies can cooperate but must retain their legal responsibility for protecting sources. Congressional intelligence committees need to stand in the door on this one."

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, said lawmakers still don't have the full Mueller report.

"So of course the president gives sweeping declassification powers to an attorney general who has already shown that he has no problem selectively releasing information in order to mislead the American people," Warner tweeted Friday.

California Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House intelligence committee, called Trump's decision "un-American."

"While Trump stonewalls the public from learning the truth about his obstruction of justice, Trump and Barr conspire to weaponize law enforcement and classified information against their political enemies. The cover-up has entered a new and dangerous phase," Schiff tweeted.

Despite Mueller finding no evidence to support criminal charges against Americans related to Russia's actions, his report documented extensive Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 campaign and willingness on the part of some in Trump's orbit to accept that aid.

Thursday's move further solidifies Barr's position in Trump's eyes as a legal warrior on fighting on his behalf.

After Mueller submitted his report to Barr in March, the attorney general released a four-page summary to Congress. Barr's letter framed the debate about the probe over the next few weeks and, White House officials believe, allowed Trump to declare victory before the release of the full report, the contents of which are far more ambiguous.

Trump also appreciated Barr's combative stance with lawmakers and reporters as he defended the Justice Department's handling of the report, and again when he declined to appear before Congress and defied a subpoena, drawing a possible contempt charge. Trump has told close confidants that he "finally" had "my attorney general," according to two Republicans close to the White House who were not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations.

"Today's action will help ensure that all Americans learn the truth about the events that occurred, and the actions that were taken, during the last Presidential election and will restore confidence in our public institutions," Sanders said.

Two of Trump's congressional allies, Reps. Mark Meadows and Jim Jordan, were seen by reporters earlier Thursday at the Justice Department.

___

Associated Press writers Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker, Jonathan Lemire and Deb Riechmann contributed to this report.The director of the agency overseeing legal entry into the United States, including through green cards and asylum, was asked to resign from the agency on Friday, according to a letter sent out to the agency and obtained by NBC News.

L. Francis Cissna has served as President Donald Trumps only director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security. He oversaw the agency during the final iteration of the travel ban, attempts to repeal status for Dreamers and the administrations repeated attempts to limit the ability for undocumented immigrants crossing the southern border from Central America to claim asylum.

Prior to leading USCIS, Cissna served at DHS in the Office of Policy in the Obama administration and worked for Republican Senator Chuck Grassley. According to a source familiar with Cissnas resignation, Trump thanked him for his service and asked him to resign.

Cissna will depart the agency on June 1, according to the letter he sent employees on Friday."As an immigration law and policy professional dedicated to the rule of law like so many of you, I appreciate that this opportunity to serve was a unique experience, he said in the letter.A fourth deadline has come and gone for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide detailed information about a secret surveillance program tied to the Central American caravans that traveled to the U.S-Mexico border.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has provided limited information about the extent of the surveillance effort, and journalists, attorneys and other private citizens on the governments target list are still dealing with the adverse consequences of having alerts placed on their passports and in some cases, being denied entry into Mexico.

Earlier this month, U.S. Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Udall (D-NM), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sent a letter to the DHS Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan, requesting detailed information about the database by May 24. NBC 7 asked those offices if DHS had responded by the deadline but have not heard back.

That letter focused on the creation of database used by border agents to track and store information on 59 individuals -- including journalists, attorneys, and immigration advocates -- who followed a migrant caravan that arrived in Tijuana, Baja California late last year. Most of the targets of that surveillance efforts are U.S. citizens.

This most recent congressional demand for information is the fourth time lawmakers have sought more details about the surveillance program. Senators Blumenthal and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), along with the House Committee on Homeland Security, sent their first request for information on March 7, 2019.

NBC 7 Investigates revealed the existence of that database March 6, after obtaining screenshots of the database and other information from a Homeland Security source. NBC 7 Investigates also obtained a copy of a U.S. government dossier on immigration attorney Nicole Ramos of Al Otro Lado, a legal aid organization that helps migrants, refugees, and deportees in Tijuana.

One of Ramos colleagues, Nora Phillips, was also listed in the database and has been denied entry into Mexico since an alert was placed on her passport.

It was pretty terrifying.

On a foggy Saturday morning, Phillips walked nearly two miles to Friendship Park, a half-acre binational park in the San Diego-Tijuana area. It was the only want she could hold a business meeting with colleagues in Tijuana.

Friendship Park was inaugurated by First Lady Pat Nixon on August 18, 1971, as a symbol of friendship between the U.S. and Mexico. It is still the only location along the San Diego-Tijuana border that citizens from both countries can see each other and talk through a metal bar barrier, without clearing customs in their respective countries. The Park is open weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

alfredofloresphotography.com

Phillips stood on the U.S. side, in Imperial Beach, and spoke to her colleagues, inches away, in Tijuana.

Having a staff meeting through a border fence because you need to see your staff in person is pretty absurd, she said.

Phillips said she first suspected something was wrong in January 2019 when she was detained for hours by Mexican immigration officials at the Guadalajara airport. She said her passport had been flagged, forcing her to return to the United States.

That was one of those traumatic experiences of my entire life and I never want to go through again, she said.When I was detained, the governments of both Mexico and the United States denied they had done anything. But we now have proof of what we knew for a long time, that there's been this escalating amount of harassment of our volunteers.

Phillips and Ramos were not alone. A third Al Otro Lado attorney, Erika Pinheiro, is also listed in the database.

The three attorneys contend that U.S. border agents placed the alerts on their passports to retaliate against and harass human rights defenders who work with asylum seekers and who are critical of CBP practices.

You can't use a passport alert to punish somebody for exercising their First Amendment right to practice their profession, Phillips said. Especially when you're denouncing human rights abuses that are resulting in people dying.

Customs and Border Protection recently disclosed that its internal review of the database and surveillance program had been completed, but offered few details about the inititative.

In a May 9, 2019 letter, Randy Howe, Executive Director of Field Operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said the U.S. had partnered with the Mexican Government to create the database. Howe said the surveillance program is "standard law enforcement practice."

CBP said those named in the database either helped migrants cross the border illegally or participated in violent attacks on agents. The letter said CBP was investigating possible violations of U.S. Code 1324, which prohibits the harboring and/or smuggling of illegal immigrants into the country.

But Nora says she never counsels her clients to break any laws.

I've had clients that have called me and said I'm desperate. I don't know what to do. I'm thinking of crossing over, Phillips said. And I'm like Do not do that. You will die in the desert or I will see you in prison. Do not do that.

Phillips runs a deportee program through Al Otro Lado, with a particular focus on people who have been deported from the country straight out of prison.

It's an incredibly vulnerable population, Phillips said. They need all kinds of services: social services, mental health support, legal services. And those programs are basically dead right now because I cant go [to Mexico.]

Phillips said the alert placed on her passport has made it nearly impossible for her to do the job she's so passionate about.

I feel like I can't do my job. There are so many people that need help.A dangerous hash oil lab discovered by DEA agents in Lemon Grove was the sixth such lab dismantled this month.

The DEA executed a search warrant Thursday at 7648 Lemon Avenue and found finished hash oil worth more than $6.75 million, more than $2 million worth of sophisticated lab equipment, and six 55-gallon drums of ethanol.

There was enough ethanol in the lab to cause extensive fire damage, the DEA said. Lemon Avenue was shut down for around 6 hours while San Diego County Hazmat removed it.

Two men, idnetified as Jared Hoffman and Adam Ledesma, were arrested at the building. The investigation is ongoing.

Hash oil is a THC product extracted from marijuana plants using highly flammable solvents like ethanol or butane.

A multi-million dollar hash oil operation was shut down in Lemon Grove, DEA agents raided a warehouse finding a pretty sophisticated hash oil lab. NBC 7's Jackie Crea has more.

The DEA said flammable solvent containers and odd chemical smells can be signs of hash oil labs operating nearby. Anyone who thinks they are aware of a lab in their neighborhood can call the DEA at (858) 616-4100.

No other information was available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

Multi-Million Dollar Lemon Grove Hash Oil LabA man has been arrested and charged after leading police on a high speed pursuit.

According to New Hampshire State Police, a trooper was monitoring traffic on Route 16 in Dover around 3 a.m. Saturday when he witnessed a vehicle traveling 86 mph in a 55 mph zone.

The trooper then pulled over the 2014 Kia Forte. When the officer approached the vehicle, however, it sped off.

A pursuit began and the Kia continued northbound on Route 16 in Rochester.

The vehicle exited at exit 16, continuing onto Old Dover Road. The trooper ended the pursuit at this point.

Shortly afterward, the driver encountered a dead end near Old Dover Road's intersection with Route 125. The operator immediately exited his vehicle and laid down on the ground to surrender, police said.

The driver, identified as Michael McNamara, 30, of Dover, was taken into custody without incident.

McNamara is charged with aggravated OUI, reckless operation and disobeying an officer.

He is scheduled to appear in the 7th Circuit-District Division- Rochester Court on June 12.

It is unclear if McNamara has an attorney.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Trooper Matthew Bailey at 603-223-8490 or matthew.bailey@dos.nh.gov.Earlier this month, President Maithripala Sirisena also appealed to the international community to lift travel warnings. (Photo:AP)

Colombo: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday appealed to the international community to lift travel warnings issued after the Easter bombings, assuring that the security situation has improved in the country after the crackdown on Islamist groups and their networks.

During a meeting with the diplomatic community, the Prime Minister observed that the lives of the people were returning to normalcy while security arrangements were being implemented to its fullest extent.

Representatives of the country's security apparatus had told the foreign envoys that the law would be enforced to its fullest extent on those who stir up incidents of extremism in the country, the Prime Minister's office said in a statement.

Also Read: DNA test confirms death of Sri Lanka Easter blasts mastermind

Earlier this month, President Maithripala Sirisena also appealed to the international community to lift travel warnings.

Several countries, including India, US, UK and Australia, advised their citizens against non essential travel to Sri Lanka after the terror attacks on three luxury hotels and three churches on April 21 that killed nearly 260 people, including over 40 foreigners.

This dealt a telling blow on the local tourism industry. Booking cancellations caused a 70 per cent slump in arrivals, the industry leaders said.

Tourism accounts for about five per cent of Sri Lanka's economy, with India, Britain and China being the main markets. The country earned about USD 4.4 billion in 2018 from the tourism sector.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority said April recorded 166,975 foreign tourists in the country compared to 180,429 in April 2018, a 7.5 per cent dip in arrival of tourists from abroad.Police in Springfield, Massachusetts say two people were shot in a car Saturday.

According to officials, officers responded to the 0-100 block of Blake Street shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday and located two gunshot victims.

The adult male and female were inside a car in the driveway of a home.

The female has serious injuries, police said.

The incident is under investigation.Maine health officials are receiving more than $2 million to try to improve the state's efforts to prevent cancer.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins and independent Sen. Angus King say the money will support the Maine Center for Disease Control's cancer prevention and control programs. Cancer's the leading cause of death in the state, and the senators say Maine has higher cancer death rates than most of the country.

The money's from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Chronic Diseases Prevention and Health Promotion.

The Maine CDC's programs are designed to conduct cancer surveillance, improve access to screening and improve health outcomes for people with cancer. The senators say the programs also provide evidence for policy and environmental approaches to cancer control, and evaluate those approaches.New Hampshire Congresswoman Annie Kuster and Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick have introduced a bill to create a $25 billion Opioid Epidemic Response Fund to provide resources to support states, cities, towns, and communities fight the drug crisis.

The fund would provide $5 billion annually over five years targeted to numerous activities involving such agencies as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the National Institutes of Health; and the Health Resources & Services Administration.

Kuster said Congress has an important role to play in supporting the efforts of states, cities, towns, and communities that are on the front lines of the opioid epidemic.

Kuster, a Democrat, and Fitzpatrick, a Republican, are co-chairs of the Bipartisan Opioid Task Force.It was late at night and a group of Jewish teenagers were on a walk around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Massachusetts.

Boston College Police Officer Carl Mascioli was on patrol on May 17, the night that the four teens saved a man with an anti-Semitic tattoo in Chestnut Hill.

"As I approached them, two of them ran up to my car," said the patrolman. "There was a body in the water."

Mascioli ran down the embankment and found a man partially submerged and not moving.

"While I was pulling him out of the water, I also observed that he had a swastika on his hand," Mascioli said.

It turned out the man the Jewish boys helped save had a tattoo of the Nazi symbol, and Mascioli told them about it.

"I kind of let the gentlemen know sometimes some deeds have a funny way of turning around," said the officer. "Their good deed had a little bit of a twist to it."

The students, who study at a nearby Yeshiva high school in Brighton, were not permitted to speak with NBC10 Boston about the incident, but they had a message for the officer to share with the man they helped rescue.

"They wanted just to let him know that it was four young Jewish boys that helped save his life," recalled Mascioli, who said the students had no regrets about helping a man with an anti-Semitic tattoo. "A good deed is a good deed and that's part of life. We should be helping everybody out."

It's unknown how the man ended up in the water. But police say he didn't have much time left, and if it hadn't been for the teenagers, the patrolman likely wouldn't have seen him.

The man is expected to recover.Authorities announced Saturday that a man has been identified for vandalizing the Dorchester Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Boston.

The suspect, a 33-year-old man from Dorchester, was interviewed by police regarding the incident.

Following the interview, the man was sent to a Boston hospital for a mental health evaluation and treatment, police said.

His name is not being released at this time.

The man will be charged with malicious destruction of property over $250 and tagging. He will face the charges once he is released from the hospital.

"We are relieved to know that this incident has been resolved and thank both the State Police and our own UMass Boston officers for their efforts in this investigation," University of Massachusetts Boston Interim Chancellor Katherine Newman said in a statement Saturday. "As Memorial Day approaches, and we gather to remember the sacrifices of veterans and their families, I hope this will restore some peace of mind."

According to police, the man is the subject of a prior default warrant out of the Dorchester District Court for a previous larceny of an American flag and Massachusetts state flag from the UMass Boston campus. The warrants stem from a separate, previous incident.

The vandalism, which occurred on Thursday, was the second such incident in the past year.

Massachusetts State Police said shrubs and flowers were torn out of the ground and numerous flags were ripped down and thrown into a wooded area. Hate-related graffitiincluding a swastika was also written on the stone memorial, which sits on property owned by UMass Boston.

Authorities said the vandalism took place sometime Thursday afternoon. They reviewed surveillance video as part of their investigation.

"It's absolutely disgusting. It's demoralizing. I don't understand," said Dorchester resident Thomas Cunningham. "Both of my brothers served in Vietnam. One of them came back disabled, one of them came back in a box, and my family had come here ever since this was dedicated."

The memorial's president says he was at the site around noon. About an hour later, the vandalism happened.

"They just happened to come right after my wife and I put the flags out and decided to do the damage," said Joe Zinck. "They were here for a while."

In October, landscaping around the memorial was damaged extensively. An American flag was cut and a Massachusetts flag was taken off the flagpole and found nearby with trash dumped on top. Bricks were also thrown at the memorial which left marks on the stone.

Newman released a statement Thursday saying cameras were recently installed and that the University was committing $15,000 toward the full restoration of the memorial.

"I am horrified at this callous act of vandalism, and saddened for those veterans who are listed on the monument and their families who are still here with us. We recently installed a camera at the site after a previous vandalism incident," Newman said. "We're reviewing the footage and will help the investigation in any way we can."

"I couldn't tell you who does this," said Dorchester resident Steve Regan. "Obviously someone who hasn't suffered the loss that a lot of families have suffered."

"Somebody has no respect," said Zinck. "Somebody with very little respect for anything."The Rhode Island State Police announced that two New York residents were arrested after troopers seized 94 pounds of a substance believed to be marijuana from their car during a traffic stop on Saturday.

The men were stopped around 11:15 a.m. off I-95 North near Weaver Hill Road and West Greenwich for an alleged seat belt violation. The officers discovered 94 pounds of suspected marijuana inside one-pound vacuum-sealed bags in the trunk of the car. They also took $6,165 in cash and a set of nunchucks.

The two men were identified as Junjie Li, 28, of Brooklyn and Zhong Ming Kuang, 49, of Staten Island. Both men were charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and possession of more than five kilograms of marijuana.

Li was charged with possession of a weapon other than a firearm prohibited and was issued a citation for no seat belt use by the front-seat passenger.

They are held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions pending formal arraignment in the Third Division District Court on Tuesday.Police in Oxford, Massachusetts responded to a shooting near the Oxford Public Library on Saturday afternoon.

An emergency call came in for a reported fight in the center of town with shots fired. The original altercation took place in front of St. Rocks Rectory.

Police located a juvenile 15-year-old male near the town library. The victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.

A 17-year-old suspect was arrested after fleeing the scene. Several hours later, police located the alleged weapon used in the crime. According to police, they believe the suspect dumped the gun. He will be charged with attempted murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Additional charges are expected to be filed.

Police are interviewing several witnesses that saw the crime and investigating the possible motive.

Both the victim and the suspect knew each other. Massachusetts State Police are assisting with the investigation.

There are no further details at this time.

YMCA set to open new 2m community hub in Norwich YMCA set to open new 2m community hub in Norwich

YMCA Norfolk is set to launch a 2m refurbished community hub based at Jubilee Hall on Aylsham Road in Norwich.

The newly refurbished centre will be open to the whole community to enjoy and will offer a range of services with a particular focus on families, including a day care nursery, cafe and soft play centre for 0-11 year olds.



The development will also see the YMCA move their offices to the site as part of a long-term commitment to the area. As a local charity, YMCA Norfolk says it will be investing money made from providing these services back into local community provision to reduce dependence on public funding that is becoming ever more scarce.



Tim Sweeting, YMCA Norfolk chief executive, said: We are really excited to be announcing our plans to invest 2m in the future of this part of Norwich. This high-quality development offers a range of services that will enable us to bring local people together and develop more opportunities for them to fulfil their potential.



As an organisation founded in Norfolk in 1856, we are committed to strengthening communities over the long-term and believe that the provision of education, employment, positive activities and leisure space will really make a difference.



The refurbishment cost is estimated at 2m. The Lind Trust have kindly donated the building and 500k towards the cost of the refurbishment work.





Norfolk County Council has awarded 200k to the project, in recognition of the huge community benefit that will be sustained over the many years of its operation. The funding was agreed in February 2018, as part of the councils capital programme.



The YMCA will be undertaking a fundraising campaign to raise 800,000 towards the remaining costs.



Cllr John Fisher, Cabinet Member for Childrens Services at Norfolk County Council said: This investment will support the YMCA to bring this centre back into community use, providing nursery places and activities that families can enjoy together.



It will also complement our new Early Childhood and Family Service, which aims to bring services for families with young children out into local community buildings.



Were making a capital grant available as part of that service, so we hope to be able to support the development of more small community led projects for families.



Lord Dannatt, President of YMCA Norfolk said: I am delighted that the YMCA has seized this opportunity to invest in the lives of people in the Aylsham Road area. With the support of the Lind Trust, Norfolk County Council and trusts, foundations and generous individuals I am sure we will be able to raise all the necessary money to complete this project next year. I much look forward to the re-opening in 2020.



The Jubilee Centre was purchased in 2015 by the Lind Trust. It had previously been owned by the Royal British Legion. It has since sat dormant and has been targeted by thieves who have stolen lead from the roof and internal fittings and fixtures while vandals have forced their way into the empty property and caused further damage. The YMCA took responsibility for the building in November 2017 and have been working hard to develop a robust business plan that will see sustained delivery of local community services for many years to come.



Pictured above are architect's drawings of the new-look centre and its cafe.

RIDLEY TOWNSHIP-If anyone recognizes the vandal captured on video defacing Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Church with pro-choice graffiti early Sunday, theyve yet to speak up to authorities.

Not even a $500 reward posted by a parish family is loosening lips.

The image of a lone, elusive suspect was captured at 3:17 a.m. Sunday, crouching down at the front of the church in the 900 block of North Fairview Road, with an apparent can of spray paint in their hand.

Parishioners discovered the following message painted on the three glass front doors of the church: You do not have the right to decide what people can do, #ProChoice. Spray painted on the side brick wall of the church were the words, # ProChoice.

Police obtained the video from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on Monday and immediately shared it on the police departments social media platforms.

Its been on Facebook  Crime Watch, the TV news and the front page of the Daily Times, and not one call, township police Capt. Scott Willoughby said Wednesday afternoon. Not even the typical, I think it could be so-and-so call.

As the investigation led by township police Lt. William Henderson continues, Willoughby said they are second guessing an original description of the suspect as male.

The video is not that great in general. Its black and white. And to be 100 percent honest, we dont know if its a male or female, he said. And the way the person is crouching down, it just doesnt strike me as something a male would do.

Its among a number of working theories, according to Willoughby.

It was hours after the incident that a man arrived at Our Lady of Peace rectory and alerted the pastor, the Rev. Joseph Devlin, to the vandalism. Devlin, in turn, notified police.

Deacon James Basilio, who served at Notre Dame before that parish merged with Our Lady of Peace parish several years ago, continues as a deacon at OLP. He told the Daily Times on Monday that it is sad to see someone take out their anger in the way they did by vandalizing Notre Dame.

The gospel of St. John says we have to love one another, Basilio said. Youve got to pray for them.

The vandalism comes as battles on both sides of the abortion issue rage across the country.

Last week, Alabamas Republican governor approved the most stringent abortion law in the nation  making performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases unless necessary for the mothers health. There is no exception for incidents of rape and incest.

Alabama is part of a wave of conservative states seeking to mount new challenges to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Governors in Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia have approved bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can happen as early as the sixth week of pregnancy.

A similar heartbeat abortion ban is also proposed in Louisiana.

In Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said in a video posted on Twitter that he was appalled by legislation in Alabama, Georgia, and even here in Pennsylvania that limits a womans right to choose.

Ill veto any anti-choice bill that lands on my desk. I wont let our commonwealth go backward on reproductive rights, Wolf wrote.

Michael Kusner is a long-time Notre Dame parishioner and was at Sundays 10 a.m. Mass and saw the vandalism.

Its a shame. Everyone has their own opinion and their own voice. But to do something so destructive  there are other ways to protest, he said.

Joseph and Maureen Hackett, also longtime Notre Dame church members, are offering a $500 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the vandal. While they are both longtime law enforcement officers, the couples gesture is personally motivated.

Joseph Hackett announced the reward on Twitter:

To the #spineless #ProChoice spray painters, we will pray for youin the meantime my #family will give $500 #cash for the #arrest AND #conviction of the #Doer!

Anyone with information is asked to contact Ridley Township detectives at 610-532-4002.FAIRFIELD  Police are looking for a man who berated customers in a convenience store in April.

On April 24, around 5 p.m. the suspect police described as a white, 6-foot tall male with a husky build wearing blue jeans and a grey shirt, allegedly got into a loud alternation with another customer in the checkout line at the News Express on 200 Tunxis Hill Road.BRIDGEPORT  A civil suit against a Westport business man, involved in a decades-long sex trafficking operation in the state, has been withdrawn.

The lawyers for several men who claimed to have been victimized by 74-year-old William Trefzger and millionaire business man Bruce Bemer, agreed to drop the suit against Trefzger as the case was about to go to trial Friday in state Superior Court in Bridgeport.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 25)  Tons of Canadian garbage illegally dumped into the Philippines more than half a decade ago are a step closer to being shipped out.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro "Teddy Boy" Locsin, Jr. on Saturday said 20 trash-filled containers are now ready for repatriation after being fumigated.

He said on Twitter where he also shared photos of the process, "40 garbage containers plus to go."

"Fumigating containerized garbage before loading on ship ASAP (as soon as possible) as ordered by Canada," he said in another tweet.

Locsin said it might be stopped by a joint military operation with the U.S. this weekend, but appealed to the United States Embassy and the Department of National Defense to allow it to continue.

"Now joint US-Philippine ops will shut down Subic and stop fumigation. Hey! Fumigators are not getting in your way. Appealing to both to let fumigation continue," the country's top diplomat added.

Malacanang recently expressed exasperation over the continued delay of the repatriation, noting that President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered concerned government agencies to find a contractor and send the garbage back to Canada at the Philippines' expense.

The 69 container vans of trash have been languishing in Philippine ports since 2013. These are what remained of the 2,500 tons of wastes brought to the Philippines in several batches from 2013 to 2014 by Canadian-based firm Chronic Plastics, Inc. The other 34 trash-filled vans have been disposed.

The Canadian government on Thursday said the shipment would be completed by the end of June, and insisted that it would cover all the costs from preparation to disposal. The garbage has marred the relationship between the Philippines and Canada, as Duterte threatened to go to war and cut ties with the North American country if it fails to take its trash immediately.Four years ago academics, emergency responders and industry partners from across Europe came together with a common goal - to create new technologies and systems that would save lives during a chemical, biological, radioactive or nuclear (CBRN) incident.

On Wednesday (22 May 2019) the true capabilities of these life-saving technologies, developed as part of the Loughborough University-led TOXI-Triage project, were demonstrated at a mass casualty field trial in Finland.

During the project's Exercise DISPERSE the emergency services of Mikkeli, Finland, diagnosed and decontaminated more than 100 people affected by a simulated chlorine gas escape using the ground-breaking TOXI-Triage devices and systems.

The field trial was the largest ever undertaken by the project team and took years of planning. Technologies and systems put to the test during the three-hour exercise included:

Drones containing radiological and poison cloud monitoring instrumentation to collect data directly from the incident 'hot zone'

A Tag and Trace system for casualties that provides real-time data on their status and location to aid the management of decontamination activity

BreathSpec - a new system to rapidly determine the level of casualty exposure to poisons by analyzing the skin, salvia and breath

TOXI-Motive - a way to utilize social media to track a crisis situation as it develops, aiding the deployment of the emergency services and tackling the spread of fake news

An integrator system that pulls together all the data from the diagnostic technologies to give command control the most comprehensive information on an incident and its casualties in real-time

Speaking about the field trial Loughborough University's Professor Paul Thomas, who is leading the TOXI-Triage project, said:

Exercise DISPERSE has demonstrated just what is achievable when the expertise of academics, emergency services and industry leaders from across Europe come together with a common goal. Four years ago we set out on a journey to ultimately save lives. What we have shown through this exercise is that we now have technologies capable of achieving this goal. We can rapidly assess a CBRN incident hot zone via deployable sensors; track in real time casualties and their status; instantly diagnose if a casualty has been contaminated via an onsite breath test; assess the skin of casualties to ensure they have been successfully decontaminated; use social media to aid and react to an emergency response; and vitally pull all this information together via an integrator to give emergency commanders the most comprehensive information of what is occurring during an incident. I am beyond proud of what the team has collectively achieved and demonstrated here in Finland. Our ambition for these technologies to be taken to the next level of development, and ultimately become standard practice for an emergency response, is stronger than ever."

TOXI-Triage is funded by the European Commission. The project consists of 18 teams spanning the emergency and health services, defense, industry, and university academics.The human opioid system contributes to the regulation of emotions, pleasure and pain. Opioids are strong analgesics. In addition to effectively relieving pain, external opioids may improve mood and reduce negative emotions. However, not much has been known about the effect of opioids on emotional responses caused by external stimuli.

Together with their colleagues from Aalto University and the University of Turku, researchers from the University of Helsinki and the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa have examined the effects of remifentanil, an opioid, and naloxone, an opioid agonist, on emotional responses evoked by pleasant and unpleasant film clips.

31 healthy adult men aged 20 to 35 years completed a set of subjective emotional rating questionnaires and then received intravenous remifentanil, placebo and naloxone. The subjects were blinded to the sequence of the infusions. During each infusion, participants saw ten film clips and rated their experience of pleasure and emotional arousal.

Remifentanil significantly increased the experience of pleasure caused by the film clips, but not feelings of emotional arousal. This shift was seen across stimuli that were both unpleasant and pleasant." Tarja Heiskanen, MD, a specialist in anesthesiology at the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa

Naloxone shifted ratings of emotional experiences towards neutral, but the effect did not significantly differ from placebo.

"It appears that short-term opioid use increases the positivity of emotional experiences by intensifying feelings of pleasure and weakening negative emotional experiences. This may be among the reasons resulting in the onset of dependence after the first instances of opioid use," Heiskanen notes.

"All in all, our findings indicate that emotional responses to external stimuli are mediated by the endogenous opioid system."

The researchers emphasize that the effect of opioids on emotional responses and mood changes is different when opioids are used for longer periods.

"Prolonged opioid use alters the reward system of the brain, diminishing its sensitivity. Consequently, emotional reactivity is blunted and the risk of depression increased."

Source:

University of Helsinki

Journal reference:

Heiskanen, T. et al. (2019) The opioid agonist remifentanil increases subjective pleasure. British Journal of Anaesthesia. doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2019.03.031.Until now, researchers have assumed that the growth of solid tumors originates from cancer stem cells characterized by specific surface markers, which develop in a fixed, hierarchical order. Accordingly, such cancer stem cells are responsible for tumor progression and produce specific types of more differentiated cancer cells whose fates are predetermined. In a joint interdisciplinary project led by the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), researchers now show that cancer cells of glioblastomas - conspicuously aggressive solid brain tumors - manifest developmental plasticity and their phenotypic characteristics are less constrained than believed. Cancer stem cells, including their progeny, are able to adapt to environmental conditions and undergo reversible transformations into various cell types, thereby altering their surface structures. The results imply that novel therapeutic approaches, which target specific surface structures of cancer stem cells, will be of limited utility. The research team has published its findings in Nature Communications in April 2019.

Glioblastomas are the most common malignant brain tumors. Because of their rapid growth, the prognosis for those affected is usually dismal. Many patients hold out hopes for novel therapeutic approaches, which utilize drug-bound antibodies directed against specific markers present on the surface of a subpopulation of immature glioblastoma cells. These antibody-drug conjugates bind to the surface, are then internalized and kill the cancer stem cells.

Remarkable Cell State Transitions

However, results now published in the journal Nature Communications suggest that this approach may be misdirected: 'We exposed cancer cells in the laboratory to certain stressors, such as drug treatment or oxygen deficiency', explains Dr. Anna Golebiewska, Junior Principal Investigator at the NORLUX Neuro-Oncology Laboratory in LIH's Department of Oncology and co-first author of the study. 'We were able to show that glioblastoma cells react flexibly to such stress factors and simply transform themselves at any time into cell types with a different set of surface markers.' This plasticity allows the cells to adapt to their microenvironment and reach a favorable environment-specific heterogeneity that enables them to sustain and grow, and mostly likely to escape also therapeutic attacks.

The team of scientists from Luxembourg, Norway and Germany, led by Prof. Simone P. Niclou at LIH, proposes that neoplastic cells of other tumor types may be also less constrained by defined hierarchical principles, but rather can adapt their characteristics to the prevailing environmental conditions. 'The same phenomenon has been observed in breast and skin cancer', says Dr. Golebiewska. 'This observation predicts that cancer therapies specifically directed against cancer stem cell markers may not be successful in patients.'

The new findings could help to optimize future standard treatments. In laboratory experiments, the researchers were able to show that environmental factors, such as lack of oxygen in combination with signals from the tumor microenvironment can induce cancer cells to modify their characteristics. This microenvironment, the immediate surrounding of the cancer, comprises cells and molecules that influence the growth of the tumor. 'Once we understand exactly what causes the plasticity of tumor cells, we can devise combination therapies which target the signals underlying plasticity and thereby improve the therapeutic impact', underlines Dr. Golebiewska.

Source:

Luxembourg Institute of Health

Journal reference:

Dirkse, A. et al. (2019) Stem cell-associated heterogeneity in Glioblastoma results from intrinsic tumor plasticity shaped by the microenvironment. Nature Communications. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09853-z.Bacteria have fascinating properties. They adapt excellently to their respective environment, and they existed long before humans. Their toughness has led to the fact that bacteria have successfully spread all over the world for three billion years - even in places where humans could not survive, for example in the hottest springs and in the coldest places on earth. However, they were only discovered a few hundred years ago. Since that time, research has been examining these tiny creatures more and more closely.

Biotechnology engineer Dr. Ana Rita Brochado has also taken a liking to microbes. She has been setting up an Emmy Noether Junior Research Group at the Biocenter of Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg (JMU) in Bavaria, Germany, since early 2019. Her topic: "Systems Biology of Antibiotics in Gram-negatives."

Dr. Brochado is funded by the JMU Biocenter Nachwuchsprogramm, by the ZINF Young Investigator program and by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The Emmy Noether Programme by DFG offers outstanding young researchers the opportunity to lead junior research groups on their own responsibility and thus qualify for a professorship. The DFG will provide Brochado with up to 1,82 million euros for her group.

Gram-Negative Bacteria at a Glance

Dr. Brochado is interested in bacterial pathogens. "Bacteria are very small but extremely tough creatures. They use complex mechanisms to cope with their environmental conditions," said the researcher. This can lead to problems if they infect humans.

Mutations can quickly make bacteria resistant to antibiotics that will no longer work. The weapons with which medicine fights bacterial infections quickly become dull. New strategies are permanently in demand." Biotechnology Engineer Dr. Ana Rita Brochado

Her research focuses particularly on gram-negative bacteria. These are infectious agents which are particularly difficult to treat, due to the complex structure of their cellular envelope: in addition to the cell wall, they have an external biomembrane that makes them very resistant to external compounds, such as antibiotics.

Reviving Old Antibiotics with Vanilla Against Pathogens

Ana Rita Brochado and her group are investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying antibiotic activity using a systems biology approach. "It is not the case that bacteria simply die when they come into contact with an antibiotic," she explains, "in this process numerous mechanisms are set in motion. We will use different compounds alone and in combination to better understand the complexity of the bacterial response to these compounds."

Among other things, the scientist showed that different bacteria react in a very specific manner to antibiotic combinations, and also that food compounds can be used to enhance the activity of antibiotics against resistant bacteria. For instance, particular clinical isolates of Escherichia coli which are resistant to the antibiotic spectinomycin could be successfully combated by combining the antibiotic with the aroma substance vanillin (Brochado et al., Nature, 2018). Vanillin is the major component of vanilla flavor.

Career of the Junior Research Group Leader

Ana Rita Brochado has completed several research stations in Europe. She obtained her Master's degree in Biotechnology Engineering in her native Portugal at the Instituto Superior Tecnico in Lisbon. She received her PhD from the Technical University of Denmark in Lyngby in 2012 with a thesis modelling of yeast metabolism.

She then moved to Germany, where she did postdoctoral research at the group of Dr. Athanasios Typas at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg until the end of 2018. During her postdoc, she became interested in antibiotic action and developed high-throughput approaches to study antibiotic combinations in bacteria.

Ana Rita Brochado moved from EMBL to JMU Wurzburg at the beginning of 2019. Here she is setting up her Emmy Noether Junior Research Group at the Chair of Microbiology at the Biocenter. She does not only want to cooperate with Professor Thomas Rudel, who holds the chair, but also with other groups: "I am particularly interested in quantitative biology and biology of infection. Thanks to its well-connected research landscape, JMU offers me the best conditions to carry out combined basic research in these fields."

But that's not all. "Of course, we want to make our findings useful for patient care," said Brochado. "To do this, many research teams have to work together to successfully transfer research results from the laboratory into clinical studies. I see excellent opportunities for this in Wurzburg."

Long Research Tradition in Wurzburg

She is not alone with this assessment. Wurzburg has a long and successful tradition in the research of bacteria. As early as 1880, the physician Theodor Escherich discovered a bacterium in the human intestine in Wurzburg that was named after him - Escherichia coli.

Even today, Wurzburg is an outstanding supra-regional location for bacterial research. Founded in 1993, the ZINF Research Center for Infectious Diseases of JMU - which Ana Rita Brochado is also a member as a Young Investigator - is the oldest university institution in Germany dedicated to the interdisciplinary and cross-faculty research of infectious diseases. The Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, founded in 2017, is also of particular importance. The subsidiary institute of the Braunschweig Helmholtz Centre - Germany's largest institution for infection research - works and conducts research within the framework of a strategic partnership with the JMU.Giving human milk to premature babies is recommended by the WHO for at least six months in order to provide, as well as nutrients, key antimicrobial substances for these babies, who are born with low weight or can be immunosuppressed.

In premature babies, it is administered through a nasogastric tube. These newborns are a group at risk of being infected by pathogens such as Cronobacter sakazakii. Researchers of the CEU Cardenal Herrera University have studied the optimum conditions to administer human milk through nasogastric tubes to premature babies in newborn nurseries in order to decrease the risk of infection by this bacterium, recommending that it is not administered for more than three and a half hours. Their work has been recognized by the Association for the Promotion and scientific and cultural Research on Breastfeeding (APILAM), as the best of 173 pieces of research submitted to the tenth edition of the Spanish Breastfeeding Congress held in Santiago de Compostela.

The study has been carried out by the directors of the Resarch Group of Human Nutrition and Food Safety of the CEU UCH, Dolores Silvestre Castello and Mari Carmen Lopez Mendoza, as well as research professor Sandra Fernandez Pastor, who presented the study at the Congress. As the latter explains, "the Cronobacter sakazakii bacterium is a pathogen linked to outbreaks of infection caused by consuming powdered formulas for infants which causes meningitis, sepsis and necrotizing enteritis. Mortality rates of 40 to 80% have been registered, and the survivors typically suffer from severe neurological effects. The contamination of human milk by this same bacterium has recently been documented, which is why we decided to analyze for the first time the optimum conditions for administering this donated milk to premature infants in neonatology units, in order to decrease the risk of infection."

To do so, the research team of the UCH CEU inoculated this microorganism into samples of human milk kept in nasogastric tube administration conditions: 22C of temperature and for 4 hours. The samples were then placed on APC agar plates every 30 minutes, and then all the plates were incubated in order to finally recount and observe the behavior of the microorganism during these 4 hours in 30-minute intervals.Thumbs up, appropriately enough on Memorial Day weekend, to the E.C. Glass High School Air Force JROTC program on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.

The program began in 1968 and is one of 900 units, according to Lt. Col. Les Pratt, program instructor. The only other programs in Central Virginia are the U.S. Armys JROTC program serving the three Bedford County public high schools and the U.S. Marine Corps JROTC program at Heritage High School in Lynchburg.

The oldest by far, though, is Glass Air Force program. Its just really special to be a part of something thats endured for so long and has such a legacy of excellence of helping young men and women succeed, Pratt told The News & Advance earlier this week.

The program, Pratt said, is run for cadets, by the cadets and helps instill in the students the life skills theyll need for success in the future, whether its in a vocation, college or a career in the military.

This year, 10 out of a total of 88 cadets are graduating. Because the Air Force requires an enrollment of a tenth of the school population or 100 students, whichever is less, Pratt is hoping to recruit at least 12 students to join.

Lets carry on this Glass tradition another half-century, folks!

* * *

Thumbs up to Stephanie Ayers, Central Virginias newest Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court judge.

Ayers formerly served as deputy commonwealths attorney in Bedford County. The General Assembly approved her nomination to the J&D bench, and she was sworn in on May 22 during a ceremony with family, friends and colleagues in attendance.

Shell begin hearing cases July 1 as she presides in Bedford County and Lynchburg.

Ayers, whos a native of Bedford County, graduated from Staunton River High School in 1993 and went to college at the University of Virginia. While interning at the Bedford Circuit Court Clerks Office, she realized a career in law was calling her. She worked in private practice for three years and became a member of the commonwealths office in 2003.

Congratulations, Judge Ayers, on this major career accomplishment.The MCU future of the Kingpin may be a mystery, but Marvel Comics has an answer

Marvel Comics has already provided the perfect way for Kingpin to keep going in the MCU(Newser)  A federal judge blocked President Trump this week from building sections of his long-sought border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency. US District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr. on Friday immediately halted the administration's efforts to redirect military-designated funds for wall construction, per the AP. His order applies to two high-priority projects to replace 51 miles of fence in two areas on the Mexican border. Gilliam issued the ruling after hearing arguments last week in two cases. California and 19 other states brought one lawsuit; the Sierra Club and a coalition of communities along the border brought the other. His ruling was the first of several lawsuits against Trump's controversial decision to bypass the normal appropriations process to pay for his long-sought wall.

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Gilliam, an appointee of President Obama, said the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on arguments that the president was wrongly ignoring Congress' wishes. "Congress's 'absolute' control over federal expenditureeven when that control may frustrate the desires of the executive branch regarding initiatives it views as importantis not a bug in our constitutional system. It is a feature of that system, and an essential one," he wrote in his 56-page opinion. The administration said Trump was protecting national security as unprecedented numbers of Central American asylum-seeking families arrive at the US border. Last week, Southwest Valley Constructors of Albuquerque, NM, won a $646 million award to replace 63 miles in the Border Patrol's Tucson, Ariz., sector. Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, Montana, won a $141.8 million contract to replace 5 miles in Yuma, and 15 miles in El Centro, Calif. (Read more President Trump stories.)(Newser)  Don't confuse the original Noah's Ark with the Ark Encounteronly the latter is suing its insurers over rain damage, CNN reports. The Kentucky attraction, which boasts a $120 million replica of the biblical ark, was affected when heavy rainfall in 2017 and 2018 caused a landslide on the property and hampered access to the ark. "You got to get to the boat to be on the boat," spokeswoman Melany Ethridge tells the Courier-Journal. But five insurance carriers are refusing to pay almost $1 million for a new retaining wall and other repairs designed to ease access to the boat, per the Washington Post. Insurers say their policy excludes payments for faulty workmanship or design deficiencies.

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Then there's the possible issue of fake news. "Contrary to some reporting, the damage to certain areas of the Ark Encounter themed attraction was not caused by a 'flood,'" says Ethridge. "The ark was built on bedrock and was never in jeopardy." The 510-foot-long wooden arkwhich Fox News calls "life-size"is part of an attraction that generated controversy when it opened in 2016. The ACLU and other groups sued over their hiring practices; employees have to sign a document rejecting evolution and declaring homosexuality a sin. The site was built by the ministry Answers in Genesis, whose leader, Ken Ham, calls the Bible is an accurate historical narrative and says humans lived alongside dinosaurs. (Read more Ark Encounter stories.)(Newser)  Shannon Spalding says she was faced with a grueling task: taking down a fellow cop who had once trained her. But after becoming an undercover Chicago narcotics officer in 2006, she saw the damage being done. "People would say  'I can't believe you're going to arrest me when one of your own is actually running the narcotics trade,'" says Spalding on Friday's episode of Whistleblower, per CBS News. "Even the good citizens that live there, that are law-abiding citizens, they're subjected to this. We heard  he would put anything from a couple bags to enough to put you away for 10, 15, 20 years." The culprit was veteran cop Ronald Watts, who was also accused of planting hard drugs on casual drug-users as a way of punishing them.

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Spalding and her partner went to the FBI and spent years investigating Watts and his team. In 2012, Watts and one of his men were arrested for robbing a drug courier who was actually Spalding's informant, wearing an FBI wirebut that's when things got scarier for Spalding, who found her car tires sliced just enough to blow, per the Chicago Tribune. "Someone was trying to kill me," she says. She and her partner also filed a federal lawsuit, later settled for $2 million, claiming that their supervisors had blackballed them. In the end Watts got 22 months for extorting protection payoffs from drug dealers, and the drug records of at least 42 men were cleared, CBS Chicago reported last year. Spalding left the department in 2014 and is writing a book about what happened. A feature film is also in development. (Read more police stories.)(Newser)  A Russian court on Friday extended the arrest for a former US Marine charged with espionage, who complained in court about abuse in custody. Paul Whelan was arrested at the end of December in a hotel room in the Russian capital of Moscow where he was attending a wedding. He was charged with espionage, which carries up to 20 years in prison in Russia. Whelan denies the charges of spying for the US that his lawyers said stem from a sting operation. Whelan's lawyer has said his client was handed a flash drive that had classified information on it that he didn't know about. The court ruled Friday to keep the Michigan resident, who also holds British, Irish, and Canadian citizenship, behind bars for three more months.

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Whelan told reporters in court that he has been threatened and subjected to "abuses and harassment" in prison. "I haven't had a shower in two weeks. I can't use a barber, I have to cut my own hair," a visibly agitated Whelan said from the defendant's dock. "This is typical prisoner of war isolation technique. They're trying to run me down so that I will talk to them." Andrea Kalan, a spokeswoman for the US Embassy in Moscow, said Friday that they are disappointed with the ruling, arguing there is "no evidence of any wrongdoing." "The mature, civilized course would be to let Paul go home to his elderly parents, who are wondering if they'll see their son alive again," Kalan said. (See how a flash drive and possible vacation pics played into Whelan's arrest.)(Newser)  A flood of laws banning abortions in Republican-run states has handed Democrats a political weapon heading into next year's elections, helping them paint the GOP as extreme and court centrist voters who could decide congressional races in swing states, members of both parties say, per the AP. The Alabama law outlawing virtually all abortions, even in cases of rape or incest, is the strictest so far. Besides animating Democrats, the law has prompted President Donald Trump, other Republican leaders and lawmakers seeking reelection next year to distance themselves from the measure. Their reaction underscores that Republicans have risked overplaying their hand with severe state laws that they hope will strike down Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion. Among the reactions:

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The Alabama law is "a loser for Republican candidates in Colorado, without question, and in many other swing parts of the country, because it's extreme," David Flaherty, a Colorado-based Republican consultant who's worked on congressional races around the country.

"It's only going to widen the gender gap." Brian Fitzpatrick, a Vanderbilt Law School professor and former aide to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said there are many "women, moderate women who are going to be scared" that the right to choose will be taken from them.

GOP Sens. Joni Ernst of Iowa and Susan Collins of Maine, both seeking reelection next year, said the Alabama ban goes too far by eliminating exceptions for pregnancies involving rape or incest.

Democrats see the statutes as a way to weave a broader message about Republicans. "You use it as an example of what they do when they're unchecked," said Rep. A. Donald McEachin, D-Va. "I think it drives moderate Republicans away from their party."

But some Republicans say the Democratic drive will have minimal impact because the abortion issue drives relatively few voters from each party. Others say GOP candidates should accuse Democrats of extremism by opposing bills restricting abortions late in pregnancy and, if they wish, cite their support for exempting rape and incest victims.

(See what Pope Francis has to say about abortion .)Sorry!

This content is not available in your regionNew Delhi:

After a thumping win in both Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Andhra Pradesh, YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday met Governor ESL Narasimhan, staking claim to form the next government in the state. Reddy also called on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at his official residence - Pragati Bhavan, where he would stay for the night.

Narasimhan invited Reddy to form the next government in Andhra Pradesh hours after he was elected leader of the YSRC legislature party early in the day. The newly elected MLAs at the YSR Congress office in Vijayawada adopted a resolution, electing Reddy as the legislature party leader. Reddyas swearing-in ceremony would be held at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation stadium, Vijayawada, on May 30 at 12.23 pm, a Raj Bhavan communique said.

Earlier in the day, the 14th Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly was dissolved after a notification was issued in this regard by the Governor. "In exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (2) (b) of Article 172 of the Constititution of India, ESL Narasimhan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh, on the advice of the Council of Minister, hereby dissolve the fourteenth legislative assembly with immedite effect," the notification reads.

YSRCP Chief Jaganmohan Reddy met Andhra Pradesh & Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan, and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, in Hyderabad today. pic.twitter.com/umN1Sp0HbV a ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

A meeting between Reddy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled for Sunday, May 26. The meeting assumes importance as the YSRCP chief during the election campaign had said his party would support whoever promises Andhra Pradesh the Special Category Status.

In a spectacular performance, Reddy, son of late Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, led his YSR Congress to a landslide victory, winning 151 of 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, the elections for which were held on April 11.

While the TDP headed by N Chandrababu Naidu got 23 seats, the Janasena party had won only one seat. Naidu submitted his resignation as Andhra Pradesh chief minister following his massive defeat in this Assembly election.

Talking about the Lok Sabha elctions in Andhra Pradesh, the YSRC had bagged 22 of the 25 seats while the TDP managed to get only three seats.London:

In another setback to Vijay Mallya, the UK High Court on Friday directed the embattled liquor tycoon to pay British beverage giant Diageo over USD 135 million in relation to a collateral arrangement.

Diageo is seeking a total of USD 175 million from the 63-year-old businessman and was successful in one aspect of that claim as it was awarded a summary judgment by Justice Robin Knowles, who dismissed Mallyas reliance on an alleged oral promise from Diageo dating back to February 2016.

Over and above the USD 135 million, Mallya is liable to pay interest incurred at a commercial rate as well as 200,000 pounds towards legal costs.

I have reached the conclusion that at this stage, it is clear the second claimant (Diageo Holdings Netherlands) is entitled to succeed, Justice Knowles said, dismissing Mallyas defence that an oral promise over-rides any claim of such a payment.

We are pleased to have won in a clear vindication of our position, said Dominic Redfearn, spokesperson for Diageo.

The court was clear in rejecting Dr Mallyas claim that there was a deal other than the one we signed. Diageo has consistently rejected those assertions. At all times through the protracted acquisition of the United Spirits Limited (USL), Diageo acted appropriately and in accordance with all legal obligations. All arrangements with Dr Mallya have been fully disclosed and accounted for, he said.

The remainder of the USD 175 million, including USD 40 million paid directly to Mallya, sought by Diageo will proceed to trial expected at a much later date.

Earlier on Friday, the court heard Diageos claim that Mallya, his son Sidhartha and two companies associated with the family are liable for repayment of the funds dating back to the companys acquisition of a controlling stake in Mallyas USL around three years ago.

Of the total amount claimed by the London-headquartered firm, USD 40 million is claimed directly from Mallya as the amount paid to him as part of a disengagement agreement and the remaining amount from Sidhartha Mallya and Watson Limited, a company held in a Mallya family trust called Continental Administration Services Limited (CASL).

We are suing Dr Mallya for repayment and damages amounting to approximately USD 175 million. This is money Dr Mallya and some of his affiliate companies owe Diageo. We have always been clear that we are entitled to exercise our right to recover the sum in full, explained Redfearn, in reference to the wider case being brought by Diageo, one of the worlds largest distillers behind brands like Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff.

The three claimants in the case, Diageo Plc, Diageo Holdings Netherlands BV (DHN) and Diageo Finance Plc, are pursuing Mallya over an agreement struck in February 2016, under which he would step down as chair of United Spirits in exchange for a financial agreement.

At the heart of Fridays case lay an ICICI Bank loan owed by Mallyas Watson and CASL, for which Diageo stepped in as a backstop so that it could be refinanced by Standard Chartered Bank. With some USL shares caught up in Indias Debt Recovery Tribunal action at the time, it was expected that the collateral associated with the loan could be pursued at a later stage.

Watson and CASLs only defence is that, prior to entering into the Deed of Disengagement, DHN promised that it would not enforce its claims until certain orders granted in India are lifted. Watson and CASL relied on an oral promise, Daniel Toledano, the barrister for Diageo, told Judge Knowles.

That defence is bound to fail. There are transcripts of the discussions at which the oral promise was alleged to have been made and it is clear from those transcripts that no such oral promise was made, he said.

Many of the transcripts were also read out in court, including one in which Mallya repeatedly urges Diageo to not screw him further down the line of their negotiations over the sale of the USL.

The judge in the end agreed with Toledanos arguments, saying that transcripts when properly and closely understood are clear that Diageo had made no oral promise to not pursue the funds.

Diageos counsel went on to argue the commercial rationale behind Mallya having entered into the agreement with the beverage major, because he stood to gain a lot financially from the deal, which is why he entered into it.

He stressed that given the transcripts of a series of conversations presented before the court, there was no need for the case to go to a full trial and that a summary judgment by the judge would help save cost and delay.

Mallyas lawyer Daniel Margolin challenged Diageos case by arguing that an oral promise had in fact been agreed between Mallya and Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes and other executives linked with the drinks major.

He claimed at least two conversations that took place between Mallya and the Diageo chairman at the time and another one between Indian businessman Sunil Mittal and Menezes, for which no transcripts are available, are of high relevance to the case.

It is not appropriate to simply dismiss those conversations, Margolin said, challenging Diageos attempt at seeking a summary judgment.

Meanwhile Mallya, who was not present in court and is separately wanted in India on charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to about Rs 9,000 crore, remains on bail. He awaits his July 2 oral hearing before another UK High Court judge for his appeal against his extradition ordered by UK home secretary Sajid Javid in February.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Tik Tok star Mohit Mor was killed over a money dispute with Delhi notorious Nandu gang, the police said on Friday. Mohit Mor, a gym trainer who was quite popular on the video-sharing app Tik Tok had over 5 lakh followers over there. According to a report published in The Hindustan Times, he had allegedly taken Rs 30 lakh from Mangu, an alleged member of the Nandu gang, to invest in a property.

After Mangu's death in gang ware in 2017, members of the Nandu gang asked him to return the money he had taken from him. He, however, allegedly refused to give the money to Mangus friends in the gang and probably this was the reason he was brutally killed.

After receiving threats from the Nandu gang members, Mor reportedly took protection from Pradeep Solanki and Vikas Dalal, alleged members of the Manjeet Mahal gang, the report quoted Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (special cell).

However, Dalal was gunned down in a gang war in Delhis Dwarka on Sunday, following which Nandu gang again asked Mor to return the money. Mor refused, leading to the enmity taking the shape of a murder plan, Yadav said.

Sandeep Pehalwan, a key member of Nandu gang hired three people, including the teenager arrested by the police, to kill Mor. The boy had joined the gang after making some enemies. He was desperate to prove his mettle and loyalty to the gang members, the DCP said.

On Tuesday evening, Pehalwan was informed that Mor was sitting in a photocopy shop in Najafgarh. He then reportedly called the three assassins and gave them guns to execute their plan.

Pehalwan called the trio and gave them a pistol each to kill Mor. The three of them entered a shop and pumped 13 bullets into Mor who was seated on a sofa, said the officer.

The vehicle on which the three accused fled the scene was caught in the CCTV camera, which helped police to identify them. Acting on specific inputs, the police arrested one of them from Dwarka Sector 23.

For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Gujarat on Sunday to seek mother Heerabenas blessings before embarking on the second term as the prime minister of India. Modi took to Twitter and shared the information. aWill be going to Gujarat tomorrow evening, to seek blessings of my Mother. Day after tomorrow morning, I will be in Kashi to thank the people of this great land for reposing their faith in me,a he wrote.

Will be going to Gujarat tomorrow evening, to seek blessings of my Mother. Day after tomorrow morning, I will be in Kashi to thank the people of this great land for reposing their faith in me. a Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 25, 2019

This is the time Prime Minister Modi will be visiting his mother after getting a landslide mandate in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Last time, it was during the third phase of the polling when PM Modi went to meet Heeraben. Modi reached his mother Heerabenas residence in Gandhinagar in early morning hours. Media personnel captured the moment when PM reached his motheras home before casting his vote in neighbouring Ahmedabad. After the brief meeting, the PM came out and walked the road in front of his motheras house. A red gota chunri was also seen in his hands. The PM later cast his vote in Ranip after the visit.

A video tweeted by news agency showed PM Modi talking to his mother Heeraben. As part of tradition, Heeraben give the PM a coconut, a chunri and Rs 500 as neg. Reports say that the chuniri was from Mahakali Mandir of Pavagadh in Gujaratas Champaner. Later, PM Modi touched her feet and left for voting.

He also met people in the neighbourhood. For many, this was a reminder of 2017, when PM had reached Ranip to cast his vote during the prestigious Gujarat Assembly Elections. At that time also, PM Modi had held a mini roadshow outside the polling booth in Ranip. He was seen waving and smiling to the people lined up to cast their votes. The prime minister walked a certain distance to greet people standing on both sides of the road outside the polling booth. Later, he stood on the foot-board of his car and waived to the crowd.Mumbai:

A BJP worker was killed in Maharashtra's Akola district after allegedly being beaten up by a group of persons following an argument over the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, police said Saturday.

According to police, the incident took place on Friday evening at Mohalla village in the district, over 580 kilometres from Mumbai.

The victim, Mateen Patel (48), a BJP minority cell worker, had a dispute with a group of people from his community, but belonging to a rival political party, an official said.

"He was attacked by a group of eight to 10 people following an argument over the recently concluded general election. They assaulted Patel with an iron pipe and sticks, leading to his death instantly," the official said.

"His 55-year-old brother was seriously injured in the attack. A case under relevant provisions of IPC has been registered against 10 persons, including Congress leader Hidayat Patel," the official said.

The incident lead to tension in the area, but the situation was brought under control, he added.New Delhi:

The Congress Working Committee has rejected party president Rahul Gandhi's resignation and authorised him to carry out necessary changes in the party's structure, chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said in a press conference on Saturday. Earlier in the day, senior leaders of the Congress held a meeting of the party's working committee to apparantly discuss the Lok Sabha election debacle and strategy to revive the party.

During the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi reportedly offered to step down from the party president's post. However, his decision was opposed by the all the other members and former prime minister Manmohan Singh urged him not to resign, saying victory and defeats are part of life.

"Party President Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation but it was rejected by the members of CWC unanimously," Surjewala said while adressing a press confernce in the party headquarters in Delhi.

#WATCH Randeep Surjewala, Congress: Party President Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation but it was rejected by the members of CWC unanimously. pic.twitter.com/0DmHV6queZ a ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019

Surjewala said that Congress party needs Rahul Gandhi's leadership and guidance and the CWC has authorised him to make necessary changes in the party's structure. "CWC has given Congress President the right to makes changes to restructure the party, a plan for this will be brought soon," Surjewala added.

Former Union defence minister AK Antony, who accompanied Surjewala during the presser, refused to agree that it was a disastrous performance but contended that they were not able to rise up to the expectations. He said that a detailed discussion will be held on the party's performance and all the necessary actions will be taken.

"I don't agree that it was a disastrous performance, but we were not able to rise up to the expectations. Party will discuss this in details...Today we had only general discussions," Antony said.

In the recently concluded general elections, the Congress party performed miserably and won just 52 of the total 542 seats, while the BJP for the first time crossed 300-mark on its own. The saffron party won 303 seats and the NDA's tally stood at 353. Although the Congress did better its 2014 performance (44 seats) and won 8 more seats, the party could not open its account in several states andA Union Territories (UTs).

The states and UTs where the party could not win a single seat are - Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Andaman and Nicobar, Chandigarh, Dadar&Nagar Haveli, Daman&Diu and Lakshadweep.New Delhi:

As the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) swept to power with a spectacular performance for a second term in office, all eyes are now on the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amid speculations that several international leaders will take part at the mega event later in the month. Though there is no official confirmation on the list of invitees so far, sources close to the development suggest that leaders from the immediate neighbourhood states, SE Asia and West Asia are likely to mark attendance to greet and congratulate PM Modi.

Among the probable invitees are Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. However, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hashina, who is also likely to be invited for the event, may have to skip the ceremony owing to her East Asia trip from May 28.

Meanwhile, another burning question which is creating buzz all over is - will Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan be invited to the oath-taking ceremony? While one can remember that Khan's predecessor Nawaz Sharif had accepted Modi's invitation in 2014, this time India is unlikely to invite Pakistan on the heels of Pulwama and Balakot in late February.

However, Khan had on Thursday congratulated Modi on his electoral triumph and expressed desire to work with him for peace and desire. "I congratulate Prime Minister Modi on the electoral victory of BJP and allies. Look forward to working with him for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia," Khan tweeted in both English and Urdu.

I congratulate Prime Minister Modi on the electoral victory of BJP and allies. Look forward to working with him for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia a Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 23, 2019

In 2014 too, Sharif's presence at Modi's swearing in ceremony indicated towards a new chapter to start in the India-Pakistan relationship, but things went rapidly downhill.

Though China, it seems, wants to better its ties with India, as of now there is no confirmation on whether dignitaries from the country would be invited to the swearing-in ceremony of PM Modi or not.

Prime Minister Modi, who led his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) towards a super-sized victory in 2019 elections, likely to meet President Ram Nath Kovind ON Saturday evening to stake a claim to form the new government. Post that, Modi will be taking oath as the next Prime Minister of India in New Delhi on May 30, according to an official at the Presidentas office.

The NDA returned to power with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections with the BJP alone bagging 303 of total 542 seats contested. Elections were held in 542 of the 543 seats. The election in Vellore Lok Sabha seat was cancelled by the Election Commission citing abuse of money power.New Delhi:

Even before the announcement of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka was facing an internal turmoil amid allegations of poaching by the BJP. Fear gripped the Congress camp after four of its MLAs headed to Mumbai to meet a BJP leader and didnt return. The party called an emergency meeting and issued a whip, asking all its legislators to be present. However, the four MLAs skipped the meeting called to rally the flock together.

The Congress alleged that the BJP was trying to break their MLAs and offering them Rs 100 crore as part of its Operation Kamala. The Congress party shifted their MLAs, except the missing four, to the Eagleton resort in the outskirts of Bengaluru.

Not just that, the relationship between the ruling coalition partners  the JD(S) and the Congress  are also patchy. Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy even threatened to quit. He was upset with Congress MLAs accusing him of poor governance while praising his predecessor Siddaramaiah.

The Congress-JD(S) had formed a coalition government after BJPs Yeddyurappa failed to prove majority in the Legislative Assembly. BJP had emerged single largest party in the Assembly elections but fall short of the majority.

Now after the BJPs landslide victory in the state and across the country, the stability of Karnataka government is again being questioned. Just two days before the announcement of Lok Sabha election results, Karnataka minister and senior Congress leader Roshan Baig revolted against the party. Baig said held state Congress president Gundu Rao, Siddaramaiah responsible for the partys situation in the state. He called KC Venugopal a buffoon and felt sorry for Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for being surrounded by him.

The remarks of Biag, who holds a ministry, raised concerns in the Congress camp. A person who was given a ministry is not happy with the party. He even asked Muslims not be loyal to one party and compromise with the BJP if the saffron party comes to power. Baig was issued a show cause notice for maligning the image of three senior party leaders. There are speculations that he is very likely to switch his loyalty to the BJP.

The major threat is in the Congress camp as the JD(S) MLAs are more loyal to former prime minister HD Deve Gowda. I assure you - all my MLAs are Vishwamitra, who would not fall for the charms of celestial nymph. The celestial nymph is the BJP. The saffron party has failed in their attempts to destabilise the government on many occasions, Karnataka JDS president AH Vishwanath said in response to a question that whether the JD(S)-Congress coalition will complete its full five-year term.

The number game

In the 225-member (224 elected and one nominated) Karnataka Legislative Assembly, the Congress and JD(S) coalition has 117 MLAs. The Congress has 79 MLAs while the JD(S) has 37 members. They are also supported by the BSP which has one legislator in the Assembly.

The BJP is the single largest party with 105 MLAs. The BJP also has the support of one independent and one KPJP MLA. Which takes its total tally to 107- six short of the majority mark which is 113. In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party swept the state by winning 24 of the 28 seats. Another was bagged by an independent supported by the BJP. The rulling COngress and the JD(S) could manage to win only one seat each.

Although, the Congress-JD(S) government in the state is stable as of now, but given the vulnerability of four Congress MLAs, who went to Mumbai to meet a BJP leader and the rebellion by another, fears of being toppled still remains strong and the results of Lok Sabha elections could prove a death blow to the Congress in Karnataka.New Delhi:

While the Modi wave swept most of India, Punjab was the only north Indian state to buck the trend. With impressive 8-seat haul in the Lok Sabha Elections, the rift between Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu is out in open. According to latest media reports, Singh has sent an ultimatum to Congress top brass over Sidhus exit from the Congress. An India Today report said that Singh has clearly stated that, its me or him. Meanwhile, Sidhus wife is defending him and has amped up the attack on Punjab Chief Minister with startling facts.

An HT report said that Navjot Kaur has slammed Punjab Chief Minister for saying that it Sidhus statements that cost the party. Talking about poll results in Bathinda, Kaur reportedly said that, Had Sidhu Sahib not gone there, the Congress would have lost the seat by over one lakh votes. His campaign worked and reduced the margin to around 20,000. Congress high command came to know that partys position is weak there, so it deputed Sidhu in the constituency.

On the day of verdict, Singh had said that he would approach the Congress high command over his cabinet colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu's remarks on the sacrilege issue during electioneering. A day before polling, Sidhu had raised questions on the probe into the desecration of religious texts in 2015. Maintaining that Sidhu's remarks "might have affected the party's performance in Bathinda, the CM said he would take up the issue with the party high command once things settled after the election results.

The CM also said Sidhu's performance as a minister needed to be reviewed as he had "not been able to handle his own department". The Congress in Punjab performed poorly in urban areas and Sidhu was the minister for urban development, the CM said, adding that it was wrong on his part to make the controversial remarks.

The chief minister reiterated that Sidhu's yari and jhappi (friendship and hugs) with the Pakistani army chief would not be tolerated, especially by Army personnel, who were being killed by the ISI-backed terrorists. The chief minister also said the performance of the state ministers would be reviewed in the backdrop of the Lok Sabha results.New Delhi:

Ab ki baar, teen sau paar, the slogan used by the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, turned out to be prophetic when the polling officials unboxed the Electronic Voting Machines and started the mega counting that commenced at 8 am on May 23. Early trends showed that the NDA had achieved the magic number of 272. By afternoon, the tally showed that BJP bettering its 2014 results. A day later, on May 24, the Election Commission of Indias figures show that the BJP has officially breached the 300-mark. As of now, the BJP has won 303 seats on its own.

With this, the BJP has become the first non-Congress party in the history of independent India to win more than 300 seats in the Lok Sabha Elections. Before this it was Indira Gandhi and her father and Indias first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru who held this unique record. Nehru led Congress into victory in three General Elections of 1951, 1957 and 1962.

Crestfallen after the 1962 war, Nehrus health deteriorated and on May 28, 1964, he died in office. Subsequently, Lal Bahadur Shastri became the Prime Minister. He never faced a General Election as he too died in office in January 1966 after signing the Tashkent Accord on restoring subcontinental peace after the 1965 India-Pakistan war.

After the sudden demise of Pt Nehru, his daughter India Gandhi took over the mantle of Congress. Despite lesser margins, the Congress under the new leadership won the 1967 Lok Sabha Elections. Instead of 1972, Gandhi called elections a year early in 1971 and won a decisive mandate and saw the country win its biggest military victory the same year. It was the year that witnessed the decimation of the Pakistani Army and the creation of the independent nation of Bangladesh.

Four years later, fighting off an Opposition onslaught for her resignation after an adverse court verdict holding her guilty of electoral malpractices, Gandhi declared Emergency in 1975, due to which the elections which were due in 1976, were not held.

Indira Gandhi lifted the emergency in 1977 and called general election that saw a conglomeration of disparate parties under the Janata Party umbrella being swept to power.

That experiment lasted a little over two years and Indira Gandhi led the Congress to a resounding victory in the 1980 general election.

Indira Gandhi was assassinated in October 1984 and her son Rajiv Gandhi became the prime minister. He called early elections the same year that saw the Congress being returned with a thumping majority, winning 414 of the 533 seats where polling was held.

48 years after Indira Gandhi, India has seen return of a Prime Minister with a majority. The stellar vote surge from 17 crore to 22 crore has solidified BJPs grip. The 2019 mandate also means that Indias voters have once again put faith in the decisive leadership of Narendra Modi.New Delhi:

Newly elected MPs of the BJP-led NDA will meet on Saturday to formally elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi as their leader. The meeting will take place in Parliament's Central Hall at 5 pm. Sealing its phenomenal electoral victory, the Narendra Modi-led BJP crossed the 303 mark when the polling officials unboxed the Electronic Voting Machines and started the mega counting that commenced at 8 am on May 23. With this, the BJP has become the first non-Congress party in the history of independent India to win more than 300 seats in the Lok Sabha Elections.



Rahul Gandhi is likely to tender his resignation at the high-profile Congress Working Committee meeting today. Buzz over Gandhis resignation has been doing rounds since the May 23 verdict.



Here are the Highlights:

21:26 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In 'Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas' is a mantra that shows the path to development for every region of India. I once again thank the people of the nation and assure them that the new govt will leave no stones unturned to fulfill your dreams & expectations: Narendra Modi.

21:24 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In President today gave me a letter designating me as the Prime Minister. The country has given me a huge mandate and the mandate comes with the expectations of the people: Narendra Modi.

21:20 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The President requested Narendra Modi to advise him about the names of others to be appointed members of the Union Council of Ministers; and to indicate the date and time of the swearing-in-ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan: Rashtrapati Bhavan.

21:15 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In President Ram Nath Kovind appoints Narendra Modi to office of Prime Minister of India.



Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution of India, President Kovind, today appointed @narendramodi to the office of Prime Minister of India pic.twitter.com/xrs5jgCGkF

 President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 25, 2019



21:12 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congratulations to PM Shri Narendra Modiji on being unanimously elected as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). I thank all our allies and MPs for their support. Let us work even harder to realise the dream of PM Modis New India: Amit Shah



Congratulations to PM Shri @narendramodi ji on being unanimously elected as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).



I thank all our allies and MPs for their support.



Let us work even harder to realise the dream of PM Modis #NewIndia. pic.twitter.com/1BQM48F5aV

 Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 25, 2019



21:08 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet the President.



Delhi: PM Narendra Modi arrives at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet the President. pic.twitter.com/ENpkqTRdRi

 ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019



20:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The delegation handed over to the President a letter stating that Narendra Modi had been elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party. Letters of support from NDA constituent parties were also handed over to the President.



20:56 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In An NDA delegation, led by BJP President Amit Shah and comprising Prakash Singh Badal, Rajnath Singh, Nitish Kumar, Ram Vilas Paswan, Sushma Swaraj, Uddhav Thakeray, Nitin Gadkari, K. Palaniswami, Conrad Sangma and Neiphiu Rio, called on President Ram Nath Kovind.

18:19 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In SAD's Parkash Singh Badal, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari greet Narendra Modi after he was elected as the leader of NDA and BJP at the NDA meeting, today.

18:15 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi greets Narendra Modi, after he was elected as the leader of BJP and NDA at the NDA meeting.

18:13 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Delhi: Narendra Modi seeks blessings from senior BJP leader LK Advani after being elected as the leader of BJP and NDA.



Delhi: Narendra Modi seeks blessings from senior BJP leader LK Advani, at the NDA meeting. He has been elected as the leader of BJP & NDA. pic.twitter.com/WfKKWEDc3j

 ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019



18:12 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In I thank all the allies and the MPs who have unanimously chosen NDA's leader Narendra Modi as the new Prime Minister of the country: Amit Shah.

18:02 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In SAD's Parkash Singh Badal proposes Narendra Modi's name as the leader of NDA Parliamentary Party. JDU Chief Nitish Kumar and Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray endorse the proposal.



SAD's Parkash Singh Badal proposes Narendra Modi's name as the leader of NDA Parliamentary Party. JDU Chief Nitish Kumar and Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray endorse the proposal. pic.twitter.com/2eGPHh21qD

 ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019



18:01 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Delhi: Senior BJP leaders LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi are also present at the NDA parliamentary meeting.



18:00 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Prime Minister Narendra Modi unanimously elected as leader of BJP parliamentary party.



17:39 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches Central hall for key NDA meeting today.

17:34 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The central forces worked against us. An emergency situation was created. Hindu-Muslim division was done and votes were divided. We complained to the EC but nothing was looked into: Mamata Banerjee.

17:37 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In I told at the beginning of the meeting that I don't want to continue as the Chief Minister: Mamata Banerjee.



17:14 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BJP leader Hema Malini, elected MP from Mathura: Modi ji has worked very hard and he has impressed the entire country. As I have also won, I'm happy that I delivered some good work in my constituency, that is why I got here.



17:12 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Delhi: Actor-turned-politician and newly elected BJP MP, Sunny Deol, arrives for the NDA Parliamentary Board meeting.



Delhi: Actor-turned-politician and newly elected BJP MP, Sunny Deol, arrives for the NDA Parliamentary Board meeting. pic.twitter.com/S9m7TYwquD

 ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019



17:12 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Delhi BJP Chief Manoj Tiwari met Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit today and sought her blessings.



17:10 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In In CWC meeting everyone unanimously told him(Rahul Gandhi)he did a good job...No one has a doubt on his leadership but situation was like that. If someone can lead the party in such situation. it's only Rahul Gandhi, if anyone can lead opposition, it's only Rahul Gandhi, Azad says.

17:10 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In In a democracy winning or losing keep happening but providing leadership is a different matter. He gave a leadership, one which is visible - maybe less on TV but very evident among public. We've accepted our defeat but it was a defeat of numbers & not ideology: Ghulam Nabi Azad.

16:45 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Delhi: Newly elected MPs and other leaders arrive for the NDA Parliamentary Board meeting.



Delhi: Newly elected MPs and other leaders arrive for the NDA Parliamentary Board meeting. pic.twitter.com/NgglC9aCaS

 ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2019



16:42 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In I don't agree that it was a disastrous performance, but we were not able to rise up to the expectations. Party will discuss this in details...Today we had only general discussions: AK Antony.



16:17 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In CWC has given Congress President the right to makes changes to restructure the party, a plan for this will be brought soon: Surjewala.



16:13 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Party President Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation but it was rejected by the members of CWC unanimously: Randeep Singh Surjewala.



16:02 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Rahul Gandhi is determind to resign as Congress chief, proposes to appoint someone from outside the Gandhi family as the president: Sourcs.

15:32 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Ambika Soni, Congress on whether party president Rahul Gandhi's leadership was questioned at the CWC meeting says, "Not at all."



#WATCH Ambika Soni, Congress on whether party president Rahul Gandhi's leadership was questioned at the CWC meeting says, "Not at all."



Y: ANI



Follow LIVE updates:https://t.co/sgvZBSCMRf pic.twitter.com/RpFbS7L9vV

 News Nation (@NewsNationTV) May 25, 2019



15:31 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress Working Committee meets at AICC Delhi took stock of the Lok Sabha results and chart the course forward.



Congress Working Committee meets at AICC Delhi to take stock of the Lok Sabha results and chart the course forward. pic.twitter.com/jGRwHJRw6H

 Congress (@INCIndia) May 25, 2019



12:31 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Don't quit, we are with you, CWC leadership to Rahul Gandhi.

12:28 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In MP Chief Minister Kamal Nath skips CWC meet.

12:21 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Rahul Gandhi offers to resign from party's top post.

12:21 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In CWC meeting, chaired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, is being attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, chief ministers of party-ruled states.

11:17 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress won just 52 seats in the 542-member lower house.

11:16 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress Party will hold its first review meeting to discuss its defeat in the Lok Sabha elections.

11:15 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrive for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.



Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrive for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.



Follow LIVE updates here:https://t.co/gcWteboWr4 pic.twitter.com/Zik4XNPI2Q

 News Nation (@NewsNationTV) May 25, 2019



11:15 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In 52 members of the Congress will be part of this crucial CWC meeting.

11:14 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In LIVE: Congress meet begins, all eyes on Rahul Gandhi's probable resignation.

11:02 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress leaders RPN Singh, PL Punia and Motilal Vora arrive for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

11:01 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge and Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh arrive for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

11:00 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Senior Congress leaders P. Chidambaram and Siddaramaiah arrive for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

08:51 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Narendra Modi is expected to address the BJP MPs following his election as their leader.

08:50 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to hold a party meeting for future course of action following the poll verdict.

08:49 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Rahul Gandhi is likely to tender his resignation at the high-profile Congress Working Committee meeting today. Buzz over Gandhis resignation has been doing rounds since the May 23 verdict, however, there is no official confirmation so far.New Delhi:

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah said on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot remove Article 35-A and Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. Let him be as powerful as he (Modi) likes, he cannot remove Article 370 and article 35-A (from the state of Jammu and Kashmir), news agency PTI quoted Abdullah as saying.

Our right of Article 370 and Article 35-A should be protected. This is very important for us. We are soldiers of this country not enemies of this nation, he said.



Abdullah (83) got 1,06,750 votes and defeated Aga Syed Mohsin of the PDP by 70,050 votes in the Srinagar constituency, which has a total electorate of 12,94,560.

Article 370 grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir and limits Parliaments power to make laws concerning the state. Article 35A empowers the state assembly to define permanent residents for bestowing special rights and privileges on them.

Ab ki baar, teen sau paar, the slogan used by the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, turned out to be prophetic when the polling officials unboxed the Electronic Voting Machines and started the mega counting that commenced at 8 am on May 23. Early trends showed that the NDA had achieved the magic number of 272. By afternoon, the tally showed that BJP bettering its 2014 results. A day later, on May 24, the Election Commission of Indias figures show that the BJP has officially breached the 300-mark. As of now, the BJP has won 303 seats on its own.

With this, the BJP has become the first non-Congress party in the history of independent India to win more than 300 seats in the Lok Sabha Elections. Before this it was Indira Gandhi and her father and Indias first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru who held this unique record. Nehru led Congress into victory in three General Elections of 1951, 1957 and 1962.New Delhi:

President Ram Nath Kovind Saturday dissolved the 16th Lok Sabha with immediate effect on recommendation of the Union cabinet, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a statement. A communique issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said the President dissolved the Lok Sabha after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi made such a recommendation Friday. "The President has accepted the advice of the Cabinet on 24.05.2019 and signed the Order dissolving the 16th Lok Sabha," it said.

The president had on Friday accepted the resignation of Modi and his council of ministers but asked them to continue as caretaker until formation of a new government. Modi is expected to take oath as a new prime minister next week.

A

#PresidentKovind has accepted advice of the Cabinet to dissolve the 16th Lok Sabha with immediate effect. The President signed the Order dissolving the 16th Lok Sabha in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by Sub-clause (b) of Clause (2) of Article 85 of the Constitution a President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 25, 2019

In the just-concluded parliamentary polls, the BJP scored a resounding victory, bagging 303 out of 542 seats. Its arch rival, the Congress, was way behind at 52.

48 years after Indira Gandhi, India has seen return of a Prime Minister with a majority. The stellar vote surge from 17 crore to 22 crore has solidified BJPas grip. The 2019 mandate also means that Indiaas voters have once again put faith in the decisive leadership of Narendra Modi.A

With the BJP riding a Modi wave that took it past its 2014 tally of 282, the opposition was left way behind with the Congress winning only 52 seats, two less than it needs for a Leader of Opposition post in the lower house and marginally more than the 44 it got in the last general elections.

Regional parties followed the Congress in the electoral table.The DMK with 23 wins, the Trinamool Congress and the YSRCP with 22 each, the Shiv Sena with 18 and the Janata Dal-United with 16 made their presence felt in an election that took on overtones of a presidential contest with the domination of Modi.

BJP leaders described this win as aeven more significanta than the one in 2014 when its alliance had won 73 seats in Uttar Pradesh. Thatas because the party has secured nearly 49.5% of vote share, and the icing on the cake is Union leader Smriti Irani defeating Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. In 2014, the party had managed to garner a total amount of 42.3 per cent vote share.

(With PTI inputs)New Delhi:

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday reportedly offered to step down from the post after the party's dismal show in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections 2019. The Congress chief offered his resignation during at the high-profile Congress Working Committee meeting held at party headquarters in Delhi on Saturday.

Following Rahul Gandhi's resignation offer, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi spoke to him and rethink his decision. Several other senior leaders were also against the decision. Manmohan Singh reportedly told Rahul Gandhi that victory and defeat is a part of life and that there was no need for him to step down.

However, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala denied the reports and said that Rahul Gandhi didn't offer his resignation, reported ANI news agency.

Earlier in the day, several Congress leaders, including senior leader and national spokesperson Sanjay Jha, said that there was no need for the Congress chief to quit. "I dont think Rahul Gandhi has been more established, popular, loved and respected within Congress then he is today," Jha had said during a television debate.

Although the Congress did better than its 2014 performance (44 seats) and won 8 more seats, the party could not open its account in several states and Union Territories. The party didn't win a single seat in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Andaman and Nicobar, Chandigarh, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman Diu and Lakshadweep.

The biggest embarrasment came from Uttar Pradesh where the Congress chief himself lost the traditional Amethi seat to Union Minister Smriti Irani by a margin of over 55,000 votes. During a press confernece post the Lok Sabha elections results, Rahul Gandhi had taken the full responsibility of the party's brute poll drubbing.

Reduced to just 52 seats in the Lok Sabha, the present situation of the Congress is far cry from the days of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. While Nehru led Congress into victory in three General Elections of 1951, 1957 and 1962, Indira too secured back to back victory in 1967 and 1971. She against led the party to a victory in 1980 elections.

After Rajiv Gandhi's assasination, Sonia Gandhi took the reins of the Congress party and bruoght its out of the crisis post her husband's death. Sonia led the party to victory in 2004 and 2009. Although this was Rahul Gandhi's first election as Congress cheif and the defeat in the 2014 was also seen as the failure of his leadership as he was the prime ministerial candidate of the party.New Delhi:

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday successfully test fired an indigenously-developed 500 kg class guided bomb from a Sukhoi combat jet at Pokhran in Rajasthan. The defence ministry said the guided bomb achieved the desired range and hit the target with high precision. "The DRDO successfully flight tested a 500 kg class Inertial Guided Bomb today from Su-30 MKI Aircraft from the Pokhran test range in Rajasthan," it said.

The ministry said all the mission objectives have been met during the test firing of the bomb, adding it is capable of carrying different warheads. The test firing of the guided bomb came two days after the Indian Air Force successfully test fired the aerial version of the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile from a Sukhoi jet at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The 2.5 tonne air-to-surface missile has a range of around 300 km, and it will significantly enhance the IAF's combat capability. The BrahMos cruise missile travels at a speed of Mach 2.8, nearly three times that of sound.

Earlier this month on May 13, DRDO conducted successful flight test of ABHYAS - High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from Interim Test Range, Chandipur in Odisha today. The flight test was tracked by various RADARS & Electro Optic Systems and proved its performance in fully autonomous way point navigation mode.

The configuration of ABHYAS is designed on an in-line small gas turbine engine and uses indigenously developed MEMS based navigation system for its navigation and guidance. The performance of the system was as per simulations carried out and demonstrated the capability of ABHYAS to meet the mission requirement for a cost effective HEAT.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Clashes were reported in parts of Kashmir on Friday following the killing of Ansar-Gazwatul Hind (AGH) chief Zakir Rashid Bhat alias Zakir Musa. The authorities on Friday imposed strict restrictions in most parts of Srinagar and South Kashmir. No Friday congregational prayers were allowed at the historic Jamia Masjid for the second consecutive week.



Zakir Musa was killed in an encounter with security forces on Thursday in a village in Tral of South Kashmir, officials said. One AK-47 rifle and a rocket launcher was recovered from the site of encounter.



Zakir Musa was an Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind chief and a A++ terrorist. Zakir Musa, a close associate of Burhan Wani who was killed in 2017, was a militant of Hizbul Mujahideen who succeeded Burhan and later headed the Al Qaeda affiliate. He had taken to militancy in 2013. In 2012 he left for Chandigarh to study engineering at Ram Dev Jindal college but left it midway to join militancy.



Authorities said that all schools, colleges and universities of Valley will remain closed on Saturday. Also, mobile internet services that were snapped on Thursday evening on all networks continued to remain suspended on Friday.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Three Muslims including a woman were mercilessly thrashed in Madhya Pradeshs Seoni for allegedly carrying beef in an auto. The incident that took place within 24 hours after the verdict of the Lok Sabha elections is a brutal reminder of the terror of cow vigilantism. According to latest media reports, five men including chief a fringe right-wing organisation have been arrested following the incident. The police sprang into action only after the video of the incident went viral on social media.

Among the politicians, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Asaduddin Owaisi was one of the few leaders who took note of the incident. Slamming the incumbent government, Owaisi retweeted the video. Tagging the Prime Ministers Office, Owaisi wrote, This is how Muslims are treated by Vigilantes created by Modi voters welcome to a New India which will Inclusive and as @PMOIndia said Secularism Ka Niqaab (sic). News Nation cannot independently verify the authenticity of the video.

National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah also joined the leaders in slamming the Seoni incident. Taking a dig, he improvised an Urdu couplet and wrote, Ibtedaae ishq hai rota hai kya Aage Aage dekhiye hota hai kya. It roughly translates to, it is just beginning, wait and see what will happens.

This month also saw murder of a man in Jammu over a cow. Tension prevailed in Jammu and Kashmirs Bhaderwah and curfew was imposed after a man was allegedly murdered by cow vigilantes. The victim identified as Nayeem Shah of Mohalla Qilla was believed to be in his late 40s. He was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on May 17 at around 2am. He was returning home along with two other people when the trio was stopped by some men and Shah was murdered in cold blood. The victims family has blamed cow vigilantes for the murder. However, multiple media reports quoted the police as saying that the facts were yet not clear.

Last year, the Supreme Court had taken a strong exception to the incidents of lynching by cow vigilantes and said that it was the obligation of states to ensure that no such incident occurs in the country. A bench headed by then Chief Justice Dipak Misra observed that the incidents of lynching were actually mob violence, therefore, they should not be linked with any religion. This kind of incidents cannot occur. It cant be accepted in the remotest sense. It was the obligation of states to ensure that such incidents do not occur, the bench also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud observed.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

At least two jawans of the Assam Rifles were killed and four others sustained injuries on Saturday when a convoy carrying the security personnel was ambushed by suspected NSCN (K) militants in Nagaland.

According to a defence spokesman, the unfortunate incident happened between Tobu and Ukha village in Nagaland's Mon district at around 1 pm. According to the sources, armed militants fired at a convoy of the Assam Rifles indiscriminately leading to death of two soldiers and injury of four others. The shootout lasted for about an hour.

The deputy commissioner of Mon district, Thavaseelen K, said the incident took place exactly at Changlangshu area in Mon district. The four jawans, who were injured during the incident, have been airlifted for better treatment, Thavaseelen K said adding that police investigation is underway to find out as to who are behind the attack.

The DC further stated that in the year 2015, in a similar attack on Assam Rifles jawans at the same place, nine jawans were killed.

So far no outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) are suspected to be involved in the attack as the outfit is active in and around the area.

The ambush comes four days after suspected armed militants killed a politician and ten others including his family members and personnel security officers (PSOs) at Tirap district in Arunachal Pradesh. On May 21, suspected armed militants fired randomly at a convoy of Tirong Aboh, MLA from Khonsa West constituency in Arunachal Pradesh, at a remote location in Tirap district of the state.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Kathmandu:

The spectacular viral photo showing traffic jam on world highest peak has for the first time revealed the actual rush hour on Mount Everest. The traffic jam has so far killed eight Indians as the authorities issued warning to the mountaineers to not choke up the area and fragile eco-system. Nihal Bagwan, 27, and Kalpana Das, 49, died along with two other climbers above the 8,848-meter Mount Everest while descending the summit, the expedition organisers said. 'Traffic jam' occurs on Mount Everest when many climbers vie for the summit at the same time, and can be especially dangerous above 8,000 metres known as the 'death zone'.

Bagwan who is from Maharashtra breathed his last at Camp IV on Mount Everest on the Nepal side after he was rescued by a group of Sherpa climbers from the balcony area, said Babu Sherpa, Managing Director at Peak Promotion Pvt Ltd. "He died at Camp IV after he fell ill near the balcony area while returning from the summit of Mt Everest," Sherpa was quoted as saying by The Himalayan Times.

Bagwan was the leader of a two-member expedition, he added. Das, who was a member of the 'Three Women Expedition' breathed her last near the balcony area while descending from the summit point on Mount Everest on Wednesday, said Gyanendra Shrestha, a liaison officer at the Everest base camp.

Das and American climber Donald Lynn Cash both died while descending the summit. Their deaths were attributed primarily to a long queue of both ascending and descending climbers, forcing many to wait for hours at altitudes above 8,000 metres, The Kathmandu Post reported. Austrian climber Ing Landgraf (Ernst), 65, died Wednesday and was part of an expedition run by Kobler & Partner from the Tibetan side, said Subash Shrestha, an official at Himalaya Vision Pvt Ltd.

With the latest fatalities, the deaths toll on the mountains of above 8,000 metres has risen to 16, according to expedition officials. "At least eight Indian climbers are among 16 persons killed on different mountains," the officials said.

Mumbai-based Anjali S Kulkarni died after she fell ill while coming down from the summit point on Wednesday. Kulkarni, 54, died above 8,000 metres in the 'death zone', as she was descending after reaching the summit.

In a traffic jam, exhausted climbers are often forced to wait for several hours for their turn to ascend or descend on a single rope, increasing chances of exhaustion, frostbite or altitude sickness. Climbers could also run out of oxygen during the final phase of the ascent. Army soldier Ravi Thakar, 28, was found dead inside his tent at Camp IV on Mount Everest last week while Narayan Singh died at Camp IV on last Thursday when he was climbing down from the 8,485-meter Mount Makalu summit, world's fifth highest mountain.

Two Indian climbers from West Bengal - Biplab Baidya (48) and Kuntal Karar (46) - died in Nepal last week due to high altitude sickness near the summit of Mount Kanchenjunga, the world's third tallest peak. Dipankar Ghos from Kolkata, who went missing from above Camp IV while returning from the Mount Makalu summit.

The body of Ghos, 52, has finally been located after more than a week above 8,000-meter of Mt Makalu and is being brought to the base camp, Thaneshwor Guragain of Seven Summit Trek that organised the expedition told PTI. Ghos had gone on May 16. Eight Indian climbers have died on different mountains during this season. Four died on Mount Everest, two each died on Kanchanjunga and Makalu. The dead bodies of the two climbers will be brought to the base camp on Saturday, he said.

More than 200 mountaineers ascended Mount Everest on Wednesday, setting a new record for the highest number of climbers to stand on top of the world in a single day. Nepal has issued a record 381 permits costing $11,000 each for the current spring climbing season. It opened the climbing route to the world's highest peak on May 14, when a team of eight Sherpas successfully scaled the Mount Everest, becoming the first team to reach the summit.

Hundreds of climbers flock each year to Nepal - home to several of the world's highest mountains, to scale Himalayan peaks during the spring season that begins around March and ends in June. According to Nepal Department of Tourism, more than 4,400 people have scaled the summit since Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay first conquered the mountain in 1953.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

As thousands of school students around the world walked out of class Friday to demand action on climate change, a study has found that taking to the streets to protest may have a positive effect on the public. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Communication, found that individuals tended to be more optimistic about peoples ability to work together to address climate change.

Janet Swim, a professor at The Pennsylvania State University in the US, said the findings suggest that climate change marches can have positive effects on bystanders. Marches serve two functions: to encourage people to join a movement and to enact change, Swim said. This study is consistent with the idea that people who participate in marches can gain public support, convince people that change can occur, and also normalize the participants themselves, she said.

Over one million young people are expected to join the school strike for climate change protests in at least 110 countries on Friday. They are calling on politicians and businesses to take urgent action to slow global warming. The strikes are inspired by student Greta Thunberg, who has become a global figurehead since protesting outside Swedens parliament in 2018.

Swim added that recent research has shown that marches are becoming more prevalent in the US, not just for climate change but for many issues. She and her colleagues were interested in learning more about whether marches are effective at changing psychological predictors of joining movements.

There are several measures that predict people engaging and taking action in the future, Swim said. One of those is collective efficacythe belief that people can work together to enact change. People dont want to do something if its not going to have an effec, she said.

The researchers recruited 587 bystanderspeople who did not participate in the march but observed it through the media.

As many as 302 participants completed a survey the day before the March for Science held on April 22, 2017, and 285 completed a survey several days after the Peoples Climate March held on April 29, 2017. Activists are often seen negativelythat theyre arrogant or eccentric or otherwise outside of the norm, Swim said. One of our questions was whether marches increase or decrease peoples negative impressions of marchers, she said.

Since the researchers were also interested in how media coverage contributed to outcomes, they also noted the participants preferred news sources and coded whether the sources were generally more conservative or liberal. They found that after the Peoples Climate March, study participants were more optimistic about peoples ability to work together to address climate changereferred to as collective efficacy beliefs.

The team also found that study participants had less negative opinions of marchers after the march.

The researchers also found that participants who regularly consumed news from conservative media had more collective efficacy beliefs and intent to take action after the marches.

Those who regularly got news from liberal media tended to have less negative impressions of marchers, particularly among those who reported having heard about the marches.

Swim said that because they controlled for such factors as political affiliation and beliefs, these changes were likely due to the way their preferred media sources portrayed the marches before and after the events.

For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Others News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

In the first of its kind, Taiwan last week, became the first Asian country to legalise same-sex unions. As the landmark achievement for LGTBQ rights that came into effect on Friday, hundreds of same-sex couples exchanged vows on the first day following the legalisation. The Interior Ministry said 500 same-sex couples registered their marriages across the island on Friday according to Standard.co.uk.

aaThe legalisation of marriage is only the first step," said a 48-year-old novelist who writes under the pen name Chen Hsue who has lived with her partner for more than 10 years.

"In the future, through this legalisation, I hope LGBT people could be accepted as ordinary people by Taiwanese society.a

The news which resonated across the world was received with overwhelming responses from prominent gay people. A Ellen DeGeneres also took to Twitter to share her reaction regarding the ground-breaking news, aaLetas celebrate every step in the right directionaa she wrote.

Take a look at some of the joyous moments below as couples basked in the glow of matrimony for the first time.

Taiwan is the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, and the first official weddings are underway YiaY pic.twitter.com/EwiidQV48l a BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) May 24, 2019United Nations:

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday honoured an Indian police officer with a prestigious medal for sacrificing his life during the world body's peacekeeping mission in the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Jitendra Kumar was posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjold medal at the UN headquarters during a special tea reception hosted by India's Permanent Mission to the UN to commemorate the International Day of UN Peacekeepers and pay homage to those who couldn't return after their service in the missions.

Kumar, who is among the 119 men and women to be awarded the medal for their courage and sacrifice in the line of duty, laid down his life while serving in the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Central African country.

India's envoy to the UN Syed Akbaruddin received the award on his behalf.

It is to be noted that the recipients for this year's award included military and police personnel, international civil servants, national staff and UN Volunteers from 38 countries who served in 12 different UN peace operations around the world.

Admiring their bravery and courage, UN chief Guterres said, Hailing from different backgrounds, our fallen heroes were united in their efforts to help the UN attain its most important objective - to save further generations from the scourge of war."

Guterres also laid a wreath to honour the fallen peacekeepers.

We ask much of our peacekeepers. In return, we must continue to do all we can to ensure they are as safe as possible, he said, adding that more than 3,800 peacekeepers have lost their lives in the 72 peacekeeping missions since 1948.

Noting that the missions in Mali, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are among the most dangerous that we have ever undertaken, he said adding that last year we lost 98 military, police and civilian peacekeepers from 36 countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Akbaruddin said that the award has given UN member states images for our heroes. Since the award was instituted, the peacekeepers were unnamed, faceless heroes. The Secretary-General has given us a face that all of us can revere at the United Nations," he added.

Importantly, the Dag Hammarskjold medal is named after the UN's second Secretary-General who died in a plane crash in the Congo in 1961 while trying to broker a peace agreement to end the conflict in the country.

It is worth mentioning here that India is the fourth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping. It currently contributes more than 6,400 military and police personnel to the UN peace operations in Abyei, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, the Middle East, South Sudan and the Western Sahara.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that some 1,500 additional US troops would deploy to the Middle East against a backdrop of soaring tensions with Iran. We want to have protection in the Middle East, Trump told reporters as he prepared to set off on a trip to Japan.

Were going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective, Trump added. Itll be about 1,500 people.

The deployment includes reconnaissance aircraft, fighter jets, engineers, and the extension of the presence of a Patriot missile defense battalion that accounts for 600 of the personnel.

This is a prudent response to credible threats from Iran, said Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan.

Pentagon officials said the 1,500 additional troops were in response to recent incidents in the region that US intelligence had tied to Irans leadership.

Trump had threatened to meet provocations by Iran with great force". The president however said that hes also willing to negotiate with the Islamic Republic. He says, If they do something it will be met great force. But he adds, We have no indication that they will. Still, he is not mincing his words, calling Iran hostile and the No. 1 provocateur of terror.



Earlier, Donald Trump had said if the Islamic republic attacks American interests, it will be destroyed. If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again, Trump said in a tweet. Tensions between US and Iran escalated after the US deployed a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over what it termed Iranian threats.



Tensions rose dramatically May 5, when Bolton announced that the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group would be rushed from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf ahead of schedule in response to "a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings," without going into details.

Since then, four oil tankers, including two belonging to Saudi Arabia, were targeted in an apparent act of sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, according to officials in the region, and a Saudi pipeline was attacked by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Bahrains Foreign Minister yesterday affirmed that the international economic workshop Peace for Prosperity scheduled next month with the US in the Kingdom has no other goal other-than serving the Palestinian cause. The workshop has no other goal than to help Palestinian people and that Bahrain stands in the Palestinian issue is firm and solid, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa.

This minister was holding a telephonic conversation with the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov. Bahrain has been and will continue to support the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people to restore their legitimate rights and establish their independent state, the Minister told the UN envoy.

The conference which the United States co-hosts with Bahrain from June 25-26 focuses on the economic aspects of the long-delayed US peace plan, with the declared aim of achieving Palestinian prosperity. Dubbed Peace for Prosperity, the conference is expected to bring together leaders from several governments, civil society, and the business sector. Trumps office said the conference was a pivotal opportunity... to share ideas, discuss strategies, and galvanize support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement.

Trump has touted the plan as the deal of the century. This will give hopefully the people in the region the potential to see what the economic opportunities could be if we can work out political issues that have held back the region for a long, long time, the senior Trump official said.Bahrains Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday condemned in strongest terms the terrorist attack on a mosque in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan. The Ministry extends its deep condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery. The Ministry affirmed Bahrains solidarity with Afghanistan in its efforts to combat violence and terrorism and reiterated Kingdoms firm stance in rejecting all forms of violence, extremism, and terrorism.

The statement further called for strengthening coordination and cooperation among all countries in the world to eliminate terrorism. The blast which occurred during Friday prayers killed two people, including a prominent Afghan religious scholar, and injured 16 others, officials said.

The bomb at Al-Taqwa mosque in the east of the capital appeared to target Mawlawi Raihan, an imam who appeared frequently on religious shows broadcast on local TV.

President Ashraf Ghani issued a statement condemning the attack, blaming terrorists. They are justifying their crimes and misinterpreting religious values and teachings by silencing the voice of a brave religious scholar and patriot, Ghani said.Civilians have been expressing concerns regarding the increase in stray dogs in certain areas of Bahrain.

Recently, the residents of the Southern Governorate join their fellow Governorates in approaching relevant authorities with this issue.

Fears faced by residents include being bitten, woken by the howls in the middle of the night, death of smaller animals including cats by the mongrels, damage of property and the safety of children and the elderly.

The representative of the fourth constituency in the Southern Municipal Council, Omar Abdulrahman revealed that the complaints have been pouring in from citizens and expatriates.

A majority of these complaints pertain to the obstruction caused when the animals hinder the residents from entering their house or slipping into the house via the garage or main doors.

Reports reveal that other than the establisment of a hotline for strays, a permanent solution to the issue is yet to be presented.Malaysian police yesterday raided the Kuala Lumpur offices of auditor Deloitte as they ramp up investigations into a multi-billion-dollar corruption scandal, an official said. Huge sums were stolen from Malaysian state fund 1MDB, allegedly by former leader Najib Razak and his cronies who spent it on everything from yachts to rare artwork. Deloitte has come under scrutiny after it audited 1MDBs 2013 and 2014 financial statements.

Mazlan Mansor, the polices head of commercial crimes, confirmed to AFP that a raid had taken place on Deloittes office in the course of 1MDB investigations. Police seized documents and files during the operation, The Star newspaper reported. Malaysias securities regulator had already fined the firm 2.2 million ringgit ($525,000) in January for breaches related to a 1MDB bond issuance.

Deloitte was the third major accounting company to audit 1MDBs books, after KPMG and Ernst & Young. Deloitte quit as 1MDBs auditor in 2016. The same year, the firm said its audits of 1MDBs financial statements could no longer be relied upon after the US filed lawsuits linked to the scandal. US authorities are seeking to claw back assets allegedly bought in America with funds stolen from 1MDB and believe $4.5 billion was looted from the fund.British Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation in an emotional address yesterday, ending a dramatic three-year tenure of near-constant crisis over Brexit. It is and will always remain a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit, May, her voice breaking, said outside her Downing Street office. May, 62, said she would step down as Conservative Party leader on June 7.

She would remain as prime minister in a caretaker role until a replacement is elected by the party. The leader of the party automatically becomes prime minister. May, who took charge in the aftermath of the 2016 EU referendum, was forced to make way following a mutiny in her cabinet and Conservative Party over her ill-fated strategy to take Britain out of the European Union. She will become one of Britains shortest-serving post-WWII prime ministers, remembered for presiding over one of the most chaotic periods in the countrys modern political history and for her inability to deliver Brexit.

I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honour of my life to hold -- the second female prime minister but certainly not the last, May said. I do so with no ill-will, but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love, she said, appearing close to tears as she turned back abruptly and walked back into her office.

Brexit in limbo

May was pushed into the humiliating spectacle of announcing her departure from office following a meeting with the head of the Conservative Party committee in charge of leadership elections. She had previously said she would step aside once her unpopular EU divorce deal had been passed by parliament, and this week launched a short-lived bid for lawmakers to approve it in early June, that has now been postponed. MPs have overwhelmingly rejected the withdrawal agreement she struck with European Union leaders last year three times, brutally weakening May on each occasion.

With her resignation, the manner of Britains withdrawal from the European Union appears more uncertain than ever. She had been under growing pressure to quit following months of political paralysis over Brexit, which have intensified in recent weeks following disastrous results in the May 2 English local elections. The Conservatives are expected to fare similarly badly in this weeks European Parliament elections when the results are announced late Sunday.

One last roll of the dice

Mays latest effort to force through her despised Brexit deal, which included giving MPs the option of holding a referendum on the agreement, proved her final undoing. The move prompted a furious reaction from Conservatives -- including cabinet members. I thought she deserved one last roll of the dice. But she took those dice and threw them off the table, a senior minister told The Times. The clamour for her to stand down reached fever pitch after Andrea Leadsom -- one of cabinets strongest Brexit backers -- resigned on Wednesday from her post as the governments representative in parliament.

She became the 36th minister to quit Mays dismally dysfunctional government -- a modern record. In her resignation letter Leadsom told the prime minister she no longer believed her approach to Brexit would deliver on the 2016 referendum result to leave the EU. Several senior cabinet ministers reportedly then held frank talks with May on Thursday.

No deal?

Mays departure will kickstart a Conservative Party leadership contest -- already unofficially under way -- that is expected to be encompass more than a dozen candidates and favour a Brexiteer. That could lead to Britain, which has already twice delayed its departure from the European Union, opting to leave the bloc without a deal on October 31, the extended deadline agreed with Brussels last month.

Tory MPs will hold a series of votes to whittle the contenders down to a final two that will be put to the partys more than 100,000 members. Former foreign secretary and gaffe-prone Brexit cheerleader Boris Johnson is the memberships favourite, but a considerable number of Conservative MPs are thought to hold serious reservations about his suitability for the top job. He has repeatedly said Britain should not fear a so-called nodeal Brexit.

No legacy

May was the surprising victor in a 2016 leadership contest to replace predecessor David Cameron after he resigned in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum Despite having campaigned to stay in the EU, she embraced the cause with the mantra Brexit means Brexit. However the decision to hold a disastrous snap election in June 2017, when she lost her parliamentary majority, left her stymied.

May will leave office without any significant achievements to her name -- other than the bungled handling of Brexit, according to political analysts. She doesnt really have a legacy that she can call her own other than just having to manage what is a very difficult issue, said Simon Usherwood, from the University of Surreys politics department.Dutch investigators said yesterday they have busted one of the biggest online money laundering services for cryptocurrencies worth hundreds of millions of euros a year. Tax and federal prosecution officers have confiscated six servers in the Netherlands and Luxembourg, taking the Bestmixer.io virtual currency mixing service offline, the Dutch tax offices criminal branch (FIOD) said.

Bestmixer.io is one of the three largest online mixing services dealing in bitcoins, bitcoin cash and Litecoins, the FIOD said. It was started a year ago and has so far generated sales of at least 200 million dollars (25,000 Bitcoin). So-called crypto-mixing services are used by criminals on the Darknet to mask the origin of virtual currency, the FOID said in a statement.

Services like Bestmixer.io are paid to launder online currency such as Bitcoins for a commission, erasing traces of the moneys origin, it said. People use the mixing service apparently to increase their anonymity. Our investigations show that much of the currency has a criminal origin or destination, said FIOD. This mixer is suspected of being used in these cases to mask criminal money streams and to launder money, it added.

In total, Darknet markets generate some 800 million dollars yearly. Bestmixer.ios clients are from all the world with the emphasis on the United States, Germany and the Netherlands, said FIOD. The probe was launched following a report by the US-based cyber security firm McAfee. So far, no arrests have been made, FIOD spokesman Adriaan Ros said.International police group Interpol said yesterday that nine people had been arrested in Thailand, Australia and the US and 50 children had been rescued after investigators took down an online paedophilia ring. More arrests were expected as police in nearly 60 countries pursue investigations stemming from an Interpol operation launched two years ago into a hidden dark web site with 63,000 users worldwide.

Fifty children were rescued following the arrests. Police are trying to identify an additional 100 in images that had been shared on the internets uncharted corners. Interpol said its Operation Blackwrist began after it found material that was traced back to a subscription-based site on the dark web, where people can use encrypted software to hide behind layers of secrecy. Interpol enlisted help from national agencies worldwide, with the US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) department eventually tracking the sites IP address, where new photos and videos were posted weekly.

The first arrests came in early 2018, when the sites main administrator, Montri Salangam, was detained in Thailand, and another administrator, Ruecha Tokputza, was captured in Australia. Childs worst nightmare Salangam, whose victims included one of his nephews, was sentenced in June last year to 146 years in prison by Thai courts, while an associate, a preschool teacher, got 36 years. Tokputza was handed a 40- year prison term at his trial in Australia last Friday, the longest ever for child sex offences in the country.

The Australian Associated Press reported that Tokputza, 31, pleaded guilty to 50 counts of abuse of 11 babies and children -- one just 15 months old -- between 2011 and 2018. You are a childs worst nightmare, you are every parents horror, you are a menace to the community, Judge Liesl Chapman said in Adelaide. Interpol did not identify the others arrested. The HSIs regional attache in Bangkok, Eric McLoughlin, said in the statement that numerous arrests had been made in the US.

Some held positions of public trust, he said, and one individual was abusing his twoyear-old stepbrother. Operation Blackwrist sends a clear message to those abusing children, producing child sexual exploitation material and sharing the images online: We see you, and you will be brought to justice, Interpols Secretary General Juergen Stock said.A court in Madagascar upheld Wednesday sixyear sentences against three people convicted of dealing in 10,000 extremely rare tortoises, the WWF wildlife conservation group said. An appeals court in Tulear, southwest Madagascar, also fined the defendants 100 million ariary (23,800 euros, $26,500) and ordered them to pay 100 million ariary to the environment ministry.

Judges ordered the three -- two men and a woman -- to remain in detention. They were arrested in April 2018 in a house in possession of 10,072 so-called radiated tortoises, which the WWF said represented a record seizure.

From lemurs to rosewood, Madagascars natural resources are often targeted by poachers who are rarely punished by authorities on the impoverished Indian Ocean island.On May 2, the United States stopped granting waivers for the importation of Iranian oil. The decision was yet another step in the U.S. economic war against Iran. The "maximum pressure" policy is designed to disrupt the Iranian economy and force Iran to enter negotiations on the United States' terms for a new nuclear deal, substituting for the existing accord that was negotiated with the Obama administration and five world powers in 2015.

Iran rejected the latest U.S. action as illegal, as it did last year with the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. Iran regards the withdrawal as a violation of international law, including United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231.

In fact, Iran's decision to remain in the nuclear deal, despite the U.S. withdrawal, was prompted by requests from European nations to give them enough time to compensate Iran for what it has lost as a result of the United States' unilaterally abrogating its commitments and leaving the accord.

My country has patiently waited for a year, but no tangible economic recompense has been forthcoming. Iran was left with no other option than to cease performing some commitments - such as observing limits on stockpiles of low-enriched uranium and heavy water - for two months, while still giving the remaining JCPOA members, and particularly Europe, time to finally and fully adhere to their commitments under the accord and make up for Iran's losses. Our argument is basically that we cannot - and no one reasonably can - be expected to unilaterally honor a multilateral agreement.

The United States' approach toward Iran has no clarity or cohesiveness. Instead, the policy is driven by an obsessional antagonism. It is no secret that a number of U.S. high officials - and certain leaders in the Middle East - are pushing President Donald Trump to adopt a hard-line policy toward Iran, even calling for "regime change." This group has presented what we call "fake intelligence" to "prove" that Iran is responsible for all of the Middle East's problems - thus the urgency to confront us at any cost, including through military means.

The recent dispatching of a U.S. naval armada to the Persian Gulf is a response to the same fake intelligence, supported not by members of Congress or U.S. allies. Recently, I informed U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the need to establish a security structure in the Persian Gulf. Yet, let me be clear here: While Iran does not desire war in the region, neither with the U.S. nor with any other country, we will stand firmly against any act of aggression against our country.

Contrary to the views of some of his close associates, Trump appears not to want a war with Iran. But his approach toward us is contradictory - at times threatening us, at others calling for dialogue.

The United States' proposal on dialogue with Iran faces three major hurdles. First, history shows that genuine talks cannot be productive if they are coupled with intimidation, coercion and sanctions. A dialogue can succeed if both sides accept the principle of mutual respect and then act on equal footing.

Second, the Trump administration does not speak with a united voice on the need for a dialogue with Iran. Those who are eager to provoke a conflict are working to sabotage the possibility of useful and meaningful dialogue.

Finally, Trump's sudden withdrawal from the JCPOA nuclear deal last year with no good reason - and to the disapproval of almost the entire international community - stirs concerns that any future deal might face the same fate, with no guarantee to the contrary.

This month, Trump said that the United States "is not looking to hurt Iran." On May 20, however, he claimed that Iran's "economy continues to collapse - very sad for the Iranian people." This is clear evidence that the United States is determined to hurt the Iranian people, a crime under international law. Under these circumstances, how could any rational nation trust a U.S. offer of dialogue?

The U.S. policy of maximum pressure against Iran has failed. None of the Trump administration's unjust demands has been met, and I can assure you that pressure will not work. So, what has the maximum-pressure policy actually accomplished? It has isolated the United States in the international arena and created yet more division between America and its allies. The policy has also stoked resentment toward the United States among Iranians from all walks of life. Yes, the illegal sanctions have hurt the Iranian people, but the sanctions have not changed Iran's policies.

Throughout history, Iranians have always resisted the imposition of others' will and have survived for millennia. That is self-evident to any historian. The language of threats and intimidation is anathema to Iranians, who have always demonstrated that respect begets respect.

- - -

Ravanchi is the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations.Fair Haven, N.Y. -- As Lake Ontario continues its rise to record-high levels for the second time in three years, shoreline residents grasp to find a villain.

Rumors fly that the international board that lets water out of the lake is beholden to wealthy Canadians with waterfront property downstream, or that Lake Ontario is being kept high to please hydropower companies.

The biggest scapegoat of all, though, is Plan 2014. The new plan to regulate Lake Ontario levels had the bad luck to be rolled out in January 2017, just before the Great Lakes basin got slammed by record spring rainfall. The timing makes it easy to understand why Plan 2014 has become the scapegoat of choice.

We can talk about the rain and that stuff, but the plan is the only thing that has changed, said Pete Klein, who just built a 30-inch steel retaining wall around his house on the shore of Little Sodus Bay.

But Plan 2014 is getting a bad rap, scientists and engineers say. The real villain is simply rain: heavy, sometimes unbelievable amounts of rain.

Its not Plan 2014," said Keith Kompoltowicz, chief of watershed hydrology in the Detroit office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The level of Lake Ontario absolutely is a result of the very wet conditions experienced over the past several years."

The springs of 2017 and 2019 werent just wet, but record wet. The stretch from April 1 to May 31 in 2017 was the wettest two-month period on record. The first five months of 2017 was the wettest such period for Toronto, Rochester, Ottawa and Montreal since at least 1942.

After heavy storms and snow melt in Quebec in 2017, the Ottawa River reached its highest flows in over 100 years. Those Ottawa River records lasted only two years; this month, the river hit new heights after another spring of heavy rain and melting snow.

No regulation plan can make high water out of nothing, said Jacob Bruxer, a senior water sources engineer with Environment Canada, the countrys weather service. Its been wet.

The levels of Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River, into which Ontario flows, have been regulated for decades by the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board. That is an appointed board of the International Joint Commission, a U.S.-Canada partnership created in 1900.

The board controls how much water flows out of the lake and into the river through the Moses-Saunders Power Dam, which spans the river from Massena to Cornwall. Before 2017, the lake was regulated under Plan 1958D.

Plan 1958D, and now Plan 2014, provide guidelines for the board to control water levels. The board must balance numerous and competing interests, including shoreline owners along Lake Ontario, but also the 1.8 million residents of Montreal. Letting out enough water to reduce Lake Ontario by 1 inch raises the level of the St. Lawrence at Montreal by 11 inches.

Municipalities downstream from the dam also draw drinking water from the river, and they cant do that if the river drops too low. The 2,000-mile long watercourse from Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean is also critical for commercial shipping, which creates an estimated 70,000 jobs and nearly $4 billion in income and expenditures in New York state alone. Too little water in the river impedes ships, and too much slows them down and forces them to use more fuel. And letting out too much water can make it dangerous for ships.

Trade-offs between important objectives are unavoidable, perhaps none more obvious than when both Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River are flooded, said the May 2018 report.

In 2000, the IJC authorized a $20 million study to devise a new plan that would help ecosystems along Lake Ontario. After 14 years of study, public hearings and planning, the board put Plan 2014 into effect in January 2017.

And then the skies opened.

As chance would have it, the events that unfolded over the coming months would test the new regulation plan and the Board with perhaps the most extraordinary conditions to ever occur in the Lake Ontario  St. Lawrence River system, said a report prepared by the board in May 2018.

This year has been similar, but theres been even more rain across the entire Great Lakes basin. Rain that falls north of Lake Superior eventually makes its way down through the lakes and into Lake Ontario. About 85% of the water that flows into Lake Ontario comes from Lake Erie, and Lake Erie has hit record levels this year because of the extreme rain.

The average level of Lake Ontario is now 248.67 feet above sea level. Thats only 3 inches below the record, set in 2017. If the lake keeps rising over the next couple of weeks as expected, that record will be broken, said Keith Koralewski, a U.S. representative on the river board.

Theres no doubt that Plan 2014 was designed to keep Lake Ontario slightly higher to re-establish wetlands along the shore and to allow for more fluctuation in the lake level. More year-to-year variation in water levels improves coastal health, said the June 2014 report outlining the reasons for a new regulation plan.

But that report estimated the Plan 2014 would, on average, increase the lake level by only 2 inches over Plan 1958D. Lake Ontario is now 27 inches above the long-term average for May.

While its little comfort to homeowners, the report noted that damage to coastal development is inevitable under any regulation plan. Under Plan 1958D, the report estimated, high water levels caused about $15.5 million in damage. That would increase by $2 million, the report said, although it would affect mostly sea walls and other retaining structures, not houses.

This year, as in 2017, Lake Ontario is taking in more water than it can let out. Upstream, Lake Erie has reached record levels thanks to heavy rains across the Great Lakes basin, and has been dumping water into Lake Ontario at unprecedented rates. About 85 percent of the water that flows into Lake Ontario comes from Erie.

Outflows from Lake Erie into Lake Ontario have been above average virtually every day for since January 2017, according to board data.

Downstream, the record levels in the Ottawa River are backing up the St. Lawrence River, and the international board had to slow outflow of water through the dam earlier this month to control flooding in Montreal, an island at the confluence of the two rivers.

Lake Ontario is trapped between a flooded Lake Erie and a flooded St. Lawrence River, Bruxer said.

Lake Ontario shoreline residents say the board need out more water from the lake in the fall to make room for spring rain and snow melt.

They should have been letting water out in October and November, said Brian Kenney, whose home sits on the shore of Little Sodus Bay.

In fact, the board last fall let out far more water than average. In September through November, for example, board documents show the outflow through the dam was 7,500 to 8,000 cubic feet per second; the long-term average then is under 7,000 cubic feet per second.

Outflows were greater than normal in nearly all of 2018, board records show. Despite that, Lake Ontario continued to rise through the late fall thanks to above-normal precipitation.

Plan 2014 has been aggressively releasing water since 2017, said Frank Bevacqua, spokesman for the IJC. Theres just more coming in than we can let out.NEW HAVEN  On the day of their college graduation, Southern Connecticut State University class of 2019 President Jamie Kelly and Vice President Devra Baxter both knew exactly what comes next for them after moving their tassels: helping to make the world better as best they know how.

Baxter, a business major, will teach English abroad.

Before I get my MBA, I want to do something to help, she said.

Kelly, who will attend law school, has a particular interest in immigration law and criminal law, in part to advocate for refugees.

Kelly and Baxter are two of more than 1,300 students who graduated Friday from SCSU, which President Joe Bertolino has designated a social justice university since arriving to the campus in 2016, at Bridgeports Webster Bank Arena.

Its more important than ever to make an effort to be, in the spirit of social justice, compassionate and kind, Bertolino told the graduates.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., charged the graduates with using their talents to tackle the gender wage gap, student debt and immigration law.

I want you to make sure women are paid for their work, said the two-term senator, who consistently ranks among the wealthiest members of Congress. Future graduates should be able to come to Southern or any college in the country without debt.

Blumenthal also encouraged graduates to help fight and improve our broken immigration system, without offering specifics.

We are a nation of immigrants, he said. We are the greatest nation in the world because we are a nation of immigrants.

Commencement speaker Milana Vayntrub, a comedian and actor, shared her experience witnessing the hardships of Syrian refugees while on vacation in Greece.

Its really hard to vacation when theres a refugee crisis unfolding in front of you, she said.

Drawing from her own experience as a refugee to America fleeing religious persecution in Uzbekistan with her family when she was young, Vayntrub launched an organization called Cant Do Nothing, which she uses to help displaced refugees in tangible ways such as providing basic resources.

My refugee experience coming from Uzbekistan was a cakewalk, she said, referrering to her positive experience with refugee resettlement agencies. I realized I had to pay back the people who helped me by paying it forward.

Vayntrub also amended Blumenthals comments about America being a nation of immigrants to acknowledge indingenous people and people who were violently removed from Africa.

Look out for injustices. Look out for atrocities. Look out for imbalances in power, Vayntrub told the graduates. Dont wait for someone else to fix the problems within the world. Dont wait for the next generation or the next election. This is your world now, so please take care of it.

Connecticut State Colleges and Universities President Mark Ojakian and New Haven Mayor Toni Harp encouraged graduates to stay in Connecticut and the city of New Haven, respectively. Board of Regents for Higher Education Chairman Matt Fleury referenced a recent scandal, where wealthy parents were exposed for allegedly buying their childrens admission into elite colleges.

Brands are not defined by names, colors, logos, or even great mascots, he said. Brands are defined by hard work.

And so, he said, SCSU is among the most prestigious institutions.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.comA man was killed Saturday morning when his motorcycle veered off the New Jersey Turnpike, authorities said.

The man, Jesus Patino-Papia, 28, of New York City, was driving northbound on the turnpikes western spur when he veered off the road to the right, and struck a guardrail.

The crash was reported shortly before 4 a.m., State Police Trooper Alejandro Goez said.

Patino-Papia, who was ejected from his Yamaha bike, was pronounced dead on the scene.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.A Neptune Township man admitted Friday to collecting payments from out-of-state students in exchange for creating fake residency documents to help them get in-state tuition at Delaware State University.

Stephen Williams, 35, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Delaware to one count of bribery for his role in the massive $3 million admissions scheme. He faces 10 years in prison when hes sentenced on Sept. 6.

Prosecutors said Williams was the mastermind of the scheme, collecting approximately $70,000 from 2013 to 2017. While its unknown how much money Williams profited, officials said the estimated cost of reduced admissions payments to DSU exceeded $3 million.

After Williams collected the payments, he would create forged residency documents, like housing leases, and then gave them to his co-defendant, Crystal Martin, who would place them in the students file. Martin, who got a percentage of the fee collected from each student, pleaded guilty in April.

The forged documents would support residency changes Martin made in the universitys computer system. Williams also paid DSU students to recruit other out-of-state students who were interested in getting the discounted tuition rates.

The schools provost, Tony Allen, said the students involved in the scheme have received a variety of sanctions, including denial of diploma and repayments of tuition, according to the Delaware News Journal.

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Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Essex County sheriffs officers seized more than $30,000 worth of cannabis edibles and stolen semi-automatic weapons in a drug investigation that also led to four arrests, officials said Friday.

As of an ongoing drug probe, narcotics investigators were watching the area around Broadway and Bloomfield Place in Newarks North Ward Thursday night, according to Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

Officers spotted Louis Roselle, 36 of Newark, exchange two green paper bags for cash with Patrick Caloway, 21, of Morristown, who pulled up in an SUV outside a Broadway apartment, the sheriff said. Authorities stopped Caloway, who was traveling with a 17-year-old Rockaway girl and 18-year-old Kahleel Sunderland, of Morristown.

As our officers approached the Ford, the trio was holding and counting 1,503 grams of the edible cannabis which was packaged in silver strips much like some candy, Fontoura said in a statement.

Officers charged Caloway, Sutherland and the girl with various drug offenses, according to authorities. Detectives also served a search warrant at Roselles Broadway apartment.

That search led sheriffs officers to find four semi-automatic handguns - three that were reported stolen in Pennsylvania and Virginia - along with hollow-point bullets, 1,500 grams of edible and leaf cannabis and a wide assortment of drug packaging materials, Fontoura said.

Roselle was charged with drug and weapons offenses, including possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and drug distribution.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newslettersEDITORS NOTE: Entrepreneurs everywhere are eyeing the billion-dollar legal weed industry, an economic opportunity unrivaled in modern N.J. history. NJ Cannabis Insider features exclusive weekly content geared toward those interested in the marijuana industry. View a sample issue.

WASHINGTON If the current Congress passes one cannabis-related bill, its most likely going to be legislation that allows federally regulated banks to offer credit cards, savings accounts and other financial services to legal marijuana businesses.

Thats the bipartisan Secure and Fair Enforcement Act, or SAFE Act, which has passed the House Financial Services Committee and is awaiting a vote on the House floor.

Its the least marijuana marijuana bill, said Michael Correia, the chief lobbyist for the National Cannabis Industry Association, which has around 300 people in Washington this week to meet with lawmakers and push for cannabis legislation.

The measure is silent on whether cannabis should be legalized, putting off that debate for another day. It just allows existing legal marijuana businesses to be able to write checks and take credit cards rather than carry bags of cash to pay their workers, pay their taxes or buy the equipment they need.

The House committee heard testimony earlier this year about employees being attacked because they got their pay in cash rather than a check, or robbers targeting all-cash marijuana businesses. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told the Senate Banking Committee that he wanted clarity on whether banks could service legal cannabis businesses.

Its not just a cannabis bill, said Becky Dansky, executive director of the Safe and Responsible Banking Alliance, an advocacy group representing municipalities, banks and insurance companies. Its a banking bill. Its a public safety bill.

The bills chief sponsor, Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., said the measure could reach the House floor as early as next month.

It has a lot of industry support and it opens the door for other bills that are broader, he said.

Groups not lobbying to legalize marijuana are pushing for the banking bill, such as the American Banking Association and the Independent Community Bankers of America.

Under current law, not only are banks hesitant to provide financial services to marijuana businesses in states where the drug is legal, but they could get in trouble for things like doing business with the company installing the lights for at a dispensary, ABA Vice President Tanner Daniel said.

Banks are in the business of certainty, Daniel said. This is very gray area.

Banks also have hesitated to lend money to hemp farmers even after Congress legalized marijuanas non-psychoactive cousin.

Perlmutter said that could spur Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to allow the banking bill up for vote in his chamber if it passes the House. McConnell made sure that the recent farm bill legalized hemp, which he saw as a new cash crop for Kentuckys tobacco farmers.

The 50 state banking associations recently wrote to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, seeking a hearing on the bill.

Although we do not take a position on the legalization of marijuana, our members are committed to serving the financial needs of their communities  including those that have voted to legalize cannabis, they wrote. We believe federal action is necessary and support a solution that would allow banks to serve cannabis-related businesses in states where the activity is legal.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, a member of the Senate Banking Committee and a co-sponsor of the legislation in his chamber, said the narrow focus of the legislation could overcome opposition.

It is tailored enough to achieve a goal and doesnt get into the broader policy options about legalization of cannabis, said Menendez, D-N.J. Theres a growing caucus of voices, without casting views about what legislation should or shouldnt be, that want to see those who do legalize, whether for medical or recreational, the opportunity to bank.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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Are you interested in the N.J. cannabis industry? Subscribe here for exclusive insider information from NJ Cannabis Insider.A swan that often visited the pond behind Robin and John Angelinis Upper Freehold home was shot dead Thursday night, and the couple says theyre sure it was an intentional act.

The New Jersey State Police said Friday theyre investigating the Thursday night shooting, which occurred at about 8:30 p.m.

The Angelinis, who live on Route 526 just east of Allentown Borough, were in their backyard with their dogs when they heard a shot, and saw a white figure in the water they share with a neighbor.

As John put the dogs away, Robin went to investigate, and saw what looked like a lifeless swan, then a dark-colored pickup truck speed away from the other side of the pond. John took a boat into the pond and found the swan, nearly decapitated.

The couple are concerned, first, that someone would apparently take a shot at such an animal, and that the shooter was firing in the direction of their home and neighbors.

John says the couple know what hunters gunshot sound like. This, they say, was a close-range targeting of a bird.

The swan, which used to have a mate, has been visiting their backyard water for about two years. Robin also went on Facebook to call attention to the incident, which several others discussed in the Allentown Borough & Upper Freehold Township NJ Neighborhood Page.

The couple said state troopers and conservation officers from the states Division of Fish & Wildlife were at the scene Friday investigating.

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.Update: Police are looking for two gunmen who fired at least 30 shots. Read the latest story here.

After a shooting at a Trenton bar last night that left 10 injured, a city official is calling for an end to the violence that plagues the city.

This is kind of carnage shouldnt be normal, Councilman-at-Large Jerell Blakeley said. Too often when the weather breaks, violence rears its ugly head in this city. This capital city needs help.

The shooting occurred at Ramoneros Liquor & Bar (formerly J&J Liquor & Bar and the Stokes bar) around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, according to officials.

Of the 11 injured, 10 were shot while an 11th victim suffered abrasions during the incident.

Police said ambulance crews had taken five men and five women to local hospitals. One victim was critically wounded and two male victims were taken into emergency surgery, he said.

Police are still searching for a dark SUV that was seen fleeing the scene.

Im sick and tired of this city not being able to enjoy a nice spring day without the prospect of absolute mayhem and carnage committed by a dissolute and wicked few, Blakeley added. They must be stopped.

Just waking to text messages of the mass shooting on Brunswick Avenue. This is kind of carnage shouldnt be normal. ... Posted by Jerell Blakeley on Friday, May 24, 2019

The bar shooting occurred three days after Taquan Ellerbe, the 18-year-old grandson of mayoral aide Andrew Bobbitt, was fatally shot on the first block of Bellevue Avenue. Ellerbes slaying was the fourth homicide involving a Trenton resident this month, for a total of five in 2019.

In June 2018, gunfire at a Trenton art festival injured nearly 30 people, and a suspected gunman was fatally shot by responding police officers.

Reporter Kevin Shea contributed to this report. Reach him at at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea.

Cassidy Grom may be reached at cgrom@njadvancemedia.com Follow her at @cassidygrom. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.UPDATE: Police are looking for two gunmen who fired at least 30 shots. Read the latest story here.

Following a drive-by shooting that injured 11 in Trenton early Saturday morning, the citys mayor is calling on the federal government to tighten gun laws.

Many young people are afraid to go out in the street because of gun violence, Mayor Reed Gusciora said. It's indicative of gun violence across America, there are shootings every day. The federal government needs to address this.

Gusciora was on the scene at Ramoneros Liquor & Bar around 11 a.m. Saturday morning, where hours before 11 bar-goers were injured. The victims were congregated outside the bar when a dark SUV drove by, and someone inside the SUV fired at the group, he said.

Of the 11 injured, 10 were shot while an 11th victim suffered abrasions during the incident.

All victims are expected to recover, officials said. Police are still investigating the incident, and they are following several different leads.

The mayor said lax federal gun laws allow people to bring firearms into New Jersey from nearby states. New Jersey has some of the strictest gun control laws in the country, but Gusciora said he would like them to be further regulated nationwide.

Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora speaks to the media outside of Ramoneros Liquor & Bar in Trenton where 9 people were shot early this morning. May 25, 2019 (Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media

Trenton cant be the tale of two cities, he said, adding that hes seen economic improvement in the states capital city, but also continued crime. He pointed to federal and state incentives to bring more businesses to the city, where within the past month, four people have died from homicide.

Economic and government leaders need to offer young people hope, he said, referencing a statistic that shows 30% of young people are unemployed nationwide. Employment he said, can help prevent young people from joining gangs or engaging in violence.

It is unclear which statistics Gusciora was referring to, but a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report said that just 55% of young people (ages 16 to 24 years old) were employed in July 2018.

Read more:

Cassidy Grom may be reached at cgrom@njadvancemedia.com Follow her at @cassidygrom. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.New Jerseys attorney general is questioning the legality of a special ballot question in Sussex County that would direct the county sheriff to ignore state directives on undocumented immigrants.

State Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal in a letter said the question should not appear on the countys November general election ballot.

In response, Sussex Sheriff Mike Strada on Friday fired off a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr slamming what he termed Gov. Phil Murphys sanctuary state scheme and requesting Barrs guidance.

Grewal in November issued an immigrant trust directive that places limits on voluntary assistance provided by state, county and local law enforcement officials to federal civil immigration authorities.

At issue is a resolution, approved by the all-Republican Freeholder board on April 10, authorizing a ballot question calling upon the sheriff to to ignore directives from state officers and agencies regarding undocumented immigrants.

Grewals letter was sent May 17 to Sussex County Clerk Jeff Parrott, whose office prepares the election ballots. Parrott did not immediately respond to a request for comment

Grewal, in his letter to Parrott, said the resolution appeared to target the directive.

I recognize that this is a sensitive issue, Grewal wrote in his letter, provided Friday to NJ Advance Media. Officials and residents are free to express their disagreement with state laws and law enforcement directives, including the Immigrant Trust Directive, and I welcome the chance to continue those conversations.

"But officials and residents may not instruct their law enforcement officers to ignore a law enforcement directive.

Strada, in his letter to Barr, listed some objections to Grewals directive. He said voters in Sussex County should be given the opportunity, via a ballot question he characterized as non-binding, to offer guidance.

I believe that law enforcement in New Jersey should be following the federal government in matters of a federal nature," Strada wrote. "Protecting the borders of the United States, as well as immigration and citizenship (and the criminal laws governing same), are federal matters and not the purview of the states.

Grewal, in his letter, said that the freeholder boards resolution, thought not directly referencing his offices directive, appeared to misrepresent its contents.

The directive draws a line between state, county, and local law enforcement officers, who enforce New Jersey criminal laws, and federal immigration authorities, who enforce federal civil immigration laws," Grewal wrote. Its purpose is to strengthen trust between the states law enforcement officers and its diverse immigrant communities, thereby ensuring that victims and witnesses feel safe reporting crimes.

Grewal added that the directive does not restrict law enforcement from complying with federal law or from enforcing valid court orders, and it does not provide 'sanctuary to those who commit crimes in the state.

The directive simply calls on the 36,000 law enforcement officers in New Jersey - including police, prosecutors, sheriffs officers, and correctional officers - to focus on their core priorities, like solving crimes and protecting the public, Grewal wrote.

Grewal cited both state law and legal precedents in stating his position.

As a legal matter, the Immigrant Trust Directive reflects a proper exercise of the Attorney Generals statewide law enforcement authority, and county governments may not propose ballot questions that would interfere with this authority, Grewal said.

Grewal asked Parrott to respond to letter by June 7.

Strada is running for re-election this year and facing a challenger, Andrew Boden, in the Republican primary on June 4.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newslettersThe beloved principal and veteran who lost his life while trying to donate bone marrow to a 14-year-boy will be honored in Westfields upcoming Memorial Day Parade.

Derrick Nelson, former principal of Westfield High School, severed as an Army Reserve officer for more than 20 years and was deployed in Afghanistan in 2013. Nelson, the Westfield High School Principal since 2017, heard about a 14-year-old French boy in need of bone marrow and decided to donate his own.

He died in April at the age of 44 from surgery complications.

This week, Westfield Memorial Day parade organizers posthumously named Nelson as the grand marshal. A group of veterans followed by Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle, town council members and board of education members will lead the parade. It will begin at 9 a.m. at the World War I Monument Circle, according to local news reports.

The honor is fitting for a man who is said to have spent his life serving others.

Nelson called students into his office simply to ask how they were doing, and hosted a barbecue at his house for the high school staff, according to Westfield student newspaper His Eye. He ran with the track them during their practices and broke out his legendary dance moves at prom, the report added.

People light their candles during the start of the vigil. A vigil at Westfield High School for Dr. Derrick Nelson, the school's principal, who died Sunday after an operation to donate some of his bone marrow to a sick boy in France. Wednesday April, 10, 2019. Westfield, N.J., USA (Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media)NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Dr. Nelson touched us all with his kindness, compassion, integrity, and endlessly positive attitude, Westfield School District Superintendent Dr. Margaret Dolan said in a letter to parents following his death.

Thousands of people signed a petition to rename Westfield High school after him, but there is no word yet if their efforts were successful.

Nelson had recently re-enlisted in the Army Reserve before his death, his father Willie Nelson said. Nelson was survived by his fiance and his 5-year-old daughter.

He was the type of guy to take the shirt off his back and give it to you, Willie Nelson said. He was very good at everything he did. He gave 100 percent of his life to education.

Cassidy Grom may be reached at cgrom@njadvancemedia.com Follow her at @cassidygrom. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.By Jonathan Gibson

Over the last few months my new hometown of Elizabeth has been in the news, and not for the right reasons. Our police director was forced to resign in disgrace after an investigation into his racist and misogynistic behavior. While alarming, what happened on Tuesday, May 7 makes me feel like there are deeper issues in this town.

After a rally in front of the Elizabeth Police Headquarters, I attended the Elizabeth City Council meeting, along with several other community members, to continue to petition our government to address open questions of racism and misogyny in our police force. We were met with hostility and contempt. Most notably, our elected officials openly disregarded our First Amendment Constitutional rights and violated the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act.

Upon entering the council meeting room, Council President William Gallman, Jr. stated that he would only allow one person to speak on the issue of Police Director Cosgrove. Many members of the community wanted to express their views and concerns and only one of us was allowed to exercise this fundamental right, and only for 3 minutes. This in direct violation of N.J.S.A.  10:4-12.7.a and Elizabeth Municipal Code 2.08.190.B, which guarantees a public comment section at all municipal meetings free from censorship.

A young woman came forward to speak on a different matter and Council President William Gallman Jr. harassed this young woman, threatening to cut her off and have the police intervene if she so much as mentioned the police.

This may not seem alarming to some, but let this sink in for a moment: a member of our local government told us, their constituents, the people, what issues we could and could not speak about and threatened us with police action if we spoke about something these elected officials did not want to hear.

On that night, my elected representatives in city council not only failed to protect our constitutional rights but actively violated our freedom of speech and right of redress of government, while also breaking New Jersey laws designed to protect those rights.

This meeting was a symptom of a greater rot to democracy in Elizabeths government. At the root of the problem is Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, who has been mayor since 1992, and his friends throughout city government, city council, and even the Union County Democratic Party. This administration thrives off thuggish behavior and its systemic oppression of peoples rights to seek redress of their government.

Its difficult to find information about when and where public meetings are held. The city website only has the dates, not the times and location of meetings. When I went to city hall in hopes of finding a meeting on a Tuesday night, I was met with a locked front door, a building closed sign and no directions about where the meeting was being held. It turns out that you need to be an insider to attend the Elizabeth City Council meetings. You need to know to go through a private city parking lot and enter through the back door.

In 2001, Elizabeths city council tried to silence their own councilmans dissent by having him arrested. In that case, city taxpayers ended up paying Armenio Monteiro $10,000 in damages, plus attorney fees. I have also been told by several citizens and even a city employee that on other occasions this council has limited the publics remarks. This behavior is more aligned with authoritarianism and fascism than the democratic values of American governance.

To rectify these egregious violations of our Constitutional rights, I call on Elizabeths City Council to hold a special meeting to hear from the public on the issues of racism, profiling and racialized policing. This meeting must be advertised to the public and made available on the city website. I further call on Council President Gallman to issue a public apology for his and the councils past and current violations of their constituents Constitutional rights.

I also call on the Union County Prosecutors Office to open an investigation into the city council and the Bollwage administrations continued violations of the peoples rights to access and seek redress from their government.

Jonathan Gibson is an adjunct professor of Criminal Justice and Public Policy at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York and a city council candidate.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.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 Dave DAlessandro of the Star-Ledger Editorial Board.

Q. The task force on corporate tax breaks is white-hot and the relationship between the governor and South Jersey Democrats has entered the lawsuit stage. How will this spill over into crunch time for the budget, which is due in five weeks?

Roginsky: The political environment today is more toxic than I have ever seen it. That doesnt help move the ball down field on any number of issues, whether they are budget related or otherwise.

DuHaime: On the tax incentive fight, its hard to see if there will be a winner or only losers, both politically and legally. In the short term, I see nothing of substance getting done in Trenton. There is zero trust between the sides who must hammer out a budget. At some point, we must have a budget, so something will get passed to keep government paying its bills, but I dont expect any groundbreaking new public policy right now.

Q. The legal marijuana campaign promised much and delivered zilch, and now Senate President Steve Sweeney says he cant see a separate decriminalization bill because it allows the illegal market to endure, if not grow. How much pressure is there to get that piece done? How will this play out?

Roginsky: I doubt we will see much more on this issue this year, aside from an expansion of the medical marijuana program.

DuHaime: This is not just a casualty of the Democrat civil war. There are simply not enough Democrat votes in the Senate or Assembly to pass the legalization of recreational marijuana right now. Democrats in New Jersey are not the same as Democrats in San Francisco or Seattle.

Q. The administration is rejecting most subpoenas it has received from Congress. At what point do you suspect the House will move forward with impeachment, if at all?

Roginsky: I know that Speaker Pelosi is concerned that an impeachment battle will suck attention away from the substantive policy issues she wants to focus on ahead of 2020 but the presidents stonewalling will likely box her in. The surest way to get the information Congress is seeking is through a formal impeachment inquiry. So I suspect that it will be a question of when impeachment proceedings begin, not when.

DuHaime: Donald Trump doesnt want an impeachment proceeding, but neither does Nancy Pelosi. When Republicans impeached Bill Clinton in 1998, it actually hurt Republicans in the short term. Speaker Pelosi doesnt want Donald Trump somehow looking like the victim heading into 2020.

Q. The first national polls are out since the anti-abortion measures passed in Alabama and Georgia, and disapprovals of these laws are about 25 points higher than the approvals. Which party benefits most from the reproductive rights issue in 2020?

Roginsky: Both sides will be highly mobilized but I suspect this will benefit Democrats slightly more. All those affluent white women who voted for Trump in 2016 may now understand that there are very real ramifications to their support. In the last forty-six years, many women really never believed that Roe v Wade would be overturned. Now that its a real possibility, it may motivate women to vote accordingly.

DuHaime: We have had six Republican presidents since Roe v Wade, and it has not been overturned. In New Jersey, this is brought up in campaigns to move women away from Republicans, even if the GOP candidates are pro-choice, and it usually works. That said, the electoral college will not be decided in New Jersey or Alabama. It will be decided in Pennsylvania, Florida, Wisconsin and Michigan, where this will be bitterly divisive as Julie says. It provides a conundrum for some in each party. There are many Republicans who would prefer the party talk solely about the robust economy. But there are many Democrats who are uncomfortable with just how far left their Presidential candidates are going on abortion. Remember, Pennsylvania has a pro-life Democrat US Senator who is the son of a pro-life former Democrat governor, and they also have pro-life Democrat members of Congress. These battleground states are not the same as New Jersey when you try to evaluate the politics of this emotional issue.

Q. Mitch McConnell wont bring election security bills up for a Senate vote this year, even after he called Russian interference dangerous and disturbing in the wake of the Mueller probe. What are we missing here?

Roginsky: Mitch McConnell stands for nothing other than electoral victory. If Russia helps Republicans win again in 2020, all the better for him. I cannot think of a less patriotic public official.

DuHaime: I like Mitch much more than Julie does obviously. I would need to know more about the bills to know why he wont bring them for a vote, but he is not advocating for outside interference in 2020. Remember, Hillary didnt lose because of the Russians; she lost because she didnt bother to campaign in Michigan and Wisconsin.

Roginsky: Remember, this is the same Mitch McConnell who refused to publicly condemn Russian interference in 2016 because it would mean doing it in a bipartisan manner with President Obama. He has never missed an opportunity to put his own narrow, partisan interests ahead of what is best for our country. Its really this simple: McConnell can stand with his fellow Americans and pass legislation to protect the integrity of our voting system or he can stand with Vladimir Putin by doing nothing as Russia wages another cyberattack on our country. He has chosen the latter path.

Q. Eight mayors from Jersey are attending the conference of mayors in Hawaii  some on the taxpayer dime, notably the 7-person contingent from Plainfield. Is this just the price of networking, or should they be reminded that we have our own beach?

Roginsky: While they are there, they may want to lobby the Conference to hold its next meeting at the beautiful Jersey Shore.

DuHaime: The conference of mayors is a good organization but politically tone deaf to hold a conference in Hawaii where politicians then go on the taxpayer dime. I will be doing my networking in Cape May this weekend.

UPDATE: The City of Plainfield is sending SEVEN people to Hawaii on taxpayers' money.https://t.co/KHux5UMwC9  Cassidy Grom (@CassidyGrom) May 17, 2019

A note to readers: DuHaime and Roginsky are both deeply engaged in politics and commercial advocacy in New Jersey, so both have connections to many players we discuss in this column. Given that, we will not normally disclose each specific connection, trusting that readers understand they are not impartial observers. DuHaime, a principal at Mercury Public Affairs, was chief political advisor to former Gov. Chris Christie, and has worked for Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and President George W. Bush. Roginsky, a principal of Optimus Communications, has served as senior advisor to campaigns of Cory Booker, Frank Lautenberg and Phil Murphy. Henceforth, we will disclose specific connections in the text only when readers might otherwise be misled, at the discretion of the editors.By Shauna Moses

A lot of people smile when they see dogs and especially when they have positive interactions with dogs. What they might not know is that they experience biochemical reactions to dogs: the release of feel good brain chemicals  dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin  and a reduction of cortisol, which is a stress hormone.

I know from personal experience the value of having a dog. Chica makes me smile and laugh, even when Im feeling depressed. Shes very affectionate and even more so when she senses Im not feeling well.

I know even more about the positive impact dogs have on peoples lives through my involvement with Attitudes In Reverse (AIR), which was established in 2010 by the Baker family, soon after their son/brother Kenny died by suicide following a long battle with severe depression and anxiety. Their mission is to save lives by educating students about mental health, related disorders and suicide prevention.

Since January 2011, they have presented to more than 80,000 middle and high school students, as well as those in colleges in New Jersey and seven other states across the nation. Between 6 percent and 17 percent of students at every presentation speak up about their mental health struggles and are then connected to helpful resources.

AIR Co-founder Tricia Baker and other volunteers bring their therapy dogs to schools to help students cope with the tragedies of losing friends to suicide. They have also gone to funerals  far too many funerals  which reinforces our mission to prevent more suicides from happening.

Tricia and others also bring their AIR Dogs to high schools and colleges to help students manage the stress of midterm and final exams. In addition, she and her therapy dogs go to a local psychiatric hospital where many of the patients would not receive any visitors otherwise.

I have learned of many inspiring stories through my work with AIR. Alexi Derkatsch had his dog Apollo become a certified Emotional Support Animal (ESA) through AIRs training and certification program. Alexi had Apollo for about eight years before they received ESA training. While the Golden Retriever completed basic training and has been naturally therapeutic for Alexi, who has been struggling to cope with mental health challenges, both he and Apollo gained even more benefits from this program. Soon after the six-week training was completed, Alexi brought Apollo with him to California Polytechnic State University.

Apollo is a factor of relief throughout my day. Just the fact that hes there gives me many advantages, Alexi said. The chore of having to take him for walks is a blessing. It makes me able to face the outdoors. I may be able to share a smile or passing gaze with someone and pay it forward in some small way.

Both the dogs and the people are truly inspiring so, naturally, I became involved with AIR and I have found that helping other people helps strengthen my own mental health. I highly recommend it for everyone, whether or not they experience mental health challenges. Of course, I also recommend that everyone have a dog if they can.

Shauna Moses serves on the Attitudes In Reverse (AIR) Board of Directors and as its communications director.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.Perhaps you heard about President Trumps latest tantrum, roundly mocked by late night comedians and anyone familiar with the phrase Infrastructure Week.

The White House schedules a week to make a bipartisan deal to fix the nations bridges, roads and tunnels  Trumps most popular campaign promise. Then it gets blown up, over and over. Its become the punchline for every policy goal that Trump inevitably torpedoes.

But whats at stake is no joke: The extremely stable genius is holding a gun to our regional economy. Unless Congress ignores his felonious behavior and drops all investigations, nothing else will get done  chief among these projects, our tunnel into Manhattan.

Its blackmail, pure and simple. And were the ones being held hostage, strapped to the infrastructural equivalent of a ticking time bomb, as negotiators call on Trumps family to try and talk him down.

We cant close and fix the decaying tunnel that has been in operation since 1908 without first building a replacement. And even if we could start construction on that new tunnel right now, it would still take close to a decade, at best, to finish.

Congress recognizes this, and has devised workarounds in its appropriations bills to get Gateway funding started, but the Trump Administration continues to create obstacles for the countrys most urgent infrastructure project.

In the meantime, salts and chlorides left behind from the 13 million gallons of water that flooded the tunnel during Hurricane Sandy continue to coat the walls, eating away at the concrete.

If just one of the tunnels two tracks has to be shut down and fixed before the new tunnel is built, it would cut off 75 percent of commuter traffic. Wed go from 24 crammed trains an hour to only six. Every day would be rush hour roulette, in which 200,000 commuters are delayed. A transit hellscape.

Imagine being 40 minutes late every day  each way. Yet Trumps chief concern is not improving lives, protecting the economic health of the entire Northeast, or creating jobs. Hes engaged in a coverup  of his shady finances and dealings, of his failure to secure financing for the kind of sweeping infrastructure updates he promised, or both.

I think they cant figure out a way to do infrastructure, and they came up with a very inelegant way to get out of it, Sen. Chuck Schumer said, after Trump stormed out of a meeting with top Democrats on Wednesday.

The president was unable to rally Republican support for his professed $2 trillion infrastructure plan. And meanwhile, he has blocked every request made by investigators, arguing that Congress should just drop all of its oversight power and give him his way.

Congress should stop acting like Congress  and if it doesnt, he fumes, the price will be our tunnel. As he stomps his feet, orders aides to vouch for his exceptional calmness and tweets about Crazy Nancy, the clock is ticking.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.WASHINGTON  U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez blasted President Donald Trump on Friday after his administration said it would bypass congressional review for the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia, accused in the murder of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi.

Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and its former chairman, said he was working with lawmakers of both parties in order to respond to the announcement by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, which would allow the administration to sell arms to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan over congressional objections.

I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump administration has failed once again to prioritize our long term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia, said Menendez, D-N.J., who so far has been able to block the sale of such as precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia.

"Rather than stand up against those who murdered Jamal Khashoggi and are working against U.S. interests, the Trump administration decided to do an end run around the Congress and possibly the law.

BREAKING: The Trump Admin formally informed Congress that it is invoking an obscure provision of the Arms Export Control Act to eliminate the statutorily-required Congressional review of the sales of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and others.  Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) May 24, 2019

Pompeo said the action would allow 22 arms deals worth $8.1 billion to proceed. He cited the Iranian threat in invoking the Arms Export Control Act.

These sales will support our allies, enhance Middle East stability, and help these nations to deter and defend themselves from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pompeo said.

Delaying this shipment could cause degraded systems and a lack of necessary parts and maintenance that could create severe airworthiness and interoperability concerns for our key partners, during a time of increasing regional volatility.

Trump has sided with Saudi Arabia over its rival Iran. He withdrew from the multinational agreement that relaxed economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program and instead imposed new curbs on the country.

He also vetoed legislation that would have ended U.S. aid to Saudi Arabias war in Yemen. The UAE is part of the Saudi coalition. The vote on the bill was one of the rare times that Senate Republicans rebuffed Trump.

Khashoggi, who had written articles critical of the Saudi government, was murdered after he went into the Saudi Consulate in Turkey last October.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.An alternate member of the Kenilworth Planning Board said he was resigning from the volunteer position after part of a phone conversation was posted on Instagram by a local bar owner who says language he used reflected a racial bias among residents and local officials against her mostly black clientele.

The bar, Gavelstone Bar & Grill, has no business before the planning board, and the alternate member, Anthony Cuppari, denied having any racist intent in his conversation with the bar owner, who called him Wednesday morning to discuss a noise complaint he had filed as a private citizen on behalf of tenants in an apartment building he manages across the street.

But the bar, located in a mainly residential neighborhood on the corner of South Michigan and Fairfield avenues, was issued a 30-day suspension of its liquor license by the Kenilworth Borough Council as a condition of its annual license renewal on Wednesday night, only hours after the taped phone conversation that morning. An excerpt of the call was posted on the bars Instagram page by the owner on Thursday.

The 30-day suspension is effective June 15, when another condition of the liquor license renewal will be a six-month probationary period when no DJ or live music will be permitted. The bars owner, Jessica Quintana, said she was weighing an appeal.

Quintana and the bars manager told NJ Advance Media they suspected the suspension may have been influenced by Cuppari, a 37-year-old native of the borough, or by the councils desire to appease neighbors of the bar whose racist attitudes were reflected in Cupparis remarks.

They shouldnt be suspending our license because of what the neighbors are saying just because they dont want us here, Quintana said on Friday, when she spoke on a conference call with bar manager Mary Ann Mathews.

The neighbors are going to say we dont want it because of the noise or the trash around, or other allegations theyre cant prove, Mathews said. But the reality, Mathews added, is that, they dont want a bunch of black people walking around.

Gavelstone opened in September 2016 in the former location of another bar, the Michigan Pub.

Kenilworth is a 2.1-square-mile Union County borough of about 8,000 people, 88 percent of them white and 2.9 percent African-American, according to the 2010 Census.

On the tape, Cuppari does not use the N-word or other unambiguous pejoratives. Rather, Quintana and Mathews say, his racism is expressed in subtler references, including one in which he lumps the bars clientele together as, these people, or when he notes that Kenilworth residents dont drink Hennessy, a brand of cognac widely marketed to African Americans and sold at the bar.

Cuppari told NJ Advance Media on Friday that, while he may come off sounding like an idiot, he was no racist. He also said Quintana omitted from the posted version of the recording lengthier portions of their conversation discussing how the bar might address noise or parking issues.

And, he said, Quintana did not tell him he was being recorded, even after he asked her about a beep he heard on the other end of the line, which she dismissed as nothing.

Quintana said she was also unaware at the start of the conversation that it was being taped  by her general manager, Valerie Pierro  but that she decided a recording would be useful to demonstrate whether Cuppari was consistent in what he told her on the phone that morning and whatever he might say to the council regarding his complaint during the liquor license renewal hearing later that night.

The tape begins with Quintana asking Cuppari whether Kenilworth residents were unaccustomed to seeing African Americans in town. Theyre not used to black people walking around? she asks.

Yea, in Kenilworth we dont have veryNo offense, but we dont. We just dont, And so, Cuppari replies.

There is black people in Kenilworth, she says.

Oh, no, no, no, no, Im not saying theres none. But Im saying its very small percentage. And the thing is, they live in Kenilworth, Cuppari said.

Okay, but so what even if, just because youre black Quintanna says.

No, no, culturally, Kenilworth people are, like, good, hard-working, kind of normal, live-a-day people, Cuppari says.

Oh, but my customers are not? she says.

Unfortunately, what were seeing, thats not what were seeing, he says. First of all, theyre in town to get drunk, to have a good time, and so forth, so were not seeing the good side of these people to begin with, okay?

These people! she said.

And a lot of times, culturally it is different. Like, we dont drink Hennessy here.

Cuppari told Advance Media he was resigning because he did not want fallout from the tape reflecting negatively on the town and because he did not want to taint the penalties imposed on the bar as conditions of its license, which he hoped would lead to less excessive noise and bad behavior by patrons outside.

They actually have a Hennesey Night, Cupari said. What I meant to say was that some of the things she was introduced, she was trying to understand why some of the people were not receptive to her business. I was having a tough time, and I used it as an example.

The borough attorney, Frank Capece, said the suspension was the result of dozens of police incident reports detailing bad behavior among patrons outside the bar, which the local alcoholic beverage control ordinance clearly states is the responsibility of the tavern owner.

This tavern has a three-inch pile of reports of urination on lawns, beer bottles thrown on lawns, I kid you not, sex on peoples lawns, said Capece.

More gravely, Capece cited a finding of probable cause by the Union County Prosecutors Office that a patron at Gavelstones was overserved and left the bar intoxicated before being involved in a hit & run in Linden on March 20, in which a 35-year-old teacher died from her injuries 11 days later.

Capece said these incidents followed similar complaints last year that prompted a separate condition of approval requiring that a security guard be posted at the door of the bar during open hours.

Capece said Cuppari had no personal influence over or any official role in the bars license suspension or an accompanying six-month probationary period the council also imposed on the bar as a condition of its license renewal, during which no live music or DJ will be permitted.

Capece also read a statement from the council condemning what Cuppari said on the recording.

We do not condone the intemperate and inappropriate opinions of an alternate member of the planning board regarding license review of a local tavern, the statement read. This opinion wasnt known at the time, and had no impact whatsoever on the licensing decisions regarding tavern enforcement in the borough.

The Gavelstone Bar & Grill in Kenilworth faces a 30-day suspension of its liquor license. The owner says a phone conversation she taped with a local official reveals a bias against her largely African-American clientele.Google

NOTE: This story was updated to include the June 15 effective date of the 30-day suspension of the bars liquor license and a 6-month probationary period when no DJ or live music will be permitted.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.Its not a stretch to say Friday night into Saturday morning might be the most important nights of sleep to the Yankees this season.

They hope that when lefty starting pitcher James Paxton wakes up Saturday, his balky left knee feels good.

Because it feels worse than it did when he pitched four innings in an extended spring training game Friday, they might be in big trouble.

Manager Aaron Boone said the team will wait to decide its next move for Paxton, who has been dealing with inflammation around his MCL, after he tells the team how hes feeling.

The big thing for Pax is going to be (Satruday), Boone said. How hes come in, how does he respond to going out there and throwing all his pitches? If he comes in feeling pretty well (Saturday), then we move forward. If not, then we have to adjust.

After throwing 55 pitches against Tigers minor leaguers at the Yankees training complex in Tampa, Paxton told the Associated Press that he still felt discomfort in his knee but that he was encouraged he was able to pitch through it.

Paxton said the true test would be how his knee reacts to the stress he just put it through.

Paxton has been on the injured list since May 3.

Paxton was 3-2 with a 3.11 ERA in seven starts when he went on the injured list.

The Yankees acquired him in November from the Mariners in exchange for lefty Justus Sheffield  their best pitching prospect  hoping that Paxton could form a tough 1-2 combination with ace Luis Severino, whos been out all year with a right lat strain.

CC Sabathia (right knee inflammation) is another Yankees starting pitcher on the IL.

Boone said he didnt have a problem with Paxton divulging just how injured he is, when many Yankees players often are quiet about their pains until action must be taken.

We all wanted (him) to be good to go and boom, Boone said. So, I think his comments are, hes just answering honestly, exactly how hes feeling. I think (Saturday) is a big day, because the stuff and the execution and all the things we wanted to see today, I think we saw. Now, how does he bounce back?

Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 25)  A Manila port official is back at the Bureau of Customs more than six months since he was relieved from the post amid investigations into the multibillion-peso shabu shipment that entered the country under his watch.

President Rodrigo Duterte has given a higher post to Vener Baquiran, former district collector of the Manila International Container Port, when two massive drug shipments concealed in magnetic lifters  one believed to be worth 11 billion and the other, 2.4 billion  were smuggled in June 2018. He is now Customs deputy commissioner, based on the appointment paper signed by the President on March 6 and released by Malacanang Saturday.

Baquiran was sacked in August 2018 after authorities discovered the shipments. In January, the National Bureau of Investigation charged him for failing to prevent the smuggling, resulting in a probe by the Justice Department.

Aside from Baquiran, two retired generals were appointed Customs deputy commissioners: retired BGen. Raniel Ramiro and retired Lt. Gen. Donato San Juan.

Duterte has said he wants military men to take over the beleaguered bureau, but Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, a former Armed Forces chief, said there will be no military takeover.New Orleans police on Saturday (May 25) were investigating a pair of armed robberies during which vehicles were stolen. The crimes were reported in New Orleans East and the Lower 9th Ward.

The first holdup occurred Friday about 9:31 p.m. in the 5100 block of Bundy Road. A 36-year-old woman was about to get into her vehicle when a black Chevrolet Impala pulled up behind her vehicle, police said.

A man pointed a gun at her and demanded her keys. She handed them over, and the robber drove off in her vehicle. Police did not release the make and model of the stolen automobile.

The second robbery occurred at 1:13 a.m. in the 2500 block of Andry Street. A 33-year-old man was sitting on a porch when two men armed with pistols walked up, ordered him to the ground and searched his pockets. They took his wallet and car keys, police said, and drove off in his 2014 Infiniti Q50, which bore Louisiana license plate of 992BDP.

Anyone with information about either robbery may call Crimestoppers Inc. at 504.822.1111 or 877.903.7867. Callers need not give their names or testify to be eligible for a reward of as much as $2,500 for information that leads to an indictment.Police said Saturday (May 25) theyve obtained a warrant for a 22-year-old woman accused of repeatedly stabbing a man in New Orleans East. They did not release her name but said the crime occurred in the 5600 block of Read Boulevard.

The victim, a 24-year-old man, was stabbed multiple times Friday at about 10:30 p.m. and was taken to a hospital in a private vehicle. New Orleans police did not describe his condition or release details of what led to the stabbingNuma Martinez walked into an old classroom in New Orleans 7th Ward on a hot morning in May and was instantly taken back to his days at Martinez Kindergarten. Here he taught English, Spanish, French and Japanese to 5-year-olds for more than three decades.

The room has aged in the 14 years since Hurricane Katrina. But Numa, now 73, remembered how he had students complete pages of their alphabets, languages and numbers every morning.

I told them, Dont play around with your education, he said, smiling. This brings back memories.

Teaching was a heartwarming experience for Numa, whose father built the school and whose mother, a pioneer in early childhood development, first opened it in her Uptown home in 1934. It was Louisianas first private prekindergarten for black children, and later educated such notables as Mayor Sidney Barthelemy and jazz musician Wynton Marsalis.

Katrina shuttered the school in 2005. But now community leaders are working to redevelop the site as a multipurpose programs center. On Saturday (May 25), former students and staff were invited to a reunion reception from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eugene Green Jr., chairman of a nonprofit community development agency, said there are plans to have the property added to the National Register of Historic Sites.

Some of the stuff that you see hasnt been changed since Hurricane Katrina, but its going to change over the next five years, Green said.

Mildred Martinez was a McDonogh 35 High School graduate who went on to study in New York at Hunter College and Columbia University. She taught for seven years in New Orleans public schools - until she married to Maurice Martinez Sr.

At the time, Section 172 of the Orleans Parish School Boards regulations stated, The marriage of a female teacher  vacates her position and is considered equivalent to a resignation. Her letter to an administrator, dated Aug. 10, 1932, says, I regret to have to do so but I am now married and the Rules and Regulations require that I submit her resignation.

She went on to raise her first son, Maurice Jr., and tried to enroll him at the all-white Isidore Newman School three blocks from her integrated neighborhood on LaSalle Street. Despite being a private school, Newman upheld state law enforcing segregation.

Even for public schools, the Orleans School Board was still restricting black enrollment to grades 1 through 5. So her neighbors persuaded Mildred Martinez to start a private nursery school for her 4-year-old son and other black children ages 3 to 5.

She faced criticism. They said I was a crazy woman because I was forcing these children to read at such an early age, she told The Times-Picayune in a story published June 5, 1986. Now thats what everyone is advocating.

And she faced challenges. The school lacked books for reading, so for eight years she wrote her own and fixed the pages into booklets, the newspaper reported. Numa Martinez said parents paid 25 cents a week for schooling and that his mother sometimes let struggling families pay a week late.

During the first five years, my mama used to put her hands in her hair and cry, Numa Martinez said.

She received some help, however. The Newman School donated used furnishings such as chalkboards and old, broken down chairs, Numa Martinez said. And her husband fixed the chairs with iron wires.

Among her students were children of many black public school teachers who wanted to keep their marriages secret from school system officials or had given birth outside of marriage, Numa Martinez said.

In 1936, 15 students graduated from the school. The number grew each year, until Mildred Martinez moved the school in 1944 because she wanted to graduate 100 children a year, The Times-Picayune reported.

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She decided to relocate to the 7th Ward, where her husband, a bricklayer, had bought land at 1761-67 N. Roman St. There he built three classrooms, a school office below a residence that the family rented out for $25 a month, and another residence for the Martinez family. They paid $75 a month for the real estate, Numa Martinez said.

He paid off the mortgage and everything else like youre supposed to, Numa said. He was a good man. He busted his ass.

If Maurice Martinez built the structures, however, it was his wife who built the institution. "She was the school in those days, Barthelemy, the mayor, once told The Times-Picayune. Numa Martinez, a graduate of the school and its principal after his mother died in 1991, said she ran it with an iron fist.

Community support for Martinez Kindergarten School grew along with enrollment. Dr. Walter Young, one of the few black dentists in New Orleans at the time, provided the students with free dental care. Dr. C.C. Haydel Sr., a prominent black physician, provided the students with free inoculations and medical care.

Yet another challenge emerged when Interstate 10 was built above North Claiborne Avenue, a 1960s project widely considered to have crippled the black neighborhoods along the Claiborne corridor. Maurice Martinez stood in the schoolyard with City Councilman James Moreau and Mayor Vic Schiro to persuade them to move the planned angle of elevated expressway by four degrees, to save the kindergarten school, Numa Martinez said.

By 1998, 64 years after its founding, the school had educated more than 8,700 children. The kindergarten has earned a reputation for turning out academically advanced students who enter elementary school routinely able to do 5-digit addition and subtraction, count in Spanish and pray in French, The Times-Picayune wrote in 1988.

When Katrina hit and the federal levees failed in 2005, four feet of water flooded the school, bringing with it what Numa Martinez described as rats and alligators and everything else around here. He sought money for repairs but said all of the education funders were focused on nonprofit organizations that secured contracts with the Louisiana Recovery School District to run public schools as charters.

He might have done the same if he had help. I wouldve jumped on that like a cat on a mouse, he said. Instead, he and the school went down with the ship.

Numa Martinez still lives in the 7th Ward, and it was there that he was approached by Rev. Joe Connelly of Bethany United Methodist Church. Connelly is executive director of Action Empowerment Inc., a local nonprofit community development agency, and he asked whether they could work together to restore the property.

Green, the agencys chairman and the founder and president of the Nationwide Real Estate Corp., said the site can house an entrepreneurial and business management support center. Other possibilities are a computer laboratory and technology training center, a music education center, and it could support health, wellness and community- based programs.

Community residents and boosters cleaned up the school site and other parts of the neighborhood earlier this month. Organizers will rely on private funding to restore to the property, Green said. Theyre seeking contributions via a gofundme page.

Numa Martinez expressed appreciation. Standing in the schoolyard recently, he recalled how seven yellow school buses used to transport students there. He admitted he cant do all of this by myself, but hes hopeful the community will help him restore his parents legacy.

Its going to redevelop, Numa said. Its going to come back.

. . . . . . .

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.A federal judge in Mississippi on Friday (May 24) temporarily blocked a law that made abortions after six weeks of pregnancy illegal. On Tuesday, Louisianas proposed version of the ban is scheduled to for a vote in the state House of Representatives, even though it would not take effect until the Mississippi law is upheld.

Sen. John Milkovich, who authored SB 184, did not respond to requests for comment as to whether the decision by Judge Carlton Reeves in Mississippi would affect his bill. Mandie Landry, an attorney for Lift Louisiana, which advocates for womens health care, said she expects lawmakers to vote on SB 184 even though it will likely get caught up in litigation.

More waste of time and money, she said. They are going to vote on something that has been blocked by the court and its going to be more of the same.

Benjamin Clapper, the executive director of the pro-life organization Louisiana Right to Life, said they expected that a preliminary injunction would be issued in Mississippi resulting in litigation.

The enforcement of Louisianas Heartbeat bill, if passed, would be contingent on the outcome of the federal court case centered on the Mississippi Heartbeat bill, he said in a written statement. We will continue to watch the case as it makes its progress through the federal courts.

Gov. John Bel Edwards has publicly said he would sign the abortion restriction bill. The Monroe News Star reported that the governor told a gathering by the Monroe Chamber of Commerce on May 7 that his inclination is to sign it.

Its consistent with my unblemished pro-life record in my years as a legislator and governor, he said.

Reeves preliminary injunction stops the Mississippi bill from taking effect on July 1. Reeves also blocked a 15-week ban from taking effect in the state last year.

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SB 184 is among six bills aimed at placing further restrictions on abortion access in Louisiana. HB 425 by Rep. Katrina Jackson aims at creating constitutional amendment that would outlaw abortion or public funds for the procedure should Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion, be overturned.

Landry observed that bills that allowed equal pay (HB 289), secured a minimum wage increase (SB 155) and allowed state localities to raise the minimum wage were voted against by lawmakers.

All of those bills would have actually had a positive effect on women, she said.

. . . . . . .

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly spelled Landrys first name.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.American Legion Rainbow Post No. 2 will hold three Memorial Day ceremonies Monday at different locations in Council Bluffs. The three stops are now its regular routine on the holiday.

All are a reminder of the sacrifices others have made for their country  and that freedom is not free, in the words of a popular American Legion slogan.

First, American Legion members will gather at 9 a.m. Monday at Veterans Circle at Walnut Hill Cemetery (just uphill from the reception hall), where members will read the names of veterans who have gone on. Then, the American Legion Honor Guard will raise the flag.

Next, at about 9:30, the honor guard will head to the Kinsman Monument at Fairview Cemetery. An American Legion official will present the Memorial Day Address at this location.

Finally, the crew will drive to Thomas Jefferson High School and gather around a World War I Monument that stands in front of the original front entrance of the oldest part of the building, which has been permanently closed off. This is the third year for this stop  the newest addition to the proceedings.

At each site, the honor guard will present the colors, the chaplain will offer a prayer and a firing squad will fire a salute.

All of the ceremonies are open to the public.

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.Some well-crafted concept renders from PhoneArena have offered a good idea of how the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 could end up looking. The new designs are based on recent leaks and rumors, which seem to have been mostly based on the front and rear camera setups of the upcoming high-end phablet series. The main Samsung leaker himself, Ice universe, has shared some photoshopped "Note 10s" using a OnePlus 7 Pro as the foundation.

Working For Notebookcheck Are you a techie who knows how to write? Then join our Team! English native speakers welcome! News Writer (AUS/NZL based) - Details here

Update May 30: Ice universe has uploaded photoshopped images of two devices to make them look like models from the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 10 series. It appears he used a OnePlus 7 Pro for a foundation, and then placed a pill-shaped dual selfie camera cutout on the left image, presumably to make it look like a Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Pro. For the image on the right side, which has been made to look like a regular Galaxy Note 10, a punch-hole has been positioned in the top center. He has had hundreds of responses after asking his followers which solution they preferred, and it seems the camera set to the side is more popular than the centralized hole. Both images can be seen below.

PhoneArena has published some great new renders of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10. The design has come a long way since the same outlet posted fantastic concept images of the forthcoming phablet back in March. The overall design looks more sophisticated now, and the range of colors on offer is both eye-catching and refined.

The front-facing camera has had a considerable makeover, thanks to the numerous reports by serial leaker Ice universe. Instead of a pill-shaped dual selfie camera setup located in the top right-hand corner, we now have a subtle punch-hole camera situated in the top center of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10. Love it or hate it, its arguably one of the better solutions for the selfie camera until under-display cameras start being implemented.

The rear-facing camera setup is completely different now. The horizontal bar at the top of the Note 10 has gone, and it has been replaced by a vertical alignment that is also based on more recent leaks. PhoneArena believes Samsung will position the quad-camera setup on the left-hand side of the Galaxy Note 10. This does seem like an obvious solution, but it could fly in the face of the symmetry rumor that is supposed to be relevant to the Samsung Galaxy Note 10, which would suggest a centrally located camera setup.

But as the image source argues, placing the quad-camera setup in the middle of the Note 10s rear would take up a lot of space in regard to internal hardware. So unless Samsung has discovered a way of squeezing all the vital components around the lenses, it does seem more practical to situate the cameras to the side. Its possible Ice universes symmetrical comment only alluded to the front of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10, anyway. Either way, PhoneArenas latest images are even better than the previous ones.Attorneys for one of two teenage defendants in last Septembers shooting death of Ethan Pohlmeier have appealed a Lexington-based district judges refusal to transfer his case to juvenile court.

Jesus A. Martinez, 17, of Grand Island asked the Nebraska Court of Appeals Wednesday to review District Judge James A. Doyle IVs May 14 ruling that his case should remain in adult court.

Doyle issued a separate but similar ruling that day on an identical motion by Brayden M. Turner, 16, also of Grand Island. He and Martinez are separately charged with first-degree felony murder and using a firearm to commit a felony in the Sept. 14 death of Pohlmeier, 22, of North Platte.

Martinezs appeal, filed by attorneys P. Stephen Potter of Gothenburg and Patrick Heng of North Platte, canceled his scheduled appearance before Doyle Tuesday to tend to pretrial matters and possibly set a trial date.

Turner, a former North Platte resident, remained scheduled to appear before Doyle Tuesday for identical purposes. His attorneys, Public Defender Robert Lindemeier and North Platte lawyer Amanda Speichert, had not appealed the judges juvenile-court refusal as of Friday.OMAHA  Federal prosecutors have filed a drug distribution charge against a 29-year-old North Platte woman who also faces drug charges in Lincoln County District Court.

Sarah L. Waugh was indicted Wednesday in U.S. District Court on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on or about March 13, the Nebraska U.S. Attorneys Office said in a press release.

No court date has been set for Waugh, who could face up to 20 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. She also could be fined up to $1 million, according to the federal press release.

Waugh pleaded not guilty Monday before state District Judge Richard Birch to four felony counts in two cases involving incidents between Dec. 8 and March 12.

Lincoln County prosecutors said then they expect to dismiss those charges in light of pending federal action. The local charges still stood as of Friday morning, according to court records.

Waugh is charged in one of the two local cases with possession of methamphetamine, 28 to 139 grams, and possession of a destructive device. In the other case, she faces charges of simple possession of methamphetamine and failure to appear in court.

If her local charges are not dismissed, Waugh is scheduled to appear again before Birch June 17.Flooding prompts Cottonwood Lake closure

MERRIMAN  Cottonwood Lake State Recreation Area in north central Nebraska has been closed temporarily because rains have flooded the parks access road and portions of its camping area.

The park will be reopened after the floodwaters recede and the grounds are ready for visitors, according to a press release from Nebraska Game and Parks.

Cottonwood Lake SRA, which includes the 60-acre lake and 180 additional acres near Merriman in the Sandhills, is managed by nearby Bowring Ranch State Historical Park.Students are now prohibited from video recording each other at school, Hanson said. That has reduced the number of fights, particularly at the high school. Students were recording the fights and posting them on social media, he said.

Access to school buildings is a major focus of changes. In the last year the district began requiring visitors to present government-issued photo ID, such as a drivers licenses. That is coupled with a system the allows administration to check the background of each visitor and also to know who is in the school at any time. High-risk students who have been suspended from school and return to the building, are carefully monitored.

School resource officer Jeremiah Johnson said all schools now have only one entrance, which is not just to keep intruders out. Loud alarms at all other exterior doors at the high school have reduced the problem of students skipping classes, he said.A handful of urban senators also opposed the ImagiNE Act, saying it should encourage even higher paying jobs, and didnt prohibit recipient companies from discriminating against workers due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Speaker of the Legislature Sen. Jim Scheer of Norfolk also voted against the cloture motion after telling senators earlier in the week that both property tax relief and business incentives deserved to pass this year.

The cost of the states current business tax incentives, LB 775 and the Advantage Act, came under fire. Freisen said they had already given away more than $1 billion in tax breaks, and that almost all of the 100,000 jobs attributed to the tax breaks would have been created anyway.

Were handing out money like candy, Friesen said.

But backers of the ImagiNE Act, including its chief sponsor, Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward, rejected that. He said that the ImagiNE Act was a vast improvement over existing incentive programs because it sought to create higher paying jobs, required more reporting and had fiscal guardrails that would ensure that it didnt adversely impact the state budget."I think thats the big question for the next few years, as we will undoubtedly see hundreds if not thousands of new breweries open," he wrote in the study. "How much can those breweries expand the market in their states by opening in a new geography, offering styles or experiences not available in their market, and generally build the category by bringing in new craft lovers rather than simply pulling from the existing set of customers. The states where entrants do the most market building will likely see regionals who are also more healthy and generally continue to have room for growth, whereas Id expect closings to rise more in states where breweries are simply slicing the pie into smaller pieces."The old industrial cities in north Lake County continued to decline in population last year, while south Lake County and Porter County communities saw population growth, according to the latest estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Hammond remained Northwest Indiana's largest city with 75,795 residents, but that declined from 76,418 in 2017. The population of Gary, which lost its top spot as the Region's most populous city to Hammond in 2011, slid to 75,282 people in 2012, down from 75,881 the previous year.

Hammond ranks eighth statewide in population and Gary ninth, but Hammond had the largest population decline of 623 residents while Gary had the second steepest lost of 599 people, according to Indiana University demographer Matt Kinghorn.

East Chicago's population fell to an estimated 27,930 residents in 2018, down from 28,168 people in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

An ongoing migration to more suburban communities to the south and east continued last year, according to the federal government data.MICHIGAN CITY  LaPorte County courts closed the case against a Michigan City man accused of threatening the city's mayor in November, finding no probable cause for a criminal case.

The case against Rodney McCormick, 55, was closed in May after police investigations found no evidence to charge him with intimidation or any other crimes, LaPorte County Prosecuting Attorney John Lake, said.

Lake said an intimidation case was filed, however no probable cause was found in November. A new judge and special prosecutor were appointed but no further charges were filed.

Lake reviewed all evidence and requested an additional investigation by police, but authorities found no additional evidence that shows probable cause for any charges, he said. The prosecutor recently closed the case and told the court they would not be filing any charges.

The incident was investigated by Indiana State Police at the request of the Michigan City Police Department.We have a bald eagle we are rehabilitating. We've had some smaller owls, a great horned owl and snowy owl, Popa said. Right now we have an ambassador opossum who loves cuddles. We've had skunks and red-tailed hawks. Just about everything you could think of.

Local artists were invited to work their creative magic on the hefty fiberglass statues, following the vision of the owls' sponsors. The Times of Northwest Indiana will have a Harry Potter owl and Our Lady of Grace School in Highland will have a knight owl in honor of their medieval, armored mascot.

We're really excited for the big reveal, when all of them are dispersed, Popa said. They're all blank canvases. It's exciting to see what each artist will do with them.

Schools are also invited to get involved and will be able to keep the owl they sponsor and will get a special wildlife education presentation.

Starting Aug. 1, the owls will be displayed at the sponsors' chosen locations until Nov. 1. Sponsors will be able to purchase the owls and unsold owls will be auctioned off in mid-November, Popa said.CROWN POINT  A Gary man faces 17 years in prison after admitting last week to allegations he molested a 12-year-old girl, struck a K-9 after police were called to the girl's home and possessed cocaine.

Jermaine E. Beck, 38, entered guilty pleas in two separate cases during a hearing Tuesday before Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez.

If Vasquez accepts his plea agreement, Beck would face 16 years in prison on felony charges of child molesting and striking a law enforcement animal and a consecutive one-year sentence on a felony count of possession of cocaine.

Beck was arrested Oct. 1 after Gary police responded for the third time to the girl's home in the 2200 block of Rhode Island Street because of confrontations between Beck and the girl's parents, court records say.

Beck, who was known to the family, allegedly told the girl's mother he planned to drive her to a store Sept. 30. Instead, he parked in front of a home and forced the girl to have sex in the car, records allege.

The girl's mother met Beck and her daughter at the store and ordered the girl out of the car. Beck allegedly yelled out, "I didn't do nothing to your daughter!"CHICAGO  U.S. immigration officials have told a pregnant Mexican woman who had taken sanctuary inside a Chicago church that she can stay in the United States until after the baby is born.

Adilene Marquina had been told by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that she could be deported this week. But the Chicago Tribune says she was told on Thursday she will not have to leave immediately and should report to ICE on Oct. 23.

Marquina is staying in the Faith, Life and Hope Mission. ICE has a policy against making arrests in places of worship.

She fled to the U.S. in 2015 seeking political asylum. She waited four years for an immigration judge to deny her claim. She has two American sons ages 16 and 3 and a 14-year-old son.



Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  State public health officials say they've confirmed Illinois' first mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus this season.

The Illinois Department of Public Health said Friday that DuPage County Health Department staff collected the positive mosquitoes Tuesday in the village of Wayne. No human cases have been reported so far in 2019.

The first mosquitoes that tested positive for the virus last season were collected on May 25, four days later than this year. Health department records show 74 Illinois counties reported West Nile virus positive mosquitoes or birds or a human case in 2018. There were 176 human cases last year, including 17 deaths.

The virus is transmitted through mosquito bites. Symptoms include fever, nausea, headaches and muscle aches, however most people won't show symptoms.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.DELPHI, Ind.  Conservation officers have resumed their search for a missing 4-year-old boy who was swept away in a rain-swollen northern Indiana creek .

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says conservation officers and members of the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Water Rescue Team returned to Deer Creek in Delphi on Friday morning to continue their recovery efforts for the boy, identified as Owen Jones of the Monticello area.

Officers are searching by boat, using side scan sonar, and searching overhead with a drone for Jones.

A witness on a bridge over Deer Creek saw the boy being carried downstream Thursday and notified authorities. The child had been playing in Delphi's Riley Park, which the creek flows through.

Officials say heavy rains caused the creek to swell, resulting in a strong current.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Memorial Day weekend will see plenty of showers and storms, meteorologists are forecasting.

Lake County in Indiana and several counties in Illinois are under a flash flood watch through 10 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

The storms Friday night were expected to produce 1 to 2 inches of rainfall per hour, which could lead to flash flooding or rises in local river levels.

A flash flood watch means conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding, the weather service said. Residents should monitor forecasts and be prepared to act.

More thunder storms are expected late Saturday night with an 80% chance of rain, according to the National Weather Service. Sunday could see thunderstorms in the morning followed by brief showers in the afternoon.

Monday could see scattered storms during the day with a 40% chance of rain with a dry, yet overcast evening.

NIPSCO customers in Valparaiso and Crown Point found themselves without power Friday morning, after storms that produced thunder and lightning moved through the area.In 2015, while working as an East Chicago cop, Askew was indicted in a much higher court of law  U.S. District Court in Hammond  for federal tax charges.

In 2017, he pleaded guilty to three counts of willful failure to file tax returns, bilking the federal government  and all of us, as a result  out of $38,686.

Askew was sentenced to three months in federal prison for the crimes.

As part of his plea agreement, he also admitted to another allegation, which he concluded in court documents that "the government can prove by a preponderance of the evidence."

In January 2012, Askew admitted in the plea agreement, he used his position as an East Chicago police officer to sign  under penalty of perjury  more than 50 documents asserting he had inspected watercraft or vehicles, "when in fact I knew that the forms were blank and that I did not physically inspect any such vehicles or watercraft."

In other words, Askew admitted setting the stage for a skirting of the law and using his position as a cop as the entry point.Want climate news in your inbox? Sign up here for Climate Fwd:, our email newsletter.

WASHINGTON  Newly released emails show that Environmental Protection Agency scientists raised strong objections to a 2018 decision by Scott Pruitt, who was head of the agency at the time, to exempt most of southeastern Wisconsin from federal limits on smog.

The decision by Mr. Pruitt was notable because it came as Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, was campaigning for a third term and trying to bring a Foxconn factory, and thousands of new manufacturing jobs, to a part of the state where pollution levels already exceeded federal limits.

Mr. Walker ultimately lost his re-election bid to Tony Evers, a Democrat. And Foxconn , the Taiwanese consumer electronics giant, announced in January that it was reconsidering its plan to build a $10 billion plant in Wisconsin, though the company later said it would build a smaller factory in the state.

But, in spring 2018, as the governors race was heating up, Mr. Walker championed the Foxconn deal and the 13,000 jobs it promised to create. The factory, however, also threatened to create a new source of pollution in the region.[What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]

Zoe Brock, a former model who has accused Harvey Weinstein of sexually inappropriate behavior, said she once viewed a lawsuit against him as her best opportunity to hold him to account.

But on Friday, she said she was heartbroken to learn that negotiators were nearing a tentative agreement to pay $44 million to resolve lawsuits filed by women who said Mr. Weinstein sexually abused them, far less than the $90 million they had originally expected.

Lawyers for the actress Wedil David expressed similar disgust, saying their client would scuttle the settlement because the compensation was too small for the accusers and too friendly to directors of the Weinstein Company.

Kadian Noble, an actress who said Mr. Weinstein sexually assaulted her and forced her to watch him masturbate in Cannes, France, said she would be grateful for any amount of compensation, though the money would not make the trauma go away.In 2016, at a campaign rally in Albany, Trump warned: Were gonna win so much you may even get tired of winning. And youll say, please, please, its too much winning, we cant take it anymore.

Tell us about it.

Trumps name, of course, was on none of the ballots in these recent elections. His critics should take no comfort in that fact.

In India, Narendra Modi won his re-election largely on the strength of his appeals to Hindu nationalism and anti-Muslim sentiment. In Australia, incumbent Scott Morrison ran against the high cost of climate action, including in lost jobs, and won a stunning upset. In the U.K., Trump surrogate Nigel Farage looks like he and his Brexit Party will be the runaway victors in the European elections. In Brazil and the Philippines, the political appeal of Bolsonaro and Duterte seems to be inversely correlated to their respect for human rights and the rule of law, to say nothing of modern ethical pieties.

The common thread here isnt just right-wing populism. Its contempt for the ideology of them before us: of the immigrant before the native-born; of the global or transnational interest before the national or local one; of racial or ethnic or sexual minorities before the majority; of the transgressive before the normal. Its a revolt against the people who say: Pay an immediate and visible price for a long-term and invisible good. Its hatred of those who think they can define that good, while expecting someone else to pay for it.

When protests erupted last year in France over Emmanuel Macrons attempt to raise gas prices for the sake of the climate, one gilets jaunes slogan captured the core complaint: Macron is concerned with the end of the world, it went, while we are concerned with the end of the month.One of the things I said I have to do and I want to do is border security, because we have tremendous amounts of drugs flowing into our country, much of it coming from the southern border, he said when he announced his emergency declaration. Were going to confront the national security crisis on our southern border, and were going to do it one way or the other.

White House officials said in a memo that the administration would redirect $601 million from the Treasurys forfeiture fund, up to $2.5 billion from Department of Defense funds allocated to counter drug activity, and up to $3.6 billion from Department of Defense capital projects.

But the presidents critics objected that such action was not allowed by law. Congress, they said, was granted control over the countrys finances by the Constitution.

Mr. Trumps remarks at times undercut his own emergency declaration. I didnt need to do this, but Id rather do it much faster, Mr. Trump said. I just want to get it done faster, thats all.

Within days, California and 15 other states joined together to sue the administration and prevent it from moving the funds; four other states have since joined the lawsuit.

The states requested a temporary injunction against the administration while the entire case is heard. Days later, the American Civil Liberties Union also filed a lawsuit against the president on behalf of the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition to block the president from accessing the Department of Defense funds. They argued that the presidents emergency declaration was both an abuse of power and that it violated the National Environmental Policy Act.

Our lawsuit seeks to stop the presidents illegal power grab before it causes irreversible harm to border communities and the rule of law, said Dror Ladin, a staff attorney for the ACLU, who argued the case.

The case is not about whether the challenged border barrier construction plan is wise or unwise. It is not about whether the plan is the right or wrong policy response to existing conditions at the southern border of the United States, Judge Gilliam said in the order. Instead, this case presents strict legal questions regarding whether the proposed plan for funding border barrier construction exceeds the Executive Branchs lawful authority.Mr. Samson, 27, is black and the victims are white. He left a note in his car about a 2015 shooting massacre by the white supremacist, Dylann S. Roof, at a South Carolina black church that left nine dead, and said that he planned to kill at least 10 white churchgoers in revenge, the deputy district attorney, Amy Hunter, said during the trial, The Associated Press reported.

About 50 people were in the Antioch, Tenn., church, the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ, at the time of the shooting. Mr. Samson, a legal resident of the United States who immigrated from Sudan in the 1990s, had attended the church a year or two before the shooting, the police said.

Less than an hour before the shooting, three cryptic posts were made in quick succession on a Facebook page associated with him.

You are more than what they told us, read one.

Four minutes later: Become the creator instead of whats created. Whatever you say, goes.TOKYO  North Korean weapons tests this month clearly violated United Nations Security Council resolutions, John R. Bolton, the White House national security adviser, said on Saturday, going further than President Trump in characterizing the tests of short-range ballistic missiles.

Mr. Trump initially declared he was not happy with the tests but then played down their importance.

In terms of violating Security Council resolutions, there is no doubt about that, Mr. Bolton said, speaking in Tokyo in advance of Mr. Trumps four-day visit to Japan. I think the prime minister and president are going to talk about making sure the integrity of the Security Council resolutions are maintained, he said, referring to a Monday summit meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Mr. Trump.

Mr. Bolton said that the United States fully supports efforts by Japans prime minister to meet with Kim Jong-un of North Korea without any preconditions.THE PERFECTION (2019) Stream on Netflix. If you enjoyed watching Allison Williams channel her dark side in Get Out, this twisted psychological thriller from Richard Shepard offers an equally delicious dose of crazy. The Girls star plays Charlotte, a former cello prodigy who abandoned her dreams years ago to care for her ailing mother. A decade later, Charlotte reaches out to her former teacher and is invited to judge a competition where she meets Lizzie (Logan Browning), the star pupil who has taken Charlotte's place at a prestigious Boston academy. Each is fascinated by the other, both enviously and sexually. From there, the movie zigs and zags and plunges into campy horror territory.

PITCHING IN Stream on Acorn TV. In this limited-series drama, a widower (Larry Lamb) reconsiders selling his camping park on the North Wales coast when his unpredictable daughter (Caroline Sheen) moves back home and offers to help out.

4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS (2008) Stream on Mubi; Rent on Amazon, iTunes or Vudu. With the debate over abortion rights playing out in the United States, this moving drama shines a light on the issue through the eyes of Gabita (Laura Vasiliu), a university student in Communist Romania who asks her friend Otilia (Anamaria Marinca) to help her secure an abortion. The procedure is illegal under Nicolae Ceausescus rule, so the girls turn to a secret abortionist (Vlad Ivanov) who agrees to help under one revolting condition. You may find what ensues difficult to watch but impossible to look away from.In On Earth, theres a scene where Vuongs point-of-view stand-in, Little Dog, is served jasmine tea over rice. True peasant food, his grandmother says. This is our fast food, Little Dog. This is our McDonalds! In the novel, being poor is portrayed not by its tragedy but by its rare moments of delight. Whereas poverty is often used in fiction as a plot mechanism, Vuong writes it as a texture, a fact of life.

Envisioning a new gaze

Vuong, 30, lives in a handsome single-story home in Northampton, Mass., where he teaches creative writing at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. When I visit, I am first greeted by his dog, a Shih Tzu-poodle mix named Tofu. We sit at a reclaimed wood dining table, where Vuong has laid out Beloved, Gilead, Moby Dick and other books that have inspired him. On the wall, there is an LP of Frank Oceans Blonde.

Vuong likes the quiet, domestic rhythms of living in Northampton. Before, he was living on Long Island, commuting two-and-a-half hours each way to teach poetry at New York University. He lived among roommates with kids. It was a noisy home, so Vuong would write in his bedroom closet. (As a queer author, he says, The irony is not lost on me.) It was a refuge: a laptop, lamp and Vuong with his headphones on, likely listening to Frank Ocean.

Throughout the many revisions, the conceit was always clear: the novel would be a letter addressed to Vuongs mother, who is illiterate. It uses a narrative structure called kishotenketsu, commonly seen in the work of filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, a form that refuses to deploy conflict as a means of progressing the story.

It insists that a narrative structure can survive and thrive on proximity alone, Vuong says. Proximity builds tension.

There are no villains, no victims, and no clear arcs. His goal: to create a new gaze, a new attribution to American identity, he says.Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the French carmaker Renault are holding discussions about a possible alliance aimed at strengthening both companies competitiveness in Europe and other parts of the world, a person familiar with the matter said on Saturday.

The talks are still in early stages and could still collapse, but they come amid significant technological and regulatory changes that are pressuring automakers and spurring some to join forces. Ford Motor and Volkswagen recently agreed to work together in pickup trucks and commercial vans and are in talks about combining their efforts to develop self-driving cars.

The specifics of the discussions between Fiat Chrysler and Renault were unclear on Saturday. They could potentially combine operations in Europe, where the companies compete directly in small and midsize cars. One option could be developing the underpinnings of cars jointly and manufacturing vehicles in each others plants, both money-saving moves. Working together could also allow both companies to close plants.

In Europe, the two companies face tighter environmental regulations that are forcing carmakers to invest billions in electric vehicles and other new technologies that cut tailpipe emissions. Both are also struggling to gain ground in China, the worlds largest auto market, and have been slower than some rivals in developing autonomous vehicles.TRENTON  New Jerseys capital once boasted of its outsize industrial prowess with the phrase Trenton Makes, the World Takes, but that activity has largely dried up, and what Trenton seems to make lately is headlines for violent crime.

Last year, Mayor W. Reed Gusciora took office mere weeks after a shooting in June in which 22 people were injured after gunmen opened fire during an arts festival.

He vowed to increase police patrols at large events and conducted an extensive search for a new director of the Police Department, but the violence has continued.

It erupted again early on Saturday morning with a drive-by shooting in front of a bar that left 10 people hospitalized, city officials said.HAMBURG, Germany  The European parliamentary elections, long seen as merely a test run for real  that is, national  elections later in the year, have been getting an unusual amount of attention this spring. Explicitly anti-European Union forces across the continent could win up to a third of the seats, a possibility that has pro-Europeans officials frantic that the far right, long thought of as the barbarians outside the unions gates, could now be in a place to demolish it from within.

Notwithstanding this danger, the European Parliament has always been a disappointing institution. It is composed of 751 members from all 28 member countries, but the members represent transnational parties, the idea being that they stand for the interests of the European people as a whole.

Sadly, the European Parliament has never fulfilled its promise to bolster the European Unions legitimacy as a democratic institution. Rather than a beacon of European democracy, it has turned into a rather dissuasive example of citizen representation gone awry. It should be disbanded, and replaced with a different body, one made up of national representatives who could better balance the interests of each member state with the needs of the European Union. Call it the European Senate.

The Parliament has been around in some form since almost the dawn of the European Union, but it was only in 1979 that European voters were given the right to elect its members. The idea, to bring citizens closer to the lawmaking process, was well intended. But, the European Parliament has not fulfilled that potential. Turnout at European elections has steadily declined, from 62 percent in 1979 to 43 percent in 2014. In Poland, to pick just one example, only 22.7 percent of the citizens thought it worthwhile to cast their votes in the 2014 elections.After reading about the abortion restrictions approved by Missouri lawmakers, I had to take action. I sent an email to the admissions officers at one of my top choices, Washington University in St. Louis. I told them I could not attend school in a state where my rights are not respected. I told them if they had any respect for their students, Washington University should do something to protect their rights.

Anna Fritz

Mountain View, Calif.

To the Editor:

Re The Nightmare Ahead in Post-Roe America, by Michelle Goldberg (column, May 19):

Deciding whether or not to have an abortion is a horrible, gut-wrenching decision. Absolutely nobody chooses this as a first choice in family planning. That said, where are fathers in this equation? Why do women wear the scarlet letter and bear the possibility of prison sentences? Unless and until the other partner in this story is identified and treated accordingly, how dare anyone enact laws concerning such a personal matter?

It is the woman bearing the child, but she didnt get there alone. Let the prospective fathers share in the journey from conception on. Helping with shelter, food and clothing should be the bare minimum of their contribution. Raising a child is a forever duty, and fathers should not fade into the background while mothers take up the slack.

Genetic testing is available to identify the other half of a childs parentage.

Gretchen Reindl

Wayne, Pa.

To the Editor:

In her ominous portrait of a post-Roe America, Michelle Goldberg did not consider an even more extreme potential outcome. She, like many others, assumes that if the Supreme Court overturned Roe, the question of abortion policy would return to the states. But abortion opponents in Congress believe that the federal government has power to regulate the procedure pursuant to the Commerce Clause of the Constitution . Indeed, they have already exercised this authority by passing the Partial Birth Abortion Act of 2003  a law still in effect.

Absent the constraints of Roe, one can easily imagine a Republican Congress passing, a Republican president signing and the Supreme Court upholding federal legislation banning most abortions throughout the nation.

Lewis A. Grossman

Washington

The writer is a professor at American University Washington College of Law.Lieutenant Ackerman led his platoon with a level of disciplined violence that crushed the enemy and was critical to the companys success.

On the back of an M1 Abrams tank there is a little telephone in a box tapped into the crews intercom; its called a grunt phone. Ive never been as scared as I was the times I had to run to that grunt phone, bullet impacts dancing on the tanks armor, their ricochets flashing like fistfuls of thrown pennies. I needed to get on the grunt phone to tell the tanks where to shoot. The tank crew would listen to music on their intercom, so if no one was talking youd hear pop songs when you held the handset to your ear. The tankers I worked with liked Britney Spears. The squat crew chief, who looked like he was born to fit inside of a tank, told me that he played the music because it helped everyone in the tank stay frosty.

At 0400 on 10 November, the company crossed the line of departure on the north side of Falluja and attacked to seize the government complex in the heart of the city.

It is the Corps birthday. As we load the tracks, the Marines swap little pieces of M.R.E. cake and placed them gently in their mouths like priests placing communion wafers.

[A] heavy volume of enemy direct and indirect fire shattered the early morning calm ... the buildings to the south, east and west were teeming with insurgents.

I am on my stomach most of the day and each time I peek my head above the wall, I am convinced its going to get shot off. Second platoon is in the building next to ours. A friendly airstrike accidentally hits them. We hear them screaming on the radio as they call in their wounded, and it mixes with the sounds of our jets overhead.Dr. Tiller sought advice from security experts, who gave him tips, such as to drive in the right lane to limit the angles available to potential shooters, and he started giving his employees combat pay bonuses to keep them from quitting. He eventually bought an armored S.U.V. to drive to and from the clinic, and for two and a half years federal marshals were by his side for much of each day. He also varied his route between the clinic and his home, where he lived with his wife and four children.

He took these precautions because the threats that his clinic received were not all idle. The facility was pipe-bombed in 1986, causing $100,000 in damage. And in 1993, Dr. Tiller was shot in both arms by an anti-abortion extremist named Rachelle Shannon. (Ms. Shannon, who also committed a series of clinic bombings and acid attacks, was released from prison last year.) Neither the bomb nor the shooting deterred him; he was back at work the day after the shooting. Nor was he cowed when thousands of protesters, some of them aggressive, descended on his clinic and tried to block access to it during the so-called Summer of Mercy in 1991.

Dr. Tiller also stayed strong while Bill OReilly, the erstwhile Fox News personality, went on a nationally broadcast campaign against him in the years before his murder. Mr. OReilly compared Dr. Tiller to Hitler, said he was executing babies and noted in 2006: If I could get my hands on Tiller  Cant be vigilantes. Cant do that. Its just a figure of speech.

A few years later, of course, someone did get his hands on the doctor .

(After Dr. Tillers death, Mr. OReilly said that Americans should condemn his murder and that anarchy and vigilantism will destroy a society.)

Today, abortion providers face an even more volatile political backdrop than Dr. Tiller did during his lifetime. In the years after Dr. Tillers murder, state legislatures passed hundreds of anti-abortion regulations intended to shut down abortion clinics and make it harder for women to access the procedure. Then came Donald Trump, who became president thanks in large part to the support of evangelical voters counting on him to deliver anti-abortion Supreme Court justices and other judges  a promise that he has fulfilled, leading anti-abortion lawmakers in states around the country to pass a rash of near-total abortion bans this year.

Since the 2016 election, abortion providers have reported a spike in incidents of vandalism, trespassing, harassment and picketing. According to the National Abortion Federation, which tracks such data , in 2018 abortion providers were subject to at least 1,135 trespassing incidents in the United States and Canada  up from 823 incidents in 2017 and 264 in 2013, when there were more abortion clinics in America than there are today . And last year they experienced nearly 122,600 disruptive events, including internet harassment, bomb threats and picketing. In 2017, that number was fewer than 97,000, and in 2013 it was fewer than 6,500.WASHINGTON  Sometimes, as the light comes in my bedroom window and I start to wake up, my mind drifts to other things.

I think about how talented Phoebe Waller-Bridge is, with her two mordant shows, Killing Eve and Fleabag. I think about how cool it will be to see Idris Elba resume his role as a world-weary London homicide detective in Luther. I think about what a harrowing tale Patrick Radden Keefe has woven in Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland.

But once Im completely awake, a gravitational pull takes hold and I am once more bedeviled by our preposterous president.

I flip on the TV and gird for the endless stream of vitriol coming from the White House, bracing for another day of overflowing, overlapping, overwrought news stories about Trump. Im sapped before I rise.For a university, academic integrity is the most important thing, Zimmer explained. If mistakes have been made, they need to be corrected.

Amanda Woodward, the dean of social sciences who will hand Webb the diploma, wasnt even born when Webb arrived at Chicago to begin work on her doctorate. This is a victory, Woodward told me. Its a sad comment on the way things were in the past, but such a victory for her to come back.

Dr. Webb, as she will shortly be, is thrilled. The culture changed, she said.

Gender discrimination was not, of course, only about sexual harassment or assault. The University of Chicago is granting another long-delayed Ph.D., to Cheryl Dembe, who was completing her doctorate in 1971 when her research adviser died unexpectedly. She could not find another  because she was female, the university acknowledges  and so had to drop out with a masters.

A faculty committee reviewed Dembes work as a doctoral student and was impressed; it resembled contemporaneous work at Cornell University that later won a Nobel Prize. So Dembe, too, will be awarded a Ph.D.

I love these stories that end in triumph, but they should prod us to reflect. Half a century ago, we were largely blind to sexual harassment and gender discrimination, so talented women were pushed out  not just from doctoral programs but from every institution and workplace. Discrimination against gays was similarly invisible because, like sexual harassment, it was hard to talk about. Everybody lost.

So what are we still blind to today? What groups of people drop unnoticed out of Ph.D. tracks in 2019  or out of journalism or investment banks or technology companies (or were never there to begin with)?

Race, gender and L.G.B.T. status get more attention now, but I suspect theres little notice of the absence of undocumented immigrants, trans people and those with mental health challenges or other disabilities. The largest group of all that falls through the cracks is probably made up of those from poor, chaotic or working-class backgrounds. Children from the top 1 percent are 77 times more likely to attend an Ivy college than kids from the bottom 20 percent.But what if American liberals, while unfortunate in the Electoral College, are luckier than they think in other ways? The fact that populism is flourishing internationally, far from the Electoral College and Fox News, suggests that Trumps specific faults might actually be propping up American liberalism. If we had a populist president who didnt alienate so many persuadable voters, who took full advantage of a strong economy, and who had the political cunning displayed by Modi or Benjamin Netanyahu or Viktor Orban, the liberal belief in a hidden left-of-center mandate might be exposed as a fond delusion.

That liberal belief may also misunderstand the real correlation of forces in our politics. We had an example this week on our op-ed podcast, The Argument, where my colleague and co-host David Leonhardt interviewed Pete Buttigieg, the Midwestern mayor running for president with promises to build bridges between the heartland and the coasts. Leonhardt pressed Buttigieg on whether that bridge-building might include compromise on any social issues, and the answer seemed to be no  in part because Mayor Pete argued that on abortion and guns and immigration most middle Americans already agree with Democrats, that the liberal position is already the common ground.

The strategic flaw in this reading of the liberal situation is that politics isnt about casually held opinions on a wide range of topics, but focused prioritization of specifics. As the Democratic data analyst David Shor has noted, you can take a cluster of nine Democratic positions that each poll over 50 percent individually, and find that only 18 percent of Americans agree with all of them. And a single strong, focused disagreement can be enough to turn a voter against liberalism, especially if liberals seem uncompromising on that issue.

A pattern of narrow, issue-by-issue resistance is also what youd expect in an era where the popular culture is more monolithically left-wing than before. That cultural dominance establishes a broad, shallow left-of-center consensus, which then evaporates when people have some personal reason to reject liberalism, or confront the limits of its case.

None of this needs to spell doom for liberals; it just requires them to prioritize and compromise. If you want to put climate change at the center of liberal politics, for instance, then youll keep losing voters in the Rust Belt, just as liberal parties have lost similar voters in Europe and Australia. In which case you would need to reassure some other group, be it suburban evangelicals or libertarians, that youre willing to compromise on the issues that keep them from voting Democratic.Mr. Kilgore estimated that it would cost $50 million to replace his Huawei equipment. If that is the only option, he said, he might have to shut down the company, leaving his customers without wireless service.

Mr. Rasmussen said that would be a big blow to his farming operation.

Were getting squeezed on all sides, he said. The tariffs and trade affect our prices, and now this could affect our ability to farm.

Mr. Kilgore has argued, through his work with the Rural Wireless Association, for an exemption to the F.C.C. rule for small rural carriers, or for subsidies to replace the Huawei equipment. A bipartisan group senators recently introduced a bill that would set aside about $700 million in grants to carriers forced to rip Huawei equipment from their networks.

Mr. Kilgore got another glimmer of hope, too. On Monday, he got an email saying Brendan Carr, an F.C.C. commissioner, was heading out to Montana. They will get together in the next week.

This is a big day, Mr. Kilgore said after getting the email. Its not every day someone from Washington comes to visit.For nearly three weeks, Baltimore has struggled with a cyberattack by digital extortionists that has frozen thousands of computers, shut down email and disrupted real estate sales, water bills, health alerts and many other services.

But here is what frustrated city employees and residents do not know: A key component of the malware that cybercriminals used in the attack was developed at taxpayer expense a short drive down the Baltimore-Washington Parkway at the National Security Agency, according to security experts briefed on the case.

Since 2017, when the N.S.A. lost control of the tool, EternalBlue, it has been picked up by state hackers in North Korea, Russia and, more recently, China, to cut a path of destruction around the world, leaving billions of dollars in damage. But over the past year, the cyberweapon has boomeranged back and is now showing up in the N.S.A.s own backyard.

It is not just in Baltimore. Security experts say EternalBlue attacks have reached a high, and cybercriminals are zeroing in on vulnerable American towns and cities, from Pennsylvania to Texas, paralyzing local governments and driving up costs.Do I think it could be easier? Yes, Mr. Alexander said. Is the environment difficult to work with? Sometimes it is. But I get a lot done, and that requires working with people across the aisle. It takes a lot of patience and it takes people who trust you and you have to trust them, and sometimes you dont succeed but often you do.

I will be 80 years old when I leave, he said. I will have served longer as senator and governor than anyone else in Tennessee history, and I think thats plenty.

At 70, Mr. Udall is far from old in Senate terms. But he viewed another Senate run as an eight-year commitment, given the need to aggressively campaign, and he did not consider that the best use of his time.

Mr. Udall is an ardent Democrat but, like Mr. Alexander, he has a history and reputation for being able to work in a bipartisan fashion, particularly on environmental issues. In 2016, he defied expectations and struck a deal with David Vitter, then a Republican senator from Louisiana, to renew and update the Toxic Substances Control Act for the first time in 20 years. Yet even that achievement has led to disappointment.

It is not being implemented, Mr. Udall said. The parts of it that protect the public and protect the food are not being put in place. He blamed the Trump administration and officials at the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to follow through.

They are chasing off all these people, the scientists and everyone else, he said of the current administration. You could have the greatest law in the world but you dont get it done.

Mr. Udall has also made restoring Congresss sole authority to declare war and bringing to a close what he describes as the nations endless wars a priority, but he has had little success. Last Wednesday, he lost a vote in the Foreign Relations Committee to prohibit any military operations against Iran that were not specifically approved by Congress. The outcome left Mr. Udall fearing that with tensions rising, the United States could conceivably be in a conflict in Iran before Congress returned from its Memorial Day recess to weigh in.Mr. Barr has not made his motivation clear. But in three months as attorney general, he has aligned himself with the presidents dim view of the inquiry. He declined to knock down the notion that the Russia investigation was a witch hunt, described investigative efforts into the Trump campaign as spying and begun the multiagency review into the roots of the investigation. Mr. Barr decided that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Mr. Trump for obstruction of justice, a decision that the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, declined to make.

Mr. Barr served as a driving force in securing the power to declassify government secrets, and the lead-up to Thursdays announcement demonstrated an amount of planning that went beyond previous similar forays by Mr. Trump and his aides. In July, when they announced that they planned to take away the security clearance of the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey, they had not done the homework to discover he no longer had one.

Mr. Barr asked for the White House to grant him additional, far-reaching powers for his review, according to two administration officials. The White House counsel, Pat Cipollone, who was an assistant to Mr. Barr during his first stint as attorney general under President George Bush in the early 1990s, oversaw the effort to grant Mr. Barrs request, the officials said.

And though the White House was ready last week to release the memo outlining his new powers, Mr. Barr asked for the White House to wait until he had taken care of outstanding business, including telling the heads of all the relevant intelligence agencies about the coming change.

When the White House released the memo on Thursday evening, it landed with authority and a presentation that signaled a concerted effort unlike Mr. Trumps tweets or stream-of-consciousness comments to reporters. The document was written in legalese and issued as a memorandum on White House letterhead.

For Democrats, Mr. Barrs newfound powers served as a sign that Mr. Trump had found a new, and potentially effective, tool in his war on the so-called deep state.

This is a president who will lash out and destroy anything if he believes it will suit his interests, said Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California and the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. And he now has a capable lieutenant in the attorney general to help him do just that.The chief of the San Francisco Police Department apologized on Friday for a police raid at the home of a Bay Area freelance journalist in an effort to discover his confidential sources.

Im sorry that this happened, the chief, William Scott, told The San Francisco Chronicle. Im sorry to the people of San Francisco. Im sorry to the mayor. We have to fix it. We know there were some concerns in that investigation and we know we have to fix it.

The freelance journalist, Bryan Carmody, was targeted by the police in May after his reporting on the death of Jeff Adachi, a public defender, was used by local news outlets.

Mr. Carmody reported to the local television stations that Mr. Adachi had collapsed in front of a woman who was not his wife, information that he got from a police report that had not been publicly released.When it comes to humor, politicians are often the butt of jokes. This can be a problem, however, if the jokes are delivered by a judge.

That seemed to be the message of a ruling this past week by the Utah Supreme Court, which approved a six-month suspension, without pay, for Judge Michael W. Kwan of Taylorsville Municipal Justice Court, after he made politically charged comments in his courtroom about President Trump.

The Supreme Court said in its ruling on Wednesday that the comments  along with an online posting in 2016 critical of Mr. Trump  violated judicial rules on independence, integrity, and impartiality. The court noted that Judge Kwan, who was appointed to the municipal court in 1998 and subsequently re-elected by voters, had previously been disciplined for inappropriate political comments.

It is an immutable and universal rule that judges are not as funny as they think they are, the court said.Human Rights Watch in February harshly criticized President Ivan Duques appointment of General Martinez Espinel, noting that he was second-in-command of the 10th Brigade in northeast Colombia during years for which prosecutors have opened investigations into 23 illegal killings. The rights group revealed that then-Col. Martinez Espinel certified payments to an informant that led to excellent results in a purported combat operation in which an indigenous civilian and 13-year-old girl were killed. A court later convicted two soldiers of abducting them from their home, murdering them and putting weapons on their bodies so they appeared to be rebels.

General Martinez Espinel said at the time of the report that he had no idea if he had made the payments.

But new documents from Colombias prosecutors office show that General Martinez Espinel in 2005 signed off on at least seven other questionable payments. The documents were provided to the AP by someone on the condition of anonymity because they fear retaliation.

Some of the rewards, which never exceeded $500, went to supposed informants whose names and IDs didnt match. In two cases, judicial investigators found the real beneficiary was a soldier, Oscar Alfonso, who would go on to be sentenced to 40 years for his role in a third, unrelated civilian killing. One hidden recipient was a former paramilitary commander sentenced to 15 years for extortion.

A decade ago, soldiers across Colombia lured civilians to remote locations under false pretenses  such as with promises of work  killed them, placed weapons on their lifeless bodies, and then reported them as enemy combatants killed in action, said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. One cant help wonder if any of the cockades in their uniforms, or the promotions throughout successful careers, corresponds to the murder of innocent civilians committed over a decade ago.KABUL, Afghanistan  On some days, life as a young woman in Kabul can feel suffocating for Hadis Lessani Delijam, a 17-year-old high school senior.

Once, a man on the street harangued her for her makeup and Western clothes; they are shameful, he bellowed. A middle-aged woman cursed her for strolling and chatting with a young man.

She called me things that are so terrible I cant repeat them, Ms. Delijam said.

For solace, Ms. Delijam retreats to an unlikely venue  the humble coffee shop.

This is the only place where I can relax and feel free, even if its only for a few hours, Ms. Delijam said recently as she sat at a coffee shop, her hair uncovered, and chatted with two young men.KATHMANDU, Nepal  The death toll from a traffic jam of climbers on Mount Everest in the Himalayas, the worlds highest summit, has risen to 10, officials said on Saturday, as a record number of people tried to use a brief window of good weather to make it to the top.

The latest casualty on the mountain was identified as Robin Haynes Fisher, 44, of Britain, who died Saturday morning at about 28,215 feet, the authorities said.

Sherpa guides on the Nepali side of the mountain have complained that the traffic jam at the last stretch of the climb, called the death zone, has become the most serious problem for climbers in this spring season.

I have climbed Everest so many times, but this springs traffic jam was the worst, said Tshering Jangbu Sherpa, a guide who summited Everest on May 22. Many climbers who moved to the summit without extra supplement oxygen bottles suffered the most. They suffered because of the traffic jam, not because of wind and coldness.

He said that after his team became stuck in the line, he had to borrow a supplemental oxygen bottle because one member of his expedition was running out. Otherwise, he could also die there in the high camp, he said.

The death toll for the 2019 climbing season in the Himalayas, which include Everest, now stands at 17 over all, according to government tallies.

Expedition organizers say the number of Everest hopefuls from the Nepal side has increased in recent years after China set a limit on climbers from the Tibetan side. Only two of the deaths were reported on the Tibetan side.

Nepals tourism ministry issued permits to a record 381 climbers this season, each at a cost of about $11,000. In 2018, 346 permits were granted.LONDON  Only one person, the joke doing the rounds in Parliament goes, can stop the disheveled, blond-haired, crowd-pleasing former foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, from becoming the countrys next prime minister.

That is Mr. Johnson himself.

One of Britains most recognizable, and now most divisive politicians, Mr. Johnson has a history of verbal gaffes, a poor record as a minister and many enemies in Parliament, not to mention among the voters who reject Brexit, which he helped persuade Britons to embrace in a 2016 referendum.

But his charisma, flair for publicity and record of winning two elections as mayor of London make him the runaway favorite in a crowded field to succeed Prime Minister Theresa May, according to bookmakers.

A victory for Mr. Johnson would have significant repercussions and could increase the prospects of Britain hurtling out of the European Union without an agreement at the end of October, despite the potentially dire economic consequences.REGGELLO, Italy  The stage was set for war. Literally. Inside a small Tuscan theater with a mock-up of a World War I trench, Susanna Ceccardi, a rising star of Italys hard-right League party, was flanked by rival candidates for the European Parliament elections and firing angry salvos against a club she soon hopes to join.

This Europe must be changed, this Europe of bureaucrats, do-gooders, bankers, boats of migrants, it has to be changed, Ms. Ceccardi, the 32-year-old mayor of Cascina, Italy, roared to smatters of applause.

She is among scores of nationalist candidates from across the Continent who are vying to win an office at the heart of the European Union  so they can break it from the inside.

[See the results of the European Union elections.]

Not so long ago, Europes populist movements were advocating a departure from the bloc, or at least from the euro currency area. But with voters overwhelmingly in favor of staying in  an attitude hardened by two years of Brexit chaos  that strategy has changed: Now they are promising an insurgency from within.LONDON  The paperback is not in the best condition.

Sothebys, which sold it at auction, notes that the spine is chipped, the pages are starting to come loose and an old paper clip has left a rust mark on the cover. Its also full of pencil underlinings, with a separate note giving page references for the rude bits.

But this copy of Lady Chatterleys Lover, by D.H. Lawrence, used in perhaps the most famous British obscenity trial of the past century, is now designated a cultural treasure in Britain. It has been banned by the government from leaving the country until at least August while a crowdfunding campaign races to match its auction price of 56,250 pounds (about $71,000).

Lady Chatterleys Lover was at the heart of the struggle for freedom of expression, in the courts and beyond, Philippe Sands, the president of English PEN, the free-speech charity running the crowdfunding campaign, said in a statement. This unique text belongs here, a symbol of the continuing struggle to protect the rights of writers and readers at home and abroad.LONDON  Iranian officials lashed out at the United States on Saturday after the Trump administration said it would allow the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan and deploy about 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East to counter Iran.

If they commit the slightest stupidity, we will send these ships to the bottom of the sea along with their crew and planes using two missiles or two new secret weapons, Gen. Morteza Qorbani, an adviser to Irans military command, told the semiofficial news agency Mizan on Saturday.

Irans foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, also told the state news agency IRNA that the move to send troops to the Middle East was extremely dangerous and it threatens international peace and security.

This should be addressed, Mr. Zarif added.

The pending arms deal had drawn sharp criticism from American lawmakers angry over civilian deaths from the Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen. Analysts said that officials in Tehran were likely to see it as a further deterioration in relations between the two countries, already worsening since President Trumps decision last year to leave the Iran nuclear deal.An eerie silence fell over Auburns most storied corner and the surrounding downtown streets Friday afternoon.

Construction equipment sat untouched as workers removed their hard hats and stood at attention. The staff at Toomers Drugs took a pause from making their famous lemonade even as temperatures in Auburn climbed into the 90s. Families dressed in blue held American flags and a UPS driver stood still on the sidewalk and removed his cap.

Members of the Lee County community lined the streets for a somber tribute to a fallen hero as Auburn police Officer William Buechners funeral procession made its way from Auburn Arena to Town Creek Cemetery.

I just felt it was important for the community to come show support for him and his family. I couldnt even imagine what his wife and children are going through, said Auburn resident Judy Prior. She held an American flag as she watched city of Auburn employees raise large American and "thin blue line" flags at the intersection of Gay Street and Samford Avenue.

I know (with) my kids growing up here, they had contact with law enforcement in schooland I think theyve come to see them as friends and support, someone that they can turn to.Fianna Fail and Fine Gael look set to share most council seats while the Green Party has made a big impact in todays elections, especially in the European Parliament poll, according to the REDC exit poll for RTE and TG4.

The exit poll also reveals that 87% of voters are backing a yes vote in the divorce referendum change.

The two big parties each stand at 23% following the exit poll which surveyed 3,000 voters. Next up was Sinn Fein on 12% with Green Party coming in fourth at 9% of votes in the local elections.

Labour vote is stuck at 6% while up to 15% of voters are backing independents.

If the exit poll is replicated in Laois it is like to return a very similar county council as currently occupies seats in Laois County Council.

Support for the Greens is more notable in the European elections. In Dublin the Green Party's former TD Ciaran Cuffe looks set to top the poll with 23% of the vote.

In Ireland South where Offaly voters cast their ballots, the exit poll suggests that Fine Gael's Sean Kelly will be re-elected with 16% support. His running mates are not doing as well Deirdre Clune is on just 9% while her running mate Andrew Doyle at 4%.

Fianna Fail Billy Kelleher leads on 13% with Malcolm Byrne on 9%. Green Party support is evident again with Grace O'Sullivan on 12%, the poll predicts. The Independents 4 Change candidate Mick Wallace has polled 10% support.

Sitting Sinn Fein MEP Liadh Ni Riada is on 13%. Sheila Nunan of the Labour Party is on 3%.

The poll of the local elections and the divorce referendum come with a margin of error of 3%. RedC spoke voters at more than 150 polling stations.

Counting of votes gets underway on Saturday morning.Sorting and counting is beginning in Offaly this morning following Friday's local and European elections, as well as the divorce referendum.

Offaly's boxes are being sorted in Banagher College before the local elections votes head to Mucklagh later on Saturday for a first count.

The European votes will be counted from Sunday in Cork.

An RTE/TG4/RED C poll suggests Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are neck and neck in the local elections with around 23% each nationally.

The European seats look to stay in the south of the country with Sean Kelly expected to top the poll in Ireland South, following comfortably by Liadh Ni Riada and Billy Kelleher.

After that, Grace O'Sullivan, Mick Wallace, Deirdre Clune and Malcolm Byrne will battle for two remaining seats.

The RTE Exit Poll also predicts the divorce regulation referendum will be passed comfortably.

You can follow minute-by-minute updates from the election counts in Offaly at our dedicated live blog right here.CNN Philippines (Metro Manila, May 25)  The Agriculture Secretary defended his own men in a recent altercation with a broadcast journalist over confiscated cans of luncheon meat from an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) coming from Hong Kong.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel "Manny" Pinol said, in a recent Facebook post, that the quarantine officers that broadcaster Raffy Tulfo lambasted in his radio program were just doing their jobs.

"Worse, Raffy Tulfo used his influence as a media man to have the confiscated items released by the Bureau of Customs and returned these to the OFW who went to his radio program to complain," Pinol said.

He explained that what occurred was a violation of quarantine laws, as the Bureau of Animal Industry is currently on the lookout for pork and pork processed products that come from countries with an outbreak of African Swine Fever.

"What happened was a serious violation of our Quarantine Laws and I will have to order an investigation," Pinol said.

The Department of Agriculture will ask for help not just from its quarantine officers but also the Philippine National Police to track down the OFW who planned to bring the canned goods to Ilocos.

People who bring potentially infected pork back from countries with African Swine Fever can face a fine of 200,000. The Agriculture Secretary added that only quarantine officers from BAI are allowed to confiscate such goods.

African Swine Fever is currently decimating China's pork industry, leading to an estimated death of up to 200 million animals through both the disease and culling as of 2019.

The virus has since spread to other Asian countries like Cambodia and Vietnam.

READ: Fever could kill a third of China's pigs. That's almost as many as live in the U.S. and Europe combined2 Assam Rifles personnel killed in encounter along Indo-Myanmar border

India

pti-PTI

Kohima/New Delhi, May 25: Two Assam Rifles personnel were killed and four others injured during a gunfight with suspected NSCN(K) militants in Mon area along the Indo-Myanmar border in Nagaland on Saturday, a spokesperson said.

Lt Col Vincent Patton, the PRO of Inspector General of Assam Rifles, said that suspected militants of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) triggered an IED explosion at around 1.30 pm when a column of Assam Rifles jawans were travelling in two vehicles.

This was followed by an exchange of fire between the paramilitary personnel and the ultras in which two soldiers were killed. Four other personnel were injured in the gunfight and they were evacuated to the Army Hospital in Jorhat in Assam, Patton said. They are stable now.

Casualties on militants' side are yet to be ascertained, the PRO said, adding that a hunt is on to nab them. The deceased personnel have been identified as Naib Subedar Dina Nath Ram, a junior commissioned officer (JCO), and rifleman Kalidas Sharma. The incident took place near border pillars 147 and 148 along the Indo-Myanmar border, sources said.

PTIBJP storms Karnataka, but South India remains unconquered frontier

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, May 25: While the rest of the country was painted Saffron on May 23, five southern states still remain a pipe dream for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Out of the total 130 seats on offer in South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, the BJP has done very well, improving upon its 2014 tally. However, the BJP could barely win 30 seats and that too powered by its good showing in Karnataka.

Karnataka

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stunned the state of Karnataka with its impressive tally of 25 out of 28 seats with many of its candidates recording winning margins of 1-2 lakh votes.

Thumping victory done: Will Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj be part of government

With the BJP dealing a hammer blow, Congress and JD(S) managed to win only one seat each, indicating that neither arithmetic nor chemistry worked for the two, which apparently failed to reconcile with each other at the ground level.

This is said to be the worst ever performance by Congress in Karnataka and a record of sorts by BJP, for which Karnataka emerged as the bright spot in the South with other neighbouring states bucking the "Modi magic".

Kerala

The hopes of the BJP-led NDA to ride piggyback on the Sabarimala women entry issue came a cropper in Kerala, with the front failing to open its account once again in the state.

The defeat of party veteran Kummanam Rajasekharan to Congress's incumbent MP Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram by a margin of nearly one lakh votes led to disappointment among the BJP cadre.

Rajasekharan could garner only around 3.16 lakh votes while Tharoor secured over four lakh votes.

With 61 of 69 seats, how BJP took the Hindi Heartland back

In Kerala, the Congress-led UDF was leading in 19 out of 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state while in Tamil Nadu, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance looked set for a clean sweep as it led in 35 of the 38 seats in the state.

Kerala is one state where the saffron party's magic failed to charm voters.

Tamil Nadu

From the time of the first round of counting to till the end, the southern state showed a clear move against the alliance forged in the state between the BJP and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Tamil Nadu once again thwarted the BJP's desperate attempts to gain a foothold. In 2014, the state gave a huge victory to the AIADMK to keep the BJP at bay and this time, it had voted for the DMK-led front for the same purpose.

In 2014, the AIADMK won 37 seats, sparing one for the BJP and one for the PMK. This time, the DMK-led front has again won 37 constituencies, sparing one for .P Raveendranath (AIADMK) - son of deputy chief minister O. Paneerselvam - who contested from Theni. Vellore is yet to vote.

The second take-away is that the DMK-front has been able to exploit and ride the anti-BJP wave well. This includes in transferring votes. Nowhere does this show more prominently in the scale of the Congress's potential victories in 8 seats in Tamil Nadu.

Andhra Pradesh

Ever since its alliance with the TDP broke down in early 2018, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed to be in a position to call the shots in government formation in Andhra Pradesh. But its dream has hit a road block with a complete rout in both the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

Election Results 2019: BJP wins 303 seats, Congress settles for 52, as per EC

Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress swept Andhra Pradesh both in the state assembly and Lok Sabha elections. In Telangana, the TRS led in 9 seats while the BJP and Congress led in four and three seats respectively.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had done well in 2014 in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), was washed out this time.

Telangana

Telangana was one of the biggest surprises this Lok Sabha Election as the BJP made inroads into the state, taking their tally of MPs from just one to four - in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Secunderabad constituencies.

The surprise surge of BJP in Telangana dented ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi's vote share by nearly six per cent in the Lok Sabha elections, giving a jolt to the regional party.

BJP which had just one Assembly seat of the 118 constituencies it contested for the Telangana Legislature in December last, rose to four Lok Sabha seats and trouncing the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in its bastions in the Lok Sabha elections in just four months marks a spectacular performance by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Chief Minister's s daughter and sitting MP K Kavitha lost in Nizamabad by 71,057 votes to BJPs D Arvind, a new entrant in politics was the icing on the cake.

Former union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya was the only BJP candidate who won in the state in 2014. He secured Secunderabad seat, which was retained by senior leader G Kishan Reddy this time.

The last time that the party contested on its own was in 1998 when it bagged four LS seats in united AP - two in Telangana region. In 1999, it won seven LS seats in alliance with the TDP, including four in Telangana region. By contesting all 17 LS seats on its own, the party estimates its vote share to be 18-20 per cent, which would make it perfectly positioned to take on the TRS in the next poll.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, May 25, 2019, 10:33 [IST]BJP to play role of senior partner in alliance with Amarinder, Dhindsa: Report

BJP wins 41 seats in 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly

India

pti-PTI

Itanagar, May 25: The BJP has won 41 seats in the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly after results of all the constituencies were announced, an election official said on Saturday.

Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh were held for 57 seats as three BJP candidates were earlier declared elected unopposed.

The Janata Dal (United) won seven seats, the National People's Party (NPP) five, the Congress four, the People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) one and Independents two.

Counting of votes on Friday for Daporijo, Dumporijo and Raga constituencies in Upper Subansiri district was delayed, the official said.

In the Daporijo seat, the result of which was announced early this morning, BJP candidate Taniky Soki won the seat defeating his nearest Congress rival Togam Tamim.

BJP candidate Rode Bui bagged the Dumporijo seat defeating his nearest JD(U) rival Gumjum Haider while Tarin Dakpe of the National People's Party won the Raga seat, the official said.

Counting of votes on Friday for Daporijo, Dumporijo and Raga constituencies in Upper Subansiri district was delayed as the counting officials went away from the counting centre without handing over the results for which counting could not be continued as per the guidelines.

However, it started after the polling officials returned and handed over the results, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kanki Darang said.

Among the prominent BJP winners are Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who won from the Mukto seat, bordering China, for third time in a row. Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein won from the Chowkham constituency.

In Miao constituency, state Geology and Mining Minister and BJP nominee Kamlung Mossang beat Chatu Longai of the Congress by 3,856 votes to retain the seat.

The Namsang seat, which witnessed a multi-cornered contest, voted in favour of PHE minister and BJP nominee Wangki Lowang for the third time in a row.

In the prestigious Tawang seat, BJP candidate Tsering Tashi trounced veteran Congress leader Thupten Tempa by a margin of 3,592 votes.

Power Minister and BJP candidate Tamiyo Taga tasted defeat at the hands of newcomer Talem Taboh of the JD(U) in Rumgong, Assembly Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok, who represented the Kalaktang constituency for two terms, failed to wrest the seat from JD(U) greenhorn Dorjee Wangdi Kharma.

State Home Minister Kumar Waii, who quit the BJP to join the NPP, lost the Bameng assembly seat to newbie Gorduk Pordung of the saffron party.

The Congress won four seats but Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Takam Sanjoy lost to Jummum Ete Deori of the BJP in the Lekang seat.

The Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Assembly, Takam Pario of the Congress lost the Palin seat to the BJP's Balo Raja.

PTIKeep UP Additional Chief Home Secretary Awasthi away from poll process: Cong to EC

CWC rejects Rahul Gandhi's offer to quit as Congress President

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, May 25: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday unanimously rejected Rahul Gandhi's offer to resign as party president after the Lok Sabha poll debacle and authorised him to overhaul and restructure the party at all levels.

The decisions were taken during the CWC meeting attended by Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, former PM Manmohan Singh and other senior party leaders. Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath did not attend the meeting.

"Congress President Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress President for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times," said the resolution passed by CWC.

[ Party rejected my wish to step down as CM, says Mamata Banerjee ]

Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala later denied reports. "Reports of Congress President offering his resignation are incorrect," Surjewala was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Talking to reporters, AK Antony said the grand old party was not able to rise up to the expectations and added, "I don't agree that it was a disastrous performance. We all will discuss this in details as today we had only general discussions."

Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Raj Babbar, Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik and Karnataka Congress campaign Committee head H.K. Patil had all put in their papers on the eve of the CWC.

Congress managed to get 52 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, the results of which were declared on Thursday. With seats less than 10 per cent of the total number of seats in Lok Sabha, the party does not even have enough numbers to claim the post of Leader of Opposition (LOP) in the Lower House of the Parliament.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, May 25, 2019, 20:23 [IST]Cong will have to adopt BJP's strategy of strengthening regional leaders: Harish Rawat

Congress flag falls off while being hoisted by interim president Sonia Gandhi [Video]

Divisive ideologies anchored in hate causing havoc on secular fabric of our society: Sonia Gandhi

Keep UP Additional Chief Home Secretary Awasthi away from poll process: Cong to EC

Despite drawing a blank in these states, Congress numbers rose compared to 2014

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, May 25: The Congress has drawn a blank in 18 states and Union Territories -- an indicator of its decimation in the Lok Sabha polls.

This is the Congress' second straight rout in Lok Sabha elections after it was decimated in the 2014 polls when the party ended up with a tally of 44 seats.

The Congress has been completely routed in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Delhi, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand.

Scindias and Congress unable to digest defeat in Guna

Training his guns on the Congress, BJP chief Amit Shah on Thursday said the grand old party had drawn a "big zero" in 17 states and Union Territories, while the saffron party got more than 50 per cent votes in 17 states.

Murmurs have already started within the party over taking responsibility for its poor performance across the country, with some of its leaders already sending in their resignation.

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar and Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik announced their resignation in the wake of the party's electoral debacle in their respective states.

'Congress has too many leaders but few workers'

According to sources, the party has convened a meeting of the Congress Working Committee, its highest decision making body, at 11 am on Saturday.

Rahul Gandhi is likely to offer his resignation at the meet, party sources said.

The top Congress leadership will deliberate on the reasons for the loss and assess them. It bagged only 52 seats in this election.How 'Modi-bashing' backfired

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, May 25: The BJP may not have fulfilled all of the promises it made in 2014, its handling of the economy could have been better and more proactive efforts were probably needed on the jobs creation front, but all these did not matter to people, and the electorate decided to give Narendra Modi one more term.

Another thing that helped the BJP was a weak and scattered opposition that did not seem to have any vision or agenda other than 'Modi bashing'. After every grand meeting of the so called opposition stalwarts, statements used to be made that gave media good headlines, but essentially meant "Bring down Modi at all cost".

Mamata Banerjee had in February this year organised a massive rally to showcase opposition unity in Kolkata, over a dozen leaders spoke, but what did they dwell on? All they spoke on was how the BJP took control of the Central agencies, how Modi-Shah have turned dictatorial and so on and so forth. The narrative never actually gave a clear picture as to how they would run the country if voted to power.

"Showing up is half the battle", Rahul's jibe at PM Modi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi took 'Modi-bashing' to a different level altogether, calling the Prime Minister Chor, mocking him, deriding him of being Chowkidar of Ambani. But what Rahul forgot was Modi is a popular figure across India. His ratings may have gone up and down, but in all 'most popular personality' surveys, Modi has been the choice no. 1 throughout his five year rule. Modi commands a respect across nation and across different segments of population. Personal attacks on Modi without substantial proof made Rahul a laughing stock.

Rahul's unsubstantiated allegations and funny jibes at Modi ended up hurting his own party more than the BJP. Rahul is seen as some born with a golden spoon, someone who is privilaged, and with his image it is very difficult for him to connect with the poor in India. Everytime he resorted to personal attacks on Modi, the Prime Minister smartly portrayed it as the attack on the deprived. Modi is seen as a man from humble background who ascended to the most powerful post in India, his rise is seen mainly as rags to riches story. A common man instantly connects with Modi, which is not the case with Rahul Gandhi.

Whenever Congress made personal attacks against him, Modi turned around the slogans to his advantage. Prime Minister Modi would often call himself a "chowkidar" and underline that he is working tirelessly to safeguard their interests. Rahul Gandhi used this to launch the attack on the Modi government on the Rafale deal and coined the slogan 'Chowkidar Chor Hai', only to see it backfire now. BJP got a further boost when Gandhi was hauled up by the Supreme Court for his remarks that even the apex court has said "Chowkidar chor hai".

India has endorsed Narendra Modi yet again: Amit Malviya

Even the way BJP created a strong anti-dynasty narrative, somewhere struck a chord with common folks. Modi's speeches and his repeated recalling of anecdotes from childhood may seem like random things, but all this were part of a well planned and executed image building strategy. Modi captured the imagination of a common Indian by projecting himself as being 'one of them'. Rahul just failed in this.

His distasteful personal attacks on Modi were used intelligently by the BJP to turn things against Congress. Elections are about perception and narrative, and the BJP has mastered to control both.

During the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Modi had repeatedly played up his humble origins. Congress leaders Mani Shankar Aiyar and Bhalchandra Mungekar referred to him as 'chaiwala' in a derogatory manner. This many say played a big role in Congress' demolition in previous general elections. Aiyar went at PM Modi again in December 2017, around the time Gujarat assembly elections were held, calling him 'neech admi'. This backfired immediately and Congress lost to BJP in Gujarat.

Sadly, no lessons were learnt.MemorialCare Miller Children's & Women's Hospital, in Long Beach, continued a years-long tradition this week of wrapping infants born on or right before Christmas in red stockings.Cannot afford to take risk: Maha govt to HC over prohibiting unvaccinated from using public transport

Meet AIMIM's Imtiaz Jaleel, first MP elected to Parliament from Maharashtra in 15 years

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Mumbai, May 26: MIM candidate Syed Imtiaz Jaleel had won from Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat of Maharashtra. While Jaleel got 388,042 votes, his nearest rival Chandrakant Khaire of Shivsena got 381,975 votes, as per the figures displayed on Election Commission of India.

Fifty-one-year-old Jaleel's darting from journalism to politics Maharashtra, came as a surprise in 2014 when he declared that he was leaving his profession of 23 years to join politics.

Apart from being the first MP of AIMIM to be elected from outside their traditional pocketborough of Hyderabad, Jaleel will be Maharashtra's first Lok Sabha (LS) MP from the Muslim community in 15 years.

The last Muslim MP to be elected to the LS was the late Barrister AR Antulay from Raigad in 2004.

Muslims account for around 10.6 per cent of Maharashtra's population, the fourth-largest after Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar, with substantial numbers in regions like Mumbai, Marathwada, Vidarbha and North Maharashtra.

However, the number of Muslim MLAs in Maharashtra has declined by one in every election in the recent past. In 1999, a total of 12 Muslim legislators were elected, but in 2004 the number fell to 11. The 2009 elections to the Maharashtra assembly saw just 10 Muslim MLAs being elected. This number fell to nine in 2014.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Chandrakant Khaire had won his fourth consecutive term from Aurangabad, thanks to a remarkable victory over Nitin Patil of the Congress. Khaire received 5.20 lakh votes at 52.99 per cent vote share while Nitin Patil stood runner up with 3.58 lakh votes to his name at 36.51 per cent vote share.

Ever since winning from Aurangabad in 1991 for the first time, the Shiv Sena has maintained total dominance in the constituency. The party has lost only once in the last seven general elections. Senior leader Chandrakant Khaire has been the face of the party in Aurangabad as he has not lost a Lok Sabha election from there in past 20 years and he is in the fray yet again for the fifth time.

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Story first published: Sunday, May 26, 2019, 2:33 [IST]WBJEE 2022 registrations to begin today: Here is how to apply

Narendra Modi elected as leader of NDA, leaders congratulate

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, May 25: Newly elected MPs of the BJP-led NDA met on Saturday evening formally elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi as their leader, setting in motion the process of government formation. The meeting took place in Parliament's Central Hall, before which BJP MPs separately met at Parliament House.

Modi will now call on President Ram Nath Kovind to stake his claim to form the government, following which he will be sworn in as the next prime minister, likely next week.

"Modi is elected the leader of the parliamentary party of 353 MPs unanimously," BJP president Amit Shah announced after the election as Modi acknowledged the support and cheers from MPs.

Top alliance leaders, including JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray and Akali Dal's Parkash Singh Badal, extended their party's support after Modi was elected as the leader of the BJP parliamentary party at first.

Senior BJP leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were present on the dais with other alliance leaders. Shah proposed Modi's name and former party presidents Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari seconded the proposal.

Many party leaders are of the view that Shah will join the Modi Cabinet and be given one of the four key ministries Home, Finance, External Affairs and Defence.

With Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj having health issues, there have been talks whether they will be part of the new dispensation or not.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to continue with a key role in the new government.

Thumping victory done: Will Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj be part of government

With Smriti Irani handing a shock defeat to Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, it is expected that the party may reward her with an important responsibility.

A number of senior faces from the outgoing cabinet including Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Piyush Goyal, Narendra Singh Tomar and Prakash Javadekar are set to figure in the new cabinet.

Among allies, Shiv Sena and JD(U) are likely to be given cabinet berths as both the parties have done exceedingly well, winning 18 and 16 respectively.

The party will reward new faces from states like West Bengal, Odisha and Telangana where it has made significant inroads.

With 61 of 69 seats, how BJP took the Hindi Heartland back

With Modi already being announced as the prime ministerial candidate of the alliance, the meeting is being considered a mere formality.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has got more than 350 members in Lok Sabha, including 303 of the BJP. According to sources, Modi is likely to visit his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on May 28, before oath-taking by new members on May 30.Modi reaches out to minorities in second term as PM, asks NDA lawmakers to earn their trust

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, May 26: Elected NDA leader again to serve a second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sought to reach out to minorities, who he said had been cheated by successive governments in the past.

In his speech lasting over 75 minutes after being elected as the parliamentary party leader of the NDA, Modi promised to 'a new journey to build a new India with new energy' and reached out to minorities. He also urged the NDA alliance partners to make conscious efforts to win the trust of minorities without any discrimination.

"The way the poor have been cheated, the minorities have been deceived the same way. It would have been good if their education, their health had been in focus. Minorities have been made to live in fear by those who believed in vote-bank politics. I expect from you in 2019 that you would be able to make a hole in that deception. We have to earn their trust," he added.

Reflecting on the historic mandate given to the NDA, Modi urged the newly elected lawmakers not to rest on their laurels and stressed that the massive win has also led to increased responsibility.

"It is natural for us to feel proud about coming back to power...but as the elected we cannot hold on this pride. We have to work for the ones who voted for us and the ones who didn't and we have to hope that our work will convince them," he said.

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Story first published: Sunday, May 26, 2019, 0:28 [IST]Mamata Banerjee upset after not being allowed to speak during PMs meet

Missionaries of Charity itself requested SBI to freeze all bank accounts: Govt

Party rejected my wish to step down as CM, says Mamata Banerjee

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, May 25: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) held an emergency meeting at party chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's home today after ceding ground to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recently held Lok Sabha election.

This comes after Congress president Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation as party president which was categorically rejected by the Congress Working Committee meeting.

In a press conference after an internal meeting, Mamata Banerjee said, "At TMC's internal meeting, I offered to quit as CM but party rejected; maybe I will continue."

"For the last five months, we could not work due to such prolonged elections. Despite all the hurdles, out vote share increased," Mamata added.

"Nothing is unfair in love and war," Mamata Banerjee said after her party lost significant ground to BJP in West Bengal.

Calling Election Commission as the man of the match of this election Mamata Banerjee said, "What can I do."

Addressing the press conference Mamata Banerjee said that the central forces worked against the TMC. "An emergency situation was created. Hindu-Muslim division was done and votes were divided. We complained to the EC but nothing was looked into," she claimed.

Accusing the Centre of hijacking the state administration Mamata said they created an emergency situation in the state in absolute targetted manner.

Taking a jibe at the saffron party for not winning 23 seats in Bengal Mamata questioned: "They had targetted 23 in Bengal. Why didn't they get 23?"

Bengal witnessed a saffron surge on Thursday as the BJP inflicted a body blow to Trinamool Congress by winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, up from just two in 2014.

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Story first published: Saturday, May 25, 2019, 20:05 [IST]Spread the glory of rivers, PM Modi says at Mayors Conference

Cow is mother, sacred to us: PM Modi in Varanasi

PM Modi likely to visit Varanasi, Gujarat before swearing-in

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, May 25: After winning a massive mandate in the Lok Sabha elections 2019, Narendra Modi is likely to visit Varanasi before taking oath.

PM Modi will visit his constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and home state Gujarat before the oath taking ceremony on May 28 and 29, respectively.

Modi will meet his mother Hiraben to seek her blessings. However, there is no clarification on his swearing-in ceremony yet which reportedly is likely to be held on May 30.

How 'Modi-bashing' backfired

Modi, who was also in the fray from the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, this time won by a huge margin of 4,79,505 votes. During the election campaign, he did road shows in Varanasi and also participated in Ganga Aarti.

Sweeping clean the country in Lok Sabha Elections 2019, the BJP routed the Congress, which could barely improve beyond its 2014 tally of 44 seats.

New dawn awaits for PM Modi as he firms up for second term

The 17th Lok Sabha has to be constituted before June 3 and the process to form a new House will be initiated when the three Election Commissioners meet the President in the next few days to hand over the list of newly-elected members.

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Story first published: Saturday, May 25, 2019, 10:48 [IST]Will always be with you to fight injustice: Rahul Gandhi to media

Rahul Gandhi gives adjournment notice on giving unhindered access to pasture lands in Ladakh

'Do you work for govt?' Rahul Gandhi asks reporter; BJP calls him entitled brat

Word 'lynching' practically unheard of before 2014, 'Thank You Modi-Ji': Rahul Gandhi

Hindu and Hindutva are not different things: Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi

Rahul Gandhi has not offered to resign yet, says Congress amid confusion

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, May 25: The Congress on Saturday denied the rumours of party President Rahul Gandhi's resignation as its top leaders met to review the party's drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls.

Amid rumours of the party brass unwilling to put the onus entirely on Rahul Gandhi, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) met in the national capital on Saturday.

Earlier reports suggested that Rahul Gandhi offered his resignation to the Congress Working Committee taking full responsibility for the party's drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections.

The top leadership of the party wants him to stay as the party president, the reports added.

However, in a clarification issued by the party, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala clarified that Rahul Gandhi has not offered a resignation and dismissed reports of him doing so.

The fall of Gandhi bastion: Why Rahul lost from Amethi?

Top Congress leaders from across the country Saturday got together to review the Lok Sabha poll drubbing, as the party's highest decision-making body met in New Delhi.

The CWC meeting, chaired by Rahul Gandhi, was attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, chief ministers of Congress-ruled states and other top leaders from across the country.

Though the party improved on its 2014 tally of 44, it could win just 52 Lok Sabha seats this year. The party could not open its account in 18 states and Union Territories.

Murmurs are already appearing within the party over taking responsibility for its poor performance, with some of its leaders already sending in their resignations. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar and Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik have announced their resignations from the post.Scindias and Congress unable to digest defeat in Guna

India

oi-Hardeep Singh Bedi

New Delhi, May 25: Senior Congress leader and heir of Royal Scindia family Jyotiraditya Scindia has tasted defeat in Guna Parliamentary constituency in Madhya Pradesh.

Scindia and the Congress high command are not able to digest the defeat as this was one of the two seats that the Congress had bagged in 2014 when the whole country was gripped with Modi wave. He had defeated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya by a margin of 1,20,792 votes.

The ironical part is that Jyotiraditya Scindia has become the first family member to lose the seat. Before him, no member of the Scindia family had lost the seat. The more humiliating part for him is that he has been defeated by not a BJP leader but by a former Congress worker who had worked under him.

'Congress has too many leaders but few workers'

The BJP had given the ticket to K.P. Yadav, who lost the last assembly elections. He had joined the BJP after the Congress denied him the ticket despite being close to Scindia.

Yadav defeated Jyotiraditya Scindia by a margin of 1,25,549 votes.

Jyotiraditya Scindia had been representing the seat in the Lok Sabha since 2002 bye-election, which was necessitated after the death of his father Madhavrao Scindia in a plane crash in 2001.

Guna is the Parliamentary constituency that has been the bastion of the Scindia family.

Grandmother of Jyotiraditya, Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia, was the first member of the family to enter politics. She was elected to the Lok Sabha from Guna in 1957 on a Congress ticket. Later, she joined the Jan Sangh, present day BJP 's mother party, and won the seat four times from 1989 to 1998.

His father, Madhavrao Scindia, first won the seat as a Jan Sangh candidate in 1971, as an independent in 1977, and as Congress candidate in 1980 and 1999.

Considering the hegemony of Scindia family in Guna everyone was considering Yadav as a weak candidate.

Since Scindia has been made Western Uttar Pradesh in-charge, his wife Priyadarshini Raje Scindia had been taking care of the campaigning in Guna.

Even she had mocked at the status of Yadav during the campaigning.

When Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate supported of Scindia then his win was considered more certain.

To ensure record victory for Scindia who was busy in Uttar Pradesh, his supporters from other constituencies had been campaigning in Guna since the beginning.

Rahul Gandhi offers to resign, CWC likely to take call tomorrow

Everyone in Congress is bewildered why Scindia lost the seat when he had undertaken developmental works in the constituency. On top of it, he used to spend 185 days a year in his constituency.

Reacting on his defeat, though Scindia has said that politics is a medium of social work for him but he and his near and dear ones are stunned.

However, he will have to set his future course of action for himself as it is the track record of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh that once it wins a Lok Sabha seat then it is very difficult for other parties to snatch that seat from it.Register for Parishka Pe Charcha 2022: Here are the steps to apply

We don't have even 2 minutes to waste, must strive religiously for self-reliant nation: PM Modi

PM Modi likely to address rally in Punjab on January 5, may share stage with Amarinder

'Student within me accepts you as teacher': Modi tells PMO staff

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, May 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday interacted with the staff at PMO and said inreased pressure and workload at the office is "due to trust and expectation of people".

The Prime Minister had earlier said that the expectations from his Government are immense and so are the exceptions from the PMO.

"After a long time Indians thought these people can do something so pressure abd workload increased. But this pressure increased due to trust and expectation of people in us. We didn't divert from our dedication in last five years," Modi said.

"Until and unless there is a dedicated team it is really difficult to get results. We didn't divert from our dedication in the last five years," he added.

With 61 of 69 seats, how BJP took the Hindi Heartland back

Yesterday, Modi had shared his philosophy that a top-down leadership would not be as effective as nurturing several leaders who can contribute in different fields. He had stressed on multi-layered and multi-dimensional leadership in order to bring a positive change.

"I never let the student in me die and the student within me accepts you as his teacher," Modi told PMO staff.

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Story first published: Saturday, May 25, 2019, 12:55 [IST]Arun Jaitley framed bill on Art 370 nullification that can withstand legal challenge, says his wife

Jaitley statue at Kotla: Angry Bedi asks DDCA to remove his name from stands, quits membership

Thumping victory done: Will Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj be part of government

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, May 25: As the BJP swept to power with a spectacular performance for a second term, all eyes are now on government formation, amid speculation that several new faces including party president Amit Shah may be brought into the new Cabinet.

The council of ministers led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi tendered their resignation which was accepted by President Ram Nath Kovind, paving way for formation of new government.

In first back-to-back majority in the Lok Sabha polls for a single party in over three decades, the Modi-led BJP won 303 seats out of 542 in the Lok Sabha polls, handing out a crushing defeat to the Congress and many other political opponents.

BJP sources indicated that swearing-in ceremony of the prime minister and his council of ministers could take place on May 30.

With 61 of 69 seats, how BJP took the Hindi Heartland back

The newly-elected MPs of the BJP-led NDA will meet on Saturday to formally elect Modi as their leader, setting in motion the process to form a new dispensation.

Many BJP leaders are of the view that Shah will join the Modi Cabinet and is expected to be given one of the four key ministries - home, finance, external affairs and defence.

With finance minister Arun Jaitley and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj having health issues, there have been talks whether they will be part of the new dispensation or not.

Jaitley, a Rajya Sabha member, had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election from Amritsar in 2014, while Swaraj, who had won from Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, opted out from the electoral battle this time on health ground.

The two leaders have not commented on whether they would like to join the government or not.

In the run-up to the results, Shah had also sidestepped queries on him joining the government, saying it is the prerogative of the party and the prime minister.

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to continue with a key role in the new government.

With Smriti Irani handing a shock defeat to Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, it is expected that the party may reward her with an important responsibility.

A number of senior faces from the outgoing cabinet including Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Piyush Goyal, Narendra Singh Tomar and Prakash Javadekar are set to figure in the new cabinet.

Among allies, Shiv Sena and JD(U) are likely to be given cabinet berths as both the parties have done exceedingly well, winning 18 and 16 respectively.

The party will reward new faces from states like West Bengal, Odisha and Telangana where it has made significant inroads.

"A number of young faces are likely to be inducted into the council of ministers as the BJP leadership has been working to groom a second line of leadership," said a senior party leader.

Election Results 2019: BJP wins 303 seats, Congress settles for 52, as per EC

Earlier in the day, the outgoing Union Cabinet adopted a resolution recommending the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha.

The 17th Lok Sabha has to be constituted before June 3 and the process to form a new House will be initiated when the three Election Commissioners meet the President in the next few days to hand over the list of newly-elected members.

All the newly-elected BJP MPs are expected to meet on Saturday to elect Modi as their leader, following which he will meet the President to stake claim to form the new government, party sources said.WBJEE 2022 registrations to begin today: Here is how to apply

Will Sheila Dikshit be held responsible for Delhi drubbing?

India

oi-Hardeep Singh Bedi

New Delhi, May 25: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) is slated to meet today at the party headquarters wherein top Congress leaders will deliberate on the drubbing of the party in the Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress bagged only 52 seats in this election. It had won 44 seats in 2014.

United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh are likely to participate in the meeting.

People have right to vote for whichever party: Sheila Dikshit on Kejriwal's Muslim vote claim

The results of Delhi are also likely to be analysed in the meeting of party's highest decision making body.

Since the Lok Sabha elections were announced, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal was batting for an alliance with the Congress to defeat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi.

It was one of the most reported points in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi. Kejriwal was of the view that only AAP and Congress jointly can stop the BJP from repeating its success of 2014 wherein it had bagged all the seven seats.

Officially, The alliance did not materialise as AAP did not take up Congress president Rahul Gandhi's offer of four of the seven seats for the former in Delhi. AAP demanded an alliance in Haryana and Chandigarh, which was turned down by the Congress.

However, OneIndia had earlier reported that factionalism within in the Congress prevented Congress' alliance with the AAP in Delhi.

Two factions within the Congress were divided over it. Delhi in-charge P.C. Chako and former Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) Ajay Maken tried their level best to stitch an alliance with the AAP saying it's the best way in the present political situation to defeat the BJP. However, former Delhi Chief Minister and DPCC president Sheila Dikshit opposed any such move tooth and nail. Her official reasoning was that Congress' alliance with the AAP would give latter a new life as its popularity graph is dwindling day-by-day.

It's notable that Maken and Dikshit are political betes noires.

A Congress insider had told this scribe that the tug of war within the Congress over alliance with the AAP in Delhi is not for the Lok Sabha elections but for the Delhi Assembly elections.

"Sheila knows that if the Congress goes solo and wins even a single seat in the Lok Sabha elections then all the credit will go to her. This will ultimately make her stronger and will have more say in the next Delhi Assembly elections, in which again the Congress has nothing to lose as it did not win even a single seat in 2015 Delhi elections. The anti-Sheila camp also realises this and does not want to see Sheila taking all the credit," the Congress insider had said.

Now, the election results are out and the BJP has once again won all the seven seats of Delhi.

The election data shows that the pact between Congress and AAP would not have mattered in Delhi as the votes of the BJP candidates are higher than the combined votes of Congress and AAP candidates in all the constituencies.

In Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat, BJP candidate Dr. Harsh Vardhan got 5,19,055 votes which was more than the combined total of Congress candidate's 2,90,910 and AAP candidate's 1,44,551 votes. The difference stands at 83,594 votes.

Cong has won elections in Delhi more times than it has faced defeat: Sheila Dikshit

In East Delhi, the combined votes of Congress-AAP trailed by 1,71,894 votes than that of the BJP candidate Gautam Gambhir's votes, who was the choice of 6,96,156 electors. Congress and AAP got 3,04,934 and 2,19,328 respectively.

In New Delhi Parliamentary seat, BJP's sitting MP Meenakshi Lekhi bagged 5,04,206 votes, which were again 1,06,158 more votes than the combined total of Congress and AAP candidates. Congress' Ajay Maken got 2,47,706 votes and AAP candidate Brijesh Goyal secured 1,50,342 votes.

In North East Delhi, Congress candidate Sheila Dikshit was pitted against Delhi BJP President and sitting MP Manoj Tiwari. Here too both Congress and AAP would not have defeated the BJP. Manoj Tiwari got 7,87,799, Dikshit 4,21,697, and AAP's Dilip Pandey 1,90,856 votes.

In North West Delhi, the difference between BJP candidate Hans Raj Hans' votes and combined votes of Congress-AAP candidates was of 3,17,015 votes.

In South Delhi, BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri got 2,02,430 more votes than the combined votes of Congress-AAP candidates.

In West Delhi, the difference between BJP candidate Parvesh Verma's votes and combined votes of Congress-AAP candidates was of 3,26,613 votes.

Therefore, Dikshit will have an upper hand if the Congress takes this analysis into account.

However, she won't be able to justify her reasoning that alliance with Kejriwal would give his party a new life as the AAP candidates were on the second spot in two Lok Sabha constituencies. These were South Delhi and North West Delhi Lok Sabha seats.

Moreover, AAP got a total of 15,71,687 votes, which were 3,82,217 fewer votes than that of the Congress' 19,53,904 votes. This doesn't show that Kejriwal's party is on the oxygen in Delhi.

The BJP got a total of 49,085,41 votes.

In other words, the BJP got 13,82,950 more votes than the combined total of Congress and AAP.

Among BJP candidates, Parvesh Verma got highest votes (8,65,648). Sheila Dikshit with 421697 votes and Raghav Chadha with 3,19,971 votes were top performers from Congress and AAP respectively.With Jaitley ruled out, will Amit Shah be the next finance minister of India

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 24: With the BJP's resounding performance in the Lok Sabha elections, there is now speculation rife, whether party president Amit Shah would be the part of the Narendra Modi-led union Cabinet.

The opinion is divided within the party on whether Shah should continue as the party chief or get a top post in the union Cabinet. Speculation is that Shah is being considered for the post of Home Minister.

The RSS on the other hand would want Shah to continue as the party chief. It feels that Shah has helped the party grow exceptionally and hence should remain BJP president.

Sources tell OneIndia that there would be some more discussion on this issue before a final call is taken. The party is looking to push harder in states such as West Bengal.

With 61 of 69 seats, how BJP took the Hindi Heartland back

Moreover with this victory, governments in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka look shaky and in such a scenario, it would be important to have Shah at the helm where party affairs are concerned.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is unlikely to be a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet in the BJP government's second term due to his ill health, which may require him to travel to either the UK or the US for treatment of an undisclosed illness, sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Jaitley, 66, has become "very weak" as his health has deteriorated over the past few weeks, sources said, adding that he has developed some throat condition as well that prevents him from speaking for long. He was admitted to AIIMS earlier this week to undergo tests and treatment for an undisclosed illness and was discharged on Thursday but did not attend celebrations at BJP headquarters that evening after the party's emphatic victory in the general elections.

Sources said Jaitley is not keen to take up a ministerial position in the new Modi government and may have conveyed his unwillingness to hold any position, such as a minister without portfolio, to Modi. Doctors treating him have advised him to go to the UK or the US for treatment, they said. Jaitley, whose health has been on a decline ever since he underwent a kidney transplant in May last year, will take a call in the next few days on the issue.

Election Results 2019: BJP wins 303 seats, Congress settles for 52, as per EC

He has not attended office for the last three weeks and has rarely been seen in public. He, however, has been writing blogs and tweeted on Modi's victory on Thursday. He did not attend the Cabinet meeting called on Friday that recommended dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha. Sources said that he, however, met all the five secretaries in his ministries at his residence in what was described as a routine meeting.

A lawyer by profession, he has been the most important leader in Modi's Cabinet and has often acted as the chief troubleshooter for the government. While as a finance minister he steered through Parliament major economic legislations such as the nationwide Goods and Services Tax (GST) -- which had languished for nearly two decades, he has also played key role in getting through several other laws such as the bill to ban the Muslim instant divorce practice known as 'triple talaq'.'India lucky to have him:' Trump congratulates PM Modi over phone

International

oi-PTI

Washington, May 25: US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday agreed to meet at the G-20 Summit in Japan next month as both the leaders pledged to further strengthen the US-India strategic partnership and build on the achievements of the last two years.

Donald Trump telephoned PM Modi to congratulate him on the historic electoral victory in the Lok Sabha polls, the White House said.

PM Modi on Thursday led his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a landmark victory for a second five-year term in office, winning 302 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

Modi wins election: Wishes pour in from across the world

"The leaders look forward to seeing one another at the G-20 Summit in Osaka, where the US, India, and Japan will hold a trilateral meeting to pursue their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," the White House said.

The G-20 Summit meeting is slated for June 28 and 29.

China is flexing its muscles in the South China Sea (SCS) which serves as a passage for annual trade worth $3.5 trillion. The US and China are locked in a tussle for the commercial control of the SCS.

China claims almost all of the strategic SCS with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam pushing competing claims to parts of the resource-rich maritime region. The US, Japan and India do not have any territorial claims there.

The US and India have made enormous strides together which include the expansion of bilateral defence cooperation and combined military exercises, the historic civil nuclear deal, the nearly six-fold increase in US-India trade, the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative and the designation of India as a Major Defence Partner.

Later speaking to reporters at the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One on his way to Japan, Donald Trump said, "I just spoke to Prime Minister Modi and I gave him my warmest regards and congratulations."

"I just conveyed congratulations on behalf of our country, myself and everybody. He had a great election win. He is a friend of mine. We have a very good relationship with India".

The White House said that the President and Prime Minister pledged to continue to strengthen the United States-India strategic partnership, building on the achievements of the last two years.

Earlier on Thursday, congratulating Prime Minister Modi on his "BIG" election victory on Twitter, President Trump said that "great things" are in store for the Indo-US strategic ties under his second innings.

With exceptional 50 per cent plus vote share, BJP sweeps many states

"Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. I look forward to continuing our important work together!" he had said.

PM Modi had responded saying, "I too am looking forward to working closely with you for closer bilateral ties, which also augur well for global peace and prosperity."

The PM had also thanked US Vice President Mike Pence, who congratulated him saying he looked forward to working with India.

"Thank You @VP. This is a victory of democracy, which India and the US cherish. I will continue to promote our partnership with the US for peace and shared prosperity for our two countries and the world," PM Modi tweeted Friday.

PTI

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Story first published: Saturday, May 25, 2019, 11:09 [IST]Pakistan: Six arrested for collecting funds for JeM, LeJ

International

pti-PTI

Lahore, May 25: Six militants have been arrested for allegedly collecting funds for terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) in Punjab province, as Pakistani security forces have launched a crackdown on terror financing after mounting pressure from the global community.

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab government arrested the six members of the proscribed organisations from various parts of the province for collecting funds for financing terrorism, CTD spokesman said in a statement. The CTD said those arrested were collecting funds for terror financing for their proscribed organisations - JeM and LeJ.

No member of any proscribed organisation wil allowed to collect funds for financing terrorism and extremism under the law of land, the CTD said in a statement.

Cases have been registered against the suspects under anti-terrorism law for committing offences of terrorism financing. Muhammad Zahid and Irfan Ahmad of JeM were arrested from Gujranwala, and Zafar Iqbal of JeM from Rawalpindi. Similarly, Muhammad Hanzala and Hamza of LeJ were arrested from Lahore while Ijaz Ahmad of the same banned organisation from Multan.

Paris-based international terror financing watchdog FATF in June last year placed Pakistan onto its watch list in a bid to push the country to halt support for militant groups. In February, the FATF decided to continue the 'Grey' listing of Pakistan for its failure to stop funding of terrorist groups such as the JeM, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the JuD.

[US imposes sanctions on Pakistan, likely to deny visas to deportees]

The Pakistan government have arrested over 100 members of banned outfits including JeM chief Masood Azhars son and brother and also taken control of JeM, JuD and FIF's properties including seminaries and mosques across the country.

The crackdown came amid tensions with India following a suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama district on February 14 by the JeM that killed 40 CRPF soldiers. The Pakistan government has termed the action in accordance with the National Action Plan and meeting the obligations of the FATF.

PTIPresident Donald Trump and PM Modi to meet at G-20 Summit in June

International

pti-PTI

Washington, May 25: US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have agreed to meet at the G-20 Summit in Japan next month as both the leaders pledged to further strengthen the US-India strategic partnership and build on the achievements of the last two years.

Trump telephoned Modi to congratulate him on the historic electoral victory in the Lok Sabha polls, the White House said Friday. Prime Minister Modi on Thursday led his Bharatiya Janata Party to a landmark victory for a second five-year term in office, winning 302 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

"The leaders look forward to seeing one another at the G-20 Summit in Osaka, where the US, India, and Japan will hold a trilateral meeting to pursue their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," the White House said. The G-20 Summit meeting is slated for June 28 and 29. China is flexing its muscles in the South China Sea (SCS) which serves as a passage for annual trade worth USD 3.5 trillion.

[ 'India lucky to have him:' Trump congratulates PM Modi over phone]

The US and China are locked in a tussle for the commercial control of the SCS. China claims almost all of the strategic SCS with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam pushing competing claims to parts of the resource-rich maritime region. The US, Japan and India do not have any territorial claims there. The US and India have made enormous strides together which include the expansion of bilateral defence cooperation and combined military exercises, the historic civil nuclear deal, the nearly six-fold increase in US-India trade, the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative and the designation of India as a Major Defence Partner.

Later speaking to reporters at the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One on his way to Japan, Trump said, "I just spoke to Prime Minister Modi and I gave him my warmest regards and congratulations. "I just conveyed congratulations on behalf of our country, myself and everybody. He had a great election win. He is a friend of mine. We have a very good relationship with India".

In a tweet, later, Trump hailed Modi as a "great man and leader for the people of India"."Just spoke to Prime Minister @NarendraModi where I congratulated him on his big political victory. He is a great man and leader for the people of India - they are lucky to have him!" he tweeted.

The White House said that the President and Prime Minister pledged to continue to strengthen the United States-India strategic partnership, building on the achievements of the last two years. Earlier on Thursday, congratulating Prime Minister Modi on his "BIG" election victory on Twitter, Trump said that "great things" are in store for the Indo-US strategic ties under his second innings. "Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. I look forward to continuing our important work together!" Trump had said.

Modi had responded saying, "I too am looking forward to working closely with you for closer bilateral ties, which also augur well for global peace and prosperity." The PM had also thanked US Vice President Mike Pence, who congratulated him saying he looked forward to working with India. "Thank You @VP. This is a victory of democracy, which India and the US cherish. I will continue to promote our partnership with the US for peace and shared prosperity for our two countries and the world," Modi tweeted Friday.

PTIPriyanka Gandhi Vadra to reach Lucknow on July 16; Key meetings scheduled in Delhi before visit

Members of farmers' body detained in Lucknow for trying to burn effigies of PM Modi, Shah

Section 144 CrPC invoked in Lucknow in view of Christmas, New Year

Uttar Pradesh: Punjab Police jawan dies on election duty in Hathras

Lucknow

pti-PTI

Hathras (UP), May 25: A 45-year-old Punjab Police jawan deployed here during the counting of votes died after falling ill, police said on Saturday.

Gurmeet Singh from Muktsar in Punjab suddenly fell ill on duty on Friday and was taken to the district hospital, where he died in the night, police said.

[Teacher on poll duty dies of heart attack in Chhattisgarh]

The reason of his death would be known after a post-mortem, they said. He was deployed at a local polytechnic college during the counting of votes, police added.

PTIBiography

One of the most redoubtable leaders this country has churned out from its inordinate political belt, Mayawati made history when she became the first ever Dalit woman in India to serve as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. She's served four terms as Chief Minister resigning in 2012 after suffering a devastating blow in the assembly elections. She is also the national president of BSP. A former teacher by vocation, her foray into politics began when she was approached by BSP founder Kashi Ram. He ingratiated her into politics and in 1995 ceded his leadership to Mayawati. Touted as the best Chief Minister, Mayawati is lauded with praises for efficient governance and promoting law and order. Her first and second act as Chief Minister came to an abrupt end, merely serving months in office before she was forced to tender in her resignation. Her third term lasted a year and she served a full fourth term in office. During this time her government began a major crackdown on irregularities in the recruitment process of police officers recruited during the previous Mulayam Singh government. She won her first Lok Sabha election in 1989 from Bijnor constituency. She was elected to Rajya Sabha in 1994. She went on to serve three more terms in Lok Sabha from Akbarpur constituency in 1998-2004. In 2014, Mayawati's party was decimated by BJP in the general elections, where BSP failed to retain even a single seat in the state. However, recent developments indicate her slowly but surely digging her way out of the political grave. Her alliance with SP and winning the mayoral seats from Aligarh and Meerut are perhaps signs of changing tides.75 Exhibitors : All about the Summer Slam 2019 in Bonn

Das Summer Slam Festival war bei seiner zweiten Auflage im vergangenen Jahr mit mehr als Tausend Besuchern bei bestem Wetter am Oberkasseler Rheinufer gut besucht. Foto: Westhoff

Bonn Turning ideas into innovation - this is one of Frank Thelen's goals for this year's Summer Slam. This is the third time that the Digital Hub Bonn has hosted this event.

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The Hub is a center for digital start-ups that has been bringing together investors, experts and start-ups for nearly three years now.

Patron Frank Thelen is himself a company founder and investor. He describes the festival on Wednesday, May 29 as the "Pearl of German Start-up Events". Start-ups and people interested in setting up a business can meet and exchange ideas with investors and opinion leaders.

"It is exciting to see how the ecosystem (of entrepreneurship) grows from year to year and more and more young people dare to take the step," says Thelen. The Summer Slam Festival will feature presentations of various business ideas from all regions of the country in one day.

Among the guests expected will be NRW (state) Economics Minister Andreas Pinkwart and FDP politician Thomas Sattelberger. The event on the banks of the Rhine in Oberkassel is deliberately aimed not only at people from the digital sector but also at every interested citizen. More than 75 exhibitors will present their business models and technologies in the so-called Start-up Village from 2 p.m. onwards. The official welcome will be given by board members Markus Zink, Ivan Ryzkov and Lord Mayor Ashok Shridaran at 3 pm.

In various lectures and discussion rounds, everything will revolve around innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. In so-called pitches - short presentations - eight young companies compete against each other and can win prize money worth up to 5,000 euros. "Culinary networking" is available for all those present with numerous food trucks on the scene.

In keynote speeches, Reza Moussavian from Telekom, for example, talks about start-ups for adults. Nico Rose from the International School of Managament, lectures on "Better Work", revealing how to give a start-up a sense of purpose.Cermet Market 2019 | World Market Analysis 2025 | Market Leaders  Kyocera, Gesau-WERKZEUGE, Jinzhou metal ceramics

Cermet Market

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Cermet 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.Get Exclusive FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Cermet Market Analysis and Forecast 2019 - 2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report 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 Cermet 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 Cermet Market analysis & forecast 2019 - 2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Region- wise Analysis covers:North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanIndiaSoutheast AsiaOther regions (Central & South America, Middle East & Africa)The Major players reported in the market include:SsangYong CerabitKyoceraGesau-WERKZEUGEJinzhou metal ceramicsZhejiang Yatong metal ceramicNanjing Xin Rui new materialsYixing metal ceramicsShenyang new materialsChengdu BangpuHubei Yong BangProduct Segment Analysis:Carbide-baseOxide baseNitride basedApplication Segment Analysis:AerospaceEquipment manufacturingBuilding materials miningCutting processMajor Topics Covered in this Report:Chapter 1 Study CoverageChapter 2 Executive SummaryChapter 3 Market Size by ManufacturersChapter 4 Production by RegionsChapter 5 Consumption by RegionsChapter 6 Market Size by TypeChapter 7 Market Size by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturers ProfilesChapter 9 Production ForecastsChapter 10 Consumption ForecastChapter 11 Upstream, Industry Chain and Downstream Customers AnalysisChapter 12 Opportunities & Challenges, Threat and Affecting FactorsChapter 13 Key FindingsChapter 14 AppendixGet Exclusive FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @Cermet 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.Global Cermet Market: Key Stakeholders:ManufacturersDistributors/Traders/WholesalersSubcomponent ManufacturersIndustry AssociationDownstream VendorsIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size are as follows:History Year: 2013-2018Base Year: 2018Estimated Year: 2019Forecast Year 2019 to 2025Key Reasons to Purchase:To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Cermet 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 Cermet 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 Cermet Market research report, as below:Global Market Status & Trend Report 2013 - 2025 Top 20 Countries DataNorth America Market Status and Trend Report 2013 - 2025South America Market Status and Trend Report 2013 - 2025Europe Market Status and Trend Report 2013 - 2025EMEA Market Status and Trend Report 2013 - 2025Asia Pacific Market Status and Trend Report 2013 - 2025China Market Status and Trend Report 2013 - 2025India Market Status and Trend Report 2013 - 2025United 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.Global Animal parasiticides Market Is Touching New Levels  To Grow at a healthy CAGR by 2026 with Key players Appraised By Global Players Boehringer Ingelheim, Bayer Ag, Eli Lilly And Company, Ceva Sante Animale

Animal Parasiticides Market

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Animal parasiticides or antiparasitics are chemical substances used to eradicate parasites that infect livestock, pets, and other animals and subsequently improve animal health. Most parasiticides finished products consist of one or more active ingredients that help carry out a specific action against particular parasites. Parasiticides also comprise inert ingredients (water and alcohol) called as solvents (stabilizers, preservatives, emulgants, etc.). Animal parasiticides market size is expected to grow at a significant rate owing to increased pet adoption worldwide.Global Key Players:Some of the major market players operating in the global animal parasiticides market include Boehringer Ingelheim, Bayer Ag, Eli Lilly And Company, Ceva Sante Animale, Novartis Ag, Merck & Co., Inc., Zoetis, Inc., Virbac Sa, and Merial.Get Exclusive Sample Report at:Growing Livestock Population and Increasing Adoption of Pet Animals in the Asia Pacific Region is expected to boost growth of the animal parasiticides market size over the forecast periodGeographically, the global animal parasiticides market outlook can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East. Key factors driving growth in adoption of animal parasiticides in Europe and North America include increasing pet adoption, high number of R&D activities, increasing expenditure on animal health, and rising demand for animal-derived food products. However, Asia Pacific (India, China, Australia, Japan, and Malaysia) is expected to be the most lucrative market for animal parasiticides in future due to a number of driving factors such as increasing number of companion animals, growing livestock population, increasing expenditure on animal health, and rising awareness about animal health.Market ConsolidationThere has been various consolidation activities in the global animal health industry. In just one year, 2016, Boehringer Ingelheim acquired Sanofi's animal health business, Novartis sold its animal health business to Eli Lilly and Merck Animal Health (subsidiary of Merck & Co.) acquired Valleea leading animal health product manufacturer based in Brazil.Global Animal Parasiticides Market TaxonomyThe global animal parasiticides market outlook can be classified on the basis of type of parasiticides, animal type, and end user. There are five types of parasiticides, namely ectoparasiticides, endoparasiticides, endectocides, anthelmintic, and anti-protozoans. Parasiticides used for killing external parasites in animals such as fleas, ticks, lice, fleas, and mites are termed as ectoparasiticides. Most ectoparasiticides are called pesticides, as these chemicals are also used for agriculture and hygiene purpose. Likewise, endoparasiticides are utilized to kill internal parasite such as flukes, roundworms, and tapeworms in animals. Most endoparasiticides are termed as veterinary medicines, as the active ingredients of the products are not used for agriculture and hygiene purpose. Endectocides or macrocyclic lactones are effective in both internal and external parasites. They are either natural products or chemically-modified derivatives that show strong parasiticidal efficacy in animals. On the basis of their chemical structure, endectocides are segmented into avermectins and milbemycins. Parasiticides are available in various formulations namely, liquids, tablets, injectables, sprays, spot-on, and pour-on.On the basis of animal type, the global animal parasiticides market scenario can be segmented into food producing animals (cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, and goats) and companion animals (dogs, cats and horses). On the basis of end user, the global animal parasiticides market is segmented into farms, R&D facilities, and veterinary clinics. Increasing pet adoption in the Asia Pacific region is a major driving factor fueling demand for animal parasiticides in veterinary clinics.Animal Parasiticides Market TrendsKey driving factors for the growth of the global animal parasiticides market include increasing awareness about animal zoonotic disease, rising number of animal population especially in developing nations of the world, increasing demand for animal-based food and animal proteins, and increasing animal research activities. Furthermore, increasing expenditure on animal health and government initiatives to protect animal health is fueling demand for animal parasiticides. However, high cost of R&D activities, new species of parasites, stringent regulatory policies for approval of animal parasiticides, and high cost of animal parasiticide products is hindering growth of the animal parasiticides market.Request For Customization of Research Report @About Coherent Market InsightsCoherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact UsMr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comCell Therapy Market Size Growth Cell Therapy Clinical Trials Market Forecast 2026

https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-global-cell-therapy-market,-clinical-trials,-therapy-price-and-opportunity-insight-2026.php

Cell therapies are still in the infancy 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.Download Report:Global Cell Therapy Market, Clinical Trials, Therapy Price & Opportunity Insight 2026 Report Highlights: Global Cell Therapy Market Opportunity: More Than US$ 35 Billion by 2026 Cell Therapy Clinical Trial Insight by Indication, Company & Country Global Cell Therapy Clinical Pipeline: 767 Cell Therapies Globally Marketed Cell Therapies: 25 Cell Therapies Maximum Number of Marketed Cell Therapies In USA: 15 Therapies Price & Product Insight By Region/Country Regional Analysis of the Cell Therapy Market1. 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 CorporationFor Free Report Sample Contact :Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.com00919810410366Kuick 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.Kuick ResearchDelhiSolid Tumors Treatment Market Growthrate and revenue forecast 2018-2026 | Abbott Laboratories, Biogen Idec Incorporated, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson

Solid Tumors Treatment

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A solid tumor is an abnormal mass or lump of tissues without liquid or cysts. It is not necessary that tumor should always be cancerous. On the basis tumor nature, it can be classified as the malignant tumor (cancerous) and the benign tumor (non-cancerous). Based on the cell type, tumors can be classified as carcinomas, sarcomas, and lymphomas. The Solid tumors might occur in several places such as muscle, bone, and organs. Treatments for solid tumors include prevention of tumor and combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. However, new forms of treatment are emerging in the market.Request For Sample Copy of This Research Report:Chemotherapy segment holds the maximum share in solid tumor treatment market due to its efficacy by combining with some other therapies to treat solid tumors.Rising incidences of solid tumor cases in North America is the factor contributing to the growth of solid tumor treatment marketRegional segmentation of Solid Tumors Treatment market by Coherent Market Insights comprises of North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. North America dominates in the solid tumors treatment market due to the presence of well-established healthcare infrastructure, and rise in the number of solid tumor cases. For instance, According to the data provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2013 around 230,815 females and 2109 men in the U.S. were diagnosed with breast cancer.Advanced drug therapy is expected to help the industry players to sustain in the solid tumors treatment marketKey industry players operating solid tumors treatment market include Abbott Laboratories Inc., Biogen Idec Incorporated, AstraZeneca Plc., Johnson & Johnson Company, Amgen Inc., Bristol Myers Squibb Company, GlaxoSmithKline Plc., Sanofi, and Baxter International Incorporated. Advancements in the cancer therapy such as nanomedicines used for the treatment of cancer might help the industry players to provide effective patient care in the solid tumors treatment. Whereas, stringent regulatory policies for drug manufacturing may restrain the growth of the market. For instance, by regulations provided by the Indian government in late 2012, there are cap prices of 348 drugs on Essential Drug List (EDL), and drug manufacturers need to keep the cost of their drugs below the ceiling price.Download The PDF Brochure:Emerging trend of Biosimilars therapy is expected to propel the growth of solid tumors treatment marketAccording to data published in International Journal of Pharma Sciences and Research (IJPSR) in 2011, there were around 9 million deaths due to cancer. In 2015, 11.4 million people are expected to die in 2030, among this prevalence of cancer maximum is due to solid tumors. Growing prevalence of solid tumors is the major driving factor for the growth of solid tumors treatment market. Additionally, some other factors fuelling the growth of solid tumors treatment market include unmet demand for cancer treatment and rising investment in the research and development of cancer drugs. However, increase in the volume of generic therapeutic products, the high cost of cancer therapy, and growing drug patent cliff are some of the restraints that might hinder the growth of solid tumors treatment market.Moreover, the emerging trend of biosimilars is contributing to the growth of solid tumors treatment market due to their low cost and their similarity to originator compound. For instance, some of the biologics available for solid tumors treatment includes Herceptin, MabThera, Avastin, and Erbitux. The advantages of this biosimilars to overcome the limitations of generic drugs in the treatments is expected to propel the growth of solid tumors treatments market.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Mr.ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@coherentmarketinsights.comCarpets & Rugs Market 2019 | Worldwide Forecast 2025 | Major Players - Mohawk Industries Inc., Shaw Industries Group Inc., Tarkett S.A., Lowes Companies Inc., Dixie Group Inc.

Carpets & Rugs

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Carpets & Rugs 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.Get Exclusive FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Carpets & Rugs Market Analysis and Forecast 2019 - 2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report 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 Carpets & Rugs 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 Carpets & Rugs Market analysis & 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: Mohawk Industries Inc. Shaw Industries Group, Inc. Tarkett S.A. Lowes Companies, Inc. Interface Inc. Dixie Group, Inc. Oriental Weavers Company for Carpet. Tai Ping Carpets International Limited Victoria PLC The Home Depot, Inc. Mannington Mills, Inc. Beaulieu International Group Ikea Group More CompaniesProduct Segment Analysis: Tufted Woven Needle-punched Knotted OthersApplication Segment Analysis: Residential Commercial Automotive OthersMajor 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 @Carpets & Rugs 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.Global Carpets & Rugs 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 Carpets & Rugs 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 Carpets & Rugs 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 Carpets & Rugs 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.A federal judge Friday ordered a Portland company to pay a woman $80,000 for lost wages and damages for rescinding a job offer after learning she was pregnant.

Under a consent decree signed by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon, the company Scribe X also must adopt written non-discriminatory guidelines, train its employees on them and make them visible on job applications.

The company must pay Brittany Frisby $25,000 for lost wages and $55,000 for damages, alter its records to show Frisby voluntarily resigned from a medical scribe job and is eligible to be rehired and provide her with a positive reference if needed.

A medical scribe serves as a personal assistant to a physician, gathering information for a patients visit and updating health records in an electronic database.

The judges order came after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a federal pregnancy discrimination complaint against the company on Frisbys behalf in U.S. District Court in Portland.

The company had given Frisby a written offer for a medical scribe position on Dec. 31, 2015. She accepted the offer, completed pre-hire screening and was added to the companys office email system, scheduled to start on Jan. 11, 2016.

On Jan. 4, 2016, Frisby notified the company she was pregnant and would need maternity leave several months later, likely in April, according to court records.

Four days later, the companys owner and chief executive officer called Frisby and rescinded her job offer. The owner told Frisby that had the company known of her pregnancy during the hiring process, it wouldnt have offered her the job, according to the complaint by the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission.

The federal commission also found the company failed to keep records about Frisbys interview, application for the job or notes from hiring managers or supervisors as required.

The consent decree further prohibits the company from engaging in any practices that constitute discrimination in violation of Title VII based on an employee or applicants sex or pregnancy and requires the company to maintain applicants records.

Although Scribe-X has agreed to abide by the conditions, the company denies it engaged in discrimination.

According to the company, the job offer was for a one-year medical scribe position. Scribe admits it withdrew its offer to Frisby based on her unavailability to meet the required one-year commitment, according to court records.

Scribe further informed Frisby that the company would be willing to delay her start date until she was ready to commit for a full year, a Scribe attorney wrote in the companys answer to the federal complaint.

On Friday, attorney Dexter J. Pearce, representing Scribe, declined comment on the companys behalf.

Frisby, 31, of Hillsboro, said she "just wanted to close'' this chapter and declined further comment Friday. The federal commissions lawyers involved in the case did not respond to requests for comment.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.SALEM Gov. Kate Brown on Friday signed into law a bill meant to avert incidents like the murder of a Bend woman by an on-duty campus security officer at Central Oregon Community College.

Brown signed Senate Bill 576, known as Kaylees Law, after Kaylee Sawyer. She was abducted by COCC security guard Edwin Enoc Lara at night in July 2016, raped and bludgeoned to death. The law mandates steps to ensure that campus officers and their equipment do not resemble law enforcement or that officers act in any law enforcement capacity. Kaylees Law goes into effect immediately.

SB 576 is intended to ensure that campus security vehicles, uniforms and equipment do not appear to be law enforcement. The vehicles cannot have roof-top lights or a push bumper in front. Vehicles cannot have a divider, known as a cage, between the front and back seats. They must have GPS, an interior video camera or dispatch system that is recorded. Campus officers would be prohibited from making vehicle stops or stop and frisk individuals. Comprehensive national background checks and psychological testing would also be required before a security officer could be hired.

Under state law, the governor had five days to sign the bill after it was officially forwarded to her by the Legislature. The bill had been approved unanimously by the Senate and House. It was officially sent to Brown on Monday.

While Fridays signing makes the bill become law, Brown said she planned to hold a ceremonial signing early this summer that will include Kaylee Sawyers family, along with political and law enforcement officials who backed the bill.

I think this legislation is incredibly important, Brown said Thursday in advance of the signing. I want to say to the family that has worked so hard to turn this tragedy into good public policy, Thank you.

The bills chief co-sponsors included Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, and Rep. Cheri Helt, R-Bend. It was backed by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, Bend Police Chief Jim Porter, Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel, and statewide associations of police, sheriffs and students.

Lara pleaded guilty in January 2018 to the aggravated murder and robbery of Sawyer. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He pleaded guilty to federal kidnapping and carjacking April 25 and received a concurrent life sentence. Those charges were related to what U.S. District Judge Michael J. McShane termed a brutal crime spree immediately after Sawyers murder.

Lara kidnapped a woman in Salem and fled to California. In Yreka, Lara shot a man and carjacked a vehicle with three people inside. He surrendered to the California Highway Patrol near Redding. Lara faces felony charges in Siskiyou County.An Oregon City man was taken to the hospital Friday with life-threatening injuries after his roommate shot him, police say.

Police responded to a call from the victim at Mountain View Apartments at 1840 Molalla Avenue in Oregon City around 3:30 p.m., who said he had been shot by another man. As of 8:20 p.m. Friday, police had not identified the suspect.

Police and paramedics found the victim in a back bedroom of the apartment. They broke the window of the bedroom to get the man out, and transported him to OHSU Hospital.

In the hours that followed, the suspect is reported to have stayed inside the apartment.

The Clackamas County Inter-agency SWAT and crisis negotiation teams responded, and used gas to try to get the suspect to come out peacefully. Oregon City Police Capt. Shaun Davis said while they were deploying the gas, a SWAT team officer fired a shot, but did not hit the suspect.

According to a news release from Oregon City police, the suspect came out of the apartment but wasnt cooperating. Officers took the suspect, whom they have not yet identified, into custody, and he was transported to a local hospital for an evaluation. Police continue to investigate the shooting.

Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanORThe teens wanted to talk about climate change. Gentrification. Immigration.

Sophomores at Jefferson High School in North Portland met with Oregons two U.S. senators during a town hall-style assembly Friday, pressing the politicians on matters both local and national.

Student body president Sarah Steele kicked things off by singing Lift Every Voice and Sing, widely known as the black national anthem. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley then introduced themselves before taking questions from students.

One student asked if the senators believed climate change is the most important issue facing the country. Wyden said that in his view, both climate issues and healthcare are two sides of the same coin.

Merkley also told students climate was among his top policy priorities on Capitol Hill.

We have nowhere else to go, he said. This planet is our home. This is our spaceship. We have to take care of it.

Jefferson sophomore Ayantu Boriyo took the mic halfway through the hourlong assembly to ask the senators how they could address what she considered lackluster efforts to maintain the Portland schools aging facilities.

Jefferson is one of three high schools in Portland Public Schools along with Cleveland in Southeast Portland and Wilson in the citys Southwest quadrant  that has yet to be included in district-led bond campaigns asking taxpayers to fund modernizations.

Wyden brought up infrastructure talks between House Democrats and President Donald Trump that imploded as the president insisted lawmakers drop various investigations into his administration.

He wanted to duck the very good question that youre trying to ask, the senator told Boriyo.

Wyden went on to say that he hoped infrastructure bills discussed on Capitol Hill would also include funding for local projects like school modernizations.

Sophomore Talia Richley wanted to know how high school students, primarily those below voting age, can influence change and advocate for their communities.

Both senators offered the same response: Protest.

Merkley suggested students fill school board meetings with their concerns about lackluster facilities. He called out city council meetings as the venue to make noise about issues like gentrification and affordable housing.

Anger is a good motivator if you convert it into action, Merkley said. So often when you fight battles, youll face pushback from the status quo. Never accept that.

Students attending schools in the states largest district have done much of that in recent months. Back in January, students flooded school board meetings to demand a seat at the table in conversations over the fate of the school resource officer program.

Just last week, another group rallied to demand the district adopt a climate curriculum promised by the board three years ago. On that front, it appears the district officials were listening.

In budget documents provided to the school board this week, district officials laid out a plan to dedicate $200,000 to drafting the curriculum in the coming school year.

Wyden lauded the move as a win for district students.

That is exactly what I think citizens involvement can produce. The students showed that they felt strongly about something. They were going to weigh in. They were going to make sure their viewpoint got heard and it paid off, he told The Oregonian/OregonLive after the assembly. Score one for the voices of young people in Oregon.Amanda Eller ventured into a dense forest in Hawaii on May 8, confident her three-mile hike would finish so quickly that her phone and water were unnecessary. She left behind her wallet and her keys, hidden in her cars tire well for when she returned.

A physical therapist and yoga instructor who lives on Maui, Eller knew the terrain from a previous hike and veered off the trail for a quick rest.

But when she got up to resume, she was turned around, and in a quixotic search for the trail, Eller fractured her leg. She ate insects in the 16 days she was missing in the Makawao Forest Reserve - a disappearance that triggered a massive search drawing hundreds of volunteers, even after authorities scaled back their efforts early on.

Eller was found alive Friday, sunburned and smiling. A helicopter search team contracted by her family spotted her four miles from her car, gaunt after surviving on plants and water, a friend told KITV. She was airlifted to a hospital.

"She figured it out, she was smart, she was strong, she was prepared. We said that in the beginning and it was absolutely true," said her father, John Eller, according to KITV.

John Eller said his daughter "took a good fall," and got lost after looking for a way back, he told reporters outside a hospital in a video posted by Maui 24/7. "They found her in a deep ravine, basically unable to get out, as I understand it," he said.

"The rescuers had to be airlifted out as well, because it was so tumultuous," he added.

Eller detailed her survival to The New York Times in an interview. She fractured her leg and tore her meniscus on the third day, her friend said, as rescue efforts ramped up in the jungle thick with creeks, ravines and brush. Eller used ferns and leaves for warmth when the temperature plummeted, and one night, slept in a wild boar's den.

She ate moths and wild strawberry guavas, her mother Julia Eller told Maui News. She could identify those. Other plants were risky and unknown meals. A flood took her shoes, leaving her barefoot and crawling.

"I wanted to give up," she told the Times. "But the only option I had was life or death."

A battalion of searchers worked day after day to bring Eller back, repelling from cliffs and combing streams for signs of life.

Aggressive boars were killed and their intestines inspected for human remains.

Her family offered a $50,000 reward, up from $10,000 in the days after Eller's disappearance, and hired a helicopter crew to search for her by air.

That effort was Eller's salvation Friday. Searchers Troy Helmer, Javier Cantellops and Chris Berquist spotted the missing hiker from air, foraging for food.

"It was unbelievable, dude," Cantellops told CNN. "Seeing her for the first time in a long time was just unbelievable. It was nothing short of elation."

Her mother, Julia Eller, said her injuries were all treatable, including severe sunburn.

"She lost quite a bit of weight, as you can imagine, being lost for that amount of time," Eller said, Maui News reported. "But she was able to survive it. She had the right skills and did the right things to buy time so that we had a chance to find her."

Photos posted to Facebook show her ankles swollen and legs covered in large, blistered wounds.

Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino thanked searchers for their efforts in statement, calling it a "truly a community collaboration."

Cantellops appeared on cable news and on Facebook to describe the search effort. His photograph with Eller, eyes wide open and lips blistered, triggered waves of relief for volunteer searchers.

Amanda Eller you are one tough ass woman!!! Cantellops wrote on Facebook. We are all blown away at your barefoot resilience!!!

-- The Washington PostAnjali Kulkarni, an Indian mountain climber, trained for six years to make it to the top of Mount Everest, the highest mountain peak in the world. She finally fulfilled her longtime goal when she reached the summit this week. But it was the descent that killed her.

Her son, Shantanu Kulkarni, told CNN that she died after getting stuck in a "traffic jam" on the mountain.

"She had to wait for a long time to reach the summit and descend," Thupden Sherpa, who organized tours on the mountain, told Agence France-Presse. "She couldn't move down on her own and died as Sherpa guides brought her down."

Two other Indian hikers, Kalpana Das, 52, and Nihal Bagwan, 27, also died this week. Keshav Paudel, who organized tours on the mountain, told AFP that Bagwan was "stuck in the traffic for more than 12 hours and was exhausted."

They are among the at least 17 people to have died climbing in Nepal's Himalayan mountains this season, including at least seven on Everest in the past week, as a few days of clear weather attracted huge numbers of climbers hoping to scale the 29,029 feet to the mountain's peak. Nepal has issued around 380 permits for those hoping to climb the mountain, AFP reported. They cost about $11,000 each, and hikers are accompanied by local, and sometimes international, guides.

A chilling photograph from the mountain shows a long line of mountaineers queuing to ascend a steep ridge to the summit. The photo was shot by Nirmal Purja, an avid mountaineer, who wrote in an Instagram caption that he estimated there were 320 people in line.

Traffic jams create dangerous situations for climbers, who are often already exhausted and carrying heavy loads while battling altitude sickness, which can make people dizzy and nauseated.

Gordan Janow, director of programs at Alpine Ascents International, has been organizing treks to Everest for around 30 years. He said overcrowding often occurs, but "every year seems to be worse and worse."

When a line starts to back up, "you're changing your natural pace so you're spending more time in this high altitude zone than might be necessary if you were climbing 10 to 15 years ago," he said. Alpine Ascents currently has a group of a dozen climbers on the mountain, he said. And one of the most important skills for the guides who accompany them, he said, "is knowing when to turn people around."

"The idea isn't to push yourself to the ultimate maximum to reach the summit," he said. "Then there's no steam or energy left in your body to get down."

Everest attracts climbers from around the globe, and the victims come from a diverse set of backgrounds:

Seamus Lawless, an assistant professor of computer science at Trinity College in Ireland, went missing last Thursday when he slipped and fell shortly near the summit, on a different side of the mountain from where the main traffic jam is taking place.

On Friday, the Independent reported that a second Irish climber, Kevin Hynes, died on Friday. He had climbed parts of Everest before, and the British group he traveled with, 360 Expeditions, said in a statement he was "one of the strongest and most experienced climbers on our team."

Earlier this week an American, Donald Lynn Cash, 55, of Utah, died after falling sick, possibly from the high altitude. It was unclear what role, if any, the foot traffic jams had in his death.

And a 65-year-old Austrian man is also among the dead.

Last year, 807 people reached the mountain's summit, more than had ever reached the top in a single year before. When climbers choose to scale Everest, they do so with the understanding of the potential perils they could encounter along the way.

In addition to the risks of altitude sickness and exhaustion, there have been a number of avalanches on the mountain over the year, including one set off by the catastrophic 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015. In that instance, an avalanche swept down the mountain and through the base camp, killing at least 18 people and injuring dozens more.

Still, most who make the trek expect to come home.

Cash, who took a sabbatical from his executive job at BMC Software to finish scaling the world's seven highest peaks, wrote on LinkedIn before his trip that he was "excited to look for the next chapter of my career in June when I return. Safely. With all my digits."

Instead, his body will remain on Everest.

-- The Washington PostIts one entry in a Department of Human Services budget document thats hundreds of pages long. Written in bureaucratic shorthand, it is virtually incomprehensible. That may be no accident.

CW -- Backfill TANF over 15 percent admin cap (pkg 107) -- $40 million (maintains 2,240 positions)

The translation? The agency needs $40 million from the general fund after determining that it had spent federal money on staffing and administrative costs  money that was supposed to go to the poorest of Oregons poor.

Its the latest in a series of accounting missteps at the agency. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has fined Oregon more than $74 million since 2008 for failing to follow federal funding rules. The state has successfully appealed most of the fines, but still owes more than $7 million.

Now, the agency has again found itself out of compliance and in need of $40 million in additional general fund dollars  or risk losing 200 much-needed child welfare workers.

In a legislative session dominated by school funding, a new business tax and PERS reform, the agencys $40 million blunder was overshadowed. It received virtually no press coverage and precious little debate among lawmakers.

And yet the backstory provides a rare and unsettling look behind the curtain of Oregons government. It illustrates the difficulty facing part-time legislators trying to exercise a minimal level of oversight and how even huge sums of money pale to insignificance in a state budget that in the next biennium could reach $86 billion

For Rep. Cedric Hayden, R-Roseburg, the repeated mistakes reflect poorly on the agencys top management.

This is another example of financial incompetence in our state agency leadership, he said. While $40 million in mismanaged funds may be considered a relatively small amount in the DHS budget, I believe it matters.

Rep. Rob Nosse, D-Portland, was less concerned.

I dont think its a big deal, he said. The bad news is we have to find $40 million. Thats a problem But were dealing with an agency that has thousands of employees. It has billions of dollars to manage. This is not all that surprising. This is part of the process, mistakes are made.

The Department of Human Services is one of Oregons largest agencies. Its 8,600 employees serve the most vulnerable Oregonians, including children, the elderly and those who are developmentally disabled. It also distributes tens of millions of federal dollars intended for the poor. The agency is the local administrator of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which provides monetary assistance and job training, and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, once known as Food Stamps.

Over the years, the federal government has put conditions on the money. For instance, 50% to 90% of the welfare program recipients must work. And the federal government expects states to track the worker participation rates.

Thats where Oregon ran into trouble.

When the Great Recession hit Oregon in 2008, unemployment surged. DHS was overwhelmed with people who needed financial assistance. At the same time, state agencies themselves downsized. Fewer state workers were attempting to help significantly more people find jobs that didnt exist, said Dan Haun, deputy director of the HS Self-sufficiency program.

Agency officials argue they didnt misspend a dime. They simply made a decision: They would concentrate on distributing benefits and worry about employment requirements later.

You can imagine during a recession, it was really difficult for them to find a job, Haun said. We were also encountering budget cuts, and we had a big enough challenge just getting the money out the door.

That wasnt OK with the federal agency, which levied heavy penalties against Oregon: $74.5 million for the years 2007 through 2012.

Oregon officials managed to get most of the fines eliminated. But not all. Last September, the federal agency sent a notice of adverse action to Oregon demanding that it repay $7.6 million.

In 2018, the agency realized it had once again broken federal spending rules. And again, TANF was at the heart of the problem.

Oregon receives about $116 million a year in TANF funds to distribute. The state is required to spend $91 million of its own money to qualify for the federal funds. And, the state is allowed to shave off a certain percentage of the federal dollars to spend on administrative needs and staffing.

Yet as the economy recovered the from the long recession, fewer people needed welfare money. After peaking in 2012 at about 36,000 recipients, the state caseload has since fallen below 20,000. Though the payments to families dropped, the state failed to cut its use of federal dollars on the agencys administrative needs at the same rate.

This is something that has sneaked up on us. said Eric Moore, chief financial officer of DHS.

The agency was left with two options: Cut spending and eliminate at least 200 positions in the crucial child welfare program or approach the legislature for a replacement $40 million.

On April 30, Moore and Haun appeared before a legislative panel explaining their $40 million problem. Surprisingly, the mood was light. I will apologize in advance for what Im about to go through, Moore cracked. It might be a little dry. I hope you have your coffee.

Though the budget is still not finalized, the agencys $40 million ask seems a sure-thing. Gov. Kate Brown included the money in her budget. And so far, the response from state lawmakers has been generally friendly.

Rep. Hayden is one of the few vocal critics.

All I want is a straight answer, he said. Whats going on? How do we fix it and make sure this doesnt happen in the future?

Moore, the DHS official, fell on his sword.

I guess if youre going to blame someone, blame me, he said. This is on DHS. We could have identified this issue sooner. $40 million is real money, especially in the budgetary climate that were in. The gravity of that is not lost on us.A man who fatally shot a teen outside a Southeast Portland apartment complex in 2015 pleaded guilty Friday to first-degree manslaughter and will be sentenced in June.

Deandrea Sanders, 29, also admitted to attempted aggravated murder in the July 12, 2015, death of 19-year-old Anthony Jackson. He is scheduled to be sentenced in Multnomah County Circuit on June 21.

According to court documents, Jackson was standing in the parking lot of the Shalimar Apartments near Southeast Powell Boulevard and 136th Avenue when someone ambushed him and fired 14 rounds from two different .45-caliber handguns. Jackson was hit in the head and died at the scene.

Police did not find the shooter that day.

Sanders was pulled over for speeding four days later and arrested on gun possession-related charges, court documents said. Investigators didnt link him to Jacksons death until August, when the Oregon State Police Crime Lab matched shell casings and a bullet that struck Jackson to a gun seized from Sanders.

Its unclear if police ever found the second gun suspected of being used in the shooting.

Detectives interviewed three people in September and October who claimed Sanders admitted to them that he killed Jackson, court documents said. One of them told police that Sanders claimed hed been attacked by Jackson first and then shot at him.

Sanders was interviewed in November about Jacksons death. A grand jury indicted him on a murder charge related to the killing that same month.

-- 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.Gloomy overcast skies and drizzle greeted Portlanders Saturday morning with cool temperatures and a promise of increasing showers throughout the day.

A low pressure system dropping down the coast of British Columbia was expected to bring more substantial rain by Saturday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

Expect showers to become more widespread during the day today, and also likely heavier than most of those experienced yesterday, the weather service said.

Temperatures were expected to stay below normal with Saturdays high climbing to just around 60 degrees.

For the latter part of the Memorial Day weekend it'll be warmer, with decreasing chances for showers Sunday and Monday. Inland valley high temperatures will climb back into the 70s. Want to minimize your chances for showers Sunday and Monday? You might try heading to the coast.  NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) May 25, 2019

On Sunday, rain will taper off for the Willamette Valley as the low pressure system slides south into California. Most of northwestern Oregon is likely to stay dry with temps rebounding back up toward seasonal norms. The high Sunday could reach 70 degrees.

By Monday, temps will climb a few more degrees, possibly into the mid-70s. Some instability over the Cascades could produce some showers or thunderstorms, but most of the inland valley locations can look to stay dry as Memorial Day celebrations kick off.

-- Kale Williams

kwilliams@oregonian.com

503-294-4048

@sfkale

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.Whoever has the job of creating and testing new products for Trader Joe's has the best job. And if the most recent batch of new items is any indication, they're also very on trend.

Take the mochi cake mix, for example. Mochi desserts, while they're nothing new, are having a moment right now. Third Culture Bakery in Berkeley often sees lines out the door on weekends as people are eager to try the classic mochi muffin or the many flavors of mochi donuts. (For the uninitiated, mochi is a textural dream. The secret is mochiko, flour made from sticky rice, which makes for a chewy texture that's hard to find in other desserts.)The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriff's Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Ashley Schafer.

Thursday, May 23

12:45 a.m. -- Deputies responded to a Porter Township residence, reference a missing 65-year-old Porter Township man. After searching the immediate area, the man was found sleeping in his camper.

12:47 a.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to an Ingersoll Township residence where a 17-year-old girl had snuck out of her home during the night. The girl was found shortly afterwards near her home hanging out with a friend, a 19-year-old Bay City man. The deputy spoke with the girl about telling her parents, 56 and 58, where she is going, asking permission to leave to avoid miscommunication. The girl was turned over to her parents.

12:52 a.m. -- Officers responded to a house party in the 5100 block of Hollyberry Drive.

8:13 a.m. -- Officers performed a warrant arrest in the 4900 block of Artcrest Drive.

8:52 a.m. -- Officers responded to a breaking and entering in the 10 block of West Wyllys Court.

9:23 a.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to the area of eastbound US-10 near North M-30 in Lincoln Township for the report of a one-vehicle traffic crash. The at-fault driver was issued a citation for speeding.

9:33 a.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to the area of Smith Street near Lackie Lane in Sanford for the report of a one-vehicle traffic crash. The at-fault driver was issued a citation for speeding.

11:05 a.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a Larkin Township address for a report of a domestic assault. After talking to both parties involved, a 52-year-old Larkin Township man was arrested and transported to the Midland County Jail for domestic assault.

11:33 a.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a location in Warren Township for a suspicious situation. Deputies made contact with a 58-year-old man who reported hearing a male voice yell for help. Deputies searched nearby properties and spoke with residents in the neighboring area with no results. A few of the neighboring residents suggested it may have been someone calling for their dog.

1:35 p.m. -- A 64-year-old Lee Twp man threatened to commit suicide with a large butcher knife after his live-in girlfriend refused to put money on his debit card. The man put the knife away prior to deputies arrival and admitted to feeling suicidal. The man who had various health conditions was transported via EMS to Mid Michigan Medical Center ER for treatment.

3:13 p.m. -- Deputies responded to a Jerome Township location for a loose boat on Sanford Lake. The owner was contacted and the boat was returned.

7:40 p.m. -- Deputies responded to a Lee Township residence for a disorderly 14-year-old Lee Township boy. Deputies spoke with the boy, who agreed to listen to his parents and not cause anymore problems.

8:04 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Sanford residence reference a 52-year-old woman who stated she and her 54-year-old live-in ex-boyfriend were arguing. The woman said there was no assault. Both the man and woman refused to leave the residence for the night, but agreed to be civil to each other.

8:28 p.m. -- A deputy was requested to contact a 33-year-old Midland woman regarding a possible harassment complaint. The woman said her child's 36-year-old Bay City father showed up at a Homer Township park during the child's sporting event. The deputy was told that the father wasn't supposed to have contact with the child due to a Midland County FOC order for a pre-drug screening. The woman said she was going to contact FOC the following morning regarding the incident.

8:36 p.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to Lincoln Township residence for a report of a possible fight and argument coming from a nearby home. The complainant wanted the area checked. The deputy made contact with an 17-year-old Lincoln Township man, who stated they may have been talking loudly, but there was no fight.

9:08 p.m. -- Officers responded to a damage to property in the 400 block of West Indian Street.

10:09 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to the Law Enforcement Center lobby for a harassment complaint. A 27-year-old Larkin Township woman said an unknown man was sending her messages on Instagram and Facebook. She did not want this unknown person contacting her. She was told to contact Facebook and Instagram to have the subject blocked.

10:47 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to Jerome Township for a possible traffic hazard. The deputy made contact with the complainant regarding a very small fawn that was found on the edge of the roadway. It appeared the fawn was unable to follow it's mother through the water filled ditch. The Deputy moved the animal to the other side of the ditch, so it was no longer a hazard to traffic and could be located by its mother.EDITOR'S NOTE -- OWI means operating while intoxicated. DWLS means driving while license suspended. (MC) is for Judge Michael D. Carpenter. (L) is for Magistrate Gerald Ladwig. (B) is for Circuit Judge Michael J. Beale. (SC) is for Circuit Judge Stephen P. Carras. Sentences may vary based on previous offenses committed by the defendant. Some sentencings include other fees imposed by the state. Compiled by reporter Ashley Schafer.

Beaverton

Stanley Ray Marshall, 62, operating-license suspended/revoked/denied on May 13, 2019, $425 in costs and fines. (L)

Clare

Carl David Vanacker, 54, driving failure to maintain security, operating violation of restricted license on Feb. 12, 2019, 45 days in jail for both charges with credit for 45 days, $375 in costs and fines. (MC)

Coleman

Caleb Garrett Krenzke, 27, operating impaired on March 3, 2019, defendant to report to jail by 7 p.m. July 26 if doesn't attend impact weekend before, 93 days in jail with credit for one day, suspended all but one weekend if complies, $900 in costs and fines, 9 months probation, may not use or possess alcohol/illegal drugs/marijuana or mind-altering substances, subject to random drug/alcohol screening, may not enter bars. (MC)

Farwell

Michael Ryan Hamilton, 39, disorderly person jostling on Dec. 12, 2018, may have contact with victim for purpose of children, 90 days in jail with credit for two days, $675 in costs and fines, six months probation, not to be involved in any assaulting, threatening, intimidating, violent, aggressive, disorderly or abusive behavior toward any person, peaceable contact with victim allowable, may not use or possess alcohol/illegal drugs/marijuana or mind-altering substances, subject to random drug/alcohol screening, may not enter bars, to pay $112 per month starting on or about June 24, 2019. (MC)

Fenton

Jason Michael Huonder, 27, domestic violence on Dec. 29, 2018, to submit to Soberlink for 90 days, shall have contact with victim as relates to minor child only, contact for all other reasons is prohibited, 93 days in jail with credit for six days, suspended balance if complies, $725 in costs and fines, 18 months probation, not to be involved in any assaulting, threatening, intimidating, violent, aggressive, disorderly or abusive behavior toward any person, may not use or possess alcohol/illegal drugs/marijuana or mind-altering substances, subject to random drug/alcohol screening, may not enter bars, to pay $37.50 per month starting on or before May 31, 2019.

Freeland

Justin Scott Brown, 34, domestic violence on May 12, 2018, 93 days in jail with credit for four days, $75 in costs and fines. (MC)

Caitlin Jean Stevens, 26, retail fraud in the third degree on Feb. 26, 2019, to complete stop lifting e-learning course, one weekend in jail, $475 in costs and fines, $25.79 in restitution to be paid to Walmart. (MC)

Hemlock

Jill Lindsay Moore, 41, operating while intoxicated on Jan. 9, 2019, 93 days in jail with credit for one day, suspended balance if complies, $900 in costs and fines, six months probation, may not use or possess alcohol/illegal drugs/marijuana or mind-altering substances, subject to random drug/alcohol screening, may not enter bars, to pay $120 per month starting on or before June 19, 2019. (MC)

Hope

Russell Henry Arthur, 27, operating under influence of liquor per se operating while intoxicated second offense on Feb. 17, 2019, shall be placed on Soberlink for a period of six months, followed by random test at J & A Counseling and Evaluation, one year in jail with credit for one day, suspended all but three weekends, $1,100 in costs and fines, 15 months probation, may not use or possess alcohol/illegal drugs/marijuana or mind-altering substances, subject to random drug/alcohol screening, credit for already providing proof that the vehicle was scrapped on Feb. 22, 2019. (MC)

Samantha Ann Sawade, 23, disorderly person jostling on April 1, 2019, 90 days in jail with credit for two days, suspended all but five days if complies, $750 in costs and fines, nine months probation, not to be involved in any assaulting, threatening, intimidating, violent, aggressive, disorderly or abusive behavior toward any person, peaceable contact with victim allowable, may not use or possess alcohol/illegal drugs/marijuana or mind-altering substances, subject to random drug/alcohol screening, may not enter bars, may not reside with the victim, may not do community service to pay for fines. Must be completed within 90 days. (MC)

Arthur John Sr. Wendt, 65, drove while unlicensed or license not valid on March 26, 2019, $275 in costs and fines. (L)

Macomb

Benjamin James Campbell, 21, fishing without possessing license on April 10, 2019, $150 in costs and fines. (MC)

Midland

Thomas Neil Dortman, 51, Redwood Circle, operating while intoxicated on March 2, 2019, 93 days in jail with credit for one day, suspended all but one weekend if complies, $1,100 in costs and fines, 12 months probation, may not use or possess alcohol/illegal drugs/marijuana or mind-altering substances, subject to random drug/alcohol screening, may not enter bars. (MC)

Amy Lynn Hyde, 37, Homer Road, operating while impaired on March 14, 2019, 93 days in jail, $825 in fines and costs, nine months probation, may not use or possess alcohol/illegal drugs/marijuana or mind altering substances, subject to random drug/alcohol screening, may not enter bars. (MC)

Carla Sue Martin, 57, Patterson Road, retail fraud in the third degree on Feb. 24, 2019, 93 days in jail with credit for one day, suspended balance if complies, $1,000 in costs and fines, $19.20 in restitution to Walmart, six months probation, 50 hours of community service, may not use or possess alcohol/illegal drugs/marijuana or mind-altering substances, subject to random drug/alcohol screening, may not enter bars, to pay $135 per month starting on or before June 11, 2019. (MC)

Timothy Brian McCann, 32, Homer Road, disorderly person jostling on Feb. 24, 2019, 90 days in jail with credit for one day, $775 in costs and fines, 12 months probation, may not use or possess alcohol/illegal drugs/marijuana or mind-altering substances, subject to random drug/alcohol screening, to pay $40 per month starting on or before June 25, 2019. (MC)

Julie Ann Podboy, 53, Waskevich Lane, operating impaired on March 11, 2019, shall submit to Soberlink for 90 days, 93 days in jail with credit for one day, suspended balance if complies, $725 in costs and fines, nine months probation, may not use or possess alcohol/illegal drugs/marijuana or mind-altering substances, subject to random drug/alcohol screening, may not enter bars, to pay $45 per month starting on or before June 8, 2019. (MC)

Chad Steven Soper, 39, retail fraud in the third degree on March 12, 2019, 45 days in jail with credit for two days, $125 in costs and fines, $25.98 in restitution to Country Corners Grocery. (MC)

Mount Morris

Kim Marie Lambert, 47, operating impaired on July, 2, 2016, seven days in jail, $75 in costs and fines. (MC)

Mount Pleasant

Kody Kristopher Kendall, 28, operating while intoxicated on March 17, 2019, submit to Soberlink for 180 days with credit for 48 days, shall attend impact weekend within 90 days, 93 days in jail with credit for two days, suspended all but two weekends if complies, $1,100 in fines and costs, one year probation, may not use or possess alcohol/illegal drugs/marijuana or mind-altering substances, subject to random drug/alcohol screening,may not enter bars, if defendant attends impact weekend, he doesn't need to do last jail weekend. (MC)

Warren

Trevor Adel Ajini, 20, fishing without possessing license on March 10, 2019, $150 in costs and fines. (MC)To the editor:

Just some thoughts:

Legalize and regulate the production of industrial hemp in Michigan.

Subsidize local farmers (not farming conglomerates) to grow and harvest hemp. Local farms rejuvenate.

The harvest would be sold only to the state government at a fair profit to the farmers. (This would regulate cost and establish pricing controls.)

The government then sells the harvest at a set profit margin to local manufacturers (thereby creating new industries) who would turn the raw product into paper, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, construction products (ala Hempcrete) health food, bio-fuel, etc. New manufacturing increases the tax base.

Hemp factories would hire only local workers (by state mandate): thousands become employed and tax base increases accordingly.

The state makes a profit that would (again, by mandate) be used to lower deficits, build schools, repair infrastructure, etc.

For your information, industrial hemp is a non-drug crop and contains less that 1% of the psychoactive substance THC. Unlike marijuana, if you smoke hemp, you get a headache. And if you smoke more, you get a bigger headache.

Downside? Intelligent comments welcome.

ROGER BRIGGS

Midland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.Cotonou, Benin (PANA) - The African Union Commission (AUC) and the Coalition of dialogue on Africa (CoDA) will on Monday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, hold a dialogue between actors on the continental trade and the strengthening of the implementation of the African continents free-trade area Agreement (ACFTAA), official sources said here SaturdayParis, France (PANA) - France has stressed the urgent need to disarm all armed groups in the Central African Republic after a series of attacks on Tuesday by the 3R (Return, Claim, Reconciliation) armed group in the Paoua region of northwestern Central Africa, that killed more than 50 civiliansParis, France (PANA) - Two African university students Friday received awards at the second edition of the international eloquence competition of the Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne University, reliable sources told PANA hereLome, Togo (PANA) - Togo, a cultural and immaterial rich-country, is discussing with UNESCO for a repertoire of its cultural works, official sources told PANA here SaturdayBLOOMINGTON - An 18-year-old faces felony weapons charges in adult court, a judge ruled Friday in a decision to transfer the case from juvenile court.

Associate Judge Brian Goldrick granted the state's petition to move the case to adult court, citing Meserole's age, services available for adults placed on probation and opportunities available for Meserole to complete his high school education.

After the hearing, Meserole was transferred from juvenile detention to the McLean County jail, where he remains in lieu of $4,035. The state filed mob action, aggravated battery and possession of a stolen weapon charges Friday.

After he delivered his ruling, the judge told Meserole, "I don't believe you're a lost cause. I've not written you off."

Meserole's future turns on the choices he makes, said the judge.

According to testimony Thursday from a Bloomington police detective, Meserole was part of the a group that went to Miller Park April 16 to settle a dispute with two people who had allegedly exchanged insults earlier in the day on social media with some of Meserole's acquaintances.

When the two sides met at the park, a fight ended with a man being treated for non-life threatening stab wounds. Three men and a woman are charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in connection with the stabbing.

Contact Edith Brady-Lunny at (309) 820-3276. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_blunny

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.BLOOMINGTON  Bloomington Police have located the driver and a vehicle being sought in a hit-and-run accident that left a pedestrian hurt on Monday.

No arrests have been made at this time, BPD Public Affairs Officer John Fermon said Friday.

"The incident is still under investigation and more information will be released at a later date," he said, adding the pedestrian is in stable condition.

After responding to a report of a motor vehicle accident with injuries, officers learned a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle that had fled the scene, police said. The suspect vehicle was reported to be a small dark-colored vehicle or black four-door sedan.

The victim was taken to Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal with what police described at the time as serious injuries.

Anyone with information should contact BPD Detective Steve Moreland at 309-434-2359 or at Smoreland@cityblm.org

If you want to remain anonymous, call McLean County Crime Stoppers at (309) 828-1111. If your call leads to the arrest and indictment of suspect(s) you may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

S. Main St. video store closing; Dollar General opening there BLOOMINGTON  A liquidation sale is under way at the Family Video store in south Bloomington as the store prepares to close.

Contact Maria Nagle at (309) 820-3244. Follow her on Twitter: @Pg_NagleAs the spring legislative session nears its end, I want to take a moment to look back on one of the scariest times of the year with the hope that one of you might recognize something and help bring a deranged person to justice.

You may have seen a brief news story about it, but several state legislators reported receiving an identical mailer in late April with the headline: "Dead People Can't Collect Fat Pensions." The envelopes were postmarked in Champaign, but that's a central collection point so the letters could've been mailed from anywhere in the region.

The letter contained both a long list of grievances about the state's troubled pension system and numerous death threats. "Don't bother about new gun laws," the letter-writer stated, "from arson to strangulation, there are more effective means available."

"You may think you can extract more money from us," the writer warned. "We would advise you to think again. Over 40,000 cowards unwilling to push back have left the state annually over the last 5 years, leaving behind the determined, the courageous - and most importantly - those with nothing left to lose."

"Time is short. The list is long. After the first one, the rest are free," the writer concluded.

The writer threatened mass assassinations for pretty much everyone who receives a state government pension, including survivors and heirs.

To avoid this fate, the author demanded in the form letter that the pension actuarial tables be changed and the state's constitution be amended to remove the pension protection clause before instituting a graduated income tax. The writer also demanded unspecified "cap$ and clawback$ for outrageous$ pension payout$" and local government consolidation. He or she also demanded the end of pension double-dipping and "playing salary games at career's end to max out your take."

Whoever wrote that letter is obviously more informed about state government than most average citizens.

While the content of the mass mailer was identical, whoever sent it took some time to make almost every one distinct.

One way the author individualized the letters was by using a different return address for almost all of them. The envelope sent to House Speaker Michael Madigan, for instance, used a return address for Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The Illinois Education Association's letter had the same return address, which was for Pritzker's personal business office in Chicago. The letter sent to a Champaign public radio station was ostensibly from the late Dawn Clark Netsch, the first woman elected to a statewide office in Illinois. All the return addresses were printed on labels and not hand-written.

However, most of the return addresses appear to have been researched on the Illinois State Board of Elections' website. Several legislators told me that the names and return addresses on letters sent to them were of campaign contributors who can be found with an online search.

Some return addresses and names were of political action committees. The letter addressed to a prominent gun control proponent, for instance, had a return address of a gun control political action committee which had contributed to his campaign last year.

Other letters were ostensibly from specific individuals, including a prominent retired Chicago business executive, a legislator's mother, a legislator's relative and the husband of a state representative's senator. All were campaign contributors.

In other words, whoever sent this letter doesn't appear to be just some random crank with a handy mailing list. That person or persons put some real time and effort into this. And that almost bothers me more than the letter itself.

A state senator who received one of the mailers said the postage stamp on the envelope chilled him to the bone. The sender used a John Lennon stamp. The former Beatle was murdered in 1980.

The letter writer had threatened all pension plan participants with being killed and cryptically asked recipients if they were "sure" that some accidental deaths on the highways were truly accidents or "the conscious decisions of people with nothing left to lose to 'take one with me?'"

And that leads us to the most egregious example of how truly sick this person is. The return address on the letter mailed to a Rockford-area legislator appeared to come from Brooke Jones-Story, an Illinois State trooper who was killed by another motorist during a traffic stop in March near Rockford. Jones-Story was one of three troopers killed by motorists in the first three months of 2019.

If you have any information at all, please call the Illinois State Police or the FBI.

Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0A $5 Billion class action has been filed against Apple in Northern California. The lawsuit states that "Apple sells, rents, transmits, and/or otherwise discloses, to various third parties, information reflecting the music that its customers purchase from the iTunes Store application that comes pre-installed on their iPhones. The data Apple discloses includes the full names and home addresses of its customers."

It will most definitely be interesting to see how Apple will answer the claims against it. It's very difficult to think that Apple is behind such a scheme as it would blow their moral stance on privacy out of the water and anger a lot of Apple fans worldwide.

Cook stated in a speech on Privacy in Europe last October: "We at Apple are in full support of a comprehensive federal privacy law in the United States. There, and everywhere, it should be rooted in four essential rights: First, the right to have personal data minimized. Companies should challenge themselves to de-identify customer dataor not to collect it in the first place. Second, the right to knowledge. Users should always know what data is being collected and what it is being collected for."

Below is information noted from the court docket on this case relating to what the Plaintiffs are demanding monetarily.

Causes for Action

Count 1: VIOLATION OF THE RIVRPA (Rhode Island's Video, Audio and Publication Rentals Privacy Act)

Count 2: VIOLATION OF THE MIPPPA (Michigans Preservation of Personal Privacy Act).

Count 3: UNJUST ENRICHMENT

Nature of Case

Under the segment of the lawsuit titled "Nature of Case" it states in part: "In early 2019, in an effort to capitalize on recent revelations concerning the data-sharing practices of its competitors Facebook, Inc. and Google LLC, Apple Inc. (Apple) placed a massive billboard in Las Vegas, Nevada touting its supposedly pro-consumer positions on issues of data privacy:

The statement on the billboard is plainly untrue, however, because  as will be explained in detail below  none of the information pertaining to the music you purchase on your iPhone stays on your iPhone.

To supplement its revenues and enhance the formidability of its brand in the eyes of mobile application developers, Apple sells, rents, transmits, and/or otherwise discloses, to various third parties, information reflecting the music that its customers purchase from the iTunes Store application that comes pre-installed on their iPhones. The data Apple discloses includes the full names and home addresses of its customers, together with the genres and, in some cases, the specific titles of the digitally-recorded music that its customers have purchased via the iTunes Store and then stored in their devices Apple Music libraries (collectively Personal Listening Information). After Apple discloses its customers Personal Listening Information, the various third-party recipients of this data then append to it a myriad of other categories of personal information pertaining to Apples customers  such as gender, age, household income, educational background, and marital status  only to then resell that Personal Listening Information (enhanced with various categories of demographic data) to other third parties on the open market.

Rhode Island resident Leigh Wheaton brings this action for legal and equitable remedies to redress and put a stop to the illegal actions of Apple in disclosing to third parties her Personal Listening Information and that of all other similarly situated Rhode Island residents who purchased music from Apple on its iTunes Store platform, in violation of Rhode Islands Video, Audio and Publication Rentals Privacy Act (the RIVRPA).

Additionally, Michigan residents Jill Paul and Trevor Paul, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, bring this action for legal remedies to redress the illegal actions of Apple in disclosing to third parties, between May 24, 2016 and July 30, 2016, their Personal Listening Information and that of all other similarly situated Michigan residents who purchased music from Apple on its iTunes Store platform, in violation of Michigans Preservation of Personal Privacy Act (the MIPPPA).

Apple has sold, rented, transmitted, and/or otherwise disclosed the Personal Listening Information of the Plaintiffs and millions of its other customers to developers of various mobile applications available for download in its App Store, as well as to data aggregators, data appenders, data cooperatives, list brokers, and other third parties, many of whom have in turn re-disclosed Plaintiffs and the other unnamed class members Personal Listening Information to other third parties for further exploitation and monetization  all without providing prior notice to or obtaining the requisite consent from anyone. Such disclosures invaded Plaintiffs and the unnamed Class members privacy and have resulted in a barrage of unwanted junk mail to their home addresses and e-mail inboxes.

The Rhode Island RIVRPA and the Michigan MIPPPA clearly prohibit what Apple has done.

Thus, while Apple profits handsomely from its unauthorized sale, rental, transmission, and/or disclosure of its customers Personal Listening Information, it does so at the expense of its customers privacy and statutory rights because Apple does not notify let alone obtain the requisite written consent from its customers prior to disclosing their Personal Listening Information.

Apples disclosures of the Personal Listening Information of Plaintiffs and the other unnamed Class members were not only unlawful, they were also dangerous because such disclosures allow for the targeting of particularly vulnerable members of society. For example, any person or entity could rent a list with the names and addresses of all unmarried, college-educated women over the age of 70 with a household income of over $80,000 who purchased country music from Apple via its iTunes Store mobile application. Such a list is available for sale for approximately $136 per thousand customers listed.

On behalf of themselves and the putative Classes defined below, Plaintiffs bring this Complaint against Apple for intentionally and unlawfully disclosing their Personal Listening Information, en masse, in violation of the RIVRPA and the MIPPPA, as well as for unjust enrichment."

Further into the lawsuit it makes the following allegation and presents a graphic as follows: "These factual allegations are corroborated by publicly-available evidence. For instance, as shown in the screenshot below, the Personal Listening Information of 18,188,721 'iTunes and Pandora Music Purchasers,' residing across the United States (including in Michigan and Rhode Island), is offered for sale on the website of Carney Direct Marketing ("CDM")  one of many traffickers of this type of Personal Listening Information  at a base price of '$80/M [per thousand records]' (8 cents each):'''

For more details on this case, review the full Class Action lawsuit filing presented below, courtesy of Patently Apple.

Leigh Wheaton, Jill Paul and Trevor Paul vs Apple Inc - Class Action by Jack Purcher on ScribdEarlier today Apple's former SVP Retail Angela Ahrendts was interviewed by Bloomberg TV. Ahrendts was attending and speaking at the C2 business event in Montreal that ran from May 22-24. Other speakers included Bozoma Saint John, former head of global consumer marketing for Apple Music who is now with Endeavor; will.i.am; Spike Lee and others.

Ahrendts covered a lot of territory in her interview about her stay at Apple and reinventing the Apple Store Experience with an educational zone for "Today at Apple" and that Apple has major new flagship stores in the pipeline that will roll out for the next four years.

Ahrendts dismissed the criticisms that the Apple Stores had lost their luster. Ahrendts seemed very defensive on the matter: "I dont read any of it, and none of it is based on fact, its everyone trying to find stories. When I left, retention rates were at an all-time high, up over 20 points in the five years," and customer loyalty scores were at historic highs. Again, I know the facts." Below is the full Bloomberg interview.

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.The U.S.-China trade tensions have been rising steadily after the Chinese trade delegation backtracked on a key point about IP protection for U.S. firms. A month ago the Washington Examiner wrote: "The U.S. Trade Representative's Office warned Thursday that China had to do more to prevent intellectual property theft, stating that country has not implemented any reforms and remains a 'hazardous and uncertain environment' to operate in. A USTR official indicated that the Trump administration could pursue additional tariffs against China if reforms don't happen." Reforms didn't happen and President Trump introduced new tariffs last Friday. More importantly, President Trump's war against China's telecom company Huawei went into high gear.

While the U.S. Government began their war against Huawei in February by warning European allies not to use 5G technology from Huawei, it was this week where the U.S. really began to turn the screws on Huawei. The headlines came in fast and furious like tightening a noose around Huawei's neck.

It was reported this week that a U.S. startup accuses Huawei executive of involvement in trade-secrets theft. The Korea Times reported today that "The United States and China hardened their stands over Huawei Thursday as Washington brushed aside claims of "bullying" and accused the Chinese tech giant of misrepresenting its ties to the Beijing government."

The Korea Times report further wrote: "US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed in an interview that Huawei is not truthful about its relationship with China's government and that this means any data touched by the company is 'at risk' of falling into the wrong hands.

'To say that they don't work with the Chinese government is a false statement,' Pompeo said of Huawei."

Last Friday Patently Apple posted a report titled "The U.S. Stance on Huawei Escalates as they put 67 Huawei Affiliates on a Blacklist banning Access to U.S. Suppliers," which set the stage for this week's blockbuster revelations.

The first big news to hit the wire this week was that Google and Major U.S. chipmakers suspended critical software and hardware components to Huawei due to a U.S. government blacklist.

Reuters reported that "The suspension could hobble Huaweis smartphone business outside China as the tech giant will immediately lose access to updates to Googles Android operating system. Future versions of Huawei smartphones that run on Android will also lose access to popular services, including the Google Play Store and Gmail and YouTube apps."

The second big news was a bombshell. ARM suspended all business with Huawei. Huawei relies on ARM for chip designs, especially its Kirin processor.

The week ended with a barrage of negative reports on Huawei. Here are just a few that are newsworthy:

01: "UK, Japan mobile operators suspend Huawei 5G phone launches." The Korea Times report noted that "Britain's EE and Vodafone and Japan's KDDI and Y! Mobile said they are pausing the launch of Huawei smartphones, including some that can be used on next generation mobile networks, amid uncertainty about devices from the world's No. 2 smartphone maker."

02: "Huaweis European Customers Are Put on Hold by U.S. Ban." The New York Times began their report by noting that "Europe has been one of Huaweis biggest success stories." We reported this week on Huawei experienced 70% growth in Europe in Q1 2019.

03: "Companies in U.K., Japan, Taiwan Join Anti-Huawei Campaign.": Business Korea reported that "Japans three largest mobile phone companies announced that they would indefinitely postpone the release of Huaweis new smartphones or suspend preorders. KDDI and SoftBank, the second and third biggest mobile carrier in Japan, have indefinitely delayed the launch of Huaweis new smartphone, the P30 Lite, on May 24."

04: "Huawei is banned from using SD cards in future devices." Engadget reported today that "Things just keep getting worse for Huawei. The company was barred from being a member of the SD Association, the trade group responsible for standardizing SD and microSD cards. The change in status means that Huawei will no longer be able to offer official SD or microSD support in its devices, including phones and laptops." More on this could also be found on 9to5Google.

05: "Huawei shipments could fall by up to a quarter this year." Reuters reported that "Chinas Huawei, hit by crippling U.S. sanctions, could see shipments decline by as much as a quarter this year and faces the possibility that its smartphones will disappear from international markets."

Huawei may not be the only Chinese company that will be eventually hit by the U.S. government. According to a new Bloomberg report posted today "Trump's Latest China Target Includes a Rising Star in AI." A facial recognition firm by the name of Megvii, that is backed by Giant Alibaba. Megvii isnt well-known outside China, but its a fast-rising juggernaut at home.

Megvii has said that its technology is deployed in more than 260 city projects, helping police arrest more than 10,000 people. The Trump administration has hinted that their could be five other Chinese companies including Megvii that could be banned for sales in the U.S.

The stock market is jittery about the U.S.-China trade war with Dow Industrials falling for the fifth straight week.

While Apple's iPhone success has been waning in China over the last few quarters, it's been more about economics and Apple's premium iPhones being priced a little out of reach for China's middle class than politics. Though as time goes on and Huawei is seen suffering due to the U.S. blacklist, the tide could turn on Apple, being a huge U.S. technology target.

A report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) tried to rattle the cage this week with a report titled "Apples China woes may worsen as Huawei ban nudges die-hard iPhone fans to switch sides." Patently Apple covered some of the anger with die-hard communists against Apple's iPhone back in late December.

The good news is that responsible Chinese business leaders are stepping up and trying to calm the loud patriotic rhetoric.

According to Bryan Ma, vice president of client devices research at IDC Asia Pacific, who expects Apple to feel some of the brunt although he cautioned against exaggeration.

Apple is after all a luxury brand, and ultimately it all depends on the users, Ma said. There will be some who are nationalistic and say no to American products, but there are many other users to whom it does not matter as much.

Even Huawei wants to play down the unbalanced patriotic rhetoric rising in China knowing that business conditions could change over time and angering potential US and European customers isn't good for the company longer term.

The SCMP report also noted that "Even Huaweis CEO Ren Zhengfei tried to cool down the nationalistic fervor on state TV on Tuesday, saying one must not associate patriotism with buying Huawei phones.

Zhengfei specifically stated that the "iPhone has a good ecosystem and when my family are abroad, I still buy them iPhones, so one cant narrowly think love for Huawei should mean loving Huawei phones." Whether zhengfei's TV talk was a genuine call for calm or a PR ploy is unknown at this time.

In the end, the story of the week was without a doubt the hammer falling on Huawei with a gigantic thud. Yet, in the bigger picture, it's still far too early to know how this will effect the company in a year's time. President Trump did say just yesterday that "It's possible that Huawei would be included in a trade deal. If we made a deal, I can imagine Huawei being included in some form or some part of a trade deal."

The U.S. has a good chip to play with Huawei in their trade talks with China and by adding other high tech companies every week or month to their blacklist will only up the ante. On paper it all looks good, but how it will actually play out in the coming weeks is another matter. Stay tuned, more news on this is likely to spill over to next week.

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: With Janata Dal  U candidate's humiliating loss at the hands of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate in the Jokihat special election, voice of dissents against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have started to surface as both JD-U and Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) tried to put the blame on the saffron party for over-playing its hands in special elections.

JD-U national General Secretary and a Rajya Sabha member K C Tyagi blamed the BJP for having an incoherent economic policy leading to a substantial rise in the prices of petrol and diesel.

"There is a widespread resentment among the voters who feel the government does not have their back. Furthermore, the BJP, that is the bigger party in the alliance, must not take its partners for granted," Tyagi said adding he hoped BJP President Amit Shah would make proper adjustments in his approach so this situation is not repeated elsewhere.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also indirectly blamed the BJP for his party's loss in Jokihat saying rising fuel cost was the prime reason for his candidate's loss in the hands of the RJD candidate.

In a statement, RLSP President and Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha asked the BJP to stop acting like the 'big brother' and start treating all allies with due respect.

"We hope that the BJP will re-adjust its attitude and treat all parties with respect that they deserve. We also hope that the BJP leaders take all allies into confidence when formulating new policies. This will certainly help strengthen the alliance," Kushwaha said.Patna: A week after five members of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), a front of the Indian Mujahideen, a domestic terrorist outfit, were convicted in the July 7, 2013 serial bomb blasts in Bodh Gaya, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Patna on Friday sentenced all five men to life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs. 40,000 each.

NIA court judge Manoj Kumar sentenced Omar Siddiqui, 39; Azaharuddin Qureshi, 25; Imtiyaz Ansari, 35; Haider Ali, 30; and Mujibullah Ansari, 28 who were also held responsible for similar serial bomb blasts in Patna during Narendra Modi's Hunkar Rally at Gandhi Maidan on October 27 of the same year.

Failure to pay the fine would result in an additional six months of imprisonment.

Another accused who was identified as Taufique Ansari was a juvenile in 2013 and was sent to a juvenile court that sentenced him to three years in prison last year.

As reported, 13 IEDs were carefully planted at strategic locations both inside and outside of the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya to cause maximum casualty during the blast. Fortunately, only 10 bombs exploded causing injury to five men, including two Buddhist monks. No one died in the blast.

Bombings at Patna's Gandhi Maidan had killed six persons and injured 85 others.

Talking to reporters, special Public Prosecutor L P Sinha said that both blasts were masterminded by Haider and Mujibullah who had planned the bombings at a Ranchi lodge to avenge the atrocities committed on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.Patna: Losing parties, a day after their total rout in the Lok Sabha elections at the hands of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA, did not waste any time in passing blames for their loss with each party accusing the other for dragging down the party with them.

Congress leader Sadanand Singh was the first one to fire the salvo when he said that it was due to the Rashtriya Janata Dal's dilly-dallying in announcing the seat-sharing formula that led to the Mahagathbandhan's disastrous show in Bihar where the RJD-led alliance lost at 39 out of 40 seats in the state.

"I'm upset, there was a delay in seat sharing & process of alliance, it wasn't fair. Unless 'dharma' of alliance is followed wholeheartedly, it will not be successful," Singh told the reporters on Friday.

"I respect the people's mandate but this is the time for introspection within the party and the grand alliance. I congratulate all the winners but delay and irregularity in seat sharing is largely to be blamed for the Mahagathbandhan's loss," Singh said.

The Congress leader also took shots at the RJD saying it contested at more seats than any other alliance member and yet it lost at all seats.

"RJD owes us all an explanation for this disastrous result," he said adding that while it was natural to have ups and downs in any election, this level of decimation was not heard of.

Senior Congress leader Nikhil Kumar, who was denied a ticket this election cycle, urged his party senior leaders to go solo in the next year's Assembly elections in Bihar.

Reacting strongly at Singh's insinuation, RJD spokesperson Shivanand Tiwari said that before criticizing the RJD, the Congress should analyze its own poll strategy.

"Congress failed to join the coalition (Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party) in Uttar Pradesh. It also could not reach an agreement with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi. Furthermore, party president Rahul Gandhi lost his own election bid from Amethi where he was expected to win. So, before blaming us for their loss, perhaps Congress should do its own introspection about the failure of its leadership and performance elsewhere," Tiwari said.

Meanwhile, RJD has called a meeting of all of its Lok Sabha candidates and members of the Bihar Legislative Council at Rabri Devi's residence on May 28 and 29 to discuss the reason for the party's complete devastation in Bihar.Six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy plans to take a free agent visit to the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday, according to a report from The Tampa Bay Times.

The Buccaneers released McCoy in a cost-cutting move earlier this week, setting off a frenzied recruitment for one of the NFLs most accomplished defenders of the past decade. As many as 10 teams are interested in signing McCoy, who wrapped up a visit with the Cleveland Browns on Friday, The Times Rick Stroud reported.

McCoy, 31, has totaled at least six sacks in six straight seasons.

The Ravens do carry depth along defensive line, where Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce are among the teams top returning players. And McCoys spent much of his career playing in a 4-3 defense, so its unclear where hed fit in Baltimores system. He could slide into a rotation with Williams and Pierce or spend more time playing the five-technique defensive end spot.

Whatever the case, Baltimore would likely benefit from McCoys interior pass-rushing skills.

But it might be challenging to convince McCoy to finalize a deal during his visit to Baltimore. Various reports said McCoy has heard offers worth around $11 million a year, and the Ravens have about $14.8 million in cap space, according to Overthecap.coms latest projection. That number will shrink once Baltimores recent free agent signings and draft picks are factored into the equation.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta has made clear hed like to create more financial flexibility and invest in young players. McCoy might be the type of talent who can convince DeCosta to relent on those aims in order to add a pricy veteran with a history of elite production.

The two will meet Tuesday. And then theyll each have decisions to make.

Aaron Kasinitz covers the Baltimore Ravens for PennLive and can be reached at akasinitz@pennlive.com or on Twitter @AaronKazreports.Follow PennLives Ravens coverage on Facebook and Youtube.Josh Hull is a Lancaster County native, a 2008 graduate of Millersville University and a Certified Specialist of Wine.

Hes also now the much younger face (and signature) of the Pa. Liquor Control Boards Chairmans program, which encompasses the Selection, Advantage and Spirits lines. Hull is the hand-picked successor to Steve Pollack, who retired in February feeling satisfied that he was leaving the program in great hands.

He has a lot of passion, a lot of knowledge, Pollack said recently. Hes the future. Ive been saying that for the last couple of years.

Hull said that while he didnt grow up around wine, the idea of working at a Fine Wine & Good Spirits Store made financial sense as he advanced toward his degree in Business Management. But once he started, the incentive became more than wages. I just started delving into it, he said, getting great deals on wines I otherwise couldnt afford. I just got hooked, and it snowballed from there.

That interest took him up the PLCB ladder, from several roles as a retail wine specialist to a luxury buyer for West Coast and later Italian wines. All the while, he and Pollock found mutual admiration as what Hull called kindred spirits, with a love for wine albeit not necessarily matching palates. Josh loves a little more balance, hes got a European palate, Pollack said. Im more of that muscular [palate]. I used to call me the caveman and [him] the cavalier. Hes more finesse and elegance. We hit it off real good together because we hit both sides of the spectrum.

The program started in 2004 by former PLCB chairman Jonathan Newman has morphed from what Pollock said basically dealt with three or four distributors to working more directly with wineries. Stores took ownership of the program. I was pushing 80, 85 million [dollars] between the three programs, the Advantage, the Chairman and the Spirits program we took on recently. I wanted to leave it in good hands.

It's not surprising that Hull, for now, just wants to maintain the momentum by what he says is finding great deals and continuing to bring into the program a mix of wines from big-name producers and well-known regions in addition to sprinkling in those cool, lesser-known wines.

Weve cleaned it up to where all of the wines are selling; its probably hard to see from your vantage point, he said. Weve cranked the turns up to where were turning the products two to three times faster than whats happened in the program in the past years. Its really cool. Its exciting to see like we have a top 100 Wine Spectator Malbec out there at 10 bucks, yet I also have a cool little Corsican white thats selling because the wine is great and the price is tremendous and its got some press. So we have everything from more Main Street wines, where the quality is great and the price is amazing, to lesser-known things. So I just want to continue to round out the selection to where its all of those kinds of things.

More of those wines likely will come from Washington, a state the program reached out to last year with much success, along with Oregon. Hull said hed also like to do more with Portugal, where he said the value already is high, and with Southern Hemisphere countries such as Chile and Argentina, where theres a lot of great wine and we need to get it out and in front of people, and the Chairmans Selection is a great way to do that.

About the only way to see the changing of the guard are the tasting notes on the placards behind the wines at the Fine Wine & Good Spirits Stores. you'll see more of these with the tasting notes written by Josh Hull, the program's new director.

Still, he noted, our biggest categories are California Cabernet, California Chardonnay, New Zealand and California Sauvignon Blanc, Italian Pinot Grigio. Were going to have to have those wines and are constantly looking for great deals in those categories. But Im just really excited to slot in things from [other areas]. Spain has been killing it for us. My top-selling wines right now are from Spain, believe it or not. Its crazy. Thats whats cool about the program is you have wines like Infinito and Fuerza out there that are outselling all of my California wines because the wines are great and theyre super appealing and super well-made and coming in at price points that you just dont see that level of quality come in from the West Coast.

While Chairmans Selection is nearing 20 years old, its younger sibling called Advantage began in 2015 with four wines at a time in 100 stores, and increased the following year to eight wines at a time on the floor in 300 stores. All cost less than $10 a bottle, which Hull said makes them even harder to find. The wines need to be well-made and the price has to be super sharp, he said. 5 [dollars] to $7.99. Ill throw an $8.99 out there once in a while if its a Prosecco or something like that. Its got to be a wine that really overdelivers.

Wander into a couple Fine Wines & Good Spirits Stores and you can see the beginning of the transition on the placards that include the wines price and tasting notes. Many still have Pollocks name, but you dont have to look far to find some with Hulls descriptions. Beyond that, the consumer probably wont notice that a new individual has taken over the program.

I bring a lot of that same passion that Steve had. I may not be as brash as Steve, but we were good friends, and still are, he said. So its going to be super-seamless for the consumer.

--

We asked Hull for five wines selling in the Fine Wines & Good Spirits Stores now that hes particularly excited about. Heres the list he sent over.

79037 Brittan Vineyards Pinot Noir Basalt Block McMinnville 2014 - $29.99

Quoted at $48.00*......Save $18.01

489 cases  Allocated to select stores (Mostly Premium Collection)

 opens with a powerful note of granite giving way to aromas of freshly sliced blueberries and crushed black cherries with accents of dried leaves, fresh pipe tobacco and hints of dried flowers and peppercornthis is still very youthfully coiled. Medium-bodied, it gives concentrated blue and black fruits in the mouth with pretty notions of flowers, spice and a strong mineral line. Its held together with fine, grainy tannins and wonderful refreshing acidity to carry the long flavorful finish. Drink 2019-2026.

*92+ Points Wine Advocate, Nov 2018

Fresh and pretty wine with blueberry and mineral aromas that follow through to a full body, salty undertones and a long and flavorful finish. Deliciously salty aftertaste.

 94 Points James Suckling, Nov 2016

79035 Valdez Family Winery Zinfandel Sonoma County 2013 - $14.99

Quoted at $30.00*......Save $15.01

950 cases  Replenishment Super Premium (mostly Premium stores)

The 2013 Valdez Zinfandel is a fresh wine with notes of licorice, black berries and hints of cracked black pepper, with a long, lingering finish. Fruit for this wine is sourced from three different Sonoma County AVAs: Dry Creek, Russian River Valley and Alexander Valley.

*Winemaker notes

The California wine industry lost one of its very best in 2018 with the passing of Ulises Valdez. Zesty, loamy raspberry and blackberry fruits mingle with cracked pepper on a supple and exquisitely textured palate, finishing long and expansive with ripe tannin. A truly incredible deal that is not to be missed.

 Josh Hull, wine buyer for the Chairmans Selection program

79016 El Esteco Don David Reserve Malbec Calchaqui Valley 2017 - $9.99

Quoted at $16.00*......Save $6.01

5,000 cases  Replenishment Value (Pretty much all Chairmans Selection stores)

Dried red fruit flavors are lively, offering a surplus of rich, dried savory herb notes. Accents of hot stone and white pepper flood the finish. Drink now through 2023.

*90 points and #65 Top 100 Wines of 2018 Wine Spectator, Nov 2018

Violets, blueberries, mahogany and cloves. Medium body, fine tannins, lovely fresh acidity and a round finish.

 90 Points James Suckling, Apr 2018

16902 Tenshen White Central Coast 2016 - $12.99

Quoted at $20.00*......Save $7.01

1,500 cases  in stock in about  of Chairmans Selection stores

The 2016 White Wine from Tenshen is made from a blend of Viognier, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Chardonnay sourced from sites throughout the Central Coast. Brought up mostly in neutral barrels, with a small part in stainless, it offers rich, full-bodied aromas and flavors of buttered peach, tangerine, honeysuckle and flowers. Richly textured, balanced and with a clean, dry finish, its a terrific white Rhone blend readers should check out.

*92 Points Jeb Dunnuck, Aug 2017

79003 Hecht & Bannier Rose Cotes de Provence 2017 - $11.99

2,300 cases  in stock in most Chairmans Selection stores

Quoted at $19.00*...Save $7.01

"Leading negociant Hecht & Bannier has produced a ripe, smooth style of rose. Immediately drinkable, it has a generous texture, warm red-berry fruits and balanced acidity, everything in its place."

*90 points and 'Editor's Choice' Wine Enthusiast, Jul 2018

"The 2017 Cotes de Provence Rose is a plump medium-bodied effort, marked by crisp, citrusy fruit. Passion fruit and grapefruit nuances give it a zippy, refreshing finish."

 90 points Wine Advocate, Apr 2018

--

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Screw caps will be utilized more and more in the coming years: 5 QuestionsA Harrisburg resident has been charged with wielding a machete on Interstate 83 before a state police trooper shot him Friday morning.

Devi C. Adhikari, 44, was charged with attempted criminal homicide, attempted aggravated assault, terroristic threats, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and a traffic citation of following too closely, according to court dockets.

Earlier on Friday, police said a man, now identified as Adhikari, was aggressively following a trooper on Friday morning, then drove around the troopers cruiser on Interstate 83 in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County.

The trooper initiated a traffic stop, but the man got out of his car holding a machete, police said. When the man ignored the troopers orders to drop the weapon and went after police, the trooper retreated and fired his weapon.

The man was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries from the shooting, police said. Police have not provided an update on the mans condition, and court records show he has not been arraigned yet.

One witness to the shooting said before the shooting he saw a man on the side of the road holding something. Moments later, the witness said he heard several loud pops and saw the man fall to the ground.

The trooper was not injured in the incident, police said.

Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo will make a determination as to whether the shooting was justified.

State police have not offered any motive and ask that anyone with information or who may have witnessed the shooting contact investigators at (717) 671-7500.STATE COLLEGE -- Theres good news about Lyme disease, Pennsylvanians. After a couple of years of leading the nation in confirmed and probable cases of the tick-borne disease, the experts expect the number of cases to level off.

At this point we dont expect to see cases rise, Leah Lind, an epidemiology research associate from the state Department of Health, said recently. However, over the past couple of years weve seen numbers plateau. Were not sure why that has happened.

In 2017, Pennsylvania led the nation with 11,900 confirmed and probable Lyme disease cases. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the state also had the highest number of Lyme Disease cases for 2016. Data from 2018 have yet to be released.

The disease is carried by black-legged or deer ticks in Pennsylvania.

Erika Machtinger, an assistant professor of entomology at Penn State who studies tick-host associations and has written scholarly articles about tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, said there are a lot of possible explanations for the high number of cases in Pennsylvania.

Maybe our tests are getting better and people are wanting to be tested, she said. The increased number of cases could also be due to changes in tick behavior or habitats, changes in host behavior, the presence of new hosts or climate change.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced in March that it will begin a five-year study of Lyme disease to better predict the number of cases over the next couple of years, according to Machtinger.

Year-to-year data is difficult to interpret. You want to see a pattern over the years, she said. The study can definitely give us a where were at in this area.

Richard Sherman probably wouldnt be surprised at all the Lyme cases in the state. He said he thinks hes gotten at least six tick bites in the 13 years he has lived in Pine Grove Mills, a small town near State College. Sherman, an associate professor of film-video at Penn State, lives on a mountain and frequently walks his dogs in the grassy and wooded areas near his house.

I havent kept track, but I kind of dont think about it when Im out, he said. Getting bit so many times kind of forced me to change some habits, so going through the routine when I come home was something I had to do, he said.

The routine Sherman refers to involves a thorough check of clothing and body when he comes inside. The CDC recommends close inspection of the joints, like behind the knee, and showering.

Said Lind, If you do see a tick, remove it immediately. We found that the longer the tick is on your skin the more likely you are to get [a] disease."

The best way to remove a tick, according to the CDC, is to pull it straight out with a tweezers  no twisting, which can cause mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. Then clean the area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.

Lyme disease can be cured with antibiotics if detected early, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health website. Early symptoms range from a bulls-eye rash, fatigue, fever and other flu-like symptoms.

According to the CDC website, later symptoms of untreated Lyme disease include heart palpitations, nerve pain and problems with short-term memory.

Activities such as hiking, yard work, and playing outdoors can put people at risk for getting tick bites. Ticks tend to congregate on the edges of tall grasses and forested areas.

There might be a misconception that you have to be outdoors hiking to get Lyme disease, but you could really walk outside in your own back yard and get a tick, Lind said.

Children are susceptible because they play outside, but older adults should protect themselves as well, Lind said. The CDC recommends wearing long pants, socks, and tucking in clothing.

Regardless of what theyre doing they shouldnt be scared to go outside, Machtinger said. They should do tick checks, use CDC repellent, and other things to stay safe.

Chris Byrnes is an employee at Appalachian Outdoors in downtown State College. The store carries a variety of insect repellants and Permethrin-treated apparel. For those looking for a more natural choice, there are sprays containing plant-based lemon eucalyptus oil.

The CDC recommends using EPA-registered insect repellants containing DEET, Permethrin, or picaridin for protection against ticks. The EPA also provides an online search tool to find repellants that best suit an individual.

Byrnes, who goes hiking almost every day, said he uses a repellant jacket that contains Permethrin.

You'll never be able to avoid getting bit. Bites are also painless, so you won't notice it when it happens, he said.

According to the Pennsylvania Press Room, Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed allocating $2.5 million toward Lyme disease education and prevention in the 2019-20 budget. The allocation would be the same as last years.

Dejanae Gibson is a Penn State student majoring in print and digital journalism.NEW ORLEANS, May 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (KSF) and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until May 31, 2019 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against AT&T, Inc. (NYSE: T), if they purchased the Companys 1) securities between October 22, 2016 and October 24, 2018, inclusive (the Class Period) and/or 2) shares issued in connection with its June 2018 acquisition of Time Warner. This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.



What You May Do

If you purchased AT&T securities as detailed above and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-t/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by May 31, 2019 .

About the Lawsuit

AT&T and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On October 24, 2018, following AT&Ts June 2018 acquisition of Time Warner, the Company disclosed its 3Q2018 results for the first full quarter post-Acquisition that included significant decreases in traditional DirecTV and DirecTV Now subscribers, despite its prior statements touting the expected subscriber growth potential.

On this news, the price of AT&Ts shares fell nearly 12%.

The case is Gross v. AT&T Inc. et al, 19-cv-2892.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com .

Contact:

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner

lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com

1-877-515-1850

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200

New Orleans, LA 70163Some showers and thunderstorms are expected to move through Pennsylvania into Saturday night.

Though the best chance for severe weather will be in northwestern Pennsylvania, the National Weather Service warns that some severe weather could develop in central Pennsylvania.

Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds 60 mph or greater and large hail exceeding 1 inch in diameter are possible this afternoon and evening, according to a hazardous weather outlook issued by the National Weather Service. An isolated weak, short-lived tornado is also possible. Locally heavy rain of over one inch is also expected in areas receiving a few thunderstorms.

A map released by National Weather Service indicates central Pennsylvania is at a marginal risk of severe weather. Areas farther to the west are at a slight risk.MIDDLEBURG  A state Superior Court panel in a split decision has affirmed the conviction of a Snyder County man for having sexual relations with a young girl after giving her marijuana and alcohol.

Two of the three panel members found sufficient evidence to support the conviction of Craig Lavoy Poust, 45, on charges of rape, statutory rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent and indecent assault, corruption of minors, conspiracy and providing alcohol to minors.

Senior Judge Dan Pellegrini disagreed, finding support only for the conspiracy and corruption of minors counts.

I am gratified the Superior Court has affirmed the jurys verdict, District Attorney Michael Piecuch said. This validates the courage of all the women who spoke up about Craig Pousts crimes.

The charges stem from what authorities called a substance-facilitated sexual assault in 2012 of a then 16-year-old girl in Pousts Port Trevorton area residence.

Judge Michael T. Hudock dismissed sex-related charges involving a second female, then 18, because she said she blacked out and could not remember what happened.

Both girls testified they felt drugged after being given alcohol. The younger female described the sex acts she performed with the Poust and his then wife Pamela.

Pamela Poust testified against her husband from whom she is now separated, pleaded guilty to corruption of minors and was placed on two years probation.

A jury in January 2018 found Craig Poust guilty and he was sentenced to 10 years, 3 months to 25 years in state prison, a term consecutive to the 8 years, 10 months to 18 years he is serving in a 2016 weapons and drugs case.

In his appeal he claimed there was no evidence he had put anything in the girls drinks.

Writing for the majority, Judge Maria McLaughlin cited the testimony of 16-year-old that she felt like a puppet and that of Pamela Poust that she blacked out after drinking with Poust.

Pellgrini found the prosecution failed to establish the girl had been given drugs and the sex was not consensual.

He cited her testimony that she often would go to parties at Pousts residence where they played drinking games and she had sex with him.

Poust and his live-in girlfriend, Chanel Kantz, are awaiting trial on sex-related charges involving other females in 2013 and 2014.

A mistrial was declared in March and a new trial date has not been set.Marysville Borough has suspended its manager, Scott Weaver, without pay pending the results of an ongoing investigation by state police into bribery, theft and corruption charges.

Pennsylvania State Police charged Weaver on May 14 in connection to gifts he accepted from a company the borough was doing business with over four years.

Borough Council President Stephen Copp declined to comment. Borough council released a statement on May 15, saying officials would not comment on the matter at this time.

Mr. Weaver is on unpaid suspension due to the charges against him. The borough is working with state police on these charges and no details will be given at this time as it is an ongoing investigation, the statement read.

Weaver could not be reached for comment.

Weaver, 57, of Enola, is alleged to have made excessive purchases between 2015 and 2018 from two Florida companies for the borough, even though borough employees did not ask for the products, according to the state police. In exchange, the companies gave Weaver gift cards to Bass Pro Shops, which he kept and used to buy items for himself after the borough paid the bills to the company. The police were able to link the gift cards used by Weaver to Nationwide Chemical Products.

Police arrested Weaver on May 14, and he was arraigned before Judge Nancy Lee Edie at the Duncannon Magisterial District Court. He was released on his own recognizance and had a preliminary hearing on May 24.

Weaver is charged with one count each of conflict of interest and accepting improper influence under Pennsylvanias Sunshine Act governing conduct of public officials, according to online court records. Both charges are felonies.

He also is charged with one count each of misdemeanor theft by unlawful taking, and the corrupt employees, agents or fiduciaries statute.

According to the criminal complaint filed with the court, borough employees contacted police to report that Weaver had received the gift cards from two companies  Prestige Chemicals and Nationwide Chemical Products, both of Florida.

After the borough paid the bills for products, an envelope with a letter and gift cards would arrive about a week later in the borough office addressed to Weaver, employees told police. The cards sat on the managers desk and eventually disappeared. This occurred between 2015 and October 2018, according to the criminal complaint.

Police contacted Bass Pro Shops in Harrisburg and learned Weaver had made in-store purchases using gift cards issued at mass valuation, or cards purchased in bulk by companies.

Weaver made four purchases totaling $629.51 from Bass Pro on Nov. 14, 2017, and June 3, Aug. 12 and Oct. 15, 2018, using the cards that traced back to Nationwide Chemical, according to police. Total value of the cards used was $520. An additional two cards totaling $50 were purchased by an unknown third party and used in those same transactions.

The gift cards were not reported to borough council, nor did Weaver have permission to use them, according to the police.

Weaver is also deputy chief and vice president of the Marysville Fire Company. Its yet unclear if the charges will have consequences for his positions there. He has been involved with the company for about 30 years.

Fire company President John Richards didnt have a comment about the matter, but said the issue would be discussed at the fire companys next monthly meeting.WASHINGTON (AP)  The Atlantic hurricane season is off to yet another early start, but U.S. weather officials say it should be a near normal year.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Thursday predicted nine to 15 named storms. It says four to eight of them will become hurricanes and two to four of those would become major hurricanes with 111 mph winds or higher.

Acting NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs said a current El Nino, a periodic natural warming of the central Pacific that changes weather worldwide, suppresses hurricane activity in the Atlantic. But other forces, including warmer-than-normal seawater, counter that.

Last year had 15 named storms, eight hurricanes and two major ones, Florence and Michael . Those two big storms hit the United States and together directly killed 38 people and caused $49 billion in damages. The Atlantic basin averages 12 named storms a year, with six becoming hurricanes and three becoming major storms.

NOAA said there's a 40% chance of a normal season, with 30% chances of both stronger and weaker seasons.

"That's still a lot of activity," said NOAA forecaster Gerry Bell. "You need to start to prepare for hurricane season now."

Hurricane season traditionally starts June 1, but this week subtropical storm Andrea briefly popped up, marking the fifth straight year a named storm came in May or earlier. (Forecasters name storms with maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph, or 63 kph.)

Bell said this year's forecast had "competing factors" that balanced out. The El Nino brings wind changes that can keep storms from forming and reduce their strength, but this year's El Nino is weak, Bell said.

One factor pushing the other way is the 20- to 30- year long-term natural cycle of hurricane activity. Since about 1995, the Atlantic has been in the part of the cycle of high-activity, which includes warmer water and west African rainfall, which goose storm activity. Bell said there's no indication of change yet.

Some other non-government forecasters predict a weaker storm season than NOAA, pointing to the El Nino.

Colorado State University, which pioneered hurricane season predictions, is forecasting 13 named storms, five to become hurricanes and two to hit major status. Hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach predicted that overall the Atlantic season will be about three-quarters strong as a normal season.

Klotzbach's team predicted a 48% chance that a storm will hit the U.S. coastline, slightly less than the normal 52% chance. He also said there's a 28% chance of Florida's peninsula being hit and 30% chance the Gulf coast between Texas and the Florida panhandle getting struck. Those are slightly below average.

IBMs Weather Company calls for 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three majors. Accuweather calls for 12 to 14 named storms, five to seven hurricanes and two to four major storms.Na recovered from a double bogey at the par-5 11th that cost him the lead, steadying himself over the final seven holes. His 62 in the second round was his third at least that low over a span of six rounds at Colonial.

After hitting driver into a bunker at 11, Na's second shot caught the lip of the bunker as he turned in frustration because a fan's cellphone went off during his swing. Caddy Kenny Harms lambasted the woman, and Na said he was upset until he saw the horrified look on her face.

"He was screaming at her, and he has every right to do so," Na said. "I felt bad for the lady. So I said, `C'mon Kenny. Let's forget about it. Let's just go.'"

Only problem was, Na couldn't seem to shake it. His third shot landed in a greenside bunker, and the fourth sailed over the green. A chip shot still didn't reach the green, before another chip lipped out.

Na made the short putt for a 7 before almost making a chip for birdie on 12 after another poor tee shot. His third and final birdie was an 18-footer on the par-3 13th.

"Sometimes it takes a little bit of time to get yourself together after something like that happens and you make a double bogey," said Na, who finished fourth at last year's Colonial after tying the course record with a final-round 61. "I think I played pretty solid the rest of the way in."

Birdies among the leaders were fairly scarce with most of them playing in windy conditions that have made afternoon rounds difficult all week on the cozy course made famous by Ben Hogan.

Second-round leader Jonas Blixt didn't have any, opening with a bogey on the easy par-5 first before three more in his 74. He is four shots back.

The best rounds came from players with earlier tee times. Mackenzie Hughes shot 65 to join Spieth, Furyk and company. Charley Hoffman had the day's best round at 7-under 63 and was tied at 6 under with Austin Cook, who shot 65.

Spieth had all three of his birdies on the front nine, barely missing one on the back when his long chip at the par-3 16th lipped out. The 2016 Colonial champ, who was runner-up the years before and after that title, had his only bogey at 17, one of the 10 fairways he missed in 14 tries.

"I'd like to hit more greens in regulation, and in order to do that, I've probably got to be playing out of more fairways," said Spieth, coming off a tie for third at the PGA Championship for his first top-20 finish of the season. "It just comes down to ball-striking."

Pan, a month removed from his first career PGA TOUR win at Hilton Head, recorded four birdies over the first 10 holes and held the lead alone after Na's double bogey. The native of Taiwan avoided a double by making a testy putt on 17 before missing a short par attempt at 18.

"I'm sure the experience at RBC (Heritage) helped me to get here," said Pan, who overtook third-round leader Dustin Johnson for that win. "I feel more comfortable on Sunday for sure. I know what I need to do in order to become the leader."

Spieth and Furyk know that feeling. It's just been awhile.Vanguards inflows of new investor money are off to a strong start so far this year, with investors handing over $106 billion year to date through April -- more than four times any other company.

Vanguards $106 billion intake was spread across index mutual funds, Exchange Traded Funds, active funds and other products, according to Bloomberg. Of about 700 asset managers, Charles Schwab was a distant second with inflows of about $24 billion during the same period, mostly into its money market funds.

Vanguard is dominating though many competitors offer even cheaper passive funds, and its gap with the rest of the industry has widened in bear markets, noted Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas.

Vanguard took in $1.5 trillion over the past five years, more than twice as much as No. 2 BlackRock, with $685 billion, according to Bloomberg. Vanguard currently manages just over $5.1 trillion in assets globally.

And that new investor money wasnt just flowing into Vanguards flagship index funds.

We forget that Vanguards actively-managed funds can succeed on performance as well," said Jeff DeMaso, director of research at Adviser Investments and research director for The Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors newsletter. Adviser Investments invests in many Vanguard funds for clients with over $5 billion in assets, and calls itself a watchdog of the investment firm.

We like Vanguards active funds with index-like fees. Everyone says index funds are eating the world. but active funds at Vanguard have put up strong numbers, he said. We think its more appropriate to compare high cost versus low cost funds, instead of active versus passive.

Vanguard, the largest passive-fund manager with $3.8 trillion in assets, is likely to become the largest active manager as well within a few years. Currently Vanguard boasts $1.37 trillion in active mutual fund assets, well ahead of Fidelity and only $179 billion behind American Funds, thanks to a higher growth rate on strong inflows at a time when most such funds are seeing outflows.These bathrooms, at places like the Free Library Parkway Central branch and the Comcast Center, are among Philadelphia's best restrooms you can use without buying something. Read more

Exploring Philadelphia in the summertime would be a lot easier if Google Maps had one more feature: locating the closest restroom you can use without buying something.

Today, every Starbucks restroom would appear. But there are more  and better ones. So until Google rolls out my dream app, I have found for you the citys greatest semi-public restrooms.

Before heading out on my journey, though, I asked Twitter for some help. Some of you had great ideas; others led me astray.

To the person who told me the upstairs restroom at Di Bruno Bros. on Chestnut is great: Its temporarily closed. To the woman who told me the food court bathrooms at Liberty Place are worth entering: No, they are not. To the guy who said the toilets across from the grilled cheese place at 30th Street Station are clean, you lie.

Below is a list of the 10 nicest (womens and gender-neutral) restrooms I entered without having to buy anything  or in many cases, talk to anyone.

A disclaimer: These are not all public, per se, so Im not suggesting you wont be asked any questions.

10. Comcast Center concourse level

1701 John F. Kennedy Blvd.

Please never use the bathrooms in Suburban Station. Instead, walk through the concourse level to the food court-type area under the Comcast Center and treat yourself to cleanliness, decent smells, and marble counters.

9. Reading Terminal Market

51 N. 12th St.

This bathroom is way cleaner than youd think. Its in the back of the building  follow the green signs  and has a long line of shiny stalls (no wait time, even at lunch), plus automatic sinks and powerful hand dryers.

(Wheres the photo, you ask? When I was there  and in two of the other Top 10  a bunch of people were populating the bathroom, and invading peoples privacy was not part of my mission.)

8. Independence Visitor Center

599 Market St.

The bathrooms in the heart of Philadelphias biggest tourist trap center are enormous and very clean. They have a unique sink setup thats sort of trough-like, and the hand dryers are all built into the spigots. But theres a big negative. At any given time, this place is packed with children on field trips and family vacations. Prayers for you.

7. The basement of Nordstrom Rack

1700 Chestnut St.

The best thing about this bathroom is that you feel like youre doing something illegal. That elevator to the basement may feel like its for employees only, but its for you. The womens room has stainless steel stalls and a dual-sink situation. Enjoy your personal space.

6. Sugarhouse Casino

1001 N. Delaware Ave.

To get to the bathrooms, walk in through the main entrance  youll need to show ID  past the slots and the table games. Youll encounter modern-style bathrooms with so much faux gold, youll think you stepped into Trump Tower. Generally clean, with floor-to-ceiling stalls, and everything is automatic. The restroom is also one of the only places in the casino that doesnt smell like old cigarettes.

5. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel

10 Avenue of the Arts

Enter the building on the City Hall side and take an immediate right. (Dont accidentally walk straight and get lost in a sea of fancy women wearing animal print.) The stall walls in the ladies room are marble, and there are very nice paper towels. You can definitely use the bathrooms without speaking to anyone, and may I also recommend slowly putting on your sunglasses as you leave the hotel? Youll feel like a rock star.

4. Free Library of Philadelphia - Parkway Central

1901 Vine St.

The first-floor bathrooms are sleek, and the best part was the powerful, stainless steel hand dryers that are known for making your hands bone-dry in seconds. I would testify in court on their behalf.

3. Sofitel Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square

120 S. 17th St.

I said, Jackpot out loud when I entered this second-floor bathroom. Like you would at any other hotel youre using solely for the restroom, enter the main entrance as though you own the place. Never mind the Maserati at the valet stand. Dont worry about the people sipping afternoon martinis in the bar. Walk past the front desk, down the hallway, and up the stairs on the right. Take a quick left and youve reached the promised land: a beautiful, clean bathroom with floor-to-ceiling stall doors. There are even baskets of those disposable, clothlike paper towels.

2. Barnes Museum

2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.

It is possible to use the incredible restrooms at the Barnes Museum without paying admission, but you may be asked some questions by security people and ticket-sellers. Theyre in the lower level near the gift shop, so you could tell them youre there for some merch. (Or you could awkwardly tell them youre waiting for a friend and then, when you leave without going into the museum, tell them your friend is actually at the other art museum.)

The bathroom is glorious. I felt like a queen using the super-private stalls, each of which is equipped with its own sink. And the toilets flush with fancy metal buttons on the wall.

1. The 33rd floor of the Loews Hotel

1200 Market St.

This bathroom, the undisputed king of all Philadelphia bathrooms, is not for people afraid of heights, and its definitely not for someone who has to go right now. I waltzed into the hotel lobby on a weekday afternoon  during a conference for patent lawyers  and was stuck in the elevator with a guy in an expensive suit who had five of those ribbons on his name tag that indicate hes important. Here for the conference? he asked. Yes, I responded while wearing a jean jacket and dirty sneakers.

My new friend and I rode up to the 33rd floor, which is labeled the boardroom. Very exclusive. The bathroom isnt as bougie as at the Ritz, but it was spotless and featured private stalls with doors that go up to the ceiling. It smelled like lavender.

But the reason this bathroom is my No. 1? When youre done doing your business, you exit the room to this:Joseph F. ONeill, 94, police commissioner under Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo and the man who led the department during one of the most contentious periods in its history, died Wednesday, May 22, at a treatment center in Seaville, N.J., where he had been sent after suffering a fall in his Jersey Shore home.

His tenure during the 1970s was buffeted by numerous police brutality cases that damaged the image of the force and led to a first-of-its-kind lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department that claimed city officers routinely relied on excessive force to maintain law and order.

He presided over police response to a 1978 shootout with MOVE activists and a period of tense relations between the department and minority communities.

But amid those controversies, even his sharpest critics described the at-times flinty top cop as a devoted Irish Catholic with a wicked sense of humor, a strong adherent to family values, and a staunch defender of the men and women who served under his command.

He cared about the city. He cared about his people, said Philadelphia Police Capt. Louis Campione, who began his career under ONeill. There was no sacrifice he wasnt willing to make for the people of Philadelphia.

Growing up in South Philadelphia at the height of the Great Depression, the man who would go on to become the police commissioner started out with more limited career ambitions.

Born in 1924, Commissioner ONeill planned to become an auto mechanic after graduating from John Bartram High School, but he was drafted into the Army during World War II and deployed to Europe as part of the 53rd Armored Engineer Battalion.

While there, he earned a Silver Star for bravery under fire and, later, a Purple Heart.

He returned to his hometown after the wars end, enrolled at St. Josephs University under the GI Bill and began dating a high school classmate, Elinore Newman, who would later become his wife.

Commissioner ONeills career with the department began even before he earned his diploma in 1951. Attending classes by day and working as a beat cop by night, he quickly rose through the ranks after graduation, rotating over the years through stints as the head of the homicide and juvenile crime units.

By the late 1960s, he had caught the eye of Rizzo, the departments pugnacious commissioner at the time who was eyeing a mayoral run.

Rizzo began grooming Commissioner ONeill to replace him and, once elected, appointed him to the commissioners post in 1971, making him the first college-educated man to hold the position.

Though Commissioner ONeills style differed markedly from his more bombastic predecessor, the reserved leader quickly developed a reputation as stickler for police standards and family values.

God help you if you were a police officer who got out of your car without your hat, his daughter Elinor Kolodner said. He was very concerned about appearance. Thats how you set the tone.

He was equally dismissive, she said, of officers who failed to live up to his moral standards in their personal lives.

If an officer stepped out on his wife, you were on his bad list for the rest of your life, she said.

But despite the strict codes of conduct he sought to uphold, the frequent claims of police brutality  especially against minorities  that began during Rizzos tenure continued to plague Commissioner ONeills department.

In 1979, the Justice Department sued him, Rizzo and 17 other city officials, naming them as defendants in a civil rights case that accused them of implementing policies that encouraged excessive force and cover-up within the department.

The case was later thrown out by a federal judge. But during hearings before a federal government panel earlier that same year, Commissioner ONeill defended his department as the best in the nation and denied any pattern of brutality among its ranks.

L. George Parry, who served as head of the police misconduct unit at the District Attorneys Office during the 1970s, often found himself heading to the commissioners office to discuss prosecutions of officers who crossed the line.

He made it clear that he didnt think much of what we were doing, Parry said. His argument was that he didnt want his officers to be second-guessed on their use of force or have anything happen that would cause them not to respond promptly to the needs of the public. 

Though ONeill could be intimidating, Parry grew to admire the commissioners commitment to his principles.

He had these icy blue eyes, Parry said. I was in my 30s and he was considerably older. I used to sit there thinking, if this guy ever got really angry he could really mop the floor with me. But he never did. I always found him to be very honorable  a true gentleman.

Commissioner ONeill was succeeded in 1980 by Morton Solomon, named commissioner by Rizzos successor, Mayor William J. Green III. Afterward, he worked for many years as director of police for Conrail before retiring in 1994.

His waning years were spent enjoying retirement, caring for his wife before her death in 2014 and doting on his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, said Kolodner.

He was very much a go-getter almost to the last days of his life, his daughter said.

In addition to Kolodner, Commissioner ONeill is survived by daughters Anne McCormick and Elinore Kolodner; sons Joseph and Thomas; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

A viewing will be Sunday, June 2, from 7 to 9 p.m. at West Laurel Hill Funeral Home in Bala Cynwyd, followed by a Funeral Mass at noon on Monday, June 3, at St. Matthias Catholic Church.

His family has requested donations be made to the League of the Sacred Heart of Jesus care of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge, 11630 Caroline Rd., Philadelphia.The field trip to Boston's Museum of Fine Arts was supposed to be a reward for good grades and excellent behavior.

Instead, chaperones say, students from the Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy Charter Public School in Dorchester, Mass., left in tears last week after they were subjected to racial profiling from museum employees and offensive comments from visitors.

On Friday, the museum again apologized to the students and the middle school, where the majority of students are black or Latino. The museum said in a statement Friday that, following an investigation, it had banned visitors accused of making racist comments and is retraining staff and security.

"These young people left the Museum feeling disrespected, harassed and targeted because of the color of their skin," said the museum's director, Matthew Teitelbaum. "And that is unacceptable."

The 26 seventh-graders who went on the school trip are students of color, according to school officials, and the allegations have prompted a larger conversation about how museums and other elite cultural institutions can be uncomfortable spaces for people of color.

Security guards closely shadowed the seventh graders throughout their visit and followed them from one gallery to another, Marvelyne Lamy, an English language arts teacher at the charter school, told local media outlets. She and her students noticed that their group seemed to be subject to more scrutiny than predominantly white school groups that were touring the museum at the same time.

"We were instructed not to touch any of the artifacts in the museum, yet the white students there touched the displays several times while security looked on without saying anything," Lamy wrote on Monday in a Facebook post, where she first detailed her frustrations with the museum. "The minute one of our students followed suit, the security guards would yell at them that they should not touch exhibits."

A staff member who was explaining the museums rules allegedly told the group, No food, no drink, no watermelon. Lamy told the Boston Globe that she did not hear the comment herself, but students who were upset by the apparent reference to a well-known racist trope told her about it. One 13-year-old told the Globe that the remark left her feeling angry, uncomfortable, and disrespected.

The middle-schoolers also reported hearing disparaging remarks from other museum visitors. One student told Lamy that she had been dancing to music played as part of an exhibit when a museumgoer said, "It's a shame that she is not learning and instead stripping." Another seventh-grade teacher at the school, Taliana Jeune, described the remark differently, telling WCVB that the student had been warned, "I hope you're paying attention so that you don't become a stripper.'"

The remark about stripping was the last straw, Lamy wrote on Facebook, and told the seventh graders that they were leaving right away. As they were making their way out of the museum, some students paused by the entrance to an African art exhibit. Lamy said a woman walked by and commented, Never mind, theres [expletive] black kids in the way.

Lamy said she never planned to set foot in the museum again.

"We reported all these incidents to the staff at the MFA, and they just looked on with pity," she wrote on Facebook. "They took our names and filed a report. Their only solution, they will give us tickets to come back and have a 'better' experience. We did not even receive an apology."

To some critics, the middle-schoolers' experience demonstrated why the MFA and other prestigious cultural institutions remain stubbornly white. Racism, wrote Globe opinion columnist Renee Graham, "compels us to self-segregate, to do it to ourselves before it can be done to us. And we tick off the places we won't go  certain ballparks, restaurants, theaters, symphony halls, hospitals and stores. And museums."

The museum has made a concerted effort to attract a more diverse audience in recent years. In 2015, the museum found that nearly 80 percent of people who visited were white, which led to targeted outreach and initiatives aimed at making the museum more inclusive. Two years later, Globe reporters who visited on a Saturday found that, out of roughly 3,000 guests, only about 4 percent were black.

On Wednesday, nearly a week after the field trip, top museum officials apologized in an open letter that acknowledged that the students had "encountered a range of challenging and unacceptable experiences that made them feel unwelcome."

On Friday, the museum revealed the conclusions of its investigation, which included re-creating the students' three-hour visit from security footage and speaking to dozens of people.

It said it could not definitively confirm or deny that students were told no food, no drink, no watermelon, saying a staff member recalled saying no food, no drink, and no water bottles were allowed. Though the museum typically allows guests to carry closed water bottles, school groups are advised that no drinks are allowed in the galleries.

The museum also said security guards' rotations may have unintentionally appeared to the students as if they were being followed, but added, "It is unacceptable that they felt racially profiled, targeted and harassed."

Lastly, the museum said its investigation found that other visitors made racist comments to the students, which led to the revocation of their membership and their banning from the museum.

The museum vowed to adapt security procedures  to make sure all people feel welcome, provide additional training to employees that work with visitors and continue mandatory unconscious bias training for all staff members.

Teitelbaum has asked to meet with students at the school next week.

"This is a fundamental problem that we will address as an institution, both with immediate steps and long-term commitments," Teitelbaum said in the statement. "I am deeply saddened that we've taken something away from these students that they will never get back."

The experience ended up teaching the seventh graders an unfortunate lesson, Arturo Forrest, Davis Leadership Academys principal, told the Globe.

This was a strong group of students that went, they excelled academically, he said. The shock of it for them was, We are the top and we carry ourselves the right way as leaders. You know, it was very eye-opening for them.

Lamy agreed.

I had to tell them, you know, as a black or brown person, you have to work 10 times harder, she told reporters on Thursday. Unfortunately, thats the world that we live in.President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, May 24, 2019, before boarding Marine One for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Tokyo. Read more

WASHINGTON  The United States will deploy about 1,500 troops to the Middle East, President Donald Trump said Friday, in his administration's latest step to address what it says are increased threats from Iran.

"We're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective, and some very talented people are going to the Middle East right now, and we'll see what happens," he said outside the White House. "It'll be about 1,500 people."

Acting defense secretary Patrick Shanahan said he had approved a request by U.S. Central Command, which oversees military activities in the Middle East, to deploy a Patriot missile battalion, intelligence and surveillance aircraft, a squadron of fighter planes, and engineering capabilities. Shanahan said the measures would help safeguard U.S. forces given an ongoing threat posed by Iran and its proxies.

"The additional deployment to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility is a prudent defensive measure and intended to reduce the possibility of future hostilities," Shanahan said in a statement.

The decision was made after a meeting late Thursday at the White House between Trump and top Pentagon leaders. While the deployment represents a modest increase to the large U.S. military footprint in the Middle East, it marks the latest manifestation of a growing confrontation between Washington and Tehran that lawmakers worry could result in a miscalculation or open conflict.

The infusion of forces also came as the State Department notified Congress that Trump would be invoking emergency powers to sidestep the congressional approval process and sell arms to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other nations.

Pentagon officials have been emphasizing that they are taking steps to deter Iran. In recent days, Shanahan has said that any new troop deployments would serve to ensure the protection of U.S. forces and avoid the risk of Iranian miscalculation that could lead to a broader conflict.

Our job is deterrence. This is not about war, he said Thursday. We have a mission there in the Middle East: freedom of navigation, counterterrorism in Syria and Iraq, defeating al-Qaeda in Yemen, and the security of Israel and Jordan.

The type of forces the Pentagon is deploying does not indicate any impending ground offensive by the United States. Patriot missiles are designed to track and shoot down incoming missiles.

Kathryn Wheelbarger, acting assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, said none of the additional forces would be going to Iraq or Syria but rather to other U.S. positions in the Middle East, which she declined to disclose.

"This is intended to be responsive to their aggressive behavior and planning and to defend our forces in the region," Wheelbarger said. "We are seeking to avoid hostilities. We are not seeking war with Iran."

The decision comes as the Trump administration is stepping up pressure on Iran after pulling out of the 2015 nuclear accord negotiated by President Barack Obama. Since then, the Trump administration has increased sanctions, designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization and declined to renew waivers that allowed eight countries to buy Iranian oil.

In recent weeks, U.S. officials have cited new indications of possible Iranian attacks on U.S. interests as a reason to send the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, four B-52 bombers and Patriot missile defense forces to the region. The State Department ordered the evacuation of all nonemergency personnel from Iraq, where Iranian proxy forces operate.

U.S. officials say they believe that Iran was behind sabotage attacks on four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates this month. Iran has denied involvement in the incidents, which damaged the ships. Two of the ships were Saudi Arabian, one was from the UAE, and the fourth was Norwegian.

Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, defended the increased military posture announced Friday, saying it is important that we make clear to Iran, in words and actions, that they cannot attack us with impunity.

But Democrats have expressed skepticism about the urgency of the threats and voiced concern that the White House under the leadership of national security adviser John Bolton, who has advocated for regime change in Iran, could rush into a conflict.

Rep. Adam Smith (D., Wash.), the committees chairman, called the new deployment unsettling.

"Without a clearly articulated strategy, adding more personnel and mission systems seems unwise, and appears to be a blatant and heavy-handed move to further escalate tensions with Iran," he said in a statement.

The increased pressure by the United States has prompted a backlash by Iran, which announced this week that it has quadrupled the pace at which it enriches low-grade uranium at one nuclear plant. It predicted that within weeks, it would exceed a stockpile cap set by the nuclear agreement.

A senior administration official on Friday accused Iran of using "nuclear blackmail" for threatening to stop meeting some of its commitments under the deal if the Europeans can't figure out a way to get around U.S. sanctions by early June.

"We are trying to work as closely as we can with our allies to get them to hold fast on these fairly negative attempts at nuclear extortion and not give in to Iran's demands," said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to a small group of reporters.

With Iran's accelerated pace of uranium enrichment and the looming deadline for the Europeans to throw it a lifeline, the official said the Europeans must choose "whether or not they will give in to this kind of extortion or stand firm and make clear to Iran that there is one viable path for them, and that is to come to the table with us."

Of the 1,500 additional troops being deployed to the region, some 600 of them are with a Patriot missile defense unit that's already there, but their deployment will be extended, Vice Adm. Michael Gilday, director of the Joint Staff, said during a Pentagon briefing Friday.

Gilday said U.S. intelligence showed the attack on the oil tankers off the UAE was the result of limpet mines placed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He also said U.S. intelligence indicated that Iran was behind an attack this month on a Saudi oil pipeline.

"I can't reveal the sources of that reporting except to say with very high confidence we tie the Iranians to those," he said.

Gilday said the deployment of additional forces was designed to allow Central Command to get a better picture of the threat through surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, harden defenses that the United States already has set up in the region, and respond to any attack if necessary.

He reiterated the Pentagons view that the actions the U.S. military has taken thus far  including the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln  appear to have deterred Iran from undertaking measures that were in preparation, particularly with regard to threats against U.S. forces.

"The secretary of defense recently said that he felt that the actions that we took changed the calculus of the Iranians. The attacks that we have seen thus far have not directly impacted U.S. forces," Gilday said. "We think that through a combination of a very measured deployment of assets as well as public messaging we again are trying to underscore that we are not seeking hostilities with Iran."

While incidents such as ship sabotage or drone attacks have been taking place for some time, Gilday argued that the difference this time was that the Pentagon views the series of incidents as a campaign by Iran over a specified period of time designed to disrupt various parts of the Middle East. He said the campaign was tying multiple threats together with a degree of complication.

Gilday added, What their intent is, I think, is difficult to judge.

The Washington Posts Carol Morello, Anne Gearan, and John Wagner contributed to this article.TORONTO, May 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Redpath Sugar Ltd. (Redpath) is celebrating 60 years of operating on Torontos Waterfront during the Citys Doors Open event, a community initiative it has been a participant of since it first began 20 years ago. The local plant was recognized this morning by the City of Toronto for its contributions to the community and the value it continues to add economically.



Redpaths waterfront plant supplies various sugar products to the Canadian market, ranging from grocery stores to food manufacturers. As such, Deputy Mayer and City Councillor Michael Thompson presented representatives from Redpath with a scroll acknowledging the significance of the plants impact on both the local community and economy. Among remarks was mention of Redpaths consistent stance as a partner and willing participant in the Citys initiatives  even when that has meant change and adjustments for the plant.

It has been a unique and rewarding experience operating on the waterfront, said Phil Guglielmi, General Manager of Redpath. Throughout the years we have adjusted to rapid development and change, working alongside the City to ensure that we can continue operating efficiently while also positively impacting our immediate environment and the City at large.

Being one of the last industrial establishments in the Toronto Harbour, Redpath has navigated the Citys growth by embracing various technological and environmental advancements. The plant continues to thrive in their operations while simultaneously working in line with the needs of the City and will remain a landmark on Torontos waterfront for many more years to come.

Redpath invites members of the community to their on-site museum where they can learn first-hand the unique history of the Company. The museum is open on weekdays and admission is free to all visitors.

Media Contact

Nancy Gavin, Brand Development Manager

Redpath Sugar Ltd.

(416) 723-4336

nancy.gavin@asr-group.com

About Redpath Sugar Ltd.



Redpath Sugar markets and sells sugar products under the RedpathBrand and is a part of ASR group, the worlds largest refiner of cane sugar. The Redpath offices and plant are located on the waterfront in Toronto, Ontario and provide sugar products to the Canadian market including consumers, foodservice outlets and food manufacturers.

The company also operates a dry blending and packaging plant in Belleville, Ontario. This location co-manufactures major retail brands and private labels products, such as sweetened iced tea, hot chocolate, and other sugar containing products for Canadian and export markets.

For further information, please visit: www.redpathsugar.comFILE - In this July 24, 2013, file photo, a red combine harvests golden, ripe wheat while cresting a hilltop near the border of eastern Washington and Oregon just southwest of Walla Walla, Wash. (Jeff Horner/Walla Walla Union-Bulletin via AP) Read more

(Bloomberg)  Kansas farmer Mark Nelson has until Saturday to plant his corn or lose the insurance that protects him from a drop in prices or yield. Instead, hes hopping on a plane to visit his father in Chicago.

Nelson is now considering a different type of insurance coverage known as prevented-plant claims, which pay out when farmers are unable to sow crops at all. With unceasing rain keeping farmers out of fields, growers are increasingly weighing how best to get paid and ease the impact from the bad weather and an escalating U.S.-China trade war.

You hate to farm for insurance, but in a year like this, you keep that in the back of your mind, Nelson, whose farm is near the east-central town of Paola, said by phone.

Storms across the Midwest and Great Plains have resulted in the wettest 12-month stretch on record in the U.S., with the deluge closing refineries and snarling Mississippi River traffic. Crucially for agriculture markets, its also hampered crop planting. Worries over tighter supplies due to the soggy weather drove Chicago corn futures to surge as much as 3.9% on Friday, topping $4 a bushel and rising to the highest level in almost a year.

The wet weathers showing no signs of easing, and the insurance deadline for sowing has already passed for some farmers in southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas and western Tennessee. They now have to decide whether to plant with less coverage, or make prevented-plant claims.

Further complicating matters is President Donald Trumps announcement on Thursday that farmers could apply for a slice of a $16 billion aid package to mitigate the impact of the U.S.-China trade war. However, in order to qualify, farmers must plant crops. Then, payments will depend on production in the their county.

The Senate also passed a $19.1 billion natural disaster relief package that includes $3 billion related to the loss of crops in recent hurricanes, flooding and for seeds prevented from planting this year. A Republican House member temporarily blocked fast-track passage, meaning lawmakers will probably vote when they return in early June from a week-long recess.

Read Related Coverage

Unending Midwest Rains Add to Wettest 12 Months Ever in U.S.U.S. Farm Aid May Create Distortions It Was Supposed to AvoidU.S. Seeks to Avoid Planting Distortions With New Farm AidTo subscribe to daily grains updates, click GRNSOYUPD, then on the subscription button at the top of any story

Farmers unable to plant have been estimating which government-backed program might pay the most.

Nelson only has 400 acres of corn planted and 1,700 more to go. He loses all insurance protection on corn if not planted by June 14, and if that happens, hes considering switching some ground to soybeans, which can be planted later without risking a crop loss in an early freeze.

After the deadline, farmers can choose to switch to a second crop. But thatll reduce the amount they will receive from the prevented-plant claim on the first crop. I talked with my crop insurance agent to make sure I knew all the scenarios, Nelson said. Until June 14, weve got the option to still plant and get some coverage.

Moving On

BMO Capital Markets equity analyst Joel Jackson said the lack of plantings have also weighed on demand for agriculture chemicals and fertilizers. Weve seen views projecting at least 5 million corn acres will not be planted, he said in an emailed report. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in March estimated corn planted acres at 92.8 million.

Iowa corn and soybean farmer Kyle Wendland has planted most of his crops, but was leaning toward making a prevented-plant claim for his final 80 acres of corn due to wet conditions. The government aid payments will not be a big swing factor, he said.

Im not going to mud my crop in just to get an unknown payment. I will take the known insurance payment and move on, Wendland said.

With assistance from Dominic Carey, Mike Dorning and Shruti Date Singh.

To contact the reporter on this story: Michael Hirtzer in Chicago at mhirtzer@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: James Attwood at jattwood3@bloomberg.net, Pratish Narayanan, Reg Gale

2019 Bloomberg L.P.New Jersey police say 10 people have been wounded following a shooting at a Trenton bar. Read more

TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  New Jersey police say 10 people have been wounded following a shooting at a Trenton bar.

Authorities say police were notified of gunfire at about 12:25 a.m. Saturday outside a bar in the 300 block of Brunswick Avenue. Arriving officers found several victims in and around the unidentified bar.

Trenton police spokesman Capt. Stephen Varn said five men and five women were transported to local hospitals. He said one victim was critically wounded and taken into emergency surgery.

Varn said an investigation was ongoing.

At-large councilman Jerell Blakeley said on Facebook: This kind of carnage shouldnt normal but is becoming a common occurrence. Every time the weather breaks, the madness descends in this city. I am calling for bringing in the troopers and National Guard to the City.Bishop Joseph A. Galante likened the process of closing or merging nearly half the 124 parishes in his diocese to the quick sting of "pulling off a Band-Aid." Read more

Retired Catholic Bishop Joseph Galante, 80, of Philadelphia, who led the Diocese of Camden from 2004 to 2013, died Saturday, May 25, at Shore Medical Center in Somers Point after a long illness that led to his earlier-than-anticipated retirement.

The Diocese of Camden announced his death via Facebook. A representative could not be reached for comment.

I ask that you pray for his eternal rest, Bishop Galantes successor in Camden, the Rev. Dennis J. Sullivan, said in the Facebook post.

The son of a Northeast Philadelphia grocer, Bishop Galante graduated from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood in 1960. He was ordained in 1964 before attending Lateran University in Rome, where he received his doctorate in canon law, and later the University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) in Rome for a masters degree in spiritual theology. Bishop Galante returned to his hometown to serve in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia until he was named by Pope John Paul II to be undersecretary of the Congregation for Religious in Rome in 1986.

In 1992, Bishop Galante was named auxiliary bishop in San Antonio. He also served as bishop in Beaumont, Texas, and coadjutor bishop in Dallas before returning to the Philadelphia area as the seventh bishop of the Camden Diocese in 2004. Bishop Galante was the first Philadelphian to be named to that clerical rank in South Jersey.

Bishop Galante was a guy from a Northeast Philly rowhouse, said Rocco Palmo, a Philadelphia-based Catholic journalist and the bishops close friend. He never forgot where he came from. At the same time, he was especially enlightened, a near prophetic figure in terms of Catholic life and where it was going.

Under his leadership, the Diocese of Camden made several ambitious changes, including reducing the number of parishes from 124 to 70. The largest consolidation of any Catholic diocese in the history of the United States at the time, it was initially met with anger and resistance. Bishop Galante believed that the consolidation would bring community, vibrancy, and financial stability to congregations. The decision was so unpopular that the bishop received calls for his resignation.

At the time, Bishop Galante told The Inquirer that he had not expected to stay long enough to witness the full flowering of his vision, but the tender shoots are coming up.

He knew that the future of the church is going to be built by everyone together, Palmo said. He wanted to hear the people. By and large, because of the listening he put into it, people really felt like they were building their own future.

Under Bishop Galante, the diocese reorganized groupings of parishes to encourage collaboration among them. It also established a virtual university to provide cost-effective education for people interested in ministry.

The bishop was also known for his zero-tolerance stance on sexual abuse within the church. It earned him a spot on the ad hoc committee on sex abuse of the Conference of Catholic Bishops. In 2002, when sex abuse in Boston provoked an international crisis, Bishop Galante helped draft the Charter for Protection of Children and Young People, which was overwhelmingly approved by his fellow bishops when they met that summer.

Bishop Galante retired in 2013 to his Shore home in Somers Point after nine years with the diocese, citing Type 2 diabetes and end-stage kidney failure. By that point, he was receiving dialysis three times a week due to his diabetes. He remained bishop emeritus.

Outside of the church, Bishop Galante was an avid Eagles and Phillies fan. He also enjoyed pop music and black-and-white western films. When he was growing up, his immigrant grandmother predicted that hed be a priest. It was meant to be  as a small boy, he often draped himself in black and pretended to say Mass.

After he retired, Bishop Galante enjoyed relaxing on his recliner to watch Phillies games. On Sunday nights, he would make his moms spaghetti sauce. Often, hed invite friends over for dinner.

Bishop Galante left everyone he knew with something, Palmo said. Every conversation, no matter who it was with, would end with him saying, I love you. He showed us what a bishop could be, what a bishop was supposed to be, and thats a pastor and a friend.

Normally bishops are buried with their predecessors, but Bishop Galante has chosen to be buried alongside his parents in Torresdale. He is survived by three brothers, Francis, William, and Paul.

Plans for a memorial service are pending and will be announced on the Diocese of Camdens website, https://www.camdendiocese.org.FILE - In this April 5, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump participates in a roundtable on immigration and border security at the U.S. Border Patrol Calexico Station in Calexico, Calif. Read more

SAN FRANCISCO  A federal judge on Friday blocked President Donald Trump from building sections of his long-sought border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency.

U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr. immediately halted the administrations efforts to redirect military-designated funds for wall construction. His order applies to two projects, scheduled to begin as early as Saturday, to replace 51 miles of fence in two areas on the Mexican border.

Gilliam issued the ruling after hearing arguments last week in two cases. California and 19 other states brought one lawsuit; the Sierra Club and a coalition of communities along the border brought the other. His ruling was the first of several lawsuits against Trump's controversial decision to bypass the normal appropriations process to pay for his long-sought wall.

"The position that when Congress declines the Executive's request to appropriate funds, the Executive nonetheless may simply find a way to spend those funds 'without Congress' does not square with fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic," the judge wrote in granting a temporary injunction to stop construction.

At stake are billions of dollars that would allow Trump to make progress in a signature campaign promise heading into his campaign for a second term.

Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House over fully paying for the wall that led to a 35-day government shutdown. As a compromise on border and immigration enforcement, Congress set aside $1.375 billion to extend or replace existing barriers in Texas' Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.

Trump grudgingly accepted the money, but he declared the emergency to siphon money from other government accounts because he wanted to spend $8 billion on wall construction. The funds include $3.6 billion from military construction funds, $2.5 billion from Defense Department counterdrug activities, and $600 million from the Treasury Departments asset forfeiture fund.

The president's adversaries say the emergency declaration was an illegal attempt to ignore Congress, which authorized far less wall spending than Trump wanted.

"We welcome the court's decision to block Trump's attempts to sidestep Congress to build deadly walls that would hurt communities living at the border, endanger wildlife, and have damaging impacts on the environment," said Andrea Guerrero, a member of the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

The administration said Trump was protecting national security as unprecedented numbers of Central American asylum-seeking families arrive at the U.S. border.

The courtroom showdowns come amid a flurry of activity to accelerate wall construction.

Kenneth Rapuano, an assistant secretary of defense, said in a court filing last month that work on the highest-priority, Pentagon-funded projects could begin as soon as Saturday.

The Defense Department transferred $1 billion to border wall coffers in March and another $1.5 billion earlier this month. Patrick Shanahan, the acting defense secretary, is expected to decide soon whether to transfer an additional $3.6 billion.

The Army Corps of Engineers recently announced several large contacts with Pentagon funding. Last month, SLSCO Ltd. of Galveston, Texas, won a $789 million award to replace 46 miles of barrier in New Mexico.

Last week, Southwest Valley Constructors of Albuquerque, N.M., won a $646 million award to replace 63 miles in the Border Patrols Tucson, Ariz., sector. Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, Mont., won a $141.8 million contract to replace 5 miles in Yuma and 15 miles in El Centro, Calif.

The administration has planned to use $601 million in Treasury money to extend barriers in the Rio Grande Valley.President Donald Trump stands with Attorney General William Barr before the presentation of the Public Safety Officer Medals of Valor in the East Room of the White House May 22, 2019 in Washington. (Olivier Douliery / Abaca Press / TNS) Read more

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump's new executive order giving the attorney general broad authority to declassify government secrets threatens to expose U.S. intelligence sources and could distort the FBI and CIA's roles in investigating Russian interference in the 2016 elections, current and former U.S. officials said.

On Thursday, Trump allowed Attorney General William Barr to declassify information he finds during his review of what the White House called "surveillance activities during the 2016 Presidential election."

Trump has long complained that the U.S. government engaged in illegal "spying" on his campaign, alleging without evidence that his phones were tapped and that American officials conspired with British counterparts in an effort to undermine his bid for the White House.

It appeared unprecedented to give an official who is not in charge of an intelligence agency the power to reveal its secrets. Current and former intelligence officials said they were concerned that Barr could selectively declassify information that paints the intelligence agencies and the FBI in a bad light without giving a complete picture of their efforts in 2016.

Officials are also concerned about the possible compromise of intelligence sources, including those deep inside the Russian government.

Ordinarily, any review of intelligence activities would be done by the Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats. But in giving that authority to Barr, the president has turned to someone he perceives as a loyalist and who has already said that he thinks the government spied on the Trump campaign.

"This is a complete slap in the face to the director of national intelligence," said James Baker, the former FBI general counsel. "So why is the attorney general doing the investigation? Probably because the president trusts the attorney general more," said Baker, now a director at the R Street Institute, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington.

Trump has never considered Coats a close or effective adviser, and earlier this year administration officials said they thought the president might fire him.

Michael Morell, a former CIA deputy director, called it "potentially dangerous" to let Barr decide what to declassify, because "the DNI is in the best position to judge the damage to intelligence sources and methods."

"This is yet another destruction of norms that weakens our intelligence community," said Morell, now the host of the Intelligence Matters podcast. "It is yet another step that will raise questions among our allies and partners about whether to share sensitive intelligence with us."

Trump told reporters Friday that the Russia probe was "an attempted coup or an attempted takedown of the president of the United States." He said he hoped Barr would investigate several foreign countries, including two of the United States' closest allies.

"I hope he looks at the U.K. and I hope he looks at Australia and I hope he looks at Ukraine," Trump said. "I hope he looks at everything, because there was a hoax that was perpetrated on our country."

Others questioned whether Barr would take intelligence officials' advice or act on his own when deciding what he might make public.

"The part of this order that I find the most troubling says that the attorney general should consult with intelligence community elements on declassification 'to the extent he deems it practicable,' " said Robert Litt, who is a former general counsel for the office of the director of national intelligence and is now with the law firm Morrison & Foerster. "He apparently doesn't have to consult with them if he thinks that would be impracticable."

In a statement, Coats signaled that he expected Barr and the agencies to work together.

"Much like we have with other investigations and reviews, the Intelligence Community will provide the Department of Justice all of the appropriate information for its review of intelligence activities related to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election," Coats said. "As part of that process, I am confident that the Attorney General will work with the IC in accordance with the long-established standards to protect highly-sensitive classified information that, if publicly released, would put our national security at risk."

A senior official said Barr has expressed concerns privately that the CIA may not have done much to try to use its own source networks in Russia to figure out whether allegations in a document written by British former intelligence officer Christopher Steele were accurate.

Trump and his allies in Congress have seized on the document, often called "the dossier," as evidence that the Obama administration built an investigation of Trump predicated on unsubstantiated and salacious claims.

A former senior CIA official said the dossier played no role in an intelligence community assessment, released in January 2017, that concluded Russia tried to help Trump win.

"First, the CIA was falsely accused of using the dossier in the [assessment], and once people finally realized they did not use it, now the CIA is being criticized for not investigating the dossier," said the former official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

"It is not the CIA's job to investigate a document that was in the hands of the FBI and floating around the media," the former official said. "The CIA was focused on trying to identify what the Russians were doing to interfere in our election. The FBI is who was focused on counterintelligence concerns with respect to U.S. persons."

Special counsel Robert Mueller found that the FBI began an investigation into potential coordination between Russia and Trump campaign associates in July 2016, after an Australian diplomat told U.S. officials that a Trump adviser claimed to know about incriminating information Russia possessed about Hillary Clinton. Earlier that month, emails that Russian government hackers stole from the Democratic National Committee had been published by WikiLeaks.

Republican lawmakers have previously demanded information about the FBI investigation that has revealed the identity of an informant and led to the partial disclosure of an application for surveillance of a former Trump campaign aide, Carter Page. Those disclosures came after lengthy negotiations between Justice Department officials and members of Congress.

Now, Barr has the authority to declassify such information on his own.

"This extraordinary assignment and the reaction it has provoked shows how far we have moved from historical norms," said David Kris, a former head of the national security division at the Justice Department and the founder of Culper Partners, a consulting firm. "Since the mid-1970s, the country has expected the attorney general to help oversee and enforce a system of intelligence under law, appropriately respectful of privacy and rigorously apolitical.

"Now, because of the president's relentless efforts to politicize law enforcement, many observers fear that the attorney general is a threat to apolitical intelligence under law."

The Washington Posts Devlin Barrett contributed to this article.Is Jon Pen 'Red Card Movement' Leader Or Reader?

"Every corner I turn, someone is there lazing and gazing, either in awe over my precious life at risk or taking quick notes to rush to the NSS's freelancers' desk for some Judas Iscariot's coins."

By Jon Pen de Ngong

No! He is not. And he is the one answering you as follows in the grammar of a 'First Person Singular' and Direct Speech.

I have suffered from reported speech, from people whispering behind me. They do not open their mouths when facing me. Perhaps that kind of cowardice explains the practical definition of backbiting.

They report more than necessary on my name, including those I have not done, said or written, or those things am yet to write about tomorrow. They feed their leaders, readers and listeners with trash. Tragedy is the recipients believe them!

Since I fled Juba one year before the December war of 2013, I have been labelled rebel to every individual or group that jumps out of that frying pan to this fire. Kiir fries them in the pan, and the fire awaits them out there...!

The first to be linked to being SPLM-IO, and the last is this Red Card Movement. And there are dozen other groups in between for the last 6 years. And the gossips are not giving up linking me up every time a group pops up.

It is a nuisance. This security threat, a distraction in my daily dealings. I cannot turn this or that way without a friend or relative screaming in warning. I just wonder why our leaders have turned themselves into some sort of those deadly fairies in folktales!

Yes, the evidence is this: I have met so and so from that group, or have written a favourable blog about them. Kiir's system does not want relatives or friends to chat or dine one-on-one. Oh, they are rebels! Or they are plotting a coup!

Every corner I turn, someone is there lazing and gazing, either in awe over my precious life at risk or taking quick notes to rush to the NSS's freelancers' desk for some Judas Iscariot's coins.

The other day in Kampala, an old friend bumped into me. I noticed from his face wondering why I was crisscrossing the streets with books in my hands and the rest in my computer bag.

I was sweating and hasty. He exclaimed upon our hug, "John, what are you doing here?" He jokingly told me that he read the other day that I was the RCM leader, a new coup-plotter group that is heavily bankrolled with millions of dollars by "TROIKA and America to overthrow Salva Kiir!"

He must have been referencing that not-so-proper propaganda by Garang John or Gordon Buay. The so-called Red Card leak showed their members pinching some dollars from their private purses for buying manila placards and what have you. So where are the millions the security goons are scaring Kiir with? I pity their readers!

I introduced myself in my usual funny way. "I am now 'Mr. Johnnie Hawker: I Keep Hawking'! Here you're!" I dished out a copy of my 'ADDISAGREEMENTS', followed by 'The Faithbook Digest'.

Thus, the 'Lost Boy' became my 'Troika and America'. He paid for both. I pocketed my shillings, not dollars, as he eagerly rushed to his hotel to settle on his friend's literary stuffs.

In Nairobi the other day again, I met my friends and discussed South Sudan in general, and my books in particular. Then some guys appeared and sat over there taking tea or coffee, ogling under their armpits at us as usual.

I pity them. For a peanut of intel gathering in bars and hotels, they are exposed to the frequency of drinking sugars in sodas, 'teas' or beers everywhere you go!

A day after, one friend called me that he got a phone call from a friend that he was discussing 'Red Card' with Jon Pen that day! That is how they get their pay: selling goss.

Then a call to myself from a friend who saw me cross, "Hey, watch your back, buddy!" I laughed and told him, "Thank you. But, unfortunately, my eyes are in front!"

Our population is driven into a psychological torture. Every street or house appears to them a psychological 'Blue House'. Bad news is that the 'authors of terror' do not know that they are damaging our country; good news is that the history tape is rolling.

So, Is Jon Pen an RCM Leader? No. He is a lot not.

I am an RCM reader, not their leader. Yes, I have an LCM with the RCM. Not only with the RCM, I am an LCM (Least Common Multiple--to remind you of your primary arithmetic) to every South Sudanese that tells Salva Kiir and his kleptocrats, "No, sir, that's not what we fought and voted for!"

From the 'Kiiristian' notebook, such naysayer citizens are the rebels, ripe for elimination! But, truth be told, the RCM and others are just a scapegoat, the elephant is in the room in Juba, itself. Not for this topic, though.

I am on over 50 Social Media groupings of South Sudanese and internationals. I have no enemy among my individual citizens, I stay with them: rebels, government's, humanitarians, etc.

And this is where my problem lies. I am everybody's friend, and nobody's enemy, except Kiir's. And, take note, I do not hate President Kiir per se, it is his poor leadership. I have a grudge with him for throwing away the gains we all fought for and lost our dear ones to. This does not exonerate Dr. Riek Machar and other politicians and generals. Political hate is normal, and also constitutional.

I was added to the RCM's public group on WhatsApp, not even on Facebook, yet, by a friend. And my friend was added by his friend. And so on. I am not even sure that movement has any leader or leadership structure.

Those who didn't want to stay there have left. For me, I stay on and contribute in the debates, just as on any other forum. To me and the Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, as well as the international human rights documents, the 'Red Carders' are not enemies. They are exercising their constitutional rights, and so am I.

Then, there was this leak when WhatsApp was hacked, as reported, by an Israeli company that deals in security spyware. South Sudan must have paid for it generously, as usual. And bragged they hacked the Red Card Movement's secret group page. Welle...!

I pitied them. They scooped a wrong page! On that public page of RCM (not the organizers and mobilizers' group, which I don't even know), South Sudanese who were added at random by friends and have not yet realized are on that crap that Gen. Akol Khor is holding on his table as 'the leak'. And you might have heard some being already arrested or shot dead by the 'Un/known Gunmen'--unaware!

Of course, my articles, like this one, are public, so is my name. I am a writer without borders. I am rioting by writing, not on the streets but always here. My posts and comments are on the RCM Public Forum as well as on any other Opposition or Government Social Media group.

For example, I have seen a rebuttal that I wrote in response to the opinion by a friend called Junior William Deng, which was imported from another group to RCM, as a normal practice on Social Media. And now this comprises the list of RCM membership on the NSS bureau desk. Deng does not even know his article is on RCM page. They collect garbage on the internet and make misleading decisions on them in Juba!

As if that is not enough, the Red Card publicists lifted a screenshot of a private chat between some group of lawyers and their member, and rushed to unilaterally put my name and a private number, together with 4 others, on their press release, crying their members were under threat in Uganda.

I have lived under this threat for the last decade. I am sorry for the names of my fellow civil society leaders in Uganda for the risks they have been innocently dragged into. Activists and youth leaders mentioned therein (names withheld as I have not yet talked to them) have never seen a member of Red Card, leave alone being members of that movement. They are nothing but propaganda specimens. I condemn that on their behalf.

I write for or against anyone going contrary to our people's expectations, which is the normal practice of intellectual discourse on our country and others. So why should I be confined to a particular group? I am not a politician. And I don't want to be that 'political crostitute', crossing like a prostitute from this to that party.

I am sorry for that friend of mine who has completed his cycle of defection: from Kiir's SPLM through three others and then back to Kiir again: 4 defection journeys in 5 years!

They find me here. I let them in, out and about, while I stay put. And back again: war without end, world without end. For my mobile friends, this 'defection metamorphosis', a desperate attempt for leadership search, an embarrassing monkey business, indeed, can cause dizziness. And I mean acute 'intellectual dizziness'! You know how it kills?

In conclusion, which is another beneficial inclusion, let me be. I am harvesting my talent for survival. I am printing and selling my books. Stop selling me, but my books. Of course, the raw materials therein are Kiir, Riek, you, me included.

And to President Salva Kiir, somebody near you is selling your legacy for quick gains like that Biblical Essau who sold his birthright for a single meal. And you are facilitating them: to kill, loot, Rob, rape and scare off the whole population in your name! Yes, in a desperate attempt to keep you in power, that is, to keep their taps flowing out of our people's national belongings. That is why they mold a mountain out of a molehill i.e. the Red Card Movement, like all those daily 'coup attempts' they make you panic on, turning your fellow citizens into your enemies.

Mr. President, can you just step aside from that crowd of parasitic sycophants fanning an elephant on fire, and then imagine yourself sitting alone -- e kat cok e rt-- or inside your luak, reading a book entitled, 'How Salva Kiir Messed Up The Baby Nation!'? It will be too late for you to respond, and your Tiger and NSS attack dogs will have gone; others writing confession books on you, like Iddi Amin's men did! This is not the right way of retiring, sir.

The youth of this country are wriggling with their talents wasting away with age on their brain or hands and their rights rotting with rage in their throats. Therefore, give us a little space to let out of our boiling minds the fumes of your senseless war.This has been a tough year. Just when we thought we had almost conquered COVID-19 and were beginning to reopen with enthusiasm, exuberance even, we first discovered the Delta and then the Omicron variant. As we learn the Greek alphabet...Derby

MAYDENA

Its 4pm on a Wednesday, I left home on a Monday afternoon and the 27-hour long journey from Vancouver Island to Tasmania is complete.As I was flying into the Hobart airport and looking out the planes window, the beautiful landscapes made me almost forget how tired I was. The smell of eucalyptus hit me like a wall the second I walked out of the airport. I had travelled from one piece of mountain bike heaven to another. Both Tasmania and Vancouver Island have their similarities. For example: they are close in population, provide world-class riding, and are geographically unique in their own regard. That island vibe is also very prominent among Tasmanians.Tasmania has always fascinated me in general. For a Canadian, its a mysterious, far-away place, full of unique wildlife and separated from the rest of the world. These are all reasons I wanted to visit, but I had also seen great content from Maydena Bike Park lately. The trails there would make any avid mountain biker in the Northern Hemisphere want to jump on a plane to escape winter. A few of my Canadian friends have been living down in Maydena and helping develop the park, so my interest was sky-high. I was looking for any excuse I could to experience the place.Before going to Maydena, I wanted to explore more of the island first. I was convinced to visit Derby after a handful of suggestions (it wasnt even on my radar originally), and boy- am I ever glad I visited! When I first rolled into town I had zero plan, other than wanting to stay there for a few days. I dropped by a shop called Vertigo MTB and they welcomed me with open arms. Vertigo also does shuttles up the local trail network in town, so I hopped on a shuttle later that day and was grinning ear-to-ear after the first lap. Vertigo owner, Buck Gibson, was my driver, his fun-loving attitude kept the vibes high all afternoon. After that first day I quickly fell in love with the town.The riding in Derby is incredible, I can easily see why this is such an exciting Enduro World Series stop. Not only that, but the riding community blew me away. This place is the perfect example of taking a ghost town and transforming it into a little mountain bike oasis. Riders are everywhere and the amount of trail development that has happened in the last few years is extremely impressive. In just a few years, mountain biking has saved this community. The Blue Derby Mountain Bike Project was backed by a $2.5 million Federal Government grant to develop a new industry and help the region recover from the collapse of the forestry industry. It's safe to say this was a huge success.Feeling the flow on one of Derby's popular trails "Air Ya Garn"Much like Tasmania, we are so blessed with amazing natural terrain on Vancouver Island, but we dont have communities quite like Derby. Our local governments could learn a valuable lesson from the way they do things in Derby. The visit to this little town was eye-opening to see how much impact mountain biking can have on a community.After a memorable few days in Derby, it was time to head south to the place I had been looking forward to for months, Maydena Bike Park. My idea of this place was not even close to the real thing. I knew it was going to be good riding, but the scale of it blew me away. It has over 800m of elevation and 30+ trails open for riding, with a further 65km of trails under development. I couldnt believe it! This is bigger than most bike parks in Canada. And every single one of the trails is very well-built.Maydena Bike Park is an epic mix of flow trails and steep technical lines. It's a very full-on mountain and much steeper than I expected.The trail ratings here are pretty next level! This one is called "Colour Blind" and it's considered a blue on the mountain. It's no wonder all the local kids I met here are so gnarly.The best way to summarise my trip to Tasmania: a truly eye-opening experience. Im fairly certain this visit was the first of many.Derby images by Jasper Da Seymour Maydena Images by Simon McLaineLandriault Bags Day 3 Lead in the partypoker LIVE MILLIONS North America Main Event

Play has come to an end in the CA$10,000 Main Event at the 2019 partypoker MILLIONS LIVE North America. It took less than six levels to bring the field down to 16 players and the tournament director decided to bag up the chips early with only two tables remaining.

Leading the pack when the action resumes on Day 4 will be Danick Landriault from Hawkesbury, Ontario. Landriault went on a tear after the dinner break and it all started from a failed bluff attempt from Bryn Kenney. Not long after, Landriault flopped a full house against Philipe Pizzari Pinto's pocket queens and raked in nearly a 70 million chip pot. To finish the day, Landriault eliminated last year's third-place finisher Tony Ruberto in 19th place as he bagged up 97,200,000, nearly one-fifth of the total chips in play.

After play concluded, Landriault mentioned that he doesn't play a lot of live tournaments and mostly focuses on cash games and a little bit of online play. Landriault is a regular at the Playground Poker Club and won his way into the Main Event via one of the satellites. With the final tablists guaranteed a six-figure payday, Landriault could find himself a new career at the felt.

The next closest stack to Landriault belongs to Kevin Rabichow with 45,475,000. Rabichow was the Day 2 chipleader but he remained fairly quiet on Day 3 which turned out to be all he needed to do. The sole remaining partypoker pro Joni Jouhkimainen also bagged a healthy stack with 44,750,000 and John Cayley was the only other player over 40 million chips with 44,525,000.

Joni Jouhkimainen

Day 3 kicked off with 66 players returning to the felt, only three eliminations away from the money. The action was slow to start until just over halfway through the first level when the money bubble burst. Cedrick Angove-Bernier found himself all in for 2,750,000 and thought he would be in great shape to double up with pocket kings, but unfortunately, he ran into the pocket aces of Olivier Rebello-Frechette.

The bustouts came fast and furious afterward which saw the likes of Sergio Aido, Tom Hall, Manig Loeser, Philippe D'Auteuil, Marc-Andre Ladouceur, Griffin Benger, and Sam Grafton all hit the rail. Only 26 players returned from dinner break and when Orpen Kisacikoglu and Maurice Hawkins exited the tournament, they were down to just three tables.

Mike McDonald, who once held a spot atop the leaderboard, was one player everyone wanted to keep their eye on. He was moved away from the feature table and his short stack didn't last much longer. McDonald's ace-high was no match for Erik Lemarquand's pocket nines and "Timex" finished in 22nd place. Former GPI #1 ranked player Bryn Kenney was looking to add another title to his collection but his four-bet jam with king-queen sent him home in 18th place just before the day wrapped up.

Mike McDonald and Brynn Kenney

The action will get back underway on Saturday, May 25 at 12 p.m. EST and the schedule is to play down to the final six players. There will be 9:36 remaining in level 26 with the blinds at 200,000/400,000 and a 400,000 big blind ante. At the start of level 29, the blinds will be increased to 90 minutes in length. Each player is now guaranteed to walk away with at least CA$40,000 but they will all have their sights set on the first-place prize of CA$1,000,000.

The PokerNews live reporting team will be back to bring you all of the live updates throughout the entire event so keep it locked here.

Paulin Leads High Roller

Day 2 of the 2019 partypoker LIVE MILLIONS North America CA$10,300 High Roller is now in the books after ten grueling hours of play. The late registration and re-Entry period was still open for another four hours to begin the day and by the completion of that period, there were a total of 102 slips sold. By nights end it was Pierre-Paul Paulin leading the way with an impressive 21,425,000 in chips.

Pierre-Paul Paulin

Paulin started the day just slightly above average in chips but instantly catapulted to the top of the food chain. He was the first player to reach the ten million mark and he did so by eliminating the start of the day chip leader James Romero. The two found themselves in a flipping situation with Paulin holding big slick against Romero's pair of sixes. Romero flopped a six and seemed to have the hand all but locked up. Paulin managed to hit a runner-runner full house, taking down the pot and eliminating Romero from the tournament.

The New Brunswick, Canada native continued to run hot and it seems like a standard for him here in the Playground Poker Club as he finished seventh in the partypoker Main Event held in October of last year for his first six-figure cash. Paulin will be looking to surpass that personal best and add another six-figure cash to his resume.

Right behind the chip leader is Brian Yoon with a healthy 15,525,000 stack. Yoon started the day around average and just like Paulin, he started to climb quickly. Yoon played an aggressive style of poker but always seemed to have a hand when the cards were turned over. He is a competitor with enough experience to take over during Day 3 so be sure to keep an eye out for him as the action unfolds on the final day.

Brian Yoon

The tournament started the day with 52 runners and by the end of late registration, a total of 102 had joined, gathering $989,400 for the prize pool. A total that came up just shy of the one million guarantee that was set. Only 16 found a bag at the end of play and those who did will be returning tomorrow to battle it out. The money bubble is lingering around the corner with only 11 receiving a payday. A min-cash will be worth CA$25,000 and the eventual winner will be pulling in an immense CA$300,000.

Many familiar faces will be returning tomorrow for that top prize but two, in particular, stand out. partypoker pro's Anatoly Filatov and Bertran Grospellier are two people that everyone will have their eyes on tomorrow. Filitov is starting the day third in chips and always brings excitement to the table whenever he plays. Grospellier is starting at the bottom of the pack but knows his way around a short stack and will look to prove that once again.

A lot of pros took a shot, or in some cases, several, and failed to make it to Day 3, including Germanies Rainer Kempe, Lauren Roberts, Artem Metalidi, Javier Gomez, Alan Schein, Kitty Kuo, and Ryan Riess.

The action will restart on May 25 at 1 p.m. EST with the blinds resuming at 60,000/120,000 and a 120,000 big blind ante. There will be a 15-minute break after every two levels of play and the levels will remain at 60-minutes in length. A winner will be crowned and the tournament will not stop until someone takes down first place for that cool $300,000 cash prize.

The PokerNews live reporting team will be bringing you all the action throughout the rest of the tournament so be sure to stay tuned.171 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

LONDON (Reuters)  Theresa May bowed out after nearly three years as prime minister on Friday, defeated by her inability to deliver Brexit.

Here are highlights of her tumultuous time in office:

July 13, 2016  In her first speech as prime minister, May appears in Downing Street, pledging to fight the burning injustices that hold people back. She promises a country that works for everyone but will in fact find herself spending much of her time struggling with Brexit.

Jan 18, 2017  A triumphant May is portrayed on the front page of the Daily Mail next to the headline Steel of the New Iron Lady. She has just given a defiant speech, telling Brussels: No deal for Britain is better than a bad deal for Britain.

May 22, 2017  May is forced to backtrack on an election pledge to force the elderly to pay more for care after her opinion poll lead fell by half. Nothing has changed, she says to general incredulity.

June 4, 2017  Responding to Britains third militant attack in three months  the killing of seven people at London Bridge  May declared enough is enough and added: Defeating this ideology is one of the great challenges of our time.

June 8, 2017  Despite an apparently impregnable opinion poll lead, May loses her parliamentary majority in a general election called early. Despite repeated promises of a strong and stable government, her authority is in tatters.

Oct 3, 2017  Mays big speech to the Conservative Party conference was interrupted by repeated coughing fits, a prankster, and even letters of her slogan falling off the stage scenery. As a bid to reassert herslf, it had limited success.

Sept 20, 2018  At an EU summit in Salzburg, an unforgiving photo shows a red-jacketed May cold-shouldered by a phalanx of male leaders in dark suits.

Oct 3, 2018  May startles the audience at the Conservative Party conference when she appears on stage for a speech jigging to Abbas Dancing Queen. It was apparently a self-deprecating reference to her dancing during a recent visit to Africa, but she was nonetheless widely mocked.

Dec 14, 2018  A furious May is embroiled in a public row with Jean-Claude Juncker at a Brussels summit after the EU chief publicly called Britains Brexit demands nebulous and vague. Juncker joked that they had later kissed and made up, but the incident showed that relations were sub-optimal.

Jan 19, 2019  Lawmakers vote down Mays Brexit divorce deal by the crushing margin of 432 to 202, the worst such defeat in modern British history. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn calls a vote of no confidence, which May however survives.

May 21, 2019  In a last roll of the dice, May promises a new deal on Brexit. It is immediately rejected by large numbers of Conservative lawmakers and the opposition Labour Party.

May 24, 2019  May announces she will quit, her voice breaking with emotion during a Downing Street address to the nation. She describes herself as the second female prime minister, but certainly not the last.

(Story corrects date of Salzburg summit)

(Writing by Giles Elgood; editing by Stephen Addison)5.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

If Democrats refuse to move forward on impeachment, outspoken former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner says it will only encourage more people like Donald Trump to run for office and follow his disastrous blueprint.

Our republic cannot survive another Trump, he said on Saturday.

In order to prevent another Trump, Kirschner says, impeachment is the only answer. Anything short would mean that lawmakers are excusing and condoning his corruption and abuses of power.

The full alarm bell Kirschner rang via Twitter on Saturday morning:

Why must we impeach? Because if we dont, we are excusing, condoning, & thereby validating what Trump has done. Moreover, if we dont impeach, we are encouraging & inspiring the Trumps of tomorrow to follow the same blueprint. Our republic cannot survive another Trump.  Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) May 25, 2019

Hundreds of former DOJ officials believe Trump has committed crimes

If you think Glenn Kirschner is exaggerating, its important to remember that he isnt alone in his belief that Trump has committed impeachable offenses.

In a letter published earlier this month, around 700 former officials at the Department of Justice said Trump would have been indicted for the obstruction of justice crimes laid out in Robert Muellers report if he wasnt the president of the United States.

Each of us believes that the conduct of President Trump described in Special Counsel Robert Muellers report would, in the case of any other person not covered by the Office of Legal Counsel policy against indicting a sitting President, result in multiple felony charges for obstruction of justice, they wrote.

In the absence of bringing charges against a president who has committed crimes, the only other option is to launch impeachment proceedings. That job lies with lawmakers who have so far been reluctant to pull the trigger.

But not only is there enough evidence to launch a formal impeachment inquiry, but a growing number of Americans and members of Congress are on board with it.

Even Republican Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan has abandoned Trump and made a strong case for why this president should be impeached.

All of that goes without mentioning that Trump has acted like a king in his refusal to cooperate with lawful congressional oversight by preventing key witnesses from testifying, failing to comply with subpoenas and refusing to hand over documents  lawless behavior that a formal impeachment inquiry could help mitigate.

Impeachment increasingly looks like the best tool Democrats have left  not only to fight the out-of-control Trump but to send a message to future presidents that this conduct will not be tolerated.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter2.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Trumps TV lawyer Rudy Giuliani demanded that Speaker Pelosi apologize for harming the nation by speaking the truth about the presidents instability.

Giuliani tweeted:

Nancy Pelosi wants an apology for a caricature exaggerating her already halting speech pattern. First she should withdraw her charge which hurts our entire nation when she says the President needs an intervention. People who live in a glass house shouldnt throw stones.  Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) May 24, 2019



Trump and his enablers are so upset because what Nancy Pelosi said was true. There have been countless examples and reports of Trumps instability. The president had pulled this same stunt before when Pelosi told him no to his wall, and he stormed out out a meeting with Democrats. The country watched Trump blow up in a meeting with Pelosi and Schumer and preemptively take credit for the government shutdown.

Trump world is so sensitive about these allegations because they go straight to the heart of why Trump could lose in 2020. The biggest problems that voters have with Trump are related to his behavior and instability. Trumps biggest weakness in the upcoming election is his character. When Pelosi brought Trumps issues up, the White House flipped out, because that is why they will lose next year.

Republicans cant fix Trump or make the situation better.

Nancy Pelosi shouldnt apologize for speaking the truth. The Speaker of the House should say it even louder.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook798 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

By Arshad Mohammed and Jonathan Landay

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  The U.S. State Department failed to meet a deadline on Thursday to provide information to three congressional committee chairmen looking into whether an annual arms control report slanted and politicized assessments about Iran, a congressional aide said.

In a May 16 letter, the Democratic chairmen of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs, Armed Services and Intelligence committees asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to provide a State Department briefing and documents no later than Thursday.

The chairmens letter cited a Reuters article on April 17 about how the administrations annual report to Congress on global compliance with international arms control accords provoked a dispute with U.S. intelligence agencies and some State Department officials.

The dissenting officials, sources said, were concerned that the document politicized and skewed assessments against Iran in a bid to lay the groundwork to justify military action.

A U.S. official familiar with the issue and speaking on condition of anonymity said the chairmen were to be invited to a briefing by State Department and other government experts about the report on adherence to and compliance with arms control, nonproliferation and disarmament agreements and commitments.

The congressional aide, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said no such communication had been received.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

U.S.-Iranian tensions rose following U.S. President Donald Trumps withdrawal last year from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and his reimposition of tough economic sanctions. They sharpened earlier this month after Trump tightened sanctions to try to eliminate Irans oil exports.

Strains further deepened with Saudi Arabia accusing Iran of ordering armed drone attacks on two oil pumping stations and the May 12 sabotage of four vessels, including two Saudi tankers, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

U.S. government sources said Washington strongly suspects militias with ties to Tehran were behind those attacks as well as a rocket strike in Baghdads Green Zone.

Iran denied involvement in the incidents.

In their May 16 letter to Pompeo, the three chairmen said they were deeply concerned the arms control report may have been produced by political appointees disregarding intelligence or distorting its meaning.

The State Department, they noted, was legally bound to submit to Congress a detailed report on compliance by the United States and other countries with international arms control accords.

Instead, they wrote, this years report was only 12 pages long, contains no meaningful discussion of U.S. and Russian compliance with such agreements and consists largely of hypotheticals or opinion.

Several sources told Reuters that the report made them wonder if the administration was painting Iran in the darkest light possible, much as the George W. Bush administration used bogus and exaggerated intelligence to justify its 2003 invasion of Iraq.

(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed and Jonathan Landay; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)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.Get the SC business stories that matter.

Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free.Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Mainly clear skies. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.Adam Parker has covered many beats and topics for The Post and Courier, including race and history, religion, and the arts. He is the author of "Outside Agitator: The Civil Rights Struggle of Cleveland Sellers Jr.," published by Hub City Press.Assistant Columbia bureau chief

Adcox returned to The Post and Courier in October 2017 after 12 years covering the Statehouse for The Associated Press. She previously covered education for The P&C. She has also worked for The AP in Albany, N.Y., and for The Herald in Rock Hill.Sports reporter

Jeff Hartsell is a two-time S.C. sportswriter of the year who has covered Clemson, South Carolina, The Citadel, College of Charleston and high school beats, as well as professional golf and tennis events in Charleston.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.Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations.Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor

Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach.Attend 'Cowboy Church' June 2

Join Cherry Grove United Methodist Church on June 2 for Cowboy Church, a nondenominational service featuring a mix of country, Christian country, Southern gospel and bluegrass music.

Music starts at 5:45 p.m. and the service begins at 6 p.m. Special guests will be the Austrud sisters and Richard Serfling playing autoharp and harmonicas.

Musicians are welcome. Contact Cindy Seabright at seabright.cindy@gmail.com or 507-272-1682 one week prior to the service, held the first Sunday each month.

The church is at 18183 160th St., in the small community of Cherry Grove, rural Spring Valley. Cherry Grove Church is handicap accessible.

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Bear Creek church hosts ham dinner

Bear Creek Lutheran Church of rural Grand Meadow will host the 67th Annual Memorial Day Dinner on Monday.

The dinner menu features sliced ham, scalloped potatoes, carrots, coleslaw, dinner rolls, dessert and beverage. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6-12 and $1.50 for preschool age.

The church is at 74727 265th St., Grand Meadow. It celebrated its 160th anniversary in 2016.

See photos, hear stories of Hmong farmers

A multimedia show, "We Come From the Flower," a collection of photographs and stories by Mike Hazard featuring a year in the life of the Hmong American Farmers Association, will be presented at 11 a.m. June 2 at Calvary Episcopal Church in Rochester.

The adult forum is offered by the Adult Faith Formation Team at Calvary.

The show is currently on display at the Gordon Parks Gallery at Metropolitan State University in St Paul. It portrays a year in the life of Hmong American farmers at their 155-acre farm in Dakota County Many Hmong families have relied on their agricultural heritage to make a living growing produce and flowers for local farmers markets.

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Mike Hazard loves to see the world through the eyes of others. Widely known as "Media Mike," he is artist in residence at The Center for International Education ( thecie.org ).

Join us as Mike tells us stories with photos and video about this unique place in the history of Minnesotas local foods movement.

More information: Email calvary@rochester-org or call 282-9429.About a billion miles more distant than Pluto is Ultima Thule, a peanut-shaped object in the outer solar system thats the farthest place ever visited by humans.

NASAs New Horizons spacecraft zipped past Ultima Thule on New Years Eve, flying within 2,200 miles of the space rocks rust-colored surface. The data it captured is now giving scientists a rare glimpse into the solar systems early days.

"We had never seen something that was so primordial, so unchanged since the early formation days," said Alan Stern, the principal investigator for the New Horizons mission.

Here are seven things weve learned about Ultima Thule so far:

 It has been essentially undisturbed for more than 4 billion years

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Ultima Thule is about 43 times farther from the sun than we are, and as a result, it receives 900 times less sunlight than we do on Earth. Since it has never gotten warmer than about -350 degrees Fahrenheit, it has been well preserved since its formation shortly after the solar system was born.

During its 293-year orbit around the sun, some regions of Ultima Thule receive no sunlight for decades at a time, while others face the sun for decades straight. Scientists think variations in daily and seasonal temperatures have probably only affected a very shallow surface layer of the Kuiper Belt object, ranging from a few millimeters to a few meters.

"Different chemical changes that might happen dont occur," said astronomer Will Grundy of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz., leader of the projects surface composition team. "It just never got warm. At all."

 Its lobes came together in a very gentle collision

The larger lobe is nicknamed "Ultima" and the smaller one is called "Thule." They came together in an unusual way.

Collisions in Ultima Thules section of the Kuiper Belt typically occur at the speed of a bullet, but Ultima Thule doesnt display the scars that would have resulted from such a violent merger.

"They would be very heavily damaged, if not catastrophically destroyed, by such collisions," said Stern, who is based at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo.

Instead, scientists estimate that Ultima Thules lobes made contact traveling only a few miles per hour.

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Planetary scientist Cathy Olkin, a deputy project scientist for New Horizons who also works at the Southwest Research Institute, said researchers arent exactly sure why the lobes came together at such slow speed. They might have lost momentum as a result of having to slog through gases that hadnt yet been pushed out of the solar system at the time, or by interacting with objects such as lumps of dust.

"They would exchange momentum with these other small objects, sending them far away and bringing Ultima and Thule closer together until they touched," she said.

 There are no moons or rings

Many objects in Ultima Thules region of the Kuiper Belt are accompanied by satellites, but Ultima Thule itself appears to be flying solo. New Horizons also looked for rings around the object and didnt find any of those either.

If there had been a moon, it would have helped scientists determine the density of Ultima Thule. Instead, all the study authors could say is that its most likely to resemble the nuclei of comets.

 It is lightly cratered

Both lobes have pits, but the team identified only two possible impact craters, in a depressed region on Thule called Maryland. Scientists said the relative dearth of possible impact craters they have found so far may point to a deficit of small objects on the Kuiper Belt.

"There are fewer things to crash, and when they do crash, they are crashing at smaller speeds," Grundy said.

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 Its surface has patches of brightness

Ultima Thule is extremely dark and reflects no more than 12% of the light that strikes its surface. For the sake of comparison, potting soil reflects about 10% of its light, Stern said.

The surface has three types of bright patches: circular or oval spots; lanes that are either straight or gently curved; and what Stern described as broad, diffused regions. The brightest spots are at the objects neck  the junction between both lobes  and on Maryland.

Its unclear how these bright patches came about. They "are generally correlated with low regions," Stern said, and they could have been created by bright, fine-grained particles that slid downhill.

 Theres little water on the surface

There are indications of water ice on Ultima Thules surface, but it doesnt appear to be abundant. Whatever water ice might be there is probably either limited or masked behind other material, Grundy said, but it likely hasnt evaporated.

"Its not that easy to get rid of water ice at those kinds of low temperatures because its basically a rock," he said.

 Ultima is unusually flat

Ultima is wider than Thule, and its significantly flatter too.

New Horizons project scientist Hal Weaver, a planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins University, said that the flatness could have resulted from "natural variability" during its formation, when an elongated swarm of small particles collapsed around a core clump of matter.

"The stuff is streaming with a particular speed and preferred direction," he said. "Its that directional thing thats giving you an elongated shape."Rochesters parking requirements are again being challenged by proposed new development.

"The idea here is to actually attract people that may not need a vehicle," said Logan Tjossem of Widseth Smith Notting, who is representing Christine and Michael Lindsey in plans to create 15 rental units on 14th Avenue Southwest near the Saint Marys Hospital campus.

The project, known as Cottage Grove, calls for demolishing three rental homes that they own at 413, 417 and 421 14th Ave. SW, across the street from Saint Marys Hospital, which would clear the way for construction of two buildings to house the 15 two-story apartments.

The plan calls for six units to face 14th Avenue, while the remaining 900-square-foot units would open into a shared central courtyard, which would lead into a parking lot intended for visitors, rather than tenants.

Tjossem noted the planned housing south of the 13-story Berkman apartment complex is within a mile of 15 restaurants, two supermarkets, an elementary school and two public parks, as well as within a quarter mile of four bus stops.

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Christine Lindsey, a Mayo High School graduate who now lives in Texas, said she believes the location is ideal for a specific niche market among renters.

"We are comfortable with the fact that there is a market for people who would like to not own a car and still live in Rochester," she said.

This week, some members of Rochesters Planning and Zoning Commission questioned whether more effort should be made to add parking to the site.

As they reviewed a preliminary plan, it was noted 23 parking spaces would typically be required with a similar development, but only eight spaces are proposed.

Commissioner Jeremiah Harbach opposed the preliminary plan because it fails to meet parking expectations as defined by city policy and the developers didnt appear willing to address the requirement.

"It simply doesnt meet it, and has no intention of meeting it," he said.

However, Commissioner Kraig Durst said the preliminary plan is an opportunity for the developer to hear from the commission and move forward in addressing concerns, whether its making changes or working to better justify whats proposed.

"Im not willing to slam the door on this," he said, noting city policies have been designed to promote a walkable community and reduce reliance on vehicles.

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Commissioner Tyler Despins and a majority of the commissioners agreed, providing enough support to move the issue to the Rochester City Council with a recommendation to approve the preliminary plan.

"Id put it back to the developer to go to the drawing board and actually put some ink to paper and come up with a creative solution," Despins said.

In opposing the recommendation at this point, Commission Chairman Tom Hill said the potential need for added parking remains at odds with another requirement for the project adjacent to single-family homes.

Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department staff indicated a bigger landscaped buffer is needed to meet city requirements, and Hill said adding that would create a smaller parking lot if the proposed buildings remain in place.

"It cant happen without a major renovation," he said of increasing the green space between the parking lot and adjacent properties.

Tjossem acknowledged more work is needed but said the preliminary plan was created to measure whether a project will work within the space and find support within the citys development process.

"Theres a significant amount of investment thats involved in creating and coming up with the level of detail that you need at the final-plan stage," he said.

Mark Engel, current planning supervisor of the Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department, agreed that the preliminary plan is an early look at the proposal.

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"Theres nothing thats going to be able to be built with this," he said. "They must come back with a final development plan."

With a commission recommendation, the next step is a public hearing and review of the preliminary plan at the June 17 Rochester City Council meeting.

In other business, the Planning and Zoning Commission:

 Voted to recommend the Rochester City Council approve the final plan for a six-story hotel proposed for the northwest corner of the intersection of Sixth Avenue Southwest and Second Street, with specific conditions.

 Recommended approval of a preliminary plat for 31 residential lots on 28 acres north and east of Fieldstone Road Southwest, west of Woodstone Drive and south of Hagen Lane.

 Approved recommendation of approval of proposed regulations for parking off of alleys in residential zoning districts.1994  25 years ago

 Earl McGee of Rochester, a retired IBM manager, has been named a Macalester Distinguished Citizen by Macalester College in St. Paul. McGee graduated from the school in 1954. McGee is a former president of the Rochester branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and has been active in a variety of civic and church organizations.

1969  50 years ago

 Comedian Jack Benny arrived in Rochester this week. He is visiting with William Goetz, a top Hollywood movie producer who underwent surgery and has been staying at the Kahler Hotel. This is Bennys first trip to Rochester since April 1965, when he appeared in concert with the Rochester Symphony Orchestra at Mayo Civic Auditorium.

1944  75 years ago

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 Staff Sgt. Curtis Swenson, formerly of Rochester, was recently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for outstanding combat work in the Army Air Force.

 Word was received that Dr. Maurice Walsh, Mayo Clinic staff member now with the 13th Army Air Force, has been promoted from major to lieutenant colonel.

1919  100 years ago

 Rochester will organize a chapter of the American Legion of Honor. A meeting of returned soldiers and sailors has been called for 8 p.m. this evening for the purpose of taking preliminary steps for the formation of a local chapter.

 Thursday evening of this week, commencement exercises for the high school of Plainview will be held. The valedictorian honor has been awarded to Dorothy Slocumb.Days after Olmsted County commissioners expressed a unified desire to see a transit hub created on the site of the former Seneca canning facility, city officials say flexibility crucial.

"I certainly understand the county may have had their own plans, because cities and counties and governmental entities do that, but it was not part of the discussion that it has completely switched and we did not have a choice," Rochester Mayor Kim Norton said.

Earlier this year, the Graham Park area was identified as a preferred location for a hub southeast of downtown. Weeks later, county commissioners agreed to purchase the Seneca site, which is north of the county park.

The potential conflict came to light during this weeks Destination Medical Center Corp. board meeting.

County Board Chairman Jim Bier, who is also treasurer of the DMCC board, raised the issue during an update on plans to build a downtown transit circulator to connect two transit hubs, also known as mobility hubs and transit villages.

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"When we were talking about Graham Park  I think some people knew, maybe not everyone knew  we were in negotiations with the Seneca property," Bier said, noting the original intent was to use the 11 acres at 1217 Third Ave. SE to meet an emerging DMC priority.

Norton, who is the DMCC board vice chairwoman, said the countys stance is a shift from a February board decision, which provided flexibility to an initial Graham Park recommendation, but didnt rule out Graham Park.

That decision was made two weeks before county commissioners voted 5-2 to purchase the Seneca property for $5.6 million.

Nick Campion, the Rochester City Councils representative on the DMCC board, indicated the price caused some pause, especially with the sale expected to close in late June.

"It sounds like the DMCC is now committed to using this property because of the condition the county is now in," he said. "I dont know that we have even agreed. I know I have never said that."

Bier said land price shouldnt be a factor in the discussion of whether Graham Park or the Seneca site is preferred. It remains undetermined who would own land at the proposed hubs and how ownership could be split, but Bier said the cost will be similar at either site.

"If the city wants to own the underlying property, I dont see much difference between the Seneca property or Graham Park," he said. "We would expect to be compensated one way or another."

At this point, Bier said it would be hard for the county to back out of the Seneca purchase without a financial impact, but added that other options exist for the property.

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When commissioners discussed the purchase in February, Commissioner Ken Brown said developers already had expressed an interest in working with the county.

"I have absolutely no doubt that we will get all, or more than all, of our money back," he said, calling the purchase a "very strategic investment."

However, Bier maintained that a transit hub is the first priority.

EMERGING VISION

Exactly what that would look like remains unclear. While a conceptual design exists for a potential Second Street Southwest hub to replace an existing Mayo Clinic parking lot, similar drawings havent been developed for a southeast site.

Rochester Deputy City Administrator Aaron Parrish said hed like to see conceptual plans created for the Graham Park and Seneca sites as discussions continue.

"I think it would be helpful for us to create a vision," he said.

The transit hubs have been proposed as key connections for transit into downtown to reduce traffic congestion and parking pressure as the workforce grows throughout the 20-year DMC effort, but they also have been considered as sites for retail development and housing.

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DMCC Board Chairman RT Rybak said the potential for housing was a reason for looking to the county, rather than other potential sites considered in Southeast Rochester.

"If the county is deeply engaged in it, we want our partner at the county to do it, especially if this is an opportunity to bring more affordable housing and really motivate the county," he said, noting a final decision will require more study and discussion.

Patrick Seeb, director of economic development and placemaking of the DMC Economic Development Agency, said study continues, with a look at specific criteria  ridership, economic development, cost and economic input  to determine the best possible circulator route,

He noted a Third Avenue north-south route would likely be better for ridership numbers, but a Broadway route could spur added development.

"We dont have the answers to this," he added. "This is analysis that is underway."

In the meantime, Norton said she hopes an agreement is possible. She encouraged DMC EDA and city staff to look for additional options, in case a deal isnt possible with the county.

"We need fallbacks if negotiations do fail, because we dont want to set this back years and years," she said.Ten volunteers in the National Civilian Community Corps have camped in Oxbow Park and worked at various parks in Olmsted County for most of the month of May.

The group arrived May 6 and will work on different projects until they leave May 31, explained the groups media representative, Daniel Coman.

The group is headquartered in Iowa. The team leader is Ramon Hilliard, who is from Maryland.

The group has planted trees, cleaned out exhibits at Zollman Zoo, worked on a 30-acre controlled burn at Chester Woods and done work to help control invasive species.

"We cleared out buckthorn just yesterday," Coman mused.

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The volunteers are from all across the United States. Coman, Hannah Stephens and Brittany Sykes are all from North Carolina. Luke Robbins is from Louisiana, Travis Simmons is from Oklahoma, Matthew Owens and Ashlyn Lutz are from Florida and Yasith Yansanayake is from Phoenix.

To volunteer in this particular part of AmeriCorps, volunteers must be between age 18 and 24.

They are provided with room and board and travel expenses during the months they are deployed across the nation.

"Its a great way to spend a gap year," said Coman.

More and more college-age students are taking a gap year from their studies and a service year looks good on your resume, he said. There are four women and six men in the group.

"You get to travel, meet lots of people, do different things. Its really great," he said.

The volunteers sign up for 11 months. Between projects, or "spikes," the group returns to one of four main campuses for the National Civilian Community Corps. One of those is in Iowa, and that campus is where this group came from. A spike is a project that takes place at least 50 miles away from campus.

Coman said the group has three physical activity sessions per week to help them stay in shape because most of the volunteer work they do involves physical labor.

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"Everyone is encouraged to do their best when were working on these tasks, but not to over exert themselves, he emphasized.

The volunteers buy groceries and cook for themselves at the campsite.

"We have vegans, vegetarians and people with food allergies, so its pretty much cook for yourself," Coman explained.

They do receive a small stipend.

Oxbow Park Manager Lonnie Hebl said the volunteers were very welcome.

"Oxbow wouldnt be the park it is without our volunteer base, whether we get that through a grant program like this or our regular group of volunteers. When we add up the volunteer hours at the end of the year, its the equivalent of six full-time employees," he said.

Carlin Zeigler, Olmsted County parks superintendent, wrote the grant request for the volunteers, said Hebl.

He said this group of Americorps volunteers will be headed to Michigan next.

ADVERTISEMENTRep. Jim Hagedorn deserves thanks for supporting farmers in Minnesotas 1st Congressional District by sponsoring the Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension Act of 2019. This legislation would provide a two-year extension of the biodiesel and renewable diesel tax incentive.

Cleary, Rep. Hagedorn understands and appreciates that agriculture is the economic backbone of southern Minnesota. As a soybean farmer in his district, I applaud the congressman for standing up for producers as we continue enduring low commodity prices amid a prolonged trade war with our largest trading partner.

Many industries  from farmers and biofuel producers, to fuel blenders and truckers  rely on the value of the tax incentive. If biodiesel production slows down, it would impact all of these sectors.

Biodiesel production supports more than 60,000 jobs throughout the United States and nearly 5,400 jobs in Minnesota. The two biodiesel plants in the 1st District produce more than 80 million gallons of biodiesel each year.

Biodiesel, the only advanced fuel recognized by the EPA, contributes approximately $1.7 billion in economic activities in Minnesota. As the national leader in biodiesel, Minnesota needs to continue promoting the biodiesel industry and supporting jobs across the country.

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Congress has traditionally renewed the tax credit for one or two years at a time, but allowed it to expire in 2017. We have waited 15 months for Congress to take action. A predictable, long-term tax incentive would be best for everyone.

This two-year extension is needed and I hope Rep. Hagedorn will convince his congressional colleagues to follow his lead by supporting this piece of legislation.

Michael Petefish,Claremont Soybean Growers Association president.Please allow me to publicly profess my passion for the Rochester Public Library. In a city full of amazing people and places, our library is a stand out. Libraries are masterpieces of American equity; everyone is welcome and given resources to succeed irrespective of wealth or status.

We cant take what we have for granted. There are challenges that must be addressed. Our library staff and programming are excellent, but our facility is not.

Our library is approaching 25 years old. The current library was designed for a population of users that we exceeded long ago. Past construction techniques used have not aged well. The facility is energy inefficient. The roof and HVAC systems need millions of dollars of maintenance. Despite being connected to the skyway system, accessibility is not great. To get into the library you must negotiate a hamster maze and one or two elevators from the nearest accessible public parking. The facility is located at the intersection of two unsafe and unfriendly pedestrian streets.

I believe that we can build a downtown library facility to better meet the needs of the community. We can do so by utilizing partnerships, existing resources and do so without having to go back to taxpayers.

We will be spending millions on library maintenance in the next few years. I would prefer to direct those resources toward an appropriately sized, modern facility.

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A few years ago, there was a proposal to expand the facility on the existing site. That $55 million proposal narrowly passed the council and was thoroughly rejected by others. I supported it, but was not excited by that proposal. I was assured by key proponents that after the city voted in support, others would as well. While that decision has passed, the issues it had hoped to address have not.

Using a traditional approach to build a library, a facility built to meet community needs, would likely cost $50 million in bonded upfront dollars, not including site costs. We can achieve the same result by utilizing existing resources and leaning on private co-development. We can approach a potential new library as part of a development that relies on a shared space model to reduce the building footprint, increase utilization, and control costs for years to come.

While we have studied the University of Minnesota Rochester campus, our riverfront opportunities also merit consideration. Many of the spaces a library relies upon may offer concurrent benefits to other users with capital needs such as UMR, YMCA, DMC, Parks, City Parking, Utility and other yet unnamed public and private partners. Accessibility by all modes of transportation is vital for any successful library irrespective of location. The key for any successful partnership is mutual benefits shared among all the participants.

Growing in popularity, Public Private Partnerships, or P3s, can integrate substantial private development, along with public amenities. Integrated private for-profit development opens the possibility of using tax incentives to help pay for public facilities. We as a community must be prepared to seize opportunities as they present themselves. Around the world, well thought out P3s are delivering projects on accelerated timelines at a fraction of the traditional cost.

Building collaboratively is not easy. When this is done with foresight, we can achieve more for less.

On April 8, at my request, the Mayor and City Council directed staff to bring us a proposal to develop our ability to seek out and utilize P3s. While P3s can take on many forms, commonly these take the form of performance contracts that cover the design, financing, building, operating and maintainence of a facility. The facility is then returned to the overseeing entity after a set contract length at a pre-agreed upon condition.

In partnership with Olmsted County and others, we hope to educate elected officials, staff and the community about what P3s are and what they are not. I believe we are a community capable of evolving to explore new ideas and capitalize on opportunities.A POST-NATIVE PERSPECTIVE

Over the first half of my two-week Christmas break, I spent every day in the garden attending to chores that in years past would have been com Read moreAssociate professor Carlos Madrid Alvarez-Piner told senators hes honored to work with the Hagatna Restoration and Redevelopment Authority board to restore the islands cultural and political center.

As a professional history and cultural advocate, the possibility of participating in the HRRA board is a true honor; its hard to conceive a more meaningful endeavor, he told senators via teleconference from the Philippines.

Madrid is the director of research and a Spanish Pacific historian at the University of Guam Micronesian Area Research Center.

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He is one of three whose confirmation hearing for the HRRA board was held Wednesday. HRRA Executive Director Lasia Casil was at the hearing to support Madrid and the governors other nominee, Eduardo J. Calvo. The confirmation hearing for Patricia Ann Ada was postponed to May 31.

Madrid said developing the capital requires a balanced approach to ensure the historic sites and the stories associated with them are preserved while also developing a strong center of economy.

Rita Nauta, Guampedia.com managing director, testified in favor of Madrids nomination to the board.

His credentials speak volumes of the qualifications he brings to the table to serve as a board commissioner, Nauta said. Cultural heritage preservation has become a passion of his. And hes been able to cultivate as part of his professional mission ... close ties between Spain, the Philippines and the Micronesia islands.

Ricardo Duenas provided testimony in support of Calvo. Duenas said Calvos family is from Hagatna going back generations. Duenas said that with his familial connection as well as his business abilities, Calvo can help move HRRA forward.

Sen. Kelly Marsh said the connection of family is very important in creating a well-rounded board that is able to guide HRRA.

Calvo noted that photos of Hagatna reveal its place in the islands history as a center of social, civic, business and government activities. Hagatna means much more to me. ... I understand Hagatna as the original home to our heritage and even the gateway to our future.

Calvo said capital cities in other nations, such as the Philippines and Japan, have been able to achieve a balance of their cultures and traditions while also embracing a modern world. He believes Guam can achieve that same balance.NORRISTOWN  Saying a Norristown man poses a clear danger to the community, a judge sent him to prison for more than three decades for shooting another man in the head during a cold-blooded attempt to maliciously commit murder for sport.

The court has a responsibility to impose confinement that is necessary to protect the public from acts of violence and terror, said Montgomery County Judge Risa Vetri Ferman, who sentenced Jamal Wallace to 32-to-65-years in state prison in connection with the April 2018 shooting of another man in the borough. This defendant poses a clear danger to the community and this sentence is necessary to protect the community from his violent propensities.

Wallace, 32, of the 1000 block of Walnut Street, was convicted by a jury earlier this year of charges of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and firearms carried without a license in connection with the 8:25 p.m. April 6, 2018, shooting and wounding of a man on Spruce Street.

The victim suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of his head as he fled from several males who confronted him on Spruce Street between Willow and DeKalb streets. The victim was flown by medical helicopter to Penn Presbyterian Hospital and miraculously survived the attack due to successful medical intervention, officials said.

Detectives used video surveillance footage and witness statements to assist them in identifying Wallace as the triggerman.

Ferman placed her reasons on the record for sentencing Wallace above state sentencing guidelines.

The defendant shot a stranger in the head and left him to die on the street. The victim had no connection to the defendant and his co-conspirators. The victim did not provoke the attack in any way, Ferman said.

The crime reflects a cold-blooded attempt by the defendant to maliciously commit murder for sport, Ferman added.

The judge said Wallaces lengthy criminal history and previous periods of state incarceration have been ineffective to accomplish rehabilitation and did not deter his criminal conduct. The shooting occurred a mere eight months after Wallaces release after serving time for a parole violation for prior firearms and drug dealing offenses.

Based on the defendants prior criminal history and the callous, dangerous and menacing actions surrounding this crime, there is an undue risk that the defendant would commit another violent crime and harm another innocent person unless he is separated from the community, Ferman said.

Another man, Mason Clary, 28, of the 1400 block of DeKalb Street, was convicted by the jury of a charge of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and previously was sentenced to 10-to-20-years in prison in connection with the attack of the victim.

Clary, who is represented by defense lawyer Matthew W. Quigg, has filed a motion for a new trial, arguing there was insufficient evidence to convict him of the conspiracy charge.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Roderick Fancher and co-prosecutor Furrah Qureshi.

An investigation began when Norristown police responded to the area of Willow and DeKalb streets for a report of shots fired and then found the victim in the 100 block of East Oak Street where he had run following the shooting.

Investigators recovered four 9mm shell casings from the shooting scene on Spruce Street, court papers indicate.

During the investigation, detectives obtained surveillance video footage from a business in the area.

The security footage showed three males surrounding and chasing (the victim) while one of the males displays a firearm, Norristown Detective David Crawford alleged in the criminal complaint. The male with the firearm shoots at least four times at the victim while the other two males continue to chase the victim.

The third male involved in the attack faced court action in juvenile court.The fight belongs in Harrisburg, and it wont be a short knockout round.

Thats the message gaining momentum in the towns of this region as school fair funding advocates mobilize to converge on the capital on June 12.

Pottstown School District and schools in Delaware County are among the most active  and vocal  in the effort to distribute all school funding in Pennsylvania according to the 2016 Fair Funding Formula. On June 12, those schools are teaming up with POWER interfaith advocacy group in a Fair Funding Rally in Harrisburg.

The stakes are high: Despite Pennsylvanias standing as the state with the worst school funding gap between wealthy and poor districts, only about 9 percent of each years education funding is allocated through the Fair Funding Formula, leaving poor districts severely underfunded.

In Pottstown, for example, using the formula to its fullest would erase $13 million in state funding deficit, providing substantial resources and reduced burden on local taxpayers.

Pottstown School District Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez speaks to the issue with passion:

Complaint without action leads exactly nowhere. On June 12, I will be in Harrisburg. If you want to come with me, Ill figure out how to get the buses and we will storm the gates, he told those attending a recent school board meeting to discuss budget cuts.

And when I say well storm the gates, I dont mean for nothing. Weve been working for years on something that will actually change the bottom line, so write this down. House Bill 961 calls for 100 percent use of the Fair Funding Formula, said Rodriguez.

House Bill 961 sponsored by Rep. Christopher Rabb, of Philadelphia, has 56 co-sponsors and needs 102 votes to pass. But as Rodriguez points out, these types of bills never get to the floor for a vote because controlling House leaders come from districts where poverty and fair funding are not issues. Those districts would get less money if fair funding was fully implemented.

Dont just think that one day is going to change everything. Take some time and call a legislator. Call (House) Speaker (Mike) Turzai, Rodriguez told the crowd at the recent meeting.

Pottstown School Board meetings are not the only local forums addressing fair funding. On Monday, YWCA TriCounty Area hosted a forum at Montgomery County Community College West Campus to show how fair funding is interwoven with racial issues.

The workshop on Equity in Education, Education Apartheid, co-sponsored with POWER, illustrated how districts with higher percentages of minorities are also those who are most underfunded. Studies have shown that race affects the funding issues even when income is not part of the analysis.

In Delaware County, the fair funding advocacy group Public Citizens for Children and Youth held a summit in February, Delaware County Unites for Education, that has inspired every school district in the county to pass resolutions calling for action on fair funding.

In a pitch for the June 12 rally, Rodriguez urged people to show up because this is the morally right thing to do, its not about money, its about students. And until people understand that we are not begging for money, we are fighting for students, nothing will change and we will be right back here again next year.

The June 12 rally will take buses from sites throughout Montgomery, Chester, Delaware, Bucks and Philadelphia counties. People are urged to call legislators before they go to say were coming.

Among legislators in Harrisburg, this may be deja vu all over again. But among the school leaders, teachers, parents, and students who prove every day they deserve the same support as their wealthier neighbors, this feels different.

A momentum is growing. See you Wednesday, June 12, on the bus to Harrisburg.Soon after the end of the Civil War, Gen. John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic issued General Order No. 11 designating May 30, 1868, as a day to honor the fallen soldiers of the nation. The purpose was to create a Memorial Day for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land.

On the farm of Harman Prizer in East Coventry, there stood an aging barn that served as a hospital for sick and wounded soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Not too far from the barn, on land owned by John Ellis, a burial place was created for those men that died during their stay in the barn-hospital. Whether the soldiers died from wounds received at Brandywine or were victims of the disease and hardship at Valley Forge was not relevant. The dead were buried in graves created about four feet apart, laid in a straight line, with mounds over each grave still visible. No stones were placed upon each grave and the buried soldiers names are unknown.

By 1870, the cemeteries in Pottstown and some of the surrounding areas had been participating in the process as defined by the Decoration Day order. A recommendation was stated in the Montgomery Ledger newspaper that something should be done to recognize these men at Ellis Woods, who have long been forgotten. The Pottstown Ledger, prior to Decoration Day of 1875 listed local cemeteries, identifying by name the veteran soldiers, regardless of War in order to recognize and honor them. Missing was any mention of the cemetery at Ellis Woods. The listing for 1876 and 1877 were issued with the same result. One reason for this oversight is that location was not a formal cemetery and the residents of the graves were not identified by name.

It was Decoration Day of 1878, when they were to be given their due recognition. With little fanfare, two young daughters of Harmon Prizer prepared flower bouquets for each soldier buried, and placed them on each grave. The West Chester Daily Local, which ran the short story of their act of patriotism, stated that these 17 soldiers were due the honor that was dispensed for Union dead, as they were equally worthy of our respect and to be honored. The paper further stated that the childrens conduct entitles them to the highest commendation.

A simple ceremony begun by two young girls would grow, as an organization was formed the next year known as the Decoration Association, with Harman Prizer as its first president. It was would be comprised of a committee of 12 persons, whose duty it would be to see that the sacred ground of the heroes would be forever maintained and kept in good care.

By 1880, the memorial ceremonies held for the solders of Ellis Woods grew to a participation of 300 persons. The Lawrenceville Band marched and played patriotic music. At a predetermined time, the band separated to allow 19 girls parade to the gravesites. The ceremony called for six to hold the Nations flag, while 13 would place wreaths at each grave. Remarks were made by both John Ellis and James Pennypacker in regards to the praise and memory of the heroes buried therein.

In 1881, Ellis decided to create a more respective and beautiful grove by having the grounds properly graded and then covered with new sod. This was being done in preparation of the coming ceremony to remember the soldiers buried there. As time continued, the role would become a more participatory fixture at these days of remembrance and honor for the fallen soldiers of the Revolution.

On Memorial Day in 1910, as it had been the custom each year, Graham Post, G.A.R 106 led the procession to the cemetery along with a squad from the Col A., H. Tippin Camp, who would conduct a salute, firing three volleys over the resting place of the heroes. After opening prayers by Rev F. R. Coffman, the accompanying choir sang My Country, Tis of Thee and Nearer My God to Thee. The Rev. L. H. Hetrick read from the Scriptures, the 96th Psalm. Miss Mary Rotes gave a reading of Lincolns Gettysburg Address. The ceremonial address was given by the Rev. Coffman entitled The Seventeen Soldiers.

As had become custom for ceremonies held at Ellis Woods Cemetery, John Ellis, otherwise known as the Bard of Coventry had written a poem, that he read on that day aptly titled Memorial Days:

Again we come with flags and flowers To this dear, hallowed spot of ours; Bought by a price as yet untold By banks, or mints, or mines of gold.

That price though great was given free, Earths greatest boom to you and me; Our motto speaks those gems they bought, And coat of arms their sequence wrought.

Those gems we number, one, two, three; They all are grand, yet, Liberty, The firmest stands, our land to save, From galling fate or galley slave.

Were free to think, and free to talk, If in the narrow way we walk; And free to go to church and school, To learn the worth of golden rule.

Oh! For such lives as William Penn, And scientific Uncle Ben; Possessed with talents multiplied, Seeing far and reaching wide.

He brought the lightning from the skies, That now incessant daily flies, To help mankind in various ways, A most important part it plays.

Leading modest, simple lives, In which the mind in wisdom thrives; They spent their lives denying self; Ignoring fame and power and pelf.

Let not old landmarks dimmer grow, In ostentations want in show; Were living now much for self, In grasping greed for power and wealth.

Bringing shame on motto grand, And coat of arms for which we stand; Wed better halt, or soon we may Receive a nations doom to pay.

We have the men, but curse the ring, And to the four winds let it wing; It buys with gold our servants all, And rules supreme in Congress Hall.

Were safe in Him, who cares for all, Een to the little sparrows fall; Beneath our vines and fruit trees shade, Where none can come to make afraid.

Hence let us live in harmony, And cherish well our Liberty; Let other nations prate and brawl; Their doom is written on the wall.

 May 30, 1910, Octo Ellis

Mike Osiol is a resident of East Coventry TownshipNo one should be forced into lifelong parenting if they dont want to take on that role, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik recently wrote, writing in regard to the strict anti-abortion laws recently passed in some states around the country. My own birth mother was unable to parent me, she wrote. However, she didnt abort me in the womb. She made the brave and courageous decision for me, and allowed me to be adopted by a couple in a position to love and raise a child.

The author of Longing for Motherhood: Holding on to Hope in the Midst of Childlessness, Sobolik explains in the book how she spent her early days in an orphanage in her native Romania. The majority of children placed in Communist orphanages werent actual orphans; they were simply children whose parents were unable to care for them. Such orphanages were known as slaughterhouses of souls.

I was one of those babies whose mother couldnt afford to keep her child, Sobolik writes. My birth mother was a 19-year-old girl with no money, no husband and limited resources. Her decision to place me up for adoption wasnt an easy one. My birth mom longed for motherhood, but instead she had to choose childlessness.

The couple who would become her adoptive parents desired children, but they suffered the pain of infertility and miscarriage. In the midst of an excruciatingly long domestic adoption process, they wound up watching a 20/20 documentary called Shame of a Nation about Romanian orphans. The documentary introduced the world  and Bobby and Christie Patterson  to these children, struggling to survive, she writes. Five weeks later, the Pattersons were on a plane to Romania. After visiting several orphanages and meeting several birth mothers, they found Ana and her daughter and immediately began the necessary paperwork to legally adopt Chelsea. After five weeks, the new family flew home to North Carolina.

The Pattersons would go on to adopt four more children internationally (though not from Romania; adoption laws changed and foreigners could no longer adopt from there).

Fast-forward to Sobolik at age 19  the same age Ana was when she placed her Sobolik up for adoption  when a doctor delivered the brutal news that Sobolik, who was raised in a family of six children, who baby-sat and volunteered at summer camps  would not be able to have biological children. Id always anticipated the day when my husband and I would find out that I was pregnant, share the good news with our friends and family, and start planning and preparing for our little one to enter the world. This was the natural course of life I was expecting and longing for, she writes.

She writes tenderly and transparently of her experience. Hers is a uniquely powerful voice in conversations about women and motherhood today. She writes about spiritual motherhood and mentoring. She has a sensitivity for women who dont feel called or ready to be mothers, for women  and men  hurt by abortion, and for imminent parents desperately in need of help and resources.

Further, she points out that childlessness touches the lives of many women, and the precious people who love them. Infertility alone affects approximately 12 percent of the U.S. population  thats over one in 10 couples. According to estimates, roughly 15 to 20 percent of all pregnancies in the U.S. will end in miscarriage. The risk of miscarriage in known pregnancies under 12 weeks is one in five.

And those numbers dont even take into account couples who have experienced the devastation of a child dying because of illness or accident. It doesnt take into account single women who want to be mothers but who are aging out of the ideal childbearing years. It is only a start in putting all of this pain in perspective.

The world may never know how many tears youve cried, but you can rest in the fact that not one tear has fallen to the ground without God noticing, Sobolik writes.

Out of the depths of love and pain, Sobolik, who is policy director for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, uses her voice to offer us an opportunity to think about the children in need of a loving home, the women and men in the world with broken hearts for children  both out of loss and longing  and invites us to enter a conversation about life, love and children and family that can be about more than the often miserable politics surrounding the long, polarizing argument over a womans right to choose abortion. Theres so much more to life. And a longing to get on with it.

(Kathryn Jean Lopez is senior fellow at the National Review Institute, editor-at-large of National Review Online and founding director of Catholic Voices USA. She can be contacted at klopez@nationalreview.com.)Anne Applebaum of the Washington Post is probably the leading American defender of the Europe of Brussels, the antithesis of the Europe of Nations. Shes also one of President Trumps harshest critics.

That makes sense. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks the truth when he says that President Trump has helped put the world back on track to a nation-first trajectory.

In her latest column, Applebaum describes a lunch meeting that she and a small group of European writers, historians and philosophers had with French president Emmanuel Macron. The gathering was organized by French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy, precisely the person you would have tabbed for the role if you were writing a satirical story about such a lunch.

But Applebaum isnt writing satire, and Macrons remarks, as she sets them forth, are revealing. She recounts:

[Macron] pointed out. . .that those who fear the return of nationalism and nativism across the continent still dont have a common political language. They are the majority  in most countries, the vast majority. But they are also center-right conservatives, center-left social democrats and liberals from many countries, and they dont necessarily use the same political vocabulary. They lack a common set of heroes, a common set of themes  in other words, to use the now- unavoidable phrase, they lack a common narrative.

Say what you will about nationalism, it delivers a common set of heroes and themes.

Whats an anti-nationalist to do? Deliver his own common set of heroes and themes.

But where are they to be found? Jacques Delors and the Common Market wont do.

Here, according to Applebaum, is Macrons answer:

Macron has talked of creating networks of European universities, schools and cultural institutions to ensure that every European recognizes their destiny in the figures adorning a Greek temple or in Mona Lisas smile, as well as similar networks of European police forces and militaries to keep Europeans safe in an era of radical Islamist terrorism, Russian espionage and U.S. disinterest.

In other words, counter nationalism with a kind of super-nationalism and throw in a dose of anti-Islamist rhetoric. Mimic the caricature you have developed of your opponents, and beat them at their own game.

Its a clever response. However, there are problems with it. First, staffing a network of universities that preaches a European destiny and extols Greek temples and Mona Lisas smile wont be easy.

The modern academic left isnt into European chauvinism. Many of its leading members dont even accept the concept of a common Western (or European) civilization with roots in ancient Greece. They view the notion as a 19th century invention to justify imperialism and colonialism  or something.

Second, dont expect the left to rally behind European police and military forces countering Islamist terrorism. This sort of appeal might be a coalition buster.

Third, no amount of indoctrination by a network of universities will persuade Hungarian and Poles (or any other national group, really) that their heroes should be Greek or, more broadly, that their destiny should be European. They know all too well what that sort of destiny has looked like in the past.

For the foreseeable future, Kossuth and Kosciuszko will resonate more with Hungarians and Poles (respectively) than any European heroes Macron might offer up. Indeed, historical figures who stood for more European unity are mostly regarded as villains in the areas they tried to consolidate, and rightly so.

Finally, and relatedly, the kind of pitch Macron apparently wants to make might well play into the hands of nationalists. Talking about the threat of Islamist terrorism almost certainly will. Whats a better solution to that problem, restricting Muslim immigration or European policing? The answer seems clear and it doesnt favor Macrons side.

Im not saying that the nationalists will successfully thwart the Europe of Brussels or even that they will turn public opinion decisively against that Europe (Brussels has fixed it so that the two things are not the same). Im also not saying that those who are pushing for the Europe of Brussels are devoid of moderately appealing lines of argument.

But I do question whether the European chauvinism Macron seems to be pitching is one of these arguments. The case for the Europe of Brussels is inherently drab, like that Europe itself, and I dont think theres any way of getting around this.Roger Kimball is a man of many parts. He is the author of more than a dozen outstanding books on art, politics, and intellectual history. He is the editor and publisher of The New Criterion. He is the publisher of Encounter Books. He is an eloquent columnist and regular commentator on current events in the Notes & Comments section of the New Criterion as well as other outlets including PJ Media, Spectator USA, and American Greatness as well as other publications.

Roger was one of three worthy recipients of this years Bradley Prize at the ceremony held in Washington on May 7 (see the announcement reported by Ben Boychuk here). The award recognizes individuals whose outstanding achievements reflect The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundations mission to restore, strengthen and protect the principles and institutions of American exceptionalism.

The following is adapted from Rogers acceptance remarks at the Bradley Prize ceremony as published in the June 2019 number of The New Criterion under the title Restoring the lost consensus. Because his penetrating remarks take up themes and events about which we have written frequently, we asked for, and Roger graciously granted, his permission to post them here:

Looking around the cultural landscape today, I conclude that we are in the midst of a sort of negative religious revival: lets call it Americas First Great Awokening.

Evidence of our societys wokenessa false awakening sparked by political grievanceis all around. Id like to begin with what the philosopher Nicholas of Cusa called the coincidence of opposites. Unpacking exactly what Cusa meant by that arresting phrase would take us into the thickets of metaphysical speculation. But we see pedestrian examples of that strange coincidence everywhere. Indeed, one of the great tests of our wokeness is the extent to which many things have mutated into their oppositesnot awake but awoke. Inversion is a dominant principle of our social life.

Consider, to take just one example, the fate of our colleges and universities. Once upon a time, and it was not so long ago, they were institutions dedicated to the pursuit of truth and the transmission of the highest values of our civilization. Today, most are dedicated to the repudiation of truth and the subversion of those values. In short, they are laboratories for the cultivation of wokeness. This is especially true, with only a handful of exceptions, of the most prestigious institutions. The tonier and more expensive the college, the more woke it is likely to be.

There are two central tenets of the woke philosophy. The first is feigned fragility. The second is angry intolerance. The union of fragility and intolerance has given us that curious and malevolent hybrid, the crybully, a delicate yet venomous species that thrives chiefly in lush, pampered environments.

The eighteenth-century German aphorist G. C. Lichtenberg observed, Nowadays we everywhere seek to propagate wisdom: who knows whether in a couple of centuries there may not exist universities for restoring the old ignorance. Doubtless Lichtenberg thought he was being clever. How astonished he would have been to discover that he was a prophet, not a satirist.

Surely many of you have heard about the Twitter sensation Titania McGrath [about whom we had more to say in these pages in our April and May 2019 issues]. She is the author of many extravagant woke pronouncements. Item: If you dont think exactly the same way as me, then youve clearly got a lot to learn about diversity. Satire? Or bulletin from the front?

The world recently learned that Titanias real name is Andrew and that all those woke observations were in jest. A certain amount of hilarity ensued. But the serious point is this: McGraths sly tweets are indistinguishable from what is actually, seriously being propagated today in academiaand not only in academia. The mantra is Diversity. The reality is strictly enforced conformity about any ideas that might disturb the heavy moral slumber of wokeness.

And heres an irony: when the free speech movement started at Berkeleys Sproul Hall in 1964, it was a left-wing movement that demanded tolerance and challenged conventional behavior and mores. Today the Left espouses the oppositenot tolerance and free speech but conformity and censorship.

Acouple of years ago at Encounter Books, I was proud to publish The Demon in Democracy by the Polish philosopher Ryszard Legutko. A prominent theme in that book is the persistence of totalitarian impulses in putatively liberal societies. Just a few weeks ago, as if to illustrate that thesis, Middlebury College suddenly rescinded an invitation to Mr. Legutko to speak. Why? Because a handful of student snowflakes decided that Mr. Legutkos ideas were not in perfect harmony with their own.

Middlebury, of course, is the institution that covered itself in shame two years ago when protestors there loudly and violently prevented the social scientist Charles Murray from speaking and then, in the resulting melee, sent a female faculty member to the hospital. And heres the kicker: Middlebury is not some wacko exception. On the contrary, its malignant embrace of woke identity politics is the rule in the American educational establishment, and, increasingly, in the American workplace.

The suppression of free speech by the wardens of wokeness has prompted many conservatives to champion free speech as an all-purpose antidote. I sympathize with that endeavor. But tonight Id like to put the debate over free speech into a larger context.

The fact that the Left celebrated free speech in 1964 and now abominates it as a token of white supremacist ideology suggests the issue is not really, or not only, free speech. Like all freedoms, free speech is defined by the responsibilities it embraces and the culture in which it thrives. Some advocates of free speech maintain that, when it comes to the free expression of ideas, anything goes. No ideas, they say, should be off limits. They say that. But I do not think that they really believe it, since one can easily produce a long list of ideas that they would be horrified to see circulating.

But that in turn suggests that the whole debate over free speech needs to be seen in the context of its larger purpose: its role in the metabolism of education, first of all, but also the place of education in the social-political dispensation of our country.

For assistance in making this point, Id like to introduce you to a once potent, now largely forgotten political thinker named Willmoore Kendall. Kendall was an important mentor of William F. Buckley at Yale in the late 1940s. He was a founding editor of National Review. Leo Strauss said he was the most important political theorist of his generation.

Among other things, Kendall saw deeply into the dialectic of disagreement and free speech. It is understandable that conservatives should react to woke intolerance by celebrating free speech. The criminalization of policy differences that underwrites woke culture is an alarming development. But I think that Kendall was right when he contended that by no means are all questions open questions.

To explain this, Kendall points out that all societies are founded on a consensus, what he calls a hard core of shared beliefs. This is especially true, he notes, for the United States, whose founding principles are of recent vintage and are clearly and deliberately set forth. Freedom of thought and expression are important, Kendall acknowledges, but only within limits set by the basic consensus. Should that consensus be challenged by something with genuine civil war potential, the proper response is not debate but interdiction. Edmund Burke made a similar point in his Reflections on the French Revolution, as did James Madison when he spoke of that veneration for traditionwhat he called the prejudices of the communitywhich even the wisest societies abandon at their peril. Abraham Lincoln, in his stalwart prosecution of the Civil War, demonstrated his agreement with Kendalls insight.

Kendall was writing at a moment when international Communism posed an existential threat to the United States. With that in mind, he argued, Some questions involve matters so basic to the consensus that, in declaring them open, a society would in effect abolish itself [and] commit suicide. Accordingly, Kendall outlined two views of free speech. The first, dedicated to the proposition that no truth in particular is true, holds that all questions are open and that no one position is to be preferred to another. The second view, his view, turns on two words: We and truth, as in the phrase We hold these truths from the Declaration of Independence. The identity of that We and the substance of those truths mark the limits of interrogation.

Legal historians will note the similarity between what Kendall says and Justice Robert Jacksons famous observation, in his dissent in Terminiello v. City of Chicago (1949), that the Bill of Rights is not a suicide pact. When it comes to free speech, Jackson said, the choice is not between order and liberty. It is between liberty with order and anarchy without either.

When it comes to free speech, Jackson said, the choice is not between order and liberty. It is between liberty with order and anarchy without either.

Conservatives have rightly lamented the assault on free speech that is such a conspicuous and disfiguring reality of life in America today. But that loss only achieves its true significance in the context of a more fundamental erosion: the erosion of that shared political consensus, that community of sentiment, which gives life to the first-person plural, that We, the People, which made us who we are. Should we lose that, we shall have lost everything.

Copyright  2019 by Roger Kimball. All rights reserved. Reprinted with the kind permission of Roger Kimball and The New Criterion.ONE WIDELY-SHARED ARTICLE in the world press this week came from a popular science magazine which revealed that despite Finlands efforts to fight climate change, the country is actually warming up at double the global average rate. They also interviewed Finlands former environment minister to get her thoughts on the looming ecological catastrophe.

In other news, tech pundits and publications have been focusing heavily on the impending rollout of drone deliveries in Eastern Helsinki. The drones, which are operated by Googles parent company, will be delivering upscale groceries and takeout food in the Vuosaari area of the city, one of the first such rollouts of its size in the world.

There has also been increasing coverage of Helsinki upcoming Biennial Art Festival, which aims to replicate the success of similar modern art fairs in Miami, Venice, and New York.

Finland is warming at twice the global rate

Fair Observer

Finland is a country of fascinating and stark contrasts  long and glittery summer nights and short, snowy winter days, the midnight sun and the winter darkness. The country earned its nickname, the Land of the Midnight Sun, because of the sun that doesnt set at all in its northernmost parts during summer months. Finland is a land of islands, boasting some 187,888 lakes, and is believed to be one of the most extensive and unspoiled natural environments in Europe.

However, Finland has been affected by global warming and climate change in its own ways. The Finnish Meteorological Institute has projected that in the near future, temperatures will rise, precipitation will surge, snow cover and soil frost will reduce, cloud cover will increase, sunshine will decrease and sea level in the Baltic Sea will rise. June 2017 was the fourth warmest in 137 years.

In 2015, Finlands national Climate Change Act entered into force, laying down provisions on climate policies and monitoring the implementation of climate objectives. The long-term greenhouse gas emission reduction target set by the legislation is aimed at 80% by 2050. The Ministry of the Environment is tasked with multiple responsibilities to mitigate the impacts of climate change on Finland.

In this edition of The Interview, Fair Observer talks to Satu Hassi, Finlands former environment minister, about the northern European nations fight against climate change and its governments policies to tackle global warming.

Original article was published in Fair Observer on 21/05/19 and can be found here.

Wing will start making drone deliveries in Finland next month

The Verge

Wing, the Alphabet-owned drone startup, will launch a delivery service in Finlands capital Helsinki next month. The trial will make deliveries to residents in the citys Vuosaari district, which Wing notes is the capitals most populous area. The service will offer products from two shops: the gourmet supermarket Herkku Food Market and local restaurant Cafe Monami.

When Wing first announced its intention to launch a trial in Finland, it said that delivery flights would cover a maximum of 10km with packages weighing 1.5kg or less, and with delivery times expected to be around 10 minutes. Since making the announcement, Wing has been running test flights in Teisko, a municipality to the north of Helsinki, to ensure that its drones are up to the task of flying in harsh conditions.

Wing says its been hosting community events in Vuosaari to prepare local residents for the drones that will shortly be flying over their neighborhood. However, the companys drones have been criticized in the past for the amount of noise they produce. During a trial period in the Australian capital of Canberra, some residents told ABC News that they could hear the drones flying overhead even with their windows closed.

These reports were apparently not serious enough to discourage Australias aviation authority from granting Wing regulatory approval to start making public deliveries. Not long afterward, the FAA followed suit and granted its approval for the company to start making deliveries in the US. Wing plans to start making deliveries in Virginia in the coming months.

While Wing goes from strength to strength, Amazons competing Prime Air delivery service has gone quiet. Despite a much-publicized drone delivery made in the UK in 2016, and another delivery in the US in 2017 we havent heard much from Amazons drone efforts in recent years. Last year, an Amazon spokesperson said it remained committed to making drone deliveries a reality.

Original article was published in The Verge on 17/05/19 and can be found here.

Finlands capital is raising its profile in contemporary art with the creation of Helsinki Biennial

Forbes

The verdant Finnish capital celebrated for its parkland, forest, lakes and islands is set to raise its prominence in the world of contemporary art by hosting the first ever Helsinki Biennial on an island off Helsinki city center. The inaugural edition of this new international exhibition will run from June 12th to September 27th, 2020, on the heritage-rich island of Vallisaari.

The major exhibition is designed to provide a platform for showcasing the diverse Finnish art scene, while also forging a greater connection with the global artistic landscape. Each edition will feature new site-specific commissions by leading artists from around the world. The curatorial concept for the first edition is yet to be announced but it will be tied to Helsinkis maritime roots.

Just a 15-minute boat trip from the city center, the former military island of Vallisaari is the ideal setting for the biennial to express this side to the citys identity. Having only opened to the public in 2016, the island distinguished by its history and remarkable biodiversity. To reflect this contrast, the biennial plans to address the evolving relationship between humanity and nature.

The new biennial is being presented by major local institution Helsinki Art Museum (HAM), directed by HAM director Maija Tanninen-Mattila and curated by HAMs head curators, Pirkko Siitari and Taru Tappola. As well as being one of the leading art museums in Finland, Helsinki Art Museum takes pride in exhibiting artworks in public space across the city. Recognised for playing a crucial role in supporting the citys public arts, the institution is the ideal host for this major public art event.

Finland has long had a reputation for world-class architecture and design. Following on from the recent openings including Amos Rex Art Museum, the Biennial promises to enhance this reputation in arts and culture by developing Helsinkis art scene on a grass-roots level as well as in its institutions.

Helsinkis Mayor, Jan Vapaavuori, elaborates: The civic approach to culture and architecture sets Helsinki apart. The city recognises the value of a vivid and forward-looking art scene that champions local contemporary art and its relationship with the global community.

The biennial will illustrate the unique characteristic of Helsinki and the surrounding archipelago. It also highlights our commitment to art, architecture, design and urban culture in all its forms. The biennial will open up new worlds to anyone who visits Helsinki.

Original article appeared in Forbes on 22/05/19 and can be found here.

Adam Oliver Smith  HT (@HelsinkiTimes)

Image Credit: LehtikuvaThe man from Wikileaks  i.e., Julian Assange  is the subject of a superseding indictment charging him with 17 counts under the Espionage Act along with the original count of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion. I have embedded a copy of the indictment below. Charlie Savage expresses the institutional interest of the New York Times in the case in his story on the indictment:

Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks leader, has been indicted on 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act for his role in obtaining and publishing secret military and diplomatic documents in 2010, the Justice Department announced on Thursday  a novel case that raises profound First Amendment issues. The new charges were part of an expanded indictment obtained by the Trump administration that significantly raised the stakes of the legal case against Mr. Assange, who is already fighting extradition proceedings in London based on an earlier hacking-related count brought by federal prosecutors in Northern Virginia. The charges are the latest twist in a career in which Mr. Assange has morphed from a crusader for radical transparency to fugitive from a Swedish sexual assault investigation, to tool of Russias election interference, to criminal defendant in the United States. Mr. Assange vaulted to global fame nearly a decade ago as a champion of openness about what governments secretly do. But with this indictment, he has become the target for a case that could open the door to criminalizing activities that are crucial to American investigative journalists who write about national security matters. The case has nothing to do with Russias election interference in 2016, when Mr. Assanges organization published Democratic emails stolen by Russia as part of its covert efforts to help elect President Trump. Instead, it focuses on Mr. Assanges role in the leak of hundreds of thousands of State Department cables and military files by the former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. Justice Department officials did not explain why they decided to charge Mr. Assange under the Espionage Act  a step also debated within the Obama administration but ultimately not taken. Although the indictment could establish a precedent that deems actions related to obtaining, and in some cases publishing, state secrets to be criminal, the officials sought to minimize the implications for press freedoms.

The caption on the photograph of Assange that accompanies the story is drawn from a paragraph buried in the story that states the Timess interest in the case with something approaching hilarious concision: Though Julian Assange is not a conventional journalist, much of what he does at WikiLeaks is difficult to distinguish in a legally meaningful way from what traditional news organizations do.

I specifically addressed the Timess interest in constitutionalizing the right to violate the Espionage Act in the 2006 Weekly Standard column Exposure. Does the First Amendment protect the press against liability for espionage? Plot spoiler: I dont think so, but that is the question.

As I formulated the question back then:

Is the New York Times a law unto itself? When the Times published its December 16 [2005] expose of the secret National Security Agency electronic surveillance of al Qaeda-related communications, reporters James Risen and Eric Lichtblau noted that they had granted anonymity to the nearly a dozen current and former officials who were the sources for the story. Risen and Lichtblau stated that they had granted these sources anonymity because of the classified nature of the program. Implicit in the Timess rationale is the recognition that leaks of such classified information are illegal. That recognition is, of course, correct. Section 793 of the federal espionage law prohibits authorized persons possessing information relating to the national defense which information the possessor has reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation . . .  from disclosing it to persons not entitled to it. Section 798 of the espionage law prohibits the disclosure of classified communications intelligence activities to unauthorized persons in any manner prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States or for the benefit of any foreign government to the detriment of the United States . . .  The violation of these statutes is a felony. Because their disclosures to the Times may fall within these statues, the current and former government officials referred to in the Risen/Lichtblau story sought the promise of confidentiality from the Times to protect their identity. Assuming that these statutes apply to the leaks involved in the NSA story, has the Times itself violated the statutes and committed a crime? The answer is clearly affirmative. Section 798, for example, makes knowing and willful publication of the proscribed information a crime. Moreover, under the basic federal aiding and abetting statute 18 U.S.C. section 2in willfully helping the leakers publish their disclosures, the Times is as culpable as they are, and punishable as a principal. Which raises the question: Does the First Amendment afford the Times immunity from criminal liability for its conduct?

Having followed my comments on the Times and the Espionage Act, then Lieutenant Tom Cotton copied us on his letter to the editor of the Times in June 2006. The Times didnt see fit to publish the letter, but we did. Here is then Lieutenant Cottons June 2006 letter to then executive editor of the Times Bill Keller and the two Times reporters, complete and unexpurgated, datelined Baghdad:

Dear Messrs. Keller, Lichtblau & Risen: Congratulations on disclosing our governments highly classified anti-terrorist-financing program (June 23[, 2006]). I apologize for not writing sooner. But I am a lieutenant in the United States Army and I spent the last four days patrolling one of the more dangerous areas in Iraq. (Alas, operational security and common sense prevent me from even revealing this unclassified location in a private medium like email.) Unfortunately, as I supervised my soldiers late one night, I heard a booming explosion several miles away. I learned a few hours later that a powerful roadside bomb killed one soldier and severely injured another from my 130-man company. I deeply hope that we can find and kill or capture the terrorists responsible for that bomb. But, of course, these terrorists do not spring from the soil like Platos guardians. No, they require financing to obtain mortars and artillery shells, priming explosives, wiring and circuitry, not to mention for training and payments to locals willing to emplace bombs in exchange for a few months salary. As your story states, the program was legal, briefed to Congress, supported in the government and financial industry, and very successful. Not anymore. You may think you have done a public service, but you have gravely endangered the lives of my soldiers and all other soldiers and innocent Iraqis here. Next time I hear that familiar explosion  or next time I feel it  I will wonder whether we could have stopped that bomb had you not instructed terrorists how to evade our financial surveillance. And, by the way, having graduated from Harvard Law and practiced with a federal appellate judge and two Washington law firms before becoming an infantry officer, I am well-versed in the espionage laws relevant to this story and others  laws you have plainly violated. I hope that my colleagues at the Department of Justice match the courage of my soldiers here and prosecute you and your newspaper to the fullest extent of the law. By the time we return home, maybe you will be in your rightful place: not at the Pulitzer announcements, but behind bars. Very truly yours, Tom Cotton

Baghdad, Iraq

This is the issue that the government seeks to downplay and the Times (and others, such as the Wall Street Journal in an excellent editorial today) to raise in the context of the superseding indictment of Assange.

Assange Superseding Indictment by on ScribdJohn Fonte is probably the leading American critic of what he calls the Europe of Brussels. Thus, his is a voice worth listening to in connection with the European parliamentary elections now being held.

John discusses whats at stake in these elections in an article for American Greatness called The Virtues of Patriotism. The election, says John, represents a war of ideas between the Europe of Nations and the Europe of Brussels  between national democratic sovereignty and supranational authority.

John is making a critical distinction. The clash here is not between pro-Europeans and anti-Europeans, but between two different visions of Europe. Its an old conflict, he reminds us:

During the 1960s French President Charles de Gaulle advocated a Europe of States and strongly opposed European Commission President Walter Hallsteins push for more centralization. Twenty years later, in the 1980s, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher battled with then-European Commission President Jacques Delors over the same general argument of democratic sovereignty versus undemocratic supranationalism.

Over the years, the Europe of Brussels gained ascendancy. But in recent years, says John, the vision of a Europe of Nations embraced by de Gaulle and Thatcher is re-emerging both intellectually and politically.

Those advancing this vision do not constitute a monolith:

These forces are not always in agreement on economics, on foreign policy, or other issues. Some are Thatcherite, some are Gaullist, some are sophisticated, some are not, some are traditional and classically liberal, some are given the nebulous label of populist, which is meant as a derogatory epithet.

Indeed, we have observed that divisions among those who believe in a Europe of Nations seem to constitute the main hope that opponents of that vision have for advancing the Europe of Brussels in the face of a hostile electorate.

John and a group of like-minded intellectuals addressed the divisions in a document called The Paris Statement: A Europe We Can Believe In. Although expressing reservations about populism because Europe needs to draw on the deep wisdom of her traditions, they nonetheless concluded:

We acknowledge that much in this new political phenomenon can represent a healthy rebellion against the tyranny of the false Europe, which labels as anti-democratic any threat to its monopoly on moral legitimacy.

The parliamentary elections taking place right now will give us a good idea of the scope of that rebellion.PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-25 22:12:54

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WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / May 25, 2019 /Attorney and advocate for social justice KellyHyman looks back on the legal right of women in the United States of America to vote. The legal right of women in the United States of America to vote, U.S. women's suffrage was established nationally in 1920. An attorney and a keen advocate for social justice and women's rights based in Denver, Colorado, Kelly Hyman takes a closer look at the subject as she reveals more about women's suffrage in the United States. "Established over the course of more than 50 years, women's suffrage wasn't recognized nationally in the United States until less than a century ago," reveals Hyman.More than half a century in the making, first in individual states and localities, and often on a limited basis, women's suffrage in the U.S. was finally established nationally in 1920. Yet, in fact, according to Hyman, the same demand for women's suffrage dates back as far as the 1840s. "Emerging from the broader women's rights movement which was gathering pace at the time, the subject of suffrage became a key area of focus among many of those involved in the movement by the time that the inaugural National Women's Rights Convention came around in 1850," explains the attorney. It was not, however, until the late 1860s that the first national suffrage organizations were established. Two competing groups, one led jointly by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and one by Lucy Stone, would later join forces, in 1890, to form the National American Woman Suffrage Association. "Another organization, around during the same period and known as the Women's Christian Temperance Union, also pursued the same cause, giving a further boost to the women's suffrage movement," adds Kelly Hyman. "Throughout the 1870s and 1880s," she continues, "suffragists made numerous attempts to vote, filing lawsuits when they were turned away." Indeed, in 1872, suffragist Susan B. Anthony, who would later become the head of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, succeeded in voting but was quickly arrested for the act. Found guilty in a widely publicized trial, the women's suffrage movement gained fresh momentum as a result. "What ultimately followed was a decades-long campaign for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution," Hyman reveals, "which would enfranchise women, and which began in earnest working for suffrage on a largely state-by-state basis." Years later and more than a decade-and-a-half into the 20th century, American suffragist, feminist, and women's rights activist Alice Paul formed the National Woman's Party. "Established in 1916, the National Woman's Party was focused on the passage of a national suffrage amendment," explains Hyman.Picketing the White House the following year, in 1917, more than 200 National Woman's Party supporters were arrested, many of whom were sent to prison. Now boasting two million members, however, the National American Woman Suffrage Association promptly made a national suffrage amendment its number one priority. Following a hard-fought series of votes within U.S. Congress, as well as in state legislatures, the so-called Nineteenth Amendment became part of the U.S. Constitution three years later. "Becoming part of the U.S. Constitution on August 26, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment, to this day, states, 'The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex,'" adds Hyman, wrapping up.A graduate of UCLA and the University of Florida College of Law, Kelly Hyman is an attorney at Denver, Colorado-based Franklin D. Azar & Associates focused on class action lawsuits and mass tort litigation. A staunch advocate for social justice and women's rights whose other interests include the law, current events, voting rights, and female empowerment, she is happily married to federal judge Paul G. Hyman, Jr.Kelly Hyman - Colorado-based Top-Rated Attorney and Legal Analyst: http://kellyhymannews.com An Interview With Kelly Hyman: From Actor To Attorney With Tact: https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenbobrow/2019/04/22/an-interview-with-kelly-hyman-from-actor-to-attorney-with-tact/ Kelly Hyman's Appearance on America This Week As A Democratic Strategist - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TsZ3wzY8c0 Contact Information:contact@ kellyhymannews.com SOURCE: Kelly HymanAs a lady born with HIV, I have faced lots of stigma issues that made me feel people living with HIV are not humans.

The worst of them all was when a laboratory scientist revealed my status to my friend and the entire community got to know about it.

It was a depressing period for me, and the only thing that kept me going was my boldness.

These were the words of Anita Ikwe, a 21-year-old woman.

Stigma and discrimination are considered major problems for people living with HIV/AIDS globally.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

People living with HIV often experience stigma, hostility, denial of gainful employment, forced resignation or retirement, delivery of poor quality treatment and segregation in hospital wards.

From the reporters findings, fear of rejection is rife amongst persons living with the ailment in Nigeria.

Miss Ikwe is one of the many Nigerians born with the virus.

At age 10, I saw a doctor at the University College Hospital, Ibadan writing HIV positive and viral load on a form.

While I was stepping out, I asked my mum. Do I have HIV? And her response was, yes; you have HIV. She said it carelessly, and that was how I knew about my status, she said

Just like Ms Ikwe, millions of People Living With HIV (PLHIV) have to deal with stigma.

Once people know you are positive to the virus, the stigma comes in consciously or unconsciously.

Stigmatisation is nothing new to people living with HIV. If you do not experience it from family members, you will get it from health workers and society.

As long as the society is concerned, once you have HIV, you have become a walking ghost, says Ameh (the first name withheld).

However, unlike Ikwe, Ameh was not born with the virus.

I was not born with HIV. I got to know of my status at age 22, she said.

Global HIV Prevalence

The ailment is one of the worlds most serious public health challenges.

According to UNAIDS, about 36.9 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS in 2017, of which 1.8 million were children.

The Nigerian HIV/AIDs Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) indicates that about 1.9 million Nigerians are currently living with the disease, according to the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).

Globally, in 2017, about 21.7 million people living with HIV (59 per cent) were accessing antiretroviral therapy, an increase of 2.3 million since 2016 and up from 8 million in 2010.

AIDS-related deaths are also said to have reduced by more than 51 per cent since its peak in 2004.

In 2017, 940 000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses worldwide, compared to 1.4 million in 2010 and 1.9 million in 2004.

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Stigma

According to the Executive Secretary of Civil Society for HIV/AIDs in Nigeria (CISHAN), Walter Ugwocha, the fear of stigma is one of the factors holding people back from getting tested.

Roselyn Adejo, a sex worker in one of the brothels in Kubwa, a suburb in the FCT, agrees that the fear of stigmatisation discourages people from getting tested for HIV.

Some of my friends will not go to the hospital for testing because of the way the nurses react towards us.

Once they know you are a sex worker, they discriminate, gossip among themselves and you will know from the way they look at you, she said.

She, however, agrees that her choice of work puts her at a higher risk of contracting the diseases.

You know how risky this line of work can be. Condoms break sometimes, but due to the way people discriminate out there, I feel reluctant going for HIV test, she said.

According to UNAIDS, the key populations most affected by HIV/AIDS in Nigeria are sex workers, gay men (men who have sex with men) and people who inject drugs.

Although prostitution is illegal in Nigeria, the trade is still thriving in some parts of the country.

Denied employment

Miss Phils (first name withheld), a 28-years-old lady living with the virus was reportedly denied a bank job due to her HIV status.

Out of so many people that came for the interview, I made it through to the final stage. We were later asked to come for medical assessment, and that was the last I heard of them.

But I now have a federal job, which is okay for me, she said.

She said she was not aware of the HIV/AIDS (Anti Discrimination) ACT, 2014, which frowns against employers denying PLHIV job opportunities.

Act protecting PLHIV

The HIV/AIDS (Anti Discrimination) Act of 2014, makes provision for the prevention of HIV/AIDS based discrimination and to protect the fundamental human rights and dignity of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

The Act was enacted in 2014 to deter the general public from discriminating against people living with the virus.

The Act frowns against the ill-treatment of PLHIV in health facilities, religious places, schools, job denial, denial of access to communal places amongst others.

Part 1 (5) (1) of the Act states that; No individual, community, institution and employer or employee shall discriminate, directly or indirectly, against any person in the society based on the persons HIV status or perception of same in employment, delivery of services and other benefits.

Sadly, despite the existence of this law, PLHIV still face discrimination regularly.

Ignorance

Ms Phils said at the time of the incident, she did not know about the act.

The incident was like a year after I discovered my HIV status, so I did not know about the act then. I just wanted to live my life and survive at that time, she said

Miss Ikwe also said at the time she experienced stigmatisation, she was unaware of the act.

Only if I knew my rights then the way I know it now, it would have been a different story, she said.

Stigma spreads the virus

Studies have repeatedly shown that, when HIV-infected people take their antiretroviral treatment correctly, their viral loads become suppressed.

This makes it almost impossible for them to transmit the virus to others.

If stigma prevents HIV-infected people from getting on to treatment, the virus will be allowed to flourish. People who dont know they are infected with HIV would not know that they require treatment, Mr Ugwocha said.

Way Forward

Mr Ugwocha said stigmatisation is still very much around with us.

He said from the health worker to the society, to the religious entity, stigma is still a very big issue.

Stigma is the attitude; discrimination is the action. It is a very big issue for people living with HIV in Nigeria. In Abuja recently, some people were refused treatment because of their HIV status.

We lost someone about four weeks ago in Wuse General Hospital because of the persons status; it was becoming difficult for the person to be given the appropriate treatment. The case became complicated, and she died.

We also had issues of a couple preparing for their wedding in two weeks only for the woman to discover she is HIV positive. And the man refused to go ahead with the wedding, thereby pushing the woman into depression, he said.

AIDS Agency speaks

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Sani Aliyu, said the issues of discrimination and stigma in Nigeria is worrisome.

You cannot get on top of HIV if we continue to have a stigma. People dont have a choice when it comes to HIV.

If you get it, it is because you accidentally hit it. Nobody voluntarily goes out to catch HIV. So why should you stigmatise that person? he said.

He said the government would persecute employers requesting for HIV test results before employing people.

As a government, we will not tolerate stigma and discrimination. We have done a lot of work in the recent past. People living with HIV, who have had issues with their employers, we have supported them and linked them with lawyers.

And we will make an example of employers that we know are trying to commit this crime because it is unacceptable, he said.The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday declined comments about whether it had launched an investigation to find out how former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, came about the bullion vans that drove into his home in February.

Nigerians have mounted pressure on the anti-graft office to open money laundering probe against Mr Tinubu, after the ruling party chieftain was seen on February 22 receiving at least two armoured vehicles believed to be bearing cash.

The development raised controversies because it came a day to the presidential election on February 23.

Mr Tinubu is a senior leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and a strong ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, who was seeking reelection at the time.

Critics said there was no doubt the vehicles were conveying cash to bribe voters with, especially since such trucks are used in Nigeria almost exclusively to convey cash by banks, government institutions and cash-in-transit firms.

Mr Tinubus action was widely deemed contrary to Nigerian anti-money laundering laws, which places a cap of N5 million ( about $14,000) on cash handling by individuals.

The former Lagos governor admitted the next day that the bullion vans were conveying money to his house, but he defended his action as out of publics interest because he was not a government official.

Transparency deferred

Many Nigerians expected the EFCC to investigate the incident for possible violation of Nigerian laws.

But the anti-graft office has declined to comment on the matter  and there is no evidence it is investigating it.

The first comments from the agency on the scandal came during a tweet meet on Thursday, during which the agency found a convenient opening to circumvent explanation.

It is a matter of principle by the EFCC not to discuss in public, issues that border around investigations, the agency said during the hour-long chat organised by the Tap Initiative in Abuja.

The Tap Initiative, an Abuja-based public policy think-tank, had asked whether or not the EFCC saw potential violations of anti-money laundering regulations in Mr Tinubus conduct.

The agency only confirmed that it had secured convictions over vote-buying offences, while several other investigations were ongoing around the same crimes.

It was unclear whether acting-chairman Ibrahim Magu took part in the tweet meet, but EFCC sources told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday night that the responses of the agency came from a senior anti-graft official.

Contributors dismissed the EFCCs explanation during the tweet meet, saying the agency was reluctant to investigate Mr Tinubu because of his status as an ally of the president.

Martin Obono, the director of Tap Initiative, said the organisation does not engage in partisan commentary about its guests submission during a tweet meet, but the citizens have a right to challenge any replies they deem unsatisfactory.

We have brought the EFCC as a guest on our May 23, 2019, edition of tweet meet, and asked questions that we believe were in the public interest, Mr Obono said. But if Nigerians found some of the responses insufficient, they can challenge them to move the conversation forward.

It was the second time the EFCC would participate in the tweet meet, which Tap Initiative introduced in 2018 to engage public officials for updates on their activities.

Its first appearance came in November 2018, during which the agency similarly declined comments about Abdullahi Ganduje, the Kano State governor who was caught on video receiving wads of dollars in alleged bribes from public works contractor.On the night of May 22, a mysterious incident abruptly cut short the joy of the Aremu family after a rocket-like object shattered the roof and landed inside their home in Gbaga, a community in Ogun State.

Five-year-old Praise was asleep when the object flew into the room.

It landed on her arm, severing it  from the elbow  from her the body. The fingers on the remaining arm were badly injured.

A horrified Olaoluwa Aremu, her mother, wept uncontrollably as she narrated the event to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday.

She is just an innocent child, she doesnt deserve this. I just pray my daughter will be back to her normal self.

Mrs Aremu said her daughter had done her homework and retired to bed at 11.15 p.m. when the nightmare began.

We gisted late into the night before we went to sleep, said the heavily-pregnant mother, as she continued to fight back tears.

All of a sudden, we heard a loud noise and we didnt even know where it was coming from, it was very sudden and my little girl was lying on the floor and I didnt know what to call that stuff and it hit her hands.

She said Praise was rushed to four different hospitals but they refused to attend to her.

She was finally taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital where she is receiving treatment.

She (Praise) was sleeping in front and her elder sister was sleeping close to her, the first hand from the wrist to the elbow I pray God should help me, the hand was totally destroyed but the second hand the only the fingers were affected.

Accusations and denials

The Ikorodu-Sagamu expressway is home to several steel-rolling industries. For years, Gbaga and other nearby communities had had to accustom to the loud noise and polluted air that emanate from the factories.

The residents of the community said they heard a loud noise from one of the factories on the night of May 22. Although there is no concrete proof, all fingers were pointed at the nearest steel-rolling factory: the Indian-owned Phoenix Steel Mills Limited.

There was a loud noise and some people that were outside at that time said they saw something like a red arrow go up from the company but did not know where it dropped, said one of the residents who preferred not to be named.

It was this morning that they were now hearing that it is this place and the havoc it has wreaked.

The rocket that landed inside the home of the Aremus and severed their five-year-olds arm The rocket that landed inside the home of the Aremus and severed their five-year-olds arm

A member of the community development association who identified himself simply as Mr Kayode told PREMIUM TIMES that they would allow law enforcement agencies to carry out their investigations and unravel what actually transpired.

Already, the police have been to the scene twice and we have also briefed the CDA lawyer, so we know what next step to take legally, Mr Kayode added.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that officers of the police anti-bomb squad visited the community on Friday.

Phone calls and text message to Abimbola Ogunyemi, the Ogun State police spokesperson, were not answered.

Entry denied

Phoenix Steel Mills Limited is one of the largest producers and exporters, in Nigeria, of steel iron rods, aluminium products, steel iron beams, channels, ingots, and angles.

The companys yearly production  which stands at 100,000 tons  is the second-highest in Nigeria, according to Business List.

When a PREMIUM TIMES reporter visited Phoenix Steel Mills on Thursday, hostile guards at the gate denied him entry.

They only agreed to collect his phone number.

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Minutes later, a staff of the company who identified himself as Idowu Adejumo called the reporter on the phone and made a spirited attempt to defend his organisation.

Mr Adejumo, who is the companys Human Resource Manager, told PREMIUM TIMES that after due consultation with the line manager on duty Wednesday night, there was nothing like an explosion from the company.

I can confirm to you categorically that there wasnt anything like an explosion in our company yesterday (Wednesday), I just spoke with the line manager in our furnace and he said there was nothing like that, maybe it was from somewhere else.An examination of public schools in Nasarawa State has shown some of the facilities to be unsuitable for learning despite the huge amount of money the state says it has spent in the sector in recent years.

Fifteen schools examined by PREMIUM TIMES were in a poor state, posing risks to pupils and teachers.

Even some new model schools, built in 2012 by the state government, are becoming dilapidated. While some schools have new blocks, they lack adequate equipment and teaching materials.

The poor state of educational facilities in the state appears contrary to the huge funding the state government says it has made in recent years.

Funding

The Commissioner of Education, Nasarawa State, Aliyu Tijani, recently announced that the state spent N1.9 billion on renovation of schools in 2018 alone. He said that since 2012, no less than 700 classroom blocks have been constructed across the state.

The state received N11.6 billion from the Universal Basic Education Commissions matching grant between 2005 and 2018.

Under the UBE Act 2004, the federal government sets aside 2 per cent of its Consolidated Revenue Fund to support states in the implementation of the UBE programme. The federal government releases 70 per cent of that amount to states, on the condition that the states make an equal contribution  called matching grants.

The remaining 30 per cent of the federal governments consolidated revenue contribution go to funding education imbalance among and within states, school feeding and health programme, incentive for good performance, education of physically and mentally challenged children, monitoring and implementation of UBE programmes.

In 2016, the total budgetary allocation to the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board was N978.5 million. In 2017, N1.4 billion was allocated for UBEC while N4.5 billion was allocated for the states Universal Basic Education Board.

Combining UBECs matching grant with states budgetary allocation, it is estimated that over N18 billion (including the grant) was allocated for the education sector in Nasarawa State. That is assuming all funding releases were made.

Unfortunately, some schools in the state have little to show for this huge investment in the sector.

Apawu Secondary School

The Apawu Secondary School building houses dilapidated classrooms, caved-in roofing, and green algae on the walls.

Before the intervention of community members, who wanted an education for their children and pooled their resources to achieve this, the only block of classrooms in this school would not have been sufficient for the number of students currently enrolled.

Currently, the school is overcrowded, classrooms broken-down as students have to sit on the floor to receive lessons.

A teacher in the school who pleaded anonymity said of the schools five buildings, one was built by the community members and the examination hall was built by the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) while the roofing was done by the community.

Putting the structure together was not easy as we had to reach out to the community and the PTA to come to our aid and out of nothing, they put up the structures together, he said.

Teachers in the school told this newspaper that the last time the government supplied educational materials for students and teachers was three years ago and the last time textbooks were provided, they were not enough to go round.

INFOGRAPH: Despite years of funding, Nasarawa schools still in poor shape (1). [PHOTO CREDIT: George Kaduna]

The school has 14 teachers who teach and care for more than 360 students. Some teachers have only ever written Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE), making the quality of education being given in this school questionable.

Most of the furniture in the school were supplied using funds contributed by students as PTA levy.

Out of about 360 students in the school, less than 40 per cent has desks. Many of the students were seen sitting on the bare floor.

The school buildings cracks in the walls.

If it starts to rain now, we will all leave our classes because almost all classes are with detached roofs, so, we cant stay here when its raining. We will have to go and hide somewhere, said a teacher.

Apawu Pilot Primary School

In Apawu Pilot Primary school in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa, the teachers and pupils suffer a similar experience.

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The school, founded in 1975, has large student population per class. Overcrowding is not the only thing that makes learning in the school undesirable. In the pursuit of education, most pupils have to sit on the floor while some learn in unconducive conditions.

According to a teacher who asked to be anonymous, [The] government used to provide textbooks for the school in the past but not anymore.

The last supply of textbooks by the government to this primary school was five years ago.

The quality of teachers here is questionable as well as the school also has teachers whose only qualification is the SSCE.

Due to the unconducive learning space, a teacher remarked that the pupils have no enthusiasm to learn, and they rarely show up for class.

Enrolment has reduced drastically because of the bad state of the schools learning structures, the reporter was told. Out of five buildings, three are unusable due to their various states of disrepair.

As a result of this, about 785 pupils have to squeeze themselves in the other two buildings available.

Parts of the two buildings in use have no roof and, just as in the Apawu Secondary School, when it starts raining, pupils and teachers of the Apawu Pilot Primary School are forced to run from the classes, pausing their lessons for hours at a time.

The staff and students of this school do not even have any reprieve when it is not raining as the pupils are exposed to the scorching sun.

One of the students said: The classroom is not conducive at all. Our lessons are affected by sun, and some of my friends told me they are not coming to school because we [are] plenty in the classes.

One of the senior teachers in the school explained further:

We have about three arms for each class with an average of 5o students. Now, we [have] had to merge three arms to have an average of 150 students in a class. We have insufficient class [rooms]. We should have an average of 18 classes. During [the rainy] season, we dont use some of those classes because of poor roofing. We also lack furniture. Recently, the parents had to contribute little money, that was how we [received a] small [number of] chairs and desks. Most times, pupils have to sit on the floor.

Just last week, I went to the market to buy Civic Education textbooks. Since I joined this school in 2016, the government has not provided any textbook for pupils. If students have textbooks, they will go home to do assignments, read better and all that. The government used to provide English and math textbooks in the past but not any more.

Despite [the] minimum teaching qualification of NCE, we still have SSCE teachers who are grossly inefficient to teach and impart knowledge effectively. This has affected the quality of instruction, and since we are short of staff, we cant but make do with what we have, he said.

Kana Secondary School

In Kana Secondary School, the government has not built any classroom since 2006. Determined to fight illiteracy and ensure that members of the community have access to good and quality education, a community school known as Kana Secondary School was established by the members of the community in 2006.

However, since its establishment, apart from sending teachers there, the government has failed to build any additional structure in the school premises to aid education.

You see, this whole school has about 700 students, the five blocks of classrooms here was built by the community. There [is] no furniture in the name of the government, said a teacher.

Located about seven kilometres from the Kokona Local Education Authority Office, our reporter saw unkempt surroundings, dilapidated structures and a general aura of shabbiness.

Like other schools in the area, the Kana Secondary School management has been sustained by the Parents and Teachers Association working in collaboration with members of the community. This team has only been able to provide classrooms for the students in the area and, since its inception. The government has only been able to supply teachers to the school.

The current population of the students stands at over 700. The textbooks made available [are] outdated and not in line with the current curriculum.

We have no furniture; we contribute money to provide desks and chairs. The community has been doing a lot; if not for the PTA and community, students probably would be learning under the tree. The school has been in existence since 2006, lamented the head of the school.

The PTA chairman, who also doubles as the representative of the community, Issa Vgana was equally bitter.

The PTA chairman, Issa Vgana

I had no opportunity of going to school, same with almost all of us in this community. With this in mind and determination to avoid such a fate of illiteracy befalling our children as a community, we, in 2006, decided on constructing a community school where our kids will learn and become great in life.

In a settlement like ours, where most of us are not educated, we feel incomplete. We feel we would have been developed more than this if we had access to education. This is the reason why we had to pool our resources together alongside the community to provide all that the school needs. But you know, it has not been all rosy because of limited resources. We cant do it alone, and that is why we need the government to come and intervene.

When the school started in 2006, we constructed the first block of classrooms for about N275,000. In 2011, we constructed the second building for about N2 million. The third building was constructed in 2009 for about N3 million. We started the construction of the fourth building for N3 million, and now the fifth building cost us about 5 Million, and that was in 2012.

You see, it is not like we have money as a community, it is just that we value education and we want to see our children go to school and receive a quality education. When we saw that the government was not forthcoming, we had to, as a community, pool resources together so we can put these structures you see, in place.

Apart from the buildings, we also work closely with the school to ensure we encourage students who are truants.

The structures and classroom blocks in Kana Secondary School built by community members are beginning to fall apart. Some have roofs in various stages of disrepair; one block has collapsed completely while another block is dilapidated and may soon collapse.

All the classroom blocks in Kana secondary school are not in good condition, and there is an urgent need for total rehabilitation, the principal said.

They had to cut trees from the bush to make seats for pupils in the school to avoid the situation where students will have to sit on the bare floor to learn because of a lack of desks.

Kana Pilot Primary School, Agwada

Entering a fenceless compound with a visible collapsed classroom building served as a pointer to the experiences of staff and students of Kana Pilot Primary School in Agwada, Nasarawa State.

Collapsed Classroom in Kana Primary School

Our reporter later learnt from a teacher in the school that a classroom block which was poorly constructed by government in 2011, was to be rebuilt but, because the actual work already done was beyond repair, it eventually collapsed on a wednesday afternoon while renovations were ongoing and rain was falling.

They wanted to renovate it using iron and cement. They started renovation and when it was raining, the structure collapsed. Since then, it has been like that. Government never bothered to come back and build another structure despite the fact that the school has insufficient classes to accommodate its growing student population, the staff said.

Pupils in the classroom

We have about 300 pupils with grossly insufficient classes, buildings, furniture and insufficient teachers. We are in a community where many kids, with the cooperation of their parents prefer to go to farm. As you can see, this environment is unsafe and obviously not conducive for learning.

The unserious elements among kids in this community and those that never wanted to come to school have got enough sentiments to mutter as to why they never wanted to come to school. They most times taunt their colleagues in school that they cannot come to a school with tattered roofs, collapsed buildings and no fences, said a teacher who works in the school.

Library turned to store for maize

Unfortunately, not only has the government completely abandoned the school and its need for classroom blocks, our reporter was told that the last time textbooks were supplied to the school was three years ago. A sentiments shared with previous schools.

Library with outdated books turned to store for maize

We were given about 100 copies of textbooks in 2014, thats about 30% of what we needed. So, as it is now, we have to use our personal money out of nothing (half salaries) to buy textbooks and instructional materials, a teacher said, regrettably.

In the past, the government used to pay us in percentages. Sometimes we are paid 50%, 40% or 30% and as at now they are owing us not less than 1 year salary. Government should sympathize with us and please, provide basic amenities, pay our salaries and ensure the environment for learning is conducive.

Akwanga South Primary School

Akwanga South Primary School

The entrance of Akwanga South primary school is not only attractive but left this reporter with a feeling of relief that the experience in this school would not be the same as those he had earlier visited.

Inside, the story was not different. A teacher explained how a school with over 700 pupils has been forced to grapple with dilapidated structures, bedraggled classrooms, a severe lack of furniture and buildings nearing collapse.

With over 80 N-power teachers who mostly are unseriousa lack of classrooms has made us merge over 200 pupils in a class. Most of the pupils had to sit on a mat that we had to improvise instead of furniture.

Teachers had to sit in a cage-like office in a very bad condition. We have had to abandon some classes because they are in bad shape and with any serious wind [they] will collapse. So we had to save our kids from being victims and moved to lump them together in the other small classes we have, the teacher said.

The teacher remarked that they do not have enough facilities to cater for the number of pupils who troop into the school everyday to receive their lessons for the day.

One of the dilapidated classrooms

If you go round, you will see how students are learning under worse conditions. We had to evacuate some classes as they were nearing collapse. There is nothing teachers could do to help the situations and most teachers sit inside a goat house like containers called staffroom.

The idea to get mats to spread on the floor for the poor kids was borne out of the very urgent need to improvise as we cant afford furniture.

Most classroom blocks in this school have no roofs. The remaining blocks are currently sitting in various stages of decay, making them unsuitable, unsafe and absolutely unconducive for pupils and staff alike.

The teachers have no staff room. They have to sit inside an old store to hold meetings, plan lessons and mark students notes. They explained that when it rains, they are forced to scamper into leaky classrooms and wait with the children as the rain falls.

Like most public primary schools in the state, the staff room has no urinary, no toilet, and no source of drinking water.

UBBE Primary School, Akwanga

UBBE Primary School, Akwanga appeared strange for several reasons. By 12:00pm on a Tuesday morning, a multitude of students were seen leaving the school, while others were just arriving. The school compound has no fence and the few teachers seen around the classrooms looked as though they were on their way home as well.

When asked about the schools head teacher, one of the teachers replied: We are closed for today, come tomorrow.

Upon further inquiry, it was discovered that the school compound was being utilised by two different schools.

We are sharing this school with another (UBBE Junior Secondary). Lack of schools made the government merge this school together with a junior secondary school. So we have two streams of students. The primary session usually come to school from morning till 12 pm, while students from the secondary school resume by 12 to 5. Thats how we run it daily.

Students in a classroom

Most of the classroom blocks in the Government Primary School, Ubbe, appear new and in good condition. From the outside, it appears to be well maintained, recently painted though unfenced. However, upon closer observation, one can quickly see cracks in the facade. In the school classrooms, pupils are forced to sit on the floor during their lessons as there is a shocking lack of desks in most classrooms.

One of the new classrooms in Ubbe

In the classroom where JSS2 students have their lessons, the roof is falling apart and this is true for a few other classrooms in the building.

When this reporter visited the Local Education Board in Kokona Local Government that houses most of these schools, the Local Education Secretary in Kokona local government (who refused to introduce himself), declined to talk about the issue with our reporter. Instead, he directed him to the State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) office.

This is a government office, we cant give you audience unless there is order from above. So, Im sorry. I cant answer your questions, he said.

Initially, the Commissioner of Education in Nasarawa State, Aliyu Tijani, did not respond to our calls and messages on the issue. When presented with details of our finding, the commissioner brushed the issue aside and advised the reporter not to ridicule himself.

Why dont you mention those in good condition, well, write what you feel is your observations and make sure you dont redicle yourself, Mr Tijani wrote in a text message.

This investigation was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative JournalismThe pro-chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Wale Babalakin, has revealed the reasons behind the crisis brewing at the university.

He opened up in a letter to the House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement.

The letter was a response to an invitation by the committee following a petition it received alleging that Mr Babalakin violated the Public Procurement Act 2007 by desiring to chair the tenders board of the University.

The petition had alleged that the Mr Babalakin-led Governing Councils investigation of past and current management and governing council of the University for alleged breaches, including the violation of the nations procurement act, was driven by the pro-chancellors desire to chair the universitys tenders board.

The council is involved in a running disagreement with the University management and the leadership of the universitys chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The crisis followed the councils decision to probe the universitys finances, the collapse of an uncompleted library and other alleged improprieties of the universitys vice-chancellor, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, his predecessor and other top officials of the institution.

The universitys chapter of ASUU is also at loggerheads with the council following queries issued to some lecturers. Earlier this month, ASUU accused Mr Babalakin of being dictatorial.

Mr Babalakin, however, denied acting outside the mandate of the Governing Council. He told PREMIUM TIMES that the actions of the council were legal.

Alleged Breach

In his letter dated May 17, addressed to the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement, Oluwole Oke, Mr Babalakin explained the reasons he would be unavailable for a meeting the committee had invited him and other members of the Governing Council to.

He also addressed the allegation that the councils investigation of the past and current management of the university was for personal reasons including his desire to chair the Tenders Board of the university, which runs afoul of Section 22(2) of the Public Procurement Act 2007.

Section 22(2) of the act stipulates that the National Council on Public Procurement shall approve the appointment of chairmen of Tenders Board in government organisations.

Subject to the approval of the Council, the Bureau shall, from time to time, prescribe guidelines for the membership of the Tenders Board.

In his letter to Mr Oke, the official explained that the allegations made against him were very grave and thus required a response since he would not be available to make contributions during the planned meeting.

Describing the allegation as completely untrue and fabrication of lies he said it should not have occurred in a university environment.

He explained why the universitys council decided to investigate the finances of the university.

The Council found out that it was consistently being given inaccurate figures about finances of the university. It also found itself in a position where it could not state that the account and figures presented to Council were a fair representation of the accounts in the university, Mr Babalakin wrote.

Wale Babalakin

Mr Babalakin added that the council suspected that the university management was cutting corners with the manner it executed projects in the university.

The Council also observed that projects in the University hardly ever comply with terms of the award. The projects are rarely completed on schedule. As of today, there are many projects in the University that have been ongoing for an unreasonable length of time.

Recently the Library building under construction collapsed in the university which reflects very clearly the weakness in the procurement process and the supervisory capacity of the university. We were very lucky that no life was lost.

He said the council, therefore, set up a committee to investigate the suspected sharp practices of the management.

He added that the council appointed Olutola Senbore, a former chairman of First City Monument Bank, to assist the committee with the investigation.

The committee in its report amongst other things found out that the procurement process in the University of Lagos was weak and felt that the previous system of having the pro-chancellor chair the Tender Board Committee would ameliorate the situation. The committee felt that the University management had not done well in the exercise of its procurement responsibilities. It felt that the move would reduce the number of uncompleted projects in the University, he wrote.

He explained that despite the committees recommendation, he declined to chair the Tenders Board.

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I stated clearly that I was not interested in chairing any tenders Board. That recommendation was thus rejected by the Council.

Premature Petition

Mr Babalakin then wondered why the writer of the petition was in such haste when the University Governing Council was yet to accept the report of the committee.

Sir, as at the 9th of May 2019 when the notice of your committee was issued, the council had not accepted the report of the committee on this item, and so, no issue had arisen whatsoever. Consequently, there was nothing to petition about. Thus, the petition had no basis.

Furthermore as at 16th of May 2019 when the hearing was billed to take place, the issue of the chairmanship of the Tenders Board had been tabled and discarded. It was a dead issued, he wrote.

He then suggested that the writer of the petition may be trying to stop the University Council from acting on the report of the committee.

Sir, I continue to wonder how any member of the University community could have written a petition like this that has no foundation. The writer of the petition must explain its motive because the petition was premature. Was it designed to blackmail the Council so that it will not discuss the reports of the committee of Council? he asked.

Donations to University

Mr Babalakin further explained to the House of Representatives committee on Public Procurement that since he was appointed pro-chancellor of the university, he has not made any money from his position which begs the question why he would want to be made the chair of the university Tenders Board.

Mr Babalakin explained that he had donated over N46.1 million and $5,000.00 of his money to the university since he was appointed pro-chancellor of the university or in the six years that he had worked as pro-chancellor in other universities.

According to him, the donation included N12.5 million, to pay the fees of consultants who investigated the university books, N8 million to the Faculty of Law paid on a monthly instalment from January 2018, N6.4 million to the Department of Creative Arts paid on a monthly instalment of N400,000.00 from January 2015, and N5.1 million.

Other donations Mr Babalakin said he made to the university were N5 million to fund the 2019 pro-chancellors lecture, N5 million made towards the refurbishment of the Faculty of Law Auditorium, N3.1 million made in 2018 to outstanding graduates of the Faculty of Law during convocation, N.7 million to purchase equipment for the Faculty of Pharmacy, N2 million in favour of the Alumni Association, $5,000.00 to the Faculty of Environmental Sciences and N1.3 million as prizes for the 2019 outstanding graduate of the Faculty of Law.

I have never collected one kobo from the University of Lagos. I have not collected any sitting allowance, council allowance, travel allowance or any allowance whatsoever from the University of Lagos since I became Pro-Chancellor.

I do not even allow the University to provide me with any facility, including a vehicle for official use. I do not allow the university to pay for any services for me. When I host events at my lodge, I insist on providing the food and drinks consumed in the lodge.

I have not expressed any interest in any contract or service in the University of Lagos. I will never express any financial interest in any organisation where I have offered my services as a charity. I am in UNILAG to offer my service free of charge.

Is it reasonable that an individual who spent this amount of money over two years without requesting anything in return, will now seek to chair the tenders board for personal gain? he asked.

When reached for comments, Mr Oke told this newspaper investigation into the matter was ongoing.

We are looking into the issue. We are looking at the submission of both the Pro-Chancellor and the university management. We will come to you at the end of the investigation, he said.The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Friday, said the Federal Executive Council was divided on the modalities for the establishment of the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air, hence its inability to take off.

The minister disclosed this in Abuja, during a valedictory press briefing. Mr Amaechi was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, who will commence his second tenure on May 29.

Mr Amaechi noted that the project of establishing a national carrier had not been abandoned even though the members of the federal cabinet have different beliefs as regards the project.

The Punch newspaper quoted the minister as saying: On national carrier, (the) cabinet is divided on the issue of modality. There are those who believe that the federal government should invest and then we can sell the equity later.

There are also those who believe that no, and from day one they say let us get investors in and give them the franchise of Nigeria Airways or Air Nigeria or whatever it is called. That is where we are, and that is what held it down. But as for whether it is still in our plan, it is and has not been abandoned.

In September 2018, PREMIUM TIMES reported the suspension of the project by Nigerias aviation minister, Hadi Sirika.

Although he gave no explanation for the cancellation, it was gathered that the suspension was made because the Economic Management Team (EMT) did not approve of it.

On repaying loans, Mr Amaechi told the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, who was also at the briefing, to ensure that the Nigerian Railway Corporation opened the required accounts that would help in the repayment process.

He also revealed that the Nigerian government had not paid the loan it got from China for the Abuja-Kaduna railway.

He said, Permanent Secretary holds him (NRC boss) to that instruction, and the instruction is that all the money you get from Kaduna-Abuja railway every month, put it in an account. Remove the cost of operation. Whatever remains, let us start paying back, lets develop a sinking fund or an escrow account where we pay that money into.

So that we can even on our own start the payment before the federal government starts paying. Why? I say this is because when we got to China, they insisted because of what they experienced with Kenya, Somalia and Sudan on their inabilities to pay back.

He said the Chinese insisted that Nigeria must open the two accounts.

They insisted that we must open two types of accounts, an escrow account and a sinking fund account. The sinking fund account will require that every year we will put money there which is for the repayment of the loan, while the money for the management of that operation will be put in the escrow account.

Let them put that money in the required account. But for now, nothing has been repaid. It is good you asked that question because I gave them that instruction and Im not sure its being implemented up till now.An FCT High Court in Jabi, Abuja on Friday dismissed a suit challenging President Muhammadu Buharis nomination in the 2019 Presidential Election for lacking in merit.

Other respondents in the suit are the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

The suit was filed by Ozuzu Theodora, Udichukwu Obina, Peter Oduba and Zaro Melchizedek, under the platform of Democracy, Human Rights, Anti-Corruption, Integrity Advocates (DHRACIA).

The plaintiffs approach the court by way of an originating summon and have presented three questions for determination

They prayed the court to declare that by virtue of the provisions of Sections 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, the direct cash of N45 million as nomination fee by President Buhari was illegal and unlawful.

Specially, the plaintiffs also prayed that President Buharis candidature under the platform of the APC should be declared null and void, since the money used to get the form was direct.

They also averred that the money used in the purchase of the form was in excess of the authorised cash limit for either an individual or corporate body.

They also prayed for an order setting aside or nullifying the nomination of the president for the 2019 election and declare it illegal, unlawful and lacking in due process.

Justice Danlami Senchi dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.

Mr Senchi also dismissed the suit on the grounds that the petitioners refused to show up in court to defend their suit on two occasions particularly on May 17 and May 24.

The judge held that the court also lacks jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

The plaintiffs and their counsel abandoned their suit.

I am satisfied that the plaintiffs were fully aware that this matter comes up today.

The court has no jurisdiction to entertain this matter, this suit is hereby dismissed, he held.

The judge also awarded a cost of N2 million against the plaintiff.

(NAN)The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress has appointed Victor Giadom as its acting National Secretary.

The former National Secretary, Mala Buni, is the governor-elect of Yobe State.

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said Mr Giadom would act pending when Yobe State nominates a replacement in a statement.

Before the appointment, Mr Giadom, who is from Rivers State, was the partys Deputy National Secretary.

Mr Giadom is a former chairman of Gokana Local Government and later served as Commissioner for Works in the Rotimi Amaechi administration in Rivers State from 2011 to 2015.

Mr Giadom was also the running mate to businessman Tonye Cole in the aborted run for 2019 governorship election in Rivers State.

In a separate statement, the NWC also congratulated the Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Bagudu on his election as the new Chairman of Progressives Governors Forum.

Bagudus unanimous election is well deserved. We note Bagudus achievements in the agricultural sector, particularly rice production in Kebbi State which is in line with the diversification agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration, Punch Newspaper quoted the NWC as saying.

In line with the PGFs Objectives of promoting good governance, ensuring developmental synergy across APC States and promoting the social democratic programmes of the APC, we are confident that under Bagudus leadership, the PGF will continue to contribute to the growth of our great party, promote our progressive ideals and support the President Buhari administration to continue to deliver on the promises made to the Nigerian people, the statement concluded.The Zamfara state governor, Abdulaziz Yari, has said his All Progressives Congress (APC) lost the battle for the state because that was what God willed.

In a statement by the governors media adviser, Ibrahim Dosara, Mr Yari said he and the party had accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that APC lacked candidates for all elections in the state, as there were no proper primary elections.

The apex court directed the electoral commission, INEC, to issue certificates of return to candidates who came second in the polls.

Candidates of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) benefited from the ruling.

On Saturday, INEC confirmed PDPs Bello Matawalle as the states governor-elect.

The Zamfara government statement quoted Mr Yari as saying the party and its supporters in the state have done everything possible to ensure APC did not lose Zamfara state but as Allah wanted, the party lost the state.

Read full text of the statement:

WE ACCEPT SUPREME COURT VERDICT   GOV YARI .

The Executive Governor of Zamfara state Hon ( Dr ) Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar has on Saturday, May 25th 2019 said his administration and the good loyal APC members in Zamfara state have accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court of Friday May 24th, 2019 which nullified the elections of the state APC conducted in 2019.

The Gov was addressing a gathering of the APC at the Government House Gusau.

The Gov said the party members and its supporters in the state have done everything possible to ensure APC did not loose Zamfara state but as Allah wanted, the party lost the state.

He said the members have also done their best in ensuring the viability and capability of the party to continue to hold on to power to provide more dividends of democracy to the people of the state, but as Allah wanted it, the Supreme Court judgement went the way it happened.

Gov Yari therefore urged all members of the party as well as other citizens of the state to remain calm, peaceful and law abiding.

Gov Yari also directed security agencies in the state to be more vigilant to ensure adequate protection of lives and property of the people in the state.

He also promised to carry all members along to the next level and urged them to be more united.

Signed

Mal Ibrahim Dosara

Hon Special Adviser to the Executive Governor of Zamfara state

( Public Enlightenment, Media and Communication)

25/05/2019The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says its Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has inflicted heavy casualties on Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) elements in devastating air strikes conducted at Tumbun Hamma on the fringes of Lake Chad in Borno.

Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, who announced this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, said the operation was conducted on Friday.

The attack was conducted following credible intelligence reports indicating that the terrorists, who had fled the series of air strikes conducted by Nigerian, Nigerien and Chadian Air Forces, around the Malkanori-Tumbun Rego general axis of northern Borno State, had converged in Tumbun Hamma, he said.

He explained that the attack was preceded by series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions which confirmed heavy presence of terrorists in several structures, along with their logistics items, spread across the small settlement.

Accordingly, the ATF scrambled an Alpha Jet aircraft to attack the location, recording a successful direct hit in the centre of the target area leading to the neutralisation of several terrorists as well as the destruction of their structures and logistics, he said.

Mr Daramola said the NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, would sustain its operations to completely degrade the terrorists in the North-east.(NAN)Sequel to his victory at the Supreme Court on Friday, the Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has reached out to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Kolapo Olusola.

The governor said Mr Olusola should abandon partisanship and join him in the task of improving the lots of Ekiti citizens.

The apex court on Friday dismissed Mr Olusolas appeal and declared Mr Fayemi as the winner of the July 14, 2018 governorship poll.

The victory resulted in widespread jubilation in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, particularly among loyalists of the All Progressives Congress.

Mr Olusola had approached the Election Petition Tribunal, claiming that the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) rigged the poll in Fayemis favour.

He however lost at both the tribunal and the appeal court before proceeding on appeal to the apex court.

Mr Fayemi, while reacting to the verdict, said Mr Olusola is an accomplished Ekiti person going by what he had read and heard about him and that he was ready to work with him to move Ekiti higher.

Prof Olusola Eleka is an illustrious Ekiti person. Though, I am not close to him, but with what I have heard and read about him, he is an accomplished Ekiti man, said Mr Fayemi.

He had served this state as a Deputy Governor and having pursued his case to the supreme court, he should forget about party. He should come to Ekiti party, that is where we all belong, so that we can serve our people better and in a more beneficial way.

Mr Fayemi also described his appointment as Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum, as well as the courts decision as signals of good things to come for Ekiti and the southwest.

I have to give glory to God for finally bearing testimony to the fact that the election that brought me into office was credible and that the primary of my party was the best ever conducted by any party in the history of our nation, he said.

It also bears testimony to the fact that the so called white papers which indicted me was meant for nowhere but a trash can.

The supreme court said the foundation trial courts did a yeomans job by saying the election in Ekiti was substantially compliant with the provisions of the law.

Let me thank the supreme court for putting a finality to this endless litigation because distraction is bound to happen when you have endless cases in court.

On his election as NGF chairman, Mr Fayemi said, It was Ekiti that elected me governor, but being a NGF chairman wont make me to withdraw from serving Ekiti.

You can say Ekiti is in the eye of the storm, because I was elected NGF chairman to serve the nation, but there is no way I wont defend my people in whatever that is coming to states. It is not unlikely that I will argue for Ekiti when things like this happens.

The NGF is a national role, I am just a first among equals.President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday said the outgoing governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, is a clever person who has done well for himself and the state while at the helm of affairs for eight years.

Mr Buhari stated this while on a state visit to commission four projects and inspect 250 beds MTR Multi-Specialist Hospital in Abeokuta, the State capital.

The president gave kudos to the outgoing governor on his performance, pointing out that Mr Amosun was well prepared for the governorship seat.

I think he prepared for the governorship seat. He prepared himself for it, he has put infrastructure that will last. I congratulate him for having the foresight and saving enough resources to make that his footprint remains permanent, very clever person.

The infrastructure he took me through, the flyovers, the bridges, the hospitals and this complex, they are first class. He has done very well for himself and for Ogun State.

He said he was optimistic that Mr Amosun, who is resuming as senator at the National Assembly after his exit as governor, would support his administration as the president of the country, adding that he (Buhari) is in the good books of Mr Amosun.

I think he can continue to serve, not only Ogun State, but the whole country. I am very pleased that I have been in his good books, at least, publicly. So, in the Senate, I believe where he is going to sit for four years and I am going to remain, God willing, for four years as the president, I will automatically assume that he will support me.

Mr Amosun, in his speech, noted that his administrations tenure would come to an end in a matter of days.

Even as we prepare to bow out of office, our desire to continue to contribute our quota to the socio-economic development of our dear state remains undiluted, he said.

Todays event is an eloquent testimony of that desire. Even at the twilight of the tenure of our administration, we continue to ensure that life becomes more comfortable and abundant for our people, through infrastructural development.

The governor appreciated the efforts of the federal government for complementing the efforts of his administration towards the socio-economic development drive in Ogun State.

In keeping with the tradition of firsts in accomplishments in Nigeria, our dear state has continued to enjoy a pride of place, even in the programs and policies of the federal government.

The government and the good people of Ogun State are eternally grateful to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for considering our dear state for the execution and implementation of many projects and policies.

We also appreciate the economic policies of the federal government, which have continued to impact positively on the people of Ogun State.

These include, but not limited to, policies such as encouraging patronage of made-in-Nigeria products, of which Adire Ogun is set to benefit immensely. There is also the concerted Agricultural Policy of the federal government on growing-what-we-eat, which has resultantly given birth to our dear State joining a league of rice-producing States through MITROS Rice.

Also, let me specially thank our dear president for releasing part of the federal road construction refund and for the anticipated release of the balance in the coming months. At this point, it is also important that I thank the entire people of Ogun State for their support and cooperation in the last eight years.

We leave office with fond memories of the love and support we have received from our people. More importantly, we leave with our heads held high, and knowing that we have taken Ogun State a notch higher in terms of socio-economic development.EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  High school students heard stories from veterans Wednesday about their experiences in the service.

The high schools Honors U.S. History II class held the annual Military Appreciation Program in the Media Center, according to a news release. Eleven local veterans, whose years of service ranged from the 1960s to the present, spoke. It was up to the students to find veterans in South Jersey to participate.

The reason why we are having this is to say thank you, junior Jason Wollermann said. We are honored to have our guests here today, and the Egg Harbor Township High School community thanks you for your service.

Wollermanns father, Steven, who served in Afghanistan, also spoke.

It was great to be able to share about my time in the military with these students, said Mayor Paul Hodson, who served in the Army from 1972 to 2012. Hearing from all of these veterans led to a beautiful day and event for the Egg Harbor Township community.

After speaking, the veterans were served lunch, sponsored by the students and local businesses, according to the release.

I think I get even more out of this than the students, said John Eberwine, a Vietnam War veteran who lives in Linwood. Its helpful for me to be able to share my story with young people. We are grateful to be appreciated.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account.WILDWOOD  A report of people sleeping in a car yielded three arrests, including one for possession of a handgun, hollow-point bullets and oxycodone, police said.

At 8:28 a.m. Friday, officers received a report of several subjects sleeping in a vehicle in the 3800 block of Susquehanna Avenue, police said.

A search of the vehicle turned up marijuana, drug paraphernalia, the pain reliever oxycodone, alcohol and a .380-caliber revolver, police said.

Police arrested the three occupants of the vehicle, Kyiram Whelan, 18; and Jahmai Carlton and Kamal Richardson, both 19; all of Pennsylvania.

All three were charged with possession of marijuana under 50 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia and being a minor in possession of/consumption of alcohol. Carlton and Richardson were released on summonses, police said.

Whelan additionally was charged with unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of hollow-point ammunition and possession of oxycodone, police said.

Whelan was sent to the Cape May County jail, police said.

 Vincent Jackson

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.ATLANTIC CITY  Firefighters contained a blaze Friday that started in the kitchen on the second floor of a wood-frame, three-story apartment building on Arctic Avenue, fire Chief Scott Evans said.

No residents or firefighters were hurt during the 16 minutes it took to get the fire under control, Evans said.

The call came in at 3:35 p.m. for the fire at the end of a row of houses, Evans said. Twenty-six firefighters spread out over five companies worked at Arctic Avenue between Texas and Florida avenues, he said.

There was no one on the second floor by the time firefighters arrived, but people had to be evacuated from the third floor, Evans said. Police assisted with the search of the apartments in the adjacent buildings.

The Red Cross will assist second-floor residents with relocation, Evans said. As of early Friday evening, it was still being evaluated whether the occupants on the first and third floors could spend the night in their residences, he said.

There was heavy damage to the apartment where the fire started on the second floor. The first- and third-floor apartments received minimal water and smoke damage, Evans said.ATLANTIC CITY  Stockton University is opening its commuter parking lot to the public through Labor Day.

The lot at Hartford Avenue and the Boardwalk will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, according to a news release from the university. The daily rate is $10 but can change for special events.

The parking garage at Atlantic Avenue and Lincoln Place is open to the public all year, with rates starting at $7 for the first two hours and $3 for each additional hour, with a maximum daily rate of $25, according to the release. Evening parking, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., is also available in the garage for $10.

Summer monthly passes for the garage are available and cost $50 per month, according to the release. They can be purchased from the parking office on the first floor of the garage.

 Molly Bilinski

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.The association (also known as the Firemens Relief Fund) was authorized by the New Jersey Legislature in 1885. It recognized the need to help volunteer and paid firefighters who are injured or fallen in the line of duty. Today the NJSFA supports a home for members and pays direct benefits for disability, death in the line of duty and financial aid for certain qualifying life events.

I have knowledge of the good work the NJSFA does. Thankfully I have never needed to seek benefits from the NJSFA, but I know of firefighters and their families that have benefited, in their time of need, as a recipient of their direct financial benefit. As an insurance professional I have knowledge of the funding mechanism of this program. Even if the current level of funding and reserve of the New Jersey State Firemens Association is greater than their present need, that alone does not give license to remove any funds from their dedicated and statutorily authorized purposes.ATLANTIC CITY  Drive down Pacific Avenue, past old motels converted into condos, and you might guess how it looks inside: popcorn ceilings, a musky smell and sticky carpets.

But Stephanie and Rocco Jiannone werent skeptical at all.

The Pittsgrove Township, Salem County, natives bought a $50,000 unit at the Seashore Club Condominiums last year and invested a few thousand dollars to renovate it, adding hardwood floors, granite countertops and a new bathroom.

Now, the condos there have doubled in price, and the couple is looking to buy a second, second home either in Chelsea or Gardners Basin to accommodate their friends, who are eager to spend the summer next to towering casinos and miles of boardwalk.

Theres always stuff to do here. Thats why we bought in Atlantic City, Rocco Jiannone said. We actually thought about buying in other towns, but in the offseason, theres nothing to do. You have one restaurant open, and thats all you get.

What really pushed the Jiannones to buy in Atlantic City again, like others, was the affordability. The average price of a home in Atlantic City is $52,250, according to a Redfin study from 2017. Compare that to multimillion-dollar shore homes in neighboring towns like Margate and Longport. For those seeking an urban feel by the ocean, the resort has its appeal.

On Monday, the couple, who own four small businesses in South Jersey, toured another condo on South Providence Avenue before heading to a two-story home at the Harbour Pointe development near Gardners Basin going for $149,000.

It is so affordable, Stephanie Jiannone said. You cant get that anywhere else.

Some say Atlantic City should be marketing itself as a destination for middle-income buyers looking for a spot to vacation from June to August. Its a way to bring in more tax dollars, fill vacant land and help the economy.

About 47% of residential properties in Atlantic City were owned by out-of-towners last year, according to the most recent data available from the state Division of Taxation.

Thats up 4% from a decade ago but still significantly lower than most other Jersey Shore towns in the southern half of the state that are majority second homeowners.

Still, Weichert Realtors agent Jerry Barker says he has noticed an uptick in second home sales over the past 12 months that he expects to continue, and attributes it to the opening of Stockton University last September.

He points to Chelsea and Gardners Basin as hotspots in the market.

Those neighborhoods, he said, are perceived as safer. There are also units that are newer compared to the rest of the citys old housing stock.

A lot of people want that maintenance-free lifestyle, Barker said. Ill pay the condo fees all day long if you take care of the outside, the landscaping, the parking and snow removal.

Keith Groff, of Medford Township, Burlington County, bought a two-story house near Gardners Basin in a sheriffs sale two months ago for $115,000. The 40-year-old travels to the shore around holidays with his family and on some weekends.

He made small renovations, but the property, built in the early 2000s, was ready to move into almost immediately. He has owned two other houses in the city, which he sold.

I think its just the best value for any home in a shore town, said Groff, who once ran for City Council.

But boosting second home ownership substantially might require a push from city officials and targeted marketing to people living in New York City and Philadelphia suburbs.

Atlantic City could take a page from Somers Point, a town about 15 miles south that launched a successful campaign four years ago promoting itself as a place for second home buyers who couldnt afford mansions in Stone Harbor and Ocean City but still want to be near the sand.

In the face of foreclosures from the 2008 recession, a councilman suggested pushing Somers Point as a place to own a second home. The city hired a branding firm, Suasion Communications Group, to help put together the campaign.

We felt the moment was right because the barrier islands continued to see higher prices. ... There was a certain market here. Not the megarich, but the well-to-do, Councilman Sean McGuigan said.

First came a catchy slogan, The Shore Starts Here, followed by an official website for the campaign.

Susan Adelizzi-Schmidt, president of Suasion, said 40 homes were sold in the city in the following year.

It was really a genius idea, she said.

For Atlantic City, outside of Chelsea and Gardners Basin, some say the vast vacant lots in the South Inlet are ripe for development of second homes. Whether the opportunity is seized, though, will require developers with deep pockets.

Jesse Kurtz, 6th Ward councilman, said people who have been priced out of Ventnor are moving into existing units in Lower Chelsea that may be fixer-uppers.

But the Inlet, he said, is a candidate for new development.

Atlantic City has, in a small space, many different markets and usage combines, and it always has, Kurtz said. We want to take advantage of homes that are currently vacant and pieces of land that are currently vacant.

Barker agrees.

After the modern 600 NoBe at North Beach market-rate rentals opened in the Inlet last year, Barker said he fielded a number of calls from people interested in buying units there. He had to explain the new buildings, developed by Boraie Development LLC, are for renters.

Owner-occupied condos with a gated community feel could go up in the Marina District.

MGM Resorts International, which owns a piece of land near Golden Nugget Atlantic City, announced earlier this month plans to partner with Boraie Development to build luxury single-family homes there. The project would require a zoning variance and approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Todays buyers want a nicer product, Barker said. Theres a real lack of newer product. ... When something new comes out, people snatch it up.Brayton Elementary School held its Memorial Day ceremony on Friday. PreviousNext

Brayton Students Hold Memorial Day Service



The children read poems recognizing Memorial Day during the ceremony. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Brayton Elementary school students were asked to reflect on veterans bravery.

The pupils attended the school's annual Memorial Day program Friday and Superintendent Barbara Malkas asked the students to reflect on what it means to be brave.

"We know courage is not the absence of fear. It is moving and taking action even in the presence of fear and that is what all of the members of our five military branches do every day," she said.

"There are young men and women all over the world doing work to protect our freedom here in the United States."

The children read poems and introduced guest speakers during the event. State Rep. John Barrett III was invited to the stage to give opening remarks.

Barrett reflected on the deaths of residents Peter Foote who was killed during the Vietnam War in 1968 and Michael DeMarsico II who was killed in Afghanistan in 2012.

He recalled dedicating the skating rink to Foote in his tenure as mayor and the hundreds of residents that lined the streets when DeMarsicos body was returned home.

"Just remember, they made this country safer and protected our democracy and that is what Memorial Day means to me," Barrett said. "It is a lot about memories and as we get older we think a lot more about that."

Barrett went to say it was important to him as mayor to make sure the city had a proper monument honoring the veterans.

"We can make sure everybody from this city who served is recognized so someday you young ones who are out there can go and see your family members names on the memorial," he said. "Stop by the memorial and say a prayer and say thank you and I hope we never have to expand that memorial but unfortunately we probably will."

Sgt. First Class Michael McCarron was next to speak and said as a retired soldier who served 23 years, Memorial Day leaves him with a somber feeling.

"It is hard not to think about soldiers who have given the ultimate sacrifice from my first tour to the last the sacrifices those made is never far from my mind," he said.

"Soldiers like myself feel a deep anguish on Memorial Day as we think about those who did not return."

McCarron asked the students to visit a cemetery this weekend and think about these veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

"Every soldier who leaves for war thinks about returning to loved ones. Everyone who gets deployed counts the days until they can return," he said. "On Memorial Day we honor those who did not return home. So take time to walk around the cemetery and observe all of the flags. Take time to read the inscriptions on the headstones and thank that soldier for their service."

In between speeches, a small group of students from the band played patriotic music.

Next to speak was State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli who spoke about his father's best friend whom he is named after. Pignatelli said Smitty was killed at the age of 19 overseas and his father never truly overcame it.



Michael McCarron told the students what Memorial Day means to him as someone who served for 23 years. "My dad lost his best friend at the age of 19 and my father, until the day he died, had a pain in his heart for the loss of his best friend," he said. "I love being with the veterans because they all have their own story about pain and sacrifice."

Pignatelli said he never thought his father had closure with his friend's death so he found his grave site in Milton and brought his father there at the age of 82. After 62 years he finally got to properly say goodbye.

He said on the way home his father told stories about Smitty that he never heard. Pignatelli said he thought it was important that these stories are shared.

"Look at the faces of all the veterans that are in the room today go visit the cemetery when you go home today and talk to your parents and grandparents," he said. "Learn a little bit more about your own family history and their service to America."

Malkas gave closing remarks and she asked the students to try to give back this weekend at one of the various Memorial Day events and services

"Do what is expected of you selflessly and with courage because the opposite of courage is not fear it is selfishness," she said.

"If you want to be brave and if you want to live up to the courage of these men and women here that have protected us then we need to not be selfish and we need to act on behalf of each other in the face of fear."For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.



CHICAGO, May 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Late Friday evening federal judge William Conley of the Western District of Wisconsin ruled in favor of MillerCoors on key elements of the brewer's request for a preliminary injunction in its lawsuit against Anheuser Busch, which argued a Bud Light ad campaign deliberately deceived the public. The federal court also denied Anheuser Busch's motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

The new federal ruling bars Anheuser Busch from using specific language featured prominently during the recent ad campaign in any future commercials, print advertising or social media. Specifically, within 10 days of the ruling Anheuser Busch is barred from:

Saying Bud Light contains "100% less corn syrup";

Referencing Bud Light and "no corn syrup" without any reference to "brewed with," "made with" or "uses";

Referencing Miller Lite and/or Coors Light and "corn syrup" without including any reference to "brewed with," "made with" or "uses"; and

Describing "corn syrup" as an ingredient "in" the finished product.

"We are pleased with today's ruling that will force Anheuser Busch to change or remove advertisements that were clearly designed to mislead the American public," said MillerCoors CEO Gavin Hattersley. "As the dominant market leader, Anheuser Busch should be seeking to grow the beer category, not destroy it through deceptive advertising. Their campaign is bad for the public, bad for the beer industry and against the law. We are happy to hold them accountable for it, and we look forward to the next steps in this case."

The judge deferred ruling on whether the existing Bud Light packaging, which proclaims the beer has "no corn syrup," will have to be removed from stores. The two parties will brief the court on their views in that aspect in the coming weeks.

Notable quotes from the federal ruling (for full ruling and opinion, please reference case number 3:19-cv-00218-wmc ):

"The court finds that plaintiff's (MillerCoors) evidence is sufficient to support a finding at the preliminary injunction stage that it has some likelihood of success of proving defendant's advertisements deceived or have the tendency to deceive a substantial segment of consumers to believe that Miller Lite and Coors Light actually contain corn syrup." (page 43)

"Plaintiff's (MillerCoors) strongest evidence is the defendant's (Anheuser Busch) own statements indicating that in launching this campaign, it was aware of and intended to exploit consumer concerns about corn syrup these statements support a finding that defendant was aware of consumer concerns about the likelihood of confusion surrounding corn syrup and HFCS, and that the defendant hoped consumers would interpret advertising statements about "made with corn syrup" or "brewed with corn syrup" as corn syrup actually being in the final products." (page 35-36)

In reference to the most recent Bud Light commercial from the campaign, released on March 20, 2019 , "the court also concludes that plaintiff (MillerCoors) is likely to succeed in demonstrating that this language is misleading because it crosses the line to encourage a reasonable consumer to believe corn syrup is actually contained in the final product." (page 35)

, "the court also concludes that plaintiff (MillerCoors) is likely to succeed in demonstrating that this language is misleading because it crosses the line to encourage a reasonable consumer to believe corn syrup is actually contained in the final product." (page 35) "There is no meaningful difference between using rice or corn syrup as an ingredient in terms of health or safety of the resulting beer product." (page 4)

ABOUT MILLERCOORS

Through its diverse collection of storied breweries, MillerCoors brings American beer drinkers an unmatched selection of the highest quality beers, flavored malt beverages and ciders, steeped in centuries of brewing heritage. Miller Brewing Company and Coors Brewing Company brew national favorites such as Miller Lite, Miller High Life, Coors Light and Coors Banquet. MillerCoors also proudly offers beers such as Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy from sixth-generation Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, and Blue Moon Belgian White from modern craft pioneer Blue Moon Brewing Company, founded in 1995. Beyond beer, MillerCoors operates Crispin Cider Company, an artisanal maker of pear and apple ciders using fresh-pressed American juice, and offers pioneering brands such as the Redd's franchise and Henry's Hard Sodas and Hard Sparkling. Tenth and Blake Beer Company, our craft and import division, is the home to craft brewers Hop Valley Brewing, Revolver Brewing, Saint Archer Brewing Company and the Terrapin Beer Company. Tenth and Blake also imports world-renowned beers such as Italy's Peroni Nastro Azzurro, the Czech Republic's Pilsner Urquell and the Netherlands' Grolsch. MillerCoors, the U.S. business unit of the Molson Coors Brewing Company, has an uncompromising dedication to quality, a keen focus on innovation and a deep commitment to sustainability. Learn more at MillerCoors.com, at facebook.com/MillerCoors or on Twitter at @MillerCoors.

SOURCE MillerCoors

Related Links

http://www.MillerCoors.com

ANNVILLE, Pa., May 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Maj. Gen. Tony Carrelli, Pennsylvania's adjutant general and head of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, participated in a graveside service for repatriated Army Air Force Staff Sgt. Carl M. Shaffer who was killed in 1944 during WWII. Shaffer, who was 22 when he died, was buried in his hometown of Pottstown, Montgomery County.

"It was an honor to participate in the repatriation service of an American hero and to see that his family now has closure after nearly 75 years," said Carrelli. "I have great admiration for those who patrolled the skies more than seven decades ago, at a time when the enemy was tenacious and the survival rate for an aviator was low. We enjoy freedom in America like nowhere else in the world because of men and women like Staff Sgt. Shaffer. The service today shows just how committed our country is to making sure every servicemember who perished in foreign land eventually comes home to rest."

On Jan. 21, 1944, Shaffer was a member of the 38th Bombardment Squadron, 30th Bombardment Group, stationed at Hawkins Field, Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands. During a combat mission, the B-24J bomber aircraft he was on crashed into Tarawa lagoon shortly after takeoff. Shaffer, a radio operator, and the nine other servicemen on the aircraft were killed.

Shaffer's body was not found during the initial recovery attempt. He was recently accounted for and identified after being recovered from a cemetery established by the U.S. on Betio Island during the war.



MEDIA CONTACT: Joseph Butera, 717-861-2178

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

Related Links

http://www.dmva.state.pa.us

Agartala/Guwahati, May 25 : North-east India, comprising eight states, is sending three women to the Lok Sabha -- one more than the 2014 general election. Of the three women, elected for the 17th Lok Sabha, two are new faces and belong to the BJP: Queen Oja (from Guwahati parliamentary seat) and Pratima Bhowmik (Tripura West).

Former Union Minister and Meghalaya's ruling National People's Party (NPP) candidate Agatha Sangma won the Tura Lok Sabha seat defeating her nearest rival and former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma of the Congress by a margin of 64,030 votes.

The 38-year-old Sangma, the younger sister of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and daughter of former Lok Sabha Speaker late Purno Sangma, first was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha in by-elections and re-elected to the 15th Lok Sabha, becoming Union Minister of state for Rural Development in the Congress-led UPA government.

In 2014, of the 25 Lok Sabha seats across eight northeastern states, only two women (8 per cent) -- Bijoya Chakravarty (BJP) and Sushmita Dev (Congress) -- were elected to the Lok Sabha from Guwahati and Silchar seats of Assam respectively.

Chakravarty did not contest the poll this time while Dev lost her Silchar seat to BJP's Rajdeep Roy by a margin of 81,596 votes.

The 50-year-old science graduate, Pratima Bhowmik, said: "I would work for the all-round development of the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Amit Shah's development mantra and vision are our future course of action for the welfare of the people."

"To fulfil Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb's vision to make Tripura a model state, we would all together work to achieve the dream," Bhowmik, General Secretary of the BJP's state unit, told IANS.

Bhowmik, securing 5,73,532 votes (51.77 per cent of the valid votes polled) won the Tripura West seat defeating her Congress rival Subal Bhowmik by a margin of 3,05,689 votes, would be the second Lok Sabha member from Tripura after Congress' Maharani Bibhu Kumari Devi, also former Tripura minister, who won in 1991.

BJP's Queen Oja, 67, also a former Guwahati mayor (in early 90s) secured 10,08,936 votes, trouncing Congress candidate Bobbeeta Sharma by a margin of 3,45,606 votes. She was elected to the Lok Sabha from the prestigious Guwahati seat for the first time.

"I am born and brought up in Guwahati and associated with public life for the last 35 years. My best endeavour would be to further develop the Assam's main city and other regions of the state," Oja said.

The average gender ratio in the electoral lists of the northeastern states is 971 females to 1,000 males against the national gender ratio of 958.

In four northeastern states -- Arunachal Pradesh (women 4,01,596, men 3,92,566), Manipur (women 9,90,960, men 9,39,926), Meghalaya (women 9,56,135, men 9,36,579), Mizoram (women 4,02,408, men 3,81,991) -- women voters outnumber their male counterparts.

"Women in the North-East dominate societal and domestic affairs, but political domination is not in their hands," said veteran political commentator Sanjib Deb, adding that more women should be given chance to govern the political administration.

"In the just concluded parliamentary polls, women representation from the region to Lok Sabha rose to 12 per cent from the last election's (2014) eight per cent, but this is very poor from the expected number of women lawmakers."

All India Women Congress President Sushmita Dev said: "For better and due representation of women in Parliament and in state assemblies, we have been struggling for the women's reservation Bill."

Dev, a former member of the Assam Assembly and ex-chairperson of the Silchar Municipal Corporation, told IANS : "The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and Odisha's (ruling) Biju Janata Dal fielded a large number of women candidates in the 17th Lok Sabha polls. However, this is not possible for big parties like the Congress and the BJP."

Patricia Mukhim, a teacher-turned-social activist, writer and journalist, said that women are still living in a non-inclusive, unequal, violence-ridden, gender-discriminating world.

"Women are discriminated against at the workplace and even their homes - the domestic space," Mukhim, the editor of leading English daily Shillong Times in Meghalaya, told IANS.

"Coming to other aspects of women's welfare which is essentially their health, the absence of gender sensitivity and gender nuanced health indicators is a problematic factor," said Mukhim, a recipient of the Padma Shri.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)San Francisco, May 25 : Ads are coming to WhatsApp, finally, and the intrusion into the popular ad-free mobile messaging platform would begin from Status page.

At a Facebook Marketing Summit in the Netherlands, Facebook revealed a 2020 launch date for WhatsApp Status ads.

"WhatsApp will bring Stories Ads in its status product in 2020," tweeted Olivier Ponteville who attended the conference this week.

The news first came in October when media reported that the Facebook-owned messaging app is planning to allow advertisements to be displayed in the "Status" section of the app.

WhatsApp will bring Stories Ads in its status product in 2020. #FMS19 pic.twitter.com/OI3TWMmfKj  Olivier Ponteville (@Olivier_Ptv) May 21, 2019

WhatsApp's "Status" feature allows users to share text, photos, videos and animated GIFs that disappear after 24 hours.

"WhatsApp beta for Android 2.18.305: WhatsApp is implementing in this version ads for Status. They are not visible yet and the feature will be enabled in future," fan-site WABetaInfo that tests Whatsapp features early tweeted.

The advertisements would be powered by Facebook's native advertising system and would be aimed at helping users understand and participate in businesses using the messaging app.

Facebook CEO Mark Zukerberg's goal to monetise WhatsApp has forced the social media messaging service's co-founders to leave the company.

One of them, Brian Acton, told Forbes recently that Zuckerberg was in a rush to make money from the messaging service and undermine elements of its encryption technology. "Targeted advertising is what makes me unhappy," Acton said.

-- With inputs from IANSAfter the BJP won 282 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 - the first time in three decades that a single party was able to gain an absolute majority - it was popularly believed that the unexpectedly strong performance was a one-off affair.

The outgoing government had been ridden with colossal corruption cases, the economy had come to a standstill and anti-incumbency was at its peak. But 2019 has proved that the event was not an outlier. Narendra Modi has led his party to another major victory with a dozen more seats than the last time - the first time in five decades when a government is returning with an absolute majority for the second time.

While such a strong mandate is commendable, it shows the faith that the Indian population rests on the party and the immense expectations they hold from it. Moreover, it is a rare opportunity in a complex democracy like India for any party to have the power to introduce bold reforms and long-lasting transformations with little partisan logjams. By again voting the BJP into power with an absolute majority, the Indian voters expect that the government will adopt such a decisive stance. The BJP had also projected itself to be action-oriented in its first term.

Over the last five years, the government has introduced a string of reforms that were aimed at enhancing the socio-economic development of the country. The economic measures were directed at increasing productivity of the factors of production including land, labour and capital.

In the case of land, the government introduced the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. The act, by mandating that 70 percent of the funds collected from the buyers should be used for construction purposes only, helped in addressing the project delays and inefficiencies in the system.

For addressing labour productivity issues that the country is facing, the government set up National Skills Development Corporation that has provided training to 5.2 million students. This will help in the optimal utilisation of country's demographic dividend.

Lastly, the government undertook a couple of moves to address capital-related issues. Since the BJP came into power in 2014, the banking sector has been under the stress of mounting bad debt. As of March 2017, bad loans accounted for 10 percent of banking assets. The best option of salvaging the situation was by targeting the problem of debt resolution. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code was passed in 2016 as a result. It allows either the creditor or the borrower to approach the National Council Law Tribunal (NCLT) to initiate insolvency proceedings and lays down provisions for debt resolution within a span of 3-5 months.

Apart from addressing the issues prevalent in the economy, the government undertook the biggest tax reform in the country with the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The tax law, which had been in the works for years, unified the entire country under a uniform tax system and eased the flow of goods and services across state borders. Even though there were a few wrinkles in its implementation, GST would help in reducing the transaction cost for businesses over the long-run and improve its ease of doing business.

Along with economic reforms, the government also focussed on improving the living standards of the citizens. Two of the biggest reforms on the social aspect have been on the areas of sanitation and financial inclusion. In 2014, India was a global laggard in sanitation coverage, having significantly high open defecation rates even in comparison to poorer nations like Pakistan, Bangladesh and several sub-Saharan countries. To tackle this issue of low sanitation facilities and improving the child health indicators like mortality, nutrition and stunting, the Modi government launched the Swachh Bharat Mission, aiming to make India open-defecation free.

The National Sample Survey's Swachhta Status shows that the number of rural households with toilets have increased to 64 per cent from 45 per cent during the period 2014-15 to 2017-18, while people defecating in open have reduced from 52 per cent to 33 per cent in the same period.

The other flagship scheme of the government, the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) Yojna, was launched to dismantle India's archaic subsidy transfer system that has been ridden with corruption, leakages and inefficiencies. The scheme has provided universal access to bank accounts and unique identity to all individuals by allowing biometric authentication to circumvent intermediaries and reduce market distortions with direct transfers. Currently, 100 per cent of the beneficiaries of PAHAL the direct benefit transfer of LPG, 88 per cent beneficiaries of MNREGA and 86 per cent of the PDS beneficiaries are linked with Aadhar. The programme delivery is now taking place via direct benefit transfers (DBT). In 2018-19, around Rs 2 trillion was delivered through DBT.

The agenda for the next five years for the BJP government should be to maintain continuity with the reform process; leveraging upon the ones that have already been undertaken and venturing into ones that have been left untouched since independence in 1947. The schemes and initiatives that have been the highlight of the last five years surely have scope for improvement on the implementation aspect. Meanwhile, the strong electoral mandate can be used to push through unpopular reforms that the country needs to solve its perpetual economic ailments.

Two of such major reforms are those of land acquisition and labour flexibility. India has had an ugly record of industrial projects falling into a limbo due to land acquisition issues. Since land is a state subject, the central government needs to address these in a decisive manner in consonance with its regional partners. Secondly, it is a well-documented fact that the country's rigid labour laws have disincentivised firms to grow and formalise. Indian firms have, thus, lost out on crucial economies of scale due to these limitations.

The next five years are an opportune time for the BJP government to introduce long-standing structural reforms that India's socio-economic fabric has severely required since its independence. Even the 1991 reforms were majorly market-oriented while the factor-side of the economy was left untouched. With the rapidly changing political landscape of the nation, it is time to infuse a similar exuberance within the economy.

(Dr Amit Kapoor is chair, Institute for Competitiveness, India. He can be contacted at amit@amitkapoor.com and tweets @kautiliya).United Nations, May 25 : Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has praised India for having the highest proportion of women in its contingents to peacekeeping operations and held up its contributions as an example of contributions to UN values.

"India has the largest percentage of women, especially in the police force - 22 per cent are women - which is absolutely remarkable, an extraordinary contribution", he said at India's reception for International Peacekeepers Day on Friday.

"India is the example of commitment to the United Nations Charter, the values of the UN and the sacrifice that the men and women make to peacekeeping", he said. "I want to express my deep gratitude and appreciation for the contribution of your country."

He said that India has 6,400 personnel in UN peacekeeping operations around the world.

The Blue Helmets who have died while serving the UN are honoured on International Peacekeepers Day. "I am sure this is effort the most emotional day for all of us in the year," he said.

"We have the obligation to do everything in order to better support those who are serving the UN and the UN Charter and human dignity so well as peacekeepers," Guterres said.

India's Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin said: "On behalf of troop-contributing countries, I would like to pay homage to all our troops who couldn't return home."

Earlier at a ceremony, Guterres awarded the posthumous Dag Hammarskjold medal to Jitender Kumar, and Indian police officer who was among the 119 peacekeepers who died in the past year while serving the UN. Akbaruddin received the medal.

Kumar died while serving in the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

Guterres presented the first Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage, the highest UN honour established in 2014, to Malawian peacekeeper Chancy Chitete for his exceptional courage in saving a fellow peacekeeper while sacrificing his life. His widow Lachel Chitete Mwenechanya received the award.

MONUSCO peacekeepers were attacked by rebels disrupting UN efforts to contain an Ebola outbreak last November. While under fire, Chitete pulled a wounded Tanzanian peacekeeper to safety and was killed as performed first aid for the soldier saving his life.

The award is named for Senegalese Captain Diagne was killed in 1994 while saving hundreds of lives in Rwanda.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)Washington, May 25 : A US federal judge has passed an order temporarily blocking President Donald Trump's plan to build part of a Mexico border wall with funds secured under his national Emergency declaration.

The ruling was passed by US District Court Judge Haywood Gilliam of Oakland, California, on Friday night after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Sierra Club environmental organization and the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

Another was filed by a coalition of 20 US states.

"The position that when Congress declines the Executive's request to appropriate funds, the Executive nonetheless may simply find a way to spend those funds 'without Congress' does not square with fundamental separation of powers principles dating back to the earliest days of our Republic," the judge said in his temporary injunction.

Although the ruling does not prevent the Trump administration from using funds from other sources to build the projects, it's a setback for the President on a signature agenda item that has consistently been thwarted by Democrats in Congress, CNN reported.

Construction on the projects affected by the ruling could have begun as early as Saturday, according to the ruling.

The ACLU said on Twitter that it had won its motion on behalf of the Sierra Club and the SBCC to block the "illegal construction of Trump's border wall".

"Construction using money illegally diverted under the President's Emergency declaration was set to begin as soon as tomorrow. This is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities," it said.

"The court blocked all wall projects currently slated for immediate construction. If the Trump administration begins illegally diverting additional funds, we'll be back in court," it added.

In February, after a 35-day partial government shutdown, Congress approved $1.375 billion to replace or extend existing barriers along the wall.

The figure was much lower than the $5.7 billion sum Trump had demanded. He then declared a national Emergency aiming to secure additional money through diverting military, Defence and Treasury funds.

"Congress' 'absolute' control over federal expenditures - even when that control may frustrate the desires of the Executive Branch regarding initiatives it views as important - is not a bug in our constitutional system. It is a feature of that system, and an essential one," the ruling said.Bhubaneswar, May 25 : In a clear departure from voting preferences in previous elections, Odisha has witnessed a split voting this time while selecting their representatives for Lok Sabha and the state Assembly.

The split mandate helped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Lok Sabha while the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) performed impressively in Assembly as people decided "Modi at Centre, Naveen in Odisha".

The saffron party, which had bagged a single seat in 2014, improved its performance this time by winning eight seats. On the other hand, the BJD ceded eight seats from 20 it had won in 2014. The ruling BJD bagged 112 out of 146 Assembly constituencies.

The pattern of split voting was clearly visible in Bhubaneswar and Bargarh Lok Sabha constituencies. While not a single MLA candidate of BJP won from the Assembly constituencies coming under the two Lok Sabha seats, both the parliamentary constituencies voted in favour of the saffron party.

All BJD candidates are elected in the Assembly seats of Bargarh Lok Sabha constituency. Notably, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was contesting from Bijepur Assembly seat, which comes under Bargarh Lok Sabha seat. However, the presence of the Chief Minister appeared to have any impact on the voters while selecting their candidates for Lok Sabha.

BJP candidate Suresh Pujari trounced BJD Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya by a margin of 63,939 votes.

The prestigious Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat, a stronghold of the ruling BJD, voted in favour of BJP. It has been the citadel of the regional party since 1998.

But this time, BJP candidate and former IAS officer Aparajita Sarangi defeated BJD candidate and former Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik by a margin of 23,839 votes.

Surprisingly, the seven Assembly constituencies coming under the Lok Sabha seat elected BJD candidates and one Congress candidate from Jatani this time.

BJP vote share in Odisha has also increased in the Lok Sabha elections. The saffron party has polled 38.4 per cent of the total votes as against 21.9 per cent in the previous 2014 election.Rhode Island marked a grim milestone Tuesday afternoon as the state's death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic officially crossed 3,000. The news comes one day after Gov. Dan McKee's new mask mandate for indoor businesses, announced last week, went into effect. The latest restrictions require indoor businesses with a capacity of 250 to mandate masks for patrons regardless of vaccination status while businesses with a capacity of less than 250 may make masks options for patrons who show proof of vaccination. This change is slightly less severe than at least one nearby city as Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced Monday that that city would require COVID vaccinations for all patrons of indoor dining, fitness and entertainment establishments in the city beginning January 15. Do you support a similar mandate taking place in Rhode Island? Why or why not? Let us know in this week's poll question below.

You voted:Washington, May 25 : A US federal judge has blocked a Mississippi law that banned abortion after six weeks of pregnancy -- before many women know they're pregnant.

Judge Carlton Reeves, a Barack Obama appointee, ruled on Friday that the law "threatens immediate harm to women's rights, especially considering most women do not seek abortion services until after 6 weeks".

"This injury outweighs any interest the state might have in banning abortions after the detection of a foetal heartbeat," he said. The law was set to go into effect on July 1.

Reeves had reportedly expressed anger and frustration during a court hearing on the law earlier this week. He was upset over the rule not including exemptions for rape or incest.

The judge pointed out that he struck down a 15-week ban on abortion just six months ago, saying the state legislature's even stricter law "smacks of defiance", the Washington Post reported.

Reeves issued his ruling amid a national furore over strict abortion laws.

The legislation, also known as a "heartbeat bill," prohibits abortions after an ultrasound can detect electric activity from what will become a foetus' heart, a milestone that could come just six weeks into a pregnancy. The bill sped through the statehouse and Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed it in March.

It is now the second six-week ban to be passed and blocked this year. In March, a federal judge in Kentucky halted a similar six-week measure, questioning the law's constitutionality.

In a statement, Bryant said he was disappointed with the decision and indicated he would direct his attorney general to review it.

Alabama became the subject of national headlines earlier this month after lawmakers there passed the strictest abortion law in the country, effectively blocking the procedures altogether.

Nancy Northup, President of the Centre for Reproductive Rights, which filed the lawsuit, said: "The Constitution protects a woman's right to make decisions over her body and her life. The district court's decision today was a resounding affirmation of this settled law."Mumbai, May 25 : "PM Narendra Modi", a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raked in nearly Rs 3 crore on the first day of its release.

A tweet posted by trade analyst Taran Adarsh on Saturday read: "'PM Narendra Modi' had a lukewarm start in the morning, but picked up speed as Day 1 progressed. Evening shows witnessed better occupancy, Friday Rs 2.88 crore India business."

The film, which stars Vivek Anand Oberoi, Boman Irani, Waheeda Rahman, Darshan Kumaar and Manoj Joshi, among others, traces Modi's life story.

It was stopped just a night before its scheduled worldwide opening on April 11 when the parliamentary polls kicked off, to ensure a level playing field in the elections.

Actor Arjun Kapoor-starrer "India's Most Wanted", which released along with the biopic on Friday, made Rs 2.10 crore.

Directed by Rajkummar Gupta, "India's Most Wanted" is inspired by a "true story" related to a terrorist. It is about a mission of five people to nab India's most wanted terrorist -- described in the movie as India's Osama -- without any weapon or support in just four days.Seoni : , 25 May (IANS) After a video went viral on the social media in which five people are seen beating two persons for carrying beef in the Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh, the police on Saturday arrested and jailed the five.

In the video, posted on the social media by the main accused Shubham Baghel on Friday, the cow vigilantes with saffron gamchha (towels) around their necks are beating two persons with sticks.

The cow vigilantes -- Baghel, Yogesh Uike, Dileep Namdev, Rohit Yadav and Shyam Lal -- had assaulted three persons, including a woman, who were identified as Dilip Malviya, Sama Ansari and Tausif Khan.

After the incident, the police on Wednesday had arrested the three for carrying 140 kg beef in an auto-rickshaw and booked them under the Madhya Pradesh Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act.

Police arrested the cow vigilantes only after the video went viral.May 25 : This time the spotlights are on: Galaxy A70, Redmi Note 7S, Realme C2, OnePlus 7 Pro, and Nokia 3.2

Samsung's Galaxy A70 is out to kick out its Chinese rival with striking features like the FHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-U display. Xiaomi is tailing alongside with its revamped Redmi Note 7S at a catchy price tag of Rs. 10,999. When budget are on focus, you might want to invest in the new Realme C2 that ranges in between Rs. 5000- 8000 and its style is something you will remain in awe of.

OnePlus launched out its famous 7 series and boasts of it being the spectacular selfie masters. OF course, they lean onto the pricey end, but they promise a seamless experience for the selfie freaks. Last on our list is the Nokia 3.2 smartphone that fulfils the parameters of budget and features in the most commendable manner.

Samsung Galaxy A70: Equipped for all-round performance

Image Source: IANS Image Source: IANS Samsung A 70

Samsung India, which sold five million units of Galaxy A phones in just 70 days, is banking big time on the A-series -- in an attempt to outshine the Chinese rivals that have carved out a niche in the Indian smartphone market with competitively-priced devices.Read more

Redmi Note 7S with 48MP primary camera now in India from May 23

Image Source: IANS Image Source: IANS Xiaomi Redmi Note 7S

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi on Monday refreshed its Redmi Note 7 lineup with the 48MP camera-powered Redmi Note 7S for a starting price of Rs 10,999.Read more

Realme C2: Enters Xiaomi's den in budget segment

Image Source: IANS Image Source: IANS Realme C2

Competing neck and neck with its Chinese counterpart Xiaomi, Realme has now launched C2 in India to take on Redmi 6A in the budget segment.Read more

OnePlus 7 Pro with 12GB RAM, triple camera launched in India

Image Source: IANS OnePlus 7 Pro smartphone

Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus on Tuesday brought its latest premium flagship devices in the "7" series with pop-up selfie camera and massive internal storage of up to 12GB to India.Read more

Nokia 3.2 smartphone now in India

Image Source: IANS Image Source: IANS Nokia 3.2 (Representative image)

HMD Global, the house of Nokia phones, on Tuesday launched the Nokia 3.2 smartphone with a 6.26-inch HD+ display and about two-day battery life in India.Read moreSrinagar, May 25 : The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday filed the charge sheet against the youth accused of raping a minor girl in Bandipora district earlier this month.

"The charge sheet was presented today in the special court of Principal District and Sessions Judge, Bandipora. It was presented within 17 days from the date the crime was committed," a police officer said.

The rape of a 3-year-old minor in Bandipora district on May 8 had evoked outrage with protests by students and others erupting in every city and town of the Valley.

Police had set up a special investigation team (SIT) to fast-track the investigation so that the accused, Tahir Ahmad Mir is brought to justice at the soonest.

Mir has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Abuse (POCSO) Act, which entails a maximum sentence of a life term in cases of conviction.

Police also foiled attempts by Mir's family to fake his birth certificate to prove that he was a minor. The principal of the private school that had issued the certificate has been detained for questioning.

Medical examination of the accused by a board of doctors had also held that Mir, who is in the first year of a three-year degree course after passing his class 12 exam, was around 20 years old.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir State Legal Services Authority has already released Rs 1 lakh as an interim relief to the minor rape victim.Kolkata, May 25 : Two days after her party suffered serious setbacks in the Lok Sabha elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday offered to step down from the post.

Banerjee said that she had expressed her desire to quit the Chief Minister's post at an emergent meeting of the Trinamool Congres, but her decision was not endorsed by those present at the meeting.

"I feel insulted. In the meeting I expressed my desire to step down as Chief Minister, but the meeting did not edrse my decision," Banerjee told mediapersons.New Delhi, May 25 : The evolution of the BJP under PM Narendra Modi has been stark, redefining and reimagined. Even as one seeks clues to covert and overt Hindu resurgence and revivalism, one cant run away from the fact of how a party predominantly of the forward castes -- a mirror image of its ideological parent RSS -- has quietly gone about and acquired a brand new hue.

Undergoing a massive metamorphosis, it has made a conscious effort to transform itself from being an urban, middle class, trader party to one that has also brought in the backwards in rural India along with the poor and underprivileged into its fold. Even the party 's candidate selection is mirroring this change. From The Bharatiya Janata Party, it has turned into a Backward Janata Party and this migration has been more or less seamless.

When the candidate selection for the general election for Uttar Pradesh 2019 began, the new construct fell into place. Fifteen seats were allotted to Brahmins, 14 to backward community leaders, 13 to Dalits, 10 to Kshatriyas, four Jats, two Gurjars and one each to Vaishya, Parsi and Bhumihar castes. This break-up was for the original 61. A party leader added: "The BJP has applied (the) tested social engineering formula and its major thrust in this election seems to be on the non-Yadav OBCs, non-Jatav SCs and upper castes, especially Brahmins and Kshatriyas, due to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The party also dropped several sitting MPs keeping in mind local factors. Of the 13 legislators who fought these elections, as many as 11 won. Those dropped include BJP stalwart Murli Manohar Joshi (Kanpur), Priyanka Rawat (Barabanki-SC), Ashok Dohrey (Etawah-SC), Bharat Singh (Ballia), Rajesh Pandey (Kushinagar) and Nepal Singh (Rampur). The BJP also gave tickets to eight women, including Maneka Gandhi, Rita Joshi and Jaya Prada.

Imagine how wrong political wisdom and punditry was when Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav countered this change by saying: "The BJP will win only one seat in the state and the rest will be in our kitty. The people of the state are looking for an opportunity to rid themselves of BJP's misrule".

Thrice in a row now BJP has defied this same conventional wisdom and punditry by sweeping UP. The people of UP have now emphatically voted for NITA - Narendra Is The only Alternative. Each time the results have been jaw dropping - 2014, 2017 and 2019. But let us rewind to see how the seeds of this architecture were sown. Let us come to what became ultimately a seminal election, I would think, bigger and perhaps more important than the 2014 general election.

UP-2017 was a battleground like no other. As is the wont of the liberal and compromised media (a pink paper), a nauseatingly faux narrative was spread. I give you the example of an analysis based on a Post Poll (and an exit poll for the last voting phase) conducted in Uttar Pradesh by Lokniti, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi, for ABP News. The survey was conducted from February 14 through March 8, 2017 among 6,269 voters in 395 locations (polling stations) spread across 65 assembly constituencies. These are the same constituencies and polling stations where Lokniti had conducted the earlier rounds of the Tracker survey in July and December 2016, and January 2017.

It maintained that the Uttar Pradesh assembly election looked all set to go down to the wire. According to the CSDS-ABP News Post Poll survey, both the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance and the Bharatiya Janata Party were locked in a very tight contest. Both the parties were likely to get around 32 per cent of the total votes. Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party was expected to a finish third with a likely vote share of 25 per cent. Maybe CSDS-ABP just got it completely wrong as pollsters.

As opposed to the Muslim vote bank, the rapid rise of the Hindu vote bank, standing as one behind PM Modi is a phenomenon which is a reality that the new India has to deal with. In 2014, the young and restless - aspirational and ambitious - connected with Modi's brand of neo realpolitik predicated as it was on development and growth and jobs. Three years later, how and why did the Hindus cutting across all caste and community identity politics once again stand behind Modi? Call it covert or overt Hindutva, it succeeded, paying the BJP and Modi a dividend in spades.

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP won 312 seats, including some of the Muslim-dominated seats such as Deoband, Chandpur, Moradabad Nagar, Noorpur, Naanpara and Nakur where pundits reckoned that Muslim votes got divided between Muslim candidates of the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party. The communal violence in Muzzafarnagar actually worked to the detriment of the ruling SP, as did the administrative lacunae owing to multiple power centres.

Against that the BJP under a tireless and indefatigable Modi succeeded in getting votes of Hindu backward castes minus Yadavs and Scheduled Castes minus Jatavs, it was a spanking new paradigm, leaving everyone wondering how a Hindu consolidation had come about. Thrice now in UP, one has been witness to this aggregation and it cannot be dismissed as an urban legend anymore. The fact that the Congress chose to walk the same path in Gujarat is telling. Imagine Manik Sarkar too succumbed to this temptation, but was vanquished. The role played by some of the women liberating schemes such as Swachh and Ujjwala this time also cannot be undermined.

The aggregate vote share of BJP and its allies was 41.4 per cent in the 2017 election, an eyelash less than the 43.6 per cent it received in 2014. Even their performance over the seven phases of the election closely mirrors their performance in 2014. They had a strike rate of 90 per cent in phase 1 (93 per cent in 2014), 75 per cent in phase 2 (73 per cent), 80 per cent in phase 3 (75 per cent), 83 per cent in phase 4 (77 per cent), 85 per cent in phase 5 (85 per cent), 67 per cent in phase 6 (88 per cent), and 80 per cent in phase 7 (100 per cent).

Curiously, the BJP and its allies only fell marginally, in comparison to their aggressive 2014 performance, in the final two phases of the election where Gorakhpur mahant Yogi Adityanath and Narendra Modi himself were expected to deliver Lucknow for their party.

Modi's Hindutva pitch based on an edifice of Hindu Rashtrawadi aggro was much greater than the combined secular template of the opposition. With cash cull hitting Mayawati's treasury operations, Modi played the Hindu card. In his Fatehpur speech on February 23, he delivered the kayo punch on the opposition's glass jaw: "If you create a kabristan in a village, then a shamshaan should also be created ... Bhedbhaav nahin hona chahiye (there should be no discrimination)." This worked like clockwork as it tied in perfectly with the subliminal Hindu rashtra messaging eloquently, squeamishness be damned.

According to the India Today Axis poll in the run-up to the hustings - Apart from Brahmins and Thakurs, a major section of non-Yadav OBCs were also supporting the the saffron party:

*58 per cent of Muslims were in support of Samajwadi Party, 3 per cent BJP, 14 per cent BSP.

*67 per cent Yadavs behind Samajwadi Party, 14 per cent with BSP, 6 per cent with BJP.

*59 per cent of Brahmins supporting BJP, 9 per cent with BSP, 14 per cent with Congress.

*Among OBCs, 56 per cent are supporting the BJP. 15 per cent of OBC with BSP, 13 with SP and 7 per cent with Congress.

The grand Hindu coalition can work in states where there is a Hindu-Muslim divide and the latter have a sizeable population. It did not work in Punjab, Delhi or Bihar, but it did work for both parties in Gujarat. Mamata's Bengal is the latest experimental lab for this model to succeed. Populist development and Hindutva Plus also connected with Bihar this time round, leaving behind a rout. Conversely, it worked in Assam, in Jammu division of J&K and in Tripura state election.Shimla, May 25 : Two injured trekkers from a seven-member team from West Bengal were airlifted to safety from the high mountains of Himachal Pradesh by the Indian Air Force on Saturday while four others were rescued on foot.

One trekker Jevaasheesh Mehtu from Kolkata died on the spot.

The district administration was informed that the group of seven trekkers, who were moving from Rohru in Shimla district to Brua area in Sangla valley, was stranded in Manirang area in Kinnaur district.

Trekker Rupam Ghosh was in a critical condition while another was airlifted.

Deputy Commissioner Gopal Chand told IANS that a ground rescue team, comprising of police and Home Guard personnel, was deployed for the rescue operation.

He said since the airlifting of the critically injured trekker was required on priority, the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Sarsawa in Uttar Pradesh was requested to carry out the rescue operation.

An IAF chopper landed at Kuppa helipad and rescued both the injured trekkers.

The official said another group of 13 trekkers was stranded in Sangla area. Eight of them reached Sangla safely while five were rescued by the district administration's quick response team.Mumbai, May 25 : In a significant development, the CBI has arrested right-wing group Sanatan Sanstha's lawyer Sanjiv Punalekar and his aide Vikram Bhave in connection with the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, official sources said here on Saturday.

They will be taken to Pune and produced before a designated court which is monitoring the CBI probe in the sensational murder case.

Dabholkar, 67, who was chief of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), was gunned down near his residence while on a morning walk on August 20, 2013.

Besides Punalekar and Bhave, the CBI has so far arrested a total of five persons in connection with the murder.

Five years after Dabholkar's killing in August, 2018, the CBI made the first breakthrough arrest of the alleged shooters - Sachin Andure from Aurangabad and Sharad Kalaskar from Palghar.

Following their interrogation, the name of Virendrasingh Tawde, arrested earlier in another case, came to light as the conspirator in the Dabholkar murder.

When contacted by IANS, the family members of Dabholkar declined to comment on the latest arrests.Thiruvananthapuram, May 28 : Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has rejected suggestions that the LDFs drubbing in the lok sabha polls is a reflection of the publics lack of confidence in the state government.

Amidst opposition UDFs calls for him to step down taking moral responsibility for the poll debacle, Mr. Vijayan told reporters on Saturday that the electoral setback was only transient.

The results were unexpected but the setback is only a temporary one, he said, dismissing suggestions that the election results were a referendum on his government.

Touching on the reasons for the LDFs dismal showing in the polls, he admitted that the arrival of congress national president Rahul Gandhi into the electoral arena of Kerala through Wayanad constituency resulted in a massive shift of votes towards the UDF.

Clearly smarting from the sound defeat in the polls, Mr. Vijayan reiterated the charge that Mr. Gandhi chose to contest from Kerala fearing defeat in Amethi. The left charge against Gandhi proved prescient though, as the congress president suffered a shock defeat in his family pocket borough Amethi at the hands of BJPs Smriti Irani.

A defiant Pinarayi Vijayan, however, refused to accept that the LDFs stand on Sabarimala proved decisive in its electoral decimation.

If Sabarimala were a factor, then BJP should have been the principal beneficiary but the saffron outfits candidate K Surendran was pushed to third position in Pathanamthitta constituency, the epicenter of the Sabarimala agitation, he pointed out.

The chief minister also echoed the conclusion of the CPI(M) secretariat that the congress succeeded in engineering a consolidation of minority votes in its favor by projecting itself as an alternative to the BJP at the national level.

Mr. Vijayan also asserted that he would not change his style of functioning owing to the LDFs electoral setback. My style would be the same. I made it this far by virtue of the same style of functioning and I do not intent to change it, he told reporters.

The CPI(M) hardliners rather combative style of functioning as chief minister had drawn flak from some quarters with opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and congress Kerala unit president Mullappally Ramachandran both attributing the LDFs poll debacle to the chief ministers arrogance.

The CPI(M)-led LDF was virtually decimated in the lok sabha polls as the coalition was able to win only one of the 20 seats up for grabs in Kerala. The congress-led UDF rode on the crest of a wave created by Rahul Gandhis candidature from Wayanad, winning 19 seats. The UDF secured majorities in 123 assembly constituencies in the state, reflecting the scale of their dominance.Jaipur, May 25 : The Special Operations Group of the state police has arrested eleven office-bearers of a cooperative society on charges of duping lakhs of investors of funds worth Rs 8,000 crore, said SOG Director General Bhupendra Singh Yadav on Saturday.

The recently arrested accused include Virendra Modi and Kamlesh Chaudhary who are former chairmen of the Adarsh Co-operative Society.

The other arrested accused include Ishwar Singh Sinhal, chairman, Priyanka Modi, ex-managing director, Vaibhav Lodha, senior vice-president, Sameer Modi, CFO, Rohit Modi, Assistant Managing Director, Lalita Rajpurohit, Ex-MD; Vivek Purohit, director of six companies of Adarsh Credit Co-operative Bank, Bharat Modi, Aditya Mega Project Company director and Bharat Das Vaishnav from Technical Infrastructure Limited Company.

The DG said the SOG Jaipur headquarters in August 2018 had received information about opening of Adarsh Credit Cooperative Society Limited Ahmedabad by one Mukesh Modi. The society opened 806 branches in 26 states and four union territories. A total of 309 branches were opened in Rajasthan and 20 lakh members were formed.

These included about 10 lakh investor members. They invested about Rs 8,000 crore which were later invested in their shell company, the DG said.

Mukesh Modi and Virendra Modi allegedly gave an ex-gratia payment of Rs 270 crore to their son, daughter and son-in-law in one way or the other.

Also Mukesh Modi, without any work done by his wife and son-in-law, designated them as the advisor at Credit Co-Operative Society Ltd. and paid Rs 720 crore to them in the last three years.

The DG said the case was registered on December 28, 2018 in the SOG police station, Jaipur and a case under IPC sections dealing with criminal breach of trust, forgery, fraudulent cacellation and criminal conspiracy were registered.

According to the DG, it was found in the investigation that the Model Credit Co-Operative Society Ltd., through the Modi family, named friends and family members in the 187 loan accounts, invested 99 per cent of the investment amount received from 20 lakh investors illegally without making any collateral and provided loans to them.

The assets acquired by these shell companies from this loan amount were shown many times at a much higher value than their original value in their account books.

These assets have not been acquired via pledge/hypothecation/mortgage by the credit-operative society Ltd.

On March 31, 2017, an outstanding liability of Rs 1,86,242, 24,42,239 is pending in 187 loan accounts, which shows the misappropriation of funds belonging to the investors, the SOG DG said.New Delhi, May 26 : Increasing its numbers in the Lok Sabha by only eight since 2014, the Congress has now to decide its leader in the lower house and it remains to be seen if party chief Rahul Gandhi takes the role or some other leader is chosen.

The Congress again does not have numbers to get the status of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, as was the case in 2014. It had then chosen Mallikarjun Kharge as its leader in the House though there were suggestions then that Gandhi - who was not the party chief then - should take the post.

However, with Gandhi insisting on quitting as party chief at the Congress Working Committee meeting on Saturday, despite the party's highest decision-making body rejecting his resignation, it is unclear if he will accept this post.

Also the role of the legislature party leader entails regular presence in the House and it remains be seen if Gandhi can manage, given his campaign commitments.

The party will not have some of its articulate leaders from the outgoing Lok Sabha including Kamal Nath, who is now Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, K.C. Venugopal, who is now General Secretary (Organisation) besides Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sushmita Dev and Deepender Hooda, who lost the election.

If Gandhi again decides not to take the post, the party will have to choose a leader with sufficient seniority who is able to strongly articulate issues.

With the party having won the maximum seats - 15 - in Kerala followed by eight in Tamil Nadu, there is strong possibility that someone from the south - which accounts for half of the Congress' number in the Lok Sabha - could be chosen, given the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad hails from Jammu and Kashmir.

The names doing the rounds from Kerala include former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor, party MP Suresh Kodikunnil, who will be into his seventh Lok Sabha term and K Muraleedharan, the son of former Chief Minister K. Karunakaran and now in his fourth term as MP.County College of Morris Unveil Titus the Titan Statue

CCM county college of morris celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019 with many activities called Titan Weekend. The institution of higher learning, which is located in Randolph, NJ, unveiled a bronze statue of Titus the Titan, its mascot, at Titus Birthday, one event to mark the colleges milestone. The statue was created by Big Statues.com of Provo, UT.

At the party, there was Titan face paint, free food for all associated with the college and the community at large, music and more. The full-size statue of the county college of morris mascot shows the figure in the attire of a Greco-Roman soldier outfitted with helmet, tunic, skirt, military belt and decorative strips hanging from the waist.

Artist Matt Glenn heads BigStatues.com, and he creates bronze monuments large and small for museums and communities throughout the U.S. Prince Harry unveiled one of the sculptor's projectsthe Fijian Memorial at Nadi International Airport in Fiji.

In anticipation of the 50th anniversary, it was announced ccm holding contest to name its mascot. After voting by students, faculty and staff, Titus won out over the other choices of Taren, Torey and Thanos. Titus is a name of Greek origin that means honor and giant. It is hoped that a person with this name will initiate events, lead rather than follow and have a strong personality. The motto of the college is CCM: A Great Place To Start.

Helping to raise funds for the commissioned Titus the Titan statue was the morris foundation. Its a 501(c)3 entity that raises and manages funds to aid the college, its students and the community. Through the efforts of the titan foundation, each year nearly 80 ccm scholarships are awarded. They go to students who are studying business, liberal arts, math, engineering, science, technology, nursing and horticulture. Scholarship recipients also include minority students and students with disabilities.

Kicking off Titan Weekend was the Titan Ball, a gala inspired by Greek mythology. The most important fundraiser of the year for the titan foundation, it was held at a local hotel. Guests got started with Adonis and Aphrodite appetizers and elixirs before enjoying Medusa dining and dancing. The event also honored outstanding alumni.

CCM county college of morris has an enrollment of more than 8,000, and the annual number of its graduates exceeds 1,000. It has 50,000-plus alumni worldwide. This institution of higher learning is one of New Jerseys leading community colleges, posting high combined rates for graduation and transfer. The engineering and healthcare programs at the college are recognized as standouts, the college's administration notes.

Situated on 222 rolling acres in Randolph County, ccm is approximately a 90-minute drive from New York and a two-hour one from Philadelphia. Driving from Newark, NJ takes approximately 55 minutes. The Morris County Metro provides bus service to the campus via Route #2.

To learn more about the college, its events or its fundraising, the ccm contact number is 973-328-5000. For the ccm email, call the main number. Address ccm mail to 214 Center Grove Rd., Randolph, NJ 07869, which is also the county college of morris address.More than another clinical landmark for translational science in gene therapy, the approval of Zolgensma provides hope for thousands of families affected by SMA type 1 in the United States. -Guangping Gao, Ph.D., President, American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy

Zolgensma (Novartis, AveXis), an AAV-delivered gene therapy used to treat spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) also known as AVXS-101, was approved for clinical use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration today.

The treatment is now both the second virally-delivered gene therapy approved to treat inherited genetic disorders in the United States and the second-ever approved treatment for SMA.

FDA granted priority review status to developer AveXis in December 2018, The therapy previously received Breakthrough Therapy designation in the US and remains in the European Medical Agencys PRIority MEdicines (PRIME) program, both designed to facilitate efficient development of medicines.

More than another clinical landmark for translational science in gene therapy, the approval of Zolgensma provides hope for thousands of families affected by SMA in the United States, Guangping Gao, Ph.D., President of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy and director of the Horae Gene Therapy Center at the University of Massachusetts Medical School says. The road from the lab to the clinic is always long and arduous, but we expect to see accelerating approvals in gene and cell therapy as the basic and translational science proves safe and effective. Congratulations to all involved in the development of Zolgensma and thank you to the patients and families who have participated in all levels of tests and trials.

In clinical trial updates presented at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapys 22nd Annual Meeting on April 29, all 12 infants treated with Zolgensma had event-free survival and 92 percent demonstrated Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia Infant Test of Neuromuscular Disorders (CHOP-INTEND) scores over 40 six months following treatment compared with just 38.5% of patients treated with the sole alternative treatment for SMA. Totals for the CHOP-INTEND test range from 0 to 64 with higher scores indicating better motor skills.

In clinical trial data supporting Zolgensmas priority review application, all 15 patients infused with Zolgensma were alive and without the need for permanent ventilation at 24 months, and 11 of 12 patients could sit unassisted for at least 5 seconds. Patients monitored as part of an ongoing observational long-term follow-up maintained their developmental motor milestones and some achieved additional motor milestones.

About SMA

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a rare genetic disease that affects the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord and is the leading genetic cause of infant mortality. It is caused by an inherited faulty SMN1 gene. The SMN1 gene helps provide instructions to cells on how to produce the SMN (survival motor neuron) protein. If there isnt enough correct SMN protein produced, it leads to degeneration, meaning decline or deterioration, of motor neurons. This creates problems with a persons physical strength, often taking away the ability to walk, eat or even breathe. ASGCT has created educational resources for families of patients affected by SMA at asgct.org/education/spinal-muscular-atrophy.

About ASGCT

The American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy is the primary professional membership organization for scientists, physicians, patient advocates, and other professionals with interest in gene and cell therapy. Our members work in a wide range of settings including universities, hospitals, government agencies, foundations, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. ASGCT advances knowledge, awareness, and education leading to the discovery and clinical application of gene and cell therapies to alleviate human disease to benefit patients and society.Cris K. ONeall of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLPs Orange County office has been recognized as Tax Advocate of the Year by the California Alliance of Taxpayer Advocates (CATA).

The recognition was based in part on ONealls role in getting amendments to Californias Property Tax Rules approved by the California State Board of Equalization (SBE) in 2018. The process took many months and included written submissions to the SBE, meetings with SBE staff members, and hearings before elected SBE Members. The Property Tax Rule changes will assist taxpayers in responding to information requests from tax authorities and in making presentations before county Assessment Appeals Boards.

CATA is an association of tax consultants, agents, and attorneys who represent taxpayers before county assessors and assessment appeals boards, the SBE, and other tax agencies. According to its website, the organizations purpose is to champion the rights of taxpayers in accordance with the highest ethical standards and to promote sound public policy that protects taxpayers.

ONeall focuses his practice on ad valorem property tax and assessment counseling and litigation (appeal hearings and trials). For over 25 years, he has represented a variety of California taxpayers in equalization proceedings before county assessment appeals boards, the State Board of Equalization, the Superior Court, the California Court of Appeal, and the California Supreme Court.

About Greenberg Traurig's Tax Practice: To stay competitive in today's global marketplace, international companies must seek out greater efficiency in their tax planning and compliance, including coordinating tax decisions from country to country. For U.S. operations, an environment of increased scrutiny  including passage of more restrictive legislation and a spike in audit activity at every level  is quickly becoming the norm, likewise spurring a need for greater self-evaluation and for more frequent representation in controversies and litigation with tax authorities. Greenberg Traurigs multidisciplinary tax team works closely with clients to address these and other tax planning needs, as well as tax controversies and litigation issues.

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.Free Pancakes comes with $20 order for Breakfast. This offer is for One complementary Full Stack Pancakes with two toppings of your choice - Via Brasil Steakhouse accepts One Offer per table this May and June 2019.

Via Brasil Steakhouse is located in Las Vegas at 1225 South Fort Apache Road LV, NV 89117

If you have any questions you can reach them at 702-804-1400

This all-ages restaurant welcomes everyone, young and old for the special.

Via Brasil Steakhouse is located at 1225 South Fort Apache Road Las Vegas NV 89117.

For media inquiries regarding this event, please contact Event Director, Anna Gomes at 702-884-5364.The manufacturing industry requires numerous review and inspection processes during the development phase. Due to the fact that most new CAD data is 3D, companies are switching from traditional to virtual processes. KISTERS supports these virtual processes with the 3DViewStation product family, available for the Windows desktop, web (via any HTML5 browser) as well as a VR edition. All product family members can be used in an integrated environment as well as independently.

With 3DViewStation WebViewer, CAD data from various sources can be read instantly, without any pre-processing. This gives travelling and remote colleagues the ability to review a problem on-the-spot, using their cell phone. There is never a need to carry the CAD data with you and with WebViewer you have secure access to it. KISTERS 3DViewStation WebViewer offers more than 180 interactive functions that can be used for review and inspection within the browser. said Jim Eardly, KISTERS North America Sales Manager. After authentication, the user can browse the file system, review the CAD model, analyze the problem and collaborate on the solution remotely. Files are never stored on or loaded from the client  so your IP is protected. In addition, the 3DViewStation WebViewer can also run integrated with any data management system, such as a PLM client, or any portal that controls the access to the data required.

Recently we have seen even more sophisticated use cases where 3DViewStation VR-Edition is used integrated with a PLM system. Even highly complex CAD models can be loaded in just seconds, directly from a PLM client into the VR session. The user inspects the CAD model and adds text annotations to critical areas by leveraging voice recognition. Snapshots of these areas are automatically created and saved as working items into the PLM system. From there, the appropriate colleague is able to work with the information, who then might use 3DViewStation WebViewer for visualization. he added. I must not forget to mention that there are many companies who use 3DViewStation VR-Edition in a standalone manner as well. They enjoy the fact that 3DViewStation VR-Edition is able to load highly complex assemblies such as complete ships with 10 million parts into a VR session in just a few short seconds! They are also able to leverage many of the interactive functions within the VR environment that they are already familiar with from our 3DViewStation Desktop and 3DViewStation WebViewer products.

Known for its modern user-interface, high performance viewing, advanced analysis and integration capabilities into leading systems, 3DViewStation ships with current and mature importers for a broad range of 3D and 2D formats including i.e. Catia, NX, Creo, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, Inventor, Revit, JT, 3D-PDF, STEP, DWG, DXF, DWF, MS Office and many more.

The latest developments of 3DViewStation can be reviewed in more detail at: https://www.3dviewstation.com/blog.html.

According to Eardly, KISTERS 3DViewStation is continuously enhanced in response to customer needs and requirements. It is available as Desktop, ActiveX, VR-Edition and HTML5 WebViewer product-versions. All product flavors are intended to be used together with a PLM, ERP or other management system product configuration or service and spare part applications, providing all necessary APIs. For cloud, portal and web-solutions, there is an HTML5-based WebViewer solution available, which does not require client installation. All file formats can be used in combination with the intelligent navigation and hyperlinking features to address the needs of complex integration scenarios.

About the company

25 years success in the market with superior visualization solutions from desktop to mobile has proven KISTERS to be one of the top players in the visualization industry. Clients ranging from small firms to well-known multinationals, 3DViewStation's easy-to-use interface is suitable for all user groups and 100% customizable to each individuals specific requirements. More than 3,000 customers and over 200,000 installations worldwide. In addition, KISTERS offers expert advice and support in concept development based on client requirements.Kairos, the Miami based facial recognition company, and former CEO, Brian Brackeen today jointly announced the pending lawsuits against one another have been dropped and a settlement has been reached.

Under the settlement, the Company and Mr. Brackeen have mutually agreed to part ways, with

Mr. Brackeen, continuing to be recognized as founder of Kairos. All claims in both the initial lawsuit and Mr. Brackeens counterclaims have been dropped.

We are pleased to be putting this episode behind us, and the opportunity to keep the business focused on growth. said Melissa Doval, CEO of Kairos. We thank Mr. Brackeen for working towards a resolution, and wish him the best for his future endeavors.

Mr. Brackeen, who remains a Kairos shareholder, stated: I would like to thank Kairos management team for working towards an amicable resolution. Im confident in Kairos future, and their ability to continue delivering products customers love. Im looking forward to my next chapter.

About Kairos

Kairos is a leading facial recognition AI company with an ethical approach to identity, that reflects our globally diverse communities. Through computer vision and deep learning, Kairos can recognize faces in videos, photos, and the real world  Kairos innovative API platform simplifies how developers and businesses integrate human identity into their software. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Miami with offices in Singapore, Kairos is a venture-backed organization with customers all over the world.The American College of Tax Counsel extends a warm welcome to the 12 new Fellows elected to the organization by the Colleges Board of Regents at its recent May 10 meeting. The new Fellows elected to the College are: Elizabeth P. Askey of the IRS Office of Chief Counsel in Washington, DC; Stuart Bassin of The Bassin Law Firm, PLLC in Washington, DC ; Katherine Kraus of Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP in Los Angeles, CA; David M. Lehn of Withers Bergman in Old Greenwich, CT; Carlene Lowry of Snell & Wilmer in Phoenix, AZ; Kelly C. Mooney of Gallagher & Kennedy in Phoenix, AZ; Susan C. Morse of the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, TX; Fran Obeid of MFO Law, P.C. in New York, NY; Robert H. Scarborough of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in New York, NY; J. Robert Turnipseed of Armbrecht Jackson LLP in Mobile, AL; John L. Valentine, Chair of the Utah State Tax Commission, Orem, UT; and Melissa Wiley of the Ernst & Young Legal Department in New York, NY.

To become a Fellow of the College, individuals must first be nominated by a current Fellow. Criteria for membership in the College include being licensed as an attorney in the United States for at least 15 years, with a career that is principally devoted to tax law and tax-related matters. Members may be practicing attorneys in public or private practice, serving on the bench, or teaching in law school. Retired and semi-retired professionals who meet admissibility criteria may also be nominated. For all Fellows, demonstration of a high standard of excellence and ethical conduct in the practice of tax law is required. This commitment can be shown in a number of ways, including becoming actively involved in the taxation committees or sections of local, state, regional and national bar associations, as well as through significant legal writing, teaching in the field, and other means.

About the American College of Tax Counsel

The American College of Tax Counsel is a professional association of tax attorneys in private practice, in federal or state revenue agencies, or teaching tax law in law schools around the country. The College serves important roles regarding the nations tax laws by communicating with Congress and the IRS on federal tax issues and through the filing of friend of the court briefs in selected tax cases. A 19-member elected Board of Regents serves as the governing body of the College, with one regent drawn from each of the 13 federal judicial circuits, plus two at-large positions. The Board is rounded out by the four members of the Executive Committee  President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer and Last Retiring President. The College can be found online at http://www.actconline.org.Renes Van & Storage, Inc. a family-owned business, Californias oldest licensed moving company thats been around since 1933, and a recent winner of the Best of Los Angeles Award for Best Moving & Storage - 2019 gave back to the community this year with the aid of the Pen + Napkin charity.

For the last two years, we have proudly been a sponsor for Pen + Napkin, a nonprofit that helps furnish the homes of families transitions out of homelessness, explains Marshall Lambert, President of Renes Van & Storage, and this year we hosted a mini rummage sale in our lot! In 2018, Emily Henderson kickstarted the idea and it was so incredibly successful, it resulted in 7 family homes being fully furnished and decorated. So, we wanted to do it again.

Pen + Napkin is a 501c3 approved California Non-Profit design community that furnishes and decorates homes for families and individuals transitioning out of homelessness.

"When I first walked into Rene's Van & Storage, I was nervous because it was the first time a company reached out to me and showed interest in helping Pen + Napkin, explains Catie Brouchard, President of Pen + Napkin, I was invited to their warehouse to see how we could partner up and serve the community together. I didn't realize how massive their storage facility was. I had never seen so many vaults in my life, and I was actually a bit intimidated.

However, the team quickly bonded and set to work on the upcoming event. We sat down and discussed some of Pen + Napkin's expansion and impact goals, continues Brouchard, Marshall started giving me advice and encouragement right away, and any intimidation that I walked in with immediately left and I felt like I was talking with family. It was the beginning of a beautiful mentor-ship.

Pen + Napkin is a supportive resource to local transitional centers that offer long-term rehabilitation programs, services, and spiritual care to ensure the success of each familys transition into their home. They have helped over 70 families fully furnish and decorate their homes and as their community grows, their mission has become multiplying their impact all around the world. People that are interested in helping can donate goods, volunteer their time, join the tribe of designers, or they can sponsor a room or an entire home. Any funding Pen + Napkin receives will go towards advancing their mission to see creative professionals volunteer their time to fully furnishing and decorating a home catered specifically to the familys wants and needs. They personalize each room, tailor each element and make every space both functional and beautiful.

"Pen + Napkin has served over 77 families and we have tripled our impact in serving families. We now fully furnish 2 homes a month. These provide the storage needed to serve families in that area with furnishings, concludes Brouchard, Rene's saying yes to us gave us the confidence we needed to keep approaching more companies and churches about helping our expansion. They are invaluable to the success and growth of Pen + Napkin, and we are so grateful for the continued support and friendship their company has provided. They are more than a family owned company. To us, they are just family.

Interested parties who want to donate goods or coordinate a drop off should email ellyn(at)penandnapkin(dot)org or donations(at)penandnapkin(dot)org.

Renes Van & Storage, Inc.

4563 Colorado Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90039

(310) 652-2200

info(at)penandnapkin(dot)org | @penandnapkinorg | #penandnapkinorg

(661) 206-5232Roxanne Lopez-Gray As far back as I can remember, I have always had a pet. I am not a mother, but I do consider myself a fur mom, a wife and a working member of society. I may not have the time or resources for animal rescue but I do know I can donate and raise awareness.

The event is hosted by the Tail Is Up Foundation, founded by pet portrait photographer Kimberly Saxelby, and takes place at Rescue Brewing Co., 167 N 2nd Ave.in Upland on June 9 from 12-5 p.m. The Spike Awareness in Memory of SPIKE Animal Cruelty Fundraiser will benefit animal welfare and community projects relating to animals. The event is free and participants will enjoy a fun afternoon at Rescue Brewing Co. Pet adoption as well as raffle prizes will also be available.

For Lopez-Gray, the charity event has a special place in her heart. My wanting to be involved seems bittersweet because animals have had to go through indescribable pain in order for this event to take place, she said. As far back as I can remember, I have always had a pet. I am not a mother, but I do consider myself a fur mom, a wife and a working member of society. I may not have the time or resources for animal rescue but I do know I can donate and raise awareness.

The mission of the Tail Is Up Foundation is to enlist community participation and assist with funding of animal welfare activities to the benefit of the community. Lopez-Grays involvement with the Tail Is Up Foundation is a natural fit for her love of animals.

Organizations like Tail Is Up and fundraising events like this shine a light on a very dark topic, concluded Lopez-Gray. I am constantly amazed by the work that Kimberly does. She has a huge heart and devotion to these animals. I will always support this cause and hope that someday it wont be necessary because animal cruelty wont exist.

For more information about the event or to donate online, please visit http://www.tail-is-up.org/.

About Roxanne Lopez-Gray, Bennion Deville Homes

Roxanne Lopez-Gray is a licensed real estate professional with Bennion Deville Homes. She provides personalized service throughout your home search, specializing in luxury real estate, relocation and buyer concierge services. For more information please call (626) 991-7522, or visit http://www.rockyrealtor.com. Her office is located at 118 N Glendora Ave., Glendora, CA 91741.

For media inquiries, please call the NALA at 805.650.6121, ext. 361.

Taiwan tourism is once again in the spotlight of North American tourism market. The renounced periodical for business travel, Global Traveler, awarded Taipei as the Best Leisure Destination in Asia for 2019 in the second consecutive year. Taipei has won the honor for the second time this year; an indication that the city has mainstream travelers approval and we welcome more people to visit and get to know Taiwan better, said Brad Shih, director of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau Los Angeles office, at the evening awards ceremony on May 16.

Taiwan is also nominated to compete in the Destination with the Highest Client Satisfaction, Asia/South Pacific category of the Wave Awards by the U.S.-based TravelAge West magazine. The winner of the prize will be announced on June 13 among several finalists including Australia, Fiji, Japan, and Thailand.

Utilizing Taiwans rich and diverse ecological resources, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau promotes a different travel theme every year: Ecotourism in 2017, Bay Tourism in 2018, Small Town Tourism in 2019, and Mountain Ridge/Alpine Tourism in 2020. These themes fully reflect the natural beauty of Taiwan in different aspects. Combined with various highlights on festival, cultural, and culinary events, the bureau created many fun and educational tour recommendations for visitors, allowing them to get a deeper understanding of Taiwan to experience the most beautiful scenery and the sincerest hospitality.

Being named the Best Leisure Destination in Asia by two leading travel publications truly demonstrates that the most beautiful scenery in Taiwan is people.Visitors traveling to Taiwan can feel at home there, while enjoying the scenery, food, and life, they can also find a sense of belonging and satisfaction of the heart.

Taiwan Tourism Bureau is promoting small town in-depth tours this year. Taiwans versatile geography, climate, and hydrological landscapes are the catalyst of numerous charming small towns such as Dadaocheng in the north; Sanyi and Nanzhuang of Miaoli County in the central and Lukang Township; Qishan and Meinong in the south; Chenggong, Chishang, Fenglin, Ruisui, and Toucheng of Yilan in the east. All these local towns are blessed with different appeals and culinary characteristics, said director Brad Shih.

Taiwanese cuisine is also internationally recognized. The second edition of Michelin Guide Taipei 2019 published recently in April listed 24 starred restaurants and 58 Bib Gourmand establishments, added 3 new two-starred and 4 new one-starred restaurants to the city. For the first time ever, the Taiwan Railway Formosa Express is awarded a Bib Gourmand distinction by the Michelin Guide. Both of the domestic and overseas travelers can now enjoy Taiwans acclaimed local cuisines while embarking the around-the-island railway scenic tour.

The Formosa Express combined four of The Michelin Guide Taipei 2019 Bib Gourmand Selection-honored items on its menu; Fuzhou black pepper bun, Dian Shui Lou, Hangzhou Xiao Long Bao, and No. 1 Food Theater Cuisine, and more will be served onboard, providing passengers with world renowned Taiwan local delicacies on their journey.

The highly esteemed Global Travelers annual Leisure Lifestyle Awards are selected by their board and senior magazine staffs. The TravelAge West magazine brings the latest travel trends and tourism market information for the Western U.S. travel partners; it is consistently a trusted voice among the travel industry.In Indecent Advances (Counterpoint, June), James Polchin, an NYU professor and cultural historian, examines true crime reports from the early to mid-20th century, showing how newspapers from that era reflected societys fear of LGBTQ people and villainized victims. PW spoke with Polchin about his research process and how Stonewall changed representations of queer people in the media.

What sparked your interest in true crime reportage involving queer men?

Years ago, I came across these scrapbooks by Carl Van Vechten at the Yale archive. He was a pretty big character of modernism in the 1920s and 30s in New York and Paris. He collected all sorts of books and records and ephemera. One of his scrapbooks was homoerotic materialphotographs hed taken, drag ball flyers. Interspersed with all these materials were true crime clippings. It was the first time Id encountered small articles that were coded in their queer subtext. They were clearly important to Van Vechten as part of this world, and this period, that he wanted to memorialize. That started me thinking about how true crime played a role in, or was important to, queer sensibility.

The title of your book is a term the media used to discuss crimes involving queer men. What did it imply?

Its one term I talk about in the booksthere are improper advances and sometimes just homosexual advances. They were employed by journalists and editors to suggest kinds of criminal behaviors that had sexual undertones. By the 20s and 30s, we see them used more regularly with queer true crime stories. I think they were meant to signal, in a very opaque way, all the threats and fears that the queer victim posed to his assailant. The term indecent advance made the victim culpable in the violence or murder he experienced. It had a powerful resonance in the newspapers and also, increasingly, in the courtroomfor defendants who used that language and claimed, I was protecting myself.

How, if at all, did Stonewall affect these cultural attitudes?

After Stonewall happens, theres a change in consciousness about queer criminality from activists. Queer people pushed back against the criminalizing of them in the press and in the courtroom. By the late 1970s, after the killing of Harvey Milk in San Francisco, you have a movement around violence. Violence becomes central to the way queer activism pushes for changein terms of the way the police handle these crimes, the way the media reports on them, the ways laws are set up either to criminalize queer people or protect them.

True crime reportage from this era says a lot about how society viewed queer men. How did it shape how queer men saw themselves?

If I go back to Van Vechtens scrapbooks, I think gay men were reading these newspaper articles, and reading between their lines, as a protective measure. They would understand the dangers that were out there. Particularly by the 40s and postwar period, the ways in which newspapers took these crimes stories and amplified them into fears of homosexuals on the home frontthey became something queer people had to push against.

Return to the main feature.Whats the best comics universe? For some readers, its not a gaudy superhero multiverse but a fictional L.A. suburb barrio known as Hoppers, which Jaime Hernandez has been building for nearly 40 years in Love and Rockets, the enduring and heartbreaking collection of stories that Jaime and his brother Gilbert create.

The Hernandez brothers self-published the first issue of Love and Rockets in 1980, and its been released in various formatsas a periodical comic and as an annual trade paperbackby Fantagraphics since 1982. The series is one of the most acclaimed, beloved, and influential comics of all time. Each issue of Love and Rockets includes works set in the distinct worlds of each brother. Gilberts world, centered on the fictional Central American town of Palomar, isnt connected to Hoppers (Palomar is more magical realism, Hoppers is just realism); each is its own complex universe where characters age and change and the tiniest detail of everyday life can have a profound impact.

Jaime Hernandez has had a banner 2019 with the release of two books, showcasing different aspects of his uncanny ability to capture emotions both fleeting and life-changing. Is This How You See Me?, published in April, is a powerful look at the lives of Maggie Chascarillo and Hopey Glass, onetime loversand the stars of Love and Rockets since 1982who have matured from punk waifs to middle-aged women.

Hernandezs newest book, Tonta, to be published by Fantagraphics in July, is, by contrast, a return to the teenage hijinks that filled early issues of Love and Rockets. Loosely connected to his better-known stories, the narrative focuses on Tonta, a teen girl who is enthusiastic about her crushes, passionate about her enemies, and completely stunned when her family life turns out to be a melodrama of murder, secret siblings, and jealousy.

Both books showcase Hernandezs gorgeous art and naturalistic, nostalgia-drenched storytelling.

Tontas dueling worlds of Latinx culture and punk are familiar terrain for Hernandez, whose own experiences in L.A.s punk scene in the 1970s and 80s left an indelible mark on him. The youngest in a family of six, he and his brothers drove to L.A. for shows and performed in bands together. (Brother Ismael was in Dr. Know, one of the best-known bands of the Nardcore scene centered in Oxnard, Calif., where the family is from.)

Recalling those days, Hernandez speaks of the mood rather than details: All I can say is that it was a really, really fun time. It was the first time I felt part of something; it was my revolution. For some people its their college days, for some its high school. For me it was eye-opening. But at the same time, growing up in my Mexican neighborhood was also exciting as a subculture. Hanging out, cruising on Sunday nightsthat was also free and open.

But punk formed Hernandez as an artist. Punk was when I decided, Okay, I know what I want to do and I know how I want to do it,  he says.

While punk was a coming-out party, making comics was still something Hernandez did in private, often with his older brother Mario (who has contributed to Love and Rockets on and off through the years) and Gilbert. But comics werent as cool as punk among their friends, Hernandez says, so I kept them separate. He adds, I didnt know as many kids who were into comics.

Hernandezs incredible artistic skill was evident early on. The only time I was cool in school was when I was the guy who could draw, he says. I think that kept me from getting my ass kicked every day. Pretty early on I knew I was good, but it didnt stop me from trying to be better.

Tonta started as an attempt to return to the simple world of a teenage girl who likes bands. I wanted to create a young person and a younger world that mixes with the old world, Hernandez explains. Tontas story originally ran in Love and Rockets New Stories series, coming after Browntown and the Love Bunglers (two serials collected in 2015 as The Love Bunglers, a serious work generally acknowledged as one of Hernandezs masterpieces), and it was a lighter contrast to that story.

I needed some kind of fresh air, Hernandez says of Tontas origin. Maggie and Hopeys world is so, so tight and so, so involved. He adds that hes found it necessary to develop several spin-off series over the years to accommodate looser storytelling ideas. Anima, a female superhero series, is where Hernandez gets to flex my muscles and draw stupid robots and monsters, he notes. And Tonta has young people problems: She has a crush on somebody and thats it. Its simpler times.

Although Tonta starts out relatively carefree, murder, family secrets, and darkness inevitably creep in, although Hernandez says he didnt start out with that in mind. Tontas drop-dead sexy sister Vivian, also known as Frogmouth, is trouble all the way, involved with a sinister millionaire and gun-toting criminals. Hernandez says that he was interested to see how naive Tonta would deal with being drawn into Vivians more violent world, because shes got no clue about it.

Hernandezs stories can seem daunting with their sprawling continuities, recurring characters (several characters in Tonta have appeared fleetingly in Maggie and Hopey stories over the years), and subtle echoes of familiar themes. When writing, he says, its as if the characters are telling him how they will responda highly organic process integral to the way he develops his stories.

I dont know how it works itself out sometimes, Hernandez says. I put a situation into a [story], and its my responsibility to follow through.

However, like real people, the characters in Love and Rockets never find total closure. Maggies life continues in Is This How You See Me?, where she and Hopey go on a literal nostalgia trip via a reunion concert of the punk bands they saw as kids. For Maggie, its a near-disastrous attempt to reignite their relationship, but for Hopey, its a chance to confront some of her earlier bad behavior. We see that of all the main characters, shes the one who has changed the most and grown up, Hernandez says.

Future stories will keep filling in the blanks in the stories of Hernandezs sprawling cast, but, as usual, the way it plays out will be unexpected. He can foresee Maggie and Tonta crossing over more, and a recent story featuring a call from Ray, Maggies boyfriend, to Hopey foreshadows more drama to come.

Hernandezs characters will keep telling him where they want to go. I want unexplained things to be explained, he says. There are still a lot of holes in Maggies life that havent been filled, and Im going to keep telling those stories.Its a beloved truism in publishing that the cover is the key marketing tool for a book. Even those outside of the industry know the cliche, Dont judge a book by its cover. But, in fact, we all make snap judgments about whether wed enjoy books based on looks alone. Its not so different from shopping for clothing or anything with a distinct look and feelsome things match ones identity and others dont.

Thats why it drives me a little nuts when authors post their covers in progress on social media groups full of other authors and ask for feedback. This tends to happen for one of two reasons. Either the author is unhappy with the cover she received from her publisherand seeks validation or support in requesting a new designor shes trying to decide between multiple cover options.

Those crowdsourced opinions have an approximate value of zero in determining the best cover. Here are three reasons why:

1. The crowd hasnt been part of the books big-picture marketing and packaging discussion. No meaningful cover discussion can occur without an understanding of the initial cover direction and why that direction was established. Unfortunately, this may lead to an uncomfortable realization: the author doesnt know what the cover direction is or didnt establish one. If that is the case, it must be remedied before any intelligent cover discussion can happen. At the very least, an author needs a firm grasp on the genre shes attempting to fit into and what strong sellers look like in that genre.

When I work with self-publishing clients, one of the first things we do is assemble a cover brief. This brief establishes the genre or category, describes themes of the novel that might affect the covers aesthetic, and points to other covers with the aesthetic that were shooting for. That gives us a very clear way to, first, choose an appropriate designer (someone with experience in creating covers for the genre or who has the right design sensibility) and, second, evaluate whether the designer has achieved the goals of the cover.

How the book will be primarily marketed and sold can also play into the cover design brief. For example, commercial fiction or books heavily marketed through Amazon will often feature clear, crisp designs with high contrast. The names of bestselling authors may outweigh the titles of the books. Books marketed more to high-end readerstake The Meaning of Life from the School of Life as a recent examplehave covers that are downright unfriendly to online display. But School of Life books are mainly marketed to those who know the brand already, and they may be buying direct.

2. The author crowd doesnt represent readership. They will have their own aesthetic judgments and biases, and they may have little in common with the readers whom an author is trying to reach. Worse still, an author may not know the experiences or backgrounds of the people offering opinions. Thats common when surveying a large Facebook group consisting of thousands of members.

Of course, there may be scenarios in which surveying the crowd is a wise decision, like when asking readers for feedback. Even then, exercise caution. If fans sense that an author wants them to react in a particular way, they will. Try to ask open-ended questions such as, What feeling does this cover evoke?

3. Cover disagreements with the publisher shouldnt be taken to the crowd for a verdict. If authors are unhappy with the covers from their publishers, author groups are more likely to offer support than contrary opinions. But seeking validation isnt going to help an author secure a better cover. Quite honestly, publishers dont care what family, friends, or social media circles think about a books cover. But they do care if the Barnes & Noble buyer is unhappy with the coveror if they believe the cover is not appealing to the target audience. (Tip: preorder marketing or advertising campaigns can be an early indicator if the cover is off.)

For my most recent book, The Business of Being a Writer, I was not happy with the first cover design from my publisher. Its not that the cover was bad, but I believed the aesthetic conveyed all the negative stereotypes that writers have about business. I wrote to my editor explaining my reservations and why I thought it was sending the wrong message. Thankfully, the second cover design better captured the essence of the book.

Though there are many areas of writing and publishing in which it can be helpful to brainstorm and solicit feedback from within ones social circles, an authors most important marketing tool shouldnt be left to a random vote. Smart authors must remember to be intentional, focused, and reader driven when making decisions.

Jane Friedman teaches digital media and publishing at the University of Virginia and is the former publisher of Writers Digest.Until recently, educator Rob Sanders wrote lighthearted, fanciful picture books, such as the 2017 romp Rodzilla, illustrated by Dan Santat. But beginning in 2018with Pride, illustrated by Steven Salerno, and Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights, illustrated by Jared Andrew Schorrhes turned his attention to activism and LGBTQ history. PW spoke with Sanders about his newest picture book, Stonewall (illustrated by Jamey Christoph; Random House, ages 58), the release of which is timed to the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and the launch of the modern LGBTQ rights movement.

What sparked your interest in writing about civil rights and LGBTQ history?

I had toyed with the idea of writing nonfiction picture books for a while, and then a special event propelled me into doing so. Unlike most of my books, I know the exact moment of inspiration for Pride. It was the night of the SCOTUS marriage equality decision: June 26, 2015. As I watched the news and darkness fell across the country, landmark after landmark, including the White House, was washed in the colors of the rainbow flag. I realized that kids needed to know about the history of the pride flag, and I wrote the first draft that night. It was a heart book; a book of celebration. Little did I know that with the changing political tides it would become a book of necessity.

Why do you think its important for children to learn this history?

Im often asked why I write controversial books. I dont consider what I write controversial. I consider it, as you said, history. To me, not teaching history would be controversial. The shelf of picture books that discuss LGBTQ+ history is small, but its growing. And it should grow. LGBTQ+ history is part of American history. My fourth-grade students are enthralledand often incensedwhen we read about the civil rights movement, the fight for womens rights, the plight of farm workers, and so on. They understand unfairness, injustice, and inequality. Its only natural and right that they would also read about the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights.

The riots and police raids leading up to the Stonewall protest were violent, and there was a lot of fear surrounding these events. What was your approach to tackling such intense material for children?

Finding the entry point into a story is always crucial, as is finding the right tone. My first drafts of Stonewall were long, and the writing was heavy. I was capturing the facts, but my writing at that stage certainly wouldnt captivate children. For some reason Id added a few lines below the title of one of those not-so-great drafts. I wrote, Two stable houses, side-by-side. For more than a century they witnessed history pass by. Then came a night when the buildings became part of history. My editor didnt think the draft was working, but he liked those three sentences. After reading his notes, I thought, If only these walls could talk. I realized I knew how to write the story. I would let the buildings tell about the night of the uprising. The final version of the book is in first person and begins, Two stable houses side-by-side. For more than a hundred years, we witnessed history. Then came a night when we became part of history. Entry point and tone, check!

Return to the main feature.In my April 26 column, I expressed disappointment that more than a decade into the consumer e-book era, the government opted to make The Mueller Report available only as a virtually unreadable, poor quality PDF. And I reached out to officials at the Digital Public Library of America to ask: is there a role for libraries here?

Turns out, there is. This week, the Digital Public Library of America published a free e-book editiona real e-bookwhich readers can download, even without a library card. As of last week, the DPLAs version of The Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election is now freely available in e-book format for anyone to read on their phone or tablet.

By making the report available as an e-book in our Open Bookshelf collection, anyone can download and read it for free, reads a statement on the DPLA site. For libraries offering New York Public Librarys SimplyE app, the Mueller Report can be easily integrated into the e-book offerings made available to their patrons.

The SimplyE app and Open Bookshelf are freely available to anyone with an iOS or Android device.

A coalition of Americas libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural heritage institutions, DPLA is committed to making the wealth of materials and information contained in our libraries and cultural heritage institutions readily accessible online, including photographs, books, maps, news footage, oral histories, personal letters, and government documents. And in recent years, the organization has become deeply invested in providing greater access to e-books, recently announcing "a new collaboration to help provide all public libraries with a free, open, library-controlled platform for managing their e-book and audiobook services."

Maybe Im wrong, but I have a feeling that were just beginning to scratch the surface of how important The Mueller Report will turn out to be. And citizens can now turn to the place theyve traditionally turned when they need informationthe library.It has been a year of joy mixed with sorrow for Little Free Library. The Wisconsin nonprofit organization behind the iconic, seemingly ubiquitous containers mounted on posts and filled with books for the taking is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month while still mourning the loss of founder and executive director Todd Bol. Bol, 62, died last October, just weeks after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

To mark its May 17 birthday, LFL sponsored a virtual international event called the Big Share. Participants were invited to visit a Little Free Library between May 17 and 19, deposit a book, and post a photo on social media with the #LFL10 hashtag to enter a drawing for a gift card to LFLs online store. By the end of the weekend, there were 730 photos posted on Instagram; hundreds more were posted on Facebook and Twitter.

LFL also marked its 10th birthday by announcing the 10 winners of the inaugural Todd H. Bol Award for Outstanding Achievement, given to individuals who maintain Little Free Libraries and who best exemplify LFLs mission of fostering community through books. The winners, whom LFL calls stewards, include nine adults (five of whom are people of color) and one teenager. They maintain microlibraries abroad in Rome and Khartoum and domestically in El Monte, Calif.; El Paso, Tex.; Lake Worth, Fla.; New Orleans, La.; Paterson, N.J.; and Spring Valley and Medford, Wis., and on a Navajo reservation in Window Rock, Ariz.the Navajo Nations first Little Free Library.

The winners highlight the diversity of the work the stewards are doing, noted Margret Aldrich, LFLs media and programming manager and the author of The Little Free Library Book, which was published in 2015 by Coffee House Press. Theyre all doing amazing things.

In September, Houghton Mifflin Harcourts Clarion Books imprint will publish Little Libraries, Big Heroes by Miranda Paul, illustrated by John Parraa childrens picture book that begins with the story of how, in spring 2009, Bol constructed the first Little Free Library, a wooden replica of a one-room schoolhouse, to honor his late mother, a teacher. He mounted it on a post, filled it with books, and placed it in front of his house in Hudson, Wis., with a sign attached urging passersby to take a book or leave a book. It is the same model LFL follows today.

Its an alternative way to get really good books into peoples hands, Bol told PW in 2011 as the concept started to snowball. With its popularity growing, LFL became a nonprofit organization in 2012, at which point there were about 5,000 Little Free Libraries in all 50 states and in 40 countries abroad.

As LFL marks its 10th anniversary, there are more than 80,000 registered Little Free Libraries in 91 countries, which have shared a total of at least 120 million books. The organization, which has 10 employees, reported close to $3 million in revenue in 2018 and is in the midst of conducting a national search for a new executive director.

In addition to the registered libraries, which can be seen on LFLs interactive global map, there are an unknown number of mounted boxes containing books that are not registered, LFL-branded structures but are obviously modeled on them. LFL encourages this, too, as demonstrated by the fact that Bol wrote the foreword to Little Free Libraries and Tiny Sheds: 12 Miniature Structures You Can Build by Philip Schmidt (published by Cool Springs in March).

The organization is best known for its book-exchange containers, but thats not all it does. For years, LFL has spearheaded literacy initiatives such as its Action Book Club, whose members read books together and then perform community service projects. LFL also promotes literacy by sponsoring projects and programs in collaboration with businesses and organizations. Among the partners it has worked with are Books for Africa, Coffee House Press, the New York Times Learning Network, and Penguin Random House.

Its incredible that a simple thinga box of books and a posthas really struck a chord in so many places, Aldrich said. No wonder people call Todd Bol the Johnny Appleseed of books: he planted seeds of literacy all over the world.Despite the fact that Penguin Random House US posted revenues of about $2.2 billion in 2018, CEO Madeline McIntosh told employees in a letter announcing the companys decision to buy a 45% stake in independent publisher Sourcebooks that PRH US still has an appetite for growth. Last year, worldwide sales for PRH rose 1.9%, with acquisitions adding 4.6% to the increase, most of which was offset by foreign exchange losses. Though the deal allows Sourcebooks and Dominique Raccah, the companys founder and publisher, to continue to operate independently, PRH US will benefit financially from Sourcebooks growth.

In a conference call, both McIntosh and Raccah emphasized that little will change in day-to-day operations at Sourcebooks. My mantra is: let Sourcebooks be Sourcebooks, McIntosh said, pointing to the publishers track record of sustained growth.

Raccah said that the rationale behind the PRH investment is to create a bigger Sourcebooks, adding that the company will continue with our own model and create our own path. She stressed that there will be no changes at Sourcebooks; its management will stay the same, it will continue to do its own distribution, and it will keep its headquarters in Naperville, Ill., as well as its offices in New York City, Connecticut, and Arizona. The company currently has about 140 employees, releases about 400 titles annually, and has a backlist of 4,500 titles.

Among the strengths of Sourcebooks that McIntosh said most appealed to her is its rapid growth in the childrens publishing sector, where it now has seven imprints and produces bestsellers such as P Is for Pterodactyl and Quantum Physics for Babies. She is also intrigued by Sourcebooks ability to develop titles that resonate in Americas heartlandparticularly titles that appeal to reading groups.

Dominique says Sourcebooks publishes books for their neighbors, McIntosh said. Well, their neighbors are different from the neighbors of those in New York publishing.

In explaining the thinking behind the acquisition and its execution, McIntosh cited the success that PRH has had with Ten Speed Press since it bought the company in 2009. Because the deal allows Ten Speed to operate as it had before, she noted, Ten Speedand, consequently, PRHcontinues to stay on top of West Coast trends. McIntosh added that she has also been impressed by Raccahs data-driven approach to publishing (an approach shared by PRH), as well as by Sourcebooks ability to develop content in-house to quickly respond to new trends.

The hands-off approach promised by PRH where Sourcebooks is concerned doesnt mean that the two companies wont be working together. There are a number of areas where we have common interests, and as we work together, we can make these stronger, Raccah said.

One such area is awareness of Sourcebooks brand on a global level, and the companies will have conversations about how PRH can best help to expand it. McIntosh said that, over time, PRH will support Sourcebooks continued growth into new channels, markets, and ventures.

Under the agreement, Sourcebooks has formed a new five-person management board that will be chaired by Raccah and will also include McIntosh and Nina von Moltke, PRHs president of strategic development. McIntosh noted that though the board will serve as the official liaison between the two companies, she expects many touchpoints to develop.

McIntosh said there is no plan to take a majority stake in Sourcebooks. Sourcebooks does fantastic stuff, she added. We want to help them get bigger, and we think we can learn from each other.Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale

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Search Real Estate"Dancing with the Stars" pro Cheryl Burke is now a married woman.

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People confirmed the 35-year-old professional dancer tied the knot with Matthew Lawrence at a wedding Thursday at the Fairmont Grand del Mar resort in San Diego, Calif.

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Burke's stepfather, Bob Wolf, walked her down the aisle.

Burke's bridal party included actress Leah Remini as matron of honor, Burke's sister Nicole and "Dancing with the Stars" pro Kym Johnson.

Lawrence, an actor known for playing Jack Hunter on "Boy Meets World," had his brothers, actor Joey Lawrence and musician Andy Lawrence, as his best men.

"Matt brings out the best of me," Burke told the magazine prior her nuptials. "He enjoys every moment and that helps me appreciate life even more."

Burke shared a first wedding photo Thursday on Instagram. The picture shows Lawrence embracing her as they smile for the camera.

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"5.23.19," she wrote, adding a heart emoji. "#CherylAndMATTrimony."

"Dancing with the Stars" pros Val Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd were among those to congratulate the couple in the comments.

"Congratulations beautiful. I wish you both a beautiful union together celebrated for a lifetime and beyond," Chmerkovskiy wrote.

"To a beautiful household a healthy family and a lifetime of adventures together. Love you Cheryl! Congrats again and again."

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"Huge Congratulations babe," Murgatroyd added. "You look so stunning and I couldn't be happier for you!"

Burke and Lawrence got engaged in May 2018.

Remini hosted a bridal shower for Burke at her home in March.Porterville, CA (93257)

Today

Overcast. High near 45F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 38F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.New Delhi, May 25 (IBNS): A day after PM Narendra Modi-led NDA registered a massive victory in the Lok Sabha polls, the Indian government has banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) which is blamed for carrying out the terror attack at a cafe in Dhaka city in 2016.

"The Central Government vide notification dated 23rd May, 2019 has banned the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Hindustan and all its manifestations under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 with immediate effect," read a statement issued by the Union Home Ministry.

"The notification states that the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and its formations like Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Hindustan and their manifestations have committed acts of terrorism, promoted acts of terrorism and have been engaged in radicalisation and recruitment of youth(s) for terrorist activities in India," it said.

Gunmen had entered the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan area of Bangladesh on July 1, 2016 and killed 22 people, which included 17 foreigners.

Security forces were able to kill all the six terrorists.

After this incident, terrorists also attacked the police who were guarding the largest Eid gathering in Bangladesh. Three people were reportedly killed in the incident. The police had blamed JMB to be behind the attacks.

Interestingly, the government made the move just the day after PM Narendra Modi-led NDA clinched the Lok Sabha polls for the second straight term.

In India, investigators had found JMB's involvement in the 2014 Burdwan bomb explosion and even the 2018 Bodh Gaya blast.Dennis Kendall, a member of Amercian Legion Post 20, happily passes out poppies on the corner of Henderson Avenue and Prospect Street on May 24 in honor of National Poppy Day.With DMK's M K Stalin coming into his own, and the rival AIADMK too leaving no space for third parties, Tamil Nadu will remain a Dravidian stronghold for a long time, says N Sathiya Moorthy.

IMAGE: Congress President Rahul Gandhi is presented a sword by DMK president MK Stalin at a public meeting in Chennai, on December 16, 2018. Photograph: R Senthil Kumar/PTI Photo

If election 2019 is anything to go by, Tamil Nadu will continue to be a Dravidian politico-electoral citadel for a long time after the exit of the twin towers in DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi and the even more charismatic AIADMK rival in late chief minister Jayalalithaa.

This does not mean that other national, regional and sub-regional parties do not have any place or space, but their role will continue to be limited and supportive, not assertive and substantive, as was visualised by the ruling BJP at the Centre for a time, and the likes of PMK, MDMK, DMDK and a host of others at the other end of the states political spectrum.

In the days, weeks and months after Jayalalithaas hospitalisation and death 70 days later, the ruling BJP at the Centre was at best unsure of its politico-electoral strategy for Tamil Nadu.

Unlike what election 2019 may have meant for the partys future at the national-level since, at the time, the BJP national leadership did display an element of nervousness as far as the state party affairs went.

Nothing explains the BJPs tentative approach to TN affairs than its unwillingness and/or inability to replace failed state unit chief, Tamizhisai Soundararajan, who lost the 2016 assembly elections, too.

Tamizhisai or no other party leader from the state, however, could be blamed for the BJPs twin electoral disasters of 2014 and 2016 in TN, now followed by election 2019.

The responsibility for the three-time failures should rest with the national party strategists, who now would seem to have given up on TN -- and for two reasons.

One, the BJP does not need TN seats any more for running a stable government at the Centre as the electoral results have now proved. Two, after trying to shape the future of state politics, that too in the absence of the DMKs Karunanidhi and AIADMKs Jayalalithaa, it has simply given up -- like the national Congress rival through the previous 50 long years.

The current BJP strategy, if at all, seems to be settle for one or the other of the Big Two Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu, and play second fiddle, in the face of national compulsions of the one-time Congress kind.

If after the 2014 Modi wave, the BJP had the advantage of a stable government at the Centre without the support of the Dravidian parties for full five years, the party has now got five more years to strike roots, but it is not to be -- or, so it seems.

All of it means that the AIADMK may have more space to grow and strike deeper roots in the state than in the tentative aftermath of the post-Jaya period, though not for the DMK at Karunanidhis death.

Even before Karunanidhis death, his second son M K Stalin had emerged as his political heir, vis a vis his own half-hearted elder brother and former Union minister M K Azhagiri.

In the process, Stalin also silently and even more effectively sidestepped and sidelined nephew and controversial former Union minister Dayanidhi Maran.

If the post-Karunanidhi phase saw Azhagiris much-hyped prayer meeting at the fathers memorial at capital Chennais Marina become a damp squib, election 2019 saw Maran eating out of Stalins hand.

In between, Stalins half-sister Kanimozhi bought peace with him possibly after realising that Azhagiri was not a full-time politicians as he had once shown up to be, and could not be relied upon to take the party forward.

At the commencement of her own political career in the aftermath of the Dinakaran newspaper attack case in Madurai and the forced exit of Maran, Jr from the UPA government of which the DMK was a part, Kanimozhi was seen as an unwilling and non-serious politician.

Not so anymore. If nothing else, the 2-G case has made her a serious politician. The chances are that despite other party seniors with vast and varied ministerial experience at the Centre in the new Lok Sabha, Kanimozhi may be elected DMK group leader in the House.

At the same time, campaign for election 2019 also saw Stalins actor-son Udhayanidhi Stalin hitting the campaign trail, full time and big time. The DMK-led combines sweeping LS poll victory may now tempt Stalin and also the party to give Udhayanidhi greater organisational responsibilities than Karunanidhi was willing in their time.

Karunanidhi, it was said, was clear that he could promote Stalin or Azhagiri, Kanimozhi or Maran, only inside the party and also up to a point -- no more. But for them to become chief minister or any other, they would have to strike a chord with the cadres and even more, the masses.

The short and medium term would thus see how Stalin balances his own power equations with Kanimozhi and Maran, and those from outside the family, and how and how far he inducts son Udhayanidhi into party affairs, that too ahead of the crucial assembly polls, which are not likely to be sooner than when due in May 2021.

Thrice rejected, and much more lucky, should be the theme of Stalins victory song -- so should it be the ruling AIADMKs dirge tune, if any, even if only in the immediate context.

Stalin had sought an appointment with PM Modi thrice in four months or so in the first half of 2017, and thrice his request was rejected.

As the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly with the single largest legislature group in decades, he wanted to highlight Tamil Nadus multiple problems and issues with the PM, but the latter was said to be too busy for such a meeting.

At the time, the social media was full of pictures of lesser mortals from the state, ruling AIADMK leaders in deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) and RS member Maithreyan, yesteryear actors like Gowthami and Gayathri Raghuram, and a host of lower-level state BJP leaders meeting with the PM in Delhi.

But as the AIADMK has since learnt, association with the BJP at the Centre may have been a major factor for the complete wipe-out of the states ruling party in the LS polls 2019.

Stalin and the DMK learnt it the hard way when PM Modi called on Karunanidhi at the latters Gopalapuram home in Chennai city out of the blue, but leading to the party nominee losing his security deposit in the suburban, cosmopolitan R K Nagar assembly by-election.

As chief minister, Karunanidhi lost election 2001 to the state assembly after the DMK joined the Vajpayee-led NDA government in 1999. Jaya burnt her fingers in the 2004 LS polls, hence her Modi-ya, Lady-ya? call in the LS polls 10 years later, in 2014.

Stalin did one better by declaring Congress president Rahul Gandhi as the DMKs favoured prime ministerial candidate, little bothered about how other regional parties might react to such a pre-condition of sorts.

Yet, there is no real guarantee that Stalin and the DMK could come back to power in the state, not possibly at least until after the 2021 assembly polls. The AIADMKs victory in nine of the 22 assembly bypolls, held along with the nationwide LS polls, has given the party government and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami some breathing space and time.

Given however the travesty of time and political allegiances in the absence of an election-winning charismatic leader like Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK and EPS may have to lean even more on the BJP Centre and PM Modi than already, if only to check against mass migration from the AIADMK legislature party, if only for either the DMK or others to form an alternative government.

Much as outsiders may think that Stalin and DMK might have lost despite winning the LS polls big time, this strange situation may have actually helped him stabilise the leadership, without having to create other power centres at distant Delhi, where he, like his late father Karunanidhi, continues to feel as an outsider.

To depend on the likes of Maran Jr, to communicate with the national leadership of the alliance leader at the Centre would have been too much for Stalin to handle just now. To expect Kanimozhi, too, to stay off trouble in his backyard, again would be a misnomer for Stalin to deal with.

This way, Stalin may have had the cake and be eating it too -- in purely political terms, as electorally, he would become somebody if and only if, when and only when, he himself becomes the state chief minister. When it was not destined to happen with the by-elections in 22 assembly constituencies, he might have preferred it this way.

It is likewise for the divided yet twin leadership of the ruling AIADMK. CM Palanisami and deputy OPS, otherwise at daggers drawn behind their back, would not have to contend with third forces of the Union ministers kind from the party emerging just now -- and giving them sleepless nights, jointly and severally.

Chief among their tormentors would have been outgoing LS deputy speaker M Thambidurai, who has lost badly to Congress greenhorn of sorts in Jothimani, who had gone out without a whimper in 2014.

EPS-OPSs collective problem now would be what if PM Modi offers the party a ministerial position or two at the Centre, and they would have to nominate someone or the other from their existing RS pool.

If yes, they would face possible competition from another faceless leader as they were not very long ago. If not, again, with the likes of MDMKs Vaiko going to RS, as part of the DMKs LS poll commitment, they would not have a voice to hit back -- other than the OPSs factions Maithreyan, who is a suspect in the eyes of EPS.

Just now, however, the AIADMK would have to tackle their post-poll reversals, and set the house in order, well before the assembly polls of 2021.

The lone LS seat and five of the nine assembly bypoll victories of the party owe to OPSs southern belt, while EPSs even more stronger western turf has proved to be a non-starter for the Vellalar Gounder CM from the region where the AIADMK was strong almost since inception vis-a-vis the DMK parent rival.

Yet, OPS has nothing much more to offer, especially if the losing Congress or AMMK rival from his son Ravindranath Kumars Theni LS seat were to challenge the results in the courts, in the coming weeks.

It is also becoming increasingly clear that much of the substantial share of votes that went to breakaway AMMK of rebel leader T T V Dhinakaran and those polled by actor-politicians Kamal Hassan with his MNM and Seemans NTK were all traditionally anti-DMK votes, which would not go to the AIADMK, post-Jaya.

That these voters did not pick up the BJP even in constituencies where the party was contesting as an ally of the AIADMK, and to the PMK, where the latter was contesting for the NDA, also shows that either it would be AIADMK votes, or would go the near-NOTA way, to less consequential parties of even less consequential leaders.

Yet, the question arises. Will prospective actor-politician Rajinikanth be tempted to take to direct electoral politics ahead of the assembly polls, as promised many a time since Jayas death especially? If so, will he oblige the BJP by joining hands, even if not joining the party?

Clearly, the MNM and NTK votes, and possibly the AMMK vote-share, also reflect an element of minorities vote-share that did not go to the AIADMK because of the BJP alliance.

It could have also included a share of the traditional minorities voters who may have been put off by Stalins deliberate non-mention of their cause and concerns during his long drawn-out campaign rallies, other than in pockets where their presence or dominance was strong -- and not elsewhere.

This, as also the ready voter-acceptance of Stalins new poll-time declaration that the DMK was not against Hindus and Hinduism even under Dravidian ideologue-father Karunanidhi, should set the likes of Rajinikanth thinking more than already -- which is possibly why, he has been staying out of it all thus far, despite repeated pious declarations to the contrary.

N Sathiya Moorthy, veteran journalist and political analyst, is Director, Observer Research Foundation, Chennai Chapter.The answer has two components: As a leader with a vision who can carry the masses and his ability to realise his vision through his decision-making and executive skills, says Colonel R Hariharan.

Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi led from the front to win an unprecedented second term in the 2019 general election.

He has shown he is a hands-on leader, who does not hesitate to publicise his successes, rather than wasting time on explaining his failures.

The 2019 election results clearly show that for the Opposition parties Modi continues to remain 'a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma' to borrow a quote from Winston Churchill.

If the Opposition leaders want to survive the Modi headwind, they have to find answer to the question, what makes Modi tick?

This is perhaps the reason for their failure to evolve a proactive and coherent strategy to take on the Modi phenomenon.

The Opposition's reactive strategy focused on Modi's actions, which are his strength, than gut issues.

In terms of brand-building strategy, the Opposition went all wrong. By painting him as an ogre the Opposition ended up reinforcing Modi's image as an invincible leader.

Repeated slanging of Modi with meaningless slogans like 'Chowkidar chor hai', only showed the Opposition's paucity of strategic ideas to take on the BJP leader on his vulnerabilities.

Understanding Modi is difficult because some of his actions defy logic and conventional wisdom. But that is exactly what Modi did, when he sprang a surprise on the nation of 1.3 billion people in a televised speech. He told them their high value currencies would become useless unless they account for it through a bank.

What made him take this critical decision without going through the conventional process of decision making?

Only a leader with goal clarity, self-confidence, courage of conviction and trust in his team, takes a risky decision despite knowing it might damage his reputation as an effective leader. Such leaders are known for their out of the box solutions.

Was Modi's action driven by courage or foolhardiness? The jury may be still out on demonetisation, but for most of the voters it did not matter because they trusted him. The debate is likely to go on forever because out of the box decisions often defy conventional reasoning.

That is why politicians are generally reluctant to think out of the box. They prefer more pedestrian tried and trusted methods. Apparently, Modi's strength is he is not a conventional politician.

From a managerial perspective, Modi's leadership style can be analysed using a wide variety of tools used by management pundits. But political leadership does not lend itself to easy classification of styles expounded in management tomes.

Successful politicians are situational leaders, assuming different styles to suit the dynamics of an operational environment. How they manage it often defines their political longevity and public popularity.

In Modi's case, it was a combination of leadership charisma and exceptional decision-making and executive skills that enabled him to repackage and expand upon many of the well-conceived, but ill-managed, social welfare schemes of earlier governments.

What makes Modi tick? The answer has two components: As a leader with a vision who can carry the masses and his ability to realise his vision through his decision-making and executive skills. That makes him not only a PM, but a chief executive as well.

This is the reason Modi's style of closely monitoring of actions makes some of the bureaucrats uncomfortable as they are accustomed to the traditional 'file crawl'.

Modi's rise from the backwoods of Gujarat to the hallowed power centres of Lutyens New Delhi is not dissimilar to that of Benjamin Disraeli.

Disraeli, born in a Sephardic Jewish family of Italian mercantile background, rose to become prime minister of Great Britain twice in the 19th century. He was instrumental in taking many momentous decisions to take advantage of the decay of the Ottoman empire and the purchase of a major interest in the Suez Canal company.

Modi's rise seems to be based upon Disraeli's three pillars of learning: Seeing much, suffering much and studying much.

The prime minister's conduct as a national leader also reflects Disraeli's pithy observation: 'The secret of success is to be ready when your opportunity comes.'

Modi also exemplifies some of Disraeli's other leadership dictums. These include 'Courage is fire, and bullying is smoke' and 'Never complain and never explain.'

Modi is undoubtedly a charismatic leader, who can hold the audience spellbound with his simple but effective public speaking skills.

How much does charisma help Modi as a leader?

The well-known management guru Peter Drucker in a Harvard Business Review article in 2004 explained that effective executive does not need to be a charismatic leader. So the PM to be effective needs more than charisma.

Drucker, from his rich experience in 65 years of consulting, says some of the most effective chief executives varied in their personalities, attitudes, values, strengths, and weaknesses. They ranged from 'extroverted to nearly reclusive, from easy going to controlling, from generous to parsimonious'.

The management guru identified eight practices that made them effective. They asked two questions: What needs to be done. and what is right for the enterprise. These gave them the knowledge they needed.

They developed action plans and took responsibility for decisions and communicating the decisions to translate the knowledge into action. They ensured accountability and responsibility by focusing on opportunities rather than problems and emphasising 'we' rather than 'I'.

In the run-up to the 2014 election, it was Modi's charisma that attracted thousands of ordinary people who paid to hear his talks delivered with exceptional public speaking skills. They needed a narrative of action to add value to their lives.

But in the 2019 general election, even the adulatory public appear to have judged Modi on his performance rather than his oratorical skills. So the massive popular vote is probably a validation of Modi not only as a leader plus doer.

Colonel R Hariharan, a retired military intelligence analyst, served as the executive director of the Madras Management Association. He has been a corporate trainer for more than a decade.The Bharatiya Janata Party has won 41 seats in the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh assembly after results of all the constituencies were announced, an election official said on Saturday.

-- BATTLE FOR 4 STATES: THE FINAL VERDICT

Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh were held for 57 seats as three BJP candidates were earlier declared elected unopposed.

The Janata Dal-United won seven seats, the National People's Party five, the Congress four, the People's Party of Arunachal one and Independents two.

Counting of votes on Friday for Daporijo, Dumporijo and Raga constituencies in Upper Subansiri district was delayed, the official said.

In the Daporijo seat, the result of which was announced early this morning, BJP candidate Taniky Soki won the seat defeating his nearest Congress rival Togam Tamim.

BJP candidate Rode Bui bagged the Dumporijo seat defeating his nearest JD-U rival Gumjum Haider while Tarin Dakpe of the National People's Party won the Raga seat, the official said.

Counting of votes on Friday for Daporijo, Dumporijo and Raga constituencies in Upper Subansiri district was delayed as the counting officials went away from the counting centre without handing over the results for which counting could not be continued as per the guidelines.

However, it started after the polling officials returned and handed over the results, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kanki Darang said.

Among the prominent BJP winners are Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who won from the Mukto seat, bordering China, for third time in a row. Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein won from the Chowkham constituency.

In Miao constituency, state Geology and Mining Minister and BJP nominee Kamlung Mossang beat Chatu Longai of the Congress by 3,856 votes to retain the seat.

The Namsang seat, which witnessed a multi-cornered contest, voted in favour of PHE minister and BJP nominee Wangki Lowang for the third time in a row.

In the prestigious Tawang seat, BJP candidate Tsering Tashi trounced veteran Congress leader Thupten Tempa by a margin of 3,592 votes.

Power minister and BJP candidate Tamiyo Taga tasted defeat at the hands of newcomer Talem Taboh of the JD-U in Rumgong, Assembly Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok, who represented the Kalaktang constituency for two terms, failed to wrest the seat from JD-U greenhorn Dorjee Wangdi Kharma.

State Home Minister Kumar Waii, who quit the BJP to join the NPP, lost the Bameng assembly seat to newbie Gorduk Pordung of the saffron party.

The Congress won four seats but Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Takam Sanjoy lost to Jummum Ete Deori of the BJP in the Lekang seat.

The Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing assembly, Takam Pario of the Congress lost the Palin seat to the BJP's Balo Raja.Moni Chadha was with Lal Bahadur Shastri in Tashkent. He counters colourful conspiracy theories with sobering facts.

Manavi Kapur reports.

Photograph: Ted West/Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Surinder Mohan Singh Chadha, or Moni as he likes to be called, was a month short of 29 when he was sent packing on a special plane to Tashkent in January 1966.

Now the capital of the sovereign state of Uzbekistan, Tashkent was then under Soviet control and in the days following Chadha's arrival, witnessed events of historic magnitude.

A treaty between then prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and then Pakistani president Ayub Khan was signed, effectively ending the India-Pakistan war of 1965.

The same night, on January 11, 1966, Shastri died of a heart attack.

Fast forward to 2019, when Chadha, now 82, decided to watch a Bollywood film -- Vivek Agnihotri's The Tashkent Files.

An under-secretary in the ministry of external affairs in 1966, Chadha had been tasked with bringing Shastri's body back to India.

But Chadha was appalled by what he saw in the film. "For a film so well made, it got basic facts wrong," he says.

What alarmed Chadha even more was the fact that several acquaintances, now enjoying their retirement with brunches at Delhi's Gymkhana Club, have walked up to him and asked him if what The Tashkent Files alleged about Shastri's death was, in fact, true.

Was Shastri's death unnatural?

Was he poisoned to death?

Were the Soviet or American secret services behind his 'assassination'?

Or was he killed by those who wanted Indira Gandhi to become India's prime minister?

Chadha meets me in the lounge at Delhi's India International Centre to narrate the events of January 1966. "I never spoke about my time in Tashkent because I never thought it was needed. I only wrote about it in my book, which was really my life's story," he says.

His book, By the River of Silver: Diplomatic Chronicles from a Life in Six Continents, has just one chapter dedicated to Shastri's death, which is by no means as dark and mysterious as The Tashkent Files.

"I was the lowest of the species in the ministry and had travelled across the world for various postings. Around 1964-65, I visited T N Kaul, the Indian ambassador to Moscow, in his home. His Indian cook, Mohammed Jan, was also there. I had sampled his cooking on a couple of occasions. Can you believe that they even got his name wrong in the film?"

The Tashkent Files called him Jan Mohammed. It also slyly implied that the Muslim chef could have been behind the death of the Hindu prime minister.

IMAGE: Lal Bahadur Shastri, then Pakistan president Ayub Khan and then Soviet premier Alexei Kosygin.

"On December 31, 1965, I was sent on a mission to assist Shastri for the Indo-Pak conference and I reached before him to ensure all the arrangements were in order. Shastri was housed in a bungalow called a dacha -- not dhacha as the film calls it. Though seemingly minor -- these mistakes are not germane to the mystery -- they point to the idiocy of these people."

"Right next to the dacha, there was a modern hotel that housed Kaul, Kewal Singh (India's then ambassador to Pakistan), Swaran Singh (then India's foreign minister) and I J Bahadur Singh (then additional secretary at the foreign ministry), among other officials. Our rooms were all in one row. All other journalists and media personnel, nearly 40 of them including Kuldeep Nayar, were in a hotel far away," says Chadha.

"The impression given in the film that Kuldip Nayar was in and out of the dacha or even Shastri's bedroom is not true. Nayar was a great journalist and a good person, but at that time, he was just one among several others."

Film-maker Agnihotri also claims that Nayar, a few hours before his death in 2018, revealed some crucial 'facts', which were yet unknown, about Shastri's death which made him completely change the climax of the film.

"In my opinion, it is absolute nonsense. Nayar always made one point and remained consistent about it: That it is opinion that Shastri did not die naturally."

Chadha says the events of January 10, 1966, the evening the Indo-Pak treaty was signed, are as important to put the events of Shastri's death in perspective.

"When the conference ended, there was unusual bonhomie between the Indian and Pakistani delegates. This was in stark contrast to the hostility at the beginning of the conference when Ayub Khan did not even shake Shastri's hand."

It took great diplomacy and shuttling between the dachas for Soviet statesman Alexei Kosygin to convince Shastri to return the Haji Pir Pass to Pakistan, a territory that India had won after losing over 1,000 of its soldiers.

"But Shastri agreed to return this territory as a peace gesture," says Chadha.

"This is when Khan and Shastri began talking to each other. Finally, when the agreement was signed, Khan really thought Shastri was little short of being a peer (saint) himself. Inside a little meeting room at my hotel, there was an atmosphere of celebration."

"The only person who sat in one corner and sulked was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan's foreign minister, who never spoke to anyone in the room."

"We all partied till nearly 10 pm and I went back to my hotel room to sleep. I was woken up at about 1.30 am by one of the officers and told that Shastri had died. We all immediately reached Shastri's dacha and within half an hour, we all had our duties made clear to us. My officers told me that a special plane had been arranged to take Shastri's body to India and I was to be in charge of this."

"I was to call the chief of protocol and give him the news to ensure that Shastri's body was received at the airport. This was a time before direct dial and I asked the operator to connect me to J N Dhamija, the chief of protocol. This was also the time that a chief of protocol would receive odd requests from diplomats in the middle of the night and for a peaceful night's sleep, he would put his phone off the hook."

"I called my colleague in Defence Colony who first thought I was playing a prank. After I convinced him, he rushed to Dhamija's residence and the protocol was put in place."

At Tashkent airport, everything was arranged on the spur of the moment. "Kosygin and Ayub Khan were present, as were other dignitaries. I was bearing one edge of the coffin on my shoulder and could not see exactly who was present."

"I saw Khan coming in front of me and I got out of his way. Khan had tears running down his face, bearing the coffin and walking to the plane. Why did journalists like Nayar not report this?"

On the plane, the coffin was placed in the centre. Chadha, Shastri's personal physician, R N Chugh, and Shastri's joint secretary and close aide, C P Srivastava, sat around it.

"I had plenty of time to interact with both of them on the plane. They were both grieving."

In his book, Chadha also writes that Chugh explained that the blotches on Shastri's body -- grist to the mill for conspiracy theorists -- appeared in the process of attempting to preserve the body.

"I met Srivastava on several occasions later and we reminisced about 1966. There was not an iota of doubt about Shastri's death."

"So much has been made in the film about Shastri's physician Chugh and his personal servant both dying in car accidents before they could testify in Parliament. But their deaths occurred over a decade after Shastri's death, and more because of our abysmal traffic conditions than any plot to kill them."

Two questions -- why was an autopsy not conducted on Shastri's body, and why are files pertaining to his death still classified -- still remain.

"I was a young officer and I was rushing to the plane with the body. I cannot comment on why the autopsy was not done. It didn't even occur to me to ask. The senior officers must have decided that the prime minister is dead, an autopsy is not required, especially since there was no suspicion about how he died. It was clear that he was a frail heart patient."

"The government has decided to classify the files, it is a bureaucratic decision. I have seen many top secret files, too. It's not as if the Russians or the Pakistanis hold these top secret files -- we do. It's not as if the keepers of the files are against Shastri. There is no big mystery here."

"As for the CIA or KGB wanting to kill Shastri, would this have been the way to do it, at the peak of the Cold War? These rubbish theories are an insult to anyone's intelligence," says Chadha.

"I met people at the Gymkhana and they believed what was shown in the film. People who are sensible are now convinced of this film because they are light thinkers."

They should be grateful they have Chadha to correct them.'I cannot think of a teacher who has had such a high impact on students across several generations and who has produced several professionals in various disciplines of law.'

L Vishwanath salutes Professor N R Madhava Menon, who passed into the ages recently.

IMAGE: Professor N R Madhava Menon. Photograph: KeralaGovernor/Twitter

"What is law?" was the question Professor Madhava Menon put to us on the first day of our college.

A simple yet deep question to explore various theories of the jurisprudence of law.

Professor Menon's contribution to legal education and training of students, lawyers and judges is well known.

His contribution to the building of corporate law firms has been profound.

When he founded the National Law School, Bangalore, it coincided with the liberalisation of the economy.

With liberalisation, corporate and transactional lawyering saw exponential growth in India.

While students at the National Law School were taught conventional legal subjects, they were absorbed by corporate law firms.

Of course, Professor Menon was initially disappointed that students who were trained in Constitutional law, development and human rights ventured into the world of corporate law and he never hesitated to share his disappointment with me, time and again.

I think, eventually, he appreciated that corporate law firms have a big role to play in economy and the legal system and took pride in the fact that several of his students were working successfully in leading law firms in India and abroad and contributing to the profession.

It would be an understatement to say that the National Law School experiment succeeded due to his tireless efforts.

It was his hard work that gave its identity as an institution of excellence.

With his personal efforts, he raised funds for the National Law School from state governments, senior advocates and other institutions during days when there was limited budgetary support for legal education.

One would be mistaken to think Professor Menon would have rested on his laurels.

He started all over again by building National University of Juridical Sciences and when the first batch of graduates from NUJS joined corporate law firms, they had the mark of Professor Menon.

NUJS became a success story. He still did not rest.

He then took up the responsibility of director, National Judicial Academy in Bhopal -- the first institution set up in India to train judges.

Professor Menon never retired from teaching and inspiring his students. He created one institution after another.

He continued to teach lawyers across the country by organising legal education programmes.

Today, the National Law School that he set up in 1988 has become a model for imparting legal education.

He changed the classroom method of teaching. He introduced the collaborative clinical and project method of teaching.

He judged people by their questions and not by their answers. He brought sitting judges of high courts and the Supreme Court and legal luminaries like Nani Palkhivala, Fali Nariman, K Parasaran and Soli Sorabjee to the campus to deliver lectures.

He disrupted the way legal education was imparted in the country. The discipline of law has become a mainstream career choice for students.

Corporate law firms and corporate India are big beneficiaries of the foundation of deep thought and analysis he laid in the institutions that he set up or inspired others to set up.

Professor Menon was a selfless individual and constantly thought about how to improve legal education and training for lawyers, judges and create better teachers.

I often meet his students whom he taught at Pondicherry University, the Delhi Law Faculty and the National Law School.

Today, his students have established themselves in corporate law firms, corporate India, international law firms, international organisations, NGOs, have been designated as senior advocates in several high courts and the Supreme Court and have been appointed as judges in several high courts.

Their fields of excellence range from championing civil liberty to the frontiers of commercial law.

I cannot think of a teacher who has had such a high impact on students across several generations and who has produced several professionals in various disciplines of law; a truly unparalleled achievement for which all his students would be indebted to him forever.

It was his imagination that National Law School will become the 'Harvard of the East'. All of us, as his students need to continue his efforts and strive hard to realise his dream.

L Viswanathan is partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, and class of 1994, National Law School, Bangalore.'Evacuation' has been key to disaster management in Odisha.

The aim is to achieve zero casualty.

Dillip Satapathy meets the two men who took up the herculean task of shifting people.

IMAGE: Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi and Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupada Sethi brief Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik about the preparedness for Cyclone Fani in Bhubaneswar. Photograph: PTI Photo

The sense of urgency is palpable as one enters the office of Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupada Sethi in Bhubaneswar.

Behind the L-shaped mahogany desk, Sethi is a man on a mission.

Cyclone Fani battered Odisha with wind speeds of 200 km per hour some time ago, but his phones haven't stopped ringing.

"It has been very hectic for the last many days," says Sethi.

As he briefs the officials about the preparations, people keep walking into his chamber with updates on relief operations.

In between the many calls and messages he receives on his landline and mobile phones, Sethi gives a lowdown on the killer Fani, which means 'hood of snake', and its aftermath.

IMAGE: Villagers living in vulnerable low-lying areas being shifted to a cyclone shelter house in Puri. Photograph: PTI Photo

May 2, 3 and 4 were difficult not only for those living in the cyclone's path, but also for officials in charge of disaster management.

Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, who is heading the operations, has been on his toes since -- first, tracking the approaching storm and ensuring quick and safe evacuation of the people and now supervising the relief and restoration work, along with Sethi.

Photograph: PTI Photo

It is 20 years since the state was hit by a Super Cyclone -- among the most destructive tropical cyclones in the north Indian Ocean, which claimed 10,405 lives.

That was a wake-up call for Odisha, which got down to improving its handling of natural disasters.

The official number of deaths due to Cyclone Fani is 41.

"In the last few years, we have had more than our share of storms," says Padhi.

"We have managed well because of our preparedness, but we need community involvement."

While the state got an early warning about the cyclone from the India Meteorological Department on April 27, "we came to know about its actual strength only on April 29," says Padhi.

"Barring the districts that were going to polls in the last phase, we had activated the disaster mitigation machinery in the rest. Thankfully, in the worst hit areas of Puri and Bhubaneswar the polls were over."

Photograph: PTI Photo

The anticipated gale speed was 110 to 120 km in Bhubaneswar, but it turned out to be much more.

However, the lessons in preparedness from the 2013 Cyclone Phailin came in handy.

Back then the state administration had moved 900,000 people out of impact areas -- an effort that several international organisations, including the United Nations, had lauded.

Ever since, 'evacuation' has been key to disaster management in Odisha.

The aim is to achieve zero casualty -- one that inspired the administration and a dedicated team of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority to lay out and implement a robust plan to contain casualties in subsequent cyclones such as Hudhud (2014) and Titli (2018).

IMAGE: People take shelter during gusty winds ahead of the landfall of Cyclone Fani at the Bhubaneswar railway station. Photograph: PTI Photo

So when Fani came calling, the first priority was to shift people out of the danger zone.

The administration evacuated 1.5 million people across 19 districts in just 12 hours, setting a record of sorts.

It started on April 30. An article by Kristina Pydynowski and Eric Leister, two senior meteorologists at AccuWeather, warned of a very severe cyclonic storm heading towards Odisha, says Sethi.

"We immediately alerted everybody about the impending danger and went into a huddle to gear up for it."

Though Sethi was aware about the formation of a cyclonic system in the Bay of Bengal, there was no clear information about its path of approach to land.

Initially, it was predicted to be headed for Chennai.

But mid-course it changed direction and careened towards the Odisha coast.

IMAGE: A view of the destruction caused by Cyclone Fani after its landfall in Puri. Photograph: PTI Photo

Odisha has not been hit by a cyclonic storm in the month of May in recent memory.

This is the time when the state usually starts preparations for possible calamities in the late monsoon.

So, nobody was sure about Fani's course, intensity and likely impact, Sethi says.

"We were constantly in touch with the IMD, the US navy and the Bangkok-based Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System to track the cyclone's progress and accordingly disseminate information to all the stakeholders responsible for disaster preparedness and mitigation work," says Sethi.

The message from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at a meeting on May 1 to review the preparedness was unambiguous: 'Every life is precious.'

In all, 12 IAS and 11 IPS officers were deployed to supervise the cyclone preparedness in the vulnerable districts.

A core committee of five senior officers was also formed with Padhi as its head, and pre- and post-cyclone responsibilities were delegated.

The last phase of the Lok Sabha election had just got over in the state on April 29.

And now the district administration had to be activated for disaster management.

The official machinery was told to evacuate people living in kutcha houses along the coast with women, children and the physically challenged being the top priority.

IMAGE: Superintendent of Police Pinaki Mishra appeals to villagers living in vulnerable low-lying areas to shift to a cyclone shelter house in Brahmapur, Odisha. Photograph: PTI Photo

The first task was to send out messages to people about the calamity and appeal to them to move to safer places.

The state leveraged technology in a big way to this effect.

Luckily, the disaster management authority had commissioned an Early Warning Dissemination System in six districts and 22 coastal blocks in March this year.

The communication lines had been strengthened all along the 480 km coastline by putting up 122 towers with sirens and loudspeakers that could be heard up to 3 km away.

For three days, these broadcasts continued to alert the people.

And, the Location Based Alert System, which the authorities adopted, sent out warning SMSes to some 20 million people.

Not leaving anything to chance, Odisha had also adopted the Digital Mobile Radio (DMRadio) under EWDS to communicate with people at 166 locations in case conventional methods failed.

IMAGE: Villagers on their way to a shelter house on a tractor following evacuations as part of emergency measures taken before Cyclone Fani makes landfall in Puri. Photograph: PTI Photo

Despite these initiatives, shifting people was a herculean task.

Many were unwilling to leave their homes.

It took coaxing and even coercion to get them to one of the 5,000 designated safe places like cyclone shelters, schools and government buildings.

"We made arrangements for free kitchens, emergency lights and medicines at all these shelters," says Sethi.

The administration also engaged thousands of its employees and volunteers -- 50 for each cyclone centre -- to convince people to move.

Pictures of Berhampur Superintendent of Police Pinaki Mishra going from house to house urging people to shift and Constable Pritismita Parida carrying two women on her bike in Kendrapara district to a cyclone shelter have since gone viral.

The state emergency operation centre, set up in Sethi's office, functioned as the war room.

"All the cyclone tracking and disaster mitigation measures were monitored from here," says Sethi, who spent the night of May 2, a day before Fani made landfall, in office.

"Everybody, starting from the chief minister to school teachers in villagers, was involved."

IMAGE: Odisha Fire Service and Disaster Response personnel prepare for emergencies. Photograph: PTI Photo

Sethi recalls two evacuation exercises that saved thousands of lives.

"We got information that over 20,000 migrant labourers were stranded in prawn farms in the Astarang and Kujang area. Being from outside Odisha they were not aware of the severity of the storm," he says.

Prompt arrangements were made to get them out of harm's way.

"The second was the evacuation of 25,000 tourists from Puri where Fani had made landfall."

IMAGE: Villagers inside a shelter house following evacuations as part of emergency measures taken before Cyclone Fani makes landfall in Puri. Photograph: PTI Photo

Though the government had ordered all schools and colleges to close, a private school in Bhubaneswar chose to remain open.

"We had to forcibly shut it down," says Sethi said, adding, "Had that not been done, the casualty could have been higher."

We have learnt our lessons from Fani, adds Padhi.

"We have been successful in evacuation, but we have to build a disaster-resilient infrastructure."

The cyclone left a trail of devastation. Power supply and phone connectivity remained erratic.

For Padhi and Sethi, the work is clearly far from over.Colombo, May 25 (IBNS): Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena is expected to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's oath-taking ceremony next week, media reports said.

Modi and his BJP-led NDA registered a massive victory in the Lok Sabha polls.

The result of the seven-phased Lok Sabha polls was declared on Saturday.

It is confirmed. The President spoke to Mr. Modi yesterday, an official at the Presidents office told The Hindu on Saturday.

During Modi's first oath-taking ceremony as the PM in 2014, then Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa attended it with other regional leaders including former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif.

Sirisena was one of the first global leaders to wish Modi after this victory.

He tweeted: " Congratulations on your victory and the peoples re-endorsement of your leadership. Sri Lanka looks forward to continuing the warm and constructive relationship with India in the future.@narendramodi."

Congratulations on your victory and the peoples re-endorsement of your leadership.

Sri Lanka looks forward to continuing the warm and constructive relationship with India in the future.@narendramodi  Maithripala Sirisena (@MaithripalaS) May 23, 2019

On Friday, he spoke to Modi over the phone and said: "It was a pleasure to congratulate Prime Minister Modi (@narendramodi) over the phone a while ago. I shared thoughts that Sri Lanka too celebrates along with the world's largest democracy, on his re-election. We look forward to work together to further develop our bilateral ties."

It was a pleasure to congratulate Prime Minister Modi (@narendramodi) over the phone a while ago. I shared thoughts that Sri Lanka too celebrates along with the world's largest democracy, on his re-election. We look forward to work together to further develop our bilateral ties.  Maithripala Sirisena (@MaithripalaS) May 24, 2019

Image: Maithripala Sirisena Twitter pageTORRINGTON  Dressed in colorful costumes and sharing their culture and traditions with their classmates, the students at Torrington High School held their annual Diversity Day May 23.

The annual event was organized by teacher Armando Zarazu and his students, who host the multicultural presentation  one of the highlights of our school each and every year, said Elene Sileo, a counselor at THS.

THS junior Ashlyn Bernard wrote about this years Diversity Day.

May 23, 2019 was Diversity Day, Bernard said. I happened to participate this year by announcing the acts as well as performing the song Oklahoma from the THS Theaters spring musical.

Despite my love for theatre, my favorite act was Escay Pena and Jessica Dong performing a Korean style dance. It was interesting, as I have witnessed plenty of American and Hispanic style dances, Bernard said. But the Korean act broke it up and offered a little twist to the program, Bernard said. I enjoyed participating as it gave our theatre department more exposure to the school.

I appreciate Mr. Zarazus efforts to put this show on every year due to the school coming together and witnessing diversity day ... a true educational experience, she said. Finally, the second Ecuadorian act was very intriguing ... (the students) made a wooden bull and danced around with it. I thought that was very cute.

Sileo was impressed by the students efforts.

Diversity is one of THS major strengths, and our students are amazing at coming together to celebrate each others cultures and customs, she said. I personally look forward to this day every year. It is one of my favorites. Senor Zarazu and the students work so hard to put on this amazing day.Wikimedia Commons

Chennai, May 25 (UNI) A Malaysia bound flight, with 248 passengers and eight crew members, returned to the base following a technical snag on Saturday.

Airport sources said that the Malaysian airlines flight was on the runway and was ready for take off when the pilots noticed a technical snag, following which it was returned to the base.



All the passengers and the crew were disembarked from the flight.



Airline officials were working to rectify the snag after which the flight would depart for Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad speaks with monks at the Jokhang Temple, in Lhasa, Tibet, during his May 19-25 visit to the Himalayan region.

U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad urged China to open substantive dialogue with exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama and give the Himalayan regions Buddhists freedom to practice their religion in a rare week-long visit to Tibet, the State Department said on Saturday.

During his May 19-25 visit, the first such trip by a U.S. envoy to China since 2015, Branstad met religious leaders and toured historic sites in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and Qinghai Province, a historic region of Tibet known to Tibetans as Amdo, the department said in a statement.

The Ambassador raised our long-standing concerns about lack of consistent access to the Tibetan Autonomous Region, it said.

He also expressed concerns regarding the Chinese governments interference in Tibetan Buddhists freedom to organize and practice their religion, added the statement.

He encouraged the Chinese government to engage in substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, without preconditions, to seek a settlement that resolves differences, it said.

Branstad visited sites of importance to Tibetans, including the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Norbulingka, and Sera Monastery. He also met with senior Tibetan religious and cultural leaders, said the statement.

The Dalai Lama fled to India amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, nine years after Chinese troops marched into Tibet.

Beijing considers the 83-year-old monk a separatist and has refused to meet with his representatives for more than a decade.

Branstads visit was the first by a U.S. official to Tibet since the approval by U.S. lawmakers in December of the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, which requires Washington by the end of this year to deny visas to Chinese officials in charge of implementing policies that restrict access for foreigners to Tibet.

A report by the State Department in March said that China systematically impedes access to Tibet for U.S. diplomats and officials, journalists, and tourists, and when visits to the region are granted, they are highly restricted. China dismissed the report as biased.

Last week the Dharamsala, India-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) issued a report that said the human rights situation in Tibet took a sharp downward turn last year with tightened restrictions on travel by Tibetans and a new campaign against organized crime targeting Tibetan civil society and cultural practices.

Calling 2018 a pivotal year for human rights in the TAR and other Tibetan areas of China, TCHRD said that new policies and regulations have led to an increased restriction on human rights and lives of the Tibetan people.

A nationwide campaign against crime and black and evil forces introduced at the beginning of the year resulted in the detention, arrest, and torture of human rights and environmental activists and of ordinary Tibetans promoting the use of the Tibetan language, the rights group said in its report.

In December, two young Tibetans set themselves ablaze in Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) county in Sichuan province in opposition to Chinas rule, as well as political and religious repression in the TAR and other Tibetan areas.

They raised to 157 the number of self-immolations by Tibetans since the wave of fiery protests against nearly 70 years of Chinese rule of their homeland began in 2009. Many of the protesters also called for the return to Tibet of the Dalai Lama.

China maintains that it peacefully liberated Tibet from feudal rule, and that Tibetans enjoy the economic development it has brought to the region.

Reported by RFAs Tibetan Service. Written in English by Paul Eckert.Millions of Europeans are set to choose new members of the European Parliament, as early results show that far-right political parties are not faring as well as some observers had predicted.



Voting for the continental legislature started earlier in the week, with Britain and the Netherlands, and voters in Ireland and the Czech Republic cast ballots on May 24.

Three more European Union members vote on May 25 -- Latvia, Malta, and Slovakia -- with the remaining nations going to the polls on May 26.



An exit poll in the Netherlands showed voters there had supported parties that were committed to the EU. A similar result was forecast in Ireland, with an exit poll suggesting that Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's Fine Gael party was in the lead.



In Germany, preelection polls put Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats in first place, followed by the Greens. Merkel's party is a dominant force in an EU-wide political bloc known as the EPP group.



More than 400 million people in all were eligible to elect the 751 members of the European Parliament.



First official results are expected to be announced late on May 26 once voting in all 28 member states has been completed.

Based on reporting by AFP and dpa

MOSCOW -- Konstantin Vyatkin has never acknowledged the Soviet collapse.



"For the past 28 years I've tried to live in this country called Russia," he says. "But in my heart I still live there, in the Soviet Union."



The words may sound banal in a country where two-thirds of the population professes nostalgia for the former empire, motivated by economic concerns and the absence of a welfare state.



But Vyatkin does not simply miss the Soviet Union -- he actively denies its breakup, and claims to obey only its laws. And now a vibrant cottage industry is helping legitimize his discontent.



Sitting behind the steering wheel of his Mercedes in central Moscow on a recent afternoon, he produces a brand-new Soviet passport. Date of issue: March 9, 2019.



It looks identical to the real thing -- with a stamp bearing the Soviet emblem, a black-and-white photograph, and hammers and sickles on each two-page spread. It came, he says, with a red-and-white sticker now stuck to his windshield: "I am a citizen of the U.S.S.R.," it reads.



Vyatkin is among a loose but growing network of Russians prone to conspiratorial thinking and ready to use quasi-legal arguments in an effort to evade laws and taxes. They believe their government was usurped by venal outside forces and disavow the system of numbers and documents that identify them as citizens.



At banks, police stations, and inside courtrooms across the country, people calling themselves "citizens of the U.S.S.R." demand their right to impunity before the legal system of the Russian Federation, a state they neither recognize nor, apparently, fear.

The Internet, which only reached the masses after the Soviet collapse, is now helping spread their basic conspiracy theory: that a document dissolving the Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR), a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, and signed on December 25, 1991, by its then-President Boris Yeltsin, is illegal.



'The Organs Of Soviet Power Are Being Recreated'



Vyatkin has long felt like a stranger in his own country. But around six months ago his disillusionment reached a head, and he began scouring the web for validation.



"I was looking for information and like-minded people," he says. "I knew I couldn't continue living in a country like this."



On a website that claims to represent "MVD SSSR" -- the Soviet Interior Ministry -- he filled out an online form and paid 3,800 rubles ($58) to receive his "Soviet" passport. The organization, which uses the Soviet .su domain but lists no address or other identifying details other than "Moscow, RSFSR," told RFE/RL in an e-mail that it has issued more than 10,000 such passports since early 2018.



On YouTube, Vyatkin found hundreds of channels peddling conspiracy theories: that Russia's an offshore company registered in Delaware; that President Vladimir Putin was killed in 2012 and replaced by a body double; that the Soviet Union, and its ministries, are being resurrected. Some gave him convincing explanations of the inequality he was witnessing in Russia.



But beyond feeding widespread Soviet nostalgia and disillusionment, the channels also promote ways newly minted "Soviet citizens" can skirt Russian laws, open bank accounts, and evade taxes. Bloggers harass parliamentary deputies on camera, prank-call government ministries, set up bank accounts using "Soviet" passports, and ridicule traffic cops who stop them for displaying illicit, "Soviet" registration plates.



Some of these channels have hundreds of thousands of followers The most popular video on the YouTube channel Pravoved TV (Jurist TV), which claims to offer "practical tips and advice for citizens of the U.S.S.R.," is titled How To Legally Avoid Paying Off Debt. It has 2.8 million views. As legal authorities it cites Wikipedia and Russian online dictionaries.





The movements unofficial manifesto, quoted by MVD SSSR and other sites flogging counterfeit documents, as well as the numerous videos online, includes a demand that all "Soviet citizens" working for the "occupational structures" be amnestied and freed from prosecution once the U.S.S.R. is revived. Anyone born in the erstwhile Soviet Union is considered to still be a Soviet citizen today under the 1978 Soviet law on citizenship, and so are their children. That includes people living in all of the 15 former Soviet republics.



Also making the rounds is a guide to interacting with Russian officials.

In contact with a representative of the occupational structure, a citizen of the U.S.S.R. must behave correctly and politely, and not provoke any unlawful actions," explains a document published by MVD SSSR.



Aleksandr Ulyanov, a 53-year-old blogger in Yaroslavl (who curiously shares Lenin's surname), puts this into practice for his YouTube blog. In one video, he drives around town with "Soviet" number plates and a dashboard camera, and when he's pulled over he claims the officer has no authority over a "citizen of the U.S.S.R." since the Russian police represent a state that should not legally exist.





"Here we go again, I've heard this all before!" the officer says in the video.



"What year were you born?" Ulyanov asks.



"1985."



"What was the country?"



"The U.S.S.R."



"Did someone deprive you of U.S.S.R. citizenship?"



"What are you trying to tell me?"



"That you're not a Russian citizen but a citizen of the U.S.S.R.," Ulyanov responds. "From a legal standpoint you have no right to address me."

Ulyanov then presents his passport, driver's license, and insurance papers, all issued by ministries claiming to represent the U.S.S.R.

"You understand what's happening? All the organs of Soviet power are being re-created."



The baffled officer apparently lets him continue on his way.



Who Pays The Bills?



Bloggers like Ulyanov may be lone crusaders, using YouTube to educate viewers in the art of legal sabotage. But Soviet nostalgia has long been a business opportunity, and some are seizing on the new legalistic argument to elicit money from the most gullible.



In January 2018, Sergei Demkin, a former oil trader in St. Petersburg, published a document online that claimed members of a new trade union he was launching were entitled to free household utilities.

The organization, Union SSR, now has its own office in central St. Petersburg, from which it advocates rejection of Russian laws and claims to empower its members with a legal basis to refuse paying taxes and utility bills. Demkin says that since the government has never refuted his claims, they are legally sound.



But the privilege does not come free. Demkin's clients -- mostly retired people, in a country where the average monthly pension is $213 -- pay a 1,000 ruble ($15) registration fee and monthly payments of 200 rubles ($3).



In a telephone interview with RFE/RL, Demkin said Union SSR has 170 regional chapters, but he declined to quantify his membership.

"I don't want the Russian secret services to know how many we are," he said. "They fear any form of association."

But Fontanka, an independent news outlet in St. Petersburg, estimated in February that Union SSR has 10,000 members in that city alone.



And Demkin's clients are apparently taking his message to heart. Across Russia, thousands have been refusing to pay their bills, and some have sent letters to energy companies citing the January 2018 document Demkin released. Many have had their electricity switched off as a result.



In December, major energy providers in several Russian regions, including Amur and Kamchatka, told the RIA Novosti news agency that members of Union SSR had begun sending letters to the companies stating their refusal to pay bills. One provider published a statement clarifying that trade-union members were not exempt from utility payments. It singled out Union SSR for spreading dangerous rumors.



In April, state TV profiled a Union SSR member in the city of Nizhny Tagil who had refused to pay bills for the past three years. According to her homeowner's association, she owed more than 100,000 rubles ($1,500) and her electricity had been shut off 13 times. Each time, she managed to reactivate it herself. On her door hung a sign reading: "This apartment belongs to the jurisdiction of the U.S.S.R. The laws of the Russian Federation have no legal force here."



Ilya Bakhmutsky, a Moscow-based lawyer for the Association of Guaranteed Suppliers and Energy Service Companies who has looked into the activity of groups like Union SSR, described their claims as totally unsubstantiated and "simply a call to break the law."



According to Bakhmutsky, unregistered groups like Union SSR can fly under the authorities' radar because they exist in a "legal vacuum" and are not governed by laws that regulate commercial enterprises. A separate court ruling would be needed to shut Union SSR down.



"We have many similar groups in Russia. And I think the authorities just don't get around to them," he said.



Grigory Yudin, a sociologist at Moscow's Higher School of Economics, said that a noticeable shift has taken place in Russia recently "from nostalgia driven by the imperialist past toward a nostalgia driven by a demand for social justice and for equality."

Bakhmutsky agreed. In the U.S.S.R., there was no such concept as private property and most Soviet citizens paid minimal taxes and utility bills. Many today want a return to that blueprint, he said.



"The number of people living below the poverty line is growing. Naturally, they begin to seek a moral justification for not paying for the services they use," he said. "And some try to capitalize on that misconstrued sense of social justice."



In January, state gas giant Gazprom revealed that customers across Russia owe the company and its subsidiaries over 30.1 billion rubles ($466 million) in arrears.



In Chechnya, the problem grew so acute that a court instructed Gazprom in January to write off $135 million in debt owed by customers in the region after prosecutors warned of "social unrest." Four other regions soon followed Chechnya's lead by seeking their own debt amnesties.



'We Just Help People'



At a time of rising living costs and anger over inequality, groups like Union SSR are operating on fertile ground.



However, there are signs that law enforcement is beginning to catch up.



In early 2018, the Sverdlovsk regional branch of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) launched a criminal investigation on charges of promoting extremism against Andrei Zlokazov, a man who styles himself as "head of the Sverdlovsk region of the RSFSR."



Court documents describe Zlokazov as a member of the Union of Slavic Forces of Rus, an unregistered group whose membership the FSB estimates at 150,000 members. According to Sova, an NGO that monitors extremism in Russia, "the union's materials contain very specific, often unclear, and often anti-Semitic rhetoric."



According to the indictment, Zlokazov joined the organization in 2014 and was quickly appointed to a number of high-ranking posts in the imagined Soviet government. Local FSB investigator Nikita Karpov told the daily Kommersant last March that the security services were forced to act after they were alerted to a series of orders that Zlokazov sent out through the Russian mail to the leaderships of army bases across the region in February 2016, in which he threatened to liquidate them if they did not reorganize themselves into self-defense units engaged in the campaign to revive the Soviet Union.



The FSB alleges Zlokazov was out to foment revolution in Russia. But he does not appear to have been driven purely by ideology. From his apartment in Yekaterinburg, prosecutors say, he ran a business selling "Soviet" passports, driver's licenses, and other documents of the kind Vyatkin and others use to insist on impunity before Russian law.



Perhaps spooked by the arrest of Taraskin in July 2018, Demkin devotes a sizable portion of the front page of Union SSR's website to an explanation of why the group is not extremist.



He's twice been summoned to the local police station, he told RFE/RL, each time arguing his way out. He insisted he makes no money from his organization, but rather uses his own money -- part of a 50,000 ruble ($775) monthly income from real estate investments -- to prop it up.



"We just help people," he said.



Free From Taxation



In early March, Vyatkin stumbled upon Valentina Reunova. An unlikely YouTube star, the bespectacled Muscovite in her early 60s calls herself chairwoman of the Soviet Supreme Council and keeps thousands of viewers across Russia hanging on her every word. Vyatkin contacted her to ask what he can do to help revive the U.S.S.R.



In late March, he traveled to a small rental apartment in a Moscow suburb to attend a gathering that included Reunova and other "like-minded people" of the kind he'd been searching for. Like other such clubs across the country, they claim to have inherited the Soviet Union and meet regularly to discuss state policies before cell-phone cameras that live-stream the speeches online.

They also hold ceremonies in which members receive their new Soviet passports.

That afternoon, Vyatkin addressed thousands of viewers tuning in from across the former Soviet Union and explained why he was joining the movement to rebuild the U.S.S.R.



"I hope all viewers in our U.S.S.R. hear me," he said. "We must resurrect the organs of Soviet power."



Vyatkin, who runs a small business that renovates hydraulic tail lifts on dump trucks, has long felt angry about taxes and the lack of welfare in Russia. In May, he plans to visit his local police station and demand they delete his records.



"I'll insist on my rights as a Soviet citizen," he says. "After that, tax statements will no longer arrive."Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has arrived in Baghdad for talks with his Iraqi counterpart and other officials amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States.

Zarif will meet with Iraqi Foreign Minister Muhammad Ali Alhakim, President Barham Salih, and Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi during his two-day visit that began on May 25, the official IRNA news agency said.*

Iraqi TV aired footage of Zarif upon arrival in Baghdad while being received by the Foreign Ministry's undersecretary, Nizar Khairallah.

A spokesman for Iraq's Foreign Ministry said Zarif will discuss the situation in the region and ways of finding common ground.

Zarifs visit comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the deployment of 1,500 additional military personnel to the Middle East.

Trumps announcement on May 24 was later followed by a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the administration planned to sell $8.1 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan to "deter Iranian aggression."

Earlier in May, the United States sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Middle East in response to unnamed threats from Iran.

Zarif said the U.S. move to send troops to the region was extremely dangerous[for] international peace.

Shortly after Zarifs arrival in Baghdad, Iraqi parliament speaker Muhammad al-Halbusi, said that his country is ready to mediate between the United States and Iran if it is asked to do so.

"We are ready to mediate to solve the crisis between Washington and Tehran if we are asked for that," said Halbusi in comments carried by state TV.

He added that there has been "no official request for such mediation."

Iraq maintains close ties with both Washington and Tehran.

Abdul-Mahdi said earlier this week that Baghdad will send delegations to the United States and Iran to help end tensions between the two countries. He added that Baghdad is neutral in the conflict.

Tension between the United States and Iran have escalated ever since the Trump administration withdrew from a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran last year and imposed strict sanctions aimed at crippling Iran's economy.

Iran announced earlier this month that it would stop implementing some key provisions of the deal, citing the U.S. exit and the sanctions

With reporting by AP and dpa

*A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the Iraqi prime minister as Muhammad al-Halbusi, the speaker of the Iraqi parliament.By Caitlin Johnstone

May 24, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - Rachel Maddow has aired a segment condemning the new indictment against Julian Assange for 17 alleged violations of the Espionage Act.

Yes, that Rachel Maddow.

MSNBCs top host began the segment after it was introduced by Chris Hayes, agreeing with her colleague that its surprising that more news outlets arent giving this story more wall to wall coverage, given its immense significance. She recapped Assanges various legal struggles up until this point, then accurately described Assanges new Espionage Act charges for publishing secret documents.

And these new charges are not about stealing classified information or outsmarting computer systems in order to illegally obtain classified information, Maddow said. Its not about that. These new charges are trying to prosecute Assange for publishing that stolen, secret material which was obtained by somebody else. And that is a whole different kettle of fish then what he was initially charged with.

By charging Assange for publishing that stuff that was taken by Manning, by issuing these charges today, the Justice Department has just done something you might have otherwise thought was impossible, Maddow added after explaining the unprecedented nature of this case. The Justice Department today, the Trump administration today, just put every journalistic institution in this country on Julian Assanges side of the ledger. On his side of the fight. Which, I know, is unimaginable. But that is because the government is now trying to assert this brand new right to criminally prosecute people for publishing secret stuff, and newspapers and magazines and investigative journalists and all sorts of different entities publish secret stuff all the time. That is the bread and butter of what we do.

Maddow carefully explained to her audience that these new charges have nothing at all to do with the 2016 election or any of the Russiagate nonsense the MSNBC pundit has been devoting her life to, correctly calling what the Trump administration is doing with Assange a novel legal effort to punch a huge hole in the First Amendment. She tied this in with Trumps common references to the mass media as the enemy of the people, finally taking mainstream liberalism into a direct confrontation with Trumps actual war on the press instead of nonsense about his tweeting mean things about Jim Acosta. She rightly highlighted the dangers of allowing a president with a thick authoritarian streak the ability to prosecute journalists he doesnt like, and discussed the possibility that the UK may not comply with this new agenda in extradition proceedings.

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I think these 17 espionage charges against the WikiLeaks guy are a huge deal, and a very dark development, Maddow concluded. Chris Hayes this evening called it a four alarm development, and I absolutely share that.

And, you know, I know you, Maddow continued, pointing to the camera. Given everything else that we know about the WikiLeaks guy, I can feel through the television right now your mixed feelings about what I am saying. I can feel what may be, perhaps, a certain lack of concern about Julian Assanges ultimate fate, given his own gleeful and extensive personal role in trying to help a hostile foreign government interfere in our election in order to install their chosen president with WikiLeaks help. Okay? I know. Okay, I feel ya. I got it. But, it is a recurring theme in history, heck, it is a recurring theme in the Bible, that they always pick the least sympathetic figures to try this stuff on first. Despite anyones feelings about this spectacularly unsympathetic character at the center of this international drama, you are going to see every journalistic institution in this country, every First Amendment supporter in this country, left, right and center, swallow their feelings about this particular human and denounce what the Trump administration is trying to do here. Because it would fundamentally change the United States of America.

Wow. Make no mistake, this is a hugely significant development. This isnt just some columnist for the New York Times or the Guardian, this is Rachel effing Maddow, the Queen Mother of all tinfoil pussyhat-wearing Russiagate insanity. This same pundit was just a couple of months ago not just smearing but outright lying about Assange, deceitfully telling her audience that the new legal rings closing around Assange were about his 2016 publications then instructing viewers not to Google anything about it because theyll get computer viruses. Now that shes recognized that this could actually hurt her and her network directly, shes finally feeding her audience a different narrative out of sheer enlightened self-interest.

The fact that such a hugely influential figure in mainstream liberal media is now pushing back against Assanges prosecution, and doing so in a way that her mainstream liberal anti-Trump audience can relate to, cannot be over-appreciated. Maddows credulous audience would eat live kittens if she told them to, so the way shes pushing back against a dangerous legal precedent in language they can understand will make a difference in the way American liberals think about Assanges predicament. It wont make them like him, it wont make them value the things hes done, but it will get them to finally begin resisting something that badly needs to be resisted. And thats huge.

The danger has always been that this fatal blow to journalism would be meted out with total compliance and support from a population hammered into docility by the ongoing narrative war which has been waged on Assanges and WikiLeaks reputations with the help of the mass media. There was a very real danger that thought leaders like Maddow were going to choose their feelings over reasoning when the foot finally fell and the charges that criminalize journalism as espionage were finally put into play. I dont think anyone would have been surprised if shed applied that giant intellect of hers into making it possible to ignore it without upsetting her audience and try and figure it out later when it was too late and the legal precedent was set. It would have been so easy to keep feeding into the dominant Assange is bad so everything bad that happens to him is good sentiment, but she didnt. She directly contradicted it.

She actually chose to do the right thing. Im gobsmacked, and its not an exaggeration to say that my hope for humanity sparked up a little today.

If the resting smugfaced apex of liberal psychosis is getting this one right, then many more will surely follow. And indeed, many already are. In addition to Hayes coverage of the story, MSNBCs Ari Melber also did a segment harshly criticizing the implications of Trump administrations new charges. Were seeing multiple segments from CNN about the grave dangers of the legal precedent that is being set with the superseding indictment, as well as urgent warnings about the new charges from major publications like the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Guardian. The outlets which have been smearing Assange relentlessly are now finding themselves forced to defend him.

A typical comment under Maddows YouTube share of this segment reads This is very strange. Very alarming! There we go again. The GOP is preparing the country for a Dictatorship. And okay, thats not exactly what is happening (this has been a bipartisan push and its not just preparations, were in full swing), but whatever, now this viewer can actually see the monsters outlines. Finally the Maddow crowd which has been fruitlessly expending all their energy so far on punching at Russian shadows will actually be attacking a real thing.

And Im quietly excited about that. Im eager to see what happens to the #Resistance if it actually starts #Resisting something. It doesnt matter that this is only happening because mainstream liberal media outlets realized that they might be next on the chopping block; it matters that its happening, period.

For years mainstream liberals have been fixating on the fake Russiagate psyop and rending their garments about Trumps rude tweets while commentators like me desperately implored them to pay attention to the actual dangerous agendas that this administration is actually advancing. Theyve been in a holding pattern of adamantly refusing to do that, and now, because its threatening them personally, were suddenly seeing a sharp deviation from that holding pattern.

As Bill Murray said at the end of Groundhog Day, something is different. Anything different is good.

Caitlin's articles are entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking her on Facebook, following her antics on Twitter, checking out her podcast, throwing some money into her hat on Patreon or Paypal, or buying her book Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers. https://caitlinjohnstone.com

Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment hereThe political party of former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has changed its name in a bid to rebrand itself ahead of key parliamentary elections.



The Petro Poroshenko Bloc was renamed to European Solidarity at a party congress on May 24.



The key to unity and victory is a renewed party and renewed leadership, Poroshenko told the gathering in Kyiv.



When Ukraine will hold its next parliamentary elections is unclear.



The new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced at his inauguration on May 20 that he would dissolve parliament and call snap elections in July.



He has also called for that election to be held based entirely on voting for parties, rather than single candidates, arguing that the current system in which some seats are filled in contests between individual candidates favors corruption.



But at an emergency session of the Verkhovna Rada on May 22, only 92 lawmakers voted to discuss that proposal -- far short of the majority, 226 votes, needed to put it on the agenda.



The next parliamentary elections had been set for late October.

As he starts his term, early elections are a chance for Zelenskiy to strengthen his position and sideline allies of Poroshenko.



Zelenskiy, 41, defeated Poroshenko by a wide margin in a presidential runoff vote on April 21. Ukrainians largely faulted Poroshenko for failing to tackle corruption and lower living standards.A U.S. naval seaman has been sentenced to three years in a military prison after admitting he sought to share classified information about U.S. nuclear-powered warships with Russia.

The Associated Press reported on May 24 that Petty Officer Second Class Stephen Kellogg wanted to expose waste in the U.S. Navy.

Jeff Houston, of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, told AP that Kellogg, 26, tried to make contact with Sevmash, a major manufacturer of Russian nuclear submarines.

Authorities learned of his plans after arresting Kellogg on August 27 for being drunk as he sought to board a flight from San Diego, California, to New York City.

Court records said Kellogg had bought a one-way plane ticket and planned to meet a friend from high school who is a journalist in New York.

Kellogg worked as an electrician and had classified information relating to the capabilities of the Navy's nuclear propulsion systems.

Kellogg also allegedly told a roommate that he planned to defect to Russia, had written an e-mail to an address associated with Sevmash, and called the company six times.

Based on reporting by APLocal and state politicians have worked on a Help a Sister Out PERIOD Campaign to collect menstrual products for Rhode Island women in need. Pictured: the group stands with some of the donations made to the campaign.By Future of Freedom Foundation

May 25, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - As the U.S. war drums beat ever louder with respect to Iran, its worth remembering the Maine, the Arizona, and the Maddox. They were three U.S. vessels that played instrumental rolls in enabling U.S. officials to embroil the United States into foreign wars.

The Maine was a U.S. ship that that U.S. officials stationed in Havana harbor in 1898 in the hope of embroiling the U.S. in the Spanish-American War. This was a time of empires, with the Spanish Empire controlling Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and others. Spains colonial acquisitions were fighting for independence, which was what the war was about.

The U.S. Constitution had called into existence a limited-government republic, one whose founding foreign policy was non-interventionism in the affairs and conflicts of other nations. That foreign policy had lasted about 100 years. By the time the late 1800s came around, however, there were a large number of Americans who favored converting the federal government into an interventionist empire, one that would acquire colonies and intervene in affairs and conflicts all over the world. Empire and intervention was the only way, they said, to make America great.

The plan became to intervene in the Spanish-American War. But there was an obstacle  the U.S. Constitution, which requires a congressional declaration of war before a president can legally wage war. This was a time when U.S. presidents were still complying with this part of the Constitution. Owing to Americas heritage as a non-interventionist limited-government republic, Congress wasnt willing to declare war on Spain.

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After U.S. officials stationed the Maine in Havana harbor, it was hit with a tremendous explosion. No one could trace the cause of the explosion to Spain but it didnt matter. With all the emotional hype that interventionists, including mainstream newspapers editors and commentators, had built up in peoples minds, it was easy to convince people to blame the explosion on Spain. President McKinley secured his declaration of war from Congress, and the war slogan became Remember the Maine! Investigations into the mishap could never attribute the explosion to Spain.

Once Spain was defeated, its colonies received a rude awakening. After being told that the U.S. government was helping them to achieve independence, they learned that they actually had been lied to. U.S. officials informed the former colonies that there were going to still be colonies, only this time colonies of the United States. After all, U.S. imperialists and interventionists maintained, how else could America be great if it didnt own or control Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and others?

In the race for U.S. president in 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt told the American people that he was on their side in opposing U.S. involvement in World War II. At that time, the overwhelming majority of Americans opposed entry into the European conflict, especially after having been misled by President Woodrow Wilson into the disaster of World War I.

But FDR was lying. He had secretly promised British Prime Minister Winston Churchill that he would do everything possible to get the U.S. into the war. But he faced the same problem that McKinley had faced: the U.S. Constitution. FDR knew that Congress would not give him a congressional declaration of war.

So, FDR began provoking the Germans into attacking U.S. vessels, so that FDR could announce, Weve been attacked. Its a surprise! Now, give me my declaration of war. But the last thing Germany wanted was another war with the United States and thus it refused to take Roosevelts bait.

Thats when the wily FDR took his antics to the Pacific, in the hopes of squeezing and provoking the Japanese into attacking the United States. He imposed a strict oil embargo to ensure that Japan would not have the necessary oil to fuel its ongoing war in China. He seized Japanese assets in the United States. He then did his best to humiliate and demean Japanese officials with peace demands that he knew they could never accept. Careful to remove U.S. carriers from Hawaii, he left U.S. battleships, including the USS Nevada, USS Arizona, and others as bait for the Japanese.

FDRs scheme worked brilliantly. The Japanese concluded that they had no choice but to try to break out of the strait-jacket that FDR was tightening around them. They took FDRs bait and undertook a bombing attack at Pearl Harbor, wiping out the destroyers and thousands of American GIs. Japan then went into the Dutch East Indies to get the oil it needed, hoping, erroneously, that the U.S. Navy would not be able to interfere.

Playing the innocent and claiming that the attack was a surprise, FDR got his declaration of war from Congress and, at the same time, secured his back door into the European conflict.

After the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 and especially after the 1964 presidential election, President Lyndon Johnson reversed JFKs plans to end the Cold War with the Soviet Union and Cuba and withdraw all U.S. troops from Vietnam. Like the U.S. national-security establishment, Johnson was convinced that the communists were coming to get us as part of a worldwide communist conspiracy based in Moscow. If the Reds werent stopped in Vietnam, Johnson, the Pentagon, and the CIA believed, the dominoes would fall to the communists, with the final domino being the United States.

In August 1964, U.S. military officials stationed U.S. vessels off the shores of North Vietnam. They announced that North Vietnam had suddenly attacked the USS Maddox. Of course, no one bothered to ask why U.S. vessels were stationed at that particular location instead of back in the United States. All that mattered was the commies had attacked the United States and were now coming to get us.

It turned out to be a complete lie, a concoction designed to secure approval from Congress to send hundreds of thousands of troops, many of them conscripted, to Vietnam to ensure that the Reds didnt come and take over the United States. By this time, U.S. presidents were openly ignoring the congressional declaration-of-war requirement in the Constitution. But Johnson, the Pentagon, and the CIA still wanted congressional approval and funding for their war. The fake attack at the Gulf of Tonkin enabled them to secure the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution from Congress, which enabled them to embroil the U.S. in a land war in Asia that they ultimately lost, at the cost of almost 59,000 American men.

As the U.S. war drums beat louder with respect to Iran, Remember the Maine! Remember the Arizona! Remember the Maddox!

-South Africa: Presidential Inauguration showcases the Rainbow Nation

The Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Tshwane is abuzz with excitement, as thousands of South African citizens make their way to the stadium, to witness and celebrate the countrys inauguration to mark the beginning of President Cyril Ramaphosas term of office.

From the flags with rainbow colours flying high outside and inside the stadium to the lyrical sounds of the 11 South African official languages being heard all around the stadium, and traditional attires representing various ethnic groups, and designer outfits - the event showcases the countrys diverse cultures and bears proof to the world as to why South Africa is popularly known as the: The Rainbow Nation.

While waiting for the official programme to start, the jubilant crowd were early in the morning entertained by various local artists, including amongst others the Tshwane Gospel Choir, Soweto Gospel Choir and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who bellowed out various tunes, as the crowd sang and danced along.

Members of Parliament, Ministers and other Heads of State, including Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Saharawi President Brahim Ghali, Namibian President Hage Geingob, Tanzania President John Magufuli, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Gabon Prime Minister Julien Nkoghe Bekale, Prime Minister of Madagascar Christian Ntsay, Nigeria's Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, AU Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat and Provincial Premiers are currently making their way inside the stadium.

The official programme is expected to start at 11am, where President-elect Ramaphosa will take the Presidential Oath of Office and later deliver an address to inform South Africans of his vision and intent during his term of office.

The formal programme will be followed by a cultural programme, where other local artists, including Swazi Dlamini, Sibongile Mngoma and Tebogo Mokoena, amongst others, will also showcase their talent.

The sixth Presidential Inauguration is celebrated under the theme Together Celebrating Democracy: Renewal and Growth for a Better South Africa.

It reinforces that everyone has a role to play in building a brighter tomorrow. It emphasises that South Africans must build on the countrys achievements and work even harder to tackle poverty, inequality and unemployment.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-05-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.Videos

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May 25, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - On Thursday night Fox's "Tucker Carlson Tonight" featured rare prime time coverage of the bombshell leaked OPCW report which refuted key events surrounding the April 2018 alleged chemical gas attack in Douma, Syria  which resulted in massive US and allied airstrikes on Damascus, nearly leading to a major war at the time. And now new allegations are looming which could once again lead to US airstrikes on Syria.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is the international chemical weapons watchdog group which has worked in tandem with the UN to investigation claimed Sarin and chlorine gas attack sites in Syria. The smoking gun document, Tucker said in opening remarks, vindicates his and others' past skepticism. He said:

"Now a leaked document shows there was good reason to be skeptical."

Mainstream media has ignored the leaked #OPCW report that sheds doubt on the Syrian govt's involvement in the alleged chemical attack in Douma last year. Tucker Carlson is the exception. Here he discusses the leaked report w/#TulsiGabbard who also talks about #Iran. #Syria pic.twitter.com/2Id5BqxuXw  Walid (@walid970721) May 24, 2019

But here we are again  one year later  with yet another chemical attack claim near Idlib on Sunday, which the US State Department says it is investigating, vowing to "respond quickly and appropriately" if Assad is found guilty of using the banned weapons, according to an official statement.

But crucially, as Tucker Carlson pointed out on his show Thursday evening in reference last year's Douma events, "At the time that happened this program was pretty much the only show on mainstream television to show any skepticism about the official narrative of the attack."

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Introducing a segment with Democratic presidential contender Tulsi Gabbard, a known longtime skeptic on Syrian regime change, Carlson reviewed the prior two American attacks on the Syrian government, noting "Justification for both attacks was an alleged aerial chemical weapons attack on anti-Assad rebels in Douma, Syria."

Congresswomen Gabbard told the Fox host during the interview that the leaked document presents major reasons to doubt the official narrative concerning both Douma and the most recent claims out of Idlib being advanced by the al-Qaeda groups Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP). She said she is reaching out to both the UN and OPCW for answers.

Referencing current and past Syria chemical attack claims, Tucker agreed that, "I'm beginning to suspect that we're being played here."

The document, whose authenticity the OPCW has confirmed, contends that the official story which was used to justify an air strike by the US, UK and France about poison gas being dropped on civilians from Syrian government helicopters is scientifically implausible, saying In summary, observations at the scene of the two locations, together with subsequent analysis, suggest that there is a higher probability that both cylinders were manually placed at those two locations rather than being delivered from aircraft.  Establishment Narrative-Managers Struggling With New Syria Plot Holes

Since the leaked OPCW report surfaced over a week ago there's predictably been mainstream silence, perhaps with the exception of two major UK outlets, The Independent and The Daily Mail.

Rocket scientist and MIT professor emeritus Theodore Postol has also weighed in to say the new evidence reveals the "attacks were staged".

Writing for The Independent, world-renowned Middle East war correspondent Robert Fisk summarized the significance of the leaked report. This comes just as once again US war rhetoric against Damascus is looming.

Fisk wrote in his report:

The OPCW officially maintains that these canisters were probably dropped by an aircraft  probably a helicopter, presumably Syrian  over Douma on 7 April 2018. But the dissenting assessment, which the OPCW made no reference to in its published conclusions, finds there is a higher probability that both cylinders were manually placed at those two locations rather than being delivered from aircraft. It is difficult to underestimate the seriousness of this manipulative act by the OPCW. In a response to the conservative author Peter Hitchens, who also writes for the Mail on Sunday  he is of course the brother of the late Christopher Hitchens  the OPCW admits that its so-called technical secretariat is conducting an internal investigation about the unauthorised [sic] release of the document.

Importantly, the OPCW has confirmed the authenticity of the report, authored by an expert that had spent most of his career as an on the ground technical investigator since the OPCW's inception.

The leaked OPCW document can be accessed here.

Though there's largely been a mainstream media blackout on the leaked document, it's possible it could slowly trickle into media discourse following Fox's prime time coverage on Tucker's show.

Fisk further articulated that the document is a game-changer at the conclusion of his article, saying, "Put bluntly, the paper is suggesting that the location of the cylinders was a set-up, that someone inside Douma immediately after the bombings of 7 April 2018  and no one, not even the Syrians or Russians, deny there was conventional bombing and shelling that night  placed the cylinders in the locations in which they were subsequently examined by the OPCW."

With the potential for a new round of attacks by US forces against Assad based on fresh chemical attack claims out of Idlib, we wonder, did President Trump catch Tucker's show on Thursday night?

This article was originally published by "Zero Hedge" -

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Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load.The estimated number of 15,900 jobs that were supported by parkway tourism was up 3.2%, although labor income fell by $29 million to $430 million, according to the report.

Much of the Blue Ridge Parkways history relates back to its important role as an economic engine for this region, parkway superintendent J.D. Lee said, according to a news release. The 2018 visitor spending impacts remind us all of the important relationship between this park and our neighboring communities. The Blue Ridge experience is not complete without some time spent in one or more of the many towns and cities near the parkway.

Nationally, the survey found that 318 million park visitors spent an estimated $20.2 billion in communities and regions near national parks. That spending supported 329,000 jobs, $13.6 billion in labor income and $40.1 billion in economic output. That marked an increase of $4.3 billion in total economic impact from 2017.

Elsewhere in Virginia, the Booker T. Washington National Monument in Franklin County brought in $1.3 million in spending and $1.7 million in economic output, amounts that were down a bit from 2017. The park supported 19 jobs, down from 22 the year before, according to the survey.CULPEPER  This spring and beyond, the Library of Congress and other institutions are celebrating the 200th anniversary of Walt Whitmans birth on a farm in Long Island, N.Y. May is also the anniversary of publication of the poets groundbreaking 1855 Leaves of Grass, one of his best-known works.

But it wasnt literature that brought Whitman, 44 at the time, to Virginia; it was a family emergency. Northern newspapers reported his brother George among the casualties of the Battle of Fredericksburg in mid-December 1862. Walt hurried from New York City to Philadelphia to Washington to Fredericksburg to claim Georges body.

Reaching the camp of his brothers regiment, the 51st New York Infantry, he was delighted to learn George was alive, recovering from a head wound.

In conveying his happiness about George, Whitman also described the poor conditions confronting soldiers in camp and on the march, plus the trauma of battle-wound treatment.

Whitmans experience with the Union field hospital at Chatham, an 18th-century plantation house in Stafford County that overlooks Fredericksburg, was his first close contact with the war. It transformed him.I. The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose, among other things, of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion. What can aid more to assure this result than by cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead, who made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foe? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains, and their death a tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the Nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten, as a people, the cost of free and undivided republic.Talk about tone deaf.

If the Democrats go ahead with impeachment proceedings, they face a real danger that voters will see Democrats investigating at the expense of governing. In the Harvard-Harris poll, an overwhelming 80% of Americans say they want their congressional representatives working more on infrastructure, health care, and immigration [than] investigations of President Trump. Right now, thats not what is happening. Five months into their newly attained majority, Democrats have accomplished almost nothing  little or no progress on health reform, drug prices or public works projects.

Every day that Democrats choose to make news on impeachment and investigations is another day when voters see no action on a positive agenda for the American people.

As the president made clear in his fiery news conference on Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., cant accuse him of engaging in a coverup in the morning and expect him to negotiate with her on a $2 trillion infrastructure package in the afternoon. It is simply not going to happen.By Eva Bartlett May 25, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - Western media and politicians are crying for Al-Qaeda in Syria again. It doesnt get much more absurd than this! After years of brutal occupation by terrorists from various groups and now overwhelmingly Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (aka Al-Nusra, aka Al-Qaeda in Syria), Idlib governorate will eventually, by political or military means, be liberated. For now, military operations to liberate nearby northern Hama and southern Idlib villages are already under way. Idlib, occupied by at least 70,000 terrorists, is the last remaining stronghold of Al-Qaeda in Syria  a fact emphasized by the US own former special envoy, Brett McGurk, who deemed the northwestern Syrian province the largest Al-Qaeda safe-haven since 9/11.

Yet, corporate media continue to deliberately overlook the presence of Al-Qaeda, instead writing of an Idlib that somehow, in the world of the Guardian, for example, is Al-Qaeda-free. Incredible that terrorists holding much of the north of #Syria hostage have a whole range of western high level officials lobbying for them at all times. Pierce is fed this nonsense about deliberate targeting of civilians & hospitals & she parrots it at the UN like a good girl https://t.co/IipbVCDHQu  Walid (@walid970721) May 19, 2019 Liberate Syrias Idlib, precisely for the civilians that America fakes concern over

The liberation of Idlib, and also Hama, Latakia and Aleppo countrysides, will mean not only an end to terrorists incessant bombing of civilians, but also an end to the savage rule of terrorists  rule which in every prior instance around Syria has meant imprisonment, torture, and public executions of civilians by sword or point-blank assassination, starvation, rape of women, and even organ theft.

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Last September, Syria and allies implemented a demilitarized zone and ceasefire around terrorist-occupied areas of Idlib and northern Hama.

Al-Qaeda in Syria unsurprisingly rejected any sort of truce, and continued pounding the civilians of Mhardeh and al-Suqaylabiyah in Hama, and elsewhere within striking range.

Recent terrorist attacks reportedly include shelling on: Al-Suqaylabiyah (killing five civilians, followed by another attack leading to a further death),Masyaf National Hospital (killing 5), and Aleppo (including a May 14 attack which killed eleven civilians, and an April 14 attack which killed 12).

Meet Aleppo princess Gofran Kharme who was martyred yesterday with her mom when "moderate rebels" bombed #Aleppo killing 12 civilians so far! May your soul rest in peace! pic.twitter.com/1zlEDnYlFC  Fares Shehabi MP (@ShehabiFares) April 15, 2019

And yet, Western leaders and media continue to feign concern for civilians in Idlib, not recognizing that once it and surrounding areas are liberated of terrorists, millions of civilians in Aleppo, Latakia, and Hama will no longer be at risk of being killed or maimed by terrorists.

Aleppo no longer newsworthy, although still attacked

Last January, I returned to Aleppo to see what had changed since my last visits in years prior. The old city, which has been subject to acts of terrorism including the intentional destruction of numerous historic sites and buildings, was in the painstaking process of being meticulously reconstructed, stone by stone.

And while markets and shops had re-opened and life was thriving in central Aleppo, other parts of Aleppo remain, until now, attacked by Al-Qaeda in the countryside.

In Al-Lairamoun, a western Aleppo industrial area, I visited a factory that was 400 metres from Al-Qaeda snipers, and remains subject to sniping. Aleppo MP Fares Shehabi walked me through the factory, explaining how reopening literally in the face of terrorism was their act of defiance. Some of his poignant words include:

This factory was rubble two years ago. We rehabilitated it. We are doing this as a message of defiance against all who conspired against the people of Aleppo, against the economy of Syria. The enemy was sniping at us, launching mortars, when we were fixing this factory to work again.In some ways, you might think Reid Nolan Pierce, a Richmond-based developer and general contractor, was born to go into the construction business. His father, Hank Pierce, was a general contractor and developer in Petersburg, and he started hanging out on construction sites by the time he was 8 years old. By the age of 16, he was spending summers working on his fathers construction crews.

One especially memorable crew included a lead carpenter named Red, a college graduate everyone called Moose and a hearing-impaired carpenter. Red used to have us devise the best poker hand from the serial numbers on a dollar bill  winner take all  and the hearing-impaired carpenter would put his hands to his head like antlers and howl to call Moose when he needed him, Pierce said.

But Pierce had a more artistic side, too. His mother was a ballet dancer and an artist, and he got a lot of my views on life from both of my parents, Pierce said. In fact, Pierce didnt go into the family business after high school. Instead, he attended the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and focused on creative fields while changing his major from journalism to studio art to drama and finally film.Turkish consulate could be next step for Cancun

Cancun, Q.R.  With the new direct flights from Turkey to the Cancun International Airport, the municipalitys tourism head says that a Turkish consulate could be a next step.

The director of tourism of Benito Juarez, Francisco Lopez Reyes, talked about the possibility of opening Turkish Consulate in Cancun. He says that with the success of the new direct flights, it may be necessary, at some point, to open a consulate for Turkish travelers.

Now that we have that flight from Turkey, there may be a need to be considering a Turkish consulate he said. He says that having country-specific consulates provides greater security for international tourists.

Lopez Reyes added that over the coming months, they will collect data on the number of Turkish tourists that arrive in Cancun and present the information to the Turkish ambassador in Mexico City.BRISTOL  A final version of the citys study of bringing passenger rail service to the Twin City has been completed.

Findings of the study, unveiled in December, forecast a 4.5 percent positive return on investment if Amtrak and Virginia extend intercity service from Roanoke to Bristol.

The study was a project of the city, the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Appalachian Regional Commission.

Conducted by AECOM consulting group, the 102-page study offers ridership and revenue projections for the proposed service and shows revenues could potentially offset operating costs, depending on how the service is structured.

It forecasts 23,600 annual riders from a Bristol stop, 16,800 at Wytheville and 40,200 at Christiansburg.

The current Roanoke stop has a baseline of 97,600 riders and is forecast to lose about 8,400 annually if the other stops are added. It also forecasts one train per day, leaving northbound at 9:15 a.m. and southbound at 6:15 p.m.

Additionally, the study forecasts between $30 million and $32.7 million in track improvements would be needed to accommodate passenger service.

Expanded service is expected to generate between 14 and 22 direct jobs and between 36 and 57 total jobs across Virginia, over a variety of industrial sectors and categories to support increased consumer demand.

However, the likelihood of any passenger rail expansion in Virginia has been dealt two significant blows.

Last year, railroad track owner Norfolk Southern Railway announced it was withdrawing from a Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation study to focus on other elements of its business. The now-suspended DRPT study is required and would assess costs and benefits of extending passenger service to the New River Valley and ultimately to Bristol.

A previous Amtrak study regarding potential ridership and revenues was positive.

However, earlier this year, state transportation officials said no passenger rail expansion projects could occur anywhere in Virginia until it resolves capacity issues at Long Bridge, the lone rail connection linking Virginia to Washington, D.C., and the northeastern corridor. A study of that project has been underway for four years and officials estimate it could cost $2 billion.

This most definitely is a long-term project and the landscape of freight and passenger rail is ever changing. It is important to remember that the need to stay positive and be ready to adapt to these situations is never greater, said Bart Poe, the citys community development director.

A continued and expanding advocacy for passenger rail is a must for the momentum of this project and letting our elected officials and local representatives know that we expect their support of this endeavor will be the catalyst that one day brings Amtrak back to Bristol.

The city continues to work on the project with Community Transportation Association of America, a national nonprofit working to assist in transportation projects, according to a written statement.

In addition, the city plans to introduce a public service video that includes information on the project and ways to get involved.May 25, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - By any reckoning, the claim made this week by al-Qaeda-linked fighters that they were targeted with chemical weapons by the Syrian government in Idlib province  their final holdout in Syria  should have been treated by the western media with a high degree of scepticism.

That the US and other western governments enthusiastically picked up those claims should not have made them any more credible.

Scepticism was all the more warranted from the media given that no physical evidence has yet been produced to corroborate the jihadists claims. And the media should have been warier still given that the Syrian government was already poised to defeat these al-Qaeda groups without resort to chemical weapons  and without provoking the predictable ire (yet again) of the west.

But most of all scepticism was required because these latest claims arrive just as we have learnt that the last supposed major chemical attack  which took place in April 2018 and was, as ever, blamed by all western sources on Syrias president, Bashar Assad  was very possibly staged, a false-flag operation by those very al-Qaeda groups now claiming the Syrian government has attacked them once again.

Addicted to incompetence

Most astounding in this weeks coverage of the claims made by al-Qaeda groups is the fact that the western media continues to refuse to learn any lessons, develop any critical distance from the sources it relies on, even as those sources are shown to have repeatedly deceived it.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

This was true after the failure to find WMD in Iraq, and it is now even more true after the the international communitys monitoring body on chemical weapons, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), was exposed this month as deeply dishonest.

It is bad enough that our governments and our expert institutions deceive and lie to us. But it is even worse that we have a corporate media addicted  at the most charitable interpretation  to its own incompetence. The evidence demonstrating that grows stronger by the day.

Unprovoked attack

In March the OPCW produced a report into a chemical weapons attack the Syrian government allegedly carried out in Douma in April last year. Several dozen civilians, many of them children, died apparently as a result of that attack.

The OPCW report concluded that there were reasonable grounds for believing a toxic form of chlorine had been used as a chemical weapon in Douma, and that the most likely method of delivery were two cylinders dropped from the air.

This as good as confirmed claims made by al-Qaeda groups, backed by western states, that the cylinders had been dropped by the Syrian military. Using dry technical language, the OPCW joined the US and Europe in pointing the finger squarely at Assad.

It was vitally important that the OPCW reached that conclusion not only because of the wests overarching regime-change ambitions in Syria.

In response to the alleged Douma attack a year ago, the US fired a volley of Cruise missiles at Syrian army and government positions before there had been any investigation of who was responsible.

Those missiles were already a war crime  an unprovoked attack on another sovereign country. But without the OPCWs implicit blessing, the US would have been deprived of even its flimsy, humanitarian pretext for launching the missiles.

Leaked document

Undoubtedly the OPCW was under huge political pressure to arrive at the right conclusion. But as a scientific body carrying out a forensic investigation surely it would not simply doctor the data.

Nonetheless, it seems that may well be precisely what it did. This month the Working Group on Syria, Propaganda and Media  a group of academics who have grown increasingly sceptical of the western narratives told about Syria  published an internal, leaked OPCW document.

A few days later the OPCW reluctantly confirmed that the document was genuine, and that it would identify and deal with those responsible for the leak.

The document was an assessment overseen by Ian Henderson, a senior OPCW expert, of the engineering data gathered by the OPCWs fact-finding mission that attended the scene of the Douma attack. Its findings fly in the face of the OPCWs published report.

Erased from the record

The leaked document is deeply troubling for two reasons.

First, the assessment, based on the available technical data, contradicts the conclusion of the final OPCW report that the two chemical cylinders were dropped from the air and crashed through building roofs. It argues instead that the cylinders were more likely placed at the locations they were found.

If that is right, the most probable explanation is that the cylinders were put there by al-Qaeda groups  presumably in a last desperate effort to persuade the west to intervene and to prevent the jihadists being driven out of Douma.

But even more shocking is the fact that the expert assessment based on the data collected by the OPCW team is entirely unaddressed in the OPCWs final report.

It is not that the final report discounts or rebuts the findings of its own experts. It simply ignores those findings; it pretends they dont exist. The report blacks them out, erases them from the official record. In short, it perpetrates a massive deception.

Experts ignored

All of this would be headline news if we had a responsible media that cared about the truth and about keeping its readers informed.

We now know both that the US attacked Syria on entirely bogus grounds, and that the OPCW  one of the international communitys most respected and authoritative bodies  has been caught redhanded in an outrageous deception with grave geopolitical implications. (In fact, it is not the first time the OPCW has been caught doing this, as I have previously explained here.)

The fact that the OPCW ignored its own expert and its own teams technical findings when they proved politically indigestible casts a dark shadow over all the OPCWs work in Syria, and beyond. If it was prepared to perpetrate a deception on this occasion, why should we assume it did not do so on other occasions when it proved politically expedient?

Active combatants

The OPCWs reports into other possible chemical attacks  assisting western efforts to implicate Assad  are now equally tainted. That is especially so given that in those other cases the OPCW violated its own procedures by drawing prejudicial conclusions without its experts being on the ground, at the site of the alleged attacks. Instead it received samples and photos via al-Qaeda groups, who could easily have tampered with the evidence.

And yet there has been not a peep from the corporate media about this exposure of the OPCWs dishonesty, apart from commentary pieces from the only two maverick mainstream journalists in the UK  Peter Hitchens, a conservative but independent-minded columnist for the Mail on Sunday, and veteran war correspondent Robert Fisk, of the little-read Independent newspaper (more on his special involvement in Douma in a moment).

Just as the OPCW blanked the findings of its technical experts to avoid political discomfort, the media have chosen to stay silent on this new, politically sensitive information.

They have preferred to prop up the discredited narrative that our governments have been acting to protect the human rights of ordinary Syrians rather than the reality that they have been active combatants in the war, helping to destabilise a country in ways that have caused huge suffering and death in Syria.

Systematic failure

This isnt a one-off failure. Its part of a series of failures by the corporate media in its coverage of Douma.

They ignored very obvious grounds for caution at the time of the alleged attack. Award-winning reporter Robert Fisk was among the first journalists to enter Douma shortly after those events. He and a few independent reporters communicated eye-witness testimony that flatly contradicted the joint narrative promoted by al-Qaeda groups and western governments that Assad had bombed Douma with chemical weapons.

The corporate media also mocked a subsequent press conference at which many of the supposed victims of that alleged chemical attack made appearances to show that they were unharmed and spoke of how they had been coerced into play-acting their roles.

And now the western media has compounded that failure  revealing its systematic nature  by ignoring the leaked OPCW document too.

But it gets worse, far worse.

Al-Qaeda propaganda

This week the same al-Qaeda groups that were present in Douma  and may have staged that lethal attack  claimed that the Syrian government had again launched chemical weapons against them, this time on their final holdout in Idlib.

A responsible media, a media interested in the facts, in evidence, in truth-telling, in holding the powerful to account, would be duty bound to frame this latest, unsubstantiated claim in the context of the new doubts raised about the OPCW report into last years chemical attack blamed on Assad.

Given that the technical data suggest that al-Qaeda groups, and the White Helmets who work closely with them, were responsible for staging the attack  even possibly of murdering civilians to make the attack look more persuasive  the corporate media had a professional and moral obligation to raise the matter of the leaked document.

It is vital context as anyone tries to weigh up whether the latest al-Qaeda claims are likely to be true. To deprive readers of this information, this essential context would be to take a side, to propagandise on behalf not only of western governments but of al-Qaeda too.

And that is exactly what the corporate media have just done. All of them.

Media worthy of Stalin

It is clear how grave their dereliction of the most basic journalistic duty is if we consider the Guardians uncritical coverage of jihadist claims about the latest alleged chemical attack.

Like most other media, the Guardian article included two strange allusions  one by France, the other by the US  to the deception perpetrated by the OPCW in its recent Douma report. The Guardian reported these allusions even though it has never before uttered a word anywhere in its pages about that deception.

In other words, the corporate media are so committed to propagandising on behalf of the western powers that they have reported the denials of official wrongdoing even though they have never reported the actual wrongdoing. It is hard to imagine the Soviet media under Stalin behaving in such a craven and dishonest fashion.

The corporate media have given France and the US a platform to reject accusations against the OPCW that the media themselves have never publicly raised.

Doubts about OPCW

The following is a brief statement (unintelligible without the forgoing context) from France, reported by the Guardian in relation to the latest claim that Assads forces used chemical weapons this week: We have full confidence in the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

But no one, except bloggers and academics ignored by the media and state authorities, has ever raised doubts about the OPCW. Why would the Guardian think these French comments worthy of reporting unless there were reasons to doubt the OPCW? And if there are such reasons for doubt, why has the Guardian not thought to make them public, to report them to its readers?

The US state department similarly came to the aid of the OPCW. In the same Guardian report, a US official was quoted saying that the OPCW was facing a continuing disinformation campaign from Syria and Russia, and that the campaign was designed to create the false narrative that others [rather than Assad] are to blame for chemical weapons attacks.

So Washington too was rejecting accusations against the OPCW that have never been reported by the state-corporate media.

Interestingly, in the case of US officials, they claim that Syria and Russia are behind the disinformation campaign against the OPCW, even though the OPCW has admitted that the leaked document discrediting its work is genuine and written by one of its experts.

The OPCW is discredited, of course, only because it sought to conceal evidence contained in the leaked document that might have exonerated Assad of last years chemical attack. It is hard to see how Syria or Russia can be blamed for this.

Colluding in deception

But more astounding still, while US and French officials have at least acknowledged that there are doubts about the OPCWs role in Syria, even if they unjustifiably reject such doubts, the corporate media have simply ignored those doubts as though they dont exist.

The continuing media blackout on the leaked OPCW document cannot be viewed as accidental. It has been systematic across the media.

That blackout has remained resolutely in place even after the OPCW admitted the leaked document discrediting it was genuine and even after western countries began alluding to the leaked document themselves.

The corporate media is actively colluding both in the original deception perpetrated by al-Qaeda groups and the western powers, and in the subsequent dishonesty of the OPCW. They have worked together to deceive western publics.

The question is, why are the media so obviously incompetent? Why are they so eager to keep themselves and their readers in the dark? Why are they so willing to advance credulous narratives on behalf of western governments that have been repeatedly shown to have lied to them?

Iran the real target

The reason is that the corporate media are not what they claim. They are not a watchdog on power, or a fourth estate.

The media are actually the public relations wing of a handful of giant corporations  and states  that are pursuing two key goals in the Middle East.

First, they want to control its oil. Helping al-Qaeda in Syria  including in its propaganda war  against the Assad government serves a broader western agenda. The US and NATO bloc are ultimately gunning for the leadership of Iran, the one major oil producer in the region not under the US imperial thumb.

Powerful Shia groups in the region  Assad in Syria, Hezbullah in Lebanon, and Iraqi leaders elevated by our invasion of that country in 2003  are allies or potential allies of Iran. If they are in play, the US empires room for manoeuvre in taking on Iran is limited. Remove these smaller players and Iran stands isolated and vulnerable.

That is why Russia stepped in several years ago to save Assad, in a bid to stop the dominoes falling and the US engineering a third world war centred on the Middle East.

Second, with the Middle East awash with oil money, western corporations have a chance to sell more of the lucrative weapons that get used in overt and covert wars like the one raging in Syria for the past eight years.

What better profit-generator for these corporations than wasteful and pointless wars against manufactured bogeymen like Assad?

Like a death cult

From the outside, this looks and sounds like a conspiracy. But actually it is something worse  and far more difficult to overcome.

The corporations that run our media and our governments have simply conflated in their own minds  and ours  the idea that their narrow corporate interests are synonymous with western interests.

The false narratives they generate are there to serve a system of power, as I have explained in previous blogs. That systems worldview and values are enforced by a charmed circle that includes politicians, military generals, scientists, journalists and others operating as if brainwashed by some kind of death cult. They see the world through a single prism: the systems need to hold on to power. Everything else  truth, evidence, justice, human rights, love, compassion  must take a back seat.

It is this same system that paradoxically is determined to preserve itself even if it means destroying the planet, ravaging our economies, and starting and maintaining endlessly destructive wars. It is a system that will drag us all into the abyss, unless we stop it.

Jonathan Cook

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to suport Jonathan's work.

Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here

==See Also==

Syria: Terrorists prepare for using chemical weapons in Hama, Idleb countryside with help of foreign experts

Russia says, The United States and some media outlets are spreading fake news about the use of chemical weapon in Idleb.

Sky News Collaborates with Idlib Terrorists to Create Syria War Propaganda

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.

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Peace and joySan Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott apologized Friday for his officers raid of a journalists home to identify a confidential source, and said he was referring his departments investigation into the leak of a report on Public Defender Jeff Adachis death to another agency.

Scotts public concession marked an abrupt reversal from just a few days ago, when he publicly stated his suspicion that journalist Bryan Carmody committed a crime by obtaining the secret report on Adachis death from a Police Department employee and selling the document as part of a package of reporting to local news outlets.

The change of heart came after Scott said he conducted a top-to-bottom review of the departments inquiry into the leak of the Adachi report along with the May 10 raid of Carmodys home and company office. The chief singled out the information police shared with the judges who signed off on the warrants.

I am specifically concerned by a lack of due diligence by department investigators in seeking search warrants and appropriately addressing Mr. Carmodys status as a member of the news media, Scott said in a statement. This has raised important questions about our handling of this case and whether the California shield law was violated.

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Scott, who was one of three finalists for the LAPDs top job last year, told the San Francisco Chronicle: Im sorry that this happened. Im sorry to the people of San Francisco. Im sorry to the mayor.

He added: We know there were some concerns in that investigation and we know we have to fix it.

Carmodys attorneys said in a statement that they were pleased Scott expressed contrition, but said their client was also owed an apology.

There needs to be real reform in the department to ensure that the SFPD respects the First Amendment and the independence of a free press, said the lawyers, Thomas Burke and Ben Berkowitz.

Police arrived at Carmodys home on the morning of May 10, armed with a sledgehammer, before handcuffing the journalist and seizing his equipment. Officers hauled away notebooks, hard drives and phones. During a search of Carmodys office, North Bay News, investigators found the sought-after report on Adachis death.

For the duration of the search, about six hours, Carmody was restrained. Scott noted that guns were in the home, but Carmodys attorney said the handcuffs had the effect of preventing a call for legal counsel.

Since news of the search broke, journalists and 1st Amendment advocates have voiced their outrage that a reporter could be searched in such a manner. The states Shield Law, which is enshrined in the California Constitution, protects journalists from being held in contempt for refusing to identify their sources. The penal code specifically bars police from executing search warrants for materials covered by the Shield Law.

Its something youd expect out of an authoritarian regime, not the city of San Francisco, attorney David Snyder, director of the First Amendment Coalition, said at the time.

Several local officials had applauded the police investigation.

Adachi, who was 59, was a beloved figure who gained a reputation as a police watchdog. Many supporters viewed the leak of his death report as an overt smear attempt by some in the Police Department. Adachi had spent his final moments with a woman who was not his wife, at an apartment he had arranged for the weekend. The medical examiner concluded he died of an accidental overdose of cocaine and alcohol.

Facing national outrage over the search of Carmodys home, officials broke their silence and gradually spoke out.

Aaron Peskin, one of the citys 11 supervisors, condemned the raid as attack on journalistic freedom.

Mayor London Breed had told KQED-TV that she supported the search. Our role is to follow the law, and the judges ultimately make the decisions, Breed told the station. And so at this point, you know, I support their decision.

As anger increased across the city  and beyond  Breed backtracked.

I am not OK with police raids on reporters. We need to do better, the mayor said.

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

Twitter: @MattHjournoComics legend Stan Lees former business manager was arrested Saturday in Arizona, the Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed.

Keya Morgan, 43, is charged with five counts of elder abuse involving the late comics mastermind, including allegations of false imprisonment, theft and embezzlement.

He will go before a judge in Arizona before being extradited to L.A. to face charges. Bail has been set at $300,000.

With his trademark sunglasses and cheerful demeanor, Lee was the iconic face of the Marvel universe before his death in November at the age of 95.

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He is perhaps best known as the co-creator of beloved characters such as Spider-Man, Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk, and for his cameos in the wildly popular Marvel movies.

At the time of his death, Lees estate was estimated to be worth at least $50 million, according to the LAPD.

Morgan, a New York native and memorabilia dealer, became close to Lee in the last few years of the pop culture icons life, accompanying him to movie premieres and approving media requests for interviews.

In past court filings, Morgan has been described as Lees former caregiver and assistant.

However, in June 2018, Morgan was accused of falsely imprisoning the aging Lee after he moved the comics creator from his home in the Hollywood Hills to a secured Beverly Hills condominium under the cover of night.

According to the LAPD, Morgan had convinced Lee that his life was in danger and that he needed to be moved from his home to ensure his safety.

Later that month, Lee and his daughter J.C. were granted a restraining order against Morgan.

Morgan has also been accused of pocketing money from autograph signing sessions totaling $262,000.

After an extensive financial investigation, the Los Angeles County district attorneys office issued a warrant for Morgans arrest this month.A Wisconsin man was sentenced Friday to life in prison for kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents in a case that mystified authorities for months until the girl made a daring escape from the remote cabin where she was held for 88 days.

Jake Patterson, 21, pleaded guilty in March to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. He admitted to abducting Jayme in October after killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at the familys home near Barron, about 90 miles northeast of Minneapolis. Jayme escaped in January from Pattersons cabin near the small and isolated town of Gordon, some 60 miles from her home.

In a statement read in court, Jayme said Patterson thought that he could own me, but hes wrong. I was smarter. She said she wanted to see Patterson locked up forever.

She did not appear in court. Her guardian read the statement.

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Patterson was sentenced to life in prison without possibility for release on each homicide count and 25 years in prison on the kidnapping count. The sentences will be served consecutively. Those were the maximum sentences the judge could impose. Wisconsin does not have the death penalty.

Patterson told authorities he decided Jayme was the girl he was going to take after he saw her getting on a school bus near her home, according to a criminal complaint. He told investigators he plotted carefully, including wearing all-black clothing, putting stolen license plates on his car and taking care to leave no fingerprints on his shotgun.

Jayme told police that the night of her abduction, the family dogs barking awoke her, and she went to wake up her parents as a car came up the driveway. While her father went to the front door, Jayme and her mother hid in the bathroom, clutching each other in the bathtub, the shower curtain pulled shut.

Patterson shot Jaymes father as he entered the house, then found Jayme and her mother. He told detectives he wrapped tape around Jaymes mouth and head, taped her hands behind her back and taped her ankles together, then shot her mother in the head. He told police he dragged Jayme outside and threw her in the trunk of his car, the complaint said.

At his cabin, Patterson forced Jayme to hide under a bed when he had friends over and penned her in with tote boxes and weights, warning that if she moved, bad things could happen to her, according to the complaint. He also turned up the radio so visitors couldnt hear her.

Prosecutors in the county where Jayme was held decided not to bring charges related to anything that might have happened in the cabin, a move that was widely seen as aiming to spare Jayme further pain and keep details private.

Authorities searched for Jayme for months and collected more than 3,500 tips. Jayme escaped on Jan. 10 while Patterson was away and flagged down a woman who was walking a dog. Patterson was arrested minutes later.New Jersey police said 10 people were wounded early Saturday in a shooting at a Trenton bar.

Authorities said police were notified of gunfire at about 12:25 a.m. Saturday outside the J&J Liquor & Bar. Arriving officers found several victims in and around the bar.

Trenton police spokesman Capt. Stephen Varn said five men and five women were transported to local hospitals. He said one victim was critically wounded and taken into emergency surgery.

Varn said an investigation was ongoing.

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As news of the shooting spread, City Councilman Jerell Blakeley said on Facebook: This kind of carnage shouldnt be normal but is becoming a common occurrence. Every time the weather breaks, the madness descends in this city. I am calling for bringing in the troopers and National Guard to the City.A California judge Friday granted a preliminary injunction sought by the Sierra Club and two other advocacy groups that sued to block construction of the President Trumps border wall.

The groups had claimed that the Trump administration overstepped its authority by waiving environmental reviews and other laws.

U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr. also immediately halted the administrations efforts to redirect military-designated funds to build sections of wall on the Mexican border. His order applies to two planned projects to add 51 miles of fence in two areas.

The judges order means that for now, the federal government is enjoined from taking any action to construct a border barrier in the areas cited by the groups.

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It is important at the outset for the court to make clear what this case is, and is not, about. The case is not about whether the challenged border barrier construction plan is wise or unwise. It is not about whether the plan is the right or wrong policy response to existing conditions at the southern border of the United States, Gilliam wrote.

Instead, this case presents strictly legal questions regarding whether the proposed plan for funding border barrier construction exceeds the Executive Branchs lawful authority under the Constitution and a number of statutes duly enacted by Congress.

The Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and Animal Legal Defense Fund are seeking to halt plans for replacement barriers in San Diego and Calexico.

The government has waived environmental reviews seven times under a 2005 law to speed construction of border barriers, including twice under Trump. The law allows the government to waive dozens of laws, including the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires extensive reviews of environmental impacts.The U.S. ambassador to China urged Beijing to engage in substantive dialogue with exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama during a visit to the Himalayan region over the past week, the U.S. Embassy said Saturday.

Terry Branstad also expressed concerns regarding the Chinese governments interference in Tibetan Buddhists freedom to organize and practice their religion, an embassy statement said.

He encouraged the Chinese government to engage in substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, without preconditions, to seek a settlement that resolves differences, it said.

Branstad also raised long-standing concerns about the lack of consistent access to the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The rare visit to the TAR and neighboring Qinghai province ran from Sunday through Saturday.

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Hosted by the Tibet Autonomous Region government, Branstad was given access to important religious and cultural sites, including the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Norbulingka, and Sera Monastery in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa. He also met with senior Tibetan religious and cultural leaders, the embassy said.

China tightly restricts access to Tibet by foreigners, especially journalists and diplomats. In response to those restrictions, the U.S. Congress last year passed an act that would deny entry to the United States for those involved in formulating or enforcing such policies.

There was no immediate response from Beijing, although Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang last week said China welcomed Branstad to witness the earth-shaking changes in the peoples production and life since Tibets peaceful liberation more than 60 years ago.

I hope that this visit to Tibet can help Ambassador Branstad make a conclusion without prejudice in the spirit of respecting the facts ... instead of being confused and disturbed by some long-standing hearsay and defamatory speeches, Lu said at a regularly scheduled briefing.

China says Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but many Tibetans say they were effectively an independent nation for most of that time. Beijings control was most recently asserted when the Communist Partys military wing, the Peoples Liberation Army, invaded the region in 1950.

The Dalai Lama fled to India amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959 and calls for genuine autonomy for Tibet under Chinese rule. Beijing labels the 83-year-old cleric a dangerous separatist, has refused contacts with his representatives for more than a decade and objects strongly to any meetings between him and foreign politicians.

In recent years there has been a significant tightening of control over Tibetan Buddhism, use of the Tibetan language and traditional cultural expression. Following anti-government protests in 2008, Beijing imposed a policy of grid policing that substantially reduces travel and social life for Tibetans, even while China ramps up domestic tourism in the region.

Those methods have been subsequently imposed in the neighboring region of Xinjiang, where an estimated 1 million members of its native Muslim ethnic groups have been confined to detention centers.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.The race to succeed British Prime Minister Theresa May is heating up, the field of Conservative contenders is quickly growing and the focus is squarely on how to handle Brexit.

Former House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom and former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab joined the fray Saturday night. Both had earlier resigned from Mays Cabinet to protest her Brexit policy.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Saturday morning he is seeking to replace May, joining several others who have announced they will run to become the Conservative partys next leader, and by default, Britains new prime minister.

May announced Friday she plans to step down as Conservative Party leader on June 7 and remain as a caretaker prime minister while the party chooses a new leader in a contest that officially kicks off the following week.

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She plans to remain as party leader through U.S. President Donald Trumps upcoming state visit and the 75th D-Day anniversary celebrations on June 6.

Her successor will have to try to complete Brexit  a task that May failed to deliver during her three years in office. While she succeeded in striking a divorce deal with the European Union, the plan was defeated three times in Parliament by British lawmakers from across the political spectrum.

The EU extended Britains departure date to Oct. 31 but there still is no consensus among British lawmakers about how or even if the country should leave the bloc.

Even before a new leader is chosen, the Conservative Party is expected to fare poorly when the results of the European Parliament election in Britain are announced Sunday night.

The best-known contestant for the Conservative leadership post is former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who has said he will take Britain out of the EU on Oct. 31 even if no deal has been reached with EU leaders.

Johnsons willingness to back a no-deal Brexit is already causing some ripples.

Another Conservative contender, International Development Secretary Rory Stewart, said Saturday that he could not serve in a Cabinet under Johnson if Johnson wins. Stewart says he could not work for a leader who is comfortable with the idea of a no-deal Brexit.

Stewart complained that Johnson said in a private meeting several weeks ago that he would not push for a no-deal departure but appears to have changed course completely.

Many economists and business leaders have warned that a no-deal departure would have a drastically negative impact on Britains economy and also hurt its European neighbors.

The field is likely to grow to about a dozen candidates, with a winner expected to be chosen by mid or late July. Senior Conservatives including Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt are among those considering a leadership run.

The Conservative Party chooses its leaders in a two-step process. First theres a series of votes among the partys legislators to establish two top contenders, then those names are submitted to a nationwide vote by about 120,000 party members.

The winner becomes party leader and prime minister, although the opposition Labour Party is warning of an immediate challenge to the new leader with an eye toward forcing an early general election.

John McDonnell, Labours economic spokesman, told the BBC on Saturday the party would push a no-confidence vote against the new prime minister right away.

We believe any incoming prime minister in these circumstances should go to the country anyway and seek a mandate, McDonnell said.

An earlier Labour Party attempt to force an early election failed in January when Mays government survived a no-confidence vote.

The U.K.'s next general election will be held in 2022 unless a government collapse speeds up the timetable.

___

Follow APs full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.A U.N. maritime tribunal ruled Saturday that Russia must immediately release three Ukrainian naval vessels it captured in November and free the 24 sailors it detained.

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea issued its order at its Hamburg headquarters following a hearing earlier this month. Russia stayed away from both the hearing and Saturdays session.

Ukraines new president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said that Russia could send a signal of real readiness to stop the conflict with Ukraine by complying with the order. Russia didnt immediately specify what it would do, but made clear that it still believes the tribunal is the wrong place to address the dispute.

The confrontation in the Kerch Strait, which links the Sea of Azov with the Black Sea, marked a flashpoint in the simmering conflict over Russias 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. Russia seized Crimea in a move that Ukraine and most of the world view as illegal. The Kerch Strait separates Crimea from mainland Russia.

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Russia had argued that the rights Ukraine claims in the case dont apply because they are covered by an exception for military activity.

Kievs lawyers contest this claim, saying Russia itself previously described the arrest as a law enforcement operation.

The tribunal sided with Ukraines argument on that point. But tribunal President Jin-Hyun Paik said both parties should refrain from taking any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute.

He said Russia must return the ships to Ukrainian custody and allow the servicemen to go home. The decision was a 19-1 vote, with a Russian judge dissenting.

The tribunal does not consider it necessary to require (Russia) to suspend criminal proceedings against the 24 detained Ukrainian servicemen and refrain from initiating new proceedings, Paik added. Kiev had called for legal proceedings to be ended.

The tribunals decisions are legally binding, but it has no power to enforce them. It called for both sides to report back on their compliance by June 25.

Zelenskiy said when he took office on Monday that the main goal of his presidency is to bring peace to eastern Ukraine, where government troops have been fighting Russia-backed separatists for five years in a conflict that has left at least 13,000 dead.

On Saturday, Zelenskiy said on Twitter that Russias fulfillment of the order ... could be a first signal from the side of the Russian leadership of real readiness to stop the conflict with Ukraine. In this way, Russia could take a step toward unblocking talks and resolving in a civilized way problems that it created.

Well see what path the Kremlin will choose, he added.

The Russian Foreign Ministry didnt address details of the order to release the ships and sailors. It underlined in a statement its argument that the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Seas dispute resolution procedures cant be applied to this dispute.

In subsequent arbitration proceedings at the tribunal, we intend to consistently defend our position, including the lack of jurisdiction, it said.

___

Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed to this report.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.The owner of a southern Indiana factory is warning that the plants nearly 100 workers could be out of jobs as a new owner takes over.

NIBCO Inc. has filed state notices that it will start layoffs in July at its Charlestown factory. The layoffs come after the Elkhart, Indiana-based valve and fitting manufacturer announced in January it was selling the factory to Viking Group Inc. of Hastings, Michigan.

NIBCO vice president Ed Sullivan tells the News and Tribune that production is being moved to a Goshen, Indiana, plant.

Viking Group purchased NIBCOs line of fittings for the fire sprinkler industry but hasnt announced plans for the Charlestown factory.

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Charlestown Mayor Bob Hall says he expects Viking to use the factory but believes some current employees wont be back.

___

Information from: News and Tribune, Jeffersonville, Ind., https://www.newsandtribune.com

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.After Alabamas governor signed a near-total ban on abortion into law last week, a surge of women interested in running for office contacted Emilys List, a womens political group. The Virginia Democratic Party saw a surge in contributions. VoteRunLead, a group that trains female candidates, saw enrollment for an upcoming weekend course abruptly almost double.

With abortion policy returning to the center of national attention, women are back in the spotlight as a central force in Democratic politics. The partys 2020 presidential candidates have responded quickly, scrambling to promote abortion rights policies in campaigns that had mostly been giving priority to economic issues.

Women  as candidates, voters and activists  were a pivotal element of Democrats success in the 2018 midterm election. Their energy has been diffused in the enormous field of Democratic presidential candidates. But now many Democratic women are joining together for the abortion fight that has emerged in recent weeks.

Were seeing another surge of an already pretty engaged universe of women, said Stephanie Schriock, president of Emilys List, which she noted was contacted by 76 women in a single day amid debate over the Alabama law. Its changing the positioning of the Democratic Party.

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Her group joined a coalition of activists to stage demonstrations across the country last week to protest a spate of restrictive abortion laws passed by Alabama, Georgia, Missouri and other states.

The intensifying abortion debate also carries political risks for Democrats. Republicans have stepped up their efforts to portray abortion rights advocates as extremists. Reacting to recent laws in Virginia and New York that expanded abortion rights, Republicans have taken to branding Democrats as a party of death, baby killers and perpetrators of infanticide.

President Trump has denounced Democratic abortion rights measures on Twitter, at rallies and even in his State of the Union address, when he inaccurately claimed that the New York law would allow a baby to be ripped from the mothers womb moments from birth.

But many Republicans worry that with national attention now focused on conservative state laws that could lead to wholesale elimination of abortion rights, the balance of political risk has shifted against their side.

Voter backlash, they fear, could hit where the GOP is particularly weak heading into 2020. Republicans have struggled mightily to stanch the hemorrhaging of support from female voters, especially upscale white suburban women, who have provided crucial swing votes. Efforts to ban abortion  without allowing exceptions even for rape and incest, such as in Alabama  could alienate some women who generally oppose abortion, Republicans fear.

Most people agree the Alabama law went too far, even if you are pro-life, said Sarah Chamberlain, president of the centrist Republican Main Street Partnership, who has been conducting focus groups with suburban women to see how the party could appeal to them.

I do not want the Alabama law as the topic of conversation in the 2020 election, she said.

Trump moved quickly to distance himself from the Alabama law by announcing via Twitter that he believes there should be exceptions for rape or incest. Other Republicans agreed, fearing that the omission of those exceptions invited political backlash on par with what hit 2012 GOP Senate candidate Todd Akin after he made controversial comments about rape victims and abortion.

USC was told gynecologist could be preying on Asian women, secret records show 

Ralph Reed, chairman of the conservative Faith and Freedom Coalition, said the intensifying focus on abortion will stoke both parties activist bases in 2020, with each side portraying the other as dangerously extreme.

Both sides will feel they face an existential crisis if they lose the election, said Reed. But what the Democratic nominee is likely to promise will be far more extreme than anything Trump advocates.

Democrats, on the other hand, believe that new antiabortion laws have made the threat to abortion rights more tangible, and may help rouse a younger generation of voters who have not worried about abortion rights because they have always been protected by the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade.

This has been a massive awakening among people who werent passionate about [abortion rights] because they took it for granted, said Marianne Williamson, an author and spiritual lecturer who is one of six Democratic women running for president in 2020. A sleeping giant of fierce womens power is being awakened.

An early test of how abortion politics is changing could come in 2019 during off-year elections in the Virginia Legislature, where Republicans are defending a one-seat majority in both chambers. Antiabortion forces are strong in Virginia, and Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam earlier this year came under heavy fire for supporting a bill that relaxed restrictions on late-term abortions.

But Virginia Democrats are poised to strike back. After a Republican state legislator recently said he did not regard Georgias new ban on abortions after six weeks as too extreme, he came under attack by the Virginia Democratic Party and several legislative candidates.

When you see something that extreme, you say, It cant happen in Virginia, said Susan Swecker, Virginia Democratic Party chairwoman. But then a Republican says something as extreme as that  it revs everyone up.

The focus on abortion comes at a time when Trump and the GOP are still deep in a political hole with women  deeper than in 2016. Exit polls found that Democrat Hillary Clinton beat Trump among women by 54% to 41%.

In the 2018 midterm election, Democrats outpolled Republicans among women by a 59%-to-40% margin. The latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found 60% of women disapproved of the job Trump was doing. Even among women without a college education  strong Trump supporters in 2016  his approval rating barely breaks even.

Trumps record on abortion has been one of his great success stories among his evangelical supporters. He has added more than 100 federal judges and tipped the balance of the Supreme Court to a firmly conservative majority, cemented with the confirmation of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh in 2018.

Now, as conservative legislatures are passing abortion laws that conflict with Roe vs. Wade, their supporters are hoping they will bring the issue before a Supreme Court that could curb or overturn the landmark ruling. The court, however, so far has not shown much eagerness to make a wholesale change in the law.

Polls find that about two-thirds of Americans want to keep Roe vs. Wade in place. Women are not monolithically supportive of abortion rights  the Alabama governor who signed the law is a woman  but Democratic women feel especially strongly about it. In a recent poll by YouGov for the Huffington Post, 63% of female Democratic voters said abortion would be very important to their presidential vote next year; one-third of male Democratic voters said abortion was important.

Abortion rights have long been something of a litmus test for Democratic presidential candidates. Ever since the 1973 Roe decision, no major Democratic presidential candidate has run on an antiabortion agenda.

Now Democratic leaders are under pressure to hew to a strict line on abortion rights. One sign: The head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Cheri Bustos of Illinois, last week canceled a planned appearance at a fundraiser for one of the few antiabortion Democrats in the House, Illinois Rep. Daniel Lipinski, who is facing a primary challenge from a woman who is for abortion rights.

Responding to the spate of antiabortion state laws, all the major 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have moved quickly to put the issue front and center.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who has put heavy emphasis on womens issues from the outset of her campaign, traveled to Georgia to be the first presidential candidate to appear with abortion rights protesters after the governor signed the states ban on abortions after six weeks.

Almost all the candidates, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey, have called for federal legislation to codify abortion rights. Several have pledged to appoint only judges that support the Roe decision. Sens. Bernie San-ders of Vermont and Kamala Harris of California asked their supporters to make contributions to national and Alabama abortion rights groups.

When abortion rights advocates held demonstrations across the country last week to protest antiabortion state laws, several 2020 candidates, including Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Ind., stopped by the rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington.

But the front-runner in polling for the partys nomination is not the most consistent ally for abortion rights advocates. Former Vice President Joe Biden, a practicing Catholic, compiled a mixed voting record on the issue during his 36 years as a U.S. senator from Delaware: He supported the right to choose abortion, but also backed a federal ban on certain late-term abortions and a law known as the Hyde Amendment, which forbids the use of federal funds to pay for the procedure. But Biden has since moved closer to the abortion-rights party line.

Amid the current debate, a campaign spokesman put out Bidens strongest statement yet: Vice President Biden firmly believes that Roe vs. Wade is the law of the land and should not be overturned.... Biden believes that codifying Roe through legislation must be pursued.

And when a South Carolina voter approached him recently at a campaign event and asked whether he would commit to abolishing the Hyde Amendment, Biden said, Yes ... it cant stay.

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President Trump said the forces, which include a fighter squadron, manned and unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, engineering units and additional Patriot anti-missile batteries, were relatively small and would have a mostly protective role aimed at deterring Iran.

Right now, I dont think Iran wants to fight, and I certainly dont think they want to fight with us, Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving on a trip to Japan.

The reinforcements are the latest escalation in a tense series of military moves by Washington and Tehran that have increased tensions in the Persian Gulf and raised the danger of a military clash.

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At the Pentagon, officials sharpened claims that Iran had incited the crisis, asserting without providing evidence that recent attacks on four oil tankers and a Saudi pipeline, and a rocket attack in Baghdad, were ordered by Irans top leaders and carried out by its forces or proxies.

We believe with a high degree of confidence that this stems back to the leadership of Iran at the highest levels, Vice Adm. Michael Gilday, the head of the Pentagons Joint Staff, said at a news conference announcing the deployments.

He said that U.S. intelligence agencies attribute sabotage attacks that damaged four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates this month to Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps using limpet mines, a naval munition attached to a target by magnets.

Gildays comments were the first time a senior U.S. official had publicly blamed Iran for the tanker attacks.

But he declined to describe what evidence the U.S. had linking Iran to the attack or that which backed up the U.S. claim that Irans top leaders had been planning and preparing for other attacks.

I cant reveal the sources, other than to say we have very high confidence, he said when pressed by reporters to describe the evidence.

Former military officers warned that the absence of communication channels between Washington and Tehran, and the mixed signals coming from the Trump administration, heighten the potential danger of armed conflict.

If there is a shooting incident, retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral John Miller said, there is no commander-to-commander way to discuss the incident, to deescalate the incident. Until his retirement in 2015, Miller served as commander of naval forces in U.S. Central Command, which operates in the Persian Gulf.

Miller spoke Friday at a forum on Iran at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

The additional forces, which will begin arriving in coming weeks, were sought by Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., the top commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, only weeks after the Pentagon ordered the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike force, four B-52 bombers and a Patriot anti-missile battalion to the region.

That was in response to what officials said was intelligence showing Iran had put cruise missiles aboard small boats. The U.S. has not released satellite photographs backing up that claim.

Gilday and acting Assistant Secretary of Defense Katie Wheelbarger, who joined the news conference, said U.S. officials warned Iran through diplomatic channels against carrying out any attacks, while stressing that the U.S. was not seeking a military confrontation.

We are seeking to avoid hostilities, and we are not seeking war with Iran, said Wheelbarger. We have been as clear as we possibly can in that regard.

McKenzie sought additional forces after intelligence suggested Iran was still keeping forces at high alert.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said in a statement that he had approved the request after briefing Trump on Thursday to improve our force protection and safeguard U.S. forces given the ongoing threat posed by Iranian forces, including the [Revolutionary Guard] and its proxies.

The engineers would provide force protection improvements throughout the region, while the fighter squadron would provide additional deterrence and depth to our aviation response options.

McKenzie is especially interested in the Patriot batteries to help defend against potential Iranian missile attacks on U.S. troops, facilities and allies in the region, officials said.

But he played down the scale of the U.S. deployment, saying the actual number of new troops going to the Middle East was closer to 900 than 1,500. Thats because the Patriot batteries approved by the Pentagon have been in the region until recently, and the latest order merely extends their deployment.

Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson contributed to this report.

Pentagon asks Trump to send several thousand more troops to Mideast as Iran tensions grow 

The latest from Washington 

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Latest School Education & Literacy Department Management Posts Karachi 2021 Qualified and professional candidates for the posts of Clerk, Lab Attendant, Chowkidar, Cleaner, Naib Qasid, Chowkidar, Mali, Sanitary Worker, Sweeper required for School Education & Literacy Department in Karachi Sindh 2019.

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Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted.School Education & Literacy Department Jobs 2019 in Karachi

Latest School Education & Literacy Department Management Posts Karachi 2021 School Education & Literacy Department Government of Sindh required qualified and experienced persons for the posts of Clerk, Lab Attendant, Chowkidar, Cleaner, Naib Qasid, Chowkidar, Mali, Sanitary Worker, Sweeper in Karachi.

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Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted.MECHANICVILLE, N.Y.  Bruce Potter has been named new superintendent of Mechanicville City Schools under a three-year contract with a $180,000 starting salary.

Currently superintendent at Berkshire Union Free School District, in Canaan, he will join the Mechanicville district on July 15, replacing interim Superintendent Jon Hunter.

Potter has been with the Berkshire district for the past 15 years. He began his career in education in 1994 as a business teacher at the Ballston Spa Central School District. During his tenure there he also served as a career and technical education teacher leader and dean of students.

In 2002 Potter was hired as the assistant principal at Stillwater Middle-High School until he was promoted to principal. He held that position until 2004.

Potters career with the Berkshire Union Free School District began as the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. He was the districts assistant superintendent for business for two years before his appointment as superintendent in 2011.

I feel as though the breadth of experiences I have gained during my career have prepared me very well as I join the Mechanicville school community. In particular my experience with curriculum, instruction, finance, and professional development will benefit me greatly as I join a hardworking and committed team of professionals, said Potter.

Potter earned an associate of science in business administration from Adirondack Community College. His bachelor of science degree in business education is from the State University of New York College at Oneonta.

In May 2000 he graduated cum laude with his masters in education: educational leadership from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, Mass. He holds certifications as a New York State permanent school district administrator and New York State permanent business education.

This is truly the opportunity of a lifetime for me, to become a Red Raider, Potter said. Im so excited to meet the amazing students, dedicated faculty and staff, as well as the committed and supportive community.

BOCES District Superintendent James Dexter, who coordinated the search on behalf of the district, said, The Mechanicville Board of Education conducted a thorough and rigorous process. I would like to thank all of the members of the community who participated in the superintendent search community survey that guided the board in identifying the characteristics and traits for the next superintendent.

The board kept the best interests of the students in mind throughout the process and found the candidate who best fits their ideals and districts needs. The Board put considerable time and effort into the search process and I would like to commend them for a fine job and great outcome, he said.

Mechanicville school board President Marlene Tierney said, Bruce is a proven leader with the experience and vision necessary to continue and advance academic excellence in our district. In addition to his qualifications, his enthusiasm and continuous improvement mindset is a perfect fit for Mechanicville. In a field of talented applicants, Bruce stood out as the best choice for our district and community.Next time you listen to a favorite tune or wonder at the beauty of a natural sound, you might also end up pondering the math behind the music.

You will, anyway, if you spend any time talking with Jesse Berezovsky, an associate professor of physics at Case Western Reserve University. The longtime science researcher and a part-time viola player has become consumed with understanding and explaining the connective tissue between the two disciplines -- more specifically, how the ordered structure of music emerges from the general chaos of sound.

"Why is music composed according to so many rules? Why do we organize sounds in this way to create music?" he asks on a short explainer video he recently made about his research. "To address that question, we can borrow methods from a related question:

'How do atoms in a random gas or liquid come together to form a particular crystal?"

Phase transitions in physics, music

The answer in physics -- and music, Berezovsky argues -- is called "phase transitions" and comes about because of a balance between order and disorder, or entropy, he said.

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"We can look at a balance -- or a competition -- between dissonance and entropy of sound -- and see that phase transitions can also occur from disordered sound to the ordered structures of music," he said.

Mixing math and music is not new. Mathematicians have long been fascinated with the structure of music. The American Mathematical Society, for example, devotes part of its web page (https://www.ams.org/publicoutreach/math-and-music) to exploring the idea (Pythagoras, anyone? "There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres.")

But Berezovsky contends that much of the thinking, until now, has been a top-down approach, applying mathematical ideas to existing musical compositions as a way of understanding already existing music.

He contends he's uncovering the "emergent structures of musical harmony" inherent in the art, just as order comes from disorder in the physical world. He believes that could mean a whole new way of looking at music of the past, present and future.

"I believe that this model could shed light on the very structures of harmony, particularly in Western music," Berezovsky said. "But we can take it further: These ideas could provide a new lens for studying the entire system of tuning and harmony across cultures and across history -- maybe even a road map for exploring new ideas in those areas.

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"Or for any of us, maybe it's just another way of just appreciating music -- seeing the emergence of music the way we do the formation of snowflakes or gemstones."

Emergent structures in music

Berezovsky said his theory is more than just an illustration of how we think about music. Instead, he says the mathematical structure is actually the fundamental underpinning of music itself, making the resultant octaves and other arrangements a foregone conclusion, not an arbitrary invention by humans.

His research, published May 17 in the journal Science Advances, "aims to explain why basic ordered patterns emerge in music, using the same statistical mechanics framework that describes emergent order across phase transitions in physical systems."

In other words, the same universal principles that guide the arrangement of atoms when they organize into a crystal from a gas or liquid are also behind the fact that "phase transitions occur in this model from disordered sound to discrete sets of pitches, including the 12-fold octave division used in Western music."

The theory also speaks to why we enjoy music -- because it is caught in the tension between being too dissonant and too complex.

A single note played continuously would completely lack dissonance (low "energy"), but would be wholly uninteresting to the human ear, while an overly complex piece of music (high entropy) is generally not pleasing to the human ear. Most music -- across time and cultures -- exists in that tension between the two extremes, Berezovsky said.Anyone who looks at their bowl of salad or at their garden can see how different the shapes of leaves can be. Spinach leaves, for example, have smooth edges and are comparatively simple in form, while parsley leaves are deeply notched and complex, apparently composed of many individual subunits. In a new study published in Cell, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne have determined how key developmental genes influence growth of cells to produce such differences in leaf form. With this knowledge, the researchers were able to make thale cress, which typically produces simple leaves, grow leaves similar in complexity to those of hairy bittercress, a related plant with complex leaves.

All leaves develop from tiny buds, which consist of only a few cells. The buds always look the same, no matter what kind of leaf they eventually form. Not only that, but very similar leaf shapes can arise from very different growth patterns. This made it even more challenging to identify the pathways responsible for the diversity of naturally occurring leaf forms.

The scientists first used advanced imaging to compare how particular regulatory genes were directing cell growth in both the model plant thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) and in the related plant hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta). Computer scientists then combined the genetic and microscopic data to help understand how genes produce shape.

For a few hours after bud formation, the leaves of both plant species grew in a similar fashion. A set of genetic rules common to both species causes slow and fast-growing cells to alternate in position along the leaf edge and this allows the leaves to produce repeated outgrowths. However, the two species then went onto produce different shapes: hairy bittercress started to develop its individual subunits called leaflets, while thale cress formed only shallow teeth at the leaf edge.

These differences are caused by two regulatory genes that are only active in hairy bittercress. One of these, called RCO, locally slows down cell growth around growing outgrowths, causing them to become much deeper. The other, STM, controls growth more broadly, by slowing the maturation of cells and allowing them to continue directional growth for longer, resulting in large leaflets. It is the combination of both effects that leads to a complex leaf with its subunits.

To test their ideas about leaf shape, the researchers then switched the RCO and STM genes on at the appropriate times and locations in a leaf bud of thale cress. This led the bud to form a complex leaf instead of its usual simple leaf. "This was a rewarding experiment," says Tsiantis, "a bit like turning the tail feathers of a sparrow into those of a peacock." Our results are significant, as while there is a lot information on which genes influence development of different plants or animals, how those genes modify the amount, direction, and duration of growth to produce the final morphologies of different species is much less clear."

Preliminary findings of the Cologne researchers suggest that under certain circumstances complex leaves might be able to utilize carbon dioxide better than simple leaves. Therefore, transforming simple leaves into complex ones by tinkering with their growth, might potentially increase the yield of certain agricultural crops" concludes Tsiantis.On this day of remembrance, let us give thanks to the 3,518 recipients of the Medal of Honor that has been given out to the real heroes who served in our countrys wars. I would especially like to mention that of the 3,518 recipients of the Medal of Honor, nine have been chaplains. Four Protestant chaplains  John Milton Whitehead, Grancis Bloodgood Hall, James Hill and Milton Lorenzo Haney  were honored for their service in the Civil War. Five Catholic chaplains were honored: Lt. Commander Joseph Timothy OCallahan in World War I; Capt. Emil J. Kapaun in the Korean War; and Capt. Angelo J. Liteky, Maj. Charles Joseph Watters and Lt. Vincent Robert Capodanno in the Vietnam War. These chaplains are (were) heroes for their gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their lives above and beyond the call of duty while serving as chaplains for their grateful country.The Bank of Punjab BOP Jobs for Head Legal

Latest The Bank of Punjab BOP Legal Posts Lahore 2021 The Bank of Punjab BOP Lahore, Pakistan are requires applications from experienced candidates to fill the posts of Head Legal. Eligible candidates can apply us.

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Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted.About two weeks after San Francisco police went to freelance reporter Bryan Carmodys home with a sledgehammer to look for leaked files, Trump administration prosecutors charged WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with conspiring to leak government secrets.

The cases differ in many details but have at least one thing in common: Both men obtained confidential information from a government custodian in order to make it public  an action their accusers say was a crime. And whether Carmody and Assange are journalists or not, free-press advocates say their cases could set a dangerous precedent.

Sources are a journalists lifeblood, said James Wagstaffe, a San Francisco lawyer who specializes in First Amendment issues and teaches journalism at San Francisco State University. When the government, as in these two cases, threatens reporters or their sources with criminal punishment for sharing confidential information, it has a clotting effect. We need the free flow of information to expose wrongdoing.

Carmody and Assanges cases are instances of deeply troubling government overreach that shows a disregard for the essential role that the press, and their sources, play in a healthy democracy, said David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, a media-advocacy organization based in San Rafael.

Assanges case changed dramatically Thursday. His initial indictment, unsealed six weeks ago, charged him with conspiring with Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to obtain state secrets in 2009 and 2010, by trying, unsuccessfully, to help Manning hack into government computers.

The new grand jury indictment accuses Assange of 17 counts of espionage  that, by encouraging Manning to release secret documents so that he could publish them, he willfully caused her to endanger national security and unlawfully obtained the documents.

The charges, each punishable by 10 years in prison, are the first accusations of espionage in U.S. history against someone who describes himself as a journalist. Manning was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 35 years in prison, but was released in seven years after then-President Barack Obama commuted her sentence. Obama, who had his own confrontations with the press, decided not to prosecute Assange.

For the first time in the history of our country, the government has brought criminal charges against a publisher for the publication of truthful information, said Ben Wizner, an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer. WikiLeaks tweeted that the prosecution was the end of national security journalism and the First Amendment.

John Demers, head of the Defense Departments National Security Division, told reporters when the indictment was released that it was not the departments policy to target (journalists) for reporting. But Assange is no journalist.

He noted that, unlike everyday journalists, Assange didnt edit his material but released raw files on his website  including, the indictment alleged, the names of foreign sources who risked their safety and freedom by providing information to the United States and our allies.

But if Assange is not a standard journalist, said Terry Francke, general counsel of the media-support group Californians Aware, he is at least a journalistic source who plays much the same role in exposing wrongdoing.

Assange was not an official custodian of the documents and did not steal them, Francke said, and those who provide such information to the media and the public must receive some legal protection if we care about getting at the truth in powerful and secretive organizations.

Snyder said Assange is being prosecuted for the mere act of publishing classified information  something virtually every newspaper has done many times over the years.

Much the same could be said of Carmody, who has spent 30 years as a freelance stringer, a self-employed news-gatherer who makes his living looking for scoops and selling them to media outlets.

In February, local television stations aired a confidential police report that Carmody had obtained from an undisclosed source on San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachis recent death from heart failure. A toxicology report concluded his blood contained cocaine and alcohol.

Carmody has not been charged with a crime, but police obtained a search warrant and raided his home May 10 after he refused to identify his source. San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said Carmody was suspected of conspiring with his source to illegally obtain this report.

On Friday, Scott apologized for the raid, said it had probably been illegal and admitted the police application for the search warrant had failed to adequately identify Carmody as a journalist. He said the SFPD was no longer conducting a criminal investigation of the leak but had turned it over to an outside agency.

Californias voter-approved shield law allows journalists to keep their sources and unpublished material confidential and also protects them from searches, even after judicial warrants, unless they acquired the information illegally.

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.

Similarly, said Michael McConnell, a Stanford law professor and federal appeals court judge, a publisher cant be charged under federal law for disclosing information that someone else has stolen, but can be charged if the publisher assisted or conspired in the theft.

So the question for both Carmody and Assange is whether its a crime to obtain  and in Assanges case, solicit  confidential information from a source who may have disclosed it illegally.

Francke said past court rulings lean toward exoneration.

For example, the California Supreme Court in 1973 unanimously overturned the convictions of the Los Angeles Free Press, its editor and a reporter for receiving stolen property. That property included the names and addresses of undercover agents they had gotten from a mail clerk at the state attorney generals office. The court said the document hadnt been stolen because the clerk had no intention of keeping it permanently.

And in 1969, a federal appeals court dismissed a privacy and stolen-property suit against columnists Drew Pearson and Jack Anderson by a U.S. senator whose employees gave the columnists some copies of personal letters. The court said the senator should sue his employees, because the columnists hadnt asked them to do anything illegal.

Merely encouraging someone else to disclose secrets doesnt appear to be a crime, said Matthew Coles, a law professor at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Youve got to become an active participant in illegally obtaining it to be prosecuted, he said.

And its probably no coincidence, Coles said, that all this is taking place at a moment when the president of the United States calls journalists enemies of the people.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @BobEgelkoAfter two weeks of growing outrage, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott apologized Friday for raiding a journalists home and office in a bid to unmask a confidential source, admitting the searches were probably illegal and calling for an independent investigation into the episode.

Police should have done a better job, Scott said in an interview with The Chronicle. Im sorry that this happened. Im sorry to the people of San Francisco. Im sorry to the mayor. We have to fix it. We know there were some concerns in that investigation and we know we have to fix it.

Scott said he has now reviewed all material relating to the May 10 search of freelance videographer Bryan Carmodys home and office, which was part of an investigation into who leaked him a salacious police report on the February death of Public Defender Jeff Adachi  a report Carmody then sold to three television stations.

The chief said he was concerned that the applications for the search warrants didnt adequately identify Carmody as a journalist  particularly a warrant to search his phone.

Californias shield law protects journalists from being forced to reveal confidential sources or hand over unpublished information including notes, recordings and pictures. It specifically bars police from obtaining this sensitive information through searches.

Scott said the department will drop its investigations and turn them over to independent agencies. The department relinquished a criminal investigation into the leak, which could prompt charges, and an internal affairs investigation, which could lead to discipline for officers. Its not clear who will step in to investigate the criminal side, but he said the city Department of Police Accountability  an independent oversight body created to look into complaints against police  has agreed to investigate any administrative violations.

The chief said Mayor London Breed had requested the independent probe. He also said the department will not use any evidence seized in the raids and will not turn it over to other investigators.

In a statement Friday, Breed said she was glad the chief acknowledged the department's mistakes and apologized, but was deeply disappointed by the actions taken in this case up to today. This is unacceptable and we have to do better.

The actions being taken today are the right thing for the department and for the city, she said. We have to restore the trust among the department, the public, and the media. An independent and free press is essential in our city and our society.

Scotts position on Friday was a reversal of his earlier public comments on the raid, which sparked outrage locally and nationally from lawmakers and press-freedom advocates. Gov. Gavin Newsom and U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris on Thursday joined in condemning the police action.

Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who was the first of many on the Board of Supervisors to criticize the raid, said Scotts apology and the independent investigations are absolutely the right thing to be doing.

I understand that it took him a couple weeks, but the fact that he is unequivocally apologizing and laying out clear actions that hes taking in response is what you would want from a leader, she said.

Carmody said he obtained a police report from a confidential source shortly after Adachis death at age 59 on Feb. 22 before selling it. Some city officials were outraged over the leak and suspected someone in the Police Department was trying to smear the late public defender, who was a police watchdog and crusader against officer misconduct.

In a news conference Tuesday, Scott said his department had suspected Carmody took part in a criminal conspiracy to steal an internal police report. Carmody said he did not pay for the report or conspire to steal it but simply acquired it as part of his work as a journalist.

A week earlier, Scott had defended the raid in front of the city Police Commission, saying, We went through the legal process and the appropriate legal process for a criminal investigation.

But on Friday, he said that wasnt the case.

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One of the issues that I saw in this is in the initial warrants, he said. Theres one thats particularity troubling and concerning. The issue is the clarity in the warrant. The description of what his role entails as a journalist  there should have been more clarity there. That is going to be a concern that has to be explored further.

Carmodys attorney in the criminal case, Ben Berkowitz, said the Police Department should take steps to make sure this never happens again.

Im calling on them to come out and clear Bryans name with a statement that he has engaged in no criminal activity whatsoever, he said. One of the things Ive found so offensive about the San Francisco Police Departments conduct is it picked on an independent journalist. They wouldnt have dared break down The San Francisco Chronicles door.

Police asked Carmody to reveal his source in April. When he refused, officers showed up with a sledgehammer, battering ram and pry bar before seizing his computers, cameras and phones at his home and office. They handcuffed Carmody as well.

Scott said the officers who executed the search did not consult with the district attorneys office before obtaining the warrants  a violation of department policy. Hes also pledged to review department policy regarding warrant applications and tactics around police searches.

The look of that was not good, he said We look back on every situation and we have to look at the tactics and we have to own up to things that we can do better and thats definitely something we can do better.

Thomas Burke, an attorney representing Carmody on First Amendment issues, said police violated federal and state law  including Californias broad shield law that protects journalists. Burke, who has represented The Chronicle and its parent company, Hearst Corp., in other cases, filed a motion this week to quash the warrants.

The warrants were filed under seal, so its not clear what police listed as the probable cause justifying the searches. The judges who signed the warrants, Victor Hwang and Gail Dekreon, have not commented.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffskyThe San Francisco police union called Saturday for Chief Bill Scott to step down, saying he is unfairly blaming rank-and-file officers for a bungled leak investigation he had ordered.

Its time for Chief Scott to go. Theres no way around it, Tony Montoya, president of the citys Police Officers Association, wrote in a scorching letter. The association has had a corrosive relationship with Scott from the time the chief was appointed in 2017, and the leak case  and subsequent raid on a journalists home  caused the long-stewing antipathy to boil over.

Infuriated, Montoya released the open letter urging the city to start a probe of Scott and place the chief on administrative leave.

Its the latest jolt in a saga that rattled City Hall and touched off a national debate about freedom of the press. The unions letter raised questions about Scotts future now that hes the center of a narrative that has embarrassed the city.

On May 10, police armed with a sledgehammer searched freelance journalist Bryan Carmodys home in an effort to determine who within the department gave Carmody a copy of the internal death report on the Public Defender Jeff Adachi  a report Carmody then sold to three television stations.

Adachi was a longtime critic of law enforcement who often butted heads with the department over what he saw as police misconduct. Adachis supporters believe the leak was intended to smear the public defenders reputation after his death in February at age 59.

The report included details that Adachi was with a woman who wasnt his wife in a borrowed Telegraph Hill apartment when he collapsed. The medical examiner later ruled that a mix of cocaine and alcohol, combined with an existing heart condition, caused his death.

On Tuesday, Scott said the raid was a legitimate search of Carmodys property and suggested the journalist was part of a criminal conspiracy to steal the death report. On Friday, Scott apologized. By then the raid had become an object of widespread scorn, drawing criticism from Gov. Gavin Newsom, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Kamala Harris.

Police should have done a better job, Scott said in an interview with The Chronicle, saying the department would drop its investigation into Carmody and turn it over to an outside agency.

Those statements rankled Montoya, who accused the chief of reversing his stance on the raid to protect himself.

Hes doing this at the expense of investigators, Montoya told The Chronicle on Saturday, adding that the sergeants who led the Carmody investigation are well-respected law enforcement officers with impeccable records.

In the letter, Montoya said Scott had ordered the investigation of Carmody, given direction the whole time and followed every twist and turn. He also said the chief did not reveal Carmodys status as a journalist to the sergeant who wrote the application for the warrants.

The investigation into whomever disseminated the initial Adachi police report is a righteous one and whomever is responsible should be held accountable, said the letter, which accused the chief of a pathetic, deceitful and shameful display of self-preservation, finger pointing, and political kowtowing.

Officer Robert Rueca, a police spokesman, defended the chief in a statement, saying Scott had made it abundantly clear that transparency and accountability are paramount in this criminal investigation. That is why SFPD is seeking an independent, impartial third-party to take over the original criminal case.

An additional investigation by the citys Department of Police Accountability would examine how this case has been handled on all levels  including the Command Staff through the Chief of Police  and provide accountability and answers, he said in the statement. In the meantime, the men and women of this department will continue to work hard to provide public safety for the people of the City of San Francisco.

Scott, a mild-mannered outsider from Los Angeles, was appointed two years ago to lead the beleaguered department through a period of reform, after several controversial officer-involved shootings. He was not the first choice of the outspoken officers union, which fought many of the policy changes.

Last year, for example, the union filed a lawsuit contesting a measure that barred officers from shooting at suspects in moving vehicles. A San Francisco judge tossed out the case.

Some observers see the raid  and its ongoing fallout  as an opportunity for the union to attack Scott.

There has been an old guard in the Police Department that is resistant to reform, said Police Commissioner John Hamasaki, who is also a civil liberties attorney. Theyve been waiting for a moment to attack. When they saw the slightest weakness theyre going full on.

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.

Hamasaki initially challenged his colleagues in the free-speech world, saying the raid and investigation into Carmody may have been justified. He has since revised his position, though in an interview Saturday he hesitated to directly condemn the raid.

While Hamasaki praised the chief for showing integrity, others say Scott is in a perilous position.

San Francisco, for all its tech wealth, has a small-town political culture, said Nathan Ballard, a former communications adviser to the Police Officers Association.

One of the problems with a police chief with no history in San Francisco is that when he is under fire, he has no local allies to turn to for support, Ballard said.

Though the chief stressed the importance of setting roots in San Francisco and building trust with officers when he took the job in 2017, he applied to be chief of Los Angeles department the next year. He didn't get the job, and the move led some officers to question his commitment to San Francisco as the city tried to set new use-of-force policies and distance itself from scandals of the past.

Though tension has long existed between Scott and the union, Montoya has avoided confrontations since taking over as president last year. But when Scott apologized for the raid, Montoya said he had no choice but to speak up.

Theres no question the chief came from outside, he said, but that doesnt mean the union is out to get him.

The chief opened this door, Montoya added.

A spokesman for Mayor London Breed did not respond to a request for comment.

Rachel Swan and Ashley McBride are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com, ashley.mcbride@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan, @AshleynmcbSF Chronicle Graphics, Nextzen

A man police say was responsible for shooting and killing another man Saturday afternoon in San Francisco was arrested in Oakland after a pursuit over the Bay Bridge, police said.

San Francisco police officers responded to a report of a shooting at Golden Gate Avenue and Hyde Street at 12:44 p.m., when they found a man seated in a vehicle and suffering from gunshot wounds, said Officer Robert Rueca, a San Francisco Police Department spokesman.The couple accused of killing a 73-year-old man and dismembering his body at an Ingleside home fled to Beijing, where they were arrested with the help of Homeland Security Investigations officials, police said Friday.

Stephanie Ching, 35, and Douglas Lomas, 44, both of San Francisco, were arrested soon after landing in Beijing on suspicion of killing Benedict Ching, according to the San Francisco Police Department. A source said police believe Stephanie Ching is Benedict Chings daughter.

Over the course of their investigation, homicide detectives learned the suspects planned to escape to China after the slaying.

After their arrests in China, the suspects were flown to the Loudoun Adult Detention Center in Leesburg, Va., and booked on suspicion of homicide, police said. Officials are working to extradite them to San Francisco, where the district attorneys office has filed murder charges against them.

Homeland Security Investigations was instrumental in locating and coordinating this arrest without incident, police said in a statement.

Police were initially asked to conduct a wellness check at Chings home on the 100 block of Del Monte Street after a co-worker reported he did not show up for work as scheduled on May 18. Officers with SFPDs Ingleside Station joined one of Chings relatives in a visit of his home on Monday, where officers discovered the body.

Sources told The Chronicle that a head and other body parts were found in a freezer in the home.

Investigators determined that his disappearance and death was a result of foul play, police said in a statement on Friday.

The FBI is assisting the Police Departments investigation.

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.

Officials have not publicly said what led them to pursue Lomas and Stephanie Ching as suspects in Chings death, or released a possible motive.

Anyone with information about this case may contact the San Francisco Police Department 24-hour tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with, SFPD. Callers may remain anonymous.

Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LaurenPorFavorSan Francisco Police Department

A man and woman have been arrested in a shooting and stabbing attack this month along the Embarcadero that wounded two people, police announced Friday.

Around 12:30 a.m. on May 10, police responded to reports of a possible shooting and stabbing on the 300 block of The Embarcadero, near Rincon Park. When they arrived, officers found a man on the ground with a gunshot wound bleeding from his stomach and a woman sitting nearby with a stab wound in her hand.Giants manager Bruce Bochy doesnt give up on players easily or quickly. A five-strikeout day doesnt automatically necessitate a benching. Just like a multiple-home run day doesnt always guarantee a spot in the lineup the next day.

Left fielder Mac Williamson struck out five times Thursday and was in Fridays lineup for the Giants-Diamondbacks opener.

Youve got to stay behind these guys and give them their best chance to succeed, Bochy said. Sometimes sitting a guy after a rough day like that, now youre thinking about it more. Lets get right back on it, back in the saddle, so to speak, and lets go.

I mean, were big boys here. Were going to have tough days. Youve got to come out and show resilience and hopefully get it turned around. Im giving him that chance.

Williamson became the fifth Giant with five strikeouts in one game, and he followed up with three more strikeouts Friday. He has one hit in his last 27 at-bats and is hitting .118.

Another rough day for him, Bochy said. Were going to throw him back out there and stay behind him. But I said we need production at that position, too. Hey, as a team, were not swinging the bats really well right now. Hes having a rough go. Well talk about it.

When the Giants promoted Williamson from Triple-A Sacramento, where he was hitting .378, management said Williamson was going to get a long look.

Friday, he played his 15th game, the second most among the whopping nine left fielders the Giants have used this season. Gerardo Parra, who ranks first, was designated for assignment and signed with the Nationals.

Another Giants outfielder, Aaron Altherr, stuck around for all of one at-bat and never played an inning of defense. Friday, he joined the Mets and homered in his first at-bat.

Williamson is out of minor-league options, so he would need to be exposed to waivers and could become a free agent if taken off the roster.

Briefly: Catcher Buster Posey was out of the lineup, and Bochy called it a scheduled day off. Posey started behind the plate in all four games of the Braves series and caught 13 innings Thursday. ... Brandon Crawford rested a second straight day with conjunctivitis (pink eye). Bochy said the shortstop is expected to play Saturday.

John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicles national baseball writer.SAN DIEGO  Life After Hate got the good news in January 2017. The nonprofit dedicated to de-radicalizing neo-Nazis was chosen to receive $400,000 in federal grant money set aside to fight extremism.

But the funding never came.

Donald Trump was sworn in as president weeks later, and the Countering Violent Extremism grants were yanked from programs such as Life After Hate and reallocated to groups with a heavy focus on curbing Islamic radicalism.

Come next year, the $10 million grant program wont be funded at all.

While the monetary amount is a sliver of the governments $4 trillion budget, the episode is emblematic of the continued prioritization of a global terrorism threat over that posed by white nationalist extremists in the homeland  even as violence committed by far-right radicals has increased.

The result is a blind spot that has allowed white supremacy extremism to metastasize, experts argue.

Data compiled by the Anti-Defamation League indicate that of the 50 deaths in the U.S. last year attributed to extremists, 78% were attached to white supremacy or white nationalist ideology.

Similarly, over a 10-year period, 313 people were killed by right-wing extremists from 2009 and 2018. Of those, 76% were affiliated with white supremacy, the research shows.

The data is overwhelming, said Erroll Southers, a former San Diego FBI agent and counterterrorism official. The last 10 years suggest our policies and our focus and our resources are all pointed in the wrong direction.

In a congressional subcommittee hearing May 15, three weeks after the deadly rampage at a synagogue in Poway (San Diego County), former federal officials and anti-extremism advocates accused the Trump administration of not taking the threat as seriously as it should.

Our communities are counting on the government to reverse this trend, to begin to take the threat of white supremacy and the terrorism that results from it far more seriously and take significant action, said George Selim, a former Homeland Security official who now serves as a senior vice president at the ADL.

Current efforts are drastically underfunded and profoundly overly focused on the Islamist threat and law enforcement support, he said. Congress must empower civil society and others to prevent white supremacy in their home communities.

The hearing was in stark contrast to the testimony of current federal officials who appeared before another congressional committee one week earlier. Both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security acknowledged the severe threat of domestic terrorism and defended how the agencies have responded.

Michael McGarrity, the FBIs assistant director for counterterrorism, pointed to 850 open investigations on domestic terror subjects. About 40% are racially motivated threats or crimes  the majority of which subscribe to white supremacist ideology, while about half are anti-government, he said.

The officials also noted the restricted legal framework in which they operate, one that must protect U.S. citizens right to free speech and assembly.

It is important to emphasize that we prosecute domestic terrorists for their criminal acts, not for their beliefs or based on their associations, said Brad Wiegmann, deputy assistant attorney general in the Department of Justices national security division.

The complexity of balancing First Amendment rights with policing U.S. citizen extremist activities continues to be a core challenge for law enforcement, especially as the white nationalist movement flourishes online. Private sector online platforms, which dont have the same restrictions, have been increasingly encouraged to take a more aggressive role in self-policing hate rhetoric  a concept that is eliciting mixed messages from the White House.

Recently, the Trump administration declined to join international allies and Silicon Valley titans in a campaign to combat online extremism, citing the concern over protecting free speech.

The White House said it was not in a position to sign onto the campaign  led by New Zealand, the site of a massacre at two mosques suspected of being fueled by white supremacism  but promised it would continue to be proactive in our efforts to counter terrorist content online while also continuing to respect freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

On the same day, the White House began its own campaign  almost like a counterpunch  asking for personal stories of occasions when people felt censored by social media platforms. The call comes weeks after Trump lambasted Facebook and Twitter for suspending and banning controversial public figures linked to white nationalists.

While hate speech may be legal, it doesnt have to be accepted, anti-extremist advocates argued.

The President, cabinet officials and Members of Congress must call out bigotry at every opportunity, Selim urged in his testimony to the Houses Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

Kristina Davis is a San Diego Union-Tribune writer.LOS ANGELES  A 102-year-old woman is being evicted from her longtime residence in unincorporated Ladera Heights (Los Angeles County) so the landlords daughter can move in instead, according to an eviction notice the woman received.

Thelma Smith was given notice on March 8 that she must vacate the single-family home where she has resided for nearly 30 years.

The womans situation has garnered the attention of many throughout the country, including former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who tweeted about his friendship with her.

Thelma has been a dear friend for a long time. Imagine doing this to a 102-year-old woman who gave back to the community her whole life. It is heartless. Thelma, Ill be reaching out to help. Landlords, youll hear from me too, Schwarzenegger wrote.

Smiths landlords said they were ending her month-to-month lease because their daughter is graduating from law school.

The dwelling is needed as her principal place of residence, the notice said.

They gave the centenarian three months to get out.

Under Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance, a landlord can legally evict a tenant to accommodate a relatives housing needs. But the law dictates that if the units are of comparable housing, the last person who moved in would be the first person forced to leave. That regulation is meant to protect low-paying tenants from being targeted.

In greater L.A. County, where a temporary rent stabilization policy for unincorporated areas went into effect in December, the law is weaker.

They use this law to target long-term, low-paying tenants, said Larry Gross, executive director of the Coalition for Economic Survival.

Pauline Cooper, a longtime neighbor of Smith, said that in the past year at least one person has moved out of her friends small complex, which consists of three brown Craftsman-style homes with rock landscaping. Cooper didnt know whether the once-empty space was occupied now, though.

Shes been there a thousand years and is paying very low rent, said Cooper, who has lived in the quiet neighborhood between Culver City and Baldwin Hills since 1999.

As part of the citys Rent Stabilization Ordinance, relocation assistance is available for evicted tenants in L.A. who are 62 or older, handicapped or disabled. But elsewhere in Los Angeles County, theres no such help.

Smith, who did not wish to be interviewed, is relying on friends and faraway family to find a new place to stay, Cooper said.

Im trying to get her settled, Cooper said.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

She has offered Smith  a widow she describes as spry  a bedroom in her own home, but Smith doesnt want to go anywhere.

The only thing I can say is that Ive tried to live a good life, Smith told KCBS-TV. I never wanted to harm anybody.

Los Angeles won its Rent Stabilization Ordinance in 1978, and L.A. County received one in 1979. Four years later, the countys law expired. If a permanent ordinance does pass, regulations could be added.

Its pretty outrageous and heartless to be evicting this woman, Gross said. It just shows a perfect example of how tenants without strong rent-controlled protections are vulnerable to displacement and injustices.

Smith, a former executive secretary for the Sugar Ray Robinson Youth Foundation, a nonprofit that has served underprivileged youths, recently celebrated her birthday in the home where shes spent three decades.

The celebration may be her last there. She has until June 30 to vacate the property, her landlords say.

Colleen Shalby is a Los Angeles Times writer.The Democratic National Committee and two of its prominent presidential contenders  Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Kamala Harris, D-Calif.  have been shunning Fox News. This is a mistake.

The network that President Trump loves and liberals love to hate offers a large audience that includes some of the voters Democrats will need to reach if they hope to retake the White House in 2020. That Fox had offered to host a Democratic primary debate, along with town halls for its leading candidates, should have been seized upon as offers too good to pass up.

Democrats are not going to win by simply preaching to the choir. They need converts to get to the magic 270 electoral votes  and undecideds who just may be channel surfing or tuning in to Fox News.

Pete Buttigieg, the South Bend, Ind., mayor rising steadily in the nearly two-dozen field, showed the value of a Fox News town hall with his brilliant performance on May 19. He may not have made any headway with the regulars who swallow the Trump-apologist morning pablum on Fox & Friends or go into a lather at Sean Hannitys nightly demagoguery and deception, but he surely came away with some votes in the audience of 1.1 million.

Buttigieg was able to finish his sentences, even calling Trumps behavior grotesque and blasting Fox hosts Tucker Carlson for saying that immigrants make America dirty and Laura Ingraham for comparing detention centers with children in cages to summer camps.

There is a reason why anybody has to swallow hard and think twice before participating in this media ecosystem, Buttigieg said.

But he swallowed hard, thought deftly on his feet and left the stage with his dignity intact and a standing ovation. He received respectful treatment in a session moderated by respected journalist Chris Wallace, and Sens. Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobuchar had similar experiences and messaging opportunities in their Fox town halls.

However, Warren would have none of it. She rejected her invite, calling Fox a hate-for-profit racket that is out to destroy her party. Harris has so far declined the Fox invitation.

Tom Perez, the Democratic Party chair, has defended the partys decision to reject Fox News requests to host a primary debate.

They have proven that they are essentially the Tass News Agency, Perez told my colleague Joe Garofoli on a recent Its All Political podcast, citing the state-owned Russian news service. As DNC chair, I think I have a responsibility to make sure that I have 100% confidence that debates are going to be on the up-and-up.

Here is where its important to distinguish the networks evening hosts  the carnival barkers who invoke white victimhood, Trump mythology and wacky conspiracy theories  from its more mainstream newsgathering. I am as disgusted as anyone at degradation of the nations political discourse by the Hannitys and Carlsons and the obsequious treatment of all things Trump on Fox & Friends, but I would be the first to acknowledge that no one did a better job than the Fox News team in holding the GOP field to account in the initial 2016 primary debate.

Democrats shut out Fox at their peril.

I think its a mistake to boycott the news division, which actually has some decent, responsible journalists, said Garry South, a prominent Democratic strategist. Many Fox viewers are no doubt irredeemable, but just as surely, some are not. ... In campaigns, every possible communications channel should be utilized.

Rob Stutzman, a leading GOP consultant in Sacramento, said he could understand why Warren might posture against instead of engage with Fox considering that she has been getting traction of being this kind of absolutist on the left. Less clear to Stutzman, among others, is why Harris would avoid a Fox town hall.

She needs breakout moments, Stutzman said of the California senator. A Fox town hall screams as an opportunity for a breakout moment.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Dublin, has been waiting for his town-hall invitation. The long shot presidential candidate certainly deserves one, having appeared on Fox News 38 times last year and 11 so far this year. He often jokes that its his way of ensuring his Republican family members see him on TV. Yet he also has shown he can go toe-to-toe with Carlson.

For Democrats, another enticing bonus of doing a Fox town hall is that it clearly gets under Trumps skin. He recently tweeted his angst that Fox is moving more and more to the losing (wrong) side in covering Democrats.

Perhaps most promising of all, the solid ratings for the Sanders and Buttigieg town halls just might suggest to Fox executives that being truly fair and balanced is good for business.

John Diaz is The San Francisco Chronicles editorial page editor. Email: jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnDiazChronSan Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott decided Friday to stop defending the indefensible. It was a wise move, and came as pressure was mounting from the citys slow-to-react political establishment.

Give the chief credit: He admitted his department was wrong to raid the home and office of freelance videographer Bryan Carmody in search of the source who leaked a confidential police report containing details about the Feb. 22 death of Public Defender Jeff Adachi.

He even apologized in an interview with Chronicle staff writer Evan Sernoffsky.

Im sorry that this happened. Im sorry to the people of San Francisco. Im sorry for the mayor, Scott said. We have to fix it. We know there were some concerns in that investigation.

One of the big questions  still not fully resolved  is what, exactly, police told the two judges about Carmodys status as a journalist in the application for a search warrant. Californias shield law, one of the nations strongest, establishes the right of journalists to protect the identity of their sources. Law enforcement agencies who are investigating the source of a leak are thus expected to apply for a subpoena  giving a journalist and his or her organization notice and a chance to challenge the request  instead of a search warrant.

Until Friday, Scott had insisted that his department checked all the legal boxes before going to Carmodys house with a sledgehammer to force their way in. They seized his computers, cameras and phones.

Now he is not so sure that the judges who approved the warrants were fully informed that Carmody was acting as a journalist when he received the report and peddled the contents to television stations.

There should have been more clarity there, Scott said.

As we have maintained, San Franciscans deserve to see the documents presented to the court. Scotts apology was welcome, but it should not be the end of the story. Mayor London Breed should demand full transparency and accountability for this assault on press freedom.

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.Its 2019. Do you know where your state Legislature is?

This should have been a big year for Sacramento lawmakers. The blue wave of 2018 gave Democrats a supermajority in both the state Assembly and Senate.

That made California one of just seven states in the nation with a Democratic supermajority in both chambers. Its a rare feat thats normally understood as a free pass for the party in charge to pass ambitious legislation without facing serious friction from an opposing party or even a veto from fellow Democrat, Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Its also a year without a major election. Typically, lawmakers focus on racking up legislative accomplishments in off years, so they can spend the majority of election years sharing them with voters on the stump.

But Sacramento lawmakers seem to be missing in action.

So far, most of the years biggest bills have gone nowhere.

SB50, authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, is the textbook example.

The bill, which would have overridden local governmental controls on certain apartment and condominium projects near transit, was a comprehensive, controversial fix for the comprehensive, controversial problem: Californias housing crisis.

Despite enthusiastic support from Bay Area mayors, widespread public support for building more housing, and hard-fought sponsorship from Wiener, the bill died this month in the state Senate Appropriations Committee.

Were either serious about solving this crisis, or we arent, Wiener said in a statement after the bill was shelved. At some point, we will need to to make the hard political choices necessary for California to have a bright housing future.

Clearly, 2019 was not the year for Sacramento to be serious about the housing crisis.

Its not just housing development, either  every aspect of the crisis appears to be flummoxing lawmakers.

In the Public Policy Institute of Californias March 2019 survey of residents, 68% of Californians identified housing affordability as a big problem for their region.

It was a record high for the poll. It was also a mandate for the newly empowered legislators to take action.

Given the opportunity to do so, they whiffed.

State lawmakers havent taken necessary risks on other issues, either.

SB561, sponsored by Attorney General Xavier Becerra and introduced by state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, would have given state residents the ability to sue for violations of last years bill, AB375, on consumer privacy.

The new privacy law, which will go into effect in 2020, grants California consumers the right to know what kind of information a business has collected from them, the right to opt out of allowing a business to sell this information to third parties, and the right to have that business delete their personal information without suffering unfair pricing or service.

At issue was whether the law should be enforced by the state attorney general  as agreed to in last years bill  or individual lawsuits.

The privacy law was passed hastily last year to head off an initiative, and was aimed primarily at tech companies. But many other businesses (full disclosure: including news organizations) have made legitimate arguments that it was drafted poorly and rife with unintended consequences that lawmakers could have addressed without undermining the intent of the bill. The California News Publishers Association, concerned that a flurry of lawsuits could seriously undermine an industry becoming more and more reliant on a digital mode, was among the opponents of SB561.

The Legislatures lack of appetite for big changes this year extends even to the most common-sense bills.

AB495, co-written by state Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, would have banned a long list of toxic chemicals and minerals from cosmetics.

Wed wager that the vast majority of Californians believe that destructive chemicals like asbestos, formaldehyde and mercury have no place in the creams, lotions and makeup they apply every day to their faces and bodies.

But powerful business groups put AB495 in their crosshairs for potentially outlawing some chemicals that are havent been ruled out by the Food and Drug Administration  like parabens, which are widely used in U.S. cosmetics.

The goal of the bill, according to its authors, was to bring Californias standards for cosmetics in line with the European Union, which has outlawed parabens since 2012.

Its not unusual for sweeping consumer safety bills to meet with opposition from business groups. But what couldve been a valuable negotiation between the differing parties didnt even have the chance to get started, because AB495 couldnt even pass its first Assembly committee in April. Thats a loss for legislators and a big loss for public health.

The legislative session isnt over yet. Theres still time for lawmakers to prove they understand their mandate to tackle the problems California residents desperately want them to fix.

Unfortunately, the odds of them doing so are looking less promising by the day.

It would certainly help if Newsom took a more active role in shepherding legislation through the Capitol. Newsom came into office making big promises on housing, for instance  he set a campaign target to build 3.5 million new residences by 2025  but his support for SB50 was tepid.

If Newsom is going to follow through on his big promises, hes going to have to make big investments of his political capital.

But lawmakers need to find their own backbones first. With great power comes great responsibility  certainly to their own voters, but also to the future of the state.

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.Its time to take a stand. No more out-of-town journalists will be allowed to write woe-is-us San Francisco profiles. If the police want to raid and arrest anyone, its this crowd of same-song typists.

The city has no end of problems, mountains of them and none secret. Life is expensive, housing scarce, and its wispy character trembling. This is all obvious to anyone who can walk three feet or ride Muni. Not so for New Yorker and Washington Post writers who dropped by recently.

The citys travails are a gold-mine industry for writers parachuting in. Theres even a formula: Visit the Mission District, dial up an embarrassed tech leader and total in Zillow-supplied real estate horror story. Collect blame-hurling quotes from progressives and moderates. Add musings about the future economy, curling fog and a Beatnik-era poem. Then its time to Uber to the airport and fly back home.

San Francisco and its debilitating problems need watching, as a sign of whats around the corner. But that will take a balance and originality thats missing now.

Marshall Kilduff, editorial writerRegarding Stop the reckless saber rattling (Editorial, May 22): I am grateful that The Chronicle has spoken out against the U.S. governments threats of war with Iran. I urge the people of the U.S. to insist that our political and military leaders replace their aggressive and warlike threats against Iran with a genuine path to world peace. Angering the government and people of Iran with hurtful economic sanctions and malicious condemnations of Irans national character is not doing anyone any good. With a world dangerously armed with thousands of nuclear missiles and bombs and deepening feelings of despair among all peoples everywhere, humankinds only hope of survival and happiness can come by us reaching out to our rivals like Russia, Iran, North Korea, China, Cuba and Venezuela with sincere efforts to heal our divisions and misunderstandings and create bridges of common ground and lasting friendships. For thousands of years, we human beings have become experts at fighting, competing and killing each other. Clearly our successes as great warriors are only creating misery and hell for everyone. Humanity cant continue on this path any longer.

Rama Kumar, Fairfax

Sea dragons habitat

I enjoyed the article, New sea dragon habitat is among worlds largest (May 23): These colorful sea dragons are just one creature among a whole host of ocean surface creatures that occupy a largely unknown ecosystem known as a neuston.

These creatures drift with the currents and can get caught up in gyres such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. If people go out and use nets, or other means, to collect plastic and other debris, they may well end-up devastating the various creatures (sea dragons, blue buttons, by-the-wind sailors, etc.) living amongst the plastic and other debris. It has been suggested that collection of plastic and other debris be done closer to bays and river mouths. Also, near the coastline, the debris should be larger and easier to collect.

Jon Salmi, Stockton

No late bar closures

In a time when San Francisco is dealing with major issues regarding homelessness, mental illness, alcohol and drug addiction, state Sen. Scott Wiener is pushing (for the second time) to pass a bill to allow bars to stay open until 4 a.m. I am dumbfounded by this. Does he own or have some investment in San Francisco bars as I can not humanly think of a reason why this would be of concern to him with what is going on in San Francisco right now. Wiener, please do your job and deal with matters that save lives, not destroy them. I am reminded of my mother using the expression: Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. There is no good to come out of bars being open until 4 a.m. under any circumstances.

Kathy Taylor, San Rafael

BARTs a big bust

Im angry to read BART weighs increase in fares (Page 1, May 24). This public transit agency is seeking 16% fare hikes over a period of six years because of declining ridership?

Well, maybe if the BART board could figure out how to improve the systems safety and cleanliness issues, as well as keeping its transit workers from racking up ridiculous amounts of overtime pay, it wouldnt have this revenue shortage in the first place. In my opinion, BART is a big bust when it comes to being an efficient and properly managed transportation system.

Terrence Williams, Berkeley

Increase BART police

In response to your story regarding BARTs plan to raise fares over the next several years, I was infuriated by the naive stupidity of BART directors Rebecca Saltzman and Janice Lis comments in support of civilian ambassadors instead of hiring more BART police officers. I wish Saltzman and Li would wake up and use their common sense and realize that when somebody is trying to rob you on a BART train, a civilian ambassador isnt going to be worth a darn. We need more BART police officers riding the trains.

Frank Sullivan, San Francisco

Ethical issue of abortion

Regarding abortion: As a lifelong liberal/progressive/agnostic/atheist, I loathe aligning myself with the Christian right on anything, but abortion is not simply a matter of health care, or a womans choice. It is not the same as having an appendix or earwax removed; it is the termination of a life in process of becoming fully formed.

The only realistic solution to the issue of unwanted pregnancy is to not become pregnant. Universal sex education and free access to contraception could make abortion legal, safe and rare as President Clinton said. I dont want anyone jailed for having or performing an abortion, but I dont believe in using abortion as birth control, either. To me this is a moral, legal and ethical matter, not a religious or feminist one. Both sides have more than their share of extremists.

Paul Silver, OaklandIf Democratic presidential candidates are looking for primary knockout blow, its not likely to come from California.

While Californias 495 voting delegates to the Democratic National Convention are nearly twice as many as any other states, an intricate list of rules is designed to spread those delegates among a wide range of candidates.

First of all, the March 3 primary isnt one election. About 35% of the elected delegates are chosen in the statewide vote, but the rest go to candidates who perform best in each of Californias 53 congressional districts.

And perform best doesnt necessarily mean perform well.

Its all proportional, said Chris Myers, executive director of the California Democratic Party. Every candidate who gets at least 15% of the vote (in a congressional district) gets at least one delegate.

And that same 15% minimum applies to the delegates elected statewide. Those include 54 party leaders and elected officials  statewide elected Democrats, legislator, big-city mayors  who are pledged to a candidate.

With the Democratic primary list currently at 23 candidates, there are plenty of presidential hopefuls who wont reach the delegate cut. But the 15% floor is low enough to give even second-tier candidates a chance to grab some delegates.

Even 15% of the anticipated 144 statewide delegates works out to 21 pledged votes at the convention in Milwaukee in July 2020. And in a state as politically diverse as California, a candidate who does well in the Bay Area wont necessarily finish on top in more conservative Central Valley counties, opening opportunities for Democrats across the spectrum.

Not all California counties are created equal, at least as far as Democratic delegates are concerned.

Although the states final delegate selection process wont be approved until August, the 2016 plan based the number of delegates in each congressional district on population and the average vote for Democratic candidates in the previous two presidential elections.

This method was chosen to ensure the widest representation from all 53 districts, the 2016 plan said.

That formula meant that House Speaker Nancy Pelosis district in San Francisco received nine delegates, the most in the state. Three other Bay Area Democratic representatives, Jared Huffman of San Rafael, Barbara Lee of Oakland and Anna Eshoo of Palo Alto, had districts that were next in line, with eight delegates each in 2016.

At the other end, the Central Valleys 21st District, then represented by Republican David Valadao of Hanford (Kings County), had four Democratic delegates, the fewest in the state.

Those district delegate numbers are likely to change at least a bit in 2020, although the heavily Democratic Bay Area will still have plenty of representation.

Some districts in the state will get seven or eight delegates, while others might get three or four, Myers said.

Not everyone going to the convention from California will be elected. The delegate selection rules released by the Democratic National Committee call for 79 automatic delegates, including members of the Democratic National Committee, Democratic members of Congress and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Under new rules for the 2020 convention, these superdelegates, who arent officially pledged to any specific candidate, will not vote on the conventions first ballot. The change came in response to complaints in 2016 from supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders that many of the superdelegates announced early on that they were backing Hillary Clinton, giving the impression that she was the choice of the party and its insiders.

The delegation must meet other party rules, including an even split between men and women and ample representation by members of various racial and ethnic groups, the LGBT community, disabled people and young Democrats.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuthEven as the antiabortion movement celebrates sweeping bans recently passed in several states, it is divided by a widening rift over whether those prohibitions should apply to victims of rape and incest.

The debate pits those who believe any abortion is immoral against those who worry that a no-exception stance could be harmful to some Republican candidates in upcoming elections. A Gallup poll last year found that 77% of Americans support exceptions in cases of rape and incest.

There is a media spotlight shining on this issue, said Clarke Forsythe, senior counsel with Americans United for Life. State leaders need to be prudent and reflect not only on state elections but also national elections, and the pace of change the public might accept.

Theres potential for even more division. The Federalist, an online magazine influential in conservative and antiabortion circles, ran an article last week by two abortion opponents suggesting that women who induce their own abortions should be prosecuted for murder. The position is at odds with the pro-women rhetoric of leading antiabortion groups.

Were 100% percent against prosecuting women. said Kristi Hamrick, spokeswoman for Students for Life of America.

Divisions over rape-and-incest exceptions have existed within the antiabortion movement for years, but have become more apparent as several states in the South and Midwest enacted tough bans on abortion.

Only the ban in Georgia includes an exception for victims of rape or incest  and then only if the woman files a police report first. Measures enacted in Alabama, Ohio, Kentucky, Mississippi and Missouri do not contain those exceptions, nor does a measure nearing final approval in Louisiana.

Alabamas ban is the toughest: Performing an abortion at any stage of pregnancy would be a felony punishable by up to life in prison. The only exception would be when the womans health is at serious risk.

Emboldened by the bans, 17 antiabortion leaders sent a letter Wednesday to Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel requesting a meeting and urging the GOP to explicitly oppose exceptions for rape and incest.

McDaniel, in reply, described the GOP as the party of life and added, I welcome any discussion about how to protect it.

Discussing the bans in an interview with CNN on May 17, McDaniel said, Personally, I would have the exceptions. ... But we are a party that is a broad tent.

President Trump, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky also have distanced themselves from the no-exceptions bans.

I am strongly Pro-Life, with the three exceptions  Rape, Incest and protecting the Life of the mother, Trump tweeted on May 18.

None of the abortion bans enacted this year has taken effect. All are expected to be blocked by federal courts, with ban supporters hoping appeals might lead to the U.S. Supreme Court.

David Crary is an Associated Press writer.DES MOINES, Iowa  How to pronounce Beto ORourkes first name  Is it BET-oh or BAY-toe?  is debated nearly everywhere the 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful goes in Iowa. But Rich Salas doesnt hesitate.

BET-oh, the chief diversity officer at Des Moines University says correctly while introducing ORourke at a recent gathering of an Asian and Latino political action committee. What a really great name.

Salas notes that ORourke speaks really good Spanish, better than I do, before leading chants of Viva Beto!

Its a rallying cry that may not resonate in Iowa, home to the nations first presidential nominating contest, but could pay dividends faster than in previous years thanks to a primary calendar that will see the two states with the largest Latino populations go to the polls earlier than usual.

Latinos make up just 6% of the population in Iowa, which holds caucuses Feb. 3, and barely half that percentage in New Hampshire, which goes next. But then comes Nevada, where almost 30% of people are Latino. And, just 10 days later this cycle, California and Texas  home to 13-plus million eligible Latino voters, nearly half of all such voters nationwide, according to the Pew Research Center  vote on Super Tuesday.

That means candidates who can win consistent Latino support could potentially secure a viable  if narrow  path of survival through the primarys frantic opening weeks, as the 23-candidate field winnows. A total of 4,051 Democratic delegates are up for grabs. Nearly 500 of those will be in California and 260-plus in Texas. Both allocate delegates proportionately, though, meaning even the winners likely have to share their hauls  and potentially providing more lifelines for any candidate who can mobilize Latinos even if they dont finish first.

I think its smart for the candidates to be thinking about how they can become a household name in the Latino community, said Matt Barreto, co-founder of the polling firm Latino Decisions. It will keep them alive, and it will make them a national contender, even if they dont do well in Iowa or New Hampshire.

Its a risky strategy since that means betting on an electorate thats disproportionately young and plagued by low voter turnout.

Latinos, meanwhile, will outpace African Americans to become the electorates largest nationwide racial minority group for the first time on Election Day 2020  accounting for more than 13% of eligible voters, according to Pew projections. Not all Latinos are Democrats, but about two-thirds reported voting for the party during last falls midterms, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of the 2018 national electorate.

Over the years, there havent been that many Latino presidential candidates, Julian Castro, former San Antonio mayor and Obama administration housing chief and 2020s only Latino presidential candidate, said in a phone interview. So, theres still this sense of barriers being broken.

Castro has traveled to Nevada six times since December. He has gone to citizenship classes and attended house parties in historically Latino communities like east Las Vegas  including one hosted by an immigrant rights activist who is in the country illegally.

Its likely that my story, the way I grew up, is going to resonate a lot with a lot of Latinos, said Castro. Because they can see their own story in mine.

Will Weissert is an Associated Press writer.Ken Cuccinelli, the immigration hard-liner who was expected to be President Trumps pick to coordinate immigration policy, will instead be chosen to take over for the embattled official who has overseen the legal immigration system, according to two people briefed on the situation.

The official, L. Francis Cissna, whose role as the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has included overseeing a visa system that many White House aides view as broken, has submitted to pressure to step down, the two people said.

Cuccinelli, a former Virginia attorney general, is expected to be tapped to replace Cissna, the two people said. Trump had asked Cuccinelli in recent days to help coordinate policy across agencies, akin to the immigration czar job that the president has considered creating for months. The move startled officials at the White House and at the Department of Homeland Security, where one West Wing official said Cuccinelli would work. For now, he will be used to move out Cissna, the people familiar with the move said.

But Cissna, who was supported by several immigration restrictionists, held a Senate-confirmed role. And people close to the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, who has been a target of Cuccinellis in the past, said the former attorney generals chances of being confirmed were close to zero, creating immediate questions about the next steps in the process.

Cissnas resignation was previously reported by the Washington Post. The White House declined to comment.

The latest twist in the Trump administrations personnel decisions related to immigration shows that it has become one of the most battle-scarred areas of internal turf in the past several months. Over the past several weeks, Trump has sought to shake up the leadership at the Department of Homeland Security, beginning with ousting Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in April.

The New York Times reported that month that Cissna could also be forced out, and officials in the White House have long seen him as a hindrance, particularly Trumps top policy adviser, Stephen Miller, whose singular focus is immigration. But a number of immigration restrictionists who have sought for years to reduce legal immigration described Cissna as a reliable partner.

Cuccinelli, however, faces a likely insurmountable obstacle in McConnell. Cuccinelli in 2014 was part of the Senate Conservatives Fund, a political action committee that supported a primary challenge to McConnell.

Maggie Haberman and Zolan Kanno-Youngs are New York Times writers.BILLINGS, Mont.  The Trump administration said it is withdrawing a proposal for freight trains to have at least two crew members, nullifying a safety measure drafted under President Barack Obama in response to explosions of crude oil trains in the U.S. and Canada.

A review of accident data did not support the notion that having one crew member is less safe than multiperson crews, Department of Transportation officials said. The withdrawal also seeks to preempt states from regulating crew sizes.

The 2016 proposal followed oil train derailments including a runaway oil train in 2013 that derailed, exploded and killed 47 people while destroying much of the town of Lac Megantic, Quebec. Other derailments of trains carrying oil and ethanol have occurred in North Dakota, Oregon, Montana, Illinois, Virginia and elsewhere.

Under Obama, regulators concluded that having two or more crew members would be worth the extra cost even if it prevented a single accident.

The rail industry, which long maintained that crew requirements were unnecessary, cheered the move. But a representative for a rail workers union said it would put the public at greater risk by removing a safeguard against accidents. Most trains currently operate with at least two crew members but without a government regulation theres no guarantee that would continue indefinitely.

If railroads would start running single person operators, theres nobody up there to interact to make sure everything is done right, said John Risch, legislative affairs director for Smart Transportation Division, a rail workers union.

The government has essentially said were not going to provide any oversight whatsoever. Whatever the railroads want to do, they can do, Risch said.

The Federal Railroad Administration said in a statement that the rail industry has maintained a strong safety record in the absence of regulation on this issue.

Matthew Brown is an Associated Press writer.The transfer of 240 acres south of Half Moon Bay next month will be the final link in a vision to connect Santa Cruz Mountain forests to the coast, conservationists said this week.



The property, encompassing steep hillsides and grassy ridgeline, will transfer in June from the Giustis, a coastside farming family, to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.



The transfer will connect protected open space and agricultural land from the Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve to the Pacific Ocean, the district announced this week.



"We now have a wonderful opportunity to plan and build the Measure AA-funded Purisima-to-the-Sea Trail, linking the Bay Area Ridge Trail along the Skyline corridor with the California Coastal Trail along the ocean bluffs," Midpen General Manager Ana Mara Ruiz said.



The Giustis will retain lower farm fields where Brussels sprouts, artichokes, beans, pumpkins, peas and hay are grown.



The open space district plans to restore the area by cleaning up abandoned oil wells and improving nearby ponds and stretches of creek for wildlife habitat. In addition, Midpen will also explore the feasibility of reintroducing cattle grazing to the property, the district said.



The restoration, grazing and public access projects are funded in part by Measure AA, a $300 million bond passed by local voters in 2014, supporting open space projects in Midpen's community-supported Vision Plan.



Midpen works in public-private partnership with the Peninsula Open Space Trust to protect and steward open space and agricultural land on the coast.



A nonprofit land trust, POST began protecting the Purisima-to-the-Sea properties in 1998. Midpen began acquiring these lands from POST in 2006, shortly after Midpen's boundaries expanded to include the San Mateo County coast. Midpen purchased an additional Purisima-to-the-Sea property from the University of California in 2009.



In all, Midpen has added five properties totaling 1,493 contiguous acres to Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve, supporting agriculture, protecting a corridor for wildlife and creating an opportunity to build the long-envisioned Purisima-to-the-Sea Trail.



Today, Midpen stewards more than 10,000 acres on the San Mateo County Coast.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.SANTA CLARA (BCN)



Santa Clara firefighters will welcome a new leader to replace retiring Chief Bill Kelly, who headed the department for the last seven years.



Chief Ruben Torres currently serves the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department and will begin his duties as Santa Clara's seventh fire chief on June 30. He has been a firefighter for more than 33 years, and a senior member for more than 14.



"As Fire Chief, I recognize the importance of our organization being well-positioned and nimble to address the service delivery demands of a growing city while also continuing to deliver extraordinary service for Santa Clarans," Torres said in a statement.



According to records from Transparent California, Torres will be paid about $415,000 in wages and benefits. In his current position, he makes about $300,000 annually.



City Manager Deanna Santana congratulated Torres and said the decision came after a national search.



"Chief Torres' strong progressive leadership abilities, collaborative style and his vast fire experience in culturally diverse communities will be huge assets for the City, the Fire Department and our community," Santana said in a news release. "It was a very competitive process with strong candidates, and I am confident that Chief Torres will lead the Fire Department with honor and integrity."



Chief Bill Kelly became Santa Clara's fire chief in 2012, and is retiring after a career of almost 35 years.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.A group advocating for an end to gun violence in America will host a screening early next month in Los Altos as part of National Gun Violence Awareness Day, organizers said.



Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America will host the screening June 8 at 3 p.m. at the Los Altos United Methodist Church at 655 Magdalena Ave.



The movie, "Behind the Bullet," will take a look at four people who pulled a trigger and the impact that it's had on their lives. Organizers said the movie offers a novel perspective on gun violence.



Moms Demand Action spokeswoman and mother Jennifer Morris said when Parkland happened that was a trigger for her to do something.



"As a parent you just don't know what to do," Morris said.



So she decided to join the group.



Other related events will take place in the Bay Area during the week of June 7, including a march across the Golden Gate Bridge. Members of Moms Demand Action will wear orange T-shirts to remember victims of gun violence.



Morris said orange was chosen to remember 15-year-old Hadiya Pendelton who was shot and killed in Chicago a week after she participated in former President Barack Obama's second inaugural parade.



Morris said Hadiya's friends wore orange after the slaying.



Free tickets for the movie can be obtained at www.bit.ly/wobtb. More information on "Behind the Bullet" can be found at https://behindthebulletfilm.com.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



San Francisco Police Chief William Scott on Friday said an outside agency will take over the Police Department's criminal investigation into a leaked police report, following criticism of a police raid on a journalist's home and office earlier this month.



During the May 10 raid, officers handcuffed journalist Bryan Carmody for nearly six hours and seized laptops and cameras, among several other items, while allegedly trying to get him to reveal who leaked the report to him.



The report was about the Feb. 22 death of San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi, which Carmody sold to local news outlets.



According to Scott, the move to have an outside agency takeover the case was at the request of Mayor London Breed.



"In the last 24 hours, I have reached out to outside agencies to take over the criminal investigation," Scott said.



Scott added that he was "concerned" that investigators may have failed to properly inform the judges that Carmody was a journalist before they signed the search warrants for the raid.



"This has raised important questions about our handling of this case and whether the California shield law was violated," he said.



The state's Shield Law prohibits law enforcement from forcing journalists to hand over unpublished material or reveal confidential sources.



"SFPD, under the oversight of the Police Commission, will also review its protocols involving members of the news media," he said. "In this area, we must do a better job. Journalists and everyone in our City deserve a police department that will maintain the constitutional rights of all."



Scott also said that the San Francisco Department of Police Accountability will be conducting its own separate investigation into the execution of the search warrants, as well as an investigation into the unauthorized release of the report.



Up until Friday's statement, Scott had maintained the searches were conducted lawfully, despite criticism from several city leaders and free speech and journalism advocacy groups.



Police have released few details about why the search was conducted. The search warrants apparently contain that information and the warrants have been sealed. However, on Tuesday, Scott said Carmody was under investigation for being a possible "co-conspirator" in the alleged theft of police documents.



On Friday, Carmody's attorney Ben Berkowitz responded to Scott on Twitter and said, "Having represented Bryan in this action, we are pleased to see that Chief Scott apologized to Mayor Breed and to the people of San Francisco. We think he owes an apology to Mr. Carmody also."



Berkowitz said, "We were also encouraged to see Mayor Breed called for an independent, external investigation of the San Francisco Police Department's conduct in this matter."



He said, "There needs to be real reform in the Department to ensure that the SFPD respects the First Amendment and the independence of a free press."



On Thursday, Carmody said he'd received most of the items police seized from him during the raid.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



Two people have been arrested in connection with a shooting and stabbing earlier this month along The Embarcadero in San Francisco, police said Friday.



Leola Issacson, 28, of San Francisco and transient Nick Shaw, 29, were taken into custody in connection with a May 10 incident that left a man shot in the stomach and a woman stabbed in the hand.



Issacson, the male victim's ex-girlfriend, was arguing with the couple in the 300 block of The Embarcadero and is suspected of pulling out a sharp weapon and stabbing the female victim in the hand.



Shaw is suspected of then shooting the male victim before fleeing the scene, police said.



Issacson was taken into custody May 11 on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Shaw was arrested May 16 on suspicion of attempted murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest.



Although arrests have been made, investigators are asking anyone with information about the case to contact the San Francisco police 24-hour tip line at 1-415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD. Callers and people who send a text may remain anonymous.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



The San Francisco Police Officers' Association Saturday called for San Francisco's police chief to resign after the chief apologized Friday for raiding a journalist's home seeking to identify a confidential source.



Accusing Police Chief William Scott of a "pathetic, deceitful and shameful display of self-preservation," Tony Montoya, head of the police officers' association, said Scott ordered the May 10 raid on the home of journalist Bryan Carmody.



"(Chief Scott) defended the search warrant in a trial balloon press release just days ago and when that balloon exploded he flip-flopped to being opposed to the search warrant," Montoya said.



San Francisco Police media contacts did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Scott.



Carmody, a freelance journalist, was targeted by San Francisco police in May after his reporting on the death of Public Defender Jeff Adachi was used by local news outlets.



The journalist got his information from a police report that hadn't been publicly released. The report said Adachi had collapsed in the company of a woman who was not his wife.



During the police raid, Carmody was handcuffed for nearly six hours while officers seized laptops and cameras, among several other items, while allegedly trying to get him to reveal who leaked a report to him.





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.Nearly 200 surfers will take part in a longboard surf contest Saturday and Sunday in Santa Cruz, according to organizers.



The 35th annual Santa Cruz Longboard Union Longboard Invitational gets underway at 7 a.m. Saturday as surfers take over Steamer Lane, a surfing location at 700 W. Cliff Drive.



Surfers will come from around California to participate in what is the longest-running longboard contest on the West Coast.



More information can be found at www.santa-cruz-longboard-union.com.







San Francisco Police Chief William Scott on Friday said an outside agency will take over the Police Department's criminal investigation into a leaked police report, following criticism of a police raid on a journalist's home and office earlier this month.



During the May 10 raid, officers handcuffed journalist Bryan Carmody for nearly six hours and seized laptops and cameras, among several other items, while allegedly trying to get him to reveal who leaked the report to him.



The report was about the Feb. 22 death of San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi, which Carmody sold to local news outlets.



According to Scott, the move to have an outside agency takeover the case was at the request of Mayor London Breed.



"In the last 24 hours, I have reached out to outside agencies to take over the criminal investigation," Scott said.







A federal judge in Oakland on Friday evening blocked part of President Trump's plan to build a wall on the Mexican border with funds diverted from other military and agency programs.



U.S. District Haywood Gilliam issued a preliminary injunction barring the use of $1 billion diverted from Army pay and pension funds to construct segments of the wall in areas of El Paso, Tex., and Yuma County, Ariz. The construction was scheduled to begin this summer.



Gilliam ruled in a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club and a coalition of southern border groups, represented by American Civil Liberties Union lawyers.



The $1 billion was part of a total of $6.7 billion that Trump in February announced he planned to divert from several agencies after Congress refused to appropriate the $5.7 billion he sought for wall funding. Congress instead granted $1.375 billion.



Gilliam said the $1 billion diversion appeared to violate a budget law that allows the Defense Department to transfer funds among programs to pay for military construction if the need is "unforeseen" and if Congress has not refused to fund the project in question.







A man was killed in a Gilroy stabbing early Friday morning and police have not identified a suspect, police said.



Officers responded just after midnight to the 500 block of Stoney Court where they found a man suffering from at least one stab wound, and he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.



The Santa Clara County medical examiner's office will identify the man once his family is notified.



Police are trying to determine the motive and circumstances surrounding the stabbing, and said no suspects have been identified.







A suspect in a 2018 Half Moon Bay homicide was arrested Friday morning, San Mateo County sheriff's officials said.



Tristan Cecil, 23, of Half Moon Bay, was booked into the San Mateo County jail on suspicion of killing Kimberly Quiroz of Half Moon Bay.



Sheriff's officials said Cecil was transferred to San Mateo County Friday morning from San Quentin State Prison where he was completing a sentence for narcotics sales.



On Feb. 22, 2018, at 5:09 a.m., sheriff's deputies were sent to a home in the 200 block of Poplar Street in Half Moon Bay following a report of a shooting.



When they arrived they found Quiroz lying inside the home with a bullet wound. Quiroz was flown to a hospital in critical condition and died March 3, 2018.







Police in San Francisco have identified two people arrested in connection with human remains found at a home in the city's Outer Mission neighborhood on Monday.



According to police, 44-year-old Douglas Lomas and 35-year-old Stephanie Ching were arrested as they were on their way to China. Homeland Security Investigations agents were able to detain them upon landing in Beijing.



The two, both San Francisco residents, are currently being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center in Leesburg, Va., where they were booked on suspicion of homicide, police said. The pair will be extradited back to San Francisco.



Police found the human remains on Monday at a home in the 100 block of Del Monte Street while investigating a missing person, 73-year-old Benedict Ching. Police said investigators believe the body belongs to Benedict Ching and that foul play was involved.



The medical examiner's office is working to confirm the identity of the remains and determine the cause of death.







The city of Novato will honor local veterans on Memorial Day by displaying photos of 60 Hometown Heroes on banners hung from lampposts along Grant Avenue.



The salute to local servicemen and servicewomen who live and work in Novato is part of the city's Novato Proud campaign now in its second year.



The banners will remain on the lampposts through Veterans Day in November.



"Memorial Day honors those who have made the greatest sacrifice for our nation," City Manager Regan Candelario said. "It also reminds us that those brave servicemen and women have colleagues and comrades who live and work among us today in our communities.







Saturday will be mostly cloudy in the morning before becoming partly cloudy. Highs will be in the upper 50s to the mid 60s. West winds will be 10 to 20 mph.



Saturday night will be mostly cloudy and breezy. There will be a slight chance of showers after midnight. Lows will be in the lower 50s. West winds will be 15 to 20 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph after midnight.



Sunday will be mostly cloudy and breezy. There will be a slight chance of showers. Highs will be in the mid 50s to the lower 60s. West winds will be 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon.





















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)



A federal judge in Oakland on Friday evening blocked part of President Trump's plan to build a wall on the Mexican border with funds diverted from other military and agency programs.



U.S. District Haywood Gilliam issued a preliminary injunction barring the use of $1 billion diverted from Army pay and pension funds to construct segments of the wall in areas of El Paso, Tex., and Yuma County, Ariz. The construction was scheduled to begin this summer.



Gilliam ruled in a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club and a coalition of southern border groups, represented by American Civil Liberties Union lawyers.



The $1 billion was part of a total of $6.7 billion that Trump in February announced he planned to divert from several agencies after Congress refused to appropriate the $5.7 billion he sought for wall funding. Congress instead granted $1.375 billion.



Gilliam said the $1 billion diversion appeared to violate a budget law that allows the Defense Department to transfer funds among programs to pay for military construction if the need is "unforeseen" and if Congress has not refused to fund the project in question.



The judge wrote that the alleged need did not appear to be unforeseen because the Trump administration made "multiple requests for funding for exactly that purpose dating back to at least early 2018."



He also said the financial diversion plan "likely would violate the Constitution's separation of powers principles" by intruding on Congress's power to set the federal budget.



Gilliam scheduled a June 5 hearing to discuss next steps in the lawsuit and in a similar challenge filed by California and 19 other states.



ACLU attorney Dror Ladin said in a statement, "This order is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities.



"The court blocked all the wall projects currently slated for immediate construction," Ladin said. "If the administration begins illegally diverting additional military funds, we'll be back in court to block that as well."





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



Police in San Francisco have identified two people arrested in connection with human remains found at a home in the city's Outer Mission neighborhood on Monday.



According to police, 44-year-old Douglas Lomas and 35-year-old Stephanie Ching were arrested as they were on their way to China. Homeland Security Investigations agents were able to detain them upon landing in Beijing.



The two, both San Francisco residents, are currently being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center in Leesburg, Va., where they were booked on suspicion of homicide, police said.



The pair will be extradited back to San Francisco.



Police found the human remains on Monday at a home in the 100 block of Del Monte Street while investigating a missing person, 73-year-old Benedict Ching.



Police said investigators believe the body belongs to Benedict Ching and that foul play was involved.



The medical examiner's office is working to confirm the identity of the remains and determine the cause of death.





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.Speaker Esmon Saimon says the State Law Office is obliged to ensure everything is in order before parliament debates a bill.State officials disputed on Friday that they withheld newly released cellphone video of the arrest of Sandra Bland, a black woman who died in a Waller County jail cell several days after the escalation of a traffic stop.

Leaders from the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Attorney Generals Office avowed during a Texas House committee meeting that Waller County turned the video over to attorneys representing Blands family during a civil litigation discovery process.

Nichole Bunker Henderson, associate deputy attorney general for civil litigation of the state attorney general's office, said that what was provided to the attorneys didnt have a clear table of contents.

We are conceding that it was not indexed, she said.

Democratic state Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, chair of the County Affairs committee, was angered at how he never received the video or was never able to find it in the files DPS provided him.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Attorneys won't reopen Sandra Bland case after video surfaces

More Information STAY INFORMED: Text CHRON to 77453 to get breaking news alerts by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. See More Collapse

I couldnt make heads or tails of it, he said.

Blands mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, attended the committee meeting.

The 39-second recording was published this month by Dallas television station WFAA in partnership with the nonprofit Investigative Network, showing for the first time Blands perspective of the confrontation.

The cell phone video offered a different perspective from what was visible in dash camera footage. Blands video showed the state trooper pointing a stun gun at her, ordering her out of the vehicle and saying, I will light you up.

Bland was found hanging in her jail cell outside Houston three days after her arrest. Her death was ruled a suicide. Waller County officials would not comment on Bland's mental state when she arrived at jail. They insisted the standard entry evaluations and any additional medical services she received were private.

Reporter Taylor Goldenstein contributed to this article.

samantha.ketterer@chron.com

Twitter.com/sam_kettOne hundred guests in cocktail attire were buzzing with excitement in the Starlight Room atop the St. Francis Drake Hotel on the evening of May 25, 1948. After introductory remarks  and a few drinks  they gathered around a tiny screen to see a modern marvel: San Franciscos first telecast.

The show was the work of Edwin W. Pauley, an oil magnate and University of California Regent. Pauley badly wanted to break into the burgeoning world of television. Although rudimentary television broadcasts were airing as early as the late 1920s, almost no one had TV sets. Plus, the quality of the broadcast was extremely poor. Just as the medium was taking off, World War II broke out and most early stations suspended operations.

But in 1948, jockeying for TV channels had began in earnest. There were 13 possible channels available in the Bay Area, seven of which were reserved for government use. Pauley had his eye on one of the remaining six. With his big broadcast, he hoped to impress the FCC enough to win a channel.

The screen was no bigger than a piece of paper, so the crowd had to jostle for a look. The transmission was coming from across the street at the St. Francis Hotel, where a makeshift studio had been put together next to the 14th floor laundry room. There was a flicker, then the screen came to life. Sort of.

Someone had unwisely placed the receiver facing the Starlight Rooms open windows, thus rendering the screen into a mirror.

The face reflected more of the Bay and the 450 Sutter building than it did the pale blue televised image, the Chronicle wrote.

The content, too, was incredibly underwhelming. Instead of faraway lands or celebrity appearances, they watched  a commercial.

From what they could see, a man was showing a woman a General Electric radio. He had rigged it to a clock so her favorite radio program would wake her up as an alarm in the morning. She admired it.

Then, the broadcast ended.

If the crowd was disappointed, The Chronicle story doesnt mention it. Two days later, though, they ran an article expressing plenty of disappointment. The broadcast was on ultra-high frequency waves, an experimental form of broadcasting that commercial TV sets couldnt even utilize. Pauleys show, boasting of bringing TV to the Bay Area, felt like one giant publicity stunt.

This adds up, so far as your immediate enjoyment of Bay Area television is concerned, to nothing plus nothing equaling nothing, the Chronicle lambasted.

The stunt didnt impress the FCC either. Later that year, they awarded the first Northern California station to KPIX, which signed on the air on Dec. 22, 1948. Because hotels were some of the tallest buildings in town, they too transmitted from a San Francisco hotel. Their first studio was in the attic of the Mark Hopkins.

Although an inauspicious beginning, the General Electric ad wouldnt be the end of Pauleys television dreams. Ten years later, on March 3, 1958, KTVU hit the airwaves; Pauley was one of the co-owners.LONDON  The race to succeed British Prime Minister Theresa May is heating up, the field of Conservative contenders is quickly growing, and the focus is squarely on how to handle Brexit.

Former House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom and former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab joined the race Saturday night. Both had earlier resigned from Mays Cabinet to protest her Brexit policy.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said earlier Saturday that he is seeking to replace May, joining several others who have announced they will run to become the Conservative partys next leader, and by default, Britains new prime minister.

May announced Friday she plans to step down as party leader on June 7 and remain as a caretaker prime minister while the party chooses a new leader.

She plans to remain as party leader through President Trumps upcoming state visit and the 75th D-Day anniversary celebrations on June 6.

Her successor will have to try to complete Brexit  a task that May failed to deliver during her three years in office. While she succeeded in striking a divorce deal with the European Union, the plan was defeated three times in Parliament by British lawmakers from across the political spectrum.

The best-known contestant for the Conservative leadership post is former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who has said he will take Britain out of the EU on Oct. 31 even if no deal has been reached with EU leaders.

Many economists and business leaders have warned that a no-deal departure would have a drastically negative impact on Britains economy.

Gregory Katz is an Associated Press writer.TOKYO  North Korean weapons tests breached U.N. Security Council resolutions this month, John Bolton, the White House national security adviser, said Saturday, going further than President Trump in characterizing the tests of short-range ballistic missiles.

Trump initially declared he was not happy with the tests. But Sunday he downplayed their importance.

North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me, Trump said in a tweet that appeared to contradict Bolton. Trump added he has confidence North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will keep his promise to me.

Bolton said the United States fully supports efforts by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to meet with Kim without any preconditions.

Until recently, Abe had said he would meet with Kim only after the North Korean dictator had taken concrete steps toward denuclearization and agreed to resolve a dispute over Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 80s. But in a retreat from that hawkish position this month, Abe said he would be willing to meet Kim on an unconditional basis.

Bolton said such a meeting could help further the effort to denuclearize North Korea as well as resolve the issue of Japans abductees, a top priority for Abe that he had mentioned in virtually every meeting or phone call with Trump.

Bolton said the United States had not heard much from North Korea since a summit in Hanoi in February, which ended abruptly after Trump rejected Kims suggestion that Washington lift the most painful of sanctions imposed on his country since 2016 in exchange for a partial dismantlement of its nuclear weapons program.

Bolton said Stephen Biegun, Trumps special envoy for North Korea, cant wait to talk to his North Korean counterpart, but they have not responded.

North Korea has warned the United States that its seizure of a cargo ship from the North could thwart any future disarmament talks between the two countries. Bolton said the seizure was an appropriate action.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Motoko Rich is a New York Times writer.A kayaker based in Namibia captured his encounters with numerous baby seals trapped in netting and how he cut them free with a line cutter on May 11.



Schalk Louw, who filmed these rescues, caught the seal pups in a specially designed blue net after the mammals had become entangled.



"We got a net from a good friend in California to help aid us in our rescues. Were testing it out and it works well with the small pups. In the video, Naude is using the net to catch a pup caught in fishing line and I used my line cutter to assist him and to cut the pup free," said Louw.



In another rescue, the kayaker manages to catch a seal by its tail that had fishing lines around its neck.



Louw told Newsflare: "My line cutter could not cut through the line without having to use excessive force. Thankfully Francois was there with his Leatherman so he cut the lines off and the pup was free to play again."



Footage shows a herd of seals on a beach in Namibia running towards the sea while the filmers chase them with a blue net. The bag is then placed in front of a baby seal who runs directly inside.



A specially placed zip on the bag is opened where the head of the seal is and the rescuers then use their cutters to remove the netting.



The filmers show how they hold the puppy's head down with some force because of the strength evident in the sea mammal. However each seal then happily flees to the sea, free from the manmade trapping.Twenty-five workers were injured after an explosion onboard a container ship at the Leam Chabang port in Chonburi, eastern Thailand, this morning (Saturday).



The blast ripped through the Hong Kong-registered vessel at around 8 am this morning, sending huge flames and smoke into the air.



Initial reports said at least 25 port workers were injured and local people were evacuated following the explosion.



Residents in the area were advised to stay indoors after a cloud of unidentified white powder spread across the area.



The director of Thailand Port Authority, Kamolsak Phromprayoon, later said that the incident was under control but advised anyone who lived downwind of the port who had inhaled smoke and felt ill to go to hospital.



Dozens of workers were in the area when the blast happened.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Anti-Defamation League of New York and New Jersey said the organization was horrified at the discovery of anti-Semitic hate speech written on a Yeshiva in Meiers Corners on Thursday.

What happens when houses of worship are no longer off limits?, asked Alexander Rosemberg, director of community affairs for the New York and New Jersey regional office of the ADL.

Rosemberg said that the act is, obviously an affront to the entire Jewish community...and all communities of faith." He said the most recent act should also concern members of other religions on Staten Island because a building with religious significance was targeted.

The Advance previously reported that the words, synagogue of Satan, were visible from Bradley Avenue, written on the Chabad of Staten Island synagogue, located on Harold Street. However, the building is more accurately described as a Yeshiva, or a place of prayer and study, Rosemberg said.

Across the street, the letters SOS were written with spray paint on the Yeshiva Zichron Paltiel of Staten Island, referencing the aforementioned phrase.

Rosemberg said that the individual who committed the act thought the Yeshiva was a synagogue because of the phrasing used by the vandal.

I think that the fact that it was against something that the perpetrator thought was a house of worship, thats whats concerning to us, Rosemberg said.

The graffiti was still visible on Friday.

Horrified by this alleged vandalism at a Yeshiva in Staten Island. All groups and denominations should clearly denounce and reject hateful acts of this kind, lest they become normalized to a point of no return. We will continue to work to ensure that #NY remains #NoPlaceForHate pic.twitter.com/gfe5yfXumT  ADL New York / New Jersey (@ADL_NYNJ) May 24, 2019

The phrase, synagogue of Satan is present in the Book of Revelations within the New Testament of the Bible, and concerns individuals that Jesus claimed were not true members of the Jewish faith.

The hate speech was written on the eve of Lag BOmer, a Jewish holiday which celebrates Jewish unity across the world and is marked by parades, marches and bonfires.

The holiday also marks the anniversary of the death of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, who escaped the persecution of the Roman conquest of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.

A CONCERNING TREND

Rosemberg said the frequency of hate crimes in New York has caused members of the community to become desensitized to deliberate acts against religious and minority groups.

Society needs to send a clear message that these types of things are not acceptable, he said.

During 2018, Rosemberg said an ADL audit of anti-Semitic crimes showed nine incidents on Staten Island in 2018, but that the frequency of hate crimes is going up citywide.

The Advance previously reported that New York City as a whole has seen a 67 percent increase in hate crimes in the first quarter of 2019.

However, through the first quarter of 2019, Staten Island has seen a 66 percent decrease overall in hate crimes in comparison to 2018 statistics, according to NYPD data.

The citywide trend of increased hate crimes is certainly something that were worried about, Rosemberg said. Its getting more and more traction."

While the ADL did not have comment on whether the most recent incident is connected, an overall sentiment of fear has been expressed by the community in response to an Eruv, or overhead wire that was installed and subsequently taken down, Rosemberg said, noting that any act of anti-Semitism needs to be met with holistic community disapproval.

Its something we certainly think the community needs to band together (about) to send a message, he said.

As of Friday night, there have been no arrests in connection to the incident.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Congress fell short ahead of Memorial Day weekend, failing to pass legislation that would provide tax relief for the families of military personnel killed during their service.

Senators unanimously approved a version of the bipartisan Gold Star Family Tax Relief Act Tuesday sending it back to the House of Representatives, where it was tied to a retirement savings bill as an amendment, and passed Thursday.

When it got back to the Senate, the larger piece of legislation failed to pass and make its way to the President Trumps desk.

CNN identified Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) as the lone member of the upper chamber of Congress who stopped a unanimous consent vote, because the larger bill did not provide for an expansion of a college savings plan to homeschooling expenses.

Had the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives not tied their version of the Gold Star Family Tax Relief Act to the larger bill, it wouldve passed Congress, because of its identical language to the Senate version approved Tuesday.

Congress introduced the Gold Star Family Tax Act in early May following lawmakers realizing the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act led to an increase in taxes for those families.

According to the Office of Rep. Max Rose, relatives of fallen service members receive two forms of compensation to help them cope, with spouses of the fallen often signing over one form to their children to ensure more of the benefit is received.

Due to changes in the way childrens assets are taxed, families that were obligated to pay 12 to 15 percent in taxes on such income saw their tax rate jump to 37 percent, according to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.

As we remember all of our fallen heroes this Memorial Day weekend, its critical that we also honor all the loved ones left behind, Rose said.

So when the ultimate sacrifice is paid, making sure Gold Star Families receive the care and benefits they deserve without egregious tax hikes and headaches isnt only commonsense, its the right thing to do, Rose stated.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Councilman Joe Borelli {R-South Shore] will show his support for the Never Forget the Heroes Act during a rally next Wednesday in Manhattan.

If passed as law, the bill will ensure that all victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks -- including first responders with 9/11-related illness -- receive compensation in the form of federal funds.

Congress needs to hear from regular New Yorkers and their representatives that this is still an ongoing crisis affecting thousands of families here and around the country, said Borelli.

The rally will start at 12 p.m. on Greenwich Street in Manhattan.

The bill, sponsored by congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, would extend full funding until 2090, has yet to pass either chamber of Congress, and still needs to be signed by the president.

Rep. Max Rose announced on Thursday that more than 290 co-sponsors are in place for the Never Forget the Heroes Act, guaranteeing the bill will get a vote in that chamber of Congress.

The message were sending is loud and clear: we must permanently renew and fully fund the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, he said in a statement.

The same day, a bill that would require New Yorks public schools to mark each Sept. 11 with a day of remembrance and a brief moment of silence was approved in the state Senate, according to QNS.com.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Some Democrats just cant accept defeat.

They cant accept that Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

They cant let go of the narrative that Trump colluded with the Russians to steal the election, even as years of investigation have failed to turn up any proof.

They still cant accept that special counsel Robert Mueller failed to find anything actionable against the president.

So now the calls to impeach Trump grow louder.

Is that what the party really wants the 2020 election to be about?

Because once that genie is out of the bottle, once the House starts impeachment proceedings, or impeachment investigations or even inquiries, anything that attempts to just keep the stove warm, then impeachment becomes the number-one issue in the campaign, and the litmus test for the two dozen or so Democratic presidential candidates out there.

And, again, it will be Democrats making Trump the all-encompassing electoral issue, and not the Democrats own plans for the country going forward.

Which might play well in a Democratic primary, where the extreme left holds sway. They wanted to impeach Trump before he was even sworn in.

But making Trump the central issue in the 2016 general election didnt work. And it might blow up in the Democrats faces again. Despite what Democratic Reps. Jerry Nadler, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Maxine Waters might think, the country at large isnt braying for Trumps impeachment.

This isnt Watergate. This isnt even Whitewater, as misguided as that impeachment attempt of President Bill Clinton was.

The point of impeaching the president isnt so you can keep investigating until the president commits an impeachable offense or a crime or looks guilty of something. Its because youve already got some pretty good evidence that the president has already done something wrong.

Well, Mueller pretty much torpedoed that ship. And we know that at least he read the whole Mueller report. If there was something there, he would have said so.

So the Nadlers House Judiciary Committee looks ready to take matters into its own hands.

It's worth remembering that two presidents have been impeached in history, Clinton and Andrew Johnson. Neither was convicted by the Senate. The GOP lost the House after the Clinton impeachment. Let it be a lesson to the Dems.

And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi cant have it both ways. She cant try to tamp down impeachment sentiment among the most virulently progressive members of her caucus, like Ocasio-Cortez, and then say that Trump is guilty of a cover up. Thats not leadership, but its not Nancys fault. It just shows that there will be no escaping the impeachment circus once the ball gets rolling.

Dem front-runner Joe Biden doesnt want to talk about impeachment on the campaign trail. He knows that if he can turn Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin blue next year, the country will likely be rid of Trump anyway. He likely thinks deep in his heart that if hed been the Dem nominee in 2016, Trump would have never won those states in the first place and would have never been president.

Populist Joe thinks he has the right economic and social message for those states and for the whole party this year, a message that Hillary Clinton failed to deliver. And impeachment aint part of it. Hes knows there are plenty of things he can hit Trump on that dont include the word Russia. Or collusion."

Some Dems are going to take a lot of convincing. They could turn on Biden if hes not on the impeachment train.

Biden better know that too.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Hundreds of Staten Islanders flocked to Homeport Pier in Stapleton to attend Fleet Week New York 2019, the time-honored celebration of the United States military sea services.

Now in its 31st year, Fleet Week New York offers citizens an opportunity to interact with members of the Navy, Marines and U.S. Coast Guard, providing an up-close look at the vessels used to protect and serve the nation.

The popular celebration includes an entire week of maritime-themed events and demonstrations, such as the Search and Rescue demonstration completed by a U.S. Coast Guard HH-65 helicopter on Saturday afternoon.

Watch the video below to see a portion of the Search and Rescue demonstration.

Ship tours

Among the most popular activities during Fleet Week are the guided ship tours, providing citizens a chance to board and explore the ships used by our servicemen and women.

Ship tours are available to the general public, free of charge, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Monday, May 27.

A total of four ships are currently stationed on Staten Island, at Homeport Pier in Stapleton:

Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), from Norfolk, Va.

Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5), from Mayport, Fla.

Keeper-class cutter USCGC Katherine Walker (WLM 552), from Bayonne, N.J.

Medium endurance cutter USCGC Campbell (WMEC 909), from Kittery, Maine (scheduled to depart late-Saturday, May 25).

USS Jason Dunham

The U.S. Navy provided a private tour of the USS Jason Dunham, a guided missile destroyer that specializes in air missile defense, as well as surface, anti-submarine, and strike warfare.

We typically are set up to deploy with a carrier strike group or an expeditionary strike group and provide defense for an aircraft carrier or a big deck amphibious warship, said Lieutenant Matthew Hays, chief engineer.

Our job would be to protect and defend the high-value unit against air and missile threats, against submarine threats, against small boats, against any warship threats, and basically escort them around, Hays continued.

But theyre not always on the defense.

We can do other fun stuff too. We can get detached as a surface action group or a search and attack unit to go out and hunt down other warships or submarines, Hays added.

The ships namesake, Corporal Jason Dunham, was a native New Yorker who enlisted in the Marines following the tragic events on 9/11.

In 2004, Dunham was stationed in Fallujah, Iraq, where he gave his life to save his fellow Marines, falling on a grenade dropped by an Iraqi insurgent, shielding two of his squad mates from the blast.

Dunham was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in the Iraq war.

His spirit lives on every day with this ship; we very strongly identify with who he was and his ideals, said Hays. Every day were reflecting on a very brave young man who sacrificed himself not too long ago for the ultimate reason.

View the gallery above for photos of our tour on the USS Jason Dunham.So, Congressman Rose has been in office approaching six months. What have we learned about him and what his priorities are in carrying out his responsibilities?

Well, it seems he has focused on issues that are primarily centered on New York City, like the location of a homeless shelter or the best method of toll collection on the Verrazzano.

Immigration is, and should be, a high priority issue of Congress. How often has the Congressman been to our southern border? Does he believe the situation there is a crisis? Well, Jeh Johnson, secretary of homeland security under President Obama, emphatically agreed weeks ago that it is! We should all know what the Congressmans position is on a broad spectrum of critical issues. That day may never come, because his boss, Crazy Nancy, rules over her House members like the dictator she is.

She accuses the President of a coverup, but stutters and stammers when challenged to explain further. Nicole Malliotakis will return the House of Representatives to the stature it once held, prior to the reign of the current hate mongers.

(James Benson is a West Brighton resident.)STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police apprehended a man accused of robbing a victim at gunpoint in Mariners Harbor in April.

Shawn Bams, 20, was arrested for allegedly, along with another unapprehended individual, placing what appeared to be a firearm on the back of a victims neck and taking money from the individual, according to a criminal complaint.

Bams and the individual then said, Dont move, hell shoot, towards the victim, the criminal complaint alleges.

The men then asked the victim, What do you have in your pockets?" and demanded the victim empty them, according to the criminal complaint.

Bams and the un-apprehended individual then stole $1,843 from the victim, according to the complaint.

Bams was arrested on May 22, at approximately 9 a.m., online court records show.

He is charged with two counts of second-degree robbery, a count of third-degree robbery, two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, a count of petit larceny and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Bams is a resident of 35th Avenue in Queens, according to a spokeswoman for the Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

Bams lawyer did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- A group of scammers posing as priests and parishioners sent texts to church members in Brooklyn asking for money, according to CBS New York.

The Brooklyn diocese told CBS that the texts started a couple of weeks ago and that the scammers got away with about $3,000.

On one occasion, dioceses employees received a text using the bishops name.

The diocese sent out letters warning other churches of the incident, CBS reported.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!Kylie Minogue had better steer clear of Sydneys eastern suburbs now her ex-fiance, Joshua Sasse, and his new wife have relocated to the Harbour city.

Kylie Minogue and Joshua Sasse posed for a selfie during the rugby World Cup. Credit:Instagram

Last weekend Emerald City spied the British actor best known for dating the Australia pop princess holding court at Double Bays Bedouin Bar with a bevy of brunettes. Among those fawning over the charming Galavant actor was his new wife, Louisa Ainsworth, whom he wed soon after his 17-month relationship with Kylie ended.

Ainsworth and Sasse married in a low-key ceremony in Byron Bay last September with paparazzi photographers capturing the newlyweds exiting the registry office hand in hand.Were you quick to adapt to working in English rather than Spanish? I had to be. I guess your brain gets into survival mode or something. It was like I was learning a new superpower and how to use it. I always saw actors like Penelope [Cruz]. I could tell how hard it was for her at the beginning to feel and to act in English, because it's a different part of your brain. I always thought, "I have to get good at that. I have to be able to be able to feel and not to think about what I'm saying." I just want to feel it. I always tell my agents, "I'm doing classes, but I want to go to meetings now, and I want to audition now." "No, but your accent " "I don't care about the accent. I don't care. I want to do it, and I don't want to audition for Maria, and Juana, none of that. I want to audition for the same parts everyone else is auditioning for. And I'll make the difference. I'll make them change their minds."

At the beginning, it was a disaster. Nobody understood what I was saying. Even myself couldn't understand the context of what I was reading. I remember little phrases like "I beg your pardon?" or stuff like that. I had no clue what I was saying. But I knew emotionally what the scene was about. So my feelings were in the right place; my mouth was going somewhere else. How do you mix putting yourself out there with being particular about the parts that you want to play? There are two things. First, what they think that you can bring to the table, what you can bring to the character to offer, and what you can really offer. But sometimes they already make a decision before you ever get there. And once you get there, there is another step: You don't look how I was imagining you. Because some of them, they don't even bother to google your photo. "Oh, but you're blonde, and green eyes, and so white. Are you Cuban? Cuban from where? From Miami?" "No, from Cuba."

"You're Cuban, you're from Cuba?" Like all those kind of steps of being labelled, or being put in just the image they have in their heads. The next step is that you get in the room for the audition. Then you can try to do your best and convince them that maybe that part that was not written for someone with an accent, or Latina, just someone in the world. It doesn't matter from where. You can play that, and you can do something special, and you can make that part remarkable and something different. So it is something that, every day, I still have to do it. It's a puzzle. How often do you get back to Cuba? It depends on how busy I am that year. Some years I've only been once. So it always depends. I'm on the phone with my parents all the time. I'm in touch with my people always. I don't feel I'm disconnected or even not being there. Probably you pay more attention when you're not there.

Lea Seydoux, from left, Ana de Armas, Naomie Harris and Lashana Lynch during the photo call of the latest installment of the James Bond film franchise, currently known as 'Bond 25'. Credit:AAP Have you adapted to living in LA? I like LA. It was tough at the beginning, because it can feel very lonely. It's hard to meet people. Everything happens in a house. So if you don't know anybody who invites you to the house, you're not anywhere. But now I have my friends, a great group of people. But also there are a few things that I don't adapt to. As a human being, you always want to fit in. You don't want to be pointed out. Until the day you realise that you're just different  you cannot be from the same colour. They're all grey and you're pink. And that's your strength. The best thing I have is that nobody's me. You don't have to try to fit. You have to just be yourself and do what you have to do. Why would you want it to be someone else that already exists? You can't. It's taken. Be you, and do what you've got.

Is there anything about the lifestyle in LA that you embraced that you hadn't experienced before? There is something about LA that's all this healthy life, but in a good way. There is this nice routine in the mornings when you go get a juice, go for a walk with your dog, or go for a hike. In Cuba, I grew up with so many trees, and by the ocean, and walking a lot. It was something so regular for me, like so ordinary, that you forget what you're seeing. It's just your every day. I remember when I moved from Cuba to Spain, all I wanted to have was a very clean, new apartment with new windows, and airconditioned. Because [in Cuba] all I had was a balcony with messy plants hanging around me, and it was hot. So you always want what you don't have. I realised how much I miss that nature, and I can see how here people really appreciate that. Do you look for certain kinds of roles or take each one as they come? So far, I've done the best with what I've got. Of course I see projects that I really want to do, and the parts that I really would love to play, and I can get to that. I want to do everything and beyond.

I want to create some impact. Until now, I've been always the wife or the girlfriend of the lead actor in a movie. I've learnt a lot, and I really enjoyed it, and I played it because I really wanted the part. But there's more than that. There are great female roles that are not only reacting or creating the situation for him to be the hero. I want to show how strong and smart women are. We go through so much. We need to see that on screen. Those female parts, not many, but they are out there, and I have to find some. I want that chance. Do you have a career masterplan? I don't think about that. I just don't want to do that to myself. I don't want to create that anticipation and expectations to myself. Because I know for sure, because they've never done it, my parents are not waiting for me to come back home with a trophy or anything to prove. So the only one that can get in my head is just me, and I don't want to do that. Whatever happens, happens. OUR FAVOURITE BOND GIRLS

Ana de Armas is following in the footsteps of many memorable women who have wooed 007. Here are 10 who lead the way.Darkness is just starting to settle, late last Saturday. The polls have still got about an hour to go, at the end of a brutal election campaign for the seat of Warringah. Zali Steggall and her entourage are outside North Curl Curl Public School, exhausted, but determined to squeeze in every last vote they can.

Over the road, at a safe distance from the polling place, the dancing dinosaurs, mocking Tony Abbott, are giving one last burst to their ubiquitous song, "Bye, bye, Tony, bye-bye! Bye, bye, Tony, bye-bye!" When it happens.

Tony Abbott concedes defeat in Warringah. Credit:AAP

Down the street comes Tony Abbott, on his own. He is not sure what to do. The dinosaurs are not sure what to do. They decide to belt it out harder. Abbott makes his move. He starts dancing to the tune, doing a little jig as they sing.

On the Zali side of the street, Steggall and her entourage, and all the volunteers from all the parties, burst out laughing, and Abbott joins in. A truly great Australian moment.Infamous helicopter escapee John Killick, currently fighting a raft of charges relating to a fraud racket, met the co-accused and fraud ringleader Dean Ryan when the pair both appeared on the ABC TV series You Cant Ask That.

Killick, famously plucked from Silverwater prison in a sightseeing helicopter hijacked at gunpoint by his Russian lover Lucy Dudko, and Dean Ryan - previously convicted of fraud-related charges - appeared on an ex-prisoners' episode of the show in 2014.

John Killick, 76, and Dean Ryan. Credit:ABC

Ryan told ABC viewers that prison had rehabilitated him.

"For me it worked. It was me coming to the realisation that I needed to change my ways, I was away from my loved ones," he said.A police officer almost lost consciousness when a man allegedly choked him as he went to the aid of his partner during a violent overnight confrontation in Brisbane's north.

Two police officers stopped at Osborne Street in Mitchelton next to a group who had been asked to leave a nearby licensed premises just after midnight.

Police alleged the group of five people became hostile towards the officers and attacked the female senior constable, 35.

Members of the group then allegedly assaulted the 36-year-old male constable when he went to help her.

Police alleged a man from the group almost choked the senior constable unconscious.Thon Chipuowuop says the media is wrong to categorise African-Australian children as troubled or at risk.

"I dont feel involved in those things," the 17-year-old from South Sudan said. "The media includes us all in those things, but it doesnt affect me.

Back row (L-R): Asmiret Tesema, Lin Jong, Buku Khamis, Veronica Walakona, Asmiret Tesema, Celine Moody, Jummy Quaye, Paskazia Muhindo. Front/crouching: Nyandeng Pawuoi, Atong Riak. Credit:Joe Armao

Thon hopes to study medicine and become a doctor when he leaves school. He is also considered by his peers to be somewhat of a leader among them.

Thats why he was picked as one of 30 students to take part in the Western Bulldogs GOAL mentoring program.Barrys* life wasnt always like this. He worked for years in a well-paid role as an account manager with Telstra and had a mortgage on the house where he lived.

But when he was restructured out of a job Barry couldnt meet his mortgage repayments and life has felt like a downhill slide ever since. The bank foreclosed on his house, he moved from one crummy private rental to the next and ended up sleeping on a bench on Swanston Street.

Rooming house outreach worker Catherine Dyer in Barry's* room at his rooming house. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Now Barry's home is a tiny room - one of 14 - at the rear of a dilapidated weatherboard rooming house in Melbourne's north. His possessions are stacked so high its difficult to get through the door. The roof leaks over his bed and the lock is broken.

The house's volatile and intimidating landlord has made Barrys life a misery - including throwing his possessions into a skip and assaulting him - and for all of this, Barry pays $200 a week in rent.Tributes have already began to appear on social media remembering Ms Herron as a kind and caring friend. RIP beautiful, forever in our hearts. You didnt ever deserve this, a friend posted on Facebook. You lit up a room with your smile and happy, bubbly personality. Why did this happen ... you were an amazing person who will never be forgotten ... Memories will last a lifetime but wont be the same. Never will you be forgotten." Detective Inspector Stamper described the scene as "horrendous" and vowed police would not stop until they found who was responsible.

He said police were still determining whether it was a random attack or Ms Herron was killed by somebody she knew. Investigators had established Ms Herron was attacked a short distance away from where her body was later dumped. Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper at the media conference on Sunday. Credit:Paul Rovere The last confirmed sighting of Ms Herron was in St Albans on May 14, police say. At the time of her death, Ms Herron was wearing a light brown sleeveless vest/jacket, a black hoodie, black trackpants, black runners and a blue singlet top, which featured pink buildings, gold sequins and a large blue rose on the lower right side. Detective Inspector Stamper said Ms Herron's family had been notified and were "heartbroken."

"Courtney had sporadic contact with her family which is very much part of the challenges that happen when there is a child that suffers drug use and mental health issues ... family relationships can be fragmented," he said. "But I stress, that doesn't mean that families out there don't love their children and their heart breaks for them. We're dealing with a heartbroken family." A man lays flowers at the murder scene. Credit:Darrian Traynor Detective Inspector Stamper said there was no evidence at this stage that the attack had been sexually motivated. "It's the death of a woman, sadly, again in our city," Detective Inspector Stamper said. "This is an horrendous crime, as all murders are, particularly the murders of women."

Detectives and forensic scientists worked through the night to investigate the circumstances of Ms Herron's death and were keen to speak to anyone who may have been in the area at the time and seen anything suspicious. We are committed to finding the person, or people, responsible for this horrific attack, Detective Inspector Stamper said. We are appealing for the communitys help and remind them that no piece of information is too big or too small." Police believe Ms Herron was couch-surfing with friends and may have been rough sleeping in the weeks leading up to her death.

"Sadly, Courtney led a transient lifestyle which involved a lot of contact with different people so that presents a number of challenges for us," Detective Inspector Stamper said. "But I am really confident that there is a lot people out there who knew and loved Courtney and will want to provide assistance." Ms Herron's body was found hidden by charred logs in the busy inner Melbourne park. Heavy rain soaked the scene in Parkville overnight. On Sunday morning, the police tape was gone but horseback police patrolled the area as people began to lay flowers at the scene. Around 9.30am, a man walked through the park to lay a bunch of purple flowers at the logs where the womans body was found.

He did not want to be named, but said he was mortified that another woman had lost her life on the streets of Melbourne. Never in a thousand years would you get used to it ... [leaving flowers] just seemed like the right thing to do, he said. Another man, Ned Thompson, also left flowers at the site. I felt like I have to do something," he said. "I feel like whoever she was, she deserves more than that and deserved more respect than that. And even if its a little symbolic gesture like [leaving flowers], I feel like its important to do something.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews condemned the woman's death on Sunday describing it as a "deeply distressing" tragedy. "This is a terrible, terrible tragedy," Mr Andrews said. "It reminds us that whilst we have achieved a lot we have so much more to do in terms of preventing violence against women and keeping women across Victoria safe." When asked whether the government would beef up security measures in city parks, Mr Andrews said authorities were still piecing together the circumstances of the woman's death. "We've rolled out a lot of CCTV across the city and state and we take the best advice from trends in criminal activity from the experts... in this case Victoria Police," Mr Andrews said. "Every tragedy is an opportunity to learn. As more and more details come forward and we understand more about this particular case, then of course, we stand ready to make whatever changes Victoria Police think they need."

Police and SES crews swept the scrub land on Saturday for evidence, cordoning off a large area of the park. A man walked through Royal Park in Parkville to lay a bunch of purple flowers at the logs where a womans body was found. Credit:The Age While police described the crime as horrendous, many women were not put off on Sunday, jogging and walking their dogs along the parks paths. I'm not scared at all, said local Lexi Poniros. It seems like a very random thing. This is a really nice area. Jan Hayes says she would never walk through the park at night due to poor lighting, but Saturdays crime scene has not scared her.

I would still walk home from the tram and do all that, I wouldnt worry about that. she said. There are people who sleep rough and thats okay. Nobody worries about that, they are sort of part of the community. People keep an eye out for them. Loading

The woman's death appears to be the fourth killing in less than 12 months of a lone woman in public in Melbourne. Uniformed police, detectives and members of the State Emergency Service at the scene in Parkville where a woman's body was found on Saturday morning. Credit:AAP It comes less than a year from the killing of Eurydice Dixon, whose body was found on an oval in Princes Park in Carlton North in the early hours of June 13, 2018. Ms Dixon was raped and murdered while on her way home from a comedy club in the city. Jaymes Todd has pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Dixon in Princes Park in Carlton North, having followed her on foot from outside Flinders Street station. Loading Jaymeso follows the killing of 21-year-old international student Aiia Maasarwe in Bundoora in January this year. Ms Maasarwe had moved to Melbourne for a one-year exchange program to study at La Trobe University. She was kilMaasarweing from a tram stop to her home. Her Maasarwe found on grass near a Bundoora shopping centre. Codey Herrmann, 20, has been charged with Ms Maasarwe's rape and murder.I'm discovering a new jealousy in myself as the years pass  I'm becoming very possessive of my time, especially if I think it's being wasted.

Recently I left a movie early when I finally decided that it had become too outrageous to be funny any more. And I've discovered that I'm not alone.

Sometimes we may trust one person but not another without being able to explain precisely why.

Many people my age share my intolerance of time-wasting activities, and like me, have started to leave unsatisfactory lectures, films and concerts before the end.

They've also stopped reading mid-book and switching off mid-app  because they have better ways to spend their time.Its the Easter Banquet. For centuries the Lord Mayor of Londons banquets, held in this 280 year-old Grade-I listed building at the heart of the Londons Square Mile, have been among the fanciest dos in the land. The worlds oldest continuously elected local authority, more than 950 years old, uses tradition as a glove of finest velvet covering the iron fist of commerce that is the citys true nature. The City is run by merchant bankers, but they call themselves aldermen and sheriffs. And its all great fun.

The Easter Banquet each year is for Londons diplomatic corps and has been held annually for over 100 years. When it started there were only six ambassadors to entertain, dining alongside members of the royal family, the military and members of the judiciary. Guests would have arrived by sailing up the Thames. There are now 270 ambassadors and high commissioners, who enjoy it as a networking event  and each year the Foreign Secretary preaches the virtues (and talks up the importance) of Great Britain. I have no idea how I got on the list. Best clerical error ever. Clearly Im pretty low on the pecking order, though I get my name shouted, and shake the Lord Mayor (and wifes) hands on the way in. The Lord Mayor is stood in front of a throne-like chair and surrounded by men in shiny helmets carrying huge pikes. One of them has a huge drum. He does nothing with it except give it one big whack when the Foreign Secretary arrives. I circulate, knowing absolutely nobody here. Everyone looks super-confident. Im seized by an irrational urge to go up to one of the obvious bishops and say so, what do you do?

Then its time to go into the lofty dining hall, known as the Egyptian Hall. The architect hadnt actually been to Egypt, but hed read about it in a book by Roman author Vitruvius. Niches around the room hold lifesize statues of important people like Alexander the Great and Alastor, who I guess is one of the Avengers. Im sat next to the Serbian ambassador, whos a hoot. I wonder who Serbia offended to be put next to a journalist, but shes having a great time. Then proceedings begin in earnest. There are endless traditions that I have to catch up on as they happen.

Usefully you get a warning: some rather good looking yeowomen (I may have just made up that word) wearing rapiers come in and blare trumpets. Then you have to do something: when the VIPs go in and out you have to clap in time, when the band up on the first floor balcony plays the national anthem you dont sing. There are toasts: The Queen (sip your port, fanfare), The Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh the Prince of Wales the Duchess of Cornwall and the other members of the royal family (sip port, fanfare), the sovereigns and heads of state of those countries here represented this evening (sip port). After the meal and some very nice wine its time for speeches. The dean of the diplomatic corps, Kuwaiti ambassador Khaled Al-Duwaisan, peppers his with corny jokes. The Lord Mayor talks about the digital revolution (the right kind of revolution, clearly, that leaves all the same people running things). Then Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt gives a speech, which starts with banal praise of the British education system then abruptly, for no reason I could guess (apart from possible leadership ambitions) warned about the danger of precision strikes by hypersonic missiles followed by swarms of unmanned aircraft and the need to double defence spending.Traditionally, the administration must notify Congress when it contemplates a new arms sale, giving legislators the opportunity to review deals and block those they find objectionable. In each of his letters to the congressmen and women, Pompeo stated that he had "determined that an emergency exists which requires the proposed sale in the national security interest of the United States and thus, waives the congressional review requirements" - without noting the nature of the emergency or offering details about it. He added that the government had "taken into account political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control considerations." Lawmakers have frequently questioned the Trump administration's approach to national security policy and its track record on human rights. In particular, Trump and Congress have been at odds over the President's unapologetic embrace of Saudi leaders, despite US intelligence showing that the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the October 2018 killing of Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. President Donald Trump shows a chart highlighting arms sales to Saudi Arabia during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office in 2018. Credit:AP This year, the House and Senate voted to end US support for the Saudi-led military coalition operating in Yemen - a move that Trump vetoed with the support of most of the GOP. But even key Republican lawmakers have advocated halting non-defensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and its coalition allies until the country does more to improve the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

"There is no new 'emergency' reason to sell bombs to the Saudis to drop in Yemen, and doing so only perpetuates the humanitarian crisis there," Democrat Senator Chris Murphy, one of Congress' chief advocates for extracting the US from the Yemen conflict, said. "This sets an incredibly dangerous precedent. . . . If we don't stand up to this abuse of authority, we will permanently box ourselves out of deciding who we should sell weapons to." But it is not clear how lawmakers will try to reassert control over the arms deals or challenge Trump's use of emergency authority over them. Democrats are hoping that Risch will agree to expedite legislation through the Foreign Relations Committee that could stop the contracts before parts and weapons are sent abroad. Barring that, they may try to use funding measures to block completion of the sales, by prohibiting federal funds from being used to transfer the weapons. Democrats accused the officials of spinning the [Iran] evidence to justify a march toward war. Lawmakers anticipated that the Trump administration might try to push through arms deals benefiting Saudi Arabia, in light of increased tensions with Iran. Earlier this week, Pompeo, acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford jnr, briefed all House and Senate lawmakers on the intelligence behind the administration's latest moves in the Persian Gulf, arguing they were necessary to respond to evidence showing an increased threat. Republicans largely endorsed their actions as prudent, while Democrats accused the officials of spinning the evidence to justify a march toward war, expressing consternation that the administration would not consult Congress before taking military action.

Yet the breadth of the Trump administration's decision on Friday, which benefits many more countries than just Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Iran's regional rivals, will probably upset members of both parties, according to congressional aides. Thus far, however, few are openly criticising it, save for figures such as Republican Justin Amash, who is also the only congressional Republican to have endorsed the idea of impeaching Trump. Amash tweeted about the arms sale: "Congress must reclaim its powers. When will the legislative branch stand up to the executive branch?" Democratic congressional aides pointed to one transaction - a deal to support manufacturing and production of F-18 combat jets - as particularly disturbing. Saudi Arabia does not use F-18s but helps make them for countries such as Israel, India and South Korea. Democrats are also questioning whether Trump invoked the proper emergency authority under the Arms Export Control Act, pointing out that deals with NATO countries and allies such as Australia are treated as legally distinct from deals with nations such Saudi Arabia and arguing Pompeo's letters conflate them. "The Administration failed to even identify which legal mechanism it thinks it is using, described years of malign Iranian behaviour but failed to identify what actually constitutes an emergency today, and critically, failed to explain how these systems, many of which will take years to come online, would immediately benefit either the United States or our allies and thus merit such hasty action," Menendez said, accusing Trump of "destroying" relations between Congress and the executive branch and jeopardising the interests of defense contractors.NCT 127



Fresh off its first globe-trotting concert tour, K-pop boy band NCT 127 released a new EP Friday led by an energy-boosting EDM number.



The group's fourth extended play, "NCT #127 We Are Superhuman" offers six tracks and features "Superhuman" as its main song.



"(It) sends out a message that anyone can be a superhuman if they realize their personal potential and run toward their dream with positive energy," member Jaehyun said of the EDM-laced dance song at a press conference in Seoul ahead of the EP's official release.



"I hope many people get a boost of positive energy from our energetic performance," he said.



In keeping with the song's theme of supernatural power, the main track adopts DC Comics character Superman's signature shirt-ripping motion as its central dance move.



The band premiered "Superhuman" earlier in the month on the CBS show "The Late Late Show with James Corden" on the sidelines of their world tour, "New City  The Origin."



"We were so proud of ourselves, having staged the performance in a way that we did not regret, and the camera work was done nicely as well," member Taeil said, recalling the appearance.



During the "New City  The Origin" tour, the band has so far performed in 20 North and South American, Canadian and Japanese cities. It's the group's first global tour and comes less than three years after NCT 127's official debut in 2016. The band plans to visit European and Asian cities down the road.



On May 31, the group is scheduled to appear at the Summer Kick Off Concert hosted by iHeartRadio in San Diego.



"As we toured each city, our fans enthusiastically cheered for us and sang along in the Korean language, which greatly encouraged us and taught us how to interact with the audience as well," Jaehyun said.



Doyoung said all the members were thrilled to perform to the song for the first time. "It's an exciting song, easy to listen to and different from what we have done so far."



The members also vividly witnessed the wild global attention K-pop is getting right now during the U.S. leg of the tour, according to Doyoung.



"We had a chance to tour (American) cities to appear on radio shows, where the hosting DJs displayed a lot of interest in things that are related to Korea," Johnny said.



"We were honored to be able to contribute to promoting K-pop to the world ... we hope more fans will like it when we promote (our new album) in South Korea and host fan events in the U.S. going forward," band leader Taeyong said.



Soaring to 86th on Billboard's main albums chart, the Billboard 200, with "Regular-Irregular" in October last year, the band became the second-highest charting K-pop boy band after BTS.



But NCT 127 will not stop there. "We will do our best until we take No. 1 in South Korea and the United States too," Doyoung exclaimed. (Yonhap)

New York: US President Donald Trump has asked his Attorney-General William Barr to investigate Australia's role in sparking the 2016 FBI probe into potential links between his election campaign and Russia.

On Friday, local time, Trump publicly singled out Australia and the UK - two of America's closest allies - when discussing what he calls the "Russia hoax" and "witch hunt".

Donald Trump speaks to the media before flying to Japan. Credit:Bloomberg

The move was criticised by some members of US Congress who predicted that the investigation could undermine trust between the Five Eyes intelligence sharing nations: the US, Australia, UK, Canada and New Zealand.

On Thursday Trump gave Barr sweeping new authorities to conduct a review into how the 2016 Trump campaign's ties to Russia were investigated.Opponents of Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill say they have mustered enough support in Parliament to oust him over a range of grievances including a gas deal with a French company, which critics have questioned.

Political instability is something of a fixture in the resource-rich but poverty-stricken South Pacific nation and O'Neill, who has been leader since 2011, has seen off previous attempts to topple him.

Peter O'Neill, Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, denies he is a dual citizen. Credit:Bloomberg

Defections from the ruling coalition have been going on for weeks and on Friday, at least nine members switched sides, according to two ministers who were among them.

"It'll only be a formality," defecting Commerce Minister Wera Mori said, referring to what he said would be O'Neill's removal after Parliament reconvenes on Tuesday.PHILIPSBURG:---Amanda Wever and Glenda Shillingford were officially inducted as the newest members of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise. Amanda Wever wife of 44 years and counting of Mr. Louis Wever who happens to be the current Rotary 7020s District Governor Nominee Designate, is no stranger to the world of Rotary; her father was a Rotarian and once held the office of club President. Her mother was President of the Inner Wheel Club, which came into existence in a time when women were not allowed to become Rotarians. As a spouse of a Rotarian, Amanda attended numerous Rotary events including District and International Conferences, fellowships and worldwide Rotary meetings. Amanda demonstrates all of the characteristics of a true Rotarian. Glenda Shillingford was proposed as a potential member by Prakash Dialani who saw her fit to be a Rotarian. Glenda has a passion for community service and is especially keen on working with children. Glenda expressed that she believes in the betterment of society and community building. Glenda works at the Windward Island Bank Ltd where she has been employed for 25 years as a Senior Administrator. The new members sponsors Prakash Dialani and Dolly Sadarangani-Ahuja received was pinned as acknowledgement of their efforts in recruiting competent members.

Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise President Valda Hazel officiate the induction with the assistance of the Assistant District Governor Marcellia Henry and Membership Director Damali Bryson. President Hazel stated that three new members were inducted for Rotary Year 2018-2019 which resulted in her fulfilling her membership growth goals set at the beginning of her tenure which will come to an end on June 30, 2019. She further stated that even though the club is rather small in comparison to other Rotary clubs, the impact of the club activities and projects are grand. The additions of these two members benefit not only the club but the community as well because our service is dedicated to the betterment and progression of our community so we have more hands on deck.

*In picture: L-R: Assistant Governor Marcellia Henry, Sponsor Dolly Sadarangani-Ahuja, Club President Valda Hazel, Amanda Wever, Glenda Shillingford, sponsor Prakash Dialani and District Governor Nominee Designate Louis WeverGREAT BAY:---Tamara Groeneveldt leads the list of St. Martin writers and workshop leaders at the 17th annual St. Martin Book Fair, June 6  8, 2019, said Shujah Reiph, the festival coordinator.

Each year the book fair looks for a published writer from St. Martin to represent the writers, aspiring writers, and authors of our whole island, said Reiph.

Earlier this year House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP) also accepted Groeneveldts manuscript of poems for publication.

The idea now is to have Tamaras first poetry book released at St. Martin Book Fair 2019. The new book will be a highlight of Tamaras role as a literary ambassador for the islands writers at the festival, said Jacqueline Sample, president of HNP.

The role of the selected writer is to interact with the guest authors from various countries and territories participating in the St. Martin Book Fair. The writer also attends as many literary activities as possible, visits a school, conducts a workshop, and either presents his or her last book for discussion, or launches a new book, said Reiph.

According to HNP, Tamara Groeneveldt is an emerging poet from St. Martin. Groeneveldt holds a masters degree in social work from Florida A&M University. At the University of St. Martin she joined the Young Poets Society.

Groeneveldt has recited her poetry at official St. Martin Day programs and other presentations attended by the islands officials and the king and queen of the Netherlands; at the 10,000 Men March for St. Martin; and at For A World Without Walls.

The former award-winning president of Soualiga Corporate Toastmasters Club has had her poetry published in Where I See the Sun  Contemporary Poetry in St. Martin, the 2013 anthology from HNP.

The honor of representing St. Martins writers and our young and growing literature at the St. Martin Book Fair is also about encouraging the selected writer to keep writing, and to inspire unpublished writers to get their books published, said Sample.

The 17th edition of the St. Martin Book Fair, with its theme of New Ground, is organized by Conscious Lyrics Foundation in collaboration with St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, the University of St. Martin, LC Fleming Foundation, Motorworld, Nagico, and SOS 95.9 FM, said Reiph.PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday 22nd May the KPSM police arrested one suspect who was involved in the armed robbery of Cost Pro supermarket.

Based on a lead received from our French counterparts which provided a big break in the case; the detectives of the armed robbery unit were able to conduct a home search and locate a weapon in the residence of suspect M.J.M (29). The suspect was arrested and brought in to the Philipsburg Police Station for further questioning.

The robbery took place on the 22nd of April at approximately 01.50 p.m. at Cost Pro in Madame Estate. Four men arrived at the supermarket, three of which armed with guns stormed into the establishment while the driver waited in the getaway vehicle. In the supermarket, the three armed men stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the establishment along with several cellular telephones belonging to clients who were in the supermarket at the time of the robbery. After committing this act the robbers fled the scene in an awaiting vehicle. This investigation is currently still ongoing.

KPSM Press Release.PHILIPSBURG:--- The 4th Dutch Caribbean AML (Anti-Money Laundering) & Gaming Regulation Forum will have a number of interesting speakers coming from various backgrounds and professions such as Tony Clark and Dave Hanich.



All Training Sessions, Workshops, Debates, and Discussions will be led by international experts such as Clark and Hanich who will address global regulatory standards and strategies to reduce the risk of criminal activity and increase compliance & transparency.



The Forum is being held from June 4-7 at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino and Spa at Maho.



Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson is calling on businesses in the AML & Gaming Regulation and support sectors to sign-up to attend the Forum.



We are looking forward to hosting these international experts and we are pleased to be the venue for this very important Forum.



The Forum will be promoting financial integrity and inclusive growth for the benefit of the Dutch Caribbean and Suriname with respect to international requirements and standards that exist in the gaming and banking industries, Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson said on Friday.



One of the speakers will be Tony Clark, a former senior Australian gambling regulator, has worked in internet gambling since 1995. In his role as a consultant - now working with the International Governance & Risk Institute (GovRisk) - Tony has provided policy advice and drafted legislation for jurisdictions around the world to regulate land-based gaming, lotteries, and casino industries.



Detective Dave Hanich is a Delaware State Trooper currently assigned to the Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE), responsible for all criminal investigations relating to gaming offences, will also be a speaker at the upcoming Forum early June.



He has been assigned to DGE from almost the inception of the unit, which was formed when casino gaming expanded to table games and sports-betting in the U.S. State of Delaware.



Previously, Dave worked for six years within the Criminal Investigations Unit (Burglary and Major Crimes) where he was tasked with working felony level cases ranging from Fraud to Attempted Murder.



He joined DGE in 2010 and has variously worked on applicant/vendor background investigations, criminal enforcement/investigations, and intelligence.



In 2012 and 2013, Dave was nominated for state-wide Trooper of the Year based on his investigations and accomplishments within the Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement.



Registration remains open to attend the AML & Gaming Regulation Forum. To REGISTER for the forum, simply follow this link:

www.govrisk.org/DCGRF2019. Click Registrations and follow the process through to the end.



The Government of Sint Maarten via the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (TEATT) and GovRisk, a UK-based Training & Consultancy specialising in Financial Crime Prevention and Anti-Corruption, are the organizers of the Forum which will promote compliance, Anti-Money Laundering, New technologies and Exploring the Future of Business Risk.



This regional event will bring together key stakeholders such as: Banks - Compliance Officers & Internal Risk Managers; Central Banks, Regulatory & Supervisory Bodies; Financial Intelligence Units, Treasury & Revenue, Law Enforcement; Casinos, Lotteries, Slot & Arcade Operators; Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) such as: Law Firms, Auditors & Accountants, Insurance Firms, Real Estate Agents, Car Dealers, Jewellers, Credit Unions & Charities.



Over 100 casino directors, gaming regulators, compliance officers, law enforcement personnel and representatives from the legal and banking sectors from across five Caribbean jurisdictions will attend the event.PHILIPSBURG(DCOMM):--- Member of Parliament (MP) L.F.E. Mercelina, during a private visit to the Netherlands to attend a medical symposium, made use of the opportunity to pay a visit to the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary on the Bezuidenhoutseweg in The Hague.



After a brief tour of the premises, the MP sat with both the Minister and Deputy Minister where he was informed about the different plans, processes and the activities at the Cabinet in The Hague.



After being informed of the above, the MP in an invited comment stated that he sees the added value of the Cabinet as a direct contributor to the relationship between the island and the Netherlands in particular and to the Kingdom in general.



The MP also noted that the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary in the Netherlands does not receive the recognition it deserves and that the Government of Sint Maarten should engage on a deeper level with the Cabinet as this institution is the first frontier where it pertains to direct and transparent communication with the island of Sint Maarten on Kingdom level.PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- The Minister Plenipotentiary and her staff took part in a media workshop at the Cabinet on Wednesday, May 22nd by media and communication strategists and trainer(s) firm Pennock/Birza.



The need for the workshop was emphasized by the ongoing developments directly linked to the rebuilding and repositioning process of Sint Maarten related to the damages to the island after the passing of hurricanes Irma and Maria.



The urgent requirement for clear and concise dissemination of information to the larger public in the Netherlands, in particular pertaining to the improvements and the ongoing headway in the rebuilding process, is extremely necessary to combat the negative narrative repeatedly being publicized in the Dutch media, which mainly focuses on the dump situation, politics and the corruption allegations.



Minister Plenipotentiary Jorien Wuite elaborated on the necessity to encourage the change in the reporting manner of matters related to Sint Maarten while bringing to the attention and keeping in mind the relevance of repositioning and rebranding the island.



The need to focus and bring the current changes taking place on the island to light and progress made thus far should be the basis for a more positively formulated narrative, according to a statement from the Cabinet on Friday.



The role of Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary is clearly defined in the Governing program 2018 -2022 and eludes to the task mandated to the Cabinet which is to not only ensure proper representation on a Kingdom level, but to gear its focus on diligently seeking partnerships and working towards the stimulation of economic diversification through constant engagement with third parties interested in investing and partnering with businesses on the island.



Promotion of, and reporting on, Sint Maarten by highlighting the positive changes on the island can and will, in fact, encourage and assist in bringing these endeavors to fruition.



As representatives of the island in the Netherlands, but also through steady contacts within the diplomatic community, communicating and informing third parties, including the media of the constant developments taking place on the island will lend to the creation of not only an improved image of the island as it will go a long way to informing the Dutch and international community on the progress.



This entails the dissemination of accurate, diverse, and positive information in line with the NRBP Bureau and the Government of Sint Maarten.

The need for such a training by the entire staff consisting of merely nine individuals, cannot be underscored enough. The workshop will be followed by a practical training session in June and the development of a communication strategy and media relations plan which will both be aligned with the Minister Plenipotentiarys year plan that was recently approved by the Council of Ministers.



The communication strategy will be drafted in close collaboration with the Department of Communication and the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten.



As the Minister Plenipotentiary and her cabinet operate in a complex Dutch media world, this first media session is the first step that will allow them to be even better equipped to handle the media in The Netherlands, with the aim of communicating and encouraging a positive and uplifting narrative of the developments taking place on Sint Maarten, and of Sint Maarten as a whole, the Cabinet press communique concludes.Lotte Group signed deals to sell off its credit card unit and non-life insurer as part of efforts to meet regulatory requirements, with the combined value of the transactions roughly 1.7 trillion won ($1.43 billion), industry sources said Friday.



According to the sources, retail-focused Lotte Group agreed to sell 80 percent of Lotte Card Co. to a Woori Bank-MBK Partners consortium for 1.3 trillion won. Woori Bank will own some 20 percent in the credit card firm, while the private equity fund will have a 60 percent interest.



After the sale, Lotte Group will own the remaining stake in the card firm, the sources said.



Separately, Lotte also sold off a 53 percent stake in Lotte Insurance Co. to another local private equity fund, JKL Partners, for some 370 billion won.



The two financial service firms have been put up for sale as the conglomerate stepped up efforts to adopt a holding company structure.



Under South Korean law, an industrial holding company is banned from holding a majority stake in a financial unit to prevent owners of family-run business conglomerates from exploiting a financial unit as their private coffers. (Yonhap)



SpaceX's internet-satellite megaconstellation appears to be off to a good start in low-Earth orbit.

The first 60 members of the company's Starlink network launched last night (May 23) atop a Falcon 9 rocket. The satellites deployed smoothly about an hour after liftoff, and they came online shortly thereafter, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk announced via Twitter last night.

Musk gave us another update this afternoon (May 24), tweeting " So far, so good " in response to a follower's question about Starlink's status.

"Krypton thrusters operative, satellites initiating orbit raise every 90 mins," he added in another tweet a bit later. (The satellites deployed at an altitude of 273 miles, or 440 kilometers, and are making their own way to their operational altitude of 342 miles, or 550 km).

Related: SpaceX's 1st Starlink Satellite Megaconstellation Launch in Photos!

A view of SpaceX's first 60 Starlink satellites in orbit, still in stacked configuration, with the Earth as a brilliant blue backdrop on May 23, 2019. (Image credit: SpaceX)

Some lucky skywatchers have even captured glimpses of the Starlink train passing overhead.

"VIDEO! Prepare to be mind-blown! The train of @SpaceX #Starlink satellites passing over Leiden, the Netherlands, some 25 minutes ago. Camera: WATEC 902H with Canon FD 1.8/50 mm lens. I was shouting when they entered FOV! @elonmusk," satellite tracker Marco Langbroek wrote via Twitter today.

VIDEO! Prepare to be mind-blown!The train of @SpaceX #Starlink satellites passing over Leiden, the Netherlands, some 25 minutes ago. Camera: WATEC 902H with Canon FD 1.8/50 mm lens. I was shouting when they entered FOV!@elonmusk https://t.co/xChLDH32ukMay 24, 2019 See more

Starlink is designed to provide affordable internet access to people around the world. Last night's launch was the first of many for the project; about 400 satellites are needed for "minor" coverage and 800 for "moderate" coverage, Musk has said.

And the constellation could end up being truly enormous. The Federal Communications Commission has given SpaceX permission to launch nearly 12,000 Starlink satellites. (For perspective: There are only about 2,000 operational spacecraft in Earth orbit today.)

Krypton thrusters operative, satellites initiating orbit raise every 90 minsMay 25, 2019 See more

If everything goes well, Starlink could end up generating $30 billion to $50 billion in revenue every year for SpaceX, Musk said earlier this month in a call with reporters. That's far more than the company's launch revenue, which tops out around $3 billion annually.

SpaceX has launched a website for the constellation, Starlink.com, to explain its massive scale.

SpaceX hopes to use this money to develop and build its Mars-colonizing transportation system , which consists of a 100-person spaceship called Starship and a giant rocket known as Super Heavy. This reusable duo could start flying people to the Red Planet as early as the mid-2020s, Musk has said.

But Starlink will have to overcome some competition to be successful. Several other companies  notably, OneWeb, Telesat and Amazon  plan to launch big broadband constellations to low-Earth orbit as well.Bir-Lahlou, May 25, 2019 (SPS)  Coordinator with UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), Foreign Relations Officer at the National Secretariat of the POLISARIO Front, Emhamed Khaddad, confirmed that other factors besides the health situation had an impact on the decision of the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Horst Koehler, to resign from mediation two years after he assumed the mission in August 2017.



The Sahrawi official, in an interview with the Russian Sputnik news agency, praised the UN envoy for having the qualities and skills needed to succeed in his mission, including his diplomatic experience and knowledge of the African continent and its problems, reflected in his insistence on involving the African Union and the European Union in conflict resolution In Western Sahara "through his visits to Addis Ababa, Kigali, and Brussels on two or three occasions."



The Sahrawi Official added, "The UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy has faced many obstacles in his mission, both at the UN and EU levels, France has always been behind the obstruction of Mr. Kohler's efforts, evidenced during the meetings of the Security Council on the mandate of the MINURSO, or exerting great pressure on the European Union to sign new agreements between the EU and Morocco in the field of "agriculture and fishing" and the violation of the decisions of the European Court of Justice of 2016 and 2018, which had already recognized that Morocco had no sovereignty over Western Sahara.



The Sahrawi Coordinator with MINURSO explained that Mr. Kohler, after two years of work, found himself without the unanimous support of the Security Council or the European Union, as well as systematic undermining by Morocco to prevent the African Union from playing its part in resolving this long-running conflict.

He concluded by paying tribute to Mr. Koehler's efforts, which he exerted under considerable pressure from some members of the Security Council, refusing to manipulate him against the legitimate rights of the Sahrawi people, especially those relating to self-determination and independence.



It is worth mentioning that former German President Horst Koehler, 76, was appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterich as his personal envoy for Western Sahara in August 2017. He succeeded US Ambassador Christopher Ross, who had resigned after serving 8 years on the UN mediation mission. (SPS)



062/SPS/TRA



WASHINGTON - The president and the speaker of the House questioning each other's sanity. A lone-wolf Republican blocking desperately needed disaster aid. Talks on bipartisan trade, infrastructure and fiscal policy in tatters, with a potential government shutdown and federal default looming in the fall.

This week's Washington roller-coaster ride trashed hopes that an unconventional president and a divided government might produce breakthroughs on matters of bipartisan concern. Instead, lawmakers appear poised to continue an eight-year trend and spend the next 18 months lurching from deadline to deadline, crisis to crisis, beholden to President Donald Trump's whims and unable to assert themselves in any meaningful way.

Those dynamics played out over three days this week. On Wednesday, Trump angrily walked out of a White House meeting called to discuss a potential infrastructure accord, saying he would not cooperate with Democratic lawmakers while they investigated him. On Thursday, Trump abruptly ended a months-long disaster-aid impasse by largely capitulating to Democrats, saying a disaster aid bill had his "total approval." Then, on Friday, a member of the pro-Trump House Freedom Caucus blocked the bill - delaying its passage for days and giving foes time to change the president's mind.

The back-and-forth left lawmakers bewildered. While Republicans credited Trump with "breaking the logjam" on disaster aid Thursday, Democrats pointed out that he had created the logjam in the first place. The finger-pointing only increased Friday.

"He's an erratic, helter-skelter, get-nothing-done president," Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said. "If he stays out of it and lets us work together, we might get some things done. But the Republicans have to have the courage to buck him. They know in their hearts how he just fouls everything up."

The GOP, meanwhile, pointed to the brewing debate among House Democrats about whether to launch a formal impeachment inquiry against Trump and defended the president's unprecedented blanket rejection of congressional subpoenas. In the face of that kind of resistance, some argued, Trump's actions - including his dramatic decision to blow up the infrastructure meeting Wednesday - could be excused.

"He's sitting there, he's dealing with - we've got Iran, we've got North Korea, we've got China, we've got Venezuela, we've got Cuba, we've got a disaster bill, we've got a crisis at the border," said Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who helped nudge Trump toward a disaster deal. "And the Democrats are forgetting that he won the election. They're still mad about 2016."

A few issues have bridged the partisan divide on Capitol Hill: The House on Thursday cleared a bill on retirement savings on a vote of 417 to 3, and the Senate took action later in the day to combat an epidemic of unsolicited robocalls, voting 97 to 1.

But such bipartisan bills have been the exception. A total of 18 bills have become law since the beginning of the year. Two could be deemed major: a public-lands measure and the vast fiscal 2019 spending bill, which was passed only after a 35-day partial shutdown of the government.

The others were minor: Several extended existing government programs, another honored former senator Robert Dole, R-Kan., with the honorary rank of Army colonel, and another aimed to "clarify the grade and pay of podiatrists of the Department of Veterans Affairs."

The Senate, in particular, has spent the vast majority of its time on nominations rather than legislation. So far in the 116th Congress, according to a ProPublica analysis, 71 percent of Senate votes have dealt with presidential nominations - outstripping the 55 percent in the first two years of the Trump administration and the 9 percent in the final two years of the Obama administration.

That has exasperated Democrats, who have passed a number of meaty pieces of legislation - including a sweeping elections and ethics reform package, several health-care measures, civil rights protections for LGBT Americans, and a renewal of the Violence Against Women Act - largely on partisan lines.

The Republican-controlled Senate, under Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has taken up none of them, and in tweets, Trump accused Democrats of "getting nothing done in Congress" and calling them "THE DO NOTHING PARTY!"

"He should look at all the bills the House passed and how many of them McConnell has put on the floor," Schumer said Thursday. "The answer is none, because McConnell has made the Senate a graveyard. We should be debating issues like health care. Like cleaning up the swamp. Like net neutrality. Like supporting equal rights. We're not debating any of them."

Before leaving the White House for a trip to Japan, Trump defended his personal attacks on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., saying she is "not helping this country" after she suggested on Thursday that Trump's family ought to stage an "intervention."

He also reiterated his aversion to allowing a "two-track" relationship with congressional Democrats where, on one hand, they pursue bipartisan legislative deals while, and on the other, they pursue vigorous investigations of his administration, personal finances and election campaign.

"I think they can only do one thing or the other, so let them finish the one," he said, referring to the probes. "I'd like to talk about lowering drug prices," Trump added. "But I can't do that when all they do is want to try and do a redo of the Mueller report. . . . It's over. There is no redo. They lost."

Later, he tweeted praise for McConnell and his record in confirming judges, noting, "We are getting into record territory!"

Passing actual legislation has been much tougher. The disaster bill, in particular, explored new frontiers of dysfunction and contradiction. The clash played out over the course of months, with Democrats rejecting Republican offers over a lack of funding for hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico. Trump repeatedly resisted increased aid to the U.S. territory. Later, the Trump administration inserted the explosive issue of immigration by adding a $4.4 billion request aimed at addressing the border crisis, further stalling the talks.

Lawmakers on both sides, weary of the standoff, pushed for a deal this week before the weeklong Memorial Day break. But the talks remained stalled Thursday, with House members set to rush out the doors after morning votes. With no deal at hand, Pelosi sent lawmakers home, leaving Republicans railing to reporters against Pelosi and Democrats.

"Speaker Pelosi has shown where her priorities are," said Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. "They would much rather focus on all this harassment of the president and the witch hunts."

But within hours, under prodding from McConnell and Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., Trump had caved, agreeing to remove the border funding - setting up quick Senate passage of the bill on a resounding 85-to-8 vote. A day later, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, blocked passage of the bill in the House, frustrating members of both parties.

Higher-stakes battles are still to come. Democrats in the House are preparing to spend June passing spending bills in a bid to avert another government shutdown in October, but without agreement on overall spending levels, those efforts might be for naught. A Capitol Hill negotiating session Tuesday involving Pelosi, McConnell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin generated upbeat predictions but no actual deal, and the eruption at the White House on Wednesday cast a shadow on future talks. A deal to raise the federal debt limit also hangs in the balance.

Neil Bradley, a policy director for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a former GOP congressional aide, compared Wednesday's infrastructure blowup to past occasions of brinkmanship - such as the stop-and-go passage of the 2008 Wall Street bailout and the fiscal cliff standoff of 2011.

"We remember plenty of other times where we've had similar scenes with an important agenda item," he said, referring to business leaders. "And lo and behold, after the dust settles, Republicans and Democrats, the administration and Congress, have been able to come back together and get the work that needs to get done."

But House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth, D-Ky. said the hard-nosed partisan fiscal negotiations that marked the Obama administration were at least somewhat predictable.

"Now it's a three-sided negotiation, and one of them is unstable," he said. "We know we can get a deal with the Senate - that's not all that hard - but the president's a wild card."

Among those bewildered by Trump's sudden capitulation on the disaster bill was Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who was present in the White House for Trump's three-minute Cabinet Room lecture lambasting the House investigations.

"There are many, many, many theatrics on a daily basis, and so I think, every day, it's very hard to really be able to count on anything," she said. "So we take it a day at a time."

"Now," she added, "we wait until the next outburst."

- - -

The Washington Post's Rachael Bade, Paul Kane and ProPublica's Derek Willis contributed to this report.U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton is surrounded by reporters at Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's official residence in Tokyo in this May 24, 2019 file photo. Bolton said a series of short-range missiles launched by North Korea last month were violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions, stressing the need to keep sanctions on the reclusive regime in place. The national security adviser reiterated that the U.S. position on the North's denuclearization was consistent and that a repeated pattern of failures should be stopped. (Yohei Kanasashi/Kyodo News via AP)





U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said a series of short-range missile tests by North Korea last month were violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions and added that sanctions on the reclusive regime must be kept in place.







Bolton, in Tokyo for U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Japan, said Saturday that the U.S. position on denuclearization of the North was consistent and that a repeated pattern of failures to rid Pyongyang of its nuclear weapons should be stopped.





T he Spice Girls kicked off their long-awaited reunion tour in Dublin last night but some fans complained of sound issues during their first show.

One of the biggest bands of the 1990s reunited on stage for the Spice Girls World Tour in front of 82,000 fans in Dublin's Croke Park with their hit single Spice Up Your Life and a fireworks display.

Melanie B said she hopes the sound "will be much better" for their next gig following the complaints.

The show marked the first time Scary, Baby, Ginger and Sporty spice have been on stage together since the closing ceremony at the London Olympics in 2012.

The Spice Girls reunite on stage in Dublin. / SplashNews.com

While some fans took to social media to share their excitement over the concert, others complained they were unable to hear the performance and reported huge numbers walking out.

Brown - otherwise known as Mel B - thanked their fans for attending the Dublin show in a video message on her Instagram story.

She added: "We will see you in Cardiff. And hopefully the vocals and the sound will be much, much better, pfft."

One concert-goer had tweeted "the sound is awful", adding: "Was perfect for Jess Glynn & is horrific now. Loads of people leaving."

Asked by Spice Girls News whether the people leaving were just people going to the toilet or getting a drink, she replied: Nope because the stewards said there is a glitch and huge numbers around me leaving.

While another wrote: "Be great if someone could tell the sound people at Spice Girls that the audience cant hear them Still great to see the girls in action.

One person said people were sitting down because the did not know what song was playing, adding: the sound is THAT bad.

However, the concert was largely well-received from those who attended, with one fan tweeting: "Such a surreal night last night at the Spice Girls. Reliving the childhood was amazing, felt so emotional.

"Best night ever #SpiceWorldTour2019 #GirlPower #wannadoitagain."

The Spice Girls burst onto the scene in 1996 with their debut single Wannabe.

For their first show Baby, Scary, Ginger and Sporty took to the stage in extravagant fashion for their first number, wearing hand-embellished Swarovski crystal costumes designed by Gabriella Slade.

Geri Horner donned a floor-length sparkling Union flag gown, Emma Bunton wore a shimmering pink minidress, Melanie Brown had a glittering animal print jumpsuit for the occasion, while Melanie Chisholm sparkled in a shining Olympian outfit.

TODO: define component type apester

Victoria Beckham will not be joining the tour as Posh Spice.

Irish premier Leo Varadkar, his partner Matt Barrett and Mr Varadkar's sister Sonia were among the crowd, as was the country's European Affairs Minister Helen McEntee who attended with a group of her friends.

Horner greeted the crowd saying: "Welcome to Spice World. Spice girls, spice boys, everyone is welcome. We want every single one of you to feel special tonight. Like a king or a queen, we celebrate you. But I got to say there are a lot of queens here tonight."

Chisholm told the crowd it was very special for the band to be back in Dublin.

Spice Girls fans (left to right) Julie Anne Murphy, Emma Lynch and Maxine Allen arrive at Croke Park stadium in Dublin for The Spice Girls World Tour. / PA

She said: "In '98, we started our world tour in Dublin so we truly are home. It's got a very special place in our hearts."

Ahead of the first gig, Baby Spice also said she was confident about the comeback, saying "I think we're there."

She told Heart Breakfast: "It's so much fun, being back on stage with the girls. Literally, we giggle to ourselves and of course we make mistakes in the dress rehearsals."

And she said: "I've remembered all the words and I'm just getting to grips with the choreography, so I think we're there."

Bunton added that she really hoped that Posh Spice will see her former bandmates at some point on the tour.

After Croke Park, the Spice Girls will head to Cardiff's Principality Stadium (May 27), the Etihad Stadium in Manchester (May 29 to June 1), Coventry's Ricoh Arena (June 3-4), Sunderland's Stadium Of Light (June 6), Edinburgh's BT Murrayfield Stadium (June 8), Bristol's Ashton Gate Stadium (June 10) and London's Wembley Stadium (June 13-15).F estivals have long been a staple of the great British summer. Is your year really complete without getting smacked in the face by a pint of Strongbow while watching someone remove a moon cup in public? I would suggest not.

For those who would rather not weather the inevitable indignities of a week long festival the exponential growth of one-day London festivals offers the perfect compromise. A day and night of debauchery, live music and and not a tent in sight at the end of it.

Contrary to what you may think, festival organisers have not been resting on their laurels sampling gourmet burgers for half a year, with the surge in new festivals, expectations and competition for acts is high and takes ample preparation.

We have hand-picked some of the people responsible for this years most innovative London festivals to find out exactly what it takes to put on a field party.

Lovebox and Citadel, Rob Silver - Festival Director

We started Lovebox 17 years ago, the idea was to recreate the Glastonbury experience in a London setting. With Citadel we wanted to celebrate Sunday in all its glory, it always felt like a forgotten day of the weekend. Its a little bit more laid back than Lovebox, which is more hedonistic.

Yoga class at Citadel 2018 / Citadel

The most difficult aspect of any festival is bringing your line up together - youve got to work around the artists schedule, tour commitments, whether theyre been in the country at the time. Also, artists are making more money from performing live than they are recording music generally speaking nowadays and thats driven an explosion in live music and the festival industry, so you get a load more competition for a relatively small amount of headline acts. Any festival organiser that says otherwise is probably not being honest.

Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals at Lovebox 2018 / Lovebox

You cant legislate for artists or what they might do. I remember in 2012 we lined up Donna Summers as the headline act, but a few days before we were about to announce it we got a call saying she was very unwell and she actually died shortly after. Anything can happen when youre organising a festival and you have to learn to be flexible, but not before you panic for a bit and think "what the f**k are we going do?" We got Grace Jones instead of Donna Summer so it worked out.

Lovebox

The artists are the lifeblood of who we are and what we do, but you do get some weird requests, there was one artist who specified that they wanted us to find them a hotel but then put in brackets must not be haunted. We had a poor intern phoning round all the hotels in London asking if they had any ghosts. You always get some quite whacky requests, we had another artist, who shall remain nameless, who asked for a pack of extra large condoms on his rider. And so off the intern went to Boots again...

Wu-Tang clan fans at Lovebox / Lovebox

Being based in London, were lucky that were culturally at the forefront of whats going on in the UK and around the world. Food has become way more important in the festival experience, there's so much competition out there and people are being far more choosy about what tickets they buy and the food offering plays a big part in that decision. Festivals have become a lot more sophisticated about the food, drinks they're offering - at Citadel we have Prosecco on tap and bloody Marys are our most popular drink.

Over the years, our headliners have definitely adjusted to reflect changing tastes, these days we have a big emphasis on grime and hip hop acts, young people are less interested in the traditional ageing rockers we used to always see at festivals. Were also placing a lot more emphasis on collaborations this year. We have a safe space for LGBTQ members thats run by Pussy Palace, were doing various merch collaborations. You've got to move with the times.

Lovebox Festival, 12-13 July, Gunnersbury Park, buy tickets here. Citadel festival, Sunday 14 July, Gunnersbury Park, buy tickets here.

GALA Festival, Giles Napier - Co-Founder

Giles Napier / Giles Napier

The idea for GALA, in its most infant form, was Jonnys (co-founder, Jonathan Edwards). Wed worked together throwing parties up in Newcastle as students for a number of years and once we were both living in south London we quickly realised we wanted to continue doing big events down here. Jonny approached Lambeth Council about doing a south London-focussed music and food event in Brockwell Park before we first sat down together and, thankfully, they were receptive. We then knocked heads for a number of months in late 2015 - refined the concept, eventually decided on a name, made some strong partnerships and GALA was born.

There are so many hurdles, but I think finding a suitable site is right up there. Sound is such a key part to a festivals success that you want it to be absolutely perfect but it's almost impossible do that if you're in London with residential areas around. We had a bit of a nightmare with our bars in our first year and ran out of spirits at about 5pm. I had to jump in my Mums VW Polo, which was parked close to site, drive to every Sainsburys local and Tesco express within a two-mile radius of the park and frantically clear out every last bottle in their cupboards. I had never heard so many someone's having a party comments during a shopping trip.

Steve Stills

It's all worth it in the end though. Looking out at a sea of happy faces in the crowd, enjoying an experience youve worked on all year to deliver, is a pretty life-affirming feeling. In the downtime during summer I will be visiting and scoping out festivals across Europe, so that's definitely one of the perks of the job!

This year we've got London radio station Worldwide FM hosting a brand-new stage mainly consisting of live music, which promises to bring a fresh dimension to the festival. In terms of surprises - legendary US house producer and DJ Maurice Fulton just joined the line-up. Hes one of my all-time favourite DJs, and itll be his first time playing on the main stage, so I'm incredibly excited for it.

GALA festival, Sunday 26 May, Peckham Rye Park, buy tickets here.

All Points East, Jim King - Events Director

Jim King, Events Director of British Summer Time and All Points East / Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

Wed always loved coming to shows in Victoria Park. Its such a great part of London with so many amazing and independent music, food and bar venues, and that was a lot of the inspiration for what we wanted to make All Points East about.

We really wanted to deliver an event that reflected a diverse and broad base of quality music with passionately booked line-ups. But even if you have the passion and a great idea then you still need the confidence to go for it. You have to take people, whether they want to come or not, on this magical ride with you, - it becomes a force of will to make it happen.

All Points East

I love the planning side of major events. Putting the creative together and curating the bill. Its incredibly exciting and rewarding to work within a creative team who share your own passions. There's nothing better than seeing it all come together on the day with your favourite band on that stage.

You have to flexible with artists to make sure great moments can happen while keeping everything on track. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds headlined the last night for our first year in 2018 and were phenomenal. As they are going on stage we quickly realised it wasnt just the band with them - it was Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne, Liv Tyler and more. Kylie Minogue stepped up to sing with Nick during the set. And then, at the end of the show, Nick invited the audience on stage and we had more than a hundred of them up there too. Its about having the experience and professional staff to handle that, with ease and intelligence, without the artist having to miss a beat in what they want to do. It was a brilliant live show. A wonderful, emotional moment and it's why we do this.

Bjork performing at All Points East 2018 / Santiago Felipe

All Points East will be here for as long as Tower Hamlets invite us to their park. As for me, Ill always do this job in some capacity. Its the only thing I've really ever done.During a medical mission in Uganda, a team of Belgian volunteers, gives the best of themselves, to help Ugnadan people, who never saw a real doctor in their life ! Here, a surgian and an anaesthetist, are preparing the surgery of this African man, assisted by an Ugandees doctor. For him, it's a great opportunity to learn from experienced Western doctors. The spirit of the whole mission is : TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG

Pascale VandewalleA couple I know are currently visiting the UK from New Zealand, travelling through small villages and walking through graveyards.

Why? Theyre searching for the graves of their ancestors.

Heritage holidays are becoming more commonplace, with recent research revealing that 23 per cent of long-haul visitors to Scotland were travelling there to track down their Scottish ancestry  resulting in around 213,000 visits to the nation per year.

While discovering your heritage need not be as morbid as walking through grave sites, Airbnb have just teamed up with DNA testing company 23andMe to create a very different kind of family holiday  as data from the travel site reveals there has been a 500 per cent increase in heritage holiday bookings since 2014.

The way it works is once a 23andMe customer receives their Ancestry Composition, they can see where their origins are and begin to plan a holiday. Airbnb have also created dedicated pages for travellers to create an end-to-end heritage holiday.

According to data from 23andMe, the UKs most common ancestry links are:

1. France 2. Germany 3. Spain 4. Portugal 5. Italy 6. Poland 7. Croatia 8. India 9. Greece 10. Russia

Further research from Airbnb has found that 66 per cent of Brits who havent taken an ancestry test would like to and 29 per cent would like to travel to explore their heritage a bit further.

Here's hoping we have some Italian genetics, eh?A 14-year-old boy has been charged in connection with the death of a man in Glasgow.

Police were called to a report of a man allegedly being attacked on Stravanan Street, Castlemilk, in front of his colleagues at around 10.50am on Friday.

Emergency services were called out and Daniel McGuigan, 35, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police Scotland said that a 14-year-old boy has been arrested and charged in connection with the death.

He is expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.F our children who were rescued from a house in Sheffield in which two boys died have been released from hospital.

Two boys, aged 13 and 14, died following an incident at the address, in the Shiregreen district of the south Yorkshire city, on Friday.

Four children - aged 11, 10, three and seven months - were rescued, and South Yorkshire Police said on Saturday afternoon that they had been released from hospital.

A 37-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Forensics officers at a property on Gregg House Road in Shiregreen, Sheffield / PA

The investigation continued on Saturday as floral tributes were left outside the house.

Officers were called to the semi-detached house at about 7.30am on Friday.

An officer at the scene on Friday / PA

Detectives have given no indication about the nature of the incident, but have confirmed it was not a shooting and said it was confined to the property.

A police spokesman said detectives were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

Police cordon off the area at a property on Gregg House Road / PA

People living nearby saw more than a dozen police cars and four ambulances arrive on the tree-lined road, while an air ambulance landed in the grounds of Hartley Brook Primary Academy 100 metres from the scene.

Neighbour Aaron Brunskill said people came out into the street, adding: "The police weren't telling us anything.

"I know there's children there. I've just seen them walking back to the shops and that's all I know."T ributes have been left outside a Sheffield house after two boys died and four other children were taken to hospital following a "serious incident".

Police swooped on a house in the Shiregreen area on Friday morning. The boys, aged 13 and 14, died after they were taken to hospital.

Four other children aged 11, 10 and three and one other aged seven months remain in hospital receiving treatment but they are not in a life-threatening condition, a spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said.

The children cannot be named for legal reasons.

A man, 37, and a woman, 37, have been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the incident.

Forensics officers at a property on Gregg House Road in Shiregreen, Sheffield / PA

Officers are working to establish how the teenagers died.

The force said officers were called to the semi-detached house in Gregg House Road in the Shiregreen area of the city at around 7.30am.

But detectives have given no indication about the nature of the incident apart from confirming it was not a shooting and that it was confined to the one property.

A spokesman said detectives are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

Speaking at the scene, Superintendent Paul McCurry said: "I think it's really important that I reassure the wider community that there's no wider risk."

Mr McCurry said: "The investigation is at a very early stage and detectives are working closely with a number of different lines of inquiry.

"Our detectives are supporting the family."

The senior officer said: "I'm aware of wider speculation regarding the use of weapons. At the moment there is no wider risk to the community in Sheffield."

He said the children in hospital are conscious, and added: "They are being given the necessary care that they need. And they will be in hospital for certainly the next few hours."

He said a post-mortem examination would take place later.

Mr McCurry said officers were alerted after an "independent call for assistance".

People living nearby said they were shocked to see more than a dozen police cars and four ambulances arrive on the tree-lined road.

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Palmer, who is leading the investigation, said: "To allow the investigation to progress, I would please ask that people are mindful of what they are posting on social media, and the potential distress this may cause."

The street was partially cordoned off as police officers and forensics teams examined the council-style property where the incident happened.

People brought flowers and balloons to the police cordon.

One woman laying flowers said: "It's just so sad. I hope the rest of the kids get well."

Gregg House Road resident Aaron Brunskill said neighbours came out into the street at about 8am to find around 15 police cars and four ambulances.

He said: "The police weren't telling us anything. I know there's children there. I've just seen them walking back to the shops and that's all I know."

Mr Brunskill added: "There were four ambulances. Everyone got took away in an ambulance. I don't know if the air ambulance was used."P olice are appealing for information after Tube passengers were allegedly threatened by a man with a knife at Vauxhall station.

Three members of the public were targeted, British Transport Police said.

A man has been arrested in connection with the incident, which happened at about 5am on May 11, but officers are now urging witnesses to come forward.

In a statement, the force said: Initially, a 21-year-old man from London was ejected from Lightbox nightclub in South Lambeth Place.

He then left the area but allegedly returned with a knife and threatened the clubs doormen.

He is then reported to have travelled to the entrance of Vauxhall station where he threatened three members of the public with the knife.

Officers attended and arrested the suspect after searching the wider area. He was searched and no knife was found.

The man has since been released on bail until June 5, with conditions not to enter the railway or visit Vauxhall station or Lightbox nightclub.

The force said it especially wants to speak to anyone who saw a knife being procured near the nightclub or disposed of in the area.U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un take a walk after their first meeting at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam in this Feb. 28 file photo. North Korea says nuclear negotiations with the United States will never resume unless Washington changes its negotiating tactics. AP



North Korea said Friday that nuclear negotiations with the United States will never resume unless President Donald Trump's administration moves away from what it described as unilateral demands for disarmament.



The statement by an unnamed North Korean foreign ministry spokesman published in state media was the country's latest expression of displeasure over the stalled nuclear negotiations as it continues to press Washington to soften its stance on enforcing sanctions against Pyongyang's crippled economy.



It came as President Trump prepares to travel to Japan this weekend for a summit with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in which the North Korean nuclear issue will likely be high on the agenda.



In the statement carried by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency, the spokesman accused the U.S. of deliberately causing the collapse of the February summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with unilateral and impossible demands.



"We hereby make it clear once again that the United States will not be able to move us even an inch with the device it is now weighing in its mind, and the further its mistrust and hostile acts toward the DPRK grow, the fiercer our reaction will be,"' the statement said, referring to North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.





A renowned art curator celebrating the first anniversary of his Mayfair gallery has said London is one of the most important places in the world for modern and contemporary art.

Jean-David Malat, a London-based art dealer and curator, said the capital is more significant in the art world than Paris thanks to its "international" and "avant-garde" approach.

Mr Malat has worked for clients such as Kate Moss, Bono, Madonna and Natalie Imbruglia and represents a broad spectrum of international artists.

The Paris-born curator, who has established more than a dozen formerly-known artists, has run seven successful solo exhibitions at JD Malat Gallery since it opened in June 2018.

Speaking to the Standard ahead of the June 6 anniversary, Mr Malat said his gallery has gone from strength to strength and said London has been the ideal location.

JD Malat Gallery is celebrating its one-year anniversary / JD Malat Gallery

London is better than Paris for the art world, he said.

Its more international, maybe more avant-garde. Ive been in the city for almost 18 years and I just love it.

I would say this city is one of the most important places in the world for modern and contemporary art.

The last year has been very good, we had seven exhibitions and three sold out. We are getting more international and doing art fairs, Mexico in February and Seattle in August.

With this job you cant stop, you always have a new exhibition or a new artist and you have to make it happen, there is a lot of demand so you need to be active and supply.

Urban Scene exhibition at JD Malat Gallery (JD Malat Gallery) / JD Malet Gallery

To mark the one-year anniversary of JD Malat Gallery, Los Angeles-based artist Andy Moses will make his London debut with his solo exhibition Echoes of Light from June 21 to July 20.

Curated by Larry Bell, who Mr Malat regards as one of Americas most renowned and influential artists, the exhibition is set to feature a range of concave paintings.

Mr Malat said the artists distinctive style is simultaneously abstract and representational, with one stand-out piece being Rad 1502, a curved canvas painted with acrylic.

Speaking about his work, Mr Moses said: My quest is to create the sensation of light that appears to be emanating from the surface of the painting rather than being reflected off of it.

I am honoured to be working with JD Malat Gallery for my first solo show in London.

Artwork by Andy Moses (JD Malat Gallery) / JD Malet Gallery

Currently on show at the gallery is the Urban Scene exhibition, with Chinese artist Li Tianbing's politically-focused art on show.

Specifically, Mr Tianbing refers to the foul and evil-foreboding air felt in China upon recent visits, which he said is due to the booming economy increasing the gap between the rich and the poor.

Hes really one of my favourite artists, Mr Malat said of Mr Bing, whose work he has been collecting since 2005. I am very excited to be working with him on this exhibition.

The series is a bit different, mostly it is about whats going on in the world, the events in Venezuela, Paris and in other countries. His work is completely full of emotion.S cotland Yard wants to charge more than 1,100 people who were arrested during last months Extinction Rebellion protests, a senior office has said.

More than 70 activists have so far been charged in connection with the demonstrations that brought parts of London to a standstill for 10 days.

The groups tactics involved volunteers deliberately getting themselves arrest to cause maximum disruption at roadblocks on Waterloo Bridge, Oxford Circus and Marble Arch, while others glued themselves to trains and buildings.

Its expected to have cost the force at least 7.5 million.

Police follow a lorry towing away the XR movement's pink boat / PA

Some 1,130 people were arrested during the protests and 10,000 police officers were deployed over the two weeks.

At a briefing on Friday, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said the Metropolitan Police will be pushing for the prosecution of every one of them to deter similar tactics being used in the future.

He said: "We have charged over 70. All the others are currently under investigation and we have got a dedicated unit of around 30 officers who are investigating those offences.

"It is our anticipation that we are putting all of those to the CPS for decisions."

Extinction Rebellion closing ceremony: In Pictures 1 /14 Extinction Rebellion closing ceremony: In Pictures Getty Images AP REUTERS Getty Images AP AFP/Getty Images PA REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS Getty Images

Mr Taylor said the officers on the team have been taken from across the force.

"That's a really significant resource put in place for a period of six to nine months just investigating that one protest," he said.

His comments came as thousands of schoolchildren took to the streets across the country on Friday to demand action on climate change in a protest.

More environmental actions are expected in the coming months with US President Donald Trump's visit in June and the ongoing Brexit debate likely to further stretch the police resources.

Mr Taylor insisted the Met is equipped to deal with any upcoming actions and said officers from other forces will be called into action if needed.

He called for a stronger punishment of those who break the law, with summary only charges for offences, including breaching conditions imposed under the Public Order Act, obstruction of a highway and obstruction of police, leaving magistrates with limited sentencing powers.

"I'm not saying going to jail, but we would like to see consequences for any activity at these events that is unlawful," Mr Taylor said.

"Protest is not illegal. There is nothing unlawful about protest.

"The activity of some individuals at a protest can be unlawful.

"What we are saying is at the moment there doesn't seem to be much of a criminal deterrent for doing that and therefore, it doesn't legitimise it but it does make it easy for that unlawful activity to take place.C ampaign groups are exploring legal action against the government after EU citizens complained of being turned away from polling stations in the European elections.

Citizens' rights groups the3million and British in Europe have joined forces to launch a crowdfunding bid to try and get compensation for those they say were prevented from taking part in the elections on Thursday.

The organisations claim thousands of EU citizens living in the UK were turned away from polling stations due to their nationality, while UK citizens living abroad found their postal ballot papers turned up late or not at all.

The groups say that by the end of polling day, the hashtag #DeniedMyVote had been tweeted more than 100,000 times: among them Lib Dem leader Vince Cable and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon.

A voter arrives to cast their vote in the European Elections at a polling station in Tower Hamlets, London, on Thursday / Vickie Flores/EPA

Nicolas Hatton, co-founder of the3million, which announced on Saturday evening that the crowdfunding campaign had already reached 20,000, said: "Imagine being turned away at the polling station in elections you always voted in?

"We should not have been treated like second class citizens and we are calling those who believe in fairness to support us challenge the government in court over the disenfranchisement, discrimination and disrespect of EU citizens in the UK and British citizens in the EU.

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"Our voting rights matter, they are part of our fundamental status as citizens and part of our legal and constitutional heritage, protected by EU law. The time has come to stand up for our rights."

John Halford, of Bindmans LLP, said: "The right to vote is the foundation for all citizenship rights. Last Thursday saw a large scale, systematic, openly discriminatory denial of that right.

European elections: The key parties profiled

"The case we plan to bring will show that this is not something the law will tolerate and that there must be accountability and consequences."

The Electoral Commission said on Thursday that it was aware of some EU citizens living in the UK being unable to vote.

It said the "very short notice" from the government about the UK taking part in the election had hampered efforts to raise awareness of the process for EU citizens transferring their vote from their home country.D ominic Raab and Andrea Leadsom have become the latest Tories to announce party leadership bids - with both suggesting they would be prepared to leave the EU without a deal.

They are the sixth and seventh Conservative MPs to step forward, following Jeremy Hunt, Rory Stewart, Matt Hancock, Boris Johnson and Esther McVey.

Mr Raab, announcing his leadership bid, pledged to "fight for a fairer deal on Brexit, a fairer deal for British workers and a fairer society where every child can fulfil their potential".

Long seen as a contender to replace outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May, Mr Raab told the Mail on Sunday he would prefer to leave the EU with a deal before the October 31 deadline.

Dominic Raab pictured in Downing Street in November last year / Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

But the staunch Brexiteer suggested he would be prepared to leave without a deal, saying the UK must "calmly demonstrate unflinching resolve to leave in October - at the latest".

The MP for Esher and Walton, who resigned from his Cabinet position over Mrs May's Brexit approach in November last year, said: "The country now feels stuck in the mud, humiliated by Brussels and incapable of finding a way forward.

TODO: define component type apester

"The Prime Minister has announced her resignation. It's time for a new direction."

His announcement on Saturday night was quickly followed by that of fellow Brexiteer Ms Leadsom.

Andrea Leadsom resigned as leader of the House of Commons / PA

Ms Leadsom, who resigned as Commons leader this week over Mrs May's last-ditch Brexit plan, told the Sunday Times that if elected, the UK would quit the EU in October with or without a deal.

"To succeed in a negotiation you have to be prepared to walk away," she said.

Theresa May resigns: Farewell speech highlights

Ms Leadsom added she would introduce a citizens' rights bill to resolve uncertainty facing EU nationals, then seek agreement in other areas where consensus already exists, such as on reciprocal healthcare and Gibraltar.

Environment secretary Michael Gove is also preparing to launch a leadership bid as a self-styled "unity candidate", according to the Sunday Telegraph.

The new Tory leader looks set to take over as Prime Minister at the end of July after Mrs May finally laid out a timetable for her exit from Downing Street.

The timetable for the contest will see nominations close in the week of June 10, with MPs involved in a series of votes to whittle down what is set to be a crowded field to a final two contenders.F ormer Labour leader Ed Miliband has rebranded his Twitter handle to poke fun at the Tories after Theresa May announced she was stepping down on Friday.

The Labour MP for Doncaster North changed his handle to Chaos with Ed Miliband, mocking a tweet posted by former Tory leader David Cameron during the 2015 general election.

He wrote: "Britain faces a simple and inescapable choice - stability and strong Government with me, or chaos with Ed Miliband".

Mr Miliband made the name change hours hours after Theresa May announced her resignation as the Conservative Party leader and prime minister.

Mrs May took over the Brexit negotiations when Mr Cameron stepped down in 2016.

She announced she was stepping down on Friday, which will come into effect on June 7 after a turbulent three years.

Mr Miliband's rebranding has since been praised as the only good thing in politics right now.

One person wrote: Does anyone think we should have opted for the chaos with Ed Miliband?

Another shared an image of Mr Miliband with the puppet Basil Brush alongside the caption: I know I'm not the first to say this, and I doubt I will be the last, but I for one yearn for chaos with Ed MilibandT he giant Trump Baby blimp is set to fly in London again during the president's state visit  but this time it has a specific mission, its organiser said today.

Max Wakefield, 31, is part of the small team of friends that created the inflatable political satire which flew over Westminster Parliament Square in July 2018, in protest at the US presidents visit to the UK.

This year, the campaign group wants the nappy-wearing Baby Trump to be more than just a statement against the US president, who will return to London for a three-day official visit starting on June 3.

The balloon will only fly if we reach our fundraising target, to help the people whose lives are most impacted by Trumps policies and the rise of right-wing extremism, Mr Wakefield told the Standard.

The Trump Baby sitting team, including Max Wakefield (third from right) stand in front of their pride and joy / Andy Aitchison

A Bring Trump Baby Back crowdfunding campaign has been launched by the 31-year-old and his fellow babysitters. They aim to raise 30,000 by June 3 to help groups fighting against his politics.

This time, all money raised will go to these charities. We have enough cash in the kitty to cover the cost of flying the blimp, now we want to harness its power to help the people who are suffering under Trump, said Mr Wakefield, who also works as a climate change campaigner.

The 30,000 will be split between six groups: three British  the UK Student Climate Network, Jawaab and Sisters Uncut; and three American  Sunrise Movement, United We Dream and Planned parenthood.

They were chosen for their focus on issues including climate change, domestic violence, LGBTQ+ rights and opportunities for young Muslims.

Donald Trump Baby Balloon at Parliament Square - In pictures 1 /28 Donald Trump Baby Balloon at Parliament Square - In pictures Demonstrators fly a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump above Parliament Square Reuters Demonstrators fly a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump above Parliament Square AFP/Getty Images A 6m high cartoon baby blimp of U.S. President Donald Trump hovers next to the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill AP Demonstrators fly a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump, behind a tour bus in Parliament Square Reuters Onlookers look at a blimp portraying U.S. President Donald Trump in Parliament Square Reuters Demonstrators fly a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump in Parliament Square, London Reuters US Marine helicopters (circled) pass the 'Baby Trump' balloon after being inflated in Parliament Square, as part of the protests against the visit of US President Donald Trump to the UK PA A 'Baby Trump' balloon rises after being inflated in London's Parliament Square Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire Demonstrators take selfies in front of the huge balloon Reuters Demonstrators stand in front of a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump, in Parliament Square Reuters The balloon was inflated today in front of a large crowd Reuters The 6m high cartoon baby blimp of US President Donald Trump is flown as a protest against his visit at Parliament Square in London AP A 'Baby Trump' balloon rises after being inflated in London's Parliament Square, as part of the protests against the visit of US President Donald Trump to the UK PA A 6m high cartoon baby blimp of US President Donald Trump is flown as a protest against his visit at Parliament Square in London AP A 6m high cartoon baby blimp of US President Donald Trump is flown as a protest against his visit at Parliament Square in London AP Protesters inflate the controversial balloon in Westminster PA The balloon forms part of the protests against the visit of US President Donald Trump to the UK PA The Mayor allowed the balloon to fly high but Trump described it as an unwelcome gesture PA Hundreds of people turned up to watch the balloon inflate Reuters Thousands of people are expected to protest in London later today Reuters Demonstrators prepare to inflate a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump, in Parliament Square Reuters

Obviously Trump isnt a UK politician, but we wanted to remind people that the right-wing values with which hes associated extend beyond the US  theyre touching the whole world, said Mr Wakefield.

Trump Baby has had such an enduring impact and we want to harness this to help people, as well as create a memorable reference point for global protests against the far right.

The crowdfunder will end on the day of Mr Trumps arrival, and the group hope to have the Trump Baby up in Parliament Square the following morning.

Mr Wakefield explained that he and his colleagues were waiting for final permission from the Greater London Authority (GLA) to launch the six-metre balloon over the capital.

We dont see it as being a problem, since we were given sign-off from the Mayor of London last year, he added. Sadiq Khan approved the plans last year, describing the blonde-haired blimp as a symbol of peaceful protest.

Sadiq Khan insists he would have approved the Trump baby blimp even if it was a blimp of him as a pig

If given the green light, the group estimates that Trump Baby will only fly between 9am and 11am on Tuesday June 4 because of strict restrictions.

Officially there are no plans for the baby to travel elsewhere in the city, but who knows, Mr Wakefield added.

Since the balloons maiden voyage over Parliament last year, Trump Baby has travelled around the world  from Paris to Argentina  thanks largely to leftover funds from last years fundraising campaign in which 58,000 was raised to support the project.

We were quite concerned when Trump Baby got held at the Fedex depot in Tennessee on his way to Argentina, said Mr Wakefield.

TODO: define component type apester

He was stuck in the deep south in the US for months  I cant remember on what basis  but we did eventually manage to get him back. Although he only arrived back in the UK about a month or two ago, so it would have been impossible for us to put this most recent campaign together if that hadnt pulled through.

Mr Wakefield describes his role in the Trump Baby group as chief nagger. While he shoulders much of the organisational responsibility, he said he and his friends dont have official titles and instead share the tasks around.

Donald Trump Baby Balloon: Locations - In pictures 1 /6 Donald Trump Baby Balloon: Locations - In pictures July 13, 2018 London AFP/Getty Images July 14, 2018 Edinburgh Getty Images November 11, 2018 Paris Rex Features October 27, 2018 Los Angeles AFP/Getty Images October 27, 2018 New York AFP/Getty Images

He described how the balloons designer Leo Murray came up with the idea for the project in Christmas 2017, two months before the presidents first planned visit to the UK, which was later rescheduled to July.

Leo  who previously worked as an animator  was in the bath one evening and he had a eureka moment.

He was thinking really carefully about what would get to Donald Trump  not factual arguments or moral reasoning, but a piercing of his ego.

Mr Murray then told his friends about his plans to create a blown-up satire of the president and they agreed to move ahead.

We wanted to do something big and unmissable, but also something silly. This is about poking fun at someone, while making sure it didnt fall on the wrong side of offensiveness.

Donald Trump Baby Balloon practice test - In pictures 1 /20 Donald Trump Baby Balloon practice test - In pictures PA AFP/Getty Images PA AFP/Getty Images PA PA AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images AP AP AFP/Getty Images AP AP AP AFP/Getty Images

It all happened a bit on the fly, and all very organically  we just chipped in where we could. We never could have guessed it would have the impact that it did.

Mr Wakefield said the group had no intentions to create inflatable replicas of any other political figures, but encouraged others to take up the mantle.A British climber has died on Mount Everest bringing the death toll to 10 this season on the world's largest peak, officials said.

Robin Fisher, 44, was an "aspirational adventurer" who still had many more dreams to fulfil, his family said as they paid tribute to him on Saturday.

Mr Fisher, who was born in Burton-upon-Trent and lived in Birmingham, died on his descent after reaching the summit of the mountain.

His family added that he "lived life to the full".

It comes after a photograph was widely shared online showing a huge queue of climbers on the approach to the summit of the mountain.

There are fears that a record number of attempts to climb Everest is putting lives at risk.

Heavy traffic of mountain climbers line up to stand at the summit of Mount Everest (AFP/Getty Images) / AFP/Getty Images/Project Possible

Mr Fisher's family said: "He achieved so much in his short life, climbing Mont Blanc, Aconcagua and Everest.

"He was a 'tough guy', triathlete, and marathoner. A champion for vegetarianism, published author, and a cultured theatre-goer, lover of Shakespeare.

"We are deeply saddened by his loss as he still had so many more adventures and dreams to fulfil.

"Every one who ever met him in any capacity will always remember the positive impact he had on their lives.

"Robin is a much loved and loving son, brother, partner, uncle, and friend."

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are in contact with relevant tour operators following reports that British climber has died on Mount Everest and are ready to provide support to the family."

Mr Fisher reached the summit on Saturday but collapsed just 150 metres back down the slope.

"Our guides tried to help but he died soon after," Murari Sharma of Everest Parivar Expedition told AFP.

Guides had changed Mr Fisher's oxygen bottle and offered him water but could not save him, Reuters reported.

It follows the death of an Irish man in the early hours of Friday morning while attempting to climb the peak.

Four climbers from India and one each from the United States, Austria and Nepal have also died on Everest in the past week.

Kevin Hynes, 56, from Ireland died in his tent at 7,000 metres after turning back before reaching the summit.

A second Irish mountaineer is presumed dead after he slipped and fell close to the summit.

Trinity College professor Seamus (Shay) Lawless, aged 39 and from Bray, Co Wicklow, fell during his descent from the peak having achieved a lifetime ambition of reaching the summit.

The search for Mr Lawless has been called off.

A Trinity statement said: "It is with deep sadness that we have learnt this evening that the search for our friend and colleague, Seamus (Shay) Lawless, has been unsuccessful.T en people are injured after a shooting at a bar in New Jersey, police said.

Officers received reports of gunfire at about 12.25am local time outside J&J Liquor & Bar in Brunswick Avenue, Trenton.

Arriving officers found several victims in and around the bar.

Five men and five women were taken to local hospitals.

One victim was critically wounded and taken into emergency surgery.

Police said an investigation was ongoing.

Local councillor Jerell Blakeley said on Facebook: "This kind of carnage shouldn't be normal but is becoming a common occurrence.T hats a wrap folks!

Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon have chosen this years semi-finalists who will battle it out in next weeks live shows in a bid to bag a spot at the Royal Variety Performance as well as a hefty cash prize.

The last batch of auditions served up a dancing (and stripping) Theresa May, a Tommy Cooper-esque comedian, and a mind-blowing magic quartet in an episode which saw more yeses than Simon has white T-shirts.

The judges were also pranked by hosts Ant and Dec and Britains Got More Talent presenter Stephen Mulhern who received four woofs from the judges after dressing up as dancing dogs.

Here are our five must-see auditions from episode eight:

Kath Thompson

Theresa May might want to turn to Kath Thompson for career advice after announcing her resignation this week. The yoga teacher-turned-Theresa May-impersonator-turned-stripper kicked off the final auditions by poking fun at Ms Mays moves. Walliams said: If this doesnt solve Brexit I dont know what will.

Four yeses.

John Archer

The 58-year-old comedian won over a legion of fans before hed even started his act as he welled up while telling the judges he was on the show to make his family proud after years of not having the confidence to apply. He pulled David up for a slapstick trick involving fizzy drinks. Simon deemed it amazing and he received four yeses.

KNE

The flash mob style group tricked the judges into thinking the act was a performance of Adeles Hello complete with a piano accompaniment, before the rest bounded on stage to combine singing and dancing. Hailed as Simons dream dance act by Alesha, the amazing group secured four yeses.

4MG

Dubbed the boyband of magic by Walliams, the teen four-piece left the judges and viewers open mouthed with their card trick, which saw Simons card stashed inside a sealed pack inside a glass bottle.

No surprises that they got four yeses.

Disco Dogs

Three people in their 40s dressed as dogs dancing to the YMCA as confetti and beach balls rain down couldnt be more Britains Got Talent. The twist? It was Ant, Dec and Stephen. The trio tricked the judges into wearing dog ears and tails as they bounded about the stage to Gangnam Style and Kool and the Gangs Celebration before receiving a standing ovation.

Tonight's show saw 40 acts go through to the live semi-finals including this years Golden Buzzer acts: Flakefleet Primary School (David's), Kojo Anim (Simon's), Akshat Singh (Ant and Dec's), Giorgia Borg (Alesha's) and Chapter 13 (Amanda's).The United States remains open to holding talks with North Korea and is very clear about that position, its State Department has said, after North Korea urged for "a new method" to break the impasse in the stalled denuclearization negotiations.



The State Department's comment came in response to a query by Yonhap News Agency regarding a remark by North Korea's foreign ministry on Friday. Pyongyang said the talks won't resume unless Washington comes up with a "new method of calculation," blaming the U.S. for the no-deal Hanoi summit in February.



Reaffirming the U.S. stance, the State Department said the Trump administration sticks to the Singapore agreement signed by the two countries' leaders, to commit to the complete denuclearization of the North and to building a lasting peace.



It also said the U.S. is ready to have a constructive discussion with the North to advance the process "simultaneously and in parallel."













Nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang have made little headway since the Hanoi summit of Kim and U.S.



U.S. President Donald Trump ended without a deal. They failed to reach common ground on the scope of denuclearization by the communist state and Washington's sanctions relief. (Yonhap)He was also instrumental in the development of Community Health Connection, a program that builds alliances and partnerships in hospitals across western Nebraska.

Jeff Tracy, health center director at Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska, said Sorensen was a friend to the clinic. As hospital administrator, Sorensen always made sure there was a smooth working relationship between the two groups.

He was always willing to look at initiatives that would help the continuity of care between the hospital and our clinic, Tracy said. He wanted to assure the patients we see, primarily low-income, uninsured patients, were able to receive services at the hospital.

Local attorney Tom Holyoke knew Sorenson in several different areas.

The guy had an insatiable intellectual curiosity, Holyoke said. He was interested in a huge variety of things. When he was interested in something, he read about it and followed up on it.

Holyoke was on the hospital board during Sorensens tenure and he said it was always a pleasure to work with him.LINCOLN  The Nebraska Supreme Court decided Friday that an Omaha convenience store can be barred from selling mini wine and liquor bottles and single beer cans.

The ruling upheld the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission's authority to set conditions on liquor licenses, as long as the conditions are reasonable and not arbitrary or capricious.

The conditions also must fit the purpose of state liquor laws, which are to protect the "health, safety and welfare" of Nebraskans and to promote "temperance in the consumption of alcohol."

The decision was issued in an appeal by Abay LLC, which sought a Class D liquor license to sell packaged alcohol at its new Blondo Convenient Food Mart at 7901 Blondo St.

According to the ruling, Omaha city officials and local residents had objected to the proposed license, arguing there was no need for more liquor sales in the area and that additional sales would lead to more alcohol-related trash and more vagrancy in the area.Dozens of family members of American soldiers who went missing during the 1950-53 Korean War will come to South Korea next week, the veterans affairs ministry said Friday.



Some 50 family members of 21 U.S. soldiers still unaccounted for were scheduled to arrive here on Sunday for a five-day trip hosted by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.



During their stay, they are scheduled to visit a war remains excavation site in Gyeonggi Province and receive a briefing by the defense ministry on ongoing projects at major former battlefield sites.



The visitors also plan to look around various related places, including the national cemetery and the war memorial museum in Seoul, the ministry added.



Of the nearly 1.8 million American troops who participated in the three-year Cold War conflict on the Korean peninsula, around 34,000 were killed and more than 3,700 service persons went missing. (Yonhap)



WASHINGTON  A planeload of Nebraskas Purple Heart veterans and Gold Star family members touched down Friday morning in the nations capital.

They poured off the plane and into Ronald Reagan National Airport, greeted by applause, cheers and a chorus of God Bless America.

The groups first stop will be Arlington National Cemetery and its Section 60, the hallowed ground where many of the countrys Iraq and Afghanistan fallen are buried.

Some of those on the flight will be leaving flowers at the graves of loved ones buried in Section 60.

One of those is Sallie Allen of Bellevue, whose son Lonnie Calvin Allen Jr. was killed by an IED in Iraq.

The trip had her recalling her annual trips to her sons grave.

Its very emotional, she said.

They also plan to visit the Pentagon memorial dedicated to those killed in that building on Sept. 11, 2001. Those terrorist attacks sent many of those on Fridays flight onto battlefields in the Middle East.

SSG Seth Wecker, of Sidney, who served two deployments to Iraq, and Sgt. Travis Richards, who also served in Iraq and is of Sidney, are among the veterans on the honor flight, organized by Patriotic Productions.

Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to formLike many mothers with an autistic child, Roberta said she felt guilty, wondering if it was something that I did that caused Montels condition. I vowed that I would do all that I could to help him to be the best that he can be.

She said she has tried to encourage Montel to be responsible, offering tough love, she said, in an attempt not to baby him.

I tell him all his life I want him to do things on his own, she said.

Despite behavioral issues in his early years of elementary school, Montel scored high on tests. He was paired with an aide from third grade until his freshman year in high school to help him navigate the classroom and among his schoolmates.

At Surrattsville High School in Prince Georges, Montel said, there was a lot of hand holding compared with college  where the only allowances made for students with disabilities were preferential seating in class and additional time to take exams.Seamus Lawless, an assistant professor of computer science at Trinity College in Ireland, went missing last Thursday when he slipped and fell shortly near the summit, on a different side of the mountain from where the main traffic jam is taking place.

On Friday, the Independent reported that a second Irish climber, Kevin Hynes, died on Friday. He had climbed parts of Everest before, and the British group he traveled with, 360 Expeditions, said in a statement he was one of the strongest and most experienced climbers on our team.

Earlier this week an American, Donald Lynn Cash, 55, of Utah, died after falling sick, possibly from the high altitude. It was unclear what role, if any, the foot traffic jams had in his death.

And a 65-year-old Austrian man is also among the dead.

Last year, 807 people reached the mountains summit, more than had ever reached the top in a single year before. When climbers choose to scale Everest, they do so with the understanding of the potential perils they could encounter along the way.In New York City, the Success Academy founded by Eva Moskowitz -- one of the foremost education reformers of our time -- has eliminated racial and economic achievement gaps.

Its amazing what schools can do when they impose discipline, have the highest expectations and focus with a laser intensity on instruction.

Anyone interested in the education of minority students should seek to build on these oases of excellence, rather than cut them off. But the teachers unions hate charters, and they are a much more powerful potential cadre in the Sanders revolution than poor black kids.

Sanders suggests that charter schools somehow increase segregation. This is nonsense, as Jonathan Chait of New York magazine points out. Urban charter schools reflect the segregation of their neighborhoods where they are located -- just like traditional public schools do.

The polling shows that minority parents get what Sanders (and white progressives) refuses to understand. A solid majority of black and Hispanic Democrats have a favorable view of charters, while white Democrats have an unfavorable view by a 2-1 margin.

It is doubtful how much of his anti-charter agenda Sanders would be able to enact if elected, since much of the action is at the state and local level. That hes hostile to these schools should, regardless, redound to his shame.Its encouraging to see our country hone its cyber defenses in the face of threats by Russia and other countries. The militarys U.S. Cyber Command  now elevated to the same status as the U.S. Strategic Command  has demonstrated a strong, proactive approach.

Cyber Command coordinates with the FBI, the National Security Agency and Homeland Security. It partnered last year with foreign intelligence services to identify Russian malware, then shared information about the threat with private-sector companies that might be targeted.

To counter possible Russian manipulation in the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, Cyber Command blocked Russian trolls from posting divisive messages on U.S. social media. The several-day operation to knock out the trolls Internet access so frustrated them, the Washington Post reported, that they complained to their system administrators about the disruption.

Russian online efforts, FBI Director Christoper Wray says, aim to pit us against each other, to sow divisiveness and discord, to undermine Americas faith in democracy. That is not just an election-cycle threat. It is pretty much a 365-day-a-year threat.

All the reason for Cyber Command to continue its collaborative, assertive approach.It is likely that the Nebraska Legislature will end its 2019 session without any meaningful action on an issue that was heralded as a top priority: high property taxes.

There are two principal reasons why the problem has remained so intractable. One is the War on Poverty and its successors, and the other is the way Nebraskans pay for local government.

Over 50 years ago, a prosperous nation turned its attention to a segment being left behind: the poor. Thus was born the War on Poverty of the 1960s.

In rapid order, President Lyndon Johnson presided over an avalanche of social legislation. Included was the establishment of Food Stamps in 1964, then Head Start, Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. Other initiatives included the Job Corps, federal funding for education, and a variety of other anti-poverty programs. In addition, the 50 states began to spend their own money to combat poverty and its effects.

These efforts have produced both successes and failures, as expected. But not expected were the billions and billions of dollars now spent annually by all levels of government, as they address a host of social needs and ills ... some old, some new.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 (623)The electoral campaign for the European Parliament elections ended on Saturday at 7.00 hrs.

For thirty days, the parties that entered the race for a spot in the European Parliament, but also some independent candidates tried to convince the electorate that they are worthy to represent Romania in Brussels.Also in this period, voters were informed regarding the national referendum called by President Klaus Iohannis on the topic of the judiciary. Citizens that hold the right to vote can also express their opinion on the topics proposed by the head of state on Sunday.According to the laws in force, after the end of the electoral campaign, it's forbidden to broadcast electoral messages in audio, visual or mixed media on screens in public or private places, or through specially-made vehicles.The chairman of the electoral bureau of the polling station, together with its members, must be present in the polling station, on Saturday, at 18.00 hrs, in order to take any measures necessary to ensure the order and correctness of the polling operations. He will also be responsible for removing any and all electoral propaganda materials inside and outside the polling stations, according to the law.Sunday, the activity of the electoral bureau will start at 6.00 hrs, and the polling stations will open at 7.00 hrs and stay open until 21.00 hrs.On the day of the vote, between 7.00 -21.00 hrs, the selling and consumption of alcoholic beverages in the protection space of the polling station is forbidden.Presenting exit polls before the end of the vote is also forbidden.For the two votes on Sunday voters will receive three ballots - one for the European Parliament elections and two for the referendum. They will use the same stamp for all three ballots. Inserting a bulletin in the wrong urn invalidates the vote.In the referendum, the citizens are called to vote "Yes" or "No" regarding the following questions:1. "Do you agree with the forbidding of amnesty and clemency for crimes of corruption?"2. "Do you agree with the forbidding of the adoption, by Government, of emergency ordinances in the realm of crimes, punishments and judiciary organization, and with the extension of the right to attack ordinances directly at the Constitutional Court?".Thirteen political organizations and three independent candidates joined the electoral race for the European Parliament.Lists were submitted by the Social Democrat Party (PSD), the 2020 USR PLUS Alliance [formed by USR - Save Romania Union, PLUS - Freedom, Unity and Solidarity Party], the Pro Romania Party, the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), the PRODEMO Party, the Popular Movement Party (PMP), the Romanian Socialist Party (PSR), the Independent Social Democrat Party (PSDI), the United Romania Party (PRU), the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR), and the National Unity Bloc (BUN). Three independent candidates also submitted their candidacy - Gregoriana-Carmen Tudoran, George Nicolae Simion and Peter Costea.Over 18.000.000 citizens holding the right to vote are expected to turn up to the polls. The two votes will see the organization of 18.730 polling stations within Romania and 441 for citizens abroad.Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Melescanu has participated, on Friday, in a meeting organized by the UN Security Council, on the topic of the impact of peacekeeping operations on the consolidation of peace, organized by Indonesia and Cote d'Ivoire, on the margin of which the Minister had a series of meetings with permanent representatives to the UN, during which he promoted Romania's candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the Security Council of the UN.

According to a release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), the Minister of Foreign Affairs had a series of meetings with permanent representatives to the UN of some member states of the African Union group - Ghana, Tanzania, Cote d'Ivoire, Benin, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Morocco, as well as with the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and Grenadine, Ralph Gonsalves, and the permanent representative to the UN of India, during which he promoted Romania's candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council (2020-2021).In the meeting organized by the UN Security Council, the head of Romanian diplomacy emphasized the constant contribution of Romania in the peacekeeping and peacebuilding processes, through its position as President of the Peacebuilding Commission in 2018 and that of Vicepresident of the Peacebuilding Commission in 2019.Furthermore, he mentioned that Romania, since 1991, has contributed with over 12.500 servicemen, policemen, gendarmes, and security and protection officers, which served under the UN flag in 25 peacekeeping missions all around the world. Furthermore, he expressed Romania's support towards the initiative of the UN Secretary General titled "Action for Peacekeeping".By Kwei-Bo Huang





Kwei-Bo HuangDrownings by the numbers

The Missouri Highway Patrol collects data on people who drown in any of the ponds, streams, rivers and lakes across the state, even private lakes and ponds, but not swimming pools. Boating fatalities are counted separately from drownings.

2019 - 12*

2018 - 27*

2017 - 59

2016 - 38

2015 - 68

2014 - 29

* Preliminary data. The final report for 2018 will be released this summer.

A closer look at the 59 drownings in 2017

* 11 drownings took place in the St. Louis area, according to the latest annual report on drownings and boating accidents in the state.

* 5 drownings occurred over the three days of Memorial Day Weekend.

* Youths under 20 years old accounted for 17 of the drownings.

* 8 drownings were because of flooding or flooded roadways.Protesters Saturday said the ban puts peoples lives at risk by cutting off access to vital healthcare and would disproportionately affect African-Americans and people in poverty.

With this extreme ban on safe and legal abortion, our government is reducing us to our ability to get pregnant, erasing our moral agency, and disregarding our humanity, said Sarah Felts, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood runs the only abortion clinic in the state, in the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis.

The bill will not stop abortions from being performed, it will force people to use less-safe methods, said Pamela Merritt, co-founder of the abortion-rights group Reproaction. She called on protesters to support abortion-rights groups and healthcare facilities.

Abortion will exist despite this ban, she said.

The protesters vowed to fight the bill in court and at the ballot box. The League of Women Voters attended the protest to register voters, particularly students who will be of voting age by 2020.

A vote in 2020 is a vote for a womans right to life, said state Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis. And a womans right to life is a womans right to choose.ST. LOUIS  Jeff Rainford, who had served as chief of staff to former mayor Francis Slay, has withdrawn as a lobbyist for one of the companies that wants to land a contract to operate St. Louis Lambert International Airport.

However, Rainford said Friday he remains involved with the company, California-based OakTree Capital Management.

He said his main role has always been putting together the team that will devise the companys proposal should city officials decide to seek outside operators for the airport.

Rainford said he withdrew his registration on Thursday with the Missouri Ethics Commission as a lobbyist for STL Aviation Group LLC, which is owned by OakTree, because he had done little lobbying.

Slay, the former mayor, remains registered as a lobbyist for another company interested in getting the contract, Spain-based Ferrovial Airports.

Rainford said his withdrawal as a lobbyist wasnt a reaction to Mayor Lyda Krewsons statement, issued Thursday, that Rainford and Slays representation works to their disadvantage with me regarding the privatization issue.Three people died in a fire at a Granite City apartment building on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021. Fifteen people escaped and four of the survivors ST. LOUIS  It was called the "jewel" of the New York World's Fair. It had iron gates, ceilings of Pyrenees pine, splashy art and elegant restaurants. The design was a stylish blend of Moorish and modern.

Mayor Alfonso Juan Cervantes snapped up the Spanish Pavilion for St. Louis in 1965, shortly after the fair's two-year run. He organized a fundraising drive to dismantle the building and move it. Cervantes said the pavilion would add pizzazz to downtown's comeback, already alive with construction of the Gateway Arch, Busch Stadium, new highways and office towers.

"There were some who thought the venture was a gamble," Cervantes proudly told a celebratory dinner in New York after the purchase.

"I was counting on St. Louis' new air of civic excitement."

Cervantes was proud of his Spanish heritage and of St. Louis' brief run as a colony of Spain. The pavilion was one of two trophies from the New York fair that he'd bag to promote the Spanish connection, and which would have similar fates.A Maui woman who went missing more than two weeks ago after a hike has been found alive.

Amanda Eller, 35, vanished after she got injured and lost during the hike, according to a post on a Facebook page dedicated to finding her. She was reported missing on May 10 after hiking at Makawao Forest Reserve. Police found her car in the parking lot.

Eller was lost somewhere above Twin Falls, in between two waterfalls down a deep ravine in a creek bed. Rescuers spotted her and she was evacuated by air to a hospital, according to a post on her page Friday.

One of the rescuers who found her, Chris Berquist, said they were elated when they saw her.

"We were freaking out. We were trying not to trip over ourselves trying to get to her too fast," he told CNN affiliate KHON.

Eller was looking for food when they saw her and was barefoot with no socks, he said.Yet the altered Pelosi video remains available on Facebook, the company said, because it does not violate the platform's community standards. There is no rule on Facebook saying content posted there must be true or accurate.

The video now appears with a message to users indicating the post has been flagged and directing them to multiple fact-checks.

On Friday, Facebook defended its handling of the video to CNN's Anderson Cooper.

"I think the suggestion there is that we haven't taken action, and that's not right," said Monika Bickert, vice president for product policy and counterterrorism. "We have acted ... anybody who is seeing this video in News Feed, anyone who is going to share it with somebody else, anybody who has shared it in the past  they are being alerted that this video is false."

Bickert added that the company's partnership with fact-checkers strikes a critical balance for Facebook users, one that preserves their ability to make "informed choices about what to believe."

But some critics said Facebook must be more proactive about fighting misinformation, and that delegating to fact-checkers barely qualifies as taking action.Renault Samsung Motors Corp. and its labor union said Saturday that they will meet this week to renegotiate wages and other working conditions following the union's rejection of a tentative agreement signed last week.



In a vote held Tuesday, unionized workers at Renault Samsung turned down the tentative wage and collective agreement.



"We have sent a letter to the company seeking a meeting to renegotiate the wage and working terms. We are scheduled to have a meeting early next week," union spokesman Nam Ki-tae said over the phone.



The company confirmed it has received a letter from the union.



In the botched deal, Renault Samsung offered about 12 million won ($10,000) per worker in bonuses for their contribution to the carmaker's performance in 2018 instead of raising the basic salary.



The company and the union began negotiations in June last year to sign a wage deal and collective agreement.



The company has wanted to maintain a certain output level at the plant by securing export models from its parent company, while the union is more focused on increasing wages and reducing labor intensity.



Renault Samsung workers staged 62 rounds of strikes from October through April 19, resulting in production losses of over 14,320 vehicles. Consequently, Renault Samsung's sales fell 40 percent to 52,930 vehicles in the January-April period from 87,996 units in the same period of last year.



Moreover, the company temporarily halted operations at its only plant in Busan, 450 kilometers south of Seoul, several times due to its low utilization rate. In latest suspension, the plant stopped operation on Friday and won't operate on May 31, the company said.



It is urgent for the company and the union to seal a wage and collective agreement deal in order to secure production volume for the SM3 and the XM3 for export to Europe, Renault Samsung CEO Dominique Signora said last month.



Renault Samsung produces the SM3 compact, the SM5 midsize sedan, the SM6 upper midsize sedan, the SM7 large sedan, the SM3 Z.E. all-electric car and the QM6 SUV. It also produces Nissan Motor Co.'s Rogue SUV on a manufacturing contract. The QM3 compact SUV is built in Spain and shipped to Korea.



Renault S.A. has an 80-percent stake in Renault Samsung. (Yonhap)



In the non-alternate universe that most of us occupy, Trump has successfully accomplished three things: Signing a tax cut that any Republican president would have signed; appointing judges that any Republican president would have appointed; and riding an already-rising economy that any president of either party would have ridden.

The rest of his accomplishments come down to one word: chaos.

When Trump and Republican leaders fawn over his record, its mostly about the humming economy  this from a party that handed Barack Obama an economy in free-fall, then tried to block everything he did to turn it around, and then, when he managed to turn it around anyway, bellyached that it wasnt growing fast enough.

(The one big economic element today that cant be largely attributed to seeds Obama planted is the deficit spike caused by a Republican tax cut that was supposed to pay for itself but which, they now admit, wont. Can we please, finally, dispense with the fiction that the GOP is the party of economic growth and fiscal responsibility?)Go to any mall, park or museum and take stock of the young (and, yes, old) faces staring into their screens rather than enjoying their surroundings. At restaurants, look at the number of couples immersed in something on their phones instead of each other.

This technology addiction is fed by the Silicon Valley moguls who created Facebook, Twitter, Google, Instagram and iPhones. And what are Silicon Valley parents deciding as the antidote to this tech-obsessed world? They are banning it from their own childrens lives.

They are enforcing such bans with a level of militancy that suggests they see something the rest of us dont. Some Silicon Valley parents have installed nanny cams specifically to monitor when nannies might be exposing the children under their care to phones, computers or televisions.Parsons decision to sign the bill anyway deepens the partys ideological split just as campaigns gear up for the 2020 election, in which the governor would be seeking his first full term after succeeding disgraced Gov. Eric Greitens in the job a year ago. He is not a political heavy hitter, and ostracizing someone like Humphreys could prove to be a serious strategic error.

Humphreys rarely takes overt public stands on major social issues, and for him to do so now indicates how strongly he feels about legislative overreach.

I have never entered the public debate over abortion. Nor have I wanted to. Nor do I really want to now, Humphreys stated. It is a very difficult subject. And a very personal one with complicated moral issues for all involved. While I am personally opposed to abortion, I do support womens right to choose particularly in the case of rape or incest. And I have to believe that the politicians in Jeff City that voted for this bill would themselves support their wives or daughters right to choose if their loved ones were raped.In addition to meeting core standards for cleanliness and maintenance, all 41 winners earned perfect scores on guest room and bathroom standards related to elements of luxury and guest comfort and convenience, Forbes Travel Guide said.

Examples of elements of luxury standards include a variety of high-quality amenities and/or technology appropriate to the destination, notable pieces of artwork and exceptionally luxurious bathroom amenities. Meanwhile, considerations for guest comfort and convenience standards include the room being well-soundproofed and spacious grooming areas, among others.

"Forbes Travel Guide's Verified List for the World's Best Rooms, of course, showcases the most beautiful accommodations, but it goes beyond how the rooms look," said Filip Boyen, Forbes Travel Guide CEO, in a statement. "Every hotel on this list was thoroughly tested and proved to be supremely comfortable, quiet and outfitted with superior amenities and technology. Travelers will find these hotel rooms provide the best all-around luxury experience. We congratulate everyone associated with these wonderful hotels and resorts."ARABIAN SEA (May 20, 2019) An AV-8B Harrier launches from the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). Kearsarge is the flagship for the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). The Kearsarge ARG, along with the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, is prepared to respond to contingencies and to defend U.S. forces and interests in the region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryre Arciaga)

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Source: Maurice Jackson for Streetwise Reports (5/25/19)

In this interview with the CEO of a junior miner, Maurice Jackson of Proven and Probable delves into exploration plans on the company's two flagship properties.



Maurice Jackson: Joining us today is Bart Jaworski. He is the CEO and director of Group Eleven Resources Corp. (ZNG:TSX.V; GRLVF:OTCQB), which is known for advanced-stage zinc exploration in Ireland. Group Eleven Resources just announced a major breakthrough that may significantly increase the company's value proposition. But before we begin, Mr. Jaworski, for first-time readers, please introduce us to Group Eleven Resources.

Bart Jaworski: As you know Maurice, zinc is the fourth most commonly mined metal in the world. Global inventories have been dropping sharply over the last six years and are now at 12-year lowsmostly on insufficient mine supply. So, we're quite bullish on the metal. We have the largest land position in the richest country for zinc in the world, that being Ireland. Ireland is No. 1 in terms of zinc found per square kilometer [and] there are lot of deposits over a relatively small area.

Our vision is to discover the next big zinc deposit in the country. We already have the second and third largest undeveloped zinc deposits in the country, that being the Stonepark and Ballinalack resource estimatesand those are second only to Glencore International Plc's (GLEN:LSE) very substantial Pallas Green deposit, which is one of the largest undeveloped zinc deposits in the world).

Maurice Jackson: Who are the members that comprise your team and what qualifications do they bring to ZNG?

Bart Jaworski: In terms of the team, we have a strong independent board and very experienced management team.

MAG Silver Corp. (MAG:TSX; MAG:NYSE.A) is a strategic backer, and with people like Peter Megaw and Dan MacInnis involved, as well as very experienced Irish geologists like David Furlong, John Barry and Dr. Mark Holdstockthat is, I think, a powerful combination. As for myself, I'm the CEO and cofounder of the company; I've been in the mining industry for the last 24 years or so, first as an exploration geologist for about seven years, then mining equity analyst for 12 years at Raymond James and Davy, and the last few years as CEO.

Maurice Jackson: Group Eleven is unique in that the company has two flagship projects, Ballinalack and Stonepark. Mr. Jaworski, Group Eleven just completed a drill program and the results got the market's attention! Take us to the Stonepark Project, which is adjacent to Glencore's Pallas Green deposit, and walk us through the project and share the company's recent accomplishments.

Bart Jaworski: Allow me to share with readers our VRify 3D platform and first show you the land position we have at Stonepark, and the adjoining PG West project.

First, for reference, see the Galway area on the top left side of [the image] and the Dublin area on the right. As you can see, Group Eleven has a fairly large land package. It's 1,200 square kilometers, in fact, and it consists of two main properties. The PG West property is 1,000 square kilometers and we own it 100%. The adjoining Stonepark project is 200 square kilometers and we have that 77% to Group Eleven and 23% roughly to Arkle Resources, which is an AIM-listed, junior resource exploration company. All that is, in turn, contiguous to Glencore's Pallas Green project in purple.

Maurice Jackson: Indeed, that is quite the land position. Let's now talk about the basic need-to-know information on the property.

Bart Jaworski: OK. This entire area here is called the Limerick Basin. All the green layers [in the image below] are the Waulsortian Limestone. This is where zinc deposits in Ireland typically occur, so this is our target horizon. We control most of the green in the Limerick Basinthat's an important fact to state.

The other thing to notice are these oval pink rocks called the Limerick Volcanic Complex. These are a very important package of rocks because for the longest time it was always thought that they had nothing to do with the zinc mineralization in this area.

Quite contrary, we only now know over the last few years that, in fact, Limerick Volcanic Complex is part of the main driving system. They take typical Irish-style zinc deposits and effectively put them on steroids. Essentially, they enhance the zinc mineralization in the area.

Our Stonepark resource is 5 million tonnes at 11% zinc and lead, which is adjacent to Glencore's PallasGreen deposit at 45 million tonnes at 8%, roughly.

Maurice Jackson: Mr. Jaworski, what can you share with us about this Pallas Green corridor?

Bart Jaworski: Well, effectively, it's basically the two straight blue lines that you see in the map above. This blue corridor is an concept that was born out of Group Eleven's Big Think Initiative. Effectively, we analyzed all the data in this camp and started focusing on the geology. We notice the following:

 The main part of the Pallas Green body appears to be oriented northwest;

 There are series of northwest-oriented faults along the corridor; and

 We have this zinc occurrence called Carrickittle.

This is how things stood before we started drilling a few months ago.

Fast forward to today: what we've found with the drilling is a brand-new hydrothermal system at Kilteely. Plus, we found some significant zinc mineralization at Ballywire, which has effectively doubled the Pallas Green corridor to 20 kilometers, which prior to drilling was 10 kilometers. Also, we've added a lot more meat to the idea that this corridor actually exists.

Maurice Jackson: Interesting. So the postulated corridor has now doubled to 20 kilometersthat is important for investors to know. That essentially means you have narrowed your search radius for an economic deposit to a much narrower area than ever before. Please provide us with more details about your first big hit?

Bart Jaworski: Let's look at Ballywire and show you how it's related to Pallas Green. The Pallas GreenStonepark system occurs at the base of the green unit, which is the Waulsortian Limestone, here on the right of the [image below]. It dives under the volcanics, comes back up and then comes back down at Ballywire. So, you can see, it's the same unit and it occurs along the Pallas Green corridor.

Maurice Jackson: So this is on trend and along the same stratigraphic layer. Makes sense. What did you actually hit at Ballywire?

Bart Jaworski: There are two historic holes in this area, both of which hit significant mineralization. The first hole, drilled in the year 2000, also discovered a very interesting copper and silver zone. Up to 430 grams per tonne silver, in fact, and almost 2% copper. Now that was over 15 centimeters, but there is also a second zone, one meter wide, which also had 218 grams per tonne silver and nearly 1% copper. These are some of the highest silver grades I've ever seen in Ireland. Typically, silver and copper in Ireland mean you are getting close to a feeder structure, as you can see above.

In 2008, another operator came in and stepped out about 300 meters and got some more joy, intersecting 13% zinc plus lead over 30 centimeters, part of the wider 1.6-meter zone. And that was quite interesting. I think the guys were very excited by the results, but unfortunately it was the Lehman Brothers crisis and they couldn't raise any more money on base metal projects, especially around those days.

Maurice Jackson: Well, I feel sorry for the guys that drilled the Lehman Brothers hole. They were clearly on to something. The exploration upside seems very compelling. Can you tell us a bit more about it?

Bart Jaworski: Ballywire sat dormant for another 10 years, up until we came along and drilled our holea 260-meter step-out. And our thinking with this hole was to get closer to a large postulated fault structure, which is inferred from geophysics. It's called the Kilross Fault, and it seems that mineralization is emanating from it.

Turns out we intersected the best drill results to date on this prospect. An impressive 35 meters of intermittent zinc mineralization with some high grades in it. This includes:

 1.85m of 6.4% zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) and 23 g/t silver (Ag) (including 0.75m of 13.1% Zn and Pb and 39 g/t Ag);

 1.45m of 6.3% Zn and Pb and 17 g/t silver (including 0.20m of 35.1% Zn and Pb and 93 g/t Ag);

 2.75m of 3.2% Zn and Pb and 5 g/t silver (including 0.90m of 5.8% Zn and Pb and 8 g/t Ag)

Maurice Jackson: Bart, what is the next step at Ballywire for Group Eleven.

Bart Jaworski: Well, that's an excellent question. We now have a 650-meter-long zone, down dip. The next logical step is to chase this Kilross Fault to see if grades and thicknesses improve.

But the other very intriguing area for us is to chase down this potential feeder structure close to the copper-silver zone. And the fact that you're getting fairly shallow here, probably about 200 to 300 meters deep, is a big bonus. So this is an area that's quite intriguing for us.

Thirdly, if we look at the plan view, as per the map above, what really sticks out is the area just east of the current three holes. Once we drill more in this area, what we could find is that this eastern area is actually the more prospective side of the northwest-oriented fault running down the middle of the prospect. That would be a very exciting scenario.

All the above could help us push the needle more toward our current resources growing to that magic 10 million tons at 10% zinc and lead, which is the rule of thumb in Ireland of what you need to be economic.

Maurice Jackson: Mr. Jaworski, take us to your second target hit, which was equally intriguing.

Bart Jaworski: Indeedthis is the Kilteely area. And I would almost argue it's more significant than Ballywire. To help you understand why, it's important for readers to understand the general context.

Going back to our previous discussion on the Limerick Volcanic Complex: Basically, you can split volcanics into two halves, the northern half and the southern half. It's the northern half that's been very well explored by Glencore and ourselves and historic operators on the Stonepark project.

But guess what? On the southern half, it's been virtually unexplored. There's only been one hole ever drilled in the southern half. And of course, the big question here is, is the southern half a mirror image of the north?

Maurice Jackson: Bart, give us a little bit more granularity and let us know, in particular, where in the south side are you going to focus most of your efforts?

Bart Jaworski: This is where things get fairly interesting. The south side is where it's at for us. But now the question is, where within that south side do you look? We already know that this Pallas Green corridor appears to be quite interesting, so that narrows things down immensely. But we also believe that there is a cross-structure running through this area, just north of Kilteely. This narrows the search radius even further.

Maurice Jackson: For all intents and purposes, it looks like X marks the spot. But I'm curious to find out more about the cross-fault area. Can you show us something on that?

Bart Jaworski: Well, if we look at this from the side, in yellow on your screen is our key target area where we believe there is potential to discover very significant zinc mineralization. This cross-fault "hot spot" area could be feeding the entire Pallas Green Stonepark system. It's quite an interesting area.

Maurice Jackson: What did the Kilteely hole hit and why was it significant?

Bart Jaworski: The Kilteely hole was the second hole ever drilled into the southern half of the Limerick volcanics and was designed to test for any hints of hydrothermal activity which might tell us we are close to a zinc system.

We ended up hitting significant hydrothermal activity over 230 meters, which is a very extensive width. Within this zone was a lot of coarse-grained iron sulphide (pyrite and possible marcasite) and brecciation (rock busted up by hot fluids). This got us very excited. We may be on the outer edge of a large zinc system as we start looking under the volcanic cover.

Maurice Jackson: Switching gears, Mr. Jaworski, please share with us the current capital structure.

Bart Jaworski: Shares outstanding right now are about 64 million and in terms of options and warrants, we have 11 million out, so fully diluted. We're at 75 million shares. Cash-wise, as of the last financial results for Q4/18, [around] December 31 [we had] CA$1.9 million, and we just raised about half a millionjust under half a million dollars Canadian.

Maurice Jackson: All right, sir, you survived the storm. Mr. Jaworski, what is next for Group Eleven Resources? When should we expect results?

Maurice Jackson: For readers who want to get more information on Group Eleven Resources, please the contact details are.

Bart Jaworski: Our website is www.groupelevenresources.com. And as a reminder Group Eleven Resources trades on the TSX-V: ZNG and on the OTCQB: GRLVF. For direct inquiries, please contact Spiros Cacos at (604) 630-8839 ext. 503, and he may also be reached at[email protected].

Maurice Jackson: And finally, we invite you to visit provenandprobable.com, where we deliver mining insights and bullion sales. Bart Jaworski of Group Eleven Resources, 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.

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Disclosure:

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Images provided by the author.Arguably we have invented the best product out there, says Tauranga scientist Dr Shaun Holt. Over and above what the entire pharmaceutical industry can do.

Exciting for the scientist, and very exciting for one in three people globally who suffer from painful and unsightly cold sores.

Because one of the largest worldwide cold sore trials ever undertaken, and certainly one of the most novel and extensive clinical trials undertaken in this country has just told a local healthcare entrepreneur what he always believed.

And thats a honey cream called Honevo, derived from a native New Zealand kanuka and produced by his HoneyLab company, is every bit as effective in healing cold sores as the standard internationally accepted anti-viral treatments.

But the scientist goes one step further  he says Honevo is better.

Yes, you could say we are the same. But the difference is we are natural. And if you go to the consumer, 99 percent will choose the natural over synthetic if the products work to the same degree.

Standard over-the-counter treatments contain a pharmaceutical ingredient called aciclovir  pregnant women and children are advised against using it.

However Honevo answers the growing call for a natural alternative treatment, says Dr Holt. And this provides an evidence based option.

Thirty percent of people suffer from recurring attacks of cold sores  a blistering infection around the mouth. There are 100 million episodes each year in the USA at an annual cost of $100 per person, so its a big and lucrative market.

A lot of people doubted us,says Dr Holt. They said we would never get a patent, well we have. We would never get trials to show its as good as the pharmaceutical product, we have done that. They said we would never get a licensing deal and we are pretty close to that.

Instead of a traditional hospital based clinical trials, 952 patients enrolled in the two year Medical Research Institute of New Zealand trial through pharmacies or chemist shops nationwide. Three of those pharmacies were in Tauranga  Papamoa, Mount Maunganui and Otumoetai. It was a novel study, with Dr Holt describing it as an incredibly ambitious clinical undertaking.

It was a randomised trial comparing Honevo with traditional pharmaceutical products. Patients arriving at those chemist shops within the first 72 hours of a cold sore episode were invited to take part and randomly prescribed the aciclovir cream or the medical-grade kanuka honey cream Honevo.

Patients recorded data for pain and cold sore progression, comparing their cold sore recovery rate to supplied photographs of lesion progression. The data was monitored for 14 days or until the cold sore fully healed.

Results showed the median time for a return to normal skin was eight to nine days for both aciclovir and honey creams. No serious adverse effects were reported, says Dr Holt.

Another difference is acyclovir products have restricted applications. Whereas Honevo, because of its natural properties, can be used as often and for as long as the sufferer wants.

The honey acts as a moisturiser when the cold sore dries up and starts cracking and becoming painful. Honevo improves the whole recuperation process.

The product has already been trialed successfully on rosacea. Now theyre looking at further trialing  for acne and eczema.

HoneLab which produces Honevo is an all Bay of Plenty operation. The bees are from Katikati, the institutional investor is Quayside, the research and development is here as is many of its staff.

But success may mean it might have to change its name. Honevo is our first major product. But the next six are not honey  they are other natural New Zealand products that we want to do research on.

However, unlike Rocket Lab which could probably launch its rockets from anywhere in the world Honevo will always be based here because Kanuka only comes from New Zealand.I remember as a young child on our farm in Waiuku, smelling the ink from the rollers as my parents typed up a small publication on a stencil. They would then make copies using a Gestetner duplicator. These were regularly distributed around the neighbourhood and enjoyed by many.

Despite our world of digital media, its refreshing to find that for anyone who loves to doodle and write poetry, or generally express their visual creativity, theres an opportunity to get a little 'ziney'.

Its like a magazine but without the maga.

A zine is a loose term for anyone and everyone to create and publish their work, says Tauranga Zinefest organiser Hannah Wynn.

A zine is a small self-published magazine. It can be illustrations, poetry, and photography. Just any outlet where a creative, writer, designer can send the message that they want to get out there.

A lot of people coming together for a day to make zines is called a zinefest.

Zinefests have been held in Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton, and this is the third year its being held in Tauranga. From 10am to 3pm on Saturday, May 25, Tauranga Art Gallery will be full of people making and looking at zines.

We have at least 70 different zines to look through, with about 20-30 exhibitors set up for the day, says Hannah.

People can come along and buy the zines, make their own, or talk to the exhibitors. There will also be art prints and badges that can be purchased as well as the zines.

A large table will be set up for people to start making their own zine, with all the materials provided. And a workshop delivered by Craig McClure that will help with ideas and learning how to make them.

With high profile exhibitors coming like Craig, Ross Murray, Dylan Horrocks and others at the Zinefest, and the current Anti-Heroes exhibition, the link between zines and comics is an enjoyable one.

Often people do a zine series with one each year, says Hannah. We have everything from a young child doing some illustration and photocopying them to high-end publications being sold.

Hannah has been buying zines, and now owns about 200.

Its a simple entry way for artists to conveying a message to the masses without spending oodles of money.

You can get tiny zines wrapped up in matchboxes or A3 size. Some stack the sheets and put them in an envelope, some fold them and put a staple through it. Theres no rhyme or reason with how you want to create a zine.

Tauranga Zinefest organiser Hannah Wynn.Unashamed Tauranga 2019 will be cranking out music, creative arts, entertainment, fun and powerful speakers tonight at Otumoetai College.

Aimed at youth, the event features Sonya Cossey, performers from Excel School of Performing Arts, and The Society Dance Co. and Mattie Montgomery and more.

Unashamed carries an unashamedly powerful gospel message to youth that their life is no accident and has value. Speakers share their own life messages about how their lives have been transformed.

Mattie Montgomery

Mattie Montgomery, an American singer-songwriter best known as the former lead vocalist and frontman of Christian metal band For Today has played over 700 shows and toured extensively across six continents.

Performers from the Excel School of Performing Arts, which has been running since 1994 and offers a wide range of performance courses and experiences including choreography, dancing, music, singing and acting; will be taking to the stage.

The Society Dance Co, based in Hamilton features modern street dance. The group have recently been invited to compete at an international competition in Orlando, Florida at the end of 2019.

Sonya Cossey

Sonya Cossey is a writer and spoken word artist bringing a unique flavour to the arts scene in Aotearoa through her original poetry and expressive on stage presence. Having performed nation-wide in schools, theatres, churches, and camps, and seeing the impact the creative arts can have when paired with a dynamic faith, Sonya is passionate about connecting with every audience and individual in a way that is real, honest, and engaging.

Unashamed Tauranga 2019 starts at 6.30pm at Otumoetai College, 105 Windsor Rd, Otumoetai, and runs to 9pm. More information hereHe was awarded the Virginia Crime Scene Officer of the Year by the Virginia Forensic Science Academy Alumni Association in 2005.

Shuler said, I am a hands-on sheriff, staying in touch with my staff and the public. My door is always open; I always attempt to return all telephone calls, emails and messages. My deputies are well trained and educated; they have attended many specialized schools to help them better serve you. My staff exhibits high moral and ethical values.

Shuler said as sheriff, he hasnt stopped advancing his training and education. I received my Sheriffs Certification through the Virginia Sheriffs Institute and Virginia Commonwealth University. I completed the National Sheriffs Institute Executive Level Management Education and Training, and I completed the Virginia Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar provided by the FBI. I want to continue to learn all I can to be the best Sheriff for everyone.Drive sober, put away your cellphone and plan ahead.

Thats the advice officials gave motorists planning to drive in New York this Memorial Day weekend during a statewide crackdown on drunken, impaired and reckless driving.

The New York State Police are boosting patrols across the state to combat dangerous driving during the busy, long holiday weekend, state officials announced this week in a news release. The crackdown started Friday and ends Monday after Memorial Day.

Expect to see sobriety checkpoints and troopers watching roads from both unmarked and marked vehicles.

State Troopers will be highly visible this weekend and will have zero tolerance for impaired, reckless and distracted drivers, said State Police Acting Superintendent Keith M. Corlett.

During Memorial Day weekend in 2018, officials said troopers:Recently, it was reported that sneaker behemoth Nike will be rolling out a new app which it hopes will modernize the way people measure their feet.

Looking to cut down on the number of returned footwear from online orders, the Nike Fit app allows customers to scan their feet with their phones and then give sizing and shoe recommendations based on 13 data points.

The new technology would seem to be a threat to one of Central New Yorks oldest businesses, the Brannock Device company, headquartered in Liverpool.

The Brannock Shoe Device has been the industry-standard for measuring feet since its invention in 1926. It was an invention so perfect that little has changed about it about since it was first developed.

Obviously theres always new technology coming out and theres been a lot of different things over the years, said Tim Follet, Brannock Device Co. vice president. You always have to look at whats up and coming and whats new and exciting.

Maybe Brannocks nonchalance about the Nikes app is that the company has had competition in the past and has remained on top.

Jack Rubenstein, second from the left, stands in his Rochester Sample Shoe Store in Syracuse. At the far left is the store's Shoe Fitting X-Ray Machine. Courtesy of Mel Rubenstein. Coutesy of Mel RubensteinCoutesy of Mel Rubenstein

In a letter sent to syracuse.com, Mel Rubenstein of Manlius, who worked in his fathers store, Rochester Sample Shoe Store at 625 South Geddes St., remembered a previous attempt in at getting a persons shoes to fit perfectly using the latest technology.

The Brannock Device was considered practically foolproof, he wrote, but added, the word practically was not good enough for some, especially overly concerned mothers.

Shoe stores across the country in the 1940s and 50s, much like the Nike app of today, used the latest technology to guarantee their consumers that bought shoes that had the perfect fit.

Enter the Shoe Fitting X-Ray Machine.

Theres a good chance that if you grew up in the 1940s and purchased shoes at a city shoe store who had your feet zapped with radiation.

They were 4-and-one-half foot high wooden cabinets, with shoe-sized slots built into a step. Below that was a fluoroscope which emitted X-rays, partially enclosed in a shielded box. On top of the cabinet there were three viewers.

A customer, usually a child, would place their feet into the slots, while a salesperson set the amperage and a timer, usually set for 20 seconds.

Through the viewer, the child, mother and salesperson could see the bones of the feet, glowing in a yellowish-green color, while a ghostly outline of the show could be seen on the outside. If the customer wiggled their feet, the movements of the bones could be seen. The clerk could manipulate a pointer which they could use to explain to the customer the finer points of how the shoe fit.

Jack Rubenstein, Mels father, made sure that his store was one of the first in Upstate New York to have one.

It stirred a lot of interest, Mel wrote in his book The Smell of Leather, and customers were impressed that a local neighborhood store would make such an investment.

The machines were a big hit, and at their peak in the 1940s, there were an estimated 10,000 of them being used throughout the country.

For children, they were a group activity. A popular free after-school activity was watching the bones of your feet wiggle while glowing in neon green.

Jack Rubenstein took advantage of the interest in the new equipment and advertised it extensively. He soon had new customers, coming from as far away as Watertown, Cortland, Utica and Auburn.

A 1946 Rochester Sample Shoe Store ad in the Post-Standard read:

The tender child foot, with its soft bones and pliant muscle, can be compressed into almost any type of shoe. The child, feeling no pain, cannot tell if the shoe fits properly or not. Thats why we insist upon fitting childrens shoes by X-Ray.

An ad explaining the benefits of x-ray shoe fitting offered at the Rochester Sample Shoe Store at 625 South Geddes Street. It appeared in the Post-Standard ad on April 4, 1946. Heritage Microfilm Coutesy of Mel Rubenstein

It was, the ad said, the only way we, and you, can be sure that your childs shoes will help to develop normal, healthy feet for a lifetime of foot health and comfort.

Like most shoe store owners, Rubenstein knew that the X-ray machines were a great sales gimmick and advertising tool but were not a particularly good way to fit shoes to a persons foot.

The shoe-fitting fluoroscope was nothing more or less than an elaborate form of advertising designed to sell shoes, Jacalyn Duffin and Charles H.H. Hayter wrote in a journal article in the Universitys of Chicagos The History of Social Science.

It entered a well-established culture of shoe-selling hucksterism that relied on scientific rhetoric, which enticed thrill-seeking children into shops.

They were kind of pointless: the machines could only show the bones of a foot, not the soft tissue around them.

Down deep, Jack knew that the shoe fitting X-ray machine was nothing more than a sales tool and merchandising aide, Mel wrote.

He told his staff that the machine should be used only after they had fitted shoes the best way, by hand.

And the machines had another, more serious, problem.

The typical X-Ray Shoe Fitting Machine delivered a radiation dose of 13 roentgen, though some were much higher, especially if the lead shielding had been removed to make moving the heavy cabinets around easier.

The dose of radiation was relatively harmless for the occasional shoe shopper. But for the children who tested their feet regularly for fun, the machines posed a serious health risk.

They were even more dangerous for the stores staff who often spent most of their workdays around the machines, which were often out of adjustment and were constructed so radiation often leaked into the store. Some salespeople were asked to place their hands inside the machine while it was on after a customer asked to have the shoe squeezed.

As early as 1950, the radiation hazards of the machines were already recognized, and states began to ban them.

A June 2, 1952, health column in the Post-Standard reminded parents of the danger:

The obvious danger is that X-ray has a powerful effect on the tissues and repeated or unwise exposure from the foot machines may cause serious burns to the foot. A competent shoe man doesnt require the aid of a shoe machine, anyway, to fit a shoe properly.

A 2007 Wisconsin Medical Journal report linked the use of the machines to Basal Cell Carcinoma of the sole of the foot.

By 1950, many states began banning the machines.

In Syracuse, Jack Rubensteins store, after being one of the first to employ them in Upstate New York, became one of the first to dispose of theirs after the health-risk became known.

By 1970, 33 states had banned them and strict regulation in the other 17 made them impossible to function.

A Smithsonian article from 2012 says that the fluoroscopes were replaced by the cold and far less exciting sliding metal measuring device thats still in use today.HENRIETTA, N.Y. -- A deputy found the accused murderers RV in a Rochester-area parking lot.

The motor home was parked in a secluded lot in Henrietta late Thursday night, U.S. Marshal Charles Salina said, and had pieces of cardboard covering its front windows. Investigators were pretty sure a couple wanted for killing a 72-year-old man last month in Arizona were holed up inside the RV, he said.

The Monroe County sheriffs SWAT team was called to the lot in an industrial area off of Jefferson Road. Believing the couple was considered armed and dangerous, investigators carefully kept watch for hours before they approached the RV, Undersheriff Korey Brown said.

We dont know if theyre going to turn over peacefully," Brown said, or if they want to go out in a blaze of glory.

Just before 4 a.m. Friday, Blane Barksdale and Susan Barksdale -- the accused murderers -- peacefully surrendered, Brown said.

Blane Barksdale, 55, and his wife, Susan Barksdale, 58, were arrested as fugitives from justice by the U.S. Marshals Services Fugitive Task Force. The couple was wanted for first-degree murder and arson in Tucson, Arizona.

The Marshals Service and the sheriffs office discussed the arrests Friday during a news conference.

U.S. Marshal Charles Salina and MCSO Undersheriff Korey Brown provide comments and answer media questions regarding last nights fugitive arrests in Henrietta. https://t.co/V9LmURxRpz  Monroe County Sheriffs Office (@monroesheriffny) May 24, 2019

The Barksdales have been accused of killing Frank Bligh in early April and burning down the elderly mans home, the Tuscon Police Department said in a news release posted on Facebook. Police worked with marshals to find Blane and Susan Barksdale after the couple fled the state, police said.

This week, marshals tracked the Barksdales over 2,000 miles away from Tuscon to New York when the RVs license plates were scanned by a license plate reader at the Eastview Mall in Victor. The couple also used a credit card in the Henrietta area, Marshal Salina said.

Arizona marshals contacted Salinas office around 8 p.m. Thursday about the Barksdales, Salina said.

Blane and Susan Barksdale are being held in the Monroe County Jail pending their extradition back to Arizona.A violent tornado lashed through Missouri and state capital Jefferson City on the evening of May 22 and caught sleeping residents off guard.

The "Wedge Tornado" was observed over the city around 11:45 p.m. on Wednesday, moving at 40 miles per hour and sending debris 13,000 feet into the air, according to the National Weather Service. A wedge tornado looks wider than the distance from the ground to an ambient cloud base. Many known "wedge" tornadoes have also been violent, producing F4 to F5 damage on the Fujita scale.

The powerful tornado is part of a deadly spring storm system that has raged through the Plains and the Midwest and caused heavy rains, flash floods, and hails. The extreme weather also resulted in at least 130 tornadoes in five days in the central United States.

Tornadoes' Trail Of Damages And Casualties

The force of the tornado that felt like an earthquake has left 20 people injured, damaged buildings, and felled posts. In Golden City, three people were killed. The fatalities were identified as Kenneth Harris, 86, and his wife, Opal, 83, and Betty Berg, 56. Among other hard-hit areas were Carl Junction and Eldon.

Jefferson City police lieutenant David Williams described the situation as "chaotic." The tornado's widespread damage has reached a 3-mile swath of the city that has a population of over 40,000. More than 21,000 people were also affected by power outages while more than 330 roads in Missouri were closed due to severe flooding.

"We are very thankful we didn't have any more fatalities than we did," said Mike Parson, Missouri's governor.

Devastation Across Plains And Midwest

The unusually powerful spring storms have spawned successive tornadoes and extreme weather events in the previous days. These storms are also causing heavy rains and flooding that are forcing residents to evacuate.

Some 600 residents of Webber Falls in Oklahoma were ordered to leave their homes as the waters from the Arkansas river continued to rise. Sand Springs in Tulsa with more than 19,000 residents and Fort Gibson with over 4,000 residents were also encouraged to evacuate following threats from the rising river.

"This is a life-threatening situation," Webber Falls officials posted on the town's Facebook page.

Late Spring Storms And Extreme Weather Events

According to AccuWeather, the threats of severe weather will return to the Plains on May 23, partially as a result of a large and persistent dip in the jet stream across the western United States.

"Each storm system that dives through the West and Four Corners region has nowhere to go but into the southern and central Plains. When these systems interact with moisture and humidity being drawn northward from the Gulf of Mexico, the ingredients come together for severe weather outbreaks," the weather news agency declared.

Severe thunderstorms triggered by the said storm system will bring damaging wind gusts, flooding downpours, and incidents of large hail. Several tornadoes are also possible.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service issues the recall of over 62,000 pounds of raw beef products potentially contaminated with E. coli.

Beef Recall Announced

According to the USDA announcement, the 62,112 pounds of ground beef products getting recalled were packaged by the Aurora Packing Company, Inc. on April 19, 2019. All of the products display the establishment number "EST. 788" in the USDA mark of inspection.

While the packaging was done in North Aurora, Illinois, the raw beef products were distributed nationwide, so the recall will occur throughout the country.

USDA also provided a list of products that are subject to recall, which includes steak cuts, ribs, brisket, and more. The issues with the meat were discovered during random testing of the FSIS.

E. Coli Outbreak

The recall comes nearly a month after the USDA and CDC issued a warning about a multi-state Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O103 outbreak linked to ground beef. As of May 13, CDC has recorded 196 cases of the infection across 10 states with 28 hospitalized individuals.

Aside from the Aurora Packing Company, companies Grant Park Packing and K2D Foods have also already recalled raw beef products in April. Investigators are continuing to track other sources of contaminated ground beef.

How To Avoid E. Coli Infections

While USDA, CDC, and other health officials are heading the recalls of contaminated raw beef products linked to the bacteria, CDC said that it's also important for individuals to make sure they're taking the necessary precautions to be safe.

For instance, ground beef should be cooked at an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and casseroles with ground beef at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Upon cooking, the dish should be refrigerated within two hours and consumed within three to four days.

Recalled ground beef should not be eaten, served, or sold.

When handling raw ground beef, it's important to wash hands and kitchen tools thoroughly before and after touching the meat. Raw meat should also be handled separately from cooked food items.

Most Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections begin showing symptoms three to four days after the consumption of contaminated food. It usually lasts five to seven days with symptoms that include stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and a fever.

However, some infections are more severe than most. Five to 10 percent of all STEC patients develop a kidney failure known as the hemolytic uremic syndrome, which could potentially lead to permanent damage or even death.

USDA advises individuals who suspect they're infected to contact a health care provider.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Several Chinese factories have been found to be in direct violation of an international agreement by unleashing large amounts of ozone-destroying gas into the atmosphere.

In an article featured in the journal Nature, an international team of scientists discovered evidence that point to some industries in north-eastern China releasing Chlorofluorocarbon-11 into the Earth's atmosphere.

World governments have long considered CFC-11 as a banned substance because of its potential to rapidly deplete the ozone layer, which helps protect the planet from ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The chemical has been prohibited under the 1987 Montreal Protocol.

However, the researchers found that CFC-11 levels in the Chinese region have increased by as much as 7,000 tons per year since 2013.

Environment experts are concerned that such high levels of carbon emissions could exacerbate the deterioration of the ozone, which has already shown signs of recovery after decades of damaging. These could also worsen the impact of climate change on global temperatures.

What Are CFCs?

Chlorofluorocarbons first came into existence during the 1920s. Chemists used compounds such as ammonia, chloromethane, propane, and sulfur dioxide as primary agents for refrigeration and air conditioning systems.

While these compounds proved to be effective refrigerants, they were highly toxic and flammable. Exposure to the substances could also result in serious injury or even death.

Thomas Midgely Jr., a researcher for home appliances maker Frigidaire, helped develop an alternative to refrigerants that was nontoxic and nonflammable. What he and his team came up with was the compound dichlorodifluoromethane (CCl2F2), which was later named "Freon."

However, manufacturers continued to use CFCs as refrigerants on a wide scale. In fact, CFC production around the world reached nearly 1 million tons per year by the 1970s. It helped brought in $500 million to the chemical industry.

Researchers later discovered that all of the chlorofluorocarbons produced over the years stayed in the Earth's atmosphere instead of dissipating.

F. Sherwood Rowland, a professor of chemistry at the University of California, Irvine, and Mario J. Molina, postdoctoral fellow in Rowland's laboratory, described how UV radiation breaks down the chlorine atoms in CFCs that end up in the stratosphere.

When these atoms interact even with an ozone molecule, they would set off a chain reaction that could destroy other ozone molecules in the atmosphere.

Rowland and Molina estimates that ozone loss would continue for years even if CFC use was banned. However, the destruction of the ozone would be even greater if production of the compound did not stop immediately.

"When we realized there was a very effective chain reaction, that changed the CFC investigation from an interesting scientific problem to one that had major environmental consequences," Rowland said.

"You don't often get many chills down your back when you look at scientific results."

How To Help Mitigate The Impact Of CFCs

In 2018, nonprofit research group Drawdown released a list of 100 solutions for climate change, each one ranked according to their potential impacts. The one that topped its list was refrigerant management.

The group believes proper disposal of old refrigerants, instead of just allowing them to leak into the air, would help prevent as much as 90 gigatons of carbon dioxide from getting to the atmosphere. This is equivalent to more than 17 years' worth of CO2 emissions in the United States.

Chad Frishmann, research director at Drawdown, considers the move as an "incredibly important solution" for climate change.

In an article by the National Geographic, CFCs can be disposed of by incinerating them in specially designed kilns. This would allow the harmful chlorine atoms within the compounds to be broken down and turned into a benign mixture.

To help promote the proper disposal of CFCs, some organizations have devised ways on how to turn the venture into something profitable.

Tradewater, a company dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, has developed a business model where initiatives are converted into carbon offset credits and then sold in carbon markets.

These offset credits are often used by large corporations, such as Microsoft and Sky media company, to help fuel their sustainability goals. The money that these companies funnel into carbon markets are then used to fund efforts to cut carbon emissions around the world.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.A fugitive who struck a deal with Connecticut police to turn himself in if his wanted poster gets 15,000 likes on Facebook still hasn't kept his end of the bargain.

On May 22, the City of Torrington Police Department posted on Facebook a wanted poster of two suspects, one of which was Jose Simms.

Earlier this week, 29-year-old Simms reached out to the town's lieutenant on Facebook and made the deal. The department said Simms originally asked for 20,000 likes, but the police lieutenant wanted 10,000 likes. Lt. Brett Johnson, the officer-in-charge, negotiated to bring down the deal to 15,000.

Fugitive Jose Simms Strikes Deal With Police But Still Hasn't Shown Up

Simms is due for an interview with authorities because he has four arrest warrants for first-degree failure to appear in court and three arrest warrants for second-degree failure to appear.

The police did not offer any other details on the charges against Simms.

On Wednesday morning, the Torrington Police Department asked followers to share and like the wanted poster so it garners more reactions.

The police officer said the deal is difficult but doable.

"So please, 'like' this post, and while you're at it share it, Tweet it, Instagram it, Snapchat it, WUPHF it ... or use whatever other platforms are out there that I don't know about," said the officer.

Within 13 hours, the post gained 17,000 reactions.

As of writing, Simms still hasn't shown up in the police precinct despite the post garnering at least 27,000 reactions.

Lt. Johnson said the page is getting a lot of inquiries as to whether Simms has shown up, but he said they will update details if the suspect does appear.

The police believe the young man is somewhere in New York. Despite the no-show, the police said they are satisfied with their decision to enter into an agreement with the young fugitive.

Lt. Bart Barown said the police have all kinds of information and tips that can help them find Simms.

"It's generated phone calls and tips and leads that we otherwise may not have been able to get," said Barown.

He said national media publicity will make it harder for Simms to hide.

The Facebook Deal Receives Some Backlash

Police ethics and procedure expert Maki Haberfeld said the fugitive is using social media to manipulate the police and the news.

Haberfeld, who is from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said the police has no business negotiating with a suspect, especially a deal that involves likes on Facebook.

She said people will start looking at violations of law as a game.

"It turns this into a joke," added Haberfeld.

Simms appears to be an internet troll. On Wednesday, Simms had posted that he was a "man of my word" and that he negotiated the deal because looking over his shoulder caused him a lot of stress.

Simms even responded to the wanted poster on the Torrington Police Department Facebook. He complained that the wanted poster was a "trash pic" of himself.

Simms has already taken down his Facebook account. He has also declined requests for comments. Meanwhile, the police is determined to find Simms.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Leonardo da Vinci died 500 years ago, but scientists are now showing evidence that the iconic polymath may have had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He was described as a genius driven to distraction.

The research from the King's College London and the University of Pavia in Italy entitled "Leonardo da Vinci: A genius driven to distraction" suggests that historical documentation supports Da Vinci's difficulties with procrastination and time management as characteristic of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.

Busy Life Of A Polymath

Being a polymath, Da Vinci is an artist, scientist, architect, and inventor. He delved in many aspects of knowledge  art and natural philosophy, among others, but he also failed to complete many projects. It was said that he set himself to learn many things but abandoned them after having begun.

"Leonardo's chronic struggle to distill his extraordinary creativity into concrete results and deliver on commitments was proverbial in his lifetime and present since early childhood," said Marco Catani, professor of neuroanatomy and psychiatry at King's College, and Paolo Mazzarello, a professor from the brain and behavior sciences department of the University of Pavia.

They said Da Vinci's "relentless procrastination" and "difficulties with focusing" that were evident since his childhood could have stemmed from ADHD.

To further amplify Da Vinci's traits and their relation to the characteristics of ADHD, the researchers said like many other people with ADHD, Da Vinci slept very little and worked night and day in between short naps. They also said Da Vinci always kept himself occupied but also often switched from task to task, resulting in a reputation of a mix of brilliance and difficulty.

Da Vinci's Unique Brain Wiring

Despite his abilities, Da Vinci struggled to work independently as an artist. When he was 26 years old, he opened his own studio in Florence, Italy, after leaving the workshop of Andrea Verrocchio. However, he failed to finish and deliver important commissioned works because of his identifiable fickleness of temperament and chaotic organization skills.

The study even compared him to Italian Renaissance artist Raphael, who, at the same age of 26, had already finished more than 80 paintings, including large frescos in the Vatican.

The study states that ADHD is a highly heritable childhood behavioral disorder characterized by continuous procrastination, the inability to complete tasks, mind wandering, and a restlessness of the body and mind.

Da Vinci also showed traits of atypical hemispheric dominance, left-handedness, and dyslexia that are prevalent in children with neurodevelopmental conditions, including ADHD.

ADHD In Adults

Although ADHD is usually recognized during childhood and may last until adulthood, it is increasingly being diagnosed among adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said individuals with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, may act without thinking about what the result will be, or may be overly active.

"While impossible to make a post-mortem diagnosis for someone who lived 500 years ago, I am confident that ADHD is the most convincing and scientifically plausible hypothesis to explain Leonardo's difficulty in finishing his works," Catani said in a statement.

ADHD can't be cured but can be managed to improve the symptoms.

The paper is published in the Brain journal.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Authorities began taking steps Friday to sink a barge in Bayou Chene with the hope it will mean Iberville and nearby parishes are spared from devastating backwater flooding if the Morganza Spillway is opened as expected.

Gov. John Bel Edwards released a statement Friday afternoon announcing the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration and the St. Mary Levee District began the process to install a temporary barge flood gate on Bayou Chene.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected to make their final decision on the spillway's opening May 28.

+3 As officials move closer to opening Morganza Spillway, governor says it's 'more likely than not' State and federal officials said Thursday it was appearing more likely that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would need to open the Morganza S

The decision to sink the barge is expected to bring relief to areas downstream of the spillway's impact area by reducing the amount of backwater flooding in the area.

The measure will have authorities install a barge in Bayou Chene - a tributary of the Atchafalaya River which leads into populated areas of Iberville, St. Martin, St. Mary, Terrebonne and Assumption parishes - and sink it, stopping the water flow. The spillway, if opened, would flood water into the Atchafalaya and down into those parishes, so putting the barge in place is intended to protect those residents from backwater flooding.

Can't see video below? Click here.

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The state recently approved $80 million in funding to place a permanent structure at Bayou Chene, but that construction will take several years.

The anticipated spillway opening would not occur until June 2. The process of installing the barge would begin Tuesday and would take seven days. If the spillway is opened, it could take up to two weeks before water travels down the Atchafalaya Basin and reaches Morgan City, giving authorities ample time to fully submerge and prepare the barge to lessen additional backwater flooding.

+3 Iberville crawfish farmers prepare for uncertainty as Morganza Spillway opening more likely BAYOU PIGEON - Crawfish farmers at Randazzos Bayou Pigeon Seafood hauled, sprayed and packed their bugs into trucks Thursday afternoon, surro

With potential opening of Morganza Spillway, what wildlife could be at risk? It appears likely that the Morganza Spillway will be opened next month, which could impact wildlife in some areas, according to the Louisiana 

To be clear, the barge flood gate on Bayou Chene will be in place by the time the spillway is opened, said CPRA Chairman Chip Kline. The CPRA has agreed to fully fund the sinking of the barge and is not asking any cost-share from the locally-affected parishes."Local officials and law enforcement leaders are embracing emerging technology that allows them to map where crimes are most likely to occur within Baton Rouge neighborhoods based on geographical factors like dollar stores, apartment complexes and blighted properties.

The software identifies high-risk locations where law enforcement patrols are most needed, which means the Baton Rouge Police Department can deploy their officers more effectively in hopes of preventing crime before it occurs.

That proactive model becomes especially important in light of the department's long-standing manpower shortage.

Upcoming Baton Rouge police academy class to boost staffing, diversity The Baton Rouge Police Department's next training academy for new recruits is expected to help reduce the agency's longstanding staffing short

It's also central to Murphy Paul's ongoing efforts to improve efficiency, which he has emphasized since taking over as chief in January 2018.

Consultants who are completing an efficiency study of the agency  part of Paul's push to "do more with less"  recently complimented the department's approach to technology, which they said is ahead of the curve.

Efficiency of Baton Rouge Police Department studied amid discussions of police pay City officials are looking for ways to make the Baton Rouge Police Department more efficient, which could help free up resources amid ongoing 

The city also received a national award last year for its use of the software, which is called Public Safety Common Operational Platform or PSCOP, pronounced "peace cop."

The city's efforts are getting noticed.

Senior Geographic Information System Analyst Brandon Jumonville will travel to Spain in a few weeks to present at a conference specifically focused on the use of "risk terrain modeling" to analyze the likelihood of crime. The conference includes speakers from around the world, including a few other U.S. cities.

Jumonville has worked extensively with the PSCOP platform since joining the city's GIS department in 2016  just months after his cousin, Matthew Gerald, became one of three officers killed during an ambush on law enforcement in July 2016 that rocked Baton Rouge during an already tumultuous summer.

"This is kind of a tribute to Matt's life for me," Jumonville said. "He needlessly died serving his community, and this gives me the opportunity to play at least a small role in keeping our officers and citizens safe."

+2 Slain Baton Rouge police officer Matthew Gerald remembered for military and police service Whether he was with his fellow soldiers in Iraq or at home with his family, Matthew Gerald's life was spent in service to others.

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Jumonville approached the job with skills he acquired doing geospatial analysis during his six years in the U.S. Marines. He works alongside other analysts within the GIS department, which handles a range of data sets including addresses, infrastructure and the 311 system for citizen complaints. The police department also has their own analysts who process crime data.

"The PSCOP system is basically taking counterinsurgency military tactics and adapting them to an urban terrain," he said. "It's looking at how criminals are interacting with their landscape  what makes a potential criminal feel safe enough in their environment to commit that crime?"

Part of the goal is getting officers to use the software and patrol accordingly, he said. That's happening more and more all the time.

Jumonville has distributed a survey among uniform patrol officers, asking them to rank various geographical features according to how often crimes seem to occur near those places, such as bars, convenience stores and check-cashing businesses.

He's collected the results and used them in developing new models, which also take into account past calls for service and crimes occurring at specific locations.

The next step is circulating another study among the general public, which asks similar questions about where people feel unsafe. Once enough people have responded, those results will also be integrated into the risk terrain modeling system.

"From an analytical viewpoint, this is a completely unbiased, data-driven approach to crime," Jumonville said. "It's not focusing on demographics or individuals, it's looking at the environment where crimes occur.  This marks a paradigm shift. We're asking officers to view crime differently."

The PSCOP platform will also be integrated into the department's Real Time Crime Center, which is set to open in coming months and will boost data analysis and information gathering for officers.

A recent study conducted by researchers from LSU and the East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office used the same technology to show that the concentration of blighted properties and the presence of convenience stores could be used to predict where Baton Rouge homicides are most likely to occur. The risk of homicide becomes about 13 times higher within a few blocks of blighted properties, according to the results.

+7 Researchers: Battling blight in Baton Rouge can play a key role in fighting crime Mary Thomas used to admire the freshly painted houses overlooking green grass and trimmed hedges in her Fairfields neighborhood. She loved wat

Research has long shown that crime is not distributed evenly across communities. It's highly concentrated in certain neighborhoods  or blocks or street corners  and almost nonexistent in others.

Experts argue that focusing on where crimes are happening in addition to who's committing them can improve efficiency and boost community relations. That shifting focus has taken hold in recent decades among law enforcement agencies nationwide.

"Are you trying to apprehend someone who's committed a crime or are you trying to prevent crime before it happens? If you're trying to prevent crime, it's much more effective and cheaper and easier to focus on places than people," said Jim Bueermann, a policing consultant and former president of the nonprofit National Police Foundation. "Controlling crime is not always about putting more cops on the problem."Environmentalists have filed an ethics complaint against the Baton Rouge-area groundwater commission, which they allege is being run inappropriately because regulated businesses have seats on its board.

Critics have frequently decried the arrangement as letting foxes guard the henhouse. They warn that without better management, the cost of drinking water could rise while quality falls. In turn, the companies say they have the experience and technical expertise needed to safeguard the aquifer beneath Baton Rouge.

+2 Environmentalists claim commission isn't doing enough to protect Baton Rouge's drinking water When it comes to Baton Rouge drinking water, the foxes are guarding the hen house, according to environmental groups that want to shake up the

As fresh water is pumped out of the ground, salt water can cross over an underground fault line that runs roughly along Interstate 10. There is ongoing debate about whether the Capital Area Groundwater Conservation Commission is doing enough to prevent salt water intrusion, and whether drastic steps are needed, such as restricting industrial access to the aquifer and requiring that companies use river water in their operations.

A recent legislative audit questioned whether it was a violation of state law for people to serve on a board while receiving salaries and benefits from businesses regulated by that board. The commission has 18 members, and the Louisiana Environmental Action Network is focused on five who currently work at for-profit private companies that draw groundwater, as well as a sixth board member who is retired from one of the businesses. Other board members represent local government agencies and groups such as the Louisiana Cattlemen's Association.

See why auditors think groundwater authorities aren't doing enough to protect Baton Rouge aquifer The local groundwater commission has failed to effectively regulate the aquifer beneath Baton Rouge, threatening further saltwater intrusion a

The four companies with board representation account for most of the water pumped out of the aquifer. Those companies, and the amount of water they drew last year, are: the Baton Rouge Water Company (24 billion gallons), Georgia-Pacific (13 billion gallons), ExxonMobil (10 billion gallons) and Entergy Louisiana (3 billion gallons).

In their official response to auditors, the groundwater commission wrote that the Louisiana Board of Ethics would have to decide whether it's illegal for company employees to receive board votes. LEAN has now officially requested an investigation.

"The absence of a strong regulatory program  is directly attributable to the influence of these members who are fatally conflicted; their actual careers, paychecks and future retirements hinged on the protection of their company's interests before the CAGWCC, which primarily mean maintenance of the status quo," LEAN director Marylee Orr wrote in a letter to the Ethics Board and shared with The Advocate.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

+2 New member 'stunned' groundwater commission not further along in fight against saltwater intrusion The Capital Area Groundwater Commission had a feisty, three-hour meeting Monday morning, the first full gathering since it came under increase

Orr references testimony given by a Water Company executive in 2013 to the state Public Service Commission. The executive said his company's long-term plan involved eventually switching from groundwater to Mississippi River water. Baton Rouge residents would have to fund such a conversion, and transitioning to lower-quality river water could lead to adverse health effects, Orr wrote.

Georgia-Pacific spokesman Kelly Ferguson remarked that industrial users make up only a "small portion" of the overall board and "give the state a balanced view." He and a statement from Entergy pointed out that the Legislature gave industrial users seats on the board when it set up the groundwater commission.

Former Entergy employee and board member Mark Walton has also sent around a list of 42 state boards with a similar arrangement, mostly professional groups like the Louisiana state boards of dentistry, home inspectors, plumbing and veterinary medicine.

It is vital that companies have representation on the groundwater commission, Baton Rouge Water Company Vice President Hays Owen said.

"We have all the current knowledge," and having the commission operate without guidance from industry would be like piloting a ship without a compass, he said. Owen pointed out that it was the Water Company  not the groundwater commission  which built the scavenger well in Baton Rouge that intercepts salt water before it reaches its drinking water well.

ExxonMobil deferred to the commission, whose director Tony Duplechin said he had not yet been informed of the ethics complaint. He said he did not think the companies had enough representation to sway the board and argued that removing the aquifer's biggest users would be akin to taxation without representation."A high-profile member of a now-obscure class of politician: the 'pro-life liberal.'

That's The Washington Post's Reis Thebault, describing Gov. John Bel Edwards in a profile today.

+4 Louisiana v. Abortion: How the state legislature is tightening the right to legal abortion Its that time of year again  when Louisiana state legislators nearly have completed their annual practice of rushing additional abortion res

"Edwards, elected in 2015, has championed health care expansion and a minimum raise hike in a state that voted overwhelmingly for President Trump a year later," Thebault writes. "Yet its his views on abortion that have thrust him and other antiabortion Democrats into the national spotlight."

Edwards has been consistent in his anti-abortion views since his days in the Louisiana legislature, up through his 2015 gubernatorial campaign and subsequent governorship. He has stated he will sign the so-called 'fetal heartbeat' bill that will be voted on  and surely passed  in the legislature on Tuesday.

Thebault also points out that the 2006 'trigger law' that would automatically ban abortion in Louisiana if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the Roe v. Wade decision was signed into law by then-Gov. Kathleen Blanco, another anti-abortion Democrat.

Two comments on the story sum up the feelings of pro-choice Democrats, as well as the quandary they face:

"There is no place for pro-lifers in the Democratic Party. Primary them all. If that results in fewer Dem office holders in the south or the midwest, so be it."

"Perfect is the routine enemy of the good. Get rid of this "pro-life" Democrat and he'll be replaced by a "pro-life" Republican. Those are the real-world alternatives. Any Democrat who doesn't understand that is just plain stupid."

Federal judge blocks Mississippi's six-week abortion ban  what that means for Louisiana A federal Mississippi judge temporarily blocked today a law the state passed in March banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected  aTwo Texas men died Friday when their car sunk in the Intracoastal Waterway after they attempted to jump a raised drawbridge south of Lake Charles.

State Police identified the two men as 23-year-old Alejandro Cazares of McAllen, Texas and 32-year-old Roberto Alejandro Moreno of Edinburg, Texas.

In a statement, Trooper Derek Senegal said the men were driving south on La. 384, known as Big Lake Road, when they came to the Black Bayou Bridge around 2 a.m. The pontoon bridge was raised to allow a boat to pass on the Intracoastal Waterway.

According to a witness, the passenger got out of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze and lifted the drawbridge gate arm. The driver pulled through, picked up the passenger and backed up to gain a little distance before speeding forward to jump the bridges ramp, the release said.

The vehicle became airborne then crashed into the waterway, sinking to the bottom. The driver was unable to escape the vehicle and the passenger was located floating in the waterway, Senegal said.

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs Office Marine Division and the U.S. Coast Guard performed search and recovery.

Toxicology samples were obtained and will be submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation, the release said.The man behind one of Australias most famous franchises Jims Mowing has rubbished the franchising sector and voiced concern the response to a recent parliamentary inquiry wont be strong enough.

David Jim Penman started Jims Mowing in 1989 and it has expanded to more than 50 divisions from antennae to personal training, which reap $500 million in revenue a year. His familiar logo now brandishes the utes, vans and cars of nearly 4000 franchisees who service about 35,000 people annually.

David 'Jim' Penman has savaged the franchising industry. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

The $170 billion franchise sector was recently put under a parliamentary microscope after a series of Age and Sydney Morning Herald stories revealed severe issues that were destroying lives and wiping out franchisee life savings.

The inquiry called for new laws, better enforcement, bigger penalties and changes to the franchising code of conduct. It also recommended setting up a taskforce to action the changes.The Ipswich Motorway has re-opened after being closed outbound for hours after a car flipped at Wacol on Saturday afternoon.

The driver was critically injured in the crash, just before 4pm, approaching the Brisbane Road off ramp.

Emergency services respond to the crash at Wacol. Credit:Nine News Brisbane.

Shortly after 9pm, police announced the highway had re-opened but warned drivers to expect delays.

A police spokeswoman said the car flipped but there did not appear to be any other vehicles involved.Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The first woman elected to Queensland Parliament was forbidden from entering the members' dining room, so ate her lunch on the verandah outside. Nobody knows where Irene Longman relieved herself on long sitting days, as there were no female toilets at Parliament House. When Mrs Longman ran for the seat of Bulimba in 1929, it was considered a "hopeless" effort and nobody really thought she could win. Irene Longman was the first woman elected to the Queensland Parliament in 1929. Credit:State Library of Queensland Described as a quiet, but forceful speaker with a a pleasant voice, a big heart, and a big mind full of plans and reforms for the future", she faced an uphill battle from the get-go. "Prejudice dies hard after all," she said in 1950. It took Queensland almost 40 years to elect its second woman to Parliament - Vi Jordan in 1966. There was still no bathroom ready for her.

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Mrs Jordan would leave her high heels outside the men's bathroom at Parliament House so male MPs would know she was using it, quipped Anna Bligh, Queensland's first female premier. Mrs Longman, whose brothers Percy and James Bayley were also MPs, was a well-known personality in Brisbane before she was elected to the seat of Bulimba in May 1929. She spent 18 years engaged in welfare work, helping to introduce public playgrounds and the creche and kindergarten movements in Brisbane. The pioneer was married to Heber Longman, who was Queensland Museum director for almost 30 years. They didn't have any children. At the time of her death in 1964, then-opposition leader Jack Duggan said it was sometimes a disability for a man to be the husband of a famous woman. I do not know whether Mrs Longman is remembered as the wife of the director of the Queensland Museum or whether Mr Longman is remembered as the husband of the first woman member of parliament in Queensland. Anna Bligh became Queensland's first female premier in 2007. Credit:Cole Bennetts

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Interviewed by the Queensland Times in 1929, Mr Longman was serenely smoking while his wife was plied with questions. "And what do you think of it all?" the interviewer asked Mr Longman. He replied: "When my wife was first endorsed as a candidate, I felt a strong desire to go out west and hunt for new fossils, but that feeling soon changed, and I have really enjoyed the campaigns." Though she was in Parliament for only one term, Irene Longman achieved much for Queensland women. Her greatest legacy was paving the way for the first women to serve as police officers in the state. Katarina Carroll is the current commissioner of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service and will take over the top job in the Queensland Police Service in July. Credit:AAP/Darren England In July, Katarina Carroll will become first woman to lead the state's police service in its 155-year history. She did not wish to contribute to this story.

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The Country and Progressive National Party, an early iteration of the LNP, preselected Mrs Longman the seat of Bulimba, which was considered a Labor stronghold at the time. In a speech given in 1950, Mrs Longman acknowledged she was likely preselected for the seat because her party considered it "hopeless" and nobody expected her to win. Her Labor rival, Albert Wright, certainly did not think his female opponent would have a chance of unseating him. "Well, you know, I am only being opposed by a woman," he said in relation to his re-election prospects. Not only did Mrs Longman win the seat, she secured a massive swing in her party's favour, according to the the state Legislative Assembly's then-clerk, Charles Bernays. "And so it came about that one little feeble woman, full to the brim of energy, overflowing with sympathy for her sex; simple, non-aggressive, ladylike to her fingertips, just metaphorically took A.H. Wright by the scruff of the neck and scrubbed the whole surface of the large Bulimba electorate with him, wiping out a previous majority of thousands, and converting it into a minority," he wrote. On the night of her election, Mrs Longman received a great ovation as she was hoisted on the shoulders of two men over a jubilant crowd singing For Shes A Jolly Good Fellow and was declared "the best man of them all".

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Irene Longman served just one term in Queensland Parliament, from 1929-1932. Credit:State Library of Queensland It is fitting that 90 years on, Mrs Longmans former seat of Bulimba is held by Minister for Women Di Farmer. "When Irene Longman was elected, Parliament was practically hostile territory. Of the 72 members of Parliament, there were seven Williams and five Georges, but just one woman," Ms Farmer said. "Im proud to follow in her footsteps as the second ever female Member for Bulimba, but she was also quite progressive in terms of youth justice reform. "Its because of Irene that we convene Childrens Courts separately to adults, in separate, private and safe venues. "She also effectively created the first advisory panel to work with young people in the youth justice system with complex and difficult cases." Ms Farmer said Bulimba might be the only place in the country represented by women on all three levels of government: herself, federal MP Terri Butler and Brisbane city councillor Kara Cook.

AdvertisementA 32-year-old rider has died after they were thrown from his motorbike and hit a tree in Brisbane's south.

Forensic Crash Unit investigations suggested the rider was travelling west on Johnson Road in Forest Lake about 1.30pm on Friday when they failed to negotiate a left-hand bend.

As a result, the vehicle left the road and collided with a tree.

The rider died at the scene.

Investigations are continuing.Logan City Councils interim administrator has signalled the council's full support for controversial local government legislation reforms under consideration by the state government.

Retired public servant Tamara O'Shea was named interim administrator of the Logan City Council earlier in May.

A range of councils and organisations have already made submissions on the amendments, which remain open for comment.

In a brief written submission Ms O'Shea wrote that the council is favourable of the intended changes and supports the implementation of the bill.

"Council acknowledges the need to make improvements to processes following the recommendations arising from Operation Belcarra, Operation Windage and the Soorley Report to ensure local governments provide good outcomes for the community," Logan council administrator Tamara O'Shea wrote.Adani says its project will generate more than 1500 direct jobs but the Australia Institute, a noted opponent, points to industry analysts' expectations the mine would displace demand for coal elsewhere in Australia. Queensland Greens MP Michael Berkman has radically called for mine workers to begin work in mine rehabilitation instead of opening new mines. Clermont's Capella Street, the town's main street. There are 15,000-odd mine sites across Queensland, Mr Berkman said. Those mine rehabilitation jobs are good solid jobs.

"They require largely the same skills as mining and they are right in those regional communities that need the jobs most. "That work is something the Queensland government should look to inspire." Greens MP Michael Berkman wants mine workers to work in mine rehabilitation. The Greens want to keep all thermal coal in the ground after 2050. Cr Baker disagrees. She said most city people had little idea of what life in a mining region was like.

Loading There are currently 26 active coal mines in the region, she said. But people could be forgiven for thinking there is only one. Those 26 coal mines produce half of the states coal and its largely metallurgical coal. Metallurgical coal is used in the manufacture of steel. It is low-ash, low-sulfur and low-phosphorus coal that can be used to produce high-grade steel.

Adanis Carmichael mine  if the final very strict environmental guidelines can be met  will be the Galilee Basins newest mine. Cr Baker said the Isaac Regional Council still had some infrastructure agreements to finalise with Adani but "we will keep working with them on that. Those agreements stop Isaacs ratepayers having to pay for the damage caused by big trucks to their roads, as one example. The mine would be good for Clermont, good for the Isaac Regional Council and good for Queensland, Cr Baker said. The announcements that have come today have got to be welcomed, she said, on Friday.

Clarity around the state government approvals can only good. Once we have got that, everybody can move on. Loading She was particularly happy to hear Adani chief executive Lucas Dow commit to not "flying in" the majority of workers for the mine, a stance that would also benefit small towns of Moranbah, Nebo and the regional centre, Mackay. Clermont hopes to be nominated under new Queensland government measures - the Strong and Sustainable Resource Communities legislation - that identify regional towns that might be impacted by big resource industry projects.

What we are looking forward to is being nominated as the nearest populated centre under this legislation, Cr Baker said. Loading The legislation means towns of more than 200 residents within 125 kilometres of a project may receive extra resources to help them cope with the changes. Clermont is just outside the 125-kilometre limit but Queensland's Co-ordinator General can now nominate small towns as the nearest populated centre to a mine. It means that if you are inside the radius, the mine company must look at your town for employment, Cr Baker said.

That can only be beneficial for Clermont and for the Isaac Region. Michael Berkman does not approve of the Carmichael Mine and says Adani has not specifically identified the source of artesian springs that feed water to the ancient Doongmabulla Springs. Doongmabulla Springs, south-west of the proposed Carmichael mine. Mr Berkman wants Adani to complete further seismic testing to protect the nearby Doongmabulla springs home to five threatened and endangered vegetation species. He said Adani needed to satisfy an environmental condition that the drawdown on the springs not exceed 20 centimetres.

Adanis own modelling at the springs indicated that a drawdown of 19 centimetres was a possibility, he said. Mr Berkman said Adanis own experts conceded at the Queensland Land Court hearings that a small reduction in artesian water from the springs could cause the springs to dry up. The fundamental question they havent answered is: what is the source aquifer of the Doongmabulla Springs? he said. It has been asked by CSIRO. It's been asked by Geoscience Australia and it has been a live question for four or five years now. Adani still has not done the work they need to do to answer the question.Albany, New York: Wreckage on the ocean floor near a Japanese island must be from a fighter-bomber that crashed in 1945 with an American pilot who is still listed as missing in action, according to a World War II researcher who recently visited the crash site.

The aircraft, lying on coral reef about 21 metres down, is the same type of F4U-4 Corsair that 2nd Lieutenant John McGrath was flying when he crashed off Iriomote Jima in July 1945, researcher Justin Taylan said.

A scuba diver swims near the left wing wreckage of an F4U-4 Corsair fighter aircraft off Sonai, Iriomote Jima, in Japan. Credit:Justin Taylan

"This is the only American aircraft lost at that precise spot," said Taylan, the founder of Pacific Wrecks, an organisation that researches and catalogues WWII crashes.

McGrath, of Troy, New York, is still officially listed by the US military as one of nearly 73,000 American MIAs from WWII. He was 20 when his aircraft disappeared.Buy This Pick-and-Shovel 5G Stock Before It Takes Off

Wireless technology has come a long way.



The first generation of wireless known as 1G was rolled out in the 1980s. The only thing a user could do with 1G was make a phone call.



At times, the call quality could rival that of two tin cans connected by a string.



But wireless tech has made huge advances since those early days.



About every 10 years weve seen a new generation of wireless1G, 2G, 3G, and todays 4G. Each was faster and more reliable than the previous generation.

Why 5G Is So Important

As you may already know, we are about to see the next generation of wireless. Its the new 5G technology, which is slated to hit the market this year.And that creates a big opportunity for investors.

To understand why 5G is such a big deal, you must understand one thing: latency.



Latency is delays in sending information from one point to the next. This is different than bandwidth, which is the volume of data being transferred, not the speed of the transfer.



The lower the latency, the faster information can race across a network.



And the 5G network has very, very, very low latency. This core attribute of 5G will revolutionize many industries.



Remote medical procedures are just one example. Low latency will enable remotely located robots to instantly mimic human movements.



This will give doctors the real-time response they need to perform surgery on a patient located anywhere in the world.



The next era of self-driving cars will also depend on 5G. The new technology will allow cars to talk to each other in real time.



5G will even change farming. Farm equipment company John Deere is developing 5G technology that promises to radically boost crop yields.



5G is a gamechanger. And theres been a ton of money flowing into 5G-related companies.

Major Investment in 5G Is Already Underway

Companies have already spent over $200 billion on 5G infrastructure.



Most of this money has gone toward building 5G-ready cell towers.



Thats a lot of money, but there is much more to come. Research firm Moor Insights & Strategy expects that 5G-related IT hardware spending will reach $326 billion by 2025.



See, to achieve the speed and reliability of 5G requires lots of cell towers.



Today, the 4G network uses 25,000 cell towers across the US. Each one is 100 feet (or more) tall, and they are spaced several miles apart.



The 5G network will need 200,000 cell towers that are much smaller and spaced in a much tighter web across the US.



So in the near term, almost all 5G spending will go to building out the cell tower grid.



When its ready, 5G speeds will be 20 gigabytes per second. Thats 1000x faster than todays 4G technology.



5G will make wireless bandwidth seem infinite. And the companies building the infrastructure for this new technology will be the first to profit.

Picking the Right Horse in the Race to 5G

There are a few ways to invest in the evolution to 5G.



You could buy the stock of companies that maintain and operate 5G infrastructure. These would be stable dividend companies like AT&T, Verizon, and China Mobil.



These are low-risk, limited-upside investments that will take time to bear fruit.



Things work slowly in the telecom space. We saw this play out when 4G was introduced.



To gain the benefits of the 4G network, users had to replace their 3G phones. Phones arent cheap, and 3G phone owners had to first be convinced that the new phones and features were worth the money. That took some time.



Instead, I recommend going the picks and shovels route. This means companies who build the infrastructure that supports 5G technology.



These companies are making money from their 5G investments right now.



I like to buy companies that sell the picks and shovels that industries need like investing in farm machinery companies rather than agricultural businesses.



In the 5G space, this would be companies that sell the hardware, software, and services to telecom companies.



And we can leverage our bet by owning a company with exposure to the international adoption of 5G technology.



Theres only one company that fits these criteria.

Nokia Corp. (NOK)

Nokia is a Finnish multinational telecommunications company. It is the worlds third-largest telecom equipment manufacturer after Huawei and Cisco.



The company is split into two segments:



Nokia Networks (90% of sales): provides systems and software to build high capacity network infrastructure.



Nokia Technologies (10% of sales): develops consumer products and licenses technology for the Nokia brand.



Almost all of Nokias business comes from selling data networking and telecom equipment. Thats just what we want, because I expect those types of sales will see big growth as 5G investment ramps up.



The build out of the 5G network will be global, and Nokia is a truly international company



Even better, two of Nokias biggest rivalsZTE and Huawei, were blacklisted by the US government. This will shrink NOKs competition in this US market to pretty much just one companyEricsson.



The investment flow into 5G from the major telecom companies has already started to climb.



In July, Nokia received a $3.5 billion contract from T-Mobile US, which was reportedly the largest 5G deal ever.



T-Mobile has about a 17% share of the US wireless market, making this a major win for NOK.

This Play Will Take Time Be Patient

The flow of investment will not, however, hit the 5G market like a giant wave.



It will be more like a steadily rising tide. In fact, NOK management expects 5G investment to be soft in the first half of 2019.



But thats perfect for investors. It gives us an opening to get in before the tide of money starts to rise.



The multibillion-dollar contract from T-Mobile looks like a sign of some early pump priming for more 5G spending.



The other major wireless carriers in the US arent going to let themselves lag behind in the race to 5G.



I think we will soon see more big 5G contracts make the headlines. As a major player in a market with limited competition, Nokia will almost certainly win a lot more US sales by the end of 2019.

The Sin Stock Anomaly: Collect Big, Safe Profits with These 3 Hated Stocks

My brand-new special report tells you everything about profiting from sin stocks (gambling, tobacco, and alcohol). These stocks are much safer and do twice as well as other stocks simply because most investors try to avoid them. Claim your free copy.

By Robert Ross

 2019 Copyright Robert Ross. - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.



Employment - The Good and the Bad of Job Automation

People are worried robots will take their jobs. Thats a legitimate fear sometimes, but its not new. It is just another step in a process that started long ago.

The bigger question is whether job automation is good.

If we want the economy to grow, the math is pretty easy. Its a two-factor equation:

The number of available workers, multiplied by

The value of goods and services the average worker produces.

Increase one or both of those and presto, GDP will rise. Automation helps raise the second one. But then it gets complicated.

An Awkward Dilemma

This average worker is rare. Almost everyone is somewhere above or below average. Much depends on who produces how much.Labor-saving technology, while beneficial to everyone over time, has a different short-term effect. It enables higher productivity in a smaller number of people.And that is a problem, as I recently observed in a hotel restroom, of all places.

Last week, I was in Dallas for an investment conference. We heard from dozens of top economists, analysts, and money managers.



On Wednesday morning, with my mind overflowing with monetary policy ideas, I went to the mens room, entered one of the stalls, and did what you normally do there.



There was one of those metal boxes with two toilet paper rolls on the wall. The spare is supposed to drop down when the first one is empty.



These boxes are actually a simple labor-saving technology. They reduce the staff needed to replenish toilet papera significant cost for a large, convention-oriented hotel.



That makes sense if the technology works. In this case, it didnt.



So there I was, eager to get back to the conference, only to have the toilet paper dispenser jam up, refusing to fill my needs.



The law of supply and demand says offering a higher price would have increased quantity. I gladly would have, too, but the seller wasnt there to consider my offer.







Photo: Wikimedia Commons



The free market having disappointed, I finally got the device to dispense what I needed (slowly) and finished my business.



Theres a lesson in this.



This humble technology enhances the hotel cleaning staffs productivity. But it also reduced my productivity by making me miss parts of the conference.



Thats how technology often works. Maybe it helps 99% of the time, but theres still the 1%.



Add up all the hours we spend trying to make our computers and mobile devices do the things that are supposedly so easy. That time is valuable. If we used it more productively, the economy might be in better shape.



Or maybe not. We cant really know. But we know the top technology companies are immensely productive and profitable.

Productivity for the Few

The below graph, from my friend Bruce Mehlmans latest slide deck, shows the number of employees the worlds largest 20 companies need for each $1 billion in market value.



You see it has declined considerably since 2009 and even more so since 2016:







Source: Bruce Mehlman. Reproduced with permission



Now, this is partly a function of a rising stock market over that period. But its also true that fewer workers can produce more value nowand not just in tech companies but everywhere (including hotel bathrooms).



Is that a good trend or a bad one? I think its both.

Higher productivity is positive because it lets everyone get more value for their money. We can buy our stuff at lower prices when producing it costs less.

But its a problem when productivity gains are concentrated in relatively few workers. Employers naturally place higher value on them and lower value on everyone else.

Weve seen the result: income and wealth concentrated in fewer hands. Those who are left out dont like it, and it manifests in social unrest, populist movements, and so on, none of which are good for business in the long run.



The solution is to raise everyones productivity or at least distribute it more widely. That happened gradually in the past. Agriculture, for instance, went from mostly human labor to mostly machines over several generations. People had time to adapt.



This time around, its happening much faster. Machines are displacing workers at a faster pace than workers can learn new skills and raise their productivity.



It will balance out in time but not everyone has time. Yet slowing down progress isnt a good option eitherand may be not even possible.



This would be a smaller problem if displaced workers had more retraining opportunities and governments had more robust safety net programs to sustain them in the meantime.



Neither seems to be happening, at least in the US. Instead, the economy is efficiently creating low-wage service jobs that keep people nominally employed but not very productive.



Worse, employers fully intend to eliminate those jobs as soon as technology allows. There is no future in them. The workers know this, which contributes to the general unrest and anxiety.



This probably wont get better anytime soon, and may get worse.



The best-case outcome is that we muddle through for another decade or more, during which some workers gain more productivity while others leave the labor force via death or retirement.



Eventually, well reach a new equilibrium. Meanwhile, be ready for anything.

The Great Reset: The Collapse of the Biggest Bubble in History

New York Times best-seller and renowned financial expert John Mauldin predicts an unprecedented financial crisis that could trigger in the next five years. Most investors seem completely unaware of the relentless pressure thats building right now. Learn more here.

By Patrick_Watson

 2019 Copyright Patrick_Watson - All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.



It is worth repeating, she said, that the students understand the value of their character and how each of them will change the world in their own way.

Encouraging the students to think of and wave to those in their lives who have supported, challenged and inspired them on their journey, she said, Now, consider this  somewhere, someone, when given the opportunity to think of someone who has changed their life, they would think of you. And I promise you they wouldnt be thinking about the grades you got in a class or the points you scored or the money you made. Theyll be thinking about that time you stepped in to help when theyd told you they were struggling with something. Or that time, when everyone was feeling frustrated, that you cracked a joke and lightened the mood. Or that time you were honest, even when it was hard.

The 2019 CSHS graduates  the fifth graduating class in the schools seven-year history  were freshmen when Principal Tiffany Parkerson moved up from the assistant principal position, and while some parts of high school might have seemed to drag on, she said, that is not the case for their families cheering on the 434 graduates from the stands of Reed Arena.2-Year-Old Dies After Nanny Force-Fed Him Porridge With Fatal Dose of Salt

A 2-year-old boy died after his nanny force-fed him porridge laced with an excessive amount of salt in northwestern Russia. The toddler fell sick and later died due to salt poisoning.

Yana Deinesh, 25, poured at least 50 grams of salt in the childs meal, reported the Russian media outlet pomorie.ru.

The incident took place in Kholmogor village in Russias Arkhangelsk Oblast region in June 2018. Deinesh was charged with murder and sentenced to 14 years in prison this week.

Boy, two, died after nanny force-fed him 50g of salt laced in porridge https://t.co/x7RGGw2K7O pic.twitter.com/BfFPmwdKBA  Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) May 24, 2019

Pomorie reported that the nanny was employed by the childs family, because his mother was working. For a month the nanny and her family abused and beat the child before Deinesh fed him the fatal dose of salt.

The toddler was taken to the regional hospital where he died.

Vadim Kuchin, Senior Prosecutor of the Criminal and Judicial Department of the Prosecutors Office of the Arkhangelsk Region said the deliberate, violent use of salt in poisoning the child was considered murder.

Even an adult is not able to eat such an amount of salt willingly. The victim was forced to eat it and the accused fed him deliberately. We treated the case as murder and the court agreed with us, Kuchin said.

In a similar case, a mother deliberately poisoned her 18-month-old child with salt last year, reported the Telegraph.

The mother in her twenties searched online to check what quantity of salt could be fatal for a child in Truro Crown in the United Kingdom.

The defendants search history showed that she carried out a search on her phone the day before about what the appropriate amount of salt for an 18-month child is, but said she did so because her lips were white and she had nephews whose lips went white when they had too much salt, Prosecuting barrister Peter Coombe told the jury, according to the Telegraph.

However this was not something she mentioned on the night she went to hospital or the day before when she went to her GP, he said.

The child, in this case, made a full recovery and doctors called it a miracle.

Medical experts say that between 21 and 24 grams were administered and this had to be done by force-feeding in a drink or runny food, said Dr. Malcolm Coulthard, a medical expert.

There is no question of the child being able to consume such a quantity of salt and the only person in a position to do so that day was the defendant, Coulthard told the media.

Children never voluntarily eat or ingest such dangerous levels of salt because of the taste and extreme nausea it would cause, he said.

Mother deliberately poisoned toddler with salt after internet search on how much an 18-month-old could consume, court hears https://t.co/SlDP5A63It  Telegraph Breaking News (@TelegraphNews) February 26, 2018

Risks of Salt Poisoning

Salt is present everywhere and is essential for our bodys functioning. However, it can also be dangerous and in some cases fatal, according to the University of Utah.

In medical terms, salt poisoning is called Hypernatremia. High level of sodium (that salt contains) in the blood can draw out water from the bodys cells and the condition can worsen to increased heart rate, muscle spasms, or seizures. It can even cause coma in extreme cases.

Salt poisoning is a real thing, said Sherrie Pace, with the Utah Poison Control Center, according to the university.

There are dangerous salt ingestion practices demonstrated on the Internet that some people will follow, and they dont understand the risk.

The university said children can be innocent victims if they ingest substances with high salt content.

We have had calls where children have eaten homemade play dough, said Pace. That has enough salt in it to cause problems if enough is eaten.

Parents should seek immediate help if a child accidentally consumes a large amount of salt, according to the university.

Do not search the internet for answers. Call the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 immediately, said Pace.

We have toxicology experts available 24 hours a day to help you assess the situation and take appropriate actions.Jon Voight attends the 'Ray Donovan' Season 6 Premiere during the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival at Spring Studios in New York City on Sept. 23, 2018. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Actor Jon Voight: Trump Is the Greatest President Since Abraham Lincoln

Actor Jon Voight took to Twitter on May 24 to express his support for President Donald Trump, calling him the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln.

Speaking directly to Republicans, the Academy Award-winning actor began by saying I know that youll agree with me when I say that our president has our utmost respect and our love.

This job is not easy for hes battling the left and their absurd words of destruction.  Our nation has been built on the solid ground from our forefathers and there is a moral code of duty that has been passed on from President Lincoln, Voight said.

To my fellow Americans. Part 1. pic.twitter.com/srw4zXCRKJ  Jon Voight (@jonvoight) May 25, 2019

Voight, who is one of the few conservatives in Hollywood, told his followers that he wanted to acknowledge the truth that Trumps actions and policies have made the nation stronger, safer, and with more jobs.

He continued, Dont be fooled by the political left because we are the people of this nation that is witnessing triumph.

To my fellow Americans. Part 2. pic.twitter.com/uhqpbzwHhS  Jon Voight (@jonvoight) May 25, 2019

So let us stand with our president, let us stand up for this truth that President Trump is the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln. God bless America, he added.

This is not the first time Voight has shown support for the president and other supporters of Trump. In another message to the American people, Voight sent his support for Fox News host Laura Ingraham, a conservative talk show host, who the actor says should be cherished as she believes in the truth.

Theyre wonderful people who we need very much at this time when our president is being attacked with lies and slanders from the media, he said in that video in April.

A message to my fellow Americans. pic.twitter.com/pRyr1MdonU  Jon Voight (@jonvoight) April 22, 2019

Voight is best known for his roles in the 1969 movie Midnight Cowboy and 1978 movie Coming Home. He has also played roles in a wide range of genres including Mission: Impossible, Zoolander, Enemy of the State, and Deliverance. More recently, he played Justice Warren E. Burger in the film Roe v. Wade, which tells of the story about the untold conspiracy surrounding the most famous case affecting the lives of the unborn.

Other conservative celebrities who have expressed support for the president include Dennis Rodman who wrote on Twitter, @realDonaldTrump has been a great friend for many years. We dont need another politician, we need a businessman like Mr. Trump! In 2015, Scott Baio, speaking at a 2016 Republican National Convention, hit back at Hollywoods bias toward Trump.

At the time, Baio said, I dont give a [omitted] about Hollywood liberals. Theyre gonna hate the guy no matter what. If he cured cancer, theyd be on him for putting oncologists out of business, reported Fox News.

He also said, We know who Trump is, and we dont believe the propaganda, and I dont think most of the country does, either. The media is almost irrelevant. Its predictable and boring. I want the man to get his agenda through, and everything else is a sideshow.People walk by a police car in downtown in Newark, New Jersey. on May 13, 2014 . (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Bar Shootings Leaves 10 Wounded, 1 Critically, in New Jersey

TRENTONNew Jersey police say 10 people have been wounded following a shooting at a Trenton bar.

Authorities say police were notified of gunfire at about 12:25 a.m. Saturday outside a bar in the 300 block of Brunswick Avenue.

Arriving officers found several victims in and around the bar.

Trenton police spokesman Capt. Stephen Varn said five men and five women were transported to local hospitals. He said one victim was critically wounded and taken into emergency surgery.

Varn said an investigation was ongoing.

At-large councilman Jerell Blakeley said on Facebook: This kind of carnage shouldnt be normal but is becoming a common occurrence. Every time the weather breaks, the madness descends in this city. I am calling for bringing in the troopers and National Guard to the City.

Its the second shooting in the city in nearly a year thats wounded 10 or more people. In June 2018, gunfire at the Art All Night festival wounded or injured nearly 30 people and one man, a suspected gunman, was fatally shot by responding police officers, NJ News reported.

Fueled by Alcohol Spiraled Out of Control

A high school graduation party fueled by alcohol spiraled out of control last Saturday, May 18, leaving one person dead, authorities said.

Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks tells news outlets eight other people were hurt in a shooting at the old Escambia County Middle School, which now serves as the citys community center.

The wounded victims have been transported to the Atmore Community Hospital for treatment, one of the injured was transferred to the Sacred Heart Hospital by a medical helicopter because of severe injuries.

KETK News posted a video on Twitter, showing police officers at the Middle School.

HORRIFYING: Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks says a high school graduation party fueled by alcohol spiraled out of control early Saturday morning.https://t.co/qj9KGkg9NV pic.twitter.com/6xm5TYVUyY  KETK NEWS (@KETK) May 18, 2019

When officers arrived it was chaos with more than 300 people running around. Brooks says it started with two women fighting, and then more people jumped in with gunshots, WOOD-TV reported.

Brooks said word spread about the party via social media. No arrests have been made at this time, but they are looking for two people.

Off-Campus House Party Ended With Violence

That same day, another shooting at an off-campus house party near Ball State University in Indiana early on Saturday, May 18, left seven people injured, three of them critically, police said.

Its not clear how many people might have opened fire, but police said one man was in custody. One of the wounded had to be airlifted to a hospital in Indianapolis, about 50 miles southwest of Muncie, Police Chief Joe Winkle told WXIN-TV.

VaShaun Harnett, 19, of Muncie, was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder, police told The (Muncie) Star Press.

Vice President Mike Pence, who delivered the commencement address Saturday at Taylor University in nearby Upland, commented on the shooting on Twitter.

Landed in Muncie, IN this morning and was briefed on last nights shooting, the former Indiana governor wrote. My prayers are with the injured and their families. God bless them all.

Landed in Muncie, IN this morning and was briefed on last nights shooting. I commend law enforcement for their quick response. My prayers are with the injured and their families. God bless them all.  Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) May 18, 2019

NTD News staff contributed to this article.People enter the CNN Center, the headquarters for CNN, in downtown Atlanta in a file photo. (Ric Feld,File/AP Photo)

CNN Lays Off More Employees as Network Continues to Struggle

CNN has laid off more employees as the openly liberal network continues to struggle.

Most of the employees from CNNs health unit were laid off, though Dr. Sanjay Gupta and correspondent Elizabeth Cohen survived the layoffs, reported TV Newser.

As part of the normal course of business, our newsgathering team made a small restructure earlier this week that ultimately impacts 6-7 employees within CNNs Health Unit, a spokesperson told the website.

Fox News, a rival of CNN, reported, Staffers are shocked, as the health department is considered successful and CNN recently declared that no layoffs were imminent.

On May 7, CNN executive vice president Allison Gollust told Fox News that rumors of mass layoffs were crazy.

There are no mass layoffs at CNN. I have no idea where that crazy rumor came from. We have recently offered a voluntary buyout option for employees, and just over 100 people voluntarily decided to take it. Thats it, she said. We have nearly 4,000 people at CNN  and around 100 of them exercised the option for a program that was offered. Thats it. Those are the facts.

CNN became openly anti-President Donald Trump after he was elected and increasingly began supporting his opposition.

The health layoffs were confusing in that context, though. A prominent media figure told the openly conservative Daily Wire website that the Health Unit was one of the few departments that wasnt focused on anti-Trump stuff.

The fresh layoffs came a few weeks after CNN axed more than 100 jobs. The network said the layoffs were buyouts and were voluntary.

Both CNN and MSNBC have seen ratings drop significantly since the submission of special counsel Robert Muellers report in March exonerated President Trump.

A recent ratings release showed that CNNs ratings were down 26 percent from the previous year while the ratings among the coveted 25-54 age demographic were down 42 percent from the previous year.

Wow! CNN Ratings are WAY DOWN, record lows. People are getting tired of so many Fake Stories and Anti-Trump lies. Chris Cuomo was rewarded for lowest morning ratings with a prime time spot  which is failing badly and not helping the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 24, 2019

The president routinely criticizes CNN, taking to Twitter on May 23 to highlight the dwindling ratings.

Wow! CNN Ratings are WAY DOWN, record lows. People are getting tired of so many Fake Stories and Anti-Trump lies. Chris Cuomo was rewarded for lowest morning ratings with a prime time spotwhich is failing badly and not helping the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon! he wrote.

The buyouts earlier in May ignited fears in CNN that more action was coming, with one producer saying everyone believed that layoffs were looming.

Everybody is bracing for a reorganization, a longtime senior producer told The Hollywood Reporter. There are all kinds of rumors about impending layoffs. Some think they will come this summer. Others say a big layoff wont happen until after the election. All agree layoffs are coming, though.

We keep getting told no layoffs are pending, another senior producer said. But CNN routinely has layoffs, so I think everyone thinks its coming.

The buyouts are accepted by some people because they think its their best shot at getting something on the way out the door, the first producer said.

I think a lot of these people just feel like this is the best its going to get  and theyre not going to get a buyout offer thats better than this one, the longtime senior producer said. Once you turn it down, you can be let go with far less. Its a bird-in-hand, essentially.A security guard stands nearby construction workers at the Kinder Morgan Burnaby Terminal tank farm, the terminus point of the Trans Mountain pipeline, in Burnaby, B.C., on April 30, 2019. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

Court Says B.C. Cant Restrict Oil Shipments in Key Case for Trans Mountain

VANCOUVERBritish Columbias top court has ruled the province cannot restrict oil shipments through its borders in a decision that marks a win for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and Albertas efforts to get its resources to overseas markets.

The province filed a constitutional reference question to the B.C. Court of Appeal that asked whether it had the authority to create a permitting regime for companies that wished to increase their flow of diluted bitumen.

A five-judge panel agreed unanimously that the amendments to B.C.s Environmental Management Act were not constitutional because they would interfere with the federal governments exclusive jurisdiction over interprovincial pipelines.

Justice Mary Newbury wrote on behalf of the panel that the substance of the proposed amendments were to place conditions on and, if necessary, prohibit the movement of heavy oil through a federal undertaking.

Newbury also wrote that the legislation is not just an environmental law of general application, but is targeted at one substance, heavy oil, in one interprovincial pipeline: the Trans Mountain expansion project.

Immediately upon coming into force, it would prohibit the operation of the expanded Trans Mountain pipeline in the province until such time as a provincially appointed official decided otherwise, she said.

This alone threatens to usurp the role of the (National Energy Board), which has made many rulings and imposed many conditions to be complied with by Trans Mountain for the protection of the environment.

B.C. Attorney General David Eby said Friday the province would exercise its right to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.

He said the regulation and its proposals are aimed at protecting B.C.s coast from a catastrophic diluted bitumen spill.

B.C. argued before the court that the proposed amendments were meant to protect its environment from a hazardous substance, while the federal government and Alberta said the goal was to block Trans Mountain.

Newbury wrote that even if the legislation was not intended to single out the expansion project, it has the potential to affect and indeed stop in its tracksthe entire operation of Trans Mountain as a carrier and exporter of oil.

She said the National Energy Board is the body entrusted with regulating the flow of energy resources across Canada to export markets, and it has already imposed many conditions on Trans Mountain.

She added that the expansion is not just a British Columbia project because it affects the whole country.

The proposed amendments would have meant that Trans Mountain Corp., and any other company wishing to increase the amount of heavy oil it transported through B.C., would have had to apply for a hazardous substance permit.

The permit application would have had to detail the risks to human health and the environment from a spill, plans to mitigate those risks and financial measures, including insurance, that ensured payment of cleanup costs.

A provincial public servant would have had the authority to impose conditions on a hazardous substance permit and cancel or suspend the permit if the company did not comply.

Saskatchewan, Trans Mountain Corp. and Enbridge Inc. also argued in court against B.C.s proposed permit regime, while First Nations, cities, and environmental groups supported it.

Premier John Horgans minority NDP government took power in 2017 on a promise to use every tool in the toolbox to stop the pipeline expansion. There is still plenty it could do to stop the project, said Peter McCartney, a climate campaigner with the Wilderness Committee, in a statement.

McCartney said the government could add conditions to its provincial environmental certificate, such as demonstrating the ability to clean up a diluted bitumen spill completely. Horgan could also order a public health and safety review of the project and assess the risks of a catastrophic oil spill or fire at the tank farm in Burnaby, B.C., he said.

The province announced the legislative amendments in January 2018, sparking a trade war with then-Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, who retaliated with a ban on B.C. wines in her province.

Premier John Horgan eased the tension by promising to file a reference case asking the Appeal Court whether the amendments were constitutional, prompting Notley to suspend the wine ban in February 2018.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government has purchased the Trans Mountain pipeline and expansion project for $4.5 billion. Construction was paused last August after the Federal Court of Appeal overturned the federal permits.

The project would triple the pipelines capacity to carry diluted bitumen from the Edmonton area to Metro Vancouver, and increase the number of tankers in Burrard Inlet seven-fold.Photo made available by Virginia Black, right, shows her niece, Alexandra Black, and her son, Anthony Hauguel, in Lafayette, Indiana. (Alexandra Black via AP)

Family of Woman Mauled by Lion Pushes for New Regulations

BURLINGTON, North CarolinaAlex Black came face to face with an escaped lion when she was just 10 days into her unpaid internship at a private animal sanctuary.

The 22-year-old had been preparing deer meat to feed the big cats, and suddenly found herself alone, staring down the lion in a place where it could have reached visitors, according to her aunt, Virginia Black.

Rather than panic and run away, she tried to keep him calm, keeping his focus on her and trying to distract him with the deer, Black wrote in a letter to North Carolinas lawmakers.

It is possible she saved other lives that day, Black wrote, but she lost her own. The lion pounced, pulling her back through an open gate into its enclosure, where it dragged her around by the neck.

Months after the mauling last December at the Conservators Center in Burlington, North Carolina, the family still questions the sanctuarys safety protocols.

We still want more answers and certainly the public deserves to have more answers, Black told The Associated Press in an interview. I think what happened to Alex is a call to action.

North Carolina is one of just four states with no laws controlling ownership of nonnative big cats. Its rules for owning other wild animals are generally lax.

Black urged lawmakers to strengthen a House bill that passed this month that would prohibit private ownership of big cats, great apes, hyenas and bears, but wouldnt regulate facilities such as the Conservators Center, which are licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She wants the state to require routine safety drills and law enforcement-approved safety plans.

Sanctuaries and zoos where a person has been killed or injured where investigation has revealed a lack of proper safety drills, equipment and protocols should no longer be able to keep dangerous wild animals, she wrote.

Its unclear how Matthaia 14-year-old male with 2.5-inch long upper canine teethescaped. The medical examiner cited an animal trainer who said a ball kept a gate from closing. The center said it was neither accurate nor plausible that a 28-inch wide lions play ball blocked the gate, but offered no alternative explanation. Outside the steel enclosure, the only barrier is a roughly 4-foot high chain-link fence that visitors are instructed not to lean on, for fear it might break.

The attack happened around 11:15 a.m., the Caswell County sheriffs report said. Alexs body wasnt examined until 2:15 p.m.

With no tranquilizer gun immediately on hand, arriving firefighters sprayed water from firehoses in a futile attempt to move the lion away. Once the centers CEO, Douglas Evans, had the tranquilizer gun, he struggled to load it, and a dart seemed to break inside, the sheriffs report said.

When the gentleman tried to assemble the tranquilizer gun, he was reading the instructions, Black wrote in her letter, citing a witness she wouldnt identify.

Evans then drove to retrieve a blow gun, and hit the lion twice with tranquilizer darts, to no apparent affect. Law enforcement officers ultimately shot the lion eight times, the sheriffs report said.

It seems clear that if the center had a real plan for how it would react in such a situation, it had rarely or never been practiced, Black concluded in her letter. The center apparently made an early decision that she had died, and the priority became saving the lion.

Alexs body was motionless, her status unclear, when law enforcement arrived, the sheriffs report said. When they finally reached her, she had bled out and died, the autopsy found.

What if she couldve been saved? Black said.

The center responded to emailed questions about Blacks claims with a brief statement saying safety measures have been thoroughly reviewed and the staff retrained. The Center is confident that if all of its policies and procedures are followed, its guests, staff, and animals are safe, Executive Director Mindy Stinner wrote in an email.

The centers USDA license does require it to pass inspections and abide by certain animal welfare and safety regulations, and violations can result in fines and ultimately loss of the license. But the USDA has allowed repeat violators to continue operating, and its standards arent as strict as those required for accreditation by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

An unannounced USDA inspection in January 2019, one month after Blacks death, found the center had no non-compliant items, and the department declined to say if its still investigating. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration declined to discuss its separate investigation, which it expects to finish in June.

The center reopened in February with a dozen employees caring for more than 80 animals, seen by 16,000-plus visitors annually, according to its website.

I was surprised when it opened, Black said. I just dont know why its enough for them to say, look we changed some things  come on over!

Her letter has had some impact: Lawmakers amended their bill to include a study of safety requirements for exempted facilities, which the center supports.

I wouldve loved to see a stronger bill. I did what I could, said Rep. Pricey Harrison, a Democrat. She introduced the amendment, but said her efforts to add more regulations were spurned by some of her colleagues.

Republican Rep. Rena Turner, who introduced the bill, said she wants to see whether the USDA will change its rules before adding state regulations.

Dan Ashe, executive director of the AZA, said the center contacted a member of his association for unofficial safety advice following Blacks death. Facilities like these should get AZA accreditation, he said, calling USDA standards minimal.

If a facility has dangerous animals, they should hold themselves to high standards and should be held by the government to high standards, he said.

No states mandate AZA accreditation, but some cities require it as a condition of building or operating permits, and while meeting higher standards can be costly, reducing risk is worth it, Ashe said.

How much is a life worth? he asked.Federal Judge Blocks Mississippi Heartbeat Abortion Ban, Governor Responds

A federal judge on May 24, temporarily blocked a Mississippi law that would ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, at about six weeks of pregnancy.

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves order stops the law from taking effect July 1.

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, a Republican, signed the heartbeat bill into law in March.

Bryant expressed disappointment in Reevess decision.

Im disappointed in the courts ruling. As Governor Ive pledged to do all I can to protect life. Time and time again the Legislature and I have done just that. I will encourage the Attorney General to seek immediate review of the preliminary injunction, Bryant said in a statement.

#BREAKING Statement from @PhilBryantMS on U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves granting a preliminary injunction against Mississippis 6-week abortion ban he signed into law. @WJTV pic.twitter.com/1X5A9bDpqw  WJTV Gerald Harris (@GeraldHarrisTV) May 24, 2019

Reeves is the same judge who struck down a 2018 Mississippi law to ban abortion at 15 weeks.

Mississippi is one of several states, including Georgia and Alabama, where Republican-controlled legislatures have enacted strong pro-life measures this year in a direct challenge to the Supreme Courts 1973 Roe v. Wade decision (pdf) that legalized abortion nationwide.

Bryant signed the bill, Senate Bill 2116 (pdf), into law with a host of supporters gathered around him on March 21. This is a very important day in the history of Mississippi, Lt. Gov. Reeves told reporters after the bills passage. There was a lot of pressure from a lot of groups from primarily outside our state on these members of the legislature, but every one of them stood strong.

He said the goal is to make Mississippi the safest place in America for an unborn child.

Unlike some heartbeat bills, the law does not include exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.

But it does contain exceptions if a doctor says continuing a pregnancy would endanger a womans life or one of her major bodily functions.

No person shall knowingly perform an abortion on a pregnant woman with the specific intent of causing or abetting the termination of the life of the unborn human individual that the pregnant woman is carrying and whose fetal heartbeat has been detected, lawmakers wrote in the legislation.

Lt. Governor @tatereeves speaks on the passage of SB 2116, thanking members of the House and Senate for making sure it got passed. #msleg pic.twitter.com/GP88NJLNWS  Yall Politics (@MSyallpolitics) March 21, 2019

Any person who performs a medical procedure [after the heartbeat is detected]  shall declare in writing, under penalty of perjury, that the medical procedure was necessary, to the best of that persons reasonable medical judgment, to prevent the death of the pregnant woman or to prevent a serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman, the bill stated.

Any physician who would have violated this law would face license revocation or disciplinary action.

Background on Roe v. Wade

The Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973 legalized abortion nationwide by prohibiting states from banning abortions prior to when the fetus is deemed viablethat is, potentially able to live outside its mothers womb.

In Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court said that if unborn children are persons, then they have the right to life. The decision concluded that unborn children are not persons, and acknowledged that the case to prohibit states from banning abortions would collapse if the fetus is a person, because then its right to life would then be guaranteed by the Constitution.

Norma McCorvey, the real name of Jane Roe from Roe v. Wade: 1. Lied about being raped

2. Said she was used by lawyers who simply wanted to change abortion laws

3. Sought, in 2004, to have Roe v wade overturned

4. Called her involvement in Roe the biggest mistake of her life pic.twitter.com/rGmMx2TgaE  Adrian Norman (@AdrianNormanDC) May 16, 2019

NTD reporter Zachary Stieber, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report.U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam (L) and former U.S. President Barack Obama in file photos. (U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California & Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Federal Judge Who Blocked Trumps Border Wall Donated to Barack Obama

A federal judge who ruled against President Donald Trump on May 24 donated to former President Barack Obama, the third judge this week to rule against the Republican president while having donated to Democrats in the past.

Along with the fact that many rulings against Trump are overturned in higher courts, the past donations serve to undercut the claim by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts that the federal judiciary is impartial.

U.S. District Court Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr. was confirmed in 2014 after being nominated by Obama and receiving a recommendation by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). Gilliam was in private practice for nearly a decade before being nominated, at the law firms of Bingham McCutchen and Covington & Burling.

According to federal election records, Gilliam donated $6,900 to Obamas campaign for president$4,600 to Obama for America and $2,300 to the Obama Victory Fund.

Gilliam donated additional funds to Obamas re-election campaign, sending $13,500 to Obama for America and Obama Victory Fund 2012. He also donated $4,500 to the Democratic National Committee. From 2012 to November 2014, he sent $3,100 to the Covington and Burling LLP PAC.

The donations started in 2007, just one year after he served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of California. They ended after Gilliam started serving as a U.S. district judge.

Gilliam said during his confirmation hearings (pdf) that judges should be impartial. I believe that the most important attribute of a judge is the commitment to faithfully and impartially apply the law in every case, without regard to the type of matter or the identity of the parties. I do possess this attribute.

Two other judges who were appointed by Obama and have ruled against Trump this week have also donated to Democrats in the past.

U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos said that banks need to comply with subpoenas seeking financial records about Trump, his family members, and his businesses dating back to before he became president.

Federal election records showed that Ramos had donated to two Democrats who sit on the committees that issued the subpoenas.

Ramos also donated $4,025 to Obamas first campaign for president in addition to donating $1,000 to the 2007 campaign of Hillary Clinton, who was running against Obama at the time. Trump beat Clinton in 2016.

Ramos halted donations after being appointed by Obama to the federal court in 2011.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled on May 20 that Mazars USA, Trumps former accounting firm, must comply with a subpoena from Congress and turn over financial records from as far back as 2011. Mehta was appointed by Obama to the court in 2014.

Federal election records show that Mehta donated to Obamas first campaign in 2007 and added several thousand dollars in 2012 to Obamas campaign for re-election.

Mehta also appeared to halt political donations after being appointed as a federal judge.

Trump has continued to note the background of some judges ruling against him, hitting out at Mehta specifically after the ruling.

As far as the financials are concerned, we think its totally the wrong decision by, obviously, an Obama-appointed judge, he told reporters after the ruling. He was a recent Obama-appointed judge.

From NTD NewsA policeman looks on near the site of a suspected bomb attack in central Lyon, France, on May 24, 2019. (Emmanuel Foudrot/Reuters)

French Police Hunt Suitcase Bomber After Blast in Lyon

LYONFrench police were hunting a suspected suitcase bomber on Friday after an explosion in the central city of Lyon that injured 13 people, officials said.

The suspect was captured on security video leaving a bag in front of a bakery shortly before an explosion occurred at around 5:30 pm, police sources and local mayor Denis Broliquier said.

Most of those hurt were hospitalized for treatment to leg injuries that were described as light.

BREAKING UPDATE: Injury toll following nail bomb explosion in downtown Lyon, France has risen to 10. French President Macron calls blast an attack. No word on perpetrator(s).

Developing pic.twitter.com/091cVCaxlG  Live Report (@tweetlivereport) May 24, 2019

President Emmanuel Macron characterized the incident as an attack when the news broke during a live YouTube interview ahead of Sundays European elections. My thoughts are with the injured, he said.

Police officers, fire fighters and medics are seen near the site of a suspected bomb attack in central Lyon, France, on May 24, 2019. (Emmanuel Foudrot/Reuters)

Paris anti-terrorism prosecutors opened an investigation as police said they were treating the blast as an attempted homicide, and Interior Minister Christophe Castaner headed to the scene.

The partially masked suspect appeared in security camera footage wheeling a bicycle to the scene, before leaving a bag outside a branch of Brioche Doree, a popular bakery chain.

Police sources described the suspected attacker as a European or North African male, seen wearing beige Bermuda shorts, an army-green scarf or head wrap and dark glasses.

Police officers, fire fighters and medics are seen near the site of a suspected bomb attack in central Lyon, France, on May 24, 2019. (Emmanuel Foudrot/Reuters)

Soon after he left, the blast rained metal bolts on passersby in front of the premises on rue Victor Hugo, several blocks from the citys main station, according to police.

Police forces across France have been instructed to increase security in public places and event venues, Castaner said.

By Catherine Lagrange, Emmanuel Jarry, and Marine PennetierHatchet-Wielding Thief Flees After Cashier Pulls Out Gun, but What the Store Did Next Has People Outraged

A convenience store clerks response to a hatchet-wielding thief got himself fired from his job, and now people are outraged.

Clackamas County Sheriffs Office said in a statement that the masked suspect walked into an Oak Grove Plaid Pantry in Oregon on April 28 with the intention to rob the convenience store. Before entering, he looked into the windows to check the scene inside. He then proceeded to the store counter and pulled out a 12-inch hatchet from his pants.

In self-defense, the clerk behind the counter pulled out a concealed gun and revealed it to the suspect, as seen in a video released by police.

The clerk appeared to have calmly said a few words to the suspect before he picked up the phone and dialed 911.

The suspect could then be seen pushing the hatchet toward the clerk, placing his hand up in the air, and at one point kneeling on the floor. Police said the suspect reportedly told the clerk, Im sorry. Ill leave.

After a few moments, the suspect then got up and abruptly ran out of the store. He ran in an eastbound direction on SE Roethe Road, police said.

Authorities and K9s who responded to the scene were unable to locate the suspect.

Although the clerk had foiled the alleged robbery, he was subsequently fired, reported KOIN 6. The president of Plaid Pantry said they had a zero tolerance policy for weapons and employees were trained to de-escalate such dangerous situations to avoid injury.

Many social media users expressed their disbelief that the employees actions had cost him his job.

The employee did indeed de-escalate the situation, without violence, and avoided injury, to both himself and the perp, one social media user wrote.

The employee did indeed de-escalate the situation,without violence, and avoided injury, to both himself and the perp.  Hatchet-wielding thief backs down when store clerk pulls out gun  but firearm costs employee his job https://t.co/q7zH84rF3h #FoxNews  Bob (@Bob72270) May 25, 2019

Hero loses job after preventing a robbery, another person wrote.

Hero loses job after preventing a robbery. Morons. Hatchet-wielding thief backs down when store clerk pulls out gun  but firearm costs employee his jobhttps://t.co/uwDIHAxpuA  Tim Halter  (@TimTimhalter1) May 25, 2019

It probably saved the cashiers life & the cashier doesnt need to work for a awful company like that!!! Better job ahead for that cashier!! another social media user wrote.

Hatchet-wielding thief backs down when store clerk pulls out gun  but firearm costs employee his jobhttps://t.co/IrD9dOW69p

It probably saved the cashiers life & the cashier doesnt need to work for a awful company like that!!! Better job ahead for that cashier!!  carol meier (@carolmeier12) May 25, 2019

Plaid Pantry fired a store clerk who exercised a constitutional right in defense of himself and store property. Shame on them. But getting fired is better than being dead or seriously injured. Lets help this guy find a better job, another wrote.

Plaid Pantry fired a store clerk who exercised a constitutional right in defense of himself and store property. Shame on them. But getting fired is better than being dead or seriously injured. Lets help this guy find a better job. https://t.co/0WuTUCnHDA #FoxNews  Amy Swearer (@AmySwearer) May 25, 2019

Police are now looking for the suspect, who has been described as a Hispanic male adult in his early 20s and about 5-foot-5. He was last seen wearing a dark hood, with a dark-green or olive ski mask, khaki pants, and dark sneakers with white soles.

Were you attempting to rob a Plaid Pantry just before 1 a.m. on April 28? Wed like to reunite you with the hatchet you left behind after the clerk responded with a handgun and a 911 call and you fled the scene, police wrote in their statement.

Anyone with information on the suspect is urged to contact the Sheriffs Office Tip Line  by phone at 503-723-4949 or by using the online email form at https://web3.clackamas.us/contact/tip.jsp. Please reference CCSO Case # 19-009740.The Honda logo is displayed at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland March 5, 2019. (Pierre Albouy/Reuters)

Honda Recalls 137,000 SUVs for Sudden Air Bag Deployments

WASHINGTONHonda Motor Co said on Wednesday, May 22, it is recalling 137,000 new sport utility vehicles (SUVs) following reports of three injuries tied to sudden airbag deployments in the United States.

The Japanese-based automaker said it is recalling the 2019 CR-V to replace steering wheel wire harnesses and supplemental restraint system cable reels after six unexpected driver airbag deployments that occurred without a crash. There are so far no reports of related crashes, the automaker said.

The recall includes 118,000 vehicles in the United States and 19,000 in Korea and Canada.

Honda recalls 137,000 SUVs for sudden air bag deployments Honda Motor Co said on Wednesday it is recalling 137,000 new sport utility vehicles (SUVs) following reports of three injuries tied to sudden air bag deployments in the Unite https://t.co/sRP8sKIAgc #USRC #BusinessNews pic.twitter.com/3UdzZkKL2S  U.S. Reality Check (@USRealityCheck) May 23, 2019

Metal burrs on the interior surface of the steering wheel may result in damage that could lead to a short circuit and overheating of components, Honda said.

The issue is separate from a series of recalls Honda has conducted over the last decade to replace more than 21 million defective Takata airbag inflators in about 12.9 million U.S. vehicles that Honda has said are responsible for 14 U.S. deaths.

Honda also said it was recalling 19,000 U.S. vehicles that may have had Takata inflator replacement kits that were improperly installed before May 2018.

By David Shepardson

Over 250,000 Starbucks Bodum Coffee Presses Recalled Due to Laceration Hazard

Starbucks recalled its Bodum+Starbucks Recycled Coffee Presses from the United States and Canada on May 1 after finding that the presses pose a laceration hazard.

The recall warning, issued by both the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada, says the plastic knob at the top of the French press may break when the user is pressing down on the coffee press plunger, which can expose the plungers metal rod and cause injury.

According to Health Canada, Starbucks sold approximately 230,000 of the presses in the United States and an additional 33,200 units in Canada.

As of April 24, 2019, Starbucks has received eight reports of lacerations in the United States and one report of a laceration in Canada.

The affected products were manufactured by Bodum, a well-known French coffee press maker, and sold exclusively by Starbucks from November 2016 to January 2019 for about $20. Starbucks initiated a voluntary recall of the product when it became aware of the issue.

The co-branded coffee presses make eight cups of coffee and are partially made from recycled materials. The press cylindrical glass beaker, screen, and plunger are held in place by a dark gray plastic frame with a locking lid and a light gray handle. The coffee presses measure about nine inches in height and four inches in diameter. The bottom of the press is embossed with Bodum and Made in Portugal.

Their SKU number, 011063549, is printed on a white label on the bottom of the base.

As with all French press coffee presses, consumers could put ground coffee and hot water into the carafe and then push the plunger and screen through the water to filter and brew the coffee.

Both product safety agencies advise that consumers should immediately stop using the coffee press and call Starbucks for store credit by contacting Starbucks at 1-888-843-0245 between 8: oo a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST. Starbucks is not accepting returns.

Past Starbucks + Bodum Recall

Five years ago, Bodum USA recalled its Bodum rose gold glass coffee presses that were sold exclusively at Starbucks as they too presented a laceration hazard.

The recall, issued by both the CPSC and Health Canada in January 2014, affected 28,000 presses sold in the United States and approximately 1,100 presses sold in Canada. The presses were sold nationwide and online in both countries from November 2013 through December 2013 for about $40.

The glass carafe part of the French press could fall out of its metal frame and plastic base, and if the glass broke or shattered, it posed a laceration and burn hazard to consumers.

Bodum received 14 reports of the glass carafes breaking or shattering, including two from Canada, when the plastic base separated from its metal frame. While there were no injuries reported in Canada, two minor lacerations and two minor burns were reported in the United States.

The coffee press glass carafe, screen, and plunger were held in place by a rose-gold colored metal frame with a black molded plastic base. It was 10 inches high and 4 inches in diameter with a locking lid and could make eight cups of coffee. Bodum was printed on the glass carafe, and the SKU number 11029732, Bodum, and Made in Portugal were printed on the bottom.

At the time, consumers were advised to stop using the presses and return them to the Starbucks store where purchased or to contact Bodum for a full refund.

Recent Bodum Recall

While Bodum is famous for making French presses, it recently had to recall its Chambord stovetop espresso makers in a stainless steel finish.

The recall warning, issued by the CPSC on April 23, says the espresso makers handle can be ignited by the flame of a gas stove, posing fire and burn hazards. Bodum received one report of the espresso makers handle catching fire. No injuries have been reported.

About 500 of the espresso makers were distributed in the United States at Fairway Market, Indigo Books and Music, and other home appliance stores from January 2017 through January 2019 for about $70.

The recall includes 6-cup (12 ounces) espresso makers with the SKU number 10617-16 printed on the bottom and the word Bodum embossed on the lower half of the product.

The CPSC warns consumers to immediately stop using the recalled espresso makers and return them to the store where purchased for a direct refund or to contact Bodum to receive a prepaid mailer to return the espresso maker for a full refund.

The Chambord espresso makers were manufactured in China.

Epoch Times staff member Margaret Wollensak contributed to this report.Marco Cobos, 19, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, stabbed Etta Nugent, 75, more than a dozen times after barging into her Houston, Texas, home on May 20, 2019, police said. (Houston Police Department)

Illegal Immigrant Arrested and Charged with Stabbing Texas Grandmother to Death

A 19-year-old man arrested and charged in the murder of a 75-year-old Texas grandmother is an illegal immigrant from Mexico.

Records show that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed an immigration detainer on Marco Cobos, 19, after he was arrested for killing Etta Nugent, the grandmother, reported the Houston Chronicle. The illegal status of Cobos was confirmed by a law enforcement official to the openly conservative Breitbart website.

Prosecutors said during a court appearance by Cobos on May 22 that he was a Mexican national but did not specify that he was an illegal immigrant. Coboss lawyer said during court that the immigrant has lived in the United States for 18 years.

Police said that Cobos was living in a truck he had stolen and parked in front of the Houston home of Etta Nugent, the grandmother.

FIRST LOOK: Family shares a photo of Etta Nugent, the woman who police said was stabbed to death at her Sharpstown home by Marco Cobos on Monday. https://t.co/A9H9UfYsq0 #kprc2 #HouNews pic.twitter.com/pLjHsrICWN  KPRC 2 Houston (@KPRC2) May 21, 2019

On May 20, Cobos went to the house and asked Nugent for help fixing the truck. She was unable to do so because of her age. Cobos then forced his way into her home and stabbed her repeatedly, the Houston Police Department stated.

Investigators who spoke to Cobos said that he told them he stabbed Nugent in the chest after she refused to help him.

That first stabbing didnt kill the woman so Cobos went into the kitchen to look for other knives. He heard the front door open and saw the woman trying to flee so he grabbed her in a bear hug and stabbed her several more times until she died, reported KTRK.

Cobos said he spoke to the victim as she begged for her life.

Cobos then stole Nugents car, credit cards, and $560 in cash that she had.

Cobos returned to the home the next day and was apprehended.

Police said he confessed to killing Nugent. He was charged with capital murder.

Coboss defense attorney, Alvin Nunnery, said that he wasnt sure whether his client was in the country legally.

Disturbing new details coming to light in the murder of 75 year old Etta Nugent. The suspect, 19 year old Marco Cobos, made his 1st court appearance this morning. pic.twitter.com/i2SBMBAvI1  Jeff Ehling (@JeffEhlingABC13) May 22, 2019

There is a question of whether or not he is in the country legally or not, Nunnery told KPRC. His country of origin is apparently Mexico.

He said Cobos had been living in Phoenix before moving to Texas.

During the court appearance, Cobos declined to speak.

What we did today was invoke [Coboss] fifth amendment right to remain silent, as well as his sixth amendment right to counsel, said Nunnery.

Nugents family, meanwhile, released a lengthy statement, the Houston Chronicle reported.

The family of Etta Nugent is heartbroken and in absolute shock at the senseless tragedy that unfolded before them this week. Etta was a kind, gentle, and generous woman who lived her life with unwavering dedication to her faith, family, and friends. To see her life end in such a tragic, evil manner is simply unexplainable, the family said in a statement. Etta leaves behind her husband of 53 years, their three children, and six adoring grandchildren, all of Houston.

DISTURBING DETAILS: Marco Cobos, the 19 YO accused of stabbing 75 YO Etta Nugent to death @ her Sharpstown home, appeared in court. Prosecutors say he confessed to stabbing her 13+ times, as she pleaded for her life. Being held w/o bond, capital murder charge. #Khou11 #htownrush pic.twitter.com/U4jyIlzXH7  Michelle Choi (@MichelleKHOU) May 22, 2019

Neighbors React

People in the community were stunned by the brutal killing.

She was well loved. I loved her so much, neighbor and friend Sharon Shanahan told KHOU. Shes just salt of the Earth, weve known each other for 35 years. I still cant believe it, Im still in shock about it.

Why her? added Shanahan. Because she was such a gentle soul. I dont understand.

Council member Mike Laster represents Sharpstown and has known the Nugent family for a number of years.

Just devastated is what comes to mind, Laster told KTRK. Evil exists. It happens. And we are all our brothers keepers and we all need to keep an eye on each other and keep an eye on the area.Impact of Barrs Declassification Authority Triggers Political, Media Panic

News Analysis

On May 23, 2019, President Trump issued a Memorandum giving declassification authorization to Attorney General William Barr. The memo noted that AG Barr has full authority to declassify, downgrade, or direct the declassification or downgrading of information or intelligence that relates to the Attorney Generals review.

The memo was addressed to the Secretaries of the State, Treasury, Energy, Defense, and Homeland Security Departmentsalong with the Directors for National Intelligence and the CIA. Also included was the Attorney General, which by default inherently covers the FBI.

The subject line, Agency Cooperation with Attorney Generals Review of Intelligence Activities Relating to the 2016 Presidential Campaigns, was particularly notable in its use of plurals, denoting the investigation was potentially looking at interference into campaigns beyond that of just President Trump.

President Trump himself sent out a related release from his Press Secretary, Sarah Sanders:

Today, at the request and recommendation of the Attorney General of the United States, President Donald J. Trump directed the intelligence community to quickly and fully cooperate with the Attorney Generals investigation into surveillance activities during the 2016 Presidential election. The Attorney General has also been delegated full and complete authority to declassify information pertaining to this investigation, in accordance with the long-established standards for handling classified information.

Todays action will help ensure that all Americans learn the truth about the events that occurred, and the actions that were taken, during the last Presidential election and will restore confidence in our public institutions.

The language, that all Americans learn the truth about the events that occurred, carries a certain implication of the knowledge and information already obtained by AG Barr. Also notable was reference to the genesis of the declassification orderAt the request and recommendation of the Attorney General of the United States. AG Barr apparently asked President Trump for the declassification authority.

The President has been stating for several weeks that he re-intended to declassify everything, after first raising the prospect of declassification during an April 25 interview with Sean Hannity, telling him, Everything is going to be declassified and more, much more than what you just mentioned. It will all be declassified.

In a May 2 interview with Catherine Herridge of Fox News, Trump addressed the pending declassification a second time:

Catherine Herridge: Is there a timeline on when the public will see these Russia records declassified?

President Donald Trump: Yes, Im going to be allowing declassification pretty soon. I didnt want to do it originally because I wanted to wait, because I know what theyyou know, Ive seen the way they play. They play very dirty. So I decided to do it, and Im going to be doing it very soon, far more than you would have even thought.

Ms. Herridge: May, June, July?

Mr. Trump: No, soon. I mean whenever they need it. Whenever they need it, Ill be doing it. But I will be declassifying it. Everything.

At the time of his comments, it was not entirely clear whether the president was referring to investigators such as DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz. With hindsight, President Trumps comments of whenever they need it suddenly make sense.

Despite these overt warnings, the Presidents actual order appeared to catch many in our nations capital by surprise. Olivia Gazis, the Intelligence and national security reporter for CBS News, said she was told by an intel source that the presidents order came as a complete surprise and generated widespread concern within the community about this trajectory.

In a stroke of irony, the New York Times rushed out a story decrying Barrs investigation and the pending declassification, citing potential risk to a CIA Asset from the declassification. The reality is the article by the New York Times appeared to be designed to actually burn that same CIA source in advance of the pending declassification.

The description provided by the New York Timesmale, still alive, long-nurtured by the CIA, close to Putin, highly placed and provided information to the CIA about his involvement in Russias 2016 election interferenceappears sufficient to allow for foreign intelligence agencies to determine the sources underlying identity.

The source being discussed by the New York Times was not your run-of-the-mill CIA asset. Former CIA Director John Brennan viewed this source as so important that he would bring reports from the source directly to the White House, keeping them out of the presidents daily intelligence briefing for fear that the briefing document was too widely disseminated, according to the officials. Instead, he would place them in an envelope for Mr. Obama and a tiny circle of aides to read.

The articleand the description of the CIA asset provided in the articleappears to be a preemptive move to get information into the public domain in front of the impending release from Barrs investigation.

There have been other recent references to sources as well. On Oct. 11, 2016, dossier author Christopher Steele met with Kathleen Kavalec, then-deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, just 10 days prior to the FBI obtaining a FISA warrant on Trump campaign adviser Carter Page on Oct. 21, 2016. Also present at this meeting was Tatyana Duran, who was referenced as being with Steeles firm Orbis Security.

Notes taken by Kalevec of the meeting, of which a redacted version was made public earlier in May, show that Steele provided her with a full rundown of the unverified information compiled in his dossier to that date. Also included in her notes from the Steele meeting were two namesTrubnikov and Surkovthat were noted as sources for Steele.

Vyacheslav Trubnikov is the former First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the former Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. Notably, Trubnikov has ties to FBI spy Stefan Halper, having participated in courses co-taught by Halper in 2012 and 2015.

Vladislav Surkov, a shadowy figure in Russian politics, is reported to be an aide of Vladimir Putin and the personal adviser to President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine. He has been referred to as a political technologistone who engages in the shaping and reshaping public opinion.

Both of these men fit the generalized profile provided in the New York Times article. The ramifications would prove profound should either man prove to be the source for Brennan, while concurrently serving as a source for Steele.

The Washington Post also published an article describing the dangers posed by President Trumps Executive Order, claiming the declassification authority given to AG Barr threatens to expose U.S. intelligence sources and could distort the FBI and CIAs roles in investigating Russian interference in the 2016 elections. The Post included a lead quote from former FBI General Counsel James Baker who noted, This is a complete slap in the face to the director of national intelligence.

Left unsaid by the Washington Post was the fact that Baker is currently the subject of a criminal leak investigation that has been going on for over 18 months and is currently being led by John H. Durham, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. Also left unsaid is the simple fact that both the Washington Post and the New York Times have been the primary outlets for anonymous leaks from the intelligence community over the last several years.

Meanwhile, Democrats continue to attempt to frame the ongoing declassification efforts in as negative a light as possible. And in doing so, the strategy behind the ongoing attacks and smear attempts against AG Barr became more apparentthey were being established as a defensive narrative against whatever was to be disclosed by Barr. Take for example a recent quote from Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee:

The President has granted sweeping declassification powers to an Attorney General who has already shown that he has no problem selectively releasing information in order to mislead the American people.

Sen. Warner was far from the only one attempting to portray Barrs investigation in a negative light. Rep. Adam Schiff recently tweeted out a somewhat illogical statement, claiming that with the pending declassification President Trump was stonewalling the public from learning the truth about his obstruction of justice, and noted the coverup has entered a new and dangerous phase.

Schiff, who failed to explain how declassification would help to maintain an ongoing coverup, also ignored his own previous position on declassification from Dec. 2016:

President Obama can and must declassify as much as possible about Russia hacking our elections. Rest assured, Trump wont.

Admittedly, the Democrats approach to declassification has been a somewhat perplexing one. It was just a few short weeks ago that Democrats were threatening to impeach AG Barr if he did not fully declassify the Mueller report.

Democrat leadership, who had managed to ignore that a nearly fully-unredacted version of the report was available to them in a secured facility or SCIF, were insisting that Barr unredact the very portions that Special Counsel Mueller himself had redacted. Notably, Mueller had referred a number of investigations to the Southern District of New York and a number of the redactions were in place to protect those specific investigations.

Now, with the broader declassification authority in place, Democrats are crying foul over the pending disclosure of a much broader set of information, making one question exactly what they might not want the public to see.Indiana Authorities Search for 4-Year-Old Boy Swept Away in Swollen Creek

Officials in Indiana are still searching for a 4-year-old boy who was swept away in a swollen creek on the evening of May 23, according to local reports.

Owen Jones was caught in a creek in Delphi, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, reported the Journal And Courier.

Witnesses told authorities the boy was playing near Deer Creek at Riley Park around 6 p.m. in the evening. They saw him struggling in the water and then being swept away.

He was last seen wearing a blue sleeveless shirt and blue shorts.

Authorities began a search that evening using a boat with sonar and a helicopter, but to no avail. They had to pause the search until the morning due to dangerous conditions, reported Fox 59.

With the fast current and the debris floating down stream its just hazardous to continue the search effort by boat after dark, DNR Lt. Dan Dulin said, according to Fox News.

Authorities are urging the public to stay away from the river, which is engorged by rain from the recent storms that lashed large parts of the country.

The family is extremely upset as we would expect and assume they are hoping and praying for the best they are asking for the communities support in this tragic accident, said Dulin.

Elsewhere, other rivers have been pushed to near-record levels by the multi-day weather system that has left at least eight dead.

On May 23, two runaway barges, torn free by floodwaters on the Arkansas river, slammed into a dam as onlookers evacuated from the town below, anxiously watching to see if the structure would hold. Fortunately, it did.

Footage shows the two bargeswhich were carrying a total of 3,800 tonnes of fertilizersink within seconds of hitting the Webbers Falls dam in Oklahoma.

WATCH: 2 barges break free amid severe weather and flooding along the Arkansas River; strike a dam near Webbers Falls in Oklahoma and get sucked below the waterline. https://t.co/pAzf0NAvOs  @kfor pic.twitter.com/lAfcuIJwDD  NBC News (@NBCNews) May 23, 2019

The town of Webbers Falls, situated on the banks of the river about a mile downstream, was evacuated as soon as officials learned that the two barges were headed their way.

BARGES VS. LOCK & DAM: Ever wonder what would happen if a barge broke loose during a flood and headed for a local lock and dam? These two in Oklahoma might give you an idea. pic.twitter.com/dHTn6JwFgm  Local 4 WHBF (@Local4NewsWHBF) May 23, 2019

The flood waters were created by the same storm system that has torn through several states in the last few days, leaving at least eight people dead.

Evacuate Webbers Falls immediately, officials posted on the towns Facebook page. The barges are loose and has the potential to hit the lock and dam 16. If the dam breaks it will be catastrophic!! Leave now!

If you choose to stay you are doing so at your own risk, wrote town officials in an earlier post. If you choose to stay, we advise you write your name and personal information on your arm in permanent marker. Please be safe!

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol confirmed that the barges had sunk upon striking the dam.Sen. John Pinto talks about his career as a lawmaker on American Indian Day in Santa Fe, New Mexico on Feb. 2, 2018. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File)

John Pinto, WWII Code Talker and Longtime New Mexico Lawmaker, Dies at 94

SANTA FE, N.M.John Pinto, a Navajo Code Talker in World War II who became one of the nations longest-serving Native American elected officials as a New Mexico state senator, has died. He was 94.

Senate colleague Michael Padilla confirmed Pintos death in Gallup on May 24 after years of suffering from various illnesses that rarely kept him from his duties.

After serving as a Marine, Pinto was elected to the Senate in 1976 and represented a district that includes the Navajo Nation for more than four decades. The region is one of the poorest in the country.

Words cannot express the sadness we feel for the loss of a great Dine warrior, said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, using the indigenous word for Navajo. He dedicated his life to helping others.

Today our state lost a legend, & I lost an old friend. Senator John Pinto and I became very close during the time we served together in the Senate. At 29, I was the youngest senator, & at 83, he was the oldest. We often ate together and worked together over the next six years. pic.twitter.com/rp40nJwrat  Mayor Tim Keller (@MayorKeller) May 24, 2019

Born in Lupton, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation to a family of sheepherders, Pinto didnt start formal schooling until he was nearly a teenager.

At the age of 12, I was in kindergarten, Pinto told the Albuquerque Journal in a 2007 interview. I guess I did all right.

Pinto also recalled that his grandparents told of being forced at gunpoint from their land in the 1860s by the U.S. Army in the forced relocation of the Navajo people on foot to southern New Mexico.

After serving as a Code Talkera group of radio men who translated American coordinates and messages into an indecipherable code based on the Navajo languagePinto had to take an English test four times before he was finally admitted into the University of New Mexicos College of Education.

He graduated with a bachelors in elementary education at 39, and eventually earned his masters, becoming a teacher and a truancy officer in Gallup.

Pinto delved into politics to address the needs of impoverished indigenous populations. He won a seat in state Senate in 1976 as one of the states first Native American senators.

An unassuming appearance and manner belied Pintos political determination that carried him through 42 years in the Legislature. Laurie Canepa, the senior librarian for the Legislative Council Service, said that made him the longest-serving senator in state history.

Manny Aragon, the states one-time Senate president, tells the story of driving to the Statehouse in a January 1977 snowstorm and picking up a middle-aged Navajo man who was hitchhiking in Albuquerque. The hitchhiker was newly elected Sen. Pinto.

I just thought he was a transient, Aragon said.

In the Legislature, Pinto advocated for education reform and anti-poverty programs. Receiving a lifetime achievement award in 2016, Pinto recalled going hungry at times as a child while his parents juggled odd jobs and said the experience influenced his work on issues of homelessness as a lawmaker.

Every year, Pinto would sing on the Senate floor the Potato Songa Navajo song about a potato, planted in the spring and visited in the summer until it is harvested. Fellow senators, staff and aides clapped along to Pintos rendition.

Lenore Naranjo, the Senates chief clerk, says Pinto taught her bits of Navajo language over the decades.

A beautiful man is all I can say, Naranjo said.

By Morgan Lee and Mary HudetzAnthony Albanese speaks to media at Henson Park Oval in Sydney, Australia, on May 21, 2019. (Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Labor Will Consider Supporting Coalitions Entire Tax Plan: Albo

Likely new Labor leader Anthony Albanese says he will consider supporting the federal coalitions entire tax plan, after previously flagging support for the initial stages.

The opposition has indicated support for the first part of the plan geared toward low and middle-income earners, but not the governments aim to flatten the tax structure in 2022 and 2024 under the second and third stages of its plan.

But that could change if Albanese is confirmed as leader, after nominations officially close on May 24.

We will consider that, but let me tell youit is a triumph of hope over experience and reality that the government knows what the economic circumstances are in 2025 or 2023, Albanese told Nines Today program.

Well give consideration to it, thats a matter for our proper processes.

If Labor resists the plan the coalition may have to consider splitting up its tax cuts if it cant get them through the Senate without the oppositions support or the backing of crossbenchers.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has ruled this out.

No, we will not split the bill. It is a holistic plan, it is a plan to provide income tax relief to all working Australians, he told Sky News.

Labor should back our plan to provide income tax relief to all hardworking families around Australia. Obviously, the Australian people endorsed that plan.

It cant be taken apart, it cant be dealt with in bits and pieces, it will be put to the parliament as a whole.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was clear Albanese had not learned the lessons of last Saturday by opposing tax cuts that voters want.

Bill Shorten did exactly the same thingthis is just Bill Shorten in a different shirt, Morrison told reporters in Cloncurry on May 24.Man Convicted of Raping and Murdering High School Friend

A Maine man has been convicted of raping and murdering a woman who he had known in high school.

Jalique Keene, 22, was charged with gross sexual assault and murder after his former high school friend Mikaela Conley, 19, was found dead on June 2, 2018, in Bar Harbor.

A 12-person jury with an equal number of men and women convicted Keene of the charges late on May 24 in Hancock County Unified Criminal Court in Ellsworth, reported the Bangor Daily News.

About 50 members of the public were present and several hugged each other after the guilty verdict was announced. Several cried.

Conleys relatives didnt comment on the verdict while Keene stood stone-faced as it was read, according to the News.

John Alsop, a state prosecutor who worked on the case, said the evidence was very compelling. He noted that the jurys verdict indicated they didnt believe Keene when he claimed that he didnt recall carrying Conleys body behind a school building. The act was seen in surveillance footage from the school.

I found that to be unworthy of belief and I believe the jury did too, the prosecutor said.

The security footage was captured early June 1, about an hour after Snapchat videos from Conleys phone showed Keene at the playground at the school.

At 3:32 a.m., an infrared camera showed a human figure sitting. The figure appeared to be Conley, Pickering said, based on the jacket. Another person appearing to be Keene approached, and Conley stood up and pushed him backwards. Keene then appeared to bend down over her as she lay on the ground. At 3:36 footage appeared to show Keene picking up Conley and carrying her toward the playground, reported the Mount Desert Islander.

A different camera showed an unidentifiable human figure walking down the ramp at 3:45 a.m. Approximately six minutes later, a different camera picked up a male who appeared to be Keene, identified by his clothes and tattoo, entering the playground area once again through an opening in the fence around the perimeter of the playground.

Additional footage showed Keene carrying Conleys body before washing his shoes, legs, and arms with a nearby water spigot.

Investigators also obtained security footage showing Keene buying a bottle of tequila on the night of March 31 while video from a gas station showed Keene and Conley going into a bathroom. Keene testified that he had drunk tequila and smoked marijuana in addition to not having slept for some 36 hours after flying into the United States from Serbia, reported NBC.

Accused murderer Jalique Keene says he does not recall the events seen in the video surveillance videos of him carrying homicide victim Mikaela Conleys lifeless body. pic.twitter.com/rABWgYiVX6  Nit-Noi Ricker (@MaineNitNoi) May 24, 2019

He said that he and his friend from high school had consensual sex but that she grew upset afterward. After trying to calm her down, he left with the intention to meet up with her later, he said.

During the trial, prosecutors also said that Keene had offered to help Conleys mother look for her when the teen went missing, noting that the families had lived near each other since the man and woman were in grade school, reported the Bangor Daily News.

Keene went to Conleys house on June 2 and said hed left his cellphone there and Conleys mother said shed get it from her daughters room. Thats when she found out her daughter was missing. Keene told her hed last seen Conley at around 3:30 a.m. at the playground.

The defendant even participated in the search, Assistant Attorney General Meg Elam told the jury. He pretended to look for Mikaela Conley when he already knew where her dead body lay.Miracle Boy With 2 Faces Was Given Zero Chance of Survival, He Is 15 Years Old Now

The content is not available due to expiration.Missing 7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Found Dead in Pond Near Home: Police

A 7-year-old autistic boy who went missing on May 24 was found dead in a pond near his home several hours later, according to police.

The boy, who has not yet been identified, was reported missing from his home in Kentucky at about 9:50 p.m. on May 24, according to Kentucky State Police Post 5 spokesman Steven Dykes, reported Courier-Journal.

Missing 7-year-old Kentucky boy with autism found dead in pond, police say https://t.co/UENYzfVxV9  Courier Journal (@courierjournal) May 25, 2019

After various state agencies searched for the boy, he was found by members of the Louisville Metro Police Dive Team at around 3:40 a.m. on May 25. The child was pronounced dead by Henry County Coroner.

It is a sad and terrible outcome to lose this young man, Dykes told the news station in a statement. We are truly thankful and appreciative to all of the different agencies that assisted the Kentucky State Police in searching for him.

It is certainly not the outcome we ever hope to have, but we can be certain that by joined efforts, every effort was made to find him when every moment counts. Please keep this young man, his family and all those that assisted in the search for him in your thoughts and prayers, the spokesman added.

Police say an autopsy of the boy will occur in due course. They have not released further details about how the boy became missing.

Missing Children Cases

In another missing person case, a 3-year-old boy wandered off from his parents for at least three hours and found outside a 7-Eleven in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, reported ABC News.

The boys parents were subsequently charged with child endangerment and recklessly endangering the welfare of a child and appeared in court for their arraignment on May 8.

Police said at the time the boy disappeared his mother was asleep, while his father was cooking. It is unclear how the boy got away.

The boy and his four other children from the house are currently placed in their grandmothers custody.

Neighbor John Allen told ABC News that it was hard to believe this could happen to the family as the parents seem to be decent people.

I dont know how he even got out of the house, Allen told the news station.

I understand she might be sleeping cause she works night work, so thats the part thats mind-boggling.

According to the FBI, there were over 424,000 National Crime Information Center entries of missing children in 2018.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said they have assisted law enforcement in more than 25,000 cases in 2018. Of those, four percent of cases are family abductions, while 92 percent are endangered runaways.Michael John Wolfe, 52, was arrested on May 24, 2019, one day after he was named a person of interest in the case of missing mother Karissa Fretwell and her son William Fretwell. (Salem Police Department)

Person of Interest Arrested and Charged With Murder of Missing Boy and Mother

A man described as a person of interest in the case of a missing mother and child has been arrested and charged with murder.

Michael John Wolfe, 52, was named as a person of interest on May 23. The next day, he was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated murder and two counts of kidnapping in the case of missing mother Karissa Fretwell, 25, and her son, William Fretwell, reported KPTV.

According to court documents, Wolfe is the father of the missing boy.

Wolfes home was searched as part of the probe into the missing pair on Thursday and on Friday the search for the mother and son continued in rural Yamhill County, Oregon, and included a dive team.

Neighbors of one property that was linked to Wolfe told KOIN that detectives had been there for days.

Just odd. You see it on the news all the time of somewhere else or a different place, and the next thing you know its right next door, neighbor Randy Ruggles said, according to KOIN.

Another said shed never met Wolfe until recently.

I wouldve never guessed. I met him a couple of weeks ago, said Phyllis Hayes. He was quiet, nice, just a neighbor saying hi. Had a dog.

Dive teams deployed in search for missing Salem mom Karissa Fretwell and her son Billy https://t.co/HuvuJuPDwD pic.twitter.com/AKpvUwbA4M  KOIN News (@KOINNews) May 24, 2019

Police officials said the murder charges dont necessarily mean Fretwell and William are dead.

We work toward the worst possible scenario and continue to hope for the best, said Lt. Treven Upkes, KPTV reported.

But Bethany Brown, Fretwells close friend, told KPTV that she believes Wolfe killed the mother and child.

How could he do that to her and him? Little Billy, thats his son, Brown said. I hope he rots in prison for the rest of his life.

Another friend, Megan Harper, told KGW that she immediately thought Williams biological father was involved when she heard her friend and her son were missing.

God this hurts. I hope he rots in prison for the rest of his life. Beth says she has no doubt in her mind that police have the right man. She misses her best friend, Karissa. The single mom & 3 y/o boy are still missing. The boys biological father faces murder charges #Fox12 pic.twitter.com/RzivpCzmkH  Bonnie Silkman KPTV (@BonnieSilkman) May 25, 2019

Court documents show that Fretwell and Wolfe had the child in 2016 and DNA testing ordered by a court after Fretwell filed for it in 2018 proved that Wolfe was the father. Fretwell said Wolfe wouldnt pay child support, prompting her to file the court order, and the court ordered Wolfe to pay the support and health insurance for William.

Police officials said that Wolfe is currently married.

Fretwells family members originally contacted the Salem Police Department on May 17 to file a missing persons report. They said they hadnt seen or heard from her or her son since May 13.

I immediately thought Williams biological father was involved. Megan Harper has been friends w/ Karissa Fretwell for yrs. The 25-y-o Salem mom & her 3-y-o son William are missing. Salem PD just charged Williams dad Michael Wolfe w/ 2 counts of kidnapping & aggravated murder. pic.twitter.com/4TH8hgyUYM  Maggie Vespa KGW (@Maggie_Vespa) May 25, 2019

Fretwell was described as a white female standing 59 and weighing approximately 135 pounds with blue eyes and blond hair that she dyes red.

William was described as a white male standing approximately 30 and weighing about 30 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes.

Anyone with information about the case should call the Salem Police Tips Hotline at (503) 588-8477 and leave a message for Detective Jake Burke. If you know where Fretwell and William are, please call the Salem Police Department non-emergency number at (503) 588-6123.

From NTD NewsTeachers from Beijing middle schools are parading on the street to support the students' protest on June 1989. (Provided by Liu Jian/The Epoch Times)

Photographer Releases Never-Before-Seen Tiananmen Protest Photos

Photos were released in commemoration of the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre

A photographer has for the first time shared photos of the Tiananmen Square protests to commemorate the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

All 2,000 photos were hidden for the past three decades until now.

Photographer Liu Jian hopes that the Chinese people wont forget about the significance of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, and that future generations will learn about its history through his photos.

Tiananmen Square is still there. People who have experienced the massacre are still alive. But the young Chinese dont know about it, Liu told the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times on May 7.

Liu said when he asked his teenage daughter about it early this year, she had no idea about the protest and massacre that happened on June 4, 1989. He received similar responses from other young people.

I was very shocked. Its such a big thing, but people dont know it anymore and it was just 30 years ago, Liu said.

Liu decided to share his photos in that hope that others can learn about the historical significance of the event, and that those who have forgotten will remember it.

Liu was a 19-year-old university student at the time. As a professional photographer, he took 60 rolls of film of the students protest and citizens support, and washed them by himselfa process in developing film.

Liu, however, didnt print the photos and just kept the developed film. But recently, he printed and shared them exclusively with the Chinese-language editions of The Epoch Times and NTD television, a U.S.-based uncensored Chinese media outlet.

While cameras werent uncommon in China in 1989, Liu said most of the film of the incident disappeared after the photographers sent them to photo studios for washing and printing, because the Chinese regime forced the studios to hand over any film with images of the protest and massacre.

He said 80 percent of film capturing the Tiananmen Square protests was destroyed by the Chinese regime, making his photos even more precious.

Painful Memories

Liu started taking photos of the protest on April 16, 1989, when the students painted a portrait of Hu Yaobang, the former leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Hu had pursued a series of economic and political reforms in the 1980s, but was forced to resign in 1987 because most of the CCP senior officials didnt support his policies. Hu died on April 15, 1989, and students who supported democracy and reforms mourned him at Tiananmen Square, which marked the beginning of the protests.

Liu then started to record that history by photographing. Unlike most reporters, Liu stayed with the students who were protesting at Tiananmen Square and on the streets of Beijing, and citizens who supported the students.

When the policemen were not there, it was the students who maintained order and kept the roads clean. No theft, no crime. The citizens supported the students and even brought them drinks, food, and warm clothes, Liu said.

On April 27, 1989, the students organized a large parade along Changan Avenue. A lot of citizens joined the students, including businessmen who rode tricycles and motorcycles.

At that time, the status symbol of a businessman is riding a tricycle. At night, hundreds of tricycles and motorcycles were parading on the street [to support the students]. It was very encouraging, Liu said.

Liu continued to take photos of the students and citizens protesting until June 4. After the military started shooting at protesters on the night of June 3, he took photos of many corpses at Water Resources Hospital, which is less than 2.5 miles away from Tiananmen Square.

I entered this hospital on the morning of June 4, a tiny hospital affiliated with Chinas Ministry of Water Resources. The corpses I photographed had bullet wounds, Liu said. In another room, I saw bodies with bullet wounds in the head. It was awful, and I couldnt take any more photos.

Liu, who had never seen a dead body before, was shocked to see many of them.

It was a nightmare. Who can imagine that a government can gun down students who only proposed to bring democracy to China? The students only wanted to make China into a better country. But even the field army entered Beijing and [suppressed the students], Liu said.

Liu recalled hearing gunshots outside of the hospital, so he quickly left and ran home.

The photos at the hospital are the last ones that I took because Beijing was controlled by the military from that day [June 4]. I hid and didnt dare to take any more photos, Liu said.

Hiding the Past

Liu washed all 60 films at home after the Tiananmen massacre, hid them, and tried to forget about them. He said if the Chinese regime found his photos, he would be punished, including his family. Punishments could include being fined, imprisoned, and losing ones job.

[CCP] doesnt allow you to take the whole responsibility, although you did it by yourselfall your family members and relatives will be punished because of you, Liu said.

The photographer said the massacre has been all but forgotten by the Chinese peoplehimself included.

We Chinese people forgot about the Tiananmen protest. Its true. We were brainwashed by the CCP to forget about it. Its a tragedy.

In the decades since the tragedy, Liu himself has been preoccupied with running a private company and making money. The Party encourages such personal pursuits so that people dont focus on social issues and politics, he said.

[The CCP encourages you to enjoy] all types of food, and pleasure. People dont pay attention to politics. Theyd rather travel, pursue wealth and a comfortable lifestyle, Liu said.

Hope

Liu said he felt lucky to have photos chronicling a pivotal moment in Chinas history.

I think its my obligation to publish these photos so the children and more people will know what the students did, how the society reacted at that time, and how the soldiers behaved, Liu said.

After the massacre, many professors and teachers watched the speech of Deng Xiaoping, then CCP leader, in which he said: [It is worthwhile] killing 200,000 people in exchange for 20 years of stability.

Now, 30 years have passed. I want to tell people: Please dont forget this history! Liu said.The Ankara Ultimatum

Subtlety and nuance are not a priority in Trumps dealing with Turkey

Donald Trumps approach to foreign policy is less than subtle. It has been said that wherever hethe bullgoes, he brings his own China shop with him. But in some cases, like Turkey, it has an advantage: Everybody knows where they stand.

A Deteriorating Relationship

Its no secret that relations between Turkey and the United States have deteriorated over the years. U.S. interests are increasingly at odds with the direction Turkey has chosen. A recent example was to go forward with an arms deal with the Russians. As a result, American officials have confronted Ankara with an ultimatum: Should Turkey buy the Russian S-400 missile defense systems and continues its war against the Kurds, it will revoke a previously approved sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.

But this is just the latest of many disagreements. Back in 2016, after a failed coup attempt in the country, Turkish authorities arrested Andrew Brunson, an American Christian minister, charging him with espionage and having terrorist connections. In response, the Trump administration applied sanctions and worked with Israel to arrange a prisoner swap to secure Brunsons eventual release. The sanctions stayed in place, however, severely damaging Turkeys economy.

Another pain point in the U.S.-Turkish relationship is Turkeys overt support for Venezuelan dictator Victor Maduro. This puts Ankara on the same side as Russia and China against Americas backing of opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Israeli relations are also on the downside. Although Turkey and Isreal once enjoyed a mutually beneficial strategic relationship, Turkeys growing Islamism has made it a growing threat to the Jewish state. As the former seat of the Islamic caliphate and the Ottoman Empire, Turkey has turned its formerly secular government back toward its muslim roots. This alone does not bode well for the relationship. Ankaras support of Hamas in Gaza, undermining Israels security, only underscores that fact.

Whats more, Turkeys economy remains in a shambles due in part to U.S.-imposed sanctions. It undoubtedly views the vast new oil discoveries off the coast of the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus as a much-needed source of wealth. But Turkeys potential claim on Cypriot oil fields is not recognized by any other country. Israel has recently convened naval exercises, signaling its intention to defend its claim on the fields. This will likely prove to be a source of national security tension for both countries.

Selling more arms to an adversary of Americas closest ally in the region, if not the world, is neither a wise nor a sustainable strategy.

Turkey Looks Eastward

Meanwhile, Turkeys growing Middle East political posture has put the country at odds with the Wests struggle against radical Islam in general, and specifically, the U.S. policy of supporting Kurdish fighters battling ISIS in Syria. Both Turkey and the Kurds are allies of the United States, with America training 30,000 Kurds in Syria to combat ISIS. The Turks, on the other hand, while battling against ISIS in Syria, have been fighting the Kurds for years to deny them their own territory, part of which stretches into Turkey.

Furthermore, the Turkish-Pakistani relationship has reached a high point. Military cooperation has deepened, with Pakistan recently purchasing $1.5 billion worth of Turkish ATAK helicopters. More close cooperation is anticipated, including a partnership that will facilitate both broader trade and military ties with China. This also conflicts with the U.S. policy goals of containing China.

Splitting NATO?

But there may well be another dimension to Turkeys recent decisions. Ankara, Tehran, and Moscow have deepened their relationship, and for decades Russia has sought to diminish American influence in Europe. The deconstruction of the NATO alliance would be a major step in that direction. The inevitable split between Turkey and the United States could be the beginning of NATO unraveling. Ironic, as the country was indispensable during the cold war, providing the United States with a base to reach the Russian mainland with its missiles.

But it isnt just Turkey that finds NATO at odds with its interests. Trumps call for Germany, the largest economy in Europe, to meet its annual financial commitment to NATO of 2 percent of GDP grates on Germanys leadership. Increasingly, they view the Trump administration and America as less of an ally and more of an obstacle toward normalizing their relationships with Russia and China. Germanys Turkish population of over three million and its longstanding relationship with Turkey will certainly add to that perception.

Forcing Turkey to Decide

Turkey has benefitted from American arms deals, military protection, and access to the European market for decades. As a NATO member in receipt of said benefits, it is expected to support other NATO members in dealing with threats and adversaries, in particular, the United States, the leader of NATO. But given the reasons mentioned herein, Trump is forcing Turkey to decide where its loyalties and future resides.

Turkey engages in a delicate and dangerous ballet on the fence which divides its allegiances to NATO and the West on one side, and Russia and militant Islamism on the other. Turkey wants it both ways, but their dance is fooling no one. Trump wont be tolerating that for too long.

Trump Repairing American Image

That may not be such a bad thing. The Trump administration is trying to re-establish American dominance around the world and erase the self-defeatism of the prior administration. No doubt that clarity in word, intent, and deed may well be considered a liability amongst the velvet-tongued lifers at the Deep State Department for whom patriotism and nation-state sovereignty are simplistic and atavistic concepts.

But not for Trump.

Trumps contentious style of diplomacy is both blunt and sharp, and definitely results oriented. As he has pointed out many times, American diplomacy over the past couple of decades has produced a resurgent Russia, an increasingly belligerent and enriched Iran as well as a nuclear-tipped North Korea, to name just a few failures aside from a China that is now in a position to claim superpower status. President Trump is set on reversing this trendeven if it means breaking a few pieces of China.

James Gorrie is a writer based in Texas. He is the author of The China Crisis.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Tourists Outraged After Being Charged $935 for Calamari, 6 Beers, Water, Salad, Tomato Juice

An American soldier and his friends on a holiday in Greece were shocked when a restaurant they were dining in charged them $935 for six plates of calamari, six beers, three salads, water, and tomato juice.

DK Oyster restaurant in Mykonos refused to show them any menu or price list and shocked them in the end with the staggering bill, reported the Daily Mail.

Francisco Tajeda, 38, from Brooklyn, told the media that he and his friends were on the beach when they were lured inside DK Oyster by a hostess promising special offers.

A @USArmy soldier from NYC and tourist was left shocked after being presented with an 836 (738) bill for some calamari and beers at the DK Oyster @DKoyster restaurant in #Mykonos, #Greece and his not the only one. https://t.co/ufxsn0xG83 Tripadvisor https://t.co/kchK8S4Cvz pic.twitter.com/gAA7XUvePp  BlakeNordstrom1 (@BlakeNordstrom1) May 25, 2019

Multiple times we asked for the menu, but she never brought one out, Francisco told Daily Mail. But we were very hungry so we ordered Caesar salads without seeing the prices.

He said they were perplexed because the waitress told them she didnt know the price and they were denied a menu even after asking for it multiple times.

After asking again for a menu to order mains but still not getting one, we thought the place seemed shady, so we said lets get another appetizer, finish this beer, and get out of here,' said Tajeda, a soldier with New Yorks 69th Infantry Regiment.

Tajeda shared his experience at the restaurant on Tripadvisor and asked people to avoid the place: This place is a rip-off, look at the picture I posted. They charged us 830 euros for calamari, 6 beers, and 3 salads. The staff is not honest and refuse to provide a menu and prices. AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COST! No pun intended.

Tajeda told the media that the waitress told them that the price depended upon how much the chef prepares and that she would check, but they only got to know about the price when the final bill arrived.

When the bill came I was like this is ridiculous, why on earth are we being charged this much? The beer we couldnt complain about too much, Ive traveled a lot and sometimes beers can be expensive. But $600 for calamari we just couldnt understandit was unbelievable,' he said.

He said although they were reluctant, they paid the bill because they wanted to avoid any conflict in a foreign land. However, when the interacted with the locals later they realized they had been duped.

The locals told us it was illegal, as the tax was not on the ticketit was an illegal receipt. They told us wed been scammed.

Soldier from Brooklyn outraged at DK Oyster restaurant in Mykonos

They posted a picture of the check for $935 charge

Restaurant charged almost $110 per plate of calamari, almost $30 per bottle of beer, and more than $20 for a single bottle of tomato juice https://t.co/MnHPjjWAEP  thewatcher (@banawedata) May 24, 2019

We went to the police and made a report but we had to get on a plane back home a couple of hours later, so there wasnt much we could do, he said.

The restaurants owner, Dimitris Kalamaras, refuted the allegations and said their luxury surroundings justify their exorbitant prices.

We regret the language of the person who posted this photo. Indeed, the prices are correct, Dimitris Kalamaras told Daily Mail.

Although we feel that they reflect the level of our efforts, care and the quality of the food served in one of the worlds most coveted beaches, we can sympathize with an unsatisfied customer, he said.

He said the restaurant values its customers and the costs are carefully accounted for.

However, the word trap is not fairWhy is a luxury hotel allowed to charge 200-500 euros per night and nobody compares it to a room to let? Why does a customer of a small retailer pay for a jacket 50.00 euros and others charge up to thousands? Are we all criminals, thieves, bad people? he said.President Donald Trump arrives on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, on Sept. 24, 2017. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Trump Admin Sidesteps Congress to Sell Arms to Middle East Allies

WASHINGTONThe State Department announced May 24 that the United States is planning to sell $8.1 billion worth of arms to Middle East allies to counter aggression by Iran.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that the United States has pending 22 arms sales to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia.

The sales include intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); aircraft support maintenance; munitions; and other supplies.

Todays action will quickly augment our partners capacity to provide for their own self-defense and reinforce recent changes to U.S. posture in the region to deter Iran, Pompeo said. Delaying this shipment could cause degraded systems and a lack of necessary parts and maintenance that could create severe airworthiness and interoperability concerns for our key partners, during a time of increasing regional volatility.

The State Department is doing this without the blessing of Congress, which, under normal circumstances, would have 30 days to vote on whether the sales could proceed.

Instead, the State Department is using section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act (pdf), which allows the administration to waive the 30-day period if the president determines that emergency circumstances threaten the national security interests of the United States.

This isnt going around Congress. The authority that the president used today was granted to us by Congress. It passed the law, it would have been signed by a previous president and provided us specific authority to conduct arms sales in precisely the manner in which were doing, Pompeo told Breitbart News.

Today, acting in accordance with authority granted to us by Congress, I made a determination under the Arms Export Control Act to formally notify Congress of 22 arms sales to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. These directly protect U.S. citizens and our partners.  Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 24, 2019

On May 12, four oil tankers were attacked near a UAE port in the Gulf of Oman, two of which were owned by Saudi Arabia. On May 19, a rocket fired in Baghdad landed close to the U.S. Embassy.

Rear Admiral Michael Gilday, the director of the Joint Staff, said on May 24 that Iran and its proxy groups were responsible for both attacks, and that there is credible intelligence Iran and its proxies intend to attack U.S. personnel in the Middle East.

We believe with a high degree of confidence that this stems back to the leadership of Iran at the highest levels and that all of the attacks that I mentioned have been attributed to Iran through their proxies or their forces, he said.

The same day, President Donald Trump told reporters as he was leaving for Japan that the United States would be sending 1,500 troops to the Middle East.

We want to have protection, he said.

The Department of Defense said the troops were defensive in nature and not intended to provoke a conflict.

U.S. Actions Toward Iran

This follows the United States declaring Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a foreign terrorist organization in April and sanctioning its oil exports, which has forced Iran to decrease payments to its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria. With waivers to several countries on Iran oil sanctions ended on May 2, the effect on the Iranian regimes bottom line is likely to increase.

The United States has also deployed an aircraft carrier strike group as well as bombers and additional Patriot missiles to the Middle East.

Iran has not been quiet about its opposition to the moves, with one Iranian military official saying Iran could sink U.S. warships in the Gulf, while another said it was unlikely for a war to start in the region.

America  is sending two warships to the region. If they commit the slightest stupidity, we will send these ships to the bottom of the sea along with their crew and planes using two missiles or two new secret weapons, General Morteza Qorbani, an adviser to Irans military command, told the Mizan news agency.

While tensions have been high between the United States and Iran since the Trump administration pulled out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal, Trump has said he is open to dialogue.

What they should be doing is calling me up, sitting down; we can make a deal, a fair deal, he said May 11. We just dont want them to have nuclear weapons. Not too much to ask. And we would help put them back into great shape.

Pompeo has said that the United States maximum pressure campaign is meant to encourage Iran to become a normal country that does not spread terror throughout the world.

I made clear that the United States will continue to apply pressure to the regime in Tehran until its leadership is prepared to return to the ranks of responsible nations that do not threaten their neighbors or spread instability or terror, he said May 14 in a press conference with Russias foreign minister.

Reuters contributed to the report.President Donald Trump walks on the tarmac at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska during a refueling stop on May 24, 2019. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump Cheers US Troops During Stop in Alaska on the Way to Japan

President Donald Trump got off Air Force One in Alaska on May 25, cheering American troops at the airport and signing a Make America Great Again hat.

Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were on their way to Japan to meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Trump approached the crowd of troops at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and thanked them for being there to greet him.

I figured I might as well get out of the plane, right? he said. We love Alaska, we all love Alaska, he added

U.S. President Donald Trump has greeted U.S. troops in Alaska on Friday while on his way to a state visit in Japan. pic.twitter.com/MkwDMozSF1  The Voice of America (@VOANews) May 25, 2019

In Alaska with our GREAT TROOPS, departing shortly for Japan! pic.twitter.com/9a72TMftpN  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2019

Trump shook hands in the crowd, posed for pictures with some troops, and signed a MAGA hat.

He recorded a short video with the crowd, saying the troops will all be famous after this.

We just got off the plane, I wanted to say hello, and these are tremendous people, he added. Thank you all very much.

Trump later landed in Japan.

Trump Arrives in Japan for State Visit

Trump landed in Tokyo later on Saturday with the first lady.

Trump and Abe were expected to discuss trade during talks on Monday, but the visit was going to be largely ceremonial.

After landing, Trump met with Japanese and American business leaders at the U.S. ambassadors residence in Tokyo.

Trump said the United States and Japan are hard at work negotiating a new bilateral trade agreement that he said would benefit both countries.

I would say that Japan has had a substantial edge for many, many years, but thats OK, Trump told the group, joking that, Maybe thats why you like me so much.

With this deal we hope to address the trade imbalance, remove barriers to United States exports, and ensure fairness and reciprocity in our relationship. And were getting closer, he added, while urging the business leaders to invest more in the United States.

He also praised what he described as the very special United States-Japan alliance, telling the group that, The relationship with Japan and the United States, I can say for a fact, has never been stronger, its never been more powerful, never been closer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.Trump Jr. Hits Back at Pelosis Praying Comments: I Dont Think the Party of Infanticide Is Praying for Anyone

Donald Trump Jr. took the opportunity in an interview on May 23 to respond to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who said she was praying for the president.

Well, listen, I dont think the party of infanticide is exactly praying for anyone. Thats not what they do. We get that, Trump Jr. said during his appearance on Fox & Friends. Its just a consummate attack on American values, on democracy.

Pelosi made her comments to reporters on May 22 after President Donald Trump walked out of a meeting with Congressional Democrats about infrastructure spending.

For some reason, maybe it was lack of confidence on his part, that he really couldnt match the greatness of the challenge that we have, wasnt really respectful of the reasonof the Congress and the White House working together. He just took a pass, Pelosi said, reported Real Clear Politics. And it just makes me wonder why he did that. In any event, I pray for the president of the United States. And I pray for the United States of America.

Pelosi After Trump Walked Out Of Infrastructure Meeting: I Pray For The President And The Countryhttps://t.co/fKNOHarV7m  RCP Video (@rcpvideo) May 22, 2019

Trump ended the meeting within minutes of beginning, saying that he couldnt work with Democrats on these issues until they cease their phony investigations on Trumps finances, tax returns, and other personal transactions. Right before the meeting, Pelosi made a statement to reporters accusing Trump of engaging in a cover-up.

The Democrats attempt to obtain Trumps financial records is one of the three investigations launched by key House committees in April. The other probes are seeking the presidents tax returns and the unredacted Mueller report. The number of inquiries led by House Democrats has since grown to 10.

These probes have been criticized as an attempt to impede Trumps work. The Democrats began their investigations on the president after gaining control of the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm election and increased the number of probes after special counsel Robert Mueller concluded that Trump had not colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

I walked into the room and I told Sen. Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, I want to do infrastructure. I want to do it more than you want to do it. Id be really good at that. Thats what I do, Trump said, reported Washinton Examiner. But you know what? You cant do it under these circumstancesso get these phony investigations over with.

In response to Pelosis praying comments, Trump said, Democrat leadership is tearing the United States apart, but I will continue to set records for the American People  and Nancy, thank you so much for your prayers, I know you truly mean it! in a Twitter post.

.Democrat leadership is tearing the United States apart, but I will continue to set records for the American People  and Nancy, thank you so much for your prayers, I know you truly mean it!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 22, 2019

Trumps eldest son also commented on the platform Democrats are going to take for the 2020 election, saying Honestly, this election, 2020, its about communism versus freedom. You can choose.

In the same interview, Trump Jr. also criticized the House Democrats for seeking financial records of President Donald Trump, his companies, and family members, arguing that their subpoenas are so broad, even his 4-year-old daughter could be subject to them.

In the recent subpoena, anyone, any relativeI mean, Chloe, my 4-year-old daughter, they want to subpoena her records. I mean, thats part of the scope. Barron Trump, obviously hes been doing a lot of stuff they want to subpoena. Theres no reasonableness to this, Trump Jr. said.Trump Keeping Irans Expansionist Hopes in CheckRep. Van Taylor

Is Iran testing Americas resolve in the Middle East? And what can the Trump administration do in response? Is there a threat of war on the horizon? And what can America do to deal with cyber attacks from China?

Epoch Times senior editor Jan Jekielek recently sat down with Rep. Van Taylor of Texas, who is a former U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer and Iraq war veteran, to discuss new threats to America, including Iran and China; Taylors work on the Entrepreneurship Caucus; and what he believes it takes to be bipartisan in todays political climate.

Jan Jekielek: So you are actually in military intelligence.

Rep. Van Taylor: Right.

Mr. Jekielek: Youve also done a tour in Iraq.

Rep. Taylor: Those experiences are important experiences, particularly given some of the world problems we face today. I was proud to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps, put about 10 years in, and was on active duty as a reconnaissance team commander and an intelligence officer for an artillery battalion and then, was in a Marine reserve unit. And we were activated in 2003 and actually led the very first platoon into Iraq on D-Day, March 21, 2003. Was proud to serve and was very, very fortunate, not only to accomplish every mission, but to bring every single man home to their families.

Mr. Jekielek: Incredible. And so lets jump into the topic of the day, Iran. This is something thats on a lot of peoples minds. The Iran deal is over as we know, and theres actually rockets landing near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. The Iranian regime is criticizing the U.S., saying its not going to be bullied. Where do things stand on Iran?

Rep. Taylor: So, Iran, for the last 30 years, has attempted to be the regional hegemon. Theyve tried to take over the region, and theyre doing that with military force. So, in my own time  I served in Iraq in 2003. We actually watched Iranian spies infiltrating from Iran into Iraq trying to cause riots  with money and weapons, and they were responsible for the death of hundreds of Americans by providing ordnance to Shia militias. Theyre still providing support to Shia militias in Iraq today. Theyre providing support to rebels in Yemen today. They are supporting the Assad regime in Syria, which has used chemical munitions against their own people today. They are supporting Hamas and Hezbollah, which are forces oriented toward the destruction of Israel today.

So Iran clearly is an aggressive power attempting to project its military forces  by supporting lots of different terrorist and revolutionary groups around the region. And I think what youve seen here recently with Iran is theyre attempting to test Americas resolve.

They thought maybe the Americans arent serious about defending their allies in the area. Lets conduct some attacks. Lets go after some American forces, maybe go after some foreign forces. It appears that they  it is possible that they were behind attacks on four different oil tankers, not U.S.-flagged tankers, but of other countries. And in conducting those attacks, theyre trying to see how we respond. They want to see [if] we are committed to the area? I think the Trump administration did the right thing to send substantial forces and to start making plans to put more substantial forces in the area. And I think that demonstrates Americas resolve to keeping Irans expansionist hopes in check.

Mr. Jekielek: Do you think theres a threat of war on the horizon?

Rep. Taylor: I certainly hope not. I think Ill take you back to a lesson from the 90s, when Saddam Hussein actually did a buildup of forcesin the early 90s and then again in 1998where he put forces in place. It looked to us, to the Americans, as though, Oh, wow, hes about to invade Kuwait again, which he had successfully done in August of 1990. And, so, you know, but the Americans put forces on the ground in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, which basically told Sadaam Hussein: Look, were going to take you seriously. And he withdrew, he backed his forces up, he pulled them back. He did not end up invading Kuwait a second time. No, he continued to do aggressive actions that would unquestionably be called acts of war against the United States for the entire period of time between the cease-fire in 1991 and the time that he was deposed in 2003.

Mr. Jekielek: So Iran is also been talking about the fact that its speeding up its uranium enrichment procedures ahead of what would have been expected under the Iran deal. Do you think this is an issue?

Rep. Taylor: Yeah, its certainly disconcerting. Not because  there is sort of the hope that well, gee, Irans just getting nuclear weapons to stop the United States or someone from invading them. But I think whats more worrisome is that theyve talked about using those nuclear weapons offensively, specifically against Israel. But you could also see them using them in other places, given the fact theyre involved in so many places militarily, conducting  fights on the ground. So having them as a nuclear power is definitely a worry. They would certainly be the least stable, most projectionist, most aggressivetheyre the largest state sponsor of terror in the world. Theyre definitely someone to be worried about. And a state sponsor of terror in possession of nuclear weapons is of great concern, I think to every American and every person around the world.

Mr. Jekielek: A number of convincing analyses Ive seen say Israel will never let that happen.

Rep. Taylor: Well, well see about that. It is something to be worried about and something that I, certainly, am concerned about.

Mr. Jekielek: A big issue for you in Texas has been the issue of cybersecurity. And this is actually a huge issue when it comes to the China trade war, as were describing it. Tell me a little bit about how you see the American situation for cybersecurity.

Rep. Taylor: Sure. Stepping back just a little bit, the U.S. economy is doing incredibly well. You literally have 1.3 million more job openings than you have unemployed people in America. And that is going to require more and more automation, and automation in the manufacturing space, but also in the services space, using computers. And the more you put online, the more youre going to have worries about protecting the information that is online.

So that goes to your question of cybersecurity. Im very proud of my district, the 3rd District of Texas, which includes Plano, Frisco, McAllen, and McKinney. And in those cities, there are some really amazing cybersecurity companies and firms that are really on the front lines of trying to protect their clients, their customers, and their own data from cyber attacks. And so thats something thats very real  there are economic damages around that. And so this is something that certainly Im focused on and I literally hear about every day when I talk to companies back home, because its what they do.

Mr. Jekielek: Apparently, a lot of companies werent even reporting things because they were afraid that share prices would be hurt or they would look bad. But apparently, in a lot of ways for a number of years, America was kind of wide open to this behavior.

Rep. Taylor: Yeah. Well, I think, look  you think the internet is fully developed and theres everything there thats going to be there. But I think its still emerging. I think youre still watching the capabilities of the internet be created and formulated. And I think youre going to watch  again, I think youre going to see tremendous investment in automation in processes. I think youre going to see more effort toward cybersecurity.

We had a hearing yesterday in the Homeland Security Committee talking about how do we get more people, how do we get more staff? One of the discussion points was, look, not everybody has a college degree, [or is a] cybersecurity professional. Some of these people are going to be with maybe some programming classes in high school, and theyre going to go into cybersecurity, maybe theyre going to get an associates degree and then be in cybersecurity. Maybe theyre going to be a Ph.D. and get into cyber security. And maybe they start at one for two years and then, they do the associates degree for two years, and then they go back. And they work for five years later, and then [they go back] and get a bachelors degree. Youre going to see a workforce thats continued to develop and evolve as we continue to create a strong workforce that can handle the cybersecurity requirements of tomorrow. And theyre very demanding. Theres no question about that.

Mr. Jekielek: So [another] question: Based on what you know in this field, do you expect that the Chinese side would live up to the expectation that they would stop doing these attacks?

Rep. Taylor: I dont have a lot of comfort that the Chinese are going to do right by us in terms of intellectual property, and so it really is up to us as Americans to protect our intellectual property from those people that would steal it. And so I think that were going to have to build good walls. And one thing Ill say that, you know, that Im hearing from cybersecurity experts is not just, you know, are we going to be attacked, are we going to have systems go down? But how do we recover from having them go down?

And so, so there is a second stage of that: We need good defenses, but we also need a good recovery if we have, if something goes wrong.

Mr. Jekielek: What about the government side, you know, investment into its cyberwarfare capability and so forth. How do you see that?

Rep. Taylor: Sure. Well, the United States is investing in that. And I think thats something important to do. A lot of that is classified. But, rest assured  were very aware, and theres a lot of discussion within the federal government of how do we build offensive cyber capabilities because you need to have those in this world.

Mr. Jekielek: So youre seeing some kind of private government partnership to do this? How does that work?

Rep. Taylor: So you are seeingand Im going to see this in the cybersecurity subcommitteesome efforts to create some collaboration between government and industry. And youre also watching greater industry collaborations. Youre watching some of the bigger cybersecurity companies work together to share data on: Hey, wait a minute. Our system was attacked with this process.  This other system, this other client, you know, four times zones away, they were attacked by that exact same process. And so youre watching companies share more data across platforms. Originally, they were more siloed in the way they were approaching things, but I think they realize that working together, theyre able to provide a greater, faster defense and also erect walls faster to stop attacks.

Mr. Jekielek: So lets switch gears a little bit here. Youve actually done some very important work, I think, in the state legislature around protecting students from potential predators within schools.

Rep. Taylor: Yeah. I served eight years in the Texas legislature before I came herefour the Texas House and four in the Texas Senate. During my time in the state Senate, I became aware of and concerned about sexual predators, in the form of teachers. And thats a very rare group of people. Most teachers are absolutely terrific, but some of them do take advantage of their position and, unfortunately, molest the children that theyre put in charge of teaching. And I worked on a bipartisan basis in the Texas legislature to end giving pensions to those teachers who molest children and  that we believe were actually collecting a pension while they were sitting in their jail cell, and wanted to bring an end to that. And were actually doing research on figuring out if thats going on here at the federal level as well.

Mr. Jekielek: OK. Lets shift gears one more time. Youre actually involved in a number of different areas. Especially this new Entrepreneurship Caucus, which a big issue. You know, were seeing record numbers and small business optimism. How is the Entrepreneurship Caucus going to help in all this?

Rep. Taylor: Well, the Entrepreneurship Caucus is actually a bipartisan caucus. Joe Negusea Democrat from Coloradoand I are the co-heads of that caucus. And were looking at various legislation and talking to different job creators.

Small business creates the majority of the new jobs that are created in our country, and the new technologies. There was a time when Amazon was just an idea. There was a time that even a big company like GE started as a small company. All big, great companies start as smaller companies, and you want to continue to foster those small companies and the growth in that space.

My experience in Texas was, if you keep taxes low, keep regulations light, if you keep litigation to a minimum, youll see companies prosper, youll see them do well. And certainly, at the federal level, I think theres some things that we can do here.

Mr. Jekielek: So lets talk about this. Youre gaining this reputation of someone that likes to work in a bipartisan fashion. Given the inordinate focus on the Mueller investigation, and then on the report, and basically the focus of the Democrats. Youre Republican.  How is it possible to be bipartisan in this kind of an environment?

Rep. Taylor: You know, in my time in my eight years in the state legislature, I passed 81 bills into law. Everyone had bipartisan support. So I had a very strong track record of reaching across the aisle, working toward a consensus solution to a real problem whether it was helping military voting, whether it was dealing with a tax issue, whether it was reducing regulations, whether it was carrying the governors ethics package, [or] protecting victims of domestic violence. Again and again and again, there are areas and issues that you can work on, where theres bipartisan support.

Now, it takes time, it takes work, it takes effort. You have to build relationships to achieve those kinds of changes. And thats certainly something Ive been  when I ran for Congress, I told my voters Im going to work on a bipartisan basis to try to get things done. Im a conservative; Im a Republican. Make no mistake about that. But just because youre a Republican and conservative doesnt mean you cant support your own principles, and get things done that are going to help the American people.

Mr. Jekielek: Well, this is a fantastic place to end, actually, a powerful message. And also, you know, I wish you the best of success in that.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

American Thought Leaders is an Epoch Times show available on Facebook and YouTube.President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn as he leaves the White House in Washington on May 20, 2019. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/Photo via AP)

Trumps Lawyers, House Committees Reach Agreement to Delay Enforcing Subpoenas

President Donald Trump reached an agreement with two House committees to delay the enforcement of subpoenas seeking his financial records from two banks.

In a joint court filing (pdf) on May 25, attorneys for President Donald Trump and the House Intelligence and Financial Services committees asked a federal court judge to put on hold the court proceedings, pending the outcome of an appeal case.

The parties jointly ask this Court to stay further proceedings in this case until Plaintiffs interlocutory appeal from the denial of their motion for a preliminary injunction is resolved, the joint filing states.

The document further reads that the parties have reached an agreement regarding compliance with and enforcement of the subpoenas during the pendency of Plaintiffs appeal.

On May 22, District Judge Edgardo Ramos, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, refused to block the subpoenas served to the two banks requiring them to hand to Congress the presidents banking and financial records, including records of every single checking withdrawal, credit-card swipe, or debit-card purchaseno matter how trivial or smallmade by each and every member of the Trump family, a lawsuit filed by the Trump family stated.

The lawsuit was filed at the end of April to block Deutsche Bank and Capital One from complying with the subpoenas. Trumps lawyers argued that the Democrat-controlled House committees demands for records have no legitimate or lawful purpose and are so broad they would include transaction records on the Trump familys personal shopping.

Following Ramoss ruling, Trumps lawyers filed an appeal on May 24 with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of Trump, his childrenDonald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trumpand several of their companies to overturn the federal judges ruling (pdf).

The House committees subpoenas for Trumps bank records are part of one of three investigations launched by key House committees in April. The other probes are seeking the presidents tax returns and the full declassification of the partially redacted Mueller report.

Since gaining the majority in the House of Representatives, House Democrats have initiated 10 inquiries targeting Trump as well as his family, business dealings, current and former associates, and White House staff.

Trump and Republicans view the investigations as a way to further obstruct Trumps agenda, unearth embarrassing information on the president and his family, and score political points for the 2020 elections. In response, Trump has said he plans to fight all the subpoenas by House Democrats.

Days before the deal on the bank records, the House Intelligence committee struck a deal with the Justice Department in a standoff over a request for the full unredacted report by special counsel Robert Mueller and the underlying foreign intelligence and counterintelligence documents. The Justice Department agreed to turn over the underlying documents in exchange for a delay for an unspecified enforcement action by the committee.

Democrats have ramped up the intensity of their investigations of the president since Mueller concluded there is not enough evidence to establish that Trump colluded with Russia. Mueller also decided against charging the president with obstruction of justice.

In addition to Mueller, three separate investigations by House and Senate committees concluded there is no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The House Intelligence Committee found that while there is no evidence of collusion by Trump, the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee paid for a dossier compiled by Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer. Steele paid sourced with ties to the Kremlin for the intel he included in the dossier. The FBI used the dossier, without verifying its claims, as evidence to secure a warrant to spy on former Trump-campaign advisor Carter Page.

Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report.SPALDING  As concert-goers and volleyball players make another attempt to set a world record at the Crazy Rayz River Bash in Spalding this weekend, Nebraska State Patrol Troopers will be working to keep drunk drivers off the road.

Troopers will conduct a special enforcement operation on Saturday and Sunday, focused on DUI enforcement. The effort will include saturation patrols and DUI checkpoints, working with local law enforcement agencies during the event.

Last year, the planners and events-goers did an excellent job to keep the roads around Greeley County safe, said Capt. Russell Lewis, commander of Troop C. Because of a high percentage of designated drivers and accommodations made by the event planners, traffic was light on the highways last year during the event.

Attendees are encouraged to take advantage of the safety measures organized by the event planners throughout the weekend. The enforcement effort is made possible thanks in part to a grant for $2,200 from the Nebraska Department of Transportation  Highway Safety Office.As a result of devastating flooding this spring, many Nebraska farmers are unable to participate in this planting season. The floodwaters have significantly damaged thousands of acres across the state, leaving farmers with a financial burden and fields filled with sand and debris, rather than rows of marketable crops.

Farmers have been, and will continue to be, spending countless hours trying to improve the state of the land. Theyve lost not only this years crop, but also much of their valuable topsoil, which can take a century to rebuild just one single inch. To restore productivity on damaged acres, farmers must be proactive in improving soil health and increasing organic matter.

One way to build organic matter in a short period of time is the use of cover crops, in conjunction with other conservation practices, such as no-till. Cover crops prevent erosion, replenish nutrients, suppress weeds, improve overall soil health and more. Some producers also benefit from grazing their livestock on cover crops.

To expedite recovery efforts and to help farmers improve soil health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is providing funds to plant cover crops on cropland acres in Nebraska.

The highest priority cropland includes acres that were unable to be planted with a cash crop and/or harvested in 2019. However, all farmers impacted by severe weather are encouraged to apply. The application cutoff date is June 21. To learn more, contact your local NRCS office.EDWARDSVILLE  In about a year, weather-permitting, Anderson Healthcare officials hope to cut the ribbon on the project they broke ground on Thursday.

The long-time health care and hospital name in the Metro East recently started construction of its new Goshen Campus expansion in Edwardsville. The first building to go up will be a one-story ambulatory surgical treatment center and pediatric specialty clinic, located on the southwest corner of the site, near District Drive and Goshen Road. The estimated $8.5 million project will comprise 18,331 square feet and is located on a 10-acre parcel on the north side of Goshen Road, across from the YMCA and east of Liberty Middle School.

Bill Eck, Andersons chief facilities manager, estimates the construction will take about 11 months, along with 30-60 days to clear all necessary regulatory and any other hurdles. Eck said the project will provide about 80 construction jobs with Korte Company.

The surgical center will offer an array of services available for adults and children, including private patient pre- and post-operative areas, two operating rooms and a procedure room. A lab draw station and plain film x-ray machine will be on site to complement surgical services as well as provide an additional outpatient service to local residents.

Our plans are to provide an exceptional facility and patient experience, said Lisa Klaustermeier, Anderson Healthcares chief nursing officer. She added that about 20 employees will staff the surgical treatment center.

Everybody needs health care, said Edwardsville Mayor Hal Patton. This is a wonderful addition to the community. He said Anderson has been in the Metro East at least since the late 1970s and that this campus is another link in the citys eastward expansion.

We hope it will spur further development in the Interstate 55 corridor along with Plummer Family Park, said Alderman Art Risavy, whose ward the project is in. Thats what we are hoping for and what we expect to happen.

SSM Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital in St. Louis signed a letter of intent with Anderson to be its pediatric partner, along with SLUCare Physician Group.

Anderson Hospital and SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital have a longstanding relationship that has enhanced pediatric services in Madison and our surrounding counties, said Keith Page, Anderson Hospital president and CEO. This facility continues that partnership while also offering exceptional outpatient surgery options for adults.

Theres nothing like this in southwestern Illinois, Page said Thursday. We are going to be something unique. He added that he envisions future opportunities to partner with the YMCA to further enhance residents health and wellness.

Public Works Director Eric Williams said while Korte is building the surgical center, Keller Construction will soon improve Goshen Road between District Drive and Gusewelle Lane.

The plan was to wait for the school year to end before road construction begins, so work will start June 1, weather permitting. The road will be three lanes wide, similar to how it is now west of District Drive, Williams said. Detours will be posted and the section is slated to be ready before District 7 starts on Aug. 13.

Were excited that they are coming to Edwardsville, said Alderman Janet Stack.

This will be a great addition to Anderson Hospital, said Alderman SJ Morrison.

The overall plan for the Goshen Campus is to eventually construct four separate buildings  the surgical center, a physicians office building, an urgent care center and an imaging center. There are no living units planned for this development.

Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at (618) 656-4700, ext. 31EDWARDSVILLE  The Edwardsville Intelligencer is readying to relocate its 157-year operation to a newly renovated space in downtown Edwardsville in late May.

We are very excited about the new location. The new space will provide a more appealing work environment for our employees and easier access for customers, said Publisher Denise Vonder Haar.

The Main Street location  located at 116 N. Main St. and is just a short distance east of the current facility at 117 N. Second St.  will accommodate a robust staff across all departments. The 1,800-square-foot space boasts original hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, glass-paned windows, modest but modern features and ease of accessibility for the community. The community can also expect continued, attentive customer service throughout the move. The last day of operation at the current location will be Tuesday, May 28 and the first day of operation at the new location will be Wednesday, May 29.

I am looking forward to greeting our subscribers in our beautiful new space with the same care and service as before, said circulation manager Melissa Pitts.

Local businesses helped facilitate the move to ensure a smooth transition for all involved. The current, two-story facility has a bright future under the hand of Matt and Kristen Pfund, Edwardsville-area business renovators, who are eager to provide the city with yet another community-oriented gem.

We are grateful to be able to continue delivering community news while drawing inspiration from our new home in the heart of downtown, said managing editor Brittany Johnson. We look to preserve the history of the Intelligencer, as the newspaper is here to stay.

According to a September 1921 edition of The Edwardsville Intelligencer, the building was built by Fred Hanser, a local contractor, at the cost of $23,600. The Edwardsville Intelligencer newspaper has gone through a few moving days through the years since it was founded in 1862. The daily newspaper serves Edwardsville, Glen Carbon and surrounding Madison County communities.

For questions, call 618-656-4700, email news@edwpub.net or visit at the new location. For news and the latest updates, follow The Edwardsville Intelligencer online at theintelligencer.com or on Facebook. The Edwardsville Intelligencer is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, May 25, 2019 09:21 948 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739db31e 1 Editorial election,election-protest,Prabowo-Sandiaga,Prabowo-reject-KPU-result Free

Whether or not presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and his running mate Sandiaga Uno challenge their defeat by the Joko Jokowi Widodo-Maruf Amin ticket at the Constitutional Court, a dignified end to the bitterly contested election is the pressing agenda for the two camps for the good of the nation.

No doubt the several days of rampaging in Jakarta this week could have been avoided had the political elites lived up to expectations as true champions of democracy. Still, this by no means justifies the riots because of the state of fear they have inflicted on the public. The acts of violence, which for some have resurrected the ghost of the 1998 May riots, have left a stain on the democratic elections the country has accepted as a mechanism to choose its leader.

As a contest, an election is a zero sum game which therefore requires anyone joining the race to prepare for either defeat or victory, agony or ecstasy. But perhaps because Indonesias democracy so far has been largely understood as a procedure rather than a value, many electoral candidates have refused to accept the basic rule and closed the door to reconciliation when the competition is over.

Read also: Jokowi hopes to meet Prabowo to ease tensions

Indonesian democracy, however, allows candidates to reject election results if they deem the race to be laden with fraud. While their claim is justified because the law criminalizes vote rigging, they must prove their accusations before the Constitutional Court.

Prabowo, as well as legislative candidates who have cried foul over unfavorable election results, has the right to justice. Their choice to settle their claims through the due process of law is indeed a relief as it shows their faith in the system in place.

There is no need to doubt the integrity of the Constitutional Court, despite the previous graft conviction of two court justices in the past. Chief Justice Anwar Usman has assured all the petitioners of the independence of judges who will hear election disputes. However, he underscored the need for the petitioners to present solid evidence as it would substantiate their motions.

Sandiaga told a press conference on Friday that he and Prabowo had appointed three attorneys, including former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chief Bambang Widjojanto, to represent them in court. Not only Prabowo-Sandiaga and Jokowi-Maruf, but the whole nation will follow the court hearing as a fair way to prove whether the election result is valid.

Read also: VP calls on Prabowo, Sandiaga to calm protestors down

Five years ago, with a margin of over 8 million votes, Prabowo challenged his defeat by Jokowi in court, but to no avail. This time around the gap has doubled, but the chance is open, however remote, for Prabowo to convince the justices that structured, systematic and massive electoral fraud did happen.

But a court settlement will never suffice, as evident in the long-lasting acrimony between supporters of Jokowi and Prabowo. A political solution, we believe, will.

A meeting between Prabowo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Thursday marks a start to the conclusive solution. As President Jokowi has stated, national unity must prevail.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Barvikha, Russia  Sat, May 25, 2019 07:03 948 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739d6e0f 2 Art & Culture Sergei-Polunin,ballet,Russia,art,history Free

Controversial ballet star Sergei Polunin plays the role of Rasputin in a new work premiering near Moscow Thursday, saying that like the mystic who mesmerized Russia's royal family, he battles his "dark side".

Ukrainian-born Polunin, now a Russian citizen with a tattoo of President Vladimir Putin across his chest, has garnered a reputation as "the bad boy of ballet" -- both for his passionate performances and off-stage behavior.

"I do believe that (Rasputin) meant well and he had good intentions," Polunin said ahead of the opening of the ballet choreographed by Japan's Yuka Oishi.

"But he had dark sides that sometimes took him in a different direction."

The charismatic holy man Grigory Rasputin won the trust of the last tsar Nicholas II with attempts to heal his haemophiliac son Alexei but was vilified by the public and murdered by a group of aristocrats.

The premiere comes months after the heavily-tattooed Polunin posted on Instagram that gay dancers are "an embarrassment" and overweight people should be slapped.

A ticket agency has refused to sell tickets for a planned London staging of "Rasputin" over his comments.

Read also: Moscow's ballet studios: Where careers take flight

He has since deleted the posts but gay rights activists are also protesting against his performance in another work.

"I actually always have good intentions," Polunin said.

"But yeah, I don't think you can conquer demons. You can -- I don't know -- you can go towards the light more. I don't know how you completely destroy your dark side."

Now 29, Polunin became the British Royal Ballet's youngest-ever soloist known for his spectacular leaps before suddenly quitting and joining Russia's Stanislavsky troupe.

Polunin is the latest celebrity to gain Russian citizenship, following French actor Gerard Depardieu and US former action star Steven Seagal. Depardieu has also played Rasputin in a widely-panned mini-series.

Since becoming Russian, Polunin has announced that he will be artistic director of a ballet school in the city of Sevastopol in Moscow-annexed Crimea.

"A new complex will be built, it all starts in June and in September we will already be selecting children for the school," Polunin said.Swedish telecommunication company Ericsson, in a recent report commissioned by ConsumerLab, has found that about half of all smartphones used in Indonesia are incompatible with 5G, delaying the mass adoption of the next-generation network in the country by at least a few years.

Ericsson Indonesias network solutions head Ronni Nurmal said the need for 5G coverage had yet to become a priority since most smartphones used in the country were still technologically incompatible with the network.

However, the report shows that smartphone users in the country have eagerly anticipated 5G as they gained more knowledge regarding the technological requirements for the next-generation network.

Our Indonesian consumers expect to have 5G coverage in the next two or three years, thanks to their increased awareness of the network, Ronni said on Tuesday as quoted by tempo.co.

Read also: World's first 5G phone released in South Korea

The report also predicts that video consumption will change dramatically in the advent of 5G. Users will not only be able to watch videos in higher resolutions, but they will also be able to opt for a more immersive viewing experience through augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies.

Gone are the days of watching videos on smartphones; 5G users will actually be immersed in the videos, Ronni said, adding that 5G would also enable the development of cutting-edge innovations such as foldable phones, holographic projections and 360-degree cameras. (rfa/mut)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) -  Sat, May 25, 2019 17:11 948 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739e96ee 1 Science & Tech social-media,instant-messaging,cyberspace Free

Social media and online messaging apps returned to normal on Saturday afternoon, after the government limited access to such platforms on Wednesday in response to the Jakarta post-election riots.

[] video and photo features within social media and instant messaging [apps] might work again, with the normalization process starting between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara said in a statement.

He urged all users of social media, instant messaging and video and file sharing platforms to maintain positivity in cyberspace.

Let us fight against the hoaxes, slander and provocation that was spread during the riots, Rudiantara said.

Read also: Jakarta riot: Government temporarily limits access to social media, messaging apps

The Communications and Information Ministry also made the announcement on its Twitter account, where it reminded users to use the internet responsibly.

Selamat menggunakan internet dengan lancar tanpa hambatan kembali ya  Mari gunakan ruang siber ini untuk hal-hal yg positif aja  Happy weekend #SobatKom! #SemaiDamai  Kementerian Kominfo (@kemkominfo) May 25, 2019

During the period of limited access, internet users were unable to seamlessly view and share photos and videos through such platforms as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Many complained that the government's decision to block features caused difficulties at work and in conducting business. (mut)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) London, United Kingdom  Sat, May 25, 2019 10:07 948 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739ddd41 2 People Judith-Kerr,The-Tiger-Who-Came-To-Tea,childrens-book-author,obituary,childrens-book Free

British author and illustrator Judith Kerr, who wrote the cherished children's book "The Tiger Who Came To Tea", has died aged 95, her publisher HarperCollins announced on Thursday.

The writer behind a host of other classic children's books, including "When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit" and "Mog the Forgetful Cat" passed away at home on Wednesday "following a short illness", it said.

"It is with much sadness that we confirm the death of our beloved author and illustrator, Judith Kerr," HarperCollins said on Twitter.

Ann-Janine Murtagh, the executive publisher of its children's books, said in a statement: "It has been the greatest honour and privilege to know and publish Judith Kerr.

"She embraced life as one great big adventure and lived every day to the full."

Kerr, one of Britain's most-loved children's authors, kept working well into her 90s, telling AFP in an interview last year that she had even picked up the pace in old age, drawing inspiration from events in her own long and event-filled life.

She is best known for "The Tiger Who Came to Tea", released in 1968 and which became a global classic of children's literature, with at least five million copies sold and published in more than 30 languages.

It tells of a girl and her mother interrupted at teatime by a huge, fluffy tiger who eats everything in sight before leaving again.

Read also: Indonesian publishers exhibit at Bologna Childrens Book Fair

Born in Berlin in 1923, Kerr's family fled Germany in the early 1930s after a policeman tipped off her father Alfred Kerr, a prominent Jewish writer, that the family was in danger from the rising Nazi power.

The family first moved on to Paris before settling in London in 1936.

In 2012 she was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) for services to childrens literature and Holocaust education.

"Judith Kerr was a wonderful and inspiring person who was much loved by everyone at HarperCollins," the company's CEO Charlie Redmayne said on Thursday.

"She was a brilliantly talented artist and storyteller who has left us an extraordinary body of work."Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Yulia Savitri (The Jakarta Post) Palembang  Sat, May 25, 2019 10:11 948 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739de2e3 1 National Idul-Fitri-2019,mudik,homebound-travelers,BMKG,weather,extreme-weather,Lebaran Free

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has warned about possible extreme weather during the upcoming Idul Fitri exodus period as it will coincide with the early phase of the dry season.

Tens of millions are expected to travel to their hometowns for the Idul Fitri holiday, with the homebound exodus estimated to peak on May 31, while the return exodus on June 9.

BMKG chairperson Dwikorita Karnawati said the BMKG predicted that some parts of Indonesia would see drier weather with a low level of rainfall in early June.

Forest and land fires could potentially occur in West Sumatra, Palembang in North Sumatra, half of Jambi, Lampung and in the central part of Java. People are banned from discarding cigarette butts in these areas, Dwikorita said on the sidelines of a meeting on the Idul Fitri exodus in Palembang on Thursday.

On the other hand, floods could potentially occur in some parts of Aceh, North Sumatra and around Mount Puncak Jaya in West Papua, the BMKG predicts.

The agency cautions of potential landslides on some exodus routes, especially areas with sloped roadsides and toll roads.

Dwikorita suggested that toll road users monitor the weather conditions from information provided by the BMKG, which will be updated every six hours.

She added that high tides of between 2 and 2.5 meters may occur during the exodus period in the Indian Ocean, specifically in the Southern Java sea. High tides could also occur on the west coast of Sumatra island, such as in Enggano, Nias and Mentawai, as well as in Bali, West and East Nusa Tenggara, the Arafura Sea and the Banda Sea.

Despite no potential high tides in other areas, Dwikorita said the BMKG would install two ocean radars in the Sunda Strait to monitor for possible tsunamis.(ars/iwa)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Pekanbaru  Sat, May 25, 2019 08:08 948 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739d8d08 1 National tiger-attack,Riau,plantations Free

A worker with PT Riau Indo Agropalma, identified as M. Amri, 32, is believed to have been killed by a tiger in the companys plantation area in Tanjung Simpang village, Indragiri Hilir regency, Riau.

The mans body was found lying face down by his colleagues in a plantation area named Kanal Sekunder 41 on Thursday.

The remains were sent to the hospital for an autopsy.

According to officials at the Pelangiran Community Health Center, the victim suffered severe wounds to his head and neck.

Amris friends said he did not show up at the workers camp for break time at around 10.30 a.m. They mounted an excavator and went looking for him after he failed to show up an hour later.

One hour into the search, the workers said they came across a tiger in the Kanal Sekunder 41 plantation area. They found Amris body not long after their encounter with the tiger.

We are coordinating with the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency [BKSDA Riau] to address this problem as it may involve a protected animal, Indragiri Hilir Police criminal unit head Comr. Adj. Indra L. Sihombing said.

BKSDA Riau chief Suharyono confirmed that given the nature of Amris wounds a tiger attack was likely to have been the cause.

Especially because his body was discovered in an area where Sumatran tigers are commonly found, he said.

He added that the area was part of the Kerumutan Wildlife Preserve, a habitat for many Sumatran tigers.

Suharyono said his agency had deployed a medical team and an animal-monitoring team to prevent similar incidents.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Dyaning Pangestika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, May 25, 2019 19:24 948 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739eb43e 1 Politics journalist,post-election-riot,violence-againts-journalists Free

A local independent journalists association is condemning violence committed against journalists during post-election riots in Jakarta.

As many as seven journalists were victims of violence during the post-election riots. The journalists are identified as Budi Tanjung (CNN Indonesia TV), Ryan (MNC Media), Ryan Hadi (CNNIndonesia.com), Fajar (Sindo Trijaya Radio), Fadli Mubarok (Alinea.id) and Intan Bedisa and Rahajeng Mutiara (RTV).

The police and protesters allegedly forcefully held back the journalists, confiscated their devices and forced them to delete pictures and videos.

The head of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) in Jakarta, Asnil Bambani, lambasted the police and protesters.

We condemn the violent acts against journalists and the hampering of the journalists' work, Asnil said through a written statement received by The Jakarta Post on Friday.

According to Asnil, their acts violated Article 18 of Law No. 40/1999 on the press, which states that those who intentionally interfere with journalists work are subject to two years' imprisonment and Rp 500 million (US$34,800) in fines.

Asnil urged media owners to take responsibility by providing their journalists with safety training.

We urge the public and the police to respect and support press freedom without intimidating and interfering with their work, he added.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, May 25, 2019 16:16 948 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739e8927 4 City Bekasi-regency,Bekasi,#IdulFitriExodus,Idul-Fitri-2019,idul-fitri-exodus,travelers,exodus,health-service Free

The health agency of Bekasi regency, West Java, will set up 11 health posts along three major roads for the Idul Fitri exodus.

Health agency secretary Alamsyah said the 11 health posts providing free health checkups would be located along Javas northern coast (Pantura) highway, the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road and Jl. Inspeksi Kalimalang.

A total of 170 medical personnel will be assigned to the 11 posts, he said.

They are doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and volunteers, Alamsyah said on Saturday as reported by Antara.

The health posts will begin operating on May 29, seven days before Idul Fitri, which falls on June 5, and stop operating seven days after Idul Fitri on June 12.

The Bekasi regency administration regularly provides such facilities every year during the exodus, he said. Unlike last year, the posts would not be set up at the Cikarang Utama tollgate as the toll road operator had relocated the tollgate to ensure smooth traffic.

The locations for the health posts include Business Park in South Tambun, Tambun Market, the Cibitung fire and rescue office, Lemah Abang Station, the border area of Bekasi and Karawang regencies and several rest areas in the Bekasi part of the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road.

There will be proper, free health facilities for travelers such as health checkup tools and resting areas, Alamsyah added.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Badung, Bali  Sat, May 25, 2019 15:41 948 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739e6919 1 National Mount-Agung,eruption,Australia,flight-cancellation Free

Mount Agung's eruption on Friday night disrupted a number of flights to and from Australia, even though it is not affecting the operations of Balis I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.

The head of the airport's Communication and Legal Section, Arie Ahsanurrohim, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday morning that at least 15 flights had been affected by the eruption, including 10 departures and four arrivals that were cancelled, while another had to be diverted.

The cancelled flights included two Qantas Airways planes going from Denpasar to Sydney and Melbourne, four Virgin Airlines planes to Brisbane and Sydney and four Jetstar planes to Melbourne, Cairns, Darwin and Sydney.

Four Jetstar flights that were scheduled to fly to Bali from Melbourne, Cairns, Darwin and Adelaide had also been cancelled. A Jetstar flight from Adelaide to Denpasar was diverted to Darwin following the eruption.

"The airport operations remain normal. It was those Australian airlines that cancelled their flights based on their safety assessments," Arie said.

The Transportation Ministry's airport authority for Bali, Elfi Amir, said in a statement that a thin volcanic ash was detected 4,000 to 5,000 meters above the airport area so the air traffic control officer guided pilots to avoid the area exposed to it.

Elfi also urged all passengers to not panic, saying the airport had conducted safety assessments to guarantee flight safety.

Mt. Agung erupted on Friday night, ejected lava and causing fires in areas 3 kilometers from the peak. No fatalities were reported. The local disaster mitigation agency had immediately distributed face masks in villages that were affected by the ash.

The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) maintained the volcanos alert level at the third level of the system's four tiers. The PVMBG warned everyone, both locals and tourists alike, to steer clear of the danger zone where activities are prohibited in a 4-km radius from the crater.

A ban on hiking on Mt. Agung has been in effect ever since its volcanic activity increased in 2017. Locals living along the rivers at the foot of the volcano have also been warned to watch for possible lava flow that could come on rainy days. (swd)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Badung, Bali  Sat, May 25 2019

Baby bottle: An official with the Bali Natural Resources Conservation Agency feeds an otter at the agency office on Friday. The agency foiled an alleged attempt by a Russian national to smuggle four otters and 10 scorpions.(JP/Zul Trio Anggono)

A Russian national has been arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle four Eurasian otters from Bali to Russia on Thursday night. The 35-year-old suspect, identified only as RT, was found with the near-threatened mammals inside his luggage, as well as 10 scorpions.

RT was stopped at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport before he was able to board Korean Air flight KE 634 to Seoul, where he would be in transit before heading to Moscow. However, when his luggage passed through the X-ray scanner at the airports international departure gate, aviation security found something suspicious in his green suitcase.

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Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan  Sat, May 25, 2019 15:48 948 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739e7042 1 National hate-speech Free

Medan District Court in North Sumatra sentenced on Thursday University of North Sumatra (USU) lecturer Himma Dewiyana Lubis to a year in prison suspended for two years for spreading hatred via her Facebook account.

The panel of judges also fined the 45-year-old lecturer Rp 10 million ($695).

Presiding judge Riana Pohan said Himma was found guilty of violating articles 28 and 45A of Law No 19/2016 on electronic information and transaction (ITE).

Riana said the defendant had intentionally, and without any justification, spread information that incited hatred based on ethnicity, religion, race or societal groups (SARA).

[The panel of judges] sentence the defendant to one years imprisonment suspended for two years and a fine of Rp 10 million, Riana said reading out the verdict on Thursday.

Riana said that during the two years of probation if the defendant committed another crime then she would be sent to prison for a year and pay the Rp 10 million fine or an additional three months imprisonment.

Responding to the verdict, the defendants lawyer Rina Melati said they had yet to decide whether or not they would appeal.

We will be cooling down first. We are still considering it, Rina told The Jakarta Post after the hearing.

Himma, a lecturer in USUs School of Cultural Sciences, was tried after she posted on her Facebook account Skenario pengalihan yang sempurna #2019GantiPresiden (A perfect diversion scenario #2019ChangePresident) and Ini dia pemicunya Sodara, Kitab Al-Quran dibuang (This is the trigger: The Quran has been discarded) on May 12, 2018.

Her post went viral on social media and officers from the North Sumatra polices cybercrime sub-directorate arrested her on May 17 last year.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Bali  Sat, May 25, 2019 22:15 948 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739ec4aa 1 News Ngurah-Rai-International-Airport,Airport,bali,travel,On-time,OAG,on-time-performance Free

I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport was one of the most on-time airports in Southeast Asia for the month of April, according to United Kingdom-based air travel intelligence company OAG Aviation.

The only commercial airport in Bali placed sixth on OAG's top 10 list with a 76.5 percent on-time-performance (OTP), leaving behind other well-known airports in Southeast Asia, such as Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia and Don Mueang International Airport in Thailand.

Other than Ngurah Rai, two other airports operated by state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I (AP I) were also included in the list, namely Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, East Java, and Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Read also: Garuda Indonesia named worlds most punctual airline by OAG

Ngurah Rais general manager, Haruman Sulaksono, warmly welcomed the achievement.

"We are thankful that our attempt to provide the best service for our passengers has received such recognition and acknowledges us as one of the best on-time airports in Southeast Asia. It means that our on-time performance is good enough," he said on Wednesday.

Haruman expressed his appreciation to all airport stakeholders that contributed to the achievement, namely airlines, ground-handling services and state-owned air navigation firm AirNav Indonesia.

In its report, OAG also named three domestic airlines as the most on-time domestic flights, namely AirAsia, Garuda Indonesia and Citilink. Meanwhile, the most on-time international flights are Korean Air, Cathay Dragon and Royal Brunei Airlines. (kes)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) -  Sat, May 25, 2019 11:06 948 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739df31a 1 News worlds-least-visited-countries,travel,#travel,destination,adventure Free

While popular travel destinations such as Paris, Barcelona and Bali have become overcrowded and losing their special atmosphere, there are countries in the world that possess natural beauty, culture and history waiting to be discovered but kept under the radar.

From the quiet beaches with powder-like sand in Tuvalu, a traditional feast in Kiribati to the humpback whales warm-water nursery in Niue, CNN Travel compiles the worlds least visited countries that are worth consideration.

Tuvalu

A South Pacific country you should consider to visit soon, as its beaches, tiny islands and stilt houses are at risk of being washed away by rising sea levels. Visited by a mere 2000 international tourists in 2017 as reported by CNN Travel, the country is among the most isolated in the world, but it offers tranquil beaches where flying fish are in view and candy-hued coral reefs are within a snorkel away. Included in the activity recommendation is strolling on the powder-like beach sand.

Kiribati

Located 1,394 miles away from its more crowded neighbour Fiji, Kiribati is a central Pacific country where atolls and lagoons are visible from the surface of its waters. CNN Travel reports that 6000 international visitors came to Kiribati in 2016.

Among the rare few who made it to Kiribati, some could be lucky enough to be invited to join a traditional feast called the botaki. Dancers in pandanus skirts, traditional percussion music and party treats including breadfruit, taro and sprouted coconut await at the botaki.

Marshall Islands

The term bikini for the two-piece swimsuit comes from this country. Bikini atoll, where the United States conducted nuclear testing is part of the Marshall Islands. Apart from giving its name to the swimsuit, the atoll also houses many shipwrecks on its seafloor, hence attractive scuba diving sites.

Among the shipwrecks is the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, which was previously seen at the Battle of Iwo Jima. Divers, too, are in for the view of colorful coral reefs and schools of fish.

Read also: From Hamilton to Hobbiton: A New Zealand summer tour

Montserrat

Many parts of this Caribbean island were affected by volcanic eruptions in the 1990s, including its capital Plymouth that was covered with a thick layer of ash and volcanic stones. The country is now dubbed a modern-day Pompeii, with such attractions as a 17th century church that turned grey because of ash and ruins of a grand hotel. Following the tour to the capital, new beaches formed by crumbling volcanic stone await.

Niue

Not a typical Polynesian island, Niue has a rugged and cave-pocked coast. Humpback whales are known to flock to the island between July and October, using the sea as a warm water nursery. Those who fancy visiting this country, one of the worlds smallest, could immerse themselves in a guided swimming session with the school bus-sized whales. (sop/mut)

Also in CNN Travels list of worlds least visited countries:

American Samoa

Solomon Islands

Comoros

Sao Tome and Principe

Federated States of Micronesia

Djibouti

Sierra Leone

Guinea

Tonga

Anguilla

Timor Leste

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

San Marino

Dominica

Liechtenstein

Vanuatu

St. Kitts and Nevis

New Caledonia

Eritrea

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Linkedin Hengky Ola Sura (The Jakarta Post) Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara  Sun, May 26, 2019 05:03 947 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8739ee0b5 1 News students,diabetes,diabetic-cookies,Indonesia,Flores,moringa Free

Medical students from Nusa Nipa University in Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara, have invented moringa-based snacks as a healthy alternative for diabetes sufferers during a community service assignment.

The snacks consist of moringa biscuits made of moringa leaves, granulated sugar, raisins, cornstarch, butter and wheat flour and tea brewed with dry moringa leaves.

Rosania EB Conterius, a Nusa Nipa University lecturer who assisted the students during the creative process, said that the biscuits were low in sugar and could therefore serve as a healthy snack for those suffering from diabetes.

Moringa is rich in fiber. By consuming these cookies, diabetes sufferers will find themselves feeling full until lunch or before evening snack, Rosania said on Monday.

Since the biscuits are to be manufactured by Nita village's housewives, Rosania said she hopes they could help the local community improve its economic welfare.

Read also: Five must-visit spots in Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara

However, the products have to undergo a test by the Indonesia Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) before they can be sold to the public.

According to another assistant professor, Mega Gaharpung, the moringa-based products were developed to fulfill a community service assignment, which was to develop Sikka regency into an agropolitan area.

Separately, a Nusa Nipa University chemistry student, Petrus Tuku, explained that the tea can be consumed after brewing it with hot water and leaving it for 10 to 15 minutes until the color changes to a pale green or yellow.

People can drink this tea without having to filter it beforehand, Petrus said. (dpk/kes)Kering reforms its logistic network in Europe and the US. The French group will build a new warehouse in Trecate, near the Italian city of Novara, and a new factory in New Jersey, to improve the efficiency, especially in the online channel. The measure will affect near the half of the 800 employees that work in Cadempino, near the Swiss city of Lugano, who will move to the new complex in Italy.

The Italian project, that is expected to be ready in 2022, responds to the necessity of the group to build a new factory in Italy after the growth that the company has experienced within the country in the last years. The group has pointed that it will commit to work with all the people involved to mitigate the impact of the employment.

Customers expectations are progressing, requiring faster deliveries and a perfect experience in all the channels, pointed the company. As a result, Keering is continuously seeking to improve the efficiency of its logistic network, to win in the one-channel distribution and reduce waiting times.

In the Italian factory of 160,000 square meters there were distributed brands like Gucci, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta o Pomellato

Companys move will impact all groups brands, from Gucci and Balenciaga to Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta and Pomellato.

Kering has a logistic infrastructure in Switzerland of 20 warehouses that, according to the company have collapsed and are more inefficient every time. The new Italian factory will have a 160,000 square meters space, while New Jerseys factory, which is already under construction, will be a more bigger and modern building, as stated by the company.

The fashion group has recently signed an agreement with the Italian Tax Agency to pay 1,250 million euros, after being accused in 2017 of evade taxes through its subsidiary Luxury Goods International (LGI).

From this situation on, the company has affirmed that the move from Switzerland to Italy responds to a commercial policy of the group and has nothing to do with the fiscal problems in which has been immersed with Italian Tax Agency.

The luxury French conglomerate, owner of brands like Saint Laurent or Bottega Veneta, ended the 2018 exercise with a result of 3,714.9 million euros, the double than the benefit obtained in 2017.

The group positioned its volume of business in 13,665.2 million euros, a 26.3% more than in its past fiscal exercise. The company grew in all the geographical regions where operates. The gross operating result (ebitda) of Kering reached the 4,435.7 million euros, a 42% more.The weeks of 15th - 25th April saw environmental activist group Extinction Rebellion shut down areas of Central London as part of a ten-day protest in the capital. Let's look back at what happened.

Image Credit: Mark Matthews

an international movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience to achieve radical change in order to minimise the risk of human extinction and ecological collapse. Extinction Rebellion describe themselves as

Demonstrations began on Monday 15th April

Image Credit: DAVID HOLT on Flickr

At 6pm on 15th, protestors blocked roads at Marble Arch, then moved onto Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, and Parliament Square, some of the busiest areas of Central London for tourists and locals alike.

Relations between police and protestors were a cause of debate throughout the action.

On 16th April.

Most police are reasonable people. Some are idiots. No different to the rest of society. We hope that the police will soon join with the rebellion, either passively or actively, in a move that would force the government to the negotiating table. Extinction Rebellion tweeted: Later in the week, a video was uploaded to Twitter of protestors waiting to be arrested on Waterloo Bridge chanting, Police, we love you, we are doing this for your children, too.

On 23rd April.

this ongoing irresponsible behaviour will no doubt be remembered in history as one of the greatest failures of humankind. 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg gave a speech to MPs; she was invited to Parliament after inspiring the worldwide school climate strikes movement. In her speech, she said thatThunberg also spoke at the Extinction Rebellion protests.

Most children are not even aware of the fate that awaits us. We will not understand it until its too late.  Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg scolded leaders for failing to act on climate change while there is still time pic.twitter.com/7jIebsPgZb  NowThis (@nowthisnews) April 25, 2019

On 24th April.

On 25th April.

#ExtinctionRebellion in the financial centres of London, the stock exchange, Canary Wharf. Research scientist and retired head teacher wear LED signs saying 'you can't eat money'. Significantly more support from commuters now cheering and saying thanks. Earth 'too big to fail'!? pic.twitter.com/8vmRaENRtd  Extinction Rebellion London () (@LdnRebellion) April 25, 2019

Extinction Rebellion said it was time for its members to 

go back to their communities,

but that the public could

And indeed, the next day, Extinction Rebellion protestors further north took part in a slow cycle ride. An estimated 70 cyclists, plus others on foot, travelled across the Tyne Bridge from Newcastle Central Station for a rally in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. Annie Highfield, from Extinction Rebellion North East, said : We are bringing things north because its an issue for everyone, not just those in London.

Hey @HouseofCommons could we make it any clearer? ACT NOW pic.twitter.com/05pLsVWRc4  Extinction Rebellion London () (@LdnRebellion) April 23, 2019

Further north, on 27th April.

Extinction Rebellion Scotland said approximately 300 people' took part in a die in protest at Glasgows Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Protestors lay on the ground of the main hall next to a skeleton copy of a diplodocus, holding signs saying are we next? The protest was organised by Wee Rebellion, a climate change protest group for young people in Glasgow that is associated with Extinction Rebellion.

Since the protests, the British Government has voted to acknowledge a climate crisis, becoming the first country in the world to do so. Details of what this means and the changes that are to be made are still to be announced.

Lead Image Credit

Mark MatthewsThe National Union of Students and Universities UK have released a new joint report calling for universities to do more to tackle the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) attainment gap.

Image credit: Pixabay via Pexels



The BAME attainment gap is the difference in undergraduate degree attainment between white and BAME students.

The report found that 81% of white students graduated with first and upper second class honours compared to just 68% of BAME students, making the attainment gap 13% in the academic year 2017/18.

The report recommends key steps for universities to close the attainment gap, including working with students to develop 'racially diverse and inclusive environments' and taking evidence-based, collaborative approaches to addressing the gap.



Speaking to the BBC , Baroness Amos said:

"Our universities are racially and culturally diverse, compared to many other sectors, but we are failing a generation of students if we don't act now to reduce the BAME attainment gap.

It is important that universities act and are transparent in their approach so black, Asian and minority ethnic students are given the best chance of success."

NUS Vice-President Higher Education Amatey Doku, who co-authored the report with Amos, told the BBC that student unions across the country have already been campaigning for action.

"From decolonising the curriculum to more culturally competent support services, many students and students' unions have been fighting and campaigning for action in this area for years.



"This report highlights good practice and clear practical steps for universities to take to begin to respond to many of the concerns raised."

Universities have expressed their commitment to closing the attainment gap.

As a University, we are committed to improving the representation, progression and success of minority ethnic staff and students; so it was an easy decision for us to sign up to the UUK-NUS BAME attainment pledge. #ClosingtheGap https://t.co/mJ2Fi0fxEL  University of Essex (@Uni_of_Essex) May 3, 2019

We're committed to ensuring all our students achieve their fullest potential and removing all forms of inequality in learner engagement, retention and success. Thats why we're working with @UniversitiesUK @nusuk on #ClosingtheGap . Read the full report: https://t.co/onJChYb9jC  King's College London (@KingsCollegeLon) May 3, 2019

already requires universities The Office for Students, the English universities regulator,to eliminate the unexplained gap in first and upper second class degrees between white and BAME students by 2024/25.

Their goal is to completely eliminate the gap by 2030/31.

conducting research The NUS is alsoon BAME students' experiences in education, following up on their previous Race for Equality report, in order to challenge racism and build "liberated, racially equitable learning institutions".

previously announced by the government The report follows a slew of measuresto improve outcomes for BAME students in higher education.

These measures involve actions from the government, regulators and sector groups, to hold universities to account through their Access and Participation plans.HM the King donates 1.2 tons of pet food to Phuket shelter

PHUKET: His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Thursday (May 23) donated a large amount of pet food and supplies to Phuket Stray Dog Shelter in Thalang.

animalshealth

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

Saturday 25 May 2019, 12:39PM

Maj Gen Thawatchai Srikaew of the Royal Thai Airforce presented the pet food to Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana at the shelter yesterday. Also in attendance were Phuket Provincial Office of the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) Chief Manas Thepparuk, Soi Dog Foundation founder John Dalley and various officials.

Mr Manas expressed his gratitude for the donation saying, I feel deeply grateful for His Majestys kindness to the shelter. There are not many people who are willing to do such jobs and to dedicate their lives to caring for stray dogs.

His Majesty donated a total of 1.2 tons of pet food  60 sacks each weighing 20kg. In addition there are 30kg of medicine mixed into the food as well as 24 cans of pet food and 12 boxes of flea and tick protection.

At present, the Phuket Stray Dog Shelter has a total of 813 dogs comprising 384 males and 429 females, Mr Manas explained. Also, Soi Dog Foundation have a total of 783 dogs comprising 387 male dogs and 396 females, as well as 225 cats.

New strays are brought in all the time, Mr Manas said.

We still need ongoing donations of food and cash as the cost of caring for more than 800 dogs is well over the B1 million that we receive per year. That is not enough to cover the cost of food, treatment and staff. We need about B3 million a year, he stressed.

People can donate into a box at the Phuket Stray Dog Shelter, Mr Manas added.

Gov Phakaphong spoke at the shelter expressing his gratitude for the donation and the Kings kindness towards the animals.

I am grateful to His Majesty for his support of the shelter. Many of the dogs are disabled and many were abandoned. The shelter is located at 217, Moo 5, Thepkrasattri Subdistrict in Thalang on four rai of Royal Forest Department land and was founded in 2004.

The shelter is managed by Phuket Livestock officials and supported by the Phuket Provincial Office and local administrative organisations, the Governor noted.

John Dalley of the Soi Foundation later told The Phuket News, We applaud the visit of the King's representative and the very welcome and much needed focus it is giving the GDP.Myanmar worker fatally stabs colleague following argument

PHUKET: Police have charged a man for the fatal stabbing of a fellow Myanmar national in Thalang on Friday (May 24).

deathmurderMyanmarpoliceviolence

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Saturday 25 May 2019, 01:12PM

Min Than Win points at the scene of the crime. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Min Than Win sits near the knife used to fatally stab his colleague Wai Lin Boy. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The two men, who were colleagues and worked together, were at work chopping vegetables when an argument broke out and Wai Lin Boy allegedly hit Min Than Win with a metal rod, to which Mr Min retaliated by fatally stabbing Mr Wai.

Police and rescue workers were called to the scene at 9:23am where the suspect was waiting for them. Rescue workers rushed Mr Wai to Thalang Hospital where he was later died.

Thalang Police Chief Col Teerawat Liamsuwa confirmed that Mr Min confessed to the stabbing and was arrested and taken to Thalang Police Station where he was charged with murder.New president takes reins at PREA

PHUKET: Phattanan Pisutwimol has been inducted as the new President of the Phuket Real Estate Association (PREA). Mr Phanthanun is the Managing Director of Phuket Goldenville Caps Property Co Ltd, which is the developer of the series of Phuket Goldenville developments across the island. He is also an executive member of Phuket City Development Co Ltd (PKCD), a consortium of local businesses focussed on development projects in line with government policy intiatives.

propertyeconomics

By Chutharat Plerin

Saturday 25 May 2019, 11:00AM

New PREA President Phattanan Pisutwimol (left) receives a congratulatory bouquet from outgoing president Boon Yongsakul. Photo: PREA

Mr Phattanan was installed as president at the Phuket Real Estate Association (P-REA) Annual General Meeting 2019, held at the Pearl Hotel in Phuket Town on May 10.

Present to hand over the position was outgoing president Boon Yongsakul, Chairman of Boat Pattana Co Ltd. Mr Boon had served as PREA President for two years, from 2017 through to 2019.

Mr Phattanan, the sole candidate nominated for the presidency, was elected unanimously by the PREA executive committee and members in an election held at the event.

The election was held after the keynote presentation by Prof Lertmongkol Waravenuch on the topic Deep knowledge of land and buildings tax for members and the media who attended the conference.

The presidency is a two-year term. As such, Mr Phattanan will now serve as PREA President until May 2021.

Mr Phattanan was nominated by outgoing president Mr Boon, which he said gave him great confidence in taking up the presidency after serving as the associations General Secretary.

I am proud to present Khun Phattanan. Members who have been with the association since it was founded in 2009, as well as myself while serving as President over the past two years, have seen that Khun Phattanan is very capable and has a wide network.

It is is time for him to step forward in order to fully utilize his connections and knowledge in his role as President of the Phuket Real Estate Association, Mr Boon said.

Mr Boons sentiment was echoed at the meeting, with the executive committee and fellow members expressing their gratitude and support for Mr Phattanan is his role as president.

"Thank you to Khun Boon Yongsakul, the former president of the association, and all executive committee members, including all former presidents who laid the foundation for our association as well, for allowing me to continue my work with confidence, Mr Phattanan said.

I and the new executive committee team will work with utter determination for the benefit of the association and fellow members. To create the maximum benefit will require an an alliance working with government and other associations, best of all, he added.

In the coming two years I intend to bring new property developers to develop Phuket province. At the same time, I will push for support for new and existing entrepreneurs to create projects of quality through new knowledge and new methods, to promote the property business for Phuket members and allow entrepreneurs in Phuket to be equivalent to entrepreneurs at the national level, Mr Phattanan said.Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Some clouds. Low 63F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 63F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.Plymouth, IN (46563)

Today

Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Some sleet may mix in. Low 31F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph, becoming SSW and decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Some sleet may mix in. Low 31F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph, becoming SSW and decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 60%.Work to expand Terex plant in Huron will benefit Watertown facility

Terex's expansion in Huron will help the Watertown plant. The Huron facility manufactures components used in Watertown.President Donald Trump says he may resolve a dispute over Huawei Technologies Co. as part of a trade agreement with China, yet doing so would undercut U.S. assertions the company poses a national security threat.

Days after trade talks with Beijing hit an impasse, the U.S. put the Shenzhen-based maker of telecommunications gear on a blacklist over concerns it could serve Chinese intelligence. Trump could reverse that move, at least in part, by letting Huawei resume buying advanced chips and easing an expected import ban by allowing the companys equipment in parts of the U.S. network.

Such a decision would violate decades of economic diplomacy by the U.S., which has always sought to portray the placement of companies on a blacklist as apolitical and linked to narrow issues of national security. But Huawei has drawn the ire of Washingtons national security establishment  legitimately, many argue  at a time when the president is broadening the definition of national security to include economic co-operation.

Its hard to see how they could cut much slack for Huawei, without actually endangering national security, James Lewis, director of the technology policy program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, said in an interview.

Last year, Trump lifted ruinous penalties on ZTE Corp., another Chinese technology giant, which had been accused of violating trade sanctions after a personal plea from Chinas leader, Xi Jinping. The company paid a fine, revamped its board and provided security guarantees.

Trade talks between Beijing and Washington stalled this month as Trump accused China of backing out of a deal that the U.S. said was almost completed, and Trump hiked tariffs on $200 billion (U.S.) of Chinese goods.

The Trump administration had held off on blacklisting Huawei out of concern that could disrupt the trade negotiations and only took action after the last round failed to advance, according to people familiar with the matter.

Trumps suggestion on Thursday provoked rebukes.

I dont think so, Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, said Friday on Bloomberg TV when asked whether Huawei should be part of trade talks. Huawei is a serious national security threat. Its a serious threat to the privacy of Americans.

Ben Haber, a spokesman for Huawei, said the company had no comment on Trumps remark.

The company has said its equipment does not pose a cybersecurity threat and has denied having ties to the Beijing government.

Chinas ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, in a Bloomberg TV interview Friday, said Beijing is committed to striking a trade deal. He also said the accusations against Huawei are a groundless suspicion, and he described the U.S. action as an unusual move that mobilizes state power against a private company.

Cuis comments underscored Chinas efforts to defend its rights and a national prize like Huawei while avoiding red lines that might shatter hopes for a truce. Trump himself used a similar approach a day earlier in saying Huawei could become part of an accord even as he called the company dangerous. American officials say the companys gear could serve as a conduit for Beijings security agencies.

Companies can apply for a special license to sell parts to Huawei, in effect gaining an exemption from the blacklist. Cotton said Huawei needs U.S. parts to achieve its goal of leadership in the fast, advanced 5G systems expected to dominate networks in coming years.

To send those chips and other components to China, to let Huawei use them - it would be akin to sending uranium or munitions to the Soviet Union in the Cold War, Cotton said. We didnt do that then, we ought not do it now.

The Chinese raised Huawei in the trade talks months ago, said Lewis of the Center for Strategic & International Studies. Theres always been this concern it would be negotiated away, he said.

Trump could ease toward a model taken up by some European countries that allow Huawei in the periphery of the mobile network, and bar it from central parts, Lewis said.

He might say were opening the market to some Huawei technologies, not all, he added. Its just going to hurt the effort to get Europeans to agree to steps against Huawei.

Michael Wessel, a commissioner on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission that advises Congress, cited the startling contrast between putting Huawei on the blacklist and suggesting its inclusion in trade talks.

Now to say that were going to throw it back in the trade deal, where we have been looking at these issues based on their commercial effect, and say were ready to start trading away certain security concerns  I think is a very troubling approach, Wessel said.

Trumps rescue of ZTE, according to Wessel, doesnt offer a useful model for Huawei.

Doing it through a fine and doing it through a change of board personnel doesnt get to the question of the ongoing security risks, Wessel said.

Its possible a deal could include dropping charges against Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis chief financial officer and the daughter of the companys founder, who has been detained in Vancouver since last December. She was arrested at the request of U.S. authorities, who are seeking her extradition to face fraud charges related to trade sanctions against Iran.

Her legal difficulties have strained relations between the Canadian and Chinese governments, and two Canadians who were arrested in China shortly after her detention remain in custody.

The trade conflict has caused hardship for American farmers, who are among Trumps most loyal supporters.

Ive asked the question: How many soybeans is Meng worth? Lewis said.

-With assistance from Andrew Mayeda.

Read more about:The Progressive Conservative government is now reviewing recommendations from its special adviser on alcohol as it looks at making changes to the system.

Ken Hughes, a former MP and Alberta cabinet minister, delivered his report Friday to Finance Minister Vic Fedeli on ways to improve consumer choice and convenience.

The Tories have already indicated they plan to put beer and wine in corner stores, but it may not be easy to do so.

The previous Liberal government signed a 10-year agreement with the brewers who own The Beer Store that permitted an expansion of beer and wine sales to hundreds of grocery stores.

In order to further expand those sales, Premier Doug Fords government would need to break that agreement with the brewers, who have warned that doing so would trigger steep financial penalties.

The Tories also announced a number of loosened alcohol restrictions in last months budget, including allowing alcohol to be served at 9 a.m., seven days a week, letting people consume booze in parks, and legalizing tailgating parties near sports events.

Read more about:SASKATOONPolice in Saskatoon say they have charged a 13-year-old girl in connection with two alleged assaults in a city park, including one that was caught on video.

Police say on Monday evening a 33-year-old woman reported being assaulted by a several youths in a playground.

A bystander filmed the woman being knocked down and then repeatedly punched and kicked.

On the previous Monday police say two girls aged 10 and 14 reported being attacked in the same area at around the same time in the early evening.

In both incidents police say the victims suffered minor cuts and bruises.

The girl whos been charged faces two counts of assault.

Police say a number of other youths have been identified as being involved in the alleged assaults but have not been charged because they are under the age of 12.OTTAWAWhile most Canadians firmly back the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and strongly support the idea of diversity, a new poll suggests a third of Canadians would ban their elected officials from wearing religious symbols.

A majority of Quebecers canvassed in the survey agreed that federal, provincial and local politicians shouldnt be allowed to wear hijabs, crucifixes or turbans on the job.

Nationally, 49 per cent of respondents said they would not favour such a ban, but 37 per cent said they would support it.

The proposed ban would not extend to elected officials, but a question about whether it should was included among questions about how Canadians in different provinces feel about religions and religious signs.

The Leger Marketing poll was done to gauge public sentiment in light of a proposed secularism law in Quebec that would ban public servants in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols.

The survey of respondents, drawn from an online panel, canvassed the opinions of 2,215 adults across Canada between May 3 and 7. Because online panels arent fully random samples of the population, no margin of error for the results can be calculated.

Jack Jedwab, president of the Association for Canadian Studies, which commissioned the survey, says a deeper dive into the numbers shows the strongest supporters of such a ban for politicians are those more likely to feel threatened by religious minorities. They also expressed negative feelings toward Islam, Muslims and react negatively to hijabs.

Respondents who said they interact more with and are comfortable around religious minorities are less likely to support banning religious symbols for elected officials, the data suggests.

Meanwhile, more than 80 per cent of all of those surveyed said they have positive views of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and also said they favour multiculturalism.

The results indicate what Jedwab calls a striking paradox among Canadians.

(People) express broad appreciation of diversity and say that our society is tolerant and accepting of religious-minority customs and traditions, yet at the same time  we, to a significant degree, dont like the idea of politicians wearing religious symbols or signs.

The results of this survey suggest federal leaders will have to approach issues of religious symbolism carefully in seat-rich Quebec as the province moves to enact its secularism law while federal parties gear up for a fall federal election.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, a practising Sikh who sports a brightly coloured turban, will have an especially challenging time in Quebec, Jedwab says.

Hes going to probably encounter some challenges that people probably will not express publicly, but that they feel privately, he said.

Those feelings are out there  Is it going to affect his chances of getting elected? Its difficult to say. It creates a new layer that is out there.

During the last federal election campaign, religious symbolism became a flashpoint after the Federal Court of Canada upheld a lower courts decision to strike down the former Conservative governments ban on wearing niqabs at citizenship ceremonies.

Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair took a firm stance against the ban  a move he later said he believes cost him the election, as support for the ban was strong in Quebec, where his party base was strongest.

Jedwab says he believes Prime Minister Justin Trudeau successfully skirted backlash on the niqab issue in 2015 because Mulcair took the brunt of Quebecers concerns.

This time, Trudeau  who has spoken against the secularism bill and who has taken a strong stance in favour of welcoming immigrants and minorities  could have a more turbulent ride.

Its going to be challenging for him because he needs to build and/or strengthen his base in Quebec. The challenge will be that there is a lot of support for these types of restrictions, Jedwab said.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer will also have to walk a fine line on issues of religious symbolism and immigration, Jedwab added.

The polling numbers in this poll nationally suggest (Scheer) may be able to find a line through this thing where he says, We understand peoples fears and insecurities, but we need to respect the Charter of Rights. I dont think Mr. Trudeau will be saying he understands peoples fears and insecurities, because that will validate them, Jedwab said.

Read more about:Still years away from an election, Mayor John Tory was knocking on doors in midtown Toronto on Saturday morning, freshly printed campaign literature in hand.

But the name on the cards he placed in the hands of residents and slide into the cracks of door frames is not his, it is that of Progressive Conservative MPP Robin Martin. The goal of this campaign is to save Toronto from the senseless and dangerous budget cuts imposed by the province.

In an unprecedented move, Tory went door-to-door to encourage residents to fight back.

This is not a one-off photo opportunity, the mayor said as the canvas began in the pouring rain.

Were going to be doing this for as long as we have to in different parts of the city.

Face time with residents is the latest effort in the citys clash with the province that has included back-and-forth letters, a war of words via TV news, public statements with other municipal leaders and recently a city-issued petition.

Senior officials say the city faces $177 million in provincial cuts for programs affecting child care, public health and more.

Tory, who was joined by local Councillor Mike Colle and about 25 volunteers and members of his own staff, met residents in Lytton Park, near Avenue Rd. and Glencairn Ave., with a purposely positive message. Saying Martin was a good person, Tory asked residents to call or write their provincial representative to encourage her to help reverse the cuts.

Were not here to sort of attack anybody, Tory told those gathered to knock on doors.

Later he told reporters in reference to the MPPs in Toronto ridings: A lot of these people were very narrowly elected the last time and I hope that theyll be mindful not only of their own political position but also of the rights and wrongs of this.

In the pocket of Eglinton-Lawrence that Tory visited Saturday, he had residents support.

I told him Im very grateful and, you know, my familys very grateful for having an articulate spokesperson for the city and all the things the city stands for, said Glenn Miller, who didnt vote for the PC candidate in the last provincial election and isnt likely to in the future. Theres so many threads in the city that need sustaining, quite literally, that we dont want to see them unilaterally cut.

Kelly Monaghan had heard about the cuts before Tory arrived at her home and had planned to contact her MPP, Martin.

I was very disappointed, as the mayor just indicated, that it was done sort of after the budgets had been set , she said. It doesnt make any sense to me in terms of how to govern, in terms of how to appropriately allocate the resources.

In one case, the mayors efforts quickly preceded him.

After one resident opened the door for Tory and the mayor began to make his pitch, the man cut in: We just saw that on the news.

Read more about:One male teen has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after a stabbing in Mimico Friday evening.

In a tweet, Toronto Police said they had received reports of a stabbing, with a male chasing another at Lake Shore Blvd. and Superior Ave. Police arrived on-scene shortly after 5 p.m. and confirmed one male had been stabbed, said Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook.

Police are searching for two suspects based on a witness description, according to Douglas-Cook.

One is described as being a Black male between 18-20 years of age. He is tall, with a heavy build and wearing a black velour outfit, according to a police tweet.

The other suspect is a Black male, 57, with a light complexion and an afro. He is wearing a black outfit, said police.PRETORIA, South Africa - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday urged the country to pursue an extraordinary feat of human endeavour as he was sworn in for a five-year term with a delicate fight against government corruption ahead of him.

The challenges our country face are huge and real. But they are not insurmountable. They can be solved. And I stand here today saying they are going to be solved, Ramaphosa told some 30,000 people in the capital, Pretoria, with several African leaders in attendance.

He promised a new era in which officials will improve the lives of South Africans instead of enriching themselves. He called for a state free from graft and resources squandered, and urged fellow citizens to end poverty in a generation. Both would be immense achievements: Corruption and mismanagement have consumed billions of rand, and South Africa is the worlds most economically unequal country .

Ramaphosas inauguration followed his ruling African National Congress partys 57.5% victory in this months election. It was the partys weakest showing at the ballot box since the ANC took power at the end of the harsh system of racial apartheid in 1994, as voter turnout and confidence fell.

Ramaphosa first took office last year after former president Jacob Zuma was pressured to resign amid corruption scandals that badly damaged public faith in the ANC. A former protege of South Africas first black president, Nelson Mandela, Ramaphosa is seen by many as having the potential to clean up both the government and the ruling partys reputation. Without him the ANC likely would have received just 40% of the vote, one party leader, Fikile Mbalula, has said.

There was no sign at Saturdays ceremony of Zuma, who has insisted he did nothing wrong and that allegations are politically motivated. His allies within the ANC leadership pose a challenge to Ramaphosa as he pursues reforms.

Ahead of the election Ramaphosa apologized to South Africans for the political turmoil. He also vowed to continue the fight against graft that has hurt the countrys economy, the most developed in sub-Saharan Africa.

The presidents resolve to impose clean governance will be tested with the appointment of his new Cabinet in the coming days. He faces pressure from opposition parties and civil society to reduce the number of ministers  there are now 34  and appoint ones who are scandal-free.

In a sign his efforts are working, former deputy president David Mabuza was not sworn in as a member of Parliament due to an incriminating report on him by the ANCs integrity commission. For now, Ramaphosa is without a deputy.

In his speech on Saturday the president also addressed public frustration with joblessness, patchy delivery of basic services and the legacy of inequality. Unemployment is above 25% and much of the countrys wealth and private levers of power are held by the small white minority.

Many South Africans still go to bed hungry, Ramaphosa said. Many live lives of intolerable deprivation. Too many of our people do not work, especially the youth.

One challenge for the president in the years ahead is engaging potential voters in South Africas Born Free generation , who never experienced apartheid and unlike their parents see the ANC not as a party of liberation but one expected to deliver for the future.

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_AfricaMEXICO CITY - Mexicos minister of the environment presented her resignation to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Saturday, the second Cabinet resignation in less than a week, after receiving criticism for an air flight.

In a letter on her Twitter account, Josefa Gonzalez-Blanco said she resigned because she delayed the departure of a flight that had waited for her to start a working trip.

Lopez Obrador, who took office Dec. 1, has promised a government without privileges or corruption.

There is no justification, the minister of the environment and natural resources said in the letter. The true transformation of Mexico requires a total congruence with the values of equity and justice. No one should have privileges and ones benefit, even if it is to fulfil ones functions, should not be put above the welfare of the majority.

The delay of the flight for more than half an hour had generated criticism from other passengers and the media.

Gonzalez-Blancos resignation comes four days after that of German Martinez Cazares, head of the Mexican Social Security Institute, the countrys main public health system. In his resignation, Martinez Cazares lashed out at health spending cuts.

Lopez Obrador himself has gotten rid of his presidential guard and travels on commercial flights. On Tuesday, he said that since he imposed a rule requiring public officials receive approval for international trips, he has received about 100 petitions and approved only 20.TOKYO - U.S. national security adviser John Bolton on Saturday called a series of short-range missile tests by North Korea earlier this month a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and said sanctions must be kept in place.

Washingtons position on the Norths denuclearization is consistent and a repeated pattern of failures to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons should be stopped, Bolton said, defending the recent U.S. seizure of a North Korean cargo ship. The U.S., however, is willing to resume talks with North Korea at any time, Bolton said.

Bolton was speaking to reporters in Tokyo ahead of President Donald Trumps arrival for a four-day visit to Japan.

North Korea tested short-range ballistic missiles on May 4 and 9, ending a pause in launches that began in late 2017. The tests are seen as a way of pressuring Washington to compromise without actually causing the negotiations to collapse.

U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea from firing any ballistic missiles, Bolton said. In terms of violating U.N. Security Council resolutions, there is no doubt about that.

Trump and other officials have played down the significance of the missile tests.

During his visit, Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will talk about making sure the integrity of the Security Council resolutions are maintained, Bolton said. The two leaders are also expected to discuss Iran, as well as trade and the bilateral security alliance, after playing golf and watching sumo wrestling Sunday.

Boltons comments came a day after North Koreas official media said nuclear negotiations with Washington wont resume unless the US. abandons what Pyongyang describes as unilateral disarmament demands.

In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency, a North Korean spokesman accused the U.S. of deliberately causing Februarys collapse of talks between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by making unilateral and impossible demands. The North has also strongly protested the recent U.S. seizure of a North Korean cargo ship that was involved in banned coal exports and demanded its immediate return.

Washington says the talks broke down because North Korea demanded sanctions relief in exchange for partially surrendering its nuclear capabilities.

Bolton brushed off the North Korean rhetoric, saying, I take much of what they say with a grain of salt. Calling the U.S. seizure of the North Korean ship appropriate, Bolton said it may be a good time to discuss the return of the USS Pueblo, a naval intelligence ship held by the North since 1968.

Bolton acknowledged the U.S. has not been hearing much from North Korea since Februarys Hanoi summit. The U.S. special envoy to North Korea, Stephen Biegun, cant wait to talk to his North Korean counterpart, but they havent responded, he said, adding that Biegun was ready at any point to get on a plane and go anywhere.

Trumps visit will largely highlight close ties with Abe, who is now willing to hold a summit with Kim without preconditions  a recent change from his long-held hawkish stance. Abe had said previously he wont meet Kim unless the North takes concrete steps toward denuclearization and resolves a decades-long dispute involving Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea.

Bolton said he fully supports a possible Abe-Kim summit as an additional push toward resolving North Koreas missile and nuclear threats.

Given Abes willingness to hold this meeting with Kim Jong Un ... it would be certainly in North Koreas interest to accommodate the prime minister, he said.

___

Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchiTOKYO - When President Donald Trump visits Japan, hell be able to point to Tokyos streets to drive home a sore point in trade relations between the allies: the absence of made-in-USA vehicles.

The $70 billion Japanese trade surplus with the U.S. is dwarfed by Chinas $379 billion surplus, and the trade tensions between Washington and Tokyo are far less contentious than the tariffs war with Beijing.

But the disputes between Japan and the U.S. are longstanding and also intractable: the bilateral agreement with Tokyo that Trump has been seeking since pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement two years ago is still far down the road, say analysts and politicians on both sides.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has carefully courted Trump since before he took office and their cordial, golfing-buddy relationship has helped keep relations on an even keel.

While Trump has complained repeatedly about the trade imbalance, especially in autos and auto parts  the Hondas and Toyotas on U.S. roads are a daily reminder  friction over Japans exports has not reached the fever pitch it did in the late 1980s, when angry American auto workers smashed Japanese vehicles.

The Trump administrations tough stance on China, including the tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods that recently kicked in, is almost a replay of the Japan bashing of decades ago.

To help alleviate tensions, especially over vehicle exports, Japanese automakers have moved much of their production for America to the U.S., investing a cumulative $51 billion and building 24 manufacturing plants, many in areas that have little else to count on to vitalize their economies. Those investments have created some 1.6 million jobs, according to the industry group Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.

Trade remains unbalanced: In April Japans exports to the U.S. jumped nearly 10%, while imports of American goods rose 2.3%. Japans trade surplus surged almost 18% to 723 billion yen ($6.6 billion).

Trump sees todays disputes as a continuation of earlier clashes, said Kristin Vekasi, professor of political science at the University of Maine.

She says current negotiations are unlikely to lead to any miraculous opening of Japanese markets for American products. Japanese officials have said they would draw the line at concessions made for the sake of joining the TPP, which had been championed by the administration of Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama.

Japan already buys a lot from the United States, Vekasi said.

Japans imports from the U.S. are dominated by food, chemicals, machinery and devices. Cars, not so much.

Detroit-based General Motors Co. sold just 562 Cadillacs, 708 Chevrolets, six Buicks and a handful of its other nameplate brands in Japan in the fiscal year that ended in March. In contrast, Toyota sold 2.3 million of the roughly 5 million vehicles sold in the Japanese market.

Experts generally agree the imbalance reflects a lack of Japanese interest, not significant trade barriers. Trade talks cannot dictate consumer tastes.

The Trump administration has designated auto imports as a threat to U.S. national security, though the government has delayed a decision on raising tariffs on imported cars for six months.

Trump has suggested he will go ahead with the tariffs if U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, a trade talks veteran of the Japan-bashing days, doesnt manage to wrest concessions from Japan and the European Union.

Apart from autos, Washington is worried that American farm products wont get a fair deal, as Japan forges trade pacts with Australia and Europe.

While visiting Japan earlier this month, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue donned an apron and took up barbecue tongs, urging Japan to buy more American beef.

Were saying treat us as a prime customer the way we treated Japanese products for many years, he said after grilling some beef and pork on a Tokyo shopping mall rooftop.

Perdue returned to Washington with a promise from Japan to eliminate restrictions on U.S. beef exports. The move allows all cattle, regardless of age, to enter Japan for the first time since 2003, when Japan imposed limits to guard against bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, also known as mad cow disease.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates exports of U.S. beef and beef product could jump by up to $200 million a year, though they do face stiff competition from Australia and China.

Japan still imposes limits on many farm products, seeking to guard its food security and politically important rural constituencies, and Perdue acknowledged that a broader trade deal with Tokyo may take time.

After years of being harangued to open their own markets, Japanese officials and business leaders are ardent proponents of freer trade.

Usually soft-spoken Toyota Chief Executive Akio Toyoda, who chairs the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, was blunt in expressing outrage over the idea that auto imports pose a security threat worthy of imposing tariffs.

We are dismayed to hear a message suggesting that our long-time contributions of investment and employment in the United States are not welcomed. As chairman, I am deeply saddened by this decision, he said earlier this week.

Any trade restrictive measures would deliver a serious blow to the U.S. auto industry and economy, as it would not only disadvantage U.S. consumers, but also adversely affect the global competitiveness of U.S.-produced vehicles and suppress company investments in the U.S.

___

Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=enTOKYO - The Latest on President Donald Trumps state visit to Japan. (all times local):

12:30 a.m. Sunday

President Donald Trump has begun a state visit to Japan by needling the American ally over its trade imbalance with the United States.

He jokingly tells business leaders at a reception in Tokyo: Maybe thats why you like me so much.

Trump also is promoting the U.S. under his leadership. He says theres never been a better time to invest or do business in America, and he urges corporate leaders to come.

___

7 p.m.

What stands nearly 5 feet (1.5 metres) tall and weighs between 60 and 70 pounds (27 and 32 kilograms)?

Its the much-ballyhooed trophy that President Donald Trump plans to present to the winner of a championship sumo wrestling match in Tokyo on Sunday.

The White House says the Presidents Cup is about 54 inches (137 centimetres) tall and weighs 60-70 pounds (27-32 kilograms).

Trump arrived in Japan on Saturday on a state visit as the guest of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is taking Trump to the sumo match on Sunday.

The president has said that he finds sumo to be fascinating and that the trophy will be U.S.-made.

Trump will also meet Japans new emperor on Monday, becoming the first head of state to do so.

___

6:35 p.m.

President Donald Trump is needling Japan over the U.S.-Japan trade imbalance as he kicks off a state visit to the country.

Trump is speaking at a reception with Japanese and American business leaders at the U.S. ambassadors residence in Tokyo after arriving in the country.

He says the U.S. and Japan are hard at work negotiating a bilateral trade agreement, but is pointing to the gap.

He says: I would say that Japan has had a substantial edge for many, many years, but thats OK ... maybe thats why you like us so much.

Trump is also making a pitch to the business leaders to invest more in the U.S.

And he says the relationship between the two countries has never been better.

___

5:55 p.m.

President Donald Trump is heading to a dinner with business leaders at the U.S. ambassadors residence in Tokyo after a brief airport welcome.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump were greeted by Japans minister of foreign affairs, the U.S. ambassador to Japan and other officials Saturday at Tokyos Haneda Airport.

Trump was busy tweeting as Air Force One neared Japan for the four-day visit.

He declared the dawn of a new Age of Enlightenment as he talked up his escalating trade dispute with China.

He said that: The real trade war began 30 years ago, and we lost. This is a bright new Age, the Age of Enlightenment. We dont lose anymore!

___

5 p.m.

President Donald Trump has arrived in Japan for a state visit that will make him the first world leader to meet the countrys new emperor.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived aboard Air Force One after a 14-hour journey.

The visit is part of a continuing charm offensive by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that analysts say has spared Japan from far more debilitating retaliatory action by Trump.

The president has refused to lift the threat of slapping potentially devastating U.S. tariffs on imports of Japanese autos and auto parts on national security grounds.

U.S. tariffs against Japanese aluminum and steel remain.

___

4:45 p.m.

A relatively strong earthquake rattled Tokyo just before President Donald Trumps arrival Saturday but there was no danger of a tsunami.

Japans Meteorological Agency said the quake, registering magnitude 5.1, struck in Chiba, just south of Tokyo, at 3:20 p.m., about 40 kilometres (24 miles) underground. Trump was to arrive two hours later.

The agency said there was no danger of a tsunami from the inland quake.

The earthquake rattled dozens of cities, including Tokyo, where many reporters who arrived before the presidents visit felt the movement.

___

1:30 p.m.

Japan is ready to roll out the newest phase of its charm offensive targeting President Donald Trump as it welcomes him on a state visit tailor-made to his whims and ego. This comes as Japan remains under the threat of potentially devastating U.S. tariffs on autos

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is offering high honours, golf and the chance to present a Trump Cup at a sumo wrestling championship. Abe, arguably Trumps closest friend on the world stage, will continue a yearslong campaign that so far appears to have spared Japan from far more debilitating U.S. actions.

The stakes are high. U.S. tariffs could cripple Japans auto industry, while North Korea remains a destabilizing threat in the region.TOKYO - In a story May 26 about President Donald Trumps visit to a sumo match in Japan, The Associated Press reported erroneously that spectators at sumo matches sometimes throw seat cushions when they are disappointed with the outcome. Cushions are tossed to praise the winner of a tough fight or in response to an upset match.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Sumo diplomacy: Abe courts Trump with burgers, golf, more

Sumo-sized diplomacy: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe courts President Donald Trump with burgers, golf and a selfie during a visit to Tokyo

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE and JILL COLVIN

Associated Press

It was a day of sumo-sized diplomacy.

Plenty of world leaders have tried to butter up President Donald Trump with flattery and favours. Japans Shinzo Abe on Sunday raised the bar for all of them.

First Abe treated his friend to a round of golf (with tweeted selfie). Then the prime minister allowed Trump to take centre stage at a sumo wrestling match, where he spent the better part of the day watching large men in loin cloths and bare feet brawl inside a ring.

When it was over, Trump did what no other American president has done. Climbing into the elevated dirt ring, or dohyo, in ceremonial slippers, Trump presented a hulking 60-pound (27-kilogram) trophy to the tournament champion  a cup that Trump said he hoped would be used for many hundreds of years.

I hereby award you the United States Presidents Cup, Trump told Asanoyama, the sumo champion, as he read from a scroll.

From there, it was off to a couples dinner for the Trumps and Abes.

The golf, sumo, dinner  with a cheeseburger lunch wedged in  were part of a diplomatic package designed by Abe to stay on Trumps good side amid tensions between their governments over trade and other issues.

Sunday was all about keeping Trump happy. An effusive Abe described their buddy time as cozy.

It began with 16 holes of golf at Mobara Country Club, where they were joined by Japanese pro Isao Aoki. On the lunch menu: double cheeseburgers, made with U.S. beef.

Abe next introduced Trump to Japans ancient sport of sumo wrestling, which Trump had previously said he finds fascinating. Even so, at times he appeared somewhat bored at Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium.

Loud applause greeted Trump as he entered the arena and took his seat a few rows behind the ring, in a break from the custom of sitting cross-legged on cushions. Trump, Abe and their wives were among an estimated 11,500 fans there to see who would claim the title.

The Japan Sumo Association put in place special safety precautions because of Trumps presence, including selling fewer same-day tickets and banning the ritual of the tossing of seat cushions to praise the winner of a tough fight or in response to an upset victory.

Match over, Trump walked onto the stage in dark slippers  shoes are banned from the ring  to present the cup.

The president praised Asanoyamas outstanding achievement and then hoisted the trophy, which the White House said was 54 inches (137 centimetres) tall, into Asanoyamas arms with assistance from an official. Asanoyama also received trophies from Abe and on behalf of the emperor.

It was fitting entertainment for the businessman president who in past times helped promote the World Wrestling Federation back home. Trump sponsored major events, appeared in bits and was inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2013.

He tweeted after the match that it was his great honour to present the first-ever Presidents Cup.

Another honour awaited Trump on Monday when was set to become, at Abes invitation, the first head of state to meet Japans new emperor, Naruhito, who succeeded his father on May 1. Trump also was to be the guest of honour at a banquet hosted by the emperor at Japans Imperial Palace.

Beyond all the pageantry, Trump and Abe scheduled talks Monday and planned to hold a joint news conference. But Trump set measured expectations for what would be accomplished, tweeting that serious trade negotiations with the Japanese will wait until after their July elections, referring to upcoming parliamentary elections.

As for Sunday, Trump summed it up thus just before a hibachi dinner with Abe and their wives: Weve had a great time, a great day, and tomorrow is really the big event, a very important event in the history of Japan. Its over 200 years since something like this has happened so its a great honour to be representing the United States.

Abe sought quickly after the 2016 U.S. election to build a rapport with Trump, rushing to New York so the two could get acquainted before Trump took office. Japan relies on the U.S. for security and Abe has encouraged Trump to maintain international agreements and keep pressure on North Korea.

A mutual love of golf has helped the friendship flourish.

We were able to exchange our views frankly in a cozy atmosphere. It was wonderful, Abe told reporters as he returned to his official residence after the golf game. He tweeted a selfie of him and Trump smiling widely on the greens.

Trump tweeted that hed had Great fun and meeting with Prime Minister @AbeShinzo.

For all of the over-the-top camaraderie of the day, the two countries have serious differences to work through.

Trump has threatened Japan with tariffs on imports of autos and auto parts on national security grounds. He has suggested he will impose the levies if the U.S. cant win concessions from Japan and the European Union. Japans trade surplus surged almost 18% in April to 723 billion yen ($6.6 billion).

Trump is also playing down North Koreas recent series of short-range missile tests, which are of particular concern to neighbouring Japan.

Even in the thick of a four-day state visit in which Trump is the centre of attention in Japan, the president continued to stew about politics back home.

He claimed in a tweet that numerous Japanese officials had told him that Democrats would rather see the U.S. fail than see Trump or his Republican Party succeed.

Tradition holds that American presidents and political candidates avoid politicking while on foreign soil, but Trump frequently disregards such norms. He tweeted fresh digs about Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden, a former vice-president.

___

Follow Superville and Colvin on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dsupervilleap and https://twitter.com/colvinjBEIJING - The U.S. ambassador to China urged Beijing to engage in substantive dialogue with exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama during a visit to the Himalayan region over the past week, the U.S. Embassy said Saturday.

Terry Branstad also expressed concerns regarding the Chinese governments interference in Tibetan Buddhists freedom to organize and practice their religion, an embassy statement said.

He encouraged the Chinese government to engage in substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, without preconditions, to seek a settlement that resolves differences, it said.

Branstad also raised long-standing concerns about the lack of consistent access to the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The rare visit to the TAR and neighbouring Qinghai province ran from Sunday through Saturday.

Hosted by the Tibet Autonomous Region government, Branstad was given access to important religious and cultural sites, including the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Norbulingka, and Sera Monastery in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa. He also met with senior Tibetan religious and cultural leaders, the embassy said.

China tightly restricts access to Tibet by foreigners, especially journalists and diplomats. In response to those restrictions, the U.S. Congress last year passed an act that would deny entry to the United States for those involved in formulating or enforcing such policies.

There was no immediate response from Beijing, although Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang last week said China welcomed Branstad to witness the earth-shaking changes in the peoples production and life since Tibets peaceful liberation more than 60 years ago.

I hope that this visit to Tibet can help Ambassador Branstad make a conclusion without prejudice in the spirit of respecting the facts ... instead of being confused and disturbed by some long-standing hearsay and defamatory speeches, Lu said at a regularly scheduled briefing.

China says Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but many Tibetans say they were effectively an independent nation for most of that time. Beijings control was most recently asserted when the Communist Partys military wing, the Peoples Liberation Army, invaded the region in 1950.

The Dalai Lama fled to India amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959 and calls for genuine autonomy for Tibet under Chinese rule. Beijing labels the 83-year-old cleric a dangerous separatist, has refused contacts with his representatives for more than a decade and objects strongly to any meetings between him and foreign politicians.

In recent years there has been a significant tightening of control over Tibetan Buddhism, use of the Tibetan language and traditional cultural expression. Following anti-government protests in 2008, Beijing imposed a policy of grid policing that substantially reduces travel and social life for Tibetans, even while China ramps up domestic tourism in the region.

Those methods have been subsequently imposed in the neighbouring region of Xinjiang, where an estimated 1 million members of its native Muslim ethnic groups have been confined to detention centres.VALLETTA, Malta - The Latest on migrants in Europe (all times local):

2 p.m.

Italian authorities say they have taken 54 migrants from Pakistan to a migrant centre after finding them aboard a sailboat off the coast of Calabria in southern Italy.

The Italian ANSA news agency says two Russian nationals aboard the U.S.-flagged boat were arrested and accused of seeking to smuggle the migrants into Italy on Friday night. The agency says the migrants are all men. Officials believe the boat left from Bodrum, Turkey.

Italys financial police discovered the boat and towed it to Crotone, a port town on the Ionian Sea in Calabria. Officials say the men were in decent health.

Maltese officials say good weather conditions in recent days are encouraging migrants to cross the Mediterranean Sea.

Migrant flows to Italy continue despite the Italian governments strong efforts to discourage immigration. On Friday, another boat carrying 58 migrants reached the southern Italian island of Lampedusa off the coast of Africa.

___

11:30 a.m.

Maltese authorities say they have rescued 216 migrants aboard two dinghies in distress in the Mediterranean Sea near Malta.

The migrants were rescued Friday night by the Armed Forces of Malta and are being taken to Malta where they will be examined by doctors and given the chance to seek asylum.

The Times of Malta newspaper reports that men, women and children were aboard the rubber boats. Maltese officials were not immediately available for comment Saturday morning.

Maltese officials say good weather prompted at least 12 migrant boats to cross the Mediterranean in the past two days. They say the boats left from Libya, Tunisia and Algeria.

Some 390 other migrants had arrived this year in Malta, according to the International Organization for Migration, an agency that tracks migrants. The agency says 1,445 migrants arrived in Malta last year.BERLIN - A U.N. maritime tribunal ruled Saturday that Russia must immediately release three Ukrainian naval vessels captured by Russia in November and free 24 detained sailors.

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea issued its order at its Hamburg headquarters following a hearing earlier this month. Russia stayed away from both the hearing and Saturdays session.

The confrontation in the Kerch Strait, which links the Sea of Azov with the Black Sea, marked a flashpoint in the simmering conflict over Russias 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. Russia seized Crimea in a move that Ukraine and most of the world view as illegal.

The Kerch Strait separates Crimea from mainland Russia

Russia, which did submit a memorandum to the tribunal, has argued that the rights Ukraine claims in the case dont apply because they are covered by an exception for military activity.

Kyivs lawyers contest this claim, saying Russia itself has previously described the arrest as a law enforcement operation. The tribunal sided with Ukraines argument on that point.

However, President Jin-Hyun Paik said that the tribunal considers it appropriate to order both parties to refrain from taking any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute.

He said that Russia must return the ships to Ukrainian custody and allow the servicemen to go home.

But the tribunal does not consider it necessary to require (Russia) to suspend criminal proceedings against the 24 detained Ukrainian servicemen and refrain from initiating new proceedings, he added. Kyiv had called for legal proceedings to be ended.

The tribunals decisions are legally binding, but it has no power to enforce them. It called for both sides to report back on their compliance by June 25.

Paik said Russia was given ample opportunity to present its observations in the case.

The tribunal made its decision by a 19-1 vote, with a Russian judge dissenting.

Olena Zerkal, Ukraines deputy foreign minister for European integration, said on Facebook: We expect that Russia will quickly and fully fulfil the tribunals order.CAIRO - An Egyptian rights lawyer says a former diplomat who called for a referendum on Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissis government has been released from jail.

Khaled Ali says his client, Masoum Marzouk, was released earlier this week along with four activists.

Marzouk was arrested in August 2018, shortly after calling for a referendum and a popular conference in Tahrir Square  epicenter of the 2011 uprising  if the government rejected his proposal.

El-Sissis government has rolled back many of the freedoms won in 2011, banning unauthorized protests and jailing thousands of people since 2013. He was re-elected in March 2018 after all serious challengers were either arrested or pressured into leaving the race.

Marzouk was released Thursday, pending an investigation into terror-related charges.BAGHDAD - Iraqs parliament speaker said Saturday that Baghdad is ready to mediate between the United States and Iran if it is asked to do so.

Mohamad Halbousis comments, carried by state TV, came shortly after Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Baghdad beginning a two-day visit.

Tension between the U.S. and Iran have escalated ever since the Trump administration withdrew last year from the 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and world powers and reinstated American sanctions that have badly damaged the Iranian economy.

President Donald Trump has argued that the nuclear deal failed to sufficiently curb Irans ability to develop nuclear weapons or halt its support for militias throughout the Middle East that the U.S. argues destabilize the region.

Iraqi TV aired footage of Zarif upon arrival while being received by the Foreign Ministrys undersecretary Nizar Khairallah.

We are ready to mediate to solve the crisis between Washington and Tehran if we are asked for that, al-Halbousi, whose country has close ties with both Washington and Tehran, said. He added that there has been no official request for such mediation.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi hosted Zarif for iftar, the meal that breaks daylong fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

A statement released by Abdul-Mahdis office said the two officials discussed ways of making the two countries and the region avoid the harms of sanctions and the dangers of war. They also spoke about the importance of security and stability in the Middle East and how to maintain the nuclear deal reached in 2015 between Iran and world powers.

Adel Abdul-Mahdi said earlier this week that Iraq will send delegations to the U.S. and Iran to help end tensions between the two countries, adding that Baghdad is neutral in the conflict.

On May 19, a rocket was fired into Baghdads heavily fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling U.S. Embassy. There were no injuries and no group claimed responsibility, but the rocket was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad  which is home to Iran-backed Shiite militias.

During his visit to Baghdad, Zarif will also meet his Iraqi counterpart Mohamed al-Hakim and Iraqi President Barham Salih, according to Irans state news agency.

Iraqs Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Sahhaf said Zarif will discuss the situation in the region and ways of finding common ground.

On Friday, Zarif was in Pakistan and met officials there as tensions have ratcheted up in the Mideast.

The White House earlier this month sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the region in response to a still-unexplained threat from Iran. The U.S. plans to send 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East amid heightened tensions.

___

Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran contributed.SALEM, Ore. - Police in Oregon arrested a man Friday on suspicion of murder and kidnapping following the disappearance of a woman and their 3-year-old son.

A search was continuing for the mother and son, but police had little hope they were alive.

Karissa Fretwell, 25, of Salem and her son William havent been heard from since May 13.

Michael John Wolfe, the childs biological father, was arrested at a doughnut shop in the Portland area, Salem police Lt. Treven Upkes said at a news conference.

Photos of the suspect with a distinctive walrus moustache and thinning brown hair had been published in newspapers and broadcast on TV news.

Wolfe, 52, of Gaston is being charged with two counts of aggravated murder and two counts of kidnapping, police said.

Everybody thats been involved in this case continues to hope for the safe return of Karissa and William, Upkes said.

The mother and son were last seen in west Salem, Upkes said. Her family reported them missing when she didnt show up for work May 17.

Police, including divers, were searching a rural area southwest of Portland.

Its taking an incredible toll on everybody whos out there. Theyre working around the clock, following all leads, Upkes said.

Court papers show Fretwell went to court last year to establish that Wolfe was Williams father. A DNA test verified her claim, and Fretwell then filed a petition seeking more than $1,000 a month in child support from Wolfe, court records show.

Wolfe is married to another woman, police confirmed.

Upkes said there were aspects of the case he couldnt reveal because the investigation was ongoing. He did say there are no additional suspects.

He said Wolfe would be lodged in the jail in Yamhill County, where the search is being carried out.

Fretwells Facebook page is full of smiling photos of her and William, including one in the hospital right after his birth. She is a student at Western Oregon University.

In her profile, she wrote My son is my world ... Future WOU graduate, BIG DREAMER!

Fretwells sister did not immediately return a message sent through Facebook.

___

Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselskyWASHINGTON - The Latest on President Donald Trumps trip to Japan (all times local):

8:15 p.m.

President Donald Trump has greeted U.S. troops in Alaska while on his way to a state visit in Japan.

Trump shook hands and signed caps for the service members on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.

Air Force One stopped there to refuel before it continued on to Tokyo, where Trump is being welcomed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

As he walked across the tarmac, Trump said Alaska is a nice stop and commented about needing the fresh air.

__

1:45 p.m.

Japan is ready to roll out the newest phase of its charm offensive targeting President Donald Trump as it welcomes him on a state visit, hoping to defuse the threat of potentially devastating U.S. tariffs on autos.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, arguably Trumps closest friend on the world stage, will continue a years-long campaign that so far appears to have spared Japan from far more debilitating U.S. actions.

The stakes are high. U.S. tariffs could cripple Japans auto industry, while North Korea remains a destabilizing threat in the region.

Trump departed Washington for Tokyo on Friday.WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has asked the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to resign, leaving yet another vacancy within the Department of Homeland Security.

Lee Francis Cissna told staff on Friday that his last day would be June 1, according to a copy of the email obtained by The Associated Press.

Cissna leads the agency responsible for legal immigration, including benefits and visas. He had been on the chopping block last month amid a White House-orchestrated bloodbath that led to the resignation of Secretary Kirstjen (KEER-sten) Nielsen, but his job was saved after high-ranking Republicans spoke out about his record.

There are more than a dozen vacancies of top posts at the sprawling 240,000-member department that are being temporarily filled, including secretary and the inspector general. Cissnas position, like others, requires Senate confirmation.MONTPELIER, Vt. - Presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders held his first home state rally of his 2020 campaign, telling a large crowd on the Vermont Statehouse lawn that his ideas that seemed radical to some in the last presidential election  such as health care for all and raising the minimum wage  are not so radical today.

Sanders on Saturday asked for support to help him to defeat President Donald Trump, who he called the most dangerous president in the history of this country.

The principals of our government will be based on justice, economic justice, racial justice, social justice and environmental justice, he told the cheering crowd. Our campaign and our government is about bringing our people together, not dividing us.

Sanders also said hes opposed to going to war with Iran as he was opposed to the Iraq war and the Vietnam war.

U.S. Rep. Peter Welch and Ben & Jerrys Ice Cream co-founder Ben Cohen touted Sanders consistent message and his achievements in the state where the independent senator got his political start in a narrow victory in the mayors race in Vermonts largest city of Burlington nearly 40 years ago.

Sanders was always for a higher minimum wage, equality, health care for all, and affordable, accessible and free higher education, said Welch, a Democrat.

Bernie Sanders is a doer, hes a healer, hes a unifier and yes, hes been consistent, said Welch. Hes been consistent in his friendships, hes been consistent in his advocacy for Vermont and he has been consistent in his advocacy for the opportunities for all Americans and it is about time that we get a president of the United States who knows where he comes from and who hes for.

Sanders kicked off his previous presidential campaign in Vermont in 2015 but chose not to launch his 2020 run in his home state. He held his first campaign rally in Brooklyn in early March.

On Saturday, grammy winning singer and songwriter Brandi Carlile performed.

Linda Grantham of Waterbury Center, Vermont, attended to see Sanders in person.

I like what he says but theres so many, she said of the more than 20 Democrats running. Ill be happy if any of them win.

Taylor Miske Wood, of Barre, Vermont, said his prime concerns align with a lot of what Sanders addresses.

He just sounds a lot more real and calm and addresses things that I want to hear about and want to see change in, he said.NEW ORLEANS - A hate crime charge has been dropped against a federal agent shot last year after police say he pointed a laser-sighted gun in the direction of a uniformed Louisiana State Police trooper.

In a statement Friday, Orleans Parish District Attorneys Office spokesman Ken Daley said prosecutors dropped the charge against 44-year-old Ronald Martin, of Fort Knox, Kentucky. He says the office will continue to press the remaining charges, including aggravated assault upon a police officer with a firearm.

Martins attorney Elizabeth Carpenter says Martin wasnt intentionally pointing his gun at anyone.

NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune reports Daley said the charge was dropped after the district attorneys office could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Martin intentionally pointed his laser-equipped gun at the trooper in December.

___

Information from: The Times-Picayune, http://www.nola.comSAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump from building key sections of his border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency, delivering what may prove a temporary setback on one of his highest priorities.

U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr.s order, issued Friday, prevents work from beginning on two of the highest-priority, Pentagon-funded wall projects  one spanning 46 miles (74 kilometres) in New Mexico and another covering 5 miles (8 kilometres) in Yuma, Arizona.

On Saturday, Trump pledged to file an expedited appeal of the ruling.

Trump, who is visiting Japan, tweeted: Another activist Obama appointed judge has just ruled against us on a section of the Southern Wall that is already under construction. This is a ruling against Border Security and in favour of crime, drugs and human trafficking. We are asking for an expedited appeal!

While Gilliams order applied only to those first-in-line projects, the judge made clear that he felt the challengers were likely to prevail at trial on their argument that the president was wrongly ignoring Congress wishes by diverting Defence Department money.

Congresss absolute control over federal expenditures_even when that control may frustrate the desires of the Executive Branch regarding initiatives it views as important_is not a bug in our constitutional system. It is a feature of that system, and an essential one, he wrote in his 56-page opinion.

It wasnt a total defeat for the administration. Gilliam, an Oakland-based appointee of President Barack Obama, rejected a request by California and 19 other states to prevent the diversion of hundreds of millions of dollars in Treasury asset forfeiture funds to wall construction, in part because he felt they were unlikely to prevail on arguments that the administration skirted environmental impact reviews.

The delay may be temporary. The question for Gilliam was whether to allow construction with Defence and Treasury funds while the lawsuits brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the state attorneys general were being considered. The cases still must be heard on their merits.

This order is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities, said Dror Ladin, an attorney for the ACLU, which represented the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Friday.

The administration faces several lawsuits over the emergency declaration but only one other seeks to block construction during the legal challenge. A judge in Washington, D.C., on Thursday heard arguments on a challenge brought by the U.S. House of Representatives that says the money shifting violates the constitution. The judge was weighing whether the lawmakers even had the ability to sue the president instead of working through political routes to resolve the bitter dispute.

At stake is billions of dollars that would allow Trump to make progress in a signature campaign promise heading into his campaign for a second term.

Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House that led to a 35-day government shutdown. As a compromise on border and immigration enforcement, Congress set aside $1.375 billion to extend or replace existing barriers in Texas Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.

Trump grudgingly accepted the money, but then declared the national emergency to siphon money from other government accounts, identifying up to $8.1 billion for wall construction. The funds include $3.6 billion from military construction funds, $2.5 billion from Defence Department counterdrug activities and $600 million from the Treasury Departments asset forfeiture fund.

The Defence Department has already transferred the counterdrug money. Patrick Shanahan, the acting defence secretary, is expected to decide any day whether to transfer the military construction funds.

The presidents adversaries say the emergency declaration was an illegal attempt to ignore Congress, which authorized far less wall spending than Trump wanted. The administration said Trump was protecting national security as unprecedented numbers of Central American asylum-seeking families arrive at the U.S. border.

The administration has awarded 11 wall contracts for a combined $2.76 billion  including three in the last two months that draw on Defence Department counterdrug money  and is preparing for a flurry of construction that the president is already celebrating at campaign-style rallies.

The Army Corps of Engineers recently announced several large contacts with Pentagon funding. Last month, SLSCO Ltd. of Galveston, Texas, won a $789 million award to replace 46 miles (74 kilometres) of barrier in New Mexico  the one that Gilliam blocked on Friday.

Last week, Southwest Valley Constructors of Albuquerque, New Mexico, won a $646 million award to replace 63 miles (101 kilometres) in the Border Patrols Tucson, Arizona, sector, which Gilliam did not stop. Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, Montana, won a $141.8 million contract to replace 5 miles (8 kilometres) in Yuma that Gilliam blocked and 15 miles (24 kilometres) in El Centro, California, which he did not address.

Gilliams ruling gives a green light  at least for now  for the administration to tap the Treasury funds, which it has said it plans to use to extend barriers in Rio Grande Valley.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a Democrat and frequent Trump adversary, didnt comment directly on his defeat but congratulated the ACLU and its clients in securing this critical victory for our states and communities.

Trump inherited barriers covering 654 miles (1,046 kilometres), or about one-third of the border with Mexico. Of the 244 miles (390 kilometres) in awarded contracts, more than half is with Pentagon money. All but 14 miles (22 kilometres) awarded so far are to replace existing barriers, not extend coverage.

___

Spagat reported from San Diego.DAYTON, Ohio - A small group of Ku Klux Klan members penned in by fencing, surrounded by police and drowned out by hundreds of protesters, held a rally in Ohio with no reported clashes or problems.

The city of Dayton blocked streets with large trucks Saturday and brought in officers from other jurisdictions to keep protesters separated from members of an obscure Klan group called the Honorable Sacred Knights.

The group obtained a permit for the rally months ago. City officials and community leaders organized an effort called Dayton United Against Hate.

The NAACP and other groups gathered in a public park about a mile from Daytons downtown square where the Klan rally was held.

Dayton police says no one was arrested or injured.

The city urged people to stay away from downtown Saturday.JACKSON, Miss. - A Mississippi lawmaker accused of recently punching his wife has issued a statement, saying the incident has been misrepresented, although he did not say how so.

Authorities say state Rep. Doug McLeod was drunk and bloodied his wifes nose after she didnt undress quickly enough when he wanted to have sex.

According to separate statements from the couple, each referred to many fabrications and misrepresentations in the media about the May 18 incident. McLeod, a Republican from Lucedale, says he would address the allegations once the process is complete.

McLeods wife asked the public to reserve judgment and respect our family and our familys privacy.

The statements were first published in the George County Times .

McLeod, who represents George and Stone counties in south Mississippi, faces a simple assault charge.ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Nelson Angapak Sr. promised Sen. Ted Stevens to help Alaska Native veterans get another chance to apply for prized land allotments.

It took two decades, but the 74-year-old Yupik leader from Southwest Alaska has done it  with help from others, he points out.

Congress in March passed a major lands bill that opens the door for more Native veterans to apply for tracts of land of up to 160 acres. It follows a more limited application period in 1998, an opportunity that many veterans said wasnt enough.

The allotments were offered to Alaska Natives by the federal government beginning in 1906, after non-Native settlers and miners began arriving in the state and claiming Native lands.

The programs original restrictions prevented many from applying until the 1960s, as todays veterans were heading overseas during the Vietnam War era, said Kevin Illingworth, professor of tribal management at University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Non-profit firms helped many Natives apply at the time. Applications surged. More than 13,000 allotments were awarded then, representing a tiny fraction of land in Alaska.

But the program ended in 1971, before many of the 3,000 or so Natives serving in the military returned to Alaska.

The Native veterans never got that assistance, or they didnt know about this allotment push, Illingworth said.

Angapak planned to apply for the land-allotment program in his early 20s. But the U.S. Army drafted him in 1969, whisking him to Turkey to be a communications specialist for two years.

As military personnel you get very engrossed and busy, he said recently. I got drafted, and then I didnt even think about the allotments. The only contact we had back then with the village was mail, and we didnt apply.

After he and others came home, they began advocating for a special application window for veterans.

But it wasnt until the mid-1990s that the issue got traction in Congress, after the Alaska Federation of Natives took up the issue, Angapak said. Hed risen through the ranks at the organization. He and fellow veterans began making regular pilgrimages to Washington, D.C., to testify on allotment bills submitted by the Alaska delegation.

This has been very much a team effort, an AFN team effort, Angapak said.

It paid off in 1998, when Congress opened an 18-month application slot. It applied only to veterans in active duty between 1969 and 1971, a period of especially high service for Natives.

Angapak received his allotment after the 1998 law passed. Its near the village of Tuntutuliak where he was raised, not far from the land his father received around 1971. It connects him with generations to come.

This is ours, he said.

Many Alaska Natives werent so fortunate, like Bill Thomas, the former state lawmaker from Haines.

Thomas returned to Alaska from the war in 1968. A 21-year-old then, he thought only elders could apply.

We came home and we self-medicated (with alcohol), we called it, for a while, said Thomas, 72 and also an advocate for the allotments. We didnt think about filing for a Native allotment back then.

About 250 veterans received allotments after the 1998 law passed, the Bureau of Land Management said.

The problems included the short application period and the need to prove occupancy of the land, Angapak said.

Realizing the provisions shortcomings, Angapak made his promise to Stevens, who later died in 2010.

I told him as long as I have a little bit of breath, Ill keep working on it, Angapak said. I told him well accept 69 to 71. And well keep working on 64 to 71.

Angapak retired from AFN in 2013, a senior vice-president. But with AFNs support, he joined other veterans in continuing to trek to D.C.

The efforts paid off in March, when the lands bill sponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski passed. It included a version of a bill from Sullivan creating a new application round for those in the military from Aug. 5, 1964  after President Lyndon B. Johnson sought congressional approval for direct involvement in Vietnam  to the end of 1971.

(Huge public lands bill signed into law will allow Alaska Native veterans to claim long-promised land, among other provisions)

Sullivan last month recognized Angapaks decades of tireless advocacy, presenting him with a signed copy of the land legislation and a pen used by President Donald Trump to sign it.

Hes been one of our great Alaska Native leaders, Sullivan said.

The application period this time will be five years. The BLM must finalize the rules and begin accepting applications by September 2020.

Some federal lands will be off limits, including national forests and parks, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

But veterans wont need to prove occupancy of the land.

That will provide new opportunities for some, including Thomas. But there arent expected to be many allotments available in Southeast, if any. The region is largely national forests.

Thomas will likely have to select a tract somewhere else in Alaska, he said. A lot of people around here arent happy about that, he said.

Conservation groups criticized this new round of allotments in a letter to Congress, saying it would privatize hundreds of thousands of acres for an issue that was addressed in 1998.

Angapak said he disagrees with the groups. But he supports their speaking out.

Freedom of speech is one of the liberties he and other veterans helped protect, he said.

___

Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.comJUNEAU, Alaska - Its not often that an African house snake gets to live a rock and roll lifestyle. Its even rarer that the snake gets to do it in Alaska.

Thats the life that Rocks has led.

The beloved snake has lived at Squirez Bar (formerly Squires Rest) for about 18 years, but is likely in his final weeks, Squirez owner Shayla Weeks Kaiser said. Hes lived a full life, one of skulls, pull tabs and occasional escapes.

Hes a senior citizen for sure, said Troy Cunningham, the bars former owner who bought Rocks. Hes had a good, long life.

When Cunningham bought the bar in 2000, he was spending long hours there and was looking for an addition to the bar that could offer both companionship and a little entertainment value. Cunningham went to the now-closed Wee Fishie Shoppe to look for a pet, and bought Rocks, who was then just about 6 inches long, Cunningham said.

Cunningham, a big music fan who plays bass and guitar, used to have rock shows at the bar.

Rocks  who got his name by being the band mascot, Cunningham said  spent much of his life in a plastic pull tabs container alongside a wolf skull. Hed slither into the skull and stay there for days at a time, occasionally popping his head out to look around. Sometimes hed come out of his bony refuge if the music was good enough.

He didnt mind the heavy decibels, apparently, Cunningham said. When it would get loud in the bar, I think hed feel the vibration of it and hed actually come out and get active.

When Weeks Kaiser bought the bar in 2012, she said, Rocks spot on the bar was straight ahead when you walked in the door, under the bell that hangs over the bar.

Eventually, Weeks Kaiser upgraded Rocks to a large tank that was installed where a fireplace used to be in the bar. The wolf skull, of course, came with him. Rocks started to get larger in his expanded place and is now a few feet long.

Weeks Kaiser said some customers  including the legendary regular Wolfie, after whom a burger at Devils Hideaway is named  werent fans of the slithering reptile. Other regulars, including Mike Allen, have made Rocks a part of their life. Allen, Weeks Keiser said, has taken it upon himself to feed Rocks. He brings in mice for Rocks and helps take care of him.

When he was in his low-security pull tabs container on the bar, Rocks would sometimes get out. One time, Cunningham recalled, he thought Rocks had disappeared in the buildings piping and was gone. The day after Rocks escape, Cunningham came in and was getting the bar ready to open. He lifted up one of the bar mats and, to his initial terror and eventual relief, found Rocks hiding underneath.

Weeks Kaiser only remembers one time when Rocks got out  a day she chose to wear sandals, of course. She and customers looked all around for him, and a customer was surprised to find that Rocks was actually inside the bar, and poked his head out right in front of where the customer was sitting.

In general, Rocks is harmless. African house snakes arent venomous, and Rocks is fairly friendly. Hell bite you if you reach into his space too aggressively, Cunningham said.

Like a washed-up rock band, Rocks has seen better days and played better gigs, but he still draws a crowd. His eyes are glazed over, his skin is molting, hes moving slowly and his mouth usually hangs open. Customers dont care. They come over and wave to Rocks and ask bartenders questions about the revered reptile.

Weeks Kaiser said they might put him down soon, as hes fading quickly.

Rocks encore

One way or another, Rocks journey wont end with his death.

Both Weeks Kaiser and Cunningham have ideas for how to immortalize him. Weeks Kaiser has been thinking recently about stuffing Rocks and keeping him at the bar. People have come to love Rocks, she said, and still want to see him.

Cunningham has long had other plans. Cunningham is still playing rock shows around town, and envisions making Rocks into a guitar strap after his death. The beloved snake would make a good addition to his Kramer DMZ 5000 metal-necked bass guitar, Cunningham said.

Some people might not like the idea, but I thought, If only I could be a killer guitar strap for the rest of my life, Cunningham said. Id be honoured to be a guitar strap.

___

Information from: Juneau (Alaska) Empire, http://www.juneauempire.comEL RENO, Okla.A tornado levelled a motel and tore through a mobile home park near Oklahoma City overnight, killing two people and injuring at least 29 others before a second twister raked a suburb of Tulsa more than 100 miles (160 kilometres) away, authorities said Sunday.

The first tornado touched down in El Reno, about 25 miles (40 kilometres) west of Oklahoma City, late Saturday night. It crossed an interstate and walloped the American Budget Value Inn before ripping through the Skyview Estates trailer park, flipping and levelling homes, Mayor Matt White said at a news conference.

Its a tragic scene out there, White said, adding later that, People have absolutely lost everything. He said the city established a GoFundMe site, the City of El Reno Tornado Relief Fund, for affected families. Several other businesses were also damaged, though not to the same extent as the motel.

The two people who were killed were in the mobile home park, White said. He did not provide additional details about them. The 29 people who were injured were taken to hospitals, where some were undergoing surgery. Some of the injuries were deemed critical, he said.

The National Weather Service gave the tornado an EF3 rating, meaning it had wind speeds of 136-165 mph (219-266 kph). Personnel who investigated the damage said the tornado began around 10:28 p.m. Saturday and lasted for four minutes. The tornado was about 75 yards wide at its widest point and was on the ground for 2.2 miles (3.5 kilometres).

The tornado was spawned by a powerful storm system that rolled through the state  the latest in a week of violent storms to hit the flood-weary Plains and Midwest that have been blamed for at least 11 deaths, including the two killed in El Reno.

Early Sunday, another tornado destroyed several buildings and downed trees and power lines in the Tulsa suburb of Sapulpa, which is 110 miles (177 kilometres) northeast of El Reno. Pete Snyder, a hydrometeorological technician with the weather service in Tulsa, said crews were assessing damage to determine the tornados rating. The area also experienced damage from strong straight-line winds, he said.

The Sapulpa Police Department said on its Facebook page that it hadnt heard of any deaths and that only a few minor injuries had been reported.

Residents wandered around after sunrise to survey the damage, carefully avoiding fallen utility poles that blocked some streets. Among the buildings that were destroyed was a historic railroad building built in the early 1900s that the Farmers Feed Store had been using for storage. A furniture stores warehouse was also destroyed.

In El Reno, emergency crews sifted through the rubble at the trailer park and motel, where the second story collapsed into a pile of debris strewn about the first floor and parking lot.

Tweety Garrison, 63, told The Associated Press that she was in her mobile home with her husband, two young grandchildren and a family friend when she heard the storm coming and immediately hit the ground. Moments later, she heard her neighbours mobile home slam into hers before it flipped over and landed on her roof.

Garrison said the incident lasted five to 10 minutes and that she received a tornado warning on her phone but the sirens didnt go off until after the twister hit.

Her 32-year-old son, Elton Garrison, said he heard the wailing tornado sirens and had just laid down at home about a half-mile (1 kilometre) away when his phone rang. He recognized his mothers number, but there was no voice on the other end when he answered. I thought, Thats weird, he said.

Then his mother called back, and delivered a chilling message: Were trapped.

He said when he arrived at his parents home, he found it blocked by debris and sitting with another trailer on top of it. He began clearing a path to the home so that he could eventually lift a portion of an outside wall just enough so that all five occupants could slip beneath it and escape.

My parents were in there and two of my kids, one 9 and the other 12. ... My main emotion was fear, said Elton Garrison, who has lived in El Reno for about 26 years. I couldnt get them out of there quick enough.

He said he wasnt alarmed by the warning sirens when he first heard them at home.

We hear them all the time here, so it didnt seem like a big deal. ... I heard a lot of rain with the wind. But when it kind of got calm all of a sudden, thats when it didnt feel right.

He said his parents had only recently recovered after losing their previous home to a fire a few years ago.

Now this, he said, before expressing gratitude that everyone inside his parents home had emerged without serious injury.

In the next breath, he added: Items can be replaced. Lives cant.

The storm is the latest to hit the flood-weary central U.S. and dumped yet more rain in the regions already bloated waterways. In Tulsa, authorities advised residents of some neighbourhoods on Sunday to consider leaving for higher ground because the Arkansas River is stressing the citys old levee system.

Downriver and about 100 miles (161 kilometres) southeast of Tulsa in Arkansas second-largest city, Fort Smith, residents were preparing for what meteorologists are predicting will be the worst flooding in recorded history.

___

Associated Press writers David Aguilar in Detroit and Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed to this report.BOZEMAN, Mont. - The Latest on funeral services for a WWII solider from Montana whose remains were identified last year. (all times local):

5 p.m.

A World War II soldier from Montana who died on an island in the Pacific Ocean 75 years ago has been buried in his home state after his remains were identified last year.

A memorial and funeral with full military honours was held Saturday in Bozeman for Army Pvt. William A. Boegli, who was raised in Sedan, Montana.

He was killed while leading a group of litter bearers to evacuate wounded soldiers in the 1944 invasion of Angaur Island.

The Bozeman Chronicle reports Boegli was initially buried without identification on the island, and later moved to a cemetery at Fort McKinley in the Philippines. His remains were sent to Hawaii last year and identified using DNA comparisons with relatives.

During Saturdays funeral, Boegli was awarded medals including a Purple Heart, Silver Star and WWII Victory Medal.

__

10 a.m.

The remains of a Montana man killed during World War II while working to evacuate soldiers from an island east of the Philippines are due to be buried Saturday with full military honours.

A memorial service for Army Pvt. William Boegli was planned followed by interment at Sunset Hills Cemetery.

Boegli died in 1944, at age 25, while evacuating soldiers on Angaur Island.

His remains were buried on the island and later moved to Fort McKinley in Manila, Philippines.

But the remains werent identified until last year, after they were disinterred and their DNA compared to Boeglis relatives.A botch in Ottawa, Editorial, May 23

The fact that an Afghan memorial in Ottawa was dedicated without consulting the families whose relatives are honoured there is unforgivable. And the fact that its behind a security perimeter, beyond the reach of most civilians, seems incomprehensible.

The basic question is how could this have happened to begin with? What group or individual could have possibly thought this was a good idea and a fitting tribute to our military and their families?VANCOUVERSeveral Pakistani-Canadian groups are waiting for a formal apology from a BC Liberal MLA for a gibe about Islamabad North that he made in the legislature earlier this month.

Jas Johal made the comments May 16 while criticizing Minister of Citizens Services Jinny Sims for using her status to write visa reference letters for a number of people from Pakistan. Three of them were on a U.S. watch list, and Sims has since apologized.

During Question Period at the legislature, Johal said: This minister keeps talking about representing her constituents, (but) these are Pakistani nationals on a watch list. She continues to forget that; she ignores that. I remind her she is an MLA for Surrey-Panorama, not Islamabad North.

Members of the Pakistani Canadian Cultural Association wrote a letter to the Liberals asking Johal to apologize and retract his comments.

Johal met with members of the Pakistani-Canadian community on Thursday and made an initial apology. He told Star Vancouver he will make an official apology at the legislature and retract his statements by June 7.

The allegation that I might be fuelling Islamophobia concerns me greatly, Johal said.

Saima Naz, the Pakistani Canadian Cultural Associations secretary-treasurer, said Johals comments were upsetting and further divided the South Asian community. There is a complex history of strife between Punjabi Indians and Punjabi Pakistanis, partly dating back to 1947 when Pakistan and India became two separate, independent dominions.

Johal is a Punjabi-Indian Canadian and immigrated from India to Canada at the age of two with his Orthodox Sikh parents.

Naz felt Johal was belittling to the Pakistani community, saying you could hear the condescending tone in his voice.

Someone sitting in a powerful position like Jas (Johal) should not be making those comments that insinuate certain things about people from Pakistan, people from (its capital) Islamabad, Naz said.

There is a lot of hatred that we as Muslims and Pakistanis already experience ... and I think when somebody in a powerful position sort of takes a similar stance it gives others the permission to behave in a similar manner.

Naz posted the clip of Johal speaking at the legislature to her Facebook profile, where others commented with their disapproval.

Living in Surrey, weve been really working hard to bridge the gap (between Indians and Pakistanis), said Naz. It really adds fuel to the hate that might already be there from previous generations due to the 1947 separation.

Johal told Star Vancouver he regrets that he sounded condescending.

The nature of Westminster parliamentary democracy (at B.C.s legislature) is confrontational, he said. I didnt think it was condescending, it was just to challenge the minister ... She kept ignoring our questions.

Johal said the term Islamabad North was intended to show that (Jinny Sims) priorities should be here (in her constituency of Surrey) and not on foreign nationals.

He acknowledged his wrongdoing and said he has been meeting with different organizations to apologize.

I know I shouldnt have used the term Islamabad North. I think thats where the concern was, that somehow that implies Pakistanis cant be trusted, or at the very least fuels Islamophobia.

Naz said she is grateful Johal met with members of the Pakistani-Canadian community and is looking forward to his official apology next week.

I think its very important for him to ... say that, Ive hurt the Pakistani community, it was not my intention, and Im sorry that I did that. Thats what were hoping for, but lets see what he follows up with, she said.

With files from Melanie Green

Read more about:January is National Blood Donor Month, a time to recognize the importance of giving blood and platelets while honoring those who roll up a sleeve to help patients in need. To celebrate, Dunkin of Greater Philadelphia is teaming up with...COPANO BAY, Texas - The orange buoys placed along the perimeter of an underwater construction site here keep disappearing, leaving behind a rust-stained barge with a massive pile of broken limestone. The barge carried it down the Mississippi River, to be dumped a mile off the Texas coast.

Soon, baby oysters will attach to the rocks' rough surfaces and start to grow.

The ambitious project aims to restore an oyster reef nearly wiped out by hurricanes, drought and overfishing. When the artificial reef is completed in June, half will be open to harvesting and the other half protected to give the species a long-term chance to rebound.

That dual nature of the effort is unique and could be replicated elsewhere along the nation's southeastern coast. It offers a rare opportunity for often competing interests - state regulators, conservationists, people whose livelihoods depend on the mollusks and those who like eating them - to all get what they want: more oysters.

"We designed it specifically to try and make the essential point that conservation is about both the protection and the use of resources," said Laura Huffman, regional director for the Nature Conservancy in Texas, which is leading the project and a second set to begin in Galveston Bay in the winter. If the project is successful, 110 acres of reef will be created.

Only a decade ago, the Nature Conservancy declared that the Gulf of Mexico's oyster reefs represented "the most significant wild harvests left in the world." Then disaster struck.

In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded off the Louisiana coast. Before a BP well was finally capped months later, more than 4 million barrels of oil had contaminated Gulf Coast waters and beaches. Billions of oysters were killed.

Although little oil reached Texas shores, its oysters were already in serious trouble. Two years earlier, sediment had smothered reefs in Galveston Bay - the source of the vast majority of the state's harvest - after Hurricane Ike made landfall.

"Overnight, Hurricane Ike came in, and we lost over 50 percent of the oyster habitat in Galveston Bay," recalled Lance Robinson, coastal fisheries deputy division director at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Little has gone right since then for the species or the $43 million industry it supports here.

From 2010 to 2015, the state experienced an intense drought that caused further damage. As rivers ran low, the salinity of the bays they flow into increased. So did populations of certain bacteria and predators that kill oysters.

The drought was followed by two years of spring flooding, which hit during oysters' crucial spawning season. Baby oysters, called spat, were swept into the Gulf. Many of those that weren't ended up dying because they couldn't survive in water that had too little salt from the deluge of rains.

The final blow was Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Several feet of water was dumped across the Houston area and ultimately gushed into Galveston Bay. Some reefs on the bay's east side suffered 100 percent mortality, Robinson said.

After years of struggling, a source of relief emerged. A legal settlement related to the Deepwater Horizon spill included $160 million for oyster restoration, $3.5 million of which is being used for the Galveston Bay project. The $5 million Copano Bay project is being funded by a different settlement stemming from the illegal release of chemicals that contaminated bay waters in South Texas.

A strong wind was roiling Copano Bay as several of the project's engineers and Nature Conservancy workers set out to check on the reef's progress one morning last month. The boat carrying them to the construction site listed precariously as it neared the barge full of limestone.

Julie Sullivan, the conservancy's coastal restoration project manager in Texas, stared at the churning water and imagined what she will see and hear once the reef is complete and tiny plankton, worms, young crustaceans and small fish begin to fill its nooks and crannies.

"If you come back out here in two years and you're looking out on the water, you'll see all these big fish jumping and all of this activity and little explosions on the water from fish chasing each other, and birds will be here diving," she said.

Conversation was nearly impossible over the roar of an excavator's engine. Operator Kelly Hayes steered the machine's massive arm toward a mountain of limestone and scooped up a bucketful. Then he rotated the machine 180 degrees and used a small computer screen to line up a little black box - representing the position of the arm - with a circle on a grid. Once the square was in the middle of the circle, he dumped the load into the water.

He will repeat the process more than 2,000 times to complete the side of the project intended for harvesting, using rocks small enough to fit through the teeth of the dredges that oyster fishermen rake across reef. The rocks on the protected half are bigger and more varied. In total, 48,000 tons of limestone will be deposited into Copano Bay.

Despite the many setbacks Texas oysters have faced in the past decade, enough adult oysters remain in the bays to naturally repopulate the new reefs. In another restoration project, completed in the Chesapeake Bay in 2015, the existing population was so decimated that scientists in Maryland had to conduct a sort of oyster mating ritual and nurse the spat in a lab until they were big enough to be deposited in the wild.

Texas represents a classic "if you build it, they will come" scenario, says Huffman, and she has the numbers to support that confidence.

In 2013, the Nature Conservancy deployed the same Missouri-mined limestone used in Copano Bay to build a 54-acre sanctuary reef in Matagorda Bay, 100 miles southwest of Houston. Two years later, oysters had attached to 70 percent of the reef's surface, and their population had grown by more than 550 percent. Sullivan said more than 300 species of flora and fauna were also found.

These projects bring other benefits, too. Each oyster can filter 50 gallons of water daily, removing nitrogen and pollutants. The creatures "are essentially like little water treatment plants," said Jennifer Pollack, who leads coastal conservation and restoration at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi.

Scientists, fishermen, conservationists and policymakers may have different reasons for wanting more oyster reefs, Pollack noted, but they agree on the result. And in recent years, each group has taken steps to protect the oyster population and allow it to thrive.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission shortened the harvest week two years ago, reduced the number of oysters that can be collected daily and increased the penalties for harvesting undersized oysters. These days, repeat offenders can be fined up to $2,000 and face up to 180 days in jail. They also risk losing their fishing license for 30 days - although only one person has so far.

Shellfish dealers are also now required to return oyster shell or rock back into the bays to bolster the reefs.

Raz Halili serves as vice president of Prestige Oyster's, a longtime family business based just north of Galveston. The oyster harvest, processing and distribution company sends out 50 to 60 fishing boats daily in Texas and Louisiana and returns 100 percent of the oyster shell it processes to the bays, Halili said.

Just like on the artificial reefs the Nature Conservancy is building, baby oysters can attach to the recycled shell and grow. Halili thinks everyone in the industry should be helping to increase the number of oysters in Texas waters.

"We want to make sure we're putting back what we're taking out," he said.It soon could be against the law to smoke in the car if a child is present.

The Senate is the last stop for a plan that would ban the act.

State Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Deerfield, said the idea is all about safety. Her proposal would ban smoking, even with the windows down, if theres anyone younger than 18 in the car.

Police could write tickets for up to $250 for violations, but they couldnt stop vehicles just for smoking.

The problem in (passing this plan) in previous years was that this was an opportunity for law enforcement to stop vehicles as kind of a gotcha, Morrison said this week. This takes that out.

Some lawmakers say the idea is too much.

I hate smoking. I will vote all day long to tax cigarettes and vapes, as high as we can set them, to try and convince people not to smoke, said state Sen. Laura Murphy, D-Des Plaines. But I really think that this is an overreach.

The Illinois House approved the proposal in March.EDWARDSVILLE  A Jerseyville woman, described as a flight risk, and whose lawyer told a Madison County court that she could only afford $2,500, has come up with $10,000 cash and is free while awaiting trial.

Her co-defendent in the charges the stem from a police raid at an Alton home is also free on $10,000 bond.

Cheyanne M. Shaw, 19, of the 1000 block of Waggoner Avenue, is charged with armed violence, unlawful possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm after she was allegedly found April 26 at an Alton home police believe was used to sell drugs.

According to a Pretrial Risk Assessment Instrument on filed in the case, she is described as an extremely high risk to fail to appear for trial.

The document claims she is charged with felony drug charges, is under active community supervision, has pending charges for jailable offenses at the time of her arrest, has an adult history that includes at least on misdemeanor or felony conviction has two or or warrants for failure to appear is unemployed at time of arrest and has a history of drug abuse.

Shaws co-defendant  Jared W. Myers, 39, of Godfrey  was charged with armed violence, unlawful delivery of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine and possession of a stolen firearm, the same charges that Shaw is facing. He was released after posting $10,000 cash.

Associate Judge Neil Schroeder said at a hearing earlier this week that he was reluctant to reduce Shaws bail from $315,000, but decided to set her bail at $100,000 because the state agreed to that amount. According to law, defendants may pay 10 percent of their bail in cash but must also pay a fee to do so. Shaw is innocent until proven guilty. The law provides that bond may be posted to ensure a defendants appearance in court.

Defense attorney Thomas Hildebrand told Schroeder at a hearing Wednesday that Shaw was planning to attend college but went astray, became addicted to drugs and ended up in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong people.

Hildebrand said his client was merely staying at a home with a co-defendant and was simply a mule that delivered drugs and guns.

Court records allege Myers was allegedly selling drugs out of a home in the 3200 block of Hawthorne in Alton. A search warrant turned up drugs and a shotgun at the home. He has felony convictions of possession with intent to deliver more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, theft, possession of a controlled substance and manufacture or delivery of cocaine.It is one of the world's classic stories.

A gigantic ark gets built with the help of a higher power, a symbolic refuge from the depravity of humankind. It is a huge, grandiose structure constructed out of wood that is perhaps larger than anything comparable in the world. Then heavy rains begin to fall, inundating the earth around it.

And that's when the lawyers are called.

Genesis, this is not. Not in 2019, not in the United States.

Ark Encounter, the multimillion-dollar theme park and monument to fundamentalist Christianity whose centerpiece is a giant replica of Noah's Ark, is suing its insurance carriers over rain-related damages on the property.

The company, Crosswater Canyon, is seeking to recoup what it says were $1 million worth of damages, as well as attorneys fees and costs, and an unspecified amount of punitive damages.

The irony has not been lost on local media organizations and observers on social media. Even the American Atheists took a shot on Twitter.

This particular chapter begins in 2017, when rains came to northern Kentucky. They did not fall for 40 days and 40 nights this time.

According to the National Weather Service, on-and-off precipitation throughout the year dropped 40-50 inches of rain that year on Williamstown, the town where the theme park is located - just a slight bump above average.

But a slope abutting an access road near the east side of the theme park's ersatz ark began to fail in May, and eventually was subject to a "significant landslide" that took out a barrier along the road, according to the lawsuit.

The theme park reported the property damage to its insurance companies.

Engineers it hired recommended it replace the barrier with a retaining wall with drilled concrete shafts to prevent further damage, and the theme park also repaved and repaired portions of the road, the grading and added some drainage improvements. The total cost was about $1 million, the lawsuit says.

But the insurance companies denied claims for the improvements, saying that the policy had an exclusion for correcting design deficiencies or faulty workmanship.

The two sides went back and forth, according to the lawsuit and the insurance companies did pay a "very small portion" of Ark Encounter's claim. But the organization says they have "breached their contractual obligations, acted in bad faith, and violated Kentucky law by failing to provide further coverage."

The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in district court in Kentucky. The Allied World Assurance Co. is named as a defendant, along with three other carriers, none of which responded to requests for comment.

The $120 million Ark Encounter, where adult tickets cost $48, was completed in 2016, with a zoo, zip lines, and a restaurant in addition to its five-story high replica ark. It was the brainchild of the Ken Ham and his ministry, Answers in Genesis, which also created the Creation Museum. Ham, is a Christian fundamentalist and creationist who argues that the Bible is a historical narrative that is meant to be taken literally.

He believes that dinosaurs lived alongside humans and that the biblical flood created the Grand Canyon. And he maintains that Noah labored seven decades to construct his vessel and was 600 years old when the storm surged.

He did not respond to a request for comment sent to Ark Encounter spokeswoman Melany Ethridge.

"The lawsuit speaks for itself," read a statement she distributed on behalf of the park. "Ark Encounter guests have been unaffected by the work being done at the access road. Hours of operation were never affected."

The theme park was met with no small amount of controversy when it opened, focused mainly on its sources of funding, including the $62 million in junk bonds that were floated by the town of Williamstown.

The ACLU and other groups charged that Answers in Genesis should have not been eligible for state and local subsidies because of its discriminatory hiring practices.

As a condition of employment, the museum and ark staff of 900, including 350 seasonal workers, must sign a statement of faith rejecting evolution and declaring that they regularly attend church and view homosexuality as a sin.

The story of Noah's Ark is found in the Old Testament, in Genesis. It tells of a God who wipes every creature off the face of the earth with a flood for their evil, except for Noah and the animals he brings aboard.

"The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth," one translation of the Bible notes in the passage explaining the God's motivation for the flood.Late Saturday night the United States Coast Guard said that a Cessna airplane that took off from St. Louis Regional Airport in East Alton Friday afternoon and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean that night after the pilot stopped communicating with air traffic controllers just before reaching its Florida destination had yet to be recovered.

The following information was released Saturday night in a press release:

The Coast Guard conducted aerial searches concentrated in an area of 642 square nautical miles.

Suspending a search is one of the most difficult decisions we ever have to make, and we never make it lightly, said Christopher Eddy, search and rescue mission coordinator at Coast Guard 7th District. We always want the best case scenario to happen and will continue to monitor for new information that could aid responders.

 

Previous story:

EAST ALTON  The pilot of Cessna airplane that took off from St. Louis Regional Airport in East Alton Friday evening headed for Fort Lauderdale, Florida apparently stopped responding to air traffic controllers along the way, eventually crashing into the ocean, trailed by two Air National Guard fighter jets.

Only the pilot was on board the aircraft. His identity had been released to the public by Saturday evening.

According to a press release issued Saturday by the U.S. Coast Guard, the 2001 twin-engine Cessna Citation took off from St. Louis Regional at approximately 1:35 p.m. Around 4:50 p.m., the Florida Air National Guard sent two F-15s to check on the plane, about an hour after the pilot stopped communicating with air traffic controllers, and had eventually veered off its planned course.

St. Louis Regional Airport Manager David Miller told a Telegraph reporter Saturday night that he was in contact with the U.S. Coast Guard, providing data that would be needed to conduct an investigation. He said the plane appeared to be fine until nearly arriving at its destination, before veering about 300 miles into the ocean.

He said that model of plane is, however, capable of maintaining normal behavior in auto-pilot for that far of a distance. Miller stressed that it was way too early to offer theories of what happened in this particular case, but its consistent with similar incidents in which a pilot suffered a medical emergency in flight and the plane ran out of fuel.

Miller said he didnt know the identity of the pilot, but there hadnt been indications that they were based locally. The plane may have been flown in to St. Louis Regional for any number of testing or maintenance reasons.

Maj. Mark R. Lazane, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD, told the New York Times that the Cessna rapidly descending and subsequently crashed into the water around 6 p.m.

Lazane said the fighter jets did not fire upon the Cessna.

The intent of military intercepts is to have the identified aircraft re-establish communications with local FAA air traffic controllers and instruct the pilot to follow air traffic controller directions to land safely for follow-on action, Lazane told the paper.Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Some sleet may mix in. Low 34F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Some sleet may mix in. Low 34F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.Alan Partridge, the famously uncool TV character of comedian Steve Coogan, once lauded serviced office company Regus as the 'very definition of business cool'.

'Really?' says Mark Dixon, smiling and appearing genuinely flattered by the endorsement of a firm he set up 30 years ago. 'Thank you, Alan Partridge!'

And then it dawns on him. 'Was he in one of his personas, though?' I explain that Alan Partridge is the persona, the parody of an unsuccessful Radio Norwich DJ and sub-standard television presenter.

Global player: Mark Dixon's serviced office group now spans 110 countries

'Right. S***,' he says. 'I don't watch enough TV,' Dixon adds, before regaining his composure. 'People like Regus because it's reliable and it's well-priced. It's reliable quality. It's your Marriott, your Holiday Inn. And it's everywhere.'

He has a point. Dixon, the son of a Ford engineer who left his comprehensive school in Chelmsford at 16, founded Regus while living with his now ex-wife and children in Brussels in 1989.

It was the seventh of eight businesses he has launched  a list which includes a failed one-man sandwich courier service, a firm of hotdog vans (one of which he worked in) and a growing wine company with vineyards across Provence, France, and Southern England, which Dixon describes as his 'Saturday job'.

Regus, it's fair to say, was the one that transformed a grafting small businessman into a near-billionaire.

The concept  renting out fully-furnished and staffed office spaces to companies  quickly captured the imagination and Regus has since grown into a global business, spanning more than 100 countries, with many competitors.

In that time, its base has moved from Belgium to Luxembourg to Switzerland, while its chief executive now lives in the tax haven of Monaco.

Dixon, whose wealth is estimated at more than 900 million, insists his decision to live there is motivated by the calm Mediterranean waters  'I'm a keen sailor'  and good weather. He says he also voluntarily pays some tax in the UK.

Regus was renamed IWG in 2016, reflecting the fact the business is now made up of several serviced office, or co-working, brands. The FTSE 250 firm also includes No 18, a 'cosmopolitan members club for businesses', and Spaces, which offers trendy offices for hordes of start-ups and their millennial founders.

I meet Dixon in a Spaces office in Fitzrovia, a well-to-do area of London just north of Oxford Street.

The Essex-born 59-year-old is distinctly old school  sporting a smart grey suit, shirt and tie, with thick rimmed glasses resting on the table in front of him  compared with the inhabitants of his office, most of whom are casually dressed.

Serviced offices like this one are commonly associated mainly with big cities like London. But Dixon believes a flexible working revolution is on its way that will see co-working offices spring up in towns and even villages across the UK and beyond.

The shift towards people working closer to their homes  cutting out lengthy commutes  is already well under way in France, where IWG recently opened an office for a village of 2,000 residents.

'Full flexible working means people work very close to where they live,' Dixon says. 'So every village, more or less, will have a workplace  that's the next change.

'Everyone's going to want to work locally. At the moment, the reason they're not doing it is because they can't do it because the infrastructure's not there. Infrastructure means a really good building near to where you live, wherever you live, with great facilities, a great place to eat and loads of internet.'

He adds: 'In ten years' time it will be the norm, not the exception. People will say, "What, you travel all the way to work? In London? Every day? That's something unusual". '

The soaring popularity of the shared office concept is evidenced by the rise of WeWork. As a direct competitor to IWG's Spaces arm, WeWork is backed by Japan's SoftBank and is heading for a potentially enormous stock market float.

The two businesses are similar  with a few big exceptions. Spaces, for instance, does not offer beer on tap. 'Last time I looked, beer and work don't mix very well,' says Dixon. 'After work fine, but not during it.'

WeWork will soon have 674 offices in 117 cities, versus IWG's 3,000 in 1,000 cities and towns. It is also loss-making, unlike its British competitor. But after a recent private investment, the US firm, founded in 2010, is valued at $47 billion (37 billion)  12 times more than IWG, which has a market capitalisation of around 3 billion.

Pocket money: Mark Dixon's favourite book is Napoleon The Great, by Andrew Roberts

MARK DIXON, 59: WINE-MAKING NAPOLEON STUDENT Lives: Monaco. Family: Divorced father of five. Favourite film: Cinema Paradiso. Book: Napoleon The Great, by Andrew Roberts. 'I'm a student of Napoleon.' Music: 'Eclectic. What have I got on my Spotify at the moment? Howling Wolf, Bob Dylan, Coldplay, Edith Piaf. It very much depends on my mood.' Hobbies: Collecting old French cars, bee-keeping and landscaping. Wine: Dixon owns the largest rose wine maker in Provence and is growing his business in the UK, across Sussex, Essex and Kent. Politics: 'I try to ignore it completely.'

Dixon is at a loss to explain the disparity. 'Last year, we made 448 million [of earnings],' he says. 'Our business is co-working just like theirs. There's no difference. But let's see what happens if and when they go public. The tide eventually goes out.'

Dixon is not alone in his scepticism about the sky-high price tags being attached to WeWork and other US tech start-ups, including taxi app Uber (valued at $82 billion when it floated this month) and Airbnb (valued at $38 billion).

He believes a repeat of the 2000 dot-com crash  where internet investors lost vast sums  is on the cards. 'I call it dotcom two,' says Dixon, whose US business had to file for bankruptcy after the first crash.

Does Dixon ever think about what kind of value might be ascribed to IWG if he was a millennial in Silicon Valley or New York? 'Well, yeah,' he says, joking: 'I might try that idea, as well. I might grow my hair. But it's a bit late, isn't it?'

Last year, after rejecting a 2.5 billion-plus bid from Canada's Brookfield Asset Management and Onex, IWG was at the centre of a bidding war between three private equity firms. But the bids did not match a 'recommendable price'.

Dixon doesn't say what an appropriate figure might have been, but points to City notes which suggest the company could be worth 6 billion. His corporate mission now is to unlock new value in the business and make it a simpler proposition for investors.

In April, IWG struck a deal with Japanese office provider TKP Corporation. TKP bought Dixon's Japanese operations  comprising 130 co-working centres  for 320 million and agreed a franchise agreement under which it will pay to use IWG's brands, including Regus and Spaces.

The deal sent IWG's shares up 20 per cent to more than 340p. Dixon says more deals like these are on the way.

He may have already made his fortune but he retains a hunger to keep building up his empire, and has no immediate plans to retire as he turns 60 this year.

Dixon says: 'You've got to do something with your life. I can't sing, I can't play an instrument. Business, though. That's my passion, my hobby and I like that. And I'm not bad at it.'A bad taste: Severn Trent is valued at 4.6 billion but nationalisation would leave shareholders out of pocket

Qatar's sovereign wealth fund has taken a 200 million stake in Severn Trent, raising the prospect that it could be a precursor to a full takeover tilt.

However, the timing of Qatar Investment Authority's purchase of 4.2 per cent of the FTSE 100 giant has left some in the City scratching their heads because it follows Labour's plans to nationalise UK water companies.

Severn Trent is valued at 4.6 billion but nationalisation would leave shareholders out of pocket.

The QIA also revealed it had a stake in Sirius Minerals, the FTSE 250 company which is building a huge fertiliser mine under the North York Moors.

That follows a 327 million fundraise at Sirius by issuing new shares  likely to have been snapped up by the QIA.

It also has major holdings in Barclays, Sainsbury's, the London Stock Exchange Group and miner Glencore. Its private investments in the UK include the Shard skyscraper, Canary Wharf, Harrod's and a chunk of Heathrow Airport.

In 2006, the QIA failed in a 7 billion takeover bid for Thames Water after being outbid by Macquarie, which sold out of the UK's largest water company in 2017.

Water firms have been accused of providing poor service to customers while making vast profits. Severn Trent, United Utilities, and South West Water owner Pennon are listed on the London Stock Exchange. The other six major water companies are owned mostly by overseas investors.DUBAI, May 25 (Reuters) - A U.S. move to send troops to the Middle East after accusing Tehran of being behind attacks on tankers in the region is "extremely dangerous ... (for) international peace", Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying.

"Increased U.S. presence in our region is extremely dangerous and it threatens international peace and security, and this should be addressed," state news agency IRNA quoted Zarif as saying on Saturday.

The United States on Friday announced the deployment of 1,500 troops to the Middle East, describing it as an effort to bolster defences against Tehran as it accused the Iran's Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for this month's tanker attacks. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Alexander Smith)Uniserve Communications Corporation provides Internet access, telecommunications, and commercial IT consulting services to residential and business customers primarily in British Columbia and Alberta. It offers fiber, internet, long-distance and digital telephone plans, and digital TV services. The company also provides office in a box solution that provides hardware for computers and laptops, phones, all networking equipment, and productivity software; managed services, including managed IT, network, security, back up, and storage, as well as hardware as a service; and colocation and cloud services. Uniserve Communications Corporation was incorporated in 1988 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Read MoreKION GROUP AG provides industrial trucks, warehouse technology, supply chain solutions, and related services worldwide. The company operates through Industrial Trucks and Services, Supply Chain Solutions, and Corporate Services segments. It develops, manufactures, and sells forklifts and warehouse trucks, such as counterbalance trucks with electric drive and internal combustion engine, ride-on and hand-operated industrial trucks, and towing vehicles under the Linde, Fenwick, STILL, Baoli, and OM Voltas brand names. The company also manufactures and sells spare parts; leases industrial trucks and related items; offers maintenance and repair, and fleet management services, as well as provides finance solutions. In addition, it provides integrated technology and software solutions, including conveyors, sorters, storage and retrieval systems, picking equipment, palletizers, and robotic solutions under the Dematic brand. The company was formerly known as KION Holding 1 GmbH. KION GROUP AG was founded in 2006 and is based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Read MoreIberdrola SA is a holding company, which engages in the generation, distribution, trading, and marketing of electricity. It operates through the following businesses: Networks, Liberalized, Renewables and Other Businesses. The Networks business engages in the transmission and distribution of energy businesses, as well as those of any other regulated nature, originating in Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Brazil. The Liberalized business includes wholesale and retail of electricity in Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Continental Europe. The Renewables business involves the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources worldwide. The Other Businesses segment consists of group's supply and gas storage up to the moment of sale and other non-energy businesses. The company was founded by Juan de Urrutia in 1901 and is headquartered in Bilbao, Spain.

Read MoreDeutsche BArse AG operates as an exchange organization in Europe, the United States, and the Asia-Pacific. The company operates through seven segments: Eurex (Financial Derivatives), EEX (Commodities), 360T (Foreign Exchange), Xetra (Cash Equities), Clearstream (Post-Trading), IFS (Investment Fund Services), and Qontigo (index and analytics business). The company engages in the electronic trading of derivatives, electricity and gas products, emission rights, and foreign exchange; operating of Eurex Repo over the counter (OTC) trading platform and electronic clearing architecture; and operating as a central counterparty for on-and-off exchange derivatives, repo transactions, and OTC and exchange-traded derivatives. It also operates in the cash market through Xetra, BArse Frankfurt, and Tradegate trading venues; operates as a central counterparty for equities and bonds; and provides listing services. In addition, the company offers custody and settlement services for securities; investment fund services; global securities financing services; and global securities finance and collateral management, as well as secured money, market transaction, and repos and securities lending transaction services. Further, it develops and markets indices, as well as portfolio management and risk analysis software; markets licenses for trading and market signals; provides technology and reporting solutions for external customers; and offers link-up of trading participants. Deutsche BArse AG was founded in 1585 and is headquartered in Eschborn, Germany.

Read MoreALBANY  Prisoners are big letter writers, and nearly every reporter has received a missive or two from an inmate pleading his case. (They are almost always wrongly convicted, you see.)

In recent months, I've been receiving letters from an elderly man in the Livingston Correctional Facility, south of Rochester, whose story is more interesting than most, and not just because he doesn't claim innocence.

His name is Benedict DiPiazza. He is 74, and and his pleas for attention to his "bad position" describe how he has been in jail since 2000 on a parole violation. He details how he shoplifted nearly $200 of clothing at Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, was arrested and hasn't since seen the world beyond prison walls.

"What parole violation involves doing 20 years?" DiPiazza asked.

It turns out that DiPiazza's letters are generally accurate, but he omits a key detail: The reason he went to prison in the first place.

In 1964, when he was 20 years old, DiPiazza gunned down 17-year-old Noreen Jones at the police headquarters in Frankfort, about 90 miles west of Albany. DiPiazza had stalked. harassed and tormented the girl from Ilion for three years, and in her final, panicked moments, Jones had gone to the station seeking protection.

DiPiazza followed her and, in front of children and other witnesses, shot Jones six times with a Beretta automatic pistol as she ran screaming from the building.

The crime would be shocking and horrific today, and it was especially so in 1964. Some of you, no doubt, remember DiPiazza's name. The killing was front-page news across upstate New York; 1,500 mourners attended Jones' funeral.

She had just graduated from high school. She was about to enter Mary Regina College in Syracuse. She planned to be a teacher.

"She was just a sweet, innocent girl who didn't have a mean bone in her body," said Brian Jones, one of Noreen's older brothers. "We loved her to death."

Brian and George, another brother, both said DiPiazza he has never apologized to the family or shown any public remorse whatsoever for the life he stole. Worse, he has even written threatening letters to the family, they said.

So let me be clear that the point here is not what DiPiazza wanted when he wrote to me. I'm not attempting to drum up sympathy for him. No politician should offer him clemency. I am just fine with him rotting in jail and dying there.

To some of you, that may seem harsh. The sentiment is certainly out of sync with some of the criminal justice reforms being pushed in progressive circles.

It is certainly true that we have locked up too many non-violent offenders in recent decades and that it is right to be curbing the era of mass incarceration. The number of prisoners in New York has fallen by nearly 20 percent in less than a decade, and just last week, the state announced that DiPiazza's longtime home, Livingston Correctional, will be among the latest prisons to close.

Some reformers want to extend leniency to violent criminals. New York's Legislature, for example, is considering a bill that would fast-track parole eligibility for any prisoner older than 55 who has served at least 15 years. Another idea gaining popularity has it that no prison sentence should be longer than 20 years, even for violent crimes.

Under that scenario, DiPiazza would have been released in 1984. His punishment would have been far too lenient.

More Information Contact columnist Chris Churchill at cchurchill@timesunion.com or 518-454-5442. See More Collapse

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

I get the desire for mercy and the power of redemption. But too much kindness toward a killer becomes disrespect to the life that was taken and the suffering that followed.

Brian Jones, 75, often wonders what his sister would have become. He sees her classmates on Facebook with photos of their children and grandchildren and thinks about how his sister was denied the chance to have a life and a family.

Jones broke down as he described what it was like to tell his mother what had happened to Noreen and to watch her crumble away in grief. Fifty-five years later, the memory and the pain remain vivid.

"It bothered me more than anything to see her reaction," Jones said. "It was unbearably terrible."

The Jones brothers were stunned when DiPiazza was granted parole and released to live in Albany in 1999. After the shoplifting arrest, investigators found that he had purchased a bow and arrow, a second parole violation.

He got his chance at freedom. He blew it.

DiPiazza has been up for parole every two years since, and Noreen's brothers always show up to oppose it. They were there last year, when the parole board cited DiPiazza's "limited remorse" as it denied his release, and they'll testify again next year.

"If we're still breathing," Brian Jones said.

cchurchill@timesunion.com  518-454-5442  @chris_churchillNeed logs? Buy local

That's the advice from the state Department of Environmental Conservation. But it has nothing to do with the importance of supporting your local tree farmer.

The advice is intended for campers who might need firewood. Firewood that isn't local may harbor invasive pests that could damage the state's forests.

Firewood that meets the state's heat treatment standard will be labeled "New York-Approved Heat Treated/Pest Free.

And if you're harvesting firewood from your own yard or lot, regulations prohibit it from being moved more than 50 miles from where it grew.

All about comfort

What a difference a job makes.

As CEO of Delta Air Lines, Richard Anderson made reliability and efficiency top priorities. Space to stretch out? Not so much.

As Amtrak's CEO, his priorities appear to have changed.

In a recent press release, Anderson touted the generous legroom, the wide comfortable seats (none of them a middle seat), and other pleasures of travel by train. Among them: no more airplane mode.

He even highlighted some of the most beautiful routes, including several that pass through Albany.

Anderson drew attention to the Adirondack and the Lake Shore Limited, as well as such other classic trains as the California Zephyr and the City of New Orleans.

That Anderson appreciates the appeal of train travel may come as comfort to some who travel by train and were alarmed when the Lake Shore and the Capitol Limited both switched to food service that more closely resembled airline meals than meals in the dining car.

Is Quebec next?

Capital District Physicians' Health Plan announced the opening of a new office last week in Plattsburgh, which is way closer to Montreal than it is to CDPHP's headquarters in Albany.

We've heard all the pros and cons of Canadian health care, and we're guessing this new office will give CDPHP a front-row seat to what Canada has to offer.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Maybe CDPHP can even explore ways of cooperating on an international basis with Canada's single-payer system to lower health care costs in the United States.

Or even open its next office in downtown Montreal.

Now wouldn't that be nice.

OK with the TSA

In case you were looking for some food to take with you on your next flight out of Albany, the recently opened Empire Deli wants you to know its sandwiches pass muster (or mustard?)

There are certain items -- sodas, other beverages -- that can only make it through the security checkpoint if they don't fill much more than two shot glasses.

Sandwiches, though, get the green light.

Prominently displayed in the Empire Deli is a sign that reassures travelers that "All Sandwiches Allowed Through T.S.A."EDUCATION

SKIDMORE COLLEGE

Dwane M. Sterling was named chief technology officer, effective June 17. Sterling is the director of technology and information security officer at Adirondack Health Institute in Glens Falls.

FINANCIAL

BANK OF AMERICA PRIVATE BANK

Shaun Stimpson was appointed market executive to lead the Upstate New York team, which includes Buffalo, Rochester and Albany offices. Stimpson previously held market sales executive roles at the Private Bank in Hartford, Conn. and Boston.

UHY ADVISORS INC.

Mark Witte was promoted to partner. Witte joined in 1999 as a senior associate in New York City and later joined the Albany office in 2004, serving as a principal responsible for providing income and sales tax expertise for a variety of business entity structures within multiple industries.

NONPROFITS

PROCTORS COLLABORATIVE

Kate Wilkins joined the Relationships Department as annual fund director. Wilkins previously served as director of development at The Sembrich and as assistant director at Granville's Slate Valley Museum.

COMMUNITY LOAN FUND OF THE CAPITAL REGION

Molly Belmont joined as director of community relations and development. Belmont previously served as director of marketing and communications at Discover Albany.

Brea Barthel joined as training and technical assistance associate. Barthel previously worked at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Johan Matthews was promoted to grants administrator. Matthews previously served as a training and technical assistance associate.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

VIEW ARTS CENTER

Mark P. Salsbury joined as president. Salsbury has a range of worldwide leadership and senior management experience and has led cultural transformations, merger integrations and organizational model changeovers in executive positions at Schlumberger Limited and Dover Corporation.

REAL ESTATE

CRESA ALBANY

Todd Stevens was promoted to senior adviser. Stevens joined in 2017, managing the Albany office's accounts.

SERVICES

TRANS-BORDER GLOBAL FREIGHT SYSTEMS INC.

Carolyn Friss joined the Domestic Operations Department. Friss has more than 30 years of experience working in freight and logistics.

 Jennifer PattersonNew York

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., chair of the House Judiciary Committee, was taken to a hospital after fainting during a news conference Friday in Manhattan.

Nadler, 71, was seated at a table in a gymnasium at Public School 199 on the Upper West Side, where Mayor Bill de Blasio was heralding the expansion of New York City's speed camera program.

Thirty minutes after Nadler's brief remarks, his head slumped.

A woman behind Nadler pointed and de Blasio attempted to revive him as spectators became alarmed.

"It looked like he had just taken a little nap for a moment, and then I put my hand on his shoulder and I said, 'Jerry are you OK?'" de Blasio said afterward.

Nadler responded, "No."

Doctors from NYC Health & Hospitals attended to Nadler, and de Blasio helped Nadler drink Gatorade from the mayor's metal water bottle. A fan was turned on, and the gym was cleared.

Nadler appeared to be quickly recovering, but was taken away by a Lenox Hill Hospital ambulance around 12:45 p.m. A short time later, he posted on Twitter that he was "obviously dehydrated and felt a bit ill."

Dr. Theodore G. Long, vice president for NYC Health & Hospitals who moved to help, said Nadler was able to answer their questions quickly.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

"We can't know exactly what happened until the hospital evaluates him," Long said. "We got him there as fast as humanly possible."

A spokesman for Nadler, Daniel Schwarz, said the congressman did not lose consciousness. "He is responsive, getting fluids and receiving a checkup," he said.

Nadler had no known health problems; he had struggled with obesity for decades until undergoing stomach-reduction surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan in 2002.

Nadler has become known to Americans as Congress investigates President Donald Trump for corruption, abuse of power and obstruction of justice by interfering with special counsel Robert Mueller's probe.

"He's such an important figure in our nation right now as chair of the Judiciary Committee," said de Blasio.ALBANY - The Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting seven people displaced by a Friday afternoon at 86 Southern Boulevard.

The Red Cross provided health services and financial assistance for necessities such as shelter, food and clothing to four adults and three children, ages 2, 4 and 5. Volunteers also offered emotional support and comfort kits containing personal care items and stuffed animals for the children.ALBANY  Wreckage on the ocean floor near a Japanese island must be from a fighter-bomber that crashed in 1945 with an American pilot  a Troy native  who is still listed as missing in action, according to a World War II researcher who recently visited the crash site.

The aircraft, lying on coral reef about 70 feet (21) meters down, is the same type of F4U-4 Corsair that 2nd Lt. John McGrath was flying when he crashed off Iriomote Jima in July 1945, researcher Justin Taylan said this week.

"This is the only American aircraft lost at that precise spot," said Taylan, the founder of Pacific Wrecks, an organization that researches and catalogues WWII crashes.

McGrath, of Troy, is still officially listed by the U.S. military as one of nearly 73,000 American MIAs from WWII. He was 20 when his aircraft disappeared.

Taylan explored the wreckage during a scuba dive in March, along with a Japanese man who discovered the wreck in 1987.

Both wings, the engine and other parts lie approximately 300 yards (275 meters) from shore, a location where American pilots said they saw the plane go down.

Although no identifying markings are visible after 74 years in sea water, the coral-encrusted wreckage clearly is from the newer version of the Corsair that McGrath's Marine Corps aviation unit was flying at the end of the war, Taylan said.

Taylan, a former Pentagon contractor hired to research and find WWII crash sites in Papua New Guinea, became interested in McGrath's story in 2017, when he was contacted by the son of one of the missing pilot's old high school classmates.

After researching U.S. military records, Taylan enlisted the help of Kuentai, a Japanese group that searches WWII battlefields in the Pacific for the remains of Japanese and American servicemen.

In March, Taylan traveled to Iriomote Jima, 275 miles (440 kilometers) southwest of Okinawa. With Kuentai's help, he met island residents who witnessed McGrath's plane crash into the sea on July 21, 1945, during a bombing raid on Japanese defenses in the village of Sonai.

Japanese newspapers reported in 1988 that local officials and the U.S. consul general to Okinawa attended a memorial honoring remains pulled from the crash site. At the time, it was not known whose remains they were. Press coverage included a photo of the consul general standing over an American flag-draped box said to contain the remains.

Emails and phone messages requesting comment were left Thursday and Friday with officials from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the Pentagon office tasked with recovering the nation's missing war dead. Officials said they couldn't immediately provide information on McGrath's case and whether his remains were recovered.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

As many families of missing veterans have, McGrath's has provided DNA samples to the agency in the hopes of finding a match, according to one of McGrath's nephews, Jack Law, a 74-year-old Vietnam War combat veteran and retired New York Army National Guard colonel.

"We're aggressively bringing closure on this one way or another," said Law. "We're not done, but we're close."

While home on military leave in 1943, McGrath was photographed for the Catholic Central High School yearbook along with three other classmates who also happened to be on leave. The image shows the four uniformed men descending a staircase: Coast Guardsman Jack Marcil, Marine pilot McGrath, Navy sailor Howard McAlonie and Army soldier Alfred Mahoney.

Mahoney died in 2005. McAlonie passed away in 2014. His son Michael, who accompanied Taylan on the trip to the crash site, said his father spent his final years often thinking about his classmate lost in the Pacific.

"I think it stayed with him his whole life," the younger McAlonie said.

Of the four servicemen in the yearbook photo, only Marcil is alive.

"Last man standing," Marcil, now 95, said from his home outside Albany.Serbia, like far too many nations, has a problem with official corruption.

You can see it in its score on the most recent Corruptions Perception Index, which is compiled by Berlin-based Transparency International and measures "perceived levels of public sector corruption according to experts and businesspeople." Out of a possible 100, Serbia scored 39  just below the average of 43 but in line with the level of rot the group measured in countries like Bosnia-Herzegovina (38) and Guyana (37). The U.S. scored 71, but before you pull a muscle patting yourself on the back, consider that we only came in 22nd out of 180 countries surveyed. Canada, with a score of 81, came in ninth.

It was, therefore, heartening on Thursday to speak with a group of Serbian journalists, academics and representatives of anti-corruption nonprofits who spent last week in Albany on a tour organized by the International Center of the Capital Region. It was good to meet people of like mind devoted to bringing their nation's problems to light  and doing it in a country where speaking truth to power presents far greater peril than it does in all but the most extreme cases in the United States.

By the time they got to the Times Union, the delegation had met with a handful of government figures, including Bob Freeman of the state Committee on Open Government. On Wednesday, they had visited the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics and spoken to Seth Agata, who just a day earlier had announced that he would be leaving his post as JCOPE's executive director after three years.

At the Times Union, reporter Chris Bragg and I asked what our Serbian visitors had thought of JCOPE, and whether they were aware that the soon-to-be-former top staffer at the state's ethics watchdog had previously been a lawyer for Gov. Andrew Cuomo. We noted that Agata's two predecessors in his current post had also gone to JCOPE after years spent in Cuomo's service.

They said Agata had offered up that fact himself  which definitely earns him points for transparency  and that they thought that was weird.

Because it is weird  and stranger still when you consider that Agata, who plans to join a private sector law firm, is the third of three JCOPE executive directors to come from Cuomo's team. I've written about this glaring conflict of interest before in this space, and there's a very good chance that after JCOPE completes the kabuki exercise of another "nationwide" search for its next executive director, I will have the occasion to write about it again.

Agata declined on Tuesday to announce which law firm he was headed to, though he said through JCOPE's spokesman that it didn't have business before the state.

It's quite possible that he could find himself in the public sector again in due time, like JCOPE's first executive director Ellen Biben, who in 2015 was nominated by Cuomo to the state Court of Claims. Or her successor Letizia Tagliafierro, who left JCOPE for Cuomo's Department of Taxation and Finance, then headed back to the Executive Chamber as a top Cuomo advisor, and in January was picked by Cuomo for a job that Biben used to hold before she was posted to  sorry, was hired by JCOPE's commissioners: state inspector general.

Catherine Leahy Scott, the previous inspector general portrayed by Bonnie Hunt in the recent Showtime miniseries "Escape at Dannemora," was handed the exciting and glamorous post of welfare inspector general. One suspects a Court of Claims nomination, or maybe a gold watch, lies in Leahy Scott's future.

Tagliafierro is not the sort of investigator who will allow her office to get sideways with executive agencies in a way that could embarrass the governor in the way that Leahy Scott's office found itself at cross-purposes with the state Department of Criminal Justice Services in late 2017, when the IG's office recommended that disciplinary action should be taken against three top officials related to allegations of sexual harassment or the failure to properly address it. Instead, DCJS auto-exonerated its officials and allegedly chose to take career reprisals against two women who had the temerity to give testimony to Leahy Scott's office.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Those women have now sued the agency, much to the embarrassment of the DCJS and Cuomo.

Who is investigating this alleged reprisal? Well, that's hard to say  although the governor asked JCOPE to look into it back in March 2018, when the Times Union's Brendan J. Lyons brought this particular goat rodeo to light. Are Agata and JCOPE looking into it? If so, dear reader, they are taking their own sweet time.

Agata's departure comes as good government groups are stepping up their calls for reform of JCOPE, or maybe scuttling it altogether.

It would be nice to imagine that the commissioners  Cuomo appoints a plurality of them  might actually go looking for someone who's more of an ethics enforcer than a Cuomo loyalist.

New York deserves better. So does Serbia, for that matter.

cseiler@timesunion.com  518-454-5619Memorial Day weekend traditionally marks the beginning of the peak summer travel season as vacationers take to the skies in large numbers. And this year, according to new forecasts, those numbers are likely to be larger than ever before.

What's more, the crowded skies could be complicated this summer by safety and labor issues that weren't a factor in last year's peak season.

The Transportation Security Administration said this week it is gearing up to handle screenings of 263 million passengers and crew at U.S. airports from Memorial Day through Labor Day  an increase of 4 percent, or 10 million more screenings than last summer. The agency is calling it the "busiest summer travel season ever."

That's in line with the projection issued this week by Airlines for America (A4A), the airlines' trade organization. The A4A projection covers a slightly shorter period  from June 1 through August 31  and it predicts a record 257.4 million travelers will take to the skies, or 3.4 percent more than last summer. That will be a record number for peak season air travel, A4A said, and the tenth consecutive summer in which numbers have increased.

"Airlines are adding 111,000 seats per day to accommodate the additional 93,000 daily passengers expected during the summer travel period," the airline group said.

TSA said it is gearing up for the crunch by deploying an extra 2,000 officers to the nation's airports, boosting overtime funding by 20 percent, and putting more canine teams on duty. Still, "Passengers are encouraged to enroll in TSA PreCheck or another DHS trusted traveler program such as Global Entry," TSA said. It noted that during April, 93 percent of PreCheck travelers waited less than five minutes in line for their screening.

Mineta San Jose International Airport "is expecting the highest number of departing passengers today, Friday May 24, in our 70-year history," according to spokesperson Rosemary Barnes.

This summer, travelers could be impacted by some complicating factors that weren't there last year. Among them:

The Boeing 737 MAX groundings. Southwest, American and United had to take dozens of new 737 MAX aircraft out of their active fleets after the FAA grounded the planes, leading to thousands of flight cancellations and throwing a monkey wrench into their summer schedules. The airlines' forward planning anticipates a return of the airplanes to service by August, but this is by no means certain.

Daniel Ellway, the acting chief of the FAA, said in a CNBC interview this week that U.S. airlines "don't need to make any changes to their plans" for resuming 737 MAX service. "It could be a month, two months" before the agency approves Boeing's proposed fix to the aircraft's automatic anti-stall system, which is currently being evaluated, he said.

But he also said the FAA has no predetermined timetable for approving the fix. And even if it is deemed safe, the agency still has to determine whether airlines must put 737 MAX pilots through new simulator training before putting the planes back into service. "If it takes a year to find everything we need to give us the confidence to lift the [grounding] order, so be it," Ellway said.

Don't miss a shred of important travel news! Sign up for our FREE bi-weekly email alerts

Labor problems. Southwest Airlines in recent months blamed its mechanics union for job slowdowns that it claimed led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights as the two parties wrangled over a new labor contract. That problem was resolved this week as the airline's mechanics overwhelmingly approved a new five-year contract giving them a 20 percent pay bump.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

But a similar situation is now facing the nation's largest carrier, American Airlines, which is involved in a similar dispute with its mechanics unions. The airline this week filed a lawsuit against the mechanics, charging them with an unlawful work slowdown that American said has caused 1,500 flight delays and 644 cancellations since February, and is continuing even now.

If the alleged slowdown continues through the summer, American said, it means another 2,200 flights will likely face cancellation or delays of more than two hours.

Customs delays. We've reported previously on the long lines likely to be faced by returning international travelers this summer due to a shortage of Customs and Border Protections officers as CBP responds to Trump Administration demands to shift more personnel from airports to the southwest border.

Airlines for America reiterated that warning in its summer travel projection this week. "If this is permitted to continue, it will lead to excessive lines and wait times for passengers and cargo entering the country from overseas," A4A said. "This would discourage leisure and business travel to the U.S. and jeopardize the economic benefits that come with it." The airline group is calling on Congress to approve supplemental appropriations for CBP staffing and overtime.

Read all recent TravelSkills posts here

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Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at chris@travelskills.com or on Twitter @cjmcginnis.You don't have to travel far to have a great vacation. Americans have discovered that staying local is fun. With no wasted hours at the airport, staycations offer ways to enjoy valuable time off while saving time, energy and money. Google Trends shows there were 75 million searches for staycations in 2018  three times more than in 2013.

Staycations can also be a boon to local businesses, keeping valuable dollars in the Capital Region. This point was made at the Discover Albany's annual meeting by Michael Gulotty, Vice President of Operations, Vista Host, Inc. "New York's Capital Region, anchored by Albany County, provides virtually every cultural component tier one cities offer," he said. "The art assets are world class. The local artisans, theater productions, and culinary talents have national and world recognition."

Whether you want to relax, explore or adventure, the Capital District has it all:

Zip Around: The Adirondack Eagle Flyer ziplines offers 4,000 feet of mountain views at 58 miles an hour. Coming soon in Columbia County is the longest zip flyer at 5,500 feet and a 1,000-foot descent at Catamount Zip Tour.

Walk About: The Capital Region has several wonderful walkable places, including Schenectady's Jay Street, where you can peruse boutiques, bars, and restaurants. If you are an architecture aficionado, consider Troy. Many buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Troy Public Library. Or take a tour of the Architectural Parts Warehouse in Albany, the only non-for-profit salvage shop advocating historic preservation through reused construction materials in the region. Free walking tours are given by the Hudson Library & Historical Society on a range of topics including architecture, kit homes and the Civil War from May through October.

Dinner Theater: In Lake George there is a Polynesian-themed experience at the Tiki Resort's Waikiki Supper Club, and cabaret and dinner at the Georgian Resort and Surfside on the Lake Resort. The Frank Sinatra dinner show at Rivers Casino in Schenectady is popular, often selling out.

Sea & Stars: Great for all ages, VIA Aquarium, an indoor aquarium located in ViaPort Mall, features 2,000 sea creatures and 37 exhibits. miSci's planetarium in Schenectady is a fun immersive experience where kids learn while having fun.

Book a Room: Who knew the lux Adelphi Hotel offers discounted rates for locals? Better yet, they are also pet-friendly. Helen Watson, the general manager explains, "Our guests are often locals who want to feel that they are getting away, and treat themselves as if they were on vacation." The Canterbury Hotel in Latham offers an outdoor pool (open to guests from Memorial Day to Labor Day), private nature trail and shuttle service to and from Saratoga Race Course making this a popular choice for families and adults alike. Its rewards program can add up quickly for loyal locals. The Landing Hotel, part of Rivers Casino, offers generously discounted rates on Mondays for adults 55 and older.

Glamping: Journey off the beaten path to the Collective Hudson Valley for opulent camping on Liberty Farms, an organic farm close to quaint shops, historical sites, and hip restaurants in Hudson.

Country Drive: Columbia County offers scenic farms, orchards and plenty of places to stop along the way. Golden Harvest Farms, known for its cider doughnuts, offers a road stand filled with fresh produce and local goodies. Down the street, Love Apple Farms has a petting zoo, a fresh food market, the opportunity to pick your own fruit and cafe. The Farm Stand at Liberty Farms produces organic, seasonal vegetables and offers organic chicken, grass-fed lamb, pork, eggs, and honey. Owner Mark Cheffo says he views Liberty Farms as his staycation spot. He works in New York City during the week and returns to the farm to work, relax and energize.

Take a Cruise: The Lake George Steamboat Company offers several ships that sail up to 32 miles of the pristine lake. Enjoy lunch or dinner while viewing the stately homes and resorts dotting the shores. If you want to tour the scenic Hudson River, take a Dutch Apple Cruise.

Shop & Meander: Jay Street Marketplace in Schenectady has a lot of little shops and Troy is a hotspot for independently owned and operated boutiques and stores. In Lake George, stroll the shoreline where there are shops, parks, and places to relax with a cool drink.

Pamper & Relax: Soak in the healing waters of Saratoga at the historic Roosevelt Baths. Try reflexology at Wellness Foot Spa in Colonie to keep your energy balanced.

Game Night & Gambling: Bard & Baker in Troy is a board game cafe serving food alongside 600 different games. If you're feeling like a winner, there's Saratoga Casino and Rivers Casino in Schenectady.

Farm-to-Table: Have you ever been to a restaurant where you knew exactly where the food you ordered comes from? If that's important to you, then head to Malcolm's Restaurant in Schenectady and talk to Nate Germain the owner. He will happily tell you why and how he selected the produce, dairy, and meat for your meal.

NatureRX: Pine Bush Preserve in Albany is an ecosystem with more than 18 miles of trails and a Discovery Center. Learn about the endangered Karner blue butterfly and what you can do to help save them.[May 24, 2019] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Continues Investigation on Behalf of A.O. Smith Corporation Investors (AOS)

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces the continuation of its investigation on behalf of A.O. Smith Corporation ("A.O. Smith" or the "Company") (NYSE: AOS) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these maters, 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 May 16, 2019, J Capital Research published a report raising questions about A.O. Smith's revenue from China as well as its access to $539 million-or about 84% of the Company's total cash at year end 2018-sitting in China. On this news, the Company's share price fell sharply during intraday trading, thereby injuring investors.

If you purchased A.O. Smith securities, have information, or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190524005464/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][May 24, 2019] Glancy Prongay & Murray Reminds Investors of Looming Deadline in the Class Action Lawsuit Against AAC Holdings, Inc.

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") reminds investors of the upcoming July 15, 2019 deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in the class action filed on behalf of AAC Holdings, Inc. ("AAC Holdings" or the "Company") (NYSE: AAC) investors who purchased securities between March 8, 2017 and April 15, 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 April 16, 2019, the Company announced that certain financial statements for fiscal 2017 and 2018 could no longer be relied upon. The Company disclosed that these financial statements would be restated to reflect adjustments related to estimates for accounts receivable, provision for doubtful accounts, and revenue. On this news, shares of AAC Holdings fell $0.40 per share or over 18% to close at $1.74 per share on April 16, 2019, thereby damaging investors.

The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) the Company's internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures was inadequate to accurately reflect adjustments related to estimates for accounts receivable, provision for doubtful accounts, and revenue; (2) the Company consequently misstated financial and operating results in its annual reports for fiscal years 2016 and 2017, as well as all quarterly reports throughout 2017 and 2018; (3) accordingly, those reports could not be relied upon, requiring the Company to restate the financial and operating results reflected therein; and (4) as a result, the Company's 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 AAC Holdings securities during the Class Period you may move the Court no later than July 15, 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/20190524005465/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][May 24, 2019] BA UPDATE: Hagens Berman Notifies Boeing (BA) Investors of Reported SEC Investigation and June 10, 2019 Lead Plaintiff Deadline

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, with nine offices in eight cities, and eighty attorneys around the country, updates investors in The Boeing (News - Alert) Company (NYSE: BA) concerning the additional investigation for the class action complaint Seeks v. The Boeing Company, No. 19-cv-02394, filed by Hagens Berman in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Today the financial press reported that Boeing is the subject of an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Bloomberg (News - Alert) reported the SEC is investigating whether the Company properly disclosed issues tied to the grounded 737 Max jetliner. If you purchased or otherwise acquired Boeing securities between January 8, 2019 and March 21, 2019, you may qualify to be a lead plaintiff - one who selects and oversees the attorneys prosecuting the case. Based on these reports, Hagens Berman is considering whether the Class Period should be expanded to include investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Boeing securities after March 21, 2019. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff in this class action, you must move the Court no later than June 10, 2019 (the "Lead Plaintiff deadline"). Contact Hagens Berman immediately for more information about the case and being a lead plaintiff: https://www.hbsslaw.com/cases/BA



or contact Reed Kathrein, who is leading the firm's prosecution of this case, by calling 510-725-3000 or emailing [email protected].

Hagens Berman's ongoing investigation includes the extent of Boeing senior executives' knowledge concerning (1) the newly revealed safety alert issues known by Boeing for over a year before telling the FAA and Airlines, (2) matters reported by Bloomberg Businessweek on May 9, 2019. Former Boeing engineers reportedly say relentless cost-cutting sacrificed safety of 737 Max aircraft, (3) reports that Boeing admitted to design flaws in its 737 Max flight simulator software, and (4) matters which the SEC (News - Alert) is reportedly investigating. Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Boeing should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 510-725-3000 or email [email protected]. About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a nationwide law firm that represents investors, whistleblowers, workers and consumers in complex litigation. More about the firm and its successes is located at hbsslaw.com. For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) at @classactionlaw. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190524005459/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]INVESTOR ALERT: Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces Investigation on Behalf of Intelligent Systems Corporation Investors (INS)

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces an investigation on behalf of Intelligent Systems Corporation ("Intelligent Systems" or the "Company") (NYSE: INS) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws.

On May 24, 2019, Aurelius Value published a report alleging that the financial expert of the Company's Audit Committee had engaged in improper accounting practices and that its Chief Executive Officer had engaged in many undisclosed related party tranactions.







On this news, the Company's share price fell $4.18, nearly 11%, to close at $34.93 per share on May 24, 2019, thereby injuring investors.

If you purchased Intelligent Systems 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 Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190524005468/en/INVESTOR ALERT: Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces Investigation on Behalf of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. Investors (CBL)

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces an investigation on behalf of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. ("CBL & Associates" or the "Company") (NYSE: CBL) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws.

On March 26, 2019, the Company disclosed that it had settled for $90 million a class action suit alleging that CBL & Associates overcharged its tenants for electricity.

On this news, the Company's sare price fell $0.47, nearly 25%, to close at $1.44 per share on March 27, 2019, thereby injuring investors.







If you purchased CBL & Associates 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 Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190524005469/en/[May 24, 2019] XPRIZE to Award $1 Million National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Bonus Prize on May 31st in Monaco

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Valley Christian Schools' (VCS) Ocean Quest team has defied the odds, competing against an elite group of corporations and universities from around the world in the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE competition. In the bonus round of competition, teams were asked to design new technology with the ability to detect chemicals in the open ocean and trace them to their source, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) offering a $1 million prize for the most successful team. VCS students traveled to Florida in November of 2017 and to Puerto Rico this past January, becoming the youngest group in XPRIZE history to make it to the final round of an XPRIZE competition.



"As a mentor, I've been so impressed with the students' work ethic and determination despite being up against seemingly impossible odds," says Danny Kim, Vice President and Director of VCS' AMSE Institute and team leader for Ocean Quest.

After making it to the semi-finals in the $7 million Ocean Discovery XPRIZE last year, the students pressed on and as finalists are now aiming to win the NOAA Bonus Prize. The students' drive and fortitude impressed not only their mentors, but also, the XPRIZE team. "It has been incredible to see a team this young grow and become more confident in their abilities as the competition progressed, and to compete against seasoned professionals who have been working in ocean engineering for many years," says Dr. Jyotika Virmani, Executive Director of the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE. "These young engineers and leaders have the ability to change the future for the better, making sure that our oceans are healthy, valued, and understood." The winner will be announced Friday, May 31st at the Ocean Discovery XPRIZE Awards Ceremony in Monaco--where seven VCS students and three of the adult leaders will be in attendance, hoping to collect their prize and inspire young people everywhere. About Valley Christian Schools: Valley Christian Schools (VCS) is a private, K-12 Christian school located in the heart of Silicon Valley in San Jose, California. VCS provides rigorous, college-preparatory programs while challenging students toward lives of character, service and influence in their individual Quest for Excellence. Press Contact

Brian Rhea

(408) 234-1496

MEDIA ALERT

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xprize-to-award-1-million-national-oceanic-and-atmospheric-administration-bonus-prize-on-may-31st-in-monaco-300856422.html SOURCE Valley Christian Schools

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Announces Investigation on Behalf of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. Investors (CBL)

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces an investigation on behalf of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. ("CBL & Associates" or the "Company") (NYSE: CBL) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws.

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.

If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respct 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 26, 2019, the Company disclosed that it had settled for $90 million a class action suit alleging that CBL & Associates overcharged its tenants for electricity.

On this news, the Company's share price fell $0.47, nearly 25%, to close at $1.44 per share on March 27, 2019, thereby injuring investors.

If you purchased CBL & Associates securities, have information, or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190524005470/en/[May 24, 2019] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Announces Investigation on Behalf of Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. Investors (FND)

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces an investigation on behalf of Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. ("Floor & Decor" or the "Company") (NYSE: FND) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please cotact 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 August 2, 2018, the Company reported lower-than-expected revenue for second quarter 2018 and reduced its sales and earnings per share guidance for fiscal year 2018, citing sales shift to lower margin products such as laminate flooring. On this news, the Company's share price fell $8.18, nearly 17%, to close at $39.53 per share on August 2, 2018, thereby injuring investors.

If you purchased Floor & Decor securities, have information, or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190524005471/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][May 24, 2019] AMERICAN RENAL 96 HOUR DEADLINE ALERT: Approximately 96 Hours Remain; Former Louisiana Attorney General and Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Remind Investors of Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc. - ARA

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors with losses in excess of $100,000 that they have only until May 28, 2019 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ARA). Investor losses must relate to purchases of the Company's securities between August 10, 2016 and March 27, 2019. This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. What You May Do If you purchased securities of American Renal and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-ara/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action by overseeing lead counsel with the goal of obtaining a fair and just resolution, you must request this position by application to the Court by May 28, 2019.



About the Lawsuit On March 27, 2019, the Company disclosed a range of negative information including the resignation of its CFO and that its financial results for the fiscal years ended 2014 through 2017 would be restated and could no longer be relied upon due to the Company's ongoing investigation into its revenue recognition methodology and related accounting matters. On this news, the price of American Renal's shares plummeted.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include the former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190524005475/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]XPO LOGISTICS INVESTIGATION INITIATED By Former Louisiana Attorney General: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates the Officers and Directors of XPO Logistics, Inc. - XPO

Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into XPO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: XPO).

On December 13, 2018, Spruce Point Capital Management reported that its lengthy investigation into XPO revealed "concrete evidence to suggest dubious tax accounting, under-reporting of bad debts, phantom income through unaccountable M&A earn-out liabilities, and aggressive amortization assumptions: all designed to portray glowing 'Non-GAAP" results" and "financial irregularities [covering] growing financial strain," among other findings.

The Company was subsequently sued in a securities class action lawsuit for failing to disclose material information to shareholders, violating federal securities laws, which is ongoing.

KSF's investigation is focusing on whether XPO's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to XPO's sharholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws.







If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of XPO shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-xpo/ to learn more.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190524005461/en/[May 24, 2019] PFIZER INVESTIGATION INITIATED BY FORMER LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates the Officers and Directors of Pfizer Inc. - PFE

Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE). On August 10, 2017 the Company disclosed that the U.S. Department of Justice was investigating its wholly-owned subsidiary, Greenstone, advising investors that "[w]e believe this is related to an ongoing antitrust investigation of the generic pharmaceutical industry." Recently, the Company was among those sued in a wide-ranging lawsuit brought by 44 state attorneys general alleging an illegal conspiracy to inflate prices of more than 100 generic drugs, sometimes by more than 1,000%, and stifle competition. KSF's investigation is focusing on whether Pfizer's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to Pfizer's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws. If you have information hat would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of Pfizer shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-pfe/ to learn more.



About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190524005458/en/

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Updated May 26 at 12:10 p.m. ET: We've added information from Intel's Computex kickoff about the company's upcoming Ice Lake processors for laptops.



Computex 2019 is quickly approaching and that means well be flying out to Taipei, Taiwan. Computex often sees the debut of some of the most exciting new tech trends, and provides a peek at the next wave of laptops and peripherals set to debut over the summer and fall.

This year, Computex will take place from May 28 to June 1 and is sure to be jam packed with plenty of surprises  all focused on making your laptops even more powerful. While many companies are being understandably tight-lipped before the show, heres everything we expect to see at Computex 2019.

Project Athena

Intel has been making plenty of announcements surrounding Project Athena, a program dedicated to innovation in the development of mobile devices, specifically laptops. At Computex, we expect Intel and its partners to announce new hardware with advanced features such as Wi-Fi 6, 5G and AI.



We also expect thinner systems with better performance and more efficient energy consumption. That should translate to longer battery life -- not the all-day mark Intel is claiming, but better.

Other Intel News

Intel will be talking about more than just Project Athena at Computex. During a Sunday kickoff event (May 26), the chip maker showed off several benchmarks for its upcoming 10-nanometer Ice Lake processors.



The Ice Lake processors feature a new Gen11 graphics engine, which Intel says can improve rendering performance through variable rate shading, in which different areas of the screen receive different degrees of processing power. The result is nearly double the performance of Gen9 graphics, according to Intel.



More significantly, Intel says the graphics on Ice Lake should outperform what rival AMD has to offer. In gaming benchmarks provided by Intel a 25W preproduction Ice Lake topped a Vega-powered 25W Ryzen 7 3700U in most tests. We'll need to see independent tests to verify all that, but those results certainly pique our interest about Ice Lake.





(Image credit: Intel)

In addition to the Gen11 graphics architecture, Intel says its latest processors will feature a new "Sunny Cove" core architecture and integrated Thunderbolt 3 and Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+). Intel is also betting big on artificial intelligence with Deep Learning Boost on the CPU and AI instructions on the GPU. We're expecting more details to emerge on Ice Lake this week.



Besides its Ice Lake teaser, Intel used its Computex kickoff to preview the 9th Gen Core i9-9900KS, a special edition gaming processors for desktops that features eicht cores running at a turbo frequency of 5.0 GHz. Our Tom's Hardware colleagues have the details about that processor.



A New Challenger Appears

Typically, Computex is dominated by Asian laptop manufacturers such as Asus, Acer and MSI. However, this year, Dell will be making more of a presence with several announcements. While were unsure of what the company is announcing, its a safe bet there will be more than a few laptops.



And since Computex is only a couple of weeks before E3, we wouldnt be surprised to see at least one gaming notebook. Either way, its shaping up to be an interesting show.

Screen Play

Starting with CES 2019, it seems that laptop makers are focusing more on screens, particularly OLED screens. The first of these vivid beauties made its appearance with the latest Alienware m15. However, were expecting to see more of the vivacious hues and deep contrasts on other systems during Computex.



And why stop at one screen? Asus brought the dual screen trend back at last years Computex with the stunning ZenBook Pro 15. But we wouldnt be surprised if Asus had even more double-screen goodness coming our way this year.

Graphics Wars

While Intel is looking to make a splash on the processor front at Computex, AMD and Nvidia may be looking to make their own waves with GPUs. It seems that MSI already leaked one of AMDs new mid-range desktop GPUs, the Navi RX 3080. AMD is also supposed to show the 2nd Gen Ryzen chips, which will be featured in the Acer Swift 3 and the Nitro 5. But with a keynote on the way, who knows what else AMD is hiding up its sleeve? Nvidias been a lot more secretive with its impending announcements, sending out a cryptic YouTube video dubbed Something Super Is Coming. So stay tuned for that.



Credit: Tom's Guide; Shutterstock

The $399 Pixel 3a successfully brings most of the best parts of Googles pricey Pixel flagships down to an affordable price. But how does it compare to the budget mainstay Moto G7?



Across the board, the Moto G7 appears to be outmatched. Its got a less powerful processor, its camera is less clever, its battery life is worse and its screen is far less tantalizing. And yet, Motorolas handset costs $100 less than the baby Pixel.

Do the benefits of the Pixel 3a outweigh the extra expense? We compared the two enticing midrange handsets to decide exactly that.

Specs Compared



Google Pixel 3a Moto G7 Price $399 $299 Screen Size (Resolution) 5.6-inch OLED (2220x1080) 6-inch LCD (2270x1080) OS Android 9 Pie Android 9 Pie Processor Snapdragon 670 Snapdragon 632 RAM 4GB 4GB Storage 64GB 64GB (expandable) Rear Camera 12.2 MP (/1.8) 12 MP (/1.8) and 5 MP (/2.2) Front Camera 8 MP (/2.0) 8 MP (/2.2) Battery 3,000 mAh 3,000 mAh Size 5.96 x 2.76 x 0.32 in 6.1 x 3 x 0.31 inches Weight 5.19 ounces 6.1 ounces Color Clearly Black, Clearly White, Purple-ish Ceramic Black, Clear White

Design

Despite the overwhelming similarity in smartphone design these days, the Pixel 3a and Moto G7 couldnt look more different. Googles handset basically looks like a baby version of its flagship, only made from polycarbonate with chunkier bezels. In contrast,he Moto G7 incorporates a teardrop notch, almost like a knockoff of recent (much more expensive) devices from the likes of Huawei and OnePlus.



Theres also a massive difference in terms of size: the screen on the Pixel 3a measures 5.6 inches, while the Moto G7 has a massive (well, for a budget device, anyway) 6.2-inch display. Not surprisingly, the Moto G7 feels a smidge heavier in the hand. Both phones keep their fingerprint sensors around the back and feature headphone jacks, and neither is IP-rated water resistant.

To be perfectly frank, neither of these devices is really a stunner. But I prefer the minimalism of Googles aesthetic with the Pixel 3a. I also really like the colors Google has chosen for its latest handset  Purple-ish is a lovely lavender-esque hue with a stylish fluorescent yellow power button, while Clearly White tosses in an orange button on the side for a bit of flair. Compare that to the rather drab glossy black of the Moto G7, and I really have to give the edge to Google here  bezels be damned.

Winner: Pixel 3a



Display

Size aside, the Pixel 3a has the display you want, simply because Google has packaged an OLED panel inside this phone. Thats practically unheard of for a device at this price point  ordinarily, youd have to spend upward of $500 to get a screen like that in something like the Moto Z3 Play or the OnePlus 6T, and here Googles undercut both those companies by several hundred dollars.



The Moto G7, conversely, employs a traditional LCD panel. And while its a perfectly fine for an LCD display, youre missing out on the kind of deep blacks, stunning contrast and vivid colors that OLED technology provides. (The upcoming Dark Theme arriving in Android Q will simply look better on Googles screen).

If theres one area where Motorolas device wins out, though, it would have to be brightness. The Moto G7s peak of 445 nits makes outdoor viewing a bit easier on the eyes compared to the Pixel 3as 401-nit result.

Winner: Pixel 3a



Camera

The Moto G7 may have a pair of cameras on the back to the Pixel 3as single-lens shooter, but Googles new handset can do a lot more with its one rear lens.



In fact, the Pixel 3as 12.2-megapixel rear sensor is pretty much identical to the one in the twice-as-expensive Pixel 3  the only difference is that it lacks Googles Pixel Visual Core coprocessor to speed up image crunching. That doesnt really impact the way photos look, however  just the amount of time it takes to deliver them.





That means you can capture some phenomenal shots with Googles handset that the Moto G7 simply doesnt have an answer for. Motorolas 12-MP primary shooter and accompanying 5-MP depth sensor can capture some halfway decent bokeh portraits in the proper conditions, but they cant compare to the balanced exposure and crisp details the Pixel 3a pulls off.

In sunny conditions, the Moto G7 can be strong. But Motorolas camera software always has a habit of favoring unnaturally saturated hues, which painted this gorgeous spring scene in New Yorks Bryant Park into a caricature. Compare that to the Pixel 3as more realistic result, with its exquisite contrast within the trees lining the lawn, and its easy to see why Googles latest phone is such a revelation in this price range.



Winner: Pixel 3a



Performance

The Pixel 3a is armed with Qualcomms Snapdragon 670 processor, which is a bit faster than the Snapdragon 632 inside the Moto G7.

How much faster? While neither of these phones really feels all that different during normal circumstances, like scrolling through Twitter or navigating within Google Maps, the Pixel 3a notched a few hundred points higher than the Moto G7 in Geekbench 4, a test of overall system performance, by a score of 5,146 to 4,814.

However, the Pixel 3a proved much more capable in terms of playing graphics-intensive games, as evidenced by its 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme OpenGL ES 3.1 score of 1,602. The Moto G7, which could only muster a measly 512 points, was less than a third as powerful. Ultimately, Id never recommend a midrange handset for mobile gaming  though if you have to choose between the two, the Pixel 3a is a safer bet.

Winner: Pixel 3a



Battery Life



Both the Pixel 3a and Moto G7 incorporate 3,000-mAh batteries, though again, this is a situation where Googles handset ekes a bit more out of its hardware. The Pixel 3a lasted for 11 hours and 59 minutes in Toms Guides battery test, which streams websites endlessly over LTE at 150 nits of screen brightness. The Moto G7, conversely, called it quits after 8 hours and 50 minutes.



If it's battery life that you're most concerned with, however, consider the Moto G7 Power. Armed with a 5,000-mAh power pack, Motorolas endurance-minded budget handset lasted an astounding 15 hours and 35 minutes in our test, yet costs $50 less than the regular G7. You will have to give up the regular G7s dual-lens cameras and additional gigabyte of RAM with the G7 Power, though.

Thankfully, both Googles and Motorolas phones support fast charging with their included adapters  the Pixel 3a utilizes 18W USB PD charging, while the Moto G7 employs Motorolas 15W TurboPower protocol (which is really just Qualcomms QuickCharge 2.0 spec).

Winner: Pixel 3a



Software

Android 9 Pie ships out of the box on both the Pixel 3a and Moto G7. And while these are both what youd call stock installations  save for some special features, like Googles camera extras and Call Screen  the big difference in terms of software with respect to both of these phones is long-term support and updates.



Google has committed to three years of Android software and security support with the Pixel 3a, which again is unheard of in the realm of cheap phones. Motorola is opting for a far less encouraging single year of major upgrades, followed by two years of security patches, as it does for all its non-flagship handsets. Additionally, Motorola isnt the quickest when it comes to distributing its updates, while Google is all but certain to be the first to push out Android Q when it arrives later this year.

That makes the choice very simple. If you want a phone that will last you and keep you up-to-date on all the latest features, the Pixel 3a is clearly the way to go.

Winner: Pixel 3a



Price and Availability



The Pixel 3a starts at $399 for the 5.6-inch model, and goes up to $479 for the 6-inch Pixel 3a XL. Both are available unlocked, on Verizon or Google Fi, and will be arriving on T-Mobile in the near future.

The Moto G7 is exclusively available unlocked and costs $299. While you wont find it in carrier stores like the Pixel 3a, the unlocked version does support both GSM and CDMA bands, meaning the device will work on any carriers network. A slightly less powerful version with a bigger battery, called the Moto G7 Power, is available through Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint for $249.

Winner: Moto G7



Winner: Pixel 3a



The Pixel 3a may be considerably pricier than the Moto G7, but it is truly $100 better. Googles camera and computational photography expertise is unmatched in this price range, the phones processor and battery life are best-in-class, and the years of software support make the Pixel 3a a better investment than its midrange rivals.



Google Pixel 3a Moto G7 Design (10) 7 6 Display (10) 9 7 Camera (25) 23 16 Performance (15) 12 10 Battery (20) 17 12 Software (10) 10 8 Price and Availability (10) 7 8 Total (100) 85 67

If you cannot spend more than $299 on a smartphone, you shouldnt regret buying a Moto G7  you could really do a lot worse. However, this is one of those instances where the pricier alternative pays for itself over and over again.The series finale of Game of Thrones made TV history by becoming the most-watched episode ever to air on HBO. Though reactions to the final episode of the worldwide phenomenon were mixed  ranging from extreme disappointment to apathy to reflective acceptance  the show has undoubtedly inspired other networks to take risks greenlighting big-budget, high-concept programming that challenge viewers minds and eyes.



(Image credit: HBO)

Here, weve gathered our favorite ongoing and already completed series that capture a similar sense of grand-scale storytelling and shock as Game of Thrones to help you cleanse your palate or simply replace your Sunday night go-to.

The Expanse

The Expanse could be described as Game of Thrones in space, but that doesnt quite do its rich characters and carefully plotted story justice. Set in a future where Earth has colonized the solar system, its the perfect post-GoT binge for fans who loved the political intrigue elements of the HBO drama in addition to its magic and monsters. Trust us when we say its impossible not to fall in love with and get drawn into the stories of the ragtag group of people at the shows center, all of whom get caught up in an interplanetary conspiracy and decide to protect  or disrupt  peace among worlds. SYFY canceled the show after three seasons, but due to overwhelming critic and audience acclaim, a fourth season was picked up by Amazon Prime Video and will be released sometime this year. For now, you can stream the first three seasons on its new home with an Amazon Prime account.

The Dragon Prince

(Image credit: Netflix)

Netflixs The Dragon Prince proves you dont need a multimillion-dollar budget and the occasional boob to tell a compelling story. Ostensibly an animated show for a younger audience, The Dragon Prince is chock-full of funny and interesting characters, beautiful places to explore and a dense mythology thats sure to appeal to adults too. Xadia, the setting of the show, is a place of magic and wonder, but because humans discovered powerful and terrifying dark magic, the land between elves and humans is divided. The dragon who stood watch over and maintained balance in the realm has been slain by humans, ushering in all-out war. But the unlikely friendship that blossoms between young prince Ezran; his brother, Callum; and the dark elf assassin Rayla offers hope that all is not yet lost. Head writer of Avatar: The Last Airbender Aaron Ehasz serves as co-creator of this Wonderstorm-produced show, which shares many of the same qualities that made Avatar so popular (including the voice acting talents of Jace De Sena, who voiced Sokka). While the animation style admittedly takes some getting used to, the story and heart make up for it in dividends. Seasons one and two are ready to stream on Netflix, with a forthcoming third season confirmed.

Outlander

What happens when you mix time travel and war with two beautiful, horny main characters? The equally bloody and steamy Outlander on Starz. After Claire Randall, a nurse in WWII, is transported to 1740s Scotland, she meets hunky Highland warrior Jamie Fraser and...well, lets just say they dont sit around debating quantum theory. In addition to all the hot and heavy romance, the show doesnt shy away from action, featuring fight scenes that give even the Battle of the Bastards a run for its money  not to mention the awe-inducing landscapes thatll make you wanna book a one-way trip to Scotland ASAP. It even maintains the detailed historical accuracy present in Diana Gabaldons book series on which its based, if youre into that. Or, better still, just sit back and enjoy all the non-American accents. (We wont judge.) The shows first four seasons are available on Starz, and you can look forward to at least two more seasons in the future.

The Magicians

Theres a reason so many people describe The Magicians as Harry Potter for adults: It follows a group of college kids who are seemingly more interested in hooking up, throwing parties and getting into trouble than doing magic...at least at first. Admittedly the first season, while addictive, is a bit of a slog. Theres an interesting main villain and fun characters, but its world-building leaves something to be desired  magic is used as a convenient plot device, and its lack of rules can be frustrating. Though the rules of magic are never really fully fleshed out, the series hits its stride when it confidently abandons its source material (Lev Grossmans Magicians series) and sends its characters on fun quests; tackles heavier topics like sexuality, mental health and sexual assault; and introduces magical new realms, creatures and even gods. The character dynamics, humor and self-awareness will propel you through all four seasons and leave you craving season five (which, rest assured, is on its way to SYFY sometime next year).

The Tudors

The Tudors may have ended with its fourth season nearly a decade ago, but the fact that it still holds up today is a testament to the shows phenomenal acting, costume design and historical accuracy. Though its based on the real life of King Henry VIII, it proves that sometimes fact can be just as entertaining, if not more entertaining, than fiction. It chronicles the kings reign, including his steamy tryst with Anne Boleyn and multiple marriages following her (spoiler alert?) beheading, all the way through his death, with plenty of disease, war and political upheaval sprinkled throughout for good measure. The Tudors proved that there was an audience desire to watch period shows, setting the groundwork for Game of Thrones and Outlander to follow. All episodes are available on Netflix, so get ready to smash that Continue Watching button.

Into the Badlands

(Image credit: Aidan Monaghan/AMC)

If youre not quite ready to jump into a committed TV relationship after eight years of fire-breathing dragons and faceless men, Into the Badlands maxes out at a reasonable 32 episodes but still promises plenty of swordfighting and mysticism. Set in a post-apocalyptic world without guns, the show feels at once both familiar and new, a love letter to martial arts and films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but with a somewhat dystopian slant that makes it feel original. Daniel Wu (Tomb Raider, Geostorm) plays Sunny, a clipper to the Badlands preeminent baron, Quinn. When hes assigned to locate a boy named M.K., the true story begins, as M.K. harbors a great magical power that could make him valuable to other barons in the Badlands. The AMC shows third and final season just ended last month, so binge away or pace yourself  you do you, boo.

The 100

If you thought the teen post-apocalyptic dystopia genre ended with Hunger Games and Maze Runner, think again: It is alive and well on the CWs The 100, unlike Earth at the start of the series. After the nuclear radiation decimation of our planet, a group of humans boards the space station Ark to begin life anew  and all is well until nearly a hundred years later when overpopulation threatens the crews status quo. Their solution? Send 100 teen delinquents back down to Earth to see if any of it is still habitable. Unfortunately for those teens, they soon find small factions of people who survived and want to continue surviving...by any means necessary. The show has garnered an impressive and loyal fanbase, and its production quality, LBGTQ representation and universal themes have propelled it above the networks usual fare while still embracing the teen drama formula that makes its shows so popular. Season six is currently airing, but it has already been renewed for a seventh season, thank the stars.

Vikings

Fans of GoTs Tormund and wildlings will almost certainly enjoy the History Channels Vikings, which, true to its name and network, is a historical drama that follows farmer turned legend Viking Ragnar Lothbrok as he raids England and slashes his way to becoming a king. The show also follows Ragnars sons on their own journeys, making it a multigenerational epic that has as much fun showing off bloody battles as it does spanning the histories of Ireland, England and France in an informative but entertaining fashion. Its forthcoming sixth season will be its last, but theres also a spin-off show in development to further the delicious bloodshed.

American Gods

(Image credit: Ian Watson/Starz)

Even nothing cannot last forever. So learns the stoic, troubled Shadow Moon, who meets a mysterious man named Mr. Wednesday after being released from prison to attend his wifes funeral. With nothing to lose, Shadow reluctantly accepts a job as Mr. Wednesdays bodyguard and driver, but he doesnt realize the gig also comes with the baggage of a secret magical war between the Old Gods and the New Gods. The New Gods, such as Technology and Media, fight to maintain dominance over the world, while the Old Gods, like Mr. Wednesday, wish to reclaim their powerand Shadow finds himself caught in the middle. Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, Pushing Daisies) serves as showrunner of season one, and his influence can be observed in every gorgeous, painting-like shot. Come for the action, mystery and political power plays; stay for the meticulously rendered cinematography. American Gods seasons one and two are available now on Starz, with a third season on its way.

Westworld

Without the worldwide success of Game of Thrones, its hard to say if HBO would have taken a chance on Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joys science fiction A.I. drama Westworld. Based loosely on the 1973 movie with the same title, the show centers around a theme park where humans can play out their darkest, seediest fantasies with extremely realistic robots, or hosts. But, as with most sci-fi stories with robots, the victimized human lookalikes quickly start to attain sentience, inciting mass chaos and revealing a dense mystery that explores what it means to be human...or more than human. The show does a great job of keeping the perspective close to the hosts, encouraging viewers to question the value of freedom and the darkness that pervades humanity. Filled with twists that make even Neds beheading seem tame in comparison, Westworld is already primed to replace Game of Thrones as Sundays biggest watercooler show when it returns for its third season next year.

Kingdom

A medieval land plagued by political unrest and hordes of the undead. No, were not talking about that HBO show that ended last week; were talking about Kingdom, a South Korean Netflix series that redefines the zombie genre. When the emperor during the Joseon period of Koreas history becomes severely ill (hint: Its not the flu), the crown prince, Yi-Chang, is forced to investigate the sickness while also trying to keep peace in the kingdom to avoid a coup. The critically acclaimed show consists of only six episodes, but its already started production on its second season, promising more bloodshed and zom dramz in the future.

After Kansas Buffalo Wild Wings sued for discrimination, a lesson on tipping while black A protest was held outside Tomfooleries on KC"s Country Club Plaza on July 26 after a woman, Xzaviera Vaqua, says she was discriminated against when she was kicked out of the restaurant by a manager on July 19. She recorded the interaction.

Actually, there's some pretty good data in this report that offers a perspective on stand-up comedy routines and the rantings of "drunk uncles" across the nation. Whilst there's probably more important things to worry about than the poor life decisions of servers . . . Credit where it's due: This column considers commonplace cultural logics and how the public chokes them down. Read more:Before Poke Bowls Became Trendy, Bob Wasabi Searched The Globe To Create His Own In Kansas City Bob Shin, who you might know as Bob Wasabi, is known around town for serving up some of the freshest fish in Kansas City, Missouri, at his small sushi restaurant on 39th Street. But, his daughter Tanya Shin says he has another nickname. "He's known as the complainer," she laughs.

This link is just for TKC and the precious readers who check this blog not to express hateration but instead to learn more about KCMO. Accordingly, this is a great report on local life and a beloved Kansas City character. Checkit:The roots of KC Cattle Company are shallow, but owner Patrick Montgomery has already battled several obstacles. From severe drought in 2018 to fighting off relentless rains this year, the 3-year-old business is no stranger to challenges. "Last year, dealing with the drought, that was painful," said Montgomery.JEFFERSON CITY - The Jefferson City Police Department is investigating two incidents of alleged looting involving three individuals Friday afternoon and early Saturday morning. A news release said officers were dispatched to a local business in the 300 block of Flora Drive just after 3 p.m.harinder@tribunemail.com

Vijay C Roy

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 24

High earnings, coupled with bumper exports last year, will drive Punjab farmers to grow more basmati. The area is set to gain acreage and would touch 7 lakh hectares in the current sowing season compared to 5.47 lakh hectares last year.

In neighbouring Haryana, the area under cultivation would decrease with the state government announcing sops for farmers so that they can shift from water-guzzling paddy to other crops.

Basmati is set to gain acreage in Punjab as the farmers earned higher remuneration in the last season backed with high demand in the exports market. Based on seeds sales, we are anticipating that this year, the area will touch 7 lakh hectares, Punjab Agriculture Secretary KS Pannu said. Last year, the area under basmati was 5.47 lakh hectares and production was 19.64 lakh tonnes in Punjab.

According to exporters, basmati rates surged 25-30 per cent last year, depending on the variety in various mandis. While PUSA-1509 was being sold at Rs 2,900-3,200 per quintal, PUSA-1121 was commanding Rs 3,600-3,700. The rate of another popular variety, PB-1, hovered between Rs 3,400 and Rs 3,500 per quintal.

Further, an aggressive buying by Iran pushed basmati exports to a record high in 2018-19, benefitting farmers. The basmati exports in 2018-19 touched 44.15 lakh tonnes as compared to 40.57 lakh tonnes in 2017-18.

Anticipating a significant increase in area and betting big on basmati exports, the Punjab Agriculture Department will assist farmers to produce pesticide-free yield. In 2017-18, basmati exporters faced a major problem with regard to higher maximum residue level of pesticides in grains exported to the US, Europe and Saudi Arabia.

Moreover, Haryana has the largest area under basmati in the country and together with Punjab, it accounts for more than 75-80 per cent of basmati exports from the country.

According to Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority data, the area under basmati cultivation was 6.34 lakh hectares and production was 21.38 lakh tonnes in 2018 in Haryana.

Officials are expecting 5-10 per cent decrease in area in Haryana. We are anticipating that there would be a slight decrease in the basmati area as farmers may shift from paddy to other crops such as maize because of the incentives announced by the state government, said Jagraj Dandi, Joint Director (Stat), Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Haryana.

Recently, the Haryana Government doled out benefits, including cash incentives, for the farmers shifting from water-guzzling paddy to other crops. The farmers opting for the scheme would get benefits such as payment of premium of Rs 766 per acre under PMs Fasal Bima Yojana, quality seeds and assured purchase of alternative crops at the MSP.harinder@tribunemail.com

Mumbai, May 24

Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty rallied to record closing highs on Friday as investors wagered on more policy reforms following the decisive mandate for the Narendra Modi-led BJP in General Election.

The BSE Sensex shot up 623.33 points, or 1.61 per cent, to end at 39,434.72, while the broader NSE Nifty surged 187.05 points, or 1.60 per cent, to 11,844.10. Both the key indices bettered their previous closing highs hit on May 20 after most exit polls gave the NDA a comfortable majority in the lower House.

During the politically charged week, the 30-share BSE Sensex rose over 1,503 points and the broader Nifty gained 437 points.

The BJP has won over 300 seats on its own out of 542 seats in the Lok Sabha elections  the first back-to-back majority for a single party since 1984.

Analysts believe the emphatic victory for the Modi-led coalition will ensure continuation in reform measures initiated during the NDAs first term.

The overwhelming victory will enable the NDA-led government, without political compulsions, to continue with the reforms they started well. Stability in macro-environment will give legroom to the corporate houses to plan medium-to-long term growth and instill confidence further in the foreign investors, said Vishal Kampani, Managing Director, JM Financial Group.

Investor wealth zoomed Rs 2.53 lakh crore on Friday.

Among the Sensex constituents, 26 stocks rose and 4 counters fell in Fridays trade. ICICI Bank topped the Sensex gainers chart, spurting 5.09 per cent, followed by L&T, Bharti Airtel, Vedanta and Tata Motors, rising up to 4.60 per cent.

Bucking the overall trend, NTPC, HCL Tech, TCS and HUL ended in the red.

The Sensex started on a positive note at 39,076.28 in the morning. It shuttled between a high of 39,476.97 and low of 38,824.26 during the session. It finally settled the day at 39,434.72, higher by 623.33 points, or 1.61 per cent.

The NSE Nifty opened at 11,748.00 and hit a high of 11,859.00 and a low of 11,658.10 during the day. It closed at 11,844.10, showing a rise of 187.05 points, or 1.60 per cent. All 19 BSE sectoral indices traded in the green, led by realty, capital goods, industrials, telecom and auto  gaining as much as 4.25 per cent.

In the broader market, small-cap and mid-cap indices outperformed the benchmark Sensex. The BSE Smallcap index soared 2.43 per cent, midcap climbed 2.09 per cent and largecap advanced 1.61 per cent. Overall, 1,827 stocks advanced and 695 declined on the BSE. A strengthening rupee also bolstered trading sentiment, brokers said.

Meanwhile, foreign institutional investors bought shares worth a net Rs 1,352.20 crore Thursday, as per provisional data. Asian stocks ended mixed on Friday as investors globally remained cautious over the ongoing trade tussle between the US and China.  PTIeditorial@tribune.com

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 24

Baba Ramdev has advised Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to do kapalbhati and anulom-vilom post his Amethi debacle to keep himself in control.

He also said by not contesting from Varanasi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Priyanka Gandhi avoided her political death. Had Rahul Gandhiji contested from only one seat, his career in politics would have been at risk. Also, had Priyankaji fought from Banaras, it would have been her political death in the very beginning of her political career. At least, the brother-sister made an intelligent move, said Ramdev on the sidelines of an event at the PGI.

Rahulji should do kapalbhati, anulom-vilom and read the Bhagavad Gita so that he can keep himself in control. Modiji has already made him do sirsasana, he said.

Appreciating the policies of the Modi government, Ramdev said: People have voted for his intention and character. This verdict will not only have a bearing on next five years but also on 20-25 years after that. He has laid the foundation of a stronger India by launching more than 100 welfare schemes. We will

compete with China, Japan, the US and Russia. The country will progress on the social, political and economic front.

Though he defended the BJP decision to give ticket to Sadhvi Pragya, he did not approve of her recent statement on Nathuram Godse.PPS Gill

PPS Gill

Senior journalist and former Information Commissioner

If the BJP-led NDA has scripted a new political chapter with its spectacular show for the second successive term, so has Punjab. It has also pretty successfully thwarted the advance of the saffron storm for the second time. The Congress showcased its performance in good governance.

The reason behind the BJP winning two seats is simple: Gurdaspur, of which Pathankot is a part, are both border districts. Also, the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh has an influence over their socio-economy, as well as in the Hoshiarpur constituency. Since there is dominance of Hindu voters in these two constituencies, the Modi wave lifted its candidates. The saffron surge stopped at the Punjab boundary elsewhere. The reason why the BJP lost Amritsar is also simple. There is a dominance of ex-servicemen and their families and the Sikh peasantry.

Also, after the Pulwama terror attack, India withdrew Most Favoured Nation status from Pakistan, affecting businesses across the Attari border. After February 14, all trade with Pakistan was stopped. Consequently, 200-250 trucks without goods were parked near the border after the government imposed 200 per cent regulatory duty on non-essential Indian imports. This further diminished the chances of the BJP candidate winning the election.

The results reflect that the voters have not yet forgotten or forgiven the SAD-BJP for its 10-year misrule, which saw a spurt in drug trafficking; gangs and gangsters having a free run; sacrilege incidents that hurt the sensitivities and sensibilities of the Sikhs; monopoly of the ruling Badal family and its clan over an assortment of businesses etc.

So, what enabled Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to weather the Hindutva wind, politicisation of the armed forces, and making capital out of the surgical strikes? Being a military historian, Amarinder ensured this political trick did not play out in the sensitive border state that shares a 553-km border with Pakistan. Its six border districts were put on high alert in the wake of the Indian Air Forces strikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Pakistan in February. The CM met civil and police officers and decided against any evacuation. Rather, as a confidence-building measure, he visited the border areas from Pathankot to Ferozepur by road, meeting people. That stirred a sympathy wave in favour of the Congress.

In Punjab, ex-servicemen number 2.9 lakh approximately (Parliament question-answer in March 2017). The number of farmers is around 19 lakh (Government of India-2011). Together, soldiering and farming families constitute a sizeable vote bank. Since taking over as CM in March 2017, Capt Amarinder Singh has done his bit to address the grievances of these two segments of society.

What must stir the conscience of the state political leadership now is the urgent need for development in these border districts, which are deprived of industries and businesses. This means no employment opportunities. Studies have revealed that the per capita income of people in these districts is 30 per cent less than in the other districts.

The problem of cultivation of land across the barbed fence is another live issue. It is doubtful if the political dispensation in New Delhi would be favourably inclined to help Punjab develop the border districts. Because who will raise or listen to Punjabs voice in Parliament on development issues when the two SAD members are in the BJPs lap? Congress MPs will have a tough time in making themselves heard.

Regarding farming families welfare, the first step the CM took was to introduce a loan waiver scheme to help farmers partially get rid of the debt burden and avert suicides. A PAU economist, Prof Sukhpal Singh, says the debt on Punjab farmers is Rs 1 lakh crore, out of which Rs 80,000 crore is institutional. So far, under the loan waiver scheme, the government has waived Rs 3,400 crore institutional loans of small farmers, owning up to five acres.

Cognisance must be taken at the way 100-odd gangs stand neutralised, thereby showing an improvement in the law and order situation; and strident steps taken to checkmate the menace of drug trafficking. All these measures paid dividends and contributed to the poll results favouring the Congress.

Then a political advantage that came the Congress way in the form of the breaking away of some senior Akali leaders from SAD, holding senior and junior Badal responsible for seeking support of Dera Sacha Sauda, headed by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, during Harsimrat Badals elections and also later orchestrating his pardon from Akal Takht. That move badly misfired. The high priests had to withdraw their decision to exonerate the sect head. The Badals were held guilty of either not taking any action against culprits in sacrilege cases or going slow on investigation. Calling themselves Taksali Akalis, the breakaway group made a lot of noise for months, tried alliances with political entities and individuals, and finally entered the poll arena. This added to the undoing of the Badals SAD. People dont forgive netas for their misdemeanours.

Its second political advantage was the dismemberment and dissipation of AAP within five years, making it easy for the voters to decide whom to vote for.

In the wake of the elections, expecting any goodwill gestures from New Delhi is farfetched. Punjabs political economy is in a crisis due to agrarian distress. As a political lightweight, Punjab will face difficulties to make its presence felt at the Centre. Within the state, political leadership, across the spectrum, has lost the will to set the house in order or spring-clean key administrative corners.

Also, there are not enough agro-or- food processing industries in the state. There are only two mega food parks, one each at Fazilka and Ludhiana. Agriculture is becoming unremunerative.

There are whispers in the air that the NDA government will work on available reports to pass on foodgrain procurement to private traders, rather than let the Food Corporation of India continue to procure from the states. A veiled warning on this is mentioned in the Punjab state farmers policy draft document (June 2018) that is pending approval with the government. A region-specific MSP targeted procurement for each state is likely to be introduced. This will adversely affect the states having better productivity, like Punjab. This is a challenge which stares the CM in the face.

The other problem is of unemployment among rural youth. This is fuelling the menace of drug consumption. But things are beginning to look up on this score. In January, the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued 25 mandatory directions to the state government, including registering cases against drug smugglers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and deployment of police officials around educational institutions for eradicating the menace.

The broad public perception is that effective intervention to reach out to debt-ridden farmers, listening to ex-servicemen, taking steps to curb drug trafficking, better law and order situation and will to govern helped the Congress do well in the elections.

What role and how effectively the 13 elected representatives play to enable Punjab to regain its lost dignity and glory, and overcome its politico-economic situation, remains to be seen.Gurmeet Kanwal

Gurmeet Kanwal

Former Director, Centre for Land Warfare Studies, New Delhi

The NDA governments second innings has begun at a time when the regional security environment is more unstable that it has been for many years. A decade of post-LTTE peace in Sri Lanka has been shattered by the church bombings claimed by the Islamic State. Tensions between the US and Iran over the nuclear deal are threatening to lead to a new round of conflict in the Gulf. Efforts at forging a peace deal between Saudi Arabia and its allies and the Houthis in South Yemen are floundering.

Further afield, the polycentric new world order, the early contours of which had begun to emerge from the ashes of the Cold War, has begun to fray at the edges. The primary causes for this condition are the growing friction among the major powers: Russia and the US vis-a-vis Ukraine and Crimea; Chinas belligerent posturing in South and East China seas; rise of ultra-right wing political parties; dilution in the forces of globalisation and free market economies and the international communitys inability to defeat the forces of radical extremism.

In north-east Asia, though North Korea has temporarily halted nuclear warhead and long-range ballistic missile tests that it had been conducted in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and is negotiating some form of denuclearisation with President Trumps team, the talks are tenuous and likely to break down irretrievably. The threat of conflict on the Korean peninsula  the 38th Parallel has been a flashpoint since the 1950s  will recede if the two sides continue to discuss demilitarisation.

In West Asia, while progress made in liberating ISIS-controlled areas in Iraq and Syria has forced the IS to retreat geographically, its virulent ideology continues to flourish. In fact, a cyber caliphate comprising hundreds of laptop warriors has begun to emerge. The cyber caliphate is potentially more dangerous than its geographical counterpart due to the ability of a handful of the faithful to radicalise large sections of vulnerable youth using the Internet.

In South Asia, the continuing Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan and along the Af-Pak border is the greatest cause of instability. The strategic stalemate between the Afghan government and the remnants of the US-NATO forces on one side and the Taliban and Pakistan-sponsored terrorist organisations like the Haqqani network on the other, is likely to endure. The Taliban now control over 50 per cent of the rural areas.

Chinas growing nexus with Pakistan and the two countries unresolved territorial disputes with India continue to pose a formidable national security threat to India. In recent years, the intensity of this threat has not diminished. In fact, the Doklam standoff near the India (Sikkim)-Tibet (China)-Bhutan trijunction in June-August 2017 further vitiated the security environment.

Despite misgivings in both countries, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has begun to take shape. Passing through Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan--occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), the CPEC will link Xingjian province of China with Gwadar on the Makran coast west of Karachi. Involving an investment of $64 billion, the manufacturing, transportation and storage projects that form part of CPEC will be financed entirely by China through soft loans. Pakistan has only now begun to realise the magnitude of the long-term debt burden that it will be saddled with.

Indias long-time strategic partner Russia has expressed its support for CPEC. Russia also held a low-level military exercise with Pakistan and offered to sell arms to it. The US administrations anti-Russia policies are driving Russia closer to China. These developments are detrimental to India interests.

Closer home, of the almost one million Rohingya Muslims who have for long been residing in the Rakhine province of Myanmar, over six lakh fled their homes due to alleged repression by the army. They have streamed across the open border into Bangladesh. Many of them have been attempting to sneak into India. If arrangements are not soon made to get Myanmar to take them back, malnutrition and disease prevailing in the refugee camps in Bangladesh could escalate to insurgency.

India's red lines have been repeatedly crossed by violation of the mutually agreed ceasefire of November 2003 by the Pakistan army, for example in the terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy at Pulwama in February 2019. India is continuing its post-surgical strikes policy of tactical assertiveness under the umbrella of strategic restraint. The post-Pulwama airstrike in Balakot in Pakistan made this point forcefully.

Internal instability continues to haunt the government of Pakistan and its army. Over four years after it was launched, Operation Zarb-e-Azb in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is still to be concluded successfully. A low-grade insurgency in Balochistan, unrest in Sind and Gilgit-Baltistan, Talibanisation, ethnic tensions and weak economy are a potent mix that could lead to an implosion.

Turmoil in Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka has added to instability. Narco-terrorism, proliferation of small arms, circulation of fake currency notes, trans-border money-laundering and availability of sanctuaries for insurgents enable non-state entities to challenge duly elected governments. The insurgent movements in Indias north-eastern states are an example of this phenomenon.

Clearly, the countries of the region must come together in their own interest and agree to systematically plug the loopholes that enable cross-border insurgent movements to flourish. Long and hard negotiations would be required for a cooperative security framework to evolve for peace and stability in the region. The new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has its work cut out.Amitabha Bhattacharya

Amitabha Bhattacharya

Former bureaucrat

AS the new government takes charge at the Centre, ministries will be called upon to generate ideas and prepare action plans for the short and medium terms, focusing on the areas prioritised in the party manifesto. Concurrently, suggestions from all quarters on the economic options of growth, employment and infrastructure will start dominating the public discourse.

In a few days thereafter, thankfully, the serious issues of governance will have to be grappled with and the public hype, aided by the media, will start giving way to sobriety in expectations. It is likely to take some more time for the implementation of the hard decisions that might lead to transformational change. Meanwhile, some soft ideas can be considered, that would make a clean break with the past practices and yet not burden the exchequer.

The ruling party/alliance should appreciate the obvious, that it has gained power not only because of performance but also owing to electoral arithmetic, a smart game plan and other factors. Since a government includes everybody, any display of arrogance by leaders of the party in power should be shunned. The winner gains nothing by humiliating the decimated rivals. It should be admitted that national goals cannot be achieved without the active cooperation of the other. Success of this togetherness in working  mainly in the legislative sphere  may be measured by the reduction in days wasted and the shortening of time in passing important legislations. In the executive domain, both sides should immediately identify and implement some key promises that are common between their manifestos  like enhancement in allocation for public health and education, reduction of wasteful subsidy, disinvestment of non-core public sector units, as also quicker achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Moving up, say by five places, in the global ranking on the Human Development, Corruption Perceptions and Global Competitiveness indices may be thought of.

Since the electoral victory also depends on factors such as the way expectations are managed, it is desirable that achievements that are visible and easily verifiable be shared against what had been prioritised in the manifesto. If mid-course corrections are required to be undertaken or in case some promises become impossible to fulfil, the Prime Minister, as the chief executive of the country, should have the grace to admit the setbacks, explain the reasons behind them and, taking the public into confidence, highlight the modified course to be followed. A courageous PM should admit genuine errors in judgement, if any, and work with the other to find a satisfactory solution to move ahead.

Genuine intellectuals who have achieved international fame by virtue of their genius and scholarship are likely to be critical of the powers that be. This is natural and often desirable. Even if such criticism hurts the ego of the people in power, it should be tolerated gracefully. Such people should be invited by the rulers and their opinion sought and valued. It should be realised that they have not acquired eminence by virtue of official positions wrangled from and shared with the power centres. Therefore, the treatment deserved by the former should be different.

If those exercising state power undermine talent and fill important public and constitutional offices with cronies, sympathisers and manipulators in the civil services, the academia and elsewhere, the nation suffers quietly, and inestimably. The political executives will then be left with no option but to seek counsel only from such lesser individuals. As such, they should have the modesty to acknowledge the limitations of their own mind which positions of power often blind them to, and try to learn from the best minds across the board.

Every government, irrespective of its hue, has had a knack for systematically slighting key secretaries. Since it takes no time to shift to irrelevance any mighty bureaucrat once he or she falls out of favour, it is all the more important to exercise restraint. Systematic changes to strengthen the bureaucracy will be universally appreciated. Based on proper data analysis, meaningful reforms of the civil services at every stage are long overdue.

Another common practice is to hound the Opposition by initiating criminal cases. Such actions have often appeared so selective and subjective that some of the policing agencies seem to be losing their credibility in the public eye. These steps can also come in the way of smoother Centre-state relationship. Moreover, such an approach often inhibits the national resolve to fight corruption at all levels. Now that the chairman and members of the Lokpal have all assumed office, this institution should be strengthened and, in order to avoid duplication of efforts and wastage of public money, much of the work of the existing investigative and prosecution agencies should be subsumed by the Lokpal. If graft cases are resolutely handled by a competent Lokpal, public faith in the governments intent to fight corruption will be improved.

The ideas articulated above may appear unrealistic and even utopian, but in a country of Indias diversity and complexity, true modesty and cooperative spirit have never remained unappreciated.editorial@tribune.com

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 24

Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hoodas aide Prof Virender Singh played an important role in instigating people during the February 2016 Jat reservation violence, says the police chargesheet submitted against him and two others before a Rohak court recently.

A TV channel had aired an audio clip on February 21, 2016, in which Prof Virender and Capt Man Singh Dalal (retd), spokesperson of Dalal Khap Chaurasi, could be heard having a conversation. Prof Virender was heard saying the protests were doing well in the Deswali belt but in Sirsa, despite promise of support by the INLD, not even an ant is stopped.

The conversation had taken place on February 18, 2016, the day riots started in Rohtak, claimed the chargesheet.

The call dump from February 12 to 25, 2016, reflected that Prof Virender and Capt Dalal had talked to people who put up the blockades and were supporting the protesters, said the chargesheet.

It claimed that till February 18, there was no blockade in Sirsa, but after the phone call, nine cases were registered during protests on February 20 and 21.

On March 17, 2016, the police seized the phone, which Prof Virender used allegedly to talk to Capt Dalal. The phone belonged to Jaideep Dhankar.

Dhankar had a phone number ******0222, which was used by Prof Virender to talk to Capt Dalal, having phone number ******0754. As per the chargesheet, on the analysis of the call details, it came to light that Dhankar was in direct contact with protesters and rioters in Rohtak and Sampla. He had talked to a number of people active in the protests in Sampla and outside gate no.2 of Maharishi Dayanand University (MDU), which the chargesheet claimed confirmed his involvement in mobilising the rioters.

Violence had taken place amid Jat reservation protests in Rohtak, Sonepat, Hisar, Bhiwani, Kaithal, Jhajjar, Jind, Panipat and other districts. In Rohtak alone, 1,202 cases were registered. There were four incidents of murders, one of loot, 58 robbery and 519 of rioting, while theft and related cases were numbered at 620.

The chargesheet claimed that both Capt Dalal and Prof Virender had told the TV channel that they had spoken to each other and the audio clip contained their voices.

The chargesheet alleged that being the political adviser of Hooda, Prof Virender had plotted the violence to gain political mileage.

Chat aired on TV

A TV channel had aired an audio clip on February 21, 2016, in which Prof Virender and Capt Man Singh Dalal (retd), spokesperson of Dalal Khap Chaurasi, could be heard having a conversation. Prof Virender was heard saying the protests were doing well in the Deswali belt but in Sirsa, despite promise of support by the INLD, not even an ant is stoppedpardeepdhull@gmail.com

LOS ANGELES: Exposure to flower pesticide may increase blood pressure in children and put them at the risk of hypertension, a study has found.

Researchers at University of California San Diego in the US found a link between higher blood pressure and pesticide exposures in childrenespecially heightened pesticide spraying period around the Mothers Day flower harvest, a holiday with one of the highest sales of flowers.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Research, involved boys and girls living near flower crops in Ecuador.

According to the researchers, Ecuador is among the largest commercial flower growers in the world, with significant rose exports to North America, Europe and Asia.

Commercial rose production relies on the use of insecticides, fungicides and other pest controls, but little is known about their human health effects.

These findings are noteworthy in that this is the first study to describe that pesticide spray seasons not only can increase the exposure to pesticides of children living near agriculture, but can increase their blood pressures and overall risk for hypertension, said Jose R Suarez, an assistant professor at UC San Diego.

The team assessed 313 boys and girls, ages four to nine, residing in floricultural communities in Ecuador. The children were examined up to 100 days after the Mothers Day harvest.

We observed that children examined sooner after the Mothers Day harvest had higher pesticide exposures and higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures compared to children examined later, said Suarez.

In addition, children who were examined within 81 days after the harvest were three times more likely to have hypertension than children examined between 91 and 100 days, he said.

Research regarding the effects of pesticides on the cardiovascular system is limited, but Suarez said there is some evidence that insecticides, such as organophosphates, can increase blood pressure.

Organophosphates and several other classes of insecticides and fungicides are commonly used to treat flowers for pests before export.

In a previous study, researchers had reported that children examined sooner after the harvest displayed lower performances in tasks of attention, self-control, visuospatial processing and sensorimotor than children examined later.

These new findings build upon a growing number of studies describing that pesticide spray seasons may be affecting the development of children living near agricultural spray sites, said Suarez.

They highlight the importance of reducing the exposures to pesticides of children and families living near agriculture, he added. PTIpardeepdhull@gmail.com

Shimla, May 25

A trekker died, another sustained injuries while four went missing in Himachal Pradeshs Kinnaur district, an official said on Saturday.

The deceased trekker had been identified as Roopak from Kolkata, Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Gopal Chand said. He died reportedly due to breathing issues at a high altitude.

Efforts are under way to locate the missing trekkers.

The help of an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter and a team of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) were being taken to trace them, the DC added.

Two teams of trekkersseven from Rohru in Shimla and four from Uttarakhandhad gone towards Kinnaur-Kalpa, SDM Surendra Thakur said.

The four-member team from Uttarakhand is missing. They were feared to be stuck at Ropin Pass, the SDM added.

All trekkers were from West Bengal.

Roopak was part of the seven-member team, which was going towards Barua Pass through the Janglik area.

Another trekker from the team sustained injuries during the expedition. He was airlifted to a Sangla hospital, where he was given first aid. Later, he was shifted to Chandigarh.

As per information, four members of the Rohru team experienced breathing issues and decided to return, whereas three of them reached the Barua Kande camp in Shagode area.

Later, one of them (Roopak) died and the other sustained injuries. The third trekker is reported to be safe.

Those who returned due to breathing issues informed the Rohru administration about the entire incident.

The Rohru administration informed the Sangla Tehsildar about it.

Subsequently, an IAF helicopter and a rescue team of the ITBP were sent to the Barua hills, where they located the three trekkers.

The body of the deceased trekker is being brought back by Sangla Police. PTIuttara@tribuneindia.com

Shimla, May 25

Two injured trekkers from a seven-member team from West Bengal were airlifted to safety from the high mountains of Himachal Pradesh by the Indian Air Force on Saturday while four others were rescued on foot.

One trekker Jevaasheesh Mehtu from Kolkata died on the spot.

The district administration was informed that the group of seven trekkers, who were moving from Rohru in Shimla district to Brua area in Sangla valley, was stranded in Manirang area in Kinnaur district.

Trekker Rupam Ghosh was in a critical condition while another was airlifted.

Deputy Commissioner Gopal Chand told IANS that a ground rescue team, comprising of police and Home Guard personnel, was deployed for the rescue operation.

He said since the airlifting of the critically injured trekker was required on priority, the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Sarsawa in Uttar Pradesh was requested to carry out the rescue operation.

An IAF chopper landed at Kuppa helipad and rescued both the injured trekkers.

The official said another group of 13 trekkers was stranded in Sangla area. Eight of them reached Sangla safely while five were rescued by the district administration's quick response team.  IANSrchopra@tribunemail.com

Srinagar, May 25

Curfew continued in parts of Kashmir for a second day on Saturday following killing of Zakir Musa, the so-called chief of an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group, in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district on Friday.

Officials said the curbs on the movement of people were in force in parts of Srinagar, and Kulgam and Pulwama towns.

Schools and colleges remained shut while the mobile internet continued to be suspended across the valley. Trains on the Baramulla-Banihal line remained off the tracks, the officials said.

Curfew continued to remain imposed in parts of the Kashmir Valley on Saturday as a precautionary measure, they said.

In Srinagar, the officials said strict restrictions were in place in Nowhatta, Rainawari, Khanyar, Safakadal and MR Gunj police station areas, while partial restrictions were in force in Maisuma and Kralkhud areas.

The officials said security forces had been deployed in strength in other parts of the Valley to avoid any untoward incident.

Musa, the so-called head of the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, was killed in the encounter at Dadsara village of Tral in south Kashmirs Pulwama district on Friday after security forces launched a search operation on Thursday evening following specific information about the presence of militants there.

The officials said efforts were made to make Musa surrender, but the request fell on deaf ears and he lobbed grenades on the forces using a launcher, triggering a gunfight in which Musa was killed in the early hours of Friday.

His killing led to spontaneous shutdown and protests in the Valley.

Meanwhile, most of the shops, petrol pumps and other business establishments remained shut in the Valley due to a strike called by hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani against the killing of Musa and civilian Zahoor Ahmad, a resident of Naira Pulwamawho was killed by unidentified gunmen on Thursday, the officials said.

They said public transport was off the roads, but a few private cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying. PTIeditorial@tribune.com

Arun Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 24

After months of manhunt, security forces were able to eliminate Zakir Musa, a dreadful militant of the Al-Qaeda in Kashmir, on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. This underlined the rapid speed with which anti-militancy operations appear to be heading toward their logical conclusion.

The speed with which the security forces have dominated the landscape in Kashmir by uprooting a series of hubs of militancy is all set to be accelerated further in the coming days for the security forces have been getting uninterrupted flow of information about the whereabouts and movements of the militants.

There is an overflow of information, said a senior officer, adding that credible inputs had been coming from people from all over.

Musa represented two cults  one which had gained an aura of invincibility as he had escaped a series of cordon and search operations, but more worrisome was his invocation of the Islamic State ideology of setting up of a Caliphate in Kashmir.

Given the emerging scenario in Indias neighbourhood, particularly the Easter suicide bombings in Sri Lanka on April 21, and deepening of the Islamic State footprints in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Musas presence represented the threat becoming larger and more dangerous in Kashmir.

In military terms, the security forces have analysed his killing in Daesar, Tral in Pulwama, as a major setback to the militancy and a great success for themselves, but is more than that  the intensified anti-militancy operations have delivered a clear message that nothing short of the elimination of all militants would make the security forces to halt their mission. The other option before them is to surrender. Musa, too, was given an offer to surrender but he didnt.

The security forces mission gained a new urgency and sanctity following the February 14 Pulwama terror attack in which at least 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

The Narendra Modi government that has been mandated to govern the country now with a larger support than the one it got in 2014, is living up to its word of having given free hand to the security forces to deal with the menace of terrorism, whether sponsored by Pakistan or home grown. Both threats are real.

Early this week, Northern Command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh while applauding the success of the security forces in eliminating 86 militants had also underlined a concern of 40 local youth having joined the militancy. This was his assessment. There is another fact as well. There has been a silent recruitment of the local youth into the ranks of militant groups.

They come on radar only after the acts of terror are committed . The example of Adil Ahmad Dar, the suicide bomber who rammed his van into the CRPF convoy in Lethpora, Pulwama, is cited to substantiate the point. He came on the radar only after he had blown up himself and killed CRPF personnel.

Now, the Musas killing in an encounter in Tral, brings forth two major points. First, that the militants are losing their leadership  it was pointedly mentioned by Lt Gen KJS Dhillon in one of his press conferences that no one from the Jaish-e-Mohammad was coming forward to take up the leadership of the group, such was the impact of the anti-militancy operations in Kashmir.

The Jaish-e-Mohammad has suffered most of the losses of its leaders and cadre after Pulwama.

Second, this is likely to ease the fears of people who are scared because of the hovering presence of the militants, especially the likes of Musa who would always hurl a series of threats through audio-visual media, and who also would not spare the separatist leadership of the consequences if they continued to pursue their Kashmir, a political issue, theme.

Geelani pays homage

Separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, who competed against Zakir Musa and his jihadist ideology for years, on Friday described the slain militant commander as a real hero. In a brief statement issued after his killing in a night-long gunfight, Geelani said Musa was a renowned commander. The homage to Musa is in contrast to Geelanis competition against the militant commander as the duo had sharp ideological divide. While Musa propagated an Islamist agenda and also challenged Pakistans control of militancy, Geelani and his group often questioned the militant commanders credentials.laxmi@tribune.com

Sabauda (Italy), May 24

Indian migrants working near Rome say Italys far-right politicians may talk about curbing immigration, but the European nation cannot manage without their cheap labour. Politicians in order to win votes keep saying things like We Italians, Italians first, Our people, said Gurmukh Singh, 47, head of the Indian Community Association.

If our people go away, if everyone goes back to India, can the Italians work in these fields for 4 euros, 3.50 or 2.90 euros? he asks.

The far-right League, led by Deputy PM Matteo Salvini, is expected to emerge as Italys leading party in Sundays European parliamentary elections, campaigning under the Italy first slogan. Salvini has promised to deport more illegal migrants from Italy. He has often blamed immigrants for crime.

Rights groups accuse Salvini of fanning racism and intolerance. They question threats to enact mass deportations, saying he has not done so during his first 12 months in office.

As many as 30,000 Indians, mostly Sikhs from Punjab, live in the Pontine Marshes region, where agriculture expanded after the area was drained in the 1930s. Some of the workers do not have official documentation.

Many cycle long distances from cramped accommodations to pick fruit and vegetables for up to 13 hours a day, earning $3.30-$5.50 an hour, well below the minimum wage. An activist says he hopes the anti-migrant sentiment will wane.  ReutersROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

New Delhi, May 24

When protests on the citizenship Bill erupted in North-East India earlier this year, many believed it had spoiled the BJPs chances in the region for the Lok Sabha polls.

Yet, the saffron party and its allies walked away with 18 of the 25 seats up for grabs in the north-eastern states, successfully weathering the storm of unrest that rocked most parts of Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.

The Congress was restricted to just four seats, while its allies bagged two. One constituency was won by an Independent candidate.

When protests broke out against the Centres plan to bring the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016  dubbed to be against the interest of the indigenous people of the region  many political commentators believed that it would mar BJPs chances in the elections in the North-East.

The Bill had proposed to give citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis from Muslim-majority Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Proving naysayers wrong, BJP and its allies gained majorly, especially in Assam where 14 seats were up for grabs. BJP won nine seats in the state. In 2014, the saffron party had won seven seats.

On the other hand, the Congress won three seats, the same as in 2014. Its ally AIUDF won one seat, down from three in 2014.  PTIpardeepdhull@gmail.com

Berhampur, May 25

Congress candidate from Aska Assembly seat in Odishas Ganjam district, Manoj Jena who was shot by unknown miscreants three days ago succumbed to injuries during treatment, the police said on Saturday.

At least four motorcycle-borne miscreants fired at the 37-year-old Congress leader in Lanjipalli area under Baidyanathpur police station limits in Ganjam district on Wednesday evening.

After firing, the miscreants had slit the throat of Jena, the police said.

Jena was admitted at MKCG Medical College and Hospital here and then shifted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar, but he succumbed to his injuries on Friday, the police said.

The incident happened when Jena was going to his village Nuagaon for preparation of counting of votes, a police officer said.

Meanwhile, the police seized a revolver and a motorcycle, suspected to have been used by the assailants, near Golantara road, he said.

Jena contested for the first time from the Aska Assembly seat on Congress ticket. He lost the election to BJD candidate Manjula Swain. PTIrchopra@tribunemail.com

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 25

Congress Working Committee unanimously refused to accept Congress president Rahul Gandhi's resignation over the party's loss in the general elections, a party spokesperson said on Saturday.

The meeting deliberated on the reasons behind the Congress's defeat in the elections for four long hours with various leaders urging Rahul Gandhi to continue to provide leadership to the party.

"Congress President Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress President for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times," said the resolution passed by CWC.

The CWC called upon the Rahul Gandhi to lead the party in its ideological battle and to champion the cause of India's youth, the farmers, the SC, ST, OBCs, the minorities, the poor and the deprived sections, it said.

The party ended up with 52 seats in the general electionsonly eight more that it won in 2014.

The Congress Working Committee met here for four hours to introspect over the Lok Sabha 2019 poll loss and passed a unanimous resolution authorising Congress president Rahul Gandhi to restructure the party at all levels to revive it to fulfil the aspirations of people.



The Congress denied the offer of resignation by Gandhi, with top CWC sources indicating to The Tribune that the committee passed a resolution tasking Gandhi to restructure the party even before he began addressing the meeting.



This resolution was moved by former leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and unanimously passed by the CWC. In a sense, therefore, the CWC preempted any move by Gandhi to make an offer of resignation.



Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his remarks suggested constitution of a committee to go into causes of loss and suggest corrective measures quite on the lines of the AK Antony Committee set up after the 2014 loss of the Congress.



Rahul Gandhi in his address said the battle was no longer of ideologies but of ideas, which the BJP invented speedily.



Gandhi admitted the Congress narrative was not accepted by the people and said the party would have to look at the New India and acknowledge that the aspirational India needed new narratives.



Gandhi said the BJP changed its election time ideas fast to gain poll advantage, something the Congress would need to see.



Its learnt that several leaders raised concerns at the meeting of EVM tampering with both Ahmed Patel and Ghulam Nabi Azad speaking about the issue.



Azad is learnt to have said in the meeting, We lost to EVMs and not to the BJP.



Many leaders, however, sought to deflect the EVM issue, with Jyotiraditya Scindia saying the Congress must accept its defeat and introspect.



Punjab CM Amarinder Singh also spoke of EVMs and said why cant the machines be replaced with paper ballots when most advanced countries have done so.



A committee to go into causes of losses may soon be formed.



In 2014, then president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi had offered their resignations which the CWC rejected. Even in 2014, the CWC resolution had authorised Sonia Gandhi to restructure the party at all levels.



Todays CWC said almost the same thing. With PTI inputsROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 24

Though the Congress top brass reacted with shock to BJPs resounding win on Thursday, some party veterans were unsurprised.

I am not surprised, said Janardan Dwivedi, former Congress general secretary in charge of organisation.

Dwivedi, who worked with four Congress presidents  Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi  before stepping aside in 2018, didnt elaborate but his message was loud and clear.

For months now, Congress veterans have been privately ruing about how Rahuls Rafale campaign against PM Narendra Modi was simply not sticking. We wasted too much time trying to make Rafale an issue. That didnt happen, said a Congress insider, referring to how Gandhi made Rafale a personal issue.

Sources say Rahul saw Rafale as an equivalent to Bofors and thought he could use it to attack the BJP which backed late VP Singhs anti-Rajiv Gandhi campaign those days. We could not get our narrative right. We have to understand that elections are about emotions in the given moment. The one who captures the emotions wins, a party veteran says, adding that the 2019 loss would be squarely attributed to Rahul and his sister and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who were national star campaigners.

Though until late 2018 it appeared that the Congress, riding on its Hindi heartland wins in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, would challenge Modi in the LS election, the post-Pulwama attack events turned everything around.

Congress strategy of questioning the impact of IAF strikes in Balakot backfired, insiders say. Bad optics of Punjab minister Navjot Sidhu hugging Pakistan Army chief damaged partys prospects like Rahul aide Sam Pitrodas did we really attack comment on airstrikes.

Leaders speak of how Punjab CM Amarinder Singh successfully tackled PMs Balakot narrative and deflected it, with Congress posting good gains in LS polls in the state.

Rahuls pet anti-poverty promise of Nyay did not resonate in the ground because by the time it was announced the first installment of Rs 2,000 under PM Kisan Nidhi Yojana had already reached the bank accounts of most farmers.

The ultimate damage, though, most Congress veterans believe, was done by Gandhis chowkidar chor hai slogan for Modi, who the voters saw as incorruptible.

Whatever messaging the Congress had did not percolate down to the grassroots in the absence of booth-level strength. Haryana leaders point to how the party which drew a blank in the state went into polls without block or district-level committees.

Modis presidential style campaign worked as he sought votes in his own name, while Rahul and Priyanka were seen as dynasts who failed to capture the popular imagination. A former UPA minister said the way forward was a collective leadership. Indira Gandhi drew her power from the fact that she was the sole vote-catcher for Congress. Thats no longer the case with the high command. Regional leaders will emerge stronger and the leadership will have to respect them, a Congress source said.

In hindsight, Congress insiders also feel the party should have been clear about what it wanted to achieve  defeat Modi or expand Congress footprint. We did not have alliances in UP or Delhi hoping to expand our own base. Neither did we stop Modi nor did we expand our footprint. Ours was an investment with no returns, a senior Congress man said.

What went wrongROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

New Delhi, May 24

Registering its worst poll performance in over six decades, the Left Front was virtually wiped off its bastions with the Lok Sabha poll results showing it managed just five seats across the country.

On its erstwhile turf in West Bengal, where it failed to win even one seat, its vote share reduced to a paltry 7 per cent from 23 per cent in 2014. And in Kerala, where it managed only one seat, its vote share was around 32 per cent.

In the eastern state, it was a debacle wherein all but one Left-wing party candidates lost their security deposits.

This was also the first time since 1952 that the Left Front did not end up with double digits in the General Election. Till now, while it had put up its most dismal show in 2014, winning only 12 seats  12 less than what it had won in 2009  its highest ever tally of 59 seats had come in 2004.

Once a Left stronghold, the CPI(M) has one seat in Kerala  Alappuzha. Another Left party, the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), has won the Kollam seat in Kerala, but it is a part of the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the southern state.

In West Bengal, a state ruled by the Left for 34 uninterrupted years, it has drawn a blank, while it had won two seats in the state in 2014. The Left Front, comprising the Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI (Marxist-Leninist), the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), CPI (Marxist) and the RSP, enjoyed its golden period in politics in the 1990s and early 2000s.

It had governments in three states during this period and held around 55-60 seats in Parliament. It played the role of kingmaker for the Third Front governments during 1996-98 by joining a 13-party coalition and for the Congress-led UPA in 2004.  PTI

The political ideology of the Left still has relevance, but it is not in tune with electoral politics. We need to do serious introspection, rework strategies, reorganise and reconnect with the masses. D Raja , CPI leaderlaxmi@tribune.com

New Delhi, May 24

The Union Cabinet today passed a resolution recommending dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha as the Union Council of Ministers tendered collective resignation.

Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Ram Nath Kovind and tendered the resignation.

The President has accepted the resignation and requested Modi and the Council of Ministers to continue till the new government assumes office, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

In a separate meeting of the Council of Ministers, where the PM was not present, the members passed a resolution praising the leadership of Modi and the work done in the past five years. The Modi government had taken oath on May 26, 2014.

The President is expected to dissolve the present Lok Sabha anytime now as its term ends on June 3.

The process to form a new House will be initiated when the CEC and Election Commissioners meet the President in the next few days to hand over the list of newly-elected members. The BJP MPs are expected to meet tomorrow to formally elect Modi as their leader.  TNSrchopra@tribunemail.com

Guizhou, May 25

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a lot of efforts to enhance Indias economy and improve peoples livelihood in the last five years, a senior official of the ruling Communist party has said.

Mu Degui, a member of the standing committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Guizhou Provincial Committee, said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, governance in India had improved.

India and China share long-time friendly relations, he told PTI here.

Asked about his reaction to Modis victory in the 2019 general election, Mu praised him and his efforts.

Mu, who is also the Director General of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Publicity Department, said: We have noticed that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over the office, he has made a lot of efforts to enhance Indias economy and improve peoples livelihood and governance.

China on Friday said it attached high importance to its bilateral relations with India and is keen to work with Prime Minister Modi to deepen the political trust and mutual cooperation for closer partnership.

President Xi Jinping on Thursday skipped protocol and congratulated Modi even before the formal declaration of the poll result.

In a first back-to-back majority in the Lok Sabha polls for a single party in over three decades, the Modi-led BJP won 303 seats out of 542 in the Lok Sabha polls, handing out a crushing defeat to the Congress and many other political opponents. PTIpardeepdhull@gmail.com

New Delhi, May 25

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday evening to stake a claim to form the new government, sources said.

The Prime Minister is likely to call on the President around 8 pm and before that, leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would meet Kovind around 7 pm, the sources said.

The NDA returned to power with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections, with the BJP alone bagging 303 of total 542 seats contested. Elections were held in 542 of the 543 seats. The election in Vellore Lok Sabha seat was cancelled by the EC citing abuse of money power.

Asked whether foreign dignitaries would be invited to the swearing-in ceremony, the sources said, As of now there is no such information. We will share the details once a decision is taken.

Modi had invited the Heads of the SAARC nations to his swearing-in ceremony as Prime Minister in 2014.

Meanwhile, the full Election Commission on Saturday called on President Kovind and handed over the list of 542 newly-elected members of the Lok Sabha that will enable him to initiate the formal process of new government formation. PTItraineesubeditor@tribuneindia.com

Seoni, May 25

Suspected cow vigilantes allegedly thrashed two persons in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni with sticks, accusing them of carrying beef, following which five accused have been arrested, police said Saturday.

The group of five 'gau rakshaks' also allegedly forced one of the victims to beat up a woman accompanying them with chappals, a police officer said.

Police also said that the three people who were beaten up have been arrested as possession and sale of beef is illegal in Madhya Pradesh.

In a purported video clip of the incident, which has been widely circulated on social media, the five accused can be seen beating up the two men. Later, they also forced one of the men to beat up the woman accompanying them.

The attackers also forced the three persons to raise slogans of 'Jai Shree Ram', as seen in the video.

According to police, the incident occurred on May 22 on Mandla Road in Kanhiwada area under Dunda Seoni police station limits.

Seoni SSP Lalit Shakyawar said an FIR has been registered against the five persons under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Dunda Seoni police station, and all of them have been arrested.

Dunda Seoni police station incharge GS Uike said the three persons who were beaten up have been arrested for allegedly carrying beef as its possession and sale is banned in the state.

Uike said none of the victims sustained any serious injuries in the attack.

"The accused persons shot videos of thrashing. Police reached the spot after the incident and brought the trio along with the meat they were carrying to the police station," he said.

One of the accused uploaded the video on social media on May 23, but later withdrew it following a sharp reaction from various quarters, he said.

However, police took cognisance of the clip and traced the accused persons.

Meanwhile, the SP said police seized 140 kg red meat, suspected to be beef, from the trio. Police also seized a three-wheeler and a scooter from them. PTIeditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Badal (Muktsar), May 24

The Badals looked satisfied with the LS election results as the SAD and BJP got two seats each in the state. They said CM Amarinder Singh should now resign as his Mission-13 failed in the state.

In an exclusive interaction with The Tribune at his Badal village residence after the election results on Thursday, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said, Amarinder should now resign as his Mission-13 has failed and that too when the party candidates used muscle power and state machinery in the polls. Even people have rejected state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, who faced a defeat with the margin of nearly one lakh votes. People have voted for strong government to be led by Narendra Modi and rejected Rahul Gandhi.

Sukhbir said the Congress was just like a company running in loss. I dont think the Congress will survive for even next five years. The party is winding up, he said.

On his future plans as an MP, return to the Lok Sabha after 15 years, he said, I have now been elected as an MP, but it doesnt mean I have left the state politics. Being the SAD chief, it is my responsibility to strengthen the party in Punjab and other states. I am here, will stay here in the state.

Meanwhile, SAD workers started a discussion that it meant Harsimrat would again become a Union Minister and Sukhbir would work for the party in the state as an MP, party chief.

Harsimrat Kaur said it was a Modi wave that NDA got a large number of seats in the country. People voted for Modi Sahibs development agenda and the works done in the past. On the other hand, AICC chief Rahul Gandhi lost his own seat from Amethi, which shows the public has no trust left in the Congress. Even Capt Amarinder Singh failed in his Mission-13. He kept focusing on his wifes Patiala seat, whereas we both were contesting elections and won.

She added, I want that Sukhbir should become a Union minister as he has won with a huge margin.uttara@tribuneindia.com

Ravi S.Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 25

Jalandhar Diocese priest Antony Madassery, has been given the Mahatma Gandhi Leadership Award by International NRI Congress, UK, for his contributions in the field of social development and women empowerment in the state of Punjab.

The award was handed to Antony Madassery by British parliamentarian Preet Kaur Gill in the capacity of representative of House of Commons, this week. The International NRI Congress is a non-government organisation with its head-quarters in London.

The award consisted of a certificate and a medal.

Madassery was among 34 awardees from across the world for his contributions to the society in various aspects of life rendered in the past 10 years.

Madassery said he dedicates the award to the services rendered by the Diocese of Jalandhar.

I am very happy. The Church will further intensify its services to the people, he said.editorial@tribune.com

Amritsar: A Pakistani intruder was held by the BSF when he tried to sneak into India in the Daoke border outpost area. He was identified as Imram Shahid of Gujran district in Pakistan. Varindra Vikram Gautam, Company Commander, 138 Battalion, BSF, said on Thursday when he along with his party was patrolling the area, they found a Pakistani national sneaking into the Indian side of the border. He was nabbed by BSF jawans. tns

10 booked for submitting fake documents

Ferozepur: The Ferozepur police have booked 10 aspirants belonging to Haryana for submitting fake documents for getting selected in the Army. Sub-Inspector Mohinder Singh said all accused belonged to Haryana, but they had produced fake documents to show themselves as the residents of Punjab. oc

Two booked for sanchis desecration

Fazilka: Two persons have been booked for the desecration of sanchis of Guru Granth Sahib in Fazilka village. The complainant, Joginder Singh of Pakkan village, said he was reciting sanchis on Thursday when his son Jagmeet allegedly under the influence of drugs thrashed him. He also threw the sanchis in the hearth. When Joginder tried to save the sanchis from being burnt, Jagmeet again thrashed him. Joginder alleged that Jagmeet committed the crime in connivance with Ranjit Singh. oc

Youths death: Kin block Muktsar-Malout road

Muktsar: The relatives of an 18-year-old youth of Goneana village near here, who had died under mysterious circumstances on May 19, blocked the Muktsar-Malout road on Friday seeking a probe into the death. Earlier too, they had lodged a protest in the village. Jaspreet Singh 'Jassa', a tailor, was found dead at his house. His family had cremated him within an hour of his death that day. The police have detained two persons, including a woman. tnslaxmi@tribune.com

Aditi Tandon & Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi/Chandigarh, May 24

With the Lok Sabha election results out, the Punjab Congress is all set to initiate action against minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for his friendly match jibe at Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh while campaigning in Bathinda.

The Chief Ministers Office (CMO) is preparing a dossier on the functioning of the Local Bodies Department headed by Sidhu. Capt Amarinder, who has already hinted at changing Sidhus portfolio, would be in Delhi tomorrow to attend Congress Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting where he will raise the issue.

Sources said the Congress would look into the matter after a stock-taking of the partys poll performance.

Sources said the CM would cite Sidhus inability to handle the department leading to the partys poor performance in urban areas as the reason for his decision to divest Sidhu of his portfolio. Several MLAs have been complaining of the slow pace of works undertaken by the department.

Theres been no word from Sidhu on the matter, but his wife Dr Navjot Kaur told a TV channel that they were ready with a report card. She claimed it was owing to Sidhus rallies that the victory margin of Harsimrat Badal from Bathinda had come down drastically and saved the Congress of the ignominy of a crushing defeat.

Capt Amarinder, Congress sources say, cannot be ignored when he seeks punitive action against Sidhu because Punjab, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are the only face-savers for the Congress. Sidhu is believed to be close to AICC president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Something will have to be done, said a top source. Some leaders feel Sidhu should quit on his own.

The CMO, it is learnt, has drafted a dossier listing the partys poor show in urban Assembly segments. Among the seats where the Punjab Congress believes better performance of Sidhu as Local Bodies Minister could have helped are Amritsar East, which Sidhu represents in the Assembly, and Bathinda-Urban. Although in Delhi, Sidhu was incommunicado with AICC in-charge of Punjab Asha Kumari unaware of his whereabouts.

60 seats, 7 wins: Star appeal questioned

Navjot Sidhus star appeal is being questioned. Addressed rallies in 60 constituencies but only 7 candidates won

Addressed rallies in Haryana, UP, HP, Bihar, MP and Delhi, and in Bathinda where Raja Warring lost to Harsimrat

Accompanied Priyanka Gandhi during a roadshow in Gurdaspur where Sunil Jakhar was defeated

Twitterati remind Sidhu of his vow to quit politics if Rahul Gandhi lost in Amethi

Explain victory in Patiala: Dr Navjot

If poor functioning of the department is why Congress candidates trailed in urban areas, how come the party won in Patiala? Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, former MLAeditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 24

The Amritsar police and the Counter-Intelligence Wing of the Jalandhar police on Thursday arrested a former Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) activist Kulwant Singh, alias Kanta Valaitiya, wanted in many criminal cases registered during the militancy period and thereafter. He was produced in a local court here today for police remand.

He was arrested from Jagraon in Jalandhar in connection with the seizure of contraband in the Chheharta area here. He has been evading arrest after jumping parole, said Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigations), during a press conference today. He said Valaitiya was arrested in connection with the seizure of 720 gm narcotics and two pistols in 2013. He was declared a proclaimed offender by the court in 2017.

Bhullar said Valaitiya was an associate of former KCF chief Labh Singh. He said during militancy period he had shifted to Germany in 1990 and from there he went to England in 1994. He returned to India in 2007.

He said many of his accomplices had died while his another accomplice Sarabjit Singh was still living in Germany and Harjap Singh was living in Canada. He said another accomplice Jewan Singh of Ghanupur Kale here was still absconding and raids were on to nab him.

He said Valaitiya was wanted in 17 cases of murder, snatchings and dacoity.

Harkamal Singh Khakh, AIG, Counter-Intelligence, said during his preliminary interrogation, he revealed that he was a close associate of KCF terrorists Balwinder Singh and Manak Rai and had actively participated in extremist activities along with them during 1988-89.shriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com

ROME

Italian archaeologists have unearthed a white marble head, possibly of a goddess, dating back to the Imperial Age, the Superintendence of Cultural and Archaeological Heritage of Rome announced on Friday.

"We have just discovered this beautiful head at the Via Alessandrina dig...truly a great emotion!" the Superintendence tweeted, along with photos of the sculpturea graceful, larger than life size head with an oval face framed by wavy hair, the Xinhua news agency reported.

A 2 member team of @ASIGoI comprising of Dr Urmila Sant and PS Sriraman visited US following a communication from office of Consulate General of India in NY, have found close to 100 antique objects, including idols dating to Gupta period & terracotta objects of Harappan culture. pic.twitter.com/MV1cuHQgNi  Archaeological Survey of India (@ASIGoI) 9 May 2019

The Via Alessandrina was a 400-meter road built by a 16th-century cardinal, who named it after his birthplace, the northern city of Alessandria. A neighbourhood developed around this road, which was demolished during the Fascist regime in the 1920s to make way for what it known today as the Via dei Fori Imperiali (Imperial Forums Road).

The Via Alessandrina area is now a part of the Imperial Forums. It lies between the Forums of Augustus, Nerva, and Trajan, and is one of the active dig sites of the Superintendence of Cultural and Archaeological Heritage of Rome.

"Rome surprises us and offers us emotions every day," Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi wrote on Facebook, posting more photos of the sculpture.

"This morning, archaeologists from the cultural heritage superintendence, whom I thank, have discovered...a white marble head dating back to the Imperial Age, in excellent condition. It could represent a goddess...it's marvelous."

In an interview with RAI public broadcaster, Rome Archaeological Museums Director Claudio Parisi Presicce said the find "surprised us because the head was discovered within a wall that did not have great value in itself, but which shows how historical phases succeeded each other on top of the Imperial Age monuments."

The layers of construction that followed each other through different times in history "conserved within them the monumental heritage that belongs to the best era of Roman art," said Parisi Presicce in reference to the Imperial Age of ancient Rome (27 BC-476 AD).

This is why the head discovered was in such good shape, the Director explained.

Parisi Presicce added that the sculpture has been taken to the Imperial Forums Museum, where conservation experts will intervene with "a rapid restoration" before putting it on display for the public to enjoy.  IANSsinghking99@yahoo.com

The Hurun Research Institute, better known for compiling Chinas Rich List, released its first-ever India Art List 2019 last week. It gave the ranking of top 50 artists alive by the valuation of their work sold in the auction houses from April 2018 to March 2019. UK-based Anish Kapoor topped the list with total realised sale of Rs 168.25 crore, followed by Akbar Padamsee and Krishen Khanna.

Kapoor (65) is known for using granite, marble, limestone and plaster to make geometric structures. He is the only artist to own the exclusive right to use the blackest black pigment in the world developed by Vantablack.

Akbar Padamsee (90) took the second spot. His works were sold for a total estimated value of Rs 45.84 crore. With 38 works sold last year, Padamsee has exhibited his works in several solo exhibitions, including Past Forward, Priyasri Art Gallery, Mumbai, in 2013 and Metascape to Humanscape at Aicon Gallery, New York, and Palo Alto.

With the total sale of Rs 9.48 crore, modernist painter Krishen Khanna (93) is at the third spot. Forty four of his works sold in the past year. His most valued work is his contribution to Tash ke Patte (Deck of Cards), which had collectively made $365mn in 2017.

Jogen Chowdhury (80) comes fourth supported by a sale value of over Rs 7.78 crore for his works. Paris-educated Chaudhary returned to India with a bespoke style in contemporary art. His better-known paintings are in oil, ink, water-colour, and pastel. Thirty five lots of his works were successfully auctioned last year. One of his most valued work of art titled Situation X, was sold for Rs 2.70 crore at Saffronart online auction in 2006.

New Delhi-based artist and sculptor Subodh Gupta (54) takes the fifth place; 7 of his works sold through auction fetched cumulative successful bids worth Rs 6.55 crore. His art incorporates around every day Indian household objects themed to celebrate the lifestyle of the middle-class India. Guptas most famous work is the Line of Control.

Interestingly, Padamsee is the most expensive Indian artist in 2019  one of his works was auctioned for Rs 11.70 crore. He is closely followed by Anish Kapoor whose work sold for Rs 9.31 crore.

Anish Kapoor, by far, takes the number one spot for the most sought-after artist in the list. 102 lots of his works were auctioned during last year  this twice more than the second most sought after artist, Krishen Khanna, whose 44 works were sold in 2019. Of the total 605 works of art sold, Kapoors work contributes 102, or 17 per cent. After a wide margin, Krishen Khanna and Sakti Burman follow with close to 7 per cent each.  TNS

Where they live

While West Bengal is the origin of the majority of the artists in the list, New Delhi is the preferred city to pursue their careers. Next is Maharashtra that is abode to all artists in the list from the state. In Gujarat, Vadodara is the preferred city. Outside of India, most artists on the list chose France as their country of residence. The UK and the US are also preferred.singhking99@yahoo.com

Neha Kirpal

One of the most notable among the new generation of sculptors, KS Radhakrishnan is certainly among the most significant. His sculptural talents were acknowledged at a very young age when he was awarded the National Scholarship offered by the Government of India in 1978. Ever since, the artist has had more than 15 solo shows and numerous group shows across the country and abroad. And he credits all his success to his education at the Kala Bhavana in Shantiniketan where he first went to study as an 18-year-old.

Radhakrishnan nostalgically remembers his days in Shantiniketan. What inspired him most on campus were the monumental, open-air sculptures in cement, concrete and clay by the great master, Ramkinkar Baij, who was living and working in Shantiniketan at the time. Another of Radhakrishnans strong influences at the institute was Professor Sarbari Roy Chowdhury, who made sculptures cast in bronze. It is probably for this reason that he prefers modeling and bronze casting over new materials. He believes that an artist does not need to work with modern material to be a modern artist. Experiments do not mean working on different materials, which many modern sculptors today do. Even in a single  maybe traditional material such as stone or bronze  one can do experiments, he explains.

Recently, he curated Baijs retrospective at the National Gallery of Modern Art. Currently, he is involved in curating an exhibition for his alma mater, Kala Bhavana, in Shantiniketan, which is completing 100 years this year. I am planning to do a photographic installation based on 100 years of Kala Bhavana. For the exhibition, I am hunting for images in the archives, shares the artist. The exhibition, which will open in Shanitiniketan in September, is expected to travel to various parts of the country thereafter.

Radhakrishnan is most known for his signature male and female characters, Maiya and Musui. The story behind them goes back to his college days in Shantiniketan too. I came across a boy from Santhal tribe who was standing by the side of the road, asking for bread. Normally, when someone begs for something, they have a pathetic expression on their faces. But this boy was asking me for something with a simple smile on his face, he recalls. Something about the tribal boy, whose name was Musui, made the young artist stop and notice him. He took him to his studio, made him sit down and created his portrait in clay. Radhakrishnan then made a life-size sculpture of his in plaster of Paris.

In 1981, he completed his MFA from Kala Bhavana and was awarded a research grant by the Lalit Kala Akademi, Delhi, to work in Garhi village. He decided to take Musuis head along with him and it became a permanent fixture in his studio. When the ITCs international travel house asked him to create a sculpture based on travel, he took inspiration from the hand-pulled rickshaws of Calcutta. He then made the same young tribal boy pull the rickshaw. Gradually, Musui became a recurring character in all of his sculptures. Over time, the artist felt that any narrative was complete only with a feminine counterpart. He named her Maiya, which means girl in Bengali. In my work, both Musui and Maiya interact within themselves. Since they are inseparable, they take on integrated forms and compositions. Sometimes, I look at them individually as well, he explains.

In 1993, when Radhakrishnan built his current studio in Chattarpur, Delhi, there was not much development around the area. Most people came looking for jobs from the rural belts of Odisha or Tamil Nadu. Through these years, the artist has seen the entire colony coming up right in front of his eyes. Being an artist, his immediate environment naturally influenced his art work. A series of anonymous people, who have no identity of their own, have come here and made a sort of human enclosure, he says. This experience has resulted in Radhakrishnans series of sculptures called Human Box, in which tiny people multiply and come into human enclosures. I sometimes call them Masuis and Maiyas coming from different places. These tiny people sometimes become streams, sometimes breeze and sometimes heat, he adds.harinder@tribunemail.com

HOUSTON (Texas), May 24 (Reuter, AP).Lunar Astronauts Thomas Stafford, Eugene Cernan and John Young sped towards earth today to the strains of the Western song We are going back to Houston. The crew of Americas Apollo-10 spacecraft played a brief recording of eh song after a perfect firing of their main rocket engine ripped them out of lunar orbit. The critical firing occurred behind the moons backside out of radio contact. Mission control Centre in Houston waited for a suspenseful nine minutes before Apollo-10 rounded the edge and flashed down reassuring radio signals. We are returning to earth were the first words from an obviously happy Stafford. Glad to have you on the way back, ground controllers replied. The burn was absolutely beautiful and we have got a fantastic view of the moon now, Stafford called out.pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Caracas, May 25

At least 29 prisoners were killed and 19 policemen injured in clashes at a jail in western Venezuela on Friday, authorities said.

The incident at the police station jail in the town of Acarigua, in Portuguesa state, occurred when police special forces (FAES) tried to stop a massive prison break which resulted in the deaths of 29 inmates, according to Portuguesa public security secretary Oscar Valero.

The prisoners received the officers with a hail of gunfire while detonating three grenades, which injured 19 police, Valero told reporters.

The Una Ventana a la Libertad NGO, which defends prisoner rights, gave a preliminary toll of 25 dead.

NGO director Carlos Nieto said the clashes broke out when the FAES attempted to rescue visitors who had been taken hostage Thursday by the pranthe leader of the inmatesat the jail.

This morning (authorities) sent the FAES and there was a clash. The detainees had weapons, they shot at the police. Apparently they also detonated two grenades, Nieto told AFP.

The inmates leader, Wilfredo Ramos, was one of those killed, according to an internal police report.

The report, quoted by the NGO, said several officers were wounded by shrapnel and explosives. The prisons ministry did not comment on the incident, saying police station jails are not under its control.

A video shared on social media shows an inmatebelieved to be Ramoswith his face partly covered while brandishing a pistol and what appears to be grenades, and threatening two women.

Its our lives (on the line) and those of the visitors here, he says, as a woman pleads for help, while warning the police to stay out because Im prepared to die. Nieto said the inmates were demanding food and to be transferred to prisons, and had denounced police abuses. No information was given about the fate of the hostages.

Violence is a problem in such detention facilities, where inmates are supposed to be held for a maximum of 48 hours, Una Ventana a la Libertad said.

There are around 500 of them in the country, holding 55,000 people even though their total capacity is just 8,000, the NGO added.

The Acarigua jail has capacity for 60 inmates but was holding 500, according to the police report.

These provisional detention centers are not suitable to hold inmates for more than 48 hours, said Nieto.

He said the prison system as a whole is chaotic and blamed the prisons ministry for not fulfilling its functions. Venezuela has one of the worst records for prison violence in the region.

In March 2018, 68 inmates died in a fire at a police jail in the northern city of Valencia.

And in August 2017, a riot at a facility in the southern Amazonas state left 37 prisoners dead.

More than 400 people are believed to have been killed in Venezuelan jails since 2011, while human rights organizations also say they face a lack of food and medicineslike much of the countrywhile the facilities are beset by corruption.

For how long are Venezuelan prisoners in the states hands going to die? said Humberto Prado, director of the Venezuelan Prisoners Observatory NGO, who branded Fridays events a massacre.  AFPpardeepdhull@gmail.com

Dubai, May 25

Iran can sink US warships sent to the Gulf region using missiles and secret weapons, a senior Iranian military official was quoted as saying by the semi-official news agency Mizan on Saturday.

The United States on Friday announced the deployment of 1,500 troops to the Middle East, describing it as an effort to bolster defences against Iran as it accused the countrys Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for this months tanker attacks.

America... is sending two warships to the region. If they commit the slightest stupidity, we will send these ships to the bottom of the sea along with their crew and planes using two missiles or two new secret weapons, General Morteza Qorbani, an adviser to Irans military command, told Mizan.

The US actions were the latest by the Trump administration as it highlights what it sees as a threat of potential attack by Iran, and follows decisions to speed the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group as well as send bombers and additional Patriot missiles to the Middle East.

Western experts say Iran often exaggerates its weapons capabilities, although there are concerns about its missile programme and particularly its long-range ballistic missiles. Reuterspardeepdhull@gmail.com

Zurich/New York, May 25

Swiss drugmaker Novartis on Friday won US approval for its gene therapy Zolgensma for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading genetic cause of death in infants, and priced the one-time treatment at a record $2.125 million.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Zolgensma for children under the age of two with SMA, including those not yet showing symptoms. The approval covers babies with the deadliest form of the inherited disease as well as those with types where debilitating symptoms may set in later.

"This is potentially a new standard of care for babies with the most serious form of SMA," said Dr. Emmanuelle Tiongson, a pediatric neurologist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles who has provided Zolgensma to patients under an expanded access program.

"The job now is trying to negotiate with insurers that this would be a long-term savings."

Novartis executives defended the price, saying that a one-time treatment is more valuable than expensive long-term treatments that cost several hundred thousand dollars a year.

Novartis touched off a debate over what gene therapy is worth last year, estimating its treatment would be cost-effective at up to $5 million per patient. A review in April by an independent US group, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), concluded Novartis' value estimate for Zolgensma was excessive.

But on Friday, ICER said that based on Novartis' additional clinical data, the broad FDA label and its launch price, it believed that the drug fell within the upper bound of its range for cost-effectiveness.

Novartis said it was offering health insurers the option of installment payments for Zolgensma as well as refunds if the treatment does not work and upfront discounts for payers who commit to standardized coverage terms.

Novartis Chief Executive Vas Narasimhan has much riding on Zolgensma, describing it as a near cure for SMA if delivered soon after birth. But data proving its durability extends to only about five years. The therapy uses a virus to provide a normal copy of the SMN1 gene to babies born with a defective gene. It is delivered by infusion.

A rival to Biogen

Novartis is expecting European and Japanese approval later this year. Zolgensma will compete with Biogen Inc's Spinraza, the first approved treatment for SMA.

The disease often leads to paralysis, breathing difficulty and death within months for babies born with the most serious Type I form. SMA affects about one in every 10,000 live births, with 50 percent to 70 percent having Type I disease.

Spinraza, approved in late 2016, requires infusion into the spinal canal every four months. Its list price of $750,000 for the initial year and $375,000 annually thereafter was also deemed excessive by ICER.

Some neurologists see gene therapy becoming the preferred treatment for newborns with severe SMA, while acknowledging that families may choose to wait for long-term safety and efficacy data for Zolgensma. Novartis is looking into whether the death of one severely ill baby treated with Zolgensma was related to the therapy.

"Most families will want to do the gene therapy since it avoids the frequent spinal taps," said Dr. Russell Butterfield of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Butterfield has received payments from Biogen for consulting.

The FDA said it approved Zolgensma based on clinical trials involving 36 patients aged 2 weeks to 8 months. The agency said patients treated with Zolgensma showed significant improvement in developmental motor milestones such as head control and ability to sit up.

The most common side effects of Zolgensma are elevated liver enzymes and vomiting. The FDA is requiring Zolgensma's label to include a warning that acute serious liver injury can occur.

With additional studies underway, Novartis said it has so far treated more than 150 patients with Zolgensma, which was acquired with its $8.7 billion purchase of AveXis last year.

Wall Street analysts have forecast sales of $2 billion by 2022, according to a Refinitiv survey. Spinraza sales hit $1.7 billion last year, and are seen rising to $2.2 billion in 2022.

Roche is developing risdiplam, an oral drug, for the condition and plans to file for approval later this year.

A push for screening

Novartis, Biogen and Roche, as well as patient advocates and neurologists, say babies with SMA who receive treatment before symptoms emerge stand the best chance of near-normal development. They are lobbying to make SMA screening standard for newborns in every market.

"Babies (with SMA) are losing motor neurons from the day they are born, so the ability to treat them as early as possible is the way you get maximum value out of the therapy," David Lennon, who heads Novartis' AveXis unit, said in a recent interview.

Dr. Laurent Servais, a child neurologist in Liege, Belgium, called any delay in implementing newborn SMA screening "completely unethical."

Servais helped oversee a screening pilot program sponsored by the three companies. Southern Belgium is now screening 60,000 newborns annually, half the country's total births. Taiwan has also begun testing babies for SMA.

But widespread adoption has a long way to go. In the United States, only six states have begun active and routine SMA newborn screening since the federal government recommended it in 2018. Patient advocates estimate it could take until 2022 for the testing to be implemented nationwide.

In Europe, it may be even slower.

England recommended against newborn screening in February and will not consider it again before 2021, a spokesman for Public Health England told Reuters. SMA advocates in Germany do not expect action on screening until late 2021.

"It's astonishing," said Inge Schwersenz, of the German Society for Neuromuscular Diseases. "But we can't do anything to speed it up." Reutersuttara@tribuneindia.com

AMMAN, May 25

Turkey has equipped an array of mainstream Syrian rebels it backs with fresh supplies of weaponry to help them try to repel a major Russian-backed assault, senior opposition officials and rebel sources said on Saturday.

Russia is backing the Syrian army's large aerial and ground assault as it seeks to gain control of the last big stretch of rebel-held territory in the northwest of the country.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched the assault last month, saying rebels had breached an existing ceasefire, triggering a civilian exodus by bombarding Idlib and adjacent areas. It has been the biggest escalation since last summer between Assad and his enemies in Idlib province and a belt of territory around it.

Ankara stepped up supplies in recent days after failing to persuade Russia in recent meetings of a joint working group that it should end its escalation to avert a major influx of refugees pouring into Turkey, two senior opposition figures said.

In doing so Turkey signalled its readiness to preserve its influence in northwestern Syria, where it has beefed up its troop presence in a dozen military bases that were set up under a de-escalation deal with Russia, a senior rebel commander said.

Turkish officials were not immediately available for comment.

Overnight, a Turkish military convoy arrived in a base in northern Hama near rebel-held Jabal al Zawiya, where Russian and Syrian jets have been pounding for weeks, a rebel and a witness said.

The delivery of dozens of armoured vehicles, Grad rocket launchers, anti-tank guided missiles and so-called TOW missiles, helped roll back some army gains and retake the strategically located town of Kfar Nabouda, one senior opposition figure said.

A spokesman for the Turkey-backed National Liberation Front (NLF), Captain Naji Mustafa, did not confirm or deny any new supplies by Turkey, saying rebels had long had a big arsenal of weapons from anti-tank to armoured vehicles "alongside material and logistical support by our Turkish brothers".

The retreat from Kfar Nabouda was an upset to a Russian goal of a speedy military campaign to gain another slice of heavily populated Idlib province.

In the last 24 hours, the Syrian army has been sending large troop reinforcements ahead of opening a new front, a source in touch with Syrian army commanders told Reuters.

The Syrian army said on Saturday it continued to intensify its attacks on what it called terrorist hideouts in the northwest.

A Turkey backed-rebel grouping called the National Army which operates in northwestern border areas near Turkey has been allowed to join mainstream rebel factions along the frontlines.

"Large numbers of our fighters have joined with all their weapons to repel the assault," Major Youssef Hamoud, their spokesman, said.

The rebels' readiness to put aside differences that once led to bloody internecine fighting has united jihadists and mainstream rebels for the first time in years. ReutersDuring the meeting, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc conveyed regards of Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong to the King.

While expressing his pleasure to visit Norway, the Vietnamese leader spoke highly of achievements in all aspects made by Norwegian people under the reign of the King.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) meets with King Harald V of Norway (Source: VNA)

King Harald V welcomed PM Nguyen Xuan Phucs visit, and highly valued the results of the talks between the two Prime Ministers.

He affirmed that the Norwegian royal family always supports comprehensive development of the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed that the Vietnamese Government and people always attach importance to strengthening traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Norway.

He said the close friendship between the two peoples is the basis for bilateral cooperation to be deepened, thus benefiting both sides, while hoping for support from the Government and royal family of Norway in the coming time.

On the occasion, PM Phuc extended forwarded the invitation of Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong to King Harald V to visit Vietnam again.

The King accepted the invitation with pleasure./.shalender@tribune.com

Los Angeles, May 24

Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, his company and former associates, have reached a deal to settle the civil lawsuits against them that were filed by women over his alleged sexual misconduct.

According to CNN, the producers lawyers said he had agreed to the settlement and would compensate his alleged victims with $44 million.

Over 15 lawsuits have been filed accusing Weinstein and his erstwhile company, The Weinstein Company of misconduct. The settlement will cover many of them, including a class action by alleged victims and a suit by the New York attorney general.

Adam Harris, the attorney for Bob Weinstein, told Judge Mary Walrath of the US Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, said an economic agreement had been reached, the outlet reported.  PTIThe Ministry of Health advises the population that on the evening of Boxing Day, six more caPrime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has designated January 2022 as the point in time for commencement of a policy that would insist that all Government workplaces would require vaccinated workers.

He has seen the reluctance and hesitation of many people both in public and private life who continue to refuse the jabs for several reasons, whether it be scientific or non-scientific, or for religious or personal reasons.- Sebastian Mikosz said he would quit the airline in December 2019, citing unnamed personal reasons"

- Kenya Airways chairman Michael Joseph confirmed the exit in a separate memo

- Both Mikosz and Joseph are yet to make public the announcement

- He was appointed as the national carrier's CEO in May 2017 and previously served as Polish Airlines boss

- Mikosz has 20 years experience in executive management in both the public and private sector

Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sebastian Mikosz has resigned from the troubled state airline on "personal grounds", effective December 31, 2019.

He is said to have informed the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) of his decision, in line with regulations since KQ is a listed company.

READ ALSO: Disgruntled ex-Sports CS Rashid Echesa begs Uhuru to forgive him for supporting Ruto

Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sebastian Mikosz has resigned from the troubled state airline on "personal grounds", effective December 31. Photo: Daily Nation

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Man graduates from same university where he started as a cleaner

Daily Nation reported on Friday, May 24, that in an internal memo to staff, Mikosz said he had decided to shorten his contract.

I have made the decision to shorten my contract term and I have decided to resign on personal grounds effective December 31, 2019, Mikosz said

Although his resignation was confirmed by Kenya Airways chairman Michael Joseph in a separate memo, both Joseph and Mikosz are yet to make public the announcement.

READ ALSO: Motorists to pay KSh 3,000 for each new high-tech number plates as government replaces current ones

Although his resignation was confirmed by Kenya Airways chairman Michael Joseph in a separate memo, both Joseph and Mikosz are yet to make public the announcement.

Source: Facebook

As you are already aware, Sebastian will be leaving us at the end of 2019. Although I am really sad to see him leave, this has been a result of long and personal discussions with myself and the Board and with his family, said Joseph.

Mikosz was appointed as the national carrier's CEO in May 2017, taking over from Mbuvi Ngunze to turn around the struggling airline that reported an after-tax loss of KSh 7.5 billion in 2018.

READ ALSO: Meet male Rapunzel viciously abused, bullied for growing hair to waist length

He previously served as Polish Airlines CEO and has more than 20 years experience in executive management in both the public and private sector.

Mikosz, whose terms was to end in June 2019, said then he is betting on fleet expansion, adding new routes .

He is also betting on collaboration with African airlines that are seen to pose a threat to KQs regional market share for a better outlook in 2019.

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The Girl With Four Jobs - TUKO TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke- Mutua condemned a three-judge bench ruling as "archaic and neanderthal"

- Judges Roselyn, Chacha and Mativo all got it wrong in science and law, the law professor claimed

- The court argued there was no evidence to prove complainants were being discriminated

- The complainants wanted anti-gay sections 162 and 165 of Constitution be repealed

- In 2017, Uhuru declared homosexuality discussion a non issue and matter of no importance to Kenyans

Kenyan law scholar Makau Mutua has condemned a three-judge bench that refused to repeal Section 162 and 165 of the Kenyan constitution which criminalises same sex unions.

On a Twitter rant on Saturday, May 25, Mutua described judges Roselyn Aburili, Chacha Mwita and John Mativo as "neanderthas" and people who are out of touch with modern world.

READ ALSO: Disgruntled ex-Sports CS Rashid Echesa begs Uhuru to forgive him for supporting Ruto

The petitioners address media outside Milimani Law Courts. They vowed to appeal the ruling. Photo: Capital FM.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Mkurugenzi mkuu wa shirika la ndege nchini ajiuzulu

In their ruling delivered on Friday, May 24, the three said there was no evidence to prove the complainants were being discriminated in a manner to violate their rights.

A party alleging violation must demonstrate what rights have been violated. It is not sufficient to allege in general terms. We are of the view that the impugned sections do not exclusively apply to the petitioners," Aburili said.

However, and without elaborating further, the SUNY university lecturer strongly disagreed with the decision and urged the Court of Appeal to review it.

"I condemn the decision in the Kenyan gay rights case. The judges got it plainly wrong in law, fact, and the science. The Court of Appeal should reverse. Judges mustnt be neanderthals," he tweeted.

The case was filed by LRC Director Eric Gitari in 2016 in a petition in which he argued sections 162 and 165 of the Kenyan Penal Code criminalises gay unions thus promoting stigma, violence and discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.

The petitioners who have vowed to challenge the ruling wanted homosexuality be allowed on the basis that the State has nothing to do with matters of intimacy.

In an interview with CNN in 2017, President Uhuru Kenyatta said homosexuality was a non issue in Kenya and as a leader, he was bound by Kenyan beliefs and could not go against their customs.

The Head of State said he would not be dragged into discussing the issue as long as he was still in office and that he would only make his personal opinion known once he retires in 2022.

I want to be very clearI will not engage in a subject that is not of any major importance to the people and the republic of Kenya. This is not an issue, as you would want to put it, of human rights. This is an issue of society, of our own base as a culture, as a people, regardless of which community you come from, he said.

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The Girl With Four Jobs - TUKO TV

Source: TUKO.co.keA Nairobi woman has admitted to drugging a police officer and later stealing his pistol and two phones at a pub in Utawala estate.

Makadara Chief Magistrate's Court heard that Lydia Njeri Mwangi approached National Intelligence Officer Paul Kilemi to have a drink sometimes on the night of Saturday, January 5.

READ ALSO: Raila claims he met, warned Dubai ruler over fake gold scam

READ ALSO: Mkurugenzi mkuu wa shirika la ndege nchini ajiuzulu

It was on this fateful night that Njeri spiked Kilemi's drink after which the 49-year-old woman feigned drunkenness and requested to be dropped at her residential apartment.

Unaware he had been drugged, the officer agreed to take her home but felt sleepy and stopped the car midway only to wake up the following morning with his phones and pistol gone.

Appearing before Chief Magistrate Heston Nyaga on Friday, May 24, the accused said upon realising she took away the weapon, she threw it into a pit latrine where detectives found it.

Nyaga decried increase of women taking advantage of men in bars to make quick money.

Cases of women drugging and stealing from men are on the rise. Their work is to go to clubs and look for someone to drug and rob, the magistrate said.

The judge handed her five years for being in possession of a firearm and an additional two years for stealing without an option of fine.

The mother of two will serve the two jail terms concurrently.

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The Girl With Four Jobs - TUKO TV

Source: TUKO.co.keSkiatook High School held their commencement ceremonies Friday, May 24 for the graduating class of 2019.

The class earned $1.2 million in scholarships and has four students who will be joining the military.

Senior class president Zachary Frame started his speech by saying he may look familiar to many people because he was Uncle Sam in the classes 2nd grade Veterans Day program. He thanked Mr. Denslow, the speech and debate teacher for teaching him the fundamentals of politics and for showing him to the way to the things he truly cares about and the ability to speak out about those things. Frame plans to attend Tulsa University in the fall and study political science and philosophy.

Frame spoke about the teach walkout his junior year and how that taught him to understand the importance of education, work and caring about something that means something to you. You cant truly live until you have found something to live for, he said.

Salutatorian Madeline Parker plans to attend Rogers State University in the fall with a full academic scholarship and study criminal justice. She spoke about how much she appreciated attending a smaller high school because you didnt have to be one thing, you could be many thing.Our largest item is personnel, he said. (Russia and China) they can spend everything on development. Thats one of the advantages, I guess you would say, of their systems. They can just demand something.

And, unlike the U.S., those countries have much smaller overseas commitments and have not been involved in extended conflicts.

Thats changing somewhat in the case of China, Inhofe said. For the first time, it is beginning to expand operations, chiefly in the South and East China Seas, but also in the Middle East and Africa.

The bill, which still must go through conference with the Democratic-led House Armed Services Committee, includes several items of interest for Oklahoma although few directly benefit Tulsa.

One that could is a provision to increase the Department of Defenses use of academic cyber security programs such as the University of Tulsas.

Other provisions are intended to bolster civilian employment at the states military installments, especially Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City and the McAlester Ammunition Plant, and encourage private defense industries and contractors.2:15 p.m. A tornado watch is in effect through 10 p.m. affecting Osage, Washington, Nowata and Pawnee counties.

10 a.m. A flood warning is in effect for Washington County until further notice as the Caney River is almost a foot above flood stage.

The Caney River at Bartlesville is forecast to rise to 15 feet late Friday. The river will remain near 15 feet through Sunday morning and then begin to slowly fall. With the level at 15 feet, the old Highway 75 crossing or Tuxedo Boulevard in

Bartlesville becomes covered by water, according to NWS Tulsa. Moderate flooding occurs at Johnston Park and over farmlands between Bartlesville and Ochelata.

Update (9:30 a.m.): A flash flood warning is in effect for Osage and Pawnee counties through 11:30 a.m.

Thunderstorms producing heavy rain moved into the area about 8:30 a.m., with 1-2 inches of rain, which could lead to flash flooding on already saturated soils.

More storms are in the forecast for northeast Oklahoma on Friday afternoon, with a limited risk of severity and showers continuing overnight.We appreciate the Presidents prompt response to our request for federal aid and we will continue to stay in close touch with the White House and federal authorities as we try to help communities keep their residents safe from this deadly flooding, Stitt said in a statement. Many Oklahoma communities have been hit hard, and we will be doing everything possible to help them today in their time of need and in the weeks to come.The man who helped to end apartheid in South Africa, and saw Trinidad and Tobago as the true rainbow nation, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is dead.

South Africa's two Nobel Peace laureates former President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu visited Trinidad in May 2004By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: A day after the BJP swept up Lok Sabha polls, the ruling government has started working on the economic agenda of NDA 2.0, with focus on falling revenue, liquidity crisis, fiscal consolidation and the Economic Survey, which is slated to be presented in July.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday held a meeting with top bureaucrats of the ministry, discussing the future economic roadmap, amid concerns over dwindling revenue collection, widening the fiscal deficit and slowing growth.

The meeting, just ahead of the dissolving of the Cabinet, gains significance in the backdrop of speculations in political circles that Jaitley, on account of his poor health, will be replaced with Amit Shah or Piyush Goyal. Officials said he appeared healthy and will attend office next week too.

A separate meeting was held by finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg and was attended by revenue secretary, officials of economic affairs ministry and NITI members, among others. ...The focus of the meeting was to discuss the Economic Survey.

The general consensus was that the survey should have dedicated chapters on job creation and employment, a concern flagged by India Inc in their wish list for the second innings of NDA, a senior official told TNIE. Issues like the merger of GST slabs and farmers income are likely to be detailed in the Economic Survey.President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Yakiv Smolii.

"I had the first meeting with President Zelensky. We discussed the current economic situation and work of the banking system, the need for cooperation with the IMF and importance of the NBU independence," Yakiv Smolii posted on Twitter.

He added that further steps to support macro-financial stability were touched upon. The NBU governor called the meeting meaningful.

olThe resignation statement of Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman was registered in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

[The resignation statement of Groysman] was registered on May 23," spokesperson of the Parliaments apparatus Iryna Karmeliuk said in a commentary to Ukrinform.

Later, on the air of the Ukrayina TV channel, Groysman said that the governments work format would change from a planned and well-defined to a crisis one.

"I will ask the Ukrainian parliament to approve my resignation statement. After this, the law provides that I will remain in my post until the new government is formed. I can say that the governments work format will change. It was planned and clearly defined. Now it will be more similar to anti-crisis work, but I am also ready for this," Groysman said.

He also announced the creation of the Ukrainian Strategy political force to run in the snap parliamentary elections.

On May 20, newly elected President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky assumed the office of the President of Ukraine. He announced his intention to dissolve the parliament and called on members of the government to resign. The same evening, Groysman announced his decision to resign as the prime minister.

The Constitution of Ukraine defines that resignation of the Cabinet of Ministers shall be approved by the Verkhovna Rada. The Prime Minister and other members of the government have the right to submit letters of resignation to Parliament. The lawmakers make the appropriate decision based on them.

The resignation of the Prime Minister of Ukraine entails the resignation of the entire Cabinet. In this case, the Parliament should form a new government. While it is being formed, the resigned Cabinet of Ministers should continue to fulfill its powers until the beginning of the work of the newly formed Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

olThe Russian Federation should immediately release Ukrainian sailors captured in November 2018, return vessels, and respect Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity.

For six months, Russia has unjustly detained 24 Ukrainian crew members and their vessels. Russia should immediately release the sailors, return Ukraines vessels, and respect Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine posted on Twitter.

As reported, on November 25, 2018, Russian border guards fired on and seized three Ukrainian Navy ships, the Berdyansk, the Nikopol, and the Yani Kapu, heading from Odesa to Mariupol, near the Kerch Strait. In addition, their crewmembers, 24 Ukrainian sailors, were captured. Three of them were wounded.

A Russian-controlled court in the occupied Crimea arrested all the detained Ukrainian sailors on charges of alleged illegal border crossing. They are held in a remand prison in Moscow now.

On January 24, 2019, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution officially requiring Russia to treat captured Ukrainian sailors in accordance with the Geneva Convention provisions on prisoners of war.

Ukraine appealed to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea requiring the Russian Federation to release the captured naval vessels and return them to the custody of Ukraine, to suspend criminal proceedings against 24 detained sailors, to release them and allow them to return to Ukraine.

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea will deliver its order in the case Ukraine v. Russian Federation on Saturday, May 25, at noon.

olThe Russian Federation must immediately abide by the order of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea: to release Ukrainian sailors and ships captured near the Kerch Strait and return them to Ukraine.

"Victory of the Ukrainian team at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg! ITLOS orders Russia to release our ships and sailors and return them to Ukraine. Russia must immediately abide by the order," Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Kateryna Zelenko posted Twitter.

As reported, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ordered Russia to immediately release Ukrainian military ships and return them to the custody of Ukraine and to immediately release 24 captured sailors.

As reported, on November 25, 2018, Russian border guards fired on and seized three Ukrainian Navy ships, the Berdyansk, the Nikopol, and the Yani Kapu, heading from Odesa to Mariupol, near the Kerch Strait. In addition, their crewmembers, 24 Ukrainian sailors, were captured. Three of them were wounded.

A Russian-controlled court in the occupied Crimea arrested all the detained Ukrainian sailors on charges of alleged illegal border crossing. They are held in a remand prison in Moscow now.

On January 24, 2019, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution officially requiring Russia to treat captured Ukrainian sailors in accordance with the Geneva Convention provisions on prisoners of war.

Ukraine appealed to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea requiring the Russian Federation to release the captured naval vessels and return them to the custody of Ukraine, to suspend criminal proceedings against 24 detained sailors, to release them and allow them to return to Ukraine.

olWe live in a strange world where negative and depressing stories quite often make it to the front page, yet the ones that show examples of generosity and good character are hard to find. Time and again we come across headlines and articles which leave us in disbelief and despair. Even though it is important to report on some dreadful events, it is equally essential to highlight stories that show courage, passion, and a will to make a change. In this article, we have put together a list of 10 remarkable efforts of ordinary people to make the world better.

1. A science teacher from rural Kenya donates most of his salary to help poor students. His efforts to make their lives better have been awarded The Worlds Best Teacher Award for 2019.

Peter Tabichi is a 36-year-old math and physics teacher at Keriko Secondary School in Pwani Village of rural Kenya. In a recent award ceremony held in Dubai, he was awarded $1 million along with the Varkey Foundations Global Teacher award for 2019, beating around 10,000 nominations from 179 different countries.

Tabichi has been actively involved in the academic and social development of his students and school. His students mostly come from really poor backgrounds with almost a third of those being orphans or raised by single parents. The territorial conditions in some areas can be so adverse that some students have to walk about seven kilometers to school. With such circumstances, the occurrences of drug abuse, child marriages, and school dropouts are fairly common.

Despite all this, Tabichi has been motivated to make changes in the lives of his students and has been successful in doing so. Initiatives like talent nurturing club and the expansion of the schools science clubs have helped students in shaping their interests. These efforts have also shown a rise in student enrollment of about 400 new students over a span of three years. (source)

2. Dr. Donald Hopkins helped eradicate smallpox completely and is now on the verge of eliminating another disease. He has successfully been able to take down the instances of Guinea worm disease from around 3.5 million cases a year to just 28.

Dr. Donald Hopkins was born in a Bahamian household in Miami. He attended segregated schools, and in 10th grade was awarded a three-quarter scholarship to Morehouse College. He saw this as a great opportunity towards a career that had he always wanted and also something that would end his financial woes. His interest in tropical diseases peaked during his undergraduate studies, and as soon as he finished his medical school at the University of Chicago, he applied to the U.S. Public Health Services and asked to work in Africa.

In 1967, he was given the opportunity to lead the smallpox effort in Sierra Leone. Smallpox was a contagious disease that could be fatal and had the worlds highest case rate. There were about 300 million smallpox cases in the 20th century alone. Dr. Hopkins tried a new strategy wherein the teams focused on the source of new outbreaks rather than vaccinating already-affected regions. The strategy worked brilliantly, and Sierra Leone was free of smallpox in less than two years while it took a decade to eradicate it globally.

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After successfully eliminating smallpox, he went after the Guinea worm disease. Dr. Hopkins suggested that simple water filtering techniques and basic precautions could help in the eradication of this parasite. Eventually, he was able to reduce the cases from 3.5 million a year to only 28 cases last year.

(1, 2)

3. A married couple decided to rebuild their desertified piece of land of 1,754 acres in Aimores, Brazil. They planted more than 2 million tree saplings during a span of 18 years restoring the land to its former glory.

When photojournalist Sebastiao Ribeiro Salgado returned to his home town after documenting the genocide in Rwanda, he was devastated to see the condition of the land. What once used to be a tropical rainforest was now just a massive piece of barren land. Heartbroken, Salgado and his wife decided to replant the region.

In 1998, he set up the Instituto Terra which was aimed at the sustainable development of the Valley of River Doce. Since then, they have planted about 2 million tree saplings. The land is now home to more than 290 species of plants, 172 bird species, 33 varieties of mammals, and 15 different kinds of reptiles and amphibians. (source)

4. Zeal Akiraiwai is a Nigerian man who pays medical bills for fellow Nigerians that cannot afford to do it. He does that every week and has saved countless lives so far.

Zeal Akiraiwai is like an angel to some. Every week he is seen coordinating with the social workers and the hospital authorities so he can pay the bills for those who arent able to afford the medical treatments. With a poor economy and lack of proper government health plans, Nigeria struggles to provide good medical care to all its citizens. Only around 5% of the population is covered by health insurance.

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Looking at such conditions, Zeal Akiraiwai began The Angel Project which is funded by himself and his family and friends. He has been able to save countless lives and continues to do so. When asked how he felt about this, he replied, Be the angel you hope to meet. (source)

5. A 96-year-old self-taught conservationist from southeast Idaho has helped to save the declining population of the North American Bluebird.

After retiring from his job at a sawmill plant in Boise, Idaho in 1978, Alfred Larson was looking for a hobby to keep him busy. Being an avid birder and a member of Idahos Golden Eagle Audubon society, Larson noticed the decline in the population of bluebirds. He then started learning how to build nest boxes out of pine scraps and board ends and installed a few around his property to attract these feathered creatures. Shortly after, with the help of the Golden Eagle Audubon Society, he planted more in various habitats around Idaho.

The main cause of the decline had been the loss of their habitats and the nesting competition they faced from the European starlings and house sparrows. Forty years of continuous efforts have paid off well, and up to now, he has banded over 30,000 bluebirds and is currently monitoring 350 bird boxes all over Idaho.(source)The date coincides with the conference that will be held in Canada to support Ukraine's reforms.

Canada's Ambassador to Ukraine Roman Waschuk says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited to visit Canada on July 2.

Read alsoTrudeau, Zelensky looking forward to strengthening bilateral cooperation

"He, at least, was personally invited by phone. And we'll be able to handle it with papers on both sides," he told RFE/RL's Ukrainian bureau on May 24.

Waschuk added that the date July 2 coincides with the conference that will be held in Canada to support Ukraine's reforms.

"I think our prime minister hopes for the presence of both the president and other high-ranking Ukrainian officials. Although we understand that an election campaign will take place in Ukraine at the same time," he said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, deputy head of the Presidential Administration Office Vadym Prystaiko had announced plans for the first foreign visits of President Zelensky.At the same time, the Tribunal failed to satisfy Ukraine's motion to oblige the Russian Federation to stop criminal prosecution of captured Ukrainians.

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) has obliged Russia to immediately release 24 Ukrainian sailors and three Ukrainian vessels captured near the Kerch Strait in November 2018.

President of the Tribunal Jin-Hyun Paik read out the award in Hamburg (Germany) on May 25.

Russia refuses to attend the ITLOS hearing on Ukrainian sailors.

Read alsoU.S. Secretary of State Pompeo in Sochi calls on Russia to free 24 Ukrainian sailors

Thus, the UN Tribunal partially satisfied Ukraine's motion to apply temporary measures against Russia for violating the immunity of three Ukrainian naval vessels and their crew members.

In particular, the ITLOS ordered Russia to immediately release the Ukrainian vessels, namely the tugboat "Yany Kapu" and two armored naval boats "Berdyansk" and "Nikopol," and return them to Ukraine.

"Having examined the measures requested by Ukraine, the Tribunal considers it appropriate under the circumstances of the present case to prescribe provisional measures requiring the Russian Federation to release the three Ukrainian naval vessels and the 24 detained Ukrainian servicemen and to allow them to return to Ukraine in order to preserve the rights claimed by Ukraine," Jin-Hyun Paik said.

Read alsoKyiv asks UN Tribunal to order Russia to release illegally seized Ukrainian sailors, ships  media

At the same time, he added that "the Tribunal does not consider it necessary to require the Russian Federation to suspend criminal proceedings against the 24 detained Ukrainian servicemen and refrain from initiating new proceedings."

"However, the Tribunal considers it appropriate to order both Parties to refrain from taking any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute submitted to the Annex VII arbitral tribunal," he said.

UNIAN memo. On the morning of November 25, 2018, Russia blocked the passage to the Kerch Strait for the Ukrainian tugboat "Yany Kapu" and two armored naval boats "Berdyansk" and "Nikopol," which were on a scheduled re-deployment from the Black Sea port of Odesa to the Azov Sea port of Mariupol. The Ukraine Navy Command noted that the Russian side had been informed of the plans to re-deploy the vessels in advance in accordance with international standards to ensure the safety of navigation. The Russian coast guard ship "Don" rammed the Ukrainian tugboat, damaging the Ukrainian vessel. As the Ukrainian boats were heading back in the Odesa direction after being rejected passage via the Kerch Strait, Russian coast guards opened aimed fire on them.

All 24 crew members on board were captured and later remanded in custody for two months, being charged with "illegal border crossing" (the sailors are facing up to six years in prison). Three crewmen were wounded in the attack. Russian-controlled "courts" in occupied Crimea ruled that all 24 detainees should be remanded in custody, after which they were transferred to the Moscow-based Lefortovo and Matrosskaya Tishina detention centers. Moscow's Lefortovo district court in the middle of January 2019 decided to keep the Ukrainian sailors in remand until the end of April 2019.

In April, their detention was extended until the end of August 2019.In such a way, Russia can take a step towards unblocking the talks and solving the problems created by it in a civilized way, the president said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the execution of the order of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) by Russia to release Ukrainian sailors could be a signal from the Kremlin to end the conflict with Ukraine.

"The execution of the UN tribunal's order by Russia to release the captured Ukrainian sailors and vessels could be the first signal from the Russian leadership of their real readiness to halt the conflict with Ukraine," he wrote on Facebook on May 25.

Read alsoITLOS obliges Russia to release 24 Ukrainian sailors

"In this way, Russia can take a step towards unblocking the talks and solving the problems created by it in a civilized way. Let's see which path will be chosen by the Kremlin. But we are really waiting for our guys at home!" the president added.

UNIAN memo. On the morning of November 25, 2018, Russia blocked the passage to the Kerch Strait for the Ukrainian tugboat "Yany Kapu" and two armored naval boats "Berdyansk" and "Nikopol," which were on a scheduled re-deployment from the Black Sea port of Odesa to the Azov Sea port of Mariupol. The Ukraine Navy Command noted that the Russian side had been informed of the plans to re-deploy the vessels in advance in accordance with international standards to ensure the safety of navigation. The Russian coast guard ship "Don" rammed the Ukrainian tugboat, damaging the Ukrainian vessel. As the Ukrainian boats were heading back in the Odesa direction after being rejected passage via the Kerch Strait, Russian coast guards opened aimed fire on them.

Read alsoU.S. Secretary of State Pompeo in Sochi calls on Russia to free 24 Ukrainian sailors

All 24 crew members on board were captured and later remanded in custody for two months, being charged with "illegal border crossing" (the sailors are facing up to six years in prison). Three crewmen were wounded in the attack. Russian-controlled "courts" in occupied Crimea ruled that all 24 detainees should be remanded in custody, after which they were transferred to the Moscow-based Lefortovo and Matrosskaya Tishina detention centers. Moscow's Lefortovo district court in the middle of January 2019 decided to keep the Ukrainian sailors in remand until the end of April 2019.

In April, their detention was extended until the end of August 2019.

On May 25, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea made public its decision obliging Russia to release three Ukrainian vessels and 24 Ukrainian sailors captured near the Kerch Strait and allow them to return to Ukraine. However, the Tribunal failed to satisfy Ukraine's motion to oblige the Russian Federation to stop criminal prosecution of captured Ukrainians.

According to the ITLOS document, Russia must inform the Tribunal no later than June 25 on the execution of the order to release Ukrainian sailors and vessels.By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: National carrier Air India, which flies 33 weekly flights from India to the United States, expects demand for seats in the sector to pick up in the summer vacation season.

We have seen pick up in this sector in recent times and being the only domestic carrier that offers non-stop flight from India to US, we expect growth in passenger traffic in the summer vacation season, Ashwani Lohani, chairman and managing director of Air India, said while flagging off a Rapid Metro in Gurugram, which advertises AIs Delhi-Washington non-stop flight.

The thrice-a-week flight has completed two years of operation. At present, AI connects India with five US destinations. AI officials said the duration of flight from Delhi to US has increased since Pakistan banned domestic airlines from using its aerospace.Four Russian general admirals, nine officers and two soldiers were charged with committing a crime in the case conducted by Ukrainian military prosecutors.

Ukraine's chief military prosecutor Anatoliy Matios has announced the court has permitted to detain 15 Russian military in a criminal case related to 24 Ukrainian sailors captured by Russia near the Kerch Strait in November 2018.

Read alsoITLOS obliges Russia to release 24 Ukrainian sailors

In particular, four Russian general admirals, nine officers and two soldiers were charged with committing a crime in the case conducted by Ukrainian military prosecutors, according to an infographic posted by Matios on his Facebook page.

UNIAN memo. On the morning of November 25, 2018, Russia blocked the passage to the Kerch Strait for the Ukrainian tugboat "Yany Kapu" and two armored naval boats "Berdyansk" and "Nikopol," which were on a scheduled re-deployment from the Black Sea port of Odesa to the Azov Sea port of Mariupol. The Ukraine Navy Command noted that the Russian side had been informed of the plans to re-deploy the vessels in advance in accordance with international standards to ensure the safety of navigation. The Russian coast guard ship "Don" rammed the Ukrainian tugboat, damaging the Ukrainian vessel. As the Ukrainian boats were heading back in the Odesa direction after being rejected passage via the Kerch Strait, Russian coast guards opened fire on them.

Read alsoZelensky: Russia's execution of ITLOS order to release Ukrainian sailors could be signal of readiness to end conflict with Ukraine

All 24 crew members on board were captured and later remanded in custody for two months, being charged with "illegal border crossing" (the sailors are facing up to six years in prison). Three crewmen were wounded in the attack. Russian-controlled "courts" in occupied Crimea ruled that all 24 detainees should be remanded in custody, after which they were transferred to the Moscow-based Lefortovo and Matrosskaya Tishina detention centers. Moscow's Lefortovo district court in the middle of January 2019 decided to keep the Ukrainian sailors in remand until the end of April 2019.

In April, their detention was extended until the end of August 2019.

On May 25, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea made public its decision obliging Russia to release three Ukrainian vessels and 24 Ukrainian sailors captured near the Kerch Strait and allow them to return to Ukraine. However, the Tribunal failed to satisfy Ukraine's motion to oblige the Russian Federation to stop criminal prosecution of captured Ukrainians.

According to the ITLOS document, Russia must inform the Tribunal no later than June 25 on the execution of the order to release Ukrainian sailors and vessels.

In turn, Russia's Foreign Ministry said that the UN maritime tribunal had no jurisdiction to consider Ukraine's claims to Russia regarding release of the captured sailors and naval vessels.Each enemy provocation had an adequate response.

Russia's hybrid military forces in the past 24 hours mounted 17 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as killed in action and another one as wounded in action.

Read alsoOSCE observers record increase in number of ceasefire violations in Donbas

"Russian proxy forces 17 times attacked Ukrainian positions, including three times using 120mm and 82mm mortars proscribed by the Minsk Agreements," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in an update published on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on May 25, 2019.

The enemy also used anti-tank missile systems, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms.

In particular, 13 attacks were reported in the Skhid (East) sector near the town on Avdiyivka, as well as the villages of Pisky, Krasnohorivka, Verkhniotoretske, Kamianka, Hnutove, Novotroyitske, Novoselivka Druha, and Lebedynske.

Another four attacks were reported in the Pivnich (North) sector outside the villages of Shumy, Zolote-4, Mayorsk, and Stanytsia Luhanska.

No enemy shelling was left without an adequate response on the part of Joint Forces, the press center said.

According to Ukrainian intelligence reports, one invader was killed, another three were wounded.

"Since Saturday midnight, Russian-led forces haven't attacked Ukrainian positions yet," the report said.No Ukrainian army casualties have been reported from the start of the day.

Russia-led forces mounted four attacks on the Ukrainian army's positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, on May 25.

Read alsoDonbas war update: One Ukrainian soldier killed, one wounded in past day

"There have been no Ukrainian army casualties. Information on the enemy's losses is being clarified," the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in an evening update on Saturday.

All attacks were reported in the Skhid (East) sector, the report said.

In particular, Russian-occupation forces fired at Ukrainian strongholds near the village of Opytne, using 120mm and 82mm mortars. The enemy also opened fire three times from automatic grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns outside the village of Pisky.

"To hostile provocations, Joint Forces units gave an adequate response. The situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation remains under control of Ukrainian troops," the press center added.By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Following the huge success of its late night flights from Bengaluru to Kochi and Ahmedabad, Air India is now all set to start this service to New Delhi. The first Red Eye flight will make its debut at 11 pm on June 5 from the city airport and reach Delhi at 1.30 am on June 6.

The cost of a ticket on a Red Eye flight is much cheaper than day flights, which makes it attractive for a flyer. After a gap of 11 years,

Air India relaunched its Red Eye flight from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad on November 2018, and followed it up with its Kochi route.

Both routes run full with the Kochi route even overbooked a few times. We promote economy class passengers to Business Class without any extra cost,  said an airline spokesperson.By Express News Service

CHENNAI: In a suspected case of custodial death, a 32-year-old theft accused, who was nabbed by a special team for inquiry, died in hospital where he was shifted from the Guduvanchery police station on Thursday night.



R Narayanan, a native of Jayankondam in Ariyalur, was nabbed by the police on GST Road in Guduvanchery on Thursday and was brought to the station for inquiry when the police claimed he suffered a heart attack.

Sources claimed that two other men - Durairaj, 35, and Muruganantham, 34, - were detained along with Narayanan when they got off an autorickshaw and were walking towards Adanur.



A senior police officer said Narayanan had murder and theft cases registered against him in Cuddalore and Ariyalur but no case had been registered against him at Guduvanchery.



A police source claimed that the team had gone patrolling when they spotted the trio.



After he was brought to the station and when he was being interrogated, he fell unconscious around 8.30 pm and the police rushed him to the private hospital where the doctors said he was fine.

He was brought back to the police station for interrogation and again he fell unconscious at 11.30 pm. Narayanan was taken to the Chengalpattu government hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead, said a police officer.



The police have registered a case (under legal provisions regarding inquiry by Magistrate into cause of death under section 176 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.)(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar has underlined that greater connectivity can stimulate regional economic cooperation

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2019 ) :Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar has underlined that greater connectivity can stimulate regional economic cooperation.

He stated that CASA-1000 will help Pakistan meet its energy needs adding that Pakistan attaches great priority to timely completion of the project.

The Minister was talking to Ambassador of Tajikistan, Ismatullo Nasredin, who called on him here on Friday. Member Energy and senior officials of the ministry were also present in the meeting.

Talking about CASA-1000 energy project, the Minister apprised that the project had been referred to ECNEC with the condition that the sponsors would ensure timely finalization of agreement with the member countries for export of surplus power, if available, during non-supply period.

The Minister said that the project would become financially viable if there were two way options adding that Pakistan had surplus energy in winter while Tajikistan had surplus in summer.

Tajikistan ambassador also expressed interest in exploring the option of import of power from Pakistan during the winter months under CASA-1000 project.

Highlighting the importance of Torkhum-Dushanbe Economic Corridor, the Minister noted that the proposed project will connect Torkhum to Dushanbe via Afghanistan.

He stated that Pakistanis willing to go ahead with the initiative if there was a trilateral agreement between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan adding that it had the potential to enhance regional connectivity and integration.

Makhdum Khusro welcomed Tajikistan's accession to Quadrilateral Traffic-in-Transit Agreement (QTTA) among China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan.

This would greatly facilitate regional integration for economic development as it would provide an alternate transport corridor between the two countries and hoped that the legal process for Tajikistan joining the QTTA will be completed soon.

Tajikistan ambassador said that his country was looking forward to further expand bilateral cooperation with Pakistan in various areas including trade and energy.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar has said that joint ventures in various areas can boost regional trade and tourism as well as enhance regional integration

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th May, 2019 ) :Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar has said that joint ventures in various areas can boost regional trade and tourism as well as enhance regional integration.

The Minister was talking to Ambassador of Uzbekistan, Furqat Sidiqov, who called on him here. Secretary Planning Zafar Hasan, Member Infrastructure and senior officials of the ministry were also present in the meeting.

The Uzbek ambassador informed the minister that a proposal for 700 km long railway line is in the pipeline which will pass through Uzbekistan, Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Khusro Bakhtyar said that the project will boost regional trade and connectivity benefiting the member countries.

The Minister apprised that other infrastructure projects are also in pipeline for development of North-South connectivity besides the proposed corridor between Torkham and Dushanbe.

He stated that Uzbekistan and Pakistan enjoy excellent relations and noted with appreciation that bilateral cooperation has increased manifold in various areas. He emphasised the need to explore more possibilities of cooperation and initiate joint ventures in oil and gas , agriculture, food, textile, construction and infrastructure areas.Russian troops will hold military exercises with Egyptian and later with Pakistani and Armenian forces this year, the Russian military said on Saturday

ROSTOV-ON-DON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th May, 2019) - Russian troops will hold military exercises with Egyptian and later with Pakistani and Armenian forces this year, the Russian military said on Saturday.

"Units of the Southern Military District will take part in a number of international military exercises.

[Russian] air defense units will hold a joint drill [with Egyptian forces] in Egypt. A Russian-Pakistani joint drill will take place in the Southern Military District," the press service of the district said.

In addition, Russia is planning to hold drills with Armenia and South Ossetia later this year.

In total, the troops stationed in the Russian south are due to conduct more than 300 various military exercises.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Mexican authorities have found 230 migrants, the majority of whom were from Central America, trapped in a house in the suburbs of Mexico City without food and drinking water, local media reported

MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2019) Mexican authorities have found 230 migrants, the majority of whom were from Central America, trapped in a house in the suburbs of Mexico City without food and drinking water, local media reported.

According to the Execelsior newspaper, police and security services arrived at the scene after people living nearby had reported about a suspicious house in the poor neighborhood of Ecatepec. At least 64 minors were among those trapped.

The migrants were released from the house and provided with food and drinking water.

Last fall, a migrant caravan, including thousands of people from Central America, attempted to cross into the United States through its border with Mexico. US border guards repelled the migrants by using tear gas against them. Additional US troops have been deployed to the border area in order to counter the attempted migrant invasion.

The Trump administration has been making efforts to stop illegal migration into the United States, even threatening to close the southern border or impose tariffs on Mexican vehicles imported into the United States.Shevlin Sebastian By

Express News Service

KOCHI: A few years ago, Shihab P Kareem had gone to Kuala Lumpur to work in the Menara International five-star hotel. One day, he stepped out to have some local food. At a restaurant, he decided to have vegetarian food. So, he ordered a sayur champaur. But when the dish arrived, Shihab was shocked. Apart from carrots, cauliflower and beans, there were prawns, squid, chicken and fish.



But it does not mean there are no vegetarian dishes in Malaysian cuisine. It is usually made of beans, sprouts and tofu, says Shihab. In fact, they use spinach in almost all their meals including fried rice and noodles.

All these thoughts came to Shihabs mind when he joined the Monsoon Empress in Kochi in May last year as its Executive Chef. He realised that there were guests from Malaysia staying at the hotel. They had come mostly for medical tourism. That was when he decided to introduce a few dishes on the menu.

On a recent afternoon, Shihab got started with the Laksa soup.



This is a popular soup in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. It has a bit of coconut milk and yellow curry paste, apart from ginger, garlic, lemongrass and Pandan leaves, says Shihab. These leaves are very nutritious and have a distinct flavour. But the main ingredient is seafood: prawns or squid. Expectedly, with the mix of so many flavours, it is tasty, with the juicy prawn being a welcome value addition.

Interestingly, there are 90 per cent spices in all the curries, noodles and rice. At the same time, the Malaysians add a bit of sugar. So the taste is unique. Nevertheless, despite the sugar, you can end up crying after a meal, because of the chillies, he says. And in a 360-degree turn, in all the sweet items like pastries and desserts, they will add a bit of salt.



That creates a different experience, says Shihab. And any drinks which are hot, like tea or coffee, they will fill only half the glass with the liquid, and add scrapings of ice. As for juices which are taken cold in India, like lime, they will warm it.



Shihab now moves on to showcasing the ikan sambal dish. Ikan means fish, while sambal is a popular sauce in Malaysia, says Shihab. It is made of shallots, small onions, and chillies. You can use small fish like anchovies or snapper. But it has to be presented as a single piece.

Again the spices create a tangy feeling but the inside of the fish (sea bass) is white and looks baked, very similar to a Western style, even though it has been fried. And this can be eaten along with rice or noodles.

Interestingly, noodles are one of Malaysias most popular dishes. For 2-minute noodles, similar to the Maggie noodles in India, there are more than 25 different varieties. Malaysians will eat noodles 25 days a month, says Shihab. In the Mee Hailam noodle dish, Shihab has added prawns, squids, slices of carrots, beans, cauliflower, baby corn and capsicum. The overall effect is awesome, with the noodles floating in a spicy gruel.

And like all Indians, the Malaysians like their rice. So, in nasi goreng kampong, there is a garnish of a fried egg single side up placed on top of the fried rice, apart from long beans, prawns and shrimp paste.

Asked whether there are similarities between Malaysian and Kerala cuisine, Shihab says, In both, coconut milk is used for a few preparations. The locals like the Malaysian dishes because there is not too much of a difference, and yet, the taste seems unique.

The Aluva-born Shihab has worked in Thiruvananthapuram, Dubai, Kovalam, Kumarakom, and spent five years on the international cruise liner Carnival. When asked about his working philosophy, Shihab says, I would like my guests to be physically as well as mentally satisfied after they have my food.The Eparchy, whose headquarters are in Lungro, a town in the province of Cosenza, Calabria, brings together over 30,000 Italian-Albanian Catholics of the Byzantine rite scattered in various regions of the Italian peninsula.

On Saturday, Pope Francis received in Audience members of the Eparchy of Lungro, on the occasion of the centenary of the Eparchys foundation by Pope Benedict XV.

Pope Francis recalled the courageous spiritual journey and the fidelity to tradition, despite the difficulties and sufferings of the Italo-Albanian community. The exodus of Albanians to Italy took place between the 15th and 18th centuries, after the Council of Florence in 1439, the fall of Constantinople in 1453, and the death of Albanian leader George Castriot Skanderbeg in 1468. The continued presence of the community in Italy for more than 450 years led Benedict XV to erect the Eparchy of Lungro in 1919 in the wake of the First World War.

This important anniversary, Pope Francis said, is an opportunity to thank the Lord for what He has done for the community over the course of centuries.

The Holy Father encouraged Italo-Albanians to preserve their own proper traditions, as well as their sense of belonging to Christ and His Church, as a form of bearing witness that love is more beautiful than hatred, that friendship is more beautiful than enmity, that fraternity among us is more beautiful than conflict.

The remembrance of the past led Pope Francis to recall the memory of all those who have transmitted the faith to you through their lives, even before they taught it in words. In particular, he said, I am thinking of the Bishops, priests, religious, parents and grandparents who have gone before you and who have faithfully guarded and handed down to you the riches of your beautiful Tradition. He called on the current generation to imitate their example and to pass on to the new generations that spiritual patrimony that gives them their identity.

Finally, Pope Francis invoked the maternal protection of the Holy Mother of God, the Hodegetria. The Greek word Hodegetria means She who shows the way: it is the Byzantine representation of Mary who points with her right hand to the Child Jesus. He prayed, May she, the obedient servant who has accepted the word of the Lord, make you ever more docile to the will of the Father, and make you generous instruments of His plan of salvation.

Lungro one of two Italo-Albanian Catholic communities in Italy; the Eparchy Piana degli Albanesi, in Sicily numbers approximately 23,000 baptized members.By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Excise Department on Friday arrested three Ernakulam natives, smuggling 11.5 kg of hashish oil worth Rs 12 crore in a car at Venpalavattom here. The drug was being brought from Andhra Pradesh and was to be delivered to a main agent in the city. The arrest was effected by a team of excise officers led by Excise Circle Inspector T Anikumar, on the basis of a tipoff.



Those arrested were Manu Wilson, 31, of Muvattupuzha, Anwar Sadath, 31, of Kakkanad, and Rajmohan, 28, of Mattancherry. Manu and Anwar have been involved in similar cases before.



Excise officials said the trio were carriers and were assigned to transport the drug from Andhra Pradesh to Thiruvananthapuram in exchange for a fee of Rs 1 lakh. The hashish oil was to be delivered to a Kothamangalam native, who is absconding.

The oil and 2.5 kg ganja were found hidden in secret chambers inside the car. A sharp-edged weapon akin to a sword was also recovered from the car. It was kept for self-defence in case the group came under attack from rival gangs enroute Kerala.



Sources said hashish oil was meant for the international market. In earlier cases, when hashish oil was seized, it was found to be heading towards Maldives.

In this case too, we feel it was heading towards Maldives and Sri Lanka. By air and by boats, the drugs could have been smuggled to the countries. We will reveal more details after the probe, an officer said.

Excise Commissioner Rishiraj Singh said the drug inflow to the city is on a rise.

In the last one year, we have registered seven cases and 24 small dealers were arrested, he said. Singh also awarded Rs 50,000 to the officers, including Anikumar, Krishna Kumar, Pradeep Rao and Mukhesh, for successfully completing the operation.Indochina Capital COO Michael Piro is happy with the awards

The firm was a winner in the Property Consultancy category, reaffirming its position as one of the best real estate consultants in Vietnam, and was also named in the Best Property Consultancy Marketing category, recognising the firms marketing and brand-building efforts over the past year.

This is the second straight year the firm has appeared in the Property Consultancy category that is regularly dominated by household names such as Savills, CBRE, and JLL.

The Asia-Pacific Property Awards, part of the International Property Awards, celebrates the highest levels of achievement of companies operating in all sectors of the real estate industry.

It is the regions most prestigious and widely-recognised programme.

The awards are judged by an independent panel of 80 industry experts based on criteria that encompasses design, quality, service, innovation, originality, and commitment to sustainability.

Competing against the best real estate professionals in Vietnam, Indochina Capital was honoured for its excellence in property consultancy and significant contributions to the fast-paced development of the Vietnamese real estate industry.

Competing against the best real estate professionals in Vietnam, Indochina Capital was honoured for their excellence in property consultancy and significant contributions to the fast-paced development of the Vietnamese real estate industry.

Indochina Strategic was created four years ago to leverage the firms stellar development track record and experience to help clients establish themselves as a household name in the Vietnamese real estate industry and maximise financial returns from their investments.

This is a mark of excellence for our advisory team, who are always committed to delivering market leading services and creating value for our clients. This is a great result and a good way to celebrate our 20-year anniversary in Vietnam, said Peter Ryder, CEO of Indochina Capital.

We have been able to help many new players and local developers who want to elevate their developments to the next level. I am extremely proud of the work of Indochina Strategic over the past year as the division has become an important pillar of the Indochina Capital family, he added.

COO of Indochina Capital Michael Piro said, It has been a pleasure seeing Indochina Strategic grow to what it is today. Our marketing efforts have been essential to gaining new clients and achieving the brand recognition the division has. It also speaks to the collaboration between our marketing and advisory teams, teamwork that has enabled Indochina Capitals success to date.

Indochina Capital was also recently named the Best Real Estate Consultant and Developer at the Golden Dragon Awards programme hosted by Vietnam Economic Times that recognises the outstanding business achievements and contributions by foreign-owned entities in Vietnam.Men drink beer on Le Duan Street in downtown Hanoi. National Assembly deputies agreed on the need for stiffer penalties for drink drivers at a meeting yesterday. - VNS Photo Truong Vi

Sung A Hong, National Assembly (NA) deputy from Dien Bien Province, made the suggestion on Thursday during discussions on a draft law on alcohol harm prevention.

Parliamentarians agreed on the need for stiffer penalties on drunk drivers, as currently the law only allows for fines or a licence suspension for drink-driving without causing an accident.

According to Nguyen Thanh Hai, head of the NAs Ombudsman Committee, every year about 30 per cent of social disorders is caused by drunk people, while up to 70 per cent of criminal offences are committed by drunk people aged 16 to 25.

Vietnamese people spend nearly VND100 billion (roughly US$4.2 million) per year on alcohol. The State collects VND50 trillion (about $2.1 billion) from taxes from alcohol sales each year, but spends VND65 trillion ($2.6 billion) on healthcare expenses and other consequences caused by drunk drinking.

NA deputy Pham Khanh Phong Lan from HCM City said punishments on drunk drivers should be extended to stricter punishments like forcing violators to do community service, increasing the cost of their vehicle insurance, or even temporary detention of drivers in extremely dangerous cases or in cases of repeated violations.

The blood alcohol levels of suspected drink-drivers must be tested to ensure equal punishments in each case, deputy Nguyen Thi Phuc from Binh Thuan Province said.

Deputies proposed the NA issue a resolution on drunk-driving punishments, adding that solutions to improve public awareness and public campaigns to condemn drunk drivers must be used as well as laws.

Alcohol's impact on children

Lawmakers also expressed concern over how alcohol advertising affects young people.

Deputy Pham Thi Minh Hien from Phu Yen Province pointed out that alcohol consumption can lead to criminal actions.

Anyone can become victims of alcohol, or even commit crimes if alcohols impacts are not controlled, she said, raising fears that alcoholic drinks will become even more popular among young people if nothing is done to curb advertising and sales.

Several alcoholic drinks are advertised as soft drinks or fermented juice, Hien claimed, without giving any examples.

Hien proposed limiting the number of children exposed to alcohol advertisements and controlling advertisement content to ensure children are not encouraged to drink.

A change to the draft regulation regarding online alcohol sales also caused controversy.

A previous iteration of the draft proposed banning sales of alcohol stronger than 15 per cent online, however the version discussed yesterday did away with this limitation and would allow sales of all kinds of booze online.

Internet alcohol sales are currently largely unregulated.

Deputy Pham Trang Nhan from Binh Duong Province said the regulation would pave the way for more young people to buy drinks online, especially as more and more young people have access to the internet.

Other deputies noted that law enforcement is important but must ensure public health and the benefits of alcohol producers and sellers.

According to the World Health Organisation, Vietnams beer consumption amounts to billions of litres per year.Mobile money service will help transform telecom networks by creating a foundation for data, computing, digital content, and internet of things (IoT). - Photo vietnamplus.vn

The service allows users to transfer and receive money as well as make payments through mobile accounts for services such as health, education, finance, jobs and social welfare.

The scheme permits telecommunications firms to pilot a mobile money service not linked to consumers bank accounts.

If Viet Nam approves a trial run of the mobile money service this year, the country will be the 91st nation in the world operating the service, according to Hung.

By the end of 2018, as many as 90 countries were accepting mobile money with up to 900 million users. The transaction value reached US$1.3 billion a day with an annual growth rate of 20 per cent. In Asia, the growth rate was 31 per cent. In many countries, half of the population uses mobile money.

Although Viet Nam was implementing the service at a later date, the country still had advantages, Hung said.

It is possible to learn from other countries's deployment and legal framework, he said. In addition, there are many large international organisations that regularly provide summaries and recommendations to help in mobile money development.

Hung said that Viet Nam should deploy the service this year.

He added that Viet Nam has focused on start-ups and innovation, but has forgotten to develop payment platforms, one of the most important platforms.

"If we want a startup or a service to become popular among all people, a payment platform must be implemented. There is no means to do this better than mobile money," he said.

Although Viet Nam has had a mobile subscriber density of over 100 per cent for many years, the rate of people using credit cards is low, as 99 per cent of transactions below VND100,000 are made in cash.

As a result, many people are excluded from the formal financial system, especially the poor in rural and remote areas.

Mobile money will also tap into the local rural market, digitising the agricultural value chain. It will also encourage the development of digital service operators and step up access to financial services.

The service was a convincing example of how telecom carriers can provide more platforms for wide-ranging services, apart from solely offering their traditional telecom infrastructure, he said.

The service would also create many new businesses in the digital field and technology startups. Mobile money would be the most popular method accepted by startups, contributing to a startup boom in Viet Nam.

It would also help transform telecom networks by creating a foundation for data, computing, digital content, and internet of things (IoT), he said.

However, the minister noted that many legal issues should be resolved for mobile money, and that challenges and risks exist, but the benefits are huge.

Some are concerned that if Viet Nam allows trial mobile money, telecom operators could also provide e-payment services through mobile money transfer services among subscribers, and become the new competitors of banks in the area.

However, Hung said banks should not worry because such a service with small transactions prepares people to become future customers for banks.

She said that mobile money promotes access to financial services. In Kenya, after three years of implementation, the bank usage rate increased by 19 per cent.

Pham Tien Dung, head of the State Bank of Viet Nams Payment Department, said the countrys two biggest telecom providers  Viettel and VinaPhone  are eligible to implement the mobile money service if it is approved by the Government this year. MobiFone is applying for a licence.

He said the central government was also considering a payment limit through mobile money services and plans to set the limit at VND10 million ($430) per month. This would be an initial limit and would be adjusted following market trends.

The two-day conference aimed to provide a comprehensive view on mobile money, a technology that allows people to receive, store and spend money using a mobile phone.

It also shared experiences and lessons from the implementation of the service in many countries worldwide, and put forward recommendations for Viet Nam in a bid to enhance the countrys financial inclusion and support its digital transition.The is from the diary of a monk who went to study Buddhism in a Tibetan area outside Tibetan Autonomous Region, presumably in a monastery.Pope Francis on Saturday reiterated his unswerving opposition to abortion, saying he is against it even when an unborn child has been diagnosed with a serious illness.

At a Vatican-sponsored conference titled Yes to Life: Caring for the Precious Gift of Life in its Frailness, the pope said the use of abortion was equivalent to hiring a hitman to take another person's life.



It is not the first time Francis has used such language. At a general audience last year, he said, "Is it right to take someone's life to solve a problem?"



He added, "Is it right to hire a hitman to solve a problem? You cannot. It is not right."



Addressing medical professionals, ministry providers and families from 70 nations participating in the three-day conference, the pontiff said the Catholic Church's teaching on terminating a pregnancy is clear. He said an abortion cannot happen, even in cases when the fetus is very sick and likely to die.

"No human being," he said, "is ever incompatible with life."

The pope also said, "Fear and hostility toward disability often lead to the choice of abortion, configuring it as a practice of prevention." He urged doctors and priests to support parents in cases of difficult prenatal diagnoses so they do not feel abandoned or afraid in carrying difficult pregnancies to term.



Francis concluded by saying, "Taking care of these children helps parents to grieve and not only think of it as a loss, but as a step on a path taken together."In a building a few miles from Google and Facebooks plush campuses is the Pentagons sparse outpost in Silicon Valley.

Here, military personnel and civilians look for commercial technology that can help the armed services solve problems they face in the field.

That could be working with a local commercial rocket company to deploy satellites faster. Or finding an up-and-coming firm that has created a novel communication system that works in some of the harshest conditions.

Defense Innovation Unit

Founded four years ago, the Defense Innovation Unit has a sense of urgency now more than ever, says its director, Michael Brown, formerly chief executive of Symantec, the cyber security firm, and of Quantum, a computer storage firm.

Because of the new so-called Tech Cold War, tensions are surging between the U.S. and China over emergent technologies, such as 5G mobile phone networks, artificial intelligence and autonomous driving.

The Defense Innovation Units mission has never been more critical, given the tech race that were in with China, than it is today, Brown said.

Chinese investors and companies also are here, for many of the same reasons  to find the breakthroughs that will help their nascent and growing tech industry. But theyre presence is under increasing scrutiny, fueled by a concern that Chinese investors and companies are part of a system of transferring technology out of the U.S. and into the hands of an adversary, the Chinese government.

Raising alarms

Brown is the co-author of a report that shed light on the growing presence of Chinese firms and investors in Silicon Valley and raised alarms over whether the U.S. was in danger of losing key technology to the Chinese.

The U.S. government has expanded its restrictions on Chinese companies buying firms deemed to hold key technology. And Chinese investors are finding it harder to be part of funding rounds of U.S. startups.

Investors have become much more sensitive to the issue, said Rebecca Fannin, author of Tech Titans of China. Theyre more cautious about investing.

Mixed reception

Some in the tech industry are skeptical of working for either the Pentagon or Chinese companies and the Chinese government. Employees at Google this year pushed back on projects involving both.

Browns job is two-fold. With his deep ties in the tech industry, he helps find technology that might help the military. He is also an ambassador of sorts for the Pentagon in Silicon Valley, building a bridge to tech firms large and small.

For areas like artificial intelligence or cyber, we need those companies more than they need us, he said. But when were talking about smaller companies that are trying to get off the ground, get to their first $100 million in revenue, theyre interested in large customers. So, we have found no reluctance at all, in fact, enthusiastic response that they participate in our solicitations.

American tech companies have long argued for the same access to Chinas market that Chinese companies have here, for a level playing field. That hasnt happened yet, but some are skeptical that disengaging from the Chinese economy is the right approach.

Vigilance, engagement

At a recent event by the Asia Society Northern California, investors, former tech executives and intellectual property experts discussed the conflict with China. Engagement with China has worked, argued Andy Rothman, an investment strategist at Matthews Asia, an investment firm, even if there is still a lot China hasnt done that it said it would do.The level of personal freedom that the Chinese people have today is dramatically better than it was 30 or 40 years ago and part of that is due to engagement with the rest of the world, Rothman said.

For Brown, the issue isnt how far China has come. Its about the U.S. maintaining its technology edge and getting tech firms to think twice about working with the Chinese, even though the country represents a huge, largely untapped market.

We do not share the same values as the Chinese Communist Party, he said. We need to be aware of that as were looking to make the next dollar. Theres other things at stake.

However the trade war is settled, the ongoing tensions over whether there will be one or two tech super powers likely will remain.Support for Ireland's Green Party surged in European and local elections, an exit poll showed Saturday, putting it in line to take its first seats in the European Parliament in 20 years and make the biggest gains in county and city councils.

The Greens were set to win as many as three of the 13 European seats up for grabs and increase their local vote to 9% from less than 2% five years ago, according to a RED C exit poll for RTE/TG4, a showing that would put them in contention for government formation if repeated at a parliamentary poll.

Results track polling

After 90 of the 949 council seats were filled at 1000 GMT, early results suggested the Greens' performance was in line with the exit poll. In Dublin, some of their candidates topped polls by significant margins.

"We cannot yet count our chickens, but the exit polls for the Irish Greens are extremely encouraging," Irish Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said in a statement issued by the European Greens.

European Greens co-lead candidate Bas Eickhout talked of a "green wave" rolling on to Irish shores from the Netherlands, where GroenLinks' (GreenLeft's) share of the vote rose to 10.5%, according to an exit poll there.

Possible kingmakers

While Ireland does not hold a significant share of the 751-seat EU chamber  and will initially send 11 MEPs until Britain actually leaves the bloc  an ebb in support for mainstream parties is raising hopes among Europe's Greens that they could act as kingmakers.

"It is those climate strikes, it is those young people standing up and saying we have to protect our future," Ryan told national broadcaster RTE.

The exit poll showed that almost 90% of voters feel that the government needs to prioritize climate change more.

Health Minister Simon Harris of the governing Fine Gael said the topic came up on the doorsteps more in the last six months than in all of his last eight years as a member of parliament, while Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the government had got a very clear message from the public that it wants more action.

Fine Gael and the two main opposition parties, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein, looked set to share most of the remaining European seats, with results set to be announced beginning Sunday.

Fine Gael, Fianna Fail even

In Varadkar's first electoral as Fine Gael leader, the exit poll put his party and fellow center-right Fianna Fail level on 23%, both down slightly from 2014, when Fianna Fail emerged as the biggest party. That set it up to close the gap on its main rival in parliamentary elections two years later.

The left wing Sinn Fein was set to fall to 12% from 15%, and while the estimates suggested a further slight fragmentation of party support, it showed continued strong backing for centrist political parties in the EU's most committed member state.

"In a lot other European countries, the far right in particular is encroaching very significantly, and that isn't the case here. In general terms, it looks like the center parties have done reasonably well," said Theresa Reidy, a politics

lecturer at University College Cork.Officials in western India say at least 19 students were killed when a fire broke out Friday in a tutoring center in the city of Surat in Gujarat state.

The students lost their life both because of the fire and jumping out of the building, Deepak Sapthaley, a fire official, told AFP, the French news agency.

The Associated Press reports that more than a dozen students have been hospitalized, suffering from burns or suffocation.

Im told the youngsters were trapped in the building as the fire destroyed the staircase, said Vijay Rupani, Gujarats states top elected official.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is from Gujarat, said he was extremely anguished by the fire tragedy.In the United States, you can summon emergency help from police, firefighters or an ambulance by dialing 911. The first such call was made in 1968 in Haleyville, Alabama. In 1999 Congress directed officials to make 911 the universal emergency number for the United States. Since then, emergency operators have answered more than 240 million calls a year. Lesia Bakalets spent a day with 911 dispatchers to learn about the job's rewards and stresses. Anna Rice narrates her story.Gopinath Rajendran By

Express News Service

The folks at Disney keep using the line, If you are good at something, keep doing it, a play on Jokers famous punch-line from The Dark Knight. The studios track record and list of upcoming films have proved that they have no qualms in doing live-action rehashes from the Disney Renaissance  the decade from 1989 to 1999 in which they produced critically acclaimed animated films.

We got a Beauty and the Beast film in 2017, and we have a Lion King film scheduled to release this year, followed by a The Hunchback of Notre Dame remake. Their latest offering is the live-action film, Aladdin, a story that has been retold innumerable times over the years. The 1992 animated musical is a classic, in which Robin Williams voice for the Genie is considered to be one of the actors best performances. So, the present adaptation really had a lot to live up to.

What impressed me the most about this film, even before stepping into the theatre, was the presence of a diverse cast, something the 1992 film was also criticised for not having this. The adaptation stars Egyptian-Canadian actor Mena Massoud (Aladdin), British-Indian Naomi Scott (Princess Jasmine) and Dutch-Tunisian Marwan Kenzari (Jafar) in the primary roles. Even the sultan and the princess assistant Dalia is played by Iranian actors Navid Negahban and Nasim Pedrad, respectively.

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Despite retelling the same story, director Guy Ritchie, who is no stranger to adaptations (Sherlock Holmes), does some minute tweaks to the original, thereby making a huge difference in the way the final product turns out to be. For example, the love angle of the Genie (played by a miscast Will Smith) and the extended character arc of Princess Jasmine, work well.

While the original film was more about finding the princess a perfect groom, the adaptation features a more ambitious Jasmine, who blurts lines like, I was born to do more than marry some useless prince. At a time when Jon Snows (from Game of Thrones) male privilege is attacked by memes, is welcomed with parody memes, its a welcome sight to see such a tweak. She even gets her own song  a lovely Speechless  which is something the original didnt have, courtesy of composer Alan Menken, who makes a grand comeback to the franchise. However, the fact that the adaptation starts with the Genie narrating the story to his kids, ruins the idea behind Aladdin doing what it takes to get his hands on the magic lamp.

For the audience, which is familiar with the original, the new films visuals are sure to be a pleasant surprise. The rich colours and CG effects are surely worth a trip to your nearest IMAX screen. While the grandeur of the city of Agrabah gets translated onto the big screen well, its parkour-worthy streets reminded me of Assasins Creed. The characters are mostly fleshed out well.

We get to know what happened to Jasmines mother, probably a first for a Disney princess, a character is almost always written as an orphan. The dialogues also hit the right chords. For instance, the helplessness of a poor Aladdin and the greed of the power-thirsty Jafar are established with lines such as, If you dont have anything, you act like you have everything and Steal an apple, youre a thief, steal a kingdom and youre a kingsman, respectively.

The issues in Aladdin are unfortunately as many as the merits. The film suffers from a weak antagonist, as Marwan Kenzari fails to nail the menacing nature of Jafar. But the bigger problem is getting Will Smith to play the role of Genie.

The man is undoubtedly funny, but the humour quickly gets rather one-dimensional, when compared with Williams interpretation of the role, who brought his stand-up comedy experience to the table. The tweaks, at times, feel insufficient, considering the premise is something we are well versed with. Aladdin, hence, comes across as a half-hearted attempt to retell the classic for the current generation, something that doesnt reach the heights the makers wished for, even with the help of the magic carpet.Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told journalists during a 48-hour visit to Baghdad that Iran would "respond to "aggressive actions by the U.S., both economic and military," but that it continues to "adhere to the 2015 nuclear accord." Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Alhakim insisted Baghdad "opposes U.S. sanctions against Tehran," but would be ready to serve as an intermediary.



The 48-hour visit to Baghdad by Zarif follows recent protests by supporters of Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr calling for a peaceful resolution to the current escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Iran.



During a press conference Sunday with his Iraqi counterpart, Zarif insisted Tehran was "still abiding by the 2015 nuclear accord" with the P5+1 group of countries. But he added Tehran would respond to economic and military actions taken by Washington.



He said Iran will defend itself against efforts to wage war against it - either economic or military - in order to inflict damage to the Iranian people. Iran, he insists, will react with force and resistance. Zarif did not, however, specify what Iran's reaction would be.



Iraqi Foreign Minister Alhakim insisted Baghdad did not support what he called "one-side actions" by the United States, but it is ready and willing to serve as an intermediary between Tehran and Washington, if and when the need should arise.



He said that Iraq opposes one-sided actions by Washington and stands by its neighbor Iran in the face of such actions, and said Baghdad was ready to serve as a mediator between both parties at the appropriate moment.



Seeking de-escalation



Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mehdi insisted earlier in the week Baghdad is sending delegations to various capitals to push for a de-escalation in tensions.



He said Iraq was talking to both the United States and Iran and will send delegations to a number of countries, including the United States and Iran, in order to push for a calming of tensions.



Alhakim indicated Sunday he is planning to attend the Arab summit that is expected to convene on May 30 in Mecca to discuss the crisis. Saudi King Salman has called for an Arab, an Islamic and a Gulf summit in Mecca.



Analysts on Saudi-owned al Arabiya TV suggested Baghdad has "good relations" with Saudi Arabia and would "transmit diplomatic signals from Tehran to both Riyadh and its Gulf allies."



While Zarif was visiting Baghdad, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Ali Arakji was undertaking a diplomatic trip to Oman, Kuwait and Qatar.



University of Paris political science professor Khattar Aboud Diab told VOA Iran is "speaking from both sides of its mouth" during the current crisis with the U.S. and the Gulf states.



He said Iran was using double-talk, insisting on one hand that it is seeking peaceful and balanced relations with the Gulf States, while at the same time attacking ships in the United Arab Emirates, attacking a Saudi oil pipeline and using its Houthi, Hezbollah and Hushd proxy militias to encircle Saudi Arabia.Italians cast ballots Sunday for European Parliament in what is seen as a test for Italy's two parties and the leaders of the country's ruling coalition government. The vote's outcome is expected to have an impact on domestic politics and on Italys future role in the European Union.

The European Parliament election will be a test for Italy's ruling coalition government, and in recent weeks the two campaigning deputy prime ministers, Matteo Salvini, leader of the League Party and Luigi Di Maio, leader of the 5-Star Movement, have been voicing differing positions to woo voters to their respective camps.

Political tension between the two leaders has increased and the outcome of Italy's vote is expected to affect the dynamics within the government. Todays Italian government is much different from 2014, when the last election for the European Parliament was held. At that time, the Italian government was led by Matteo Renzi, head of the Left Democrats party, a strong believer in Europe.

The scenario completely changed in Italy after the current government was formed following the March 2018 general elections with both deputy prime ministers calling for serious changes in EU policies and more independence for choices made by individual countries. League leader Salvini has said, we are working for a new European dream.

Salvini recently said, Today for many citizens, for many people, the European Union represents a nightmare, not a dream. We are working to return employment, family, security, environment, the future of youth to the centerfold.

Salvini added that his objective is to win and change the rules of Europe.

Observers will be watching carefully to see what changes will emerge from the vote, with the main question being how will it affect the balance of power between the two ruling parties in the coalition. The election's outcome likely will determine whether or not stability in the current political landscape can be maintained.

While criticism of the EU has been voiced by the League, and the 5-Star Movement, Italy  one of the founding nations of the bloc  still supports membership and the single currency  a possible exit by Italy is not anticipated, despite strong calls for national sovereignty to come first.



A federal judge blocked on Friday President Donald Trump from building sections of his long-sought border wall with money secured under his declaration of a national emergency.

U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam, Jr., immediately halted the administrations efforts to redirect military-designated funds for wall construction. His order applies to two high-priority projects to replace 51 miles (82 kilometers) of fence in two areas on the Mexican border.

Gilliam issued the ruling after hearing arguments last week in two cases. California and 19 other states brought one lawsuit; the Sierra Club and a coalition of communities along the border brought the other. His ruling was the first of several lawsuits against Trumps controversial decision to bypass the normal appropriations process to pay for his long-sought wall.

Gilliam, an appointee of President Barack Obama, said the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on arguments that the president was wrongly ignoring Congress wishes.

Congresss absolute control over federal expenditures  even when that control may frustrate the desires of the Executive Branch regarding initiatives it views as important  is not a bug in our constitutional system. It is a feature of that system, and an essential one, he wrote in his 56-page opinion.

A judge in Washington, D.C., is hearing a similar challenge brought by the U.S. House of Representatives that argued the money shifting violates the constitution. The judge was weighing whether the lawmakers even had the ability to sue the president instead of working through political routes to resolve the bitter dispute.

Campaign promise

At stake is billions of dollars that would allow Trump to make progress in a signature campaign promise heading into his campaign for a second term.

Trump declared a national emergency in February after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House over fully paying for the wall that led to a 35-day government shutdown. As a compromise on border and immigration enforcement, Congress set aside $1.375 billion to extend or replace existing barriers in Texas Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.

Trump grudgingly accepted the money, but then declared the national emergency to siphon money from other government accounts because he wanted to spend $8 billion on wall construction. The funds include $3.6 billion from military construction funds, $2.5 billion from Defense Department counter-drug activities and $600 million from the Treasury Departments asset forfeiture fund.

The presidents adversaries say the emergency declaration was an illegal attempt to ignore Congress, which authorized far less wall spending than Trump wanted.

We welcome the courts decision to block Trumps attempts to sidestep Congress to build deadly walls that would hurt communities living at the border, endanger wildlife, and have damaging impacts on the environment, said Andrea Guerrero, a member of the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

The administration said Trump was protecting national security as unprecedented numbers of Central American asylum-seeking families arrive at the U.S. border.

Treasury funds allowed

It wasnt a total defeat for the administration.

Gilliam rejected a request by the 20 states to block use of Treasury asset forfeiture funds for border wall construction. The states argued that Trump skirted environmental impact reviews but the judge said they were unlikely to prevail on that point.

The administration has said it plans to use the Treasury money to extend barriers in the Rio Grande Valley.

The courtroom showdowns come amid a flurry of activity to accelerate wall construction. The preliminary injunction applies to the two highest-priority Pentagon-funded wall contracts.

The Defense Department transferred $1 billion to border wall coffers in March and another $1.5 billion earlier this month. Patrick Shanahan, the acting defense secretary, is expected to decide soon whether to transfer an additional $3.6 billion.

Contracts announced

The Army Corps of Engineers recently announced several large contacts with Pentagon funding. Last month, SLSCO Ltd. of Galveston, Texas, won a $789 million award to replace 46 miles (74 kilometers) of barrier in New Mexico.

Last week, Southwest Valley Constructors of Albuquerque, New Mexico, won a $646 million award to replace 63 miles (101 kilometers) in the Border Patrols Tucson, Arizona, sector. Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, Montana, won a $141.8 million contract to replace 5 miles (8 kilometers) in Yuma and 15 miles (24 kilometers) in El Centro, California.

Aside from California, states participating in the legal challenge are Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.Kenyas high court on Friday upheld laws that criminalize gay sex. The much-anticipated ruling Friday was decided by a three-judge bench on Kenyas High court in Nairobi.

The laws, sections 162(a) and (c) and 165 of Kenyas Penal Code, criminalize consensual sexual conduct between two adults of the same sex, an act that as of Fridays ruling remains punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Justices Roselyn Aburili, Chacha Mwita and John Mativo issued the ruling.

In arguments read in court, the three judges stated there was not enough evidence of discrimination against members of the LGBTQ community.

The judges also argued that decriminalization would open the door for same-sex marriage and said there was no scientific evidence that pointed to LGBTQ persons being born as they are.

Justice Aburili commented for the court panel.

Decriminalizing the impugned provisions would indirectly open the door for unions among persons of the same sex. If this were to be allowed, it would be in direct conflict with article 45 sub article 2 of the constitution. We take this view fully aware of numerous decisions from different foreign jurisdictions, which we have referred to that have decriminalized provisions similar to ours, however persuasive this decisions may be, they are not binding on this court, Aburili said.

Fridays ruling is a result of a petition that dates from 2015, when the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC), Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK), and the Nyanza Rift Valley and Western Kenya Network (NYARWEK), all LGBT rights organizations, filed petitions with Kenyas high court asking it to declare Sections 162 (a) and (c) and 165 unconstitutional.

Court hearings began in February 2018.

In a series of proceedings through 2018, the petitioners argued the laws, as stipulated in the penal codes, violated the right to privacy, freedom of expression, the right to health, human dignity and the right to freedom from non-discrimination.

The petitioners behind the historic case wanted the high court to declare unconstitutional the sections of the penal code that discriminated against members of the LGBTQ community.

Eric Gitari was one of the petitioners who was present during the ruling.

It sends a very chilling message, not just to LGBT people in Kenya but LGBT people across the African continent that there is preference, as you heard the judges say, certain cultures, which is the heterosexual culture and protection of the family. When judges have to weigh the protection of human rights of LGBT persons, they will give preference to majoritarian views and majoritarian interest of protecting families  thats what we have been told and so we will remain criminals, Gitari said.

After Fridays ruling, members of Kenyas LGBT community were clearly distraught.

Outside the courts, members of various Christian churches congregated, singing songs of jubilation.

One of them is Pastor Katy Kageni of the Sozo Church.

So its not a sin worse than the other sin, but the problem is what it does to the family, Kageni said. Our fight is for the family unit. I am a mother of four, I came to this court, I told God, dont let us get into a position where I have to explain to my children why a man is holding a man. If he does it in the bedroom, thats up to them, and between them and God  but not in public.

For the LGBT community, decriminalization of gay sex would provide guaranteed freedoms that they once only dreamed of, Gitari said.

He said because of todays ruling, many of Kenyas LGBT community would remain in the closet, and some will be too ashamed to access basic services, like health care.

Countries such as South Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Sao Tome, and Principe and Cape Verde have struck down anti-homosexuality laws from their constitutions through court rulings or changes in their laws.

Twenty-eight of 49 countries in sub-Saharan Africa continue to uphold laws penalizing same-sex relationships, Kenya included.South Korean director Bong Joon-ho's social satire Parasite, about a poor family of hustlers who find jobs with a wealthy family, won the Cannes Film Festival's top award, the Palme d'Or, on Saturday.



Parasite was the first Korean film to win the Palme. In the festival's closing ceremony, jury president Alejandro Inarritu said the choice was ``unanimous'' for the nine-person jury.



The genre-mixing film had arguably been celebrated more than others at Cannes this year, hailed by critics as the best yet from the 49-year-old director of Snowpiercer and Okja.



It was the second straight Palme victory for an Asian director. Last year, the award went to Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda's Shoplifters, a film also about an impoverished family.



``We shared the mystery of the unexpected way this film took us through different genres, speaking in a funny, humorous and tender way of no judgment of something so relevant and urgent and so global,'' Inarritu told reporters after the ceremony.



Many of the awards at Cannes on Saturday were given to social and political tales that depicted geopolitical dramas in localized stories, from African shores to Paris suburbs.

The festival's second-place award, the Grand Prix, went to French-Senegalese director Mati Diop's feature-film debut, Atlantics. The film by Diop, the first black female director ever in competition in Cannes, views the migrant crisis from the perspective of Senegalese women left behind after many young men flee by sea to Spain.

Sciamma's period romance



Although few quibbled with the choice of Bong, some had expected Cannes to make history by giving the Palme to a female filmmaker for just the second time. Celine Sciamma's period romance Portrait of a Lady on Fire was the Palme pick for many critics this year. Instead, Sciamma ended up with best screenplay.



In the festival's 72-year history, only Jane Champion has won the prize. In 1993, her The Piano tied with Chen Kaige's Farewell My Concubine.



Best actor went to Antonio Banderas for Pedro Almodovar's reflective drama Pain and Glory. In the film, one of the most broadly acclaimed of the festival, Banderas plays a fictionalized version of Almodovar looking back on his life and career.



``The best is still to come,'' said Banderas, accepting the award.



The Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, who have already twice won the Palme d'Or, took the best director prize for Young Ahmed, their portrait of a Muslim teenager who becomes radicalized by a fundamentalist imam.



The jury prize, or third place, was split between two socially conscious thrillers: French director Ladj Ly's feature-film debut Les Miserables and Brazilian director Kleber Mendonca Filho's Bacurau.



Ly called his film an alarm bell about youths living in the housing projects of Paris' suburbs. Filho viewed his feverish, violent Western about a rural Brazilian community defending itself from a hard-to-comprehend invasion as a reflection of President Jair Bolsonaro's Brazil.

British actress Emily Beecham won best actress for her performance in Jessica Hausner's science-fiction drama Little Joe. The jury also gave a special mention to Palestinian director Elia Suleiman's It Must Be Heaven.



The Camera d'Or, an award given for best first feature from across all of Cannes' sections, went to Cesar Diaz's Our Mothers, a drama about the Guatemalan civil war in the 1980s.



The ceremony Saturday brought to a close a Cannes Film Festival that was riven with concerns for its own relevancy. It had to contend, most formidably, with the cultural television force of Game of Thrones. The continuing rise of streaming was also a constant subject around the festival.

Netflix controversy



Two years ago, Bong was in Cannes' competition with Okja, a movie distributed in North America by Netflix. After it and Noah Baumbach's The Meyerowitz Stories  another Netflix release  premiered at Cannes, the festival ruled that all future films in competition needed French theatrical distribution. Netflix has since withdrawn from the festival on the French Riviera.



This year, bowing to pressure from 5050x2020, the French version of Time's Up, the festival released gender breakdowns of its submissions and selections. Cannes said about 27% of its official selections were directed by women. The 21-film main slate included four films directed by women, which tied the festival's previous high.



The 72nd Cannes had its share of red-carpet dazzle, too. Elton John brought his biopic Rocketman to the festival, joining star Taron Egerton for a beachside duet after the premiere. And Quentin Tarantino unveiled his 1960s Los Angeles tale Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood, with Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, 25 years after the director's Pulp Fiction won the Palme d'Or.



Tarantino, who attended the closing ceremony, didn't go home empty-handed. On Friday, a prominent pooch in his film won the annual Palme Dog, an award given by critics to Cannes' best canine.The old wooden ship hull didnt look like much when researchers first saw it: just broken, waterlogged boards and a few pieces of rusted metal, all stuck in the muddy bottom of a bug-infested Alabama bayou where an alligator and poisonous water moccasins swam nearby.

Months later, after hundreds of hours of study and testing, historians say the wreck is the Clotilda, the last ship known to transport African captives to the American South for enslavement.

The question now becomes what to do with the remnants of a ghostly vessel thats a testament to the horror of human bondage.

Some have suggested raising the ship and putting it in a museum. Others want it to become the centerpiece of a national memorial to the slave trade. Leaving the remains in the Mobile River and marking the area reverently is another possibility.

A way to honor Africatown USA

Joycelyn Davis, a descendant of one of the Africans held captive aboard the ship, said she wants to somehow honor both the ships human cargo as well as their hard work and that of their descendants in forming Africatown USA, a coastal community where the Africans settled when they were freed from slavery after the Civil War.

I got chills when it heard it, said Davis, who still lives in the area.

James Delgado, a maritime archaeologist who helped lead the team that verified the wreck as the Clotilda, said Thursday that the ships remains are delicate but the potential for both research and inspiration are enormous.

Nobody has ever found one of these this intact and been able to dig it up, and that is now possible, said Delgado, of the Florida-based SEARCH Inc.

Officials with the Alabama Historical Commission will meet next week with residents in Africatown, just a few miles north of downtown Mobile, to detail the discovery and begin a discussion about the next steps.

The Clotildas unique dimensions made it a one-of-a-kind Gulf Coast schooner, and it made multiple cargo trips in the region before plantation owner Timothy Meaher of Mobile hired it in 1860 for an illegal trip to Africa to gather slaves, Delgado said.

Importation of slaves had been banned in 1808 and was punishable by death, so the Clotildas captain, William Foster, burned the vessel in a river bayou north of Mobile after unloading about 110 captives on to a steamboat.

Foster kept a detailed log of everything he did, Delgado said, and that helped lead to the discovery of the wreck.

Different wreck prompted interest

A Mobile-area reporter, Ben Raines, spurred fresh interest in the Clotilda last year by publishing a detailed account of a wreck that could have been the Clotilda but turned out to be that of another wooden ship. The publicity resulted in a new search that led researchers to the spot where a wreck was found. A team descended on the wooden hulk to take measurements and gather a few loose pieces for analysis.

Using detailed archival records of more than 1,500 ship registries, researchers determined the half-buried ship was the exact size and shape of the Clotilda. It was also in the same spot and the same depth of water where the captain wrote of scuttling the vessel to hide evidence after its one and only voyage as a slaver, Delgado said.

About half of the ship rises above the river bottom, he said. The hull is there, burned down to the waterline and above it in a few places.

Not a place anyone would want to dive

With a gator living nearby and snakes everywhere, research divers descended into the brackish, muddy coastal water to determine what remained. Visibility was virtually zero, and one diver standing in the hull nearly impaled herself on a broken plank, Delgado said.

It is not a place anyone would want to dive, he said.

But teams were able to gather a few loose planks and pieces of metal, Delgado said, and forensic analysis showed they matched materials that detailed records used in the Clotildas construction.

One big question is what might be inside the still-unexcavated hold, where the African captives were kept. Delgado said the area could contain casks or food buckets or even manacles, but further excavation work is required.

While there are no known photographs of the Clotilda, Labarron Lewis of Mobile painted a giant roadside mural depicting the ship along a busy road through Africatown two years ago. The announcement of the ships discovery came as he was planning to touch up the painting, which was based on an image he found on the internet.

It also left Lewis wondering whether he is a descendant of the Clotildas last surviving African, Cudjo Lewis, who died in 1935 and was featured in the best-selling book Barracoon by the late Zora Neale Hurston, released last year.

My granddaddys brother looked just like Cudjo Lewis, the painter said.U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told graduates of the U.S. Military Academy Saturday they are the "best of the best," who will have the support of President Donald Trump.

"As you accept the mantle of leadership, I promise you your commander-in-chief will always have your back," Pence said during his commencement address before the West Point graduates.

Pence addressed more than 980 cadets who were commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army.

It is the most diverse class in the academy's history. Two hundred thirty-three women, including 34 African American women, were among the graduates  both record highs. A total of 110 African Americans graduated, twice the number in 2013.

Saturday's commencement speech was Pence's second at the academy in West Point, New York.

At least 29 prisoners were killed and 19 police wounded in clashes at a jail in western Venezuela Friday, authorities said.

The incident at the police station jail in the town of Acarigua, in Portuguesa state, occurred when police special forces (FAES) tried to stop a massive prison break, which resulted in the deaths of 29 inmates, according to Portuguesa public security secretary Oscar Valero.

The prisoners received the officers with a hail of gunfire while detonating three grenades, which injured 19 police, Valero told reporters.

The Una Ventana a la Libertad NGO, which defends prisoner rights, gave a preliminary toll of 25 dead.

NGO director Carlos Nieto said the clashes broke out when the FAES attempted to rescue visitors who had been taken hostage Thursday by the leader of the inmates at the jail.

This morning (authorities) sent the FAES and there was a clash. The detainees had weapons, they shot at the police. Apparently they also detonated two grenades, Nieto told AFP.

The inmates leader, Wilfredo Ramos, was one of those killed, according to an internal police report.

The report, quoted by the NGO, said several officers were wounded by shrapnel and explosives.

Nieto said the inmates were demanding food and to be transferred to prisons, and had denounced police abuses.

Violence is a problem in such detention facilities, where inmates are supposed to be held for a maximum of 48 hours, Una Ventana a la Libertad said.

There are around 500 of them in the country, holding 55,000 people even though their total capacity is 8,000, the NGO added.

The Acarigua jail has capacity for 60 inmates but was holding 500, according to the police report.

Venezuela has one of the worst records for prison violence in the region.Leonardo da Vinci is renowned as a "Renaissance man" for his mastery in art, science, architecture, music, mathematics, engineering and cartography, but he was no master at completing his efforts.



Five hundred years after his death, a professor of psychiatry in Britain has suggested that the reason da Vinci left behind so many unfinished works, including the iconic Mona Lisa, is that he may have had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).



"I am confident ADHD is the most convincing and scientifically plausible hypothesis to explain Leonardo's difficulty in finishing his works," Marco Catani of King's College in London argues in a paper published Friday in the neurological journal Brain.



Catani said historical records show da Vinci's struggles with finishing tasks were pervasive from childhood.

On the go

Accounts from biographers and contemporaries show he was constantly on the go, Catani said, often jumping from task to task. And like many people with ADHD, da Vinci got very little sleep and often worked continuously, night and day.



"Historical records show Leonardo spent excessive time planning projects but lacked perseverance. ADHD could explain aspects of Leonardo's temperament and his strange mercurial genius," the professor said.



ADHD is a behavioral disorder most commonly identified with inability to complete tasks and mental and physical restlessness. It is most commonly recognized in children but is increasingly being diagnosed among adults, including those with successful careers.



"There is a prevailing misconception that ADHD is typical of misbehaving children with low intelligence, destined for a troubled life," Catani said. He said he hoped that "that the case of Leonardo shows that ADHD is not linked to low IQ or lack of creativity but rather the difficulty of capitalizing on natural talents. I hope that Leonardo's legacy can help us to change some of the stigma around ADHD."A United Nations tribunal has ordered Russia to immediately release three Ukrainian naval ships and two dozen sailors, who were captured in a November confrontation off the Crimean Peninsula.

The Germany-based International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea issued the order Saturday after a hearing earlier this month.

The seizures occurred during a November 25 confrontation in the Kerch Strait, which separates Crimea from mainland Russia. It was the first open military clash between Russia and Ukraine since Moscow's 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, which is generally regarded as an illegal action.

Ukraine maintains Russia stopped its ships in the Black Sea as they were returning to the Ukrainian port city of Odessa. Ukraine argues its ships were immune to such seizures under the Law of the Sea.

Russia contends the vessels were trying to enter the Azov Sea through the Kerch Strait in defiance of Russian orders to stop because it had temporarily closed the waterway.

Russia has charged the crew with violating its border and argues the tribunal does not have jurisdiction over the issue because of an exemption for military activity. Russia did not attend the hearing or Saturday's tribunal session.

The Hamburg tribunal's rulings are legally binding, but it lacks the power to enforce them. It gave both sides until June 25 to report on compliance with its order.Both leaders expressed their delight at the positive development of relations between Vietnam and Norway as well as between the parliaments in particular over the years.

They held that Vietnam and Norway boast great potential for stronger cooperation in various areas.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc conveyed Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngans greetings and invitation to the Norwegian leader to visit Vietnam.

Troen lauded Vietnams completion of the Millennium Development Goal in poverty reduction ahead of schedule, pledging that Norway will continue supporting Vietnam in the field.

She said that in the coming time, the two parliaments should increase the exchange of experience in law building, supervision and enforcement, while supporting each other at multilateral parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) meets President of the Norwegian Parliament Tone Troen (Photo: VNA)

The leaders highlighted the significance of economic cooperation and the need for the soon signing of a Free Trade Agreement between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Vietnam.





PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc proposed the parliament of Norway support the business communities of both nations to strengthen connections and partnerships, while encouraging Norwegian firms to invest more in Vietnam in marine transport, shipbuilding, oil and gas, aquaculture, renewable energy, consumer goods, and information technology.

The Vietnamese Government is implementing many policies to encourage and support foreign investors, including those from Norway, to operate effectively in Vietnam for a long term, he stressed.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc also proposed that Norway open its market for Vietnamese traditional products, especially farm produce, consumer goods and electronics products.

In the context that Vietnam and Norway are switching their relations from development cooperation to development partnership for mutual benefit, Vietnam expects that the Norwegian parliament will back dialogue mechanisms and political consultations as well as other new cooperation methods, especially in climate change, clean energy, blue economy and sustainable development, he said.

The PM expressed his hope that Norways parliament will continue assisting the 20,000-strong Vietnamese community in the country to stabilise their lives and well integrate into the host society, so that they could work as an important bridge to enhance the friendship, mutual understanding and close relationship between the two nations.

Both leaders agreed to work together in maintaining peace and ensuring freedom and security of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./.Rehna Abdul Kareem By

Express News Service

In an attempt to connect with her own community in Kolkata, Abira Pathak, 27, is promoting lungis, with her brand Thatch. The apparel is not new, with men and women from several communities across India adopting the lungi in their own way. But Pathak is also doing her own thing.

As a child, Pathak always saw her grandfather wearing lungis and wanted to wear them. It was never my grandmothers saris that I gravitated towards. It was always the lungis he used to wear.

Abira Pathak

She now lives in Mumbai, and for Thatch, sources fabric from Chennai and Kolkata. The fabrics also come from Erode, especially our cottons. A lot of weaving clusters have been doing this for a very long time  both with handlooms and powerlooms, says Pathak, who works with Odia artisans who specialise in Pattachitra, a traditional artform that involves geometrical, floral and tribal patterns. Kantha is another popular handicraft work from Bengal that she is integrating into lungis.

The manufacturing is divided between Kolkata and Chennai. And the idea is to work with Bangladeshi and Burmese weavers as well, says Pathak, who has a day job with the singing app Smule, and has previously worked with Facebook. Here, she networked with several designers and realised that she loved working with different fabrics.

After much research, she put out three pieces on Instagram on May 10. Within 48 hours, they were all sold. She then uploaded another three and these sold out in five minutes. In ten days, I sold ten lungis, says an ecstatic Pathak.

When she started wearing them to work in Mumbai, she realised that the humble lungi was attached with a lot of misconceptions. Mainly of it being equated it to just South India, or a lower income group of people. They just werent able to comprehend the lungi in an urban setting.

Shes geared to produce more lungis in Batik and in solid colours as these are doing really well. She has her eyes on a prized Egyptian cotton roll from Bengal, and Faneks from Manipur  a traditional attire for the women there, which has silk embroidered on the body. I am also working on denim lungis!

From Rs 650. Available online.Turkey has equipped an array of mainstream Syrian rebels it backs with fresh supplies of weaponry to help them try to repel a major Russian-backed assault, senior opposition officials and rebel sources said

Saturday.

Russia is backing the Syrian army's large aerial and ground assault as it seeks to gain control of the last big stretch of rebel-held territory in the northwest of the country.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched the assault last month, saying rebels had breached an existing cease-fire, triggering a civilian exodus by bombarding Idlib and adjacent areas. It has been the biggest escalation since last summer between Assad and his enemies in Idlib province and a belt of territory around it.

Ankara stepped up supplies in recent days after failing to persuade Russia in recent meetings of a joint working group to end its escalation to avert a major influx of refugees pouring into Turkey, two senior opposition figures said.

In doing so, Turkey signaled its readiness to preserve its influence in northwestern Syria, where it has beefed up its troop presence in a dozen military bases that were set up under a de-escalation deal with Russia, a senior rebel commander said.

Turkish officials were not immediately available to comment.

Turkish convoy

Overnight, a Turkish military convoy arrived at a base in northern Hama near rebel-held Jabal al-Zawiya, an area Russian and Syrian jets have been pounding for weeks, a rebel and a witness said.

The delivery of dozens of armored vehicles, Grad rocket launchers, anti-tank guided missiles and TOW missiles helped roll back some Syrian army gains and retake the strategically located town of Kfar Nabouda, one senior opposition figure said.

The TOW missile had been the most potent weapon in the arsenal of rebel groups battling Assad during the conflict. It was extended by Western and Arab foes of Assad until a CIA-led program of military support to help moderate rebels was suspended in 2017.

A Western intelligence source said Washington had given a "green light" for the Turkey-backed mainstream rebels to use the TOW missiles, which had been in storage in the latest campaign.

Washington, which has criticized Russia's latest campaign and urged a cease-fire, also said it saw signs that Assad had used poison gas in the latest offensive and warned that it would respond "quickly and appropriately" if this were proven.

Assad has denied such allegations throughout the war.

A spokesman for the Turkey-backed National Liberation Front (NLF), Capt. Naji Mustafa, did not confirm or deny any new supplies by Turkey, saying rebels had long had a big arsenal of weapons from anti-tank to armored vehicles "alongside material and logistical support by our Turkish brothers."

The retreat from Kfar Nabouda was an upset to a Russian goal of a speedy military campaign to gain another slice of heavily populated Idlib province.

New front

In the last 24 hours, the Syrian army has been sending large troop reinforcements ahead of opening a new front, a source in touch with Syrian army commanders told Reuters.

The Syrian army said Saturday that it continued to intensify its attacks on what it called terrorist hideouts in the northwest.

A Turkey backed-rebel grouping called the National Army, which operates in northwestern border areas near Turkey, has been allowed to join mainstream rebel factions along the front lines.

"Large numbers of our fighters have joined with all their weapons to repel the assault," said Maj. Youssef Hamoud, their spokesman.

The rebels' readiness to put aside differences that once led to bloody internecine fighting has united jihadists and mainstream rebels for the first time in years.The resignation announcement Friday by the countrys Conservative prime minister Theresa May has increased the likelihood of Britain having to hold a general election this year, say analysts and lawmakers.

That would add even more uncertainty to the countrys chaotic departure from the European Union.

Within hours of Mays tearful announcement, moderate Conservative lawmakers who want Britain to remain either in the European Union or closely tied to it, warned they might have no choice but to withhold support for her successor, if it turns out to be Boris Johnson, the former foreign secretary and political maverick, who has the backing of many in the Brexit wing of the party.

Theresa Mays successor  who will be chosen in a party vote by the end of July  will almost certainly face an immediate confidence motion in the House of Commons brought by the opposition parties.

Johnson, whos considered the frontrunner in a leadership contest that could see as many as 16 contenders, staked out in a speech Friday a hardline Brexit position, saying at a conference in Switzerland that Britain should leave the EU on October 31, whether parliament finally approves Mays contentious exit deal with Brussels or not.

The next prime minister must put Brexit to bed, he said. Johnsons main rivals, foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, interior minister Sajid Javid and health minister Matt Hancock seem determined not to be outflanked by Johnson in the leadership race and have also issued hardline statements. We need to deliver Brexit, and I will deliver Brexit, and we need to move this country forward, taking all the opportunities that Brexit brings, Hancock said Saturday in announcing his candidacy.

Mays fate was sealed when the British House of Commons declined three times to approve her Brexit Withdrawal Agreement  a deal vehemently opposed by a third of her own parliamentary party on the grounds it would keep Britain subservient to EU regulations and rules and prevent it from negotiating trade deals bilaterally with non-EU countries.

Brussels has refused to reopen negotiations on the deal, which EU officials say is the best they can offer.

Some pro-EU Conservatives, who want a second Brexit referendum, signaled they might withhold backing for a Johnson government. I will support any Conservative PM who is sober and responsible to recognize that we can only leave the EU with an agreement, Guto Bebb, a Conservative lawmaker told The Times newspaper.

A long-odds contender to succeed Theresa May, Rory Stewart, the international development minister and a party centrist, said Saturday he wouldn't be prepared to serve in a cabinet led by Johnson. He told Sky News: I sat down with Boris Johnson two weeks ago and he said to me he would not be pushing for a policy of a no-deal Brexit. I left the room feeling that we had an understanding. I now understand, from what he said yesterday, he is going to try to crash us out of the European Union at the end of October... that is not being straight with people.

Britains fractious Conservatives are ruling as a minority government, and they rely on the support of a Northern Irish party to give them a working majority of just five in the House of Commons. A handful of Conservative standouts could trigger a chain of events leading to an early election the Conservatives are unlikely to win.

On Sunday the results of a European parliamentary election Britons voted in on Thursday are likely to highlight the highly dangerous electoral landscape for the Conservatives. Pollsters predict Britains storied ruling party will record the worst ever electoral performance with the newly-formed hardline Brexit Party of Nigel Farage topping the poll followed by the pro-EU Liberal Democrats.

Britains main opposition Labour Party, which has also split over Brexit, is also likely to fare poorly, say pollsters.

Moderate Conservatives and Johnsons longtime political rivals are scrambling to stop him succeeding Theresa May.

Aside from the Brexit issue, they say his chaotic private life and serial relationships as well as his political unpredictability and inconsistency are dangerous liabilities. They also doubt he has the work ethic needed by a prime minister. As mayor of London  he served two terms in the post  he handed off day-to-day management to a deputy and was faulted for casualness when it came to the drudgery of administration and oversight.

EU diplomats are also concerned about Johnsons unpredictability and habitual populist showmanship. You never know what you are going to get with Johnson, says an EU official. Another accused Johnson of basic political dishonesty, pointing to his repeated claims during the 2016 Brexit referendum campaign that Britain could easily pull off a favorable trade deal with Brussels after leaving the EU.

Notoriously Johnson announced during the campaign: My policy on cake is pro having it and pro eating it. Johnson is seen by some as being as divisive as Brexit itself.

But his supporters say Johnson, a favorite of party activists, has the star quality the party needs to win elections and curb the populist threat from Nigel Farage, an adept political campaigner.

They also claim he has the political creativity to break the Brexit deadlock that has turned traditional British politics upside down and might even have the ability to persuade hardline Brexiters to accept a compromise and something short of their objective to break completely with the EU.

But Brussels is already warning that it won't tolerate a bid by Mays successor, whoever it is, to seek any changes or serious tweaks to the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement concluded with May after two years of haggling.

Analysts say May was handed a thankless and near impossible Brexit task, although some blame her for missteps that added to the disarray, and that whoever succeeds her will also struggle to unite the Conservatives and persuade Brussels to start afresh to craft a new deal able to secure British parliamentary approval. May was broken by Brexit, serving one of the shortest terms of any recent British prime minister.

Commentator Daniel Finkelstein argues that Mays successor will have to explore alternatives to Mays approach and will have no option because of the parliamentary arithmetic to seek a new deal from the EU and use a genuine determination to leave without a deal as a way of wringing concessions from Brussels.

If that fails the new leader will have to dare the House of Commons to accept a no-deal exit and trigger an election, if it fails to endorse a sharp break from the EU. But an election would be a high risk endeavor for the Conservatives given the Brexit schism in the party and most pollsters say the result would be another hung parliament and most likely a Labour-led coalition government.

The unfolding high-stakes political drama in London is alarming Brussels and the national leaders of EU member states. They fear Mays departure will increase the risks of Britain messily crashing out of the bloc.

What can someone else do that she did not do? asked Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, during an interview with a German broadcaster. My working hypothesis is that the British will quit on October 31, he added.

EU officials have joined a chorus of warnings coming from the Continent urging Conservative hopefuls not to seek half-membership in the bloc and expect any changes to the deal they agreed with May last November. They say the problem wasn't Theresa May and that with her departure the fundamental difficulties remain  a deadlocked British parliament, a split down the middle among British voters over Brexit and the need for Brussels to ensure the integrity of the EU and not to compromise the basic foundations of the bloc.

A hard Brexit appears to be a reality that is near impossible to stop, a Spanish government spokeswoman said Friday.

On the European side there is absolutely no intention to reopen the withdrawal agreement, said Guy Verhofstadt, the European parliaments lead negotiator in Brexit talks.At the Sog County reform through re-education center in Nagchu Prefecture of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, Those who the officials didnt like would be captured and tortured with electronic devices. When they become unconscious, [the torturers] would splash water on their faces until their victims regained their consciousness. After doing that for a long time, they would use a black rubber tube as well as electronic baton to torture people. The bruised bodies of the prisoners turned blue and black, and people become half-dead. For some [strange] reason, their bones were not broken.

This description of daily life comes from a two-part journal written by a former inmate of one of the camps that was obtained by the Tibetan Service of the Voice of America, and some organizations of exiled Tibetans. The author, believed to be a Tibetan monk, was put in the re-education camp in July 2017 after studying at an unnamed Tibetan Buddhist institute in Qinghai Province, on the Tibetan Plateau in northwest China.

Tibet, then Xinjiang

Cultural anthropologist, historian and University of Colorado professor, Carole McGranahan, the author of Arrested History: Tibet, the CIA and Memories of a Forgotten War, reviewed the journal and found it an authentic recounting of what it is like to be a prisoner in a re-education camp in Tibet.

The details given correspond to our understanding of what such re-education centers look like, and these re-education camps, detention camps, internment camps are found not only in Tibet but right now, [in] 2019, there are also many in which Uighurs  Uighur Muslims  are prisoners in Xinjiang as well. So we are seeing this in both Tibet and Xinjiang, she told VOA.

The Tibetan journal recounts brutal practices that continued into 2017, but by that time, Chen Quanguo the camps top administrator, had moved on, appointed by Beijing as party secretary of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in 2016.

Since then, under his administration, hundreds of thousands of Uighur Muslims have been imprisoned in similar re-education centers as security and surveillance in the region has been tightened using methods Chen employed in Tibet, such as setting up security stations in every intersection in the cities and passport confiscation, according to the South China Morning Post.

Tibet is the precursor to what is happening, McGranahan said. The Chinese architect of the Uighur re-education or concentration camps is Chen Quanguo. Where was he before Xinjiang? In Tibet from 2011-2016, in charge of surveilling, policing and oppressing Tibetans.

Global Islamophobia is enabling current Chinese Communist abuse in Xinjiang, but we need to connect what is happening in Xinjiang with what has happened in Tibet since the 1950s, McGranahan continued. The logics, structures, and tactics of oppression are similar, and similarly devastating.

Human rights activists have called for the imposition of international sanctions on Chen, according to Human Rights Watch.

Calls to the Chinese Embassy in Washington asking for comment went directly to a voicemail system that hung up before messages could be left.

Pema Gyal, a Tibet researcher at Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy, says the journal makes it possible to compare treatment at the re-education camps for Tibetans with what is known of the Xinjiang camps for Uighurs.

This diary shows there are many similarities between the re-education centers in Tibet and Xinjiang, Pema Gyal says. This shows the way political re-education campaigns about minorities carried are exactly the same [in those two regions]. Like in Xinjiang where young women are reportedly raped, the monks journal [entries show] many nuns were raped in the Tibetan re-education centers.

Camp saga begins

The journals saga begins with the author being accused of breaking the law by studying in Qinghai [Province] and forced to leave the Tibetan Buddhist study center on July 1, 2017. My parents and siblings were warned that if I did not return voluntarily, they would face imprisonment, their children would be barred from attending schools, and the family would not be allowed to collect yartsa gunbu, or caterpillar fungus. Under such circumstance, I had no choice but to come back.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, the fungus enhances male virility and is the primary income for Tibetan families in many parts of Tibet. The yartsa gunbu from Sog is prized.

Before I was taken in, a Tibetan man from the National Security Office told me, You are going to a school, not to a prison, the journal writer recorded.

He was allowed only his clothes and toiletries.

As I entered [the re-education center] some women in military uniform came down. When they saw the National Security officer, they all sat. When the man spoke to them, they said in unison, Yes sir, yes sir. I thought that was rather strange.

Everyone in military uniforms

He soon learned that the woman in the military uniform were detained Tibetan nuns. While being forced to stand still near a wall before he was to taken to the prison authoritys office to register, he saw from the corner of his eyes more men and women in military uniforms.

They also looked at me from the corners of their eyes.

After three motionless hours, he was taken to the prison directors office.

He scolded me. Stupid, he yelled. Where did you go and what did you study, he asked. I told him the name of the place in Qinghai where I studied and what I studied. He asked me many other questions, including whether I saw His Holiness the Dalai Lamas photos or [listened to his] audios and if I had brought back any of them with me. I replied to his questions. He was very angry, punched on his desk and cursed me.

The monk had to pay 150 yuan for a military uniform he was required to wear, then was taken to a prison cell already housing six inmates. One of them was the cell leader who wrote down the monks name and asked him some procedural questions.

Do you trust the Communist Party? he asked me. I didnt give an answer right away. I saw from the corner of my eyes that the others [in the cell] were signaling me to answer. Then I said, Yes.

Fire of anger burned inside

The monk was then given three days to learn the Chinese national anthem and two other Chinese songs, including a song, the Sun and Moon Are Brothers Who Share the Same Mother made famous by the Tibetan soprano Tseten Dolma during Chinas Cultural Revolution.

Failure meant facing severe consequences, he wrote.

After a few days, I realized that the lives in this place was far from that of a school. This was not a school at all. Aside from a few laypeople, the majority of them (inmates) were monks and nuns who had studied in Qinghai.

The food in was barely edible  It smelled dusty and contains dust, dead bugs, and pieces of rocks.

If one person disobeyed authorities or tried to help elderly inmates who collapsed from exhaustion or were injured by torture, authorities punished all the inmates by cutting rations.

So, even though the fire of anger burned inside, no one would let the smoke come out their mouth, he wrote, using a traditional Tibetan aphorism. This eventually caused many people developing heart diseases.

The daily political indoctrination classes were designed to mainly denounce us, and to denounce His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It taught us some random legal education, too, but nothing useful. They sometimes acted as children. A big nation denouncing an old lama living so far away was both sad and laughable.

Nuns tortured, raped

The journal writer described the torture of nuns who became unconscious. The prison guards would compete among themselves to get them first and take them away. Who knows what they did to them. I heard that some young officers were seen pressing nuns under them in their bedrooms. The Tibet Center for Human Rights and Democracy has called this rape.

Chinese authorities released the journal keeper after almost four months of detention. But his freedom of movement remained restricted, at least during the time he wrote his journal.

After we were released, some of us have to go to local police station every day to register. Some people have to go every three days and some once a week. When we go to police station, we are ordered to clean their offices, outside building, wash their clothes and dishes. We are not allowed to go to the monastery to live, neither are we allowed to visit other families to perform rites for them. We are banned from traveling to other counties, other prefectures or other cities. Our IDs are kept at the National Security Office.U.S. President Donald Trump is sending 1500 troops to the Middle East to deter potential Iranian threats. Earlier this week, Trump administration officials told lawmakers that the U.S. is not seeking to provoke Tehran. Many are concerned that the mixed messages coming out of the administration may increase the risk of conflict and lessen the chance of persuading Iran to halt its nuclear weapons program. White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this report.The U.N. human rights office condemns rampant human rights violations in Daraa Governorate in southwest Syria by both government and so-called non-state actors. The agency accuses both parties of flaunting the reconciliation agreement implemented 10 months ago.

The reconciliation agreement between the Syrian Government and armed rebel groups was supposed to bring peace to Syrias Daraa Governorate, which is located near the Jordanian border. Following the agreement last July, most people who had been displaced by the conflict returned to their places of origin.

But their hopes for a better more secure life has been shattered. The U.N. human rights office says civilians rushed home without knowing what decisions affecting them had been made in the deal. Spokeswoman Marta Hurtado says her agency fears the agreement may not have been in full conformity with international law.

This, she says, appears to have opened the floodgates to widespread abuse.

The U.N. Human Rights Office has received a number of worrying reports of human rights violations and offenses by state and non-state actors, including executions, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, looting and seizure of property. Access to adequate housing, water, education and other basic needs also remains difficult for many, she said.

Hurtado says efforts by members of armed groups and civilians to take positions in government entities have been violently rebuffed. She says U.N. monitors have documented 11 cases where people wanting to participate in civilian local councils or military or security forces have been killed. She adds they appear to have been targeted killings.

She says the U.N. also has received reports that at least 380 people have been arrested or detained, some reportedly on suspicion of terrorism. Hurtado says 150 were released after a few days in detention. The others, she says, have been subjected to enforced disappearances. She notes many families in Dara have limited or no information about the fate of their missing relatives.

The U.N. human rights office is urging the government to take all necessary steps to protect the human rights of all people in areas under its control. It says the authorities must ensure that individuals arrested in connection with the armed conflict or on criminal charges receive a just and fair trial.U.S. intelligence agencies will cooperate with a new Justice Department investigation into whether officials overstepped their bounds and improperly surveilled U.S. President Donald Trump's presidential campaign in 2016.



In a statement issued late Friday, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said intelligence agencies would provide U.S. Attorney General William Barr with "all of the appropriate information" for his investigation.



"As part of that process, I am confident that the attorney general will work with the IC [intelligence community] in accordance with the long-established standards to protect highly sensitive classified information that, if publicly released, would put our national security at risk," Coats added.



The statement from the country's top intelligence officer followed Trump's directive, issued late Thursday, that called on U.S. intelligence agencies to "quickly and fully cooperate" with the new Justice Department probe.

The directive also gave Barr what the White House described as "full and complete authority to declassify information pertaining to this investigation."



"We want to be very transparent," Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday before leaving for a state visit to Japan.



"Everything that they need is declassified, and they'll be able to see how the hoax or witch hunt started and why it started," he added. "It was an attempted coup or an attempted takedown of the president of the United States. It should never, ever happen to anybody else."



The move comes as some Democratic lawmakers have ratcheted up calls to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump, a Republican. It also comes as the White House has battled with Democratic lawmakers over the two-year investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.



Already, several Republican lawmakers have praised the new investigation.

North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows called the move "outstanding" and tweeted:

Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan also accused Democratic lawmakers of being "focused on taking down the president."



"They're so desperate to stop the president that they won't help the country," he tweeted.

But Democrats fired back. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff of California tweeted:

The vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Democrat Mark Warner of Virginia, also raised concerns.



"People risk their lives to gather the intelligence material that President Trump and Attorney General Barr are so eager to politicize," Warner said in a statement Friday. "Selectively declassifying sources and methods in order to serve a political agenda will make it harder for the intelligence community to do their jobs protecting this country from those who wish to do us harm."

Former U.S. intelligence officials also expressed reservations about Trump's actions.

April Doss, a former head of intelligence law at the National Security Agency, said on Twitter:

Asha Rangappa, a former FBI special agent who also comments for CNN, tweeted:

But Trump has repeatedly pointed to the special counsel's report, which did not find evidence to support criminal charges against the president, as proof his campaign did not collude with Russia to turn the 2016 election in his favor.



Instead, the president has said the report shows there was a conspiracy against him, telling supporters at a rally in Pennsylvania on Monday that former U.S. officials spied on his presidential campaign and were guilty of treason, a claim he stood by on Thursday.



"If you look at [former FBI Director James] Comey; if you look at [former FBI Deputy Director Andrew] McCabe; if you look at probably people higher than that," Trump said when asked which officials committed treason, which is punishable by death.



"They couldn't win the election, and that's what happened," he said. "That's treason."



Comey, the former FBI director who was fired by Trump, responded Friday on Twitter:

Another frequent target of Trump's ire, former CIA Director John Brennan, an outspoken Trump critic, also spoke out on the social media platform late Friday.



Highlighting one of the president's tweets  showing a cartoon of him, Comey and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper  Brennan called Trump's behavior "very immature":Vinyl records are becoming more popular in the U.S., after almost disappearing from American markets when they were replaced over the years by audio tapes, CDs and digital music downloaded onto phones and other devices. With vinyl records coming back, record-pressing plants are being established, including one just recently opened in Alexandria, Va., a Washington, D.C., suburb. Alina Golinata recently visited the plant and filed this report.Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi criticized the U.N.'s special envoy to the country in a sharply-worded letter to the U.N. chief, describing him as legitimizing Houthi rebels his Saudi-backed coalition is locked in a four-year war with.

The Iran-aligned Houthis, who ousted Hadi from power in the capital Sanaa in 2014, have stepped up missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent days in a resurgence of tactics that had largely subsided since late last year amid United Nations-led peace efforts.

The attacks come the same month that U.N. special envoy Martin Griffiths appeared to have achieved a diplomatic breakthrough, getting the Iranian-aligned Houthis to agree a unilateral withdrawal of their forces from Hodeidah and two other ports.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE head a Western-backed coalition of Sunni Muslim states that back Hadi and intervened in Yemen in 2015 to try to restore the internationally recognized government ousted from power.

The five-page letter, addressed to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and dated May 22, outlines a litany of grievances directed at Griffiths, criticizing "his insistence on dealing with the rebels as a de-facto government," referring to the Houthis.

The letter states that Griffiths has failed to properly oversee an agreement struck last year in Stockholm for a ceasefire and withdrawal plan for the port city of Hodeidah, and has not dealt with issues surrounding detainees and hostages.

"It is clear the envoy has a weak understanding of the nature of Yemen's ongoing conflict, especially the ideological, intellectual, and political elements of the Houthi militias and their fundamental rejection of the principles of democracy and the peaceful rotation of power," stated the letter.

A UN spokesman said on Friday that Guterres reiterated his confidence in Griffiths after receiving the letter, and said the special envoy would double down on efforts to support both sides in the conflict and ensure that the Stockholm agreement is fulfilled, a U.N. statement said.The URL has been copied to your clipboard

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East African countries are set to ban skin-lightening products that contain hydroquinone, a medical agent linked to health problems when used in high concentrations. The East African Legislative Assembly last week passed a resolution calling for a regionwide ban on the products.Photo: Netflix

To watch The Perfection, which made its debut today on Netflix, is to see a quilt of co-writer and director Richard Shepards influences. There are the grindhouse movies he grew up watching on 42nd Street in New York City, where he soaked in every reel he could get in front of. There are the exquisitely executed South Korean revenge films (particularly the domestically disturbed offerings of Park Chan-wook), and the high-class pulp of early Brian De Palma, all stitched together with motifs of his own work. Shepard has most famously directed numerous episodes of Girls, including the highlights American Bitch and The Panic in Central Park, both of which feel like vignettes that devolve into nightmares and feature women pushing back against toxic men. The Perfection, in all its disturbed and thrilling and titillating glory, is an amalgamation of those interests  Shepards shot at The Handmaiden, but with a dirty syringe of American genre sensibility injected straight into the mainline.

From 30,000 feet, the plot is simple(ish). A once-elite cellist named Charlotte (Allison Williams) emerges after a decade of caring for her dying mother to reconnect with her old instructor, Anton (Steven Weber), at which point she meets the prodigy who succeeded her, the beguiling Lizzie (Logan Browning). Charlotte is clearly running a game, but we dont know why. She and Lizzie begin as rivals but quickly become lovers and then adversaries, then allies in a quest for revenge. The movies first hour is packed with wild body horror, an erotic cello duet, and multiple Funny Gamesesque twists that will leave you gobsmacked. But the true wonder of The Perfection comes at the end.

The films biggest reveal, that Anton is a pedophile and a sociopath, flings viewers into the finale stretch of the story. With Charlotte finally back in the conservatory for the first time in a decade, the audience is at last let in on her game. Through whatever means necessary, she set out to separate Lizzie from Anton and bring a reckoning upon him for sexually abusing her and every other elite student who had come under his care. To reach the perfection in performance, he explains in a flashback scene, is to become closer to God. As the arbiter of perfection  and therefore a kind of self-styled holy surrogate  its Antons prerogative, and even duty, to break his students down so completely that their survival depends on his satisfaction. At his family-run Bachoff Academy of Music, that means a generations-long tradition of systematic child rape.

To unpack The Perfections go-for-broke ending, Vulture spoke with its director and stars about the confetti canon of kink, depravity, and cultural commentary in its closing scenes.

Raise the Stakes

The final act of The Perfection opens on Charlotte in Antons most sacred space, the Chapel, which we know from earlier in the film is where precious few students have the honor of performing. Its also where Anton and his lackeys administer their most terrible punishments. We see Charlotte backlit by an almost Byzantine halo of gold light before cutting to the movies most succinctly powerful image: a womans feet in Jimmy Choo heels, locked to the floor with gold chains and surrounded by the drape of a lush red gown. I knew the second we lined up the shot that it was gorgeous, says Shepard. Its very kinky, and I thought it was telling about the world that they lived in and the perfection that was needed. It also says a lot that they dont see her feet, because her dress covers them. In their minds, shes willingly performing for them.

Viewers, however, see a beautiful woman in a beautiful room, shackled to the floor, instructed by men to put on a show for them  or else. In the Chapel, Charlotte is tasked with performing both a feminine ideal as well as a composition. Charlottes body belongs to them and exists to serve a purportedly higher purpose, but her mind is her own and shes keeping a secret: She and Lizzie are actually in cahoots. And thats the big trick of the scene. Neither the monsters in the room nor the audience watching is yet aware of the fact that the two have conspired to kill their attackers, and this whole sick show is going (mostly) according to plan. That means Williams is also giving two performances: one as a victim fighting back years of PTSD to survive the moment, and another as a co-conspirator who is plotting bloody revenge.

Its triggering, obviously. This was the location of the greatest traumas of her entire life, so she is putting herself back there in order to make things right in her moral universe, Williams says of the Chapel scene. She is both in control and fighting that feeling that keeps coming up in waves, that shes out of control and shes a little girl again and shes totally vulnerable. And yet Charlotte and Lizzie have the upper hand. She now has an ally in the room, whereas before she never did.

Shepard wanted to design a pristine setting for the scene, a place that belied the horrors taking place within and whose name alluded to secrecy, cover-ups, and abuse. He drew inspiration from the scandal-sieged Catholic Church. A line Lizzie recites at the start of the movie becomes a cultlike refrain in the Chapel scene: Its whats expected of us. Charlotte, of course, fails to deliver what is expected, and Anton turns her over to his silent assistants, Theus and Jeffrey, to have at her first while he waits elsewhere for her to stop biting. Her chair is rigged to tilt back and her wrists have been bound by an apparatus that raises her arms, effectively serving her up. But before her assailants can get their pants off, the men collapse dead on the ground  thanks to the poison Lizzie slipped in their drinks. The two kiss passionately, and their path to Anton is clear.

Bring in the Avenging Angels

Lizzie and Charlotte then greet Anton in his bedroom by dropping his dead wife through the doorway. Costume designer Beverley Huynh, who supervised the creation of the intricately hand-painted gowns both women wear at earlier moments in the film, dressed them in gray sweats for the scene. As they enter his room, Antons peaceful instrumental music transforms into pounding hip-hop; this house belongs to them now.

Anton begs for mercy as Lizzie, brandishing a meat cleaver, lunges for him. Here, Shepard makes a crucial editorial choice. Instead of following the action, the point of view switches to a camera that was shoulder-mounted onto Williams, giving us only a tight shot of her face. Charlottes resolve turns to paralysis and the sounds of struggle become white noise. As satisfying as revenge narratives are, they tend to skip over paybacks complicated nature in the moment its administered. The emotional toll of being sexually abused is what brought Charlotte and Lizzie to this moment, and Shepard chose to give their stream of thought priority over more conventional action. Its a decision that, when considered alongside the wave of modern rape-revenge films like Revenge and MFA and Cold Hell, puts the progress of horrors most problematic subgenre in stark relief.

The goal was to watch someone whos leaving and then returning to her body multiple times, Williams says of the scene. Its both I get to make it right and also Oh my God. Im in this house. Im back in this school. The guy is right here. This is horrifying. The terror of those two things fighting each other is an epic battle in that moment. Its losing some of the most traditional shots of a scene like that, like Lizzies first contact with the blade, in the interest of showing what it is like to bear witness to it. She has been stuck like a record in its groove for her entire life, and she is watching that get undone. Its messy and its painful. She hopes it will be triumphant, but its also scarier and more real than she ever imagined.

Of his choice to alter the viewers POV, the director says, I wanted to be with Charlotte at this moment where all her life she has been suffocated and ruined by what this man did to her, and now she has her life back. Its a new life. Its a twisted life, but its back. Its hers, and she owns it.



An important result of Charlotte freezing is Lizzie having to shoulder the action in the scene. Shepard says he was colorblind casting for the role of Lizzie, but after Browning got the part, he knew the power dynamics of race and gender would have to be considered differently; Williams, Browning, and the director never wanted The Perfection to become some creepy white-savior story. When Charlotte snaps back into consciousness, she lands a blow on Anton, but he recovers and rips through her arm with a knife. Thats when Lizzie rises as the conquering hero, wielding a fire iron that she brings down hard onto his body. Still, we see the faces of the two heroines screaming in triumph instead of metal ripping through his skin.

When they tested the film, one of the things that people were responding to was, Wheres her revenge? and Wheres her full arc? Browning explains. I think I was a bit naive when it came to the possibilities of what seeing a girl like me in this role could mean to other people, but its actually a refreshing thought. Ill probably never forget how cathartic it felt to play the badass moments. I felt like kind of a superhero in the sense of fighting back for times that I had been wronged, and also for everyone in this world who had been wronged and who had these experiences.

Happily Ever After  Kind Of

The final shot of the movie works as a kind of epilogue. We cut back to the Chapel, where a chair and cello have been placed. As the camera slowly pans down, we see the back of a mans head and an IV bag set up next to him. Its Anton, and he faces the stage as Lizzie and Charlotte enter. When he is finally shown, we see hes been literally cut down to a series of crudely sewn-up stumps attached to a torso. His eyes and mouth have been stitched shut, with a feeding tube run up his nose. Whats left of his appendages moves slightly as his breathing causes his muscles to softly convulse. The earlier knife attack resulted in Charlotte losing her left arm, and since Lizzie had already lost her right one, they wrap around the cello and each other to play the instrument together. Its a visual that came about during rehearsal one day and was so sick and weird that the director had to work it in.

The after-effects of violence take precedence onscreen rather than the violence itself. We see the scars on the victims without the gory details of how they got there, which makes Antons grotesque half-body even more jarring. You think youve actually seen more gore than was ever really presented to you, leaving you utterly unprepared  and perversely pleased. When we tested the movie, the financier was like, Do you need that last scene? And Im like, this is why I made the movie, says Shepard. I need to see Steven Weber decimated, and at the same time, theyre playing for him? Its fucking twisted! Theyre feeding him and cleaning him, but theyve also tortured him and theyre living their life. This is their life, and its not a happy ending. Its not a sad ending, but its a victory.chhavi bhatia By

Express News Service

How much the country loves its hot cup of tea is anyones guess. It sure made a chaiwala into Indias Prime Minister twice over! The brew is serious business in this part of the world, right from the temperature at which it is served to the ingredients that infuse taste and aroma cherished by countless Indians. But, to experiment with the national drink by serving it cold instead of piping hot is an act of valour. Yet, cold brew tea, sans the strength of adrak, laung and elaichi, and milk and sugar is the new trend among mixologists, market players and an increasing amount of converts.

What distinguishes chais chilled sibling is that its caffeine-free with smaller quantity of tannin. Some of the blends pack a punch with fruit infusions, using black currant, peppermint, lemongrass, orange, even jamun as base flavours and innovation as the mainstay. For instance, British tea brand Typhoos Orange Spicer is a delectable blend of flavours tangy orange, hibiscus, clove, ginger, and cinnamon. Combined with warm spices, tea aficionados can sip it chilled or warm (like mulled wine). It also offers Black Currant Bracer (juicy blackcurrant berries, hibiscus, and rose hip), Green Tea Lemongrass, Peppermint among others as healthy alternatives to sugar-loaded ice teas.

Indigenous Teabox has kept seasonal fruits in mind for its cold brew pairings. For instance, their Mango Strawberry Black Tea, Mint Jamun Black and Chilli Berry Black, all creatively explore with passion fruit, hibiscus, apple, spearmint and other unconventional concoctions. We want to give an experience different from traditional chai, and replace the usual sugary drinks with healthy, freshly blended fruit teas that can be consumed cold and hot, says Kausshal Dugarr, Founder and CEO, Teabox.

But can cold brew replace a steaming hot cuppa? Varun Sharma, mixologist at Comorin delves into the science of the trinity behind cold tea  palate, tannin and caffeine.

We have grown up drinking strong masala chai, so our taste buds will find it hard to appreciate the delicate flavours of a cold brew tea. Someone who does not like the bitterness or high tannin consistency of a well-flushed tea, will relish these teas, says Sharma, known for his Coconut White Tea  silver needle white tea brewed in cold coconut water.

In all the batting for cold brews as the new age tea, some loyalists, meanwhile, do not subscribe to the concept. Celebrity chef Ranveer Brar, a self-confessed tea lover, does not see himself as a fan of cold brewing.

I like the water in my green tea ideally set at a high temperature. The idea of brewing tea leaves for 24 hours in a bit of water is also something I dont get, he says, while the cups blow hot, blow cold depending on the mood!By PTI

NEW DELHI: The CBI has arrested six people, including the managing director of a Delhi-based education consultancy firm, for allegedly manipulating an online entrance examination of BITS, Pilani, officials said Saturday.

Besides Bhaskar Choudhary, the managing director of Pathway Education Service having office at Bhikaji Kama place here, other arrested are-- Ketan Barot of Ahmedabad-based Disha Education, cyber experts Sheth Mohammed Usama and Virag Harendra Kumar Shah, owner of Ahmedabad examination centre Nishikant Sinha and its manager Darpan Shirish Pathak, they said.

It is alleged that Choudhary in connivance with others was demanding around Rs 10 lakh from parents of a candidate for helping in BITSAT (the entrance exam) through unfair means, they said.

The exam was held between May 17 to 22, according to an FIR filed by the CBI.

The CBI has alleged that these accused entice the parents of candidates aspiring to join Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani.

"The accused had resources to allegedly manage the online examination of BITS, Pilani, wherein the experts arranged by the accused persons provided answers by using Remote Desktop Technology from an unknown destination for an amount ranging from Rs 10-12 lakh(approx.)," a CBI spokesperson said.

The accused had allegedly connived with the examination centres where they had computers installed with dubious software which allowed solvers to take its control from a remote location during examination thereby ensuring admission, the agency said.

"Searches were conducted at Delhi, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Mumbai which led to the recovery of several incriminating documents, including digital evidence and cash of over Rs 33 lakh (approx.) and number of blank signed cheques," the spokesperson said.I didnt see any reason to give him any special treatment, Siegert said.

It is unclear why Nelson wanted to end his pretrial diversion program early. The 90-day program would end in mid-June.

An arrest of this nature does not disqualify him for employment with a school district, Marlin ISD Superintendent Michael Seabolt said.

Seabolt said several people wanted to bring Nelson to Marlin, a school district of 835 students under state intervention while it works to bring its accountability rating up to passing.

In the end, thats not going to happen, Seabolt said of Nelson joining the Marlin ISD. I dont think its in the best interest of the district.

In response to more than five years of failed accountability ratings, the state installed a five-member board of managers in place of Marlins elected school board in February 2017, in lieu of closing the school district.Ancient marble head found in Rome dates back to the Imperial age.

The white marble head unearthed during excavations at the Roman Forum on 24 May is believed to represent a male deity, most likely Dionysus, also known as Bacchus, according to Rome archaeologists.

Initially it was thought that the head - with its feminine features and thick, wavy hairstyle - represented a female goddess.

However, thanks to a band around its head decorated with a "typically Dionysian flower, the corymb, and ivy", it is now believed to be Dionysus, explained the director of Rome's archaeological museums Claudio Parisi Presicce.

The slightly larger-than-life head has been dated to the imperial age, which corresponds from the first century BC to the fifth century AD, and is described as being in an "excellent state of preservation."

"The hollow eyes, which were probably filled with glass or precious stones, date it to the first centuries of the empire", Parisi Presicce told Italian news agency ANSA.

Dug up on Via Alessandrina, the head was embedded in a late-Mediaeval wall. Experts are convinced it was reused as building material, as often happened in the Middle Ages.

The Republic of Azerbaijan donated 1 million towards the excavation, following an agreement reached in 2014 during the administration of former mayor Ignazio Marino.

Watch below the moment the head is uncovered:Virginia state conservators work Tuesday on a time capsule found in the base of the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond. (Sarah Rankin/AP)

The capsule opened Tuesday appears to be the official artifact buried in 1887, containing Confederate memorabilia.By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: While the Modi wave became a tsuNamo this time, sweeping away the Congress and major regional parties in north and central India and sending a staggering 303 MPs to the 17th Lok Sabha, there are some regional parties, notably among them the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the Trinamool, which will play a key role in the Lower House as there will not be any Leader of Opposition this time as well.

The DMK, led by party president M K Stalin, succeeded in stopping the Modi juggernaut from rolling into Tamil Nadu as the party secured victory on 23 seats in the state.

Moreover, the southern party also helped the Congress win eight of the nine seats it contested in the State, thereby boosting its national tally.

Similarly, the YSR Congress Party registered an impressive show under the leadership of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy as it captured 22 out of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh.

Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool suffered a major blow in West Bengal, which has been an invincible fort of the party for the past decade.

As the saffron wave breached Didis citadel, the Trinamool, which had bagged 34 seats in the 2014 general elections, was restricted to 22 constituencies following Thursdays results.

Despite having smaller numbers, these parties are set to play a key role in the House as the Congress will need their support during floor management.

For the second time, the Grand Old Party has failed to muster up the numbers required to get the post of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Under the existing rules, an Opposition party can stake claim to the post in any of the Houses provided it has won a minimum 10 per cent of the total seats in the House. Since the Lower House has a total of 543 members, this number comes to 54.Activists argue that the laws criminalizing consensual same-sex relations between adults are in breach of the constitution because they deny basic rights. The judges, however, said the petitioners had failed to prove how the laws, which prescribe up to 14 years in prison for people convicted of homosexual acts, violated their right to health, dignity and privacy.Kids are not having authentic learning experiences, because they are in and out of school so much, Donlon said, and we are not preparing them for the next level, whether college or a job, because we are allowing them to engage in a level of absenteeism that wont work at their next endeavor. They are being set up for failure.Sherry Perkins, who led Capital Region Health since 2016, said in a statement that she is relocating to Delaware for job in health care. Her resignation came one day after interim UMMS chief executive John Ashworth said he was prepared to make significant changes in personnel and management in the system, which includes 13 hospitals and has been harshly criticized by Marylands top officials following revelations that some of its board members had lucrative contracts with the hospital system they oversaw.An Alexandria man was sentenced Friday to 37 months in federal prison in connection with statements he made about his role in the Red Terror, a campaign of violence 40 years ago in Ethiopia, officials said.The shutdown closes every station south of National Airport. Throughout the summer, travelers landing at National who plan to head elsewhere in Virginia by train will be met by signs instructing them to take a shuttle. They can reach three stations using a bus directly from the airport. If their destination is Braddock Road or one of the two Yellow Line-only stations, they will need to take two buses to replace one train.The job wont go to someone from the District because Evans said it is time to rotate the position to a different jurisdiction. It wont go to the federal government because the three jurisdictions contribute more financially to Metro and contend that one of them should usually have the chairmanship.This idea that it was inevitable, that it had to go a certain way  they ruled out the option that made the most sense, he said. What if hed said, Look, Ive never seen this picture before. . . . Ill do an investigation and if it turns out that Im one of the people in the picture, Ill resign. . . . You dont have to be wishy-washy. Lets be accountable. But why not be just truthful?I have been protesting for years, and it used to be that someone would organize one protest and then we wouldnt hear anything from each other for months, said Dilianna Bustillos, who helped organize the pro-Guaido demonstrations at the embassy. When we were suddenly there for two weeks, we started to really see what strengths we all had as individuals and as a group, and how we could leverage that to help further this cause.Manish Anand By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Aiming to create a robust party leadership for the next decade that is familiar with all aspects of governance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday began consultations to pick his new council of ministers, so as to consolidate the stunning gains the BJP made in the Lok Sabha elections.

According to sources, 50% of the ministers could be first-timers. Team Modi will have a pan-India flavour, with strong representation from the South and the East.

Regional balance and creating a new pan-India leadership would be the yardstick for the selection of ministers. Preference will be given to professionals. The BJP is still committed to its Mission South. Along with Karnataka, other states will get due representation, sources said.

While Uttar Pradesh will get the lions share with about 10 berths, Bihar (8), Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Rajasthan (six each), and West Bengal and Odisha (three each) would have big representation, sources said. Assam, Kerala, Telangana and the Northeast, too, would be adequately represented.

ALSO READ: Amit Shah may enter new cabinet, take finance

From states bound for Assembly election, such as Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, fresh tribal and Scheduled Caste leaders could be accommodated.

Vasundhara Raje and Raman Singh, former chief ministers of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh respectively, are being persuaded to join the Modi Cabinet, sources said.

If they are inducted, Shah would want to pass on the partys leadership baton in both states to new faces.

Newly elected Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, a former IAS officer, is tipped to get a berth as a minister of state.

READ HERE | Day after BJP's massive victory, all eyes now on government formation

NDA ally JD (U) will be the new entrant in the council of ministers. It is likely to get at least two berths, with Rajya Sabha MP R C P Singh and Lok Sabha MP Rajeev Ranjan Singh being the frontrunners.

Meanwhile, the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) is preparing to organise a grand swearing-in ceremony to match the stature of Modi on the world stage.

Invites could go out to the heads of G-20 nations and those of the Muslim world, sources indicated. The new Cabinet may take the oath of office and secrecy on May 30.

Also lined up for Modi is a thanksgiving trip to his Varanasi constituency, besides a visit to Ahmedabad to take blessings from his mother Heeraben Modi.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HEREShes been clear that we have a crisis, an injection crisis, on our streets, said Jeff Cretan, a spokesman for Breed. A safe injection site will obviously help not only reduce the needles that are on our sidewalks. . . . Just as importantly, it will provide a space where people can go when they are ready to seek treatment.Light Falls, a play that explores Albert Einsteins groundbreaking theory of relativity, manages to re-create and dramatize one of those discoveries. Relativity  the idea that the laws of physics are the same everywhere, and that space and time warp near massive objects  revolutionized the way people think about the universe. And Light Falls gives viewers an inside view of the breakthrough.Despite the many setbacks Texas oysters have faced in the past decade, enough adult oysters remain in the bays to naturally repopulate the new reefs. In another restoration project, completed in the Chesapeake Bay in 2015, the existing population was so decimated that scientists in Maryland had to conduct a sort of oyster mating ritual and nurse the spat in a lab until they were big enough to be deposited in the wild.Defense attorneys asserted Patterson knew he would be going to jail for the rest of his life, and that he didnt ask for anything less than that. They argued hed taken responsibility for his crimes and attempted to mitigate further trauma for Jayme and her family by expediting the case without a trial and further motions. While several of her family members testified during the hearing, Jayme was not present in the courtroom. Wright said she was too traumatized to even attend her parents funeral. A letter she wrote was read aloud in court.Kumar Vikram By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: BJP candidates secured victory margins of over 4 lakh or more in several seats but data shows that the contests were not as easy in several others.

There are nearly a dozen seats where the contestants had to face a tough fight and the victory margins were as slender as 10,000 votes or less.

BJP candidate Bholanath was lucky enough as he managed to win the Machhlishahr seat in Uttar Pradesh by just 181 votes. This time, the BJP had fielded him replacing the sitting MP Ram Charitra Nishad, who had won the 2014 poll battle by 1.74 lakh votes.

Similarly, S S Ahluwalia won West Bengals Burdwan-Durgapur seat defeating Trinamools Mumtaz Sanghamita by a slender margin of 2,439 votes. Sanghamita had won the seat in 2014 with a margin of 1,07,337 votes.

Rajendra Agarwal was another lucky candidate as he won the Meerut seat by a margin of just 4,729 votes.

Among other candidates who sailed through by less than 2,000 votes included former Jharkhand CM Arjun Munda (BJP) and Aparupa Poddar (Trinamool).

Munda won Khunti seat by 1,445 votes. Poddar won the Arambagh seat in West Bengal by just 1,142 votes, while Congresss Kuldeep Rai Sharma defeated BJPs Vishal Jolly by 1,407 votes to win the Andaman & Nicobar Islands seat.

In contrast, BJP candidate C R Patil defeated his Congress rival in the Navsari by a massive 6.89 lakh votes  the highest in the 2019 polls, and only the second highest ever in election history.

His margin was just a shade lower than the 6.96 lakh record set by Pritam Munde in 2014 when she won the bypoll to Beed in Maharashtra after the untimely death of her father and former Union minister Gopinath Munde.

Two out of seven MPs in Delhi and one out of four in Himachal Pradesh registers wins by five lakh-plus votes.When Mueller does testify, he can expect far more questions than we could list here. But it is vital for the publics understanding, and in order to preserve the security of U.S. elections in the future, that it hear from Mueller on these and other matters. Congress has an important fact-finding role to play, and special counsel Mueller has an important part to play in assisting the legislature, consistent with the rules governing prosecutors and investigations of this scope and significance.That was senseless, as are both agencies excuses. The county says it didnt notify ICE of the older teens release because the crime of which he was convicted  conspiracy to commit robbery  was not sufficiently serious, despite the original charge of attempted murder. The Department of Juvenile Services says it didnt alert the feds to the younger teens release because ICE had made its request not to DJS but to the county jail  four days before he was transferred to DJS custody. Not our problem, DJS figured.The May 22 endorsement of Jeff C. McKay for chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors noted only that he has experience and connections but cited no major accomplishments. The county has been managed for years with stability that has crowded out vision and imagination, an emphasis on process that has stifled bold initiatives. Electing Mr. McKay will ensure that the county remains stuck in an endless cycle that never solves problems or fully meets the needs of vulnerable county residents.The worry now is that Mr. Modi will take his resounding victory as a mandate to double down on Hindu nationalism, rather than pivoting back to the needed economic reforms. He could use some friendly cajoling from the United States, with which he has sought to build a closer relationship, if not an explicit alliance. Unfortunately, President Trump, a frank admirer of populists and strongmen, has had little but praise for Mr. Modis leadership and was quick to place a call of congratulations to him when the election results were announced. The message to Indians was clear: When it comes to defending their secular and democratic norms from further erosion, they can expect no help from this American president.Those actions resulted in a reprimand from the D.C. Council, but they seem to have been given a pass by the Metro board. Metros code of ethics bars members from using their positions for personal enrichment and cautions against conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of interest. The matter has been resolved. Thats as far as I am going to go, Clarence C. Crawford, a board member from Maryland who headed the ethics committee, said Thursday. He refused to say whether a deal had been brokered to end the probe in exchange for Mr. Evanss agreement not to seek reelection as chairman. This is all internal stuff. Were not supposed to talk about internal stuff, said Mr. Evans.We hold our forces accountable for their actions just as we expect our enemies to do. If we forgive our forces when they step out of line, we can expect our rivals to do the same. Commanders cannot do their jobs properly if soldiers feel there is no price to be paid for stepping out of line. It is a recipe for a battlefield without any rules at all.The real question is not whether the colleges should take environmental context into account when looking at test scores (they should), or whether administrators will find this particular method of data collection helpful (they do, according to admissions officers from Yale, Trinity University and elsewhere who took part in the field trials). Instead, it is whether this new way of scoring will be used as an opportunity or as an excuse. Its helpful to define existing barriers to opportunity and attempt to account for them in the context of college selection, but it would be far more so to address the barriers where they stand.By PTI

BHOPAL: Suspected cow vigilantes thrashed three persons in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni for allegedly carrying beef, following which the police arrested the assailants as well as the victims of the attack.

Police said the three persons, who were beaten up, were arrested on May 22 as possession, transportation or sale of beef is illegal in Madhya Pradesh.

A group of five 'gau rakshaks' had allegedly beaten up two men with sticks and then forced one of them to thrash a woman accompanying them with chappals, a police officer said.

In a purported video clip of the incident, which has been widely circulated on social media, the five accused can be seen beating up the two men.

Later, the assailants also forced one of the men to beat up the woman accompanying them.

The attackers also forced one of them to raise 'Jai Sri Ram' slogan, as seen in the video.

According to the police, the incident occurred on May 22 on Mandla Road under Dunda Seoni police station limits.

Seoni Superintendent of Police Lalit Shakyawar said an FIR has been registered against the five persons at Dunda Seoni police station, and all of them have been arrested.

Shakyawar said that police received information that some persons had uploaded a video of the attack on social media on May 23.

"Police took cognisance immediately and got the video removed from these social media platforms. Later, a police team arrested all the five attackers after identifying them," he said.

The accused have been booked under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 294 (obscene act), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 34 (act done by several persons with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under Arms Act.

The SP said police seized 140 kg red meat, suspected to be beef, from the trio.

Police also seized a three-wheeler and a scooter from them.

The trio, who have been booked under the Madhya Pradesh Govansh Vadh Pratishedh Adhiniyam, were produced before a local court on May 23 which sent them to judicial custody.

Meanwhile, the court of judicial magistrate in Seoni Saturday remanded the five suspected cow vigilantes in judicial remand, Shakyawar added.

Dunda Seoni police station in-charge GS Uike said the three persons who were beaten up did not sustain any serious injuries in the attack.

"The accused persons shot videos of the thrashing. Police reached the spot after the incident and brought the trio along with the meat they were carrying to the police station," he said.The Trump administration proposal to purge undocumented immigrants and their U.S.-born children from a federally subsidized housing program is irresponsible and un-American. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson acknowledged the obvious rationale for his departments proposal: to force Congress to take action on immigration laws in the country. Hence, the proposal to change the HUD-subsidized rental policy has no logic, as claimed by Mr. Carson.The May 19 letters The Red Hen laid an egg, by James G. Russell and Geoffrey Martineau, criticized Stephanie Wilkinsons op-ed explaining her polite request that White House press secretary Sarah Sanders leave her restaurant, the Red Hen. I take issue with the assertion that the refusal was motivated by mere partisan differences. If that were the case, I would agree that no business owner should refuse service based on policy differences. The situation in this case, however, was something quite different. The administration flouts laws and political norms on a daily basis, and the press secretary demonstrates that she is in service to the presidents myriad lies.Trump isnt necessarily fascist, but his language is. Goebbels talks about propaganda being best when it appeals to straightforward emotion: fear, suspicion, anger, and then it would be culminated with were winning, were going to get them,  Stanley says. A speech of this method was often very long, with extremes of paranoia and then praise of us, our greatness, and a desire for revenge for lost greatness. . . . When our emotions are being overwhelmed, its because people are trying to manipulate us and drive us toward a desired goal.But for Democrats, there is no guarantee of victory in the 2020 election. For all his vulnerabilities, Trump presides over a strong economy and enjoys the power of incumbency, which he is prepared to use to the fullest. Few Democrats are unduly optimistic about victory in 2020, despite the partys strong performance in the 2018 midterm elections and signs of continued energy by the same kinds of voters who helped deliver that election outcome. The Democrats remain scarred by what happened in 2016.Giulianis Ukraine-related activities have sparked concerns both in Kiev and in the State Department that he is improperly blurring the lines between his role as the presidents lawyer and the U.S. government. Giuliani says he has informed Ukrainian officials in writing that he is representing only the president in a personal capacity, and not the administration.I worked everyday, side-by-side with Chip. I can tell you this  this man is a conservative in his bones, Cruz said, according to a Fort Worth Business Press article. And when it comes to whos going to have a backbone  those first couple of years, you remember some of the brutal, bloody fights we had. I can tell you Chip was there side-by-side, leading the fight.As USDA looks to the future, it is imperative that the Forest Service focus on and prioritize our core natural resource mission to improve the condition and resilience of our Nations forests, and step away from activities and programs that are not essential to that core mission, Perdue wrote. The program was all but zeroed out in the presidents proposed budget for the next fiscal year.At the heart of every one of these projects and efforts is a political calculation on the part of Beijing, who is asking: What can we do to diminish Hong Kong as a place, said Jeffrey Ngo, a Hong Kong democracy activist and PhD candidate at Georgetown University. It is really sad, but it has certainly motivated people to assert, even more strongly, the Hong Kong identity.To irritate the plainclothes agents who followed them, some members would continue to get together anyway  to do calisthenics. Qiu kept leading work experience trips for a few more months. The authorities had enough on April 29, when they seized Qiu and four other students from a Beijing factory at 8:17 a.m., the club reported in an online post. Those five havent been seen since.By PTI

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet President Ram Nath Kovind Saturday evening to stake a claim to form the new government, sources said.

The prime minister is likely to call on the President at around 8 pm and before that, leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would meet Kovind at around 7 pm, the sources said.

The NDA returned to power with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections with the BJP alone bagging 303 of total 542 seats contested.

Elections were held in 542 of the 543 seats. The election in Vellore Lok Sabha seat was cancelled by the EC citing abuse of money power.

Asked whether foreign dignitaries would be invited to the swearing-in ceremony, the sources said, "As of now there is no such information. We will share the details once a decision is taken".

Modi had invited the Heads of the SAARC nations to his swearing-in ceremony as Prime Minister in 2014.

Meanwhile, the full Election Commission on Saturday called on President Kovind and handed over the list of 542 newly-elected members of the Lok Sabha that will enable him to initiate the formal process of new government formation.Civilian casualties have remained high for several years. Between January and March, the United Nations said 581 civilians were killed and 1,192 were injured in conflict situations. That was lower than the same period last year, it said, but worrisome because more deaths were caused by pro-government attacks and airstrikes. Earlier this month, U.S. airstrikes in two embattled provinces mistakenly killed 14 civilians and 17 Afghan police.Before he left the United States, Japanese diplomats expressed indifference to the prospect of Trump unleashing a string of freewheeling tweets while abroad, saying that domestic politics is the presidents business. But in weighing on North Korea, as well as a Democratic political rival, in a single tweet, Trump yet again undermined the Japaneses careful preparations, in which they hoped to flatter Trump into affirming the important relationship between Japan and the United States.Trump vowed that if he did not get a fair deal from Congress, he would shift money from other government accounts to close the gap. He declared a state of emergency on the southern border on Feb. 15 to tap into one Pentagon fund meant for emergency military construction. So far, the government says that fund has not been touched, allowing the government to argue that it should not be an issue in the cases.Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

PATNA: After facing a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, the members of the mahagatbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar have already started blaming each other for their downfall.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which has been leading the alliance, failed to open its account, while the Congress managed to win one seat in Kishanganj. The disintegration of the mahagatbandhan appears to be imminent.

The entire blame has now shifted to the autocratic functioning of RJD leaders during the elections. Bihar Congress chief Kaukab Quadari was the first person to blame the RJD for the setback.

It would be better if the Congress party goes to the polls alone in the forthcoming state assembly elections in 2020. The party should revive its own base instead of going in alliance with the RJD, he said.

Quadari admitted that the party failed to garner the upper caste votes, whereas the NDA, which had an organised machinery, managed to get those upper caste votes through 10 per cent reservation.

READ| A reflection of peoples trust in Modi

Blaming the RJD for opposing the 10 per cent reservation, he said the RJDs stance on the issue also spoilt the mahagatbandhan's poll performances. Reacting to the allegations, leaders from RJD raised questions on Congress' countrywide performance where they fought sans allies.

Sources said that the Congress party may depart from the alliance soon and prepare for the assembly elections alone. Meanwhile, one of the spokespersons of the RJD, Chitranjan Gagan told the TNIE that the partys working committee will hold a review meeting at Rabri Devis residence on May 28 and 29 with all its senior party functionaries.

The party leaders will take stock of what went wrong and what should be the future course of the partys actions. Meanwhile, Tejashwi Yadav through Twitter thanked the workers of the party and said

the party leaders will sort out the causes for the defeat and work for winning the assembly elections with renewed spirits.

Taking a jibe at RJDs proposed review meeting, JD(U) senior leader and spokesperson Niraj Kumar wondered what would be the utility of holding a review meeting when the RJD has virtually been eliminated.

He said, "When the tickets for the Lok Sabha elections were distributed from Ranchis Hotwar jail in which RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav is lodged now in connection with fodder scam, the meeting ought to be held there instead of being held in Patna.

Kumar claimed that many MLAs of the RJD have been in constant touch with the NDA about

switching sides.Japan has long-standing diplomatic and cultural ties with Iran and opposed the U.S. decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement negotiated under the administration of President Barack Obama. On Saturday, Japanese news media said that a plan was being drawn up for Abe to visit Iran in June to meet President Hassan Rouhani in an attempt to mediate and that this was something Japans leader would discuss with Trump.In his current exhibition at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery in Paddington, the subjects of Bill Henson's photographs  young people, Roman buildings, the Italian landscape  tend to be illuminated by

moonlight or captured during crepuscular moments, but one particular work in the show jolts me from this dark reverie.

Viewed from among the shadows, the columns of a Classical building frame a white lozenge of sunlit sky beyond. The form suggests a figure, a coffin, a keyhole, an exclamation mark.

Placed directly opposite the entrance to the main gallery, this shaft of light becomes a startling portal in an exhibition where sinuous landscapes of human figures are interwoven with explorations of often crumbling European architecture.

The androgynous bodies in Henson's works bear a patina of dirt and sweat, echoing the lichen and

moss which has made itself at home amongst the ruins depicted elsewhere.The Australian Taxation Office is getting ready to sit down with the new government.

Across the table it will push a bulging list of policy suggestions, administrative actions and funding requests, not the least of which is a likely request to help with a more than $800 million revamp of its IT systems to cope with an explosion of digital transactions.

A well-placed source said in the first 30 to 60 days in office, the ATO was also likely to want to clear up a botched amnesty for businesses that had failed to pay workers super as far back as the 1990s.

It would also remind the government that it needs to announce the appointment of a second commissioner after Neil Olesen flagged his retirement last year then went on extended leave. Since then Jeremy Hirschhorn, a former KPMG partner, has been acting second commissioner.By PTI

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have agreed to meet at the G-20 Summit in Japan next month as both the leaders pledged to further strengthen the US-India strategic partnership and build on the achievements of the last two years.

Trump telephoned Modi to congratulate him on the historic electoral victory in the Lok Sabha polls, the White House said Friday.

Prime Minister Modi on Thursday led his Bharatiya Janata Party to a landmark victory for a second five-year term in office, winning 302 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

"The leaders look forward to seeing one another at the G-20 Summit in Osaka, where the US, India, and Japan will hold a trilateral meeting to pursue their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," the White House said.

The G-20 Summit meeting is slated for June 28 and 29.

China is flexing its muscles in the South China Sea (SCS) which serves as a passage for annual trade worth USD 3.5 trillion.

The US and China are locked in a tussle for the commercial control of the SCS.

China claims almost all of the strategic SCS with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam pushing competing claims to parts of the resource-rich maritime region.

The US, Japan and India do not have any territorial claims there.

The US and India have made enormous strides together which include the expansion of bilateral defence cooperation and combined military exercises, the historic civil nuclear deal, the nearly six-fold increase in US-India trade, the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative and the designation of India as a Major Defence Partner.

Later speaking to reporters at the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One on his way to Japan, Trump said, "I just spoke to Prime Minister Modi and I gave him my warmest regards and congratulations.

"I just conveyed congratulations on behalf of our country, myself and everybody. He had a great election win. He is a friend of mine. We have a very good relationship with India".

The White House said that the President and Prime Minister pledged to continue to strengthen the United States-India strategic partnership, building on the achievements of the last two years.

Earlier on Thursday, congratulating Prime Minister Modi on his "BIG" election victory on Twitter, Trump said that "great things" are in store for the Indo-US strategic ties under his second innings.

"Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm.

I look forward to continuing our important work together!" Trump had said.

Modi had responded saying, "I too am looking forward to working closely with you for closer bilateral ties, which also augur well for global peace and prosperity."A state funeral for Australia's 23rd prime minister, Bob Hawke, will be held at the Sydney Opera House on Friday June 14.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was fitting that a "national icon and political giant" will have his life celebrated at an "iconic and beloved Australian venue".

Bob Hawke with his wife Blanche d'Alpuget. Credit:Sireshan Kander.

"Bob was a man who understood Australia and the people who call our country home," Mr Morrison said.

Members of the public who wish to farewell Mr Hawke will be able to secure free tickets to the funeral from midday on Wednesday, May 29, from the Opera House's website.The daughter of a multi-millionaire Sydney businesswoman says she is "ashamed" of her role in helping her Mexican lover import kilograms of ice into Australia but says she was drawn into it because of love.

Rose Thomas has admitted to aiding and abetting her girlfriend, Norma Zuniga Frias, in importing 15.9 kilograms of pure methamphetamine valued at $14 million in March 2018.

"It's been horrible on my family and friends and everyone around me": Rose Thomas leaves court on Friday, with mother Jackie Maxted behind her. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Thomas helped Frias by purchasing backpacks and scales to divide up the drug shipment, which had been concealed inside speaker boxes and stashed at an Airbnb apartment under fake names.

Frias was to be paid $15,000 to receive the packages from a contact in Mexico before the pair were arrested by police in their Marrickville share house.It was news they hoped would one day arrive.

This week, after 33 years, it finally came: arrests made. Two men charged over two brutal gang rapes in the 1980s.

Hope of closure for one victim and the family and friends of the other, who died a decade ago.

In March 1986, Debbie* was 19 years old and walking to her boyfriends place in Nunawading when she was dragged into a car. She was held captive and raped over a number of hours before she was dumped on the side of a road.

All these years later, she might be in the middle of doing something quite ordinary and, for no reason at all, an image of that night pushes itself into her mind and shes right back there.Police have charged a man with manslaughter after a stolen Ferrari burst into flames on Saturday morning in North Perth, killing a 40-year-old female passenger.

Major crash investigators have charged a 38-year-old man from Karrinyup with manslaughter, steal motor vehicle and no authority to drive.

He has been refused bail and is due to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on Sunday via a bedside hearing.

He remains in hospital with burn injuries which he received in the crash.

The female passenger who died in the crash is believed to be a 40-year-old woman.The Morrison government has been urged to evacuate at least 30 Australian children, including a six-year-old girl who has reportedly been shot in the neck, from a dangerous Syrian refugee camp for Islamic State families.

Families of the children and women in the camp have written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison to beg for faster help, amid fears the scorching Syrian summer will exacerbate the injuries and illnesses the children are already suffering in the sprawling camp, where 73,000 detainees are living in squalid conditions.

Foreign Islamic State wives and children at the al-Hawl camp in Syria. Credit:Kate Geraghty

The families have vowed to take responsibility for helping reintegrate children and family members who are brought home.

At least 22 of the children are under the age of 10, according to a comprehensive list compiled by the Australian branch of international aid group Save the Children and seen by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.At the meeting, leaders of the Norwegian groups such as Kongsberg, DVL-GL, Pharmaq, Vard, Jotun and Scatec Solar said that Vietnam is an open and potential market and voiced their hope that the Vietnamese Government will ensure a fair playing ground for foreign investors.

Jotun CEO Morten Foyn said his group is planning to build another paint factory in the southern area of Ho Chi Minh City with an investment capital amount of USD100 million, besides its first in neighbouring Binh Duong province which was constructed in 1997.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (third from left, first line) receives leaders of leading Norwegian groups (Source: VNA)

Geir Haoy, President and CEO of Kongsberg Group  a leading technology group in Norway  said that Vietnam is becoming an attractive destination for foreign investors with its rapid and stable growth rate.Pushkar Banakar By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: With the 2019 general election, the BJP has managed to shed its tag of being an out-and-out urban party by winning 123 rural seats, bettering its tally of 115 in 2014.

The saffron party has also done well in the semi-rural belt and has enhanced its tally from 127 in 2014 to 141 in 2019. In its traditional stronghold of urban seats, the BJP has slipped marginally to 39 from 40 in 2014.

Analysts say that the BJP moved into rural territories due to their welfare schemes.

For a rural voter, things like toilets, gas connections and houses are of utmost importance. The BJP, through schemes like Swachh Bharat, Awas Yojana and Ujjwala scheme, has helped it garner support from rural voters. They have successfully blurred the lines between rural and urban India, a political researcher at the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) said.

In the traditional stronghold of urban areas, the BJP and its allies have done exceedingly well. In Delhi, the BJP won all the seven seats and swept through the six parliamentary constituencies of Mumbai.

In the other two metros of Kolkata and Chennai, where the party had a negligible presence, the BJP won one seat while it drew a blank in Tamil Nadu.

In other cities too, the BJP fared well by winning one of the four seats on offer in Hyderabad, both seats in Ahmedabad and one each in Pune, Chandigarh and Lucknow.Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Two Assam Rifles personnel were killed and three others injured when suspected militants ambushed a team of 40 Assam Rifles in Nagaland on Saturday.

According to official sources, the attack was perpetrated at a place near Tobu in the states Mon district.

The Assam Rifles team was ambushed at around 2 pm in which two personnel were killed, the sources said. The injured were rushed to hospital, they added.

So far, no organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Mon shares its border with Myanmar where rebel groups from the Northeast have their bases. In February, the Myanmar Army launched an offensive against the insurgents. A number of camps of the militants were overrun during the operation.

By PTI

HYDERABAD: YSR Congress president Jaganmohan Reddy, who was invited to form the next Government in Andhra Pradesh by the Governor, Saturday called on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao here and invited him for the swearing-in ceremony at Vijayawada on May 30.

A release from the CM's office said Reddy extended his personal invitation to Rao to attend the ceremony.

There was no official word on Rao's response, but TRS sources indicated that it was likely to be positive.

After he was elected leader of the YSRC legislature party, Reddy met the Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ESL Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad and staked claim to form the government.

The swearing-in ceremony would be held at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation stadium, Vijayawada, on May 30 at 12.23 PM, a Raj Bhavan communique said.

Reddy called on Rao after meeting the governor.

ALSO READ: Jaganmohan Reddy unanimously elected YSRC legislature party leader

During the meeting, Rao told Reddy that his government would like to have cordial relations with Andhra Pradesh, the release said.

"Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao made it clear that the policy of Telangana is to maintain cordial relations with neighbouring States in a give and take manner, and same would be followed in case of Andhra Pradesh State also," the release said.

Rao said he visited Maharashtra to meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to sort out water disputes between undivided Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The disputes reportedly held up irrigation projects in Telangana.

Maharashtra cooperated after the initiative and this has led to Telangana being able to construct irrigation projects like Kaleshwaram, Rao told Reddy.

"Our policy would be to maintain similar relations with the present Andhra Pradesh state also. Let us act in such a manner so that both the states are benefitted," the release quoted Rao as saying.

According to the release, about 3,500 TMC of water from the Godavari is flowing into the sea without being utilized.

Rao said Telangana can make use of a maximum of only 700-800 TMC of water, leaving the rest to Andhra Pradesh.

The two leaders agreed to have a meeting of officials from both states to discuss the issue, the release said.

Earlier, Rao accorded a warm welcome to Reddy, who visited Pragati Bhavan, Rao's official residence, after the YSR Congress' thumping win in the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections.

Rao blessed Reddy that he should be successful in discharging his duties as Chief Minister, the release added.K Shiva Kumar By

Express News Service

MYSURU: If the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections has boosted prospects of BJP forming a government in the state, drubbing of the Congress in Mysore and in old Mysore region as well as in Bagalkot has dented the charisma of Congress leader Siddaramaiah.

The elections were a test for vote-gathering ability of the veteran leader who had personally campaigned across the state. However, the defeat in Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Bagalkot came as a huge blow for the Congress leader.

Siddaramaiah could not win against the Modi wave in the state and BJPs nationalistic issues that were played up ahead of polls.

That aside, the defeat of candidates from Siddaramaiahs own community has also come under serious criticism from his former cabinet colleague Roshan Baig. On the other hand, his political foe and veteran dalit leader B Srininvas Prasad who contested on a BJP ticket managed to win LS elections defeating his confidante R Dhruvanarayan.



Siddaramaiah has also come under fire in JDS circles for the defeat of Nikhil Kumaraswamy by a huge margin in Mandya LS constituency. Defeat of coalition candidates in Siddaramaiahs home turf and in old Mysuru region has also brought him under the scanner of Congress high command and state leaders.

The former Chief Minister somehow managed to get a Congress ticket for CH Vijayashankar in Mysuru-Kodagu LS constituency, but the latter lost to BJPs Pratap Simha by a margin of 1.39 lakh.



Siddaramaiahs failure to take leaders of both Congress and JDS on board and to put up a United show also cost the Congress a few seat. He also failed to hold on to the AHINDA votes while not being able to break ice with dominant Vokkaliga voters.



The JDS has blamed Siddaramaiah for BJPs victory in Tumakuru as well as former PM Devegowda was keen to contest from Mysuru.

Veena Kashappannavar lost with a huge margin in Bagalkot. Political commentator Harish Ramaswamy told The New Indian Express that charisma of both Siddaramaiah and Congress has waned.

The Congress failed to sense the undercurrent that was in favour of Modi. The party also continued to attack the government and defence forces that did not go well with the voters, he added.By Express News Service

BENGALURU: They were once friends, before they turned foes and then friends again. At least in public that is. Both acknowledged mass leaders, JDS supremo HD Devegowda and Congress leader Siddaramaiah are now staring at a battlefield of destruction, caused by their own political manoeuvring.



While Siddaramaiah ensured the Kuruba vote does not go to the JDS, Deve Gowda made sure Vokkaliga votes did not go to the Congress as part of their ambitious vote transfer forecast. With this, the Congress rout and Deve Gowdas loss were all but assured in the state, in a case of mutually assured destruction.

Reaping the benefits from this fight among both leaders was the BJP, which romped home a winner garnering an unprecedented 25 seats. In Chikballapur, where M Veerappa Moily contested, the Congress had gathered 5.4 lakh votes in the 2018 assembly elections. While Moily polled 5.6 lakh votes in 2019, the BJP votes went up from 3.35 lakh in 2018 to 7.4 lakh votes in 2018. The additional votes came from the JDS, which polled around 4.47 lakh votes in 2018, which went to the BJP instead of the Congress. Something similar happened in Kolar with KH Muniyappa and elsewhere in other seats as well.



Both Siddaramaiah and Deve Gowda decided to pull the plug on their coalition friendship and this is why the JDS vote went to the BJP in places like Mysore and other consituencies. In return, Deve Gowda himself saw the Congress vote go to the BJP in Tumkur, helping GS Basavaraj win.

Political analyst B S Murthy said, In constituency after constituency they have mutually destroyed each other, systematically transferring vote to the enemys enemy. When a committed party vote shifts from Congress or JDS to BJP while there is a coalition it raises suspicions.



Of all the constituencies surveyed only in Shivamogga the Congress transferred maximum votes to JDS, he said adding that this could be because of the DK Shivakumar factor. DK Shivakumar who was election in-charge in Shivamogga enjoys a good rapport with the JDS and Siddaramaiahs writ was diluted here. Both Siddaramaiah and Deve Gowda are from the erstwhile Janata Party school and have known each other very closely, having served together in the Janata Parivar for over three decades.By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Newly elected Kolar MP Muniswamy has claimed that five to six legislators from his constituency are likely to support Yeddyurappa to become the Chief Minister again.

Within a week, there will be many changes in the state politics, he said.



However, he refused to disclose legislators names. In Belagavi, newly elected BJP MP Suresh Angadi too claimed that a change of guard will take place in the state, as several Congress MLAs are keen to join the saffron party.



According to him, many Congress MLAs, including all from Belagavi, will be joining the BJP shortly.

He also added, I congratulate Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi for helping me get the highest number of votes from his Gokak assembly segment this time (more than 50,000 votes). Although Ramesh is in Congress, we have been good old friends.

He has more experience in politics than me. Unfortunately, his party neglected a loyal party worker like him, Angadi said.



The BJP MP said, When Ramesh Jarkiholi found that his self respect was at stake in Congress, he decided to join the BJP. The Congress MLA was joining the saffron outfit impressed by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state party president B S Yeddyurappa.



On questioning whether Congress MLAs would continue to be in the party after its miserable defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, Angadi said, All Congress MLAs of Belagavi district headed by Ramesh would joining the BJP soon.



When asked whether the BJP would form a government in the state with the help of dissident MLAs of the Congress, he said: That will be decided by senior leaders of the party

like Yeddyurappa and Jagadish Shettar.Ajay Moses By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Saffron surge in the State is all set to be a reality with BJP raring to script a West Bengal like performance. The more than expected seat share for the BJP State unit - four seats - has made the party leaders believe that the party could emerge as an alternative to the TRS.

In an interview with TNIE, BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao on Friday stated that it is important for the party to make Telangana a gateway to South India.

Telangana is a potential State for BJPs growth historically, observed Rao. We have a history that is conducive to promote Hindutva ideology. Listing out instances in the State history of agitation against Razakars and anti-Nizam struggle, Rao said: The identity concerns of Telangana are well in tune with BJPs core ideology. Just like how the BJP saw vote transfer from the Communists to the BJP against Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, a similar approach will be in place for Telangana. Across the nation vote share from the Congress is also getting transferred to the BJP, said a confident Rao.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

Terming that there is no ideological difference between the Congress and TRS, he said that the two rival parties have resorted to "appeasement politics." There is space in this context that is vacant and BJP is wanting to occupy it, he said.

The senior BJP leader argued that the party has a strong organisational base and was in line with the agitations waged by people of the State but it could not translate it into votes.

Somehow, after the formation of Telangana, we could not get any purchase. We were disappointed and always had a sense of frustration among the cadre, Rao said adding that Prime Minister Modi and party national president Amit Shah visited the State several times sensing that Telangana is a potential State.

But what has caused the party to win just one seat in the Assembly elections and four in parliamentary elections, Rao reacted sharply claiming that Modi wave along with the partys strong organisational base were responsible for the partys turnaround. He dismissed allegations that there was collusion between Congress and BJP, especially in Nizamabad to dethrone incumbent K Kavitha.

When asked why the party could not make any gains in other constituencies, Rao held that the party was banking its hope on six constituencies of which it could pocket four. Hyderabad and Mahbubnagar are the other constituencies where the BJP came second.

Buoyed by the victory in Telangana, the party is set to assign plum posts to those who have won. Telangana will get representation in the Union cabinet, said the national BJP leader.

He signed off saying that BJP, henceforth, will be an aggressive opposition.STAMFORD  A lengthy drug investigation with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration led the Stamford police department to make its biggest heroin bust in years last week.

Initially the federal government did not allow the department talk about the bust, but police now say they seized over five pounds of the powerfully addictive substance.

I cant remember in Samford in recent years of us seizing that much heroin at one time, said Capt. Richard Conklin, who supervises the departments Narcotics and Organized Crime squad. This was a lengthy investigation with Narcotics and Organized Crime working with the local DEA office and it involved Joaquin Veras selling large amounts of heroin at a number of buys. That led up to May 16 when arrangements were made to purchase a kilo of raw heroin, which took place at the Fairway Market parking lot.

After seizing the heroin on that day, police then executed three search-and-seizure warrants on Ludlow Street and Glenbrook Road and came up with another kilo of heroin, 200 plastic bags of heroin, along with about $10,500 in cash, Conklin said.

Federal authorities arrested Veras, 44, of Ludlow Street, on a criminal complaint charging him with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin. He is being held without bond, said Tom Carson, spokesman for U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut John Durham.

This was a very involved and intricate case with our partners in the DEA and it resulted in a very substantial amount of heroin being seized, Conklin said. There are many communities in the region plagued by heroin and opioid overdoses and this was a very involved case that worked very well between NOC and our partners at the DEA.

According to a federal warrant, Veras has, since at least February 2019, conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute heroin. He was convicted of heroin distribution in August 2011 in the Southern District of New York and sentenced to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

The warrant also stated that Stamford NOC officers received information that Veras was a heroin and cocaine supplier that had access to kilo-sized quantities of narcotics.

On May 16 an informant worked out a plan to meet Veras at Fairway Market to purchase 1,000 grams of heroin for $58,000. The deal called for the informant to give Veras $43,000 in cash with the remaining $15,000 to be paid later when when the dealer sold some of the drugs, the warrant said.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.comNews Premium

Im not at a grave. Im able to go and see him. Im very grateful for thatR Pridhvi Raj By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: The shocking defeat of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Raos daughter Kavitha in Nizamabad is being attributed to the traditional Congress voters shifting their loyalties to the saffron party.

It is due to this change, BJP nominee D Arvind could upset Kavitha with a margin was 70,875 votes. In the process, Congress candidate Madhu Yaskhi, who garnered 68,000 of 11.01 lakh total votes polled, lost his security deposit.

In 2014, Kavitha had won the seat with a majority of 1.67 lakh votes. Since the Lok Sabha poll results were announced on Thursday, the pink party has not been able to come to terms with the reality that KCRs daughter could lose an election, especially at a time when the TRS had bulldozed its way to a landslide victory in Assembly elections, barely five months ago, in December.

Kavitha, however, in a late night tweet said that she would continue to serve people regardless of the election outcome. She also congratulated her BJP rival Arvind, against whom she had carried out a bitter campaign, on his victory. Congratulations Arvind garu for winning the election, she said.

TRS smells a rat

In the last December Assembly elections, TRS candidates won all the seven segments that constitute Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency by polling 5.69 lakh votes (51.96 per cent), followed by Congress (3.41 lakh votes, 30.98 per cent) and BJP (92,652 votes, 8.41 per cent).

In a matter of five months, the BJP, which was an underdog, rose like a phoenix and captured Nizamabad with a margin of 70,875 votes. If one takes a close look at the Assembly segment-wise voting in Nizamabad in the present election, BJP candidate polled more votes in Korutla (77,023), Jagityal (66179), Armoor (72,472), Balkonda (68,064) and Nizamabad Rural (77,443). Kavitha polled more votes than Arvind in Nizamabad Urban (67,700) and Bodhan (55,279).

A careful examination of the statistics show that the Congress voters had shifted to the BJP this time, which in fact made the TRS smell a rat. It alleged that the BJP had reached out to the Congress which was not in a position to trounce Kavitha on its own and took its support to vanquish the incumbent.

In fact, Arvind had been campaigning against Kavitha for a long time on several issues which had made Kavitha lodge a strong complaint with the TRS state leadership against his father and Rajya Sabha member D Srinivas, who was in TRS, for not keeping his son on the leash.

KCRs comment

Arvind, who was working quietly, had capitalised on Modi wave that was building across the country and chief ministers comment during the campaign against BJPs brand of Hindutva that is perceived to have not gone down well with the people not just in Nizamabad but in neighbouring Karimnagar too.

This apart, the BJP had invited Home Minister Rajnath Singh to Nizamabad and made him promise location of turmeric board for which an agitation had been building, climaxing in 170 farmers filing nomination papers for Nizamabad seat and a couple of them even going to Varanasi to take on PM Narendra Modi.

Though Kavitha had tried to shift blame onto the BJP that if no turmeric board had been set up it was not because of lack of effort on her part, she had said that she had made several representations in Delhi but BJP honchos had paid little attention.

At the end of the day, BJP walked way with the cake, even though it had not set up a tumeric board.Three more California parents have pleaded guilty in the college admissions cheating scheme.

Marjorie Klapper, Jane Buckingham and Robert Flaxman pleaded guilty in Boston on Friday to a charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.

Klapper was charged with paying $15,000 to have someone cheat on her son's ACT.

Authorities say Buckingham, a marketing executive from Beverly Hills, agreed to pay $50,000 to have someone take the ACT for her son.

Flaxman admitted to paying $75,000 to boost his daughter's entrance exam score.

13 parents have pleaded guilty so far in the case.By PTI

WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Modi on Thursday led his Bharatiya Janata Party to a landmark victory for a second five-year term in office, winning 302 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. The two leaders also agreed to meet at the G-20 Summit, to be held on June 28 and 29, in Osaka, Japan. "President Donald Trump called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to congratulate him for his Bharatiya Janata Party's historic election victory," according to the White House.

US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday agreed to meet at the G-20 Summit in Japan next month as both the leaders pledged to further strengthen the US-India strategic partnership and build on the achievements of the last two years.

Trump telephoned Modi to congratulate him on the historic electoral victory in the Lok Sabha polls, the White House said.

ALSO READ| Narendra Modi's swearing-in likely on May 30, world leaders may be invited

Prime Minister Modi on Thursday led his Bharatiya Janata Party to a landmark victory for a second five-year term in office, winning 302 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. "The leaders look forward to seeing one another at the G-20 Summit in Osaka, where the US, India, and Japan will hold a trilateral meeting to pursue their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," the White House said.

The G-20 Summit meeting is slated for June 28 and 29. China is flexing its muscles in the South China Sea (SCS) which serves as a passage for annual trade worth USD 3.5 trillion. The US and China are locked in a tussle for the commercial control of the SCS.

ALSO READ| US leadership congratulates PM Modi on his re-election

China claims almost all of the strategic SCS with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam pushing competing claims to parts of the resource-rich maritime region. The US, Japan and India do not have any territorial claims there.

The US and India have made enormous strides together which include the expansion of bilateral defence cooperation and combined military exercises, the historic civil nuclear deal, the nearly six-fold increase in US-India trade, the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative and the designation of India as a Major Defence Partner.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

Later speaking to reporters at the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One on his way to Japan, Trump said, "I just spoke to Prime Minister Modi and I gave him my warmest regards and congratulations. I just conveyed congratulations on behalf of our country, myself and everybody. He had a great election win. He is a friend of mine. We have a very good relationship with India."

Thank you @VP.



This is a victory of democracy, which India and the US cherish. I will continue to promote our partnership with the US for peace and shared prosperity for our two countries and the world https://t.co/6zazX9Wmh8

 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2019

The White House said that the President and Prime Minister pledged to continue to strengthen the United States-India strategic partnership, building on the achievements of the last two years.

Earlier on Thursday, congratulating Prime Minister Modi on his "BIG" election victory on Twitter, Trump said that "great things" are in store for the Indo-US strategic ties under his second innings. "Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. I look forward to continuing our important work together!" Trump had said.

Modi had responded saying, "I too am looking forward to working closely with you for closer bilateral ties, which also augur well for global peace and prosperity." The PM had also thanked US Vice President Mike Pence, who congratulated him saying he looked forward to working with India.By ANI

PARIS: Following BJP-led NDA's emphatic victory in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, French President Emmanuel Macron made a congratulatory phone call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs France said on Saturday.

The French Foreign Ministry remarked that both India and France would continue to work together with an aim to bolster the security of the two nations.

"France and India have a steadfast partnership. We will continue to work together to consolidate the security of our nations, secure stability in the world, and promote sustainable development as well as exchanges between our youth," the statement by the spokesperson read.

ALSO READ | PM Modi thanks world leaders, sportspersons and celebrities for their wishes on Twitter

"India can rely on France's continued friendship," it added. Congratulating the Indian people and the authorities for the successful completion of the general elections, the statement remarked that the "immense voter participation in the electoral process illustrates the vibrancy of the largest democracy in the world."

Meanwhile, on Saturday morning, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also congratulated the Indian Prime Minister on the electoral victory and hoped that the two countries would continue to strive towards an even more productive partnership, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

Wishes and greetings poured in from across the world after Modi-led NDA swept the elections and won 352 out of 542 seats in the Lok Sabha.

The Prime Minister received congratulatory calls from leaders of Japan, Israel, Russia, and France, and the United States. Leaders of several other countries, including China, France, Pakistan, and Vietnam, also sent congratulatory messages to the PM.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, Portugal Prime Minister Antonio Costa, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former President of the Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom took to Twitter to send their congratulations to Modi.For over a year, the patient had suffered. The symptoms of a stubborn C. difficile infection can derail a whole life: theres the chronic diarrhea that strikes multiple times a day. The bouts of nausea and searing abdominal pain.

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This article was published 24/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For over a year, the patient had suffered. The symptoms of a stubborn C. difficile infection can derail a whole life: theres the chronic diarrhea that strikes multiple times a day. The bouts of nausea and searing abdominal pain.

Dr. Chris Schneider helped lead the effort to get the first official fecal transplant performed in Manitoba. The procedure involves a cheap blender, a willing donor and medical expertise. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

This patients infection was more stubborn than most. Antibiotics fell short; at least two rounds of vancomycin, one of the drugs of last resort, couldnt knock the bacteria out. Each time, the C. difficile came roaring back, along with the symptoms.

At the Manitoba Clinic, Dr. Christopher Schneider finally had a new option to offer. For years, the gastroenterologist had been campaigning to bring a curious but highly effective treatment for chronic C. difficile infections to Manitoba. At last, in the waning days of winter, his team had the approvals they needed to move forward.

On April 3, using a cheap blender, a willing donor and some medical expertise, Schneider and his team performed the first official fecal transplant in Manitoba.

Yes, its exactly what it sounds like, and it works: within hours of receiving the poop transfusion, the patients diarrhea vanished. Six weeks later, it has not returned. The long-suffering patient was thrilled; in a comment on a doctor-rating website, the individual praised Schneider for bringing hope to people who suffer from C. difficile.

For the doctor, the transplants success was almost as big a relief as it doubtless was for the patient.

"I was just so happy that after four years, we finally got it done," he said during a phone chat earlier this week. "I was really proud of myself and the team that we persevered and got it done... I was a little bit nervous about how everything would go. But we did it for the patients sake, and the patient did well."

An electron microscope image of a cluster of Clostridium difficile bacteria. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Humans have known about the healing potential of poop for thousands of years. In ancient China, a medical textbook dating back to the 10th century BC advised using "golden juice," a sort of fecal stew, to treat some abdominal distress. Ancient patients would have had to drink it, which seems... unappealing.

Despite this long history, contemporary medicine has been slow to study and embrace fecal transplants. The first randomized study of its efficacy in treating C. difficile was published in 2013. The results were so promising that researchers stopped the trial early. It was beating vancomycin by significant margins.

Why does it work? The mechanism is both simple and incredibly complex. Our bodies, Schneider explained, contain 10 trillion bacteria, outnumbering our own cells nearly by a factor of nearly 10 to one. We are almost, in a way, a home for bacteria above all else, and those microbes work with us in ways we have yet to fully understand.

For instance, in a healthy gut, bacteria flourish in a sort of balanced ecosystem, and the enzymes they create are critical to our digestion. But when a person takes antibiotics to treat another condition, the drugs kill off swaths of those helper bacteria, which can sometimes give C. difficile a chance to run rampant.

A medical illustration of Clostridium difficile bacterium. (Centers For Disease Control And Prevention)

From there, doctors and patients often find themselves locked in an ongoing battle. Up to 40 per cent of patients treated with antibiotics will see their infections return or relapse at least once. Each time it does, the likelihood of defeating it with antibiotics shrinks, until they reach the point where theres little hope left.

But fecal transplant approaches the problem from a different angle. If you can coat a patients gut with poop from a donor, someone who still has a healthy balance of gut bacteria, you can restore that balanced ecosystem that was once disrupted. Those bacteria can then do the work of keeping C. difficile in check.

It sounds strange, but it can be incredibly effective. According to a growing body of research, a fecal transplant can cure a C. difficile infection in up to 93 per cent of patients. Once cured, most will not experience a relapse.

'This is actually one of the most satisfying things in gastroenterology. To take someone with chronic diarrhea, do this transplant and theyre 100 per cent better right away, and theyre so happy. We deal with so much bad news, (telling patients they have) cancer, or colitis... this is a really goodnews situation'

And it can be remarkably affordable. C. difficile infection is costly; a 2012 study pegged its impact at $281 million each year to Canadian society in medical costs and lost productivity. Repeated courses of vancomycin can cost thousands of dollars.

By contrast, Schneider says, the cost of the fecal transplant with the first patient was about $275.

"Theres no money in poop," he says, with an enthusiasm not normally associated with this topic.

The problem, he thinks, is that leaves fecal transplant without many high-powered champions. It holds little interest for private companies, a matter of basic economics. The curative material, in this case, is one where uh... there is no shortage of supply. You could accurately say that vast quantities of it are being flushed down the toilet.

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Schneider believed in the treatment. He grew up in Manitoba, but received his gastroenterology training in Quebec, where a particularly stubborn strain of C. difficile had staked a claim. There, he helped prepare many patients for transplant and saw how effective the procedure could be.

When he returned to Manitoba in 2016, he set about trying to launch a fecal transplant program here. He knew there was a need; doctors were sometimes sending patients with tricky C. difficile infections for fecal transplants in Alberta or Ontario, a costly endeavour that could be onerous for a patient.

At first, getting a program up and running here was a frustrating experience bound up in red tape and wrangling over funding, he said. Finally, in late 2017, Schneider decided hed get a new transplant team up and running himself.

Dr. Schneider received his gastroenterology training in Quebec, where a particularly stubborn strain of C. difficile had staked a claim, and saw how effective the procedure could be. (Mikaela Mackenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

So he partnered with University of Manitoba microbiologist Dr. Ayush Kumar, as well as other researchers. Together, they wrote a protocol to lay out eligibility criteria and procedural steps. In October 2018, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba approved it; two months later, the Manitoba Clinics board members gave their green light.

It is not a particularly difficult procedure. The transfusion itself, Schneider explains, is not much different than a standard colonoscopy, which is something gastroenterologists do hundreds or thousands of times a year. The biggest challenge is preparing the donor poop to be transfused to a new colon.

To do that, someone on the team went out and bought the cheapest blender they could find at Walmart, Schneider said. With the donor contribution in hand  it has to be, ahem... made fresh  the transplant team added a little distilled water, and mixed it up on the blenders "smoothie" setting.

A technical assistant transfers human fecal matter solution into a bottle in an OpenBiome laboratory, in Medford, Mass. (Steven Senne / Associated Press files)

The result was a sort of poop slurry that can be infused via medical tubing during the colonoscopy. The procedure takes about 45 minutes, though preparing the patient and the poop takes up much of the day. Its time-consuming, Schneider said, but the results are worth it.

"This is actually one of the most satisfying things in gastroenterology," he said. "To take someone with chronic diarrhea, do this transplant and theyre 100 per cent better right away, and theyre so happy. We deal with so much bad news, (telling patients they have) cancer, or colitis... this is a really good-news situation."

The recipient can choose the donor, who simply has to be screened for infections, such as HIV or gonorrhea.

'We know more about the surface of the moon than we do our gut microbiota. Its extremely complex, and its something that needs more research, and why not here in Manitoba?'

The new fecal transplant team will be Schneiders lasting legacy to Manitoba. In September, the specialist is moving to Australia; he is training another Manitoba Clinic gastroenterologist, Ibrahim Abdelgadir, to perform the treatment. They plan to do more of them over the summer.

After that, the program has even greater potential. Fecal transplants are also being studied as a treatment for other conditions. In one study, 24 per cent of patients with ulcerative colitis went into remission after fecal transplant, compared to just five per cent with a placebo, and without any worse effects.

"We know more about the surface of the moon than we do our gut microbiota," Schneider said. "Its extremely complex, and its something that needs more research, and why not here in Manitoba?"

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.caIts been a long time since the lounge at the Royal Albert Arms Hotel has been bustling with music fans, but on Friday night, the venue was alive again, quietly opening its doors for the first time in more than four years.

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This article was published 24/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Its been a long time since the lounge at the Royal Albert Arms Hotel has been bustling with music fans, but on Friday night, the venue was alive again, quietly opening its doors for the first time in more than four years.

The event was a kind of soft opening; a very early soundcheck before the public is officially welcomed back into the historic Exchange District venue in mid-June.

The space is run by the owners of Alycias, the Ukrainian restaurant that moved into the main floor of the building last spring. They arent quite ready to confirm a specific opening date, but plans for a show are in the works.

On Friday, though, the bands on the bill were in line with the gritty musical history of the space; 90s indie-rockers the Bonaduces kicked off the night, before metaphorically and literally passing the stage off to up-and-coming local post-punk quartet Silence Kit, with DJ Bucky spinning tunes to fill the time between.

"Theres no music venue like this; this size, this feeling, the history of the room... Its not just important for the Exchange District, its important for the whole city," said David Pensato, executive director of the Exchange District BIZ, who was at the event.

MIKE SUDOMA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Instruments are at the ready as the Royal Albert prepares to reopen as a music venue Friday.

The iconic hotel and music venue at 48 Albert St. has been opened and closed so many times (and has had so many owners) in its 106-year history, its tough to keep track. Most recently, the building  which has heritage status  was purchased in a mortgage auction in 2017 by Neil Soorsma for $1.35 million. Soorsma has a history in the real estate business, and was open about his plans for refurbishment and the potential for the venue to be active once again.

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The one-time amateur musician  who played in the Albert back in its glory days  took over the hotel that had been mired in controversy. Former owner Daren Jorgensen, who had brought onboard businessman Ray Rybachuk, left the hotel with a string of debts and liens that complicated any deal to sell the building.

Today, a revitalized Royal Albert is seen as the key to rejuvenating the rest of Albert Street, which was in a holding pattern as neighbouring property owners waited to see what would happen to the old hotel, said Cindy Tugwell, executive director of Heritage Winnipeg, in a January 2018 Free Press story about the sale of the hotel.

MIKE SUDOMA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Mike Koop of the Bonaduces performs as one of the first bands back at the Albie Friday evening.

In its heyday, the Albert hosted acts such as Sum 41 and Green Day, bands that went on to international stardom, and was a launching pad for countless local bands.

In terms of the status of the 53-room hotel, a Kijiji ad posted earlier this week states both short- and long-term low-income rentals are available in the building. Soorsma confirmed the advertisement is accurate.

erin.lebar@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @NireRabel

MIKE SUDOMA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Headliners of the evening, Silence Kit, get ready to perform Friday evening.Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 24/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I love oxymorons, those combinations of contradictory words, like jumbo shrimp, lead balloon and civil war.

I love them because one aptly describes the work I have done for almost a quarter of a century  journalist manager.

People in other occupations are constantly amazed at the stories that newsroom managers tell. "You mean you sent the reporter to an assignment and she came back and told you that she wasnt going to write a story?" Or, "He wrote that terrible thing about the mayor and you didnt fire him?"

Well, yes. Professional journalists are among the hardest people to manage. That is not surprising for people who are trained to ask questions, to challenge authority, to expose and to criticize.

"Professional journalists are among the hardest people to manage. That is not surprising for people who are trained to ask questions, to challenge authority, to expose and to criticize."

This is why I am amused and puzzled by people who think that the federal Liberal government is trying to buy good coverage with a new program to support Canadian journalism, specifically written journalism in print and digital formats.

This week, the government announced the process for setting up an independent panel to set criteria for journalistic organizations to qualify for the program and for how it will be administered.

Eight different journalism groups across Canada will be asked to nominate one person to the panel. These eight people will meet and make recommendations. Among the nominating groups is News Media Canada, which represents daily and community newspapers. I am currently board chairperson of News Media Canada.

The panel is meant to achieve the principle that any mechanism designed to support the news industry must be independent and at arms length from the government.

This has not quieted critics of the program, which, among other things, would provide $75 million to $95 million annually in tax credits to cover part of the salaries of newsroom staff.

The Conservative Party immediately sent out a fundraising plea to supporters, accusing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of putting his political allies in charge of which media outlets will get handout money in an election year. The plea accuses Trudeau of co-opting the media and stacking the deck to win the next election.

These critics seem to have missed the kind of coverage the federal Liberals have received lately.

The program was first announced in November. In February, the Jody Wilson-Raybould avalanche started, producing some of the most critical coverage of a federal government that I have seen since I started following and writing about politics after sitting in the House of Commons public gallery one night in 1979 to watch the defeat of Joe Clarks short-lived Progressive Conservative government.

The work on the Wilson-Raybould story proves the need for trained, independent journalists being paid to unearth facts and expose truths. Economic factors have substantially weakened this capacity in most newsrooms. The federal program will go a long way to restoring and preserving it.

If the Liberals had a plan to get good headlines, it sure didnt work. But I dont believe they had any such plan. A government that supports independent journalism does so in the interests of sustaining a healthy democracy, not to get favourable coverage.

"A government that supports independent journalism does so in the interests of sustaining a healthy democracy, not to get favourable coverage."

A healthy democracy needs journalists who are difficult to manage  the sort who are going to do their job professionally, without bowing to outside influences, regardless of who helps pay their salaries.

This is the type of journalists who are employed at this newspaper, and at news outlets across the country.

It is certainly open to people to argue that government should not subsidize journalism. However, doing so means arguing against a lot of history. There are already direct and indirect public subsidies for various forms of journalism in Canada. They existed long before the CBC was created, even before Confederation.

Through it all, journalists have maintained their independence. And if you think journalists can be told what to do, I invite you to come to the newsroom one day and try.

Bob Cox is publisher of the Winnipeg Free Press.

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VANCOUVER - The British Columbia Utilities Commission says it has set out the process for its inquiry into gas and diesel prices in the province.

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This article was published 25/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER - The British Columbia Utilities Commission says it has set out the process for its inquiry into gas and diesel prices in the province.

It says the inquiry will explore factors potentially impacting prices in the province since 2015, including competition and the amount of fuel in storage, among other things.

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The BCUC says it will also explore mechanisms the province could use to moderate price fluctuations and increases.

The inquiry will wrap with a report to the provincial government by Aug. 30.

Refiners, wholesalers and others actively involved in the gasoline or diesel industry can register for intervener status by June 13.

BCUC will also request certain parties participate as interveners and provide evidence, including completing a questionnaire and possibly attending an oral hearing scheduled for July 17 to 19 in Vancouver.

Members of the public can submit comment online via the BCUC's website by Aug. 8.

The inquiry is being held at the request of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, which made the order earlier this week.EMBATTLED aerospace giant Boeing Co. is reportedly facing a probe by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) concerning whether the company properly disclosed issues related to its 737 Max airplanes.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 25/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

EMBATTLED aerospace giant Boeing Co. is reportedly facing a probe by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) concerning whether the company properly disclosed issues related to its 737 Max airplanes.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported officials in the SECs enforcement division are investigating whether the Chicago-based plane-maker was adequately forthcoming with shareholders about "material problems with the plane."

Investigators are also looking at Boeings financial statements to make sure they sufficiently reflected the possibility of effects from the 737 Max issues.

The SEC and Boeing declined to comment on the report.

An SEC probe would only be the latest of Boeings growing problems related to its 737 Max airplanes following two deadly crashes. The company is facing congressional and federal investigations, as well as a criminal probe. And families of victims who were killed in the crashes have filed lawsuits.

"They havent engendered a lot of trust out there," said John Jacobs, executive director at Georgetown Universitys Center for Financial Markets and Policy. "Theyre going to be very engaged in fighting this for many years to come."

Legal experts have said civil lawsuits brought by crash victims families will have strong claims for damages. In addition, Boeing could face product liability related to supposed plane defects, and negligence allegations claiming that the company did not adequately train pilots and did not take steps to fix problems after the first crash.

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The first crash occurred in October when a Lion Air flight plunged into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff. Less than six months later, an Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed minutes after takeoff. Together, the two crashes killed 346 people, leaving no survivors.

Investigators have implicated the planes flight control software, known as Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System or MCAS. The software was intended to prevent stalls by pushing the planes nose down.

Boeing intends to issue an update to the software, which still needs a sign-off from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Boeing has been criticized by U.S. pilots unions about a lack of transparency about the system, and earlier this week, a European pilots group said the company and the FAA were moving too fast to reintroduce the planes into the skies.

Since the Ethiopian Airlines crash, 737 Max planes have been grounded worldwide.

 Los Angeles TimesThe arrival of Ikea in Winnipeg almost seven years ago was not only a big boost to the general psyche of the city and satisfying to the thousands of fans of its Allen wrench-assembled products, but as it turns out it also allows Winnipeggers to be exposed to one of the most enlightened commercial operations in the world.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 24/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The arrival of Ikea in Winnipeg almost seven years ago was not only a big boost to the general psyche of the city and satisfying to the thousands of fans of its Allen wrench-assembled products, but as it turns out it also allows Winnipeggers to be exposed to one of the most enlightened commercial operations in the world.

Micheal Ward, who became president of Ikea Canada at the beginning of the year, was in Winnipeg on Friday to explain some of the sustainability and socially aware policies that drive the company.

Ward, who is a Canadian but spent the better part of the last two decades working all over the world for Ikea, believes the Canadian operations are going quite well. With new store openings in Quebec City last year and Halifax in 2017 there are now 14 locations in the country and Ward said there's still the possibility of future developments here.

Besides its relative geographic isolation, Ward said there is really nothing unique about its Winnipeg store situation. However, because of the fact that it is so far away from other Ikea locations the company will use its store here to experiment with a slight alteration to its on-line order and delivery process.

There is more and more on-line shopping and Ikea is responding to those needs including addressing the important matter of how quickly it can deliver the orders to the customers' homes.

"Our stores are set up to be supplied from big DC's (distribution centres) with long trunk lines where the lead time is long and the cost is high," he said.

The stores are large with lots of product on site and the company is now looking to get the stores to double as fulfillment centres.

"The warehouse is quite far away. The stores are right where they need to be," he said. "But they are designed to take goods in. Now we'll flip that and send product out from them. Winnipeg is one of the first places we are going to really try that in big way in Canada."

The company does do very well in Canada with sales in this country of $2.4 billion last year which was up eight per cent with on-line sales up 18 per cent. Canada is one of Ikea's top 10 countries and it has been able to successfully implement some of the company's important environmental and social policies.

In an interview with the Free Press, Ward said, "First we recognize that we need to live within the limits of one planet. Not just Ikea, but all of us."

Among other things the company has a goal of producing more renewable energy than it consumes. It owns a couple of wind farms in Alberta and runs its Edmonton store with one of the largest solar energy arrays in the province. Ikea Canada now produces four times more energy than it consumes. It has also committed to run its entire fleet of delivery vehicles with electric power trucks by 2025.

The company launched a program committing to hiring 250 refugees in Canada over the next three years. Jennifer Allen, the manager of the Winnipeg store, said it has already had 40 new refugees in for job experience and has hired 12 of them on.

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The company is also committed to being a fully circular business by 2030. That means using and reusing materials. To partially accomplish that it has started a sell-back program which allows Canadians to sell their gently-used Ikea products back to the retailer in exchange for store credit and it is a founding partner and supporter of the Circular Economy Lab, a collaborative initiative to advance Canadas transition to a circular economy.

Like every other retailer with a significant bricks and mortar footprint Ikea is aware of the need to build a robust e-commerce platform and that is in place. Ward said the company understands its customers desire for better convenience and new services from Ikea.

As far as service is concerned, last year it acquired a Silicon Valley company called Task Rabbit that maintains community platforms where busy people can find people to get things done for them... like put together their new Ikea furniture.

But what Ikea is not looking to do is increase prices or move up-market.

"It is all about affordability," Ward said. "We have always believed people with small means should be able to have a beautiful home. That is our mission."

martin.cash@freepress.mb.caSouth Africa: South Africa celebrates 6th democratically elected President

Cyril Ramaphosa has officially become South Africas sixth democratically elected President after taking the oath of office at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.

"I, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, swear that I will be faithful to the Republic of South Africa, and will obey, observe, uphold and maintain the Constitution and all law of the Republic. And I solemnly and sincerely promise that I will always promote all that will advance the Republic and oppose all that may harm it; protect and promote the rights of all South Africans, he said.

President Ramaphosa, 66, also vowed to discharge all his duties with all his strength and talent to the best of his abilities and be true to the dictates of his conscience, as he took the oath administered by Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.

The crowd, gathered at the stadium, errupted in loud cheer as the President said: "So help me God!"

He recited the oath on stage looking Presidential in his dark suit and wine-coloured tie, accompanied by his wife Tshepo Motsepe, before signing the swearing-in certificate.

Representatives from the continental regional economic blocks, former liberation movements, fraternal countries, the African Union, United Nations, members of the diplomatic corps and eminent persons, as well as over 30 000 members of the public, witnessed the inauguration.

Former Presidents Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe and FW de Klerk were seated in the VIP area on stage, and the Heads of State from the DRC, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Uganda, Lesotho and Eswatini graced the ceremony which coincides with the continental Africa Day celebrations.

Before taking the oath, President Ramaphosa was honoured by a mighty military salute from the South African National Defence Force personnel which included all arms of the force who ushered the President to the sound of the National Anthem, a 21-gun salute and Air Force display.

After the oath, the stadium erupted in loud cheer and praise.

Ramaphosa was elected President by Parliament after the African National Congress (ANC) won the general election earlier this month.

The inauguration takes place at a time when the country celebrates 25 Years of Freedom.

The newly inaugurated President will now deliver a speech at this momentous occasion which marks the beginning of the sixth administration. In the address, he will give the country and the international community a snapshot of his vision and intentions during his term of office.

One of the key focus of this address will be on how the together- as a country- can we build on the achievements and work even harder to tackle poverty, inequality and unemployment.

President Ramaphosa has already had an illustrious career which has seen him working in the private sector, the labour movement and he was among the writers of South Africa's new democratic Constitution.

Born on 17 November 1952 in Soweto, President Ramaphosa played an important role in the liberation struggle for a democratic South Africa.

The President was detained in 1974 for organising pro-Frelimo rallies that were held to celebrate the independence of Mozambique.

Two years later, after the Soweto student uprising he was detained again.

He became the first general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers in 1982.

In 1991, he was elected ANC Secretary General and subsequently became head of the ANC team that negotiated the transition to democracy.

Following the countrys first democratic elections in 1994, he was elected chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly, which wrote South Africa's new democratic constitution.

He moved into the private sector in 1996, and in 2001 founded Shanduka Group, a diversified investment holding company.

He resigned from Shanduka in 2012 following his appointment as Deputy President of South Africa.



President Ramaphosa holds a law degree from the University of South Africa. He has received several honorary doctorates from local and international universities.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-05-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.The index polled 18 ministries and agencies in seven fields, and 63 cities and provinces in eight fields.

As a result, 14 ministries and agencies met over 80 percent of criteria in the index, including the SBV; the ministries of finance, justice, agriculture and rural development, industry and trade, foreign affairs, science and technology, home affairs, natural resources and environment, labour  invalids and social affairs, education and training, culture-sports-tourism, and planning and investment, and the Government Inspectorate.

The ministries of construction, information and communications, public health and transport were rated between 70 and 80 percent.

The SBV scored the most with 90.57 percent while the Transport Ministry achieved the lowest with 75.13 percent.

In the category of localities, Quang Ninh continued to lead the index with 89.06 percent, 5.08 percent higher than Hanoi with 83.98 percent.

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap ranked third, achieving 83.71 out of 100 points. The central city of Da Nang and the northern province of Hai Phong was placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

Among five localities in the bottom of the index, three got an index of below 70 percent, including the central province of Phu Yen (69.53 percent), the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum (69.57 percent) and the southern province of Tra Vinh (69.85 percent).

According to the 2018 Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS) released by the committee the same day, the citizen satisfaction towards the delivery of public administration services averaged 82.99 percent.

The lowest score was 69.98 percent while the highest was 97.88 percent. Half of localities nationwide recorded an index of 81.92 and 97.88 percent while the remaining was between 69.98 and 81.92 percent.

Public satisfaction towards access to services, administrative procedures, officials, reception and settlement of public feedback was 80.62 percent, 86.4 percent, 85.1 percent. 88.13 percent and 74.07 percent, respectively.

Compared to 2017, the SIPAS 2018 rose by over 2 percent.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, who is also head of the committee, lauded ministries, agencies and localties for improving business climate and labour output, towards achieving the level of ASEAN 4 countries in terms of competitiveness and business environment.

He asked them to spread effective models in administrative reform, improve the quality of policymaking, uphold the role of the Governments Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform in enhancing dialogues with the business community and units concerned to promptly remove their difficulties, streamline administrative units in a more efficient way, strictly discipline violations in recruitment, appointment and rotation of officials and cadres.

They were also required to develop e-government while regularly improving online public services at level 3 and 4./.By PTI

CHINA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a "lot of efforts" to enhance India's economy and improve people's livelihood in the last five years, a senior official of the ruling Communist party has said.

Mu Degui, a member of the standing committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Guizhou Provincial Committee, said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, governance in India has improved.

"India and China share long-time friendly relations," he said here. Asked about his reaction on Prime Minister Modi's victory in the 2019 general elections, Mu praised him and his efforts.

Mu, who is also the Director General of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Publicity Department, said: "We have noticed that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over the office, he has made a lot of efforts to enhance India's economy and improve people's livelihood and governance".

ALSO READ | Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulates PM Narendra Modi on election win

China on Friday said it attaches high importance to its bilateral relations with India and is keen to work with Prime Minister Modi to deepen the political trust and mutual cooperation for closer partnership.

President Xi Jinping on Thursday skipped protocol and congratulated Modi even before the formal declaration of the poll results.

In a first back-to-back majority in the Lok Sabha polls for a single party in over three decades, the Modi-led BJP won 303 seats out of 542 in the Lok Sabha polls, handing out a crushing defeat to the Congress and many other political opponents.United Airlines is cancelling another month's worth of flights with Boeing 737 Max planes that were grounded after two deadly accidents.

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United Airlines is cancelling another month's worth of flights with Boeing 737 Max planes that were grounded after two deadly accidents.

United said Friday it has removed the Max from its schedule through Aug. 3 and will cancel about 2,400 flights in June and July as a result. It had previously cancelled all Max flights through early July.

Southwest and American have already dropped the Max from their schedules into August.

Boeing is making changes to flight-control software that investigators believe played a role in crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that together killed 346 people. The company is expected to soon formally submit its changes and a proposal for additional pilot training to the Federal Aviation Administration for approval.

The FAA held a meeting Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas, with nearly 60 officials from more than 30 countries to explain its process for analyzing Boeing's changes to the Max. Acting FAA Administrator Daniel Elwell declined to give a timetable for the agency's review, saying the FAA won't allow the Max to return to the skies until it is convinced the plane is safe.

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In a setback to FAA's prestige, other regulators around the world grounded the plane in March after the second crash without waiting for the FAA to do so. The FAA hopes that this time, other regulators  some of whom are doing their own separate reviews  will approve Boeing's changes at the same time or soon after FAA does.

"Our review of the Max design changes, the software upgrade, is already under way," said Nicolas Robinson, the head of civil aviation for Transport Canada, that country's counterpart to FAA.

Robinson said, however, that it's "difficult to put a time limit on that" because the length of the review will depend on how quickly Canada gets answers to questions it has about Boeing's work.

Robinson said that at Thursday's FAA meeting in Fort Worth, some attendees put timelines on the review process but the consensus  and the view of FAA  was that "this is not about meeting a deadline, it's about getting safety done properly. It will be done when we feel comfortable."

United's decision to cancel more Max flights puts the carrier more closely in line with Southwest and American, the other two U.S. airlines with Max jets, which had already dropped the Max from their schedules into August.

United is using other planes to cover some flights that had been scheduled with its 14 Max jets. However, the airline said that because of the Max's grounding it will cancel about 1,120 flights in June and about 1,290 in July.A senior executive at Richardson International said the fact that China has revoked the Winnipeg company's export licence for canola is but one of many international trade brush fires that is not likely to be extinguished soon.

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This article was published 24/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A senior executive at Richardson International said the fact that China has revoked the Winnipeg company's export licence for canola is but one of many international trade brush fires that is not likely to be extinguished soon.

Jean-Marc Ruest, senior vice-president and general counsel at Richardson International told the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce on Friday, "Anyone who thinks this will be resolved quickly is overly optimistic, bordering on naive."

Ruest painted a chilling picture of non-tariff trade barriers that are being erected all over the world, impacting the export of various Canadian agricultural products: canola in China, durum wheat in Italy, peas and lentils in India, all commodities in Vietnam and the threat of a ban on Canadian wheat to Peru.

"So, it's not just China," Ruest said. "This is a new world order we are dealing with at least in the short term."

Ruest said it was ironic that the new reality exporters are facing in international trade is happening at the same time that ambitious multilateral trade deals are being struck like CETA  the Canada-European Union deal  and the CPTPP, the multilateral trade deal with Asian and Pacific rim countries that Canada has signed on to.

"These are very ambitious trade agreements all around," he said. "Yet, at the same time, we are facing the greatest barriers for export of Canadian agricultural commodities."

He said exporters learn to manage a variety of risks from credit issues, market and foreign exchange volatility, weather, and even country risks that arise from things like political instability or war or corruption or financial instability.

But he said these new non-tariff barriers are particularly tricky to deal with.

"All these bans have similarities in that they are motivated by actual or suspected political or protectionist goals," he said. "They occur in many cases suddenly with little to no notice and expose exporters to significant losses."

Ruest refused to weigh in on the specifics of the Chinese ban on Richardson and other Canadian canola exporters because of the alleged presence of pests, but he said it is important to not lose sight of the fact that challenges are cropping up all over the place.

He said the fact that food safety and food quality issue are being cited as reasons for the export bans and are not scientifically proven or justified is particularly troubling.

"They quickly raise the sympathy of consumers domestically and abroad, they empower governments that impose the barriers... and it puts exporters on their heels, defending the shipment and domestic quality control systems," he said.

Disputing such claims is a long and complex process, he said, and require the engagement of scientific experts. Eventually, there needs to be an agreement by both the importing and exporting authorities to be bound by scientific principle.

"But if the issue is political or protectionist in nature, then collaboration or resolution is virtually impossible," he said. "When you insert a risk like this that is not predictable, it is virtually impossible to mitigate or control as an exporter."

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Ruest said he believes that when it comes to scientific-based disputes, consistent domestic policies that are not influenced by trends or social pressure must be in place.

The obvious commercial imperatives are for exporters like Richardson International to scramble to find new markets. (Ruest would not name the new markets it is going after for competitive reasons.)

As for farmers, he said these non-tariff barriers are concerning for a few reasons.

"They represent significant markets for the commodities in question and it impedes the ability of producers to diversify," he said.

He said while there are potential revenue impacts that Richardson International is facing, the company is diversified enough to be able to weather the storm. In addition to being the largest grain-handler in Canada, Richardson International is also the largest industrial oats miller in the world and has a sizable canola-processing operation, including the recent purchase of Wesson brand, the largest U.S. vegetable oil company.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.caWith federal and provincial (seemingly) elections looming, a local advocacy group is offering a free campaign manual to equip women considering electoral runs with the information they need.

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This article was published 24/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With federal and provincial (seemingly) elections looming, a local advocacy group is offering a free campaign manual to equip women considering electoral runs with the information they need.

Equal Voice Manitoba is a multi-partisan chapter of a national movement aimed at getting more women elected at all levels of government.

On Monday, the group will launch its first campaign manual, Organize to Win, at Saddlery on Market (114 Market Ave.) around 5:30 p.m. The 44-page guide will be available for free in hard copy and online.

Equal Voice Manitoba co-founder Delaney Coelho said the document  which contains practical information about how to establish a campaign team, fundraise and talk to media, among other tips  is something women have been asking the group for since its launch in November 2016.

"Manitoba has a big rural population and we know that were not able to host events in every community, and sometimes Winnipeg is just not realistically accessible to people. So, I think by providing an electronic tool, well hopefully be able to reach more women who are interested," Coelho said.

Equal Voices booklet is adapted from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador editions to fit a Manitoba context. Among the advice included are common myths about running for public office to discount (such as the need to have a legal or public policy background, or not have young children) and ways to estimate how much a campaign will cost.

A two-page self-assessment exercise provides a road map for questions one should ask themselves before putting their name on a ballot.

"Being a bit more intentional, maybe some of these questions allow you to think of the more logistical, practical things like whos going to make sure that you have clean clothes throughout the three months of the campaign? How are you going to make sure that you get fed so that youre not getting worn out and youre not getting sick during this long campaign?" Coelho said.

In Manitoba, there are 14 women elected in the 57-seat legislature (25 per cent), while in Ottawa, 94 of 338 MPs are women (nearly 28 per cent). Coelho hopes to see those numbers rise this year.

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"We want to see (women) get elected. We also want to see them be successful when theyre elected and we also want to see the political environment be more hospitable and less hostile to women," she said.

"And so I think as part of that, its making sure that women have the information they need to make an informed decision to ensure that its right for them, and that theyre able to look after themselves throughout that entire process."

jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @_jessbuWhen Jocelynn Johnson was seven, she got meningitis and lost her hearing.

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This article was published 25/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When Jocelynn Johnson was seven, she got meningitis and lost her hearing.

Navigating the world was a challenge, the 39-year-old provincial civil servant says.

In March 2010, Johnson travelled to Oakville, Ont., to be paired up at Dog Guides, a hearing guide dog training centre sponsored by the Lions Foundation Canada. After nearly nine years, Lulu the Labrador is ready to retire and Johnson will soon need a new dog.

On Sunday, the foundation that sponsors training for dozens of guide dogs, for Canadians who have hearing and sight loss, will hold its annual fundraiser, Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides. Johnson was tapped to talk and was happy to answer to questions submitted through a publicity firm for the walk.

The Lions program supplies dozens of trained guide dogs to those in need, free of charge. Raising and training the dogs costs about $25,000 per animal and Lions depends on the annual fundraiser. Over the years, the charity has raised $17 million.

It wasnt until a fire broke out while Johnson was in university that she realized she might need help. She did not hear the smoke alarms nor see other students evacuating the University of Winnipeg building where she was studying.

"A fireman actually came up to me, tapped me on the shoulder and told me there was a fire. He was doing checks to ensure everyone was out and escorted me through an emergency exit nearby," Johnson said by email.

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"While this was a reason I started thinking about it, I wasnt in the right place to get a service dog at that point. In fact, this (fire) was several years before I did get one. The culminating event that caused me to file the application was when my husband was working nights and I was home alone," she said.

"One of my cats was acting bizarrely, puffing up, hissing and generally freaking out and I got out of bed to see what was going on. I ended up catching two men trying to break in (through) my kitchen door. When I turned on the lights, they fled, but if my cat hadnt freaked out, they likely would have broken into the house.

"It did take a few years after that to get Lulu as the process can be quite lengthy, but I did sleep a lot better once I got her."

Lulu alerts Johnson to everyday sounds, including fire alarms, doorbells, phones, alarm clocks and Johnsons work colleagues calling for her.

Approximately 6.2 million Canadians are limited due to a disability of some kind, including hearing loss.

More information about the walk for guide dogs can be found at the websites for Pet Valu stores or through www.walkfordogs.com.Eighty years ago, the province expropriated the Metis village of Ste. Madeleine in an out-of-the way corner of southwestern Manitoba.

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This article was published 24/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Eighty years ago, the province expropriated the Metis village of Ste. Madeleine in an out-of-the way corner of southwestern Manitoba.

Resident's homes were burned to the ground and their dogs were shot dead.

It was 1939, the tail end of the Dirty Thirties, and under the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration, Manitoba was converting land considered marginal and redesignating it for pasture lands.

One of the parcels was the village of Ste. Madeleine. Residents had been promised land in compensation  but only if their property taxes were paid up. Few families saw the promised land.

The Manitoba Museum and the Manitoba Metis Federation have chronicled the tragic and largely forgotten chapter of the provinces history with a new exhibit opening Friday: Ni KishKishin/I Remember.

Six panels along a wall in the Winnipeg museum's Parklands section pay tribute to Ste. Madeleine. Artifacts include aged photographs of family life and a framed map of the area's farm sections, yellow with time. It is set next to a gigantic new photograph that forms the backdrop of the exhibit: an image of the land now, a verdant pasture covered in wild flowers and tall sage.

Ste. Madeleine's history is presented in Michif, French and English.

"This exhibit tells the story of where we come from," said Verna Demontigny, a Michif translator and descendant of one the families forced out. "For the story of Ste. Madeleine to be told in an exhibition form, our language has to be there.

"Us descendants from Ste. Madeleine will see that. Others will see that and they will remember Ste. Madeleine was once a community."

"It takes courage to share these difficult stories, but it is essential that they are shared and that we remember. The Manitoba Museum is proud of this exhibition and the role it plays in bring this Metis story forward," board vice-chairwoman Penny McMillan said in a statement Friday released by the MMF.

MMF officials attended the unveiling, along with dozens of descendants of former Ste. Madeleine families. They packed a museum auditorium as Metis elder George Fleury recounted his memories as a witness to what happened in 1939.

The village had been homesteaded by families in the decades following the Red River and the Northwest rebellions and the hanging of Metis leader Louis Riel in 1885. Families regularly left to find work in nearby towns and farms; it was while they were away their community was destroyed.

"After being out for a week maybe longer, we come home and found we didn't have a home," Fleury recounted.

"Our house had been burned down while we were gone. It was a sad situation. I was only four years old and I remember seeing my mother crying, my father's shoulders heaving. He was crying, too. I couldn't make sense of what the loss was but in their hearts, they could. They lost their home, their livelihood and their dignity."

Just about every family had a dog, used to haul wood, track game, and essential to the Metis way of life.

"Our dogs were shot and killed. The excuse was there was a sickness in the animals. There was no sickness... Our dogs were a resource," Fleury said.

Decades of hand-to-mouth existence followed, with families dispersing across southern Manitoba, earning them the name "road allowance" people.

The museum sees the story as an important but overlooked chapter in the province's history.

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"Particularly this part of Metis history because it was so recent and so outrageous," said curator Maureen Matthews. "It wasn't a one-off. It encapsulates the racism of that period of time and it reminds us that there are lots of reasons Metis people are still looking for some form of acknowledgement."

Fleury became a prominent member of the MMF in the decades that followed; his son has taken up the cause to reclaim the land.

"My responsibility as a minister (for the MMF) is to get all of that land or part of it back for the people of Ste. Madeleine," John Fleury said to applause from the gathering. "I can only imagine the despair those families felt... It was the intent of the governments of the time to take that (Metis) identity away from people."

Decades on, Ste. Madeleine descendants gather at the former community site every third weekend in July. The graves of their ancestors are kept clean and the younger generations still see it as a spiritual home.

"It's important we learn about Ste. Madeleine and what it's all about. You can feel it pulsing when you go there, the love the people have for that little spot of Manitoba," said Leah LaPlante, MMF vice-president for the southwestern region.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.caViolence claimed two more lives in Winnipeg during a 10-hour period on Friday and Saturday, amid a sharp rise in deadly attacks.

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This article was published 25/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Violence claimed two more lives in Winnipeg during a 10-hour period on Friday and Saturday, amid a sharp rise in deadly attacks.

In Fort Richmond, police found a man dead in a Greencrest Avenue residence at around 5:20 p.m. Friday, after receiving a report of "suspicious circumstances." Investigators declared the death to be a homicide.

491 Simcoe Street

Hours later, police raced to the 400 block of Simcoe Street at 2:45 a.m. Saturday, where a woman had been stabbed. She was rushed to hospital in critical condition, and later died.

Police released few details about either case on Saturday afternoon, citing the early stages of the investigations. The victims names and ages were not released, nor much information on what police believe may have happened.

Anyone with information about these cases is urged to contact homicide investigtors at 204-986-6508, or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).

The latest slayings bring the total number of homicides in Winnipeg this year to 18. Last year, the city didnt reach that number until early November, and finished 2018 with 22 homicides.

"One homicide is really too many, one homicide in itself is concerning," police spokesman Const. Jay Murray said. "Its extra concerning to see the number that weve had so far."

An evidence tag hangs off the mailbox at 928 Greencrest Ave. Saturday. Police found a dead man at the scene Friday afternoon. It was later declared a homicide.(Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press)

This does not mean there is any increased risk for the public. Most homicides in Winnipeg are not random, Murray stressed; perpetrators usually know the victims.

Yet police believe the rise in deadly violence could be linked to surging rates of crystal meth addiction. Where meth goes, guns and violence often follow.

"Its a tough thing to talk about homicide numbers, just because I dont know that theyre a true reflection of whats happening in the city," Murray said. "It causes a number of people to feel unease to hear that number. And our message for them is, we feel theres a direct correlation to the methamphetamine crisis."

Murray could not immediately confirm how many of the 18 killings this year have been connected to meth use.

Meanwhile, the number of slayings in the first half of the year has placed a heavy strain on homicide detectives. Despite that heavy workload, police have made arrests in 13 of this years killings, Murray said.

"It takes an incredible amount of work to solve one," Murray said. "You can imagine the workload thats going on in that office, and I havent heard one complaint from any of those officers... essentially, their work has been doubled, and theyre still able to bring closure to some of these investigations."

The two homicides were not the only violent outbursts in Winnipeg on Friday and early Saturday, a 24-hour period that included two stabbings and a suspect allegedly ramming a police cruiser with a stolen car.

The first of those incidents happened at around 1:30 a.m. Friday, when police were flagged down near Salter Street and Selkirk Avenue. They found a 31-year-old man who had been stabbed on nearby Pritchard Avenue.

He was taken to hospital in critical condition, and later upgraded to stable.

Investigators believe the man had been stabbed after going outside to confront two males, who had followed a 26-year-old woman to the residence. The man was stabbed and the woman was threatened and assaulted.

Witnesses told police they had seen the two males fleeing the area after the stabbing. Officers gave chase, and arrested one in the 400 block of Redwood Avenue and the other in the 400 block of College Avenue. Both were carrying knives.

Jeremiah Keegan Nepinak, 18, is facing several charges, including aggravated assault and possession of a weapon, as is a 14-year-old male, who cannot be named. Police say the victims and the suspects did not know each other.

That incident was followed by another stabbing at about 1:40 a.m. on Saturday, this one in the 200 block of Charles Street. The 53-year-old male victim was taken to hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition.

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Police arrested the victims son, 25-year-old Cody Mason Pelletier. He is charged with assault with a weapon, following what police say was an argument that escalated to a physical confrontation.

In another incident, 27-year-old Ryan Joseph Roulette is charged with a pile of offences, including two counts of assaulting a police officer and possessing meth, after a vehicular clash and foot chase with police Friday night.

That incident began at around 9 p.m., when police spotted a vehicle, which had been reported stolen in Portage la Prairie, near Salter Street and Boyd Avenue.

Police followed it to Charles Street and Boyd Avenue where the driver rammed into a police cruiser, damaging its front bumper. Officers surrounded the stolen vehicle but the driver escaped and fled on foot.

They caught up with the suspect in the 300 block of Mountain Avenue where police say he initially resisted arrest. Police said 18 grams of meth were seized.

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.caA Langside Street house was the scene of both a shooting and an attempted break-in over two consecutive days this week, and Winnipeg police have arrested and charged a 15-year-old boy and a 25-year-old man in the two separate incidents.

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This article was published 24/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Langside Street house was the scene of both a shooting and an attempted break-in over two consecutive days this week, and Winnipeg police have arrested and charged a 15-year-old boy and a 25-year-old man in the two separate incidents.

Officers responded to a call about a shooting at the home in the 500 block of Langside at about 5 p.m. Wednesday. Not long after, they found a vehicle on nearby Young Street connected to the incident. A 17-year-old male in the vehicle had been shot, and was taken to hospital in stable condition, police spokesman Const. Jay Murray told reporters Friday.

Another male in the vehicle ran from police, and was arrested after he tripped and fell during the chase. After entering the Langside Street home, officers found a shotgun and ammunition, along with evidence that a gun had been fired. A 15-year-old boy has been charged with multiple offences, including several firearm-related offences and failure to comply with court conditions. The boy also had outstanding arrest warrants, police said.

Investigators with the major crimes unit believe the shooting involved a group of five teens who went to the house to buy cannabis edibles and a dispute broke out. No drugs have been recovered thus far, Murray said.

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While officers were at the home Thursday investigating the shooting, a bystander told them two men wearing gloves and masks were trying to break into the back of the house. Officers found the pair, one of whom was wearing a mask and armed with what they initially thought was a sword, but turned out to be the shaft of a golf club. The other man was on a bicycle, and both fled.

The suspect on the bike escaped, but officers ran after the other man, who allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife in addition to the golf club as he fled. He eventually dropped both weapons during the chase and was arrested on Young Street, Murray said, adding the suspects had break-in tools inside a duffle bag.

Kordic Alfred Constant, 25, has been charged with possession of a weapon and possession of break-in tools, as well as a failing to comply with recognizance.

"I think you can come to your own conclusions if, during one incident individuals were attending the house to purchase drugs, and during another incident you had individuals who looked like they were going to do a break-in at the residence," Murray said, but didn't provide further details.

solomon.israel@freepress.mb.ca

@sol_israelFor all that has been written on womens actions during the Winnipeg general sympathetic strike of 1919, it could be concluded easily that females were not there at all, that they passed the six weeks holidaying at Lake Winnipeg. That was the opening line of my 1986 undergraduate essay published in Manitoba History.

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This article was published 25/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

"For all that has been written on womens actions during the Winnipeg general sympathetic strike of 1919, it could be concluded easily that females were not there at all, that they passed the six weeks holidaying at Lake Winnipeg." That was the opening line of my 1986 undergraduate essay published in Manitoba History.

In the early 1980s, as a history student at the University of Manitoba, the first big lesson I learned was that everyday people can change the course of history. Soon after that, I learned my second big lesson  even though women have always made up roughly half of the population, we dont often make it into the history books.

When I first began studying history, there was only one female professor in the department, Mary Kinnear. Not only was she the only female faculty member, but she was also the only one teaching womens role in history. During the first course I took with Kinnear, she asked students to choose a historical event and uncover womens participation. I picked what might be considered the most famous event in Winnipegs history: the 1919 strike. But after spending weeks reviewing all the published work on the strike, the paper I handed in described how I couldnt write about women and the strike because there was no information. Kinnear returned my paper and sent me off to the archives.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS In then-mayor Charles F. Grays June 21, 1919 proclamation ordering citizens not to participate in parades, he said women who ignore the warning do so at their own risk.

At the Archives of Manitoba, I pored over census reports and spent long hours peering at scratchy film reels of newspapers in the dim light of the microfilm room. I pulled photos from files and scrutinized images of crowds gathered on Main Street and Victoria Park. There, in these basic sources, were the answers. Women made up almost 25 per cent of the paid workforce in 1919 and were involved in every aspect of the strike.

"Women acted as strikers and scabs, rioters and terrorists," I wrote in my university essay. "They made coffee and sandwiches for striking workers, and they struggled to piece together a meal for their families. Women as strikers unplugged the telephone lines and women as scabs plugged them back in. Women took to the streets during riots, they terrorized scab labour, and one woman has been credited with the infamous act of setting fire to the streetcar on Bloody Saturday."

Kinnear then invited me to submit my essay to a special issue of Manitoba History that she was guest-editing on the topic of womens history. When my article was peer-reviewed by a male historian before publication, he excitedly asked me where I had found this information. It struck me as odd that the question was where I found this information. The question should have been: how did all the other much more experienced historians fail to see this information about women? After all, it was in all the most standard sources at the archives.

Newspapers from 1919 spell out womens varied roles in the strike. On May 15, 1919, the strike was officially scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. But at 7 a.m., 500 telephone operators left their shift and no one came in to replace them. Ninety per cent of these workers were women, and thus, women showed the courage, determination and faith to walk out before anyone else. Newspapers also describe the role of women trying to make meals for their families during the strike with limited food, the role of women as volunteer labourers (less charitably known as scabs) and as fierce protagonists no matter what side of the strike they aligned with.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Archivist Mary Horodyski, standing next to a strike exhibit in the Elizabeth Dafoe Library at the University of Manitoba, says the public needs better access to historical records.

One newspaper report described the women of the Brooklands and Weston neighbourhoods who wrecked three delivery trucks and assaulted not only the drivers but even the police who had been sent to protect the drivers. One policeman reported that he "wouldnt advise any man to go out there" and risk being caught working during the general strike. Throughout the strike, several women, including strike leader Helen Armstrong, were arrested on charges of assault and disorderly conduct. Even mayor Charles Frederick Gray, on June 21, made special notice of women in a proclamation warning strikers and supporters off the streets.

Almost every archival photo of a crowd shows women among the throngs. Often, the women are wearing long white dresses and big-brimmed white hats and stand out among the dark suits of the men. Another photo at the Archives of Manitoba shows two women dressed in pants, tall boots and jackets, operating gas pumps as volunteers. Sure, these women are likely scabs, but dont they look strong and sassy!

The oral history tapes, photographs and newspapers in the archives underlined the prevalent discrimination against the "alien enemy" and described both the fears and strengths of immigrant women. These archival records also described with sympathy the dire straits that forced some workers, including women, back to work during the strike.

My 1986 article took the first sweep at the story of womens involvement in the strike, and in that way broke new ground, but it was not inclusive enough. David Russell, a descendant of one of the strike leaders, said in an oral history interview: "There were people involved who were never mentioned, you know."

L.B. Foote / Archives of Manitoba Some women served as volunteer labourers, or scabs, during the general strike.

New work from historian Adele Perry examines the relationship of Indigenous dispossession of land to the 1919 strike and the building of the Winnipeg aqueduct (the other significant event of 1919). As another example, the forthcoming movie of the strike by Danny Schur, whose musical has done much to popularize this story, will include a Metis war veteran and a black domestic worker from Oklahoma. A recent conference commemorating the strike included a session on disability and labour history. These are some of the ways that the story of the strike could more fully express the diverse stories of Winnipeg, become more meaningful to us all and unite us to build a better future.

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This leads to my third big lesson learned about history: the importance of archives. If we do not have access to the historical material, we cannot craft the stories. We are fortunate Winnipeg archives have supported the centenary of the strike with initiatives that have greatly improved the ease of research.

The University of Manitoba Libraries, in collaboration with a number of other archives, launched a digital exhibit on May 15 that includes an extensive and impressive list of archival resources. The City of Winnipeg Archives has created a 24-page guide to its records relating to the strike. Resources at many archives can be searched online through the Manitoba Archival Information Network (MAIN) database supported by the Association for Manitoba Archives. As well, the University of Manitoba Libraries hosts digitized copies of all the strike newspapers on its website and the 1921 census that I used in my research is now available online.

However, we also need better access to the records  except for the small percentage of records that is digitized, archives are inaccessible to the public outside of Monday-to-Friday business hours. We need archives that provide access at least one evening and Saturday. Further, it is unacceptable that our own municipal archives have been relegated for the past six years to an inadequate building described as a "metal shed" in an out-of-the-way industrial park.

If we want our archives democratized so that we can tell our diverse and complex stories, it is vitally important that we ensure our archives are stocked with the records of all of our experiences  written, photographed, told, sung, painted, sewn and created by all of us. This valiant effort, unfortunately, will be hampered by the fact that all the major archives in Winnipeg have already reached a crisis level in storage capacity. In 100 years, if humans still exist, will we find anything in our archives to tell how we marked this centenary? What will be there to tell future generations about how we chose to move forward from today?

In the commemorations of the 1919 strike, it is gratifying to see that some of the stories of womens involvement are now becoming commonly recognized. The purpose of describing historical events is not just to more fully understand our past, but also to understand our present situation and to help shape what is to come. Lets stop telling the same old stories and do the necessary work to create new stories for a better future.

Mary Horodyski is an archivist, researcher and writer.The City of Winnipegs online bicycle registry is, on the face of it, a good idea.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 24/5/2019 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipegs online bicycle registry is, on the face of it, a good idea.

A relatively inexpensive ($6.70 including GST) and convenient way to register your bike so that if it is stolen and then subsequently recovered by police, it can be returned to you.

In actual fact, the citys bike registry is really more of a good idea trapped inside bad execution. The registry is neither popular nor effective and does not get at the heart of the issue.

In other words, it does not serve as a deterrent to the tidal wave of bike thefts occurring in this community.

The Winnipeg Police Service, which has the unenviable task of managing the rash of bike thefts, notes that about 3,000 bikes are officially reported stolen every year. The actual number is much higher; many victims of bicycle theft do not even bother to make a police report. Police do recover about 1,000 bikes each year, but only about 100 are returned to their lawful owners.

Police do recover about 1,000 bikes each year, but only about 100 are returned to their lawful owners and the rest are sold at auction. (Jen Doerksen / Free Press files)

The bike registry was believed to be part of a solution that could improve the chances of owners recovering their bikes. Since its debut last year, the reviews have not been positive. Only a fraction of city bike owners are using the registry and the police have not reported that it has improved the chances of returning a stolen bike to its owner.

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A recent administrative report looked at whether mandatory registration of new bikes at the point of sale would improve the registrys chances of success. Although a city committee has yet to weigh in on the matter, the report advised against mandatory registration.

Is there a better way? Hundreds of communities and police forces across the continent are turning to an app called 529 Garage. Compared to the platform the city currently uses  which is hosted by a company whose speciality is building online registries for conferences and other live events  529 Garage seems like a much more effective option, largely because it allows cyclists to not only register their bikes, but also report when they are stolen.

How much more effective? 529 Garage was one of the principal tools used by the Vancouver Police Service to combat bike theft. Over the first three years of that citys "Log it or Lose It" program, Vancouver registered more than 70,000 bicycles and saw a 30 per cent decline in bike thefts. Police credit public education around the app, along with the use of a 529 Garage "shield"  a decal that identifies the bike as having been recorded in a continental data base  for the reduction.

One of the key elements of the app that reveals the limitations of Winnipegs registry is that 529 Garage allows police and citizens to recover bikes across jurisdictional borders. Organized crime often ships stolen bikes out of the communities in which they are stolen to be re-sold elsewhere. Indeed, Vancouver police have recovered stolen bikes in communities all over Western Canada and throughout the United States.

In Manitoba, however, only Brandon is working with 529 Garage. The WPS has had contact with the company that created the app, but clearly decided to go in a different direction with its own stand-alone registry.

Bike registries are not a panacea, but an effective registry can be a key part of a solution. Between continuing a stand-alone registry that appears to be failing in its chief mission and joining an interjurisdictional registry with a proven record of success, it seems the choice for city administrators and councillors should be pretty clear.Feven Dawit Asfaha had to face her fears to share her story. The Grade 12 Gordon Bell High School student was one of the featured speakers at the Westland Foundations 2019 Fundraising Breakfast on May 15 at the RBC Convention Centre. It was great, it helped me overcome my fears of talking in front of a huge number of people, Asfaha said. I spoke about how education is very important and how costly it can be to go from high school into university. Asfaha is a soon-to-be Westland scholar who will be receiving financial support from the foundation to pursue her dream of becoming a neurosurgeon. Since 2009, the foundation has awarded 762 scholarships to inner-city youth totalling over $461,500. Asfaha arrived in Winnipeg with her parents and three sisters in 2015. Born in Eritrea, her mother decided to move the family to Sudan in 2009 to make a better life. Everything was more expensive every day and if we were to turn eight or above we could not leave the country, Asfaha said. Two days before I turned eight we left the country. They lived in Sudan for six years before coming to Canada. Asfaha says she experienced a bit of culture shock when she arrived, but has since adjusted to life in Winnipeg and is working towards her goals. It was very different, there were a lot of different people and cultures that I met here, she said. I knew how to speak English, but I wasnt perfect at it, so when I started school I had a little bit of hard time to understand some people. She discovered her love of science in the biology lab at Gordon Bell. Last year was the first time she had taken science classes since Grade 7. I did not take biology before or chemistry or physics and so when I started taking them they started to introduce me to concepts that made me want to major in neurosurgery, Asfaha said, adding that shes also a fan of doing dissections in class. Science has helped her look at the world in a different way and has piqued her curiosity. I dont find it simple, but I also find it very interesting because every day you learn different things. She is headed to the University of Manitoba in September, where she will start working on a degree in biochemistry. When asked what her family thinks of her dream of becoming a neurosurgeon Asfaha said, Theyre very proud they left their country to see me succeed and reach my goals. Receiving a scholarship to pursue that dream has also allowed Asfaha to pay back some of what her parents have sacrificed. It means a lot because by getting that scholarship I can use it to buy my university books or any (thing) that I might need for school, she said. I dont want my parents to pay everything for me, I want to relieve some of that financial burden.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 24/5/2019 (949 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Feven Dawit Asfaha had to face her fears to share her story.

The Grade 12 Gordon Bell High School student was one of the featured speakers at the Westland Foundations 2019 Fundraising Breakfast on May 15 at the RBC Convention Centre.

"It was great, it helped me overcome my fears of talking in front of a huge number of people," Asfaha said. "I spoke about how education is very important and how costly it can be to go from high school into university."

Asfaha is a soon-to-be Westland scholar who will be receiving financial support from the foundation to pursue her dream of becoming a neurosurgeon. Since 2009, the foundation has awarded 762 scholarships to inner-city youth totalling over $461,500.

Asfaha arrived in Winnipeg with her parents and three sisters in 2015. Born in Eritrea, her mother decided to move the family to Sudan in 2009 to make a better life.

"Everything was more expensive every day and if we were to turn eight or above we could not leave the country," Asfaha said. "Two days before I turned eight we left the country."

They lived in Sudan for six years before coming to Canada. Asfaha says she experienced a bit of culture shock when she arrived, but has since adjusted to life in Winnipeg and is working towards her goals.

"It was very different, there were a lot of different people and cultures that I met here," she said. "I knew how to speak English, but I wasnt perfect at it, so when I started school I had a little bit of hard time to understand some people."

She discovered her love of science in the biology lab at Gordon Bell. Last year was the first time she had taken science classes since Grade 7.

"I did not take biology before or chemistry or physics and so when I started taking them they started to introduce me to concepts that made me want to major in neurosurgery," Asfaha said, adding that shes also a fan of doing dissections in class.

Science has helped her look at the world in a different way and has piqued her curiosity.

"I dont find it simple, but I also find it very interesting because every day you learn different things."

She is headed to the University of Manitoba in September, where she will start working on a degree in biochemistry.

When asked what her family thinks of her dream of becoming a neurosurgeon Asfaha said, "Theyre very proud they left their country to see me succeed and reach my goals."

Receiving a scholarship to pursue that dream has also allowed Asfaha to pay back some of what her parents have sacrificed.

"It means a lot because by getting that scholarship I can use it to buy my university books or any (thing) that I might need for school," she said. "I dont want my parents to pay everything for me, I want to relieve some of that financial burden."

Feven Dawit Asfaha had to face her fears to share her story.

SUPPLIED PHOTO Feven Dawit Asfaha (second from right) with Milka Tewolde, Natalie Thompson and Kristen Wynnobel at the Westland Foundations 2019 Fundraising Breakfast.

The Grade 12 Gordon Bell High School student was one of the featured speakers at the Westland Foundations 2019 Fundraising Breakfast on May 15 at the RBC Convention Centre.

"It was great, it helped me overcome my fears of talking in front of a huge number of people," Asfaha said. "I spoke about how education is very important and how costly it can be to go from high school into university."

Asfaha is a soon-to-be Westland scholar who will be receiving financial support from the foundation to pursue her dream of becoming a neurosurgeon. Since 2009, the foundation has awarded 762 scholarships to inner-city youth totalling over $461,500.

Asfaha arrived in Winnipeg with her parents and three sisters in 2015. Born in Eritrea, her mother decided to move the family to Sudan in 2009 to make a better life.

"Everything was more expensive every day and if we were to turn eight or above we could not leave the country," Asfaha said. "Two days before I turned eight we left the country."

They lived in Sudan for six years before coming to Canada. Asfaha says she experienced a bit of culture shock when she arrived, but has since adjusted to life in Winnipeg and is working towards her goals.

"It was very different, there were a lot of different people and cultures that I met here," she said. "I knew how to speak English, but I wasnt perfect at it, so when I started school I had a little bit of hard time to understand some people."

She discovered her love of science in the biology lab at Gordon Bell. Last year was the first time she had taken science classes since Grade 7.

"I did not take biology before or chemistry or physics and so when I started taking them they started to introduce me to concepts that made me want to major in neurosurgery," Asfaha said, adding that shes also a fan of doing dissections in class.

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Science has helped her look at the world in a different way and has piqued her curiosity.

"I dont find it simple, but I also find it very interesting because every day you learn different things."

She is headed to the University of Manitoba in September, where she will start working on a degree in biochemistry.

When asked what her family thinks of her dream of becoming a neurosurgeon Asfaha said, "Theyre very proud they left their country to see me succeed and reach my goals."

Receiving a scholarship to pursue that dream has also allowed Asfaha to pay back some of what her parents have sacrificed.

"It means a lot because by getting that scholarship I can use it to buy my university books or any (thing) that I might need for school," she said. "I dont want my parents to pay everything for me, I want to relieve some of that financial burden."By AFP

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's military launched a major hunt Saturday for remnants of an Islamist group which carried out the Easter suicide bombings that killed 258 people, officials said.

Several Colombo suburbs were targeted by troops using emergency powers on arrests and detentions adopted after the April 21 attacks. "Special cordon-and-search operations are under way in three areas just outside Colombo," a military official told reporters.

Similar operations were also carried out in North Western Province, near Colombo, where anti-Muslim riots this month left one man dead and hundreds of Muslim-owned shops, homes and mosques destroyed.

ALSO READ| Kerala coast on high alert following reports of boats carrying 15 IS operatives set off from Sri Lanka to Lakshadweep

Security forces have arrested scores of suspects in connection with the bombings of three hotels and three churches and over what appeared to be organised violence against the island's Muslim minority. While authorities say the immediate jihadist threat has been blunted, President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday extended for one month the 30-day state of emergency imposed after the suicide bombings.

Sirisena said the move was to maintain "public security", with the country still on edge after the attacks on three hotels and three churches that were blamed on a local jihadi group, the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ). The Islamic State group has also claimed a role in the attacks. Christians make up 7.6 percent and Muslims 10 percent of mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the independent Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka accused police of failing to prevent the anti-Muslim riots after the bombings. "There appeared to be no preventive measures taken although retaliatory violence against the Muslim communities was a distinct possibility after the terror attacks of April 21," the HRCSL said in a letter to acting police chief Chandana Wickramaratne.

ALSO READ| Sri Lanka freezes bank accounts of 41 terror suspects

The commission faulted the police for releasing suspects who were later seen taking part in attacks on Muslim targets. It said there was political interference to free some suspects. "As soon as they (the suspects) were released, the mob attacked all Muslim owned shops in Kuliyapitiya town during the curfew and went on to attack shops all the way to Rambawewa," the commission said.

It acknowledged that police could not have controlled the mobs on their own, but they had failed to arrange reinforcements from security forces. "Ensure that no undue political or other external interventions are tolerated, and that strict legal action be taken against those who obstruct police officers from performing their duties," the commission said.The Wisconsin 4-H Foundation awarded Jordan Blue of Baraboo, a $1,000 scholarship in honor of T.L. Bewick. Blue plans to study elementary and special education at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Blue was a Circus City 4-H member for 10 years, serving as president and is currently an assistant leader. He won the exclusive Key Award in 2016, chaired his clubs community service project, Highway Clean Up, and was an Arts Camp counselor; an Eagle Scout, served as a member and president for his local Gender Sexuality Alliance and is currently governor and attendee for Youth Partnerships in Civic Leadership.FOX LAKE -- A 71-year-old Beaver Dam woman died at University Hospital in Madison following a car crash in Fox Lake on Thursday.

Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt said in a press release on Friday that Marjorie Hannan was the passenger in a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The Dodge County Sheriffs Office responded to the crash at County Highways A and C in the town of Fox Lake at 1:50 p.m. Thursday.

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Schmidt said the investigation shows a 2012 Ford box truck was southbound on Highway C approaching Highway A and failed to stop at the stop sign and collided with the Equinox, which was eastbound on Highway A.

Marjorie Hannan was flown to University Hospital from the scene with life-threatening injuries. She later passed away from her injuries while at the hospital. The driver of the Equinox, Stephen Hannan of Beaver Dam, 71, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Beaver Dam Community Hospital and later was flown to University Hospital.

The driver of the box truck, Richard Grede of Juneau, 61, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Beaver Dam Community Hospital.

The Dodge County Sheriffs Office is continuing to investigate this crash. Assisting at the scene was the Fox Lake Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Fox Lake Fire and EMS, Randolph EMS, Beaver Dam paramedics, Dodge County Highway Department and UW Med Flight.

Follow Terri Pederson on Twitter @tlp53916 or contact her at 920-356-6760.On Memorial Day weekends Jo and I often spend a day driving around Richland County visiting the cemeteries. We look for the American flags waving over the graves of relatives and friends who fought in our nations wars.

My dad, Leonard, who served in North Africa and Italy in World War 11, is buried in the Loyd Cemetery. His brother, my Uncle Delmar, who fought in the battle of the Bulge, is buried in Cazenovia. Another uncle, my Moms brother, Theron Long, who served in Japan near the end of the war is buried in Richland Center. Jos dad, Lester Perry, a navy man, served in the south Pacific, and her Great-great-Grandfather, David Sommars, a Civil War veteran who lost his left arm in the march with Sherman in the Atlanta campaign, are buried in Viola. And, my Great-great-great-Grandfather, Edward John Long, another Civil War veteran, who took two bullets in his spine at the battle of Lookout Mountain, November 24, 1863, is buried up at Pleasant Ridge just over the hill from the section of land near Rockbridge that he was awarded for his service.There is not enough analysis data for El Paso Electric.

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MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about El Paso Electric and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe EE will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe EE will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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NextThe following companies are subsidiares of Masco: A&J Gummers, Airex 3 LLC, Arrow Fastener, BEHR PAINTS IT! INC., BSI Holdings, Behr (Beijing) Paint Company Limited, Behr Paint (Beijing) Commercial Co. Ltd., Behr Process, Behr Process Canada Ltd., Behr Process Corporation, Behr Process Paints (India) Private Limited, Behr Sales LLC, BrassCraft Manufacturing Company, Brasstech Inc., Bristan, Bristan Group Limited, Cambrian Windows, ColorAxis Inc., Davenport Insulation Group, Delta Faucet (China) Co. Ltd., Delta Faucet Company, Delta Faucet Company India Private Limited, Delta Faucet Company Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Delta Faucet Company of Tennessee, Diversified Cabinet Distributors Inc., Duraflex, Duraflex Limited, Erickson Framing, Glass Idromassaggio, Guy Evans Inc., Hans Grohe Pte. Ltd., Hansgrohe, Hansgrohe A.B., Hansgrohe A/S, Hansgrohe AG, Hansgrohe Armature Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Hansgrohe B.V., Hansgrohe Brasil Metals Santitarios Ltda., Hansgrohe CS s.r.o., Hansgrohe Deutschland Vertriebs GmbH, Hansgrohe Handelsges.mbH, Hansgrohe Inc., Hansgrohe India Private Ltd., Hansgrohe International GmbH, Hansgrohe Japan K.K, Hansgrohe Kft., Hansgrohe Ltd., Hansgrohe N.V., Hansgrohe Pty Ltd, Hansgrohe S. de R. L. de C. V., Hansgrohe S. a r.l., Hansgrohe S.A., Hansgrohe S.A.U., Hansgrohe SA (Pty) Ltd., Hansgrohe SE, Hansgrohe Sanitary Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Hansgrohe Sanitary Products W.L.L., Hansgrohe Sp. z.o.o., Hansgrohe Wasselonne S.A., Hansgrohe d.o.o., Hansgrohe ooo, Hansgrohe s.r.l., Hot Spring Spa Australasia Pty Ltd, Hot Spring Spas New Zealand Limited, Huppe B.V., Huppe Belgium S.A., Huppe GmbH, Huppe Insaat Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Huppe S. a r.l., Huppe S.L., Huppe Spolka z.o.o., Huppe s.r.o., IDI Group inc, Inrecon, Jet Acquisition LLC, Kichler Lighting LLC, L.D. Kichler Lighting Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Landex of Wisconsin Inc., Liberty Hardware Asia Co. Ltd., Liberty Hardware Mfg. Corp., Liberty Hardware Retail & Design Services LLC, Masco Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Masco Building Products Corp., Masco Cabinetry Hong Kong Limited, Masco Canada Limited, Masco Capital Corporation, Masco Chile Limitada, Masco Corporation Limited, Masco Corporation of Indiana, Masco Europe Inc., Masco Europe S. a r.l., Masco Europe SCS, Masco Framing Corp., Masco Germany Holding GmbH, Masco HD Support Services LLC, Masco Home Products Private Limited, Masco Home Products S.a r.l., Masco Retail Sales Support Inc., Masco Singapore Pte. Ltd., Masco WM Support Services LLC, Mascomex S.A. de C.V., Masterchem Industries, Masterchem Industries LLC, Mercury Plastics LLC, Milgard Manufacturing, Mill's Pride, Mirolin Industries Corp., My Service Center Inc., NCFII Holdings Inc., Newport Brass, Oz Acquisition LLC, Peerless Sales Corporation, SCE Unlimited, Service Partners, Shanghai Hansgrohe International Trading Co. Ltd., SmarTap, SmarTap A.Y. Ltd., Tapicerias Pacifico SA de CV, Tempered Products Inc., Texwood Industries, The Faucet-Queens, The GMU Group, The L.D. Kichler Co., Tvilum, Vapor Technologies Inc., Vapor Technologies Shenzhen Co. Ltd., Watkins Distribution UK Limited, Watkins Europe BVBA, Watkins Manufacturing Corporation, and Wellness Marketing Corporation.Precision Drilling Corporation, an oilfield services company, provides oil and natural gas drilling and related products and services in North America and the Middle East. The company operates in two segments, Contract Drilling Services, and Completion and Production Services. The Contract Drilling Services segment offers onshore well drilling services to exploration and production companies in the oil and natural gas industry. This segment's services include land drilling, directional drilling, and turnkey drilling; and procurement and distribution of oilfield supplies, as well as manufacture, sale, and repair of drilling equipment. As of December 31, 2020, it operated 227 land drilling rigs, including 109 in Canada; 105 in the United States; 6 in Kuwait; 4 in Saudi Arabia; 2 in the Kurdistan region of Iraq; and 1 in the country of Georgia. The Completion and Production Services segment provides service rigs for well completion, workover, abandonment, maintenance, and re-entry preparation services; wellsite accommodations; oilfield surface equipment rentals; and camp and catering services to oil and natural gas exploration and production companies. This segment operated 123 well completion and workover service rigs, including 113 in Canada and 10 in the United States. It also had approximately 1,400 oilfield rental items, including surface storage, small-flow wastewater treatment, power generation, and solids control equipment; 113 wellsite accommodation units; 966 drill camp beds; 822 base camp beds; and three kitchen diners in Canada. Precision Drilling Corporation was incorporated in 1951 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Read MoreThe Boeing Co. is an aerospace company, which engages in the manufacture of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space and Security; Global Services; and Boeing Capital. The Commercial Airplanes segment includes the development, production, and market of commercial jet aircraft and provides fleet support services, principally to the commercial airline industry worldwide. The Defense, Space and Security segment refers to the research, development, production and modification of manned and unmanned military aircraft and weapons systems for global strike, including fighter and combat rotorcraft aircraft and missile systems; global mobility, including tanker, rotorcraft and tilt-rotor aircraft; and airborne surveillance and reconnaissance, including command and control, battle management and airborne anti-submarine aircraft. The Global Services segment provides services to commercial and defense customers. The Boeing Capital segment seeks to ensure that Boeing customers have the financing they need to buy and take delivery of their Boeing product and manages overall financing exposure. T

Read MoreSEACOR Holdings Inc. engages in transportation and logistics, risk management consultancy, and other businesses in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Ocean Transportation & Logistics Services, Inland Transportation & Logistics Services, Witt O'Brien's, and Other segments. The Ocean Transportation & Logistics Services segment owns and operates a fleet of bulk transportation, port and infrastructure, and logistics assets. It operates carriers for the United States coastwise for trade of crude oil, petroleum, and chemical products; and dry bulk vessels. This segment provides deep-sea vessels docking, ocean towing, and oil terminal support and bunkering services; liner, short-sea, rail car, and project cargo transportation and logistics solutions; door-to-door solutions; and technical ship management services, as well as operates pure car/truck carriers. The Inland Transportation & Logistics Services segment offers river transportation equipment for moving agricultural and industrial commodities and containers, and petroleum products; and owns and operates multi-modal terminal locations. It also provides management services related to barge and towboat operations. The Witt O'Brien's segment provides crisis and emergency management services for the public and private sectors. It serves markets in the areas of critical national infrastructure, including government, energy, transportation, healthcare, and education. The Other segment designs, develops, and maintains alternative energy and power solutions; and offers liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas fuel supply and logistics to commercial, industrial, agricultural, and transportation customers. This segment also engages in the selling, storage, and maintenance of aviation; agricultural commodity trading and logistics businesses; and trading and merchandising of sugar and other commodities. SEACOR Holdings Inc. was incorporated in 1989 and is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Read MoreMonday marks the third anniversary of President Donald Trump's efforts to impose what he promised would be a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the US."

Several court challenges watered down the administration's initial plans for the ban of a number of countries, most of which are predominantly Muslim, known officially as "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the US."

But as it stands today, the United States indefinitely bars people from Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, the President confirmed plans to expand the ban. The additional countries expected to be affected by the ban are Belarus, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania -- though not all citizens from each of the countries would necessarily be barred from entering the United States.

The new restrictions would target nations that pose a public safety or security risk, or that are not compliant in information sharing, according to Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf. But many fear the extension is part of the administration's ongoing effort to discriminate against people on religious, racial and ethnic grounds.

The ban is a short-sighted, small-hearted form of legalized bigotry that silences American Muslims, tears families apart and betrays this country's historic role as a beacon to people fleeing poverty, violence and oppression the world over. It also undercuts US foreign policy in too many ways to count, including with Iran, where the Trump administration has escalated tensions dramatically while making gestures of support for the Iranian people -- people the President won't let into this country.

When the Supreme Court greenlit the version of the ban currently in place, Justice Sotomayor wrote in dissent that the ruling was no better than Korematsu v. United States, the 1944 decision that endorsed the detention of Japanese-Americans during World War II, widely regarded as one of the worst in the court's history.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Monday that the House will soon begin marking up legislation to overturn the travel ban but the path ahead for the House's No Ban Act will be difficult in a Senate that marches in lockstep with this President. Revoking the ban should be among the first acts of a new administration -- any new administration.

But for me, the ban is more than bigoted and authoritarian policy. It's personal. I was born into the Muslim faith in Pakistan but have now spent more than three decades in the United States; my faith is a vital part of my American life. Growing up, I embraced the spiritual values embodied in Shia traditions, the heroism, sacrifice and quest for justice symbolized by the battle of Karbala -- stories recounted from generation to generation. I have always understood Islam as a faith of peace and acceptance.

Today, dangerous caricatures of belief threaten to eclipse that vision -- caricatures that have incited violence, discrimination and bigotry ever since 9/11. As Laila Lalami wrote: "To be a Muslim in the West is to be constantly on trial." The ban not only legalizes but prolongs the trial period -- now in its 19th year.

So how do I raise my daughter to share my Muslim traditions in this perilous world? How do I reconcile the lessons she learns in school -- about America as a country founded on the principle of freedom of religion -- when Trump makes a mockery of that tradition with this bigoted ban?

I will tell her that terrorism knows no religion. I will tell her that the approximately 3.5 million Muslims living in the United States represent many strands of the faith and contribute to American life in every way imaginable -- across professions, in cities, suburbs and rural towns, in the public, private and non-profit sectors.

And I will point out the Muslim heroes in our midst. Heroes such as Rep. Andre Carson, who became the first Muslim to sit on the House Intelligence Committee, entrusted with the nation's secrets. Heroes such as Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, the first Muslim women elected to Congress, who won their seats at a time when hate was on the rise. Heroes such as Qasim Rashid, an immigrant rights lawyer who ran for a Virginia state Senate seat and was threatened with lynching. His assailant was convicted, and while he lost that race, today Rashid is running for Congress.

And I will tell her one of the most inspiring stories of heroism I know, which took place recently in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Muslims won a hard-fought battle to open a mosque there in 2010. Last December, a nearby school was terrorized by an active shooter. A 17-year-old Muslim student named Duaa Ahmad led her classmates to the mosque and opened its doors to allow them to seek refuge within. What had once been a flashpoint had become a sanctuary.

These are the stories I will use to counter the narrative of hate, online harassment, violence and death threats Muslims face in the Trump era. These stories will help me counter history my daughter will one day learn of the USA Patriot Act, which conflated immigration and national security policy, or the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System, the post-9/11 vehicle used to force 80,000 young men from predominantly Arab and Muslim countries to register with the agency then known as the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

These policies indelibly scarred many American Muslims, who, like me, felt forced to hide our very identities. I am proud to work for an organization, the Open Society Foundations, that supports the efforts of the coalition working to repeal the ban -- an organization that invests in the values that once made this country a beacon for those around the world fleeing hardships in search of a better life.

With Congress's help, perhaps the United States can once again honor its promise as a nation of immigrants and leave hate and bigotry behind. I pray for such an outcome, and for the chance to help my daughter understand the true nature of Islam, whose very name means "making peace."The Mohawk Valley Rotary Club is hosting 'Comedy Night' next Saturday, June 1st at Francesca's Banquet Facility in Ilion, featuring Comedian Ross Bennett. The M-C is local radio host Bill Keeler.

$35 tickets include appetizers.

Proceeds benefit The Mohawk Valley Rotary ClubRome, N.Y. - The John F. Kennedy Civic Arena in Rome is filled with some hard hitting action this weekend as the 2019 Mohawk Valley Cup is taking place both Saturday and Sunday.

The roller derby tournament is hosted by Mohawk Valley Roller Derby, our local roller derby team based in Rome, and features games sanctioned by the Men's Roller Derby Association which count for international rankings.

Teams and fans from all over the world attend this event. This year several teams from Canada and one from Belgium are taking part this weekend along with a number of U.S. teams.

Mohawk Valley Roller Derby Captain Brandon Scherz says it is awesome that this event has been held the past five years right here in Rome instead of one of the bigger cities in the league, "These people will have to rent a hotel, they're going to spend money on food in Rome and are in the community so definitely bringing in some money for the area."

The action continues Sunday morning at 9:00 A.M. and is expected to last all day until about 8:30 P.M. when the tournament winner is crowned.

Tickets are $20 at the door.New details in the fatal crash that sent a sheriff's deputy to the hospital following a police chase in Otsego County.

New York State Police and the Otsego County Sheriffs Department held a joint press conference Friday.

Captain Scott Heggelke with New York State bureau of criminal investigation says this all started because the suspect was stalking a former coworker.

"Otsego County received a call, it was a stalking, a woman was being stalked," Heggelke said. "This has been an ongoing course of action that's been taking place here for a little over a year. The victim actually pulled the into the Richfield Springs station, Mr. All actually side swiped her vehicle, got out struck the vehicle and was alleged that he pulled a knife on her."

Heggleke says after that encounter, All convinced the victim to go to a public area. They both went down to the village of Richfield Springs where state police then located them.

"They approached the car that Mr. All was in and went to speak with him, they spoke with him very, very briefly and then he took off, made a u-turn and speed east bound on route 20 towards Springfield," Heggelke said.

After All speed off, state police contacted the Otsego County Sheriffs Department to see if anyone was in the area. Deputy James Mateunas was sitting stationary westbound at the intersection of Route 20 and State Route 80.

"As the vehicle was traveling eastbound at the intersection, the vehicle struck Deputy Mateunas head on," Heggelke said. "The impact was so great it knocked the deputy's vehicle about 200 feet before it came to rest."

All was killed in the crash and he was not wearing a seat belt. Police say he died from multiple traumatic blunt force injuries.

State police are still trying to determine if this was an accident or not but Heggelke says it looks as if it was intentional.

"All the evidence indicates that it was intentional act where he struck the deputy head on, there's nothing to say that the car lost control and there was no evidence of braking before the collision took place."

Deputy Mateunas is still in the hospital in stable condition. Police say he is expected to be okay but he has a long road of recovery ahead of him.Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. Thunder possible. High 42F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Areas of patchy fog. Low 34F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  Purdue University hosted it's 4th annual Memorial Day Service at Purdue Memorial Union Friday afternoon.

This year the event focused on honoring Vietnam Veterans.

They displayed a photo collage of all the veterans who've once walked the halls of Purdue.

The ceremony included decommissioning an American flag. The flag they cut apart was once flown over Purdue.

Event coordinators explained their process of cutting each piece of the flag.

Purdue's Director of Veterans Success Jamie Richards said its like a physical representation of the lives they came to honor.

When you decommission it, when you take that flag down, you're putting a new flag up or you're turning that over and you're taking that flag that served for that and you're thanking it," said Richards. "You're officially really thanking it for its time of service and for it serving as a representation of our nation."

For attendees, it was an impactful event.

Very emotional, you can see people in the audience were very affected by it, myself as well just because you think about all of the people who have been lost, said Austin Fortiner, member of Purdues veteran student organization.

I hope I remember these things more often than I do and that others do as well, said Chelsea Harris, assistant director of recreation at Purdue Memorial Union.

You think of everybody that was lost so, it's really neat, said Dave Burford.

This year was the first time the memorial has done a photo collage of former Purdue veterans. They plan to find new ways to honor the vets every year.In his first publicly-released comments to supporters since his arrest, WikiLeaks founder and publisher Julian Assange has detailed the repressive conditions he faces in Britains Belmarsh prison and called for a campaign against his threatened extradition to the United States.

I am defenceless and am counting on you and others of good character to save my life, Assange wrote, adding, Truth ultimately is all we have.

Julian Assange

Assanges comments were made in a letter addressed to independent British journalist Gordon Dimmack, who decided to make it public following last Thursdays announcement by the US Justice Department of additional charges against Assange under the Espionage Act. The WSWS is republishing the letter, with Dimmacks permission, in full below.

Assange explained that since he was convicted on trumped-up bail charges shortly after his arrest on April 11, he has been isolated from all ability to prepare to defend myself, no laptop, no internet, no computer, no library so far, but even if I do get access it will be just for half an hour with everyone else once a week.

The WikiLeaks founder stated that he is allowed Just two visits a month and it takes weeks to get someone on the call list.

All of his calls, except those to his lawyers, are monitored and limited to a maximum of ten minutes. There is a window of just 30 minutes per day for phone calls to be made in which all prisoners compete for the phone. Assange receives only a few pounds of phone credit per week and is not allowed to receive inbound calls.

The WikiLeaks founder declared that, despite these onerous conditions, he is unbroken albeit literally surrounded by murderers. But the days when I could read and speak and organise to defend myself, my ideals and my people are over until I am free. Everyone else must take my place.

The WikiLeaks founder stated that he faced A superpower that has been preparing for 9 years with hundreds of people and untold millions spent on the case against him.

He warned that The US government or rather those regrettable elements in it that hate truth liberty and justice want to cheat their way into my extradition and death rather than letting the public hear the truth for which I have won the highest awards in journalism and have been nominated seven times for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The unveiling of the US charges is a vindication of Assanges warnings, in the letter and over the past nine years, that he faces a politically-motivated US prosecution for his role in WikiLeaks exposures of war crimes, mass surveillance operations and global diplomatic conspiracies.

The 17 counts against Assange carry a combined maximum prison sentence of 175 years. They are an unprecedented attempt to criminalise investigative journalism, and abolish the free press protections of the US Constitutions First Amendment.

The charges centre on WikiLeaks receipt and publication of classified US government documents. These core journalistic practices are presented as criminal activities which risked serious harm to United States national security to the benefit of our adversaries.

The documents covered include the Afghan war logs, which exposed the extrajudicial killing of civilians by US-led forces, and other violations of international law.

Assanges letter further exposes the ongoing political conspiracy against him, which included his illegal expulsion from Ecuadors London embassy and detention by the British authorities.

The WikiLeaks founder was convicted, within hours of his arrest, on the British charges. The judge dismissed the fact that the offenses were effectively resolved years ago as a result of Assanges forfeiture of bail monies, his years of arbitrary detention in the small embassy building and his United Nations-upheld status as a political refugee.

Despite the minor character of the bail conviction, Assange has been held in virtual isolation in a maximum security prison. This is a clear attempt to hinder his defence against the Trump administrations extradition request, and the revived Swedish investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, which is aimed at blackening his name and creating an alternate route for him to be dispatched to a US prison.

Assanges call for a campaign in his defence coincides with growing opposition to his persecution and to the Espionage Act charges against him.

In a Tweet shared almost 5,000 times, investigative journalist John Pilger warned that The war on Julian #Assange is now a war on all. Eighteen absurd charges including espionage send a burning message to every journalist, every publisher Modern fascism is breaking cover.

The American Civil Liberties Union branded the charges an extraordinary escalation of the Trump administrations attacks on journalism, establishing a dangerous precedent that can be used to target all news organizations that hold the government accountable by publishing its secrets.

The Freedom of the Press Foundation described them as the most significant and terrifying threat to the First Amendment in the 21st century.

In Australia, there are mounting calls for the government to fulfil its obligations to Assange as an Australian citizen and journalist. Former Labor politician Bob Carr yesterday cynically warned that Foreign Minister Marise Payne needs to protect herself from the charge that shes failed in her duty to protect the life of an Australian citizen

Greg Barns, an Australian-based advisor to Assange, declared Australia does have a role to play here and our view is that the Australian government needs to intervene. He said the US prosecution of the WikiLeaks founder was aimed at applying US domestic law extraterritorially. This meant that anyone who publishes information the US deems to be classified anywhere in the world could be targeted by the US government.

Over the past 18 months, the WSWS and the Socialist Equality Parties (SEP) around the world have played a prominent role in the struggle against the stepped-up persecution of Assange.

The SEP (Australia) has held a series of rallies, demanding that the Australian government secure Assanges release from Britain and return to Australia, with a guarantee against extradition to the US.

The events, addressed by SEP national secretary James Cogan, and well-known fighters for civil liberties, including Pilger, Consortium News editor-in-chief Joe Lauria and Professor Stuart Rees, have been attended by hundreds of workers, students and young people.

The SEP (Britain) held a powerful public meeting in London on May 12, which brought together 150 defenders of Assange, and featured speakers from around the world. It was streamed live on Dimmacks YouTube page to an audience of thousands.

On May 18, the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei held a rally in Berlin, attended by 300 people, under the banner freedom for Julian Assange.

Over the coming weeks, the WSWS and the SEPs will intensify the struggle against Assanges extradition to the US, and for his complete freedom. We appeal to all supporters of civil liberties to join us in this crucial fight, which is the spearhead of the defence of democratic rights and against imperialist war.

Assanges next hearing is set for Thursday May 30 at Westminster Magistrates Court in London. We urge all readers of the WSWS in the UK to attend.

Below is the full text of Assanges letter to Gordon Dimmack:

I have been isolated from all ability to prepare to defend myself, no laptop, no internet, no computer, no library so far, but even if I do get access it will be just for half an hour with everyone else once a week. Just two visits a month and it takes weeks to get someone on the call list and the Catch-22 in getting their details to be security screened. Then all calls except lawyer are recorded and are a maximum 10 minutes and in a limited 30 minutes each day in which all prisoners compete for the phone. And credit? Just a few pounds a week and no one can call in. A superpower that has been preparing for 9 years with hundreds of people and untold millions spent on the case. I am defenceless and am counting on you and others of good character to save my life I am unbroken albeit literally surrounded by murderers. But the days when I could read and speak and organise to defend myself, my ideals and my people are over until I am free. Everyone else must take my place. The US government or rather those regrettable elements in it that hate truth liberty and justice want to cheat their way into my extradition and death rather than letting the public hear the truth for which I have won the highest awards in journalism and have been nominated seven times for the Nobel Peace Prize. Truth ultimately is all we have.Three days before the European elections, Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) candidate Andy Niklaus discussed with his colleagues and other workers at Berlins Leopoldplatz and in front of the gate of the BVG bus depot in Berlin-Wedding.

Niklaus distributed his election manifesto, which states, It is important to use the European elections to set a political signal. It cannot go on like this. It is not only our working conditions at BVG and in most other companies that are becoming increasingly unbearable, the whole political situation is dramatically coming to a head.

All the discussions revolved around the connection between the growing danger of a third world war, the policies of the federal government, which increasingly follow those of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), and the cementing of austerity programmes and poor working conditions in workplaces, which are enforced with the active help of the trade unions.

The BVG collective bargaining agreement, whose key points were announced in early April and which was signed last Tuesday by the Verdi union, the local authority employers association and BVG management, marks a renewed betrayal of the BVG workers by Verdi.

Celal Celik, who has been a bus driver for BVG subsidiary Berliner Transport GmbH (BT) for five years, summed it up, Verdi cheats us all the time! The functionaries at the top simply make decisions that are not agreed with us drivers, the ones affected.

Niklaus in discussion with Celal

The main demand of the workforce for a reduction in working hours to 36.5 hours per week with no loss of pay had been dropped by Verdi during the bargaining rounds. When Niklaus explained that the three protest strikes that took place during the dispute had shown the strength and combat readiness of BVG workers, many agreed.

In tandem with the transport workers dispute, tens of thousands of public sector workers took part in protest strikes against the catastrophic situation in schools, their unbearable working conditions and miserable wages. A few weeks ago, 40,000 had protested in Berlin against rising rents, demanding the expropriation of the real estate companies and hedge funds.

In France, the yellow vests are protesting, teachers are striking in Poland, car workers are striking in Romania, the Czech Republic and Serbia, and in Hungary mass protests are taking place against the Orban governments so-called slave law, said Niklaus. He emphasised, We all have to fight together because we have the same opponentthe big corporations, the respective governments and the EU. But Verdi and the other trade unions use their entire apparatus to suppress any common struggle.

Instead of organizing a joint fight against low-wage labour, social cuts and military rearmament, Verdi keeps each industrial action strictly separate and tries to fob off workers who have been faced with real wage losses for around 20 years with a few extra euros in their wages, explained Niklaus.

Celal said the wage increase agreed was too little, because the costs of rent, electricity and water are constantly rising. What are around 300 euros [a month] more today? I have three children; we pay 800 euros rent and I only earn 1,800 euros net.

But Celal is not just concerned about his working and living conditions. He regards the threats of the Trump administration against Iran as very worrying. The next war against Iran can mean the end of this world, he said. Then, all the money in the world will not help us anymore. The machinations of the US and its allies must be uncovered, as Julian Assange has done, because a war must be prevented, demanded Celal.

When Niklaus pointed out that the SGP demands the freedom of Julian Assange and held an impressive rally with speakers from Britain and France, and greetings from the US and Australia in Berlin last Saturday, Celal welcomed this unreservedly.

For Ismael, also a BT bus driver, the fight against the growing threat of war is of crucial importance. The driver, who came from Egypt, was particularly interested in the question of who gave the governments of the US and Israel the right to call Iran a rogue state. That has nothing to do with a serious assessment of the policy in Tehran, he said. The US government only believes in the law of the strongest, according to Ismael. The US has been waging many wars in the Middle East for years!

The whole history of the Middle East after World War II shows that there is no national solution to prevent wars, Ismael says, pointing to the disappointment of Egyptian workers after the military crushed the Arab Spring.

Andy Niklaus stressed that the only way forward for the working class in the Middle East is to fight for the unity of Jewish, Arab and all workers to create the United Socialist States of the Middle East. Only in this way could nationalism be finally eliminated. Ismael agreed, adding that this was the only way the fragmentation of workers in the Middle East could be overcome. This also applies to Europe, he says. Here, too, a war is possible. What they did with Greece was a kind of war, an economic war.

Ahmet Asildas, a BVG bus driver, joined in the conversation and said, The real reason for a war against Iran is clearly oil. Its not about skin colour or race, its about oil!

Niklaus with Ahmet (left) und Ismael (right)

Ismael and Ahmet see the need for workers to unite across borders and therefore support the fight against the nationalist policies of Verdi and the other unions.

Niklaus has often discussed the creation of action committees with his colleagues and explained the position of the SGP. Now Ismael said, Setting up action committees would be something new. It would finally bring unity among us workers. Ahmet added, We all want good working conditions and a good wage to live on. But as it stands now, Verdi has given up the fight for them.

Niklaus pointed to his election manifesto, which reads, Verdi and all other unions are doing everything they can to defend the government and suppress a broad political mobilization against military rearmament and collaboration with the AfD.

He then stressed that the working class needed its own party to combine the fight against war with the fight against capitalism, poverty and hardship. Niklaus added, That is why it is so important to vote in the European elections on Sunday for the SGP, and to actively participate in its construction!With less than two months till the expiration of the contract for more than 20,000 teachers and paraprofessionals, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is conspiring with the citys Democratic Party administration to impose a new round of austerity and attacks on public education.

The CTU has grown widely discredited among teachers, having collaborated with former Mayor Rahm Emanuel in the closures of dozens of schools, laying off of thousands of teachers and support staff and expanding school privatization and charter school schemes. The CTU has also colluded with the Democrats in attacking teacher pay, pensions and health care benefits. Since December, the union has also shut down and betrayed a series of strikes by highly exploited charter school teachers.

On a national scale, the CTUs parent union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and the National Education Association (NEA), have sabotaged one struggle after another, in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Washington, and elsewhere. The unions have made every effort to channel teachers anger and opposition behind support for the Democratic Party, which under the Obama administration spearheaded the attacks on education and continues to do so in several states and large urban school districts like Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago.

The CTU has been led over the last decade by the Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators (CORE), former union president Karen Lewis and current union president Jesse Sharkey, a leader of the now defunct International Socialist Organization. In Chicago and around the country, CORE and its affiliates have institutionalized the use of hollow rhetoric about social justice and fighting for the schools our children deserve to cover up the unions role as the chief prop of the Democratic Party and enforcer of its austerity program.

Aware and fearful of the rising tide teacher militancy and strike actions in the US and globally, the CTU and the AFT are now working out plans in secret with the newly inaugurated Democratic mayor, Lori Lightfoot, to block the aspirations of teachers and prevent a revolt in the USs third-largest city.

On Wednesday, the CTU held a demonstration in downtown Chicago under the slogan of Standing strong for the schools Chicago students deserve. Billed as a rally for a fair contract, the event was in reality a CTU welcoming party for Lightfoot, as AFT President Randi Weingarten boasted from the stage.

In a significant indication of the depth of the erosion of support among teachers for the CTU, only a few hundred attended, a tiny fraction of the CTUs roughly 25,000 members and far below the thousands who demonstrated repeatedly during the 2015-16 contract struggles.

Many of those present were union officials or members of pseudo-left organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America and Socialist Alternative. Those few teachers who did attend described increasingly abysmal schools and workdays, contradicting the claims of the rally speakers that the CTU has fought for and won improved conditions (see: Chicago teachers speak on inequality, attacks on public education at downtown rally).

Along with Weingarten, Jesse Jackson, the longtime Democratic Party stooge, was the most shameless promoter of the new mayor, exclaiming, We have a new day in Chicago, a new mayor, give it up for Lori Lightfoot!

Current CTU President Jesse Sharkey who has played a central role in each of the unions sellouts, gave credence to Lightfoots claims to be seeking a fairer and more just city, not just for downtown but on the South and West Sides too, and the working-class neighborhoods. At the same time, he unconvincingly attempted to present himself and the union as skeptics and even potential opponents of Lightfoot.

Signaling the CTUs intention to do everything possible to block a strike, Sharkey has called for a federal mediator to be brought in to oversee the talks, saying at the rally, When we come back to school in the fall well have an offer for our members to read.

As the rally took place, former CTU President Karen Lewis and the unions political-legislative director, Stacy Davis-Gates, were holding closed-door discussions with Lightfoot. As our beloved Karen is having a sit down with Lori Lightfoot, the first African American female mayor of the city of Chicago, the rally MC noted, no matter how we might feel, we can be sure that we made history.

Veteran Chicago teachers will likely feel nothing but dread that Lewis was sitting down for a tete-a-tete with Lightfoot to discuss the future of public education in the city. The same beloved Karen is in fact notorious for leading the sellout of the 2012 Chicago teachers strike, bluntly admitting that the resulting agreement was an austerity contract. In the year following the strike, she openly supported the closing of schools, stating, We understand the whole movement of closing schools and doing it aggressively. We either do this together in some reasonable way or we will always be fighting.

While the CTU backed Lightfoots opponent, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, in the mayoral runoff election earlier this year, the union has since been at pains to demonstrate its goodwill towards the victor. Relying on identity politics, the CTU has made much of the fact that Lightfoot is the first female, gay, African-American mayor, thus seeking to burnish her image as a progressive and obscure her role as a representative of big business and the ruling class.

In doing so, the union has quickly dropped its previous demagogic criticisms of Lightfoots pro-business, anti-worker agenda.

In a March press release promoting Preckwinkle, the CTU noted Lightfoots ties to veteran corporate education reform operatives; her support for the transformation of shuttered schools into police training academies (Lightfoot previously served as head of Emanuels sham police oversight board); and her statement in January that for the 2019 Chicago teachers contract, We cant negotiate and give away dollars we dont have.

All this has been swept under the rug. An election ad produced by the CTU, Who is the real Lori Lightfoot? has since been removed from the unions YouTube channel.

In a press release lauding Lightfoot on Monday, the CTU stated, The Chicago Teachers Union congratulates Lori Lightfoot on her inauguration as mayor of our great city. She stands on the shoulders of former CTU presidents Karen Lewis and Jackie Vaughn, as well as Ida B. Wells, Willie Barrow and countless other Black women who fought tirelessly for equity and against the vestiges of institutional racism.

Chicago citizens demanded a new direction for their collective future, and elected Mayor Lightfoot out of a desire for bold and progressive ideas, and a commitment to building a more fair, just and equitable city.

Lightfoots inaugural address, rife with banalities and vague promises for greater equity, at the same time contained the requisite code-phrases intended to reassure the citys financial elite of her intentions to relentlessly defend their interests:

We must start with getting our fiscal house in order. Over many, many years Chicago dug itself into a giant financial hole. We have an outsized structural deficit, a persistent and growing pension debt, and other costs that that threatens our financial stability. ...We must tackle this problem head on...No doubt some hard choices will have to be made.

Like their counterparts across the world, public school and charter teachers in Chicago and their students confront increasingly impossible conditions. In the midst of claims of a supposedly historic economic boom and the obscene concentration of colossal fortunes, teachers are being told once again that there is not enough money for public education and decent working conditions.

If teachers are being told they and their students must make further sacrifices in the current situation, how much more will be demanded when the inevitable next recession hits?

Without an expropriation of the wealth of the big banks and global corporations, and without an end to war and spending on police and military buildup worldwide, the attacks on education and the growth of social inequality will continue.

Teachers need new organizations of struggle to carry their fight forward, in opposition to both parties of big business. Rank-and-file teachers must break from the CTU and the trade unions and organize independent rank-and-file committees to fight to defend teachers and public education as a whole.

It is necessary for teachers to link up with the broadest layers of the working classautoworkers, public transportation workers, Uber and Lyft drivers, Amazon and UPS workers, and othersto plan and carry out a general strike to fight for the social rights of the working class. The win these rights, including the right to high quality public education, the working class will have to take political power into its own hands and carry out a radical redistribution of wealth as part of the socialist transformation of society.

The Socialist Equality Party will do everything it can to provide political assistance and leadership for these struggles. We urge all teachers who want to learn more to contact us today.The final televised debate between Frances candidates in the European elections, hosted by BFM-TV on Thursday evening, was a spectacle of political reaction, dominated by militarism, nationalism and attacks on immigrants and refugees.

The debate revealed that whatever the outcome of the elections, workers and young people in France and Europe confront a political establishment and ruling class shifting sharply to the right, preparing for war and building up the forces of dictatorship against a growing working class upsurge of strikes and protests over inequality and austerity.

Only 12 out of 34 candidates lists were invited to take part in the debate, including Jean-Luc Melenchons Unsubmissive France (LFI), the coalition of the Movement for Democracy and President Emmanuel Macrons The Republic on the Move! (LREM), the Socialist Party (PS), the Communist Party of France (PCF), Europe EcologyThe Greens, the Gaullist Republicans and Marine Le Pens ultra-right National Rally (RN), formerly the National Front.

Workers Struggle (LO) and 22 other parties were prevented from participating on the anti-democratic grounds that the television station did not consider them to be major candidates.

The event took place as polls forecast Le Pens extreme-right party winning the most seats of any French party in Sundays vote. It owes its growth to the climate of nationalism and anti-immigrant chauvinism promoted by the Macron government and the entire political establishment, their social cuts that have impoverished broad sections of the working class and the political vacuum on the left.

Due to the right-wing policies of Melenchons LFI and the other pseudo-left parties and their promotion of the widely hated Socialist Party, RN has been able to pose as an outsider against the establishment, exploiting the social crisis via its foul scapegoating of immigrant workers and refugees.

What was most clear from the event, however, was that in their militarism and attacks on immigrants and the working class, the other major parties have no essential differences with Le Pen. They disagree only as to the best means of aggressively asserting French imperialisms interests.

In fact, throughout the evening Raphael Glucksmann of the Socialist Party, Nathalie Loiseau of LREM, former PS presidential candidate Benoit Hamon of Generation.s and Yannick Jadot of the Greens all attacked RN on the right-wing, nationalist basis that its criticisms of the European Union would be an obstacle to asserting French interests via the EU against its nuclear-armed rivals in China, Russia and the United States.

Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini is letting China buy ports to consolidate its strategy of a new silk road, said Hamon. China has an offensive strategy that is playing on divisions in Europe. And who acceded first? The Italian minister and the sovereignists [nationalists] in Le Pens RN.

Asked by the moderators whether the United States could still be considered Europes ally, Glucksmann of the Socialist Party declared that since 1945 the Europeans have been like adolescents, benefiting from the American umbrella and with no autonomy It is obvious that the US is no longer our strategic ally. We must assume foreign and defense policy.

Referring to RN, he added that national sovereignty, on its own, will turn us into lackeys, into slaves. France would be unable to compete with its major rivals. We will have no mastery of our own future. The only possible control of our own future in this dangerous and multinational world is to have a European policy.

The Greens Jadot could not restrain himself from launching into a rant on his ambitions for Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Europe must become a world power. We often speak of Europe as a top market  and far less often as a global political power. Today we have a series of extremely unstable regions on Europes bordersin Ukraine  in all of Africa, in the Middle Eastzones of instability, zones that we need.

Loiseau, the lead candidate for Macrons list, added: I do not want France to be forever the policeman of Africa and the Middle East just on its own. Instead we need to be more numerous in order to be able to intervene together. A European army is an absolute necessity, as is the strategic autonomy of the European Union.

Her statements echoed the blog post of current defense minister Florence Parlya cabinet minister in the Socialist Party government of Lionel Jospin from 2000 to 2002published two days earlier, calling for a European army and a vote for Macrons party, if you dont want a defenseless Europe.

None of the candidates in Thursdays debate cared to spell out the implications of their perspective of aggressive military development in opposition to the worlds major powers: the inevitable drive to world war over markets, resources and spheres of influence. All of them know that among workers and young people there is overwhelming opposition to militarism and war.

The RNs Jordan Bardella insisted that his partys opposition to both NATO and a European army had nothing to do with opposition to militarism. They were both militarily impracticable and would subordinate French interests to the United States and other European powers, he argued.

To have a European army consists actually in giving our military technology to all the European countries who have no army, who have only a defense. We have an army. And I believe France is a great country, a great nation, which carries a strong voice, Bardella said, which we know how to use today in Mali.

Manon Aubry, the lead candidate of Melenchons Unsubmissive France, opposed NATO in the debate on the same grounds as Bardella, asserting it was a tool of the Cold War and no longer has any sense today. In a tweet published yesterday, she added more explicitly that NATO is aligned to the interests of Donald Trump and the United States.

Melenchon is a proven defender of French imperialist wars, having supported the intervention in both Libya in 2011 and Mali and the Sahel in 2013 and having served in the Socialist Party for decades. A debate moderator said to Aubry that in the field of fighting terrorism, of the intelligence services, Europe had made great progress ... in exchanging intelligence, in reinforcing barriers of verification at borders, and asked if this were not a good tool. To which Aubry replied, Of course, we have made progress.

The reactionary debate underscored the fact that there is no progressive faction of the European bourgeoisie. The independent political intervention of the working class on a socialist perspective against capitalism and the entire establishment is the only basis upon which a fight can be waged against war, austerity and the build-up of a police-state.In March, the state government of Brandenburg, run by a coalition between the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Left Party (Die Linke) tightened existing police law. Now, a few months before the regional elections, the coalition has cleared the way for a reinforcement of the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Brandenburg.

Interior Minister Karl-Heinz Schroter (SPD) announced in January that the office of the domestic secret service in Brandenburg should increase its number of posts from 93 to 120. After several weeks of sham debates, the Left Party has agreed on all points. The decisive vote on the law is to take place in June.

In addition to the increase in staff, the state government wants to strengthen the use of police informers and limit parliamentary control. Even the Conservatives (CDU), which sits in the opposition in Brandenburg, criticized the excessive use of informers by the Agency. With regards to this question, the CDU are further to the left than the SPD-Linke coalition, noted even the Left Party newspaper Neues Deutschland .

In a hearing of the state parliaments interior committee, data protection officer Dagmar Hartge and Freiburg jurist Benjamin Rusteberg expressed doubts. The bill provides extremely wide discretionary power to the Constitution Protection Agency, which could give rise to an info-regime.

As far as the use of police informers is concerned, Left Party politicians and Social Democrats are well aware of their true nature. In just one instance, Carsten Sczcepanski aka Piatto worked as an informer for Brandenburgs Constitutional Protection Agency. He was a leading neo-Nazi leader in the 1990s, convicted of attempted murder of a Nigerian, and had close ties to the far-right terrorist National Socialist Underground.

Even since the beginning of the legislative period the SPD and Left Party have agreed on the importance of the domestic security agency. In the coalitions pact, a section on the commitment against right-wing extremism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism states: The employees of Brandenburgs Constitutional Protection Agency have an important role to play.

The police law, to which the SPD and Linke agreed in the spring, allows the authorities to use, among other things, hand grenades in the fight against terrorists, weeks of preventive detention for those posing a threat, long-term storage rights for surveillance videos while simultaneously providing police officers with body cameras, as well as nationwide vehicle controls on federal roads. In the future, police will additionally be able to issue restraining orders, residency limitations and check-up obligations without any criminal offense having occurred.

What this internal armament means for the public can be deduced from the SPD-Left Partys approach to refugees in the region. Interior Minister Schroter aims to intensify the deportation of rejected asylum seekers, having them centrally organized by the state in the future. According to information from the Ministry of the Interior, Brandenburg has a total of 6,554 asylum seekers who must leave the country; 5,218 of them currently in the deportation process.

The SPD and the Left Party clearly play a pioneering role in the deportation of refugees to war zones. An example is the voluntary departure of a Syrian who had sought refuge in the district of Oberspreewald-Lusatia.

The non-party district administrator Siegurd Heinze boasted to have pressured the obviously mentally burdened man to leave, reported a member of the Brandenburg Refugee Council. With the disinformation politics in the country and district the hope is that a mood will be generated that justifies future expulsions of Syrians back to their war-torn country. Heinze had also demanded a deportation detention facility for violent asylum seekers who had been criminally convicted.

Heinze received backing from district council member Viola Weinert (Left Party). I think you cannot blame the district here, she said. It was a voluntary departure. He was master of his doings.

The mayor of Frankfurt an der Oder, Rene Wilke (Left Party), is also known for his rabid line against refugees. Last year he exploited a confrontation in a Frankfurt club as a pretext for a shameless campaign against offenders from abroad. He threatened to deport all Syrians involved, and a disproportionately long pre-trial detention was ordered against several participants. They have since been unconditionally released.

Wilke pursues his declared goal of deportation to other war-torn countries such as Syria. Recently, a young Pakistani was also deported from the city council and given a long-term travel ban after serving a term of imprisonment for minor offenses.

Mayor Wilke has also failed to criticize the close ties between the Frankfurt police and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). The Greens have filed a complaint against three state police officers for the persecution of innocent people. They accuse AfD Group Chairman Wilko Mollerwho is in fact a police officerof slander and impersonating a public servant.

This conflict broke out after 50 election posters of the AfD were destroyed in September 2017. One-and-a-half years later, the AfD came to the conclusion that the perpetrators were politicians from the Green party, including housing secretary Jorg Gleisenstein. The police had apparently determined this solely on the basis of tips from within the AfD and from Wilko Moller in particular. Documents available to Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg show that Moller sent photos of people to the police and organized dubious witnesses.

The lawyer of the Greens, Sven Hornauf, spoke of deep and far-reaching violations. One must assume that there is some kind of operational AfD grouping within the state police force.

The ruling SPD-Left Party coalition is covering for the AfD while also implementing the latters policies. It is therefore hardly surprising that the SPD and AfD poll numbers for the regional election on September 1 are almost equal. AfD lead candidate Andreas Kalbitz, a former professional soldier, belongs to the right-wing extremist volkisch wing of the AfD. He comes from Munich and was formerly a member of the Junge Union (CDU youth wing), the Bavarian Conservatives and then the Republicans.

The number of radical right-wing activities in Brandenburg has risen rapidly under the SPD-Left Party government. In 2018, according to official figures, 116 right-wing extremist demonstrations, rallies and protests were reported. Among them are more than 50 instances in which the extremists marched through the streets without any intervention by state authorities.Thousands of schoolchildren and students demonstrated around the UK Friday to protest government inaction on climate change. Socialist Equality Party campaigners distributed hundreds of copies of the statement, An appeal to young people: Defend the right to tell the truth! Defend Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning! The previous evening Assange was indicted by the US Department of Justice on 17 counts under the Espionage Act.

The protest in Sheffield

In Sheffield, around 300 students marched from Devonshire Green, rallying outside City Hall. SEP campaigners distributed around 250 leaflets and spoke with dozens of students about the plight of Assange.

Isaac, a Y12 student said, The US intervenes into loads of foreign countries to keep their interests safe and their oil safe. Theres been various things recently like coup attempts in Venezuela and now trying to build up support to invade Iran. Its disgraceful that this isnt being reported more.

Isaac

Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning have been exposing US war crimes and theyve been arrested for it which is completely disgraceful. I say get yourself educated about US war crimes and really be conscious about how the medias used to try and justify war against foreign countries for imperialist acts.

Rosa, a Y10 student agreed, What happens in America is being covered up, the influence they have in South American elections and their influence in the Middle East and they are frightened to discuss things. The public have the right to know whats happened behind closed doors and the atrocities they are involved in. We make the West appear much greater than it is. I think in fact we have lots of issues that we do need to understand and do need to sort out.

Rosa

Rosa spoke of the importance of whistle-blowers. When people do come out with these things, they are doing a great service to the people. They do play a major role in society, and the fact is they shouldnt need to be there. Governments should be able to take responsibility for their actions. People shouldnt be scared to come out and in be in fear of prosecution. Thats outrageous.

Rowan Smith is a UTC Sheffield Engineering student who spoke during the open mic session, Ive come here for the government to do something about climate change. They need to sort it now, because in 10 or 12 years its the point of no return. Theres a lot of issues with society today. In the past, the government used to pay for everything, why cant they do that now? Why do they have to make the cuts to schools and the National Health Service? They have the money.

Rowan

We need to educate people. Julian Assange, yes, he did expose war crimes, which is bad for the government. But for the people its really good because we know whats going on, we have actual information.

Maia Evans, also from UTC Sheffield studies Creative Digital Media, said Im here to protest over climate change. There will be no civilisation as they know it, if they dont do anything. The 1 percent who could be doing something are not. When the Notre Dame fire happened within a week three very rich people said they could pay for it. But why are we not paying to save the earth? We have to try and stop whats happening.

Maia

Asked what she thought about Assange being charged under the Espionage Act and facing 175 years in prison, Maia said: Its just wrong. First of all, for doing the public a favour he should not be punished at allnever mind 175 years.

Dimitri said, I do believe that both Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning have served humanity by leaking these documents exposing lies or crimes that governments did. They shouldnt be jailed for that. It shouldnt be illegal to tell the truth.

Hundreds demonstrated in St. Peter Square in central Manchester. Sarah, a deputy head teacher in Bolton who had been on previous climate day demonstrations, attended. She said of Julian Assange: When I first heard about the sexual allegations I thought that is a coincidence, because he had just exposed the lies of governments through WikiLeaks.

The protest in Manchester

There is no transparency in his case. He is in prison now and his basic human rights have been denied. He has been in solitary confinement in that Embassy for years. They will keep him in solitary confinement [in Belmarsh prison] as they dont even want him to have discussions with other prisoners. We are living in dangerous times. His treatment is a warning to everybody else.

Asked what she thought about Assange not getting a mention at the World Press Freedom Day events, Sarah replied, That is because most of them (mainstream media) are in the pockets of big business.

On the climate change crisis, Sarah said, How can we think that the governments are going to do anything about climate change when we have got big business lobbying governments? Theres no transparency there either. This government is like a cartel.

Evie

Evie said she didnt know who Assange was but after seeing the leaflet said that his treatment by the authorities was morally wrong. She added, Yes, they [Assange and Chelsea Manning] should be defended and I will find out more about them. Its very important for us to know these things.

Eva, 15, Esme, 13 and other friends attended from a school in Manchester and have been at each climate change demonstration so far. Eva said she was attending this Friday because Labour party-run Manchester City Council was proposing to fine children if we went on future demonstrations. She said her mother and grandmother had protested against nuclear weapons: You can do something about climate change. We can find other sources of energy.The new Netflix documentary Knock Down the House follows four women candidates running in Democratic Congressional primary races against establishment Democrats in 2018: Cori Bush of St. Louis; Amy Vilela of Las Vegas; Paula Jean Swearengin of Coal City, West Virginia.; and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of the Bronx, New York, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

Of the four women highlighted in the documentary, only Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won in her primary and later in the general election, defeating the fourth most powerful House Democrat, Joe Crowley. Ocasio-Cortez receives the overwhelming majority of the screen time.

Knock Down the House

The film was directed and shot by Rachel Lears and was edited by her husband, Robin Blotnick. Lears and Blotnick worked closely with Brand New Congress, a self-described progressive organization whose stated aim is to replace establishment politicians (overwhelmingly Democrats) with everyday Americans. Brand New Congress is closely affiliated with Justice Democrats. The two political action committees backed 79 candidates in the 2018 primary, including Ocasio-Cortez.

The heavy influence of Brand New Congress and Justice Democrats is present throughout the film. The general thesis put forward is that the Democratic Party, which is deeply discredited as the party of Wall Street and the military, is facing an insurgency from within.

Some scenes in the film speak to the real social and economic problems that lie behind the growth of opposition to both Democrats and Republicans.

Paula Jean Swearengin, from Coal City, West Virginia, who challenged the wealthy West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin in the Democratic primary, is featured in one scene overlooking the devastating environmental impact of the coal industry in West Virginia. She explains to the camera: If another country came in here and blew up our mountains and poisoned our water we would go to war. But industry can.

Paula Jean Swearingen in Knock Down the House

Cori Bush, in Missouri, recalls the police murder of unarmed teen Michael Brown in 2014 while leaving her modest apartment building just six minutes from Ferguson. Scenes of riot police and armored trucks violently attacking protesters in the aftermath of the Browns death appear on the screen. It was like a battleground at home, Bush explains.

How are any of these great social issues going to be addressed and resolved? To the extent that Knock Down the House has an answer, it suggests all thats needed is the election of ordinary Americans, who happen to be members of the Democratic Party.

The rest of the documentary is largely devoted to recounting the primary campaigns of the four candidates, returning always to Ocasio-Cortez. Certain sordid aspects of the American electoral processincluding how political personalities such as Ocasio-Cortezs are manufactured and manipulatedcome through, as do the operations of the Democratic Party machine.

In one scene, Swearengin is confronting her loss in the primary, deciding whether or not to continue as an independent. One of her advisers tells her that to do so would mean the end of her political career. She gets a call from Manchin, in the pocket of the coal companies, who congratulates her on a great campaign.

The film concludes with Ocasio-Cortezs victory as a representative of the US House of Representatives, which she will presumably proceed to knock down.

A few points can be made about the film and the political phenomena it addresses.

First, the notion of a grassroots uprising within the Democratic Party is fraudulent. The insurgency is being directed by a faction of the Democratic Party hierarchy itself.

The Executive Director of Justice Democrats, Alexandra Rojas, worked for the 2016 Bernie Sanders campaign on the National Staff before starting Brand New Congress. She later established Justice Democrats along with Corbin Trent who was the National Campaign Coordinator for the Bernie Sanders campaign.

Ocasio-Cortezs chief of staff, Saikat Chakrabarti, followed a similar path. Chakrabarti began his career after Harvard with a brief stint at a hedge fund, before leaving to make millions in Silicon Valley when he co-founded Mockingbird, a web design tool. He went on to work for the payment processor Stripe before joining the Sanders campaign in 2015.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in Knock Down the House

Chakrabarti and his colleagues explain on their website that they started Justice Democrats to create a left-wing populist movement to support alternative Democratic candidates who are generally ideologically aligned with their core values. In other words, their aim is to promote candidates who can give a new face to the Democratic Party while leaving unchanged the content of the partys politics: enter Ocasio-Cortez, and also the DSA.

Sanders himself has gone from the insurgent campaign in the 2016 elections to a fixture of Democratic Party politics. In the 2020 elections, he is making no secret of his effort to promote and bolster the Democratic Party.

Second, the claim that the election of progressive Democrats will transform American politics is belied by what has become of Ocasio-Cortez in only a short period of time. Her brief tenure in Congress has already demonstrated clearly that her politics are entirely compatible with those of the Democratic Party establishment.

Ocasio-Cortez has been silent about the Democrats anti-Russia campaign and the illegal persecution of Julian Assange, about the unending militarist violence carried out by the Obama administration and nearly every other crime of US imperialism. She has dropped her demand to abolish ICE and cultivated a close relationship with House leader, Nancy Pelosi.

Her comments on the death of the arch-warmonger John McCain echoed Sanders pledge to support drones, all that and more. She tweeted: John McCains legacy represents an unparalleled example of human decency (see: Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders praise McCain: An object lesson in the politics of the pseudo-left). Nothing remains of her criticisms of US militarism that won her a standing ovation from a small crowd of workers in one her first district debates (against a stand-in for Crowley) featured in a striking scene of the documentary.

Notably absent from the film, it should be mentioned, is any reference to socialism, despite the fact that the two most popular figures in the Democratic Party, not to mention the protagonist of the film, at least occasionally identify as democratic socialists.

Nonetheless, a significantly fraudulent feature of Knock Down the House is its use of left-wing language, including denunciations of luxury real estate developers, Wall Street banks, and for-profit healthcare corporations, and its implication that Ocasio-Cortez and the others are firmly opposed to war, that they stand for health care for all, that they vehemently oppose corporate control of the political system, that they will battle against environmental damage and that, in general, they are fierce opponents of the existing system.

This is an effort to swindle the working class, tie it to a party of its most bitter enemies and render it vulnerable to the enormous attacks to come.

Third, the central claim advanced by Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress, that the Democrats can be transformed, is hardly new. The Democratic Party is the graveyard of social movements. The presidential campaigns of the populist William Jennings Bryan in the late 19th and early 20th century; the Farmer-Labor Party campaign of Robert La Follette in the 1920s; the Henry Wallace Campaign in 1948; more recently the campaigns of figures like Denis Kucinich and Bernie Sanders himselfall served in one form or another to maintain social opposition within the framework of the Democratic Party and the political establishment.

Political organizations in and around the Democratic Party worked to channel the Vietnam antiwar movement behind the Democrats, and a similar operation was carried out with the mass demonstrations against the Iraq war in 2002-03. Opposition to the war crimes of the Bush administration was channeled behind Obamawhose victory in 2008 was hailed by pseudo-left organizations as transformative, who ended up expanding war, bailing out the banks and overseeing a massive transfer of wealth to the rich.

The Democratic Party is the oldest existing capitalist party in the US and one of the oldest existing capitalist parties in the world. It cannot be shifted or transformed. Whether its representatives use left phrases or not, the Democrats loyally serve the American ruling elite, the corporations and the rich.

Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and others are seeking to perform their own brand of political alchemy under conditions in which the Democratic Party is more right-wing than ever before, more beholden to the banks, more subservient to the CIA and the military.

The renewed effort to promote Democratic Party politics will not knock down anything, either the House or the Democratic Party itself. Its purpose, rather, is the exact oppositeto preserve and uphold a political organization and social and economic system that is tottering and beginning to fall over.

This author also recommends:

The political role of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

[31 January 2019]

The fallacies and evasions of the Green New Deal

[5 March 2019]Asia

Indian police arrest 150 protesting auto-parts workers in Sriperumbudur

Around 150 workers protesting outside Chowel Indias auto-parts manufacturing plant in Sriperumbudur were arrested on May 19. The workers have been holding a sit-down protest since May 14 over delayed wage payments.

The arrests occurred when workers stepped up protests against moves by Hwasin Automotive India Private, a supplier to the company, to seize machinery at the plant because of outstanding debts. The protesters complained that they would not have jobs if the equipment was seized. The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) organised the protest.

Jet Airways workers demonstrate in Indian capital

Around 200 Jet Airways employees demonstrated outside the civil aviation ministry on May 21 to demand revival of the bankrupt airline.

Jet Airways, which employs about 20,000 workers, ceased operations in mid-April, following an acute liquidity crisis. A State Bank of India-led consortium of lenders was unable to find a buyer for the airline.

While some representatives of the protesters met with Indias joint secretary of ministry of civil aviation no information was made public about their discussion. Indias air industry unions have taken no action to defend Jet Airways workers jobs.

India: PGI employees march in Punjab

PGI workers held a black flag march on May 20 at the Principal Accountant General (Audit) Punjabs office. The protest involved members of the PGI Union, PGI Medical Technologists Association (MTA) and the Contract Workers Union. The protestors want 4,600-rupee ($66) monthly pay rates for medical technologists and other demands.

Punjab public works department workers protest over unpaid salaries

Public Work Department workers in Bathinda in Punjab state, demonstrated on May 21 over unpaid wages and other long-outstanding demands. The protest was organised by the Field and Workshop Workers Union.

According to the unions, contract workers in the suburbs of Bhucho Mandi, Goniana and Kot Fatta have not been paid since April. The workers have threatened to intensify their protests if their wages are not paid soon.

India: New Delhi doctors strike over unpaid salaries

Hindu Rao Hospital doctors walked out indefinitely on May 20 over non-payment of wages. The hospital is run by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC). Resident doctors have not been paid for three months.

NDMC officials claim that the salaries were not paid because the Delhi government has delayed its release of funds. The strike was called off the next day by the union following management promises to pay the wages. No details were given about the promises.

Bengaluru sanitary workers demonstrate

Sanitary workers in Bengaluru have protested against Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) management for victimising two workers who spoke out against the municipal councils non-payment of minimum wages.

Hundreds of workers organised by the BBMP Pourakarmikara Sangha, which is affiliated to the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), gathered at the Mahadevapura BBMP office on May 15. BBMP officials falsely claim the workers were dismissed because of discrepancies in waste collection and were not working properly. Workers told the media that the workers were targeted for filing a complaint against a contractor.

In 2018, the workers had staged protests against the BBMP because the civic body failed to pay wages for up to six months.

Retrenched workers blockade a Goa mine entrance in India

Over 50 retrenched workers blocked the gates of a mine in Costi, Sanguem on May 19. The workers are demanding they be provided alternative employment by the company at its other units.

Employees pointed out that several workers from the Costi mine were previously reinstated when one of its industrial units shut a few years ago. This weeks protest delayed ongoing pre-monsoon work at the mine.

Kashmir workers protest over three-years outstanding wages

The resident Sawara panchayat workers from Doba, a small village in Jammu and Kashmir, demonstrated on May 20 over the non-payment of wages for the work carried out under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREG) Act.

We have been denied wages for this work, one worker told the media. Protesters have threatened to block a nearby highway if the Indian government does not resolve the issue.

Pakistan: Unions call off Khyber Pakhtunkhwa doctors strike

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Doctors Council and the Young Doctors Association called off strike action by government hospital doctors over health sector privatisation measures, and the assault of a doctor.

The union made the announcement on Tuesday evening after negotiations with the government, which agreed to form two distinct committees to investigate the two issues. No other details have been released by the unions. The doctors strike impacted on hospital out-patient departments throughout the province for over a week.

The striking doctors claim the governments Regional Health Authority and District Health Authority Act is a move towards privatisation of the public health sector and will give extensive powers to hospital administrators.

In a highly provocative act on May 14, individuals accompanying the Pakistani health minister assaulted a senior doctor from Khyber Teaching Hospital inside the premises as he was attempting to complain to the minister. The police refused to record or act on the assault.

While the government has promised to form committees to address the doctors grievances, it has made clear it would not tolerate any opposition to its reform agenda, which is dictated by the International Monetary Fund.

Chinese teachers protest over pay and conditions

Around 200 public school teachers protested in the southwestern county of Jianyang last Tuesday. It was the latest in a series of rallies by Chinese teachers over low pay, unequal pensions and benefits and wage arrears.

The Jianyang demonstration was called because teachers are paid less and have fewer benefits than other public servants in the same district.

The national 1993 Teachers Law stipulates that teachers should have similar benefits and pay to other civil servants of a comparable grade. But teachers pay has rarely, if ever, reached the same level as civil servants. Teachers monthly wages can be as little as 3,000 yuan per month, barely enough to live on.

Teachers in rural areas are often denied pensions and other benefits, and can go months without pay if the schools funds run out.

Malaysian workers protest union busting by health services provider

Protests outside the headquarters of Engenta Mediserve, a private health provider in the city of Ipoh in Malaysias Perak state, have forced company executives to agree to a meeting over threats to workers and union busting. The meeting will be held after June 6 national holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.

Friday last week 20 members of the National Union of Workers in Hospital Support and Allied Services picketed the company because its executives threatened disciplinary action against workers who are active members of the union.

The workers held a banner and placards demanding an end to the companys union busting activities. While the company claims that the workers are employed by a subcontractor it agreed to the meeting after the picket.

Australian and New Zealand

Australian rail haulage workers to strike

The Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) and the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Employees (AFULE) told freight haulage company Aurizon that workers from its Queensland East Coast and North-West depots will strike for 48 hours on May 28. The action comes during a 14-day overtime ban and follows failed negotiations this week for a new enterprise agreement. Aurizon responded to the overtime ban by reducing the AFULEs negotiating team from four to one.

The unions accuse Aurizon of serious attacks on conditions, including the removal of clauses relating to shift lengths, definition of two-man train crews, locality allowance and forcing employees to use 160 hours of annual leave for planned shutdowns. Aurizon also wants to deny some allowances for new recruits.

Aurizons extensive Queensland rail network hauls coal and bulk freight (grain, sugar, cement and other goods). Separate enterprise agreements cover workers in coal and bulk haulage. Negotiations by the AFULE, the RTBU, the Electrical Trades Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union for new agreements covering over 1,000 Aurizon employees have been dragging on since September. Industrial action began in December but has been limited to short stoppages and work bans at different times over Aurizons vast rail systems. Workers have not had a pay increase for 17 months.

New Zealand department store workers strike

Workers from Farmers department stores in the Auckland suburbs of Botany, Manukau and Pukekohe struck on Thursday to protest low wages. Partial stoppages have also been held at Farmers stores in Henderson, St Lukes, NorthWest and LynnMall in Auckland, along with Paraparaumu, Dunedin, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, North Shore and Timaru.

The walk-outs are part of two weeks of industrial action at Farmers outlets throughout the country and involving 800 members of FIRST Union, 40 percent of the companys workforce.

The union wants workers wages to be increased to at least $21.15 an hour, which they claim would be a living wage. About 80 percent of Farmers staff are paid less than this, with many receiving little more than the minimum wage of $17.70, including some with many years experience. Workers also claim Farmers performance review system is rigged to keep wages down.

Fast food workers strike in New Zealand

Around 1,500 workers at KFC, Carls Jr and Pizza Hut outlets across New Zealand held a two-and-a-half day strike last weekend. Restaurant Brands, which owns the franchises, told the media that the Unite union members want wage increases of more than 7 percent.

The lowest paid workers recently had a pay rise to $18 an hour, barely above the minimum wage. More senior employees, however, did not receive any similar increase. They earn little more than new hires. The current offer for salaried workers is below 3 percent, according to the union, which says the company has also pushed to reduce break times from 15 to 10 minutes. While it employs some of the lowest paid workers in the country, Restaurant Brands last year made a profit of $36 million and paid its shareholders $881 million.Frances Workers Struggle (LO) and New Anti-capitalist Party (NPA) have mounted a joint campaign for Sundays European elections. This campaigndisturbed by the yellow vest movement against French President Emmanuel Macron and an international strike wave erupting against the trade unions, and silent on the growing danger of imperialist war against Irantook on the appearance of a rout.

The situation has been transformed since 2002, when LO and the NPA (then called the Revolutionary Communist League, LCR) together obtained 10 percent of the vote. Now, even though social anger and class tensions are at far more explosive levels, LO expects to receive only 1 percent of the vote. The NPA for its part stated it does not have the financial means to present a list in the European elections. The two parties failed to reach agreement on a common program in the European elections, but the NPA supported LO anyway.

This highlights the significance of the International Committee of the Fourth Internationals (ICFI) struggle to build its French section, the Parti de legalite socialiste (PES), against the bankrupt parties of the post-1968 petty bourgeoisie. The union bureaucrats and academics who lead LO and the NPA still advance a few phrases about wage increases amid promotion of the reactionary feminist #MeToo movement. But they cannot hide their hostility to independent struggles like those of the yellow vests, who emerged outside of and against the unions talks with business groups.

LOs April 8 editorial proclaims: To preserve our conditions of existence, we must increase wages, pensions, and social subsidies, and index them on price increases. Against unemployment, we must outlaw sackings and create jobs by dividing the available work among ourselves, without loss of pay.  Powerful collective struggles of the world of labour will be needed to modify the existing power relations and impose the demands of the workers camp. But in these elections, we can at least affirm this by voting for the Lutte ouvriere list led by Nathalie Arthaud and Jean-Pierre Mercier.

These calls issued by parties controlled by the unions to workers to mobilise in struggle are shot through with bad faith. First of all, they leave out all the international issues facing a struggle of the working class. These include not only the danger of war over Iran, or caused by the militarisation of the European Union (EU), but also those tied to the eruption of workers struggles worldwideof US teachers, Sri Lankan plantation workers, the Portuguese public sector, or Polish teacherswhich must be unified in an international struggle against nationally-based union bureaucracies.

Above all, when a powerful collective struggle involving workers and poorer sections of the middle class developed in France against Macronthat is, the yellow vest movementLO, the NPA and the union bureaucracies roundly denounced it. The NPA called the yellow vests a far right mob and even the most ferocious opponents of the workers movement. At the same time, the union bureaucracies where LO and the NPA have their base, strangled strikes called in solidarity with the yellow vests by truckers and port workers.

As for Mercier, he is a union official who led the 2013 shutdown of the PSA auto plant at Aulnay, organising a small, purely symbolic strike in the factory without mobilising any broader support from other workplaces against the attack on workers at Aulnay. Isolated and abandoned by Aulnay workers who had no confidence in it, Merciers strike rapidly fell apart.

During the European campaign, the feminist and business teacher Arthaud sternly lectured and denounced the yellow vests yet again. On May 9, at a meeting in Dijon, she said: I will never be a yellow vest, I am a communist revolutionary. I want to overthrow the bourgeoisie, and that goes well beyond the demands of the yellow vests. The yellow vests are letting themselves get fooled by small concessions like tax cuts. We went to talk to the yellow vests. We told them that if theyre just shouting Macron, resign, that serves no purpose at all.

Arthauds claim to be a communist revolutionary standing to the left of the yellow vest movement and seeking to overthrow capitalism, is a political fraud. LO is a tool of sections of the union bureaucracies and of political movements close to social democracy that emerged from the post-1968 student movement. Its leaders are conscious that they are bought by the bourgeoisie and hostile to any independent struggle like the yellow vests.

During the mass protests against the reactionary French labour law in 2016, the WSWS interviewed former LO presidential candidate and long-time spokeswoman Arlette Laguiller. The WSWS journalists asked her what she thought of the fact that the French union bureaucracy, in which LO works, receive 95 percent of their budgets from businesses or the state.

Clearly it would be healthier if the parties, the trade unions, everyone was financed by members dues, that is true, too. But  there you go, she replied, shrugging her shoulders. Asked why there was mounting conflict between workers and the union bureaucracy, she replied: I think a lot of struggles were betrayed. There are many workers who harbour resentment about struggles that they carried out in which finally the trade unions forced them back to work before they had won a victory.

A class gulf separates these petty-bourgeois parties from the workers whose struggles they betray. The NPA is the product of the rallying of student leaders of the 1968 student movement like Alain Krivine or Daniel Bensaid to the Pabloite movement that had broken with the ICFI in 1953. The Pabloites advanced a false, anti-Trotskyist perspective that Stalinist and bourgeois nationalist forces could offer revolutionary leadership to the international working classa line they tried to impose anti-democratically, by expelling the majority of the French Trotskyist movement.

LO descends from a group led by Robert Barta that refused to join the Fourth International at its founding in 1938 by Leon Trotskybased on the reactionary argument that the Fourth International was a petty-bourgeois organization, as any workers struggles had to be rooted in the national soil. Dissolved shortly after the end of World War II and reconstituted later in the 1950s by forces around the New Left and the future founders of the Socialist Party (PS), it at times claimed to be Trotskyist. But it never broke with a nationalist and petty-bourgeois orientation to the union bureaucracy.

Nearly 30 years after the Stalinist bureaucracy dissolved the Soviet Union in 1991, as the unions are strangling struggles against the police state built by the PS and Macron, these parties are patently bankrupt.

In 2002, they rejected the initiative proposed by the ICFI for an active boycott of the second round of the presidential election between right-winger Jacques Chirac and neo-fascist Jean-Marie Le Pen, aiming to mobilise workers protesting against the election in a movement against the next president. Instead, the LO and the LCR (as the NPA was called at the time) fell in line with the media campaign for a Chirac vote, claiming that he would stop the neo-fascist Le Pen. Two decades later, the bourgeoisie is placing neo-fascist parties and militarism at the heart of official politics across Europe.

Not only is the far right now in power in 10 European countries, including Italy, but Macronwho posed as the best opponent of Marine Le Penhas saluted the fascist dictator Philippe Petain while violently repressing the yellow vests. The necessity of unifying workers struggles across Europe into a revolutionary struggle of the working class for power is ever more urgent. In this context, the PES and the ICFI advance the Trotskyist perspective of the United Socialist States of Europe.

In this campaign, LO took over as a slogan the United Socialist States of Europe. This is a cynical dodge, however, because the political content that LO and the NPA try to give this demand is a defence of the existing capitalist EUas shown by the accounts of the discussions between the two parties on their joint European election campaign.

In its article titled European elections, NPA-LO talks: Its hard, the NPA reports that LO refused the NPAs proposals to criticise the founding treaties of the EU. LO apparently objected to any notion of calling for a break with the EUa point that the NPA agreed to, claiming this was necessary to fight nationalism. Their strong argument, the NPA wrote of LO, is that in a previous period it was necessary to fight prejudices that the EU was progressive, but now we have to fight reactionary prejudices.

But the lie that the EU fights nationalist prejudices is just as reactionary and false as the claim that nationalism is an alternative to the EU. As it lets refugees drown in the Mediterranean, supports the re-militarisation of German imperialism, works with Italys far-right government and hails the violent repression of social protest in France, the EU is clearly hatching violently reactionary nationalist tendencies across Europe. Having learned nothing from the disastrous failure of their 2002 strategy to halt the rise of the far right with calls for a Chirac vote, the LO and the NPA are now relying on the EU, falsely imagining that its reactionary organisation of European imperialism has internationalist virtues.

The only way forward in the struggle against militarism and neo-fascism is the independent, international mobilisation of the working class on a socialist programme. The exposure of these petty-bourgeois parties is of critical importance for workers struggles in Europe and beyond. It shows the absolute necessity for workers in struggle to organise in committees of action, independent of the old union bureaucracies. It also underscores the necessity to build the ICFI as the revolutionary leadership of the working class.

It is only through a fight for revolutionary perspective in the working class that it is possible to transfer political power to these organisations created by workers in struggle, at a not only national, but a continental, scalethat is, to build the United Socialist States of Europe.A spontaneous strike involving hundreds of taxi drivers broke out in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, yesterday after the local government decommissioned roughly 35 taxis early Friday morning, claiming they were operating without permits. In response, taxi drivers who fear losing their jobs fanned out across the city center and blocked major streets as well as the international crossing between Mexico and the US city of Brownsville, Texas.

At midday the taxi drivers came to the central square, some with homemade signs reading Corrupt government, get out, and were meet by a heavy presence of state police armed with assault rifles and wearing helmets. Security forces harassed the drivers and attacked protesters as scuffles broke out when police attempted to bring tow trucks into the city center to tow the parked taxis.

Videos show police firing rubber bullets into a crowd of protesters. When crowds began pushing police back, police backup arrived with sniper rifles pointed at the crowds. A caravan of armored military vehicles descended on the central plaza.

At least one taxi driver was injured and several were arrested. A driver told El Debate,This was a unilateral action on the part of the police.

We have the right to keep working, another taxi driver told TV Noticias Tamaulipas. We have been working for eight, ten years without violating any lawsthis is a peaceful protest. We have already told the authorities, we are not going to hurt anyone.

The bold decision by taxi drivers to block major thoroughfares and the international border crossing is a sign that the strike wave by maquiladora workers that broke out in January has had an impact on broader sections of the working class and middle class, strengthening their resolve and encouraging them to take action to defend jobs and wages.

Even though many taxi drivers are independent contractors, when the police and military began pushing crowds of taxi drivers yesterday, the drivers began chanting, dont mess with the working class.

At the strike waves zenith earlier this year, some 70,000 workers were engaged in strike activity, electing their own independent factory committees in rebellion against both the companies and the pro-corporate unions. Workers demanded major pay increases and the abolition of union dues.

Large demonstrations of taxi drivers and other contract drivers have taken place across the world in recent weeks, including an international protest of Uber and Lyft drivers that took place across every inhabited continent earlier in May.

The local corporate media is attacking the Matamoros taxi drivers for their selfish behavior, pointing out that many workers were not able to travel to or from work as a result of the blockades.

But the comments sections of social media news sites show workers responded with overwhelming support for the drivers protest, with many commenting that if the government spent money to provide Matamoros with a functioning public transportation system, they would not have to walk to work or school through dangerous neighborhoods.

The local government is scrambling to meet with representatives of the taxi drivers to calm tensions, which remain high throughout the city. Video of the police and military violence against demonstrators was viewed tens of thousands of times within hours of the clashes yesterday afternoon. Comments on social media read, The state police rob us and beat us and take our money. Another wrote, The repression against the people of Matamoros continues! Who will help us now???

By early evening, the international port of entry had been reopened but dozens of taxis remained parked outside the city government building, blocking traffic through downtown. Drivers say they will not leave until all the decommissioned cars are returned to their drivers.In the latest step in US imperialisms preparations for all-out war with Iran, President Donald Trump announced Friday the deployment of an additional 1,500 troops to the Middle East. The deployment, which includes a Patriot missile battery and a squadron of fighter jets, supplements the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group sent to the region earlier this month. It also includes the sending of additional reconnaissance and engineering support staff.

In a statement, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan claimed the deployment is a prudent defensive measure... intended to reduce the possibility of future hostilities. Meanwhile, in remarks to reporters at the White House, Trump declared the forces were intended to be protective.

These fraudulent statements are designed to avoid triggering popular opposition to war, as US imperialisms massive war machine takes one provocative step after another to lay the groundwork for an aggressive military strike against Irana country of more than 80 million people. They come less than two weeks after Trump himself vowed to end Irans existence if it recommences its uranium enrichment program to produce nuclear weapons.

Moreover, the Pentagon has already deployed nuclear capable B-52s, F-16C fighter jets and Marines to the Middle East, while drawing up plans to send a further 120,000 military personnel to the region to attack Iran.

The US government and media claim these wars plans are necessary to counter the manufactured threat posed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Should Iran be blamed for an attack on US interests, which could include anything from Saudi oil platforms to CIA-backed ISIS terrorist groups in Syria, the troops being sent to the Middle East would rapidly be thrown into a war.

Underscoring that such a pretext for war could be found sooner rather than later, Rear Admiral Michael Gilday, director of the US Joint Staff, made a statement Friday blaming Irans Revolutionary Guards for alleged recent attacks on oil tankers in the United Arab Emirates. He cited no evidence to back this up. This provocative allegation comes hot on the heels of attempts to blame Tehran for an errant rocket fired by Iranian-backed Shia militias in Baghdad, which landed in the Green Zone near the US embassy.

The deployment also comes the same week as Washington renewed its bogus allegations of chemical weapons use against the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. Assads forces, with Russian air support, are currently engaged in an offensive against the remnants of US-backed Islamist militias in Idlib province.

Similar allegations of chemical weapons use, which subsequently proved to be entirely concocted, were used twice before, in April 2017 and April 2018, to justify cruise missile strikes on Syria. With these strikes, together with the onslaught on Syrian cities like Raqqa spearheaded by US troops and air power, Washington demonstrated that it views the consolidation of the Iranian-aligned Assad regimes power in Syria as a threat to its interests. It is prepared to collaborate with Al Qaeda-linked terrorists to prevent the creation of an Iranian-controlled corridor running from Tehran through Syria and Lebanon to the Mediterranean coast.

The US military already has nearly 50,000 troops spread across dozens of bases, warships and airfields encircling Iran. The US Navys Fifth Fleet, which patrols the Middle East and North Africa, has at least 7,000 US troops stationed at a permanent base in Bahrain. The US Armys Central Command located in Kuwait controls approximately 13,000 troops.

In the United Arab Emirates, the Al Dhafra Air Base houses 5,000 US troops, while the massive Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar has a further 10,000 troops. At least an additional 5,200 US troops remain in Iraq.

Washington also has thousands of special forces troops operating in countries throughout the region, in conjunction with the CIA. They have conducted assassination and reconnaissance missions in Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan.

In addition to preparing for a direct clash with Iran, US imperialism is also arming its regional allies for war. The same day the latest troop increase was announced, the Trump administration released a Memorandum of Justification detailing plans to circumvent congressional oversight in order to sell US weapons to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan. The memorandum invoked an emergency under the Arms Export Control Act, permitting the executive branch to authorize weapons transfers. The weapons to be sent to the despotic Saudi regime and Gulf allies reportedly include laser-guided bombs. In total, US firms will sell more than $8 billion worth of arms to the three regimes.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who reportedly took the lead within the administration in advocating the sending of additional US troops, said the sale of billions of dollars of US weaponry to Washingtons allies was necessary to guard against Iranian aggression.

The statement announcing the weapons sales also justified the illegal transfer of bombs to the despotic Saudi regime as a counter to the fundamental threat of malign Iranian activity across the Middle East. This threat included an unsubstantiated allegation that Iran was responsible for the deaths of over 600 US military personnel in Iraq.

This accusation is rich coming from Washington, which bears direct responsibility for the deaths of an estimated one million Iraqi civilians since its illegal invasion of the country in 2003. The Iraq War Logs released by Wikileaks confirmed that of the over 109,000 recorded deaths logged by the US military in Iraq from 2004 through 2009, 66,081 were civilian deaths, or one hundred times the number of US military deaths, mysteriously attributed to Iran.

No less hypocritical was the response of leading Democratic Party representatives to the weapons transfers. Senator Robert Menendez, the top ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, declared, Im disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump administration has failed once again to prioritize our long-term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia.

Who does Menendez think he is kidding? It was the Democrat Barack Obama who initiated the intimate military and intelligence collaboration with Riyadh and its Gulf allies that enabled them to launch their savage war in Yemen in 2015. Justified as a struggle to push back Irans malign influence in the region, the four-year-old near-genocidal conflict has laid waste to the poorest country in the Middle East.

During this time, Washington has made available cluster bombs, fighter jets, white phosphorus, acceptable targeting lists, mid-air refueling, and around-the-clock maintenance, without which the Saudis would be unable to conduct their terror bombing campaign. According to researchers from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, between 70,000 and 80,000 people have been killed as a direct result of the war.

The US war drive in the Middle East does not arise from the personal proclivities of Trump, his attack dog Pompeo, or his hawkish National Security Adviser John Bolton, who has been urging the US to bomb Iran for years. Rather, it is part of the US ruling elites effort to consolidate its unchallenged domination over the energy-rich and geo-strategically critical Middle East, and push back the influence of its chief rivals, above all Russia and China.

The reality is that Washingtons reckless escalation of military tensions with Iran enjoys bipartisan support. Ahead of this weeks State Department threat against Syria for alleged chemical weapons use, leading Democrats in both houses of Congress signed an appeal demanding that the White House increase pressure on Iran and Russia with respect to activities in Syria.

The danger of war with Iran, which could quickly metastasize into a third world war fought with nuclear weapons, can be averted only through the political mobilization of the working class in struggle against war and its source: the capitalist profit system. The most urgent political task is therefore the fight to build a mass anti-war movement, based on a socialist program uniting working people around the world against the war-mongers in Washington.The indictment of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on 17 charges under the 1917 Espionage Act is a political turning point. At stake are two issues that are inextricably connected: the personal fate of a courageous journalist who has exposed government criminality and corruption, and a new stage in the destruction of democratic rights in the United States and internationally.

The new charges make clear that if Assange is extradited to the US from the UK, he faces the rest of his life in prison, or worse. If Assange is convicted on all counts, the sentence could be up to 175 years. Moreover, another grand jury remains empaneled to consider further charges, including potentially those that carry the death penalty.

At the same time, the decision to charge Assange under the Espionage Act for distributing and disseminating truthful information about state actions is a frontal assault on the First Amendment protections of free speech and a free press.

Julian Assange

Assange is charged with receiving documents related to national defense. That is, if Assange can be prosecuted, so can anyone who accesses the documents from WikiLeaks or shares them online. This is the pseudo-legal formula for a police state.

Assange is the victim of one of the most massive political frame-ups in modern history. The attitude taken toward this frame-up defines the class standpoint of organizations and individuals.

The Trump administration and all factions of the political establishment, represent a ruling elite that is bitterly hostile to democratic rights. The media, particularly the New York Times, the Washington Post and other publications affiliated with the Democratic Party, are accomplices in the criminal conspiracy to destroy Julian Assange and criminalize opposition to imperialist wars.

On Thursday night, the Times published an editorial, Julian Assanges indictment Aims at the Heart of the First Amendment, that exposes its duplicitous role.

The Times editorial board feigns surprise at the new indictment, calling it a marked escalation that could have a chilling effect on American journalism as it has been practiced for generations.

In April, shortly after Assange was violently seized from the Ecuadorean embassy in London, the Times praised the actions of the Trump White House, writing that the administration has begun well by charging Mr. Assange with an indisputable crime. Supporting Assanges arrest, the editors wrote that his case could help draw a line between legitimate journalism and dangerous cybercrime. Once in the United States, moreover, he could become a useful source on how Russia orchestrated its attacks on the Clinton campaign.

Does the Times expect anyone to believe that it has suddenly become aware of the dangerous implications of Assanges persecution?

The World Socialist Web Site wrote in its editorial board statement, published April 12, the day after Assanges arrest, that the initial charges are a transparent lie, the purpose of which is to facilitate Assanges extradition and provide the Ecuadorean and British governments with a pretext that they are not turning Assange over to a government that might subject him to torture and execution.

This has been confirmed. The initial charges also provided the justification for the Times and the other servile media to support his illegal arrest.

The Times has spent the better part of a decade blackening Assanges reputation. Even in an editorial supposedly dedicated to criticizing the actions of the Trump administration, the newspaper cannot restrain itself. There is much to be troubled by in Mr. Assanges methods and motives, which remain murky, they write.

What troubles the New York Times is that Assange has behaved like a real journalist should, exposing government crimes, including the massacre of Iraqi civilians. His motives are not murky. They just do not conform to the foreign policy interests of the military and intelligence agencies for which the Times functions as a mouthpiece.

Further attacking Assange, the Times writes that the newspaper treated Mr. Assange as a source, not a partner [when publishing news reports on documents provided by WikiLeaks], and the relationship was not an easy one; his indifference to the risks of exposing intelligence sources was a particular source of friction.

Here the Times links to a 2011 statement published by then-executive editor Bill Keller that makes clear the character of the friction between the Times and Assange. Aside from innumerable slanders and slurs directed at Assange, Kellers comment is dedicated to proving how responsible the Times was in coordinating its publication of reports on the WikiLeaks document with the US government.

Keller notes that the Times held daily meetings with officials in the State Department, Pentagon, CIA and FBI. Before each discussion, he wrote, our Washington bureau sent over a batch of specific cables that we intended to use in the coming days. They were circulated to regional specialists, who funneled their reactions to a small group at State, who came to our daily conversations with a list of priorities and arguments to back them up. We relayed the governments concerns, and our own decisions regarding them, to the other news outlets.

In other words, the Times, unlike Assange, is embedded in the American state and functions as an instrument of the intelligence agencies.

The Times concludes its editorial published Thursday night by declaring, Mr. Assange is no hero. But this case now represents a threat to freedom of expression and, with it, the resilience of American democracy itself.

To which one can reply, yes, Mr. Assange is a hero, and the Times, by participating in his persecution, has demonstrated that it has no commitment to freedom of expression or American democracy itself.

With defenders like the Times, the US government hardly needs a prosecutor. Other media outlets have followed suit. The Washington Post expressed its concern that the Trump administration had jettisoned the smart, careful route, which could have locked Mr. Assange up for years.

The British Guardian expressed its view that Julian Assange should be sent to Sweden instead of the United States, to face fabricated allegations of rape. It epitomizes the outlook of privileged layers of the upper middle class that used such operations, tied to identity politics, to promote reactionary political agendas.

MSNBCs Rachel Maddow, who has distinguished herself for being among the rottenest of the rotten in attacking Assange, expressed her lack of concern about Julian Assanges ultimate fate, declaring him a spectacularly unsympathetic figure who sought to elect Trump, before declaring her concern for the First Amendment implications of Trumps actions.

What lying frauds! The fact is that their own campaign against Assange has culminated in a monumental attack on free speech. This is not an accident but the logical outcome, and is in complete conformity with their own politics. The Times, Maddow, and the many others who have participated in this spectacle, have spread lies and laughed at Assanges fate, have condemned themselves forever.

As for the Democrats, they have remained almost entirely silent about the latest indictment. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said nothing. Nor has Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, who stated in April after Assanges arrest, I hope he will soon be held to account for his meddling in our elections on behalf of Putin and the Russian government.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders issued a tweet that called the indictment of Assange a disturbing attack on the First Amendment, but, predictably, avoided mentioning Assanges name, let alone demand his and Chelsea Manning's release. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and Jacobin magazine, tied to Sanders and the Democratic Party, has so far failed to denounce the indictment and the frame-up of Assange.

Assange has also been deserted by the middle class affluencia, which has promoted the despicable frame-up based on allegations of rape and sexual misconduct to justify their own support for his persecution. Over the past quarter century, this layer has become openly pro-imperialist and hostile to democratic rights.

The conclusion that must be drawn is that the defense of Assange is a class question. The support of the Democratic Party, the media and the organizations of the upper middle class in his persecution is bound up with their support for imperialism and capitalism, and therefore their hostility to what Assange has done: reveal the truth.

Assanges life and freedom, and the freedom of Chelsea Manning, depend on the intervention of the working class.

In a powerful statement released to journalist Gordon Dimmack on Friday, Assange wrote from the notorious Belmarsh prison, I am defenceless and am counting on you and others of good character to save my life. He added, The days when I could read and speak and organise to defend myself, my ideals and my people are over until I am free. Everyone else must take my place.

The fight for Assanges release from prison in the UK, opposition to his extradition to the US, and the demand that he be safely returned home to Australia must be taken up by the broad mass of the population. It must be connected to the fight against imperialist war, which threatens to engulf the entire planet, the growth of fascism and authoritarianism, and opposition to social inequality.

The Socialist Equality Party and the World Socialist Web Site call on all workers and youth, and all those who uphold democratic rights, to come forward and take an unequivocal stand: Free Julian Assange!On Tuesday evening another 26 Afghans were forcibly deported from Germany to Kabul on a charter flight. A total of 591 people have now been sent back to war-torn Afghanistan since December 2016. Tuesday evenings was the 24th such flight.

This latest deportation, just four days before the European elections, exposes the hypocrisy of all those politicians who promise a humane and social Europe. The very same politicians are responsible for the detention and forced deportation of people who have sought protection from persecution, war and social upheaval and are now forced to return to the source of their misery.

The Bavarian Refugee Council has uncovered new cases documenting the brutal actions of the German authorities.

Among the victims is a family from Nurembergmother, daughter and twin sonswho were deported to Iran. The husband remained in Germany due to missing documentation. His children had attended school for some time in Germany and were about to graduate from high school or middle school. Repeatedly, entire families have been apprehended in the middle of the night and deported.

Just a few days before the latest deportation, the Council of Europes anti-torture committee criticised the fact that victims had been mistreated during a previous deportation flight directly under the eyes of observers. One man was squeezed by his genitals to make him docile, and was then restrained with a choke strangle.

Another man, fearing deportation, had jumped out of a window and broken a lumbar vertebra. He was nevertheless deported. He was only able to withstand the flight lying down and in great pain. The anti-torture committee also criticised conditions in the Bavarian correctional facility, Eichstatt, which had been recently transformed into a so-called departure custody facility.

The response of the government to this criticism has been to step up and accelerate its incarceration and deportation practices.

This was clear last week when the Bundestag debated interior minister Horst Seehofers Orderly return law. The legislation, which is described as a get out or foreigners out law, facilitates and accelerates deportations. It treats asylum seekers de facto as criminals and plans to house refugees required to leave in regular prisons.

The same parties in Germany which claim to oppose the rise of the extreme right in Europe are in practice implementing the policies of the far-right Alternative for Germany. This is true not only for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU), but in particular for the Social Democratic Party (SPD) as well. In the parliamentary debate, SPD spokesman Helge Lind openly admitted he saw no alternative to Seehofers law. The German justice minister, Katarina Barley, lead candidate of the SPD for the European elections, approved the bill a month ago in the cabinet. So much for the SPDs claims in the election campaign, that it favoured a social Europe and was the party that had fought the right wing since its inception.

Barley sits in a government that has deported nearly 24,000 people from Germany in 2018 and more than 5,600 in the first quarter of this year. The majority of those affected are secretly deported to Kosovo or other ex-Yugoslav countries, Turkey, the Middle East, Iraq, Iran, Georgia, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan or Nigeria, or even to other EU countries where they had first been registered.

There is broad agreement with the anti-refugee policy of the grand coalition by those parties which criticised the law in the parliamentary debate, i.e., the Greens and the Left Party. In those German states where they govern together with the SPD and the CDU, or even appoint the prime minister (the Greens in Baden-Wurttemberg, the Left Party in Thuringia), they deport as readily as the governing parties.

For almost a year, the anti-refugee and xenophobic policies of individual EU states has become the official guideline for the entire EU. With its decision of June 30, 2018, the EU effectively ceased all efforts to rescue refugees from drowning, and has expressly prevented private maritime rescuewith catastrophic consequences.

Less than two weeks ago, about 65 people drowned off the coast of Tunisia when their boat capsized in high waves. Only 16 survived and were rescued by fishermen from the water. It was the worst accident for months on this dangerous escape route.

The Mediterranean is increasingly becoming a mass grave. The mass drowning in Tunisia on May 10, brings the number of people who have drowned in the Mediterranean this year to over 500. According to the IOM (International Organization for Migration), there have been 18,426 deaths in the Mediterranean region since the beginning of 2014. This is an average of more than nine people per day.

The UN Refugee Council noted that the risk of perishing on the Libya-Italy route has increased significantly. In the first four months of this year, a fourth of all those attempting to reach Europe drowned, declared UNHCR Special Envoy for the Mediterranean, Vincent Cochetel. If we do not act now, he added, then well almost certainly face more tragic cases in the coming weeks and months.

The EU, however, refuses to lift a finger to assist refugees from Libya. The only chance of rescue is offered by private NGOs, and these volunteer and donor-based organisations face almost insurmountable legal hurdles and harassment.

Sea-Watch 3, which rescued 65 refugees from a rubber dinghy, was forced to stay at sea for four days, before it could land the remaining 47 victims on the Italian island of Lampedusa on May 19 (18 sick and dehydrated migrants, including several children, had previously been evacuated). Although the organisation did not break any law, its ship has now been confiscated by the Italian judiciary.

The EU is pursuing a refugee policy based on the motto: Let them all drown. The banner of the Sea-Watch group on demonstrations held against nationalism last Sunday read: This EU kills.

In 1940, in its World War II manifesto, the Fourth International wrote a sentence that applies fully to the current situation: Amid the vast expanses of land and the marvels of technology, which has also conquered the skies for man as well as the earth, the bourgeoisie has managed to convert our planet into a foul prison.

But what is the answer? For the bourgeoisie, the answer is clear: it is arming state forces to the teeth and basing itself on the most reactionary forces in Germanythe AfD and other fascist organisations.

The working class has to give its own answer. It must unite worldwide and take up the fight for a socialist programme. In Europe, it must fight against the bankrupt EU and for the United Socialist States of Europe.

This is the only way to ensure that the Bundeswehr and all European troops withdraw from the Middle East and Africa, that every human being has the right to live and work in the country of their choice, and that the billions of euros squandered for building an EU army and Frontex is spent to fulfil the social and cultural needs of the population as a whole.UK Prime Minister Theresa Mays resignation announcement as leader of the Conservative Party, effective June 7, will unleash a vicious campaign to replace her. Whoever wins in Julycurrent favourite Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Dominic Raab or someone now seen as less likelywill steer the government still further to the right.

This will not only place it on a collision course with the European UnionJohnson made his pitch for the partys hard-Brexit vote by declaring that the UK would leave the EU on October 31, with or without a deal. It signals a coming conflict with the working class.

When May delivered her farewell speech outside 10 Downing Street, the only tears shed were her ownin a nauseating display of thwarted ambition and self-pity.

She came to lead the country in 2016 as a hated figure and leaves it as a despised political failure.

As Britains longest serving Home Secretary under David Cameron, she was adored by the partys most xenophobic right-wingers. She is associated with the promise to reduce net migration by two thirds and to create a really hostile environment for illegal immigration.

This involved refusing to accept an EU quota of refugees from war-zones, restricting the right of migrants to bring in their spouses and children and blatantly criminal acts against individual asylum seekers for which she faced the threat of fines and imprisonment for contempt of court in June 2012.

The most grotesque examples of her hostile environment policy was to commission a campaign involving lorries driving through immigrant areas with billboards warning, Go home or face arrest. Its legacy included the death of members of the Windrush Generation of Afro-Caribbean British citizens among more than 80 wrongly deported to the West Indies.

This made her an acceptable compromise leader, as a supporter of remaining in the EU, after Cameron was forced to resign in July 2016 following the referendum vote to leave the EU.

The poison chalice she took up was to seek a soft-Brexit, involving continued tariff-free access to the vital Single European Market, when this involved compromises with Brussels that were unacceptable to the dominant Euro-sceptic Tory right and, from 2017, also her confidence and supply partners in the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Mays premiership was short-livedless than three years. It would have been shorter still had May not been able to count on what has turned out to be her one political assetJeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party and of Her Majestys Opposition.

Corbyn had everything going for him that May did not. She was elected by 199 Tory MPs. He was elected party leader in 2015 by an overwhelming majority of hundreds of thousands of Labour members and supporters. In 2016, his right-wing MPs tried to depose him by a vote of no confidence, on the basis that he had not campaigned to stay in the EU with the necessary enthusiasm! He won again in September that year by a still larger majority.

In June 2017, a snap general election called by May was held. She hoped to strengthen her hand by exploiting the constant offensive by Labours right-wing and the media against Corbyn. This ended in disaster, as Labours vote increased massively. The Tories were reduced to a minority, reliant on 10 DUP MPs and with May even more surely a political hostage to her hard-Brexit critics and opponents.

Corbyn rescued May again and again. He did so by betraying the mandate of those who twice elected him to drive out the Blairites, break with their warmongering and take the fight to the hated Tory government. If Mays period in office is a slow-motion train crash, Corbyns is a series of ignominious retreats before his political opponents, ceding everything without a fight, along with constant efforts to suppress the class struggle and keep social and political discontent confined to support for his own parliamentary manoeuvres.

Since May began the process of withdrawing from the EU in March 2017, she has unsuccessfully put the Brexit deal she negotiated with the EU before parliament on three occasionsincluding a defeat by the largest majority in history by a government in January. She faced a no confidence vote by her own MPs in December 2018 and a parliamentary vote of no confidence in January 2019 and has been living under an axe since her third Brexit deal defeat in Marchafter promising to step down as prime minister if her deal was passed, without success.

Corbyns response to all of this was to spend his every waking moment trying to keep his own fractious party togetherespecially by a policy of constructive ambiguity on whether Labour would support the second referendum to overturn Brexit favoured by the Blairites. Even this did not stop seven Blairites from defecting under Chukka Umunna to align with a handful of pro-EU Tories in the misnamed Change UK.

More important still, Corbyn assumed the mantle of statesman and guarantor of the national interest, while Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell became his emissary to the City of London, promising that a Labour government would do the bidding of big business.

This reached its nadir, after Corbyn agreed to what became six long weeks of negotiations with May on securing a Brexit deal that could win majority support, when there was never any chance of such an outcome. Part of the deal was that Corbyn ended all calls for a general election.

The result, as always, was to exclude the working class from political life and give free rein to a government that was dead on its feet. The talks ended on May 16. Eight days later May was weeping on the steps of Number 10 Downing Street.

Even now, Corbyn refuses to do anything that could be interpreted as irresponsible by Britains boardrooms and banks.

"Whoever becomes the new Conservative leader must let the people decide our country's future, through an immediate general election, he declared. This is a new definition of immediate! A general election only after two months in which the Tories have been allowed to regroup, and only then if this is acceptable to the new leader of the party.

Mays resignation speech was a calculated insult, beginning with her ludicrous claim to have striven to make the United Kingdom a country that works not just for a privileged few, but for everyone. May was bringing an end to austerity and helping more people than ever [to] enjoy the security of a job with her decent, moderate and patriotic Conservative government.

She even had the gall to cite her record on education, the National Health Service and in launching the inquiry into the Grenfell Tower inferno as a search for the truth even as the guilty continue to walk free.

Speaking for the families of the 72 who lost their lives, Grenfell United replied, Its hard to think of a greater injustice in recent years than Grenfell.

This week, UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty Philip Alston issued his final report comparing the UK to a giant Victorian workhousewith close to 40 percent of children predicted to be living in poverty by 2021, one fifth of the population (14 million) living in poverty, over 1.5 million destitute and a further 2.5 million on incomes no more than 10 percent above the poverty line. The week also saw British Steel Limited going into liquidation, threatening 25,000 jobs in total; 1,000 jobs lost at Jamie Olivers collapsed restaurant chain; and confirmation that Honda in Swindon will close in 2021 with 3,500 redundancies.

Mays imminent downfall must spur on all those workers and young people who want to fight these attacks to reject the soporifics of Corbyn and his allies in the trade union bureaucracy, and wage an independent class struggle in alliance with their fellow workers throughout Europe and internationally for socialism.Acclaimed actor Geoffrey Rush has been awarded $1.98 million in special damages for economic loss, due to the publication of defamatory articles by the Murdoch medias Daily Telegraph, published by Nationwide News. This was in addition to an earlier amount of $850,000 for general damages, including $42,000 in interest, making the total nearly $2.9 million, the highest defamation payout to a single person in Australian history.

The award was made at the conclusion of yet another hearing in the ongoing case of Rush vs Nationwide News. It followed his counsel Sue Chrysanthous revelation that the actor had offered to settle the matter for a payment of just $50,000, in January last year, if it removed the slanderous articles, agreed not to reprint the allegations, and made a front-page apology, printed in large type. Chrysanthou told the court that Nationwide News had ignored the offer.

Nationwide Newss response underscored its determination to proceed with the case at any cost. Last month the publisher indicated it would appeal Justice Michael Wigneys defamation judgment, before either a full three-judge Federal Court or another single judge. This would require a re-trial.

In the course of his judgment, Wigney declared that the defamatory statements were a recklessly irresponsible piece of sensationalist journalism of the worst kindthe very worst kind. Evidence was presented to the court that the published statements had had a chilling impact on Rush, his family, his health and his ability to act.

To his credit the world-renowned actor and his legal team persevered with the defamation suit, under conditions of immense personal and professional pressure, not the least of it emanating from the #MeToo movement.

In the most recent hearing last Thursday, Nationwide News applied for Justice Wigney to recuse himself from presiding over an appeal by the Rush team for an injunction against the media empire, which would prevent it from republishing its defamatory imputations against the Oscar-winning actor.

When it first published the defamatory articles, on November 30 and December 1, 2017, the Daily Telegraph and its celebrity gossip journalist, Jonathon Moran, had received only an anonymous tip from the Sydney Theatre Company (STC), with no actual witness to the relevant events and no knowledge of the identity of Rushs accuser. But, following similar allegationsagainst TV personality Don Burke, for examplepublished by Nationwide News competitors in the Fairfax media, it rushed into print, without any apparent concern for the facts.

This occurred during the early stages of the #MeToo movement in Australia, which has been characterised by its disregard for the democratic rights of its mainly male victims: including the presumption of innocence, and the right to due process.

The Daily Telegraphs early 2017 coverage involved complaints of Rushs inappropriate behavior towards his co-star, later revealed to be actress Eryn Jean Norvill, in the STCs 201516 production of King Lear. Rush had played the title role of King Lear, while Norvill played his youngest, and most faithful daughter, Cordelia. The allegations were published in a sensationalist manner, characterising Rush as King Leer, a sexual predator and a pervert, without properly consulting him or affording him the right of reply. Since the Daily Telegraph had, at this stage, no idea who the complainant was, it treated her fundamental rights in the same manner.

Following publication of the slanderous material, Rush decided to sue Nationwide News for defamation, and the trial began in November 2018. Just before its final session, Norvills identity became known, and, at the very last minute, she decided to act as a witness for Nationwide News.

Justice Wigney handed down his more than 200-page judgment on April 11, 2019, finding that Rush had, indeed, been defamed, and that Norvill had exaggerated and embellished her evidence, meaning that it could not be relied upon as credible. Moreover, there was not a single witness, including the members of the King Lear cast and crew, who had corroborated it.

Since then, according to Rushs legal team, the Daily Telegraph has continued to report on the defamatory allegations, including repeating them in a manner that has been neither accurate nor fair. At a hearing two weeks ago, Chrysanthou raised the necessity of an injunction to prevent Nationwide News from continuing in this vein.

This [Nationwide News] is a Respondent that is irrational when it comes to my client [Rush], she declared. It has shown disrespect for the courts decision and cannot be trusted to abide by the courts ruling as far as these imputations are concerned.

In its coverage of the Rush allegations, Nationwide News has aped the methods of the #MeToo movement, seeking to undermine any objective, critical approach and to whip up a witch-hunt atmosphere of hysteria, demonisation and condemnation. The Daily Telegraph, aptly described as the gutter press, is the main, but by no means the only, offender in the Murdoch stable.

The Murdoch media has defied the defamation ruling for definite reasons. It has given significant coverage to the #MeToo witch-hunt, not only in Australia, but internationally.

The identity politics that underpins the #MeToo movement elevates issues of gender, sexual preference, ethnicity and race above the fundamental divide in societythat of class. This is in keeping with the aim of the Murdoch media to divert the attention of ordinary workers and young people away from the brutal realities of contemporary society, including the drive to war, the increasingly desperate economic and social crisis, and the turn towards authoritarian and fascistic forms of rule.

Last Thursday, in the course of the most recent hearing, Sue Chrysanthou pressed this matter of an injunction against the Telegraph, in order to prevent the newspaper from publishing any repetition of its defamatory allegations. Once again, she insisted that it take down from its website all the defamatory articles, posters and commentary on the matter, from late 2017 on.

Tom Blackburn SC, the Telegraphs counsel, opposed the injunction, insisting it would limit freedom of speech and have a chilling effect on the #MeToo movement. Calling it a blunt instrument, he said it would serve to criminalise a legitimate comment which might convey any one of these meanings.

If an injunction serves to prevent #MeToo from leveraging its anti-democratic witch-hunt, that would be a positive development.

In any event, Chrysanthou emphasised that what she was seeking was an extremely limited injunction, framed as precisely as it could possibly be, and focused primarily on preventing the significant threat of further repetition. It was not aimed at suppressing freedom of speech.

Blackburn then sought to have Justice Wigney recuse himself from presiding over any decision on the injunction. He argued that the judge had already displayed apprehended bias, by raising criticisms of Nationwide News and the Daily Telegraph, and in his characterisations of some of the trials witnesses and their evidence. One of Wigneys biased statements, according to Blackburn, was that Nationwide had been quick to publish, but slow to defend.

Chrysanthou dismissed Blackburns concerns about #MeToo reporting, saying they were hysterical  not in the sense of funny, but in the sense of hysteria. She went on to sarcastically respond to his accusations about her critical attitude toward Nationwide News by loudly exclaiming: How dare anyone come to a court and seek to stop the Murdoch empire from saying whatever it wants!

Justice Wigney ruled that he would not recuse himself from hearing arguments on Rushs requested injunction, on the grounds that any ordinary, lay observer, of sound and fair mind, would perceive no bias. His decision on a permanent injunction will be forthcoming, and the hearings will resume next week.The Socialist Equality Partys campaign in the Australian federal election won important support from a layer of workers, students, young people, professionals and retirees, attracted to a genuine socialist and internationalist alternative to war, austerity and authoritarianism.

In its election statement, the SEP explained that the ballot would resolve nothing for the working class. It insisted that the critical issue for workers was breaking from all of the parties of big business, and building a revolutionary, socialist movement aimed at the abolition of the capitalist system.

An SEP election rally in Parramatta demanding freedom for Julian Assange

The election result has vindicated this perspective. Amid widespread hostility to the Liberal-National Coalition government, the Labor Party suffered an electoral debacle, losing votes in working class and regional areas throughout the country. The swings expressed a deep-going rupture between the working class and Labor, one of the principal props of Australian capitalism, after decades of Labor governments imposing the dictates of the corporate elite.

The outcome also underscored the dangers confronting the working class. In the absence of a mass socialist movement of the working class, the Coalition and various right-wing populists have benefited from the collapse in Labors support.

The Morrison Coalition government is based on anti-immigrant xenophobia, support for the US military alliance, a commitment to massive tax cuts for big business and for an intensifying assault on social rights. It will inevitably come into conflict with the working class.

In that context, the SEP won a small but significant vote from important layers of the population consciously signalling their support for its program.

With over 80 percent of votes counted in most areas, the SEPs Senate candidates in Victoria, Tessa Pietsch and Jason Wardle, have received 8,820 votes. In New South Wales, Richard Phillips and John Davis won 1,510 votes for the Senate.

SEP candidates in four working-class electorates for the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, also won a powerful response.

In Calwell, in the north-west of Melbourne, Peter Byrne received around 693 votes, or almost one percent of the total. In Hunter, a New South Wales regional electorate, 610 people voted for SEP candidate Max Boddy. In Parramatta, in western Sydney, Oscar Grenfell received 564 votes. Some 579 ballots were cast for Mike Head in the seat of Oxley, located in the south-west of Brisbane.

SEP candidate for Calwell Peter Byrne with a supporter

In 2019, the partys Senate teams in two states, New South Wales and Victoria, have received over 10,500 ballots. The SEPs vote rose substantially compared with the 2016 federal election. In that year, the SEP stood Senate tickets in three states, Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales, securing roughly 6,000 votes.

Amid a blackout of the SEPs campaign in the corporate media and campaigns by a plethora of independents and minor parties, none of the votes for the SEP were accidental. In NSW alone, for instance, the SEP was one of 36 separate tickets on the Senate ballot.

The support for the SEP is the most conscious expression of a growing attraction to socialism, among broad sections of the population, amid a deepening crisis of Australian and world capitalism.

The votes were also a product of the bold campaign waged by the SEP and its candidates. Throughout the brief election, which spanned little more than four weeks, over 80,000 copies of the SEPs election manifesto were distributed, on campaigns and by supporters of the party.

SEP candidate Tessa Pietsch speaking on polling day

In a campaign in which all of the other parties and the media sought to suppress discussion of the essential political issues, SEP candidates wrote statements, published on the World Socialist Web Site, advancing a socialist perspective on the key questions facing the working class. During the campaign, there were 12 such statements and 22 other articles analysing various aspects of the election.

The SEP was alone in centrally raising the defence of WikiLeaks publisher and journalist Julian Assange.

The day after Assange was illegally expelled from Ecuadors London embassy and arrested by the British police, and hours after the election was called, the SEP held emergency rallies in Sydney and Melbourne, demanding that the Australian government take immediate action to secure Assanges release from Britain and return to Australia, with a guarantee against extradition to the US.

At subsequent protests in Parramatta and Broadmeadows, SEP candidates explained that Assange was being persecuted for his role in exposing the war crimes, mass surveillance operations and global diplomatic conspiracies of the US and all of its allies, including Australia.

The events exposed the gulf between the SEPs principled fight for democratic rights, which won important support, and the refusal of every other party to defend Assange.

Oscar Grenfell addressing a rally in defence of Assange called by WikiLeaks supporters

The SEP candidates also actively campaigned against the escalating drive to war. They exposed Australias integration into the US-led preparations for conflict with China, amid trade war measures and military provocations against Beijing by the Trump administration, during the election campaign itself. The SEP insisted on the need for Australian workers and youth to unite with their class brothers and sisters internationally, in a global socialist anti-war movement.

Throughout the election, the SEP exposed the various manifestations of the social crisis confronting the working class, and indicted the official parties and the profit system they defend.

At final SEP election meetings, party candidates and representatives gave reports detailing the major issues confronting workers in the House of Representatives seats the SEP contested.

In Parramatta, Oscar Grenfell reviewed the central responsibility of Labor and the unions for the dismantling of manufacturing in western Sydney and the resultant growth in youth joblessness and precarious employment.

In Hunter, Max Boddy outlined the disastrous consequences of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) introduced by the previous Labor government. He rejected the claims of Labor and the unions that the crisis confronting carers and individuals with disabilities was the product of the Coalition governments mismanagement of the scheme, explaining that it was a pro-business scheme devised by Labor from the outset.

In Oxley, Michael Smith, a young SEP member, explained that the electorate and surrounding areas had real unemployment rates approaching 20 percent. He detailed the presence of a toxic dump in the area, linking it to the broader degradation of the environment by the major corporations and the governments that represent them.

In Calwell, Peter Byrne documented the social devastation wrought by the union-enforced shutdown of the car industry, including the emergence of mass unemployment and poverty. He documented a series of toxic fires in the area, and explained that the social conditions in Broadmeadows demonstrated the need for a break with Labor and the unions.

Mike Head being interviewed on 4ZZZ radio

SEP candidates Mike Head, Richard Phillips and Boddy were interviewed on three radio programs. They outlined the SEPs revolutionary program and answered questions on the partys defence of Assange, its position on climate change and the environment and a host of other issues. Heads interview on 4ZZZ is available here, beginning at 15:20 into the program, Phillips on 2BOB Radio here and Boddys on ABC Drive here.

Their authoritative comments, which received an important response, demonstrated that the general media blackout of the SEPs campaign expressed the fear of the corporate elite that given a fair hearing, a socialist alternative can win mass support.

Underscoring the anti-democratic character of the election, there were no candidate debates in most of the electorates contested by the SEP.

Max Boddy speaking at the Hunter candidates debate

In one exception, Boddy debated other candidates contesting Hunter, including the sitting member, Joel Fitzgibbon, a prominent Labor MP. Boddy denounced Labors refusal to defend Assange, exposed the bogus character of Labors populist promises and warned that a Greens-backed Labor government would intensify the assault on refugees and on the social rights of the working class.

On polling day, dozens of SEP supporters and contacts assisted party members in distributing the SEPs how-to-vote cards, and election manifesto.

The election outcome, and the deepening global crisis, underscore the urgent necessity for those workers, students and young people who supported the SEP, to take the next step, by studying its program, applying to join and taking up the fight to build it as the socialist leadership of the working class.

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The Australian Labor Partys election debacle and the fight against the far-right

[20 May 2019]After more than 18 days on strike, nurses, medical technicians and other healthcare workers at Mercy Health St Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio confront a management that has dug in its heels while workers have been effectively abandoned by the United Auto Workers.

Three negotiating sessions this week produced no resolution to the strike by nearly 2,000 hospital workers. The main outstanding issues revolve around understaffing and forced overtime, wages and employer demands for increased out-of-pocket payments for healthcare.

While the necessity for action is urgent, the strike has been isolated by the UAW. None of the other facilities in the giant healthcare chain have been struck or even picketed, and strikebreakers are being allowed to pass unhindered into St Vincent. This despite an outpouring of support for the embattled healthcare workers by autoworkers and other workers all over Toledo.

Workers from the massive Fiat Chrysler Jeep complex have visited the picket line and an impromptu rally last week drew hundreds. However, the UAW has not sought to mobilize this support in any meaningful way. This week the union, which is sitting on a $760 million plus strike fund, began doling out miserly $250 weekly strike paychecks.

Mercy Health is part of a global operation with access to vast resources. The hospital chain completed a merger with Bon Secours in September, creating the fifth largest Catholic health system in the US. It set a goal of reaching $8 billion in revenue and $293 million in operating income within its first year. The health system has a reported 45,700 full-time employees at 43 hospitals in seven states. Bon Secours Mercy Health is one of the top five employers in the state of Ohio, with 33,500 employees in the Ohio-Kentucky region.

According to a recent report, Bon Secours Mercy Health has signed a letter of intent to acquire the largest private healthcare provider in Ireland, Bon Secours Health System, with five acute-care hospitals in Cork, Galway, Limerick, Tralee and Dublin.

Negotiations in the Mercy Health strike resumed Monday under the auspices of a mediator but adjourned after three days with no resolution. According to press reports, management agreed to all terms previously agreed to by both sides during the previous 10 months of negotiation as well as some new solutions.

The new terms included minor changes regarding reductions in on-call hours and limiting out-of-pocket maximums for healthcare, and no further increases in insurance deductibles in 2019 and 2020. UAW officials said that the hospital refused to address the issue of increased staffing in a manner that would hold management accountable for failure to abide by terms. Previous promises by Mercy Health to address this issue have proven worthless.

Despite its objections, the UAW said that it would take the offer to the membership for a vote. However, Mercy insisted that the UAW formally recommend its proposal, which the UAW, fearing total destruction of its credibility, refused to do. Management then withdrew its offer.

It is not possible to win any serious concessions from management on the basis that the UAW is conducting the strike, limiting it to one work location and refusing to mobilize a broad fight. Any contract reached on this basis can only represent a betrayal and defeat.

Mercy Health St Vincent workers are addressing issues that confront healthcare workers across the US and internationally. The issue of staffing arises because it is generally cheaper for healthcare providers to overwork existing staff than to hire and train new people, despite the physical toll and increased exposure of patients to the risk of medical mistakes.

Mercy Health workers say that forced overtime and extended periods of being on call make it impossible to provide quality healthcare. Some report only getting a few hours of sleep before returning to work and facing demanding tasks requiring acute faculties.

Mandatory overtime is a widespread issue in healthcare. Eighteen states now have laws mandating some restrictions. There have been strikes or protests by nurses in at least six states over the past year over the issues of staffing and mandatory overtime. A bill that would permit nurses to refuse overtime has been introduced in the Ohio legislature, but is strongly opposed by the Ohio Hospital Association.

The strike at Mercy Health is part of a continuing strike movement in the US, that has seen walkouts by teachers this year as well as strikes by healthcare workers, including 25,000 University of California service and patient care technicians who carried out a system-wide one-day strike in April. Low pay and benefits as well as job overloading were major issues.

The strike by UAW-organized nurses in Toledo takes place in advance of the start of negotiations for 150,000 US autoworkers at Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler whose contracts expire in September. Autoworkers are determined to win back concessions surrendered by the UAW as a result of corrupt, concessions-laden contracts signed by the UAW.

Four of the top UAW officials who negotiated the 2015 contract with Fiat Chrysler have since pleaded guilty to receiving bribes from management aimed at securing favorable contract terms, including the expanded use of temporary part time workers (TPT) who receive few if any benefits and have no contract rights.

A young second-tier worker at the Fiat Chrysler Jeep complex said he and other autoworkers had been visiting the picket lines to show their solidarity with the striking Mercy Health workers. He said he had been a TPT worker for several years before becoming full time.

He called the treatment of hospital workers by Mercy Health insane.

They are putting profits over patients. I have a couple of friends who work at St Vincent. I see on Facebook that management is offering to pay nurses $120 an hour instead of just doing the right thing.

There is no shortage of money. Its the same with Fiat Chrysler; they are making lots of profits.

He said he agreed with the World Socialist Web Site that the struggle of the Mercy Health workers needed to be expanded. There are multiple hospitals in Toledo. Shutting down just one is not really hurting them, he said.

My girlfriend asked me why are the other hospitals not on strike? She is right. It would be like us here at Jeep just shutting down one wing of the plant.

He said that he and other workers at Jeep, especially TPTs were very critical of the UAW. The union hasnt helped us at all. He said that if a TPT worker approached a union representative, they would just blow them off. It is sickening.

Many nurses, he observed, were not aware of the UAW corruption scandal involving the bribery of top union officials by Fiat Chrysler to rig contracts. It affected us directly and personally. What happens with autoworkers affects everyone.

The conduct of the fight by Mercy Health workers is following a well established pattern where the unions sanction limited strikes only to leave workers isolated, eventually wearing down their resistance and imposing concessions.

The WSWS urges Mercy Health workers to study the experiences of the recent teachers strikes in Los Angeles and Oakland, California and other cities. The struggle cannot be left in the hands of the corrupt UAW. A rank-and-file strike committee must be organized to take measures to appeal to broader sections of workers, autoworkers, teachers and healthcare workers across the city to expand the struggle and organize mass picketing.

Workers interested in learning more should contact the World Socialist Web Site.On Monday, in the run-up to Sundays European elections, Greeces Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was hailed in the Financial Times, the business daily newspaper headquartered in London.

The interview with the Syriza leader, the former darling of pseudo-left groups the world over, formed the centrepiece of a glossy supplement entitled, Investing in Greece. Its front page showed Tsipras in a statesmanlike pose, alongside a tag-line reading, From firebrand to economic reformer.

The supplement was a showcase aimed at global investors for the potential super-profits to be made in Greece following the decade-long assault on the living standards of the working class. Topics covered included investment opportunities in high-end luxury tourism, tech start-ups, as well as the energy sector.

To be favourably featured in a leading mouthpiece of the global financial aristocracy is testament to the high regard in which Tsipras is held in ruling circles. The previous anti-austerity posturing he spouted prior to his election in January 2015, on a huge anti-austerity mandate, is now well and truly forgiven.

As the article approvingly stated, Nowadays Greeces allies and partners, from Brussels to Washington, are more likely to applaud Tsipras as a politician who douses fires instead of stoking them.

As well as enforcing further crushing austerity against an already impoverished population, Tsipras and Syriza have rendered the ruling elites the critical service of reinforcing Greeces role as a reliable client state of the Western imperialist powers. US-Greek ties have become warmer than at any time since the collapse of Greeces 1967-74 military dictatorship, the article declares. In the eyes of the US and EU ... Tsiprass crowning achievement is the settlement of the name dispute between Greece and North Macedonia.

Notwithstanding the opposition to the settlement by nationalist forces on both sides of the border, the aim of the agreement was to open the way for Macedonia to join the European Union and NATO, bolstering the US-led military build-up against Russia. Speaking of the agreement, Tsipras exclaimed, Just imagine, North Macedonia is a small country with 2.5 million people. If we have a normal relationship, this country could be a strategic partner for Greece, a field for investment, for opening up markets.

With parliamentary elections due to take place on October 20 at the latest, Tsipras boasted of Syrizas economic record, which according to the article, should reassure Greeces creditorsthe EU and the IMF [International Monetary Fund]that fiscal discipline is not slipping ahead of the election: a government liquidity buffer of 45bn, a 400m outperformance on revenue targets for the first four months of this year, and a decline in unemployment to 18 percent.

Any decline in unemployment is fuelled by the sharp fall in living standards. The FT admits as much in another article in the supplement, which explains that as labour costs dropped, a few multinationals set up development centres and customer support units in Greece.

The burden of maintaining a liquidity buffer and outperforming revenue targets is borne by the Greek working class, whose average household income has dropped by 30 percent since 2010.

Greece has become a haven for global corporations seeking to exploit a cheap labour force. During the interview, Tsipras defended his governments record on investment, noting that 2018 brought the highest level of foreign direct investment3.6bnin more than a decade. More is on the way, he says, following the successful completion on his watch of several privatisation projects launched by previous administrations.

Foreign direct investment is merely a euphemism of the selling off of Greeces public assetsas demanded by the EU and the IMFat the centre of which is the imposition of sweatshop conditions such as those that prevail in the port of Piraeus, where Chinese state shipping operator Cosco has been the majority shareholder since 2016.

Having junked its previous pledges to end the selloff of public assets, Syriza has gone further in its privatisation drive than previous conservative and social democratic governments in Greece. According to figures in the latest budget report, a record 2.1 billion worth of state assets were sold off last year, including 1.1 billion to extend the current concession granted to private shareholders operating Athens Airport for another 20 years.

This was not enough, with Tsipras telling the Financial Times that more must be done to make Greece friendly to investors: Of course I recognise that there are still problems, that we have to [make] more reformsand reforms are like a bicycle: if you dont [make] them you fall down.

The latest reform is legislation passed at the end of March at the behest of the EU and the IMF, which seeks to make it easier to foreclose on primary residences either to pay off mortgage or tax arrears. Under the new regime, only those who were in arrears of three or more months before the end of 2018 can apply until the end of 2019 to have their debts restructured. Credit rating agency Fitch praised the new measure for reducing the scope for strategic defaulters to apply for protection.

From the financial elites standpoint, there is virtually nothing to distinguish Tsipras and Syriza from the main opposition party, the conservative New Democracy. Commenting on the upcoming parliamentary election, Seamus Mac Gorain, an asset manager for J.P. Morgan, told the FT, Typically investors dont really like elections, but in this case you have a choice between this government, which has delivered on expectations, or the opposition, which is more business-friendly, so we are looking at potential upside rather than potential downside.

There we have it: the verdict on four years of the pseudo-left in government, straight out of the mouth of the financial aristocracy.

So detached has Tsipras become from the working class that he no longer even bothers to keep a prudent social distance between himself and the super-rich. One of the candidates standing on Syrizas ticket in the European elections this month is businessman Petros Kokkalis, son of billionaire Sokratis Kokkalis.

Tsipras is on the most intimate terms with the oligarchy. On May 5, a media storm ensued in Greece after Skai TV journalist Aris Portosalte posted on Twitter pictures of Tsipras cavorting aboard the yacht of Greek shipping tycoon Periklis Panagopoulos last summer. Panagopoulos wealth was reported to be at $755 million at the time of his death in February. Some of the disparaging comments posted by Twitter users included this is Alexis Tsipras Left of the many and fighting capital aboard a yacht.

It is the betrayal of the pseudo-left everywhere as they carry out their pro-capitalist agenda, that has allowed the far rightwho pose as an alternative to austerity and the establishmentto make gains in country after country. Whether its Syriza, the Left Bloc in Portugal, Podemos in Spain, Bernie Sanders in the US or Jeremy Corbyn in Britain, once in power all of them will follow the same trajectory as Tsipras.

Last year, after Tsipras had already enforced austerity for three and a half years, Corbyn embraced him. His office sought advice from Syriza on how to win power, inviting Syriza Minister of State Dimitris Tzanakopoulos to attend the Labour Party conference in September. Speaking to Athens News Agency at the time, Tzanakopoulos said that Labour are very interested in having a clear picture of what it meant for Syriza to be in power, what problems we faced, what were the challenges and obstacles we had to overcome, especially given the negative balance of political forces in Europe.Egypt has condemned a parcel bomb attack in Frances Lyon on Friday which injured 13 people and which is being investigated by counter-terrorist prosecutors.

The Egyptian foreign ministry stressed its full support of the French government and people in combating such savage acts, which target the innocent, it said in a Friday statement.

A parcel bomb exploded in Frances third biggest city on Friday evening; among those who received light injuries was an eight-year-old girl.

Police say that the suspect was about 30 and was driving a black motorbike. While France has been hit with multiple attacks since 2015, this is the first parcel bomb attack since 2007.

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Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau (front row, right) attends the World Trade Organization Informal Ministerial Gathering in Paris.

Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau attended the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Informal Ministerial Gathering in Paris, France.

Speaking at the WTO event, Mr Yau encouraged the organisations members to actively participate in discussions on e-commerce, domestic regulation in services and investment facilitation.

He said: "Another aspect which greatly concerns all of us is how to improve the functioning of our rules-based multilateral trading system.

Mr Yau added Hong Kong welcomes reform proposals by members to facilitate discussion for improving transparency and monitoring functions of WTO committees and addressing concerns about the dispute settlement system.

Hong Kong is committed to taking an active part in the discussions to explore options and identify priorities for reform at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference to be held next year, he said.

Commenting on the fisheries subsidies rules negotiations, Mr Yau said WTO members must redouble efforts to bridge the gaps and demonstrate flexibility to make compromises to conclude an agreement by the end of the year.

The commerce chief also attended an informal meeting on domestic regulation in services to discuss how to improve the regulatory environment for trade in services globally.

After the meeting, Hong Kong, together with 58 other WTO members, jointly issued a statement to commit to negotiating for an outcome by the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference.

Prior to the WTO gathering, Mr Yau attended the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting and spoke at a lunch on the benefits of trade in the digital era.

He said: "Digitalisation creates business opportunities and brings consumer benefits. We must equip ourselves in order to facilitate its development and capitalise on the growth opportunities.

At the WTO, Hong Kong has joined more than 70 like-minded members to initiate exploratory work on possible future negotiations to foster the development of e-commerce and provide greater certainty for our businesses and consumers online.

We will continue our active engagement in the process.Mr Wong (first left) visits the Building & Construction Authority Academy in Singapore to learn about its work in promoting green buildings.

Secretary for the Environment KS Wong (left) meets Singapores Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong.

Secretary for the Environment KS Wong today concluded his Singapore trip by meeting officials and touring institutions.

Mr Wong first toured the Singapore LNG Corporation, where he was briefed by its staff and Singapore Energy Market Authority officials on the development and services of the liquefied natural gas terminal in the city-state.

He then went to the Building & Construction Authority Academy to learn about its work in promoting green buildings.

The environment chief also visited Singapores Housing & Development Board to find out about its sustainable initiatives.

In the afternoon, Mr Wong held a bilateral meeting with Singapores Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong to discuss matters of mutual concern.WORLAND  May is Historic Preservation Month. This year, the Alliance for Historic Wyoming (AHW) partnered with 12 Historic Preservation Commissions throughout the state to celebrate local businesses across Wyoming who operate in historic buildings.

In addition, it is a month to recognize the multitude of historic buildings that have been rehabilitated, repurposed and working throughout the state.

The Washakie County Historic Preservation Commission nominated Larsens Bicycles located in Worland to be recognized for their historic preservation efforts. Bee Healthy, Larsens Bicycles neighbor is also joining in the celebration of Historic Preservation Month. Stop by the businesses on Wednesday, May 29 to visit with the owners about doing business in a historic building.

The Wyoming Business Council is a sponsor of the months celebration of historic preservation, as well. A total of 15 businesses, the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, a Historic Building Bender/Bar Crawl in Gillette, and the Cheyenne Preservation Summit will be promoted through posters and various media outlets. To find out more about Historic Preservation Month and the recognized businesses, events, and promotions highlighted in the month of May, check out the AHWs Facebook page and website https://www.historicwyoming.org/historic-preservation-month.Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung today said the Government holds meetings on important policies and issues from time to time.

Responding to reporters questions on whether a meeting at the Central Government Offices attended by policy secretaries and department heads was on the fugitive bill, Mr Cheung said people should not read too much into it.

He pointed out it was an internal meeting to brief participants on important issues.

The Chief Secretary also said the Government hopes the second reading of the Fugitive Offenders & Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019 could be resumed.

He added Secretary for Security John Lee has asked for the debate to be resumed on June 12.At Cannes, weather often provides a handy metaphor to assess the state of the market. Two years ago, downpours were an easy visual aid for the gloomy prognosis; this time, the occasional rains never lasted long, but ominous clouds loomed and an eerie chill swept through the air.

That felt about right. Netflix may not have a big presence at the festival after it made a business decision not to attend last year, but streaming platforms became the regular subject of late-night dinner table conversations, with the specter of Disney+, Apple TV+, and many others around the corner.

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The fact is everything is going to change so quickly that in a couple of years we will face a completely different situation in terms of distribution and marketing the films, said Alberto Barberi, the artistic director of the Venice International Film Festival, from his temporary Cannes office. Its very curious. But its also difficult to predict what its going to be. We know that everything is going to change, but how is another story.

European governments continues to provide a pipeline for the filmmakers that America abandoned long ago, but the budgets have started to dwindle. Its not like theres only Netflix and Marvel films, said Olivier Pere, who runs the film department at ARTE France. We still have auteurs working, but its more and more difficult because all these films are not raising a lot of money. ARTE supported the bulk of the French films at the festival, in addition to international filmmakers who sought financial support in France. But he said that governments were putting less money into those funds. Even great auteurs, if they want to make a film in France, they will have to make their films at a lower budget, he said.

At a post-screening rooftop gathering for Bacurau, Brazilian director Kleber Mendonca Filhos wild dystopian western follow-up to Aquarius, the enthusiasm from the premiere masked questions about how, exactly, this unclassifiable genre critique of Brazilian politics and American imperialism would ever make its way around the world. Producer Said Ben Said had been fielding offers from Netflix and others, but the price tag was deemed too high for such a risky endeavor. Fremaux, who dropped by the party to make the rounds, once again delivered an optimistic vision. You Americans are obsessed with platforms, he said. You keep saying that business is down this year. But Vincent Maraval says its up.

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The head of heavyweight Cannes sales company Wild Bunch, Maraval tends to command a lot of attention at Cannes. His company is one of the few with the ability to inject films into major Competition slots whether or not they come from established auteurs. This year, that meant the company was able to submit Ladj Lys dramatic police brutality drama Les Miserables for a Competition slot even though it was his directorial debut, and the high-profile premiere helped it secure a U.S. sale to Amazon for a reported $1.5 million. But he was more invested in selling to other territories.

Our goal is to build the visibility of our directors around the world, knowing that the U.S. market is far from a priority, he said in an interview from his Paris office before the festival. Last year in Cannes people said it was a weak Cannes. It was probably one of the best Cannes years ever. Its just that from the point of view of the Americans, there are not enough English-language films. But a festival like Cannes is done for the world. He was unperturbed by fears of a declining currency for cinema in light of other media. I think there is a curiosity from audiences to see new stuff, he said. Our job is to create the appetite for new films.

Filmmakers at the festival asserted their own priorities. I think cinema is a very, very powerful tool for deconstruction, said Mati Diop, the first black woman in Cannes Competition with her haunting Atlantics. The film, a dreamlike look at several women in Dakar abandoned by their partners when they flee to Europe by sea, presents an original window into the migrant crisis. Cinema may not always change the world, but I think its a very powerful tool. The tools can take you very far. It all depends on whether you use them to their full potential or not.

The French Riveria presented a dramatic backdrop as she stretched out on a couch and gazed at the bright scenery outside. The story I wrote was really made for a larger public, she said. I dont speak of the financial aspect, but the political ambition of it. This is the story I wanted to tell and it doesnt make any sense if it isnt shared with a real public  not only a festival one  because the subject is important enough for me to think that it should concern the world.

For Bacurau director Filho, filmmaking has become a daily struggle. With a new right-wing administration voted into Brazil in January, the ministry of culture was terminated. The government was gunning for Filho, demanding that he return financing for his 2012 feature debut Neighboring Sounds. He found much of the financing for his latest project abroad, but was already considering making movies elsewhere. The whole Brazilian film industry is threatened because of the cuts, he said, in an interview at the Palais two days after his premiere. What makes me sleep at night is that Im not the first artist to be bullied by men  and theyre all men, of course  who occupy temporary positions of power.

As Cannes drew to a close, Atlantics and Bacurau had yet to find U.S. buyers, but they certainly werent alone. Even beloved American entries like The Climb, a crowdpleasing buddy movie in the Un Certain Regard sidebar, had yet to secure its next steps. (It was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics before the end of the festival.)

Director Michael Covino, an experienced producer who found financing for his directorial debut out of meetings he took at Sundance two years ago, said he was unconcerned about his capacity to make movies on the back home. It seems like independent financing of American films is alive and well, he said, recalling his ability to secure funding through U.S. financier Topic Studios. When we were taking the meetings, we could see that there are people hungry to make movies right now. The buyers arent always there. So theres a misstep in the ladder and its realigning to the new system. Everyones just trying to figure out how to get the ladder lined up.

Distributors are already contending with a paradigm shift. The influx of deep-pocketed Netflix and Amazon, with their capacity to gobble up worldwide rights, meant that many of the highlights from the Cannes lineup came equipped with hefty price tags that most specialty distributors couldnt touch. Within a day of French director Celine Sciammas acclaimed Competition entry Portrait of a Lady on Fire, the asking price had careen from high-six figures to over $1 million. Most buyers dropped out of the bidding process early on. The movie would eventually sell U.S. theatrical rights to Neon, which split the cost with Hulu.

As the dealmaking continued, several American buyers gathered at a beach tent party late one night, commiserating over the obscene price tags beyond their reach. Its fucking irresponsible! said one buyer, raising his voice over blaring music from a nearby speaker. Its all Amazons fault, too. Another buyer spoke up. No way, he said. Its Fox Searchlight! They spent $14 million on the Terrence Malick movie. Insane.

Another buyer spoke up. You mean Disney, he said. Thats Disney.

There was a brief pause in the conversation, as the jarring bass of the speakers shook the tent, and the roar of the beach crowd blended to a hum. Finally, one of the buyers shrugged. Its all just so confusing, he said.

Launch Gallery: 20 Cinematographers You Should Know at Cannes 2019

Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.Harvey Weinstein was able to negotiate a global deal to reach settlements with women who accuse him of sexual misconduct, but imprisoned comedian Bill Cosby has seen this play out before and is explaining that, in his situation, the judicial system did not give a pass. It was reported this week that Weinstein and the []

Bill Cosby Harvey Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein was able to negotiate a global deal to reach settlements with women who accuse him of sexual misconduct, but imprisoned comedian Bill Cosby has seen this play out before and is explaining that, in his situation, the judicial system did not give a pass.

It was reported this week that Weinstein and the former board of The Weinstein Company reached a tentative deal for $44 million to settle multiple civil lawsuits against him, as well as with the New York State attorney general.

Weinstein is still facing a criminal trial, where he has been accused of sexual violence, but sources close to his legal team tell The Blast they believe this is a huge win because it will be harder for the prosecution to line up additional testimony from accusers who have settled.

Were told that, more than likely, the settlements will include some sort of confidentiality agreement which would bar any of the women from discussing their allegations, and would most likely prevent their cooperation with the prosecution.

Cosby previously made the same move when he settled with Andrea Clonstand for $3.38 million in 2006 as part of an out-of-court settlement. She later broke their agreement when she agreed to pursue criminal charges against Cosby.

Bill Cosby tells The Blast, I was given a promise, waived my 5th Amendment Rights and settled out of court with Andrea Constand for $3.8 million dollars, but the disgraced comedian adds, She was able to get a second bite of the apple, please tell me  is this Un-American or not?

Many people online have drawn similarities between Weinstein being given the ability to seemingly work the system, while Cosby sits behind bars. Memes have even been circulating claiming the treatment Cosby received is unfair compared to Weinsteins ability to continue to remain a free man.

Cosby has also noticed, and says, Good that Mr. Weinstein has an ethical judge, who rules based on the law, not personal agenda and/or political aspirations.

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For his own situation, however, he adds, My lynchers, Judge ONeill and Kevin Steele, have shown the true color of their uniforms, A White Sheet.

Cosby has been petitioning to be released from custody at SCI Phoenix in Pennsylvania, but to no avail. Like many other critics of his case, the comedian feels there is an effort to take down every Black successful man in these United States.

The news of Weinsteins settlements was first revealed as part of his ongoing bankruptcy case, and the full impact they will have on his criminal case has yet to be seen.

The post Bill Cosby Warns Harvey Weinstein About Accusers Getting Second Bite of the Apple After Global Settlements appeared first on The Blast.Bong Joon-hos first stop after winning the Palme dOr at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival was a press conference in which the moderator informed the press in attendance that Bongs victory was a historic first for a South Korean director. Bong said the prize was extra special in 2019 as this year marks the 100 year anniversary of cinema in Korea. The director said he was surprised and so very pleased to win the Palme, and he hoped that a historic victory would encourage moviegoers around the world to invest time in South Korean cinema as a whole.

In 2006 I went to see a retrospective on Kim Ki-young. I went to the French cinema library to see that and was surprised to see French spectators really liked his films and that made a big impression on me, Bong said. I got the Palme today in Cannes but Im not the only Korean director who could receive that award.

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Bong continued, Theres a lot of Korean talent that could win the Palme. I would like to do more retrospectives around the world featuring great Korean directors. Maybe today this will help me move forward in this direction. Its an opportunity for people to learn more about Korean cinema around the world.

Kim Ki-young was one of Bongs greatest influences while making Parasite, his seventh feature film and second Cannes contender after 2017s Okja. Bong told press he was most inspired by Alfred Hitchcock movies and Kims 1960 crime drama The Housemaid. This years Cannes jury, headed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, awarded Parasite the Palme dOr in a unanimous vote.

One member of the press asked Bong if his film makes fun of North Korea, referencing a scene in which a housekeeper mocks North Korean television personalities. Bong denied his movie takes jabs at North Korea, saying, You shouldnt construe that scene as a serious message that refers to North Korea. Quite the contrary, its just a joke.

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Another part of the film shows a bunker on the property of a rich South Korean family. Some have already said the bunker is Bongs way of referring to a possible North Korean nuclear attack, but Bong stressed again it was more of a joke and less of a pointed criticism.

There are a lot of comics in South Korea who make sketches on these topics and its something thats very common in South KoreaI think if North Koreans watch my film one day they will laugh to see this joke in the film.

Neon is handling U.S. distribution for Parasite later this fall.

Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.CANNES, France (Reuters) - Waving green scarves and chanting "solidarity for women", an Argentine film crew and several dozen campaigners turned the Cannes red carpet into a protest on Saturday as they showcased a documentary looking at the highly-charged issue of abortion.

Unveiled during the cinema festival on the French Riviera, "Que Sea Ley", which translates as "Let It Be Law", follows the battle to pass a bill legalizing abortion in Argentina, where terminations are currently only permitted in cases of rape, or if the mother's health is at risk.

The bill gained widespread support but was rejected by the South American country's Senate last year, and the issue has sparked mass protests by people on both sides of the debate.

Pro-choice supporters usually wear green handkerchiefs at demonstrations, while those who are against abortion carry blue ones.

After inviting several campaigners for legalized abortion to the premiere, the documentary's director Juan Solanas walked the red carpet alongside women waving scarves, with some even decked out in green gowns and make-up.

The film's Cannes screening coincides with a fresh round of debate in the United States, where Alabama's governor this week signed a bill to ban nearly all abortions, even in cases of rape and incest.

Solanas, the son of renowned Argentine filmmaker Fernando "Pino" Solanas, told Reuters ahead of Saturday's premiere that he was firmly on one side of the debate.

He admitted his biggest challenge was balancing points of view from both sides.

"It makes me ashamed that the law does not exist," he said.

(Reporting by Will Russell; Writing by Sarah White)At the top of Coder To Killer, poor Gavin Decker is stuck having one of those conversations with your Mom where it feels like youre just stuck in an endless loop of the same topics. He listens to her go on about her cat and about her son being far away, but Decker assures her that his gig with Blue Annex Technologies is just a temporary thing, and could mean good things for his future. Its a typical Mom call, and when Decker finally hangs up, all he can do is sigh about having that conversation. Unfortunately for him, that sigh is his last breath, as a hulking man in a hoodie appears behind him, chokes him to death, and then steals his BAT badge.

It takes a while for that murder to connect to the larger story here, but dont worry, that hulking man returns later to wreak havoc on a whole lot of people. For now though, the whole FBI team is enjoying a nice break from all the stopping terrorist attacks business. Theyre having a dinner party at Jane and Wellers place, and Wellers daughter Bethany is there too. Reade and Zapata are still flirting like crazy even though they deny it, and Rich is causing problems by ordering fancy food instead of pizza.

Then, they get a call. Its a Friday night, but they have to come in because inmate and terrorist Sho Akhtar wants to talk to them. They meet at the FBI headquarters, with Sho in handcuffs, and he details a story about trying to sell missiles to a terrorist group. Now, some guys in prison associated with that group have started talking about an attack on New York, and so Sho is bringing them this information. All he wants in exchange is witness protection with 12 bodyguards and an 8k TV. Terrorist or not, the man knows how he wants to live.

Of course, the FBI wont just give him protections without concrete evidence to work on, so they begin questioning him. Sho is wonky about the details though, remembering things or just dodging questions in general. So, the team decides its time to try cracking into the laptop that Sho was originally arrested with. The problem is, the whole office is undergoing a tech update courtesy of, you guessed it, Blue Annex Technologies. Hulking Man, with Deckers badge, walks by and gets noticed by Patterson, but only because hes carrying the wrong cable for the work hes doing. The head of the BAT update and seeming nemesis of Patterson, Leonard Perkins, assures her that he has his workers in order, and that Decker is just new.

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With the office short-staffed because of the update, Brianna is pulled in to work with the team. Its the big moment shes been waiting for, though its more than a little spoiled by Dominic calling her and trying to recruit her to carry out Madelines terrorist plot. He gives her time to think about it, which gives Brianna time to figure out a math problem that Patterson didnt think of that gets them into Shos laptop. Thatd be great news if it wasnt for the fact that Decker has strangled Perkins and shut the whole system down.

That means they only have Sho to work with, and Weller manages to trick him into telling a lie, which in turn means that Sho is playing some sort of game. Brianna takes the lie and uses it to find some files on Shos laptop, one of which corresponds with an FBI file number. That file is the arrest record for a terrorist named Pavel. Patterson recognizes him. She saw him in the hallways working for BAT. Our man from the cold open is Pavel, and hes a cold-blooded killer out for revenge.

You see, Pavels family was killed in a military attack, and now, because terrorists have feelings too, he wants to kill the Colonel who ordered the attack. Shos part in this is rather simple: he knows where that Colonel is, and hell tell Pavel in exchange for freedom. So, Pavel breaks him out of the FBI in a daring escape that involves setting Reade on fire  dont worry, Zapata is there to make the save, which is one way to reignite (too soon for that pun?) that romance  and that sends the FBI to guard Colonel Meeks.

Trying to get the Meeks family to safety dovetails with Wellers own thoughts about his family. All this time with Bethany has affirmed that he wants to be a more present father, and that his job, while important for national security, can easily become a whole life. He needs to make time for Jane and Bethany too. Its when hes musing on this that Pavel shows up at the house dressed as a cop, shuts out the lights, and goes on a rampage. He kills two agents, but Weller, Zapata, and Jane stop him before he kills Meeks husband and child.

Thats one more crisis averted, but Sho is still in the wind. As the episode comes to a close, some of the more fun story lines get some movement. It turns out Patterson is thinking about adopting a kid somewhere down the line, leading to many hilarious interactions with Rich where he insists theyll raise the child together, and one final sweet moment where he urges her to send an application. Reade cancels a non-date because, duh, hes still in love with Zapata and she just saved his ass from being literally roasted.

For all that fun stuff though, the episode ends with Brianna stealing something from Jane and Wellers safe on the instruction of Dominic, who threatens to kill her parents if she doesnt oblige. Poor Brianna. She just cant catch a break.

Related content:A Florida serial killer who murdered 10 women in 1984 and sexually assaulted countless others was executed this week, while two of his surviving victims watched from the front row.

On Thursday night, Bobby Joe Long, 65, was given a lethal injection and pronounced dead at 6:55 p.m. inside of a Florida State Prison after 34 years on death row, The Tampa Bay Times reports.

As he was slowly being killed, two of Longs surviving rape victims, Lisa McVey Noland and Linda Nuttall, watched on from the front row of the viewing room, according to WFLA.

Nolands position was strategic, as she told reporters in a press conference after the execution that she hoped Long would see her in his final moments.

I wanted to look him in the eye. I wanted to be the first person he saw. Unfortunately, he didnt open his eyes, she explained. It was comforting to know this was actually happening.

Bobby Joe Long | Florida Department of Law Enforcement/AP/REX/Shutterstock

RELATED: Haunting Serial Killers and What Ended Their Bloody Reigns

Over the course of eight months in 1984, Long terrorized the Tampa Bay area, killing and raping multiple women. Artiss Ann Wick was the first female killed in March 1984 and then nine others followed her shortly after, according to the Associated Press.

Noland was one of the luckier ones who managed to convince Long to let her go.

After he abducted her outside of a church 35 years ago, Noland said he raped her several times but ultimately freed her when she lied and told him she was the sole caregiver to a sick parent in an attempt to evoke sympathy, The Tampa Bay Times reports.

Speaking to AP about her rapist, Noland remembered all the details of her attack, from the gun pressed to her head, to the fact that she was menstruating and made sure to leave blood evidence on his cars back seat, to counting the steps to his apartment on the second floor, and leaving fingerprints all over his bathroom.

It was all those pieces of evidence that helped authorities capture Long after Noland was freed.

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Lisa Noland, one of the surviving victims | Brendan Farrington/AP/REX/Shutterstock

RELATED: Fla. Mom Was Allegedly Killed by Sons Co-Worker, Who Boasted He Was Not a Virgin Anymore

At that point, it had been too late for many others, including Michelle Denise Simms, a 22-year-old former beauty pageant contestant from California whom Long was eventually executed by the state for.

Simms body was discovered near an Interstate 4 overpass in 1984, bound with a rope, while her throat was cut, according to The Tampa Bay Times.

Once in custody, the serial killer was convicted of killing eight women but actually confessed to 10 murders, one of those being Simms, and to sexually assaulting many more, the outlet reports.

Long also received a death sentence for the murder of 18-year-old Virginia Lee Johnson but the Florida Supreme Court overturned it and acquitted Long on appeal.

Speaking to WFLA, Nuttall, who was raped by Long in her home when he responded to a furniture advertisement around Memorial Day Weekend, said, I just felt lucky that I survived his attack.

 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.

Noland and Nuttall werent the only people with close connections to the serial killer watching Longs execution on Thursday. Also in attendance were the family members of the multiple women he killed, including Chanel Williams and Vicky Elliott.

That was something I wouldnt miss, Chanels sister Algalana Douglas said, according to The Tampa Bay Times.

We thank God that this day has finally arrived, Lula Williams, Chanels mother, added. Now, after 35 years, we can say we had some peace of mind knowing that justice has been served.

The sentiments were similar for Noland and Nuttall after their rapist had been killed.

The peace that came over me is a remarkable feeling, said Noland, who has since gone on to become a deputy with the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office  the same department she helped lead to Longs arrest.

Nuttall added: I had, and I continue to have, a joyful life. Today, justice was served.At only 13 years old, Jayme Closs life was forever changed when her parents were brutally murdered and she was held captive for 88 days.

On Friday, her kidnapper, 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson, was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment.

Just moments before Baron County Circuit Court Judge James Babler revealed Pattersons fate, a statement was read on behalf of Jayme, detailing her harrowing, yet brave escape.

Judge, this is the statement of Jayme Closs, family attorney Chris Gramstrup said in the courtroom, according to USA Today and ABC News.

Last October, Jake Patterson took a lot of things that I loved away from me. It makes me the most sad that he took away my mom and dad. I loved my mom and dad very much and they loved me very much. They did all they could to make me happy and protect me. He took them away from me forever, Jayme said in the statement.

My parents and my home were the most important things in my life. He took them away from me in a way that will always leave me with a horrifying memory, she added.

Jayme Closs | Abducted - Find Jayme Closs/Facebook

I have to have an alarm in the house now just so I can sleep, she continued. I used to love to go out with my friends. I loved to go to school. I loved to do dance. He took all of those things away from me too.

While Patterson may have robbed Jayme of so many experiences, the young girl went on to explain all of the things he didnt take  and never will.

He cant take my freedom. He thought that he could own me but he was wrong. I was smarter. I watched his routine and took back my freedom. I will always have my freedom and he will not, Jayme said.

Jake Patterson can never take away my courage. He thought he could control me, but he couldnt, Jayme continued. I feel like what he did is what a coward would do. I was brave. He was not.

RELATED: Amazing Escape: Inside Jayme Closs Harrowing Run to Freedom After 88 Days in Captivity

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He can never take away my spirit. He thought that he could make me like him, but he was wrong, Jayme added. He cant ever change me, or take away who I am. He cant stop me from being happy and moving forward with my life. I will go on to do great things in my life, and he will not.

Jake Patterson will never have any power over me. I feel like I have some power over him, because I get to tell the judge what I think should happen to me. He stole my parents from me. He stole almost everything I love from me. For 88 days he tried to steal me, and he didnt care who he hurt or who he killed to do that, Jayme said.

He should stay locked up forever, Jayme continued.

Jayme Closs | Abducted - Find Jayme Closs/Facebook

Jayme was held captive in a cabin in Gordon, Wisconsin, for nearly three months after her parents, Denise, 46, and James, 56, were fatally shot in their Barron home, about 70 miles from Gordon, last October 15.

Patterson pleaded guilty in March to two intentional homicide charges as well as a kidnapping charge.

The criminal complaint against Patterson stated he targeted Jayme, whom he did not know, after he spotted her getting on a school bus. It stated he made two attempts to kidnap her prior to October 15, but backed off until his third attempt, when he shot Jaymes father at the front door, then confronted Jayme and her mother while they were hiding in a bathroom, where he shot the mother and bound the teen with tape before dragging her into the trunk of his vehicle.

At his Gordon cabin, Patterson sometimes ordered Jayme under the bed for as long as 12 hours at a time  depriving her of food, water or bathroom breaks. Around Christmastime, Patterson went away to visit his grandparents while the girl hid under the bed, afraid to move.

On January 10, the day Jayme escaped, Patterson had left her alone with a warning to stay under the bed. But after Patterson left, Jayme fled the cabin and encountered a woman out walking her dog, who then raced Jayme to a neighbors home where police were called to.

Patterson was arrested shortly after.

Jayme Closs | Abducted - Find Jayme Closs/Facebook

RELATED: Jayme Closs Case: Timeline of Murder, Abduction and Her Miraculous Escape

After her escape, Jayme received widespread plaudits for her bravery.

Just days before Pattersons hearing, Jayme was honored for her bravery by Wisconsin lawmakers.

Jayme received a hometown hero award on May 15 from the Wisconsin State Assembly during a ceremony in the state capitol in Madison. She did not speak, but Jennifer Smith, her aunt and guardian, thanked the lawmakers on her behalf and said, Jayme is enjoying her day here. More than you can imagine.

Rep. Romaine Quinn, who represents Jaymes hometown of Barron, addressed the teen during the ceremony: Jayme, your strength, your resolve and your bravery is beyond incredible. You are truly an inspiration and a bright light in a time of sadness.

Quinn added, You taught us an important lesson: No matter how grave your situation, no matter how dark your days become and no matter how impossible your circumstances may seem, there is always hope.At Least 10 Injured After Gunfire Erupts in New Jersey Bar

An early morning shooting outside a bar in Trenton, New Jersey, has left at least 10 people injured.

Authorities were first notified that gunfire had broken out at the Ramoneros Liquor and Bar around 12:25 a.m. on Saturday, The New York Times reports. Upon arrival, officers found several victims in and around the bar.

Five men and five women were transported to local hospitals, Trenton Police Spokesman Capt. Stephen Varn told the Associated Press, adding that one of the victims had been rushed into emergency surgery with a critical injury.

Trenton mayors office spokesperson Santiago Melli-Huber told the Times that nine people had been shot, while another person suffered minor injuries while fleeing.

Giving an eyewitness account of the incident, Norman Hutto, a Trenton resident who lives nearby the bar, told NBC10 that after hearing a couple of loud gunshots, he left his residence to see what was going on.

By the time I got down, it was just crazy everywhere, he shared.

According to the outlet, all of the victims are expected to recover.

RELATED: 1 Killed, 22 Injured in Shooting at All-Night Art Festival in New Jersey

In a series of statements shared on Facebook, Trenton City Councilman-at-Large Jerell Blakeley wrote that he was shocked, disappointed and horrified that gun violence would once again impact more than nine families in the city I love.

This kind of carnage shouldnt be normal, he wrote. Too often when the weather breaks, violence rears its ugly head in this city. This capital city needs help. Im sick and tired of this city not being able to enjoy a nice spring day without the prospect of absolute mayhem and carnage committed by a dissolute and wicked few. They must be stopped.

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.

In a separate post, which was shared hours later, he added that his thoughts and prayers go out to the people and families impacted by these heinous actions. Please keep our city in prayer.

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According to NBC10, police have yet to determine a cause of the shooting, but an investigation is ongoing.

A spokesperson for Trenton Police did not immediately return PEOPLEs request for comment.

Less than one year prior, another deadly shooting took place in Trenton.

During the Art All Night festival last June, 22 people were injured, and 1 killed, after shots broke out early Sunday morning, according to The New York Times.At Least 17 People in 8 States Sick Due to Flour Sold at Aldi

An E. coli outbreak has left 17 people sick in eight different states after contaminated flour was sold at Aldis supermarkets.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claim 5 lbs. bags of Bakers Corner All Purpose Flour have been contaminated with E. coli, and urged anyone who might have purchased it to throw it away immediately.

Consumers should not use any of the recalled flour and should throw recalled flour away, the CDC said of the outbreak.

If you stored flour purchased from ALDI in another container without the packaging and dont remember the brand or better by date, throw it away. Consumers should thoroughly wash the containers before using them again, the CDC added.

RELATED: Farm Connected to Romaine Lettuce E. coli Outbreak Is Now Recalling Cauliflower

The bags of flour were sold at Aldis located in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia.

The CDC reports that the illnesses started back in December 2018 to April 2019. Three people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working to determine whether other brands of flour have been contaminated as well.

RELATED: Trump Administration Shelved FDA Regulations That Could Have Prevented E. Coli Outbreak: Report

As for symptoms of E. coli, people usually get sick an average three to four days after swallowing the germ. Sixty-five percent of reported E. coli cases are females, and the age range for this particular contamination ranged from 7-to 86-year-olds, with an average age of 23 for infected peoples.

E. coli can be spread by eating raw dough, and of seven infected people interviewed, 57 percent of them reported eating raw dough or batter.The celebrity chef was charged on Thursday in the 2017 case.

Celebrity chef Mario Batali pleaded not guilty Friday to a charge that he forcibly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017. Batali, 58, wearing his signature red ponytail and a blazer, did not speak during the brief hearing but nodded as the judge ordered him to stay away from the woman and witnesses in the case.

The court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf to a charge of indecent assault and battery.

Batali was released on his own recognizance. He will not have to appear at the next hearing, scheduled for July 12.

It's the first criminal charge levied against Batali following sexual harassment and assault allegations that first surfaced in 2017.

The woman says Batali noticed her taking a photo of him at the restaurant and invited her to take a selfie with him. She says Batali then groped and kissed her repeatedly without her consent. The woman filed a civil lawsuit against Batali in August, seeking unspecified damages for "severe emotional distress." The lawsuit has not been resolved, reports CBS Boston.

Batali did not comment as he walked through a slew of reporters to leave the courthouse Friday. His lawyer said earlier this week that the charge is "without merit."

"He intends to fight the allegations vigorously and we expect the outcome to fully vindicate Mr. Batali," attorney Anthony Fuller said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

The woman's attorneys applauded the Suffolk District Attorney's Office for bringing the case. They said Batali "abused his celebrity status."

"Mr. Batali must be held accountable criminally and civilly for his despicable acts," lawyers Eric Baum and Matthew Fogelman said in an email to media.

Batali could face up to two and a half years in jail, if convicted. He would also have to register as a sex offender.

Batali's food empire included such high-end eateries as Babbo in Del Posto in New York City as well as restaurants in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Singapore. He became a household name through appearances Food Network such as "Iron Chef America."

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He stepped down from operations of his restaurants and was kicked off the ABC show The Chew in 2017 after four women accused him of inappropriate touching.

Batali said at the time about those allegations that "much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted."

He also came under fire for sending a newsletter to subscribers that included both an apology for "many mistakes" and a recipe for a "holiday-inspired breakfast."

Batali announced in March that his longtime partner, Joe Bastianich, and others had bought out his share in his restaurants.

Following a 60 Minutes report, the NYPD confirmed it was investigating allegations Batali drugged and sexually assaulted a woman in 2005.

Batali denied assaulting her. New York police closed their investigations in January without filing any charges.

(This story was originally published by CBS News on May 24 at 11:38 a.m. PT)

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Related Articles:Chief Executive Carrie Lam today told Germany's Acting Consul General in Hong Kong David Schmidt that she strongly objects to, and deeply regrets, the granting of asylum to two Hong Kong residents who jumped bail.

The two jumped bail to flee the city while awaiting trial on serious charges.

Mrs Lam requested the meeting with Mr Schmidt at the Chief Executive's Office this afternoon.

She stressed that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's rule of law, law enforcement agencies and judicial independence have long been held in high regard by local and international communities.

Independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication, is guaranteed under the Basic Law. Relevant provisions in the Basic Law also provide for the invitation of judges from other common law jurisdictions to sit on the Court of Final Appeal.

She pointed out that 14 eminent overseas judges from the UK, Australia and Canada currently sit on the Court of Final Appeal as non-permanent judges, which in itself is a testimony to the integrity of Hong Kong's rule of law and independent judiciary.

Mrs Lam said anyone accused of breaching the law in Hong Kong would face an open and fair trial.

She expressed deep regret and strong objection to the reported granting of asylum to the two bail jumpers by Germany, which had unjustifiably undermined Hong Kongs international reputation in the rule of law and judicial independence.

Mrs Lam also expressed doubts as to whether the German authorities' decision had been based on the facts.

She said the two men are facing serious charges including riot and assaulting police in relation to the Mong Kok riot in February 2016.

The riot involved the hurling of bricks and wooden pallets, burning cars, attacking police, surrounding police vehicles, wounding others and destroying public property.

The violent actions of the rioters had seriously jeopardised public order and safety, resulted in injuries to more than 80 police officers and unsettled many people in Hong Kong.

Given Germany's long-standing diplomatic presence in Hong Kong, such facts, which were on the public record and easily available, should have been duly taken into account by German authorities in determining the truth and voracity of any asylum claim, Mrs Lam added.

She said she was dismayed that apparently such a basic assessment of facts had not been made and asked Mr Schmidt to convey her deep regrets and strong objections to the relevant German authorities.Netflix acquired the worldwide rights to two films that played at this years Cannes Film Festival, Mati Diops Atlantics, which played in competition, and Jeremy Clapins animated film I Lost My Body, which won the top prize from the Cannes Critics Week sidebar of the festival, the streamer announced Saturday.

For Atlantics, Netflix acquired worldwide rights excluding China, Benelux, Switzerland, Russia and France, but it has subscription video on demand (SVoD) rights for 36 months following its theatrical release in France, Benelux and Switzerland. For I Lost My Body, Netflix acquired worldwide excluding China, Benelux, Turkey and France, but also has SVoD rights for 36 months following its theatrical in France, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap.

Diops Atlantics played in competition and, on Saturday, was awarded the Grand Prix prize from the jury led by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. Diop made her feature directorial debut on the film and became the first black woman to ever compete for the Palme dOr. The actress-turned-director was seen in Claire Denis 35 Shots of Rum and is the recipient of the 2016 Martin E. Segal  Emerging Artist Award from the Lincoln Center for one of her short films.

Also Read: Cannes Film Festival 2019 Awards: 'Parasite' Wins Palme d'Or

Atlantics, which was written by Diop and Olivier Demangel, is set along the Atlantic coast, as a soon-to-be-inaugurated futuristic tower looms over a suburb of Dakar. Ada, 17, is in love with Souleiman, a young construction worker, but she has been promised to another man. One night, Souleiman and his co-workers leave the country by sea in hopes of a better future. Several days later, a fire ruins Adas wedding and a mysterious fever starts to spread. Little does Ada know that Souleiman has returned.

The cast includes Mama Sane, Amadou Mbow, Ibrahima Traore, Nicole Sougou, Amina Kane, Mariama Gassama, Coumba Dieng, Ibrahima Mbaye and Diankou Sembene.

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Atlantics is a Senegalese Co-Production with Cinekap and Oumar SALL and a Belgian Co-Production with Frakas Productions, Jean-yves Roubin and Cassandre Warnauts. Executive producers are Les Films Du Bal, Judith Lou Levy and Eve Robin. Fionnuala Jamison of mk2 films represented the filmmakers in the deal for Atlantics.

Also Read: 'I Lost My Body,' 'Vivarium' Win Prizes in Cannes Critics' Week Section

I Lost My Body

Netflix

I Lost My Body was named the best film of the independent International Critics Week section at Cannes and was awarded the Nespresso Grand Prize in the section, which consists of seven features and 10 short films.

Clapins debut animated feature is about a severed hand that escapes from a dissection lab with one crucial goal: to get back to its body. As it scrambles through the pitfalls of Paris, it remembers its life with the young man it was once attached tountil they met Gabrielle. Hakim Faris, Victoire Du Bois and Patrick dAssumcao are the lead voice actors.

Clapin wrote the film with Guillaume Laurant (Amelie, A Very Long Engagement). Marc du Pontavice is the producer along with Xilam Animation. The deal was brokered by Charades on behalf of Xilam Animation. Carole Baraton of Charades represented the filmmakers in the deal for I Lost My Body.

Read original story Netflix Acquires Atlantics and I Lost My Body Following Cannes At TheWrapStan Lees former business partner Keya Morgan (a.k.a., Keyarash Mazhari) was arrested Saturday morning on charges of elder abuse, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.Morgan was arrested in Arizona by the Scottsdale and Phoenix Police Department in collaboration with LAPD Commercial Crimes Detectives. He is being charged with one count of false imprisonment, three counts of grand theft, and one count of elder abuse against Lee, who died of heart failure in November.Morgans attorney, Antonio Castillo III, said the charges were without merit and designed solely to drag his name in the mud.The patently false claims of elder abuse are total lies, and have been shown to be that previously, he said in a statement. They are only resurfacing now because Stan Lee himself is no longer alive and able to refute them as he had done before.Mr. Lee had a large estate worth over an estimated $50 million with no clear protection from opportunists who could insert themselves into his life and take control of it, the LAPD said in a written statement.Police said that no one had clear legal authority to act on Lees behalf, but that Morgan exerted his control and influence over Lee.Also Read: Spike Lee's Stance on Diversity Is the Same Since OscarsSoWhite: 'It's Always Going to Be Iffy'According to the LAPD, Morgan is charged with collecting but not turning over more than $262,000 that Lee made during a series of autograph signing sessions May 10-12, 2018. Police say false imprisonment charges came into play on June 8, when Morgan removed Lee from his Hollywood Hills residence to a secured Beverly Hills condo.The 95-year-old comic book legend was eventually removed from Morgans care on June 11, when Morgan was arrested and charged with generating false 911 calls.Police said that Morgan implemented a common method of operation of financial-abuse opportunists is gaining the trust of the elder in hopes for the what may be a big pay-off in the long-run, or what is phrased as the the long con.'Morgan will eventually be extradited to Los Angeles to face charges. His bail is set at $300,000.Read original story Stan Lees Ex-Business Partner Arrested, Charged With Elder Abuse At TheWrap

Stan Lees former business partner Keya Morgan (a.k.a., Keyarash Mazhari) was arrested Saturday morning on charges of elder abuse, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Morgan was arrested in Arizona by the Scottsdale and Phoenix Police Department in collaboration with LAPD Commercial Crimes Detectives. He is being charged with one count of false imprisonment, three counts of grand theft, and one count of elder abuse against Lee, who died of heart failure in November.

Morgans attorney, Antonio Castillo III, said the charges were without merit and designed solely to drag his name in the mud.

The patently false claims of elder abuse are total lies, and have been shown to be that previously, he said in a statement. They are only resurfacing now because Stan Lee himself is no longer alive and able to refute them as he had done before.

Mr. Lee had a large estate worth over an estimated $50 million with no clear protection from opportunists who could insert themselves into his life and take control of it, the LAPD said in a written statement.

Police said that no one had clear legal authority to act on Lees behalf, but that Morgan exerted his control and influence over Lee.

Also Read: Spike Lee's Stance on Diversity Is the Same Since #OscarsSoWhite: 'It's Always Going to Be Iffy'

According to the LAPD, Morgan is charged with collecting but not turning over more than $262,000 that Lee made during a series of autograph signing sessions May 10-12, 2018. Police say false imprisonment charges came into play on June 8, when Morgan removed Lee from his Hollywood Hills residence to a secured Beverly Hills condo.

The 95-year-old comic book legend was eventually removed from Morgans care on June 11, when Morgan was arrested and charged with generating false 911 calls.

Police said that Morgan implemented a common method of operation of financial-abuse opportunists is gaining the trust of the elder in hopes for the what may be a big pay-off in the long-run, or what is phrased as the the long con.'

Morgan will eventually be extradited to Los Angeles to face charges. His bail is set at $300,000.

Read original story Stan Lees Ex-Business Partner Arrested, Charged With Elder Abuse At TheWrapSylvester Stallone couldnt be prouder.

The 72-year-old actor shared a sweet message to his daughter Sophia, 22, after she graduated from the University of Southern California on Friday.

Our daughter SOPHIA graduates from USC !!!! An absolutely amazing day for us all. So proud!!!! Stallone wrote in the caption as he shared photos of himself with his daughter in her graduation cap and gown.

Sophia is the third oldest of Stallones five children: sons Seargeoh, 40, and Sage, who died in 2012, from his marriage to Sasha Czack and daughters, Sistine, 20, and Scarlet, 16, with Sophias mom  and Stallones wife  Jennifer Flavin.

Sophia and Sylvester Stallone | Sly Stallone/Instagram

Sophias family was also there to celebrate the achievement, including Scarlet, who shared a photo of Sophia on her Instagram Story during the graduation ceremony.

Sistine also wished Sophia the best on Instagram when she shared a photo of her, writing, A college graduate! So proud!

RELATED: Meet Sylvester Stallones Daughters: What to Know About Sophia, Sistine & Scarlet

After her graduation, Sophia began the festivities by singing along to Lizzo in the car.

Feeling myself lol thanks @lizzobeeating, she wrote in the video.

Sophia Stallone | Scarlet Stallone instagram story may 10, 2019

Sophia Stallone

Sophia Stallone | Sophia Stallone instagram story May 10, 2019

The Rocky actors three daughters shared the title of Miss Golden Globe in 2017  an achievement they were all freaking out about.

We were dancing, we were screaming, we got some music playing, the dogs were barking, it was amazing. It was so much fun, Sistine told PEOPLE in January 2017 of the news.

In 2012, Flavin, 50, told Paris Match Sophia was the one who most resembles her father.

Like him, she has read nearly all of Shakespeares books, Flavin said. They have a very special bond, they think alike and even have the same gestures. Sophia is the love of his life.

Story continues

RELATED VIDEO: Reese Witherspoons Daughter Ava Phillippe Introduced to Society at Debutante Ball in Paris

Stallone isnt the only dad who recently enjoyed seeing his child walk across a stage to accept her diploma.

His good friend Arnold Schwarzenegger celebrated his son Joseph Baenas graduation from Pepperdine University last month, writing a sweet message that he shared on Instagram.

Congratulations Joseph! Four years of hard work studying business at Pepperdine and today is your big day! Schwarzenegger wrote in the caption. You have earned all of the celebration and Im so proud of you. I love you!Photo credit: Getty Images

From Esquire

Lawyer friends of mine like to refer to the case of Korematsu v. U.S., the Supreme Court decision that allowed for the dislocation and detention of Japanese-American citizens, as a land mine in the law in that, technically, it never has been repealed, although the Court did repudiate it while throwing out the original Muslim travel ban in Trump v. Hawaii. For me, and for the people in my profession, the land mine in the law always has been 18 USC 793, the Espionage Act of 1917, the immortal gift of that half-nutty professor, Woodrow Wilson, and his truly awful attorney general, A. Mitchell Palmer.



Of course, it all came back this week when the president* had himself a nutty on consecutive days, threatened James Comey with execution for treason, and allowed his personal Palmer, the career Republican jackanapes William Barr, to indict Julian Assange on 17 counts of violating, you guessed it, the Espionage Act. It is true that Assange is a messianic nuisance who jacked around with the 2016 presidential election, as well as being the guy who brought a road company performance of The Man Who Came To Dinner to the Ecuadorian embassy that ran for several years.

The article you're reading is actually this week's newsletter from Charlie. Subscribers to Politics with Charles P. Pierce receive an email newsletter from him every Saturday morning. To receive this every week-and for unlimited access to Charlie-subscribe below.

Subscribe

But this isnt really about Assange who, in any case, may never see the inside of a U.S. courtroom. This is about Jane Mayer, and Charlie Savage, and Barton Gellman, and David Fahrenthold and every other dogged reporter who has made this president*s life miserable by continuously pointing out what an incompetent, authoritarian crook and bunco artist this president* is. Weaponizing the Espionage Act on behalf of a Justice Department already weaponized to attack the president*s political enemies is a signal and a warning. It is a monstrous abuse of power, but only because that power was there to be abused all these years and nobody was paying attention.

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El Caudillo del Mar-a-Lago is enabled not only by a supine Republican Party, and not only by his good friends among the Volga Bagmen, and not only by a Democratic Party that seems befuddled as to what to do about him. He also has been enabled in his great project of dismantling representative government by the fact that a succession of Congresses going back to the middle of the last century gradually ceded power to the Executive Branch and left it there, hoping that no future president would be crackpot enough to perceive the full potential of the gifts that Congress was dropping at his door. The current president* may be as dim as the light from Saturn, but he has a predators instinct for finding weapons to use against the people he chooses to make his enemies, and he has no compunction about using them to their fullest.

And so, here we are. The Espionage Act should have been repealed decades ago. In 1971, John Mitchell, the only competition Barr and Palmer have for worst attorney-general in history, tried to use it to enjoin newspapers from publishing the Pentagon Papers. In deciding against Mitchell, the Supreme Court ducked the opportunity to declare the Espionage Act unconstitutional. So it continued to sit there in the statute book like a viper under a rock. It was used against authentic spies like Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen, and as a cudgel over the heads of innocent victims like Wen Ho Lee.

The Obama Administration, to its everlasting embarrassment, shined it up and used it against whistleblowers. Conspicuously, however, the Obama administration didnt target the reporters to whom the whistleblowers blew the whistle, deciding quite sensibly that they didnt want to stand the constitutional shitstorm that would blow in if they tried. (And, perhaps, also because they truly had First Amendment qualms about doing so.) Naturally, then, when this administration* came upon the act, they tightened the screws, polished the barrel, and sent it back into the kind of vicious political warfare that had birthed it in the first place.

Photo credit: Getty Images

The Espionage Act-and the Sedition Act that was its primary enforcement mechanism and was signed into law by Wilson, that idiot, the following year-was born of fear and anger. It was directed almost entirely against people who were opposed to the countrys entry and participation in the slaughter of World War I-pacifists, Quakers, genuine radicals, actual (or alleged) Communists. Eugene Debs went to jail under the Act partly for giving a speech in which hewait for it criticized the Espionage Act. I may not be able to say all I think; but I am not going to say anything that I do not think, Debs told a crowd in Canton, Ohio, I would rather a thousand times be a free soul in jail than to be a sycophant and coward in the streets. In other words, Debs was convicted for purely political speech. A unanimous Supreme Court upheld Debss conviction and, per force, the laws under which he was convicted.

But the most ringing opposition to the Espionage Act at the time of its passage came from Robert LaFollette, the great Progressive senator from Wisconsin. At the time, LaFollette had been one of the loudest-and the most effective-voices in Congress against U.S. entry into the war. It was he who led the filibuster against the Armed Ships Bill and it was he most directly whom Wilson was talking about when he raged against a small group of willful men. In October of 1918, after the Espionage Act was passed, and while mindless public opinion had turned so much in favor of the war that petitions were flooding in to have him expelled from the Senate, LaFollette rose to defend himself. He spoke for three hours . His speech is worth quoting at length because it is a formidable antidote to the paralysis that sets in on the American spirit whenever enough people get scared and angry enough that cheapjack leaders see an opportunity.

The mandate seems to have gone forth to the sovereign people of this country that they must be silent while those things are being done by their government which most vitally concern their well-being, their happiness, and their lives. Today and for weeks past honest and law-abiding citizens of this country are being terrorized and outraged in their rights by those sworn to uphold the laws and protect the rights of the people.

I have in my possession numerous affidavits establishing the fact that people are being unlawfully arrested, thrown into jail, held incommunicado for days, only to be eventually discharged without even having been taken into court, because they have committed no crime. Private residences are being invaded, loyal citizens of undoubted integrity and probity arrested, cross-examined, and the most sacred constitutional rights guaranteed to every American citizen are being violated. It appears to be the purpose of those conducting this campaign to throw the country into a state of terror, to coerce public opinion, to stifle criticism, and suppress discussion of the great issues involved in this war.



More than all, the citizen and his representative in Congress in time of war must maintain his right of free speech. More than in times of peace it is necessary that the channels for free public discussion of governmental policies shall be open and unclogged.

It is the citizen's duty to obey the law until it is repealed or declared unconstitutional. But he has the inalienable right to fight what he deems an obnoxious law or a wrong policy in the courts and at the ballot box. It is the suppressed emotion of the masses that breeds revolution.

This, remember, was a speech given during what was then the greatest war in the history of mankind, and a war that was reinforced at home by pernicious and anti-democratic politicians passing pernicious and anti-democratic war. Today, by and large, and despite the best efforts of some of the president*s crew, we are at peace. But we are treated as though we are engaged wholly in war - the endless war in west Asia, certainly, but we are also being driven into a war against our own democratic heritage and our own rights, as well as a war against phantom enemies and spectral adversaries that exist only in the mind of a president* who clearly is coming unglued. The Espionage Act was born in a political context similar to this one, and it deserves to die an unmourned death for the same reason we gently take a firearm away from a toddler. The president* cant be trusted with a weapon like that, and we cant be trusted with a country that gives it to him.

When the war ended, Palmer, who really deserves to be dug up and put on trial in a modern Cadaver Synod, easily turned the Espionage Act against anybody he saw as a threat to his conception of the public order.



Respond to this post on the Esquire Politics Facebook page here.

('You Might Also Like',)Good Morning America

"I think this is the time," said an anti-abortion rights activist from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, who declined to share her name this fall while outside the states only remaining abortion clinic in Jackson. Mississippi, which has asked the Supreme Court to end constitutional protection for abortion, appears likely to at least win affirmation of its 15-week ban on the procedure -- more than two months earlier than the current standard allows. A record number of states have enacted more than 100 stringent new restrictions on abortion access in the last year alone, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights research organization.From Harper's BAZAAR

Call Olivia Wilde a director, but don't call her a female director.

"Even though it feels like a progressive line of thinking, it's actually putting us in another corner," admits Wilde, whose directorial debut, Booksmart, hits theaters on May 24. Rather than focus on the concept of female films, she says, we would all be better off simply telling good stories-"stories that are representative and authentic."

The story of Molly, played by Beanie Feldstein, and her best friend Amy, played by Kaitlyn Dever, is a rare coming-of-age romp that rejects the notion that romantic conquests are central to high school stories. Instead, Booksmart highlights the importance of female friendship and what that friendship can withstand-as the audience joins the girls on raucous ride through the eve of their high school graduation. The two academic try-hards are determined to cram four years of fun into one night. Thanks to Wilde, they're able to do so free of stereotypes.

"In another film, they'd be going after the same guy. In this movie, first of all, only one of them is going after a guy, and it's the fifth thing of importance on her list," says Feldstein, who starred alongside Saoirse Ronan in Greta Gerwigs 2017 hit, Ladybird. "It's the story of one queer girl and one straight girl, and there's never any tension or awkwardness that comes into that dynamic." Molly and Amy's friendship may be the heartbeat of the film, but its energetic and hilarious ensemble-including Noah Galvin as openly-gay theater director George, and Billie Lourd's mysterious wild child Gigi-overhauls decades of teen film tropes with nuance and wacky charm.

On the eve of Booksmart's premiere, BAZAAR.com sits down with Wilde, Feldstein, Dever, Galvin, and Lourde for a discussion about patriarchy, porn, and the problem of likability.

Harper's BAZAAR: The script had been kicking around Hollywood for nearly a decade before you took it on. Why do you think it languished for so long and how did you adapt it for 2019?



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Olivia Wilde: Sometimes, society has to catch up with concepts. I think when Emily Halpern and Sarah Haskins wrote the original in 2009, it struck a nerve-enough that it was on The Black List. It got people's attention. And at that point, it was a very different incarnation of the story; it focused on two very brilliant young women who were best friends but, aside from that, everything else was pretty massively different. But there was something about it that made people say, Yes, we want a female friendship story! We want two women who are unapologetically brilliant and love each other. But for whatever reason-and I would argue maybe society as a whole wasn't super eager for a female friendship story about two smart girls in 2009-it never made it to production. Then cut to 2014: Susanna Fogel did a pass on it and she made a lot of changes that updated it to where the world was in 2014-obviously a massive shift from 2009. Yet at that point, it still didn't make it all the way to production, and I would again argue that's because something about the thirst in the world for this specific story wasn't yet at the place where it needed to be.

Harper's BAZAAR: Consumer thirst?

Olivia Wilde: No, because I think at that point, when it's still in the development stage, it's where the industry is and what the industry senses the audience wants at that moment. In 2014, it just hadn't clicked into gear, so it went back into the files. In 2016 I pitched on it, fresh off the election and furious as hell about the world, and about the inability for people to allow women to be smart and likable. We were hitting this conversation, which of course, we are still continuing to struggle with: Can women be more than one thing?

Then it happened, and I think it's because not only had the industry evolved to a place where the support for female-centric stories and female filmmakers was at a point where the film could be made, but I think society as a whole was like, "Yes, give us this movie." So it feels timely in that way. Every stage of development was necessary for it to get to this place. It was like layering the foundation.

Kaitlyn Dever: I first read the script in 2014. I think of it as its own organism, the way that it has lived so many lives. I remember sitting down with our producer, Jessica Elbaum, and she said, This movie deserves the best. I had waited for this movie to happen for such a long time. The story about the friendship was always there-it was always about Molly and Amy, that was always at the core of it-but I remember sitting down with Jessica and she was like, "This movie can be made, and it can be okay, but we don't want that for Booksmart, so you need to wait." And I waited, I really did.

Photo credit: Francois Duhamel / Annapurna Pictures

Olivia Wilde: It was the chemical reaction of everything coming together at one point, and that feels like real good fortune. But it was our writer-producer Katie Silverman's re-imagining of the script, and her complete openness to some of my truly weird ideas that she rolled with, that it became real. I think every other writer would have been like, "What is this lady doing? This isn't going to work."

Kaitlyn Dever: It also, to me, speaks to the power of collaboration. Before Booksmart, I thought all great movies were a one-person operation. What I love so much about Booksmart is that every woman who contributed to it up until Katie Silverman, helped [her] strike a nerve even deeper. The movie is all about layers, and it's all about how multi-dimensional we are. The script is infused with so many different female voices, and Katie Silverman was the one that shaped them and molded them and curated them with Olivia.

Noah Glavin: At the helm of it, Katie and Olivia's relationship was just sparkling and lovely and we all wanted to just match their love for each other. It imbued the movie with some magic.

Olivia Wilde: Katie and I are Amy and Molly 40 years later. [Laughs]

Noah Galvin: Okay, calm down!

Kaitlyn Dever: It's for young women who were never given the opportunity to be funny, smart, and intelligent at the same time. I can't really think of a lot of comedies for young females. Then once Olivia told me Beanie was going to be a part of it, I just knew it was going to be a dream come true because I was such a big fan of hers.

Olivia Wilde: The power of manifestation! I was like, "Beanie will play Molly, she will play Molly."

Beanie Feldstein: Meanwhile, I was in New York just bopping along, had no idea any of this was happening.

Billie Lourd: In my first meeting with Olivia, she said this movie isn't being made without Beanie. It's just not going to happen.

Olivia Wilde: How creepy that you were on my pitch deck and didn't even know it! [Laughs]



Harper's BAZAAR: It's refreshing to see a film that rejects the notion that romantic conquests are pivotal to coming-of-age high school stories. Instead it places the importance on female friendship. Why is it important for young women to see that?

Kaitlyn Dever: As incredible as romantic relationships are, I think specifically at that time in your life your best friend is the person getting you through your day. And whether or not you're in a relationship in high school, it's still that person who knows you so deeply, who you can give your entire self to. The media doesn't have enough stories of that deep friendship for young women to contextualize their own. We were so moved at a Q&A we did last week, where a sophomore in high school started crying, saying, I'm having a tough time with my best friend right now. I just want to call her and tell her how much I love her. You're helping me learn how to work through it." The more stories we have about something, the more you can, as I said, contextualize your own and give meaning to what you're going through and feel less alone in that.

Beanie Feldstein: Molly and Amy's friendship is the heartbeat of the film. The space between me and Kaitlyn is the leading character in the film. It's just so deeply special. I also love that the story is of one queer girl and one straight girl, that their sexuality and their desires are celebrated by the other person. It's like Go get her! I love you! I'm so happy for you! I'm so proud of you. There's never any tension or awkwardness that comes into that dynamic. In another film, they'd be going after the same guy. In this movie, only one of them is going after a guy, and it's like the fifth thing of importance on her list.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Annapurna Pictures

Olivia Wilde: But a footnote in their story. If I could have seen a movie growing up where two girls who are so self aware, not ashamed of being smart and just love each other so much that they don't ever feel the need to take off their glasses to impress someone, or straighten their hair to be a princess, never feel the need to change anything about themselves, it would have changed my life. I'm curious, because we've talked so much about female friendship, but I love how much men also love this movie. It really moves me as a director. Living with this film for so long, and thinking that it's so much about women, I'm so moved by the fact that men are really connecting to it.

Noah Galvin: Any representation of authentic friendship is appealing to everybody. It's rare that we get authentic relationships portrayed on film. And this film does it beautifully. It transcends gender. And it goes to show that if it's good, nobody really gives a shit what it's about.

Billie Lourd: It's so much fun to watch my boyfriend and my best friend, who is a guy, watch it together. They were laughing more than my girlfriends. Howling. Screw gender!

Olivia Wilde: The concept of female films, and the idea that we need more female films out there for women, even though it feels like a progressive line of thinking, it's actually putting us in another corner. It's just about telling stories that are representative and authentic. I think a lot about how people talk about female directors. We need more female directors to tell the female stories. And it's like, wait, we should all just be telling good stories.

Harper's BAZAAR: I don't think stories about women were ever considered "good," which was part of the problem. Perhaps that's what's changed?

Beanie Feldstein: Or considered funny. That's a big thing. Women never get to be funny like this.

Olivia Wilde: I think it used to be if you were a funny woman, or if there was a movie about funny women, it had to be highly sexualized. Think about Thelma and Louise. In order to get the men in there, they had to be hot as hell. We never were under any pressure to sexualize the film, that never came up; I mean I've heard of horror stories of studios telling directors, "Where's our sex scene?"

Billie Lourd: This movie is not without some sex in it though! [Laughs] I mean, we bring a lot of sex. There's a lot of uncut stuff in there!

Harper's BAZAAR: Speaking of sex, the hilarious porn scene in the back of the Lyft is one of the rare times we see women watching porn in a mainstream film. How did the scene come about?

Olivia Wilde: It was about making it as horrifying as possible while not judging the fact of what they are doing, and not needing to show the porn. That was something that was really important to me. There was a huge debate at one point pre-production of like, "We are going to have to show the porn; it's an R-rated film, if you suggest that there is porn, we have to see it, we are going to have to shoot it." And I said, "I am way more interested in watching them watch the porn. We can all fill in the porn for ourselves." It's actually funnier; the way they are analyzing it and then despite themselves, getting a little bit sucked into it in a way that's not placing any judgment on them or on the porn itself. It's an interesting thing that touches on the conversation of young people today and their access to porn through their phone. I mean, we can't assume that they're never looking at it, and we can't assume that looking at it is immediately a negative thing. So it was about how to create something that was at once mortifying without placing any sort of negative judgment on the activity itself.

Beanie Feldstein: Also to have a casual reference to sex-positive feminism thrown in, in what's arguably the funniest scene in the movie, is so dope. There's no other word for it.



Olivia Wilde: And that's what ends up getting her to watch it: "I thought you were a sex-positive feminist?" It's like, "Fine!" [Laughs] We've been talking a lot about how we didn't just put male jokes in women's mouths.



Photo credit: .

Noah Galvin: Which would maybe be the easiest way to go.

Olivia Wilde: We've seen plenty of those films where the gimmick is the fact women are talking like dudes. This is an example of the opposite. We are not talking like men. It is very specifically women talking about porn. And I really love watching it, they have two really different perspectives on it. That scene for me kind of encapsulates and represents what we are saying about sex-positivity, intelligence, [and] modern women.



Beanie Feldstein: And filming it was insane.

Noah Galvin: Were you actually watching porn?

Beanie Feldstein: We didn't watch it!

Olivia Wilde: That's how good they are! They're looking at a blank screen.

Beanie Feldstein: We shot it in the studio, so this poor grip had to make the car move. We're sitting in this moving car with Jason [Sudeikis] and I just couldn't look him in the eye. [Laughs]

Kaitlyn Dever: When Jason turns around and says, "Was that Cardi B?" Oh my God. [Laughs]

Noah Galvin: What was the actual audio called?



Olivia Wilde: "Extra Juicy." It was very loud.



Billie Lourd: We should send it over to Cardi like, "You need to sample something? Here's a porn track." [Laughs]

Harper's BAZAAR: I want to talk about "likability," which, with the 2020 election coming up, is unfortunately continuing to dominate the conversation around female candidates. At the start of Booksmart, most of Amy and Molly's classmates find their intellectual personas insufferable. Was likability-or lack of likability-a consideration with the characters at all?

Beanie Feldstein: For me, it was and it wasn't, in that I think I was really daunted by Molly for many reasons. Just her intensity and her energy that she approaches a school environment with. It's very different when she's alone with Amy and she can be loose and funny and silly. But specifically the scenes where it's more than just the two of them, I was daunted by the intensity in which she approaches things, and intimidated by her intellect and her stubbornness, which could be perceived as "not likable," or prickly. But what I love so much about Olivia's direction of the film, and Katie Silverman's writing, and getting to play off Kaitlyn, is when Molly and Amy are alone together you see how goofy she is, and how silly she is, and how open she is. And you realize that all that other stuff is like armor that she puts on to protect herself and protect her vulnerability. It's important to see a character like that, because I feel like the Paris Gellers or the Tracy Flicks of the world, they don't get the time to be gross and weird. I love Booksmart so much because you see how loving and loyal she is beneath all of that intensity.

Noah Galvin: Those women weren't given the opportunity to be likable. They're only allowed to be one thing, so likability doesn't come into play.

Olivia Wilde: It makes you wonder, all the women that we've judged over the years for being "too intense"-what are they like alone? Is it just that they have this guard up because they're scared? The likability thing is... Well it's interesting. It's like, "Well, she's not very fun." That was something that we acknowledged, was a sort of, not a danger, but a reality that we were aware of.

Harper's BAZAAR: Even in books, if you have a female character who's "not likable," people will say she's hard to relate to, or that readers aren't going to be able to connect with her. Booksmart seems to prove all of these theories wrong.

Billie Lourd: Gigi definitely seems like a psychopath. She's presented as this awful, rich, disaffected a-hole, for lack of a better word. And then by the end of the film, you realize there's reason she's like that. It's probably because her parents abandoned her and she had a hard childhood, and she needed to act like this in order to get any kind of attention. Underneath, she's a really kind, loyal-as-hell person. Like to a scary point.

Olivia Wilde: She's refreshing, I think, because she's not trying to be liked, and so there's this freedom and fearlessness to her that I think people are very attracted to.

Billie Lourd: Gigi is Gigi for Gigi. Gigi is not Gigi for anybody else. She's not there to impress them, she's not there to impress anybody else, to try to win a guy, to try to win a friend. She's there to just be Gigi.

Photo credit: Francois Duhamel

Harper's BAZAAR: On the other side of the coin, the film also gives good girls a chance to act out. It's not often where we see the straight-A female student given license to act out as a way to "find themselves." Whereas boys are, all the time.

Olivia Wilde: In my experience, the fear of going out and having fun, and having the chance to kind of be bad, was so connected to judgment. I wasn't afraid of something bad happening to me; I was aware that I would be judged, and I carried that. I look back and wish I hadn't carried it or cared at all. I got great grades, I went to a great school. But yeah, I liked to go out and would immediately be labeled as rebel party girl, a wild animal. I mean, I dealt with a lot of the Gigi reputation. But I felt like, "I just went to a party, guys, it's not a big deal."

Billie Lourd: It's like, "I'm sorry I went to a concert. Why does that make me a drug addict? I'm not sure how that correlates."

Olivia Wilde: I think maybe the message is, absolutely give yourself the freedom to go out and have fun, and just don't give a fuck. If people assume that means you are somehow less intelligent, it's just because they're threatened by your multidimensionality. You can be both things.

('You Might Also Like',)Photo credit: Backgrid - BACKGRID

From ELLE

Its the big five-year anniversary for Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. The couple celebrated their wedding-a lavish, multi-day affair in Italy-with a relatively low-key dinner in Los Angeles on Thursday night. Kardashian wore a simple black dress and heels while West wore black pants, a white shirt, and a tan Carhartt jacket.

They were tucked away in the corner and ate by candlelight," a source told E! News. They were mostly talking to one another quietly and smiling across the table. They were low-key and mellow. They showed each other pictures on their phones and shared stories.

They did receive some slightly special treatment by the staff of the restaurant, who congratulated them and sent over some special dishes for them to try.

While their celebratory dinner was on the more casual side for the high-profile couple, Kardashian had big plans for their anniversary for her beauty brand, KKW Beauty. On Friday, their actual anniversary, Kardashian launched a special collection of makeup to honor the special day. The Mrs. West collection was inspired by her own beauty look, done by her longtime makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, on her wedding day.

Everything about this collection is so special to me; the packaging, the beautiful versatile shades and the name, of course, she said in a statement. Not only can you create the most beautiful glam looks with these products, but I love the idea that the memories from the happiest day of my life are celebrated in this collection. Im so excited that all of you will now have a little piece of this special day.



('You Might Also Like',)Jennifer Garner returned to Denison University in Ohio over the weekend to impart some sage advice on her alma maters class of 2019. In a frank yet uplifting commencement address, the actress told graduates that happiness and purpose lie not in checking boxes off an adulting to-do list, but in striving to make the world a better place.

But first, she couldnt resist plugging the importance of sunscreensomething she learned from her mama.

"Nothing looks better in your 50s than sunscreen in your 20s," she said with a laugh.

After a few light-hearted moments, Garners speech took a more serious turn.

The truth is, life isnt going to be 100% perfect, she said. "If youre lucky, your life will be 65% happy, and thats fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

The mom of three advised against focusing on goals, as they can get in the way of living in the present.

"At some point, you will realize that there is no finish line to cross. There is no moment when you're just supposed to be happy, Garner said. While you wait for those moments, while you wait for the perfect job, the MCAT score, the engagement ring, your life is happening. Isn't it enough?"

WATCH: How Jennifer Garner is Keeping Her Mom's Memories Alive

Garner urged the graduates not to wait around for fulfillment in life, but instead, to go out and grab it. She said that they should always keep one thing in the forefront of their minds: optimism

Happiness is your own responsibility. So, attack it," she implored them. "Fight for what makes you optimistic about the world. Find it, insist on it, dig into it, go after it."Photo credit: Image Group LA - Getty Images

From Oprah Magazine

Sofia Vergara's 26 year-old son Manolo Gonzalez Rivera never fails to make headlines anytime he attends an event or red carpet with his mom.

Vergara had him when she was 19, and raised him as a single mother.

Here are six things to know about her son, who we suggest you follow on Instagram immediately.

If Sofia Vergara isn't hitting the red carpet with her husband Joe Manganiello by her side, you can definitely expect to spot her son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, next to her showing support.

In September of 2017, the 26 year-old stood in as his mothers date when Manganiello couldnt make it to the Emmy Awards, prompting the rest of us to wonder: Who is this gorgeous human? If he looks familiar, you likely remember his cameo from Vergaras 2014 Head & Shoulders commercial . And the actress is very outspoken on what it was like to raise her only son as a single mother, and how proud she is of him.

Every time people compliment me about my son, it is very rewarding, Vergara told People. When people compliment me on him, on how well mannered, how charming, funny and well-behaved he is, it makes all the sacrifices worthwhile.

Manolo actually walked his mother down the aisle during her wedding to Manganiello, and the two seem super close overall. We did some digging, and here are six things to know about Manolo Gonzalez Vergara.

Photo credit: Jeff Kravitz - Getty Images

His father is Sofias childhood sweetheart, Jose Luis Gonzalez.

When Sofia was 18, she married Jose Luis Gonzalez in Colombia. [He was] my high school sweetheart, the only one, she told Parade. We married and had a son, Manolo. Though the two divorced after two years, they remain amicable and he remains very present in Manolos life. Gonzalez stays with Vergara and her family whenever he visits the U.S., and he attended Manolos graduation from Emerson College in 2015.

Story continues

I was very young when I divorced his father, so I raised him trying to set the best example and give him the best I could, Vergara previously told People when asked about Manolo. Mission accomplished.

Manolo Gonzalez Vergara is a model.

With his stellar good looks, branching out into modeling only makes sense. Fun fact: He made his unofficial modeling debut as a kid alongside his mother in a magazine ad back in the 90. However, he did a shoot with Paper magazine in 2014, marking his more official debut in a shoot inspired by the films of director Pedro Almodovar.

Hes pursuing an acting career.

Must be in his DNA, right? Manolo actually starred alongside his mother in Hot Pursuit, where he had a part as a DJ. Hes had his fair share of standout roles as well. Hes currently in a film called The Big Feed, which we gather is about vampires from his social media posts, and held a long-running part in the TV series Guilty Party. In addition, he's worked in films including Vandal, Destined to Ride, and #ThisIsCollege. Manolo also has experience on the other side of the camera, and has directed two short films called Waking Up and Post-Mortem. His mother is so incredibly supportive, posting updates on his career and new projects of his to her own Instagram.

He has a killer sense of humor.

Yet another trait he likely inherited from Vergara. You ever scroll through a total strangers Instagram and think, "They seem cool, I bet theyd be fun to hang out with in person"? The thought pops into our heads whenever Manolo posts up another photo punctuated with a caption that perfectly blends his irreverent wit with a historical or pop culture reference-or both, if were lucky.

Hes a massive fan of Cher.

Talk about a man after our own hearts. Clearly, Manolo believes in life after love, judging by the outpouring of his praises for the one and only Cher. Hes been a fan since he was younger, and according to a post on his Instagram , his grandmother took him to his first Cher concert in 1999. Manolo has been to 10 Cher concerts since then, and in January, he was able to treat his grandmother to a show where they were actually able to meet Cher backstage.



He rescued a dog named Baguette.

In January of 2018, Manolo adopted a chihuahua he named Baguette, and his mother was smitten, even throwing a tea party with multiple cakes for Baguettes fifth birthday. My mother didnt like dogs. For the 20-something years I was alive, she never let me have a dog because she didnt like dogs and then suddenly I get this one. Now shes obsessed, Manolo said in the video below. My mother treats her as if shes her granddaughter, 100 percent.

Honestly? We kind of wish we were Baguette. Between the entirely-couture wardrobe and generally living the luxe life, shes got it going on.



For more ways to live your best life plus all things Oprah, sign up for our newsletter!



Police officers in Charleston, West Virginia, know that there are many ways to be a hero. And over the weekend that meant saving a little boys birthday party.

Mom Katijo Zornes told KTRK that she sent out 50 invitations to her son Camerons preschool friends for his 5th birthday party at a neighborhood park on Saturday. But when the day came, the only child who showed up was his cousin.

Discouraged, Zornes invited the community to stop by on Facebook.

The post caught the eye of Sgt. Steven Matt Webb, who talked to his shift commander and recruited additional officers to surprise Cameron. C-Shifts Shift Commander, Lt. Harrison, approved this mission without hesitation, the police department later wrote on Facebook.

So, with their blue lights flashing, four police cruisers drove up to the little boys party.

"He came running over towards us and we gave him his birthday presents and he lit up as much as our lights did," Webb told KTRK. Cameron even got to sit in a patrol car and play with the lights.

"Grateful is not a word, Zornes told KTRK. He went from crying because no one showed up to having a ball and I was crying because everyone showed up.

In the end, Kanawha County EMTs and the Marmet Fire Department, plus numerous parents and children from the community also took part in the celebration.

WATCH: Lonely Florida Boy Calls 911, Finds New Friend in Police Officer

Thats what I love about police work, Sgt. Webb said. It is not just about catching criminals and fighting bad guys, its also about service to our community.

Happy birthday, Cameron!Chief Executive Carrie Lam today thanked lawmakers for their support and understanding by backing the Governments move to resume the second reading of the fugitive bill.



The Legislative Councils House Committee yesterday passed a motion to put the Fugitive Offenders & Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019 to the council for a resumption of a second reading on June 12.



Speaking to the media after attending an event this morning, the Chief Executive said that if it were not for the extreme and unprecedented situation, the Government would not need to resort to such a move.

Mrs Lam also emphasised the importance she attaches to the relationship between the executive and the legislature, saying that through discussion with lawmakers, bills can be refined to be more in line with public interest.

On foreign countries expressing concern over the proposed amendments to the fugitive law, Mrs Lam said the Government and its overseas offices have been explaining the bill to dispel their doubts.(Rewrites with sources' comments on timing of U.S. approval)

By Allison Lampert

MONTREAL, May 23 (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) representatives told members of the United Nations' aviation agency they expect approval of Boeing Co's 737 MAX jets to fly in the United States as early as late June, three people with knowledge of the matter said, although there is no firm timetable for the move.

FAA and Boeing representatives briefed members of the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) governing council in Montreal on Thursday on efforts to return the plane to service.

The three people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private briefing.

The MAX was grounded worldwide in March following two crashes involving the model that killed a combined 346 people.

FAA officials who briefed the council said they expected the ungrounding would take place in the United States as early as late June, but it was not clear when other countries would clear the flights, said two of the sources.

Canada and Europe said on Wednesday they would bring back the grounded aircraft on their own terms.

The FAA declined to comment on Thursday, referring to acting administrator Dan Elwells statement on Wednesday that he does not have a timetable for making a decision.

"It's taking as long as it takes to be right," he said. "I'm not tied to a timetable."

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Its shares pared earlier losses to close down 0.6% at $350.55.

The ICAO gathering comes as the FAA is meeting with international air regulators in Texas to discuss what steps are needed to return the 737 MAX to service, while the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is hosting MAX airline operators from across the world in Montreal.

Montreal-based ICAO cannot impose binding rules on governments, but wields clout through its safety and security standards which are approved by its 193 member states. (Reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal Additional reporting by Tracy Rucinski in Chicago, David Shepardson in Fort Worth, Texas and Eric Johnson in Seattle Editing by Matthew Lewis and Bill Rigby)It was 232 years ago when the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia started in earnest and the first votes were taken at what is now called Independence Hall.

The delegates who gathered in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787 knew they were there for an important reason  the system of federal and state government under the Articles of Confederation was simply not working.

It was a financial disaster and barred the United States of America from having a global presence as a nation or trade partner.

But its doubtful that even the most farsighted of delegates, including James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, could have predicted how long the Constitution would last and how far-reaching it would become as a global blueprint for representative democratic government.

The first day began when a quorum of seven state delegations was reached. (The original start date for the convention was May 14, but travel and other problems delayed the Conventions start.)

There were actually delegates from nine states in the room, but Massachusetts and Georgia only had one delegate each and couldnt form official delegations.

In addition to establishing a quorum, three other measures were taken. First, George Washington was picked to preside over the Convention.

Then, William Jackson defeated William Temple Franklin, the grandson of Ben Franklin, in the first contested vote of the Convention, to be named as its secretary. (Ben Franklin was ill and not at the session on May 25.)

And finally, a three-man group was picked to draw up the rules for the Convention: Charles Pinckney, Alexander Hamilton and George Wythe.

According to James Madisons notes, among the other delegates in the room were James Wilson, Rufus King, Robert Morris, Gouverneur Morris, George Read, George Mason, and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. The debate over the rules would start on May 28, the first day that Ben Franklin arrived at the Convention.(Reuters) - John Walker Lindh, the American captured in Afghanistan in 2001 fighting for the Taliban, was freed early from federal prison on Thursday after serving 17 years amid concerns he might still harbor extremist views. U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he had asked government lawyers whether the release could be stopped but said nothing could be done. "What bothers me more than anything else is that heres a man who has not given up his proclamation of terror, and we have to let him out. Am I happy about it? Not even a little bit," Trump said. Lindh, who was 20 years old when captured, left the prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, on Thursday morning, the Federal Bureau of Prisons said. He had been sentenced to 20 years after pleading guilty in 2002 to charges of supplying services to the Taliban and carrying an explosive during the commission of a felony. Lindh is among dozens of prisoners to be released during the next few years after being captured in Iraq and Afghanistan and convicted of terrorism-related crimes following the attacks on the United States by al Qaeda on Sept. 11, 2001. Leaked U.S. government documents published by Foreign Policy magazine show the federal government as recently as 2016 described Lindh as holding "extremist views." U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Lindh's release "unexplainable and unconscionable." "There's something deeply troubling and wrong about it," he said on Fox News on Thursday morning. "What is the current interagency policy, strategy, and process for ensuring that terrorist/extremist offenders successfully reintegrate into society?" asked U.S. Senators Richard Shelby and Margaret Hassan in a letter to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The bureau said in a statement that it does not share details of specific inmates' release plans but that it does have policies for monitoring parolees with ties to terrorism. During his supervised release, Lindh will not be allowed to possess any internet-capable device without permission from his probation officer, and any such device must be monitored continuously, according to court documents. He is not allowed to hold a passport, communicate with known extremists or have any online communications in any language other than English unless approved. He also must undergo mental health counseling, court documents showed. Lindh's parents, Marilyn Walker and Frank Lindh, did not respond to requests for comment and Lindh's lawyer, Bill Cummings, declined to comment. U.S.-born Lindh converted from Catholicism to Islam as a teenager. At his sentencing in 2002, he said he traveled to Yemen to learn Arabic and then to Pakistan to study Islam. Lindh said he volunteered as a soldier with the Taliban, the radical Sunni Muslim group that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, to help fellow Muslims in their struggle or "jihad." He said he had no intention "to fight against America" and never understood jihad to mean anti-Americanism. Lindh told the court he condemned "terrorism on every level" and attacks by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden were "completely against Islam." But a January 2017 report by the U.S. government's National Counterterrorism Center, published by Foreign Policy, said that, as of May 2016, Lindh "continued to advocate for global jihad and to write and translate violent extremist texts." NBC News reported that Lindh wrote a letter to its Los Angeles station KNBC in 2015 expressing support for Islamic State, saying the Islamic militant group was fulfilling "a religious obligation to establish a caliphate through armed struggle." (Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Additional reporting by Jonathan Allen and Jeff Mason at the White House; editing by Bill Trott and Lisa Shumaker)Cannes (France) (AFP) - Britain's Emily Beecham has been catapulted into the movie big time by winning best actress at the Cannes film festival for playing an enigmatic scientist in "Little Joe".

Beecham, who has spent most of her career in supporting roles, was a surprise choice for the award for her performance as a botanist working on a flower that gives off a scent so ambrosial it makes people euphoric just to sniff it.

Indeed she admitted that she was so shocked that "I forgot to pack my toothbrush" when she received a call, after she'd left Cannes, telling her to come back and pick up the prize.

But while Beecham's rise has hardly been meteoric, the 35-year-old has been marked out as a talent to watch for a decade, winning best actress awards at both the Edinburgh and London Independent film festivals for one of her first films, "The Calling", in 2009.

Her big break came two years ago playing what Variety called "one of the more unpleasant characters in recent memory", a misanthropic young woman who witnesses a stabbing in Peter Mackie Burns' arthouse gem, "Daphne".

That helped consolidate the reputation the Manchester-born actress had won for a stream of British television roles including in the award-winning series "The Unforgiven", and the even more acclaimed "The Village", where she played opposite Maxine Peake and John Simm in the gritty historical rural drama.

- Martial arts queen -

Doors really began to open up for her in the United States, her mother's homeland, after she landed a small part in the Coen brothers 2016 sword and sandals send-up, "Hail, Caesar!"

By then she had landed the role of The Widow in the US martial arts action series, "Into the Badland".

Although her father is a pilot, she caught the acting bug at her school, the elite Hurtwood House in Surrey, which bills itself as "the most exciting school in England".

Story continues

It is also the alma mater of the "Mary Poppins" star Emily Blunt and Princess Sarah Zeid of Jordan.

Beecham told AFP that she jumped at the chance to work with the highly-rated "Little Joe" director Jessica Hausner.

"She's one of the only female directors I've worked with so far. She's extraordinary," Beecham said of the Austrian, who was vying for Cannes top prize, the Palme d'Or.

"But I'm noticing more scripts and things come through with female directors attached. It's brilliant."

- Smart women -

The actress, who played opposite fellow Briton and "Mary Poppins" star Ben Whishaw and New Zealander Kerry Fox in the movie, said she was "profoundly inspired" by the French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier and the naturalist Jane Goodall as she researched her role.

"One thing they both talked about -- Jane Goodall discussed it specifically -- is that her relationship with her family interfered with her research. She kind of had to put (her family) on the back burner and put the chimpanzees in the forefront."

Beecham said that she tried to work the pain of that into her character, a senior researcher in a biotech firm in the UK of the near future.

Hausner said she wanted to explore how "crazy" becomes a label used to keep women down.

"I was always fascinated by the films about crazy women. I felt that male perspective and I thought 'Yeah, but what's so crazy about them?'" she said.

"The 'craziness' of women is actually the very interesting point about them because I think it's also about being sensitive and intelligent."

Beecham told AFP after she won the prize that she was drawn to Hausner after seeing her previous film "Lourdes", set in the French town where some Catholics believe the Virgin Mary appeared.

"So I loved her work already. Ben Whishaw was attached and I read the script and it was unquestionably a great project to be involved in and I really wanted to do it," she said.By Doina Chiacu and Stella Qiu

WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Thursday U.S. complaints against Huawei Technologies Co Ltd might be resolved within the framework of a U.S.-China trade deal, while at the same time calling the Chinese telecommunications giant "very dangerous."

Washington last week effectively banned U.S. firms from doing business with Huawei, the world's largest telecoms network gear maker, citing national security concerns.

"You look at what they've done from a security standpoint, from a military standpoint, it's very dangerous," Trump said in remarks at the White House. "If we made a deal, I could imagine Huawei being possibly included in some form or some part of it."

Trump predicted a swift end to the trade war with China, although no high-level talks have been scheduled between the two countries since the last round of negotiations ended in Washington two weeks ago.

Shares of S&P technology and industrial companies, bellwethers of trade sentiment, fell more than 2% on Thursday as the market slumped in a sign the conflict was being seen as a battle not just over trade but also about who controls global technology.

Earlier on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused the chief executive of Huawei, Ren Zhengfei, of lying about his company's lack of ties to the Beijing government, which he said represented a security risk.

"The company is deeply tied not only to China but to the Chinese Communist Party. And that connectivity, the existence of those connections puts American information that crosses those networks at risk," he said.

Huawei has repeatedly denied it is controlled by the Chinese government, military or intelligence services.

Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is Ren's daughter, was arrested in Canada in December and faces extradition to the United States on charges she conspired to defraud global banks about Huawei's relationship with a company operating in Iran. She and the company deny the charges.

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Tech companies around the world have fallen in line with U.S. curbs on the company. Japanese conglomerate Panasonic Corp said it had stopped shipments of some Huawei components, a day after British chip designer ARM did the same, potentially crippling the Chinese company's ability to make new chips for smartphones.

Asked if he believed more firms would stop working with Huawei, Pompeo told CNBC in an interview Thursday: "We do. We've been working at the State Department to make sure that everyone understands the risks."

U.S. HELP FOR TECH FIRMS, FARMERS

U.S. lawmakers moved on Wednesday to provide about $700 million in grants to help U.S. telecoms providers with the cost of removing Huawei equipment from their networks, and to block the use of equipment or services from Huawei and Chinese telecoms firm ZTE in next-generation 5G networks.

On Thursday, China's Commerce Ministry hit back.

"If the United States wants to continue trade talks, they should show sincerity and correct their wrong actions. Negotiations can only continue on the basis of equality and mutual respect," spokesman Gao Feng told a weekly briefing.

"We will closely monitor relevant developments and prepare necessary responses," he said, without elaborating.

Trump hiked tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods on May 10 and threatened to slap tariffs of up to 25% on an additional list of Chinese imports worth about $300 billion, prompting China to respond with levies of its own.

Sources have said the trade talks stalled after China tried to delete commitments from a draft agreement that its laws would be changed to enact new policies on issues from intellectual property protection to forced technology transfers.

With no resolution in sight, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Thursday announced a $16 billion aid program to help U.S. farmers hurt by the conflict, with some funds to be used to open markets outside China to U.S. products. Farmers have been among those hardest hit by the trade war.

Retailers, including Best Buy Co Inc and Walmart Inc, are also warning that the tariffs will raise prices for consumers. The newest round will cost the typical American household $831 annually, according to research Thursday from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Of a list of 20 companies compiled by Goldman Sachs that derive a substantial portion of their sales from China, the average stock price decline since Trump's tweet on May 5 signalling that tariff increases were coming is nearly 15% compared with a 4.5% drop for the wider S&P 500 Index.

FLASHPOINTS

In Thursday's interview, Pompeo confirmed a New York Times report on Wednesday that China was using high-tech surveillance to set up an intrusive policing effort that could be used to subdue its minorities, including ethnic Muslim Uighurs.

The United States is considering Huawei-like sanctions on Chinese video surveillance firm Hikvision Digital Technology Co Ltd over the issue, a person briefed on the matter said.

Also feeding into tensions, the U.S. military said it sent two Navy ships through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, prompting Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang to lodge "stern representations."

Taiwan is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which also include China's increasingly muscular military posture in the South China Sea, where the United States also conducts freedom-of-navigation patrols.

Trump has embraced protectionism as part of an "America First" agenda aimed at rebalancing global trade.

He is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at a G20 summit in Japan June 28-29, around the time when the next levies could be ready, according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's calculations.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Susan Heavey in Washington, and Stella Qiu and Kevin Yao in Beijing; Writing by Andrea Shalal and Sonya Hepinstall; Editing by Susan Thomas and Tom Brown)China's ambassador to the United States said in a Tuesday interview with Fox News that Washington repeatedly "changed its mind overnight" and sunk deals that could have ended the two countries' trade war.

Ambassador Cui Tiankai also slammed as "politically motivated" the White House's move to ban the transfer or sale of US technology to Chinese telcom giant Huawei.

"We are very worried. Such actions will really undermine people's confidence in the normal function of the market," Tiankai told Fox.

Washington has long suspected deep links between Huawei and the Chinese military, and its moves against the company came amid the churning trade dispute.

After a six month ceasefire, the standoff erupted anew on May 10 when the United States increased punitive duties on $200 billion in Chinese imports after talks in Washington collapsed.

Beijing followed suit three days later, saying it would raise tariffs on $60 billion in US exports starting on June 1.

In the interview, Tiankai said the administration of President Donald Trump was to blame for the failure to reach an agreement.

"If you review the process of trade talks between us over the last year or so, it's quite clear it is the US side that more than once changed its mind overnight and broke the tentative deal already reached," Tiankai said.

"China remains ready to continue our talks with our American colleagues to reach a conclusion. Our door is still open," he added.

US officials this week however issued a 90-day reprieve on the ban on dealing with Huawei, saying breathing space is needed to a avoid huge disruption.SheKnows

Halle Berry is having the best holiday vacation, relaxing by the ocean with nothing but a comforter covering her up. It looks like the most idyllic place to wake up after the frenzy of December. The actress shared the sultry photo on her Instagram page that showed her lounging on an outdoor bed overlooking the []By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump, declaring a national emergency because of tensions with Iran, swept aside objections from Congress on Friday to complete the sale of over $8 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. The Trump administration informed congressional committees that it will go ahead with 22 military sales to the Saudis, United Arab Emirates and Jordan, infuriating lawmakers by circumventing a long-standing precedent for congressional review of major weapons sales. Members of Congress had been blocking sales of offensive military equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for months, angry about the huge civilian toll from their air campaign in Yemen, as well as human rights abuses such as the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey. Lawmakers and congressional aides warned earlier this week that Trump, frustrated with Congress holding up weapons deals including the sale of bombs to Saudi Arabia, was considering using a loophole in arms control law to go ahead by declaring a national emergency. "President Trump is only using this loophole because he knows Congress would disapprove ... There is no new 'emergency' reason to sell bombs to the Saudis to drop in Yemen, and doing so only perpetuates the humanitarian crisis there," said Senator Chris Murphy. Murphy, a Democrat, made public on Twitter on Wednesday that Trump was considering the loophole in the Arms Control Export Act to clear the sales. Several of Trump's fellow Republicans, as well as Democrats, said they would object to such a plan, fearing that blowing through the "holds" process would eliminate Congress' ability to check not just Trump but future presidents from selling weapons where they liked. Representative Mike McCaul, the top Republican on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, said the administrations action was "unfortunate" and likely to damage future White House interactions with Congress. "I would have strongly preferred for the administration to utilize the long-established and codified arms sale review process," McCaul said in a statement. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that U.S. partners in the Middle East needed the contracts to be completed to help deter Iran, and that the decision to circumvent Congress was meant to be a "one-time event." It is not the first time Congress and Trump have clashed over policy in the region, or the division of powers between the White House and Capitol Hill. The House and Senate voted to end U.S. military support for the campaign in Yemen earlier this year, but Trump vetoed the resolution. BOON TO DEFENSE INDUSTRYIn documents sent to Congress, Pompeo listed a wide range of products and services that would be provided to the countries. They include Raytheon precision-guided munitions (PGMs), support for Boeing Co F-15 aircraft, and Javelin anti-tank missiles, which are made by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin Corp. Other companies that will benefit include General Electric, now cleared to sell engines for use in F-16 fighter jets operated by the UAE and the U.S. unit of French firm Thales, which was cleared to sell a fuzing system for Paveway IV precision guided bombs to Britain and the UAE. It will also likely be welcome news for Britains BAE Systems Plc and Europes Airbus, clearing the way for installation of Paveway laser-guided bombs on European-built Eurofighter and Tornado fighter jets sold to Saudi Arabia, as well F-15 fighters built by Boeing. "I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump Administration has failed once again to prioritize our long-term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia," Senator Bob Menendez said in a statement. Menendez, ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, vowed to fight the action, and said he was in talks with both Democrats and some of Trump's fellow Republicans on ways to preserve congressional review of arms sales. The Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Republican Senator Jim Risch, said he had received formal notification of the administration's intent to move forward. In a statement, Risch said, "I am reviewing and analyzing the legal justification for this action and the associated implications." In his memorandum justifying the emergency declaration, Pompeo listed years of actions by Iran. "Iranian malign activity poses a fundamental threat to the stability of the Middle East and to American security at home and abroad," he wrote, and cited "a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings" from Tehran. Trump's administration also announced that it was sending 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East, which it described as an effort to bolster defenses against Iran against what it sees as a threat of potential attack. Members of Congress from both parties have worried that Trump is pushing toward war with Iran. Clarke Cooper, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, said the administration was responding to important needs from partners. "This is about deterrence and it's not about war," he told Reuters in a telephone interview. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, additional reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Mary Milliken, James Dalgleish and Grant McCool)Paris (AFP) - Populist and eurosceptic parties have emerged in many countries of the European Union, although not all go as far as wanting a Brexit-style departure.

European voters are going to the polls to choose a new parliament from May 23-26 and gains for eurosceptics and the far right would be a new blow for the bloc's established leaders as the Brexit crisis rumbles on.

Here is a selection of nations with significant eurosceptic, anti-establishment and anti-immigration parties:

- Britain -

In a referendum on June 23, 2016, Britons voted to quit the EU by 52 percent to 48 percent in an outcome that stunned the EU and the wider world.

The divorce process has been fraught and two extensions to the original March 29 deadline mean Britain paradoxically still took part in the European Parliament elections on Thursday, on the eve of Prime Minister Theresa May's resignation announcement.

Results will be announced on Sunday.

At the last elections in 2014, the UK Independence Party (UKIP) capitalised on the strong anti-EU mood to score a major victory by taking 24 of Britain's 73 MEP seats.

UKIP is now split, between those who have stayed and those who have joined the newly-formed Brexit Party of former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, which led opinion polls before the election.

- The Netherlands -

The Freedom Party (PVV) of Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders and the emerging Forum for Democracy party (FvD) -- both back leaving the EU -- fought Thursday's European elections for the 26 Dutch seats.

According to an exit poll, the FvD, not represented in the outgoing parliament, would win three seats and the PVV would slump to one seat from its current four.

The PVV became the second-biggest force in the national parliament in 2017 polls, securing 20 of 150 seats.

- France -

Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party, which has 14 out of 74 French MEPs, has toned down its anti-European message but maintains a tough anti-migrant stance.

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Eurosceptic right-wing parties The Patriots, which is pushing to leave the EU, and Debout la France (France Stand Up) have two seats each.

On the far-left, France Insoumise (France Unbowed) -- with three Euro-MPs -- is against certain EU treaties but not pulling out of the bloc.

- Germany -

The anti-migrant and anti-euro Alternative for Germany (AfD) won its first seats in the national parliament in 2017 with nearly 13 percent of votes.

It is Germany's single biggest opposition party but holds only one of the country's 96 MEP seats, losing six after a series of defections.

- Italy -

Italy's ruling coalition of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and anti-immigrant League party won the 2018 national election on an anti-migrant and anti-EU platform but stepped back from demands to exit the eurozone single currency bloc.

The populist government clashed with most of its EU partners when it closed its ports to refugees and has sparred with Brussels over budget numbers and targets.

Of Italy's 73 Euro-MPs, six belong to the League and 11 to the Five Star Movement.

Hardline Interior Minister and League head Matteo Salvini has called on nationalist parties across Europe to join forces and form a new alliance after the election.

- Hungary -

Prime Minister Viktor Orban regularly criticises the EU, particularly over immigration policy.

Having attacked in vain the EU top court quotas meant to share out refugees around the bloc, Orban's populist government faces the threat of European sanctions over the rights of minorities and refugees and academic and media freedoms.

His Fidesz party -- which has 11 out of 21 Hungarian Euro-MPs -- was in March suspended from the centre-right European People's Party, the EU's biggest political grouping.

- Austria -

The far-right Freedom Party fell into crisis days before the elections when a scandal led to the fall of the coalition government it had joined with mainstream conservatives.

Its leader Heinz-Christian Strache resigned as vice chancellor on May 18 after he was accused of promising public contracts in return for campaign help from a fake Russian backer before 2017 general elections. The party's remaining government ministers stepped down two days later.

While defending a hardline policy on migration, the party -- which has three of Austria's 18 European seats -- has abandoned its flirtation with a referendum on whether to leave the EU.

- Czech Republic -

Prime Minister Andrej Babis has locked horns with Brussels over migration.

The premier, who is the Czech Republic's second wealthiest man according to Forbes, faces charges over an EU subsidy scam. He has consistently rejected the accusations against him as a politically inspired plot.

Babis' populist and centrist ANO party holds only two of the republic's 21 European Parliament seats but emerged as the biggest winner in October 2017 national elections to form a minority government.

The anti-migrant Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party, looking to bag its first seat in the European parliament, favours a "Czexit" from the EU.

- Poland -

The eurosceptic ruling conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS) holds 14 of Poland's 51 European seats.

The country faces EU sanctions over what Brussels sees as consistent threats to the independence of its judicial system and civil society.

- Denmark -

The Danish People's Party, with three out of 13 Euro-MPs, is anti-migrant. It favours reform rather than leaving the EU and backs the minority centre-right government but does not participate in it.

- Estonia -

The anti-EU, far-right EKRE party has seen a surge in support, becoming the third-largest party in national elections in March.

Prime Minister Juri Ratas has drawn the party into a three-party coalition with five ministerial posts. It holds no seats in the current European Parliament.

- Finland -

Finland's far-right, anti-immigration Finns Party more than doubled its seats in April national elections, closely tailing the leftist Social Democrats who won only narrowly.

The eurosceptic party -- which has two of 13 Finland's European seats -- does not advocate leaving the EU altogether but wants reforms of the bloc.

- Portugal -

The Socialist government is in alliance with the Left Bloc, which wants Portugal to leave the eurozone, and the Communists, who envisage leaving the euro and possibly also the EU. The two eurosceptic parties have four of the country's 21 European seats.

- Romania -

The Social Democratic Party government has had several run-ins with Brussels and has been threatened with "swift" consequences by the European Commission over proposed judicial reforms seen as a threat to the independence of the courts.

The party's strongman, former prime minister Liviu Dragnea, will Monday find out the result of his appeal against a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for electoral fraud.

- Sweden -

The far-right Sweden Democrats (SD), with two of 20 Euro-MPs, went into last year's parliamentary elections with the promise of a referendum on a "Swexit", but have since softened their stance.

SD now wants the EU to work on a new treaty limiting areas of cooperation to those not infringing core elements of sovereignty, thus excluding defence, foreign policy and immigration. Failing that, it wants Sweden to reconsider membership.By Allison Lampert MONTREAL (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) representatives told members of the United Nations' aviation agency they expect an ungrounding of Boeing Co's 737 MAX jets in the United States as early as late June, three people familiar with Thursday's briefing said, though there is no firm timetable for the move. FAA and Boeing representatives were briefing members of the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) governing council in Montreal on Thursday. The briefing was made by two FAA officials, one of the sources said. (Reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal; Writing by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Matthew Lewis)The Government has been stepping up outreach efforts to ease concerns over the fugitive bill.

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung made the statement today, saying a lot of misconceptions about the bill stem from a lack of understanding and unnecessary fears.

Mr Cheung told reporters: We are not ignoring the views of the international community. If anything, in fact, the Secretary for Security and myself have been stepping up our outreaching efforts to articulate our case.

"We are also following the United Nations treaty model in what we are doing, and also following the good practices of other countries that are already doing this.

In the next few weeks, we would still keep an open mind that if there are any practical suggestions which are viable, which can fulfil our dual objectives of solving the murder case in Taiwan and also filling the gaps in our existing regime, we stand ready to consider them.

Mr Cheung added that moves to oppose the fugitive bill by the European Union and a US congressional committee were regrettable, unfounded and unwarranted.Boulogne-sur-Mer (France) (AFP) - A French boss of a second-hand boat firm was sentenced to prison Friday for selling dozens of vessels to desperate migrants who used them to cross the English Channel.

Emmanuel Desreux, 45, was given 18 months behind bars and another 18 months suspended sentence for selling what investigators said was 39 inflatable boats with motors to migrants to navigate across the busy waterway from France to Britain.

A taxi driver accomplice who organised the transport of the boats and some of the migrants to beaches, Jean-Claude Demeyer, 54, was also sentenced by the court in Boulogne-sur-mer to one year in prison, with another year suspended.

Police launched their investigation over the crossings when they arrested four Iranians and two taxi drivers in January on a beach near Calais in January.

Information from those arrested led them to Desreux and his firm, Fluvialys, located in the town of Deulemont on the border with Belgium.

He was charged with abetting illegal migration across the Channel between October 2018 and March 2019.

That period corresponded with a noticeable spike in Channel crossings by Afghan, Iranian, Iraqi and African migrants trying to reach England, which prompted stepped-up patrols by British and French police.

The migrants had turned to the clandestine sea route after being frustrated in attempts to clamber aboard trucks and other vehicles crossing from France to Britain via the Channel Tunnel or on ferries.

Authorities in the northern Pas-de-Calais region said nearly 500 migrants on more than 60 boats managed to reach England's shores between October and March. Some of the vessels were stolen fishing boats, while others were purchased by the migrants.

Police found 14,000 euros (equivalent to nearly $16,000) in cash in Desreux's car when he was arrested.

Neither of the convicted men expressed any remorse for the risks the migrants ran by crossing one of the busiest shipping corridors in the world, one beset by strong currents and often foul weather.

"Everything depends on the weather," Desreux said in court. "When it was bad weather, I told them (the migrants) to call back later."As Boeing takes steps to get its embattled 737 MAX aircraft up and flying again, investigations and lawsuits continue to pile up in the aftermath of Octobers Lion Air Flight 610 crash and Marchs Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accident, taking a total of 346 lives. The crisis has caused frustrated stakeholders and corporate governance experts to question both the makeup of the board, and how theyre responding placing a collection of people who are used to operating in inner sanctums under intense scrutiny and pressure.

The main question: Is the board at least partially to blame?

By virtue of the fact that this company has ended up where it is, there is something wrong with the board, says corporate governance expert Nell Minow, Vice Chair of ValueEdge Advisors. At the end of the day, the buck literally stops with them.

A board of directors exists to make sure a corporation is being managed properly. Before the Enron meltdown era and the financial crisis of 2008, corporate boards were known to be cushy, self-perpetuating bodies that functioned like a club rather than an overseer. Much has changed since then as shareholder rights advances have brought more independence, fewer perks, and more oversight.

Boeings board is hardly a paragon of corporate governance. According to performance analytics research firm MSCI, which ranks the quality of governance, Boeing scored 5.4 on a scale of 1-10. Based on that assessment, Boeings board falls in the bottom third of S&P 500 companies. Yet Boeing board members get plum pay. An Equilar study conducted last month on the Fortune 100, found median pay for Boeing directors was $346,000, which ranked as the 23rd highest. Median for all directors in the Fortune 100 was $318,675. (Boeing did not respond to a request for comment.)

Were looking at an average governance structure, says Ric Marshall, executive director at MSCI. Even with the best companies, performing really well with great profit margins and great growth, a weak board is going to struggle when that company runs into a crisis situation. And thats what were looking at here.

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Boeings Board currently stands at 13 directorson the larger side of S&P 500 companies, according to MSCI. The average is 10.75 directors, but approximately 80 companies in the S&P 500 have 13 or more. The larger the board, so the thinking goes, decision-making becomes more difficult and less nimble.

A more detailed look reveals some concerning details around Boeings board composition. This looks like a board that is right out of 1999 instead of 2019, says Minow, who owns shares of Boeing stock. Its as though the reforms and the additional scrutiny and the best practices of the last 20 years kind of passed them by.

Board Interconnections

Three Boeing directors sit on the board of Caterpillar: Boeings lead director, David Calhoun, who is also the lead director of Caterpillar, Boeings CEO and Chairman Dennis Muilenburg, and Susan Schwab, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and former U.S. Trade Representative in the second Bush Administration. Two of Boeings directors sit on the board of Marriott International: Lawrence Kellner, former CEO and Chairman of Continental Airlines and Susan Schwab (who, by the way, also serves on the FedEx board).

Why does this matter? These overlaps are what corporate governance experts consider soft objectivity issues. Any cross relationship is a problem because it interferes with objectivity, says Charles Elson, director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware.

Boeing states in its proxy that 12 of 13 directors are independent, in line with New York Stock Exchange independence criteria along with other supplemental standards. Only Muilenburg, Boeings CEO and Chairman, is deemed an insider. And technically, theyre correct, says Elson. But theres a difference between a technical definition and an objective assessment. Coziness and objectivity are related. The closer you are, the harder it is to step back and make the hard decisions because of those relationships.

Strong Ties to Washington

Four of the 13 Boeing directorships are currently occupied by former government officials:

Edmund Giambastiani Jr., former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the second highest ranking officer in the military before he retired in 2007 joined Boeings board in 2009.

Susan Schwab, who joined the board in 2010, was George W. Bushs main trade adviser and negotiator from 2006 to 2009.

Caroline Kennedy, a director since 2017, was the former ambassador to Japan during the Obama Administration.

And Boeings newest director elected last month is Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina and President Trumps ambassador to the United Nations until she abruptly resigned last year. While governor, she provided incentives in 2013 for Boeing to expand its factory and opposed union organization. (Kenneth Duberstein, a former Chief of Staff in the Reagan White House, retired at the annual meeting this year.)

Nikki Haley strikes me as an odd choice to add to the Boeing board at this point of time., says MSCIs Marshall. You have to imagine that they are very concerned about their ability to trade globally.

Another warning sign for Elson is that Kennedy, scion of a famous political family, and Haley are political celebrities. Hiring board members with strong name recognition is viewed with suspicion by corporate governance experts. Notably, both of these directors were referred to the Governance, Organization and Nominating Committee by other independent directors, rather than by a third-party search firm, which is considered a better practice for achieving board objectivity than a good word from another director.

Says Elson: The board is there to monitor management, pure and simple. You need skill sets to do so. In an aerospace company, do either [Kennedy or Haley] have those necessary skills? What about the diplomatic and government experience they bring to the company? Hire them as a consultant, he says. Theyre there to make sure management does the right thing. Theyre not there to provide services.

The Right Expertise

Companies that operate in an industry where safety is a major issuemining, chemicals, autosbenefit from having board members with a background in safety says MCSIs Marshall.

Determining who on Boeings board has those skills isnt spelled out. Despite the companys references in public to safety being a priority, the only reference to safety in the companys most recent proxy are the admission policies for shareholders of record to attend the annual meeting.

Best guess for the slate of directors who might have relevant safety expertise? Robert Bradway is the Chairman and CEO of drugmaker Amgen. Art Collins was the former Chairman and CEO of medical device maker Medtronic. David Calhoun used to be the chief executive of GE Aircraft Engines (as a side note, former Boeing Chairman and CEO Jim McNerney who was in charge when the 737 MAX was conceived also used to be the boss at GE Aircraft Engines).

Current Boeing Chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg came up through the ranks of Boeing as an engineer. And Lawrence Kellner is the former Chairman and CEO of Continental Airlines. As head of the audit committee, Kellner was technically responsible for the safety risks. In fact, shareholder advisory firm Glass Lewis recommended voting against Kellner in the most recent ballot, citing that the audit committee should have taken a more proactive role in identifying the risks associated with the 737 Max 8 aircraft. ISSs proxy analysis recommended voting for all audit committee members including Kellner, but with caution. Kellner was re-elected.

When you engage in a project like that, you would expect a lot of tough questions from the board, says Elson. There are a lot of engineering questions, and thats why you would want people on the board who have some specialized knowledge to monitor it.

Boeing Chairman and CEO Muilenburg recently gave some indication of who on the board has safety expertise when he asked the board last month to form a committee to confirm the effectiveness of our policies and processes for assuring the highest level of safety on the 737-MAX program. The committee is comprised of former Allstate chief exec Edward Liddy, former Joint Chiefs of Staff vice chairman Giambastiani, Amgens Bradway, and Duke Energy Chairman and CEO Lynn Good.

They were looking after the company when it fell into crisis. It remains to be seen if theyre the people who can pull Boeing out of this mess.

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Dont miss the daily Term Sheet, Fortunes newsletter on deals and dealmakers.Prime Minister Theresa May making a statement outside 10 Downing Street in London.

The EU has reiterated the Brexit agreement negotiated with Theresa May cannot be altered.

It follows reactions from across politics to Theresa Mays dignified and emotional resignation speech outside Number 10 on Friday morning.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said after voting in the European and local elections on Friday, said: Obviously as anyone can see, British politics is consumed by Brexit and will be consumed by Brexit for a very long time.

Prime Minister Theresa May making a statement outside at 10 Downing Street in London.

It now means we enter a new phase when it comes to Brexit and a phase that may be a very dangerous one for Ireland.

In the next couple of months we may see the election of a Eurosceptic prime minister who wants to repudiate the Withdrawal Agreement and go for a no-deal, or we may even see a new British Government that wants a close relationship with the EU and goes for a second referendum.

...housing, pensions and welfare in each others countries as though we were citizens of both. This will withstand Brexit whatever form it takes 2/2 https://t.co/BdvOxdi4h9  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) May 24, 2019

Whatever happens we are going to hold our nerve, we are going to continue to build and strengthen and deepen our alliance across the European Union, and we will make sure we see Ireland through this.

Meanwhile, other prominent heads of state have given their opinion on the future of Brexit.

Read more:

In Pictures: Theresa May's political life from start to now

Have your say: Was Theresa May a good Prime Minister?

Nigel Farage could inflict 'devastation' on Tories at general election

French President Emmanuel Macron said: It is too early to speculate on the consequences of this decision.

The principles of the European Union will continue to apply, including the priority to preserve the smooth functioning of the EU, which requires a quick clarification.

Story continues

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, right, is greeted by European Commission Secretary General Martin Selmayr during a meeting of the College of Commissioners at EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, May 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

A spokesman for Angela Merkel, said the German chancellor had noted Mays planned departure with respect and that the repercussions would depend on developments in British domestic politics.

And Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said: The agreement reached between the EU and the United Kingdom for an ordered Brexit remains on the table.

EU Flag waving against blue Sky

A spokeswoman for Jean-Claude Juncker said the European commission president had followed Mays tearful statement without personal joy, and described her as a very courageous woman.Tehran (AFP) - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Saturday a US decision to deploy 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East is a "threat to international peace," state media reported.

"Increased US presence in our region is very dangerous and a threat to international peace and security and must be confronted," Zarif told the official IRNA news agency before heading home from a visit to Pakistan.

Washington says the reinforcements, which come after the deployment earlier this month of an aircraft carrier task force, B-52 bombers, an amphibious assault ship and a missile defence system, are in response to a "campaign" of recent attacks approved by Iran's top leadership.

Those include a rocket launched into the Green Zone in Baghdad, explosive devices that damaged four tankers near the entrance to the Gulf, and a drone attack by Yemeni rebels on a key Saudi oil pipeline.

Iran has denied involvement in any of the attacks.

"Americans make such claims to justify their hostile policies and to create tension in the Persian Gulf," Zarif said.

The United States this month ended the last exemptions it had granted from sweeping unilateral sanctions it reimposed after abandoning a landmark 2015 nuclear between major powers and Iran in May last year.

The move dealt a heavy new blow to Iran's already reeling economy as even vocal critics of the renewed sanctions, like Turkey, announced they had stopped buying Iranian oil.

Iran has appealed repeatedly to the other parties to the 2015 nuclear deal -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- to rescue it from renewed US sanctions, so far to little avail.

Britain, France and Germany launched a special payment system, called INSTEX -- the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges -- in late January to enable Iran to keep trading with European companies.

But in March Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed the mechanism as a "bitter joke".

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- Brinkmanship fears -

Earlier this month, on the first anniversary of Washington's withdrawal from the agreement, Tehran announced it was rolling back some of the limits on its nuclear activities it had agreed under the deal.

It threatened to suspend more if there was no action from the major powers within 60 days on honouring their own commitments to sanctions relief.

The European powers denounced Iran's threat to resume nuclear work but urged the US not to further escalate tensions with a military build-up.

The successive US deployments have raised concerns, even among governments close to Washington, that brinkmanship with Tehran could lead to a dangerous miscalculation.

The Gulf sultanate of Oman, which has acted as a broker between Iran and the United States in the past, said it was trying reduce tensions, following a visit to Tehran this week by state minister for foreign affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah.

On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi announced that he was sending delegations to the US and Iran in an attempt to ease tensions between the two countries, which are both key Baghdad allies.

Tehran has refused to hold talks with Washington "under any circumstances" if the rights of the Islamic republic are not respected.

"We have said clearly... as long as the rights of our nation are not satisfied, as long as words don't change into action, our path will stay the same as now," Supreme National Security Council spokesman Keyvan Khosravi said on Thursday.Berlin (AFP) - Germany's government commissioner on anti-Semitism has warned Jews about the potential dangers of wearing the traditional kippah cap in the face of rising anti-Jewish attacks.

"I cannot advise Jews to wear the Kippah everywhere all the time in Germany," Felix Klein said in an interview published Saturday by the Funke regional press group.

In issuing the warning, he said he had "alas, changed my mind (on the subject) compared to previously."

Klein, whose post was created last year, cited "the lifting of inhibitions and the uncouthness which is on the rise in society" as factors behind a rising incidence of anti-Semitism.

"The internet and social media have largely contributed to this -- but so have constant attacks against our culture of remembrance."

And he suggested police, teachers and lawyers should be better trained to recognise what constitutes "clearly defined" unacceptable behaviour and "what is authorised and what is not".

His comments came just weeks after Berlin's top legal expert on anti-semitism said the issue remains entrenched in German society.

"Anti-Semitism has always been here. But I think that recently, it has again become louder, more aggressive and flagrant," Claudia Vanoni told AFP in an interview, adding the problem was "deeply rooted" in German society.

Anti-Semitic crimes rose 20 percent in Germany last year, according to interior ministry data which blamed nine out of ten cases on the extreme right.

Vanoni said the proliferation of online platforms that allow people to express extremist views without inhibition while hiding behind screens had fostered the rise in cases.

The arrival in parliament of the far-right AfD, whose leaders openly question Germany's culture of atonement for World War II atrocities, has also contributed to the change in atmosphere, as has the arrival of more than a million asylum seekers, many from Muslim countries such as Syria, Afghanistan or Iraq.

Klein said that while the far-right was to blame for the vast majority of anti-Semitic crime, it was apparent that some Muslims were also influenced by watching certain television channels "which transmit a dreadful image of Israel and Jews".Caracas (AFP) - At least 29 prisoners were killed and 19 police wounded in clashes at a jail in western Venezuela Friday, authorities said.

The incident at the police station jail in the town of Acarigua, in Portuguesa state, occurred when police special forces (FAES) tried to stop a "massive prison break" which resulted in the deaths of 29 inmates, according to Portuguesa public security secretary Oscar Valero.

The prisoners received the officers with "a hail of gunfire" while detonating three grenades, which injured 19 police, Valero told reporters.

The Una Ventana a la Libertad NGO, which defends prisoner rights, gave a preliminary toll of 25 dead.

NGO director Carlos Nieto said the clashes broke out when the FAES attempted to rescue visitors who had been taken hostage Thursday by the "pran" -- the leader of the inmates -- at the jail.

"This morning (authorities) sent the FAES and there was a clash. The detainees had weapons, they shot at the police. Apparently they also detonated two grenades," Nieto told AFP.

The inmates' leader, Wilfredo Ramos, was one of those killed, according to an internal police report.

The report, quoted by the NGO, said several officers were wounded by "shrapnel and explosives."

The prisons ministry did not comment on the incident, saying police station jails are not under its control.

A video shared on social media shows an inmate -- believed to be Ramos -- with his face partly covered while brandishing a pistol and what appears to be grenades, and threatening two women.

"It's our lives (on the line) and those of the visitors here," he says, as a woman pleads for help, while warning the police to stay out because "I'm prepared to die."

Nieto said the inmates were demanding "food and to be transferred to prisons," and had denounced police "abuses."

No information was given about the fate of the hostages.

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- 'Chaotic' -

Violence is a problem in such detention facilities, where inmates are supposed to be held for a maximum of 48 hours, Una Ventana a la Libertad said.

There are around 500 of them in the country, holding 55,000 people even though their total capacity is just 8,000, the NGO added.

The Acarigua jail has capacity for 60 inmates but was holding 500, according to the police report.

These provisional detention centers "are not suitable to hold inmates for more than 48 hours," said Nieto.

He said the prison system as a whole is "chaotic" and blamed the prisons ministry for "not fulfilling its functions."

Venezuela has one of the worst records for prison violence in the region.

In March 2018, 68 inmates died in a fire at a police jail in the northern city of Valencia.

And in August 2017, a riot at a facility in the southern Amazonas state left 37 prisoners dead.

More than 400 people are believed to have been killed in Venezuelan jails since 2011, while human rights organizations also say they face a lack of food and medicines -- like much of the country -- while the facilities are beset by corruption.

"For how long are Venezuelan prisoners in the state's hands going to die?" said Humberto Prado, director of the Venezuelan Prisoners Observatory NGO, who branded Friday's events a "massacre."NASA

The US president, Donald Trump, has stuck to his plan to send humans back to the moon in the next five years, recently giving the project a US$1.6 billion shot in the arm. Whether he succeeds or not, the first successful landing on the lunar far side by China, the European Space Agencys recent lunar village concept and a myriad of private companies all gearing up for commercial human spaceflight indicate that a human return to the moon may be about to begin in earnest.

But is it a good idea? A new study suggests that, to avoid material exhaustion of the solar system, humans ought to limit ourselves to developing just one-eighth of the available resources. As we may be witnessing the start of a new lunar gold rush of sorts, this new proposal may be put to the test sooner than we think  and the moon will serve as an early test bed.

The reason for this has to do with something called the doubling time  how long it takes for a quantity to double. For example, an economy which grows at 10% per annum would double in value in 7.3 years. When it comes to space, only three doubling times are necessary to go from one-eighth to 100%.

In other words, once we reach a point where we have consumed one-eighth of the solar systems resources, it would take only three doubling times to consume the rest. At a modest rate of 3.5% growth per year in material consumption of space resources, the one-eight point would be reached after 400 years. However, at this point it would take less than 60 years to use up all the remaining resources in the solar system, creating an enormous problem for any future space economy  and leaving very little time to find a solution.

The paper therefore suggests keeping the remaining seven-eighths of the solar system as a wilderness. Such areas would be free for humans to explore, but not exploit.

Lunar resources

The potential for resource and scientific exploitation on the moon is high. However, resources are not uniformly distributed. For example, water is going to be a much-valued commodity, given that it can be used for growing crops, to produce rocket fuel, provide air for breathing and, of course, be consumed directly by people.

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Lunar water is believed to exist as ice mixed in with lunar regolith (soil) primarily in permanently shadowed craters in the polar regions, making it a finite and non-renewable resource. Certain areas of the moon are also particularly rich in titanium  again valuable ores are not present in the same quantities everywhere.

NASA Goddard/Arizona State University

To process the resources, we will need energy. The most abundant form of energy on the lunar surface is sunlight, and generating solar energy is particularly suited to a few choice locations. On a handful of mountain peaks near the poles the orientation of the moons rotation is such that the sun never sets  offering an uninterrupted source of energy.

From a scientific perspective, the lunar far side presents an excellent site for radio astronomy observatories  particularly of the early universe. The Earths ionosphere tends to block the lowest frequency radio transmissions and create noise, even at higher frequencies.

Legal vagueness

It is likely that there are going to be competing future demands from different players for different areas of the lunar surface. So who owns what? Well, as it happens, no one country can  at present  claim ownership of anywhere in space under the Outer Space Treaty. In particular the treaty states outer space is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, and that the exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries and shall be the province of all mankind.

It is worth noting that not every country has signed the treaty. In 2015, the United States passed the Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015 which, among other things, allows US citizens to engage in the commercial exploration and exploitation of space resources (including  water and minerals). While the act does make it clear that the US recognises that outer space is not sovereign territory, it seems a bit vague as to precisely whether a commercial private company exploiting resources in space is really acting for the benefit and in the interests of all countries.

If outer space, or at least one-eighth of it, really is the preserve of all mankind then does this imply that resources out there really should belong collectively to all humanity?

Let us suppose that there is some international agreement to limit our development of outer space, as the new paper suggests. Clearly it is likely to be the case that wealthy countries and/or powerful corporations will get to the moon and exploit its resources first. This scenario is not without precedent.

Deep-sea mining in international waters on Earth promises a potential mineral windfall for those who are able to exploit it, but the potential environmental impact is already causing concern. Likewise, the actions of a number of countries in the South China Sea demonstrates how easy it is for sufficiently powerful nation states to ignore international agreements or arbitration when the potential for resource wealth is present. This, presumably, could apply just as easily to private corporations or countries operating on the moon.

Does this all seem a bit far-fetched? Well, as the paper argues, we humans are not great at appreciating the impact of long-term exponential growth. In 2018 the global space sector was valued at $360 billion and is forecast to grow at 5.6% per annum. By 2026  two years after Trump plans to return to the moon  it will be worth $558 billion. If we assume annual growth of 5% continues, then in a century the space sector would be worth 130 times its present value. In two centuries, it would be worth 17,300 times its present value and might even exceed the total wealth of the terrestrial economy.

Much of this future wealth could come from resource extraction, particularly from asteroid and lunar mining. These are timescales comparable with just a few generations of humans. Whether such a growth rate will be maintained over a century I am uncertain  but I would not bet against it.

It is often said that possession is nine-tenths of the law. As we tentatively embark upon a new human chapter in outer space, we should reflect carefully before repeating the same mistakes weve already made on Earth.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Gareth Dorrian does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.San Bernardino (United States) (AFP) - The three white vans bearing the Border Patrol logo slowly make their way into a back alley next to the Greyhound bus station in the city of San Bernardino, east of Los Angeles.

As the agents slide open the doors, a group of 36 haggard-looking men, women and children -- most of them from Guatemala -- exit the vehicles carrying plastic bags filled with their meager belongings.

They line up on a sidewalk as their names are checked by a representative from a local NGO who also enquires about their health.

A man asks where he can rent a phone and one of the agents sternly answers back in Spanish.

"You decided to come this way into the US, you figure out what to do," the agent says. "What do you expect? You want me to give you my house?"

Though clearly anxious about this next phase in their long journey to the US, the faces of the migrants show their relief at having made it so far.

The group is part of thousands being dropped off at bus stations in California and other states by US Border Patrol as the agency deals with an influx of migrants crossing the border with Mexico and filling detention facilities to capacity.

- System at breaking point -

After staying at a local shelter or church in San Bernardino, the migrants typically head to other states to join relatives or friends pending the outcome of their asylum application.

According to immigration authorities, more than 40,000 immigrant families apprehended at the border since March 19 and with no known criminal record have been released into the United States due to Border Patrol facilities being swamped.

"Whenever possible, the releases have been coordinated with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs)," US Border Patrol said in a statement to AFP. "As NGOs have reached their capacities, CBP has released family units at transportation hubs during daylight hours when the weather does not endanger those released."

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Nearly 250,000 unaccompanied children or people traveling with family members were apprehended at the border in April alone, officials said, as opposed to some 59,000 in April of last year -- a 400 percent increase.

US President Donald Trump has reacted with fury at the crisis, threatening to shut down the border and accusing asylum seekers of trying to gain entry into the US under false pretenses.

The asylum seekers are mainly from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, countries beset by crushing poverty and gang violence.

The current surge in asylum seekers mainly concerns people from Guatemala.

"Despite everything, they feel absolute freedom, they feel they were born again," said Homero Lobato, of the Immigrant Immediate Response Network, an NGO assisting the migrants.

Jennaya Dunlap, of the Immigration Justice Coalition, another NGO, said nearly all of the asylum seekers don't speak English, are poor and have no clue on arrival as to where they are or the next step to take.

"The first thing they ask us is, 'Where are we? What region is this?' And they try to figure out the state they are in by looking at license plates," said Dunlap, who greeted the group of 36 migrants at the San Bernardino bus station this week.

"Welcome," she tells the group as they exit the Border Patrol vans as volunteers hand them water and granola bars. "Don't worry, we are going to help you."

Lurking nearby, however, is an example of what await some of the migrants in a country deeply divided on the immigration crisis.

"Send them back to Tijuana (Mexico)," shouts a white bearded man in a red pick-up truck as he drives by the group of migrants at the bus station in San Bernardino.

"Or better yet, send them to (liberal) San Francisco," he adds.Bamako (AFP) - Armed men killed 18 civilians in two ambushes in Mali's restive central region, officials said Friday.

Twelve were killed on Wednesday as they went towards a blast that killed a soldier, a local official told AFP. When did these 12 did not return, six members of their community set out to look for them Thursday, only to be killed by the same group.

The bodies of the first 12 had been booby-trapped with explosives, a security source added, though it was not clear whether this was how the second group had died.

The deadly series of events were unleashed when a Malian army vehicle transporting rations exploded near the village of Tigula, killing a soldier, on Wednesday.

"Having heard the explosion, villagers went towards the scene... when terrorists intervened to execute them," said a local official from the Mondoro commune of which Tigula is part.

Six others set out on Thursday to look for the first group, but were also "killed by terrorists," the official said.

Another municipal source and a security official confirmed the toll of 18 civilians.

Mali has been embroiled in conflict since Islamist militias seized the north of the country in 2012 before being pushed back by French troops in 2013.

A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups has failed to restore stability.

An upsurge of inter-communal violence in the country's centre and south has claimed some 600 lives, including 160 members of the Fulani herding community killed in the village of Ogossagou in March.

The massacre brought tens of thousands of protesters out on the streets of Bamako in April, causing the prime minister and his entire cabinet to resign.

A new government is in the process of being formed.NORFOLK, Va. (AP)  The mystery of whether Gov. Ralph Northam was in the racist yearbook photo that upended Virginia politics may never be solved, but one thing is clear: The governor has survived what many initially thought was a fatal blow and has managed to return to something resembling normal.

Since a picture surfaced in February from Northam's 1984 medical school yearbook page showing a man in blackface standing next to someone in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe, Northam has managed to fend off demands for his resignation.

He's even won praise from black lawmakers for such moves as ending the suspension of driver's licenses for unpaid fines and ordering a review of how schools teach America's racial history.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what else comes out of the administration," said Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, a member of the black caucus and a rising star in her party who is considering a statewide run in 2021.

Stephen Morris, an African American from Suffolk, reacted with a shrug Wednesday after attorneys hired by Eastern Virginia Medical School said they couldn't "conclusively determine" the identities of either person in the 35-year-old photo.

"I don't take it to be a big thing. As long as he's doing the right thing with our government, I don't think he should leave office at all," Morris said.

Such a muted response is a far cry from a few months ago when Northam's clumsy response to the picture caused a major uproar. The Democrat initially acknowledged he was in the photo and apologized, then reversed course the next day, saying he was not in it.

The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, the state House Democratic Caucus, the state Senate Democratic Caucus, the Democratic Party of Virginia, and every Virginia Democrat in Congress called on Northam to resign. So did Democratic presidential hopefuls and several key progressive groups that have been some of the governor's closest political allies.

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"People he naively thought were friends didn't even make a phone call to at least tell the governor they were going to call for his resignation," Northam's chief of staff, Clark Mercer, told lawyers investigating the yearbook picture.

In a statement Wednesday, Northam, a 59-year-old pediatric neurologist, repeated that he's not in the photo and apologized again to Virginians, admitting his handling of the episode "deepened pain and confusion."

The picture started a wave of scandals that quickly enveloped Northam's two potential successors, both Democrats. Two women publicly accused Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault, which he denied. And just days after calling on Northam to resign, Attorney General Mark Herring announced he, too, had worn blackface in the 1980s when he was in college.

Both Fairfax and Herring also ignored calls to resign. The Democratic Party of Virginia recently rejected a bid by Fairfax to sponsor a table at the party's biggest fundraising dinner of the year. And Herring, who had previously announced a run for governor in 2021, faces an uncertain political future.

And while Northam has been able to return to a sense of normalcy, his tenure will forever be marked by the scandal. He recently had to cancel a political fundraiser where protesters gathered, and withdrew as a commencement speaker at his alma mater, the Virginia Military Institute.

The three interlocking scandals briefly raised the possibility that Virginia's top three Democrats would lose their jobs and the Republican House speaker would become governor.

On Wednesday, GOP House Majority Leader Todd Gilbert panned the investigation, saying the report didn't prove Northam isn't in the picture. He also noted that according to the report, the medical school's leaders knew about the picture before it became public and said nothing.

"It certainly appears that there was an effort to avoid public disclosure of such a racist photograph on the yearbook page of the most prominent alumni in school history," Gilbert said.

___

Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia.BAGHDAD (AP)  When U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sat down with Iraqi officials in Baghdad last week as tensions mounted between America and Iran, he delivered a nuanced message: If you're not going to stand with us, stand aside.

The message, relayed to The Associated Press by two Iraqi government officials, underscores Iraq's delicate position: Its government is allied with both sides of an increasingly contentious confrontation.

As tensions escalate, there are concerns that Baghdad could once again get caught in the middle, just as it is on the path to recovery. The country hosts more than 5,000 U.S. troops, and is home to powerful Iranian-backed militias, some of whom want those U.S. forces to leave.

"The big question is how Iraqi leaders will deal with (their) national interests in a country where loyalty to external powers is widespread at the expense of their own nation," Iraqi political analyst Watheq al-Hashimi said. "If the state cannot put these (Iranian-backed militias) under control, Iraq will become an arena for an Iranian-American armed conflict."

Despite the escalation of rhetoric by both sides, President Donald Trump has said he doesn't want a war with Iran and has even said he is open to dialogue. But tension remains high, in part given the region's fraught history.

For Iraq to be a theater for proxy wars is not new. The Shiite-majority country lies on the fault line between Shiite Iran and the mostly Sunni Arab world, led by powerhouse Saudi Arabia, and has long been a battlefield in which the Saudi-Iran rivalry for regional supremacy played out.

During America's eight-year military presence that began with the 2003 invasion of Iraq, U.S. troops and Iranian-backed militiamen fought pitched battles around the country, and scores of U.S. troops were killed or wounded by the militia forces armed with sophisticated Iranian-made weapons.

American forces withdrew from Iraq in 2011 but returned in 2014 at the invitation of Iraq to help battle the Islamic State group after it seized vast areas in the north and west of the country, including Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul. A U.S.-led coalition provided crucial air support as Iraqi forces regrouped and drove IS out in a costly three-year campaign. Iranian-backed militias fought alongside U.S.-backed Iraqi troops against IS, gaining outsized influence and power.

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Now, amid an escalating conflict between the U.S. and Iran, Iraq is once again vulnerable to becoming caught up in the power play. An attack targeting U.S. interests in Iraq would be detrimental to the country's recent efforts at recovering and reclaiming its status in the Arab world.

Earlier this year, Trump provoked outrage in Baghdad when he said he wanted U.S. troops to stay in Iraq so they can "watch Iran," suggesting a changing mission for American troops there.

On May 8, Pompeo made a lightning, previously unannounced trip to the Iraqi capital following the abrupt cancellation of a visit to Germany, and as the United States had been picking up intelligence that Iran is threatening American interests in the Middle East.

The two Iraqi officials said Pompeo relayed intelligence information the U.S. had received about a threat to U.S. forces in Iraq  but kept it vague. They said he did not specify the nature of the threat. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to divulge confidential information, said Pompeo told the Iraqis that America did not expect them to side with the U.S. in any confrontation with Iran, but that they should not side against America. In other words, stand aside.

A few days later, as U.S.-Iranian tensions continued to rise, the State Department ordered all non-essential, non-emergency government staff to leave the country.

U.S. officials said Pompeo told the Iraqis the U.S. had an "inherent right to self-defense" and would use it if U.S. personnel, facilities or interests are attacked by Iran or its proxies in Iraq or anywhere else.

The three officials, who were not authorized to publicly discuss the private meetings in Baghdad and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Pompeo was not contemplating any pre-emptive strikes on Iran or the use of Iraqi territory to stage military operations against Iran. Pompeo's message, the officials said, was that the U.S. wants to avoid conflict but would respond or defend itself if necessary.

The secretary told reporters on the flight that his meetings with Iraq's president and prime minister were intended to demonstrate U.S. support for "a sovereign, independent" Iraq, free from the influence of neighboring Iran. Pompeo also said he wanted to underscore Iraq's need to protect Americans in their country.

A general at Iraq's Defense Ministry said Iraq was taking precautionary security measures in light of the information about threats against U.S. interests, although those measures have not reached the highest levels.

"Iraqi forces are worried that American forces could be targeted by factions loyal to Iran," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. He added that any attack on U.S. troops could come as retaliation if the United States were to carry out a military operation against Iran.

The heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S. come a year after Trump pulled America out of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers and as the White House ordered an aircraft carrier and bombers into the region over a still-unexplained threat from Iran.

On Saturday, Iraqi officials said ExxonMobil employees began evacuating an oil field in the southern Iraqi province of Basra while the island nation of Bahrain ordered all it citizens in Iraq and Iran to leave immediately.

On Sunday, the United Arab Emirates alleged that four oil tankers off its eastern coast were targeted by sabotage. On Tuesday, Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi rebels said they launched seven drones to target Saudi Arabia. The drones stuck pumping stations along the kingdom's crucial East-West Pipeline, causing minor damage, Saudi officials say.

On the streets of Baghdad, some shrugged off the rising tensions while others worried their country could be sucked into another war.

Aqil Rubaei said he was worried that his country, which has been at war since a year before he was born, will be the place where the U.S. and Iran will settle their accounts. The 38-year-old was born in 1981, a year after Iran and Iraq began their eight-year war and was 9 years old when Saddam Hussein's forces invaded Kuwait leading to a destructive war that forced Iraq out of Kuwait and 13 years of crippling sanctions.

In 2003, the U.S. invaded and removed Saddam, leading to the rise of extremist groups that culminated in 2014 with the Islamic State group capturing large parts of Iraq and Syria and declaring a so-called caliphate. The war that followed left entire Iraqi cities and towns destroyed until Iraq declared victory in 2017.

"Iraqi people are fed up with war," said Rubaei inside his cosmetics shop in Baghdad's Karrada neighborhood. "We don't want Iraq to become an arena for an Iranian-American war."

___

Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Panasonic Corp said on Friday it has not stopped any shipments of components to Huawei Technologies, a day after it originally called for a halt of transactions in line with a U.S. export controls against the Chinese firm.

"No transactions with Huawei have been suspended at the moment," a Panasonic representative told Reuters. "We are still making checks whether the ban applies to our products."

The Osaka-based company said on Thursday it had "instructed employees to halt transactions with Huawei and its 68 affiliates subject to the U.S. ban."

Its Chinese unit later released a separate statement that it continues to supply to Huawei, stressing that transactions not covered by the ban have been not affected.

(Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by David Dolan and Anshuman Daga)A Connecticut police department has reached a deal with a fugitive that would have him surrender if enough people respond to a wanted poster on social media, an agreement that at least one expert calls unethical. Jose Simms, 29, who is believed to be somewhere in New York, has seven arrest warrants and is being sought as a fugitive after failing to appear in court on charges that range from breach of peace to risk of injury to a child.By Daniel Trotta

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Protesters chanting "black trans lives matter" and "we will not be erased" on Friday demanded an end to the killings of black transgender women in the United States and decried the Trump administration's proposals to reverse transgender rights.

Three black transgender women died of gunshot wounds within five days this month in Cleveland, Dallas and Philadelphia, and five total have been killed this year. Transgender advocates complain that police often give such cases insufficient priority or they go unreported when police identify victims by their gender assigned at birth rather than the person's gender identity.

By coincidence, President Donald Trump's administration took action this week that would deny or reduce services to transgender people.

Five silent protesters in New York stood veiled and dressed in white on Friday, holding portraits of the five transgender women killed this year, while the crowd sang protest verses, chanted slogans and hoisted signs demanding "Justice!" and "Speak out, stand up for black trans women."

"I am tired of my sisters being killed," protest leader Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker of the New York Transgender Advocacy Group told about 200 demonstrators in Washington Square Park.

The three shot dead most recently were Claire Legato, 21, in Cleveland, who died on May 15 from gunshot wounds a month earlier; Muhlaysia Booken, 23, in Dallas on Saturday; and Michelle Washington, 40, in Philadelphia on Sunday. In April, Booken was beaten in an attack caught on video that was widely shared on social media.

Dallas police said they are investigating a 2018 murder and an April 2019 aggravated assault of transgender women under similar circumstances but have not established a link. Police in Philadelphia and Cleveland have arrested suspects in each of those cases but say they are not treating them as hate crimes.

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At least 26 transgender women were reported killed in 2018 and 29 in 2017, according to Human Rights Campaign, the largest U.S. advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

Among the measures taken by Republican Trump's administration this week to curtail LGBT rights was the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Friday proposing a rule that would roll back protections for transgender patients under Obamacare. The HHS under Trump said protections against discrimination on the basis of sex did not apply to transgender people.

On Wednesday, the Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed a new rule allowing homeless shelters to turn away transgender people for religious reasons.

Earlier this month, HHS released a final rule allowing healthcare providers to opt out of procedures with which they disagree, such as abortions and treatment for gay and transgender patients.

The policies are meant to appeal to Trump's conservative and religious supporters who helped get him elected in 2016 and who have kept his approval ratings above 40 percent.

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; editing by Grant McCool)ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Russia launched a nuclear-powered icebreaker on Saturday, part of an ambitious program to renew and expand its fleet of the vessels in order to improve its ability to tap the Arctic's commercial potential. The ship, dubbed the Ural and which was floated out from a dockyard in St Petersburg, is one of a trio that when completed will be the largest and most powerful icebreakers in the world. Russia is building new infrastructure and overhauling its ports as, amid warmer climate cycles, it readies for more traffic via what it calls the Northern Sea Route (NSR) which it envisages being navigable year-round. The Ural is due to be handed over to Russia's state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom in 2022 after the two other icebreakers in the same series, Arktika (Arctic) and Sibir (Siberia), enter service. "The Ural together with its sisters are central to our strategic project of opening the NSR to all-year activity," Alexey Likhachev, Rosatom's chief executive, was quoted saying. President Vladimir Putin said in April Russia was stepping up construction of icebreakers with the aim of significantly boosting freight traffic along its Arctic coast. The drive is part of a push to strengthen Moscow's hand in the High North as it vies for dominance with traditional rivals Canada, the United States and Norway, as well as newcomer China. By 2035, Putin said Russia's Arctic fleet would operate at least 13 heavy-duty icebreakers, nine of which would be powered by nuclear reactors. The Arctic holds oil and gas reserves equivalent to 412 billion barrels of oil, about 22 percent of the world's undiscovered oil and gas, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates. Moscow hopes the route which runs from Murmansk to the Bering Strait near Alaska could take off as it cuts sea transport times from Asia to Europe. Designed to be crewed by 75 people, the Ural will be able to slice through ice up to around 3 meters thick. (Reporting by Dmitry Vasilyev; Writing by Andrew Osborn and Polina Devitt; Editing by David Holmes)BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian air defenses targeted projectiles fired from the direction of Israel for the second night in a row, Syrian state media said on Saturday. The projectiles came from "occupied territory" into the airspace in southern Syria, state news agency SANA said, referring to territory held by Israel. Israel's military declined to comment on the report. Israel has been more open in recent months about targeting sites inside Syria that it says belong to Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, both of which have forces aiding President Bashar al-Assad. Residents said loud blasts echoed across Damascus late on Friday, as Syrian state media reported "enemy targets" coming from neighboring Israel. Israel deems Iran its biggest enemy and the heavily armed Shi'ite Hezbollah movement as the main threat on its borders. Israeli officials, alarmed by Tehran's expanding clout next door, have acknowledged carrying out scores of strikes during the eight-year conflict in Syria. Iran and Hezbollah have played a key role in helping Assad's army defeat rebels and militants. Tensions between Tehran and its regional enemies rose this week after attacks on four oil tankers in the Gulf, sparking concerns about a potential conflict between Iran and the United States, Israel's closest ally. (Reporting by Ellen Francis in Beirut, additional reporting by Hesham Hajali in Cairo and Kinda Makieh in Damascus; Editing by Peter Graff)On Friday, Theresa May, perhaps the worst Conservative prime minister in recent history, announced her resignation outside of number 10 Downing Street. She will step down effective June 7.

I have done my best, she insisted. I have done everything I can. . . . I believe it was right to persevere even when the odds against success seemed high. She went on:

For many years, the great humanitarian Sir Nicholas Winton, who saved the lives of hundreds of children by arranging their evacuation from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia through Kindertransport, was my constituent in Maidenhead. At another time of political controversy, a few years before his death, he took me to one side at a local event and gave me a piece of advice. He said: Never forget that compromise is not a dirty word. Life depends on compromise. He was right. As we strive to find the compromises we need in our politics, whether to deliver Brexit or restore devolved government in Northern Ireland, we must remember what brought us here.

But what did bring us here; here, this unfortunate place of constitutional crisis and extreme polarization? Was it, as Mrs. May suggests, forces beyond her control, or was it three years of her incompetent leadership?

At her urging, lets try to remember.

Theresa May became the second female prime minister after the Brexit referendum result and David Camerons resignation in July 2016. In March 2017, she decided to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, setting the Brexit process into motion and giving the United Kingdom exactly two years to exit the bloc.

In 2017, May then called a snap election, which threw away her partys majority and propelled Jeremy Corbyn within striking distance of power. Needing support in facing this threat, May was forced into a coalition with the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party.

Given the needless and catastrophic damage inflicted by the general election, this was the obvious moment for her to resign. But she didnt. After insincerely promising a commitment to Brexit (no deal is better than a bad deal), May then came up with an unbelievably bad deal: the withdrawal agreement, which was crushed by historic margins in parliament. Again, here she should have resigned. But again, she didnt. Her deal was then rejected two further times and each time May clung on, only narrowly surviving a vote of no-confidence in December of last year.

Story continues

So, what to make of this? In her resignation speech May extolled the virtues of compromise. But her mishandling of the Brexit negotiations was never about strategic diplomacy in pursuit of Britains best interests, it was about political incompetence in a damage-control exercise gone badly wrong.

By signaling to the European Union that she would not entertain no deal, May allowed the Brussels and the two-thirds Remain majority in Westminster to use secondary issues as bully tactics. After 2017, May began to make concessions that were unthinkable to most Leave voters. The Irish backstop, the regulatory annexation of Northern Ireland, and finally  with her fourth attempt at a deal this month  cross-party talks with the Labour party, which entertained the idea of a second referendum (the precise opposite of Brexit).

Compromise is indeed the stuff of life. But it is not the same as weakness. In April 1938, Neville Chamberlain, in responding to the threat of fascism on the continent, sought out a number of compromises that, if enacted, would have proven disastrous. In an attempt at peace with honour, he conceded to almost all of Hitlers demands. Of course, the EU isnt quite Hitler. And, thankfully, Brexit is hardly a world war. But it is the greatest peacetime issue of the last century. Westminster knows this only too well, as I wrote in October last year in a profile on the former foreign secretary and Brexiteer Boris Johnson:

In the Palace of Westminster, next to the bomb-damaged Churchills arch in Members Lobby, are four bronze statues that tower over some smaller busts of lesser-known prime ministers. The looming figures are David Lloyd George, Winston Churchill, Clement Attlee, and Margaret Thatcher. Pointing to the latter two, a trusted Johnson aide told me, We are living in as decisive times as these. And we need a prime minister of such stature. Not Boris, surely! some will protest, knowing full well that Britain could do much worse. And already has.

Theresa May said today that it was a matter of deep regret that she hasnt delivered Brexit. But three years ago, it seems, a half-competent leader could have enacted a persuasive and moderate Brexit with a comfortable majority. A half-competent leader, making the kinds of mistakes Theresa May has made, would also have known when to quit. She has been entirely uncompromising on that front  resigning only when forced to.

Which is why I dont feel in the least bit sorry for the trembling ninny. As far as political obituaries go, Mrs. May is survived by the disintegrated remains of the Tories and populist drain (the Brexit party). Hows that for a legacy?

More from National ReviewWASHINGTON (AP)  Intelligence professionals warned Friday that President Donald Trump's decision to give his loyal attorney general carte blanche to disclose still-secret material from the Russia investigation will let William Barr cherry-pick intelligence to paint a misleading picture about what started the probe.

The president claims his campaign was spied upon, though Trump administration officials have said they have no specific evidence that anything illegal was done when the campaign came under FBI surveillance that was approved by a court.

On Thursday, Trump gave Barr full authority to publicly disclose information about the origins of the investigation the president has repeatedly dismissed as a "hoax."

"You have to get down to what happened because what happened is a tremendous blight on our country," Trump said, adding that Barr is highly respected and will be impartial in reviewing documents.

But Trump's critics are wary of leaving the decision of what intelligence to release  and what should remain hidden  in Barr's hands. Barr is a staunch Trump defender who Democrats say spun special counsel Robert Mueller's report in Trump's favor, playing down aspects suggesting possible criminal conduct. Mueller has also complained to Barr about his handling of the release of the report.

That has prompted concern that Barr will take a similar approach to his review of the origins of Mueller's probe, releasing intelligence backing Trump's claims that it was politically motivated, while keeping classified evidence demonstrating the need for the probe.

Barr has already said he believes "spying did occur" on the Trump campaign, but he also made clear at a Senate hearing that any surveillance wasn't necessarily illegal or improper.

Barr has asked the U.S. attorney in Connecticut to examine the origins of the Russia investigation to find out if intelligence and surveillance methods used during the probe were lawful and appropriate.

Story continues

Intelligence experts claim Trump is trying to do an end-run around U.S. spy agencies. They say having someone outside the intelligence community deciding what can be released jeopardizes sources and undercuts America's partnership with spy agencies in friendly nations, including some that shared information with the U.S. regarding the Russia probe.

Traditionally, when Congress, for instance, asks for material to be declassified, the request is forwarded to the intelligence agencies where the information originated or resides. Those agencies recommend what part, if any, can be declassified without jeopardizing intelligence sources or spy craft. Then, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence coordinates the feedback from all the agencies and makes a decision.

National Intelligence Director Dan Coats said in a statement Friday that 17 intelligence agencies he represents will provide the Justice Department all appropriate information needed for its review of intelligence activities related to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Coats also said he's confident Barr will work in accordance with "long-established standards to protect highly-sensitive classified information that, if publicly released, would put our national security at risk."

But while Trump's memorandum instructs Barr to consult with appropriate intelligence agencies "to the extent he deems it practicable" before he releases anything, it doesn't require him to do so.

This has alarmed Trump critics, who have served in high-level U.S. intelligence posts.

"It is potentially dangerous if the attorney general were to declassify something the director of national intelligence thought should be kept classified, as the director is in the best position to judge the damage to intelligence sources and methods," said Michael Morell, a former U.S. intelligence official and host of the Intelligence Matters podcast.

Morell said Trump should never have given Barr the declassification authority. "It is yet another step that will raise questions among our allies and partners about whether to share sensitive intelligence with us," he said.

David Kris, former head of the Justice Department's national security division, said it's "very unusual  unprecedented in my experience  for a non-intelligence officer to be given absolute declassification authority over the intelligence."

Kris, now a consultant at Culper Partners, said people expect the nation's top law enforcement officer to be nonpartisan and there is now fear the apolitical nature of intelligence could be threatened.

John McLaughlin, a former deputy director of the CIA who served as acting director in 2004, tweeted, "Giving Barr declassification authority for this investigation is a really bad idea." He said congressional intelligence committees "need to stand in the door on this one."

California Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House intelligence committee, vowed to conduct oversight of any effort to selectively reveal and distort classified information or manipulate the declassification system.

"The clear intent of this abuse of power is to override longstanding rules governing classified information to serve the president's political interests, advance his 'deep state' narrative, and target his political rivals," Schiff said.

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, accused Trump and Barr of politicizing the intelligence that people risked their lives to gather. That "will make it harder for the intelligence community to do their jobs protecting this country from those who wish to do us harm."

But Rep. Mark Meadows, one of Trump's congressional allies, said Trump's directive reflected the president's pledge for an open and transparent investigation.

Meadows tweeted: "Outstanding  President Trump authorizing the Attorney General to declassify documents related to surveillance during the 2016 election. Americans are going to learn the truth about what occurred at their Justice Department."

___

Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.The Trump administration unveiled on Thursday a $16 billion aid package for U.S. farmers hurt by President Trumps ongoing trade war with China and other nations.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said the money would come from the tariffs on Chinese imports being collected by the U.S. Treasury, which he falsely claimed were being paid by China, sticking with a now well-established and misleading script.

Chinas going to pay for these, the $16 billion of tariffs coming in, Purdue told Fox Business. Its a transfer coming in, and were doing again through the CCC [Commodity Credit Corporation] program which was authorized, as we used last year, but actually the tariff money that we were receiving, the revenue we were receiving is what the president has intended to fund the farmers who have been hurt by these retaliatory tariffs.

In fact, tariffs are paid by American businesses and consumers, who will be the ultimate source of the bailout funds.

The payments: The $16 billion aid package is larger than the $12 billion package offered last year, and Bloombergs Mike Dorning and Jennifer Jacobs reported that the payments for farmers will be more generous this time around. Last year, farmers received $1.65 per bushel for soybeans, 14 cents per bushel for wheat and 1 cent per bushel for corn; the new package will reportedly offer $2 per bushel for soybeans, 63 cents per bushel for wheat and 4 cent per bushel for corn. Growers of other commodities including cotton, chickpeas and cherries will also be eligible to receive subsidy payments.

The program will pay about $14.5 billion directly to farmers starting as soon as this summer, distributed through the Commodity Credit Corporation. An additional $1.4 billion will be used to purchase surplus commodities including fruits, vegetables, meat and milk and distribute them to food banks and schools. About $100 million will be used to develop new markets for American exports.

Farmers still not happy: Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa said the payments may not be enough to satisfy farmers, despite being more generous this year. Corn farmers are going to be very upset about this, Ernst said. Its better than the 1 cent per bushel that they got earlier but its not enough.

Story continues

The U.S. agricultural sector has been under strain for several years due to falling commodity prices, Dorning and Jacobs said, and American farm income dropped by 16% last year, to about half the level it was in 2013.

Worries about market distortions: Economists have warned that the subsidy payments may influence farmers decisions about which crops to grow. Higher subsidies for soy could prompt farmers to move away from corn to maximize their payments from the government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said that as of Sunday farmers had planted only 49% of the corn they said they had planned to plant, the lowest percentage at this point in the calendar since 1980. While a wet spring is likely playing a role in the delay, a shift toward higher soy production may be involved as well.

Like what you're reading? Sign up for our free newsletter.Tripoli (AFP) - Two Libyan journalists held by an armed group for more than three weeks have been released, the television channel they work for said Saturday.

"We congratulate the press world for the release of our two colleagues, Mohamad al-Gurj and Mohamad al-Chibani, who were kidnapped by Haftar's forces on May 2 while they were covering the assault on Tripoli," said the private channel Libya al-Ahrar, which is based in Turkey.

It said they were freed on Friday.

The capital's southern suburbs have been the target of an offensive launched April 4 by Khalifa Haftar, military strongman of an eastern administration aimed at seizing Tripoli from an internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).

At least 510 people have been killed and around 2,500 wounded in the fighting, as well as more than 80,000 displaced, according to UN agencies.

The release of the television journalists followed local and international condemnation of their detention, including from media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

In a press freedom index compiled by RSF, Libya ranks a lowly 162nd out of 180 countries.I want to tell you an amazing story. On April 18, 2016, the Representative Honor Guard Regiment of the Polish Armed Forces saluted Stefan Vladislav at the Jewish Cemetery in Warsaw, Poland. Stefan was killed 73 years earlier on February 4, 1943 in a firefight with Nazi stormtroopers when trying to exit a sewage pipe while carrying arms to his comrades.

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According to Haim Lazar-Litai, an historian and partisan who fought against the Germans in the forests during World War II, the Nazis had probably been tipped off to his presence and had planned to ambush him. But Stefan reached the entrance to the pipe first, and "was quick to open fire at the Germans." He killed one and injured another, and the third ran to get help.

Representative Honor Guard Regiment of the Stephan Vladislav's grave at the Jewish Cemetery in Warsaw (Photo: Museum for the Jewish Soldier in WW2)

The German troops who then came to the site shot and killed Stefan. He was just 20 years old.

Vladislav's body was seized from the Nazis by his comrades from the Jewish Military Union, a resistance movement in the Warsaw Ghetto that was affiliated to the Irgun - a Zionist paramilitary organization that was at the time fighting for Jewish independence in pre-state Palestine.

The members of the Jewish Military Union gave Stefan a Jewish burial and wrote on his grave, "Fell while fighting to free his people."

The grave was a symbol of a solitary Jewish resistance fighter in Poland who was killed weeks before the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising began in April 1943. The headstone was carved in secret during the war, and replaced in 2016 by a new shining headstone with the perhaps puzzling inscription: "In Memory of Pawel Frenkiel, the leader of the Jewish Military Union and his fighters."

Later still, a line was added in Hebrew and Polish from the anthem of revisionist Zionist youth movement Betar, written by its famous founder Ze'ev Jabotinsky: "To die or conquer the hill."





Nazi soldiers arresting Jews who took part in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, April 1943 (Photo: Getty)

Although a lot has been said of the heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, much anout the role of members of the Jewish Military Union remains untold.

Was Stefan Vladislav his real name? It is also the name of a 13th century monarch of Serbia.

The origin of the name sounds Polish, and while many Jews at the time kept their original Hebraic names, the circumstances during the Nazi occupation forced many fighters to use aliases.

We know that Vladislav was given the task of contacting the Irgun in Mandatory Palestine, that his non-Jewish demeanor and that his fluent Polish aided him in his missions.

A memorial to the Warsaw Gehtto Uprising on its anniversary

Moshe Poznerson, one the Jewish Military Union's commanders, said that Stefan was thrilled every time he was sent on a dangerous mission. For example, on May 17, 1942, he went to the local Red Cross with a letter addressed to Hillel Zur, who trained members of the Irgun in Poland before returning to Mandatory Palestine.

The coded letter said: "I'm a clerk in the mutual aid of the public," and added, "I live in horrible conditions. I lack basic means for physical existence. I miss you very much. Write back with how you are doing". Three more words were censored by the Germans, who probably tried to decode the letter.





A wall from the Warsaw Ghetto now forms part of a national memorial in the Polish capital (Photo: AP)

The letter made it to Zur three months later without him being able to make anything of it. It is now on display at the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in Jerusalem, and one could only guess what would have been the outcome had the letter reached Zur earlier, and had Zur been able to understand it.

When Adolf Eichmann was put on trial in Israel in 1961, Dr. David Dubinsky, who was a senior member of the Jewish Military Union during the war, told the story of Vladislav.

Using news reports from the time, his story made it into "Flags over the Warsaw Ghetto," a book about the 1943 Jewish uprising against the Nazis written by the late Moshe Arens.

It is thanks to Arens that Stefan's name became known. Surely it's time to bring the person who "fell while fighting to free his people" to a final resting place in the Jewish state?A 15-year-old girl who grew up in a community on the border of the Gaza Strip and endured years of rockets and sirens, is going to New York to bring a message of peace to Palestinian, Iranian, Syrian and Lebanese teens.

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Mika Cohen from Ein HaBesor, a moshav in the Eshkol Regional Council, grew up in a painful reality of conflict. Rockets were regularly fired at her community from the Gaza Strip, and the sound of explosions across the border brought with it a fear that never lets go.

Mika Cohen

After a grueling series of tests, Cohen was accepted to a four-week leadership program that will start in June and include teens from around the world. The New York program aims to promote dialogue between teenagers and bridge gaps between them.

Cohen will be taking with her a picture of an explosive device attached to balloons, bearing the picture of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This device landed in her back yard six months ago, but luckily didn't explode. She was able to take its picture right before police officers arrived to defuse it.

Cohen will also be showing her colleagues footage of rockets striking her community, her scared neighbors running for shelter, and the reinforced school that she attends.

The explosive Mika found in her back yard

"I filmed rocket launches, Iron Dome interceptions of missiles, fires and one video showing my sister and I running for shelter during a siren. It all comes to show the difficult reality in which we live in," Cohen says.

But the young leader has no intention of approaching her Arab counterparts in anger. She wishes to speak to their hearts, explain the security problems that Israel's southern residents endure, and also hear their stance and reach an understanding.

Taking cover from Gaza rocket fire in southern Israel (Photo: Reuters)

"My message to them is that if we all work to make things better, things will get better," Cohen says. "I want them to hear about my life in the Gaza region, but I dont want to talk politics, I want to have an face-to-face conversation, like human beings. We might be able to live side by side and be good neighbors that way, instead of shooting at each other."

"It's an honor to represent Israel. I hope to come back with many new friends from other countries, but mostly, I want to make a difference," Cohen says.The leader of the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said on Saturday the U.S. Mideast peace plan, dubbed the deal of the century is the main factor behind the recent tension between Iran and the U.S. government.Avigdor Liberman from the Yisrael Beytenu said on Saturday his party will not support any other candidate besides Benjamin Netanyahu for the position of prime minister.

We say unequivocally that we will not recommend any other candidate for prime minister  We are in favor of a Jewish state but not one thats governed by Halakha, Liberman said. Either accept our proposals or there will be another elections.Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was on his way to Israel Saturday with a delegation of close to 100 people, a trip that will include a ceremonial meeting with the independently elected Cabinet.

The agenda DeSantis' office released ahead of the trip was vague on details, listing items like "business meetings" without saying who he planned to meet with and where.Tens of thousands of Israelis are protesting proposed legislation granting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immunity from prosecution on a series of corruption charges.The protesters outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art on Saturday also called for protecting Israel's democratic identity against government overreach.

Yair Lapid of Israel's opposition Blue and White party compared Netanyahu's efforts to consolidate his power to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Addressing Netanyahu, Lapid said: "We won't have a Turkish dictator. We won't allow it."Tens of thousands of Israelis protested proposed legislation granting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immunity from prosecution on a series of corruption charges.

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The protesters outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art on Saturday also called for protecting Israel's democratic identity against government overreach.

The demonstrators say Netanyahu's incoming coalition is pushing for legislation to shield him from prosecution and is looking to restrict the power of the Supreme Court.

The protesters outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art on Saturday (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Yair Lapid of Israel's opposition Blue and White party compared Netanyahu's efforts to consolidate his power to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Addressing Netanyahu, Lapid said: "We won't have a Turkish dictator. We won't allow it."

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, leader of Labor Party Avi Gabbay and Hadash-Ta'al leader Ayman Odeh all spoke during the event.

Banners with Erdogan held during the protest (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

The Likud party issued a statement calling the protest a joke.

"Terrorist supporter Ayman Odeh gives speeches with the blessing of Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid, while a former prisoner Ehud Olmert demonstrates 'against corruption, the party said in a statement.

Netanyahu was elected to his fourth successive term as prime minister in April, two months after Israel's attorney general decided to indict him on corruption charges, pending a final hearing.Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - Arizona Republicans are taking advantage of a unique opportunity to make their state a more attractive to live and invest and, more importantly, protecting taxpayers across the Grand Canyon State from an income tax hike.

As an unintended consequence of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA)  which significantly reduced individual and corporate income taxes and resulted in 90 percent of wage earners having higher take-home pay and the lowest unemployment in 50 years  Arizonans will be left facing a tax hike at the state level if no actions are taken to prevent it.

Due to the way Arizonas tax code conforms to the federal tax code, simply conforming to the new federal code would result in a net income tax increase unless lawmakers include provisions to offset it. Fortunately for taxpayers, Republicans in both chambers have remained committed to following the lead of lawmakers in other states, such as Iowa, Georgia, and Michigan, and finding a way to return the conformity revenue back to the taxpayers.

Grover Norquist, president and founder of Americans for Tax Reform, sent lawmakers a letter in support of this efforts. The full text of the letter is pasted below:

May 24, 2019

To: Members of the Arizona Senate

From: Americans for Tax Reform

Re: Protect Arizona Taxpayers

Dear Senator,

On behalf of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) and our supporters across Arizona, I urge you to keep taxpayers in mind as the 2019 legislative session comes to close. Legislation that would result in a net tax increase will be scored as a violation of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.

As an unintended consequence of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA)  which significantly reduced individual and corporate income taxes and has resulted in 90 percent of wage earners having higher take home pay and unemployment hitting a 50-year low  Arizonans will be left facing a tax increase at the state level if no actions are taken to prevent it.

Due to the way Arizonas tax code conforms to the federal tax code, simply conforming the state code to the new federal code would result in a net tax increase unless rate reductions or other provisions are included to offset it. Fortunately, legislators in both chambers have remained committed to doing just that by following the lead of lawmakers in other states, such as Iowa and Georgia, and returning this portion of their constituents federal tax cut back to them in the form of pro-growth tax reform.

One proposal would both hold taxpayers harmless and make Arizonas tax code more competitive by collapsing Arizonas five individual income tax brackets into three, taking the rates from 2.59, 2.88, 3.36, 4.24, and 4.54 down to 2.85, 3.35, and 4.38. Importantly, this proposal would also increase the standard deduction from $5,300 to $12,000 for individual filers and $10,600 to $24,000 for those filing jointly.

The larger standard deduction would expand the zero bracket and ensure that most low-income earners still receive a tax cut.

In addition to preventing an income tax hike, this proposal would make Arizona more conducive to economic growth. A lesser-circulated fact is that many small businesses file under the individual tax code. As such, a lower top individual income tax rate would allow business owners to keep their resources invested in jobs, wages, and businesses operations rather than bloated government spending programs.

This three-bracket proposal or similar proposals to offset the tax increase that would result from conforming to the federal tax code would be a step in the right direction for Arizona taxpayers and should be supported, so long as all of the tax changes in the bill score as revenue neutral on net at most.

ATR applauds your commitment to using pro-growth tax reform as a way to return the excess revenue that will be collected from conforming Arizonas tax code to the federal tax code back to taxpayers. Legislation that would result in a net tax increase should be rejected on principle and will be scored as a violation of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.

Sincerely,

Grover Norquist

President

Americans for Tax ReformLatest News

Yuma, Arizona - On Wednesday, May 22, 2019, the Yuma Police Department received information alleging that a Yuma Police Officer may have had sexual conduct with a minor. The complaint stated this conduct occurred between 2017 and 2018.

This allegation is currently under investigation.

The officer is not in custody at this time, and has been placed on administrative leave until further notice.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anybody with any information about this case to call the Yuma Police Department at (928) 783-4421 or 78 CRIME (928-782-7463 to remain anonymous.Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - According to the University of Arizonas Sarver Heart Center, every year more than 160,000 people die of sudden cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest is a condition where the heart suddenly stops pumping blood. In many cases, the heart goes from a regular heartbeat to random twitching (called ventricular fibrillation). When something like this happens blood stops moving through the body.

In this condition, quick action must be taken for the person to have a chance of survival.

Check for responsiveness (Are they awake? Breathing?)

Call 9-1-1

Push hard and fast in the center of the chest (about 100 compressions per minute)

Send someone for an AED (Automated External Defibrillator)

Keep going until help arrives

When you call 9-1-1 for a medical emergency, be ready to provide two critical pieces of information. First, what is the nature of the emergency? Is the person unconscious, are they breathing, are they having chest pains? Second, what is your location? Addresses, space or apartment numbers, business names, all help get Paramedics on the way to you. Next, stay on the line and follow the instructions of the Emergency Medical Dispatcher.

Whether it is a question of training, or bystanders being hesitant about the mouth to mouth part of CPR, people remain hesitant to step in and begin CPR. The Yuma Fire Department has been providing training in the new Compression Only CPR (that does not include mouth to mouth resuscitation). Studies have shown this type of CPR is not only more likely to be used, but also is more effective than traditional CPR.

AEDs deliver a lifesaving electrical shock that can return a heart to its normal function of pumping blood. They are designed for people without medical training to use and are becoming more common in businesses, schools, government buildings, mobile home and RV parks. Citizens should learn more about AEDs, how to use them, and remember to check for one when a medical emergency like this happens. AEDs have been used to save lives in Yuma.Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - This morning, at approximately 4:31 a.m., Yuma Police officers responded to a single vehicle collision that occurred in the 2500 block of South 33RD Drive. The vehicle which was occupied by three young adult males left the roadway and struck a tree in the raised center median.

The driver of the vehicle, a 19-year-old male, and an 18-year-old male passenger were both transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. Both the driver and passenger were later flown to a Phoenix-area hospital due to the severity of their injuries. A second passenger, an 18-year-old male, was transported to YRMC for minor injuries.

Speed and alcohol are believed to be factors in this collision.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.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.Sisi is chairing the African Union this year; Egypt has pledged to focus on issues of peace and security for the continent during its chairmanship, and to tackle reconstruction and development in post-conflict zones

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called on Saturday on African countries to exert efforts to achieve the aspirations of the continent's nations towards prosperity and stablity.

In a televised speech as part of the AU's celebration of Africa Day, El-Sisi asked the continents countries to maintain their unity in order to accomplish the dream of their founding fathers of a thriving continent.

Saturday marks 56 years since the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, which was established in Ethiopias Addis Ababa.

The OAU was replaced by the African Union in 2002.

El-Sisi is chairing the African Union this year; Egypt has pledged to focus on issues of peace and security during its chairing of the body, and to tackle reconstruction and development in post-conflict zones.

We have to strive towards developing our human resources and rehabilitate the youth of the continent to keep pace with the developments of the era and fulfil their missions in leading the future of Africa, El-Sisi said.

He cited the importance of a continued boost for the role of African women as a beating heart for societies and a guiding light to transform them economically, calling also for a boosting of cultural ties between nations as a consolidation of African identity and to raise the principles of African solidarity.

El-Sisi also mentioned the continents drive to achieve sustainable development through an ambitious plan, Agenda 2063.

Day by day, our joint efforts become more effective to find resolutions for conflicts and problems faced by our nations for decades, which has precluded accomplishing the dreams of nations, he said.

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We consider this to be a very fair arrangement and believe it represents a giant step in our collective endeavour to bring connectivity and ICT services to all Zimbabweans, he said.Coincidently, the rapturous welcome ofthe President comes on a day the continent was celebrating Africa Day, which marks the birth of the Organisation of African Unity, whose main thrust is to promote unity among member states, a shared history and the concerted effort to dislodge colonialism in all its guises and facets.In addition, we were all agreed on the need to establish and ensure order in the industry. In that connection, I pointed out that I am actively looking into electronic monitoring of the entire value chain of the industry.In our politics, economy and society in general, our country has been stuck in the old way of doing things. This has held us back as a nation for too long. We must embrace the new, to ensure sustainable economic growth that will develop our country and speedily improve the standard of living of all people, he said.Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Scattered snow showers early with a steadier snow developing late. High around 20F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 100%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected..

Tonight

Snow this evening will transition to snow showers late. Low around 20F. SSE winds shifting to WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulating 3 to 5 inches.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.Egypts Illicit Gains Authority has decided to remove the names of a Mubarak-era interior minister and presidential chief of staff from a list of those subject to an asset freeze after the men were recently acquitted of charges of relating to corruption.

Ex-interior minister Habib El-Adly was acquitted in May of charges of embezzling public funds, and subsequently made a request to the authority to remove a freeze on his assets.

El-Adly was previously sentenced in April 2017, along with a number of aides, to seven years in prison. Those convicted were ordered to pay a hefty fine and restitution of EGP 529 million on charges of embezzling interior ministry funds amounting to EGP 2.38 billion.

The defendants won an appeal and the Court of Cassation acquitted nearly all of them, including El-Adly, at a retrial earlier this month.

In addition, Mubaraks chief of staff Zakaria Azmy, Azmy's wife, and his brother-in-law were also removed from the list by the decision on Friday, following a request by Azmy after he was acquitted earlier this year of charges of illicit gains, in a case which dates back to 2012.

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Although most people have maintained the many customs and traditions associated with the holy month of Ramadan, there is no doubt that todays technological revolution is seeking to bring about many changes to the daily details of the month.

New technology and religion go hand-in-hand for many Muslims. The way we used to worship and spend Ramadan days and nights has now taken a different path, such that we can now find online prayer times, ways of donating alms, methods of keeping up good relations with relatives, Ramadan greetings and even Ramadan decorations, iftar recipes and drama series all online.

Have you ever used an app to help you practise religious rituals? There is now a long list of mobile apps, all of them location-based, that provide users with accurate prayer times with options to get either a visual or an audio call to prayer. These apps feature the Quran in Arabic, with the phonetics included as well as translations and audio recitations. There are also apps providing lists of halal restaurants and mosques for Muslims abroad.

Another mobile app can remind you of azkar (prayer) times and includes typed and recorded audios which you can check and recite offline. On same apps, you can find ready-made prayers that you can read whenever you have your phone.

More and more people today are donating zakat or alms by SMS, online banking transfers and mobile cash services. You dont need to ascertain who is eligible for your donations either, as others will do so on your behalf. This really facilitates the process of giving charity, and most of the time it delivers donations to places and people who are in real need of help, even if we may not know how to reach them. Donation campaigns on Facebook can also be very useful, and they can save a lot of time.

Then there is the online merchandising of Ramadan goods, another of the new faces of Ramadan. These goods are not only the traditional yameesh (nuts) or Ramadan lanterns (fanous). They also include Ramadan decorations like cushions, models of traditional bean-sellers with street carts, konafa sellers (a kind of oriental sweet), men with the traditional mesahrati drums to wake people up to begin the fast, and flags with khayameya (tent material) patterns, food trays, bread baskets, coasters, wall hangings and others.

A torrent of Ramadan abayas, traditional robes for women, and kaftans are overwhelming Facebook and Instagram sales accounts, allowing every woman to choose new outfits for Ramadan. Dont forget that you can also invite your loved ones for iftar by electronic means, even without going to the trouble of preparing food. You can send your order in a Facebook message to a home-made food specialist and you are done.

Instead of the traditional phone calls we used to receive at the beginning of Ramadan to hear the best wishes of our relatives and friends, today the phone has largely stopped ringing to be replaced by Whatsapp alerts with electronic greetings broadcast to a long list of mobile contacts. Iftar can be a table traded on Instagram, and many people spend a lot of time reviewing and decorating their tables to show their participation.

The same thing is true of Ramadan home decorations, with traditional khayameya patterns being uploaded onto Facebook and Instagram accounts in a silent competition between homemakers. Iftar and sohour sites have no end of recipe apps specially created for Ramadan that can provide a different menu every day.

It was not so long ago that people were bewailing the influence of television in Ramadan. But today many are looking back fondly on the days when all the family gathered together in front of the television to watch their favourite programmes. The trend now is to ask why you should watch drama series on TV when you can skip the hassle of tons of ads by following the episodes on Youtube and other apps.

The survey company Project Online has recently looked at trends in the use of social media in nine countries in the Middle East during Ramadan, including Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, to determine levels of participation and the times when people use these platforms.

Social media use in the Middle East increases by 30 per cent during Ramadan, the company found. This is not to mention the photographs that are taken at apparently every moment wherever people are, even at the mosque and engaging in prayers. Each photograph has its own hashtag, such as #taraweeh #sohor #Iftar #charity #azkar #khosho, and so on.

Technology has started to change peoples behaviour, to the extent that for some Ramadan has been losing its spiritual side to become something that is simply circulated and shared among individuals on Facebook or Instagram accounts. Others are worried that charitable works that in the past were done privately have been transformed by these sites into shows to announce peoples good deeds and faith.

Technology has been marketing the religious life, with the result that consumption, possession and purchasing have become emblems of Ramadan. In recent years, phenomena like Ramadan festivals and Ramadan tents have been used on social media to market activities and goods, with many individuals in turn exchanging photographs and videos.

There have been many changes in the traditional features of Ramadan as a result, making some at least regret changes that may conflict with customs and traditions that have been in place for years, eating away at spiritual and religious roots. The least that can be said is that as a result of such technological innovations, no one can be sure what form our religious rituals will take in the years or decades to come.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 22 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Welcome to e-RamadanThe battle to stop the Imo Governor Rochas Okorocha from going to the Senate took another dimension on Saturday as the Independent Nat...





The battle to stop the Imo Governor Rochas Okorocha from going to the Senate took another dimension on Saturday as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was ordered not to issue a Certificate of Return to him as a senator-elect for Imo West.





The order was made by a High Court sitting in Owerri.





The court, in a suit filed by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senatorial candidate for Imo West Hon Jones Onyeriri against the INEC, ordered that the status quo be maintained until the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.



Abiola Ajimobi, governor of Oyo state, says his only regret while in power for eight years was his inability to do everything he...





Abiola Ajimobi, governor of Oyo state, says his only regret while in power for eight years was his inability to do everything he wanted for the state.





Speaking with journalists on Friday after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari at the state house in Abuja, the governor said the people resisted the changes he wanted to make in the state even though it was for their good.





Ajimobi, whose tenure ends in less than four days, thanked the people of the state for electing him for a second term, being the only governor to achieve that in the state.





I think I regret the fact, that, I have not been able to do everything I wanted to do, the governor said.

I wish our people could be more understanding, could be more patient. Any time you try to make a change, people resist change even if its good for them. I wish I had been in politics 20 years ago.





At a time, Oyo state was seen as what you call a garrison state, but today, it is one of the peaceful states in Nigeria.





Ajimobi also thanked the president for the financial interventions to states in order to pay salaries and meet up other obligations.





I want to thank President Buhari for the support he has given all the states particularly during the period of scarcity of funds to execute our projects, to pay salaries, to meet the socioeconomic development demands, he said.





He was on hand to help all of us. He supported us by releasing funds to all of us and as at today, that I am talking, most of the states including Oyo, are not owing salaries.





He also assisted us with social infrastructure. That is why I am here to thank Mr. President because in another two days I am going for Umrah (lesser Hajj) and by the time I come back, I wont be in office as governor.



The Police in Anambra said it had arrested three persons in military uniforms for allegedly kidnapping a businessman, Mr Uchenna Ezeonu...

The Police in Anambra said it had arrested three persons in military uniforms for allegedly kidnapping a businessman, Mr Uchenna Ezeonu at Ekwulobia in Aguata Local Government Area of the state.





In a statement on Saturday, the Public Relations Officer of the states Command, Mr Haruna Mohammed, said that the suspects were arrested in a bush near the Uyo-Eke Market.





Mohammed said that the arrests followed a distress call made to the command on May 24 at about 11am.





On May 24, at about 11: am, there was a distress call along Isuofia road in Aguata Local Government Area that three persons in military uniforms abducted one Uchenna Ezeonu around Ekwulobia Roundabout to unknown destination.





Police operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder in conjunction with Joint Patrol teams rushed to the scene and cordoned-off the entire area in search of the hoodlums along the bush path by Uyo- Eke market road.





Consequently, three suspects in military attires, who abducted the victim were rounded up and arrested inside the bush.





The victim was rescued unhurt, Mohammed said.





The spokesman said that preliminary investigations revealed that one of the suspects, Obinna Ojiegbe, served in the Nigerian Army and was deployed to 101 Special Forces Battalion in Maiduguri, Borno.





He said that Ojiegbe had been handed over to the Military Cantonment, Onitsha for further investigation.





were found to be fake soldiers. Mohammed added that the two other suspects  Peter Obasi and Benjamin Nicholas, who wore military vests were found to be fake soldiers.





Ugochukwu was also arrested as their accomplice. He said that one OkoyeUgochukwu was also arrested as their accomplice.





Also, the police image maker disclosed that the command rescued a kidnap victim, Mr Emmanuel Loco, who was abducted at Ogidi near Buckingham Polytechnic, Abatete road by yet, other military impersonators.





According to him, the victim was flagged down by the two men in a military vest and face caps at about 5:15pm on the same road.





The victim was driving his Mercedes Benz 320 SUV with registration number MHA 111KP before being joined by four other armed men, who abducted him.





On the May 24, at about 7:35pm, following the report of the kidnap, Police operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder and Ogidi Division mobilized to the area, he noted.





Mohammed said that no arrest was made in the case as the suspects abandoned the victim and fled into the bush off Abatete road when they saw the police.





He said that investigation was ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects in order to bring them to Justice.





In another development, Mohammed said that the command had arrested two suspected members of a car-snatching syndicate  Franklin Ifeanyi, 42, and Steven Chinedu, 41.





He alleged that the two men stole a silver-coloured Toyota Corolla with registration number BDG 317 FC belonging to one Mr Daniel Ozoigbo at No.12, Ogunbela Avenue, off Ago palace way, Okota, Lagos.





The vehicle was removed from where it was parked at the owners residence in Lagos and brought to Anambra by the suspects, he said.





He said that the vehicle had been recovered while the case would be transferred to the Lagos Command of the police for further investigation.Newly elected South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Saturday that he is looking forward to meeting Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi soon in order to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, according to MENA.



Ramaphosa made the remarks during a meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on the sidelines of the newly elected presidents inauguration ceremony.

Madbouly led Egypt's delegation to the inauguration ceremony on behalf of El-Sisi.

The prime minister conveyed El-Sisi's greetings to Ramaphosa, stressing the importance of boosting cooperation between the two countries during the coming period, said cabinet spokesman Nader Saad.

The Egyptian participation in the inauguration ceremony, according to the cabinet, comes within the framework of Egypts keenness to consolidate its relations with African countries.

Ramaphosa's inauguration ceremony was held at Loftus Versfeld stadium in the capital, Pretoria. after he was elected earlier this month with a majority of 57.5 percent of the vote.

He is the country's fifth democratically elected president since apartheid ended in 1994.

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Cyril Ramaphosa has officially taken the oath of office as president of South Africa in front of a crowd of thousands, including Afric...

Cyril Ramaphosa has officially taken the oath of office as president of South Africa in front of a crowd of thousands, including African dignitaries at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.





Ramaphosa was sworn in by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.





Sitting and former heads of state from the African continent were among about 30,000 people who witnessed the ceremony.





In front of a packed Loftus Versveld Stadium, Ramaphosa took the oath of office: I, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, swear that I will be faithful to the Republic of South Africa and will obey, observe, uphold and maintain the Constitution and all laws of the Republic.





The president promised to uphold the Constitution: So, help me, God.





There was then a flypast, with parachutists jumping into the stadium and a 21-gun salute, while the national anthem played.





Ramaphosa was unanimously elected by Parliament after the African National Congress (ANC) won the 8 May elections.





The swearing-in ceremony broke away from tradition by moving from the Union Buildings where Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the first black president in 1994.





Following Ramaphosas inauguration, the focus will now shift to his new Cabinet.





The current Cabinet will continue to function until Ramaphosa appoints new ministers and deputies.





The president is expected to announce his highly anticipated Cabinet on Sunday.





What has become clear is that there will be fewer portfolios. Some ministries may be scrapped, and others could be merged, while most deputies will be done away with.





Deputy ministers are not members of the Cabinet, but they will also be revealed when the new Cabinet is announced as they are required to assist ministers in the execution of their duties.





But all eyes will be on who Ramaphosa chooses as his deputy president.Comic actor, Imeh Bishop Umoh, popularly known as Okon Lagos, was recently condemned for a video he posted about some policemen who all...

Comic actor, Imeh Bishop Umoh, popularly known as Okon Lagos, was recently condemned for a video he posted about some policemen who allegedly raped some prostitutes in Abuja. In the video, he described what the policemen did as similar to stealing.





This obviously did not go down well with a lot of Nigerians on social media, who accused him of trying to justify rape.





Okon noted that he was misinterpreted, adding that some public figures in Nigeria want prostitution to be legalized.





Hear him: The issue people had with what I said was that I likened rape to theft and that I said prostitutes do not have dignity. My assertion was to clarify the fact that raping a prostitute is theft and they dont have dignity. My assertion is metaphorical. If I wanted to use a simile, I would say rape is like theft. Rape is taking a womans dignity without her consent. I dont regret saying that prostitutes do not have dignity; no one would be proud to introduce themselves as a commercial sex hawker.





I wanted to be fair in my analysis; I was trying to point out the fact that prostitution is a wrong act, so we shouldnt be malicious by talking about only rape. Why are we canonising one criminal act and demonising the other? Both acts are morally wrong. I believe in humanism; as humans, we should observe the golden rule. I am not trying to say that I am a saint; in fact, I dont want to be one so that there would be a difference between Jesus and me. It is unfortunate that some women were raped by policemen.





I am not saying it serves them right, but I am also concerned about the immoral act; prostitution. The level of moral decadence in the country is worrisome. I even saw some public figures with verified social media accounts supporting the idea that prostitution should be legalised; I dont want to call names. I wont make comments about something insensitive like that. Rape is bad, but prostitution should be addressed as an issue as well, he said.Often-and-on relationships end when the decision to take it a step further doesnt necessarily produce a more lasting committed result....





Often-and-on relationships end when the decision to take it a step further doesnt necessarily produce a more lasting committed result. This is often caused by lack of understanding of each other and the inability to effectively reach a compromise with each others differences.

As far-fetched as it sounds, the five love languages are core elements that would enable a better understanding of ones partner in a relationship, according to the shrinks. Now because no two human beings are alike, the key is to understand which of the five you fall under and utilise it in your relationship.

Word of affirmation. For some, all they require is those encouraging words- the compliments, the affirmation, the booster. They dont need gifts or affection, just appreciation. Once or twice or several times as much as you can, throw in a little appreciation. For example, if she made you a sumptuous meal, and you just accept it like it is her duty, without as much as saying thank you, and peradventure this is her love language, she will not only feel unloved by you, there will also be a form of resistance in the relationship because she will always feel unappreciated. It applies for the men. Yes, they have feelings too and tend to feel unappreciated most times.

Act of service . A lot of people take action speaks louder than words much more practical and literal than even their partners. A simple act of help around the house when she is doing chores or aiding her to carry the grocery bag or even her bag tends to make her feel loved if this is her love language. No matter how many times you tell her you love her, be it every minute or hour, she will still feel you dont love her when she is straining herself out and youre laying about watching TV.

Receiving gift . This one is easy and can be easily related within Nigeria. A lot of women have been categorized material for possessing this love language. Even men have gone on to make this a thing once they venture into a relationship; even when it isnt their partners love language. Thing is the people with this type of love language express their love more with gifts. It doesnt always have to be on the receiving end. Most times than normal, the people with the love language tend to spoil their {male} partners with gift items as well. To them, it is just another means of communication.

Quality time . If your spouses love language is quality time, giving him or her your undivided attention is one of the best ways you can show your love. Some men pride themselves on being able to watch television, read a magazine, and listen to their wives, all at the same time. That is an admirable trait, but it is not speaking the love language of quality time. Instead, you must turn off the TV, lay the magazine down, look into your mates eyes, and listen and interact. To your spouse, 20 minutes of your undivided attention  listening and conversing  is like a 20-minute refill of his or her love tank. Men, if you really want to impress your wife, the next time she walks into the room while you are watching a sporting event, put the television on mute and dont take your eyes off her as long as shes in the room. If she engages you in conversation, turn the TV off and give her your undivided attention. You will score a thousand points and her love tank will be overflowing.

Physical touch . We have long known the emotional power of physical touch. Thats why we pick up babies and touch them tenderly. Long before an infant understands the meaning of the word love, he or she feels loved by physical touch. In relationships, the love language of physical touch includes everything from putting a hand on your mates shoulder as you walk by, touching his or her leg as youre driving together, and holding hands while youre walking to kissing, embracing and sexual intercourse. If physical touch is your spouses primary love language, nothing communicates love more clearly than for you to take the initiative to reach out and touch your mate.



Ibikunle Amosun, governor of Ogun state, says the great journey he started eight years ago will end on Tuesday. Amosun spoke w...





eight years ago will end on Tuesday. Ibikunle Amosun, governor of Ogun state, says the great journey he startedeight years ago will end on Tuesday.





Amosun spoke while delivering his speech at the new judicial complex, along Kobape road, one of the legacy projects inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday.





Buhari, who arrived the state at 10:18am, was received by Amosun, Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos state; Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti state; and Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo state.





He started inaugurating projects from OGTV Ultra-modern Studio and moved to Adire Mall at Itoku market. From there, he proceeded to Amphi-Theatre in the City Centre and to the inauguration of 250 bedded ultramodern specialist hospital at Oke Mosan.





Amosun thanked the federal government for its commitment to the socio-economic development of the state, adding that the state has enjoyed from the policies and projects of the federal government.





He added that while his administration will end on Tuesday, his commitment to the development of the state remains undiluted.





This complex will replace the existing high court complex which is over 40 years old. Quick and efficient dispensation of justice remains a cardinal aspect of democratic development, he said.





This complex is a multi-wing office complex with 16 court rooms and offices for judges and principal officers of the judiciary. It is important to note that this court is designed for both ceremonial functions and other contemporary needs of everybody working in the complex.





It makes consideration for the physically challenged people by providing a set of elevators to take them from one floor to the other. We have the belief that this judicial complex and its facilities will greatly improve upon our judicial process in Ogun state.





A great journey of eight years will end on Tuesday, 28th of May, 2019. Even as we prepare to bow out of office, our desire to continue to contribute our quota to the socioeconomic development of our dear state remains undiluted.





Buhari for considering our dear state for the execution and putting in place of many projects and policies. This is not just playing to the gallery or just looking to the camera, President Muhammadu Buhari has done very well not just for us in Ogun state but for all of us in Nigeria. The government and the people of Ogun sate are entirely grateful to the administration of President MuhammaduBuhari for considering our dear state for the execution and putting in place of many projects and policies. This is not just playing to the gallery or just looking to the camera, President Muhammadu Buhari has done very well not just for us in Ogun state but for all of us in Nigeria.



Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of education, says the cost of tertiary education in Nigeria has been reduced to the extent that quali...





Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of education, says the cost of tertiary education in Nigeria has been reduced to the extent that quality has been compromised.





Speaking on Thursday at the launch of Edfin, Nigerias first educational microfinance bank, she advised that the federal government find a solution that does not compromise the quality of education.





There is a matter of how do you share the cost of getting a tertiary education. Unfortunately, our society did not come to the understanding that even education financing does not have to be a problem, she said.





You must have a solution that the pricing of education does not get taken down to the level where it cannot sustain quality. That is whats going on now.





We are taking down tertiary education to a level where a person is comfortable to pay almost N500,000 for the children in a top secondary school but once the children go into the university, their parents are ready to join them to protest about the pricing of university education. In the process of doing that, you are compromising quality and relevance.





Proferring a solution, she said: Those who have the capacity to pay should pay the right price for tertiary education and for those without the capacity to pay, edufinance and a subsidy from the federal government that is well designed will come to ensure that they are not left out of education.





The presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria said the country is in trouble because the crisis in the educational sector is not being addressed.





Our country is in trouble because education is in crisis. A decade plus ago, I told the mission that if we did not address the crisis in education that in a matter of years. In fact, my prognosis at that time was that by 2020 that we will produce the most hardened criminals, Ezekwesili said.





There are people who called me to say you said 2020, it happened earlier than that. As minister of education, I said the problem is not about funding. If you fund a dysfunction well, you will get a well-funded dysfunction.





Also speaking at the event, Bunmi Lawson, managing director of the microfinance bank, said the bank would ensure access to finance for educational needs.





We are here today to mark the start of a journey one wherein the future everyone who wants to has access to quality education; where those who need finance; or you are a parent, you may be a student wanting to further your education or a teacher who need loans to improve their standard of living or their teaching skills. All stakeholders in the education ecosystem having easy access to the finance they need is the future we envisage.



The quorum required for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to come into force has been completed, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The African continent has taken a giant step towards the prosperity and sustainable development of its population as the required number of 22 countries, including Egypt, have ratified the AfCFTA agreement, the statement said.

The foreign ministry said that, according to statistics, when the AfCFTA agreement enters into force it will affect more than 1.2 billion people, with a total domestic product of about $3.4 trillion.

Moreover, when operational, the African Union (AU) says, the AfCFTA will be the largest free trade bloc in the world.

The latest two ratifications, Sierra Leone and the Saharawi Republic, were received by the AU on 29 April.

With 22 ratifications, the agreement will enter into force in 30 days, on 30 May.

The AU and African ministers of trade will finalise work on supporting instruments to facilitate the launch of the operational phase of the AfCFTA during an extraordinary heads of state and government summit scheduled to take place in Niamey on 7 July.

According to the AU, the supporting instruments are: the rules of origin; the schedules of tariff concessions on trade in goods; the online non-tariff barriers monitoring and elimination mechanism; the digital payments and settlement platform; and the African Trade Observatory Portal.

Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is chairing the African Union this year.

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President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and head of the Sudanese Transitional Military Council (TMC) Abdul Fattah al-Burhan agreed on supporting the free will and choices of the Sudanese people, according to MENA.

The mutual agreement came during their meeting on Saturday as El-Sisi received al-Burhan at the presidential palace in Cairo as stated in a statement issued by presidential spokesman Bassam Rady.

The head of the Sudanese TMC arrived earlier in Cairo on the same day at his first foreign trip since taking power after the April ouster of president Omar al-Bashir.

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The 3R militia group, blamed for a massacre of more than 50 civilians in the Central Africa Republic earlier this week, has handed over three of its members to the authorities, the government said Saturday.

The massacre Tuesday in villages near the northwestern town of Paoua, close to the border with Chad, were the worst single loss of life since the government and 14 militias signed a deal in February aimed at restoring peace to one of Africa's most troubled countries

A government source said the 3R's three men "were questioned yesterday at Paoua. They said they had led a group of 22 men to carry out this operation."

On Wednesday, the government and the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, MINUSCA, delivered an ultimatum to 3R, giving it 72 hours to hand over those responsible for the killings and disband.

According to a UN source, the 3R group -- which gets its initials from "Return, Reclamation and Reconciliation" and claims to represent the Fulani, one of the country's many ethnic groups -- hosted a meeting with the villagers and then gunned them down indiscriminately.

The CAR government said it took note of the handover of the three men but it maintained in place the ultimatum against 3R and had sent a mission to the area with MINUSCA to oversee the group's disbandment.

3R said in a statement Saturday that it was not involved in the killings which were solely the responsibility of rogue elements.

It strongly condemned the attack and reiterated "its strong will to continue to work for peace."

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Back in 2015, Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke was apparently in the running to star as Anastasia Steele in the film adaptation of 50 Shades of Grey. However, Clarke recently explained the reason why she turned down the big role during a roundtable with other drama actresses.

While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Clarke said that while she thought director Sam Taylor-Johnson was "a magician," she turned down the part  which ultimately went to Dakota Johnson  due to an excessive number of nude scenes. Unfortunately though, that's been a pigeon hole she's been trying to escape ever since she did a nude scene for Game of Thrones.

Related | Emilia Clarke Pens an Essay About Surviving Two Brain Aneurysms

"I thought her vision was beautiful," Clarke said of Taylor-Johnson's direction. However, she lamented the fact that even though "the last time that I was naked on camera on [Game of Thrones] was a long time ago," she still only gets asked about that, "because I am a woman."

"It's annoying as hell and I'm sick and tired of it because I did it for the character  I didn't do it so some guy could check out my tits, for God's sake," Clarke said. "So, that coming up, I was like, 'I can't.' I did a minimal amount and I'm pigeonholed for life, so me saying yes to that, where the entire thing is about sensuality and sex and being naked and all of that stuff."

Needless to say, it's an understandable frustration. Read everything Clarke said during the roundtable here.News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.The Chairman of the Bono Region of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe popularly known as Abronye DC has expressed concern about the high level of corruption that traders are experiencing in the hands of security officials at the Ghana-Togo border.



According to him, both the Customs Excise and Preventive Service and some security officials at the border extort various sums of money from traders to aid them in crossing the border.



Speaking on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia Programme, the vibrant chairman claimed that the Aflao Border now runs as passengers car which needed to do sales at the end of the day.



I received series of complains from Kumasi and Accra traders about the bitter experiences on the Aflao border and decided to go there and witness things for myself... I went there on Monday and the place is now run as passengers car which needs to do sales at the end of the dayI must confess, the trouble that travelers go through at the hands of these security officials, who have thrown all caution to the wind and openly ask for money before services are been rendered will shock youTraders are suffering on the border due to high level of corruption, he lamented.



He again disclosed that "a container of malt by sea can be charged between GH12,000 to 15,000 and whereby the same container of malt can also be charged GH60,000 at the Afloa border all because its coming from Togo".



He further claimed petition upon petition has been issued but to no availwhy is it that the paperless is not working at the Aflao Boarder". he quizzed.



He therefore called on the Ghana National Security, CEPS, Police and Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to investigate the allegations and help maintain law and order in the area.



Watch full interview between Kwame Nkrumah Tikses and Abronye DC;





Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected]









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Featured VideoKenya's High Court has ruled against campaigners seeking to overturn a law banning gay sex.



The three judges rejected claims that the colonial-era law violated the new constitution, which guarantees equality, dignity and privacy.



The penal code criminalizes "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" - widely understood to refer to anal intercourse between men.



Gay sex is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.



It is not clear whether there have ever been any convictions for gay sex in Kenya.



But Kenya's National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) had pushed for the law to be scrapped, arguing that it gave rise to a climate of homophobia.



The law is specific to men but activists say that lesbian, bi, trans and non-binary voices are also affected.



"The general public doesn't know that the law only applies to male relationships," says Njeri Gateru, a co-founder of the (NGLHRC).



"They include other sexual minorities in their prejudice."



Many African countries still enforce strict laws governing homosexuality, in most cases a legacy of laws imposed by the colonial rulers.



The case was initially filed by LGBT rights activists in 2016. They argued that the state had no business regulating matters of intimacy.



It wasn't heard until February 2018 and the verdict was initially expected in February 2019 - but it was delayed until Friday.



What did the judges say?



The judges dismissed the argument that a ban on gay sex contravened the 2010 constitution, which protects all citizens' privacy and dignity.



Presiding judge Roselyne Aburili declared to a packed courtroom: "We find the impugned sections [of the penal code] are not unconstitutional".



She also argued that allowing gay sex would "open the door for same-sex unions". In her commentary she added that there was "no conclusive scientific proof that LGBTQ people are born that way," she added.



The judges ruled that while they respected changes to laws banning gay sex in other countries, it was the court's duty to respect prevailing Kenyan values.

Source: BBC









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Featured VideoIslamist insurgents killed at least 25 Nigerian soldiers in an ambush on Saturday morning, two people with knowledge of the battle said, bringing the army's number of dead this week to 45 or more.

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has been commended for giving Presidential assent to the Right to Information law, which was recently passed by Parliament under his tenure of office.



Reverend Dr Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, a former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, and a Lecturer at the Department of Religious Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, on Friday said the President deserved congratulations for having this long journey coming to an end under his leadership.



He has however cautioned that the zeal and enthusiasm that brought the RTI bill into law must not die with the giving of Presidential assent to the bill, adding that the law must become a household concept through intensified public education.



Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Rev Opuni-Frimpong said the passing of the RTI law is indeed a victory for Democracy in Ghana. The law is a clear demonstration of what a determined and purposeful people can achieve in the midst of delays, frustrations and attacks.



He expressed his happiness that the Right to Information Bill (RTI) that was drafted in 1999, after going through several reviews over the years was finally given Presidential assent by the President.



The RTI law, which would be operationlised in 2020, would enable citizens to hold governments accountable, to ensure that there was a high level of transparency in the governance of the country through having access to relevant information.



Rev Opuni-Frimpong acknowledged the many Civil Society Organisations, Media Houses, Members of Parliament, Donor Organisations, Faith Based Leaders and many more who identified themselves with the process of getting the Bill passed into law and signed by the President.



He said such entities and people, whether dead or alive, truly defended forever the cause of freedom and of right, and must be celebrated as dedicated sons and daughters of Ghana.



He said by that law, Ghana now joined other African countries like South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Liberia, and Guinea that had already adopted such law.



He urged churches, mosques, academic institutions and the media to provide oxygen to the new law for it to offer us transparency, accountability, and good governance.



The campaign for the effective implementation of the RTI law must start now, Rev Opuni-Frimpong stated.

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Gregory Afoko, who is standing trial for the 2015 murder of New Patriotic Partys then Upper East Region Chairman Adams Mahama, has written to Amnesty International to save him from human right abuses.



According to the letter written by Robert Atong Asekabta on behalf of the Ayieta Family to which Afoko belongs, the life of the accused is in danger and, therefore, they need the international human rights organisations support.



We believe even condemned prisoners have some rights.



Gregory [Afoko] has not been convicted of any crime, he has only been charged with committing a crime which has not been proven, the petition concluded.





Gregory, who is the brother to former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul, was picked up in 2015, a few hours after Adams Mahama died of acid wounds.



The deceased is said to have mentioned his name and one others to his wife as responsible for an acid attack on him, prior to his death.



The petition said after four years of detention and trial and the subsequent filing of nolle prosequoi by the Attorney General, Gregory was forcibly removed from the Nsawam Maximum Prisons to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) cells.



Even though the Police and the prosecutors knew Gregory had attorneys on file representing him, they arraigned him before a different court and charged with the same offenses.



The only difference was the addition of the fugitive suspect, the petition said.



Read the full petition below:



PETITION



ABUSE OF GREGORY AFOKOS HUMAN RIGHTS



This petition seeks to outline events leading to the arrest of Gregory Afoko for the alleged murder of Adams Mahama, the former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (N.P.P.) the present ruling party in Ghana, the trial, the motive alleged by the prosecutor, the interference by the NPP in the trial through Lawyer Anamoo, the current Upper East Chairman of the NPP, the abuse of the legal process and bureaucracy to detain and deny Gregory Afoko of his basic human rights, the abuse of the police service towards Gregory Afoko and the total disregard of the Judicial decisions. How all this is done simply to settle political scores within the in-fighting of the NPP using an innocent Proxy  Gregory Afoko.



At dawn of May 21, 2015, Gregory Afoko was arrested at his house while in bed in the same bedroom of his bedridden ailing father (whom he was taking care of). During the time of his arrest, the house was searched, clothing seized and his personal bedroom sealed by the police officers (names can be provided if needed), two other suspects were named. Gregory was sent to Tamale police station and his statement was taken (He did not write it). He was not allowed to correct the written statement. From there he was transferred to Accra and charged with the murder of Adams Mahama. One of these suspects fled and the other who allegedly bought the acid which was the substance poured on Adams was let go by the police because they had no such evidence. Gregory was eventually sent to Nsawam Medium Security prison while awaiting trial. During this time Gregory suffered various ailments and had to undergo surgery. This was only possible through judicial intervention. Due to delays by prosecution and other reasons, he has been in detention for over four years. During this time while the trial was ongoing his attorney applied for bail, but was denied by the trial judge.



After four years of detention and trial, several witnesses examined and crossed examined, after several pieces of evidence presented to a jury, after both the prosecution and defence resting their cases, the Attorney General filed a nolle prosequoi to discontinue the trial before the judge could direct the jury to deliberate. Without direct knowledge of the Judge, without following the procedures for releasing detainees, the police went to Nsawam prisons and forcibly removed Gregory from the custody of the prison (who incidentally also didnt have the proper documentation to release Gregory but were ordered to do so verbally) in his boxer shorts at night and sent to the cells of the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI). Even though the Police and the prosecutors knew Gregory had attorneys on file representing him, they arraigned him before a different court and charged with the same offenses. The only difference was the addition of the fugitive suspect.



Incidentally, the allegations the prosecutors presented during the aborted trial was that suspects Gregory Afoko and the fugitive, stopped the deceased around 11pm at the Bolga-SSNIT flats (no one was witness to this and there was no testimony that Adams told anyone this) and had acid poured on him. The deceased then drove his car to his house screaming and strangely enough the wife came out with gloves to pull him out of his vehicle. None of the immediate neighbours heard the commotion. The deceased wifes neighbours some houses away came to help her take her husband to the hospital, while she went back into the house to prepare herself to follow up. Whilst in the car, it was only the deceased who was praying. Only the deceased wife and her neighbours who came over to the house ever heard the deceased mention the names of the accused, this supposedly was whispered to them in the emergency room without any other witnesses but by these two. Subsequently the container in which contained the acid was identified by the wife and presented to the police, even though the alleged attack took place somewhere else without witnesses.



During the trial, the motive which the prosecutor stated for the murder by Gregory Afoko of the deceased was for political reasons. According to the prosecutor, the accused brother, Mr Paul Afoko, the then National Chairman of the NPP, was prevented from addressing party executives because the deceased believed Paul Afoko was going to campaign against the then Presidential candidate and now president of Ghana, Nana Akuffo Addo. It was this denial of Paul Afoko to address the party executives that so vexed his brother that he colluded with others to murder Adams. In fact, Lawyer Anamoo, who was mentioned earlier and is the successor to the deceased, actively solicited funds from the NPP to help the prosecutors prepare witnesses for trial. Anamoo defends his action by indicating that Adam died as a result of party activities, therefore, it is the duty of the NPP to help prosecute the accused.



The government, through the information minister held a press conference to defend the action of the Attorney General for filling the Nolle Prosequi and re arrest of Gregory Afoko by saying This has been done immediately with the objective of discontinuing the initial trial to enable the two accused persons to be tried together to best serve the interest of justice. The state additionally intends to pray the Chief Justice to assign a dedicated judge for an expedited trial considering the background of the case. Government assures all Ghanaians that it will not relent on any efforts to bring the perpetrators of crimes within this jurisdiction to book. (Emphasis mine to highlight direct Executive / Government intervention).



In light of these new developments, filing of the Nolle Prosequi, attorneys for Gregory Afoko made a bail application to the court and it was granted with stringent conditions. In the process of satisfying the bail conditions, the prosecutors filed a stay of execution of the bail order and were denied. They repeated the stay of execution at the court of appeal and this was also resoundly rejected by the appeals court. Thereafter, the family satisfied the bail conditions despite the numerous bureaucratic obstacles thrown their way. Such as, asking for valuation two separate times, revealing the names of the sureties to the public through the media, going onto the premises of the property under false pretences to harass the property owner etc.



Despite satisfying the conditions of the bail, the police have refused to release Gregory (we have been informed informally that they cannot release him despite the court order unless they get orders from above). Gregorys attorneys have had to file contempt charges against the police as well as a habeas corpus with the court.



With all this going on, Gregory until last week (after over two months in BNI cells) was denied visitation by either his attorneys or family. Even to present him with clothes other than the boxers he was taken with was denied until recently. Even more alarming was the fact that when the family was finally permitted to visit him, he informed them that blood was forcibly taken from him without his permission or complaint of any ailment. Subsequently, he was told he had an infection, as to what sort of infection, he was not informed but prescribed and given medication without telling him what the medication was to cure. When the family raised the alarm over this, more stringent barriers have now been put in place to make visiting Gregory more difficult.



The purpose of this petition is not to request you to interfere in the judicial process. We believe in the innocence of Gregory. We are rather concerned about the Police/Executive interference in the judicial process. We are even more concerned about the life of Gregory. Why should the police take sample of his blood for laboratory analysis when he has not complained of any ailment to them? Why should they prescribe medication for him after the so called blood analysis? Why are they refusing to let us know the medical doctor who diagnosed the ailment as well as the drugs prescribed?



Our fear was heightened by what happened to him on Wednesday, May 22, 2019. Once again without complaining of any sickness he was taken to the Police Hospital to see a doctor. A supposedly sick person was sent to the hospital handcuffed and guarded by eight (8) well built and well armed security men. Neither his lawyers nor relatives were informed about this. When we got wind of this and sent one of the lawyers together with a relative to the hospital to enquire about why he was in the hospital, after exchanges between the lawyer and the police officer who sent him to the hospital, he was returned to the cell without seeing any doctor.



We are appealing to you to use your good offices to ensure that the rights and more importantly the life of Gregory Afoko is protected. We believe even condemned prisoners have some rights. Gregory has not been convicted of any crime, he has only been charged with committing a crime which has not been proven







Yours sincerely,



Robert Atong Asekabta, Esq.



Spokesperson, Ayieta Family, Sandema









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 Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) would next week lay before Parliament the Tree Crops Development Bill for deliberation and consequent passage into law to regulate the tree crop sub-sector.



The Bill is currently before Cabinet, and upon its passage, would establish the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) that would regulate and ensure the production, pricing and marketing of tree crops, including rubber, oil palm, cashew and sheanuts in the country.



The development of the tree crops value chain formed part of the Governments Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) programme, aimed at diversifying Ghanas agriculture production sector and increase her foreign exchange earnings.



Mr Augustine Collins Ntim, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, speaking at a Stakeholders Validation Workshop on the Draft Regulation of the Tree Crops Development Authority, said government had allocated one billion Ghana cedis towards the establishment of the Authority in the 2019 Budget.



The vision behind the promulgation of the tree crops law, Mr Ntim said was aimed at providing standard and specification for the production of the selected crops, and to ensure adequate raw materials for the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative.



It is envisaged that the production of those crops would compete at an equal level with cocoa and capable to earn the nation about US$2.5 million annually.



The Deputy Minister said government, last year, supplied 9.3 million seedlings of the selected crops to farmers across the country to increase production, which is aimed at meeting the PERD agenda.



Mr Kwesi Korboe, a Member of the Technical Team of the Tree Crops Development Authority, explaining the key provisions of the Draft Bill, said there were five key areas in the bill, including the Purpose of the Regulation, Sustainable Funding Mechanism, Selection of the Governing Body and Registration of outgrowers.



Mr George Oduro, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, who chaired the meeting, in his closing remarks, commended the technical team for assembling experts in the tree crops sub-sector to make relevant inputs into the draft document.



He said it was prudent for the country to pay attention to other cash crops, aside cocoa, in order to spur the countrys foreign exchange earnings.



The meeting brought together directors of agriculture, representatives of cashew buyers association, cashew traders and exporters, oil palm and rubber dealers, as well as officials from the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Ghana Standards Authority and donor partners.



Some of the participants expressed the need for the establishment of a database for tree crop farmers, cooperatives, processors and exporters to channel resources towards increasing production of those commodities.

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Former President Jerry John Rawlings will on Saturday lead the cadres and sympathisers of the June 4 revolution for a tree planting exercise in Accra to commence activities marking the 40th anniversary of the event.



He will plant the first tree in the exercise that will start from the Tetteh Quarshie interchange to the Legon ECG Park. It seeks to celebrate the environmental credentials of Mr Rawlings.



The tree planting exercise is in line with theme for this years June 4th commemoration; Developing a national character for sustainable good governance.



The spate of indiscriminate felling of trees without recourse to planting new ones is having dire consequences on the climate. And the exercise is to encourage Ghanaians to re-embrace tree-planting as a way of life and to mitigate the effect of climate change and foster a cooler environment, a statement from the June 4th Planning Committee said.



Lectures



A June 4 lecture has been scheduled for May 29 at the Amegashie Conference Hall of the University of Ghana Business School. The lecture will be delivered by Professor John Bright Aheto, a renowned management expert.



Professor Aheto is the immediate past Dean of the School of Business at Central University College and a former Deputy Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration. The lecture will start at 2:00pm.



Prof Aheto will speak to the theme of the celebrations after which a distinguished panel comprising personalities such as Brigadier General Nunoo Mensah, Prof Joshua Alabi, Prof John Gatsi, Dr. Deborah Cubagee and Goosie Tanoh will dissect the lecture.



Durbar



Mr Rawlings and other leading members of the uprising and the 31st December Revolution will then address the climax of the celebrations at the Nungua Traditional Authority Park on Tuesday June 4.



The celebrations will start at 8:00am with a parade by young cadres followed by the lighting of the perpetual flame before the traditional address by the leader of the uprising.



The general public is invited to all the celebrations.





Source: 3news.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoHundreds of fisher folks and sympathizers of the National Democratic Congress(NDC) in Kpone, in the Greater Accra Region, have given former President John Mahama an emotional welcome and wished for his return as President.



They presented him with stones, a gesture in most Ghanaian cultures meaning, "You were telling the truth but we ignored you."



The former President had visited the Kpone landing beach as part of his tour of the area.



Speaking on behalf of the fisher folks and the traditional authorities, Nii Ofosu Oblie V, Mankralo of Kpone Traditional Area, stated that, residents of Kpone had been very loyal to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in all general elections yet there was nothing to show for it.



Nii Oblie further lamented that, Kpone had a large concentration of thriving industries and companies yet the residents wallowed in abject poverty as successive governments did not pay attention to their predicament.



The Mankralo also appealed to the former President to intervene in the implementation of the fishing close season as that would only worsen the plight of the fisher folks.



Addressing the people, former president John Mahama expressed worry about the pace at which the landing beaches were been destroyed.



He promised that all landing beaches would be revived if he was elected as President in the 2020 elections.



Mr Mahama added that, the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) rode on the shoulders of dangerous deceit to assume power and were now faced with the reality.



He added that, the next NDC government would consider the interest of the fisher folks and equip them with the needed resources to enhance business.







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Police have released a sketch of the suspected killer of Chris Attoh's wife in a Greenbelt, Maryland parking lot.



44-year-old Bettie Jenifer was shot dead in front of about 10 witnesses on May 10 as she walked from the employment agency she owned. Greenbelt police said a gunman chased her down the parking lot, shot her in front of witnesses and ran off.



Our investigators do not believe this was random, police department spokesman George Mathews told The Associated Press at the time. It was very brazen  it happened in broad daylight in front of multiple witnesses.



The police released the sketch on Friday, but they havent named a suspect or a motive yet.



After her murder, it was revealed that Jenifer was married to two men, Ghanaian actor Chris Attoh, 39, and Kedrick Jenifer, a drug lord in Baltimore.



Mr. Kedrick has been serving a 20-year sentence for distributing at least 450 kilograms of cocaine in Baltimore and Virginia.













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Great Horned mother owl Gretta, named by Oliver resident Donald Lawlor and his wife Maria, sits on an electrical pole waiting for her two fledglings to make their first flight to her.Quebec Premier Francois Legault leaves his office and walks to question period on April 3, 2019 at the legislature in Quebec City. Students are calling for a meeting with Quebec Prime Minister Francois Legault to discuss green issues as the party convention for the Coalition Avenir Quebec kicks off in Montreal Saturday. Young people from the collective Pour le Futur Montreal demonstrated this morning in front of the hotel where CAQ members began to gather for the weekend event. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques BoissinotHong Kong: CE welcomes LegCo motion

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today thanked lawmakers for their support and understanding by backing the Governments move to resume the second reading of the fugitive bill.



The Legislative Councils House Committee yesterday passed a motion to put the Fugitive Offenders & Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019 to the council for a resumption of a second reading on June 12.



Speaking to the media after attending an event this morning, the Chief Executive said that if it were not for the extreme and unprecedented situation, the Government would not need to resort to such a move.

Mrs Lam also emphasised the importance she attaches to the relationship between the executive and the legislature, saying that through discussion with lawmakers, bills can be refined to be more in line with public interest.

On foreign countries expressing concern over the proposed amendments to the fugitive law, Mrs Lam said the Government and its overseas offices have been explaining the bill to dispel their doubts.

This story has been published on: 2019-05-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.KAMPALA  The Minister of State for Finance, David Bahati, has said that only the companies that dealt with the South Sudan government will be paid since they are the ones authenticated by the government.

Mr. Bahati made the remarks during a sitting of Parliament chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah, on Thursday, May 23 also the house approved the 2019/2020 national budget.

He said that the private traders who did not directly supply the South Sudan government will not receive any compensation.

The Government of South Sudan has agreed to pay the companies that dealt with its ministries, departments and agencies. The other companies that dealt privately are hard to compensate since verification will be hard, Mr. Bahati said.

His submission however backlashed as legislators were not convinced that only those who supplied the government ought to be paid because all traders both big and small companies supplied goods to South Sudan.

Hon. Michael Mawanda the Igara County East, said that the original list had been altered and various companies left out.

I agree with the report but I would like to point out an anomaly, he noted adding that Some companies that were on the original list were omitted. The Nile Valley Investment Construction Company, for example, was left out.

He added: I would like to amend the list so they are paid.

Nandala Mafabi, the Budadiri West MP said since the firms are international business companies, they should have insured their businesses and insurance paid for their loss.

The list has only big companies that can afford to pay insurance for their companies. The government should not pay where businesses were insured. People lost property but the ones on the list are just plotting to steal from the government, he said.

The Chairperson of the select committee, Hon. Anne Marie Nankabirwa, said all the traders would be paid and a verification committee had been set up by both governments.

All those traders who supplied the government and its agencies and also the small traders will be verified and cleared. Governments on both side have formed a verification team and once the traders are verified they will be paid, she said.

The Deputy Speaker, Oulanyah, said that South Sudan traders with some form of documentation should also be considered for payment, in the next phase.

Some of those (traders) with little or no documents should also be considered and recommended by the committee for payment. This process is not ending soon, so companies that supplied to South Sudan or its agencies should submit their documents, Mr. Oulanyah said.

Related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In the 12 May episode of Iftar with Nihat Hatipoglu, aired on the Turkish ATV during Ramadan, a 13-year-old Armenian Christian child was forced to convert to Islam, in a live broadcast from Istanbuls Sultan Ahmet Square, by performing the Muslim declaration of faith. There is no god but God. Muhammad is the messenger of God, repeated Arthur after Hatipoglu.

The 13-year-old Arthur wished his name be changed to Nihat when Hatipoglu asked him if he would ever change it, the latter advising the boy to know the value of Islam and expressing hope he would undertake the Muslim pilgrimage in the future.

Alina, the mother of the child, made a statement to an Armenian Website saying that her child did not become a Muslim: We are Armenians. I am a Christian. If I had known myself that my son would appear on screen, I would have been with him, but I did not know. He is an innocent child.

According to Arthurs mother, a Syrian friend told Arthur to go on the programme, saying they would give us toys, and we will eat with the stars. My son went with his friend. Hes a child. He made a mistake, but he did not convert, nor was he circumcised, she told the Website.

Even if parents had known that their child would appear on TV for religious conversion, it still would have been child abuse and illegal, Turkish writer Uzay Bulut told Al-Ahram Weekly.

Bulut thinks Islamists do not see it as child abuse or a human rights violation.

More than 20 guests have declared their conversion to Islam on the same programme over the past few years, thanks to the Turkish theologian Hatipoglu.

Nihat Hatipoglu, 64, whose birthday happened to be the same day the episode was aired, is from Diyarbekir city, one of the largest in southeast Turkey and often considered the unofficial capital of Northern Kurdistan.

Hatipoglu said the mother of the teen knew in advance what was to be broadcast, but later denied she did. It was said that one of the assistants of Hatipoglu tried to reach the mother before going live, but failed as her Turkish is not good.

The incident was made worse by subtle references to the countrys past genocide of Christians. While public conversions to Islam are a normal part of this show, in the case of Arthur, normal procedures taken to obey Turkeys laws were ignored. His parents never gave consent, and he was encouraged to convert through promises of food and gifts, all in front of thousands of people, International Christian Concern Organisations Middle East Regional Manager Claire Evans told the Weekly.

Nihat Hatipoglu was appointed president of the Islamic Science and Technology University of Gaziantep by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Evans confirms that Hatipoglu maintains close ties with the Turkish government and that his programme on ATV continues with their blessing.

This sends a clear, public message to others that the government will ignore violations of the rights of religious minorities, she says. If Turkey is truly concerned about human rights, as it continues to claim in its bid for EU membership, then they must take these kinds of violations seriously and hold violators accountable for their actions according to due process of law, Evans told the Weekly.

The mother of the child contacted HDP (Peoples Democratic Party) member of the Turkish parliament for Diyarbekir Garo Paylan, and agreed to file a complaint of child abuse. Paylan, 47, is of Armenian descent who became a member of parliament in 2015, among the first Armenian members of the assembly in decades, along with Selina Dogan and Markar Esayan.

The Human Rights Association Commission Against Racism and Discrimination and the Diyarbakr Bar Association filed criminal complaints against both Hatipoglu and ATV executives indicating that Article 115/3 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), to which Turkey is a signatory, governing freedom of thought, conscience and religion, have been violated.

For Armenians, the act reminds of genocide  the forced conversion of minors belonging to the minority, with neither the presence nor permission of the parents, is something the Ottoman Empire used to practise a century ago.

We have an open wound for one hundred years. During the genocide, many relatives of mine were lost, disappeared and died on the migratory routes. Some of them joined Muslim families, Paylan told Bianet Website.

On Monday, Paylan tweeted a photo with Arthur. I met Arthur, he is fine  I will always be with him, I will protect him as far as I can, he tweeted.

For some time, Arthur attended Istanbuls Hrant Dink school. Anonymous sources told the Weekly that Arthur suffered health and social problems; he changed school several times and couldnt finish his education under difficult living conditions. According to the source, his fathers whereabouts is not known.

Meanwhile, Turkeys Supreme Election Council (YSK) has ruled for a rerun of local mayoral elections in Istanbul, scheduled to be held 23 June, as the AKP objected to the election results, claiming there were irregularities and discrepancies in the balloting.

At the time of the elections in April, the AKP clearly violated the Personal Data Protection Law 6698, in order to access private data to prove its case with the YSK.

Will this and the child abuse case affect the results of the upcoming elections rerun?

Bulut doesnt think so. While both practices are illegal, they are not among the criteria that will affect the voting decisions of the majority of Turks. Also, there are laws in Turkey that are supposed to prosecute and try those accused of committing crimes against humanity, but they are not observed.

Bulut says the mentality in Turkey is such that no one would implement these laws. The ruling AKP lost the election in Istanbul because Turkeys currency crisis has been pushing the Turkish economy into a recession. The countrys economic situation is getting even worse, so many people are suffering as a result.

The government has ordered the rerun of the Istanbul mayoral elections for one reason only: to win that city again. So, the winner of the rerun has already been declared: the AKP, Bulut told the Weekly.

Istanbuls Acting Patriarch Archbishop Aram Ateshian, who maintains close ties with the Turkish government and president, issued a written statement in which he described the conversion incident as unfortunate and unacceptable not only to the Armenian community of Turkey, but to the Muslim society too.

We have respect to all religions. There is no doubt that you also have respect to other religions. Ateshian advised Istanbuls community to follow up on developments calmly, adding that the head of the Religious Affairs Department of Turkey, Ali Erpash, had promised to investigate the incident.

The Supreme Council of Radio and Television (RTUK) is the Turkish state agency for monitoring, regulating and sanctioning radio and television broadcasts. The RTUK was founded in 1994 and is composed of nine members elected by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

The pro-government ATV, or Aktuel Televizyonu, where the programme was aired, currently belongs to one of the largest media groups in the country, Turkuvaz Media Group (TMG). It is a nationwide TV channel in Turkey since 1993 and it became the countrys fifth most popular channel since 2013.

If Turkey does not enforce their own laws protecting the rights of religious minorities, then the government is sending yet another clear and public warning that it does not respect human rights and exploits media in doing so, Evans told the Weekly.

At ATV, we are proud of our achievements, and continue to strive to bring you even more, reads the welcome message on the TMG Website.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 22 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Identity and faith abuse under Erdogan

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A top Sudanese general vowed to back regional ally Saudi Arabia against "all threats and attacks" from its rival Iran during talks with the kingdom's powerful crown prince, Sudan's ruling military council said Friday.

General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy chief of Sudan's new Transitional Military Council, met with Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, the official Saudi Press Agency reported earlier in the day.

"Sudan is standing with the kingdom against all threats and attacks from Iran and Huthi militias," Dagalo, widely known as Himeidti, told the crown prince during their meeting, the council said in a statement.

Himeidti also said the military council would continue deploying Sudanese troops to Yemen as part of a Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-aligned Houthi rebels.

It was Dagalo's first international trip since Sudan's army generals took power after they backed protesters in ousting longtime-leader Omar al-Bashir last month.

The statement, the council's first major foreign policy announcement, amounted to a continuation of the deposed leader's policy.

Bashir deployed troops to Yemen in 2015 as part of a major foreign policy shift that saw Khartoum break its decades-old ties with Iran and join the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.

"The Sudanese forces will remain in Yemen to defend the security of Saudi Arabia," Himeidti said, according to the statement.

Hundreds of Sudanese soldiers and officers are fighting in Yemen and have often suffered casualties spurring calls at home for withdrawal.

*The story was edited by Ahram Online.

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On 23 March, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) defeated Islamic State (IS) forces in their last stronghold in Baghouz and nearby pockets on the banks of the Euphrates River, ending a six-month campaign that the SDF began in Deir Al-Zor with the backing of the US-led international Coalition.

The announcement of the collapse of the so-called IS caliphate raised many questions. Had IS ended with the defeat in Baghouz? If not, what will become of the terrorist organisation? What will become of the foreign fighters who joined its ranks? What parts of the world is the organisation most likely to find a new base or bases in after Syria and Iraq? Perhaps most importantly, will the IS combat strategy change in the post-caliphate period?

Some answers to these questions have come in tandem with fast-paced developments related to the groups organisational structure and the operational tactics it has applied in all its provinces since the fall of Baghouz.

In April and the first half of May this year, the terrorist organisation and its affiliates carried out 482 terrorist attacks in nine geographical areas stretching from West Africa to Southeast Asia. The attacks, most of which were carried out in the name of revenge for the Syria Province, killed and wounded over 2,800 people, including the victims of the church bombings in Sri Lanka (the figure is based on IS claims on its Telegram site from 1 April to 16 May), making this the second-largest wave of attacks carried out by IS since its foundation in 2014.

Clearly, it is unrealistic to speak of the end of this terrorist organisation. A more precise definition of what happened in Baghouz in March was that it put an end to the IS dream of a caliphate and not to the organisation itself. Moreover, the terrorist organisation has unveiled a new combat and operational strategy that it plans to carry out using its fighters in Syria and Iraq or its 13 affiliates across the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe.

This new strategy, called felling cities temporarily as a new modus operandi for fighters, departs in many respects from the management of savagery strategy that IS applied from 2014 to March 2019. IS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi alluded to some features of this new strategy in his videotaped appearance on 29 April, which was posted via Telegram by the IS media wing Al-Furqan.

What does the timing of this new strategy tell us? What exactly is it? And how can the international community respond to it most effectively?

TIMING

The IS announcement of its new strategy, which we could term the post-management of savagery strategy, comes a month after the fall of the last stronghold of its self-declared caliphate, a defeat that deeply shook the groups cohesion, especially in Syria and Iraq where competition is fierce between IS and other extremist organisations.

Hayaat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and Al-Qaeda, in particular, are the foremost rivals, and they pose the biggest and most immediate threat to IS cohesion because of their potential ideological allure to the groups fighters, especially now that IS has lost one of its chief sources of appeal to jihadists and a major selling point in its recruitment drives in Europe and elsewhere in the dream of the caliphate.

At the same time, tensions are on the rise among IS franchises abroad as internal dissension rises over whether to disassociate from the mother organisation in Syria in a reversal of the process that occurred in 2014 when many extremist groups split from Al-Qaeda and declared their allegiance to Al-Baghdadi.

In response to such challenges, the IS central command has pursued three main tactics. First, it has increased the rate of terrorist attacks carried out by its affiliates, diversified targets, and moved into new areas to carry out attacks in the name of revenge for the Syria Province. Second, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi made his first video appearance since the defeat in Baghouz and his second-ever video appearance since 2014.

In this recent video, the longest of his three appearances (the other being a voice recording released in August 2018), the IS leader was intent on demonstrating the continued cohesion of his organisation, raising the morale of its fighters in the centre and peripheries, and mobilising them into action.

Third, the organisation has released a document expounding a new and different strategy, thereby making it possible to identify its forthcoming agenda in terms of combat tactics, operational strategies, and the nature of its targets.

The chief objective of these tactics, coming in fast succession in the aftermath of the defeat at Baghouz, is to rein in IS fighters in Syria and Iraq and in affiliate organisations abroad, secure their allegiance, and forestall any schisms or defections.

STRATEGY

The felling of cities temporarily as a modus operandi for fighters, as the new strategy is called, has four main parts: Definition, Aims, Execution, and Withdrawal.

The first part, discussed here, defines new combat tactics for the IS command and provinces, which are to seize control temporarily over certain pieces of territory and then withdraw after achieving certain objectives. Particular mention is made of the IS affiliates in Libya, West Africa and Iraq.

The document points out that such strike and flee operations are characteristic of periods of non-empowerment, which it also refers to as periods of guerrilla warfare. The terms alone are thus a formal admission of defeat and the collapse of the dream of the caliphate state, as they signal the organisations reversion to earlier tactics that are shared by other extremist organisations such as Al-Qaeda. The earlier strategies also did not set their sights on capturing and holding territory.

The Definition part of the document is divided into several subsections, the first of which details the method. This essentially involves three concepts.

The first is to capitalise on the element of surprise when staging attacks against military and security targets. The second is to opt for soft targets, including vulnerable areas, such as villages and towns remote from the capital and poorly defended, thereby ensuring fighters military superiority and greater manoeuvrability. The third is speed. The document states that no operation should last more than a few hours and that fighters should withdraw as quickly as possible afterwards. They should avoid direct engagements with the security forces so as to prevent losses in their own ranks.

This latter point is significant. It offers an indication of the magnitude of ISs shrinking ranks, the central commands dwindling control over its members, and the organisations shrinking recruitment capacities. The instruction to present loss of life among the ranks is a sharp departure from the terrorist organisations modus operandi during the past five years, which prioritised carrying out an attack and achieving its aims regardless of how many fighters were martyred.

As for the place, target, timing and precise method of executing an operation, the new guidelines leave such things to the discretion of operatives or field commanders. Such considerations vary in accordance with the nature of the region, the state of the government, and the condition of its security forces in terms of preparedness, strength, deployment and ability to respond, as well as the nature of the fighters in terms of material and human resources and expertise in planning and execution, the document says.

Here, too, there is a departure from earlier practices. In the management of savagery era, operations were highly centralised, to the degree that the plans and timing for operations carried out in the provinces were drawn up by the IS central command. The new decentralisation and delegation of responsibility to IS subsidiaries and their commanders is another sign of the central organisations structural weakness and of the breakdown in its channels of communication with the peripheries.

The appear and vanish subsection of the document acknowledges that IS and the majority of its affiliates no longer control portions of territory, making it more difficult to stage attacks as military-like operations and requiring a new approach. The appear and vanish tactic, according to the new strategy, is appropriate to the current phase of reversion to guerrilla warfare, since operatives no longer have a secure area they can use as a base for attacks or as a hideout.

A corollary to this is that terrorist operatives should now adjust their dress and appearance in order to blend into civilian populations so as to keep from being identified. In other words, operatives are now effectively required to relinquish their outward religious appearance.

With this, the terrorist organisation loses an important instrument for organisational and ideological cohesion: its codes of religious dress, as defined by its extremist dogma, that kept the extremists alienated from their environment and reinforced their organisational identity.

The third subsection of the document expounds the concepts of infiltration and camouflage during the execution of an operation and moving from place to place, which are preferably performed at night. In addition to designating the areas most conducive to this tactic (rural areas and remote villages), the strategy also identifies the types of operations and targets it should be used for, such as targeted assassinations and looting from apostates (Muslims whose religious beliefs are at odds with IS dogma).

To carry out such operations, the operatives may need to camouflage themselves in local rural garb or in military or police uniforms if the target is a military or security figure, the document says.

The strategys advocacy of theft and looting, reminiscent of the practices the Gamaa Islamiya and Al-Qaeda affiliates used to finance themselves in the 1990s, speaks of the shrinking ability of IS and its affiliates to fund their activities and support their members. Now that IS has lost its main sources of income, which in Syria and Iraq were oil, purloined antiquities and ransom payments, its members have been forced to rely on their own resources in order to purchase weapons and equipment and fund their operations.

This means that the security agencies in the region and elsewhere will need to revise their strategies for cutting off terrorist supply chains, which often begin with currency exchange bureaus, jewellers, and the like. A new security plan bearing such considerations in mind will need to be devised to replace the old one, which had focused on monitoring remittances and preventing the export of oil from IS-controlled areas.

To illustrate its new tactics, the document cites the second instalment of the groups Salil Al-Sawarim (clashing of the swords) videos. Released by Al-Furqan in August 2012, the video features a detailed account of a hit-and-run operation called the Jarrah Al-Shami Raid against a village in Syria in which the raiders stormed the village, seized control of it for a few hours, plundered stores and homes, and then withdrew before the security forces could react. The document underscores the psychological aspects of this type of operation, which relies on the shock element of the blitz attack.

As to why IS would refer to an old video produced before its breakaway from Al-Qaeda, this suggests that the current command has nothing new to offer in terms of combat tactics or strategies and has therefore been forced to fall back on Al-Qaeda material. The use of the video confirms the reversion to guerrilla warfare tactics, but at the same time it could have precisely the effect IS wants to avoid.

This reminder of the feats of fighters who belonged to Al-Qaeda could fuel internal tensions surrounding loyalties to IS.

The document reiterates much of the above-mentioned points about infiltration and camouflage in the subsection on raids against security targets in vulnerable areas with weak security. Here, it likens the tactics to a police raid with its elements of speed and surprise, and it cites as examples the recent terrorist attacks in southern Libya. In April and May, IS franchise in Libya carried out five attacks against security and government buildings and facilities in the south of the country, killing soldiers and others and absconding with stolen weapons and equipment before the security agencies could send in reinforcements.

The last subsection of the Definition section looks at how long a raiding party should hold a village or other target before withdrawing. It lists five criteria: the number of fighters; their combat efficacy and training; the size of the area of the operation; the distance from military or security force bases; and the existence of a secure escape route.

According to the strategy, the emir or commander of the group carrying out the operation has the authority to determine its timeframe. It cites the IS siege of Mosul in northern Iraq as an example of why such decisions should be left to the commanders of an operation, even though the aim of the attack at that time was to seize control of the city rather than just to strike and retreat. It explains that the collapse of the Iraqi army and security forces during the attack in 2014 led the operation commander to alter his plans and expand the assault to another portion of the city.

Apart from this, however, the Mosul example conflicts with the current strategy, which opposes attempts to gain control over or hold and administer territory at present and favours guerrilla warfare and the strike and withdrawal tactic. The example, therefore, actually weakens the argument and serves as an indication of how hastily the strategy has been formulated.

CONCLUSIONS

The following observations may be made from the Definition section of the new IS strategy of felling cities temporarily as a modus operandi for fighters.

First, this section testifies to the instability that has profoundly rocked this terrorist organisation both at the centre in Syria and Iraq and in its affiliates elsewhere in the world. Most telling in this regard is the fact that the strategy has abandoned the goal of empowerment, or seizing control of territory in order to establish a government, which was the core motivation of the strategy up to the fall of Baghouz in March 2019.

Second, the focus of the Definition section promotes guerrilla warfare or what it describes as a strategy for periods of non-empowerment,

Third, most of the section reiterates concepts the terrorist organisation has put into practice since its defeat in Mosul in 2018. Over a year ago, IS boasted of a new tactic, called the Sahwa Hunters, which involved masquerading as Iraqi army or police officers and setting up ambushes on highways to capture government targets.

According to the literature on this tactic, the Sahwa Hunters use of official uniforms and vehicles made it very difficult for Iraqi law-enforcement forces to identify and pursue these terrorist agents. In like manner, this section of the document reiterates ideas IS propounded in 2018, which is to say in the period after its defeat in Mosul, and that generally were headed fighting the Sahwas, the Desert, and the Sawlat (raids), all terms alluding to counter-insurgency operations and forces. In short, the new strategy described in this section of the document is not really new at all.

Fourth, it is clear that the document was put together hastily. Its arguments lack coherence, the style and choice of vocabulary are rudimentary and improvised, and there is a noticeable absence of the religious terminology, citations and allusions that generally abound in IS rhetoric. A possible explanation for this is that the strategy was drafted by a person of a military or security background before being recruited into IS, as opposed to one of the Al-Qaeda ideologues that the group had relied on during its initial rise before it broke away from Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Fifth, the strategy, what we might call a strategy for the post-caliphate period, has much in common with that of the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) organisation founded by Al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi. This was laid out in a 2009 document called, A Strategic Plan to Improve the Political Situation of the Islamic State of Iraq. However, the new IS strategy lacks an important element in its ISI predecessor, namely a discussion of the causes of its defeat.

Can this new strategy promote the structural cohesion of IS or reverse its erosion and forestall fissures and schisms? Can it answer IS problem regarding the future of its fighters and other questions it has been scrambling to cope with since the fall of its caliphate? Can these and other questions be answered through an analysis of the remaining parts of the strategy?

The most important of these questions is, of course, what actions governments in this region and the international community can take in order to effectively combat IS in its new edition or in its post-management of savagery phase.

The writer is an expert on terrorism affairs at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 22 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Islamic State's new Strategy

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The Congress leaders, who participated in the CWC meeting on Saturday to discuss the party's abysmal showing in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections, wore grim look when they came out as the meeting ended.

As the top decision-making body met at the party headquarters on 24 Akbar Road, many speculations flew across the media including one of party President Rahul Gandhi offering to resign.



Four hours after the party went into a huddle to chalk out a future path after facing the drubbing just days back when poll results showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government returning to power with a thumping majority, none of the 23 members of the Congress Working Committee spoke to the media.



Congress President Rahul Gandhi, his sister and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra left the office imediately after the meeting concluded.



Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, senior party leader Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Motilal Vora and former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit refused to share any details of the meeting.



Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said "no comment" on the issue.





However, their faces wore tensed look after they came out of the meeting. A press conference was expected later.



Earlier in the day,reports of Congress President Rahul Gandhi offering his resignation flashed across the media, even as the Congress Working Committee meeting was in progress, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala within minutes clarified that there was no truth in the matter, and it was incorrect.



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News: https://www.marketexpertz.com/market-newsFrench police were on Saturday pulling out all the stops to locate a suspect following a blast in the heart of Lyon that wounded 13 people.

"All means have been activated to identify and detain the person who committed this act," Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz told media in Lyon, the third-biggest French city.

The blast, which sources said might have used acetone peroxide, occurred two days ahead of hotly contested European Parliament elections and while France remains on edge owing to terrorist attacks which have rocked the country.

Heitz has taken charge of the investigation into "attempted murder in relation with a terrorist enterprise and association with terrorist criminals."

French Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said however that it was too soon to say whether the blast could be termed a "terrorist act".

Sources close to the investigation suspected the explosive was acetone peroxide, or APEX, a volatile compound used in Paris attacks on November 13, 2015.

They added that traces of DNA had been recovered from the sack that held the explosive, but warned they did not necessarily belong to the suspect.

President Emmanuel Macron initially called the Friday evening explosion an "attack" but later took a more cautious tone with a tweet that condemned "the violence that has struck" the city's residents.

Police issued an appeal for witnesses on Twitter as they sought a man -- described as "dangerous" -- who was believed to be in his early 30s and who was picked up by security cameras riding an all-terrain bicycle just before the explosion.

An image of the suspect, wearing light-coloured shorts and a long-sleeved dark top, was posted. His face was partially covered by a khaki cap and sunglasses.

The number of wounded stood at 13 -- eight women, a 10-year-old girl and four men -- of which 11 needed hospital treatment. None of their injuries were life-threatening.

No one has claimed the attack, Heitz noted.

He said investigators had recovered small screws, ball bearings and batteries along with a printed circuit and a remote-controlled trigger device, and pieces of white plastic that might have been part of the explosive device.

It was placed in front of a bakery near the corner of two crowded pedestrian streets in the historic centre of the city at around 17:30 pm (1530 GMT).

Lyon and its extensive suburbs are home to 2.3 million people.

Too small to kill

District mayor Denis Broliquier said "the charge was too small to kill," and an administrative source told AFP it was a "relatively weak explosive charge".

"There was an explosion and I thought it was a car crash," said Eva, a 17-year-old student who was about 15 metres (50 feet) from the blast site.

"There were bits of electric wire near me, and batteries and bits of cardboard and plastic. The windows were blown out," he said.

The attack upended last-minute campaigning ahead of France's European Parliament vote on Sunday, with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe cancelling his appearance at his centrist party's final rally Friday night.

"I was working, serving customers, and all of a sudden there was a huge 'boom'," said Omar Ghezza, a baker who works nearby.

"We though it had something to do with renovation work," he said.

France has been on high alert owing to a wave of deadly jihadist terror attacks since 2015 that have killed more than 250 people.

The latest was in December, when five people were killed and 11 wounded during a Christmas market attack in Strasbourg, eastern France.

The last package bomb in France dates back to December 2007, when a blast in front of a Paris law office killed one person and injured another. Police never determined who carried out that attack.

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The occasion also provided an opportunity to preview Dream Cruises new Global-class ship with the unveiling of a show cabin.

Guest of honour

Among the more than 500 guests representing government, travel agents and business partners, notable attendees included guest of honour Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Other notables included Bernard Chan, under secretary, commerce and economic development bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Y.K. Pang, chairman, Hong Kong Tourism Board; Liu Yu Mei, director general, Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau; and Chen Hong Xian, director general, Guangzhou Port Authority. They were joined by Genting Cruise Lines leaders including Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, chairman and CEO, Genting Hong Kong; Hui Lim, deputy CEO and executive director, Genting HK, and Colin Au, group president of Genting HK.

Founded a quarter century ago as Star Cruises, Genting Cruise Lines has been an integral force in establishing the Greater Bay Area and China as an important cruise region. The company was also instrumental in introducing innovative ships with less rigid dining schedules designed for the more relaxed Asian cruise market.

25m passengers in Greater Bay Area

Over the past 25 years, the company has carried more than 25m passengers on its fleet just in the Greater Bay Area  Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Throughout 2018, Genting Cruise Lines' year-round deployment in the region generated 1.4m passengers, of which 30% were from outside the Greater Bay Area, helping the Pearl River Delta to attract international cruise passengers.

Beyond the Greater Bay Area, Genting Cruise Lines has supported the development of various ports and cities throughout China.

From as early as 1994, the company's ships began visiting Chinese ports including Haikou in 1994, Sanya in 1995, Xiamen in 1996, Zhanjiang in 1997 and Shantou and Behai in 1998.

In 2002, Star Cruises opened the eastern China market with SuperStar Leos inaugural call at Shanghai and, later in the year, SuperStar Gemini began homeporting in China with deployments in Qingdao, Dalian and Shenzhen (Shekou).

'We remain committed to the evolution of this region as it continues to grow in importance and stature in the global cruise market,' Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay said. The company is building cruise ships at its own yards in Germany (MV Werften) and plans to launch the first Global-class ship in early 2021.

'These are heady times for Hong Kong's cruise business, and Genting's remarkable progress has been a central reason behind our cruise tourism development,' Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said. 'Last month, Genting launched a new "One Day Greater Bay Cruise," taking passengers between Hong Kong and Nansha aboard World Dream. Genting, of course, has long championed cruise destinations throughout the Greater Bay Area and surrounding region.'

Genting orderbook

Genting is building luxurious 20,000gt Endeavor-class expedition vessels for Crystal Cruises, with the first due in 2020, followed in succession by the first 200,000gt Global-class ship for Dream Cruises in 2021, the first 67,000gt Diamond-class ship Crystal 2022 and the first Contemporary-class ship for Star Cruises in 2023.

Global-class show cabin

During the Hong Kong event, guests previewed a balcony show cabin, built in Germany and shipped in for the occasion.

Featuring 20 square metres of space, the Global-class cabins are designed for two passengers but can also accommodate up to four, suitable for families and group travellers. A two bathroom design will allow for several people to get ready at once and the cabins sofa bed also easily unfolds to sleep an additional two guests. A privacy curtain that can be closed to divide the room into separate seating and sleeping areas.

Technology will include Bluetooth locks and a new smart system allowing passengers to control different functions such as the LED mood lighting and climate control with a smartphone app, voice recognition or through a touchscreen control panel. Smart sensors will also be able to detect occupants in the cabin to automatically adjust the lights and temperature for better energy efficiency, and triple vent air-conditioning outlets ensure even air distribution for maximum comfort.Press Release

May 25, 2019 De Lima elated over passage into law of Magna Carta of the Poor bill Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has expressed elation over the passage into law of Republic Act 11291 or the "Magna Carta of the Poor" seeking to champion the cause of the underprivileged by ensuring their full access to basic services to help alleviate poverty. De Lima, the principal sponsor and author of the "Magna Carta of the Poor" bill in the Senate, said the enactment of such measure shall guarantee that the poor are granted ready access to government services and encourage private sectors to invest in pro-poor programs. "Sa ilalim ng batas na ito, binibigyang lakas at kakayahan natin ang mahihirap nating kababayan na maitaguyod ang marangal na pamumuhay, sa pagsisigurong nabibigyan sila ng sapat na tulong at ayuda, lalo na sa panahon ng kalamidad," she said. "The dream of the poor for a better future is within reach with the signing of this law. Finally, their pleas have been heard and the state will be their refuge," added the former justice secretary. Last April 12, President Duterte has reportedly signed Republic Act No. 11291 which guarantees the rights of the poor to adequate food, decent work, relevant and quality education, housing, and the highest attainable standard of mental and physical health. Under the new law, the government is mandated to establish a system of progressive realization or implementation to provide the requirements, conditions, and opportunities for the full enjoyment of the fundamental rights of the poor. De Lima, who chairs the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, thanked her colleagues for crossing party lines in supporting the pro-poor bill and helping push for its swift enactment into law. "Nagpapasalamat po tayo sa pamunuan at sa ating mga kasamahan sa Senado, na naging katuwang natin sa pagsasabatas ng panukalang ito na isang pangmatagalang tugon sa mga pangangailangan ng mga nasa laylayan nating kababayan," she said. Senate Bill No. 2021 has been approved on third and final reading at the Senate last January 29. A similar bill was approved by the House of Representatives in August 2017. Now a law, RA 11291 mandates the Department of Social Welfare and Development, in coordination with the National Economic and Development Authority and the National Anti-Poverty Commission to identify and target its beneficiaries. The beneficiaries in the new law include individuals whose income falls below the poverty threshold as defined by the National Economic and Development Authority, and those who cannot afford in a sustained manner to provide their minimum basic needs of food, health, education, and housing. This law is a fitting supplement to, and complementary of the 4Ps Law which has also been recently signed. It provides a comprehensive framework for an wholistic approach at uplifting the lives of the poor as to empower them to assert their rights.On the occasion of 2019, the Year of Tolerance in the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed Khalifa Matar Al-Mazrouei honoured a number of Egyptian icons this week.

Al-Mazrouei is among the pioneers who obtained a diploma from the Institute of International Tolerance in the UAE.

He chose Egypt as the "mother of the world and the heart of the Arab nation" -- according to his statements -- to implement his project on tolerance, and in this context, he visited Al-Azhar and St. Marks cathedral.

He also honoured Ambassador Mohamed El-Orabi, former Egyptian foreign minister; the president of El-Orman charity Hossam El-Qabbani; and the Egyptian historian Mohamed Refaat El-Imam, since most of his scientific works and community activities contribute to the acceptance of the other, namely tolerance in all its meanings.

Also among the honourees were journalist and editor-in-chief of ONA Institution for Press and Media Magdy El-Galad, and the president of the Armenian National Commission in Egypt, Armen Mazloumian.

At the evening, Mohamed Refaat El-Imam granted some of his works to Al-Mazrouei, who in turn presented the shield of tolerance to the Egyptian historian.

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The head of Sudan's Transitional Military Council (TMC) arrived in Cairo Saturday, an airport official said, at his first foreign trip since taking power after the April ouster of president Omar al-Bashir.

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's visit to Egypt comes after Sudanese protest leaders announced a two-day strike from Tuesday as talks with the military over installing civilian rule remain suspended.

The umbrella protest movement is at odds with the TMC over whether the transitional body to rule Sudan should be headed by a military or civilian figure.

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How can Egypt best profit from its huge resources of renewable energy

Egypts solar park in Aswan has recently won a best project award given by the World Bank Group. This is the first time that Egypt has received the award, and it reflects the banks trust in the governments current economic reform programme.

The total cost of this solar energy project is estimated at $2 billion. In 2017, the World Banks International Finance Cooperation offered the sum of $653 million in funds to the project.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other global institutions are also taking part in the funding.

The project, which aims to generate a total of 1600 Megawatts (MW) of electricity, plans to turn Egypt into an energy centre for the Middle East and African continent.

The target is to generate 50 per cent of the countrys clean energy needs, and Egypt is also due to launch projects to develop wind energy.

The question is how we can best use such projects.

We are now encountering a new future for the world as a whole in which energy projects will depend on the sun. By 2030, a number of other renewable energy projects will also have been launched in Egypt.

A joint meeting between Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker and Chairman of the Board of the ECS Energy Company Osama Geneidi, recently discussed investment in the field of renewable energy.

During the meeting, Geneidi called for rationalising Egypts consumption of energy and proposed the idea of generating electricity from waste.

According to the Ministry of Electricity, waste in Egypt could generate up to four gigawatts of electricity (GW), also helping to reduce pollution.

In previous statements, Geneidi had called upon the state to privatise the countrys power stations, with the private sector paying premiums and alleviating state financial burdens.

The state would then be left free to invest in service projects, such as the Cairo metro and others.

For Geneidi, we should aim to become dependent on solar energy. Companies, houses, mosques and churches should all be encouraged to build mini-solar energy stations, he said.

We need to spread a culture of solar energy, he added. More solar energy stations should be built, with the private sector taking a role in their maintenance.

Such stations would then pump their production into the national electricity grid.

The next step could be establishing a regional centre for energy and not just for natural gas. This would help to attract foreign investors in the fields of transportation and distribution.

Much of Egypts solar energy will likely come from Kom Ombo in Aswan. The Kom Ombo plant, now under construction, is expected to produce 250 MW of electricity from photovoltaic cells.

The project is being built as part of an agreement between the Ministry of Electricity, the German government and the European Commission.

There has been an ongoing struggle to find renewable sources of energy, and today world energy production from solar cells has doubled over what it was in the last century.

The production of wind energy has also increased tenfold. US production of ethanol used as fuel has reached 16 billion gallons per year.

The future has become nearer as a result. By the end of the 21st century, new sources of energy may include nuclear fusion reactors, wind power plants at high altitudes, tropical electro-solar systems, and generators working by wave power and tidal energy.

All such sources may be connected to a world power network.

While nuclear energy is considered to be very clean as it does not have significant carbon emissions, it still only represents one-sixth of total energy production.

Water energy contributes a higher amount. We are also heading towards the greater usage of wind energy, and by 2020 it will constitute 20 per cent of the energy being used in the country.

The sun can produce the equivalent in energy terms of five million Hiroshima nuclear bombs every second. It is a vast nuclear reactor, whose energy is turned into heat and light.

The amount of solar radiation that reaches the Earth every hour could easily meet our needs for energy, but converting solar energy into electricity can be a difficult matter.

Egypt is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of solar energy, and the average daily production is about 5.7 KW/hour per square metre. In winter, it ranges between 3.2 to 4.5 KW/hour per metre and in summer between 7.8 to 8.5 KW/ hour per metre.

Daily hours of sunshine reach 9.5 hours and the sun rises for nearly 350 days per year.

But harvesting this energy needs advanced technology, and there has been some success in manufacturing solar cells using local materials.

Efforts have been made to manufacture photovoltaic systems in Egypt, as their international price is high. Once such costs have come down, more than half a million feddans in the Western Desert could be given over to the production of solar energy, with German companies in particular willing to launch such projects in Egypt.

Meanwhile, more and more companies are investing in the production of solar cells, and Kenya, for example, has invested heavily in solar energy systems, particularly on the micro-level with small systems costing around $100 dollars that can be used to power lighting or small appliances in rural areas.

Ideas do not stop, and companies are thinking of ways to introduce solar energy into domestic houses. The Red Sea governorate is also being prepared to generate electricity from wind energy.

Egypts solar energy could be exported to the north where countries are deprived of the sun. A lot of Egyptian regions could benefit enormously from solar energy, including Siwa, Aswan and Sinai.

These are some of the great expectations for the 21st century, a century of technology and renewable energy.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 22 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Solar energy and the future

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The 4th Dutch Caribbean AML (Anti-Money Laundering) & Gaming Regulation Forum will have a number of interesting speakers coming from various backgrounds and professions such as Tony Clark and Dave Hanich.





All Training Sessions, Workshops, Debates and Discussions will be led by international experts such as Clark and Hanich who will address global regulatory standards and strategies to reduce the risk of criminal activity and increase compliance & transparency.





The Forum is being held from June 4-7 at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino and Spa at Maho.





Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson is calling on businesses in the AML & Gaming Regulation and support sectors to sign-up to attend the Forum.





We are looking forward to hosting these international experts and we are pleased to be the venue for this very important Forum.





The Forum will be promoting financial integrity and inclusive growth for the benefit of the Dutch Caribbean and Suriname with respect to international requirements and standards that exist in the gaming and banking industries, Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson said on Friday.





One of the speakers will be Tony Clark, a former senior Australian gambling regulator, has worked in internet gambling since 1995. In his role as a consultant - now working with the International Governance & Risk Institute (GovRisk) - Tony has provided policy advice and drafted legislation for jurisdictions around the world to regulate land-based gaming, lotteries and casino industries.





Detective Dave Hanich is a Delaware State Trooper currently assigned to the Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE), responsible for all criminal investigations relating to gaming offences, will also be a speaker at the upcoming Forum early June.





He has been assigned to DGE from almost the inception of the unit, which was formed when casino gaming expanded to table games and sports-betting in the U.S. State of Delaware.





Previously, Dave worked for six years within the Criminal Investigations Unit (Burglary and Major Crimes) where he was tasked with working felony level cases ranging from Fraud to Attempted Murder.





He joined DGE in 2010 and has variously worked on applicant/vendor background investigations, criminal enforcement/investigations, and intelligence.





In 2012 and 2013, Dave was nominated for state-wide Trooper of the Year based on his investigations and accomplishments within the Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement.





Registration remains open to attend the AML & Gaming Regulation Forum. To REGISTER for the forum, simply follow this link:





www.govrisk.org/DCGRF2019. Click Registrations and follow the process through to the end.





The Government of Sint Maarten via the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (TEATT) and GovRisk, a UK-based Training & Consultancy specialising in Financial Crime Prevention and Anti-Corruption, are the organizers of the Forum which will promote compliance, Anti-Money Laundering, New technologies and Exploring the Future of Business Risk.





This regional event will bring together key stakeholders such as: Banks - Compliance Officers & Internal Risk Managers; Central Banks, Regulatory & Supervisory Bodies; Financial Intelligence Units, Treasury & Revenue, Law Enforcement; Casinos, Lotteries, Slot & Arcade Operators; Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) such as: Law Firms, Auditors & Accountants, Insurance Firms, Real Estate Agents, Car Dealers, Jewellers, Credit Unions & Charities.





Over 100 casino directors, gaming regulators, compliance officers, law enforcement personnel and representatives from the legal and banking sectors from across five Caribbean jurisdictions will attend the event.





PHOTO: Dave HanichBlaming Pakistan for Sri Lanka bombing incident is also a part of the same campaign. It is nothing but a foolish thought that by fixing Pakistan in Sri Lanka bombing type of incident, the conspirators would succeed in adding more to the problems of Pakistan.





by Ali Sukhanver





In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, after the horrifying Easter Sunday bombings, Sri Lankas Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that his government would not hesitate to seek Islamabads help to trace the terrorists and eliminate them. He further reaffirmed Pakistans support to Sri Lanka in her war on terror. In the same interview, he rubbished New Delhis veiled attempts to associate Pakistan with the brutal massacre of innocent people. He said referring to Pakistan, I see this tragic event as further strengthening the trust that exists between our countries and increasing cooperation. The horrible Easter Sunday bombings claimed the lives of 53 people including 45 were children; hundreds were severely injured. As per tradition, the Modi government simply started its efforts of searching Pakistan behind this brutal massacre just after the incident.









In response to the Indias blames against Pakistan, the Sri Lankan Army Chief Mahesh Senanayake said in an interview with the BBC that according to the information they have, few of the suicide bombers who carried out attacks on Easter Sunday had visited Kashmir, Kerala and Bengaluru in India to possibly be trained in carrying out terrorist activities. Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake said that it is suspected that the attackers had travelled to India to establish links with other terrorist organizations. The statements of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and that of the Army Chief Mahesh Senanayake not only strengthened the relationship between Pakistan and Sri Lanka but also gave a shut-up call to the Indian conspirators who are always eager to frame Pakistan in every act of terrorism. They must try to realize that the Pulwama Strategy could not be successful all the time. Unfortunately, whenever our Indian friends find us in some temporary phase of trouble, political or financial, they simply expedite their anti-Pakistan campaign. Blaming Pakistan for Sri Lanka bombing incident is also a part of the same campaign. It is nothing but a foolish thought that by fixing Pakistan in Sri Lanka bombing type of incident, the conspirators would succeed in adding more to the problems of Pakistan. As far as Pakistan is concerned, this all is simply a routine matter. The present financial crisis in Pakistan is in no way more severe and intense than the blazing fire of the foreign supported terrorism which Pakistan has successfully extinguished. Pakistanis are a nation which has a lot of courage and determination of overcoming all such crisis.





It is true that at present Pakistan is sailing in somewhat troubled economic waters; a deep-rooted economic crisis has compelled Pakistan to go to the IMF for a bail-out package worth 6 Billion US Dollar. Going to the IMF is neither a sin nor a crime. IMF is an international institution whose primary job is to assist member countries who are in economic difficulty. According to IMFs own website, The IMF provides policy advice and financing to members in economic difficulties and also works with developing nations to help them achieve macroeconomic stability and reduce poverty. Approaching the IMF for financial assistance is nothing new and nothing novel as so many countries had been doing so in the past. Getting financial assistance from the IMF doesnt mean National Death; this assistance works as an oxygen tent in case of emergency. Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said talking to media that the government could not have bridged the financing gap of $12 billion on its own. This gap is the result of financial mismanagements of the previous governments. To bring back the financial stability, the government was left with no other way but to seek assistance from the IMF. Things would stabilize with the passage of time, though the nation will have to bear some extra burden but for the time being. We cannot exclude imminence of hard days from our life as such days are also an integral part of life. We have ample examples of the countries which had to encounter sudden hardships and troubles during their smooth-way journey to the destination of peace and prosperity. From Iran, Kuwait and Iraq to US and UK, the list of such countries is not very short.





The USA itself is one of the biggest borrowers as well as lenders. At the end of October 2018, the U.S. Treasury said in a report that it expected to issue about $425 billion in debt that quarter, raising its 2018 borrowing to more than $1.3 trillion, a 145 percent increase from the $546 billion issued in 2017. The 2018 total would be the largest annual total since 2010, when the Treasury issued $1.586 trillion in debt. In 2008, the United Kingdom also had to face a severe financial crisis. Commenting upon that crisis, a report said, In 2008, the US's largest investment bank, Lehman Brothers, collapsed, sparking an unprecedented crisis in the global financial system. Stock markets tumbled across the world as the scale of the problems facing all banks became clear. In the UK, RBS, Lloyds and HBOS had to be rescued with taxpayers' money. In short lending and borrowing is an essential part of the running financial system all over the world. It is simply a stupid thought if some thinks that the present financial crisis would weaken Pakistan; certainly, soon we shall be out of it. As a nation, it is our belief that after every dark night there is a shining bright day waiting for us. We all shall be welcoming that shinning bright day very soon and we wish and desire the same for our old friend Sri Lanka.



System error

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context: ... 21: </%method> 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: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

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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(0x7f3feec6a900)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3feecf61d8)', '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(0x7f3feec6a900)') 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(0x7f3feecf61d8)') 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(0x7f3feecba850)') 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(0x7f3feecf61d8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3feecf61d8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee794338)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3feecf66d0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3feecf66d0)') 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: </%method> 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: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951

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/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(0x7f3feef89618)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3feef896f0)', '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(0x7f3feef89618)') 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(0x7f3feef896f0)') 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(0x7f3fef0e9098)') 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(0x7f3feef896f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3feef896f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee793bb8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fef0fa288)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fef0fa288)') 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: </%method> 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: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... 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(0x7f3fef0dffb8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fef0b66a0)', '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(0x7f3fef0dffb8)') 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(0x7f3fef0b66a0)') 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(0x7f3feefcc9d0)') 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(0x7f3fef0b66a0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fef0b66a0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee793368)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fef1144c8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fef1144c8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0RTHK: Parasite takes Palme d'hor at Cannes

South Korea's Bong Joon-ho has won top prize at the Cannes film festival for Parasite, a dark comedy about social and economic inequality.

Performances from Bong stalwarts including Lee Jeong-eun and Song Kang-ho, as the patriarch of a clan of scammers who latch onto a rich family, blew away audiences at Cannes.

The director called Song his "alter ego" and ushered him onto the stage as he picked up the prize.

With a series of critical and commercial hits behind him, Bong is one of South Korea's best-known faces, winning multiple awards at home and tellingly making inroads into Hollywood - a rarity for an Asian auteur.

But up till now, major international prizes had eluded him. His Netflix-produced sci-fi action adventure "Okja", starring Tilda Swinton, was a global hit after missing out on the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2017. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-05-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.Irish voters seen adding to pro-EU pushback in bloc-wide polls



Dublin, May 24 (AFP) May 24, 2019



Populist forces stumbled in the face of surprisingly tough resistance from Dutch pro-EU parties, as Irish and Czechs voters cast ballots Friday in European elections.

Europhiles had reason to cheer from an exit poll in Ireland that suggested Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's Fine Gael party, which is committed to closer EU integration, was in the lead.

That came on top of an exit poll in the Netherlands on Thursday that indicated Dutch parties also committed to the EU were likely headed for a surprise win.

Those early indications undermined to a degree coverage before the start of the four-day contest across the EU that spoke of a possible rise of anti-establishment parties.

More than 400 million people are eligible to elect 751 MEPs continent-wide, with the first official results to be announced late Sunday once voting in all 28 member states has been completed.

The Netherlands and Britain, where Prime Minister Theresa May finally announced her departure Friday following a months-long Brexit crisis, kicked off voting on Thursday. Italy will be the last country to close polls late on Sunday.

"To all our friends across Europe still campaigning, this one is for you too!" said Dutchman Frans Timmermans, the lead socialist candidate and one of the main pretenders to replace European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker.

"Keep going! Keep believing! We can do this!," he said on Twitter after his party's apparent victory.

Turnout will remain a major concern in the EU vote that has sparked little enthusiasm since its first edition in 1979, with eastern Europeans historically the least motivated to go to the polls.

Authorities are also concerned by disinformation campaigns on social media by outside actors -- notably Russia -- trying to influence the outcome.

Activists say Facebook has closed news pages and scrapped accounts in its effort fight back fake news and avoid the embarrassing scandals that followed the US election of Donald Trump in 2016.

Around the continent, pro-European leaders are seizing on the surprise in the Netherlands to mobilise their supporters to resist a populist gain, with opinion polls indicating nationalist parties lead in France, Italy and Hungary, among others.

Brussels feared a good showing for the eurosceptics would disrupt decision-making in the EU and threaten reform efforts, including on trade, migration and the economy.



- 'We're going to hold our nerve' -



Such concerns were reflected among Irish voters.

"The rise of anti-Europeanism, and the right is quite frightening in some parts of Europe, so I am voting to support Europe," said Fiona Corbett outside a Dublin polling station.

"I think that being part of Europe has been mutually beneficial."

The exit poll for the TV channels RTE and TG4 showed Fine Gael candidates in the lead in two of Ireland's three constituencies, while the Greens topped preferences in the third.

As he cast his vote in Dublin on Friday, Varadkar warned that Brexit was entering a "very dangerous" phase following the resignation of May as a more hardline politician could replace her.

"But whatever happens, we're going to hold our nerve.

"We're going to continue to build and strengthen and deepen our alliances across the European Union and we'll make sure that we see Ireland through this," he said.

Eurosceptic forces were hoping for a stronger showing elsewhere.

Matteo Salvini of Italy's anti-immigrant League and Marine Le Pen of France's far-right National Rally (RN) want their Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) group to become the third largest in Brussels. The League has topped opinion polls in Italy.

Le Pen wants to strike a blow to Emmanuel Macron's faltering French presidency by overtaking his centrist, pro-European party Republic on the Move (LREM).

Polls give her RN party a slight edge, with around 23 percent support.

The Brexit Party, which was only set up this year by veteran eurosceptic MEP Nigel Farage, is expected to score a resounding victory in the UK vote.

Britain was never meant to take part in the elections but May was forced to trigger the vote after delaying the planned Brexit date of March 29 after parliament refused to approve the divorce deal.



- 'Destruction' -



Even if they do well in some places, eurosceptics were not expected to sweep the whole bloc, with voters from Spain to the former Soviet Baltic states indicating solid backing for the EU.

In Germany, surveys put Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party -- a heavyweight in the EU-wide centre-right EPP group -- in first place, with the Greens second.

But a rant by star YouTuber Rezo against Merkel went viral, urging the "destruction" of the CDU for making policies for the rich while failing to act on global warming.

Mainstream parties across Europe have clung on to climate change as a rallying cry -- spurred in part by a wave of student strikes across the continent.











burs-dt/rmb



Close encounters? SpaceX satellites spark Dutch UFO frenzy



The Hague, May 25 (AFP) May 25, 2019



A Dutch website set up to record UFO sightings was flooded early Saturday with reports after a "train of stars" was spotted crossing the Netherlands' skies, sparking fears of an alien invasion.

But what some thought to be a close encounter of the third kind turned out to be a string of some 60 satellites launched by US-based SpaceX hours earlier as part of its "Starlink" constellation.

The row of satellites which are part of a plan by billionaire Elon Musk's firm to provide internet from space, glided across Dutch skies around 1:00 am (2300 GMT).

Shortly afterwards, Dutch website www.ufomeldpunt.nl was inundated with more than 150 sighting reports, with astonished spotters describing a "bizarre train of stars or lights moving across the skies at constant speed".

"There's a long line of lights. Faster than a plane. Huh?" one spotter reported, while another called it a "star caravan" and one saying "I have it on film".

One spotter simply texted: "WTF?"

"I didn't know what to make of it," an unnamed witness later told the NOS public broadcaster.

"Is it Russia attacking the US? Are they UFOs? Seriously, I didn't know," the witness said.

One of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets blasted off without incident from Cape Canaveral in Florida at around 0230 GMT on Friday.

An hour after liftoff, the rocket began to release the satellites at an altitude of 280 miles (450 kilometres).

The satellites then had to separate and use their thrusters to take up their positions in a relatively low orbit of 340 miles (550 kilometres).

Each of the satellites weighs 227 kilograms (500 pounds) and was built in-house in Redmond, near Seattle.

Starlink will become operational once 800 satellites have been activated, which will require a dozen more launches.

One Dutchman who remained unfazed was satellite spotter Marco Langbroek, who knew what the mysterious lights were -- and had his camera on hand.

"I cheered them on, the moment they appeared," he told the NOS.Using observations and archival data from several of NSF's NOIRLab's observatories, together with observations from telescopes around the world and in orbit, astronomers have discovered at least 70 new free-floating planets -- planets that wander through space without a parent star -- in a nearby region of the Milky Way.Citing Iran, Trump bypasses Congress to sell arms to Saudis, UAE



Washington, May 25 (AFP) May 25, 2019



President Donald Trump's administration on Friday bypassed Congress to sell $8.1 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies, citing a threat from Iran, infuriating lawmakers who fear the weapons could kill civilians in Yemen.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration would circumvent the required review by Congress to approve 22 arms transfers to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, saying that the freeze on sales by Congress could affect the Arab allies' operational abilities.

The weapons, which include munitions and aircraft support maintenance, are meant "to deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defense capacity," Pompeo said in a statement.

The sale was announced earlier Friday by Senator Robert Menendez, who had used his powers to block shipments of tens of thousands of precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, fearing they would contribute to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where the US allies are mounting an offensive.

"I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump administration has failed once again to prioritize our long-term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia," Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.

He said that the administration failed to meet the legal definition of an emergency as he vowed to work with lawmakers to counter the decision.

"The lives of millions of people depend on it," Menendez said.

Another senior Democrat, Senator Dianne Feinstein, said that the United States needed to rein in rather than give more weapons to Saudi Arabia.

"The Saudi-led war in Yemen is not an emergency, it is a crime against humanity," she said in a statement.

Opposition to the arms sale was not limited to Democrats.

Congressman Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, termed Trump's decision "unfortunate," saying in a statement that the move "will damage certain future congressional interactions."

The sales come after Trump vetoed an attempt by Congress to stop US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, where tens of thousands have died and millions are at risk of starvation in what the United Nations calls the world's biggest humanitarian crisis.

Pompeo has resolutely defended US support for the Saudis, noting that the Huthi rebels who control much of Yemen are allied with US adversary Iran and saying that Huthi rocket attacks into Saudi Arabia could kill Americans taking commercial flights.

Carolyn Miles, president of relief group Save the Children, said that while all sides are at fault, "arms sales to the Saudi/Emirati coalition will increase the suffering of starving children in Yemen."



- Outrage at Saudis -



Trump has waged a major campaign to roll back Iran's influence in the Middle East and also on Friday announced he was deploying 1,500 additional US troops to the region.

But outrage at Saudi Arabia has grown in Congress, even among some of Trump's Republican allies, after the October killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Virginia resident who had written critically of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in The Washington Post.

"My whole view of Saudi Arabia changed with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi," Feinstein said.

Khashoggi was strangled to death and his body dismembered after he visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to complete paperwork for his wedding, according to US and Turkish officials.

"Rather than stand up against those who murdered Jamal Khashoggi and are working against US interests, the Trump administration decided to do an end run around the Congress and possibly the law," Menendez said.

Trump, in a lengthy statement after Khashoggi's death, said he was not concerned over whether Prince Mohammed ordered the killing as Saudi Arabia was a major buyer of US weapons.

Pompeo said he considered the emergency sales to be a one-off and voiced frustration that the United States was no longer being seen as a "reliable security partner for our allies."

But Menendez said that the administration was putting arms sales at risk by bypassing Congress.

"With this move, the president is destroying the productive and decades-long working relationship on arms sales between the Congress and the executive branch," he said.US military helicopter destroyed in Afghanistan 'hard landing'



Kabul, May 25 (AFP) May 25, 2019



Passengers and crew aboard a US military helicopter were injured when the chopper they were travelling in was destroyed during a "hard landing" in Afghanistan, a US official said Saturday.

According to Colonel David Butler, a spokesman for US Forces Afghanistan, a CH-47 Chinook helicopter "hit the ground hard on the way to drop passengers off" during a mission in Helmand province.

Butler said the helicopter had been totally destroyed during the landing.

"Both Afghan and US personnel were injured but all are stable and expected to recover," he told AFP.

"No hostile fire or enemy contact involved."

Chinooks, easily recognisable because they have one rotor at the front and one at the back, are the workhorse aircraft for foreign forces in Afghanistan, and are used to ferry troops and supplies across the country.Iran FM: US troop boost 'threat to international peace'



Tehran, May 25 (AFP) May 25, 2019



Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Saturday a US decision to deploy 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East is a "threat to international peace," state media reported.

"Increased US presence in our region is very dangerous and a threat to international peace and security and must be confronted," Zarif told the official IRNA news agency before heading home from a visit to Pakistan.Iran FM: US troop boost 'threat to international peace'



Tehran, May 25 (AFP) May 25, 2019



Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Saturday a US decision to deploy 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East is a "threat to international peace," state media reported.

"Increased US presence in our region is very dangerous and a threat to international peace and security and must be confronted," Zarif told the official IRNA news agency before heading home from a visit to Pakistan.

Washington says the reinforcements, which come after the deployment earlier this month of an aircraft carrier task force, B-52 bombers, an amphibious assault ship and a missile defence system, are in response to "campaign" of recent attacks approved by Iran's top leadership.

"Americans make such claims to justify their hostile policies and to create tension in the Persian Gulf," Zarif said.

The United States this month ended the last exemptions it had granted from sweeping unilateral sanctions it reimposed after abandoning a landmark 2015 nuclear between major powers and Iran in May last year.

The move dealt a heavy new blow to Iran's already reeling economy as even vocal critics of the renewed sanctions, like Turkey, announced they had stopped buying Iranian oil.Iran says US troop boost 'threat to international peace'



Tehran, May 25 (AFP) May 25, 2019



Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Saturday a US decision to deploy 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East is a "threat to international peace," state media reported.

"Increased US presence in our region is very dangerous and a threat to international peace and security and must be confronted," Zarif told the official IRNA news agency before heading home from a visit to Pakistan.

Washington says the reinforcements, which come after the deployment earlier this month of an aircraft carrier task force, B-52 bombers, an amphibious assault ship and a missile defence system, are in response to a "campaign" of recent attacks approved by Iran's top leadership.

Those include a rocket launched into the Green Zone in Baghdad, explosive devices that damaged four tankers near the entrance to the Gulf, and a drone attack by Yemeni rebels on a key Saudi oil pipeline.

Iran has denied involvement in any of the attacks.

"Americans make such claims to justify their hostile policies and to create tension in the Persian Gulf," Zarif said.

The United States this month ended the last exemptions it had granted from sweeping unilateral sanctions it reimposed after abandoning a landmark 2015 nuclear between major powers and Iran in May last year.

The move dealt a heavy new blow to Iran's already reeling economy as even vocal critics of the renewed sanctions, like Turkey, announced they had stopped buying Iranian oil.

Iran has appealed repeatedly to the other parties to the 2015 nuclear deal -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- to rescue it from renewed US sanctions, so far to little avail.

Britain, France and Germany launched a special payment system, called INSTEX -- the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges -- in late January to enable Iran to keep trading with European companies.

But in March Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed the mechanism as a "bitter joke".



- Brinkmanship fears -



Earlier this month, on the first anniversary of Washington's withdrawal from the agreement, Tehran announced it was rolling back some of the limits on its nuclear activities it had agreed under the deal.

It threatened to suspend more if there was no action from the major powers within 60 days on honouring their own commitments to sanctions relief.

The European powers denounced Iran's threat to resume nuclear work but urged the US not to further escalate tensions with a military build-up.

The successive US deployments have raised concerns, even among governments close to Washington, that brinkmanship with Tehran could lead to a dangerous miscalculation.

The Gulf sultanate of Oman, which has acted as a broker between Iran and the United States in the past, said it was trying reduce tensions, following a visit to Tehran this week by state minister for foreign affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah.

On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi announced that he was sending delegations to the US and Iran in an attempt to ease tensions between the two countries, which are both key Baghdad allies.

Tehran has refused to hold talks with Washington "under any circumstances" if the rights of the Islamic republic are not respected.

"We have said clearly... as long as the rights of our nation are not satisfied, as long as words don't change into action, our path will stay the same as now," Supreme National Security Council spokesman Keyvan Khosravi said on Thursday.Ex-US Marine decries 'threats, abuse' in Russian jail



Moscow, May 25 (AFP) May 25, 2019



A former US Marine arrested on spying charges in Moscow says he is subjected to abuse and harassment in jail, but a diplomat warned Saturday a potential prisoner swap will not happen before a conviction.

Paul Whelan has been held under arrest in Russia since late December and is accused of being caught red-handed "carrying out an act of espionage".

A Moscow court on Friday extended his pre-trial arrest for another three months, with Whelan addressing the media from his cage in an emotive speech accusing Russian authorities of treating him like a "prisoner of war".

"I've been threatened, my personal safety has been threatened, there are abuses and harassment that I am constantly subjected to," Whelan said according to a BBC video.

He said he'd been deprived of showers, medical treatment, correspondence and books.

"Everything is being kept from me. This is typical prisoner of war, chapter one isolation technique," Whelan said. "They are trying to run me down so that I talk to them."

The defence team for Whelan, who also carries Canadian, Irish and British passports, has argued that he was framed by an acquaintance who passed him a USB drive that was supposed to contain vacation photos.

His lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov said there haven't been threats on his life, just poor arrest conditions and a threat of false conviction.

Whelan is among high-profile detainees mooted for a potential prisoner swap, possibly with Maria Butina who was sentenced to 18 months' jail in the US last month after admitting to one count of conspiracy.

But a high-ranking Russian diplomat on Saturday said swapping Whelan for Butina is "out of the question" and not on the table.

"(Whelan) has not been convicted yet," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted by Russian agencies as saying.

The US Embassy in Moscow slammed the court's decision to extend Whelan's arrest on Friday.

"Paul has been detained already for five months, and there is no evidence of any wrongdoing," it said in a statement.Maltese navy rescues more migrants



Valletta, May 25 (AFP) May 25, 2019



The Maltese navy said Saturday it had rescued 216 more migrants, including pregnant women and minors, from two small craft in the Mediterranean.

Malta, which was holding a vote for the European Union parliament Saturday, has appealed to the EU for help in dealing with the flow of migrants, which much larger neighbour Italy has begun to turn away.

A navy statement said the migrants were on board two boats, and the first group was rescued after it "sent out a distress call that their boat was taking in water".

They were being ferried to Malta, which lies near Libya, "when another distress call from another migrant vessel came in.

"So the patrol boat turned around and proceeded to rescue the second group too," the statement said, before adding that "pregnant women and unaccompanied minors are among those rescued".

All were expected to reach Malta around midday.

The island of 450,000 people is a common destination for migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean from North Africa, and a hardline stance from Italy has increased pressure on it.

More than 500 migrants have reached Malta this year, while 1,425 have made it to Italy, which has a population 130 times larger.

International Organization for Migration figures show 24,687 migrants have reached Europe so far this year, well below the record of around one million in 2015, and also likely to fall below the 2018 figure of 144,000.

Among EU member states, Spain took in the most migrants last year, at around 65,0009 civilians killed in Yemen's Taez province: Medic, rebels



Sanaa, May 25 (AFP) May 25, 2019



Nine civilians were killed in overnight air strikes east of Yemen's third city of Taez, a medic and rebel forces said Saturday.

Two children were among the nine killed in air strikes by a Saudi-led military coalition fighting on the side of the government, a doctor at Al-Thawra hospital told AFP.

The doctor, who requested anonymity, said a number of other people were wounded.

The Huthi rebels said the coalition targeted a petrol station in Taez province, according to the rebel-run Saba news agency.

The city of Taez is under siege by the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels but controlled by pro-government forces, who are supported by the military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Yemen's four-year conflict has triggered what the UN terms the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with over 24 million people, more than two-thirds of the population, in need of aid.

Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed.Bikers stage last 'Rolling Thunder' to honor missing US soldiers



Washington, May 25 (AFP) May 25, 2019



Thousands of bikers, many of them Vietnam War veterans, converged Saturday on the US capital for what is billed as their last national "Rolling Thunder" ride in honor of missing American soldiers on Memorial Day weekend.

They got a boost from President Donald Trump himself, who tweeted Saturday that he would like to help maintain the event, which is bogged down in a dispute over costs.

The huge motorcycle rally -- set to take place on Sunday -- began in 1988 with fewer than 3,000 participants under the motto "We will never forget." The goal was to press for an accounting of those missing in Vietnam.

Over the years, it has grown into a rumbling combination of protest and parade, with tens of thousands of participants and many more lining the streets from the Pentagon to the National Mall to watch -- and hear -- the gleaming spectacle.

Riders end up at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the nearby Lincoln Memorial for speeches and a concert on the Sunday before Memorial Day.

Unlike Veterans Day in the United States, which honors all military veterans in November, Memorial Day -- on the last Monday in May -- is aimed specifically at remembering those who died while serving in the US armed forces, were prisoners of war or remain unaccounted for.

The event has the same name as a major US bombing operation against North Vietnam during the war.

Bikers kicked off the weekend of events with a "blessing of the bikes" at Washington National Cathedral on Friday.

Organizers however have announced that this year will mark the last national rally, citing difficult relations with the Pentagon -- where the riders line up to begin the rally -- over logistics and high costs.

"As always, the Pentagon is charging us with an outrageous bill for their services," the group's national president Joe Bean said in a letter to members.

"The organization will continue to bring awareness to the public, in years to come, with regional demonstrations," organizers said in a statement on their website.

Trump, who was on an official visit to Japan, offered his support.

"Can't believe that Rolling Thunder would be given a hard time with permits in Washington, D.C. They are great Patriots who I have gotten to know and see in action. They love our Country and love our Flag. If I can help, I will!" he said.

According to the Pentagon's POW/MIA Accounting Agency, more than 82,000 US troops remain unaccounted for in wars as far back as World War II.Boujdour (Occupied Territories), May 19, 2019 (SPS) - The Moroccan forces on Friday resorted to violence against Sahrawi demonstrators and stormed others houses in the occupied city of Boujdour, in coincidence with the demonstrations commemoration of the declaration of the armed struggle.



The Moroccan forces besieged a group of demonstrators before they intervened violently and broke into many houses, resulting in many casualties, most of them were women and some of them were seriously injured.



The Moroccan forces besieged the houses of the victims, preventing the other citizens from visiting them. (SPS)



062/SPS/TRAWCC Expresses Concern About Colombia's Peace Process in Light of Recent Killings of Micoahumado Community Leaders



Rev. Frank Chikane addresses leaders of the community of Micoahumado on February 2018. Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC

NEWS PROVIDED BY

World Council of Churches

May 24, 2019



GENEVE, May 24, 2019 /Standard Newswire/ -- "We express our deepest concern with regard to the search for peace in Colombia, and we call upon the Colombian government and all armed actors to refrain from targeting social leaders and communities in conflict zones," said Rev. Frank Chikane, moderator of the World Council of Churches' (WCC) Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA), in light of the recent killings of social leaders in Micoahumado, South Bolivar, and elsewhere around the country.

Belisario Arciniegas Garcia and Wilmar Carvajalino were killed 7 and 10 May, respectively, reportedly by members of the National Liberation Army (ELN). After the killing of Garcia, ELN sent a message to the community announcing "20 more to go," apparently referring to the fact that they plan to kill 20 more people in Micoahumado.

"We are closely following developments in Colombia," said Chikane."Churches and faith-based organizations have contributed significantly to efforts for building peace and reconciliation in the country," he added.

Chikane, who was one of the leaders of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, called upon the United Nations (UN) mission in Colombia to send a team of the UN verification mission to the region of Micoahumado.

In February 2018, Chikane led a WCC-CCIA delegation that visited the small village of Micoahumado, when they had the chance to interact with the community and learn more about the tensions that mark their daily lives.

The assassination of the two social leaders in four days in this one small community is one among many signs that tension is rising in Colombia and that this is a very critical moment in the peace process. It is part of a wave of killings in Colombia, with approximately 75 social leaders and human rights defenders having been assassinated already this year.

Earlier this week, global media reported that the head of the Colombian army has ordered his troops to double the number of criminals and insurgents they kill and possibly accept higher civilian casualties in the process, as an attempt to show more action in their efforts to secure the country.

"The people of Micoahumado are being threatened and attacked by both the Colombian army and the ELN," observed WCC's Director for International Affairs Peter Prove, who was also part of the group that visited the community last year. "That has been all too often the position in which local communities and their leaders find themselves in the midst of Colombia's conflict, victimized by both sides," Prove added. "The Colombian army and all armed groups must stop the killing of social leaders and human rights defenders, and protect the Colombian people from violence and violation of their human rights."

From 28-30 May, an ecumenical delegation from Colombia led by Dipaz, the inter-ecclesial platform of dialogue for peace, will be visiting the Ecumenical United Nations Office (EUNO), in New York, where the WCC will facilitate meetings with the UN Security Council Members regarding the setbacks that have taken place during Colombia's peacebuilding process, and the growing humanitarian impact.

"WCC urges protection of Colombian peacemakers" - WCC news release 29 July 2018

"Role of churches in Colombias peace process raised at Global Christian Forum gathering" - WCC news release 29 April 2018

"For Colombian president, churches can play key role in peace process" - WCC news release 1 March 2018



The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway.



SOURCE World Council of Churches



CONTACT: Media Office +41 79 507 6363, media@wcc-coe.org



Related Links



www.oikoumene.org/press



www.oikoumene.org/live

SLs battered biz community comes together with a pledge towards recovery By Quintus Perera View(s): View(s):

Exactly a month after the Easter Sunday bombing, a 300-strong group of private sector businessmen representing nine business chambers in the country gathered in Colombo on Tuesday to make a solemn, unified, pledge for the unity of Sri Lanka.

Several of the bombs killing more than 250 at three hotels and churches went off at 8.45 am on April 21 and the business community met at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel (one of the affected hotels) at 10 am on Tuesday, to reflect on the crisis and make a pledge towards recovery.

On the sidelines of the Pledge, Ms. Ramya Weerakoon, President, National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka, with a very heavy heart, told some media representatives present that the government has so far done absolutely nothing in the recovery process of the economy. The government is not doing anything at all. Not done anything. Nothing has happened, she lamented.

The 300-strong business community pledged in three languages  Sinhala, Tamil and English: We members of the business community, hereby pledge  to work towards building a united Sri Lanka in which our people can live and work together in unity, in peace and in harmony, irrespective of difference in religion and ethnicity: To acknowledge the diversity within us and treat each other with respect at work and in the community: We will, together, forge a true Sri Lankan identity and thereby restore Sri Lanka as a peaceful nation. The pledge in three languages, read out by the 300 business representatives echoed across the Atrium of the hotel, spreading to its front office and reception areas.

Dhara Wijayatilake, CEO of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, explained the initiative and said that a group of nine chambers met to discuss the present situation in the country. They decided that much has to be done to reunite a temporarily fragmented Sri Lanka.

The group decided that they will ask the business community to take a pledge that they will work towards the goal of uniting the people of Sri Lanka and that they will thereby inspire everyone in this country to do the same.

Ms. Weerakoon said that the blow to the exporters was unimaginable and seemed to be impossible to salvage. The impact would be felt later in the last quarter of the year, she said, adding: Because this is the time of the buying spree of the foreign buyers, what we are worried of is the future.

She said that their buyers have cancelled all their trips and even though some may be willing to visit, their countries have imposed a travel ban and compelled them to cancel the trips to Sri Lanka.

She urged the government not to sleep on this sad issue but have a firm and committed strategy to bring back foreign buyers. She said on her part she sent a message through the Foreign Secretary to all the Sri Lankan missions abroad. She insisted that there should be a very strong promotional campaign through Sri Lankan missions abroad to give the message to the business companies who are importing from Sri Lanka  the assurance of safety and trust.

She cautioned that if the country doesnt act wisely and promptly some of these buyers would be compelled to seek other destinations for these products.

She said that exports bring a lot of foreign exchange and already the first quarter of this years targets were met, pointing out that Sri Lanka must be cautious not to lose customers and if these customers find other destinations for some reasons it is unfortunate as this country is very good and they have created a good name in quality, delivery and reliability.

She said that it is not only the peace that they are expecting to keep and attract more buyers, but they should be able to show the foreign buyers that the country is reliable to do business, as earlier.

She said that even they have a project in the pipeline for an investment of Rs. 8 billion, but it is held back until they are sure that the country is absolutely safe and reliable.Shame on you Britain, shame View(s):

As Britains Prime Minister Theresa May fights for her political life, one is reminded of Shakespeares depiction of the assassination of Julius Caesar. She has been stabbed, in a manner of speaking, multiple times by friend and foe alike, but she has not said Et tu Brute though there are many who would wait for her last words.

One did not need a soothsayer to predict what was in store for her. Those who have followed Britains Brexit saga closely could have seen it coming. The Ides of May was not far away. It seemed that May would go in May.

But at the time of writing, she was clinging on tenaciously to No 10 as though she was waiting for the end of the month like some determined tenant to make maximum use of the monthly rent though she does not pay any.

At least she is far more civilised than some of our ministers and officials, who refuse to vacate their premises even though they lost their positions years earlier. What happens in British politics in the coming months, as the Conservatives engage in vicious infighting in a leadership struggle and Tories and Labour engage in acrimonious debate ahead of coming elections, would be worth watching.

All this savours very much of the dirty infighting that is going on in our own political patch in Sri Lanka, as the president searches for any trick in the book that would allow him to stay and have good time with family and friends.

But at least it might be said for Theresa May that her determination to stay in power and see something of a Brexit deal negotiated with the European Union is because she wants to complete the task even though she has been severely wounded by her own party as well as those outside.

While political attention in the UK and continental Europe has been concentrated in recent days on Mays struggle to survive, a diplomatic defeat for Britain has gone virtually unnoticed in the ongoing fray.

That is the vote passed last week at the UN general assembly over Britains continued occupation of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, situated south of the Maldives.

In more recent times, Britain duplicitously renamed this archipelago British Indian Ocean Territory in the hope of continuing to claim ownership of it and deny Mauritius the legal right to the islands.

When the motion giving Britain six months to withdraw from the islands and reunite it with Mauritius, Britain and its partner in crime, the US, launched a diplomatic offensive to win more support if they cannot defeat the motion.

In the event, the unpopularity of the Atlantic partners became self-evident when the vote was taken. Britain suffered an ignominious defeat with 116 member states voting for the motion that called for Britain to withdraw within six months and only six countries opposing it. Those who opposed it were Trumps US, Hungary, Israel, Australia and the Maldives. As many as 56 nations abstained, a sign that some of them were not ready to yield to pressure.

Admittedly the motion is not binding, and one cannot see the British quitting, having leech like suction tubes. But it is the impact of this vote on the world outside and the UKs overblown reputation and image that have taken a beating. It was a clear indication of the standing of old and new colonial powers in the world today.

The history of the Chagossian people is a pitiful story which cannot be told now for reasons of space. But it revolves round Diego Garcia, the most important of the Chagos archipelago for geostrategic reasons. It is home to one of the biggest US naval bases in this part of the world and has been a bone of contention from the time it was constructed after Britain handed over the territory to the US somewhere in 1965.

Though the Chagossian people went to British courts to win the right to return to Diego Garcia from where they were unceremoniously ousted, the UK renewed the agreement with the US two years ago, thereby ending any opportunity of return.

But Mauritius has laid claim to the archipelago from which the islands were plucked away for a paltry sum and promise of independence for the Mauritians.

It might be recalled that declarations of the Non-Aligned Movements summits in the early years almost always carried a reference to Diego Garcia and a call for closing down the US base, which in more recent years, was used as a facility for questioning (and torturing?) terrorist suspects. The base was also used for air attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq.

The battle to recover the Chagos archipelago, especially Diego Garcia, has been going on for decades. More recently (in February 2019) the International Court of Justice in its Chagos advisory opinion found that the separation of the Chagos archipelago from the British colony of Mauritius was contrary to the right of self-determination. Accordingly, the de-colonisation of Mauritius was not completed in conformity with international law.

As a consequence, the court found that the UKs continuing administration of the archipelago which includes Diego Garcia is a continuing international wrong.

Britain, along with the US, has committed a serious violation of human rights by uprooting a whole population from their homes and dumping them in Mauritius and some in the Seychelles.

This was done surreptitiously and the people there were given a few hours notice to quit their homes with a single bag.

This is but one of the instances of how British colonialism has treated populations and people under their rule. Families of Kenyans killed by British troops as Mau Mau rebels are fighting in British courts for reparations. Hundreds of Gurkha soldiers who fought for King/Queen and country in several wars in which many sacrificed their lives, were treated so badly that they, too, had to fight cases in British courts for some to gain the right to live in Britain. The Indian community in Hong Kong that contributed much to the economic growth of the British administered territory, too, had to conduct a long campaign to gain the right of abode in the UK.

What sticks in the craw is that Britain preaches us homilies on human rights and civil liberties, while it violates the rule of law when it suits it.

Sri Lankans will recall that it was the US and now the UK which led the charge at the UN Human Rights Council with extremely damaging resolutions against Sri Lanka, alleging human rights and international humanitarian law violations.

Yet it is these two countries which continue to violate the rule of law. The vote in the UN last week should be a sharp reminder to British politicians that they are no longer a big power though they sit on the Security Council.

One can understand Donald Trump parading around as though the world is another Trump Tower. But the British trying to play big power games is downright silly. And when they leave the European Union they will only have Trump to hold their hand.Wreak havoc and set free Bodu Bala Sena bigotry DID SIRISENA UNDERMINE JUDICIARY WHEN HE CUT SHORT REBEL MONKS JAIL TERM? -- Whilst communal flames still threaten to flare, was the President right to add fuel to the fire? View(s): View(s):

Even as Bodu Bala Sena Boss Gnanasara Thera shed his shameful jailbird jumper and adorned himself with the saffron robe of the Buddhist Sasuna and slipped through a back door exit from Welikada jail on Thursday afternoon, many questions arose as to the wisdom of the Presidents rash decision to grant the wayward monk special presidential pardon and let him walk a free man.

He had insulted in open court the judge and the entire judicial system; and had been found guilty of contempt by the Appeal Court and sentenced to 19 years rigorous imprisonment to be served in six years. The President had set him free in less than nine months.

Basking in the limelight after a most welcome absence of time in the slammer, Gnanasara told the media that the vast majority of the countrys Buddhist, Hindus, Catholics and Muslims were clamouring for his release.

He said: In spite of strong international opposition, the President had the courage to release me. The prison sentence the court had decreed was 19 years reduced to six years. The people had great hope that the President would release me before that time. It was the wish and prayer of the public of this country  there was no racial divide  all Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Burgher and Malays prayed for my early release.

Perhaps, some mysterious voices from the great beyond had been whispering in his ears during his dark days of solitude behind bars to give him the notion that the nation had naught in their thoughts and in their prayers but him and that every day temple flowers bloomed for him, kovil bells pealed for him, Christian candles were lit for him and mosques prayers were hailed for him, all praying in unison for his early release.

And the President became the instrument of Gods and Karmic will. And, no doubt, the President would have blushed pink to hear from the lips of the man who not so long ago had condemned him as a spineless imbecile or words to that effect, now sing hosannas in his name and hail him as a hero for the courageous act he did in releasing the canary from his Welikada cage.

But life behind bars seems to have made the bigoted monk go cold turkey deprived as he was of his addiction to rabble rousing and espousing communal hate.

He said on Thursday night that he is now a reformed person. I ask you all to act with care now. I plan to spend the rest of my time by following the Dhamma, as befits a Buddhist monk. I will henceforth dedicate myself to religious activities alone.

Jolly good. Prison seems to have been his confessional box and when this renegade monk says that he has atoned for his sins and is now reformed, it is certainly good news. For no one is beyond the pale of redemption if he truly repents his sins.

Except for one thing. Religious activity always has been his launching pad to attack other religious faiths. And thus its wise to keep fingers crossed and remember that even a caged zoo leopard when released to the wild by some bleeding heart fool of an animal lover, never changes its spots.

Before one faces the unpredictable future, it is wise to ponder over the past, over the creation and subsequent actions of the Bodu Bala Sena movement which Gnanasara led and still heads.

Just to recap the past, lets stroll down memory lane.

For starters, eighteen years ago, it was this same monk Galagodaatte Gnanasara, now meteorically raised to the heights of national infamy, who, whilst driving a car in a drunken stupor, knocked down a man who had to be rushed to hospital with a smashed leg. He was convicted for drink and driving, in the Colombo Magistrates (Road Motor Vehicle) Court in case No 6315/2000, including the charge, amongst nine, of not reporting the accident.

For one who claims that his every act is done in the name of the Buddha Sasana and that every adverse reaction levelled against the Buddha Sasana, and that if there is any matter to be settled it must be settled then and there, Gnanasara Thera is quite averse to discussing the incident and told a television interviewer three years ago that it will be a waste of time to talk about it and to skip the subject altogether.

After remaining as a blessed nonentity for the nations good during the turbulent war years, he graduated to the big league when peace had dawned to raise the lions tail of Sinhala patriotism against a new racial foe, the Muslims; and, in 2012, launched the Bodu Bala Sena in a lavish ceremony from the BMICH under the Rajapaksa regimes patronage with the declared aim of subjugating the Muslim minority through waves of terror.

Ever since, he has done nothing else but peddle the racist and bigotry jingo and has used a garbage truck to carry his bellicose chauvinism to bulldoze Buddhisms pillars of ahimsa or nonviolence and tolerance to all and disfigure the head, limbs and torso of the collective Sinhala populace, and render them damned with the mark of racism and religious bigotry from tress to nail.

Hell bent as he was trying his best, even unwittingly, to destroy Buddhism while claiming to safeguard it, no wonder he was heaven-sent for proselytising foreign missionaries to exploit his words and deeds and turn thousands off Buddhisms sublime philosophy based on loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic and equanimity. No wonder, it enabled them to hold up the Buddhas noble tenet to display tolerance to all religions and creeds as an orchestrated sham of the ages  as evidenced, as did claim, by the glorified vile practice of one who professed to be a robed, card carrying disciple of the Buddhist order of monks, whose constant assertion that his deplorable acts have the blessings of the entire Order of Buddhist Monks was largely aired and left uncontradicted.

Since its formation in 2012, during the Rajapaksa regime, the Bodu Bala Sena led by Gnanasara had the freedom to wage with impunity without fear of prosecution their various attacks on Muslim businesses. But what they would regard as their shining hour came in June 2014, which three days after thousands of Lankan Buddhists had commemorated the arrival of Buddhism to Lanka 2558 years ago and spent the day in the practice of Buddhist ethics, meditating upon the sublime states of loving kindness to all and tolerance toward all faiths and creeds. A small group of rebel monks launched another serial attack on Muslims and showed the world the other side of Posons midnight moon.

At a time when religious and racial tensions are at their highest, the Bodu Bala mob arrives in full force to fan the flames to a higher pitch.

Gnanasara proudly declares at the Aluthgama meeting as if it was the best epithet he could receive, Spineless ministers and others say we are racists, they say we are religious bigots. Yes, we are racists. Yes, we are religious bigots.

Inciting the crowds with vicious language and rhetoric of Sinhala supremacy in Lanka and declaring the undisputable right of the majority race to inflict violence on any minority grouping who dared to outstep the allowed bounds of their limited tolerance, the head of this rabid renegade brigand of fanatical monks, the saffron robed Galagodatte Gnanasara arrogantly proclaims in his inflammatory speech to a crowd clapping his every word: If we do not unite and determine today to do our duty, our still unborn generations will, at a future date, curse us to be struck down by lightning. Without being subject to that curse, look at our ancestors, our forefathers and what they did. They sacrificed their blood, tears, sweat and their lives, donated their eyes, their flesh, their blood to safeguard this age old heritage on behalf of us. Today, evil sinful forces have emerged from all four directions to plunder this heritage.

And then comes the crunch:

We tell everyone, Gnanasara warns, raising his hand defiantly, This country still has a Sinhala police. Still has a Sinhala army. After today, if one Sinhalese is even touched, let alone a robe, if one Sinhalese is even touched by any Muslim or anyone else that will be the end of them all.

The mob violence began soon after. And it was to claim the lives of two Muslims.

That was the night the Bodu Bala had blood on its robes and evil sin on its conscience. Missing still were the manacles on its hands. But retribution would come four years hence.

It came when the river burst its banks on January 25th 2016 and flooded the Homagama Magistrates Court when Gnanasara unleashed a barrage of abuse. Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake had just finished remanding the six army intelligence officers arrested in connection with the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda for a further period, when from the spectators seats rose Gnanasara bellowing, Government officials are remanding war heroes who saved the country by crushing the Tigers. He also turned his wrath on the grieving wife of the missing Ekneligoda, who is feared dead after having been abducted and taken in a white van over five years ago, and accused her of being a pawn of the West.

The Magistrate who would have been startled by this sudden court outburst especially coming from a man dressed in robes, instead of ordering the immediate arrest of the offender who had dared to scandalise the court and was obviously in contempt, took the unprecedented step of trying to explain, perhaps in deference to the robe, the duty cast upon him by the law of the land. But to no avail. To Gnanasara Thera, this was an invitation to launch his full frontal assault on the judiciary and reportedly retorted, This is white mans law. Give me any punishment. Im ready to accept it. We cant tolerate this practice and thats why we are here today. And stormed out of court.

No one can say he didnt ask for it. The magistrate issued a warrant for his immediate arrest. After leaving his two storey white house, his hallowed temple in Rajagiriya, accompanied by a few policemen in his black Benz, he arrived at the court premises to be accorded a heros welcome by his rabid supporters who hailed him as a martyr about to receive his martyrdom at the burning stake.

He was arrested and remanded. The magistrate complained to the Appeal Court and gave evidence in person as to what had transpired in open court to bring down the dignity and respect of the court. The Appeal Court found Gnanasara guilty of contempt of court. And in August the manacles fell on his hands and the iron bars of a jail cell was all he had to behold.

He appealed to the Supreme Court but all the Supreme Court did was to dismiss the appeal offhand with Justice Prasanna Jayawardena saying the Supreme Court is bound to protect the dignity of the judiciary.

Gnanasara had exhausted the entire gamut of the judiciary, from Magistrate Court to Appeal Court, from Appeal Court to Supreme Court and the law lords had upheld the conviction and agreed with the sentence of six years in prison, cut down by the courts from the 19 years imprisonment inflicted upon him.

And this week the president goes and sets him free.

The question is whether Sirisenas timing was right to display his political sympathy over the plight of a renegade monk in jail, notorious for his history of inciting communal violence and uncage him to unleash his fury free again when just last Monday politically driven Sinhala Buddhist mobs caused communal violence in Kurunegala and surrounding areas?

The question is also whether Sirisena was right to release a convicted man who had been duly convicted and sentenced by the Supreme Court of the land to serve a term of 19 years cut down to six years in prison, less than ten months of his confinement?

True, he has the untrammeled constitutional power to do so. Under Article 34 of the Constitution he certainly has it. It says that the President may in the case of any offender convicted of any offence in any court within the Republic of Lanka grant a pardon except in the case of any offender who has been condemned to suffer death by the sentence of any court in which a certain prescribed procedure has to be followed.

But despite this power, the question, however, lingers: must not the president exercise that power judicially, responsibly and not out of political gain or personal sympathy? Would it then be undermining the very foundations of the judiciary which sentences a man to twenty years or even life only for the President to overrule the sentence and free the convicted overnight by midnight gazette?

PS: He who is friendly amongst the hostile, peaceful amongst the violent, who is detached amongst the attached, him do I call a holy one.  Dhammapada

What makes a Sinhalese, a Buddhist UNP Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera declared last Monday that Sri Lanka was not a Sinhalese Buddhist land. He said: Sri Lanka is not a Sinhala Buddhist country but a country belonging to all who have taken Sri Lanka as their motherland. Others rushed and begged to differ. Unlike America where all the refugees from Europe and other parts of the world arrived in droves less than five hundred years ago and immediately became Americans the moment they set foot on its soil, the Sinhalese have lived, worked and wrought its culture and traditions and established their distinct identify for over 2500 years; and thus can rightfully claim title to the land. This was no land of asylum seekers. Where the Statue of Liberty, gratuitously gifted to it by the French in 1886, hails all with the slogan: Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! The Arab Moors were sea traders and they made Lanka one of their ports of call. All of them did not settle down in one full invasion. A few did at first. Others followed suit in stages and established base camp, especially in the East of Lanka near the Magama Port served as harbour for their ships. The small community grew gradually. When the Portuguese took control of the coastal belt of the island, the Muslims were persecuted. The Sinhala kings in Kandy offered them protection and granted them asylum in the hill country. The Dutch, in the 18th century brought Javanese and Malaysian Muslims. Other Muslims too arrived from India in the 19th century when the British rule held sway over the entire island. Thus its a fallacy to say that Muslims have been here from 1,300 years. They came as traders. Were allowed to reside here as guests and only later not more than three hundred years ago were accepted as Sri Lankan Muslims. The Sinhalese on the other hand have been here for over two thousand five hundred years ago. Perhaps even more. From time immemorial, from Ravanas time. The land was called the land of Sihale, where the Sihale people, the Sinhalese lived for thousands of years. Vijaya, who the Mahawamsa holds to be the founder of the Sinhala race  a fact now decried by archaeologist  did not found the Sihale or Sinhalese race. If the legend is true at all, he merely assumed kingship over the people, the Sihalese who lived in Sihale. As for Buddhism, it was declared the state religion by King Devanampiyatissa in 300BC after the arrival of Indias Emperor Asoka son with the Buddhas bowl of the Dhamma as his invaluable gift to the island race. Historical records found in both India and Lanka confirm these facts. These are not wild assumptions made without base. The capital Anuradhapura of the Sinhalese, with a recorded history of over a thousand five hundred years had been in existence for over 1200 years when the first Islamist traders came with their goods to barter for gems and spices. Even today one can see in every facet of the islands life and culture what the Sinhala race has done. In its architecture, in its engineering, in the stupas that rivaled only the Giza Pyramids of Egypt, in its irrigational works, in its massive tanks that once, during the rule of Parakramabahu the Great in 11 century AD, made Lanka known as the granary of the East and which still exist to water the agriculture of the land, one sees the genius of the Sinhala hand It is the same with England with only a thousand year existence. Unlike America which is a land of refugees, refugees who poured from England, Ireland from the European continent all seeking refuge in a land of the Red Indians  who were massacred  and claiming equal status as Americans, for none could say the land had been developed to its full poetical but all could say that their forefathers in equal measure had helped build its present status. No doubt that countries should be secular. As India is and Sri Lanka is. Indias constitution states that it is a secular state. Sri Lankas constitution does not state that Buddhism will be the state religion of the land but, given that over seventy five present of the people are Buddhist, states that it shall be given foremost place whilst in the same breath and clause guarantees equal rights to all other faiths and consolidates that right by Article 14 which deals with fundamental rights  the freedom either by himself or in association with others in public or in private to manifest his belief and worship or otherwise in practice and teaching. Hinduism, the only religion that has no founder and which is the oldest religion having evolved from the soil, embraces all religions and accepts all to their pantheon of gods; which is why it regards the Buddha as the tenth avatar of Vishnu. And take note that Buddhism can be held as the religion most secular in its nature compared to all the other great religions of the world in its emphasis on practising tolerance toward all those who hold a different creed and faith. The Kalama Sutra even says not to even take his own message for granted in blind faith but to question it until one is expelled of all doubts and only then to follow it. Thus its why, though the Catholics had their crusades and the Spanish and other inquisitions and the Islamists had their many jihad wars, no single war, throughout the course of human history, has ever been fought in the name of fostering Buddhism. Buddha was the worlds first missionary. But he and his followers sought to persuade the people to that gentle philosophy he expounded by means of persuasion, not by arms. The statement I am a Sinhalese Buddhist and I have pride in that is a racist and a bigoted statement. If one is born a Sinhalese, there is nothing to be proud in that. Its a biological fact. Perhaps dictated by ones karmic fate. If one is born to a Buddhist family, nothing to be proud of that either, Only to be fortunate that birth has given a head start. But that is all. That is why, even like one born to a Buddhist family who have been Buddhist through five hundred years of foreign domination, one must renounce the ancestral faith for it has become corrupted through the ages due to priest craft, distorted by translations and interpretations, And, strive, as best as one can, to follow the Teachings of Gautama the Buddha as best as one can perceive it. Finally, the question is not whether we treat other communities as guests or not. The fact is that this land of the Sinhala race for the last two thousand three hundred years has been the cradle of Theravada Buddhism, the pristine form of Buddhism, Lankas greatest gift to mankind and future humanity. The 15 million Sinhalese who live here have no other land but the 25,000 square miles of an island. The 3 million Tamils have their Tamil Nadu in India where there over seventy million Tamils. The 1.5 million Muslims have their Arabia and their Mecca to turn to every day and pray and a worldwide populace of over a billion. The Sinhalese have only the ancient land of the Sihale. And with all its faults, with all its warts, none can deny that they have survived through all the vicissitudes to keep the flame of Buddhism alive to light the life of generations yet to be born not only in this thrice blessed land but in all the four directions of the world. The above does not make one a racist or a bigot. Only a realist. This country is a Sinhala Buddhist country. That is a historical fact. But that does not give a licence to a Sinhala Buddhist to flaunt the air of supremacy over the other communities but treat them all as citizens of one Lanka having the same equal rights to worship the religion of their choice, to adhere to their customs and traditions and live peacefully in the land as one. Even Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith last week acknowledged that Sri Lanka is a Sinhalese Buddhist land. We are all Sri Lankans living in a Sinhala Buddhist land. No need for anyone to make an issue out of it. Even as all are British in a British Christian land. Even as all are Indians in a Hindu India. Its a fact. However, in the midst of all this political pedantry, one must not lose sight of an even more important question to ask in this Vesak month. And the question is: What makes a Sinhalese, a Buddhist? As the Buddha said when asked what makes a man a Brahmin, what makes one a Buddhist, a Christian, a Hindu or an Islamist is not by ones birth but by ones deeds. Presidential order must baffle Police top brass Following this weeks car horn protest against the closure of roads when VIPs were on the move with their heavily armored convoys, President Maithripala Sirisena ordered the Police to close roads to allow VIP movement without obstructing the free flow of traffic.Very creditable. At least it showed that even though he fails sometimes to give ear to human voices, his antenna is fully tuned to car horns.

Except for one thing. It must certainly baffle the Police top brass how to give effect to the Presidential order. How to close roads to allow VIPs to drive through without obstructing the free flow of private traffic.Single-bid contracts: Hungarians to build two flyovers By Namini Wijedasa View(s): View(s):

Single-bid contractsthis time for two flyovers funded through a Hungarian loan of 52mn Euros (Rs 10.2bn)have crept back into the Road Development Authority (RDA).

The Cabinet this week approved the construction of two flyovers at the Kohuwala and Getambe junctions as a remedial measure for heavy traffic congestion. The proposal was submitted by Highways and Road Development Minister Kabir Hashim to enter into the loan agreements for the required funds from the Government of Hungary, and to award the contract for designing and building the structures to Betonutepito Plc of Hungary. The projects were not advertised and no bids were called. This means that a competitive process that could have ensured better pricesprovided the flyovers were deemed necessarywas not followed.

And in a sign of more highways-related expenditure to come, the Department of Public Enterprises of the Ministry of Finance in February notified the Secretary to the Highways and Road Development Ministry that the RDAs borrowing limit has been raised to a maximum of Rs 245bn.

The contract for the flyovers was finalised by the RDA, a spokesman for the Finance Ministrys External Resources Department said. The ERD will now negotiate the lending terms. This was a single-bid initiative for which there will be a Government-to-Government concessional loan. The company, Betonutepito Plc, was recommended by the Hungarian Government.

The RDA is going ahead with the project despite concerns expressed by the National Planning Department (NPD) of the Ministry of National Policies. On May14, NPD Director General S.S. Mudalige wrote to the Highways and Road Development Ministry Secretary recommending a detailed feasibility study comprising all the engineering and economic analysis before finalising the flyover option.

This was in relation to the Getambe flyover. However, there was no such study done. What is available, however, is a preliminary appraisal commissioned by the Hungarian company of its own project. This finds the project to be beneficial on multiple fronts.

The Kohuwala flyover will be constructed in 22 months and the Getambe flyover in 28 months. The Governments of Hungary and Sri Lanka have entered into a framework agreement for infrastructure financing covering transport and highways. The flyovers fall within this agreement and qualify for concessional financing with repayment over 21.5 years (including a grace period of 3 years), zero interest and no other financing charges or fees.Sirisena at Rajapaksa residence  not for politics, but for weddings View(s):

There was a surprise visitor to President Mahinda Rajapaksas official residence on Thursday morning and it turned the rumour mill to function overtime.

It was President Maithripala Sirisena. He arrived there and sat in an inner drawing room area, patiently waiting for his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa, and one-time boss who was upstairs. Those who saw him said he was in a sombre mood but did not fail to smile at those who greeted him.

He was a witness at two weddings  those of Manju Kularatne and his brother, Gayan Chaturanga Kularatne both from Gampaha. The latter is now a senior lecturer in a university in Australia. The duo, connected to a onetime Provincial Councillor, wanted the two political leaders to be the signatories as witnesses.

On Wednesday night, President Sirisena had telephoned the senior groom and said he would not be able to come. However, by morning, he had changed his mind and said he would come over and sign.

In the wake of the Easter Sunday carnage, the grooms did not choose a five-star hotel for the signing ceremonies. Therefore, it was held at the Wijerama Road official residence of the Leader of the Opposition.

By the time cameras clicked and videos began to roll, President Sirisena was in a happy mood. With the signing over, he had a few words with Mr Rajapaksa and returned to his own official residence.

PM slams door on Dhammika

It was Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauff Hakeem who raised the question from United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe:

Is businessman Dhammika Perera going to be the UNF candidate at this years presidential elections? he asked during a meeting at Temple Trees.

What nonsense, responded Mr Wickremesinghe, adding that I have not met him since I last saw him in February this year.

Ministers Malik Samarawickrema and Ravi Karunanayake were present. Mr Samarawickrema was critical of the businessman being a candidate. However, Mr Karunanayake uttered some words which onlookers said were inaudible.

Social media networks have gone viral with reports that Mr Perera was likely to be the presidential candidate. Some even quoted Mr Perera as saying that the country needed good leaders, and that he would not comment on himself becoming a presidential candidate for the present and that he needed more time to say anything. This allowed speculation to gather more speed among those who are slaves to social media news and love to lap up these stories  even if they are baseless. Whatever Mr Perera says after taking his time, one thing is clear. He will not be the presidential candidate of the UNP. It is none other than Ranil Wickremesinghe  at least for now.

Mr Hakeem returned to Parliament after the meeting and ran into Minister Mangala Samaraweera. He told of his experience. He told me, too, that he last met Dhammika in February this year, said Mr Samaraweera, who may however be canvassing for a different UNP candidate other than Mr Wickremesinghe.

La affaire Perera also got a reaction from Mahinda Rajapaksa. He said businessmen must not undertake contracts for others. After all, the business of business is business. Perera was a ministry secretary in the Rajapaksa Administration.

Crowds waiting outside the Welikada Prison

Story behind the backdoor release of controversial monk

The release of the Ven. Galagoda-Atte Gnanasara Thera, who was serving a sentence for contempt of court, had its own dramatic moments.

President Maithripala Sirisena decided to grant a pardon to him and conveyed it to the Justice Minister. They were acting on it when news reached the President that large crowds were gathering outside the Welikada Prison.

He telephoned Justice Minister Thalatha Athukorale. Show daanna epa. Api meka hemin keramu, or Dont make a show of it. We will do it quietly, he told her.

That was why the Ven Gnanasara made his exit through the rear door of the prison without the attention of the crowds who had gathered in front of it. On Thursday night, he called on President Sirisena with his mother.

Security forces conduct friendly search operations in Dharga Town

Unusual, but true. There were encomiums for a large team of Security Forces personnel and Police who conducted a house-to-house search in the Muslim village of Dharga Town.

It is located inland from the southern town of Aluthgama along the Matugama Road that connects to the southern expressway.

Army commandos, backed by Special Task Force (STF) and police personnel first greeted the occupants after entering their homes. One of them explained that the search had become necessary since some key suspects who supported the IS-backed Muslim extremists had come from Dharga Town. Hence, it was necessary to conduct searches.

In one house, they found a locked antique almirah. The householder said the keys were lost but urged that it be broken open. An Army personnel who went around the other parts of the house said it was not necessary to break open a prized almirah. In another household, the owner was asked to open a sealed Samsonite suitcase. He said the keys were with his son who was abroad. They lifted the bag and said it will not be necessary. Before they parted, they asked occupants whether they were happy with how the search was conducted.

Of course, that did not mean it was easy. In one house, they did arrest a person for not having a satisfactory explanation for possessing chemicals. He was produced in court and released. The search party numbered about 60 and they went into all areas. A dealer in crackers was taken in for holding a larger stock than allowed. An unfortunate youth who used his mobile phone to ring someone when the troops arrived was also taken in to be questioned.

It may be recalled, a computer expert arrested recently in connection with the ongoing probe was from the same town.

Qatar hits back at Dayasiri

The State of Qatar has hit back at Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera for his remarks that it supported extremist groups and financed Muslim extremists in Sri Lanka.

The denial came three weeks after Jayasekera made the remarks at a news conference. He made similar references on Saudi Arabia, too, though the Kingdom has not responded.

The Qatari statement said, The State of Qatar condemns in the strongest terms the statement and totally denies all these accusations. Qatar was one of the first to condemn the terror attacks on Easter Sunday, the statement added.

Chagos Islands vote: Lanka abstains, abandons NAM

Sri Lanka was one of 56 countries that abstained on a vote last week condemning British occupation of Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean.

The United States maintains a military base at Diego Garcia, an integral part of the island chain.

While Britain remained diplomatically isolated on the vote, it also signified how far removed Sri Lanka was from the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), though it is a founder member. The 120-member NAM voted overwhelmingly against Britain, with Sri Lanka breaking ranks.

The General Assembly resolution was adopted on Wednesday by a recorded vote of 116 in favour, to six against (Australia, Hungary, Israel, the Maldives, the United Kingdom and the United States), with 56 abstentions, including members of the European Union (EU).Nita shines bright at Nice with her poignant role By Yomal Senerath-Yapa Visakesa Chandrasekerams film Paangshu, about the second JVP insurrection, bags Best Actress award in the Foreign Language Film category and Best Costume Designer award at the Nice International Film Festival View(s): View(s):

Nice paid homage to a bourgeoning new Sri Lankan cinema on Saturday May 18, when the International Film Festival there recognized two key players of one of the most poignant Lankan films to come out this year- Paangshu (Earth), where director Visakesa Chandrasekeram casts back to the tragic murky depths the island was plunged into during the late 1980s with the second JVP insurgency.

Nita Fernando won the award for Best Actress in the Foreign Language Film category while Kumara Karawdeniya was adjudged the Best Costume Designer at the Festival.

The effervescent Nita wears the accolade with humble modesty that so endears her. She is no stranger to international recognition, having been Best Actress at the Singapore International Film Festival in 1998.

Looking back on her career, you get a whiff of this curious sense of destiny. By the end of her first decade in the cinema, she was cast in the role that was to iconize her. This was Nilupa Suraweera in Wijaya Dharma Sris Duhulu Malak, the first Sinhala film to explore adultery and all its tentacles of temptation. She was the pretty wayward wife. Before the film was released Nita had left for Canada, but venomous hate mail would tag her there, signed by the staid filmgoers of Sri Lanka who could not forgive her even though at the end Nilupa terminates the affair and returns to her husband and to fidelity.

Her second landmark role in the much more classic Pavuru Walalu (which brought victory at Singapore) was also of a woman torn between family, social obligations and love. The story was set in the stolid Christian middle class respectability of the Galle Fort, where Violet, a single mother of two grown up daughters, finds her life turned upside down with the sudden appearance from the shadows of the past, of the first and only love of her life.

Paangshu, Nita says, was the most difficult role she ever handled. It is the story of a woman in Anuradhapura who, in the aftermath of the 1987-1990 insurgency, seeks justice for her son who was abducted by a paramilitary group.

Babanorna is a rada woman, from the downtrodden caste of launderers. Nita, who has something bordering on aquaphobia, had to learn to swim over months- using the backstroke because she could never face the water. It was essential that she braved a torrential river in one scene, because at one point Babarnona decides to hide the gun, with which the police claims her son shot someone, deep in the riverbed.

Among those first and most moved by Nitas portrayal was director Visakesa himself. Nita gives flesh and emotions to this character, says Visakesa, carrying the total burden of a mother whose quest is to find her son and punish the criminals.

Visakesa believes that Nita gave her most outstanding performance yet with this grieving mother.

The deep sense of heroic pathos in this poor, downtrodden figure, which moved the judges at Nice, was born out of a seed that germinated decades ago during the insurgency. As a boy peeping out of his fathers car window somewhere within the North Central Province, Visakesa had watched an old woman pleading with army soldiers at the gate of a camp.

I remember, wiping her tears she spoke in a feeble voice:  if he has done anything wrong you may break his arm or a leg but please send him back alive.

At this point he realized that I had to do something in my own way, with my limited capacity, to stop such atrocities. He wanted to share these stories of these innocent people and make their stories alive in the memory of the people, so they will reject violence.

Nita in her turn, speaking of Visakesa, has much respect to accord her young director. It was a completely novel experience- for Vissa, who with talents branching out like a spreading elm, has his own way of setting about the pre-shooting process.

Visakesa, knowing well that film is a visual language and that text helps little in grasping visual elements, sketches picture frames of the film first. His vivid sketches provided Nita at once with deep insight into her role and into Paangshu. The script is born much later, very defined and fully fledged though nascent. Nary a wonder that Paangshus script was among those shortlisted for the best this year at Nice.

As with his previous film Frangipani, Visakesa touches a deep chord here. The title Paangshu comes with many connotations. There is the paangshu-kule rite, depicted in the film, where a cloth is given to the Sangha in the memory of a dead person. Also it is a reminder that we are all destined to be particles of paangshu (Sinhala for both earth and soil) at the end. But the deepest reference would be to that the film exhumes a lot of souls, a lot of stories, and a lot of grief, all of them buried uneasily, their rumblings still menacing.

For Visakesa firmly believes that this past should be dug up. I am of the view that post-war reconciliation cannot be facilitated ignoring these crimes that occurred during the Sinhalese insurgencies, he stresses.

Visakesa has always striven to understand these cycles of violence and insurgencies claiming thousands of lives. Being a person of mixed race (Sinhalese and Tamil) I felt the pains of the people in both ethnic groups. I have seen the suffering of so many women who have lost their husbands, brothers of sons. I always wanted to understand their suffering and share their stories with others, hoping to build their trust on democratic means of solving conflicts.

Nadie Kammallaweera, who starred alongside Nita Fernando, echoes Visakesa when she marvels at how modest and receptive to new experiences and new insights from youngsters, this leading lady of the cinema proved to be.

Nadie believes Paangshu can be a watershed in our cinema. The young bright firebrand of an actress points out that one of the most blazing of elements in Paangshu is how higher officials responsible for thousands of young lives remain unpunished, while thousands of mothers still wait for their children and the soldiers who acted under higher orders have become physically and mentally ill- many of them prey to post traumatic stress disorder and other complications.

Nadie hopes the film will soon be screened in the country  it is imperative that all of us get to watch it soon.

Dark period etched in Kumaras mind Kumara Karawdeniya earned Sri Lanka the first award for Costume Design at an international film festival. The overall art designer of Paangshu, this stickler for detail had the task of recreating the sartorial feel of the late 80s to the mid-90s, in a poverty stricken low-country milieu. Kumara, unfortunately, had been in the thick of the dark, tumulous period of strife in 1987-90, having lost both friends and family. Visakesa notes that he dug into the work with fervent passion and meticulousness- all the more so given that the period was scorched on to his memory. Having been mentored by Kanchana Thalpawila, Kumara had his debut as costume designer in Mille Soya (2004), and was noted for his work with Sulang Kirilli, Guerrilla Marketing and Aloko Udapadi. For Kumara, the dazzling spring night in South of France had been a ritzy but congenial and heart-warming celebration. Having flown back Thursday night, he recalls how, though the only Sri Lankan present, he was readily drawn into the heart of the camaraderie. I never felt alone, and even when I collected the award for Nita, the applause, the whistling and the cheer nearly brought down the house; it was amazing.A comedian as Ukrainian president, but hes not the only one By Gamini Weerakoon Doublespeak View(s): View(s):

Comedian Volodymyr Zelenskys resounding victory in the Ukranian presidential election  polling 73 percent of the vote  against former president oligarch Petro Poroshenko, known as the Chocolate King of Ukraine, has not had the expected impact in geopolitics, caused surprise or even amusement.

This giant-killing performance of the 41-year-old comedian has not made much of an impact even in the international media, and Zelensky, it appears, has been imperceptibly moved out to their archives by the media.

Ukraine is a frontline state of Western nations on the borders of Russia. There is an ongoing undeclared war between Russia and Ukraine. Russia is being accused of annexing Crimea by Ukraine and Western powers. But the powers involved, or even the international media, do not seem to be much concerned how this neophyte politician and comedian will face up to the challenges now confronting Ukraine.

Whats unusual about Zelensky is that he is the first professional comedian to be elected president. Comedians attract public interest as much or even more than politicians. Comedians are those that make people laugh and politicians are those who make people angry and inadvertently make people laugh at them. So why is Zelensky, who possesses both these attributes, not making the headlines?

The cynical view that most politicians of today are comedians  better comedians than professional comedians  cannot be dismissed lightly in view of some of the daily performances of incumbent presidents.

Trump

Take the performances of the president of the Greatest country on earth  the incomparable Donald Trump. His rambunctious daily performances on TV qualify him to be in the front rank of comedians of the day. Even in faraway Sri Lanka, those who resent his policies and mannerisms enjoy the absurdities and contradictions of his arguments, the firm conviction with which he says that he is right and is the greatest.

In recent weeks Trumps dire veiled threats to Iran that he does not want war with Iran and If Iran wants to fight it will be the end of Iran, and Never threaten the United States again, sound comical when Iranian leaders quite placidly declare that they Do not want a war with the United States. All this fire and fury fizzles out because Trump does not even specify the so-called threats made by Iran against his country.

A listener to this Trump tirade over CNN says that these threats remind him of his class bully in saying I am not going to thrash you; but I like your crayons.

Duterte

A president cruder, ruder and more vulgar than Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte would be hard to find but still he does sound comic with some of his absurdities. Two weeks ago, Duterte threatened to declare a garbage war against Canada and said he would pilot a shipment of garbage in containers back to Canada. Let them eat it if they can, he was quoted as saying.

A Philippine company had been importing garbage from Canada on a commercial deal for over six years and recently it had been found that there had been household garbage instead of recyclable plastic as stated on the containers. The Canadian government of young President Justin Trudeau with deft diplomacy said they would settle the dispute diplomatically avoiding the muckraking that Duterte seems to relish.

Dutertes misogynist ranting in this era of emerging gender equality has made him the bete noir of feminists and liberals.

Recently, addressing a largely feminine audience comprising Philippine service officers, he called women bitches and crazy women because he was enraged at Philippine women criticising him. It was an infringement of his right of free expression, he declared. Duterte had opined that women should stay away from Catholic priests, who, he said, could corner women, if they got too close to the priests.

His comment to a journalist: Just because you are a journalist, you are not exempted from assassination, if you are a son of a bitch.

When, he was Mayor of the Philippine town of Davo, speaking on the rape of an Australian nun he had said: I was angry, because she was raped, thats one thing. But she was so beautiful; the Mayor should have been the first.

His boast to show off that he could be 50 times more brutal than Muslim militants: Give me salt and vinegar and I will eat his liver.

Duterte continues to rant against the Christian God, Bible and the Catholic clergy, women, journalists and most of those who are not in agreement with him.

The bishops are most of them are gay, they should come out to the open. Cancel celibacy and allow them to have boyfriends.

After the Popes visit to the Philippines, he called the Pope names and added: Go home. Do not visit us again. The cause of his ire was the traffic jams caused by the tremendous crowds that flocked to Manila!

Some observers would see something comical and eccentric in these sayings, while orthodox observers will see it as being absolutely vulgar, dangerous and sacrilegious.

The most chilling and blood curdling statements are those of his policies on eradication of narcotics such as: There are three million drug addicts in the Philippines. I will be happy to slaughter them all.

However, there are admirers as well. He is the elected president with a population of 108 million.

Back home

Among Dutertes many such admirers is our President Maithripala Sirisena. He is fully supportive of Dutertes crackdown on drug addicts and wants to enforce harsh punishment by bringing in the death penalty for some drug dealers. But he does not evince Dutertes other inclinations mentioned above.

Like Zelensky, Sirisena, too, is a giant killer, having thrown out a president who held power for a near decade and was threatening to make himself a president for life. But president Sirisenas record seems to indicate that he has the capacity to do exactly the reverse of what he sought in his mandate. Therein lies the comic element as well as the tragic. He wanted to do away with executive presidential power but has continued to retain such powers. One of his chief declarations in his election mandate was that he would seek only a single term as president and reduce his term of office to five years on assuming office, which he did, but now he seeks to extend it to its limits.

However, the grand comedy was enacted in October last year, when he sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed his former boss Mahinda Rajapaksa as PM, although it was Wickremesinghe who helped Sirisena to defeat Rajapaksa.

The grand tragi-comedy continues. Sirisena continues to play ball with those who he said would have had him six feet underground, had they not been defeated. Defeated by whom? Not Sirisena but Wickremesinghe and company.

Presidential comedians are many and even genuine professional comedians like Zelensky will find the stage over crowded.Trumping Trump in incompetent president stakes By Citizen Silva View(s): View(s):

I have been musing recently this month about this man Donald Trump.

Trump, who managed to con the gullible voters of America to vote him in as president of their country in November 2016, has, for almost the past three years, presided over what, according to Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, has been called an era of paralysed dysfunctional government that even Trump enthusiasts must know is bad for the nations health.

What Trump has shown since being elected to office is that he has no knowledge of  and no respect for  the norms of high office. He is well known for disdaining the need to read the Presidents Daily Brief  the document that provides the most pressing information collected by American intelligence agencies from hot spots around the world. He has been described as a president with a short attention span who gets much of his information of the world outside America from televisions Fox News.

Trump has discovered, after becoming president, that there exists a precedent called the Presidential Pardon. Article II of the United States Constitution grants the president the authority to completely set aside or commute the punishment meted out to a convicted criminal by the courts. Such authority is granted in Clause 1, section 2 of Article II of the US Constitution.

Past US presidents have utilised this privilege  for example, President Andrew Johnson pardoned thousands of former Confederate military personnel and officials after the American Civil War with the objective of helping the country heal after the divisive war.

Trump issued his first presidential pardon in August 2017, setting aside the punishment of the former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio who had been convicted of criminal contempt by the courts  a man who had been accused of innumerable types of police misconduct including abuse of power, misuse of funds, abuse of suspects in custody, unlawful enforcement of immigration laws and election law violation. Thanks to Trumps intervention, the convicted criminal was allowed to go free without serving his prison sentence. It was almost as if Trump was thumbing his nose at the courts, sending a message that the courts of his country were wrong and that he was right, that he was above the law.

And Trump, being a man who does not respect convention and the diplomatic niceties of his office, makes no secret of the fact that he favours his family. Soon after being elected, he appointed his daughter Ivanka and his son-in-law Jared Kushner as Special Advisers to the President  and next month will take four of his children with him when he goes on a state visit to Britain. Although they do not really have a formal role in the US administration, the Trump children will go along for the taxpayer-funded ride with the president. As Sir John Kotelawala famously said when he was prime minister As long as the ladle is in your hands, just keep serving yourself and your own  and Trump makes full use of this opportunity.

The more I thought about Donald Trump, the more I began to realise that we have in our own country a man who can trump Trump for such blatant behaviour unbecoming of his presidential office.

Our own president, whose greatest qualification is that he challenged (or was manipulated to challenge) Mahinda Rajapaksa in the 2015 presidential election, was propelled into office despite himself. Since then he has, like Trump, presided over what could truly be described as a dysfunctional government.

Not only did he, as one of his first acts as president, appoint his brother as chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom, he went ahead and took along his son as part of the countrys official delegation to the United Nations General Assembly.

Being ignorant or ill advised about the law of the land he famously dismissed the prime minister last year  and only corrected his mistake when the Supreme Court of this land told the president that he just could not take the law into his own hands and do what was illegal.

Like Trump not reading the presidents Daily Briefings, our own president appeared to be unaware  or was aware and did not take the matter seriously  about the intelligence we had been provided about the terrorist threat leading to the April 21st bombings  and blithely went off on a holiday to India and Singapore. After the carnage in our country, he then callously went ahead with his sons wedding at the Hilton  oblivious to the fact the people he is supposed to lead were hurting and hurting badly after the terrorist attacks.

And after the anti-Muslim rioting, he felt it more important to visit China to attend a conference about the Dialogue of Asian Civilisations. When Britain faced the German Blitz during World War Two, King George and his family stayed in London, refusing the chance of going off to Canada for safety  and stayed to show their support for the suffering people of London. Not so our president for whom the May 9th five-star hotel wedding and the trip to China took precedence over his need to show leadership to our people.

And just as Trump pardoned the convicted Joe Arpaio, so too our president has taken it into his head to pardon a man who was convicted by our own courts  the Ven Galagodaaththe Gnanasara.

Trump has proved himself to be a most unpresidential and ludicrous president over the past thirty months of his holding the office of president of the United States.

Sadly for our country, it seems that our president has trumped Trump in the incompetent president stakes.The use of stem cells is opening a way to the treatment and cure of different illnesses, and this was discussed last weekend at a conference on regenerative medicine and cellular therapy in Fuengirola. The president of the Spanish Society of Regenerative Medicine and Cellular Therapy, Miguel Garber, says major advances have been made in the use of stem cells.

Why was Fuengirola chosen again for this conference, after it took place here last year?

The first conference was a success, with more than 184 professionals taking part, so we decided to come back to the same place. This time about 300 doctors participated.

"We are encountering problems in carrying out research due to the lack of funding"

In which areas are regenerative medicine and cellular therapy used most?

Regenerative medicine is multidisciplinary. At the conference we had cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, immunologists, orthopaedic specialists, cosmetic doctors and surgeons, etc.

What is the main function of regenerative medicine?

The objective is to be able to regenerate a patient's organs, so it is no longer necessary to carry out heart or kidney transplants, for example. We're nearly there, but not quite. In the meantime, what we have achieved with regenerative medicine is treating damaged tissues so they recover.

Have there been important advances in curing illnesses with cellular therapy?

Yes, there have. In many parts of the world it is already used to cure illnesses. The pharmaceutical institutions are using the stem cell base to generate medication to treat, for example, colonic fistulas in patients with Crohn's disease. It is a development which has been achieved as a result of studies done in Spain.

What is still needed, and what do we need to focus on?

Although the treatments with stem cells have shown scientific evidence that they do cure illnesses, we need more cases to be analysed to be able to determine that this type of therapy definitely functions.

What illnesses could benefit most from regenerative medicine and cellular therapy?

Right now, the most important ones concern the joints. Illnesses like arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc. It works well in general on anything to do with joints, and closing up colonic fistulas. Before, it was very difficult to close them and now that has been achieved thanks to regenerative medicine. It is also applied to ulcers on the lower limbs (diabetic foot) with very good results, and in diabetes. Right now it is being used in cardiology in an experimental manner to prevent cardiac insufficiency. It is also being used for illnesses such as Parkinsons. We still haven't found a way with Alzheimer's, but it is being studied. Another important advance has been with macular illness, and we believe that in future it will be a first-choice treatment.

Are there any legal problems in the use of this type of medicine?

There are no juridical problems. The legal aspects are the same as those of any profession. The use of stem cells is already regulated.

How are these types of therapies applied to cardiology?

We are seeing good progress, especially in the cardiology department at the Gregorio Maranon hospital in Madrid, where clinical tests are being carried out. We hope that in the near future we will be using stem cells in patients who have suffered a heart attack.

You say you're nearly there, but how much longer will it take?

I think it will be less than five years. We are on the final stretch, so I believe that within two years, or maybe less, we will have cellular therapies for heart patients of this type.

Is there sufficient research into cellular therapy in Spain?

As with everything, there are problems with research. However, there is quite a bit going on, although we need to do much more. The financing for research is always left until last. We're trying to convince the governments that they need to provide more money.The principal European countries have made major efforts in recent years to increase their palliative care services and specialist units to relieve pain and the emotional suffering of patients and their families at the final stage of their life. However Spain has not opened any new facilities in the past six years, and in some regions the resources have even been reduced.

As a result, the palliative care service provided by the Spanish health system is much lower than the European average, and since 2013 it has fallen 20 places on the ranking that measures the specialist services and units per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the Atlas of Palliative Care in Europe 2019. This is an internationally renowned study drawn up by the Atlantes Programme at the University of Navarra.

In 2013, Spain was the ninth European country in terms of palliative care services in relation to its population and, in fact, was among the best 25 per cent.

The lack of specialised end-of-life treatment is worse when it comes to children and teenagers

Now, it is 31st out of 49 with 0.6 specialist units for every 100,000 inhabitants - the European average is 0.8 - and is in the group of countries among the worst 50 and 75 per cent. The ratio of services is very similar to that of Romania, Georgia, Czech Republic and Latvia.

Same resources

The main reason, according to the coordinator of the Atlas, Carlos Centeno, is that Spain has the same 260 facilities as six years ago. This is increasingly distant from the two units for every 100,000 inhabitants which specialists consider necessary, and which in Europe is only fulfilled by the Austrian health service.

"While those around us have advanced, we have stood still," says Centeno, who attributes this to several reasons, but especially "a lack of political will", because the health authorities "do not prioritise" adequate attention to these patients nor the increase in resources.

There is no national law regarding palliative care - "so that has resulted in very different situations in different regions" - and the state strategy to improve this type of care is outdated. It was drawn up 11 years ago.

"Stretched to the limit"

This stagnation in developing palliative care in Spain has a dual effect. The number of specialist services is very low, even though demand never ceases to grow because of the ageing population and increase in deaths from non-transmittable illnesses, and the existing resources are "at their limit".

The lack of specialist units meant that 61 per cent of the 130,000 people in Spain who needed palliative care in 2017 because they were affected by pain and severe physical and psychological problems didn't receive it. About 80,000 patients died suffering with a poor quality of life in Spain because of a lack of professional assistance.

This lack of adequate attention and care at the end of adults' lives in Spain is clear, but is even worse when it comes to children and teenagers with fatal illnesses.

Ricardo Martino, coordinator of the Palliative Care Unit at the Nino Jesus hospital in Madrid, says that of the approximately 1,300 youngsters who die in Spain with a clear need for this specialist care, 85 per cent do not receive it.

At present there are ten pediatric palliative care services, eight at home and two in hospitals, although Martino says, "There is a wave of young professionals putting pressure on politicians to create these units in different regions."

Carlos Centeno is calling for at least three measures to try to improve Spain's palliative care situation.

Two of them involve training. The first is to create a medical speciality or sub-speciality for this type of care, because Spain is the only major European country not to have one.

The second, that all Faculties of Medicine and Nursing Schools include palliative care as an obligatory part of the course, so GPs and hospital staff can at least be involved in the care of terminally ill patients whose needs are less severe.

The third demand is to multiply the scarce specialised services. Centeno wants every hospital to have at least one palliative care team (consisting of a doctor, nurse, psychologist and social worker) to attend to all patients and families who need them.Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here

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Home PageMTN BUSHFIRE Festival is more than a festival, it is a living, breathing creative ecosystem deeply rooted in African soil, is best known for its inclusivity, welcoming approximately 26 000 guests from over 60 countries in an atmosphere of tolerance.



Its Bring Your Fire call to action promotes a passionate commitment to music, the arts and the environment, inviting all fans of music, the arts, cultural exploration and environmental sustainability to become part of the thriving community.



This epic annual festival today will see the thrilling performance of the Joy Joy hit makers Black Motion, they are known to be crowd pullers.

The popular house duo Black Motion have made a name for themselves as DJs across local and international airwaves.

GCWALA was delighted to be taken into their world of music, which is a universal language.



When asked about them visiting the country, they said that Eswatini is now their second home

as they have been here more than two times.

Eswatini is like home now to us we have been here more than two times, they said.

They have not only made Eswatini their second home but they have also worked with talented artists like Lomasoul.



Black Motion have established a great reputation as artists who are passionate about their music and do not compromise the commercial sound of house music, but rather attract listeners though their act of playing the drums and spinning music, while dazzling the audience with their freestyle dance moves.

They only promised nothing but the best for all music lovers. We will be pouring our hearts on stage, giving all music lovers a night they will never forget, they added.

The duo also expressed their enormous appreciation to be part of the epic festival.

They come off as calm, introverted gentlemen, who enjoy talking about their passion for music, cars and art. However, when Mahosana goes behind the decks and Mabongwane starts playing on his drum, they cease to be individuals.

Its as though their minds fuse into one. As they perform for their audiences, they communicate with their fans and each other through their music.

Its like theyre in a trance, a trance with a vibe that their fans feed off and is regurgitated to the gentlemen, who will break into dancing or even create a new song in the moment.



They dont particularly look like the type of men who would like to be placed on a pedestal as house music gods; they just make great house music that can capture a vast audience.

All house music lovers can catch them at the main stage at 00:40am.

Some of the information sourced from the internet.MALKERNS - Good music, food, fashion and a warm friendly atmosphere! These are the words that best describe the opening of this years MTN BUSHFIRE festival.

With approximately 2 000 people gathered together at the lawn of Eswatinis House on Fire, one could tell that the annual festival had officially begun.

As thousands of fun lovers made their way into the country to celebrate the 13th edition of the MTN BUSHFIRE festival, the House on Fire lawn, where the main event was taking place, was already filled with thousands of people who were ready to dance their feet off as soon as the first act, Maia and the Big Sky took to the stage.



When the gates opened at 5pm, revellers were already anxious to be inside as the hype had gradually built outside, with people greeting their old acquaintances.



Couples



Speaking to one of the first couples to make it inside the grounds of House on Fire, they expressed how much they had been looking forward to this day and to enjoy the festivities that came with the three-day festival.



Phumi Dlamini and Tiyandza Dlamini, both from Lobamba, revealed that it was not their first time attending the festival. They said it was the hospitality and vibe that emaSwati had towards them that made them attend each and every year, as this was be their fourth year attending this time.



Weather



The warning on cold weather seemed to have fallen on deaf ears though as many attendees did not let that prevent them from showing off their flamboyant and elaborate ensembles, typical of a festival of this kind. It seemed as though revellers carried their invisible fire along to keep them warm throughout the night.

As the night crept in with fun lovers getting into the venue every other minute, there were young scouts who were handing out the programme; and each and every one was reminded that this years theme was solemnly a call for bringing your fire.



Addition



The MTN BUSHFIRE Bring Your Fire Zone, a new addition, also saw thousands of festival guests engaging in a host of interactive activities that were designed to promote the theme of environmental sustainability.



There were 18 activators in the Bring Your Fire Zone and activations spanning a broad spectrum in the environmental/arts activism spheres, and at every stall there was something to do and some way for people to interact.



Speaking to House on Fires Communications Officer, Wandile Dlamini, who visibly looked tired yet excited to see the hard work the team had pulled off to make the festival a success, she explained that the philosophy and mandate for Bring your fire had inspired this years theme which was social responsibility.

This year, festival goers can actively embrace the theme at the all new Bring your fire zone, said Dlamini.



She further explained that the Bring your fire zone was a dynamic space that encouraged discussion and engagement on the various social issues on display.



Excited



On the other hand, Dlamini said they were excited to see that people were already zoned into the mood and that all was going well, at least by 9:20pm. In conclusion, Dlamini encouraged revellers to have fun and take care of themselves.



On another note, moving around the camping site, most groups said they were coming from South Africa, specifically in Johannesburg, and they have heard about the festival from friends who have attended it before.



In as much as some of these campers were still setting up their camping tents, most were already settled down as some were seen enjoying food and beverage in between conversations.EZULWINI  They say professional gamblers know when to stop. It is presumed this was the case for a heavily loaded gambler who lost E2.1 million during an excursion at a prominent gambling company.

The enthusiastic gambler is said to have not lost hope over the massive loss, but continued the following day until he won a consoling E600 000.

This was disclosed by Chief Executive Officer of the Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF) Prince Lonkhokhela to over 100 stakeholders of the Fund at the Happy Valley Hotel last Thursday. The name of the hotel this occurred in will not be stated.



encouraged



The Prince said this when he encouraged members of SNPF to gamble in one of the gambling companies in which the ENPF owned 20 per cent shares. This however, is not the company in which a gambler lost E2 million.



In our casino you are welcome to also go and play the slots. Many people are winning there. We were recently informed that in a certain gambling company someone was playing there and lost E2 100 000. Then the following day he returned to play and won E600 000. Since he was a foreigner, he then said he was going away the following day. The management of that company asked him how they could pay his money, but he asked that they keep it for him, as he was a regular player and would use it next time he got a chance to visit, the prince said.



The Marketing Manager of a gambling company, in an interview, said no one had ever lost such an amount of money in his company.

He encouraged gamblers to visit, saying several players were winning.



investment



On another note, the Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPS) has brought back home E1.9 billion from the companys foreign investment portfolios to reinvest into the Eswatini economy.

This is in compliance with a legislation compelling pension funds to ensure that 50 per cent of their assets are invested locally, to contribute to the countrys economy.



Prince Lonkhokhela, the Chief Executive Officer of ENPF said in an interview that the company was complying with the directive, which is why it had brought back 52 per cent of its E3.7 billion which is invested outside the country. This is calculated to about E1.9 billion.



He had been asked to shed clarity on a report he made to stakeholders of the ENPF, during the annual Stakeholders Forum held at the Happy Valley hotel in Ezulwini, about 12 kilometres from the capital city Mbabane.



Yes we have complied with the law, because we have brought back 52 per cent of the assets, he said.

Meanwhile, at the meeting the Prince told stakeholders that the company had cultivated its portfolio over the years and made several investments in the hotel, hospitality industry, pulp production, telecommunication and others.



He said the ENPF owned 100 per cent of the Happy Valley Hotel, but leased the Casino to a separate company. However, the ENPF still owned 20 per cent of the casino, which also pays rent to the ENPF.



He said the ENPF owned the Swazi Plaza at the rate of 61 percent.

At Sidvokodvo there is a dairy farm in which we own a 25 per cent stake, and we gathered that the production is at its peak and supplies 60 per cent of the countrys demand for milk.LAJANE  A 28-year-old family secret has allegedly seen a retired police officer planting a bullet into his wife and later poisoning himself.



The incident that has left community members talking in hushed tones, occurred at Lajane, an area situated about a kilometre South of Siphofaneni, a small town in the Lubombo region.



On Thursday at around 10am, the sound of gunshots caused panic and fear of the unknown to residents of the sparsely populated area.



A community member, who identified herself as make Ndwandwe, explained they were not used to such sounds in the area.

When I heard the shots, I knew something was wrong, she said.



Her fears were confirmed a few minutes later when told that Mandla Matsenjwa (64), a former police officer, had shot his wife, Ncamsile Matsenjwa (nee Dlamini).

A senior member of the family Nelson Congo Matsenjwa said the bone of contention between his brother and sister-in-law was an old marital problem.

It borders around the paternity of some of their children. This matter dates back to 1991, said Congo, giving details of the problems that led to the fatality.



He explained that his brother was told he was not the biological father of three out of seven children he knew as his.

Congo alleged that Mandla was informed about the issue of the paternity at different intervals.



police



In between the period of receiving the disheartening information, Congo said the couple were regular customers at the Siphofaneni police station and the Siphofaneni circuit court.

Reverting to Thursday incident, Congo narrated he received a call that his brother had shot Ncamsile (50) with a 32 bore shotgun.

After shooting his wife, the former police officer is said to have locked himself inside a rondavel within the compound and ingested a poisonous substance.

After receiving the news, I immediately called him on his mobile phone.

I told him I was on my way to the scene. While at that, I asked him about the news I had just received. He confirmed that he had shot his wife, and had ingested four weevil tablets, Congo said.



On arrival at the scene, Congo said he found that the place was already crowded with neighbours and relatives.

He said he then confronted his brother who was inside the hut.



confronted



To be honest with you, I only focused on my brother who is my blood. I paid little attention to what was happening to my sister in-law, Congo responded when asked on what condition Ncamsile was in at that point.

However, he said he was later informed that his sister in-law had been shot in the thigh.



He mentioned that he had the opportunity to talk to his brother who related almost everything to him.

I knew some of the things he was telling me because we once had a talk about them, he said.



While the brothers were talking, some people are said to have called the police, who arrived promptly.

Upon arrival, Congo said the police broke into the house, to give paramedics an opportunity to attend to his brother who was later transport to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital in an ambulance.



He mentioned that his brother was certified dead on arrival at the hospital while his sister in-law was admitted.

Besides the paternity issue, Congo said the introduction of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act was partly to be blamed for the death of his brother.



Our sister-in-law would intentionally provoke my brother. And when he reacted, she would rush to the police. I also believe this is another reason that could have caused my brother to react in such a manner, Congo alleged.



In a separate interview, Ncamsile, when asked about the paternity allegations said she was not aware of them.

This is all lies. They are trying to ruin my reputation. However, I cannot deny the fact that we had problems in our marriage, she said.



Hospital



Speaking from her hospital bed, Ncamsile said she had God to thank for being alive.

Ncamsiles mother, who identified herself as Gogo Gwebu, said her daughter told her that she was receiving threats from Mandla.

In fact, she told me this in the morning. A few hours later, he carried out the threats, Gwebu said.



Asked if she was aware of the paternity issue, the elderly Gwebu said there was no truth on the allegations.

If that was the case, why did he not do a paternity test? Gwebu rhetorically asked.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer (PICO) Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that a former police officer shot his wife before committing suicide.John Augie Holtz stands next to a restored oil pump in 2004. Pleasantvilles Memorial Day Service, scheduled for this Monday, is dedicated to Holtz, who was a renowned volunteer.Bahrain's Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Rera) has launched a property seller/broker contract in a bid to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of the real estate sector.

The seller/broker contract was developed following consultation with key stakeholders, including brokers, sales agents, buyers and sellers of real estate, said a statement from Rera.

The introduction of the Rera standard seller/broker contract template will assist all parties by bringing clarity and consistency to the sales process, which will ultimately improve trust and confidence in the sector, it added.

Speaking at the launch, CEO Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said: "Rera is continuously looking at ways in which it can improve the efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of the real estate sector."

"Since Rera commenced operations in March 2018, we have encouraged sellers and brokers to sign contracts to protect their legal rights," stated Shaikh Mohammed.

"The utilisation of this Rera standard seller/broker contract is not mandatory; however, it is anticipated that the introduction of this standard contract template will be to the benefit of all stakeholders, particularly those engaging in the straightforward sales of single unit properties such as an apartment or villa," he added.

Over the coming months, Rera will create a suite of contact templates and additional guidelines to assist with the buying and selling of real estate process.-TradeArabia News ServiceDubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) had announced that 90 per cent of the work on Tripoli Street Improvement Project had been completed and was expected to open to the public next month.

The 12-km street, which links Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road, runs parallel to the recently re-opened Airport Street Improvement Project, said the RTA in its statement.

Work has also been completed on the flyover between Tripoli Street and Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street.

The completion rate has reached 92 per cent in the bridge at the intersection of Tripoli-Nouakchott streets, and 75 per cent in the tunnel at the intersection of Tripoli-Algeria streets (Mirdif-Warqaa), said the statement.

"The project will enhance the link between Dubai and Sharjah, ease traffic movement and streamline the access to Warqaa and Mirdif districts," said Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors of the RTA.

"It will increase the traffic flow to about 12,000 vehicles per hour in both directions (6,000 vehicles per hour per direction) and reduce the traffic volumes by 30 per cent,' stated Al Tayer.

"Upon completion, the project will act as a parallel road to the Al Amardi-Al Khawaneej and Al Awir-Ras Al Khor traffic corridors. It will also improve traffic safety at the intersections with Rabat and Nad Al Hamar Streets near Bel Remaitha Club," he added.

According to him, the contractor has completed the extension of Tripoli Street from the intersection with Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street up to Emirates Road and the bridge linking the extension of Tripoli Street with the Emirates Road in the direction of Sharjah.

"The project includes the widening of Tripoli Street over a 6.5-km stretch from the intersection with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (nearby Mirdif City Centre) up to Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street. It also includes the construction of a new six-lane 5.3 km-long street from the intersection of Tripoli-Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan streets up to Emirates Road. Thus, the entire corridor will span about 12 km," he added.

"The project covers improvement of interchanges starting with upgrading the junction of Tripoli-Algeria Streets to a tunnel of three lanes in each direction to serve the inbound traffic from Rabat Street heading to Tripoli Street, besides upgrading the existing intersection to a signalized junction," said Al Tayer.

"The completion of these works will cut the waiting time at the intersection from three minutes to less than a minute. The project also includes upgrading the existing roundabout at the intersection of Tripoli-Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan streets into a flyover to ensure free movement of vehicles in all directions," he added.-TradeArabia News ServiceEmirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) said its chief executive Engineer Mohamed Al Hammadi has been granted a honorary doctorate by Ajou University, a leading engineering university in South Korea.

This was in recognition of Al Hammadis commitment to excellence in engineering, energy, and his role in the development of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme to improve relations between the UAE and South Korea, said a statement from Enec.

Ajou University is one of the leading research universities in Engineering, Energy, and Information Technology. It was established in 1973 and was the first higher education center in South Korea to open a dedicated center to energy.

The University counts with 14,000 students and is on track to deliver its Vision 2023 to become the best University in Asia in the 21st century.

The Honorary Doctorate ceremony took place at the Ajou campus in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, about 30 km south of Seoul.

Abdullah Saif Ali Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to South Korea, witnessed the ceremony together with Ajou University Board members, graduate students, South Korean Government officials, and academia.

Speaking at the ceremony, Al Hammadi thanked the leadership of the Abu Dhabi Government for the honour of serving his country through the development of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme.

He also highlighted the transformational role that the program has had in the consolidation of bilateral relations between the UAE and Korea, while providing careers in nuclear energy to the next generation of Emirati leaders, as well as jobs to Korean professionals.

"This recognition is a testament to the UAE and its focus on the development of specialized skills and knowledge, and encouraging the exchange of expertise to support next generation of Emirati leaders," remarked Al Hammadi.

"This is a result of the unwavering commitment by our wise leadership to develop capabilities and advance technology and innovation in the UAE," he stated.

Ajou University President Hyungju Park said Al Hammadi is the eighth public figure to receive such a distinguished honour.

President Park also highlighted the potential for further collaboration in the field of energy, electricity economics and artificial intelligence, three areas where Ajou University leads research and development in South Korea.

He also invited Al Hammadi to become an ambassador for energy, electricity economics, and artificial intelligence and to represent the University globally.-TradeArabia News ServiceContributed by Sharon Butler / Spending summer in the city means that each weekend, in neighborhoods far and near, street traffic is rerouted to make way for lively festivals featuring food, music, facepainting, games, dancing, and more. Peter Krashes, a political organizer in Prospect Heights, makes paintings based on snapshots he takes during these neighborhood festivals. The gouache-on-paper paintings, on view at Theodore: Art through Saturday, May 25, feature cropped figures, rendered with confident brushwork applied in the uniform angularity of a felt-tipped marker. The tight framing of the images combined with the rigorous brushstrokes creates a sense of claustrophobia and urgency. Krashess neighbors appear as though they might be engaged in a protest rather than a summer celebration.

Indeed, from the press release, we learn that the neighborhood has been under attack for years. The Barclays Center and Pacific Park, a 22-acre real estate project, are at the center of an ongoing battle between the local community and powerful real estate development interests. In his paintings, Krashes explores how humans interact in the presence of the fences, walls, and police that accompany the upheaval of grinding real estate development.

Like many of the projects in the 2019 Whitney Biennial, Krashess approach is unapologetically earnest. Snark, slapstick, and wit, exemplified at the Whitney by Procession, Nicole Eisenmans much-loved ascent-of-man parade piece on the terrace or Brian Belotts hilarious freezer paintings, have been the refuge of artists with privilege for many years. A new strategy, particularly among artists in underrepresented communities, involves heartfelt sincerity and a willingness to share personal experiences. Krashes, too, is drawn in this direction.

Like so many artists in the Biennial, he isnt kidding around. He is concerned less with what divides us than with what binds us together. When all citizens begin to apprehend that their concerns arent being taken seriously by government decision makers, when fiscal issues are continually prioritized over quality-of-life concerns, how long will it take for those affected to fully unleash their anger?

We keep protesting because sometimes community organizers like Krashes win. Amazon buckled under local pressure in Queens. But on both the national and the local level, in an age of abject corruption and greed, we seem to be reaching the boiling point. Unlike more conceptually-based political artists, Krashes isnt explaining the issues in his work. He is assuming we understand them and pointing out, vividly and astutely, that perhaps we have all had enough.

Artist bio (from gallery website): Peter Krashes lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. He is a graduate of the University of Oxford (1987) and Middlebury College (1985). Along with the James Gallery, CUNY Graduate Center, solo exhibitions include University Galleries, Illinois State University, Normal, IL; Theodore: Art, Brooklyn, NY; Coop, Nashville, TN; Derek Eller Gallery, New York, NY; Momenta Art, Brooklyn, NY; and White Columns, New York, NY. Group exhibitions include He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen, China; Elizabeth Dee Gallery, New York, NY; and Galerie Chez Valentin, Paris, France. He has taught in numerous places such as Cooper Union School of Art, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, and American University. Krashes is a recipient of a Marshall Scholarship and a Joan Mitchell Painters and Sculptors Grant. Reviews of his work have appeared in the New York Times, Time Out New York, Huffington Post, Hyperallergic, and the New Yorker.

Peter Krashes: Contact! Theodore: Art, Bushwick, 56 Bogart St., Brooklyn, NY. Through May 25, 2019.

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Double feature: Artists and politicsPhilippines signs deal to buy 2 warships from South Korea: Defense department 29 Dec 2021 | 12:43 AM Manila, Dec 28 (UNI/Sputnik) The Philippines has signed a $556-million deal with South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries to buy two new military vessels, the country's department of national defense said on Tuesday. see more..

Seoul opposes Tokyo's bid to include mine known for forced labor on UNESCO list 29 Dec 2021 | 12:37 AM Seoul, Dec 28 (UNI/Sputnik) The South Korean Foreign Ministry urged Tokyo on Tuesday to stop pressing for the inclusion of the closed Sado mine, associated with the forced labor of Koreans, as part of Japan's industrial heritage and on the UNESCO World Heritage List, pledging measures to prevent this if necessary. see more..

Saleh located in Panjshir, Afghan resistance has enough weapons: Diplomat 29 Dec 2021 | 12:35 AM Dushanbe, Dec 28 (UNI/Sputnik) Ex-Vice President of Afghanistan Amrullah Saleh is located in the Panjshir province, and resistance forces against the Taliban have enough weapons and military equipment there, Afghan Ambassador to Tajikistan Muhammad Zahir Agbar has told Sputnik. see more..

Taliban grant Afghan passports to Al-Qaeda, IS fighters: Afghan diplomat 29 Dec 2021 | 12:34 AM Dushanbe, Dec 28 (UNI/Sputnik) The Taliban are granting Afghan passports to members of Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS, ISIS, both banned in Russia), Afghan Ambassador to Tajikistan Muhammad Zahir Agbar has told Sputnik. see more..By Nirendra Dev

New Delhi, May 25 (UNI) A Pakistan-born intellectual and writer Mobarak Haider has said that the

"process of pampering the Muslims" has hurt Hindus and others in Europe and America and the phenomenon has also harmed the minority community.

This, he suggested must be looked upon in the context of the massive mandate given to the BJP in the recently held polls.

"The process of pampering the Muslims has brought pain to the majorities of India, Europe and America. But not only that. It has also brought great harm to Muslims who have wasted their energies and resources for the last hundred years running after a mirage," said Mr Haider.

Mr Haider, author of what is considered to be bold books such as 'Taliban: the Tip of a Holy Iceberg',

in his analysis on Indian elections said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's landslide victory has proved once more that 'Political Correctness' is not so correct after all. Those who believe in democracy should congratulate him with an open heart."

"However hard one may grudge it, the truth is that Liberal Left has little contact with reality. They fail to see that nations love to assert their identity through nationalism," he said.

Known for his candid observation, in July 2018 after Imran Khan's election as Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr Haider has said - despite a hype created by Pakistani establishment that Imran Khan's electoral victory would herald a 'new Pakistan' - more important will be to bring about transition in "unchanging psyche".

"It is an unchanging psyche. You may change the Shah of Iran with an Imam, replace Nawaz Sharif with an Imran Khan; nothing will change for the better because dogma remains supreme," Haider had told UNI in an email interview.

In the changing dynamics after the 2019 general elections in India, Mr Haider has said -"We may call these nations fascists, racists, or Islamophobes, but they will not embrace our phony slogans of globalism".

He further said, "However hard the Muslims and Liberal Left may grudge it, revival of old religions like Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity is a reality of this century".

To a question, he said, "But who kicked these religions out of their peaceful sleep? Causes are complex and tragic, but everywhere we see movements for the revival of Caliphate and Sharia provoking the believers of older religions. And then we see liberals of the West and of India supporting these wrong Muslim movements."

Meanwhile, another Pakistani intellectual and a former diplomat Touqir Hussain has said there should not be room for much optimism in improving Indo-Pak relations aftermath Mr Modi's re-election.

"Will the neighbours start talking again? Certainly. But will their dialogue amount to anything? I am afraid not," he wrote in an article in 'Dawn'.

"The shadow of history has darkened the two countries view of each other. The burden of the past continues to oppress the present making the relationship resistant to change. What makes change still harder are their foreign policies, resting on conflicting identities and national purposes and moving in colliding orbits," writes Hussain.

He also wrote - "Modis hard line on Pakistan is not exceptional" and hastened to point out that - Modis "negativity towards Pakistan is an asset in his relations with the US on which his foreign policy pivots".

"And at home (India) Modi has played up the militancy issue to harden the existing public attitudes towards Pakistan," he notes.

Prime Minister Modi on Thursday had responded positively to the 'peace' gestures from his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan and said he has always given "primacy" to peace and development in the region.

"Thank you PM Imran Khan. I warmly express my gratitude for your good wishes. I have always given primacy to peace and development in our region," Mr Modi tweeted.

Earlier in the day, Mr Khan congratulated Mr Modi on the electoral victory of the BJP and its allies.

"Looking forward to work with him for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia," Mr Imran Khan tweeted shortly after it became clear that the BJP and its NDA constituents were heading for a landslide victory and return to power.

UNI DEVN SB 1340Salem Police Department(SALEM, Oregon) -- Police in Oregon have arrested a 52-year-old man and charged him with murder after he was named a person of interest in the disappearance of his 3-year-old son and the child's mother.



Karissa Fretwell, 25, and her son William Fretwell, who goes by Billy, were last seen on May 13, and relatives reported them missing on May 17, the Salem Police Department said.



Michael John Wolfe was arrested at 2 p.m. at a donut shop in Portland and has been charged with aggravated murder and kidnapping, police said. Authorities have still not found Karissa Fretwell or Billy.



"Although we have charged Mr. Wolfe with aggravated murder, that does not mean that William and Karissa are dead, Salem police Lt. Treven Upkes said at a press conference Friday.



Police would not discuss a motive and said additional charges may be filed against Wolfe based on further investigation.



Wolfe was identified by police as a person of interest on Thursday. He is listed as the father of William Fretwell in a child support document filed in Polk County, Oregon, in 2018, according to a clerk at Marion County, Oregon, court. A Salem police spokesman would not confirm Wolfe's connection to Fretwell to ABC News, or say what led police to say he was a person of interest.



Karissa Fretwell has sole custody of the 3-year-old, according to the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office.



"Information gathered during the investigation" has led police to a property in rural Yamhill County, the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.



"Law enforcement officers are searching this property in hopes of locating Karissa and William, or discovering evidence which may lead to their location," the sheriff's office said. Investigators did not elaborate on what led them to this property.



Wolfe lives in Gaston, Oregon, while Fretwell and Billy live in West Salem, officials said.



Karissa Fretwell is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs about 135 pounds, according to police. She has blue eyes and naturally blond hair, but she dyes it red.



Billy has blond hair and blue eyes. He is about 3 feet tall and weighs about 30 pounds.



Anyone with information was asked to call the Salem Police Department at 503-588-8477.



Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Which came first, the pigs or the pioneers? In Barbados, that has been a historical mystery ever since the first English colonists arrived on the island in 1627 to encounter what they thought was a herd of wild European pigs.

A recent discovery by an SFU archaeologist is shedding new light on the matter. Christina Giovas uncovered the jaw bone of a peccary, a South American mammal that resembles a wild pig, while researching a larger project on prehistoric animal introductions in the Caribbean. Giovas, the lead author of the study published in PLOS ONE, said:

I didnt give it much notice at the time, but simply collected it along with other bones. It was completely unexpected and I honestly thought I must have made a mistake with the species identification.

Giovas and collaborators George Kamenov and John Krigbaum of the University of Florida radiocarbon-dated the bone and conducted strontium isotope analysis to determine the age and whether the peccary was born on Barbados or had been imported from elsewhere.

The results showed the peccary was local and dated to 1645-1670, when the English wrote their account of finding wild European pigs on the Caribbean island. The researchers were not only able to show there had been a previously undetected historic peccary introduction, but that the regions earliest celebrated maps depicted peccaries that had been mistaken for pigs by the English.

Giovas says the findings upend Barbados accepted colonial history and reflect how quickly Europeans began to alter New World environments by altering species distributions, adding:

Checking historical and archaeological records, we determined the most likely source of peccary introduction was from Spanish or Portuguese ships passing the island in the 16th century  and most likely left as a source of meat for future visiting sailors.

Provided by: Simon Fraser University [Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.]

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Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required.Already hints about strong storms on New Years DayA tutor shows students how to care for a baby during training classes for neonatal nurses in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region. [Xinhua/Ding Genhou]

China plans to launch large-scale vocational training for workers in a bid to create a knowledge-based, skill-oriented and innovative workforce.

The country will offer subsidized vocational skills training to more than 50 million people from 2019 to 2021, according to a plan for a vocational skills training initiative released by the General Office of the State Council.

In 2019, about 15 million workers will receive vocational training, it said.

By the end of 2021, the proportion of skilled workers making up the total employment will reach 25 percent, while highly skilled workers will account for over 30 percent, the plan said.

(Source: China Daily)British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday announced the date of her departure, triggering a contest that will bring a new leader to power who is likely to push for a more decisive Brexit divorce deal.

May set out a timetable for her departure: She will resign as Conservative Party leader June 7 with a leadership contest in the following week. "It is now clear to me that it is in the best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead that effort. So I am today announcing that I will resign as leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party on Friday the 7th of June," May said.

May, once a reluctant supporter of EU membership, who won the top job in the turmoil that followed the 2016 Brexit vote, steps down with her central pledges -- to lead the United Kingdom out of the bloc and heal its divisions -- unfulfilled.

She endured repeated crises and humiliation in her effort to find a compromise Brexit deal that parliament could ratify, and bequeaths a deeply divided country and a political elite that is deadlocked over how, when or whether to leave the EU.

The treasurer of the 1922 Committee, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, said he expected May would stay on as a caretaker prime minister while a successor was chosen. "It would be much tidier if she stays on as caretaker while we go through our processes of electing a leader of the Conservative Party who will then eventually take over as prime minister," Clifton-Brown told the BBC.

A visitor tries Chinese cuisine at "Taste of China" in Los Angeles, the United States, on May 18, 2019. "Taste of China," organized by the Los Angeles office of China National Tourist Administration, was a buffet featuring many of China's favorite gourmet dishes, including Peking Duck, Meizhou Pork Buns, Spicy Chicken, Salt and Pepper Shrimp, Dongpo Fried Noodles and Fried Rice, Pot Stickers, Egg Rolls, and Sesame Rolls. The event was held on Saturday as part of the China Tourism and Culture Week in Los Angeles, a week-long series of China-oriented events which runs through May 26. [Xinhua/Li Ying]

Like any other weekend, Universal Studios' Hollywood CityWalk was bustling with local Angelenos and tourists from all over the world who came to see the sights, take in a movie, or catch a bite to eat at one of the dozens of restaurants that line the pedestrian mall high on a hill overlooking Los Angeles.

On this Saturday, however, while musical groups from around the country performed on the CityWalk Stage, just across the square, one of China's most popular gourmet restaurant chains, the Dongpo Kitchen, was co-hosting the "Taste of China" as part of the China Tourism and Culture Week in Los Angeles, a week-long series of special China-oriented events which runs through May 26.

"The Taste of China," organized by the Los Angeles office of China National Tourist Administration, was a delicious buffet featuring many of China's favorite gourmet dishes, including Peking Duck, Meizhou Pork Buns, Spicy Chicken, Salt and Pepper Shrimp, Dongpo Fried Noodles and Fried Rice, Pot Stickers, Egg Rolls, and Sesame Rolls.

Open to the American press and public, the buffet was designed to introduce more Americans to the delicacies of Chinese cuisine. Many passersby were lured into the event by the fragrance of the dishes on offer.

Steve Castro, a big guy and amateur martial artist with a panda tattooed on his arm, came in to sample the cuisine.

He told Xinhua, "I've been to Shanghai with my wife and we loved the different styles of Chinese food, from all the different areas and regions in China. Chinese food uses a lot of more interesting ingredients and has more flavor."

Michael Tiberi, an avowed foodie from nearby Sunland, had heard about the event and came expressly to sample the gourmet fare. He was not disappointed.

"I like the combination of the different ingredients they use and how they're orchestrated to make a wonderful symphony of flavors. The Spicy Chicken in particular is delicious and combining it with the slightly sweet taste of the sesame balls for desert is absolute perfection."

Jaime, a CityWalk security guard with a lifelong love of good food, sat down to enjoy a heaping plate of Dongpo's finest offers.

"I like the different spices and the different way they cook," Jaime told Xinhua. "Chinese food tastes better, the way they use garlic, soy sauce, and a lot of vegetables and condiments like basil to give it extra flavor."

Shanna and Kyle, an American couple in Covina, California, came from a good hour's drive away, saying they are big fans of Dongpo. Kyle happily finished chowing down on all his favorites: the Spring Rolls, the Dongpo Fried Rice and the Peking Duck Sliders.

"We really like Chinese food and have been here a lot. I'd definitely recommend people to try it. It's much more gourmet than some other Chinese restaurants," said Kyle.

"My favorite's the dumplings," said Shanna. "It's got meat, cabbage, and vegetables in it. I love the diversity of flavors."

Wang Gang, chairman of the Meizhou Dongpo Restaurant Management (Beijing) Co. Ltd., which owns the Dongpo restaurant chain, explained his almost poetic relationship with food.

"Chinese cuisine is the bridge between the rich soil of China and the diners of the world," he told Xinhua. "People say you must never turn away from two things: good food and love."

"A meal or a banquet is a great way to begin a friendship and a good meal can solve a lot of problems," he affirmed.

Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles, Zhang Ping, attended the event and sat down with his wife to enjoy an informal meal side-by-side with a few lucky locals and visitors to the event.

Zhang plans to make "The Taste of China" into a larger, yearly event as part of the Asian-American Cultural Heritage month in May. In much the same way that American's say the way to a person's heart is through their stomach, so do the Chinese who feel the best way to discern a person's character is to break bread with them.

Zhang explained to Xinhua, "Cuisine art is a big part of Chinese culture and by launching this kind of cultural exchange, we bring Chinese culture to ordinary people and that helps bring Chinese and American people closer together."

"When you eat Chinese food, it gives you a kind of curiosity to explore the Chinese culture and our country," he added.

Wu Ning, director of Chinese tourist office in Los Angeles, was the driving force behind the Taste of China's promotional efforts. She was motivated by how sharing a meal and learning more about another country's culture can open people's minds and broaden their perspective, leading to greater understanding and tolerance.

She agreed with the Consul General and said, "Food is a very important part of Chinese culture and only when the people of two countries love each other's culture can they have good communication and understanding."

Edwin Marroquin, a young man in his twenties who works at CityWalk, proved her point. "I'm really fascinated with Chinese culture. I hope to visit China in the future, but for now, I just enjoy their food," he told Xinhua when explaining how cool it was that people from a lot of different cultures frequented CityWalk.

"They can learn from us and we can learn from them," he affirmed.

Wu had the last word, "Everyone loves food and many people love Chinese food. We want the American people to know more about China and come visit our country and see how beautiful it is."



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This article is old - Published: Saturday, May 25th, 2019

Crimestoppers has launched a new campaign in North Wales to help deter people from carrying knives, although it is noted North Wales remains one of the safest places to live and visit.

The independent charity says it is responding to concerns by campaigning to Cut the chance of being hurt by knife crime to stop individuals from carrying knives and also to take information about those who choose to regularly carry weapons.

The rise of knife crime is a national issue and reports of people carrying knives in public increases fear and worry in communities. North Wales is one of the safest parts of the UK, however unfortunately knife crime incidents have risen in the area, though the numbers remain low compared to other areas of Wales and the UK.

The new campaign, aims to build trust in communities throughout North Wales and emphasise that, as an independent charity, Crimestoppers is a safe method of passing on information about crime.

Gary Murray, Regional Manager for Crimestoppers charity in North Wales, said: Some young people may feel that if others are carrying knives, they should be doing the same for protection. However, more knives on the streets only leads to one outcome  more people getting hurt.

Fortunately, according to the Home Office, 99% of young people in England and Wales choose to live knife free. Were asking people to speak up safely about the small minority who carry knives and weapons illegally. By choosing to call us or contact us online, we guarantee that you will remain 100% anonymous  always.

As part of the campaign an ad-van will be touring areas where there have been recent incidents.

Additionally, there will be messages across social media as Crimestoppers reaches out to young people to promote its Fearless.org youth service which encourages teenagers to speak up about their concerns.

Arfon Jones, North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, said: The number of offences where the use of a knife to commit a crime as well as just carrying a knife as an offensive weapon has gone up across England and Wales.

Much of this violence is gang related around Class A drugs supply and the exploitation of young people who are often dragged into County Lines. We are co-operating with colleagues to address this issue and welcome this campaign by the charity Crimestoppers.

To put the knife crime in North Wales into some context, the number of homicides in North Wales have halved over the last two years.

Whatever the headlines in the national press say, North Wales remains one of the safest places to live and visit and our whole focus remains on keeping our communities safe.

Inspector Vic Powell, North Wales Police, said: Knife crime is devastating.

If you, your partner, son or daughter carry a knife, they are at risk  at risk of going to prison, at risk of being killed or seriously injured and at risk of having to live with the aftermath of someones death.

Although statistically North Wales remains one of the safest places in the country to live, we fully support this campaign and hope it will drive home the message that carrying a knife can have terrible consequences.

If you have any information on crime in North Wales then contact Crimestoppers charity 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through the non-traceable Anonymous Online Form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon (R) meets with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on May 20, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiye)

DUSHANBE, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Tajikistan has reached a new level and the two countries should make more efforts in building a community of shared future for mankind, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday.

He made the remarks at a press conference following his talks with Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon.

Wang said that China and Tajikistan, as comprehensive strategic partners, have formed a "four good" relationship -- good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners, thanks to the guidance of the two heads of state and the joint building of "Belt and Road."

In the next stage, Beijing and Dushanbe should fully implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, consolidate political mutual trust and mutual support, defend their common interests and strengthen the collaboration of their development strategies, he said.

During their talks, Rahmon and Wang stressed the importance of strengthening joint efforts in the process of building a community of shared future for mankind.

China is committed to building a community of shared development and security with Tajikistan, and thus moving toward the ultimate goal of a community of shared future for mankind, Wang told journalists.

In particular, China will help promote the industrialization of Tajikistan and work with the latter in combating terrorism, separatism and extremism as well as transnational organized crime, he added.

According to Wang, the two sides reached a consensus on promoting the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

In light of the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, China and Tajikistan will support the SCO to play a more active role in maintaining regional security and stability as well as promoting common development and prosperity, Wang said.

The two sides also underlined the significance of a shared, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security promoted by the CICA.

China firmly supports Tajikistan in holding the fifth summit of the CICA in June and promoting further development of cooperation within the framework of the mechanism, Wang said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-24 21:32:26|Editor: xuxin

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British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks to the media outside 10 Downing Street in London, Britain on May 24, 2019. Theresa May said on Friday that she will quit as Conservative leader on June 7, paving ways for contest to decide Britain's next prime minister. (Xinhua/Alberto Pezzali)

LONDON, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Tearful Theresa May announced her resignation Friday as Britain's prime minister. She will remain at 10 Downing Street as caretaker while a search begins to elect her successor.

May said she will resign as leader of the Conservative Party on June 7, with the process to choose her successor as Britain's next prime minister beginning on June 10.

She made her decision against the backdrop of one of the world's best known front doors, with world media crowded on the opposite side of Downing Street to record her announcement.

May became emotional, and was close to tears, as she concluded her statement by saying being Britain's second female prime minister had been the honor of her life.

"It is, and will always remain, a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit," said May.

In her resignation speech, May said: "I have done everything I can to convince MPs to back that deal. Sadly, I have not been able to do so. I tried three times. I believe it was right to persevere, even when the odds against success seemed high."

"But it is now clear to me that it is in the best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead that effort," she said.

May said Queen Elizabeth had approved her remaining as prime minister until her successor is chosen.

The timetable announced by May means she will still be in office next week when U.S. President Donald Trump pays a state visit to Britain.

Ahead of announcing her resignation, May held a private meeting with Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, the body that represents backbench Conservative MPs in the House of Commons.

A number of senior ministers have already indicated their intention to join the race, expected to start on June 10, to choose her successor as leader of the Conservative Party.

Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who also served two terms as Mayor of London, has emerged as favorite to succeed May as prime minister.

May's time as prime minister has come to a crashing end over unrest among her own MPs over the Brexit withdrawal plan which she had planned to announced today.

The task of finding a way out of the Brexit deadlock will go to her successor.

A prime minister in British politics is not chosen by the population but falls onto the person who is leader of the governing party.

Thousands of grassroot members of the Conservative Party across Britain will take part in the process to find a new leader.

The focus will now switch to the race among leading Conservatives to get hold of the key to 10 Downing Street.

Apart from Boris Johnson, other top Conservatives ministers and ex-ministers joining the race are expected to include Dominic Raab, who resigned as Brexit minister, Michael Gove and Esther McVey.

One of the first reactions to May's decision came from Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's first minister who is also leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party.

She said in a statement from Edinburgh: "We had profound disagreements, not least on her handling of Brexit and her disregard for Scotland's interests. However, leadership is tough, especially in these times, and she deserves thanks for her service."

"Her departure will not solve the Brexit mess that the Conservatives have created. Only putting the matter back to the people can do that. Given current circumstances, it also feels deeply wrong for another Conservative to be installed in Number 10 without a General Election."

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt paid tribute to May, saying: "Delivering Brexit was always going to be a huge task, but one she met every day with courage and resolve."

Media reports said a conversation between Hunt and May on Thursday night, when he told her she must withdraw her proposed re-written Brexit withdrawal bill, had been instrumental in May's decision to go.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-24 21:47:48|Editor: Li Xia

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BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Some American politicians are trying to incite ideological opposition, but the differences of ideologies do not necessarily hinder cooperation in economy and trade, industry as well as science and technology between countries, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said Friday.

According to reports, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday in an interview that Huawei Technologies is deeply tied to Chinese government and the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the existence of those connections puts American information that crosses those networks at risk.

"For some time, certain American politicians have repeatedly mongered rumors about Huawei, but they have never been able to provide evidence demanded by other countries," Lu said at a press briefing in response to Pompeo's assertion.

The U.S.-initiated trade and science and technology wars also face increasingly more questioning in the U.S. for causing market turmoil and hindering industrial cooperation.

"Under such circumstances, those politicians continue to fabricate lies of subjective presumptions to mislead the American public, and now they are trying to incite ideological opposition," said Lu.

"But this is illogical," he said. "Isn't it a fact that the past U.S. administrations of both parties have been working with the CPC-led Chinese government to promote, expand and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields since the two countries forged diplomatic ties 40 years ago?" He added that such cooperation has brought substantive benefits to the U.S. business circle and consumers.

"In fact, the first batch of intergovernmental cooperation agreements signed by China and the U.S. at the beginning of the establishment of diplomatic relations included the China-U.S. Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology," he noted.

On the other hand, he added, both the "Prism gate" incident and the Alstom case proved that the so-called "convergence of ideology" did not prevent the U.S. from taking various devious means against its allies.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 00:55:57|Editor: yan

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YANGON, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Myanmar Indoor Coverage Digitalization Summit was held Friday in Yangon, featuring in-depth discussions on promoting indoor coverage digital transformation and to standardize the country's ICS/FTTX industry.

The summit was jointly organized by the Federation of Myanmar Engineering Societies (Fed. MES) and China's telecoms company Huawei.

"In the 5G era, indoor networks with all its benefits and increasing prominence, will become integral to how high-value mobile networks are run. Only digitalized coverage could provide more innovative services, faster data transfer rates, flexible network expansion, efficient E2E (Exchange to Exchange) operation, and smooth 5G evolution," Zhang Liman, chief executive officer of Huawei Myanmar told the event.

He also highlighted that digitalized indoor networks are also critical for establishing smart cities and indoor coverage digitalization is the inevitable future of the industry.

U Aung Myint, chairman of Fed. MES, stressed the need of technical support in the country's real estate, telecom and other sectors for digitalization and indoor coverage as current indoor experiences do not meet the expectations, especially in large-scale complexes, despite the people's demand for high-quality network services.

On April 22, the Fed. MES and Huawei signed a two-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation in ICT sector to promote the development and release of indoor coverage and FTTH (fibre to home) standard as well as in specific areas of developing cloud, e-learning, certification programs and internship programs.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 01:01:06|Editor: ZX

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The photo taken on May 24, 2019 shows the newly reconstructed building of Durbar High School, also known as Bhanu Secondary School, at Ranipokhari in Kathmandu, Nepal, May 24, 2019. The reconstruction projects being carried out in Nepal under China's aid can be a great learning for the Himalayan country, head of the authorized body to carry out the post earthquake rebuilding said here on Friday. The reconstruction project of Durbar High School began in August, 2018 and now is in the final stage. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma)

KATHMANDU, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The reconstruction projects being carried out in Nepal under China's aid can be a great learning for the Himalayan country, head of the authorized body to carry out the post earthquake rebuilding said here on Friday.

While attending an open day of reconstruction project of Nepal's oldest school Durbar High School, the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) Chief Sushil Gyewali said that the projects aided by China have achieved excellent performance within the short period of time.

"Chinese reconstruction projects are going on in a fast pace. We can learn from the Chinese side, their construction management and team work, to improve our construction industry," Gyewali said.

He said that the Nepali construction industry could move ahead in a fast manner if it followed the Chinese footsteps by analyzing the success and failure factors.

"Altogether 25 reconstruction projects are being carried out under the Chinese aid, and most of the projects are in completion phase," he added.

Mentioning quake damaged schools that are being reconstructed, he highly appreciated the support of the Chinese government for carrying out those projects in an efficient manner.

"Chinese support is crucial to enhance quality education and to revive the glory of the past," NRA head Gyewali said referring to the reconstruction of the historical Durbar High School.

Durbar High School, also known as Bhanu Secondary School, is the first school in Nepal based on modern education system. It was severely damaged in the earthquake in 2015.

Addressing the ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi said that Durbar High School is the showcase work of China aid post-disaster reconstruction projects in Nepal, adding the government hopes that the newly-rebuilt school will retain its former clusters.

"The Chinese government is very pleased to take part in the reconstruction of Kathmandu Durbar High School, and hopes to rebuild it with safety, elegance and traditionally unique features," the ambassador said.

According to the officials, the project will end in January next year, enabling the students to learn in safe and comfortable environment.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 01:21:18|Editor: ZX

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Peacekeeper representatives attend a solemn ceremony to commemorate their fallen colleagues at the UN headquarters in New York, May 24, 2019. The United Nations on Friday honored its fallen peacekeepers with a solemn ceremony on occasion of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Friday honored its fallen peacekeepers with a solemn ceremony on occasion of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres laid a wreath at a monument dedicated to those who gave their lives for peace, at the premises of its headquarters in New York.

"Hailing from more than 120 countries, our peacekeepers' service and sacrifice, and their courage and compassion demonstrate the best of the United Nations," Guterres told the ceremony.

"More than 1 million men and women have served under the blue flag of the United Nations. The vast majority have returned home to their countries and their loved ones. Today, we honor the memory of those who didn't," he said.

More than 3,800 military, police and civilian peacekeepers have lost their lives since the United Nations deployed the first of its 72 peacekeeping missions back in 1948. Last year, 98 peacekeepers from 36 countries lost their lives, he said.

"While that is the lowest number of casualties in a decade, it remains unacceptable."

These peacekeepers gave their lives to protect others and to give war-torn countries a chance for peace and hope, he said.

Guterres noted that UN peacekeepers face grave threats. Attacks on their patrols and their facilities have become all too common. Disease and accidents also take a heavy toll, he said.

The UN missions in Mali, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of Congo are among the most dangerous, he said.

The UN chief promised to do everything he can to ensure the safety of peacekeepers.

"Our peacekeepers need better training and better equipment, and their mandates need to be realistic and adequately supported with both resources and political will. We must also ensure that the perpetrators of attacks against peacekeepers are identified and brought to justice."Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 02:06:35|Editor: Yamei

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WASHINGTON, May 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his country will send about 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East amid escalating tension with Iran.

Trump told reporters at the White House that the extra deployment, which is "relatively small number of troops," is mainly a protective measure.

"We'll see what happens," he added.

U.S. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said later in the day that the Pentagon has informed Congress about the new move.

Shanahan said in a tweet that he has approved the combatant commander's request to deploy approximately 1,500 additional troops and defensive capabilities to the Middle East to increase U.S. force protection posture.

"This is a prudent response to credible threats from Iran," he added in the tweet.

Trump's decision came one day after he downplayed the likelihood of sending more American troops to the Middle East.

"I don't think we're going to need them. I really don't," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"I would certainly send troops if we need them," he added.

Trump also revealed on Thursday that a high-level meeting centering on Iran would be conducted at the White House later in the day.

Washington and Tehran have been locked in a war of words over the past two weeks amid escalating tension that had been stoked up following America's military buildup in the Middle East.

Iran has vowed to withstand the U.S. "bullying policies."Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 02:51:57|Editor: yan

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UNITED NATIONS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- An official of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Friday called on all parties to the conflict in the Central African Republic to ensure that children are kept safe from the violence, as recent attacks by armed groups on villages in the country's northwest left at least at least 54 civilians dead.

UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Marie-Pierre Poirier, said in a statement that "this massacre marks a low point since the fragile peace and reconciliation process was agreed in February."

"UNICEF reiterates its call on all parties to the conflict to ensure that children are kept safe from the violence and to adhere to the peace agreement," Poirier said.

Over the past six years, repeated attacks and violence against civilians have left 2.9 million people, or half of the country, in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the official.

Children have been targeted by armed groups, caught in the crossfire and recruited to the fighting, Poirier said, adding that the places children rely on for protection and support - schools, hospitals and places of worship - have also come under attack.

An estimated 43,000 children are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year and will be at imminent risk of death, Poirier said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 02:56:59|Editor: ZX

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Guests pose for a group photo during a ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of the Confucius Institute at the University of Novi Sad, in Novi Sad, Serbia, on May 24, 2019. Students of the Confucius Institute at the University of Novi Sad demonstrated their language skills and arts at a ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of the institute on Friday. (Xinhua/Shi Zhongyu)

NOVI SAD, Serbia, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Students of the Confucius institute at the University of Novi Sad demonstrated their language skills and arts at a ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of the institute on Friday.

The students were also presented with diplomas of the Chinese Proficiency Test, also known as HSK.

The celebration at the University of Novi Sad was attended by officials of Serbia's province of Vojvodina, representatives of the institute, Chinese universities, embassy as well as students.

The audience was greeted by a group of kindergarteners who sang two songs -- in Chinese and Serbian.

Chinese director of the Confucius institute, Chen Hui, said that the institute developed "from a baby into a child" and thanked Serbian educational institutions for their cooperation during the last five years.

"Along with the progress of the Belt and Road Initiative, the traditional friendship between China and Serbia is getting stronger, while cooperation in all fields is getting deeper. Young people who now learn Chinese will become the new strength in the friendly exchange between Serbia and China," Chen said.

Representatives of the Vojvodina provincial government congratulated the anniversary to the institute, assuring that they will continue to promote cooperation between the Confucius Institute and educational institutions in Vojvodina.

"The institute brought immense benefit to the exchange between our two cultures and traditions through Chinese language courses and other precious Chinese traditional arts," said Milan Kovacevic, deputy provincial secretary for education.

"Confucius institute at the University in Novi Sad is the second such institute in Serbia and for five years it has been strengthening cultural and educational exchange between our countries, as well as the exchange and partnership between universities," said Dusica Rakic, deputy provincial secretary for high education.

At the end of the ceremony, Chen Hui and Serbian director Ivana Zivancevic Sekerus handed HSK diplomas to students.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 03:37:12|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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Czech President Milos Zeman (Front) votes at a polling station in Prague, the Czech Republic, May 24, 2019. The two-day elections to the European Parliament, the fourth in a row, started in the Czech Republic on Tuesday afternoon. In this year's election, Czechs will choose 21 MEPs from a record number of 39 parties, movements and their coalitions that nominated more than 840 candidates. The final election results will be released on Sunday only after the voting in all EU member states ends. (Xinhua/Dana Kesnerova)

PRAGUE, May 24 (Xinhua) --The two-day elections to the European Parliament, the fourth in a row, started in the Czech Republic on Tuesday afternoon.

Top politicians, including President Milos Zeman and Prime Minister Andrej Babis were among the first voters.

Zeman voted at a polling station in an elementary school in Luziny neighborhood of Prague. After casting votes with his wife, Zeman called on all citizens to take part in the European elections, citing it as a test of satisfaction with the Czech politics.

"Whether we like it or not, the European election is also a test of satisfaction with the domestic politics," Zeman said.

He said if people do not go to the polling stations, they risk that others would and "will make the hell to them on the earth".

The Czech Republic is known as one of the most Eurosceptic nations in the 28-member EU. Voters turnout was only 18.2 percent in the previous European parliament election five years ago.

For this year's elections, the polling stations will close at 22:00 Friday and reopen on Saturday when the elections continue from 08:00 to 14:00.

The Czech Republic joined the EU in 2004. According to Czech law, any citizen aged over 18 can vote, so there are some 8.4 million eligible voters in the country with a population of 10.5 million.

In this year's election, Czechs will choose 21 MEPs from a record number of 39 parties, movements and their coalitions that nominated more than 840 candidates. The final election results will be released on Sunday only after the voting in all EU member states ends.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 05:28:15|Editor: ZX

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Manfred Weber, top candidate of the European People's Party (EPP) for the European elections, attends his last campaign rally ahead of the election in Munich, Germany, on May 24, 2019. "Europe stands for security and prosperity," Manfred Weber said here Friday, calling on voters to defend Europe against nationalism. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)

MUNICH, May 24 (Xinhua) -- "Europe stands for security and prosperity," Manfred Weber, the top candidate of the European People's Party (EPP) for the European elections, said here Friday, calling on voters to defend Europe against nationalism.

Speaking at his last campaign rally in Munich ahead of the election, which will take place on Sunday in Germany, the 46-year-old center-right politician emphasized that he does not want to leave Europe ruined by the populists and nationalists.

Besides, in his view, it is in Germany's interest to make Europe strong as a whole."Germany is strong only when Europe is strong,"said Weber.

If the EPP wins the most votes in the European elections, which have already kicked off in Britain, the Netherlands, Ireland and the Czech Republic, Weber would have quite big chance to succeed the current European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

Speaking for Weber, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose the Christian Democratic Union is part of the EPP, claimed at the rally that Weber is the "bridge builder" and thus the"right man" for the position.

Merkel underlined that "we need bridge builder, not splitter," criticizing that any kind of nationalism is an attack on the shared "European values".Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 05:58:27|Editor: ZX

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People hold anti-war banners and wave Iraqi flags during a protest in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 24, 2019. Hundreds of supporters of Iraqi prominent Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr rallied on Friday evening in the capital Baghdad and other Iraqi cities, rejecting war between Iran and the United States. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

BAGHDAD, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of supporters of Iraqi prominent Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr rallied on Friday evening in the capital Baghdad and other Iraqi cities, rejecting war between Iran and the United States.

The demonstrators rallied in Tahrir Square in downtown Baghdad, where many of them carried Iraqi flags, white flowers and balloons, and some released dozens of white doves representing peace, while chanting "Yes, Yes to peace. No, No to war."

The demonstrators also held banners calling for keeping Iraq away from the war, with one banner reading "No, no to war. Keep Iraq away from war and conflict."

Some banners were written in English and Persian in large-size font with Arabic translation in small-size font, reading "No to war."

Demonstrations also took place in the holy Shiite city of Karbala and the city of Diwaniyah in central and southern Iraq after the Shiite cleric call for rallies across Iraq.

"I don't want a war between Iran and America and do not want Iraq to be a battlefield of such war. We need a serious stand from the leaders of the country in order to distance Iraq from such war which would turn everything to rubble," Sadr wrote on his Twitter page earlier.

The demonstrations came amid rising tension in the region after U.S. President Donald Trump decided not to re-issue the sanctions waivers for major importers to continue buying Iran's oil when they expired in early May.

On May 15, the U.S. State Department ordered the non-emergency U.S. employees working in both the embassy in Baghdad and the consulate in Erbil to leave Iraq, according to a U.S. embassy statement.

Earlier, the U.S. military said the U.S. forces were on high alert in Iraq and Syria over fears of "imminent threats" from Iran-backed forces in the region.

On May 19, a Katyusha rocket struck an empty area near the U.S. embassy in Iraq, causing no casualties.

The United States has also increased its military buildup in the region recently by deploying an aircraft carrier, bombers and anti-missile systems, citing a threat of Iranian attack.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 06:03:29|Editor: yan

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ROME, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A group of 57 men and one woman crossed the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy on a small vessel, reaching the Italian island of Lampedusa just before dawn on Friday, local media reported.

The coast guard escorted the incoming vessel to port, where the 58 passengers disembarked, as seen in televised images on both public and private television.

The migrants have been taken to a hotspot, or migrant identification center. They are from Algeria, Bangladesh, Gambia, Libya, Morocco and Syria, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

According to the Interior Ministry, a total of 1,425 migrants reached Italy so far this year, down 86.83 percent compared to the same period last year. The ministry also said Italy has repatriated 2,530 foreigners between Jan. 1 and May 19.

Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, also head of the anti-migration League party, credits the drop in arrivals to his policy of shutting Italy's ports to migrant vessels, or any vessels who try to help them.

However, Lampedusa Mayor Salvatore Martello, whose island lies close to the coast of Africa, said that migrant boats have never stopped arriving, in spite of what he called Salvini's "advertising campaign".

"The purpose is to erase Lampedusa and to tell Italians that immigrants can't arrive here anymore because the ports are closed," Martello told Euronews in a recent interview.

"But the reality is different. Refugees have never stopped disembarking on our shores. So whatever is being said by the interior minister, doesn't match reality."

Also on Friday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that so far this year, 512 people have drowned in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Europe from North Africa, down from 638 such deaths in the same period last year.

Immigration is a hot-button issue in Italy ahead of the European Parliament elections, which take place here on Sunday.

Salvini's League party is currently polling at number one in Italy with around 30 percent of consensus, up from its 17 percent showing in the general election last year.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 06:08:31|Editor: yan

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ANKARA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- As Turkey is moving toward yet another reform in its education system, believed to be a must, experts said changes should focus on quality and equity for all students.

The Ministry of National Education introduced last week a new education model that will reform high schools. Starting from the 2020-2021 academic year, middle and high schools will undergo a string of changes, including fewer class hours and elective courses.

The changes which would be implemented gradually starting in 2020-2021 come on the heels of a landmark change to school terms for grade schools that shortened summer holiday but added more school breaks in April and November, a first in Turkey.

"Two weeks out of the 13-week summer holiday are planned as one-week break in April and November each," told Ziya Selcuk, minister of National Education, during a conference, state-run Anadolu agency reported.

A long period of summer break increases the possibility for students to forget what they have learned in Turkey which is among the countries with longest summer break, he asserted. "We are working on efficiency and balance."

The ministry also plans to reduce class hours and a number of classes in middle school and class hours will be substantially reduced for the last year of high school. Instead, students in the last year will be given extra time to study more for university admission.

High schools will also host career offices, where students will have access to consultations for their future career planning, as the youth's unemployment is one of the major challenges for Turkey.

Turkey's education system has been impacted in the past decade by frequent and abrupt changes in curriculum which have caused deep controversy and suspicion against the government.

They have brought new challenges to a system which, observers argue, lacks critical thinking and lags behind European countries.

Turkey tanks at the bottom in Europe in terms of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) that evaluates educational systems by measuring 15-year-old students' performance on mathematics, science and reading.

"There are points that we can consider as real improvements in the program unveiled by the ministry such as more electives courses and less exam-oriented measures, but there are many questions still in our heads," Ozgenur Korlu from the Education Reform Initiative (ERI), a non-governmental education think tank in Istanbul, told Xinhua.

There are big differences in opportunities between the industrial western and relatively underdeveloped southeastern region of Turkey regarding public education which is compulsory until the age of 15.

Korlu welcomed the decision of the ministry to move gradually to the new system in line with the government's 2023 vision, which would give teachers, parents and students the time to acclimate to the changes.

Still there is much debate among parents who are perplexed by so many changes in recent years and expects more precision from authorities concerned.

"I am confused. The flexible curriculum part is good because there will be more diversity but I hope there will be more details announced on mandatory and compulsory courses," Imge Benli, a mother of two school children in Ankara, told Xinhua.

She insisted that previous reforms have had little or limited success, and hoped this one would be the "final one."

"There is no doubt that quality is the essence with more use of technology in education," remarked the mother.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 06:18:37|Editor: yan

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GENEVA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Friday warned here that in Afghanistan, the nutritional situation of children is alarming, with 2 million children under the age of five years suffering from acute malnutrition, among them 600,000 suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

Christophe Boulierac, for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), told a press briefing here Friday that Afghanistan is one of the countries with the highest numbers of children under the age of five suffering from severe acute malnutrition, alongside Yemen and South Sudan.

In 2018, he said, UNICEF, who is the sole provider of ready-to-use therapeutic food for malnourished children in Afghanistan, could only target less than 50 percent of severely malnourished children due to limited supplies.

For 2019, the spokesperson added, the plan is to reach 60 percent of them.

"However, we will not reach them if we do not get within three weeks the required funding of 7 million U.S. dollars (equivalent to 107,000 cartons of ready-to-use therapeutic food)," he noted.

"Any child suffering from severe acute malnutrition is a crisis and needs to be treated to survive," he stressed.

According to the official, a child with severe acute malnutrition is 11 times more likely to die than their healthy peers.

In response to questions from journalists, Boulierac said that 2019 marked 40 years of conflict in Afghanistan, and the situation had become particularly challenging in 2018 as a result of a spike in violence and an unprecedented drought.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 06:38:41|Editor: yan

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PRAGUE, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in the Czech Republic opened its gate for local college students and visiting students from China's Hong Kong here on Friday, presenting exchange opportunities for them.

Various interesting activities such as tea ceremony and calligraphy were held on the day.

Visiting students from Hong Kong, the "Future Stars" international youth delegation, performed martial arts, dancing and singing of Chinese pop song "Love in Prague" and displayed Chinese traditional clothing Hanfu for the Czech students.

Czech guests were also invited to sing Czech folk songs at the stage.

Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jianmin gave a brief introduction to the students on the Sino-Czech relations and the development of the Belt and Road Initiative. He said that China and the Czech Republic will celebrate the 70th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations this year and the two countries have witnessed rapid development in cooperation in many areas, such as tourism and education.

He asked the students of the two countries to serve as a bridge between the two sides like the famous Charles Bridge in Prague.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 06:38:43|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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Photo taken on May 24, 2019 shows the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal award ceremony held at the UN headquarters in New York. Two Chinese military officers on Friday were awarded together with 28 others the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal for their contributions to the UN peacekeeping effort. Colonel Zhang Qiman and lieutenant colonel Duanmu Donglin, currently working at the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO), were recipients of the medal, which was presented to them by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, undersecretary-general for the DPO. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Two Chinese military officers on Friday were awarded together with 28 others the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal for their contributions to the UN peacekeeping effort.

Colonel Zhang Qiman and lieutenant colonel Duanmu Donglin, currently working at the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO), were recipients of the medal, which was presented to them by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, undersecretary-general for the DPO.

"I feel so proud that I could work at the UN headquarters as a staff officer," Zhang said, adding that actively participating in UN peacekeeping operations is "a new historic mission and task."

Zhang expressed her gratitude to the motherland, which she said gives her "confidence and courage" so that she could do her utmost for UN peacekeeping operations.

Both Zhang and Duanmu had worked in UN peacekeeping missions prior to their posting at the UN headquarters.

Lacroix told reporters after the awarding ceremony, "We are thanking them for their services. Peacekeeping is a very demanding work and we are grateful for everything they do."

"We have excellent colleagues from China. As a permanent member of the Security Council, China's role is extremely important in the view of improving the impact and performance of peacekeeping," he added.

Currently, China deploys a total of 2,508 uniformed personnel, including 70 women, to eight of the UN peacekeeping missions, including those in South Sudan, Lebanon, and the mostly deadly Mali, according to the UN.

In December, China's share of the UN peacekeeping budget was raised from 10.24 percent to 15.22 percent, making it the second largest contributor only after the United States.

UN headquarters observed the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on Friday. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres laid a wreath to honor all UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948 and presided over a ceremony at which the Dag Hammarskjold Medal was awarded posthumously to 119 military, police and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their lives in 2018 and early 2019.

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers was established by the General Assembly in 2002, to pay tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping, and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. The General Assembly designated May 29 as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers in commemoration of the day in 1948 when the UN's first peacekeeping mission, the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), began operations in Palestine.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 06:43:45|Editor: Yamei

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BRUSSELS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Friday saw European Parliament elections head into its second day of voting, with the Czech Republic and Ireland going to the polls to elect 21 and 11 members of European Parliament respectively.

In the Czech Republic, top politicians, including President Milos Zeman and Prime Minister Andrej Babis were among the first voters.

Zeman voted at a polling station in an elementary school in Luziny neighborhood of Prague. After casting votes with his wife, Zeman called on all citizens to take part in the European elections, citing it as a test of satisfaction with the Czech politics.

The Czech Republic is known as one of the most Eurosceptic nations in the 28-member European Union. Voters turnout was only 18.2 percent in the European parliament election five years ago.

For this year's elections, the polling stations have closed for Friday but will reopen on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The Czech Republic joined the EU in 2004. Citizens aged over 18 can vote, so there are some 8.4 million eligible voters in the country out of a population of 10.5 million.

In this year's election, Czechs will choose 21 MEPs from a record number of 39 parties, movements and their coalitions that nominated more than 840 candidates. The final election results will be released on Sunday only after the voting in all EU members ends.

Polls have closed in Ireland, where 1.27 million people were eligible to vote in more than 6,500 polling stations until 10 p.m. There are three European constituencies in Ireland.

Irish President Michael D. Higgins voted on Friday morning at his local polling station in Dublin with his wife. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar voted at noon at his local polling station in Castleknock.

With British Prime Minister Theresa May saying on Friday that she will quit as leader of the Conservative party on June 7, Varadkar warned the election of a new prime minister in Britain may lead to a new phase in Brexit talks that could be "very dangerous" for Ireland.

Thursday was the first day of this year's European Parliament elections, when Britain and the Netherlands went to the polls, ahead of the other EU members.

Exit polls in the Netherlands suggested a surprise win for pro-EU parties, dealing a blow to populists. Similar polls are by law not allowed to be published in Britain, until after polls closed throughout the EU on Sunday night.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 06:58:50|Editor: Yamei

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DUBLIN, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Voting in the European Parliament election in Ireland ended here on Friday night with no reports of any serious disruptions.

Counting of the votes for the three constituencies in Ireland, namely Dublin, South, and Midlands-North-West, will commence on Sunday morning at three centres set up in Dublin, the capital of the country, Cork, a city in the country's south, and Castlebar, a town in the west.

Announcement of the results of the count is embargoed until 10 p.m. on Sunday, according to the election rules.

Local media quoted early figures as saying that the turnout in the constituency of Dublin stood between 17 percent to 50 percent while that in Midlands-North-West ranged from a low level of 8-9 percent in Cavan, a town in the north, to 53-55 percent in Sligo in the northwest.

The turnout in the constituency of South ranged from a low level of 6-17.3 percent in Limerick to 42-56 percent in Wexford, a city in the southeast coast of the country.

Earlier reports said that a total of 59 candidates either backed by different political parties or contesting on their own would compete for the 13 seats allocated for Ireland in the 751-seat European Parliament.

The actual number of the contestants for the election is not known immediately.

Out of the 13 candidates who will win the election, 11 will take their seats in the European Parliament immediately while two winners from the constituencies of Dublin and South will take their seats only if and when Britain leaves the European Union.

Along with Friday's European Parliament election in Ireland, there were three other elections going on simultaneously in the country. One is the local council election during which candidates would compete for 949 seats in some-30-strong local councils across the country. The other is a referendum on whether the current Constitution in relation to divorce should be changed or not so that the minimum five-year waiting period for a divorce could be shortened. The last one is a plebiscite on directly elected mayors in three Irish cities, namely Limerick, Waterford and Cork.

The counting of the afore-said three elections won't kick off until tomorrow morning, said local media.

Latest news coming in said that a wave of support for Green Party has set the party on course to top the poll in the European Parliament election in Dublin, according to a local exit poll.

Founded in 1981, Green Party has only two seats in the lower house of the Irish parliament, one seat in the senate and no seats in the current European Parliament.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 07:03:53|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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A visitor looks at a picture of the photo exhibition "The Chinese and the Iron Road -- Building of the Transcontinental" in Chicago, the United States, on May 24, 2019. A photo exhibition in memory of Chinese migrant workers' contribution to U.S. Transcontinental Railroad 150 years ago kicked off Friday at Thompson Center in Chicago. The exhibition, "The Chinese and the Iron Road -- Building of the Transcontinental", will last for seven days at the state-owned building. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

CHICAGO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition in memory of Chinese migrant workers' contribution to U.S. Transcontinental Railroad 150 years ago kicked off Friday at Thompson Center in Chicago.

The exhibition, "The Chinese and the Iron Road -- Building of the Transcontinental", will last for seven days at the state-owned building.

Dozens of guests and organizers attended the opening ceremony, with several exquisite pictures featuring "Building the Transcontinental", "Hiring of Laborers", "Dangerous Work Conditions" and "Chinese Migrant Workers' Contributions."

Chinese Consul-General in Chicago Zhao Jian said in the opening remarks that 150 years ago, the Transcontinental Railroad was completed with much sacrifice from Chinese migrant workers. After 150 years, the contributions they had made should never be forgotten in both Chinese and American people's minds.

"We're glad to see American Chinese community has been one of most important members in diversified American culture and society ... I hope our American Chinese community will work together promoting the development of Chicago, and also enhance exchanges and cooperation between China and the United States," Zhao said.

Zheng Zheng, chairwoman of Chinese American Association of Greater Chicago (CAAGC), said that more than 10,000 Chinese migrant workers had worked on the railroad, but their voice was seldom heard. They had not been in the history book. They had not been invited to events to celebrate the railroad.

"Today we are here to give them their voice and to give them credit in the U.S. history. And this is a day to kick off the event in Chicago to memorize the contribution of the Chinese migrants to the U.S. history," said Zheng.

The Transcontinental Railroad was completed on May 10, 1869, linking the West and the East for the first time in American history. The construction, which took six years and stretched for nearly 2,000 miles (about 3,200 km), was one of the most remarkable engineering feats of the 19th century.Colonel Zhang Qiman (3rd, R, front) is awarded the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal at the UN headquarters in New York, May 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Two Chinese military officers on Friday were awarded together with 28 others the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal for their contributions to the UN peacekeeping effort.

Colonel Zhang Qiman and lieutenant colonel Duanmu Donglin, currently working at the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO), were recipients of the medal, which was presented to them by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, undersecretary-general for the DPO.

"I feel so proud that I could work at the UN headquarters as a staff officer," Zhang said, adding that actively participating in UN peacekeeping operations is "a new historic mission and task."

Zhang expressed her gratitude to the motherland, which she said gives her "confidence and courage" so that she could do her utmost for UN peacekeeping operations.

Both Zhang and Duanmu had worked in UN peacekeeping missions prior to their posting at the UN headquarters.

Lieutenant colonel Duanmu Donglin (L) is awarded the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal at the UN headquarters in New York, May 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

Lacroix told reporters after the awarding ceremony, "We are thanking them for their services. Peacekeeping is a very demanding work and we are grateful for everything they do."

"We have excellent colleagues from China. As a permanent member of the Security Council, China's role is extremely important in the view of improving the impact and performance of peacekeeping," he added.

Currently, China deploys a total of 2,508 uniformed personnel, including 70 women, to eight of the UN peacekeeping missions, including those in South Sudan, Lebanon, and the mostly deadly Mali, according to the UN.

Photo shows the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal award ceremony at the UN headquarters in New York, May 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)



In December, China's share of the UN peacekeeping budget was raised from 10.24 percent to 15.22 percent, making it the second largest contributor only after the United States.

UN headquarters observed the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on Friday. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres laid a wreath to honor all UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948 and presided over a ceremony at which the Dag Hammarskjold Medal was awarded posthumously to 119 military, police and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their lives in 2018 and early 2019.

Photo shows the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal award ceremony at the UN headquarters in New York, May 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers was established by the General Assembly in 2002, to pay tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping, and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. The General Assembly designated May 29 as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers in commemoration of the day in 1948 when the UN's first peacekeeping mission, the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), began operations in Palestine.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 08:34:10|Editor: Wu Qin

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PARIS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Dijon came from behind to beat Toulouse 2-1 at home in the final round of Ligue 1 on Friday and took the playoffs spot at the expense of relegated Caen, who lost to Bordeaux 1-0.

Bafode Diakite's 33rd-minute goal was a blow to Dijon who aimed at staying in the top-flight league.

However, Dijon bounced back strongly after the restart to maintain their lifeline as Naim Sliti sidefooted to level the score in the 58th minute.

Three minutes later, Julio Tavares was on target but his goal was initially flagged an offside by the linesman, before match referee ratified Dijon's goal afterwards following VAR consultation.

Dijon will take on Lens, who came through Ligue 2 playoffs, for a spot in Ligue 1.

Caen wasted their superior position prior to Friday's matches and joined Guingamp, who conceded a 2-1 loss to Amiens, as the relegated sides to the second-tier league. Younousse Sankhare scored the only goal for Bordeaux.

Paris Saint-Germain, already crowned with five rounds remaining, lost their final match of the campaign 3-1 to Reims. PSG striker Kylian Mbappe set his league tally of the campaign at 33 goals.

Runners-up Lille, another French club securing automatic qualification into next season's Champions League group stage, also fell 3-1 at Rennes, finishing their glittering season 16 points behind PSG.

Lyon were placed third and sealed a berth at least in Champions League qualifying round. They could earn a direct qualification if Chelsea, already punching the ticket to Champions League after finishing third in the English Premier League, win the Europa League final. Lyon scored two late goals to rally past Nimes 3-2.

Fourth-ranked Saint-Etienne can participate in Europa League next term. They drew 1-1 at Angers on the final day.

Despite a 2-0 loss to Nice, the 2017 champions Monaco maintained their top-flight status through a sluggish season, sitting fourth from the bottom.

Also on Friday, Marseille edged Montpellier 1-0, and Nantes lost to Strasbourg 1-0.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 09:24:20|Editor: ZX

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BANGKOK, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's former National Legislative Assembly President Pornpetch Wichitcholchai has been named Senate speaker.

Senators voted Pornpetch as Senate speaker upon the opening of the post-election parliament on Friday.

Meanwhile, Singsuek Singphrai was named first deputy Senate speaker and Supachai Somcharoen, former chairman of the Election Commission, was named second deputy Senate speaker.

Thailand's Their Majesties the King and Queen on Friday presided over the opening ceremony for parliament following the March 24 election.

A total of 498 MPs and 250 senators attended the opening ceremony for parliament alongside Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, members of his cabinet, members of the National Council for Peace and Order and heads of independent agencies.

On Saturday, the MPs are scheduled to convene in an auditorium to attend the oath-taking ceremony and vote for a House speaker and deputy House speakers.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 09:34:23|Editor: Xiang Bo

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Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney (1st L, front), also minister for foreign affairs and trade, attends a signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Dublin-based think tank AsiaMatters and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) in Cork, Ireland, May 24, 2019. Coveney on Friday said Ireland is willing to help China reach out to the European Union (EU) and other parts of the world based on mutual understanding and respect. (Xinhua)

by Zhang Qi

DUBLIN, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Ireland's deputy prime minister on Friday said Ireland is willing to help China reach out to the European Union (EU) and other parts of the world based on mutual understanding and respect.

Simon Coveney, also minister for foreign affairs and trade, made the remarks during a signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Dublin-based think tank AsiaMatters and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) to promote people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

Addressing the signing ceremony held in Ireland's second largest city of Cork earlier in the day, Coveney said this MOU is about deepening the relationship between Ireland and China, which is already strong and "getting stronger."

China and Ireland can build a friendship that could be very useful for China in the EU as it "allows our trading opportunities to grow and expand," he said.

Ireland is a gateway into the European Union and a platform for global and international trade. As China reaches out to the EU and the rest of the world -- through the Belt and Road Initiative in particular -- and becomes more globalized, there are significant opportunities for every side, Coveney said.

"If the relationships (between Ireland and China) that are being forged today are built on respect, I believe that Ireland can play an important role in terms of being a voice within the European Union to help understand the new China," he said.

Ireland is very successful in playing that role and "that is certainly a role that we are trying to play," Coveney said.

He also noted that both Ireland and China should strengthen exchanges and mutual understanding to make sure the new relationship between the two countries can work for both sides.

Coveney in his speech recalled his three visits to China as an Irish minister, including the one he made during Saint Patrick's Day last year, which he said is "the most important occasion for visitations from Ireland during the year."

"So China has been prioritized politically in Ireland," he said.

Coveney also expressed satisfaction with the trade relations between the two countries. He said the trade relationship between Ireland and China, seen in areas of agrifood, technology, software development and pharmaceuticals, is now growing rapidly.

On Friday, CPAFFC Vice President Song Jingwu and AsiaMatters Executive Director Martin Murray signed the MOU in the presence of Coveney, Chinese Ambassador to Ireland He Xiangdong, and Chairman of AsiaMatters Alan Dukes.

The CPAFFC is an organization entrusted by the Chinese government with the responsibility of coordinating and managing the establishment and development of sister cities with foreign countries, said Song.

Song said China has so far established 2,700 sister cities or provinces or states with 136 countries including seven sister cities or counties in Ireland, one of which is Cork, Ireland's second largest city, which twinned with China's Shanghai in 2005.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 09:39:25|Editor: ZX

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ISLAMABAD, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that his government would continue to ease policies to bring reforms and conducive atmosphere for trade and investment to achieve economic stability in the country, local media reported Saturday.

The prime minister made the remarks during his meeting on Friday with a delegation of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and trade representatives in the southern port city of Karachi.

Khan said he wanted his government to be acknowledged as investment and trade friendly which is providing the maximum ease of doing business facilities.

Khan urged the business and trade community to play their role in the economic stability and development so that his government can fulfill its mission to eliminate poverty from the country.

Khan invited the business community to make full use of the tax amnesty scheme recently announced by the government. He also promised to bring reforms in the taxation system so that the concerns of the business community can be addressed.

The representatives of the business community expressed their confidence in the economic policies of the government and also submitted their proposals to achieve the economic targets.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 10:14:34|Editor: ZX

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WASHINGTON, May 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump left Washington on Friday for his four-day Japan visit as the first state guest since the enthronement of Japan's new emperor, a trip seen by experts as more ceremonial than substantive.

During his visit, Trump will meet with the new Japanese emperor and empress, hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and attend a sumo match, a senior Trump administration official told reporters earlier this week.

The president will also tour the Yokosuka U.S. Naval Base, the official added in a tele-conference briefing on the condition of anonymity.

Trump's visit comes as the two countries are at odds on trade, with Washington having slapped metal tariffs on Japan and threatened duties on its autos.

Noting that Trump's visit will cover "a broad range of topics" in bilateral ties, the official acknowledged that it will not be trade-centered.

"I don't think that the purpose of this trip is to focus on trade," the official said, adding that the "heart of the visit" is to be the state guests of the new emperor.

"It's almost completely symbolic in nature, affirming the alliance, showing respect to the new emperor, and lending support to Abe before upcoming elections," Douglas Paal, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Xinhua.

For Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, the trip is an effort to strengthen bilateral ties. "This visit reflects the importance of the U.S.-Japan relationship," Mahaffee told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, trade is still among the topics for Trump's talks with Abe as Trump himself tweeted on Friday that he will discuss trade and the military with the Japanese prime minister.

Experts expected little substantive gain from their talks. "Trump remains stubborn about working out a bilateral trade deal between the United States and Japan, and has made it clear he is willing to use tariffs on Japanese autos to get what he wants," Jenna Gibson, an Asia expert at the University of Chicago, told Xinhua.

"Abe obviously wants to avoid that, but he also faces domestic pressure to protect politically important industries, particularly agriculture," the scholar added.

Gibson pointed out that by meeting in person they can probably start to work out a deal that will be acceptable for both sides.

For Paal, Trump and Abe will touch upon a future free trade agreement and its key terms, with Japan emphasizing its contribution to jobs and production in the United States.

Experts also said that regional security, especially the ongoing situation on the Korean Peninsula, would be another main topic for their meetings.

"The Japanese government will likely want to correct the notion that Washington only cares about North Korea's (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) and not its shorter-range missiles that can reach Japan and other U.S. allies," wrote Sheila Smith, a senior fellow for Japanese studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, in a recently published article.

"This summit will be policy-lite, designed to highlight the strengths of the U.S.-Japan partnership rather than the wrinkles," Smith said.

"Those wrinkles are there, however," she added.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 10:49:43|Editor: ZX

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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before leaving the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 24, 2019. Donald Trump said on Friday that his country will send about 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East amid escalating tension with Iran. Trump told reporters at the White House that the extra deployment, which is "relatively small number of troops," is mainly a protective measure. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)

WASHINGTON, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The United States will send about 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East as a "protective measure" amid escalating tensions with Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday.

The deployment is "relatively a small number of troops" and "we'll see what happens," Trump told reporters at the White House.

U.S. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said later that the Pentagon has informed Congress about the new move. "This is a prudent response to credible threats from Iran," he tweeted.

Pentagon officials revealed in a briefing on Friday afternoon that about 600 troops have already arrived in the region with the Patriot battery, a defense system designed to track and destroy incoming missiles, while the remaining 900 troops will be deployed to mainly operate intelligence surveillance radar and drones.

In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Friday that the U.S. deployment of military forces to the region does not intimidate the country.

"With hype and propaganda, the Americans attempt to stay relevant in public opinion," IRGC's spokesman Ramezan Sharif was quoted as saying by Press TV.

Also on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced in a statement that the Trump administration has invoked a seldom used provision in federal law to sidestep Congress and complete arms sales to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan, citing "threats" from Iran.

Twenty-two pending deals with a total value of approximately 8.1 billion U.S. dollars will bypass Congressional review after Pompeo's announcement, which has drawn severe objections from U.S. lawmakers.

Washington and Tehran have been locked in a war of words over the past two weeks amid escalating tensions that had been stoked following America's military buildup in the Middle East.

Iran has vowed to withstand the U.S. "bullying policies."

Multiple incidents have occurred earlier this month in the region, further escalating the already volatile situation. On May 12, the UAE announced that four commercial vessels of various countries were targeted by sabotage near the country's territorial waters off the port of Fujairah. Saudi Arabia confirmed that two of its oil tankers were part of the sabotage attempt.

One week later, a Katyusha rocket hit central Baghdad's Green Zone, without causing any casualties.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 11:04:47|Editor: ZX

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NICOSIA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled inadmissible an application filed against Cyprus by a man convicted on terrorism-related charges, in a case which attracted international attention in 2012, said a court report published on Friday.

Hossam Yaacoub, a national of Sweden, was convicted on his own admission that he was a Hezbollah militant and that he had planned attacks against Israeli nationals after their arrival at a hotel in Limassol, Cyprus.

He complained to the ECHR that Cypriot authorities had subjected him to inhuman and degrading treatment, claiming that some of the six statements he made to the police, which had been preceded by interrogations, had been given under duress.

The ECHR said in its decision that it had concluded that the application was manifestly ill-founded and unanimously declared the application inadmissible and dismissed it.

"In the light of all the material in its possession, and in so far as the remaining matters complained of are within its competence, the Court finds that they do not disclose any appearance of a violation of the rights and freedoms set out in the Convention or its Protocols," the ECHR said in its report.

Yaacoub was arrested on July 7, 2012 in a hotel room in Limassol for possessing explosives and planning terrorist attacks against Israeli and other foreign targets in Cyprus.

Police found in his possession notes of dates, places, bus schedules and flight numbers of planes from Israel. On July 13, 2012, Yaacoub admitted during questioning that he was a member of Hezbollah and he had visited Cyprus four times, planning an attack on buses carrying Israeli and other tourists.

In March 2013, Yaacoub was found guilty by the Cyprus Criminal Court and was given concurrent sentences of four years in prison by the Assize Court, the highest criminal court in the country.

The Assize Court also found that Hezbollah fell within the description of a "criminal organization" as set out in the Criminal Code.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 12:10:01|Editor: Yamei

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BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. trade policies can hardly "make America great again" as they are throwing the country in a situation full of conflicts and uncertainties.

Apart from triggering protests from domestic farmers and shoemakers, the policies using tariff as a weapon to contain the development of its trade partners are also destabilizing the world economy.

To pull back from the verge of inflicting more losses on the country, some U.S. politicians need more economic common sense.

Instead of addressing the real ail of the U.S. economy, they insist on reducing trade deficits, which, according to anyone with an ounce of economic sense, should not be the primary focus of a government.

A trade deficit simply means one country buys more goods or services from a country than it sells to them. It is viewed as a natural result of trade flows, not a sign that one country is being "ripped off" by another.

The United States has merchandise trade deficits with more than 100 countries and regions. Americans need to buy these products from overseas, either because of quality or price.

Trade deficits are also determined by factors such as relative strength of currencies, economic growth rates, and savings and investment rates. In the U.S.-China case, it is affected by additional factors, including a miscalculation that inflates the trade gap, the U.S. ban on high-tech exports and deliberate neglect of trade in services where the United States runs a substantial surplus with China.

A trade deficit cannot cause countries to lose money or domestic jobs, but adding tariffs can.

By imposing steep tariffs on imported products, the U.S. administration is actually heavily taxing American consumers and businesses that bear the cost of the tariffs.

The U.S. administration wants to rescue American jobs. However, statistics show that by "rescuing" jobs in steel and aluminum sectors, more jobs are lost in industries that rely on those materials for their products.

A recent study by the Trade Partnership, a U.S. consulting firm, predicted a basic net loss of nearly 934,700 U.S. jobs by including positive impacts on U.S. steel and aluminum producers. Overall, more than 18 jobs would be lost for every steel and aluminum job gained.

Despite its tenacious attempts to fix trade imbalances, the U.S. administration is even farther from achieving its goal. In 2018, the United States posted a merchandise trade deficit of 891.3 billion U.S. dollars, widening 10.4 percent from 2017, and was the largest in the 243-year history of the country.

The trade policies, which have been proved counter-productive, could register the administration on the history of bad policymaking.

Starting with fixing a non-problem, the U.S. administration ended up creating real ones -- escalating trade tensions, inflicting pains on U.S. farmers, increasing costs for American consumers and businesses, rattling financial markets and threatening global growth.

President Trump once called trade deficit a "politician-made disaster." Based on the definition of a trade deficit, it's clear that is not the case. However, based on the evidence, U.S. trade policies seem to be the real politician-made disasters.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 12:40:11|Editor: Yamei

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CARACAS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez on Friday blamed the opposition for stopping a bone marrow transplant program that resulted in the death of a child in the country.

The responsibility for the death of a child who stopped receiving medical treatment due to U.S. sanctions falls on the opposition, Rodriguez said Friday on Twitter.

The United States levied sanctions in January on the Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), Venezuela's state-owned oil company. It prohibited Citgo, PDVSA's U.S.-based subsidiary, from making payments for oil revenue directly to Venezuela.

Citgo provides funds to health programs that support Venezuelan patients to receive treatment in foreign medical institutions.

The sanctions "caused the death of children who were the beneficiaries of noble health programs," Rodriguez said.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on Twitter that "regrettably another Venezuelan child has died waiting for a bone marrow transplant as a result of the U.S. criminal blockade."

The measures taken by the U.S. government prevented "the transfer of funds to the Italian health institutions with which PDVSA dealt to attend these urgent cases," Arreaza said.

The death of the child was confirmed Thursday by Larry Devoe, executive secretary of Venezuela's National Council of Human Rights.

"More than 500 patients were treated by the PDVSA-Citgo bone marrow transplant program before it was impacted by the aggressive economic measures adopted by the Trump administration," Devoe said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 13:20:23|Editor: Liangyu

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Delegates attend a panel discussion entitled "E-Commerce and Cross-Border Trade" at the Fifth China-U.S. Governors Forum in Lexington, Kentucky, the United States, on May 24, 2019. China's fast growing e-commerce market offers great opportunities for U.S. companies, experts have said, urging the two sides to enhance cooperation in this area. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

LEXINGTON, the United States, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China's fast growing e-commerce market offers great opportunities for U.S. companies, experts have said, urging the two sides to enhance cooperation in this area.

"There are tremendous opportunities for U.S. companies to access Chinese consumers through cross-border e-commerce," said Alan Turley, deputy assistant secretary for China and Mongolia in the U.S. Commerce Department.

"It is not only a market of tremendous volume, it's a market of tremendous innovation and tremendous dynamism," Turley said in a keynote speech at the Fifth China-U.S. Governors Forum held in the U.S. state of Kentucky.

China General Chamber of Commerce - USA Chairman Xu Chen said China's online consumer market is "expanding rapidly," which means great potential for U.S. companies in the coming years.

"Many U.S. products, especially those from small and medium-sized enterprises, are products that Chinese consumers want to buy," Xu, who also serves as the president and CEO of Bank of China USA, told Xinhua at the three-day forum, which concluded Friday.

To facilitate cross-border e-commerce transactions, Xu said, Bank of China has developed an e-payment channel which connects Chinese and U.S. e-commerce platforms and helps promote business exchanges.

Along with tremendous opportunities, Turley said there are also some challenges in cross-border e-commerce, including the compatibility of standards.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 13:20:25|Editor: ZX

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RIO DE JANEIRO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian authorities on Friday warned of the imminent collapse of a slope in a mine owned by mining giant Vale in Minas Gerais state, which may lead to a dam breakage, endangering thousands of people.

The Brazilian National Mining Agency (ANM) has been closely monitoring the mine at Barao de Cocais in the state since the collapse of another Vale mine in Brumadinho, also in Minas Gerais state, which caused hundreds of deaths in January.

The slope which is at risk of collapse is located 1.5 km from a tailings dam, similar to the one that collapsed in Brumadinho previously. If the slope collapses, the chain reaction may lead to the collapse of the dam, which would cause a massive flood in the town.

According to local site G1, the risk assessment study presented by Vale shows a significant risk of a flood hitting urban and rural areas in Barao de Cocais with casualties, if the dam really breaks.

The local fire department is currently on alert and Civil Defense Services has come up with an evacuation plan.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 13:25:29|Editor: Xiang Bo

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British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for the House of Commons in London, Britain, on March 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

LONDON, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The search to find a new prime minister started in Britain on Friday just hours after Theresa May announced she was resigning.

A tearful May announced she would resign on June 7 as leader of the Conservative Party, and as prime minister who has been entasked with Brexit from the very first. May's resignation had been anticipated, but was still a dramatic moment in British politics.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt became the first front-line politician after May's resignation speech to throw his hat into the ring in a contest that has already thrust one of Hunt's predecessors, Boris Johnson, into the spotlight. Johnson is slated as the favorite to win by most bookmakers.

COUNTDOWN STARTS

May shared her speech with millions as camera crews from around the world captured her dramatic resignation announcement in front of the iconic door to 10 Downing Street.

With May's proposal for a fourth time to bring her under-fire Brexit deal to Parliament for a vote in tatters, a deal hated as much by many of her own MPs as by those on the opposition benches, she had run out of time.

Her own backbench MPs had held a secret ballot to vote on whether she should effectively be shown the door. The letters were in sealed envelopes, ready to be opened Friday if she declined or refused an invitation to finally step down.

Next week sees U.S. President Donald Trump paying a state visit to Britain, and also commemorations to mark the anniversary of the World War II D-Day landings.

The timetable agreed upon means she will still be at the forefront of those events as Britain's prime minister.

May will remain in a caretaker role until the new prime minister takes over sometime in the late summer, depending on the length of the campaign to succeed her.

In her speech May said she had done her best to implement the decision of the people of Britain to leave the European Union (EU).

She said she had done everything she could to convince MPs to back her deal. "It is now clear to me that it is in the best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead that effort."

TOP CONTENDERS

The race that offers the keys to 10 Downing Street as the prize starts officially on June 10. But a list of likely contenders has already emerged, with some hopefuls having already stated their intentions to run.

Conservative politicians at Westminster will vote on a long list of candidates, before they whittle it down to two.

The top two contenders will then campaign around the country as thousands of grassroots Conservative members vote for their favorite.

May herself had been on a shortlist along with Andrea Leadsom, leader of the House of Commons who resigned this week saying she could not support May's withdrawal plan.

Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who also served two terms as Mayor of London and has widespread support in the shire counties among ordinary party members, is clearly the favorite to succeed May.

Bookmakers Ladbrokes on Friday listed Johnson as the favorite to win the race with odds of 5/4, the highest among other candidates.

By Friday night, at least 14 contenders have emerged as a possible successor to replace May, with seven of them being senior front-bench members of May's cabinet.

BREXIT FUTURE

With May's withdrawal deal dead in the water, the unfinished task will be handed to the new prime minister.

For now, nothing is certain except that May's successor will have to pick up the pieces in the hopes of resolving an issue that has been dividing the country.

"It will be for my successor to seek a way forward that honors the result of the referendum," May said in her resignation speech. "To succeed, he or she will have to find consensus in Parliament where I have not."

"Such a consensus can only be reached if those on all sides of the debate are willing to compromise."

The EU has extended the date until Oct. 31 for Britain to reach an agreement on a withdrawal deal that will pave the way for its departure from the world's largest trading bloc.

The current law on the British statute books is that Britain would leave on that date without a deal, unless a new arrangement is in place by then, which means that whoever gets the keys to Number 10 after May will also get the keys to the future of Brexit, as well as the future of the country itself.

A new prime minister may seek to extend the October deadline to buy more time, or may even seek the revocation of Article 50, the Brussels mechanism that kick-started the process that leads to an exit from the EU.

Former Conservative party chairman Grant Shapps said the contest to replace May should be between someone who voted Remain and someone who voted Leave.

In a speech on Friday in Switzerland, Johnson gave a strong hint of the Brexit outcome if he wins. "We will leave the EU on Oct. 31, deal or no deal. The way to get a good deal is to prepare for a no deal."

It would pave the way for a clash between Johnson and a Remainer in the final stage of the race.

Shapps speculates the contest could come down to Remain-voting Jeremy Hunt facing down either Johnson or Dominic Raab, who were both Leavers.

However, in Brussels, there have already been signals that the Brexit deal they negotiated with May will not be changed.

The hope is that changes in the European Parliament landscape, resulting from the current elections for Members of European Parliament, could open the door to compromise that might offer the prize May failed to win in her 1,000 or so days as prime minister.

(Video reporter: Jin Jing; Video editor: Wang Han)Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 14:10:44|Editor: zh

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BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Increasing access to mobile Internet technology has encouraged more Chinese tourists to share travel experiences online, according to a new report.

Data from TongCheng-eLong, a leading online travel service platform in China, showed that 60.8 percent of its users had shared their travel experiences online in the past year, mainly by posting photos featuring local scenery or cuisine, said the report released by TongCheng-eLong and Chinese travel services and social networking platform Mafengwo.

Shooting a minute or two of mobile phone videos on the move has become a new trend among Chinese travellers, the report said.

The report said 42.3 percent of the platform's users had shared their travel moments through short videos.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 14:20:52|Editor: ZX

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BANGKOK, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit on Saturday officially ceased his duty as MP according to a court order, minutes after being sworn in.

The first meeting of the House of Representatives convened on Saturday morning with Chai Chidchob of Bhumjaithai Party, 91, the eldest MP, being the acting house speaker.

Chai led all attending MPs to be sworn in as they vowed to perform duties honestly for the benefits of the country and the people and to uphold the constitution.

After that, the acting house speaker asked House secretary-general to read the order of the Constitutional Court for Thanathorn to stop performing his MP duties until the court delivers a ruling on his suspicion.

Thanathorn was accused by Thailand's Election Commission of holding shares in a media firm, which is against Thai law.

The Constitutional Court on Thursday made a decision to accept the Election Commission's petition and had his parliamentary duties suspended for the time being.

After walking out of the meeting room, Thanathorn told reporters that he will "work outside by talking more to people to learn about their problems and convey them to our fellow MPs."Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 14:30:55|Editor: zh

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by Xinhua writers Xu Jing, Xu Xingtang, Miao Zhuang

LEXINGTON, the United States, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Fifth China-U.S. Governors Forum held here in the U.S. state of Kentucky concluded with a consensus that cooperation is the only right choice for both China and the United States.

When Bill Lee, governor of the U.S. state of Tennessee, found he was sitting next to Tang Liangzhi, mayor of China's Chongqing municipality during the forum, he immediately texted his surprise to his son, who once lived in Chongqing while attending university.

"Those are things that will enhance the opportunity for us to work together on things that are mutually beneficial," Lee said.

"Chongqing has a long history in its exchanges with the United States," said Tang for his part, recalling the establishment of sister cities between Chongqing and Seattle in 1983 and the performance of the U.S. Pacific Symphony Orchestra at Chongqing Grand Theater on the eve of the Chinese New Year.

Tang also cited a famous Chinese proverb of "friends and neighbors becoming closer when they visit each other more often," while inviting American friends to visit Chongqing, have a taste of true Chinese hot spot, and feel for themselves the unique culture and charm of the municipality.

In addition to the heartfelt topic of people-to-people exchanges, economic cooperation was also highlighted during the forum.

"Economic globalization is an inevitable trend," said Tang in his presentation. "To accelerate the development of integration has become an inevitable choice in promoting common prosperity for all countries."

"China and the United States must work together to confront and defeat climate change, to alleviate poverty, to address the plague of infectious diseases and cancer, Alzheimer's, and other medical conditions, and to ensure security, denuclearization and an Internet that is safe for everyone -- businesses and individuals," said Cyrus Habib, lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of Washington, in his presentation.

"Those problems cannot be solved without China, and those problems cannot be solved without the United States," he added. "We must strengthen our friendship, not only for our economic good, but truly for the sake of our entire planet."

"I want to say now, not as a Washingtonian, but as an American, how important the U.S.-China relationship is and will continue to be for the next 40 years. It's not just about making money, it's not just about creating jobs, although all of those things are important. It's about friendship through which we can solve the world's greatest problems," Habib said.

U.S. gas supplier Air Products signed a letter of intent with Yushen Industrial Park located in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province on a comprehensive "gas island" project at the forum. Liu Guozhong, governor of Shaanxi Province, said, "better economic and trade cooperation is in line with the interests of enterprises and people of both countries."

East China's Jiangxi Province signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. state of Kentucky on education and agriculture.

"The development of China-U.S. relations needs the support of local governments and the people of both countries," said Wu Zhongqiong, vice governor of Jiangxi Province.

Exchanges and cooperation between Chinese provinces and U.S. states are the cornerstone of the development of bilateral relations, and cooperation is the only way to create a win-win outlook for both, she added.

"There is so much mutual benefit between our nations, between our people," Governor of Kentucky Matt Bevin said, suggesting the issues that face the two countries will be resolved.

In his closing remarks at the forum, Bevin encouraged every person present to be an ambassador to carry the spirit of the forum back home.

The state motto of Kentucky is "united we stand, divided we fall." Bevin used it in reference to China-U.S. relations, "when one side wins, the other side wins. When China is strong, it is good for America. When America is strong, it is good for China."

He admitted there is suspicion and misunderstanding at present, but "when people talk, when people trade, when people cross cultures by going to schools in one place or the other, it goes away."Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 14:36:04|Editor: Liangyu

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The launch ceremony of Shanghai National Pilot Area for the Innovative Development of New-generation AI is held in Shanghai, east China, May 25, 2019. Shanghai officially launched efforts to build the pilot zone Saturday, the second in China after Beijing. (Xinhua)

SHANGHAI, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai officially launched efforts to build a pilot zone for the new-generation innovation and development of artificial intelligence (AI) Saturday, the second in China after Beijing.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Shanghai Municipal Government jointly made the announcement on Saturday.

The pilot zone in Shanghai will focus on AI in medical care and health, smart transportation and smart communities, said Gan Pin, deputy director of the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission.

"As we apply AI in the three fields, the result will be tremendous changes to people's lives, which will help us contribute to the nationwide development of AI," Gan said.

In building the pilot zone, Shanghai will raise the level of originality, develop industrial use, build an environment for innovation, and establish legal, regulatory and ethical standards for AI, he said.

Shanghai has vigorously promoted the development of the AI industry with its AI@SH action in recent years, attracting industrial leaders like Microsoft and IBM.

The city is eyeing a global AI hub with plans to expand the scale of its industry to more than 100 billion yuan (14.5 billion U.S. dollars) by 2020.

By 2023, the pilot zone aims to become a leader in the theory, technology, application, talent and governance of AI, according to the target.

Another pilot project was launched in Beijing in February.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 14:41:08|Editor: zh

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by Zhang Yongxing

SUVA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- With vivid music and lighting, models on Friday night displayed designers' works during the Fiji Fashion Week in the country's capital Suva.

This year, the costumes designed by two Chinese professors from the Shanghai-based Donghua University caught the spotlight, winning applause and cheers from the audience.

It was the second time for For Chen Bin, a professor and veteran designer, to participate in the Fiji Fashion Week. This year, he brought Li Jin, a folk brocade of the Li ethnic group in China's Hainan province.

Li Jin, with a history of over 3,000 years, has been listed on UNESCO's "Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding."

In his works, Chen aimed to integrate the traditional techniques with modern design with the theme of "regeneration."

Mao Dan, a Chinese professor and designer, was both excited and nervous to attend this year's Fiji Fashion week as it was her first time.

Mao got her inspiration from Du Fu, a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty. The Chinese poetry in the Tang Dynasty, mostly romantic and vivid, was an important part of the Chinese culture.

In Mao's works, the combination of elements from Chinese poetry and the texture of silk creates a dynamic and magnificent sense of time and space.

Chen and Mao, both from the fashion arts design department of fashion institute in Donghua University, shared the view that China has a long history with abundant culture and if costume designers can take full advantage of this by combining Chinese culture with their design, and take part in more international fashion events, they will surely enjoy a great success.

"The Chinese costume design industry has a great potential and what we should do is to keep abreast with the times and design our costumes with a sense of innovation, and in particular with Chinese characteristics," they told Xinhua.

Yang Hui, Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of the South Pacific (CI-USP), told Xinhua that by bringing their works to Fiji's fashion week, the designers not only introduced contemporary Chinese costume style to the South Pacific region, but also offered local people a new perspective to understand Chinese culture, as well as China's fast-growing fashion industry.

Ellen Whippy-Knight, organizer and founder of the Fiji Fashion Week, said she was impressed by the Chinese designers and their works.

"I believe that fashion and designing have a great future and thank the two Chinese designers for bringing their wonderful costumes for our fashion week, they really graced the event," she told Xinhua.

The Fiji Fashion Week, first held in 2008, has attracted many local and international designers over the past years. The theme for this year was based on environment.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 14:41:10|Editor: ZX

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by Peter Mertz

DENVER, United States, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A 55-year-old U.S. man who died after reaching the summit of the tallest mountain in the world is being remembered by his friends and family as a great adventurer who lived life to the fullest.

According to the Himalayan Times, Donald Cash died while making his way down the mountain on Wednesday, minutes after reaching the top of Mount Everest.

Cash's feat culminated in a quest to reach the top of the seven tallest mountains on all seven continents, making him a member of the elite "Seven Summits Club" that has only around 500 members worldwide.

"He taught us that nothing was impossible," said his daughter Brandalin Cash, noting that her father's determination had cost him several fingers from frostbite in a recent ascent.

Cash gave up a career as a software executive to devote his life to pursuing the Seven Summits Club, a quest that cost him his life.

Cash fainted at the very top of the world between China and Nepal, at 8,848 meters, while waiting to descend, and was momentarily revived, but died minutes later from heart failure, his family told the media Thursday.

"After that he woke up, then near Hillary Step he fell down again in the same manner, which means he got high altitude sickness," said Pasang Tenje Sherpa, head of Pioneer Adventure, which provided the guides.

Cash died 58 meters from the summit while waiting for other climbers to ascend past the famous Hillary Step, a single-file, narrow passage on a spine near the top, named after Everest's first Western climber, New Zealand's Sir Edmund Hillary.

In just the past eight days, eight hikers have died while climbing Everest, taking advantage of a spell of clear spring weather, and 120 made the trip to the top on Wednesday, authorities said.

From 2000 to 2010, the mountain claimed an average of seven lives per year, but that number has shot up dramatically in the past few years, climbers say.

In 2016, a staggering 46 people died on Everest, and Nepalese climbing authorities fear that 2019 may see many more lives lost atop the planet's tallest point.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 14:56:22|Editor: Li Xia

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Bob Holden (2nd R), chairman and CEO of the United States Heartland China Association and former Missouri Governor, attends a panel discussion on education and cultural exchange during the Fifth China-U.S. Governors Forum held in the U.S. state of Kentucky on May 23, 2019. America's heartland, the seat of the U.S. agricultural economy, has been badly hit by the country's trade dispute with China, Holden said, urging the two sides to reach a win-win agreement soon. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

by Xinhua writers Xiong Maoling and Liu Yang

LEXINGTON, the United States, May 24 (Xinhua) -- America's heartland, the seat of the U.S. agricultural economy, has been badly hit by the country's trade dispute with China, former Missouri Governor Bob Holden said, urging the two sides to reach a win-win agreement soon.

Eighteen out of the 20 U.S. states located between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico are "the hardest hit" by tariffs stemming from the U.S.-China trade dispute, Holden, chairman and CEO of the United States Heartland China Association, told Xinhua.

"There's a great deal of concern, uneasiness" from soybean producers in Missouri and some other agricultural areas, Holden said on the sidelines of the Fifth China-U.S. Governors Forum held in the U.S. state of Kentucky.

"The thing with farming, it is a cyclical process," Holden said. "If you leave the soybeans on the field until they rot, you get no benefit out of them."

Holden, whose organization is committed to building stronger ties between the 20 U.S. states -- which include Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Texas and Oklahoma -- and China, said "we've got a very sincere interest in getting this resolved ... so we can get back to work."

To reach a trade agreement, the former Missouri governor said the two sides are "going to have to feel like they both gave something and they both gained something from it."

"They've got to look at it from the standpoint that what can we do and what can they do to both serve our self-interest and not undermine the credibility of the other," he said.

The three-day forum, which kicked off Wednesday, features dialogues on business, culture, education and other issues.

Despite the trade dispute, Holden said "there is a tremendous amount of interest from the local level in figuring out how we bring these two cultures together to work on behalf of both."

Holden, who has traveled to China about 15 times, said what struck him most is the people he met in China, who are "wonderful people, family people, who want their children to have a better opportunity than they have, which is the very same value system that we have in the middle part, the heartland of the United States."

Holden helped bring the first Confucius Institute to the state of Missouri when he was a professor at Webster University.

He highlighted the importance of U.S.-China cooperation on education and culture, saying that "it's my contention that how well you put together the cultural relationships, how well you build the education partnerships, will determine how successful you're going to be in the business department."

Noting that he got "uneasy feelings" about what he saw in the political world, Holden said if cultural and educational aspects of the two countries could be mobilized, "they will be the driving force in making changes."

"Education is at the center of what we do," Holden said, adding that his organization has been helping establish connections between academic institutions of the two countries.

"It's important that we continue to look at ways to connect our educational system, our students with the students from China so that they can, at a young age, get to understand both cultures," he said.

Holden opened Missouri's first trade office in China during his term from 2001 to 2005. The former Missouri governor has seen new opportunities for cooperation between America's heartland and China, such as energy and infrastructure.

"We're also working with mayors throughout the 20-state region and governors throughout the 20-state region on building those relationships," he said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 15:01:28|Editor: Li Xia

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TASHKENT, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Uzbek and Chinese experts discussed innovative approaches to the education of preschool children at a forum held here on Friday.

The one-day forum opens a new direction in cooperation between the two countries, said Agrippina Shin, minister of preschool education of Uzbekistan.

It has become an effective platform for comparing notes, she said in her opening speech.

The forum was held as the two sides are implementing the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and are advancing cooperation in people-to-people exchanges and education, said Jiang Yan, Chinese ambassador to Uzbekistan.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 15:11:34|Editor: Li Xia

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by Xinhua writers Xu Jing, Xu Xingtang and Miao Zhuang

LEXINGTON, the United States, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and U.S. governors gathered here on Thursday, competing to promote their state or province for investment at the Fifth China-U.S. Governors Forum.

"I want to be a little bit more objective. I'll tell you not what I think, but what U.S. News (and World Report) just said," said Cyrus Habib, lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of Washington, grabbing the opportunity when he took the podium to present his state. "In the U.S. News ranked states in the United States, they ranked Washington state No. 1 overall."

The national media U.S. News and World Report published its yearly Best States Rankings on May 14, putting Washington state on top based on several criteria including health care, education, economy and opportunity.

"It is not a coincidence for Washington to get ranked the No. 1 place to do business and the No. 1 place to live," he said. "I always tell them the key is international relationships ... We are the No. 1 exporter per capita of any state in the country."

"We are the No. 1 source of U.S. imports into China and so our relationship with China is absolutely key central to the success that we have had now economically in terms of trade," he added.

Dianne Primavera, lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of Colorado, advertised her state by saying "according to the U.S. News and World Report, Colorado is home to the No. 1 economy in the United States."

"Our business climate is an active mix of knowledge-based industries and entrepreneurial activity that drives successful startups," Primavera said. "Colorado welcomes the opportunity to do business with China."

Matt Bevin, governor of Kentucky and host of the event, was also eager to grasp the opportunity to talk about the benefits of his state.

"We have rivers and roads and railways that transect through this state. You can put goods on the Ohio River and take them straight to any port in China," he said. "We want you here, we want your investment here."

U.S. state of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee introduced his state as a neighbor of Kentucky, saying "when Kentucky or Tennessee has investment from companies, from countries like China, then we both benefit. We are a regional economy and what is good for one state and our region is good for another state in our region."

Local Chinese officials also presented their province or municipality.

Mayor of Chongqing Tang Liangzhi said the southwestern Chinese municipality has an important role in regional development and China's opening-up layout, and that he hopes to cooperate with U.S. states in many fields like intelligent industry, auto manufacturing, and environmental protection.

Liu Guozhong, governor of China's northwestern Shaanxi Province, deliberated on the long-standing history and culture, as well as the recent tax-cutting policies of his province, hoping to expand cooperation in technological innovation and environmental protection between the two countries.

Chinese and U.S. companies signed three cooperation agreements at the forum on Thursday. Meanwhile, China's southeastern province of Jiangxi and the U.S. state of Kentucky signed a memorandum of understanding.

Initiated in 2011, the China-U.S. Governors Forum has become an important platform to promote exchanges and cooperation between the local governments of the two countries.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 16:17:02|Editor: Liangyu

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Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Islamabad, Pakistan on May 23, 2019. China and Pakistan will join hands in building a closer community of shared future in the new era against the backdrop of changing international landscapes, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing said. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

ISLAMABAD, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China and Pakistan will join hands in building a closer community of shared future in the new era against the backdrop of changing international landscapes, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing said.

"The Closer China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future in the New Era is a concrete measure taken by leaders of the two countries as per the concept of building a new type of international relations and a community of a shared future for all mankind," Yao told Xinhua in a recent interview.

A China-Pakistan joint statement in this regard was released in November last year when Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan made his first visit to China.

The closer community of shared future in the new era is based on mutual trust, friendship and amity, as well as shared interests and political consensus reached between the two countries and two peoples on the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the ambassador said.

CPEC, a major pilot project of the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, is connecting the Gwadar port in southwestern Pakistan with Kashgar in west China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

CPEC has brought about drastic changes to Pakistan's socio-economic development over the past five years. During Prime Minister Khan's another visit to China in April, the two countries signed a deal on the first industrial park and future industrial cooperation.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding inked between China and Pakistan to improve people's livelihood, the two neighbors signed 27 projects on agriculture, education, healthcare, water resources, vocational training and poverty alleviation, Yao said.

"By meeting Pakistani people's needs, the China-Pakistan cooperation will bring more tangible benefits to Pakistanis," he said.

As part of the international cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, CPEC should be instrumental to regional cooperation, interconnectivity and common development, the Chinese envoy pointed out.

A third party will be invited to participate in the next phase development of CPEC, he added.

The first meeting of the CPEC International Cooperation Coordination Working Group was held in Beijing in April to build CPEC as a platform for regional cooperation, development and prosperity.

Fostering people-to-people's bonds always remained as a priority of the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Pakistan, according to Yao.

"The China-donated Faqeer Primary School in Gwadar has become one of the best local schools, where students have increased to nearly 500 from 150 over the past five years," he said.

"China also helped build a medical center in Gwadar which has provided health services for the local people," the ambassador added, noting that vocational training institutes were set up in Quetta and Lahore to help address youth employment in Pakistan.

In recent years, civic groups, training schools and local institutions across the country have been seeking exchanges and cooperation with China in education, culture and sports, Yao said.

"The Belt and Road Initiative has yielded such appealing results that the Pakistani people have been getting increasingly enthusiastic about participating in the Chinese projects and agreeing with the Chinese concepts," he added.

With regard to the China-Pakistan relations, Yao said that a new era has been ushered in and a new prospect is just around the corner. "There will be plenty of opportunities for both countries."Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 16:27:08|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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JAKARTA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Although airliners canceled flights with routes of Indonesia's Bali Island and Australia after the Mount Agung volcano eruption on the island on Friday evening, the airspace was actually safe for planes, the transport ministry said here on Saturday.

Mount Agung volcano erupted on Friday, belching out volcanic ash and smoke to the air and pouring down rains of volcanic ash in areas situated on the slope of the mountain, the national volcanology agency said.

Still, the air transport authority did not issue a notice to airman (NOTAM) for flight above the island airspace, spokesman of the transport ministry Hengki Angkasawan said.

The statement came after airliners, including Virgin Air, Jetstar and Qantas put off 14 flights on route from Bali to Australia.

"The applications are on the initiative of the airliners. There is no NOTAM issued as the airspace is safe for flight," Hengki told Xinhua by the phone.

Besides, the spokesman said that the flight authority at the international airport I Gusti Ngurah Rai on the island has the ability to navigate planes passing through the pathway above the island.

During the eruption, the volcano expelled a large quantity of volcanic ash to the air, yet the height could not be detected as it was covered by cloud, the volcanology agency said.

Mount Agung's alert status is at the second highest level with an exclusion zone covering an area of four kilometers from the crater, according to the national volcanology agency.

Over 700,000 foreign holiday makers visit Bali Island, the center of Indonesia's tourism industry, every month, data from the national statistics bureau showed.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 16:27:09|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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SAN FRANCISCO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal judge in San Francisco on Friday halted President Donald Trump's plan to build a wall at the southern border with funds to be diverted from the Department of Defense.

Judge Haywood Gilliam of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a temporary injunction, which blocked Trump from planning to redirect money from U.S. military accounts, including pension and pay funds, to cover the cost of a proposed wall at the southern border with Mexico.

The ruling came only one day before the construction of the southern border wall could begin as soon as Saturday, May 25.

The judge ruled against the transfer of about 1 billion U.S. dollars in military pay and pension funds to pay for the wall.

Gilliam made the ruling after hearing arguments last week involving two lawsuits - one brought by California and 19 other states and the other filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of the Southern Border Communities Coalition, a civil rights alliance, and the Sierra Club environmental NGO.

Both cases challenged the legality of Trump's plan for funding the border barrier construction, which may exceed "the Executive Branch's lawful authority under the Constitution and a number of statutes duly enacted by Congress," Gilliam said in the ruling.

Trump declared a national emergency in February after failing to obtain full funding from the Democratic-dominated House, vowing to divert money from other government agencies.

Gilliam's ruling was welcomed by the ACLU.

"This is a win for our system of checks and balances, the rule of law, and border communities. The court blocked all wall projects currently slated for immediate construction," the ACLU tweeted late Friday.

"If the Trump administration begins illegally diverting additional funds, we'll be back in court," it added.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 16:42:15|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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NEW DELHI, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Indian President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday dissolved the lower house of parliament, Lok Sabha, thus paving the way for the constitution of the next house after the just-concluded 17th general elections.

Election results were announced on Friday, declaring the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Democratic Alliance (NDA) registering a spectacular victory, by winning in more than 350 constituencies out of the 542 that went to polls.

A press communique issued by the President's Office said that the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday passed a resolution to advise the president to dissolve the 16th Lok Sabha with immediate effect.

"The President has accepted the advice of the Cabinet and signed the Order dissolving the 16th Lok Sabha in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by Sub-clause (b) of Clause (2) of Article 85 of the Constitution," added the press communique.

In India's political set-up, the term of Lok Sabha is fixed for five years, while the parliament's upper house Rajya Sabha is a permanent chamber.

Meanwhile, in another related development, the winning lawmakers belonging to the NDA are slated to meet later Saturday evening to appoint Narendra Modi as their leader, who would subsequently assume the office of prime minister for his second consecutive term.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 16:47:17|Editor: Xiang Bo

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Tourists slide on the grass at an eco-farm in Tonggu County, east China's Jiangxi Province, April 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Qin Hong)

NANCHANG, May 25 (Xinhua) -- For decades, fruits and vegetables in the village of Gunan used to be sold within its vicinity in Yichun City, in east China's Jiangxi Province.

But in recent years, organic products from Gunan have climbed their way out of the village into chain supermarkets in the provincial capital Nanchang, and have become wildly popular.

"We have set up 10 chain supermarkets in Nanchang and in Gaohu Township (which administers Gunan), and we provide more than 30 job positions in the markets," said village official Zhong Yinghua. "About one-third of our employees are from cities and townships."

Since 2012, the village has been focusing on developing organic food, while expanding business to cities and townships by opening chain markets there and by e-commerce, which greatly increased sales.

China's rural revitalization strategy is helping revamp the countryside. The strategy was first put forward during the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2017 and has been repeatedly stressed by the Chinese leadership since then.

The strategy aims at achieving the basic modernization of agriculture and rural areas by 2035, and the grand goal of a strong agricultural industry, beautiful countryside and well-off farmers by 2050.

Under such circumstances, the rural areas in China are developing fast, with agriculture developing fast, rural tourism booming and migrant workers returning home from coastal areas for entrepreneurship.

Luo Huimin, who used to be a migrant worker, has returned to his hometown in Jiangxi's Wannian County to start a business. With rich land resources, he focused on agricultural products and managed to open chain stores delivering crops and oil for residents in the cities of Nanchang, Shenzhen, Dongguan and Guangzhou, with more than 90 people employed, each receiving up to 15,000 yuan (2,172 U.S. dollars) every month.

"Most of the employees are farmers from my hometown," Luo said.

Luo said they analyzed the demands for agricultural products in cities and optimized the supply of agricultural products, which significantly increased their benefits.

"As the markets between cities and the rural areas become increasingly intertwined, the agricultural resources are becoming more valuable, and agricultural modernization is gaining steam in the countryside," said Yi Yongbo, a local agricultural official in Jiangxi.

RURAL TOURISM

Meanwhile, as the rural revitalization strategy gains steam, rural tourism is booming in the countryside. The nice scenery and local delicacies are luring a huge number of stressed-out urbanites.

In Jiangxi's Wentang Township, for example, villagers used to reap in a little more than 1,000 yuan per capita on average annually. In the past three years, as more cities dwellers visited, locals rented their houses as family-inns, which could generate annual revenue of up to 40,000 yuan a year for each family.

"The value of land and houses here has risen greatly, and average annual income per capita has exceeded 10,000 yuan," said a CPC official in Shuikou Village of the township.

In Jiangxi's Zixi County, local businessman Ding Yong'an has bet on "wolf tourism" to power rural economy. In his Wild Wolf Valley, statues of howling wolves stand on the streets and hotels and avenues are decorated with wolf images and named in connection with the animals.

Officials in Zixi were also eager to bolster the local tourism industry, and the local government had created a variety of policies to support rural tourism. Programs such as "Beautiful Countryside" and "The Pure Land of Zixi" were heavily promoted.

Ding's project won government recognition, with Wild Wolf Valley listed as one of its top programs. The local government granted interest-free loans to local tourism companies such as Ding's and promised to support guesthouses, where homeowners open their unused rooms to short-term lodgers, usually tourists.

Amid the tourism boom, authorities in Jiangxi have issued a notice to continue efforts to transform about 20,000 rural villages.

Each village will receive a subsidy of 300,000 yuan this year to boost local development. Government funds will be allocated to build roads, renovate toilets and houses, and beautify villages by planting more trees, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

RETURNING FARMERS

As more favorable policies were issued and rural infrastructure improves, rural revitalization is also bringing back migrant workers that used to work in more developed areas for better paychecks.

"More state-owned and private enterprises are coming to the countryside, which has brought good investment and improved industrial chains including production, logistics and sales in rural areas," said Xu Wenqin, an agriculture official in Jiangxi's Fuzhou City. "The situation has made locals more willing to stay than going out."

In addition, 4G network and faster logistics have replaced old infrastructure, allowing many farmers to do e-commerce business.

In the remote Shuangxi Village of Wanzai County, for instance, 220 out of more than 3,200 local residents have engaged in e-commerce business, which helps sell agricultural products worth 20 million yuan to the outside world annually.

According to a survey among 3,378 migrant workers conducted in early 2019, more than 60 percent of respondents said they believe improving public resources such as health, education and infrastructure are making them willing to stay in the countryside or return from the coastal areas.

The percentage of those who chose to stay in the villages is up 10 percent year on year.

In the impoverished Gufang Village, more than 400 migrant workers have returned to start businesses of their own since 2016.

"Fruit and aquatic product sectors have employed more than 120 villagers here," said local CPC official Zou Liansheng.

"People in rural areas are truly living good lives, and I believe the future will be better," Zou said.

(Video reporters: Wen Meiliang, Huang Hexun; Video editor: Zhang Xinyi)Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 16:52:24|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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SAN FRANCISCO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- San Francisco is one step closer toward opening legal "safe injection" sites for drug addicts after a bill for that purpose cleared the California State Assembly, local media reported Friday.

The bill, if approved by the state Senate and California Governor Gavin Newsom, would allow San Francisco to open the country's first state-sanctioned supervised injection sites for intravenous drug users, although such facilities could remain illegal under federal law.

The federal law prohibits possessing illicit drugs and "maintaining or providing access" to any space where illegal drugs are used.

The bill was co-authored by California Assemblywoman Susan Eggman from Stockton city and Senator Scott Wiener from San Francisco. It has won support of San Francisco Mayor London Breed.

Breed has been the most vocal supporter of such facilities in the city, which she had argued would help prevent people from "shooting up in public" and get needles off the streets.

Other pro-site advocates also maintain that safe-injection facilities would allow drug users to shoot up with clean equipment under supervised conditions, with the help of guides to avoid overdosing and curb the spread of infectious diseases.

Breed's idea of launching the pilot program of opening safe injection sites in the city was vetoed by former California Governor Jerry Brown last year, but Brown's successor Newsom is "very, very open" to the proposed legislation.

Media reports said San Francisco has more than 20,000 intravenous drug users and has reported about 200 overdose deaths annually, largely from opioids in recent years.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 17:22:34|Editor: Xiaoxia

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BANGKOK, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's house of representatives on Saturday voted against a motion proposed by a pro-government party to postpone the set election of a speaker during the first meeting of the lower house.

Among 496 attending MPs, 248 said no to the motion and 246 said yes, the motion then failed to pass.

Five MPs, mainly from pro-government Palang Pracharath Party, however said no to the motion. They noted at the last minute to change their stance but were all rejected.

The house of representatives then began the section of electing a speaker. Pro-government Palang Pracharath Party nominated Democrat Party member, former prime minister Chuan Leekpai while opposition Prachachart Party nominated Pheu Thai Party member, former deputy prime minister Sompong Amornvivat.

The lower house would vote out the speaker soon.

According to the Thai constitution, the speaker of the house of representatives would also be the president of the national assembly who would convene the lower house and the senate to jointly elect a new prime minister.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 17:32:39|Editor: Xiaoxia

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TEHRAN, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Iran does not want any war in the region amid the rising tensions with the United States, Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency on Saturday.

"Iran does not desire war in the region, neither with the United States nor with any other country," said Takht-Ravanchi.

However, "we will stand firmly against any act of aggression against our country," he said.

The Iranian official further dismissed dialogue with the United States under pressures.

"Genuine talks cannot be productive if they are coupled with intimidation, coercion and sanctions," said Takht-Ravanchi.

In the meantime, "a dialogue can only succeed if both sides accept the principle of mutual respect and then act on equal footing," he added.

Iran has been under unprecedented sanction pressure by the United States following U.S. President Donald Trump's withdrawal from Iran's nuclear deal in May last year.

Washington seeks to seal a new nuclear deal with Iran, to further curb Iran's nuclear program, stop Iran's ballistic missile development and brake Iran's push for influence in the region.

Besides, rising tension between Tehran and Washington has put the rivals on the brink of military clashes.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 17:42:43|Editor: Xiaoxia

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by Grandesso Federico

CANNES, France, May 24 (Xinhua) -- "I find gene technology very interesting and I was reading quite a lot about that, it has two sides, it is a gift but also a threat," said Austrian movie director Jessica Hausner at the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival.

"It creates a lot of very positive effects for mankind, for example in medicine or heathy food; on the other hand, we are very afraid of that, because science doesn't really know what could happen from some of these inventions. I'm very interested in the ambiguity and the contradictory truths," Hausner said in a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua about her movie Little Joe, which was in competition at the film festival.

The film tells the story of a single mother working as a senior plant breeder in a corporation engaged in developing new spices. She has engineered a special crimson flower which is beautiful and therapeutic. If kept at the right temperature, fed properly and spoken to regularly, it gives happiness to its owner. The problem for the lab comes when the plant unexpectedly becomes sentient.

Hauser conducted intense research for the film and there were scientists that worked continuously with her: a plant geneticist, a human geneticist and a neurologist. They all worked with her on the script regarding the virus theory that is part of the film.

Concerning happiness, the main theme of the film, Hausner said: "Happiness is important like love and faith, but it is all in our head. I think we couldn't live without those ideas but for me it is interesting to say that these are only ideas, I don't think they are real."

Asked if happiness seems to be more a contemporary need than in the past, the Austrian director stressed: "I don't think we were happier in the past. I think we always desired happiness."

About the atmosphere she wanted to show, she said: "The whole film is very stylized and it has a very artificial look. I tried to create a world on its own. It is nearly a surrealist world. The reason for that is that although my film is about a modern gene technology, I don't want my film to be valid only in the present."

Hausner tried to create more of a fairy tale atmosphere with the artificial look.

Talking about the human relations in the film, Hausner explained that the connection between the mother and the child is a very important topic because mothers nowadays work hard.

"I think that our society has to find answers to fix the problem of child care," she said.

One solution is that both men and women could work fewer hours so that they could really share child care, she said.

"We should have better institutions: teachers, schools, facilities where the children can grow in a heathy, positive and emotional way. To do that we have to pay our workforce better, because they have a very important task in society," Hausner said.

Hausner premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014 with her third film Amour Fou, which was selected to compete in Un Certain Regard, a section of the film festival's official selection.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 18:12:59|Editor: Xiaoxia

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CAIRO, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Africa is heading steadily toward achieving sustainable development through the implementation of its ambitious Agenda 2063, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said on Saturday in a televised speech marking Africa Day.

Sisi, whose country currently chairs the African Union (AU), said that the private sector and governments in Africa should work together to develop the continent's infrastructure and improve its human resources.

Africa Day marks the establishment of the AU, then called the Organization of African Union, on May 25, 1963 after several African states gained independence from Western colonization.

The 56th Africa Day comes while many African countries and regions are suffering conflicts, insurgencies or deteriorating security conditions, including Libya, Sudan, South Sudan and so on.

"Day after day, the effectiveness of our joint efforts increases in finding solutions to the conflicts and the problems that the continent has been suffering for decades," said the Egyptian president.

He added that Africa is open to cooperation with international partners, including governments, organizations, corporations and financial institutions, to build the future of Africa based on fair and win-win partnership.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 18:58:28|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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FIROZ KOAH, Afghanistan, May 25 (Xinhua) -- A total of 13 people have lost their lives and more than 100 houses have been destroyed due to downpour and flash floods in western Afghanistan's Ghor province over the past two days, provincial governor Ghulam Nasir Khazih said Saturday.

Talking to reporters here, Khazih said that the floods largely damaged the provincial capital Firoz Koah and the neighboring Tolak and Shahrak districts where more than 100 houses had been washed away and farmlands destroyed.

The governor also called upon national and international aid agencies to assist with the flood affected people.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 19:03:30|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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BAGHDAD, May 25 (Xinhua) -- A total of five Islamic State (IS) militants and seven other people were killed Saturday in separate attacks, targeting security forces and farmers in Iraq's central province of Salahudin, security sources said.

A joint force from the Iraqi army and paramilitary tribal fighters clashed early in the morning with IS militants who attempted to set fire to wheat and barley farms in Shirqat area, some 280 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, Mohammed al-Bazi, from Salahudin's provincial police, told Xinhua.

The clash resulted in the killing of two tribal fighters and one IS militant, al-Bazi said, adding that the attackers fled the scene while the security forces launched a search operation in the surrounding area.

Also in the province, IS militants attacked a group of farmers who were harvesting wheat in the village of Tulul al-Baj, some 250 km north of Baghdad, killing four farmers and setting fire in their farm and their harvester machine before they fled the scene, al-Bazi said.

Furthermore, a policeman was killed and three others wounded when a roadside bomb detonated near their vehicle while on patrol in western the town of Baiji, some 200 km north of Baghdad, al-Bazi added.

Separately, a paramilitary Hashd Shaabi force, backed by the army helicopter gunships, destroyed a tunnel and killed four would-be suicide bombers inside in Shirqat area, Yahya Rasoul, spokesman of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said in a statement.

Recently, the extremist IS militants frequently pursued a tactic of collecting taxes from farmers or killing them and burning their farms and corps in agricultural areas across the provinces of Salahudin, Nineveh, Diyala and Kirkuk.

The security situation in Iraq was dramatically 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 as safe havens, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 19:13:40|Editor: Li Xia

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BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The total value of privately offered funds reached 13.31 trillion yuan (1.92 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of April, industry association data showed.

The figure was up 517.29 billion yuan, or 4.04 percent from a month earlier, according to the Asset Management Association of China (AMAC).

The number of registered private funds rose 2.37 percent to 77,135 at the end of last month, said the AMAC in its monthly report.

In breakdown, the value of funds investing in securities expanded 11.6 percent to 2.36 trillion yuan after months of shrinkage, due to the strong performance of the A-share market.

The value of private equity funds, which invest in non-listed companies rose 3.04 percent to 8.16 trillion yuan.

Meanwhile, the value of venture capital funds expanded 5.86 percent to 1 trillion yuan, according to the association.

Established in 2012, AMAC is a self-regulatory organization that represents the mutual fund industry of China.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 19:23:49|Editor: Li Xia

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BUDAPEST, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Budapest Airport had signed an agreement with China's Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Co Ltd (HNCA) in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the airport announced here on Saturday in a statement.

"The cooperation agreement signed with the HNCA is the next big step in intensifying cooperation with our Chinese partners and making Budapest Airport the leading cargo hub in Central Eastern Europe," Jost Lammers, CEO of Budapest Airport, said after the signing ceremony, quoted by the statement.

The framework for future development, cooperation and exchange of information was laid down in the agreement signed by Budapest Airport and HNCA in the presence of Tamas Menczer, state secretary from the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

"Budapest Airport offers the ideal location for transporting goods between Europe and Asia," Lammers said.

He also said Budapest Airport has invested 46 million euros (51.5 million U.S. dollars) into the construction of the new BUD Cargo City, with 21,000 square meters of warehouse and office space, an 11,000-square-meter forwarder building and a 32,000-square-meter cargo apron that allows the simultaneous handling of two Boeing B747-8F cargo aircraft.

The agreement has been signed in the frame of a Chinese-Hungarian seminar, focusing on the development of economic cooperation in the field of air cargo, within the framework of the BRI.

Direct links were laid down in April 2019, when the first flight between Zhengzhou and Budapest was launched by Luxembourg's Cargolux cargo airline, according to Budapest Airport.

Since then, a cargo flight operated twice a week with a 100-ton capacity Boeing 747 connecting the capital city of Henan Province Zhengzhou, and Hungary.

The agreement signed in Budapest could provide fresh impetus for the development of aviation connections.

"Sino-Hungarian relations were never as positive as right now," Tamas Menczer said, adding that this year, China and Hungary celebrated the 70th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 19:54:07|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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BEIRUT, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri said that Lebanon does not want any war but it won't give up on its sovereignty, or its land or sea rights, local media reported on Saturday.

"Lebanon does not want a war but this does not mean that we will give up on our rights," Berri was quoted as saying by Elnashra, an online independent newspaper.

Berri's comments came during his meeting with Congressman Eliot Engel who is also chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Berri previously voiced his concerns that Israel has violated Lebanon's waters by allowing exploitation of oil and gas in an area close to the disputed borders.

Lebanon has an unresolved maritime border with Israel that involves a triangular sea area of about 860 square km extending along the edge of three of its 10 offshore energy blocks.

Berri said that Lebanon is ready to draw its maritime borders under the supervision of the United Nations.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 20:24:17|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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LONDON, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Voters across the 28-member European Union (EU) are heading for polling stations in the world's biggest pan-nation voting exercise amid concerns of the potential rise of populist parties in the region.

The latest elections for the world's largest trading bloc came at a time of uncertainties created by Brexit, a slowing economy and growing populist sentiments.

The once-in-every-five-year vote is the chance for ordinary citizens to help shape the European Parliament.

In an editorial published this week, Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, commented: "We all have our destiny in our hands."

RICHER, POORER

In Britain, the election, which many thought they could have avoided until a delayed Brexit, was reduced to an ultimate protest over growing Brexit angst. Voters blame their economic distress on the widening wealth gap.

Retired teacher Pauline Roy said she voted Labor saying: "I trust them, more than any other party, to deliver Brexit."

Roy, who voted Leave in Britain's 2016 EU referendum, added: "Over the past years I feel that the rich have become richer and the poor have become poorer and the quality of every day life for the majority, has diminished, leading to many needing to hold down three jobs to make ends meet and more children living in poverty."

In Italy, Marco di Franco, 24, a student studying communications, said he will vote for the Five-Star Movement simply to "get rid of the political class".

"I don't believe we should have professional politicians," he said. "These people work for us and they just get rich."

A prominent issue exercising Europeans is the economy. The eurozone debt crisis gripped Europe almost 10 years ago, but it, along with the global financial crisis, still has impact on voters like Roy and Franco and a party, like The Five-Star Movement and the Brexit Party, that promises a better economy outside EU.

The results from Britain will show whether the newly launched Brexit Party, founded by veteran Eurosceptic Nigel Farage can win the largest number of the 73 British seats in the European Parliament.

The latest poll gave them 37 percent, while the ruling Conservatives are down to 7 percent, with the likelihood of the party's worst ever performance in an election since it was founded in the 1830s.

Lifelong Labor voter, grandmother Beryl Tarpey, who lives in Cheshire, said she planned to vote for the new Brexit Party. Her town council is solid Labor and has been for decades.

Tarpey, who voted leave three years ago, told Xinhua: "Call it a protest vote, but both Labor and the Conservatives are all over the place on the Brexit issue."

"It would be a betrayal of the referendum that was handed to us if our politicians at Westminster blocked us from leaving," she said.

CHANGING LANDSCAPE

The results from Britain will be a sideshow as the other 27 member states study changes in the political map of Europe.

As the elections are underway, the far right is riding high and threatening to reset the power balance of the Europe. Amid the surging populism which is growing on both the left and the right, countries such as Italy, Germany and France have already witness a changing political landscape.

Observers suggest that the election will likely produce a highly fragmented European Parliament, with the long-dominant center-left and center-right blocs unable to form a coalition by themselves, handing greater influence to smaller players such as the Liberals, Greens and populists.

Latest polls suggest that EU-critical parties could become the second-largest force in the parliament, with up to 35 percent of its 751 seats.

Daily Telegraph columnist Roger Bootle predicts that Eurosceptic parties are likely to do well in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Poland and Germany.

"The things that these parties have in common are mainly non-economic in character, although they do have economic consequences," he said. "The most important of these is immigration."

In almost all European countries there is growing resentment against the lack of control of borders.

"The biggest problem Italy has right now is all the immigrants," Italian housewife Maria Esther Di Genova, 53, told Xinhua. "This is why the crime rate is higher; this is why nobody can find a job."

Her 60-year-old husband lost his job two years ago when his company closed.

"That's because these people come in the country and all they do is take, take, take, take," she grumbled. "I will vote for the League because of all these migrants and if I didn't vote for the League I would vote for the Five Stars."

But fellow Italian, a 46-year-old door man Marco Aquilini, voiced different opinions.

"I can't vote for the League... I don't think it's right to close the ports," he said. "I voted for the League in the past but I can't do it now because they've become too extreme -- the more power they get the more extreme they become."

"You cannot turn back the clock and change is going to come," he said. "The best thing is to direct it, and make it work because you cannot stop it."

VOTE FOR HOPE

There are voters who are voting to offset the rightist movement and for a better Europe.

In Germany master's student Stella Marie Liderer, 25, said: "Every time I think of not voting that will mean the rightist sentiment getting more and more popular."

She said she hopes the outcome will be "more Green" in the EU parliament, and there will be more regulations conserving the nature and environment.

Fellow German countryman Thomas, 37, working in PR, said he does not expect much from the European elections or the European Parliament because already in Germany, the politicians usually do not keep the promises they made before an election.

"Nevertheless, I am going to vote on Sunday because I know that it is important and it is also about preventing the right-wing parties from becoming too powerful."

Office clerk Harald, 24, office clerk, said what he expects from the new European Parliament is that it will ensure that in future European member states stand closer together and solve problems together. "National unilateral efforts will result in Europe losing its international significance," he said.

The Brussels-based on-line site Politico says the millions of people across the EU will elect a new European Parliament in a vote likely to shift the continent's balance of power.

"Politicians across the bloc's 28 member states have cast the election as a crucial battle for the future of the Union, with nationalists and populists campaigning to halt EU integration and mainstream parties urging closer cooperation to solve the Continent's myriad challenges," says Politico.

(by Xinhua writers Zhai Wei in Brussels, Gui Tao in London, Larry Neild in Liverpool, Chen Zhanjie in Rome, Zhang Yuan in Berlin, Zhang Zhang in Warsaw and Yuan Liang in Budapest) EnditemSource: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 20:34:21|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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TEHRAN, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Saturday that the U.S. decision to deploy additional troops to the Middle East region is "dangerous," Iran's state TV reported.

"Increased U.S. military presence in our region is extremely dangerous and it threatens international peace and security," Zarif was quoted as saying.

Such a move by the United States should be addressed by the international community, Zarif made the remarks a day after the U.S. President Donald Trump announced sending 1,500 more troops to the Middle East.

On May 5, Washington announced deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group and a bomber task force to the region adjacent to Iran's southern waters.

The U.S. National Security Adviser, John Bolton, said then that the U.S. forces were deployed for protective measures against any "attack on United States' interests or on those of our allies."

The U.S. officials have made such allegations, based on "fake intelligence," to justify their "hostile" policies towards the Islamic republic and to raise tensions in the region, Zarif said on Saturday.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 20:39:27|Editor: Li Xia

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BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stressed tax and fee cuts and the improvement of financial services to alleviate burdens on companies and promote their healthy development.

Li made the remarks during his tour in east China's Shandong province from Friday to Saturday.

He underscored the importance of tax cuts and fee reductions, as they are key to coping with current downward economic pressures and can benefit the economy in the long-run.

In Weichai Group, a leading machinery manufacturer, Li encouraged the staff to strengthen innovation and international cooperation. He also called for craftsman's spirit to produce more competitive, highly reliable products.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 20:57:46|Editor: Li Xia

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Pupils make pottery wares under the instruction of a volunteer in Cixi City, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 25, 2019. A volunteer center in Cixi City opened a pottery class for local pupils in celebration of the upcoming International Children's Day. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 21:15:00|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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PARIS, May 25 (Xinhua) -- A man, believed to be behind the blast that injured scores in the southern French city of Lyon, was still unidentified and police operation was underway to determine his whereabouts, Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said on Saturday.

The suspect appeared in security camera footage partially masked with dark sunglasses and a cap, making hard for investigators to identify him, Heitz told reporters.

He was wheeling a bicycle to Victor Hugo street, a pedestrian popular street where he had left a bag outside Brioche Doree bakery at 17:27 local time (1527 GMT). One minute later, the package which contained screws, batteries and remote triggering device, exploded.

Paris prosecutor confirmed that 13 people were suffering injuries. Eleven victims were evacuated to hospitals.

"A first appeal for witnesses has been launched. All the testimonies are being examined. New photographs of the individual will be released soon," he said.

"All the means have been deployed to allow the perpetrator's identification and his arrest," he said, adding that no claim of responsibility has so far been made for the blast.

His counter-terrorism section has opened an investigation into "attempt of assassination in relation with terrorist enterprise".

Earlier on Saturday, Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said it was too early to say whether the blast was a "terrorist act".

"Anti-terrorism division of the Paris prosecutor office has opened an investigation for criminal and terrorist conspiracy. But, it is necessary to await the results of the on-going investigation," Belloubet told BFMTV news channel.

"In the light of these results we can then qualify this act," she added.

Following the explosion whose motive remained unidentified, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said he "sent vigilance instructions to all prefects to enhance the security of public sites and sporting events, cultural and religious".

France remains top target of terrorist cells due to its military intervention in Iraq, Syria and the Sahel region.

A wave of attacks, claimed by the Islamic State, had broken the calm several times in France. The bloodiest terror attack took place in Paris on November 2015, when a series of explosions and shootings left 130 victims.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 21:25:02|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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DAMASCUS, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that the recent claims by the rebels of chemical weapons use in battles in Latakia province are a prelude to a renewed cycle of lies and threats against the Syrian government, according to the state news agency SANA.

The ministry's statement comes in light of recent claims by the rebels that the Syrian army had used chemical weapons in attacks in the town of Kabani in the countryside of Latakia in northwestern Syria.

The Syrian government denied the claims, saying the rebels are trying to lift their faltering morals.

The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that the Syrian government might be renewing its use of chemical weapons, referring to the alleged chlorine attack on the rebel-held town in Latakia.

It said that any use of such weapons would lead the United States and its allies to "respond quickly and appropriately."

In its recent statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that "all this commotion will not dissuade the Syrian Army from continuing to fight terrorism."

It said the rebels are circulating false news about the chemical weapons use by the Syrian army, noting that such "false news" aims to pave the way for a new round of threats by Western countries against the Syrian government and Syrian army.

Such claims, the ministry continued, are attempts to lift the pressure on the rebels in northern Syria.

It is worth noting that the United States and its Western allies struck Syria in April 2018 over similar allegations by the rebels in the formerly rebel-held Eastern Ghouta countryside of Damascus.

The new development comes in light of the recent escalating military showdown between the rebels and the Syrian army in an area combining the countryside of Hama province, with Idlib and Latakia provinces in northwestern Syria.

The Syrian army made strides in the battles, which flared in the aforementioned areas late last month.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 21:30:05|Editor: Li Xia

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JUBA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan Hua Ning has said China will help strengthen South Sudan Broadcasting Cooperation (SSBC), a move that he noted will promote the revitalized peace process.

Hua said China will enhance media exchanges and cooperation with South Sudan through an aided project that will see the country sponsor the setting up of a broadcasting center in Juba.

The envoy added that the project will bring new opportunities for the development of South Sudan's media industry.

"South Sudan Broadcasting Cooperation has played a unique role in advancing the country's peace process and also made positive contributions to enhancing the peoples' understanding of China," Hua said in Juba on Saturday after meeting with the managing director of SSBC, Magok Chilim Chok.

He said the media has a robust potential to strengthen mutual cooperation between the two states.

Chok thanked China for its continued support to strengthen the development of the country's media industry, saying that the Chinese aided project for the SSBC will help improve its television and radio broadcasting ability in all aspects.

"The project will help the station provide higher quality news service to the public. The country is eager to learn more about China," Chok said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 21:41:27|Editor: Li Xia

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Actors perform in Arxan Village of Narat Township in Xinyuan County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 23, 2019. Xinyuan County has encouraged farmers to become engaged in tourism. During peak seasons, Xinyuan attracts over 3,000 tourists per day, and annual tourism income per household have surpassed 30,000 yuan (about 4,348 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/He Canling)Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 21:45:10|Editor: Li Xia

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SHENZHEN, May 25 (Xinhua) -- A southern Chinese trade hub boasting special links with Hong Kong is hoping the enhanced efforts to build the Greater Bay Area will revitalize its tourism industry and local economy.

Chung Ying Street, or "Sino-British Street," straddles the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the mainland city of Shenzhen and has been a special zone where local residents from both sides are allowed to cross the border freely.

It was once a boomtown popular among mainland visitors, who entered with a special permit to snatch duty-free goods from Hong Kong, but fell into decline after travel to Hong Kong was made easier for mainlanders.

The street derived from a small village, which was divided by the "Sino-British" borderline after Hong Kong became a British colony in the 19th century.

Sha Jintao, a 73-year-old resident, remembers how the street became a boomtown as China opened up and tightened links between the mainland and Hong Kong.

"When I was a child, there were only a few farmers and fishermen living on the mainland side of the street, while the Hong Kong side bustled with shops and businesses," Sha said.

But as Shenzhen rose as a forefront of China's reform and opening up starting in the late 1970s, the street became the center of changes. New shops and factories propped up with the inflow of Hong Kong investments, and the fancy commodities from its Hong Kong stores wooed in large numbers of mainland tourists.

Historical records show the number of tourists flocking into the 250-meter-long street peaked at 100,000 a day in the 1980s. As many as 89 jewelry stores opened in its heyday and sold 5 tonnes of gold jewelry in half a year.

SURVIVAL CRISIS

The heyday was however short-lived. After Hong Kong returned to the motherland in 1997, the street began to lose its appeal, as shopping in Hong Kong was made much easier for mainland tourists. Its daily visitors dropped below 10,000 after 2003, when mainlanders were allowed to independently travel to Hong Kong.

Many stores closed due to a loss of customers, and some survived by selling fake jewelry, winning the street much notoriety, recalled Sha, who then headed the local neighborhood committee.

Sha said the ephemeral boom was limited to the era when most Chinese had limited access to the outside world, so as the country opened its door wider, the street's function as a "window" faced an inevitable doom.

"Now with a smartphone, a consumer could easily buy goods from across the globe," he said, referring to China's cross-border e-commerce boom. "So if is just for the purpose of shopping, why take the trouble of traveling to the Chung Ying Street?"

The street is now more of a cultural site, dotted with relics and museums displaying its history, but locals are hopeful that the ongoing construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will usher in another golden era for their neighborhood.

China has planned to turn the greater bay area, which encompasses Hong Kong, Macao and nine cities in Guangdong Province, into the world's largest bay area in terms of GDP by 2030.

Earlier this month, the city government of Shenzhen said it will upgrade its ports with Hong Kong to boost the greater bay area development. The Shatoujiao Subdistrict, where the Chung Ying Street is located, was reserved for a new cooperation zone featuring tourism and consumption.

Optimism is running high in the community. New industries like artificial intelligence (AI), health and high-end shipping service have taken root in Yantian District, which administers Shatoujiao, and Sha is buzzing around to connect business people from Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

"Shatoujiao and its Chung Ying Street have boasted the one-of-the-kind advantage in Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation. We'll work hard to turn the blueprint of the greater bay area into a reality here," said Chen Qing, party secretary of Yantian.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 21:45:12|Editor: Li Xia

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LUANSHYA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese-owned mining firm in Zambia, China Non-ferrous Metal Company Luanshya Copper Mine (CLM), will next year consider supporting over 200 small-scale farmers.

The move is a way of supplementing government's efforts to diversify into agricultural sector for increased food production, a spokesperson said on Saturday.

Sydney Chileya, the company's spokesperson, said CLM currently supports 100 vulnerable but viable scale farmers in Luanshya district on the Copperbelt Province.

In an interview with Xinhua, Chileya said the number of small-scale farmers to be supported is likely to increase to 200 next year from the current 100 beneficiaries.

"As a company we have a deliberate annual program to support vulnerable but viable small scale farmers in the district, we are working in collaboration with the office of the Luanshya mayor, the office of the district commissioner including that of the Member of Parliament to carry out this program," Chileya said.

According to Chileya, the support follows a plea from a lawmaker in the area to have the number of beneficiaries of farm inputs from the mining firm increased from 100 to 200.

"As along as government is in the forefront of this program we are ready to offer our support aimed at increasing food production in the district and the country as a whole," he said.

Meanwhile, one the beneficiaries of farm inputs from CLM Clement Nkweto said he was excited that the firm was helping vulnerable small-scale farmers with farming inputs despite the company's main business being in mining.

"We hope other companies in the district will emulate China Non-ferrous Luanshya Copper Mine," he said.

Nkweto said it was cardinal to support small-scale farmers in the district with farming inputs such as fertilizer to promote household food security in the district and the country as a whole.

Another Luanshya-based peasant farmer Brendah Phiri said she has greatly benefited from agricultural program by the Chinese mining firm.

"I have benefited seed and fertilizer from Chinese company for my small holding farm," Phiri said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 21:50:14|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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LUSAKA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Saturday congratulated South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on his re-election and inauguration as that country's fifth president since the end of apartheid in 1994.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Malanji, who represented Lungu at the inauguration ceremony and delivered the congratulatory message, said the Zambian leader was happy with the way elections were conducted in South Africa.

Lungu, he said, has paid glowing tribute to South Africans for conducting a peaceful and democratic election, adding that South Africa had demonstrated that its multi-party democracy was growing.

According to the Zambian leader, South Africa had set a good example to other countries in the southern African region in the conduct of elections.

The Zambian leader however expressed happiness that most of the elections held recently in the region have been peaceful and successful, according to a release.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 21:55:18|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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VALLETTA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The Armed Forces of Malta rescued 216 migrants who were adrift and in distress onboard two rubber boats inside the Maltese Search and Rescue Region late on Friday, Times of Malta reported on Saturday.

According to the report, at least one pregnant women and a number of minors were believed to be among those migrants. The migrants reached Malta on Saturday morning.

The Armed Forces of Malta said in the past two days departure of migrants from Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria increased, resulting in 12 migrant boats disembarking in the southern coast of Sicily, Sardinia, and Lampedusa.

Libya has become a preferred departure point for illegal immigrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe because of insecurity and chaos in the North African country following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Migrant shelters in Libya are crowded with thousands of people who were rescued at sea or arrested by the Libyan security services.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 22:00:22|Editor: Liangyu

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits a privately-owned intellectual products maker in east China's Shandong Province, May 24, 2019. Li made an inspection tour to Weifang and Jinan in Shandong Province from Friday to Saturday. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stressed tax and fee cuts and the improvement of financial services to alleviate burdens on companies and promote their healthy development.

Li made the remarks during his tour in east China's Shandong province from Friday to Saturday.

He underscored the importance of tax cuts and fee reductions, as they are key to coping with current downward economic pressures and can benefit the economy in the long run.

In Weichai Group, a leading machinery manufacturer, Li encouraged the staff to strengthen international cooperation in innovation. He also called for craftsmanship to produce more competitive, highly reliable products.

A manager of Weifang Goertek Electronics Co., a privately-owned intellectual products maker, told Li that the company will pay 100 million yuan (about 15 million U.S. dollars) less in taxes and fees this year.

Li said China has huge market potential and that through technological innovation, their own efforts and extensive cooperation, Chinese companies will eventually win consumers and the market.

The government will also continue to improve policies and encourage companies to increase inputs into research and development, he added.

During his visit to a local bank, Li said lenders should use big data techniques and innovate financial products and models to provide better financial services to small- and micro-sized enterprises, as these enterprises play a crucial role in driving economic growth, increasing employment and improving people's livelihoods.

Li also asked local authorities to monitor prices of daily products and take proper measures to ensure sufficient supply and reasonable prices.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 22:00:24|Editor: Li Xia

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NAIROBI, May 25 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese energy expert on Saturday challenged the global community to accelerate green and low carbon development.

Cheng Zhiqiang, deputy secretary general of Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), said that sustainable urban development is faced with climate change, environmental pollution, health and poverty challenges.

"The root cause of these challenges is the over-reliance of cities on fossil fuels for energy production and consumption," Cheng said while addressing delegates attending a side event on the global stakeholders forum ahead of the UN-Habitat Assembly which will open in Nairobi on Monday.

Cheng noted that at present urban population accounts for 55 percent of the global population, and greenhouse gas emissions account for 70 percent of global emissions.

He added that air pollution kills seven million people every year and over 100 million people have no access to electricity in cities around the world.

"We must make a move that is aimed at reducing the energy challenges that is currently facing the world since energy is important for urban economic and social development," he warned.

The official told the delegates that the Global Energy Interconnection (GEI) initiative is providing China's solution on world energy transition, climate change and sustainable development.

He said that GEI that was proposed in September 2015 serves as an important infrastructure platform for large-scale development, transmission and utilization of clean energy resources worldwide.

"GEI promotes the replacement of fossil fuels with clean alternatives such as hydro, solar and wind energy, and replacing coal, oil, gas and firewood with clean electricity in an effort to achieve green and sustainable development," he added.

Cheng observed that by adopting GEI, the world stands to fundamentally change the pattern of energy development and utilization as it will help solve problems associated with climate, environment and health that are caused by over reliance on fossil fuels in cities.

"It also ensure safe, clean, and efficient energy supply with economic competitiveness, and realize the coordinated and sustainable development of energy and cities," he said.

Cheng revealed that about 40 percent of electricity in Shanghai city is currently supplied by hydropower, which helps reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50 million tonnes and air pollutants by over 700,000 tonnes annually, effectively improving Shanghai's environmental quality.

The initiative, Cheng noted, also promotes the development of urban smart power grids by applying advanced technologies such as big data, the Internet and artificial intelligence.

"It makes the utilization of distributed wind, solar and storage energy to make urban life better than before," he said.

The official noted that the initiative is intended to reduce the cost of energy, ensure urban power supply, and realize affordable and sustainable modern energy for all, so as to solve the issues of health and poverty.

"China has more than 500 million smart meters that have been installed to enable comprehensive automatic collection of power consumption information," he added.

Cheng promised to partner with all parties to build GEI, promote sustainable urban development, and contribute to a better earth.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 22:08:48|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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People visit a flea market in the West Bank city of Nablus, May 25, 2019. Flea markets here are usually packed with shoppers looking for cheap goods, ranging from clothes to home appliances. (Xinhua/Nidal Eshtayeh)Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 22:10:38|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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DAR ES SALAAM, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Education experts on Saturday urged Tanzanian government to overhaul the east African nation's school curriculum for public primary and secondary schools to help support the country's ambitious industrialization drive.

The experts, speaking at the 11th Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Intellectual Festival, the experts observed that the curriculum should enable students to acquire skilled knowledge and become drivers of the industrialization agenda aimed at enabling the country to attain the middle income status by 2025.

The festival, an annual event named after Tanzania's founding president, brings together scholars from various fields to discuss the country's social, political and economic issues, and finding solutions to them.

They said underlying any successful industrial policy of any particular country required skilled knowledge starting from primary and secondary schools onwards.

Kalafunja Osaki, a professor from the St. Augustine University of Tanzania, said, "Curriculum should be designed in such a way that they provide three important things that are essential for industrialization."

He mentioned them as general knowledge, individual development and social skills.

"It is very important to give students a room of doing what they think they are best at instead of assuming that everyone is destined to be a professor or degree holder," Osaki told his audience at the University of Dar es Salaam.

He said schools were supposed to be interpreters of the government's industrial policy.

Subirego Kejo, a lecturer from the University of Dar es Salaam College of Education, said there were several competencies, which were crucial in building an industrial economy that should be reflected from both primary and secondary education curriculum.

These include improving the quality of science education, enhancing information and communication technology skills and promoting creativity and problem-solving.

Kejo mentioned other competencies as promotion of a culture of saving and investment, promotion of a culture of hardworking, entrepreneurship, self-development, responsibility, discipline, self-confidence and innovation.

"These are the qualities that we aspire to instill in our people. However, all these should start being built from early stages of education," Kejo added.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 22:25:50|Editor: Li Xia

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by Xinhua writer Xiong Maoling

LEXINGTON, the United States, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Several U.S. governors have expressed their hope that the United States and China could soon reach a win-win trade deal to reduce uncertainty in business and bring bilateral cooperation back on track.

"Of all the 50 states, more exports go to China from Washington state than any other state. And then similarly, China is our number one export destination of all the countries," Cyrus Habib, lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of Washington, told Xinhua on the sidelines of the just-concluded Fifth China-U.S. Governors Forum.

"Our relationship with China is absolutely key, central to the success that we have had," Habib said. "It's important for all different sectors of our economy."

When asked how he views the decline in bilateral trade volume since the trade dispute, Habib said "it's a concern in both directions," adding that additional tariffs are definitely "a source of stress" for both Chinese and U.S. companies.

"What businesses want and what workers need is predictability and an environment that reduces barriers," said the lieutenant governor.

Former Missouri Governor Bob Holden also highlighted the disruption, saying that America's heartland, where the U.S. agricultural economy grows out of, has been severely hit by the trade dispute.

Holden, currently chairman and CEO of the United States Heartland China Association, told Xinhua that 18 out of the 20 U.S. states located between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico are "the hardest hit" by tariffs stemming from U.S.-China trade friction.

Holden said "there's a great deal of concern, (and) uneasiness" on the part of lots of soybean producers in Missouri, as well as some other agricultural areas. The former governor urged the two sides to resolve the issue so that things could go back to normal.

Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, whose state hosted the three-day forum, said "there's no governor in America, not myself or any other governor that does not want these agreements to be done and done soon," adding that the trade dispute is hurting companies because of the uncertainty.

"When you consider that the U.S. economy and the Chinese economy together comprise 40 percent of the world's GDP ... it is critical that we resolve at the national level anything that separates our nations," Bevin said.

"We have 9,000 people in Kentucky working for Chinese-owned companies and hundreds have been added just in recent months. This is good. I want more. I want thousands more," he said.

In order to reach a trade deal, Holden said, the two sides are "going to have to feel like they both gave something and they both gained something from it."

"I think they've got to look at it from the standpoint that what can we do and what can they do to both serve our self-interest and not undermine the credibility of the other," said Holden.

The former Missouri governor's remarks were echoed by Habib, who believes a possible trade deal should be beneficial to both sides.

"What do we need to be doing? ... That's a conversation (which) needs to go in both directions," Habib said, stressing the importance of mutual respect which is needed "at the heart of any negotiation."

A trade deal, Habib said, should help both sides have a good long-term understanding about trade dynamics, renew and refresh the rules of engagement, and make sure that "to the best of our abilities, we facilitate imports and exports."

Bevin said that the two governments need to make sure that the trade agreement is "proper" and "solid," and that both sides "get something and give something."

The trade deal needs to be capable of lasting for years to come, Bevin added, saying that he is confident the trade dispute will eventually be settled.

"At the national level, there'll be solutions," said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, adding that he believes negotiations will be beneficial to both countries and his role is to enhance and develop those relationships in sub-national way.

"I'm very optimistic about it," Habib said, "because I've seen it work and I know that there's a strong desire in both national governments to resolve this."

"We can't let something that happens in one day or one week determine how we view one another. We have to have a long term view," Habib said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 22:25:53|Editor: Li Xia

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BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- China has opened an online database of international camellia varieties, providing data support for horticulture and agriculture.

The Database of International Camellia Register was developed by the Kunming Institute of Botany under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It was supported by the International Camellia Society and international experts.

The database has more than 45,000 names and 33,000 pictures of camellia varieties including ornamental, tea and oil species. Users can search the name of camellia varieties in different languages including English, Chinese and Japanese.

It is also an open working platform, which allows registered users to upload photos, and create online cloud photo albums related to camellia. An international team of experts will help identify the information to ensure the authority and integrity of user-generated content.

As one of the world's most comprehensive databases on camellia, the online database will facilitate the utilization of camellia plants, according to the institute.

Camellia is a genus of flowering plants that are found in eastern and southern Asia. It is often used as tea or an oil production plant.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 23:26:36|Editor: yan

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MOGADISHU, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The United States military said on Saturday that it killed three Islamic State (IS) fighters in Somalia's Puntland region in an air attack on Friday.

The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement that no civilians were killed or injured in the strike which was conducted in cooperation with Somali government targeting ISIS (the IS) encampment in the Golis Mountains.

The statement said the Golis Mountains are a known area for al-Shabab camps and ongoing fighting between al-Shabab and ISIS Somalia.

Robert Huston, deputy director of operations at AFRICOM, said persistent pressure on the network ensures the threat is contained while degrading al-Shabab capabilities.

The Friday's attack is the sixth precision airstrike against ISIS Somalia since April 14 in a deliberate campaign to limit and disrupt freedom of movement in the area and to eliminate leaders of the organization.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 23:26:39|Editor: yan

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URUMQI, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Four male Przewalski's horses, a type of endangered horse, have been injured in battles for mating rights at the Kalamaili State Nature Reserve in northern Xinjiang.

Przewalski's horses are the only surviving horse subspecies never to have been domesticated. They have historically lived on grasslands that are now part of China's Xinjiang as well as Mongolia.

Four stallions have been injured in battles since May, said Entmak, a senior veterinarian in the wild horse breeding research center, Asia's largest.

Lead stallion Junggar No. 334, seven years old, was badly hurt and Entmak had to stitch his wounds up and keep him in isolation.

"The stallions in captivity became aggressive against each other when they were placed near a group of females. We realized the animosity and took the mares away, but the males kept on fighting," said Entmak.

Besides Junggar No. 334, three others suffered bruises and are in recovery, he said.

Fights could turn bloody for the Przewalski's horses, especially those in the wild. In September last year, Junggar No. 223, the lead stallion of a wild herd, was badly injured and lost his harem to competitors, center staff said.

May marks the start of the breeding season at the center, which has 92 captive bred horses, 102 in the semi-wild situation and 224 in the wild.

Four foals have been born this month.

The Przewalski horses faced extinction in the wake of rampant hunting beginning in the early 19th century. China started a breeding program in 1986 using horses brought back from Britain and Germany to repopulate the subspecies.

There are about 2,000 Przewalski's horses in the world today.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 23:36:47|Editor: yan

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NEW DELHI, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday evening and staked the claim to form his second consecutive union government.

A tweet from the official Twitter of Indian president said, "A letter stating that Narendra Modi had been elected leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party was handed over to the President. Letters of support from National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituent parties were also handed over to the President."Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 23:41:50|Editor: yan

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WASHINGTON, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Ten people were injured overnight during a shooting at a bar in Trenton, eastern U.S. state of New Jersey, authorities said Saturday.

Five men and five women were transported to local hospitals, said Capt. Stephen Varn, a Trenton police spokesperson.

One victim was critically wounded and taken into emergency surgery, Varn said.

Police said they were notified of gunfire around 12:25 a.m. Saturday, according to local media reports.

An investigation into the shooting is going on.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 23:51:55|Editor: yan

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NEW DELHI, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Indian President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday evening appointed Narendra Modi as the prime minister after receiving letters of support from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

"Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution of India, President Kovind today appointed Narendra Modi to the office of Prime Minister of India," said the official Twitter account of the President of India.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 23:51:56|Editor: yan

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JOHANNESBURG, May 25 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) on Saturday pledged to work with the government to improve the country's economy and better the lives of the people.

The DA leader Mmusi Maimane congratulated Cyril Ramaphosa who was sworn in as the President of South Africa. Maimane called on the President to consider reducing economic cluster to three key ministries to enable more coherent economic policy.

"If the President does what is in the interest of South Africa and is genuine about economic reform, he will have the full support of the DA," said Maimane.

He called on the finance minister to set a debt ceiling. Maimane also called on the public enterprises minister to privatize non-strategic state owned enterprises.

The opposition also called for restructuring of the power utility Eskom to enable a private-sector-led transition to cheaper, cleaner energy sources.

Maimane said, "The minister must be commuted to visa reform to boost tourism and investment so it is easier for critical skills and foreign currency to enter South Africa."

The opposition also called for the reduction of the Cabinet Ministers by merging some ministries.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-25 23:57:02|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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Narendra Modi speaks during a public meeting in Ahmadabad, India, on May 26, 2019. Indian President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday evening appointed Narendra Modi as the prime minister after receiving letters of support from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). (Xinhua/Stringer)

NEW DELHI, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the country's President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday evening and staked the claim to form his second consecutive union government.

The official Twitter account of the President of India said, "A letter stating that Narendra Modi had been elected leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party was handed over to the president. Letters of support from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituent parties were also handed over to the president."

According to official sources at the "Rashtrapati Bhawan" (President House), the NDA partners submitted with the president a list of 353 newly-elected lawmakers belonging to the ruling alliance, in order to stake the claim to form Modi's next government for a five-year term.

In order to form a union government in India, a single political party, or an alliance of political parties, should have the support of at least 272 lawmakers, the half-way mark in the 545-member lower house "Lok Sabha."

Earlier in the day, the newly-elected lawmakers of the NDA elected Modi as their leader, thus paving the way for him to become the country's prime minister for a second consecutive term.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-26 00:07:13|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Iran traded 3,158 tons of non-oil commodities worth 5.86 million U.S. dollars with Mexico in the last Iranian calendar year ending on March 20, 2019, Eghtesad Online news website reported on Saturday.

The figures registered a 97.97 percent decline in weight and 83.84 percent decrease in value compared with the year before.

Iran's exports to Mexico stood at 2,907 tons worth 4.73 million U.S. dollars.

Mexico was Iran's 80th export destination during the year.

Iran mainly exported textile products, floorings, pistachios and alabaster to Mexico during the 12-month period.

Mexico exported 251 tons of goods worth 1.13 million U.S. dollars to Iran.

Mexico was the 99th exporter of goods to Iran during the period.

Iran's imports included vaccines, chemicals and computer devices.Tennessee Governor Bill Lee addresses the fifth China-U.S. Governors Forum in Lexington, Kentucky, the United States, on May 23, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

by Xinhua writers Xu Jing, Xu Xingtang, Miao Zhuang

LEXINGTON, the United States, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Fifth China-U.S. Governors Forum held here in the U.S. state of Kentucky concluded with a consensus that cooperation is the only right choice for both China and the United States.

When Bill Lee, governor of the U.S. state of Tennessee, found he was sitting next to Tang Liangzhi, mayor of China's Chongqing municipality during the forum, he immediately texted his surprise to his son, who once lived in Chongqing while attending university.

"Those are things that will enhance the opportunity for us to work together on things that are mutually beneficial," Lee said.

"Chongqing has a long history in its exchanges with the United States," said Tang for his part, recalling the establishment of sister cities between Chongqing and Seattle in 1983 and the performance of the U.S. Pacific Symphony Orchestra at Chongqing Grand Theater on the eve of the Chinese New Year.

Tang also cited a famous Chinese proverb of "friends and neighbors becoming closer when they visit each other more often," while inviting American friends to visit Chongqing, have a taste of true Chinese hot spot, and feel for themselves the unique culture and charm of the municipality.

In addition to the heartfelt topic of people-to-people exchanges, economic cooperation was also highlighted during the forum.

"Economic globalization is an inevitable trend," said Tang in his presentation. "To accelerate the development of integration has become an inevitable choice in promoting common prosperity for all countries."

"China and the United States must work together to confront and defeat climate change, to alleviate poverty, to address the plague of infectious diseases and cancer, Alzheimer's, and other medical conditions, and to ensure security, denuclearization and an Internet that is safe for everyone -- businesses and individuals," said Cyrus Habib, lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of Washington, in his presentation.

"Those problems cannot be solved without China, and those problems cannot be solved without the United States," he added. "We must strengthen our friendship, not only for our economic good, but truly for the sake of our entire planet."

"I want to say now, not as a Washingtonian, but as an American, how important the U.S.-China relationship is and will continue to be for the next 40 years. It's not just about making money, it's not just about creating jobs, although all of those things are important. It's about friendship through which we can solve the world's greatest problems," Habib said.

U.S. gas supplier Air Products signed a letter of intent with Yushen Industrial Park located in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province on a comprehensive "gas island" project at the forum. Liu Guozhong, governor of Shaanxi Province, said, "better economic and trade cooperation is in line with the interests of enterprises and people of both countries."

East China's Jiangxi Province signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. state of Kentucky on education and agriculture.

"The development of China-U.S. relations needs the support of local governments and the people of both countries," said Wu Zhongqiong, vice governor of Jiangxi Province.

Exchanges and cooperation between Chinese provinces and U.S. states are the cornerstone of the development of bilateral relations, and cooperation is the only way to create a win-win outlook for both, she added.

"There is so much mutual benefit between our nations, between our people," Governor of Kentucky Matt Bevin said, suggesting the issues that face the two countries will be resolved.

In his closing remarks at the forum, Bevin encouraged every person present to be an ambassador to carry the spirit of the forum back home.

The state motto of Kentucky is "united we stand, divided we fall." Bevin used it in reference to China-U.S. relations, "when one side wins, the other side wins. When China is strong, it is good for America. When America is strong, it is good for China."

He admitted there is suspicion and misunderstanding at present, but "when people talk, when people trade, when people cross cultures by going to schools in one place or the other, it goes away."Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-26 00:22:20|Editor: yan

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BEIRUT, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah leader Sayed Hassan Nasrallah said Saturday that Lebanon has the power to counter Israel if it attempts to access the country's oil and gas resources, Al Manar local TV Channel reported.

"Lebanon has the right to its oil and gas resources and it has the capability to fight for its rights. We should be optimistic about our capability of accomplishing a victory in this regard," Nasrallah said on the occasion of the Resistance and Liberation Day which, this year, marks the 19th anniversary since Israel withdrew from South Lebanon.

Nasrallah's comments come amid dispute between Lebanon and Israel over the demarcation of borders between the two countries.

Lebanon has an unresolved maritime border with Israel that involves a triangular sea area of about 860 square km extending along the edge of three of its 10 offshore energy blocks.

Lebanese officials previously announced that Lebanon is ready to draw its maritime borders under the supervision of the United Nations.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-26 00:32:25|Editor: yan

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BAGHDAD, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived on Saturday in Baghdad on an official visit to discuss bilateral ties and regional situation amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, the Iraqi official television reported.

Zarif is scheduled to hold meetings with top Iraqi leaders, including Iraqi President Barham Salih, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, and Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, the state-run Iraqiya channel said.

During his visit, the Iranian foreign minister will discuss with Iraqi leaders means to enhance bilateral relations and the latest development in the Middle East region, the channel added.

Zarif's visit came amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran after U.S. President Donald Trump decided not to re-issue the sanctions waivers for major importers to continue buying Iran's oil when they expired in early May.

On May 15, the U.S. State Department ordered the non-emergency U.S. employees working in both the embassy in Baghdad and the consulate in Erbil to leave Iraq, a U.S. embassy statement said.

Earlier, the U.S. military said that the U.S. forces were on high alert in Iraq and Syria over fears of "imminent threats" from Iran-backed forces in the region.

On May 21, Mahdi said that Iraq will send delegations to the United States and Iran to ease the tension in the Middle East.

"Iraq has high-level contacts (with parties of dispute), and we are going to push for calm between Washington and Tehran, but it is not a mediation," Mahdi said in a press conference in Baghdad.

The United States has also increased its military buildup in the region recently by deploying an aircraft carrier, bombers and anti-missile systems, citing a threat of Iranian attack.Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-26 00:47:28|Editor: yan

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NANCHANG, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Since May, Zhu Hongmei's homestay, called "egret photo studio" by locals, enters the busiest time of the years, as the graceful birds start their breeding season.

Thousands of shutterbugs from across the country flock in the small town of Xiangshan in east China's Jiangxi Province, where Zhu's homestay is located, to capture shots of the rare birds.

The number of tourists surged in recent years with increasing egret population in the Xiangshan forest park thanks to stronger nature protection, Zhu said, and so is the local homestay business.

Xiangshan, which once suffered from environmental damage, has seen forests and wetlands expanding in recent years. It is now dubbed as the "egret kingdom", a paradise where some 300,000 birds of the kind migrate to nest and breed each year.

"Only 30,000 of the bird migrated here 30 years ago, as wetlands and forests, which are their main habitats, were damaged," said Xiong Xinming, director of the forest management station.

Xiangshan now boasts 533 hectares of forest, doubled compared with 30 years ago. The bird paradise has also become home to some rare species of the egrets.

Many tourists and photographers have been attracted there. Seven local homestays like Zhu's receives an average of about 100 tourists each day from early March to late July each year.

The booming businesses help villagers in Xiangshan increase their income by over a million yuan (around 145,500 U.S. dollars) each year.

Luo Haoquan, a tourist, was among Zhu's earliest guests when she started her homestay 15 years ago.

Luo, a retiree from south China's Guangdong Province, has been to the town eight times over the years. This year, he invited over 20 fellow photographers to come with him.

"The biggest change in the park is the egret population," he said, "We used to take pictures of them from a distance, but now we can have a closer shot [as there are more birds]."

Luo added that the infrastructure of the town has also improved, with asphalt roads built to reach all the local homestays.

These photography enthusiasts are not only bird lovers but also bird guardians, Zhu said.

The local forest management station has set up patrol teams to watch the forest around the clock, and some photographers offer to join the night patrol, helping chicks that fall from the tree back to the nest.

"Each year before egrets arrive here, we also popularize knowledge about bird protection among locals," said Xiong, head of the management station.

The egrets would nest in the first month they come to the park and breed nestlings in the following month, and they would destroy their home before they leave.

Local villagers know these details of the migratory bird and know when to bring them some food and when to leave them undisturbed, Xiong said.